latimes--2020-12-15--¿Siente que está viendo al humilde huarache por todas partes? Tiene razón

En las tiendas mexicanas de Los Ángeles , los huaraches son una vista común .
Camine por Olvera Street en el centro de Los Ángeles o visite Boyle Heights , y verá las apreciadas sandalias en todos sus matices , estilos y tamaños colgando de cuerdas o llenando estantes en los puestos de zapatos .
En estos vecindarios , especialmente antes de que la pandemia de coronavirus cambiara el panorama de las ventas al por menor de la ciudad , encontraría generaciones de fabricantes de huaraches .
María Silva es uno de ellos .
Durante los últimos 23 años , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mano en su tienda Mas Sport dentro del Mercado de Los Ángeles de Boyle Heights .
Los abuelos de Silva perfeccionaron el oficio en su ciudad natal , Sahuayo , México , donde su madre también aprendió a hacer huaraches .
Cuando Silva y sus hermanos fueron mayores , ellos también se involucraron en el negocio .
Silva , ahora de 49 años , pasó su infancia en Sahuayo pintando y puliendo huaraches en la zapatería de su familia .
“ Cuando había mucho trabajo , lijaba la suela con una máquina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dijo , sacando un zapato de colores brillantes del estante en la pared de su tienda durante una visita a finales del año pasado .
Al crecer , limpiaba , empaquetaba y rellenaba las sandalias con periódicos para evitar daños .
Cuando empezó a vender huaraches en Los Ángeles hace años , se convirtieron en una fuente de orgullo cultural para ella .
“ Me trae mucha felicidad porque ahora no son solo los hispanos los que los compran ” , dijo .
Su clientela ha crecido hasta incluir personas blancas y negras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mundo .
“ Me siento feliz porque cada día la tradición continúa ” .
En medio de la pandemia de COVID-19 , los huaraches también han salvado vidas .
“ Una pequeña empresaria como yo depende de las ventas del día a día ” , dijo Silva recientemente .
“ No tenemos las finanzas para sobrevivir a una situación como esta .
La verdad es que las ventas cayeron significativamente .
... Pero ahora mismo , gracias a Dios , lo que realmente está ayudando es el huarache ” .
Obligada a cerrar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , durante los cuales no recibió ninguna ayuda financiera federal , Silva ha recurrido a la venta de las sandalias en el estacionamiento de El Mercado , donde los vendedores habían recibido luz verde para reabrir sus negocios a finales de agosto .
En ese momento , eso significaba no tener más zapatos de tenis , ropa deportiva y otros artículos que Silva también vendía .
Por muy duros que hayan sido estos tiempos de pandemia para los vendedores , la empresaria dijo que ha disfrutado trabajando en el espacio al aire libre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve acogedor , se siente cómodo y se ve muy bien ” , manifestó .
“ Te recuerda a tu pueblo ” .
El huarache mexicano se remonta a la época precolombina y se ha rastreado hasta las comunidades rurales de Yucatán , Michoacán , Guanajuato y Jalisco .
Cada región de México se especializa en diferentes estilos de huaraches .
Las variaciones están influenciadas por el terreno y el clima de una zona .
Las tiras flexibles y estrechas de cuero que se entrelazan y a menudo se tiñen con pinturas brillantes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconocible .
Hay huaraches con tacones y estampados ; otros tienen una tira más larga cerca del tobillo para envolver la pantorrilla ; y muchos presentan una forma de diamante tejida en la parte delantera .
Está el clásico ‘ El Pachuco ’ , considerado entre los diseños de huaraches más complicados .
Otros son ideales para los campesinos .
Algunos son más suaves o duraderos .
Pueden ser abrochados , atados o deslizados .
Antes asociado principalmente con los trabajadores agrícolas de México , el huarache ganó prominencia en Estados Unidos en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ y los surfistas adoptaron el zapato como parte de su estilo relajado y despreocupado .
( Incluso los Beach Boys cantaron calzándolos en su éxito de los años 60 “ Surfin ’ U.S.A. ” ) Las sandalias se han vuelto más populares a lo largo de los años , y ahora se pueden encontrar en los mercados de fin de semana , tiendas minoristas e innumerables sitios en línea .
Marcas y minoristas como Quiksilver y Urban Outfitters han aprovechado la popularidad de los huaraches , vendiendo pares por alrededor de $ 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veces más .
Nike sacó provecho del calzado de moda en 1991 y lanzó la zapatilla Air Huarache .
Pequeñas tiendas independientes en Los Ángeles también han aprovechado el mercado .
Hace años , cuando Francisco Álvarez y Óscar Yapor regresaron a Denver de un viaje a Michoacán , México , los mejores amigos de toda la vida no pensaron mucho en los huaraches clásicos que trajeron con ellos .
Sin embargo , en las calles , amigos y extraños locales admiraron las sandalias de cuero marrón hechas a mano que compraron a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ ¿De dónde las sacaste ?
” , escuchaban a personas que señalaban a los huaraches en sus pies .
De repente las sandalias se veían un poco diferentes para los nativos de Chihuahua , México .
Así que Álvarez y Yapor , ambos de 27 años , decidieron intentar satisfacer la demanda de la ciudad .
Compraron su primer lote de huaraches , unos 100 , en la huarachera en Sahuayo , una ciudad apodada ‘ Ciudad de los Huaraches ’ , y los vendieron en los mercados artesanales de los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ o cuatro meses , nos dimos cuenta de que esto era probablemente más exitoso de lo que esperábamos ” , dijo Yapor .
“ Esto era solo un trabajo secundario que hacíamos los fines de semana para pagar la deuda de la universidad ” .
Resultó ser mucho más grande que eso .
Álvarez , un arquitecto , y Yapor , un ingeniero industrial , dejaron sus campos de estudio para convertirse en empresarios , y se mudaron a Los Ángeles .
A medida que su negocio crecía , abrieron una espaciosa y @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marca Espíritu .
Después de una prueba como tienda minorista , decidieron que su marca prosperaría mejor en línea , así que cerraron la tienda el pasado mes de diciembre .
Continuaron vendiendo sus sandalias en su sitio web a partir de $ 85 el par .
En enero , el dúo abrió un almacén en el centro de Los Ángeles para sus necesidades de almacenamiento y operación diaria .
Cada huarache que vende Espíritu está hecho a mano en Sahuayo .
A través de una asociación con el gobierno de México , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escapan de circunstancias extremas la oportunidad de recuperarse con trabajos ayudando a fabricar sandalias .
“ Nuestros artesanos les enseñan a hacer esto para que podamos darles un trabajo inmediato tan pronto como salgan de la cárcel , de la rehabilitación o de la falta de vivienda ” , dijo Yapor .
Los inmigrantes y los supervivientes de la violencia doméstica también entran por sus puertas .
A diferencia de los minoristas que no tienen una plataforma de comercio electrónico , Espíritu ha crecido en ventas durante la pandemia .
“ La gente @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comodidad ” y a rastrear huaraches mientras estaban en cuarentena en casa , dijo Yapor .
“ Empezamos a dirigirnos a los clientes correctos y pudimos expandir nuestras ventas en línea .
Gran parte de la energía que gastábamos en ir a los mercados , la pudimos dedicar en línea y crear más inventario ” .
Pero los empresarios no se libraron de las dificultades provocadas por la pandemia .
Durante dos meses cerraron sus instalaciones de fabricación en Sahuayo , donde se produjo un brote de infecciones por coronavirus .
Aún así @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sueldos y salarios , dijo Yapor .
Se vieron obligados a trabajar con el inventario que tenían y a encontrar una forma de crear pedidos comerciales en línea para poder seguir vendiendo huaraches .
Ahora , Espíritu está prosperando .
Alrededor de junio , Álvarez y Yapor lanzaron un blog y huaraches de color pastel para atraer a los clientes más jóvenes .
Una línea invernal de huaraches para hombres y mujeres con forro de piel de oveja está disponible en su sitio por $ 139 y $ 149 por par , y @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Topo Chico y Tapatío son un claro indicador del auge del negocio de huaraches de Álvarez y Yapor .
Hacer huaraches es una tarea laboriosa y que requiere mucho tiempo .
Pregúntele a la artista Pilar Agüero-Esparza , quien creció viendo a su padre fabricarlo en el este de Los Ángeles .
Agüero-Esparza pasó muchos veranos y horas extraescolares viendo a sus padres hacer huaraches desde cero en su pequeña tienda de Boyle Heights .
Cuando ella y sus hermanos crecieron , se les asignó la tarea de lijar y pulir los zapatos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ que sus huaraches se hicieron más populares , empezaron a venderlos en mercados , dijo Agüero-Esparza .
“ Los sábados nos llevaban al mercado de El Monte , montábamos el puesto y nos recogían a las 4 de la tarde ” , relató .
“ Y mis hermanas y mi hermano estarían allí vendiendo los huaraches ” .
Su padre , que llegó a Estados Unidos siendo un adolescente , era un huarachero de tercera generación , pero fue su taller de reparación de calzado lo que lo inspiró a volver al oficio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ese fue un negocio lento , así que pensó , ‘ ¿Qué puedo hacer ?
’ .
Y fue entonces cuando decidió , ‘ Oye , puedo hacer huaraches ’ ” .
A nivel personal , hacer huaraches era un orgullo para su padre ; era su forma de conectarse con su cultura y aliviar su nostalgia , dijo .
“ Pudo ver dónde la gente podía conectarse con México , con esta experiencia inmigrante ” .
Desde la muerte de su padre hace años , Agüero-Esparza ha mantenido vivo el oficio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de fabricación de huaraches en todo el mundo .
“ Es algo que está cerca de mi corazón ” , dijo , “ ser capaz de hacer zapatos ” .
“ Te cansan ” , dijo Cesáreo Moreno , director de artes visuales y curador jefe del Museo Nacional de Arte Mexicano de Chicago , de sus huaraches “ indestructibles ” .
“ Son agotadores ” .
Con un peso de 1.5 libras por zapato , las amadas sandalias de Moreno están hechas de goma de neumáticos viejos , cuero grueso y clavos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ en un mercado de la ciudad de Oaxaca .
Son más viejas que sus hijos , dijo , y cuando las lleva puestas , se sienten “ como un compañero de viaje de verano que visita después del deshielo ” .
Cesáreo Moreno compró estos huaraches “ indestructibles ” hace al menos 18 años en la ciudad de Oaxaca .
Son más viejas que sus hijos , dice , y cada zapato pesa alrededor de 1.5 libras .
Es un zapato “ esencialmente mexicano ... un humilde ícono del mestizaje que es amado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , dijo .
Sospecha que la creciente popularidad del huarache tiene sus raíces en un anhelo por el pasado .
“ Tantas cosas que se vuelven populares dentro de la cultura mexicano-estadounidense es nostalgia ” , manifestó .
“ Es la capacidad de usar algo que se alinea con tu identidad de una manera que te hace sentir orgulloso de ello y te hace pensar en tus antepasados y su legado ” .
Cada vez que se pone sus huaraches y conoce a alguien de México , suele ser lo primero que @ @ @ @ @ @ @ se ha enamorado de este zapato de estilo antiguo ” .

