latimes--2020-03-13--Public life slows to a near halt as California hunkers down in the face of coronavirus

Public life across the state of California ground into a slower and more ominous gear Thursday as attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus shut down community gatherings , sports events and government meetings and forced the planned closure of Disneyland for just the fourth time in its 64-year history .
A day after calling for the cancellation of all gatherings of more than 250 people , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping executive order allowing the state , if necessary , to take over hotels and medical facilities to treat a potential tide of coronavirus patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down across the U.S. , as the National Collegiate Athletic Assn .
canceled its men ’ s and women ’ s basketball tournaments , all theaters on Broadway went dark , the U.S. Supreme Court said it would no longer welcome visitors and Major League Baseball called off spring training games and said the start of the season would be delayed at least two weeks .
“ This is where we need to go next , ” Newsom told reporters Thursday , adding that the shutdowns are aimed at slowing the virus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few months , so we don ’ t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system.
” Christopher Thornberg , founding partner of Beacon Economics , compared the situation to a “ national earthquake ” that is hitting hard but will pass .
“ If we just close down the damn country … we might get in front of this and stop it , in which case that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief , ” he said .
The calls for “ social distancing ” to slow the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen from the San Francisco waterfront , where normally bustling food stands were nearly empty , to Los Angeles International Airport , where cars could make the usually jammed vehicle loop in just five minutes .
San Francisco announced it was closing its public schools for three weeks , beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3 .
In Palm Springs , the landmark aerial tramway closed indefinitely .
And following Disneyland ’ s announced closure , Universal Studios theme park said it too would close through March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shopping center would remain open .
Officials hoped that orders limiting social interactions would slow the virus , which has swept the world and infected 198 people in California as of Thursday , up 21 cases from the day before .
The momentum toward greater restrictions could be seen even over the course of one day .
After Newsom ’ s recommendation against large gatherings late Wednesday , Los Angeles County health officials and Mayor Eric Garcetti sought to limit groupings of 50 or more .
And after Newsom explained in a morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks would be exempt from the rule , the entertainment giant by Thursday afternoon issued a news release saying it would close its twin Anaheim parks , Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure , on Saturday morning .
Disney said it would keep the parks closed through the end of March .
It planned to keep the hotels at the resort open until Monday to give guests time to make plans .
The company said it would pay its employees during the shutdown .
The park has closed only three other times since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day of mourning after the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy , following the 1994 Northridge earthquake and after the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack on the U.S .
The governor had also exempted casinos , card rooms and movie theaters from his guidance against large gatherings .
But he said his administration was “ moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution ” with those businesses .
Newsom said that movie theater operators had told him they were trying to devise ways to introduce social distancing while still allowing patrons to gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , the normally bustling Ferry Building Marketplace was largely empty , with customers keeping their distance from food shops manned by worried employees .
“ We usually have a line of 10 to 15 people at lunch time , ” said Jade Kim , manager of Namu Stonepot .
Outside , a couple strolled through the empty square as sea gulls and pigeons looked on .
“ It ’ s weird .
Things are super quiet .
There was nobody on BART , ” said Altoni Cabling , 28 , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transit commuter train from her home in Oakland to San Francisco .
The travel industry was further rocked Thursday when a leading cruise industry operator , Princess Cruises , said it would temporarily cease operations for two months .
The industry had come under the scrutiny of government officials following coronavirus outbreaks on two Princess Cruises vessels .
A crisis on the Grand Princess led to the quarantine of 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members , who had been aboard the ship that finally docked in Oakland on Monday .
Earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also suffered an outbreak , with hundreds testing positive for the virus .
The state ’ s signature industry also signaled a partial retreat Thursday as Hollywood studios pushed back the release of marquee films , including Paramount Pictures ’ “ A Quiet Place Part II ” and Universal Pictures ’ “ F9 , ” the latest in the “ Fast and the Furious ” saga .
The new “ Fast ” movie has been delayed by nearly a year .
“ One of the things I am most proud of is people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to see all together , ” said actor-director John Krasinski of “ A Quiet Place Part II.
” “ Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of the world around us , now is clearly not the right time to do that.
” With Garcetti ’ s order to limit L.A. city properties to no more than 50 outside visitors at a time , the operators of Griffith Observatory opted to close .
The Hollywood Hills landmark normally has about 4,000 visitors a day .
The Los Angeles Zoo also said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center is rescheduling the Rug Show , the Best of You LA Expo and about eight other planned consumer shows , said Doane Liu , executive director of the Department of Convention and Tourism Development .
Garcetti also said City Hall would be closed to non-city employees , with the exception of members of the public attending City Council meetings .
The Los Angeles City Council also planned to sharply reduce the number of public meetings , to limit potential public exposure to the virus .
A day after the World Health Organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world pandemic , health experts struggled to come to grips with the magnitude of the challenge .
At a House Oversight Committee hearing , Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. was “ failing ” to provide testing for everyone who needs it .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now — what you are asking for , ” said Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ That is a failing… .
Let ’ s admit it … the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way people in other countries are doing it , we ’ re not set up for that .
Do I think we should be ?
Yes.
” Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence — who is heading the White House response to the disease — urging the administration to rapidly expand coronavirus testing capacity and to establish clear guidelines for when state and local government should deploy public health measures .
The head of the American College of Emergency Physicians said in a call with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.
” Dr. William Jaquis said he expects the case counts to rapidly increase in the coming weeks , adding : “ COVID is very serious and we ’ re treating it as such.
” Another federal official said blood banks had seen a substantial drop in donations because of a fear of the coronavirus .
That trend needs to be reversed , said Dr. Peter Marks , director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply from getting depleted .
We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having to get canceled , ” Marks said .
“ To ensure an adequate blood supply , we need people to come out and donate blood.
” Los Angeles County had confirmed 32 cases of the disease by Thursday , including two new cases from unknown sources , increasing the evidence of “ community transmission , ” said Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .
Ferrer encouraged telecommuting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more and to avoid other communal gathering spots .
She suggested that gym classes where people exercise in close proximity are best avoided .
People do not have to avoid their health clubs but should use common sense to avoid contact with those who might carry the virus , Ferrer said .
Even as they scrambled to address the threat , public officials had to tend firefighters and police officers whose work exposed them to the virus .
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said three deputies and five county Fire Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after responding to a call Monday involving a person in Walnut who later died of the coronavirus .
In San Jose , four firefighters tested positive for COVID-19 , leading to the quarantine of nearly 60 others , officials said .
South of Sacramento , one man in Elk Grove described the strange isolation of the coronavirus era .
His two children , ages 2 and 5 , were home after an elementary student tested positive for the virus .
An elderly patient had died at a senior living facility just across a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mukhtar , an Uber driver , said he is afraid to work , calling it “ risky ” to pick up unknown passengers .
So his family is living off their savings , and he is scared .
“ Our life graph is going down , ” he said , making a plummeting motion with his hand .
“ Education , work , everything.
” Times staff writers Susanne Rust , Rong-Gong Lin II , Andrew J. Campa Dakota Smith and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report .

