latimes--2020-07-02--San Francisco cracks down on archdiocese for violating coronavirus rules

The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to stop celebrating public Mass indoors and to restrict outdoor services after city officials threatened to close churches that were operating in defiance of the city ’ s public health orders amid the coronavirus outbreak .
“ The Archdiocese remains steadfast in protecting the health of its congregants and all San Franciscans , ” general counsel Paula Carney wrote Tuesday , responding to City Atty .
Dennis Herrera , who had sent a cease-and-desist letter the previous day .
In the seven-page document , Herrera alleged a series of violations that followed Archbishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parishes to resume public indoor Masses in mid-June .
“ We were surprised at the city attorney ’ s letter , as the archdiocese has been in close contact with city officials for several months now , ” communications director Mike Brown said in a statement Thursday .
“ We have initiated contact to help decision-makers understand the nature of our religious services , the sizes of our churches and the care with which the California bishops have taken to plan very safe reopening of our churches for public Masses — when public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California allowed religious services to resume in late May , saying houses of worship must limit total attendance to 25 % of a building ’ s capacity and stop passing around offering plates , in addition to taking other precautions , including the wearing of masks .
But it was up to individual cities and counties to determine when churches , mosques , synagogues or other houses of worship could reopen .
Public health officials said in May that San Francisco would allow religious services and ceremonies to resume June 15 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases , the city ’ s public health orders were updated June 11 , noting that religious services could be held only if conducted outdoors and with a limited number of people .
Despite that , the archdiocese began celebrating in-person Mass on June 14 at more than half a dozen churches across San Francisco .
That Sunday , the city attorney began receiving numerous complaints about the health and safety violations , including one involving an unmasked priest sharing a homily at Star of the Sea Church .
Herrera ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services at Star of the Sea , in which Father Cameron Faller reminded parishioners of a church forefather who had been put to death for illegally celebrating Mass .
“ It would have been far safer for him to stay in his home and do nothing , to do a spiritual Communion , but he knew he needed the Eucharist , as did his fellow companion martyrs , ” Faller says in the homily .
After quoting a priest who held covert services in a Russian gulag , Faller said he was concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do unholy harm .
“ Part of me fears what effect this could have on the church , that the very life force of people ’ s spiritual lives has been taken away from them for three months , ” Faller said , noting that recent in-person protests prove the importance of proximity .
“ Some things in life are more important than health protocols , ” he said .
The church openings came amid warnings from both Herrera and San Francisco ’ s health officer , Dr. Tomás Aragón , who told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s COVID-19 protocol , according to the letter Herrera sent this week .
Herrera said he reminded the archdiocese June 11 of the city ’ s order : that indoor religious services could be held only for funerals of fewer than 12 people .
Church officials responded the next day , Herrera said , noting that protocols had been created for renewed public Masses .
But the city attorney said the proposed policy allowed for indoor gatherings , did not require priests to wear masks and failed to adequately isolate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 21 , Herrera sent an investigator to several churches , according to the city attorney ’ s missive .
The investigator witnessed indoor Masses at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption and Star of the Sea , where priests and parishioners alike were not wearing masks , Herrera said .
“ Unfortunately , and contrary to increasing medical evidence that religious services without safeguards have caused serious outbreaks in many other cities and counties throughout the country , the Archdiocese has conducted both indoor and outdoor gatherings over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and jeopardize the health and safety of San Franciscans , ” Herrera wrote in the letter .
After the June 14 services , Aragón and Cordileone spoke twice .
The health officer shared the city ’ s plans for a new phase of relaxed rules that were slated to begin June 29 .
The change would allow small indoor religious services and larger outdoor services .
But the modifications never came .
As data showed the coronavirus becoming increasingly dangerous , San Francisco changed its plans and continued with its stricter health ordinance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Herrera informed church officials of the restrictions Friday , but the archdiocese continued with indoor services Sunday , and many in attendance were not wearing face coverings , the city attorney noted .
“ The Archdiocese has gone forward and held multiple indoor large gatherings at its facilities , which not only violate the health order but also evidence an alarming failure to follow common-sense safety protocols , ” he wrote .
“ The Archdiocese refused to provide assurances that it would protect public health by complying with the safeguards in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report showing that religious services elsewhere have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks , such as one in Mendocino County , where a cluster of cases was linked to a May church service .
He pointed out that most faith organizations have complied with the city ’ s orders , and he gave the church a final warning .
“ Without your assurance that you intend to comply with these critical health orders , we will pursue a temporary restraining order to protect your parishioners and the broader community.
” On Thursday , Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health director , said the city was experiencing a “ significant and alarming increase in COVID-19 infections.
” “ Our rates have soared , ” he said .
“ We are in a situation where we could be seeing early signs of surge.
” While agreeing to the city ’ s mandate that church services be limited in size and held outside , Brown , the archdiocese ’ s communications director , said the city ’ s mixed signals on reopenings led to the confusion .
“ During this time , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and conflicting timelines , which do change , and sometimes at the last minute .
Regardless , our intention has always been to conform to what we understand to be the city orders and timelines , ” he said in a statement .

Salvatore Cordileone, center, leads the Archdiocese of San Francisco, which received a cease-and-desist letter from the city attorney alleging violations of COVID-19 health orders.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to stop celebrating public Mass indoors and to restrict outdoor services after city officials threatened to close churches that were operating in defiance of the city’s public health orders amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“The Archdiocese remains steadfast in protecting the health of its congregants and all San Franciscans,” general counsel Paula Carney wrote Tuesday, responding to City Atty. Dennis Herrera, who had sent a cease-and-desist letter the previous day.
In the seven-page document, Herrera alleged a series of violations that followed Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s decision to allow parishes to resume public indoor Masses in mid-June.
“We were surprised at the city attorney’s letter, as the archdiocese has been in close contact with city officials for several months now,” communications director Mike Brown said in a statement Thursday. “We have initiated contact to help decision-makers understand the nature of our religious services, the sizes of our churches and the care with which the California bishops have taken to plan very safe reopening of our churches for public Masses — when public health officials permit.”
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The state of California allowed religious services to resume in late May, saying houses of worship must limit total attendance to 25% of a building’s capacity and stop passing around offering plates, in addition to taking other precautions, including the wearing of masks. But it was up to individual cities and counties to determine when churches, mosques, synagogues or other houses of worship could reopen.
Public health officials said in May that San Francisco would allow religious services and ceremonies to resume June 15. But after an increase in the number of coronavirus cases, the city’s public health orders were updated June 11, noting that religious services could be held only if conducted outdoors and with a limited number of people.
California San Francisco pauses reopening plans because of coronavirus surge Businesses like hair salons, zoos and outdoor bars that were scheduled to reopen Monday will now stay closed, the San Francisco health director said, amid a surge in infection rates.
Despite that, the archdiocese began celebrating in-person Mass on June 14 at more than half a dozen churches across San Francisco. That Sunday, the city attorney began receiving numerous complaints about the health and safety violations, including one involving an unmasked priest sharing a homily at Star of the Sea Church.
Herrera’s letter linked to a video showing the services at Star of the Sea, in which Father Cameron Faller reminded parishioners of a church forefather who had been put to death for illegally celebrating Mass.
“It would have been far safer for him to stay in his home and do nothing, to do a spiritual Communion, but he knew he needed the Eucharist, as did his fellow companion martyrs,” Faller says in the homily.
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After quoting a priest who held covert services in a Russian gulag, Faller said he was concerned that social distancing orders preventing Mass will do unholy harm.
“Part of me fears what effect this could have on the church, that the very life force of people’s spiritual lives has been taken away from them for three months,” Faller said, noting that recent in-person protests prove the importance of proximity.
“Some things in life are more important than health protocols,” he said.
California Coronavirus at ‘critical juncture’ as hospitalizations in California soar After four daily infection records in the last two weeks, officials fear social gatherings could bring even more outbreaks over the July 4 weekend.
The church openings came amid warnings from both Herrera and San Francisco’s health officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón, who told the archdiocese that holding Mass would violate the city’s COVID-19 protocol, according to the letter Herrera sent this week.
Herrera said he reminded the archdiocese June 11 of the city’s order: that indoor religious services could be held only for funerals of fewer than 12 people.
Church officials responded the next day, Herrera said, noting that protocols had been created for renewed public Masses. But the city attorney said the proposed policy allowed for indoor gatherings, did not require priests to wear masks and failed to adequately isolate singers.
A week later, on June 21, Herrera sent an investigator to several churches, according to the city attorney’s missive. The investigator witnessed indoor Masses at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption and Star of the Sea, where priests and parishioners alike were not wearing masks, Herrera said.
“Unfortunately, and contrary to increasing medical evidence that religious services without safeguards have caused serious outbreaks in many other cities and counties throughout the country, the Archdiocese has conducted both indoor and outdoor gatherings over the past three weekends that violate the health order and jeopardize the health and safety of San Franciscans,” Herrera wrote in the letter.
After the June 14 services, Aragón and Cordileone spoke twice. The health officer shared the city’s plans for a new phase of relaxed rules that were slated to begin June 29. The change would allow small indoor religious services and larger outdoor services.
But the modifications never came. As data showed the coronavirus becoming increasingly dangerous, San Francisco changed its plans and continued with its stricter health ordinance.
Aragón again spoke with Cordileone, and Herrera informed church officials of the restrictions Friday, but the archdiocese continued with indoor services Sunday, and many in attendance were not wearing face coverings, the city attorney noted.
Herrera sent the cease-and-desist order Monday.
“The Archdiocese has gone forward and held multiple indoor large gatherings at its facilities, which not only violate the health order but also evidence an alarming failure to follow common-sense safety protocols,” he wrote. “The Archdiocese refused to provide assurances that it would protect public health by complying with the safeguards in the health order.”
Herrera cited a Times report showing that religious services elsewhere have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks, such as one in Mendocino County, where a cluster of cases was linked to a May church service. He pointed out that most faith organizations have complied with the city’s orders, and he gave the church a final warning.
“Without your assurance that you intend to comply with these critical health orders, we will pursue a temporary restraining order to protect your parishioners and the broader community.”
On Thursday, Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s public health director, said the city was experiencing a “significant and alarming increase in COVID-19 infections.”
“Our rates have soared,” he said. “We are in a situation where we could be seeing early signs of surge.”
While agreeing to the city’s mandate that church services be limited in size and held outside, Brown, the archdiocese’s communications director, said the city’s mixed signals on reopenings led to the confusion.
“During this time, there has been some confusion with city orders and conflicting timelines, which do change, and sometimes at the last minute. Regardless, our intention has always been to conform to what we understand to be the city orders and timelines,” he said in a statement.


