latimes--2020-11-02--Young Vietnamese American progressives lead a generational split with conservative elders

On election day , then beyond , their work will not stop .
Since Donald Trump was elected president four years ago , Vietnamese American progressives have been building a movement that ’ s redefining their culture ’ s political landscape .
Although most of their parents and grandparents have stayed faithful to the Republican Party — largely because of staunch anti-communist feelings dating to the Vietnam War — many of the younger set say they ’ re focused on domestic issues , not homeland ones .
What motivates many of them are concerns over income inequality , keeping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humane immigration laws , as well as solidarity with Black Lives Matter over racial justice issues .
Some members of Pivot , the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization , which started on the West Coast about four years ago , are trying to persuade family members — moms , dads , uncles , cousins — to back the Biden-Harris ticket .
They tick off talking points on taxes and China policies , armed with information from the bilingual VietFactCheck.org , a Pivot spinoff with source-verified articles about the 2020 election .
“ Staying within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end goal .
It ’ s to make sure our values are aligned so that there will be benefit for all , ” said Kat Phan , a rising young leader within Pivot and a demographics researcher based in San Francisco .
She is among the group ’ s 300 members across 25 states .
Some analysts describe the nonprofit ’ s political evolution as “ inevitable.
” “ Originally , their parents were likely one-issue voters , drawn to the Republican Party by its outspoken stance against communism and by the likes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Fred Smoller , associate professor of political science at Chapman University .
Dornan is a conservative former Orange County congressman .
“ But Donald Trump isn ’ t a conventional Republican .
And young people and progressive thinkers are realizing that the things he stands for are not what they stand for.
” Pivot is “ a natural outgrowth ” and a group “ that would really matter in a community where voter participation is dynamic and at the forefront , ” Smoller continued .
“ The Vietnamese vote is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with the Asian American vote , representing the fastest-growing electorate in the country with more than 30 ethnic and national subgroups .
National data from a survey of Asian Americans released this fall showed that Vietnamese Americans were the only group in which a majority favored President Trump over Joe Biden — 48 % versus 39 % .
Alarmed by such statistics , Pivot leaders “ leveraged our understanding of our collective trauma , history , and media consumption ” to examine why citizens might vote against their own interest or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the group ’ s lead organizers .
In the jam-packed months leading to Nov. 3 , Pivot expanded in fundraising and visibility .
Volunteers from its election committee created a tool kit that includes a voter guide , voter registration site and an English-Vietnamese glossary with audio for younger immigrants who can not read Vietnamese “ to empower folks who are fired up to have intergenerational conversations but may not know the right words to move hearts and minds.
” Pivot ’ s president is Dr. Tung Nguyen , an internist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco in his mid-50s .
He remembers a time when community pressure , especially in Orange County ’ s Little Saigon — the capital of the overseas Vietnamese population — often silenced political dissenters .
“ In the ’ 90s , if you ever say something about justice , you get verbally attacked but also through your businesses .
A sizable population of Vietnamese who were liberal or progressives remained really , really quiet .
Now , they ’ re very angry at seeing the truth , seeing the underlying issues , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constant scapegoating of Latino and other underrepresented communities , his anti-Muslim travel ban and other policies that cracked down on immigrants and separated families .
“ Fast-forward to 2020 and there ’ s safety in numbers , ” Nguyen added .
“ I can ’ t tell you the number of times I ’ ve gotten emails in the last several years from fellow progressives who said , ‘ Oh , my God , I didn ’ t even know you guys existed .
Now I don ’ t feel so alone.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders when Trump enacted the travel ban on a handful of Muslim-majority countries in February 2017 , after which he resigned from the presidential advisory committee and began forming what would become Pivot .
Members like him understand that the more physically removed they are from the old-guard , conservative politics of Little Saigon , where Trump maintains popularity , the more protected they are .
“ What happens in Vietnam matters .
Yet people are realizing that what happens here ” in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
And because he doesn ’ t live in Orange County — or depend on the Vietnamese community for his livelihood — he and his peers do not worry that their businesses “ will be protested if we say who we support in this election or another election.
” Nguyen also said some Pivot volunteers in their 20s and 30s didn ’ t identify “ so strongly with the traditional community so they ’ re not threatened when they take a position .
To them , you follow your conscience , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protest and one of them works at Microsoft , go picket at Microsoft .
Good luck with that.
” Alex Nguyen , 26 , of San Jose said he speaks out for a reason .
Although he respects his elders and said he is grateful for the sacrifices that the first generation endured so their children and grandchildren could live more securely , he strongly believes that a vote “ is a decision for the way we want to shape our future.
” He and his father , Tan Nguyen , 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ army and survivor of a communist reeducation camp , have been talking about what happened in the 2016 presidential race and the huge stakes facing the electorate this November .
The younger Nguyen , a food industry entrepreneur , is especially troubled about the lasting effects of racism and how Black people continue to be targets .
The older Nguyen accepts his son ’ s views .
Last weekend , he felt compelled to go onstage at a Viet 4 Biden rally in San Jose to endorse the Democratic former vice president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the big issues ” confronting society , among them the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ The adults may be shy about talking to their kids , but it ’ s time to open up , to exchange ideas , ” he said later .
“ Dialogue is what we need to solve problems.
” Pivot leaders and volunteers say they ’ re encouraged when people from the “ Republican stronghold generation ” grow more open-minded , willing to give the youth a platform to showcase their convictions .
And at the Sept. 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that pulled in $ 25,000 to help start a national campaign to win elections , Pivot youths and other supporters did just that .
Phan , 25 , the demographics expert for the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs , co-hosted it with Philip Nguyen , 26 , an Asian American studies professor at San Francisco State .
Philip Nguyen , raised in the Antelope Valley , said that during his childhood , there was “ little need to question what the candidates stand for — you are ultimately loyal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he grew older , he often thought of the resilience that marked the refugee experience as they fled from their homeland starting in 1975 , at the end of the Vietnam War .
“ What the current administration stands for is antithetical to that experience , ” he said .
“ I had to activate myself to motivate others.
” For the event , organizers recruited community celebrities to amplify their messages on video .
Cookbook author and James Beard Foundation Award winner Andrea Nguyen told viewers that “ democracy is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ man , you are making your voice heard.
” Hollywood fashion designer Thai Nguyen , who has dressed Cindy Crawford and Kelly Marie Tran , confessed that he usually didn ’ t pay attention to voting but considered this election crucial .
Huey Nguyen , barber , model and TikTok influencer , urged his audience not to “ be a sheep.
” “ Dude , you got ta vote , ” he said .
“ As a millennial , I know there ’ s not enough of us out there voting.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to pay attention to swing states where Vietnamese American and Asian American voters can have influence .
Massachusetts state Rep. Tram Nguyen , the first Vietnamese American woman elected to the state Legislature when she defeated a tea party Republican , applauds that focus .
The Democratic legislator said her father — a South Vietnamese army veteran who was jailed for eight years when the Communists seized power — was a Reagan supporter .
He later voted twice for Barack Obama , and the political awakening she and other family members experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about racial and gender justice while attending Tufts University .
“ The income gap , the racial gap — that progressives seek to fix that while embracing diversity and humanity is what ’ s crucial to me , ” said Nguyen , 34 .
“ I hope that we can continue this momentum with Pivot because , finally , this is a group where we can claim our voice.
” “ I wholeheartedly think to be Vietnamese American is to be political because our existence in the U.S. is the result of politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must participate in what ’ s going on in society .
”

