latimes--2020-11-23--California COVID-19 lockdown measures are met with skepticism but may offer the best hope

With coronavirus cases surging to unprecedented levels in California , state and local officials are rapidly adding new restrictions in hopes of slowing the infection rate .
The new lockdown measures — which include a limited late-night curfew in most of California and the shuttering of outdoor restaurant dining in Los Angeles County — have been met with some skepticism by a public weary of months of limits on their movements .
How effective , some ask , will California ’ s new limited overnight stay-at-home order be in curbing the pandemic ?
The rule bans gatherings among people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. and prohibits activities outside the home with members of other households , except for essential errands or essential work , in the counties of California in the most restrictive reopening tier .
The order , which went into effect Saturday , requires nonessential businesses to close or otherwise limit operations in the late-night hours .
L.A. County on Sunday went a big step further , announcing that , starting late Wednesday night , outdoor restaurant dining will be suspended for at least three weeks .
There is no question new restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misery to people already feeling isolated by the pandemic .
But there is also evidence that the moves are logical as California enters a dangerous phase of the pandemic , with infections raging and the holidays approaching .
Some experts and officials say they have good reason to believe that shutting down public places where people gather — in close proximity and without masks because they ’ re eating and drinking — can begin to drive down the growth in coronavirus cases .
It should be no surprise , as acting state public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her health order , that late-night activities are often related to social gatherings where there ’ s “ reduced inhibition and and reduced likelihood ” of wearing masks and staying distanced from friends and family .
“ It ’ s because bad behavior goes up in the evening , at least as I recall from college , ” Dr. George Rutherford , epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco , said at a campus town hall meeting last week .
In Europe , “ it ’ s an observed phenomenon that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates ” of high growth in coronavirus cases , Rutherford said .
For example , France — which observed a quadrupling of daily coronavirus cases over the month of October — decided to enact even stronger measures to deal with its second wave : imposing a broader curfew , from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. , in the bigger cities ; ordering the shutdown of nonessential businesses such as retail stores , restaurants and bars ; and making masks mandatory for anyone age 6 and older , Rutherford said .
In recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half from the peak .
Other similar measures elsewhere in Europe also seem to be successful , Rutherford said .
“ This is good news , ” he said , “ and it again suggests that these kinds of measures are met with fairly rapid success , like within a couple of weeks.
” Actions that are still allowed in the overnight hours are activities that only involve people in one ’ s own household , such as perhaps a late-night stroll with a spouse , walking the dog , and conducting essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store or picking up takeout food from a restaurant .
The action taken by the state comes in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic spiraling out of control , spreading at a breathtaking rate not seen in California since the beginning of this pandemic .
The virus is spreading faster than ever in California , and officials are already warning about the risk of running out of hospital beds in a matter of weeks .
That ’ s setting up California for a winter season of heartbreak , with the potential for deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season .
California has now recorded six consecutive days with at least 10,000 newly confirmed coronavirus cases a day , a stretch unlike any in the pandemic .
As of Sunday night , an average of nearly 11,500 coronavirus cases were being reported daily in the previous seven-day period — triple the rate of about a month ago .
The average number of deaths reported rose by about 75 % in just the past 10 days , from an average of 38 publicly disclosed deaths a day over the previous week to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the seven-day period that ended Sunday .
More than 1.1 million Californians have been infected with the coronavirus , and more than 18,700 have died .
Nationally , the average number of weekly deaths is at its highest point since May as infections surge in almost all the states .
California ’ s new limited overnight stay-at-home order is far more mild than the version imposed in Europe , and is less economically disruptive than a full-blown stay-at-home order in effect all day and all night , which in the springtime forced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , barbershops and hair and nail salons , that are not being forced to close under this order .
It ’ s a more focused approach , said Dr. Mark Ghaly , California Health and Human Services secretary .
It aims to prevent superspreading incidents among friends at night that can begin a chain reaction — infecting , perhaps , coworkers the next day , who bring the virus home to their families , some of whom might work with people who are highly vulnerable , such as residents of a senior care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help us stop the surge faster and avoid more severe actions , ” Ghaly said .
“ Oftentimes when people are gathering outside after 10 o ’ clock , ” said Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County director of public health , “ it ’ s because they ’ re in a situation where they ’ re socializing with others , probably not with people in their household .
I would ask people : Use your common sense .
It does make sense to limit activities where we ’ re with other people.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumvent the spirit of the order by trading a late-night dinner at an outdoor restaurant with a dinner party at someone ’ s indoor private residence .
But it ’ s also possible the decision to shut down outdoor dining at restaurants late at night in most of the state will have the intended effect of shortening the duration of dinner parties , meaning fewer hours in which the virus can be transmitted .
The relatively rapid reopening of restaurant dining and bars in May and June in Southern California is a likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state ’ s deadliest season thus far in the pandemic .
The chance of transmitting the disease increases the longer you spend time with someone who is infectious .
Longer social events are more like to result in superspreading incidents .
Shortening such events could help drive down the number of cases and help to prevent the hospital system from becoming overwhelmed .
“ A curfew will help prevent more people [ from gathering ] in the late hours of the night , where more high-risk activity may occur , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health in San Francisco .
Still the curfew has met with outrage in some quarters .
A couple of hundred protesters gathered Saturday night at Huntington Beach Pier in defiance of the state ’ s coronavirus curfew , which went into effect at 10 p.m. “ I think there are too many restrictions as is , ” one protester said .
Republican lawmakers also slammed the rules as unnecessary .
In L.A. , restaurant owners fear they may not survive the latest shutdown of outdoor dining .
Still , polls have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus can infect others through coughing , talking and even breathing , and people can be highly contagious even when they feel healthy .
Essential workers who are exempt from the limited overnight stay-at-home order include workers at grocery stores and pharmacies and other retail establishments that sell food ; workers at restaurant take-out and quick-serve food operations ; healthcare workers ; employees in the transportation industry ; journalists ; construction workers and technicians such as plumbers , electricians and exterminators ; workers in hardware and building stores , consumer electronics , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribution , warehouse and call center facilities ; workers managing hotels ; and workers in the entertainment industries , provided they follow public health guidance around physical distancing .
The order would also require shortened hours of operation for nonessential retail stores that might otherwise have employees on hand to do inventory in preparation for crowds on Black Friday , as well as limit crowds of prospective shoppers who traditionally gather in late-night and predawn hours for some of the busiest shopping days of the year .
There are public health risks if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form , as they have in years past , ahead of the post-Thanksgiving Day sales .
Ghaly says the order stipulates that nonessential businesses must close down operations by 10 p.m. and not resume until 5 a.m .
He acknowledged that the success of the order largely depends on Californians voluntarily adhering to it .
Still , authorities will be able to enforce the rule as a state health order should they choose to do so .
“ This is about coming together , ” Ghaly said .
“ This is about us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can get this under control .
”

