latimes--2020-08-15--Long Beach mayor loses mother, stepfather to COVID weeks apart. He wants people to learn from it

When 61-year-old Gaby Elena O ’ Donnell died on July 26 from complications due to COVID-19 , her son Robert Garcia honored her on Twitter , posting photos of his mother at her job as a medical assistant at a clinic .
She dutifully wore a mask and scrubs .
Two weeks later , on Aug. 9 , his stepfather , 58-year-old Greg O ’ Donnell , who had been fighting for his life on a ventilator , also died due to COVID-19 complications .
But for the Long Beach mayor , this was no time to stop .
Garcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public to wear masks and maintain their distance .
He presented the 2021 city budget proposal amid the greatest economic crisis in decades and pressure to defund police agencies after the historic protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer .
Garcia gave media interviews about his family and Long Beach ’ s COVID-19 plans as nearly 10,000 residents became infected and the city ’ s coronavirus death count reached 187 .
On Twitter , vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris expressed her condolences , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I know yours will continue to be a guiding force throughout your life.
” Garcia has no doubt about that .
“ My mom taught me to be really strong , ” the mayor said in an interview with The Times .
“ When you get elected mayor of your community , that ’ s a hard job that requires a level of toughness and knowing what you signed up for .
I signed up for a job regardless of hard moments in my personal life.
” For the entirety of Garcia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Donnell had been a fixture in Long Beach city affairs , beloved by the many who knew her .
During council meetings , city events and other engagements the mayor was involved in , there she was to support her son .
“ I think sometimes she still thought I was 18 years old in her head , ” Garcia said .
During a July 30 news conference , Garcia regaled his audience with memories of his mother .
He was a 5-year-old boy when he left Peru with his mother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American dream .
They fled domestic terrorism and economic uncertainty .
Together , Garcia and his mother learned English and made a new home in California .
His mother worked at thrift stores and as a housekeeper , eventually landing a job at her most recent workplace , a clinic where she was a medical assistant for more than 25 years .
A couple years after arriving in the U.S. , Garcia ’ s parents divorced .
Eventually , Gaby met Greg O ’ Donnell on a night out at a disco bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained loyal to her and his family ever since .
O ’ Donnell was a quiet but also gregarious man who loved simple things in life , Garcia said .
He worked hard to start and maintain his contracting business for about 30 years .
He liked to host barbecues and spend time with his family .
Garcia ’ s mother and O ’ Donnell eventually had a son together .
“ He was just a good dad and good grandpa to my brother ’ s son , ” Garcia said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care of the family really well.
” “ He was very humble and the strongest person I have ever known , ” Garcia ’ s brother Jacob O ’ Donnell wrote in a public Facebook post .
“ He had a heart of gold.
” And he and Garcia ’ s mother were “ just totally in love .
They were always happy.
” A few years ago , Garcia went back to Peru with his mother .
She hadn ’ t been to her homeland in decades .
They went through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed to the window of her old barrio apartment , her favorite anticucho cart , a stand selling various types of meat dishes .
They visited other landmarks of her life .
“ It was amazing to see Peru through her eyes , ” he said .
But one of the most joyful moment of Gaby O ’ Donnell ’ s life was the day she became a U.S. citizen , Garcia said .
She instilled in her son a an appreciation for their adopted home .
Garcia would become an American citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think about , during these times , my mother ’ s optimism in us building a better future and a better community , ” he said .
“ She always said to me and to my brother that we ’ ll never be able to give back to our country what our country has given to us.
” It was that belief system that led him to be a public servant , he said .
Now , in the midst of this pandemic and the loss of his mother and stepfather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning on his computer by 6 a.m .
He checks with his staff .
Then he checks in with his mourning family .
In between his duties as mayor , he plans his stepfather ’ s memorial service .
“ The days go pretty late , ” he said .
On social media , Garcia has remained active , sharing some of the messages of support from Gov .
Gavin Newsom and presidential candidate Joe Biden .
He shares snippets about his mother and stepfather sprinkled in with pleas to his city — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He does this , he says , because he knows that his job requires him to be transparent with the people of Long Beach .
But he also hopes that maybe , if his constituents hear his story , they will realize how deadly real the virus is .
Maybe people will think twice about taking a stroll , without a mask , along Bluff Park or the beach .
Or anywhere , really .
Even before his mother and stepfather died , it angered the mayor how many people didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s incredibly irresponsible , ” Garcia said .
For some people “ it doesn ’ t really matter how many times you say it .
They ’ re making a personal , irresponsible choice .
And I don ’ t understand that choice.
” As recently as Wednesday , the mayor posted his latest plea to the public .
In a short video on Twitter , he first thanked the many who have showered him with support and tacked on a reminder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I hope that my family ’ s story inspires other families to not just stay safe , but to spend time with each other and to know they have a family they should check in on and love and spend time with and that it could be gone instantly , ” he said .
He ’ s still reeling from his mother ’ s death .
It wasn ’ t that long ago that Gaby O ’ Donnell was urging him to take care of Long Beach from her hospital bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just focus on the city , ” the mayor recalled his mother saying to him via Facetime or phone calls .
“ Make sure you ’ re telling everyone to be safe and wear a mask.
” On Aug. 8 , the mayor attended his mother ’ s memorial service organized with the Long Beach health department ’ s guidance .
It was a small service , with family and friends sitting on chairs lined six feet apart .
The following day , doctors informed Garcia ’ s brother , Jacob , that @ @ @ @ @

