latimes--2020-04-16--Coronavirus outbreak at Lompoc prison is the worst in the nation: 69 inmates, 25 staff infected

After serving 27 years for selling cocaine in Alabama in the early 1990s , Efrem Stutson walked out of the federal penitentiary at Lompoc on April 1 .
He was “ looking forward to a new life , finding a job and seeing his kids , ” said his sister , Lawanda Rangel .
“ He was happy the last time I spoke to him from there.
” But within hours of getting off a bus in San Bernardino , Stutson was hospitalized .
Five days later , he was dead after contracting COVID-19 .
Stutson was among 69 inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the worst coronavirus outbreak in a federal prison in the U.S .
The outbreak there is so severe that a field hospital is being constructed on the grounds , authorities said .
While about 450 federal inmates nationwide have tested positive for the novel coronavirus , the Lompoc penitentiary ’ s level of infection has far outpaced any other facility , according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons .
Thirteen of the infected inmates have been hospitalized and two are now in intensive care , according to Santa Barbara County Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 infected staffers , one is in the hospital , he said .
“ The current outbreak at the federal prison in Lompoc and the problems at nursing homes across the nation represent the challenge , ” he said of the spread of the virus in close quarters in institutional settings .
“ We are continuing to work cooperatively with the prison administration and its infection control team to limit the spread of the disease , ” Ansorg said .
Of the 13 hospitalized inmates , five are at Santa Barbara ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valley Medical Center .
Six are on ventilators .
Van Do-Reynoso , Santa Barbara County ’ s public health director , said she has staff onsite to help contain the outbreak .
“ With support from our federal , state and local officials , the Bureau of Prisons and other federal partners are working to stand up a field hospital within the prison grounds , ” she said .
The field hospital is expected to begin operating within two weeks with 11 beds and eventually expand to up to 100 beds for low- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field hospital “ will prevent our local hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients and their accompanying security.
” Inmates sent to civilian hospitals are guarded by two prison officers on rotating shifts .
Nationwide , 449 inmates had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday along with 280 Bureau of Prisons employees .
Sixteen inmates have died of conditions related to COVID-19 .
Cloth masks have been issued to all inmates and protective gear to employees handling those infected , according to the bureau .
Guards , inmates and relatives across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to outbreaks at its facilities .
On March 31 , the agency implemented a strict policy of keeping inmates in their cells or assigned quarters for 14 days and barring transfers to limit the spread of the virus .
Santa Barbara County has so far seen 334 people test positive , with 38 hospitalized , two dead and 130 recovered .
Efrem Stutson became ill in his last days at Lompoc , his sister said , so sick that he could hardly talk .
After another sister picked him up at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove straight to a CVS for some medication .
“ He could barely walk off the bus , ” Rangel said .
Within six hours , Stutson would be taken by paramedics to the Kaiser Medical Center in Fontana .
Rangel and Stutson ’ s other relatives would never see him alive .
As a COVID-19 patient , Stutson ’ s family were not allowed to see him , she said .
“ You know that doesn ’ t happen overnight .
... Why did they send him on that bus like that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Prisons standards require that an inmate ’ s health be checked for COVID-19 before release , and for health authorities to be informed if the inmate shows symptoms .
Bureau of Prisons officials did not respond to specific questions on Thursday .
“ The irony of it all was he was finally free after 27 years .
He was getting to celebrate the victory of getting his sentence justly reduced , ” Rangel said .
Rangel said Stutson got a transfer to Lompoc about six months ago to be closer to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build a new life in California .
Stutson had been working in the prison ’ s kitchen when the outbreak there began .
“ We are all trying to wrap our minds around the circumstances of his death , ” she said “ How did COVID-19 get into the prison ?
”

After serving 27 years for selling cocaine in Alabama in the early 1990s, Efrem Stutson walked out of the federal penitentiary at Lompoc on April 1.
He was “looking forward to a new life, finding a job and seeing his kids,” said his sister, Lawanda Rangel. “He was happy the last time I spoke to him from there.”
But within hours of getting off a bus in San Bernardino, Stutson was hospitalized. Five days later, he was dead after contracting COVID-19.
Stutson was among 69 inmates and 25 staff members infected at Lompoc, the worst coronavirus outbreak in a federal prison in the U.S. The outbreak there is so severe that a field hospital is being constructed on the grounds, authorities said.
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While about 450 federal inmates nationwide have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Lompoc penitentiary’s level of infection has far outpaced any other facility, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Thirteen of the infected inmates have been hospitalized and two are now in intensive care, according to Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg. Of the 25 infected staffers, one is in the hospital, he said.
The medium-security facility houses about 1,500 inmates.
“The current outbreak at the federal prison in Lompoc and the problems at nursing homes across the nation represent the challenge,” he said of the spread of the virus in close quarters in institutional settings.
“We are continuing to work cooperatively with the prison administration and its infection control team to limit the spread of the disease,” Ansorg said.
Of the 13 hospitalized inmates, five are at Santa Barbara’s Cottage Hospital and eight are at Lompoc Valley Medical Center. Six are on ventilators.
Van Do-Reynoso, Santa Barbara County’s public health director, said she has staff onsite to help contain the outbreak.
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“With support from our federal, state and local officials, the Bureau of Prisons and other federal partners are working to stand up a field hospital within the prison grounds,” she said.
The field hospital is expected to begin operating within two weeks with 11 beds and eventually expand to up to 100 beds for low- to medium-level patients.
Do-Reynoso said the field hospital “will prevent our local hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients and their accompanying security.” Inmates sent to civilian hospitals are guarded by two prison officers on rotating shifts.
Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) was among those urging officials to expedite construction of the field hospital after hearing it could take six to eight weeks to open. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call )
Nationwide, 449 inmates had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday along with 280 Bureau of Prisons employees. Sixteen inmates have died of conditions related to COVID-19. Cloth masks have been issued to all inmates and protective gear to employees handling those infected, according to the bureau.
Guards, inmates and relatives across the country have criticized the bureau’s response to outbreaks at its facilities. On March 31, the agency implemented a strict policy of keeping inmates in their cells or assigned quarters for 14 days and barring transfers to limit the spread of the virus.
Santa Barbara County has so far seen 334 people test positive, with 38 hospitalized, two dead and 130 recovered.
Efrem Stutson became ill in his last days at Lompoc, his sister said, so sick that he could hardly talk. After another sister picked him up at the bus station in San Bernardino, they drove straight to a CVS for some medication.
“He could barely walk off the bus,” Rangel said. Within six hours, Stutson would be taken by paramedics to the Kaiser Medical Center in Fontana.
Rangel and Stutson’s other relatives would never see him alive. As a COVID-19 patient, Stutson’s family were not allowed to see him, she said.
“You know that doesn’t happen overnight. ... Why did they send him on that bus like that?” Rangel said.
Federal Bureau of Prisons standards require that an inmate’s health be checked for COVID-19 before release, and for health authorities to be informed if the inmate shows symptoms.
Bureau of Prisons officials did not respond to specific questions on Thursday.
“The irony of it all was he was finally free after 27 years. He was getting to celebrate the victory of getting his sentence justly reduced,” Rangel said.
Rangel said Stutson got a transfer to Lompoc about six months ago to be closer to his relatives when he was released and to build a new life in California. Stutson had been working in the prison’s kitchen when the outbreak there began.
“We are all trying to wrap our minds around the circumstances of his death,” she said “How did COVID-19 get into the prison?”
Stutson was 60 years old.


latimes--2020-04-16--California stories from the pandemic

California stories from the pandemic

Los Angeles Times reporter Susanne Rust and photographer Carolyn Cole are embarking on a road journey throughout California .
They @ @ @ @ @ those in remote parts of California as they grapple with the worst health and economic @ @ @ @ @

Los Angeles Times reporter Susanne Rust and photographer Carolyn Cole are embarking on a road journey throughout California. They aim to give voice to those in remote parts of California as they grapple with the worst health and economic calamity of our lifetimes.


latimes--2020-04-16--Global warming is making western U.S. 'megadrought' the worst in centuries, study says

