latimes--2020-04-16--How alarming predictions about coronavirus losses in California gave way to guarded optimism

The dire predictions from Gov .
Gavin Newsom and state public health officials have been steady and unnerving : Millions of Californians would be infected by the coronavirus , hospitals would be overrun , desperate patients could die without ventilators .
But a more optimistic outlook is emerging , with several epidemiological studies suggesting the state is probably at the peak number of daily new cases , as long as social distancing restrictions remain in place .
It was less than a month ago , on March 18 , that Newsom wrote a letter to President Trump saying that 25.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
And on April 7 , Mark Ghaly , California ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services , said he believed the state would would need at least an additional 15,000 ventilators to handle the crisis , which he predicted would peak in May or June .
But by Friday , Ghaly ’ s comments were far less alarming .
“ Any peak , when it comes , will probably not be significantly higher than today on ICU hospitalizations and overall hospitalizations because we have done all the right things on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
On Wednesday , the state for the first time released some of the data behind those earlier warnings that hospitals would be overwhelmed in May .
A chart shows a demand for 31,747 beds by May 20 .
But it also shows that the projections on hospitalizations have so far been hugely overblown , predicting a need for 11,428 beds Tuesday when only 5,065 were actually hospitalized with COVID-19 .
A spokeswoman with the state health agency , Kate Folmar , acknowledged that the projections had been off and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our model with researchers and local public health offices.
” She added : “ Bear in mind that this is a completely new virus with new patterns .
So it ’ s not the same as modeling the flu or measles.
” The governor and his top health advisers have not been alone in painting a bleak picture .
Epidemiologists warned that the virus could cause millions of deaths .
Doctors and nurses described emergency rooms and intensive care units that could soon be on the brink of chaos .
Media outlets issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the threat of infection has diminished , it has by no means disappeared , with well over 1,000 new confirmed cases a day in California over the last week .
The state reported a new high of 76 deaths Wednesday , 42 in Los Angeles County alone .
But academic models from London to San Francisco appear to show that California is at the top of the curve for new cases , with the peak in deaths likely following anywhere from one to three weeks behind .
An epidemiological model built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hygiene & Tropical Medicine projected Tuesday that the number of new cases in California were “ decreasing ” day by day .
And an analysis by UC San Francisco School of Medicine shows most counties in California are seeing a daily decrease in the number of new cases , while some are reporting flat numbers , with only a few still logging increases , said Travis Porco , professor at UCSF ’ s department of epidemiology and biostatistics and a researcher on the model .
“ The powerful flattening is unmistakable , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take a few more days to know “ whether we really are starting to drive it downward.
” The big question ahead is how sharp that downward curve will be .
A slow decline could easily mean far more people die after the peak than before .
A fast one would mean the opposite .
Social distancing will be a critical factor .
Lifting restrictions too early would likely lead to dangerous new jumps in cases .
With the current measures in place , the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington shows the current outbreaks in California tapering down to zero new deaths by May 15 .
Its average estimate has 983 people dying before the peak , and 500 after .
The institute ’ s model has become a lightning rod , largely for the certainty of its timeline .
Yet the world is desperate to answer the paramount question the team confronted : When is this nightmare going to be over ?
When can schools and stores open , when can we go back to parks and restaurants , when can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if still six feet apart , with masks ?
But many epidemiologists say it is foolhardy to project that far into the future , with so many uncertainties plugged into the IHME algorithm .
Its early model was based on data from China , where authorities suppress the free flow of information — likely including the true number of cases and deaths — and enforce social restrictions in draconian ways unheard of in the United States .
“ This appearance of certainty is seductive when the world is desperate to know what lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholas Jewell in a critique he co-authored .
He added that IHME has not released the complete methodology behind their model either , making it impossible for other scientists to check its validity .
“ The underlying data and statistical model must be interpreted cautiously , ” he said , But while many epidemiologists criticize the IHME model as too optimistic , it has at times , to this point , been too pessimistic .
On March 26 , the center forecast 6,109 deaths in California during this outbreak , with daily deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As researchers added better data to its algorithm , its projected death total for the state has fallen to 1,483 , with a range of uncertainty between 852 and 3,143 .
They project the peak day for deaths to be Sunday , with 52 deaths , and a range of uncertainty between eight and 192 .
Those large uncertainties and big changes in results , as new data came in , have only fueled outside criticism .
Dr. Theo Vos , professor of health metrics sciences at IHME , acknowledges the objections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The numbers jump above and below their projection but , he said , “ they ’ ve always been within the large uncertainty that we estimate.
” Vos said his team is looking at the general path of the virus .
“ I think we are the only group that has been even within a reasonable distance of predicting the shape of the epidemic , ” he said .
“ All these other models had these doomsday scenarios where the virus would go wild , it would end up infecting you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we would have millions and millions of deaths .
Obviously that hasn ’ t happened.
” The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is a more classic model , following infection rates , not deaths , without projecting into the future .
On Tuesday , the London model had issued a “ likely decreasing ” finding for the illness in California .
On Wednesday its data was solid enough to confirm it was in fact decreasing .
The British researchers use four factors to determine the “ effective reproductive number ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone is infectious and the expected number of daily contacts of each individual .
When the effective reproductive number is 1 , that means that every infected person will likely infect one more person while they are contagious .
When the number falls below that , the epidemic is on the decline .
When each person is infecting two or three people , or more , it ’ s rising exponentially .
Washington , the first American state to confirm a case of SARS-CoV-2 , moved quickly to send its population into isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its reproductive number fall below 1 .
Two other early hot spots , Louisiana and Michigan , dropped below 1 days later , and California did by Wednesday , the researchers reported .
The model shows several other states where infection rates are still increasing : Illinois , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Wyoming , Montana , North Dakota and South Dakota .
Many other states are in the “ likely increasing ” category .
And the researchers have not been able to obtain enough data to make a projection in more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most influential models was designed by Imperial College in London , which found in mid-March that — without intervention — about 2.2 million people in the U.S. would die over the course of the outbreak .
Testifying before a Parliamentary committee nine days after his explosive report , epidemiologist Neil Ferguson clarified that the death rates would be enormously reduced by the kinds of restrictions the U.K. and other governments had put in place .
He said the worst-case total of 500,000 British dead could drop to 20,000 , or fewer .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in the U.S. would result in about 88,000 deaths .
Whether it ’ s that terrible toll , better , or worse , will all depend on the pitch of that downward curve .
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in front of the Navy hospital ship Mercy after it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on March 27.
The dire predictions from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state public health officials have been steady and unnerving: Millions of Californians would be infected by the coronavirus, hospitals would be overrun, desperate patients could die without ventilators.
But a more optimistic outlook is emerging, with several epidemiological studies suggesting the state is probably at the peak number of daily new cases, as long as social distancing restrictions remain in place.
It was less than a month ago, on March 18, that Newsom wrote a letter to President Trump saying that 25.5 million Californians would be infected within eight weeks. And on April 7, Mark Ghaly, California’s secretary of Health and Human Services, said he believed the state would would need at least an additional 15,000 ventilators to handle the crisis, which he predicted would peak in May or June.
But by Friday, Ghaly’s comments were far less alarming. “Any peak, when it comes, will probably not be significantly higher than today on ICU hospitalizations and overall hospitalizations because we have done all the right things on physical distancing and staying at home,” he said.
Advertisement
On Wednesday, the state for the first time released some of the data behind those earlier warnings that hospitals would be overwhelmed in May. A chart shows a demand for 31,747 beds by May 20. But it also shows that the projections on hospitalizations have so far been hugely overblown, predicting a need for 11,428 beds Tuesday when only 5,065 were actually hospitalized with COVID-19.