James Rainey, Hailey Branson-Potts, Anita Chabria

Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times )
Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times)
Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Santa Clara County announced a second death from COVID-19 Friday evening. The person who passed away was an adult woman in her 80s, was hospitalized March 9, and was among the COVID-19 cases previously reported by the county, a news release from the county’s public health department said.
The death was the fifth in California, which had 247 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Friday morning. Santa Clara County has the most cases of any county in the state, reporting 79.
L.A. County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the novel coronavirus Friday, bringing the local total to 40.
Three of those cases are likely the result of community transmission, as the source of exposure is unknown. Two of the individuals are hospitalized, public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference.
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Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said in a news release Friday that it was treating a child between the ages of 6 and 9 with COVID-19. The child, who had no history of travel and has an unrelated underlying medical condition, was in isolation, as were the child’s parents, the hospital said.
Officials said they expect cases to expand significantly as more people get tested. Ferrer said L.A. County got more test kits this week, and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to gather.
“It’s very hard to know how many cases we have,” she said.
On Monday L.A. County officials will release geographic locations and age groups of the known cases. Those who may be close contacts of individuals who test positive for the virus may start receiving “blanket quarantines,” rather than being interviewed first, Ferrer said.
In Riverside County a former patient from a Rancho Mirage skilled nursing home tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Friday. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer, said the department plans to test each patient and employee at the 99-bed facility as soon as possible.
“Quick action is required when we are dealing with a vulnerable population like this,” said Kaiser.
An elderly patient at a Northern California assisted-living facility died from the disease earlier this week, and the death toll has mounted at a Seattle-area nursing home that has been at the center of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic.
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As the number of cases throughout the world grew to more than 137,000, with more than 2,500 infections reported in Italy, World Health Organization officials said Friday that Europe has now become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In the U.S., President Trump declared a national emergency, freeing up more resources to aid local and state governments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin reached a deal on an economic stimulus package, providing paid sick leave for workers and billions of dollars for food programs and unemployment benefits.
At the same time, school districts, sports organizations, concert promoters and religious groups were racing to cancel or delay large gatherings to guard against the spread of the virus.
The National Collegiate Athletic Assn. canceled its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, all theaters on Broadway went dark, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would no longer welcome visitors, and Major League Baseball called off spring training games and delayed the start of the season by at least two weeks.
Amid growing concerns and fresh signs that the virus is continuing to sweep across California, officials continued to take action against the virus.
School officials announced that Los Angeles Unified School District – the second largest school district in the U.S. – would shut down on Monday as fears over the coronavirus continued to mount. The move will affect more than 670,000 children and adult students.
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said that the district was planning for a two-week closure, at least, but refrained from providing a reopening date.
“These next two weeks will be difficult, and we are not certain what lies ahead after that,” he said.
Other school districts across the state continued to close campuses, affecting hundreds of thousands of students. Long Beach Unified School District, San Diego Unified School District, Santa Clara Unified School District, and Oakland Unified School District officials announced that schools would close until at least early April. San Francisco announced it was closing its public schools for three weeks, beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles also announced that Catholic schools in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties would close and move to remote learning effective Tuesday, until at least March 31. The archdiocese serves nearly 75,000 students, including many from low-income and immigrant communities.
“We recognize the significant impact this extended closure will have on our entire community, students, families, and staff,” Paul Escala, Superintendent of Catholic Schools wrote in a letter to families. “We also acknowledge the burden this will place on our staff and working families. As a community of faith, we must come together and help one another.”
Earlier the archdiocese announced it was lifting from its parishioners the obligation of attending Sunday Mass for the next three weeks. The Diocese of San Jose issued a similar suspension on all public masses beginning Saturday.
“Baptisms, weddings, and funerals may be celebrated but should be limited to immediate family,” San Jose diocese Bishop Oscar Cantú said.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said City Hall would be closed to non-city employees, with the exception of members of the public attending City Council meetings. The Los Angeles City Council also planned to sharply reduce the number of public meetings, to limit potential public exposure to the virus.
With Garcetti’s order properties to limit city properties to no more than 50 outside visitors at a time, the operators of Griffith Observatory opted to close. The Hollywood Hills landmark normally has about 4,000 visitors a day. The Los Angeles Zoo also said it would close.
The city-owned Los Angeles Convention Center is rescheduling the Rug Show, the Best of You LA Expo and about eight other planned consumer shows, said Doane Liu, executive director of the Department of Convention and Tourism Development.
The Los Angeles Public Library said Friday that the Central Library in downtown and all 72 branch libraries will close through March 31. Due dates for borrowed materials are being extended and late fines waived during the closure period, the library said in an announcement on its website.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Natural History Museums announced they will close their main campuses until further notice. The decision affects LACMA’s main Wilshire campus, the museum’s gallery at Charles White Elementary School in MacArthur Park, and all public programs and events.
The Los Angeles County Probation Department, which maintains juvenile halls and camps, is temporarily suspending visitations to its juvenile halls and residential treatment facilities in an attempt to keep the coronavirus from infecting its staff or the youth under their supervision, officials said Friday.
The prohibition applies to weekend, special and after-court visits from family or community groups, but will not stop court-ordered or required legal visits from taking place, according to the department. Youth will have extended phone privileges and internal programming will continue, officials said.
The calls for “social distancing” to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 could be seen from the San Francisco waterfront, where normally bustling food stands were nearly empty, to Los Angeles International Airport, where cars could make the usually jammed vehicle loop in just five minutes.
In Palm Springs, the landmark aerial tramway closed indefinitely. And following Disneyland’s announced closure through the end of March, Universal Studios theme park said it, too, would close through March 28, while the adjoining Universal CityWalk shopping center would remain open. Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Knott’s Berry Farm will all close until the end of March.
Disney said it planned to keep hotels at the resort open until Monday to give guests time to make plans. The company said it would pay its employees during the shutdown.
The park has closed only three other times since its 1955 opening: on a national day of mourning after the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy, following the 1994 Northridge earthquake and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the U.S.
Santa Clara County, which has been hard hit, banned all gatherings of 100 or more and limited gatherings of 35 or more. No sick individuals or high-risk persons may be present at such gatherings, officials said.
County Health Officer Dr. Sarah Cody called the virus a historic struggle in medical terms.
“These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease,” Cody said.
The number of confirmed cases rose to at least three in San Joaquin County — prompting officials there to declare a local public health emergency — and Santa Cruz County now has at least seven cases.
“We have shifted our efforts away from containment and towards mitigation,” said Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel. “We continue to work closely with our regional, state and national partners in our efforts to lessen the impact of COVID-19.”
After calling for the cancellation of all gatherings of more than 250 people, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping executive order allowing the state, if necessary, to take over hotels and medical facilities to treat a potential tide of coronavirus patients.
“This is where we need to go next,” Newsom told reporters Thursday, adding that the shutdowns are aimed at slowing the virus’ spread and to “get through the next few months, so we don’t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system.”
The governor had exempted casinos, card rooms and movie theaters from his guidance against large gatherings. But he said his administration was “moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution” with those businesses. Newsom said that movie theater operators had told him they were trying to devise ways to introduce social distancing while still allowing patrons to gather to see films.
Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, compared the situation to a “national earthquake” that is hitting hard but will pass.
“If we just close down the damn country … we might get in front of this and stop it, in which case that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief,” he said.
Two days after the World Health Organization first said that COVID-19 had caused a world pandemic, health experts struggled to come to grips with the magnitude of the challenge.
At a House Oversight Committee hearing Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. was “failing” to provide testing for everyone who needs it.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now — what you are asking for,” said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “That is a failing…. Let’s admit it … the idea of anybody getting it easily, the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence — who is heading the White House response to the disease — urging the administration to rapidly expand coronavirus testing capacity and to establish clear guidelines for when state and local government should deploy public health measures.
The head of the American College of Emergency Physicians said in a call with reporters that the virus would “put a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.” Dr. William Jaquis said he expects the case counts to rapidly increase in the coming weeks, adding: “COVID is very serious and we’re treating it as such.”
Another federal official said blood banks had seen a substantial drop in donations because of a fear of the coronavirus. That trend needs to be reversed, said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
“We need people to prevent the blood supply from getting depleted. We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having to get canceled,” Marks said. “To ensure an adequate blood supply, we need people to come out and donate blood.”
Even as they scrambled to address the threat, public officials had to tend firefighters and police officers whose work exposed them to the virus.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said three deputies and five county Fire Department staff members had been placed under quarantine after responding to a call Monday involving a person in Walnut who later died of the coronavirus.
The department announced that six firefighters were quarantined after responding to a call at Union Station on March 2. The woman had respiratory issues and declined to be transported to the hospitals. LAFD was notified that she tested positive for the virus on Friday. The firefighters had regularly reported to work, but have not shown symptoms. They will only need to be quarantined for three more days.
Times staff writers Hailey Branson-Potts, Andrew J. Campa, James Rainey, Susanne Rust, Dakota Smith, Alex Wigglesworth and Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-13--Manhattan Beach says it has two reported coronavirus cases

Manhattan Beach officials on Thursday said the city has has two reported coronavirus patients and expressed frustration about not learning of the cases earlier .
An individual called City Hall to inform officials of the diagnosis , according to a city press release .
The caller said he or she and another person contracted coronavirus while traveling overseas .
City officials said they tried to get more information from L.A. County health officials but were told they would not confirm individual cases .
“ This is very disturbing and seriously disappointing to say the least , ” said Mayor Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtain information about COVID-19 cases in our own community is counterproductive to our common goal of protecting our residents.
” On Thursday , Los Angeles County confirmed three new cases .
Two of the three have an unidentified source of exposure , further evidence of community spread .
The third new case was a person who was exposed by a close contact who tested positive after attending a conference in Washington , D.C. One of the patients is hospitalized .
The additions bring the total number of cases in L.A County to 32 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach and one in Pasadena .
California has recorded 198 cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday , up from 177 the day before , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced .

