latimes--2020-04-03--L.A. County emerges as a coronavirus center in California as deaths, cases jump

The death toll from the coronavirus jumped again Thursday to 78 in Los Angeles County as officials warned residents “ many weeks of work ” were ahead before the region might see signs that the spread was slowing .
Although cases are rising across the state , Los Angeles County — the state ’ s most populous — has seen a large number of fatalities and new cases .
Officials acknowledged the psychological toll of the losses but said it ’ s essential people keep following social distancing rules and health guidelines .
“ Please don ’ t lose hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following all of the directives that you are following right now to slow the spread of COVID-19 , ” said Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .
The county confirmed 13 new coronavirus-related deaths Thursday , bringing the toll to 78 .
Twelve of the victims were older than 65 , and all but one of them had underlying health conditions , Ferrer said .
The other person who died was between ages 41 and 65 and also had underlying health conditions , she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new COVID-19 cases .
Long Beach , which has its own health department , announced 14 new cases , bringing the city ’ s total to 153 .
There were 49 confirmed cases in Pasadena , which also has its own health department .
There were more than 4,000 confirmed cases overall in L.A. County as of Thursday night .
The daily count increased by more than 1,000 in 48 hours .
“ The psychological impact of rising case counts and deaths is real , both individually and collectively , and I urge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and to check in frequently with those in your extended communities , ” Ferrer said .
“ This will be a long haul , and we have many weeks of work ahead before we begin to see the benefits of our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.
” While the L.A. County death toll keeps rising , it ’ s still a faction of the number in New York City , which has recorded more than 1,500 deaths .
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its march across California , the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 11,000 on Thursday — with the death toll topping 240 .
Of those cases , 40 % have occurred in L.A. County .
In the early days of the coronavirus in California , the focus was in Santa Clara County , where an outbreak lead to a series of deaths that prompted the beginning of unprecedented social distancing measures .
Deaths continue to rise there , and the county ’ s population of two million is significantly smaller than Los Angeles , which has a population of about 10 million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.6 million .
Here is how other counties compare : Amid the surge , officials are continuing to urge the public to carry on with unprecedented social distancing measures while also rushing to get more supplies to hospitals amid a rise in patients .
The rapid spread of the virus brought new concerns about whether the state ’ s healthcare system can handle the inflow of patients .
Many California hospitals and local medical centers are grappling with shortages of supplies amid a scramble to prepare for what is expected to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although the number of infections continues to swell statewide , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said he believes the state ’ s social distancing efforts have made a difference .
“ The ICU numbers and the hospital numbers , while they ’ re growing , are not growing as significantly as you ’ re seeing in other parts of the country , ” he said Thursday .
“ We ’ re not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination.
” Newsom said 816 patients are in intensive care and 1,922 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of Thursday .
The governor also announced that Californians won ’ t have their water turned off because of unpaid bills during the coronavirus crisis , and those who already had it turned off since March 4 , when the statewide coronavirus emergency went into effect , will have their service restored .
Newsom ’ s directive comes in response to calls from environmental justice organizations for assistance to low-income residents facing mounting financial pressures .
“ People are under enormous pressure economically and the last thing they need to worry about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Steve Fleischli , senior director of water initiatives at the Natural Resources Defense Council .
Santa Barbara County recorded its first death from the virus Wednesday .
The person was in their 60s and had underlying health conditions , public health officials said .
Orange County saw its biggest single-day increase in coronavirus infections Wednesday , as officials announced 107 new cases and three additional deaths .
On Thursday , officials added 56 cases to the list and three deaths , bringing the county ’ s death toll to 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terrell Young died of complications from the coronavirus , the department said Thursday .
He had served in the department for 15 years and was its first member to succumb to the virus .
Fry reported from Los Angeles , Myers and St. John from Northern California .

