latimes--2020-12-18--UC numbers soar, CSU's drop as pandemic upends college application season

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a good news , bad news college application season , as the University of California drew a record number of applicants for fall 2021 while California State University tumbled — a disparity reflected nationally by robust growth at many selective institutions and struggles at less resourced ones .
Applications to UC ’ s nine undergraduate campuses soared to a record 250,000 — a 15 % increase over last year , including significant rises among California Latino and Black freshmen applicants , according to preliminary data disclosed by UC President Michael V. Drake in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
Campus-specific data will not be released until early next year .
“ For all the challenges and all of the noise about is [ college ] worth it , we see more people looking to the University of California as a pathway to their future than ever before , ” Drake said .
At Cal State , however , applications declined by 5 % with wide variation among the system ’ s 23 campuses .
Cal State Dominguez Hills , which primarily serves disadvantaged students , saw a 17 % plunge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 % at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo , the most selective campus with fewer students who are underrepresented minorities , low income or the first in their families to attend college .
So concerned about the disparity , CSU extended its deadline a second time for some campuses .
“ The pandemic and the economic crisis have exacerbated inequality , ” said Ted Mitchell , president of the American Council on Education , which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities .
“ Students with financial resources are turning to selective institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure their less resourced peers join them.
” Admissions experts speculate , however , that two other key factors may be driving application patterns this year .
Hundreds of campuses , including UC and Cal State , removed standardized testing requirements this year as the pandemic severely limited the availability of SAT and ACT testing opportunities , encouraging more students to apply to more institutions .
And although economic hardship may have discouraged some disadvantaged students from applying to college , it may have led others to seek out universities with generous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system and top private campuses .
The California data mirror national trends .
Applications from low-income students and those who are the first in their families to attend college dropped by 7 % among the 900-plus private and public campus members of the Common Application , a nonprofit organization .
At the same time , selective private and large public colleges saw applications increase by about 12 % , said Common App Chief Executive Jenny Rickard .
Applications to less selective private campuses fell by 2 % and also declined among small public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied to a greater proportion of disadvantaged students at those institutions .
Yale , Emory , Duke , the University of Pennsylvania , University of Virginia and University of Michigan all reported gains in students applying to their early decision programs .
USC , which does not offer early decisions , already is seeing an “ upward trend ” in applications even though the submission deadline is not until Jan. 15 , campus spokeswoman Lauren Bartlett said .
Among students themselves , some say the biggest variable in their application decisions this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACT scores .
More than 600 additional campuses removed those requirements this year because of the pandemic , but UC regents explicitly voted this year to phase out the tests , which they saw as a barrier to equitable admissions .
Andrea Gonzalez , a senior at Alliance Marine Innovation and Technology 6-12 Complex , a charter school in Sun Valley , has a 3.9 GPA , seven AP classes and leadership positions in student government and volleyball .
But she was a poor test taker .
“ I thought the only thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college applications ] was my SAT score , ” Gonzalez said .
Not having to take the test and submit a score was “ a big breath of relief ” and gave Gonzalez the courage to apply to some of the more competitive UCs , including UCLA , UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara .
Gabriela Salazar , a senior at John Marshall High School with a 4.4 GPA , aspires to become an immigration lawyer .
Her parents , a self-employed baker and a restaurant worker , both lost work during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SAT prep classes and she wasn ’ t happy with her first score .
The second test was canceled .
“ I felt like all the hard work that I did in high school was to get into a good college — all the all-nighters I pulled and all the times I cried , ” she said .
“ I didn ’ t want all my hard work to go down the drain.
” She took advantage of SAT-optional offers and submitted applications to seven UCs as well as Stanford , Pepperdine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local CSUs in case they offer her better financial aid .
Cyndy McDonald , a Central Valley independent college counselor , said removing the testing requirement has made a “ huge difference ” in encouraging high-performing , economically disadvantaged students to aim high , she said .
“ Removing those test scores as factors puts them on a much more equal footing , ” she said .
Research has found that removing standardized testing requirements increases application rates by up to 10 % for the first few years , said Zachary Bleemer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Studies in Higher Education .
That well-known effect led UC admission officers to expect a rise in applications — but those at UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz said they were startled by the flood that came in shortly after the system began accepting them Nov. 1 .
Drake said he was particularly pleased with gains among underrepresented students — a nearly 20 % increase in California freshmen applications among Black students and nearly 11 % among Latino applicants — which campuses have worked hard to achieve .
But admissions officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of winnowing the flood of applications in a year without test scores , possibly more pass/fails in lieu of letter grades and extracurricular activities disrupted by the pandemic .
“ It will definitely be a challenge , ” said Emily Engelschall , UC Riverside director of undergraduate admissions .
“ At the end of the day , the university only gets so many spaces.
” At Cal State , leaders attributed the decline in applications to pandemic-related hardships , which prompted them to extend the original Nov. 30 application deadline to Dec. 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several campuses .
The change in volume of applications varied by campus , dropping by as much as 26 % among first-time freshmen at Sonoma State and increasing by as much as 9 % at Cal Poly Pomona .
In part , the numbers reflected some ongoing trends : the recent struggle of several Northern California campuses to attract students from outside their areas because of competition from Southern California , wildfires , limited housing availability and the high cost of housing .
Other high-demand campuses — including San Diego State , Cal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obispo , Long Beach and Fullerton — saw gains or were relatively flat .
But COVID-19 certainly played a role .
In L.A. County , one of the counties hit hardest by the pandemic , campuses that serve large numbers of disadvantaged students saw big drops .
Applications dropped by 10 % at Cal State L.A. , where about 60 % of students are low-income and about 60 % first-generation students .
The university serves communities with some of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the county , including East L.A. , Florence-Firestone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boyle Heights .
Applications fell by 15 % for first-time freshmen at Cal State Northridge .
Deborah Brandon , Cal State Dominguez Hills associate vice president of enrollment management , said many students live in multi-generational households with family members who either worked in hospitals and restaurants or were recently furloughed or laid off .
More than three-quarters of the students are Black and Latino , and nearly the same share are the first in their families to pursue a bachelor ’ s degree .
In 2018 , the most recent year for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % received federal financial aid — far greater than the systemwide average of 45 % .
Cal State admissions officials said that students had expressed anxiety about finances , including paying the $ 70 per-campus application fee .
They also cited Zoom fatigue , noting that high school students weren ’ t able to access the same learning or counseling resources as normal , and many were unsure if they wanted to begin college in a potentially virtual environment .
“ A lot of students are like , well , do I really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online learning ?
Or should I just take a gap year and wait until this pandemic settles down and we can actually return to in-person learning and have a “ normal ” college experience ?
” said Jose Padilla , a senior enrollment advisor who does recruiting at Sonoma State .
A lot of the university ’ s high-touch efforts to recruit students were also difficult to replicate remotely .
Padilla said that in normal years , he goes to high schools and holds workshops where 60 or 70 students gather in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together .
“ This year we did try to do that , ” he said , “ but when it came to doing it virtually , we would have five to 10 students .
...
The last thing they want is to sit in front of a computer and hear another person give a presentation.
” Luoluo Hong , CSU associate vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management , said it was “ something to celebrate ” that the university received as many applications as it did despite the pandemic , recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ With that said , I do think we need to be realistic about the challenges our students face , ” she said .