En las tiendas mexicanas de Los Ángeles, los huaraches son una vista común. Camine por Olvera Street en el centro de Los Ángeles o visite Boyle Heights, y verá las apreciadas sandalias en todos sus matices, estilos y tamaños colgando de cuerdas o llenando estantes en los puestos de zapatos. En estos vecindarios, especialmente antes de que la pandemia de coronavirus cambiara el panorama de las ventas al por menor de la ciudad, encontraría generaciones de fabricantes de huaraches.
María Silva es uno de ellos. Durante los últimos 23 años, vendió huaraches y otro calzado mexicano hecho a mano en su tienda Mas Sport dentro del Mercado de Los Ángeles de Boyle Heights.
Los abuelos de Silva perfeccionaron el oficio en su ciudad natal, Sahuayo, México, donde su madre también aprendió a hacer huaraches. Cuando Silva y sus hermanos fueron mayores, ellos también se involucraron en el negocio.
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Silva, ahora de 49 años, pasó su infancia en Sahuayo pintando y puliendo huaraches en la zapatería de su familia. “Cuando había mucho trabajo, lijaba la suela con una máquina para que no tuviera deformidades”, dijo, sacando un zapato de colores brillantes del estante en la pared de su tienda durante una visita a finales del año pasado. Al crecer, limpiaba, empaquetaba y rellenaba las sandalias con periódicos para evitar daños.
María Silva en su tienda dentro del Mercado de Los Ángeles, donde vendía los huaraches hechos a mano de su familia. Silva y sus hermanos crecieron en México haciendo huaraches. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Cuando empezó a vender huaraches en Los Ángeles hace años, se convirtieron en una fuente de orgullo cultural para ella. “Me trae mucha felicidad porque ahora no son solo los hispanos los que los compran”, dijo.
Su clientela ha crecido hasta incluir personas blancas y negras, filipinos y turistas de todo el mundo. “Me siento feliz porque cada día la tradición continúa”.
En medio de la pandemia de COVID-19, los huaraches también han salvado vidas. “Una pequeña empresaria como yo depende de las ventas del día a día”, dijo Silva recientemente. “No tenemos las finanzas para sobrevivir a una situación como esta. La verdad es que las ventas cayeron significativamente. ...Pero ahora mismo, gracias a Dios, lo que realmente está ayudando es el huarache”.
María Silva, a la izquierda, ayuda a la clienta Ana Rosa Ornelas de Sacramento mientras mira los huaraches de cuero cosidos a mano para mujeres que se exhiben en Mas Sport, ubicado en el estacionamiento del Mercado de Los Ángeles en Boyle Heights. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Obligada a cerrar su tienda por cinco meses este año, durante los cuales no recibió ninguna ayuda financiera federal, Silva ha recurrido a la venta de las sandalias en el estacionamiento de El Mercado, donde los vendedores habían recibido luz verde para reabrir sus negocios a finales de agosto. En ese momento, eso significaba no tener más zapatos de tenis, ropa deportiva y otros artículos que Silva también vendía.
Por muy duros que hayan sido estos tiempos de pandemia para los vendedores, la empresaria dijo que ha disfrutado trabajando en el espacio al aire libre. “Me gusta más. Se ve acogedor, se siente cómodo y se ve muy bien”, manifestó. “Te recuerda a tu pueblo”.
El huarache mexicano se remonta a la época precolombina y se ha rastreado hasta las comunidades rurales de Yucatán, Michoacán, Guanajuato y Jalisco. Cada región de México se especializa en diferentes estilos de huaraches. Las variaciones están influenciadas por el terreno y el clima de una zona.
Las tiras flexibles y estrechas de cuero que se entrelazan y a menudo se tiñen con pinturas brillantes y vivas son un diseño de huarache reconocible. Hay huaraches con tacones y estampados; otros tienen una tira más larga cerca del tobillo para envolver la pantorrilla; y muchos presentan una forma de diamante tejida en la parte delantera. Está el clásico ‘El Pachuco’, considerado entre los diseños de huaraches más complicados. Otros son ideales para los campesinos. Algunos son más suaves o duraderos. Pueden ser abrochados, atados o deslizados.
Un detalle de un huarache hecho por María Silva y su familia. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Antes asociado principalmente con los trabajadores agrícolas de México, el huarache ganó prominencia en Estados Unidos en la década de 1960 cuando los hippies y los surfistas adoptaron el zapato como parte de su estilo relajado y despreocupado. (Incluso los Beach Boys cantaron calzándolos en su éxito de los años 60 “Surfin’ U.S.A.”) Las sandalias se han vuelto más populares a lo largo de los años, y ahora se pueden encontrar en los mercados de fin de semana, tiendas minoristas e innumerables sitios en línea.
Marcas y minoristas como Quiksilver y Urban Outfitters han aprovechado la popularidad de los huaraches, vendiendo pares por alrededor de $63 y $100, respectivamente, a veces más. Nike sacó provecho del calzado de moda en 1991 y lanzó la zapatilla Air Huarache. Pequeñas tiendas independientes en Los Ángeles también han aprovechado el mercado.
Huaraches Espíritu de la colección invierno 2020 de la marca. (Stephanie Munguia / Espiritu)
Hace años, cuando Francisco Álvarez y Óscar Yapor regresaron a Denver de un viaje a Michoacán, México, los mejores amigos de toda la vida no pensaron mucho en los huaraches clásicos que trajeron con ellos.
Sin embargo, en las calles, amigos y extraños locales admiraron las sandalias de cuero marrón hechas a mano que compraron a una mujer en un mercado de artesanos. “¿De dónde las sacaste?”, escuchaban a personas que señalaban a los huaraches en sus pies.
De repente las sandalias se veían un poco diferentes para los nativos de Chihuahua, México.
Los mejores amigos de toda la vida y socios, Francisco Álvarez, a la izquierda, y Óscar Yapor fundaron la marca mexicana de huaraches Espíritu. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Así que Álvarez y Yapor, ambos de 27 años, decidieron intentar satisfacer la demanda de la ciudad. Compraron su primer lote de huaraches, unos 100, en la huarachera en Sahuayo, una ciudad apodada ‘Ciudad de los Huaraches’, y los vendieron en los mercados artesanales de los alrededores de Denver.
Fueron un éxito inmediato.
“En tres o cuatro meses, nos dimos cuenta de que esto era probablemente más exitoso de lo que esperábamos”, dijo Yapor. “Esto era solo un trabajo secundario que hacíamos los fines de semana para pagar la deuda de la universidad”.
Resultó ser mucho más grande que eso. Álvarez, un arquitecto, y Yapor, un ingeniero industrial, dejaron sus campos de estudio para convertirse en empresarios, y se mudaron a Los Ángeles.
A medida que su negocio crecía, abrieron una espaciosa y colorida tienda en Echo Park para su marca Espíritu. Después de una prueba como tienda minorista, decidieron que su marca prosperaría mejor en línea, así que cerraron la tienda el pasado mes de diciembre.
Continuaron vendiendo sus sandalias en su sitio web a partir de $85 el par. En enero, el dúo abrió un almacén en el centro de Los Ángeles para sus necesidades de almacenamiento y operación diaria.
Cada huarache que vende Espíritu está hecho a mano en Sahuayo. A través de una asociación con el gobierno de México, el negocio ofrece a las mujeres que escapan de circunstancias extremas la oportunidad de recuperarse con trabajos ayudando a fabricar sandalias.
Un vistazo más de cerca a los huaraches mexicanos usados por Francisco Álvarez, a la izquierda, y Óscar Yapor. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“Nuestros artesanos les enseñan a hacer esto para que podamos darles un trabajo inmediato tan pronto como salgan de la cárcel, de la rehabilitación o de la falta de vivienda”, dijo Yapor. Los inmigrantes y los supervivientes de la violencia doméstica también entran por sus puertas.
A diferencia de los minoristas que no tienen una plataforma de comercio electrónico, Espíritu ha crecido en ventas durante la pandemia. “La gente empezó a buscar un poco más de comodidad” y a rastrear huaraches mientras estaban en cuarentena en casa, dijo Yapor. “Empezamos a dirigirnos a los clientes correctos y pudimos expandir nuestras ventas en línea. Gran parte de la energía que gastábamos en ir a los mercados, la pudimos dedicar en línea y crear más inventario”.
Pero los empresarios no se libraron de las dificultades provocadas por la pandemia. Durante dos meses cerraron sus instalaciones de fabricación en Sahuayo, donde se produjo un brote de infecciones por coronavirus. Aún así, se las arreglaron para seguir pagando sueldos y salarios, dijo Yapor. Se vieron obligados a trabajar con el inventario que tenían y a encontrar una forma de crear pedidos comerciales en línea para poder seguir vendiendo huaraches.
Huaraches Espíritu de la colección invierno 2020 de la marca.
(Stephanie Munguia / Espiritu)
Ahora, Espíritu está prosperando. Alrededor de junio, Álvarez y Yapor lanzaron un blog y huaraches de color pastel para atraer a los clientes más jóvenes. Una línea invernal de huaraches para hombres y mujeres con forro de piel de oveja está disponible en su sitio por $139 y $149 por par, y sus recientes colaboraciones con las mega marcas Topo Chico y Tapatío son un claro indicador del auge del negocio de huaraches de Álvarez y Yapor.
El zapatero
Hacer huaraches es una tarea laboriosa y que requiere mucho tiempo. Pregúntele a la artista Pilar Agüero-Esparza, quien creció viendo a su padre fabricarlo en el este de Los Ángeles.
Agüero-Esparza pasó muchos veranos y horas extraescolares viendo a sus padres hacer huaraches desde cero en su pequeña tienda de Boyle Heights. Cuando ella y sus hermanos crecieron, se les asignó la tarea de lijar y pulir los zapatos y pintar sus bordes.
A medida que sus huaraches se hicieron más populares, empezaron a venderlos en mercados, dijo Agüero-Esparza. “Los sábados nos llevaban al mercado de El Monte, montábamos el puesto y nos recogían a las 4 de la tarde”, relató. “Y mis hermanas y mi hermano estarían allí vendiendo los huaraches”.
Una sandalia huarache. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Su padre, que llegó a Estados Unidos siendo un adolescente, era un huarachero de tercera generación, pero fue su taller de reparación de calzado lo que lo inspiró a volver al oficio. “A través de los años, ese fue un negocio lento, así que pensó, ‘¿Qué puedo hacer?’. Y fue entonces cuando decidió, ‘Oye, puedo hacer huaraches’”.
A nivel personal, hacer huaraches era un orgullo para su padre; era su forma de conectarse con su cultura y aliviar su nostalgia, dijo. “Pudo ver dónde la gente podía conectarse con México, con esta experiencia inmigrante”.
Desde la muerte de su padre hace años, Agüero-Esparza ha mantenido vivo el oficio y la tradición; ha tenido talleres de fabricación de huaraches en todo el mundo. “Es algo que está cerca de mi corazón”, dijo, “ser capaz de hacer zapatos”.
El compañero de viaje
“Te cansan”, dijo Cesáreo Moreno, director de artes visuales y curador jefe del Museo Nacional de Arte Mexicano de Chicago, de sus huaraches “indestructibles”. “Son agotadores”.
Con un peso de 1.5 libras por zapato, las amadas sandalias de Moreno están hechas de goma de neumáticos viejos, cuero grueso y clavos. Las compró hace unas dos décadas en un mercado de la ciudad de Oaxaca. Son más viejas que sus hijos, dijo, y cuando las lleva puestas, se sienten “como un compañero de viaje de verano que visita después del deshielo”.
Cesáreo Moreno compró estos huaraches “indestructibles” hace al menos 18 años en la ciudad de Oaxaca. Son más viejas que sus hijos, dice, y cada zapato pesa alrededor de 1.5 libras.
Es un zapato “esencialmente mexicano... un humilde ícono del mestizaje que es amado y pasado por alto al mismo tiempo”, dijo.
Sospecha que la creciente popularidad del huarache tiene sus raíces en un anhelo por el pasado.
“Tantas cosas que se vuelven populares dentro de la cultura mexicano-estadounidense es nostalgia”, manifestó. “Es la capacidad de usar algo que se alinea con tu identidad de una manera que te hace sentir orgulloso de ello y te hace pensar en tus antepasados y su legado”.
Cada vez que se pone sus huaraches y conoce a alguien de México, suele ser lo primero que comentan, dijo. “La gente se ha enamorado de este zapato de estilo antiguo”.
Si quiere leer este artículo en inglés, haga clic aquí
https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-12-11/huaraches-shoe-design-espiritu?fbclid=IwAR3j1Blsp1Z5KXI4ZHyPZOYlD9pS4S7WUM1EtKzdKfc_zwsu7GBw4JEbLl8


