latimes--2020-05-13--L.A. mayor orders masks to be worn outdoors; county sets no end date for stay-at-home rules but ease

L.A. mayor orders masks to be worn outdoors; county sets no end date for stay-at-home rules but eases more restrictions

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos , except for small children and those with certain disabilities , would be required to wear face coverings outside , significantly tightening restrictions that required masks in businesses and on public transportation .
The masks must be worn anywhere people come into contact with others , even at a distance , he said .
“ Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home , ” Garcetti said .
“ That will help us get more freedoms.
” The announcement comes as public health officials continue to ease restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited reopening of thousands more retail shops and manufacturing companies while extending the county ’ s stay-at-home order indefinitely .
Some portions of the local economy began to reopen Friday with bookstores , clothiers , flower shops and other stores offering curbside pickup after weeks-long closures .
The businesses permitted to reopen this week include thousands of retailers and manufacturing companies that supply those stores , said County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
The public will not be permitted to enter these stores but can pick up items at the door .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have street or parking lot-facing entrances will remain closed .
Before any retailers , manufacturing or logistical businesses can reopen , however , they are required to implement and post plans for adhering to social distancing and infection control practices , Ferrer said .
Meanwhile , Ferrer extended the county ’ s stay-at-home order , which was implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus and has barred gatherings and mandated physical distancing requirements .
She said there is no end date to the revised health order and stressed that people should stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the spread of COVID-19 , which has killed more than 1,600 people in the county .
“ As I ’ ve said from the beginning , this will be a slow journey , ” Ferrer said .
Recreational facilities , including golf courses , tennis and pickleball courts , shooting and archery ranges , equestrian centers and community gardens also got the green light to reopen this week .
The loosened regulations come on the same day that beachgoers were welcomed along the sand in Los Angeles for the first time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s effort to ease stay-at-home mandates .
“ Today was a great day for Los Angeles as people went back to our iconic beaches , ” Garcetti said at a press briefing Wednesday evening .
“ This should be an exciting week , not a depressing one.
” But after a six-week closure , L.A. 's coast looks different than it did pre-pandemic .
Visitors are not able to picnic , sunbathe or participate in group sports such as volleyball .
Face coverings are required when not in the water , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running , walking and swimming — is permitted .
“ Parking lots and piers and beach bike paths and concessions remain closed , ” Garcetti said .
“ But let ’ s take advantage of what ’ s there , see those beautiful waves that have been glowing in Venice.
” The mayor also sought to soften Tuesday ’ s news that stringent public health orders would not be lifted for months to come .
“ No , we won ’ t be shut down for three more months , ” Garcetti said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have a specific end date , not because everybody ’ s locked down forever , but because we still need to follow the guidance of our public health experts.
” Officials reported 1,264 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday , bringing the region ’ s total number of infections to 34,428 .
Officials also reported 47 new fatalities , bringing the county ’ s death toll to 1,659 .
The majority of the county ’ s deaths — roughly 1,300 — occurred over the last month , Ferrer said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery journey , we need to be sure to take care not to have a large increase in deaths and hospitalizations , ” she said .
“ All of us will need to continue to keep each other as safe as possible.
” Health officials in Los Angeles County , which has become a coronavirus hot spot in California , indicated this week that despite the gradual reopening of public spaces , aspects of the stay-at-home order could last well into the summer .
Ferrer told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortening without “ dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand.
” She later added that , although the stay-at-home policy would likely remain , some individual restrictions would be “ gradually relaxed ” over the next three months under the county ’ s five-step plan .
But without widely available testing for COVID-19 , or rapid at-home kits that would allow people to test themselves daily , it seems unlikely that the social distancing directives and stay-at-home orders will be completely eased in the region , she said .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” program this weekend , temporarily shutting neighborhood streets to cars to ease pressure on crowded parks and expand safe spaces for outdoor recreation .
Mayor Garcetti also announced an expansion of the city ’ s emergency child-care connection , which was rolled out to help low-wage healthcare workers get their kids into local day-care centers , including 18 run by the city ’ s department of Recreation and Parks .
Now , all emergency responders will be eligible for the program , the mayor said .
Whether camps and other youth programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains unclear , he said .
“ I do hope we can look at safe ways we can take care of our children this summer , ” Garcetti said .
“ We ’ d better find them , now and in the fall , otherwise a lot of parents are not going to be able to go back to work.
” Under state guidelines , in-person dining at restaurants and the reopening of malls are poised to happen more slowly in urban centers like Los Angeles than in rural sections of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that California restaurants and shopping malls can reopen in counties that meet state standards for testing and reductions in coronavirus cases , but all businesses will have to abide by state guidelines for physical distancing and cleaning regimens .
Under the state plan , counties must have adequate testing and hospital capacity and the ability to trace those who have been in contact with ill people .
A Times data analysis last week found most big California counties were not close to meeting Newsom ’ s standards .
The analysis looked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two — no new deaths reported in the last 14 days and no more than one confirmed case per 10,000 residents in that same time period .
Most of California failed that test .
In fact , 95 % of Californians live in counties that don ’ t meet that standard , the Times analysis found .
Not a single county in Southern California or the San Francisco Bay Area met the criteria .
The state said Wednesday that 12 of California ’ s 58 counties — most of them rural — will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amador , Butte , El Dorado , Lassen , Nevada , Placer , Plumas , Sierra , Tuolumne , Yuba , Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the state ’ s conditions for additional businesses to reopen .
Colusa , Glenn , San Benito and Tehama were added Wednesday afternoon , bringing the total to 16 .
“ This is a dynamic process and we don ’ t want to delay unnecessarily based on timelines , ” Newsom said Wednesday during his daily coronavirus news conference .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not about deadlines .
It ’ s simply about data and it ’ s about health.
” Talks are underway with 31 other California counties to discuss whether they can expand their reopenings , the governor said , but he noted that conditions are still too serious in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties to modify guidelines for resuming business in those areas .
Officials in Orange County continue to express frustration with the state ‘ s more cautious approach .
They contend that the economic havoc wreaked by the regulations makes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wednesday , Orange County had confirmed 3,749 cases and 80 deaths from COVID-19 .
When adjusted per 100,000 residents , the county ’ s documented infection rate is notably lower than that of neighboring urban counties , according to the Los Angeles Times ’ .
Still , the county reached a grim milestone as officials reported that 248 people — a new daily high — were hospitalized with the virus .
Nearly 100 of those individuals are being treated in intensive care units .
Orange County ’ s observed mortality rate associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also is well below the statewide rate of about 4 % .
But it ’ s still too high for the county to be given the green light to completely reopen under state standards .
“ I think it ’ s time to open up , ” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said Tuesday .
“ Maybe it ’ s too late .
It ’ s going to be very tough to catch up.
” Times staff writers Patrick McGreevy and Luke Money contributed to this report .