Royce Hall at UCLA overlooks a mostly empty campus, which is closed to the public because of the pandemic. Applications to UC’s nine undergraduate campuses are up 15% over last year.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a good news, bad news college application season, as the University of California drew a record number of applicants for fall 2021 while California State University tumbled — a disparity reflected nationally by robust growth at many selective institutions and struggles at less resourced ones.
Applications to UC’s nine undergraduate campuses soared to a record 250,000 — a 15% increase over last year, including significant rises among California Latino and Black freshmen applicants, according to preliminary data disclosed by UC President Michael V. Drake in a meeting this week with The Times editorial board. Campus-specific data will not be released until early next year.
“For all the challenges and all of the noise about is [college] worth it, we see more people looking to the University of California as a pathway to their future than ever before,” Drake said.
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At Cal State, however, applications declined by 5% with wide variation among the system’s 23 campuses. Cal State Dominguez Hills, which primarily serves disadvantaged students, saw a 17% plunge in applications. But they increased by 4% at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the most selective campus with fewer students who are underrepresented minorities, low income or the first in their families to attend college.
So concerned about the disparity, CSU extended its deadline a second time for some campuses.
“The pandemic and the economic crisis have exacerbated inequality,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities. “Students with financial resources are turning to selective institutions in record numbers. We have to make sure their less resourced peers join them.”
Cal State Dominguez Hills has had a 17% drop in applications for the 2021-2022 academic year. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Admissions experts speculate, however, that two other key factors may be driving application patterns this year. Hundreds of campuses, including UC and Cal State, removed standardized testing requirements this year as the pandemic severely limited the availability of SAT and ACT testing opportunities, encouraging more students to apply to more institutions. And although economic hardship may have discouraged some disadvantaged students from applying to college, it may have led others to seek out universities with generous financial aid, such as the UC system and top private campuses.
The California data mirror national trends. Applications from low-income students and those who are the first in their families to attend college dropped by 7% among the 900-plus private and public campus members of the Common Application, a nonprofit organization.
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At the same time, selective private and large public colleges saw applications increase by about 12%, said Common App Chief Executive Jenny Rickard. Applications to less selective private campuses fell by 2% and also declined among small public campuses, which Rickard speculated might be tied to a greater proportion of disadvantaged students at those institutions.
Yale, Emory, Duke, the University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia and University of Michigan all reported gains in students applying to their early decision programs. USC, which does not offer early decisions, already is seeing an “upward trend” in applications even though the submission deadline is not until Jan. 15, campus spokeswoman Lauren Bartlett said.
Among students themselves, some say the biggest variable in their application decisions this year was not having to submit SAT and ACT scores. More than 600 additional campuses removed those requirements this year because of the pandemic, but UC regents explicitly voted this year to phase out the tests, which they saw as a barrier to equitable admissions.
Andrea Gonzalez, a senior at Alliance Marine Innovation and Technology 6-12 Complex, a charter school in Sun Valley, has a 3.9 GPA, seven AP classes and leadership positions in student government and volleyball. But she was a poor test taker.
“I thought the only thing that would hold me back [on college applications] was my SAT score,” Gonzalez said.
Not having to take the test and submit a score was “a big breath of relief” and gave Gonzalez the courage to apply to some of the more competitive UCs, including UCLA, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara.
High School senior Gabriela Salazar knew she would apply to college but has expanded her options now that SAT scores are not required. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Gabriela Salazar, a senior at John Marshall High School with a 4.4 GPA, aspires to become an immigration lawyer. Her parents, a self-employed baker and a restaurant worker, both lost work during the pandemic. She couldn’t afford SAT prep classes and she wasn’t happy with her first score. The second test was canceled.
“I felt like all the hard work that I did in high school was to get into a good college — all the all-nighters I pulled and all the times I cried,” she said. “I didn’t want all my hard work to go down the drain.”
She took advantage of SAT-optional offers and submitted applications to seven UCs as well as Stanford, Pepperdine and USC. She also applied to four local CSUs in case they offer her better financial aid.
Cyndy McDonald, a Central Valley independent college counselor, said removing the testing requirement has made a “huge difference” in encouraging high-performing, economically disadvantaged students to aim high, she said.
“Removing those test scores as factors puts them on a much more equal footing,” she said.
Research has found that removing standardized testing requirements increases application rates by up to 10% for the first few years, said Zachary Bleemer, a research associate at the UC Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education. That well-known effect led UC admission officers to expect a rise in applications — but those at UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz said they were startled by the flood that came in shortly after the system began accepting them Nov. 1.
Drake said he was particularly pleased with gains among underrepresented students — a nearly 20% increase in California freshmen applications among Black students and nearly 11% among Latino applicants — which campuses have worked hard to achieve. But admissions officers will be faced with the enormous task of winnowing the flood of applications in a year without test scores, possibly more pass/fails in lieu of letter grades and extracurricular activities disrupted by the pandemic.
“It will definitely be a challenge,” said Emily Engelschall, UC Riverside director of undergraduate admissions. “At the end of the day, the university only gets so many spaces.”
At Cal State, leaders attributed the decline in applications to pandemic-related hardships, which prompted them to extend the original Nov. 30 application deadline to Dec. 15 and again to January or later for several campuses.
The change in volume of applications varied by campus, dropping by as much as 26% among first-time freshmen at Sonoma State and increasing by as much as 9% at Cal Poly Pomona. In part, the numbers reflected some ongoing trends: the recent struggle of several Northern California campuses to attract students from outside their areas because of competition from Southern California, wildfires, limited housing availability and the high cost of housing.
Other high-demand campuses — including San Diego State, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Long Beach and Fullerton — saw gains or were relatively flat.
But COVID-19 certainly played a role. In L.A. County, one of the counties hit hardest by the pandemic, campuses that serve large numbers of disadvantaged students saw big drops. Applications dropped by 10% at Cal State L.A., where about 60% of students are low-income and about 60% first-generation students. The university serves communities with some of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the county, including East L.A., Florence-Firestone, Pico Rivera, Bell Gardens and Boyle Heights. Applications fell by 15% for first-time freshmen at Cal State Northridge.
Deborah Brandon, Cal State Dominguez Hills associate vice president of enrollment management, said many students live in multi-generational households with family members who either worked in hospitals and restaurants or were recently furloughed or laid off. More than three-quarters of the students are Black and Latino, and nearly the same share are the first in their families to pursue a bachelor’s degree. In 2018, the most recent year for which data are available, nearly 60% received federal financial aid — far greater than the systemwide average of 45%.
Cal State admissions officials said that students had expressed anxiety about finances, including paying the $70 per-campus application fee. They also cited Zoom fatigue, noting that high school students weren’t able to access the same learning or counseling resources as normal, and many were unsure if they wanted to begin college in a potentially virtual environment.
“A lot of students are like, well, do I really want to go to college and do online learning? Or should I just take a gap year and wait until this pandemic settles down and we can actually return to in-person learning and have a “normal” college experience?” said Jose Padilla, a senior enrollment advisor who does recruiting at Sonoma State.
A lot of the university’s high-touch efforts to recruit students were also difficult to replicate remotely. Padilla said that in normal years, he goes to high schools and holds workshops where 60 or 70 students gather in a room and go through the CSU application together.
“This year we did try to do that,” he said, “but when it came to doing it virtually, we would have five to 10 students. ... The last thing they want is to sit in front of a computer and hear another person give a presentation.”
Luoluo Hong, CSU associate vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management, said it was “something to celebrate” that the university received as many applications as it did despite the pandemic, recession, and racial unrest this year.
“With that said, I do think we need to be realistic about the challenges our students face,” she said.


latimes--2020-12-17--Here's what the ICU ward looks like with 0% availability

The availability of intensive care unit beds throughout Southern California hit 0 % last week , and officials warned that @ @ @ @ @ to erode further if the coronavirus continued to spread unchecked .
An ICU , or @ @ @ @ @ a specialized hospital department that cares for people in the most critical health situations , @ @ @ @ @ injuries or severe illnesses .
ICUs are equipped with specialized equipment , such as ventilators @ @ @ @ @ are staffed with highly trained nurses and physicians who provide round-the-clock care to their patients @ @ @ @ @ blood pressure , fluids and other vital signs .
Dr. Shruti Gohil , an infectious @ @ @ @ @ , said there was a 1-to-1 ratio of nurses to patients in ICUs .
Here @ @ @ @ @ where healthcare workers are laboring , treating a flood of COVID-19 patients .

The availability of intensive care unit beds throughout Southern California hit 0% last week, and officials warned that conditions in hospitals were expected to erode further if the coronavirus continued to spread unchecked.
An ICU, or intensive care unit, is a specialized hospital department that cares for people in the most critical health situations, such as those with life-threatening injuries or severe illnesses. ICUs are equipped with specialized equipment, such as ventilators.
Most important, ICUs are staffed with highly trained nurses and physicians who provide round-the-clock care to their patients — checking their breathing, blood pressure, fluids and other vital signs. Dr. Shruti Gohil, an infectious disease specialist at UCI Health, said there was a 1-to-1 ratio of nurses to patients in ICUs.
Here are images from area hospitals where healthcare workers are laboring, treating a flood of COVID-19 patients.
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Emergency room staff rush a trauma patient to the exam area in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Registered nurse Michelle Goldson works with a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital on Dec. 17. The writing on the window lists the times the patient was in the prone and supine positions. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A nurse gets help putting on her personal protective equipment before heading into a negative pressure room at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Emergency department medical director Dr. Leroy Pascal, in white mask, and respiratory therapists scramble to attend to a COVID-19 patient at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Pulmonologist Dr. Laren Tan, center, and his team of nurses and respiratory therapists intubate a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Loma Linda University Medical Center. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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ER nurse Jennifer Caspary helps Dr. Leroy Pascal with his protective gear on Dec. 17 at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
A patient is rushed to ICU to be intubated and placed on a ventilator at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Michelle Goldson, RN works inside the ICU at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital during the latest surge. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A nurse checks on COVID-19 patient Jose Mariscal, 66, in the ICU at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Caspary, ER incharge-nurse left, and Dr. Leroy Pascal, emergency department medical director, attend to a COVID-19 patient at Desert Valley Hospital. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
A patient is rushed to be placed on a ventilator at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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Michelle Goldson, RN, in the ICU at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Nurse Jeanette Pimentel checks on Pedro Luera, 68, who was airlifted from El Centro, Calif., to Paradise Valley Hospital in National City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-12-17--COVID stimulus is on its way. L.A.'s desperate nightclub owners hope it's not too little, too late

