latimes--2020-06-25--L.A. mayor urges residents to stay home as coronavirus cases spike

Amid record-setting spikes in newly confirmed coronavirus infections , L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti urged Angelenos to continue staying home as much as possible — even as the region ’ s economy gradually emerges from its pandemic-induced coma .
During a briefing Wednesday , Garcetti shared four major takeaways : “ One , COVID-19 is still here .
Two , COVID-19 is still dangerous .
Three , we ’ re adding more testing to make sure that we can find COVID-19 where it lives .
And , four , we must continue to take precautions to keep our city and our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why wearing a face covering , that ’ s why practicing physical distancing , washing our hands and , yes , still , as painful as it might feel , staying at home whenever we can is our best defense , ” he said .
Starting Thursday , Garcetti said , Los Angeles would dramatically ramp up capacity at its COVID-19 test sites , from 7,700 to 13,700 tests per day , to meet increased demand .
The announcement comes on the heels of news that many have been unable to book testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police brutality that prompted health officials to urge demonstrators to get screened .
There have been 91,467 confirmed coronavirus infections and 3,246 deaths in L.A. County .
That total caseload has been fueled by significant spikes of late — including several days in which the county reported more than 2,000 new infections .
“ I know this is difficult .
It ’ s summer .
Restaurants and bars are open , and things seem like they ’ re back to normal , ” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The virus is deadly .
The virus remains in our community.
” Health officials have repeatedly said that case counts would rise as more businesses and public spaces reopened , and California set back-to-back records this week in terms of daily reported coronavirus cases .
The state shattered a daily record for new cases Monday , reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time .
That number surged even higher Tuesday , when 6,652 new cases were reported .
The state reported 4,629 new cases Wednesday , according to The Times ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past 196,000 .
More than 5,700 Californians have died from COVID-19 , including 98 on Wednesday .
“ While you may be done with COVID , COVID is not done with us , ” Garcetti said .
Cumulative case counts are only part of the equation .
Health officials have said other metrics — such as the number of patients who require hospitalization and the positivity rate — help paint a more complete picture of the coronavirus outbreak .
However , there are warning signs there too .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus as the state again reported increases in hospitalizations .
The governor ’ s news conference marks the third time this week that he has urged Californians to take more precautions as he disclosed troubling new highs .
“ I can not impress upon people more the importance at this critical juncture , when we are experiencing an increase in cases that we have not experienced in the past , to take seriously this moment , ” Newsom said .
“ If we do , we can mitigate and we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and become more resilient still in the future.
” Newsom said Thursday that patients hospitalized from COVID-19 had jumped 32 % in the last two weeks — to 4,240 .
That is double the two-week increase of 16 % he reported Monday .
The rate of positive cases remains stagnant at 5.1 % over two weeks compared with Wednesday , he said .
The governor has pleaded with residents to wear masks and maintain a physical distance of six feet from one another .
He advised those over the age of 65 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
But beyond telling Californians to heed the state ’ s mask requirement , the governor has not reinstated any of the restrictions he began easing in early May or demanded that counties experiencing surges shutter businesses again .
Fifteen counties in California , including Los Angeles , have reported an elevated transmission of the disease , increased hospitalizations or a limited hospital capacity that exceed the state ’ s guidelines : Contra Costa , Fresno , Imperial , Kern , Kings , Los Angeles , Riverside , Sacramento , San Bernardino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Clara , Stanislaus , Tulare and Ventura .
Newsom said Thursday that he would consider “ toggling back ” and reinstituting restrictions if healthcare needs began to exceed capacity .
“ When our system can not absorb , when there ’ s a capacity consideration or limitation , that ’ s when we obviously have alarm bells that are raised , ” he said .
While L.A. County saw an average of 62 fewer hospitalized patients daily for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 between the week of Memorial Day and last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily increase of 85 patients ; San Bernardino County , 70 ; Ventura County , 33 ; and Orange County , 32 , according to a Times analysis .
However , L.A. County has seen its daily number of hospitalizations tick up recently — something Ferrer called “ extraordinarily worrisome.
” Orange County also reported 26 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — its most in a single day .
Officials noted that not all of those people died on that particular day .
The recently reported fatalities date from as far back as May 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Agency .
A review of death certificates resulted in the confirmation of 26 new deaths , the agency reported in a Twitter post offering “ our sincere sympathies for the lives lost to this virus , no matter the day.
” Despite the increase in confirmed infections , elected and health officials have not indicated an imminent need to reimpose the kind of restrictions that shuttered and battered California ’ s economy .
However , they continue to emphasize that individual actions shape wider conditions .
If residents or businesses don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially create a more fertile environment for the coronavirus to spread .
“ Each one of us takes responsibility for doing what we know we need to do to protect each other , ” Ferrer said .
Over the weekends of May 30 , June 6 and June 13 , Ferrer said , county inspectors visited 3,751 restaurants and found that 83 % of them were not in full compliance with coronavirus safety rules .
“ Most of our work to date has really been providing assistance to restaurants as they reopen so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Newsom warned Wednesday that counties that fail to abide by the state ’ s COVID-19 guidelines , including the recent face-covering mandate , could lose state funding targeting the coronavirus outbreak .
The governor last week ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings — a move he said was aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus and helping keep the state ’ s reopening plans on track .
However , the requirement has been met with resistance and derision in some corners of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have pledged not to follow the order , and some law enforcement agencies have said they will not enforce it .
“ There are some that have made rhetorical comments about not giving a damn , flouting any consideration of supporting the broader health directives coming out of the state of California , ” Newsom said .
“ That ’ s exactly why I look forward to signing this budget that will afford me a little bit of leverage in that conversation and I think that ’ s the appropriate next step.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or borders , Garcetti said he hopes leaders across Southern California “ will act together so that , if things do get bad and we do need to retreat at all , we ’ ll do that in unison.
” “ I do think that we can get through this without seeing a huge surge , but ... that relies on each one of us , ” he said .
“ It relies on us not being macho about wearing a mask .
It relies on each one of us doing the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient.
” With the Fourth of July just around the corner , officials continue to emphasize the importance of taking steps to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread — such as physical distancing , frequent hand washing , wearing face coverings and eschewing large gatherings with people from different households .
“ We do recognize that families will want to be together over the holiday , but being able to minimize the people that you are around , particularly people that you have not been around in the past , is particularly important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of infectious diseases and COVID-19 response incident manager for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said during a briefing Thursday .
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby , Rong-Gong Lin II , Iris Lee , Sean Greene and Phil Willon contributed to this report .

Visitors wearing masks walk along the boardwalk in Venice Beach last month.
Amid record-setting spikes in newly confirmed coronavirus infections, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti urged Angelenos to continue staying home as much as possible — even as the region’s economy gradually emerges from its pandemic-induced coma.
During a briefing Wednesday, Garcetti shared four major takeaways: “One, COVID-19 is still here. Two, COVID-19 is still dangerous. Three, we’re adding more testing to make sure that we can find COVID-19 where it lives. And, four, we must continue to take precautions to keep our city and our people safe.
“That’s why wearing a face covering, that’s why practicing physical distancing, washing our hands and, yes, still, as painful as it might feel, staying at home whenever we can is our best defense,” he said.
