latimes--2020-10-02--These educators show what it takes to be named 'teacher of the year' amid a pandemic

Rhiannon Chavez has always been an animated teacher , and her fourth-grade classroom is her theater .
She sings , dances and gesticulates during her lessons , engaging her 23 students at 186th Street Elementary School in Gardena .
But distance learning has elevated these tactics to a whole new level .
Now , as she teaches into a computer screen from her home in San Pedro , she pours every last bit of energy into making sure that her enthusiasm is infectious enough to span the digital divide .
From one of her three computer monitors screens she leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers , her hand movements and facial expressions are bigger and more spirited than ever .
“ After I log off , I ’ m exhausted , ” said Chavez , who ’ s taught for 16 years .
“ I feel like I ’ ve just worked out for hours.
” Chavez , who works for L.A. Unified , is one of 10 educators who were named a Los Angeles County teacher of the year on Thursday .
Though most were nominated by their schools before the pandemic even hit , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since March , when schools were shut down and they were forced to adapt to distance learning overnight .
Their experiences illustrate how even the best are mightily challenged during this crisis in education .
Across the board , the teachers said that maintaining a connection with students through a screen — though not impossible — has been their biggest hurdle .
“ The hardest part of all this is not being there physically with my students — not being able to greet them at the door , give them high fives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a second-grade teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in Burbank Unified School District .
In the classroom , it ’ s easy enough for Dent to know whether a student is struggling with the material or isn ’ t feeling well .
She can gently pull them to the side and check in .
But it ’ s hard to pick up on these cues through a computer screen .
During one recent Zoom session , Dent noticed that a student was crying .
“ I wanted to know what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to embarrass him or draw attention to the rest of the class , ” she said .
“ It was heartbreaking.
” Timothy Green teaches specialized classes in firefighting and emergency medicine at Highland High School in Palmdale School District .
Most of his students are aspiring doctors , paramedics and police officers .
By this point in the school year , Green would usually be teaching students how to secure tools with ropes and how to use a hose to apply and spray water .
When someone needed help with a knot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , he ’ s doing his best to teach some of these highly tactile lessons through a computer screen .
“ I ’ m finding that some students don ’ t interact as much because they feel everyone is watching them , ” he said .
“ We ’ re all in this ‘ Brady Bunch ’ grid view , and kids are self-conscious.
” Hazel Kight Witham , an English teacher at Venice High School with L.A. Unified , said an increasing number of students are “ drifting ” ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their cameras off .
This is usually a tech issue , she said ; Chromebooks have a stronger connection if the webcam isn ’ t being used .
“ We spend a whole lot of time muted , ” Kight Witham said .
“ When we ’ re back in the classroom , I don ’ t know if I ’ m ever going to ask them to be quiet again.
” With the lack of in-person interaction and the everyday pressures of the pandemic , these teachers are deliberate about checking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in the morning , Dent asks them how they ’ re feeling , feedback they provide through a thumbs up or thumbs down .
“ I usually have a good three to four kids who have their thumbs down , ” she said .
Every Monday morning , Green asks his students how their weekend went and shares a bit about his own .
“ A teacher has to be very self-aware , really pursue students , and has to really work hard to make sure inclusion happens for all kids right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witham is leading students in a “ happiness challenge ” meant to reset their minds for greater positivity .
For 21 days straight , they ’ ve been asked to exercise , meditate , journal and list what they ’ re grateful for .
The project has provided an entry-point for deeper conversations about their emotional health .
One student messaged Kight Witham privately on Zoom to say that she had nothing positive to share .
“ It ’ s just so hard , ” she said .
Working in small groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms , as they ’ re called in Zoom — has helped teachers to get to know their pupils , most of whom they ’ ve never met in person .
These teachers are also placing an extra emphasis on games and having fun .
Breaks are far more common across all grades .
When Dent sees her students start to fade , they dance , stretch or do jumping jacks for 10 minutes .
In the supply bags that her fourth-graders picked up before school started , Chavez placed a kazoo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — of herself in their pencil cases .
“ I wanted to know that even though I can ’ t be with them physically , Little Ms. Chavez is always there when you need her , ” she said .
One student taped the bitmoji to his bedpost , next to where he works .
Students get to blow the kazoo when there ’ s perfect attendance or when a student who ’ s usually late shows up on time .
Dan Calma , a teacher at DD Johnston Elementary School in Norwalk-La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his third-graders to get them used to the technology .
“ I ’ ll ask a question , and if it pertains to them they ’ ll turn on their video so everybody can see them , ” he said .
By all accounts , the pandemic has made these veteran teachers work twice , three times as hard .
They spend many hours talking to stressed-out parents by phone and email , and adapting lessons they ’ ve honed over decades to online learning .
But L.A. County ’ s teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 and a $ 350 gift certificate for school supplies at Lakeshore Learning — say it ’ s worth it .
“ This whole situation has definitely made me think outside the box and really be creative , ” Dent said .
“ This is not what we want to be doing , but the kids still deserve the best possible education I can give them.
” One of the most rewarding moments for Chavez was when , ahead of a three-day weekend , a student asked if he could log onto Zoom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , anyway .
“ Through all the challenges and the sleepless nights and wondering when we ’ ll get back , just that comment right there made me realize I ’ m doing a good job , ” she said .
“ The kids want to be there .
”

Rhiannon Chavez, working from home, provides online instruction to her fourth-grade class, which would normally be held at 186th Street Elementary School in Gardena.
Rhiannon Chavez has always been an animated teacher, and her fourth-grade classroom is her theater. She sings, dances and gesticulates during her lessons, engaging her 23 students at 186th Street Elementary School in Gardena.
But distance learning has elevated these tactics to a whole new level.
Now, as she teaches into a computer screen from her home in San Pedro, she pours every last bit of energy into making sure that her enthusiasm is infectious enough to span the digital divide. From one of her three computer monitors screens she leads the children in a song about rounding numbers, her hand movements and facial expressions are bigger and more spirited than ever.
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“After I log off, I’m exhausted,” said Chavez, who’s taught for 16 years. “I feel like I’ve just worked out for hours.”
Chavez, who works for L.A. Unified, is one of 10 educators who were named a Los Angeles County teacher of the year on Thursday. Though most were nominated by their schools before the pandemic even hit, their outstanding skills have been put to task since March, when schools were shut down and they were forced to adapt to distance learning overnight.
Their experiences illustrate how even the best are mightily challenged during this crisis in education.
Across the board, the teachers said that maintaining a connection with students through a screen — though not impossible — has been their biggest hurdle.
“After I log off, I’m exhausted. I feel like I’ve just worked out for hours,” fourth-grade teacher Rhiannon Chavez says. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“The hardest part of all this is not being there physically with my students — not being able to greet them at the door, give them high fives and fist bumps,” said Ericca Dent, a second-grade teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in Burbank Unified School District.
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In the classroom, it’s easy enough for Dent to know whether a student is struggling with the material or isn’t feeling well. She can gently pull them to the side and check in. But it’s hard to pick up on these cues through a computer screen.
During one recent Zoom session, Dent noticed that a student was crying.
“I wanted to know what’s going on but don’t want to embarrass him or draw attention to the rest of the class,” she said. “It was heartbreaking.”
Timothy Green teaches specialized classes in firefighting and emergency medicine at Highland High School in Antelope Valley Union High School District. Most of his students are aspiring doctors, paramedics and police officers. By this point in the school year, Green would usually be teaching students how to secure tools with ropes and how to use a hose to apply and spray water. When someone needed help with a knot, he could hop over and help.
Now, he’s doing his best to teach some of these highly tactile lessons through a computer screen.
“I’m finding that some students don’t interact as much because they feel everyone is watching them,” he said. “We’re all in this ‘Brady Bunch’ grid view, and kids are self-conscious.”
Hazel Kight Witham, an English teacher at Venice High School with L.A. Unified, said an increasing number of students are “drifting”; they’re logged on but have their cameras off. This is usually a tech issue, she said; Chromebooks have a stronger connection if the webcam isn’t being used.
“We spend a whole lot of time muted,” Kight Witham said. “When we’re back in the classroom, I don’t know if I’m ever going to ask them to be quiet again.”
With the lack of in-person interaction and the everyday pressures of the pandemic, these teachers are deliberate about checking in with students.
As her second-graders log on in the morning, Dent asks them how they’re feeling, feedback they provide through a thumbs up or thumbs down.
“I usually have a good three to four kids who have their thumbs down,” she said.
Every Monday morning, Green asks his students how their weekend went and shares a bit about his own.
“A teacher has to be very self-aware, really pursue students, and has to really work hard to make sure inclusion happens for all kids right now,” he said.
Kight Witham is leading students in a “happiness challenge” meant to reset their minds for greater positivity. For 21 days straight, they’ve been asked to exercise, meditate, journal and list what they’re grateful for.
The project has provided an entry-point for deeper conversations about their emotional health. One student messaged Kight Witham privately on Zoom to say that she had nothing positive to share. “It’s just so hard,” she said.
Working in small groups of five or so students — or breakout rooms, as they’re called in Zoom — has helped teachers to get to know their pupils, most of whom they’ve never met in person.
These teachers are also placing an extra emphasis on games and having fun. Breaks are far more common across all grades. When Dent sees her students start to fade, they dance, stretch or do jumping jacks for 10 minutes.
In the supply bags that her fourth-graders picked up before school started, Chavez placed a kazoo and a laminated bitmoji — an animated avatar — of herself in their pencil cases.
“I wanted to know that even though I can’t be with them physically, Little Ms. Chavez is always there when you need her,” she said. One student taped the bitmoji to his bedpost, next to where he works.
Students get to blow the kazoo when there’s perfect attendance or when a student who’s usually late shows up on time.
Dan Calma, a teacher at DD Johnston Elementary School in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, plays games with his third-graders to get them used to the technology.
“I’ll ask a question, and if it pertains to them they’ll turn on their video so everybody can see them,” he said.
By all accounts, the pandemic has made these veteran teachers work twice, three times as hard. They spend many hours talking to stressed-out parents by phone and email, and adapting lessons they’ve honed over decades to online learning.
But L.A. County’s teachers of the year — who receive $1,000 and a $350 gift certificate for school supplies at Lakeshore Learning — say it’s worth it.
“This whole situation has definitely made me think outside the box and really be creative,” Dent said. “This is not what we want to be doing, but the kids still deserve the best possible education I can give them.”
One of the most rewarding moments for Chavez was when, ahead of a three-day weekend, a student asked if he could log onto Zoom on Monday and say hi to the class, anyway.
“Through all the challenges and the sleepless nights and wondering when we’ll get back, just that comment right there made me realize I’m doing a good job,” she said. “The kids want to be there.”