Manhattan Beach officials on Thursday said the city has has two reported coronavirus patients and expressed frustration about not learning of the cases earlier.
An individual called City Hall to inform officials of the diagnosis, according to a city press release. The caller said he or she and another person contracted coronavirus while traveling overseas.
City officials said they tried to get more information from L.A. County health officials but were told they would not confirm individual cases.
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“This is very disturbing and seriously disappointing to say the least,” said Mayor Richard Montgomery. “Not being able to obtain information about COVID-19 cases in our own community is counterproductive to our common goal of protecting our residents.”
On Thursday, Los Angeles County confirmed three new cases. Two of the three have an unidentified source of exposure, further evidence of community spread. The third new case was a person who was exposed by a close contact who tested positive after attending a conference in Washington, D.C. One of the patients is hospitalized.
The additions bring the total number of cases in L.A County to 32, which includes four cases in Long Beach and one in Pasadena.
California has recorded 198 cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday, up from 177 the day before, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.


latimes--2020-03-13--LAPD makes arrest in one family's tragic hit-and-run but needs help in many more

Every time Wendy Granados called a Los Angeles Police Department detective for an update , she would receive the same response .
There were no leads in the search for the person who had killed her 38-year-old sister , Kiesha Saravia , and her unborn child in a South L.A. hit-and-run in July .
She shouldn ’ t lose hope , officers told her , but it could take months or years to solve a case .
Eventually , Granados began checking in less frequently .
Then about two weeks ago , while she was on the freeway , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21-year-old man who had confessed to be the driver of the vehicle .
“ I was just driving and crying , ” Granados said .
“ I told myself , ‘ gracias a Dios.
’ And then I was like , ‘ Oh , my God , he ’ s so young.
’ ” The arrest reflects the challenging and tedious work that goes into solving hit-and-run collisions .
Many leave few clues to go on , and families can wait for long periods of time while officers work to identify the suspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night with no witnesses , and video footage showing a car flash by may be too grainy to decipher a license plate .
Fatal hit-and-runs have been on the upswing citywide , climbing from 52 in 2017 to 62 in 2019 .
In the LAPD ’ s South Bureau , an area that last year accounted for about 40 % of L.A. ’ s fatal hit-and-runs , officers are focused on spreading awareness that stopping to render aid can save lives and encouraging witnesses to share information that can help solve these crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatal hit-and-runs last year , officials have made arrests in 10 .
“ We ’ re pushing hard on really getting the word out … if they see something , then say something , ” said South Traffic Division Capt .
Jon Pinto , who held a news conference Thursday in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood where the collision had occurred to announce the arrest of the suspect .
Saravia grew up in South L.A. and was the mother of five children — the oldest now 15 and the youngest 6 .
She had worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s trucking business .
She was outgoing and had an optimistic personality , Granados said .
She often cooked aguachile , a Mexican shellfish dish , and would invite her siblings over for barbecues on her frontyard .
“ There ’ s a lot of people who wait to barbecue on the weekends — she wasn ’ t that type of person , ” Granados said .
About 10 p.m. July 26 , Saravia was headed home with her boyfriend and one of her children after a Target shopping run to buy baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while crossing 117th Street by a vehicle traveling northbound on Main Street .
Saravia was taken to a hospital , where her baby was delivered via C-section .
Both she and the newborn died of their injuries .
From the onset , Det .
Michael Flannery and his partners had few leads to find the driver .
There was no video of the collision , which occurred just before a freeway overpass .
The only witnesses were two family members who could recall only seeing a light-colored car .
Flannery knocked on doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and residences up and down the street .
He spent hundreds of hours tracking cars , scouring the footage for anything that looked suspicious , such as a driver speeding or swerving .
“ Sometimes you ’ re watching the cameras , and after you do this for a while you see something out of the ordinary , ” he said .
“ We didn ’ t see anything.
” The public ’ s help can be key to solving hit-and-run cases .
In 2019 , the LAPD received 109 hit-and-run-related tips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service that offers rewards to people who provide information leading to arrests .
Six hit-and-run tips led to arrests .
Police depend on the news media ’ s help to publicize these cases .
But a collision might not make the news if there ’ s something more newsworthy happening , officials said .
The break in the Saravia case came last month , when the LAPD was passed a lead from a tipster who had watched a news conference the department held after the fatal collision .
On Feb. 27 , police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 21 , on suspicion of a felony hit-and-run .
Prosecutors have charged Orellana , who is being held on $ 4-million bail , with two counts of second-degree murder .
Flannery said he suspected that Orellana , who had been driving with friends , was under the influence of nitrous oxide , a drug also known as “ laughing gas.
” Though the arrest brought relief to Saravia ’ s family , it also reopened wounds they ’ ve been trying to heal .
Saravia was due to give birth to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to name Lyiah , the week after her death .
Her five children , who used to all live with her , now reside with their respective fathers .
Every Friday — the day that the crash occurred — brings Saravia ’ s mother , Maria Graciela Saravia , painful memories of her daughter ’ s death .
“ My daughter is resting in peace , but even though they have the person who did it , they ’ re not going to bring her back , ” she said .

Angela Rodriguez, 11, daughter of Kiesha Saravia, listens to her grandmother speak at a news conference near Main and 117th streets in South L.A., where Saravia and her unborn daughter were killed by a hit-and-run driver.
Every time Wendy Granados called a Los Angeles Police Department detective for an update, she would receive the same response. There were no leads in the search for the person who had killed her 38-year-old sister, Kiesha Saravia, and her unborn child in a South L.A. hit-and-run in July.
She shouldn’t lose hope, officers told her, but it could take months or years to solve a case. Eventually, Granados began checking in less frequently.
Then about two weeks ago, while she was on the freeway, a detective called. They had arrested a 21-year-old man who had confessed to be the driver of the vehicle.
Maria Graciela Saravia, mother of Kiesha Saravia, speaks to Telemundo. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
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“I was just driving and crying,” Granados said. “I told myself, ‘gracias a Dios.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, my God, he’s so young.’”
The arrest reflects the challenging and tedious work that goes into solving hit-and-run collisions. Many leave few clues to go on, and families can wait for long periods of time while officers work to identify the suspects. The crashes often occur late at night with no witnesses, and video footage showing a car flash by may be too grainy to decipher a license plate.
Fatal hit-and-runs have been on the upswing citywide, climbing from 52 in 2017 to 62 in 2019. In the LAPD’s South Bureau, an area that last year accounted for about 40% of L.A.’s fatal hit-and-runs, officers are focused on spreading awareness that stopping to render aid can save lives and encouraging witnesses to share information that can help solve these crimes.
Of the bureau’s 25 fatal hit-and-runs last year, officials have made arrests in 10.
“We’re pushing hard on really getting the word out … if they see something, then say something,” said South Traffic Division Capt. Jon Pinto, who held a news conference Thursday in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood where the collision had occurred to announce the arrest of the suspect.
Saravia grew up in South L.A. and was the mother of five children — the oldest now 15 and the youngest 6. She had worked as a secretary at her brother’s trucking business.
Ronald Granados, brother of Kiesha Saravia, speaks to Telemundo during the news conference. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
She was outgoing and had an optimistic personality, Granados said. She often cooked aguachile, a Mexican shellfish dish, and would invite her siblings over for barbecues on her frontyard.
“There’s a lot of people who wait to barbecue on the weekends — she wasn’t that type of person,” Granados said.
About 10 p.m. July 26, Saravia was headed home with her boyfriend and one of her children after a Target shopping run to buy baby jumpers and mittens. She was struck while crossing 117th Street by a vehicle traveling northbound on Main Street. Saravia was taken to a hospital, where her baby was delivered via C-section. Both she and the newborn died of their injuries.
From the onset, Det. Michael Flannery and his partners had few leads to find the driver. There was no video of the collision, which occurred just before a freeway overpass. The only witnesses were two family members who could recall only seeing a light-colored car.
Flannery knocked on doors in the neighborhood and collected video from businesses and residences up and down the street. He spent hundreds of hours tracking cars, scouring the footage for anything that looked suspicious, such as a driver speeding or swerving.
“Sometimes you’re watching the cameras, and after you do this for a while you see something out of the ordinary,” he said. “We didn’t see anything.”
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The public’s help can be key to solving hit-and-run cases. In 2019, the LAPD received 109 hit-and-run-related tips through Crime Stoppers, an anonymous tip service that offers rewards to people who provide information leading to arrests. Six hit-and-run tips led to arrests.
Police depend on the news media’s help to publicize these cases. But a collision might not make the news if there’s something more newsworthy happening, officials said.
The break in the Saravia case came last month, when the LAPD was passed a lead from a tipster who had watched a news conference the department held after the fatal collision. On Feb. 27, police arrested South L.A. resident Cristian Mendoza Orellana, 21, on suspicion of a felony hit-and-run. Prosecutors have charged Orellana, who is being held on $4-million bail, with two counts of second-degree murder.
Flannery said he suspected that Orellana, who had been driving with friends, was under the influence of nitrous oxide, a drug also known as “laughing gas.”
Though the arrest brought relief to Saravia’s family, it also reopened wounds they’ve been trying to heal. Saravia was due to give birth to her sixth child, whom she had planned to name Lyiah, the week after her death. Her five children, who used to all live with her, now reside with their respective fathers.
Every Friday — the day that the crash occurred — brings Saravia’s mother, Maria Graciela Saravia, painful memories of her daughter’s death.
“My daughter is resting in peace, but even though they have the person who did it, they’re not going to bring her back,” she said.


latimes--2020-03-13--Dry conditions in California continue to expand, but will March rains dent the drought?

