latimes--2020-04-19--Mayor Eric Garcetti calls for furloughs of thousands of L.A. city workers

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans on Sunday for furloughs of thousands of city workers , part of a larger effort to ensure the city survives the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis .
With tax revenues coming in far short of projections , Garcetti said he would seek 26 unpaid days off from the city ’ s civilian workforce as a way to balance the budget .
The move would represent a 10 % reduction in pay , he said .
The coming financial downturn will be worse than the 2008 recession , when city leaders laid off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs , said Garcetti , during his yearly State of the City address .
“ Until now , it was the biggest economic blow of our lifetime , and it hurt , ” he said .
“ But there ’ s no way to sugarcoat this .
This is bigger , it will hurt more.
” How acutely the public would feel the upcoming cuts is far from clear .
Furlough days will not be demanded of police officers , firefighters or workers at the Department of Water and Power , among others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of city facilities to the public , including cultural centers , the Los Angeles Zoo and scores of branch libraries .
Some city employees have been reassigned to work in recreation centers operating as makeshift homeless shelters .
Sunday ’ s address comes at an extraordinary time for Garcetti and the city .
Over the last five weeks , he has issued emergency orders to close businesses , halt evictions , require face masks , waive parking tickets and generally keep Angelenos away from each other on beaches , hiking trails and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city staying indoors , Sunday ’ s speech bore little resemblance to previous State of the City addresses in L.A. Gone was the color guard and the other ceremonial flourishes that typically accompany Garcetti ’ s yearly address to the city .
In normal years , Garcetti has delivered the address before hundreds of people in packed venues such as the California Science Center and the Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge .
On Sunday , he spoke inside a mostly empty City Council chamber , with even council members staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event felt closer to one of the many evening coronavirus briefings given by Garcetti since mid-March , when he ordered the closure of bars , nightclubs , fitness centers , movie theaters and other businesses .
The coronavirus outbreak and accompanying economic downturn pose by far the biggest challenge to Garcetti and other city leaders in more than a decade .
Revenue for the coming budget year could be as much as $ 598 million below projections , depending on how long Angelenos continue staying indoors , according to figures released last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Much of the reductions have been caused by the steep drop-off in tourism activity , including a major decline in projected hotel bed taxes , Galperin said .
Since stay-at-home orders were issued across the state , unemployment claims have skyrocketed , with workers in the entertainment , hospitality and travel industries hit particularly hard .
Garcetti is scheduled to release his proposed budget Monday .
The document , which covers spending for the fiscal year that starts July 1 , must be approved by the City Council before it can go into @ @

David Zahniser, Dakota Smith, Emily Alpert Reyes

In his annual State of the City address, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans for furloughs of thousands of city workers.
Mayor Eric Garcetti warned Sunday that the economic downturn facing Los Angeles will be more painful than the 2008 recession, requiring cuts to government programs and the furlough of thousands of city employees.
In a remarkable State of the City address, one that comes five weeks into the shutdown of many businesses, government buildings and other facilities, Garcetti declared that the city is “under attack” from the coronavirus and the economic fallout that has come with it.
“I’ve never before hesitated to assure you that our city is strong,” he said. “But I won’t say those words tonight. Our city is under attack. Our daily life is unrecognizable.
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“We are bowed and we are worn down. We are grieving our dead,” the mayor continued, choking back tears. “But we are not broken.”
The mayor’s remarks represented a jarring break from previous State of the City speeches, when he offered overwhelmingly uplifting messages. In this year’s address, Garcetti offered a series of grim signposts about the city’s immediate future: joblessness, a collapse in hotel reservations and a 95% drop in passenger air travel — all products of the coronavirus outbreak.
The city has already borrowed $70 million from special funds while responding to the health crisis. To balance the city budget, civilian city workers will need to take off 26 unpaid days — the equivalent of a 10% reduction in pay, the mayor said.
“From a fiscal perspective, this is the worst it’s ever been,” he declared.
So far, the city’s political leaders sounded open to the reductions being sought by Garcetti.
Councilman Mike Bonin said that, considering the extent of the economic calamity facing the region, he was relieved that the mayor was not announcing layoffs. Councilman Gil Cedillo described furloughs as the best in a series of bad choices, but worried that residents and city employees would suffer.
“City services are in greater need during a crisis,” said Cedillo, who represents parts of the Eastside.
How acutely the public will feel the cuts is far from clear. Furlough days will not be demanded of police officers, firefighters or workers at the Department of Water and Power, among others. Trash pickup will remain intact, a Garcetti aide said.
The mayor has already closed a number of city facilities to the public, including cultural centers, the Los Angeles Zoo and scores of branch libraries. Some city employees have been reassigned to work in recreation centers operating as makeshift homeless shelters.
California Federal investigation into L.A. City Hall corruption involves downtown project A 20-story residential tower planned in downtown Los Angeles is at the heart of a federal probe involving a developer who allegedly arranged a $500,000 bribe for a City Council member, a Times analysis shows.
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One union leader voiced dismay over the cost-cutting plans, saying his members have been called into duty as emergency workers, helping to relocate the city’s homeless population and working at coronavirus testing centers. Adding more instability for those workers will hurt the city, said Bob Schoonover, president of Service Employees International Union Local 721.
“We cannot call these men and women heroes and then turn around and attempt to balance the budget on their backs,” said Schoonover, whose union represents custodians, tree trimmers and others.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, delivering his State of the City speech in a nearly empty City Council chamber, says: “We are bowed and we are worn down. ... But we are not broken.” (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Sunday’s address comes at an extraordinary time for Garcetti and the city. Over the last five weeks, the mayor has issued emergency orders to close businesses, halt evictions, require face masks, waive parking tickets and generally keep Angelenos away from each other on beaches, hiking trails and in other locations.
With much of the city staying indoors, Sunday’s speech bore little resemblance to previous State of the City addresses in L.A. Gone was the color guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and the other ceremonial flourishes that typically accompany Garcetti’s yearly address to the city.
In normal years, Garcetti has delivered the address before hundreds of people in packed venues such as the California Science Center and the Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge. On Sunday, he spoke inside a mostly empty City Council chamber, with even council members staying at home.
People watch as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti gives his annual ‘State of the City’ speech at City Hall in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)
As a result, the event felt closer to one of the many evening coronavirus briefings given by Garcetti since mid-March. However, the overall message was more grim, with Garcetti saying the city would need major help from the federal government to weather the crisis.
“Don’t bail out banks but leave cities with cuts and collapse,” he said.
Garcetti said Congress should pass a national infrastructure bill to put people back to work. And he called on the federal government to loosen restrictions on emergency funds that prevent the city from using them to replace lost revenue.
The coronavirus outbreak and accompanying economic downturn pose by far the biggest challenge to Garcetti and other city leaders since the 2008 recession. During that crisis, the city’s elected officials responded by imposing furloughs, laying off hundreds of workers and eliminating thousands of jobs.
“Until now, it was the biggest economic blow of our lifetime, and it hurt,” Garcetti said. “But there’s no way to sugarcoat this. This is bigger. It will hurt more.”
Revenue for the coming budget year could be as much as $598 million below projections, depending on how long Angelenos continue staying indoors, according to figures released last week by City Controller Ron Galperin.
Much of the reductions have been caused by the steep drop-off in tourism activity, including a major decline in projected hotel bed taxes, Galperin said. Since stay-at-home orders were issued across the state, unemployment claims have skyrocketed, with workers in the entertainment, hospitality and travel industries hit particularly hard.
Garcetti is scheduled to release his proposed budget Monday. The document, which covers spending for the fiscal year that starts July 1, must be approved by the City Council before it can go into effect.
Hollywood resident Kat DeVoe-Peterson joined other protesters outside Getty House on Sunday night. Activists want Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to cancel rent payments across the city, and take over hotels and fill vacant rooms with homeless Angelenos. (Dakota Smith/ Los Angeles Times)
While Garcetti delivered his address, activists staged a protest outside Getty House, the mayor’s official residence in Windsor Square, calling on him to use his emergency powers to order the cancellation of rent payments and fill vacant hotels with homeless Angelenos.
As drivers repeatedly honked their horns, dozens of sidewalk protesters from the Los Angeles Tenants Union and other groups chanted, “No rent, no rent!” Hollywood resident Kat DeVoe-Peterson, who was recently laid off from her job at a bar in Silver Lake, said Garcetti needs to secure federal funding for renters in the city.
“It’s not just about me, it’s about everyone,” said DeVoe-Peterson, driving a car with the sign “Food Not Rent.”
Josh Rubenstein, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman, said 11 citations were issued during Sunday’s protest. Some drivers who repeatedly honked their horns were cited for violating an “amplified sound” ordinance. Two protesters on the sidewalk were also detained and cited, police said.
Garcetti said in recent weeks that he has been pressing lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to approve a stimulus package that safeguards both renters and landlords from a massive financial collapse. During his address, he said federal funds should specifically be used to back the suspension of rents and mortgages.
The mayor said the federal government also needs to tackle problems that hurt Americans well before the coronavirus outbreak — depressed wages, crippling college debt, a lack of access to healthcare.
“We must ask of our city and our nation at this time, is ‘normal’ really what we want to come back to?” he asked.


