latimes--2020-05-21--Lockdowns crippled his 'bouncy house' business. Nearly bankrupt, he's pushing back

Jim Edmonds can ’ t say what led him to join an unauthorized protest against the coronavirus lockdowns at the state Capitol in May , except fear and boredom and a need to do something as his decade-old business — renting out inflatable jump houses — collapsed in a matter of days .
But he can recall how he felt when California Highway Patrol officers grabbed him , pinned his arms behind his back with plastic zip ties and marched him into a holding pen in the building ’ s basement .
“ I ’ m the bouncy house guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling them , at first incredulous he was being arrested , then angry .
“ It was surreal.
” Much of life has become baffling to Edmonds and other small-business owners nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread government restrictions .
More than 900,000 Californians run their own small business , accounting for roughly 10 % of the state ’ s workforce , a figure that jumps to 14 % in Los Angeles .
The party services industry has been hit particularly hard because of bans on gatherings .
Without work , Edmonds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through empty and anxious days .
Increasingly desperate but feeling powerless , he has turned to political activism , “ a world that I know nothing about , ” he said , but one that in just a few weeks has shifted from a radical thought to the only reasonable path he sees .
Edmonds is , by his own description , in a dark place that has “ forever ” changed how he thinks about life and government , leaving him looking for answers among the pastors , anti-vaccine activists and right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Though many of the rallies across the state have been filled with parishioners brought in on buses or people with years of social agitating under their belts , Edmonds represents a different demographic that has been largely lost in the politicization of the pandemic — an average Joe pushed to extremes .
“ I was searching for something , ” said Edmonds , owner of Bouncey House Rentals in Roseville .
“ I was just like , ‘ What do you do ?
’ ” Edmonds ’ problems began when a trickle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a torrent in March , as customers grew increasingly nervous .
More bald than not and sinewy from years of moving his wares , Edmonds tried to reassure customers that his units were disinfected after every use — scrubbed with three cleaners including one used by hospitals .
But with deaths mounting globally and awareness of the highly contagious illness growing , his guarantees fell on deaf ears .
By the time Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order March 19 , shutting him down in the middle of his busiest season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming .
With graduation parties and spring fundraisers , his 300 inflatables would usually be booked weeks in advance .
Instead , “ at a time where we [ would ] have been taking in tens of thousands a week , we are not even taking in hundreds , ” he said .
He had to return nearly $ 300,000 in deposits , wiping out his accounts .
Alicia Correia , his bookkeeper , said he lost about 95 % of his business .
Correia said Edmonds is a fighter and an optimist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help but be hurting inside.
” “ Before , it was the stress of making all the deliveries , and now it ’ s the stress of making rent , feeding his family and such , ” she said .
Edmonds laid off his 13 employees , stopped taking a paycheck , didn ’ t tell his wife how bad it was .
In April , he closed the shop for the first Saturday in its history .
Normally , he was up at 5 a.m. on weekends , prepping crews to haul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to the impatient kids , church groups and parties that awaited .
That day , he stayed in bed , unable to get dressed or eat .
By Cinco de Mayo , buying shrimp burritos for his kids was a financial stress , a “ sickening ” feeling , he said .
He couldn ’ t even look at the books .
“ I don ’ t need to know anymore because it doesn ’ t matter .
It ’ s gone , ” he said .
“ Can ’ t change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Can ’ t build it back up .
It ’ s just gone.
” He kept making sales calls , sending emails , trying to come up with alternative business plans .
He pushed the “ wacky wavy ” balloon men used to lure customers into stores , but little was open .
He offered up tents for drive-through medical clinics .
Nothing helped .
Correia insisted he apply for federal aid , “ another humbling thing for me , ” Edmonds said , but nothing has come through .
“ Look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gesturing around his empty office , where superhero memorabilia decorated the walls .
“ I am a professional planner and I can ’ t figure out what the next move is.
” Edmonds entered the jump-house business in a drug-induced haze after a shoulder surgery , he said .
Recovering and on painkillers , he said , he dreamed up a business plan for inflatable rentals and unknowingly “ drunk dialed ” a manufacturer to purchase a bounce house .
Three days later , a semi unloaded it at his curb .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his real house , but it didn ’ t work .
His wife , Becky , he said , was not happy with the $ 3,000 bill .
The couple lived in Silicon Valley at the time , and Edmonds ran his own catering and vending machine company , filling coin-op soda and snack dispensers for tech companies .
Sometimes , money was so slim he ’ d need the change in a machine to pay for goods to restock it .
A few months after the bounce house arrived , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then-2-year-old son .
A police officer showed up , asking if he had a permit .
Though the officer made Edmonds remove the bounce house , he asked if it was for rent .
“ He said , ‘ How much ?
’ and I said , ‘ How much do you want to pay ?
’ ” he said .
In 2008 , his vending business popped with the tech bubble .
“ You go back to fill the machines and the whole company is gone , ” he recalled .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacramento , and began building his rental company in earnest , his son now 5 and a newborn girl in tow .
His next acquisition was a counterfeit Disney bounce house he found on Craigslist for $ 150 , though he didn ’ t know it was a knockoff at the time .
“ It was filthy ” he said .
He scrubbed it for three days straight , scooping out thousands of pine needles from its cracks .
“ All I saw was I could get it out for another $ 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 400 raise for me.
” Soon he bought two more units , delivering them each to two parties a day by himself .
“ It was exhausting , ” he said , but he liked being the “ bouncy house guy , ” his arrival eagerly awaited .
“ The kids just love it , ” he said .
“ It ’ s such a feel-good.
” Last year , his company grew about 300 % , he said , its best year ever .
He bought out a competitor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a friend to pick up inflatables from a company that was closing .
He had three people answering phones .
It was fun and exciting , he said , and he remembers thinking there was no way it could get better .
“ They took all that away , ” he said , using brown fast food napkins to dab at tears .
“ And I don ’ t even know who ‘ they ’ is.
” At loose ends , he drove down to the Capitol on the last day of April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see what was happening .
He didn ’ t find much , two men with protest signs .
But he came back again the next day , and this time there were hundreds gathering for a “ Mayday ” rally .
He milled around the crowd in his black polo shirt , his logo stitched in bright primary colors on the front , watching a woman in a speedboat cajole the crowd into chants , checking out flag-waving protesters and eventually seeking shade as he began to develop a sunburn .
Few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He found himself leaning on a railing a few feet away from a line of officers in heavy padded vests with batons out .
Looking around , he noticed protesters with flags on metal poles , “ melon crackers , ” he thought , realizing they could be used as weapons .
He began to worry .
The officers began pushing the crowd off the Capitol grounds — the event was not permitted and deemed a health hazard .
“ I couldn ’ t get out of there at that point , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so fast.
” In the jumble , he bumped into an officer .
Twice .
“ I hear ‘ Taken , ’ ” he said .
“ And then six of them rush up on you… .
I ’ ve seen people on TV when they get taken down and it ’ s nothing like that.
” In a holding cell inside the Capitol , he realized he wasn ’ t the only one arrested .
Thirty-two others shared the space , including anti-vaccine activists who helped organize the event and a Riverside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the movement in California .
Edmonds ’ thoughts turned bleak .
What would happen to him ?
Is this how authoritarianism begins , he asked himself , echoing the rhetoric of those who still rallied outside .
Conspiracies on Facebook and the internet began to play in his head .
He wondered if he could make a break for the door .
“ For whatever reason , I am trying to get my head around why they would arrest me , ” he said .
“ I run a bounce house company.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citation .
Rattled , he forgot to take it with him when he left .
At first , the arrest made him feel more powerless .
“ It just showed me that a peaceful protest isn ’ t going to do anything at all , ” he said .
“ What did we accomplish ?
” In the next days , he felt unmoored and uncertain , he said .
“ That ’ s the problem .
Who am pissed at ?
” he wondered .
“ Who is there to be pissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is it the governor ?
” He spent more time online , listening to the protesters and trying to find clarity in a rabbit hole of conservative internet information .
He likes some of what he ’ s hearing , he said .
He believes the virus isn ’ t deadly enough for most to warrant the shutdowns .
But he ’ s concerned about some fringe elements — “ like crazy folks who are talking about taking up arms , ” he said .
Despite his initial misgivings about protests , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week after his run-in with the law , again not quite sure what drew him .
He kept some distance , leaning against another railing in front of a line of officers , this time on the other side of it .
He plans on coming again this Saturday , when the same organizers hope to draw another large crowd , and he ’ s turned to organizing himself .
He contacted a group of hairdressers who staged a protest Monday and offered to attend theirs if they would come out Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ local churches to hold a prayer vigil in front of Newsom ’ s house .
“ The activist lifestyle , if you want to call it , that ’ s just a world I never would have gotten into , ” he said this week .
“ This is all very strange to me.
” Edmonds said his wife “ wants me to stay quiet , ” and is worried people will call him a Trump supporter .
He is .
But “ this has nothing to do with Trump , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ causing some people a little bit of pressure ” and helping to reopen California more quickly .
This week , Newsom allowed some businesses across the state to open .
It gives Edmonds hope , but he does not know if the bouncy house business will ever fully recover .
“ It has to , I mean , doesn ’ t it ?
” he said .
“ How long can I keep this going ?
”