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Starting Thursday, Garcetti said, Los Angeles would dramatically ramp up capacity at its COVID-19 test sites, from 7,700 to 13,700 tests per day, to meet increased demand.
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)
The announcement comes on the heels of news that many have been unable to book testing appointments, particularly following massive protests against police brutality that prompted health officials to urge demonstrators to get screened.
There have been 91,467 confirmed coronavirus infections and 3,246 deaths in L.A. County.
That total caseload has been fueled by significant spikes of late — including several days in which the county reported more than 2,000 new infections.
“I know this is difficult. It’s summer. Restaurants and bars are open, and things seem like they’re back to normal,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. “But they’re not. The virus is deadly. The virus remains in our community.”
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Health officials have repeatedly said that case counts would rise as more businesses and public spaces reopened, and California set back-to-back records this week in terms of daily reported coronavirus cases.
The state shattered a daily record for new cases Monday, reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time. That number surged even higher Tuesday, when 6,652 new cases were reported.
The state reported 4,629 new cases Wednesday, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker — pushing its cumulative total past 196,000. More than 5,700 Californians have died from COVID-19, including 98 on Wednesday.
“While you may be done with COVID, COVID is not done with us,” Garcetti said.
Cumulative case counts are only part of the equation. Health officials have said other metrics — such as the number of patients who require hospitalization and the positivity rate — help paint a more complete picture of the coronavirus outbreak.
However, there are warning signs there too.
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Californians on Thursday about the growing spread of the coronavirus as the state again reported increases in hospitalizations.
The governor’s news conference marks the third time this week that he has urged Californians to take more precautions as he disclosed troubling new highs.
“I cannot impress upon people more the importance at this critical juncture, when we are experiencing an increase in cases that we have not experienced in the past, to take seriously this moment,” Newsom said. “If we do, we can mitigate and we can bend, and we ultimately can rebound and become more resilient still in the future.”
Newsom said Thursday that patients hospitalized from COVID-19 had jumped 32% in the last two weeks — to 4,240. That is double the two-week increase of 16% he reported Monday.
The rate of positive cases remains stagnant at 5.1% over two weeks compared with Wednesday, he said.
The governor has pleaded with residents to wear masks and maintain a physical distance of six feet from one another. He advised those over the age of 65 or with chronic medical conditions to remain at home.
But beyond telling Californians to heed the state’s mask requirement, the governor has not reinstated any of the restrictions he began easing in early May or demanded that counties experiencing surges shutter businesses again.
Fifteen counties in California, including Los Angeles, have reported an elevated transmission of the disease, increased hospitalizations or a limited hospital capacity that exceed the state’s guidelines: Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
Newsom said Thursday that he would consider “toggling back” and reinstituting restrictions if healthcare needs began to exceed capacity.
“When our system cannot absorb, when there’s a capacity consideration or limitation, that’s when we obviously have alarm bells that are raised,” he said.
While L.A. County saw an average of 62 fewer hospitalized patients daily for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 between the week of Memorial Day and last week, Riverside County saw an average daily increase of 85 patients; San Bernardino County, 70; Ventura County, 33; and Orange County, 32, according to a Times analysis.
But L.A. County has seen its daily number of hospitalizations tick up recently — something Ferrer called “extraordinarily worrisome.”
Orange County also reported 26 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — its most in a single day. Officials noted that not all of those people died on that particular day. The recently reported fatalities date from as far back as May 9, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
A review of death certificates resulted in the confirmation of 26 new deaths, the agency reported in a Twitter post offering “our sincere sympathies for the lives lost to this virus, no matter the day.”
Despite the increase in confirmed infections, elected and health officials have not indicated an imminent need to reimpose the kind of restrictions that shuttered and battered California’s economy.
But they continue to emphasize that individual actions shape wider conditions. If residents or businesses don’t follow public health guidance, they potentially create a more fertile environment for the coronavirus to spread.
“Each one of us takes responsibility for doing what we know we need to do to protect each other,” Ferrer said.
Over the weekends of May 30, June 6 and June 13, Ferrer said, county inspectors visited 3,751 restaurants and found that 83% of them were not in full compliance with coronavirus safety rules.
“Most of our work to date has really been providing assistance to restaurants as they reopen so they can come into compliance,” she said.
Newsom warned Wednesday that counties that fail to abide by the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, including the recent face-covering mandate, could lose state funding targeting the coronavirus outbreak.
The governor last week ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings — a move he said was aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus and helping keep the state’s reopening plans on track.
However, the requirement has been met with resistance and derision in some corners of the state. Some residents and elected officials have pledged not to follow the order, and some law enforcement agencies have said they will not enforce it.
“There are some that have made rhetorical comments about not giving a damn, flouting any consideration of supporting the broader health directives coming out of the state of California,” Newsom said. “That’s exactly why I look forward to signing this budget that will afford me a little bit of leverage in that conversation and I think that’s the appropriate next step.”
Because the coronavirus respects no boundaries or borders, Garcetti said he hopes leaders across Southern California “will act together so that, if things do get bad and we do need to retreat at all, we’ll do that in unison.”
“I do think that we can get through this without seeing a huge surge, but ... that relies on each one of us,” he said. “It relies on us not being macho about wearing a mask. It relies on each one of us doing the things that we know to do and being patient.”
With the Fourth of July just around the corner, officials continue to emphasize the importance of taking steps to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread — such as physical distancing, frequent hand washing, wearing face coverings and eschewing large gatherings with people from different households.
“We do recognize that families will want to be together over the holiday, but being able to minimize the people that you are around, particularly people that you have not been around in the past, is particularly important,” Dr. Jay Butler, deputy director of infectious diseases and COVID-19 response incident manager for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a briefing Thursday.
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby, Rong-Gong Lin II, Iris Lee, Sean Greene and Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-25--Californians are desperate to see friends and family. Officials debate how to do so safely

As the summer begins , many Californians are feeling the pull of summertime parties even as the worst pandemic in a century continues to fester across the country .
So how might that be done as safely as possible ?
While Los Angeles County continues to ban gatherings of people who are not part of the same household — beyond assembly for political protests or religious services — the San Francisco Bay Area is beginning to allow small , limited gatherings , primarily outdoors .
Part of the reason is that the coronavirus has had less of an impact in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen about 31 deaths per 100,000 residents , San Francisco has recorded about six deaths per 100,000 .
And warning signs persist in L.A. County , with the seven-day weekly average of confirmed new cases continuing to rise in the nation ’ s most populous county .
L.A. County ’ s director of public health , Barbara Ferrer , on Tuesday reported more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth time in a week .
She said it was “ highly likely ” that the rise is related to people gathering during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to clusters of visitors at restaurants and parties as well as newly reopened workplaces where employees are in close contact with one another .
“ I ’ m really sorry — I know how desperate people are to be able to get back to events … but this is not a time for parties or gatherings at your house , ” Ferrer said earlier this month .
County officials have continued to emphasize the need for residents to proactively get tested for the virus if they ’ ve been to a protest or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who may have come into contact for more than 15 minutes with someone not wearing a face mask .
It ’ s nearly impossible to trace the origin of a spread in public spaces because contact tracers do not track those types of cases , Ferrer said .
In the Bay Area , however , officials have issued new rules allowing small , limited gatherings , acknowledging that people are meeting up and safety protocols are needed to keep them as safe as possible .
