latimes--2020-05-05--Police reform advocates demand LAPD stop using CalGang database

Police reform advocates on Tuesday demanded the Los Angeles Police Department stop using a statewide database for identifying and tracking gang members , arguing it has undermined public safety and derailed the lives of innocent people .
The advocates told members of the Los Angeles Police Commission that they are not only concerned with the allegations of overt abuses of the CalGang database by officers , but with the system overall .
Even when operating as intended , they said , the database too often places incorrect and life-altering labels on young men of color based on little more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods they live in .
“ We need to divest in suppression policing , and instead invest in youth development , ” said Anthony Robles of the Youth Justice Coalition , who said he experienced police harassment growing up after being misidentified as a gang member .
Melanie Ochoa , a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California , said the database “ can not just be fixed with some tweaks and additional oversight , ” because the problems are systemic and officers are misidentifying people routinely .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAPD officers are actually very bad at this , and very often incorrect , ” she said .
The comments came during the first of several meetings intended to collect public input on the matter after years of controversy and amid several reviews of the database ’ s use within the LAPD , including by the department , Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra and the California Department of Justice .
The California Legislature gave oversight of CalGang to the attorney general in 2018 after an audit found it lacked proper state oversight and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were purged from the database as a result , but thousands more have been added since — many of them by LAPD officers .
Earlier this year , the department said as many as 20 officers from the LAPD ’ s Metropolitan Division were being investigated for falsifying interview cards from traffic stops and entering incorrect information into the database to make it seem as if they were doing a better job collecting intel .
Police officials have condemned abuses of the system but defended it as a valuable crime-fighting tool .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she and other commissioners had grave concerns about abuses of the system , and welcomed input from the advocates on what should be done to end those abuses and improve the program .
A few advocates said an immediate moratorium on adding any new names to the database should be adopted until the department can get a better grasp on how best to operate it appropriately .
But most of the advocates said the database should be scrapped entirely .
Several shared personal stories about how it had negatively affected their lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Youth Justice Coalition , said he was formerly incarcerated and haunted for years by his designation as a gang member .
He was recently accepted to UC Berkeley but still feels the shadow of that designation .
“ For folks like me who have done their time and are trying to change their life , this label , this stigma , stays with you forever , ” he said .
Demetra Johnson , with PUSH L.A. , said her son was put into the database when he was 17 years old despite never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a police cadet , and it took her two months of collecting letters from his teachers and counselors , and taking him to a police station to prove he didn ’ t have any gang-related tattoos , to get the police to remove his name .
“ During those 60 days when he was on there , I was just terrified , ” she said .
Ochoa , of the ACLU , said police try to downplay the importance of the gang database , even though they know that putting a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thereby sharing the assertion that they are gang affiliated with an array of other law enforcement agencies across the country , can have devastating effects .
“ That label alone can cost them their housing , their employment , their right to remain in the United States , their freedom and their life , ” she said .
Several commissioners said they believe change is needed , but are evaluating the database one step at a time .
They still have to hear back from the Police Department on its investigation into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results from a separate audit of the program in all of the department ’ s divisions , before making any decisions on how to change it .
Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith said the people who testified provided valuable insight into the detrimental effects of labeling people as threats , both for them and the broader community .
“ There are people behind these labels , ” she said , “ and extraordinary people who are held back by these labels .
”

Police Commission President Eileen Decker listens during a meeting in May 2019. Decker’s panel heard testimony Tuesday from advocates calling for an end to the LAPD’s use of a statewide gang database.
Police reform advocates on Tuesday demanded the Los Angeles Police Department stop using a statewide database for identifying and tracking gang members, arguing it has undermined public safety and derailed the lives of innocent people.
The advocates told members of the Los Angeles Police Commission that they are not only concerned with the allegations of overt abuses of the CalGang database by officers, but with the system overall. Even when operating as intended, they said, the database too often places incorrect and life-altering labels on young men of color based on little more than their clothing, their tattoos and the neighborhoods they live in.
“We need to divest in suppression policing, and instead invest in youth development,” said Anthony Robles of the Youth Justice Coalition, who said he experienced police harassment growing up after being misidentified as a gang member.
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Melanie Ochoa, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said the database “cannot just be fixed with some tweaks and additional oversight,” because the problems are systemic and officers are misidentifying people routinely.
“All the evidence we have is that LAPD officers are actually very bad at this, and very often incorrect,” she said.
The comments came during the first of several meetings intended to collect public input on the matter after years of controversy and amid several reviews of the database’s use within the LAPD, including by the department, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and the California Department of Justice.
The California Legislature gave oversight of CalGang to the attorney general in 2018 after an audit found it lacked proper state oversight and contained questionable records. Thousands of records were purged from the database as a result, but thousands more have been added since — many of them by LAPD officers.
Earlier this year, the department said as many as 20 officers from the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division were being investigated for falsifying interview cards from traffic stops and entering incorrect information into the database to make it seem as if they were doing a better job collecting intel.
Police officials have condemned abuses of the system but defended it as a valuable crime-fighting tool.
Police Commission President Eileen Decker said Tuesday that she and other commissioners had grave concerns about abuses of the system, and welcomed input from the advocates on what should be done to end those abuses and improve the program.
A few advocates said an immediate moratorium on adding any new names to the database should be adopted until the department can get a better grasp on how best to operate it appropriately. But most of the advocates said the database should be scrapped entirely.
Several shared personal stories about how it had negatively affected their lives.
Michael Saavedra, legal coordinator for the Youth Justice Coalition, said he was formerly incarcerated and haunted for years by his designation as a gang member. He was recently accepted to UC Berkeley but still feels the shadow of that designation.
“For folks like me who have done their time and are trying to change their life, this label, this stigma, stays with you forever,” he said.
Demetra Johnson, with PUSH L.A., said her son was put into the database when he was 17 years old despite never having come into contact with police except as a police cadet, and it took her two months of collecting letters from his teachers and counselors, and taking him to a police station to prove he didn’t have any gang-related tattoos, to get the police to remove his name.
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“During those 60 days when he was on there, I was just terrified,” she said.
Ochoa, of the ACLU, said police try to downplay the importance of the gang database, even though they know that putting a person’s name into it, and thereby sharing the assertion that they are gang affiliated with an array of other law enforcement agencies across the country, can have devastating effects.
“That label alone can cost them their housing, their employment, their right to remain in the United States, their freedom and their life,” she said.
Several commissioners said they believe change is needed, but are evaluating the database one step at a time. They still have to hear back from the Police Department on its investigation into the alleged abuses, and look at the results from a separate audit of the program in all of the department’s divisions, before making any decisions on how to change it.
Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith said the people who testified provided valuable insight into the detrimental effects of labeling people as threats, both for them and the broader community.
“There are people behind these labels,” she said, “and extraordinary people who are held back by these labels.”


latimes--2020-05-05--Photos taken at Kobe Bryant crash site should be against the law, California lawmaker says

Outraged by allegations that Los Angeles sheriff ’ s deputies shared photos from the site of a helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant , his daughter and seven others , a California lawmaker wants to make it a crime for law enforcement officers to take unauthorized photographs of those killed in accidents and crimes .
State Assemblyman Mike Gipson ( D-Carson ) has introduced legislation that would make it a misdemeanor with punishment of up to a year in jail and as much as $ 5,000 in fines for a first responder to use a smartphone or other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any purpose other than official law enforcement business .
“ Our first responders , when responding to an emergency , should not be taking very sensitive photographs … for their own gain , for their own pleasure , ” Gipson said Tuesday .
“ It was unconscionable .
It ’ s not right.
” Assembly Bill 2655 , which was introduced this week , would outlaw acts that violate the privacy of deceased victims and apply to all first responders acting under color of authority , including law enforcement officers , paramedics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bill would also allow a search warrant to be issued on grounds that the property being seized contains evidence that a first responder has taken unauthorized photographs at crime scenes and accidents in an invasion of privacy .
Bryant was killed along with eight others , including his teenage daughter , when a helicopter taking them to a youth basketball tournament crashed in the hills of Calabasas on Jan. 26 .
Three days after the accident , a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy was at a Norwalk bar and allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crash site .
That resulted in a citizen complaint to the department .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva later acknowledged that the department ordered deputies to delete the images , The Times reported .
Amid public outrage , the department launched an investigation of the sharing of the photographs , and Villanueva asked his agency ’ s chief watchdog to monitor the inquiry .
In addition , Villanueva asked the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to provide input as his agency drafts a new policy regarding the taking and distribution of photographs and recordings by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant , the widow of Kobe Bryant and mother of Gianna Bryant , 13 , who was also killed in the crash , called the alleged behavior by deputies “ inexcusable and deplorable .
”