A spokeswoman with the state health agency, Kate Folmar, acknowledged that the projections had been off and added that “we are continuously refining our model with researchers and local public health offices.”
She added: “Bear in mind that this is a completely new virus with new patterns. So it’s not the same as modeling the flu or measles.”
The governor and his top health advisers have not been alone in painting a bleak picture. Epidemiologists warned that the virus could cause millions of deaths. Doctors and nurses described emergency rooms and intensive care units that could soon be on the brink of chaos. Media outlets issued alarming daily reports of escalating infection counts.
While the threat of infection has diminished, it has by no means disappeared, with well over 1,000 new confirmed cases a day in California over the last week. The state reported a new high of 76 deaths Wednesday, 42 in Los Angeles County alone.
Advertisement
But academic models from London to San Francisco appear to show that California is at the top of the curve for new cases, with the peak in deaths likely following anywhere from one to three weeks behind.
An epidemiological model built by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine projected Tuesday that the number of new cases in California were “decreasing” day by day.
And an analysis by UC San Francisco School of Medicine shows most counties in California are seeing a daily decrease in the number of new cases, while some are reporting flat numbers, with only a few still logging increases, said Travis Porco, professor at UCSF’s department of epidemiology and biostatistics and a researcher on the model.
“The powerful flattening is unmistakable,” Porco said. But he said it will take a few more days to know “whether we really are starting to drive it downward.”
The big question ahead is how sharp that downward curve will be. A slow decline could easily mean far more people die after the peak than before. A fast one would mean the opposite. Social distancing will be a critical factor. Lifting restrictions too early would likely lead to dangerous new jumps in cases.
With the current measures in place, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, at the University of Washington shows the current outbreaks in California tapering down to zero new deaths by May 15. Its average estimate has 983 people dying before the peak, and 500 after.
The institute’s model has become a lightning rod, largely for the certainty of its timeline. Yet the world is desperate to answer the paramount question the team confronted: When is this nightmare going to be over?
When can schools and stores open, when can we go back to parks and restaurants, when can we get back to normal life — if still six feet apart, with masks?
But many epidemiologists say it is foolhardy to project that far into the future, with so many uncertainties plugged into the IHME algorithm.
Its early model was based on data from China, where authorities suppress the free flow of information — likely including the true number of cases and deaths — and enforce social restrictions in draconian ways unheard of in the United States.
“This appearance of certainty is seductive when the world is desperate to know what lies ahead,” wrote UC Berkeley biostatistician Nicholas Jewell in a critique he co-authored. He added that IHME has not released the complete methodology behind their model either, making it impossible for other scientists to check its validity.
“The underlying data and statistical model must be interpreted cautiously,” he said,
California So much is unknown about the pandemic because the government keeps a lid on it California and its local governments are selective about what information they provide about the coronavirus crisis. What does the public have a right to know, and why is some information being held back?
But while many epidemiologists criticize the IHME model as too optimistic, it has at times, to this point, been too pessimistic.
On March 26, the center forecast 6,109 deaths in California during this outbreak, with daily deaths rising to a peak of nearly 150. As researchers added better data to its algorithm, its projected death total for the state has fallen to 1,483, with a range of uncertainty between 852 and 3,143. They project the peak day for deaths to be Sunday, with 52 deaths, and a range of uncertainty between eight and 192.
Those large uncertainties and big changes in results, as new data came in, have only fueled outside criticism.
Dr. Theo Vos, professor of health metrics sciences at IHME, acknowledges the objections from his fellow epidemiologist and bio-statisticians. The numbers jump above and below their projection but, he said, “they’ve always been within the large uncertainty that we estimate.”
Vos said his team is looking at the general path of the virus.
“I think we are the only group that has been even within a reasonable distance of predicting the shape of the epidemic,” he said. “All these other models had these doomsday scenarios where the virus would go wild, it would end up infecting you know, 70 to 80% of the population and we would have millions and millions of deaths. Obviously that hasn’t happened.”
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is a more classic model, following infection rates, not deaths, without projecting into the future.
On Tuesday, the London model had issued a “likely decreasing” finding for the illness in California. On Wednesday its data was solid enough to confirm it was in fact decreasing.
The British researchers use four factors to determine the “effective reproductive number” of the disease — including how long someone is infectious and the expected number of daily contacts of each individual.
When the effective reproductive number is 1, that means that every infected person will likely infect one more person while they are contagious. When the number falls below that, the epidemic is on the decline. When each person is infecting two or three people, or more, it’s rising exponentially.
Washington, the first American state to confirm a case of SARS-CoV-2, moved quickly to send its population into isolation and was the first state to see its reproductive number fall below 1. Two other early hot spots, Louisiana and Michigan, dropped below 1 days later, and California did by Wednesday, the researchers reported.
The model shows several other states where infection rates are still increasing: Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. Many other states are in the “likely increasing” category. And the researchers have not been able to obtain enough data to make a projection in more than 20 American states.
One of the most influential models was designed by Imperial College in London, which found in mid-March that — without intervention — about 2.2 million people in the U.S. would die over the course of the outbreak.
Testifying before a Parliamentary committee nine days after his explosive report, epidemiologist Neil Ferguson clarified that the death rates would be enormously reduced by the kinds of restrictions the U.K. and other governments had put in place. He said the worst-case total of 500,000 British dead could drop to 20,000, or fewer.
A simple calculation shows that the same percentage drop in the U.S. would result in about 88,000 deaths.
Whether it’s that terrible toll, better, or worse, will all depend on the pitch of that downward curve.
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-16--Skelton: Another 'new normal' in California after coronavirus? All vote-by-mail elections

California is headed toward its first all-mail statewide election in November to protect voters and precinct workers from the pugnacious coronavirus .
Get used to it .
All-mail elections — with every registered voter mailed a ballot — are very likely to become the “ new normal ” for California even after the virus is subdued .
It ’ s ironic : Old-fashioned “ snail mail ” is being chosen as the easiest , safest , most efficient and fraud-free way of conducting elections in this era of rapid technological evolution .
Silicon Valley techies will be posting their ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figured out how to make online voting secure from hackers .
With mailed ballots , there ’ s a conspicuous paper trail .
“ [ President ] Trump keeps feeding lies about voter fraud in vote-by-mail and he has zero evidence , ” says California Secretary of State Alex Padilla , a Democrat .
After Trump got fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton in 2016 , but won the presidency in the Electoral College , he claimed that millions of people voted illegally .
He created a commission to prove his fantasy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when no evidence was found .
Lately , Trump has been urging Republicans to fight a nationwide drive toward voting by mail that is motivated by the virus pandemic .
“ There ’ s a lot of dishonesty going on with mail-in voting , ” the president claims .
“ Mail ballots are a very dangerous thing for the country.
” And here ’ s the real reason Trump thinks they ’ re dangerous : “ You ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again , ” he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican governors and secretaries of state are even urging mail voting in the November presidential election .
Maryland ’ s Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan has ordered the state ’ s June 2 primary to be conducted by mail .
“ It ’ s the safest way to vote from a health perspective , ” Padilla says .
“ And it ’ s the easiest .
A ballot comes to your home and you return it .
You don ’ t even need a stamp anymore .
It ’ s prepaid .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom hasn ’ t announced that California will hold an all-mail election in November , but insiders expect him to soon .
Padilla is pushing for it .