Jim Edmonds can’t say what led him to join an unauthorized protest against the coronavirus lockdowns at the state Capitol in May, except fear and boredom and a need to do something as his decade-old business — renting out inflatable jump houses — collapsed in a matter of days.
But he can recall how he felt when California Highway Patrol officers grabbed him, pinned his arms behind his back with plastic zip ties and marched him into a holding pen in the building’s basement.
“I’m the bouncy house guy, for Chrissakes,” he remembers telling them, at first incredulous he was being arrested, then angry. “It was surreal.”
Advertisement
Edmonds has been driven to near bankruptcy by the coronavirus lockdowns. (Anita Chabria / Los Angeles Times)
Much of life has become baffling to Edmonds and other small-business owners nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread government restrictions. More than 900,000 Californians run their own small business, accounting for roughly 10% of the state’s workforce, a figure that jumps to 14% in Los Angeles. The party services industry has been hit particularly hard because of bans on gatherings.
Without work, Edmonds, like many others, is fighting through empty and anxious days. Increasingly desperate but feeling powerless, he has turned to political activism, “a world that I know nothing about,” he said, but one that in just a few weeks has shifted from a radical thought to the only reasonable path he sees.
Edmonds is, by his own description, in a dark place that has “forever” changed how he thinks about life and government, leaving him looking for answers among the pastors, anti-vaccine activists and right-wing groups that have embraced the shutdown protests.
Though many of the rallies across the state have been filled with parishioners brought in on buses or people with years of social agitating under their belts, Edmonds represents a different demographic that has been largely lost in the politicization of the pandemic — an average Joe pushed to extremes.
“I was searching for something,” said Edmonds, owner of Bouncey House Rentals in Roseville. “I was just like, ‘What do you do?’”
Advertisement
Edmonds’ problems began when a trickle of rental cancellations in February turned into a torrent in March, as customers grew increasingly nervous.
More bald than not and sinewy from years of moving his wares, Edmonds tried to reassure customers that his units were disinfected after every use — scrubbed with three cleaners including one used by hospitals. But with deaths mounting globally and awareness of the highly contagious illness growing, his guarantees fell on deaf ears.
By the time Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order March 19, shutting him down in the middle of his busiest season, the scope of his losses was overwhelming.
With graduation parties and spring fundraisers, his 300 inflatables would usually be booked weeks in advance.
Instead, “at a time where we [would] have been taking in tens of thousands a week, we are not even taking in hundreds,” he said.
He had to return nearly $300,000 in deposits, wiping out his accounts. Alicia Correia, his bookkeeper, said he lost about 95% of his business.
Correia said Edmonds is a fighter and an optimist, but “he can’t help but be hurting inside.”
“Before, it was the stress of making all the deliveries, and now it’s the stress of making rent, feeding his family and such,” she said.
Edmonds laid off his 13 employees, stopped taking a paycheck, didn’t tell his wife how bad it was.
In April, he closed the shop for the first Saturday in its history. Normally, he was up at 5 a.m. on weekends, prepping crews to haul the units, hundreds of pounds each, to the impatient kids, church groups and parties that awaited. That day, he stayed in bed, unable to get dressed or eat.
By Cinco de Mayo, buying shrimp burritos for his kids was a financial stress, a “sickening” feeling, he said. He couldn’t even look at the books.
“I don’t need to know anymore because it doesn’t matter. It’s gone,” he said. “Can’t change it. Can’t fix it. Can’t build it back up. It’s just gone.”
He kept making sales calls, sending emails, trying to come up with alternative business plans. He pushed the “wacky wavy” balloon men used to lure customers into stores, but little was open. He offered up tents for drive-through medical clinics. Nothing helped.
Correia insisted he apply for federal aid, “another humbling thing for me,” Edmonds said, but nothing has come through.
“Look at this,” he said, gesturing around his empty office, where superhero memorabilia decorated the walls. “I am a professional planner and I can’t figure out what the next move is.”
Edmonds entered the jump-house business in a drug-induced haze after a shoulder surgery, he said. Recovering and on painkillers, he said, he dreamed up a business plan for inflatable rentals and unknowingly “drunk dialed” a manufacturer to purchase a bounce house. Three days later, a semi unloaded it at his curb.
He tried to hide it on the side of his real house, but it didn’t work. His wife, Becky, he said, was not happy with the $3,000 bill.
The couple lived in Silicon Valley at the time, and Edmonds ran his own catering and vending machine company, filling coin-op soda and snack dispensers for tech companies. Sometimes, money was so slim he’d need the change in a machine to pay for goods to restock it.
A few months after the bounce house arrived, he took it to the park with his then-2-year-old son. A police officer showed up, asking if he had a permit. Though the officer made Edmonds remove the bounce house, he asked if it was for rent.
“He said, ‘How much?’ and I said, ‘How much do you want to pay?’” he said.
Edmonds began a side hustle.
In 2008, his vending business popped with the tech bubble. “You go back to fill the machines and the whole company is gone,” he recalled.
He moved to Roseville, a suburb of Sacramento, and began building his rental company in earnest, his son now 5 and a newborn girl in tow. His next acquisition was a counterfeit Disney bounce house he found on Craigslist for $150, though he didn’t know it was a knockoff at the time.
“It was filthy” he said. He scrubbed it for three days straight, scooping out thousands of pine needles from its cracks. “All I saw was I could get it out for another $100 a week … and that’s a $400 raise for me.”
Soon he bought two more units, delivering them each to two parties a day by himself.
“It was exhausting,” he said, but he liked being the “bouncy house guy,” his arrival eagerly awaited.
“The kids just love it,” he said. “It’s such a feel-good.”
Last year, his company grew about 300%, he said, its best year ever. He bought out a competitor and increased his stock driving to Texas with a friend to pick up inflatables from a company that was closing. He had three people answering phones. It was fun and exciting, he said, and he remembers thinking there was no way it could get better.
“They took all that away,” he said, using brown fast food napkins to dab at tears. “And I don’t even know who ‘they’ is.”
At loose ends, he drove down to the Capitol on the last day of April, about 20 miles away, just to see what was happening. He didn’t find much, two men with protest signs. But he came back again the next day, and this time there were hundreds gathering for a “Mayday” rally.
He milled around the crowd in his black polo shirt, his logo stitched in bright primary colors on the front, watching a woman in a speedboat cajole the crowd into chants, checking out flag-waving protesters and eventually seeking shade as he began to develop a sunburn. Few, including Edmonds, wore masks.
He found himself leaning on a railing a few feet away from a line of officers in heavy padded vests with batons out. Looking around, he noticed protesters with flags on metal poles, “melon crackers,” he thought, realizing they could be used as weapons. He began to worry. The officers began pushing the crowd off the Capitol grounds — the event was not permitted and deemed a health hazard.
“I couldn’t get out of there at that point,” he said. “It all happened so fast.”
In the jumble, he bumped into an officer. Twice.
“I hear ‘Taken,’” he said. “And then six of them rush up on you…. I’ve seen people on TV when they get taken down and it’s nothing like that.”
In a holding cell inside the Capitol, he realized he wasn’t the only one arrested. Thirty-two others shared the space, including anti-vaccine activists who helped organize the event and a Riverside preacher who has become another leader of the movement in California.
Edmonds’ thoughts turned bleak. What would happen to him? Is this how authoritarianism begins, he asked himself, echoing the rhetoric of those who still rallied outside. Conspiracies on Facebook and the internet began to play in his head. He wondered if he could make a break for the door.
“For whatever reason, I am trying to get my head around why they would arrest me,” he said. “I run a bounce house company.”
Eventually, he was released with a citation. Rattled, he forgot to take it with him when he left.
At first, the arrest made him feel more powerless.
“It just showed me that a peaceful protest isn’t going to do anything at all,” he said. “What did we accomplish?”
In the next days, he felt unmoored and uncertain, he said.
“That’s the problem. Who am pissed at?” he wondered. “Who is there to be pissed at? Is it the senators? Is it the governor?”
He spent more time online, listening to the protesters and trying to find clarity in a rabbit hole of conservative internet information. He likes some of what he’s hearing, he said. He believes the virus isn’t deadly enough for most to warrant the shutdowns. But he’s concerned about some fringe elements — “like crazy folks who are talking about taking up arms,” he said.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Despite his initial misgivings about protests, he showed up again at the Capitol a week after his run-in with the law, again not quite sure what drew him. He kept some distance, leaning against another railing in front of a line of officers, this time on the other side of it.
He plans on coming again this Saturday, when the same organizers hope to draw another large crowd, and he’s turned to organizing himself. He contacted a group of hairdressers who staged a protest Monday and offered to attend theirs if they would come out Saturday. He’s also trying to organize local churches to hold a prayer vigil in front of Newsom’s house.
“The activist lifestyle, if you want to call it, that’s just a world I never would have gotten into,” he said this week. “This is all very strange to me.”
Edmonds said his wife “wants me to stay quiet,” and is worried people will call him a Trump supporter. He is.
But “this has nothing to do with Trump,” he said. He believes the protests are “causing some people a little bit of pressure” and helping to reopen California more quickly. This week, Newsom allowed some businesses across the state to open. It gives Edmonds hope, but he does not know if the bouncy house business will ever fully recover.
“It has to, I mean, doesn’t it?” he said. “How long can I keep this going?”


latimes--2020-05-21--California is reopening, but anxious customers are slow to come back