Philip Nguyen, an Asian American studies professor at San Francisco State, takes a selfie while speaking at a San Jose rally for Vietnamese American progressives who support the Biden-Harris ticket.
On election day, then beyond, their work will not stop.
Since Donald Trump was elected president four years ago, Vietnamese American progressives have been building a movement that’s redefining their culture’s political landscape.
Although most of their parents and grandparents have stayed faithful to the Republican Party — largely because of staunch anti-communist feelings dating to the Vietnam War — many of the younger set say they’re focused on domestic issues, not homeland ones. What motivates many of them are concerns over income inequality, keeping the Affordable Care Act, climate change and humane immigration laws, as well as solidarity with Black Lives Matter over racial justice issues.
Some members of Pivot, the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization, which started on the West Coast about four years ago, are trying to persuade family members — moms, dads, uncles, cousins — to back the Biden-Harris ticket. They tick off talking points on taxes and China policies, armed with information from the bilingual VietFactCheck.org, a Pivot spinoff with source-verified articles about the 2020 election.
“Staying within a specific political party is not the end goal. It’s to make sure our values are aligned so that there will be benefit for all,” said Kat Phan, a rising young leader within Pivot and a demographics researcher based in San Francisco. She is among the group’s 300 members across 25 states.
Some analysts describe the nonprofit’s political evolution as “inevitable.”
“Originally, their parents were likely one-issue voters, drawn to the Republican Party by its outspoken stance against communism and by the likes of Bob Dornan and Ronald Reagan,” said Fred Smoller, associate professor of political science at Chapman University. Dornan is a conservative former Orange County congressman.
“But Donald Trump isn’t a conventional Republican. And young people and progressive thinkers are realizing that the things he stands for are not what they stand for.”
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Pivot is “a natural outgrowth” and a group “that would really matter in a community where voter participation is dynamic and at the forefront,” Smoller continued. “The Vietnamese vote is a much-coveted vote,” he said, along with the Asian American vote, representing the fastest-growing electorate in the country with more than 30 ethnic and national subgroups.
National data from a survey of Asian Americans released this fall showed that Vietnamese Americans were the only group in which a majority favored President Trump over Joe Biden — 48% versus 39%. Alarmed by such statistics, Pivot leaders “leveraged our understanding of our collective trauma, history, and media consumption” to examine why citizens might vote against their own interest or even avoid voting, said Thi Bui, one of the group’s lead organizers.
In the jam-packed months leading to Nov. 3, Pivot expanded in fundraising and visibility. Volunteers from its election committee created a tool kit that includes a voter guide, voter registration site and an English-Vietnamese glossary with audio for younger immigrants who cannot read Vietnamese “to empower folks who are fired up to have intergenerational conversations but may not know the right words to move hearts and minds.”
Supporters of the Democratic presidential ticket gather in San Jose last month. (Tung Nguyen)
Pivot’s president is Dr. Tung Nguyen, an internist and professor of medicine at UC San Francisco in his mid-50s. He remembers a time when community pressure, especially in Orange County’s Little Saigon — the capital of the overseas Vietnamese population — often silenced political dissenters.
“In the ’90s, if you ever say something about justice, you get verbally attacked but also through your businesses. A sizable population of Vietnamese who were liberal or progressives remained really, really quiet. Now, they’re very angry at seeing the truth, seeing the underlying issues,” he said, citing Trump’s constant scapegoating of Latino and other underrepresented communities, his anti-Muslim travel ban and other policies that cracked down on immigrants and separated families.
“Fast-forward to 2020 and there’s safety in numbers,” Nguyen added. “I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gotten emails in the last several years from fellow progressives who said, ‘Oh, my God, I didn’t even know you guys existed. Now I don’t feel so alone.’ ”
Nguyen was a leading voice in the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders when Trump enacted the travel ban on a handful of Muslim-majority countries in February 2017, after which he resigned from the presidential advisory committee and began forming what would become Pivot.
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Members like him understand that the more physically removed they are from the old-guard, conservative politics of Little Saigon, where Trump maintains popularity, the more protected they are.
“What happens in Vietnam matters. Yet people are realizing that what happens here” in the U.S. “matters as much,” he added. And because he doesn’t live in Orange County — or depend on the Vietnamese community for his livelihood — he and his peers do not worry that their businesses “will be protested if we say who we support in this election or another election.”
Nguyen also said some Pivot volunteers in their 20s and 30s didn’t identify “so strongly with the traditional community so they’re not threatened when they take a position. To them, you follow your conscience, guided by facts. If people want to protest and one of them works at Microsoft, go picket at Microsoft. Good luck with that.”
Alex Nguyen, 26, of San Jose said he speaks out for a reason. Although he respects his elders and said he is grateful for the sacrifices that the first generation endured so their children and grandchildren could live more securely, he strongly believes that a vote “is a decision for the way we want to shape our future.”
He and his father, Tan Nguyen, 63, a veteran of the South Vietnamese army and survivor of a communist reeducation camp, have been talking about what happened in the 2016 presidential race and the huge stakes facing the electorate this November. The younger Nguyen, a food industry entrepreneur, is especially troubled about the lasting effects of racism and how Black people continue to be targets.
The older Nguyen accepts his son’s views. Last weekend, he felt compelled to go onstage at a Viet 4 Biden rally in San Jose to endorse the Democratic former vice president, whom he described as “more caring about the big issues” confronting society, among them the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The adults may be shy about talking to their kids, but it’s time to open up, to exchange ideas,” he said later. “Dialogue is what we need to solve problems.”
Pivot leaders and volunteers say they’re encouraged when people from the “Republican stronghold generation” grow more open-minded, willing to give the youth a platform to showcase their convictions.
And at the Sept. 27 virtual Launch Into Action, an extravaganza that pulled in $25,000 to help start a national campaign to win elections, Pivot youths and other supporters did just that.
Phan, 25, the demographics expert for the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, co-hosted it with Philip Nguyen, 26, an Asian American studies professor at San Francisco State.
Philip Nguyen, raised in the Antelope Valley, said that during his childhood, there was “little need to question what the candidates stand for — you are ultimately loyal, you always vote Republican.” But as he grew older, he often thought of the resilience that marked the refugee experience as they fled from their homeland starting in 1975, at the end of the Vietnam War.
“What the current administration stands for is antithetical to that experience,” he said. “I had to activate myself to motivate others.”
For the event, organizers recruited community celebrities to amplify their messages on video.
Cookbook author and James Beard Foundation Award winner Andrea Nguyen told viewers that “democracy is about self-determination” and that when you vote, “man, you are making your voice heard.”
Hollywood fashion designer Thai Nguyen, who has dressed Cindy Crawford and Kelly Marie Tran, confessed that he usually didn’t pay attention to voting but considered this election crucial.
Huey Nguyen, barber, model and TikTok influencer, urged his audience not to “be a sheep.”
“Dude, you gotta vote,” he said. “As a millennial, I know there’s not enough of us out there voting.”
One of Pivot’s strategies is to pay attention to swing states where Vietnamese American and Asian American voters can have influence.
Massachusetts state Rep. Tram Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American woman elected to the state Legislature when she defeated a tea party Republican, applauds that focus. The Democratic legislator said her father — a South Vietnamese army veteran who was jailed for eight years when the Communists seized power — was a Reagan supporter. He later voted twice for Barack Obama, and the political awakening she and other family members experienced resulted in part from what she learned about racial and gender justice while attending Tufts University.
“The income gap, the racial gap — that progressives seek to fix that while embracing diversity and humanity is what’s crucial to me,” said Nguyen, 34. “I hope that we can continue this momentum with Pivot because, finally, this is a group where we can claim our voice.”
Philip Nguyen echoed her sentiments.
“I wholeheartedly think to be Vietnamese American is to be political because our existence in the U.S. is the result of politics,” he said. “You must participate in what’s going on in society.”


latimes--2020-11-02--Mid-semester, many L.A. students are drifting, beset with anxiety and struggling in class