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday evening that all Angelenos, except for small children and those with certain disabilities, would be required to wear face coverings outside, significantly tightening restrictions that required masks in businesses and on public transportation.
The masks must be worn anywhere people come into contact with others, even at a distance, he said.
“Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home,” Garcetti said. “That will help us get more freedoms.”
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The announcement comes as public health officials continue to ease restrictions in Los Angeles County, allowing the limited reopening of thousands more retail shops and manufacturing companies while extending the county’s stay-at-home order indefinitely.
Some portions of the local economy began to reopen Friday , with bookstores, clothiers, flower shops and other stores offering curbside pickup after weeks-long closures. The businesses permitted to reopen this week include thousands of retailers and manufacturing companies that supply those stores, said County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
The public will not be permitted to enter these stores but can pick up items at the door. Shops in indoor malls that do not have street or parking lot-facing entrances will remain closed. Before any retailers, manufacturing or logistical businesses can reopen, however, they are required to implement and post plans for adhering to social distancing and infection control practices, Ferrer said.
Meanwhile, Ferrer extended the county’s stay-at-home order, which was implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus and has barred gatherings and mandated physical distancing requirements. She said there is no end date to the revised health order and stressed that people should stay home as much as possible to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 1,600 people in the county.
“As I’ve said from the beginning, this will be a slow journey,” Ferrer said.
Recreational facilities, including golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, shooting and archery ranges, equestrian centers and community gardens also got the green light to reopen this week.
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The loosened regulations come on the same day that beachgoers were welcomed along the sand in Los Angeles for the first time in weeks, a symbolic milestone in the county’s effort to ease stay-at-home mandates.
“Today was a great day for Los Angeles as people went back to our iconic beaches,” Garcetti said at a press briefing Wednesday evening. “This should be an exciting week, not a depressing one.”
But after a six-week closure, L.A.’s coast looks different than it did pre-pandemic. Visitors are not able to picnic, sunbathe or participate in group sports such as volleyball. Face coverings are required when not in the water, and only active recreation — surfing, running, walking and swimming — is permitted.
“Parking lots and piers and beach bike paths and concessions remain closed,” Garcetti said. “But let’s take advantage of what’s there, see those beautiful waves that have been glowing in Venice.”
The mayor also sought to soften Tuesday’s news that stringent public health orders would not be lifted for months to come.
“No, we won’t be shut down for three more months,” Garcetti said. “Our updated order doesn’t have a specific end date, not because everybody’s locked down forever, but because we still need to follow the guidance of our public health experts.”
Officials reported 1,264 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the region’s total number of infections to 34,428. Officials also reported 47 new fatalities, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,659. The majority of the county’s deaths — roughly 1,300 — occurred over the last month, Ferrer said.
“We are mindful that as we begin our recovery journey, we need to be sure to take care not to have a large increase in deaths and hospitalizations,” she said. “All of us will need to continue to keep each other as safe as possible.”
1 / 19 A surfer heads to the water at Surfrider Beach next to the Malibu Pier on Wednesday morning as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 19 Jessica Kelly practices early morning yoga while her boyfriend surfs at Surfrider Beach in Malibu. “Its a great way to energize yourself first thing in the morning,” Kelly said. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 19 Social distancing doesn’t appear to be a priority for surfers off Surfrider Beach in Malibu on Wednesday morning as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 19 Signs let beachgoers know what is permitted where at Surfrider Beach in Malibu, which was opened to active use (no sunbathing) along with other L.A. County beaches on Wednesday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 19 L.A. County lifeguard Cole McClung, left, provides first aid for surfer Daniel Parseghian, a senior at UCLA, who had cut his foot on the rocks at Surfrider Beach next to the Malibu Pier. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 19 An early arrival has Surfrider Beach in Malibu almost all to himself Wednesday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 19 A surfer cuts across a wave off Manhattan Beach as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 19 Walkers, runners, surfers and swimmers came out to Manhattan Beach as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 19 Jamie Kadish, 6, left and brother Ryan, 7, play in the water in Manhattan Beach as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 19 Three surfers prepare to enter the water in Hermosa Beach on Wednesday as Los Angeles County beaches reopened for active use. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 19 A masked runner gives a thumbs up while she takes advantage of reopened Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 19 A sign lets visitors know that the Strand walking path is closed, but walkers, runners, surfers and swimmers can access the beach in Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 19 South of the Manhattan Beach Pier, walkers, runners, surfers and swimmers take advantage of relaxed beach restrictions in Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 19 Sam Samarah works out with the Santa Monica Pier in the background on Wednesday. Samarah, who is from Hawaii, came to the L.A. area to help his family through the coronavirus pandemic. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 19 Kim Abt, left, and Rachel Portugal walk past a sign with advisories for visitors on Tuesday morning in Santa Monica. Los Angeles County beaches reopened Wednesday for active use only. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 19 People leave the beach watched by police Tuesday morning in Santa Monica. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 19 Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica, though officially closed, was in use Tuesday morning. Los Angeles County beaches reopened Wednesday for active use only. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 19 Eric Bautista rides with his surfboard past no parking signs along Pacific Coast Highway to paddle out at Surfrider Beach on Tuesday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 19 Surfers take advantage of the swell at Surfrider Beach next to the Malibu Pier on Tuesday morning. L.A. County beaches reopened Wednesday for active use only. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Health officials in Los Angeles County, which has become a coronavirus hot spot in California, indicated this week that despite the gradual reopening of public spaces, aspects of the stay-at-home order could last well into the summer.
Ferrer told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that she didn’t see the timeline shortening without “dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand.” She later added that, although the stay-at-home policy would likely remain, some individual restrictions would be “gradually relaxed” over the next three months under the county’s five-step plan.
But without widely available testing for COVID-19, or rapid at-home kits that would allow people to test themselves daily, it seems unlikely that the social distancing directives and stay-at-home orders will be completely eased in the region, she said.
Instead, L.A. will debut its “Slow Streets” program this weekend, temporarily shutting neighborhood streets to cars to ease pressure on crowded parks and expand safe spaces for outdoor recreation.
Mayor Garcetti also announced an expansion of the city’s emergency child-care connection, which was rolled out to help low-wage healthcare workers get their kids into local day-care centers, including 18 run by the city’s department of Recreation and Parks. Now, all emergency responders will be eligible for the program, the mayor said.
Whether camps and other youth programs will be able to open this summer remains unclear, he said.
“I do hope we can look at safe ways we can take care of our children this summer,” Garcetti said. “We’d better find them, now and in the fall, otherwise a lot of parents are not going to be able to go back to work.”
Under state guidelines, in-person dining at restaurants and the reopening of malls are poised to happen more slowly in urban centers like Los Angeles than in rural sections of the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week that California restaurants and shopping malls can reopen in counties that meet state standards for testing and reductions in coronavirus cases, but all businesses will have to abide by state guidelines for physical distancing and cleaning regimens.
Under the state plan, counties must have adequate testing and hospital capacity and the ability to trace those who have been in contact with ill people.
A Times data analysis last week found most big California counties were not close to meeting Newsom’s standards. The analysis looked at which counties could pass just the first two criteria — no new deaths reported in the last 14 days and no more than one confirmed case per 10,000 residents in that same time period.
Most of California failed that test. In fact, 95% of Californians live in counties that don’t meet that standard, the Times analysis found. Not a single county in Southern California or the San Francisco Bay Area met the criteria.
The state said Wednesday that 12 of California’s 58 counties — most of them rural — will be allowed to more fully reopen.
Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Tuolumne, Yuba, Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the state’s conditions for additional businesses to reopen. Colusa, Glenn, San Benito and Tehama were added Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total to 16.
“This is a dynamic process and we don’t want to delay unnecessarily based on timelines,” Newsom said Wednesday during his daily coronavirus news conference. “It’s not about timelines, it’s not about deadlines. It’s simply about data and it’s about health.”
Talks are underway with 31 other California counties to discuss whether they can expand their reopenings, the governor said, but he noted that conditions are still too serious in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties to modify guidelines for resuming business in those areas.
Officials in Orange County continue to express frustration with the state‘s more cautious approach. They contend that the economic havoc wreaked by the regulations makes it vital to loosen the rules.
As of Wednesday, Orange County had confirmed 3,749 cases and 80 deaths from COVID-19. When adjusted per 100,000 residents, the county’s documented infection rate is notably lower than that of neighboring urban counties, according to the Los Angeles Times’ coronavirus tracker .
Still, the county reached a grim milestone as officials reported that 248 people — a new daily high — were hospitalized with the virus. Nearly 100 of those individuals are being treated in intensive care units.
Orange County’s observed mortality rate associated with COVID-19, roughly 2.1%, also is well below the statewide rate of about 4%. But it’s still too high for the county to be given the green light to completely reopen under state standards.
“I think it’s time to open up,” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said Tuesday. “Maybe it’s too late. It’s going to be very tough to catch up.”
Times staff writers Patrick McGreevy and Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-14--Earthquakes: 3.3 quake near Ridgecrest, Calif.

