latimes--2020-09-08--Sierra fire's unstoppable path of destruction devastates town, sends residents fleeing

As the sun set in the Sierra Nevada Friday , about 50 residents of the mountain hamlet of Big Creek gathered on an overlook at the edge of town .
The Creek fire , as it would be called , had just started burning in the canyon below .
It seemed minor , and those assembled looked on hopefully as planes and a helicopter dropped water on it .
“ It was a Friday night , something to watch , something to do .
We are a bunch of hillbillies , ” joked Toby Wait , the superintendent , principal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 55-student school .
“ Fire is part of our lives , but this was small.
” In the hours and days that followed , the Creek fire has exploded into a monster inferno that has consumed nearly 100,000 acres , enlisted nearly 1,000 firefighters , isolated small foothill communities and threatened to burn until mid-October .
California ’ s fire season got an early start this year with the massive lightning fires in the coastal mountains and wine country .
Even without the fall Santa Ana winds , more than 2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than in any previously recorded year .
Now the Creek fire promises to be one of the worst of the season .
For the mountain communities lying east of Fresno , the assessment as of Monday afternoon looked especially grave .
Fueled by millions of dead trees , the Creek fire has raced through mountain communities like Big Creek and vacation getaways like Huntington and Shaver Lake , confounding firefighters with unpredictable and terrifying behavior .
Its smoke plumed nearly 50,000 high .
There were lightning strikes .
Forests seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday night when a CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter rescued some 200 campers trapped by flames at Mammoth Pool .
But among the thousands fighting the fire or evacuating from its path , there have been no reports of deaths .
Damage to property and homes is more difficult to assess .
The fire is burning so dangerously and intensely that crews who normally count destroyed houses and buildings have been told to stand down for their own safety .
On Friday night , Christopher Donnelly , chief of the Huntington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire , which had been knocked down from three acres to one .
He had gone to bed that night confident the fire was under control .
But on Saturday morning , he was up at 5:30 hearing sirens from the Fresno County sheriff ’ s department streaming by his cabin on the north shore of Huntington Lake .
Donnelly , a monk with Christian Brothers who spends his summers at a local church camp , was soon following the vehicles down the steep grade to Big Creek .
The town of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The air drops had had to stop during the night , giving the fire opportunity to continue to chew through dense , dry vegetation and stands of pines killed by pine bark beetles .
Volunteers from the Big Creek Fire Department had taken to the streets with bullhorns , telling everyone to leave .
It was a scene that would soon be repeated among communities throughout the region .
School Supt .
Wait and his wife , Stephanie , a teacher at the Big Creek school , discussed what to take .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever we put in the car now , we will have to take it out of the car in 24 hours , ’ ” he said , anticipating a quick return to their home by Sunday morning .
They decided to pack the photographs from the walls .
Wait mulled taking a nativity set and a cookie jar , both heirlooms from his grandmothers that had little monetary value but were priceless in sentiment .
But in the end , he left them behind , figuring they would probably get broken in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the predawn hours , the couple joined a caravan of about 60 vehicles out of Big Creek , down a narrow mountain road known as Beaver Slide .
In daylight , even without a fire closing in , the cliff-edge route is “ four miles of sheer terror , ” he said .
Now it was dark , and they had no time to waste .
Two hours later , fire chief Donnelly arrived in Big Creek .
It was about 6 a.m. , and the town was empty except for fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Forest Service and Cal Fire .
Equipment , hoses and trucks blocked the narrow streets .
“ I saw the fire about a mile to the west with a huge column of smoke rising about 10,000 feet , ” Donnelly said .
“ I stayed until the wind shifted and filled the place with smoke.
” The shifting wind was the first clue that the fire was about to overrun the town .
At night in the mountains , winds flow into the Central Valley , but during the day , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight into town and then up the grade to Huntington Lake .
Overhead , Donnelly heard two aircraft , air tankers from San Bernardino , flying 2,000 feet above .
Through the smoke , he saw one , a four-engine jet that was about to make a drop of fire retardant on the western perimeter of Huntington Lake .
He recommended to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident commander that the cabin communities along Huntington be evacuated as well .
Sitting at an elevation of 4,800 feet , Big Creek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Edison , which owns and manages the hydroelectric facilities in the area .
The first powerhouse in the Big Creek electrical system was financed by Henry Huntington and went into operation in 1913 .
The power plant is still a source of pride for the small town .
“ It was Mayberry , ” said Wait , describing the town he has lived in since 2011 .
He left his job as a high school principal in Fresno to work in Big Creek , where his grandparents had lived .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Creek last burned in August 1994 , when a squirrel shorted out an electrical conductor at an Edison substation .
At the time , the town had 400 residents who were evacuated .
Erratic winds drove the fire toward the town and skirted it , burning 5,000 acres lying between Big Creek and Huntington Lake .
Since then , reforestation has helped restore the habitat , but with a juvenile forest , the undergrowth grew thick and combustible , and the ancient trees that were left were ravaged and killed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of tree mortality in the area , and it is really heavily brushed , so the fire is being fueled by the intensity of the vegetation , ” said Cal Fire spokesperson Jaime Williams .
A lengthy drought weakened many trees , making them susceptible to fatal attacks by the insects .
The beetles have killed as many as 33 million trees , and in the fire area , up to 90 % of the trees are dead , according to officials .
“ These trees , being so dry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch on fire , which would tend to cause spotting ahead of it , ” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alex Olow said .
By Saturday evening — just as the California Air National Guard was making plans to evacuate the people stranded at the nearby Mammoth Pool reservoir — the situation in Big Creek was getting worse .
During the day , fire crews were attempting to save the town , as wind-driven embers were sprinkling its small circle of streets and cul-de-sacs with spot fires that threatened to join up with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan Troll , chief of the Big Creek Volunteer Fire Department , and its former chief , LaDonna Crane , who had recently retired .
The fire was racing up both sides of the river that flows through Big Creek .
According to Crane , all the homes on Point Road — a tree-shaded lane connecting a U.S. Forest Service facility with the center of town — were lost .
A landscape of oaks , country homes with fenced yards and streetlamps had become a wasteland of charred trees , solitary brick chimneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two propane tanks , containing 5,000 gallons of fuel and belonging to Southern California Edison , exploded , as did the tank at the community swimming pool .
To some , it was reminiscent of Paradise , Calif. , in the aftermath of the Camp fire .
Only no one had died .
Critical personnel had been sheltering in a new administration building belonging to Southern California Edison , and late in the day , efforts were made to maintain a safe perimeter around the parking lot .
By then , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But by 8 p.m. the area ’ s incident commander ordered everyone out of Big Creek except for a small strike force .
Two hours later , that crew reported a drop in water pressure ; Big Creek had run dry .
Crane ’ s son , Nathan , and a few others who served on the volunteer fire department returned to the burning town and succeeded in reconnecting the town ’ s water supply with the big conduits running between Big Creek and Huntington Lake .
On Monday morning , Wait and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hoping for any news from Big Creek .
With power lines lines down and electricity out in the region , they had little to go by .
Some of the small neighborhoods — known by residents as Company Town and Jungle Town — are rumored to have been lost .
Sheltering throughout the state , Wait and his neighbors had been told that as many as half the houses were destroyed .
The town ’ s school had caught fire but seems to have been saved .
U.S. Forest Service spokesman Olow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire damage , ” though he said a more precise accounting would have to wait .
“ The fire behavior is so extreme ... the damage assessment teams ... can ’ t gain access , and it is for their safety they stay back , ” he said .
Looking at pictures and video of Big Creek from the text messages of friends , Wait struggled not to cry .
He said he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that his home was a pile of ashes .
Still , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had made in Big Creek .
“ If you would have told me this would have happened to me , I would do it again , `` he said .
“ I would not give up these 10 years , even though I lost everything .
That is the type of town and people I lived with .
”

Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
As the sun set in the Sierra Nevada Friday, about 50 residents of the mountain hamlet of Big Creek gathered on an overlook at the edge of town. The Creek fire, as it would be called, had just started burning in the canyon below.
It seemed minor, and those assembled looked on hopefully as planes and a helicopter dropped water on it.
“It was a Friday night, something to watch, something to do. We are a bunch of hillbillies,” joked Toby Wait, the superintendent, principal and gym teacher for the town’s 55-student school. “Fire is part of our lives, but this was small.”
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It didn’t stay small.
In the hours and days that followed, the Creek fire has exploded into a monster inferno that has consumed nearly 100,000 acres, enlisted nearly 1,000 firefighters, isolated small foothill communities and threatened to burn until mid-October.
California’s fire season got an early start this year with the massive lightning fires in the coastal mountains and wine country. Even without the fall Santa Ana winds, more than 2 million acres have burned so far in 2020, more than in any previously recorded year. Now the Creek fire promises to be one of the worst of the season.
For the mountain communities lying east of Fresno, the assessment as of Monday afternoon looked especially grave.
Fueled by millions of dead trees, the Creek fire has raced through mountain communities like Big Creek and vacation getaways like Huntington and Shaver Lake, confounding firefighters with unpredictable and terrifying behavior. Its smoke plumed nearly 50,000 feet high. There were lightning strikes. Forests seemed to explode.
The drama seemed to peak Saturday night when a CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter rescued some 200 campers trapped by flames at Mammoth Pool.
California Aggressive winds feared as California battles biggest wildfire season Intense Diablo winds are forecast for parts of Northern California while Santa Ana winds are expected in Southern California.
But among the thousands fighting the fire or evacuating from its path, there have been no reports of deaths.
Damage to property and homes is more difficult to assess. The fire is burning so dangerously and intensely that crews who normally count destroyed houses and buildings have been told to stand down for their own safety.
::
On Friday night, Christopher Donnelly, chief of the Huntington Lake Volunteer Fire Department, was monitoring the fire, which had been knocked down from three acres to one. He had gone to bed that night confident the fire was under control.
But on Saturday morning, he was up at 5:30 hearing sirens from the Fresno County sheriff’s department streaming by his cabin on the north shore of Huntington Lake. Donnelly, a monk with Christian Brothers who spends his summers at a local church camp, was soon following the vehicles down the steep grade to Big Creek.
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The town of some 200 residents was being evacuated. The air drops had had to stop during the night, giving the fire opportunity to continue to chew through dense, dry vegetation and stands of pines killed by pine bark beetles.
Volunteers from the Big Creek Fire Department had taken to the streets with bullhorns, telling everyone to leave. It was a scene that would soon be repeated among communities throughout the region.
School Supt. Wait and his wife, Stephanie, a teacher at the Big Creek school, discussed what to take.
“I told her, ‘Sweetie, whatever we put in the car now, we will have to take it out of the car in 24 hours,’” he said, anticipating a quick return to their home by Sunday morning.
They decided to pack the photographs from the walls. Wait mulled taking a nativity set and a cookie jar, both heirlooms from his grandmothers that had little monetary value but were priceless in sentiment. But in the end, he left them behind, figuring they would probably get broken in a truck crowded with their three dogs.
In the predawn hours, the couple joined a caravan of about 60 vehicles out of Big Creek, down a narrow mountain road known as Beaver Slide. In daylight, even without a fire closing in, the cliff-edge route is “four miles of sheer terror,” he said. Now it was dark, and they had no time to waste.
Two hours later, fire chief Donnelly arrived in Big Creek. It was about 6 a.m., and the town was empty except for fire crews from the volunteer fire department, the Forest Service and Cal Fire. Equipment, hoses and trucks blocked the narrow streets.
“I saw the fire about a mile to the west with a huge column of smoke rising about 10,000 feet,” Donnelly said. “I stayed until the wind shifted and filled the place with smoke.”
The shifting wind was the first clue that the fire was about to overrun the town. At night in the mountains, winds flow into the Central Valley, but during the day, they reverse direction and would bring the fire straight into town and then up the grade to Huntington Lake.
Overhead, Donnelly heard two aircraft, air tankers from San Bernardino, flying 2,000 feet above. Through the smoke, he saw one, a four-engine jet that was about to make a drop of fire retardant on the western perimeter of Huntington Lake.
He recommended to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident commander that the cabin communities along Huntington be evacuated as well.
::
Sitting at an elevation of 4,800 feet, Big Creek is home mostly to employees of Southern California Edison, which owns and manages the hydroelectric facilities in the area. The first powerhouse in the Big Creek electrical system was financed by Henry Huntington and went into operation in 1913.
The power plant is still a source of pride for the small town.
“It was Mayberry,” said Wait, describing the town he has lived in since 2011. He left his job as a high school principal in Fresno to work in Big Creek, where his grandparents had lived. It was a dream.
The steep slopes around Big Creek last burned in August 1994, when a squirrel shorted out an electrical conductor at an Edison substation. At the time, the town had 400 residents who were evacuated. Erratic winds drove the fire toward the town and skirted it, burning 5,000 acres lying between Big Creek and Huntington Lake.
Since then, reforestation has helped restore the habitat, but with a juvenile forest, the undergrowth grew thick and combustible, and the ancient trees that were left were ravaged and killed by the pine bark beetle.
“There is a lot of tree mortality in the area, and it is really heavily brushed, so the fire is being fueled by the intensity of the vegetation,” said Cal Fire spokesperson Jaime Williams.
A lengthy drought weakened many trees, making them susceptible to fatal attacks by the insects. The beetles have killed as many as 33 million trees, and in the fire area, up to 90% of the trees are dead, according to officials.
“These trees, being so dry and brittle, tend to explode when they catch on fire, which would tend to cause spotting ahead of it,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alex Olow said.
::
By Saturday evening — just as the California Air National Guard was making plans to evacuate the people stranded at the nearby Mammoth Pool reservoir — the situation in Big Creek was getting worse.
During the day, fire crews were attempting to save the town, as wind-driven embers were sprinkling its small circle of streets and cul-de-sacs with spot fires that threatened to join up with one another.
Donnelly stayed in touch with Bryan Troll, chief of the Big Creek Volunteer Fire Department, and its former chief, LaDonna Crane, who had recently retired. The fire was racing up both sides of the river that flows through Big Creek.
According to Crane, all the homes on Point Road — a tree-shaded lane connecting a U.S. Forest Service facility with the center of town — were lost. A landscape of oaks, country homes with fenced yards and streetlamps had become a wasteland of charred trees, solitary brick chimneys and teetering power lines.
In addition, two propane tanks, containing 5,000 gallons of fuel and belonging to Southern California Edison, exploded, as did the tank at the community swimming pool.
To some, it was reminiscent of Paradise, Calif., in the aftermath of the Camp fire. Only no one had died.
Critical personnel had been sheltering in a new administration building belonging to Southern California Edison, and late in the day, efforts were made to maintain a safe perimeter around the parking lot. By then, the plant was no longer generating power.
But by 8 p.m. the area’s incident commander ordered everyone out of Big Creek except for a small strike force. Two hours later, that crew reported a drop in water pressure; Big Creek had run dry.
Crane’s son, Nathan, and a few others who served on the volunteer fire department returned to the burning town and succeeded in reconnecting the town’s water supply with the big conduits running between Big Creek and Huntington Lake.
::
On Monday morning, Wait and Stephanie were staying with family in Hanford, hoping for any news from Big Creek. With power lines lines down and electricity out in the region, they had little to go by.
Some of the small neighborhoods — known by residents as Company Town and Jungle Town — are rumored to have been lost.
Sheltering throughout the state, Wait and his neighbors had been told that as many as half the houses were destroyed. The town’s school had caught fire but seems to have been saved.
U.S. Forest Service spokesman Olow confirmed the town “did receive significant fire damage,” though he said a more precise accounting would have to wait.
“The fire behavior is so extreme ... the damage assessment teams ... can’t gain access, and it is for their safety they stay back,” he said.
Looking at pictures and video of Big Creek from the text messages of friends, Wait struggled not to cry. He said he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that his home was a pile of ashes.
Still, he had no regrets for the life they had made in Big Creek.
“If you would have told me this would have happened to me, I would do it again, “ he said. “I would not give up these 10 years, even though I lost everything. That is the type of town and people I lived with.”


latimes--2020-09-08--Newsom's high-speed rail plan faces financial crunch as costs climb and funding sinks

