latimes--2020-11-25--Thanksgiving looks different on L.A.'s skid row this year

In non-pandemic times , Thanksgiving at the Midnight Mission shelter can be quite festive .
There ’ s a street carnival with bands playing , volunteers scurrying about and enough turkey to put someone in a coma .
Often as many as 2,500 people show up along with 400 volunteers .
The homeless shelter has drastically scaled down its program for fear of undermining the progress it has made keeping COVID-19 from sweeping through its dormitories .
Only a handful of residents and employees have tested positive since the virus arrived in Los Angeles and caused much of the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shelter helps the neediest .
Keeping guests safe remains the top priority , said Georgia Berkovich , director of public affairs for the Midnight Mission .
The shelter normally holds about 280 people , but because of social distancing protocols instituted by the county , 121 live there right now .
Berkovich said lunch Thursday will be a Thanksgiving-themed meal with turkey , yams , stuffing and “ all the fixings.
” It ’ ll be served by staff and residents who have been adhering to strict protocols .
Several grocery stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies .
Residents will dine in small groups in their courtyard .
The shelter , which does a robust service of three meals a day , will be cooking 50 turkeys for lunch .
These meals will be to-go .
“ We ’ re expecting we ’ re probably going to see a larger number of people than we would on a typical Thursday because it is Thanksgiving and other organizations don ’ t serve , ” Berkovich said .
Another challenge this year , she said , was keeping away the do-gooders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back before their own meals .
People are eager as ever , but Berkovich has been telling them to stay home — and not because she doesn ’ t need the help .
“ We found that COVID comes to skid row from the outside , not from within .
It ’ s people like me , who go to a supermarket or are at the airport .
I ’ m out being careful but living my life , ” she said .
“ We ’ ve been encouraging people — and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on situations like this — I say , ‘ So sorry .
We don ’ t have anything for you to do here , but we ’ ve got great news , you can volunteer from your own kitchen.
’ ” For example , she said , the artists who normally participate in the shelter ’ s music program have been making bagged sandwich meals and dropping them off at the skid row location .
On Thanksgiving , she said , the L.A. Works volunteer program is preparing 600 bagged sandwich lunches that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofits and mutual aid groups are finding ways to make sure that food and supplies get to people in need .
For example , Ground Game L.A. is working with several other organizations to set up locations across the city where homeless people can pick up food .
The Laugh Factory in Hollywood normally does several free comedy shows and meals for people with nowhere to go .
This year it will be hosting an outdoor meal to make sure people get their fix .
Back on skid row , the Union Rescue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Skid row ’ s largest shelter would usually have nearly 400 people in its cafeteria for a party .
This year , shelter workers deep-fried turkeys on the loading dock and served the meal on the shelter ’ s large roof in shifts of 33 .
Guests ate sweet potatoes , cabbage , macaroni along with pie while listening to a Christmas quartet .
That was for the people living inside the shelter , which has seen its capacity drop from more than 1,000 to less than 400 .
The shelter saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ row in March , and the Rev .
Andy Bales , its chief executive , said it was disappointing not being able to gather as in years past .
Still , the shelter is committed to helping as many people as possible .
For homeless men and women who aren ’ t staying inside right now , Bales and others handed out to-go meals along with gift bags full of masks and hygiene products .
“ Most years it ’ s like a grand party and [ for ] the Thanksgiving celebration this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of adjustments , ” he said .
“ Still , many of us are likely more thankful than ever to have our health in these difficult times .
”

In non-pandemic times, Thanksgiving at the Midnight Mission shelter can be quite festive.
There’s a street carnival with bands playing, volunteers scurrying about and enough turkey to put someone in a coma.
Often as many as 2,500 people show up along with 400 volunteers.
Not this year.
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The homeless shelter has drastically scaled down its program for fear of undermining the progress it has made keeping COVID-19 from sweeping through its dormitories. Only a handful of residents and employees have tested positive since the virus arrived in Los Angeles and caused much of the city to lock down — which complicated how the shelter helps the neediest.
Keeping guests safe remains the top priority, said Georgia Berkovich, director of public affairs for the Midnight Mission. The shelter normally holds about 280 people, but because of social distancing protocols instituted by the county, 121 live there right now.
Berkovich said lunch Thursday will be a Thanksgiving-themed meal with turkey, yams, stuffing and “all the fixings.” It’ll be served by staff and residents who have been adhering to strict protocols.
Several grocery stores, including Albertsons and Erewhon, donated supplies. Residents will dine in small groups in their courtyard. The shelter, which does a robust service of three meals a day, will be cooking 50 turkeys for lunch. These meals will be to-go.
“We’re expecting we’re probably going to see a larger number of people than we would on a typical Thursday because it is Thanksgiving and other organizations don’t serve,” Berkovich said.
Another challenge this year, she said, was keeping away the do-gooders who flock to skid row to give back before their own meals. People are eager as ever, but Berkovich has been telling them to stay home — and not because she doesn’t need the help.
“We found that COVID comes to skid row from the outside, not from within. It’s people like me, who go to a supermarket or are at the airport. I’m out being careful but living my life,” she said.
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“We’ve been encouraging people — and I always try to put a positive spin on situations like this — I say, ‘So sorry. We don’t have anything for you to do here, but we’ve got great news, you can volunteer from your own kitchen.’”
For example, she said, the artists who normally participate in the shelter’s music program have been making bagged sandwich meals and dropping them off at the skid row location. On Thanksgiving, she said, the L.A. Works volunteer program is preparing 600 bagged sandwich lunches that it plans to drop off.
Other nonprofits and mutual aid groups are finding ways to make sure that food and supplies get to people in need. For example, Ground Game L.A. is working with several other organizations to set up locations across the city where homeless people can pick up food.
Lifestyle 13 places you can still volunteer in L.A. for Thanksgiving and Christmas Here are places that need volunteers specifically on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but get your reservations in quick, and remember, these places need help the other 363 days of the year as well.
The Laugh Factory in Hollywood normally does several free comedy shows and meals for people with nowhere to go. This year it will be hosting an outdoor meal to make sure people get their fix.
Back on skid row, the Union Rescue Mission has already held its main event. Skid row’s largest shelter would usually have nearly 400 people in its cafeteria for a party.
This year, shelter workers deep-fried turkeys on the loading dock and served the meal on the shelter’s large roof in shifts of 33. Guests ate sweet potatoes, cabbage, macaroni along with pie while listening to a Christmas quartet.
That was for the people living inside the shelter, which has seen its capacity drop from more than 1,000 to less than 400.
The shelter saw one of the first outbreaks on skid row in March, and the Rev. Andy Bales, its chief executive, said it was disappointing not being able to gather as in years past. Still, the shelter is committed to helping as many people as possible.
For homeless men and women who aren’t staying inside right now, Bales and others handed out to-go meals along with gift bags full of masks and hygiene products.
“Most years it’s like a grand party and [for] the Thanksgiving celebration this year we just had to make a lot of adjustments,” he said.
“Still, many of us are likely more thankful than ever to have our health in these difficult times.”