Hannah Fry, John Myers, Paige St. John, Luke Money

Padlocks seal a gate for the Victory Trailhead at the Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve in Woodland Hills.
The death toll from the coronavirus jumped again Thursday to 78 in Los Angeles County as officials warned residents “many weeks of work” were ahead before the region might see signs that the spread was slowing.
Although cases are rising across the state, Los Angeles County — the state’s most populous — has seen a large number of fatalities and new cases. Officials acknowledged the psychological toll of the losses but said it’s essential people keep following social distancing rules and health guidelines.
“Please don’t lose hope, and please don’t stop following all of the directives that you are following right now to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
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The county confirmed 13 new coronavirus-related deaths Thursday, bringing the toll to 78. Twelve of the victims were older than 65, and all but one of them had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said. The other person who died was between ages 41 and 65 and also had underlying health conditions, she said.
Los Angeles County officials also announced 534 new COVID-19 cases. Long Beach, which has its own health department, announced 14 new cases, bringing the city’s total to 153. There were 49 confirmed cases in Pasadena, which also has its own health department. There were more than 4,000 confirmed cases overall in L.A. County as of Thursday night. The daily count increased by more than 1,000 in 48 hours.
“The psychological impact of rising case counts and deaths is real, both individually and collectively, and I urge everyone to take care of their emotional health and to check in frequently with those in your extended communities,” Ferrer said. “This will be a long haul, and we have many weeks of work ahead before we begin to see the benefits of our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
While the L.A. County death toll keeps rising, it’s still a faction of the number in New York City, which has recorded more than 1,500 deaths.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its march across California, the number of cases in the state swelled to more than 11,000 on Thursday — with the death toll topping 240. Of those cases, 40% have occurred in L.A. County.
In the early days of the coronavirus in California, the focus was in Santa Clara County, where an outbreak lead to a series of deaths that prompted the beginning of unprecedented social distancing measures. Deaths continue to rise there, and the county’s population of two million is significantly smaller than Los Angeles, which has a population of about 10 million. New York City’s population is 8.6 million.
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California How Silicon Valley became California’s epicenter of the coronavirus The drivers of Santa Clara County’s economy — tech companies, foreign travel and close human interaction — made it a ripe target for the coronavirus.
Here is how other counties compare:
Santa Clara 36 deaths; 1,019 cases
San Diego 16 deaths; 966 cases
Orange 13 deaths; 656 cases
Riverside 14 deaths; 493 cases
San Mateo 10 deaths 453 cases
San Francisco 7 deaths; 450 cases
Alameda 9 deaths; 396 cases
Sacramento 9 deaths; 341 cases
San Bernardino 8 deaths; 304 cases
Amid the surge, officials are continuing to urge the public to carry on with unprecedented social distancing measures while also rushing to get more supplies to hospitals amid a rise in patients.
The rapid spread of the virus brought new concerns about whether the state’s healthcare system can handle the inflow of patients. Many California hospitals and local medical centers are grappling with shortages of supplies amid a scramble to prepare for what is expected to be a deluge of patients in the coming weeks.
Although the number of infections continues to swell statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he believes the state’s social distancing efforts have made a difference.
“The ICU numbers and the hospital numbers, while they’re growing, are not growing as significantly as you’re seeing in other parts of the country,” he said Thursday. “We’re not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination.”
Newsom said 816 patients are in intensive care and 1,922 have been hospitalized from COVID-19 in California as of Thursday.
The governor also announced that Californians won’t have their water turned off because of unpaid bills during the coronavirus crisis, and those who already had it turned off since March 4, when the statewide coronavirus emergency went into effect, will have their service restored.
Newsom’s directive comes in response to calls from environmental justice organizations for assistance to low-income residents facing mounting financial pressures.
“People are under enormous pressure economically and the last thing they need to worry about now is not having access to water,” said Steve Fleischli, senior director of water initiatives at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Santa Barbara County recorded its first death from the virus Wednesday. The person was in their 60s and had underlying health conditions, public health officials said.
Orange County saw its biggest single-day increase in coronavirus infections Wednesday, as officials announced 107 new cases and three additional deaths. On Thursday, officials added 56 cases to the list and three deaths, bringing the county’s death toll to 13.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Terrell Young died of complications from the coronavirus, the department said Thursday. He had served in the department for 15 years and was its first member to succumb to the virus.
Fry reported from Los Angeles, Myers and St. John from Northern California.


latimes--2020-04-04--The new coronavirus might spread when people talk, but scientists say masks can help

It ’ s possible that the new coronavirus can spread from person to person simply by talking , or even breathing , according to new guidance from the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering and Medicine .
The limited studies examined by a National Academies committee on emerging infectious diseases suggest that people who are infected with the novel virus may exhale infectious “ bioaerosols ” — although if they do , it ’ s not clear whether the amount would be enough to make another person sick .
“ The results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the committee , Dr. Harvey Fineberg , wrote in a letter to to Kelvin K. Droegemeier , the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy .
The letter was drafted to answer a question posed by Droegemeier : Can the virus responsible for COVID-19 spread through conversation ?
To formulate an answer , the committee considered a study posted last week by a team from the University of Nebraska Medical Center .
Researchers there collected air samples from 11 isolation rooms where COVID-19 patients were treated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus on surfaces .
The researchers found viral RNA in air that was captured more than six feet from patients .
They also found it in air from the hallway outside patient rooms , according to the study .
Notably , the researchers said none of the patients were seen coughing while air samples were being taken .
“ You don ’ t have to be hacking , coughing ... in order to be producing a particle that at least has viral RNA in it , ” study leader Joshua Santarpia , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Nebraska Medical Center , said in an interview .
The study was published on a website for time-sensitive medical research and has not been through the traditional peer-review process .
In summarizing the findings , Fineberg wrote : “ While this research indicates that viral particles can be spread via bioaerosols , the authors stated that finding infectious virus has proved elusive.
” He added that the Nebraska team is conducting additional experiments to see whether the amount of virus in their air samples is dangerous .
Dr. George Rutherford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco , said he wasn ’ t surprised that the virus could spread by breathing and talking .
“ Think of what your breath looks like when you go to Mammoth Mountain and you can see it — those are respiratory droplets , ” he said .
“ Of course , you can get it while you ’ re talking to somebody .
If you ’ re within six feet , you ’ re at some risk for that.
” Infected droplets can also spread in the air by singing , Rutherford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choir practice in Washington state last month .
A total of 45 people who attended that practice were diagnosed with COVID-19 ; two have died and at least three have been hospitalized .
The National Academies letter also highlighted a study , which was published Friday as a brief communication in the journal Nature Medicine , that suggests surgical masks can help keep an infected person from transmitting the virus to others .
The study authors collected air samples of breaths exhaled by patients in a Hong Kong clinic between 2013 and 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some didn ’ t .
For people who were infected with a common type of coronavirus that causes colds — not the one associated with the current pandemic — the virus was sometimes found in exhalations when no face mask was worn .
But when masks were in place , no virus particles could be detected .
“ This has important implications for control of COVID–19 , suggesting that surgical face masks could be used by ill people to reduce onward transmission , ” wrote the study authors , who were from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Public Health and the University of Maryland School of Public Health .
On Friday , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidance and advised Americans to wear face coverings when they leave their homes .