It was just last year that Gov .
Gavin Newsom said he would need to downsize California ’ s ambitious bullet train project , because the state could afford only a limited system from Merced to Bakersfield .
But even the viability of that scaled-down $ 20.4-billion plan is becoming uncertain as construction costs rise in the San Joaquin Valley , expected revenues are under pressure and land acquisition problems continue to mount .
The changing conditions have prompted the California High-Speed Rail Authority to launch a comprehensive reassessment of its plans , said Chief Executive Brian Kelly , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given the austere outlook .
“ I just want the truth , ” said Assembly Transportation Chairman Jim Frazier ( D-Discovery Bay ) , a former general contractor who has grown distrustful of the project ’ s planning .
“ I want an independent analysis of what can be accomplished and how much it is going to cost.
” Contractors for the rail authority are filing massive change orders and delay claims , according to disclosures by the agency and internal documents obtained by The Times .
Additional land is also needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , the bullet train ’ s funding has taken several big hits .
California ’ s cap-and-trade greenhouse gas auction system has provided about $ 3 billion to the rail project since 2015 and is counted on to provide at least $ 500 million annually until 2030 .
But as a result of COVID-19 ’ s economic impacts , the last two auctions shorted the project by $ 140 million from what the authority had budgeted .
The Trump administration last year terminated a $ 929-million grant , which is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still counted in the project budget .
Cumulatively , the increased costs and decreased revenues are saddling Newsom ’ s plan with a potential fiscal hole of more than $ 1 billion .
At the same time , some valley property owners are growing increasingly frustrated , having waited for years to be compensated for their land and endured disruptions caused by construction .
The project will face a tough hurdle if weak revenues and rising costs drive a request for more money to just complete the San Joaquin Valley construction , Frazier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of high-speed rail but is blunt that the public “ is getting less and it is costing more ” and “ there is a point of no return , obviously.
” The impacts of COVID-19 are forcing the rail authority ’ s reassessment , Kelly said .
The money to execute the entire Los Angeles-to-San Francisco project was never in hand , and the state has incrementally managed the project , step by step , the agency ’ s CEO said .
The new assessment , he said , is examining four issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the schedule , resulting in a pause in finalizing the 2020 business plan .
Any changes would be submitted to the rail authority board and then the governor , Kelly said .
“ Challenges come , ” he added .
“ It is part of life , the global pandemic.
” The Times asked the governor for an interview on the problems facing his project .
In response , Transportation Secretary David S. Kim said in a statement , “ Gov .
Newsom remains committed to building high-speed rail in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valley.
” The governor ’ s plan was always at risk because of thin financial margins .
Under his blueprint , the state could count on $ 20.6 billion coming in by 2030 to pay for the 171-mile system .
Trains are supposed to start running by 2028 .
The revenue picture could brighten if and when the COVID-19 pandemic ends and an improving economy drives the need for more greenhouse gas permits .
The rail authority was once optimistic that an extra $ 2.8 billion would flow out of the auctions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 were high enough to support those projections .
“ There is a lot of uncertainty , ” said Ross Brown , a greenhouse gas expert at the Legislative Analyst ’ s Office .
Brown expects improved results in a November auction , but future-year revenues depend on a variety of factors , such as emissions technology and economic growth .
Bullet train supporters are also pinning their hopes on a Joe Biden presidential victory , combined with Democratic control of Congress .
Biden , a longtime proponent of passenger trains , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and might support additional federal funding for the California project .
But if elected , he ’ d face pressure from multiple interests on how to spend any stimulus money .
The bigger risk facing Newsom ’ s blueprint falls on the cost side of the equation , which appears to be deteriorating .
The rail authority agreed in November 2019 to pay $ 134 million for causing delays to a construction team led by Spanish firm Dragados .
The claim was disclosed in rail authority documents but has not been previously reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the firm leading construction in the Fresno County area , was paid more than $ 400 million for delays and construction changes .
Kelly , the chief executive , said those payments will be covered by contingency funds built into the project ’ s budget , but much of the contingency created only last year has been used up .
In addition , Tutor has a pending demand for an additional $ 500 million , according to non-public correspondence from construction manager Garth Fernandez to Tutor Perini on July 1 , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are often settled for less , Kelly said .
Tutor ’ s original contract was for $ 1.02 billion , but has increased to a current value of $ 2.2 billion , not including the pending claim , according to the correspondence .
The claims for both Dragados and Tutor Perini relate largely to acquiring land .
The project was supposed to be “ shovel ready ” in 2009 when the Obama administration issued a $ 2.2-billion federal grant from the Great Recession stimulus program , but in fact the state did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The rail authority estimated in June that it would need 2,353 parcels in the Central Valley , but had acquired only 1,664 — leaving 689 parcels still to be acquired .
By comparison , in June 2019 , the rail authority thought it needed 1,843 parcels and had acquired 1,516 — short by 327 .
So , the authority needs to buy far more parcels today than it did a year ago when it was already far behind schedule .
In the last 12 months , the authority acquired only 148 parcels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could take four years to get all of the property and only then could the rail authority commence construction — blowing federal deadlines .
Kelly said the most recent quarter showed strong improvement and noted that the rail authority is being fully transparent by disclosing such details .
An internal planning document obtained by The Times shows that just in the Fresno area the project is contending with 52 “ critical ” problems that could delay the schedule .
“ Every one of those drives the duration of the job , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorized to speak to the news media .
“ It isn ’ t getting any better.
” The effect of the problems is not just on the rail project , but on Central Valley land owners who face repeated demands for more of their land , delayed payments and uncertain futures .
One contentious land take involved the Fresno Rescue Mission , the largest homeless shelter in the hard-hit Central Valley , which just recently resolved a 3-year-old legal dispute with the rail authority .
The church-based mission lost half of its 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original commitment that it have the same acreage , Chief Executive Matt Dildine said .
The settlement will still allow future growth , though some of the property it received in trade is under a freeway bridge , he said .
“ I feel that they reneged on their promises , ” Dildine said .
“ It is their interest to lowball you and bleed you .
The rules are set up against people like us .
I felt it was unfair.
” In July , Kelly met online for three hours with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others in the Central Valley who complain about slow payments .
“ I apologized to all of them for the experience they had with the authority , ” Kelly said .
But he said the authority has to follow state law , adding , “ Nobody is getting stiffed.
” John Diepersloot , a fruit grower , complained on the call that he is out $ 2 million in direct costs for replacing lost irrigation systems , roads and agricultural production , causing a cash crunch four years after the state took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He worries his bankers will call his loans .
“ Does Gov .
Newsom know how this project is unfolding in the fields ?
” asked Mark Wasser , Diepersloot ’ s attorney .

Guests, including then Gov. Jerry Brown, sign a rail segment during a groundbreaking ceremony for a California bullet train station in Fresno on Jan. 6, 2015.
It was just last year that Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would need to downsize California’s ambitious bullet train project, because the state could afford only a limited system from Merced to Bakersfield.
But even the viability of that scaled-down $20.4-billion plan is becoming uncertain as construction costs rise in the San Joaquin Valley, expected revenues are under pressure and land acquisition problems continue to mount.
The changing conditions have prompted the California High-Speed Rail Authority to launch a comprehensive reassessment of its plans, said Chief Executive Brian Kelly, who is facing tougher questions by state leaders, given the austere outlook.
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“I just want the truth,” said Assembly Transportation Chairman Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay), a former general contractor who has grown distrustful of the project’s planning. “I want an independent analysis of what can be accomplished and how much it is going to cost.”
Contractors for the rail authority are filing massive change orders and delay claims, according to disclosures by the agency and internal documents obtained by The Times. Additional land is also needed, adding to costs.
At the same time, the bullet train’s funding has taken several big hits. California’s cap-and-trade greenhouse gas auction system has provided about $3 billion to the rail project since 2015 and is counted on to provide at least $500 million annually until 2030.
But as a result of COVID-19’s economic impacts, the last two auctions shorted the project by $140 million from what the authority had budgeted.
The Trump administration last year terminated a $929-million grant, which is in legal dispute. But the money is still counted in the project budget.
Cumulatively, the increased costs and decreased revenues are saddling Newsom’s plan with a potential fiscal hole of more than $1 billion. At the same time, some valley property owners are growing increasingly frustrated, having waited for years to be compensated for their land and endured disruptions caused by construction.
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The project will face a tough hurdle if weak revenues and rising costs drive a request for more money to just complete the San Joaquin Valley construction, Frazier said.
Frazier still supports the concept of high-speed rail but is blunt that the public “is getting less and it is costing more” and “there is a point of no return, obviously.”
The impacts of COVID-19 are forcing the rail authority’s reassessment, Kelly said. The money to execute the entire Los Angeles-to-San Francisco project was never in hand, and the state has incrementally managed the project, step by step, the agency’s CEO said.
The new assessment, he said, is examining four issues: revenues, costs, project scope and the schedule, resulting in a pause in finalizing the 2020 business plan. Any changes would be submitted to the rail authority board and then the governor, Kelly said.
“Challenges come,” he added. “It is part of life, the global pandemic.”
The Times asked the governor for an interview on the problems facing his project. In response, Transportation Secretary David S. Kim said in a statement, “Gov. Newsom remains committed to building high-speed rail in California, starting with electrified track in the Central Valley.”
The governor’s plan was always at risk because of thin financial margins. Under his blueprint, the state could count on $20.6 billion coming in by 2030 to pay for the 171-mile system. Trains are supposed to start running by 2028.
The revenue picture could brighten if and when the COVID-19 pandemic ends and an improving economy drives the need for more greenhouse gas permits. The rail authority was once optimistic that an extra $2.8 billion would flow out of the auctions, but only three of 21 auctions since 2015 were high enough to support those projections.
“There is a lot of uncertainty,” said Ross Brown, a greenhouse gas expert at the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Brown expects improved results in a November auction, but future-year revenues depend on a variety of factors, such as emissions technology and economic growth.
Bullet train supporters are also pinning their hopes on a Joe Biden presidential victory, combined with Democratic control of Congress. Biden, a longtime proponent of passenger trains, has called for a “rail revolution” and might support additional federal funding for the California project. But if elected, he’d face pressure from multiple interests on how to spend any stimulus money.
The bigger risk facing Newsom’s blueprint falls on the cost side of the equation, which appears to be deteriorating.
The rail authority agreed in November 2019 to pay $134 million for causing delays to a construction team led by Spanish firm Dragados. The claim was disclosed in rail authority documents but has not been previously reported.
In June, Tutor Perini, the firm leading construction in the Fresno County area, was paid more than $400 million for delays and construction changes.
Kelly, the chief executive, said those payments will be covered by contingency funds built into the project’s budget, but much of the contingency created only last year has been used up.
In addition, Tutor has a pending demand for an additional $500 million, according to non-public correspondence from construction manager Garth Fernandez to Tutor Perini on July 1, which was obtained by The Times. Such demands are often settled for less, Kelly said.
Tutor’s original contract was for $1.02 billion, but has increased to a current value of $2.2 billion, not including the pending claim, according to the correspondence.
The claims for both Dragados and Tutor Perini relate largely to acquiring land. The project was supposed to be “shovel ready” in 2009 when the Obama administration issued a $2.2-billion federal grant from the Great Recession stimulus program, but in fact the state did not own a single square foot of property.
The rail authority estimated in June that it would need 2,353 parcels in the Central Valley, but had acquired only 1,664 — leaving 689 parcels still to be acquired.
By comparison, in June 2019, the rail authority thought it needed 1,843 parcels and had acquired 1,516 — short by 327. So, the authority needs to buy far more parcels today than it did a year ago when it was already far behind schedule.
In the last 12 months, the authority acquired only 148 parcels. Unless it accelerates its performance, it could take four years to get all of the property and only then could the rail authority commence construction — blowing federal deadlines. Kelly said the most recent quarter showed strong improvement and noted that the rail authority is being fully transparent by disclosing such details.
An internal planning document obtained by The Times shows that just in the Fresno area the project is contending with 52 “critical” problems that could delay the schedule.
“Every one of those drives the duration of the job,” said a key engineer who is not authorized to speak to the news media. “It isn’t getting any better.”
The effect of the problems is not just on the rail project, but on Central Valley land owners who face repeated demands for more of their land, delayed payments and uncertain futures.
One contentious land take involved the Fresno Rescue Mission, the largest homeless shelter in the hard-hit Central Valley, which just recently resolved a 3-year-old legal dispute with the rail authority.
The church-based mission lost half of its 12 acres in downtown, far from the original commitment that it have the same acreage, Chief Executive Matt Dildine said. The settlement will still allow future growth, though some of the property it received in trade is under a freeway bridge, he said.
“I feel that they reneged on their promises,” Dildine said. “It is their interest to lowball you and bleed you. The rules are set up against people like us. I felt it was unfair.”
In July, Kelly met online for three hours with Dildane, several farmers, a banker and others in the Central Valley who complain about slow payments.
“I apologized to all of them for the experience they had with the authority,” Kelly said. But he said the authority has to follow state law, adding, “Nobody is getting stiffed.”
John Diepersloot, a fruit grower, complained on the call that he is out $2 million in direct costs for replacing lost irrigation systems, roads and agricultural production, causing a cash crunch four years after the state took a big chunk of his orchard. He worries his bankers will call his loans.
“Does Gov. Newsom know how this project is unfolding in the fields?” asked Mark Wasser, Diepersloot’s attorney.