From restaurants to shopping malls , the California economy is grinding back to life after months of coronavirus closures .
But one question looms over the reopening cheers : Do consumers feel safe enough to come back ?
California should know the answer soon enough .
After Gov .
Gavin Newsom eased the criteria for reopening retail businesses and restaurants , many smaller counties are already turning on the “ open ” signs while larger counties like Orange and San Diego hope to join them in the coming days .
So far , most of California ’ s 58 counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second phase of Newsom ’ s reopening plan , which allows retail shopping and restaurants to serve in-person patrons .
Yet the experiences of counties that reopened in recent weeks has been sobering .
Even as customers are returning , business are hindered by the constraints of operating at reduced capacity to meet social distancing requirements and question whether that model of fewer customers can be sustainable in the long term .
Napa on Wednesday became the first county in the Bay Area to reopen restaurants for in-house dining .
But customer traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that customers might still be too afraid to come back .
Mauro Pando , owner of Grace ’ s Table in downtown Napa , began offering customers the opportunity to dine inside in the morning , but few patrons wanted to be seated .
“ Confidence is something we need to build in the community , ” Pando said , wearing a mask and standing at the restaurant ’ s entrance .
“ It will be a slow return.
” To keep patrons six feet apart , he removed 17 tables and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper napkins and paper menus .
“ I feel safe , and I don ’ t feel nervous , ” he said .
But Johanna Hill , a waitress wearing a black cloth mask , confessed she was “ a little bit ” scared .
Indeed , many people out on the downtown Napa sidewalks Wednesday did not wear masks .
Several small-scale shopping malls that have reopened have seen steady foot traffic .
Shoppers eager to browse the Chico Mall in Butte County and the Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new capacity limits .
Shops may hold off on placing a returned item back on a shelf until it has been sanitized or 24 hours have passed .
“ People are shopping , ” said Natasha Shelton , the senior general manager for both malls .
“ The feedback from our shoppers is that they are very excited to get back to a sense of normalcy .
They are treating themselves to a nice set of shoes or some other item they ’ ve been used to , to boost their mood .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re treasuring it even more now.
” But for now , fitting rooms remain closed and only about half of the stores at the two malls are taking customers .
Shelton said some national chains are waiting to reopen all of their outlets within a geographic region at once , while other companies are still developing their own health guidelines and getting personal protective equipment in order .
Unlike Napa County , Yuba and Sutter counties have allowed in-person dining and the reopening of a wide range of businesses for several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Shon Harris said he did not hesitate before deciding to eat breakfast at Linda ’ s Soda Bar and Grill on a recent morning with his 10-year-old son .
They wore masks on the way there , which they removed once inside to eat a Spanish omelet and French toast .
Both applied hand sanitizer before , during and after the meal .
“ It ’ s a sense of relief , ” said Harris .
“ People are happy to get outside .
People are happy to support our businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some way [ like ] , ‘ Hey , we got this.
’ ” That atmosphere has also been true at Cool Hand Luke ’ s steakhouse in Yuba City .
Staff have their temperatures checked before they start working and restrooms are sanitized every 30 minutes .
On its reopening day , about 175 people dined in .
“ Everyone has been waiting to leave their house , ” said owner Jesse Villicana .
“ I think a lot of people were happy we were open and have prime ribs.
” Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half his staff back because the restaurant has been forced to run at diminished capacity to ensure social distancing .
“ If we keep running like this too long , it ’ s just not going to work , ” he said .
Hair salons that reopened under a local public health order in Yuba and Sutter counties have seen an overwhelming demand from customers — both local and from out of town — and even the ones that haven ’ t done so yet sense that their services will be snatched up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Studio 622 Salon & Spa in Yuba City , decided to stay closed because she fears pushback from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology .
She receives calls every day from potential clients and has a lengthy waiting list— with nail services booked until almost July .
“ It ’ s a very tough situation , ” Massey said .
“ I have pressure from people wanting to go back to work , clients wanting to come in and see their stylists , and state officials and the licensing board to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps run the Heart n Soul Tattoo parlor in Yuba City with her brother , said that after the county allowed tattoo shops to reopen , the business took a couple of extra days to review its safety protocols .
The shop closes each afternoon for an hour so that employees can clean it as thoroughly as if they were reopening for the next day .
So far , Vick said , the parlor has been busy , with more than 20 customers a day .
But it received almost twice as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first appointments was with a local who had been waiting to get a tattoo of a tree on his forearm to memorialize his mother , who had died recently .
“ I cleared my schedule to make sure he could come in on Mother ’ s Day , ” she said .
“ He waited through all of this to have that for himself.
” For small businesses , the shutdown has taken a brutal economic toll .
And many business owners said they would gladly accept fewer customers — at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting cash flowing again .
Unlike some gyms that offer virtual classes via Zoom or Facebook Live , Evelyn Guzman ’ s Pilates studio in the city of Orange was completely shut down for two months .
Guzman and her husband dipped into their savings to support themselves and their five children , but their landlord wasn ’ t willing to give them a break on the $ 2,800 monthly studio rent .
“ It started to really hurt us , ” Guzman said .
“ We have rent to pay .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s our livelihood.
” A week before she reopened Bare Fitness OC on Monday , Guzman noticed smaller private training facilities around the county opening their doors to the public .
She planned to cut classes in half to about five a day and disinfect all the machines after every use .
Although Guzman said she thinks she is following the law because hers is a private fitness studio , a spokeswoman for Orange County said she was not aware of an exemption for private training facilities and that the county is following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders classify gyms and fitness studios as higher-risk businesses , which will be allowed to reopen later on in the state ’ s recovery plan .
About 80 of Guzman ’ s estimated 320 clients have returned .
Others are waiting a bit longer , promising to come back sometime in June .
“ Everyone has complained about gaining weight … getting depressed , ” Guzman said .
Dolan reported from Napa , Miller from Los Angeles and Carcamo from Orange County .
Luke Money in Los Angeles and Anh Do in Orange @ @ @ @ @ @

Leila Miller, Maura Dolan, Cindy Carcamo

A deserted restaurant in the Napa County city of Yountville. Some restaurants have begun welcoming back dine-in customers.
From restaurants to shopping malls, the California economy is grinding back to life after months of coronavirus closures.
But one question looms over the reopening cheers: Do consumers feel safe enough to come back?
California should know the answer soon enough.
After Gov. Gavin Newsom eased the criteria for reopening retail businesses and restaurants, many smaller counties are already turning on the “open” signs while larger counties like Orange and San Diego hope to join them in the coming days. So far, most of California’s 58 counties have applied to move further into the second phase of Newsom’s reopening plan, which allows retail shopping and restaurants to serve in-person patrons.
Advertisement
Yet the experiences of counties that reopened in recent weeks has been sobering. Even as customers are returning, business are hindered by the constraints of operating at reduced capacity to meet social distancing requirements and question whether that model of fewer customers can be sustainable in the long term.
Napa on Wednesday became the first county in the Bay Area to reopen restaurants for in-house dining. But customer traffic was light, and some restaurateurs worried that customers might still be too afraid to come back.
Mauro Pando, owner of Grace’s Table in downtown Napa, began offering customers the opportunity to dine inside in the morning, but few patrons wanted to be seated.
“Confidence is something we need to build in the community,” Pando said, wearing a mask and standing at the restaurant’s entrance. “It will be a slow return.”
To keep patrons six feet apart, he removed 17 tables and their chairs. The restaurant is also using paper napkins and paper menus.
“I feel safe, and I don’t feel nervous,” he said.
But Johanna Hill, a waitress wearing a black cloth mask, confessed she was “a little bit” scared.
Indeed, many people out on the downtown Napa sidewalks Wednesday did not wear masks.
Advertisement
Several small-scale shopping malls that have reopened have seen steady foot traffic. Shoppers eager to browse the Chico Mall in Butte County and the Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City must now wait outside store entrances to respect new capacity limits. Shops may hold off on placing a returned item back on a shelf until it has been sanitized or 24 hours have passed.
“People are shopping,” said Natasha Shelton, the senior general manager for both malls. “The feedback from our shoppers is that they are very excited to get back to a sense of normalcy. They are treating themselves to a nice set of shoes or some other item they’ve been used to, to boost their mood. This is something they treasured before and they’re treasuring it even more now.”
But for now, fitting rooms remain closed and only about half of the stores at the two malls are taking customers. Shelton said some national chains are waiting to reopen all of their outlets within a geographic region at once, while other companies are still developing their own health guidelines and getting personal protective equipment in order.
Unlike Napa County, Yuba and Sutter counties have allowed in-person dining and the reopening of a wide range of businesses for several weeks under local guidance.
Yuba City Mayor Shon Harris said he did not hesitate before deciding to eat breakfast at Linda’s Soda Bar and Grill on a recent morning with his 10-year-old son. They wore masks on the way there, which they removed once inside to eat a Spanish omelet and French toast. Both applied hand sanitizer before, during and after the meal.
“It’s a sense of relief,” said Harris. “People are happy to get outside. People are happy to support our businesses. You have a sense of community in some way [like], ‘Hey, we got this.’”
That atmosphere has also been true at Cool Hand Luke’s steakhouse in Yuba City. Staff have their temperatures checked before they start working and restrooms are sanitized every 30 minutes.
On its reopening day, about 175 people dined in.
“Everyone has been waiting to leave their house,” said owner Jesse Villicana. “I think a lot of people were happy we were open and have prime ribs.”
Despite the demand, Villicana has hired only half his staff back because the restaurant has been forced to run at diminished capacity to ensure social distancing.
“If we keep running like this too long, it’s just not going to work,” he said.
Hair salons that reopened under a local public health order in Yuba and Sutter counties have seen an overwhelming demand from customers — both local and from out of town — and even the ones that haven’t done so yet sense that their services will be snatched up.
Shelby Massey, the owner of Studio 622 Salon & Spa in Yuba City, decided to stay closed because she fears pushback from the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. She receives calls every day from potential clients and has a lengthy waiting list— with nail services booked until almost July.
“It’s a very tough situation,” Massey said. “I have pressure from people wanting to go back to work, clients wanting to come in and see their stylists, and state officials and the licensing board to stay closed.”
Zoey Hunter Vick, who helps run the Heart n Soul Tattoo parlor in Yuba City with her brother, said that after the county allowed tattoo shops to reopen, the business took a couple of extra days to review its safety protocols. The shop closes each afternoon for an hour so that employees can clean it as thoroughly as if they were reopening for the next day.
So far, Vick said, the parlor has been busy, with more than 20 customers a day. But it received almost twice as many clients before the pandemic.
One of her first appointments was with a local who had been waiting to get a tattoo of a tree on his forearm to memorialize his mother, who had died recently.
“I cleared my schedule to make sure he could come in on Mother’s Day,” she said. “He waited through all of this to have that for himself.”
For small businesses, the shutdown has taken a brutal economic toll. And many business owners said they would gladly accept fewer customers — at least in the beginning — if it meant getting cash flowing again.
Unlike some gyms that offer virtual classes via Zoom or Facebook Live, Evelyn Guzman’s Pilates studio in the city of Orange was completely shut down for two months. Guzman and her husband dipped into their savings to support themselves and their five children, but their landlord wasn’t willing to give them a break on the $2,800 monthly studio rent.
“It started to really hurt us,” Guzman said. “We have rent to pay. We have bills to pay. It’s our livelihood.”
A week before she reopened Bare Fitness OC on Monday, Guzman noticed smaller private training facilities around the county opening their doors to the public. She planned to cut classes in half to about five a day and disinfect all the machines after every use.
Although Guzman said she thinks she is following the law because hers is a private fitness studio, a spokeswoman for Orange County said she was not aware of an exemption for private training facilities and that the county is following state laws. California’s stay-at-home orders classify gyms and fitness studios as higher-risk businesses, which will be allowed to reopen later on in the state’s recovery plan.
About 80 of Guzman’s estimated 320 clients have returned. Others are waiting a bit longer, promising to come back sometime in June.
“Everyone has complained about gaining weight … getting depressed,” Guzman said.
Dolan reported from Napa, Miller from Los Angeles and Carcamo from Orange County. Luke Money in Los Angeles and Anh Do in Orange County contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-21--Skelton: Newsom wise to end one-man rule on coronavirus, giving local leaders more discretion