Every day , almost every one of Nicolle Fefferman ’ s students logs into her virtual classrooms at John Marshall High School in Los Feliz .
A significant number do not turn their cameras on .
Many don ’ t respond when she asks questions and don ’ t turn in work she assigns offline .
When the history teacher issued her 10-week progress reports , nearly one-third of her students were failing .
“ I have almost 100 % attendance .
But that doesn ’ t necessarily mean 100 % participation , ” Fefferman said .
“ They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not necessarily engaging.
” It ’ s midterm time , and inside their virtual classrooms teachers and students alike are being tested in ways that show the exhausting challenges teachers face working to keep drifting students engaged , the increasing anxiety and pressure many students are feeling and the stubborn remnants of the digital divide that continue to hobble learning .
Interviews with a diversity of teachers throughout Los Angeles County offer detailed snapshots behind the individual computer screens of distance learning .
Throughout California the school year began with hopes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the spring , when campuses suddenly closed and educators scrambled to shift online .
In Los Angeles County , full school reopenings are probably months away as COVID-19 numbers languish in the state ’ s most restrictive “ purple ” Tier 1 .
Teachers agree that important strides have been made to better reach and educate students from afar .
Schedules are more rigorous and computers and hot spots are widely disbursed , efforts that have increased attendance .
And many say they better understand how to use technology to their advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face of adversity they are bonding with their students like never before .
Yet educators from Burbank to Wilmington say significant roadblocks remain .
At the heart of their concerns , teachers find themselves struggling to balance their instinct to push students against their feelings of compassion , acknowledging their students ’ unprecedented hardships .
“ I ’ m struggling to be a good teacher , and it ’ s not a good feeling , ” said Omar Ramírez , a history , economics and government teacher at Grant College Prep and Digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Things that I know work , that really get students excited , you can ’ t do .
So I ’ m trying to figure out what I can do to make this distance learning thing work.
” Since the start of the new school year , Ramírez has used his advisory periods to better understand his students ’ challenges .
Usually , he starts class by asking them how they ’ re feeling .
For weeks , they said fine .
But last month , “ it all poured out.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to unplug from school .
Some said they were getting headaches from the screen time .
After the live sessions , their dedication to their studies moves them to stay online working on assignments , sometimes for several hours .
Ramírez realized that he ’ s among the teachers assigning more homework than usual .
His reason ?
He doesn ’ t want his students to fall behind .
The pressure , he said , doesn ’ t come from administration .
It ’ s because he ’ s meeting with students for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover material .
“ I think it ’ s a struggle a lot of teachers are feeling , ” Ramírez said .
“ We ’ re meticulous , we plan every day , we plan out units .
And we have kind of a feel for how long things are going to take… .
That ’ s all out the window now.
” His students ’ responses made him pause to consider the best way to move forward .
“ When they shared that they feel that distance learning is hurting their grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little bit .
Because that shouldn ’ t be the case , you know ?
” he said .
“ It ’ s not their fault.
” Michael Gearin , an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher at Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington , said many of his colleagues have expressed concern about being too easy on students during this time , worrying it might send the wrong message about not having to do their work .
But Gearin ’ s disposition is toward leniency .
When he messages students who seem particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of motivation ; some say they ’ re feeling depressed .
He has referred some to the school guidance counselor and is giving failing grades to just three of his 160 students this fall — those who haven ’ t turned in any work .
“ I don ’ t think a report card filled with fails is going to snap them out of it , ” Gearin said .
“ The way I say it to my colleagues is , ‘ Have you ever taken six online classes at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 ?
’ That ’ s what informs the kind of grace I ’ m giving students.
” Sharonne Hapuarachy , who teaches English at Dorsey High School in Baldwin Hills , is constantly calling parents and tracking down students to ensure that they attend her classes .
And that work has paid off .
In the spring , about half of her students completely stopped logging on to class .
This semester , about 25 % of her 11th- and 12th-grade students don ’ t sign into class on any given day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up are doing really well , ” Hapuarachy said .
But more of them must work now to help support their families , and some have missed school because their family members were sickened by COVID-19 .
They tell her about their anxiety , decreased motivation and often feeling overwhelmed .
In a survey last month of 800 California parents from the research and advocacy group Education Trust-West , 67 % of parents said their children were under more stress than usual .
During Hapuarachy ’ s biweekly advisory class , she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing and meditation .
“ I ’ ll ask them , ‘ Is this helpful ?
Is it too weird ?
’ and they ’ ll tell me that they feel so much more calm and that they wish they could do it longer , ” Hapuarachy said .
Christy Timmons , a second-grade teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in Burbank , also said social-emotional check-ins have become crucial .
She starts each day by asking her youngsters how they ’ re doing , and they give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thumbs down , ” she ’ ll say .
“ Anyone want to share what ’ s going on ?
” Once that door is opened , more students begin talking about what ’ s making them sad ; oftentimes they just miss their friends .
“ Who else misses their friends ?
” Timmons asks .
More hands shoot up .
Recently , many were upset that Halloween wouldn ’ t be the same this year .
“ It ’ s so important to give them the validation that it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Timmons said .
“ But also to remind them that no matter what , we ’ ll always have each other ’ s backs even though we ’ re not physically in a class.
” Many teachers also reported that after starting the school year highly committed and enthusiastic , some students are drifting — turning in fewer assignments or not signing in at all : “ Zoom fatigue , ” they said .
Timmons said she ’ s noticed that more cameras are off now compared with the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less likely to engage in small groups , Timmons ’ main strategy for keeping them on their toes .
When all of her students are online together , they often “ check out after five or 10 minutes , and I can see that they ’ re done , ” Timmons said .
Melina Anthony , a kindergarten teacher at Fries Avenue Elementary in Wilmington , said she does more face-to-face time with her students than the 90 minutes required on most days because she believes students benefit from the live interaction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance , and her students often become exhausted as the day wears on .
“ A lot of them have tantrums after lunch .
And you can see them , poor things , and you can see the parents trying to clear the air , ” she said .
Across the county , teachers reported that lessons that would normally take one day now often take several days , in part because teachers have less time with their students .
Many also said internet access remains a daily obstacle .
Gearin , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks into the school year , his class was “ really in week four or five.
” “ I ’ m only meeting with them two or three times a week , ” Gearin said .
“ It ’ s hard for me to gauge how much or little they ’ re learning compared to other years.
” Stephen Yardley , a second-grade teacher at 61st Street Elementary School in South L.A. , said he often sees students raise their hands to ask a question and then suddenly disappear from the screen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose a connection three , four or five times , ” he said .
Statewide , the Public Policy Institute of California recently found that many families are still reporting difficulty with reliable access to the internet .
The disparity is particularly stark among Latino and low-income students — more than 30 % of Latino students still don ’ t have reliable internet access at home , along with nearly 40 % of low-income students , according to the nonprofit think tank ’ s analysis of census data .
County officials have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hands of the vast majority of students .
And Los Angeles Unified School District officials say they have enough computers and hot spots with sufficient bandwidth for every student who needs them .
Gearin said his students persevere despite the unreliable connections .
“ The idea that they ’ re struggling to stay in the class and keep learning , yet keep coming back , is a testament to how much they want to be at school and doing well , ” he said .

Paloma Esquivel, Julia Barajas, Laura Newberry

Every day, almost every one of Nicolle Fefferman’s students logs into her virtual classrooms at John Marshall High School in Los Feliz. A significant number do not turn their cameras on. Many don’t respond when she asks questions and don’t turn in work she assigns offline.
When the history teacher issued her 10-week progress reports, nearly one-third of her students were failing.
“I have almost 100% attendance. But that doesn’t necessarily mean 100% participation,” Fefferman said. “They’re showing up, but they’re not necessarily engaging.”
It’s midterm time, and inside their virtual classrooms teachers and students alike are being tested in ways that show the exhausting challenges teachers face working to keep drifting students engaged, the increasing anxiety and pressure many students are feeling and the stubborn remnants of the digital divide that continue to hobble learning. Interviews with a diversity of teachers throughout Los Angeles County offer detailed snapshots behind the individual computer screens of distance learning.
Throughout California the school year began with hopes that virtual schooling would be a vast improvement over the spring, when campuses suddenly closed and educators scrambled to shift online. In Los Angeles County, full school reopenings are probably months away as COVID-19 numbers languish in the state’s most restrictive “purple” Tier 1.
Teachers agree that important strides have been made to better reach and educate students from afar. Schedules are more rigorous and computers and hot spots are widely disbursed, efforts that have increased attendance. And many say they better understand how to use technology to their advantage. Teachers also say that in the face of adversity they are bonding with their students like never before.
Advertisement
Yet educators from Burbank to Wilmington say significant roadblocks remain. At the heart of their concerns, teachers find themselves struggling to balance their instinct to push students against their feelings of compassion, acknowledging their students’ unprecedented hardships.
“I’m struggling to be a good teacher, and it’s not a good feeling,” said Omar Ramírez, a history, economics and government teacher at Grant College Prep and Digital Arts Magnet High School in Van Nuys. “Things that I know work, that really get students excited, you can’t do. So I’m trying to figure out what I can do to make this distance learning thing work.”
Since the start of the new school year, Ramírez has used his advisory periods to better understand his students’ challenges. Usually, he starts class by asking them how they’re feeling. For weeks, they said fine. But last month, “it all poured out.”
Students described feeling exhausted, unable to unplug from school. Some said they were getting headaches from the screen time. After the live sessions, their dedication to their studies moves them to stay online working on assignments, sometimes for several hours.
Ramírez realized that he’s among the teachers assigning more homework than usual. His reason? He doesn’t want his students to fall behind. The pressure, he said, doesn’t come from administration. It’s because he’s meeting with students for less time and it takes longer to cover material.
“I think it’s a struggle a lot of teachers are feeling,” Ramírez said. “We’re meticulous, we plan every day, we plan out units. And we have kind of a feel for how long things are going to take…. That’s all out the window now.”
His students’ responses made him pause to consider the best way to move forward.
Advertisement
“When they shared that they feel that distance learning is hurting their grades, that kind of broke my heart a little bit. Because that shouldn’t be the case, you know?” he said. “It’s not their fault.”
Michael Gearin, an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher at Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington, said many of his colleagues have expressed concern about being too easy on students during this time, worrying it might send the wrong message about not having to do their work.
But Gearin’s disposition is toward leniency. When he messages students who seem particularly withdrawn, many tell him of their lack of motivation; some say they’re feeling depressed. He has referred some to the school guidance counselor and is giving failing grades to just three of his 160 students this fall — those who haven’t turned in any work.
“I don’t think a report card filled with fails is going to snap them out of it,” Gearin said. “The way I say it to my colleagues is, ‘Have you ever taken six online classes at the same time when you’re 13 or 14?’ That’s what informs the kind of grace I’m giving students.”
Michael Gearin, an eighth-grade teacher at Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington, teaches from his garage in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Empathy for social-emotional needs
Sharonne Hapuarachy, who teaches English at Dorsey High School in Baldwin Hills, is constantly calling parents and tracking down students to ensure that they attend her classes. And that work has paid off. In the spring, about half of her students completely stopped logging on to class. This semester, about 25% of her 11th- and 12th-grade students don’t sign into class on any given day.
“Students who are consistently showing up are doing really well,” Hapuarachy said.
But more of them must work now to help support their families, and some have missed school because their family members were sickened by COVID-19. They tell her about their anxiety, decreased motivation and often feeling overwhelmed.
In a survey last month of 800 California parents from the research and advocacy group Education Trust-West, 67% of parents said their children were under more stress than usual.
During Hapuarachy’s biweekly advisory class, she has started incorporating lessons on mindfulness, deep breathing and meditation.
“I’ll ask them, ‘Is this helpful? Is it too weird?’ and they’ll tell me that they feel so much more calm and that they wish they could do it longer,” Hapuarachy said.
Christy Timmons, a second-grade teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in Burbank, also said social-emotional check-ins have become crucial. She starts each day by asking her youngsters how they’re doing, and they give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.
“I see some friends put their thumbs down,” she’ll say. “Anyone want to share what’s going on?”
Once that door is opened, more students begin talking about what’s making them sad; oftentimes they just miss their friends. “Who else misses their friends?” Timmons asks. More hands shoot up. Recently, many were upset that Halloween wouldn’t be the same this year.
“It’s so important to give them the validation that it’s OK to be sad, especially now,” Timmons said. “But also to remind them that no matter what, we’ll always have each other’s backs even though we’re not physically in a class.”
Zoom fatigue and internet woes
Many teachers also reported that after starting the school year highly committed and enthusiastic, some students are drifting — turning in fewer assignments or not signing in at all: “Zoom fatigue,” they said.
Timmons said she’s noticed that more cameras are off now compared with the start of the school year and that students are less likely to engage in small groups, Timmons’ main strategy for keeping them on their toes.
When all of her students are online together, they often “check out after five or 10 minutes, and I can see that they’re done,” Timmons said.
Melina Anthony, a kindergarten teacher at Fries Avenue Elementary in Wilmington, said she does more face-to-face time with her students than the 90 minutes required on most days because she believes students benefit from the live interaction.
Still, it’s a tough balance, and her students often become exhausted as the day wears on.
“A lot of them have tantrums after lunch. And you can see them, poor things, and you can see the parents trying to clear the air,” she said.
Across the county, teachers reported that lessons that would normally take one day now often take several days, in part because teachers have less time with their students. Many also said internet access remains a daily obstacle.
Gearin, the eighth-grade history teacher, said that nine weeks into the school year, his class was “really in week four or five.”
“I’m only meeting with them two or three times a week,” Gearin said. “It’s hard for me to gauge how much or little they’re learning compared to other years.”
Stephen Yardley, a second-grade teacher at 61st Street Elementary School in South L.A., said he often sees students raise their hands to ask a question and then suddenly disappear from the screen.
“I have students every day who lose a connection three, four or five times,” he said.
Statewide, the Public Policy Institute of California recently found that many families are still reporting difficulty with reliable access to the internet. The disparity is particularly stark among Latino and low-income students — more than 30% of Latino students still don’t have reliable internet access at home, along with nearly 40% of low-income students, according to the nonprofit think tank’s analysis of census data.
County officials have said that computers and hot spots are now in the hands of the vast majority of students. And Los Angeles Unified School District officials say they have enough computers and hot spots with sufficient bandwidth for every student who needs them.
Gearin said his students persevere despite the unreliable connections.
“The idea that they’re struggling to stay in the class and keep learning, yet keep coming back, is a testament to how much they want to be at school and doing well,” he said.
Times staff writer Howard Blume contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-02--Shyong: Los Angeles comes to life on the night of Dodgers' World Series win