latimes--2020-12-15--Two earthquakes felt in Northern California

A magnitude 3.7 earthquake was reported Tuesday morning at 6:58 a.m. Pacific time two miles from Morgan Hill , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
It was followed one minute later by a magnitude 3.6 quake that occurred a mile away from Morgan Hill in Northern California .
The initial earthquake occurred three miles from San Jose , eight miles from Gilroy , Calif. , 18 miles from Hollister , Calif. , and 18 miles from Watsonville , Calif .
The second quake was a mile closer to San Jose and Gilroy .
In the last 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The first earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.5 miles , the second one at a depth of 3.2 miles .
Did you feel either earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Find out what to do before , and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.7 earthquake was reported Tuesday at 6:58 a.m. two miles from Morgan Hill, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.7 earthquake was reported Tuesday morning at 6:58 a.m. Pacific time two miles from Morgan Hill, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
It was followed one minute later by a magnitude 3.6 quake that occurred a mile away from Morgan Hill in Northern California.
The initial earthquake occurred three miles from San Jose, eight miles from Gilroy, Calif., 18 miles from Hollister, Calif., and 18 miles from Watsonville, Calif. The second quake was a mile closer to San Jose and Gilroy.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The first earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.5 miles, the second one at a depth of 3.2 miles. Did you feel either earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-12-15--National commission says prison inmates, guards should be among first to get COVID-19 vaccine

With cases of COVID-19 continuing to spread through prisons , guards and inmates should be among the first to receive vaccinations against the virus that causes the illness , a national commission recommended Monday .
The vaccine recommendation by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice , whose members include former U.S. Attys .
Gen. Loretta Lynch and Albert Gonzales , was the main takeaway in a set of findings released by the panel .
The group also called for an increase in the number of prisoners released during the pandemic and for some incoming inmates to be diverted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the disease .
As officials in California and other states scramble to devise plans for dispersing the vaccine and which people should be the first to receive it , the commission recommended that inmates and correctional staff be put in a category behind only healthcare workers and highly vulnerable populations such as the elderly living in nursing homes .
California officials on Monday said a decision had not yet been made on where inmates will fall on the state ’ s vaccination plan .
Former Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was not part of the sub-group on prisons , but said he understands the reasoning for the recommendation , given the high-risk nature of infection while in custody .
About a quarter of inmates in California — roughly 26,000 people — have become infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
Ninety-five of them have died .
One of the worst outbreaks occurred at San Quentin State Prison , where more than 2,200 inmates were sickened and 28 people died during the summer .
The infection rate of incarcerated people statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prison system will be among the first to get the vaccine , but those receiving it will be staff as opposed to inmates , according to a federal memorandum initially obtained by the Associated Press .
The 14-person commission , created by the Council on Criminal Justice , found that the population density of prisons and jails , along with a lack of preparedness and guidance from justice system leadership , led to widespread failure to prevent the spread of the virus and led to numerous deaths .
Nationwide 12.7 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three to four times that of the general population .
Three states — South Dakota , Arkansas and Kansas — report that more than 40 % of their prison populations have been infected .
In addition to the vaccine , the commission found that to increase the resiliency , fairness and effectiveness of a system that includes 2.1 million people behind bars and an additional 4.4 million on probation or parole , leaders must thin incarcerated populations to limit contact and maximize the distance between individuals .
The commission recommendation follows efforts out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered more than 1,000 inmates released or transferred to reduce San Quentin ’ s prison population of 2,900 and Orange County ’ s sheriff was ordered to slash his jail population .
“ Fundamental changes often follow a crisis ... so as we work to improve the fairness and effectiveness of our criminal justice system , this is the time for us to be bold in our thinking and actions , ” said commission co-chair Gonzales , who served as attorney general under President George W. Bush .
“ Let ’ s take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvements for the benefit of all Americans.
” Commissioners called for creating effective “ safety valve ” release mechanisms for medically vulnerable people in prison .
California prison officials say they have reduced the inmate statewide population by 22,000 since March , bringing it to its lowest number in three decades .
But more elderly and medically vulnerable inmates have died than have been released , according to a Times analysis .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has released more than 7,400 inmates who had only a few months remaining on their sentences and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to begin prison sentences stockpiled in county jails — passing the burden to the state ’ s sheriff ’ s departments .
But lawyers for inmates say about 8,000 inmates , if not released , could be hospitalized or die if they contract the disease .
Commission co-chair Lynch , who served as attorney general under President Obama , said “ it is our collective responsibility to not just tame this pandemic , but to use knowledge acquired through our journey to remedy inequities and other problems that have plagued the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also seeking to divert people with mental health and substance abuse disorders from custody and into public health alternatives and reduce jail populations by the use of citations in lieu of arrests for incidents that do not pose a threat to public safety .
The commission said law enforcement leaders need common standards for crisis response , to prevent the patchwork of measures used so far with COVID-19 .
“ As the pandemic enters its tenth month , rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths in prisons and jails continue to rise — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population , ” said Thomas Abt , the commission ’ s director .
“ This sobering reality is reflected in the Commission ’ s recommendations , which offer a roadmap forward .
”