latimes--2020-10-02--Airlines look to help ailing industry with coronavirus testing at airports (but it's not a cure-all)

Financially strapped airlines are pushing an idea intended to breathe new life into the travel industry : coronavirus tests that passengers can take before boarding a flight .
Several airlines , including United , American , Hawaiian , JetBlue and Alaska , have announced plans to begin offering testing — either kits mailed to a passenger ’ s home or rapid tests taken at or near airports — that would allow travelers to enter specific states and countries without having to quarantine .
The tests will cost fliers $ 90 to $ 250 , depending on the airline and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport , a design company has announced plans to convert cargo containers into a coronavirus testing facility with an on-site lab that can produce results in about two hours .
On Thursday , Tampa International Airport began offering testing to all arriving and departing passengers on a walk-in basis .
It ’ s an idea that has gone global , with a trade group for the world ’ s airlines calling on governments to create a testing standard for airline passengers as a way to fight the COVID-19 pandemic instead of using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testing all passengers will give people back their freedom to travel with confidence , ” Alexandre de Juniac , director general and chief executive of the International Air Transport Assn.
, said in a statement .
“ And that will put millions of people back to work.
” Although the idea is primarily designed to help passengers avoid quarantine requirements at their destinations , health experts say testing passengers immediately before a flight would also lower the odds that an infected person will board a plane and pass the virus to others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t make flying free of health risks .
For one , coronavirus tests aren ’ t 100 % accurate .
Additionally , people who are tested a few days in advance have time to catch the virus before flying .
And , of course , optional testing can ’ t detect the virus in travelers who choose not to be tested .
“ If it ’ s an accurate test , a good one , it will help , ” said Dr. Timothy Brewer , a professor in the division of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geffen School of Medicine .
“ It won ’ t eliminate the risk , but it will reduce it.
” Experts fear that if testing expands , there may not be enough rapid tests available for all passengers who request it , and that if enough tests are produced , the process could take hours rather than minutes , creating added gridlock at airports .
“ There are a lot of logistics that would have to be worked out , ” said Dr. James Zehnder , director of clinical pathology at Stanford University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the airline industry is describing rapid preflight testing as one of the best ways to revive a slumping travel industry , short of distributing a COVID-19 vaccine to all Americans .
“ We view this as an important step in our work to accelerate an eventual recovery of demand , ” Robert Isom , president of American Airlines , said in a statement Tuesday .
Although the number of Americans flying on commercial airlines has increased slightly in the last few weeks , overall travel demand is down about 70 % compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s largest airlines have been pleading for financial relief from the federal government to avert massive layoffs .
The nation ’ s air carriers have already shed about 45,000 full-time positions , mostly via buyouts and early retirement , according to an industry trade group .
On Thursday , United and American furloughed more than 32,000 workers combined .
And five regional carriers , including Compass Airlines and Trans State Airlines , have ceased operations because of the effects of the pandemic .
Travelers seem to like the idea of testing passengers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A survey by IATA of 4,700 travelers in 11 countries , including the U.S. , found that 84 % supported testing all travelers .
United , American , Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines plan to offer coronavirus tests in select airports for passengers traveling to Hawaii .
The Aloha State requires all visitors to either quarantine for 14 days upon arrival or show a negative result from a recent coronavirus test .
On Oct. 15 , United will begin offering Hawaii-bound fliers the option of taking a test at San Francisco International Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes .
Passengers can also order a test to be mailed to their home so they can collect their own sample within 72 hours of their flight and mail it to a laboratory that will send the results via text or email within 48 hours .
United plans to charge $ 250 for the rapid test and $ 80 for the mail-in test .
Hawaiian Airlines will also begin Oct. 15 to offer passengers flying to Hawaii access to drive-through coronavirus testing near the San Francisco airport and LAX , charging $ 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 for results within 36 hours .
American Airlines announced this week that it will also offer preflight testing for passengers flying to Hawaii as well as tests for fliers heading to Jamaica and the Bahamas , with additional markets to be added in the coming weeks and months .
For passengers flying to Hawaii , American will offer either at-home tests or tests that can be taken at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport or at an urgent care facility near the airport .
At Miami International Airport , the airline will offer tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bahamas — island nations whose quarantine requirements are similar to Hawaii ’ s .
Also this week , JetBlue announced plans to offer at-home coronavirus tests for passengers flying to destinations that call for a negative test result .
The samples from the at-home saliva test will be shipped overnight to a laboratory that will produce results in 72 hours or less .
Alaska Airlines said it will direct its passengers to take the coronavirus tests at pop-up clinics throughout the West Coast , starting Oct. 12 in Seattle .
SG Blocks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ containers for other uses , and Grimshaw Architects announced plans to build a modular coronavirus testing center at LAX by Nov. 1 .
The testing facility is slated to house a laboratory operated under a partnership with SG Blocks and New Jersey-based Clarity Labs .
Coronavirus tests that are currently available fall into one of two categories : a molecular test , which looks for genetic material from the virus and must be analyzed in a lab , with results in a day or two , and an antigen test , which detects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results in minutes .
The antigen test can be administered at home like a pregnancy test .
The rate at which the tests fail to detect the virus in a person who actually is infected — known as the false negative rate — is as low as 2 % and as high as 37 % for the molecular test , according to a Harvard Medical School blog post .
The false negative rate for the antigen test can be as high as 50 % .
The rate of false negative results can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken after a person is infected .
Studies by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that the false negative rate is much higher when a coronavirus test is taken within a few days of being infected , when virus levels are still low .
Zehnder , of the Stanford University Medical Center , said testing passengers with either test comes with disadvantages : The molecular test is more accurate but requires a laboratory and health experts to perform , while the antigen test is quicker but less accurate .
“ There are trade-offs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks forward to the day when the coronavirus will be detected at airports more quickly and accurately , perhaps with a device that relies on mass spectrometry to detect the virus from a quick swab taken from a passenger , similar to the way airport security agents detect explosive residue on a passenger ’ s luggage .
The airlines that are offering the coronavirus tests say they have no concern about a limit on testing supplies and agree that the tests ’ accuracy does vary .
But representatives for the carriers say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring back demand for air travel .
After adding the testing , Hawaiian Airlines resumed several previously canceled nonstop flights to Hawaii and increased the frequencies of other flights to coincide with the launch of the testing program .
“ We believe offering our guests from the U.S. mainland convenient and accessible testing options will help to bolster the existing demand we ’ re seeing , ” Hawaiian spokeswoman Tara Shimooka said .
Even if everybody on the plane is tested , health experts say they would still recommend that passengers continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible .
“ All the other things , you still need to do , even if they were going to test me and everyone else , ” Brewer said .