The first openly gay mayor of Long Beach talks about what the Biden-Harris ticket means for California, Long Beach’s role in the nationwide protests, and speaking at the Democratic National Convention.
When 61-year-old Gaby Elena O’Donnell died July 26 of complications from COVID-19, her son Robert Garcia honored her on Twitter, posting photos of his mother at her job as a medical assistant at a clinic. She dutifully wore a mask and scrubs.
Two weeks later, on Aug. 9, his stepfather, 58-year-old Greg O’Donnell, who had been fighting for his life on a ventilator, also died of COVID-19 complications.
But for the Long Beach mayor, this was no time to stop.
Garcia powered through news conferences and pleaded with the public to wear masks and maintain their distance. He presented the 2021 city budget proposal amid the greatest economic crisis in decades and pressure to defund police agencies after the historic protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
Garcia gave media interviews about his family and Long Beach’s COVID-19 plans as nearly 10,000 residents became infected and the city’s coronavirus death count reached 187.
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On Twitter, vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris expressed her condolences and told him, “Mothers are irreplaceable but I know yours will continue to be a guiding force throughout your life.”
My dear friend, my heart aches for you and your family. Your beloved mother led an extraordinary life and her compassion touched countless Californians.
Mothers are irreplaceable but I know yours will continue to be a guiding force throughout your life. — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 27, 2020
Garcia has no doubt about that.
“My mom taught me to be really strong,” the mayor said in an interview with The Times. “When you get elected mayor of your community, that’s a hard job that requires a level of toughness and knowing what you signed up for. I signed up for a job regardless of hard moments in my personal life.”
For the entirety of Garcia’s term, Gaby Elena O’Donnell had been a fixture in Long Beach city affairs, beloved by the many who knew her. During council meetings, city events and other engagements the mayor was involved in, there she was to support her son.
“I think sometimes she still thought I was 18 years old in her head,” Garcia said.
During a July 30 news conference, Garcia regaled his audience with memories of his mother.
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He was a 5-year-old boy when he left Peru with his mother, father and grandmother in search of the American dream. They fled domestic terrorism and economic uncertainty.
Together, Garcia and his mother learned English and made a new home in California. His mother worked at thrift stores and as a housekeeper, eventually landing a job at her most recent workplace, a clinic where she was a medical assistant for more than 25 years.
Greg and Gaby O’Donnell, who met at a disco bar, were “just totally in love. They were always happy.” (Robert Garcia)
A couple years after arriving in the U.S., Garcia’s parents divorced. Eventually, Gaby met Greg O’Donnell on a night out at a disco bar in the San Gabriel Valley. He remained loyal to her and his family ever since.
O’Donnell was a quiet but also gregarious man who loved simple things in life, Garcia said. He worked hard to start and maintain his contracting business for about 30 years. He liked to host barbecues and spend time with his family. Garcia’s mother and O’Donnell eventually had a son together.
“He was just a good dad and good grandpa to my brother’s son,” Garcia said. “He was a hard worker and took care of the family really well.”
“He was very humble and the strongest person I have ever known,” Garcia’s brother Jacob O’Donnell wrote in a public Facebook post. “He had a heart of gold.”
And he and Garcia’s mother were “just totally in love. They were always happy.”
A few years ago, Garcia went back to Peru with his mother. She hadn’t been to her homeland in decades.
They went through the neighborhood she grew up in. She pointed to the window of her old barrio apartment, her favorite anticucho cart, a stand selling various types of meat dishes. They visited other landmarks of her life.
“It was amazing to see Peru through her eyes,” he said.
But one of the most joyful moments of Gaby O’Donnell’s life was the day she became a U.S. citizen, Garcia said. She instilled in her son an appreciation for their adopted home. Garcia would become an American citizen a year after his mother.
“I think about, during these times, my mother’s optimism in us building a better future and a better community,” he said. “She always said to me and to my brother that we’ll never be able to give back to our country what our country has given to us.”
It was that belief system that led him to be a public servant, he said.
Now, in the midst of this pandemic and the loss of his mother and stepfather, he wakes in the early morning, turning on his computer by 6 a.m. He checks with his staff. Then he checks in with his mourning family.
In between his duties as mayor, he plans his stepfather’s memorial service. Garcia is also preparing to give a speech at this week’s Democratic National Convention after he was selected as one of 17 civic leaders to address the gathering.
“The days go pretty late,” he said.
My mom spent over 25 years taking care of patients as a medical assistant in the same clinic. She helped thousands of patients, nurses & doctors. She was a healthcare hero. Our healthcare workers need your support to fight COVID-19. Stay safe and protect our families. pic.twitter.com/Bqva9fFcQ3 — Robert Garcia (@RobertGarciaLB) July 30, 2020
This weekend is my mom’s services. Over the last two weeks I’ve gone through hundreds of old photographs. I had never seen this photo of her - but it’s now my favorite. She looks stunning. Love you, mom. Forever. pic.twitter.com/yqPHz7HC96 — Robert Garcia (@RobertGarciaLB) August 8, 2020
On social media, Garcia has remained active, sharing some of the messages of support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and presidential candidate Joe Biden. He shares snippets about his mother and stepfather sprinkled in with pleas to his city — the second largest in L.A. County.
He does this, he says, because he knows that his job requires him to be transparent with the people of Long Beach. But he also hopes that maybe, if his constituents hear his story, they will realize how deadly real the virus is.
Maybe people will think twice about taking a stroll, without a mask, along Bluff Park or the beach. Or anywhere, really.
Even before his mother and stepfather died, it angered the mayor how many people didn’t wear masks or take the precautions necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“It’s incredibly irresponsible,” Garcia said. For some people “it doesn’t really matter how many times you say it. They’re making a personal, irresponsible choice. And I don’t understand that choice.”
As recently as Wednesday, the mayor posted his latest plea to the public. In a short video on Twitter, he first thanked the many who have showered him with support and tacked on a reminder: “Please remember COVID-19 is real.”
“I hope that my family’s story inspires other families to not just stay safe, but to spend time with each other and to know they have a family they should check in on and love and spend time with and that it could be gone instantly,” he said.
He’s still reeling from his mother’s death.
It wasn’t that long ago that Gaby O’Donnell was urging him to take care of Long Beach from her hospital bed.
“I’m fine, just focus on the city,” the mayor recalled his mother saying to him via FaceTime or phone calls. “Make sure you’re telling everyone to be safe and wear a mask.”
On Aug. 8, the mayor attended his mother’s memorial service organized with the Long Beach health department’s guidance. It was a small service, with family and friends sitting on chairs lined six feet apart.
The following day, doctors informed Garcia’s brother, Jacob, that his father had died.


latimes--2020-08-16--'Agent of colonialism' or a 'saint for our times'? Junipero Serra's legacy divides Latinos