With cases of COVID-19 continuing to spread through prisons, guards and inmates should be among the first to receive vaccinations against the virus that causes the illness, a national commission recommended Monday.
The vaccine recommendation by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice, whose members include former U.S. Attys. Gen. Loretta Lynch and Albert Gonzales, was the main takeaway in a set of findings released by the panel. The group also called for an increase in the number of prisoners released during the pandemic and for some incoming inmates to be diverted from prisons in order to slow the spread of the disease.
As officials in California and other states scramble to devise plans for dispersing the vaccine and which people should be the first to receive it, the commission recommended that inmates and correctional staff be put in a category behind only healthcare workers and highly vulnerable populations such as the elderly living in nursing homes.
California officials on Monday said a decision had not yet been made on where inmates will fall on the state’s vaccination plan.
Former Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck, a member of the commission, said he was not part of the sub-group on prisons, but said he understands the reasoning for the recommendation, given the high-risk nature of infection while in custody.
About a quarter of inmates in California — roughly 26,000 people — have become infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Ninety-five of them have died. One of the worst outbreaks occurred at San Quentin State Prison, where more than 2,200 inmates were sickened and 28 people died during the summer. The infection rate of incarcerated people statewide skyrocketed 130% last week.
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The federal prison system will be among the first to get the vaccine, but those receiving it will be staff as opposed to inmates, according to a federal memorandum initially obtained by the Associated Press.
The 14-person commission, created by the Council on Criminal Justice, found that the population density of prisons and jails, along with a lack of preparedness and guidance from justice system leadership, led to widespread failure to prevent the spread of the virus and led to numerous deaths.
Nationwide 12.7% of prison inmates have confirmed COVID-19 cases, three to four times that of the general population. Three states — South Dakota, Arkansas and Kansas — report that more than 40% of their prison populations have been infected.
In addition to the vaccine, the commission found that to increase the resiliency, fairness and effectiveness of a system that includes 2.1 million people behind bars and an additional 4.4 million on probation or parole, leaders must thin incarcerated populations to limit contact and maximize the distance between individuals.
The commission recommendation follows efforts out of California courts, where judges have ordered more than 1,000 inmates released or transferred to reduce San Quentin’s prison population of 2,900 and Orange County’s sheriff was ordered to slash his jail population.
“Fundamental changes often follow a crisis ... so as we work to improve the fairness and effectiveness of our criminal justice system, this is the time for us to be bold in our thinking and actions,” said commission co-chair Gonzales, who served as attorney general under President George W. Bush. “Let’s take this moment to make transformative, enduring improvements for the benefit of all Americans.”
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Commissioners called for creating effective “safety valve” release mechanisms for medically vulnerable people in prison.
California prison officials say they have reduced the inmate statewide population by 22,000 since March, bringing it to its lowest number in three decades. But more elderly and medically vulnerable inmates have died than have been released, according to a Times analysis.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has released more than 7,400 inmates who had only a few months remaining on their sentences and left more than 8,000 inmates who were due to begin prison sentences stockpiled in county jails — passing the burden to the state’s sheriff’s departments. But lawyers for inmates say about 8,000 inmates, if not released, could be hospitalized or die if they contract the disease.
Commission co-chair Lynch, who served as attorney general under President Obama, said “it is our collective responsibility to not just tame this pandemic, but to use knowledge acquired through our journey to remedy inequities and other problems that have plagued the system for far too long.”
The body is also seeking to divert people with mental health and substance abuse disorders from custody and into public health alternatives and reduce jail populations by the use of citations in lieu of arrests for incidents that do not pose a threat to public safety.
The commission said law enforcement leaders need common standards for crisis response, to prevent the patchwork of measures used so far with COVID-19.
“As the pandemic enters its tenth month, rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths in prisons and jails continue to rise — and substantially outpace rates for the general population,” said Thomas Abt, the commission’s director. “This sobering reality is reflected in the Commission’s recommendations, which offer a roadmap forward.”


latimes--2020-12-15--In love and in limbo, a Texas rancher was separated from her husband by immigration policy

Kathleen Morriss fires a .22 rifle to rid her garden of “ varmints.
” She ’ s a veterinarian with a deep love of animals , particularly the horses and goats she raises on her 5,000-acre ranch in Junction , Texas , a town of 2,574 that voted overwhelmingly to reelect Donald Trump .
The 31-year-old fifth-generation rancher always figured she ’ d end up finding her husband in the U.S .
But in 2016 , she joined an online dating site for Orthodox Christians where she became smitten with Falko König , a 32-year-old agronomist and resident of southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love of cats and spending time outdoors .
They instant messaged , Skyped and visited each other across two continents for years .
Even though he was in a different time zone , he made sure to wait up to text her to make sure she got home safely when she worked late nights .
On her visits to Brazil , he was the type of guy to open doors for her , and made certain to walk on the street side , between her and vehicles .
When König visited her for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed him the creek , the large pecan trees and the horses on the hardscrabble ranch her mother inherited from her grandparents .
He understood that her family ’ s land kept Morriss rooted to who she was , her tradition and her family .
He was happy to leave his homeland to be with her .
They exchanged vows in February 2019 at an intimate ceremony in Texas , where they planned to settle down .
“ I like it that he is willing to live out here and doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Morriss said .
But their marriage snared them in the bureaucratic machinery of the U.S. immigration system .
When Morriss petitioned for a spousal visa for König in May 2019 , the couple thought it would take a little more than a year for his visa to come through and for him to join her in Texas .
But 14 months later , in July 2020 , König was still waiting in Brazil .
On the surface , it would seem that the couple had every advantage for navigating the immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She is a U.S. citizen .
He ’ s a citizen not only of Brazil but also of Germany .
They had the means to spend thousands of dollars in application and attorney fees .
What ’ s more , a visa for the spouses of U.S. citizens is among the easiest visas to obtain .
There are no caps on how many such visas are given per year as there are on other types of visa sponsorships , for which wait times can be up to 40 years .
Even so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranks of hundreds of thousands who have tried to reunite with loved ones only to be stymied by the Trump administration ’ s stricter immigration policies and an uncontrolled global pandemic that has shuttered many U.S. embassies and consulates since March .
The closures have left thousands of foreign spouses stuck in their home countries , unable to attend the interviews required for visas to be issued .
In mid-November , the State Department announced that visa services would be resumed at some embassies and consulates , without specifying which ones or when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face significant visa processing times .
Although President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to unravel many of his predecessor ’ s more restrictive immigration policies , some will be logistically and politically complicated to roll back .
Still , reducing wait times for spousal visas could provide a relatively quick fix for couples like Morriss and König , said Julia Gelatt , a senior policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute , a Washington D.C.-based think tank .
“ It really just takes a memo , ” Gelatt said , to start the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The greater obstacle is that Biden will have a long list of domestic matters to focus on first .
“ This may not be at the top of the priority list , ” Gelatt said .
Although Trump was most vocal in his battle against illegal immigration , he quietly waged a war on legal immigration , too , by limiting the options for foreigners to legally migrate to this country for work or to reunite with family .
Many of his efforts bypassed Congress , relying instead on executive actions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of those memos directed immigration officials to implement higher fees , intensive vetting , and longer forms that made it increasingly difficult to apply and ballooned wait times .
Before Trump took office , processing times for visa applications averaged from less than a month to just shy of two years , depending on the visa , Gelatt said .
Under the Trump administration , the length of time it took to process many of these visas doubled — taking up to four years .
The wait times on foreign-spouse visas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , as König ’ s case remained in limbo , Morriss described the application process as a “ nightmare.
” “ Everything has to be exactly right .
If you mess up on one form , there are delays , ” she said in July .
“ Falko has no criminal record ; we are legally married .
Just let him come in and decide if it ’ s a fake marriage.
” While separated and waiting , the couple coped by messaging each other several times a day on WhatsApp .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Brazil on a few occasions to spend time with König .
They grew even closer during her visits .
Morris has a fondness for horses , so whenever the couple walked near a field with horses near his parents ’ house , König would stop and pick grass for the animals so they would come over to greet her .
When it was time to say goodbye , he ’ d wait with her in the airport until the last minute , right after she entered the security line .
Before Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anywhere from nine months to a year .
After Trump , processing times increased to as much as 15 months , said Dan Kowalski , an immigration attorney and scholar based in Colorado .
In the pursuit of curbing legal immigration , the Trump administration directed United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to focus on fraud among immigrant and non-immigrant applications .
“ The Trump administration is on this tear over imagined or perceived fraud , ” Kowalski said .
“ They are convinced that everyone is a liar and a cheater , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Co. or a woman in Texas.
” Just a few months after taking office in March 2017 , Trump issued a memorandum directing the secretary of State , attorney general and Department of Homeland Security to enhance the screening and vetting of immigration applications .
That meant resources and money were diverted from the processing of applications to focusing on fraud detection and applying high levels of scrutiny to all applications , said Gelatt , the policy analyst .
“ There has been a severe slowdown of processing applications at USCIS , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are spending more staff time scrutinizing employment-based immigration visas , they leave fewer staff hours for processing spousal visas.
” In addition , Trump increased the amount of paperwork for immigration applications .
The application forms became longer and more tedious .
For example , the form for a U.S. citizen to sponsor a spouse became nine times as long as it had been .
Petitioners also faced more requests for evidence , prolonging the process .
Perhaps most impactfully , the Trump administration revised a “ public charge ” rule that essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal status or admitting them to the country .
Under Trump , the rule is interpreted broadly to reduce the number of people who are eligible for green cards and other visas by redefining what makes them dependent on government benefits — or “ likely ” to become dependent in the future .
The 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals partially struck down Trump ’ s revision , but the ruling likely will be appealed .
König is a middle-class professional with a well-paying job who just finished his master ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to sign paperwork promising to financially support her husband if he couldn ’ t do so , even in the event of divorce .
It took Morriss ’ petition more than eight months to clear USCIS and reach the Department of State ’ s National Visa Center , which serves as a go-between for the petitioner and the U.S. Consulate in the visa applicant ’ s home country , arranging for the applicant to take the visa interview at a consulate abroad .
The center processed the petition in May .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ De Janeiro had been closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Despite the closure , the couple held out hope that König ’ s case would go forward .
But Morriss grew concerned in mid-summer when they still hadn ’ t received word from the consulate about an interview date .
She called and emailed the consulate , where officials said they didn ’ t know when they ’ d be able to reopen to help her .
She joined Facebook groups with others in similar situations from across the globe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife was still waiting in Pakistan .
An Arizona woman who petitioned for her Nigerian husband in January 2019 but still was separated .
Morriss reached out to her government representatives , who mostly ignored her pleas .
“ My great-great grandfather started our ranch in 1879 .
Currently my mother runs the ranch and I help her as much as possible .
It is very hard work for two people , especially when I also have to work outside the ranch , ” Morriss wrote in a July 5 letter to Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need my husband here to help us take care of our family ’ s land and the livestock on it that contribute to the United States ’ food supply.
” Cruz responded with a form letter , directing her to call the consulate in Rio .
Morriss said she didn ’ t think much about immigration before meeting König .
“ It was abstract .
It didn ’ t really affect me much personally .
But now , having been through it ?
I can see how bureaucratic , expensive and difficult it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who describes herself as a libertarian , says she doesn ’ t blame the outgoing president for her situation but does take issue with an immigration system that she believes needs to undergo “ massive reform.
” She blames both Democrats and Republicans for constructing an “ over-regulated ” bureaucracy .
“ A lot of hard-working people want to come , but it ’ s just impossible , ” Morriss said .
“ Why not simplify the process ?
Then people wouldn ’ t have to do it illegally and not cost them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a two-hour drive from the U.S.-Mexico border , says she doesn ’ t condone illegal immigration .
“ But I completely understand why people do it , ” she said .
“ Nobody wants to wait 10 years .
I mean , who is going to wait 30 years ?
It ’ s insane.
” She doesn ’ t expect Biden to improve the situation much .
“ I doubt that ’ s going to be the top thing on his list , to get some spouses of U.S. citizens in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the couple realized they might have hit a dead end with the consulate in Brazil , they decided to switch their case to the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt , Germany , because of König ’ s German ancestry .
The U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt ended up accepting Morriss ’ petition and granted König an interview in late September .
On Nov. 18 , he finally arrived in Texas just in time to celebrate his first Thanksgiving with Morriss .
Most of the couple ’ s days are spent running errands to complete his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying for his driver ’ s license , procuring a license to carry a firearm , and purchasing an ugly Christmas sweater at their local Walmart .
The rest of their time is spent on the ranch .
König has yet to receive his physical green card .
It likely won ’ t arrive for several months because of a delay .