latimes--2020-04-19--Protests against California stay-at-home order move to San Clemente

The protests calling for the easing of California ’ s stay-at-home orders moved to San Clemente , where a group of demonstrators converged against the coronavirus safety rules .
The crowd lined San Clemente ’ s business district , holdings signs that read “ Open Our Beaches , ” “ Let Me Be Free , ” “ Freedom Is Essential ” and “ The Media Is the Virus.
” Video of the event show some passing cars honking in support .
The rally came as Orange County announced 79 new coronavirus cases , bringing the total to more than 1,600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the county have died .
There have been protests scattered around the nation , often organized by conservative groups who want to restart the economy .
Some claim coronavirus fears have been overblown and that social distancing is not needed .
The comments of protesters fly in the face of what California public health officials and other experts have been saying about the coronavirus .
California ’ s relatively quick action to close businesses and order residents to stay home has tamped down the coronavirus outbreak and left many hospitals largely empty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to come .
The initial success of the unprecedented shutdown of schools , businesses and other institutions has pleased experts and public health officials , prompting calls to keep the restrictions in place at least into May to help cement the progress .
Social distancing will be a critical factor .
Lifting restrictions too early would likely lead to dangerous new jumps in cases .
On Friday , a group of more than 100 protesters held a demonstration in Huntington Beach , The protesters — some with President Trump banners and American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or practicing social distancing by standing at least six feet apart .
And they offered views about the spread of the coronavirus that differed sharply from scientific findings and experts ’ recommendations .
On Saturday , a rally was held in San Diego .
“ I think at [ this ] point people have had enough and they want to get back to work again , ” said retired Point Loma resident Darla Clark , noting many of her friends have lost their jobs .
“ This is definitely where the cure is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The rally , which mirrored several others staged across the nation in the last week , ignored repeated calls from health experts and local public officials to keep the restrictions in place for potentially several weeks longer to help slow the spread of the coronavirus .
In Ventura County , officials announced that the spread of the virus had slowed sufficiently to begin relaxing some portions of the county ’ s stay-at-home order .
The county had reported 416 cases of the coronavirus and 13 related deaths as of Saturday .
Twenty-one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care units .
The county on Saturday to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued .
Gatherings were limited to five people or less , and business were required to have no more than 10 employees at a time and to refrain from serving the public .
County-run parks and beaches also were reopened over the weekend , though some cities have chosen to keep recreation areas closed until at least Monday .

Alex Wigglesworth, Andrew J. Campa, Teri Figueroa

Shaun Frederickson and his son Zion, 3 were among the estimated 200 supporters at a rally in downtown San Diego on Saturday. The group was calling on elected leaders to reopen the state.
The protests calling for the easing of California’s stay-at-home orders moved to San Clemente, where a group of demonstrators converged against the coronavirus safety rules.
The crowd lined San Clemente’s business district, holdings signs that read “Open Our Beaches,” “Let Me Be Free,” “Freedom Is Essential” and “The Media Is the Virus.” Video of the event show some passing cars honking in support.
The rally came as Orange County announced 79 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to more than 1,600. As of Sunday, 32 people in the county have died.
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There have been protests scattered around the nation, often organized by conservative groups who want to restart the economy. Some claim coronavirus fears have been overblown and that social distancing is not needed.
The comments of protesters fly in the face of what California public health officials and other experts have been saying about the coronavirus.
California’s relatively quick action to close businesses and order residents to stay home has tamped down the coronavirus outbreak and left many hospitals largely empty, waiting for a surge that has yet to come.
The initial success of the unprecedented shutdown of schools, businesses and other institutions has pleased experts and public health officials, prompting calls to keep the restrictions in place at least into May to help cement the progress.
Social distancing will be a critical factor. Lifting restrictions too early would likely lead to dangerous new jumps in cases.
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On Friday, a group of more than 100 protesters held a demonstration in Huntington Beach,
The protesters — some with President Trump banners and American flags — mostly were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing by standing at least six feet apart. And they offered views about the spread of the coronavirus that differed sharply from scientific findings and experts’ recommendations.
On Saturday, a rally was held in San Diego.
“I think at [this] point people have had enough and they want to get back to work again,” said retired Point Loma resident Darla Clark, noting many of her friends have lost their jobs. “This is definitely where the cure is going to be worse than the disease.”
The rally, which mirrored several others staged across the nation in the last week, ignored repeated calls from health experts and local public officials to keep the restrictions in place for potentially several weeks longer to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
In Ventura County, officials announced that the spread of the virus had slowed sufficiently to begin relaxing some portions of the county’s stay-at-home order. The county had reported 416 cases of the coronavirus and 13 related deaths as of Saturday. Twenty-one people were hospitalized, including eight in intensive care units.
The county on Saturday modified its stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued. Gatherings were limited to five people or less, and business were required to have no more than 10 employees at a time and to refrain from serving the public.
County-run parks and beaches also were reopened over the weekend, though some cities have chosen to keep recreation areas closed until at least Monday.


latimes--2020-04-19--L.A. County reports 24 new coronavirus deaths

Los Angeles County reported 24 deaths related to COVID-19 and 334 cases of the coronavirus Sunday , marking its lowest single-day increase in fatalities in over a week .
“ Though there are promising signs that our collective efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 are working , we are sad to report today that more Angelenos have lost their lives to COVID-19 , and their loved ones are in our hearts as they mourn , ” Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s public health director , said in a statement .
Of the people who died , 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four were 41-65 and three were 18-40 .
Twenty-three had underlying health conditions , officials said .
Long Beach also reported an additional death and eight new cases of the virus Sunday , bringing the county ’ s total to 12,349 cases of the coronavirus and 601 related deaths .
Statewide , California has recorded nearly 31,000 cases of the virus and over 1,100 COVID-19 deaths .
A total of 3,196 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 1,163 were in intensive care units , as of Saturday , officials said Sunday .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day before , when 3,221 people were hospitalized and 1,173 were in ICUs .
“ Despite the high number of total deaths and the continued increase in new cases , there is evidence that our physical distancing efforts are working , ” Ferrer said .
She said that the county ’ s testing capacity also continues to increase .
More than 79,000 residents had been tested and had received their results as of Sunday , with about 15 % testing positive , Ferrer said .
New testing sites will open Monday in Bell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in MacArthur Park , county Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
A drive-up testing site at PIH Health Whittier Hospital also will open Monday , county officials announced .
Officials have said in the past that the number of reported cases tends to dip lower on weekends and Mondays due to more limited testing .
Still , L.A. County announced 81 new deaths on Saturday , setting a record for single-day fatalities .
Deaths have increased significantly in the last week in Los Angeles County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of new coronavirus cases across California is beginning to level off and decline in some places .
The county already accounts for a disproportionate number of coronavirus deaths in the state .
Los Angeles has recorded far fewer deaths than New York , but officials said the recent rise in fatalities is troubling .
Ferrer said Friday that there is a natural lag time when it comes to deaths , as people tend to be sick or hospitalized for a while before passing away .
“ You tend to see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have leveled off , ” she said .
She also said that outbreaks at institutional settings , where people tend to be more medically vulnerable and live in close quarters , have pushed the death toll higher .
Residents of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living homes represented about 36 % of all COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County , as of Friday , she said .
Other sources of concern include the virus spreading among homeless people and within correctional facilities .
An inmate at San Pedro ’ s Federal Correctional Institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , marking the second fatality there within a week .
Micahel Fleming , 59 , tested positive for the coronavirus on April 8 in the prison ’ s infirmary , the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said in a news release .
He was taken to a hospital for further treatment last Saturday .
On Monday , he was placed on a ventilator , and on Sunday , hospital staff pronounced him dead , the release said .
Fleming had been in custody since Jan. 31 , 2017 .
He was sentenced in Wyoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , another inmate , Bradley James Ghilarducci , 73 , died in a hospital after suffering weakness and fainting spells , the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said .
Test results received Wednesday confirmed he had contracted the coronavirus .
As of Sunday , a total of 33 inmates and two staff members at FCI Terminal Island had tested positive for the virus , officials said .
The outbreak is the second-largest at a federal prison in California .
Lompoc prison had reported 54 cases among inmates , including one who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sunday , according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons .
Other counties also reported modest increases in coronavirus cases on Sunday .
Orange County reported 80 additional cases of the virus for a total of 1,636 , including 32 deaths .
A total of 144 people were hospitalized , including 56 in intensive care units .
Riverside County recorded three additional deaths and 36 new cases for a total of 2,638 cases and 75 deaths .
Of those , 223 people were hospitalized , with 71 in ICUs .
Elsewhere , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus had slowed sufficiently to begin relaxing some portions of the county ’ s stay-at-home order .
The county reported six new coronavirus cases Sunday , for a total of 422 cases and 13 deaths .
Thirty people were hospitalized , including nine in intensive care units .
The county on Saturday modified its stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
Gatherings were limited to five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to have no more than 10 employees at a time and to refrain from serving the public .
County-run parks and beaches also were reopened over the weekend , though some cities have chosen to keep recreation areas closed until at least Monday .
Strict stay-at-home orders and recreational closures remain in place in the majority of Southern California , in some cases drawing the ire of conservative groups , which have organized scattered protests .
Demonstrations against the orders were staged in Huntington Beach on Friday and in downtown San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Encinitas on Sunday .