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor data , released Thursday , show that about 48 % of California is in moderate drought .
That ’ s up from 34 % a week ago .
An additional 30 % of the state is abnormally dry , according to the data .
The data were compiled Tuesday , so the figures do not reflect moisture from Southern California ’ s most recent storm .
Northern California , which is generally farther behind seasonal precipitation norms , received little benefit from that storm , which primarily dampened the southern and central parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued Thursday shows that portions of several Central and Southern California counties that were abnormally dry a week ago have now slipped into drought .
Most of San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , Ventura and Los Angeles counties have joined the majority of Kern County in the moderate-drought category .
The abnormally dry designation has spread south and east to cover Orange and western portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties .
The northwestern corner of San Diego County , where Camp Pendleton is located , is also abnormally dry .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of moderate drought in Humboldt , Trinity and Shasta counties have expanded and merged with a band of drought territory along the Oregon border in Siskiyou County .
This creates an almost continuous band of moderate drought stretching from Long Beach to the Oregon line .
Although the reservoirs are in good shape from previous wet years , drought in the mountains of Northern California bodes ill for agricultural and municipal water users in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley .
The winter snowpack in the Northern Sierra feeds California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for large parts of the state .
The National Weather Service in Monterey predicts that the storm door will open again this weekend and remain open through next week .
As a high-pressure ridge pushes into Alaska , an upper low will move south along the West Coast .
The system will move slowly but will be showery in nature , so rainfall amounts are not expected to be impressive .
Rain is forecast to start in the North Bay Area as early as Saturday morning and spread southward through the day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since it is hooking into air from northern Canada , but the colder air will not arrive until Sunday and Monday .
Snow is possible over the higher peaks .
How much help will the system provide for the snowpack ?
“ The uncertainty in terms of moisture is about whether the low comes down over land or water , ” said Bill Patzert , former climatologist with NASA ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory .
It will be moisture-starved if it comes south mostly over land — `` If it comes sliding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” in Patzert ’ s words , as some of the disappointingly dry “ inside slider ” systems have done this season .
Lisa Phillips , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard , sees the low-pressure system staying close to the coast but picking up some moisture , although lacking the subtropical moisture associated with this week ’ s system .
Regardless , the system will bring much colder air and gusty northwest winds .
Timing the arrival of precipitation in Southern California is tricky — it could start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north to south .
Because of the storm ’ s northern origin , snow levels will be much lower than with this week ’ s storm , and snow is expected to affect Interstate 5 over the Grapevine .
Snow levels will start out above 5,000 feet but drop to 3,000 feet or lower by Tuesday morning , according to the National Weather Service .
Blowing snow , icy conditions and reduced visibility could make travel at higher elevations hazardous .
Precipitation could last through Wednesday afternoon and possibly beyond .
As with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of subtropical moisture will stay to the south .
The subtropical jet stream is active this winter as it is every winter , according to Eric Boldt of the National Weather Service in Oxnard , but this year it has been plowing into Mexico , well south of California .
Moisture has been carried across Mexico and into the the U.S. Southeast , resulting in severe weather and flooding .
March ’ s storms have at least been more promising than those of January or February .
“ Welcome , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Almost half of the state is considered to be in a moderate drought.
The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor data, released Thursday, show that about 48% of California is in moderate drought. That’s up from 34% a week ago.
An additional 30% of the state is abnormally dry, according to the data.
The data were compiled Tuesday, so the figures do not reflect moisture from Southern California’s most recent storm. Northern California, which is generally farther behind seasonal precipitation norms, received little benefit from that storm, which primarily dampened the southern and central parts of the state.
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The Drought Monitor map issued Thursday shows that portions of several Central and Southern California counties that were abnormally dry a week ago have now slipped into drought. Most of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties have joined the majority of Kern County in the moderate-drought category. The abnormally dry designation has spread south and east to cover Orange and western portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The northwestern corner of San Diego County, where Camp Pendleton is located, is also abnormally dry.
In the northern part of the state, areas of moderate drought in Humboldt, Trinity and Shasta counties have expanded and merged with a band of drought territory along the Oregon border in Siskiyou County. This creates an almost continuous band of moderate drought stretching from Long Beach to the Oregon line.
Although the reservoirs are in good shape from previous wet years, drought in the mountains of Northern California bodes ill for agricultural and municipal water users in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. The winter snowpack in the Northern Sierra feeds California’s major reservoirs, which provide water for large parts of the state.
The National Weather Service in Monterey predicts that the storm door will open again this weekend and remain open through next week. As a high-pressure ridge pushes into Alaska, an upper low will move south along the West Coast. The system will move slowly but will be showery in nature, so rainfall amounts are not expected to be impressive. Rain is forecast to start in the North Bay Area as early as Saturday morning and spread southward through the day.
The system is expected to be cold, since it is hooking into air from northern Canada, but the colder air will not arrive until Sunday and Monday. Snow is possible over the higher peaks.
A low-pressure system makes its way down the West Coast as the subtropical jet stream stays to the south of California. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
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How much help will the system provide for the snowpack? “The uncertainty in terms of moisture is about whether the low comes down over land or water,” said Bill Patzert, former climatologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It will be moisture-starved if it comes south mostly over land — “If it comes sliding southward down the spine of the Sierra,” in Patzert’s words, as some of the disappointingly dry “inside slider” systems have done this season.
Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, sees the low-pressure system staying close to the coast but picking up some moisture, although lacking the subtropical moisture associated with this week’s system.
Regardless, the system will bring much colder air and gusty northwest winds. Timing the arrival of precipitation in Southern California is tricky — it could start Monday afternoon or evening, spreading from north to south.
Because of the storm’s northern origin, snow levels will be much lower than with this week’s storm, and snow is expected to affect Interstate 5 over the Grapevine. Snow levels will start out above 5,000 feet but drop to 3,000 feet or lower by Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Blowing snow, icy conditions and reduced visibility could make travel at higher elevations hazardous.
Precipitation could last through Wednesday afternoon and possibly beyond.
As with this week’s storm, the majority of subtropical moisture will stay to the south. The subtropical jet stream is active this winter as it is every winter, according to Eric Boldt of the National Weather Service in Oxnard, but this year it has been plowing into Mexico, well south of California. Moisture has been carried across Mexico and into the the U.S. Southeast, resulting in severe weather and flooding.
March’s storms have at least been more promising than those of January or February. “Welcome, but not drought busters,” concluded Patzert.


latimes--2020-03-13--Robert Durst murder trial: Witnesses testify to abuse of first wife

