latimes--2020-06-22--Hollywood producer David Guillod charged with rape and sexual assault

Hollywood producer David Guillod surrendered to authorities in Santa Barbara County on Monday after a three-year investigation culminated in him being charged with the rape or sexual assault of three women .
Guillod , 53 , a high-profile Hollywood talent manager , is facing 11 felony charges , including rape , kidnap to commit rape and rape of a drugged victim in connection with three alleged attacks in May 2012 , December 2014 and January 2015 .
The producer of the movies “ Atomic Blonde ” and Netflix ’ s “ Extraction ” was accompanied by his attorney , Philip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Santa Barbara County sheriff ’ s investigators Monday .
Guillod ran Primary Wave Entertainment , a talent agency , until 2017 , when actress Jessica Barth , a leading voice in the # MeToo movement , accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her five years before .
Guillod , of Sherman Oaks , is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Los Angeles in May 2012 .
He is also accused of raping an employee for a management firm he operated during a December 2014 wine country retreat in Santa Barbara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60,000 payment and was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement before leaving the company , according to sources familiar with the allegations .
She , however , reported Guillod ’ s alleged attack to Los Angeles police in 2017 after other women reported being sexually assaulted by him .
Guillod ’ s third alleged attack , in January 2015 , involves a woman from Santa Barbara County , according to sources .
Authorities did not identify the women who said Guillod attacked them .
Prosecutors charged Guillod with sexual penetration of an unconscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drugged victim , oral copulation of an intoxicated victim , and oral copulation of an unconscious or unaware victim in connection with the alleged attack on May 21 , 2012 .
For the alleged attack on Dec. 14 , 2014 , he was charged with kidnapping to commit robbery or rape , rape of a drugged victim and rape by fraud .
For the alleged attack on Jan. 20 , 2015 , he was charged with two counts of rape by fraud and two counts of rape of a drugged victim .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was booked on the charges and held in lieu of $ 3 million bail , sheriff ’ s officials said .
After Barth in October 2017 publicly accused Guillod of drugging and raping her in 2012 , Guillod stepped down as chief executive of Primal Wave Entertainment .
Barth first reported her allegations in 2012 to the Los Angeles Police Department .
Barth has previously said she dropped pursuing the attack with authorities .
But in the wake of the # MeToo movement in the fall of 2017 , Barth returned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation .
Barth was also among the dozens of women in the movie industry to be subject to inappropriate and in many cases criminal behavior by convicted rapist and producer Harvey Weinstein .
According to Barth ’ s public account , she went to dinner with Guillod and another woman and she remembers feeling drowsy at the table .
She said she woke up “ at home with six hickeys on my neck .
I was horrified .
I was completely and utterly confused and I was sick to my stomach.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told several other people about the incident .
“ For the past eight years , Mr. Guillod has denied these allegations , and for the past eight years , Mr. Guillod has fully cooperated with all aspects of law enforcement ’ s investigation .
We find the unification of the cases filed through the Santa Barbara D.A.
’ s office and the timing suspicious , ” Cohen said in a statement .
Cohen on Monday claimed that “ evidence has been collected over the course of this investigation disputing these charges.
” Among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come back negative in the Los Angeles case ; witnesses have come forward in support of Guillod ’ s account of events ; and numerous text messages and emails obtained by the defense tell a story very different than that which is being alleged .
His lawyer said that Guillod has passed five independent polygraph examinations .
Such tests are not usable in criminal courts .
“ Mr .
Guillod has been vilified for eight years without being afforded the opportunity to examine under oath his accusers .
Justice is rarely swift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Mr. Guillod very much looks forward to clearing his name in the appropriate forum , ” Cohen said in his statement .
The Los Angeles County District Attorney ’ s office said in a statement that since March 2018 , prosecutors have been working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors in Santa Barbara on the investigation .
At least three women have received settlements in connection with Guillod ’ s alleged actions from his prior companies , according to sources not authorized to discuss the legal payouts .
After Barth and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , several female stars quit being managed by the Guillod talent firm .
But he again came into the spotlight with his credit this year as executive producer on the Netflix action movie “ Extraction .
”

Producer David Guillod is facing multiple felony charges, including rape, kidnap to commit rape and rape of a drugged victim in connection with four alleged attacks in May 2012, December 2014 and January 2015.
Hollywood producer David Guillod surrendered to authorities in Santa Barbara County on Monday after a three-year investigation culminated in him being charged with the rape or sexual assault of four women.
Guillod, 53, a high-profile Hollywood talent manager, is facing multiple felony charges, including rape, kidnap to commit rape and rape of a drugged victim in connection with four alleged attacks in May 2012, December 2014 and January 2015.
The producer of the movies “Atomic Blonde” and Netflix’s “Extraction” was accompanied by his attorney, Philip Cohen, when he turned himself in to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s investigators Monday.
Guillod ran Primary Wave Entertainment, a talent agency, until 2017, when actress Jessica Barth, a leading voice in the #MeToo movement, accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her five years before.
Guillod, of Sherman Oaks, is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Los Angeles in May 2012. He is also accused of raping an employee for a management firm he operated during a December 2014 wine country retreat in Santa Barbara County. The woman received a $60,000 payment and was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement before leaving the company, according to sources familiar with the allegations.
Advertisement
She, however, reported Guillod’s alleged attack to Los Angeles police in 2017 after other women reported being sexually assaulted by him.
Guillod’s third and fourth alleged attacks, in January 2015, involves a woman from Santa Barbara County and one from Los Angeles County, according to sources. Authorities did not identify the women who said Guillod attacked them.
Prosecutors charged Guillod with sexual penetration of an unconscious or unaware victim, sexual penetration of a drugged victim, oral copulation of an intoxicated victim, and oral copulation of an unconscious or unaware victim in connection with the alleged attack on May 21, 2012. For the alleged attack on Dec. 14, 2014, he was charged with kidnapping to commit robbery or rape, rape of a drugged victim and rape by fraud.
For the alleged attack on Jan. 30, 2015, he was charged with two counts of rape by fraud and two counts of rape of a drugged victim. And in the alleged attack on Jan. 31, 2015, Guillod was charged with one count of rape of an unconscious person and one count of rape of a person prevented from resisting due to an intoxicating, anesthetic or controlled substance.
Guillod surrendered at Santa Barbara Sheriff headquarters and was booked on the charges and held in lieu of $3 million bail, sheriff’s officials said.
After Barth in October 2017 publicly accused Guillod of drugging and raping her in 2012, Guillod stepped down as chief executive of Primary Wave Entertainment. Barth first reported her allegations in 2012 to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Advertisement
Barth has previously said she dropped pursuing the attack with authorities. But in the wake of the #MeToo movement in the fall of 2017, Barth returned to the LAPD and asked officials to pursue the investigation. Barth was also among the dozens of women in the movie industry to be subject to inappropriate and in many cases criminal behavior by convicted rapist and producer Harvey Weinstein.
According to Barth’s public account, she went to dinner with Guillod and another woman and she remembers feeling drowsy at the table. She said she woke up “at home with six hickeys on my neck. I was horrified. I was completely and utterly confused and I was sick to my stomach.”
According to law enforcement sources, she told several other people about the incident.
“For the past eight years, Mr. Guillod has denied these allegations, and for the past eight years, Mr. Guillod has fully cooperated with all aspects of law enforcement’s investigation. We find the unification of the cases filed through the Santa Barbara D.A.’s office and the timing suspicious,” Cohen, Guillod’s attorney, said in a statement.
Cohen on Monday claimed that “evidence has been collected over the course of this investigation disputing these charges.”
Among the claims Cohen made was that DNA has come back negative in the Los Angeles case; witnesses have come forward in support of Guillod’s account of events; and numerous text messages and emails obtained by the defense tell a story very different than that which is being alleged. His lawyer said that Guillod has passed five independent polygraph examinations. Such tests are not usable in criminal courts.
“Mr. Guillod has been vilified for eight years without being afforded the opportunity to examine under oath his accusers. Justice is rarely swift and often does not come easy; but Mr. Guillod very much looks forward to clearing his name in the appropriate forum,” Cohen said in his statement.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a statement that prosecutors have been working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors in Santa Barbara on the investigation since March 2018.
At least three women have received settlements in connection with Guillod’s alleged actions from his prior companies, according to sources not authorized to discuss the legal payouts. After Barth and the other unnamed women came forward in 2017, several female stars quit being managed by the Guillod talent firm. But he again came into the spotlight with his credit this year as executive producer on the Netflix action movie “Extraction.”


latimes--2020-06-22--L.A. County health director receives death threats over coronavirus rules