A man wears a mask in a Metro tunnel in downtown Los Angeles. Scientists say it’s possible that the new coronavirus can spread through talking or breathing.
It’s possible that the new coronavirus can spread from person to person simply by talking, or even breathing, according to new guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
The limited studies examined by a National Academies committee on emerging infectious diseases suggest that people who are infected with the novel virus may exhale infectious “bioaerosols” — although if they do, it’s not clear whether the amount would be enough to make another person sick.
“The results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” the head of the committee, Dr. Harvey Fineberg, wrote in a letter to to Kelvin K. Droegemeier, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
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The letter was drafted to answer a question posed by Droegemeier: Can the virus responsible for COVID-19 spread through conversation?
To formulate an answer, the committee considered a study posted last week by a team from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Researchers there collected air samples from 11 isolation rooms where COVID-19 patients were treated. They also looked for evidence of the virus on surfaces.
The researchers found viral RNA in air that was captured more than six feet from patients. They also found it in air from the hallway outside patient rooms, according to the study.
Notably, the researchers said none of the patients were seen coughing while air samples were being taken.
“You don’t have to be hacking, coughing ... in order to be producing a particle that at least has viral RNA in it,” study leader Joshua Santarpia, a professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said in an interview.
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The study was published on a website for time-sensitive medical research and has not been through the traditional peer-review process.
In summarizing the findings, Fineberg wrote: “While this research indicates that viral particles can be spread via bioaerosols, the authors stated that finding infectious virus has proved elusive.”
He added that the Nebraska team is conducting additional experiments to see whether the amount of virus in their air samples is dangerous.
Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said he wasn’t surprised that the virus could spread by breathing and talking.
“Think of what your breath looks like when you go to Mammoth Mountain and you can see it — those are respiratory droplets,” he said. “Of course, you can get it while you’re talking to somebody. If you’re within six feet, you’re at some risk for that.”
Infected droplets can also spread in the air by singing, Rutherford said, citing the case of a choir practice in Washington state last month. A total of 45 people who attended that practice were diagnosed with COVID-19; two have died and at least three have been hospitalized.
The National Academies letter also highlighted a study, which was published Friday as a brief communication in the journal Nature Medicine, that suggests surgical masks can help keep an infected person from transmitting the virus to others.
The study authors collected air samples of breaths exhaled by patients in a Hong Kong clinic between 2013 and 2016. Some patients wore masks, and some didn’t.
For people who were infected with a common type of coronavirus that causes colds — not the one associated with the current pandemic — the virus was sometimes found in exhalations when no face mask was worn. But when masks were in place, no virus particles could be detected.
“This has important implications for control of COVID–19, suggesting that surgical face masks could be used by ill people to reduce onward transmission,” wrote the study authors, who were from the University of Hong Kong, the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Maryland School of Public Health.
On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidance and advised Americans to wear face coverings when they leave their homes.


latimes--2020-04-04--Column: Social distancing holdouts put us all at risk. What part of 'deadly pandemic' don't they get

Column: Social distancing holdouts put us all at risk. What part of 'deadly pandemic' don't they get?