A new state law was proposed in response to reports that deputies shared gruesome photos from the site of a helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant and eight others in January.
Outraged by allegations that Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies shared photos from the site of a helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others, a California lawmaker wants to make it a crime for law enforcement officers to take unauthorized photographs of those killed in accidents and crimes.
State Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson) has introduced legislation that would make it a misdemeanor with punishment of up to a year in jail and as much as $5,000 in fines for a first responder to use a smartphone or other device to photograph a deceased person for any purpose other than official law enforcement business.
“Our first responders, when responding to an emergency, should not be taking very sensitive photographs … for their own gain, for their own pleasure,” Gipson said Tuesday. “It was unconscionable. It’s not right.”
Assembly Bill 2655, which was introduced this week, would outlaw acts that violate the privacy of deceased victims and apply to all first responders acting under color of authority, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, dispatchers, firefighters and medical examiners.
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The bill would also allow a search warrant to be issued on grounds that the property being seized contains evidence that a first responder has taken unauthorized photographs at crime scenes and accidents in an invasion of privacy.
Bryant was killed along with eight others, including his teenage daughter, when a helicopter taking them to a youth basketball tournament crashed in the hills of Calabasas on Jan. 26.
Three days after the accident, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was at a Norwalk bar and allegedly showed patrons some gruesome photos taken at the crash site. That resulted in a citizen complaint to the department.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva later acknowledged that the department ordered deputies to delete the images, The Times reported.
Amid public outrage, the department launched an investigation of the sharing of the photographs, and Villanueva asked his agency’s chief watchdog to monitor the inquiry.
In addition, Villanueva asked the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to provide input as his agency drafts a new policy regarding the taking and distribution of photographs and recordings by on-duty personnel.
An attorney for Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant and mother of Gianna Bryant, 13, who was also killed in the crash, called the alleged behavior by deputies “inexcusable and deplorable.”


latimes--2020-05-05--USC students sue for tuition and dining refunds amid coronavirus disruption

USC students are suing the school for not refunding tuition and fees after the university canceled in-person instruction because of the coronavirus public health threat , a law firm said Tuesday .
The class-action lawsuit , Watson vs. the University of Southern California , alleges that USC is unlawfully refusing to refund all or part of students ’ spring 2020 tuition , fees and meal plans , “ despite the dramatically lower quality and less valuable education and services now being provided , ” according to the complaint , which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students have paid Defendants for access to buildings they can no longer enter , technology the University is not providing , activities that are not available , and meals that will never be served , ” the complaint says .
“ USC is thus profiting from COVID-19 while further burdening students and their families.
” The lawsuit against USC follows others filed against the University of California and California State University last week alleging that the university systems owe millions of dollars to students who can no longer use health facilities , student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fees .
Provost Charles F. Zukoski announced last week that USC would not provide partial tuition refunds for spring or summer sessions .
He said the university did provide prorated housing and dining fee refunds to students who vacated university housing .
USC said that it was “ disappointed ” by the lawsuit but that the university took “ extraordinary steps ” to maintain the educational experience for students .
“ USC pivoted immediately to deliver quality instruction in an online format , ” the university said .
“ Faculty and staff have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that academic work continues on track and that progress toward the completion of a USC degree continues.
” The suit against USC alleges breach of contract and unfair business practices , among other things , on behalf of an estimated 40,000 students who paid tuition and fees for in-person education during the spring 2020 term and did not receive those services or adequate refunds .
The lead plaintiff , Latisha Watson , is a master ’ s of social work student who lives off campus and doesn ’ t own a car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took out loans to pay $ 21,886.38 in tuition and fees for the spring semester , including $ 675 for a meal plan she can no longer use and for which she received no partial refund .
The lawsuit seeks , for her and for other members of the class , a refund of the unused portion of meal plan fees and of a percentage of tuition .
“ Despite receiving [ an ] influx of federal funds , Defendants refuse to refund or reimburse Plaintiff and similarly-situated USC students , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 19 million in federal aid through the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act .
At least half of the funds must be spent directly on emergency aid for students .
The other half may be used for institutional costs resulting from disruptions caused by the COVID- ` 19 pandemic , including reimbursing the university for refunds issued to students for room and board , tuition and other fees , according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education .

USC students are suing the university after Provost Charles F. Zukoski said it would issue no partial tuition refunds amid the coronavirus pandemic.
USC students are suing the school for not refunding tuition and fees after the university canceled in-person instruction because of the coronavirus public health threat, a law firm said Tuesday.
The class-action lawsuit, Watson vs. the University of Southern California, alleges that USC is unlawfully refusing to refund all or part of students’ spring 2020 tuition, fees and meal plans, “despite the dramatically lower quality and less valuable education and services now being provided,” according to the complaint, which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.
“Essentially, students have paid Defendants for access to buildings they can no longer enter, technology the University is not providing, activities that are not available, and meals that will never be served,” the complaint says. “USC is thus profiting from COVID-19 while further burdening students and their families.”
The lawsuit against USC follows others filed against the University of California and California State University last week alleging that the university systems owe millions of dollars to students who can no longer use health facilities, student centers and other services paid for by fees.
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Provost Charles F. Zukoski announced last week that USC would not provide partial tuition refunds for spring or summer sessions. He said the university did provide prorated housing and dining fee refunds to students who vacated university housing.
USC said that it was “disappointed” by the lawsuit but that the university took “extraordinary steps” to maintain the educational experience for students.
“USC pivoted immediately to deliver quality instruction in an online format,” the university said. “Faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to connect with students to ensure that academic work continues on track and that progress toward the completion of a USC degree continues.”
The suit against USC alleges breach of contract and unfair business practices, among other things, on behalf of an estimated 40,000 students who paid tuition and fees for in-person education during the spring 2020 term and did not receive those services or adequate refunds.
The lead plaintiff, Latisha Watson, is a master’s of social work student who lives off campus and doesn’t own a car, according to the complaint. She took out loans to pay $21,886.38 in tuition and fees for the spring semester, including $675 for a meal plan she can no longer use and for which she received no partial refund. The lawsuit seeks, for her and for other members of the class, a refund of the unused portion of meal plan fees and of a percentage of tuition.
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“Despite receiving [an] influx of federal funds, Defendants refuse to refund or reimburse Plaintiff and similarly-situated USC students,” the lawsuit says.
USC will receive more than $19 million in federal aid through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. At least half of the funds must be spent directly on emergency aid for students. The other half may be used for institutional costs resulting from disruptions caused by the COVID-`19 pandemic, including reimbursing the university for refunds issued to students for room and board, tuition and other fees, according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.


latimes--2020-05-05--Lifting stay-at-home order too soon would cause more deaths, Northern California officials say