A company plans to convert cargo containers at Los Angeles International Airport into a coronavirus testing facility with an on-site lab. Above, a traveler at LAX.
Financially strapped airlines are pushing an idea intended to breathe new life into the travel industry: coronavirus tests that passengers can take before boarding a flight.
Several airlines, including United, American, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Alaska, have announced plans to begin offering testing — either kits mailed to a passenger’s home or rapid tests taken at or near airports — that would allow travelers to enter specific states and countries without having to quarantine.
The tests will cost fliers $90 to $250, depending on the airline and the type of test.
At Los Angeles International Airport, a design company has announced plans to convert cargo containers into a coronavirus testing facility with an on-site lab that can produce results in about two hours. On Thursday, Tampa International Airport began offering testing to all arriving and departing passengers on a walk-in basis.
Advertisement
It’s an idea that has gone global, with a trade group for the world’s airlines calling on governments to create a testing standard for airline passengers as a way to fight the COVID-19 pandemic instead of using travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines.
“Testing all passengers will give people back their freedom to travel with confidence,” Alexandre de Juniac, director general and chief executive of the International Air Transport Assn., said in a statement. “And that will put millions of people back to work.”
Although the idea is primarily designed to help passengers avoid quarantine requirements at their destinations, health experts say testing passengers immediately before a flight would also lower the odds that an infected person will board a plane and pass the virus to others.
But, the experts emphasize, testing won’t make flying free of health risks.
For one, coronavirus tests aren’t 100% accurate. Additionally, people who are tested a few days in advance have time to catch the virus before flying. And, of course, optional testing can’t detect the virus in travelers who choose not to be tested.
“If it’s an accurate test, a good one, it will help,” said Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “It won’t eliminate the risk, but it will reduce it.”
Experts fear that if testing expands, there may not be enough rapid tests available for all passengers who request it, and that if enough tests are produced, the process could take hours rather than minutes, creating added gridlock at airports.
Advertisement
“There are a lot of logistics that would have to be worked out,” said Dr. James Zehnder, director of clinical pathology at Stanford University Medical Center.
Despite the obstacles, the airline industry is describing rapid preflight testing as one of the best ways to revive a slumping travel industry, short of distributing a COVID-19 vaccine to all Americans.
“We view this as an important step in our work to accelerate an eventual recovery of demand,” Robert Isom, president of American Airlines, said in a statement Tuesday.
Although the number of Americans flying on commercial airlines has increased slightly in the last few weeks, overall travel demand is down about 70% compared with pre-pandemic numbers.
Several of the nation’s largest airlines have been pleading for financial relief from the federal government to avert massive layoffs. The nation’s air carriers have already shed about 45,000 full-time positions, mostly via buyouts and early retirement, according to an industry trade group. On Thursday, United and American furloughed more than 32,000 workers combined. And five regional carriers, including Compass Airlines and Trans State Airlines, have ceased operations because of the effects of the pandemic.
Travelers seem to like the idea of testing passengers to reduce the virus risk on flights. A survey by IATA of 4,700 travelers in 11 countries, including the U.S., found that 84% supported testing all travelers.
United, American, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines plan to offer coronavirus tests in select airports for passengers traveling to Hawaii. The Aloha State requires all visitors to either quarantine for 14 days upon arrival or show a negative result from a recent coronavirus test.
On Oct. 15, United will begin offering Hawaii-bound fliers the option of taking a test at San Francisco International Airport, with results available in about 15 minutes. Passengers can also order a test to be mailed to their home so they can collect their own sample within 72 hours of their flight and mail it to a laboratory that will send the results via text or email within 48 hours. United plans to charge $250 for the rapid test and $80 for the mail-in test.
Hawaiian Airlines will also begin Oct. 15 to offer passengers flying to Hawaii access to drive-through coronavirus testing near the San Francisco airport and LAX, charging $150 for the day-of-travel express service and $90 for results within 36 hours.
American Airlines announced this week that it will also offer preflight testing for passengers flying to Hawaii as well as tests for fliers heading to Jamaica and the Bahamas, with additional markets to be added in the coming weeks and months.
For passengers flying to Hawaii, American will offer either at-home tests or tests that can be taken at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport or at an urgent care facility near the airport. At Miami International Airport, the airline will offer tests to fliers bound for Jamaica and the Bahamas — island nations whose quarantine requirements are similar to Hawaii’s.
Also this week, JetBlue announced plans to offer at-home coronavirus tests for passengers flying to destinations that call for a negative test result. The samples from the at-home saliva test will be shipped overnight to a laboratory that will produce results in 72 hours or less.
Alaska Airlines said it will direct its passengers to take the coronavirus tests at pop-up clinics throughout the West Coast, starting Oct. 12 in Seattle.
SG Blocks, a designer that specializes in converting cargo containers for other uses, and Grimshaw Architects announced plans to build a modular coronavirus testing center at LAX by Nov. 1. The testing facility is slated to house a laboratory operated under a partnership with SG Blocks and New Jersey-based Clarity Labs.
Coronavirus tests that are currently available fall into one of two categories: a molecular test, which looks for genetic material from the virus and must be analyzed in a lab, with results in a day or two, and an antigen test, which detects certain proteins in the virus and offers results in minutes. The antigen test can be administered at home like a pregnancy test.
The rate at which the tests fail to detect the virus in a person who actually is infected — known as the false negative rate — is as low as 2% and as high as 37% for the molecular test, according to a Harvard Medical School blog post. The false negative rate for the antigen test can be as high as 50%.
The rate of false negative results can be influenced by how soon a test it taken after a person is infected. Studies by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that the false negative rate is much higher when a coronavirus test is taken within a few days of being infected, when virus levels are still low.
Zehnder, of the Stanford University Medical Center, said testing passengers with either test comes with disadvantages: The molecular test is more accurate but requires a laboratory and health experts to perform, while the antigen test is quicker but less accurate.
“There are trade-offs,” he said.
He said he looks forward to the day when the coronavirus will be detected at airports more quickly and accurately, perhaps with a device that relies on mass spectrometry to detect the virus from a quick swab taken from a passenger, similar to the way airport security agents detect explosive residue on a passenger’s luggage.
The airlines that are offering the coronavirus tests say they have no concern about a limit on testing supplies and agree that the tests’ accuracy does vary. But representatives for the carriers say they are still hopeful the tests will help bring back demand for air travel.
After adding the testing, Hawaiian Airlines resumed several previously canceled nonstop flights to Hawaii and increased the frequencies of other flights to coincide with the launch of the testing program.
“We believe offering our guests from the U.S. mainland convenient and accessible testing options will help to bolster the existing demand we’re seeing,” Hawaiian spokeswoman Tara Shimooka said.
Even if everybody on the plane is tested, health experts say they would still recommend that passengers continue to wear masks and maintain physical distancing as much as possible.
“All the other things, you still need to do, even if they were going to test me and everyone else,” Brewer said.


latimes--2020-10-02--Column: A wrecked economy for many, but a bonanza of overtime pay for L.A. firefighters at virus tes

Column: A wrecked economy for many, but a bonanza of overtime pay for L.A. firefighters at virus test sites

The coronavirus has battered the economy and cost many people their jobs , but for dozens of Los Angeles Fire Department employees assigned to COVID-19 test sites , the pandemic has delivered a bonanza in overtime pay .
“ There are guys making more in a month than a teacher makes in a year , ” said an LAFD official who questioned the exorbitant payouts at a time when Mayor Eric Garcetti , who has taken bows for providing free COVID testing at several city locations , has told top city managers to prepare for possible layoffs and other cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said the official , who reached out to me but requested anonymity .
He directed me to city records showing that numerous LAFD personnel have repeatedly been credited with 10 , 16 and even 24 hours a day of overtime since they started pulling COVID duty shifts , even though test sites are generally open only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Of course we all appreciate the heroic work of firefighters who routinely risk their lives , especially when half of California is in flames , and a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duty .
Also , the payroll records don ’ t show whether all the overtime paid out to the firefighters the source named was for COVID work .
But in my cruise through city payroll records , I found staggering payouts to LAFD personnel whose primary role when they work at testing sites is to open the facilities , close them , deliver results to a lab , replenish supplies and keep tabs on the equipment .
LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas acknowledged in an interview that the COVID overtime payouts totaled more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this year , and estimated the total could now be as high as $ 14 million .
As for the first $ 7 million , he said about 75 % of that was reimbursed by the federal government .
He lauded his department ’ s role in the testing and defended the overtime costs as a valuable public service .
But the chief also told me he is now conducting his own internal audit based on the whistleblower allegations and my questions about them .
I got tested at the Dodger Stadium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to see why paramedic and emergency training would be necessary for any of the workers at the test sites .
It ’ s not like firefighters administer the tests .
You pull in , someone hands you a test kit , you run a swab through your mouth , dump the kit into a barrel and drive away .
Do we really need some of the city ’ s highest paid and specially trained employees to do that work , often at time-and-a-half pay , in the middle of a fiscal emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being furloughed and tens of thousands of civilians have lost their jobs ?
According to city payroll documents , two fire captains identified by the source as working a lot of COVID shifts each made more than $ 200,000 , in overtime pay alone , between March 28 and Sept. 12 .
There ’ s no breakdown as to how much of that overtime pay was for COVID duty , but I did see duty sheet records showing that the two men have frequently worked test sites .
In a single month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief who does a lot of COVID duty raked in more than $ 70,000 in overtime pay , according to the payroll records , or just above the median annual household income in L.A. County .
I checked payroll records for 25 LAFD employees who frequently were assigned to COVID testing duty , and found a total overtime payout to them of nearly $ 2.7 million since late March , for an average of more than $ 100,000 apiece .
And they all earned their regular pay on top of that .
None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian employee , who dug through records and estimated that the COVID duty overtime payout was up to $ 12 million .
The employee wrote a whistleblower letter challenging the legitimacy of some overtime claims , and noting that civilian LAFD employees face furloughs in the midst of the cash haul by their firefighting colleagues , who already make a lot more in salary .
“ Many people are getting paid for hours they could not possibly be working because I see them leave for the day but the overtime is still entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The hours are not documented anywhere , it ’ s the total honor system , but without any honor or integrity at all , ” the whistleblower wrote in the letter , which was shared with me , and which I was given permission to show to City Controller Ron Galperin .
Galperin was concerned enough by what was in the letter to launch an audit .
“ This is troubling and it ’ s disturbing , but it ’ s not surprising , ” said Galperin .
He ripped city officials for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last November , when an audit by the city controller revealed that $ 470 million in overtime was paid across all city departments in the year ending in June 2019 .
At the top of that list , with $ 192 million in overtime payouts , was the city fire department .
In perusing city records , I found numerous instances in which firefighters were paid for as much as 200 , 300 and even 400 hours in overtime for single two-week pay periods .
That ’ s partly because the department allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash them in later , but it ’ s also because so much overtime is available .
My source told me firefighters often bank overtime credits until they get a raise or a promotion , and then redeem them when their value is higher .
Regardless of the details , employees often double their salaries with overtime payments .
“ It ’ s not just a question of money , ” said Galperin .
“ It ’ s also really unhealthy , it ’ s unsafe and unwise to be working that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this to Mayor Garcetti and got a written response from Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell , which said in part that firefighters have been working “ around the clock ” on Garcetti ’ s “ nation leading ” program , and 1.5 million Angelenos have been tested so far .
“ We know this work takes an extraordinary amount of resources , ” Gorell said .
Terrazas said the majority of firefighters assigned to test sites ordinarily have desk jobs , so of the 60 or so on COVID testing each day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station duty .
He said that while the majority of workers at test sites are civilians who work for a nonprofit co-founded by actor Sean Penn , firefighters are responsible for setting up the facilities , transporting and maintaining supplies and delivering tests to laboratories , all of which begins before test sites open and continues long after they ’ re closed .
Supervisors monitor overtime , the chief said , and assistant fire chief Ellsworth Fortman manages COVID testing .
Since March , according to payroll records , Fortman has logged 780 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 80 an hour , for a total of of $ 62,442.58 .
Fortman defended the extra pay , saying that while overtime hours for him and others may be high , testing involves a massive daily undertaking , with firefighters working at six drive-through sites and three walk-in sites , and testing employees from various agencies , including LAX , the ports , and recreation and parks .
“ We run testing six days a week and sometimes Sundays , along with mobile testing depending on the need , ” Fortman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge commitment and the overtime hours may be high … but I ’ m proud of what our people are doing.
” But I wonder , still , if we need firefighters on this assignment , often at time and a half , when so many others are struggling to survive and hungry for work .
And I wonder if equipment needs to be hauled all over the city every day rather than have civilians drop by local fire stations or other public facilities for tests .
“ These are firefighters , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We should have shut down testing for a week and sent them all up to help out with the Bobcat fire .
It ’ s in our backyard .
”

