latimes--2020-03-15--Angelenos cope with coronavirus 'pandemonium' by buying craft supplies, weed and guns

Like untold multitudes who came before her , Giulia Ragusa eyed the handprints of Marilyn Monroe set in concrete in front of the landmark TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood .
Ragusa got down on her knees and thrust her palms right where the film siren once did .
“ I ’ m not afraid !
” she declared .
“ I ’ m young and strong !
” Unlike the multitudes who came before her , the 27-year-old from San Francisco then implored her friend , “ Get the hand sanitizer out of my backpack , please.
” In measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from afar sounded notes of anxiety , hope and some fear as they settled into the first full day of an official national coronavirus emergency .
Parents stocked up on arts and crafts supplies , knowing their children would be home from school for weeks .
Families sought out the damp beauty of the Huntington Gardens in San Marino and the boardwalk in Santa Monica .
Couples packed liquor stores and pot shops to , as one Highland Park customer put it , “ take the edge off all this craziness.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fearing that today ’ s public health emergency might turn into tomorrow ’ s broader civil breakdown .
For every person sheltering quietly at home , there were others still fighting for supplies as they entered what felt like it could be a long siege .
A Highland Park man said his roommate had seen two women begin wrestling inside a store after one sneezed and failed to cover her nose .
In Torrance , a CVS manager was relieved she hadn ’ t had to endure the fights she ’ d heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though she said that at her own store , “ It ’ s been pandemonium.
” “ It ’ s like waking up to a new reality .
There are limitations now to what you can do in life , at least for the time being , ” said David Freid as he toured the Huntington Gardens to get a break from “ self-isolation ” with his girlfriend , Jennifer Tocquigny .
“ And it feels strange , because we don ’ t know how long it ’ s going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Reminders of the virus that causes COVID-19 stretched from a light-on-tourists Hollywood Walk of Fame to meandering supermarket lines to freeways mostly devoid of traffic , featuring Caltrans message boards that declared : “ COVID-19 .
LESS IS MORE .
AVOID GATHERINGS.
” Angelenos over the decades have endured numerous emergencies — fires , earthquakes , riots — but they generally coped with them collectively , sometimes at evacuation sites or community centers .
But with the social distancing required to stem the spread of the coronavirus , many have had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seek out some retail therapy .
A BevMo store on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena reported that sales doubled Friday and remained brisk Saturday .
The Green Earth Collective pot shop in Highland Park had customers lined up elbow to elbow .
Philip , a registered nurse , left the dispensary with a bag of weed and declared , “ Nobody wants to go through quarantine sober.
” The Herbarium marijuana dispensary on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles even tried to own the moment , offering face masks with every purchase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ People don ’ t want to care about coronavirus , or watch upsetting news about it on television , ” said Breanna Lucier , a spokeswoman for the business .
“ Instead , they just want to chill out with Netflix and some weed.
” At jam-packed liquor emporiums , not all customers were looking to buzz away the coronavirus slowdown .
Some at the BevMo store in Culver City also wanted 120-proof Everclear , a grain alcohol brand , to fill another need .
“ Word is spreading fast that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol , it can kill any germ there is out there , ” said store manager Paul Pabich .
“ We had 24 bottles in stock on Monday , and they were all sold by Thursday.
” Nodding appreciatively to an empty shelf reserved for bottles of Everclear ( $ 19.99 each ) , Pabich shrugged and added , “ It ’ s the way of the world right now , and we ’ re making a little money from it.
” For parents , especially those with young children , the prospect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming .
Many of them filed into Michaels art supply in Pasadena on Saturday , looking for crafting materials to fill the coming days .
Natasha Wooldridge , 30 , said she would have to be occupying her nearly 3-year-old son , Asher , while trying to keep her telephone fashion sales work going .
“ I ’ m nervous it ’ s going to last longer than two weeks .
It ’ s a little terrifying , ” said Wooldridge with a laugh .
“ He ’ s very active , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not ideal.
” A mostly more mature crowd sought solace of another kind at the Videotheque video store in South Pasadena .
Business had jumped markedly , with customers favoring “ comfort ” classics such as “ Singin ’ in the Rain ” and “ The Sound of Music , ” said owner Mark Wright .
“ People might normally go hang out in a bar with other people , ” Wright said .
“ Now they are just hunkering down and staying cozy.
” One customer , Ned Price , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classic , “ Throne of Blood.
” Then , he said , he ’ d fill more of his added free time with a long-delayed home improvement chore — painting his kitchen .
“ Some people say this social isolation is an overreaction , but what ’ s overreacting ?
” said Price , retired from film restoration work at Warner Bros. “ You are doing this for other people , so they can stay well.
” On Saturday , the number of confirmed coronavirus cases statewide had increased an additional 41 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those reported in Los Angeles County .
Despite the admonition for people to keep six feet from strangers , the new social distancing guidelines from public health officials couldn ’ t keep people away from a few favorite haunts .
At Porto ’ s Bakery and Cafe in Glendale , more than 100 people waited for meals and sweets .
“ Yeah , I understand this isn ’ t exactly avoiding large gatherings , ” said Ariel Diaz of Los Feliz as she waited for an assortment of cakes and pastries .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m taking my chances.
” At the South Pasadena-San Marino YMCA , the 7 a.m. spin class drew eight people .
That left enough open bikes so most of the athletes could stay six feet apart .
“ I ’ m not worried .
I ’ m a gym rat .
I ’ m here three hours a day , ” said Betty Hanson , 72 , who went right from the class to a group cardio session .
“ We all have to stay healthy.
” But workers at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles had ordered a shutdown of group classes as of Monday .
If the Y closes down altogether ?
Hanson pledged she would be leaving L.A. for her second home , in Arizona .
More common were scenes of gathering places bereft of their normal crowds .
The ArcLight Cinemas location in Pasadena was virtually empty Friday night , with snack counters nearly barren .
That meant the few patrons could maintain their distance ; the theater had initiated a new policy of selling seats only in every other row .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Westfield Santa Anita mall , just two of 36 lanes were in use Saturday afternoon .
Rows of arcade games stood empty .
“ Right now , we ’ re just in a time of panic , ” said Roberto Calderon , a 35-year-old social worker , who was accustomed to seeing the lanes jammed .
“ People watch TV and they prepare for the worst , and they don ’ t leave their homes.
” Normally ebullient Hollywood Boulevard also went quiet Saturday .
“ Usually , this sidewalk is a river @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said souvenir salesman Nick Brooks , 34 .
“ But right now , for the first time , I ’ ve got a clear view all the way down to Highland Avenue , a quarter-mile away.
” Brooks pronounced business down 100 % .
“ I ’ ve worked this corner seven years , ” he said , “ and I ’ ve never seen it this slow.
” Others had a darker view of the days ahead .
At the Martin B. Retting gun shop in Culver City , a line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Inside , they stood shoulder to shoulder , waiting up to five hours for service .
A fast-food truck took orders at the curb .
One customer who did not give his name said he feared that “ civil services will break down.
” Another , 39-year-old John Gore , said people had to be ready to protect themselves .
“ Politicians and anti-gun people have been telling us for the longest time that we don ’ t need guns , ” he said .
“ But right now , a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can make that decision themselves.
” A doctor who would give only his first name , Ray , said he too felt a gun would satisfy his need for protection .
Ray said he intended to buy a handgun , possibly a Glock , but he wasn ’ t sure , and with the lines so long , he planned to come back at another time .
“ I have a house and a family , and they ’ ll need protection if things get worse .
”