Gov .
Gavin Newsom has entered his own Phase 2 of the virus war : relinquishing one-man control over the state ’ s battle against the bug .
In truth , he has barely been staying one step ahead of rural rebels who have been challenging his control and testing him — in some burgs seizing authority from the governor .
Newsom has wisely relented .
There ’ s no need to get into the equivalent of a shooting war with these rural communities — especially those in the far north , where many people resent being part of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been failed attempts to secede and form their own state of Jefferson with southern Oregon .
Newsom has allowed many counties to reopen for business — what they were threatening to do anyway — but pressured them to agree on his modified terms .
“ Our approach has been to work with businesses that fall out of compliance , ” says Nathan Click , spokesman for the governor .
“ Warn them and work with them constructively.
” No sledgehammers .
No business licenses revoked .
No lawsuits .
Stay-at-home orders relaxed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public beaches are now open , just three weeks after the governor pulled back under pressure from closing them all .
Surfers , swimmers and sunbathers had stormed the beaches on a beautiful weekend and threatened to keep doing it even if they weren ’ t legally allowed to .
Newsom wasn ’ t going to order them jailed or even fined .
That would have been too ugly .
He smartly retreated , permitting local governments to open all beaches under his guidelines .
One restriction , however , seems ridiculous : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some people get tired and need to rest .
Many of the people lying around together in the sun are family members .
They live with each other 24/7 .
What ’ s a little sand time ?
And keeping parking lots closed is ludicrous .
Beachgoers just park in nearby neighborhoods , clogging streets .
On Monday , Newsom loosened rules for reopening businesses and freeing people from their houses .
And he told counties it was up to them to decide when to move into Phase 2 of the agonizingly slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state are unique and distinctive depending where you are , ” Newsom told reporters , echoing what rural officials have been chanting for weeks .
“ The bottom line is people can go at their own pace and we are empowering our local health directors and county officials that understand their local communities and conditions better than any of us.
” That prompted rare bipartisan kudos from state Senate Republican leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield .
“ The governor ’ s original ‘ one-size-fits-all ’ plan unfairly placed Kern , Tulare and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as San Francisco and Los Angeles , ” Grove said .
“ I want to thank the governor for making such an important modification that ’ s necessary to revive our local economies , support businesses and employ Californians.
” Tulare , however , was one of five counties that did not receive Newsom ’ s green light to venture into Phase 2 .
The county has been especially hard-hit by the virus , largely because of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes .
But the Tulare County Board of Supervisors has voted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To be continued .
By allowing most counties to control when they reopen — under loosely enforced state guidelines — Newsom has taken the pressure off himself to lift constraints .
And he has avoided the heaviest share of criticism if the reopening goes poorly and becomes a virus spreader .
Fingers would then be pointed at local officials .
Public pressure to reopen is inevitably mounting .
And politically , the reopening side possesses the advantage over keep-it-closed advocates , writes Willie Brown , former San Francisco mayor and state Assembly speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the San Francisco Chronicle .
Brown is one of California ’ s most brilliant political tacticians .
Republicans , Brown wrote Sunday , “ are taking their cue from President Trump and presenting themselves as the champions of the economy .
The sooner the full reopening , the better.
” “ We Democrats , ” Brown continued , “ try to assure people that we can have a shutdown and still help them with their rent… .
“ The question is which side will voters be on come November ?
My bet is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat who does appear to get the message , ” Brown concluded , “ is Newsom .
He ’ s delivering a blend of vocal concern about the health crisis with an easy hand on the tap for reopening .
And he ’ s doing it with a smile rather than a scowl , a tactic other Democrats should learn.
” Newsom won ’ t be smiling as much on TV , however .
Part of his Phase 2 is stepping back from daily noon virus briefings that have been carried live by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The noon shows apparently have been a phenomenal hit with viewers who are stuck at home .
The programs gained Newsom more prolonged TV face time than any California governor ever , portraying him as a leader .
But now they ’ re being pared to two a week .
Newsom wanted more flexibility in his schedule and felt the briefings had run their course .
There wasn ’ t enough new information to fill an hour anymore .
Newsom also was moving out of his bunker at the state emergency center and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to negotiate with the Legislature about how to fill a $ 54-billion budget deficit created by the statewide business shutdown .
That can ’ t come too soon for the Legislature , which has been griping about the governor ignoring it on virus spending .
Rural counties aren ’ t alone in fuming about Newsom ’ s one-man rule — lawmakers are too .

Gov. Gavin Newsom, in Napa on Monday, announces new criteria on coronavirus hospitalizations and testing that could allow counties to open faster than the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has entered his own Phase 2 of the virus war: relinquishing one-man control over the state’s battle against the bug.
In truth, he has barely been staying one step ahead of rural rebels who have been challenging his control and testing him — in some burgs seizing authority from the governor.
Newsom has wisely relented. There’s no need to get into the equivalent of a shooting war with these rural communities — especially those in the far north, where many people resent being part of California anyway. For decades, there have been failed attempts to secede and form their own state of Jefferson with southern Oregon.
Advertisement
Newsom has allowed many counties to reopen for business — what they were threatening to do anyway — but pressured them to agree on his modified terms.
“Our approach has been to work with businesses that fall out of compliance,” says Nathan Click, spokesman for the governor. “Warn them and work with them constructively.”
No sledgehammers. No business licenses revoked. No lawsuits. Stay-at-home orders relaxed. Everyone wins.
Moreover, all the public beaches are now open, just three weeks after the governor pulled back under pressure from closing them all. Surfers, swimmers and sunbathers had stormed the beaches on a beautiful weekend and threatened to keep doing it even if they weren’t legally allowed to.
Newsom wasn’t going to order them jailed or even fined. That would have been too ugly. He smartly retreated, permitting local governments to open all beaches under his guidelines.
One restriction, however, seems ridiculous: No sunbathing — only physical activity. Some people get tired and need to rest. Many of the people lying around together in the sun are family members. They live with each other 24/7. What’s a little sand time?
Advertisement
And keeping parking lots closed is ludicrous. Beachgoers just park in nearby neighborhoods, clogging streets.
On Monday, Newsom loosened rules for reopening businesses and freeing people from their houses. And he told counties it was up to them to decide when to move into Phase 2 of the agonizingly slow return to normal.
“Conditions across the state are unique and distinctive depending where you are,” Newsom told reporters, echoing what rural officials have been chanting for weeks.
“The bottom line is people can go at their own pace and we are empowering our local health directors and county officials that understand their local communities and conditions better than any of us.”
That prompted rare bipartisan kudos from state Senate Republican leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield.
“The governor’s original ‘one-size-fits-all’ plan unfairly placed Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino counties on the same spectrum as San Francisco and Los Angeles,” Grove said. “I want to thank the governor for making such an important modification that’s necessary to revive our local economies, support businesses and employ Californians.”
Tulare, however, was one of five counties that did not receive Newsom’s green light to venture into Phase 2. The county has been especially hard-hit by the virus, largely because of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes.
But the Tulare County Board of Supervisors has voted to defy Newsom by opening up anyway. To be continued.
By allowing most counties to control when they reopen — under loosely enforced state guidelines — Newsom has taken the pressure off himself to lift constraints. And he has avoided the heaviest share of criticism if the reopening goes poorly and becomes a virus spreader. Fingers would then be pointed at local officials.
Public pressure to reopen is inevitably mounting. And politically, the reopening side possesses the advantage over keep-it-closed advocates, writes Willie Brown, former San Francisco mayor and state Assembly speaker, who pens a Sunday column for the San Francisco Chronicle. Brown is one of California’s most brilliant political tacticians.
California In the coronavirus crisis, Newsom uses social media to raise awareness of the pandemic — and his profile The first California governor to fully embrace social media while in office and unleash it as an extension of the bully pulpit, Newsom has capitalized on viral moments, enlisting celebrities as his surrogates to persuade the state’s residents to abide by his stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus crisis and touting his frequent television appearances to discuss the pandemic on Facebook and Twitter.
Republicans, Brown wrote Sunday, “are taking their cue from President Trump and presenting themselves as the champions of the economy. The sooner the full reopening, the better.”
“We Democrats,” Brown continued, “try to assure people that we can have a shutdown and still help them with their rent….
“The question is which side will voters be on come November? My bet is on the reopening.”
“The one Democrat who does appear to get the message,” Brown concluded, “is Newsom. He’s delivering a blend of vocal concern about the health crisis with an easy hand on the tap for reopening. And he’s doing it with a smile rather than a scowl, a tactic other Democrats should learn.”
Newsom won’t be smiling as much on TV, however. Part of his Phase 2 is stepping back from daily noon virus briefings that have been carried live by many TV stations and also webcast.
The noon shows apparently have been a phenomenal hit with viewers who are stuck at home. The programs gained Newsom more prolonged TV face time than any California governor ever, portraying him as a leader.
But now they’re being pared to two a week. Newsom wanted more flexibility in his schedule and felt the briefings had run their course. There wasn’t enough new information to fill an hour anymore.
Newsom also was moving out of his bunker at the state emergency center and back into the state Capitol. He needs to negotiate with the Legislature about how to fill a $54-billion budget deficit created by the statewide business shutdown.
That can’t come too soon for the Legislature, which has been griping about the governor ignoring it on virus spending. Rural counties aren’t alone in fuming about Newsom’s one-man rule — lawmakers are too.