There ’ d still be a few local voting centers where people could register on election day or replace a spoiled ballot .
The centers would also be open for early voting a few days before the election .
Newsom ordered two special elections on May 12 to be be all-mail events .
One is for a congressional seat in northern Los Angeles County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Senate seat .
“ Actually , it makes sense for the whole state to do that , ” Padilla says .
“ There will be an election in November .
The question is how do we vote so that it ’ s accessible , secure and safe for everybody .
I believe the best way to do it is to send every voter a ballot in the mail.… We have to start planning now for the worst-case scenario.
” The worst case would be if the virus went on another rampage before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back into their homes .
Polling places would be virtually inoperable .
California has been gradually moving toward all-mail voting anyway .
It ’ s a lot more convenient — although not as heartwarming an exercise in American democracy as a poll visit on election day .
In the 1962 gubernatorial election , only 2.6 % of voters cast absentee ballots .
In those days , a voter had to have an excuse .
“ Going to be out of town ” was the common claim .
In 2002 , Democratic Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” bill that allowed everyone to vote by mail .
That fall , 27 % of the gubernatorial election ballots were cast by mail .
By 2018 , mail ballots totaled 65 % of those cast .
There ’ s perpetual speculation about which party or ideology benefits most from mailed ballots .
The prevailing theory is that since mailed voting increases turnout — and there ’ s no question about that — it helps Democrats and liberal causes .
That ’ s because Republicans tend to be “ high propensity ” voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Democrats seem to cast ballots only when the spirit moves them .
There ’ s some truth in that , but it ’ s mostly urban legend .
“ California ’ s experience has been that improved turnout doesn ’ t inherently advantage one party over the other , ” says Paul Mitchell , vice president of Political Data Inc. , which generates voter statistics .
“ It benefits both sides.
” Mitchell dug into the 2018 general election and found that both parties had the same percentage of increased turnout among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race and by age — had higher turnouts when they voted by mail than if they went to a polling place .
Overall , among those who received mail ballots , 71 % wound up casting them .
But only 53 % of non-mail voters went to the polls .
The turnout of registered Republicans was three percentage points higher than that of Democrats — regardless of how they voted — but the GOP is an endangered species in California .
Because of the virus scare , Bob Shrum , a longtime Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Political Future at USC , believes that mail voting “ will sustain or increase voter turnout of people who otherwise might be afraid to go to the polls .
Marginally , it will help Democrats in congressional races.
” Padilla won ’ t venture into political speculation .
He focuses on the virus .
“ Risking your health and your life should not be required to participate in democracy , ” he says .
You ’ d think there ’ d be nonpartisan , unanimous agreement on that logic .

California is headed toward its first all-mail statewide election in November to protect voters and precinct workers from the pugnacious coronavirus. Get used to it.
All-mail elections — with every registered voter mailed a ballot — are very likely to become the “new normal” for California even after the virus is subdued.
It’s ironic: Old-fashioned “snail mail” is being chosen as the easiest, safest, most efficient and fraud-free way of conducting elections in this era of rapid technological evolution. Silicon Valley techies will be posting their ballots into snailboxes.
Advertisement
No one apparently has figured out how to make online voting secure from hackers. With mailed ballots, there’s a conspicuous paper trail.
“[President] Trump keeps feeding lies about voter fraud in vote-by-mail and he has zero evidence,” says California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat.
After Trump got fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton in 2016, but won the presidency in the Electoral College, he claimed that millions of people voted illegally. He created a commission to prove his fantasy. But he had to shut it down when no evidence was found.
Lately, Trump has been urging Republicans to fight a nationwide drive toward voting by mail that is motivated by the virus pandemic.
“There’s a lot of dishonesty going on with mail-in voting,” the president claims. “Mail ballots are a very dangerous thing for the country.”
And here’s the real reason Trump thinks they’re dangerous: “You’d never have a Republican elected in this country again,” he says.
Advertisement
Which of course is ludicrous. Some Republican governors and secretaries of state are even urging mail voting in the November presidential election. Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has ordered the state’s June 2 primary to be conducted by mail.
“It’s the safest way to vote from a health perspective,” Padilla says. “And it’s the easiest. A ballot comes to your home and you return it. You don’t even need a stamp anymore. It’s prepaid. We’re covering postage.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t announced that California will hold an all-mail election in November, but insiders expect him to soon. Padilla is pushing for it.
There’d still be a few local voting centers where people could register on election day or replace a spoiled ballot. The centers would also be open for early voting a few days before the election.
Newsom ordered two special elections on May 12 to be be all-mail events. One is for a congressional seat in northern Los Angeles County and the other for a Riverside County state Senate seat.
“Actually, it makes sense for the whole state to do that,” Padilla says.
“There will be an election in November. The question is how do we vote so that it’s accessible, secure and safe for everybody. I believe the best way to do it is to send every voter a ballot in the mail.… We have to start planning now for the worst-case scenario.”
The worst case would be if the virus went on another rampage before the election and governments herded most voters back into their homes. Polling places would be virtually inoperable.
California has been gradually moving toward all-mail voting anyway. It’s a lot more convenient — although not as heartwarming an exercise in American democracy as a poll visit on election day.
In the 1962 gubernatorial election, only 2.6% of voters cast absentee ballots. In those days, a voter had to have an excuse. “Going to be out of town” was the common claim.
In 2002, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis signed a “no excuse” bill that allowed everyone to vote by mail. That fall, 27% of the gubernatorial election ballots were cast by mail. By 2018, mail ballots totaled 65% of those cast.
There’s perpetual speculation about which party or ideology benefits most from mailed ballots. The prevailing theory is that since mailed voting increases turnout — and there’s no question about that — it helps Democrats and liberal causes.
That’s because Republicans tend to be “high propensity” voters who never miss an election. But many Democrats seem to cast ballots only when the spirit moves them. There’s some truth in that, but it’s mostly urban legend.
“California’s experience has been that improved turnout doesn’t inherently advantage one party over the other,” says Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., which generates voter statistics. “It benefits both sides.”
Mitchell dug into the 2018 general election and found that both parties had the same percentage of increased turnout among mail voters. All groups — by race and by age — had higher turnouts when they voted by mail than if they went to a polling place.
Overall, among those who received mail ballots, 71% wound up casting them. But only 53% of non-mail voters went to the polls. The turnout of registered Republicans was three percentage points higher than that of Democrats — regardless of how they voted — but the GOP is an endangered species in California.
Because of the virus scare, Bob Shrum, a longtime Democratic strategist who is director of the Center for the Political Future at USC, believes that mail voting “will sustain or increase voter turnout of people who otherwise might be afraid to go to the polls. Marginally, it will help Democrats in congressional races.”
Padilla won’t venture into political speculation. He focuses on the virus.
“Risking your health and your life should not be required to participate in democracy,” he says.
You’d think there’d be nonpartisan, unanimous agreement on that logic.


latimes--2020-04-15--California to provide more help for the unemployed and immigrants amid coronavirus

California is expanding hours at its call center that handles unemployment insurance and preparing to expedite benefits to independent contractors in response to a record number of people who are out of work and seeking government help as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom discussed the efforts Wednesday and noted that 2.7 million Californians had filed for unemployment benefits in the last month , after businesses across the state shuttered under his stay-at-home order and the economy tanked .
Newsom also announced a $ 125-million relief effort to help roughly 150,000 Californians without legal immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process , right now , of dealing with an unprecedented number of people making phone calls to our Employment Development Department , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re trying to process these applications and we ’ re trying to turn around those applications in real time.