Santa Clara County ’ s executive officer cautioned Tuesday against moving quickly to lift the shelter-in-place order .
The death toll in California is still going up at significant numbers , Dr. Jeffrey Smith told the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Tuesday .
A Times analysis showed that 495 coronavirus deaths were reported statewide in the seven-day period that ended on Sunday .
While the weekly death toll represented a 9 % decrease compared to the previous week , it also represented nearly one-quarter of the state ’ s death toll up to that point .
“ You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone up pretty significantly in recent times , ” Smith said .
“ There ’ s a lot of talk in California about relaxing shelter-in-place [ orders ] .
I just want to point out that we ’ re still , in California , going up dramatically .
So there ’ s no clinical evidence that shelter-in-place [ orders ] should be relaxed at this point.
” Echoing statements by other medical experts , Smith said loosening up the stay-at-home orders will result in more infections and deaths .
With many states now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is now forecasting a national death toll of more than 134,000 by early August , close to double the current total of 70,000 .
The institute now forecasts a California death toll of 4,700 by early August , also roughly double of California ’ s current number of more than 2,300 .
Dr. George Rutherford , a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious disease expert , said on KGO-TV that the institute ’ s estimates so far have been spot-on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration forecasts the daily death toll nationwide to rise to about 3,000 a day on June 1 , the New York Times reported .
The average daily death toll nationally last week was 1,800 fatalities a day .
Such a daily death toll would be staggering , Rutherford said .
“ Just remember , 3,000 deaths per day is 90,000 deaths per month .
There were 56,000 Americans who died in Vietnam ; 44,000 that died in the Korean War , and that was spread out over years , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to die , ” Smith said .
“ Relaxation that ’ s more rapid and more widespread will be more risky.
” So far , Santa Clara County has joined five other Bay Area counties in implementing one of the nation ’ s strictest shelter-in-place orders , and has opted for an extremely slow loosening of the rules .
While construction in L.A. County was never ordered halted , the Bay Area had put brakes on most construction , a restriction that was repealed in a new health order on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been extended to May 31 .
Dr. Sara Cody , the Santa Clara County health officer , said the Bay Area ’ s most populous county is seeing cases and hospitalizations flatten or decrease , and has ample hospital bed capacity .
But the county still does not have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment , like masks , gowns and gloves , only one-fifth of the needed testing capacity , and needs to do more to increase the county ’ s capability to investigate new illnesses .
When asked if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide loosening of stay-at-home orders would affect the Bay Area , Cody said health officials were still seeking more specifics from the state as to what ’ s allowed to be opened .
One elected official , Santa Clara County supervisor Mike Wasserman , expressed concern about the potential duration of the shelter-in-place order and said he hoped all small businesses — from barber shops to jewelry stores — can be allowed to reopen as soon as possible .
“ We can ’ t shelter in place forever , ” Wasserman told health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t let more people go back to work sooner than later , our economy will effectively go on life support.
” County officials asked for more patience , saying increasing testing and disease investigating capabilities are crucial before weakening stay-at-home orders further .
“ We ’ re working really hard because we do know that many , many in our community are suffering from the economy and the social isolation of being at home .
So I hear you loud and clear .
And I am worried , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sticking with the shelter-in-place order longer the first time may end up being the better move , not only from a health perspective , but also from an economic one .
During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic , while Philadelphia moved too slowly to deal with rising flu outbreaks , St. Louis acted far more quickly , closing many public places swiftly , and , “ strangely enough , their economy came back faster than Philadelphia , ” Smith said .
A recent study found that cities that moved more aggressively to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced a better economic recovery afterward .
“ It ’ s never an either-or , it ’ s always how do you accomplish both good goals .
And we ’ ve got two good goals , ” Smith said .
Smith said this pandemic is one of only four worldwide in the past 102 years , and the only one in modern history caused by a coronavirus , a type of virus that until now has been associated with the common cold .
In just a matter of a few months , 256,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus have died , while the 1957-58 flu pandemic killed 1.1 million people ; the 1968 flu pandemic resulted in 1 million deaths and the 1918 pandemic resulted in 50 million dead worldwide .

Jeremiah Pino, Lydia Perez, center, and Aimee Roux (R) enjoy their first night out in weeks at the Silver Dollar Saloon in the Yuba County city of Marysville on Tuesday.
Santa Clara County’s executive officer cautioned Tuesday against moving quickly to lift the shelter-in-place order.
The death toll in California is still going up at significant numbers, Dr. Jeffrey Smith told the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. A Times analysis showed that 495 coronavirus deaths were reported statewide in the seven-day period that ended Sunday. While the weekly death toll represented a 9% decrease compared to the previous week, it also represented nearly one-quarter of the state’s death toll up to that point.
“You can still see that it’s still gone up pretty significantly in recent times,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of talk in California about relaxing shelter-in-place [orders]. I just want to point out that we’re still, in California, going up dramatically. So there’s no clinical evidence that shelter-in-place [orders] should be relaxed at this point.”
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Echoing statements by other medical experts, Smith said loosening the stay-at-home orders would result in more infections and deaths.
With many states now significantly relaxing stay-at-home orders, Smith noted the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation was now forecasting a national death toll of more than 134,000 by early August, close to double the current total of 70,000. The institute now forecasts a California death toll of 4,700 by early August, also roughly double California’s current number of more than 2,300.
Dr. George Rutherford, a UC San Francisco infectious disease expert, said on KGO-TV that the institute’s estimates so far had been spot-on.
Separately, a private projection by the Trump administration forecasts the daily death toll nationwide to rise to about 3,000 a day on June 1, the New York Times reported. The average daily death toll nationally last week was 1,800 fatalities a day.
Such a daily death toll would be staggering, Rutherford said. “Just remember, 3,000 deaths per day is 90,000 deaths per month. There were 56,000 Americans who died in Vietnam; 44,000 that died in the Korean War, and that was spread out over years,” he said.
“Relaxing shelter-in-place will cause new people to die,” Smith said. “Relaxation that’s more rapid and more widespread will be more risky.”
So far, Santa Clara County has joined five other Bay Area counties in implementing one of the nation’s strictest shelter-in-place orders, and the county has opted for an extremely slow loosening of its rules. For example, although construction in L.A. County was never ordered halted, the Bay Area put the brakes on most construction. That restriction was repealed just Monday in a new health order. The Bay Area’s stay-at-home order has been extended to May 31.
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Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer, said the Bay Area’s most populous county is seeing cases and hospitalizations flatten or decrease, and has ample hospital bed capacity. But the county still does not have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, including masks, gowns and gloves, only one-fifth of the needed testing capacity, and needs to do more to increase the county’s capability to investigate new illnesses.
When asked if the governor’s announcement about the statewide loosening of stay-at-home orders would affect the Bay Area, Cody said health officials were still seeking more specifics from the state as to what was allowed to be opened.
One elected official, Santa Clara County supervisor Mike Wasserman, expressed concern about the potential duration of the shelter-in-place order and said he hoped all small businesses — from barber shops to jewelry stores — could be allowed to reopen as soon as possible.
“We can’t shelter in place forever,” Wasserman told health officials. “We do know if we don’t let more people go back to work sooner than later, our economy will effectively go on life support.”
County officials asked for more patience, saying increased testing and disease investigating capabilities were crucial before lifting stay-at-home orders further.
“We’re working really hard,” Cody said, “because we do know that many, many in our community are suffering from the economy and the social isolation of being at home. So I hear you loud and clear. And I am worried, too.”
Smith added that sticking with the shelter-in-place order longer the first time might end up being the better move, not only from a health perspective, but also from an economic one.
During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, while Philadelphia moved too slowly to deal with rising flu outbreaks, St. Louis acted far more quickly, closing many public places swiftly, and, “strangely enough, their economy came back faster than Philadelphia’s,” Smith said.
A recent study found that cities that moved more aggressively to close down the city as the flu hit experienced a better economic recovery afterward. “It’s never an either-or,” Smith said, “it’s always how do you accomplish both good goals. And we’ve got two good goals.”
Smith said this pandemic was one of only four worldwide in the last 102 years and the only one in modern history caused by a coronavirus, a type of virus that until now has been associated with the common cold.
In just a matter of a few months, 256,000 people who have been infected with the coronavirus have died, while the 1957-58 flu pandemic killed 1.1 million people, the 1968 flu pandemic resulted in 1 million deaths, and the 1918 pandemic resulted in 50 million dead worldwide.


latimes--2020-05-05--California Highway Patrol officers fatally shoot motorist on 60 Freeway

California Highway Patrol officers fatally shot a motorist Monday evening on the 60 Freeway in Montebello after he failed to comply with commands during a traffic stop , the agency said Tuesday .
Shortly before 8:30 p.m. , a CHP unit tried to pull over the motorist , who was heading east on the 60 Freeway near Paramount Boulevard in Montebello , according to a CHP news release .
Officer Chris Baldonado said the reason for the traffic stop remains unclear .
During the stop , the motorist “ failed to comply ” with the officers ’ commands and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Baldonado said multiple rounds were fired , but it remains unclear how many officers discharged their weapons .
The officers performed CPR and radioed for help from a nearby Los Angeles County Fire Department station , the agency said .
Paramedics responded and rendered aid , but the man was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m .
The identity of the motorist hasn ’ t been released pending notification of his next of kin , said Sarah Ardalani , a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner .
Investigators recovered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene that appeared to have come from the victim ’ s car , Baldonado said .
Three specialized CHP teams are investigating the shooting , according to the agency .