A two-decade-long dry spell that has parched much of the western United States is turning into one of the deepest “ megadroughts ” the region has experienced in more than 1,200 years , a new study found .
And about half of this historic drought can be blamed on man-made global warming , according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science .
Researchers focused on a nine-state area from Oregon and Wyoming down through California and New Mexico , plus a sliver of southwestern Montana and parts of northern Mexico .
They used thousands of tree rings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is still going ( despite a wet 2019 ) to four previous megadroughts since the year 800 .
Using soil moisture as the key measurement , they found only one other drought that was as big — and was probably slightly bigger .
That one began in 1575 , just 10 years after St. Augustine , the first European city in the United States , was founded , and it ended before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620 .
What ’ s happening now is “ a drought bigger than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said study lead author A .
Park Williams , a bioclimatologist at Columbia University .
Daniel Swain , a UCLA climate scientist who wasn ’ t involved in the research , called the work important because it provides evidence “ that human-caused climate change transformed what might have otherwise been a moderate long-term drought into a severe event comparable to the ‘ megadroughts ’ of centuries past.
” What ’ s happening is that a natural but moderate drought is being worsened by temperatures that are 2.9 degrees Fahrenheit ( or 1.6 degrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that suck moisture out of the ground , Williams said .
“ We ’ ve been increasingly drifting into a world that ’ s getting dryer , ” Williams said .
To quantify the role of global warming , researchers used 31 computer models to compare what ’ s happening now to what would happen in a hypothetical world without the burning of fossil fuels that spews billions of tons of heat-trapping gases .
They found that , on average , 47 % of the drought could be blamed on human-caused climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists over whether this current drought warrants the title “ megadrought ” because it has lasted only two decades — so far — while others are at least 28 years long .
Climate scientist Clara Deser at the National Center for Atmospheric Research , who wasn ’ t part of the study , said that while the research is good , she thinks the deep drought has to last another decade or so to qualify as a “ megadrought.
” Williams said he understands the concern and that ’ s why the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s still going on and it ’ s 21 years long , ” Williams said .
“ This drought looks like one of the worst ones of the last millennium except for the fact that it hasn ’ t lasted as long.
” University of Michigan climate scientist Jonathan Overpeck , who studies the Southwestern climate and was not part of the study , calls it “ the first observed multidecadal megadrought in recorded U.S. history.
” Although last year was wet , the recent rain and snow was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep drought years before , said Williams , who added that past megadroughts have had wet years .
The U.S. drought monitor puts much of Oregon , California , Colorado , Utah and Nevada and good chunks of New Mexico , Arizona and Idaho in abnormally dry , moderate or severe drought conditions .
Wyoming is the only state Williams studied that doesn ’ t have large areas of drought .
This week , water managers warned that the Rio Grande is forecast to have water flows less than half of normal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to top out at about one-third of its 30-year average .
This is “ what we can expect going forward in a world with continued global warming , ” said Stanford University climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh , who wasn ’ t part of the study .

This photo from 2013 shows a bathtub ring marking the high-water line along Black Canyon on Lake Mead. A two-decade-long dry spell is turning into a megadrought in the western United States.
A two-decade-long dry spell that has parched much of the western United States is turning into one of the deepest “megadroughts” the region has experienced in more than 1,200 years, a new study found.
And about half of this historic drought can be blamed on man-made global warming, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science.
Researchers focused on a nine-state area from Oregon and Wyoming down through California and New Mexico, plus a sliver of southwestern Montana and parts of northern Mexico. They used thousands of tree rings to compare a drought that started in 2000 and is still going (despite a wet 2019) to four previous megadroughts since the year 800.
Using soil moisture as the key measurement, they found only one other drought that was as big — and was probably slightly bigger. That one began in 1575, just 10 years after St. Augustine, the first European city in the United States, was founded, and it ended before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620.
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What’s happening now is “a drought bigger than what modern society has seen,” said study lead author A. Park Williams, a bioclimatologist at Columbia University.
Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist who wasn’t involved in the research, called the work important because it provides evidence “that human-caused climate change transformed what might have otherwise been a moderate long-term drought into a severe event comparable to the ‘megadroughts’ of centuries past.”
What’s happening is that a natural but moderate drought is being worsened by temperatures that are 2.9 degrees Fahrenheit (or 1.6 degrees Celsius) hotter than in the past and that suck moisture out of the ground, Williams said.
“We’ve been increasingly drifting into a world that’s getting dryer,” Williams said.
To quantify the role of global warming, researchers used 31 computer models to compare what’s happening now to what would happen in a hypothetical world without the burning of fossil fuels that spews billions of tons of heat-trapping gases. They found that, on average, 47% of the drought could be blamed on human-caused climate change.
There’s debate among scientists over whether this current drought warrants the title “megadrought” because it has lasted only two decades — so far — while others are at least 28 years long.
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Climate scientist Clara Deser at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, who wasn’t part of the study, said that while the research is good, she thinks the deep drought has to last another decade or so to qualify as a “megadrought.”
Williams said he understands the concern and that’s why the study calls it “an emerging megadrought.”
“It’s still going on and it’s 21 years long,” Williams said. “This drought looks like one of the worst ones of the last millennium except for the fact that it hasn’t lasted as long.”
University of Michigan climate scientist Jonathan Overpeck, who studies the Southwestern climate and was not part of the study, calls it “the first observed multidecadal megadrought in recorded U.S. history.”
Although last year was wet, the recent rain and snow was not nearly enough to make up for the deep drought years before, said Williams, who added that past megadroughts have had wet years.
The U.S. drought monitor puts much of Oregon, California, Colorado, Utah and Nevada and good chunks of New Mexico, Arizona and Idaho in abnormally dry, moderate or severe drought conditions. Wyoming is the only state Williams studied that doesn’t have large areas of drought.
This week, water managers warned that the Rio Grande is forecast to have water flows less than half of normal, while New Mexico’s largest reservoir is expected to top out at about one-third of its 30-year average.
This is “what we can expect going forward in a world with continued global warming,” said Stanford University climate scientist Noah Diffenbaugh, who wasn’t part of the study.


latimes--2020-04-16--Blacks make up 6% of California's population but 12% of coronavirus deaths, data show

The California Department of Public Health released data this week showing that the coronavirus is killing black residents in disproportionate numbers — a trend mirrored by Los Angeles County and local cities .
In numbers released this week , black Californians accounted for 7 % of the state ’ s COVID-19 cases and 12 % of its coronavirus-related deaths .
Blacks make up just 6 % of the state ’ s population .
State officials said a fuller picture of racial demographics are coming into perspective as more information is included in COVID-19 reporting .
As of this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was complete for 65 % of cases and 87 % of deaths reported to the state .
This data provides a snapshot of how the pandemic is affecting Californians , but officials caution the ratios may change as local , county and state authorities ramp up testing efforts .
A Los Angeles Times analysis found that many of L.A. County ’ s whitest and wealthiest enclaves were reporting far higher rates of infection than poorer neighborhoods of color .
However , public health officials said those disparities didn ’ t mean the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in poorer ones .
Instead , the figures were likely skewed by uneven access to testing , and in some instances , by wealthy residents who traveled internationally and therefore had some of the earliest confirmed infections .
This partial data also shows that Latinos , who are 39 % of the state ’ s population , account for 30 % of the state ’ s COVID-19 deaths .
As of Wednesday , the state has 24,424 confirmed cases and 821 coronavirus-related deaths .
Officials released the following breakdown of reported COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who have died : Latino : 30 % White : 39 % Asian : 15 % Blacks : 12 % Multiracial : 1 % American Indian or Alaska Native : .4 % Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander : 1 % Other : 2 % Statewide , more than 227,6000 tests have been administered through commercial , public and state and county health labs , officials said .
L.A. officials have been working to improve testing and other services in South Los Angeles and other black communities .
A coronavirus mobile testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drew University of Medicine and Science to serve residents of Willowbrook , South Los Angeles and surrounding neighborhoods .
Another opened this week at the Kedren Community Health Center in Historic South-Central L.A .

The California Department of Public Health released data this week showing that the coronavirus is killing black residents in disproportionate numbers — a trend mirrored by Los Angeles County and local cities.
In numbers released this week, black Californians accounted for 7% of the state’s COVID-19 cases and 12% of its coronavirus-related deaths.
Blacks make up just 6% of the state’s population.
State officials said a fuller picture of racial demographics are coming into perspective as more information is included in COVID-19 reporting. As of this week, officials said data on race and ethnicity was complete for 65% of cases and 87% of deaths reported to the state.
This data provides a snapshot of how the pandemic is affecting Californians, but officials caution the ratios may change as local, county and state authorities ramp up testing efforts.
A Los Angeles Times analysis found that many of L.A. County’s whitest and wealthiest enclaves were reporting far higher rates of infection than poorer neighborhoods of color. However, public health officials said those disparities didn’t mean the virus was spreading more widely through richer neighborhoods than in poorer ones. Instead, the figures were likely skewed by uneven access to testing, and in some instances, by wealthy residents who traveled internationally and therefore had some of the earliest confirmed infections.
This partial data also shows that Latinos, who are 39% of the state’s population, account for 30% of the state’s COVID-19 deaths.
As of Wednesday, the state has 24,424 confirmed cases and 821 coronavirus-related deaths. Officials released the following breakdown of reported COVID-19 cases statewide:
Latino: 37%
White: 31%
Asian: 13%
Blacks: 7%
Multiracial: 2%
American Indian or Alaska Native: .2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 2%
Other: 8%
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Here is a breakdown of those who have died:
Latino: 30%
White: 39%
Asian: 15%
Blacks: 12%
Multiracial: 1%
American Indian or Alaska Native: .4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1%
Other: 2%
Statewide, more than 227,6000 tests have been administered through commercial, public and state and county health labs, officials said.
L.A. officials have been working to improve testing and other services in South Los Angeles and other black communities.
A coronavirus mobile testing site opened earlier this month at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science to serve residents of Willowbrook, South Los Angeles and surrounding neighborhoods. Another opened this week at the Kedren Community Health Center in Historic South-Central L.A.


latimes--2020-04-16--O.C. pauses plan to use Laguna Hills hotel as homeless shelter amid coronavirus outbreak