As local health officers have been thrust into the spotlight amid the COVID-19 pandemic , an increasing number have become the focus of personal attacks , including Los Angeles County ’ s Barbara Ferrer .
On Monday , as Los Angeles County announced it would reduce news briefings on the virus to once a week , Ferrer revealed details of written attacks and physical threats she has received over the last three months in response to the county ’ s stay-at-home orders .
The death threats began last month , she said .
During a public briefing streamed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health director said that her husband , children and colleagues noticed that someone had posted a message in the comments section that “ casually ” suggested she should be shot .
Ferrer did not say what prompted the threat or when the message was posted .
But on May 13 — the day she suggested during a Board of Supervisors meeting that the county would not fully reopen until Fourth of July weekend , setting off a torrent of complaints — more than 1,000 comments were posted on the briefing ’ s video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stick her wet finger in a light socket , ” and another accused a different commenter of threatening to kill health officials , though that post appears to have since been deleted .
Public health officials throughout the state have received such threats and have been targeted because of restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the virus .
Ferrer said attacks against her have been received via email , public posting and letters since March , when the county enacted its safer-at-home order .
She said that ’ s one reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefings on her own : “ to shield the extraordinary team at L.A. County Public Health from these attacks.
” “ It is deeply worrisome to imagine that our hardworking infectious disease physicians , nurses , epidemiologists and environmental health specialists or any of our other team members would have to face this level of hatred , ” she said in a statement .
In L.A. County , the number of COVID-19 infections has surged past 86,000 and the death toll is more than 3,100 .
The county makes up the bulk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections and deaths .
“ We did not create this virus , ” Ferrer said about herself and the other health officials who have been setting the counties ’ reopening rules .
In Contra Costa County , Public Health Officer Chris Farnitano said in a podcast hosted by state Sen. Richard Pan ( D-Sacramento ) that he knows of several health officers across the state who are receiving additional security following threats .
“ We have stepped up security at our office and around my home , ” Farnitano said on Pan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Into Health , ” which was posted Monday .
“ It ’ s troubling.
” Anti-mask activists have twice protested outside Farnitano ’ s home in recent weeks .
“ My predecessor who had been in the role for 30 years expressed how he had never faced anything similar to this , ” Farnitano said .
“ This is not something we expect as health officials trying to just make decisions for the public ’ s health benefit.
” In noting the continued fight against the outbreak , Ferrer reminded residents that face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
A statewide requirement was set Thursday by Gov .
Gavin Newsom , a week after Orange County rescinded its face mask order .
That decision came after the county ’ s health officer resigned following attacks and death threats similar to what Ferrer has received .
Ferrer said decisions have been driven by data , not politics .
“ As public health officials , we try hard not to be influenced by partisan politics or public sentiment — we must follow the science in order to save lives , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we don ’ t change the way we go about our daily routines , we could pay for it with our lives or the lives of others around us .
”

As local health officers have been thrust into the spotlight amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number have become the focus of personal attacks, including Los Angeles County’s Barbara Ferrer.
On Monday, as Los Angeles County announced it would reduce news briefings on the virus to once a week, Ferrer revealed details of written attacks and physical threats she has received over the last three months in response to the county’s stay-at-home orders.
The death threats began last month, she said. During a public briefing streamed on the county’s Facebook page, the health director said that her husband, children and colleagues noticed that someone had posted a message in the comments section that “casually” suggested she should be shot.
Advertisement
Ferrer did not say what prompted the threat or when the message was posted. But on May 13 — the day she suggested during a Board of Supervisors meeting that the county would not fully reopen until Fourth of July weekend, setting off a torrent of complaints — more than 1,000 comments were posted on the briefing’s video.
One person said Ferrer “needs to stick her wet finger in a light socket,” and another accused a different commenter of threatening to kill health officials, though that post appears to have since been deleted.
Public health officials throughout the state have received such threats and have been targeted because of restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the virus.
Ferrer said attacks against her have been received via email, public posting and letters since March, when the county enacted its safer-at-home order. She said that’s one reason why she’s handled the coronavirus briefings on her own: “to shield the extraordinary team at L.A. County Public Health from these attacks.”
“It is deeply worrisome to imagine that our hardworking infectious disease physicians, nurses, epidemiologists and environmental health specialists or any of our other team members would have to face this level of hatred,” she said in a statement.
Advertisement
In L.A. County, the number of COVID-19 infections has surged past 86,000 and the death toll is more than 3,100. The county makes up the bulk of the state’s total number of infections and deaths.
“We did not create this virus,” Ferrer said about herself and the other health officials who have been setting the counties’ reopening rules.
In Contra Costa County, Public Health Officer Chris Farnitano said in a podcast hosted by state Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) that he knows of several health officers across the state who are receiving additional security following threats.
“We have stepped up security at our office and around my home,” Farnitano said on Pan’s podcast, “Putting the Public Into Health,” which was posted Monday. “It’s troubling.”
Anti-mask activists have twice protested outside Farnitano’s home in recent weeks.
“My predecessor who had been in the role for 30 years expressed how he had never faced anything similar to this,” Farnitano said. “This is not something we expect as health officials trying to just make decisions for the public’s health benefit.”
In noting the continued fight against the outbreak, Ferrer reminded residents that face coverings are one of the best tools available.
A statewide requirement was set Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a week after Orange County rescinded its face mask order. That decision came after the county’s health officer resigned following attacks and death threats similar to what Ferrer has received.
Ferrer said decisions have been driven by data, not politics.
“As public health officials, we try hard not to be influenced by partisan politics or public sentiment — we must follow the science in order to save lives,” she said. “And the science says if we don’t change the way we go about our daily routines, we could pay for it with our lives or the lives of others around us.”
Times staff writer Melody Gutierrez contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-22--Avenal inmate is 19th California prisoner to die after contracting coronavirus

An inmate at Avenal State Prison died of suspected COVID-19 complications over the weekend , becoming the 19th California state prisoner to die after contracting the coronavirus .
The man died Saturday at a hospital , said Dana Simas , spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation .
His identity was not released .
The exact cause of his death has not yet been determined , though it appears to be related to COVID-19 , Simas said .
The death was the first coronavirus-linked fatality recorded by Avenal State Prison , which has reported 928 cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 131 inmates currently being held there have active cases of the virus , Simas said .
The California Institution for Women in Corona and Chuckawalla Valley State Prison each have reported one inmate death linked to COVID-19 .
The women ’ s prison has recorded 163 cases of the virus , and Chuckawalla has reported 1,012 , making it the site of the largest coronavirus outbreak in the state prisons system .
Roughly 44 % of inmates there have tested positive for the virus .
The bulk of the COVID-19 deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Institution for Men in Chino , where 850 inmates have tested positive for the virus and 16 have died .
The 16th man died Wednesday , Simas said .
A total of 3,611 inmates at California state prisons have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began , according to the department of corrections .
The outbreaks at Chuckawalla , Avenal , the men ’ s prison in Chino and the women ’ s prison in Corona account for nearly 82 % of those cases .
Outbreaks also have been reported at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded 240 cases of the virus , and at the state prisons in Corcoran and Los Angeles County , which have reported 155 and 128 cases , respectively .

An inmate at Avenal State Prison died of suspected COVID-19 complications over the weekend, becoming the 19th California state prisoner to die after contracting the coronavirus.
The man died Saturday at a hospital, said Dana Simas, spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. His identity was not released. The exact cause of his death has not yet been determined, though it appears to be related to COVID-19, Simas said.
The death was the first coronavirus-linked fatality recorded by Avenal State Prison, which has reported 928 cases of the virus among its population. A total of 131 inmates currently being held there have active cases of the virus, Simas said.
Advertisement
The California Institution for Women in Corona and Chuckawalla Valley State Prison each have reported one inmate death linked to COVID-19. The women’s prison has recorded 163 cases of the virus, and Chuckawalla has reported 1,012, making it the site of the largest coronavirus outbreak in the state prisons system. Roughly 44% of inmates there have tested positive for the virus.
The bulk of the COVID-19 deaths in state prisons have been reported by the California Institution for Men in Chino, where 850 inmates have tested positive for the virus and 16 have died. The 16th man died Wednesday, Simas said.
A total of 3,611 inmates at California state prisons have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to the department of corrections. The outbreaks at Chuckawalla, Avenal, the men’s prison in Chino and the women’s prison in Corona account for nearly 82% of those cases.
Outbreaks also have been reported at the San Quentin State Prison, which has recorded 240 cases of the virus, and at the state prisons in Corcoran and Los Angeles County, which have reported 155 and 128 cases, respectively.


latimes--2020-06-22--Social gatherings help fuel rising coronavirus spread in parts of California