latimes--2020-07-02--Its two hospitals overrun, Imperial County halts in-store retail and indoor religious services

Gov .
Gavin Newsom warned Imperial County officials Friday that he would “ intervene ” if they didn ’ t take steps to control the spread of the coronavirus .
Almost a week later , county officials have rolled out a public health order closing all in-store retail and indoor religious services .
The order further states that all county parks are closed , all gatherings are barred and no residents should leave their homes unless necessary .
“ Restrictions related to COVID-19 are often difficult to accept , but they have become necessary to ensure that we , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect the health and safety of our families , friends , and neighbors , ” said Luis Plancarte , chairman of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors .
“ We ask that you avoid the three Cs .
These are crowds , confined spaces and close contact with those outside of your household.
” The new order limits nonessential retail stores to curbside pickup only .
Though indoor religious services are prohibited , outdoor services are allowed with fewer than 100 congregants .
Outdoor services can not include singing , kissing ritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing offering plates .
When in public , everyone must practice physical distancing , and people older than 2 must wear face coverings .
Everyone should wash their hands frequently .
The coronavirus continues to ravage Imperial County , where over 20 % of coronavirus tests come back positive — four times higher than the average positivity rate across all California counties .
On Thursday , the county tallied 301 new infections , bringing the overall count to 6,824 cases .
And county officials announced a particularly harrowing mark Thursday : 100 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Newsom singled out Imperial County as the area hit hardest by the coronavirus .
It ’ s one of 19 counties on the state ’ s coronavirus watchlist for rising caseloads .
For every 100,000 people in Imperial County , more than 3,700 have been infected with the coronavirus .
In the state as a whole , about 600 per 100,000 people have been infected .
The Imperial County coronavirus tally is a bit of an enigma .
A rural , 181,000-person county along the state ’ s borders with Arizona and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime location for virus spread .
And Newsom said the county had “ never moved forward [ with reopening ] as far as other parts of the state , ” though the Board of Supervisors and a business association had pushed to reopen in June .
Still , poor economic and health factors put Imperial County at a steep disadvantage for contagion and healthcare .
According to census data , about a quarter of its residents live in poverty , among the worst percentages of all California counties .
And while California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , Imperial County only has one per 4,250 residents .
The only two hospitals in Imperial County — El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Health Center — have been overrun since the coronavirus outbreak .
In just the last five weeks , Imperial County transferred over 500 coronavirus patients to other counties for treatment — an average of 15 to 17 people a day , Newsom said .
Some of the overflow has been attributed to an unusually high number of hospital admissions linked to cross-border traffic from Mexicali .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state is “ working with Customs and Border [ Protection ] because of issues ” relating to the border in Mexicali and Calexico .
Hospitals do not disclose where their patients come from , but they do routinely treat cross-border travelers , said Karina Lopez , public affairs liaison at Pioneers Health Center .
Imperial County ’ s population is 85 % Latino , and many residents are migrant farmers or recent immigrants .
When determining which patients to care for , Pioneers Health Center does not consider a patient ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border technically is closed .
The only people technically allowed to pass are legal resident card holders or U.S. citizens , ” Lopez said .
But “ anyone coming to our hospital that needs care will receive it.
” Though the hospital has filled only 68 of its 107 acute care beds , it has turned some patients away .
“ The main concern for us was that we do not have enough acute care nurses to care for the patients coming in .
While we do have beds for them , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t have enough staff , ” Lopez said .
For six weeks , the hospital received some additional support from the National Guard , but that program ended Tuesday .
Lopez said the hospital will soon acquire more traveling nurses to support its permanent staff .
As the hospitals remain overrun and the Fourth of July weekend approaches , Imperial County officials urge residents to stay inside .
“ People in our community continue to get sick and continue to die from this virus .
It is critical that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of COVID-19 , ” said Dr. Stephen Munday , county health officer .

A man passes a clothing shop Tuesday in Calexico, Calif. Saddled with a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Imperial County is backpedaling on reopening its battered economy.
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Imperial County officials Friday that he would “intervene” if they didn’t take steps to control the spread of the coronavirus. Almost a week later, county officials have rolled out a public health order closing all in-store retail and indoor religious services.
The order further states that all county parks are closed, all gatherings are barred and no residents should leave their homes unless necessary.
“Restrictions related to COVID-19 are often difficult to accept, but they have become necessary to ensure that we, as a community, all do our part to protect the health and safety of our families, friends, and neighbors,” said Luis Plancarte, chairman of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors. “We ask that you avoid the three Cs. These are crowds, confined spaces and close contact with those outside of your household.”
The new order limits nonessential retail stores to curbside pickup only. Though indoor religious services are prohibited, outdoor services are allowed with fewer than 100 congregants. Outdoor services cannot include singing, kissing ritual objects, drinking from common cups or passing offering plates.
When in public, everyone must practice physical distancing, and people older than 2 must wear face coverings. Everyone should wash their hands frequently.
The coronavirus continues to ravage Imperial County, where over 20% of coronavirus tests come back positive — four times higher than the average positivity rate across all California counties.
On Thursday, the county tallied 301 new infections, bringing the overall count to 6,824 cases. And county officials announced a particularly harrowing mark Thursday: 100 deaths.
During a statewide news briefing Friday, Newsom singled out Imperial County as the area hit hardest by the coronavirus. It’s one of 19 counties on the state’s coronavirus watchlist for rising caseloads. For every 100,000 people in Imperial County, more than 3,700 have been infected with the coronavirus. In the state as a whole, about 600 per 100,000 people have been infected.
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The Imperial County coronavirus tally is a bit of an enigma.
A rural, 181,000-person county along the state’s borders with Arizona and Mexico doesn’t seem to be the prime location for virus spread. And Newsom said the county had “never moved forward [with reopening] as far as other parts of the state,” though the Board of Supervisors and a business association had pushed to reopen in June.
Still, poor economic and health factors put Imperial County at a steep disadvantage for contagion and healthcare.
According to census data, about a quarter of its residents live in poverty, among the worst percentages of all California counties. And while California averages one primary care physician per 1,260 residents, Imperial County only has one per 4,250 residents.
The only two hospitals in Imperial County — El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Health Center — have been overrun since the coronavirus outbreak. In just the last five weeks, Imperial County transferred over 500 coronavirus patients to other counties for treatment — an average of 15 to 17 people a day, Newsom said.
Some of the overflow has been attributed to an unusually high number of hospital admissions linked to cross-border traffic from Mexicali. In the Friday news briefing, Newsom said the state is “working with Customs and Border [Protection] because of issues” relating to the border in Mexicali and Calexico.
Hospitals do not disclose where their patients come from, but they do routinely treat cross-border travelers, said Karina Lopez, public affairs liaison at Pioneers Health Center. Imperial County’s population is 85% Latino, and many residents are migrant farmers or recent immigrants.
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When determining which patients to care for, Pioneers Health Center does not consider a patient’s residence.
“Right now, the border technically is closed. The only people technically allowed to pass are legal resident card holders or U.S. citizens,” Lopez said. But “anyone coming to our hospital that needs care will receive it.”
Though the hospital has filled only 68 of its 107 acute care beds, it has turned some patients away.
“The main concern for us was that we do not have enough acute care nurses to care for the patients coming in. While we do have beds for them, and we do have space for them, we don’t have enough staff,” Lopez said.
For six weeks, the hospital received some additional support from the National Guard, but that program ended Tuesday. Lopez said the hospital will soon acquire more traveling nurses to support its permanent staff.
As the hospitals remain overrun and the Fourth of July weekend approaches, Imperial County officials urge residents to stay inside.
“People in our community continue to get sick and continue to die from this virus. It is critical that we all remain proactive in order to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Stephen Munday, county health officer.


latimes--2020-07-02--California lawmakers take quick action to advance expansion of paid family leave

