latimes--2020-08-07--After first being spared, rural California now being ravaged by the coronavirus

It was once said that California ’ s coronavirus pandemic was hitting dense urban areas the hardest .
Now , it ’ s rural , agricultural areas that are among the most severely affected .
“ The epidemic is moving from urban Latino populations to rural Latino populations , ” Dr. George Rutherford , epidemiologist and infectious-diseases expert at UC San Francisco , said Wednesday .
The risk factors are the same : low-income essential workers who live in crowded housing and must leave home to work and earn money and who may be less likely to speak up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier in the pandemic , Los Angeles County was one of the hot spots for new infections .
By June , it was Imperial County .
The rural , agricultural and impoverished county east of San Diego soared up the list as California ’ s hardest hit county , in terms of new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks .
Imperial County hit its worst number on June 16 , when there were 1,438 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous two weeks .
Now , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Valley the hardest .
Kern County , home to Bakersfield , is now recording 1,160 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks .
The rate reached its highest point on Saturday , reaching 1,376 cases per 100,000 residents over the prior two weeks — a figure more than 9 times as much as it was at the beginning of July , when the county reported 136 cases per 100,000 residents .
In other words , for the seven-day period that ended Sunday , Kern County reported 12,098 cases ; just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting only about 1,350 cases a week .
State officials recommend counties have a case rate of no more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks .
Case rates may be artificially lower due to a glitch in the state ’ s reporting system .
The Central Valley is among the areas of the nation that federal officials are particularly worried about .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious diseases expert , said the big problem is the uptick in the rate at which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day positive test rate climbed to 24 % in Kern County on Monday , more than triple the state ’ s average of 7 % on that day .
“ This is a predictor of trouble ahead , ” Fauci said on CNN Thursday .
A high rate of tests confirming infections is “ a clear indication that you are getting an uptick in cases , which inevitably — as we ’ ve seen in the Southern states — leads to surges , and then you get hospitalizations , and then you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accelerate the fundamental preventive measures ... masks , social distancing , avoiding crowds , ” Fauci said .
While California ’ s second surge of coronavirus this summer is showing signs of stabilization , the levels of circulating virus in places like the Central Valley are a source of deep worry among physicians because of how much higher they are now .
“ Although L.A. may be looking a bit better , there ’ s significant movement of virus from Bakersfield all the way up the Central Valley into Stockton , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coronavirus response coordinator , said in a recording of a conference call obtained by the Center for Public Integrity .
Of the 10 California counties with the highest infection rates per capita over the past two weeks , eight were in the Central Valley as of Thursday , according to the Los Angeles Times ’ California coronavirus tracker .
Besides Kern County , they were Merced County ( 656 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks ) ; Kings ( 568 ) ; Colusa ( 545 ) ; Tulare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) ; Stanislaus ( 440 ) ; and Madera ( 437 ) .
Imperial County also made the top 10 list , with a rate of 415 cases per 100,000 residents ; as did San Bernardino County , with a rate of 397 cases per 100,000 residents .
Other rural areas are also seeing a rise in cases , such as the Salinas Valley in Monterey County and fields in Ventura County , Rutherford said .
California ’ s 11th hardest hit county by this measure is Mono County , home to Mammoth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a rate of 395 cases per 100,000 residents in the last two weeks .
It ’ s likely the disease followed Southern Californians traveling to the Eastern Sierra for the Fourth of July weekend , Rutherford said .
Los Angeles County is the 18th hardest hit California county by this measure , reporting 327 cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has identified the Central Valley as a region in great need of resources to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Five of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Defense personnel and assigned to California have now been sent to the Central Valley , Newsom said ; he also asked state lawmakers to approve $ 52 million to improve testing , tracing and isolation protocols in an eight-county region of the Central Valley known as the San Joaquin Valley .
The region needs it .
Kern County reported its highest COVID-19 hospitalization numbers on record on Sunday , when 321 people with confirmed coronavirus infections were in its hospitals .
“ We definitely are seeing more cases of coronavirus in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Dr. Hemmal Kothary , chief medical officer of Dignity Health ’ s Central California division .
Kothary oversees Memorial Hospital and both campuses of Mercy Hospital Bakersfield , which together had 260 coronavirus patients as of 10 a.m. Monday .
He said the surge , which began about two weeks ago , has put a strain on resources .
Dozens of staffers have also either fallen ill or tested positive for the virus over the past week , he said .
“ At one point , we had over 50 nursing staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were out , ” he said .
A National Guard medical team was dispatched to Memorial Hospital on Monday to help cover the staffing gaps , he said .