James Rainey, Louis Sahagun, Andrew J. Campa

People line up outside Martin Retting gun store in Culver City, Sunday morning. Inside, they stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting up to five hours for service.
Like untold multitudes who came before her, Giulia Ragusa eyed the handprints of Marilyn Monroe set in concrete in front of the landmark TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Ragusa got down on her knees and thrust her palms right where the film siren once did. “I’m not afraid!” she declared. “I’m young and strong!”
Unlike the multitudes who came before her, the 27-year-old from San Francisco then implored her friend, “Get the hand sanitizer out of my backpack, please.”
In measures big and small, Angelenos and visitors from afar sounded notes of anxiety, hope and some fear as they settled into the first full day of an official national coronavirus emergency.
Parents stocked up on arts and crafts supplies, knowing their children would be home from school for weeks. Families sought out the damp beauty of the Huntington Gardens in San Marino and the boardwalk in Santa Monica. Couples packed liquor stores and pot shops to, as one Highland Park customer put it, “take the edge off all this craziness.” And people lined up to buy guns — fearing that today’s public health emergency might turn into tomorrow’s broader civil breakdown.
Advertisement
For every person sheltering quietly at home, there were others still fighting for supplies as they entered what felt like it could be a long siege. A Highland Park man said his roommate had seen two women begin wrestling inside a store after one sneezed and failed to cover her nose. In Torrance, a CVS manager was relieved she hadn’t had to endure the fights she’d heard broke out at a neighboring supermarket, even though she said that at her own store, “It’s been pandemonium.”
“It’s like waking up to a new reality. There are limitations now to what you can do in life, at least for the time being,” said David Freid as he toured the Huntington Gardens to get a break from “self-isolation” with his girlfriend, Jennifer Tocquigny. “And it feels strange, because we don’t know how long it’s going to be for everything to get back on track.”
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19.
Reminders of the virus that causes COVID-19 stretched from a light-on-tourists Hollywood Walk of Fame to meandering supermarket lines to freeways mostly devoid of traffic, featuring Caltrans message boards that declared: “COVID-19. LESS IS MORE. AVOID GATHERINGS.”
Angelenos over the decades have endured numerous emergencies — fires, earthquakes, riots — but they generally coped with them collectively, sometimes at evacuation sites or community centers. But with the social distancing required to stem the spread of the coronavirus, many have had no place of public refuge, other than to seek out some retail therapy.
A BevMo store on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena reported that sales doubled Friday and remained brisk Saturday. The Green Earth Collective pot shop in Highland Park had customers lined up elbow to elbow.
Philip, a registered nurse, left the dispensary with a bag of weed and declared, “Nobody wants to go through quarantine sober.”
The Herbarium marijuana dispensary on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles even tried to own the moment, offering face masks with every purchase. They were labeled “Corona Free Herbarium.”
Advertisement
“People don’t want to care about coronavirus, or watch upsetting news about it on television,” said Breanna Lucier, a spokeswoman for the business. “Instead, they just want to chill out with Netflix and some weed.”
At jam-packed liquor emporiums, not all customers were looking to buzz away the coronavirus slowdown. Some at the BevMo store in Culver City also wanted 120-proof Everclear, a grain alcohol brand, to fill another need.
“Word is spreading fast that at 120 proof, or 60% alcohol, it can kill any germ there is out there,” said store manager Paul Pabich. “We had 24 bottles in stock on Monday, and they were all sold by Thursday.”
Nodding appreciatively to an empty shelf reserved for bottles of Everclear ($19.99 each), Pabich shrugged and added, “It’s the way of the world right now, and we’re making a little money from it.”
For parents, especially those with young children, the prospect of weeks without schools and preschools seemed overwhelming. Many of them filed into Michaels art supply in Pasadena on Saturday, looking for crafting materials to fill the coming days.
Natasha Wooldridge, 30, said she would have to be occupying her nearly 3-year-old son, Asher, while trying to keep her telephone fashion sales work going.
“I’m nervous it’s going to last longer than two weeks. It’s a little terrifying,” said Wooldridge with a laugh. “He’s very active, so being cooped up indoors, it’s not ideal.”
A mostly more mature crowd sought solace of another kind at the Videotheque video store in South Pasadena. Business had jumped markedly, with customers favoring “comfort” classics such as “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Sound of Music,” said owner Mark Wright.
“People might normally go hang out in a bar with other people,” Wright said. “Now they are just hunkering down and staying cozy.”
One customer, Ned Price, was getting ready to rewatch an Akira Kurosawa classic, “Throne of Blood.” Then, he said, he’d fill more of his added free time with a long-delayed home improvement chore — painting his kitchen.
“Some people say this social isolation is an overreaction, but what’s overreacting?” said Price, retired from film restoration work at Warner Bros. “You are doing this for other people, so they can stay well.”
On Saturday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases statewide had increased an additional 41, to 288 total, with 54 of those reported in Los Angeles County.
Despite the admonition for people to keep six feet from strangers, the new social distancing guidelines from public health officials couldn’t keep people away from a few favorite haunts.
At Porto’s Bakery and Cafe in Glendale, more than 100 people waited for meals and sweets.
“Yeah, I understand this isn’t exactly avoiding large gatherings,” said Ariel Diaz of Los Feliz as she waited for an assortment of cakes and pastries. “But the food is good, so I’m taking my chances.”
At the South Pasadena-San Marino YMCA, the 7 a.m. spin class drew eight people. That left enough open bikes so most of the athletes could stay six feet apart.
“I’m not worried. I’m a gym rat. I’m here three hours a day,” said Betty Hanson, 72, who went right from the class to a group cardio session. “We all have to stay healthy.”
But workers at the Y said the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles had ordered a shutdown of group classes as of Monday. If the Y closes down altogether? Hanson pledged she would be leaving L.A. for her second home, in Arizona.
More common were scenes of gathering places bereft of their normal crowds. The ArcLight Cinemas location in Pasadena was virtually empty Friday night, with snack counters nearly barren. That meant the few patrons could maintain their distance; the theater had initiated a new policy of selling seats only in every other row.
At the Bowlero bowling alley inside Arcadia’s Westfield Santa Anita mall, just two of 36 lanes were in use Saturday afternoon. Rows of arcade games stood empty.
“Right now, we’re just in a time of panic,” said Roberto Calderon, a 35-year-old social worker, who was accustomed to seeing the lanes jammed. “People watch TV and they prepare for the worst, and they don’t leave their homes.”
Normally ebullient Hollywood Boulevard also went quiet Saturday.
“Usually, this sidewalk is a river of people, 30 persons deep,” said souvenir salesman Nick Brooks, 34. “But right now, for the first time, I’ve got a clear view all the way down to Highland Avenue, a quarter-mile away.”
Brooks pronounced business down 100%. “I’ve worked this corner seven years,” he said, “and I’ve never seen it this slow.”
Others had a darker view of the days ahead.
At the Martin B. Retting gun shop in Culver City, a line of prospective customers stretched out the door. Inside, they stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting up to five hours for service. A fast-food truck took orders at the curb. One customer who did not give his name said he feared that “civil services will break down.”
Another, 39-year-old John Gore, said people had to be ready to protect themselves.
“Politicians and anti-gun people have been telling us for the longest time that we don’t need guns,” he said. “But right now, a lot of people are truly scared, and they can make that decision themselves.”
A doctor who would give only his first name, Ray, said he too felt a gun would satisfy his need for protection.
Ray said he intended to buy a handgun, possibly a Glock, but he wasn’t sure, and with the lines so long, he planned to come back at another time.
“I have a house and a family, and they’ll need protection if things get worse.”


latimes--2020-03-14--Coronavirus has Silicon Valley on unprecedented restrictions, empty shelves, quiet streets

On the night after a historic push in the San Francisco Bay Area to shrink and even end all gatherings to rein in the spreading coronavirus , the region seemed to go into hiding .
The crazed rush at the Safeway in Millbrae , near the San Francisco International Airport , had finally ebbed late Friday , with shoppers in masks picking through boxes to find the last few packages of toilet paper .
A nearby Baskin-Robbins had stopped giving out ice cream samples .
And a cellphone store farther down Broadway posted a sign promising that its door handles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farther south , in Silicon Valley , workers were settling into a new reality — no more free food from their tech cafeterias , forcing them to order in .
The streets emptied out ; U.S. 101 was free and clear .
And at Katana Sushi & Sake in Sunnyvale , normally bustling on a Friday night , just one-third of the tables were occupied — making it easy for diners to stay far more than six feet away from any other table This is what Silicon Valley looks like amid an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials because of the virus .
Santa Clara County is in the midst of the outbreak , with more than 90 cases and two deaths reported so far .
The coronavirus has affected many areas of life .
One San Jose firefighter has tested positive , as have three airport TSA screeners .
On Saturday , officials revealed a Stanford student had , prompting new safety measures on campus .
“ This student is now self-isolating .
Our teams are currently doing contact tracing and are working to inform and provide guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as possible , ” Stanford said in a .
Calling the “ one of the most historic public health challenges of our time , ” the Santa Clara County health officer on Friday issued an of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more .
The order recommended that all gatherings be canceled .
With the , the order by Dr. Sara Cody was the most stringent ban on public gatherings across California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit county across the state , reporting two deaths .
The county superintendent of schools also ordered the in Santa Clara County beginning March 16 through April 3 .
“ Based on these data and patterns of disease that we see around the world , we know that the outbreak of COVID-19 in our county will accelerate .
And we anticipate many , many more cases in the days and weeks to come , ” Cody said .
“ These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease and preserve critical healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
The order was sure to have a dramatic effect on restaurants , theaters and bars .
Cody said the orders and recommendations apply to any event that brings together people in a confined indoor or outdoor space .
San Francisco ’ s health officer has issued a public health order banning all non-essential events of 100 or more people .
Restaurants that have a capacity of more than 100 people can continue operating if they reduce their occupancy in half to allow for adequate social distancing .
For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can continue operating if it reduces its occupancy to 75 .
“ We hope that this order will encourage people to skip social gatherings for the time being , and promote telecommuting and social distancing .
Together , we can fight the spread of coronavirus , reduce harm to our community , and protect the most vulnerable people , ” said Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of health .
There are five requirements that hosts of public and private gatherings between 35 and 100 people must comply with in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least six feet from each other • Make soap and water available for attendees to wash their hands , or alcohol-based hand sanitizer • People hosting gatherings must alert prospective attendees 24 hours before that the events post a heightened risk of coronavirus transmission , and older adults and those with health conditions are at serious risk and should not attend • For ticketed events , hosts must allow prospective attendees to cancel their attendance at no charge and refund them • Hosts must clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes and other standard @ @