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported at 4:37 p.m. Thursday 11 miles from Ridgecrest , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 25 miles from California City , Calif. ; 51 miles from Barstow ; 62 miles from Rosamond , Calif. ; and 64 miles from Tehachapi , Calif .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 3.8 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Thursday near Ridgecrest, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported at 4:37 p.m. Thursday 11 miles from Ridgecrest, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 25 miles from California City, Calif.; 51 miles from Barstow; 62 miles from Rosamond, Calif.; and 64 miles from Tehachapi, Calif.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 3.8 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-05-14--L.A. city attorney sues maker of radish paste advertised as protection against COVID-19

The Los Angeles city attorney ’ s office filed suit Wednesday against an herbal remedy specialist , accusing the store of trying to pass off an untested radish paste as a safeguard against the coronavirus , officials said .
The civil lawsuit accuses Insan Healing in Koreatown of touting the item as a “ must-have product for the protection and prevention ” of coronavirus contagion , even though it has not been tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , court filings said .
The radish paste costs $ 99.95 per bottle and is made from a combination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” garlic and ginger that can enhance a person ’ s immune system , according to the Insan Healing website .
References to the coronavirus and COVID-19 had been taken down by Thursday afternoon after the lawsuit was filed , but the city attorney ’ s office provided screenshots showing the claims that the paste could help with coronavirus prevention .
“ We ’ ve got to stop those who use the fear fueled by the COVID-19 crisis to prey on people desperate to avoid the virus , ” City Atty .
Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today it ’ s radish paste , which the defendants are peddling as , ‘ a must-have product for the protection and prevention of the COVID-19 , cold and flu season.
’ We allege that claim is false , and we ’ re taking the defendants to court .
In this public health emergency , consumers are entitled to accurate information .
Their lives may depend on it.
” The suit seeks an injunction blocking the sale of the item and fines of up to $ 2,500 per violation of California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertising .
Insan Healing was founded in 2013 by Angela K. Oh , a Culver City resident , filings with the secretary of state show .
The company sells a variety of healing products including teas , foods and Korean bamboo salt .
Oh did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday .
Attempts to capitalize on people ’ s concerns about the coronavirus have attracted the attention of law enforcement in recent days .
A Santa Monica woman was arrested Wednesday for peddling dozens of unapproved COVID-19 tests .

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office filed suit Wednesday against an herbal remedy specialist, accusing the store of trying to pass off an untested radish paste as a safeguard against the coronavirus, officials said.
The civil lawsuit accuses Insan Healing in Koreatown of touting the item as a “must-have product for the protection and prevention” of coronavirus contagion, even though it has not been tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, court filings said.
The radish paste costs $99.95 per bottle and is made from a combination of “white radish harvested during frost,” garlic and ginger that can enhance a person’s immune system, according to the Insan Healing website.
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References to the coronavirus and COVID-19 had been taken down by Thursday afternoon after the lawsuit was filed, but the city attorney’s office provided screenshots showing the claims that the paste could help with coronavirus prevention.
“We’ve got to stop those who use the fear fueled by the COVID-19 crisis to prey on people desperate to avoid the virus,” City Atty. Mike Feuer said in a statement. “Today it’s radish paste, which the defendants are peddling as, ‘a must-have product for the protection and prevention of the COVID-19, cold and flu season.’ We allege that claim is false, and we’re taking the defendants to court. In this public health emergency, consumers are entitled to accurate information. Their lives may depend on it.”
The suit seeks an injunction blocking the sale of the item and fines of up to $2,500 per violation of California’s unfair competition law, which bars false advertising.
Insan Healing was founded in 2013 by Angela K. Oh, a Culver City resident, filings with the secretary of state show. The company sells a variety of healing products including teas, foods and Korean bamboo salt. Oh did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Attempts to capitalize on people’s concerns about the coronavirus have attracted the attention of law enforcement in recent days. A Santa Monica woman was arrested Wednesday for peddling dozens of unapproved COVID-19 tests.


latimes--2020-05-14--Masks are mandatory in L.A. What do you do if you head outside to exercise?

With Los Angeles city and county officials requiring face coverings for anyone going outside , joggers , runners and others itching to get outside and exercise are trying to figure out how to incorporate masks into their workouts .
Many said they would wear face coverings as required because it will help slow the spread of the coronavirus , even if they were resigned to yet another daily challenge .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti called the mask order a necessary step to eventually reopen more of the economy .
Anybody who is outside and around others must wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — on solitary walks , for example — are not required to wear a mask but should have one with them and ready to put on , L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
“ Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home , ” Garcetti said .
“ That will help us get more freedoms.
” The mandate was another frustration for 35-year-old Beachwood Canyon resident Rabi Awssd , who was running down Beachwood Drive on Thursday afternoon with a black bandanna around his head .
Awssd did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five-mile route through various trails from the Hollywood sign back to his home on Beachwood Drive .
“ I can ’ t breathe with the mask when I ’ m working out , ” Awssd said .
“ I can ’ t use it.
” With his gym closed , Awssd has had to adjust his fitness routine , which includes working out with large stones in the surrounding hillside that he described as “ empty.
” Awssd said he ’ s not against facial coverings , however , and was adamant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a place people may gather , he always wears a mask .
“ I believe in them and use them to keep everyone safe , ” Awssd said , “ but when I ’ m working out , I ’ m usually by myself and I always keep a distance from other runners out there.
” Elsewhere in Beachwood Canyon , 26-year-old Javi Chad-Friedman stepped out of his home with his headphones on and his face covering in his back pocket .
After a block of uphill running , Chad-Friedman saw a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his mask .
“ I wear a mask , I do , ” he said of his black and yellow facial covering that included the insignia of a friend ’ s band .
“ It ’ s just when you run or do physical exercise , it ’ s difficult , but as soon as I see anyone nearby , I put on my mask.
” Chad-Friedman wasn ’ t sure if he agreed with the idea of needing to don a facial covering immediately after exiting his home .
To his understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infected person , which he didn ’ t believe he would be in danger of coming into contact with unless he were near another runner or cyclist .
“ I think as long as you ’ re taking other precautions , like socially distancing and washing your hands , you ’ ll be fine , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t think you need the mask , again , unless you ’ re close to another runner.
” Friends Karina Delgado , 43 , and Jessica Gonzalez , 46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their run .
They jogged around local trails and onto Beachwood Drive fully masked .
“ I support what the mayor is doing , ” Gonzalez said .
“ This is all about safety and making sure we avoid infections .
Just because we ’ re not seeing the number of infections like in New York , people think we ’ re going to go back to some sort of normal .
“ That ’ s not happening , ” she added .
“ We can ’ t go back to normal.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two unmasked cyclists passed within 10 feet of them .
“ I was going to say I ’ m not surprised , but I kind of am surprised that some people aren ’ t following rules , ” Gonzalez said .
“ No one is saying this is easy , but the experts , like Dr. [ Anthony ] Fauci , are saying we have to take precautions , and wearing a face mask is one of them.
” Delgado , a Panorama City resident , said she ’ s seen fatigue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to masks and other safety measures .
“ People are just tired and they don ’ t want to listen , ” she said .
“ I ’ m not surprised , but I would hope they would care about other people .
We ’ re all going to have to get through this.
” Where must you wear a face covering ?
• If you visit any retail business ( except those in indoor malls , which are still closed ) , including those that are open only for curbside or in-store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your neighborhood or are on a trail , golf course or beach ( where you must wear a face covering if you are out of the water and people are nearby ) .
• If you ride on L.A. Department of Transportation transit buses , Metro buses or trains , or travel through Los Angeles International Airport .
• The new guidelines on face coverings exempt children younger than 2 and people with certain disabilities .