“ We … know people are already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways .
This model provides guardrails so small gatherings can occur in a safe way , especially as we move into the summer season , ” said Dr. Matt Willis , health officer for Marin County .
Under new rules in San Francisco , gatherings are to be held outdoors , except to use bathrooms , and last no longer than two hours .
And people should wear face coverings at all times except when eating and drinking .
unless they have an exemption from a healthcare provider .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of public health .
“ My mask protects you , and your mask protects me.
” People shouldn ’ t attend more than two gatherings a week .
Children under 12 are not required to wear a face covering , and children 2 years or younger should not wear masks .
Meal gatherings with people from different households can be held with no more than six people ; and gatherings of no more than 12 people from different households can be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly recommended that guests at meal settings stay six feet apart from those not in their household , and at other gatherings the six-foot distance is required .
Officials urge people to not shake hands or hug friends , and instead do things like touch elbows or offer hand signals like a peace sign or sign “ I Love You ” in sign language .
Children not from the same family should stay six feet away from others .
Clubs , faith-based organizations and other groups hosting gatherings at a home or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They include : developing a health and safety plan ; having a social distancing protocol that details cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces ; keeping a potential list of guests for three weeks to contact in case someone turns out to be infected with the coronavirus ; and providing face coverings , hand sanitizers or handwashing stations .
The Bay Area ’ s second-most populous county , Alameda County , offers a framework in which people from more than one household can meet in what ’ s called a “ social bubble.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no more than 12 people who socialize together outdoors .
Members can be part of only one social bubble at a time and should wear face coverings as much as possible .
They also are encouraged to comply with social distancing requirements .
Contra Costa County has also outlined social bubble guidelines and warned that meeting people indoors is much riskier .
“ If you meet people indoors , you must always wear a face covering .
Make sure you are in a room with open windows or good ventilation .
Try not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid using other people ’ s bathrooms , if possible , ” the county said .
That said , Contra Costa County officials noted that seeing loved ones and friends “ can be important for your mental health.
” Santa Clara County , the Bay Area ’ s most populous county , now allows people to meet with one other household to socialize , but gatherings must be outdoors and people from different households must remain six feet apart .
“ Visiting friends or family in their homes is not allowed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
San Mateo County also allows for social bubbles , although its health officer , Dr. Scott Morrow , emphasized that being out of the home is not completely safe and that it ’ s even less safe to attend gatherings of any size .
But Morrow said it ’ s also important to adopt a balanced policy — one that is not only focused on slowing the spread of the virus but also considers other needs of society .
“ Slowing the spread of the virus is but one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business of living .
As we go through time with this pandemic , the balance needs to shift , ” Morrow wrote .
Now , it ’ s in the public ’ s hands to determine how badly the pandemic will spread in the summer , Morrow wrote recently .
“ You all are now the most important variable in how our future will develop .
Follow the key behaviors well , including extensive use of facial coverings , and that will bode well for all of us .
Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Morrow wrote .
UC San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said the social bubbles are a smart way to allow people to resume normal life without drastically increasing risk of contracting the virus .
“ It ’ s not that we ’ re going to be able to negotiate with the virus , ” he said .
“ The virus isn ’ t reading this stuff , and all it wants to do is infect people and all it wants to do is reproduce and unfortunately it wants to reproduce in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exit strategy from shutdown , he said , and will be most safe if the people in the group are at low risk for catching the virus and continue to take all other safety precautions .
Elsewhere , other counties continue to monitor a surge in cases and hospitalizations .
As of Thursday , 15 counties — Contra Costa , Fresno , Imperial , Kern , Kings , Los Angeles , Riverside , Sacramento , San Bernardino , San Joaquin , Santa Barbara , Santa Clara , Stanislaus , Tulare and Ventura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
That ’ s five more than what was previously included on the watch list .
Riverside County has the second-highest number of cases in the state and recently failed to meet Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s performance metrics for reopening , with an additional 4,001 cases reported in 14 days .
Officials announced Monday that they will ask about 3,500 residents selected at random to take part in an antibody study to determine if they have been exposed to the virus and have developed antibodies .
The study will help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening .
“ We are asking those who are contacted to strongly consider taking part in the study , ” said Kim Saruwatari , director of Riverside County Public Health .
“ It ’ s important to know the extent of the spread of the virus have developed antibodies .
That information is vital as we move forward .
”

A family takes in the view of Newport Harbor at Lookout Point on Monday.
As the summer begins, many Californians are feeling the pull of summertime parties even as the worst pandemic in a century continues to fester across the country.
So how might that be done as safely as possible?
While Los Angeles County continues to ban gatherings of people who are not part of the same household — beyond assembly for political protests or religious services — the San Francisco Bay Area is beginning to allow small, limited gatherings, primarily outdoors.
Part of the reason is that the coronavirus has had less of an impact in the Bay Area. While L.A. County has seen about 31 deaths per 100,000 residents, San Francisco has recorded about six deaths per 100,000.
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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)
And warning signs persist in L.A. County, with the seven-day weekly average of confirmed new cases continuing to rise in the nation’s most populous county.
L.A. County’s director of public health, Barbara Ferrer, on Tuesday reported more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth time in a week. She said it was “highly likely” that the rise is related to people gathering during protests, she said, in addition to clusters of visitors at restaurants and parties as well as newly reopened workplaces where employees are in close contact with one another.
“I’m really sorry — I know how desperate people are to be able to get back to events … but this is not a time for parties or gatherings at your house,” Ferrer said earlier this month.
County officials have continued to emphasize the need for residents to proactively get tested for the virus if they’ve been to a protest or large gathering in recent weeks, especially those who may have come into contact for more than 15 minutes with someone not wearing a face mask. It’s nearly impossible to trace the origin of a spread in public spaces because contact tracers do not track those types of cases, Ferrer said.
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In the Bay Area, however, officials have issued new rules allowing small, limited gatherings, acknowledging that people are meeting up and safety protocols are needed to keep them as safe as possible.
“We … know people are already congregating outside their households in more risky ways. This model provides guardrails so small gatherings can occur in a safe way, especially as we move into the summer season,” said Dr. Matt Willis, health officer for Marin County.
Under new rules in San Francisco, gatherings are to be held outdoors, except to use bathrooms, and last no longer than two hours. And people should wear face coverings at all times except when eating and drinking. unless they have an exemption from a healthcare provider.
“It’s less likely to be transmitted outdoors,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of public health. “My mask protects you, and your mask protects me.”
People shouldn’t attend more than two gatherings a week. Children under 12 are not required to wear a face covering, and children 2 years or younger should not wear masks.
Meal gatherings with people from different households can be held with no more than six people; and gatherings of no more than 12 people from different households can be held for special events. It’s strongly recommended that guests at meal settings stay six feet apart from those not in their household, and at other gatherings the six-foot distance is required.
Officials urge people to not shake hands or hug friends, and instead do things like touch elbows or offer hand signals like a peace sign or sign “I Love You” in sign language. Children not from the same family should stay six feet away from others.
Clubs, faith-based organizations and other groups hosting gatherings at a home or in a park must follow additional rules. They include: developing a health and safety plan; having a social distancing protocol that details cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces; keeping a potential list of guests for three weeks to contact in case someone turns out to be infected with the coronavirus; and providing face coverings, hand sanitizers or handwashing stations.