Orange County will temporarily pause its plan to convert a 76-room hotel in Laguna Hills into temporary housing for homeless people amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The county brokered an agreement this month with Elite Hospitality Inc. to lease the Laguna Hills Inn for at least 90 days to shelter homeless individuals who are over 65 , have underlying health conditions , are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for the coronavirus .
Officials had hoped to begin moving people in within the next several days .
In response , Laguna Hills — a city of roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county — filed a lawsuit against the hotel ’ s owner , the county and a nonprofit specializing in homeless outreach in an attempt to block the effort , alleging it would put the surrounding community at risk .
The owners of four buildings adjacent to the hotel , who also oppose the plan , joined in the suit .
Attorneys representing the county made the offer to halt their efforts during a 90-minute Orange County Superior Court hearing held by phone on Thursday after Judge Thomas Delaney indicated he intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county from using the site until a hearing next week .
During Thursday ’ s hearing , Delaney said he wasn ’ t swayed by the city ’ s argument that the county ’ s efforts would turn the building into a public nuisance .
However , he said he needed more information from attorneys about whether the state ’ s order of emergency will allow the county to forgo restrictions outlined in the property ’ s covenants , conditions and restrictions , or CC & Rs .
He implored attorneys to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect all county residents from possible exposure to the virus .
“ The court understands every day that someone can not be admitted or allowed to shelter in the hotel creates a greater risk to the people in Orange County , ” Delaney said .
City officials , who say they didn ’ t know about the county ’ s agreement until after it was signed , object to having sick and at-risk homeless patients so close to neighborhoods in their community .
They contend the county ’ s plan would “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propagation of the virus to the businesses and customers frequenting the area as well as nearby residential neighborhoods , ” the lawsuit states .
County officials contend that without adequate shelter for homeless people the virus could easily begin spreading out of control .
Homeless people , who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems , often from living on the streets , are at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population , health experts say .
With that in mind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ways to quickly move people indoors amid fears that an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile health system .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has allocated $ 50 million to purchase or lease hotels and motels across the state for that purpose , along with an additional $ 100 million in emergency grants .
The state has also provided trailers to Orange County to use in isolating homeless people .
Under its contract with the hotel , the county will pay $ 8,436 per day for use of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the homeless nonprofit Illumination Foundation .
Those funds are expected to be reimbursed by the state , according to the document .
City leaders contend Laguna Hills —with a population including about 14 % who are senior citizens and which borders the predominantly senior community of Laguna Woods — is not an appropriate place for such a facility .
As of Thursday , Laguna Hills had 13 of the county ’ s 1,425 confirmed coronavirus cases .
During last year ’ s point-in-time count , the city had 24 unsheltered people living on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this extreme action because we have been put in an extreme position by this project , ” Laguna Hills Mayor Janine Heft said in a prepared statement .
“ It is horrifying to propose to place a substantial number of COVID-19 patients in the Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods vicinity , where there are over 20,000 of the persons most at-risk — seniors .
We could not stand by and watch this happen.
” D. Kevin Dunn , one of the county ’ s attorneys , said during the hearing that the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas to house homeless people during the pandemic without issue .
However , officials have received significant pushback when they ’ ve tried to set up a temporary shelter in the county ’ s southern section , he said .
Residents in Laguna Woods protested when it came to light earlier this month that the county had brokered an agreement with Ayres Hotel to use a property nearby for homeless housing and medical care .
That deal quickly withered in the face of strident community opposition .
“ Any location in the south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inappropriate location for this type of shelter , ” Dunn said .
“ This is number two .
Until this is required to happen , no city in south Orange County is going to allow this to occur.
” On April 7 , a day after county officials announced the dissolution of the agreement in Laguna Woods , they signed a contract with Laguna Hills Inn .
Laguna Hills officials responded by issuing a statement late last week saying they were exploring legal action to stop the plan .
Kelly Richardson , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said while the county ’ s intention is a good one , he suspects officials did not think about the impact to the community before they entered into the agreement .
“ Why in the name of all that ’ s reasonable would you transport a population of sick people into an area with healthy people , and not only healthy people , but people who are uniquely susceptible to the worst aspects of the disease ?
This is not to denigrate the need for transient people to get shelter and care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in a way that puts people in jeopardy .
”

Laguna Hills residents Karen Litfin and Cynthia Cantrelle outside the Laguna Hills Inn, where the county plans to use the facility to house homeless people with coronavirus.
Orange County will temporarily pause its plan to convert a 76-room hotel in Laguna Hills into temporary housing for homeless people amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The county brokered an agreement this month with Elite Hospitality Inc. to lease the Laguna Hills Inn for at least 90 days to shelter homeless individuals who are over 65, have underlying health conditions, are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials had hoped to begin moving people in within the next several days.
In response, Laguna Hills — a city of roughly 31,000 people in the southern section of the county — filed a lawsuit against the hotel’s owner, the county and a nonprofit specializing in homeless outreach in an attempt to block the effort, alleging it would put the surrounding community at risk. The owners of four buildings adjacent to the hotel, who also oppose the plan, joined in the suit.
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Attorneys representing the county made the offer to halt their efforts during a 90-minute Orange County Superior Court hearing held by phone on Thursday after Judge Thomas Delaney indicated he intended to grant Laguna Hills’ request to bar the county from using the site until a hearing next week.
During Thursday’s hearing, Delaney said he wasn’t swayed by the city’s argument that the county’s efforts would turn the building into a public nuisance. However, he said he needed more information from attorneys about whether the state’s order of emergency will allow the county to forgo restrictions outlined in the property’s covenants, conditions and restrictions, or CC&Rs.
He implored attorneys to work quickly, citing a shared need to protect all county residents from possible exposure to the virus.
“The court understands every day that someone cannot be admitted or allowed to shelter in the hotel creates a greater risk to the people in Orange County,” Delaney said.
City officials, who say they didn’t know about the county’s agreement until after it was signed, object to having sick and at-risk homeless patients so close to neighborhoods in their community. They contend the county’s plan would “present a high and unacceptable risk of propagation of the virus to the businesses and customers frequenting the area as well as nearby residential neighborhoods,” the lawsuit states.
County officials contend that without adequate shelter for homeless people the virus could easily begin spreading out of control.
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Homeless people, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems, often from living on the streets, are at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population, health experts say. With that in mind, officials across the state have been working on ways to quickly move people indoors amid fears that an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile health system.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has allocated $50 million to purchase or lease hotels and motels across the state for that purpose, along with an additional $100 million in emergency grants. The state has also provided trailers to Orange County to use in isolating homeless people.
Under its contract with the hotel, the county will pay $8,436 per day for use of the property, which will be managed by the homeless nonprofit Illumination Foundation. Those funds are expected to be reimbursed by the state, according to the document.
City leaders contend Laguna Hills —with a population including about 14% who are senior citizens and which borders the predominantly senior community of Laguna Woods — is not an appropriate place for such a facility.
As of Thursday, Laguna Hills had 13 of the county’s 1,425 confirmed coronavirus cases. During last year’s point-in-time count, the city had 24 unsheltered people living on its streets.
“Our city took this extreme action because we have been put in an extreme position by this project,” Laguna Hills Mayor Janine Heft said in a prepared statement. “It is horrifying to propose to place a substantial number of COVID-19 patients in the Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods vicinity, where there are over 20,000 of the persons most at-risk — seniors. We could not stand by and watch this happen.”
D. Kevin Dunn, one of the county’s attorneys, said during the hearing that the county has already started using hotels in other areas to house homeless people during the pandemic without issue. However, officials have received significant pushback when they’ve tried to set up a temporary shelter in the county’s southern section, he said.
Residents in Laguna Woods protested when it came to light earlier this month that the county had brokered an agreement with Ayres Hotel to use a property nearby for homeless housing and medical care. That deal quickly withered in the face of strident community opposition.
“Any location in the south county area will be deemed a horribly inappropriate location for this type of shelter,” Dunn said. “This is number two. Until this is required to happen, no city in south Orange County is going to allow this to occur.”
On April 7, a day after county officials announced the dissolution of the agreement in Laguna Woods, they signed a contract with Laguna Hills Inn. Laguna Hills officials responded by issuing a statement late last week saying they were exploring legal action to stop the plan.
Kelly Richardson, an attorney representing the city and building owners, said while the county’s intention is a good one, he suspects officials did not think about the impact to the community before they entered into the agreement.
“Why in the name of all that’s reasonable would you transport a population of sick people into an area with healthy people, and not only healthy people, but people who are uniquely susceptible to the worst aspects of the disease? This is not to denigrate the need for transient people to get shelter and care. You just don’t do it in a way that puts people in jeopardy.”


latimes--2020-04-16--In the redwoods, logging and tree sitting continue, even as the pandemic shuts mills