He was the architect of California ’ s Roman Catholic missions , a man taught to generations of schoolchildren as a founding father of the Golden State and the first-ever Hispanic saint from the United States .
Fatherfr Junípero Serra ’ s arrival in California in 1769 also marked the beginning of centuries of exploitation and decimation for Native Californians , the very people Serra vowed to “ save ” with Christianity .
Now , as statues of Confederate generals fall and the legacies of Christopher Columbus , John Muir and Woodrow Wilson are being questioned , Serra has suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of history .
Latinos have long struggled with how to assess the legacy of Serra , a man whom many of the faithful still hold in the highest regard even as a younger generation can not understand how people can look past the darkness of the world he helped create .
But that debate has intensified in recent months .
Chicano and Indigenous activists ripped down statues of him in Los Angeles , Sacramento and San Francisco , while Ventura ’ s City Council agreed last month to relocate bronze and wooden monuments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gabriel and San Luis Obispo missions moved their effigies away from public viewing for fear of desecration .
On June 26 , a cross dedicated to Serra located on Mt .
Rubidoux , in Riverside County , was also vandalized .
Tensions have also risen in San Gabriel after a fire broke out July 11 at the mission , moved to the city in 1775 , that destroyed the roof and most pews .
Arson is at least one of a few potential causes being investigated .
There has been no update on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What has transpired over the last few months has devastated 39-year-old Ventura resident Gabriel Enriquez .
The Santa Paula High School social science teacher believes there is a war against Catholicism and Spanish-speaking communities .
Enriquez attended four virtual public forums in the run up to a 6-0 vote by the Ventura City Council to remove two Serra statues from or nearby City Hall on July 15 , the feast day of St. Bonaventure , the patron saint of Ventura ’ s Mission Basilica San Buenaventura , one of nine missions founded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended Serra that night .
Some said he protected Indigenous peoples and his sainthood made him beyond reproach .
Others accused him of genocide , of creating concentration camps , and likened him to Hitler .
“ When I started to listen to the public comments , you can just hear the anti-Catholic strain in those comments , ” he said .
“ What I didn ’ t hear was experts talking about the truth of Father Serra .
Bring them in and then let ’ s have a real discussion.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt that any conversation about the Franciscan priest was long over .
“ People speak of Father Serra ’ s contributions , but oftentimes no one asks who his contributions benefited , ” said the 46-year-old Chicano Studies lecturer at Cal State Channel Islands .
Valadez was dressed in the full Aztec regalia she would wear once a month in the pre-pandemic days as part of a dance troupe .
“ His contributions benefited the Spaniards , the Europeans , the colonial system and a racial caste system that placed Europeans and white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , who were the original caretakers of these lands , at the bottom , ” she said .
“ So no , ” she concluded , “ I do not consider Father Serra a great man.
” The Franciscan priest championed a Native bill of rights and became the first Hispanic saint to have lived in what ’ s now the United States when Pope Francis canonized Serra in 2015 .
But Serra was also part of a Spanish conquest that brought disease , death and harsh punishment to Indigenous populations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assimilation .
In his day , Serra was not well-liked or understood by his own countrymen .
“ He wasn ’ t a relatable character in the late 18th century , ” said Bay Area native Ashley Riley Sousa , an associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University .
“ He was a fanatic and he may sound good in some history books , but this is a man who refused medical treatment , who beat himself with chains and whose goal was to be martyred in California .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Insurance Commissioner and East L.A native Ricardo Lara , 45 , made a strong but ultimately unsuccessful push as a state senator to swap a Serra statue at the United States Capitol Building with one of pioneering astronaut Sally Ride .
“ This is the power of representation , to have a woman and member of the LGBTQ+ community representing California would have been a big step , ” Lara said .
“ But instead , we ’ re left with Father Serra.
” While Lara understands Serra was a poor , Spanish-speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a figure Latinos can easily connect with — he believes the community should cut ties .
“ Hey , put up a statue of Cesar Chavez or Dolores Huerta , ” Lara said .
“ We have plenty of heroes .
We don ’ t need someone who erased Native cultures.
” Jim Sandos , a professor emeritus of history at the University of Redlands who has published 20 articles and books on the California mission system , said there was hyperbole on both sides .
“ There were high rates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a genocide , ” Sandos said .
“ This is a phrase that is repeated often and it started in the 1960s when Native populations tried to reclaim their history and push back at the idea that everyone was happy and harmonious at the missions.
” On the other hand , Sandos referred to Serra as “ an agent of colonialism ” and a key leader of a conquest , “ actual and spiritual , ” of Indigenous people .
The spread of Catholicism and the “ salvation of souls , ” contends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Serra wanted Native societies to transform from one of hunter-gathers to agriculturalists , ” he said .
“ Well , you do that by destroying their lifestyle , their plants , their animals , their way of living , their values and their culture.
” Sousa credits his rise from obscurity in Alta California , which she called the “ Siberia of the Spanish and Mexican empires , ” because of its distance and perception as inhospitable , to California icon thanks to white settlement .
As Anglos began to settle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the 20th century , the mission system provided them with a link to a glorious “ if not mythic European ” and white past that ignored Native culture and converted Serra from ordinary priest into founding father .
“ California was no longer some dusty Mexican backwater , ” Sousa said .
The drive to revitalize the missions from the 1880s to the 1920s and even beyond included the rehabilitation of Serra ’ s image , the building of monuments , statues and the crafting of a pro-Serra and pro-mission history that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the erasure of any kind of white European shame .
Lehigh University sociology professor Hugo Ceron-Anaya believes some Latinos latch onto Serra precisely because of this Europeanness .
“ Europe and European culture has been at the top for centuries that many Latinos identify their roots going back to Spain and erase much of their native identity and culture , ” he said .
“ We like to say we ’ re mestizos ( part Spanish , part Indigenous ) , but how much do we celebrate the Indigenous part ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , show me the Indigenous ones ?
” Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez , born in Monterrey , Mexico , and appointed to his current post in 2011 , tried to strike a balance between Serra the sinner and Serra the saint in a letter to Catholics in late June .
“ I have come to understand how the image of Father Serra and the missions evoke painful memories for some people , ” he wrote .
“ For that reason , I believe the protests over our history in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started elsewhere in the country over historical monuments , are important.
” The archbishop expressed his dismay , however , with elected officials , writing they “ can not abdicate their responsibilities ” and allow protesters to vandalize memorials .
Still , Gomez believes Serra “ is a saint for our times , the spiritual founder of Los Angeles [ and ] a champion of human rights.
” Although Gomez ’ s letter may have aimed for unity and understanding , it arguably just widened the divide .
“ What more do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Najar , 51 , who grew up near the San Gabriel Mission .
The Montclair resident would drive from his home every Sunday to Palmdale and watch online Mass with his mother for the last five years of her life .
“ The guy is a saint , people pray to him , he did his best for the Native people and they loved him , ” he said .
“ This is about people hundreds of years later looking to judge him.
” Valadez isn ’ t surprised some Latinos rushed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ cognitive dissonance.
” “ We ’ re told Serra is our hero because he was poor , he was a Spanish speaker and Catholic , but he was also part of a mission system that caused so much harm to the Indigenous peoples of California , ” she said .
“ If you choose to embrace him as a Latino , you are also denying something important , and that ’ s your Indigenous roots .
”