Kathleen Morriss fires a .22 rifle to rid her garden of “varmints.” She’s a veterinarian with a deep love of animals, particularly the horses and goats she raises on her 5,000-acre ranch in Junction, Texas, a town of 2,574 that voted overwhelmingly to reelect Donald Trump.
The 31-year-old fifth-generation rancher always figured she’d end up finding her husband in the U.S. But in 2016, she joined an online dating site for Orthodox Christians where she became smitten with Falko König, a 32-year-old agronomist and resident of southern Brazil.
They quickly bonded over their love of cats and spending time outdoors. They instant messaged, Skyped and visited each other across two continents for years.
Advertisement
Even though he was in a different time zone, he made sure to wait up to text her to make sure she got home safely when she worked late nights. On her visits to Brazil, he was the type of guy to open doors for her, and made certain to walk on the street side, between her and vehicles.
When König visited her for the first time in Texas, Morriss showed him the creek, the large pecan trees and the horses on the hardscrabble ranch her mother inherited from her grandparents. He understood that her family’s land kept Morriss rooted to who she was, her tradition and her family. He was happy to leave his homeland to be with her.
They exchanged vows in February 2019 at an intimate ceremony in Texas, where they planned to settle down.
Kathleen Morriss and Falko König married in 2019 in Texas, then Morriss applied for a spousal visa for her new husband, who returned to Brazil to wait. (Alexandre Tessler / For The Times)
“I like it that he is willing to live out here and doesn’t want to live in a big city,” Morriss said.
But their marriage snared them in the bureaucratic machinery of the U.S. immigration system. When Morriss petitioned for a spousal visa for König in May 2019, the couple thought it would take a little more than a year for his visa to come through and for him to join her in Texas. But 14 months later, in July 2020, König was still waiting in Brazil.
On the surface, it would seem that the couple had every advantage for navigating the immigration labyrinth. Both are educated professionals. She is a U.S. citizen. He’s a citizen not only of Brazil but also of Germany. They had the means to spend thousands of dollars in application and attorney fees.
What’s more, a visa for the spouses of U.S. citizens is among the easiest visas to obtain. There are no caps on how many such visas are given per year as there are on other types of visa sponsorships, for which wait times can be up to 40 years.
Even so, Morriss and König found themselves joining the ranks of hundreds of thousands who have tried to reunite with loved ones only to be stymied by the Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies and an uncontrolled global pandemic that has shuttered many U.S. embassies and consulates since March.
Advertisement
The closures have left thousands of foreign spouses stuck in their home countries, unable to attend the interviews required for visas to be issued.
In mid-November, the State Department announced that visa services would be resumed at some embassies and consulates, without specifying which ones or when. Even so, spouses likely will face significant visa processing times. Although President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to unravel many of his predecessor’s more restrictive immigration policies, some will be logistically and politically complicated to roll back.
Still, reducing wait times for spousal visas could provide a relatively quick fix for couples like Morriss and König, said Julia Gelatt, a senior policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.
“It really just takes a memo,” Gelatt said, to start the process of speeding up the review of applications.
The greater obstacle is that Biden will have a long list of domestic matters to focus on first.
“This may not be at the top of the priority list,” Gelatt said.
Although Trump was most vocal in his battle against illegal immigration, he quietly waged a war on legal immigration, too, by limiting the options for foreigners to legally migrate to this country for work or to reunite with family.
Many of his efforts bypassed Congress, relying instead on executive actions, changing regulations or modifying policies via memoranda. Some of those memos directed immigration officials to implement higher fees, intensive vetting, and longer forms that made it increasingly difficult to apply and ballooned wait times.
Before Trump took office, processing times for visa applications averaged from less than a month to just shy of two years, depending on the visa, Gelatt said. Under the Trump administration, the length of time it took to process many of these visas doubled — taking up to four years.
The wait times on foreign-spouse visas increased substantially, too.
Over the summer, as König’s case remained in limbo, Morriss described the application process as a “nightmare.”
Kathleen Morris, with Falko König in southern Brazil, flew several times to the country to spend time with her new husband. (Alexandre Tessler / For The Times)
“Everything has to be exactly right. If you mess up on one form, there are delays,” she said in July. “Falko has no criminal record; we are legally married. Just let him come in and decide if it’s a fake marriage.”
While separated and waiting, the couple coped by messaging each other several times a day on WhatsApp. Despite the growing pandemic, Morriss flew to Brazil on a few occasions to spend time with König.
They grew even closer during her visits. Morris has a fondness for horses, so whenever the couple walked near a field with horses near his parents’ house, König would stop and pick grass for the animals so they would come over to greet her.
When it was time to say goodbye, he’d wait with her in the airport until the last minute, right after she entered the security line.
Before Trump became president, spousal-visa processing times were anywhere from nine months to a year. After Trump, processing times increased to as much as 15 months, said Dan Kowalski, an immigration attorney and scholar based in Colorado.
In the pursuit of curbing legal immigration, the Trump administration directed United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to focus on fraud among immigrant and non-immigrant applications.
“The Trump administration is on this tear over imagined or perceived fraud,” Kowalski said. “They are convinced that everyone is a liar and a cheater, whether it’s the Ford Motor Co. or a woman in Texas.”
Just a few months after taking office in March 2017, Trump issued a memorandum directing the secretary of State, attorney general and Department of Homeland Security to enhance the screening and vetting of immigration applications.
That meant resources and money were diverted from the processing of applications to focusing on fraud detection and applying high levels of scrutiny to all applications, said Gelatt, the policy analyst.
“There has been a severe slowdown of processing applications at USCIS,” she said, “and if they are spending more staff time scrutinizing employment-based immigration visas, they leave fewer staff hours for processing spousal visas.”
In addition, Trump increased the amount of paperwork for immigration applications. The application forms became longer and more tedious. For example, the form for a U.S. citizen to sponsor a spouse became nine times as long as it had been. Petitioners also faced more requests for evidence, prolonging the process.
Perhaps most impactfully, the Trump administration revised a “public charge” rule that essentially tests immigrants’ wealth before granting them legal status or admitting them to the country.
Under Trump, the rule is interpreted broadly to reduce the number of people who are eligible for green cards and other visas by redefining what makes them dependent on government benefits — or “likely” to become dependent in the future. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially struck down Trump’s revision, but the ruling likely will be appealed.
König is a middle-class professional with a well-paying job who just finished his master’s degree in biotechnology. Still, Morris had to sign paperwork promising to financially support her husband if he couldn’t do so, even in the event of divorce.
It took Morriss’ petition more than eight months to clear USCIS and reach the Department of State’s National Visa Center, which serves as a go-between for the petitioner and the U.S. Consulate in the visa applicant’s home country, arranging for the applicant to take the visa interview at a consulate abroad.
The center processed the petition in May. But by then, the consulate in Rio De Janeiro had been closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the closure, the couple held out hope that König’s case would go forward. But Morriss grew concerned in mid-summer when they still hadn’t received word from the consulate about an interview date.
She called and emailed the consulate, where officials said they didn’t know when they’d be able to reopen to help her. She joined Facebook groups with others in similar situations from across the globe. There was a Los Angeles man whose wife was still waiting in Pakistan. An Arizona woman who petitioned for her Nigerian husband in January 2019 but still was separated.
Morriss reached out to her government representatives, who mostly ignored her pleas.
“My great-great grandfather started our ranch in 1879. Currently my mother runs the ranch and I help her as much as possible. It is very hard work for two people, especially when I also have to work outside the ranch,” Morriss wrote in a July 5 letter to Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. “We need my husband here to help us take care of our family’s land and the livestock on it that contribute to the United States’ food supply.”
Cruz responded with a form letter, directing her to call the consulate in Rio.
Morriss said she didn’t think much about immigration before meeting König.
“It was abstract. It didn’t really affect me much personally. But now, having been through it? I can see how bureaucratic, expensive and difficult it is.”
Morriss, a Trump supporter who describes herself as a libertarian, says she doesn’t blame the outgoing president for her situation but does take issue with an immigration system that she believes needs to undergo “massive reform.” She blames both Democrats and Republicans for constructing an “over-regulated” bureaucracy.
“A lot of hard-working people want to come, but it’s just impossible,” Morriss said. “Why not simplify the process? Then people wouldn’t have to do it illegally and not cost them a fortune.”
Morriss, who lives about a two-hour drive from the U.S.-Mexico border, says she doesn’t condone illegal immigration.
“But I completely understand why people do it,” she said. “Nobody wants to wait 10 years. I mean, who is going to wait 30 years? It’s insane.”
She doesn’t expect Biden to improve the situation much.
“I doubt that’s going to be the top thing on his list, to get some spouses of U.S. citizens in the country,” she said.
When the couple realized they might have hit a dead end with the consulate in Brazil, they decided to switch their case to the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, because of König’s German ancestry. The U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt ended up accepting Morriss’ petition and granted König an interview in late September.
On Nov. 18, he finally arrived in Texas just in time to celebrate his first Thanksgiving with Morriss.
Most of the couple’s days are spent running errands to complete his transformation as an American, such as applying for his driver’s license, procuring a license to carry a firearm, and purchasing an ugly Christmas sweater at their local Walmart.
The rest of their time is spent on the ranch. König has yet to receive his physical green card. It likely won’t arrive for several months because of a delay.