” Newsom acknowledged the dire economic consequences of his efforts to curb the death toll from the coronavirus this week and unveiled a set of criteria the state intends to meet before gradually easing the restrictions and allowing businesses to begin to reopen .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling Californians come after criticism that the state is lagging behind .
Assemblyman Jim Patterson ( R-Fresno ) said Wednesday that other states , including Michigan and New York , had already begun sending out benefits to independent contractors and the self-employed .
California , he said , has acted “ way too slowly .
They are behind a lot of other states.
” Patterson said dozens of constituents had called his office seeking help .
“ I have never seen anything like this or heard the stories of fear and desperation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments came a day after state Labor Secretary Julie Su announced that a new online portal would be created in the next two weeks allowing independent contractors , gig workers and the self-employed to file documents to obtain benefits .
The new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program approved by Congress will provide up to 39 weeks of benefits retroactive to Feb. 2 for those who have lost income between that date and the week ending Dec.31 .
The program also will provide an additional $ 600 per week in benefits until July 31 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed two weeks to get the new portal up and running .
“ We know that what you need is the money in your pocket , ” Su said in a Facebook Live chat on Tuesday .
“ We are working to make sure that you receive your payments within 24 to 48 hours after you apply .
In order to do that , we need two weeks to make that system live , to test it , to ensure that it is working.
” Su urged people to be patient and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 28 .
The state Employment Development Department has received a record 2.7 million new claims for regular jobless benefits since March 12 , Newsom said .
In all of 2008 , during the Great Recession , there were 2.5 million initial unemployment claims , according to H.D .
Palmer , a spokesman for the state Department of Finance .
In January 2010 , near the end of the Great Recession , California received 92,738 new claims , said Michael Bernick , a former director of the state ’ s Employment Development Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 925,000 Californians filed unemployment insurance claims during the week that ended April 4 , 2020 .
“ Clearly , the current situation is at an entirely different scale , ” Bernick said .
To take on the unprecedented flood of new claims , agency employees will be working in shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer calls under the changes Newsom announced Wednesday .
Su acknowledged that many people had been frustrated by the claim process , including long delays in getting through to the agency ’ s hotline for help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long things take , ” Su said , noting that her office is shifting workers to accommodate the extended call center hours .
Newsom ’ s announcement on assistance for independent contractors could potentially provide relief to tens of thousands of workers who otherwise would be ineligible for help .
Those benefits traditionally are available only to those considered to be employees of a business , funded by a tax on employers .
Who is — and isn ’ t — considered to be an employee has been the subject of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 18 months , culminating in Newsom signing a far-reaching new state employment law last fall .
That law , debated in the Legislature as Assembly Bill 5 , could reclassify as many as 1 million independent contractors in California as employees , an effort that doesn ’ t sit well with some freelancers across the state and app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft .
The current public health crisis began as state employment officials were in the early stages of implementing AB 5 and pursuing cases of alleged worker misclassification .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Employment Development Department has sought to shift resources into processing requests for jobless assistance .
Newsom ’ s decision means that workers who believe they have been wrongly classified as independent contractors won ’ t have to wait for a resolution of their cases , instead having access to financial assistance in the interim .
The governor said the $ 125-million relief effort for immigrants without legal status was partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need .
A group of 23 state assembly members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking him to create such a fund .
“ We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians ” in food gathering and other tasks , the governor said .
The proposal , he said , will offer $ 500 cash grants for individuals in the U.S. illegally and up to $ 1,000 for families , with applications set to be accepted starting next month .
The money will be dispersed through regional nonprofit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country illegally , the governor said .
Only citizens and others who are in the U.S. legally are able to receive unemployment benefits or support under the new federal program for independent contractors .
“ This is a recognition of the fact that immigrants families are essential to our state , ” said Angelica Salas , executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights .
“ Their economic and labor contributions are keeping us going.
” Newsom didn ’ t offer specifics on all of the nonprofit organizations involved but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Laurene Powell Jobs , the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs , and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife , Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg .

Taryn Luna, Patrick McGreevy, John Myers

California is expanding hours at its call center that handles unemployment insurance and preparing to expedite benefits to independent contractors in response to a record number of people who are out of work and seeking government help as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Gavin Newsom discussed the efforts Wednesday and noted that 2.7 million Californians had filed for unemployment benefits in the last month, after businesses across the state shuttered under his stay-at-home order and the economy tanked. Newsom also announced a $125-million relief effort to help roughly 150,000 Californians without legal immigration status.
“We are in the process, right now, of dealing with an unprecedented number of people making phone calls to our Employment Development Department,” Newsom said. “We’re trying to process these applications and we’re trying to turn around those applications in real time.”
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Newsom acknowledged the dire economic consequences of his efforts to curb the death toll from the coronavirus this week and unveiled a set of criteria the state intends to meet before gradually easing the restrictions and allowing businesses to begin to reopen.
The efforts to more quickly distribute benefits to struggling Californians come after criticism that the state is lagging behind.
Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said Wednesday that other states, including Michigan and New York, had already begun sending out benefits to independent contractors and the self-employed.
California, he said, has acted “way too slowly. They are behind a lot of other states.”
Patterson said dozens of constituents had called his office seeking help.
“I have never seen anything like this or heard the stories of fear and desperation,” Patterson said.
Newsom’s comments came a day after state Labor Secretary Julie Su announced that a new online portal would be created in the next two weeks allowing independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed to file documents to obtain benefits.
The new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program approved by Congress will provide up to 39 weeks of benefits retroactive to Feb. 2 for those who have lost income between that date and the week ending Dec.31. The program also will provide an additional $600 per week in benefits until July 31.
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Su said the state Employment Development Department needed two weeks to get the new portal up and running.
“We know that what you need is the money in your pocket,” Su said in a Facebook Live chat on Tuesday. “We are working to make sure that you receive your payments within 24 to 48 hours after you apply. In order to do that, we need two weeks to make that system live, to test it, to ensure that it is working.”
Su urged people to be patient and said the new portal should be operating on April 28.
The state Employment Development Department has received a record 2.7 million new claims for regular jobless benefits since March 12, Newsom said.
In all of 2008, during the Great Recession, there were 2.5 million initial unemployment claims, according to H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance.
In January 2010, near the end of the Great Recession, California received 92,738 new claims, said Michael Bernick, a former director of the state’s Employment Development Department who tracks employment data.
More than 925,000 Californians filed unemployment insurance claims during the week that ended April 4, 2020.
“Clearly, the current situation is at an entirely different scale,” Bernick said.
To take on the unprecedented flood of new claims, agency employees will be working in shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer calls under the changes Newsom announced Wednesday.
Su acknowledged that many people had been frustrated by the claim process, including long delays in getting through to the agency’s hotline for help.
“There is disappointment about maybe how long things take,” Su said, noting that her office is shifting workers to accommodate the extended call center hours.
Newsom’s announcement on assistance for independent contractors could potentially provide relief to tens of thousands of workers who otherwise would be ineligible for help. Those benefits traditionally are available only to those considered to be employees of a business, funded by a tax on employers.
Who is — and isn’t — considered to be an employee has been the subject of a fierce battle in the state over the last 18 months, culminating in Newsom signing a far-reaching new state employment law last fall. That law, debated in the Legislature as Assembly Bill 5, could reclassify as many as 1 million independent contractors in California as employees, an effort that doesn’t sit well with some freelancers across the state and app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft.
The current public health crisis began as state employment officials were in the early stages of implementing AB 5 and pursuing cases of alleged worker misclassification.