Elevated coronavirus transmissions and related hospitalizations are worsening in some parts of California , and a failure to wear masks in public and increased gatherings are partly to blame , health officials said .
Riverside and San Bernardino counties have recently appeared or reappeared on the state ’ s list of counties needing targeted monitoring by state officials .
In both counties , increases in gatherings were a factor in elevated disease transmission , as were outbreaks at state prisons , nursing homes and patients being transferred from Imperial County , which is home to a particularly bad outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations in Santa Barbara , San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties .
Officials also blamed “ decreased attention to personal protection measures such as face coverings and social distancing ” in Stanislaus County , whose largest city is Modesto .
To be sure , California health officials say long-term hospitalization rates remain stable , as is the percent of those testing positive .
But there has been an uptick in hospitalizations related to the coronavirus in the last week ; between June 14 and June 20 , the number of people in the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose from 4,323 to 4,679 , an 8 % increase .
The concern comes as healthcare experts sounded the alarm about growing disease transmission rates across the nation .
Community transmission of the highly contagious virus continues to be a problem not only in states such as Arizona , Florida and Texas , but also in California , according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb , a former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , who was speaking on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” In fact , the pandemic may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hoped it might .
Instead of distinct waves — a first wave in the spring , followed by a quieter summer and a second wave in the fall — the nation , still stuck in its first wave , may continue to see the pandemic persist without a summer respite .
“ This is more like a forest fire .
...
Wherever there is wood to burn , this fire is going to burn .
And right now , we have a lot of susceptible people , ” Michael Osterholm , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy , warned Sunday on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” “ I don ’ t see this slowing down through the summer or into the fall .
...
I think we ’ re going to just see one very , very difficult forest fire of cases.
” Some parts of California , including the Bay Area and Los Angeles County , have not seen spikes in hospitalizations even though overall cases are going up .
Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County ’ s public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have continued to decline .
In early May , L.A. County experienced an average of 45 deaths per day ; in early June , there were an average of 20 to 30 deaths reported daily .
Hospitalizations in L.A. County had been steadily decreasing but have recently plateaued , Ferrer said .
It ’ s possible that a reason for this might be that all hospital patients are being tested for the coronavirus , even if they ’ re in the facility for a completely different reason .
“ So we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the weeks ahead , ” Ferrer said .
In Riverside , County , potential transmissions are occurring at public protests with large numbers of people close together and not wearing face coverings .
Patients from northern Baja California seeking care are also a factor in increasing hospitalizations in the county , state officials said .
The number of people in the hospital with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections reported Saturday was 366 , a 36 % increase from what it was three weeks earlier , on May 30 , when 269 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County is also seeing increasing hospitalizations , and state officials cited concerns about increasing disease transmission at workplaces , state hospitals , county jails and academy facilities .
The number of people in San Bernardino County with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections on Sunday was 330 , a 47 % increase from what it was three weeks earlier , on May 30 , when 225 people were in hospitals .
Riverside and San Bernardino counties were among those that rescinded mandatory mask orders .
Last week , Gov .
Gavin Newsom imposed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public .
Until Newsom ’ s order , only about two dozen California counties had mandates requiring residents to wear face coverings , the largest being Los Angeles , San Diego , Santa Clara , Alameda , Sacramento , Contra Costa , San Francisco and San Mateo .
Out of California ’ s 58 counties , Riverside County observed the highest percent increase in hospitalizations in the last three days as of Sunday , tallying a 20.9 % jump .
The other counties the state is tracking include Stanislaus ( 19.7 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , San Joaquin ( 16.2 % ) , San Bernardino ( 13.9 % ) and Fresno ( 12.4 % ) .
Some public health officials have expressed concern that as the economy opens up , people are assuming they can get back to other routines , such as social gatherings .
“ We have found as businesses begin to open up , for some people , there was a sense that things are OK now , and they began having gatherings in the home and birthday parties , ” Sacramento County health officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month .
“ That is most of the exposure .
They are multi-generational .
They have people with higher risk , ” she added .
“ You have people together for an extended period of time ” not observing six-feet social distancing , and often not wearing face coverings .
San Diego County has also recorded several new outbreaks over the last week — some tied to gatherings .
Of the eight outbreaks reported in the last seven days , the biggest had four or five cases , Dr. Wilma Wooten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer , said last week .
She said no deaths had been associated with any of the outbreaks .
Two confirmed Wednesday and announced Thursday were at a campground and a “ social club , ” according to county officials .
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the social club should not have been open .
Officials said they were asking residents to voluntarily comply with the public health orders .
If officials find egregious violations at businesses , they could be shut down or cited by law enforcement agencies .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities associated with outbreaks .
They said outbreaks at businesses had involved only employees , and identifying the places would create the risk of businesses not reporting or cooperating with contact-tracing efforts .
Fletcher acknowledged that gatherings in people ’ s homes that involve people from different households would present a challenge for law enforcement agencies .
Such gatherings are illegal under the county ’ s public health order .
Wooten said such private gatherings in homes , where people are less inclined to wear masks , would likely be banned under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be achieved , and that was unlikely to happen this year .
Paul Sisson and Morgan Cook of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report .

Beach goers recreate at the water’s edge to cool off amid high temperatures this month in Huntington Beach.
Elevated coronavirus transmissions and related hospitalizations are worsening in some parts of California, and a failure to wear masks in public and increased gatherings are partly to blame, health officials said.
Riverside and San Bernardino counties have recently appeared or reappeared on the state’s list of counties needing targeted monitoring by state officials. In both counties, increases in gatherings were a factor in elevated disease transmission, as were outbreaks at state prisons, nursing homes and patients being transferred from Imperial County, which is home to a particularly bad outbreak.
Gatherings were also a factor in increasing hospitalizations in Santa Barbara, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Officials also blamed “decreased attention to personal protection measures such as face coverings and social distancing” in Stanislaus County, whose largest city is Modesto.
Advertisement
To be sure, California health officials say long-term hospitalization rates remain stable, as is the percent of those testing positive. But there has been an uptick in hospitalizations related to the coronavirus in the last week; between June 14 and June 20, the number of people in the hospital with confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 rose from 4,323 to 4,679, an 8% increase.
California Alarmed by spiking coronavirus numbers? Here’s why officials insist they aren’t worried Health officials say the total in new cases is not the best measure of community spread because of aggressive levels of new testing. They point to other metrics they say shows that the local outbreak has stabilized.
The concern comes as healthcare experts sounded the alarm about growing disease transmission rates across the nation. Community transmission of the highly contagious virus continues to be a problem not only in states such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, but also in California, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, who was speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
In fact, the pandemic may not slow during the summer as some experts had hoped it might. Instead of distinct waves — a first wave in the spring, followed by a quieter summer and a second wave in the fall — the nation, still stuck in its first wave, may continue to see the pandemic persist without a summer respite.
“This is more like a forest fire. ... Wherever there is wood to burn, this fire is going to burn. And right now, we have a lot of susceptible people,” Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, warned Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I don’t see this slowing down through the summer or into the fall. ... I think we’re going to just see one very, very difficult forest fire of cases.”
Some parts of California, including the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, have not seen spikes in hospitalizations even though overall cases are going up.
Advertisement
Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County’s public health director, said Friday that average daily deaths have continued to decline. In early May, L.A. County experienced an average of 45 deaths per day; in early June, there were an average of 20 to 30 deaths reported daily.
Hospitalizations in L.A. County had been steadily decreasing but have recently plateaued, Ferrer said.
It’s possible that a reason for this might be that all hospital patients are being tested for the coronavirus, even if they’re in the facility for a completely different reason. “So we’ll need to watch this information carefully over the weeks ahead,” Ferrer said.
In Riverside County, potential transmissions are occurring at public protests with large numbers of people close together and not wearing face coverings.
Patients from northern Baja California seeking care are also a factor in increasing hospitalizations in the county, state officials said. The number of people in the hospital with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections reported Saturday was 366, a 36% increase from what it was three weeks earlier, on May 30, when 269 people were in the hospital.
San Bernardino County is also seeing increasing hospitalizations, and state officials cited concerns about increasing disease transmission at workplaces, state hospitals, county jails and academy facilities. The number of people in San Bernardino County with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections on Sunday was 330, a 47% increase from what it was three weeks earlier, on May 30, when 225 people were in hospitals.
Riverside and San Bernardino counties were among those that rescinded mandatory mask orders. Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed a statewide order requiring masks to be worn in public. Until Newsom’s order, only about two dozen California counties had mandates requiring residents to wear face coverings, the largest being Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo.
Out of California’s 58 counties, Riverside County observed the highest percent increase in hospitalizations in the last three days as of Sunday, tallying a 20.9% jump. The other counties the state is tracking include Stanislaus (19.7%), Kings (17.9%), San Joaquin (16.2%), San Bernardino (13.9%) and Fresno (12.4%).
Some public health officials have expressed concern that as the economy opens up, people are assuming they can get back to other routines, such as social gatherings.
“We have found as businesses begin to open up, for some people, there was a sense that things are OK now, and they began having gatherings in the home and birthday parties,” Sacramento County health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye told the Sacramento Bee earlier this month.
“That is most of the exposure. They are multi-generational. They have people with higher risk,” she added. “You have people together for an extended period of time” not observing six-feet social distancing, and often not wearing face coverings.
San Diego County has also recorded several new outbreaks over the last week — some tied to gatherings.
Of the eight outbreaks reported in the last seven days, the biggest had four or five cases, Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said last week. She said no deaths had been associated with any of the outbreaks.
Two confirmed Wednesday and announced Thursday were at a campground and a “social club,” according to county officials.
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the social club should not have been open.
Officials said they were asking residents to voluntarily comply with the public health orders. If officials find egregious violations at businesses, they could be shut down or cited by law enforcement agencies.
The county refused to release the names of facilities associated with outbreaks. They said outbreaks at businesses had involved only employees, and identifying the places would create the risk of businesses not reporting or cooperating with contact-tracing efforts.
Fletcher acknowledged that gatherings in people’s homes that involve people from different households would present a challenge for law enforcement agencies. Such gatherings are illegal under the county’s public health order.
Wooten said such private gatherings in homes, where people are less inclined to wear masks, would likely be banned under the public health order until herd immunity could be achieved, and that was unlikely to happen this year.
Paul Sisson and Morgan Cook of the San Diego Union-Tribune contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-22--Newsom agrees to rethink sharp California budget cuts in deal with lawmakers