CHP officers at the scene on a fatal officer-involved shooting late Monday in Montebello on the 60 Freeway.
California Highway Patrol officers fatally shot a motorist Monday evening on the 60 Freeway in Montebello after he failed to comply with commands during a traffic stop, the agency said Tuesday.
Shortly before 8:30 p.m., a CHP unit tried to pull over the motorist, who was heading east on the 60 Freeway near Paramount Boulevard in Montebello, according to a CHP news release. Officer Chris Baldonado said the reason for the traffic stop remains unclear.
During the stop, the motorist “failed to comply” with the officers’ commands and the officers opened fire, the news release said. Baldonado said multiple rounds were fired, but it remains unclear how many officers discharged their weapons.
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The officers performed CPR and radioed for help from a nearby Los Angeles County Fire Department station, the agency said. Paramedics responded and rendered aid, but the man was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m.
The identity of the motorist hasn’t been released pending notification of his next of kin, said Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner.
Investigators recovered a “long-bladed type weapon” at the scene that appeared to have come from the victim’s car, Baldonado said. Three specialized CHP teams are investigating the shooting, according to the agency.


latimes--2020-05-05--Scientists say a now-dominant strain of the coronavirus could be more contagious than original

Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory .
The new strain appeared in February in Europe , migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March , the scientists wrote .
In addition to spreading faster , it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report warned .
The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv , a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer-reviewed , an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments .
That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one .
Scientists with major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs to combat the coronavirus have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mutate the way the influenza virus does , requiring a new vaccine every year .
The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption .
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now-infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus , which allow it to enter human respiratory cells .
The report ’ s authors said they felt an “ urgent need for an early warning ” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain .
In many places where the new strain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan , China , and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations , according to the report .
The new strain ’ s dominance over its predecessors suggests that it is more infectious , according to the report , though exactly why is not yet known .
The coronavirus , known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2 , has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data , a public-private organization in Germany .
Time and again , the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant .
The Los Alamos team , assisted by scientists at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England , identified 14 mutations .
Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that make up the coronavirus ’ s genome .
The report authors focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is responsible for the change in the virus ’ spikes .
“ The story is worrying , as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging , and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form , ” study leader Bette Korber , a computational biologist at Los Alamos , wrote on her Facebook page .
“ When viruses with this mutation enter a population , they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic , thus they are more transmissible.
” Scientists ’ reaction to the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professor of biochemistry at the University of Iowa who has conducted research on how cells defend themselves against viruses , called the Los Alamos report a useful paper .
Teams around the world working to develop vaccines “ would be watching papers like this very carefully.
” Brenner noted that the study did not show the mutation makes people sicker , but found more of the virus present in sick people , “ suggesting that it replicates better.
” The new strain of the virus is likely to be used for vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hotez , co-director of Texas Children ’ s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , called the new study “ noteworthy ” but said its conclusions require further investigation .
“ There is a lot of speculation here , ” Hotez said .
“ They have no experimental verification.
” The Los Alamos report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of the virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant .
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the original strain appeared .
Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February , but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated .
New York was hit by the original virus around March 15 , but within days the mutant strain took over .
The team did not report results for California .
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms , the study warns , the virus could undergo further mutations even as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk now , the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited .
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action .
If they were designed based on the original version of the spike , they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain , the study ’ s authors warned .
“ We can not afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical testing , ” Korber wrote on Facebook .
“ Please be encouraged by knowing the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.
” David Montefiori , a Duke University scientist who worked on the report , said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious .
Although the researchers don ’ t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body , it ’ s clearly doing something that gives it an evolutionary advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ classic case of Darwinian evolution.
” “ D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate , indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread , ” the study said .
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world .
In the United States , doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains of the virus could account for the differences in how it has infected , sickened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital .
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S. , one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast , according to Wu .
“ We are looking to identify the mutation , ” he said , noting that his hospital has had only a few deaths out of the hundreds of cases it has treated , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are hearing from New York.
” The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original .
People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads .
But the study ’ s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients , hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version .
Even if the new strain is no more dangerous than the others , it could still complicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That would be an issue if the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version .
If that is indeed the case , it could make “ individuals susceptible to a second infection , ” the study authors wrote .
Peter Pitts , president of the nonpartisan Center for Medicine in the Public Interest , and former FDA associate commissioner , said the emergence of a mutation is not surprising , but it does increase the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation and other measures .
“ It clearly means that we are up against a wily virus , ” he said .

An image from an electron microscope shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Scientists say this coronavirus has mutated and become more contagious.
Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The new strain appeared in February in Europe, migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March, the scientists wrote.
For the record:
In addition to spreading faster, it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a first bout with the disease, the report warned.
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The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv, a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer-reviewed, an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments. That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one.
Scientists with major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs to combat the coronavirus have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the virus is stable and not likely to mutate the way the influenza virus does, requiring a new vaccine every year. The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption.
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now-infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus, which allow it to enter human respiratory cells. The report’s authors said they felt an “urgent need for an early warning” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain.
In many places where the new strain appeared, it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan, China, and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations, according to the report. The new strain’s dominance over its predecessors suggests that it is more infectious, according to the report, though exactly why is not yet known.
The coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year.
The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-private organization in Germany. Time and again, the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant.
The Los Alamos team, assisted by scientists at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England, identified 14 mutations. Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that make up the coronavirus’s genome. The report authors focused on a mutation called D614G, which is responsible for the change in the virus’ spikes.
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“The story is worrying, as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging, and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form,” study leader Bette Korber, a computational biologist at Los Alamos, wrote on her Facebook page. “When viruses with this mutation enter a population, they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic, thus they are more transmissible.”
Scientists’ reaction to the study were mixed Tuesday.
Charles Brenner, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Iowa who has conducted research on how cells defend themselves against viruses, called the Los Alamos report a useful paper. Teams around the world working to develop vaccines “would be watching papers like this very carefully.”
Brenner noted that the study did not show the mutation makes people sicker, but found more of the virus present in sick people, “suggesting that it replicates better.” The new strain of the virus is likely to be used for vaccine generation, he said.
Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, called the new study “noteworthy” but said its conclusions require further investigation.
“There is a lot of speculation here,” Hotez said. “They have no experimental verification.”
The Los Alamos report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of the virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant.
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February, almost at the same time that the original strain appeared. Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February, but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated. New York was hit by the original virus around March 15, but within days the mutant strain took over. The team did not report results for California.
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms, the study warns, the virus could undergo further mutations even as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and vaccines. Without getting on top of the risk now, the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited.
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action. If they were designed based on the original version of the spike, they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain, the study’s authors warned.
“We cannot afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical testing,” Korber wrote on Facebook. “Please be encouraged by knowing the global scientific community is on this, and we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.”
David Montefiori, a Duke University scientist who worked on the report, said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious.
Although the researchers don’t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body, it’s clearly doing something that gives it an evolutionary advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its rapid spread. One scientist called it a “classic case of Darwinian evolution.”
“D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate, indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread,” the study said.
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world.
In the United States, doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains of the virus could account for the differences in how it has infected, sickened and killed people, said Alan Wu, a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital.
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S., one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast, according to Wu.
“We are looking to identify the mutation,” he said, noting that his hospital has had only a few deaths out of the hundreds of cases it has treated, which is “quite a different story than we are hearing from New York.”
The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original. People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads. But the study’s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients, hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version.
Even if the new strain is no more dangerous than the others, it could still complicate efforts to bring the pandemic under control. That would be an issue if the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version.
If that is indeed the case, it could make “individuals susceptible to a second infection,” the study authors wrote.
Peter Pitts, president of the nonpartisan Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, and former FDA associate commissioner, said the emergence of a mutation is not surprising, but it does increase the urgency to protect the public through social isolation and other measures.
“It clearly means that we are up against a wily virus,” he said.
Times staff writer Anita Chabria contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-06--Victims of Visalia triple homicide identified; no suspect or motive disclosed

Late Tuesday night , police officers in Visalia , a San Joaquin Valley city about 40 miles southeast of Fresno , responded to a report of shots fired at a high school .
In the parking lot , they found the bodies of three young men : Isaiah Rule , 18 , Blake Medeiros , 19 , and Jose Carlos Hernandez Pena , 19 .
All three had been shot to death , Sgt .
Celestina Sanchez of the Visalia Police Department said .
As of Wednesday , detectives have made no arrests and identified no suspects .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speculate or guess as to the motive , ” Sanchez said .
Rule , Medeiros and Hernandez Pena were not students at the school where they died , Sanchez said , and the school , Golden West High School , was closed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Sanchez did not know whether the three teenagers had attended the school in the past .
In Visalia , a city of about 133,000 surrounded by vast groves of olive and citrus , a triple homicide is “ unheard of , ” Sanchez said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when something like this happened.
” Anyone with information about the killings is asked to contact Visalia police at ( 559 ) 713-4738 .