I get in my car , turn the keys , and over the radio I hear the sounds of the summer we never got to have .
Charley Steiner and Rick Monday are calling Game 6 of the World Series , and for a brief second , I actually feel normal .
Over the radio , I can ’ t tell if the crowd noise is a recording or see the players in face masks .
Steiner and Monday are making salty remarks about advanced statistics and shifts in field positioning as they have since I started listening in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but their familiar back-and-forth , like a low-stakes game of catch , puts me at ease .
I head east on Venice Boulevard , window rolled down and the sun setting in a sky of pale peach .
Tonight , I ’ m attempting something that has felt pretty impossible these days : I want to enjoy myself .
It ’ s harder than it sounds .
When I leave the house I tend to fixate on the apocalyptic particulars of our current state of affairs and not just because I write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorite restaurant just reminds me of how many of them have closed and will close .
When I pick up my once-quarterly No .
19 at Langer ’ s , I gaze longingly at the dining room and wonder if I ’ ll ever get to sit in those cushy coffee-colored booths again .
For all we ’ ve discovered about how much of life can happen outdoors , I have to say , some of my favorite parts of Los Angeles were definitely the insides .
But tonight , I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodgers game outside , with some views , some tacos and , hopefully , some other fans .
I headed to Teddy ’ s Red Tacos on the train tracks off Slauson Avenue .
I ’ ve fallen back in love with taco trucks this summer because the experience really hasn ’ t changed much , except now we wear masks and tacos often come pre-dressed with onions , cilantro and salsa .
When the tacos arrive — beefy birria de res on tortillas stained red with consomme —somebody named Gonsolin is pitching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deck .
I won ’ t pretend : I haven ’ t had the energy to follow the Dodgers closely this summer , especially without the prospect of a game at Dodger Stadium or a gathering at my favorite Koreatown bar , OB Bear .
As a transplant , I fell in love with the Dodgers for what the team showed me about Los Angeles .
Dodgers fans introduced me to a whole new geography of fan haunts : Tommy Lasorda ’ s favorite Chinese restaurants ; a Korean German place in K-town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named for a professional Korean baseball team .
The stadium offered epic views of the city mixed with intimate experiences with its people .
This city is so vast , but in Dodger Stadium it feels like a small town , especially in Top Deck , where the cheapest seats often are and where you tend to see some of the same people .
To me , baseball just wasn ’ t baseball without all of that .
The Dodgers go down one , the bullpen is pitching , and I head to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Terrace that overlooks downtown Los Angeles .
It ’ s so quiet I can hear fans yelling at their TVs in their homes .
The city during a pandemic is strange and ghostly .
Familiar places feel vacant and foreign , and I often leave the house not knowing whether the place I ’ m going will still be there .
A few months ago I tried to visit the scenic overlook on Mulholland Drive at night , but the short fence that people usually step over to enter the park after hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to Atwater Village a few months ago , and the line for breakfast burritos at Tacos Villa Corona was still there , but everyone was wearing sweats and looked pissed off .
I head down the hill , and catcher Austin Barnes scores on a wild pitch .
It starts to feel like the Dodgers might actually win , which sparks not joy but deep anxiety .
I spot the glittering marquee of King Taco in South Central , pull over and stress-eat two cabeza tacos .
Then right fielder Mookie Betts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all of a sudden I ’ m trying to figure out where to go celebrate .
I head to Tacos Don Cuco , a stand in a parking lot in Boyle Heights that serves adobada tacos on tortillas pressed fresh on-site .
I know we ’ re close when the guys in front of me in line start proposing that they should get free tacos if we win .
Fireworks start going off and everyone thinks it ’ s time to celebrate — but the fireworks are premature , celebrating Mookie ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m on one of those quiet , ghostly residential streets in East Los Angeles when pitcher Julio Urías gets the last out and the Dodgers win the World Series for the first time since 1988 .
People start spilling out of their homes , screaming , crying and falling to their knees on their front lawns .
I slow down to accommodate a kid biking around with a Dodgers flag stuck through his tire spokes .
Fireworks explode everywhere , and I have to nose my way around several pyrotechnic shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a Dodgers fan is playing what looks to be a tuba , but there ’ s no song ; just one , long , triumphant blast .
A rusted antique car full of teenagers , equipped with a blaring siren , cruises past .
On my right , a whole family of 10 , including grandparents and grandchildren , are in the street , doing ridiculous poses and screaming at passing cars until they honk .
I honk at the family , and suddenly I ’ m honking at everyone , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head toward Dodger Stadium and join the celebratory traffic jam-slash-parade on Sunset Boulevard .
I ’ ve never seen the city so full of life and joy .
A World Series in Los Angeles changes nothing about everything we ’ re facing in the coming weeks , months and years .
Justin Turner testing positive for the coronavirus during the game and possibly infecting others during the on-field celebration reminded us of that .
A pandemic is still killing us , and the uncertainty of a contested election looms .
But for one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feel happy to be alive .
This World Series win may be the only thing about this year I never want to forget .
And we have the Dodgers to thank for that .