Veronica Valadez, 46, stands near where a statue of Father Junípero Serra once stood in front of Ventura City Hall. “I do not consider Father Serra a great man,” she says.
He was the architect of California’s Roman Catholic missions, a man taught to generations of schoolchildren as a founding father of the Golden State and the first-ever Hispanic saint from the United States. Father Junípero Serra’s arrival in California in 1769 also marked the beginning of centuries of exploitation and decimation for Native Californians, the very people Serra vowed to “save” with Christianity.
Now, as statues of Confederate generals fall and the legacies of Christopher Columbus, John Muir and Woodrow Wilson are being questioned, Serra has suddenly become a flashpoint for addressing the wrongs of history.
Latinos have long struggled with how to assess the legacy of Serra, a man whom many of the faithful still hold in the highest regard even as a younger generation cannot understand how people can look past the darkness of the world he helped create. But that debate has intensified in recent months.
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Chicano and Indigenous activists ripped down statues of him in Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco, while Ventura’s City Council agreed last month to relocate bronze and wooden monuments away from public property.
The San Gabriel and San Luis Obispo missions moved their effigies away from public viewing for fear of desecration. On June 26, a cross dedicated to Serra located on Mt. Rubidoux, in Riverside County, was also vandalized.
Tensions have also risen in San Gabriel after a fire broke out July 11 at the mission, moved to the city in 1775, that destroyed the roof and most pews. Arson is at least one of a few potential causes being investigated. There has been no update on the ongoing investigation since July 22.
What has transpired over the last few months has devastated 39-year-old Ventura resident Gabriel Enriquez. The Santa Paula High School social science teacher believes there is a war against Catholicism and Spanish-speaking communities.
Enriquez attended four virtual public forums in the run up to a 6-0 vote by the Ventura City Council to remove two Serra statues from or nearby City Hall on July 15, the feast day of St. Bonaventure, the patron saint of Ventura’s Mission Basilica San Buenaventura, one of nine missions founded by Serra.
Over 100 speakers excoriated or defended Serra that night. Some said he protected Indigenous peoples and his sainthood made him beyond reproach. Others accused him of genocide, of creating concentration camps, and likened him to Hitler.
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“When I started to listen to the public comments, you can just hear the anti-Catholic strain in those comments,” he said. “What I didn’t hear was experts talking about the truth of Father Serra. Bring them in and then let’s have a real discussion.”
Aidan Wood holds an American flag as the bronze statue of Father Junipero Serra is removed from in front of Ventura City Hall early July 23. (Anna Tretko)
But another Ventura resident, Veronica Valadez, felt that any conversation about the Franciscan priest was long over.
“People speak of Father Serra’s contributions, but oftentimes no one asks who his contributions benefited,” said the 46-year-old Chicano Studies lecturer at Cal State Channel Islands.
Valadez was dressed in the full Aztec regalia she would wear once a month in the pre-pandemic days as part of a dance troupe.
“His contributions benefited the Spaniards, the Europeans, the colonial system and a racial caste system that placed Europeans and white men at the top while placing Indigenous people, who were the original caretakers of these lands, at the bottom,” she said.
“So no,” she concluded, “I do not consider Father Serra a great man.”
The Franciscan priest championed a Native bill of rights and became the first Hispanic saint to have lived in what’s now the United States when Pope Francis canonized Serra in 2015. But Serra was also part of a Spanish conquest that brought disease, death and harsh punishment to Indigenous populations, while confiscating their lands and pushing for assimilation.
In his day, Serra was not well-liked or understood by his own countrymen.
“He wasn’t a relatable character in the late 18th century,” said Bay Area native Ashley Riley Sousa, an associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University. “He was a fanatic and he may sound good in some history books, but this is a man who refused medical treatment, who beat himself with chains and whose goal was to be martyred in California. He was out there.”
Rudy Najar, 51, at Mission San Gabriel Arcangel in San Gabriel, is a Serra supporter: “The guy is a saint.” (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In 2015, California Insurance Commissioner and East L.A native Ricardo Lara, 45, made a strong but ultimately unsuccessful push as a state senator to swap a Serra statue at the United States Capitol Building with one of pioneering astronaut Sally Ride.
“This is the power of representation, to have a woman and member of the LGBTQ+ community representing California would have been a big step,” Lara said. “But instead, we’re left with Father Serra.”
While Lara understands Serra was a poor, Spanish-speaking priest who lived and died in California — a figure Latinos can easily connect with — he believes the community should cut ties.
“Hey, put up a statue of Cesar Chavez or Dolores Huerta,” Lara said. “We have plenty of heroes. We don’t need someone who erased Native cultures.”
“Serra wanted Native societies to transform from one of hunter-gathers to agriculturalists. Well, you do that by destroying their lifestyle, their plants, their animals, their way of living, their values and their culture.” — Jim Sandos, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Redlands
Jim Sandos, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Redlands who has published 20 articles and books on the California mission system, said there was hyperbole on both sides.
“There were high rates of deaths in the mission, but not a genocide,” Sandos said. “This is a phrase that is repeated often and it started in the 1960s when Native populations tried to reclaim their history and push back at the idea that everyone was happy and harmonious at the missions.”
On the other hand, Sandos referred to Serra as “an agent of colonialism” and a key leader of a conquest, “actual and spiritual,” of Indigenous people. The spread of Catholicism and the “salvation of souls,” contends Sandos, came at a high cost.
“Serra wanted Native societies to transform from one of hunter-gathers to agriculturalists,” he said. “Well, you do that by destroying their lifestyle, their plants, their animals, their way of living, their values and their culture.”
Sousa credits his rise from obscurity in Alta California, which she called the “Siberia of the Spanish and Mexican empires,” because of its distance and perception as inhospitable, to California icon thanks to white settlement.
As Anglos began to settle the state in the mid-19th century and into the 20th century, the mission system provided them with a link to a glorious “if not mythic European” and white past that ignored Native culture and converted Serra from ordinary priest into founding father.
“California was no longer some dusty Mexican backwater,” Sousa said.
The drive to revitalize the missions from the 1880s to the 1920s and even beyond included the rehabilitation of Serra’s image, the building of monuments, statues and the crafting of a pro-Serra and pro-mission history that continues to this day, contends Sousa, and the erasure of any kind of white European shame.
There are a few statue honks. pic.twitter.com/8DrJuBku5B — Andrew J. Campa (@campadrenews) August 1, 2020
Lehigh University sociology professor Hugo Ceron-Anaya believes some Latinos latch onto Serra precisely because of this Europeanness.
“Europe and European culture has been at the top for centuries that many Latinos identify their roots going back to Spain and erase much of their native identity and culture,” he said. “We like to say we’re mestizos (part Spanish, part Indigenous), but how much do we celebrate the Indigenous part? There are many Serra statues in California. Now, show me the Indigenous ones?”
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, born in Monterrey, Mexico, and appointed to his current post in 2011, tried to strike a balance between Serra the sinner and Serra the saint in a letter to Catholics in late June.
“I have come to understand how the image of Father Serra and the missions evoke painful memories for some people,” he wrote. “For that reason, I believe the protests over our history in California, and the broader protests that have started elsewhere in the country over historical monuments, are important.”
The archbishop expressed his dismay, however, with elected officials, writing they “cannot abdicate their responsibilities” and allow protesters to vandalize memorials.
Still, Gomez believes Serra “is a saint for our times, the spiritual founder of Los Angeles [and] a champion of human rights.”
Although Gomez’s letter may have aimed for unity and understanding, it arguably just widened the divide.
“What more do you need to hear?” said Rudy Najar, 51, who grew up near the San Gabriel Mission.
The Montclair resident would drive from his home every Sunday to Palmdale and watch online Mass with his mother for the last five years of her life.
“The guy is a saint, people pray to him, he did his best for the Native people and they loved him,” he said. “This is about people hundreds of years later looking to judge him.”
Valadez isn’t surprised some Latinos rushed to Serra’s defense, attributing it to “cognitive dissonance.”
“We’re told Serra is our hero because he was poor, he was a Spanish speaker and Catholic, but he was also part of a mission system that caused so much harm to the Indigenous peoples of California,” she said. “If you choose to embrace him as a Latino, you are also denying something important, and that’s your Indigenous roots.”


latimes--2020-08-16--Lightning threatens California with rising fire risk, sparks 8 fires in greater Bay Area

Rare lightning storms struck the San Francisco Bay Area and the Monterey Bay region Sunday morning , sparking at least eight vegetation fires in Santa Clara , San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties .
There ’ s an elevated risk of fire danger across wide swaths of California Sunday because of the risk of lightning .
Thunderstorms are also possible across Southern California .
“ Wild night in the San Francisco Bay Area .
This is probably the most widespread and violent summer thunderstorm event in memory for Bay Area , & it ’ s also one of the hottest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swain , climate scientist with UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research .
A three-acre wildfire was reported in the area of 20730 Brush Road in the mountains south of Los Gatos in Santa Clara County .
At 3:17 a.m. , the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection tweeted that it was wind driven and threatened structures , with officials starting evacuations and powerlines down ; however , subsequent rain helped to slow the fire ’ s spread .
Elsewhere in the Bay Area , however , the thunderstorms seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s making these lightning storms especially dangerous , in combination with the high winds , Swain tweeted .
Peak gusts of up to 74 mph were reported in the Santa Cruz Mountains , and up to 70 mph in Marin County .
The erratic wind gusts are capable of causing power lines to fall , downing trees and making driving difficult , the National Weather Service said .
“ Remember , if you can hear thunder , you are close enough to be struck by lightning , ” the weather service said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , go indoors.
” By 4:27 a.m. , Cal-FIRE said firefighters were at the scene of seven vegetation fires in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties .
California is also suffering through an oppressive heatwave , with records across the state falling for the date .
In Los Angeles County , Woodland Hills hit a high of 112 , breaking the old record of 108 set in 1977 ; and UCLA hit a high of 92 , breaking the record set for the date in 2003 , when the high for Aug. 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Area , Napa hit a high of 103 on Saturday , breaking the record of 102 last set in 1906 ; the temperature in Gilroy shot up to 108 , breaking the high for the date set only last year , when the mercury hit 104 .
Downtown Sacramento hit a high temperature on Saturday of 111 degrees , breaking the previous record set for the date last set in 1920 , when the temperature hit 108 degrees .
The searing heat caused power consumption to spike , forcing rolling blackouts in parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires in Southern California continued Saturday to burn thousands of acres , force hundreds of people from their homes and contribute to unhealthy air quality across the region .
Times staff writers Tony Barboza , Jack Dolan , Paul Duginski , Leila Miller and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report .