latimes--2020-12-16--2020 was the year America embraced Black Lives Matter as a movement, not just a moment

For months this summer , these Black and brown faces looked out on us from the boarded-up windows of businesses in Venice , spray-painted on plywood and awaiting riots that never came .
Every day , they reminded us — as if we could forget — of the trauma that police brutality inflicted upon our nation this year .
That these images of the dead are now gone , discarded with the plywood as life has hobbled back toward normal , serves as a reminder , too : Turning a moment into a movement is hard , but not half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the streets against police brutality and racial injustice in early June seemed like a natural reaction to the searing video of Floyd .
What ethical , empathic human being wouldn ’ t rise up in anger after watching this Black man die on a Minneapolis sidewalk , his neck under the knee of a white cop who couldn ’ t have cared less about Floyd ’ s pleas for help ?
Who wouldn ’ t take a knee in solidarity after listening to Floyd cry out for his mother with his final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by and watched ?
True , Floyd was hardly the first Black man — or woman or child , for that matter — we ’ ve watched die in a viral video , killed by someone with a badge for what often seems like the flimsiest of reasons .
He ’ s not the last either .
It ’ s just that some people decided long ago not to look .
Police brutality , and the white supremacy that has both enabled it and protected it , endures .
But Floyd ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different .
In the weeks before that awful Memorial Day in Minneapolis , efforts to slow a surge of coronavirus cases had shut down much of the country , particularly the corner of it that is California .
For once , even the most privileged had few distractions — no dinner parties , no basketball games or shopping excursions .
People were sitting at home in front of their computers and televisions , bored and restless .
So that video of Floyd ?
Everyone had to look .
And many also felt they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the blatant cruelty and injustice , but also because of what had happened to Taylor in Louisville , Ky. , to Guardado in Gardena and to so many other Black and brown victims of police .
The resulting protests persisted for weeks , held not just in urban centers , but in Santa Monica , Beverly Hills and other wealthy enclaves across the country .
They were gloriously diverse and sometimes appallingly destructive .
And they meant that , for once , people with power had to listen to people without it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom had to speak up , acknowledging the failure of government to truly “ tear out ” institutional racism .
And it meant that the Los Angeles City Council had to take a step toward , if not defunding the police , at least reducing the once-sacrosanct budget of the department .
It was the well-prepared founders of Black Lives Matter , including Californians Alicia Garza , Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi , who are most responsible for turning what could have merely been a moment of rage into a months-long movement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reckoning over policing to one over systemic racism in healthcare , education , housing , employment , media and politics .
They and activists from across America are why President-elect Joe Biden felt he had to pick a Black woman to be his running mate .
And why Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , in her acceptance speech , had to talk about what it will take to sustain this mass multicultural movement for Black lives .
Even when all the reminders are gone .
“ There is no vaccine for racism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , ” said Harris , who is also South Asian .
“ For George Floyd .
For Breonna Taylor .
For the lives of too many others to name .
For our children .
For all of us .
We ’ ve got ta do the work to fulfill that promise of equal justice under law .
Because none of us are free , until all of us are free .
”

George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Andres Guardado.
For months this summer, these Black and brown faces looked out on us from the boarded-up windows of businesses in Venice, spray-painted on plywood and awaiting riots that never came. Every day, they reminded us — as if we could forget — of the trauma that police brutality inflicted upon our nation this year.
That these images of the dead are now gone, discarded with the plywood as life has hobbled back toward normal, serves as a reminder, too: Turning a moment into a movement is hard, but not half as hard as sustaining it.
Taking to the streets against police brutality and racial injustice in early June seemed like a natural reaction to the searing video of Floyd. What ethical, empathic human being wouldn’t rise up in anger after watching this Black man die on a Minneapolis sidewalk, his neck under the knee of a white cop who couldn’t have cared less about Floyd’s pleas for help? Who wouldn’t take a knee in solidarity after listening to Floyd cry out for his mother with his final breaths while three other cops casually stood by and watched?
True, Floyd was hardly the first Black man — or woman or child, for that matter — we’ve watched die in a viral video, killed by someone with a badge for what often seems like the flimsiest of reasons. He’s not the last, either. It’s just that some people decided long ago not to look. Police brutality, and the white supremacy that has both enabled it and protected it, endures.
Protesters stand on top of a burned LAPD cruiser as another burns at 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles on May 30. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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But Floyd’s death, and this year, were different.
In the weeks before that awful Memorial Day in Minneapolis, efforts to slow a surge of coronavirus cases had shut down much of the country, particularly the corner of it that is California. For once, even the most privileged had few distractions — no dinner parties, no basketball games or shopping excursions. People were sitting at home in front of their computers and televisions, bored and restless.
Michelle Usher prays during a protest against the killing of George Floyd at the intersection of McFadden Avenue and Bristol Street in Santa Ana on May 30. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
So that video of Floyd? Everyone had to look. And many also felt they had to act, not just because of the blatant cruelty and injustice, but also because of what had happened to Taylor in Louisville, Ky., to Guardado in Gardena and to so many other Black and brown victims of police.
The resulting protests persisted for weeks, held not just in urban centers, but in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and other wealthy enclaves across the country. They were gloriously diverse and sometimes appallingly destructive. And they meant that, for once, people with power had to listen to people without it. It meant that Gov. Gavin Newsom had to speak up, acknowledging the failure of government to truly “tear out” institutional racism. And it meant that the Los Angeles City Council had to take a step toward, if not defunding the police, at least reducing the once-sacrosanct budget of the department.
It was the well-prepared founders of Black Lives Matter, including Californians Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, who are most responsible for turning what could have merely been a moment of rage into a months-long movement. They helped transform the public conversation from a reckoning over policing to one over systemic racism in healthcare, education, housing, employment, media and politics.
They and activists from across America are why President-elect Joe Biden felt he had to pick a Black woman to be his running mate. And why Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, in her acceptance speech, had to talk about what it will take to sustain this mass multicultural movement for Black lives. Even when all the reminders are gone.
“There is no vaccine for racism. We’ve gotta do the work,” said Harris, who is also South Asian. “For George Floyd. For Breonna Taylor. For the lives of too many others to name. For our children. For all of us. We’ve gotta do the work to fulfill that promise of equal justice under law. Because none of us are free, until all of us are free.”


latimes--2020-12-16--Transportation secretary is off the table. Where does that leave Garcetti?

The waiting game continues for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Angelenos watching to see if he will serve out the remaining two years of his term .
President-elect Joe Biden ’ s team is announcing nominations for cabinet positions , but the mayor ’ s name has yet to be called .
On Tuesday , former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg was announced as Biden ’ s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Transportation , a post for which Garcetti at one point was viewed as a contender .
It has been reported that Garcetti , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-chair of his presidential campaign , could be appointed a climate change advisor or to some other post .
Others have suggested he could become ambassador to Mexico .
Garcetti hasn ’ t ruled out the possibility that he may join Biden , helping to stoke the speculation .
Garcetti , whose term ends in 2022 , said in October that “ it ’ s more likely than not ” that he ’ ll be mayor in two years but also said he ’ s open to a role where he could “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Garcetti ’ s plans , his spokesman , Alex Comisar , said there were no updates .
Focus on the mayor ’ s plans comes as L.A. faces multiple crises , including an alarming uptick in the number of coronavirus cases , rising homicides and a City Hall in financial peril .
Garcetti has been a regular presence throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , although in recent months he has reduced the frequency of his public briefings .
On Monday , he appeared alongside Gov .
Gavin Newsom at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first batch of COVID-19 vaccinations was delivered to local healthcare workers .
The pandemic triggered L.A. ’ s budget crisis , and there is ongoing alarm around City Hall about the state of the city ’ s finances .
Sales taxes , hotel taxes and other forms of revenue are much lower than in previous years , threatening basic public services .
The crisis is being exacerbated by rising employee costs — new raises and increased benefits approved by Garcetti and the City Council and provided to police officers , firefighters and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voiced hopes that a big federal bailout would address the crisis , but it ’ s unclear when any money might arrive .
Meanwhile , killings in Los Angeles are up 29.3 % over last year , and shootings are up more than 33.4 % through Dec. 5 , mirroring increases in violence that are being seen across the country .
The uptick in violence is being highlighted by the city ’ s police union , which is criticizing City Hall officials for preparing a plan to lay off hundreds of police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget woes .
Speaking at a rally Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles to persuade Newsom to appoint a Black woman to replace outgoing Sen. Kamala Harris , Melina Abdullah , co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles , took a moment to gloat over the news that Garcetti wouldn ’ t lead the Transportation Department .
“ I ’ m having a challenge kind of containing myself , because we just won another victory , ” said Abdullah , who backed Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge ’ s nomination for Housing and Urban Development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other groups are holding daily protests outside Getty House , the mayor ’ s official residence , to protest Garcetti ’ s possible appointment to a job in the Biden administration .
A representative for the Biden transition team didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment about Garcetti .
Any Biden post requiring Senate confirmation could bring additional attention to a recent lawsuit filed against the city by Matthew Garza , Garcetti ’ s longtime bodyguard and a Los Angeles police officer .
Garza alleges that Garcetti ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that Garcetti saw the harassment and did nothing to stop it .
Jacobs denies harassing Garza , and the mayor said he didn ’ t witness any harassment .
Attorneys for the police officer are pressing to take Garcetti ’ s deposition , and a court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Thursday .
Garcetti ’ s possible departure from L.A. for a Biden job would likely spur a special election for mayor .
Candidates who have already declared their intentions to run in 2022 are closely following Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a candidate for mayor in 2022 , said last month that he hadn ’ t talked to Garcetti about his plans .
“ I see the same speculation that you see , ” Feuer said .
“ And we ’ re all looking forward to knowing what President-elect Biden does with regard to his appointees to the cabinet .
”