latimes--2020-11-25--'Getting worse each day': 1 in 145 L.A. County residents can infect others with the coronavirus

It could be your neighbors , or the man who brushed past you at the grocery store .
Maybe it ’ s the last-minute addition to Thanksgiving dinner , or the friend who pulled their mask off next to you at the gym .
Throughout Los Angeles , COVID-19 is closer than ever .
One out of every 145 people in L.A. County is currently infectious with the disease , according to a model released by health officials Wednesday .
This is a big jump from just two months ago , when the rate was estimated at 1 in 880 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse each day , ” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said at a press briefing Wednesday where the numbers were unveiled .
The county has logged higher-than-ever cases of the coronavirus this week , but the latest calculation suggests the true number of people ill is even higher .
The county uses a mathematical model to determine how many people — diagnosed or not — are actively contagious with COVID-19 and may spread it to others in the community , based on the number of people ending up in the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on figures reported through Monday , the county ’ s data scientists found that approximately 0.69 % of county residents , or roughly 69,000 people , can currently transmit the coronavirus to others .
This does not include people who had the virus but are no longer infectious , nor those who were so recently infected that they are not yet contagious .
Across the country , epidemiologists calculate similar figures , though the formulas used to reach their estimates often differ .
Still , the numbers provide a sense of how health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in different parts of the country amid an overwhelming winter surge .
In Colorado , officials said this week that 1 in 41 people are currently infectious with COVID-19 .
Meanwhile , Chicago officials say that as many as 1 in 15 could be .
Nationwide , 3.6 million Americans were infectious with COVID-19 as of Sunday , which is about 1 in 100 people , according to a model created by Columbia University epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman and his team .
“ The majority of these contagious individuals are unaware of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email to The Times .
The estimates attempt to overcome one of the more insidious features of this coronavirus : as many as 40 % of people infected have no symptoms .
And for those who do develop a cough or fever , studies have found that they are most highly infectious to others before those signs appear , a major concern during the upcoming holiday season .
“ We are programmed to feel safer around our family members or friends , so you ’ re more likely to let down your guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiologist at the University of Washington .
“ That ’ s why winter is going to be dangerous for us , because we want to convince the public who doesn ’ t have any symptoms to assume you are infected and you can be spreading the virus.
” When close to 1 % of the population can be a vector , bending the curve down becomes more difficult .
Once transmission begins to accelerate , more people in the community have the virus , so the same activities people have been doing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make more people sick , increasing the prevalence further , and the cycle continues .
“ There ’ s just more COVID milling around our communities , ” California ’ s top health official , Dr. Mark Ghaly , said Tuesday .
“ You are more likely to get infected with COVID just because it ’ s more available and more around our communities , even if you behave exactly like you did a month ago.
” Indeed , in L.A. County , health officials have said that the people falling sick with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not made more trips to stores , restaurants , workplaces or anywhere else than those who fell sick a few months prior .
A higher number of people are just falling sick at the same locations , they say .
“ There ’ s risk involved even in these seemingly benign interactions , ” Davis said Wednesday .
“ The numbers continue to be alarming.
” Davis also reported a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations in recent days in the county .
The acceleration has prompted the county to halt outdoor dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
If case numbers do not abate , hospitals could be full in a few weeks and the death count could number in the thousands , officials say .
The county ’ s prevalence estimate is calculated by the Department of Health Services Modeling Team , which also predicts the demand for hospital beds and the county ’ s transmission rate , known as R. The prevalence figure was added in mid-June as a way to try to help people understand the far reach of the virus .
To calculate the percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every person sick enough to end up in the hospital with the disease , there are 39 others who are sick but did not go to a hospital , according to county officials .
Simply put , the number of people recently hospitalized with COVID is multiplied by 40 .
The data scientists then adjust that figure to exclude people currently hospitalized — since they are not infecting others in the community — and those who may have had COVID but are no longer infectious .
The model assumes that each infected person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
Department of Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said that with so many ill who don ’ t know it , Thanksgiving could become a dangerous affair .
She cited recent research finding that more than half of all infections come from people who did not have symptoms when they transmitted the virus to others .
“ They might not know they ’ re infected … But they ’ re out there and they ’ re exposing other people to the virus , ” she said .
“ That family meal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread.
” One in 145 Angelenos being infected with COVID does not mean they will necessarily make others sick .
Encounters with people who are contagious can be made safer by masks , social distancing and limiting the amount of time spent together , particularly in indoor environments , experts say .
Still , the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community is likely to only increase in the coming weeks as case numbers and hospitalizations continue to rise .
The highest estimate ever documented in the county was in late June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were infected .
Those trends could be reversed with simple behavioral changes , but such improvement is not guaranteed , Christina Ghaly said .
“ We don ’ t see that happening yet , so I do anticipate that the number will continue to rise , ” she said .