latimes--2020-05-22--Big Bear Lake to stop communicating or enforcing state's coronavirus stay-at-home order

The city of Big Bear Lake has announced it will no longer communicate or enforce Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home health order , saying that it has no legal responsibility to impose the state ’ s restrictions .
“ Businesses and residents should take responsibility for their own actions , should thoughtfully consider the governor ’ s orders and the risks associated with their specific circumstances [ including health , legal , financial and licensing ] , and act accordingly , ” officials said in a news release Thursday evening .
With the announcement , Big Bear Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 5,000 people in San Bernardino County , joined other communities that have defied the state ’ s stay-at-home order and the governor ’ s plan to reopen California in an ordered approach to prevent new infections of the coronavirus .
While most counties that have rebelled , such as Modoc , Sutter and Yuba , are located in rural areas with relatively few confirmed infections , officials in Tulare , one of California ’ s hardest-hit counties , recently decided to reopen more businesses before meeting the health criteria set by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisors voted this week , 3-2 , to move the county all the way through Phase 3 of California ’ s reopening road map , which would allow movie theaters , shopping malls , salons , gyms and dine-in restaurants to reopen .
In-person religious services also would be able to resume .
Big Bear Lake ’ s decision followed a May 13 letter its mayor sent to Newsom that sought approval to implement a plan to reopen “ to save our community from catastrophic economic and social collapse.
” The plan envisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same general timeline , but the letter received no response , according to City Manager Frank Rush .
In their news release , officials said that the COVID-19 pandemic has been manageable in the Big Bear Valley thanks to the community ’ s diligence in adhering to the state ’ s restrictions , as well as the isolated geography of Big Bear Lake .
They noted that there is sufficient capacity within local and regional healthcare systems , as well as readily available testing and contact tracing .
Big Bear Lake has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there have been close to 4,000 cases and 210 hospitalizations of suspected or confirmed cases in the rest of San Bernardino County , according to the release .
Officials held that while the governor has indicated that more counties may be granted additional authority to relax restrictions , it did not appear like that would be the case in their county “ in any significant way in the near term.
” They warned residents that opening their businesses against the state ’ s orders could result in the loss of state licenses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing and wear face coverings .
“ I think the reality is that many people across the state are simply ignoring the governor ’ s order , ” Rush said .
“ We ’ re going to trust our community to do the right thing and keep people safe.
” In contrast , communities in the Lake Tahoe region , which heavily depend on tourism as well , have issued reminders before Memorial Day weekend warning that leisure travel is still not permitted .
On its website , the city of South Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now welcome , other visitors are still not .
Lodging will not be available to short-term renters .
“ We would love nothing more than to welcome everyone to Tahoe right now , but that ’ s not the safest way to bring people back to South Lake , ” City Manager Joe Irvin said in a statement .
“ We need to be responsible and make sure we are doing our part to keep our neighbors safe and Tahoe safe while adhering to the governor ’ s stay at home orders.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economy has suffered greatly by the loss of revenue it accrues from tourism .
Its gravel bike festival , no longer occurring in the coming weeks , attracts a couple of thousand families .
“ Our economy is already being impacted and will continue to be impacted for a long time , ” he said .
“ It ’ s just how do we start to move in a positive direction and start to open up in a safe way .
”

Big Bear Lake, a mountain resort town, has announced that it will stop communicating and enforcing the governor’s stay-at-home order.
The city of Big Bear Lake has announced it will no longer communicate or enforce Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home health order, saying that it has no legal responsibility to impose the state’s restrictions.
“Businesses and residents should take responsibility for their own actions, should thoughtfully consider the governor’s orders and the risks associated with their specific circumstances [including health, legal, financial and licensing], and act accordingly,” officials said in a news release Thursday evening.
With the announcement, Big Bear Lake, a mountain resort town of more than 5,000 people in San Bernardino County, joined other communities that have defied the state’s stay-at-home order and the governor’s plan to reopen California in an ordered approach to prevent new infections of the coronavirus.
While most counties that have rebelled, such as Modoc, Sutter and Yuba, are located in rural areas with relatively few confirmed infections, officials in Tulare, one of California’s hardest-hit counties, recently decided to reopen more businesses before meeting the health criteria set by the state.
Advertisement
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted this week, 3-2, to move the county all the way through Phase 3 of California’s reopening road map, which would allow movie theaters, shopping malls, salons, gyms and dine-in restaurants to reopen. In-person religious services also would be able to resume.
Big Bear Lake’s decision followed a May 13 letter its mayor sent to Newsom that sought approval to implement a plan to reopen “to save our community from catastrophic economic and social collapse.”
The plan envisions all businesses being able to operate in the same general timeline, but the letter received no response, according to City Manager Frank Rush.
In their news release, officials said that the COVID-19 pandemic has been manageable in the Big Bear Valley thanks to the community’s diligence in adhering to the state’s restrictions, as well as the isolated geography of Big Bear Lake.
They noted that there is sufficient capacity within local and regional healthcare systems, as well as readily available testing and contact tracing.
Big Bear Lake has had six cases of the virus while there have been close to 4,000 cases and 210 hospitalizations of suspected or confirmed cases in the rest of San Bernardino County, according to the release.
Advertisement
Officials held that while the governor has indicated that more counties may be granted additional authority to relax restrictions, it did not appear like that would be the case in their county “in any significant way in the near term.” They warned residents that opening their businesses against the state’s orders could result in the loss of state licenses, and they should continue to exercise physical distancing and wear face coverings.
“I think the reality is that many people across the state are simply ignoring the governor’s order,” Rush said. “We’re going to trust our community to do the right thing and keep people safe.”
In contrast, communities in the Lake Tahoe region, which heavily depend on tourism as well, have issued reminders before Memorial Day weekend warning that leisure travel is still not permitted.
On its website, the city of South Lake Tahoe said that while second homeowners are now welcome, other visitors are still not. Lodging will not be available to short-term renters.
“We would love nothing more than to welcome everyone to Tahoe right now, but that’s not the safest way to bring people back to South Lake,” City Manager Joe Irvin said in a statement. “We need to be responsible and make sure we are doing our part to keep our neighbors safe and Tahoe safe while adhering to the governor’s stay at home orders.”
Truckee Mayor Dave Polivy said the town’s economy has suffered greatly by the loss of revenue it accrues from tourism. Its gravel bike festival, no longer occurring in the coming weeks, attracts a couple of thousand families.
“Our economy is already being impacted and will continue to be impacted for a long time,” he said. “It’s just how do we start to move in a positive direction and start to open up in a safe way.”


latimes--2020-05-22--Sections of L.A. River to reopen for limited activities

Sections of the Los Angeles River will open for the summer starting on Memorial Day , the Mountains Recreation and @ @ @ @ @ Fishing , bird watching and walking will be permitted in the Elysian Valley and in @ @ @ @ @ .
Kayaking and other in-water activities will be forbidden .
“ This year , for @ @ @ @ @ we can not allow kayak or other boat access to the Los Angeles River , @ @ @ @ @ Gomez said in a statement .
“ No one — not individuals , nor organized @ @ @ @ @ will be permitted to take a boat in the water this year .
“ People @ @ @ @ @ access the Recreation Zones to walk , bird watch and fish , provided they comply @ @ @ @ @ and maintain a minimum physical distance of six feet from others , and wear a @ @ @ @ @ will be open from May 25 through Sept. 30 and will be patrolled by rangers @ @ @ @ @ .