Those efforts have slowed as the state Employment Development Department has sought to shift resources into processing requests for jobless assistance.
Newsom’s decision means that workers who believe they have been wrongly classified as independent contractors won’t have to wait for a resolution of their cases, instead having access to financial assistance in the interim.
The governor said the $125-million relief effort for immigrants without legal status was partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need. A group of 23 state assembly members sent a letter to Newsom last week asking him to create such a fund.
“We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians” in food gathering and other tasks, the governor said.
The proposal, he said, will offer $500 cash grants for individuals in the U.S. illegally and up to $1,000 for families, with applications set to be accepted starting next month.
The money will be dispersed through regional nonprofit groups with experience serving people who are in the country illegally, the governor said.
Only citizens and others who are in the U.S. legally are able to receive unemployment benefits or support under the new federal program for independent contractors.
“This is a recognition of the fact that immigrants families are essential to our state,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. “Their economic and labor contributions are keeping us going.”
Newsom didn’t offer specifics on all of the nonprofit organizations involved but named a few — including those founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg.


latimes--2020-04-15--20 heartwarming photos show first responders' gratitude for healthcare workers

Healthcare workers from Glendale to Mission Viejo were honored Tuesday by first responders who drove firetrucks , highway patrol cars @ @ @ @ @ of tribute for their efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
At UC Irvine Medical Center @ @ @ @ @ gathered outside to acknowledge a parade of about 25 emergency vehicles honoring them with sirens @ @ @ @ @ procession paused outside the windows of an emergency room , where workers inside banged on @ @ @ @ @ of mutual appreciation .
At Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo , Orange County sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ the cardiac rehab unit .
And a group of Glendale police officers and firefighters gathered @ @ @ @ @ Adventist Health Glendale .

Allen J. Schaben , Luis Sinco , Robert Gauthier, Kent Nishimura

Healthcare workers from Glendale to Mission Viejo were honored Tuesday by first responders who drove firetrucks, highway patrol cars and police vehicles in processions of tribute for their efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, healthcare workers gathered outside to acknowledge a parade of about 25 emergency vehicles honoring them with sirens and flashing lights. The procession paused outside the windows of an emergency room, where workers inside banged on the windows in a show of mutual appreciation. At Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Orange County sheriff’s deputies honored nurses from the cardiac rehab unit. And a group of Glendale police officers and firefighters gathered to honor the workers at Adventist Health Glendale.
UC Irvine Medical Center
UC Irvine Medical Center workers acknowledge police officers parading in their honor. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
UC Irvine Medical Center workers wave to firefighters. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An Anaheim firefighter in the procession at UC Irvine Medical Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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St. Jude Medical Center
Medical personnel from St. Jude Medical Center stand clustered on the sidewalk as Fullerton and Brea Firefighters, EMS and Police join together in a show of support for healthcare workers outside of the hospital in Fullerton. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Medical personnel pose for pictures with Fullerton firefighters in a show of support for healthcare workers outside of the St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters stand atop a Fullerton Fire Department Engine in a show of support for healthcare workers outside of the St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Adventist Health Glendale
Adventist Health Glendale workers take a break to acknowledge the tribute in their honor. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Healthcare workers, police officers and firefighters gather outside the Glendale hospital. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times )
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Healthcare workers in Glendale. (Luis Sinco /Los Angeles Times)
Police officers applaud at the Glendale hospital. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Providence St. Joseph Medical Center
A vintage Burbank police car leads a procession to honor healthcare workers at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Healthcare workers wave to friends before the start of a procession to honor nurses during a noon celebration in front of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
First responders proceed with lights and sirens on Alameda Avenue to honor healthcare workers at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Mission Hospital
A worker from Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo acknowledges the tribute. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Nurses from the Mission Hospital cardiac rehab unit are honored. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The scene at the hospital in Mission Viejo. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-04-14--As of April 15: What's open and closed among beaches, parks and trails in Southern California

Southern Californians can still walk , hike and bike outdoors without violating Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order .
But public officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and wear masks when they go out .
After closing all parks to visitors on Easter Sunday , Los Angeles city officials reopened them Monday — with many restrictions still in place .
County officials took similar steps at many community parks , regional parks , lakes and botanic gardens .
Local , state and federal agencies continue to enforce closures or severely limited access at hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forests , all phased in since early March .
As these closures have multiplied , traffic has thinned on Southern California ’ s freeways and the area ’ s residential streets and sidewalks have seen a surge in walkers , most of them now masked .
That surge in turn prompted community groups to press for greater distancing in neighborhood walks — informally limiting the public stairwells of Los Feliz to one pedestrian at a time , for instance .
Los Angeles County ’ s beaches , piers , beach bike paths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trailheads are closed through May 15 under the county ’ s current Safer at Home order .
That order covers beaches in every coastal city and unincorporated area of the county .
The city of Los Angeles closed its hiking trails as well .
“ Stay at home , ” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti has said .
“ Go for a walk around the block if you need to get out.
” On Wednesday , pandemic measures disrupted another California spring ritual : the opening of trout season along the rivers and lakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( a.k.a “ Fishmas ” among anglers ) was set for April 25 .
But in a remote meeting on Wednesday the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously give Fish and Wildlife Department director Charlton Bonham emergency powers to suspend , delay or restrict recreational fishing in specific areas until May 31 .
Many anglers called in to object to the proposal .
But local leaders in Inyo , Mono and Alpine counties , wary of an influx of visitors during the pandemic , supported it and urged a delay of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the grinch who postponed Fishmas , ” said Stacy Corless , a Mono County Supervisor who supported the measure .
The decision goes next to the state Office of Administrative Law for review .
Formal action by Bonham to delay the season is expected after that .
Here ’ s an update on what ’ s happening where .
If you do go outside for a walk , remember these tips for keeping safe .
Local and state officials stress the need to take greater care in maintaining a social distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many grassy areas remain open in city parks .
But the city ’ s Recreation and Parks Department is enforcing a broad range of restrictions .
Among them : All public hiking trails and trailheads in the city of Los Angeles have been closed since March 27 .
Also closed are all public beaches , public beach parking lots , beach bathrooms , piers , beach access points and the Venice Boardwalk and Ocean Front Walk ( with limited access to essential businesses ) .
All recreation centers , aquatic facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courts , playgrounds , baseball fields , soccer fields and basketball courts are also closed , as are other “ indoor and outdoor sport amenities.
” In Griffith Park , authorities have closed all facilities and trails , including the observatory , Travel Town , train rides , the pony rides , the merry-go-round and some roads .
Elsewhere , the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro remains closed , as is the Sherman Oaks Castle , the Expo Center in Exposition Park ; and the Silver Lake Meadow , a grassy space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since Saturday , authorities eager to boost social distancing have ordered that all walkers and joggers travel counterclockwise on the 2.2-mile loop trail around the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs .
In early April , Garcetti suspended operations of the city of L.A. 's farmers markets , set new standards for social distancing , then approved the reopening of 24 markets , including the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market , with more stringent practices .
The city of Santa Monica ‘ s beaches , beach bike path and Ocean Front Walk closed March 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down beaches .
The city ’ s Palisades Park , which overlooks the beach and pier , is also closed .
Since March 27 , L.A. County officials have enforced the closure of trails , trailheads , beaches and other public lands .
All of the county ’ s park play and sports amenities , including golf courses , are also closed .
Parks officials noted on their website that “ you can still enjoy time outdoors at your local park for passive use , such as walking , jogging , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Social distancing is still required , and group gatherings are prohibited by the health order.