How can it be that there are still so many social distancing holdouts , people who refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of the coronavirus and move through the world with a pre-pandemic blitheness ?
Empty streets can be deceiving .
They do not necessarily mean that all of us who have the luxury of doing so are safely at home doing all we can to contain the contagion .
So many people don ’ t have the choice to stay home .
They have essential jobs staffing our hospitals and our food markets , driving our buses , delivering our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
But you don ’ t have to go far to find those who do have the choice but still aren ’ t making the effort to follow the new rules aimed at our mutual safety .
Take a walk .
Head to the supermarket .
Read about the nonessential smoke shop that refused to shut down even when ordered by police .
When I go out into my neighborhood , as I still am able to do each day to escape from my house and stretch my legs and breathe fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay at least six feet away from everyone else — even if that means sometimes jumping onto a lawn or into the street .
I now wear a homemade mask to try to protect others , though I pull it down from time to time on a solitary walk when there ’ s no one else anywhere near me .
But unmasked runners who have staked out the dead center of a sidewalk whoosh past me without warning or effort to make space .
I see construction crews everywhere , working shoulder to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have them — on top of their heads like tiny clown hats .
People still zigzag on the streets , staring at their cellphones , earbuds in , oblivious to others .
Many seem to think that , if they ’ ve got on masks and gloves , social distancing isn ’ t required of them .
Even a trip to my friendly neighborhood supermarket has come to feel to me like a rough game of dodgeball , where everyone ’ s hurtling my way , moving too fast , grabbing for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get myself out of their range because of the narrowness of the aisles .
For a short while , social distancing maybe felt a little bit over the top .
Holing up , at least for the luckier ones among us , maybe felt more like an adventure in homesteading or glamping than an essential act of survival .
But that was in that halcyon time several weeks ago when we were still rejoicing in our shedded commutes and in our increased family togetherness .
When we were celebrating community and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When cutout hearts in windows and chin-up messages scrawled in chalk still were enough to cheer us up and keep fear at bay .
That was before the word even from the White House grew dire , before our federal government told us that , if we do a really good job of social distancing and containment , we might see ` only 100,000 to 240,000 Americans die .
How do we process such numbers ?
I know I ’ ve had a hard time lately .
In the light of day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to reassure them .
I try to boost their spirits .
We ’ ll make it , I say .
We ’ ll get through this together .
But at night , more and more frequently , I stay up too late and then jolt awake too early out of fear .
Fear that those I know and love will get sick .
Fear that those I know and love will die .
Fear that those who have the least will suffer the most , often without the comfort of others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are failing to act with care will continue to imperil the lives of the many .
I know a lot of people are experiencing the strain of this duality — trying to stay positive while increasingly anxious .
And I ’ m guessing that for some , ignoring our situation ’ s seriousness is a coping mechanism along the lines of , if I don ’ t see the virus , it won ’ t see me .
And that would be fine if ignoring the problem only affected the ignorer .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ ve all heard about the Sacramento church that continued to hold services and is now linked to more than 70 confirmed coronavirus cases , about the deadly toll on a Washington state choir that rehearsed even as people were dying of the virus an hour ’ s drive south in Seattle .
We ’ ve heard about the likely links between Mardi Gras and the quick spread of coronavirus in New Orleans , between spring break parties and outbreaks in Florida .
It ’ s hard to avoid absorbing ample @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to big spreads — and yet we still crowd in together even in spaces where we don ’ t have to and then moan when our beaches and our park trails are shut down .
We ’ ve also heard , I hope , that following the rules can make a difference , that it appears to be doing so here in our own state .
I closely observe the world around me .
I observe many people trying their hardest .
Some of my neighbors are staying inside so completely that days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even see them on the street and I know I have to email , text or call to make sure they ’ re still OK .
I also observe people acting carelessly — and I say so now when I have to , when their actions endanger me , though I know they are outside my control .
What is within my control is what I do myself — which makes me increasingly grateful for my home and heartbroken for those who don ’ t have one .
At home , I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down my counters and wash my hands as often as I like .
I can keep my front door firmly shut , no visitors .
I can make sure that doing the right thing for me , I am also doing the right thing for all .

Friends play a game of one-on-one basketball despite posted warnings that the Sierra Madre Park grounds are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can it be that there are still so many social distancing holdouts, people who refuse to acknowledge the seriousness of the coronavirus and move through the world with a pre-pandemic blitheness?
Empty streets can be deceiving. They do not necessarily mean that all of us who have the luxury of doing so are safely at home doing all we can to contain the contagion.
So many people don’t have the choice to stay home. They have essential jobs staffing our hospitals and our food markets, driving our buses, delivering our mail. I am not talking about them.
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But you don’t have to go far to find those who do have the choice but still aren’t making the effort to follow the new rules aimed at our mutual safety.
Take a walk. Head to the supermarket. Read about the nonessential smoke shop that refused to shut down even when ordered by police.
When I go out into my neighborhood, as I still am able to do each day to escape from my house and stretch my legs and breathe fresh air, I take great pains to stay at least six feet away from everyone else — even if that means sometimes jumping onto a lawn or into the street. I now wear a homemade mask to try to protect others, though I pull it down from time to time on a solitary walk when there’s no one else anywhere near me.
Commuters crowd to catch a bus at 7th and Alvarado streets in Westlake. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
But unmasked runners who have staked out the dead center of a sidewalk whoosh past me without warning or effort to make space. I see construction crews everywhere, working shoulder to shoulder, wearing masks — if they have them — on top of their heads like tiny clown hats. People still zigzag on the streets, staring at their cellphones, earbuds in, oblivious to others. Many seem to think that, if they’ve got on masks and gloves, social distancing isn’t required of them.
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Even a trip to my friendly neighborhood supermarket has come to feel to me like a rough game of dodgeball, where everyone’s hurtling my way, moving too fast, grabbing for the last paper towels, and I can’t get myself out of their range because of the narrowness of the aisles.
For a short while, social distancing maybe felt a little bit over the top. Holing up, at least for the luckier ones among us, maybe felt more like an adventure in homesteading or glamping than an essential act of survival. But that was in that halcyon time several weeks ago when we were still rejoicing in our shedded commutes and in our increased family togetherness. When we were celebrating community and creativity rather than dwelling on angst. When cutout hearts in windows and chin-up messages scrawled in chalk still were enough to cheer us up and keep fear at bay.
That was before the word even from the White House grew dire, before our federal government told us that, if we do a really good job of social distancing and containment, we might see `only 100,000 to 240,000 Americans die.
How do we process such numbers? I know I’ve had a hard time lately.
Maggie Medina, left, Juanita Gomez and Vanessa Reagan tailgate in the parking lot at the Westfield Valencia Town Center to meet while keeping their distance. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
In the light of day, I reach out to people. I try to reassure them. I try to boost their spirits. We’ll make it, I say. We’ll get through this together.
But at night, more and more frequently, I stay up too late and then jolt awake too early out of fear.
Fear that those I know and love will get sick. Fear that those I know and love will die. Fear that those who have the least will suffer the most, often without the comfort of others. Fear that the relatively few who still are failing to act with care will continue to imperil the lives of the many.
I know a lot of people are experiencing the strain of this duality — trying to stay positive while increasingly anxious.
And I’m guessing that for some, ignoring our situation’s seriousness is a coping mechanism along the lines of, if I don’t see the virus, it won’t see me.
And that would be fine if ignoring the problem only affected the ignorer.
But we know that it doesn’t.
We’ve all heard about the Sacramento church that continued to hold services and is now linked to more than 70 confirmed coronavirus cases, about the deadly toll on a Washington state choir that rehearsed even as people were dying of the virus an hour’s drive south in Seattle.
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
We’ve heard about the likely links between Mardi Gras and the quick spread of coronavirus in New Orleans, between spring break parties and outbreaks in Florida. It’s hard to avoid absorbing ample evidence that even small crowds can lead to big spreads — and yet we still crowd in together even in spaces where we don’t have to and then moan when our beaches and our park trails are shut down.
We’ve also heard, I hope, that following the rules can make a difference, that it appears to be doing so here in our own state.
I closely observe the world around me. I observe many people trying their hardest. Some of my neighbors are staying inside so completely that days go by when I don’t even see them on the street and I know I have to email, text or call to make sure they’re still OK. I also observe people acting carelessly — and I say so now when I have to, when their actions endanger me, though I know they are outside my control.
What is within my control is what I do myself — which makes me increasingly grateful for my home and heartbroken for those who don’t have one.
At home, I can control my environment. I can scrub down my counters and wash my hands as often as I like. I can keep my front door firmly shut, no visitors.
I can make sure that doing the right thing for me, I am also doing the right thing for all.