This week , Michael Swier had an unusual feeling for a music venue owner in 2020 : optimism that government might do something to help him .
Swier , who runs the downtown L.A. independent venues Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge , had no choice but to shut his doors in March and watch the coronavirus crisis decimate his industry .
None of his venues have had a show or any meaningful revenue since county and state regulations silenced clubs and concerts in the spring .
Still , he wasn ’ t too surprised that federal and local governments did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sens .
Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) and John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) had championed a bill , Save Our Stages , that would have offered $ 10 billion in grants to venues like his .
But the bill was embedded within a larger COVID-19 relief package that , although passed by the House , had stalled out in the Republican-led Senate in fall .
“ It ’ s government , ” Swier said .
“ I think people outside our industry didn ’ t know how deeply live music would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that COVID-19 vaccines began to be distributed , a second reason for hope emerged .
As of Sunday afternoon , Save Our Stages , which seemed like another victim of Republican resistance to the stimulus measure , looks to have made it into the final $ 900-billion economic aid package .
“ We ’ re in a good place , ” Sen. Klobuchar told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday morning after a Senate hearing on COVID-19 and the live events industry .
She was careful to note that the exact language of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest bill would direct $ 15 billion for direct grants to independent music venues , movie theaters and cultural spaces .
“ It ’ s been too long in coming , and we ’ re dependent on the package passing .
But Save Our Stages has always had bipartisan strength , ” Sen Klobuchar said .
“ I ’ m very optimistic .
We shouldn ’ t be the Congress that let music die.
” Dayna Frank , owner and chief executive of First Avenue Productions and board president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement on Sunday that “ We ’ re thrilled that Congress has heard the call of shuttered independent venues across the country and provided us a crucial lifeline by including the Save Our Stages Act in the Omnibus COVID- 19 Relief Bill .
We ’ re also incredibly grateful that this bill provides Pandemic Unemployment Assistance which will help the millions of people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own during this economic crisis .
We urge swift passage of this legislation , which will assist those in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on for generations to come.
” If a COVID-19 relief bill — one with Save Our Stages provisions included — is signed into law by President Trump in the waning days of his presidency , it might keep venues alive until enough Americans receive a vaccine and , perhaps in late spring or summer , shows can safely resume .
“ We ’ re waiting with bated breath , ” Swier said .
“ We ’ ve been on the cusp a couple of times , so hopefully this will happen and everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air.
” For months , music venues big and small , in major markets and smaller ones , have been paralyzed with uncertainty about how to move forward .
As long as the pandemic continued to rip through the country — on Wednesday alone , California tallied more than 50,000 new cases and 400 deaths , both records — indoor concerts seemed a distant hypothetical .
Even mega-promoters like Live Nation and AEG have seen revenues vanish and instituted draconian layoffs and cutbacks .
Groups like the National Independent Venue Assn .
have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Save Our Stages looked like the best hope .
The initial version proposed a pool of $ 10 billion that the Small Business Administration would tap for grants to independent venues .
The measure was included in the Heroes Act passed by the Democratic-led house in November , but as negotiations over a comprehensive bill ground down in the Senate , its prospects dimmed , as did any sense among venue operators that help was ever coming .
“ We ’ ve lost millions in revenue .
It ’ s probably been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prohibition , ” said Mitch Edelson , who owns the Silver Lake venue El Cid and Catch One , the Mid-City venue and dance club famous in Black LGBTQ history .
As Save Our Stages seemed thwarted , Edelson said , “ Was I surprised ?
No .
Disappointed ?
Incredibly .
We bailed out the airlines , but how about the venues where we all have memories ?
” Some clubs had to turn to their fanbases to keep the lights on .
“ After 24 years , the pandemic just exhausted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the time to throw in the towel , ” said Scott Craig , co-owner of the Silver Lake LGBTQ nightclub and electronic-music mainstay Akbar .
The club announced this week it was on the verge of closing .
A successful GoFundMe effort raised $ 180,000 , but “ we don ’ t expect to open until early summer .
It ’ s heartbreaking , ” Craig said .
“ This bar was created out of the AIDS epidemic , and with the present pandemic , not being able to console people physically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize the value of small institutions like ours.
” With just days left in a 2020 often bereft of good news , the first shipments of vaccines offered a measure of relief , and a vague timeline around which venues could begin to plan .
But the day when they can fling open their doors might still be six months or more in the future .
Unlike at many restaurants , opening at reduced capacity makes little sense for a venue paying to book bands and staff for a show .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lasted this long ran out of funds now , with an end to the pandemic finally in sight .
“ The vaccines are going to take months to be fully effective , so we have to help these businesses so they don ’ t fail , ” Sen. Klobuchar said .
“ Smaller venues and smaller markets operate on even slimmer margins .
There ’ s a whole ecosystem of jobs there , so we ’ ve got to make sure they survive the next few months.
” Sen. Klobuchar said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four of the main negotiators of the bill — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — had included Save Our Stages provisions in their proposed packages of legislation .
Sen. McConnell ’ s approval was widely seen as the bill ’ s main obstacle , but even he ’ s had conversations with Kentucky musicians Sturgill Simpson and My Morning Jacket ’ s Jim James , who pushed for Save Our Stages ’ relief measures .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stages seems closer to becoming law than it ever has been .
For L.A. venues in dire straits , the money would provide , as Swier said , a “ bridge to the other side ” of the pandemic .
After it ’ s signed into law , eligible independent venues could apply for grants of up to 45 % of their 2019 revenue , as much as $ 12 million .
( It ’ s uncertain how long it would actually take for applications to be processed and checks to arrive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ looming even with widespread vaccination , that money could mean the difference between shuttering and surviving .
“ There are still some hard months to go through , ” Swier said , “ but this relief will help.
” “ It does feel like almost time to start our engines , ” Edelson agreed .
“ It ’ s been super painful with bills stacking up and the city and state still expecting us to pay for licenses and taxes .
I know it ’ s going to take patience , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But in the meantime , venue owners like Akbar ’ s Craig are crossing their fingers that the language from Klobuchar ’ s Save Our Stages bill makes it over the finish line , for Silver Lake gay disco clubs and small-town juke joints alike .
“ I always did like her , ” Craig said , laughing .
“ All across the country , these institutions need help , otherwise all the life in these towns will go away .
L.A. ’ s music scene is incredible , and Lord knows large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can imagine that there ’ s a great little bar in Omaha that can really use these funds too .
”