California would require some of the state ’ s small businesses to offer job-protected leave to new parents and workers who need to care for sick family members under a proposal championed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom that cleared the state Senate on Thursday .
All employees in the state already pay into California ’ s family leave program , which provides workers with partial wage replacement for eight weeks when they take time off to bond with a newborn or to care for a sick child or family member .
However , only larger employers are required to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the benefit , leaving some workers to pay into a program they don ’ t feel they can use without fear of losing their jobs .
Under Senate Bill 1383 by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson ( D-Santa Barbara ) , employees who work for a company with five or more workers would be eligible to take 12 weeks of job-protected leave .
Currently , companies with 50 or more employees are required to provide 12 weeks of leave to care for a family member .
The threshold for parental leave is lower , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for workers at companies with 20 or more employees .
The state does not require leave to be paid by the employer , and the bill would not change that .
Employees already pay into the state ’ s family leave program , but many do not apply for the paid time off because the wage replacement is too low or they worry they will not have a job to return to .
“ When you take family leave , you are essentially calling in the savings account that you have created , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awaits a vote in the Assembly this month .
If approved and signed into law by Newsom , it will be effective Jan. 1 , despite being fast-tracked as part of recent budget negotiations in which provisions are usually effective immediately .
SB 1383 drew concerns from business groups and Republicans , who said struggling businesses can ’ t afford more mandates .
The California Chamber of Commerce has fiercely opposed past efforts to expand unpaid family leave and included SB 1383 on its annual “ job killer ” list , which highlights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the economy .
“ This coronavirus has decimated our economy , ” state Sen. Melissa Melendez ( R-Lake Elsinore ) said .
“ And I don ’ t know when it ’ s going to come back .
None of us do .
But I do know that the small businesses are the ones hurting the most.
” SB 1383 would make it illegal to deny an employee ’ s request for 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave during any 12-month period in order to bond with a new child or care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a previous bill that would have allowed employers to require spouses that work for the same company to share the 12 weeks of leave , instead of granting both parents the full time off .
A state law allowing women to take up to four months of job-protected pregnancy disability leave while continuing to receive employer-paid health benefits would also apply to businesses with five or more employees .
Jackson has for years attempted to expand job protections for California workers .
SB 1383 initially would have required all employers , regardless of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide 12 weeks of job-protected leave while a worker takes time off to care for their child , parent , spouse or themselves .
SB 1383 was passed as part of budget bills , meaning it was permitted to skip the typical policy discussions that accompany the legislative process .
Opponents — which included Democratic lawmakers — urged fellow legislators Thursday to stop fast-tracking the bill in order to allow for more input from affected businesses .
Jackson pushed back , saying the much-needed benefit has been studied at length .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ This issue has been analyzed for years , for decades.
” The Senate approved the bill with the bare minimum votes needed to pass Thursday , with five Democrats breaking with the rest of the party ’ s members in refusing to embrace the proposal .
State Sen. Anna Caballero ( D-Salinas ) pushed back against what she described as pressure to vote for the bill , saying she was told she was not a good Democrat or member of the women ’ s caucus if she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners are already panicking about how they will survive the economic catastrophe brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Many of them will never open again , ” Caballero said .
“ Many of them are struggling to stay afloat.
” In 2004 , California became the first state in the nation to create a paid family leave program .
“ It was an achievement having California lead on this issue , ” said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) .
“ But that was just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Atkins said Thursday ’ s vote would drastically expand who would be able to take parental leave or care for a sick loved one by ensuring those who already pay into the system can benefit from it .
“ Providing a mother with the ability to return to their job 12 weeks after giving birth to me is simply righting a societal wrong that has never been fixed , ” Atkins said .
“ Does it mean that it ’ s easy , or that it doesn ’ t come without cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community , for society ?
No , I acknowledge the challenges .
But I weigh those challenges against my own life experiences .
”

State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) on Thursday urges lawmakers to approve her measure to expand job protections to more people who take time off to care for a family member.
California would require some of the state’s small businesses to offer job-protected leave to new parents and workers who need to care for sick family members under a proposal championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that cleared the state Senate on Thursday.
All employees in the state already pay into California’s family leave program, which provides workers with partial wage replacement for eight weeks when they take time off to bond with a newborn or to care for a sick child or family member. However, only larger employers are required to hold a job open for a person accessing the benefit, leaving some workers to pay into a program they don’t feel they can use without fear of losing their jobs.
Under Senate Bill 1383 by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), employees who work for a company with five or more workers would be eligible to take 12 weeks of job-protected leave. Currently, companies with 50 or more employees are required to provide 12 weeks of leave to care for a family member. The threshold for parental leave is lower, allowing 12 weeks of job-protected time off for workers at companies with 20 or more employees.
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The state does not require leave to be paid by the employer, and the bill would not change that. Employees already pay into the state’s family leave program, but many do not apply for the paid time off because the wage replacement is too low or they worry they will not have a job to return to.
“When you take family leave, you are essentially calling in the savings account that you have created,” Jackson said Thursday.
The bill awaits a vote in the Assembly this month. If approved and signed into law by Newsom, it will be effective Jan. 1, despite being fast-tracked as part of recent budget negotiations in which provisions are usually effective immediately.
SB 1383 drew concerns from business groups and Republicans, who said struggling businesses can’t afford more mandates. The California Chamber of Commerce has fiercely opposed past efforts to expand unpaid family leave and included SB 1383 on its annual “job killer” list, which highlights laws corporate interests say will hurt employment and the economy.
“This coronavirus has decimated our economy,” state Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) said. “And I don’t know when it’s going to come back. None of us do. But I do know that the small businesses are the ones hurting the most.”
SB 1383 would make it illegal to deny an employee’s request for 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave during any 12-month period in order to bond with a new child or care for family members. It also revises a previous bill that would have allowed employers to require spouses that work for the same company to share the 12 weeks of leave, instead of granting both parents the full time off.
A state law allowing women to take up to four months of job-protected pregnancy disability leave while continuing to receive employer-paid health benefits would also apply to businesses with five or more employees.
Jackson has for years attempted to expand job protections for California workers. SB 1383 initially would have required all employers, regardless of how many employees they have, to provide 12 weeks of job-protected leave while a worker takes time off to care for their child, parent, spouse or themselves.
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SB 1383 was passed as part of budget bills, meaning it was permitted to skip the typical policy discussions that accompany the legislative process. Opponents — which included Democratic lawmakers — urged fellow legislators Thursday to stop fast-tracking the bill in order to allow for more input from affected businesses.
Jackson pushed back, saying the much-needed benefit has been studied at length.
“This is not something that requires further analysis,” she said. “This issue has been analyzed for years, for decades.”
The Senate approved the bill with the bare minimum votes needed to pass Thursday, with five Democrats breaking with the rest of the party’s members in refusing to embrace the proposal. State Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) pushed back against what she described as pressure to vote for the bill, saying she was told she was not a good Democrat or member of the women’s caucus if she voted against it.
Caballero noted that business owners are already panicking about how they will survive the economic catastrophe brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many of them will never open again,” Caballero said. “Many of them are struggling to stay afloat.”
In 2004, California became the first state in the nation to create a paid family leave program.
“It was an achievement having California lead on this issue,” said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). “But that was just the beginning of the work on this issue.”
Atkins said Thursday’s vote would drastically expand who would be able to take parental leave or care for a sick loved one by ensuring those who already pay into the system can benefit from it.
“Providing a mother with the ability to return to their job 12 weeks after giving birth to me is simply righting a societal wrong that has never been fixed,” Atkins said. “Does it mean that it’s easy, or that it doesn’t come without cost and challenges for the business, for the community, for society? No, I acknowledge the challenges. But I weigh those challenges against my own life experiences.”


latimes--2020-07-02--County-run beaches in O.C. will close July 4th weekend as coronavirus cases surge

Officials in Orange County on Thursday announced that a dozen county-operated beaches will be closed over the Fourth of July weekend as the region grapples with a surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations .
Aliso Beach , Capistrano Beach , Salt Creek Beach , Baby Beach , Bayside Beach , Camel Point Beach , Poche Beach , Strands Beach , Table Rock Beach , Thousand Steps Beach , Treasure Island Beach and West Street Beach will be closed on Saturday and Sunday .
The stretches of coastline , which are all operated by the county , add to a growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the holiday in an effort to keep crowds from congregating on the sand and potentially spreading COVID-19 .
Laguna Beach was the first coastal city to restrict beach access over the Fourth of July .
The City Council voted Tuesday to close city-operated beaches entirely on July 4 , a day that typically draws massive crowds to the city .
On Thursday , the city decided to extend its closure until 5 a.m. Monday .
The city had previously canceled its fireworks show in an effort to thin crowds but took the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began expressing concerns over a possible influx of beachgoers .
“ Particularly on the Fourth of July when there were fireworks ... it looked like sardines in a can , ” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said this week .
“ There was no space in between people .
My concern is that even without the fireworks , there just may be a huge density of people on the beaches.
” The city ’ s police department will increase monitoring and enforcement at the beach and can issue citations for people who do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
On Wednesday , Seal Beach followed with its own decision to close beaches , beach parking lots , volleyball courts , the pier and restrooms .
The amenities will reopen Sunday morning , but the city may extend the closure “ if it is believed the reopening will be detrimental to the health of the community , ” city officials said in a news release .
Newport Beach decided to put its beaches under hard closure from 10 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday after two lifeguards tested positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said his division still has adequate staffing but would be “ stretched pretty thin.
” Of the lifeguards in quarantine , one is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and hasn ’ t been tested yet .
“ I can not in good conscience add more onto our lifeguards , ” Mayor Will O ’ Neill said at an emergency City Council meeting Wednesday approving the closure .
“ We just can ’ t responsibly ask our lifeguards to do more with less .
We just can ’ t. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaches , beach parking lots and pier on Saturday .
“ The potential , if we ’ re the only beach open , to be inundated certainly exists , ” City Manager Oliver Chi said at a council meeting held a few hours after Newport ’ s .
“ We don ’ t want that situation.
” Beaches in Dana Point and San Clemente remained open as of Thursday afternoon .
The closures come amid a troubling uptick in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that prompted state officials to scale back the reopening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including bars and restaurants .
On Wednesday , Orange County confirmed five additional coronavirus-related deaths and 570 new COVID-19 cases .
The daily tally brings the total number of cases in Orange County to 14,413 , with 345 deaths .
The county has a case rate of 126.4 per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 10.4 % , according to the most recent county data .
The state has set a desired standard average of 25 positive cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period and a seven-day average positive test rate @ @ @ @