It could be your neighbors, or the man who brushed past you at the grocery store. Maybe it’s the last-minute addition to Thanksgiving dinner, or the friend who pulled their mask off next to you at the gym.
Throughout Los Angeles, COVID-19 is closer than ever.
One out of every 145 people in L.A. County is currently infectious with the disease, according to a model released by health officials Wednesday. This is a big jump from just two months ago, when the rate was estimated at 1 in 880 Angelenos.
“Our situation is getting worse each day,” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said at a press briefing Wednesday where the numbers were unveiled.
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The county has logged higher-than-ever cases of the coronavirus this week, but the latest calculation suggests the true number of people ill is even higher. The county uses a mathematical model to determine how many people — diagnosed or not — are actively contagious with COVID-19 and may spread it to others in the community, based on the number of people ending up in the hospital each day, officials say.
Relying on figures reported through Monday, the county’s data scientists found that approximately 0.69% of county residents, or roughly 69,000 people, can currently transmit the coronavirus to others. This does not include people who had the virus but are no longer infectious, nor those who were so recently infected that they are not yet contagious.
Across the country, epidemiologists calculate similar figures, though the formulas used to reach their estimates often differ. Still, the numbers provide a sense of how health officials are thinking about how widespread COVID-19 is in different parts of the country amid an overwhelming winter surge.
In Colorado, officials said this week that 1 in 41 people are currently infectious with COVID-19. Meanwhile, Chicago officials say that as many as 1 in 15 could be.
Nationwide, 3.6 million Americans were infectious with COVID-19 as of Sunday, which is about 1 in 100 people, according to a model created by Columbia University epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman and his team. “The majority of these contagious individuals are unaware of their infections,” Shaman said in an email to The Times.
The estimates attempt to overcome one of the more insidious features of this coronavirus: as many as 40% of people infected have no symptoms. And for those who do develop a cough or fever, studies have found that they are most highly infectious to others before those signs appear, a major concern during the upcoming holiday season.
“We are programmed to feel safer around our family members or friends, so you’re more likely to let down your guard,” said Ali Mokdad, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington. “That’s why winter is going to be dangerous for us, because we want to convince the public who doesn’t have any symptoms to assume you are infected and you can be spreading the virus.”
Advertisement
When close to 1% of the population can be a vector, bending the curve down becomes more difficult. Once transmission begins to accelerate, more people in the community have the virus, so the same activities people have been doing for months become more dangerous. Those activities make more people sick, increasing the prevalence further, and the cycle continues.
“There’s just more COVID milling around our communities,” California’s top health official, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said Tuesday. “You are more likely to get infected with COVID just because it’s more available and more around our communities, even if you behave exactly like you did a month ago.”
Indeed, in L.A. County, health officials have said that the people falling sick with COVID-19 in the past few weeks have not made more trips to stores, restaurants, workplaces or anywhere else than those who fell sick a few months prior. A higher number of people are just falling sick at the same locations, they say.
“There’s risk involved even in these seemingly benign interactions,” Davis said Wednesday. “The numbers continue to be alarming.”
Davis also reported a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations in recent days in the county. The acceleration has prompted the county to halt outdoor dining and instate a modified stay-at-home order this week. If case numbers do not abate, hospitals could be full in a few weeks and the death count could number in the thousands, officials say.
The county’s prevalence estimate is calculated by the Department of Health Services Modeling Team, which also predicts the demand for hospital beds and the county’s transmission rate, known as R. The prevalence figure was added in mid-June as a way to try to help people understand the far reach of the virus.
To calculate the percent infected, the model assumes that for every person sick enough to end up in the hospital with the disease, there are 39 others who are sick but did not go to a hospital, according to county officials.
Simply put, the number of people recently hospitalized with COVID is multiplied by 40. The data scientists then adjust that figure to exclude people currently hospitalized — since they are not infecting others in the community — and those who may have had COVID but are no longer infectious. The model assumes that each infected person is infectious for between 2 and 5 days.
Department of Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said that with so many ill who don’t know it, Thanksgiving could become a dangerous affair. She cited recent research finding that more than half of all infections come from people who did not have symptoms when they transmitted the virus to others.
“They might not know they’re infected … But they’re out there and they’re exposing other people to the virus,” she said. “That family meal is turned into an opportunity for COVID-19 to spread.”
One in 145 Angelenos being infected with COVID does not mean they will necessarily make others sick. Encounters with people who are contagious can be made safer by masks, social distancing and limiting the amount of time spent together, particularly in indoor environments, experts say.
Still, the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community is likely to only increase in the coming weeks as case numbers and hospitalizations continue to rise. The highest estimate ever documented in the county was in late June, when officials said that 1 in 140 were infected.
Those trends could be reversed with simple behavioral changes, but such improvement is not guaranteed, Christina Ghaly said.
“We don’t see that happening yet, so I do anticipate that the number will continue to rise,” she said.


latimes--2020-11-25--LAUSD aims to give out 1.5 million meals, food to last through Thanksgiving weekend

Around 8:30 Wednesday morning , Manuel Padilla and his two sons , 3-year-old Levi and 1-year-old Toto , joined the line at South Gate High School .
With a five-day holiday weekend ahead , Padilla has a family to feed — and although his children are not yet in school , he turned to the Los Angeles school district for help .
As Levi pushed his red scooter , Toto buried himself deeper into his stroller to hide from the L.A. Unified food services mascot Café LA Ray , a superhero with a beaming sun for a head .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that picked up free grab-and-go meals the day before Thanksgiving from 63 sites across the Los Angeles Unified School District .
From mid-March , when schools first shut down amid the coronavirus crisis , to Wednesday morning , the district has given out 82 million free meals to children and adults .
No one is turned away as the nation ’ s second-largest school district runs what Supt .
Austin Beutner describes as the largest such effort in the nation during the pandemic .
“ To my knowledge , it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s history , far and away the largest school-based relief effort ever in our nation ’ s history , ” Beutner said at South Gate High .
Padilla gave thanks for the meals .
Before the pandemic , the 46-year-old worked in the hospitality industry staffing events such as weddings .
He hasn ’ t been back to work since March .
Throughout these months , the district has helped to feed his family .
“ I ’ m very appreciative .
It doesn ’ t have to be a New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was raised that way , that [ you ] just be appreciative for what you have.
” More than 1.5 million meals were prepared for distribution Wednesday .
The grab-and-go centers usually hand out two meals per person a day , but the program gave 15 meals per person Wednesday , enough to last through Sunday .
The meal packages included a Thanksgiving dinner of turkey , mashed potatoes , green beans , gravy and cranberry sauce .
At South Gate High School , staffers were prepared to hand out at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahumeda , the site coordinator .
On a typical weekday , the school gives out about 7,000 to 8,000 meals .
Ahumeda said demand has dropped as businesses began to reopen , but he expects to see more people now that coronavirus cases are increasing and new restrictions are being put in place .
“ I watch the news ; it ’ s getting worse , so definitely we ’ ll be out here serving the community , ” Ahumeda said .
“ We do send emails , electronic phone calls , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m expecting a lot more cars , a lot more people from the community coming.
” Meals provided to children when school is in session are partially reimbursed by the government , but meals provided to adults are not .
Also , meals provided when schools are on break — as they are this week — have historically not been reimbursed , Beutner said .
So far the district has spent $ 75 million on the program , he said .
“ We believe we should be joined in this effort by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state , each of which have received considerable dollars through the CARES Act and other federal relief programs to support providing meals to hungry adults , but we have yet to be joined in this effort , ” Beutner said .
Over the last several months , news has spread that the school district gives meals to adults regardless of whether they have an L.A. Unified student .
Maria Ramirez , 66 , of South Gate said she has been coming to the school two times a week since April to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cordova , a 43-year-old cosmetologist from Lynwood , said she found out about the grab-and-go program from her sister-in-law .
On Wednesday , she and her husband visited for the first time to pick up meals for themselves and their 12- and 13-year-old daughters .
Both she and her husband have been unable to work since March .
“ It ’ s a relief for every family because it ’ s some things that you need at home , ” she said .
Marcia Moguel , a 30-year-old South Gate resident who works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she receives free meals nearly every day .
Moguel , along with her mother , Marcia Rodriguez , and her brother , Angel Rodriguez , an 11th-grade student at South Gate High , took part in a socially distanced turkey meal with Beutner .
“ It is such a trying time for people who are losing their jobs or going through unemployment , are going through their own medical issues and financial issues , ” Moguel said .
“ This is just one less burden , one less thing that they have to @ @ @ @