This week, Michael Swier had an unusual feeling for a music venue owner in 2020: optimism that government might do something to help him.
Swier, who runs the downtown L.A. independent venues Teragram Ballroom and Moroccan Lounge, had no choice but to shut his doors in March and watch the coronavirus crisis decimate his industry. None of his venues have had a show or any meaningful revenue since county and state regulations silenced clubs and concerts in the spring.
Still, he wasn’t too surprised that federal and local governments did little to help the live music industry. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) had championed a bill, Save Our Stages, that would have offered $10 billion in grants to venues like his. But the bill was embedded within a larger COVID-19 relief package that, although passed by the House, had stalled out in the Republican-led Senate in fall.
“It’s government,” Swier said. “I think people outside our industry didn’t know how deeply live music would be affected.”
Music The 50 best Christmas songs of the last 50 years Tired of chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Here, 50 new Christmas classics — from pop to hip-hop to folk to glam-rock — from the past half-century.
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But in the same week that COVID-19 vaccines began to be distributed, a second reason for hope emerged. As of Sunday afternoon, Save Our Stages, which seemed like another victim of Republican resistance to the stimulus measure, looks to have made it into the final $900-billion economic aid package.
“We’re in a good place,” Sen. Klobuchar told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday morning after a Senate hearing on COVID-19 and the live events industry. She was careful to note that the exact language of the aid package was still being finalized. The latest bill would direct $15 billion for direct grants to independent music venues, movie theaters and cultural spaces.
“It’s been too long in coming, and we’re dependent on the package passing. But Save Our Stages has always had bipartisan strength,” Sen Klobuchar said. “I’m very optimistic. We shouldn’t be the Congress that let music die.”
Dayna Frank, owner and chief executive of First Avenue Productions and board president of the National Independent Venue Association, said in a statement on Sunday that “We’re thrilled that Congress has heard the call of shuttered independent venues across the country and provided us a crucial lifeline by including the Save Our Stages Act in the Omnibus COVID- 19 Relief Bill. We’re also incredibly grateful that this bill provides Pandemic Unemployment Assistance which will help the millions of people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own during this economic crisis. We urge swift passage of this legislation, which will assist those in the greatest need and ensure the music lives on for generations to come.”
Michael Swier, in the Teragram Ballroom in 2015, says local clubs are waiting “with bated breath” to see whether the stimulus passes. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
If a COVID-19 relief bill — one with Save Our Stages provisions included — is signed into law by President Trump in the waning days of his presidency, it might keep venues alive until enough Americans receive a vaccine and, perhaps in late spring or summer, shows can safely resume.
“We’re waiting with bated breath,” Swier said. “We’ve been on the cusp a couple of times, so hopefully this will happen and everyone can take a big breath of fresh air.”
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For months, music venues big and small, in major markets and smaller ones, have been paralyzed with uncertainty about how to move forward. As long as the pandemic continued to rip through the country — on Wednesday alone, California tallied more than 50,000 new cases and 400 deaths, both records — indoor concerts seemed a distant hypothetical. Even mega-promoters like Live Nation and AEG have seen revenues vanish and instituted draconian layoffs and cutbacks.
Groups like the National Independent Venue Assn. have pushed for federal relief since summer, and Save Our Stages looked like the best hope. The initial version proposed a pool of $10 billion that the Small Business Administration would tap for grants to independent venues. The measure was included in the Heroes Act passed by the Democratic-led house in November, but as negotiations over a comprehensive bill ground down in the Senate, its prospects dimmed, as did any sense among venue operators that help was ever coming.
“We’ve lost millions in revenue. It’s probably been the worst year for our industry since Prohibition,” said Mitch Edelson, who owns the Silver Lake venue El Cid and Catch One, the Mid-City venue and dance club famous in Black LGBTQ history. As Save Our Stages seemed thwarted, Edelson said, “Was I surprised? No. Disappointed? Incredibly. We bailed out the airlines, but how about the venues where we all have memories?”
Pre-pandemic, patrons mingle at El Cid in Silver Lake. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Some clubs had to turn to their fanbases to keep the lights on.
“After 24 years, the pandemic just exhausted me, and I thought maybe now was the time to throw in the towel,” said Scott Craig, co-owner of the Silver Lake LGBTQ nightclub and electronic-music mainstay Akbar. The club announced this week it was on the verge of closing. A successful GoFundMe effort raised $180,000, but “we don’t expect to open until early summer. It’s heartbreaking,” Craig said. “This bar was created out of the AIDS epidemic, and with the present pandemic, not being able to console people physically is real tough. Government needs to recognize the value of small institutions like ours.”
With just days left in a 2020 often bereft of good news, the first shipments of vaccines offered a measure of relief, and a vague timeline around which venues could begin to plan. But the day when they can fling open their doors might still be six months or more in the future. Unlike at many restaurants, opening at reduced capacity makes little sense for a venue paying to book bands and staff for a show.
It would be a bitter irony if clubs that have lasted this long ran out of funds now, with an end to the pandemic finally in sight.
“The vaccines are going to take months to be fully effective, so we have to help these businesses so they don’t fail,” Sen. Klobuchar said. “Smaller venues and smaller markets operate on even slimmer margins. There’s a whole ecosystem of jobs there, so we’ve got to make sure they survive the next few months.”
Music The year the music died It was the worst year for live music in... well, ever. The Times spoke with two dozen musicians and live-music pros to assess the damage done by the pandemic.
Sen. Klobuchar said on Tuesday that, so far, all four of the main negotiators of the bill — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — had included Save Our Stages provisions in their proposed packages of legislation.
Sen. McConnell’s approval was widely seen as the bill’s main obstacle, but even he’s had conversations with Kentucky musicians Sturgill Simpson and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, who pushed for Save Our Stages’ relief measures. Although nothing is final yet, Save Our Stages seems closer to becoming law than it ever has been.
For L.A. venues in dire straits, the money would provide, as Swier said, a “bridge to the other side” of the pandemic. After it’s signed into law, eligible independent venues could apply for grants of up to 45% of their 2019 revenue, as much as $12 million. (It’s uncertain how long it would actually take for applications to be processed and checks to arrive.) With another six months of shutdown looming even with widespread vaccination, that money could mean the difference between shuttering and surviving.
“There are still some hard months to go through,” Swier said, “but this relief will help.”
“It does feel like almost time to start our engines,” Edelson agreed. “It’s been super painful with bills stacking up and the city and state still expecting us to pay for licenses and taxes. I know it’s going to take patience, but I really hope this stimulus comes through.”
But in the meantime, venue owners like Akbar’s Craig are crossing their fingers that the language from Klobuchar’s Save Our Stages bill makes it over the finish line, for Silver Lake gay disco clubs and small-town juke joints alike.
“I always did like her,” Craig said, laughing. “All across the country, these institutions need help, otherwise all the life in these towns will go away. L.A.’s music scene is incredible, and Lord knows large corporations have been getting help. I can imagine that there’s a great little bar in Omaha that can really use these funds too.”


latimes--2020-12-22--Newsom relies on education over fines to enforce virus edicts. New York is different

Nearly six months since Gov .
Gavin Newsom promised to target businesses that are flagrantly violating public health orders to control the spread of COVID-19 , California regulators have issued just 424 citations and suspended two business licenses as of Monday , according to data from 10 state regulatory and law enforcement agencies .
Instead of strictly penalizing businesses for violations , the Democratic governor and businessman with a portfolio of wineries , bars and restaurants under the brand name PlumpJack has relied on educating owners about infectious disease mandates .
State agencies have contacted establishments primarily by email , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 to urge them to comply with state and local public health rules .
Enforcement at bars and restaurants where alcohol is served , identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as among the highest-risk environments for coronavirus transmission , has been limited , data show .
The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control , which can issue criminal misdemeanor citations , fine businesses and revoke liquor licenses , has issued just 45 citations against bars and 119 against restaurants since July .
No fines have been issued or licenses revoked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By comparison , the state of New York — with half the population of California and far fewer eating and drinking establishments — has issued 1,867 fines against bars and restaurants , and temporarily suspended 279 business liquor licenses from June 18 to Dec. 8 .
“ The reality is it ’ s not enough to send an email and say , ‘ Wear a mask , ’ ” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco .
“ We see workplace violations that we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to be willing to enforce or there ’ s no point in doing these things.
” Like much of the country , both California and New York , the nation ’ s two most populous Democratic-led states , have put primary responsibility for enforcing public health mandates on cities and counties .
Newsom and New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo have bolstered local enforcement efforts by forming statewide task forces to go after businesses that repeatedly violate or ignore public health rules , such as mask mandates and business closures .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York in targeting and penalizing bad actors .
Newsom and state agencies have instead relied on tough talk and persuasion , emphasizing “ personal responsibility , ” informing businesses about their responsibilities — and giving them plenty of time to comply .
“ I ’ m not coming out with a fist .
We want to come out with an open heart , ” Newsom said July 1 .
“ We have , I think , a responsibility at the same time to go after people that are thumbing their nose , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do anything.
” The state ’ s lenient enforcement policy has put enormous responsibility and pressure on cities and counties struggling to gain compliance with COVID-19 measures .
Local government leaders are preparing for deep budget cuts and can ’ t find resources to undertake a coherent enforcement strategy of their own .
Many are also fighting intense political battles over mask mandates , curfews and other coronavirus safety measures .
As a result , some counties enforce the rules and some don ’ t .
And because the state hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some local officials say , businesses are often free to ignore the rules , allowing the virus to run rampant .
“ It would be nice to have some air support from the governor , ” said Nevada City Councilman Doug Fleming , who backs the city ’ s new ordinance imposing fines for violating the state mask mandate .
“ He ’ s kind of forcing local jurisdictions to enforce his rules without any air support.
” California is experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases as never before , setting records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospitals across the state are running dangerously low on intensive care unit beds , with the state reporting 2.5 % ICU capacity as of Monday .
Most of California is under a mandatory stay-at-home order , which prohibits indoor and outdoor dining and requires closure of a wide swath of businesses , from barbershops to wineries .
Retail operations are limited to 20 % capacity and churches must hold services outside .
Yet across the state , many people continue to flout the rules , keeping businesses open and refusing to wear masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Franklin , for instance , continue to hold indoor Sunday sermons at the Cornerstone Church in Fresno .
Bars in Los Angeles County were packed with maskless football fans on a recent Sunday .
And the owners of Calla Lily Crepes in Nevada City have repeatedly refused to close or require masks despite more than 20 warnings and attempts by Nevada County to gain compliance .
“ We are free thinkers .
I hope I ’ m not stepping out too far by saying we strongly question the masks , but we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who owns the restaurant with her husband , Darren Engstrom .
“ We feel that it should be people ’ s choice.
” Newsom in July threatened to withhold money from cities and counties that refuse to enforce public health orders .
To date , the state has withheld federal funding from two cities in the Central Valley , Atwater and Coalinga , for allowing businesses to remain open in defiance of state and local health orders .
The governor has also directed 10 state agencies to keep watch for egregious violators of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , to protect workers and the public .
State enforcement officials have issued few harsh penalties , they argue , because most businesses are complying — and the state doesn ’ t want to be punitive .
In interviews , regulators described long hours of back-breaking work to inform business owners about the rapidly changing COVID-19 restrictions and enforcement rules .
“ We ’ re not trying to get into an adversarial situation here , ” said Erika Monterroza , chief spokesperson for the state Department of Industrial Relations , which oversees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is responsible for regulating workplace safety and employer public health mandates .
Cal/OSHA issued 219 coronavirus-related citations to 90 employers from Aug. 25 to Dec. 14 , accompanied by about $ 2.2 million in proposed fines , according to department data .
The penalties ranged from $ 475 on Sept. 30 against a Taco Bell in Anaheim for failing to require employees to maintain six feet of physical distance , to $ 108,000 on Oct. 29 against Apple Bistro in Placerville for not requiring masks indoors and for not providing adequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The department is investigating about 1,700 other cases .
The state Board of Barbering and Cosmetology , which regulates about 54,000 salons and barbershops , has levied just two citations and suspended two licenses , both held by Primo ’ s Barbershop in Vacaville , which has “ very adamantly ” opposed state health orders , said Matt Woodcheke , a spokesperson for the state Department of Consumer Affairs , which oversees the board .
No citations have been issued for COVID-19-related public health violations by California ’ s 280 state parks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regulators said they have felt tremendous angst trying to get businesses to follow rapidly changing rules , but they aim for voluntary compliance and don ’ t want to cause businesses to go under .
“ This is extremely difficult and we don ’ t want to do it , ” said Luke Blehm , an acting supervising agent in charge of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control .
“ We are all compassionate and empathetic and it ’ s a very hard thing to tell somebody that they ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of these rules they have to comply with.
” The state Department of Public Health , which is not one of the 10 task force agencies but assists them , has not issued fines or citations for health order violations , even though it is the primary agency responsible for issuing statewide mandates , spokesperson Corey Egel said .
In New York , by contrast , Cuomo has leaned on political leaders and law enforcement agencies to aggressively patrol violations of COVID-19 public health rules and has publicly admonished sheriffs who refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide crackdown on bars and restaurants as cases surged this summer after contact-tracing data indicated drinking and dining were a major source of community spread , said Cuomo spokesperson Jack Sterne .
In hard-hit counties and towns where political leadership rebuffed enforcement , the Cuomo administration deployed COVID strike teams composed of state inspectors — in some cases , retrained Department of Motor Vehicles employees — to monitor business violations of public health rules .
Cuomo argues it has made a difference .
“ Compliance on bars has increased dramatically from when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ because if you know someone is going to check , if you know there ’ s monitoring , people tend to increase compliance.
” In California , some counties are enforcing COVID-19 restrictions .
San Diego County is dedicating six sheriff ’ s deputies to the cause and fines repeat violators up to $ 1,000 .
“ We ’ re supportive of enforcement here , ” said San Diego County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Ricardo Lopez .
“ COVID-19 is exploding and our view is , let ’ s get this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But elsewhere , county health officers pushing for stricter enforcement face intense political opposition from their bosses and law enforcement agencies .
Sacramento County , for example , dropped its plan to impose fines this month after confronting resistance from businesses .
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones also has refused to enforce mask and other public health mandates .
Dr. Georges Benjamin , executive director of the American Public Health Assn.
, said the state , ideally , should develop a consistent statewide enforcement system that starts with warnings and a strong public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fines if noncompliance continues .
Until that happens , leaders say , the patchwork of rules and enforcement strategies is causing confusion and chaos .
“ People are continuing to disobey , ” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye , Sacramento County ’ s health officer .
“ Some people are outright angry with us , asking why aren ’ t we doing something , but all we can do is refer problems to the state enforcement agencies.
” This story was produced by KHN ( Kaiser Health News ) , which publishes California Healthline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Health Care Foundation .
KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