Beachgoers play at the water’s edge in Huntington Beach last month.
Officials in Orange County on Thursday announced that a dozen county-operated beaches will be closed over the Fourth of July weekend as the region grapples with a surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
Aliso Beach, Capistrano Beach, Salt Creek Beach, Baby Beach, Bayside Beach, Camel Point Beach, Poche Beach, Strands Beach, Table Rock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach, Treasure Island Beach and West Street Beach will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.
The stretches of coastline, which are all operated by the county, add to a growing list of city beaches that will close for the holiday in an effort to keep crowds from congregating on the sand and potentially spreading COVID-19.
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Laguna Beach was the first coastal city to restrict beach access over the Fourth of July. The City Council voted Tuesday to close city-operated beaches entirely on July 4, a day that typically draws massive crowds to the city. On Thursday, the city decided to extend its closure until 5 a.m. Monday.
The city had previously canceled its fireworks show in an effort to thin crowds but took the issue a step further after Los Angeles and Ventura counties closed their beaches and residents began expressing concerns over a possible influx of beachgoers.
“Particularly on the Fourth of July when there were fireworks ... it looked like sardines in a can,” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said this week. “There was no space in between people. My concern is that even without the fireworks, there just may be a huge density of people on the beaches.”
The city’s police department will increase monitoring and enforcement at the beach and can issue citations for people who do not comply with the closures, officials said.
On Wednesday, Seal Beach followed with its own decision to close beaches, beach parking lots, volleyball courts, the pier and restrooms. The amenities will reopen Sunday morning, but the city may extend the closure “if it is believed the reopening will be detrimental to the health of the community,” city officials said in a news release.
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Newport Beach decided to put its beaches under hard closure from 10 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday after two lifeguards tested positive for COVID-19 and 23 were placed in quarantine.
Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said his division still has adequate staffing but would be “stretched pretty thin.” Of the lifeguards in quarantine, one is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and hasn’t been tested yet.
“I cannot in good conscience add more onto our lifeguards,” Mayor Will O’Neill said at an emergency City Council meeting Wednesday approving the closure. “We just can’t responsibly ask our lifeguards to do more with less. We just can’t.”
Huntington Beach will also close its beaches, beach parking lots and pier on Saturday.
“The potential, if we’re the only beach open, to be inundated certainly exists,” City Manager Oliver Chi said at a council meeting held a few hours after Newport’s. “We don’t want that situation.”
Beaches in Dana Point and San Clemente remained open as of Thursday afternoon.
The closures come amid a troubling uptick in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that prompted state officials to scale back the reopening of some business sectors in the county, including bars and restaurants.
On Wednesday, Orange County confirmed five additional coronavirus-related deaths and 570 new COVID-19 cases. The daily tally brings the total number of cases in Orange County to 14,413, with 345 deaths.
The county has a case rate of 126.4 per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 10.4%, according to the most recent county data.
The state has set a desired standard average of 25 positive cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period and a seven-day average positive test rate of 8%.


latimes--2020-07-02--'A heroic act': Teen drowns after rescuing 12-year-old friend at Northern California lake

A teenager drowned in a Northern California lake over the weekend after helping rescue a younger boy who didn ’ t know how to swim , authorities said .
Dive and rescue teams were dispatched about 12:30 p.m. Sunday to Lake Camanche near the city of Burson to reports of a drowning victim , according to a release from the Calaveras County Sheriff ’ s Department .
Witnesses told first responders that a 12-year-old boy had entered the water at the reservoir ’ s Eucalyptus Day Use Area and began struggling to stay above water due to the “ uneven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swim , ” authorities said .
The boy ’ s 17-year-old friend entered the water to help and managed to hand the child over to another nearby swimmer .
Authorities later received reports that the teen had become tired and suffered a leg cramp before subsequently going underwater .
Initial responders weren ’ t able to locate the teen , so the Calaveras County Sheriff ’ s Dive Team was called to assist .
Authorities found his body about 30 feet from the shore in 14 feet of water .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Greg Stark said Thursday .
“ The 17-year-old basically gave his life to save the 12-year-old , which was a heroic act .
It was a very emotional scene with the family and friends there.
” The Sheriff ’ s Department said the drowning is the second in 15 days at a body of water in Calaveras County .
A after boating without a life jacket in an area known as Whiskey Creek at New Hogan Reservoir , authorities said .
Stark said Calaveras County sees six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time of year , when the weather is warmer and people are more likely to be in the lakes .
Authorities advised swimmers to use a life vest in the water , to always swim at their ability and to provide constant supervision for children and people who don ’ t swim well .

A teenager drowned in a Northern California lake over the weekend after helping rescue a younger boy who didn’t know how to swim, authorities said.
Dive and rescue teams were dispatched about 12:30 p.m. Sunday to Lake Camanche near the city of Burson to reports of a drowning, according to a release from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office.
Witnesses told first responders that a 12-year-old boy had entered the water at the reservoir’s Eucalyptus Day Use Area and began struggling to stay above water because of the “uneven lake bottom and not knowing how to swim,” authorities said.
The boy’s 17-year-old friend entered the water to help and managed to hand the child over to another nearby swimmer. Authorities later received reports that the teen had become tired and suffered a leg cramp before subsequently going underwater.
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Initial responders weren’t able to locate the teen, so the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office dive team was called to assist. Authorities found his body about 30 feet from the shore in 14 feet of water.
“It was obviously a tragic situation,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Stark said Thursday. “The 17-year-old basically gave his life to save the 12-year-old, which was a heroic act. It was a very emotional scene with the family and friends there.”
The Sheriff’s Office said the drowning is the second in recent weeks at a body of water in Calaveras County. A man drowned June 13 after boating without a life jacket in an area known as Whiskey Creek at New Hogan Lake, authorities said.
Stark said Calaveras County sees six to eight drownings annually, typically around this time of year, when the weather is warmer and people are more likely to be in the lakes.
Authorities advised swimmers to use a life vest in the water, to always swim at their ability and to provide constant supervision for children and people who don’t swim well.


latimes--2020-07-02--The coronavirus has changed since it left Wuhan. Is it more infectious?

A version of the coronavirus first seen in Italy four months ago has overtaken the original strain from Wuhan , China , and is now dominant around the world , scientists reported Thursday .
The newer version has a mutation that alters the so-called spike protein the virus uses to enter human cells .
The team of scientists who found it say the change probably makes the virus more infectious , which would explain why it was able to overtake its predecessor from China .
However , independent researchers said that assessment was premature and cited other factors that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 , the version from Italy accounted for 78 % of the 12,194 coronavirus samples that had been collected around the world in the previous six weeks , the study authors reported .
Before March 1 , by contrast , only 10 % of the 997 samples available at that time carried the mutation .
Laboratory experiments showed that viruses with the spike mutation copied themselves more readily than those that lacked it .
And in a sample of 999 COVID-19 patients in England , those who were infected with the Italian variant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found by other research groups as well .
Even so , the patients with the newer coronavirus variant were no sicker than the patients with the earlier version of the virus .
The findings were published in the journal Cell .
The study authors , led by Bette Korber , a computational biologist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory , posted a preliminary version of the work in May that generated substantial controversy by claiming the mutation in the spike protein made the virus more contagious .
Korber and her team also warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop desperately needed vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 .
Other scientists challenged those conclusions , however , saying the analysis failed to show that the mutation played any role in fueling the virus ’ spread or that it made the virus more difficult to control .
In principle , mutations in the coronavirus genome could complicate the search for effective drugs or vaccines .
Viruses accumulate random mutations when they make mistakes copying themselves , and any one of those mistakes has the potential to alter the virus in a way that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s why Korber and her colleagues devised a way to look for changes in the coronavirus genome — in particular , the genes responsible for the spikes that stud the coronavirus and give it its crown-like appearance .
“ We have designed bioinformatic tools to create an ‘ early warning ’ strategy to evaluate Spike evolution during the pandemic , ” they wrote .
Their system examines thousands of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from around the world that have been added to a database maintained by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software flags genomes whose instructions for making the spike proteins vary from the original Wuhan sequence by 0.3 % or more .
If a particular variant turns up with increasing frequency in different parts of the world , it could be giving the virus some kind of evolutionary advantage that vaccine and treatment developers ought to know about , they wrote .
The first suspicious mutation their system turned up causes a change in one of the amino acids that make up the spikes .
Today , that mutation is “ almost always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the genome , the researchers wrote .
This version of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in Italy on Feb. 20 .
“ Within days , ” the team wrote , it “ was sampled in many countries in Europe.
” During the month of March , it spread in North America , South America , Europe , Asia and Oceania , and by month ’ s end it was the dominant version in all those continents except for Asia .
The team also examined 17 individual countries and found that this version gained ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Iceland .
But that might have been because at the beginning of the month , the majority of people tested were travelers from Europe ; by mid-March , locals were being screened and their samples included in the testing pool .
There was one other place where the Wuhan coronavirus held its own against the version from Italy : Santa Clara County .
Samples taken by the Santa Clara Department of Public Health suggest that , with the exception of Stanford University , the newer version didn ’ t show up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they concluded , “ the speed with which [ the Italian version of the virus ] became the dominant form globally suggests the need for continued vigilance.
” In a commentary that accompanies the study , three scientists from Yale , Harvard and Columbia agreed that the mutation affecting the coronavirus spike protein is “ now dominant in many places around the world.
” But the significance of that is far from clear , they wrote .
For instance , they explained that the newer version could have become dominant in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who brought the coronavirus here came from Europe ( where the mutation was widespread ) , not China ( where it was not ) .
Although the lab experiments showed that viruses with the spike mutation were able to infect cells in a dish , that doesn ’ t necessarily mean they ’ d be better at infecting people in the real world , the scientists added .
As researchers learned during the Ebola epidemic , “ it ’ s impossible ” for tests in a lab to show that “ a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a large , diverse human population.
” It ’ s also “ unlikely ” that the mutation will make the virus more resistant to drugs or vaccines , the authors of the commentary wrote .
The change it brings about in the spike protein is not in the region that allows the virus to bind to a host cell .
What ’ s more , antibodies taken from COVID-19 survivors were able to neutralize both versions of the coronavirus .
That suggests the change produced by the mutation doesn ’ t affect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , until scientists get a better handle on what — if any — effect the mutation has , researchers working on vaccines and treatments ought to keep it in mind as they go about their work , the scientistswrote .