latimes--2020-04-04--Earthquake: 3.5 quake shakes near Tehachapi, Calif.

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Friday evening at 8:17 p.m. Pacific time six miles from Tehachapi , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 13 miles from Rosamond , 19 miles from Lancaster , 20 miles from Arvin and 21 miles from California City .
Weak to light shaking was reported around Lancaster and Palmdale , and in the San Fernando Valley .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 0.5 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Friday evening at 8:17 p.m. Pacific time six miles from Tehachapi, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 13 miles from Rosamond, 19 miles from Lancaster, 20 miles from Arvin and 21 miles from California City.
Weak to light shaking was reported around Lancaster and Palmdale, and in the San Fernando Valley.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 0.5 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-04-03--Supervisors urge Sheriff Villanueva to correct record on coronavirus sick pay

Los Angeles County Supervisors have sent a scathing letter to Sheriff Alex Villanueva , imploring him to correct the record after they said he spread false information about deputies ’ sick leave pay during the coronavirus outbreak .
His information led to threats against the county ’ s chief executive officer , they said .
“ Your unfortunate and erroneous comments have been sowing confusion and controversy by raising doubts about pay for deputies you chose to put on leave last month , ” the supervisors said in the letter , dated Friday .
“ Of course , these deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well aware .
In fact , as a department head , you have the duty and responsibility to make sure this happens.
” The letter , signed by the five members of the Board of Supervisors , said that Villanueva had yet to “ correct the misimpressions you have created within the Sheriff ’ s Department and with the public at large — exacerbating anxiety in an already stressful time by sowing false information.
” The supervisors said Villanueva ’ s comments prompted social media threats against the county ’ s chief executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the false information .
As of Friday , 14 Sheriff ’ s Department personnel had tested positive for Covid-19 and 285 had been quarantined .
Villanueva could not immediately be reached for comment .
Someone who answered his cellphone said he needed to read the letter .
The unusually blunt document is the latest in a series of clashes between the board and Villanueva over the county ’ s response to the coronavirus outbreak , but their conflicts began much earlier .
On Tuesday , the board voted unanimously to put Hamai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In doing so , the board removed Villanueva as head of the emergency operations center .
That action led Villanueva to cancel the regular news briefings he had been hosting at the center multiple times a week .
The next day , Villanueva sent a letter to board chairwoman Kathryn Barger , requesting that the body secure retroactive pay for quarantined employees who he said had to dip into their personal sick leave prior to Wednesday , when federal benefits for workers affected by the virus took effect .
Villanueva said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus on patrol who had not accrued enough sick time to stay compensated through the quarantine period .
“ The first responders from the Sheriff ’ s Department sacrifice their lives for the residents of Los Angeles County every day , ” he wrote in the letter .
“ The least we can do is fully compensate these men and women for their daily sacrifices by covering their COVID-19 related absence from work.
” Barger and Hamai each said Villanueva himself had authority to grant paid administrative leave .
On Thursday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memo to staff members .
“ After in-depth research on the topic , I have confirmed that as Sheriff and Department Head , I have the authority to grant paid administrative leave time under a current Los Angeles County policy , ” he said in the memo .
“ I have directed my senior staff to ensure this occurs.
” But Friday ’ s board rejoinder demanded that he correct the record with the public .
“ Your unwarranted verbal and highly personal attacks on the CEO are inciting misinformed members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the supervisors said .