The Bay Area’s second-most populous county, Alameda County, offers a framework in which people from more than one household can meet in what’s called a “social bubble.” This is defined as a stable group of no more than 12 people who socialize together outdoors. Members can be part of only one social bubble at a time and should wear face coverings as much as possible. They also are encouraged to comply with social distancing requirements.
Contra Costa County has also outlined social bubble guidelines and warned that meeting people indoors is much riskier.
“If you meet people indoors, you must always wear a face covering. Make sure you are in a room with open windows or good ventilation. Try not to touch surfaces inside. … Try to avoid using other people’s bathrooms, if possible,” the county said.
That said, Contra Costa County officials noted that seeing loved ones and friends “can be important for your mental health.”
Santa Clara County, the Bay Area’s most populous county, now allows people to meet with one other household to socialize, but gatherings must be outdoors and people from different households must remain six feet apart.
“Visiting friends or family in their homes is not allowed, except to provide essential care,” officials said.
San Mateo County also allows for social bubbles, although its health officer, Dr. Scott Morrow, emphasized that being out of the home is not completely safe and that it’s even less safe to attend gatherings of any size.
But Morrow said it’s also important to adopt a balanced policy — one that is not only focused on slowing the spread of the virus but also considers other needs of society.
“Slowing the spread of the virus is but one of many things to consider when going about the business of living. As we go through time with this pandemic, the balance needs to shift,” Morrow wrote.
Now, it’s in the public’s hands to determine how badly the pandemic will spread in the summer, Morrow wrote recently.
“You all are now the most important variable in how our future will develop. Follow the key behaviors well, including extensive use of facial coverings, and that will bode well for all of us. Don’t, and our future will be dim,” Morrow wrote.
UC San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said the social bubbles are a smart way to allow people to resume normal life without drastically increasing risk of contracting the virus.
“It’s not that we’re going to be able to negotiate with the virus,” he said. “The virus isn’t reading this stuff, and all it wants to do is infect people and all it wants to do is reproduce and unfortunately it wants to reproduce in you.” Bubbles can be part of an exit strategy from shutdown, he said, and will be most safe if the people in the group are at low risk for catching the virus and continue to take all other safety precautions.
Elsewhere, other counties continue to monitor a surge in cases and hospitalizations. As of Thursday, 15 counties — Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura — are currently being monitored by the state. That’s five more than what was previously included on the watch list.
Riverside County has the second-highest number of cases in the state and recently failed to meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s performance metrics for reopening, with an additional 4,001 cases reported in 14 days.
Officials announced Monday that they will ask about 3,500 residents selected at random to take part in an antibody study to determine if they have been exposed to the virus and have developed antibodies. The study will help the county’s planning efforts for reopening.
“We are asking those who are contacted to strongly consider taking part in the study,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of Riverside County Public Health. “It’s important to know the extent of the spread of the virus have developed antibodies. That information is vital as we move forward.”
Times staff writer Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-25--Santa Monica Pier reopens, but you can't go on the Ferris wheel

The Santa Monica Pier is reopening Thursday after having been closed for more than three months amid the coronavirus outbreak .
While some restaurants and shops will be open to welcome visitors , the Ferris wheel will be empty and the merry-go-round will remain at a standstill .
The pier will be open for limited hours , from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily .
The number of people allowed at one time will be limited , and once capacity is reached visitors will be required to line up before being admitted .
“ You ’ ll notice things have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us as we move through this transition , ” officials said in a news release .
Visitors must wear masks and maintain a six-foot distance from others .
Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the pier .
All amusement park rides at Pacific Park will remain closed .
Other pier businesses will offer limited services or operate with reduced hours .
Guests should contact restaurants and attractions directly for their hours and offerings .
To accommodate social distancing regulations , many pier restaurants have expanded their patios .
A new astroturf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be available .
The pier bridge at Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue and all beach stairs will remain closed .
The pier entrance and exit ramps are on Ocean Front Walk on the beach level .
While the Pier Parking Deck and 1550 Lot are both closed to the public , visitors can park in nearby lots and in downtown Santa Monica garages .
They are also encouraged to bike or use public transportation or ride-hailing services .

Although the Santa Monica Pier reopens Thursday, amusement park rides at Pacific Park, including the Ferris wheel, will remain closed.
The Santa Monica Pier is reopening Thursday after having been closed for more than three months amid the coronavirus outbreak.
While some restaurants and shops will be open to welcome visitors, the Ferris wheel will be empty and the merry-go-round will remain at a standstill.
The pier will be open for limited hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The number of people allowed at one time will be limited, and once capacity is reached visitors will be required to line up before being admitted.
“You’ll notice things have changed a bit — please be patient with us as we move through this transition,” officials said in a news release.
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Visitors must wear masks and maintain a six-foot distance from others. Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the pier.
All amusement park rides at Pacific Park will remain closed. Other pier businesses will offer limited services or operate with reduced hours. Guests should contact restaurants and attractions directly for their hours and offerings.
To accommodate social distancing regulations, many pier restaurants have expanded their patios. A new astroturf “deck park picnic area” will also be available.
The pier bridge at Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue and all beach stairs will remain closed. The pier entrance and exit ramps are on Ocean Front Walk on the beach level.
While the Pier Parking Deck and 1550 Lot are both closed to the public, visitors can park in nearby lots and in downtown Santa Monica garages. They are also encouraged to bike or use public transportation or ride-hailing services.


latimes--2020-06-25--New emergency evacuation guidelines won't include 'mandatory' or 'voluntary' labels

When the Cedar fire broke out near a populated area in Kern County in August 2016 , fire officials issued a recommended evacuation order in an effort to get residents to quickly leave their homes .
The fire , which would eventually grow to more than 29,000 acres , continued on its path of destruction through the Sequoia National Forest over several days , eventually forcing people in neighboring Tulare County to flee .
When the call came for those residents to leave , officials termed the order a “ mandatory evacuation.
” The evacuations in both areas were immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language to communicate those requirements to residents , causing confusion among both the public and first responders , said Brian Marshall , a fire and rescue chief with the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services .
Marshall was the fire chief in Kern County during the blaze .
“ You could just imagine how flustered people were starting out using Kern ’ s terminology and then all of a sudden , the news is reporting mandatory evacuations , ” Marshall said .
“ When you ’ re evacuating the public , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their life .
The last thing you want to do is confuse them with terminology.
” Similar scenarios unfolded across California in 2017 and 2018 as the state was ravaged by deadly debris flows and wildfires — disasters that frequently straddled multiple jurisdictions and sent first responders from various regions scrambling across the Golden State to lend a hand .
In May , after months of discussions with law enforcement and fire officials across California , the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services recommended standard evacuation terminology for cities and counties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing calls for “ voluntary ” or “ mandatory ” evacuations , state officials suggest that counties instead issue evacuation warnings and orders .
An evacuation order notes an immediate threat to life and safety that requires people to leave their homes immediately .
An evacuation warning signals a potential threat to life or property .
Those who require additional time to evacuate or those with pets or livestock should prepare to leave their homes during an evacuation warning , under the state guidelines .
At this point , the guidelines for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , some municipalities across California , including Riverside , Santa Barbara and Ventura counties , have already adopted the new terminology .