Gov .
Gavin Newsom agreed Monday to largely abandon the far-reaching spending reductions he proposed as necessary without new federal coronavirus relief funds , striking a budget pact with leaders of the California Legislature that relies on a mix of different cuts , along with a more optimistic economic outlook , to protect social services programs and public schools .
The compromise , announced in a brief statement released by Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders , came one week after legislators passed a placeholder budget that met a constitutional deadline , avoiding the forfeiture of their pay .
Formal approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected until later this week .
“ The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused a sudden and dramatic change in our nation ’ s and state ’ s economic outlook — and has had a cascading effect on our state budget , ” the statement said .
“ In the face of these challenges , we have agreed on a budget that is balanced , responsible and protects core services — education , health care , social safety net and emergency preparedness and response .
No topic was more contentious than Newsom ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in spending , a downsizing only to be reversed if Congress and President Trump provide new coronavirus assistance to states in early summer .
The governor ’ s effort would have cut spending on 89 different state programs .
About $ 8 billion of the cuts would have come from funding for K-12 schools and community colleges .
Lawmakers flatly rejected Newsom ’ s cuts to schools and a wide array of social services , insisting the state should extend the deadline for new federal money until the end of September before finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings .
The final agreement , outlined for The Times by legislative sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren ’ t authorized to discuss it publicly , relies on a hybrid of two approaches to reduce spending by $ 12 billion .
Spending cuts linked to future federal funds will be made immediately , as Newsom had wanted .
But the agreed-upon cuts largely avoid major impacts to social services programs Democratic lawmakers said are vital to the state ’ s most vulnerable residents .
Key portions of the projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s historically large cash reserves .
The agreement , the sources said , also assumes tax revenues will be better than expected — reducing additional cuts by about $ 1 billion .
An estimate provided by the Newsom administration shows the final agreement relies on solutions that will shrink the projected deficit in the fiscal year that begins in the summer of 2021 down to $ 5 billion ; the legislative budget plan would have left a shortfall of $ 13.5 billion .
“ This is a multiyear framework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an event to discuss the state ’ s response to COVID-19 .
“ We have a lot of work to do over the next few years.
” The governor and legislative leaders highlighted the budget deal ’ s protection of funding for K-12 schools , largely left at current service levels — a notable outcome , given the sharp decline in tax revenues and with school spending the largest part of the state ’ s general fund .
While legislators abandoned their effort to adjust school spending for inflation , education advocates believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations as they were in the prior academic year .
The budget also gives schools a one-time boost of about $ 5 billion from the state ’ s portion of the federal CARES Act , earmarked to help cover distance learning and other unexpected costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Maintaining current school services won ’ t be easy , as the budget agreement spreads out the state ’ s funding for those services over several years .
School districts will have to use cash reserves or borrow money to foot the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenses that the state would normally be required to cover .
While similar deferrals of state education spending were used extensively during the Great Recession , the amount of delayed funding grew toward the end of private negotiations .
And budget advisors say up to $ 6 billion of the IOUs to schools can be canceled if the federal funds materialize .
While some school districts may struggle with providing cash to be repaid later , Newsom said the budget will prohibit teacher layoffs .
“ That was foundational , important , something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said Monday .
But other proposed cuts , according to legislative sources , grew deeper in the final deal and were more in alignment with Newsom ’ s original budget plan .
That includes $ 970 million less for the University of California and California State University systems , combined .
Programs aiming to provide more housing for low- and middle-income Californians will be cut by $ 250 million .
And court operations across the state will be cut by $ 150 million .
County governments , which have lost tax revenues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public safety and health programs , would receive $ 750 million to fund those services — less than the $ 1 billion local officials asked for during the negotiations .
The remaining $ 250 million would only be allocated if new federal coronavirus relief arrives .
“ It ’ s a tough budget for all of us , ” Newsom said Friday during a visit to a Sacramento restaurant to promote his program for helping shut-in seniors to receive meals during the pandemic .
“ The magnitude of the shortfall is unprecedented in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget agreement also includes new tax revenues .
It cancels $ 4.4 billion in tax breaks primarily used by business tax filers , an effort roundly criticized by Republicans in the Legislature during the vote on the legislative budget this week .
Legislators set aside less money for the state ’ s COVID-19 response , rejecting Newsom ’ s plan to essentially prepay costs that should be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
The budget agreement boosts some spending , adding $ 350 million for homelessness programs .
It also expands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorest residents to those who have only an employer identification number , not a Social Security number , often because they lack legal immigration status .
State government workers will bear some $ 2.8 billion of the budget cuts , with those represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1000 taking two furlough days per month and delaying until 2022 a pay increase that was supposed to go into effect July 1 .
A separate furlough plan was agreed to last week by the union representing correctional officers .
With other groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to impose some furloughs on his own .
“ To be clear , this budget required some tough decisions and more work remains ahead , ” the statement released by Newsom and legislative leaders said .
Marathon talks between Newsom and lawmakers ran through two consecutive weekends and late into most evenings before Monday ’ s announcement .
In the decade since voters loosened the legislative threshold for passing a budget , the process has generally produced quick agreements between Democratic governors and legislators , though last year ’ s deal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s housing crisis .
In reality , California has no real deadline for a final agreement — instead requiring the initial budget bill to be ratified by June 15 to prevent lawmakers from losing their pay , followed up by a series of budget-enacting bills approved on a more flexible timeline .
A 2014 court ruling determined only the overview budget plan is subject to the June 15 constitutional deadline , with revisions and additional decisions allowed weeks or even months after the fiscal year begins July 1 .