Sheriff Alex Villanueva and the board of supervisors have clashed over the coronavirus outbreak response.
Los Angeles County Supervisors have sent a scathing letter to Sheriff Alex Villanueva, imploring him to correct the record after they said he spread false information about deputies’ sick leave pay during the coronavirus outbreak.
His information led to threats against the county’s chief executive officer, they said.
“Your unfortunate and erroneous comments have been sowing confusion and controversy by raising doubts about pay for deputies you chose to put on leave last month,” the supervisors said in the letter, dated Friday. “Of course, these deputies will be paid, as you are well aware. In fact, as a department head, you have the duty and responsibility to make sure this happens.”
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The letter, signed by the five members of the Board of Supervisors, said that Villanueva had yet to “correct the misimpressions you have created within the Sheriff’s Department and with the public at large — exacerbating anxiety in an already stressful time by sowing false information.”
The supervisors said Villanueva’s comments prompted social media threats against the county’s chief executive, Sachi Hamai, from people angered by the false information. As of Friday, 14 Sheriff’s Department personnel had tested positive for Covid-19 and 285 had been quarantined.
Villanueva could not immediately be reached for comment. Someone who answered his cellphone said he needed to read the letter.
The unusually blunt document is the latest in a series of clashes between the board and Villanueva over the county’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, but their conflicts began much earlier.
On Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to put Hamai in charge of disaster preparedness and response. In doing so, the board removed Villanueva as head of the emergency operations center.
That action led Villanueva to cancel the regular news briefings he had been hosting at the center multiple times a week.
The next day, Villanueva sent a letter to board chairwoman Kathryn Barger, requesting that the body secure retroactive pay for quarantined employees who he said had to dip into their personal sick leave prior to Wednesday, when federal benefits for workers affected by the virus took effect.
Villanueva said there was at least one employee exposed to the virus on patrol who had not accrued enough sick time to stay compensated through the quarantine period.
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“The first responders from the Sheriff’s Department sacrifice their lives for the residents of Los Angeles County every day,” he wrote in the letter. “The least we can do is fully compensate these men and women for their daily sacrifices by covering their COVID-19 related absence from work.”
Barger and Hamai each said Villanueva himself had authority to grant paid administrative leave.
On Thursday night, he said as much in a memo to staff members.
“After in-depth research on the topic, I have confirmed that as Sheriff and Department Head, I have the authority to grant paid administrative leave time under a current Los Angeles County policy,” he said in the memo. “I have directed my senior staff to ensure this occurs.”
But Friday’s board rejoinder demanded that he correct the record with the public.
“Your unwarranted verbal and highly personal attacks on the CEO are inciting misinformed members of the public to share dangerous sentiments online,” the supervisors said.


latimes--2020-04-03--L.A. files criminal charges against four stores for refusing to close amid coronavirus

Los Angeles prosecutors on Friday filed criminal charges against two smoke shops , a shoe store and a discount electronics retailer , accusing them of refusing to shut down despite orders imposed to fight the coronavirus .
It marks the first time the city has filed charges for violations of the “ Safer at Home ” order , which requires businesses deemed nonessential to close their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
City Atty .
Mike Feuer on Friday said the four stores were deemed nonessential businesses under Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s executive order .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Only essential businesses , such as healthcare providers , organizations serving vulnerable populations and grocery stores , may remain open during the COVID-19 emergency , ” Feuer said .
“ We ’ re all safer at home .
Nonessential businesses remaining open at this time jeopardize public health and safety , and my office is committed to vigorously enforcing the mayor ’ s order.
” Garcetti said the stores are putting lives at risk .
At one store , police officers were told , “ ‘ Forget you ’ — probably not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not going to do it , ’ ” the mayor said .
“ We want to let people know that we are serious about this , that businesses that flagrantly violate this will be shut down short term and prosecuted in the medium term as well , ” Garcetti said .
Feuer ’ s office identified the businesses charged as Business Discount Electronics , 556 S. Broadway ; Hot Box Smoke Shop , 9115 S. Western Ave. ; DTLA Smoke Shop , 223 1/2 W. 6th St. ; and Brother Shoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B .
Calls to the businesses went unanswered Friday .
Los Angeles police this week began referring cases to the city attorney of businesses believed to be violating the emergency order .
Feuer said his office is reviewing an additional 30 referrals for possible prosecution .
The city turned to prosecutions after the city attorney ’ s Neighborhood Prosecutor Program , Tobacco Enforcement Program and Safe Neighborhoods and Gangs Division , in coordination with the Mayor ’ s Ambassadors Program , had failed to secure voluntary compliance of those nonessential businesses operating during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ succeeded in dozens of other businesses recognizing their obligation to close to protect the health of the community .
City officials led by Garcetti have been warning since last week that they will prosecute those nonessential businesses still open .
The mayor said the Department of Water and Power would cut off service to the premises of noncompliant businesses .
Most beaches , trails , recreation areas and other points of interest are closed , including trails in Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles .
Under the Safer at Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close .
• Essential state and local government functions including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services