Three men were fatally shot in the parking lot of Golden West High School in Visalia Tuesday night.
Late Tuesday night, police officers in Visalia, a San Joaquin Valley city about 40 miles southeast of Fresno, responded to a report of shots fired at a high school.
In the parking lot, they found the bodies of three young men: Isaiah Rule, 18, Blake Medeiros, 19, and Jose Carlos Hernandez Pena, 19. All three had been shot to death, Sgt. Celestina Sanchez of the Visalia Police Department said.
As of Wednesday, detectives have made no arrests and identified no suspects. “It’s too early for us to speculate or guess as to the motive,” Sanchez said.
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Rule, Medeiros and Hernandez Pena were not students at the school where they died, Sanchez said, and the school, Golden West High School, was closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sanchez did not know whether the three teenagers had attended the school in the past.
In Visalia, a city of about 133,000 surrounded by vast groves of olive and citrus, a triple homicide is “unheard of,” Sanchez said. “Nobody around here can remember a time when something like this happened.”
Anyone with information about the killings is asked to contact Visalia police at (559) 713-4738.


latimes--2020-05-06--Bay Area, citing rising coronavirus cases, to keep stay-at-home order even as Newsom eases rules

The Bay Area ’ s stay-at-home orders will continue to be enforced even as Gov .
Gavin Newsom prepares to announce potentially more relaxed statewide guidelines , San Francisco city officials said Wednesday .
During a news conference , Mayor London Breed said the city has been working to learn the exact details of Newsom ’ s new guidelines , but she stressed that that Bay Area health officers can continue to order tighter restrictions .
The reason has “ everything to do ” with the numbers of cases and deaths in the Bay Area , she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ The number of deaths are still going up , and we have not lowered the curve , and we have to be mindful of that.
” “ The more that people have interactions with other people , ” she added , “ the [ greater the ] likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.
” Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s public health director , said one of the goals that needs to be met before reopening is the ability to trace contacts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ We are still building our surveillance system across the Bay Area , ” he said .
To do that , local officials are working with scientists from the city ’ s public hospital , UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley .
“ We must hold steady and let the data guide us , ” he said .
He said city officials have been asked many questions about how Newsom ’ s new guidelines will affect San Francisco .
“ Let me be clear , the San Francisco and Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pickup from nonessential retailers , ” he said .
Restrictive orders take precedence over more relaxed guidelines , he added .
In response to reporters ’ questions , he urged people not to visit family on Mother ’ s Day , even if wearing masks and keeping six feet apart .
Unless residents live in the same households with their mothers , “ the greatest gift we can give to our mothers this Mother ’ s Day is to stay away , ” he said .
“ Don ’ t go visit your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said 27,334 residents had been tested for the virus as of Wednesday , and about 8 % were positive .
City officials also announced that the homeless population in San Francisco has grown during the pandemic .
Homeless individuals from other counties have moved to the city in search of hotel rooms , which the city has leased for the most vulnerable members of its longtime homeless population .
The city is now working to move some street and sidewalk tent encampments in the low-income Tenderloin district to other sites and will close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially distance , officials said .

The Bay Area’s stay-at-home orders will continue to be enforced even as Gov. Gavin Newsom prepares to announce potentially more relaxed statewide guidelines, San Francisco city officials said Wednesday.
During a news conference, Mayor London Breed said the city has been working to learn the exact details of Newsom’s new guidelines, but she stressed that that Bay Area health officers can continue to order tighter restrictions.
The reason has “everything to do” with the numbers of cases and deaths in the Bay Area, she said.
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“The numbers are still going up,” she said. “The number of deaths are still going up, and we have not lowered the curve, and we have to be mindful of that.”
“The more that people have interactions with other people,” she added, “the [greater the] likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.”
Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s public health director, said one of the goals that needs to be met before reopening is the ability to trace contacts of infected people and test them for the coronavirus.
“We are still building our surveillance system across the Bay Area,” he said. To do that, local officials are working with scientists from the city’s public hospital, UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley.
“We must hold steady and let the data guide us,” he said.
He said city officials have been asked many questions about how Newsom’s new guidelines will affect San Francisco.
“Let me be clear, the San Francisco and Bay Area health orders currently do not permit curbside pickup from nonessential retailers,” he said. Restrictive orders take precedence over more relaxed guidelines, he added.
In response to reporters’ questions, he urged people not to visit family on Mother’s Day, even if wearing masks and keeping six feet apart.
Unless residents live in the same households with their mothers, “the greatest gift we can give to our mothers this Mother’s Day is to stay away,” he said. “Don’t go visit your mom in person this year.”
He said 27,334 residents had been tested for the virus as of Wednesday, and about 8% were positive.
City officials also announced that the homeless population in San Francisco has grown during the pandemic. Homeless individuals from other counties have moved to the city in search of hotel rooms, which the city has leased for the most vulnerable members of its longtime homeless population.
The city is now working to move some street and sidewalk tent encampments in the low-income Tenderloin district to other sites and will close some streets so people in tents can socially distance, officials said.


latimes--2020-05-06--Drug investigators serve warrants at North Hollywood business

Investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles Police Department served search warrants Wednesday at a North Hollywood @ @ @ @ @ trafficking investigation , authorities said .
Officer Mike Lopez of the LAPD said investigators served @ @ @ @ @ at a business near the intersection of Cahuenga Boulevard and Riverside Drive .
The DEA @ @ @ @ @ according to Nicole Nishida , a spokeswoman for the agency .
Nishida said investigators were @ @ @ @ @ afternoon and it was unclear if any arrests had been made .
This is a @ @ @ @ @ updated as more information becomes available .

Investigators arrested four people and seized firearms, a kilogram of cocaine and more than 500 pounds of marijuana in a pair of raids in North Hollywood and West Los Angeles, law enforcement authorities said Thursday.
Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department said investigators served the warrants about 1 p.m. Wednesday at a business near the intersection of Cahuenga Boulevard and Riverside Drive.
Investigators also searched a location on Wilshire Boulevard, according to Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is leading the investigation.
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Collectively, investigators seized from the two sites a kilogram of cocaine, more than 500 pounds of marijuana, seven firearms, $250,000 in cash and jewelry valued at $100,000, Nishida said.
Ronnel Pinopio, 31, Andrei Cheine, 49, William Parsons, 48, and Timothy Vicencio, 26, were arrested on suspicion of drug offenses, Nishida said.


latimes--2020-05-06--After criticism, L.A. County supervisors to allow real-time public comment at its meetings

Starting on May 12 , the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will allow the public to comment live by phone for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak shut down in-person meetings .
The decision comes after the board has met three times virtually — on March 31 , April 14 and April 28 — without allowing for live public comment via phone or video .
Instead , supervisors asked that residents email or mail in their comments before the meetings .
Those comments were then sent to the board , a county spokesperson said .
According to Supervisor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public will now be able to call in for one hour at the beginning of the meeting .
They will be able to speak on items of their choice from the meeting ’ s agenda , offer general comment , or do a combination of both .
Each person will receive one minute if they are speaking on one agenda item , two minutes for two or more items , and one minute for general comment , according to Hahn ’ s office .
It is a similar format to what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council , which has allowed for live comment by phone several times since the pandemic stopped in-person meetings .
The council has set aside roughly an hour , and residents have been getting to speak for up to one minute on as many as three items , plus one minute for public comment , allowing them four minutes total .
They have also , at some meetings , taken additional comment on specific agenda items .
The board has faced criticism for being slow to set up a way to hear public comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Times that the board was told by county counsel it was in compliance with the Brown Act , which spells out the rules for public access during government meetings , by allowing the public to email comments .
But Hahn said there ’ s a big difference between following “ the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.
” There are times when she or another supervisor is moved to make a “ friendly amendment ” to a fellow board member ’ s motion because of an issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Additionally , she said , there are times when someone raises an issue that ’ s so significant , a supervisor will ask a department head to come to the microphone and immediately address it .
“ We are making decisions that truly impact the social , financial and physical landscape for people who live here , and we ’ re their government , and they have a right to weigh in in a way that ’ s meaningful , ” Hahn said .
Times staff writers Emily Alpert Reyes and David @ @ @ @ @ @