The coronavirus has battered the economy and cost many people their jobs, but for dozens of Los Angeles Fire Department employees assigned to COVID-19 test sites, the pandemic has delivered a bonanza in overtime pay.
“There are guys making more in a month than a teacher makes in a year,” said an LAFD official who questioned the exorbitant payouts at a time when Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has taken bows for providing free COVID testing at several city locations, has told top city managers to prepare for possible layoffs and other cost cutting.
“The numbers are shocking,” said the official, who reached out to me but requested anonymity. He directed me to city records showing that numerous LAFD personnel have repeatedly been credited with 10, 16 and even 24 hours a day of overtime since they started pulling COVID duty shifts, even though test sites are generally open only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Of course we all appreciate the heroic work of firefighters who routinely risk their lives, especially when half of California is in flames, and a lot of them aren’t pulling any COVID duty. Also, the payroll records don’t show whether all the overtime paid out to the firefighters the source named was for COVID work. But in my cruise through city payroll records, I found staggering payouts to LAFD personnel whose primary role when they work at testing sites is to open the facilities, close them, deliver results to a lab, replenish supplies and keep tabs on the equipment.
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LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas acknowledged in an interview that the COVID overtime payouts totaled more than $7 million in the first half of this year, and estimated the total could now be as high as $14 million. As for the first $7 million, he said about 75% of that was reimbursed by the federal government. He lauded his department’s role in the testing and defended the overtime costs as a valuable public service.
But the chief also told me he is now conducting his own internal audit based on the whistleblower allegations and my questions about them.
I got tested at the Dodger Stadium site last week, and it was hard to see why paramedic and emergency training would be necessary for any of the workers at the test sites. It’s not like firefighters administer the tests. You pull in, someone hands you a test kit, you run a swab through your mouth, dump the kit into a barrel and drive away.
Do we really need some of the city’s highest paid and specially trained employees to do that work, often at time-and-a-half pay, in the middle of a fiscal emergency in which thousands of city employees are being furloughed and tens of thousands of civilians have lost their jobs?
According to city payroll documents, two fire captains identified by the source as working a lot of COVID shifts each made more than $200,000, in overtime pay alone, between March 28 and Sept. 12. There’s no breakdown as to how much of that overtime pay was for COVID duty, but I did see duty sheet records showing that the two men have frequently worked test sites.
In a single month, ending Sept. 12, one assistant fire chief who does a lot of COVID duty raked in more than $70,000 in overtime pay, according to the payroll records, or just above the median annual household income in L.A. County.
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I checked payroll records for 25 LAFD employees who frequently were assigned to COVID testing duty, and found a total overtime payout to them of nearly $2.7 million since late March, for an average of more than $100,000 apiece. And they all earned their regular pay on top of that.
None of this sat well with one LAFD civilian employee, who dug through records and estimated that the COVID duty overtime payout was up to $12 million. The employee wrote a whistleblower letter challenging the legitimacy of some overtime claims, and noting that civilian LAFD employees face furloughs in the midst of the cash haul by their firefighting colleagues, who already make a lot more in salary.
“Many people are getting paid for hours they could not possibly be working because I see them leave for the day but the overtime is still entered in the computer as hours worked. The hours are not documented anywhere, it’s the total honor system, but without any honor or integrity at all,” the whistleblower wrote in the letter, which was shared with me, and which I was given permission to show to City Controller Ron Galperin.
Galperin was concerned enough by what was in the letter to launch an audit.
“This is troubling and it’s disturbing, but it’s not surprising,” said Galperin. He ripped city officials for not acting on his overtime reform recommendations last November, when an audit by the city controller revealed that $470 million in overtime was paid across all city departments in the year ending in June 2019. At the top of that list, with $192 million in overtime payouts, was the city fire department.
In perusing city records, I found numerous instances in which firefighters were paid for as much as 200, 300 and even 400 hours in overtime for single two-week pay periods. That’s partly because the department allows employees to gather overtime credits and then cash them in later, but it’s also because so much overtime is available.
My source told me firefighters often bank overtime credits until they get a raise or a promotion, and then redeem them when their value is higher. Regardless of the details, employees often double their salaries with overtime payments.
“It’s not just a question of money,” said Galperin. “It’s also really unhealthy, it’s unsafe and unwise to be working that many hours.”
I forwarded questions about all of this to Mayor Garcetti and got a written response from Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell, which said in part that firefighters have been working “around the clock” on Garcetti’s “nation leading” program, and 1.5 million Angelenos have been tested so far.
“We know this work takes an extraordinary amount of resources,” Gorell said.
Terrazas said the majority of firefighters assigned to test sites ordinarily have desk jobs, so of the 60 or so on COVID testing each day, only about 10 are being pulled from station duty.
He said that while the majority of workers at test sites are civilians who work for a nonprofit co-founded by actor Sean Penn, firefighters are responsible for setting up the facilities, transporting and maintaining supplies and delivering tests to laboratories, all of which begins before test sites open and continues long after they’re closed.
Supervisors monitor overtime, the chief said, and assistant fire chief Ellsworth Fortman manages COVID testing.
Since March, according to payroll records, Fortman has logged 780 hours of OT, at a rate of $80 an hour, for a total of of $62,442.58.
Fortman defended the extra pay, saying that while overtime hours for him and others may be high, testing involves a massive daily undertaking, with firefighters working at six drive-through sites and three walk-in sites, and testing employees from various agencies, including LAX, the ports, and recreation and parks.
“We run testing six days a week and sometimes Sundays, along with mobile testing depending on the need,” Fortman said. “It’s a huge commitment and the overtime hours may be high … but I’m proud of what our people are doing.”
But I wonder, still, if we need firefighters on this assignment, often at time and a half, when so many others are struggling to survive and hungry for work. And I wonder if equipment needs to be hauled all over the city every day rather than have civilians drop by local fire stations or other public facilities for tests.
“These are firefighters,” my source in the fire department said. “We should have shut down testing for a week and sent them all up to help out with the Bobcat fire. It’s in our backyard.”
Steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-10-02--A 911 caller said a Latino man was kidnapping a white child. The toddler was his grandson