The coronavirus has shut down most of Humboldt County , as it has the rest of the state , but some traditions of northwest California endure : Loggers keep felling redwoods , and eco-activists keep putting their bodies on the limbs to stop them .
Thirty miles north of Eureka , in a coastal forest just east of Highway 101 , a generation-old battle between tree sitters and loggers enters a new chapter , even after local sawmills have closed .
Just off the highway in the town of Trinidad sits an old logging trail on property now owned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest products firm .
From the trailhead , after a 20-minute hike through the dark , lush forest , one encounters a 13.5-acre clearing where hundreds of felled redwoods , firs and pine trees litter the ground .
Tree stumps , broken branches , and a few sun-blotched , withered ferns poke through the debris .
It ’ s here , at the eastern edge of the clearing , that a group of young , masked activists are engaged in a different form of social distancing .
They are taking turns sleeping in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree .
They are environmental activists working with an organization known as the Redwood Forest Defenders .
And they are trying to stop Green Diamond from felling any more trees on this roughly 18-acre tract .
On Wednesday morning , one of the young activists , Walter — who is gender nonbinary and would only provide a Times reporting team with a pseudonym — sat 70 feet above the forest floor on a small , roughly twin-bed-size wooden platform .
It ’ s where they eat , sleep , read and occasionally relieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Walter is a 22-year-old UCLA student who was sent to shelter at home in Los Feliz during the pandemic .
“ That was the trigger , ” said Walter .
“ I was feeling a lot of guilt about my carbon footprint , and I felt I needed to do something radical .
I just couldn ’ t go along with life as it was.
” Walter is now part of a small rotation of Redwood Defender activists who sleep in the tree .
They take turns , spelling one another every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not worried about falling out , even when they get buzzed by the occasional nocturnal flying squirrel , or startled by mice searching for food .
“ I ’ m strapped in , just like a climber , ” Walter yelled down to a visitor , pointing at the ropes and harness clipped and anchored to the tree trunk .
Walter and fellow activists began this particular tree-sit roughly two weeks ago , soon after the logging company ’ s contractor , Lord of Light , began clearing the tract .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successfully defended before , between 2012 and 2017 .
But , in February , the company was given the green light to start again .
Three weeks ago , according to Walter and two other activists who identified themselves as Lupine and Birdhouse , the Lords of Light , a Green Diamond contractor , went in and started cutting .
That ’ s when the defenders went in , and Green Diamond stopped .
“ We immediately ceased operations for safety purposes.
” said Gary Rynearson , Green Diamond spokesman .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75 % of the trees on the tract had already been felled .
“ I don ’ t know why they ’ d come in during this period , when everybody else is shut down and people are struggling to make a living , ” he said , noting his frustration at having to put the contractors out of work .
He said Green Diamond works hard to cut timber sustainably , and supports state and federal protections for vulnerable species in the area , such as spotted owls , a variety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a cat-sized carnivore .
California has declared the timber industry , like farming and municipal waterworks , an essential business during the COVID-19 outbreak .
Although construction is down and several sawmills are shuttered , loggers continue felling trees .
In Scotia , 50 miles south on Highway 101 , tens of thousands of tree trunks are neatly stacked in empty lots near Humboldt Redwood Co , ’ s sawmill .
According to Steve Isherwood , a board feeder at the mill , the wood keeps piling up even though the mill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
“ It just didn ’ t make sense to keep the place running if there was no place to send the lumber , ” he said , standing on his lawn , which is located across the street from the vacant mill .
John Andersen , director of forest policy for Humboldt Redwood , said the mill has stopped buying new logs , although it continues to store trees from the company ’ s own lands .
Isherwood is furloughed indefinitely , he said , and has applied for unemployment — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians who have done so in the last month .
And while he ’ s concerned about the economic outlook , he said there are some upsides to the mill being closed : For the first time since he moved into his house seven years ago , he can hear the sounds of frogs that live along the nearby Eel River , and the air is clear of smoke and ash .
“ It ’ s pretty nice , ” he said of the quiet , comparing it to the deafening ruckus of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of loading trucks , and the grinding of the saws that run nearly 24 hours a day during normal mill operations .
Rich Gordon , president and chairman of the California Forestry Assn.
, the state ’ s timber industry trade group , said many sawmills across the state have shut down , or have severely curtailed production .
“ Some of them are getting to the point where they have too much lumber , with construction being stopped in several counties , ” he said , noting the halt in construction is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rynearson said that , while all three of the state ’ s redwood mills have shut down , Douglas fir mills are still operating .
That wood is generally sent out on ships from Eureka ’ s harbor , up the coast to Washington and British Columbia , where it ’ s turned into products such as toilet paper .
As for the tree sitters , Rynearson said there ’ s not much to do .
The company will retrieve the logs it has felled in the area , but they aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the the conflict .
Gordon agreed that was the right call .
“ Historically , there have been efforts to have the sheriff go in and arrest protesters like these , ” he said .
“ But , given the coronavirus pandemic , and what everyone else is dealing with these days , going in to arrest someone for trespassing is probably not a high priority.
” Los Angeles Times reporter Susanne Rust and photographer Carolyn Cole are embarking on a road journey throughout California .
They aim to give voice to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grapple with the worst health and economic calamity of our lifetimes .

The coronavirus has shut down most of Humboldt County, as it has the rest of the state, but some traditions of northwest California endure: Loggers keep felling redwoods, and eco-activists keep putting their bodies on the limbs to stop them.
Thirty miles north of Eureka, in a coastal forest just east of Highway 101, a generation-old battle between tree sitters and loggers enters a new chapter, even after local sawmills have closed.
Just off the highway in the town of Trinidad sits an old logging trail on property now owned by the Green Diamond Resource Co., a forest products firm.
From the trailhead, after a 20-minute hike through the dark, lush forest, one encounters a 13.5-acre clearing where hundreds of felled redwoods, firs and pine trees litter the ground. Tree stumps, broken branches, and a few sun-blotched, withered ferns poke through the debris.
It’s here, at the eastern edge of the clearing, that a group of young, masked activists are engaged in a different form of social distancing. They are taking turns sleeping in the upper reaches of a giant redwood tree. They are environmental activists working with an organization known as the Redwood Forest Defenders. And they are trying to stop Green Diamond from felling any more trees on this roughly 18-acre tract.
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On Wednesday morning, one of the young activists, Walter — who is gender nonbinary and would only provide a Times reporting team with a pseudonym — sat 70 feet above the forest floor on a small, roughly twin-bed-size wooden platform. It’s where they eat, sleep, read and occasionally relieve themselves when they are on sit-in duty.
Walter, a 22-year-old UCLA student, is taking turns with other activists sitting in a redwood tree to prevent logging in an area of Humboldt County. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Walter is a 22-year-old UCLA student who was sent to shelter at home in Los Feliz during the pandemic.
“That was the trigger,” said Walter. “I was feeling a lot of guilt about my carbon footprint, and I felt I needed to do something radical. I just couldn’t go along with life as it was.”
Walter is now part of a small rotation of Redwood Defender activists who sleep in the tree. They take turns, spelling one another every couple of days.
They say they are not worried about falling out, even when they get buzzed by the occasional nocturnal flying squirrel, or startled by mice searching for food.
“I’m strapped in, just like a climber,” Walter yelled down to a visitor, pointing at the ropes and harness clipped and anchored to the tree trunk.
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Walter and fellow activists began this particular tree-sit roughly two weeks ago, soon after the logging company’s contractor, Lord of Light, began clearing the tract.
It’s in an area the organization successfully defended before, between 2012 and 2017. But, in February, the company was given the green light to start again.
Three weeks ago, according to Walter and two other activists who identified themselves as Lupine and Birdhouse, the Lords of Light, a Green Diamond contractor, went in and started cutting.
Wearing a mask for both the coronavirus and to protect her identity, Lupine, 24, is taking part in a tree sit-in in Humboldt County to prevent further cutting of redwoods and other trees. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
That’s when the defenders went in, and Green Diamond stopped.
“We immediately ceased operations for safety purposes.” said Gary Rynearson, Green Diamond spokesman. He said by the time the activists appeared, 75% of the trees on the tract had already been felled.
“I don’t know why they’d come in during this period, when everybody else is shut down and people are struggling to make a living,” he said, noting his frustration at having to put the contractors out of work.
He said Green Diamond works hard to cut timber sustainably, and supports state and federal protections for vulnerable species in the area, such as spotted owls, a variety of salamanders and frogs and the Humboldt marten, a cat-sized carnivore.
California has declared the timber industry, like farming and municipal waterworks, an essential business during the COVID-19 outbreak. Although construction is down and several sawmills are shuttered, loggers continue felling trees.
The Humbolt Redwood Co. sawmill in Scotia, Calif., is not operating due to coronavirus restrictions, but logging is still happening and trees are piling up. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
In Scotia, 50 miles south on Highway 101, tens of thousands of tree trunks are neatly stacked in empty lots near Humboldt Redwood Co,’s sawmill.
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According to Steve Isherwood, a board feeder at the mill, the wood keeps piling up even though the mill’s been closed for almost three weeks.
“It just didn’t make sense to keep the place running if there was no place to send the lumber,” he said, standing on his lawn, which is located across the street from the vacant mill.
While the Humbolt Redwood Co. sawmill in Scotia, Calif., is shut down, Steve Isherwood, a board feeder at the mill, is out of work and waiting for an unemployment check. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
John Andersen, director of forest policy for Humboldt Redwood, said the mill has stopped buying new logs, although it continues to store trees from the company’s own lands.
Isherwood is furloughed indefinitely, he said, and has applied for unemployment — he’s one of 2.7 million Californians who have done so in the last month. And while he’s concerned about the economic outlook, he said there are some upsides to the mill being closed: For the first time since he moved into his house seven years ago, he can hear the sounds of frogs that live along the nearby Eel River, and the air is clear of smoke and ash.
“It’s pretty nice,” he said of the quiet, comparing it to the deafening ruckus of the nearby power plant, the clanging of loading trucks, and the grinding of the saws that run nearly 24 hours a day during normal mill operations.
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Rich Gordon, president and chairman of the California Forestry Assn., the state’s timber industry trade group, said many sawmills across the state have shut down, or have severely curtailed production.
“Some of them are getting to the point where they have too much lumber, with construction being stopped in several counties,” he said, noting the halt in construction is not statewide.
A clearing where trees have been felled in an area known as Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, Calif. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Green Diamond’s Rynearson said that, while all three of the state’s redwood mills have shut down, Douglas fir mills are still operating. That wood is generally sent out on ships from Eureka’s harbor, up the coast to Washington and British Columbia, where it’s turned into products such as toilet paper.
As for the tree sitters, Rynearson said there’s not much to do. The company will retrieve the logs it has felled in the area, but they aren’t going to do anything to escalate the the conflict.
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Gordon agreed that was the right call.
“Historically, there have been efforts to have the sheriff go in and arrest protesters like these,” he said. “But, given the coronavirus pandemic, and what everyone else is dealing with these days, going in to arrest someone for trespassing is probably not a high priority.”
Los Angeles Times reporter Susanne Rust and photographer Carolyn Cole are embarking on a road journey throughout California. They aim to give voice to those in remote parts of California as they grapple with the worst health and economic calamity of our lifetimes.