Starting on May 12, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will allow the public to comment live by phone for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak shut down in-person meetings.
The decision comes after the board has met three times virtually — on March 31, April 14 and April 28 — without allowing for live public comment via phone or video. Instead, supervisors asked that residents email or mail in their comments before the meetings. Those comments were then sent to the board, a county spokesperson said.
According to Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office, the public will now be able to call in for one hour at the beginning of the meeting. They will be able to speak on items of their choice from the meeting’s agenda, offer general comment, or do a combination of both. Each person will receive one minute if they are speaking on one agenda item, two minutes for two or more items, and one minute for general comment, according to Hahn’s office.
It is a similar format to what’s being used by the Los Angeles City Council, which has allowed for live comment by phone several times since the pandemic stopped in-person meetings. The council has set aside roughly an hour, and residents have been getting to speak for up to one minute on as many as three items, plus one minute for public comment, allowing them four minutes total. They have also, at some meetings, taken additional comment on specific agenda items.
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The board has faced criticism for being slow to set up a way to hear public comment live, including from Hahn.
Hahn told The Times that the board was told by county counsel it was in compliance with the Brown Act, which spells out the rules for public access during government meetings, by allowing the public to email comments.
But Hahn said there’s a big difference between following “the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.”
There are times when she or another supervisor is moved to make a “friendly amendment” to a fellow board member’s motion because of an issue raised by a resident during public comment. Additionally, she said, there are times when someone raises an issue that’s so significant, a supervisor will ask a department head to come to the microphone and immediately address it.
“We are making decisions that truly impact the social, financial and physical landscape for people who live here, and we’re their government, and they have a right to weigh in in a way that’s meaningful,” Hahn said.
Times staff writers Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-06--Orange County's beaches are reopening following coronavirus closures. Here are their hours

Many Orange County beaches have reopened this week following the brief “ hard closure ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom imposed over concerns that crowding along the coast could accelerate the spread of the novel coronavirus .
In each case , the sandy stretches are open for active recreation — think running , walking , biking , swimming and surfing — rather than sitting around and soaking up the sun .
Beachgoers also must maintain physical distancing and avoid gatherings with people they do not live with .
Here is when city-run beaches are open : • Dana Point — No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon • Huntington Beach — Every day from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Laguna Beach — Weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. • Newport Beach — Daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. • San Clemente — Seven days a week with no announced hours The Orange County Board of Supervisors also voted Tuesday to submit a plan that would allow county-operated beaches to reopen for active recreation , but state officials had not publicly signed off on that proposal as of Wednesday .
State-operated beaches in Orange County began reopening Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place to protect public health , ” officials said .
More information on those is available at parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve .

Most Orange County beaches have reopened this week following the brief “hard closure” Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed over concerns that crowding along the coast could accelerate the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In each case, the sandy stretches are open for active recreation — think running, walking, biking, swimming and surfing — rather than sitting around and soaking up the sun. Beachgoers also must maintain physical distancing and avoid gatherings with people they do not live with.
Many beach parking lots remain closed, however.
Here is when city-run beaches are open:
Dana Point — Dana Cove is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, as is Doheny State Beach.
Huntington Beach — Every day from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Laguna Beach — Weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m.
Newport Beach — Daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
San Clemente — Seven days a week with no announced hours
Seal Beach — Monday through Thursday during daylight hours
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Orange County-operated beaches also were cleared to reopen for active recreation starting Thursday, officials said, but Thousand Steps Beach will remain closed. Hours for those that are open are as follows:
Bayside Beach — 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Aliso, Table Rock, West, Camel Point and Treasure Island beaches — 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays
Capistrano and Poche beaches — 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Salt Creek and Strands beaches — 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily
Baby Beach — 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
State-operated beaches in Orange County began reopening Wednesday, as well, “with measures in place to protect public health,” officials said. More information on those is available at parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.


latimes--2020-05-06--Orange County tops 3,000 coronavirus cases as death toll reaches 65

Orange County reached a grim milestone Wednesday as health officials announced the region has surpassed 3,000 confirmed novel coronavirus infections .
Included in the county ’ s cumulative case count of 3,004 are 65 deaths — an increase of four since Tuesday .
Twenty of the county ’ s coronavirus-linked deaths have been announced since Friday .
Despite the recent fatalities , the county ’ s observed mortality rate associated with COVID-19 remained at about 2.1 % — significantly lower than the state ’ s , which is roughly 4 % .
The 131 new coronavirus infections reported Wednesday were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak began , according to county health officials .
The three biggest one-day spikes have all occurred within the last week .
The growth in case count has coincided with an increase in COVID-19 testing .
To date , 40,707 such tests have been administered in the county — including more than 11,500 in the last week alone .
As of the latest update , 192 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized countywide , 73 of them in intensive care .
This week also has seen the county ’ s famous coastline gradually reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-approved plans .
The latest city to get Sacramento ’ s sign-off was Newport Beach , which announced Wednesday that residents can now head to the coast for activities such as walking , running , hiking , biking , swimming , surfing and fishing from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily .
“ While the active recreation model was not the preferred choice by the City Council , after discussions with our public safety personnel , we are confident that city staff will manage the beaches effectively under the approved plan , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Last week , Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered a temporary closure of all beaches in the county after expressing concerns about the crowds that flocked there over a sweltering weekend .
The governor chastised beachgoers , saying failure to heed state health orders to stay at home and maintain appropriate social distancing could prolong the spread of the coronavirus in California .
Even the partial reopening of Orange County ’ s coastline could provide relief for residents seeking a reprieve from yet another heat wave , which is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @

David Peck, 82, enjoys the view of the Laguna Beach shoreline Tuesday morning as the city reopened its beaches for active use.
Orange County reached a grim milestone Wednesday as health officials announced the region has surpassed 3,000 confirmed novel coronavirus infections.
Included in the county’s cumulative case count of 3,004 are 65 deaths — an increase of four since Tuesday.
Twenty of the county’s coronavirus-linked deaths have been announced since Friday.
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Despite the recent fatalities, the county’s observed mortality rate associated with COVID-19 remained at about 2.1% — significantly lower than the state’s, which is roughly 4%.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
The 131 new coronavirus infections reported Wednesday were the second-most in a single day since the outbreak began, according to county health officials. The three biggest one-day spikes have all occurred within the last week.
The growth in case count has coincided with an increase in COVID-19 testing. To date, 40,707 such tests have been administered in the county — including more than 11,500 in the last week alone.
As of the latest update, 192 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized countywide, 73 of them in intensive care.
Hi, #OC, If you have medical questions about COVID-19, our Health Referral Line staff are here to help Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. #OCCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/FuGT1tHVWh — OC Health Care Agency (@ochealth) May 6, 2020
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This week also has seen the county’s famous coastline gradually reopen for active recreation under a series of state-approved plans.
The latest city to get Sacramento’s sign-off was Newport Beach, which announced Wednesday that residents can now head to the coast for activities such as walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming, surfing and fishing from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
“While the active recreation model was not the preferred choice by the City Council, after discussions with our public safety personnel, we are confident that city staff will manage the beaches effectively under the approved plan,” Mayor Will O’Neill said in a statement.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a temporary closure of all beaches in the county after expressing concerns about the crowds that flocked there over a sweltering weekend. The governor chastised beachgoers, saying failure to heed state health orders to stay at home and maintain appropriate social distancing could prolong the spread of the coronavirus in California.
California Will reopening California bring more coronavirus cases, deaths? Two weeks ago, California reported its highest one-week toll — 542 fatalities among people infected with the coronavirus. Last week, the weekly death toll dropped 9% to 495.
Even the partial reopening of Orange County’s coastline could provide relief for residents seeking a reprieve from yet another heat wave, which is expected to bake Southern California through Thursday.