With coronavirus cases surging to unprecedented levels in California, state and local officials are rapidly adding new restrictions in hopes of slowing the infection rate.
The new lockdown measures — which include a limited late-night curfew in most of California and the shuttering of outdoor restaurant dining in Los Angeles County — have been met with some skepticism by a public weary of months of limits on their movements.
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How effective, some ask, will California’s new limited overnight stay-at-home order be in curbing the pandemic? The rule bans gatherings among people of different households between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and prohibits activities outside the home with members of other households, except for essential errands or essential work, in the counties of California in the most restrictive reopening tier.
The order, which went into effect Saturday, requires nonessential businesses to close or otherwise limit operations in the late-night hours. L.A. County on Sunday went a big step further, announcing that, starting late Wednesday night, outdoor restaurant dining will be suspended for at least three weeks.
There is no question new restrictions will hurt already struggling businesses and bring more misery to people already feeling isolated by the pandemic. But there is also evidence that the moves are logical as California enters a dangerous phase of the pandemic, with infections raging and the holidays approaching.
Some experts and officials say they have good reason to believe that shutting down public places where people gather — in close proximity and without masks because they’re eating and drinking — can begin to drive down the growth in coronavirus cases.
It should be no surprise, as acting state public health officer Dr. Erica Pan outlined in her health order, that late-night activities are often related to social gatherings where there’s “reduced inhibition and and reduced likelihood” of wearing masks and staying distanced from friends and family.
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“It’s because bad behavior goes up in the evening, at least as I recall from college,” Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said at a campus town hall meeting last week.
In Europe, “it’s an observed phenomenon that curfews are associated with turnovers in these rates” of high growth in coronavirus cases, Rutherford said.
For example, France — which observed a quadrupling of daily coronavirus cases over the month of October — decided to enact even stronger measures to deal with its second wave: imposing a broader curfew, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., in the bigger cities; ordering the shutdown of nonessential businesses such as retail stores, restaurants and bars; and making masks mandatory for anyone age 6 and older, Rutherford said.
California Daily California coronavirus cases triple as pandemic dramatically worsens The coronavirus is infecting more Californians daily than at any other point in the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a peak in deaths by Christmas.
In recent weeks, new daily cases have fallen in half from the peak. Other similar measures elsewhere in Europe also seem to be successful, Rutherford said.
“This is good news,” he said, “and it again suggests that these kinds of measures are met with fairly rapid success, like within a couple of weeks.”
Actions that are still allowed in the overnight hours are activities that only involve people in one’s own household, such as perhaps a late-night stroll with a spouse, walking the dog, and conducting essential activities like buying food at the grocery store or picking up takeout food from a restaurant.
The action taken by the state comes in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic spiraling out of control, spreading at a breathtaking rate not seen in California since the beginning of this pandemic. The virus is spreading faster than ever in California, and officials are already warning about the risk of running out of hospital beds in a matter of weeks.
That’s setting up California for a winter season of heartbreak, with the potential for deaths to begin soaring in the Christmas holiday season.
California has now recorded six consecutive days with at least 10,000 newly confirmed coronavirus cases a day, a stretch unlike any in the pandemic.
As of Sunday night, an average of nearly 11,500 coronavirus cases were being reported daily in the previous seven-day period — triple the rate of about a month ago. The average number of deaths reported rose by about 75% in just the past 10 days, from an average of 38 publicly disclosed deaths a day over the previous week to an average of 66 deaths a day for the seven-day period that ended Sunday.
More than 1.1 million Californians have been infected with the coronavirus, and more than 18,700 have died. Nationally, the average number of weekly deaths is at its highest point since May as infections surge in almost all the states.
California’s new limited overnight stay-at-home order is far more mild than the version imposed in Europe, and is less economically disruptive than a full-blown stay-at-home order in effect all day and all night, which in the springtime forced the closure of many businesses, including malls, barbershops and hair and nail salons, that are not being forced to close under this order.
It’s a more focused approach, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary. It aims to prevent superspreading incidents among friends at night that can begin a chain reaction — infecting, perhaps, coworkers the next day, who bring the virus home to their families, some of whom might work with people who are highly vulnerable, such as residents of a senior care facility.
“This is going to help us stop the surge faster and avoid more severe actions,” Ghaly said.
“Oftentimes when people are gathering outside after 10 o’clock,” said Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County director of public health, “it’s because they’re in a situation where they’re socializing with others, probably not with people in their household. I would ask people: Use your common sense. It does make sense to limit activities where we’re with other people.”
California Hospitals brace for holiday COVID surge, fearing staff shortages and burnout A new surge of COVID-19 is battering Southern California, bearing down on exhausted healthcare workers, raising anxiety levels on hospital wards and stoking fears that there might not be enough staff and supplies for the difficult weeks ahead.
It’s possible that people may circumvent the spirit of the order by trading a late-night dinner at an outdoor restaurant with a dinner party at someone’s indoor private residence.
But it’s also possible the decision to shut down outdoor dining at restaurants late at night in most of the state will have the intended effect of shortening the duration of dinner parties, meaning fewer hours in which the virus can be transmitted.
The relatively rapid reopening of restaurant dining and bars in May and June in Southern California is a likely reason for the summertime surge that resulted in the state’s deadliest season thus far in the pandemic. The chance of transmitting the disease increases the longer you spend time with someone who is infectious. Longer social events are more like to result in superspreading incidents. Shortening such events could help drive down the number of cases and help to prevent the hospital system from becoming overwhelmed.
“A curfew will help prevent more people [from gathering] in the late hours of the night, where more high-risk activity may occur,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of public health in San Francisco.
Still the curfew has met with outrage in some quarters. A couple of hundred protesters gathered Saturday night at Huntington Beach Pier in defiance of the state’s coronavirus curfew, which went into effect at 10 p.m. “I think there are too many restrictions as is,” one protester said. Republican lawmakers also slammed the rules as unnecessary.
In L.A., restaurant owners fear they may not survive the latest shutdown of outdoor dining. Still, polls have shown Californians generally support COVID restrictions.
The coronavirus can infect others through coughing, talking and even breathing, and people can be highly contagious even when they feel healthy.
Essential workers who are exempt from the limited overnight stay-at-home order include workers at grocery stores and pharmacies and other retail establishments that sell food; workers at restaurant take-out and quick-serve food operations; healthcare workers; employees in the transportation industry; journalists; construction workers and technicians such as plumbers, electricians and exterminators; workers in hardware and building stores, consumer electronics, and technology-and-appliances retail; workers supporting e-commerce through distribution, warehouse and call center facilities; workers managing hotels; and workers in the entertainment industries, provided they follow public health guidance around physical distancing.
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
The order would also require shortened hours of operation for nonessential retail stores that might otherwise have employees on hand to do inventory in preparation for crowds on Black Friday, as well as limit crowds of prospective shoppers who traditionally gather in late-night and predawn hours for some of the busiest shopping days of the year.
There are public health risks if crowds of Black Friday shoppers were to form, as they have in years past, ahead of the post-Thanksgiving Day sales.
Ghaly says the order stipulates that nonessential businesses must close down operations by 10 p.m. and not resume until 5 a.m. He acknowledged that the success of the order largely depends on Californians voluntarily adhering to it. Still, authorities will be able to enforce the rule as a state health order should they choose to do so.
“This is about coming together,” Ghaly said. “This is about us deciding to do some things ... so we can get this under control.”


latimes--2020-11-23--'Gimme Shelter': How a Biden administration will address California's housing problems

President-elect Joe Biden has a lengthy list of ideas to address housing affordability in California and across the country .
He wants to fully fund Section 8 housing assistance vouchers for low-income renters , add a new tax credit for renters and provide greater down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers .
On this episode of “ Gim me Shelter : The California Housing Crisis Podcast , ” we discuss how Biden ’ s ideas might affect California and their chances of coming to fruition .
We also talk about the results of the big housing measures on the state ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bid to expand rent control and the success of a plan to add tax breaks for older homeowners .
Our guest is Carol Galante , faculty director at UC Berkeley ’ s Terner Center for Housing Innovation and a top official with the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama .
“ , ” a biweekly podcast that looks at why it ’ s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it , features Liam Dillon , who covers housing affordability issues for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , data and housing reporter for .
You can subscribe to “ Gim me Shelter ” on , , , , and .

President-elect Joe Biden has a lengthy list of ideas to address housing affordability in California and across the country. He wants to fully fund Section 8 housing assistance vouchers for low-income renters, add a new tax credit for renters and provide greater down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
On this episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast,” we discuss how Biden’s ideas might affect California and their chances of coming to fruition. We also talk about the results of the big housing measures on the state ballot earlier this month: the failure of a bid to expand rent control and the success of a plan to add tax breaks for older homeowners. Our guest is Carol Galante, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation and a top official with the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama.
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“ Gimme Shelter ,”a biweekly podcast that looks at why it’s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CalMatters .


latimes--2020-11-23--Coronavirus outbreak at Concordia University infects 49 students, 16 employees

A coronavirus outbreak at Concordia University in Irvine has infected more than 60 students and employees , prompting campus officials to cancel athletic practices and urge against out-of-state travel for Thanksgiving .
The active cases — 49 on-campus students and 16 on-campus employees , according to the university ’ s COVID-19 dashboard — were found through antigen testing that “ was made available to our students who wished to be tested prior to returning home for Thanksgiving break , ” officials said .
The “ large majority ” of affected students and employees are asymptomatic , officials added , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students have transitioned into isolation housing , and all are presently awaiting confirmation of the positive results through PCR testing , ” Concordia ’ s COVID-19 response team wrote in a campus update Saturday .
“ Contact tracing , quarantine and subsequent testing of close contacts is ongoing.
” Another 15 students “ have been placed in quarantine in accordance with the university ’ s health and safety protocols , ” officials said , adding that “ all students in isolation and quarantine are receiving daily health checks , meals service delivered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As a precaution , all athletic practices have been canceled for the rest of the year , according to the university .
Officials also urged students and employees to abide by the terms of California ’ s recently issued travel advisory and remain in the state for Thanksgiving .
Word of the outbreak — which accounts for the vast majority of the 80 cumulative cases confirmed at the campus throughout the course of the pandemic — comes just days after Orange County officially moved into the strictest “ purple ” tier of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ map .
As a result , many businesses and other public facilities had to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations .
Concordia , a private Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students , previously announced that most of its classes would move back to online instruction as of Monday .

A coronavirus outbreak at Concordia University in Irvine has infected more than 60 students and employees, prompting campus officials to cancel athletic practices and urge against out-of-state travel for Thanksgiving.
The active cases — 49 on-campus students and 16 on-campus employees, according to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard — were found through antigen testing that “was made available to our students who wished to be tested prior to returning home for Thanksgiving break,” officials said.
The “large majority” of affected students and employees are asymptomatic, officials added, and all are isolating.
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Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
“All the students have transitioned into isolation housing, and all are presently awaiting confirmation of the positive results through PCR testing,” Concordia’s COVID-19 response team wrote in a campus update Saturday. “Contact tracing, quarantine and subsequent testing of close contacts is ongoing.”
Another 15 students “have been placed in quarantine in accordance with the university’s health and safety protocols,” officials said, adding that “all students in isolation and quarantine are receiving daily health checks, meals service delivered to their rooms and access to laundry service.”
As a precaution, all athletic practices have been canceled for the rest of the year, according to the university.
Officials also urged students and employees to abide by the terms of California’s recently issued travel advisory and remain in the state for Thanksgiving.
California Orange County officials cry foul after state imposes sweeping COVID-19 restrictions County supervisors took Gov. Gavin Newsom and his administration to task for the recent reclassification that sent the county into the state’s most restrictive reopening tier.
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Word of the outbreak — which accounts for the vast majority of the 80 cumulative cases confirmed at the campus throughout the course of the pandemic — comes just days after Orange County officially moved into the strictest “purple” tier of the state’s coronavirus reopening road map.
As a result, many businesses and other public facilities had to suspend or severely limit their indoor operations.
Concordia, a private Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students, previously announced that most of its classes would move back to online instruction as of Monday.