latimes--2020-04-16--California plans $125 million in relief to immigrants without legal status. Here are details

Gov .
Gavin Newsom has announced a $ 125-million relief effort due to the coronavirus crisis for immigrants without legal status .
“ We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians ” in food gathering and other tasks , the governor said .
Here is what we know about the plan : • The proposal , he said , will offer $ 500 cash grants for individuals in the U.S. illegally and up to $ 1,000 for families , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
• It is partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need .
A group of 23 state assembly members sent a letter to Newsom last week asking him to create such a fund .
• The money will be disbursed through regional nonprofit groups with experience serving people who are in the country illegally , the governor said .
Newsom didn ’ t offer specifics on all the nonprofit organizations involved but named a few — including those founded by Laurene Powell Jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jobs ; and by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife , Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg .
The assistance is being offered , Newsom said , because only citizens and others who are in the U.S. legally are able to receive unemployment benefits or support under the new federal program for independent contractors .
Newsom noted that undocumented workers make up 10 % of the California workforce and that they are overrepresented in providing essential services such as healthcare , food and construction .
“ This is a recognition of the fact that immigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Angelica Salas , executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights .
“ Their economic and labor contributions are keeping us going.
” Immigrant rights activist Jose Antonio Vargas praised Newsom on Twitter : “ Thank you for remembering that undocumented Californians are an inextricable part of our state.
” But there was also a backlash by conservatives and those who oppose illegal immigration .
Some created a # recallnewsom hashtag on Twitter .
State Sen. Shannon Grove ( R-Bakersfield ) told the Associated Press she thought the money could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on food banks or education .

California plans $125 million relief to immigrants without legal status. Here is how it would work
Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a $125-million relief effort due to the coronavirus crisis for immigrants without legal status.
“We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians” in food gathering and other tasks, the governor said.
Here is what we know about the plan:
The proposal, he said, will offer $500 cash grants for individuals in the U.S. illegally and up to $1,000 for families, with applications set to be accepted starting next month.
It is partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need. A group of 23 state assembly members sent a letter to Newsom last week asking him to create such a fund.
The money will be disbursed through regional nonprofit groups with experience serving people who are in the country illegally, the governor said. Newsom didn’t offer specifics on all the nonprofit organizations involved but named a few — including those founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs; and by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg.
The assistance is being offered, Newsom said, because only citizens and others who are in the U.S. legally are able to receive unemployment benefits or support under the new federal program for independent contractors.
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Newsom noted that undocumented workers make up 10% of the California workforce and that they are overrepresented in providing essential services such as healthcare, food and construction.
“This is a recognition of the fact that immigrant families are essential to our state,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. “Their economic and labor contributions are keeping us going.”
Immigrant rights activist Jose Antonio Vargas praised Newsom on Twitter: “Thank you for remembering that undocumented Californians are an inextricable part of our state.”
But there was also a backlash by conservatives and those who oppose illegal immigration. Some created a #recallnewsom hashtag on Twitter.
State Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) told the Associated Press she thought the money could be better spent elsewhere, such as on food banks or education.


latimes--2020-04-16--L.A., other counties plan to reopen some businesses in May. Retail might be among the first

Local governments are beginning to map out how they could ease some of the coronavirus stay-at-home orders , with officials saying the process could gradually begin in May and continue in targeted ways through the summer and fall .
The exact timeline is based on several factors , including a significant drop in coronavirus cases as well as fewer hospitalizations and the ability to do extensive testing .
But it ’ s become clear some orders will probably be lifted before others .
It ’ s possible some retailers could open with such safeguards as mask wearing and social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beaches could reopen in this early phase , with strict distancing rules .
Mass gatherings — including concerts , sporting events and other public festivals — will probably be slower to return .
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer spoke of certain strategies being in place “ as we begin to lift our health officer order , Safer at Home , later on in the month of May , in most likelihood.
” Ferrer said things will be different as businesses reopen : Social distancing will still be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits on how many people can be in a store at any given time so that people who are there can maintain a lot of distance between themselves , ” she said at a news briefing .
Arts , exhibitions and cultural sites will reopen at some point , “ but events may be spectator-free , ” she said , and the number of people allowed inside might be limited .
And when trails and bike paths reopen , “ they may need to be one-way , so that people can keep physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s comments come as L.A. County ’ s new order instructing all 10 million residents to wear face coverings while shopping at essential businesses went into effect Wednesday night .
“ What we ’ re going to be working on as part of our recovery is figuring out how we can , in fact , get more people back to work , ” she said .
Ventura County officials suggested a new order in the coming days could ease restrictions as long as it does not undo the progress that ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s public health officer , said he doesn ’ t foresee adding any further stipulations to the stay-at-home order , which was extended to May 15 .
“ We will only do that if we believe that we can do that without endangering our social distancing , ” Levin said Wednesday .
He cautioned against .
“ People seem to forget that the measures that we ’ ve taken are the reason that we ’ re successful .
And so , I think it ’ s important for us not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom expressed similar feelings this week .
He said under “ new normal ” in California , face coverings might become a mainstay , schools might stagger start times for students , restaurants may reopen with fewer tables and large gatherings would remain off limits .
The administration highlighted six key indicators for altering his stay-home mandate , including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases , prevent infection of high-risk people , increase surge capacity at hospitals , develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Santa Cruz County officials said they were in talks with their counterparts in the Bay Area to create a regional approach to easing the shelter-in-place rules implemented a month ago .
The Santa Cruz County health officer , Dr. Gail Newel , told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that she was “ working with regional and state health officers to draft a less restricted shelter-in-place [ order ] to start on May 4th .
So we ’ ll see how the next two weeks go , but we ’ re looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ideas include allowing some industries where work is done outdoors , such as construction and landscaping , to get back to work if employees practice social distancing , said Jason Hoppin , a spokesman for Santa Cruz County .
The existing shelter-in-place order for Santa Cruz County and the counties of San Francisco , San Mateo , Santa Clara , Alameda , Contra Costa and Marin expires May 3 .
Santa Cruz County was already planning to reopen some beaches and parks on Thursday .
The county health officer issued a blanket order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , closing all trails , beaches , piers , parks and parking lots for a seven-day period that included the Easter and Passover holidays .
The county emphasized that reopening some beaches would allow residents to resume using them for daily walks and allow solo surfers back into the ocean .
The opening was not , however , an invitation for large groups of people to spend a day together at the beach , which would be a violation of the stay-at-home order .
“ An all-day-at-the-beach situation , that ’ s what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoppin said .
Santa Cruz County will be limiting parking near beaches , closing some spots and instituting restrictions elsewhere that require a parking permit .
Officials were optimistic they had avoided a disaster by moving early to keep residents at home to avoid the spread of the coronavirus .
On the same afternoon after six Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter at home on March 16 — the first order of its kind in the nation — Santa Cruz County issued a similar order .
At that time , Santa Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no deaths .
Officials in this county of 273,000 people — separated from the Bay Area by a mountain range — had feared a surge in cases would appear by mid-March and quickly overwhelm the limited number of hospital beds .
Yet there have been five or fewer hospitalized coronavirus patients on any given day during April , according to a slide presented by Mimi Hall , director of the county health services agency , at this week ’ s Board of Supervisors meeting .
As a result , Santa Cruz County canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help deal with coronavirus patients .
As of Wednesday , Santa Cruz County had reported 96 coronavirus cases and two deaths .
“ The actual disease curve that we ’ re seeing — and the actual number of cases — has flattened dramatically since we started our shelter-in-place order , ” Hall said .
At one point , Hall showed an image of The Times ’ coronavirus tracker , showing a chart comparing the progression of coronavirus cases among 53 of California ’ s 58 counties with infected residents .
The Times ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s trend of new cases is relatively flat compared with other counties where cases are rising more rapidly , such as in Riverside County in Southern California and Kern , Stanislaus and Tulare counties in the Central Valley .
Elected officials in Santa Cruz County praised the public for adhering to the shelter-in-place order .
“ I know some of the decisions ... have been controversial , ” Supervisor Bruce McPherson said .
“ But they have been necessary , and I think we just have to look at the results to say @ @ @ @ @