During the summer, residents of Modoc County watched a scaled-back Fourth of July parade, with few wearing masks, despite a state mandate that Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would enforce.
Nearly six months since Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to target businesses that are flagrantly violating public health orders to control the spread of COVID-19, California regulators have issued just 424 citations and suspended two business licenses as of Monday, according to data from 10 state regulatory and law enforcement agencies.
Instead of strictly penalizing businesses for violations, the Democratic governor and businessman with a portfolio of wineries, bars and restaurants under the brand name PlumpJack has relied on educating owners about infectious disease mandates. State agencies have contacted establishments primarily by email, sending them 1.3 million messages since July 1 to urge them to comply with state and local public health rules.
Enforcement at bars and restaurants where alcohol is served, identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as among the highest-risk environments for coronavirus transmission, has been limited, data show. The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which can issue criminal misdemeanor citations, fine businesses and revoke liquor licenses, has issued just 45 citations against bars and 119 against restaurants since July. No fines have been issued or licenses revoked for the 94,000 businesses it regulates.
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By comparison, the state of New York — with half the population of California and far fewer eating and drinking establishments — has issued 1,867 fines against bars and restaurants, and temporarily suspended 279 business liquor licenses from June 18 to Dec. 8.
“The reality is it’s not enough to send an email and say, ‘Wear a mask,’” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco. “We see workplace violations that we know are major sources of transmission. We have to be willing to enforce or there’s no point in doing these things.”
Like much of the country, both California and New York, the nation’s two most populous Democratic-led states, have put primary responsibility for enforcing public health mandates on cities and counties. Newsom and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have bolstered local enforcement efforts by forming statewide task forces to go after businesses that repeatedly violate or ignore public health rules, such as mask mandates and business closures.
But California has been less aggressive than New York in targeting and penalizing bad actors. Newsom and state agencies have instead relied on tough talk and persuasion, emphasizing “personal responsibility,” informing businesses about their responsibilities — and giving them plenty of time to comply.
“I’m not coming out with a fist. We want to come out with an open heart,” Newsom said July 1. “We have, I think, a responsibility at the same time to go after people that are thumbing their nose, that are particularly being aggressive and reticent to do anything.”
The state’s lenient enforcement policy has put enormous responsibility and pressure on cities and counties struggling to gain compliance with COVID-19 measures. Local government leaders are preparing for deep budget cuts and can’t find resources to undertake a coherent enforcement strategy of their own. Many are also fighting intense political battles over mask mandates, curfews and other coronavirus safety measures.
As a result, some counties enforce the rules and some don’t. And because the state hasn’t stepped in to assist with adequate enforcement, some local officials say, businesses are often free to ignore the rules, allowing the virus to run rampant.
“It would be nice to have some air support from the governor,” said Nevada City Councilman Doug Fleming, who backs the city’s new ordinance imposing fines for violating the state mask mandate. “He’s kind of forcing local jurisdictions to enforce his rules without any air support.”
California is experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases as never before, setting records almost daily for infections and deaths. Hospitals across the state are running dangerously low on intensive care unit beds, with the state reporting 2.5% ICU capacity as of Monday.
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Most of California is under a mandatory stay-at-home order, which prohibits indoor and outdoor dining and requires closure of a wide swath of businesses, from barbershops to wineries. Retail operations are limited to 20% capacity and churches must hold services outside.
Yet across the state, many people continue to flout the rules, keeping businesses open and refusing to wear masks in public. Pastors Jim and Cyndi Franklin, for instance, continue to hold indoor Sunday sermons at the Cornerstone Church in Fresno. Bars in Los Angeles County were packed with maskless football fans on a recent Sunday.
As ICUs run out of capacity, this Huntington Beach, CA scene was posted by a resident noting that today’s Green Bay/ Detroit game can be seen on overhead TVs. pic.twitter.com/Dcr3IlOOaS — Margot Roosevelt (@margotroosevelt) December 14, 2020
And the owners of Calla Lily Crepes in Nevada City have repeatedly refused to close or require masks despite more than 20 warnings and attempts by Nevada County to gain compliance.
“We are free thinkers. I hope I’m not stepping out too far by saying we strongly question the masks, but we do,” said Rebecca Sweet Engstrom, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Darren Engstrom. “We feel that it should be people’s choice.”
Newsom in July threatened to withhold money from cities and counties that refuse to enforce public health orders. To date, the state has withheld federal funding from two cities in the Central Valley, Atwater and Coalinga, for allowing businesses to remain open in defiance of state and local health orders.
The governor has also directed 10 state agencies to keep watch for egregious violators of state and local health orders, primarily businesses, to protect workers and the public. State enforcement officials have issued few harsh penalties, they argue, because most businesses are complying — and the state doesn’t want to be punitive.
In interviews, regulators described long hours of back-breaking work to inform business owners about the rapidly changing COVID-19 restrictions and enforcement rules.
“We’re not trying to get into an adversarial situation here,” said Erika Monterroza, chief spokesperson for the state Department of Industrial Relations, which oversees the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is responsible for regulating workplace safety and employer public health mandates.
Cal/OSHA issued 219 coronavirus-related citations to 90 employers from Aug. 25 to Dec. 14, accompanied by about $2.2 million in proposed fines, according to department data. The penalties ranged from $475 on Sept. 30 against a Taco Bell in Anaheim for failing to require employees to maintain six feet of physical distance, to $108,000 on Oct. 29 against Apple Bistro in Placerville for not requiring masks indoors and for not providing adequate physical distance between employees and guests. The department is investigating about 1,700 other cases.
The state Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, which regulates about 54,000 salons and barbershops, has levied just two citations and suspended two licenses, both held by Primo’s Barbershop in Vacaville, which has “very adamantly” opposed state health orders, said Matt Woodcheke, a spokesperson for the state Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the board.
No citations have been issued for COVID-19-related public health violations by California’s 280 state parks, nor by the California Highway Patrol.
Regulators said they have felt tremendous angst trying to get businesses to follow rapidly changing rules, but they aim for voluntary compliance and don’t want to cause businesses to go under.
“This is extremely difficult and we don’t want to do it,” said Luke Blehm, an acting supervising agent in charge of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. “We are all compassionate and empathetic and it’s a very hard thing to tell somebody that they’ve got to close and they may lose everything because of these rules they have to comply with.”
The state Department of Public Health, which is not one of the 10 task force agencies but assists them, has not issued fines or citations for health order violations, even though it is the primary agency responsible for issuing statewide mandates, spokesperson Corey Egel said.
In New York, by contrast, Cuomo has leaned on political leaders and law enforcement agencies to aggressively patrol violations of COVID-19 public health rules and has publicly admonished sheriffs who refuse to enforce violations. He ordered a statewide crackdown on bars and restaurants as cases surged this summer after contact-tracing data indicated drinking and dining were a major source of community spread, said Cuomo spokesperson Jack Sterne.
In hard-hit counties and towns where political leadership rebuffed enforcement, the Cuomo administration deployed COVID strike teams composed of state inspectors — in some cases, retrained Department of Motor Vehicles employees — to monitor business violations of public health rules. Cuomo argues it has made a difference.
“Compliance on bars has increased dramatically from when we started,” he said in September, “because if you know someone is going to check, if you know there’s monitoring, people tend to increase compliance.”
In California, some counties are enforcing COVID-19 restrictions. San Diego County is dedicating six sheriff’s deputies to the cause and fines repeat violators up to $1,000.
“We’re supportive of enforcement here,” said San Diego County Sheriff’s Lt. Ricardo Lopez. “COVID-19 is exploding and our view is, let’s get this over with as fast as possible.”
But elsewhere, county health officers pushing for stricter enforcement face intense political opposition from their bosses and law enforcement agencies. Sacramento County, for example, dropped its plan to impose fines this month after confronting resistance from businesses. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones also has refused to enforce mask and other public health mandates.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Assn., said the state, ideally, should develop a consistent statewide enforcement system that starts with warnings and a strong public messaging campaign, then moves to graduated fines if noncompliance continues.
Until that happens, leaders say, the patchwork of rules and enforcement strategies is causing confusion and chaos.
“People are continuing to disobey,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s health officer. “Some people are outright angry with us, asking why aren’t we doing something, but all we can do is refer problems to the state enforcement agencies.”
This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