latimes--2020-11-23--Outdoor-dining ban and late-night restrictions: Here are the latest COVID rules for L.A. County

In the latest effort to slow the unprecedented rise in COVID-19 , Los Angeles County officials said outdoor restaurant dining would be temporarily restricted beginning Wednesday .
It ’ s just the latest in a string of new orders issued in the last week as coronavirus infections have raged .
• The county order restricts dining at restaurants , breweries , wineries and bars .
“ To reduce the possibility for crowding and the potential for exposures in settings where people are not wearing their face coverings , restaurants , breweries , wineries and bars will only be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery services , ” the county said in its order .
“ Wineries and breweries may continue their retail operations adhering to current protocols.
” • The changes take effect Wednesday at 10 p.m. • The rules will be in effect for at least three weeks , depending on whether coronavirus cases continue to rise .
Los Angeles County on Friday ordered to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. and placed a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonessential businesses permitted to operate indoors — including retail stores , offices and personal care services — occupancy will be limited to 25 % capacity .
• The number of patrons at outdoor restaurants , breweries and wineries will be limited to 50 % of the maximum outdoor capacity .
• The number of customers at outdoor card rooms , mini-golf , go-carts and batting cages will be limited to 50 % of the outdoor capacity .
• Services at personal care establishments may only be provided by appointment to customers wearing face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services that require either the customer or the staff member to remove their face covering , such as facials and shaves , are not permitted .
Food and drinks can not be served to customers at these establishments .
• Restaurants , breweries , wineries and all other retail businesses deemed nonessential must close their doors to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m .
But they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours .
• L.A. County officials have warned that other public health interventions — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed if cases continue to spike .
• California rules prohibit most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that fall under the most restrictive , or .
Activities banned during those hours include all gatherings with members of other households and all activities conducted outside one ’ s residence , lodging or temporary accommodation with members of other households .
• People are allowed to leave home to walk their dog or take walks with people they live with , buy groceries or pick up drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick up or receive takeout food , travel to the emergency room or urgent care , or for other essential purposes .
• The rules last through Dec. 21 , though they could be extended .
• The state ’ s order does not apply to people experiencing homelessness .
Nothing in the order prevents any number of people from the same household from leaving their residence , lodging or temporary accommodation , as long as they do not engage in any interaction with ( or otherwise gather with ) any number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as specifically permitted by .
• The restrictions are different from the statewide stay-at-home order Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued in mid-March , in that they focus more on curbing late-night drinking and group gatherings .
• Californians in the affected counties will still be allowed in the overnight hours to buy groceries , walk the dog , pick up restaurant takeout orders , visit doctors or other healthcare providers and other providers of essential services .
• The order covers roughly — 37 million people — who live in counties that are @ @ @ @ @

Alex Wigglesworth, Luke Money, Matt Hamilton

In the latest effort to slow the unprecedented rise in COVID-19, Los Angeles County officials said outdoor restaurant dining would be temporarily restricted beginning Wednesday.
It’s just the latest in a string of new orders issued in the last week as coronavirus infections have raged.
California L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges L.A. County public health officials on Saturday announced they will issue an order suspending outdoor dining at restaurants amid a surge of new coronavirus cases.
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Here’s the latest:
Outdoor dining
The county order restricts dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars. “To reduce the possibility for crowding and the potential for exposures in settings where people are not wearing their face coverings, restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars will only be able to offer take-out, drive thru, and delivery services,” the county said in its order. “Wineries and breweries may continue their retail operations adhering to current protocols.”
The changes take effect Wednesday at 10 p.m.
The rules will be in effect for at least three weeks, depending on whether coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Late-night hours and capacity restrictions
Los Angeles County on Friday ordered restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. and placed a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households.
For nonessential businesses permitted to operate indoors — including retail stores, offices and personal care services — occupancy will be limited to 25% capacity.
The number of patrons at outdoor restaurants, breweries and wineries will be limited to 50% of the maximum outdoor capacity.
The number of customers at outdoor card rooms, mini-golf, go-carts and batting cages will be limited to 50% of the outdoor capacity.
Services at personal care establishments may only be provided by appointment to customers wearing face coverings by staff wearing face coverings. Services that require either the customer or the staff member to remove their face covering, such as facials and shaves, are not permitted. Food and drinks cannot be served to customers at these establishments.
Restaurants, breweries, wineries and all other retail businesses deemed nonessential must close their doors to the public from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. But they can continue to offer takeout and delivery service during those hours.
L.A. County officials have warned that other public health interventions — including a modified stay-at-home order — will be imposed if cases continue to spike.
California Daily California coronavirus cases triple as pandemic dramatically worsens The coronavirus is infecting more Californians daily than at any other point in the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a peak in deaths by Christmas.
State rules
California rules prohibit most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that fall under the most restrictive, or purple, tier . Activities banned during those hours include all gatherings with members of other households and all activities conducted outside one’s residence, lodging or temporary accommodation with members of other households.
. Activities banned during those hours include all gatherings with members of other households and all activities conducted outside one’s residence, lodging or temporary accommodation with members of other households. People are allowed to leave home to walk their dog or take walks with people they live with, buy groceries or pick up drugs at the pharmacy late at night, pick up or receive takeout food, travel to the emergency room or urgent care, or for other essential purposes.
The rules last through Dec. 21, though they could be extended.
The state’s order does not apply to people experiencing homelessness. Nothing in the order prevents any number of people from the same household from leaving their residence, lodging or temporary accommodation, as long as they do not engage in any interaction with (or otherwise gather with) any number of people from any other household, except as specifically permitted by the order .
. The restrictions are different from the statewide stay-at-home order Gov. Gavin Newsom issued in mid-March, in that they focus more on curbing late-night drinking and group gatherings.
Californians in the affected counties will still be allowed in the overnight hours to buy groceries, walk the dog, pick up restaurant takeout orders, visit doctors or other healthcare providers and other providers of essential services.
pick up restaurant takeout orders, visit doctors or other healthcare providers and other providers of essential services. The order covers roughly 94% of Californians — 37 million people — who live in counties that are in the purple tier.


latimes--2020-11-23--L.A. County restaurant owners fear they won't survive another COVID-19 shutdown