Dodgers fan Jeff Gomez reacts with others in the parking lot of Club Bahia near Dodger Stadium as Mookie Betts scores the go-ahead run in the sixth inning in Game 6 of the World Series.
I get in my car, turn the keys, and over the radio I hear the sounds of the summer we never got to have.
Charley Steiner and Rick Monday are calling Game 6 of the World Series, and for a brief second, I actually feel normal.
Over the radio, I can’t tell if the crowd noise is a recording or see the players in face masks. Steiner and Monday are making salty remarks about advanced statistics and shifts in field positioning as they have since I started listening in 2014. They’re no Vin Scully, but their familiar back-and-forth, like a low-stakes game of catch, puts me at ease.
Advertisement
I head east on Venice Boulevard, window rolled down and the sun setting in a sky of pale peach. Tonight, I’m attempting something that has felt pretty impossible these days: I want to enjoy myself.
It’s harder than it sounds. When I leave the house I tend to fixate on the apocalyptic particulars of our current state of affairs and not just because I write about them. Getting takeout at a favorite restaurant just reminds me of how many of them have closed and will close.
When I pick up my once-quarterly No. 19 at Langer’s, I gaze longingly at the dining room and wonder if I’ll ever get to sit in those cushy coffee-colored booths again. For all we’ve discovered about how much of life can happen outdoors, I have to say, some of my favorite parts of Los Angeles were definitely the insides.
But tonight, I’m trying to reconstruct the experience of a Dodgers game outside, with some views, some tacos and, hopefully, some other fans.
I headed to Teddy’s Red Tacos on the train tracks off Slauson Avenue. I’ve fallen back in love with taco trucks this summer because the experience really hasn’t changed much, except now we wear masks and tacos often come pre-dressed with onions, cilantro and salsa.
When the tacos arrive — beefy birria de res on tortillas stained red with consomme —somebody named Gonsolin is pitching, and someone named Arozarena is on deck. I won’t pretend: I haven’t had the energy to follow the Dodgers closely this summer, especially without the prospect of a game at Dodger Stadium or a gathering at my favorite Koreatown bar, OB Bear.
Advertisement
As a transplant, I fell in love with the Dodgers for what the team showed me about Los Angeles. Dodgers fans introduced me to a whole new geography of fan haunts: Tommy Lasorda’s favorite Chinese restaurants; a Korean German place in K-town; and OB Bear, a bar named for a professional Korean baseball team.
The stadium offered epic views of the city mixed with intimate experiences with its people. This city is so vast, but in Dodger Stadium it feels like a small town, especially in Top Deck, where the cheapest seats often are and where you tend to see some of the same people. To me, baseball just wasn’t baseball without all of that.
The Dodgers go down one, the bullpen is pitching, and I head to the top of a hill in City Terrace that overlooks downtown Los Angeles. It’s so quiet I can hear fans yelling at their TVs in their homes.
The city during a pandemic is strange and ghostly. Familiar places feel vacant and foreign, and I often leave the house not knowing whether the place I’m going will still be there. A few months ago I tried to visit the scenic overlook on Mulholland Drive at night, but the short fence that people usually step over to enter the park after hours could no longer be crossed. I went to Atwater Village a few months ago, and the line for breakfast burritos at Tacos Villa Corona was still there, but everyone was wearing sweats and looked pissed off.
I head down the hill, and catcher Austin Barnes scores on a wild pitch. It starts to feel like the Dodgers might actually win, which sparks not joy but deep anxiety. I spot the glittering marquee of King Taco in South Central, pull over and stress-eat two cabeza tacos.
Then right fielder Mookie Betts beats a throw to home plate, and all of a sudden I’m trying to figure out where to go celebrate. I head to Tacos Don Cuco, a stand in a parking lot in Boyle Heights that serves adobada tacos on tortillas pressed fresh on-site. I know we’re close when the guys in front of me in line start proposing that they should get free tacos if we win. Fireworks start going off and everyone thinks it’s time to celebrate — but the fireworks are premature, celebrating Mookie’s home run in the eighth.
I’m on one of those quiet, ghostly residential streets in East Los Angeles when pitcher Julio Urías gets the last out and the Dodgers win the World Series for the first time since 1988. People start spilling out of their homes, screaming, crying and falling to their knees on their front lawns. I slow down to accommodate a kid biking around with a Dodgers flag stuck through his tire spokes. Fireworks explode everywhere, and I have to nose my way around several pyrotechnic shows in progress.
I look left, and a Dodgers fan is playing what looks to be a tuba, but there’s no song; just one, long, triumphant blast. A rusted antique car full of teenagers, equipped with a blaring siren, cruises past.
On my right, a whole family of 10, including grandparents and grandchildren, are in the street, doing ridiculous poses and screaming at passing cars until they honk.
I honk at the family, and suddenly I’m honking at everyone, because everyone is honking at me.
I head toward Dodger Stadium and join the celebratory traffic jam-slash-parade on Sunset Boulevard. I’ve never seen the city so full of life and joy.
A World Series in Los Angeles changes nothing about everything we’re facing in the coming weeks, months and years. Justin Turner testing positive for the coronavirus during the game and possibly infecting others during the on-field celebration reminded us of that. A pandemic is still killing us, and the uncertainty of a contested election looms.
But for one night, a lot of us got to feel happy to be alive. This World Series win may be the only thing about this year I never want to forget. And we have the Dodgers to thank for that.


latimes--2020-11-02--Column: Newsom says he hasn't decided on Harris' successor in Senate. Here are some possibilities

Let ’ s assume the Biden-Harris ticket wins and hands Gov .
Gavin Newsom a nifty holiday gift .
He ’ ll get to choose Kamala Harris ’ successor in the U.S. Senate .
Newsom could even turn it into a twin-pack bonus .
If the governor selects a statewide elected official or a county supervisor , he ’ ll also get to name that officeholder ’ s replacement .
I ’ m assuming Joe Biden wins because all the signs point that way .
The Democratic candidate has led steadily in the polls .
President Trump ’ s job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters are turning out in record numbers to boot the incumbent .
The economy has been crummy .
It picked up recently , but there are still nearly 13 million people unemployed .
That ’ s often fatal for a president seeking reelection .
The nation is suffering a cataclysmic pandemic — more than 230,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Trump has been worse than no help .
He has belittled prevention and been in denial .
So , Harris is a cinch to be vice president on Jan. 20 .
Or I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who will Newsom choose to replace California ’ s first Black senator ?
Newsom probably doesn ’ t even know .
But he ’ s getting lots of unsolicited advice .
“ About every other person I run into seems to have a strong opinion , ” the governor told reporters last week after voting early .
“ I haven ’ t even processed that decision myself because we ’ ll have to make that determination after election day.
” One thing we do know about Newsom : He likes to make history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to when he was San Francisco mayor and led the way to legalizing same-sex marriage by allowing LGBTQ couples to marry when it violated state law .
Newsom was the first California governor to declare a moratorium on the death penalty for the duration of his tenure .
Recently , he appointed the first openly gay justice of the California Supreme Court , Martin Jenkins , a Black man .
And he selected the first female head of the California Highway Patrol , Amanda Ray , who is Black .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new U.S. senator from California ?
One of two things : a person who is Latino or LGBTQ .
It ’ s certainly about time California sent a Latino person to represent the state in the Senate .
Latinos are now California ’ s largest ethnic group .
Most political watchers seem to believe that the front-runner is Secretary of State Alex Padilla , 47 , a former state senator from the San Fernando Valley and president of the Los Angeles City Council .
Padilla has been a good state elections overseer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered the leading Senate prospect is his closeness to Newsom .
Padilla was an early supporter of Newsom ’ s first brief campaign for governor against Jerry Brown in 2009 .
He was Newsom ’ s campaign chairman and often traveled with him hustling for votes .
Another leading possibility has extensive congressional experience and would hit the Senate floor running .
He ’ s state Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra , 62 , who served 24 years in the U.S. House , representing central and east L.A .
He was chairman of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Caucus .
Becerra was appointed by Gov .
Brown to replace Harris as attorney general and has been a prolific filer of lawsuits against Trump administration policies .
He is well qualified to be a U.S. senator .
But , although friendly with the governor , Becerra is not a close buddy .
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia , 42 , gets lots of mention and would check off both “ first ” boxes : He is Latino and gay .
Garcia also was an early supporter of Newsom ’ s gubernatorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political experience places him in the second tier of Senate prospects .
There ’ s pressure on Newsom to replace Harris with another woman .
But women have held both California Senate seats for the last 28 years .
In fact , California was the first state to have two female senators at once .
So , choosing another woman may not be as high a priority as it once was .
But if Newsom wanted to pick a Latina senator , there ’ s L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis , 63 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration , House member and state legislator .
A solid choice would be Rep. Karen Bass , 67 , of Los Angeles , who was on Biden ’ s shortlist for veep .
She ’ s chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and former speaker of the California Assembly — the first Black woman in the nation ’ s history to lead a state legislative house .
Everyone likes Bass .
She ’ s a liberal who can deal with Republicans .
But she ’ s not close to Newsom .
And she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another option would be state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins , 58 , of San Diego , a former Assembly speaker who would be the first lesbian U.S. senator from California .
She is the first woman to head the state Senate .
But Atkins has never run for statewide office , let alone a coveted post like U.S. senator .
Neither has Rep. Adam B. Schiff , 60 , of Burbank , the House Intelligence Committee chairman who helped lead the impeaching of Trump .
He ’ s great Senate material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is a white man .
One priority for Newsom should be to pick a winner — someone who can run for a six-year term in 2022 and beat back Democratic challengers .
“ You want that person to be competitive .
It ’ s kind of a ding on the governor if he appoints someone who gets beat in the next election , ” says veteran Democratic consultant Garry South .
“ Democrats understand this brass ring doesn ’ t come around too often .
It ’ s too rare an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Three winners on Tuesday will be Biden , Harris — and Newsom .