Shops along Winston Street in the wholesale district of Los Angeles have suspended business as a precaution against spreading the coronavirus.
Los Angeles prosecutors on Friday filed criminal charges against two smoke shops, a shoe store and a discount electronics retailer, accusing them of refusing to shut down despite orders imposed to fight the coronavirus.
It marks the first time the city has filed charges for violations of the “Safer at Home” order, which requires businesses deemed nonessential to close their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
City Atty. Mike Feuer on Friday said the four stores were deemed nonessential businesses under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s executive order.
“The mayor’s order is clear: Only essential businesses, such as healthcare providers, organizations serving vulnerable populations and grocery stores, may remain open during the COVID-19 emergency,” Feuer said. “We’re all safer at home. Nonessential businesses remaining open at this time jeopardize public health and safety, and my office is committed to vigorously enforcing the mayor’s order.”
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Garcetti said the stores are putting lives at risk. At one store, police officers were told, “‘Forget you’ — probably not in as nice words — ‘we’re not going to do it,’” the mayor said.
“We want to let people know that we are serious about this, that businesses that flagrantly violate this will be shut down short term and prosecuted in the medium term as well,” Garcetti said.
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Feuer’s office identified the businesses charged as Business Discount Electronics, 556 S. Broadway; Hot Box Smoke Shop, 9115 S. Western Ave.; DTLA Smoke Shop, 223 1/2 W. 6th St.; and Brother Shoes, 818 W. Slauson Ave., Unit B. Calls to the businesses went unanswered Friday.
Los Angeles police this week began referring cases to the city attorney of businesses believed to be violating the emergency order. Feuer said his office is reviewing an additional 30 referrals for possible prosecution.
The city turned to prosecutions after the city attorney’s Neighborhood Prosecutor Program, Tobacco Enforcement Program and Safe Neighborhoods and Gangs Division, in coordination with the Mayor’s Ambassadors Program, had failed to secure voluntary compliance of those nonessential businesses operating during the pandemic. Their collaborative effort has succeeded in dozens of other businesses recognizing their obligation to close to protect the health of the community.
City officials led by Garcetti have been warning since last week that they will prosecute those nonessential businesses still open. The mayor said the Department of Water and Power would cut off service to the premises of noncompliant businesses.
Most beaches, trails, recreation areas and other points of interest are closed, including trails in Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles.
Under the Safer at Home order, all nonessential businesses are supposed to close.
What stays open:
Pharmacies
Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants
Banks
Gas stations
Laundromats/laundry services
Essential state and local government functions including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services
What is closed:
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latimes--2020-04-03--Sean Penn's nonprofit boosts COVID-19 testing efforts in Los Angeles

As the need for COVID-19 testing grows , the city of Los Angeles received an unexpected boost from actor Sean Penn and his nonprofit organization , Community Organized Relief Effort .
The group , known as CORE , has been working with L.A. officials to run operations at some coronavirus drive-through testing facilities .
“ We are accustomed to working in foreign places supporting other communities , ” Penn said in an emailed statement .
“ In this situation , every single one of us responding , including myself , are also experiencing the impact of this crisis in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell , CORE ’ s efforts will allow more city and county residents to be tested while freeing up first responders , including firefighters , for other emergency services .
The city said that certain individuals are eligible for COVID-19 testing , including those with symptoms who are 65 and older , those with symptoms who have underlying chronic health conditions and those under quarantine because they ’ ve had confirmed coronavirus exposure .
Using the website https : //lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs , prospective patients can schedule an appointment through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 test eligibility .
If a person qualifies for an exam , he will be directed to a testing site .
Those who lack internet access can call 311 for more information .
Though seven of the county ’ s 12 drive-through facilities are in the city , testing is open to city and L.A. County residents .
Gorell said about 2,500 COVID-19 tests are conducted daily and that the goal is to eventually do 10,000 tests a day .
He also said the city is working to find private labs able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Each drive-through site managed by CORE frees up first responders currently working at those locations .
Gorell said “ dozens upon dozens of firefighters and emergency technicians ” would be transitioned back to 911 calls and patient transporting .
“ Having the first responders back in their field with their expertise is the most immediate and urgent goal , with the potential deluge of sick people in need over the next few weeks , ” Penn said .
A good portion of CORE ’ s aid efforts in the decade since its inception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping rebuild Haiti after a major earthquake in 2010 .
Penn and CORE Chief Executive Ann Lee reached out last week to California Gov .
Gavin Newsom and his disaster response team , which put the group in touch with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti .
“ Our organization is based in Los Angeles and this is happening right in our backyard , ” Lee said .
“ We ’ re a relatively small organization , but … we often are the first on the ground.
” On Monday , CORE took over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In a lot of ways , our work here is similar to what we ’ ve done previously , ” said Lee , who was living in Haiti at the time of the earthquake .
“ You ’ re identifying the most vulnerable and most impacted and least supported people.
” On Friday , CORE moved into the Westside .
Ultimately , the group plans to expand into three more locations in the San Fernando Valley , South L.A. and one additional site on the Westside over the next two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing , CORE is incurring the costs of running sites , including providing personal protective equipment for all staffers and volunteers .