An ibis forages for food in the Los Angeles River.
Sections of the Los Angeles River will open for the summer starting on Memorial Day, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority said Thursday.
Fishing, bird watching and walking will be permitted in the Elysian Valley and in the Sepulveda Basin in Encino.
Kayaking and other in-water activities will be forbidden.
“This year, for everyone’s safety, we cannot allow kayak or other boat access to the Los Angeles River,” MRCA Chief Ranger Fernando Gomez said in a statement. “No one — not individuals, nor organized groups, nor vendors — will be permitted to take a boat in the water this year.
Advertisement
“People will still be able to access the Recreation Zones to walk, bird watch and fish, provided they comply with all public health orders and maintain a minimum physical distance of six feet from others, and wear a face covering.”
Both areas will be open from May 25 through Sept. 30 and will be patrolled by rangers from the public park agency.


latimes--2020-05-21--Autopsies of 34 who died in Conception boat fire offer grim new details

Within days of the dive boat Conception bursting into flames off the Channel Islands and killing 34 people , the Santa Barbara County coroner declared that the deaths were the result of smoke inhalation and that all died below deck .
But documents from the Santa Barbara Sheriff ’ s coroner ’ s operation released eight months after the disaster raise new questions about those final moments below .
Of the 33 passengers and one deckhand below deck , at least six were wearing shoes , boots or some kind of footwear when their bodies were discovered , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man was clutching a cellphone in his right hand .
A woman was holding a blue flashlight and wearing brown slip-on shoes , according to a coroner ’ s report .
The man with his silver cellphone was wearing denim pants with a black belt .
According to the coroner ’ s records , he was wearing an unusual combination of footwear , one black sandal and one brown-black hiking boot for a left foot .
Some people in the diving world said the autopsy results raise questions about whether all the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben Wolfe , a veteran diver and retired fire captain , said he has never known on his weekend dive trips on the vessel for people to wear shoes in their bunks , especially tennis shoes .
The maritime disaster is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and FBI under the supervision of the U.S. attorney .
It is also the subject of a probe by Maritime Board of Inspection and the National Transportation Safety Board .
A preliminary investigation by NTSB determined that the five crew was asleep in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blaze broke out at about 3 a.m. despite a requirement that the vessel conducts a roving watch at night .
By the time the crew noticed , the galley and salon were engulfed in flames , with the main bunk room directly below in the belly of the boat .
The only way for those below was through two exits through the galley .
Investigators have served search warrants on Truth Aquatics , the boat ’ s operator .
In all 34 deaths , Dr. Manuel Montez , a forensic pathologist for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the cause , citing the levels of carbon monoxide found in vials of blood recovered from the deceased .
Most of those killed had carbon monoxide saturation of 50 % to 80 % .
But a few , like the woman with the flashlight , had less .
Her test revealed more than 10 % carbon monoxide after her body was recovered .
Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin far better than oxygen , preventing the delivery of oxygen .
Usually 50 % is fatal , but small levels can be in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divers recovered a spine and a pelvis and little else and no toxicology was possible , Montez still declared the death due to smoke inhalation , records show .
In some cases , he found soot in the throat to support the smoke inhalation finding , records show .
Almost all suffered fourth-degree burns .
A report noted “ significant thermal burns to the bodies with limbs missing due to the intensity of the fire.
” Some were in the water for a few days , as dives combed the wreckage in shallow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found bodies a few hundred yards away in a cove .

Within days of the dive boat Conception bursting into flames off the Channel Islands and killing 34 people, the Santa Barbara County coroner declared that the deaths were the result of smoke inhalation and that all died below deck.
But documents from the Santa Barbara sheriff’s coroner’s operation released eight months after the disaster raise new questions about those final moments below.
Of the 33 passengers and one deckhand below deck, at least six were wearing shoes, boots or some kind of footwear when their bodies were discovered, according to the coroner’s records.
Advertisement
One man was clutching a cellphone in his right hand. A woman was holding a blue flashlight and wearing brown slip-on shoes, according to a coroner’s report.
The man with his silver cellphone was wearing denim pants with a black belt.
According to the coroner’s records, he was wearing an unusual combination of footwear, one black sandal and one brown-black hiking boot for a left foot.
Some people in the diving world said the autopsy results raise questions about whether all the victims were asleep when the fire occurred.
Ben Wolfe, a veteran diver and retired fire captain who had made numerous weekend dive trips on the vessel, said he has never knows people to wear shoes in their bunks, especially tennis shoes.
The maritime disaster is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and FBI under the supervision of the U.S. attorney. It is also the subject of a probe by the Maritime Board of Inspection and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Advertisement
A preliminary investigation by the NTSB determined that the five crew members were asleep in their berths on the top deck when the blaze broke out about 3 a.m. despite a requirement that the vessel conduct a roving watch at night.
By the time the crew noticed, the galley and salon were engulfed in flames, and the main bunk room was directly below the fire, in the belly of the boat. The only way for those below to escape was through two exits in the galley.
Investigators have served search warrants to Truth Aquatics, the boat’s operator.
In all 34 deaths, Dr. Manuel Montez, a forensic pathologist for the coroner’s bureau declared smoke inhalation as the cause, citing the levels of carbon monoxide found in vials of blood recovered from the victims.
Most of those killed had carbon monoxide saturation of 50% to 80%. But a few, like the woman with the flashlight, had less. Her test revealed more than 10% carbon monoxide after her body was recovered. Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin far better than oxygen, preventing the delivery of oxygen. Usually 50% is fatal, but small levels can be in some circumstances.
In one death, where divers recovered a spine and a pelvis and little else and no toxicology was possible, Montez still declared the death due to smoke inhalation, records show. In some cases, he found soot in the throat to support a smoke inhalation finding, records show.
Almost all the victims suffered fourth-degree burns. A report noted “significant thermal burns to the bodies with limbs missing due to the intensity of the fire.”
Some were in the water for a few days, as divers combed the wreckage in shallow water off the Santa Cruz Islands, finding some bodies hundreds of yards away in a cove.


latimes--2020-05-21--Cleanup to resume at troubled Santa Susana Field Laboratory site

After more than a decade of delays , the U.S. Department of Energy said it will soon resume environmental cleanup at a former nuclear and rocket engine test site in the hills of Ventura County .
On Wednesday , the DOE and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control announced a consent order to demolish 10 government-owned buildings , including several of the most contaminated , at the Santa Susana Field Lab outside Simi Valley .
The sprawling test site covers 2,850 acres and was instrumental in the development of the Apollo and space shuttle programs .
In 1959 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accident , and more recently it was the ignition point for the 2018 Woolsey fire , which caused devastation in both Ventura and Los Angeles counties .
“ Under President Trump ’ s leadership , the Department of Energy is committed to making real and significant progress to meaningfully address the environmental legacy challenges from decades of Cold War era government research , ” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette .
“ This agreement is an important step that demonstrates how DOE and California can collaborate to bring the ETEC site to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands for the Energy Technology Engineering Center , a specific government-owned property within the larger field lab that developed technology in support of the U.S. nuclear and space programs during the Cold War .
“ Today ’ s actions to clean up this toxic site are the result of a critical partnership between California and the U.S. Department of Energy that greatly benefited from the personal involvement of DOE Secretary Dan Brouillette and former Secretary Rick Perry , ” said California Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
“ The surrounding communities have waited a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Susana Field Lab and today ’ s order represents a new and important chapter toward the full cleanup.
” The 10 buildings slated for demolition comprise the former Radioactive Materials Handling Facility complex , used for the processing , packaging and shipment of radioactive and mixed hazardous wastes .
The buildings became inactive from 1999 to 2001 .
“ The DOE will dispose of building demolition debris at licensed and permitted disposal facilities outside the state of California , ” the agency said .
“ DOE will continue to work with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DOE-owned buildings , and toward cleanup of soils and groundwater at the site.
” “ This is a significant step forward in the cleanup of this important site , ” said California Environmental Protection Secretary Jared Blumenfeld .
“ We share this community ’ s concern regarding the possible release of contamination from this area , and credit the federal Department of Energy for working collaboratively to remove the buildings and complete this action.
” State officials said the consent order was in keeping with efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire followed by heavy rain , the deteriorating buildings could potentially release contamination that could migrate off site , officials said .
This interim action will result in the removal of the above-ground portions of the buildings .
The DOE is one of three responsible parties for the cleanup at the field lab .
Boeing owns most of it , while NASA also owns a portion .