” Since March 23 , the county has forbidden use of its multiuse trail system , a network of more than 220 miles that includes the popular Eaton Canyon Trail ; all interior trails at Vasquez Rocks ; all interior trails at Placerita Canyon ; the Loop Trail , Devil ’ s Chair and South Fork Trail at Devil ’ s Punchbowl ; the San Dimas Nature Trail ; the Schabarum-Skyline Trail in the San Gabriel mountains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Hermosa Beach , the pier , Strand and beach itself are closed as part of the countywide beach closure .
The same is true in Redondo Beach , where city officials also closed the Esplanade area ; Veterans Park and nearby parking areas ; all public walkways , stairways , ramps and paths to the beach ; and a coastal bluff trail between Knob Hill Avenue and George Freeth Way .
Meanwhile , Catalina Island “ is closed to visitors , ” the Catalina Chamber of Commerce website said Friday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs boats to the island ’ s Avalon and Two Harbors landings from Long Beach , San Pedro and Dana Point , has cut its service back to two round-trips a day between Long Beach and Avalon .
At the Catalina Flyer , which normally offers one departure daily from Newport Beach to Avalon , a phone recording warned that the boat has suspended service until further notice .
The Catalina Island Conservancy has closed its visitor facilities , services and trails .
On March 18 , state parks officials closed all state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightened restrictions further , closing vehicle access to the entire state park system — 280 parks , including off-road vehicle areas .
Among the Los Angeles County sites : Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook ; El Matador State Beach ; Leo Carrillo State Park ; Malibu Creek State Park ; Malibu Lagoon State Beach ; Point Dume State Beach ; Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach ; Topanga State Park ; Will Rogers State Historic Park ; and Los Angeles State Historic Park downtown .
Since then , the state has fully closed several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles .
Among them : The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve , previously open to pedestrians , shut down April 3 .
At Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the Baldwin Hills area of L.A. , officials said in a statement that the park is closed to vehicular access , but “ remains open for locals who wish to walk , hike and bike ( in parks with bike trails ) in the park , provided they practice social/physical distancing of 6 feet or more .
This is not the time for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach.
” In the first week of April , Pasadena city officials closed the Rose Bowl Loop , a popular 3.1-mile-long walking path around the famed stadium .
The Huntington Library , Art Museum , and Botanical Gardens is closed through at least Sunday .
The Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge is closed until further notice .
The National Park Service has imposed weekend closures on all Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area trails , trailheads , restrooms , overlooks and pullouts in Ventura County .
Authorities said those areas will remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinner .
Those weekend closures begin at 2 p.m. Fridays and reopen at 6 a.m. Mondays “ until further notice , ” an NPS release said .
That policy covers Rancho Sierra Vista ( including the Wendy Trailhead ) ; Cheeseboro Canyon Trailhead ; the Deer Creek area ; and all trails within Circle X , which includes Sandstone Creek , Mishe Mokwa , the Grotto Trail , the trails and overlooks along Yerba Buena Road and the Backbone Trail along the spine of the Santa Monicas .
As part of the earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area had already shut down all of its trails and restrooms in L.A. County .
In all , the recreation area includes about 150,000 acres of Los Angeles and Ventura counties .
Also , the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority on March 23 closed all of its parklands , trail and facilities — close to 75,000 acres of parkland , including all parks owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy .
The authority ’ s busiest parks , now closed , include Wilacre Park in Studio City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Franklin Canyon Park off Mulholland Drive , Beverly Hills ; Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon , the Santa Clarita Valley ; all the overlooks on Mulholland Drive ; Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve at the west end of Victory Boulevard ; and Escondido Canyon Park in Malibu .
Orange County on March 25 closed parking lots at all county beaches , regional and wilderness parks ; parking spaces at all trailheads ; parking lots at Irvine Lake ; parking along Black Star Canyon Road ; pedestrian access points at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Camel Point and Treasure Island beaches ; restrooms ; playgrounds ; exercise equipment ; shelters and trailheads .
Passive walk-through pedestrian , cycling and equestrian activity is permitted .
Orange County also banned vehicular traffic to Carbon Canyon , Clark , Craig , Irvine , Laguna Niguel , Mason , Mile Square , Tri-City and Yorba regional parks .
Pedestrians , bicyclists and equestrians were permitted .
Seal Beach has closed all of its park amenities , including restrooms , playgrounds , hiking trails , athletic fields , tennis courts , volleyball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dog park , picnic areas and community centers .
But green space within its parks remains accessible , with social distancing required .
Huntington Beach ’ s pier and beach parking lots have been closed since at least March 25 , but the beach itself remains open .
Newport Beach on March 25 closed its beachfront parking lots and piers , and later added its Oceanfront Boardwalk on the Balboa Peninsula and the Balboa Island Bayfront Walkway to the forbidden list .
On Friday , the city banned surfing at the Wedge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing large numbers of surfers attracted by growing swells .
Laguna Beach has closed all city beaches , all basketball , volleyball and tennis courts ; all playgrounds ; its community pool ; parking lots at Aliso Beach ; and three beach-adjacent city parks : Main Beach city park , Heisler city park , and Treasure Island city park .
In Dana Point , city , county and state beach and harbor public parking lots are closed , as is Dana Cove Beach , as are many coast-adjacent streets .
( Others are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Noting that police recently wrote 158 parking citations in one weekend , city officials said in a statement that “ if you have to use your car to get here , there is nowhere to park.
” San Clemente in late March closed its city-owned beach parking lots and municipal pier and many other facilities .
On April 1 it closed tennis courts , ball fields and picnic areas , as well , but the city ’ s trails remained open .
The “ Safer at Home ” order from Los Angeles County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , prohibits all public and private group events and gatherings through Sunday .
It also says that individuals and families are not prohibited from “ hiking , walking , biking or shopping at [ e ] ssential [ b ] usinesses , ” so long as they keep their distance from others .
The order also notes that if local entities ( like municipal governments ) choose to impose stricter limits , the county order does not supersede them .
Los Angeles County has closed all indoor and outdoor playgrounds , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and flea markets .
The city of San Diego closed all of its beaches , parks and trails on March 24 .
The Port of San Diego , which controls 34 miles of the county ’ s coastline , including many parks , on March 24 closed all of its parks , beaches , parking lots , piers and boat launches .
The cities of Carlsbad , Encinitas , Imperial Beach , Del Mar , Solana Beach , Oceanside and Coronado have closed their beaches .
Most San Diego County parks and preserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amenities are closed .
The U.S. Forest Service on March 26 closed campgrounds , picnic areas , bathrooms and other developed recreation sites in its California forests through April 30 and left Southern California ’ s four forests — Angeles , Cleveland , Los Padres and San Bernardino — to make their own decisions on trail access and parking .
That set the stage for the Angeles National Forest decision April 3 to close 23 well-used San Gabriel mountain trails , four popular trailheads and 19 roads and keep them closed through at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the affected areas .
The closures — about 81.5 miles of trails and 54.5 miles of roads — include the Millard Canyon above Altadena , San Antonio Falls , Icehouse Canyon and North Devil ’ s Backbone trailheads .
The forest order shuts routes to Echo Mountain and Mt .
Lowe , such as the Sam Merrill Trail , above Altadena , as well as others leading to Mt .
Wilson , San Gabriel Peak , the Rim Trail and other routes in the San Gabriel Mountains .
In the San Bernardino National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain ranges in San Bernardino and Riverside counties , a spokesman said parking areas at trailheads remain open .