Signs posted along the Silver Lake Reservoir keep people moving in one direction May 4 to limit interaction and make it easier to maintain physical distancing.
With Los Angeles city and county officials requiring face coverings for anyone going outside, joggers, runners and others itching to get outside and exercise are trying to figure out how to incorporate masks into their workouts.
Many said they would wear face coverings as required because it will help slow the spread of the coronavirus, even if they were resigned to yet another daily challenge.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti called the mask order a necessary step to eventually reopen more of the economy. Anybody who is outside and around others must wear a mask. Those in areas without other people — on solitary walks, for example — are not required to wear a mask but should have one with them and ready to put on, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
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“Bring your mask with you whenever you leave your home,” Garcetti said. “That will help us get more freedoms.”
The mandate was another frustration for 35-year-old Beachwood Canyon resident Rabi Awssd, who was running down Beachwood Drive on Thursday afternoon with a black bandanna around his head. Awssd did not wear a mask on his roughly five-mile route through various trails from the Hollywood sign back to his home on Beachwood Drive.
“I can’t breathe with the mask when I’m working out,” Awssd said. “I can’t use it.”
With his gym closed, Awssd has had to adjust his fitness routine, which includes working out with large stones in the surrounding hillside that he described as “empty.”
Awssd said he’s not against facial coverings, however, and was adamant that whenever he goes to a store or a place people may gather, he always wears a mask.
“I believe in them and use them to keep everyone safe,” Awssd said, “but when I’m working out, I’m usually by myself and I always keep a distance from other runners out there.”
Elsewhere in Beachwood Canyon, 26-year-old Javi Chad-Friedman stepped out of his home with his headphones on and his face covering in his back pocket. After a block of uphill running, Chad-Friedman saw a group of nearby joggers and quickly put on his mask.
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“I wear a mask, I do,” he said of his black and yellow facial covering that included the insignia of a friend’s band. “It’s just when you run or do physical exercise, it’s difficult, but as soon as I see anyone nearby, I put on my mask.”
Chad-Friedman wasn’t sure if he agreed with the idea of needing to don a facial covering immediately after exiting his home. To his understanding, the biggest threat was droplets from an infected person, which he didn’t believe he would be in danger of coming into contact with unless he were near another runner or cyclist.
“I think as long as you’re taking other precautions, like socially distancing and washing your hands, you’ll be fine,” he said. “I don’t think you need the mask, again, unless you’re close to another runner.”
Friends Karina Delgado, 43, and Jessica Gonzalez, 46, weren’t taking any chances on their run. They jogged around local trails and onto Beachwood Drive fully masked.
“I support what the mayor is doing,” Gonzalez said. “This is all about safety and making sure we avoid infections. Just because we’re not seeing the number of infections like in New York, people think we’re going to go back to some sort of normal.
“That’s not happening,” she added. “We can’t go back to normal.”
As the pair stopped to stretch, two unmasked cyclists passed within 10 feet of them.
“I was going to say I’m not surprised, but I kind of am surprised that some people aren’t following rules,” Gonzalez said. “No one is saying this is easy, but the experts, like Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, are saying we have to take precautions, and wearing a face mask is one of them.”
Delgado, a Panorama City resident, said she’s seen fatigue in her community and beyond in regards to masks and other safety measures.
“People are just tired and they don’t want to listen,” she said. “I’m not surprised, but I would hope they would care about other people. We’re all going to have to get through this.”
Where must you wear a face covering?


latimes--2020-05-14--LAPD training academy outbreak: 17 recruits infected with coronavirus

An outbreak at Los Angeles Police Department training center has seen 17 police and detention officer trainees infected with the coronavirus , and officials say they are now implementing weekly testing for academy classes and instructors .
The Los Angeles County Public Health Department documented the outbreak at the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Westchester .
The training center is one of several non-nursing home and medical facilities identified by county public health officials as having multiple people infected with the coronavirus .
Nine police officer recruits in one academy training class and eight jailer trainees have tested positive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classes to allow recruits to recover , said LAPD Cmdr .
Ruby Flores .
“ With the support of the mayor , we are implementing testing for new people coming in and weekly testing for all those in the academy , ” Flores said .
With a thermal body scanner that reads one ’ s temperature upon entry to the Westchester training center , along with strict hygiene and social distancing protocols , the academy had operated virus-free until April 18 , she said .
“ We knew it would happen at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of an outbreak .
Flores said a trainee officer whose class was in its fifth week of the six-month academy tested positive .
“ It was brought in from the outside , ” she said , explaining a family member of the recruit ’ s household became sick with COVID-19 .
Subsequently , eight others in the class of 38 tested positive .
Flores said testing of the class revealed the spread because many of those infected were asymptomatic .
“ We temporarily suspended the training class to let them recover , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recruits who need time to recover have now joined later academy classes .
A similar course of events repeated itself with a class of 26 recruit detention officers , and that class was briefly suspended to allow infected trainees to recover last week , she said .
“ It will resume in a week when everyone has their test results , ” she said .
Flores said after discussions with Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s office this week the department now has 300 coronavirus test kits available weekly for training operations .
Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a little different .
At every opportunity , trainees are spaced apart during their six months there .
Frequent handwashing and sanitizing is written into every recruit ’ s schedule , Flores said .
“ Gloves , masks , cleaning and showering are repeatedly emphasized and drilled into the minds of the future officers , ” she said .
Also , “ handcuffing training now takes place outside , ” she said , to reduce the chance of infection .
Training modules on hand-to-hand control techniques that involve physical grappling have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the close contact .
But Flores said that , ultimately , policing is a close-contact profession and as first responders that is unavoidable .
The department , she said , is not about to curtail required training .
Trainees are also told they must take precautions beyond the classroom .
“ From the moment they begin , we tell them you need to isolate .
Your life is the LAPD and home , ” Flores said .
“ We even discourage in-person study groups .
Use Zoom , I tell them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beach or shopping.
” Flores said everyone at the training center carries hand sanitizer , and it is also present around the facility these days .
The department stepped up cleaning at the facilities and a moon-suited team of cleaners was sent to the Westchester facility after the two class outbreaks .
Some in the department wondered how the recruits would react to the outbreak , especially with the cleaning squads and sick classmates .
“ I met with them all post-sickness and they all came to work and showed up ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressed , ” she said .
“ They have a passion to serve.
” Flores said the recruits were initially fearful they might lose their positions , but the department and their colleagues emphasized they are part of the LAPD family .
The LAPD so far has had 108 staff test positive for the virus .
Four top commanders were among the first to test positive .
Of those sickened , 49 have recovered and come back to work in recent weeks .
One officer remains hospitalized .
In Orange County , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been on a pause since March .
Carrie Braun , a department spokeswoman , said the agency is now laying the groundwork to begin new academy classes in the near future .
Michael Parker , a retired L.A. County sheriff ’ s commander who oversaw the agency ’ s training , said academies are now looking to have fewer people in a class to allow them to spread out , but that will require more instructors .
He said academy classes might now avoid sharing instructors to avoid potential spread from group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of an academy and do it outside because we know it spreads easier indoors , and then masks plus routine testing , ” Parker said .
Parker said there is wisdom to keep academy classes going , but also in doing a pause as the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department did .
“ Some places did not think they had the information to continue or they did not have the staff to split classes for social distancing , so they stopped , ” he said .
“ Agencies are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better understanding of training in a pandemic .
”

An outbreak at Los Angeles Police Department training center has seen 17 police and detention officer trainees infected with the coronavirus, and officials say they are now implementing weekly testing for academy classes and instructors.
The Los Angeles County Public Health Department documented the outbreak at the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Westchester. The training center is one of several non-nursing home and medical facilities identified by county public health officials as having multiple people infected with the coronavirus.
Nine police officer recruits in one academy training class and eight jailer trainees have tested positive, leading to the brief suspension of those classes to allow recruits to recover, said LAPD Cmdr. Ruby Flores.
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“With the support of the mayor, we are implementing testing for new people coming in and weekly testing for all those in the academy,” Flores said.
With a thermal body scanner that reads one’s temperature upon entry to the Westchester training center, along with strict hygiene and social distancing protocols, the academy had operated virus-free until April 18, she said.
“We knew it would happen at the academy sooner or later,” Flores said of an outbreak.
Flores said a trainee officer whose class was in its fifth week of the six-month academy tested positive.
“It was brought in from the outside,” she said, explaining a family member of the recruit’s household became sick with COVID-19. Subsequently, eight others in the class of 38 tested positive. Flores said testing of the class revealed the spread because many of those infected were asymptomatic.
“We temporarily suspended the training class to let them recover,” she said.
Some of the recruits who need time to recover have now joined later academy classes.
A similar course of events repeated itself with a class of 26 recruit detention officers, and that class was briefly suspended to allow infected trainees to recover last week, she said.
“It will resume in a week when everyone has their test results,” she said.
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Flores said after discussions with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office this week the department now has 300 coronavirus test kits available weekly for training operations.
Life in the police academy during the pandemic is a little different. At every opportunity, trainees are spaced apart during their six months there. Frequent handwashing and sanitizing is written into every recruit’s schedule, Flores said.
“Gloves, masks, cleaning and showering are repeatedly emphasized and drilled into the minds of the future officers,” she said.
Also, “handcuffing training now takes place outside,” she said, to reduce the chance of infection.
Training modules on hand-to-hand control techniques that involve physical grappling have been pushed back in the six-month schedule to reduce the close contact.
But Flores said that, ultimately, policing is a close-contact profession and as first responders that is unavoidable. The department, she said, is not about to curtail required training.
Trainees are also told they must take precautions beyond the classroom.
“From the moment they begin, we tell them you need to isolate. Your life is the LAPD and home,” Flores said. “We even discourage in-person study groups. Use Zoom, I tell them. Don’t be that guy at the beach or shopping.”
Flores said everyone at the training center carries hand sanitizer, and it is also present around the facility these days. The department stepped up cleaning at the facilities and a moon-suited team of cleaners was sent to the Westchester facility after the two class outbreaks.
Some in the department wondered how the recruits would react to the outbreak, especially with the cleaning squads and sick classmates.
“I met with them all post-sickness and they all came to work and showed up ready to be cops. I was really impressed,” she said. “They have a passion to serve.”
Flores said the recruits were initially fearful they might lose their positions, but the department and their colleagues emphasized they are part of the LAPD family.
The LAPD so far has had 108 staff test positive for the virus. Four top commanders were among the first to test positive. Of those sickened, 49 have recovered and come back to work in recent weeks. One officer remains hospitalized.
In Orange County, the Sheriff’s Department’s academy has been on a pause since March. Carrie Braun, a department spokeswoman, said the agency is now laying the groundwork to begin new academy classes in the near future.
Michael Parker, a retired L.A. County sheriff’s commander who oversaw the agency’s training, said academies are now looking to have fewer people in a class to allow them to spread out, but that will require more instructors. He said academy classes might now avoid sharing instructors to avoid potential spread from group to group.
“That means hands-on at the end of an academy and do it outside because we know it spreads easier indoors, and then masks plus routine testing,” Parker said.
Parker said there is wisdom to keep academy classes going, but also in doing a pause as the Orange County Sheriff’s Department did.
“Some places did not think they had the information to continue or they did not have the staff to split classes for social distancing, so they stopped,” he said. “Agencies are now feeling they have enough information and a better understanding of training in a pandemic.”