latimes--2020-12-22--Dire COVID warnings go unheeded as many insist on Christmas traditions; officials fear new surge

Airports are seeing steady increases in travelers determined to spend Christmas with family and friends .
Coronavirus testing centers are seeing brisk business , including from some people who want to know whether they have the virus before attending holiday events .
And last-minute shoppers are still out looking for that perfect gift .
To the alarm of California health officials , Christmas is looking an awful lot like Thanksgiving , when where social gatherings put an already unprecedented surge of the coronavirus into overdrive .
The Thanksgiving “ super-spreader ” events helped fill hospitals with COVID-19 patients , forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare network to the brink .
But even the most dire public health warnings seemed to have failed to sink in .
And in some cases , they are no match for the basic human need to spend time with loved ones , maintain family traditions and turn to others for support during challenging times .
Officials have already said that hospitals will likely have to make difficult decisions in the coming weeks about which patients will get the critical care that could mean the difference between life and death .
The further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only prolong the crisis , officials said .
“ We really can ’ t afford to repeat the mistakes of Thanksgiving .
... Another spike in cases from the winter holidays will be disastrous for our hospital system , and ultimately will mean many more people simply won ’ t be with us in 2021 , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday .
“ Our hospitals are already over capacity , and the high quality medical care we ’ re accustomed to in L.A. County is beginning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are beyond stretched to the limit.
” But that message was not resonating at airports .
“ Almost no one has caught COVID on a plane , ” said Andrew Connors , who stood in a security line at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday morning with his daughter , Meikah .
All around them , the terminal buzzed as masked passengers queued up for security pat-downs , airport employees wiped surfaces with fervor and roller bags rumbled across the floor .
Connors said Meikah , 11 , was preparing to travel alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christmas with her mother .
Although he was initially reluctant to put his daughter on a plane , he said he felt reassured after reading up on safety protocols and air-filtration methods onboard .
“ We ’ re probably going to make a snowman when I get there , ” she said .
She joins more than 3 million passengers who have passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints in the last three days , according to data from the Transportation Security Administration .
The agency reported just over 1 million people each day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — compared with 501,000 nationwide passengers on a single day two weeks ago .
Prior to Friday , the last time the agency passed the 1-million mark in 2020 was Nov. 29 , the Sunday after Thanksgiving .
The burgeoning influx of travelers is likely to increase as Christmas , Kwanzaa and New Year ’ s Eve draw closer .
“ Over the last few days , those numbers have started to grow , much like we saw ahead of Thanksgiving , ” said LAX spokesman Heath Montgomery , who noted that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights a day through Jan. 4 , up from 846 daily flights around the Thanksgiving holiday .
The overall numbers are still down substantially from last year , however .
Some at LAX knew the risks .
“ My grandma is getting old , and she has some health problems , so we wanted to see her , ” said Diego Cee , a 21-year-old Pasadena resident preparing for a flight to Mexico City .
Donned in a face mask and shield , Cee said he was extremely nervous about his journey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ few days ” after he arrives before visiting his grandmother , he said .
Ahmad Atif-Rea and his 12-year-old son , Iyad , said they were traveling from their home in Santa Barbara to Park City , Utah , where they were looking forward to hitting the ski slopes .
The family skis every December , Atif-Rea said , and they didn ’ t want to miss out on the tradition this year .
“ We ’ ll be careful , of course , ” he added .
“ We don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the warnings of health officials and the reaction of those who decide to travel and enjoy holiday gatherings sometimes seems difficult to bridge .
For every cold statistic there is an equally human justification .
From canceled weddings to deferred graduations to birthdays celebrated alone , 2020 has been a uniquely challenging year , and many say they long for a taste of normalcy and comfort .
Many are anxious and feel alone .
Others have suffered financial losses .
In times like these , it feels natural to connect with loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impulses to ignore , some passengers said , even as conditions in hospitals deteriorate in terrifying ways and the COVID-19 death toll spikes .
L.A. County has reported nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the last week , nearly eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago .
L.A. County has also reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week — six times the comparable number from six weeks ago .
ICU occupancy effectively maxed out last week , and as of 9 a.m. Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were only 30 available ICU beds in this county of 10 million people .
A tally last week found 69 .
L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said emergency departments are slammed across the county .
Over the weekend , one hospital struggled to care for both a high number of COVID-19 patients and a large family with critical injuries after they were struck by a suspected drunk driver , Ghaly said .
“ We ’ ve all seen images of people out and about .
Lots of people in parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail centers .
And we are very worried about what this could mean in the days and weeks to come , ” Ghaly said .
“ If you ’ re still out there shopping for your loved ones for this holiday season , or you ’ re planning a holiday get-together , then you are missing the gravity of the situation that is affecting hospitals across Los Angeles County and California and this nation.
” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he is frustrated by people not following pleas to stay at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If you gather for the holidays , our hospitals will be overrun , ” he said .
“ This is not a good sign .
And it ’ s a recipe for a Christmas and New Year ’ s surge… “ This is a warning for you .
This is about your family .
This is about your loved ones .
This is about your plans , ” Garcetti said .
“ Your choices will save lives , or they will lead to more deaths.
” Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , UC San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and biostatistics , said L.A. County ’ s numbers “ are looking really quite scary right now.
” “ We are clearly in that period of exponential growth .
Things are just going up so fast that it is really hard to get them back under control , ” Bibbins-Domingo said .
Unfortunately , “ we keep doing the things that we want to do .
It ’ s Christmastime ; going out shopping ; being with the people we were with last month .
But this month , it ’ s riskier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think when you look at the hospitalizations , the capacity in L.A. , it ’ s a dangerous combination , especially heading into a time when people just want to be doing those things even more .
So , it ’ s dangerous.
” At Union Station on Monday , Jim Price , 71 , sat on a bench outside as he waited for his son ’ s train to arrive from Phoenix .
They would spend “ an hour or two together ” at the station before his son continued on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Price , who lives in San Clemente , said that he had some cardiovascular issues but that he wasn ’ t worried about the visit from a health perspective .
“ We ’ re taking all the right precautions , and we ’ re outdoors , ” he said .
“ I know things are out of the ordinary with the spike , but I want to see my son.
” At the coronavirus testing kiosk near the station ’ s entrance , about a dozen people waited in line to swab their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare worker through a secure submission box .
Kaley Mahoney , 31 , was getting tested so she could spend Christmas with her friends .
“ I am concerned , but I ’ ve been isolated so I feel OK , ” said Mahoney , a food delivery driver .
“ It gets worse when you listen to the news.
” Times staff writers Jennifer Lu and Casey Miller contributed to this report .