Hikers should practice social distancing , sticking to wide fire roads instead of single-track trails that are too narrow , the spokesman said .
In Los Padres National Forest , which includes roughly 1.95 million acres reaching north from Ventura County into Central California , spokesman Andrew Madsen said trailhead parking and trails remain open , as do dispersed camp sites in the backcountry .
In Cleveland National Forest , which reaches into San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the list of sites closed through April 30 includes all trails and picnic areas where an Adventure Pass is normally required .
In the forest ’ s Trabuco ranger district , a spokesperson said closures include : El Cariso north/south picnic area ; Hot Springs trailhead ; San Juan loop trailhead ; Tenaja trailhead ; Trabuco creek picnic area ; Wildomar staging area ; Maple Springs day use area .
In the forest ’ s Descanso Ranger District , closures include Agua Dulce ; Bear Valley OHV ( off-highway vehicle ) area ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Palomar Ranger District , closures include : Crestline ; Henshaw scenic vista ; Inaja Memorial ; Kica Mik Overlook ; Palomar Mountain Interpretive Station ; San Luis Rey Picnic Area ; Fry Creek Trailhead ; Observatory Trailhead ; and Barker Valley Trailhead .
The popular Cedar Creek Falls and Three Sisters Falls trails have been closed since March 21 .
The NPS closed Yosemite National Park March 20 ; Joshua Tree National Park on March 31 ; and Death Valley National Park ( except for State Route 190 and Daylight Pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s order said : “ Everyone in California is required to stay home except to get food , care for a relative or friend , get necessary healthcare , or go to an essential job.
” But the governor also said : “ We ’ re going to keep the grocery stores open .
... We ’ re going to make sure that you ’ re getting critical medical supplies .
You can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog .
@

The downtown view from Griffith Observatory (closed since late March) in Griffith Park.
Southern Californians can still walk, hike and bike outdoors without violating Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order. But public officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and wear masks when they go out.
After closing all parks to visitors on Easter Sunday, Los Angeles city officials reopened them Monday — with many restrictions still in place. County officials took similar steps at many community parks, regional parks, lakes and botanic gardens.
Local, state and federal agencies continue to enforce closures or severely limited access at hundreds of beaches, parks, trails and forests, all phased in since early March.
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As these closures have multiplied, traffic has thinned on Southern California’s freeways and the area’s residential streets and sidewalks have seen a surge in walkers, most of them now masked.
That surge in turn prompted community groups to press for greater distancing in neighborhood walks — informally limiting the public stairwells of Los Feliz to one pedestrian at a time, for instance.
Los Angeles County’s beaches, piers, beach bike paths, beach access points, public trails and trailheads are closed through May 15 under the county’s current Safer at Home order. That order covers beaches in every coastal city and unincorporated area of the county. The city of Los Angeles closed its hiking trails as well.
“Stay at home,” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti has said. “Go for a walk around the block if you need to get out.”
On Wednesday, pandemic measures disrupted another California spring ritual: the opening of trout season along the rivers and lakes of the Eastern Sierra.
The opener (a.k.a “Fishmas” among anglers) was set for April 25. But in a remote meeting on Wednesday the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously give Fish and Wildlife Department director Charlton Bonham emergency powers to suspend, delay or restrict recreational fishing in specific areas until May 31.
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Many anglers called in to object to the proposal. But local leaders in Inyo, Mono and Alpine counties, wary of an influx of visitors during the pandemic, supported it and urged a delay of the fishing season.
“No one wants to be the grinch who postponed Fishmas,” said Stacy Corless, a Mono County Supervisor who supported the measure. The decision goes next to the state Office of Administrative Law for review. Formal action by Bonham to delay the season is expected after that.
Here’s an update on what’s happening where. If you do go outside for a walk, remember these tips for keeping safe. Local and state officials stress the need to take greater care in maintaining a social distance of at least six feet from others.
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles city parks, beaches and markets
Many grassy areas remain open in city parks. But the city’s Recreation and Parks Department is enforcing a broad range of restrictions. Among them: All public hiking trails and trailheads in the city of Los Angeles have been closed since March 27.
Also closed are all public beaches, public beach parking lots, beach bathrooms, piers, beach access points and the Venice Boardwalk and Ocean Front Walk (with limited access to essential businesses).
All recreation centers, aquatic facilities, golf courses, skate parks, tennis courts, playgrounds, baseball fields, soccer fields and basketball courts are also closed, as are other “indoor and outdoor sport amenities.”
In Griffith Park, authorities have closed all facilities and trails, including the observatory, Travel Town, train rides, the pony rides, the merry-go-round and some roads.
Elsewhere, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro remains closed, as is the Sherman Oaks Castle, the Expo Center in Exposition Park; and the Silver Lake Meadow, a grassy space next to the Silver Lake Reservoir.
Since Saturday, authorities eager to boost social distancing have ordered that all walkers and joggers travel counterclockwise on the 2.2-mile loop trail around the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs.
Neighborhood signs in the Franklin Hills area of Los Feliz urge walks to take stairwells one person at a time. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)
In early April, Garcetti suspended operations of the city of L.A.’s farmers markets, set new standards for social distancing, then approved the reopening of 24 markets, including the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market, with more stringent practices.
Santa Monica beaches
The city of Santa Monica‘s beaches, beach bike path and Ocean Front Walk closed March 27 as part of the countywide order to shut down beaches. The city’s Palisades Park, which overlooks the beach and pier, is also closed.
Los Angeles County trails and beaches
Since March 27, L.A. County officials have enforced the closure of trails, trailheads, beaches and other public lands. All of the county’s park play and sports amenities, including golf courses, are also closed.
Parks officials noted on their website that “you can still enjoy time outdoors at your local park for passive use, such as walking, jogging, or leisure time outdoors for individuals or families. Social distancing is still required, and group gatherings are prohibited by the health order.”
Since March 23, the county has forbidden use of its multiuse trail system, a network of more than 220 miles that includes the popular Eaton Canyon Trail; all interior trails at Vasquez Rocks; all interior trails at Placerita Canyon; the Loop Trail, Devil’s Chair and South Fork Trail at Devil’s Punchbowl; the San Dimas Nature Trail; the Schabarum-Skyline Trail in the San Gabriel mountains; and dozens of other popular routes.
Los Angeles County beach cities and Catalina Island
In Hermosa Beach, the pier, Strand and beach itself are closed as part of the countywide beach closure.
The same is true in Redondo Beach, where city officials also closed the Esplanade area; Veterans Park and nearby parking areas; all public walkways, stairways, ramps and paths to the beach; and a coastal bluff trail between Knob Hill Avenue and George Freeth Way.
Meanwhile, Catalina Island “is closed to visitors,” the Catalina Chamber of Commerce website said Friday afternoon.
The Catalina Express, which normally runs boats to the island’s Avalon and Two Harbors landings from Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point, has cut its service back to two round-trips a day between Long Beach and Avalon. At the Catalina Flyer, which normally offers one departure daily from Newport Beach to Avalon, a phone recording warned that the boat has suspended service until further notice.
The Catalina Island Conservancy has closed its visitor facilities, services and trails.
State parks in L.A. County
On March 18, state parks officials closed all state campgrounds. On March 29, they tightened restrictions further, closing vehicle access to the entire state park system — 280 parks, including off-road vehicle areas.
Among the Los Angeles County sites: Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook; El Matador State Beach; Leo Carrillo State Park; Malibu Creek State Park; Malibu Lagoon State Beach; Point Dume State Beach; Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach; Topanga State Park; Will Rogers State Historic Park; and Los Angeles State Historic Park downtown.