Police vehicles surrounded Abel Mata on a sunny afternoon outside his Torrance home .
Officers wanted to know the identity of the child he ’ d been holding moments before .
A neighbor had called 911 to report that a Latino man had kidnapped a white baby .
A stunned Mata was forced to explain : The child was his grandson .
Mata ’ s daughter , Athena , had dropped 2-year-old Milo off for babysitting , as she did routinely , and the boy was inside the house with his grandmother .
As Mata and the officers walked toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of a neighboring apartment and approached them , shouting that he was the abductor .
She carried a samurai sword , Mata said .
“ She said , ‘ You ’ re the one kidnapping the child , ’ ” he said .
His offense , by all appearances , was being the brown-skinned grandfather of a light-skinned child .
The contrast — not unusual in a state where mixed-race families are common and Latinos , like other groups , have kin whose skin and hair color span the spectrum — had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
“ I was totally caught off-guard , ” said the 55-year-old Mata , who works as a seventh-grade history teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District .
“ Literally like somebody punching you in the face and knocking you down.
” Mata ’ s experience was extreme but in many ways , experts say , not surprising : People still often rely heavily on skin color to set standards of beauty and assign worth — and to determine who is family or a babysitter , or worse .
“ While oftentimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quote-unquote ‘ post-racial , ’ we see a lot of incidents such as this one in Torrance , where we can see how race is still really a fundamental feature that we use when we interact with one another , ” said Natalie Masuoka , an associate professor of political science and Asian American studies at UCLA .
The incident began shortly after Athena Mata and her husband , Justin Walker , dropped off their towheaded son at her parents ’ house .
As the couple drove away , she said , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a garage a few doors down , watching them leave .
Ten minutes later , as Mata was packing his car with diapers for a trip to the park , two police SUVs rolled up .
“ They wanted to question me , ” he said .
“ They said that someone had taken a white child and was carrying him around.
” The blond woman had come outside to watch and now was carrying the sword in its sheath .
“ If this was a person of color who came out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t believe they would have made it over to speak to him , ” Athena Mata said .
“ They would have been shot and killed.
” Instead , police told the woman to walk away and said they ’ d speak with her separately , Mata said .
They then ushered him inside and questioned his wife .
Satisfied that no abduction had taken place , they prepared to leave .
But first , Mata said , they warned him not to approach his neighbor .
If he did , he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said if I talk to her and she says I ’ m harassing her , I ’ m the one that could get in trouble , ” he said .
When Mata later called the Torrance police station to ask what had happened when the officers spoke to the neighbor , he was told she ’ d done nothing wrong .
“ I feel like to them it ’ s more illegal for a Mexican man to be carrying a white baby than it is for a white woman to be walking around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ They took more offense to my dad carrying around my white son than they did to a white woman carrying around a sword.
” The woman wasn ’ t arrested or cited because she remained on her property and never threatened Mata with the weapon , instead holding it off to her side as she yelled at him from a distance , Torrance Police Sgt .
Alexander Martinez said in an interview .
Efforts to reach the woman , who was not identified , were not successful .
“ Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandfather with a child , ” he said .
“ Nobody was handcuffed .
Nobody was really detained .
It was more just trying to get clarification from the family.
” Martinez said it ’ s not uncommon for officers to be called out for a misunderstanding involving neighbors and said they usually encourage the parties to work it out among themselves .
But he acknowledged that isn ’ t always possible , especially when tensions run high .
“ People are sensitive right now .
Whether it ’ s someone from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , it ’ s always in the back of their mind : Was that their motive ?
” he said .
“ We still have to respond to these calls and make sure nothing ’ s happening because if this would have been a good call and we didn ’ t respond , that would have been a disaster.
” The block where Mata lives is a mix of bungalows and townhouses with picket fences bordering neat lawns .
Residents described a diverse neighborhood with a small-town atmosphere , where neighbors keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses and notice strange cars parked on the street .
“ This part of Torrance is a giant melting pot , ” said Linnea Friberg-Price , 26 , who has lived on the block since 2002 .
She said that residents have been on heightened alert recently after a rumor flew that a man had tried to force a young woman into a sedan .
Torrance police have no record of such a crime but said that on Aug. 19 a man robbed two women at gunpoint in separate attacks , one about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the second about half a mile away .
The suspect was later arrested , Martinez said .
The Matas said they understand why police responded .
What if someone really had been abducting Milo ?
“ I ’ m glad that they came out for the call , but I wish that the woman with the sheathed sword would have been treated the same way that my dad was , ” Athena Mata said .
The interaction was Abel Mata ’ s first with the neighbor , he said .
Investigators say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intent , but Athena Mata doubts that .
“ There ’ s no way this could have been confused for a kidnapping , absolutely no way , ” she said .
“ She just didn ’ t agree with a man of color holding a white baby.
” Mata said that although the woman ’ s concern may have been genuine , the incident hurt him deeply .
But it ’ s a sign of the times , he said .
“ In my opinion , it ’ s because we have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which I ’ m very disappointed with.
” In many ways , it ’ s nothing new .
“ Race is very , very deeply embedded in American culture and American history , even down to the way that we constructed government , ” Masuoka said , pointing to the U.S. Constitution , which counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of apportioning seats in the House of Representatives .
“ Particularly in this country , the foundation of why we have race was to assign less-than-equal status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white , ” she said .
While diversity is increasingly valued , incidents such as Mata ’ s suggest that America still has a long way to go when it comes to actually embracing diversity , Masuoka said .
“ I think it goes to show you that even though we might in some ways celebrate being of mixed race , we still rely on what we call the rule of hypodescent , a.k.a .
the one-drop rule — which is that if you are any partial ancestry that is non-European , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ etc.
, ” she said .
“ In many ways , we can see the continued role of hypodescent in the ways in which people define race in this country.
” It ’ s not the first time the Mata family has experienced racial profiling .
Mata ’ s wife is white and Athena Mata fair-skinned .
As a child , when Athena was out with her father , people would sometimes pull her to the side and ask if she was OK. “ I didn ’ t understand why until I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My dad , when we would go visit our family in Mexico , we would be randomly picked to be stopped and searched at the border.… This happened a lot growing up.
” But this was the first time someone actually called the police because of the way they look , she said .
“ I was up all night crying because I felt my dad had been wronged and racially profiled , ” she said .
“ And if the police weren ’ t going to help us , I wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safe and healthy way.
” Athena Mata created a TikTok post consisting of cellphone video her dad shot of the police encounter interspersed with video clips of him playing with his laughing grandson .
The post went viral , with more than 912,000 views as of Thursday , and inspired a segment on local television news .
“ I want people to know that nobody is one race anymore , and families are all blended , ” she said .
“ My son is Native American , Mexican , Filipino , Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in him.… You need to just stop assuming because of the color of people ’ s skin .
That was the point I was trying to get across with all of this.
” With a population estimated at 30 % to 40 % Asian or Pacific Islander and about 17 % Latino , Torrance has previously served as the backdrop for viral videos on race .
Over the summer , a woman was caught on camera berating two people in separate anti-Asian tirades at Charles H. Wilson Park .
The woman , Lena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a separate confrontation that took place at Del Amo Fashion Center mall .
Video clips of two of the encounters posted on Twitter drew outrage from the public and elected officials , with Torrance Mayor Patrick Furey describing the scenes as “ nauseating to absolutely anybody in our community.
” Although a few people have accused Mata ’ s daughter of exploiting the incident , she said most reactions have been sympathetic and some even apologetic .
“ People feel really bad , ” she said .
“ Somebody actually walked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman — and said , ‘ Hi.
’ He thought the same thing was going to happen .
And she said , ‘ I just wanted to say I ’ m sorry for what happened .
The whole block is upset about this.
’ ” Mata said that conversation , which gave him hope , took place as he was walking with his grandson .