This 3-D model of the novel coronavirus shows the spike proteins in red. A mutation that affects the spike protein has spread rapidly around the world, but its effect is not clear, scientists say.
A version of the coronavirus first seen in Italy four months ago has overtaken the original strain from Wuhan, China, and is now dominant around the world, scientists reported Thursday.
The newer version has a mutation that alters the so-called spike protein the virus uses to enter human cells. The team of scientists who found it say the change probably makes the virus more infectious, which would explain why it was able to overtake its predecessor from China.
However, independent researchers said that assessment was premature and cited other factors that could explain its rapid spread.
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By May 18, the version from Italy accounted for 78% of the 12,194 coronavirus samples that had been collected around the world in the previous six weeks, the study authors reported. Before March 1, by contrast, only 10% of the 997 samples available at that time carried the mutation.
Laboratory experiments showed that viruses with the spike mutation copied themselves more readily than those that lacked it. And in a sample of 999 COVID-19 patients in England, those who were infected with the Italian variant had higher viral loads — a correlation found by other research groups as well.
Even so, the patients with the newer coronavirus variant were no sicker than the patients with the earlier version of the virus.
The findings were published in the journal Cell.
The study authors, led by Bette Korber, a computational biologist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, posted a preliminary version of the work in May that generated substantial controversy by claiming the mutation in the spike protein made the virus more contagious. Korber and her team also warned that the mutation could undermine efforts to develop desperately needed vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.
Other scientists challenged those conclusions, however, saying the analysis failed to show that the mutation played any role in fueling the virus’ spread or that it made the virus more difficult to control.
In principle, mutations in the coronavirus genome could complicate the search for effective drugs or vaccines. Viruses accumulate random mutations when they make mistakes copying themselves, and any one of those mistakes has the potential to alter the virus in a way that would render a pharmaceutical agent useless.
That’s why Korber and her colleagues devised a way to look for changes in the coronavirus genome — in particular, the genes responsible for the spikes that stud the coronavirus and give it its crown-like appearance.
Advertisement
“We have designed bioinformatic tools to create an ‘early warning’ strategy to evaluate Spike evolution during the pandemic,” they wrote.
Their system examines thousands of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from around the world that have been added to a database maintained by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, or GISAID. The Los Alamos software flags genomes whose instructions for making the spike proteins vary from the original Wuhan sequence by 0.3% or more.
If a particular variant turns up with increasing frequency in different parts of the world, it could be giving the virus some kind of evolutionary advantage that vaccine and treatment developers ought to know about, they wrote.
The first suspicious mutation their system turned up causes a change in one of the amino acids that make up the spikes. Today, that mutation is “almost always” found alongside three other mutations elsewhere in the genome, the researchers wrote.
This version of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in Italy on Feb. 20. “Within days,” the team wrote, it “was sampled in many countries in Europe.”
During the month of March, it spread in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, and by month’s end it was the dominant version in all those continents except for Asia. The team also examined 17 individual countries and found that this version gained ground in 16 of them.
The exception was Iceland. But that might have been because at the beginning of the month, the majority of people tested were travelers from Europe; by mid-March, locals were being screened and their samples included in the testing pool.
There was one other place where the Wuhan coronavirus held its own against the version from Italy: Santa Clara County. Samples taken by the Santa Clara Department of Public Health suggest that, with the exception of Stanford University, the newer version didn’t show up in the community until June.
But overall, they concluded, “the speed with which [the Italian version of the virus] became the dominant form globally suggests the need for continued vigilance.”
In a commentary that accompanies the study, three scientists from Yale, Harvard and Columbia agreed that the mutation affecting the coronavirus spike protein is “now dominant in many places around the world.” But the significance of that is far from clear, they wrote.
For instance, they explained that the newer version could have become dominant in the United States because most of the people who brought the coronavirus here came from Europe (where the mutation was widespread), not China (where it was not).
Although the lab experiments showed that viruses with the spike mutation were able to infect cells in a dish, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’d be better at infecting people in the real world, the scientists added. As researchers learned during the Ebola epidemic, “it’s impossible” for tests in a lab to show that “a single mutation alone would have a major impact on a large, diverse human population.”
It’s also “unlikely” that the mutation will make the virus more resistant to drugs or vaccines, the authors of the commentary wrote. The change it brings about in the spike protein is not in the region that allows the virus to bind to a host cell.
What’s more, antibodies taken from COVID-19 survivors were able to neutralize both versions of the coronavirus. That suggests the change produced by the mutation doesn’t affect the body’s immune response.
Still, until scientists get a better handle on what — if any — effect the mutation has, researchers working on vaccines and treatments ought to keep it in mind as they go about their work, the scientistswrote.


latimes--2020-07-02--As coronavirus surge continues, L.A. unveils color-coded system to assess infection risk