Lightning is seen in the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday.
Rare lightning storms struck the San Francisco Bay Area and the Monterey Bay region Sunday morning, sparking multiple vegetation fires in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
There’s an elevated risk of fire danger across wide swaths of California on Sunday because of the risk of lightning. Thunderstorms are also possible across Southern California.
“Wild night in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is probably the most widespread and violent summer thunderstorm event in memory for Bay Area, & it’s also one of the hottest nights in years,” tweeted Daniel Swain, climate scientist with UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
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A three-acre wildfire was reported in the area of 20730 Brush Road in the mountains south of Los Gatos in Santa Clara County. At 3:17 a.m., the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection tweeted that it was wind-driven and had threatened structures and that, with power lines down, officials were starting evacuations. Subsequent rain, however, helped to slow the fire’s spread.
But elsewhere in the Bay Area, the thunderstorms seemed mostly to be dry. And that’s making these lightning storms especially dangerous, in combination with the high winds, Swain tweeted. Peak gusts of up to 74 mph were reported in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and up to 70 mph in Marin County.
The erratic wind gusts are capable of causing power lines to fall, downing trees and making driving difficult, the National Weather Service said. “Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning,” the weather service said. Officials say that “when thunder roars, go indoors.”
By 4:27 a.m., Cal-FIRE said firefighters were at the scene of seven vegetation fires in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
It most definitely arrived ... @CIRA_CSU imagery impressive for lightning output (hundreds) coupled with strong convective winds #CAwx pic.twitter.com/rpLGoeWK12 — Rob Mayeda (@RobMayeda) August 16, 2020
California is also suffering through an oppressive heatwave, with records across the state falling for the date. In Los Angeles County, Woodland Hills hit a high of 112, breaking the old record of 108, set in 1977, and UCLA hit a high of 92, breaking the record set for the date in 2003, when the high for Aug. 15 was 90 degrees.
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California Coronavirus complicates California’s worst power shortage in two decades People staying home with air conditioners blasting, plus a dearth of power from other states results in the worst statewide energy shortage in nearly 20 years
In the Bay Area, Napa hit a high of 103 on Saturday, breaking the record of 102, set in 1906; the temperature in Gilroy shot up to 108, breaking the high for the date set only last year, when the mercury hit 104.
Downtown Sacramento hit a high temperature on Saturday of 111 degrees, breaking the previous record for the date, last set in 1920, when the temperature reached 108 degrees.
The searing heat caused power consumption to spike, forcing rolling blackouts in parts of California on Saturday night.
Two brush fires in Southern California continued Saturday to burn thousands of acres, force hundreds of people from their homes and contribute to unhealthy air quality across the region.
Times staff writers Tony Barboza, Jack Dolan, Paul Duginski, Leila Miller and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-15--More rolling blackouts ordered in California amid power shortages and searing heat

New rolling blackouts in parts of California were ordered Saturday night as power shortages continued because of an extreme heat wave .
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said Saturday night it was beginning to rotate power outages affecting up to 250,000 customers in Northern and Central California .
San Diego Gas & Electric said it also interrupted power to some customers but had restored all service by 7 p.m .
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said that 3,800 customers were without power late Saturday in the San Fernando Valley and that it could be four to 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected areas include West Hills , Arleta , Granada Hills and Studio City .
Southern California Edison issued a warning to customers that rotating power outages might be called in its Los Angeles County service area through midnight .
It said outages could last up to one hour .
Earlier in the day , state regulators said they had expected to avoid further power interruptions through the weekend after some blackouts Friday .
The broiling conditions that began Friday may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 , the National Weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deserts of Southern California are likely to see both daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday , and elevated humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day .
“ People really need to take it seriously , ” said Kathy Hoxsie , a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard .
“ Drink a lot of water .
Find shade.
” Virtually no stretch of the Southland will be spared from conditions that Hoxsie said will be “ hot , hot and hot.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue through the weekend and into next week , probably peaking on Monday , Tuesday , ” she said .
“ We have an excessive heat warning out for the Antelope Valley through Tuesday and the interior valleys through Monday.
” Air quality officials issued an advisory Friday warning that the heat wave is pushing lung-damaging ozone pollution to “ very unhealthy ” levels and that much of Southern California will experience elevated smog through Monday .
On Friday afternoon , ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest level in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wildfires , according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
The air district said that ozone , the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems , could reach “ unhealthy ” or “ very unhealthy ” levels in the afternoon hours from Saturday through Monday .
The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita , San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys , the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains , the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley .
On Saturday , public health officials said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forest above Lake Hughes and the Ranch 2 fire burning above Azusa had also caused unhealthy air quality in many areas and warned people to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure .
Because of excessive heat driving up electricity use , California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs .
The California Independent System Operator , which manages the state ’ s power grid , had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday , asking residents to conserve electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert asked consumers to set air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher , turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances .
Even during the pandemic , with many businesses shut down , overall electricity demand has followed the usual pattern : climbing during the workweek and trailing off over the weekend , said Anne Gonzales , spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator .
On Friday evening , California ISO ordered utilities to shed about 1,000 megawatts , leading to rolling blackouts across the state .
A single megawatt powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected because the department generates and imports its own electricity and was able to meet the city ’ s demand .
In fact , the utility , which has never had to implement rolling blackouts due to excess demand , was able to sell 225 megawatts to California ISO between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. , spokesman Joe Ramallo said .
Still , he said , the heat put strain on local power distribution networks , leading to isolated outages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some equipment became overloaded and failed .
About 1,000 of the DWP ’ s 1.5 million customers were without power as of Saturday morning , most of them in the San Fernando Valley .
On Friday night , localized outages were reported in Sunland and Wilmington , Ramallo said .
The problem can be particularly acute during prolonged heat waves like these , when nighttime temperatures don ’ t drop enough for the electrical equipment to cool down , he said .
“ It ’ s like running your car at 100 mph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ramallo said .
“ You ’ re eventually going to have some problems that pop up , and in this case there will be failed equipment and transformers.
” Roughly 132,000 of Southern California Edison ’ s 5 million customers lost power Friday night for about an hour , spokesman Robert Villegas said Saturday .
All had their power restored by 8 p.m. , he said .
“ Typically what happens is [ the blackouts ] will be done in small blocks that include portions of communities , so we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something like that , ” he said .
He said the utility is also careful to avoid cutting off power to critical facilities like hospitals and public safety buildings .
The goal of the controlled rotating shutoffs is to avoid longer and more widespread outages due to equipment failures that can result when high demand puts a strain on the system , he said .
The utility has also deployed emergency management crews throughout its service territory to quickly respond to and repair those types of outages for the duration of the heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a hardship when you ’ re without power , especially in this time when options are limited , ” Villegas said .
“ With students being at home now , starting school online , and people working from home , of course their livelihoods and their education are things that we ’ re looking at .
So we ’ re trying to minimize as best we can interruption to people in their homes.
” The utility and others throughout the state are also urging customers to do their part by doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 78 degrees and unplugging unused appliances .
“ I always tell people that everything your mother told you when you were little , it was in fact true , ” Villegas said .
“ Don ’ t leave the refrigerator door open while you ’ re thinking about what to get from inside .
Don ’ t leave the back door open because it does let the heat in .
Turn off lights when you ’ re not using them .
… The simple things are really where it ’ s at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off power to about 1,500 of its 65,000 electrical customers for 30 minutes on Friday , said spokeswoman Margie Otto .
The utility received a directive from California ISO to shed load about 7:30 p.m. , followed by another notification half an hour later that it was no longer necessary , she said .
Although Pasadena has its own power plant , it is still tied to the regional electric grid overseen by California ISO .
“ With our local resources , usually we ’ re able to meet our community ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is about feeding back into the state grid.
” She said that officials are working hard to balance the power load statewide as they continue to navigate multiple crises .
“ I think there ’ s a variety of factors we all need to be concerned about , ” Otto said .
“ There ’ s the potential for wildfires , the high heat , energy use and all of the power generation sources.
” Forecasters said this heat wave could rival the 2006 heat wave , when Los Angeles County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees in Woodland Hills on July 22. at the time that coroners in Los Angeles , San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat , with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke .
But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450 .
Some Southern California counties had opened cooling centers Saturday , but the COVID-19 pandemic was causing them to rethink how they operate the centers , which often attract elderly residents and people with underlying health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat as well as illness .
A notice on Kern County ’ s website laying out new precautions says people seeking refuge will be screened for fevers and other COVID-19 symptoms before entering a cooling center , and those displaying signs of the disease will not be allowed inside .
Once inside , people will be asked to stay six feet apart and will be “ encouraged ” to wear a face covering , the website says .