The coronavirus outbreak has changed shoppers as well as vendors at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.
Los Angeles County reported 24 deaths related to COVID-19 and 334 cases of the coronavirus Sunday, marking its lowest single-day increase in fatalities in over a week.
“Though there are promising signs that our collective efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 are working, we are sad to report today that more Angelenos have lost their lives to COVID-19, and their loved ones are in our hearts as they mourn,” Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director, said in a statement.
Of the people who died, 16 were over the age of 65, four were 41-65 and three were 18-40. Twenty-three had underlying health conditions, officials said.
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Long Beach also reported an additional death and eight new cases of the virus Sunday, bringing the county’s total to 12,349 cases of the coronavirus and 601 related deaths.
Statewide, California has recorded nearly 31,000 cases of the virus and over 1,100 COVID-19 deaths.
A total of 3,196 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 1,163 were in intensive care units, as of Saturday, officials said Sunday. Both of those numbers declined slightly from the day before, when 3,221 people were hospitalized and 1,173 were in ICUs.
“Despite the high number of total deaths and the continued increase in new cases, there is evidence that our physical distancing efforts are working,” Ferrer said.
She said that the county’s testing capacity also continues to increase. More than 79,000 residents had been tested and had received their results as of Sunday, with about 15% testing positive, Ferrer said.
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New testing sites will open Monday in Bell, at Beverly Community Hospital in Montebello, and at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in MacArthur Park, county Supervisor Hilda Solis said. A drive-up testing site at PIH Health Whittier Hospital also will open Monday, county officials announced.
Officials have said in the past that the number of reported cases tends to dip lower on weekends and Mondays due to more limited testing.
Still, L.A. County announced 81 new deaths on Saturday, setting a record for single-day fatalities.
Deaths have increased significantly in the last week in Los Angeles County, even as there are growing signs that the number of new coronavirus cases across California is beginning to level off and decline in some places. The county already accounts for a disproportionate number of coronavirus deaths in the state.
Los Angeles has recorded far fewer deaths than New York, but officials said the recent rise in fatalities is troubling.
Ferrer said Friday that there is a natural lag time when it comes to deaths, as people tend to be sick or hospitalized for a while before passing away.
“You tend to see the deaths continue to rise after your cases may have leveled off,” she said.
She also said that outbreaks at institutional settings, where people tend to be more medically vulnerable and live in close quarters, have pushed the death toll higher.
Residents of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living homes represented about 36% of all COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County, as of Friday, she said.
Other sources of concern include the virus spreading among homeless people and within correctional facilities.
An inmate at San Pedro’s Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island died from COVID-19 on Sunday, marking the second fatality there within a week.
Micahel Fleming, 59, tested positive for the coronavirus on April 8 in the prison’s infirmary, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said in a news release. He was taken to a hospital for further treatment last Saturday. On Monday, he was placed on a ventilator, and on Sunday, hospital staff pronounced him dead, the release said.
Fleming had been in custody since Jan. 31, 2017. He was sentenced in Wyoming to 240 months on drug-related offenses.
On Monday, another inmate, Bradley James Ghilarducci, 73, died in a hospital after suffering weakness and fainting spells, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said. Test results received Wednesday confirmed he had contracted the coronavirus.
As of Sunday, a total of 33 inmates and two staff members at FCI Terminal Island had tested positive for the virus, officials said.
The outbreak is the second-largest at a federal prison in California. Lompoc prison had reported 54 cases among inmates, including one who died, and 27 among staff, as of Sunday, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Other counties also reported modest increases in coronavirus cases on Sunday.
Orange County reported 80 additional cases of the virus for a total of 1,636, including 32 deaths. A total of 144 people were hospitalized, including 56 in intensive care units.
Riverside County recorded three additional deaths and 36 new cases for a total of 2,638 cases and 75 deaths. Of those, 223 people were hospitalized, with 71 in ICUs.
Elsewhere, in Ventura County, officials announced that the spread of the virus had slowed sufficiently to begin relaxing some portions of the county’s stay-at-home order. The county reported six new coronavirus cases Sunday, for a total of 422 cases and 13 deaths. Thirty people were hospitalized, including nine in intensive care units.
The county on Saturday modified its stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Gatherings were limited to five people or less, and business were required to have no more than 10 employees at a time and to refrain from serving the public.
County-run parks and beaches also were reopened over the weekend, though some cities have chosen to keep recreation areas closed until at least Monday.
Strict stay-at-home orders and recreational closures remain in place in the majority of Southern California, in some cases drawing the ire of conservative groups, which have organized scattered protests.
Demonstrations against the orders were staged in Huntington Beach on Friday and in downtown San Diego on Saturday and in San Clemente and Encinitas on Sunday.


latimes--2020-04-19--Ventura County eases parts of its coronavirus stay-at-home order

Ventura County on Saturday modified its stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
The county had reported 422 cases of COVID-19 and 13 related deaths as of Sunday .
Thirty people were hospitalized , including nine in intensive care units .
“ We are positioned to focus on the road to reopening because our residents and businesses have sacrificed so much to comply with the public health orders and slow the spread of the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county ’ s executive officer , said in a statement .
“ Our current situation is further strengthened by the work of our local hospitals to expand their capacity.
” The county ’ s modified order , which is in place through May 15 , allows some businesses that don ’ t serve the public to operate using no more than 10 employees .
Gatherings of up to five people are now permitted , as are gatherings in vehicles .
Golf courses and bike shops can reopen , and in-person sales of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened county-run parks and beaches at 5 p.m. Friday .
Residents are still required to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing when visiting essential businesses .
Leaving home to exercise is permitted , but gyms will remain closed .
Robert Levin , the county ’ s public health officer , said officials would scrutinize data trends over the next few weeks and make adjustments if they believed the spread of the virus was accelerating .
In late March , he warned that the county could see as many as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t taken seriously .
On Saturday , he indicated that things had changed for the better but said that it was still important to proceed carefully .
“ The data is looking good , thanks to the diligence of our community members in following these orders , but we must be cautious in how we move forward , ” Levin said in a statement .
The city of Port Hueneme said Saturday it was staging a “ soft reopening ” of Hueneme Beach .
The beach , walkways and parking lot were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , street parking , playground and picnic areas remained closed .
Beachgoers were asked to wear masks , adhere to social distancing guidelines , and visit only to exercise , not to hang out or socialize .
Group gatherings remain banned .
“ This is a pathway back to normal life , but we must self-regulate and respect these new limitations , ” Port Hueneme Police Chief Andrew Salinas said in a statement .
He said officials could reinstate another beach closure if visitors failed to follow the guidelines .
Parks and beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed over the weekend , though the city said it would consider reopening them Monday after its City Council reviewed the county ’ s amended health order .
In the meantime , the Ventura Police Department assigned officers to high-traffic areas to enforce the restrictions after there was an influx of visitors to city-run parks and beaches Saturday afternoon , the city said .
The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency said it also was reviewing the order and would provide an update on the status of its trails on Monday .
Until then @ @ @ @ @