The team had been stationed nearby at Adventist Health Bakersfield .
Local officials attribute the high case rate in part to an increase in testing .
Some testing sites saw a sustained fourfold increase over the past several weeks , Michelle Corson , public relations officer for Kern County Public Health , said Friday in an email .
That caused some labs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delayed the turnaround time for test results , she said .
On Monday , an average of 24.4 % of coronavirus tests over the preceding two weeks in Kern County were coming back positive , much higher than the statewide average of roughly 7 % .
By Thursday , the rate was lower — down to 17.6 % in Kern County , compared to a statewide positive test rate of 6.1 % .
Kothary believes the uptick could be in part linked to the Fourth of July holiday , when many people held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valley communities , Kern County has also seen a familiar dynamic play out , he said : Black and Latino residents and low-wage workers are getting infected at higher rates .
“ We definitely have a higher incidence in the Black and Latino communities , ” he said .
“ Kern County has two modes of income , ” he said .
“ It ’ s agriculture , and it ’ s the oil industry.
” Workers in those industries tend to live and work in close quarters , many of them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also less likely to be able to stay home when they ’ re sick and more likely to lack protections to speak out about safety concerns at work .
“ I think we ’ re seeing a lot of that when we ’ re doing these tracings back , that the whole family has been infected , ” he said .
Low-income residents are also less likely to have access to healthcare services and more likely to have preexisting health conditions that put them at higher risk of serious illness or death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wigglesworth reported from Inglewood and Lin from San Francisco .

Farmworkers weed a tomato field in French Camp, Calif., on July 24. The epidemic is moving from urban Latino populations to rural Latino populations, one health expert said.
It was once said that California’s coronavirus pandemic was hitting dense urban areas the hardest.
Now, it’s rural, agricultural areas that are among the most severely affected.
“The epidemic is moving from urban Latino populations to rural Latino populations,” Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious-diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said Wednesday. The risk factors are the same: low-income essential workers who live in crowded housing and must leave home to work and earn money and who may be less likely to speak up to call attention to problematic workplace safety conditions.
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Earlier in the pandemic, Los Angeles County was one of the hot spots for new infections. By June, it was Imperial County. The rural, agricultural and impoverished county east of San Diego soared up the list as California’s hardest hit county, in terms of new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. Imperial County hit its worst number on June 16, when there were 1,438 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous two weeks.
Now, it’s clear that the virus is hitting the Central Valley the hardest. Kern County, home to Bakersfield, is now recording 1,160 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. The rate reached its highest point on Saturday, reaching 1,376 cases per 100,000 residents over the prior two weeks — a figure more than 9 times as much as it was at the beginning of July, when the county reported 136 cases per 100,000 residents.
In other words, for the seven-day period that ended Sunday, Kern County reported 12,098 cases; just a month ago, the county was reporting only about 1,350 cases a week.
State officials recommend counties have a case rate of no more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. Case rates may be artificially lower due to a glitch in the state’s reporting system.
The Central Valley is among the areas of the nation that federal officials are particularly worried about. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious diseases expert, said the big problem is the uptick in the rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infections.
The 14-day positive test rate climbed to 24% in Kern County on Monday, more than triple the state’s average of 7% on that day.
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“This is a predictor of trouble ahead,” Fauci said on CNN Thursday. A high rate of tests confirming infections is “a clear indication that you are getting an uptick in cases, which inevitably — as we’ve seen in the Southern states — leads to surges, and then you get hospitalizations, and then you get deaths.”
“Now is the time to accelerate the fundamental preventive measures ... masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds,” Fauci said.
While California’s second surge of coronavirus this summer is showing signs of stabilization, the levels of circulating virus in places like the Central Valley are a source of deep worry among physicians because of how much higher they are now.
“Although L.A. may be looking a bit better, there’s significant movement of virus from Bakersfield all the way up the Central Valley into Stockton,” Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, said in a recording of a conference call obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.
Of the 10 California counties with the highest infection rates per capita over the past two weeks, eight were in the Central Valley as of Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times’ California coronavirus tracker. Besides Kern County, they were Merced County (656 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks); Kings (568); Colusa (545); Tulare (538); Fresno (497); Stanislaus (440); and Madera (437).
Imperial County also made the top 10 list, with a rate of 415 cases per 100,000 residents; as did San Bernardino County, with a rate of 397 cases per 100,000 residents.
Other rural areas are also seeing a rise in cases, such as the Salinas Valley in Monterey County and fields in Ventura County, Rutherford said.