While it ’ s not clear whether Los Angeles County plans to make any changes to its evacuation strategy , the city of Malibu — where the Woolsey fire charred a devastating path and destroyed more than 1,600 structures in 2018 — has committed to using the state-approved language .
In years past , Los Angeles County and city officials have struggled to effectively communicate with the public during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , Los Angeles County on social media and left many older residents in the dark about the approaching fire .
A year later , a computer coding error prevented city staff from using to warn people of the Saddleridge fire .
Neither officials with the county or the city of Los Angeles responded to requests for comment .
Executives in Ventura County , which was ravaged by massive back-to-back wildfires in 2017 and 2018 , say they think having uniform terminology will help ease confusion among residents as well as first responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a disaster from hundreds of miles away .
“ What makes sense in Ventura County should make sense everywhere else in California , ” said Office of Emergency Services Director Patrick Maynard .
“ It ’ s not uncommon to have incidents that traverse multiple counties .
We saw that with the Thomas fire and the Woolsey fire .
It ’ s important when neighboring counties are actively involved that consistent terminology be used to avoid confusion.
” While officials say the consistent terminology keeps fire officials and law enforcement agencies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it also may help the public better understand what it needs to do during an emergency when even a few minutes of delay can result in deadly outcomes .
It may even prompt residents to take the messages more seriously when they ’ re hearing it repeated from multiple sources in the same way .
The opposite is also true , said Wändi Bruine de Bruin , a provost professor of public policy , psychology and behavioral science at USC .
“ If the messages are inconsistent , then the interpretation might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Bruine de Bruin said .
“ It could lead people to pick and choose what messages they want to adhere to.
” After the Thomas fire ravaged Santa Barbara County in late 2017 and a deadly mudslide swept through Montecito in early 2018 , public officials there announced they ’ d changed their phrasing for evacuation orders to eliminate the use of the word “ voluntary.
” Instead , they replaced it with “ warning , ” which is closer in step with National Weather Service terminology and the state recommendations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which killed 23 people and destroyed 130 homes in Montecito , revealed several deficiencies in the county ’ s planning procedures , including how they handled evacuation warnings .
In the days before the slide , officials released conflicting evacuation instructions that left some hard-hit neighborhoods out of the warning zone .
Some residents who had been on edge for weeks during the Thomas fire were fatigued by the constant messaging about possible evacuations and hesitated leaving their homes before the storm .
The situation prompted authorities to rethink their evacuation strategy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequent draw as a destination for weekend getaways for Southern Californians also adds to the importance of having uniform messaging in evacuation orders , said Kelly Hubbard , director of Santa Barbara County ’ s Office of Emergency Management .
“ We want them to get and understand the same terminology they would get in their home county , ” she said .

Firefighters work to save a home on Dume Drive in Malibu as the Woolsey fire rages in November 2018.
When the Cedar fire broke out near a populated area in Kern County in August 2016, fire officials issued a recommended evacuation order in an effort to get residents to quickly leave their homes.
The fire, which would eventually grow to more than 29,000 acres, continued on its path of destruction through the Sequoia National Forest over several days, eventually forcing people in neighboring Tulare County to flee. When the call came for those residents to leave, officials termed the order a “mandatory evacuation.”
The evacuations in both areas were immediately necessary, but the agencies used different language to communicate those requirements to residents, causing confusion among both the public and first responders, said Brian Marshall, a fire and rescue chief with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Marshall was the fire chief in Kern County during the blaze.
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“You could just imagine how flustered people were starting out using Kern’s terminology and then, all of a sudden, the news is reporting mandatory evacuations,” Marshall said. “When you’re evacuating the public, that’s a high-stress time in their life. The last thing you want to do is confuse them with terminology.”
Similar scenarios unfolded across California in 2017 and 2018 as the state was ravaged by deadly debris flows and wildfires — disasters that frequently straddled multiple jurisdictions and sent first responders from various regions scrambling across the Golden State to lend a hand.
In May, after months of discussions with law enforcement and fire officials across California, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services recommended standard evacuation terminology for cities and counties to use during an emergency.
Rather than issuing calls for “voluntary” or “mandatory” evacuations, state officials suggest that counties instead issue evacuation warnings and orders. An evacuation order notes an immediate threat to life and safety that requires people to leave their homes immediately. An evacuation warning signals a potential threat to life or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate or those with pets or livestock should prepare to leave their homes during an evacuation warning, under the state guidelines.
At this point, the guidelines for a standardized approach to emergency communications remains voluntary. However, some municipalities across California, including Riverside, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, have already adopted the new terminology.
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While it’s not clear whether Los Angeles County plans to make any changes to its evacuation strategy, the city of Malibu — where the Woolsey fire charred a devastating path and destroyed more than 1,600 structures in 2018 — has committed to using the state-approved language.
In years past, Los Angeles County and city officials have struggled to effectively communicate with the public during emergencies.
During the Woolsey fire in 2018, Los Angeles County relied too heavily on social media and left many older residents in the dark about the approaching fire. A year later, a computer coding error prevented city staff from using emergency notification software to warn people of the Saddleridge fire.
Neither officials with the county nor the city of Los Angeles responded to requests for comment.
Executives in Ventura County, which was ravaged by massive back-to-back wildfires in 2017 and 2018, say they think having uniform terminology will help ease confusion among residents as well as first responders, who may be arriving to help during a disaster from hundreds of miles away.
“What makes sense in Ventura County should make sense everywhere else in California,” said Office of Emergency Services Director Patrick Maynard.
“It’s not uncommon to have incidents that traverse multiple counties. We saw that with the Thomas fire and the Woolsey fire. It’s important when neighboring counties are actively involved that consistent terminology be used to avoid confusion.”
While officials say the consistent terminology keeps fire officials and law enforcement agencies on the same page, experts note that it also may help the public better understand what it needs to do during an emergency when even a few minutes of delay can result in deadly outcomes.
It may even prompt residents to take the messages more seriously when they’re hearing it repeated from multiple sources in the same way. The opposite is also true, said Wändi Bruine de Bruin, a provost professor of public policy, psychology and behavioral science at USC.
“If the messages are inconsistent, then the interpretation might be different, and it leads to confusion,” Bruine de Bruin said. “It could lead people to pick and choose what messages they want to adhere to.”
After the Thomas fire ravaged Santa Barbara County in late 2017 and a deadly mudslide swept through Montecito in early 2018, public officials there announced they’d changed their phrasing for evacuation orders to eliminate the use of the word “voluntary.” Instead, they replaced it with “warning,” which is closer in step with National Weather Service terminology and the state recommendations that later followed.
The mudslide, which killed 23 people and destroyed 130 homes in Montecito, revealed several deficiencies in the county’s planning procedures, including how they handled evacuation warnings.
In the days before the slide, officials released conflicting evacuation instructions that left some hard-hit neighborhoods out of the warning zone. Some residents who had been on edge for weeks during the Thomas fire were fatigued by the constant messaging about possible evacuations and hesitated leaving their homes before the storm.
The situation prompted authorities to rethink their evacuation strategy, officials say.
Santa Barbara’s frequent draw as a destination for weekend getaways for Southern Californians also adds to the importance of having uniform messaging in evacuation orders, said Kelly Hubbard, director of Santa Barbara County’s Office of Emergency Management.