Hayley Smith, Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money

The Mulroy family make their way through LAX, on the way to York, Penn., to spend the holidays with relatives.
Airports are seeing steady increases in travelers determined to spend Christmas with family and friends.
Coronavirus testing centers are seeing brisk business, including from some people who want to know whether they have the virus before attending holiday events.
And last-minute shoppers are still out looking for that perfect gift.
To the alarm of California health officials, Christmas is looking an awful lot like Thanksgiving, when social gatherings put an already unprecedented surge of the coronavirus into overdrive. The Thanksgiving “super-spreader” events helped fill hospitals with COVID-19 patients, forcing more restrictions on businesses and pushing the healthcare network to the brink.
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But even the most dire public health warnings seemed to have failed to sink in. And in some cases, they are no match for the basic human need to spend time with loved ones, maintain family traditions and turn to others for support during challenging times.
Officials have already said that hospitals will likely have to make difficult decisions in the coming weeks about which patients will get the critical care that could mean the difference between life and death. The further spread of COVID-19 during Christmas gatherings would only prolong the crisis, officials said.
“We really can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of Thanksgiving. ... Another spike in cases from the winter holidays will be disastrous for our hospital system, and ultimately will mean many more people simply won’t be with us in 2021,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday.
“Our hospitals are already over capacity, and the high quality medical care we’re accustomed to in L.A. County is beginning to be compromised as our frontline healthcare workers are beyond stretched to the limit.”
But that message was not resonating at airports.
Hanna Dixon of West Hollywood, and her dog, Pepper, a Yorkie, make their way into Southwest Airlines at LAX. Dixon was heading to Cleveland, Ohio to attend a service for her Aunt who passed away. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
“Almost no one has caught COVID on a plane,” said Andrew Connors, who stood in a security line at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday morning with his daughter, Meikah.
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All around them, the terminal buzzed as masked passengers queued up for security pat-downs, airport employees wiped surfaces with fervor and roller bags rumbled across the floor.
Connors said Meikah, 11, was preparing to travel alone to Marysville, Ohio, to spend Christmas with her mother. Although he was initially reluctant to put his daughter on a plane, he said he felt reassured after reading up on safety protocols and air-filtration methods onboard.
“We’re probably going to make a snowman when I get there,” she said.
She joins more than 3 million passengers who have passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints in the last three days, according to data from the Transportation Security Administration.
The agency reported just over 1 million people each day — on Friday, Saturday and Sunday — compared with 501,000 nationwide passengers on a single day two weeks ago. Prior to Friday, the last time the agency passed the 1-million mark in 2020 was Nov. 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The burgeoning influx of travelers is likely to increase as Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve draw closer.
“Over the last few days, those numbers have started to grow, much like we saw ahead of Thanksgiving,” said LAX spokesman Heath Montgomery, who noted that the airport is expecting an average of 920 flights a day through Jan. 4, up from 846 daily flights around the Thanksgiving holiday. The overall numbers are still down substantially from last year, however.
Some at LAX knew the risks.
“My grandma is getting old, and she has some health problems, so we wanted to see her,” said Diego Cee, a 21-year-old Pasadena resident preparing for a flight to Mexico City.
Donned in a face mask and shield, Cee said he was extremely nervous about his journey. He plans to quarantine for a “few days” after he arrives before visiting his grandmother, he said.
Ahmad Atif-Rea and his 12-year-old son, Iyad, said they were traveling from their home in Santa Barbara to Park City, Utah, where they were looking forward to hitting the ski slopes. The family skis every December, Atif-Rea said, and they didn’t want to miss out on the tradition this year.
“We’ll be careful, of course,” he added. “We don’t want to get sick.”
The disconnect between the warnings of health officials and the reaction of those who decide to travel and enjoy holiday gatherings sometimes seems difficult to bridge.
For every cold statistic there is an equally human justification. From canceled weddings to deferred graduations to birthdays celebrated alone, 2020 has been a uniquely challenging year, and many say they long for a taste of normalcy and comfort. Many are anxious and feel alone. Others have suffered financial losses. In times like these, it feels natural to connect with loved ones for support.
Those are difficult impulses to ignore, some passengers said, even as conditions in hospitals deteriorate in terrifying ways and the COVID-19 death toll spikes.
L.A. County has reported nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the last week, nearly eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago. L.A. County has also reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week — six times the comparable number from six weeks ago.
ICU occupancy effectively maxed out last week, and as of 9 a.m. Sunday, a point-in-time survey found that there were only 30 available ICU beds in this county of 10 million people. A tally last week found 69.
L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said emergency departments are slammed across the county. Over the weekend, one hospital struggled to care for both a high number of COVID-19 patients and a large family with critical injuries after they were struck by a suspected drunk driver, Ghaly said.
“We’ve all seen images of people out and about. Lots of people in parks. Images of busy shopping centers and retail centers. And we are very worried about what this could mean in the days and weeks to come,” Ghaly said. “If you’re still out there shopping for your loved ones for this holiday season, or you’re planning a holiday get-together, then you are missing the gravity of the situation that is affecting hospitals across Los Angeles County and California and this nation.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he is frustrated by people not following pleas to stay at home, wear masks and avoid gatherings.
“If you gather for the holidays, our hospitals will be overrun,” he said. “This is not a good sign. And it’s a recipe for a Christmas and New Year’s surge…
“This is a warning for you. This is about your family. This is about your loved ones. This is about your plans,” Garcetti said. “Your choices will save lives, or they will lead to more deaths.”
Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, UC San Francisco chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics, said L.A. County’s numbers “are looking really quite scary right now.”
“We are clearly in that period of exponential growth. Things are just going up so fast that it is really hard to get them back under control,” Bibbins-Domingo said.
Unfortunately, “we keep doing the things that we want to do. It’s Christmastime; going out shopping; being with the people we were with last month. But this month, it’s riskier,” she said. “And I think when you look at the hospitalizations, the capacity in L.A., it’s a dangerous combination, especially heading into a time when people just want to be doing those things even more. So, it’s dangerous.”
Spread holiday cheer and #StopTheSurge in #California. Even without symptoms, you can give #COVID19 to your loved ones and others in your community. So, wear a mask, practice physical distance, wash your hands, and stay #HomeForTheHolidays. pic.twitter.com/MO6y8mA6nj — CA Public Health (@CAPublicHealth) December 17, 2020
At Union Station on Monday, Jim Price, 71, sat on a bench outside as he waited for his son’s train to arrive from Phoenix. They would spend “an hour or two together” at the station before his son continued on to his final destination in Seattle.
Price, who lives in San Clemente, said that he had some cardiovascular issues but that he wasn’t worried about the visit from a health perspective.
“We’re taking all the right precautions, and we’re outdoors,” he said. “I know things are out of the ordinary with the spike, but I want to see my son.”
At the coronavirus testing kiosk near the station’s entrance, about a dozen people waited in line to swab their mouths and pass the sample to a healthcare worker through a secure submission box.
Kaley Mahoney, 31, was getting tested so she could spend Christmas with her friends.
“I am concerned, but I’ve been isolated so I feel OK,” said Mahoney, a food delivery driver. “It gets worse when you listen to the news.”
Times staff writers Jennifer Lu and Casey Miller contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-22--Firefighters battle structure fire in North Hollywood

Firefighters were battling a blaze in North Hollywood on Monday night that had spread to two commercial buildings and caused @ @ @ @ @ Officials responded to a call at 9:07 p.m. in response to a fire at 5400 @ @ @ @ @ to the Los Angeles Fire Department .
By 9:50 p.m. , more than 100 firefighters @ @ @ @ @ on two buildings and defend a third one in the construction stage .
Margaret Stewart @ @ @ @ @ department , said she could not confirm whether the buildings had been vacant .
No @ @ @ @ @

Firefighters were battling a blaze in North Hollywood on Monday night that had spread to two commercial buildings and caused a roof to collapse.
Officials responded to a call at 9:07 p.m. in response to a fire at 5400 N. Tujunga Ave., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
By 9:50 p.m., more than 100 firefighters were working to extinguish fire on two buildings and defend a third one in the construction stage.
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Margaret Stewart, a spokesman for the department, said she could not confirm whether the buildings had been vacant.
No injuries have been reported.


latimes--2020-12-22--More than 10% of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department personnel in coronavirus quarantine

More than 10 % of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s employees are in quarantine due to the coronavirus , a number officials attributed to the explosion of cases throughout the county .
As of Monday , 655 non-sworn and 1,216 sworn personnel were in quarantine after having tested positive or having had a confirmed exposure , according to department data .
The department has about 17,500 employees , according to spokesman Lt. John Satterfield .
Of those , more than 10,100 are sworn personnel , according to data from early September .
In response , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff and encouraged strategies to limit transmission , such as mask wearing , hand washing and social distancing , Satterfield said , adding : “ I believe it is a reflection of what is occurring in the community.
” Los Angeles County has seen an unprecedented increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks , and officials are warning that with hospitals over capacity , medical care is starting to be compromised .
The county has reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the past week — six times the comparable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also reported nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the past week , almost eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago .
Records are also being shattered across the state .
California on Monday once again reached a daily record for most number of coronavirus cases in a single day .
An incomplete preliminary county-by-county tally conducted by The Times for Monday found at least 62,000 new coronavirus cases reported — the most in a single day since Friday , when 53,326 cases were reported .
The Times ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across California on Monday , which would be one of the highest single-day tallies so far in the pandemic .
California has now averaged at least 247 COVID-19 deaths every day over the past week , a record and more than five times the comparable tally from six weeks ago .
In L.A. County , early vaccination efforts are aimed at front-line healthcare workers and residents in long-term care facilities , according to health officials .
Satterfield said that about 286 department personnel considered emergency medical services workers will receive the vaccine during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Los Angeles Police Department has also been dealing with the virus ’ impact on its ranks .
During a Dec. 15 meeting of the Police Commission , LAPD Chief Michel Moore said his department was continuing to struggle with a large number of employees testing positive and having to quarantine or isolate .
In the week before the meeting , 156 personnel had tested positive , he said , bringing the total number of positive tests in the department , which has about 13,000 employees , to more than 1,200 .
Moore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , and 751 had recovered .
Moore said he has been in conversations with public health officials about officers receiving the vaccine as first responders and anticipated that would probably happen in January or early February .
Times staff writers Casey Miller , Jennifer Lu and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report .