California’s 11th hardest hit county by this measure is Mono County, home to Mammoth Mountain, a popular tourist destination, with a rate of 395 cases per 100,000 residents in the last two weeks. It’s likely the disease followed Southern Californians traveling to the Eastern Sierra for the Fourth of July weekend, Rutherford said.
Los Angeles County is the 18th hardest hit California county by this measure, reporting 327 cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has identified the Central Valley as a region in great need of resources to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Five of the eight medical teams staffed by U.S. Department of Defense personnel and assigned to California have now been sent to the Central Valley, Newsom said; he also asked state lawmakers to approve $52 million to improve testing, tracing and isolation protocols in an eight-county region of the Central Valley known as the San Joaquin Valley.
The region needs it. Kern County reported its highest COVID-19 hospitalization numbers on record on Sunday, when 321 people with confirmed coronavirus infections were in its hospitals.
“We definitely are seeing more cases of coronavirus in our hospitals than we ever had,” said Dr. Hemmal Kothary, chief medical officer of Dignity Health’s Central California division. Kothary oversees Memorial Hospital and both campuses of Mercy Hospital Bakersfield, which together had 260 coronavirus patients as of 10 a.m. Monday.
He said the surge, which began about two weeks ago, has put a strain on resources. Dozens of staffers have also either fallen ill or tested positive for the virus over the past week, he said.
“At one point, we had over 50 nursing staff among the three hospitals that I cover who were out,” he said.
A National Guard medical team was dispatched to Memorial Hospital on Monday to help cover the staffing gaps, he said. The team had been stationed nearby at Adventist Health Bakersfield.
Local officials attribute the high case rate in part to an increase in testing. Some testing sites saw a sustained fourfold increase over the past several weeks, Michelle Corson, public relations officer for Kern County Public Health, said Friday in an email. That caused some labs to report supply shortages, which in turn delayed the turnaround time for test results, she said.
On Monday, an average of 24.4% of coronavirus tests over the preceding two weeks in Kern County were coming back positive, much higher than the statewide average of roughly 7%.
By Thursday, the rate was lower — down to 17.6% in Kern County, compared to a statewide positive test rate of 6.1%.
Kothary believes the uptick could be in part linked to the Fourth of July holiday, when many people held large gatherings.
As with other Central Valley communities, Kern County has also seen a familiar dynamic play out, he said: Black and Latino residents and low-wage workers are getting infected at higher rates.
“We definitely have a higher incidence in the Black and Latino communities,” he said.
“Kern County has two modes of income,” he said. “It’s agriculture, and it’s the oil industry.”
Workers in those industries tend to live and work in close quarters, many of them in multifamily households, he said. They are also less likely to be able to stay home when they’re sick and more likely to lack protections to speak out about safety concerns at work.
“I think we’re seeing a lot of that when we’re doing these tracings back, that the whole family has been infected,” he said.
Low-income residents are also less likely to have access to healthcare services and more likely to have preexisting health conditions that put them at higher risk of serious illness or death from the virus, he said.
Wigglesworth reported from Inglewood and Lin from San Francisco.


latimes--2020-08-07--What a fowl situation: Ventura County firefighters rescue chickens from fiery demise

Some ingenuity , a set of children ’ s oxygen masks and a little empathy helped Ventura County firefighters make the best of a fowl situation as about 18 members rescued seven chickens from a garage fire in Camarillo on Thursday afternoon .
Capt .
Brian McGrath , a department spokesman , said firefighters arrived at a detached garage on fire in Camarillo Heights at 3:45 p.m .
Though it took only 15 minutes to douse the blaze , several nearby chickens demonstrated signs “ of distress and disorientation.
” “ The firefighters were on scene and knew it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , ” McGrath said .
“ It was decided to get them as much oxygen as needed.
” The department is equipped with pet oxygen masks for dogs and cats , but those devices were useless because they were created for animals with snouts , not beaks , McGrath said .
Firefighters improvised and pulled out pediatric masks and placed them near the beaks of several chickens while gently massaging their bodies .
McGrath said the masks could not be directly strapped to the creatures because too much oxygen would also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the face covering with their hands to allow for a mixture with regular air .
“ They were just trying to do what they could do to reinvigorate the chickens , ” McGrath said of the firefighters .
“ It doesn ’ t happen very often where we have birds or reptiles that we ’ re trying to save , but if there are alive , we ’ ll try to keep them that way.
” McGrath was unaware of the total number of chickens on the premises but was confident “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier report that only four birds were revived .
It is believed the fire started on a nearby patch of grass and brush that included debris and lawn decorations .
An investigation is underway .