Daniel Guzman, right, an unemployed pool supervisor from Garden Grove, sits alone in the mostly closed and normally crowded Pacific City shopping mall in Huntington Beach.
Local governments are beginning to map out how they could ease some of the coronavirus stay-at-home orders, with officials saying the process could gradually begin in May and continue in targeted ways through the summer and fall.
The exact timeline is based on several factors, including a significant drop in coronavirus cases as well as fewer hospitalizations and the ability to do extensive testing.
But it’s become clear some orders will probably be lifted before others. It’s possible some retailers could open with such safeguards as mask wearing and social distancing policies. Some recreation space, trails and beaches could reopen in this early phase, with strict distancing rules.
Advertisement
Mass gatherings — including concerts, sporting events and other public festivals — will probably be slower to return.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer spoke of certain strategies being in place “as we begin to lift our health officer order, Safer at Home, later on in the month of May, in most likelihood.”
Ferrer said things will be different as businesses reopen: Social distancing will still be important. Retail stores will have “limits on how many people can be in a store at any given time so that people who are there can maintain a lot of distance between themselves,” she said at a news briefing.
Arts, exhibitions and cultural sites will reopen at some point, “but events may be spectator-free,” she said, and the number of people allowed inside might be limited.
And when trails and bike paths reopen,“they may need to be one-way, so that people can keep physical distance from one another.”
Ferrer’s comments come as L.A. County’s new order instructing all 10 million residents to wear face coverings while shopping at essential businesses went into effect Wednesday night.
Advertisement
“What we’re going to be working on as part of our recovery is figuring out how we can, in fact, get more people back to work,” she said.
Ventura County officials suggested a new order in the coming days could ease restrictions as long as it does not undo the progress that’s been made. Dr. Robert Levin, the county’s public health officer, said he doesn’t foresee adding any further stipulations to the stay-at-home order, which was extended to May 15.
“We will only do that if we believe that we can do that without endangering our social distancing,” Levin said Wednesday. He cautioned against stopping measures too early .
“People seem to forget that the measures that we’ve taken are the reason that we’re successful. And so, I think it’s important for us not to lose faith in those measures,” he said.
Shown is an aerial view of an empty Westfield Topanga mall parking lot. New regulations have closed all indoor shopping centers in Canoga Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed similar feelings this week. He said under the “new normal” in California, face coverings might become a mainstay, schools might stagger start times for students, restaurants may reopen with fewer tables and large gatherings would remain off limits.
The administration highlighted six key indicators for altering his stay-home mandate, including the ability to closely monitor and track potential cases, prevent infection of high-risk people, increase surge capacity at hospitals, develop therapeutics and ensure physical distance at schools, businesses and child-care facilities.
Santa Cruz County officials said they were in talks with their counterparts in the Bay Area to create a regional approach to easing the shelter-in-place rules implemented a month ago.
The Santa Cruz County health officer, Dr. Gail Newel, told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that she was “working with regional and state health officers to draft a less restricted shelter-in-place [order] to start on May 4th. So we’ll see how the next two weeks go, but we’re looking at lifting some of the restrictions.”
Ideas include allowing some industries where work is done outdoors, such as construction and landscaping, to get back to work if employees practice social distancing, said Jason Hoppin, a spokesman for Santa Cruz County. The existing shelter-in-place order for Santa Cruz County and the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin expires May 3.
Santa Cruz County was already planning to reopen some beaches and parks on Thursday. The county health officer issued a blanket order that began April 8 and expired Wednesday, closing all trails, beaches, piers, parks and parking lots for a seven-day period that included the Easter and Passover holidays.
The county emphasized that reopening some beaches would allow residents to resume using them for daily walks and allow solo surfers back into the ocean. The opening was not, however, an invitation for large groups of people to spend a day together at the beach, which would be a violation of the stay-at-home order.
“An all-day-at-the-beach situation, that’s what we don’t want,” Hoppin said.
Santa Cruz County will be limiting parking near beaches, closing some spots and instituting restrictions elsewhere that require a parking permit.
California Street in San Francisco, usually filled with cable cars, is empty. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
Officials were optimistic they had avoided a disaster by moving early to keep residents at home to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
On the same afternoon after six Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter at home on March 16 — the first order of its kind in the nation — Santa Cruz County issued a similar order. At that time, Santa Cruz County had reported nine COVID-19 cases and no deaths.
Officials in this county of 273,000 people — separated from the Bay Area by a mountain range — had feared a surge in cases would appear by mid-April and quickly overwhelm the limited number of hospital beds.
Yet there have been five or fewer hospitalized coronavirus patients on any given day during April, according to a slide presented by Mimi Hall, director of the county health services agency, at this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
As a result, Santa Cruz County canceled a state request for volunteer staff to help deal with coronavirus patients. As of Thursday, Santa Cruz County had reported 96 coronavirus cases and two deaths.
“The actual disease curve that we’re seeing — and the actual number of cases — has flattened dramatically since we started our shelter-in-place order,” Hall said.
At one point, Hall showed an image of The Times’ coronavirus tracker, showing a chart comparing the progression of coronavirus cases among 53 of California’s 58 counties with infected residents.
The Times’ chart showed how Santa Cruz County’s trend of new cases is relatively flat compared with other counties where cases are rising more rapidly, such as in Riverside County in Southern California and Kern, Stanislaus and Tulare counties in the Central Valley.
Elected officials in Santa Cruz County praised the public for adhering to the shelter-in-place order.
“I know some of the decisions ... have been controversial,” Supervisor Bruce McPherson said. “But they have been necessary, and I think we just have to look at the results to say they are positive.”
Times staff writer Melissa Gomez contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-16--Toilet paper thieves try to make clean getaway but can't roll away from police

Police in Port Hueneme nabbed a trio of thieves who had recently undertaken what authorities say was a toilet paper caper .
A patrol officer was rolling through the Port City Plaza about 3:15 p.m. Monday when he noticed three people sitting in a vehicle with an open alcohol container near the front dash , police said .
After discovering the occupants were on probation , officers began searching the vehicle , police said .
They found 31 rolls of toilet paper , 31 towels of various sizes , four sets of bedsheets and 27 tissue boxes in the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation revealed the individuals had purloined the paper products — which are a scarce commodity amid the coronavirus pandemic — and the linens from a maid ’ s cart at a nearby hotel .
“ While they thought they ’ d make a clean getaway , we did confirm they didn ’ t leave any skid marks when they fled the crime scene , ” police wrote in a somewhat cheeky news release .
Jessica Perez , 25 , of Oxnard ; Stephen Talley Jr. , 25 , of Port Hueneme ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were arrested on suspicion of petty theft , police said .
“ While we are trying to protect our public from price gouging and hoarding , it stinks that we have criminals trying to steal precious supplies from our local hotels , ” police wrote .

Authorities found a cache of stolen linens and paper products while searching a vehicle in Port Hueneme.
Police in Port Hueneme nabbed a trio of thieves who had recently undertaken what authorities say was a toilet paper caper.
A patrol officer was rolling through the Port City Plaza about 3:15 p.m. Monday when he noticed three people sitting in a vehicle with an open alcohol container near the front dash, police said. After discovering the occupants were on probation, officers began searching the vehicle, police said.
They found 31 rolls of toilet paper, 31 towels of various sizes, four sets of bedsheets and 27 tissue boxes in the vehicle’s backseat. Police say further investigation revealed the individuals had purloined the paper products — which are a scarce commodity amid the coronavirus pandemic — and the linens from a maid’s cart at a nearby hotel.
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“While they thought they’d make a clean getaway, we did confirm they didn’t leave any skid marks when they fled the crime scene,” police wrote in a somewhat cheeky news release.
Jessica Perez, 25, of Oxnard; Stephen Talley Jr., 25, of Port Hueneme; and Tyson Castillo, 32, of Oxnard were arrested on suspicion of petty theft, police said.
“While we are trying to protect our public from price gouging and hoarding, it stinks that we have criminals trying to steal precious supplies from our local hotels,” police wrote.


latimes--2020-04-16--10 nurses at Santa Monica hospital suspended for refusing to work without coronavirus protections