Since then, the state has fully closed several parks, banning pedestrians as well as vehicles. Among them: The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, previously open to pedestrians, shut down April 3.
At Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the Baldwin Hills area of L.A., officials said in a statement that the park is closed to vehicular access, but “remains open for locals who wish to walk, hike and bike (in parks with bike trails) in the park, provided they practice social/physical distancing of 6 feet or more. This is not the time for a road trip to a destination park or beach.”
San Gabriel Valley
In the first week of April, Pasadena city officials closed the Rose Bowl Loop, a popular 3.1-mile-long walking path around the famed stadium.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is closed through at least Sunday.
The Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge is closed until further notice.
Santa Monica Mountains
The National Park Service has imposed weekend closures on all Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area trails, trailheads, restrooms, overlooks and pullouts in Ventura County. Authorities said those areas will remain open on weekdays, when crowds are thinner.
Those weekend closures begin at 2 p.m. Fridays and reopen at 6 a.m. Mondays “until further notice,” an NPS release said.
That policy covers Rancho Sierra Vista (including the Wendy Trailhead); Cheeseboro Canyon Trailhead; the Deer Creek area; and all trails within Circle X, which includes Sandstone Creek, Mishe Mokwa, the Grotto Trail, the trails and overlooks along Yerba Buena Road and the Backbone Trail along the spine of the Santa Monicas.
As part of the earlier L.A. County-wide closure of hiking trails, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area had already shut down all of its trails and restrooms in L.A. County.
In all, the recreation area includes about 150,000 acres of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Also, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority on March 23 closed all of its parklands, trail and facilities — close to 75,000 acres of parkland, including all parks owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
The authority’s busiest parks, now closed, include Wilacre Park in Studio City; Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades; Franklin Canyon Park off Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills; Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon, the Santa Clarita Valley; all the overlooks on Mulholland Drive; Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve at the west end of Victory Boulevard; and Escondido Canyon Park in Malibu.
Orange County beaches and parks
Orange County on March 25 closed parking lots at all county beaches, regional and wilderness parks; parking spaces at all trailheads; parking lots at Irvine Lake; parking along Black Star Canyon Road; pedestrian access points at Thousand Steps, Table Rock, West, Camel Point and Treasure Island beaches; restrooms; playgrounds; exercise equipment; shelters and trailheads. Passive walk-through pedestrian, cycling and equestrian activity is permitted.
Orange County also banned vehicular traffic to Carbon Canyon, Clark, Craig, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Mason, Mile Square, Tri-City and Yorba regional parks. Pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians were permitted.
Among individual Orange County cities:
Seal Beach has closed all of its park amenities, including restrooms, playgrounds, hiking trails, athletic fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, handball courts, dog park, picnic areas and community centers. But green space within its parks remains accessible, with social distancing required.
Huntington Beach’s pier and beach parking lots have been closed since at least March 25, but the beach itself remains open.
Newport Beach on March 25 closed its beachfront parking lots and piers, and later added its Oceanfront Boardwalk on the Balboa Peninsula and the Balboa Island Bayfront Walkway to the forbidden list. On Friday, the city banned surfing at the Wedge between 10 a.m and 5 p.m., citing large numbers of surfers attracted by growing swells.
Laguna Beach has closed all city beaches, all basketball, volleyball and tennis courts; all playgrounds; its community pool; parking lots at Aliso Beach; and three beach-adjacent city parks: Main Beach city park, Heisler city park, and Treasure Island city park.
In Dana Point, city, county and state beach and harbor public parking lots are closed, as is Dana Cove Beach, as are many coast-adjacent streets. (Others are limited to local traffic only.) Noting that police recently wrote 158 parking citations in one weekend, city officials said in a statement that “if you have to use your car to get here, there is nowhere to park.”
San Clemente in late March closed its city-owned beach parking lots and municipal pier and many other facilities. On April 1 it closed tennis courts, ball fields and picnic areas, as well, but the city’s trails remained open.
Throughout Los Angeles County
The “Safer at Home” order from Los Angeles County Public Health officials, issued March 21, prohibits all public and private group events and gatherings through Sunday. It also says that individuals and families are not prohibited from “hiking, walking, biking or shopping at [e]ssential [b]usinesses,” so long as they keep their distance from others.
The order also notes that if local entities (like municipal governments) choose to impose stricter limits, the county order does not supersede them.
Los Angeles County has closed all indoor and outdoor playgrounds, along with indoor shopping centers and all swap meets and flea markets.
San Diego County parks and beaches
The city of San Diego closed all of its beaches, parks and trails on March 24.
The Port of San Diego, which controls 34 miles of the county’s coastline, including many parks, on March 24 closed all of its parks, beaches, parking lots, piers and boat launches.
The cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Oceanside and Coronado have closed their beaches.
Most San Diego County parks and preserves remained open, but many facilities and amenities are closed.
National forests in Southern California
The U.S. Forest Service on March 26 closed campgrounds, picnic areas, bathrooms and other developed recreation sites in its California forests through April 30 and left Southern California’s four forests — Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino — to make their own decisions on trail access and parking.
That set the stage for the Angeles National Forest decision April 3 to close 23 well-used San Gabriel mountain trails, four popular trailheads and 19 roads and keep them closed through at least April 30.
This map shows the affected areas. The closures — about 81.5 miles of trails and 54.5 miles of roads — include the Millard Canyon above Altadena, San Antonio Falls, Icehouse Canyon and North Devil’s Backbone trailheads.
The forest order shuts routes to Echo Mountain and Mt. Lowe, such as the Sam Merrill Trail, above Altadena, as well as others leading to Mt. Wilson, San Gabriel Peak, the Rim Trail and other routes in the San Gabriel Mountains.
In the San Bernardino National Forest, whose 680,000 acres include four mountain ranges in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, a spokesman said parking areas at trailheads remain open. Hikers should practice social distancing, sticking to wide fire roads instead of single-track trails that are too narrow, the spokesman said.
In Los Padres National Forest, which includes roughly 1.95 million acres reaching north from Ventura County into Central California, spokesman Andrew Madsen said trailhead parking and trails remain open, as do dispersed camp sites in the backcountry.
In Cleveland National Forest, which reaches into San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties, the list of sites closed through April 30 includes all trails and picnic areas where an Adventure Pass is normally required.
In the forest’s Trabuco ranger district, a spokesperson said closures include: El Cariso north/south picnic area; Hot Springs trailhead; San Juan loop trailhead; Tenaja trailhead; Trabuco creek picnic area; Wildomar staging area; Maple Springs day use area.
In the forest’s Descanso Ranger District, closures include Agua Dulce; Bear Valley OHV (off-highway vehicle) area; and Corral Canyon.
In the forest’s Palomar Ranger District, closures include: Crestline; Henshaw scenic vista; Inaja Memorial; Kica Mik Overlook; Palomar Mountain Interpretive Station; San Luis Rey Picnic Area; Fry Creek Trailhead; Observatory Trailhead; and Barker Valley Trailhead. The popular Cedar Creek Falls and Three Sisters Falls trails have been closed since March 21.
National parks in California
The NPS closed Yosemite National Park March 20; Joshua Tree National Park on March 31; and Death Valley National Park (except for State Route 190 and Daylight Pass) on April 4.
Throughout California
Newsom’s order said: “Everyone in California is required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary healthcare, or go to an essential job.”
But the governor also said: “We’re going to keep the grocery stores open. ... We’re going to make sure that you’re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog.”