Only the detached garage burned and there was no damage to the nearby home .
The homeowner did thank firefighters for their efforts in rescuing the chickens , McGrath said .
“ As I ’ ve learned in this career , you never know what ’ s important to a homeowner , ” McGrath said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , do the best we can and hope we can save what we can save .
”

Members of the Ventura County Fire Department rescued and revived seven chickens that suffered smoke inhalation during a fire Thursday in a garage in Camarillo Heights.
Some ingenuity, a set of children’s oxygen masks and a little empathy helped Ventura County firefighters make the best of a fowl situation as about 18 members rescued seven chickens from a garage fire in Camarillo on Thursday afternoon.
Capt. Brian McGrath, a county Fire Department spokesman, said firefighters arrived at a detached garage ablaze in Camarillo Heights at 3:45 p.m. Though it took only 15 minutes to douse the blaze, several nearby chickens demonstrated signs “of distress and disorientation.”
“The firefighters were on scene and knew it was smoke inhalation and it was possibly killing them,” McGrath said. “It was decided to get them as much oxygen as needed.”
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The department is equipped with pet oxygen masks for dogs and cats, but those devices were useless because they were created for animals with snouts, not beaks, McGrath said.
Firefighters improvised and pulled out pediatric masks and placed them near the beaks of several chickens while gently massaging their bodies.
McGrath said the masks could not be directly strapped to the creatures because too much oxygen would also be injurious, so firefighters muffled a portion of the face covering with their hands to allow for a mixture with regular air.
#LemonFire; FF’s found multiple chickens at the residence. 4 were revived using oxygen after being exposed to smoke and heat. @Vcfd pic.twitter.com/PYzt2CZXtq — VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) August 6, 2020
“They were just trying to do what they could do to reinvigorate the chickens,” McGrath said of the firefighters. “It doesn’t happen very often where we have birds or reptiles that we’re trying to save, but if they are alive, we’ll try to keep them that way.”
McGrath was unaware of the total number of chickens on the premises but was confident “a majority survived” and corrected an earlier report that only four birds were revived.
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It is believed the fire started on a nearby patch of grass and brush that included debris and lawn decorations. An investigation is underway.
Only the detached garage burned and there was no damage to the nearby home. The homeowner did thank firefighters for their efforts in rescuing the chickens, McGrath said.
“As I’ve learned in this career, you never know what’s important to a homeowner,” McGrath said. “We’re always going to try hard, do the best we can and hope we can save what we can save.”


latimes--2020-08-06--California colleges in last-minute scramble to open without state guidance

Just days before the fall semester is set to begin , California colleges and universities are scrambling to finalize reopening plans that affect thousands of students as top leaders say the state ’ s lack of guidance for weeks has frustrated efforts to bring back limited in-person learning and dorm living .
Many campuses , including USC and Claremont McKenna , say the lack of clear and timely state guidance has caused them to spend enormous energy and money preparing for varying reopening scenarios — without knowing what will be allowed amid a surge of COVID-19 infections .
The uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of different configurations of approaches and solutions ” among campuses , according to Hiram Chodosh , president of Claremont McKenna College .
A spokesman for Gov .
Gavin Newsom said the guidance will be released by the California Department of Health on Friday morning , but did not respond to questions about the delay .
Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County ’ s public health director , said this week that care must be taken because colleges and universities are “ high-risk settings ” for the spread of COVID-19 .
She noted that outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three fraternities and among a group of graduate students , as well as among UCLA football players .
“ We do look forward to planning for the day when college campuses can reopen and bring students and faculty back , ” she said .
“ But we will need to wait until the state releases their protocols before we know what the timeline will look like here in L.A. County.
” Several institutions had planned to offer hybrid instruction and campus housing with strict safety protocols for masks , distancing , testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorization for those plans , even as fall return dates inch ever closer , prompted many to abruptly change gears .
On Wednesday , USC throttled back its reopening plan even further , and announced it would begin Aug. 17 with fully remote instruction , with limited exceptions for clinical instruction .
The university asked students to delay returning to campus housing — just days before some of them were scheduled to arrive .
The university said more ambitious reopening plans to allow as many as 20 % of classes to meet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dorms had not received state and county approval as expected .
“ We know the lack of certainty has been frustrating for many of you , as well as our own teams , who keep planning and then re-planning for the 2020 fall semester , ” USC Provost Charles F. Zukoski and David Wright , senior vice president of administration , wrote in the campus message .
“ The truth is the pandemic is not going away anytime soon , and we must adapt to the changing conditions and continue to hold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paramount.