An inactive space shuttle test site at the Santa Susana Field Lab in 2002. Most of the property is owned by Boeing, which acquired Rocketdyne in 1996.
After more than a decade of delays, the U.S. Department of Energy said it will soon resume environmental cleanup at a former nuclear and rocket engine test site in the hills of Ventura County.
On Wednesday, the DOE and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control announced a consent order to demolish 10 government-owned buildings, including several of the most contaminated, at the Santa Susana Field Lab outside Simi Valley.
The sprawling test site covers 2,850 acres and was instrumental in the development of the Apollo and space shuttle programs. In 1959, it was the scene of a nuclear accident ,and more recently it was the ignition point for the 2018 Woolsey fire, which caused devastation in both Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Advertisement
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is committed to making real and significant progress to meaningfully address the environmental legacy challenges from decades of Cold War era government research,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. “This agreement is an important step that demonstrates how DOE and California can collaborate to bring the ETEC site to its final cleanup and completion.”
ETEC stands for the Energy Technology Engineering Center, a specific government-owned property within the larger field lab that developed technology in support of the U.S. nuclear and space programs during the Cold War.
“Today’s actions to clean up this toxic site are the result of a critical partnership between California and the U.S. Department of Energy that greatly benefited from the personal involvement of DOE Secretary Dan Brouillette and former Secretary Rick Perry,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “The surrounding communities have waited a long time for decisive action at the Santa Susana Field Lab and today’s order represents a new and important chapter toward the full cleanup.”
The 10 buildings slated for demolition comprise the former Radioactive Materials Handling Facility complex, used for the processing, packaging and shipment of radioactive and mixed hazardous wastes. The buildings became inactive from 1999 to 2001.
“The DOE will dispose of building demolition debris at licensed and permitted disposal facilities outside the state of California,” the agency said. “DOE will continue to work with the state toward processes to remove the remaining DOE-owned buildings, and toward cleanup of soils and groundwater at the site.”
Advertisement
“This is a significant step forward in the cleanup of this important site,” said California Environmental Protection Secretary Jared Blumenfeld. “We share this community’s concern regarding the possible release of contamination from this area, and credit the federal Department of Energy for working collaboratively to remove the buildings and complete this action.”
State officials said the consent order was in keeping with efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of wildfires. In the event of a fire followed by heavy rain, the deteriorating buildings could potentially release contamination that could migrate off site, officials said. This interim action will result in the removal of the above-ground portions of the buildings.
The DOE is one of three responsible parties for the cleanup at the field lab. Boeing owns most of it, while NASA also owns a portion.


latimes--2020-05-21--As sheriff defies subpoena on jails, watchdog passes another on Kobe Bryant crash records

The inspector general for the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department will subpoena records related to the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant as part of an inquiry into whether Sheriff Alex Villanueva covered up the sharing of graphic photos by deputies at the scene .
Whether Villanueva will comply with the subpoena , authorized Thursday by the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission , is an open question .
He defied another subpoena to testify before the commission Thursday about coronavirus outbreaks in the county jails , instead sending an assistant sheriff .
Advocates and commissioners have raised a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where more than 700 inmates and nearly 200 department personnel have tested positive for the virus .
The commission voted unanimously to take Villanueva to court to enforce the subpoena for the jail testimony .
That subpoena , approved this month , was the first issued by the commission under a ballot initiative , Measure R , overwhelmingly approved by voters in March .
“ I ’ m disappointed that the sheriff essentially decided to defy a lawful subpoena order , ” said Commissioner Priscilla Ocen .
“ It ’ s disheartening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from my perspective , the law.
” At a news conference this week , Villanueva questioned the legal authority behind the subpoenas .
He called the subpoena for the Bryant crash records “ a fine example of overreach ” and said the inspector general had no authority to demand them .
After Thursday ’ s meeting , he issued a statement saying that the assistant sheriff ’ s appearance satisfied the subpoena for his testimony .
The subpoena is not legally enforceable , he added , and everything the commission is entitled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The subpoena was issued to me in my official capacity as sheriff , and as such does not call for my personal appearance , ” the statement said .
“ As is standard practice , I sent the person most knowledgeable in my place .
Measure R contains no enforcement and/or objection mechanism.
” The items and records subpoenaed by Inspector General Max Huntsman related to the Bryant inquiry include cellphones used to take photos at the crash site in Calabasas , the identities of everyone present when orders were given to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ text messages on the handling of the incident .
Along with the retired Lakers superstar , eight others died in the crash : Bryant ’ s 13-year-old daughter , Gianna ; Christina Mauser ; Payton and Sarah Chester ; John , Keri and Alyssa Altobelli ; and pilot Ara Zobayan .
Huntsman , who with the county Board of Supervisors has a long-running feud with Villanueva , said he has been monitoring the department ’ s internal investigation into the photo-sharing incident .
Sheriff ’ s Department officials have allowed him to review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been able to keep any copies , Huntsman said at the Thursday commission meeting .
Nor does the sheriff appear to be investigating any role he himself may have played in covering up the incident .
“ It does not include a robust investigation of himself , which should not be a surprise to anyone , ” Huntsman said .
Bryant ’ s widow , Vanessa Bryant , has filed a claim against the Sheriff ’ s Department over the sharing of the photos , alleging that “ no fewer than eight sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snapping cell-phone photos of the dead children , parents , and coaches ” for their personal use .
The claim calls the department ’ s response to the incident “ grossly insufficient.
” The Times was the first to report that Sheriff ’ s Department officials quietly ordered subordinates to delete any photos of the crash scene after a citizen complained that a deputy was showing the gruesome images at a Norwalk bar .
In the days after the Jan. 26 crash , deputies were ordered to report to the Sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told that if they came clean and deleted the photos , they would not face discipline , according to sources .
Villanueva will have 21 days to respond to the subpoena .
“ I ’ m feeling a little uninspired that these subpoenas are going to work , but they ’ re our only recourse right now , ” oversight commission Chairwoman Patricia Giggans said after Thursday ’ s meeting .
Assistant Sheriff Bruce Chase , who oversees the jails , testified in Villanueva ’ s place Thursday .
The inmate population is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from before the pandemic , after many low-level offenders were released in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading , Chase said .
Chase acknowledged that nonviolent and medically vulnerable inmates were still in the jails and that whittling down the population was a work in progress .
The jails house more than 2,000 inmates whose age or preexisting health conditions make them especially vulnerable .
Of about 5,400 inmates awaiting trial , more than 1,100 are classified as nonviolent , Chase said .
Even with fewer inmates , social distancing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said — some triple bunks , for example , are bolted to the floor .
Coronavirus testing , including of inmates without symptoms , has been ramping up with the goal of testing everyone , Chase said .
The tests are voluntary , and some inmates are refusing , but testing was completed in the women ’ s jail Wednesday and is continuing in men ’ s facilities .
Huntsman said he analyzed a dorm of 67 inmates , finding that 40 tested positive for the coronavirus and 43 appeared to meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish the sheriff was here , and that ’ s because I want to talk about the critical issues , ” Huntsman said .

A federal investigator’s photo of the site of the Jan. 26 helicopter crash in Calabasas that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others.
The inspector general for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will subpoena records related to the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant as part of an inquiry into whether Sheriff Alex Villanueva covered up the sharing of graphic photos by deputies at the scene.
Whether Villanueva will comply with the subpoena, authorized Thursday by the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, is an open question.
He defied another subpoena to testify before the commission Thursday about coronavirus outbreaks in the county jails, instead sending an assistant sheriff. Advocates and commissioners have raised a number of concerns about conditions in the jails, where more than 700 inmates and nearly 200 department personnel have tested positive for the virus.
Advertisement
The commission voted unanimously to take Villanueva to court to enforce the subpoena for the jail testimony. That subpoena, approved this month, was the first issued by the commission under a ballot initiative, Measure R, overwhelmingly approved by voters in March.
“I’m disappointed that the sheriff essentially decided to defy a lawful subpoena order,” said Commissioner Priscilla Ocen. “It’s disheartening when you see law enforcement not following, from my perspective, the law.”
At a news conference this week, Villanueva questioned the legal authority behind the subpoenas. He called the subpoena for the Bryant crash records “a fine example of overreach” and said the inspector general had no authority to demand them.
After Thursday’s meeting, he issued a statement saying that the assistant sheriff’s appearance satisfied the subpoena for his testimony. The subpoena is not legally enforceable, he added, and everything the commission is entitled to is available on his website.
“The subpoena was issued to me in my official capacity as sheriff, and as such does not call for my personal appearance,” the statement said. “As is standard practice, I sent the person most knowledgeable in my place. Measure R contains no enforcement and/or objection mechanism.”
The items and records subpoenaed by Inspector General Max Huntsman related to the Bryant inquiry include cellphones used to take photos at the crash site in Calabasas, the identities of everyone present when orders were given to delete the photos and department emails and text messages on the handling of the incident.
Advertisement
Along with the retired Lakers superstar, eight others died in the crash: Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna; Christina Mauser; Payton and Sarah Chester; John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli; and pilot Ara Zobayan.
Huntsman, who with the county Board of Supervisors has a long-running feud with Villanueva, said he has been monitoring the department’s internal investigation into the photo-sharing incident.
Sheriff’s Department officials have allowed him to review redacted documents, but he has not been able to keep any copies, Huntsman said at the Thursday commission meeting.
Nor does the sheriff appear to be investigating any role he himself may have played in covering up the incident.
“It does not include a robust investigation of himself, which should not be a surprise to anyone,” Huntsman said.
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, has filed a claim against the Sheriff’s Department over the sharing of the photos, alleging that “no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies were at the scene snapping cellphone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches” for their personal use.
The claim calls the department’s response to the incident “grossly insufficient.”
The Times was the first to report that Sheriff’s Department officials quietly ordered subordinates to delete any photos of the crash scene after a citizen complained that a deputy was showing the gruesome images at a Norwalk bar.
In the days after the Jan. 26 crash, deputies were ordered to report to the Sheriff’s Department’s Lost Hills station and told that if they came clean and deleted the photos, they would not face discipline, according to sources.
Villanueva will have 21 days to respond to the subpoena.
“I’m feeling a little uninspired that these subpoenas are going to work, but they’re our only recourse right now,” oversight commission Chairwoman Patricia Giggans said after Thursday’s meeting.
Assistant Sheriff Bruce Chase, who oversees the jails, testified in Villanueva’s place Thursday.
The inmate population is just under 12,000, down 32% from before the pandemic, after many low-level offenders were released in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading, Chase said.
Chase acknowledged that nonviolent and medically vulnerable inmates were still in the jails and that whittling down the population was a work in progress.
The jails house more than 2,000 inmates whose age or preexisting health conditions make them especially vulnerable. Of about 5,400 inmates awaiting trial, more than 1,100 are classified as nonviolent, Chase said.
Even with fewer inmates, social distancing in the jails is a problem, he said — some triple bunks, for example, are bolted to the floor.
Coronavirus testing, including of inmates without symptoms, has been ramped up with the goal of testing everyone, Chase said. The tests are voluntary, and some inmates are refusing, but testing was completed in the women’s jail Wednesday and is continuing in men’s facilities.
Huntsman said that in one dorm he reviewed last week, 40 of the 67 inmates tested positive for the virus.
“I wish the sheriff was here, and that’s because I want to talk about the critical issues,” Huntsman said.