latimes--2020-05-14--Nearly a third of California counties have contained coronavirus enough to allow more reopenings

Nearly a third of California ’ s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of COVID-19 , which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service , as well as shopping malls and other businesses , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Thursday .
The 19 counties that have attested to meeting state standards for containment are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations .
They represent about 4.5 % of the state ’ s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco that remain largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the attestations are up and those counties -- 19 now -- are moving deeper into the second phase of reopening large sectors of their economy , ” Newsom said during a news conference where he announced a revised state budget in response to the pandemic .
The state is continuing talks with other counties that are trying to meet state standards for testing , hospital availability and numbers of cases .
“ We are doing what we can to move forward as we committed in that space , ” Newsom said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions put in place to stem the spread of .
The result has been a pandemic patchwork .
Some businesses have been while others remain shuttered .
A few areas are any time residents leave their homes .
More than a dozen counties are moving toward something resembling normality , while others are firmly standing by and other coronavirus restrictions .
Before businesses can reopen , a county must complete a risk assessment and develop protection plans that include training employees in how to limit the spread of the virus , providing screenings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical distancing guidelines .
Some urban counties harder hit by the coronavirus said reopenings will be slower than in rural counties .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2020-2021 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, May 14, 2020. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a revised $203 billion budget proposal to state lawmakers Thursday, reflecting an economy and tax revenues hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)
Nearly a third of California’s 58 counties have certified to the state that they have contained the spread of COVID-19, which allows them to reopen restaurants to dine-in service, as well as shopping malls and other businesses, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday.
The 19 counties that have attested to meeting state standards for containment are mostly in rural areas of Northern California with small populations. They represent about 4.5% of the state’s population and do not include urban centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco that remain largely on lockdown.
“As of today, the attestations are up and those counties -- 19 now -- are moving deeper into the second phase of reopening large sectors of their economy,” Newsom said during a news conference where he announced a revised state budget in response to the pandemic.
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The state is continuing talks with other counties that are trying to meet state standards for testing, hospital availability and numbers of cases.
“We are doing what we can to move forward as we committed in that space,” Newsom said.
The state is starting to cautiously lift restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
The result has been a pandemic patchwork. Some businesses have been allowed to open while others remain shuttered. A few areas are requiring masks to be worn any time residents leave their homes. More than a dozen counties are moving toward something resembling normality, while others are firmly standing by stay-at-home orders and other coronavirus restrictions.
Before businesses can reopen, a county must complete a risk assessment and develop protection plans that include training employees in how to limit the spread of the virus, providing screenings of workers and establishing disinfection protocols and physical distancing guidelines.
Some urban counties harder hit by the coronavirus said reopenings will be slower than in rural counties.


latimes--2020-05-14--Coachella and Cathedral City vote to mandate face coverings

Coachella and Cathedral City officials voted Wednesday to require residents to wear face coverings in certain public settings , joining such other Riverside County cities as Desert Hot Springs , Palm Springs and La Quinta .
The regulation comes less than a week after the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted to rescind several public health orders implemented by the county ’ s public health director Cameron Kaiser .
Following the vote , face coverings were no longer a requirement but were “ strongly recommended whenever practical and within reason.
” Though the county rescinded this order , individual cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more relaxed ones , according to Coachella spokesperson Chris Parman .
“ Unfortunately , Coachella and the rest of the eastern valley remains a hot spot for coronavirus cases , ” Mayor Steven Hernandez said .
“ Until we can get this virus under control , our city will continue to require these reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of people living and working in Coachella.
” Coachella ’ s ordinance says businesses must require employees and customers to wear masks .
Businesses are also required to post signage to inform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those who do not comply .
Officials said the ordinance will remain in effect until modified or suspended by the City Council , director of Emergency Services or any county , state or federal declaration .
The ordinance does not apply to children under 2 and those who have a note from a medical professional advising them not to wear a mask .
Residents are not required to wear a mask while at home or in vehicles alone or with others living in their household , officials said .
People also do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when walking , hiking , running or bicycling provided they remain at least six feet from others .
Coachella ’ s ordinance also requires residents to practice social distancing while in public .
Cathedral City ’ s order instructs businesses to deny access to those not wearing masks .
The mandate , which was approved in a 4 to 1 vote , will be in place until June 19 unless extended , officials said .
“ It makes sense for the city at this point to mandate this and it also takes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have a worker who does not feel comfortable that people are coming in without masks , ” Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Gregory said .
“ I think it ’ s up to the city to set these types of guidelines.
” “ I do not believe in wearing face masks , ” he said .
“ Having said that , I believe that we should go along with what the county supervisors enacted last Friday.
” As of Thursday afternoon , there were 5,440 coronavirus cases in Riverside County , records show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died , which is seven more than yesterday .
Officials said 3,245 residents have recovered from the virus and nearly 79,000 have been tested .

Coachella and Cathedral City officials voted Wednesday to require residents to wear face coverings in certain public settings, joining such other Riverside County cities as Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs and La Quinta.
The regulation comes less than a week after the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted to rescind several public health orders implemented by the county’s public health director Cameron Kaiser. Following the vote, face coverings were no longer a requirement but were “strongly recommended whenever practical and within reason.”
Though the county rescinded this order, individual cities can impose stricter regulations, just not more relaxed ones, according to Coachella spokesperson Chris Parman.
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“Unfortunately, Coachella and the rest of the eastern valley remains a hot spot for coronavirus cases,” Mayor Steven Hernandez said. “Until we can get this virus under control, our city will continue to require these reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of people living and working in Coachella.”
Coachella’s ordinance says businesses must require employees and customers to wear masks. Businesses are also required to post signage to inform customers of the policy and refuse service to those who do not comply. Officials said the ordinance will remain in effect until modified or suspended by the City Council, director of Emergency Services or any county, state or federal declaration.
The ordinance does not apply to children under 2 and those who have a note from a medical professional advising them not to wear a mask.
Residents are not required to wear a mask while at home or in vehicles alone or with others living in their household, officials said. People also do not have to wear a mask outdoors when walking, hiking, running or bicycling provided they remain at least six feet from others.
Coachella’s ordinance also requires residents to practice social distancing while in public.
Cathedral City’s order instructs businesses to deny access to those not wearing masks. The mandate, which was approved in a 4 to 1 vote, will be in place until June 19 unless extended, officials said.
“It makes sense for the city at this point to mandate this and it also takes that burden off of individual businesses where you might have a worker who does not feel comfortable that people are coming in without masks,” Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Gregory said. “I think it’s up to the city to set these types of guidelines.”
Fourth District Councilmember Ernesto M. Gutierrez disagreed with his colleagues.
“I do not believe in wearing face masks,” he said. “Having said that, I believe that we should go along with what the county supervisors enacted last Friday.”
As of Thursday afternoon, there were 5,440 coronavirus cases in Riverside County, records show. A total of 235 people have died, which is seven more than yesterday. Officials said 3,245 residents have recovered from the virus and nearly 79,000 have been tested.