” In his July 24 message to the campus community , Chodosh pointedly noted that Claremont McKenna would not be allowed to resume in-person instruction or most on-campus housing as planned because of recent , substantial increases in COVID-19 cases “ and , even more decisively , the absence of necessary state and county authorization for residential , in-person higher education programs to reopen.
” The college had begun planning a fall return months ago , envisioning classes in larger spaces or outdoors , students in single rooms or small-group dorms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among friends .
His campus plans far exceed Los Angeles County ’ s draft reopening protocols for colleges and universities , which Chodosh helped create as a member of the higher education task force .
He said failing to take “ measured risks ” to reopen and simply waiting for a vaccine was not a “ sensible way to confront the challenge.
” Harvey Mudd College , another member of the seven-campus Claremont Colleges consortium , has spent several months and hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing to have students on campus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing outdoor dining , according to President Maria Klawe .
Most classes will be online , but students will be able to work together in person .
The small college has emphasized , however , that those plans are contingent on approval by the state .
Klawe said the campus will be ready to shift to fully remote instruction , with no students on campus , if necessary .
“ We ’ ve had to plan for both possibilities because we just don ’ t know , ” she said .
For many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Catherine Amein , a fourth-year student in electrical and computer engineering at USC , said she was devastated by the university ’ s message this week that it would not reopen for in-person classes or campus housing for most students .
She said she had eagerly awaited the fall semester because some of her labs were going to be in-person — her academic performance suffered in the shift to online learning in March — and she was set to move into campus housing next week .
Now , however , she faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of fully remote learning and living at home with her parents in Florida .
Had the university made clear earlier on that a full shutdown was possible , she said , she probably would have taken a gap year and worked instead because her parents did not want to pay USC ’ s $ 60,000 annual tuition and fees for fully online instruction .
“ To be honest , I ’ ve cried a lot about this , ” she said .
“ I got my hopes up too soon and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of California ’ s public colleges scheduled to open in August , including those in the state ’ s vast community college system , had made decisions earlier to move online .
California State University , the nation ’ s largest four-year college system , in May announced plans to cancel most in-person classes in the fall and instead offer instruction primarily online .
At the University of California , plans vary among campuses , although systemwide guidelines lay out standards for testing , tracing , masking and distancing protocols .
UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fall semester this month , the first of the nine undergraduate campuses to restart , had hoped to open Aug. 26 with a mix of online and in-person classes .
University officials later dropped those plans as COVID-19 cases surged across California , but still plan to house some students in campus dorms .
UCLA , which doesn ’ t begin its fall quarter until September , announced it would reduce the share of classes it plans to hold in person or in hybrid form to only 8 % from 15 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned .
It still plans to open some campus housing .
Caltech , which has just 950 undergraduates but operates large research facilities , including NASA ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , resumed in-person activities at most of its 300 laboratories two months ago , said Provost David Tirrell .
Officials at Caltech have consulted with Pasadena public health officials about its reopening plans , which he said would meet all of L.A. County ’ s draft guidelines .
But he is unsure if the plans will be in compliance with the still-unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been frustrating , ” Tirrell said .
“ The whole situation has been uniquely challenging.
” Many independent and private colleges that originally said they planned to offer in-person instruction also switched as circumstances changed .
These include Biola University , California Baptist University , Concordia University and Fresno Pacific University .
The Master ’ s University in Santa Clarita and Dominican University of California in San Rafael plan to hold in-person classes for students involved in “ essential workforce ” training , including nursing , occupational therapy , biology/chemistry , public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow students to live in residence halls .

Teresa Watanabe, Nina Agrawal, Phil Willon

Just days before the fall semester is set to begin, California colleges and universities are scrambling to finalize reopening plans that affect thousands of students as top leaders say the state’s lack of guidance for weeks has frustrated efforts to bring back limited in-person learning and dorm living.
Many campuses, including USC and Claremont McKenna, say the lack of clear and timely state guidance has caused them to spend enormous energy and money preparing for varying reopening scenarios — without knowing what will be allowed amid a surge of COVID-19 infections.
The uncertainty has resulted in a “wild array of different configurations of approaches and solutions” among campuses, according to Hiram Chodosh, president of Claremont McKenna College.
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A spokesman for Gov. Gavin Newsom said the guidance will be released by the California Department of Health on Friday morning, but did not respond to questions about the delay.
Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County’s public health director, said this week that care must be taken because colleges and universities are “high-risk settings” for the spread of COVID-19. She noted that outbreaks have occurred in connection with USC at three fraternities and among a group of graduate students, as well as among UCLA football players.