For Jacob Shaw and other restaurant owners in Los Angeles , the holiday season was going to be a welcome boost to business .
And even amid the COVID-19 pandemic , which restricted in-person dining to outdoor seating , there was hope that the next few weeks would help recoup some of the massive losses they ’ ve experienced .
Then coronavirus cases started surging , prompting L.A. County officials to announce that starting Wednesday night , restaurants and other eateries must once again stop in-person dining outdoors and instead provide only takeout and delivery .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing we can do , ” said Shaw , an owner of Beaches , a restaurant and lounge on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood .
“ Usually the holidays are a nice little bump for us , but it looks like that ’ s not going to happen this year.
” Shaw said he fears the ban on outdoor dining would extend beyond three weeks — and that Beaches is going to be hit hard without the federal relief that was available in the spring and summer .
“ Last time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packages at least pending .
This time , we don ’ t know what will happen , ” Shaw said .
“ It ’ s a little bit scarier.
” Several restaurants planned to cut back employees ’ hours , lay off staffers or simply close .
Many restaurants made major investments in outdoor dining facilities .
Some don ’ t know much much longer they can survive .
Here are some voices from restaurants : Casa Vega owner Christy Vega Fowler says she spent $ 30,000 setting up two outdoor dining tents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexican restaurant .
Vega Fowler said it costs an additional $ 10,000 a month to rent the tents .
She ’ s also paying her regular rent .
“ It ’ s an impossible game that doesn ’ t make any sense , and it seems like nobody cares about us , ” she said .
Vega Fowler said she planned on running all her numbers Monday and drastically reducing the hours of many of her employees .
“ They told us we could operate with outdoor dining , we did it safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then they take it away from us , ” she said .
“ It ’ s devastating.
” ‘ It feels like March all over again ’ “ We ’ ve been operating for many weeks while the number of cases were in decline .
Outdoor dining is not the reason the caseloads are going up , ” asserted Caroline Styne , a restaurateur , sommelier and co-owner of AOC , Tavern and the Larder .
“ What people are doing at home is the problem .
“ Styne said that her restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she has been forced to lay off the majority of her staff for the second time this year .
“ I feel so responsible for everyone , ” she said .
“ It ’ s devastating and heartbreaking .
I don ’ t know how many places can survive in the long run.
” Styne said that the owners of AOC had already spent over $ 20,000 building out the restaurant ’ s patio , which seats up to 90 , and had recently put a deposit down on an upgraded outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re still on the hook for that , ” she said .
“ It feels like March all over again , ” she added .
“ We ’ ve spent so much money treading water this whole time and we have nothing to show for it .
There ’ s no savior on the horizon .
“ The fact that there is a restaurant aid bill sitting in Congress right now and it hasn ’ t been passed , it ’ s a complete train wreck , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ die.
” ‘ What we are going to do ?
’ “ What do I think of it ?
It ’ s horrible .
It ’ s another punch , ” Michael Simhai , the owner of Italian restaurant Della Terra in the Fairfax district , said in a brief telephone interview about 10 minutes after learning of the moratorium on outdoor dining .
“ It will be horrible for my staff , ” said Simhai , noting that his takeout business would not offset the loss from patrons dining at his restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ busboys , food runners , servers — they are not needed… .
They work paycheck to paycheck .
What are we going to do ?
” Simhai echoed frustrations that he had spent so much money on preparations for outdoor dining , only to have his restaurant sit idle .
“ We opened a back patio .
We spent money reinforcing it , putting heaters in , thinking that in the holiday season , we ’ d make money , ” said Simhai , who opened his restaurant in 2009 .
“ All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t recover it .
“ I ’ m more worried about my staff .
That ’ s who I worry about .
After three weeks , who knows ?
How much more after that ?
How are they going to pay rent ?
” Simhai said .
He couldn ’ t help but feel the restaurant industry was being targeted unfairly , without any aid to compensate for owners ’ losses .
“ I guarantee the people making these decisions make the same salary regardless of whether there is a shutdown or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rankin , chef at Bar Restaurant in Silver Lake , said that outdoor dining had helped his restaurant break even over the last few months , generating enough to carry it through the year and ensure that staffers kept their jobs .
The restaurant will now pivot entirely to takeout .
Rankin said that the entire service staff had already been laid off and that kitchen staff would be scaled down immediately .
“ We ’ re holding on for dear life , ” he said .
“ It ’ s incredibly devastating.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no aid on the horizon .
“ There ’ s no aid in sight , nothing at all , ” he said .
“ If you ’ re going to keep throwing these restrictions at us , you need to provide some kind of support .
I had very little faith in the government at this point .
“ We spent thousands of dollars on outdoor seating and now we can ’ t use it .
They ’ ve told us three weeks , but I ’ m honestly expecting it [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We ’ re considering taking a pause until the end of the year , just shutting down the restaurant completely , ” he added .
“ It ’ s a completely different landscape than in March , and takeout isn ’ t going to cut it if we ’ re going to survive .
“ It ’ s frustrating because we ’ ve done everything that has been asked of us , healthwise .
We ’ ve been on top of it .
And now they want to point the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data ?
” he said .
“ So many people are losing their jobs right before the holidays , ” he said .
“ I have two kids at home and I ’ m trying to support my family .
I ’ m terrified.
” Shirley Chung , chef-owner of Ms Chi restaurant in Culver City , said she had been texting with local chefs last week , speculating when another shutdown might happen .
“ We ’ ve been expecting it for the last few weeks and now the shoe finally dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her income , the chef has started multiple concepts out of her single restaurant kitchen .
She now sells her mochi doughnuts under the name Mo-Chi Donuts on Grubhub , and with this latest shutdown , she ’ s thinking about starting another one called Lu Rou Fantastic , focusing on the braised pork belly dish .
“ All I can think of is how can I increase my revenue based on one location , ” she said .
“ If this stay-at-home order continues , I might do a burger concept or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can turn out with quality from the Ms Chi kitchen.
” ‘ Make sure we ’ re doing our part ’ Frances Cannon , the executive director of the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild — a nonprofit with nearly 100 brewery members — said the latest order to close outdoor dining and tasting rooms comes as its members are “ all scrambling to earn enough to keep the lights on.
” “ Having only reopened in early October after nearly 100 days closed for outdoor dining , our breweries were hoping to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather was still reasonable , ” Cannon said in an email .
“ Our industry isn ’ t thrilled about being reduced back to to-go sales , but we also want to make sure we ’ re doing our part — and doing so together , ” she said .
“ The silver lining here is that our industry wasn ’ t singled out this time around .
This will definitely have an incredibly dire impact on dining and hospitality as a whole , but if we were arbitrarily chosen to close while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then that would have left a bitter taste in our mouths , ” Cannon said .
Cannon asked patrons of L.A. County breweries to “ make the effort ” to pick up beers to-go or order bottles to be delivered .

Matt Hamilton, Jenn Harris, Garrett Snyder, Alex Wigglesworth, Gale Holland

L.A. County public health officials announced a three-week suspension of in-person dining that will begin Wednesday night. Above, a server at La Boheme in West Hollywood in July.
For Jacob Shaw and other restaurant owners in Los Angeles, the holiday season was going to be a welcome boost to business.
And even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted in-person dining to outdoor seating, there was hope that the next few weeks would help recoup some of the massive losses they’ve experienced.
Then coronavirus cases started surging, prompting L.A. County officials to announce that starting Wednesday night, restaurants and other eateries must once again stop in-person dining outdoors and instead provide only takeout and delivery.
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“It’s not good, but there’s nothing we can do,” said Shaw, an owner of Beaches, a restaurant and lounge on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. “Usually the holidays are a nice little bump for us, but it looks like that’s not going to happen this year.”
Shaw said he fears the ban on outdoor dining would extend beyond three weeks — and that Beaches is going to be hit hard without the federal relief that was available in the spring and summer.
“Last time we shut down, we had some federal packages at least pending. This time, we don’t know what will happen,” Shaw said. “It’s a little bit scarier.”
Several restaurants planned to cut back employees’ hours, lay off staffers or simply close. Many restaurants made major investments in outdoor dining facilities. Some don’t know much much longer they can survive.
Here are some voices from restaurants:
‘It’s devastating’
Casa Vega owner Christy Vega Fowler says she spent $30,000 setting up two outdoor dining tents behind her family’s Sherman Oaks Mexican restaurant. Vega Fowler said it costs an additional $10,000 a month to rent the tents. She’s also paying her regular rent.
“It’s an impossible game that doesn’t make any sense, and it seems like nobody cares about us,” she said. Vega Fowler said she planned on running all her numbers Monday and drastically reducing the hours of many of her employees.
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“They told us we could operate with outdoor dining, we did it safely, we made the investment, and then they take it away from us,” she said. “It’s devastating.”
California L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges L.A. County public health officials on Saturday announced they will issue an order suspending outdoor dining at restaurants amid a surge of new coronavirus cases.
‘It feels like March all over again’
“We’ve been operating for many weeks while the number of cases were in decline. Outdoor dining is not the reason the caseloads are going up,” asserted Caroline Styne, a restaurateur, sommelier and co-owner of AOC, Tavern and the Larder. “What people are doing at home is the problem. “
Styne said that her restaurants are unable to survive on takeout and that she has been forced to lay off the majority of her staff for the second time this year.
“I feel so responsible for everyone,” she said. “It’s devastating and heartbreaking. I don’t know how many places can survive in the long run.”
Styne said that the owners of AOC had already spent over $20,000 building out the restaurant’s patio, which seats up to 90, and had recently put a deposit down on an upgraded outdoor tent rated for winter weather.
“We’re still on the hook for that,” she said.
“It feels like March all over again,” she added. “We’ve spent so much money treading water this whole time and we have nothing to show for it. There’s no savior on the horizon.
“The fact that there is a restaurant aid bill sitting in Congress right now and it hasn’t been passed, it’s a complete train wreck,” she said. “They’re letting independent restaurants die.”
California Hospitals brace for holiday COVID surge, fearing staff shortages and burnout A new surge of COVID-19 is battering Southern California, bearing down on exhausted healthcare workers, raising anxiety levels on hospital wards and stoking fears that there might not be enough staff and supplies for the difficult weeks ahead.
‘What we are going to do?’
“What do I think of it? It’s horrible. It’s another punch,” Michael Simhai, the owner of Italian restaurant Della Terra in the Fairfax district, said in a brief telephone interview about 10 minutes after learning of the moratorium on outdoor dining.
“It will be horrible for my staff,” said Simhai, noting that his takeout business would not offset the loss from patrons dining at his restaurant’s patios. “All the busboys, food runners, servers — they are not needed…. They work paycheck to paycheck. What are we going to do?”
Simhai echoed frustrations that he had spent so much money on preparations for outdoor dining, only to have his restaurant sit idle.
“We opened a back patio. We spent money reinforcing it, putting heaters in, thinking that in the holiday season, we’d make money,” said Simhai, who opened his restaurant in 2009. “All that money I spent, I can’t recover it.
“I’m more worried about my staff. That’s who I worry about. After three weeks, who knows? How much more after that? How are they going to pay rent?” Simhai said.
He couldn’t help but feel the restaurant industry was being targeted unfairly, without any aid to compensate for owners’ losses.
“I guarantee the people making these decisions make the same salary regardless of whether there is a shutdown or not,” he said.
‘I am terrified’
Doug Rankin, chef at Bar Restaurant in Silver Lake, said that outdoor dining had helped his restaurant break even over the last few months, generating enough to carry it through the year and ensure that staffers kept their jobs.
The restaurant will now pivot entirely to takeout. Rankin said that the entire service staff had already been laid off and that kitchen staff would be scaled down immediately.
“We’re holding on for dear life,” he said. “It’s incredibly devastating.”
Rankin also expressed frustration that there was no aid on the horizon.
“There’s no aid in sight, nothing at all,” he said. “If you’re going to keep throwing these restrictions at us, you need to provide some kind of support. I had very little faith in the government at this point.
“We spent thousands of dollars on outdoor seating and now we can’t use it. They’ve told us three weeks, but I’m honestly expecting it [to be] longer,” he said.
“We’re considering taking a pause until the end of the year, just shutting down the restaurant completely,” he added. “It’s a completely different landscape than in March, and takeout isn’t going to cut it if we’re going to survive.
“It’s frustrating because we’ve done everything that has been asked of us, healthwise. We’ve been on top of it. And now they want to point the finger at restaurants. Where is the data?” he said.
“So many people are losing their jobs right before the holidays,” he said. “I have two kids at home and I’m trying to support my family. I’m terrified.”
Expecting the worst
Shirley Chung, chef-owner of Ms Chi restaurant in Culver City, said she had been texting with local chefs last week, speculating when another shutdown might happen.
“We’ve been expecting it for the last few weeks and now the shoe finally dropped,” Chung said.
To supplement her income, the chef has started multiple concepts out of her single restaurant kitchen. She now sells her mochi doughnuts under the name Mo-Chi Donuts on Grubhub, and with this latest shutdown, she’s thinking about starting another one called Lu Rou Fantastic, focusing on the braised pork belly dish.
“All I can think of is how can I increase my revenue based on one location,” she said. “If this stay-at-home order continues, I might do a burger concept or fried food — something easy that I can turn out with quality from the Ms Chi kitchen.”
‘Make sure we’re doing our part’
Frances Cannon, the executive director of the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild — a nonprofit with nearly 100 brewery members — said the latest order to close outdoor dining and tasting rooms comes as its members are “all scrambling to earn enough to keep the lights on.”
“Having only reopened in early October after nearly 100 days closed for outdoor dining, our breweries were hoping to try and make ends meet while the winter weather was still reasonable,” Cannon said in an email.
“Our industry isn’t thrilled about being reduced back to to-go sales, but we also want to make sure we’re doing our part — and doing so together,” she said.
“The silver lining here is that our industry wasn’t singled out this time around. This will definitely have an incredibly dire impact on dining and hospitality as a whole, but if we were arbitrarily chosen to close while other businesses with like behaviors were not, then that would have left a bitter taste in our mouths,” Cannon said.
Cannon asked patrons of L.A. County breweries to “make the effort” to pick up beers to-go or order bottles to be delivered.