“We want them to get and understand the same terminology they would get in their home county,” she said.
Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-25--How do you foster 'a good death in a racist society?'

Death positivity , death doulas , death cafes — these may not be mainstream terms , but over the past 10 years , there ’ s been an explosion in what ’ s become known as death positive work .
And now the work of Black practitioners in the burgeoning field is intersecting with America ’ s racial reckoning and the Black Lives Matter movement .
Death positivity is an umbrella term covering many areas of the industry .
Death doulas holistically support those who are dying or preparing for death .
Feminist funeral directors are breaking down barriers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families who have recently lost a loved one .
are cropping up across the country and serve as spaces where people can get together to chat over tea and snacks about mortality .
Although many people of color have done end-of-life work for generations , the modern death positive movement is dominated by white voices .
In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery and the recent Black Lives Matter protests , six Black death positive leaders decided to come together for a public talk to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight against it .
Death doula Alua Arthur led the charge .
The talk was called , “ Sayin ’ It Louder : A Conversation About a Good Death in a Racist Society.
” More than 1,800 people tuned in to watch it on Zoom on June 10 .
“ I ’ m a very visible face in the death and dying space , ” said Arthur , who has been interviewed for various , , made and on death doula work .
“ But Black people and people of color are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very important that other people join in this conversation.
” The idea behind the broader death positivity movement is that discussing death and actively preparing for your own death can lead to a richer , fuller and freer life , even if death is not imminent .
And the numbers are growing .
A community deathcare group on Facebook has over 8,000 members .
The Order of The Good Death Facebook group has been “ liked ” by more than 150,000 people .
Death doulas in particular have seen a surge in popularity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives are looking for practical and emotional support .
Just as birth doulas prepare clients for delivery , death doulas help people prepare for death , often with a spiritual bent .
That can look like helping a client decide what songs they would like to have playing during their final hours , or on a more practical level , working with someone on their advance directives and wills .
A death doula ’ s work differs from hospice care in that it is independent of any medical system .
The hashtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19,000 posts on Instagram while # deathpositive pulls up 60,000 .
As a death doula , Arthur has spent a lot of time thinking about what a “ good death ” means — how racial bias and racism can both be the cause of death and affect how people die , just as it affects how we all live .
During the “ Sayin ’ It Louder ” talk , she and the other panelists discussed how a “ good death ” is often synonymous with a white death .
“ The American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Arthur , “ and the way we conceive of a good death is largely based on the values we hold for living a good life.
” For many , a “ good life ” ends with excellent medical care .
However , It has been documented that the medical field is rife with implicit racial bias .
A review from 2017 in the found that physicians , and specifically white physicians , have a preference for white patients .
An example of the disparity is the way in which pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A from 2012 synthesized and assessed 20 years of pain treatment in the United States .
It found that Black people received less pain medication than other groups .
is an end-of-life doula based in the Bay Area and was one of the “ Sayin ’ It Louder ” panelists .
Part of Sawyer ’ s job as a doula is to push against racial biases and advocate for her clients as they approach death .
“ I was working with a woman who was dying , ” she said , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give her [ more ] morphine , they were giving her these small bits of morphine.
” Her client , she added , was in severe discomfort .
“ I didn ’ t want her to be fighting for air .
That doesn ’ t happen when I work with white people.
” The medical inequities , said Sawyer and the rest of the panel , have taken on a new urgency in recent months .
The coronavirus pandemic has communities of color .
found that Black Americans have experienced the highest overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , Black people are the rate of white people .
“ The sheer stress of being born into a racist society , and the resulting psychological , emotional and physical stresses , will make the body more susceptible to illness like the coronavirus , ” Sawyer said .
Racial bias continues after death too .
During the “ Sayin ’ It Louder ” talk , , a Black funeral director and sacred grief practitioner based in Atlanta , brought up racial discrepancies she has witnessed .
“ I used to work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white male professionals , ” Anthony said .
“ A woman came in who had died and she had box braids .
The family decided that , for the funeral , they wanted her braids taken out .
They wanted to remember her with her natural hair.
” Anthony later found a director of the funeral home cutting the box braids out of the woman ’ s hair at her scalp — cutting all her hair off .
He didn ’ t know the difference between removing braids and cutting them out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other funeral directors , Anthony has developed online for funeral professionals .
“ They are designed to educate professionals about caring for black people ’ s hair and skin , ” she said .
A major part of death positive work is focused on honoring and respecting the person who is dying .
Small gestures can be deeply meaningful and differ depending on one ’ s cultural background .
“ I was working with a client called Ms. Beverly Leacock , ” said Arthur , “ Ms .
Beverly is Black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her , like calling her Ms. Beverly , rather than calling her by [ only ] her first name , that ’ s something we do in the Black community .
It ’ s an important sign of respect.
” Though the work of a death doula may ostensibly seem quiet , peaceful and calm , it ’ s far from passive .
Arthur said she considers herself to be an activist .
“ In my work , I advocate for the whole person , ” she said .
“ I am honoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and where they are at — it ’ s activism cloaked in compassion .
To me that ’ s an act of revolution.
” A very different type of death , that of Black people at the hands of police officers , has ushered in a new era of revolution .
The deaths of Floyd , Rayshard Brooks and others have galvanized action , protests and change .
But have also ushered in a period of intense national mourning .
“ People are grieving humans that they have never met and will never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide who was also part of the “ Sayin ’ It Louder ” panel .
And the experience of grief right now in the Black community can be overwhelming .
“ Our experience with trauma is different , ” Forneret said .
“ We are carrying so much right now , our burdens are different.
” For Forneret , It ’ s those burdens that make forums like the Sayin ’ It Louder panel so meaningful .
“ When I ’ m on a call with a bunch of Black women working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently , ” she said , “ I ’ m expressing myself differently , because it ’ s a safe environment.
” Arthur sees parallels between the end-of-life work she does as a death doula , and the collective experience of grief and loss so many are currently feeling .
“ It started with the coronavirus pandemic , ” Arthur said .
But now , the deeper , more systemic disease of racism is being properly recognized .
“ Somebody just got a diagnosis they were not prepared for , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the death of an old ideology .
”

Death positivity, death doulas, death cafes — these may not be mainstream terms, but over the last 10 years, there’s been a surge in what’s become known as death positive work.
And now the work of Black practitioners in the burgeoning field is intersecting with America’s racial reckoning and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Death positivity is an umbrella term covering many areas of the industry. Death doulas holistically support those who are dying or preparing for death. Feminist funeral directors are breaking down barriers in male-dominated funeral homes. Grief guides support families who have recently lost a loved one. Death cafes are cropping up across the country and serve as spaces where people can get together to chat over tea and snacks about mortality.
Although many people of color have done end-of-life work for generations, the modern death positive movement is dominated by white voices. In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the recent Black Lives Matter protests, six Black death positive leaders decided to come together for a public talk to discuss racism in their industry and how to fight against it. Death doula Alua Arthur led the charge.
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Alua Arthur prepares herself a bath with rose petals and Epsom salt, part of her self-care ritual. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
The talk was called, “Sayin’ It Louder: A Conversation About a Good Death in a Racist Society.” More than 1,800 people tuned in to watch it on Zoom on June 10.