latimes--2020-09-07--Ashy apocalypse? No, just Labor Day weekend in Southern California

Searing hot temperatures .
Eerie yellow-gray skies .
The sharp scent of smoke and flakes of ash that rained down upon the land .
No , it wasn ’ t the apocalypse .
It was Labor Day weekend in Southern California — a fittingly strange and frightening capstone to a strange and frightening summer .
Angelenos were already on edge after six months of surrealism brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic , but many were pushed to the brink of sanity this holiday weekend as in Woodland Hills ( 121 ) , Chino ( 121 ) , Topanga ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Raging fires in the Angeles National Forest and Yucaipa added to the end-of-days vibe .
And the National Weather Service ’ s that Santa Ana winds are likely to blow through Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Tuesday and Wednesday only upped the anxiety levels .
“ Ashes everywhere .
Horrible air .
Extreme heat .
Santa Ana ’ s expected tomorrow .
COVID in the air .
# enough2020 , ” Ana Flores of Duarte tweeted Monday , summing the situation up perfectly .
Californians across the Southland posted pictures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cinematic scenes of a ghostly orange sun peeking through the ubiquitous smoke .
People reported ash raining from the skies in the San Gabriel Valley , as well as in more-distant points like Glendale , Pico Rivera , Whittier and even Santa Monica and Redondo Beach .
“ This is the only snow we get in LA , ” Kelly Anne Greer tweeted alongside a picture of her ash-covered Toyota .
That falling ash doesn ’ t just look ominous .
It may contain toxic chemicals , including some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that can be released from burned materials , said Nahal Mogharabi , director of communications for the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
“ When we talk about the health effects of wildfire smoke , our primary concern is with inhalation of the small particles , ” she said .
“ However , when it comes to ash , where the particles are generally larger , the concern is about toxics , which depends on the composition of the materials.
” The South Coast AQMD advised the public to avoid skin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sky in the wake of a wildfire .
Do not clean up ash yourself if you have lung or heart problems , and never use leaf blowers to blast it away .
Instead , the AQMD recommends cleaning ash with damp cloths , or if it ’ s on your car , visiting a car wash .
The agency also said to direct ash-filled water to ground areas and away from the runoff system .
And as if all this ash , heat and fire weren ’ t bad enough , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noted Sunday that the ground level ozone peaked at 200 parts per billion — well above the average healthy amount of 70 parts per billion .
“ Absolutely crazy in Pasadena/LA today , ” he tweeted alongside a picture of a piece of ash that had just fallen in the palm of his hand .
“ It ’ s time to put that sarcophagus back in the ground and return 2020 to regularly scheduled vibes !
!
”

Ash falls on a parked car as the Bobcat fire burns in the distance Wednesday morning.
Searing hot temperatures. Eerie yellow-gray skies. The sharp scent of smoke and flakes of ash that rained down upon the land.
No, it wasn’t the apocalypse. It was Labor Day weekend in Southern California — a fittingly strange and frightening capstone to a strange and frightening summer.
Angelenos were already on edge after six months of surrealism brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic, but many were pushed to the brink of sanity this holiday weekend as temperature records were shattered in Woodland Hills (121), Chino (121), Topanga (118) and Pasadena (114).
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Raging fires in the Angeles National Forest and Yucaipa added to the end-of-days vibe. And the National Weather Service’s warning that Santa Ana winds are likely to blow through Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Tuesday and Wednesday only upped the anxiety levels.
“Ashes everywhere. Horrible air. Extreme heat. Santa Ana’s expected tomorrow. COVID in the air. #enough2020,” Ana Flores of Duarte tweeted Monday, summing the situation up perfectly.
Praying for all the firefighters keeping us safe.
The #Bobcatfire is 7 miles from my house and the city of Duarte is on alert for possible voluntary evacuations.
Ashes everywhere. Horrible air. Extreme heat. Santa Ana’s expected tomorrow. COVID in the air. #enough2020 https://t.co/wq4CKvTSx9 — Ana Flores (@laflowers) September 7, 2020
Californians across the Southland posted pictures of cars dusted with fine, papery ash and cinematic scenes of a ghostly orange sun peeking through the ubiquitous smoke.
People reported ash raining from the skies in the San Gabriel Valley, as well as in more-distant points like Glendale, Pico Rivera, Whittier and even Santa Monica and Redondo Beach.
“This is the only snow we get in LA,” Kelly Anne Greer tweeted alongside a picture of her ash-covered Toyota.
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That falling ash doesn’t just look ominous. It may contain toxic chemicals, including some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals such as arsenic or lead, that can be released from burned materials, said Nahal Mogharabi, director of communications for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
“When we talk about the health effects of wildfire smoke, our primary concern is with inhalation of the small particles,” she said. “However, when it comes to ash, where the particles are generally larger, the concern is about toxics, which depends on the composition of the materials.”
The South Coast AQMD advised the public to avoid skin contact with ash that has fallen from the sky in the wake of a wildfire.
Do not clean up ash yourself if you have lung or heart problems, and never use leaf blowers to blast it away.
Instead, the AQMD recommends cleaning ash with damp cloths, or if it’s on your car, visiting a car wash.
The agency also said to direct ash-filled water to ground areas and away from the runoff system.
And as if all this ash, heat and fire weren’t bad enough, Ryan Ward, a graduate student in environmental engineering at Caltech, noted Sunday that the ground level ozone peaked at 200 parts per billion — well above the average healthy amount of 70 parts per billion.
“Absolutely crazy #atmoschem in Pasadena/LA today,” he tweeted alongside a picture of a piece of ash that had just fallen in the palm of his hand. “It’s time to put that sarcophagus back in the ground and return 2020 to regularly scheduled vibes!!”


latimes--2020-09-07--Bobcat fire in Angeles Forest threatens foothill cities amid California's worst fire season on recor

Bobcat fire in Angeles Forest threatens foothill cities amid California's worst fire season on record