Around 8:30 Wednesday morning, Manuel Padilla and his two sons, 3-year-old Levi and 1-year-old Toto, joined the line at South Gate High School. With a five-day holiday weekend ahead, Padilla has a family to feed — and although his children are not yet in school, he turned to the Los Angeles school district for help.
As Levi pushed his red scooter, Toto buried himself deeper into his stroller to hide from the L.A. Unified food services mascot Café LA Ray, a superhero with a beaming sun for a head.
For the record: An earlier version of this article misspelled site coordinator Victor Ahumada’s last name as Ahumeda.
The Padillas were one of thousands of families that picked up free grab-and-go meals the day before Thanksgiving from 63 sites across the Los Angeles Unified School District. From mid-March, when schools first shut down amid the coronavirus crisis, to Wednesday morning, the district has given out 82 million free meals to children and adults.
No one is turned away as the nation’s second-largest school district runs what Supt. Austin Beutner describes as the largest such effort in the nation during the pandemic.
A woman loads meals into her car at South Gate High School. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“To my knowledge, it’s the largest food relief effort in our nation’s history, far and away the largest school-based relief effort ever in our nation’s history,” Beutner said at South Gate High.
Padilla gave thanks for the meals. Before the pandemic, the 46-year-old worked in the hospitality industry staffing events such as weddings. He hasn’t been back to work since March. Throughout these months, the district has helped to feed his family.
“I’m very appreciative. It doesn’t have to be a New York steak,” Padilla said. “I was raised that way, that [you] just be appreciative for what you have.”
More than 1.5 million meals were prepared for distribution Wednesday. The grab-and-go centers usually hand out two meals per person a day, but the program gave 15 meals per person Wednesday, enough to last through Sunday. The meal packages included a Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner helps distribute free meals to people who waited in a long line of cars at South Gate High. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
At South Gate High School, staffers were prepared to hand out at least 11,000 to 12,000 meals, said Victor Ahumada, the site coordinator. On a typical weekday, the school gives out about 7,000 to 8,000 meals.
Ahumada said demand has dropped as businesses began to reopen, but he expects to see more people now that coronavirus cases are increasing and new restrictions are being put in place.
“I watch the news; it’s getting worse, so definitely we’ll be out here serving the community,” Ahumada said. “We do send emails, electronic phone calls, that we’re open, but I’m expecting a lot more cars, a lot more people from the community coming.”
Monica Marquez of South Gate struggles to wheel home a load of free meals for her family of five for the holiday weekend. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Meals provided to children when school is in session are partially reimbursed by the government, but meals provided to adults are not. Also, meals provided when schools are on break — as they are this week — have historically not been reimbursed, Beutner said. So far the district has spent $75 million on the program, he said.
“We believe we should be joined in this effort by the city, by the county, by the state, each of which have received considerable dollars through the CARES Act and other federal relief programs to support providing meals to hungry adults, but we have yet to be joined in this effort,” Beutner said.
Over the last several months, news has spread that the school district gives meals to adults regardless of whether they have an L.A. Unified student. Maria Ramirez, 66, of South Gate said she has been coming to the school two times a week since April to get meals for her grandchildren.
Virginia Cordova, a 43-year-old cosmetologist from Lynwood, said she found out about the grab-and-go program from her sister-in-law. On Wednesday, she and her husband visited for the first time to pick up meals for themselves and their 12- and 13-year-old daughters. Both she and her husband have been unable to work since March.
Dalilah Arevalo, 8, left, and Dalia Arevalo, 7, pick up food and hygiene products at Manchester Avenue Elementary in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s a relief for every family because it’s some things that you need at home,” she said.
Marcia Moguel, a 30-year-old South Gate resident who works with adults with learning disabilities, said she receives free meals nearly every day. Moguel, along with her mother, Marcia Rodriguez, and her brother, Angel Rodriguez, an 11th-grade student at South Gate High, took part in a socially distanced turkey meal with Beutner.
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“It is such a trying time for people who are losing their jobs or going through unemployment, are going through their own medical issues and financial issues,” Moguel said. “This is just one less burden, one less thing that they have to think about.”


latimes--2020-11-25--L.A. County at perilous moment as hospitalizations rise and Thanksgiving brings new dangers

Los Angeles County was rapidly running out of time to prevent hospitals filling up with COVID-19 patients in the coming weeks as the virus continued an unprecedented surge and the Thanksgiving weekend presented perilous risks of further infections .
Officials had been hoping to enter the holiday with some signs that the latest surge was beginning to slow .
But the coronavirus continues to spread at alarming rates , increasing the chances of more widespread transmission as people gather with family and friends .
Beginning Wednesday night , restaurants in much of L.A. County are to suspend outdoor dining .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected officials review recommendations by the Department of Public Health .
L.A. County was reporting a seven-day average of nearly 4,300 new coronavirus cases a day as of Wednesday , the third consecutive day that number has hit a new high .
Unless something dramatic is done to slow transmission , that number is on track to double within two weeks and quadruple in a month , said Dr. Christina Ghaly , L.A. County ’ s director of health services .
Officials said hospitals could see a shortage of beds — especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two to four weeks if these trends continue .
Hospitals are better equipped now than they were in the spring to handle a surge in cases , treatment for COVID-19 has significantly improved , and hospitals can cancel elective surgeries to make more room for critical COVID patients .
But “ that ability for hospitals to be able to surge and open up additional beds is not endless , ” Ghaly said .
Countywide COVID-19 hospitalizations have already more than doubled in just three weeks , from about 800 on Halloween to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That really indicates and speaks to the extremely rapid spread of the virus not just among people who are young and healthy and who are asymptomatic , but people who are getting sick and … need to be in the hospital , ” Ghaly said .
Given that confirmed infections have only continued to go up — and that it usually takes two to three weeks for those who have tested positive to fall ill enough to require professional medical care — it ’ s likely that number will continue to swell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time county officials have warned of the potential perils the current coronavirus surge presents to the healthcare system .
But the danger has only grown along with the case count .
Average daily infections in the county have quadrupled and daily deaths have tripled in a matter of weeks , a rate of growth that ’ s led to “ the most alarming metrics we ’ ve ever seen , ” said Barbara Ferrer , the county ’ s director of public health .
“ The risk at this point is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very real possibility , ” she told the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday .
In the last seven weeks , the county ’ s number of new daily coronavirus cases , averaged over a seven-day period , has swelled from fewer than 1,000 to more than 4,000 , a Times analysis has found .
In the summer , that average topped out at 3,300 .
The seven-day average of daily deaths had tripled since early November to 30 by Wednesday .
The skyrocketing hospitalization figures show two things , Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely circulating in the community and that its spread is not limited to those who can easily escape its ravages .
Should the number of COVID-19 patients continue to rise , Ghaly said , “ people should be prepared to potentially have their nonessential surgeries or procedures canceled so that hospitals can make room , ” as that is “ really the biggest lever that hospitals and health systems have to very , very rapidly free up beds.
” Though hospitals have plans in place to expand their capacity if necessary , Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly in ICUs , where about a quarter of all COVID-19 patients end up .
There ’ s already a natural limitation on the number of people who are properly trained to provide ICU-level care , she said , and with California and much of the nation also experiencing a surge in cases , it will be far more difficult to call for staffing help if shortages reach crisis levels in L.A. County .
“ I don ’ t want to minimize the gravity of the situation or the need for people really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they ’ re doing that might be contributing to the increased transmission , ” Ghaly said .
Within one to two weeks , officials say , the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in L.A. County could grow 30 % more , to around 2,200 .
That would equal the county ’ s highest total in the pandemic .
The rate at which coronavirus tests are coming back positive in L.A. County is now 6.6 % , nearly double what it was in late October and triple the rate in San Francisco .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations will , without a doubt , lead to increased numbers of people dying , ” Ferrer said .
Already , more than 7,500 county residents have died of COVID-19 , more than double the flu-related death toll from the last cold-and-flu season .
Hospitalizations are expected to continue soaring in the coming weeks as new infections are diagnosed .
State health officials have estimated that roughly 12 % of those who ’ ve tested positive have ended up being hospitalized two to three weeks later , so a sustained and significant surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state saw 16,681 new cases on Tuesday alone , the second-most in a single day behind only Monday ’ s figure of 20,654 , according to an independent Times survey of California counties .
The state ’ s last significant coronavirus surge , after Memorial Day , was followed by a peak in daily deaths two months later .
If that pattern holds , it ’ s plausible that L.A. County could face a peak in daily COVID-19 deaths by Christmas or later .
In light of the surge , the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of disease .
A new order closing outdoor dining areas at restaurants for at least three weeks will go into effect Wednesday night .
That move has not been without controversy , though , and two members of the county Board of Supervisors pushed unsuccessfully to repeal it Tuesday .
County officials are also preparing a new health order that is expected to ban all gatherings , except for outdoor church services and outdoor protests , and reduce capacity at stores .
However , health officials did not unveil any new restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that potential additional measures are still being discussed with the Board of Supervisors .
The state has also imposed new measures , most notablyan order prohibiting most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties such as Los Angeles that are in the strictest , purple tier of the state ’ s color-coded reopening road map .
“ Every day we wait to make those changes means that we ’ ll have another day of high cases , another day of pressure on our hospitals , and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and responsibility to change , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s health and human services secretary .
The problem now is that with infections much higher than ever , activities that seemed safe a month ago are now potentially far more dangerous .
“ In general , what we know is , any time we get together with individuals where your guard comes down , your mask comes off , you are closer than a few feet apart , there ’ s a risk of transmission , ” Mark Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmitted without the infected person ever becoming sick , he added , “ most people who have COVID may not know it , you create a real risk … as those activities increase , we know that you ’ re going to see transmission.
” To explain the current increase in infections , officials cite the arrival of colder weather that keeps people indoors , raising the risk of transmission ; increased travel from hard-hit states ; gatherings to celebrate holidays or watch sporting events ; protests and celebrations related to the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and a wrong belief that the danger of the pandemic has passed .
Health officials are particularly nervous that crowds could carry the virus with them as they travel for the Thanksgiving holiday , much as similar holiday travel in China for the Lunar New Year fueled the onset of the pandemic .
Federal , state and local authorities have urged people to stay home for Thanksgiving and cancel travel plans .
So far , California remains in a better situation overall than some other parts of the country where hospitals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry that that could easily change .
Pandemic control measures have twice worked in the past to dramatically slow the spread of the disease — first in the spring , when a sweeping stay-at-home order was imposed , and then again in the early summer , when Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered bars , indoor restaurants and movie theaters closed in the hardest-hit counties .