Gov. Gavin Newsom, seen discussing his state budget proposal May 14, agreed to scrap many of his spending cuts in the final budget agreement with the California Legislature.
Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed Monday to largely abandon the far-reaching spending reductions he proposed as necessary without new federal coronavirus relief funds, striking a budget pact with leaders of the California Legislature that relies on a mix of different cuts, along with a more optimistic economic outlook, to protect social services programs and public schools.
The compromise, announced in a brief statement released by Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders, came one week after legislators passed a placeholder budget that met a constitutional deadline, avoiding the forfeiture of their pay. Formal approval of the final budget isn’t expected until later this week.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused a sudden and dramatic change in our nation’s and state’s economic outlook — and has had a cascading effect on our state budget,” the statement said. “In the face of these challenges, we have agreed on a budget that is balanced, responsible and protects core services — education, health care, social safety net and emergency preparedness and response.”
No topic was more contentious than Newsom’s original plan to cut $14 billion in spending, a downsizing only to be reversed if Congress and President Trump provide new coronavirus assistance to states in early summer. The governor’s effort would have cut spending on 89 different state programs. About $8 billion of the cuts would have come from funding for K-12 schools and community colleges.
Lawmakers flatly rejected Newsom’s cuts to schools and a wide array of social services, insisting the state should extend the deadline for new federal money until the end of September before finding an additional $14 billion in budget savings.
The final agreement, outlined for The Times by legislative sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to discuss it publicly, relies on a hybrid of two approaches to reduce spending by $12 billion. Spending cuts linked to future federal funds will be made immediately, as Newsom had wanted. But the agreed-upon cuts largely avoid major impacts to social services programs Democratic lawmakers said are vital to the state’s most vulnerable residents. Key portions of the projected deficit would be erased by using part of the state’s historically large cash reserves. The agreement, the sources said, also assumes tax revenues will be better than expected — reducing additional cuts by about $1 billion.
Advertisement
An estimate provided by the Newsom administration shows the final agreement relies on solutions that will shrink the projected deficit in the fiscal year that begins in the summer of 2021 down to $5 billion; the legislative budget plan would have left a shortfall of $13.5 billion.
“This is a multiyear framework,” Newsom said on Monday during an event to discuss the state’s response to COVID-19. “We have a lot of work to do over the next few years.”
The governor and legislative leaders highlighted the budget deal’s protection of funding for K-12 schools, largely left at current service levels — a notable outcome, given the sharp decline in tax revenues and with school spending the largest part of the state’s general fund. While legislators abandoned their effort to adjust school spending for inflation, education advocates believe most districts will be able to maintain operations as they were in the prior academic year.
The budget also gives schools a one-time boost of about $5 billion from the state’s portion of the federal CARES Act, earmarked to help cover distance learning and other unexpected costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maintaining current school services won’t be easy, as the budget agreement spreads out the state’s funding for those services over several years. School districts will have to use cash reserves or borrow money to foot the bill for about $12.5 billion in expenses that the state would normally be required to cover. While similar deferrals of state education spending were used extensively during the Great Recession, the amount of delayed funding grew toward the end of private negotiations. And budget advisors say up to $6 billion of the IOUs to schools can be canceled if the federal funds materialize.
While some school districts may struggle with providing cash to be repaid later, Newsom said the budget will prohibit teacher layoffs.
“That was foundational, important, something we all care deeply about,” he said Monday.
Advertisement
But other proposed cuts, according to legislative sources, grew deeper in the final deal and were more in alignment with Newsom’s original budget plan. That includes $970 million less for the University of California and California State University systems, combined. Programs aiming to provide more housing for low- and middle-income Californians will be cut by $250 million. And court operations across the state will be cut by $150 million.
County governments, which have lost tax revenues during the fast-moving recession that pay for public safety and health programs, would receive $750 million to fund those services — less than the $1 billion local officials asked for during the negotiations. The remaining $250 million would only be allocated if new federal coronavirus relief arrives.
“It’s a tough budget for all of us,” Newsom said Friday during a visit to a Sacramento restaurant to promote his program for helping shut-in seniors to receive meals during the pandemic. “The magnitude of the shortfall is unprecedented in the state’s history.”
The budget agreement also includes new tax revenues. It cancels $4.4 billion in tax breaks primarily used by business tax filers, an effort roundly criticized by Republicans in the Legislature during the vote on the legislative budget this week.
Legislators set aside less money for the state’s COVID-19 response, rejecting Newsom’s plan to essentially prepay costs that should be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The budget agreement boosts some spending, adding $350 million for homelessness programs. It also expands California’s tax credit for its poorest residents to those who have only an employer identification number, not a Social Security number, often because they lack legal immigration status.
State government workers will bear some $2.8 billion of the budget cuts, with those represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1000 taking two furlough days per month and delaying until 2022 a pay increase that was supposed to go into effect July 1. A separate furlough plan was agreed to last week by the union representing correctional officers. With other groups of workers, the deal provides Newsom the power to impose some furloughs on his own.
“To be clear, this budget required some tough decisions and more work remains ahead,” the statement released by Newsom and legislative leaders said.
Marathon talks between Newsom and lawmakers ran through two consecutive weekends and late into most evenings before Monday’s announcement. In the decade since voters loosened the legislative threshold for passing a budget, the process has generally produced quick agreements between Democratic governors and legislators, though last year’s deal was delayed by disagreements over how to address the state’s housing crisis.
In reality, California has no real deadline for a final agreement — instead requiring the initial budget bill to be ratified by June 15 to prevent lawmakers from losing their pay, followed up by a series of budget-enacting bills approved on a more flexible timeline. A 2014 court ruling determined only the overview budget plan is subject to the June 15 constitutional deadline, with revisions and additional decisions allowed weeks or even months after the fiscal year begins July 1.


latimes--2020-06-22--Ventura County sheriff's employee and D.A. office worker cited in vandalism of Black Lives Matter si

Ventura County sheriff's employee and D.A. office worker cited in vandalism of Black Lives Matter sign

A Ventura County sheriff ’ s employee is on leave and an employee of the county district attorney ’ s office has resigned after they were cited in connection with the vandalism of a Black Lives Matter banner in Thousand Oaks , authorities said .
The incidents were captured on a surveillance camera that was installed to record anyone trying to damage or remove the sign — a tarp emblazoned with the letters “ BLM ” that has for weeks been displayed along a fence on Westlake Boulevard , according to the Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office .
Authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the vandalism suspects that the banner ’ s owner posted on social media and recognized the man as 60-year-old Darrin Stone , who has worked with the Sheriff ’ s Office since 2005 .
Authorities allege Stone , who is assigned as a non-sworn service technician at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura , slashed the sign with a knife on June 13 and again last Friday .
He has been cited in the vandalism and is now on paid leave pending the results of criminal and administrative investigations , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m deeply disappointed that one of our employees involved himself in this type of illegal activity , especially when this is an infringement on someone ’ s 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech , ” Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a statement .
“ We will not tolerate unlawful or unethical behavior by anyone employed by our agency .
We hold our employees to the highest standards , and there will be consequences for this.
” Also cited in the vandalism was Craig Anderson , 59 .
Authorities say he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but left it behind after noticing the camera .
Anderson was employed as a non-sworn investigative assistant with the county district attorney ’ s office but has since resigned , officials said .
He had been on the job for about four months .
A third man , 58-year-old Jeffrey Moore , also was cited in the vandalism after sheriff ’ s officials said he spray-painted graffiti on the sign on June 11 .
Moore , Anderson and Stone are all Thousand Oaks residents , authorities said .

A Ventura County sheriff’s employee is on leave and an employee of the county district attorney’s office has resigned after they were cited in connection with the vandalism of a Black Lives Matter banner in Thousand Oaks, authorities said.
The incidents were captured on a surveillance camera that was installed to record anyone trying to damage or remove the sign — a tarp emblazoned with the letters “BLM” that has for weeks been displayed along a fence on Westlake Boulevard, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say detectives saw an image of one of the vandalism suspects that the banner’s owner posted on social media and recognized the man as 60-year-old Darrin Stone, who has worked with the Sheriff’s Office since 2005.
Advertisement
Mindy Meyers, 53, and her son,17 (didn’t want to be identfied), walk their dogs along Westlake Blvd. in Westlake Village, past a Black Lives Matter banner placed on the fence by her older son, Max Meyers, 19. Mindy Meyers said that the fence is located in the backyard of their home and is on their property. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Authorities allege Stone, who is assigned as a non-sworn service technician at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura, slashed the sign with a knife on June 13 and again last Friday.
He has been cited in the vandalism and is now on paid leave pending the results of criminal and administrative investigations, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m deeply disappointed that one of our employees involved himself in this type of illegal activity, especially when this is an infringement on someone’s 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech,” Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a statement. “We will not tolerate unlawful or unethical behavior by anyone employed by our agency. We hold our employees to the highest standards, and there will be consequences for this.”
Also cited in the vandalism was Craig Anderson, 59. Authorities say he cut the sign down on May 31 but left it behind after noticing the camera.
Advertisement
Anderson was employed as a non-sworn investigative assistant with the county district attorney’s office but has since resigned, officials said. He had been on the job for about four months.
A third man, 58-year-old Jeffrey Moore, also was cited in the vandalism after sheriff’s officials said he spray-painted graffiti on the sign on June 11.
Moore, Anderson and Stone are all Thousand Oaks residents, authorities said.


latimes--2020-06-22--Wounded security guard shoots, kills 2 outside Riverside nightclub during gun battle

A gunfight erupted early Monday outside a Riverside nightclub , leaving two people dead and one injured , authorities said .
After a man had been ejected from the El Calentano nightclub in the 10300 block of Arlington Avenue , he retreated to the parking lot with a woman and grabbed a firearm from inside a vehicle , police said .
He and the woman then drove to the front of the nightclub , where he shot a security guard several times , according to police reports .
The security guard , who was shot in his lower extremities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle ’ s occupants , police said .
During the gun battle , the car jolted across the street and crashed into a building just after midnight , authorities said .
“ When officers arrived , they found one of the security guards suffering from at least two gunshot wounds , and a man and a woman deceased on the scene , ” Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback said .
“ A gun was recovered at the scene , ” Railsback said .
The security guard was transported to a hospital in stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities said .
There were several witnesses and a video of the shooting , according to police .
Arlington Avenue remains closed between Tyler Street and Jones Avenue as police investigate .
The Riverside County district attorney ’ s office and the Sheriff ’ s Coroner ’ s Office will assist in the investigation .
“ Detectives will be out there for a few more hours , ” Railsback said about 7:30 a.m. Monday .