On the night after a historic push in the San Francisco Bay Area to shrink and even end all gatherings to rein in the spreading coronavirus, the region seemed to go into hiding.
The crazed rush at the Safeway in Millbrae, near the San Francisco International Airport, had finally ebbed late Friday, with shoppers in masks picking through boxes to find the last few packages of toilet paper.
A nearby Baskin-Robbins had stopped giving out ice cream samples. And a cellphone store farther down Broadway posted a sign promising that its door handles were sanitized four times a day. Farther south, in Silicon Valley, workers were settling into a new reality — no more free food from their tech cafeterias, forcing them to order in.
The streets emptied out; U.S. 101 was free and clear. And at Katana Sushi & Sake in Sunnyvale, normally bustling on a Friday night, just one-third of the tables were occupied — making it easy for diners to stay far more than six feet away from any other table
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This is what Silicon Valley looks like amid an unprecedented canceling of public gatherings ordered by public health officials because of the virus.
A serious outbreak
Santa Clara County is in the midst of the outbreak, with more than 90 cases and two deaths reported so far.
Cases
91 Total cases
38 Hospitalized
2 Deaths
The coronavirus has affected many areas of life. One San Jose firefighter has tested positive, as have three airport TSA screeners.
On Saturday, officials revealed a Stanford student had tested positive for the virus , prompting new safety measures on campus. “This student is now self-isolating. Our teams are currently doing contact tracing and are working to inform and provide guidance to all close contacts of the individual as soon as possible,” Stanford said in a statement .
Unprecedented restrictions
Calling the coronavirus outbreak “one of the most historic public health challenges of our time,” the Santa Clara County health officer on Friday issued an aggressive ban on public gatherings of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more.
The order recommended that all gatherings be canceled.
With the virus hitting Silicon Valley hard , the order by Dr. Sara Cody was the most stringent ban on public gatherings across California. Santa Clara County is the worst hit county across the state, reporting two deaths.
Advertisement
The county superintendent of schools also ordered the closure of public schools in Santa Clara County beginning March 16 through April 3.
“Based on these data and patterns of disease that we see around the world, we know that the outbreak of COVID-19 in our county will accelerate. And we anticipate many, many more cases in the days and weeks to come,” Cody said.
“These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease and preserve critical healthcare capacity and other essential services,” she said.
The order was sure to have a dramatic effect on restaurants, theaters and bars.
Cody said the orders and recommendations apply to any event that brings together people in a confined indoor or outdoor space.
San Francisco’s health officer has issued a public health order banning all non-essential events of 100 or more people. Restaurants that have a capacity of more than 100 people can continue operating if they reduce their occupancy in half to allow for adequate social distancing. For instance, a restaurant with an occupancy of 150 can continue operating if it reduces its occupancy to 75.
“We hope that this order will encourage people to skip social gatherings for the time being, and promote telecommuting and social distancing. Together, we can fight the spread of coronavirus, reduce harm to our community, and protect the most vulnerable people,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of health.
Santa Clara County requirements
There are five requirements that hosts of public and private gatherings between 35 and 100 people must comply with in Santa Clara County:


latimes--2020-03-15--Robert Durst murder trial postponed because of coronavirus

The Robert Durst murder trial has been postponed to April 6 amid concerns across the court system of about coronavirus .
In the face of the growing outbreak , courts have taken a patchwork of measures : months-long delays in trials , excusing jurors over the age of 60 , and temporarily closing courthouses altogether .
On Friday , Los Angeles County Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile recommended that new civil trials and some criminal trials be pushed back 30 days — a staggering step in a system infamous for long waits for hearings and trials .
Some are calling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the fate of court operations could come Monday .
Several attorneys said they were frustrated by the lackadaisical practices in courthouses last week : Scant hand sanitizer was available to the general public .
Security screenings at courthouse entrances had no wipes to clean surfaces as more people came through .
And elevators were crammed as ever — filled with people coming for jury duty .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office has alleged that Durst , the heir to a Manhattan real estate fortune , killed writer Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Durst killed Berman to prevent her from spilling incriminating information about the 1982 disappearance of his first wife , Kathleen , whose body was never found .
He has pleaded not guilty .
Durst ’ s younger brother , Thomas Durst , 70 , said he invoked coronavirus concerns in an effort to get out of traveling to L.A. on a subpoena to testify against his sibling .
In an email , Thomas Durst , who has a residence in the Bay Area , said he presented a doctor ’ s note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office in which his personal doctor strongly advised “ against any travel , particularly airplane travel , ” citing unspecified medical issues .
He said he was “ amazed at the cavalier attitude ” toward coronavirus by the judge and district attorney ’ s office , and said his request to testify remotely via video was refused .
The younger Durst ultimately complied with the subpoena .
Last week , Thomas Durst reportedly wore latex gloves when he showed up to testify at the Airport Courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was asked by a prosecutor how he felt about being there .
“ I hate it , ” he said .
Asked if he had done everything in his power to avoid testifying , he agreed .
“ This is a horrible experience , and I ’ m fearful of my brother.
” On Friday , Judge Mark Windham announced jurors would sit with one seat between them in the courtroom , and said at least one person could testify remotely .
It was unclear if that arrangement would continue when the trial @ @ @ @

Robert Durst is accused of killing his friend Susan Berman in 2000. Prosecutors say she knew incriminating information about the 1982 disappearance of Durst’s first wife, Kathleen, whose body was never found.
The Robert Durst murder trial has been postponed to April 6 amid concerns across the court system about coronavirus.
In the face of the growing outbreak, courts have taken a patchwork of measures: months-long delays in trials, excusing jurors over the age of 60, and temporarily closing courthouses altogether.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Superior Court announced that new criminal and civil trials would be put off for at least 30 days. Judges in the nation’s largest trial court were also encouraged to shift toward telephonic proceedings to lower traffic in the region’s courthouses.
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Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile said that for trials already underway, it would be up to individual judges to decide whether to postpone proceedings or declare a mistrial. Brazile said self-help centers at courthouses would also be closed.
“We will continue to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities and remain open to handle criminal matters subject to statutory deadlines,” Brazile said in a statement.
On Friday, Brazile recommended that new civil trials and some criminal trials be pushed back 30 days as some were calling for much more aggressive action.
More information about the fate of court operations could come Monday.
Several attorneys said they were frustrated by what they saw as lackadaisical practices in courthouses last week: Scant hand sanitizer was available to the general public. Security screenings at courthouse entrances had no wipes to clean surfaces as more people came through. And elevators were crammed as ever — filled with people coming for jury duty.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has alleged that Durst, heir to a Manhattan real estate fortune, killed writer Susan Berman in December 2000. Prosecutors contend that Durst killed Berman to prevent her from spilling incriminating information about the 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen, whose body was never found. He has pleaded not guilty.
Durst’s younger brother, Thomas Durst, 70, said he invoked coronavirus concerns in an effort to get out of traveling to L.A. on a subpoena to testify against his sibling.
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In an email, Thomas Durst, who has a residence in the Bay Area, said he presented a doctor’s note on March 6 to the district attorney’s office in which his personal doctor strongly advised “against any travel, particularly airplane travel,” citing unspecified medical issues.
He said he was “amazed at the cavalier attitude” toward coronavirus by the judge and district attorney’s office, and said his request to testify remotely via video was refused. The younger Durst ultimately complied with the subpoena. Last week, Thomas Durst reportedly wore latex gloves when he showed up to testify at the Airport Courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport. On the witness stand, he was asked by a prosecutor how he felt about being there.
“I hate it,” he said. Asked if he had done everything in his power to avoid testifying, he agreed. “This is a horrible experience, and I’m fearful of my brother.”
On Friday, Superior Court Judge Mark Windham said jurors would sit with one seat between them in the courtroom, and said at least one person could testify remotely. It was unclear if that arrangement would continue when the trial resumes April 6.


latimes--2020-03-15--An unexpected side effect of the coronavirus? A new urgency about helping homeless people