Members of the Hobbs-Brown family celebrate pre-Thanksgiving dinner on the sand at Bolsa Chica State Beach on Wednesday.
Los Angeles County was rapidly running out of time to prevent hospitals filling up with COVID-19 patients in the coming weeks as the virus continued an unprecedented surge and the Thanksgiving weekend presented perilous risks of further infections.
Officials had been hoping to enter the holiday with some signs that the latest surge was beginning to slow. But the coronavirus continues to spread at alarming rates, increasing the chances of more widespread transmission as people gather with family and friends.
Beginning Wednesday night, restaurants in much of L.A. County suspended outdoor dining. More restrictions could be coming as county elected officials review recommendations by the Department of Public Health.
L.A. County was reporting a seven-day average of nearly 4,300 new coronavirus cases a day as of Wednesday, the third consecutive day that number has hit a new high. Unless something dramatic is done to slow transmission, that number is on track to double within two weeks and quadruple in a month, said Dr. Christina Ghaly, L.A. County’s director of health services.
Officials said hospitals could see a shortage of beds — especially in intensive care units — over the next two to four weeks if these trends continue. Hospitals are better equipped now than they were in the spring to handle a surge in cases, treatment for COVID-19 has significantly improved, and hospitals can cancel elective surgeries to make more room for critical COVID patients.
But “that ability for hospitals to be able to surge and open up additional beds is not endless,” Ghaly said.
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Countywide COVID-19 hospitalizations have already more than doubled in just three weeks, from about 800 on Halloween to just under 1,700 as of Tuesday.
“That really indicates and speaks to the extremely rapid spread of the virus not just among people who are young and healthy and who are asymptomatic, but people who are getting sick and … need to be in the hospital,” Ghaly said.
Given that confirmed infections have only continued to go up — and that it usually takes two to three weeks for those who have tested positive to fall ill enough to require professional medical care — it’s likely that number will continue to swell, Ghaly said.
This isn’t the first time county officials have warned of the potential perils the current coronavirus surge presents to the healthcare system. But the danger has only grown along with the case count.
Average daily infections in the county have quadrupled and daily deaths have tripled in a matter of weeks, a rate of growth that’s led to “the most alarming metrics we’ve ever seen,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of public health.
“The risk at this point is that overwhelming the healthcare system is now a very real possibility,” she told the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
California Hospitals brace for holiday COVID surge, fearing staff shortages and burnout A new surge of COVID-19 is battering Southern California, bearing down on exhausted healthcare workers, raising anxiety levels on hospital wards and stoking fears that there might not be enough staff and supplies for the difficult weeks ahead.
In the last seven weeks, the county’s number of new daily coronavirus cases, averaged over a seven-day period, has swelled from fewer than 1,000 to more than 4,000, a Times analysis has found. In the summer, that average topped out at 3,300.
The seven-day average of daily deaths had tripled since early November to 30 by Wednesday.
The skyrocketing hospitalization figures show two things, Ghaly said: that the virus is still widely circulating in the community and that its spread is not limited to those who can easily escape its ravages.
Should the number of COVID-19 patients continue to rise, Ghaly said, “people should be prepared to potentially have their nonessential surgeries or procedures canceled so that hospitals can make room,” as that is “really the biggest lever that hospitals and health systems have to very, very rapidly free up beds.”
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Though hospitals have plans in place to expand their capacity if necessary, Ghaly said the bigger challenge is staffing — particularly in ICUs, where about a quarter of all COVID-19 patients end up.
There’s already a natural limitation on the number of people who are properly trained to provide ICU-level care, she said, and with California and much of the nation also experiencing a surge in cases, it will be far more difficult to call for staffing help if shortages reach crisis levels in L.A. County.
“I don’t want to minimize the gravity of the situation or the need for people really to take very seriously their behavior and what they’re doing that might be contributing to the increased transmission,” Ghaly said.
Within one to two weeks, officials say, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in L.A. County could grow 30% more, to around 2,200. That would equal the county’s highest total in the pandemic.
The rate at which coronavirus tests are coming back positive in L.A. County is now 6.6%, nearly double what it was in late October and triple the rate in San Francisco.
“These very large increases in cases and hospitalizations will, without a doubt, lead to increased numbers of people dying,” Ferrer said.
Already, more than 7,500 county residents have died of COVID-19, more than double the flu-related death toll from the last cold-and-flu season.
Hospitalizations are expected to continue soaring in the coming weeks as new infections are diagnosed.
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
State health officials have estimated that roughly 12% of those who’ve tested positive have ended up being hospitalized two to three weeks later, so a sustained and significant surge could stretch hospitals to their limits.
The state saw 16,681 new cases on Tuesday alone, the second-most in a single day behind only Monday’s figure of 20,654, according to an independent Times survey of California counties.
The state’s last significant coronavirus surge, after Memorial Day, was followed by a peak in daily deaths two months later.
If that pattern holds, it’s plausible that L.A. County could face a peak in daily COVID-19 deaths by Christmas or later.
In light of the surge, the county has advanced additional actions to control the spread of disease. A new order closing outdoor dining areas at restaurants for at least three weeks went into effect Wednesday night.
That move has not been without controversy, though, and two members of the county Board of Supervisors pushed unsuccessfully to repeal it Tuesday.
County officials are also preparing a new health order that is expected to ban all gatherings, except for outdoor church services and outdoor protests, and reduce capacity at stores.
However, health officials did not unveil any new restrictions during their briefing Wednesday afternoon, saying that potential additional measures are still being discussed with the Board of Supervisors.
The state has also imposed new measures, most notably an order prohibiting most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties such as Los Angeles that are in the strictest, purple tier of the state’s color-coded reopening road map.
“Every day we wait to make those changes means that we’ll have another day of high cases, another day of pressure on our hospitals, and this is something that we all have agency and responsibility to change,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary.
The problem now is that with infections much higher than ever, activities that seemed safe a month ago are now potentially far more dangerous.
“In general, what we know is, any time we get together with individuals where your guard comes down, your mask comes off, you are closer than a few feet apart, there’s a risk of transmission,” Mark Ghaly said.
Because the virus can be transmitted without the infected person ever becoming sick, he added, “most people who have COVID may not know it, you create a real risk … as those activities increase, we know that you’re going to see transmission.”
To explain the current increase in infections, officials cite the arrival of colder weather that keeps people indoors, raising the risk of transmission; increased travel from hard-hit states; gatherings to celebrate holidays or watch sporting events; protests and celebrations related to the recent election; an increase in workplace outbreaks; and a wrong belief that the danger of the pandemic has passed.
Health officials are particularly nervous that crowds could carry the virus with them as they travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, much as similar holiday travel in China for the Lunar New Year fueled the onset of the pandemic.
Federal, state and local authorities have urged people to stay home for Thanksgiving and cancel travel plans.
So far, California remains in a better situation overall than some other parts of the country where hospitals are already overwhelmed. But officials say they worry that that could easily change.
Pandemic control measures have twice worked in the past to dramatically slow the spread of the disease — first in the spring, when a sweeping stay-at-home order was imposed, and then again in the early summer, when Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered bars, indoor restaurants and movie theaters closed in the hardest-hit counties.