Leila Miller, Paul Duginski, Tony Barboza, Jack Dolan, Alex Wigglesworth

At Woodley Park in Van Nuys, Blanca Celaya of Winnetka and her family enjoy the shade. She holds her 3-month-old son, Jason Celaya. Beyond are her daughter Celia Barinese and husband, Jaime Paiz. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The scene at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Aug. 14, where a cooling breeze kept the shore comfortable. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Telles family of the San Fernando Valley enjoys the water of the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
At the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley, Mike Garcia of Norco and his children Jose, 7, and Monica, 10, employ multiple stay-cool techniques. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Jacob Debreceni, 16, with friends Ismael Fuentes, left, and Kevin Lemus, cools off with the help of a backyard waterslide in Mira Loma, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
An employee of a hot dog stand works inside the eatery along the boardwalk in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Liz Saul reads a novel on her iPad in the comfort of an air mattress in Venice. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters prepare to defend a home as flames from the River fire approach in Salinas on Aug. 17. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Aug. 16. Numerous lightning strikes sparked brush fires throughout the region. (Noah Berger / Associated Press )
A funnel appears in a thick plume of smoke from the Loyalton fire in Lassen County, Calif., on Aug. 15. (Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett via Associated Press)
Watts residents pick out clothing during the Children Mending Hearts weekly food and clothing giveaway at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jon Galapago takes a break from the heat in a hammock during a day of fishing at Lake Evans in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Benjamin Cole II shows son Barreth Cole, 5, a routine while joining members of Barry’s Bootcamp as they conduct a workout session at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Rams rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis towels away sweat as temperatures soar at the Rams training facility in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
After a day at the beach, Sebastian Grand, 11, left, Leo Grand, 13, and Constantin Condraschi, 12, of Orange County have pizza at a Slice of New York Pizza in Seal Beach. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
The Holser Fire burns through the night just east of Lake Piru, where actress Naya Rivera died in mid-July. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
New rolling blackouts in parts of California were ordered Saturday night as power shortages continued because of an extreme heat wave.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said Saturday night it was beginning to rotate power outages affecting up to 250,000 customers in Northern and Central California. San Diego Gas & Electric said it also interrupted power to some customers but had restored all service by 7 p.m.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said that 3,800 customers were without power late Saturday in the San Fernando Valley and that it could be four to 12 hours before electricity was restored. The affected areas included West Hills, Arleta, Granada Hills and Studio City.
Southern California Edison issued a warning to customers that rotating power outages might be called in its Los Angeles County service area through midnight. It said outages could last up to one hour.
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Earlier in the day, state regulators said they had expected to avoid further power interruptions through the weekend after some blackouts Friday.
The broiling conditions that began Friday may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006, the National Weather Service said.
The valleys, mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see both daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday, and elevated humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day.
“People really need to take it seriously,” said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard. “Drink a lot of water. Find shade.”
Virtually no stretch of the Southland will be spared from conditions that Hoxsie said would be “hot, hot and hot.”
“We’re expecting the heat to continue through the weekend and into next week, probably peaking on Monday, Tuesday,” she said. “We have an excessive heat warning out for the Antelope Valley through Tuesday and the interior valleys through Monday.”
Air quality officials issued an advisory Friday warning that the heat wave was pushing lung-damaging ozone pollution to “very unhealthy” levels and that much of Southern California would experience elevated smog through Monday.
On Friday afternoon, ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest level in a decade as a result of high temperatures and wildfires, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
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The air district said that ozone, the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems, could reach “unhealthy” or “very unhealthy” levels in the afternoon hours from Saturday through Monday. The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley.
On Saturday, public health officials said that smoke from the Lake fire burning in the forest above Lake Hughes and the Ranch 2 fire burning above Azusa had also caused unhealthful air quality in many areas and warned people to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.
Because of excessive heat driving up electricity use, California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs.
The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid, had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday, asking residents to conserve electricity between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. That alert asked consumers to set air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances.
Even during the pandemic, with many businesses shut down, overall electricity demand has followed the usual pattern: climbing during the workweek and trailing off over the weekend, said Anne Gonzales, spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator.
On Friday evening, California ISO ordered utilities to shed about 1,000 megawatts, leading to rolling blackouts across the state. A single megawatt powers about 750 homes, Gonzales said.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected because the department generated and imported its own electricity and was able to meet the city’s demand.
In fact, the utility, which has never had to implement rolling blackouts due to excess demand, was able to sell 225 megawatts to California ISO between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., spokesman Joe Ramallo said.
Still, he said, the heat put strain on local power distribution networks, leading to isolated outages unrelated to the statewide rolling blackouts as some equipment became overloaded and failed. About 1,000 of the DWP’s 1.5 million customers were without power as of Saturday morning, most of them in the San Fernando Valley. On Friday night, localized outages were reported in Sunland and Wilmington, Ramallo said.
The problem can be particularly acute during prolonged heat waves like these, when nighttime temperatures don’t drop enough for the electrical equipment to cool down, he said.
“It’s like running your car at 100 mph nonstop and not giving it a break,” Ramallo said. “You’re eventually going to have some problems that pop up, and in this case there will be failed equipment and transformers.”
Roughly 132,000 of Southern California Edison’s 5 million customers lost power Friday night for about an hour, spokesman Robert Villegas said Saturday. All had their power restored by 8 p.m., he said.
“Typically what happens is [the blackouts] will be done in small blocks that include portions of communities, so we don’t shut down a county or something like that,” he said. He said the utility was also careful to avoid cutting off power to critical facilities like hospitals and public safety buildings.
The goal of the controlled rotating shutoffs is to avoid longer and more widespread outages due to equipment failures that can result when high demand puts a strain on the system, he said. The utility has also deployed emergency management crews throughout its service territory to quickly respond to and repair those types of outages for the duration of the heat wave.
“We totally understand it’s a hardship when you’re without power, especially in this time when options are limited,” Villegas said. “With students being at home now, starting school online, and people working from home, of course their livelihoods and their education are things that we’re looking at. So we’re trying to minimize as best we can interruption to people in their homes.”
The utility and others throughout the state are also urging customers to do their part by doing things like setting the thermostat no lower than 78 degrees and unplugging unused appliances.
“I always tell people that everything your mother told you when you were little, it was in fact true,” Villegas said. “Don’t leave the refrigerator door open while you’re thinking about what to get from inside. Don’t leave the back door open because it does let the heat in. Turn off lights when you’re not using them. … The simple things are really where it’s at here.”
Pasadena Water and Power shut off power to about 1,500 of its 65,000 electrical customers for 30 minutes on Friday, said spokeswoman Margie Otto.
The utility received a directive from California ISO to shed load about 7:30 p.m., followed by another notification half an hour later that it was no longer necessary, she said. Although Pasadena has its own power plant, it is still tied to the regional electric grid overseen by California ISO.
“With our local resources, usually we’re able to meet our community’s power needs,” Otto said. “This is about feeding back into the state grid.”
She said that officials are working hard to balance the power load statewide as they continue to navigate multiple crises.
“I think there’s a variety of factors we all need to be concerned about,” Otto said. “There’s the potential for wildfires, the high heat, energy use and all of the power generation sources.”
Forecasters said this heat wave could rival the 2006 heat wave, when Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature: 119 degrees in Woodland Hills on July 22.
The Times reported at the time that coroners in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat, with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke. But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450.
Some Southern California counties had opened cooling centers Saturday, but the COVID-19 pandemic was causing them to rethink how they operate the centers, which often attract elderly residents and people with underlying health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to heat as well as illness.
A notice on Kern County’s website laying out new precautions says people seeking refuge will be screened for fevers and other COVID-19 symptoms before entering a cooling center, and those displaying signs of the disease will not be allowed inside.
Once inside, people will be asked to stay six feet apart and will be “encouraged” to wear a face covering, the website says.