“I’m a very visible face in the death and dying space,” said Arthur, who has been interviewed for various print pieces , videos , made TV appearances and given speeches on death doula work. “But Black people and people of color are not a monolith, and it’s very important that other people join in this conversation.”
The idea behind the broader death positivity movement is that discussing death and actively preparing for one’s death can lead to a richer, fuller and freer life, even if death is not imminent. And the numbers are growing. A community deathcare group on Facebook has over 8,000 members. The Order of The Good Death Facebook group has been “liked” by more than 150,000 people.
Death doulas in particular have seen a surge in popularity as more people approaching the end of their lives seek practical and emotional support. Just as birth doulas prepare clients for delivery, death doulas help people prepare for death, often with a spiritual bent. That can include helping clients decide what songs they would like to have playing during their final hours or, on a more practical level, working with someone on their advance directives and wills. A death doula’s work differs from hospice care in that it is independent of any medical system. The hashtag #deathdoula pulls up more than 19,000 posts on Instagram, while #deathpositive pulls up 60,000.
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As a death doula, Arthur has spent a lot of time thinking about what a “good death” means — how racial bias and racism can both be the cause of death and affect how people die, just as it affects how we all live. During the “Sayin’ It Louder” talk, she and the other panelists discussed how a “good death” is often synonymous with a white death. “The American dream is shaped by the white experience,” said Arthur, “and the way we conceive of a good death is largely based on the values we hold for living a good life.”
Alua Arthur is a death doula, a person who helps people prepare for death. Some Black death doulas say part of their job is to help overcome prejudices that work against efforts to secure a more comfortable passage for Black people as they approach death. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
For many, a “good life” ends with excellent medical care. However, it has been well documented that the medical field is rife with implicit racial bias. A review from 2017 in the Academic Emergency Medicine journal found that physicians, specifically white physicians, have a preference for white patients.
An example of the disparity is the way in which pain medication is administered to Black patients. A National Institutes of Health meta-analysis from 2012 synthesized and assessed 20 years of pain treatment in the United States. It found that Black people received less pain medication than other groups.
Oceana Sawyer is an end-of-life doula based in the Bay Area and was one of the “Sayin’ It Louder” panelists. Part of Sawyer’s job as a doula is to push against racial biases and advocate for her clients as they approach death.
“I was working with a woman who was dying,” she said, and “I had to convince the hospice nurse to give her [more] morphine, they were giving her these small bits of morphine.” Her client, she added, was in severe discomfort. “I didn’t want her to be fighting for air. That doesn’t happen when I work with white people.”
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The medical inequities, said Sawyer and the rest of the panel, have taken on a new urgency in recent months. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color. APM research lab found that Black Americans have experienced the highest overall mortality rates as a result of COVID-19. In California, Black people are dying at twice the rate of white people.
“The sheer stress of being born into a racist society, and the resulting psychological, emotional and physical stresses, will make the body more susceptible to illness like the coronavirus,” Sawyer said.
Racial bias continues after death too. During the “Sayin’ It Louder” talk, Joél Simone Anthony , a Black funeral director and sacred grief practitioner based in Atlanta, brought up racial discrepancies she has witnessed. “I used to work in a funeral home with a lot of white male professionals,” Anthony said. “A woman came in who had died and she had box braids. The family decided that, for the funeral, they wanted her braids taken out. They wanted to remember her with her natural hair.”
Anthony later found a director of the funeral home cutting the box braids out of the woman’s hair at her scalp — cutting all her hair off. He didn’t know the difference between removing braids and cutting them out.
In an effort to inform her colleagues and other funeral directors, Anthony has developed online cultural competency courses for funeral professionals. “They are designed to educate professionals about caring for black people’s hair and skin,” she said.
A major part of death positive work is focused on honoring and respecting the person who is dying. Small gestures can be deeply meaningful and differ depending on one’s cultural background.
“I was working with a client called Ms. Beverly Leacock,” said Arthur. “Ms. Beverly is Black, and I understand nuances of being with her, like calling her Ms. Beverly, rather than calling her by [only] her first name, that’s something we do in the Black community. It’s an important sign of respect.”
Advertisement
Alua Arthur soaks in her bath ritual, which includes rose petals, Epsom salt and scented candles, to help deal with the stress of an emotional job. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Alua Arthur adds rose petals to her bath. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Though the work of a death doula may ostensibly seem quiet, peaceful and calm, it’s far from passive. Arthur said she considers herself to be an activist. “In my work, I advocate for the whole person,” she said. “I am honoring the person for exactly who they are and where they are at — it’s activism cloaked in compassion. To me that’s an act of revolution.”
A very different type of death, that of Black people at the hands of police officers, has ushered in a new era of revolution. The deaths of Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and others have galvanized action, protests and change. But they have also ushered in a period of intense national mourning.
“People are grieving humans that they have never met and will never meet,” said Alica Forneret , a grief guide who was also part of the “Sayin’ It Louder” panel.
And the experience of grief right now in the Black community can be overwhelming. “Our experience with trauma is different,” Forneret said. “We are carrying so much right now, our burdens are different.”
For Forneret, it’s those burdens that make forums like the “Sayin’ It Louder” panel so meaningful.
Advertisement
“When I’m on a call with a bunch of Black women working in the death space, I am speaking differently,” she said, “I’m expressing myself differently, because it’s a safe environment.”
Arthur sees parallels between the end-of-life work she does as a death doula, and the collective experience of grief and loss so many are currently feeling.
“It started with the coronavirus pandemic,” Arthur said. But now, the deeper, more systemic disease of racism is being properly recognized. “Somebody just got a diagnosis they were not prepared for,” she said, “but hopefully it will lead to the death of an old ideology.”


latimes--2020-06-25--Sheriff asks attorney general to monitor shooting while stonewalling inspector general

The independent monitors for the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department were brought in for moments like these .
The law enforcement agency is facing outrage from the community and questions about back-to-back shootings that left two men dead as well as its handling of the death of Robert Fuller , 24 , who was found hanging from a tree near Palmdale City Hall .
But the two institutions tasked with overseeing investigations of deputies ’ use of force — the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and its investigative arm , the Office of Inspector General — say they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huntsman said his office on Monday asked the Sheriff ’ s Department for reports , documents and video relating to the shooting death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado , who was killed by a deputy near an auto body shop in Gardena .
Huntsman said he hasn ’ t received a response .
The office also requested the report that detailed events surrounding the death of Fuller ’ s half-brother , Terron Boone , who was killed in a shootout with undercover detectives , to “ analyze the underlying reason for the manner in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huntsman said .
“ But they refused to give it to us.
” The watchdogs ’ functions were centerpieces of reforms enacted at the Sheriff ’ s Department in the wake of a corruption and brutality scandal in the jails that led to indictments of several sheriff ’ s deputies and high-ranking commanders , including former Sheriff Lee Baca .
But the agencies have increasingly complained that the administration of Sheriff Alex Villanueva is refusing to share information and stonewalling efforts to provide true oversight .
And it is set against the backdrop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd that is demanding greater transparency and a radical change of course in policing to combat police brutality and other systemic racial injustices .
“ We can ’ t make recommendations if we don ’ t get information from them .