latimes--2020-11-25--Power could be cut to 76,000 in Southern California on Thanksgiving due to fire risk

As many as 76,000 Southern California Edison customers could spend Thanksgiving without power because of elevated wildfire risk , the utility company said Wednesday .
Communities from Hemet to Ventura may lose power as part of a “ public safety power shut-off , ” intended to keep electrical systems from becoming a source of wildfire ignition , as forecasts call for gusty Santa Ana winds and dry conditions across the Southland .
The National Weather Service said the powerful winds are expected to begin Thursday and last through Friday evening .
Gusts of up to 65 mph could pummel parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monica Mountains , Santa Clarita Valley , San Gabriel Mountains and Malibu , said meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ We are expecting the peak to be Thursday night through Friday , ” Kittell said , “ but Thursday afternoon will also be pretty windy .
It ’ s not going to be the greatest time for anyone with plans for portable shelters or eating outdoors.
” It will be a colder Santa Ana event than usual , Kittell said , with temperatures hovering in the upper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous .
The weather service upgraded a fire weather watch to a red flag warning for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties .
Red flag warnings indicate ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite .
Edison spokesman Reggie Kumar said the decision to shut off power — especially on one of the most anticipated holidays of the year — won ’ t be taken lightly but added that public safety has to be a priority .
“ We know public safety power shut-offs are disruptive to our customers and communities , especially during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are doing all we can to keep the power flowing and reduce the number and length of our shut-offs that could occur possibly tomorrow or Friday.
” The company has already notified customers who may be affected by the shut-off , Kumar said , which includes more than 15,000 customers in Los Angeles County , 42,000 in San Bernardino County and 12,000 in Ventura County , among others .
Kumar said Edison is able to “ isolate its circuits , ” meaning any shut-offs will be as narrow and specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of homes without power .
Residents can enter their address here to see if they may be affected .
Edison has already come under scrutiny for its potential role in September ’ s Bobcat fire , which may have ignited after tree branches hit one of the utility ’ s power lines .
That fire burned through more than 115,000 acres and destroyed at least 80 homes , according to the U.S. Forest Service .
But it ’ s not only winds that pose a threat : Low humidity and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , creating rife fuel for flames .
Kittel said those hoping for wet relief from the state ’ s worst wildfire season will have to wait a bit longer .
“ Rain chances are looking pretty minimal to nonexistent all the way through at least the first week of December , ” he said .
“ In fact , there may even be another Santa Ana event sometime in the middle of next week .
”

As many as 76,000 Southern California Edison customers could spend Thanksgiving without power because of elevated wildfire risk, the utility company said Wednesday.
Communities from Hemet to Ventura may lose power as part of a “public safety power shut-off” intended to keep electrical systems from becoming a source of wildfire ignition, as forecasts call for gusty Santa Ana winds and dry conditions across the Southland.
The National Weather Service said the powerful winds were expected to begin Thursday and last through Friday evening.
Gusts of up to 65 mph could pummel parts of the San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, San Gabriel Mountains and Malibu, said meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
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Santa Ana wind for later this week - Thanksgiving Day through late Friday evening. Strong NE wind gusts across much of LA/VTA Counties and low humidity. This is a cold #SantaAna so highs will be in the 60's to low 70's. #CAwx #SOCal #LAwind pic.twitter.com/BayKEsElFJ — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) November 24, 2020
“We are expecting the peak to be Thursday night through Friday,” Kittell said, “but Thursday afternoon will also be pretty windy. It’s not going to be the greatest time for anyone with plans for portable shelters or eating outdoors.”
It will be a colder Santa Ana event than usual, Kittell said, with temperatures hovering in the upper 60s to mid-70s, but no less dangerous. The weather service upgraded a fire weather watch to a red flag warning for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Red flag warnings indicate ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite.
Edison spokesman Reggie Kumar said the decision to shut off power — especially on one of the most anticipated holidays of the year — would not be taken lightly but added that public safety had to be a priority.
“We know public safety power shut-offs are disruptive to our customers and communities, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday,” he said. “We are doing all we can to keep the power flowing and reduce the number and length of our shut-offs that could occur possibly tomorrow or Friday.”
The company has already notified customers who may be affected by the shut-off, Kumar said, which includes more than 15,000 customers in Los Angeles County, 42,000 in San Bernardino County and 12,000 in Ventura County, among others.
Kumar said Edison was able to “isolate its circuits,” meaning any shut-offs will be as narrow and specific as possible, to limit the number of homes without power. Residents can enter their address here to see if they may be affected.
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Edison has already come under scrutiny for its potential role in September’s Bobcat fire, which may have ignited after tree branches hit one of the utility’s power lines. That fire burned through more than 115,000 acres and destroyed at least 80 homes, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
But it’s not only winds that pose a threat: Low humidity and a lack of precipitation can also dry out vegetation, creating fuel for flames. Kittel said those hoping for wet relief from the state’s worst wildfire season would have to wait a bit longer.
“Rain chances are looking pretty minimal to nonexistent all the way through at least the first week of December,” he said. “In fact, there may even be another Santa Ana event sometime in the middle of next week.”