As public health officials scramble to manage the spread of the novel coronavirus , strategies are starting to be implemented across California and the rest of the country to protect the homeless population .
On Sunday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced that homeless people would be prioritized as a vulnerable population .
Though he offered few details , he said there would be a massive attempt to move people off the streets and into indoor settings , including hotels and motels purchased in recent days and 450 state-owned trailers that will be deployed throughout California .
On Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which will ease the funneling of Medicaid dollars to states to help low-income individuals get tested and treated for COVID-19 , open emergency clinics and develop quarantine sites for those who have no place to self-isolate .
Earlier this month , the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also took the unprecedented step of publishing guidelines for preventing and managing the spread of infectious diseases among people living on the streets and in shelters .
These moves are particularly crucial in California , home to half of the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus cases reported nationwide so far .
Meanwhile , San Francisco has allocated $ 5 million for a series of initiatives to protect the health of the 8,000 people living on the streets or in shelters and the many more who live in single-room occupancy hotels .
The city ’ s efforts are mostly focused on its dense northeast neighborhoods and include hiring more janitors and increasing meal services to let residents stay indoors .
In Los Angeles , hand-washing stations are being delivered to encampments throughout the city .
Outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as social distancing from their homeless clients , which will allow them to continue working on the streets , but with a lower risk of introducing an infection .
The plans in each city differ in scope , pace and ambition and reflect the specific demands of the local homeless population , which has yet to report a case of COVID-19 .
Whether these approaches will be effective in the long-term remains unclear .
For those living in encampments scattered throughout cities or bedding down in crowded shelters , containment or mitigation might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario where this virus mercifully dodges the homeless population or another scenario where it hits the homeless population quite hard , ” said Randall Kuhn , a professor at UCLA ’ s Department of Community Health Services .
“ Everyone is obviously facing a serious situation .
Everyone is becoming increasingly aware of how serious it is — but it is still abstract.
” Beyond the hypotheticals , however , is the hope among public health experts that the coronavirus pandemic , however temporary , will bring about a shift in homeless policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cities throughout America .
No one questions the vulnerability of homeless people .
Last year in Los Angeles County , nearly 1,100 people — ravaged by illness , addiction , suicide and exposure — died on the streets , where public health emergencies are common .
Three years ago , Hepatitis A killed 16 people in San Diego County who were either homeless or visiting encampments .
Last year , an outbreak of typhus hit skid row , and more recently , trench fever , transmitted by body lice , sickened people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not only does the stress of living outdoors depress immunity , but mental illness , substance abuse and unsanitary living conditions — exacerbated by poor nutrition , lack of running water and toilets — create an environment conducive to the spread of disease .
But as much as homeless people are vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19 , they are generally isolated from common sources of transmission , Kuhn said .
On the streets , social distancing — the best way to slow the spread of the coronavirus , public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most people already avoid homeless men and women , and encampments are typically out of the way , beneath freeways , in alleys and along riverbeds .
But while it may take longer for the virus to reach the homeless population , once it does , Kuhn said “ it could spread like wildfire and potentially spread back into the general population.
” Keeping the virus from reaching homeless communities is the challenge facing public health officials .
Kuhn estimates that nearly 10,000 homeless people in L.A. County are over 60 years old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 .
Separately , last year ’ s government-mandated count of the homeless population found that 13,600 men and women were 55 or older , up 7 % from the prior year .
Newsom on Sunday , in addition to prioritizing the state ’ s homeless population , asked 5.3 million Californians over the age of 65 to isolate themselves at home .
That ’ s impossible for older people who lack housing .
But by securing motels and deploying trailers , Newsom said the state will be able to move people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their growing anxiety and our growing concerns.
” On the streets , possible sources of transmission range from outreach and shelter workers , whose jobs require daily interaction with homeless people , to public spaces like libraries , restaurants and street transportation that homeless people often use .
“ The reality is a typical person experiencing homelessness is at more risk of contracting a disease and affecting their health than of spreading a disease , ” said Bobby Watts , head of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Los Angeles , where homeless encampments have been raised close to residential neighborhoods .
Kuhn points out that the homeless people in San Francisco are especially vulnerable to an outbreak because of its density and the physically close relationship between housed and unhoused residents .
A week after HUD issued its guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases , San Francisco announced the creation of an emergency fund for the purpose of reducing exposure of the virus to people living in shelters , single-room occupancy hotels and permanent supportive housing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health order that established “ cleaning and contagion mitigation protocols ” in settings where homeless people gather and live , including expanded shelter hours .
“ For vulnerable people in SROs or shelters , this investment will help them limit their outings , by assuring that food and shelter is available , and that congregate settings are clean environments , ” said Grant Colfax , director of heath for San Francisco .
The city also leased 30 recreational vehicles at a cost of $ 440,000 through June .
Parked in the Presidio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods to quarantine and isolate homeless people who test positive for COVID-19 and aren ’ t hospitalized .
For those who have been exposed to the disease but are asymptomatic , residential apartments and hotels will be available for people to self-quarantine if they don ’ t have a place to go .
“ We have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our homeless or SRO populations , but we want to have resources in place , so people have a safe place to be cared for if and when that happens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the city ’ s emergency management department .
Twenty hand-washing stations are also being distributed throughout the city , along with portable toilets ; the city has published their locations online .
With its sprawl of neighborhoods made up of predominantly single-family homes , Los Angeles County might find it easier than San Francisco to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus among its homeless population of nearly 59,000 .
In the general population , there are currently more coronavirus cases in the Bay Area than in Southern California , but elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin to change .
“ Not to say we shouldn ’ t be deeply concerned in Los Angeles , ” Kuhn said , “ but it gives us a couple of days more to come up with a plan that is more tailored to our daily context.
” If San Francisco ’ s announcements last week constituted a blitz , a more deliberate approach is being taken south of the Tehachapis .
“ We ’ re trying not to panic , but prepare , and there ’ s a fine line between those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director for Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
“ But acting with urgency is super important.
” Among her concerns is making sure that shelters across the city remain operational , especially if their staff call in sick .
She said that her agency is working with providers to make sure cleaning supplies are available for janitorial services over the next three or four months .
Sarah Dusseault , who chairs the governing commission of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , believes that one of the first priorities is to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The agency set up a dedicated website to answer questions about the coronavirus and conducted a webinar with outreach workers to provide instructions before they head out onto the street .
The agency , known as LAHSA , also is working with the city and county to coordinate its response to the pandemic .
On Thursday , the city began delivering 100 hand-washing stations to encampments across Los Angeles , a week after the motion was presented in the City Council .
One advocacy group , however , argues that skid row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as more public toilets , hydration stations and mobile laundry facilities .
Still in doubt is whether the city will suspend the work of its sanitation crews who conduct periodic cleanups of encampments .
These efforts , aimed at removing trash and hazardous materials and in some instances washing sidewalks , are often disruptive for the homeless residents who are forced to relocate their tents and belongings .
Last week , the city of San Jose announced it was temporarily ending the sweeps of encampments through the second week of April .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretches across the Los Angeles County , one missing piece is where to quarantine homeless people who are symptomatic or asymptomatic with COVID-19 .
On Tuesday , Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s director of public health , announced that her department and the homeless authority were working to identify a facility for individuals who might need to be quarantined for the coronavirus .
LAHSA ’ s Marston said a range of options are being considered , among them , an early opening of one of the recently completed bridge shelters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but motel owners have expressed reservations about that plan , Marston said .
Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Christina Miller said the city is considering hospitals and recuperative care facilities as quarantine zones .
“ That ’ s not where we ’ re at right now , ” she said .
“ The best thing we can do right now is plan for that scenario.
” Homelessness has long been framed as a public health crisis , and the coronavirus is challenging existing safeguards .
The reality of the outbreak has raised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake-up call for understanding and more directly addressing the needs of the homeless community .
“ When we think about community disaster response and emergency response , everyone in the healthcare space thinks about nursing homes and hospitals , ” said Barbara DiPietro , senior director of policy for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council .
“ All too often , homeless populations are either forgotten or pushed to the side , not appreciated as a priority.
” DiPietro sees an opportunity to get further buy-in for providing more consistent preventative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often been politically unpopular in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California .
Across the state , county departments of public health have issued guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus , and the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued its own this month , an unusual step for an agency that has expressed ambivalence toward helping low-income Americans .
Written to help limit the spread of illness in shelters and encampments , the “ Infectious Disease Toolkit ” provides both a broad overview — “ developing a response plan ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and practical specifics , including installing hand-washing stations , increasing access to public restrooms and providing trash collection from encampments .
“ This is extraordinary , but exactly what you would like to see , ” Kuhn said .
“ How much you can implement these guidelines is always the question.
” Kuhn also wonders how the federal guidelines , essentially a “ one-size-fits-all ” approach , can be tailored to Los Angeles County , with its 10 million people and 88 cities across a region the size of Connecticut .
If outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and provides visible benefits , then the changes brought by the coronavirus might last beyond the epidemic .
“ These are activities necessary for daily living , ” DiPietro said of emergency sanitation efforts .
“ Maybe the coronavirus changes how we approach these.
” Given the frequency of public health emergencies among homeless people , the health of any city depends upon whether its most marginalized residents are properly supported , experts say .
“ There is the possibility that this crisis will put a light on why we have a safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This has the potential to shed a broader light on how interconnected we are and how beneficial are the safety nets for preventing homelessness.
” “ Our hope , ” she said , speaking of LAHSA , “ is that this is an opportunity to double-down on compassion and provide health support to keep everyone safe and well .
”