Abel Mata holds his grandson, Milo Walker, while sitting with his daughter, Athena Mata, and son-in-law, Justin Walker, on the patriarch’s front porch in Torrance.
Police vehicles surrounded Abel Mata on a sunny afternoon outside his Torrance home. Officers wanted to know the identity of the child he’d been holding moments before.
A neighbor had called 911 to report that a Latino man had kidnapped a white baby.
A stunned Mata was forced to explain: The child was his grandson. Mata’s daughter, Athena, had dropped 2-year-old Milo off for babysitting, as she did routinely, and the boy was inside the house with his grandmother.
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As Mata and the officers walked toward the door, a blond woman came out of a neighboring apartment and approached them, shouting that he was the abductor. She carried a samurai sword, Mata said.
“She said, ‘You’re the one kidnapping the child,’ ” he said.
His offense, by all appearances, was being the brown-skinned grandfather of a light-skinned child. The contrast — not unusual in a state where mixed-race families are common and Latinos, like other groups, have kin whose skin and hair color span the spectrum — had been pointed out before. But kidnapping?
“I was totally caught off-guard,” said the 55-year-old Mata, who works as a seventh-grade history teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. “Literally like somebody punching you in the face and knocking you down.”
Mata’s experience was extreme but in many ways, experts say, not surprising: People still often rely heavily on skin color to set standards of beauty and assign worth — and to determine who is family or a babysitter, or worse.
“While oftentimes we argue that the United States is quote-unquote ‘post-racial,’ we see a lot of incidents such as this one in Torrance, where we can see how race is still really a fundamental feature that we use when we interact with one another,” said Natalie Masuoka, an associate professor of political science and Asian American studies at UCLA.
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The incident began shortly after Athena Mata and her husband, Justin Walker, dropped off their son at her parents’ house.
As the couple drove away, she said, she noticed a blond woman standing in front of a garage a few doors down, watching them leave.
Ten minutes later, as Mata was packing his car with diapers for a trip to the park, two police SUVs rolled up.
“They wanted to question me,” he said. “They said that someone had taken a white child and was carrying him around.”
The blond woman had come outside to watch and now was carrying the sword in its sheath.
“If this was a person of color who came out with a sword, I don’t believe they would have made it over to speak to him,” Athena Mata said. “They would have been shot and killed.”
Instead, police told the woman to walk away and said they’d speak with her separately, Mata said. They then ushered him inside and questioned his wife. Satisfied that no abduction had taken place, they prepared to leave.
But first, Mata said, they warned him not to approach his neighbor. If he did, he could be charged with harassment.
Abel Mata and his grandson, Milo Walker, 2. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
“They said if I talk to her and she says I’m harassing her, I’m the one that could get in trouble,” he said.
When Mata later called the Torrance police station to ask what had happened when the officers spoke to the neighbor, he was told she’d done nothing wrong.
“I feel like to them it’s more illegal for a Mexican man to be carrying a white baby than it is for a white woman to be walking around carrying a weapon,” his daughter said. “They took more offense to my dad carrying around my white son than they did to a white woman carrying around a sword.”
The woman wasn’t arrested or cited because she remained on her property and never threatened Mata with the weapon, instead holding it off to her side as she yelled at him from a distance, Torrance Police Sgt. Alexander Martinez said in an interview.
Efforts to reach the woman, who was not identified, were not successful.
“Our officers immediately knew that this was a grandfather with a child,” he said. “Nobody was handcuffed. Nobody was really detained. It was more just trying to get clarification from the family.”
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
Martinez said it wasn’t uncommon for officers to be called out for a misunderstanding involving neighbors and that they usually encouraged the parties to work it out among themselves. But he acknowledged that wasn’t always possible, especially when tensions run high.
“People are sensitive right now. Whether it’s someone from a different race who says something or does something, it’s always in the back of their mind: Was that their motive?” he said.
“We still have to respond to these calls and make sure nothing’s happening because if this would have been a good call and we didn’t respond, that would have been a disaster.”
The block where Mata lives is a mix of bungalows and townhouses with picket fences bordering neat lawns. Residents described a diverse neighborhood with a small-town atmosphere, where neighbors keep an eye on one another’s houses and notice strange cars parked on the street.
“This part of Torrance is a giant melting pot,” said Linnea Friberg-Price, 26, who has lived on the block since 2002.
She said that residents had been on heightened alert recently after a rumor flew that a man had tried to force a young woman into a sedan.
Torrance police had no record of such a crime but said that on Aug. 19 a man robbed two women at gunpoint in separate attacks, one about a block from Mata’s house and the second about half a mile away. The suspect was later arrested, Martinez said.
The Matas said they understand why police responded. What if someone really had been abducting Milo?
“I’m glad that they came out for the call, but I wish that the woman with the sheathed sword would have been treated the same way that my dad was,” Athena Mata said.
The interaction was Abel Mata’s first with the neighbor, he said. Investigators said she didn’t act with malicious intent, but Athena Mata doubts that.
“There’s no way this could have been confused for a kidnapping, absolutely no way,” she said. “She just didn’t agree with a man of color holding a white baby.”
Abel Mata and his grandson, Milo Walker, 2, in the frontyard of Mata’s home in Torrance. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
Mata said that although the woman’s concern might have been genuine, the incident hurt him deeply. But it’s a sign of the times, he said.
“In my opinion, it’s because we have a heightened sense of race in our country, which I’m very disappointed with.”
In many ways, it’s nothing new.
“Race is very, very deeply embedded in American culture and American history, even down to the way that we constructed government,” Masuoka said, pointing to the U.S. Constitution, which counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of apportioning seats in the House of Representatives.
“Particularly in this country, the foundation of why we have race was to assign less-than-equal status to people who are not classified as white,” she said.
Although diversity is increasingly valued, incidents such as Mata’s suggest that America still has a long way to go when it comes to actually embracing diversity, Masuoka said.
“I think it goes to show you that even though we might in some ways celebrate being of mixed race, we still rely on what we call the rule of hypodescent, aka the one-drop rule — which is that if you are any partial ancestry that is non-European, you are Black, Latino, Asian, etc.,” she said.
“In many ways, we can see the continued role of hypodescent in the ways in which people define race in this country.”
It’s not the first time the Mata family has experienced racial profiling. Mata’s wife is white, and Athena Mata is fair-skinned. As a child, when Athena was out with her father, people would sometimes pull her to the side and ask if she was OK.
“I didn’t understand why until I got older,” she said. “My dad, when we would go visit our family in Mexico, we would be randomly picked to be stopped and searched at the border.… This happened a lot growing up.”
But this was the first time someone actually called the police because of the way they look, she said.
“I was up all night crying because I felt my dad had been wronged and racially profiled,” she said. “And if the police weren’t going to help us, I wanted to take it in my own hands in a safe and healthy way.”
Athena Mata created a TikTok post consisting of cellphone video her dad shot of the police encounter interspersed with video clips of him playing with his laughing grandson. The post went viral, with more than 912,000 views as of Thursday, and inspired a segment on local television news.
“I want people to know that nobody is one race anymore, and families are all blended,” she said. “My son is Native American, Mexican, Filipino, Irish. He’s got so much in him.… You need to just stop assuming because of the color of people’s skin. That was the point I was trying to get across with all of this.”
With a population estimated at 30% to 40% Asian or Pacific Islander and about 17% Latino, Torrance has previously served as the backdrop for viral videos on race.
Over the summer, a woman was caught on camera berating two people in separate anti-Asian tirades at Charles H. Wilson Park. The woman, Lena Hernandez, was eventually charged with battery in a separate confrontation that took place at Del Amo Fashion Center mall.
Video clips of two of the encounters posted on Twitter drew outrage from the public and elected officials, with Torrance Mayor Patrick Furey describing the scenes as “nauseating to absolutely anybody in our community.”
Although a few people have accused Mata’s daughter of exploiting the incident, she said most reactions had been sympathetic and some even apologetic.
“People feel really bad,” she said. “Somebody actually walked up to my dad yesterday — another white woman — and said, ‘Hi.’ He thought the same thing was going to happen. And she said, ‘I just wanted to say I’m sorry for what happened. The whole block is upset about this.’ ”
Mata said that conversation, which gave him hope, took place as he was walking with his grandson.


latimes--2020-10-02--Sid Weiser, founder of L.A. chef favorite Weiser Family Farms, dies at 95

Sid Weiser had a rough start as a farmer , growing apples in Tehachapi , Calif. , in the late 1970s .
He was 55 years old , recently retired from teaching and facing consecutive years of spring frost .
Weiser and his son Alex decided to focus on new and experimental varieties of potatoes , melons and other vegetables .
Over the next 40 years , they turned the Weiser Family Farms into one of the best-known and sought-after produce purveyors in California .
The Weiser Family Farms name appears on menus at the most lauded restaurants in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mélisse , Birdie G ’ s and Orsa & Winston .
Its potatoes , melons and mulberries have been a favorite of Southern California chefs and home cooks for decades .
And customers line up every week to peruse the booths at farmers markets for purple potatoes , multicolored carrots and romanesco — varieties of produce the family helped popularize before they were mainstream .
“ Sid was one of the first to search for special and unique ingredients that were not available , ” said Josiah Citrin , chef-owner of Mélisse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to producing everything the right way , which showed in the quality and flavor of the ingredients .
Sid ’ s dedication to farming was a huge support in Mélisse ’ s success.
” Weiser died Monday after a brief battle with liver cancer .
He was 95 , two days shy of his birthday .
Weiser was born in Boyle Heights on Sept. 30 , 1924 .
He was drafted to the Army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II , earning two Purple Hearts as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he graduated premed from USC .
Instead of helping with his father ’ s cleaning business after graduation , he traveled to Mexico City and ended up staying five years , making jewelry .
He met his future wife , Raquel , at a dance there , and they married and moved back to Los Angeles to start a family .
Weiser taught chemistry and was a high school gang counselor at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles .
He was part of the same teaching staff as Jaime Escalante and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips and the chess club .
“ He basically lived this suburban life teaching , but he always dreamed of being a farmer , ” said Alex .
Weiser retired from his teaching job in 1976 , thinking then was as good a time as any for a career change .
He and his wife , Raquel , purchased a 160-acre apple orchard in Tehachapi and started Weiser Family Farms in 1977 .
They grew red delicious and golden delicious apples , selling mostly to Hansen ’ s and other large juice companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t know anything about farming , I just wanted to do it , ” Weiser told The Times in 2005 .
“ After about five years , we nearly went bankrupt.
” Following three consecutive spring frosts , business was far from booming .
“ The first five years were really scary , ” Alex said .
“ We were losing money rapidly.
” In 1981 , over coffee with a friend , Weiser ended up trading his condo in Rosemead , Calif. , for another 83-acre farm in Tehachapi .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuffling senior citizens through the farm , offering them a meal and the opportunity to pick fruit and buy produce straight from the farm .
His dad was a true entrepreneur , but Alex credits a 1977 executive order from Gov .
Jerry Brown with saving the business .
The order enabled farmers to sell directly to customers at farmers markets .
Before then , farmers were required to package and label products before selling anywhere off the farm site .
In 1981 , Vance Corum , who helped start the direct farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , knocked on the family ’ s door .
“ I ’ ll never forget it , ” Alex said .
“ He told us about these farmers markets that had started in Pacoima and Gardena , and said that we should think about doing that.
” The opportunity came at a perfect time , as the family had grown tired of growing produce for juice brokers , who Alex said didn ’ t respect the fruit .
“ At the farmers markets , people wanted flavor .
It helped us survive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generating a new cash flow , the farmers markets allowed the Weisers to experiment with the types of produce they were growing .
After their experience with apples and the frosts , they started planting potatoes ( a much more reliable and durable crop ) , mulberries and other vegetables to diversify their offerings .
Eventually , they used the direct interactions with customers to help dictate their next crops .
Weiser sent Alex and some of his son ’ s friends to sell produce at farmers markets around Southern California .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling at 40 farmers markets .
“ Then the chefs came [ to farmers markets ] in the mid- ’ 90s , like Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel , ” Alex said .
He remembers his dad growing fingerling potatoes and Persian mulberries for Silverton .
“ What made us shine was going to the markets and talking to Nancy [ Pizzeria Mozza ] and Suzanne Goin [ A.O.C . ]
and Jeremy Fox [ Birdie G ’ s ] and getting the opinions of the best palates in the city.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was introduced to when I moved here in 2005 , ” said Josef Centeno , chef-owner of Orsa & Winston restaurant .
The chef recently featured the farm ’ s Honeynut squash on his menu .
“ I instantly fell in love with their vegetables and they have always had a center-stage role on my menus ever since.
” Weiser was consistently enthusiastic , supporting his son ’ s efforts to try a new potato or melon variety .
The family helped introduce and popularize items such as baby potatoes ( previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cattle feed ) , European and Asian varieties of melons , multicolored carrots and radishes , and orange and purple cauliflower to the markets .
“ He was like a kid , ” Alex said .
“ His most famous words were , ‘ Yea , let ’ s do it.
’ ” Fox , who remembers meeting Weiser at a farm dinner to benefit Alex ’ s Lemonade in 2013 , said he has based entire menus on produce from the farm .
“ That ’ s the only potato I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And when he brought spigarello to the market , I had never worked with spigarello before.
” Fox profiled Alex in his cookbook “ On Vegetables ” and had the farm attempt to grow some items specifically for his restaurants , including strawberry spinach and yacon .
While Alex spent most of his time at the farmers markets , Weiser remained on the ranch .
Called “ Don Sid ” by many of the people who worked for him , Weiser walked around the farm in a sombrero , interacting with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Spanish , he often helped his farmworkers ’ kids with their homework .
Over the years the farm turned into a family business , with Alex ’ s sister , Esther , a former teacher , helping at the farmers markets and his brother Dan leaving a marketing job at Disney to join the business as well .
Now , their produce can be found at the Santa Monica Farmers Markets , as well as farmers markets in Beverly Hills , Hollywood , Venice , Pasadena , Long Beach , Torrance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flowers on farms in Tehachapi and the Bakersfield area .
“ My dad really got to see his vision come true and all of us working together , ” Alex said .
“ He always said we don ’ t have to make a lot of money , as long as we get to keep farming , ” Weiser is survived by his wife , Raquel ; children Alex , Dan and Esther ; five grandchildren ; and one great-grandchild .
“ I ’ ll miss talking about what we ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things , ” Alex said .
“ I ’ m going to keep farming like my dad until I pass .
There ’ s no better way to live your life .
”