Ventura County on Saturday modified its stay-at-home order to permit some businesses to reopen and some gatherings to take place for the first time since the restrictions were issued to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
The county had reported 422 cases of COVID-19 and 13 related deaths as of Sunday. Thirty people were hospitalized, including nine in intensive care units.
“We are positioned to focus on the road to reopening because our residents and businesses have sacrificed so much to comply with the public health orders and slow the spread of the virus in our community,” Mike Powers, the county’s executive officer, said in a statement. “Our current situation is further strengthened by the work of our local hospitals to expand their capacity.”
The county’s modified order, which is in place through May 15, allows some businesses that don’t serve the public to operate using no more than 10 employees. Gatherings of up to five people are now permitted, as are gatherings in vehicles.
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Golf courses and bike shops can reopen, and in-person sales of vehicles are now permitted. Officials also reopened county-run parks at 5 p.m. Friday.
Residents are still required to stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing when visiting essential businesses. Leaving home to exercise is permitted, but gyms will remain closed.
Robert Levin, the county’s public health officer, said officials would scrutinize data trends over the next few weeks and make adjustments if they believed the spread of the virus was accelerating.
In late March, he warned that the county could see as many as 1,000 deaths if social distancing measures weren’t taken seriously.
On Saturday, he indicated that things had changed for the better but said that it was still important to proceed carefully.
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“The data is looking good, thanks to the diligence of our community members in following these orders, but we must be cautious in how we move forward,” Levin said in a statement.
The city of Port Hueneme said Saturday it was staging a “soft reopening” of Hueneme Beach. The beach, walkways and parking lot were open, but the pier, restrooms, street parking, playground and picnic areas remained closed.
Beachgoers were asked to wear masks, adhere to social distancing guidelines, and visit only to exercise, not to hang out or socialize. Group gatherings remain banned.
“This is a pathway back to normal life, but we must self-regulate and respect these new limitations,” Port Hueneme Police Chief Andrew Salinas said in a statement.
He said officials could reinstate another beach closure if visitors failed to follow the guidelines.
Parks and beaches run by the city of Ventura remained closed over the weekend, though the city said it would consider reopening them Monday after its City Council reviewed the county’s amended health order.
In the meantime, the Ventura Police Department assigned officers to high-traffic areas to enforce the restrictions after there was an influx of visitors to city-run parks and beaches Saturday afternoon, the city said.
The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency said it also was reviewing the order and would provide an update on the status of its trails on Monday. Until then, they remained closed.


latimes--2020-04-19--Tourist-dependent Solvang struggles through coronavirus stay-home orders in California

With his wire-rim glasses , burly build and shock of alabaster hair tucked into a bike helmet , Chuck Stacy looked a little like Santa Claus on vacation as he pedaled through Solvang ’ s quaint business district last week .
He was leisurely riding down the center of an empty street in this California tourist haven that would be clogged with traffic under normal circumstances .
With much of the country under stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus the Danish-settled village , whose windmills and half-timbered architecture draws more than 1½ million visitors a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve never seen it like this , ” said Stacy , a retired Episcopal preacher who has spent 53 of his 72 years in Solvang .
A couple of blocks away Thomas Birkholm keeps his Danish bakery going by preparing takeout orders with a staff made up largely of family after laying off 16 employees .
“ Every day it ’ s like Christmas morning coming in here , ” Birkholm said .
“ The streets are empty and everything ’ s closed.
” This is the equivalent of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 6,000 people nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country , about a half hour north of Santa Barbara .
Tourists are the engine of an economy than generates nearly $ 200 million in activity a year .
Hundreds in Solvang and the surrounding bedroom communities have already lost their jobs while the city is losing $ 500,000 in tax revenue a month .
“ That ’ s a lot of money to a town this size , ” said Andrew Moore , whose wine-tasting room has shut down .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a town of any size.
” On a typical spring weekend just a handful of the city ’ s 847 hotel rooms would be empty and the lines to get into the wine-tasting rooms and restaurants would be long .
This weekend just a handful of the city ’ s hotels were even open and the longest line was outside Bethania Lutheran Church , where people queued up for food donations .
Solvang began to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic March 15 , when the Chumash Casino Resort in neighboring Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the state shut down too , with Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordering all nonessential businesses to shut down .
For a city that has endured floods , fires and economic downturns , the governor ’ s declaration was another painful blow .
“ This is just on a totally different scale , ” said Mayor Ryan Toussaint , who has lived in the city all his life .
“ There is no playbook for this.
” Toussaint , 33 , said he is asked every day when things will go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question he can ’ t answer .
But the new normal , he acknowledges , is not sustainable .
“ People are kind of getting frustrated , ” he said .
“ How long can they stay cooped up ?
” Solvang ’ s majestic festival theater is among the city ’ s many shuttered businesses , the nonprofit having already postponed most of its summer season .
The Rancheros Visitadores , a procession of 750 cowboys whose numbers once included Ronald Reagan , Clark Gable and Walt Disney , have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into town for the first time in 89 years .
As Toussaint walked the lonely streets of the city center last week , a boy did skateboard tricks in the empty parking lot of a hotel whose red neon No Vacancy sign meant closed .
In front of the Copenhagen House , a retail marketplace , the statues of Solvang ’ s Danish founders have been outfitted with protective masks .
Bent Olsen , who opened a thriving bakery in Solvang five decades ago and did so well he bought the hotel across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown , has furloughed more than half of his staff .
He likens the current situation to the 1973 oil crisis , when gas rationing kept people from around Southern California , who account for 85 % of Solvang ’ s visitors , off the roads .
But the hardship is relative , said Olsen , 76 , who was born in Denmark in the waning days of World War II .
“ After the war , that was not very good times , ” said Olsen , whose bakery continues to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We kind of learned how to tighten our belt .
You have to survive .
That stuck with us for all those years.
” Not everyone is as stoic .
About a quarter-mile down Mission Drive , the main road through town , Allan Jones has placed a sign in front of his real estate office asking passersby to honk if they want the shutdown to end .
So many obliged the noise forced Jones to take the sign down .
“ A lot of people in this town are ready for things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , peeking out from beneath a cowboy hat .
“ People are getting a little restless .
We depend upon the visitors .
People want to work and we ’ re being held back .
It ’ s tough on them.
” “ People are a little tired of this and frankly think it ’ s a bit overdone ; you know destroying the economy and all that , ” added Moore , the wine seller .
“ They ’ re willing to put up with it for a while but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the end of it.
” The impatience is understandable given that the virus has made few inroads in the Santa Ynez Valley , with just five of the area ’ s 20,000 residents testing positive .
The fact that Solvang and the surrounding tourist destinations have shut down has a lot to do with that because as the number of outsiders coming in drops , so does the risk of infection .
“ There were a couple of residents that were really pounding on us back in January to stop the tour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solvang ’ s mayor pro tem .
“ And this is before we really knew what was coming.
” Now there ’ s great uncertainty over how long many of the city ’ s merchants can hang on .
The City Council have tapped $ 250,000 from Solvang ’ s general fund to pay micro loans to 50 businesses that have yet to receive help from the federal government .
But that money is now depleted and the town ’ s coffers will continue to empty until the tourists return .
Nonprofit organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s safety net , are also going broke .
“ As this drags on and people don ’ t have as much money in their bank accounts , they ’ re not donating to charity , ” Clarke said .
Resources aren ’ t the only thing in short supply ; time is running out too .
“ Memorial Day is huge for Solvang , ” said Birkholm of the holiday weekend that kicks off the busy summer period .
His family bakery , opened in 1951 , is already preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ napkins and planning to spread out the tables for social-distancing purposes .
The Solvang Brewing Co. is doing away with menus completely while removing its bar , dumping about half its tables and extending its patio into the parking lot in an effort to keep patrons apart once it reopens .
“ The way that my business partners and me see it , it ’ ll be a new paradigm , ” Bill Rodgers said .
“ People are going to be thinking quite differently so we are already exercising a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And as they wait for the outsiders to return , the people of Solvang have turned to one another , which explains how a restaurant that opened two weeks after Newsom ’ s shutdown order has become one of the most popular in town .
Michael Cherney and his wife , Sarah , both L.A. natives who have lived in the valley for a decade , opened the peasants FEAST on April 1 , having invested $ 180,000 in their dream — tens of thousands of dollars that went for chairs , tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used .
“ We were at the point where we were all in , ” Michael Cherney said .
“ To stop and wait for a matter of months and then maybe get a bailout , we decided it wasn ’ t worth the risk.
” The locals rewarded the Cherneys ’ pluck .
The day they opened , serving takeout meals out of their parking lot , their old landlord bought $ 2,500 in gift cards and handed them out to his employees .
Others have bought gift cards they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire station down the street hands out paper menus and urges visitors to give the restaurant ’ s seasonal comfort food a try .
“ We always knew that the locals are the bread and butter , ” Michael Cherney said .
“ The community has always been real strong and supportive but maybe not as loud as they are now .
Now they ’ re openly expressing , ‘ We ’ re here to help you.
’ ” But there ’ s a limit to that help and the Cherneys say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months as a takeout restaurant .
The hope is that once people are free to leave home , vacationers will make the short drive to Solvang rather than sit elbow-to-elbow next to a stranger on an airplane or pull on a dirty slot-machine handle in a crowded Las Vegas casino .
That was the city ’ s comeback plan after the 2008 recession and Clarke is certain it will work again .
“ We ’ re better situated than some other towns , ” he said .
“ The declines are always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m pretty optimistic .
”