A triple shooting at the El Calentano nightclub in Riverside left two people dead and a security guard injured.(OnScene.TV)
A gunfight erupted early Monday outside a Riverside nightclub, leaving two people dead and one injured, authorities said.
After a man had been ejected from the El Calentano nightclub in the 10300 block of Arlington Avenue, he retreated to the parking lot with a woman and grabbed a firearm from inside a vehicle, police said. He and the woman then drove to the front of the nightclub, where he shot a security guard several times, according to police reports.
The security guard, who was shot in his lower extremities, returned fire, striking both of the vehicle’s occupants, police said. During the gun battle, the car jolted across the street and crashed into a building just after midnight, authorities said.
Advertisement
“When officers arrived, they found one of the security guards suffering from at least two gunshot wounds, and a man and a woman deceased on the scene,” Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback said.
“A gun was recovered at the scene,” Railsback said.
The security guard was transported to a hospital in stable condition. He is expected to survive, authorities said.
POLICE ACTIVITY: We currently have Arlington Ave closed between Tyler St and Jones Ave while our officers and detectives continue investigating a shooting that occurred in the 10300 block of Arlington Ave overnight. There are no outstanding suspects or threat to public safety. pic.twitter.com/YlpxzDGXSE — City of Riverside Police Department (@RiversidePolice) June 22, 2020
There were several witnesses and a video of the shooting, according to police.
Arlington Avenue remains closed between Tyler Street and Jones Avenue as police investigate. The Riverside County district attorney’s office and the Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will assist in the investigation.
“Detectives will be out there for a few more hours,” Railsback said about 7:30 a.m. Monday.


latimes--2020-06-22--Thousands of community college students withdraw after a lost semester amid coronavirus

Stevie Carpenter dropped out of high school , earned his GED , enrolled at L.A. City College and at age 25 has been accepted to attend UC Davis this fall , where he plans to study neurobiology .
But the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown another major challenge at him : online classes .
Carpenter couldn ’ t keep up with general chemistry , a requirement for his major .
“ I couldn ’ t take chemistry without a teacher… .
It ’ s difficult to just read a book and go off the examples , ” he said .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdrawal , jeopardizing his admission to UC Davis and threatening his plans to become the first in his family of 10 children to attend a four-year university .
“ Hopefully , I can take it again ” at UC Davis , Carpenter said .
“ If not , I am going to have to apply for the following school year.
” Carpenter ’ s experience reflects the struggles of many students in the nation ’ s largest community college system during their final months of the academic year , and it portends further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District will continue with primarily online instruction in the fall .
With nine colleges and an annual enrollment of more than 200,000 , the district serves some of the most vulnerable students in the state ’ s systems of public higher education .
An estimated 1 in 5 were homeless before the pandemic , and more than half were food insecure — circumstances exacerbated by the crisis .
District data show that online learning hindered the trajectory of many students .
More than 32,000 students withdrew from classes in spring 2020 , compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 17 % increase .
Roughly 2,000 students in “ hard-to-convert classes '' — including those in health fields such as nursing and biotechnology , and career and technical courses such as auto mechanics — are in educational limbo because their hands-on coursework could not continue , said Angela Echeverri , president of the college district ’ s Academic Senate .
Additionally , of more than 9,000 students who filled out a district survey in April about the online transition , only three-quarters said they had regular access to a computer , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same of internet access .
One-third of students said they didn ’ t have a quiet study space .
Almost half said they had dealt with job loss or reduction of hours , and 72 % said they had increased worry or anxiety .
The killing of George Floyd in late May and the ensuing protests and police violence further traumatized students .
“ Our students are trying to prepare for their upcoming final exams … while coping with many obstacles in a time of enormous social turbulence , ” a June 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joanne Waddell and district Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez to college faculty said .
The letter cited the district ’ s survey results and said the pandemic “ has only exacerbated the inequities experienced by our students and communities.
” The district has tried to respond to these simultaneous crises , mobilizing to distribute close to 14,000 Chromebook laptops , giving out gift cards to grocery stores , providing flexibility to withdraw from courses or switch to a pass/no pass grade , and instructing faculty to give generous allowances to students whose personal circumstances impeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , said Brian Ha , a student worker and Associated Student Union president at East Los Angeles College , students struggled .
“ The hardest obstacle was getting the resources to attend class , ” said Ha , who monitors an online platform and social media sites where students post questions .
“ And the students who do have resources , their obstacle is self-motivation.
” Ha said students inquired about laptops and low-cost internet service , the effect of withdrawals on their transcripts , their ability to complete lab courses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he was lucky because he had saved up and bought a laptop in October , and will still transfer to UCLA as planned this fall .
Michael Duggan , a formerly homeless student at City College , applied for a district-issued laptop the day the announcement came out .
In April , for the first time , he sat down at his desk and typed out an essay .
“ This is the first time I ’ ve ever been able to do homework at home — the first time I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wi-Fi , ” he said .
“ Before that , I used my cellphone or the school library.
” But there were gaps .
Duggan , who gets by on $ 200 a month in cash assistance from L.A. County and food stamps , couldn ’ t get to a printer to apply for an “ Angeleno card ” — financial assistance from the mayor ’ s office .
And he still faces food insecurity .
“ I really struggle day to day , ” he said .
Elias Geronimo , a 30-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school learning English and earning his high school diploma before enrolling at City College in 2017 .
He is studying biology with the goal of transferring to a four-year university in 2021 and , ultimately , attending medical school .
Geronimo , who shares expenses and a two-bedroom apartment in Lincoln Heights with his brother , sister-in-law and cousin , was laid off from his part-time job busing tables at a West Hollywood restaurant just before campus closed .
“ Everything came up together and … blocked my mind from focusing on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was really difficult to deal with all those emotions.
” He received a Chromebook from the district and a $ 50 gift card to use at Ralphs or Food 4 Less , but he is still plowing through savings .
Though he succeeded in Calculus 2 , his Chromebook overheated during a chemistry final and he earned a C. As for biology ?
Geronimo dropped it once he saw his grades slipping on online exams .
“ It ’ s my major and I want to pass that class with an A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he doesn ’ t want to arrive at university having done only virtual labs .
Geronimo hopes to retake biology with the in-person lab this fall .
But if his college doesn ’ t offer it in person , he said , “ I don ’ t have another choice but to take it ” online .
The district is working out what to do with “ hard-to-convert courses , ” Echeverri said .
In the spring , faculty members had the benefit of completing five weeks of in-person instruction , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make do with zero in the fall .
Each discipline is submitting requests for in-person hours , but the costs and logistical requirements of providing them in a safe way may be prohibitive , especially because the district is facing state budget cutbacks .
Professors must prepare to offer alternatives — or have their classes bumped .
Even before the pandemic , online education was difficult .
A 2015 review by the Public Policy Institute of California found that only 16 % of online courses in California community colleges had pass rates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 % of traditional classes .
Echeverri is particularly worried about students who will come to community college in the fall from the K-12 system .
“ I worry that when those students come to us , they ’ re going to have certain academic deficiencies , ” she said .
Students ’ struggles with academics have been compounded by a lack of support services .
Most faculty and students had some familiarity before the pandemic with Canvas , the online learning management system used by the community colleges , but the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its online platform for student services such as counseling and tutoring .
Carpenter , the neurobiology student at City College , also worked as a math tutor in a program to help disadvantaged students .
Before the pandemic , he said , his hours were always booked .
After , only a couple of students signed up .
“ Most of them didn ’ t know about [ Cranium Cafe ] or didn ’ t know how to navigate it , ” he said .
Carpenter called the lack of counseling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for students , ” who rely on such services not only for practical help with meals and books but also for connection and mentorship .
Erika Miller , director of a support program at Southwest College for low-income , first-generation college students and those with disabilities , said many “ feel at a loss.
” “ A lot of our students aren ’ t sure if they even want to continue with their studies , ” she said .
“ They keep saying over and over to us , ‘ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ na make it .
’ ”