latimes--2020-11-25--Ruling opens the way for sex, rock and 'gangster' talk on license plates

Want to personalize your California license plate using a racy term ?
You ’ ll soon be able to .
A federal judge on Tuesday struck down the state ’ s ban on certain “ offensive ” vanity plates , ruling that the prohibition violates free speech rights .
Although creative personalized plates regularly make their way through a review process , some never get past the Department of Motor Vehicles .
The state agency prohibits plates it deems to be “ offensive to good taste and decency , ” including those with sexual connotations ; vulgar , insulting or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative connotations to a specific group.
” But illicit messages may soon pervade the roadway after U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in Oakland ruled that the DMV “ unconstitutionally discriminates ” with its guidelines for deciding personalized plates .
“ It really goes to show that when you give department officials the discretion to ban everything that they believe ‘ offensive to good taste and decency , ’ they will necessarily make subjective and arbitrary results , ” said Wen Fa , attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation , which backed the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramifications in the free speech world.
” News of the victory thrilled Paul Chris Ogilvie , one of five people who brought the case against the DMV after his license plate was denied .
Ogilvie had requested the plate “ OGWOOLF , ” a combination of a nickname his Army drill sergeant riffed off his last name , “ OG , ” and what his friends at home call him , “ Woolf.
” The DMV denied his application since the configuration “ contained a gang reference , ” the court ruling said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original gangster.
” “ To be able to get those on my plates , I was so excited about it , ” said Ogilvie , who sports three wolf tattoos .
“ And then to be dashed by gang affiliation , I was like , ‘ You got to be kidding me !
’ ” The DMV did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The court ruling does not prohibit the DMV from potentially banning certain words that fall out of the scope of the 1st Amendment — such as profanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognized that some surprising license plates might soon abound .
“ Of course , not regulating for taste means allowing speech that many — including this Court — might find in poor taste or even offensive , ” the ruling said .
The DMV charges $ 53 to personalize a license plate and $ 43 for an annual renewal ; most proceeds go toward state environmental projects , according to the court ruling .
The DMV processed 233,791 applications in 2019 — slightly fewer than in 2018 , when the DMV denied over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the suit .
“ What we don ’ t know at this point is whether the DMV will enact a new , perhaps more narrowly crafted regulation , so I think that would have some impact on the number on the road , ” Fa said .
“ But certainly a lot of license plates that were rejected in the past would be approved.
” Four other plaintiffs in the case also had their license plate applications denied “ on the basis of nothing more than a whim and a hunch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : • SLAAYRR : James Blair of San Mateo said he wanted to pay tribute to his favorite metal band , Slayer , but the department found the request “ threatening , aggressive , or hostile.
” • QUEER : Amrit Kohli of Oakland established Queer Folks Records in attempt to reclaim the word “ queer.
” The department denied his request because it could be considered offensive to a specific group or person .
• DUK N A : Andrea Campanile of Monterey , who owns two Ducati motorcycles , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Andrea.
” That request was found “ profane or obscene.
” • BO11LUX : Paul Crawford of San Diego wanted his plate to represent his Shakespeare Pub ’ s slogan , “ Real beer , proper food , no bollocks.
” His request was also denied because it could be construed to be of a sexual nature .
The DMV ’ s criteria for ruling on the cases “ unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of viewpoint , ” Tuesday ’ s court order said .
“ Regulations governing speech on California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both viewpoint neutral and reasonable , ” the court order read .
The court also said the DMV ’ s denial of license plates was “ not uniformly followed.
” For example , the DMV expressly ruled that the number “ 69 ” only be used in reference to cars made in 1969 .
But a few cases slipped through , including “ 69 LUV N. ” “ Arguably the configuration most likely to be interpreted as a sexual reference [ it ] was accepted because the applicant described the meaning as ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court ruling said .
“ Even the straightforward ban on the number 69 has been arbitrarily applied.
” It may be a while until the new framework takes effect : The DMV has temporarily suspended its personalized plates program while California is in a state of emergency .