Sen. Kamala Harris, left, endorses then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for the California governor’s race in February 2018. Now governor, Newsom may soon have the chance to pick Harris’ successor should she be elected vice president.
Let’s assume the Biden-Harris ticket wins and hands Gov. Gavin Newsom a nifty holiday gift. He’ll get to choose Kamala Harris’ successor in the U.S. Senate.
Newsom could even turn it into a twin-pack bonus. If the governor selects a statewide elected official or a county supervisor, he’ll also get to name that officeholder’s replacement.
I’m assuming Joe Biden wins because all the signs point that way.
The Democratic candidate has led steadily in the polls. President Trump’s job approval ratings are horrible. And Democratic voters are turning out in record numbers to boot the incumbent.
The economy has been crummy. It picked up recently, but there are still nearly 13 million people unemployed. That’s often fatal for a president seeking reelection.
Advertisement
The nation is suffering a cataclysmic pandemic — more than 230,000 have died of COVID-19. Trump has been worse than no help. He has belittled prevention and been in denial.
Biden is likable. Trump is a jerk.
So, Harris is a cinch to be vice president on Jan. 20. Or I’ll eat crow for Thanksgiving.
Who will Newsom choose to replace California’s first Black senator?
Newsom probably doesn’t even know. But he’s getting lots of unsolicited advice.
“About every other person I run into seems to have a strong opinion,” the governor told reporters last week after voting early. “I haven’t even processed that decision myself because we’ll have to make that determination after election day.”
One thing we do know about Newsom: He likes to make history by doing “firsts.”
Advertisement
It goes back to when he was San Francisco mayor and led the way to legalizing same-sex marriage by allowing LGBTQ couples to marry when it violated state law.
Newsom was the first California governor to declare a moratorium on the death penalty for the duration of his tenure. Recently, he appointed the first openly gay justice of the California Supreme Court, Martin Jenkins, a Black man. And he selected the first female head of the California Highway Patrol, Amanda Ray, who is Black.
So, what would be a first for a new U.S. senator from California?
One of two things: a person who is Latino or LGBTQ.
It’s certainly about time California sent a Latino person to represent the state in the Senate. Latinos are now California’s largest ethnic group.
Most political watchers seem to believe that the front-runner is Secretary of State Alex Padilla, 47, a former state senator from the San Fernando Valley and president of the Los Angeles City Council. Padilla has been a good state elections overseer, but the main reason he’s considered the leading Senate prospect is his closeness to Newsom.
Padilla was an early supporter of Newsom’s first brief campaign for governor against Jerry Brown in 2009. He was Newsom’s campaign chairman and often traveled with him hustling for votes.
Another leading possibility has extensive congressional experience and would hit the Senate floor running. He’s state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, 62, who served 24 years in the U.S. House, representing central and east L.A. He was chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus.
Becerra was appointed by Gov. Brown to replace Harris as attorney general and has been a prolific filer of lawsuits against Trump administration policies. He is well qualified to be a U.S. senator.
But, although friendly with the governor, Becerra is not a close buddy.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, 42, gets lots of mention and would check off both “first” boxes: He is Latino and gay.
Politics Your guide to the 2020 election in California It is all here. How to vote. Where to vote. Endorsements. What issues are on the ballot in California and Los Angeles County.
Garcia also was an early supporter of Newsom’s gubernatorial aspirations. But his lack of top-tier political experience places him in the second tier of Senate prospects.
There’s pressure on Newsom to replace Harris with another woman. But women have held both California Senate seats for the last 28 years. In fact, California was the first state to have two female senators at once. So, choosing another woman may not be as high a priority as it once was.
But if Newsom wanted to pick a Latina senator, there’s L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, 63, a former Labor secretary in the Obama administration, House member and state legislator.
A solid choice would be Rep. Karen Bass, 67, of Los Angeles, who was on Biden’s shortlist for veep. She’s chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and former speaker of the California Assembly — the first Black woman in the nation’s history to lead a state legislative house.
Everyone likes Bass. She’s a liberal who can deal with Republicans. But she’s not close to Newsom. And she wouldn’t be a first.
Another option would be state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, 58, of San Diego, a former Assembly speaker who would be the first lesbian U.S. senator from California. She is the first woman to head the state Senate.
But Atkins has never run for statewide office, let alone a coveted post like U.S. senator.
Neither has Rep. Adam B. Schiff, 60, of Burbank, the House Intelligence Committee chairman who helped lead the impeaching of Trump. He’s great Senate material but isn’t close to Newsom and is a white man.
One priority for Newsom should be to pick a winner — someone who can run for a six-year term in 2022 and beat back Democratic challengers.
“You want that person to be competitive. It’s kind of a ding on the governor if he appoints someone who gets beat in the next election,” says veteran Democratic consultant Garry South.
“Democrats understand this brass ring doesn’t come around too often. It’s too rare an opportunity for ambitious Democrats to hold up.”
Three winners on Tuesday will be Biden, Harris — and Newsom.


latimes--2020-11-01--Suspect in custody after LAPD officer wounded at San Fernando Valley supermarket center

A suspected gunman was in custody Sunday night after an LAPD officer was wounded while confronting him at a Ralphs @ @ @ @ @ Hills .
Officers were en route to a disturbance call at the market at Devonshire @ @ @ @ @ 6:30 p.m. when they were told a man in the store had a gun .
@ @ @ @ @ who ran outside , where several officers opened fire .
One officer suffered a graze @ @ @ @ @ Horace Frank said .
The suspect ran into another business , but was arrested after @ @ @ @ @ firearm was found at the scene , but the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ whether the suspect fired at the officers , said Josh Rubenstein , the LAPD ’ @ @ @ @ @ suspect was not struck by gunfire but was taken to a hospital for an evaluation @ @ @ @ @ wounded officer was also taken to the hospital and was later released with sutures to @ @ @ @ @ Moore tweeted late Sunday .

Officers responding to a Ralphs shopping center in Granada Hills on Sunday night confronted a man who they were told had a gun. Several officers opened fire outside, and one officer suffered a graze wound.
A suspected gunman was in custody Sunday night after an LAPD officer was wounded while confronting him at a Ralphs supermarket shopping center in Granada Hills.
Officers were en route to a disturbance call at the market at Devonshire Street and Balboa Boulevard about 6:30 p.m. when they were told a man in the store had a gun. They confronted the man, who ran outside, where several officers opened fire. One officer suffered a graze wound, Assistant Police Chief Horace Frank said.
For the record: An earlier version of this report misidentified Assistant Police Chief Horace Frank as an associate police chief.
The suspect ran into another business, but was arrested after a 45-minute search. A firearm was found at the scene, but the Los Angeles Police Department’s Force Investigation Division will determine whether the suspect fired at the officers, said Josh Rubenstein, the LAPD’s communications director.
The suspect was not struck by gunfire but was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, Rubenstein said.
The wounded officer was also taken to the hospital and was later released with sutures to the hand, Chief Michel Moore tweeted late Sunday.


latimes--2020-10-31--Thousands of Trump supporters rally in Beverly Hills ahead of election day

As they have for weeks now , hundreds of Trump supporters rallied in Beverly Hills on Saturday , three days ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election .
Wearing “ MAGA ” hats , waving U.S. flags and shouting “ four more years ” and “ turn California red , ” the demonstrators gathered at the intersection of Beverly and Santa Monica boulevards .
Thousands attended the Saturday rally , according to the Beverly Hills police department .
There were media reports that counter-protesters would show up in force at this week ’ s rally , but that did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in riot gear stood nearby and employees guarded storefronts along Rodeo Drive , but the crowd remained mostly peaceful .
Earlier Saturday , however , a counter-demonstrator did get into a fight with a pro-Trump protester at a separate rally in Beverly Hills , where officers broke up the fight and declared an unlawful assembly , according to police .
No arrests were made .
Michael Smith , a 30-year-old Los Angeles resident and a supporter of Democratic nominee Joe Biden , stood in the middle of the intersection of Beverly and Rodeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounded by Trump supporters .
“ BLM is not an exclusionary movement , ” read Smith ’ s sign .
“ I ’ m willing to have this discussion , ” Smith told the group , who shouted over him .
“ People misinterpret what Black Lives Matter means ; that ’ s why I ’ m here.
” No one made physical contact with him , but several people expressed their anger toward him .
“ Some people get too close without a mask on ; some have forcibly coughed at me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexis Lopez , a 22-year-old tourist from New York , was shopping when she walked out onto the street and saw hundreds of demonstrators waving Trump flags .
“ I didn ’ t realize there were so many Trump supporters in California , ” she said .
“ I ’ m not political but I saw [ Smith ’ s ] sign and people calling him a terrorist for caring about Black lives.
” Lopez carried a camera in one hand and joined him as people called him a “ sheep ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 52 , of Fontana said that he has traveled all across the country selling Trump merchandise but that Saturday ’ s rally was one of the busiest he has seen in weeks .
Bickford estimated he made about $ 2,000 in just a few hours selling Trump 2020 shirts , hats and flags .
“ I ’ ve been in this corner for the last three weekends , and I haven ’ t seen anything like this , ” he said , as he jumped from customer to customer .
Trump is deeply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles ’ affluent Westside .
Numerous protests have slammed the president ’ s divisive policies , ranging from attacks on immigrants and rollbacks of environmental safeguards to his personal conduct and statements critics say are racist .
A recent poll on the presidential race had Biden leading Trump in California by historic margins .
Nearly four months ago , Beverly Hills resident Shiva Bagheri began organizing the rallies in part to dispel what she called misrepresentations of Trump supporters in the media .
“ They think that we ’ re all white supremacists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Bagheri , a single mother who was born in Iran and works as a dance instructor .
At last Saturday ’ s rally , the crowd numbered between 2,500 and 3,000 , according to a Beverly Hills city spokesman .
Signs and shirts announced a kaleidoscope of identities in support of Trump , including members of the Latino , Black , Jewish , Vietnamese and LGBTQ communities .
Some traveled from out of the state or out of the country to attend .
Beverly Hills has faced criticism for how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since June , the city has prohibited protests in residential areas after 9 p.m. Twenty-five protesters were arrested and are being prosecuted for violating the curfew .
Beverly Hills moved forward with the charges even as Los Angeles and other cities have decided against charging peaceful protesters who violated curfews .