Stevie Carpenter, a graduate of L.A. City College, stands in front of the closed campus. Carpenter is planning to transfer to UC Davis this fall, but his withdrawal from an online class could put those plans in jeopardy.
Stevie Carpenter dropped out of high school, earned his GED, enrolled at L.A. City College and at age 25 has been accepted to attend UC Davis this fall, where he plans to study neurobiology.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown another major challenge at him: online classes. Carpenter couldn’t keep up with general chemistry, a requirement for his major.
“I couldn’t take chemistry without a teacher…. It’s difficult to just read a book and go off the examples,” he said.
Instead, he received an “excused” withdrawal, jeopardizing his admission to UC Davis and threatening his plans to become the first in his family of 10 children to attend a four-year university.
Advertisement
“Hopefully, I can take it again” at UC Davis, Carpenter said. “If not, I am going to have to apply for the following school year.”
Carpenter’s experience reflects the struggles of many students in the nation’s largest community college system during their final months of the academic year, and it portends further troubles as the Los Angeles Community College District will continue with primarily online instruction in the fall.
With nine colleges and an annual enrollment of more than 200,000, the district serves some of the most vulnerable students in the state’s systems of public higher education. An estimated 1 in 5 were homeless before the pandemic, and more than half were food insecure — circumstances exacerbated by the crisis.
District data show that online learning hindered the trajectory of many students. More than 32,000 students withdrew from classes in spring 2020, compared with about 27,000 in spring 2019 — a 17% increase. Roughly 2,000 students in “hard-to-convert classes”— including those in health fields such as nursing and biotechnology, and career and technical courses such as auto mechanics — are in educational limbo because their hands-on coursework could not continue, said Angela Echeverri, president of the college district’s Academic Senate.
Additionally, of more than 9,000 students who filled out a district survey in April about the online transition, only three-quarters said they had regular access to a computer, and just a slightly higher share said the same of internet access. One-third of students said they didn’t have a quiet study space. Almost half said they had dealt with job loss or reduction of hours, and 72% said they had increased worry or anxiety.
The killing of George Floyd in late May and the ensuing protests and police violence further traumatized students.
“Our students are trying to prepare for their upcoming final exams … while coping with many obstacles in a time of enormous social turbulence,” a June 1 letter from Echeverri, faculty guild President Joanne Waddell and district Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez to college faculty said.
The letter cited the district’s survey results and said the pandemic “has only exacerbated the inequities experienced by our students and communities.”
Advertisement
The district has tried to respond to these simultaneous crises, mobilizing to distribute close to 14,000 Chromebook laptops, giving out gift cards to grocery stores, providing flexibility to withdraw from courses or switch to a pass/no pass grade, and instructing faculty to give generous allowances to students whose personal circumstances impeded the completion of final exams or assignments.
Still, said Brian Ha, a student worker and Associated Student Union president at East Los Angeles College, students struggled.
“The hardest obstacle was getting the resources to attend class,” said Ha, who monitors an online platform and social media sites where students post questions. “And the students who do have resources, their obstacle is self-motivation.”
Ha said students inquired about laptops and low-cost internet service, the effect of withdrawals on their transcripts, their ability to complete lab courses and assistance for students with disabilities. He said he was lucky because he had saved up and bought a laptop in October, and will still transfer to UCLA as planned this fall.
Others had a harder time.
Michael Duggan, a formerly homeless student at City College, applied for a district-issued laptop the day the announcement came out. In April, for the first time, he sat down at his desk and typed out an essay.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been able to do homework at home — the first time I’ve ever had a laptop and Wi-Fi,” he said. “Before that, I used my cellphone or the school library.”
But there were gaps. Duggan, who gets by on $200 a month in cash assistance from L.A. County and food stamps, couldn’t get to a printer to apply for an “Angeleno card” — financial assistance from the mayor’s office. And he still faces food insecurity.
“I really struggle day to day,” he said.
Elias Geronimo, a 30-year-old from Guatemala, spent years in adult school learning English and earning his high school diploma before enrolling at City College in 2017. He is studying biology with the goal of transferring to a four-year university in 2021 and, ultimately, attending medical school.
Geronimo, who shares expenses and a two-bedroom apartment in Lincoln Heights with his brother, sister-in-law and cousin, was laid off from his part-time job busing tables at a West Hollywood restaurant just before campus closed.
“Everything came up together and … blocked my mind from focusing on my education,” Geronimo said. “It was really difficult to deal with all those emotions.”
He received a Chromebook from the district and a $50 gift card to use at Ralphs or Food 4 Less, but he is still plowing through savings. Though he succeeded in Calculus 2, his Chromebook overheated during a chemistry final and he earned a C.
As for biology? Geronimo dropped it once he saw his grades slipping on online exams. “It’s my major and I want to pass that class with an A,” he said.
Plus, he doesn’t want to arrive at university having done only virtual labs. Geronimo hopes to retake biology with the in-person lab this fall. But if his college doesn’t offer it in person, he said, “I don’t have another choice but to take it” online.
The district is working out what to do with “hard-to-convert courses,” Echeverri said. In the spring, faculty members had the benefit of completing five weeks of in-person instruction, but they say they may not be able to make do with zero in the fall.
Each discipline is submitting requests for in-person hours, but the costs and logistical requirements of providing them in a safe way may be prohibitive, especially because the district is facing state budget cutbacks. Professors must prepare to offer alternatives — or have their classes bumped.
Even before the pandemic, online education was difficult. A 2015 review by the Public Policy Institute of California found that only 16% of online courses in California community colleges had pass rates of 70% or higher, compared with 44% of traditional classes.
Echeverri is particularly worried about students who will come to community college in the fall from the K-12 system.
“I worry that when those students come to us, they’re going to have certain academic deficiencies,” she said.
Students’ struggles with academics have been compounded by a lack of support services. Most faculty and students had some familiarity before the pandemic with Canvas, the online learning management system used by the community colleges, but the district had just begun to use Cranium Cafe, its online platform for student services such as counseling and tutoring.
Carpenter, the neurobiology student at City College, also worked as a math tutor in a program to help disadvantaged students. Before the pandemic, he said, his hours were always booked. After, only a couple of students signed up.
“Most of them didn’t know about [Cranium Cafe] or didn’t know how to navigate it,” he said.
Carpenter called the lack of counseling, tutoring and other supports “the downfall for students,” who rely on such services not only for practical help with meals and books but also for connection and mentorship.
Erika Miller, director of a support program at Southwest College for low-income, first-generation college students and those with disabilities, said many “feel at a loss.”
“A lot of our students aren’t sure if they even want to continue with their studies,” she said. “They keep saying over and over to us, ‘I’m not sure if I’m gonna make it.’”


latimes--2020-06-22--Alarmed by spiking coronavirus numbers? Here's why officials insist they aren't worried

Bartenders over the weekend began mixing drinks , gyms turned on elliptical machines and nail salons began polishing away as Los Angeles County reopened more of its economy even as coronavirus cases continued to rise .
The county , a hotbed of COVID-19 in California , now has reported more than 3,000 deaths and 80,000 confirmed cases .
The rising case numbers have sparked some worry about whether the economy is reopening too quickly and that easing stay-at-home orders could cause new outbreaks .
But health officials continue to discount those concerns , saying total new cases is not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressive levels of new testing .
They point to other metrics they say show that the local outbreak has stabilized — even though the number of new cases increased by nearly 20,000 in the last two weeks and by more than 3,600 just over the weekend .
Two key indicators — the positivity rate and average number of daily hospitalizations — have continued to remain relatively steady , while average daily deaths have declined , L.A. officials said .
It is always possible these numbers could start going up , either from spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the police killing of George Floyd or other reasons .
Officials said they are monitoring the metrics closely and could impose new restrictions if needed .
“ The most important data continues to be looking at our death data and our hospitalization data and our rate of positivity , and ... all of the indicators really point to the fact that we are fairly stable and that we in fact continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 , ” Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s health director , said Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals , with 29 % in intensive care and 21 % on ventilators .
That was a slight increase from , when there were 1,406 patients .
The average daily number of hospitalizations has been decreasing since late April , Ferrer said Friday , although she did note there has been a slight increase over the past three days .
That could be because most hospitals are now testing all patients for COVID-19 , even those who are being treated for unrelated issues , she said .
Nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested for the virus and have received their results , with about 8 % testing positive , officials said .
That rate has remained steady for the past several weeks .
The seven-day average of daily deaths has also been trending downward since April 12 , Ferrer said .
The average reached its highest peak in early May , when 45 to 46 people were dying each day .
In early June , the rate had slowed to 20 to 30 deaths a day , she said .
The seven-day average stood at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Public Health dashboard that tracks reopening metrics .
That came two days after both the county and the state recorded their largest single-day totals of new coronavirus infections .
California , with 2,129 of them in L.A. County .
Health officials said the total was fueled by a backlog of test results that accounted for roughly 600 of the new L.A. County infections .
A Times data analysis found that hospitalizations remain flat statewide , but they are inching up in some areas including Ventura County , Orange County and parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday reported its highest one-day total of new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row .
Public health officials recorded 434 new cases Sunday , which was preceded by .
Previously , the county reported a high of 297 new cases on June 14 .
With the increases , the .
Two more deaths were reported Sunday , bringing the total to 269 countywide .
As the number of cases has ticked upward , testing has also increased , with the county performing an average of 3,800 per day as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per day in early May .
Still , the seven-day average number of daily hospitalizations has also been rising steadily , from 202 in early May to 319 on Friday .
According to a Los Angeles Times analysis , Orange County also experienced a 76 % jump in ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
As of Sunday , a total of 332 COVID-19 patients were in county hospitals , with 133 in intensive care .
That was a slight drop from Tuesday , when county hospitals saw a high of 345 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials on Sunday reported 1,784 new cases of the coronavirus and 11 related deaths .
The county now has recorded more than 83,000 cases of the virus and over 3,120 deaths .
The continued rise in new cases came amid the first weekend of more business sectors reopening , as bars , card rooms and some personal care services were given the green light to resume operations Friday , provided they take certain precautions .
They include ensuring that customers practice physical distancing and wear face coverings .
“ These are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery journey , and these actions will be essential to ensure that we don ’ t overwhelm our healthcare system and see increased numbers of deaths from COVID-19 , ” Ferrer said Sunday in a statement .