Kevin Baxter, Photography by Genaro Molina

With his wire-rim glasses, burly build and shock of alabaster hair tucked into a bike helmet, Chuck Stacy looked a little like Santa Claus on vacation as he pedaled through Solvang’s quaint business district last week.
He was leisurely riding down the center of an empty street in this California tourist haven that would be clogged with traffic under normal circumstances.
But these aren’t normal times.
With much of the country under stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus the Danish-settled village, whose windmills and half-timbered architecture draws more than 1½ million visitors a year, is a virtual ghost town.
Nancy Wyatt walks past sculptures of the Solvang founders, who wear surgical masks, in front of the Copenhagen House in Solvang last week. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“I’ve never seen it like this,” said Stacy, a retired Episcopal preacher who has spent 53 of his 72 years in Solvang.
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A couple of blocks away Thomas Birkholm keeps his Danish bakery going by preparing takeout orders with a staff made up largely of family after laying off 16 employees.
A wooden sculpture of one of the founders of Solvang wears a surgical mask with the message, “Wear Mask - Keep Solvang Safe,” in front of the Copenhagen House in the California town. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“Every day it’s like Christmas morning coming in here,” Birkholm said. “The streets are empty and everything’s closed.”
This is the equivalent of an economic earthquake for this tiny town of nearly 6,000 people nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country, about a half hour north of Santa Barbara. Tourists are the engine of an economy than generates nearly $200 million in activity a year. Hundreds in Solvang and the surrounding bedroom communities have already lost their jobs while the city is losing $500,000 in tax revenue a month.
“That’s a lot of money to a town this size,” said Andrew Moore, whose wine-tasting room has shut down. “It’s a lot of money to a town of any size.”
On a typical spring weekend just a handful of the city’s 847 hotel rooms would be empty and the lines to get into the wine-tasting rooms and restaurants would be long. This weekend just a handful of the city’s hotels were even open and the longest line was outside Bethania Lutheran Church, where people queued up for food donations.
Realtor Allan Jones and his wife acknowledge a honking car last week while standing next to a sign he erected at his real estate office in Solvang in hopes the economy opens up again. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Solvang began to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic March 15, when the Chumash Casino Resort in neighboring Santa Ynez closed. Four days later the rest of the state shut down too, with Gov. Gavin Newsom ordering all nonessential businesses to shut down.
For a city that has endured floods, fires and economic downturns, the governor’s declaration was another painful blow.
“This is just on a totally different scale,” said Mayor Ryan Toussaint, who has lived in the city all his life. “There is no playbook for this.”
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Toussaint, 33, said he is asked every day when things will go back to the way they were before, a question he can’t answer. But the new normal, he acknowledges, is not sustainable.
“People are kind of getting frustrated,” he said. “How long can they stay cooped up?”
Solvang’s majestic festival theater is among the city’s many shuttered businesses, the nonprofit having already postponed most of its summer season. The Rancheros Visitadores, a procession of 750 cowboys whose numbers once included Ronald Reagan, Clark Gable and Walt Disney, have called off next month’s fundraising ride into town for the first time in 89 years.
Clockwise from upper left: Carol Collins, right, manager of Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe, helps a customer while both wear protective masks to prevent the coronavirus spread in downtown Solvang. A pedestrian makes her way past closed storefronts. Customers, both wearing protective masks to prevent coronavirus, exit Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe. A closed sign in downtown. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
As Toussaint walked the lonely streets of the city center last week, a boy did skateboard tricks in the empty parking lot of a hotel whose red neon No Vacancy sign meant closed. In front of the Copenhagen House, a retail marketplace, the statues of Solvang’s Danish founders have been outfitted with protective masks.
Bent Olsen, who opened a thriving bakery in Solvang five decades ago and did so well he bought the hotel across the street and invested in a restaurant downtown, has furloughed more than half of his staff. He likens the current situation to the 1973 oil crisis, when gas rationing kept people from around Southern California, who account for 85% of Solvang’s visitors, off the roads.
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But the hardship is relative, said Olsen, 76, who was born in Denmark in the waning days of World War II.
“After the war, that was not very good times,” said Olsen, whose bakery continues to sell pastries and coffee to go. “We kind of learned how to tighten our belt. You have to survive. That stuck with us for all those years.”
Not everyone is as stoic. About a quarter-mile down Mission Drive, the main road through town, Allan Jones has placed a sign in front of his real estate office asking passersby to honk if they want the shutdown to end.
“After the war, that was not very good times,” said Bent Olsen, 76, owner of Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, and continues to sell pastries and coffee to go in Solvang. “We kind of learned how to tighten our belt,” he concluded. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
So many obliged the noise forced Jones to take the sign down.
“A lot of people in this town are ready for things to open up again,” Jones said, peeking out from beneath a cowboy hat. “People are getting a little restless. We depend upon the visitors. People want to work and we’re being held back. It’s tough on them.”
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“People are a little tired of this and frankly think it’s a bit overdone; you know destroying the economy and all that,” added Moore, the wine seller. “They’re willing to put up with it for a while but I think we’re getting pretty close to the end of it.”
The impatience is understandable given that the virus has made few inroads in the Santa Ynez Valley, with just five of the area’s 20,000 residents testing positive. The fact that Solvang and the surrounding tourist destinations have shut down has a lot to do with that because as the number of outsiders coming in drops, so does the risk of infection.
Chuck Stacy, 72, bikes down a street that is usually filled with cars and tourists in downtown Solvang last week. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“There were a couple of residents that were really pounding on us back in January to stop the tour buses,” said Robert Clarke, Solvang’s mayor pro tem. “And this is before we really knew what was coming.”
Now there’s great uncertainty over how long many of the city’s merchants can hang on. The City Council have tapped $250,000 from Solvang’s general fund to pay micro loans to 50 businesses that have yet to receive help from the federal government. But that money is now depleted and the town’s coffers will continue to empty until the tourists return.
Nonprofit organizations, which fill the holes in the city’s safety net, are also going broke.
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“As this drags on and people don’t have as much money in their bank accounts, they’re not donating to charity,” Clarke said.
Resources aren’t the only thing in short supply; time is running out too.
“Memorial Day is huge for Solvang,” said Birkholm of the holiday weekend that kicks off the busy summer period.
Thomas Birkholm, third generation owner of Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe, has one of the few businesses still open in downtown Solvang. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
His family bakery, opened in 1951, is already preparing for that, ordering disposable menus and napkins and planning to spread out the tables for social-distancing purposes. The Solvang Brewing Co. is doing away with menus completely while removing its bar, dumping about half its tables and extending its patio into the parking lot in an effort to keep patrons apart once it reopens.
“The way that my business partners and me see it, it’ll be a new paradigm,” Bill Rodgers said. “People are going to be thinking quite differently so we are already exercising a lot of best practices in things like sanitation.”
Advertisement
And as they wait for the outsiders to return, the people of Solvang have turned to one another, which explains how a restaurant that opened two weeks after Newsom’s shutdown order has become one of the most popular in town.
Michael Cherney and his wife, Sarah, both L.A. natives who have lived in the valley for a decade, opened the peasants FEAST on April 1, having invested $180,000 in their dream — tens of thousands of dollars that went for chairs, tables, plates and silverware that have never been used.
Bill Rodgers, co-owner of Solvang Brewing Co., stands inside the establishment, which has complied with the order that nonessential businesses close. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“We were at the point where we were all in,” Michael Cherney said. “To stop and wait for a matter of months and then maybe get a bailout, we decided it wasn’t worth the risk.”
The locals rewarded the Cherneys’ pluck. The day they opened, serving takeout meals out of their parking lot, their old landlord bought $2,500 in gift cards and handed them out to his employees. Others have bought gift cards they’ve donated to needy families while the fire station down the street hands out paper menus and urges visitors to give the restaurant’s seasonal comfort food a try.
“We always knew that the locals are the bread and butter,” Michael Cherney said. “The community has always been real strong and supportive but maybe not as loud as they are now. Now they’re openly expressing, ‘We’re here to help you.’ ”
Advertisement
But there’s a limit to that help and the Cherneys say they probably can’t survive more than three months as a takeout restaurant. The hope is that once people are free to leave home, vacationers will make the short drive to Solvang rather than sit elbow-to-elbow next to a stranger on an airplane or pull on a dirty slot-machine handle in a crowded Las Vegas casino.
A lone car drives down a deserted Alisal Road in downtown Solvang. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
That was the city’s comeback plan after the 2008 recession and Clarke is certain it will work again.
“We’re better situated than some other towns,” he said. “The declines are always faster than the up-swings but yes, I’m pretty optimistic.”