“We do look forward to planning for the day when college campuses can reopen and bring students and faculty back,” she said. “But we will need to wait until the state releases their protocols before we know what the timeline will look like here in L.A. County.”
But colleges couldn’t wait.
Several institutions had planned to offer hybrid instruction and campus housing with strict safety protocols for masks, distancing, testing and tracing. But the lack of state authorization for those plans, even as fall return dates inch ever closer, prompted many to abruptly change gears.
On Wednesday, USC throttled back its reopening plan even further, and announced it would begin Aug. 17 with fully remote instruction, with limited exceptions for clinical instruction. The university asked students to delay returning to campus housing — just days before some of them were scheduled to arrive.
The university said more ambitious reopening plans to allow as many as 20% of classes to meet in person and students to live in single-occupancy dorms had not received state and county approval as expected.
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“We know the lack of certainty has been frustrating for many of you, as well as our own teams, who keep planning and then re-planning for the 2020 fall semester,” USC Provost Charles F. Zukoski and David Wright, senior vice president of administration, wrote in the campus message. “The truth is the pandemic is not going away anytime soon, and we must adapt to the changing conditions and continue to hold the health and safety of our USC community paramount.”
In his July 24 message to the campus community, Chodosh pointedly noted that Claremont McKenna would not be allowed to resume in-person instruction or most on-campus housing as planned because of recent, substantial increases in COVID-19 cases “and, even more decisively, the absence of necessary state and county authorization for residential, in-person higher education programs to reopen.”
The college had begun planning a fall return months ago, envisioning classes in larger spaces or outdoors, students in single rooms or small-group dorms, takeout food eaten outside with safe distances among friends. His campus plans far exceed Los Angeles County’s draft reopening protocols for colleges and universities, which Chodosh helped create as a member of the higher education task force.
He said failing to take “measured risks” to reopen and simply waiting for a vaccine was not a “sensible way to confront the challenge.”
Harvey Mudd College, another member of the seven-campus Claremont Colleges consortium, has spent several months and hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing to have students on campus, including accommodating them in single rooms and providing outdoor dining, according to President Maria Klawe. Most classes will be online, but students will be able to work together in person.
The small college has emphasized, however, that those plans are contingent on approval by the state.
Klawe said the campus will be ready to shift to fully remote instruction, with no students on campus, if necessary. “We’ve had to plan for both possibilities because we just don’t know,” she said.
For many students, the uncertainty has been wrenching. Catherine Amein, a fourth-year student in electrical and computer engineering at USC, said she was devastated by the university’s message this week that it would not reopen for in-person classes or campus housing for most students.
She said she had eagerly awaited the fall semester because some of her labs were going to be in-person — her academic performance suffered in the shift to online learning in March — and she was set to move into campus housing next week. Now, however, she faces what she called her “worst-case scenario” of fully remote learning and living at home with her parents in Florida.
Had the university made clear earlier on that a full shutdown was possible, she said, she probably would have taken a gap year and worked instead because her parents did not want to pay USC’s $60,000 annual tuition and fees for fully online instruction.
“To be honest, I’ve cried a lot about this,” she said. “I got my hopes up too soon and it feels like they keep getting crushed.”
Most of California’s public colleges scheduled to open in August, including those in the state’s vast community college system, had made decisions earlier to move online. California State University, the nation’s largest four-year college system, in May announced plans to cancel most in-person classes in the fall and instead offer instruction primarily online.
At the University of California, plans vary among campuses, although systemwide guidelines lay out standards for testing, tracing, masking and distancing protocols. UC Berkeley and UC Merced, which begin the fall semester this month, the first of the nine undergraduate campuses to restart, had hoped to open Aug. 26 with a mix of online and in-person classes.
University officials later dropped those plans as COVID-19 cases surged across California, but still plan to house some students in campus dorms.
UCLA, which doesn’t begin its fall quarter until September, announced it would reduce the share of classes it plans to hold in person or in hybrid form to only 8% from 15% to 20% of classes as previously planned. It still plans to open some campus housing.
Caltech, which has just 950 undergraduates but operates large research facilities, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, resumed in-person activities at most of its 300 laboratories two months ago, said Provost David Tirrell.
Officials at Caltech have consulted with Pasadena public health officials about its reopening plans, which he said would meet all of L.A. County’s draft guidelines. But he is unsure if the plans will be in compliance with the still-unknown state protocols.
“It’s been frustrating,” Tirrell said. “The whole situation has been uniquely challenging.”
Many independent and private colleges that originally said they planned to offer in-person instruction also switched as circumstances changed. These include California Baptist University, Concordia University and Fresno Pacific University.