latimes--2020-11-23--California is still debating ethnic studies in public education. Can the state finally get it right?

After more than a year of roiling controversies over how to teach ethnic studies in K-12 through college classrooms , discord erupted anew last week over course content and how to meet legal requirements , with many wondering : Can California get it right this go-round ?
The state ’ s top instructional-policy makers for K-12 education painstakingly debated hundreds of changes to a draft model curriculum for ethnic studies during two days of meetings , just months after a stinging veto by Gov .
Newsom , who refused to sign a bill requiring ethnic studies in high school without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart of the current tensions is how to create a curriculum that is faithful to the discipline of ethnic studies — which focuses on the experiences and contributions of Asian , Black , Latino and Native/Indigenous Americans — while also accommodating myriad additional groups who demand inclusion and say their stories have been marginalized .
At California State University , where an ethnic studies course is now mandated by state law for all undergraduate students , faculty are sparring with the administration over how best to meet that requirement .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is more than just ethnic studies , ” Julia Jordan-Zachery , president of the Assn .
for Ethnic Studies , said .
“ These are ... larger issues that we ’ re grappling with at a societal level that we haven ’ t figured out how to manage , and they ’ re just playing out on this scale.
” The discussion remains charged because it is essentially about issues of power and representation , said Jordan-Zachery , who is also chair of the Africana studies department at the University of North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by law to create an ethnic studies “ model curriculum ” by March 31 , 2021 , for use as a guide by K-12 schools and districts that wish to offer to such a course .
A separate bill to require that all public high school students complete at least one semester of ethnic studies failed with Newsom ’ s September veto , but the author has vowed to reintroduce it .
The course mandate and model curriculum could serve as examples for the rest of the country .
Ethnic studies have traditionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , histories and contributions of the four previously mentioned racial/ethnic groups , which have been marginalized and oppressed in the United States .
Coursework emphasizes inquiry and encourages students to “ tell their own stories ” and engage in social justice .
Since the first draft of the model curriculum was published in 2019 , it has been assailed as being anti-capitalist , biased in favor of or against certain groups , and full of politically correct and obscure jargon .
Jews , Armenians , Sikhs and other groups called for inclusion or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has spent considerable political capital and staked part of his legacy on creating a robust model curriculum , publicly calling for ethnic studies to retain its focus on the traditional four disciplines and opposing Newsom ’ s decision to veto the high school requirement .
Thurmond is “ trying to deal with lots of folks with lots of very strong opinions , often conflicting , and people feel very deeply about this stuff , ” said Assembly member Jesse Gabriel ( D-Encino ) , incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which opposed the first draft of the curriculum .
“ That ’ s a tall order.
” After reviewing thousands of public comment letters , the California Department of Education recommended about 200 edits to the latest draft of the curriculum .
“ We ’ re walking a balance of how to tell stories of what we would call core ethnic studies but also a nod to other groups that experienced oppression , and a way for districts to have ... ultimate flexibility , ” Thurmond said in an interview ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the curriculum was not prescriptive .
“ It is a menu of choices that can be considered , ” he said .
“ The guide ... is not saying that you must take these sections or you must take these lesson plans or that you must do it in this order.
” Members of the Instructional Quality Commission — the state ’ s top instructional-policy makers — heard hours of public comment at a virtual meeting last week , where parents , educators , Jewish Americans , Armenian Americans , Arab Americans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took issue with portions of the work .
They offered arguments for and against definitions of anti-Semitism that included criticism of Israel , advocated for the inclusion of more groups and implored policymakers to honor the half-century-long fight for ethnic studies in schools .
Commissioners exhaustively reviewed the edits , considering for example how best to define the concept of “ race ” and what sources to cite , whether capitalism rightly belongs on a list of forms of oppression , and how to incorporate field-specific terminology without a glossary .
They discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or “ bridge , ” following the curriculum ’ s main chapters sample lesson plans about Arab , Armenian , Jewish and Sikh Americans — a move that mollified some and incensed others over being relegated to the margins .
Some raised concerns about adding lessons focused on ethnic groups that did not have an explicit tie to the four core racial/ethnic groups .
“ It ’ s a very political decision that ’ s being made , not necessarily an academic one , ” said Assembly member Shirley Weber ( D-San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor .
“ I don ’ t mind the politics of it , but at the same time … we should be able to academically and honestly show the connection that ’ s there.
” Others argued that framing language in the curriculum and appendix would ensure any such lesson would be situated within the appropriate academic context , and a majority of commissioners ultimately voted in favor .
With the approved edits and additions , the draft curriculum will go to its last period of public comment beginning in December , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Education for final review .
At CSU , the question of how broad ethnic studies should be was somewhat settled by law this summer , but faculty and administrators continued to debate at a board of trustees meeting where a course should fit in among students ’ other graduation requirements , and who should decide what courses qualified .
Officials expect the debates to continue .
Jordan-Zachery said that concessions would have to be made but warned against watering down what is taught .
She advised policymakers to frame ethnic studies not as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of adding to students ’ understanding .
“ We will get ethnic studies as a symbolic effort but not a substantive effort if we ’ re not careful , ” Jordan-Zachery said .
“ Find a way to show the complexities of American life ... and not shy away from the fact that these things are contested , that there is no one right answer .
”

After more than a year of roiling controversies over how to teach ethnic studies in K-12 through college classrooms, discord erupted anew last week over course content and how to meet legal requirements, with many wondering: Can California get it right this go-round?
The state’s top instructional-policy makers for K-12 education painstakingly debated hundreds of changes to a draft model curriculum for ethnic studies during two days of meetings, just months after a stinging veto by Gov. Newsom, who refused to sign a bill requiring ethnic studies in high school without clear course guidelines in place.
At the heart of the current tensions is how to create a curriculum that is faithful to the discipline of ethnic studies — which focuses on the experiences and contributions of Asian, Black, Latino and Native/Indigenous Americans — while also accommodating myriad additional groups who demand inclusion and say their stories have been marginalized.
At California State University, where an ethnic studies course is now mandated by state law for all undergraduate students, faculty are sparring with the administration over how best to meet that requirement.
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“This is more than just a curriculum, this is more than just ethnic studies,” Julia Jordan-Zachery, president of the Assn. for Ethnic Studies, said. “These are ... larger issues that we’re grappling with at a societal level that we haven’t figured out how to manage, and they’re just playing out on this scale.”
The discussion remains charged because it is essentially about issues of power and representation, said Jordan-Zachery, who is also chair of the Africana studies department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
California is required by law to create an ethnic studies “model curriculum” by March 31, 2021, for use as a guide by K-12 schools and districts that wish to offer to such a course. A separate bill to require that all public high school students complete at least one semester of ethnic studies failed with Newsom’s September veto, but the author has vowed to reintroduce it. The course mandate and model curriculum could serve as examples for the rest of the country.
Ethnic studies have traditionally been defined as focusing on the experiences, histories and contributions of the four previously mentioned racial/ethnic groups, which have been marginalized and oppressed in the United States. Coursework emphasizes inquiry and encourages students to “tell their own stories” and engage in social justice.
Since the first draft of the model curriculum was published in 2019, it has been assailed as being anti-capitalist, biased in favor of or against certain groups, and full of politically correct and obscure jargon. Jews, Armenians, Sikhs and other groups called for inclusion or a larger presence in the materials.
Advertisement
State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has spent considerable political capital and staked part of his legacy on creating a robust model curriculum, publicly calling for ethnic studies to retain its focus on the traditional four disciplines and opposing Newsom’s decision to veto the high school requirement.
Thurmond is “trying to deal with lots of folks with lots of very strong opinions, often conflicting, and people feel very deeply about this stuff,” said Assembly member Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), incoming chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, which opposed the first draft of the curriculum. “That’s a tall order.”
After reviewing thousands of public comment letters, the California Department of Education recommended about 200 edits to the latest draft of the curriculum.
“We’re walking a balance of how to tell stories of what we would call core ethnic studies but also a nod to other groups that experienced oppression, and a way for districts to have ... ultimate flexibility,” Thurmond said in an interview ahead of the meeting.
He repeatedly emphasized that the curriculum was not prescriptive. “It is a menu of choices that can be considered,” he said. “The guide ... is not saying that you must take these sections or you must take these lesson plans or that you must do it in this order.”
Members of the Instructional Quality Commission — the state’s top instructional-policy makers — heard hours of public comment at a virtual meeting last week, where parents, educators, Jewish Americans, Armenian Americans, Arab Americans and ethnic studies scholars, among others, took issue with portions of the work.
They offered arguments for and against definitions of anti-Semitism that included criticism of Israel, advocated for the inclusion of more groups and implored policymakers to honor the half-century-long fight for ethnic studies in schools.
Commissioners exhaustively reviewed the edits, considering for example how best to define the concept of “race” and what sources to cite, whether capitalism rightly belongs on a list of forms of oppression, and how to incorporate field-specific terminology without a glossary.
They discussed at long length adding to an appendix, or “bridge,” following the curriculum’s main chapters sample lesson plans about Arab, Armenian, Jewish and Sikh Americans — a move that mollified some and incensed others over being relegated to the margins.
Some raised concerns about adding lessons focused on ethnic groups that did not have an explicit tie to the four core racial/ethnic groups. “It’s a very political decision that’s being made, not necessarily an academic one,” said Assembly member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), a longtime Africana studies professor. “I don’t mind the politics of it, but at the same time … we should be able to academically and honestly show the connection that’s there.”
Others argued that framing language in the curriculum and appendix would ensure any such lesson would be situated within the appropriate academic context, and a majority of commissioners ultimately voted in favor.
With the approved edits and additions, the draft curriculum will go to its last period of public comment beginning in December, and then on to the State Board of Education for final review.
At CSU, the question of how broad ethnic studies should be was somewhat settled by law this summer, but faculty and administrators continued to debate at a board of trustees meeting where a course should fit in among students’ other graduation requirements, and who should decide what courses qualified.
Officials expect the debates to continue. Jordan-Zachery said that concessions would have to be made but warned against watering down what is taught. She advised policymakers to frame ethnic studies not as a zero-sum game but as a way of adding to students’ understanding.
“We will get ethnic studies as a symbolic effort but not a substantive effort if we’re not careful,” Jordan-Zachery said. “Find a way to show the complexities of American life ... and not shy away from the fact that these things are contested, that there is no one right answer.”
Times staff writer Howard Blume contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-23--Killings in L.A. spike dramatically, leaving families shattered, communities reeling