Thomas Curwen, Benjamin Oreskes, Anita Chabria

Alan lives on the street and sometimes struggles to hold a cup or bottle of water.
As public health officials scramble to manage the spread of the novel coronavirus, strategies are starting to be implemented across California and the rest of the country to protect the homeless population.
On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that homeless people would be prioritized as a vulnerable population. Though he offered few details, he said there would be a massive attempt to move people off the streets and into indoor settings, including hotels and motels purchased in recent days and 450 state-owned trailers that will be deployed throughout California.
For the record: This article originally said that Randall Kuhn is a professor at UCLA’s department of community health services. He is with UCLA’s department of community health sciences.
On Friday, President Trump issued a federal emergency declaration, which will ease the funneling of Medicaid dollars to states to help low-income individuals get tested and treated for COVID-19, open emergency clinics and develop quarantine sites for those who have no place to self-isolate.
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Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also took the unprecedented step of publishing guidelines for preventing and managing the spread of infectious diseases among people living on the streets and in shelters.
These moves are particularly crucial in California, home to half of the country’s street homeless population and more than one-fifth of the coronavirus cases reported nationwide so far.
Meanwhile, San Francisco has allocated $5 million for a series of initiatives to protect the health of the 8,000 people living on the streets or in shelters and the many more who live in single-room occupancy hotels. The city’s efforts are mostly focused on its dense northeast neighborhoods and include hiring more janitors and increasing meal services to let residents stay indoors.
In Los Angeles, hand-washing stations are being delivered to encampments throughout the city. Outreach workers are implementing new protocols, such as social distancing from their homeless clients, which will allow them to continue working on the streets, but with a lower risk of introducing an infection.
HOPICS employee Odessa Henderson helps pack kits, which include hand sanitizer, snacks and personal care items, for homeless people. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The plans in each city differ in scope, pace and ambition and reflect the specific demands of the local homeless population, which has yet to report a case of COVID-19.
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Whether these approaches will be effective in the long-term remains unclear. For those living in encampments scattered throughout cities or bedding down in crowded shelters, containment or mitigation might prove elusive.
“I see one scenario where this virus mercifully dodges the homeless population or another scenario where it hits the homeless population quite hard,” said Randall Kuhn, a professor at UCLA’s department of community health sciences. “Everyone is obviously facing a serious situation. Everyone is becoming increasingly aware of how serious it is — but it is still abstract.”
Beyond the hypotheticals, however, is the hope among public health experts that the coronavirus pandemic, however temporary, will bring about a shift in homeless policies that will permanently change this troubled landscape in cities throughout America.
::
No one questions the vulnerability of homeless people.
Last year in Los Angeles County, nearly 1,100 people — ravaged by illness, addiction, suicide and exposure — died on the streets, where public health emergencies are common.
Three years ago, Hepatitis A killed 16 people in San Diego County who were either homeless or visiting encampments. Last year, an outbreak of typhus hit skid row, and more recently, trench fever, transmitted by body lice, sickened people living on the streets in Santa Monica.
Not only does the stress of living outdoors depress immunity, but mental illness, substance abuse and unsanitary living conditions — exacerbated by poor nutrition, lack of running water and toilets — create an environment conducive to the spread of disease.
But as much as homeless people are vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19, they are generally isolated from common sources of transmission, Kuhn said.
On the streets, social distancing — the best way to slow the spread of the coronavirus, public health officials say — is already being practiced. Most people already avoid homeless men and women, and encampments are typically out of the way, beneath freeways, in alleys and along riverbeds.
But while it may take longer for the virus to reach the homeless population, once it does, Kuhn said “it could spread like wildfire and potentially spread back into the general population.”
Keeping the virus from reaching homeless communities is the challenge facing public health officials.
Kuhn estimates that nearly 10,000 homeless people in L.A. County are over 60 years old and especially susceptible to the worst consequences of COVID-19. Separately, last year’s government-mandated count of the homeless population found that 13,600 men and women were 55 or older, up 7% from the prior year.
Newsom on Sunday, in addition to prioritizing the state’s homeless population, asked 5.3 million Californians over the age of 65 to isolate themselves at home. That’s impossible for older people who lack housing. But by securing motels and deploying trailers, Newsom said the state will be able to move people into “environments where we can address their growing anxiety and our growing concerns.”
On the streets, possible sources of transmission range from outreach and shelter workers, whose jobs require daily interaction with homeless people, to public spaces like libraries, restaurants and street transportation that homeless people often use.
“The reality is a typical person experiencing homelessness is at more risk of contracting a disease and affecting their health than of spreading a disease,” said Bobby Watts, head of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
This is especially problematic in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, where homeless encampments have been raised close to residential neighborhoods.
Patrick Moran at a homeless camp in the Sepulveda Basin in Encino. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Kuhn points out that the homeless people in San Francisco are especially vulnerable to an outbreak because of its density and the physically close relationship between housed and unhoused residents.
A week after HUD issued its guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, San Francisco announced the creation of an emergency fund for the purpose of reducing exposure of the virus to people living in shelters, single-room occupancy hotels and permanent supportive housing.
In addition, the city issued a public health order that established “cleaning and contagion mitigation protocols” in settings where homeless people gather and live, including expanded shelter hours.
“For vulnerable people in SROs or shelters, this investment will help them limit their outings, by assuring that food and shelter is available, and that congregate settings are clean environments,” said Grant Colfax, director of heath for San Francisco.
The city also leased 30 recreational vehicles at a cost of $440,000 through June. Parked in the Presidio, they will be sent to specific neighborhoods to quarantine and isolate homeless people who test positive for COVID-19 and aren’t hospitalized.
For those who have been exposed to the disease but are asymptomatic, residential apartments and hotels will be available for people to self-quarantine if they don’t have a place to go.
“We have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our homeless or SRO populations, but we want to have resources in place, so people have a safe place to be cared for if and when that happens,” said Francis Zamora, a spokesperson for the city’s emergency management department.
Twenty hand-washing stations are also being distributed throughout the city, along with portable toilets; the city has published their locations online.
::
With its sprawl of neighborhoods made up of predominantly single-family homes, Los Angeles County might find it easier than San Francisco to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus among its homeless population of nearly 59,000.
In the general population, there are currently more coronavirus cases in the Bay Area than in Southern California, but elected officials and public experts suspect that could begin to change.
“Not to say we shouldn’t be deeply concerned in Los Angeles,” Kuhn said, “but it gives us a couple of days more to come up with a plan that is more tailored to our daily context.”
If San Francisco’s announcements last week constituted a blitz, a more deliberate approach is being taken south of the Tehachapis.
“We’re trying not to panic, but prepare, and there’s a fine line between those,” said Heidi Marston, executive director for Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “But acting with urgency is super important.”
Among her concerns is making sure that shelters across the city remain operational, especially if their staff call in sick. She said that her agency is working with providers to make sure cleaning supplies are available for janitorial services over the next three or four months.
Sarah Dusseault, who chairs the governing commission of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, believes that one of the first priorities is to make sure everyone is getting the information they need. The agency set up a dedicated website to answer questions about the coronavirus and conducted a webinar with outreach workers to provide instructions before they head out onto the street.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Isidro Villasenor talks with Shawn Troncozo, 24, about the coronavirus in El Monte, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The agency, known as LAHSA, also is working with the city and county to coordinate its response to the pandemic. On Thursday, the city began delivering 100 hand-washing stations to encampments across Los Angeles, a week after the motion was presented in the City Council.
One advocacy group, however, argues that skid row alone needs nearly 480 stations, as well as more public toilets, hydration stations and mobile laundry facilities.
Still in doubt is whether the city will suspend the work of its sanitation crews who conduct periodic cleanups of encampments. These efforts, aimed at removing trash and hazardous materials and in some instances washing sidewalks, are often disruptive for the homeless residents who are forced to relocate their tents and belongings.
Last week, the city of San Jose announced it was temporarily ending the sweeps of encampments through the second week of April.
In a complex and evolving puzzle that stretches across the Los Angeles County, one missing piece is where to quarantine homeless people who are symptomatic or asymptomatic with COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of public health, announced that her department and the homeless authority were working to identify a facility for individuals who might need to be quarantined for the coronavirus.
LAHSA’s Marston said a range of options are being considered, among them, an early opening of one of the recently completed bridge shelters. Another option is to lease some motels, but motel owners have expressed reservations about that plan, Marston said.
Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Christina Miller said the city is considering hospitals and recuperative care facilities as quarantine zones.
“That’s not where we’re at right now,” she said. “The best thing we can do right now is plan for that scenario.”
::
Homelessness has long been framed as a public health crisis, and the coronavirus is challenging existing safeguards. The reality of the outbreak has raised the question of whether it will be a wake-up call for understanding and more directly addressing the needs of the homeless community.
“When we think about community disaster response and emergency response, everyone in the healthcare space thinks about nursing homes and hospitals,” said Barbara DiPietro, senior director of policy for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. “All too often, homeless populations are either forgotten or pushed to the side, not appreciated as a priority.”
DiPietro sees an opportunity to get further buy-in for providing more consistent preventative healthcare measures of the sort that have often been politically unpopular in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California.
Across the state, county departments of public health have issued guidelines for preventing the spread of the virus, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued its own this month, an unusual step for an agency that has expressed ambivalence toward helping low-income Americans.
Written to help limit the spread of illness in shelters and encampments, the “Infectious Disease Toolkit” provides both a broad overview — “developing a response plan” and “identifying partners and stakeholders” — and practical specifics, including installing hand-washing stations, increasing access to public restrooms and providing trash collection from encampments.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Lt. Geff Deedrick talks to a homeless woman who lives near the Whittier Nature Center about the coronavirus pandemic. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“This is extraordinary, but exactly what you would like to see,” Kuhn said. “How much you can implement these guidelines is always the question.”
Kuhn also wonders how the federal guidelines, essentially a “one-size-fits-all” approach, can be tailored to Los Angeles County, with its 10 million people and 88 cities across a region the size of Connecticut.
If outreach during the crisis improves conditions in encampments and provides visible benefits, then the changes brought by the coronavirus might last beyond the epidemic.
“These are activities necessary for daily living,” DiPietro said of emergency sanitation efforts. “Maybe the coronavirus changes how we approach these.”
Given the frequency of public health emergencies among homeless people, the health of any city depends upon whether its most marginalized residents are properly supported, experts say.
“There is the possibility that this crisis will put a light on why we have a safety net,” Kuhn said. “This has the potential to shed a broader light on how interconnected we are and how beneficial are the safety nets for preventing homelessness.”
Dusseault hopes for a similar outcome.
“Our hope,” she said, speaking of LAHSA, “is that this is an opportunity to double-down on compassion and provide health support to keep everyone safe and well.”