latimes--2020-05-14--California faces 'jaw dropping' unemployment, requiring more federal loans, Newsom says

Gov .
Gavin Newsom says that unemployment in California amid the COVID-19 pandemic has far exceeded what it was during the peak of the Great Recession , with 4.7 million people filing for jobless benefits , requiring the state to borrow billions of dollars more from the federal government to cover claims .
At a news conference Thursday to present a revised state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 , Newsom said the state will need $ 43.8 billion to cover unemployment claims in the new year , a 650 % increase over what was originally proposed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that money from a federal trust fund that helps states cover jobless benefits in times of recession .
“ These unemployment numbers are jaw dropping , ” Newsom said .
“ We are at a time that is simply unprecedented.
” Some 4.7 million Californians have filed claims for unemployment benefits since March 12 , compared to 2.2 million in the third quarter of 2010 at the height of the Great Recession .
The state ’ s unemployment rate is expected to peak at more than 24.5 % this year but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be 18 % , which is still higher than the 12.3 % peak rate during the third quarter of 2010 , Newsom added .
“ These are not normal numbers , ” Newsom said .
“ These are simply without precedent in modern times.
” In boom years , California is able to pay unemployment claims from state taxes paid by employers based on the number of workers they have .
But a decades-old program allows states to borrow money from the federal trust fund for unemployment , with the money paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher employer taxes .
So far , the state has received authority to borrow $ 8 billion from the federal government for May and June , and officials said Thursday that much more money will be needed in the months ahead .
“ The state will likely need to borrow in the tens of billions of dollars , resulting in significant future annual interest payments until the loans are repaid , ” according to the new budget .
Congress has already allocated some money to help pay unemployment benefits to independent contractors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously were not eligible to apply for regular jobless benefits .
The federal legislation has also provided the unemployed with an additional $ 600 per week in benefits through July 31 .
Still , the jobless picture has alarmed state lawmakers , including Sen. Connie M. Leyva ( D-Chino ) , who are pressing for the state to help Californians pay their living expenses .
“ Clearly , the unemployment numbers and ongoing impacts to workers and employers across our state are staggering , ” Leyva said .
“ So I agree with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue to protect public education , public health and public safety — we also need to help those most impacted by COVID-19.
” Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido said the state government can do much to help reduce unemployment by moving faster to restore parts of the economy shuttered by the governor ’ s stay-at-home order .
“ The best way to fix this budget crisis is by helping people get back to work safely , ” she said .
The recent flood of unemployment insurance applications has overwhelmed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state Employment Development Department to process claims .
Lawmakers on Thursday urged the governor to do more to fix problems at the EDD .
“ If we need to live in the new norm , then we need to fix the problems at EDD .
Californians who just lost their job should not have to endure delays and dysfunctional websites and call centers just to get UI , ” Assemblyman Devon Mathis ( R-Visalia ) said .
“ The state of this legacy system and the need to replace it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic as millions of Californians have accessed the system to apply for UI benefits , ” the budget states .

Maria Mora came to find information about her claim but found the California State Employment Development Department was closed due to coronavirus concerns. California unemployment has reached higher levels that during the peak of the Great Recession, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom says that unemployment in California amid the COVID-19 pandemic has far exceeded what it was during the peak of the Great Recession, with 4.7 million people filing for jobless benefits, requiring the state to borrow billions of dollars more from the federal government to cover claims.
At a news conference Thursday to present a revised state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, Newsom said the state will need $43.8 billion to cover unemployment claims in the new year, a 650% increase over what was originally proposed.
The state will have to borrow much of that money from a federal trust fund that helps states cover jobless benefits in times of recession.
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“These unemployment numbers are jaw dropping,” Newsom said. “We are at a time that is simply unprecedented.”
Some 4.7 million Californians have filed claims for unemployment benefits since March 12, compared to 2.2 million in the third quarter of 2010 at the height of the Great Recession.
The state’s unemployment rate is expected to peak at more than 24.5% this year but the rate for the year as a whole will be 18%, which is still higher than the 12.3% peak rate during the third quarter of 2010, Newsom added.
California Coronavirus forces sharp cuts to schools, healthcare in California, Newsom says California faces a $9.7-billion drop in tax revenues for the fiscal year that ends in June, with a total projected deficit of $54.3 billion through the early summer of 2021.
“These are not normal numbers,” Newsom said. “These are simply without precedent in modern times.”
In boom years, California is able to pay unemployment claims from state taxes paid by employers based on the number of workers they have.
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But a decades-old program allows states to borrow money from the federal trust fund for unemployment, with the money paid back over a number of years by higher employer taxes.
So far, the state has received authority to borrow $8 billion from the federal government for May and June, and officials said Thursday that much more money will be needed in the months ahead.
“The state will likely need to borrow in the tens of billions of dollars, resulting in significant future annual interest payments until the loans are repaid,” according to the new budget.
Congress has already allocated some money to help pay unemployment benefits to independent contractors, gig workers and those self-employed, who previously were not eligible to apply for regular jobless benefits. The federal legislation has also provided the unemployed with an additional $600 per week in benefits through July 31.
Still, the jobless picture has alarmed state lawmakers, including Sen. Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino), who are pressing for the state to help Californians pay their living expenses.
“Clearly, the unemployment numbers and ongoing impacts to workers and employers across our state are staggering,” Leyva said. “So I agree with the Governor that — while we need to continue to protect public education, public health and public safety — we also need to help those most impacted by COVID-19.”
Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido said the state government can do much to help reduce unemployment by moving faster to restore parts of the economy shuttered by the governor’s stay-at-home order.
“The best way to fix this budget crisis is by helping people get back to work safely,” she said.
The recent flood of unemployment insurance applications has overwhelmed the antiquated computer and telephone systems set up by the state Employment Development Department to process claims.
Lawmakers on Thursday urged the governor to do more to fix problems at the EDD.
“If we need to live in the new norm, then we need to fix the problems at EDD. Californians who just lost their job should not have to endure delays and dysfunctional websites and call centers just to get UI,” Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Visalia) said.
Newsom’s revised budget acknowledges the problem.
“The state of this legacy system and the need to replace it has come into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic as millions of Californians have accessed the system to apply for UI benefits,” the budget states.


latimes--2020-05-14--Mass unemployment over coronavirus could lead to a 45% jump in homelessness, study finds