The waiting game continues for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Angelenos watching to see if he will serve out the remaining two years of his term.
President-elect Joe Biden’s team is announcing nominations for Cabinet positions, but the mayor’s name has yet to be called.
On Tuesday, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg was announced as Biden’s nominee for secretary of Transportation, a post for which Garcetti at one point was viewed as a contender.
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It has been reported that Garcetti, who is close to Biden and served as a co-chair of his presidential campaign, could be appointed a climate change advisor or to some other climate-related post.
But former Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy was reportedly tapped this week as Biden’s domestic climate coordinator, further whittling down the number of jobs available to Garcetti.
Others have suggested he could become ambassador to Mexico.
Garcetti hasn’t ruled out the possibility that he may join Biden, helping to stoke the speculation.
Garcetti, whose term ends in 2022, said in October that “it’s more likely than not” that he’ll be mayor in two years but also said he’s open to a role where he could “help the most people.”
Asked Tuesday about Garcetti’s plans, his spokesman, Alex Comisar, said there were no updates.
Speaking at an event Wednesday, Garcetti said Buttigieg is going to be “amazing” as secretary of Transportation. Garcetti has previously called himself an “older, straighter Pete” because of biographical similarities with Buttigieg.
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Focus on the mayor’s plans comes as L.A. faces multiple crises, including an alarming uptick in the number of coronavirus cases, rising homicides and a City Hall in financial peril.
Garcetti has been a regular presence throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, although in recent months he has reduced the frequency of his public briefings. On Monday, he appeared alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center as the state’s first batch of COVID-19 vaccinations was delivered to local healthcare workers.
The pandemic triggered L.A.’s budget crisis, and there is ongoing alarm around City Hall about the state of the city’s finances. Sales taxes, hotel taxes and other forms of revenue are much lower than in previous years, threatening basic public services.
The crisis is being exacerbated by rising employee costs — new raises and increased benefits approved by Garcetti and the City Council and provided to police officers, firefighters and other city workers.
Several city leaders have voiced hopes that a big federal bailout would address the crisis, but it’s unclear when any money might arrive.
Meanwhile, killings in Los Angeles are up 29.3% over last year, and shootings are up more than 33.4% through Dec. 5, mirroring increases in violence that are being seen across the country. The uptick in violence is being highlighted by the city’s police union, which is criticizing City Hall officials for preparing a plan to lay off hundreds of police officers to help solve the city’s budget woes.
Speaking at a rally Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles to persuade Newsom to appoint a Black woman to replace outgoing Sen. Kamala Harris, Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, took a moment to gloat over the news that Garcetti wouldn’t lead the Transportation Department.
“I’m having a challenge kind of containing myself, because we just won another victory,” said Abdullah, who backed Biden’s nomination of Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge for Housing and Urban Development secretary.
Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and other groups are holding daily protests outside Getty House, the mayor’s official residence, to protest Garcetti’s possible appointment to a job in the Biden administration.
A representative for the Biden transition team didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Garcetti.
Any Biden post requiring Senate confirmation could bring additional attention to a recent lawsuit filed against the city by Matthew Garza, Garcetti’s longtime bodyguard and a Los Angeles police officer.
Garza alleges that Garcetti’s longtime advisor Rick Jacobs sexually harassed him and that Garcetti saw the harassment and did nothing to stop it. Jacobs denies harassing Garza, and the mayor said he didn’t witness any harassment. Attorneys for the police officer are pressing to take Garcetti’s deposition, and a court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Thursday.
Garcetti’s possible departure from L.A. for a job in the Biden administration would probably spur a special election for mayor. Candidates who have already declared their intentions to run in 2022 are closely following Biden’s moves.
City Atty. Mike Feuer, a candidate for mayor in 2022, said last month that he hadn’t talked to Garcetti about his plans.
“I see the same speculation that you see,” Feuer said. “And we’re all looking forward to knowing what President-elect Biden does with regard to his appointees to the Cabinet.”
Times columnist Erika D. Smith contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-16--The year Orange County reminded us it's still Orange County

When it comes to Orange County and crazy , I always paraphrase Michael Corleone ’ s memorable quote about his involvement with organized crime in “ The Godfather Part III ” : Just when I thought we were out , we pull ourselves back in .
Over the last two decades , as Orange County ’ s politics turned increasingly purple , and scripted and reality television shows broadcast my homeland to an international audience , the rest of the country began to see the county as almost … normal .
Sure , the avarice and bunker mentality vis-a-vis the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely gone were the politicians whose pronouncements from Capitol Hill or Sacramento were embarrassments to democracy .
Off to Arizona and Tennessee went most of the angry voters that birthed anti-immigrant , anti-gay and anti-tax ballot initiatives and laws that had an undue influence on American politics .
In their place rose a kinder , more diverse O.C .
eager to join the rest of California .
But 2020 had other ideas .
And the O.C .
crazy — which county lifers like me know still courses through our civic veins — easily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this unfathomable year ?
A Murderers ’ Row of COVID-19 nitwits .
In the early days of the pandemic , cities and residents sought to keep coronavirus patients away from their paradises .
In April , Supervisor Michelle Steel sent out a press release with a straight face that Orange County was “ flattening the curve ” on coronavirus cases and had kept hospitalization rates stable .
A month later , both figures skyrocketed ; right now , we ’ re even worse .
Next month , Steel will be sworn in as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Board of Education sued California for closing school campuses and endorsed guidelines that suggested students return to class with next-to-no coronavirus protocol — never mind that the move went against the guidelines from the state Department of Education .
O.C .
Sheriff Don Barnes yaps every couple of months about how his department won ’ t enforce any coronavirus shutdowns because he thinks they might be unconstitutional — never mind that he runs a department accused of violating the constitutional rights of inmates for decades by extracting illegal jailhouse confessions .
Huntington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests against the state ’ s coronavirus shutdown , the type of place where a restaurant bars people from wearing a mask inside .
Surf City earned widespread ridicule for a viral video in which two comedians offered face coverings near the city ’ s iconic pier to anyone who wanted them ( no one wanted them ) .
But there ’ s coronavirus ignorance , and then there ’ s hundreds of people who burned their masks at a San Clemente beachside bonfire .
The stupidity of 2020 didn ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white or the coast in Orange County , either .
In Santa Ana and Anaheim , two Latino-majority cities that account for about 35 % of all of O.C.
’ s coronavirus cases , weekend parties remain the mariachi-scored rule rather than the exception .
Pandejos all around in Orange County , I ’ m telling you .
We have become a reminder of how other parts of the country are behaving and — rightfully so — both a warning and a freak show for the rest of Southern California to point at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place — and I wholeheartedly do .
I ’ ve lived in O.C .
my entire life , and plan to stay here because I ’ m no California quitter .
But as Sinclair Lewis knew , you can ’ t truly love where you ’ re from unless you eviscerate its sins at all times .
So that ’ s why I feel a certain schadenfreude any time we earn nationwide shade for our coronavirus sins .
Because that ’ s what Orange County needs .
It ’ s that shame of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O.C.
, that has motivated a generation to fight for change .
These good people recognize coronavirus is a threat and , disgusted by the deniers , are using their time sheltering in place to plan a new O.C .
in the aftermath of COVID-19 .
And that ’ s why as 2020 comes to a close I remain optimistic for the future of Orange County in the face of this damned disease .
The worst days may still yet come — but things will get better , because they always do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because we ’ ll have to face our crazy anew .