More than 40 years ago , in a tavern on the east side of Manhattan , James McCormack met his little sister ’ s boyfriend .
Even then , Robert Durst seemed odd , McCormack recalled on the witness stand Thursday .
Intelligent , if disengaged .
A dry , almost cruel sense of humor .
“ If someone tripped , ” McCormack said , “ he would laugh.
” Beginning with her childhood on Long Island and ending with her disappearance in 1982 , McCormack led the jury through the life of his youngest sister , Kathleen , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later .
But in this murder trial , McCormack ’ s sister is not the victim .
Los Angeles prosecutors are trying to pull off a Russian doll set of a case , nesting the murder of Susan Berman , Durst ’ s close friend and confidante , within the disappearance of Kathie Durst .
They allege Durst killed his wife in 1982 , then , years later , eliminated the only person who could tie him to the crime — Berman .
Durst , 76 , has never been charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has pleaded not guilty in the death of Berman , whose body was found in her Benedict Canyon home on Dec. 24 , 2000 , shot execution-style in the back of the head .
On Thursday , jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom heard from McCormack , Kathie ’ s sister , Virginia McKeon ; and her nursing school instructor and friend , Marion Watlington .
Kathie grew up in a middle-class Long Island family , her siblings said .
Their father was a service representative for a telephone company , their mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCormack siblings worked in high school ; Kathie , the youngest , took a job in a local dentist ’ s office .
After finishing high school , she moved to Manhattan with a friend and worked as a dental hygienist .
In the early 1970s , McCormack learned she was seeing Robert Durst .
Durst was 11 years her senior , the scion of a family that controlled some of New York ’ s most coveted real estate .
His sister seemed happy with him , McCormack said , but by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
McCormack learned later , he said , that Durst forced his sister to get an abortion “ under threat of a divorce.
” After that , McCormack said , Kathie seemed to focus on herself .
She enrolled in nursing school , with an eye toward attending medical school and becoming a pediatrician .
It was clear , he said , she had “ grown past Bob , intellectually and emotionally , ” and that he reacted by becoming “ more curt , more dismissive of her points of view.
” One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relaxing on their mother ’ s couch after dinner , sipping a glass of red wine .
Durst wanted to leave and insisted she get up .
When she didn ’ t , he grabbed the top of her head and yanked her to her feet in front of her family , McCormack testified .
“ It was so spontaneous and unexpected , ” he said .
Beginning in late 1980 , Watlington , who taught Kathie at Western Connecticut State University , said she began fielding long , late-night phone calls from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angry , upset , distraught.
” When they met in 1977 , Watlington was a brand new instructor .
Kathie was among her first class of nursing students .
She struck Watlington , who is now a doctor in Bermuda , as “ head and shoulders over the students around her.
” She was curious , confident and “ effervescent , ” Watlington said .
But several years later , when she started calling Watlington late at night , her tenor had changed .
She rambled and , on one occasion , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Durst was beating her , to the point she had to be hospitalized , Watlington recalled .
She urged her to leave .
Kathie said she would , but that she needed to gather some paperwork before seeking a divorce , Watlington testified .
“ If anything should happen to me , ” she recalled Kathie saying , “ don ’ t let the bastard get away with it.
” A few weeks later , Watlington saw Kathie ’ s picture in the New York Post .
She had vanished on Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotline beneath the picture and told a policeman what Kathie had confided in her .
He was dismissive , Watlington said , and hung up before taking down her name or a way to contact her .
McCormack , meanwhile , was growing frustrated with Michael Struk , the New York Police Department detective tasked with investigating Kathie ’ s disappearance .
He called potter ’ s fields to ask about unclaimed female bodies , he testified , and hospitals “ from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania ” to inquire about patients with amnesia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cold , McCormack said .
Less than two months after she vanished , Durst asked him to retrieve Kathie ’ s belongings from a lake house they had lived in , he testified .
When he got there , he found just a fishing pole , net and a pair of rubber boots – her other possessions were gone , inexplicably , he said .
In mid-1982 , McCormack said , Det .
Struk told him he was passing off the investigation to a unit that handles cold cases .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I said , ‘ This is not a cold case .
This is my baby sister.
’ ” Lead prosecutor John Lewin finished his questioning by asking McCormack if he had any doubts his little sister was dead .
“ Kathie is not with us , period , ” he replied .
And is there any doubt , Lewin asked , whether his sister was killed the day she went missing ?
“ There ’ s no doubt in my mind , ” McCormack said , staring for the first and only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wizened septuagenarian listening to his testimony through hearing aids , “ that she died on January 31 , 1982 .
”

More than 40 years ago, in a tavern on the east side of Manhattan, James McCormack met his little sister’s boyfriend.
Even then, Robert Durst seemed odd, McCormack recalled on the witness stand Thursday. Intelligent, if disengaged. A dry, almost cruel sense of humor. “If someone tripped,” McCormack said, “he would laugh.”
Beginning with her childhood on Long Island and ending with her disappearance in 1982, McCormack led the jury through the life of his youngest sister, Kathleen, who married Durst in 1973 and vanished nine years later. But in this murder trial, McCormack’s sister is not the victim.
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Los Angeles prosecutors are trying to pull off a Russian doll set of a case, nesting the murder of Susan Berman, Durst’s close friend and confidante, within the disappearance of Kathie Durst. They allege Durst killed his wife in 1982, then, years later, eliminated the only person who could tie him to the crime — Berman.
Durst, 76, has never been charged with his wife’s murder. He has pleaded not guilty in the death of Berman, whose body was found in her Benedict Canyon home on Dec. 24, 2000, shot execution-style in the back of the head.
On Thursday, jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom heard from McCormack, Kathie’s sister, Virginia McKeon; and her nursing school instructor and friend, Marion Watlington.
Kathie grew up in a middle-class Long Island family, her siblings said. Their father was a service representative for a telephone company, their mother a homemaker. All five of the McCormack siblings worked in high school; Kathie, the youngest, took a job in a local dentist’s office.
After finishing high school, she moved to Manhattan with a friend and worked as a dental hygienist. In the early 1970s, McCormack learned she was seeing Robert Durst.
Durst was 11 years her senior, the scion of a family that controlled some of New York’s most coveted real estate. His sister seemed happy with him, McCormack said, but by the mid-1970s, their relationship had grown strained. McCormack learned later, he said, that Durst forced his sister to get an abortion “under threat of a divorce.”
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After that, McCormack said, Kathie seemed to focus on herself. She enrolled in nursing school, with an eye toward attending medical school and becoming a pediatrician. It was clear, he said, she had “grown past Bob, intellectually and emotionally,” and that he reacted by becoming “more curt, more dismissive of her points of view.”
One Christmas, he recalled, Kathie was relaxing on their mother’s couch after dinner, sipping a glass of red wine. Durst wanted to leave and insisted she get up. When she didn’t, he grabbed the top of her head and yanked her to her feet in front of her family, McCormack testified. “It was so spontaneous and unexpected,” he said.
Beginning in late 1980, Watlington, who taught Kathie at Western Connecticut State University, said she began fielding long, late-night phone calls from Kathie, calls that were “very angry, upset, distraught.”
When they met in 1977, Watlington was a brand new instructor. Kathie was among her first class of nursing students. She struck Watlington, who is now a doctor in Bermuda, as “head and shoulders over the students around her.” She was curious, confident and “effervescent,” Watlington said.
But several years later, when she started calling Watlington late at night, her tenor had changed. She rambled and, on one occasion, she sounded drunk, Watlington said. She said Durst was beating her, to the point she had to be hospitalized, Watlington recalled. She urged her to leave. Kathie said she would, but that she needed to gather some paperwork before seeking a divorce, Watlington testified.
“If anything should happen to me,” she recalled Kathie saying, “don’t let the bastard get away with it.”
A few weeks later, Watlington saw Kathie’s picture in the New York Post. She had vanished on Jan. 31, 1982. Watlington dialed the hotline beneath the picture and told a policeman what Kathie had confided in her. He was dismissive, Watlington said, and hung up before taking down her name or a way to contact her.
McCormack, meanwhile, was growing frustrated with Michael Struk, the New York Police Department detective tasked with investigating Kathie’s disappearance. He called potter’s fields to ask about unclaimed female bodies, he testified, and hospitals “from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania” to inquire about patients with amnesia.
As he searched, Durst seemed disinterested and cold, McCormack said. Less than two months after she vanished, Durst asked him to retrieve Kathie’s belongings from a lake house they had lived in, he testified. When he got there, he found just a fishing pole, net and a pair of rubber boots – her other possessions were gone, inexplicably, he said.
In mid-1982, McCormack said, Det. Struk told him he was passing off the investigation to a unit that handles cold cases. “I blew up,” he recalled. “I said, ‘This is not a cold case. This is my baby sister.’”
Lead prosecutor John Lewin finished his questioning by asking McCormack if he had any doubts his little sister was dead. “Kathie is not with us, period,” he replied. And is there any doubt, Lewin asked, whether his sister was killed the day she went missing?
“There’s no doubt in my mind,” McCormack said, staring for the first and only time directly at Durst, now a wizened septuagenarian listening to his testimony through hearing aids, “that she died on January 31, 1982.”
Testimony is scheduled to continue Monday.


latimes--2020-03-13--Coronavirus killed a resident of this senior home. People with family there fear it could happen aga

Coronavirus killed a resident of this senior home. People with family there fear it could happen again