The personalized license plate “OGWOOLF,” shown in a mockup, was among several at the heart of a lawsuit against the California DMV.
Want to personalize your California license plate using a racy term?
You’ll soon be able to. A federal judge on Tuesday struck down the state’s ban on certain “offensive” vanity plates, ruling that the prohibition violates free speech rights.
Although creative personalized plates regularly make their way through a review process, some never get past the Department of Motor Vehicles. The state agency prohibits plates it deems to be “offensive to good taste and decency,” including those with sexual connotations; vulgar, insulting or degrading terms; profanities; or “negative connotations to a specific group.”
But illicit messages may soon pervade the roadway after U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in Oakland ruled that the DMV “unconstitutionally discriminates” with its guidelines for deciding personalized plates.
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“It really goes to show that when you give department officials the discretion to ban everything that they believe ‘offensive to good taste and decency,’ they will necessarily make subjective and arbitrary results,” said Wen Fa, attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, which backed the case. “This decision could have important ramifications in the free speech world.”
News of the victory thrilled Paul Chris Ogilvie, one of five people who brought the case against the DMV after his license plate was denied. Ogilvie had requested the plate “OGWOOLF,” a combination of a nickname his Army drill sergeant riffed off his last name, “OG,” and what his friends at home call him, “Woolf.” The DMV denied his application since the configuration “contained a gang reference,” the court ruling said. “OG” can mean “original gangster.”
“To be able to get those on my plates, I was so excited about it,” said Ogilvie, who sports three wolf tattoos. “And then to be dashed by gang affiliation, I was like, ‘You got to be kidding me!’”
The DMV did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The court ruling does not prohibit the DMV from potentially banning certain words that fall out of the scope of the 1st Amendment — such as profanity and hate speech — but the court recognized that some surprising license plates might soon abound.
“Of course, not regulating for taste means allowing speech that many — including this Court — might find in poor taste or even offensive,” the ruling said.
The DMV charges $53 to personalize a license plate and $43 for an annual renewal; most proceeds go toward state environmental projects, according to the court ruling. The DMV processed 233,791 applications in 2019 — slightly fewer than in 2018, when the DMV denied over 30,000 of its 249,000 requests, according to the suit.
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“What we don’t know at this point is whether the DMV will enact a new, perhaps more narrowly crafted regulation, so I think that would have some impact on the number on the road,” Fa said. “But certainly a lot of license plates that were rejected in the past would be approved.”
Four other plaintiffs in the case also had their license plate applications denied “on the basis of nothing more than a whim and a hunch,” a Pacific Legal Foundation news release said:
SLAAYRR: James Blair of San Mateo said he wanted to pay tribute to his favorite metal band, Slayer, but the department found the request “threatening, aggressive, or hostile.”
QUEER: Amrit Kohli of Oakland established Queer Folks Records in attempt to reclaim the word “queer.” The department denied his request because it could be considered offensive to a specific group or person.
DUK N A: Andrea Campanile of Monterey, who owns two Ducati motorcycles, said she intended it to mean “Ducati and Andrea.” That request was found “profane or obscene.”
BO11LUX: Paul Crawford of San Diego wanted his plate to represent his Shakespeare Pub’s slogan, “Real beer, proper food, no bollocks.” His request was also denied because it could be construed to be of a sexual nature.
The DMV’s criteria for ruling on the cases “unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of viewpoint,” Tuesday’s court order said.
“Regulations governing speech on California’s environmental license plates therefore must be both viewpoint neutral and reasonable,” the court order read.
The court also said the DMV’s denial of license plates was “not uniformly followed.” For example, the DMV expressly ruled that the number “69” only be used in reference to cars made in 1969. But a few cases slipped through, including “69 LUV N.”
“Arguably the configuration most likely to be interpreted as a sexual reference [it] was accepted because the applicant described the meaning as ‘loving my 69 GMC,’” the court ruling said. “Even the straightforward ban on the number 69 has been arbitrarily applied.”
It may be a while until the new framework takes effect: The DMV has temporarily suspended its personalized plates program while California is in a state of emergency.


latimes--2020-11-25--Police Commission rules fatal shooting of man holding bicycle part was justified

The Los Angeles Police Commission ruled Tuesday that an LAPD sergeant acted within department policy when he fatally shot a 31-year-old man who was holding a bicycle part that resembled a handgun in Culver City in January .
The unanimous decision , justifying the sergeant ’ s actions and clearing him of any punishment , came after family members of Victor Valencia told the commission during a virtual Zoom meeting that Valencia suffered from mental illness , was of little threat and deserved better .
“ There ’ s other ways to go about things , ” said Sara Cervantes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What gave the reason for this officer to shoot down my cousin like he was nothing ?
” Cervantes and another family member said that officers should be better trained to understand people with mental illness and see them as people deserving of compassion .
Commission President Eileen Decker told the family that the commission would hear all the evidence in the case and “ adjudicate the case fairly and objectively in accordance with the law.
” The commission then went into closed session , where it agreed with recommendations from LAPD Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviews police shootings that Sgt .
Colin Langsdale , who shot Valencia , should receive a tactical debriefing but was otherwise in line with department policy and therefore justified in his actions .
Valencia ’ s killing has been protested by activists in the city who said Valencia did not have a gun and should not have been shot .
The commission ’ s ruling comes amid a broader discussion in L.A. about the role police should play in cases involving people suffering from mental illness , with activists and police agreeing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipped to respond to certain calls for help .
However , it ’ s likely the call that brought Langsdale to the Culver City street where Valencia was would elicit a police response regardless , given its nature .
According to a report Moore provided to the commission Tuesday , Langsdale responded to the area of South Sepulveda and South Venice boulevards about 12:45 p.m. Saturday after police received reports of a man with a gun — with one caller saying he was “ waving it around.
” Langsdale did not have his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the scene , according to police .
Once he activated it , it captured Valencia already on the ground and Langsdale standing behind the open door of his police car , gun drawn .
Langsdale said he believed Valencia had a gun .
Other witnesses at the scene said they also believed he had a gun .
Surveillance footage from a local gas station released by police showed Valencia holding up the bicycle part and appearing agitated .
Cervantes , Valencia ’ s cousin , said she suffers from depression , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people suffering from mental illness , and LAPD officers need far better training on how to interact with people in the throes of a mental health crisis .
“ They need to know how to deal with people with our state of minds , ” she said .
“ It ’ s not our fault that we go through this mental state .
”

The Los Angeles Police Commission ruled Tuesday that an LAPD sergeant acted within department policy when he fatally shot a 31-year-old man who was holding a bicycle part that resembled a handgun in Culver City in January.
The unanimous decision, justifying the sergeant’s actions and clearing him of any punishment, came after family members of Victor Valencia told the commission during a virtual Zoom meeting that Valencia suffered from mental illness, was of little threat and deserved better.
“There’s other ways to go about things,” said Sara Cervantes, Valencia’s cousin. “What gave the reason for this officer to shoot down my cousin like he was nothing?”
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Cervantes and another family member said that officers should be better trained to understand people with mental illness and see them as people deserving of compassion.
Commission President Eileen Decker told the family that the commission would hear all the evidence in the case and “adjudicate the case fairly and objectively in accordance with the law.”
The commission then went into closed session, where it agreed with recommendations from LAPD Chief Michel Moore and a separate panel that reviews police shootings that Sgt. Colin Langsdale, who shot Valencia, should receive a tactical debriefing but was otherwise in line with department policy and therefore justified in his actions.
Valencia’s killing has been protested by activists in the city who said Valencia did not have a gun and should not have been shot.
The commission’s ruling comes amid a broader discussion in L.A. about the role police should play in cases involving people suffering from mental illness, with activists and police agreeing that alternative mental health providers would be better equipped to respond to certain calls for help.
However, it’s likely the call that brought Langsdale to the Culver City street where Valencia was would elicit a police response regardless, given its nature.
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According to a report Moore provided to the commission Tuesday, Langsdale responded to the area of South Sepulveda and South Venice boulevards about 12:45 p.m. Saturday after police received reports of a man with a gun — with one caller saying he was “waving it around.”
Langsdale did not have his body camera activated when he first arrived at the scene, according to police. Once he activated it, it captured Valencia already on the ground and Langsdale standing behind the open door of his police car, gun drawn.
Langsdale said he believed Valencia had a gun. Other witnesses at the scene said they also believed he had a gun. Surveillance footage from a local gas station released by police showed Valencia holding up the bicycle part and appearing agitated.
Cervantes, Valencia’s cousin, said she suffers from depression, and that L.A. needs more services and programs for people suffering from mental illness, and LAPD officers need far better training on how to interact with people in the throes of a mental health crisis.
“They need to know how to deal with people with our state of minds,” she said. “It’s not our fault that we go through this mental state.”