latimes--2020-03-15--California calls on 5.3 million senior citizens to stay home because of coronavirus. What you need t

California calls on 5.3 million senior citizens to stay home because of coronavirus. What you need to know

Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Sunday called for 5.3 million senior citizens to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus .
The call for home isolation also extended to people with chronic conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus .
The announcement raises many questions for senior citizens .
For those who live alone , they will have to grapple with getting shopping done .
For others , it will be a radical change of life with no firm idea of when the restrictions will end .
“ We recognize that social isolation for millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize what all the science bears out and ... we need to meet this moment head-on and lean in , ” Newsom said Sunday .
Officials have long said senior citizens and the frail are at highest risk .
Counties in California have already banned those groups from attending many types of public gatherings .
Those at higher risk include those over the age of 70 and with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes , obesity , asthma , disease of the heart , lung or kidney and those with weakened immune systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those categories does get sick , early diagnosis is important to allow more time to treat the patient , which may include putting the patient on oxygen or , when necessary , a ventilator to help them breathe if their lungs begin to fail .
Experts have been urging protections against high-risk groups .
The key is “ keeping this virus away from nursing homes , long-term-care facilities and elderly people whose lungs can ’ t recover from this , ” Dr. Jeremy Faust , an emergency physician at Brigham and Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical School , said last week .
As of Saturday , here is a breakdown of the age of California coronavirus patients : The Centers for Disease Control urged seniors in areas where there is community spread of coronavirus to “ stay home as much as possible and consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family , social , or commercial networks.
” • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds , especially after blowing your nose , coughing , or sneezing , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • If soap and water are not available , use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 % alcohol .
• To the extent possible , avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places — such as elevator buttons , door handles , handrails , handshakes .
Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something .
• Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places .
• Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs : Practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light switches , handles , desks , toilets , faucets , sinks and cellphones .
• Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand in case there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community and you need to stay home for a prolonged period .
• If you can not get extra medications , consider using mail-order for medications .
• Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies ( tissues , etc . )
to treat fever and other symptoms .
Most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
• Have enough household items and groceries on hand to be prepared to stay at home for a period of time .

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday called for 5.3 million senior citizens and others at risk to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The call for home isolation also extended to people with chronic conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus.
Big change
The announcement raises many questions for senior citizens. For those who live alone, they will have to grapple with getting shopping done. For others, it will be a radical change of life with no firm idea of when the restrictions will end.
“We recognize that social isolation for millions of Californians is anxiety inducing but we recognize what all the science bears out and ... we need to meet this moment head-on and lean in,” Newsom said Sunday.
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He said plans are being made to help carry out the sweeping directive.
“We are prioritizing their safety,” Newsom said.
He also urged family members to take care around the elderly and frail:”People should conduct themselves around their grandparents as if they have it.” Newsom said.
Highest risk
Officials have long said senior citizens and the frail are at highest risk. Counties in California have already banned those groups from attending many types of public gatherings.
Those at higher risk include those over the age of 70 and with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, disease of the heart, lung or kidney and those with weakened immune systems. If someone who falls into one of those categories does get sick, early diagnosis is important to allow more time to treat the patient, which may include putting the patient on oxygen or, when necessary, a ventilator to help them breathe if their lungs begin to fail.
Experts have been urging protections against high-risk groups. The key is “keeping this virus away from nursing homes, long-term-care facilities and elderly people whose lungs can’t recover from this,” Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School, said last week.
As of Saturday, here is a breakdown of the age of California coronavirus patients:
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0-17: 4
18-64: 143
Age 65-plus: 98
Unknown: 2
Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control urged seniors in areas where there is community spread of coronavirus to “stay home as much as possible and consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks.”
Among other tips:


latimes--2020-03-15--USC student tests positive for coronavirus but appears not to have recently been on campus

A USC student who had recently returned from international travel has tested positive for coronavirus , the university said in @ @ @ @ @ undergraduate had gone directly from the trip to Orange County and “ has not been @ @ @ @ @ campuses .
The individual is in good condition and is currently in self-isolation at home @ @ @ @ @ officials , ” the email said .
“ We are currently proactively contacting any individuals @ @ @ @ @ exposure .
In the coming weeks as COVID-19 testing becomes more widely available , all @ @ @ @ @ staff should be advised of the processes , ” the email said .
In response @ @ @ @ @ its online-only capacity in classes last week .
The campus is on spring break this @ @ @ @ @ go to online-only learning when students return .

A USC student who had recently returned from international travel has tested positive for coronavirus, the university said in an email Sunday.
The undergraduate had gone directly from the trip to Orange County and “has not been on or near the USC campuses. The individual is in good condition and is currently in self-isolation at home under guidance of public health officials,” the email said.
“We are currently proactively contacting any individuals who may have had an exposure. In the coming weeks as COVID-19 testing becomes more widely available, all USC students, faculty and staff should be advised of the processes,” the email said.
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In response to coronavirus, USC tested its online-only capacity in classes last week. The campus is on spring break this week and is expected to go to online-only learning when students return.


latimes--2020-03-15--To help fight coronavirus, California seniors should isolate and bars must close, Gov. Gavin Newsom

To help fight coronavirus, California seniors should isolate and bars must close, Gov. Gavin Newsom says

Gov .
Gavin Newsom asked Californians over the age of 65 on Sunday to isolate themselves from others and said that neighborhood bars and pubs should close their doors as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state continued to rise .
Newsom stopped short of mandating the closure of bars or restaurants in the state instead saying that it ’ s important for restaurant customers to practice “ deep social distancing ” when dining out .
On the request of bars and pubs , the governor said the announcement was akin to the one he made last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250 people or more .
An announcement on the same day from Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker went further , issuing an order to close the state ’ s bars and restaurants .
Newsom insisted that the difference in what he has recommended and what ’ s happening in other states and localities is a “ nuance ” that will not affect the effectiveness of protecting public health .
In all , Newsom said the number of coronavirus cases confirmed in California stood on Sunday afternoon at 335 with six people having died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested himself , the governor said he had not , noting that he believed available test kits should be prioritized for those who need them most .
The governor said the request of older Californians was made in hopes of limiting their exposure to the virus , given that health officials have pointed out higher dangers for those who are older .
He said plans are being made to help carry out the sweeping directive .
“ We are prioritizing their safety , ” Newsom said .
The new guidelines come following other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat the virus in California .
Most of those have been taken on the local level , including the decision by dozens of school districts to shut down operations for the next two weeks or longer .
On Friday , Newsom issued an executive order assuring those schools of continued funding during closures .
The governor said he would issue additional directives on Tuesday to schools that remain open and said he was especially focused on providing support to low-income families .
He suggested some local school officials had not fully thought through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s one thing to say you have a plan and it ’ s another to actually deliver that plan , ” Newsom said .
Newsom estimated the directive to seniors would affect 5.3 million Californians .
While that number includes those most at risk simply due to their age , he said it does not include the millions more who have underlying health conditions that would make them vulnerable .
The governor also announced that the state ’ s 108,000 homeless people would be prioritized for mitigation policies , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Though details remained unclear , he said the state had hotels and motels that could be used to provide shelter , along with an additional 450 state-owned trailers sent to “ critical points ” to supplement those that were deployed in Los Angeles , Stockton , Sonoma and other places before the outbreak .
Last week , Newsom issued an executive order allowing the state to commandeer some private properties to provide beds for isolation .
Newsom said the goal of the newly announced measures aimed at the unsheltered population was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can address their growing anxiety and our growing concerns.
” He stopped short , however , of saying the attempt to bring people indoors would be mandated or require law enforcement intervention .
In recent days , the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also detailed guidelines for homeless shelters and encampments , many of which include increasing sanitation and providing detailed suggestions for handling ill people in shelter settings .
“ I am not ratcheting up a mindset of enforcement , ” Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak of the virus was a fluid situation that state and local officials would need to continue to monitor the situation as events merit .
But he bristled at questions asking whether his administration ’ s efforts could be taken as too timid .
“ We are guided in a very thoughtful way , not by hysteria , ” Newsom said .