With the coronavirus-induced shock to the economy crippling businesses of all sizes and leaving millions of Americans out of work , homelessness in the United States could grow as much as 45 % in a year , according to a new analysis conducted by a Columbia University professor .
That would mean an additional 250,000 or so people would be without permanent shelter compared with the 568,000 who were homeless in January 2019 , according to government data .
California is likely to see a smaller increase in homelessness than the nation overall — up 20 % from about 150,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the largely constant rise in unemployment across the United States .
Therefore , states with fewer homeless people are likely to see bigger percentage increases than California , which is already home to a quarter of the nation ’ s homeless population .
Dan O ’ Flaherty , the professor who conducted the analysis and has studied the economics of homelessness for decades , says the downturn is exacerbating what ’ s already a public health crisis on many American streets .
“ This is unprecedented , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 10 % of unemployment in a month.
” This week , the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the jobless rate in April reached 14.7 % — a level not seen since the Great Depression .
And as of last week , nearly 3 million workers applied for unemployment benefits , bringing the total to 36.5 million over the last two months .
On Thursday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom offered an even grimmer picture of what is to come for California , projecting that unemployment will peak at 24.5 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate of 18 % .
Many economists believe it will only get worse .
“ Among people who were working in February , almost 40 % of those in households making less than $ 40,000 a year had lost a job in March , ” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday , citing a separate Federal Reserve survey .
“ This reversal of economic fortune has caused a level of pain that is hard to capture in words , as lives are upended amid great uncertainty about the future.
” The federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far to put more money in people ’ s pockets with stimulus checks and small business loans , but many Americans continue to struggle to make ends meet as the economy remains mostly shuttered to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
In the meantime , a patchwork of local and state measures has emerged to provide relief to renters and homeowners .
Congressional Democrats released a proposed $ 3-trillion stimulus package this week that includes $ 100 billion in emergency rental assistance .
The bill provides $ 11.5 billion to fund homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid homeowners struggling with their bills and a more expansive eviction moratorium than what was in earlier legislation .
The response from Republicans has been lukewarm .
Also this week , Newsom announced a plan to ask landlords to forgive rent payments in exchange for equally sized tax credits spread out over a 10-year period starting in 2024 .
The tax credits would be transferable , meaning the property owner could sell them to an outside investor and get cash immediately .
In the city of Los Angeles , landlords are currently not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by the coronavirus .
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors have passed similar protections for renters in unincorporated areas .
Dan Flaming , president of the Economic Roundtable in L.A. , said these provisions to help keep some people in their homes over the next few months won ’ t last forever .
“ There will be a day of accounting , ” he said .
“ When someone has three or four months rent due , what happens then ?
” Flaming said that there ’ s “ a powerful connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lay off and cut workers ’ pay also will influence the size of the increase in homelessness .
He also noted that public employment programs would greatly benefit those who are soon to find themselves out of work .
O ’ Flaherty said that this research model doesn ’ t account for how homelessness might be affected by rent relief efforts or changes in the housing market , such as a decline in rental prices .
Still , the analysis shows the possible scale of the problem that Los Angeles and other cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s more , cities , counties and states will have fewer funds to respond to the homelessness crisis because of the coronavirus-prompted decline in tax revenue .
To arrive at his estimate , O ’ Flaherty started with the explosive drop in employment .
He used a previous study that found that during the Great Recession , for every 1 % jump in the unemployment rate , homelessness per 10,000 people grew by 0.65 .
He then looked at several projections for unemployment in July , which could rise to 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a total of 800,000 Americans would be homeless by summer .
“ Our best guess about what the future will be is what the past has been , ” O ’ Flaherty said , referring to how homelessness grew in the last recession .
In typical times , local and state government estimate changes in their homeless populations based on federally mandated point-in-time counts .
The data from L.A. County ’ s count is expected to be released in June , but won ’ t reflect the rapidly changing situation on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — months before the economic upheaval of the pandemic and efforts to get vulnerable homeless people into shelters and hotels .
Still , Flaming said no matter how quick the economic turnaround , the upticks in homelessness are here to stay .
“ People do everything in their power to hang on to shelter and complete destitution is a lagging outcome , ” he said .
“ Recovery from complete destitution lags even more , so the increases in homelessness that we see are likely to be with us for a while.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelters means more people who are vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus because they can ’ t shelter in place and isolate .
“ We ’ re supposed to shelter at home .
We ’ re supposed to wash our hands , ” O ’ Flaherty said .
“ We ’ re supposed to do all these things the homeless people can ’ t do .
It ’ s not only a tragedy for the people involved .
It ’ s a way of feeding the COVID fire a little bit more .
”

Tyrone Dixon, 53, center, waits with fellow homeless people outside the Echo Park Community Center, one of several Los Angeles recreation centers that have been converted to shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the coronavirus-induced shock to the economy crippling businesses of all sizes and leaving millions of Americans out of work, homelessness in the United States could grow as much as 45% in a year, according to a new analysis conducted by a Columbia University professor.
That would mean an additional 250,000 or so people would be without permanent shelter compared with the 568,000 who were homeless in January 2019, according to government data.
California is likely to see a smaller increase in homelessness than the nation overall — up 20% from about 150,000 to 180,000 people. The analysis relies on the largely constant rise in unemployment across the United States. Therefore, states with fewer homeless people are likely to see bigger percentage increases than California, which is already home to a quarter of the nation’s homeless population.
Dan O’Flaherty, the professor who conducted the analysis and has studied the economics of homelessness for decades, says the downturn is exacerbating what’s already a public health crisis on many American streets.
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“This is unprecedented,” he said. “No one living has seen an increase of 10% of unemployment in a month.”
This week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the jobless rate in April reached 14.7% — a level not seen since the Great Depression. And as of last week, nearly 3 million workers applied for unemployment benefits, bringing the total to 36.5 million over the last two months.
On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom offered an even grimmer picture of what is to come for California, projecting that unemployment will peak at 24.5% and end the next year with a jobless rate of 18%.
Many economists believe it will only get worse.
“Among people who were working in February, almost 40% of those in households making less than $40,000 a year had lost a job in March,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday, citing a separate Federal Reserve survey. “This reversal of economic fortune has caused a level of pain that is hard to capture in words, as lives are upended amid great uncertainty about the future.”
The federal government has spent trillions of dollars so far to put more money in people’s pockets with stimulus checks and small business loans, but many Americans continue to struggle to make ends meet as the economy remains mostly shuttered to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
In the meantime, a patchwork of local and state measures has emerged to provide relief to renters and homeowners.
Congressional Democrats released a proposed $3-trillion stimulus package this week that includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance. The bill provides $11.5 billion to fund homeless prevention programs, $75 billion to aid homeowners struggling with their bills and a more expansive eviction moratorium than what was in earlier legislation.
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The response from Republicans has been lukewarm.
Also this week, Newsom announced a plan to ask landlords to forgive rent payments in exchange for equally sized tax credits spread out over a 10-year period starting in 2024. The tax credits would be transferable, meaning the property owner could sell them to an outside investor and get cash immediately.
In the city of Los Angeles, landlords are currently not allowed to evict tenants who have been affected by the coronavirus. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors have passed similar protections for renters in unincorporated areas.
Dan Flaming, president of the Economic Roundtable in L.A., said these provisions to help keep some people in their homes over the next few months won’t last forever.
“There will be a day of accounting,” he said. “When someone has three or four months rent due, what happens then?”
Flaming said that there’s “a powerful connection between unemployment and homelessness.” What industries lay off and cut workers’ pay also will influence the size of the increase in homelessness. He also noted that public employment programs would greatly benefit those who are soon to find themselves out of work.
O’Flaherty said that this research model doesn’t account for how homelessness might be affected by rent relief efforts or changes in the housing market, such as a decline in rental prices.
Still, the analysis shows the possible scale of the problem that Los Angeles and other cities and counties could face going forward. What’s more, cities, counties and states will have fewer funds to respond to the homelessness crisis because of the coronavirus-prompted decline in tax revenue.
To arrive at his estimate, O’Flaherty started with the explosive drop in employment. He used a previous study that found that during the Great Recession, for every 1% jump in the unemployment rate, homelessness per 10,000 people grew by 0.65.
He then looked at several projections for unemployment in July, which could rise to 16%, and arrived at the fact that a total of 800,000 Americans would be homeless by summer.
“Our best guess about what the future will be is what the past has been,” O’Flaherty said, referring to how homelessness grew in the last recession.
In typical times, local and state government estimate changes in their homeless populations based on federally mandated point-in-time counts. The data from L.A. County’s count is expected to be released in June, but won’t reflect the rapidly changing situation on the ground as it was conducted in January — months before the economic upheaval of the pandemic and efforts to get vulnerable homeless people into shelters and hotels.
Still, Flaming said no matter how quick the economic turnaround, the upticks in homelessness are here to stay.
“People do everything in their power to hang on to shelter and complete destitution is a lagging outcome,” he said. “Recovery from complete destitution lags even more, so the increases in homelessness that we see are likely to be with us for a while.”
More people on the streets and in shelters means more people who are vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus because they can’t shelter in place and isolate.
“We’re supposed to shelter at home. We’re supposed to wash our hands,” O’Flaherty said. “We’re supposed to do all these things the homeless people can’t do. It’s not only a tragedy for the people involved. It’s a way of feeding the COVID fire a little bit more.”


latimes--2020-05-14--California high court won't stop transfer of inmates to ICE during coronavirus crisis

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to order the state to stop transferring immigrant inmates to federal immigration centers during the coronavirus pandemic .
In a 6-1 vote , the state ’ s highest court said attorneys for the inmates could still file lawsuits in county courts to stop the transfers and could later return to the Supreme Court “ raising similar claims if circumstances warrant.
” The order did not specify which circumstances might warrant a second review , citing only “ the dynamic nature of the pandemic.
” Trial judges , the court said , should act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of lawyers sued Gov .
Gavin Newsom and Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra on April 24 for allowing state prisons and county jails to transfer immigrants to five crowded immigration detention centers in California .
The associations of criminal defense and immigration lawyers called the Immigration and Customs Enforcement centers “ virulent incubators of the virus ” with no ability to keep people six feet apart or provide inmates with protective gear such as masks and gloves .
On May 6 , a detainee at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State officials told the Supreme Court that the duty to address any legal violations should be borne by federal officials in charge of the centers .
In deciding the case without a full-blown legal opinion , the court said the lawsuit failed to establish that the governor and the attorney general had a “ clear and mandatory duty ” to halt the transfers .
In a dissent , Justice Goodwin Liu said the court should have retained authority over the litigation and sought more written legal arguments and fact-finding before deciding whether to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are in a state of emergency , ” Liu wrote .
“ We should , without delay , give all sides a full hearing and provide a reasoned opinion answering the questions presented.
” California-based foundations for the ACLU represented the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the Southern California chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn .
in the case .
They argued that the transfers from California ’ s jails and prisons accounted for most of ICE ’ s bookings at the centers .
Some inmates sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal custody as part of California ’ s effort to reduce crowding during the pandemic , the suit said .
California is a sanctuary state that generally prohibits city and county law enforcement from transferring inmates to ICE without a warrant or notifying ICE of release dates .
But county jails can transfer immigrants to ICE after they are eligible for release , and prison inmates may be transferred five days before their scheduled release dates .
There are 4,000 immigrants in California ’ s five ICE centers .
Liu ’ s dissent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majority ’ s three-page decision .
“ I fear that today ’ s order will unnecessarily delay resolution of the issues with potentially dire consequences for inmates , correctional staff , the health care system and our state as a whole , ” he wrote .