Shoppers wear masks at the Orange Circle on Thursday in Orange.
Bartenders over the weekend began mixing drinks, gyms turned on elliptical machines and nail salons began polishing away as Los Angeles County reopened more of its economy even as coronavirus cases continued to rise.
The county, a hotbed of COVID-19 in California, now has reported more than 3,000 deaths and 80,000 confirmed cases. The rising case numbers have sparked some worry about whether the economy is reopening too quickly and that easing stay-at-home orders could cause new outbreaks.
But health officials continue to discount those concerns, saying total new cases is not the best measure of community spread because of aggressive levels of new testing. They point to other metrics they say show that the local outbreak has stabilized — even though the number of new cases increased by nearly 20,000 in the last two weeks and by more than 3,600 just over the weekend.
Advertisement
1 / 46 Newport Beach police enforce closures along the Wedge in Newport Beach, a popular surf spot. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 46 Spectators along the Wedge in Newport Beach, a surf spot, on July 4. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 46 A bicyclist rides along Highland Avenue with the pier closed to beachgoers on July 3 in Manhattan Beach. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 46 Peter Gratzinger of Pacific Palisades heads to the water at Santa Monica State Beach, which opened to the public at 5 a.m. July 6. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 46 A bicyclist with her child rides along the closed bike path on July 3 in Manhattan Beach. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 46 A police officer and a lifeguard boat comb the shoreline in Venice Beach on July 5. Even though the beach was closed over the weekend a few still made their way to the shoreline. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 46 No-parking signs from the July 4 weekend still block spots on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica on Monday. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 46 Dusk sets in over the the Santa Monica Pier on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 46 Southern California residents watch the fireworks during the Drive-Up 4th of July Spectacular at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base on Saturday in Los Alamitos. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 46 Bella Nousiainen, left, with daughter, Helmi Nousiainen, of Los Angeles, at the Santa Monica Pier, which reopens after being closed to guests for months because of the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 46 Dr. Jamie Taylor checks the ventilators at the refashioned St. Vincent Hospital. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 46 Shoppers and mannequins wear protective masks in the Los Angeles downtown garment district on Thursday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 46 Patrons wear face coverings at Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. A recent surge in COVID-19 cases in California has pushed the state’s total past 200,000 with more than 5,800 deaths. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 46 LAPD officers E. Rosales, left, and D. Castro, patrol the Metro Red Line at the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 46 Visitors wear protective masks while walking through historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 46 People wait in line to have a COVID-19 screening administered by the Community Organized Relief Effort at the Los Angeles City Mayor’s test site at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 46 A woman adjusts a protective mask while walkiing along Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Ti mes) 18 / 46 Cameron Johnson,18, left, headed to UC Berkeley in the fall and Simona Krasnegor,17, headed to UCLA in the fall, watched the sun set while sitting next to the Manhattan Beach Pier, following their drive-through graduation from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 46 Jair Guido, 36, a veterinarian visiting from Durango, Mexico, right, wearing a sombrero with an American flag draped over his shoulders, walks with other pedestrians along Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Guido said that he wore this outfit to show people that he is proud to be a Mexican and that he loves America. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 46 A mask-wearing skateboarder and her dog make their way along the boardwalk in Venice Beach. Californians must wear face masks in public under a coronavirus order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 46 Pedestrians, some with face coverings, some without, walk past musicians Brent Kendell, background left, and Sam Jones, background right, as they perform at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 46 People wear masks while walking along the boardwalk in Venice Beach. Californians must wear face masks in public under a coronavirus order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 46 Pedestrians cross the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public, following growing concerns that an increase in coronavirus cases has been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 46 Sophia Strauss, left, and Sarah Hoffmeister celebrate after their drive-through graduation from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 46 New West Charter School vice principal Mark Herrera shouts at graduate Joe Reid to come and receive his diploma during a drive-up graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 at the charter school in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 46 A worker directs drivers at a drive-up testing site for COVID-19 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium at UCLA.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 46 Destiny VanSciner is tested for COVID-19 with an oral swab by family nurse practitioner Anniesatu Newland at a walk-in site at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center in South Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 46 Melissa Gomes fixes the tassel on the mortarboard of Sarah Anggraini as the new graduate gets ready for a photo at Chaffey College, which held a drive-through graduation, in Rancho Cucamonga. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 46 Maricela Moreno, manager at El Tarasco in Marina del Rey, disinfects cash at the restaurant. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 46 Mildred “Millie” Stratton waves to a caravan of cars led by Alhambra police officers and firefighters. The parade past her home celebrated Stratton’s 102nd birthday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 46 Eric Larkin hands an order to Brittany Wright as she fastens her face covering outside the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 46 A jogger passes Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles as local stay-at-home orders are increasingly relaxed months into the coronavirus outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 46 Hikers and bikers traverse the Santa Fe Dam trail as county parks officially reopen to the public. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 46 A woman, masked against COVID-19, walks past a building that features the image of Britney Spears at a shopping center in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 46 Manon Guijarro, a new graduate of Pierce College, has her photo taken by friend Paige Johnson at Chris Burden’s outdoor work “Urban Light” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 46 Mary Perez, a salesperson at High Class Jewels on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, helps a customer as he tries on a gold rope chain inside the recently reopened store. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 46 Professional dog walker Lindsay Rojas takes golden retrievers Gomez, left, and Nikki for a stroll along Le Bourget Avenue in Culver City. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 46 The Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team banks over downtown Los Angeles in formation to salute healthcare workers and first responders on May 15. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 46 Maria Morales, center, a member of the USC class of 2020, participates in virtual graduation via Zoom with her brother Manny Morales, left, mom Pilar Morales and stepdad Victor Ramos from her home in Orange. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 46 On a recent day, there’s not a face mask in sight as a roller skater and others share the reopened walking path on the Strand in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 46 Crew members of a Hainan Airlines flight walk through the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 42 / 46 A woman wearing a protective mask walks past a shuttered business in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 43 / 46 Thousands of rental cars are stored at Dodger Stadium as the coronavirus crisis has caused rentals to nosedive. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 44 / 46 Some beachgoers actively use the beach while others relax on the sand, despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s active-use-only order, in Huntington Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 45 / 46 Traveling nurse Gail Cunningham waves thanks outside the emergency room entrance to Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley as residents pay tribute to her and other medical personnel with a drive-by rally. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 46 / 46 A scene from “Knives Out,” with actor Don Johnson, seen at the Mission Tiki Drive-in Theatre in Montclair. Opened with one screen in 1956, the Mission Tiki expanded to four screens in 1975 and began renovation in 2006, updating to FM transmitters and digital projectors. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Two key indicators — the positivity rate and average number of daily hospitalizations — have continued to remain relatively steady, while average daily deaths have declined, L.A. officials said. It is always possible these numbers could start going up, either from spread from reopening businesses, from recent protests over the police killing of George Floyd or other reasons. Officials said they are monitoring the metrics closely and could impose new restrictions if needed.
“The most important data continues to be looking at our death data and our hospitalization data and our rate of positivity, and ... all of the indicators really point to the fact that we are fairly stable and that we in fact continue to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Barbara Ferrer, the county’s health director, said Friday.
As of Sunday, there were 1,426 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals, with 29% in intensive care and 21% on ventilators. That was a slight increase from the day before , when there were 1,406 patients. The average daily number of hospitalizations has been decreasing since late April, Ferrer said Friday, although she did note there has been a slight increase over the past three days. That could be because most hospitals are now testing all patients for COVID-19, even those who are being treated for unrelated issues, she said.
Nearly 945,000 people in the county have been tested for the virus and have received their results, with about 8% testing positive, officials said. That rate has remained steady for the past several weeks.
The seven-day average of daily deaths has also been trending downward since April 12, Ferrer said. The average reached its highest peak in early May, when 45 to 46 people were dying each day. In early June, the rate had slowed to 20 to 30 deaths a day, she said. The seven-day average stood at 28 on Friday, according to the Department of Public Health dashboard that tracks reopening metrics .
That came two days after both the county and the state recorded their largest single-day totals of new coronavirus infections. California reported 4,291 new cases Wednesday , with 2,129 of them in L.A. County. Health officials said the total was fueled by a backlog of test results that accounted for roughly 600 of the new L.A. County infections.
Advertisement
A Times data analysis found that hospitalizations remain flat statewide, but they are inching up in some areas including Ventura County, Orange County and parts of the Central Valley.
Orange County on Sunday reported its highest one-day total of new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row.
Public health officials recorded 434 new cases Sunday, which was preceded by 412 cases Saturday . Previously, the county reported a high of 297 new cases on June 14.
With the increases, the total number of cases reported by Orange County reached 10,422 . Two more deaths were reported Sunday, bringing the total to 269 countywide.
As the number of cases has ticked upward, testing has also increased, with the county performing an average of 3,800 per day as of Thursday, compared with 2,200 tests per day in early May.
Still, the seven-day average number of daily hospitalizations has also been rising steadily, from 202 in early May to 319 on Friday. According to a Los Angeles Times analysis, Orange County also experienced a 76% jump in ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
As of Sunday, a total of 332 COVID-19 patients were in county hospitals, with 133 in intensive care. That was a slight drop from Tuesday, when county hospitals saw a high of 345 COVID-19 patients.
Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 1,784 new cases of the coronavirus and 11 related deaths.
The county now has recorded more than 83,000 cases of the virus and over 3,120 deaths .
The continued rise in new cases came amid the first weekend of more business sectors reopening, as bars, card rooms and some personal care services were given the green light to resume operations Friday , provided they take certain precautions.
They include ensuring that customers practice physical distancing and wear face coverings.
“These are the actions that allow us to continue our recovery journey, and these actions will be essential to ensure that we don’t overwhelm our healthcare system and see increased numbers of deaths from COVID-19,” Ferrer said Sunday in a statement.