latimes--2020-04-19--Protesters fed up with coronavirus stay-home orders rally in downtown San Diego

One month into a statewide stay-home order that has upended daily life as we know it , protesters took to the downtown streets Saturday and demanded that California reopen .
“ I think at [ this ] point people have had enough and they want to get back to work again , ” said retired Point Loma resident Darla Clark , noting many of her friends have lost their jobs .
“ This is definitely where the cure is going to be worse than the disease.
” The rally , which mirrored several others staged across the nation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts and local public officials to keep the restrictions in place for potentially several weeks longer to help slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The “ Freedom Rally ” drew at least 200 people — many carrying American flags and posters and wearing Trump 2020 hats .
Most were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing .
An unknown number of additional protesters chose to stay in their vehicles and drove by honking and waving U.S. flags from their windows .
Protesters demanded that businesses , schools , churches , parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the coronavirus was “ a flu ” and pointed to the low number of positive cases in the region and state .
On Saturday , the county reported that the number of locals to test positive for the coronavirus had risen to 2,213 cases .
The number of hospitalizations , at 537 people , inches closer to a quarter of the locals who have tested positive for the virus .
The number of local residents to succumb to the virus grew by one , a 58-year-old man , with total fatalities reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the local cases .
California public health officials Saturday also released the names of 261 skilled nursing facilities with at least one coronavirus infection case , a list that includes 11 sites in San Diego County .
Locally , those with the highest number of cases among patients were both in El Cajon : Country Hills Post-Acute , with 19 patients , and Bradley Court , with 12 .
Several sites reported no patients but at least one healthcare worker had contracted the virus .
San Diego ’ s protest happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LIBERATE ” in reference to three other states with Democratic governors .
The event ’ s host , Naomi Israel , encouraged demonstrators in a Facebook post to tweet at the president , who “ mentioned last night that we have the right to peacefully assemble and protest against the governors orders !
” California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said during a press conference Saturday that the protests were not surprising and he imagines there will be more .
“ I just want to encourage people , when you practice your free speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I celebrate — just do so safely , ” Newsom said .
“ This virus knows no political ideology.
” Five San Diego police officers stood watch over the two-hour protest , keeping their distance across the street .
Police spokesman Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said officers were not looking to cite the protesters .
“ We are balancing the need to enforce and citing people for not social distancing with the anger , frustration that people have for being quarantined the last month , ” Takeuchi said .
He said officers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure no crimes such as vandalism were committed .
“ We are going to allow people to protest and vent their frustration , ” Takeuchi said .
“ We hope that the crowd dissipates quickly so we can prevent further spread of this virus in the community.
” The stance was different from the one the Sheriff ’ s Department took a week earlier , when three migrant advocates who participated in a car rally outside the Otay Mesa Detention Center were cited for unlawful use of a horn , violating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 15-minute rally was protesting the treatment of people infected with the coronavirus inside the facility .
However , when the same migrant advocacy group held a car rally in downtown San Diego on March 31 , San Diego police did not cite anyone .
Asked for a response to the protests , county spokesman Michael Workman said that the order is in place to protect public health .
“ We would hope people would abide by the order , ” he wrote in an email .
“ The entire order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social distancing increases the risk to public health.
” On Saturday , participants stood in large clusters on the four corners of Broadway and State Street as well as the median strip .
Children waved little American flags next to their parents , and some carried small posters .
Protesters held signs that read , “ COVID-19 is less of a threat than government control , ” “ Liberate America ” and “ Isolation of the healthy is tyranny.
” There were also signs expressing distrust in the media .
Recent national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Americans showed .
A poll of 1,990 voters showed that 81 % supported continuing social distancing for as long as needed .
Only 10 % supported ending social distancing to stimulate the economy .
A poll of 2,000 Los Angeles residents released last week by Loyola Marymount University found that 95 % of respondents were in support of officials ’ decision to implement a stay-at-home-order .
Seventy-six percent of residents who identified as conservative viewed the virus as a real threat , compared with 91 % among those who identify as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County and state officials have been reticent to quickly reopen public spaces , citing the need for more medical supplies and better testing capabilities first .
Public health authorities are also waiting for clear signs that illnesses have peaked .
Ella Conrad , a commercial real estate owner , said she ’ s had enough of the state ’ s stay-at-home order .
Conrad said she still has to pay the mortgage on her properties , yet many of her tenants are not paying rent .
“ I ’ m going to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Conrad said .
“ Everything is just tanking.
” Lopez-Villafana and Figueroa write for the San Diego Union-Tribune .
Staff writer Jennifer Van Grove contributed to this story .

Angela Royal was among the estimated 200 supporters calling to reopen California. The group held their rally on the corner at State Street and Broadway in San Diego on Saturday.
One month into a statewide stay-home order that has upended daily life as we know it, protesters took to the downtown streets Saturday and demanded that California reopen.
“I think at [this] point people have had enough and they want to get back to work again,” said retired Point Loma resident Darla Clark, noting many of her friends have lost their jobs. “This is definitely where the cure is going to be worse than the disease.”
The rally, which mirrored several others staged across the nation in the last week, ignored repeated calls from health experts and local public officials to keep the restrictions in place for potentially several weeks longer to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Advertisement
The “Freedom Rally” drew at least 200 people — many carrying American flags and posters and wearing Trump 2020 hats. Most were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing. An unknown number of additional protesters chose to stay in their vehicles and drove by honking and waving U.S. flags from their windows.
Protesters demanded that businesses, schools, churches, parks and beaches be reopened. Many expressed that the coronavirus was “a flu” and pointed to the low number of positive cases in the region and state.
On Saturday, the county reported that the number of locals to test positive for the coronavirus had risen to 2,213 cases.
The number of hospitalizations, at 537 people, inches closer to a quarter of the locals who have tested positive for the virus.
The number of local residents to succumb to the virus grew by one, a 58-year-old man, with total fatalities reaching 71. That accounts for about 3% of the local cases.
California public health officials Saturday also released the names of 261 skilled nursing facilities with at least one coronavirus infection case , a list that includes 11 sites in San Diego County.
Locally, those with the highest number of cases among patients were both in El Cajon: Country Hills Post-Acute, with 19 patients, and Bradley Court, with 12. Several sites reported no patients but at least one healthcare worker had contracted the virus.
San Diego’s protest happened a day after President Trump tweeted “LIBERATE” in reference to three other states with Democratic governors.
The event’s host, Naomi Israel, encouraged demonstrators in a Facebook post to tweet at the president, who “mentioned last night that we have the right to peacefully assemble and protest against the governors orders!”
Advertisement
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a press conference Saturday that the protests were not surprising and he imagines there will be more.
“I just want to encourage people, when you practice your free speech — which I don’t embrace, I celebrate — just do so safely,” Newsom said. “This virus knows no political ideology.”
Five San Diego police officers stood watch over the two-hour protest, keeping their distance across the street.
Police spokesman Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said officers were not looking to cite the protesters.
“We are balancing the need to enforce and citing people for not social distancing with the anger, frustration that people have for being quarantined the last month,” Takeuchi said.
He said officers were keeping a cautious eye on the crowd to make sure no crimes such as vandalism were committed.
“We are going to allow people to protest and vent their frustration,” Takeuchi said. “We hope that the crowd dissipates quickly so we can prevent further spread of this virus in the community.”
The stance was different from the one the Sheriff’s Department took a week earlier, when three migrant advocates who participated in a car rally outside the Otay Mesa Detention Center were cited for unlawful use of a horn, violating the stay-home order and driving without insurance. The 15-minute rally was protesting the treatment of people infected with the coronavirus inside the facility.
However, when the same migrant advocacy group held a car rally in downtown San Diego on March 31, San Diego police did not cite anyone.
Asked for a response to the protests, county spokesman Michael Workman said that the order is in place to protect public health.
“We would hope people would abide by the order,” he wrote in an email. “The entire order. Which includes social distancing. Any violation of social distancing increases the risk to public health.”
On Saturday, participants stood in large clusters on the four corners of Broadway and State Street as well as the median strip. Children waved little American flags next to their parents, and some carried small posters.
Protesters held signs that read, “COVID-19 is less of a threat than government control,” “Liberate America” and “Isolation of the healthy is tyranny.” There were also signs expressing distrust in the media.
Recent national and local polls found that a vast majority of Americans showed support for stay-at-home orders . A poll of 1,990 voters conducted by Politico/Morning Consult showed that 81% supported continuing social distancing for as long as needed. Only 10% supported ending social distancing to stimulate the economy.
A poll of 2,000 Los Angeles residents released last week by Loyola Marymount University found that 95% of respondents were in support of officials’ decision to implement a stay-at-home-order.
Seventy-six percent of residents who identified as conservative viewed the virus as a real threat, compared with 91% among those who identify as liberals, according to the poll.
County and state officials have been reticent to quickly reopen public spaces, citing the need for more medical supplies and better testing capabilities first. Public health authorities are also waiting for clear signs that illnesses have peaked.
Ella Conrad, a commercial real estate owner, said she’s had enough of the state’s stay-at-home order. Conrad said she still has to pay the mortgage on her properties, yet many of her tenants are not paying rent.
“I’m going to lose a third of my income this year,” Conrad said. “Everything is just tanking.”
Lopez-Villafana and Figueroa write for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Staff writer Jennifer Van Grove contributed to this story.