As several wildfires raged across Southern California on a third day of excessive heat , the National Forest Service announced unprecedented closures of campgrounds and trails amid the largest fire season on record .
Through only early September , wildfires so far this year have burned more than 2 million acres in the state , surpassing 2018 for the most acres destroyed in a year , according to figures from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Times research .
After historic high temperatures in the region over the weekend , officials with the National Forest Service announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 5 p.m. Monday because of the extreme heat and dangerous fire conditions .
Closing those recreation areas — including the Angeles , San Bernardino , Los Padres , Cleveland , Stanislaus , Sierra , Sequoia and Inyo national forests — will help reduce the potential for human-caused fires , they said .
“ Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior ... and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire , ” said Randy Moore , regional forester for the Forest Service .
The dramatic closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Southern California , shuts all trails , campgrounds , roads and other developed sites in the forests .
For example , hikers holding permits to hike to the summit of 14,505-foot Mt .
Whitney in the Inyo National Forest will be turned back .
Hikers on the John Muir Trail or even the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through Inyo and other national forests should leave while closures are in effect , she said .
The closure of the Angeles National Forest will be in effect until Sept. 14 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat wave gripping Southern California eased slightly Monday — but many inland areas remained in the triple digits .
Temperatures fell about 10 degrees in many areas Monday , but were still in the triple digits in the valleys and foothills .
Another temperature drop is on tap for Tuesday .
The excessive heat in many parts of the region through Monday night made for explosive conditions for firefighters battling several Southern California blazes .
The Bobcat fire , which started above Azusa in the Angeles National Forest and whose cause is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,871 acres amid extreme fire danger warnings .
Staffers at the Mt .
Wilson Observatory were evacuated Monday morning as the flames raged toward the grounds .
Santa Ana winds are expected to blow by Tuesday morning , which has officials concerned about foothill areas to the south of the fire , including Monrovia , Arcadia , Bradbury , Sierra Madre and Duarte .
Residents living in those areas should prepare for possible evacuation and be on “ high alert , ” said Seneca Smith , public information officer with the Angeles National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those things we always stress — if there is a fire anywhere near your community , just be prepared because sometimes there ’ s only minutes to spare , ” Smith said .
Monrovia issued an evacuation warning Monday night and described the two-phase plan it would put into effect if necessary .
The Sierra Madre Police Department urged residents there to make evacuation plans and “ be vigilant.
” The Arcadia Fire Department assured the public that it would conduct “ continual overnight patrols and surveillance of our foothill interface.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horses and other large animals had to begin moving them somewhere safe .
Ash from the blaze rained down along the 210 corridor and the Pasadena area Monday and prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue a smoke advisory for the foothill communities and into the Santa Clarita Valley through Monday , warning of unhealthy air for sensitive people .
In San Bernardino , the El Dorado fire continued to spread on the northeastern edge of Yucaipa .
Authorities said the blaze , which has burned at least 9,671 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was started by a “ smoke-generating pyrotechnic device , used during a gender reveal party ” Saturday morning at El Dorado Ranch Park .
Authorities implored the public to take every precaution against starting a wildfire .
The Valley fire , roughly 30 miles east of San Diego , also grew , surpassing 17,000 acres while being 3 % contained .
Monday brought a new tool to the fight : military planes .
CalFire is activating a standing agreement with the Navy 3rd Fleet and the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force to deploy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cal Fire spokesman Capt .
Kendal Bortisser said .
The 11 homes and 25 outbuildings in Japatul Valley , southeast of Alpine .
The extreme temperature over the weekend shattered records .
Woodland Hills on Sunday recorded an all-time high of 121 degrees , which the National Weather Service said was the hottest temperature recorded at an official weather station in Los Angeles County .
It broke the old record of 119 degrees set in July 2006 and was one of several records to fall on Sunday .
Escondido achieved an all-time high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set in 1909 .
Paso Robles also hit an all-time high at 117 , as did Idyllwild ( 104 ) and Chino ( 121 ) .
Neighborhoods across Los Angeles lost power over the weekend and crews with the L.A. Department of Water and Power worked to restore service to more than 115,000 customers as of noon Monday , according to the city department .
About 32,000 customers were still without power early Monday afternoon in neighborhoods including Sylmar , East Hollywood and Leimert Park , the department said in a release .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ across L.A. County to help residents deal with the extreme heat .
A woman in her late 40s was hiking on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains in Calabasas when she began to feel sick and collapsed at 2 p.m. Saturday , said L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Deputy Juanita Navarro .
The hiker was pronounced dead at the scene .
The official cause of death is still unknown , Navarro said .

Firefighters work to put out embers from the El Dorado Fire in Yucaipa on Monday.
As several wildfires raged across Southern California on a third day of excessive heat, the National Forest Service announced unprecedented closures of campgrounds and trails amid the largest fire season on record.
Through only early September, wildfires so far this year have burned more than 2 million acres in the state, surpassing 2018 for the most acres destroyed in a year, according to figures from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Times research.
After historic high temperatures in the region over the weekend, officials with the National Forest Service announced they would temporarily close eight national forests at 5 p.m. Monday because of the extreme heat and dangerous fire conditions. Closing those recreation areas — including the Angeles, San Bernardino, Los Padres, Cleveland, Stanislaus, Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo national forests — will help reduce the potential for human-caused fires, they said.
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“Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior ... and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire,” said Randy Moore, regional forester for the Forest Service.
The dramatic closure of the national forests, including all in Southern California, shuts all trails, campgrounds, roads and other developed sites in the forests. For example, hikers holding permits to hike to the summit of 14,505-foot Mt. Whitney in the Inyo National Forest will be turned back.
Hikers on the John Muir Trail or even the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through Inyo and other national forests should leave while closures are in effect, she said. The closure of the Angeles National Forest will be in effect until Sept. 14, according to an online post by agency.
The heat wave gripping Southern California eased slightly Monday — but many inland areas remained in the triple digits. Temperatures fell about 10 degrees in many areas Monday, but were still in the triple digits in the valleys and foothills. Another temperature drop is on tap for Tuesday.
The excessive heat in many parts of the region through Monday night made for explosive conditions for firefighters battling several Southern California blazes.
The Bobcat fire, which started above Azusa in the Angeles National Forest and whose cause is still under investigation, grew to at least 4,871 acres amid extreme fire danger warnings. Staffers at the Mt. Wilson Observatory were evacuated Monday morning as the flames raged toward the grounds.
Santa Ana winds are expected to blow by Tuesday morning, which has officials concerned about foothill areas to the south of the fire, including Monrovia, Arcadia, Bradbury, Sierra Madre and Duarte. Residents living in those areas should prepare for possible evacuation and be on “high alert,” said Seneca Smith, public information officer with the Angeles National Forest.
Advertisement
“It’s one of those things we always stress — if there is a fire anywhere near your community, just be prepared because sometimes there’s only minutes to spare,” Smith said.
Monrovia issued an evacuation warning Monday night and described the two-phase plan it would put into effect if necessary. The Sierra Madre Police Department urged residents there to make evacuation plans and “be vigilant.” The Arcadia Fire Department assured the public that it would conduct “continual overnight patrols and surveillance of our foothill interface.”
The evacuation warnings meant that owners of horses and other large animals had to begin moving them somewhere safe.
Ash from the blaze rained down along the 210 corridor and the Pasadena area Monday and prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue a smoke advisory for the foothill communities and into the Santa Clarita Valley through Monday, warning of unhealthy air for sensitive people.
In San Bernardino, the El Dorado fire continued to spread on the northeastern edge of Yucaipa. Authorities said the blaze, which has burned at least 9,671 acres and was 7% contained Monday night, was started by a “smoke-generating pyrotechnic device, used during a gender reveal party” Saturday morning at El Dorado Ranch Park. Authorities implored the public to take every precaution against starting a wildfire.
The Valley fire, roughly 30 miles east of San Diego, also grew , surpassing 17,000 acres while being 3% contained. Monday brought a new tool to the fight: military planes. CalFire is activating a standing agreement with the Navy 3rd Fleet and the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force to deploy military aircraft to fight the fire, Cal Fire spokesman Capt. Kendal Bortisser said.
The Valley fire has already destroyed 11 homes and 25 outbuildings in Japatul Valley, southeast of Alpine.
The extreme temperature over the weekend shattered records. Woodland Hills on Sunday recorded an all-time high of 121 degrees, which the National Weather Service said was the hottest temperature recorded at an official weather station in Los Angeles County.
It broke the old record of 119 degrees set in July 2006 and was one of several records to fall on Sunday. Escondido achieved an all-time high of 115 degrees, shattering a record set in 1909. Paso Robles also hit an all-time high at 117, as did Idyllwild (104) and Chino (121).
Neighborhoods across Los Angeles lost power over the weekend and crews with the L.A. Department of Water and Power worked to restore service to more than 115,000 customers as of noon Monday, according to the city department. About 32,000 customers were still without power early Monday afternoon in neighborhoods including Sylmar, East Hollywood and Leimert Park, the department said in a release.
Officials have opened dozens of cooling centers across L.A. County to help residents deal with the extreme heat.
A woman in her late 40s was hiking on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains in Calabasas when she began to feel sick and collapsed at 2 p.m. Saturday, said L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Juanita Navarro.
The hiker was pronounced dead at the scene. The official cause of death is still unknown, Navarro said.
Times staff writer Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-08--Limits on large gatherings in Sacramento were not applied to prayer event at state Capitol