Two days after the new coronavirus killed a patient at a Northern California assisted living home , some families of residents there are alarmed about the welfare of their loved ones and angry about a lack of information from the facility and local officials .
Several relatives of the 143 residents at the facility told The Times on Thursday they still hadn ’ t been informed of the death , were receiving scant details and feared the assisted living center was not taking simple precautions to prevent their relatives from becoming seriously ill. As of Wednesday , people could still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and those living at the facility in Elk Grove , a suburb of Sacramento , could also come and go , according to family members interviewed by The Times .
Officials at the facility did not respond to calls and emails seeking a response .
As California reacts to its first known fatality from COVID-19 associated with a senior care home , family with loved ones in danger are questioning the speed and competence of the response .
Senior living facilities have been identified as potential high-risk sites for the coronavirus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be most deadly for those older than 50 , and it can spread quickly in confined places such as care homes .
Across the nation , many senior facilities have banned visitors and put restrictions on residents in an effort to prevent COVID-19 from striking the vulnerable population .
“ There are a lot of lives at risk , ” said Tyler Cooke , whose mother is at the facility .
Cooke asked that his mother ’ s name not be used to protect her privacy .
“ It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know what ’ s going on .
I can only imagine the worst and pray for the best.
” The situation at Carlton is unfolding as Washington state copes with the tragedy and ripple effects of the first case of the novel coronavirus at an elder care facility .
Since a patient at Life Care Center in Kirkland , Wash. , was diagnosed with the coronavirus in mid-February , 26 of the facility ’ s 120 residents have died .
As of Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been transferred to the hospital , and 67 employees showed symptoms , though test results for those staffers had not yet come back .
Robert Luke , whose mother-in-law lives at the Carlton facility in Elk Grove , said he is concerned that residents are not receiving proactive medical care , such as having their temperatures taken , and that neither those inside the facility nor family members on the outside are receiving adequate information .
Luke said he has been waiting for two days for a call back from county health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has been able to learn from staff at the facility .
Luke said he was told residents are not being actively monitored for symptoms of the coronavirus but instead have been instructed to self-report to staff if they believe they are ill. Cooke had heard something similar .
“ They ’ re monitoring them by asking them to notify the front desk if they start to feel feverish or develop a cough , ” he said .
“ Ideally I would like some kind of county health professional to go there and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am going to oversee this … and make sure it doesn ’ t spread.
’ ” Cooke said he was told the facility was suggesting that people refrain from visiting and that residents stay in their rooms , but also that staff said they had no power to enforce those guidelines .
Wednesday , multiple people entered the facility , including a man delivering a package .
A man who appeared to be an elderly resident walked on a nearby sidewalk .
One person entering the facility parked in a nearby grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex to reach the facility .
“ To allow the residents to go and come freely , that ’ s crazy , ” Luke said .
Persarlai Mukhtar , who lives in that nearby apartment building with his wife and two children , said he was “ very concerned ” to learn of the nearby outbreak .
Before being informed by news media , he was unaware that the elderly patient had died of the coronavirus so close to his home .
Dr. Peter Beilenson , health director of Sacramento County , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of medical care at the facility and the loose mitigation measures .
“ If these [ conditions ] are indeed true , I am very disappointed , ” Beilenson said Thursday .
“ We have to make sure people follow guidelines or else we have to step in for further enforcement .
“ If we are talking about mitigation of risk to those who are most at risk , this is the population we are talking about , ” he added .
Carlton Senior Living has 11 facilities throughout the Bay Area and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operation since 1985 , according to the company ’ s website .
On its website , the company said Thursday that three residents had been tested for the virus and found negative by county health officials .
Neither Cooke nor Luke were aware of their family member being tested , and both said they believed all residents and staff should be tested .
At a news conference Thursday , California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said he expected all residents to be tested and was working with the facility to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Beilenson had said this week that Sacramento has a shortage of test kits , also a problem across the state and country .
But Cooke said he thinks those in the senior facility should be prioritized because they are so susceptible to the virus and because an outbreak could spread to the community , as happened in Washington .
A statement from Carlton Senior Living said the facility was taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus .
“ Due to this case we have implemented isolation protocol for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the proactive steps we have taken to prevent the spread of this virus to other residents and staff in our Elk Grove Community , ” the company ’ s statement reads .
“ Carlton continues to follow the guidelines and recommendations we receive from the CDC , Health Departments and experts in our industry.
” Ghaly said Thursday that the state was taking the situation “ very seriously to make sure we lean in.
” “ This is certainly a very important moment for California , ” he said .
But family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handled well .
“ My point was they didn ’ t learn from … Kirkland , ” Luke said .
The Times ’ Seattle bureau chief Richard Read contributed to this report .

After a resident of the Carlton Senior Living facility in Elk Grove died of COVID-19, relatives of others living in the facility say they fear for their loved ones.
Two days after the new coronavirus killed a patient at a Northern California assisted living home, some families of residents there are alarmed about the welfare of their loved ones and angry about a lack of information from the facility and local officials.
Several relatives of the 143 residents at the facility told The Times on Thursday they still hadn’t been informed of the death, were receiving scant details and feared the assisted living center was not taking simple precautions to prevent their relatives from becoming seriously ill.
As of Wednesday, people could still come and go at Carlton Senior Living — and those living at the facility in Elk Grove, a suburb of Sacramento, could also come and go, according to family members interviewed by The Times. Officials at the facility did not respond to calls and emails seeking a response.
As California reacts to its first known fatality from COVID-19 associated with a senior care home, family with loved ones in danger are questioning the speed and competence of the response.
Senior living facilities have been identified as potential high-risk sites for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus is known to be most deadly for those older than 50, and it can spread quickly in confined places such as care homes. Across the nation, many senior facilities have banned visitors and put restrictions on residents in an effort to prevent COVID-19 from striking the vulnerable population.
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“There are a lot of lives at risk,” said Tyler Cooke, whose mother is at the facility. Cooke asked that his mother’s name not be used to protect her privacy.
“It’s going to ravage her if she gets it,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I can only imagine the worst and pray for the best.”
The situation at Carlton is unfolding as Washington state copes with the tragedy and ripple effects of the first case of the novel coronavirus at an elder care facility. Since a patient at Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., was diagnosed with the coronavirus in mid-February, 26 of the facility’s 120 residents have died.
As of Wednesday, the facility said 65 residents had been transferred to the hospital, and 67 employees showed symptoms, though test results for those staffers had not yet come back.
Robert Luke, whose mother-in-law lives at the Carlton facility in Elk Grove, said he is concerned that residents are not receiving proactive medical care, such as having their temperatures taken, and that neither those inside the facility nor family members on the outside are receiving adequate information.
Luke said he has been waiting for two days for a call back from county health officials, but he is troubled by what he has been able to learn from staff at the facility. Luke said he was told residents are not being actively monitored for symptoms of the coronavirus but instead have been instructed to self-report to staff if they believe they are ill.
Cooke had heard something similar. “They’re monitoring them by asking them to notify the front desk if they start to feel feverish or develop a cough,” he said. “Ideally I would like some kind of county health professional to go there and be like, ‘All right, I am going to oversee this … and make sure it doesn’t spread.’”
Cooke said he was told the facility was suggesting that people refrain from visiting and that residents stay in their rooms, but also that staff said they had no power to enforce those guidelines. Wednesday, multiple people entered the facility, including a man delivering a package.
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A man who appeared to be an elderly resident walked on a nearby sidewalk. One person entering the facility parked in a nearby grocery store lot before cutting through an apartment complex to reach the facility.
“To allow the residents to go and come freely, that’s crazy,” Luke said.
Persarlai Mukhtar, who lives in that nearby apartment building with his wife and two children, said he was “very concerned” to learn of the nearby outbreak. Before being informed by news media, he was unaware that the elderly patient had died of the coronavirus so close to his home.
Dr. Peter Beilenson, health director of Sacramento County, said he was unaware of the alleged lack of medical care at the facility and the loose mitigation measures.
“If these [conditions] are indeed true, I am very disappointed,” Beilenson said Thursday. “We have to make sure people follow guidelines or else we have to step in for further enforcement.
“If we are talking about mitigation of risk to those who are most at risk, this is the population we are talking about,” he added.
Carlton Senior Living has 11 facilities throughout the Bay Area and Sacramento regions, and has been in operation since 1985, according to the company’s website.
On its website, the company said Thursday that three residents had been tested for the virus and found negative by county health officials. Neither Cooke nor Luke were aware of their family member being tested, and both said they believed all residents and staff should be tested.
At a news conference Thursday, California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said he expected all residents to be tested and was working with the facility to make sure “everyone who needs testing gets it.”
Beilenson had said this week that Sacramento has a shortage of test kits, also a problem across the state and country. But Cooke said he thinks those in the senior facility should be prioritized because they are so susceptible to the virus and because an outbreak could spread to the community, as happened in Washington.
A statement from Carlton Senior Living said the facility was taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Due to this case we have implemented isolation protocol for the next 14 days and have been commended for the proactive steps we have taken to prevent the spread of this virus to other residents and staff in our Elk Grove Community,” the company’s statement reads. “Carlton continues to follow the guidelines and recommendations we receive from the CDC, Health Departments and experts in our industry.”
Ghaly said Thursday that the state was taking the situation “very seriously to make sure we lean in.”
“This is certainly a very important moment for California,” he said.
But family members are unconvinced the situation is being handled well.
“My point was they didn’t learn from … Kirkland,” Luke said.
The Times’ Seattle bureau chief Richard Read contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-12--Judge recommends revoking license of UCLA doctor accused of sexually assaulting colleagues