Beneath a highway overpass in South Los Angeles on Saturday night , a detective clicked his flashlight on and off as he carefully placed a yellow evidence marker in the middle of the street and then another closer to the curb , near the pooled blood of a 17-year-old boy .
A big dog barked behind a nearby fence as another detective recounted for his colleague how the teenager had been riding a bicycle when he was gunned down .
The boy died en route to a hospital .
His death and three other fatal shootings in L.A. from Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless man , a 20-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman — pushed Los Angeles , in an already historic year , to a bloody benchmark not seen in a decade : 300 homicides .
Killings are up 25 % over last year and shootings are up more than 32 % , mirroring increases in violence that are driving concerns in big cities across the nation .
Last week , a pregnant woman was gunned down .
Children and elderly residents have been killed .
Of all the year ’ s victims , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are suspected in many cases .
Over the weekend , the violence played out as a weary L.A. fell under a new 10 p.m. limited curfew aimed at halting the spread of another killer : COVID-19 .
For Police Chief Michel Moore , the fact that there didn ’ t seem to be anywhere near the amount of concern for the violence was frustrating .
“ With the health pandemic , we don ’ t just cross our arms and say , ‘ It is what it is.
’ We ’ re taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curve , to lower the impact , to save lives .
And that ’ s what I ’ m asking for us to do with this violent crime , ” he said .
“ We have a pandemic of crime right now.
” Instead , passion is lacking in the official response , he said .
The roughly $ 3-billion police budget was cut this year by $ 150 million in the wake of widespread protests against police brutality and misconduct , and Moore said he is scrambling to put more officers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where much of the recent violence has been — as he is slashing specialized units and reducing overtime by half .
“ These cuts couldn ’ t come at a worse time , ” Moore said .
“ My ability to put added resources [ in the community ] right now is hampered.
” Many activists and police reform advocates continue to contend that it is more robust and better funded social services that will reduce violence , not additional police .
They suggest the multibillion-dollar police budget should be reduced further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the families of those killed , it is simply the loss that is front of mind .
Shortly before 11:30 a.m. Nov. 15 , Arlene Rodriguez — 24 and seven months pregnant with her fourth child — was sitting in the passenger seat of a red sedan in a Wilmington neighborhood while her boyfriend worked on the engine when someone walked up and fired multiple rounds through the back windshield , striking both of them , police said .
It ’ s unclear who the shooter was trying to target , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is investigating the incident , said it is believed to be linked to gang activity in the area .
Rodriguez ’ s boyfriend survived , but she and her unborn child died .
Rodriguez ’ s stepmother , Jessica Rodriguez , said Arlene Rodriguez had endured multiple tragedies in her life , including her mother dying of liver failure in 2005 and her 17-year-old brother , Richard Rodriguez , being fatally shot in 2011 — just a few blocks from where she was shot this month .
Jessica Rodriguez , who lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with substance abuse but wanted to get her life on track .
The 24-year-old recently asked if she could come to Kansas to stay awhile and seek a fresh start .
“ She had a lot of dreams in hoping she would be able to get her life back on track and be able to be a better mom for her kids , ” Jessica Rodriguez said .
Instead , three months later , the call came that Arlene Rodriguez had been killed .
“ They took someone who had so much life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of the shooter .
“ They took three kids ’ mom.
” Just before 2 a.m. Sept. 30 , cousins Jarrod Santos , 19 , and Jesse Meza , 18 , were sitting in Santos ’ car when someone walked up and opened fire .
Detectives believe the two were “ misidentified ” as gang members .
Roque Santos , Jarrod ’ s father , said his son had recently become a father himself .
His daughter turned 6 months old on the day of her father ’ s funeral services .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ found himself visiting the site of his son ’ s killing daily .
“ My mentality was that my son took his last breath here , so I need to be here , ” he said .
In past decades , L.A. experienced far more violence , with more than 1,000 homicides in some years in the 1980s and 1990s .
But more recently , crime has been on a steady downward trend , both in L.A. and in other major cities .
The causes are hard to pin down .
Some credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at keeping children out of gangs and intervening in street disputes to prevent them from turning into cycles of retaliation .
Others suggest gentrification played a role .
Still others say policing improved , got smarter and less controversial , and police learned to start working with local communities .
Whatever it was , cities like New York and Los Angeles saw their death rates shrink dramatically .
The last time the city passed 300 homicides was in 2009 .
In 2010 , when Los Angeles ended the year with 293 killings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lowest number of homicides in the city since 1967 , when the population was 30 % smaller .
The progress was being felt up until this year , when the coronavirus and its associated economic shutdowns helped upend whatever balance had been paying dividends .
According to Jeff Asher , a crime analyst and consultant based in New Orleans , data suggest that , because of surges in Los Angeles , New York and other big cities , 2020 could see “ the largest one-year increase in homicides nationally that we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as “ overall murder remains down significantly ” from its peak toward the end of the 20th century .
Contrary to statements from some public officials , homicide increases have occurred in cities controlled by both political parties , Asher said .
And because the increase is being seen across the board , he thinks “ hyper-local explanations ” for increases in specific cities — such as a cut to the Los Angeles Police Department budget — are probably incorrect or only part of the answer for why things are going so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caution people against looking for local explanations for what is clearly a nationally driven trend , ” Asher said .
He said there is a major correlation between the “ stresses of the pandemic ” and the violence , but more study is needed on the connection .
There also could be a connection between the violence and “ the loss of police legitimacy ” before and during massive protests this year , he said .
Fernando Rejón , who works to prevent violence as executive director of the Urban Peace Institute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underserved communities that rely on in-person events for connections and support .
In addition , intervention workers — people with ties to the community who work to mediate conflicts — are working to educate people about the coronavirus , and are being spread thin .
In recent years , Moore and his predecessor , Charlie Beck , have credited gang intervention workers with helping to reduce violence in the city .
But as the pandemic rages on and people lose jobs and fall into economic despair , intervention workers are trying to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , such as talking to shooting victims at their bedsides to halt cycles of retaliation , has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ They continue to do the city a great service , but they ’ re not valued , ” Rejón said .
His organization is calling for more staffing and funding for such work .
At a recent meeting of intervention workers , issues such as homelessness , increased drug use and an increase in assault weapons and “ ghost guns ” — or guns made on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also brought up as concerns , he said .
“ People are just frustrated and then they don ’ t have access to their social networks to get together to share information , ” Rejón said .
“ It ’ s this perfect storm we ’ re dealing with.
” Moore , who also cited the increased prevalence of ghost guns and the interruptions to gang intervention work as factors in the violence , said he is trying to figure out how to put more officers on the streets of South L.A. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel to investigate the killings that do occur .
Whether he succeeds in doing so , it can ’ t just be police trying to stop the violence , he said .
Everyone in the city needs to start having a conversation about the current crisis of violence , and figure out what they are going to do to help , he said .
Those who bring extraordinary passion to reforming police would help the city greatly if they put some of that energy toward halting killings , he said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have helped and they continue to help us now , but we need their vigilance .
If you see something , say something .
If you are aware of who is responsible for violence , bring us in .
Let us stop this senseless loss of life , ” he said .
“ Los Angeles is better than this .
”