State and local health officials said Tuesday they were troubled to learn that the California Highway Patrol allowed thousands of people to attend a worship event over the weekend outside the state Capitol without following social distancing or mask guidelines , noting that the rally is likely to lead to new cases of COVID-19 .
CHP officials approved a permit for the organizers to use state Capitol grounds for the event , prompting questions about why safety guidelines were not enforced as the crowd grew Sunday to at least three times the number of attendees approved .
CHP estimated 3,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizer Sean Feucht tweeted drone footage claiming a crowd of 12,000 people .
Sacramento County health director Peter Beilenson said the event was clearly in violation of county and state guidelines , and said county health officials would have attempted to shut it down if his office had been notified .
Beilenson called large events amid the COVID-19 pandemic “ irresponsible ” and said he had not heard of Sunday ’ s crowd outside the state Capitol until Tuesday .
“ Everyone was piled up , ” he said .
“ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a matter of if there will be an outbreak from this , it ’ s how big.
” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said at a Tuesday news conference that he ’ s seen images that show participants were not physically distancing or wearing face coverings .
“ If you get a permit to do something and you say you ’ re going to do the right thing , then , you need to do the right thing , ” Newsom said .
“ It does not help to have thousands and thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing not wearing masks — in fact , quite the contrary — when literally someone can lose their lives and I know that ’ s not the intent of anyone that organizes these events , but it may be the outcome when you organize an event that grows larger than what you had asserted it to be and those mitigations were not put into place.
” The state public health department is recommending that those in attendance self-quarantine for 14 days while monitoring symptoms , but organizers for the group Let Us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities where they are holding large worship events .
State Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove ( R-Bakersfield ) spoke at the rally and appeared onstage without a mask while still under a quarantine order by the state public health department .
According to Senate officials , Grove was among nine senators in close contact with state Sen. Brian Jones ( R-Santee ) , who learned on Aug. 26 that he tested positive for COVID-19 .
The California Department of Public Health told the nine senators to quarantine for 14 days until Sept. 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative .
Grove applied for the permit to hold the event on Sunday at the state Capitol , according to documents provided to The Times .
The internal permit documents required the event ’ s organizers to outline how they planned to implement physical distancing at the event .
“ We will make announcements and have people designated to assist in making sure people are doing it , ” according to the application filed under Grove ’ s name .
However , videos posted by event organizers showed little physical distancing and few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sang along .
Feucht and Grove did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
“ This event is even more concerning due to the singing , which allows the virus to spread faster , ” said Dr. Erica Pan , the state ’ s acting public health officer .
“ Ultimately , this does not only put those in attendance at risk for COVID-19 , but endangers the community at large , especially our older neighbors and those with underlying medical conditions.
” Sunday ‘ s event was approved for 1,000 attendees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement sent from Jaime Coffee , a public information officer for CHP .
“ The majority of the participants gathered on the west steps and failed to socially distance , ” the statement said .
A CHP Capitol permit officer reminded people at the event to socially distance , as did the event organizer , according to CHP .
Ultimately , CHP decided to allow the event to continue after factoring in the “ resources needed to disperse a crowd of this size , ” participant safety , limited duration of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop for the Let Us Worship event in Seattle was interrupted briefly when city officials closed the park where Feucht , who ran a failed bid for Congress in March , had planned to hold the gathering .
Mostly maskless worshippers instead packed the street .
Feucht ’ s website for Let Us Worship says , “ our freedom to worship God and obey His Word has come under unprecedented attack.
” “ It ’ s time for the Church to rise up with one voice and tell our government leaders and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be silenced !
” the website reads .
In late May , after pushback from religious groups , the state modified its guidance on gatherings to allow indoor faith-based services , cultural ceremonies and protests with limitations .
California also permits outdoor religious services and protests as long as participants remain six feet apart .
Public health officials said Tuesday that face coverings are required in outdoor public spaces when a physical distance of six feet can ’ t be maintained between people who are not part of the same household .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with California Department of Public Health guidelines , which allow for in-person political or religious protests without a cap on the number of attendees , according to the CHP ’ s rules for gatherings on state property .
The rules say , “ physical distancing of six feet between persons or groups of persons from different households shall be maintained at all times , ” and failing to keep a distance “ constitutes a violation of the permit and attendees are required to vacate state property.
” The CHP rules say face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The permitting website for using the state Capitol grounds lists numerous upcoming events with anticipated crowds of 100 or more people .
An Oct. 3 event titled “ Praise in the Park ” estimates 2,500 people will be in attendance .
After watching a video of the event showing masses of people shoulder to shoulder singing for hours , Beilenson said there needs to be more coordination between the state ’ s permitting process for the state Capitol grounds and county health officials .
“ No one called me about it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event outdoors helps reduce the spread , but that physical distance and masks are critical .
“ If there is an argument about the Black Lives Matter protests , they were overwhelmingly wearing masks , ” Beilenson said .
Times staff writers John Myers and Phil Willon contributed to this report .

Thousands of people attended a worship event over the weekend outside the state Capitol without following coronavirus-preventive social distancing or mask guidelines.
State and local health officials said Tuesday they were troubled to learn that the California Highway Patrol allowed thousands of people to attend a worship event over the weekend outside the state Capitol without following social distancing or mask guidelines, noting that the rally is likely to lead to new cases of COVID-19.
CHP officials approved a permit for the organizers to use state Capitol grounds for the event, prompting questions about why safety guidelines were not enforced as the crowd grew Sunday to at least three times the number of attendees approved. CHP estimated 3,000 people attended the event, while event organizer Sean Feucht tweeted drone footage claiming a crowd of 12,000 people.
Sacramento County health director Peter Beilenson said the event was clearly in violation of county and state guidelines, and said county health officials would have attempted to shut it down if his office had been notified. Beilenson called large events amid the COVID-19 pandemic “irresponsible” and said he had not heard of Sunday’s crowd outside the state Capitol until Tuesday.
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“Everyone was piled up,” he said. “That’s a problem. It’s not a matter of if there will be an outbreak from this, it’s how big.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a Tuesday news conference that he’s seen images that show participants were not physically distancing or wearing face coverings.
“If you get a permit to do something and you say you’re going to do the right thing, then, you need to do the right thing,” Newsom said. “It does not help to have thousands and thousands of people not practicing physical distancing or social distancing not wearing masks — in fact, quite the contrary — when literally someone can lose their lives and I know that’s not the intent of anyone that organizes these events, but it may be the outcome when you organize an event that grows larger than what you had asserted it to be and those mitigations were not put into place.”
The state public health department is recommending that those in attendance self-quarantine for 14 days while monitoring symptoms, but organizers for the group Let Us Worship have already moved on to other cities where they are holding large worship events.
State Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) spoke at the rally and appeared onstage without a mask while still under a quarantine order by the state public health department.
According to Senate officials, Grove was among nine senators in close contact with state Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee), who learned on Aug. 26 that he tested positive for COVID-19. The California Department of Public Health told the nine senators to quarantine for 14 days until Sept. 9, regardless of whether their tests were negative.
Grove applied for the permit to hold the event on Sunday at the state Capitol, according to documents provided to The Times. The internal permit documents required the event’s organizers to outline how they planned to implement physical distancing at the event.
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“We will make announcements and have people designated to assist in making sure people are doing it,” according to the application filed under Grove’s name.
However, videos posted by event organizers showed little physical distancing and few masks worn as bands played and attendees sang along. Feucht and Grove did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Official Capitol Hill police estimate was 12,000 tonight in Sacramento!!! 😭😭😭😭
GOD IS NOT DONE WITH CALIFORNIA!!!#LetUsWorship pic.twitter.com/4sRGwbQbIl — Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) September 7, 2020
“This event is even more concerning due to the singing, which allows the virus to spread faster,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s acting public health officer. “Ultimately, this does not only put those in attendance at risk for COVID-19, but endangers the community at large, especially our older neighbors and those with underlying medical conditions.”
Sunday‘s event was approved for 1,000 attendees but grew in size, according to a statement sent from Jaime Coffee, a public information officer for CHP.
“The majority of the participants gathered on the west steps and failed to socially distance,” the statement said.
A CHP Capitol permit officer reminded people at the event to socially distance, as did the event organizer, according to CHP. Ultimately, CHP decided to allow the event to continue after factoring in the “resources needed to disperse a crowd of this size,” participant safety, limited duration of the event and other factors.
The next stop for the Let Us Worship event in Seattle was interrupted briefly when city officials closed the park where Feucht, who ran a failed bid for Congress in March, had planned to hold the gathering. Mostly maskless worshippers instead packed the street.
Feucht’s website for Let Us Worship says, “our freedom to worship God and obey His Word has come under unprecedented attack.”
“It’s time for the Church to rise up with one voice and tell our government leaders and the rulers of big tech that we refuse to be silenced!” the website reads.
In late May, after pushback from religious groups, the state modified its guidance on gatherings to allow indoor faith-based services, cultural ceremonies and protests with limitations. California also permits outdoor religious services and protests as long as participants remain six feet apart.
Public health officials said Tuesday that face coverings are required in outdoor public spaces when a physical distance of six feet can’t be maintained between people who are not part of the same household.
Permitted events at the Capitol must comply with California Department of Public Health guidelines, which allow for in-person political or religious protests without a cap on the number of attendees, according to the CHP’s rules for gatherings on state property. The rules say, “physical distancing of six feet between persons or groups of persons from different households shall be maintained at all times,” and failing to keep a distance “constitutes a violation of the permit and attendees are required to vacate state property.”
The CHP rules say face coverings are strongly recommended but not required.
The permitting website for using the state Capitol grounds lists numerous upcoming events with anticipated crowds of 100 or more people. An Oct. 3 event titled “Praise in the Park” estimates 2,500 people will be in attendance.
After watching a video of the event showing masses of people shoulder to shoulder singing for hours, Beilenson said there needs to be more coordination between the state’s permitting process for the state Capitol grounds and county health officials.
“No one called me about it,” Beilenson said.
He said having the event outdoors helps reduce the spread, but that physical distance and masks are critical.
“If there is an argument about the Black Lives Matter protests, they were overwhelmingly wearing masks,” Beilenson said.
Times staff writers John Myers and Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-08--Nervous residents in Monrovia prepare for the worst as winds, fire head their way