As coronavirus cases continue to mushroom throughout the state , Los Angeles has unveiled a new color-coded system to assess and report the risk of infection .
The online indicator , which Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled Wednesday , is broken into four categories — red , orange , yellow and green — each representing different threat levels .
“ Information and data on the threat helps us all inform our behavior , guides us to better days , ” Garcetti said .
As of Thursday morning , L.A. 's indicator was orange , meaning that the risk of infection remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When the indicator is orange , you want to stay at home as often as possible ... and only leave for essential activities like going to work or going to the market , ” he said .
“ And you should assume everyone around you is infectious.
” Red , the highest threat level , would mean that “ residents must stay at home and take precautions and will likely be on a mandated safer-at-home order , ” Garcetti said .
The orange zone means that people without vulnerabilities should use their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re successfully flattening the curve ” and green “ will indicate that COVID-19 is mostly contained and presents a very low risk to Angelenos , ” he added .
“ We all want to live in that green and yellow area until there ’ s a cure or a treatment for COVID-19 , ” he said .
The new tool was released as Los Angeles , like many areas in the state and nation , continues to see distressing spikes in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations .
On Thursday , there were 1,893 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — up from 1,429 two weeks earlier .
“ Whether we stop the threat of COVID-19 , whether we save lives and preserve livelihoods , is up to us , ” Garcetti said .
“ COVID-19 has taken control , and it ’ s time for us to take control back.
” Statewide , the number of people hospitalized with coronavirus has shot up 56 % in the last two weeks — from 3,337 to 5,196 .
Coronavirus cases also have surged , setting four daily records over that same time frame .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed infections statewide had surpassed 241,000 .
Almost 6,200 Californians have died from COVID-19 .
So severe are the recent increases that some counties , including San Bernardino and Riverside , have said they are prepared to open overflow facilities as their hospitals approach surge capacity .
The state also announced the reactivation of four alternate care locations Wednesday — the Imperial Field Medical Site , Seton Medical Center , Fairview Developmental Center and Porterville Developmental Center .
Combined , those facilities will make hundreds of additional beds available to relieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As hospitalizations continue to rise , these alternative care sites will expand capacity and support additional acute care specifically dedicated to COVID-19 patients , ” according to the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services .
Amid the worsening outbreak , Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered 19 particularly hard-hit counties to walk back some reopenings and halt visits to indoor restaurants , bars , wineries and tasting rooms , entertainment centers , movie theaters , zoos , museums and card rooms for the next three weeks .
Counties affected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ventura , Orange , San Bernardino and Sacramento .
The Newsom administration ’ s decision to impose tougher rules in those counties comes just weeks after the state allowed restrictions to be eased in most of the state .
Businesses in the affected counties are still allowed to remain open for outdoor service and takeout .
Bars and other drinking establishments are also allowed to seat guests outdoors as long as they sell a meal with drinks in the same transaction and meet all of the same safety requirements as restaurants .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining is not discouraged by health officials but also acknowledged that he will be getting take-out .
“ That ’ s not the place where you probably are going to get infections , ” Garcetti said , adding that infections come when people are in a closed environment and near one another .
“ We ’ re in the second or third inning of this nine-inning game , ” Newsom said Thursday .
“ By no stretch are we out of the woods , but we can influence , we can mitigate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curve.
” A major thrust of that effort is wearing masks while in public or high-risk settings — which Newsom mandated statewide on June 18 .
Newsom on Thursday announced the launch of a public-awareness campaign aimed at driving home the importance of wearing face coverings , which public health officials say can help prevent those who are infected with the coronavirus from spreading it to others .
The campaign is being funded in part by donations from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative , the foundation of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developer Rick Caruso and former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer also donated to the campaign .
However , the issue of enforcement has remained an open question , with some local governments or law enforcement agencies saying they won ’ t punish residents for not adhering to the mask mandate .
Newsom acknowledged there are limitations to how far the state can go in terms of enforcement — “ There are laws on the books that , if we tried to enforce at scale , we never could that transcend and predate COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why public education and encouragement are so important .
“ If 40 million people want to turn their back on civil society and abuse the rules , laws and regulations on a consistent basis at scale , then society begins to erode , ” he said .
“ Accordingly , the health of a community begins to be diminished .
We have a health crisis in this nation .
We are not out of this crisis ; we ’ re still in the first wave of this crisis .
It requires some level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to climb , officials are pleading with residents to not gather with friends or family members they don ’ t live with over the Fourth of July weekend .
Newsom said state public health officials are gravely concerned that Californians will let their guard down during one of the most social holidays of the year , traditionally a festive time celebrated with backyard barbecues , crowded public fireworks shows and trips to beaches , rivers and lakes .
Those gatherings have the potential to accelerate the spread of the coronavirus .
To that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off some of the communal traditions that typically mark the holiday .
The vast majority of Southern California ’ s beaches will be closed for the Fourth of July weekend , and Newsom has recommended that all fireworks shows be canceled in the most impacted counties .
“ This is not going to be the type of Fourth of July weekend that most of us are used to — nor should it be , ” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement .
“ The spike we have seen in COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarm all of us .
We all have to make personal sacrifices to protect the people we love and our communities from this virus.
” San Francisco city and community leaders also held an online news conference Thursday to urge residents to stay home for the holiday .
Dr. Grant Colfax , the city ’ s public health director , said San Francisco has experienced a “ significant and alarming increase in COVID-19 infections.
” “ Our rates have soared , ” he said .
“ We are in a situation where we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Local hospital capacity remains in good shape , however , and the city is accepting patients from other harder-hit areas — including 18 inmates from San Quentin State Prison , he said .
“ Once this virus takes off at a high rate , it is very aggressive , ” Colfax said .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Colleen Shalby , Alejandra Reyes-Velarde , Hannah Fry , Taryn Luna , Dakota Smith and Stephanie Lai contributed to this report .

Customers wearing masks line up to go inside Zara on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
As coronavirus cases continue to mushroom throughout the state, Los Angeles has unveiled a new color-coded system to assess and report the risk of infection.
The online indicator, which Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled Wednesday, is broken into four categories — red, orange, yellow and green — each representing different threat levels.
“Information and data on the threat helps us all inform our behavior, guides us to better days,” Garcetti said.
Advertisement
As of Thursday morning, L.A.’s indicator was orange, meaning that the risk of infection remains very high, according to Garcetti.
“When the indicator is orange, you want to stay at home as often as possible ... and only leave for essential activities like going to work or going to the market,” he said. “And you should assume everyone around you is infectious.”
Red, the highest threat level, would mean that “residents must stay at home and take precautions and will likely be on a mandated safer-at-home order,” Garcetti said.
The orange zone means that people without vulnerabilities should use their discretion.
Yellow means “we’re successfully flattening the curve” and green “will indicate that COVID-19 is mostly contained and presents a very low risk to Angelenos,” he added.
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“We all want to live in that green and yellow area until there’s a cure or a treatment for COVID-19,” he said.
The new tool was released as Los Angeles, like many areas in the state and nation, continues to see distressing spikes in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.
On Thursday, there were 1,893 patients with confirmed infections in L.A. County hospitals — up from 1,429 two weeks earlier.
“Whether we stop the threat of COVID-19, whether we save lives and preserve livelihoods, is up to us,” Garcetti said. “COVID-19 has taken control, and it’s time for us to take control back.”
Statewide, the number of people hospitalized with coronavirus has shot up 56% in the last two weeks — from 3,337 to 5,196. Coronavirus cases also have surged, setting four daily records over that same time frame.
As of Thursday afternoon, the total number of confirmed infections statewide had surpassed 241,000. Almost 6,200 Californians have died from COVID-19.
California Coronavirus at ‘critical juncture’ as hospitalizations in California soar After four daily infection records in the last two weeks, officials fear social gatherings could bring even more outbreaks over the July 4 weekend.
So severe are the recent increases that some counties, including San Bernardino and Riverside, have said they are prepared to open overflow facilities as their hospitals approach surge capacity.
The state also announced the reactivation of four alternate care locations Wednesday — the Imperial Field Medical Site, Seton Medical Center, Fairview Developmental Center and Porterville Developmental Center. Combined, those facilities will make hundreds of additional beds available to relieve stress on the healthcare system.
“As hospitalizations continue to rise, these alternative care sites will expand capacity and support additional acute care specifically dedicated to COVID-19 patients,” according to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Amid the worsening outbreak, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered 19 particularly hard-hit counties to walk back some reopenings and halt visits to indoor restaurants, bars, wineries and tasting rooms, entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos, museums and card rooms for the next three weeks.
Counties affected by the order include Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino and Sacramento.
The Newsom administration’s decision to impose tougher rules in those counties comes just weeks after the state allowed restrictions to be eased in most of the state.
Businesses in the affected counties are still allowed to remain open for outdoor service and takeout. Bars and other drinking establishments are also allowed to seat guests outdoors as long as they sell a meal with drinks in the same transaction and meet all of the same safety requirements as restaurants.
On Thursday, Garcetti said outdoor restaurant dining is not discouraged by the city but also acknowledged that he will be getting take-out.
“That’s not the place where you probably are going to get infections,” Garcetti said, adding that infections come when people are in a closed environment and near one another.
“We’re in the second or third inning of this nine-inning game,” Newsom said Thursday. “By no stretch are we out of the woods, but we can influence, we can mitigate the spread, we can again bend this curve.”
A major thrust of that effort is wearing masks while in public or high-risk settings — which Newsom mandated statewide on June 18.
Newsom on Thursday announced the launch of a public-awareness campaign aimed at driving home the importance of wearing face coverings, which public health officials say can help prevent those who are infected with the coronavirus from spreading it to others.
The campaign is being funded in part by donations from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the foundation of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, pediatrician Priscilla Chan. Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso and former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer also donated to the campaign.
However, the issue of enforcement has remained an open question, with some local governments or law enforcement agencies saying they won’t punish residents for not adhering to the mask mandate.
Newsom acknowledged there are limitations to how far the state can go in terms of enforcement — “There are laws on the books that, if we tried to enforce at scale, we never could that transcend and predate COVID-19” — and said that’s why public education and encouragement are so important.
“If 40 million people want to turn their back on civil society and abuse the rules, laws and regulations on a consistent basis at scale, then society begins to erode,” he said. “Accordingly, the health of a community begins to be diminished. We have a health crisis in this nation. We are not out of this crisis; we’re still in the first wave of this crisis. It requires some level of personal responsibility.”
As infections continue to climb, officials are pleading with residents to not gather with friends or family members they don’t live with over the Fourth of July weekend.
Newsom said state public health officials are gravely concerned that Californians will let their guard down during one of the most social holidays of the year, traditionally a festive time celebrated with backyard barbecues, crowded public fireworks shows and trips to beaches, rivers and lakes. Those gatherings have the potential to accelerate the spread of the coronavirus.
To that end, officials have moved to stave off some of the communal traditions that typically mark the holiday. The vast majority of Southern California’s beaches will be closed for the Fourth of July weekend, and Newsom has recommended that all fireworks shows be canceled in the most impacted counties.
“This is not going to be the type of Fourth of July weekend that most of us are used to — nor should it be,” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement.
“The spike we have seen in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across our county should alarm all of us. We all have to make personal sacrifices to protect the people we love and our communities from this virus.”
San Francisco city and community leaders also held an online news conference Thursday to urge residents to stay home for the holiday.
Dr. Grant Colfax, the city’s public health director, said San Francisco has experienced a “significant and alarming increase in COVID-19 infections.”
“Our rates have soared,” he said. “We are in a situation where we could be seeing early signs of surge.”
Local hospital capacity remains in good shape, however, and the city is accepting patients from other harder-hit areas — including 18 inmates from San Quentin State Prison, he said.
“Once this virus takes off at a high rate, it is very aggressive,” Colfax said.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Colleen Shalby, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Hannah Fry, Taryn Luna, Dakota Smith and Stephanie Lai contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-02--Cities race to close beaches for Fourth of July holiday as coronavirus surges