Roque Santos kneels near the spot where his son Jarrod Santos and Jarrod’s cousin Jesse Meza were fatally shot in Wilmington on Sept. 30.
Beneath a highway overpass in South Los Angeles on Saturday night, a detective clicked his flashlight on and off as he carefully placed a yellow evidence marker in the middle of the street and then another closer to the curb, near the pooled blood of a 17-year-old boy.
A big dog barked behind a nearby fence as another detective recounted for his colleague how the teenager had been riding a bicycle when he was gunned down. The boy died en route to a hospital.
His death and three other fatal shootings in L.A. from Saturday into Sunday morning — of a 50-year-old homeless man, a 20-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman — pushed Los Angeles, in an already historic year, to a bloody benchmark not seen in a decade: 300 homicides.
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Killings are up 25% over last year and shootings are up more than 32%, mirroring increases in violence that are driving concerns in big cities across the nation. Last week, a pregnant woman was gunned down. Children and elderly residents have been killed. Of all the year’s victims, nearly 20% have been homeless. Gangs are suspected in many cases.
Over the weekend, the violence played out as a weary L.A. fell under a new 10 p.m. limited curfew aimed at halting the spread of another killer: COVID-19. For Police Chief Michel Moore, the fact that there didn’t seem to be anywhere near the amount of concern for the violence was frustrating.
“With the health pandemic, we don’t just cross our arms and say, ‘It is what it is.’ We’re taking all types of efforts to flatten the curve, to lower the impact, to save lives. And that’s what I’m asking for us to do with this violent crime,” he said. “We have a pandemic of crime right now.”
Instead, passion is lacking in the official response, he said. The roughly $3-billion police budget was cut this year by $150 million in the wake of widespread protests against police brutality and misconduct, and Moore said he is scrambling to put more officers on the street — particularly in South L.A., where much of the recent violence has been — as he is slashing specialized units and reducing overtime by half.
“These cuts couldn’t come at a worse time,” Moore said. “My ability to put added resources [in the community] right now is hampered.”
Many activists and police reform advocates continue to contend that it is more robust and better funded social services that will reduce violence, not additional police. They suggest the multibillion-dollar police budget should be reduced further and the funding poured into alternative programs.
For the families of those killed, it is simply the loss that is front of mind.
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Shortly before 11:30 a.m. Nov. 15, Arlene Rodriguez — 24 and seven months pregnant with her fourth child — was sitting in the passenger seat of a red sedan in a Wilmington neighborhood while her boyfriend worked on the engine when someone walked up and fired multiple rounds through the back windshield, striking both of them, police said.
It’s unclear who the shooter was trying to target, but LAPD Officer Jeffrey Tiffin, who is investigating the incident, said it is believed to be linked to gang activity in the area. Rodriguez’s boyfriend survived, but she and her unborn child died.
Rodriguez’s stepmother, Jessica Rodriguez, said Arlene Rodriguez had endured multiple tragedies in her life, including her mother dying of liver failure in 2005 and her 17-year-old brother, Richard Rodriguez, being fatally shot in 2011 — just a few blocks from where she was shot this month.
Jessica Rodriguez, who lives in Kansas, said her stepdaughter had struggled with substance abuse but wanted to get her life on track. The 24-year-old recently asked if she could come to Kansas to stay awhile and seek a fresh start.
“She had a lot of dreams in hoping she would be able to get her life back on track and be able to be a better mom for her kids,” Jessica Rodriguez said.
Instead, three months later, the call came that Arlene Rodriguez had been killed.
“They took someone who had so much life ahead of them,” Jessica Rodriguez said of the shooter. “They took three kids’ mom.”
Just before 2 a.m. Sept. 30, cousins Jarrod Santos, 19, and Jesse Meza, 18, were sitting in Santos’ car when someone walked up and opened fire. Detectives believe the two were “misidentified” as gang members.
Roque Santos, Jarrod’s father, said his son had recently become a father himself. His daughter turned 6 months old on the day of her father’s funeral services.
Since the shooting, Roque Santos has found himself visiting the site of his son’s killing daily.
“My mentality was that my son took his last breath here, so I need to be here,” he said.
In past decades, L.A. experienced far more violence, with more than 1,000 homicides in some years in the 1980s and 1990s. But more recently, crime has been on a steady downward trend, both in L.A. and in other major cities. The causes are hard to pin down.
Some credit the expansion of community programs and those aimed at keeping children out of gangs and intervening in street disputes to prevent them from turning into cycles of retaliation. Others suggest gentrification played a role. Still others say policing improved, got smarter and less controversial, and police learned to start working with local communities.
Whatever it was, cities like New York and Los Angeles saw their death rates shrink dramatically.
The last time the city passed 300 homicides was in 2009. In 2010, when Los Angeles ended the year with 293 killings, it was a milestone that marked the lowest number of homicides in the city since 1967, when the population was 30% smaller.
The progress was being felt up until this year, when the coronavirus and its associated economic shutdowns helped upend whatever balance had been paying dividends.
According to Jeff Asher, a crime analyst and consultant based in New Orleans, data suggest that, because of surges in Los Angeles, New York and other big cities, 2020 could see “the largest one-year increase in homicides nationally that we have ever seen” in the U.S., even as “overall murder remains down significantly” from its peak toward the end of the 20th century.
Contrary to statements from some public officials, homicide increases have occurred in cities controlled by both political parties, Asher said. And because the increase is being seen across the board, he thinks “hyper-local explanations” for increases in specific cities — such as a cut to the Los Angeles Police Department budget — are probably incorrect or only part of the answer for why things are going so wrong so fast.
“I would caution people against looking for local explanations for what is clearly a nationally driven trend,” Asher said.
He said there is a major correlation between the “stresses of the pandemic” and the violence, but more study is needed on the connection. There also could be a connection between the violence and “the loss of police legitimacy” before and during massive protests this year, he said.
Fernando Rejón, who works to prevent violence as executive director of the Urban Peace Institute, said the pandemic has exposed gaps in underserved communities that rely on in-person events for connections and support.
In addition, intervention workers — people with ties to the community who work to mediate conflicts — are working to educate people about the coronavirus, and are being spread thin.
In recent years, Moore and his predecessor, Charlie Beck, have credited gang intervention workers with helping to reduce violence in the city. But as the pandemic rages on and people lose jobs and fall into economic despair, intervention workers are trying to play more roles. And some of their work, such as talking to shooting victims at their bedsides to halt cycles of retaliation, has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They continue to do the city a great service, but they’re not valued,” Rejón said. His organization is calling for more staffing and funding for such work.
At a recent meeting of intervention workers, issues such as homelessness, increased drug use and an increase in assault weapons and “ghost guns” — or guns made on the black market without serial numbers — were also brought up as concerns, he said.
“People are just frustrated and then they don’t have access to their social networks to get together to share information,” Rejón said. “It’s this perfect storm we’re dealing with.”
Moore, who also cited the increased prevalence of ghost guns and the interruptions to gang intervention work as factors in the violence, said he is trying to figure out how to put more officers on the streets of South L.A. to interrupt the violence while also maintaining sufficient personnel to investigate the killings that do occur.
Whether he succeeds in doing so, it can’t just be police trying to stop the violence, he said. Everyone in the city needs to start having a conversation about the current crisis of violence, and figure out what they are going to do to help, he said.
Those who bring extraordinary passion to reforming police would help the city greatly if they put some of that energy toward halting killings, he said.
“We need the community’s help. They have helped and they continue to help us now, but we need their vigilance. If you see something, say something. If you are aware of who is responsible for violence, bring us in. Let us stop this senseless loss of life,” he said. “Los Angeles is better than this.”


latimes--2020-11-23--Column: Whom should Newsom choose as Kamala Harris' successor? Himself, Willie Brown says