Phil Willon, John Myers, Taryn Luna, Anita Chabria

Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians over the age of 65 on Sunday to isolate themselves from others and said that neighborhood bars and pubs should close their doors as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state continued to rise.
But Newsom again stopped short of using the full force of his authority to mandate response measures to protect Californians from the virus that causes COVID-19, a global pandemic that has resulted in six deaths and 335 confirmed cases in the state.
Instead, the governor said his request of bars and pubs is akin to an announcement he made last week asking for the cancellation of gatherings of 250 people or more. The governor is allowing restaurants to remain open and advised customers to practice “deep social distancing” when dining out — in effect, a recommendation to reduce occupancy by half.
The governor’s office said his request for the elderly to remain at home also extended to residents with underlying health issues, such as blood disorders, chronic kidney disease, asthma, chronic liver disease, compromised immune systems, pregnancies in the last two weeks, metabolic disorders, heart disease and other conditions that make them more susceptible to serious illness from the coronavirus.
In all, Newsom’s list of new efforts and recommendations reflected the fast-moving nature of the public health crisis and the complexity of how to respond in protecting some 40 million Californians.
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Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
In addition to the requests for older residents to remain isolated and bars to close, the governor announced additional testing options for two Bay Area counties hit hard by the virus. He also called for a tighter limit on visitors to hospitals and assisted living facilities to only those patients in end-of-life situations. He promised more action to help public school students out of school as well as homeless people. And he pledged additional tax dollars to be spent through the state budget process as needed.
“We need to anticipate spread, but we also need to prioritize our focus,” Newsom said.
Newsom defended his lack of action to close restaurants, saying he’s removing the most vulnerable people from those environments and allowing eateries to continue to provide meals.
“We need the capacity to meet the needs of our population. And let me say this, frankly, we need a productive society,” Newsom said in response to questions about why he wasn’t taking more dramatic measures. “I’m not willing to submit that in this moment we can’t have cohorts of society being productive, just in a radically different way.”
Newsom’s new directive came shortly after Govs. Mike DeWine of Ohio, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts on Sunday issued orders requiring all bars and restaurants across their states to close. Restaurants may continue to offer carryout and delivery service in Ohio, which has approximately 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
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Newsom insisted that the difference in what he has recommended and what’s happening in other states and localities is a “nuance” that will not affect the effectiveness of protecting public health. He expressed confidence that Californians would follow his directives voluntarily.
When asked whether he had been tested himself, the governor said he had not, noting that he believed available test kits should be prioritized for those who need them most.
The governor said the request of older Californians was made in hopes of limiting their exposure to the virus, given that health officials have pointed out higher dangers for those who are older. He said plans are being made to help carry out the sweeping directive.
“We are prioritizing their safety,” Newsom said.
The new guidelines come following other broad efforts announced in recent days to combat the virus in California. Most of those have been taken on the local level, including the decision by dozens of school districts to shut down operations for the next two weeks or longer. On Friday, Newsom issued an executive order assuring those schools of continued funding during closures.
The governor said he would issue additional directives Tuesday to schools that remain open and said he was especially focused on providing support to low-income families. He suggested some local school officials had not fully thought through the consequences when closing their campuses, including how to continue providing meals to students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches and how to ensure that students with special needs receive adequate care and supervision.
“It’s one thing to say you have a plan and it’s another to actually deliver that plan,” Newsom said.
“Superintendents say, ‘Don’t shut me down. Help me with these kids because right now I don’t know how to help that child. I don’t know how to feed that child,’” Newsom said. “We’re going to do this very thoughtfully, deliberately. I prefer to be responsible to the reality, not the perception.”
Newsom noted that roughly 85% of California K-12 students are in school districts that have already announced closures.
The governor estimated that the directive to seniors would affect 5.3 million Californians. That number includes those most at risk simply due to their age, but he said it does not include the millions more who have underlying health conditions that would make them vulnerable.
Newsom also announced that the state’s 108,000 unsheltered homeless people would be prioritized for mitigation policies, with a significant push to move them indoors. Though details remained unclear, he said the state had hotels and motels that could be used to provide shelter, along with an additional 450 state-owned trailers sent to “critical points” to supplement those that were deployed in Los Angeles, Stockton, Sonoma and other places before the outbreak.
Last week, Newsom issued an executive order allowing the state to commandeer some private properties to provide beds for isolation. Newsom said the goal of the newly announced measures aimed at the unsheltered population was to “get people into environments where we can address their growing anxiety and our growing concerns.”
But he did not say that the attempt to bring people indoors would be mandated or require law enforcement intervention. In recent days, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also detailed guidelines for homeless shelters and encampments, many of which include increasing sanitation and providing detailed suggestions for handling ill people in shelter settings.
“I am not ratcheting up a mindset of enforcement,” Newsom said.
Still, the governor acknowledged that the outbreak of the virus was a fluid situation that state and local officials would need to continue to monitor as events merit. But he bristled at questions asking whether his administration’s efforts could be taken as too timid.
“We are guided in a very thoughtful way, not by hysteria,” Newsom said.


latimes--2020-03-15--An unlikely hero: Surfer sets up toilet paper exchange on Encinitas street corner

Jonny Blue , a 33-year-old physical therapist and avid surfer from Encinitas , was seriously bummed Friday night .
He saw reports across the country of people hoarding toilet paper in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak , and one of his good friends had a difficult time finding diapers and essential supplies for his kids at a nearby store .
So on Saturday morning Blue took a cardboard sign bearing the simple request — “ Share your toilet paper ” — and camped out on the corner of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard .
“ It just inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have a lot of something that probably means there are people who probably don ’ t have very much of it , because you took it all , ” Blue said .
“ So sharing it is probably a good thing to keep in mind.
” The response was immediate and positive , with motorists honking horns in support .
Drivers stopped to drop off rolls of toilet paper and , just as quickly , Blue would hand them off in an impromptu TP stock exchange .
“ This guy came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was going to a bunch of stores and couldn ’ t find any , ” Blue said as cars whizzed by .
“ Somebody had given me some so I gave it to him .
He was stoked.
” “ He was like , ‘ Do you want me to pay you ?
’ I said , ‘ No , man .
Somebody gave it to me .
Take it.
’ ” A moment later , a driver in a white pickup truck slowed down just enough to toss out a roll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ People are loving it , ” Blue said .
“ People are honking , smiling , laughing .
It ’ s actually been good because it ’ s actually been kind of a rough time right now.
” The run on toilet paper and other items such as hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes has led local grocery stores and national chains such as Target and Walmart to limit the amounts shoppers can purchase at one time .
Last week , three women in a supermarket in Australia got into a hair-pulling brawl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fledgling Robin Hood enterprise at 9 a.m. and , said during a break at 2 p.m. that he would resume for a couple more hours later in the afternoon .
“ I think people want a sense of community , ” Blue said .
“ When things are really challenging , people are looking to band together and be unified .
It feels like I kind of struck on a common theme where people were thinking , ‘ Why are people hoarding toilet paper ?
’ “ It ’ s a simple thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s really tangible and really affects people ’ s lives , and when people saw my sign it really resonated with them.
” Blue said he planned to return to his post Sunday .
“ I just want to encourage everyone to be better , ” he said .
“ Difficult times can reveal us to ourselves and help us see ourselves more clearly.
” Nikolewski and Palmour write for the San Diego Union-Tribune .