As coronavirus cases continue to surge , officials across Southern California have opted to close the vast majority of beaches during the Fourth of July weekend over fears that holiday crowds could make the state ’ s already critical outbreak even worse .
Los Angeles County was the first to decide to close its shores .
Initially , many Orange County communities seemed poised to keep beaches open .
But as the holiday drew closer and other business sectors in the region were forced to close amid a troubling surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations , several changed their minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closure of bars , pubs , breweries and brewpubs that do not offer dine-in meals .
Under the county ’ s order , establishments can serve alcohol only in the same transaction as a meal .
“ While we would prefer not to close bars at this time , many of our neighboring counties have closed their bars , and it ’ s important to take precautions to ensure the safety of the general public , ” Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said .
Less than two hours after the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom announced that Orange County — along with 18 other counties — must immediately close bars and cease indoor operations at restaurants , wineries and tasting rooms , movie theaters , family entertainment centers , zoos , museums and card rooms .
The new rules will remain in place for at least three weeks , Newsom said .
L.A. County will close its beaches starting Friday and ban fireworks displays in response to the alarming spike in coronavirus cases .
All public beaches , piers , public beach parking lots , beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of the beach ” and beach access points will be closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday .
Lifeguard towers will be closed , according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Pono Barnes .
He added that about 100 lifeguards will be on duty , with 50 patrolling in trucks at any given time .
“ It wouldn ’ t be the scene you ’ d normally see on a weekend , but we will make sure beach patrons are heeding the advice of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water coverage and life safety services , ” Barnes said .
The ban on fireworks displays also applies to the entire Fourth of July weekend .
Ventura County beaches will be closed for the weekend , county health officials said Tuesday .
Beaches , beach parking lots and restrooms will close from Friday through Monday to discourage gatherings that could lead to the spread of the virus , officials said .
In addition to a handful of city beach closures , a dozen county-operated beaches and beach parking lots will be closed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastline include Aliso Beach , Capistrano Beach , Salt Creek Beach , Baby Beach , Bayside Beach , Camel Point Beach , Poche Beach , Strands Beach , Table Rock Beach , Thousand Steps Beach , Treasure Island Beach and West Street Beach .
Newport Beach is putting its beaches under hard closure from 10 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday after two lifeguards tested positive for COVID-19 and 23 were placed in quarantine .
Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said his division still has adequate staffing but would be “ stretched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine , one is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and hasn ’ t been tested yet .
“ I can not in good conscience add more onto our lifeguards , ” Mayor Will O ’ Neill said at an emergency City Council meeting Wednesday approving the closure .
“ We just can ’ t responsibly ask our lifeguards to do more with less .
We just can ’ t. ” Huntington Beach will close its beaches , beach parking lots and pier on Saturday .
“ The potential , if we ’ re the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly exists , ” City Manager Oliver Chi said at a quickly called council meeting held a few hours after Newport ’ s .
“ We don ’ t want that situation.
” Councilwoman Barbara Delgleize said she received numerous emails from residents wanting the beaches closed for the weekend , a shift in tone from about a month ago .
She referenced a time when curtains separated smoking and nonsmoking sections on airplanes , “ and they closed the curtain like that was really going to keep it away.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orange County , ” she said .
“ L.A .
is right next door .
How is the wind blowing , for goodness sakes ?
” Laguna Beach officials decided this week to close city-operated beaches entirely from 9 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday .
The city had previously canceled its fireworks show in an effort to thin crowds but decided to close the beach to avoid groups of people gathering and possibly spreading the virus .
“ Particularly on the Fourth of July when there were fireworks ... it looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said .
“ There was no space in between people .
My concern is that even without the fireworks , there just may be a huge density of people on the beaches.
” On Wednesday , Seal Beach followed with its own decision to close beaches , beach parking lots , volleyball courts , pier and restrooms .
The amenities will reopen Sunday morning , but the city may extend the closure “ if it is believed the reopening will be detrimental to the health of the community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release .
Oceanside will close beach parking lots from 8 a.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Monday , City Manager Deanna Lorson said Wednesday .
The decision came just hours after Newsom announced that all state beach parking lots would be closed over the three-day holiday weekend .
In Carlsbad , a city official said Wednesday that the city had no plans to close any lots , and no other San Diego County coastal cities had announced a decision as of late Wednesday .
All county beaches remain open for surfing , swimming and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place to wear facial coverings when near others and to avoid groups of nonfamily members .
San Diego Union-Tribune writer Phil Diehl contributed to this report .
Davis and Nguyen write for Times Community News .

Hannah Fry, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Stephanie Lai, Hillary Davis, Lilly Nguyen

Beachgoers in Huntington Beach last month. The city will close the beach for the July 4 holiday.
As coronavirus cases continue to surge, officials across Southern California have opted to close the vast majority of beaches during the Fourth of July weekend over fears that holiday crowds could make the state’s already critical outbreak even worse.
Los Angeles County was the first to decide to close its shores. Initially, many Orange County communities seemed poised to keep beaches open. But as the holiday drew closer and other business sectors in the region were forced to close amid a troubling surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, several changed their minds.
Orange County officials on Wednesday announced the closure of bars, pubs, breweries and brewpubs that do not offer dine-in meals. Under the county’s order, establishments can serve alcohol only in the same transaction as a meal.
“While we would prefer not to close bars at this time, many of our neighboring counties have closed their bars, and it’s important to take precautions to ensure the safety of the general public,” Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said.
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Less than two hours after the county issued its new order, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that Orange County — along with 18 other counties — must immediately close bars and cease indoor operations at restaurants , wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums and card rooms. The new rules will remain in place for at least three weeks, Newsom said.
Los Angeles County
L.A. County will close its beaches starting Friday and ban fireworks displays in response to the alarming spike in coronavirus cases.
All public beaches, piers, public beach parking lots, beach bike paths “that traverse that sanded portion of the beach” and beach access points will be closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
Lifeguard towers will be closed, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Pono Barnes. He added that about 100 lifeguards will be on duty, with 50 patrolling in trucks at any given time.
“It wouldn’t be the scene you’d normally see on a weekend, but we will make sure beach patrons are heeding the advice of the Department of Public Health, as well as providing water coverage and life safety services,” Barnes said.
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The ban on fireworks displays also applies to the entire Fourth of July weekend.
Ventura County
Ventura County beaches will be closed for the weekend, county health officials said Tuesday.
Beaches, beach parking lots and restrooms will close from Friday through Monday to discourage gatherings that could lead to the spread of the virus, officials said.
Orange County
In addition to a handful of city beach closures, a dozen county-operated beaches and beach parking lots will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.
These stretches of coastline include Aliso Beach, Capistrano Beach, Salt Creek Beach, Baby Beach, Bayside Beach, Camel Point Beach, Poche Beach, Strands Beach, Table Rock Beach, Thousand Steps Beach, Treasure Island Beach and West Street Beach.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is putting its beaches under hard closure from 10 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday after two lifeguards tested positive for COVID-19 and 23 were placed in quarantine.
Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said his division still has adequate staffing but would be “stretched pretty thin.”
Of the lifeguards in quarantine, one is showing symptoms of COVID-19 and hasn’t been tested yet.
“I cannot in good conscience add more onto our lifeguards,” Mayor Will O’Neill said at an emergency City Council meeting Wednesday approving the closure. “We just can’t responsibly ask our lifeguards to do more with less. We just can’t.”
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach will close its beaches, beach parking lots and pier on Saturday.
“The potential, if we’re the only beach open, to be inundated certainly exists,” City Manager Oliver Chi said at a quickly called council meeting held a few hours after Newport’s. “We don’t want that situation.”
Councilwoman Barbara Delgleize said she received numerous emails from residents wanting the beaches closed for the weekend, a shift in tone from about a month ago.
She referenced a time when curtains separated smoking and nonsmoking sections on airplanes, “and they closed the curtain like that was really going to keep it away.”
“I kind of think we do that in Orange County,” she said. “L.A. is right next door. How is the wind blowing, for goodness sakes?”
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach officials decided this week to close city-operated beaches entirely from 9 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday. The city had previously canceled its fireworks show in an effort to thin crowds but decided to close the beach to avoid groups of people gathering and possibly spreading the virus.
“Particularly on the Fourth of July when there were fireworks ... it looked like sardines in a can,” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said. “There was no space in between people. My concern is that even without the fireworks, there just may be a huge density of people on the beaches.”
Seal Beach
On Wednesday, Seal Beach followed with its own decision to close beaches, beach parking lots, volleyball courts, pier and restrooms. The amenities will reopen Sunday morning, but the city may extend the closure “if it is believed the reopening will be detrimental to the health of the community,” city officials said in a news release.
San Diego County
Oceanside will close beach parking lots from 8 a.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Monday, City Manager Deanna Lorson said Wednesday.
The decision came just hours after Newsom announced that all state beach parking lots would be closed over the three-day holiday weekend.
In Carlsbad, a city official said Wednesday that the city had no plans to close any lots, and no other San Diego County coastal cities had announced a decision as of late Wednesday. All county beaches remain open for surfing, swimming and other activities, but guidelines remain in place to wear facial coverings when near others and to avoid groups of nonfamily members.
San Diego Union-Tribune writer Phil Diehl contributed to this report. Davis and Nguyen write for Times Community News.