A large crowd chants “four more years” during a pro-Trump rally at Beverly and Santa Monica boulevards in Beverly Hills on Saturday.
As they have for weeks now, hundreds of Trump supporters rallied in Beverly Hills on Saturday, three days ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Wearing “MAGA” hats, waving U.S. flags and shouting “four more years” and “turn California red,” the demonstrators gathered at the intersection of Beverly and Santa Monica boulevards. Thousands attended the Saturday rally, according to the Beverly Hills police department.
There were media reports that counter-protesters would show up in force at this week’s rally, but that did not appear to be the case. Police in riot gear stood nearby and employees guarded storefronts along Rodeo Drive, but the crowd remained mostly peaceful.
Earlier Saturday, however, a counter-demonstrator did get into a fight with a pro-Trump protester at a separate rally in Beverly Hills, where officers broke up the fight and declared an unlawful assembly, according to police. No arrests were made.
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Michael Smith, a 30-year-old Los Angeles resident and a supporter of Democratic nominee Joe Biden, stood in the middle of the intersection of Beverly and Rodeo holding a Black Lives Matter sign and surrounded by Trump supporters.
“BLM is not an exclusionary movement,” read Smith’s sign.
“I’m willing to have this discussion,” Smith told the group, who shouted over him. “People misinterpret what Black Lives Matter means; that’s why I’m here.”
No one made physical contact with him, but several people expressed their anger toward him.
“Some people get too close without a mask on; some have forcibly coughed at me,” Smith told a reporter.
Alexis Lopez, a 22-year-old tourist from New York, was shopping when she walked out onto the street and saw hundreds of demonstrators waving Trump flags.
“I didn’t realize there were so many Trump supporters in California,” she said. “I’m not political but I saw [Smith’s] sign and people calling him a terrorist for caring about Black lives.”
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Lopez carried a camera in one hand and joined him as people called him a “sheep” and “a moron.”
Billy Bickford, 52, of Fontana said that he has traveled all across the country selling Trump merchandise but that Saturday’s rally was one of the busiest he has seen in weeks.
Bickford estimated he made about $2,000 in just a few hours selling Trump 2020 shirts, hats and flags.
“I’ve been in this corner for the last three weekends, and I haven’t seen anything like this,” he said, as he jumped from customer to customer.
Trump is deeply unpopular in California, particularly on Los Angeles’ affluent Westside. Numerous protests have slammed the president’s divisive policies, ranging from attacks on immigrants and rollbacks of environmental safeguards to his personal conduct and statements critics say are racist.
A recent poll on the presidential race had Biden leading Trump in California by historic margins.
Nearly four months ago, Beverly Hills resident Shiva Bagheri began organizing the rallies in part to dispel what she called misrepresentations of Trump supporters in the media.
“They think that we’re all white supremacists. And that’s just ridiculous,” said Bagheri, a single mother who was born in Iran and works as a dance instructor.
At last Saturday’s rally, the crowd numbered between 2,500 and 3,000, according to a Beverly Hills city spokesman. Signs and shirts announced a kaleidoscope of identities in support of Trump, including members of the Latino, Black, Jewish, Vietnamese and LGBTQ communities. Some traveled from out of the state or out of the country to attend.
Beverly Hills has faced criticism for how it has handled some street demonstrations. Since June, the city has prohibited protests in residential areas after 9 p.m. Twenty-five protesters were arrested and are being prosecuted for violating the curfew. Beverly Hills moved forward with the charges even as Los Angeles and other cities have decided against charging peaceful protesters who violated curfews.


latimes--2020-11-03--Boarded-up stores across L.A. reflect an anxious, unprecedented election day

Michael Williams stepped out of his apartment in downtown Long Beach on Monday to buy a couple of midday Red Bulls for himself and his girlfriend .
He was unsettled , thinking of an image he saw on Twitter of a man waiting for election results holding an AK-47 .
Now he noticed the streets were eerily empty — and the shopkeepers were boarding up for election day .
He watched in disbelief and texted photos to his friends in North Carolina .
“ This is disturbing , ” he recalled thinking .
In this historic year of plague , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notion that the United States electoral process could devolve into disarray and violence has cranked up the anxiety even more , with people hoarding food , some buying their first guns , others stocking up on ammunition .
The sound of that tension could be heard from Rodeo Drive to Santa Ana in the rattle of compressors and the thwack-thwack of nail guns .
Thick plywood was going up over shop windows and doors , just as it was in San Francisco and San Diego , Philadelphia , Washington , Miami and Dallas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bracing for a single enormous hurricane .
Williams , who is 39 and Black , lived his whole life , until last month , in the rural South and was always wary on voting day , but never did he expect this kind of fear of electoral failure and widespread civil strife .
“ I ’ ve been through many elections , ” he said as he bought his drinks at a boarded-up 7-Eleven .
“ I ’ ve never worried about something happening like this.
” “ Then again , everything might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plywood was just a precaution .
She declined to give her name , saying she was an immigrant and it was best to lie low these days .
She couldn ’ t believe that the U.S. would ever feel “ so unstable.
” “ Whoever would have ?
” she asked .
She pointed to the blockaded windows .
“ Looking at things like this makes it all the more scary.
” In downtown Los Angeles , 60-year-old silversmith Adam Qari polished a few gold rings as he sat in a half-empty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qari has manned the El Sol Jewelry stand for a dozen years and , until the pandemic , spent his days aggressively competing for sales with his fellow jewelers .
It was ghostly quiet now , with few customers and only four of 10 owners left on the floor .
In anticipation of the election , they had removed their stock to safer locations .
“ Everybody is a little nervous about the election tomorrow , ” said Qari , who lives in San Gabriel .
“ I don ’ t know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have to be ready.
” Los Angeles police and the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department are preparing for the possibility of unrest and plan to have thousands of officers ready to be mobilized at a moment ’ s notice .
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said nearly every uniformed officer will work a 12-hour shift on election day and be a visible presence across the city all week .
He pledged immediate action to restore order if a disturbance unfolds .
Mayor Eric Garcetti said there was no intelligence to suggest there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the Police Department was prepared for the worst out of an abundance of caution .
The election comes after a spring and summer of unrest , with protests against police brutality resulting in mass arrests and corridors of destruction in shopping districts , followed by a Lakers NBA title and a Dodgers World Series win , both marred by violent revelers clashing with police .
Just this weekend , a rally for President Trump turned violent in Beverly Hills , where supporters and protesters clashed .
Moore said police agencies across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spots .
But plenty of shop owners are dubious about getting a quick response from law enforcement .
In June , Rodney Masjedi , 39 , owner of DTLA Bikes , watched as the adjacent AT & T store was broken into during a protest .
Masjedi said he called police , but they did not arrive for an hour , leaving him to fend for his store .
“ There were guys with box cutters who were trying to get in and I had to chase them away , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help.
” Masjedi said he ’ s apolitical but believes the rhetoric the last few years has ratcheted up strong emotions .
“ I remember when people just voted and it wasn ’ t a big deal , ” Masjedi said .
“ But you have leaders who say ridiculous things that prompt their followers to act in ridiculous ways .
We ’ ve changed as a society , and what you see in the streets isn ’ t the cause but the effect.
” Masjedi has plywood on his windows and doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he closes early Tuesday , he ’ s going to “ use giant locks ” to secure his venue .
On Rodeo Drive , Beverly Hills resident Sandy Croll , 79 , was walking her fluffy Labradoodle amid the pandemonium of what felt like a construction site .
“ It ’ s tragic what ’ s happened to our country , ” Croll said .
“ I think we hopefully are overreacting , but better safe than sorry.
” Sue Nakao , 58 , was driving to work from her residence in Culver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take in the scene .
“ I ’ ve never , ever seen like this , ” Nakao said in amazement .
“ It ’ s so not Los Angeles.
” In Santa Ana , Donna Sanchez , 31 , recalled making what was supposed to be a quick trip to Superior Grocers to buy dinner ingredients Friday evening .
When she arrived with her 17-year-old daughter , Selina , they were shocked to see the store boarded up .
They made their way to the only open entrance on the right side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of panic .
“ Just seeing everything threw me off , ” she said .
“ I ’ m just trying to be prepared .
I don ’ t know what to expect tomorrow night once we find out who our new president will be.
” It was a statement that presumes we will know who won on election night , by no means a certainty .
Sanchez purchased canned salsa , vegetables and soups in preparation for chaos .
“ I asked myself , ‘ Is this really happening ?
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like to get involved in politics , and right now it ’ s getting to me .
Never in my life would I have imagined that it would come down to all of this happening .
I feel like I have to prepare my children for anything.
” Times staff writers Stephanie Lai and Richard Winton contributed to this report .