The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, Dominican University of California in San Rafael and Biola University in La Mirada plan to hold in-person classes for students involved in “essential workforce” training, including nursing, occupational therapy, biology/chemistry, public health and education. They also plan to allow students to live in residence halls.


latimes--2020-08-06--Ventura County sues church after indoor services without masks or distance

Worshipers at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks have been celebrating their faith for months in open violation of state and local health orders in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ Singing , hugging , no masks , ” Senior Pastor Rob McCoy said , describing the services .
Now the church and Ventura County are facing off in court .
County officials sued McCoy and the church this week to shut down the large , indoor gatherings .
The lawsuit follows the county Board of Supervisors ’ vote to use court actions to enforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the temporary restraining order is set to be heard Friday morning .
The county ’ s suit says the church ’ s actions “ will cause and continue to cause great and irreparable injury to the general public ... including hospitalizations and deaths , which in turn is likely to result in continued and further restrictions on businesses and other operations and activities.
” “ It is only a matter of time — if it has not already happened — before there is a significant outbreak of COVID-19 cases among the attendees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ventura County public health officer listed as a plaintiff in the suit .
McCoy , whom the suit said has declared himself “ willing to go to jail ” and “ willing for [ authorities ] to take [ his ] building ” rather than comply with the health orders , said he ’ s being unfairly targeted .
“ We haven ’ t had one case ” of the coronavirus , he said .
Court documents allege more than 200 people have attended the services .
McCoy ’ s run-ins with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
The former Thousand Oaks mayor resigned his post as City Council member on April 4 after Gov .
Gavin Newsom declared churches nonessential .
The next day , he violated the governor ’ s orders , hosting socially distanced Communion inside his church for 10 people at a time .
Godspeak switched to livestreaming after Newsom shut down churches , McCoy said , but welcomed parishioners back inside without precautions after the governor supported the George Floyd protests against police violence and racism .
In July , county Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church ’ s services and contacted McCoy .
The pastor said he would continue to hold services , and Vargas saw no masks or social distancing when he watched the church ’ s livestream the next Sunday .
“ Instead , attendees were in close proximity to one another , seated side by side in pews , for the entirety of the service .
The church appeared to be at capacity , ” Vargas wrote in a declaration set to be read in court Friday .
Vargas reminded McCoy that outdoor or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCoy said he won ’ t hold outdoor services “ because we have a church.
” Even though Ventura County ’ s health officials — along with officials at the state and federal level — continue to call on citizens to wear masks , not gather indoors and practice social distancing , McCoy said data and expert consultations informed his decision to hold services without precautions .
“ We would be the first to be masked and distanced , and willingly so , if this were meriting it , and it doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issue , it ’ s an ideological issue , ” McCoy said .
Ventura County reported 533 new COVID-19 cases Monday .
Nearly 8,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the county , which has a population near 850,000 .
Seventy-nine people have died because of COVID-19 , and 79 more are hospitalized with the virus .
McCoy said those numbers “ aren ’ t going to change ” and are too low to justify “ shuttering our schools and destroying our businesses.
” Ahead of Friday ’ s court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bautista highlighted the potential danger of indoor gatherings .
“ COVID-19 continues to spread from person to person and at gatherings .
It is very important to follow the state ’ s guidance , so that the most vulnerable in our community can be spared from the disease , ” Bautista said .
“ Churches and other groups play a valuable role in the wellness of our county .
We encourage people to stay connected , but to do so safely .
”

Pastor Rob McCoy, right, gives Communion at an April 5 Palm Sunday service at his Thousand Oaks church, Godspeak Calvary Chapel.
Worshipers at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks have been celebrating their faith for months in open violation of state and local health orders in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“Singing, hugging, no masks,” Senior Pastor Rob McCoy said, describing the services.
Now the church and Ventura County are facing off in court. County officials sued McCoy and the church this week to shut down the large, indoor gatherings. The lawsuit follows the county Board of Supervisors’ vote to use court actions to enforce COVID-19 health orders.
The case on the temporary restraining order is set to be heard Friday morning.
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The county’s suit says the church’s actions “will cause and continue to cause great and irreparable injury to the general public ... including hospitalizations and deaths, which in turn is likely to result in continued and further restrictions on businesses and other operations and activities.”
“It is only a matter of time — if it has not already happened — before there is a significant outbreak of COVID-19 cases among the attendees,” wrote Dr. Robert Levin, a Ventura County public health officer listed as a plaintiff in the suit.
McCoy, whom the suit said has declared himself “willing to go to jail” and “willing for [authorities] to take [his] building” rather than comply with the health orders, said he’s being unfairly targeted.