A UCLA cardiologist should have his medical license revoked for sexually assaulting a fellow doctor while he was working at L.A. County-USC Medical Center , according to an administrative law judge .
Dr. Meena Zareh said Dr. Guillermo Andres Cortes forcibly kissed her , stuck his tongue in her mouth and penetrated her vagina with his finger in a call room at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services ’ flagship hospital in November 2015 .
Zareh “ proved by clear and convincing evidence ” that Cortes assaulted her , according to a decision by Administrative Law Judge Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license should be stripped for “ unprofessional conduct ” as a result , Heller wrote .
Two other women , both of whom were County-USC physicians under Cortes ’ supervision , also accused him of sexual assault , according to Heller ’ s report .
One said Cortes had sex with her when she was drunk , unconscious and unable to give consent .
The other , who had consensual sex with Cortes , said he also raped her repeatedly .
In testimony before Heller late last year , Cortes claimed the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationships with the other two women were consensual .
In his decision , Heller wrote that the evidence was convincing in Zareh ’ s case but not in the other two .
It ’ s now up to the state medical board to accept or reject Heller ’ s proposed decision to revoke Cortes ’ license .
The board could also reduce the punishment , reject it entirely or ask Heller to take more evidence in the case .
“ Revocation is a very harsh penalty for what was found , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Obviously we disagree with the findings.
” Zareh said officials at both USC ’ s medical school and the county hospital retaliated against her after she spoke up .
First , she said , they suggested she delay her own medical education to avoid working in proximity to Cortes .
Then she said they suggested she leave and continue her education somewhere else .
Then they scheduled her to work the same shift as Cortes on more than one occasion .
“ Instead of encountering a supportive environment , I was retaliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to silence me , ” Zareh said in an interview .
“ I had two major institutions punishing me for reporting a [ predator ] ... and those people are still in power.
” Zareh filed a civil suit , which is ongoing , against the county health department and USC ’ s medical school .
Rochessa Washington , spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services , said the county took “ immediate and appropriate actions ” in response to Zareh ’ s accusation .
But she declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in active litigation.
” A spokesperson for USC ‘ s medical school said once made aware of Zareh ’ s allegations , “ we took appropriate actions in response.
” .
“ I think this is a classic example of women not being believed , ” said Leslie Levy , Zareh ’ s lawyer .
“ She had no motive to make this up .
This put her career at risk.
” In her testimony before Heller , Zareh acknowledged she found Cortes physically attractive .
From her text messages , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged assault .
But they had never dated and there was nothing that led her to expect what she claimed he did in the small , windowless room at County-USC hospital , Zareh said .
After she asked for his advice about a critically ill patient , Zareh said Cortes gestured for her to follow him into the locked room .
Once inside , she said , he positioned his cellphone on a desk so he could watch a soccer game , they discussed the patient briefly and then he attacked her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ stop ” but he didn ’ t .
When he shoved his right hand down the front of her scrub pants and penetrated her with his finger , she said she told him to “ get your hand out of there.
” He eventually did , but not before scratching her vagina with his fingernail , Zareh said .
In his testimony , Cortes said he never touched Zareh in the call room and had been more interested in the soccer game .
He said she asked him about an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s prestigious cardiology fellowship program , but he told her something like , “ USC is not for you.
” Cortes speculated that might be why Zareh accused him of assault .
But , Heller wrote , “ it is hard to believe such a statement would motivate [ Zareh ] to fabricate a sexual assault claim.
” After breaking free from the attack , which Zareh said lasted between three and five minutes , she immediately told a close friend and colleague at the hospital .
But she did not report it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was accepted to the cardiology program and realized she would have to work closely with Cortes .
The county placed Cortes on paid leave while it investigated , but eventually found the evidence of the assault in the call room inconclusive and allowed him to return to work .
The case was referred to authorities , but prosecutors declined to file a felony charge of penetration by force .
A deputy district attorney said the case lacked enough evidence “ at this time , ” according to a memo obtained by The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at UCLA ’ s David Geffen School of Medicine , but he was suspended with pay in May 2018 after an accusation was filed regarding the sexual assault claims with the state medical board .
He remains on paid leave , according to the university .
Cortes was fired from a job at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for the same reason .
Cortes ’ state medical license is listed as current and active .
His attorney said Cortes is not working as a physician at this time .
Last year , a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical school ’ s fellowship in cardiovascular disease .
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education did not publicly state the reasons for the action , but it came a year after Zareh ’ s accusation was filed with the state medical board .
In a memo at the time , Dr. Laura Mosqueda , dean of USC ’ s medical school , said the move was based on concerns about “ resident safety and wellness processes .
”

Dr. Meena Zareh, a former cardiology fellow at L.A. County-USC Medical Center, alleged in a lawsuit that she was sexually assaulted by another physician at the hospital in 2015.
A UCLA cardiologist should have his medical license revoked for sexually assaulting a fellow doctor while he was working at L.A. County-USC Medical Center, according to an administrative law judge.
Dr. Meena Zareh said Dr. Guillermo Andres Cortes forcibly kissed her, stuck his tongue in her mouth and penetrated her vagina with his finger in a call room at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services’ flagship hospital in November 2015.
Zareh “proved by clear and convincing evidence” that Cortes assaulted her, according to a decision by Administrative Law Judge Thomas Heller last month. Cortes’ medical license should be stripped for “unprofessional conduct” as a result, Heller wrote.
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Judge’s proposed decision on Dr. Guillermo Andres Cortes An administrative law judge’s decision about sex assault claims against Dr. Guillermo Andres Cortes
Two other women, both of whom were County-USC physicians under Cortes’ supervision, also accused him of sexual assault, according to Heller’s report. One said Cortes had sex with her when she was drunk, unconscious and unable to give consent. The other, who had consensual sex with Cortes, said he also raped her repeatedly.
In testimony before Heller late last year, Cortes claimed the incident with Zareh never happened and his sexual relationships with the other two women were consensual.
In his decision, Heller wrote that the evidence was convincing in Zareh’s case but not in the other two. It’s now up to the state medical board to accept or reject Heller’s proposed decision to revoke Cortes’ license. The board could also reduce the punishment, reject it entirely or ask Heller to take more evidence in the case.
“Revocation is a very harsh penalty for what was found,” said Peter Osinoff, Cortes’ attorney. “Obviously we disagree with the findings.”
Zareh said officials at both USC’s medical school and the county hospital retaliated against her after she spoke up.
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First, she said, they suggested she delay her own medical education to avoid working in proximity to Cortes. Then she said they suggested she leave and continue her education somewhere else. Then they scheduled her to work the same shift as Cortes on more than one occasion.
“Instead of encountering a supportive environment, I was retaliated against by very top leadership in an attempt to silence me,” Zareh said in an interview. “I had two major institutions punishing me for reporting a [predator] ... and those people are still in power.”
Zareh filed a civil suit, which is ongoing, against the county health department and USC’s medical school.
Rochessa Washington, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, said the county took “immediate and appropriate actions” in response to Zareh’s accusation. But she declined to offer more details because “the matter is in active litigation.”
A spokesperson for USC ‘s medical school said once made aware of Zareh’s allegations, “we took appropriate actions in response.” .
“I think this is a classic example of women not being believed,” said Leslie Levy, Zareh’s lawyer. “She had no motive to make this up. This put her career at risk.”
In her testimony before Heller, Zareh acknowledged she found Cortes physically attractive. From her text messages, it appears the two had flirted before the alleged assault. But they had never dated and there was nothing that led her to expect what she claimed he did in the small, windowless room at County-USC hospital, Zareh said.
After she asked for his advice about a critically ill patient, Zareh said Cortes gestured for her to follow him into the locked room. Once inside, she said, he positioned his cellphone on a desk so he could watch a soccer game, they discussed the patient briefly and then he attacked her.
She said she told him “no” and “stop” but he didn’t. When he shoved his right hand down the front of her scrub pants and penetrated her with his finger, she said she told him to “get your hand out of there.” He eventually did, but not before scratching her vagina with his fingernail, Zareh said.
In his testimony, Cortes said he never touched Zareh in the call room and had been more interested in the soccer game. He said she asked him about an application she had filed to USC’s prestigious cardiology fellowship program, but he told her something like, “USC is not for you.” Cortes speculated that might be why Zareh accused him of assault.
But, Heller wrote, “it is hard to believe such a statement would motivate [Zareh] to fabricate a sexual assault claim.”
After breaking free from the attack, which Zareh said lasted between three and five minutes, she immediately told a close friend and colleague at the hospital. But she did not report it to administrators for months, until she was accepted to the cardiology program and realized she would have to work closely with Cortes.
The county placed Cortes on paid leave while it investigated, but eventually found the evidence of the assault in the call room inconclusive and allowed him to return to work.
The case was referred to authorities, but prosecutors declined to file a felony charge of penetration by force. A deputy district attorney said the case lacked enough evidence “at this time,” according to a memo obtained by The Times.
Cortes moved on to a job at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, but he was suspended with pay in May 2018 after an accusation was filed regarding the sexual assault claims with the state medical board. He remains on paid leave, according to the university. Cortes was fired from a job at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for the same reason.
Cortes’ state medical license is listed as current and active. His attorney said Cortes is not working as a physician at this time.
Last year, a national oversight panel revoked accreditation for the USC medical school’s fellowship in cardiovascular disease. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education did not publicly state the reasons for the action, but it came a year after Zareh’s accusation was filed with the state medical board.
In a memo at the time, Dr. Laura Mosqueda, dean of USC’s medical school, said the move was based on concerns about “resident safety and wellness processes.”