Joe Mozingo, Lila Seidman, Andrew J. Campa

Gregg Donovan, 61, former Ambassador of Beverly Hills, stands on a closed and boarded-up Rodeo Drive the day before election day. “I never thought I would see this,” he said about businesses being closed along the famous street.
Michael Williams stepped out of his apartment in downtown Long Beach on Monday to buy a couple of midday Red Bulls for himself and his girlfriend. He was unsettled, thinking of an image he saw on Twitter of a man waiting for election results holding an AK-47. Now he noticed the streets were eerily empty — and the shopkeepers were boarding up for election day.
He watched in disbelief and texted photos to his friends in North Carolina. “This is disturbing,” he recalled thinking.
In this historic year of plague, fire and unrest in California, the notion that the United States electoral process could devolve into disarray and violence has cranked up the anxiety even more, with people hoarding food, some buying their first guns, others stocking up on ammunition.
Advertisement
The sound of that tension could be heard from Rodeo Drive to Santa Ana in the rattle of compressors and the thwack-thwack of nail guns. Thick plywood was going up over shop windows and doors, just as it was in San Francisco and San Diego, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami and Dallas, as if the entire nation were bracing for a single enormous hurricane.
Williams, who is 39 and Black, lived his whole life, until last month, in the rural South and was always wary on voting day, but never did he expect this kind of fear of electoral failure and widespread civil strife.
“I’ve been through many elections,” he said as he bought his drinks at a boarded-up 7-Eleven. “I’ve never worried about something happening like this.”
He paused.
“Then again, everything might go smooth.”
The cashier said the plywood was just a precaution. She declined to give her name, saying she was an immigrant and it was best to lie low these days. She couldn’t believe that the U.S. would ever feel “so unstable.”
“Whoever would have?” she asked. She pointed to the blockaded windows. “Looking at things like this makes it all the more scary.”
In downtown Los Angeles, 60-year-old silversmith Adam Qari polished a few gold rings as he sat in a half-empty, boarded-up jewelry warehouse on South Broadway.
Advertisement
Qari has manned the El Sol Jewelry stand for a dozen years and, until the pandemic, spent his days aggressively competing for sales with his fellow jewelers. It was ghostly quiet now, with few customers and only four of 10 owners left on the floor.
In anticipation of the election, they had removed their stock to safer locations.
“Everybody is a little nervous about the election tomorrow,” said Qari, who lives in San Gabriel. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we have to be ready.”
Los Angeles police and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department are preparing for the possibility of unrest and plan to have thousands of officers ready to be mobilized at a moment’s notice.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said nearly every uniformed officer will work a 12-hour shift on election day and be a visible presence across the city all week. He pledged immediate action to restore order if a disturbance unfolds.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said there was no intelligence to suggest there would be violence at the polls, but the Police Department was prepared for the worst out of an abundance of caution.
The election comes after a spring and summer of unrest, with protests against police brutality resulting in mass arrests and corridors of destruction in shopping districts, followed by a Lakers NBA title and a Dodgers World Series win, both marred by violent revelers clashing with police. Just this weekend, a rally for President Trump turned violent in Beverly Hills, where supporters and protesters clashed. Moore said police agencies across the region are sharing intelligence about potential hot spots.
But plenty of shop owners are dubious about getting a quick response from law enforcement.
In June, Rodney Masjedi, 39, owner of DTLA Bikes, watched as the adjacent AT&T store was broken into during a protest. Masjedi said he called police, but they did not arrive for an hour, leaving him to fend for his store.
“There were guys with box cutters who were trying to get in and I had to chase them away,” he said. “No one was coming to help.”
Masjedi said he’s apolitical but believes the rhetoric the last few years has ratcheted up strong emotions.
“I remember when people just voted and it wasn’t a big deal,” Masjedi said. “But you have leaders who say ridiculous things that prompt their followers to act in ridiculous ways. We’ve changed as a society, and what you see in the streets isn’t the cause but the effect.”
Masjedi has plywood on his windows and doors this time, and said that after he closes early Tuesday, he’s going to “use giant locks” to secure his venue.
On Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills resident Sandy Croll, 79, was walking her fluffy Labradoodle amid the pandemonium of what felt like a construction site. “It’s tragic what’s happened to our country,” Croll said.
“I think we hopefully are overreacting, but better safe than sorry.”
Sue Nakao, 58, was driving to work from her residence in Culver City when she decided to stop and take in the scene.
“I’ve never, ever seen like this,” Nakao said in amazement. “It’s so not Los Angeles.”
In Santa Ana, Donna Sanchez, 31, recalled making what was supposed to be a quick trip to Superior Grocers to buy dinner ingredients Friday evening. When she arrived with her 17-year-old daughter, Selina, they were shocked to see the store boarded up. They made their way to the only open entrance on the right side of the store and felt a sense of panic.
“Just seeing everything threw me off,” she said. “I’m just trying to be prepared. I don’t know what to expect tomorrow night once we find out who our new president will be.” It was a statement that presumes we will know who won on election night, by no means a certainty.
Sanchez purchased canned salsa, vegetables and soups in preparation for chaos. “I asked myself, ‘Is this really happening?’” she said. “I don’t like to get involved in politics, and right now it’s getting to me. Never in my life would I have imagined that it would come down to all of this happening. I feel like I have to prepare my children for anything.”
Times staff writers Stephanie Lai and Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-02--San Francisco firefighter in critical condition after being struck by a hose line

A San Francisco firefighter was in critical condition Monday night after being struck by a hose line while responding to @ @ @ @ @ building on Spear Street .
San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter said that @ @ @ @ @ the firefighter , Matt Vann , was standing near a hose line at the same @ @ @ @ @ was driving through the area .
Vann was “ inadvertently struck by that hose line @ @ @ @ @ , hitting his head , ” Baxter said , rendering him “ unconscious and not @ @ @ @ @ colleagues rushed him to San Francisco General Hospital .
The firefighter ’ s family and @ @ @ @ @ and officials are investigating the incident , Baxter said .

A San Francisco firefighter was struck by a hose line while responding to a high-rise blaze. He is in critical condition.
A San Francisco firefighter was in critical condition Monday night after being struck by a hose line while responding to a fire at a high-rise building on Spear Street.
San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter said that at about 3:30 p.m., the firefighter, Matt Vann, was standing near a hose line at the same time that a Muni bus was driving through the area.
Vann was “inadvertently struck by that hose line, dropped to the ground, hitting his head,” Baxter said, rendering him “unconscious and not breathing.” Vann’s colleagues rushed him to San Francisco General Hospital.
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The firefighter’s family and girlfriend have been notified, and officials are investigating the incident, Baxter said.


latimes--2020-11-02--Boarded-up stores from Figueroa Street to Rodeo Drive speak to an anxious election day across L.A.

The sound of tension could be heard from Rodeo Drive to Santa Ana in the rattle of compressors and the @ @ @ @ @ Thick plywood was going up over shop windows and doors , just as it was @ @ @ @ @ Diego , Philadelphia , Washington , Miami and Dallas , as if the entire nation @ @ @ @ @ enormous hurricane .

The sound of tension could be heard from Rodeo Drive to Santa Ana in the rattle of compressors and the thwack-thwack of nail guns. Thick plywood was going up over shop windows and doors, just as it was in San Francisco and San Diego, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami and Dallas, as if the entire nation were bracing for a single enormous hurricane.
A man walks past stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside a pharmacy boarded up a day before election day. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A worker walks along a boarded-up Rodeo Drive before election day. (Genaro Molina /L os Angeles Times)
Workers board up a store at the base of the steps to Via Rodeo in Beverly Hills. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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Workers board up a store along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Preparing for possible unrest, workers from RDG Construction build a plywood wall at Planet Fitness on South Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Rodney Masjedi, owner of DTLA Bikes on South Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, will be using multiple ways to keep intruders out of his store, including boarding up the front of his location in preparation for possible civil unrest. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Silversmith Adam Quri of El Sol Jewelry, on South Broadway in downtown L.A.’s Jewelry District, talks about boarding up the front of his location in preparation for possible civil unrest. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)