More than 10% of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s employees are in quarantine due to the coronavirus, a number officials attributed to the explosion of cases throughout the county.
As of Monday, 655 non-sworn and 1,216 sworn personnel were in quarantine after having tested positive or having had a confirmed exposure, according to department data. The department has about 17,500 employees, according to spokesman Lt. John Satterfield. Of those, more than 10,100 are sworn personnel, according to data from early September.
In response, officials have staggered schedules, hired extra staff and encouraged strategies to limit transmission, such as mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing, Satterfield said, adding: “I believe it is a reflection of what is occurring in the community.”
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Los Angeles County has seen an unprecedented increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, and officials are warning that with hospitals over capacity, medical care is starting to be compromised.
The county has reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the past week — six times the comparable number from six weeks ago. It has also reported nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the past week, almost eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago.
Records are also being shattered across the state. California on Monday once again reached a daily record for most number of coronavirus cases in a single day. An incomplete preliminary county-by-county tally conducted by The Times for Monday found at least 62,000 new coronavirus cases reported — the most in a single day since Friday, when 53,326 cases were reported.
The Times’ tally found at least 252 COVID-19 deaths across California on Monday, which would be one of the highest single-day tallies so far in the pandemic. California has now averaged at least 247 COVID-19 deaths every day over the past week, a record and more than five times the comparable tally from six weeks ago.
In L.A. County, early vaccination efforts are aimed at front-line healthcare workers and residents in long-term care facilities, according to health officials. Satterfield said that about 286 department personnel considered emergency medical services workers will receive the vaccine during the first distribution wave.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has also been dealing with the virus’ impact on its ranks.
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During a Dec. 15 meeting of the Police Commission, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said his department was continuing to struggle with a large number of employees testing positive and having to quarantine or isolate.
In the week before the meeting, 156 personnel had tested positive, he said, bringing the total number of positive tests in the department, which has about 13,000 employees, to more than 1,200. Moore had said 408 employees were still at home, and 751 had recovered.
Moore said he has been in conversations with public health officials about officers receiving the vaccine as first responders and anticipated that would probably happen in January or early February.
Times staff writers Casey Miller, Jennifer Lu and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-22--California shatters daily COVID-19 record with more than 62,000 new cases as hospital conditions wor

California shatters daily COVID-19 record with more than 62,000 new cases as hospital conditions worsen

California once again shattered a new daily record for most number of coronavirus in a single day on Monday , a troubling sign days before a Christmas holiday that officials fear could bring still greater spread of the virus .
A county-by-county tally conducted by The Times for Monday found 62,661 new coronavirus cases reported — the most in a single day since Friday , when 53,326 coronavirus cases were reported .
The state is now averaging nearly 45,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week — more than seven times the comparable figure from six weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 deaths across California Monday , which is the fifth-highest single-day death tally so far in the pandemic .
California is now averaging 247 COVID-19 deaths every day over the past week , a new record and more than five times the comparable tally from six weeks ago .
There are now 1.93 million confirmed coronavirus cases in California , and 22,928 COVID-19 deaths , according to The Times ’ tally .
The rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive over the past seven days hit 13.31 % Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day before , which was 13.39 % .
Sunday ’ s figure was the highest since April .
On Sunday , more than 17,000 people with COVID-19 were in the hospital in California , including more than 3,600 in the ICU .
Both are records for the pandemic .
Statewide , only 2.5 % of the state ’ s intensive care unit beds were available .
L.A. County has reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the past week — six times the comparable number from six weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the past week , nearly eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago .
On Monday , L.A. County reported 12,398 new coronavirus cases and 60 COVID-19 deaths .
More Californians are dying from the disease than ever before .
Nearly 2,900 Californians have died from COVID-19 over the last 14 days , a staggering number that accounts for 12 % of the state ’ s 22,928 fatalities .
Those numbers serve as a “ sober , sober reminder of how deadly this disease is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every life is , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
Sweeping restrictions on businesses and activities are expected to remain in place past their original expiration date across a wide swath of California , as the availability of precious intensive care beds continues to dwindle in the face of an unrelenting COVID-19 surge .
Though nothing is definite yet , Newsom acknowledged Monday that the stay-at-home orders issued for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will likely need to be extended .
The two regions — which cover 23 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technically eligible to emerge from the state order beginning next week .
However , as Newsom noted , it ’ s doubtful either will do so , as both have seen a steady erosion in their stocks of intensive care unit beds that are available to treat COVID-19 patients .
As of Monday , the ICU availability in both regions , state figures show .
Available ICU capacity effectively maxed last week in Los Angeles County , and as of 9 a.m. Sunday , a point-in-time survey found that there were only 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 million people ; significantly down from a tally last week that found 69 .
L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said emergency departments are slammed across the county .
Over the weekend , one hospital struggled to both care for a high number of COVID-19 patients while treating critical injuries suffered by a large family struck by a suspected drunk driver , Ghaly said .
Times staff writers Sean Greene and Casey Miller contributed to this report .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Jennifer Lu

Nurse Ashley Cohagen works with an ICU patient last week at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica.
California once again shattered a new daily record for most number of coronavirus cases in a single day on Monday, a troubling sign days before a Christmas holiday that officials fear could bring still greater spread of the virus.
A county-by-county tally conducted by The Times for Monday found 62,661 new coronavirus cases reported — the most in a single day since Friday, when 53,326 coronavirus cases were reported.
The state is now averaging nearly 45,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week — more than seven times the comparable figure from six weeks ago.
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The Times’ tally found 252 COVID-19 deaths across California Monday, which is the fifth-highest single-day death tally so far in the pandemic. California is now averaging 247 COVID-19 deaths every day over the past week, a new record and more than five times the comparable tally from six weeks ago.
There are now 1.93 million confirmed coronavirus cases in California, and 22,928 COVID-19 deaths, according to The Times’ tally.
The rate at which coronavirus test results are coming back positive over the past seven days hit 13.31% Monday, slightly lower than the comparable figure from the day before, which was 13.39%. Sunday’s figure was the highest since April.
On Sunday, more than 17,000 people with COVID-19 were in the hospital in California, including more than 3,600 in the ICU. Both are records for the pandemic. Statewide, only 2.5% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were available.
L.A. County has reported an average of 84 COVID-19 deaths a day over the past week — six times the comparable number from six weeks ago. The county is also reporting nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases every day over the past week, nearly eight times the comparable figure from six weeks ago.
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On Monday, L.A. County reported 12,398 new coronavirus cases and 60 COVID-19 deaths.
More Californians are dying from the disease than ever before.
Nearly 2,900 Californians have died from COVID-19 over the last 14 days, a staggering number that accounts for 12% of the state’s 22,928 fatalities.
Those numbers serve as a “sober, sober reminder of how deadly this disease is, and how tragic the loss of every life is,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
Sweeping restrictions on businesses and activities are expected to remain in place past their original expiration date across a wide swath of California, as the availability of precious intensive care beds continues to dwindle in the face of an unrelenting COVID-19 surge.
Though nothing is definite yet, Newsom acknowledged Monday that the stay-at-home orders issued for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will likely need to be extended.
The two regions — which cover 23 of California’s 58 counties — are technically eligible to emerge from the state order beginning next week.
However, as Newsom noted, it’s doubtful either will do so, as both have seen a steady erosion in their stocks of intensive care unit beds that are available to treat COVID-19 patients.
As of Monday, the ICU availability in both regions remained at 0% , state figures show.
Available ICU capacity effectively maxed last week in Los Angeles County, and as of 9 a.m. Sunday, a point-in-time survey found that there were only 30 available ICU beds in this county of 10 million people; significantly down from a tally last week that found 69.
L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said emergency departments are slammed across the county. Over the weekend, one hospital struggled to both care for a high number of COVID-19 patients while treating critical injuries suffered by a large family struck by a suspected drunk driver, Ghaly said.
Times staff writers Sean Greene and Casey Miller contributed to this report.