Sid Weiser had a rough start as a farmer, growing apples in Tehachapi, Calif., in the late 1970s. He was 55 years old, recently retired from teaching and facing consecutive years of spring frost.
Weiser and his son Alex decided to focus on new and experimental varieties of potatoes, melons and other vegetables. Over the next 40 years, they turned the Weiser Family Farms into one of the best-known and sought-after produce purveyors in California.
The Weiser Family Farms name appears on menus at the most lauded restaurants in Los Angeles, influencing dishes at Providence, Mélisse, Birdie G’s and Orsa & Winston. Its potatoes, melons and mulberries have been a favorite of Southern California chefs and home cooks for decades. And customers line up every week to peruse the booths at farmers markets for purple potatoes, multicolored carrots and romanesco — varieties of produce the family helped popularize before they were mainstream.
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“Sid was one of the first to search for special and unique ingredients that were not available,” said Josiah Citrin, chef-owner of Mélisse and Citrin restaurants. “He was dedicated to producing everything the right way, which showed in the quality and flavor of the ingredients. Sid’s dedication to farming was a huge support in Mélisse’s success.”
Weiser died Monday after a brief battle with liver cancer. He was 95, two days shy of his birthday.
Weiser was born in Boyle Heights on Sept. 30, 1924. He was drafted to the Army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, earning two Purple Hearts as a medic. After returning from the war, he graduated premed from USC.
Instead of helping with his father’s cleaning business after graduation, he traveled to Mexico City and ended up staying five years, making jewelry. He met his future wife, Raquel, at a dance there, and they married and moved back to Los Angeles to start a family.
Sid Weiser with wife Raquel. (Hill Street Studios)
Weiser taught chemistry and was a high school gang counselor at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. He was part of the same teaching staff as Jaime Escalante and was involved in school activities including camping trips and the chess club.
“He basically lived this suburban life teaching, but he always dreamed of being a farmer,” said Alex.
Weiser retired from his teaching job in 1976, thinking then was as good a time as any for a career change. He and his wife, Raquel, purchased a 160-acre apple orchard in Tehachapi and started Weiser Family Farms in 1977. They grew red delicious and golden delicious apples, selling mostly to Hansen’s and other large juice companies.
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“I bought it because I didn’t know anything about farming, I just wanted to do it,” Weiser told The Times in 2005. “After about five years, we nearly went bankrupt.”
Following three consecutive spring frosts, business was far from booming.
“The first five years were really scary,” Alex said. “We were losing money rapidly.”
In 1981, over coffee with a friend, Weiser ended up trading his condo in Rosemead, Calif., for another 83-acre farm in Tehachapi. He started doing big bus tours, shuffling senior citizens through the farm, offering them a meal and the opportunity to pick fruit and buy produce straight from the farm.
His dad was a true entrepreneur, but Alex credits a 1977 executive order from Gov. Jerry Brown with saving the business. The order enabled farmers to sell directly to customers at farmers markets. Before then, farmers were required to package and label products before selling anywhere off the farm site.
In 1981, Vance Corum, who helped start the direct farmers market program for the state of California, knocked on the family’s door.
“I’ll never forget it,” Alex said. “He told us about these farmers markets that had started in Pacoima and Gardena, and said that we should think about doing that.”
The opportunity came at a perfect time, as the family had grown tired of growing produce for juice brokers, who Alex said didn’t respect the fruit.
“At the farmers markets, people wanted flavor. It helped us survive,” he said.
Sid Weiser with his son Alex. (Weiser family)
In addition to generating a new cash flow, the farmers markets allowed the Weisers to experiment with the types of produce they were growing. After their experience with apples and the frosts, they started planting potatoes (a much more reliable and durable crop), mulberries and other vegetables to diversify their offerings. Eventually, they used the direct interactions with customers to help dictate their next crops.
Weiser sent Alex and some of his son’s friends to sell produce at farmers markets around Southern California. At one time, Alex estimates they were selling at 40 farmers markets.
“Then the chefs came [to farmers markets] in the mid-’90s, like Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel,” Alex said. He remembers his dad growing fingerling potatoes and Persian mulberries for Silverton. “What made us shine was going to the markets and talking to Nancy [Pizzeria Mozza] and Suzanne Goin [A.O.C.] and Jeremy Fox [Birdie G’s] and getting the opinions of the best palates in the city.”
Food Handle With Care: Persian mulberries from Weiser Family Farms With twice the sugar of raspberries, delicate Persian mulberries are a sweet treat
“Weiser Farms was the first farm that I was introduced to when I moved here in 2005,” said Josef Centeno, chef-owner of Orsa & Winston restaurant. The chef recently featured the farm’s Honeynut squash on his menu. “I instantly fell in love with their vegetables and they have always had a center-stage role on my menus ever since.”
Weiser was consistently enthusiastic, supporting his son’s efforts to try a new potato or melon variety. The family helped introduce and popularize items such as baby potatoes (previously dumped by many farmers or used as cattle feed), European and Asian varieties of melons, multicolored carrots and radishes, and orange and purple cauliflower to the markets.
“He was like a kid,” Alex said. “His most famous words were, ‘Yea, let’s do it.’”
Fox, who remembers meeting Weiser at a farm dinner to benefit Alex’s Lemonade in 2013, said he has based entire menus on produce from the farm.
“That’s the only potato I know in SoCal,” he said. “And when he brought spigarello to the market, I had never worked with spigarello before.”
Fox profiled Alex in his cookbook “On Vegetables” and had the farm attempt to grow some items specifically for his restaurants, including strawberry spinach and yacon.
While Alex spent most of his time at the farmers markets, Weiser remained on the ranch. Called “Don Sid” by many of the people who worked for him, Weiser walked around the farm in a sombrero, interacting with his staff and whistling and singing. Fluent in Spanish, he often helped his farmworkers’ kids with their homework.
Over the years the farm turned into a family business, with Alex’s sister, Esther, a former teacher, helping at the farmers markets and his brother Dan leaving a marketing job at Disney to join the business as well.
Now, their produce can be found at the Santa Monica Farmers Markets, as well as farmers markets in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Venice, Pasadena, Long Beach, Torrance and Claremont. And they grow produce and flowers on farms in Tehachapi and the Bakersfield area.
“My dad really got to see his vision come true and all of us working together,” Alex said. “He always said we don’t have to make a lot of money, as long as we get to keep farming,”
Weiser is survived by his wife, Raquel; children Alex, Dan and Esther; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
“I’ll miss talking about what we’re going to plant, he really loved growing things,” Alex said. “I’m going to keep farming like my dad until I pass. There’s no better way to live your life.”


latimes--2020-10-01--Man suffers life-threatening gunshot wounds in altercation at San Francisco's Union Square

A man suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds Thursday in an altercation at San Francisco ’ s Union Square , a spokesman @ @ @ @ @ Department said .
Sgt .
Michael Andraychak said officers responded just after 5 p.m. to @ @ @ @ @ block of Geary Street .
That city block is lined with designer showrooms , luxury @ @ @ @ @ store .
An altercation between at least two people preceded the shooting , said Andraychak @ @ @ @ @ information was preliminary and subject to change .
One man was taken to a hospital @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Another man involved into the altercation has been detained .