Hunger strikers’ protest gathering at Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield is captured by a drone camera on April 10.
The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to order the state to stop transferring immigrant inmates to federal immigration centers during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a 6-1 vote, the state’s highest court said attorneys for the inmates could still file lawsuits in county courts to stop the transfers and could later return to the Supreme Court “raising similar claims if circumstances warrant.” The order did not specify which circumstances might warrant a second review, citing only “the dynamic nature of the pandemic.” Trial judges, the court said, should act expeditiously on such suits.
Two groups of lawyers sued Gov. Gavin Newsom and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on April 24 for allowing state prisons and county jails to transfer immigrants to five crowded immigration detention centers in California.
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The associations of criminal defense and immigration lawyers called the Immigration and Customs Enforcement centers “virulent incubators of the virus” with no ability to keep people six feet apart or provide inmates with protective gear such as masks and gloves.
On May 6, a detainee at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego became the first in immigration custody nationwide to die of COVID-19.
State officials told the Supreme Court that the duty to address any legal violations should be borne by federal officials in charge of the centers.
In deciding the case without a full-blown legal opinion, the court said the lawsuit failed to establish that the governor and the attorney general had a “clear and mandatory duty” to halt the transfers.
In a dissent, Justice Goodwin Liu said the court should have retained authority over the litigation and sought more written legal arguments and fact-finding before deciding whether to order a moratorium on the ICE transfers.
“We are in a state of emergency,” Liu wrote. “We should, without delay, give all sides a full hearing and provide a reasoned opinion answering the questions presented.”
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California-based foundations for the ACLU represented the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the Southern California chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. in the case.
They argued that the transfers from California’s jails and prisons accounted for most of ICE’s bookings at the centers. Some inmates sent to detention centers had been released early from criminal custody as part of California’s effort to reduce crowding during the pandemic, the suit said.
California is a sanctuary state that generally prohibits city and county law enforcement from transferring inmates to ICE without a warrant or notifying ICE of release dates.
But county jails can transfer immigrants to ICE after they are eligible for release, and prison inmates may be transferred five days before their scheduled release dates.
There are 4,000 immigrants in California’s five ICE centers.
Liu’s dissent was more than twice as long as the majority’s three-page decision.
“I fear that today’s order will unnecessarily delay resolution of the issues with potentially dire consequences for inmates, correctional staff, the health care system and our state as a whole,” he wrote.


latimes--2020-05-14--'Alarming increase': L.A. traffic deaths surge back to pre-pandemic levels

Despite a precipitous drop in traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic , the number of people killed in car collisions this year in Los Angeles is now about the same as it was at this point in 2019 , officials said Thursday .
After a steep drop in deaths during the last two weeks of March , when the city ’ s stay-at-home order took effect , the Los Angeles Police Department is seeing an “ alarming increase ” in traffic fatalities on city streets , Deputy Chief Blake Chow said .
The increase in deaths is connected to a surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than usual , and a higher number of people walking and biking in their neighborhoods , police said .
So far in May , 21 people have died in car crashes , including three people who died in a high-speed crash on Imperial Highway in Willowbrook .
Los Angeles has seen almost as many deaths from traffic crashes as from homicides this year , said Cmdr .
Marc Reina , who oversees the department ’ s traffic operations .
Through mid-May , 86 people have died in traffic collisions and 89 have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stay-at-home order , the city saw a fatal traffic collision an average of once every 36 hours , Reina said .
After March 19 , that rate slowed to once every 2 ½ days — aided by a record low number of fatalities during the first two weeks of the order .
As businesses begin to reopen and traffic picks back up , drivers need to “ get used to the fact that there are other people in the streets , ” Chow said .
Every driver “ has control of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra care in watching for people on foot , on bikes and with strollers and carts , Chow said .
“ Right now , we ’ re all practicing safer at home , and safer at work , ” said Damian Kevitt , the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Streets Are For Everyone .
He said people moving around the city need to practice “ safer on the street ” too .
With speeds initially up by as much as 30 % on some streets , Los Angeles officials turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including tinkering with pedestrian walk signals and leaving a majority of the city ’ s 5,000 traffic lights on nighttime settings .
The city ’ s traffic lights are normally synchronized so drivers can get the green light at several intersections in a row .
At night , when streets are empty and speeding is more common , each light functions as a separate unit — meaning drivers are less likely to encounter a wave of green lights , and will be forced to stop .
The city is also deactivating pedestrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people do not have to risk contagion by pushing the button .
The slightly longer light cycles also force more drivers to stop .
The walk signal is now automated at major streets in parts of Westlake , Chinatown , downtown , Hollywood and Koreatown .
Similar changes are planned in East Hollywood , Highland Park , Miracle Mile , University Park , South L.A. , Studio City and Van Nuys .

Shown is a crosswalk at 94th and Figueroa streets in Los Angeles. Fatal traffic crashes in Los Angeles have returned to pre-pandemic levels, police say.
Despite a precipitous drop in traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people killed in car collisions this year in Los Angeles is now about the same as it was at this point in 2019, officials said Thursday.
After a steep drop in deaths during the last two weeks of March, when the city’s stay-at-home order took effect, the Los Angeles Police Department is seeing an “alarming increase” in traffic fatalities on city streets, Deputy Chief Blake Chow said.
The increase in deaths is connected to a surge of speeding on streets that are emptier than usual, and a higher number of people walking and biking in their neighborhoods, police said.
So far in May, 21 people have died in car crashes, including three people who died in a high-speed crash on Imperial Highway in Willowbrook.
Los Angeles has seen almost as many deaths from traffic crashes as from homicides this year, said Cmdr. Marc Reina, who oversees the department’s traffic operations. Through mid-May, 86 people have died in traffic collisions and 89 have died of homicides, he said.
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Before the stay-at-home order, the city saw a fatal traffic collision an average of once every 36 hours, Reina said. After March 19, that rate slowed to once every 2 ½ days — aided by a record low number of fatalities during the first two weeks of the order.
As businesses begin to reopen and traffic picks back up, drivers need to “get used to the fact that there are other people in the streets,” Chow said.
Every driver “has control of a 5,000-pound missile,” and should take extra care in watching for people on foot, on bikes and with strollers and carts, Chow said.
“Right now, we’re all practicing safer at home, and safer at work,” said Damian Kevitt, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Streets Are For Everyone. He said people moving around the city need to practice “safer on the street” too.
With speeds initially up by as much as 30% on some streets, Los Angeles officials turned to technology to try to curb speeding, including tinkering with pedestrian walk signals and leaving a majority of the city’s 5,000 traffic lights on nighttime settings.
The city’s traffic lights are normally synchronized so drivers can get the green light at several intersections in a row. At night, when streets are empty and speeding is more common, each light functions as a separate unit — meaning drivers are less likely to encounter a wave of green lights, and will be forced to stop.
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The city is also deactivating pedestrian push buttons at hundreds of crosswalks so people do not have to risk contagion by pushing the button. The slightly longer light cycles also force more drivers to stop.
The walk signal is now automated at major streets in parts of Westlake, Chinatown, downtown, Hollywood and Koreatown. Similar changes are planned in East Hollywood, Highland Park, Miracle Mile, University Park, South L.A., Studio City and Van Nuys.