latimes--2020-04-19--California will 'do the right thing' when lifting stay-at-home orders, Newsom says

The number of COVID-19 cases in California topped 30,000 , with nearly 1,150 deaths , as officials said that science — not political pressure — would determine when they began to reopen the economy .
Although the state is seeing the rate of new infections from the coronavirus declining , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said rising death counts were a major concern .
“ For those who think we are out of the woods … I caution you on the basis ” of the death toll , Newsom said Saturday .
As for lifting some stay-at-home orders , Newsom added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right thing , not judge by politics , not judge by protests , but by science.
” California has seen far fewer deaths than have other hot spots , including New York .
Last week , Newsom outlined a framework for lifting some restrictions .
The administration highlighted six key indicators for altering his stay-at-home mandate , including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases , prevent infection of high-risk people , increase surge capacity at hospitals , develop therapeutics , and ensure physical distancing at schools , businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop guidelines for when to ask Californians to stay home again if the governor modifies the order and the virus surges , he said .
Los Angeles County on Saturday ended a grim week , announcing 81 new deaths and setting another record for single-day fatalities .
Deaths have increased significantly in the last week in the county , even as there are growing signs that the number of new coronavirus cases across California is beginning to level off and decline in some places .
The county already accounts for a disproportionate number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the last week , deaths among L.A. County residents have roughly doubled and now stand at more than 570 .
The number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 rose 1.3 % in the last day , while the number of people in ICU fell by less than one percent ( .1 % ) .
“ We ’ ve certainly flattened the curve , ” Newsom said as he stood outside a Motel 6 in Campbell , Calif. , being used as housing for homeless people .
“ The question is , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to decline on a consistent basis , as opposed to an episodic basis , as we have seen over the last week or so.
” The number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 increased 5.3 % in the last 24 hours , the governor said .
He said the state was monitoring some 3,500 staff and patients at 400 skilled-nursing facilities in the state , some of which were identified Thursday by the state as having infections .
A group of more than 100 protesters demanded that California ease stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus and benefits of social distancing were overblown , despite scientific evidence to the contrary .
Polls have shown the public supports the orders .
Newsom had some advice Saturday for people upset over the restrictions .
“ I just want to encourage people that when you practice your free speech , which I don ’ t [ just ] embrace , I celebrate , just do so safely , ” he said .
“ This virus knows no political ideology .
It doesn ’ t know if you are Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposing the president , so practice physical distancing .
”

The number of COVID-19 cases in California topped 30,000, with nearly 1,150 deaths, as officials said that science — not political pressure — would determine when they began to reopen the economy.
Although the state is seeing the rate of new infections from the coronavirus declining, Gov. Gavin Newsom said rising death counts were a major concern.
“For those who think we are out of the woods … I caution you on the basis” of the death toll, Newsom said Saturday.
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As for lifting some stay-at-home orders, Newsom added: “We are going to do the right thing, not judge by politics, not judge by protests, but by science.”
California has seen far fewer deaths than have other hot spots, including New York. Last week, Newsom outlined a framework for lifting some restrictions.
The administration highlighted six key indicators for altering his stay-at-home mandate, including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases, prevent infection of high-risk people, increase surge capacity at hospitals, develop therapeutics, and ensure physical distancing at schools, businesses and child-care facilities. The state also must develop guidelines for when to ask Californians to stay home again if the governor modifies the order and the virus surges, he said.
Los Angeles County on Saturday ended a grim week, announcing 81 new deaths and setting another record for single-day fatalities.
Deaths have increased significantly in the last week in the county, even as there are growing signs that the number of new coronavirus cases across California is beginning to level off and decline in some places. The county already accounts for a disproportionate number of coronavirus deaths in the state.
In the last week, deaths among L.A. County residents have roughly doubled and now stand at more than 570.
The number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 rose 1.3 % in the last day, while the number of people in ICU fell by less than one percent (.1%).
“We’ve certainly flattened the curve,” Newsom said as he stood outside a Motel 6 in Campbell, Calif., being used as housing for homeless people. “The question is, when are we going to see those numbers start to decline on a consistent basis, as opposed to an episodic basis, as we have seen over the last week or so.”
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The number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 increased 5.3% in the last 24 hours, the governor said.
He said the state was monitoring some 3,500 staff and patients at 400 skilled-nursing facilities in the state, some of which were identified Thursday by the state as having infections.
A group of more than 100 protesters demanded that California ease stay-at-home restrictions. The protesters claimed the dangers of the coronavirus and benefits of social distancing were overblown, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
Polls have shown the public supports the orders.
Newsom had some advice Saturday for people upset over the restrictions.
“I just want to encourage people that when you practice your free speech, which I don’t [just] embrace, I celebrate, just do so safely,” he said. “This virus knows no political ideology. It doesn’t know if you are Republican or Democrat, supporting the president, opposing the president, so practice physical distancing.”


latimes--2020-04-19--This is the latest list of L.A. County communities with coronavirus cases

In the last week , deaths among L.A. County residents have roughly doubled and now stand at more than 570 @ @ @ @ @ most recently died , 56 were older than 65 , 18 were 41 to 65 @ @ @ @ @ 18 to 40 .
Sixty-three of the people had underlying health conditions .
The county @ @ @ @ @ cases Saturday .
Long Beach , which has its own health department , reported an @ @ @ @ @ cases Saturday , for a total of 12,051 cases .
Here are the L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ :

Sisters Haley Grawe, left, and Aubrey shop for face masks at a stand in front of Amiga Wild in Venice.
Los Angeles County hit another grim milestone, recording 81 new coronavirus deaths Saturday.
In the last week, deaths among L.A. County residents have roughly doubled and now stand at more than 570. Of the people who most recently died, 56 were older than 65, 18 were 41 to 65, and one person was 18 to 40. Sixty-three of the people had underlying health conditions.
The county also announced 642 additional coronavirus cases Saturday. Long Beach, which has its own health department, reported an additional death and 30 new cases Saturday, for a total of 12,051 cases.
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Here are the L.A. County communities with confirmed coronavirus cases:
Long Beach 419
Glendale 326
Melrose 235
Pasadena 215
Santa Clarita 196
Torrance 189
North Hollywood 162
Inglewood 152
Carson 149
Palmdale 147
Sylmar 145
Burbank 134
South Gate 133
Hollywood 130
East Los Angeles 127
Downey 124
Van Nuys 117
Lancaster 114
Santa Monica 111
West Hollywood 109
Westlake 104
Canoga Park 103
Norwalk 100
Lynwood 99
Gardena 96
West Vernon 96
Reseda 96
Hawthorne 92
Panorama City 91
Silver Lake 90
Sherman Oaks 88
Pico-Union 87
Compton 85
Redondo Beach 85
Woodland Hills 82
Unincorporated - Florence-Firestone 81
Pacoima 80
Beverly Hills 80
Pico Rivera 79
Bell 78
Northridge 77
San Pedro 75
Palms 72
Glassell Park 72
Montebello 71
Pomona 71
Boyle Heights 69
Koreatown 68
Winnetka 67
Whittier 66
Exposition Park 66
Temple-Beaudry 65
Paramount 65
East Hollywood 64
Wilshire Center 62
Bellflower 62
North Hills 62
Encino 60
Little Armenia 60
Granada Hills 59
West Adams 58
Manhattan Beach 58
Brentwood 58
Central 58
West Covina 58
Covina 57
Florence-Firestone 56
Huntington Park 56
Vernon Central 55
Hancock Park 54
Eagle Rock 53
South Park 53
Sun Valley 53
Bell Gardens 52
El Sereno 51
Tarzana 51
El Monte 50
Wilmington 49
Hollywood Hills 48
Rancho Palos Verdes 47
Crestview 47
Lakewood 47
Athens-Westmont 46
Highland Park 46
Lake Balboa 45
Carthay 45
Valley Village 45
Chatsworth 44
Westchester 43
Altadena 43
Valley Glen 42
Arleta 42
Alhambra 42
Little Bangladesh 41
Harvard Park 41
Baldwin Park 40
Sunland 39
Harbor Gateway 39
Monterey Park 39
Watts 39
West Los Angeles 39
Mar Vista 39
Baldwin Hills 39
Westwood 38
Del Rey 38
Cerritos 37
Culver City 37
Lawndale 36
Palos Verdes Estates 36
Mission Hills 36
Maywood 35
Wholesale District 35
Porter Ranch 35
Century Palms/Cove 35
Venice 35
South Whittier 35
Hacienda Heights 34
Vermont Vista 34
University Park 34
San Fernando 33
Pacific Palisades 33
Country Club Park 32
West Carson 31
Downtown 31
La Mirada 31
West Hills 29
Harvard Heights 29
Hyde Park 29
Glendora 29
Arcadia 28
Cudahy 27
Walnut Park 27
Mid-City 27
Beverly Crest 27
Lomita 27
Century City 26
South Pasadena 26
La Canada Flintridge 26
Calabasas 26
Crenshaw District 26
Harbor City 26
Duarte 26
Lincoln Heights 26
Willowbrook 25
Leimert Park 25
Historic Filipinotown 25
Studio City 24
Tujunga 24
Temple City 24
Rowland Heights 24
Agoura Hills 24
Green Meadows 23
Vermont Knolls 23
Beverlywood 23
Miracle Mile 23
Los Feliz 22
Azusa 22
Diamond Bar 22
Bel-Air 22
Malibu 21
La Puente 21
South Carthay 21
Lennox 21
Vermont Square 21
Lakeview Terrace 21
San Dimas 20
Victoria Park 20
West Whittier/Los Nietos 19
Hermosa Beach 19
Monrovia 18
View Park/Windsor Hills 17
Mt. Washington 16
Rosemead 16
Adams-Normandie 16
San Gabriel 16
Gramercy Place 15
Walnut 15
Quartz Hill 15
Canyon Country 15
Ladera Heights 15
Claremont 15
Unincorporated - Covina 14
Valinda 14
El Segundo 14
La Crescenta-Montrose 13
Stevenson Ranch 13
Cloverdale/Cochran 13
Playa Vista 12
Cheviot Hills 12
Bassett 12
Figueroa Park Square 12
Rolling Hills Estates 12
East Rancho Dominguez 12
Atwater Village 11
Thai Town 11
Santa Fe Springs 11
Echo Park 11
Park La Brea 11
La Verne 11
Athens Village 10
Artesia 10
Elysian Valley 10
Alsace 10
Castaic 10
Reseda Ranch 9
Covina (Charter Oak) 9
Cadillac-Corning 9
Lafayette Square 8
Rancho Dominguez 8
Rancho Park 8
San Marino 8
San Jose Hills 8
Lake Los Angeles 8
Marina Peninsula 8
Marina del Rey 7
Santa Monica Mountains 7
Shadow Hills 7
Toluca Lake 7
South San Gabriel 7
Northeast San Gabriel 7
West Puente Valley 6
Elysian Park 6
Reynier Village 6
East La Mirada 6
Hawaiian Gardens 6
Del Aire 6
Westlake Village 6
Wellington Square 6
View Heights 5
Commerce 5
Unincorporated - Monrovia 5
Unincorporated - Azusa 5
Avocado Heights 5
Signal Hill 5
Jefferson Park 5
La Rambla 5
Longwood 5
Acton 5
Sierra Madre 1-4
Lake Hughes 1-4
Harbor Pines 1-4
South Antelope Valley 1-4
Manchester Square 1-4
South Edwards 1-4
South El Monte 1-4
Franklin Canyon 1-4
North Whittier 1-4
Faircrest Heights 1-4
Palisades Highlands 1-4
Exposition 1-4
Southeast Antelope Valley 1-4
St. Elmo Village 1-4
Llano 1-4
Littlerock/Pearblossom 1-4
Littlerock/Juniper Hills 1-4
Sun Village 1-4
Elizabeth Lake 1-4
Sunrise Village 1-4
Sycamore Square 1-4
Regent Square 1-4
Palos Verdes Peninsula 1-4
Littlerock 1-4
East Whittier 1-4
Little Tokyo 1-4
Rolling Hills 1-4
Toluca Terrace 1-4
Toluca Woods 1-4
Newhall 1-4
East Pasadena 1-4
Twin Lakes/Oat Mountain 1-4
Unincorporated - Angeles National Forest 1-4
Unincorporated - Arcadia 1-4
Roosevelt 1-4
Unincorporated - Bradbury 1-4
Unincorporated - Cerritos 1-4
Unincorporated - Claremont 1-4
La Habra Heights 1-4
Unincorporated - Del Rey 1-4
Unincorporated - Duarte 1-4
Unincorporated - El Monte 1-4
East Lancaster 1-4
Unincorporated - Glendora 1-4
Unincorporated - Harbor Gateway 1-4
Unincorporated - Hawthorne 1-4
Unincorporated - La Habra Heights 1-4
Unincorporated - La Verne 1-4
Unincorporated - Lakewood 1-4
Unincorporated - Lynwood 1-4
Unincorporated - Miracle Mile 1-4
Rosewood 1-4
Unincorporated - Palmdale 1-4
Unincorporated - Pomona 1-4
Unincorporated - South El Monte 1-4
Unincorporated - Walnut 1-4
Unincorporated - West LA 1-4
Unincorporated - Whittier 1-4
Universal City 1-4
University Hills 1-4
Rosewood/East Gardena 1-4
Val Verde 1-4
Valencia 1-4
Rosewood/West Rancho Dominguez 1-4
East Covina 1-4
Desert View Highlands 1-4
Del Sur 1-4
Leona Valley 1-4
San Clemente Island 1-4
Kagel/Lopez Canyons 1-4
Pearblossom/Llano 1-4
Vernon 1-4
San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon 1-4
Chinatown 1-4
Irwindale 1-4
Pellissier Village 1-4
Lake Manor 1-4
Charter Oak 1-4
San Pasqual 1-4
Industry 1-4
Sand Canyon 1-4
West Antelope Valley 1-4
Santa Catalina Island 1-4
West Chatsworth 1-4
Brookside 1-4
Bradbury 1-4
Bouquet Canyon 1-4
Hidden Hills 1-4
North Lancaster 1-4
West Rancho Dominguez 1-4
Bandini Islands 1-4
Hi Vista 1-4
Avalon 1-4
Westfield/Academy Hills 1-4
Westhills 1-4
Placerita Canyon 1-4
Saugus 1-4
Saugus/Canyon Country 1-4
White Fence Farms 1-4
Playa del Rey 1-4
Whittier Narrows 1-4
Angelino Heights 1-4
Angeles National Forest 1-4
Anaverde 1-4
Mandeville Canyon 1-4
Agua Dulce 1-4
Wiseburn 1-4
El Camino Village 1-4


latimes--2020-04-19--Earthquake: 3.3 quake near Carpinteria

Earthquake: 3.3 quake near Carpinteria

A magnitude-3.3 earthquake was reported at 1:34 a.m. Sunday six miles from Carpinteria , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 10 miles from Ventura , 12 miles from Santa Barbara , 17 miles from Oxnard and 20 miles from Santa Paula .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @

A magnitude-3.3 earthquake was reported early Sunday near Carpinteria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude-3.3 earthquake was reported at 1:34 a.m. Sunday six miles from Carpinteria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 10 miles from Ventura, 12 miles from Santa Barbara, 17 miles from Oxnard and 20 miles from Santa Paula.
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 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
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.