A man who suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds Thursday in an altercation at San Francisco’s Union Square has died, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said.
Sgt. Michael Andraychak said officers responded just after 5 p.m. to a shooting in the 100 block of Geary Street. That city block is lined with designer showrooms, luxury boutiques and a high-end department store.
An altercation between at least two people preceded the shooting, said Andraychak, who cautioned that the information was preliminary and subject to change. The nature of the altercation was not immediately clear.
One man, whom police are identifying only as a 21-year-old, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds and later died from his injuries, Andraychak said Friday morning. Another man involved in the altercation has been detained.


latimes--2020-10-01--Fire engine is stolen in Riverside while firefighters render aid

A woman stole a fire engine Thursday evening in Riverside as its crew was treating an elderly patient , driving the engine about three miles on a freeway before being apprehended by the police , authorities said .
At 6 p.m. , Riverside police officers responded to the 100000 block of Hole Avenue in Riverside to help an elderly man who had stopped breathing , Officer Ryan Railsback said .
The officers performed CPR and resuscitated the man when an ambulance and the Riverside City Fire Department ’ s Engine 8 arrived , Railsback said .
Firefighters were helping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispatcher fielded a call : “ I ’ m seeing some lady climbing up into a firetruck and stealing it , ” the caller said , according to Railsback .
Authorities followed the engine using an onboard vehicle tracking system , said Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst of the Riverside City Fire Department .
The woman drove along La Sierra Avenue and onto the 91 Freeway , striking at least two cars and causing minor damage , Railsback said .
The woman abandoned the engine on an offramp and fled toward Adams Street , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars that had pulled to a halt , Railsback said .
She was apprehended on the offramp and arrested on suspicion of auto theft and driving under the influence .
The joyride spanned three miles and lasted about six minutes , Vanderhorst and Railsback said .
According to Railsback , she told one of the arresting officers , “ She saw it and just decided to try it out.
” Railsback said he did not know the woman ’ s name because she had been taken to a hospital and had not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — whatever you want to call it — hopefully , it hasn ’ t lost anyone any assistance , ” he said .
“ When you do this , you ’ re depriving the community of a service , even temporarily.
” The Fire Department plans to inspect the engine Friday for any damage .
“ It ’ s a first for us , ” said Vanderhorst , the battalion chief .
“ I ’ ve never heard anything like it .
”

A woman stole a fire engine Thursday evening in Riverside as its crew was treating an elderly patient, driving the engine about three miles on a freeway before being apprehended by the police, authorities said.
At 6 p.m., Riverside police officers responded to the 100000 block of Hole Avenue in Riverside to help an elderly man who had stopped breathing, Officer Ryan Railsback said.
The officers performed CPR and resuscitated the man when an ambulance and the Riverside City Fire Department’s Engine 8 arrived, Railsback said.
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Firefighters were helping the man into the ambulance when a police dispatcher fielded a call: “I’m seeing some lady climbing up into a firetruck and stealing it,” the caller said, according to Railsback.
Authorities followed the engine using an onboard vehicle tracking system, said Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst of the Riverside City Fire Department.
The woman drove along La Sierra Avenue and onto the 91 Freeway, striking at least two cars and causing minor damage, Railsback said.
The woman abandoned the engine on an offramp and fled toward Adams Street, yanking at the door handles of several cars that had pulled to a halt, Railsback said. She was apprehended on the offramp and arrested on suspicion of auto theft and driving under the influence.
The joyride spanned three miles and lasted about six minutes, Vanderhorst and Railsback said.
According to Railsback, she told one of the arresting officers, “She saw it and just decided to try it out.”
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Railsback said he did not know the woman’s name because she had been taken to a hospital and had not been booked.
“Her little fun joyride — whatever you want to call it — hopefully, it hasn’t lost anyone any assistance,” he said. “When you do this, you’re depriving the community of a service, even temporarily.”
The Fire Department plans to inspect the engine Friday for any damage.
“It’s a first for us,” said Vanderhorst, the battalion chief. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”


latimes--2020-10-02--In Huntington Beach, mask debate continued, despite Trump's COVID hospitalization

Along the pier in Huntington Beach on Friday , the talk of President Trump ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization was fierce .
This Orange County city became a national symbol of the fight against wearing masks earlier this year and was the scene of several protests by Trump supporters demanding that Gov .
Gavin Newsom reopen the economy .
There was concern for the president from voters on both sides of the political spectrum .
Trump ’ s timing was perfect because “ he ’ s going to show the nation that he will recover so quickly — just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Jules Adger , a retiree , walking with his dog , Gizmo , along the pier .
The Brea resident stood near a giant blue banner that read “ Masks up , Surf City , USA.
” Yet he and other visitors around him were not wearing face coverings .
On his T-shirt , he sported a “ Trump 2020 '' sticker .
Adger believes that by Oct. 9 or 10 , the president will be back to good health , and that there ’ s no need to use masks “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by breathing back your own oxygen.
” He said he has faith that the first lady , along with her husband , “ will snap out of it , because she ’ s healthy .
I really wish both of them well.
” Greg Mitre , carrying his longboard , said Trump knew the risks .
“ He ’ s playing with fire , rolling the dice , and eventually , he got it .
If he ’ s going to be holding rallies and having people all around him , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great country has been absolutely irresponsible.
” Mitre , a retired dockworker from San Pedro , is waiting to hear if members of the president ’ s cabinet and those who often travel with him on Air Force One and Marine One will test positive for the coronavirus .
“ I think it was pretty obvious that people who are wearing the mask , exercising caution , exercising social distance , will not come down with the disease , ” added Mitre , 63 .
“ Maybe some good will come of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will start to realize that they better be careful and start wearing masks.
” Brandon Fox , a high school senior from Corona , said Trump ’ s diagnosis is “ very concerning .
It ’ s so close to the election.
” From the pier , the Santiago High School student ambled toward downtown Huntington Beach with his brother and cousin .
He wonders if the president will recover in time to go to the ballot box and what would happen if he does not .
“ I pray that he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nearby , his aunt Kara Wallace , a real estate agent , said she prays for anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 , “ regardless of their political party .
I believe that political conversations are conversations that we should be having with our young people .
They need to know what ’ s going on.
” Her son Michael Wallace , a high school senior , and another nephew , Dominic Fox , got to talking about how Trump proved “ he ’ s human — not invincible ” to a deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoax — this could happen to anyone , ” Michael Wallace said .

The day President Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19, many people still weren’t wearing masks near the pier in Huntington Beach.
Along the pier in Huntington Beach on Friday, the talk of President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization was fierce.
This Orange County city became a national symbol of the fight against wearing masks earlier this year and was the scene of several protests by Trump supporters demanding that Gov. Gavin Newsom reopen the economy.
There was concern for the president from voters on both sides of the political spectrum.
Trump’s timing was perfect because “he’s going to show the nation that he will recover so quickly — just in time for the election,” said Jules Adger, a retiree, walking with his dog, Gizmo, along the pier.
The Brea resident stood near a giant blue banner that read “Masks up, Surf City, USA.” Yet he and other visitors around him were not wearing face coverings. On his T-shirt, he sported a “Trump 2020” sticker.
Adger believes that by Oct. 9 or 10, the president will be back to good health, and that there’s no need to use masks “because more harm will come to you by breathing back your own oxygen.”
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He said he has faith that the first lady, along with her husband, “will snap out of it, because she’s healthy. I really wish both of them well.”
Greg Mitre, carrying his longboard, said Trump knew the risks.
“He’s playing with fire, rolling the dice, and eventually, he got it. If he’s going to be holding rallies and having people all around him, it’s expected. The leader of our great country has been absolutely irresponsible.”
Mitre, a retired dockworker from San Pedro, is waiting to hear if members of the president’s cabinet and those who often travel with him on Air Force One and Marine One will test positive for the coronavirus.
“I think it was pretty obvious that people who are wearing the mask, exercising caution, exercising social distance, will not come down with the disease,” added Mitre, 63. “Maybe some good will come of it, and the rest of the nation will start to realize that they better be careful and start wearing masks.”
Brandon Fox, a high school senior from Corona, said Trump’s diagnosis is “very concerning. It’s so close to the election.”
From the pier, the Santiago High School student ambled toward downtown Huntington Beach with his brother and cousin. He wonders if the president will recover in time to go to the ballot box and what would happen if he does not.
“I pray that he will get better,” he added.
Nearby, his aunt Kara Wallace, a real estate agent, said she prays for anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19, “regardless of their political party. I believe that political conversations are conversations that we should be having with our young people. They need to know what’s going on.”
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Her son Michael Wallace, a high school senior, and another nephew, Dominic Fox, got to talking about how Trump proved “he’s human — not invincible” to a deadly disease.
“This is not a hoax — this could happen to anyone,” Michael Wallace said.