Encinitas resident Jonny Blue, 33, who is a physical therapist, makes a request for toilet paper so that he can in turn give it to drivers that need it while standing at the intersection of Encinitas Boulevard and El Camino Real on March 14, 2020.
Jonny Blue, a 33-year-old physical therapist and avid surfer from Encinitas, was seriously bummed Friday night.
He saw reports across the country of people hoarding toilet paper in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, and one of his good friends had a difficult time finding diapers and essential supplies for his kids at a nearby store.
So on Saturday morning Blue took a cardboard sign bearing the simple request — “Share your toilet paper” — and camped out on the corner of El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard.
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“It just inspired me to remind people, listen, if you have a lot of something that probably means there are people who probably don’t have very much of it, because you took it all,” Blue said. “So sharing it is probably a good thing to keep in mind.”
The response was immediate and positive, with motorists honking horns in support. Drivers stopped to drop off rolls of toilet paper and, just as quickly, Blue would hand them off in an impromptu TP stock exchange.
“This guy came here and said he just ran out and was going to a bunch of stores and couldn’t find any,” Blue said as cars whizzed by. “Somebody had given me some so I gave it to him. He was stoked.”
“He was like, ‘Do you want me to pay you?’ I said, ‘No, man. Somebody gave it to me. Take it.’”
A moment later, a driver in a white pickup truck slowed down just enough to toss out a roll to Blue’s burgeoning bundle.
“People are loving it,” Blue said. “People are honking, smiling, laughing. It’s actually been good because it’s actually been kind of a rough time right now.”
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The run on toilet paper and other items such as hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes has led local grocery stores and national chains such as Target and Walmart to limit the amounts shoppers can purchase at one time. Last week, three women in a supermarket in Australia got into a hair-pulling brawl over toilet paper.
Blue launched his fledgling Robin Hood enterprise at 9 a.m. and said during a break at 2 p.m. that he would resume for a couple more hours later in the afternoon.
“I think people want a sense of community,” Blue said. “When things are really challenging, people are looking to band together and be unified. It feels like I kind of struck on a common theme where people were thinking, ‘Why are people hoarding toilet paper?’
“It’s a simple thing, but it’s something that’s really tangible and really affects people’s lives, and when people saw my sign it really resonated with them.”
Blue said he planned to return to his post Sunday.
“I just want to encourage everyone to be better,” he said. “Difficult times can reveal us to ourselves and help us see ourselves more clearly.”
Nikolewski and Palmour write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.


latimes--2020-03-15--With bars set to close because of coronavirus, owners worry about employees

Faced with long lines , panicked shoppers and empty shelves , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Sunday urged people not to hoard supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak and said bars in the city should close until further notice .
In an interview on CNN , Garcetti also said bar closures were needed to protect the public .
He said he expect more guidance from Gov .
Gavin Newsom soon .
Los Angeles bartender Vincenzo Marianella says he agrees “ 1000 percent ” with the mayor ’ s decision .
“ Unfortunately our business is the first one to suffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is behind the beverage program at soon-to-open Forma in Venice .
The restaurant and bar ’ s opening date has been pushed from mid April to June or July .
Robert Kim owner of the Koreatown bar and lounge : “ What can I really say but it ’ s unfortunate however safety is the utmost importance .
My biggest concerns is for my staff and their livelihood and separately , protecting the business from possible theft or looting in these dire times.
” The guidance comes amid unprecedented levels of demand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of many items .
Long lines were reported at Trader Joe ’ s , Costco and other retailers , as well as local mom-and-pop stores .
Hot items included frozen goods , pasta , water , meats and , of course , toilet paper .
Garcetti noted there was no need to stock up on bottled water because L.A. tap water “ is clean and safe.
” The LAPD issued a statement on Twitter saying “ here are the facts , ” with reminders that there is no food shortage , stores will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are in this together , ” the department tweeted .
As of Saturday , Los Angeles County had reported 14 more cases of coronavirus , including one new case in Long Beach , bringing the county ’ s total to 54 .
As popular retailers struggled to maintain stocks of water , household items , groceries and sanitizing products , people were turning to local stores as well .
Marlon Chavarria ran over to the tiny yellow store Glady ’ s 98 Cents and Up and grabbed three packages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried them over to his white SUV and stuffed them inside the trunk with other groceries .
“ It ’ s like the end of the world out here , ” the 37-year-old said .
“ You can ’ t find anything.
” Since 7 a.m. , the Compton resident had gone to almost every supermarket and big box retailer in a vain search for toilet paper .
Even after waiting three hours in line to get into one store , Chavarria walked out dispirited and empty-handed .
Early evening , his luck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local “ 98 cent ” store in South Los Angeles that , miraculously under the circumstances , seemed to have everything .
And that ’ s how he ended up with toilet paper in the trunk of his SUV and a smile on his face .
“ Time to go home where it ’ s safe , ” he said .

Ruben Vives, Alex Wigglesworth, Jenn Harris

Faced with long lines, panicked shoppers and empty shelves, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Sunday urged people not to hoard supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak and said bars in the city should close until further notice.
In an interview on CNN, Garcetti also said bar closures were needed to protect the public. He said he expect more guidance from Gov. Gavin Newsom soon.
Los Angeles bartender Vincenzo Marianella says he agrees “1000 percent” with the mayor’s decision. “Unfortunately our business is the first one to suffer the most” said Marianella, who is behind the beverage program at soon-to-open Forma in Venice. The restaurant and bar’s opening date has been pushed from mid April to June or July.
Robert Kim owner of the Koreatown bar and lounge Mama Lion: “What can I really say but it’s unfortunate however safety is the utmost importance. My biggest concerns is for my staff and their livelihood and separately, protecting the business from possible theft or looting in these dire times.”
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The guidance comes amid unprecedented levels of demand that has left some stores out of stock of many items. Long lines were reported at Trader Joe’s, Costco and other retailers, as well as local mom-and-pop stores. Hot items included frozen goods, pasta, water, meats and, of course, toilet paper.
Garcetti noted there was no need to stock up on bottled water because L.A. tap water “is clean and safe.”
The LAPD issued a statement on Twitter saying “here are the facts,” with reminders that there is no food shortage, stores will restock and the water supply is safe. “We are in this together,” the department tweeted.
During these times, we must work together and not against each other.
Here are the facts:
-There is no food shortage & stores will restock, so please don’t hoard.
-The water supply is clean & safe to drink, so there’s no need to buy water in bulk.
-We are in this together. — LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) March 15, 2020
As of Saturday, Los Angeles County had reported 14 more cases of coronavirus, including one new case in Long Beach, bringing the county’s total to 54.
As popular retailers struggled to maintain stocks of water, household items, groceries and sanitizing products, people were turning to local stores as well.
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Marlon Chavarria ran over to the tiny yellow store Glady’s 98 Cents and Up and grabbed three packages of toilet paper from his mother-in-law. He carried them over to his white SUV and stuffed them inside the trunk with other groceries.
“It’s like the end of the world out here,” the 37-year-old said. “You can’t find anything.”
Since 7 a.m., the Compton resident had gone to almost every supermarket and big box retailer in a vain search for toilet paper. Even after waiting three hours in line to get into one store, Chavarria walked out dispirited and empty-handed.
Early evening, his luck changed. His mother-in-law told him about a local “98 cent” store in South Los Angeles that, miraculously under the circumstances, seemed to have everything. And that’s how he ended up with toilet paper in the trunk of his SUV and a smile on his face.
“Time to go home where it’s safe,” he said.


latimes--2020-03-15--San Diego Navy bases begin new screening and sanitation measures over coronavirus

San Diego-area Navy bases are implementing more stringent screening and cleaning measures after a Naval Base San Diego sailor tested positive for COVID-19 .
The new measures are meant to protect “ the health and well-being ” of San Diego-area Navy personnel , according to a statement from Navy Region Southwest , which is headquarterd in San Diego and oversees naval installations in California and five other states .
“ Navy Region Southwest is working closely with our partners in state and local public health departments and following all guidance from the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and visitors to our installations , ” according to the statement .
Area naval bases will screen base visitors and travelers at base air terminals with health questionnaires and provide cleaning products and hand sanitizers to high-traffic areas , according to the statement .
Navy Region Southwest , led by Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar , is also directing naval commands to identify areas in their work spaces where employees who fall ill can be isolated if symptoms develop at work .
Bolivar is directing unit commanders to ensure personnel diagnosed or exposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines .
Naval personnel who feel ill should stay at home and self-isolate if they feel ill , the statement says .
Those who feel they need medical attention are asked to notify their medical clinics before coming in .
Service members using Tricare are asked to call Tricare ’ s COVID-19 hotline at ( 800 ) TRICARE .
Navy leaders will continue to monitor the situation , the statement says , and are ready to order stricter measures “ as needed.
” The announcement comes one day after the Marine Corps said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at its installations to prevent the further spread of the virus .

San Diego-area Navy bases are implementing more stringent screening and cleaning measures after a Naval Base San Diego sailor tested positive for COVID-19.
The new measures are meant to protect “the health and well-being” of San Diego-area Navy personnel, according to a statement from Navy Region Southwest, which is headquarterd in San Diego and oversees naval installations in California and five other states.
“Navy Region Southwest is working closely with our partners in state and local public health departments and following all guidance from the Department of Defense and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect Navy personnel and visitors to our installations,” according to the statement.
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Area naval bases will screen base visitors and travelers at base air terminals with health questionnaires and provide cleaning products and hand sanitizers to high-traffic areas, according to the statement.
Navy Region Southwest, led by Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, is also directing naval commands to identify areas in their work spaces where employees who fall ill can be isolated if symptoms develop at work. Bolivar is directing unit commanders to ensure personnel diagnosed or exposed to COVID-19 isolate themselves in accordance with CDC guidelines.
Naval personnel who feel ill should stay at home and self-isolate if they feel ill, the statement says. Those who feel they need medical attention are asked to notify their medical clinics before coming in.
Service members using Tricare are asked to call Tricare’s COVID-19 hotline at (800) TRICARE.
Navy leaders will continue to monitor the situation, the statement says, and are ready to order stricter measures “as needed.”
The announcement comes one day after the Marine Corps said it was also beefing up precautionary measures at its installations to prevent the further spread of the virus.
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Dyer writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.