latimes--2020-08-16--L.A. schools announce massive COVID-19 testing, tracing initiative for all students, staff

The Los Angeles Unified School District on Sunday said it was launching an ambitious coronavirus testing and contact tracing program for all students and staff aiming to create a path to safely reopening campuses in the nation ’ s second-largest school district .
If the plan comes to fruition as described , it would be one of the most extensive to date for an American school district .
It remains unclear , however , how quickly it would be implemented and when in-person learning could resume .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner outlined the plan in an opinion article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying “ the goal is to get students back to school as soon as possible while protecting the health and safety of all in the school community.
” Beutner said the district hopes to be able to test all students and staff as part of a partnership that includes UCLA , Stanford and Johns Hopkins University , Microsoft , Anthem Blue Cross and HealthNet , among others .
He said the testing would cost roughly $ 300 per student over a year .
“ We are currently fine tuning systems and operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests to staff currently working at schools as well as to any of their children participating in childcare provided for Los Angeles Unified staff , ” he wrote .
“ Tests will then be provided for all staff and students over a period of weeks to establish a baseline .
On an ongoing basis , sample testing based on epidemiological models will be done for each cohort of staff and students.
” The move comes amid growing concerns from parents about a fall semester of online learning for the district ’ s 700,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week showed poor students generally fare much worse than more affluent students .
Last week , the Los Angeles Board of Education unanimously that will restore structure to the academic schedule while also allowing for an online school day that is shorter than the traditional one .
The plan leaves some parents and advocates in the nation ’ s second-largest school system wanting more teaching hours .
There also are parents who want fewer mandatory screen-time hours for their young children — a reflection of the complexities of distance learning and the over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week at home , online .

LAUSD staff member Adrian Pacheco demonstrates the use of sanitizing tools as Supt. Austin Beutner tours Burbank Middle School. As the school year looms, preparations have been underway to make campuses safe.
The Los Angeles Unified School District announced Sunday that it was launching an ambitious coronavirus testing and contact-tracing program for all students, staff and their families — aiming to create a path to safely reopening campuses in the nation’s second-largest school district.
If the plan unfolds as described, it could be one of the most detailed to date for a U.S. school district, involving nearly 500,000 students and 75,000 staff members. It appears to be the most sizable, at least until the larger New York City school system clarifies how it will manage testing and contact tracing.
The L.A. testing program is not an immediate prelude to reopening campuses. No date has yet been set for reopening, and plans for offering distance learning will proceed as the school year formally begins this week.
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But what the testing and contact-tracing program will offer is a scientifically based confidence builder leading up to the day campuses are able to reopen, providing a road map for safely managing renewed school operations and the data needed to assemble a valuable base of knowledge.
“Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary actions, and while this testing and contact-tracing effort is unprecedented, it is necessary and appropriate,” said L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner in remarks prepared for broadcast on Monday morning. “This program will provide public health benefit to all in the school community as well as the Greater Los Angeles area. It will also provide significant education benefits for students as it will get them back to school sooner and safer and keep them there.”
The spread of COVID-19 in the Los Angeles area still far exceeds state guidelines governing the possible return of students to campuses.
Beutner reiterated that it was not yet safe to return to campuses even as this plan launched.
“The level of new cases in Los Angeles are still 2½ times the state guidelines, and while the portion of those testing positive is below state thresholds, it’s still considerably higher than the World Health Organization standards and those in place for New York,” Beutner said.
The superintendent referenced the New York school system because that district was planning to open campuses in a modified fashion when its school year started in September.
Beutner also outlined the plan for testing and contact tracing in an opinion article in the Los Angeles Times published Sunday.
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The district hopes to be able to test all students and staff as part of a partnership that includes UCLA, Stanford and Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, Anthem Blue Cross and HealthNet, among others — with a price tag of roughly $300 per student over a year, close to $150 million.
The superintendent did not immediately identify the source of the funding, but the district has received hundreds of millions of state and federal dollars for its coronavirus response efforts. District officials also have said they could use additional funding.
The testing logistics are currently being fine-tuned, and tests will first be administered to teachers and staff who are choosing to work on school campuses as well as any of their children enrolled in day care provided by the district, Beutner wrote in the opinion piece.
“Tests will then be provided for all staff and students over a period of weeks to establish a baseline,” he wrote. “On an ongoing basis, sample testing based on epidemiological models will be done for each cohort of staff and students.”
The district’s announcement comes amid growing concerns among parents about a fall semester of online learning. A Times survey published last week showed students from low-income families generally fared much worse than students from more affluent families.
This month, the Los Angeles Board of Education unanimously approved a plan to restore structure to the academic schedule while also allowing for an online school day that is shorter than the traditional one. Members of the teachers union also have approved the agreement.
The distance learning schedule leaves some L.A. Unified parents and advocates wanting more teaching hours. There also are parents who want fewer mandatory screen-time hours for their young children — a reflection of the complexities of distance learning and the widespread parent angst over the start of the school year at home and online.
Beutner has long called for widespread testing of students and staff, saying such protocols are key to safely reopening schools.
Public health experts have said that such a plan seems impractical.
“At this point, we need to reduce risk,” Claire Garrido-Ortega, an epidemiology lecturer at Cal State Long Beach, told The Times in July. “Testing doesn’t necessarily reduce risk.”
Beutner pointed to the success seen by South Korea, Denmark, Germany and Vietnam in fighting the virus, noting that those countries’ contact-tracing operations could be applied to L.A. County schools.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explicitly “does not recommend” comprehensive school-based testing, citing a lack of evidence that it would reduce transmission, plus concerns about resources, parental consent and student privacy. It is not yet clear how often LAUSD students will be tested.
It was not clear Sunday when the first testing would begin. It’s also not clear whether certain provisions of the plan would involve negotiations with employee unions.
School nurses are likely to play a central role in the plan. They are represented by United Teachers Los Angeles. Union leaders said they were preparing to negotiate over issues related to a return to campus.
So, far, “we only negotiated the impact and effects of distance learning,” said Arlene Inouye, the union’s elected secretary. “Our next negotiations will be about the physical return to schools.”
She pointed out that members of UTLA were not required to work from campus, although members of some other unions must do so.
The plan for contract tracing underscores the unusual nature of the school year that is about to begin. Idled bus drivers, for example, may be asked to “support” the contact-tracing process under a temporary distance-learning agreement reached between the school district and Local 99 of Service Employees International, which was announced Monday morning.
Researchers at UCLA and Johns Hopkins University, who are providing services pro bono, will use the testing data to analyze the effects of reopening campuses, the district said. Researchers hope the program can be a national model.
During the first phase of the program, researchers will determine a schedule for the frequency of testing for students and staff, the district said.
“Determining an ideal testing strategy involves the application of epidemiologic principles and modeling informed by all available information,” Dr. Kristan Staudenmayer, an associate professor at Stanford who is spearheading the university’s contribution, said in a prepared statement.
Staudenmayer, in an interview with The Times on Sunday night, said the plan pursued “a very noble cause: continuing to give education to the children of L.A. Unified School District.”
Experts at UCLA will study Los Angeles Unified’s reopening plans and also share findings from this effort worldwide, Dr. Steven M. Dubinett, director of the school’s Clinical & Translational Science Institute, said in a statement.
Other key players include Microsoft, which will provide an app that families and employees can use to report symptoms — and which will be used to gather data districtwide that will guide the district’s ongoing response. The application also is intended to help people register for testing and obtain needed information.