latimes--2020-05-21--Ventura County reopens dine-in restaurants and in-store shopping

Ventura County has received state permission to reopen restaurants for seated dining in and allow shopping inside many retail stores , county officials said Thursday .
Officials said the California Department of Public Health has granted the county permission to move forward on a so-called accelerated Stage 2 path to reopening , along with more than 30 other counties , including San Diego .
On Wednesday , Ventura County officials announced the reopening of dine-in restaurants and all retail businesses with exterior-facing entrances .
A day earlier , supervisors voted unanimously to ratify the move before submitting it to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 24 hours , county officials said .
“ We want our community to reopen safely .
Community members and businesses must continue to practice social distancing to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure .
This will help keep our numbers low so we can continue to move forward in reopening businesses throughout our county , ” Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin said in a statement .
To qualify for the variance , counties must attest that hospitalization rates and positive test rates are stable or declining .
They must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of preparedness to handle testing , contact tracing , personal protective equipment and a surge in hospitalizations .
They must also have adequate plans for countywide containment .

Cal Youngblood, 75, is served breakfast Thursday by owner Raymundo Sanchez at Busy Bee Cafe on Main Street in downtown Ventura.
Ventura County has received state permission to reopen restaurants for seated dining in and allow shopping inside many retail stores, county officials said Thursday.
Officials said the California Department of Public Health has granted the county permission to move forward on a so-called accelerated Stage 2 path to reopening, along with more than 30 other counties, including San Diego.
On Wednesday, Ventura County officials announced the reopening of dine-in restaurants and all retail businesses with exterior-facing entrances. A day earlier, supervisors voted unanimously to ratify the move before submitting it to the state. It was approved in less than 24 hours, county officials said.
California 40 of California’s 58 counties get OK for more robust reopening Ventura and San Diego counties are among the latest to get state approval to push through Phase 2. Orange County hasn’t been given the green light yet, and L.A. County doesn’t meet the criteria.
Advertisement
“We want our community to reopen safely. Community members and businesses must continue to practice social distancing to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure. This will help keep our numbers low so we can continue to move forward in reopening businesses throughout our county,” Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin said in a statement.
To qualify for the variance, counties must attest that hospitalization rates and positive test rates are stable or declining. They must also attest that they have a significant level of preparedness to handle testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment and a surge in hospitalizations. They must also have adequate plans for countywide containment.


latimes--2020-05-22--Film producer charged with paying credit cards with coronavirus funds, defrauding investors

Federal authorities on Friday arrested a Beverly Hills film producer on fraud charges after he allegedly paid off his personal credit cards using federal loans intended to help small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic .
William Sadleir , 66 , who was ousted as head of Aviron Pictures late last year , also faces separate criminal fraud charges and a lawsuit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in New York , where he is accused of swindling investors in his company of tens of millions of dollars in order to support his lavish lifestyle .
Sadleir , arrested by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reached for comment and did not have an attorney listed in court documents .
In the California case , prosecutors allege Sadleir applied for more than $ 1.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans backed by the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act , claiming the funding would allow Aviron subsidiaries to keep dozens of employees on the payroll .
However , within days of receiving the emergency funding , prosecutors said Sadleir redirected nearly $ 1 million to his personal bank account , used it to pay down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s American Express cards and attempted to make a $ 40,000 payment on a car loan , which his bank ultimately blocked .
An affidavit in the case notes that Aviron Group , Aviron Licensing and Aviron Releasing , the companies for which Sadleir sought the loans , are “ not engaged in any ongoing operations , ” prosecutors said .
Officials from multiple federal agencies involved in the investigation condemned what they said was Sadleir ’ s misuse of a program intended to help people , at a time when many employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in need of assistance .
“ The Paycheck Protection Program was implemented to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis , and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain , ” said U.S. Atty .
Nick Hanna .
The California complaint — which charges Sadleir with wire and bank fraud and with making false statements to a financial institution and to the Small Business Administration — was filed Thursday and unsealed Friday after Sadleir ’ s arrest .
He faces more than 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Separately , Sadleir is charged with two counts of wire fraud and with aggravated identity theft in New York , where U.S. Atty .
Geoffrey Berman said he “ orchestrated a massive fraud ” involving tens of millions of dollars of investor funds in Aviron entities .
Prosecutors allege Sadleir embezzled about $ 14 million to pay for a Beverly Hills estate , and illegally transferred more than $ 25 million in other funds to a sham marketing company he created .
Aviron helped distribute several films in the U.S. in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” “ Kidnap , ” “ The Strangers : Prey at Night , ” “ A Private War , ” “ Destination Wedding , ” “ Serenity ” and “ After.
” To keep up the ruse , FBI Asst .
Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said Sadleir “ allegedly even went so far as to pose as a female employee of the sham New York-based company he created to further his illegal activity.
” For the New York charges , Sadleir faces more than 40 years in prison .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission , which seeks financial penalties against Sadleir .
In that lawsuit , commission attorneys allege that of about $ 75 million invested in Aviron by BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust , Sadleir inappropriately diverted $ 25 million to his sham company , misappropriated $ 13.8 million for a Beverly Hills mansion and forged investor signatures to release another $ 3 million in collateral funding .
He then “ used the misappropriated money to support his lavish lifestyle , including cash withdrawals and the purchases of a luxury car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the lawsuit said .
A BlackRock spokesman said the company , which has filed its own lawsuit against Sadleir , is “ pleased that the government has moved swiftly to investigate and bring Mr. Sadleir to justice .
”

Federal authorities on Friday arrested a Beverly Hills film producer on fraud charges after he allegedly paid off his personal credit cards using federal loans intended to help small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic.
William Sadleir, 66, who was ousted as head of Aviron Pictures late last year, also faces separate criminal fraud charges and a lawsuit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in New York, where he is accused of swindling investors in his company of tens of millions of dollars in order to support his lavish lifestyle.
Sadleir, arrested by federal agents Friday morning, could not be reached for comment and did not have an attorney listed in court documents.
In the California case, prosecutors allege Sadleir applied for more than $1.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans backed by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, claiming the funding would allow Aviron subsidiaries to keep dozens of employees on the payroll.
Advertisement
However, within days of receiving the emergency funding, prosecutors said, Sadleir redirected nearly $1 million to his personal bank account, used it to pay down debt on his and his wife’s American Express cards and attempted to make a $40,000 payment on a car loan, which his bank ultimately blocked.
An affidavit in the case notes that Aviron Group, Aviron Licensing and Aviron Releasing, the companies for which Sadleir sought the loans, are “not engaged in any ongoing operations,” prosecutors said.
Officials from multiple federal agencies involved in the investigation condemned what they said was Sadleir’s misuse of a program intended to help people, at a time when many employees in the film and other industries are in need of assistance.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was implemented to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis, and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain,” said U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna.
The California complaint — which charges Sadleir with wire and bank fraud and with making false statements to a financial institution and to the Small Business Administration — was filed Thursday and unsealed Friday after Sadleir’s arrest.
He faces more than 80 years in prison on the four counts.
Separately, Sadleir is charged with two counts of wire fraud and with aggravated identity theft in New York, where U.S. Atty. Geoffrey Berman said he “orchestrated a massive fraud” involving tens of millions of dollars of investor funds in Aviron entities.
Prosecutors allege Sadleir embezzled about $14 million to pay for a Beverly Hills estate and illegally transferred more than $25 million in other funds to a sham marketing company he created.
Advertisement
Aviron helped distribute several films in the U.S. in recent years, including “My All American,” “Kidnap,” “The Strangers: Prey at Night,” “A Private War,” “Destination Wedding,” “Serenity” and “After.”
To keep up the ruse, FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said, Sadleir “allegedly even went so far as to pose as a female employee of the sham New York-based company he created to further his illegal activity.”
For the New York charges, Sadleir faces more than 40 years in prison.
He also faces a related civil case filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which seeks financial penalties against Sadleir.
In that lawsuit, commission attorneys allege that of about $75 million invested in Aviron by BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust, Sadleir inappropriately diverted $25 million to his sham company, misappropriated $13.8 million for a Beverly Hills mansion and forged investor signatures to release an additional $3 million in collateral funding.
He then “used the misappropriated money to support his lavish lifestyle, including cash withdrawals and the purchases of a luxury car and a mansion in Beverly Hills,” the lawsuit said.
A BlackRock spokesman said the company, which has filed its own lawsuit against Sadleir, is “pleased that the government has moved swiftly to investigate and bring Mr. Sadleir to justice.”