latimes--2020-07-02--'Beyond horrible': Tiny desert town devastated by wildfire as it battles the coronavirus

For Genesis Palta , the pandemic had already meant a chain reaction of adjustments .
The stay-at-home order forced her mother to stop selling Mexican desserts to her neighbors , which cut into the family ’ s meager income .
Her father worried about catching the coronavirus and passing it on to his family .
But they depended on the $ 500 in cash he was paid each week , so he toiled 13-hour shifts in the vast broccoli and cauliflower fields .
To help make ends meet , Palta , 20 , used part of her financial aid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and masks online when supplies ran short in local markets .
“ We even started limiting the number of times we used the bathroom to save on toilet paper , ” she said .
“ I ’ d constantly think , ‘ Will we have enough to last the month ?
’ ” But such hardship did not prepare Palta for the latest calamity .
On Sunday , she heard a shriek of terror .
Then she saw her 15-year-old sister , Emily , fighting flames that towered over her .
The Paltas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would burn down that evening .
One person was killed by the blaze .
The Niland fire broke out as COVID-19 cases were in Imperial County , forcing the to hospitals in counties already strapped for supplies and space .
It also hit a place that was already down .
In this town in the southeastern corner of California , the average annual salary is $ 19,800 and 57 % of residents live below the poverty line .
Unemployment in Imperial County is among the worst in the state .
Rows of tightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 were decimated .
Entire blocks were wiped out .
“ The fire jumped from house to house , ” said Sherry Fleischer , who ’ d lived in Niland for 32 years .
“ None of us have insurance on our homes .
We ’ re mostly retired people living in mobile homes.
” As the fire raged , over 100 residents evacuated to a Red Cross station at Calipatria High School , where they were directed to stay in their vehicles and said Imperial County ’ s public information officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sent to an isolated location , while others took refuge in hotel rooms and received meals and food vouchers .
Fleischer , who lost her home in the fire , spent two nights in a motel before moving into her mother ’ s trailer in Niland .
Even though she was concerned about catching COVID-19 , Fleischer said , the anguish she felt as she approached her collapsed home outweighed fears of the pandemic .
She could not bear walking near the scorched porch steps .
She averted her eyes , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door .
Inside lay the charred remains of her 33 cats .
Two nights before , as the fire bore down on her home from both sides of the road , she had evacuated with her daughter — leaving their chicken coop and her beloved cats behind .
Alvaro Baltierra , 24 , and his 60-year-old mother , Ana Valenzuela , also returned Tuesday to start cleaning up the charred remains of their home .
“ Everything happened too fast , ” Baltierra said .
“ The feeling is something beyond horrible.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and planned to stay with his mother at his brother ’ s home across town .
He and Valenzuela hope to purchase a trailer in the near future to replace their lost home .
Until then , they will continue working in the fields .
Just blocks away , the Paltas had watched Sunday as ash rained down on their mint green home .
At first , the fire didn ’ t look so bad .
But by 6 p.m. , the sunlight struggled to penetrate through a thick layer of black smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palta said , save for the light of her computer monitor .
“ You know how cities look from the far distance ?
It was so bright , you could see the sections of the fire collapsing in , ” she said .
“ We had to leave , and that was it.
” First , a palm tree on the side of her house caught fire , then a cardboard box being stored in the backyard .
The gas pipe turned a fiery red .
In the horrifying chaos , Palta said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat had badly burned her mother ’ s back .
As winds kicked in , she ran inside to grab her dogs .
She left her phone and wallet containing $ 500 in savings behind as police officers shouted for them to evacuate .
With her father still at work , the family had no car to escape in .
Her neighbor threw her the keys to a spare car , and Palta drove her mother and sister to safety .
As they left , she could hear the family home collapsing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , and felt any shred of a normal life disappear into the smoke and glow of the blaze .
As she unpacked groceries in the hotel room , Palta said she felt heartbroken and breathless .
The virus bearing down on her community became an afterthought .
Looking for a new home was the crisis that needed to be solved before the family ’ s weeklong hotel voucher ended and her life bled into more uncertainty .
“ We went back … to rummage through the rubble , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we could get a sense of closure.
” Palta thought back to the arts and crafts her mother and sister would make hunched over their glass table in the center of their living room , and the clay figurines she ’ d make in her spare time .
She had shared a twin bed that doubled as a couch in the living room with Emily .
It was modest .
But it was home .

Ana Valenzuela stares at the pile of ashes and debris where her home in Niland, Calif., once stood.
For Genesis Palta, the pandemic had already meant a chain reaction of adjustments.
The stay-at-home order forced her mother to stop selling Mexican desserts to her neighbors, which cut into the family’s meager income. Her father worried about catching the coronavirus and passing it on to his family. But they depended on the $500 in cash he was paid each week, so he toiled 13-hour shifts in the vast broccoli and cauliflower fields.
To help make ends meet, Palta, 20, used part of her financial aid for Imperial Valley College to buy toilet paper and masks online when supplies ran short in local markets. “We even started limiting the number of times we used the bathroom to save on toilet paper,” she said. “I’d constantly think, ‘Will we have enough to last the month?’”
But such hardship did not prepare Palta for the latest calamity.
On Sunday, she heard a shriek of terror. Then she saw her 15-year-old sister, Emily, fighting flames that towered over her. The Paltas’ home was one of 40 that would burn down that evening. One person was killed by the blaze.
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The Niland fire broke out as COVID-19 cases were surging dramatically in Imperial County, forcing the transfer of patients to hospitals in counties already strapped for supplies and space.
It also hit a place that was already down.
In this town in the southeastern corner of California, the average annual salary is $19,800 and 57% of residents live below the poverty line. Unemployment in Imperial County is among the worst in the state.
Blocks of homes in Niland, Calif., lay in ashes on Monday, the day after high winds stoked a wildfire. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Rows of tightly packed houses in the town of about 1,000 were decimated. Entire blocks were wiped out.
“The fire jumped from house to house,” said Sherry Fleischer, who’d lived in Niland for 32 years. “None of us have insurance on our homes. We’re mostly retired people living in mobile homes.”
As the fire raged, over 100 residents evacuated to a Red Cross station at Calipatria High School, where they were directed to stay in their vehicles and screened for the coronavirus, said Imperial County’s public information officer, Linsey Dale. Those who tested positive were sent to an isolated location, while others took refuge in hotel rooms and received meals and food vouchers.
Volunteer Holden Yorgason helps load water donations for fire victims at the Calipatria Unified School District offices Tuesday. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Fleischer, who lost her home in the fire, spent two nights in a motel before moving into her mother’s trailer in Niland.
Even though she was concerned about catching COVID-19, Fleischer said, the anguish she felt as she approached her collapsed home outweighed fears of the pandemic. She could not bear walking near the scorched porch steps. She averted her eyes, which welled with tears, from the front door. Inside lay the charred remains of her 33 cats.
Two nights before, as the fire bore down on her home from both sides of the road, she had evacuated with her daughter — leaving their chicken coop and her beloved cats behind.
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Alvaro Baltierra, 24, and his 60-year-old mother, Ana Valenzuela, also returned Tuesday to start cleaning up the charred remains of their home.
“Everything happened too fast,” Baltierra said. “The feeling is something beyond horrible.”
He was able to save two cars and planned to stay with his mother at his brother’s home across town. He and Valenzuela hope to purchase a trailer in the near future to replace their lost home. Until then, they will continue working in the fields.
Just blocks away, the Paltas had watched Sunday as ash rained down on their mint green home.
At first, the fire didn’t look so bad. But by 6 p.m., the sunlight struggled to penetrate through a thick layer of black smoke. The room went dark, Genesis Palta said, save for the light of her computer monitor.
“You know how cities look from the far distance? It was so bright, you could see the sections of the fire collapsing in,” she said. “We had to leave, and that was it.”
She ran outside.
First, a palm tree on the side of her house caught fire, then a cardboard box being stored in the backyard. The gas pipe turned a fiery red.
In the horrifying chaos, Palta said, she did not notice that the heat had badly burned her mother’s back.
As winds kicked in, she ran inside to grab her dogs. She left her phone and wallet containing $500 in savings behind as police officers shouted for them to evacuate.
With her father still at work, the family had no car to escape in.
Her neighbor threw her the keys to a spare car, and Palta drove her mother and sister to safety. As they left, she could hear the family home collapsing. Palta glanced at the rearview mirror, she said, and felt any shred of a normal life disappear into the smoke and glow of the blaze.
Niland, Calif., resident Ana Valenzuela loads a Virgin Mary statue, one of her only possessions that survived the fire, into her car on Tuesday. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
As she unpacked groceries in the hotel room, Palta said she felt heartbroken and breathless.
The virus bearing down on her community became an afterthought. Looking for a new home was the crisis that needed to be solved before the family’s weeklong hotel voucher ended and her life bled into more uncertainty.
“We went back … to rummage through the rubble,” she said. “Mostly, it was so we could get a sense of closure.”
McKenzie Fisher, left, and Agustin Gonzalez help their friend Alvaro Baltierra clear debris from his fire-ravaged home in Niland, Calif. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Nothing was salvageable.
Palta thought back to the arts and crafts her mother and sister would make hunched over their glass table in the center of their living room, and the clay figurines she’d make in her spare time.
She had shared a twin bed that doubled as a couch in the living room with Emily.
It was modest. But it was home.