latimes--2020-08-16--California power grid manager urges residents to conserve energy amid intense heat wave

The manager of California ’ s power grid is urging residents to voluntarily conserve energy through Wednesday as the state continues to ride out a record-breaking heat wave .
The California Independent System Operator also warned of more power outages in its statewide flex alert issued Sunday .
The heat wave “ is causing a strain on supplies , and consumers should be prepared for likely rolling outages during the late afternoons and early evenings through Wednesday , ” the ISO said in its alert , adding that there is not enough energy to meet the high amounts of electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves down .
Residents are asked to lower energy use from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. , when temperatures remain high but the sun is weaker .
The ISO recommends setting air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees , turning off unnecessary lights , unplugging electrical devices not in use , closing blinds and drapes , and using fans , when possible .
The California Independent System Operator , the body that runs the electric grid for most of California , declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening and ordered utilities to shed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the state .
A single megawatt powers about 750 homes , spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said .
It was the first time since 2001 that state electric grid operators have had to implement such a drastic step .
Forecasters warned that the heat wave , which is expected to last through at least Thursday , could rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 .
Multiple daily heat records were set Saturday .
The National Weather Service reported a high of 112 in Woodland Hills , breaking the record of 108 set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 92 at UCLA , breaking the record of 90 set in 2003 .
Downtown Los Angeles hit 98 degrees , tying a record set in 1994 .
The excessive heat is the result of a large , strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona , which is keeping the Southwestern U.S. hot almost everywhere except within a few miles of the coast .
The heat has heightened fire conditions in the West .
The Lake fire in the Angeles National Forest , above Lake Hughes , had grown to 17,862 acres and was 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 12 homes and commercial buildings had been destroyed .
The Ranch 2 fire north of Azusa had burned at least 2,256 acres .
The Loyalton fire , which started Friday evening in the Tahoe National Forest near California ’ s border with Nevada , grew to 20,000 acres with zero containment as of Sunday morning .
Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth and Paul Duginski contributed to this report .

The manager of California’s power grid is urging residents to voluntarily conserve energy through Wednesday as the state continues to ride out a record-breaking heat wave.
The California Independent System Operator also warned of more power outages in its statewide flex alert issued Sunday.
The heat wave “is causing a strain on supplies, and consumers should be prepared for likely rolling outages during the late afternoons and early evenings through Wednesday,” the ISO said in its alert, adding that there is not enough energy to meet the high amounts of electricity people are using in order to cool themselves down.
Residents are asked to lower energy use from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., when temperatures remain high but the sun is weaker.
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The ISO recommends setting air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees, turning off unnecessary lights, unplugging electrical devices not in use, closing blinds and drapes, and using fans, when possible.
The California Independent System Operator, the body that runs the electric grid for most of California, declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening and ordered utilities to shed about 1,000 megawatts, prompting rolling blackouts across the state. A single megawatt powers about 750 homes, spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said.
It was the first time since 2001 that state electric grid operators have had to implement such a drastic step.
Forecasters warned that the heat wave, which is expected to last through at least Thursday, could rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006.
Multiple daily heat records were set Saturday. The National Weather Service reported a high of 112 in Woodland Hills, breaking the record of 108 set in 1977, and a high of 92 at UCLA, breaking the record of 90 set in 2003. Downtown Los Angeles hit 98 degrees, tying a record set in 1994.
The excessive heat is the result of a large, strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona, which is keeping the Southwestern U.S. hot almost everywhere except within a few miles of the coast.
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The heat has heightened fire conditions in the West.
The Lake fire in the Angeles National Forest, above Lake Hughes, had grown to 18,361 acres and was 12% contained as of Sunday evening. At least 12 homes and commercial buildings had been destroyed. The Ranch 2 fire north of Azusa had burned at least 2,256 acres.
The Loyalton fire, which started Friday evening in the Tahoe National Forest near California’s border with Nevada, grew to 20,000 acres with zero containment as of Sunday morning.
Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth and Paul Duginski contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-16--Reporting backlog continues to affect L.A. County COVID-19 case numbers

Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 1,192 new cases of COVID-19 and nine related deaths but said both numbers were artificially low because of a weekend reporting lag .
L.A. County has reported totals of more than 222,000 cases and more than 5,240 deaths .
The latest case numbers did not include a pending backlog of lab reports the county has been expecting the state to send via its electronic reporting system for more than a week .
The backlog was generated by a series of data failures that led to hundreds of thousands of test results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s unclear how many of the unreported results were from L.A. County and whether they will change the picture of how the virus is continuing to spread here .
Numbers of deaths and hospitalizations were not affected by the reporting issue , officials said .
There were 1,341 confirmed COVID-19 patients in L.A. County hospitals as of Saturday , with about 32 % in intensive care , according to the state .
In mid-July , there were about 2,200 patients .
Officials continued to warn people to take proper precautions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region .
“ Because there are so many people infected with COVID-19 and spreading the virus who have no symptoms , and we ourselves could be infected and unknowingly spreading the virus , each of us needs to make sure we do everything we can to avoid being close to others not in our household , ” Barbara Ferrer , the county health director , said in a statement .
“ With the warm weather , this can be challenging as we seek to find places to go that offer relief from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials continue to ask that people stay home as much as possible and leave only to perform essential activities such as working and getting groceries and medicines .
“ If you do go to the beach or the park , please remember to keep at least six feet of distance from those you don ’ t live with , wear face coverings at all times when out of the home , avoid crowded places and wash your hands frequently , ” she said .
“ We need to work together to lower our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children back to school and more people back to work.
” Meanwhile , Orange County reported 342 new cases of COVID-19 and one death Sunday , bringing its total to 43,709 cases and 810 deaths .
Hospitalizations continued to decline there , too , with 422 confirmed patients as of Saturday , compared with 554 two Saturdays ago .

Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 1,192 new cases of COVID-19 and nine related deaths but said both numbers were artificially low because of a weekend reporting lag.
L.A. County has reported totals of more than 222,000 cases and more than 5,240 deaths.
The latest case numbers did not include a pending backlog of lab reports the county has been expecting the state to send via its electronic reporting system for more than a week. The backlog was generated by a series of data failures that led to hundreds of thousands of test results not being uploaded into the system. It’s unclear how many of the unreported results were from L.A. County and whether they will change the picture of how the virus is continuing to spread here. Numbers of deaths and hospitalizations were not affected by the reporting issue, officials said.
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There were 1,341 confirmed COVID-19 patients in L.A. County hospitals as of Saturday, with about 32% in intensive care, according to the state. In mid-July, there were about 2,200 patients.
Officials continued to warn people to take proper precautions, especially as a heat wave gripped the region.
“Because there are so many people infected with COVID-19 and spreading the virus who have no symptoms, and we ourselves could be infected and unknowingly spreading the virus, each of us needs to make sure we do everything we can to avoid being close to others not in our household,” Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said in a statement. “With the warm weather, this can be challenging as we seek to find places to go that offer relief from the heat.”
Still, she said, officials continue to ask that people stay home as much as possible and leave only to perform essential activities such as working and getting groceries and medicines.
“If you do go to the beach or the park, please remember to keep at least six feet of distance from those you don’t live with, wear face coverings at all times when out of the home, avoid crowded places and wash your hands frequently,” she said. “We need to work together to lower our case rate so we can get our children back to school and more people back to work.”
Meanwhile, Orange County reported 342 new cases of COVID-19 and one death Sunday, bringing its total to 43,709 cases and 810 deaths.
Hospitalizations continued to decline there, too, with 422 confirmed patients as of Saturday, compared with 554 two Saturdays ago.