latimes--2020-05-06--L.A. weighs requiring masks when people leave their homes

Los Angeles leaders are exploring whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings whenever they leave their homes , a proposal championed by Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections .
“ The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we ’ re trying to move forward , ” Koretz said .
The council has not yet decided to draft such a law , but voted Wednesday to ask city staffers to report back on health guidelines for wearing masks , what requirements have been imposed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be enforced .
Mayor Eric Garcetti has ordered that people wear masks or other facial coverings when they visit many essential businesses , including grocery stores , laundromats , hotels and restaurants offering takeout .
Workers at such businesses must be provided masks by their employers , a measure meant to ensure employee safety .
But the order does not require Angelenos to wear masks in other instances when they leave their homes — for instance , while strolling down the sidewalk or sitting in a public park .
Koretz argued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still walk dogs .
They still ride bicycles .
They still may stop and chat with their neighbors , ” Koretz said in an interview .
“ This would reduce the spread.
” Koretz said that under such an ordinance , people would be required to have the masks either already on their faces or close at hand so they could put them on quickly whenever they approach someone from outside their household .
The councilman argued that mandating that people cover their mouths and noses would save lives , by helping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 virus from unknowingly transmitting it .
He pointed to the Czech Republic , which imposed a similar requirement , as an example of how the mandate could clamp down on new infections .
A recent article in the Atlantic , co-written by university professors and a researcher who helped found the Masks4All campaign , stressed that if 80 % of people wore masks that were modestly effective in protecting other people around them from being infected — such as cloth masks — it would reduce transmission “ enough to halt the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ councilman argued that a broader measure requiring masks would be helpful even if the city did not crack down on people who fail to wear masks with fines or other penalties .
He likened it to banning smoking in restaurants , which he said was enforced mainly through “ peer pressure ” from other customers .
When Koretz first raised the idea last month , several council members were dubious .
Some said the council should leave decisions about masks to Garcetti and public health officials .
Others said they were concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or access masks .
At Wednesday ’ s meeting , some council members remained uncertain : Councilman Gil Cedillo raised concerns about racially discriminatory enforcement of mask rules against African Americans .
Councilman John Lee also expressed reluctance , saying that in his community , people seemed to be behaving responsibly to maintain social distancing and that “ people already feel confined as it is.
” Koretz suggested that the city could exempt young children , people with developmental disabilities or conditions that make it difficult to wear a mask , and anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk — carve-outs similar to those made by other jurisdictions such as San Diego County and Laredo , Texas , the councilman said .
Ahead of the Wednesday vote , an Echo Park resident who phoned into the meeting argued that more exceptions were needed — “ for driving , for isolated exercise , for outings in the park.
” If not , Darcy Harris argued , “ the costs to the physical and mental health to our citizens outweigh the public health benefits.
” The council asked to staffers to bring back @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Los Angeles leaders are exploring whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings whenever they leave their homes, a proposal championed by Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections.
“The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we’re trying to move forward,” Koretz said.
The council has not yet decided to draft such a law, but voted Wednesday to ask city staffers to report back on health guidelines for wearing masks, what requirements have been imposed by other cities, and how such rules might be enforced.
Mayor Eric Garcetti has ordered that people wear masks or other facial coverings when they visit many essential businesses, including grocery stores, laundromats, hotels and restaurants offering takeout. Workers at such businesses must be provided masks by their employers, a measure meant to ensure employee safety.
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But the order does not require Angelenos to wear masks in other instances when they leave their homes — for instance, while strolling down the sidewalk or sitting in a public park. Koretz argued the city should go farther.
“People still walk dogs. They still ride bicycles. They still may stop and chat with their neighbors,” Koretz said in an interview. “This would reduce the spread.”
Koretz said that under such an ordinance, people would be required to have the masks either already on their faces or close at hand so they could put them on quickly whenever they approach someone from outside their household.
The councilman argued that mandating that people cover their mouths and noses would save lives, by helping to keep people who are asymptomatic but carrying the COVID-19 virus from unknowingly transmitting it. He pointed to the Czech Republic, which imposed a similar requirement, as an example of how the mandate could clamp down on new infections.
A recent article in the Atlantic, co-written by university professors and a researcher who helped found the Masks4All campaign, stressed that if 80% of people wore masks that were modestly effective in protecting other people around them from being infected — such as cloth masks — it would reduce transmission “enough to halt the spread of the disease.”
The Westside councilman argued that a broader measure requiring masks would be helpful even if the city did not crack down on people who fail to wear masks with fines or other penalties. He likened it to banning smoking in restaurants, which he said was enforced mainly through “peer pressure” from other customers.
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When Koretz first raised the idea last month, several council members were dubious. Some said the council should leave decisions about masks to Garcetti and public health officials. Others said they were concerned about penalizing people who cannot easily afford or access masks.
At Wednesday’s meeting, some council members remained uncertain: Councilman Gil Cedillo raised concerns about racially discriminatory enforcement of mask rules against African Americans.
Councilman John Lee also expressed reluctance, saying that in his community, people seemed to be behaving responsibly to maintain social distancing and that “people already feel confined as it is.”
Koretz suggested that the city could exempt young children, people with developmental disabilities or conditions that make it difficult to wear a mask, and anyone who would face a health or safety risk — carve-outs similar to those made by other jurisdictions such as San Diego County and Laredo, Texas, the councilman said.
Ahead of the Wednesday vote, an Echo Park resident who phoned into the meeting argued that more exceptions were needed — “for driving, for isolated exercise, for outings in the park.” If not, Darcy Harris argued, “the costs to the physical and mental health to our citizens outweigh the public health benefits.”
The council asked to staffers to bring back the informational report in a week.


latimes--2020-05-06--'If they stare, fine.' Adults use kiddie pools as quarantine meets L.A. heat