Ten nurses at Providence St. John ’ s Medical Center in Santa Monica have been suspended after refusing to work inside a coronavirus ward without what they deem adequate protective gear .
“ We told them we ’ re willing to reuse the same mask all day long and cover it up with a surgical mask , just issue us one mask a shift , ” said Jack Cline , one of the nurses suspended last week .
“ That ’ s all what we ’ re asking for.
” The hospital declined this week to specifically comment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws , but said , “ We are so grateful for the heroic work our nurses perform each day and will not let the actions of a few diminish the appreciation we have for all our nurses and their commitment to our community .
... Saint John ’ s cherishes its nurses and is taking precautions sanctioned by leading world , national , state and local health agencies to ensure their safety.
” Three of the nurses have been suspended since Friday , when they learned that a co-worker on the ward had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded more protective gear .
A source who was not authorized to speak about the situation on the record said Thursday that nurses treating suspected and confirmed coronavirus cases have been instructed by administrations to wear only paper surgical masks in most cases — a protocol that has been authorized by the CDC but that has become increasingly controversial as more health care workers fall sick with the virus .
After Cline and colleagues demanded N95 masks , which offer a greater level of protection , the source said management at the facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to their duties , and threatened to report them to the California Board of Registered Nursing , which handles licensing , for patient abandonment if they refused .
Nurses on subsequent shifts Saturday and through the weekend made similar demands to Cline ’ s , and were also suspended , said the source .
In its statement , the hospital said it is “ using the same protocols followed by our 51 sister hospitals as well as major academic medical centers across the nation and in our service area.
” Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been recommended that all providers wear N95 masks , but they loosened the guidelines recently , in part to stretch limited supplies nationally .
On Wednesday , the Providence health system announced they would begin disinfecting N95 masks so they could be reused to help ease a shortfall .
The protocol has been granted emergency authorization by the FDA , according to the hospital system .
“ Our nurses , providers , respiratory therapists and others working the front lines deserve the best protection possible , ” said Sylvain Trepanier , chief clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
The facility declined to say how many staff members at St. John ’ s were positive , citing patient privacy laws , but said across Providence Southern California ’ s 11 hospitals , fewer than half a percent of 33,000 employees have contracted the virus .
Cline , the suspended nurse , said that on Friday , he refused to enter a patient room without an N95 .
The patient was suspected of having COVID-19 , he said , and multiple doctors , who did get masks , told him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been a nurse for 25 years ; I don ’ t need the CDC to tell me when I need an N95 , ” Cline said .
“ When I have a patient coughing directly in my face ...
I ’ m not going into that room unless they provide me with one.
” He said he has been disappointed by Gov .
Newsom ’ s promise that hospitals have all the supplies they need .
“ I don ’ t know when we ’ re going to get them because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They say we have it , and we don ’ t. ” “ I ’ m immune compromised , I ’ m a diabetic , ” Cline said .
“ They ’ re saying I ’ m refusing my assignment , I ’ m not ...
It ’ s not that I ’ m afraid to go in there , I ’ m afraid because I don ’ t have the equipment.
” Angela Gatdula , also a nurse at St. John ’ s , said she believes she contracted COVID-19 while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms earlier this month began with body aches and a cough , and she tested positive last week , she said .
She said she felt angry the hospital administration did not give her an N95 , though it knew she was treating COVID-19 patients .
She was told she would be protected by a surgical mask , she said .
“ They could ’ ve done more , ” she said , her voice breaking .
“ I don ’ t want it to be one of our nurses who ends up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly even dying.
” Cline said he believes the hospital has enough N95s , but they are trying to conserve them for a surge .
He said some department nurses are getting them and some are not .
“ I don ’ t understand their logic , ” he said .
“ Unless they ’ re trying to get rid of the nurses so they can replace them with young , cheaper ones .
”

Nurses at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica raise their fists April 10 in solidarity after telling managers they can’t care for COVID-19 patients without N95 masks.
Ten nurses at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica have been suspended after refusing to work inside a coronavirus ward without what they deem adequate protective gear.
“We told them we’re willing to reuse the same mask all day long and cover it up with a surgical mask, just issue us one mask a shift,” said Jack Cline, one of the nurses suspended last week. “That’s all what we’re asking for.”
The hospital declined this week to specifically comment on the suspensions, citing labor and patient privacy laws, but said, “We are so grateful for the heroic work our nurses perform each day and will not let the actions of a few diminish the appreciation we have for all our nurses and their commitment to our community. ... Saint John’s cherishes its nurses and is taking precautions sanctioned by leading world, national, state and local health agencies to ensure their safety.”
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Three of the nurses have been suspended since Friday, when they learned that a co-worker on the ward had tested positive for the virus and first demanded more protective gear.
A source who was not authorized to speak about the situation on the record said Thursday that nurses treating suspected and confirmed coronavirus cases have been instructed by administrations to wear only paper surgical masks in most cases — a protocol that has been authorized by the CDC but that has become increasingly controversial as more health care workers fall sick with the virus.
California One by one, nurses got coronavirus at a Silicon Valley hospital while management kept quiet At the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, the nurses on a second-floor medical-surgical unit keep a grim tally of colleagues who have become ill from the coronavirus. But management at a Silicon Valley hospital kept quiet.
After Cline and colleagues demanded N95 masks, which offer a greater level of protection, the source said management at the facility gave a direct order to the nurses to return to their duties, and threatened to report them to the California Board of Registered Nursing, which handles licensing, for patient abandonment if they refused.
Nurses on subsequent shifts Saturday and through the weekend made similar demands to Cline’s, and were also suspended, said the source.
In its statement, the hospital said it is “using the same protocols followed by our 51 sister hospitals as well as major academic medical centers across the nation and in our service area.”
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Earlier in the outbreak, the CDC had been recommended that all providers wear N95 masks, but they loosened the guidelines recently, in part to stretch limited supplies nationally.
On Wednesday, the Providence health system announced they would begin disinfecting N95 masks so they could be reused to help ease a shortfall. The protocol has been granted emergency authorization by the FDA, according to the hospital system.
“Our nurses, providers, respiratory therapists and others working the front lines deserve the best protection possible,” said Sylvain Trepanier, chief clinical executive for Providence Southern California, in a statement.
The facility declined to say how many staff members at St. John’s were positive, citing patient privacy laws, but said across Providence Southern California’s 11 hospitals, fewer than half a percent of 33,000 employees have contracted the virus.
Cline, the suspended nurse, said that on Friday, he refused to enter a patient room without an N95. The patient was suspected of having COVID-19, he said, and multiple doctors, who did get masks, told him not to enter.
“I’ve been a nurse for 25 years; I don’t need the CDC to tell me when I need an N95,” Cline said. “When I have a patient coughing directly in my face ... I’m not going into that room unless they provide me with one.”
He said he has been disappointed by Gov. Newsom’s promise that hospitals have all the supplies they need.
“I don’t know when we’re going to get them because we need them,” he said. “They say we have it, and we don’t.”
“I’m immune compromised, I’m a diabetic,” Cline said. “They’re saying I’m refusing my assignment, I’m not ... It’s not that I’m afraid to go in there, I’m afraid because I don’t have the equipment.”
Angela Gatdula, also a nurse at St. John’s, said she believes she contracted COVID-19 while treating patients with the virus. Her symptoms earlier this month began with body aches and a cough, and she tested positive last week, she said.
She said she felt angry the hospital administration did not give her an N95, though it knew she was treating COVID-19 patients. She was told she would be protected by a surgical mask, she said.
“They could’ve done more,” she said, her voice breaking. “I don’t want it to be one of our nurses who ends up needing hospitalization, needing ICU admission, possibly even dying.”
Cline said he believes the hospital has enough N95s, but they are trying to conserve them for a surge. He said some department nurses are getting them and some are not.
“I don’t understand their logic,” he said. “Unless they’re trying to get rid of the nurses so they can replace them with young, cheaper ones.”


latimes--2020-04-16--55 new coronavirus deaths in L.A. County a record high: 'Devastating power of COVID-19'