The green wildland firetruck made its way up Ridgeside Drive in Monrovia , past a line of two-story homes and the occasional residents talking outside .
Among them was 60-year-old Cliff Armstrong , a cable marketer , who has lived in the Cloverleaf Canyon neighborhood for 21 years .
He said Tuesday that he has never seen so many firefighters moving in and around the area before .
Earlier in the day , Armstrong was watching helicopters dip large buckets into a sawpit debris basin .
He saw firetrucks traveling up and down the street for the last two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this level of preparation before , ” he said .
“ And different agencies , too , ” his neighbor chimed in .
“ I ’ ve seen trucks from Alhambra , Santa Ana , San Bernardino and San Marino too , ” Armstrong said .
“ I ’ m wondering if they ’ re not anticipating much air support.
” A marine layer had helped slow the Bobcat fire in the Angeles National Forest the night before , but it also kept air crews from dumping water on the Bobcat fire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind event could push the fire toward the Cloverleaf Canyon neighborhood and other foothill communities that sit along the San Gabriel Mountains .
At 0 % containment , the fire has burned , nearly doubling in size since Monday .
“ The big worry is the weather model , which is forecasting a shift in the winds to Santa Ana winds , ” said Angeles National Forest representative John Clearwater , “ and there is a possibility of that fire being pushed south .
South of the fire line is our foothill communities.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also urging residents to remain vigilant .
The National Weather Service has issued a through 8 p.m. Tuesday for the mountains and valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties .
Residents such as Armstrong say if they ’ re forced to evacuate it would be the first time they will have to flee their homes .
Fires have come and gone through this area , including the Station fire in 2009 .
Armstrong said he stayed behind , watering his home during that blaze .
“ I don ’ t think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
Neighbors have started packing up their cars and moving vehicles to the homes of friends living away from the mountains or in other cities .
They share tips with one another about how to best defend their homes from a fire .
Outside their homes , Armstrong and his neighbor talk about those efforts .
His neighbor tells him he ’ s removed all the cushions around the patio and floor mats , anything that is combustible .
“ Oh , right , right .
Well , wait a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have a garage full of toilet paper and paper towels because of the COVID thing , man , ” “ Remember it was hard to find ?
So I have a bunch of paper goods sitting in the garage.
” Most residents here say there are confident that firefighters will protect their homes .
So far they have been patrolling the area nonstop .
A woman on Oakglade Drive , who declined to provide her name due to privacy concerns , said she has lived in the Cloverleaf neighborhood for more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires that have threatened the area , she has been blessed with luck .
A fire that reached the ridge of the canyon behind her home became less threatening when the winds died out .
The fire burned out , she said .
“ I think I ’ m blessed , ” she said .
“ I ’ m already blessed to live here.
” “ Plus , the firefighters have been working nonstop , ” she added .
Back on Ridgeside Drive , the whole scenario seem surreal to Armstrong .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son was about to start university courses online while anticipating having to evacuate .
At first , Armstrong said , he was thinking of renting a hotel room but worried about the novel coronavirus .
“ There ’ s nobody in our office in Glendale , and I was going to go to there with sleeping bags , ” he said .
But with family up north , he said he would be staying at his sister-in-law ’ s home in Chino for the time being .
“ 2020 is just a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is for the history books .
”

Members of a fire structure protection crew in L.A. County survey a residence on Brookridge Road in Duarte on Tuesday amid a threat from the Bobcat fire.
The green wildland firetruck made its way up Ridgeside Drive in Monrovia, past a line of two-story homes and the occasional residents talking outside.
Among them was 60-year-old Cliff Armstrong, a cable marketer, who has lived in the Cloverleaf Canyon neighborhood for 21 years. He said Tuesday that he has never seen so many firefighters moving in and around the area before.
Earlier in the day, Armstrong was watching helicopters dip large buckets into a sawpit debris basin. He saw firetrucks traveling up and down the street for the last two days.
“I’ve never seen this level of preparation before,” he said.
“And different agencies, too,” his neighbor chimed in.
“I’ve seen trucks from Alhambra, Santa Ana, San Bernardino and San Marino too,” Armstrong said. “I’m wondering if they’re not anticipating much air support.”
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A marine layer had helped slow the Bobcat fire in the Angeles National Forest the night before, but it also kept air crews from dumping water on the Bobcat fire.
Wildland fire officials fear a Santa Ana wind event could push the fire toward the Cloverleaf Canyon neighborhood and other foothill communities that sit along the San Gabriel Mountains.
At 0% containment, the fire has burned 8,553 acres , nearly doubling in size since Monday.
“The big worry is the weather model, which is forecasting a shift in the winds to Santa Ana winds,” said Angeles National Forest representative John Clearwater, “and there is a possibility of that fire being pushed south. South of the fire line is our foothill communities.”
The nearby cities of Arcadia , Duarte and Sierra Madre are also urging residents to remain vigilant.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Tuesday for the mountains and valleys of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
California Aggressive winds feared as California battles biggest wildfire season Intense Diablo winds are forecast for parts of Northern California while Santa Ana winds are expected in Southern California.
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Residents such as Armstrong say if they’re forced to evacuate it would be the first time they will have to flee their homes. Fires have come and gone through this area, including the Station fire in 2009.
Armstrong said he stayed behind, watering his home during that blaze.
“I don’t think I’ll risk it this time,” he said.
Neighbors have started packing up their cars and moving vehicles to the homes of friends living away from the mountains or in other cities. They share tips with one another about how to best defend their homes from a fire.
Outside their homes, Armstrong and his neighbor talk about those efforts. His neighbor tells him he’s removed all the cushions around the patio and floor mats, anything that is combustible.
“Oh, right, right. Well, wait a minute,” Armstrong said. “I have a garage full of toilet paper and paper towels because of the COVID thing, man,”
He chuckled.
“Remember it was hard to find? So I have a bunch of paper goods sitting in the garage.”
Most residents here say there are confident that firefighters will protect their homes. So far they have been patrolling the area nonstop.
A woman on Oakglade Drive, who declined to provide her name due to privacy concerns, said she has lived in the Cloverleaf Canyon neighborhood for more than 40 years. She said despite the fires that have threatened the area, she has been blessed with luck. A fire that reached the ridge of the canyon behind her home became less threatening when the winds died out. The fire burned out, she said.
“I think I’m blessed,” she said. “I’m already blessed to live here.”
“Plus, the firefighters have been working nonstop,” she added.
Back on Ridgeside Drive, the whole scenario seem surreal to Armstrong. On Friday, his father-in-law died. His son was about to start university courses online while anticipating having to evacuate. At first, Armstrong said, he was thinking of renting a hotel room but worried about the novel coronavirus.
“There’s nobody in our office in Glendale, and I was going to go to there with sleeping bags,” he said.
But with family up north, he said he would be staying at his sister-in-law’s home in Chino Hills for the time being.
“2020 is just a year,” he said. “This one is for the history books.”


latimes--2020-09-08--More California counties can loosen COVID-19 rules as statewide numbers improve

The continuing statewide decline in new coronavirus cases will allow five additional California counties to accelerate the reopening of their economies , putting them a step closer to possible in-classroom learning at schools , under Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s retooled effort for easing restrictions on communities .
The Newsom administration on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 conditions have improved enough in Orange , Santa Clara , Santa Cruz , Placer and Amador counties to move them to the second tier of California ’ s four-tier reopening plan .
The change would allow many businesses and services to partially reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , places of worship to hold in-person services and movie theaters to operate — but only at 25 % capacity .
Newsom said COVID-19 related hospitalizations across the state have dropped by nearly 24 % over the past two weeks .
Of the Californians who have been tested over that same time frame , 4.3 % were positive .
That ’ s down from 5.3 % on Sept. 1 and 6.3 % in mid-August .
The number of confirmed daily new cases also has been on the decline .
“ If those appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s because they are , ” Newsom said during his briefing on Tuesday .
Still , he cautioned Californians not to be complacent , especially after a three-day Labor Day weekend and record heat wave in portions of the state .
California experienced surges in transmission of the virus after the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends , which saw more people flocking to beaches and gatherings with friends and family .
“ Three-day holiday weekends have not been advantageous in terms of the mitigation of the spread of this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a consequence , we ’ re very cautious in terms of our approach as we move forward .
We ’ re going to hold the line in terms of the approach we laid out in partnership with counties up and down the state.
” On Aug. 28 , Newsom announced a new four-tier reopening plan that requires counties to show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen and group activities to resume .
Newsom vowed to take a more cautious and stringent approach than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when his decision to rapidly ease restrictions led to such a major surge in cases that he ordered another statewide shutdown .
Even with the changes announced on Tuesday , 33 of California ’ s 58 counties remain on the state ’ s most restrictive tier , indicating “ widespread ” virus transmission .
Restaurant dining , religious services , gyms and fitness centers , movie theaters and museums will remain restricted to outdoors only in those areas .
San Diego is the only county is Southern California that was elevated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ substantial ” virus transmission .
Newsom said that seven additional counties in the state may be moved to the second tier next week , although administration officials did not name them .
Currently , there are 14 counties in the “ substantial ” second tier .
A total of 11 counties are in the least restrictive tiers , which are classified as having moderate or minimal transmission .
The new rules also provide a new pathway toward the partial reopening of schools in some communities .
School officials in the 25 counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ structure as having “ substantial , ” “ moderate ” or “ minimal ” virus transmission will be able to offer limited in-person instruction on school campuses once those counties maintain that status for at least 14 days .
Counties with even fewer incidences of confirmed coronavirus cases and lower test positivity rates could allow students to return to campus part-time even earlier .