latimes--2020-03-12--To protect renters from coronavirus fallout, L.A. and S.F. are pressing for eviction bans

With cases of the novel coronavirus multiplying rapidly and the financial implications of the outbreak becoming increasingly clear for low-income workers , the city of Los Angeles will consider a temporary ban on evictions next week amid calls for a similar moratorium that would apply across California .
Council President Nury Martinez and Councilmen Mike Bonin and Herb Wesson plan to introduce a measure that would prevent renters from being evicted throughout the city , as well as provide relief for homeowners , small businesses and landlords .
The details have yet to be determined , though councilmembers said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by the virus , including those who have been infected or who have lost work because the outbreak forced a business to close .
Or it could be a more general citywide ban .
“ We ’ re trying to take care of people who are sitting in their house right now and wondering what the hell they ’ re going to do , ” Wesson said .
The plan also could include measures to pause utility shutoffs , urge banks to suspend mortgage payments , and provide direct financial assistance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The councilmembers said they expect to unveil their plan in time for it to be voted on by the full City Council at its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday .
Depending on the details , it might take additional time to take effect .
Bonin said the city needed to act because he expects the virus to continue to spread .
The businesses and schools that are likely to close as a result will affect Angelenos beyond those who contract the virus — from parents who have to take off work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with limited sources of income and benefits .
“ The ripple effects of this are easy to see and they ’ re going to be extreme , ” Bonin said .
“ It ’ s the potential for a social and economic Armageddon.
” A spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti said the mayor strongly supports the proposed housing measure and is working with the council to pass it as quickly as possible .
Also Thursday , two Democratic state lawmakers from San Francisco — Assemblyman Phil Ting and Sen. Scott Wiener — urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreclosure bans that would apply statewide .
Ting said he will introduce legislation next week .
It would need a supermajority vote in both houses of the Legislature to take effect immediately .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has not weighed in on whether he ’ d support any relief for renters or homeowners .
Landlord groups in Southern California had different reactions to the plan from Martinez , Bonin and Wesson .
Daniel Yukelson , executive director of the Apartment Assn .
of Greater Los Angeles , blasted it , saying the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its residents .
He called their idea , “ yet another horrible regulation that would unleash an undeserved and excessive amount of punishment on unsuspecting ” landlords .
“ I can assure you that when good renters are faced with a temporary crisis due to a reduction of work hours , temporary job loss or health issues , rental property owners would rather work things out on their own , ” he said .
“ We are not in the eviction business , and evictions are purely a last and very costly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city would be able to negotiate with banks to hold off mortgage payments .
By contrast , Fred Sutton , a vice president with the California Apartment Assn.
, a group that represents landlords , said he understood the motivation behind an eviction moratorium and urged the council to pair any benefits for renters with similar measures that would allow landlords to pay their bills .
“ This virus is affecting everybody , ” Sutton said .
“ Everybody is going to need relief where appropriate.
” Sutton said his group preferred a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that landlords wouldn ’ t have to deal with different rules in different cities .
Some Bay Area cities are already moving ahead with eviction bans due to the coronavirus .
A spokesman for Mayor London Breed said that under San Francisco ’ s emergency provisions , the mayor , by the end of the week , plans to implement an eviction moratorium for those sickened by the virus , those who have lost income , and those who have had to miss work to care for children because of school closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to give final approval Tuesday to Mayor Sam Liccardo ’ s plan for a moratorium for those facing a substantial loss of income because of the coronavirus .
Liccardo , the first large-city mayor in California to call for a temporary eviction ban , said he worked to create a measure that would protect renters without unduly burdening landlords .
Tenants would still owe rent and could be subject to late fees , but they wouldn ’ t face eviction over nonpayment while the moratorium was in effect .
The mayor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak — for now , is worse in the Bay Area than in Los Angeles — is putting on low-income renters amid an already crippling affordable housing and homelessness crisis .
“ We ’ re going to get through this if we pull together , ” Liccardo said .
“ It means everyone is going to take some of the pain .
What we need to do most critically is to ensure that our most vulnerable community members are not bearing the greatest brunt of harm .
”

Alexandria Casserly crosses the street while looking for toilet paper in downtown Los Angeles. In preparation for the economic impact of the coronavirus, members of L.A. City Council are proposing protections for renters who might find themselves infected and out of work.
With cases of the novel coronavirus multiplying rapidly and the financial implications of the outbreak becoming increasingly clear for low-income workers, the city of Los Angeles will consider a temporary ban on evictions next week amid calls for a similar moratorium that would apply across California.
Council President Nury Martinez and Councilmen Mike Bonin and Herb Wesson plan to introduce a measure that would prevent renters from being evicted throughout the city, as well as provide relief for homeowners, small businesses and landlords.
The details have yet to be determined, though councilmembers said the moratorium could be limited to those directly affected by the virus, including those who have been infected or who have lost work because the outbreak forced a business to close. Or it could be a more general citywide ban.
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“We’re trying to take care of people who are sitting in their house right now and wondering what the hell they’re going to do,” Wesson said.
The plan also could include measures to pause utility shutoffs, urge banks to suspend mortgage payments, and provide direct financial assistance to renters and small businesses, including landlords.
The councilmembers said they expect to unveil their plan in time for it to be voted on by the full City Council at its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Depending on the details, it might take additional time to take effect.
Bonin said the city needed to act because he expects the virus to continue to spread. The businesses and schools that are likely to close as a result will affect Angelenos beyond those who contract the virus — from parents who have to take off work for childcare to hourly and gig economy workers with limited sources of income and benefits.
“The ripple effects of this are easy to see and they’re going to be extreme,” Bonin said. “It’s the potential for a social and economic Armageddon.”
A spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti said the mayor strongly supports the proposed housing measure and is working with the council to pass it as quickly as possible.
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Also Thursday, two Democratic state lawmakers from San Francisco — Assemblyman Phil Ting and Sen. Scott Wiener — urged the Legislature to pass temporary eviction and foreclosure bans that would apply statewide. Ting said he will introduce legislation next week. It would need a supermajority vote in both houses of the Legislature to take effect immediately.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has not weighed in on whether he’d support any relief for renters or homeowners.
Landlord groups in Southern California had different reactions to the plan from Martinez, Bonin and Wesson.
Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles, blasted it, saying the city should focus on the health and safety of its residents. He called their idea, “yet another horrible regulation that would unleash an undeserved and excessive amount of punishment on unsuspecting” landlords.
“I can assure you that when good renters are faced with a temporary crisis due to a reduction of work hours, temporary job loss or health issues, rental property owners would rather work things out on their own,” he said. “We are not in the eviction business, and evictions are purely a last and very costly resort.”
Yukelson also doubted that the city would be able to negotiate with banks to hold off mortgage payments.
By contrast, Fred Sutton, a vice president with the California Apartment Assn., a group that represents landlords, said he understood the motivation behind an eviction moratorium and urged the council to pair any benefits for renters with similar measures that would allow landlords to pay their bills.
“This virus is affecting everybody,” Sutton said. “Everybody is going to need relief where appropriate.”
Sutton said his group preferred a plan that would go beyond L.A., so that landlords wouldn’t have to deal with different rules in different cities.
Some Bay Area cities are already moving ahead with eviction bans due to the coronavirus.
A spokesman for Mayor London Breed said that under San Francisco’s emergency provisions, the mayor, by the end of the week, plans to implement an eviction moratorium for those sickened by the virus, those who have lost income, and those who have had to miss work to care for children because of school closures.
The San Jose City Council is expected to give final approval Tuesday to Mayor Sam Liccardo’s plan for a moratorium for those facing a substantial loss of income because of the coronavirus.
Liccardo, the first large-city mayor in California to call for a temporary eviction ban, said he worked to create a measure that would protect renters without unduly burdening landlords. Tenants would still owe rent and could be subject to late fees, but they wouldn’t face eviction over nonpayment while the moratorium was in effect.
The mayor said he is worried about the additional pressures the outbreak — for now, is worse in the Bay Area than in Los Angeles — is putting on low-income renters amid an already crippling affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
“We’re going to get through this if we pull together,” Liccardo said. “It means everyone is going to take some of the pain. What we need to do most critically is to ensure that our most vulnerable community members are not bearing the greatest brunt of harm.”