When it comes to Orange County and crazy, I always paraphrase Michael Corleone’s memorable quote about his involvement with organized crime in “The Godfather Part III”:
Just when I thought we were out, we pull ourselves back in.
Over the last two decades, as Orange County’s politics turned increasingly purple, and scripted and reality television shows broadcast my homeland to an international audience, the rest of the country began to see the county as almost … normal.
Sure, the avarice and bunker mentality vis-a-vis the rest of Southern California remained. But largely gone were the politicians whose pronouncements from Capitol Hill or Sacramento were embarrassments to democracy. Off to Arizona and Tennessee went most of the angry voters that birthed anti-immigrant, anti-gay and anti-tax ballot initiatives and laws that had an undue influence on American politics.
In their place rose a kinder, more diverse O.C. eager to join the rest of California.
Advertisement
But 2020 had other ideas.
And the O.C. crazy — which county lifers like me know still courses through our civic veins — easily burst forth.
Our gift to America this unfathomable year? A Murderers’ Row of COVID-19 nitwits.
In the early days of the pandemic, cities and residents sought to keep coronavirus patients away from their paradises. In April, Supervisor Michelle Steel sent out a press release with a straight face that Orange County was “flattening the curve” on coronavirus cases and had kept hospitalization rates stable. A month later, both figures skyrocketed; right now, we’re even worse.
Next month, Steel will be sworn in as a member of Congress.
The Orange County Board of Education sued California for closing school campuses and endorsed guidelines that suggested students return to class with next-to-no coronavirus protocol — never mind that the move went against the guidelines from the state Department of Education.
O.C. Sheriff Don Barnes yaps every couple of months about how his department won’t enforce any coronavirus shutdowns because he thinks they might be unconstitutional — never mind that he runs a department accused of violating the constitutional rights of inmates for decades by extracting illegal jailhouse confessions.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, right, at a Board of Supervisors meeting, has refused to enforce some COVID-related restrictions. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Huntington Beach has become a ground zero for protests against the state’s coronavirus shutdown, the type of place where a restaurant bars people from wearing a mask inside. Surf City earned widespread ridicule for a viral video in which two comedians offered face coverings near the city’s iconic pier to anyone who wanted them (no one wanted them).
Advertisement
But there’s coronavirus ignorance, and then there’s hundreds of people who burned their masks at a San Clemente beachside bonfire.
Newport Beach police officers enforce a beach closure at the Wedge, a famed surfing and bodysurfing spot. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The stupidity of 2020 didn’t just limit itself to the rich or the white or the coast in Orange County, either. In Santa Ana and Anaheim, two Latino-majority cities that account for about 35% of all of O.C.’s coronavirus cases, weekend parties remain the mariachi-scored rule rather than the exception.
Pandejos all around in Orange County, I’m telling you. We have become a reminder of how other parts of the country are behaving and — rightfully so — both a warning and a freak show for the rest of Southern California to point at and snicker.
Public health orders against indoor restaurant dining moved tables onto Main Street in downtown Huntington Beach in July. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gotta love this place — and I wholeheartedly do. I’ve lived in O.C. my entire life, and plan to stay here because I’m no California quitter. But as Sinclair Lewis knew, you can’t truly love where you’re from unless you eviscerate its sins at all times.
Advertisement
So that’s why I feel a certain schadenfreude any time we earn nationwide shade for our coronavirus sins. Because that’s what Orange County needs. It’s that shame of being from here, from a bad O.C., that has motivated a generation to fight for change. These good people recognize coronavirus is a threat and, disgusted by the deniers, are using their time sheltering in place to plan a new O.C. in the aftermath of COVID-19.
And that’s why as 2020 comes to a close I remain optimistic for the future of Orange County in the face of this damned disease. The worst days may still yet come — but things will get better, because they always do. Even here.
They have to. Because we’ll have to face our crazy anew.


latimes--2020-12-16--California's 'climate damn emergency' can't be ignored

In California , 2020 would have gone down as an apocalyptic year even without COVID .
It was the year when it became impossible to ignore that climate change is here , it ’ s accelerating , and it ’ s dramatically altering California in myriad ways .
High-temperature marks were shattered , with Death Valley hitting 130 degrees in August and Woodland Hills recording 121 in September .
Some of the largest fires in state history torched more than 4 million acres , and exasperated firefighters said they ’ d never seen monstrous , destructive events like these .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned out the lights , wicked winds blasted across the state and visibility plummeted as skies were poisoned with thick , orange smog and smoke , forcing millions of people to take cover indoors .
This is the state I grew up in and love ; a state that in my remaining years may become less recognizable .
Sea level rise threatens coastal communities , putting their multibillion dollar economies — and our natural treasure — in jeopardy .
Two years ago in the Santa Cruz Mountains I visited Big Basin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first state park .
This year , the park was virtually destroyed by fire after lightning strikes by the thousands struck the Bay Area .
Forests burn and grow back ; they always have .
But this majestic , shaded oasis took centuries to become what it was , and climate change may prevent it from ever becoming that again .
“ We ’ ve seen this long freight train barreling down on us for decades , ” said Michael Gerrard , director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on top of us , with no caboose in sight.
” Average summer temperatures in California have risen by 2.5 degrees since the 1970s , and droughts threaten water supplies throughout the state .
A Stanford University study found that the number of days of extreme wildfire weather has doubled since the 1980s .
Even those who weren ’ t sure of a connection between human activity and climate change have been swayed , including Pacific Gas and Electric marine meteorologist John Lindsey , who used to be something of a doubter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way greenhouse gases are increasing , in my mind , there ’ s no doubt that we ’ re causing this , ” Lindsey told The Times .
“ So I ’ m concerned about the future .
And that ’ s somebody who ’ s very skeptical.
” The signs of change are not all as obvious as a wind-driven wildfire , a 100-degree record high in once reliably cool San Francisco , or a string of days so blisteringly hot that grapes wither on the vine .
Warming ocean temperatures have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posing a threat to coastal redwoods and forcing many winemakers to consider abandoning the state ’ s most well-known grapes , cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay , switching instead to more heat-resistant grapes common to the driest regions of southern Europe .
Marine biologists , meanwhile , continue to track the migration of young great white sharks to places ever farther north , including to the Monterey Bay , which used to be too cold for the juveniles .
And off the coast of Baja California , extreme hot spots are sucking warm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it north to Southern California , where humidity and mosquitoes have become an unwelcome part of the summer experience .
One of the most frightening aspects of what we are witnessing is that the worst is likely still to come .
“ Without aggressive reduction of greenhouse gasses , forests in Northern California , Oregon and Washington could experience an increase of more than 78 % in area burned by 2050 , ” three scientists wrote in a Scientific American piece published in October .
“ It ’ s almost unfathomable to imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season becomes a regular occurrence or even a mild year , but that ’ s exactly what could happen in our future.
” In September , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom stood among charred trees in Northern California and said we are witnessing a “ climate damn emergency.
” And we are .
It ’ s an emergency so urgent , it demands we do better at managing wildlands and be smarter about where and how we build .
It demands that we rapidly and immediately accelerate the move toward renewable sources of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the energy we burn and the vehicles we drive .
But we ’ ve known that for many years , and even in a state that has in some ways been a leader on climate change , we ’ re still better at talking about the problem than deciding that we have to do more — much more — or what we ’ ve witnessed in 2020 will one day seem absolutely normal .

In California, 2020 would have gone down as an apocalyptic year even without COVID. It was the year when it became impossible to ignore that climate change is here, it’s accelerating, and it’s dramatically altering California in myriad ways.
High-temperature marks were shattered, with Death Valley hitting 130 degrees in August and Woodland Hills recording 121 in September.
State park ranger and safety officer Gabe McKenna inspects a burned redwood in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, where an August wildfire burned about 97% of the park’s 18,224 acres. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Some of the largest fires in state history torched more than 4 million acres, and exasperated firefighters said they’d never seen monstrous, destructive events like these.
Thousands fled their homes, power outages turned out the lights, wicked winds blasted across the state and visibility plummeted as skies were poisoned with thick, orange smog and smoke, forcing millions of people to take cover indoors.
Advertisement
This is the state I grew up in and love; a state that in my remaining years may become less recognizable. Sea level rise threatens coastal communities, putting their multibillion-dollar economies — and our natural treasure — in jeopardy.
Two years ago in the Santa Cruz Mountains I visited Big Basin’s ancient redwood giants in California’s first state park. This year, the park was virtually destroyed by fire after lightning strikes by the thousands struck the Bay Area. Forests burn and grow back; they always have. But this majestic, shaded oasis took centuries to become what it was, and climate change may prevent it from ever becoming that again.
Man has become nature’s worst enemy.
“We’ve seen this long freight train barreling down on us for decades,” said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, “and now the locomotive is on top of us, with no caboose in sight.”
Average summer temperatures in California have risen by 2.5 degrees since the 1970s, and droughts threaten water supplies throughout the state. A Stanford University study found that the number of days of extreme wildfire weather has doubled since the 1980s.
Even those who weren’t sure of a connection between human activity and climate change have been swayed, including Pacific Gas and Electric marine meteorologist John Lindsey, who used to be something of a doubter on climate issues.
“With the way greenhouse gases are increasing, in my mind, there’s no doubt that we’re causing this,” Lindsey told The Times. “So I’m concerned about the future. And that’s somebody who’s very skeptical.”
Carmen Green jumps rope at the closed Griffith Observatory on Sept. 17, as a dense haze of smoke from wildfires hangs over the L.A. Basin. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
The signs of change are not all as obvious as a wind-driven wildfire, a 100-degree record high in once reliably cool San Francisco, or a string of days so blisteringly hot that grapes wither on the vine.
Warming ocean temperatures have resulted in fewer days of fog, posing a threat to coastal redwoods and forcing many winemakers to consider abandoning the state’s most well-known grapes, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, switching instead to more heat-resistant grapes common to the driest regions of southern Europe.
Marine biologists, meanwhile, continue to track the migration of young great white sharks to places ever farther north, including to the Monterey Bay, which used to be too cold for the juveniles. And off the coast of Baja California, extreme hot spots are sucking warm, moist air from the south and pumping it north to Southern California, where humidity and mosquitoes have become an unwelcome part of the summer experience.
Randall Grahm, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard, tends to some young Grenache Noir vines. As the Earth continues to heat up and water tables decrease, hardy varieties of grapes will become increasingly important. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
One of the most frightening aspects of what we are witnessing is that the worst is likely still to come.
“Without aggressive reduction of greenhouse gases, forests in Northern California, Oregon and Washington could experience an increase of more than 78% in area burned by 2050,” three scientists wrote in a Scientific American piece published in October. “It’s almost unfathomable to imagine a situation in which the 2020 wildfire season becomes a regular occurrence or even a mild year, but that’s exactly what could happen in our future.”
Advertisement
In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom stood among charred trees in Northern California and said we are witnessing a “climate damn emergency.”
And we are. It’s an emergency so urgent, it demands we do better at managing wildlands and be smarter about where and how we build. It demands that we rapidly and immediately accelerate the move toward renewable sources of fuel and examine our own consciences about the energy we burn and the vehicles we drive.
But we’ve known that for many years, and even in a state that has in some ways been a leader on climate change, we’re still better at talking about the problem than deciding that we have to do more — much more — or what we’ve witnessed in 2020 will one day seem absolutely normal.
A crow in Garden Grove is silhouetted by the ash-obscured sun during wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
steve.lopez@latimes.com