Sofia Gonzalez was always too shy to sunbathe on the terrace behind her North Hollywood home , a postage-stamp patio in a condo ringed by rear windows and overhung with balconies like sun-scalded bougainvillea .
But this spring , her courage bloomed .
“ If they stare , fine , ” the actress said on a recent sultry weekday .
Gonzalez , nine months pregnant , waved to an upstairs neighbor from her bright new inflatable pool .
“ I ’ m so uncomfortable , I ’ m just chasing whatever feels good right now.
” She ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week and much of the coastline effectively shut down , many Angelenos are seeking snatches of paradise in the pavement around their homes .
“ We see a lot of parking-lot pools , ” said Emily Vaca , founder of Minnidip , whose inflatable “ adult kiddie pools ” saw a string of record-breaking sales at the end of April , with the lion ’ s share shipping to Southern California .
“ People are using them everywhere.
” Gonzalez is among the many local buyers who buoyed L.A. pool-maker Funboy after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
Seattle-based competitor Mylle saw a “ comically noticeable geographic spike ” in purchases the last weekend in April .
“ We just had a substantial increase in L.A. orders , ” Mylle founder Kriss Myllenbeck wrote in an email .
“ We have been a niche brand for an activity most people were only doing on the weekend , and now all of a sudden everyone is home on a Tuesday trying to deal with 90-degree [ weather ] .
” Pools had become so popular that by the time 22-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find one for their Long Beach apartment complex this week , local big-box stores had all sold out .
“ We went to three different Targets and a Big Lots , ” said Garcia , who just graduated from Cal State Long Beach .
“ We went through the whole store — there were absolutely no kiddie pools left.
” Sidewalk splash pools were already a summertime staple in many L.A. neighborhoods , particularly for families with young kids .
But the pandemic has quickly inflated their appeal , experts said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and easy and quick you see a lot more of now , because people can put it in their frontyards or their driveway , ” said James Rojas , an urban planner and community activist in L.A. “ It could be a stairwell — any spot you give people , they ’ ll use it.
” L.A. 's increasing density has also made the phenomenon more visible : More than half of city residents live in multi-family buildings , census data show , and most families are renters , meaning few have outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The poster child of urban sprawl is long gone , ” said Tridib Banerjee , a professor of urban and regional planning at USC .
“ L.A .
is now one of the densest [ U.S. ] cities.
” Those who are most likely to rent here are now also much more likely to have small children , studies show .
Millennials make up about a quarter of the population of metropolitan Los Angeles and the overwhelming majority of its new parents , yet data suggest fewer than 20 % of them own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year and hopes dwindling for camps this summer , many are desperate for something to break up long , hot afternoons .
“ It ’ s tough trying to keep her occupied because she ’ s an only kid and there ’ s no one to play with her , ” said Rosario Perez , 31 , a Whittier apartment dweller who recently put a pool out front for Victoria , her 5-year-old .
“ Today she spent almost two hours playing in the pool.
” As temperatures soar and the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown-ups , too , are taking the plunge .
“ Usually I would feel weird laying out in a bikini in front of my building , but now everyone knows we ’ re in quarantine ; you can ’ t really go anywhere else , ” said L.A. photographer Kiyana Tehrani , who lives in Westchester .
“ I see a lot of people outside on their lawns , getting kiddie pools.
” Because the pools are in public , some buyers have splashed out on pricier inflatables .
Minnidip , Funboy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 50 , more than double the price of their competitors ’ pint-sized products .
But they ’ re hard not to envy on social media .
“ The design is something you show off — it ’ s more of a statement or a conversation piece , ” said Vaca , the Minnidip founder .
“ We ’ re seeing people are very proud that they have a blow-up pool.
” Gonzalez said several friends reached out to say they ’ d bought kiddie pools after seeing a photo of hers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ very Instagram-friendly , ” she said .
But for others , the inflatable pool is less aesthetic statement , or even a way to stay cool , than emotional life raft , a 66-inch island of childlike joy in an ocean of pandemic upheaval .
“ Every day we wake up and we have a quest : What are we going to do today to not go crazy ?
” said Garcia , the new graduate , who is still on the hunt for a pool .
“ Our kiddie pool was kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Sofia Gonzalez, nine months pregnant, finds a little relief from the heat in a backyard kiddie pool.
Sofia Gonzalez was always too shy to sunbathe on the terrace behind her North Hollywood home, a postage-stamp-size patio in a condo ringed by rear windows and overhung with balconies like sun-scalded bougainvillea.
But this spring, her courage bloomed.
“If they stare, fine,” the actress said on a recent sultry weekday. Gonzalez, nine months pregnant, waved to an upstairs neighbor from her bright new inflatable pool. “I’m so uncomfortable, I’m just chasing whatever feels good right now.”
She’s not alone: With temperatures in the 90s this week and much of the coastline shut down, many Angelenos are seeking snatches of paradise in the pavement around their homes.
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“We see a lot of parking-lot pools,” said Emily Vaca, founder of Minnidip, whose inflatable “adult kiddie pools” saw a string of record-breaking sales at the end of April, with the vast majority shipping to Southern California. “People are using them everywhere.”
Gonzalez is among the many local buyers who buoyed L.A. pool-maker Funboy after major retailers canceled their spring orders in March. Seattle-based competitor Mylle saw a “comically noticeable geographic spike” in purchases the last weekend in April.
“We just had a substantial increase in L.A. orders,” Mylle founder Kriss Myllenbeck wrote in an email. “We have been a niche brand for an activity most people were only doing on the weekend, and now all of a sudden everyone is home on a Tuesday trying to deal with 90-degree” weather.
Victoria Perez, 4, normally has a full social schedule, with dance practice, swimming lessons, and frequent visits to Disneyland. Now, she’s making the best of the hot weather with her new kiddie pool, which her mother, Rosario, set up in front of their Whittier apartment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Pools had become so popular that by the time 22-year-old Vanessa Garcia and her roommate set out to find one for their Long Beach apartment complex this week, local big-box stores had all sold out.
“We went to three different Targets and a Big Lots,” said Garcia, who just graduated from Cal State Long Beach. “We went through the whole store — there were absolutely no kiddie pools left.”
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Sidewalk splash pools were already a summertime staple in many L.A. neighborhoods, particularly for families with young kids. But the pandemic has quickly inflated their appeal, experts said.
“Anything that’s really temporary and easy and quick you see a lot more of now, because people can put it in their frontyards or their driveway,” said James Rojas, an urban planner and community activist in L.A. “It could be a stairwell — any spot you give people, they’ll use it.”
L.A.’s increasing density has also made the phenomenon more visible: More than half of city residents live in multifamily buildings, census data show, and most families are renters, meaning few have outdoor space to call their own.
“The poster child of urban sprawl is long gone,” said Tridib Banerjee, professor of urban and regional planning at USC. “L.A. is now one of the densest [U.S.] cities.”
1 / 23 The fountain at Music Center Plaza in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 23 Majid Bradshaw, 33, in Santa Monica on Wednesday. Beaches in Los Angeles County remain officially closed. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 23 A bicyclist in West Los Angeles on Wednesday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 23 Rachel Dehaven, center, and Stephanny Quintero make a popsicle toast at Bluff Park in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 23 A deserted Hollywood Boulevard. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 23 A woman rides a bike past a mounted police officer in Santa Monica on Wednesday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 23 Justin Young at Anthony C. Beilenson Park in Van Nuys. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 23 Sunset at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 23 Laguna Beach on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 23 Ian Hanna, 15, at Laguna Beach on Tuesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 23 Surfers waiting for a wave at Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 23 Ty Beadle, 13, enjoys morning waves at Laguna Beach on Tuesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 23 Cece Lewis and her golden retriever, Lala, at Laguna Beach on Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 23 Goff Stepian rides a wave on his paddle board at Laguna Beach on Tuesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 23 Django, wearing a cone after surgery, looks for lizards while owner Jared Talla relaxes on a grassy patch near the Silver Lake Recreation Center on Monday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 23 Sam Kiamehr, 3, has a little fun with the yellow caution tape cordoning off playground equipment at Lake Balboa/Beilenson Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 23 Trevor Voeltner wipes his brow as he walks with wife Betty Voeltner and their 2-year-old son Carter at Lake Balboa Beilenson Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 23 Anna Henke and 1-year-old daughter Galinda, right, with Bella Ghazaryan and her 1-year-old daughter, Eva, at Lake Balboa/Beilenson Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 23 Ileanna Sanchez, 7, plays with her new puppy, Roxy, at Lake Balboa Beilenson Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 23 Kirill Matweer, 4, clears sand from his shoes as he plays at Lake Balboa Beilenson Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 23 A woman takes the steps at Disney Hall on Monday as a heat wave dials up temperatures in downtown L.A. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 23 Lake Balboa/Beilenson Park is a draw in the San Fernando Valley, where temperatures Monday reached into the 90s. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 23 With the heat on full blast, people strip down to the bare essentials, which include face masks, as they make their way around Silver Lake Reservoir on Monday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Those who are most likely to rent here are now also much more likely to have small children, studies show. Millennials make up about a quarter of the population of metropolitan Los Angeles and the overwhelming majority of its new parents, yet data suggest fewer than 20% of them own their homes. With school out for the year and hopes dwindling for camps this summer, many are desperate for something to break up long, hot afternoons.
“It’s tough trying to keep her occupied because she’s an only kid and there’s no one to play with her,” said Rosario Perez, 31, a Whittier apartment dweller who recently put a pool out front for Victoria, her 4-year-old. “Today she spent almost two hours playing in the pool.”
As temperatures soar and the state’s protracted stay-at-home orders continue, grown-ups, too, are taking the plunge.
“Usually I would feel weird lying out in a bikini in front of my building, but now everyone knows we’re in quarantine; you can’t really go anywhere else,” said L.A. photographer Kiyana Tehrani, who lives in Westchester. “I see a lot of people outside on their lawns, getting kiddie pools.”
Because the pools are in public, some buyers have splashed out on pricier inflatables. Minnidip, Funboy and Mylle’s adult-sized pools start at $50, more than double the price of their competitors’ pint-sized products. But they’re hard not to envy on social media.
“The design is something you show off — it’s more of a statement or a conversation piece,” said Vaca, the Minnidip founder. “We’re seeing people are very proud that they have a blow-up pool.”
Gonzalez said several friends reached out to say they’d bought kiddie pools after seeing a photo of hers.
“They have really cute styles, very Instagram-friendly,” she said.
But for others, the inflatable pool is less aesthetic statement, or even a way to stay cool, than emotional life raft, a 66-inch island of childlike joy in an ocean of pandemic upheaval.
“Every day we wake up and we have a quest: What are we going to do today to not go crazy?” said Garcia, the new graduate, who is still on the hunt for a pool. “Our kiddie pool was kind of like our little piece of normal.”