Coronavirus-linked fatalities hit another one-day high in Los Angeles County on Thursday as health officials confirmed 55 additional deaths .
The latest update — marking the third straight day the county has seen a record number of deaths — brought the county ’ s total to 455 and demonstrates “ the devastating power of COVID-19 , ” Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The county ’ s mortality rate now stands at 4.2 % , she added .
Of the latest victims , 43 were over the age of 65 and 39 of those had underlying health conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 41 and 65 , and all had underlying health conditions , she added .
In total , Ferrer said , 88 % of those who have died as a result of COVID-19 had other health problems .
That underscores “ the need for all of us to work together to make it possible for those who have underlying health issues to remain in their homes , ” she said .
L.A. County officials also confirmed 399 new coronavirus infections , bringing the total to 10,854 .
Although the number of deaths has risen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new COVID-19 cases has trended downward this week .
Ferrer said there is a natural lag time when it comes to deaths , as “ sometimes people can be in the hospital for a few days before they actually pass away , ” and that other areas have seen a similar trend .
“ You tend to see the deaths continue to rise after your cases may have leveled off , ” she said .
Officials also released the following race/ethnicity breakdown for 390 of the 455 people who have died in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ flattening the curve ” in the battle against the coronavirus , deaths continues to rise .
As of Wednesday night , 889 deaths had been recorded in the state — including 101 new fatalities since the day before , the largest single-day toll to date .
Still , California ’ s death totals are far below those of other coronavirus hot spots like New York , New Jersey and Michigan , and officials credit early social distancing with making a major difference .
New York has seen more than 10,000 coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing .
So does the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units , which has remained between 1,100 and 1,200 since April 7 .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4 % day-to-day increase — but that the overall number of patients hospitalized ticked down by almost 1 % to 3,141 .
“ That ’ s good news but , again , I caution everybody : One day ’ s data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
More than 27,000 cases have been reported across the state , 1,320 in the last day .
San Diego County reported seven additional coronavirus-linked deaths Wednesday , for a total of 60 , as its case count climbed past 2,000 .
Riverside County also passed that milestone Wednesday .
Following on the heels of its largest single-day increase in cases since the pandemic began , the county reported 144 additional coronavirus infections and four new deaths .
Countywide , 2,105 people have tested positive and 54 have died .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths linked to the coronavirus — including three each on Wednesday and Thursday .
The county also confirmed 51 new COVID-19 cases Thursday , boosting its cumulative total to 1,425 .
Parts of the San Francisco Bay Area have also seen higher death tolls in recent days .
Alameda County reported 13 coronavirus-linked deaths Wednesday .
The county now has 36 recorded deaths and 962 total coronavirus infections .
Officials there are also contending with outbreaks at two nursing homes .
Bay Area prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Gateway Care and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have died .
Forty-one residents and 26 staff members there have tested positive .
At the East Bay Post Acute Healthcare Center in Castro Valley , 22 residents and 23 staff members have tested positive .
One resident has died .
Santa Clara County reported 71 new cases and one additional death Wednesday , bringing its totals to 1,793 and 65 , respectively .
Authorities around the state have warned that life will not get back to normal any time soon .
An internal Los Angeles Fire Department email reviewed by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off on allowing big gatherings , like concerts and sporting events , until 2021 because of the coronavirus threat .
“ I think we ’ re a long way off from huge gatherings , ” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at his Wednesday evening news conference .
“ We can ’ t reopen things simply because our hearts say that we want to .
I will always listen to the doctors ; I will always listen to public health.
” Garcetti said he could foresee sports teams being able to play games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials say such a move would be safe .
“ I think that ’ s probably something we will see before we see stadiums full.
” Officials are continuing to deal with the devastating economic toll of the shutdown .
Newsom said Thursday that in a recent conference call with President Trump and other federal officials and governors to discuss reopening the country he was grateful for agreement on the “ need for a phased approach , a thoughtful and judicious approach based on conditions and based upon the need to act with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level that is required.
” California is expanding hours at its call center that handles unemployment insurance and is preparing to expedite benefits to independent contractors in response to a record number of people who are out of work and seeking government help .
Newsom discussed those efforts Wednesday and noted that 2.7 million Californians had filed for unemployment benefits in the last month , after businesses across the state shuttered under his stay-at-home order and the economy tanked .
Newsom also announced a $ 125-million relief effort to help roughly 150,000 Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the plan is partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need .
A group of 23 state Assembly members sent a letter to Newsom last week asking him to create such a fund .
“ We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians ” in food gathering and other tasks , the governor said .
The relief program will offer $ 500 cash grants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to $ 1,000 for families , with applications set to be accepted starting next month , he said .
The money will be disbursed through regional nonprofit groups with experience serving people who are in the country illegally , the governor said .
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Patrick McGreevy contributed to this report .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene, Luke Money

Coronavirus-linked fatalities hit another one-day high in Los Angeles County on Thursday as health officials confirmed 55 additional deaths.
The latest update — marking the third straight day the county has seen a record number of deaths — brought the county’s total to 455 and demonstrates “the devastating power of COVID-19,” Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said.
The county’s mortality rate now stands at 4.2%, she added.
Of the latest victims, 43 were over the age of 65 and 39 of those had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said. Nine were between 41 and 65, and all had underlying health conditions, she added.
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In total, Ferrer said, 88% of those who have died as a result of COVID-19 had other health problems. That underscores “the need for all of us to work together to make it possible for those who have underlying health issues to remain in their homes,” she said.
L.A. County officials also confirmed 399 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total to 10,854. Although the number of deaths has risen day over day, the number of new COVID-19 cases has trended downward this week.
California UC reels under staggering coronavirus costs; ‘the worst impacts ... all at once’ The University of California was hit with $558 million in unanticipated costs in March alone due to the coronavirus, a staggering sum as students canceled housing and dining contracts, medical centers paused elective surgeries and costs to gear up online learning soared.
Ferrer said there is a natural lag time when it comes to deaths, as “sometimes people can be in the hospital for a few days before they actually pass away,” and that other areas have seen a similar trend.
“You tend to see the deaths continue to rise after your cases may have leveled off,” she said.
Officials also released the following race/ethnicity breakdown for 390 of the 455 people who have died in the county:
African American 16%
Asian 17%
Latino 33%
White 31%
Other 3%
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As of Wednesday night, 889 deaths had been recorded in the state — including 101 new fatalities since the day before, the largest single-day toll to date.
Still, California’s death totals are far below those of other coronavirus hot spots such as New York, New Jersey and Michigan, and officials credit early social distancing with making a major difference. New York has seen more than 10,000 coronavirus deaths.
Daily tallies of new cases in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing. So does the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units, which has remained between 1,100 and 1,200 since April 7.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4% day-to-day increase — but that the overall number of patients hospitalized ticked down by almost 1% to 3,141.
“That’s good news but, again, I caution everybody: One day’s data does not make a trend,” he said.
More than 27,000 cases have been reported across the state, 1,320 in the last day.
San Diego County reported seven additional coronavirus-linked deaths Wednesday, for a total of 60, as its case count climbed past 2,000.
Riverside County also passed that milestone Wednesday. Following on the heels of its largest single-day increase in cases since the pandemic began, the county reported 144 additional coronavirus infections and four new deaths. Countywide, 2,105 people have tested positive and 54 have died.
In Orange County, there have been 25 deaths linked to the coronavirus — including three each on Wednesday and Thursday. The county also confirmed 51 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, boosting its total to 1,425.
Parts of the Bay Area have also seen higher death tolls in recent days.
Alameda County reported 13 coronavirus-linked deaths Wednesday. The county now has 36 recorded deaths and 962 total coronavirus infections.
Officials there are also contending with outbreaks at two nursing homes. Bay Area prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward, where 13 people have died. Forty-one residents and 26 staff members there have tested positive.
At the East Bay Post Acute Healthcare Center in Castro Valley, 22 residents and 23 staff members have tested positive. One resident has died.
Santa Clara County reported 71 new cases and one additional death Wednesday, bringing its totals to 1,793 and 65, respectively.
Dr. Bob Wachter, who chairs the medicine department at UC San Francisco, said Thursday that perhaps 30% to 50% of people who contract the new coronavirus have no symptoms. At some point, he said, there will have to be strategic testing of the asymptomatic.
Wachter joined three Bay Area mayors for a live question-and-answer session on Zoom, conducted by a local TV station. He said UC San Francisco is now testing all patients going in for surgeries and by next week will test every patient who enters the hospital.
The early emergency orders that required people in the Bay Area to shelter in place have kept the infection rate in the region at no higher than 1%, he said. To achieve “herd immunity,” in which a virus can be tamped down because so many people have already been infected, would require a 70% infection rate, he said.
Authorities around the state have warned that life will not get back to normal any time soon.
An internal Los Angeles Fire Department email reviewed by The Times indicates that the city may hold off on allowing big gatherings, such as concerts and sporting events, until 2021 because of the coronavirus threat.
California Across California, festivals and fairs fall victim to the coronavirus County Fairs from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay area have been canceled, and large music festivals have been postponed over the coronavirus.
“I think we’re a long way off from huge gatherings,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at his Wednesday evening news briefing. “We can’t reopen things simply because our hearts say that we want to. I will always listen to the doctors; I will always listen to public health.”
Garcetti said he could foresee sports teams being able to play games without live audiences, if public health officials say such a move would be safe.
Following President Trump’s announcement Thursday of new federal guidelines with three tiers of criteria for public health conditions before most businesses can reopen, Garcetti cautioned against thinking of it as three phases but rather a framework for understanding times that will require social distancing restrictions depending on the season, testing and surveillance.
There may be instances when cases spike again, he said, but Angelenos will “at least have some days and weeks and months where we’re not indoors the whole time, where our economy is not suffering, where people are earning an income. I look forward to seeing that.”
Meanwhile, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has called for 74 miles of road in her city to be shut down so people can walk outside and remain six feet away from others. She said Thursday that the plan came about because people on sidewalks were uncomfortable about not being able to socially distance.
The road shutdowns are being phased in gradually so city officials can assess their usefulness. So far, only four miles of road were shut down last weekend. The city plans to add 11 miles this weekend.
“The initial response has been fantastic,” Schaaf said.
Officials are continuing to deal with the devastating economic toll of the shutdown.
Newsom said Thursday that in a recent conference call with Trump and other federal officials and governors to discuss reopening the country, he was grateful for agreement on the “need for a phased approach, a thoughtful and judicious approach based on conditions and based upon the need to act with the kind of specificity at a state-by-state level that is required.”
California is expanding hours at its call center that handles unemployment insurance and is preparing to expedite benefits to independent contractors in response to a record number of people who are out of work and seeking government help.
Newsom discussed those efforts Wednesday and noted that 2.7 million Californians had filed for unemployment benefits in the last month, after businesses across the state shuttered under his stay-at-home order and the economy tanked.
Newsom also announced a $125-million relief effort to help roughly 150,000 Californians without legal immigration status. The governor said the plan is partly funded by nonprofit organizations and would provide cash grants to individuals and families in need. A group of 23 state Assembly members sent a letter to Newsom last week asking him to create such a fund.
“We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians” in food gathering and other tasks, the governor said.
The relief program will offer $500 cash grants for individuals in the U.S. illegally and up to $1,000 for families, with applications set to be accepted starting next month, he said.
The money will be disbursed through regional nonprofit groups with experience serving people who are in the country illegally, the governor said.
Times staff writers Taryn Luna, Patrick McGreevy, Andrea Castillo and Maura Dolan contributed to this report.