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced improved COVID-19 conditions across California, though he still cautions people to remain vigilant in wearing masks, washing hands and physical distancing.
Newsom announces five more counties will be allowed into second tier of reopening plan
The continuing statewide decline in new coronavirus cases will allow five additional California counties to accelerate the reopening of their economies, putting them a step closer to possible in-classroom learning at schools, under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s retooled effort for easing restrictions on communities.
The Newsom administration on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 conditions have improved enough in Orange, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Placer and Amador counties to move them to the second tier of California’s four-tier reopening plan.
The change would allow many businesses and services to partially reopen, including restaurants to serve customers indoors, places of worship to hold in-person services and movie theaters to operate — but only at 25% capacity.
Newsom said COVID-19 related hospitalizations across the state have dropped by nearly 24% over the past two weeks. Of the Californians who have been tested over that same time frame, 4.3% were positive. That’s down from 5.3% on Sept. 1 and 6.3% in mid-August. The number of confirmed daily new cases also has been on the decline.
“If those appear to be more promising numbers, it’s because they are,” Newsom said during his briefing on Tuesday.
Still, he cautioned Californians not to be complacent, especially after a three-day Labor Day weekend and record heat wave in portions of the state. California experienced surges in transmission of the virus after the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, which saw more people flocking to beaches and gatherings with friends and family.
“Three-day holiday weekends have not been advantageous in terms of the mitigation of the spread of this virus,” Newsom said. “As a consequence, we’re very cautious in terms of our approach as we move forward. We’re going to hold the line in terms of the approach we laid out in partnership with counties up and down the state.”
On Aug. 28, Newsom announced a new four-tier reopening plan that requires counties to show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen and group activities to resume.
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Newsom vowed to take a more cautious and stringent approach than his first reopening effort in the spring, when his decision to rapidly ease restrictions led to such a major surge in cases that he ordered another statewide shutdown.
Even with the changes announced on Tuesday, 33 of California’s 58 counties remain on the state’s most restrictive tier, indicating “widespread” virus transmission. Restaurant dining, religious services, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters and museums will remain restricted to outdoors only in those areas.
San Diego is the only county is Southern California that was elevated to the second tier, classified as having “substantial” virus transmission. Newsom said that seven additional counties in the state may be moved to the second tier next week, although administration officials did not name them.
Currently, there are 14 counties in the “substantial” second tier. A total of 11 counties are in the least restrictive tiers, which are classified as having moderate or minimal transmission.
The new rules also provide a new pathway toward the partial reopening of schools in some communities.
School officials in the 25 counties listed in the state’s new structure as having “substantial,” “moderate” or “minimal” virus transmission will be able to offer limited in-person instruction on school campuses once those counties maintain that status for at least 14 days. Counties with even fewer incidences of confirmed coronavirus cases and lower test positivity rates could allow students to return to campus part-time even earlier.


latimes--2020-09-08--As COVID-19 risk dips, Orange County gets OK to reopen indoor restaurants, movie theaters

Orange County received some much-anticipated and welcome news in its battle against the coronavirus on Tuesday as it officially moved into the second stage of California ’ s four-tiered , color-coded reopening system .
The reclassification allows for more businesses — including movie theaters , restaurants and places of worship — to ease restrictions and open in limited capacity .
Four other counties also moved from Tier 1 ( purple ) to Tier 2 ( red ) on Tuesday : Santa Clara , Santa Cruz , Amador and Placer .
Orange County joins San Diego as the only counties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread risk ” under the state ’ s COVID-19 monitoring system .
Seven other counties are being monitored for potential tier changes , but Gov .
Gavin Newsom cautioned against complacency as well as the potential for spread during the Labor Day weekend .
“ Three-day holiday weekends have not been advantageous in terms of the mitigation of the spread of this virus , ” Newsom said Tuesday , warning that counties can sometimes regress after moving forward .
It will take roughly two weeks to learn whether the combination of Labor Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new reopening guidelines leads to a new surge in COVID-19 cases .
Orange county ’ s new risk level — which is still considered “ substantial ” under the state ’ s monitoring system — allows for the reopening of indoor dining , places of worship , movie theaters , museums , zoos and aquariums at 25 % capacity ; shopping centers and retail stores at 50 % capacity ; and gyms and fitness centers at 10 % capacity .
The county surpassed 1,000 deaths last week and has recorded nearly 50,000 infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 100,000 residents and a 4.2 % testing positivity rate over a seven-day period , according to the California Department of Public Health .
Those two data points are key metrics for a county to move from one tier to another .
To move into a new tier , a county must meet targets for cases per capita and positive test results for three consecutive weeks .
If the county doesn ’ t meet both standards , the rules for the stricter tier apply .
Los Angeles County , for example , straddles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher case count per 100,000 residents and Tier 2 for a positivity rate of 4.3 % — but remains in Tier 1 because that level is more stringent .
L.A. County has recorded 6,036 COVID-19 related deaths and more than 248,820 infections , including seven additional deaths and 439 new cases reported Tuesday .
Those numbers have declined significantly in the weeks since a statewide surge in cases , hospitalizations and deaths linked to Memorial Day weekend activity and the state ’ s first reopening strategy .
In Orange County , officials who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving off the original watch list have expressed frustration since the state updated its reopening guidelines last month and placed the county in the strictest tierThe change delayed the county ’ s timetable for reopening schools , which officials had expected to be eligible to do this week .
On Thursday , County Supervisor Michelle Steel said that officials were told Orange County would be eligible to reopen schools on Sept. 22 , assuming the county shifted into the red tier .
“ I hope the state moves faster to accommodate schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dates again , ” she said .
“ Everyone wants our children back in school .
Now that we have a date set , it ’ s imperative that we continue on our current course and do what we know must be done : social distancing , good hygiene and wearing masks.
” Following the county ’ s change in status , , Steel reiterated her message on Tuesday that residents must remain vigilant in order to continue progressing through the state ’ s reopening system .
“ With our continued hard work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue trending in the right direction and move into the Orange tier in the not too distant future .
The County of Orange can ’ t get there without everyone ’ s help and participation in observing health guidelines .
”

Orange County received some much-anticipated and welcome news in its battle against the coronavirus on Tuesday as it officially moved into the second stage of California’s four-tiered, color-coded reopening system.
The reclassification allows for more businesses — including movie theaters, restaurants and places of worship — to ease restrictions and open in limited capacity.
Four other counties also moved from Tier 1 (purple) to Tier 2 (red) on Tuesday: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Amador and Placer.
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Orange joins San Diego as the only counties in Southern California not classified as having “widespread risk” under the state’s COVID-19 monitoring system.
Seven other counties are being monitored for potential tier changes, but Gov. Gavin Newsom cautioned against complacency as well as the potential for spread due to the Labor Day weekend.
“Three-day holiday weekends have not been advantageous in terms of the mitigation of the spread of this virus,” Newsom said Tuesday, warning that counties can sometimes regress after moving forward.
It will take roughly two weeks to learn whether the combination of Labor Day weekend activity and the state’s new reopening guidelines leads to a new surge in COVID-19 cases.
Orange County’s new risk level — which is still considered “substantial” under the state’s monitoring system — allows for the reopening of indoor dining, places of worship, movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums at 25% capacity; shopping centers and retail stores at 50% capacity; and gyms and fitness centers at 10% capacity.
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The county surpassed 1,000 deaths last week and has recorded nearly 50,000 infections. It is currently reporting 5.2 cases per 100,000 residents and a 4.2% testing positivity rate over a seven-day period, according to the California Department of Public Health. Those two data points are key metrics for a county to move from one tier to another.
To move into a new tier, a county must meet targets for cases per capita and positive test results for three consecutive weeks. If the county doesn’t meet both standards, the rules for the stricter tier apply.
Los Angeles County, for example, straddles two tiers — Tier 1 for a higher case count per 100,000 residents and Tier 2 for a positivity rate of 4.3% — but remains in Tier 1 because that level is more stringent.
L.A. County has recorded 6,036 COVID-19 related deaths and more than 248,820 infections, including seven deaths and 439 new cases reported Tuesday. Those numbers have declined significantly in the weeks since a statewide surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths linked to Memorial Day weekend activity and the state’s first reopening strategy.
In Orange County, officials who had thought they were days away from moving off the original watch list have expressed frustration since the state updated its reopening guidelines last month and placed the county in the strictest tier. The change delayed the county’s timetable for reopening schools, which officials had expected to be eligible to do this week.
Lifestyle Sorry, but your beloved L.A. holiday event has probably been canceled. Blame coronavirus Labor Day is here, the unofficial end of summer and the time of year we start looking toward holiday festivities. But not this year: Coronavirus concerns are canceling popular Halloween and holiday light shows around Southern California.
On Thursday, County Supervisor Michelle Steel said that officials were told Orange County would be eligible to reopen schools on Sept. 22, assuming the county shifted into the red tier.
“I hope the state moves faster to accommodate schools, students and families and not change those dates again,” she said.
“Everyone wants our children back in school. Now that we have a date set, it’s imperative that we continue on our current course and do what we know must be done: social distancing, good hygiene and wearing masks.”
Following the county’s change in status, Steel reiterated her message on Tuesday that residents must remain vigilant in order to continue progressing through the state’s reopening system.
“With our continued hard work, I am confident that we will continue trending in the right direction and move into the orange tier in the not-too-distant future. The county of Orange can’t get there without everyone’s help and participation in observing health guidelines.”