As the need for COVID-19 testing grows, the city of Los Angeles received an unexpected boost from actor Sean Penn and his nonprofit organization, Community Organized Relief Effort. The group, known as CORE, has been working with L.A. officials to run operations at some coronavirus drive-through testing facilities.
“We are accustomed to working in foreign places supporting other communities,” Penn said in an emailed statement. “In this situation, every single one of us responding, including myself, are also experiencing the impact of this crisis in our own personal lives.”
According to Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell, CORE’s efforts will allow more city and county residents to be tested while freeing up first responders, including firefighters, for other emergency services.
The city has said that certain individuals are eligible for free COVID-19 testing, including those with symptoms who are 65 and older, those with symptoms who have underlying chronic health conditions and those in quarantine because they’ve had confirmed exposure to the coronavirus.
A Community Organized Relief Effort worker prepares to staff a COVID-19 drive-through facility in East Los Angeles. (CORE)
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Using the website lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs, prospective patients can schedule an appointment through a portal and submit a questionnaire to establish COVID-19 test eligibility. Those who qualify for an exam will be directed to a testing site.
People who lack internet access can call 311 for more information.
Though seven of the county’s 12 drive-through facilities are in the city of L.A., testing is open to city and L.A. County residents.
Gorell said that about 2,500 COVID-19 tests are conducted daily and that the goal is to administer 10,000 tests a day. He also said the city is working to find private labs able to complete test results within 48 hours.
Thank you @SeanPenn and volunteers from CORE who are partnering with us and running a COVID pop-up testing location in East LA. #HeroesOfCovid19 #LAStrong #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ryiz00p8UU — 𝐉eff 𝐆orell (@JeffGorell) March 31, 2020
Each drive-through site managed by CORE frees up first responders currently working at those locations.
Gorell said “dozens upon dozens of firefighters and emergency technicians” would be transitioned back to 911 calls and patient transporting.
“Having the first responders back in their field with their expertise is the most immediate and urgent goal, with the potential deluge of sick people in need over the next few weeks,” Penn said.
A good portion of CORE’s aid efforts in the decade since its inception has focused on international relief, including helping rebuild Haiti after a major earthquake in 2010.
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Penn and CORE Chief Executive Ann Lee reached out last week to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his disaster response team, which put the group in touch with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
“Our organization is based in Los Angeles, and this is happening right in our backyard,” Lee said. “We’re a relatively small organization, but … we often are the first on the ground.”
On Monday, CORE took over operations at an East Los Angeles site.
“In a lot of ways, our work here is similar to what we’ve done previously,” said Lee, who was living in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. “You’re identifying the most vulnerable and most impacted and least supported people.”
On Friday, CORE moved into the Westside. Ultimately, the group plans to expand to three more locations in the San Fernando Valley, South L.A. and one additional site on the Westside over the next two weeks.
Though the city will pay for testing, CORE is incurring the costs of running the sites, including providing personal protective equipment for all staffers and volunteers.


latimes--2020-04-03--Earthquake: 4.9 quake strikes near Palm Springs, followed by aftershocks

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake was reported Friday night about 23 miles south of Palm Springs , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake at 6:53 p.m. occurred 11 miles southeast of Anza , 18 miles southwest of Palm Desert , 18 miles northwest of Borrego Springs , 23 miles southwest of Indio and 36 miles east of Temecula .
The epicenter was in a remote mountainous area , where strong shaking was recorded .
But the closest cities in the Coachella Valley encountered only light shaking , which can rattle dishes and windows but does not cause damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quake was felt across a wide area of San Diego , Riverside and Orange counties , with people as far as Los Angeles also reporting that they felt it .
It was followed by several aftershocks in the same area — a magnitude 3.7 quake at 7:05 p.m. , a 3.2 at 7:59 p.m. , a 3.6 at 9:07 p.m. and a 3.5 at 10:12 p.m. On Twitter , earthquake expert Lucy Jones said the first quake hit either near or on the San Jacinto fault , which she said has seen many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.6 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Find out what to do before , and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide .
The first version of this story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published , and it was subsequently revised by a Times journalist .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake was reported Friday night about 23 miles south of Palm Springs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake at 6:53 p.m. occurred 11 miles southeast of Anza, 18 miles southwest of Palm Desert, 18 miles northwest of Borrego Springs, 23 miles southwest of Indio and 36 miles east of Temecula.
The epicenter was in a remote mountainous area, where strong shaking was recorded. But the closest cities in the Coachella Valley encountered only light shaking, which can rattle dishes and windows but does not cause damage.
According to the USGS, the quake was felt across a wide area of San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties, with people as far as Los Angeles also reporting that they felt it. It was followed by several aftershocks in the same area — a magnitude 3.7 quake at 7:05 p.m., a 3.2 at 7:59 p.m., a 3.6 at 9:07 p.m. and a 3.5 at 10:12 p.m.
On Twitter, earthquake expert Lucy Jones said the first quake hit either near or on the San Jacinto fault, which she said has seen many quakes of that range over the years.
No damage was reported.
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
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The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.6 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
The first version of this story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published, and it was subsequently revised by a Times journalist. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.