Maybe Gov .
Gavin Newsom should just choose himself to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate .
That ’ s the thinking of Willie Brown , a fellow former San Francisco mayor and Democratic elder statesman .
It ’ s not a bad idea .
I mean , how much fun is it to be California ’ s governor these days ?
Well , probably more fun than it would be to move your family to Washington , D.C. , and become a junior one-of-100 in a fractured chamber that will most probably still be controlled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor is bogged down fighting the surging pandemic and angering voters no matter what he does .
He ’ ll be wrestling an unstable boom-and-bust revenue situation as the state ’ s economy suffers from a pandemic-induced recession .
He may need to butcher some popular programs .
And he can ’ t seem to get a grip on homelessness .
So why not jump jobs by grabbing a coveted Senate seat ?
He ’ d resign and be appointed by his successor , Democratic Lt. Gov .
Eleni Kounalakis .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first thing I would do , ” Brown told me .
“ I ’ m 53 and I have ambition .
And I have a friend who is already vice president and she ’ ll probably be the ‘ first ’ Californian .
But I would like to be the ‘ second ’ Californian .
I could live longer in that status as a senator than as a governor .
So , I would be playing practical ” politics .
Brown is referring to the fact that being governor is a term-limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two four-year terms .
Senator is potentially a lifelong job if you can keep getting reelected to six-year terms .
But whoever replaces Harris in the Senate will need to run for election in 2022 if that person wants to keep the office .
How receptive would voters be to Newsom if he walked off his gubernatorial post after manning it for only two years ?
Brown noted that if Newsom remains governor , he ’ ll need to run for reelection in 2022 anyway .
“ There ’ d be fewer negatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of California , ” Brown said .
“ He has to deal with wildfires , deal with COVID , deal with budget problems , the downturn of the economy.
” Brown preceded Newsom as San Francisco mayor and was a legendary state Assembly speaker , holding that powerful post longer than anyone in history .
He was the first Black California speaker and is one of the state ’ s all-time most skillful politicians .
But it ’ s highly unlikely Newsom will follow Brown ’ s advice about the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful and prestigious a job to voluntarily give up .
And although it wouldn ’ t be as easy as selecting himself without needing to be elected by voters , California ’ s other Senate seat is almost certain to be open in 2024 .
Sen. Dianne Feinstein will be up for reelection and she ’ ll be 91 .
Everyone expects her to retire .
Newsom would be in the middle of his second term — a good time to run for the Senate from a position of power .
But now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There ’ s speculation about many wannabes .
But the consensus shortlist is headed by Secretary of State Alex Padilla , 47 ; Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra , 62 , and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass , 67 , of Los Angeles .
If Newsom picked either of the state officeholders , he ’ d get a bonus by also being able to choose their successors .
Newsom prioritizes making history .
And with either Padilla or Becerra , he would be choosing California ’ s first Latino senator — in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic group .
With Bass , Newsom would be replacing a Black woman with another Black woman , which Brown says the governor should do if he appoints anyone .
He ’ s under heavy pressure to name someone who ’ s Latino , Black or Asian American , and preferably another woman .
He could also make history by appointing the first LGBTQ senator from California .
“ Unless he can find a multiracial woman in a same-sex relationship , he ’ s going to disappoint some people , ” says Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political science professor who was Gov .
Pete Wilson ’ s chief spokesman .
Schnur thinks Newsom should consider appointing a “ caretaker ” who would promise not to run for the job and hold it until voters elected a replacement .
Then the governor wouldn ’ t be anointing someone and gifting a huge advantage of incumbency for the election campaign .
“ Leveling the playing field and letting voters pick Harris ’ replacement themselves would be in line with our democratic ideals , ” Schnur says .
“ And it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kapolczynski , who was former Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer ’ s longtime political strategist , says “ the safest path for Newsom is to appoint a caretaker and let the dozen likely candidates make their case to the voters in 2022 .
It would be a vigorous Democratic primary .
“ But Newsom isn ’ t known for taking the safe path .
He ’ s more likely to make a bold , history-making choice.
” Who would be a good caretaker and promise not to run for the office ?
Some retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still mentally agile and tired of running .
Maybe former Gov .
Jerry Brown , 82 ; former D.C. all-star Leon Panetta , 82 ( congressman , White House chief of staff , Defense secretary ) , or Willie Brown , 86 .
“ I couldn ’ t afford it , ” Willie Brown says .
A senator is paid $ 174,000 a year .
Brown makes more consulting and sitting on corporate boards .
You can expect Newsom to use all his power and have fun filling the seat with a political @ @ @ @ @ @

Maybe Gov. Gavin Newsom should just choose himself to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate.
That’s the thinking of Willie Brown, a fellow former San Francisco mayor and Democratic elder statesman. It’s not a bad idea.
I mean, how much fun is it to be California’s governor these days?
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Well, probably more fun than it would be to move your family to Washington, D.C., and become a junior one-of-100 in a fractured chamber that will most probably still be controlled by Republicans.
But in Sacramento, the governor is bogged down fighting the surging pandemic and angering voters no matter what he does. He’ll be wrestling an unstable boom-and-bust revenue situation as the state’s economy suffers from a pandemic-induced recession. He may need to butcher some popular programs. And he can’t seem to get a grip on homelessness.
So why not jump jobs by grabbing a coveted Senate seat? He’d resign and be appointed by his successor, Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
“If I were Newsom, that’s the first thing I would do,” Brown told me. “I’m 53 and I have ambition. And I have a friend who is already vice president and she’ll probably be the ‘first’ Californian. But I would like to be the ‘second’ Californian. I could live longer in that status as a senator than as a governor. So, I would be playing practical” politics.
Brown is referring to the fact that being governor is a term-limited job. You’re booted after two four-year terms. Senator is potentially a lifelong job if you can keep getting reelected to six-year terms.
But whoever replaces Harris in the Senate will need to run for election in 2022 if that person wants to keep the office. How receptive would voters be to Newsom if he walked off his gubernatorial post after manning it for only two years?
Brown noted that if Newsom remains governor, he’ll need to run for reelection in 2022 anyway.
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“There’d be fewer negatives associated with being senator than with running the state of California,” Brown said. “He has to deal with wildfires, deal with COVID, deal with budget problems, the downturn of the economy.”
Brown preceded Newsom as San Francisco mayor and was a legendary state Assembly speaker, holding that powerful post longer than anyone in history. He was the first Black California speaker and is one of the state’s all-time most skillful politicians.
But it’s highly unlikely Newsom will follow Brown’s advice about the Senate seat. Being California governor is too powerful and prestigious a job to voluntarily give up.
And although it wouldn’t be as easy as selecting himself without needing to be elected by voters, California’s other Senate seat is almost certain to be open in 2024. Sen. Dianne Feinstein will be up for reelection and she’ll be 91. Everyone expects her to retire. Newsom would be in the middle of his second term — a good time to run for the Senate from a position of power.
But now he needs to fill the Harris seat.
There’s speculation about many wannabes. But the consensus shortlist is headed by Secretary of State Alex Padilla, 47; Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, 62, and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, 67, of Los Angeles.
If Newsom picked either of the state officeholders, he’d get a bonus by also being able to choose their successors.
Newsom prioritizes making history. And with either Padilla or Becerra, he would be choosing California’s first Latino senator — in a state where Latinos have become the largest ethnic group.
With Bass, Newsom would be replacing a Black woman with another Black woman, which Brown says the governor should do if he appoints anyone.
He’s under heavy pressure to name someone who’s Latino, Black or Asian American, and preferably another woman. He could also make history by appointing the first LGBTQ senator from California.
“Unless he can find a multiracial woman in a same-sex relationship, he’s going to disappoint some people,” says Dan Schnur, a USC and UC Berkeley political science professor who was Gov. Pete Wilson’s chief spokesman.
Schnur thinks Newsom should consider appointing a “caretaker” who would promise not to run for the job and hold it until voters elected a replacement. Then the governor wouldn’t be anointing someone and gifting a huge advantage of incumbency for the election campaign.
“Leveling the playing field and letting voters pick Harris’ replacement themselves would be in line with our democratic ideals,” Schnur says. “And it would take Newsom off the hook.”
Rose Kapolczynski, who was former Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer’s longtime political strategist, says “the safest path for Newsom is to appoint a caretaker and let the dozen likely candidates make their case to the voters in 2022. It would be a vigorous Democratic primary.
“But Newsom isn’t known for taking the safe path. He’s more likely to make a bold, history-making choice.”
The caretaker idea makes sense.
Who would be a good caretaker and promise not to run for the office? Some retired pol who was old of age but still mentally agile and tired of running.
Maybe former Gov. Jerry Brown, 82; former D.C. all-star Leon Panetta, 82 (congressman, White House chief of staff, Defense secretary), or Willie Brown, 86.
“I couldn’t afford it,” Willie Brown says. A senator is paid $174,000 a year. Brown makes more consulting and sitting on corporate boards.
You can expect Newsom to use all his power and have fun filling the seat with a political ally — most likely Padilla.


latimes--2020-11-23--Suspect arrested after 2 die in stabbings at San Jose church used as shelter, police say

A suspect has been arrested in connection with two fatal stabbings at a San Jose church in use as a homeless shelter , officials said .
Two people died and three were injured in the incident reported at Grace Baptist Church in the 400 block of East San Fernando Street on Sunday night , according to a statement posted online by the San Jose Police Department .
Arriving just before 8 p.m. , officers found five victims suffering from at least one stab wound each , according to a news release by officer Steve Aponte .
An adult male victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An adult female victim was transported to a local hospital , where she died from her injuries .
A male suspect was in custody by 8 a.m. Monday , according to Aponte .
His name has not been released , and a motive has not yet been identified .
No church services were underway at the time of the stabbing .
The church was being used as a shelter for homeless people “ to get them out of the cold , ” according to the police department .
The names of those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clara County coroner ’ s ofice after confirming their identities and notifying their families , Aponte said .
The deaths mark San Jose ’ s 40th and 41st homicides this year .

A suspect has been arrested in connection with two fatal stabbings at a San Jose church in use as a homeless shelter, officials said.
Two people died and three were injured in the incident reported at Grace Baptist Church in the 400 block of East San Fernando Street on Sunday night, according to a statement posted online by the San Jose Police Department.
Arriving just before 8 p.m., officers found five victims suffering from at least one stab wound each, according to a news release by officer Steve Aponte.
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An adult male victim was declared dead at the scene. An adult female victim was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries.
A male suspect was in custody by 8 a.m. Monday, according to Aponte. His name has not been released, and a motive has not yet been identified.
We have one suspect in custody for last nights homicide. Press release forthcoming. pic.twitter.com/zK9dbsvs07 — San Jose Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) November 23, 2020
No church services were underway at the time of the stabbing. The church was being used as a shelter for homeless people “to get them out of the cold,” according to the police department.
The names of those who died will be released by the Santa Clara County coroner’s ofice after confirming their identities and notifying their families, Aponte said.
The deaths mark San Jose’s 40th and 41st homicides this year.