So our work can be stymied when there ’ s not cooperation and collaboration , ” said Patti Giggans , chair of the oversight commission .
“ We need a willing partner in the sheriff.
” The dispute over access to Sheriff records prompted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January to grant the Civilian Oversight Commission subpoena power at a time of heightened tensions between the law enforcement agency and those who oversee it .
The oversight agencies said they were not given access to information about the agency ’ s internal discipline system and hiring process , as well as documents related to secret deputy cliques with matching tattoos that have been accused of misconduct .
The Sheriff ’ s Department said at the time that increasing the inspector general ’ s power could harm investigations and would pit county departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Villanueva declined to discuss the Guardado shooting , saying he would supply information when he could .
“ We ’ re not gon na piecemeal it , ” he said .
He did not answer a question about whether the deputies involved in the Gardena incident have been interviewed yet by investigators .
Villanueva said ongoing witness interviews prompted the Sheriff ’ s Department to place a “ security hold ” on the results of Guardado ’ s autopsy , but he did not identify the witnesses .
“ If you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t release information that ’ s gon na prejudice the testimony of the witness , ” he said .
The tight-lipped responses come as Villanueva reached a tentative agreement this week with local law enforcement leaders to have all police killings investigated by a special task force .
Members would be prohibited from investigating officers or deputies from their own agencies .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has said little about what led up to the Gardena shooting , which has sparked large protests and widespread demands for answers .
Villanueva asked Atty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations of Guardado and Fuller , citing the public outcry .
“ The current nationwide political climate , lends itself to a public demand for police accountability , and the propensity of antagonists to assemble large amounts of people in a short amount of time in protest to any perception of impropriety , ” he wrote in a letter to Becerra .
The attorney general ’ s office has taken on an oversight role in Fuller ’ s case , but has not said whether it would accept Villanueva ’ s request to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office is aware of the matters you reference .
However , to protect its integrity , we are unable to comment on a potential or ongoing investigation , ” the attorney general ’ s office said in a statement .
Guardado was speaking with someone in a car that was blocking the entrance to an auto body shop when deputies from the Compton sheriff ’ s station pulled up at about 6 p.m. on June 18 , said Capt .
Kent Wegener of the homicide bureau .
Guardado “ produced a handgun ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chased him on foot , Wegener said .
When the deputies caught up , one of them fired six rounds at Guardado , killing him , the department said .
Authorities said they did not know whether Guardado had pointed his weapon at the deputy , and said they “ don ’ t believe ” Guardado fired any shots .
Guardado ’ s family said he had worked as a security guard for Street Dynamic Auto Body , close to where he was shot .
He was under the 21-year age requirement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not wearing a uniform , authorities said .
They said the .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol he was carrying was not licensed .
In the other case , deputies were investigating a report that Boone , 31 , had kidnapped and threatened a former girlfriend when they trailed him to an apartment complex in Rosamond , 20 miles north of Palmdale , and attempted a traffic stop before the shooting that left him dead .

The independent monitors for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were brought in for moments like these.
The law enforcement agency is facing outrage from the community and questions about back-to-back shootings that left two men dead as well as its handling of the death of Robert Fuller, 24, who was found hanging from a tree near Palmdale City Hall.
But the two institutions tasked with overseeing investigations of deputies’ use of force — the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and its investigative arm, the Office of Inspector General — say they are running into roadblocks.
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Inspector General Max Huntsman said his office on Monday asked the Sheriff’s Department for reports, documents and video relating to the shooting death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was killed by a deputy near an auto body shop in Gardena. Huntsman said he hasn’t received a response.
The office also requested the report that detailed events surrounding the death of Fuller’s half-brother, Terron Boone, who was killed in a shootout with undercover detectives, to “analyze the underlying reason for the manner in which the arrest was conducted,” Huntsman said. “But they refused to give it to us.”
The watchdogs’ functions were centerpieces of reforms enacted at the Sheriff’s Department in the wake of a corruption and brutality scandal in the jails that led to indictments of several sheriff’s deputies and high-ranking commanders, including former Sheriff Lee Baca. But the agencies have increasingly complained that the administration of Sheriff Alex Villanueva is refusing to share information and stonewalling efforts to provide true oversight.
And it is set against the backdrop of a national movement stemming from the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd that is demanding greater transparency and a radical change of course in policing to combat police brutality and other systemic racial injustices.
“We can’t make recommendations if we don’t get information from them. So our work can be stymied when there’s not cooperation and collaboration,” said Patti Giggans, chair of the oversight commission. “We need a willing partner in the sheriff.”
The dispute over access to Sheriff records prompted the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in January to grant the Civilian Oversight Commission subpoena power at a time of heightened tensions between the law enforcement agency and those who oversee it. The oversight agencies said they were not given access to information about the agency’s internal discipline system and hiring process, as well as documents related to secret deputy cliques with matching tattoos that have been accused of misconduct.
Advertisement
The Sheriff’s Department said at the time that increasing the inspector general’s power could harm investigations and would pit county departments against one another.
On Wednesday, Villanueva declined to discuss the Guardado shooting, saying he would supply information when he could.
“We’re not gonna piecemeal it,” he said.
He did not answer a question about whether the deputies involved in the Gardena incident have been interviewed yet by investigators. Villanueva said ongoing witness interviews prompted the Sheriff’s Department to place a “security hold” on the results of Guardado’s autopsy, but he did not identify the witnesses.
“If you’re still interviewing witnesses, you don’t release information that’s gonna prejudice the testimony of the witness,” he said.
The tight-lipped responses come as Villanueva reached a tentative agreement this week with local law enforcement leaders to have all police killings investigated by a special task force. Members would be prohibited from investigating officers or deputies from their own agencies.
The Sheriff’s Department has said little about what led up to the Gardena shooting, which has sparked large protests and widespread demands for answers. Villanueva asked Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to monitor the investigations of Guardado and Fuller, citing the public outcry.
“The current nationwide political climate, lends itself to a public demand for police accountability, and the propensity of antagonists to assemble large amounts of people in a short amount of time in protest to any perception of impropriety,” he wrote in a letter to Becerra.
The attorney general’s office has taken on an oversight role in Fuller’s case, but has not said whether it would accept Villanueva’s request to review the Guardado shooting.
“Our office is aware of the matters you reference. However, to protect its integrity, we are unable to comment on a potential or ongoing investigation,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
Guardado was speaking with someone in a car that was blocking the entrance to an auto body shop when deputies from the Compton sheriff’s station pulled up at about 6 p.m. on June 18, said Capt. Kent Wegener of the homicide bureau.
Guardado “produced a handgun” and ran away, and two deputies chased him on foot, Wegener said. When the deputies caught up, one of them fired six rounds at Guardado, killing him, the department said.
Authorities said they did not know whether Guardado had pointed his weapon at the deputy, and said they “don’t believe” Guardado fired any shots.
Guardado’s family said he had worked as a security guard for Street Dynamic Auto Body, close to where he was shot. He was under the 21-year age requirement to be a security guard in California and was not wearing a uniform, authorities said. They said the .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol he was carrying was not licensed.
In the other case, deputies were investigating a report that Boone, 31, had kidnapped and threatened a former girlfriend when they trailed him to an apartment complex in Rosamond, 20 miles north of Palmdale, and attempted a traffic stop before the shooting that left him dead.