“We haven’t had one case” of the coronavirus, he said. Court documents allege more than 200 people have attended the services.
McCoy’s run-ins with coronavirus orders have lasted nearly as long as the pandemic. The former Thousand Oaks mayor resigned his post as City Council member on April 4 after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared churches nonessential. The next day, he violated the governor’s orders, hosting socially distanced Communion inside his church for 10 people at a time.
Godspeak switched to livestreaming after Newsom shut down churches, McCoy said, but welcomed parishioners back inside without precautions after the governor supported the George Floyd protests against police violence and racism.
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In July, county Public Health Director Rigoberto Vargas received a complaint about the church’s services and contacted McCoy. The pastor said he would continue to hold services, and Vargas saw no masks or social distancing when he watched the church’s livestream the next Sunday.
“Instead, attendees were in close proximity to one another, seated side by side in pews, for the entirety of the service. The church appeared to be at capacity,” Vargas wrote in a declaration set to be read in court Friday.
Vargas reminded McCoy that outdoor or virtual services could be held. But McCoy said he won’t hold outdoor services “because we have a church.”
Even though Ventura County’s health officials — along with officials at the state and federal level — continue to call on citizens to wear masks, not gather indoors and practice social distancing, McCoy said data and expert consultations informed his decision to hold services without precautions.
“We would be the first to be masked and distanced, and willingly so, if this were meriting it, and it doesn’t. This isn’t a health issue, it’s an ideological issue,” McCoy said.
Ventura County reported 533 new COVID-19 cases Monday. Nearly 8,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the county, which has a population near 850,000. Seventy-nine people have died because of COVID-19, and 79 more are hospitalized with the virus.
McCoy said those numbers “aren’t going to change” and are too low to justify “shuttering our schools and destroying our businesses.”
Ahead of Friday’s court proceedings, county Public Information Officer Ashley Bautista highlighted the potential danger of indoor gatherings.
“COVID-19 continues to spread from person to person and at gatherings. It is very important to follow the state’s guidance, so that the most vulnerable in our community can be spared from the disease,” Bautista said.
“Churches and other groups play a valuable role in the wellness of our county. We encourage people to stay connected, but to do so safely.”


latimes--2020-08-06--Grand jury charges UC Davis researcher with visa fraud and concealing membership in Chinese military

A federal grand jury in Sacramento has charged that a cancer researcher at UC Davis committed visa fraud when she concealed her alleged membership in the Chinese military in seeking permission to live and study in the United States .
The indictment returned Thursday also alleges that the researcher , Juan Tang , lied to the FBI .
Tang is among several Chinese nationals charged in U.S. courts in recent months , accused of concealing their alleged affiliations with the Chinese military and other government institutions in seeking research positions at several of the United States ’ eminent universities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tang ’ s attorney , Alexandra Negin , said in an email that her client would enter a not-guilty plea Monday .
She raised concern that Tang , who remains in custody , can not exercise her right to a speedy trial because jury trials have been postponed during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ This is truly a situation where a person who is presumed innocent is being punished before she even has a chance to have her case heard by a jury , ” Negin said .
Federal prosecutors in Sacramento persuaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing her lack of ties to the United States and alleged links to the Chinese government , whose consulate and intelligence officials could spirit her out of the country and beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement .
Tang , 37 , applied for a J-1 visa in October 2019 to “ conduct cancer treatment-method research ” at UC Davis , Heiko P. Coppola , an assistant U.S. attorney , wrote in court papers .
On the application , she said “ no ” to a series of questions asking if she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she belonged to any communist parties and if she had “ any special chemical or biological experience.
” “ The FBI ’ s investigation determined Tang ’ s answers to these questions was false , ” Coppola wrote .
When agents searched her apartment in Davis in June , they found pictures of her wearing a military uniform , a video of her giving a salute in uniform , and “ Chinese military documents ” that showed she was researching “ antidotes for biological agents , ” he wrote .
After the agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s passport and other items , she went to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to seek help , Negin , her attorney , wrote in a memo .
Tang remained in the building for a month , prompting a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor ’ s office in Sacramento to declare that the consulate was harboring “ a fugitive from justice.
” When Tang learned of the charges , she was “ in hysterics ” and taken to a hospital , her attorney wrote in court papers .
Agents tailed Tang to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was treated and discharged .
She has been detained ever since .
Negin contended that much of the evidence federal authorities have cited as proof of Tang ’ s clandestine military affiliation , including photographs of her in uniform , “ lend themselves to many innocent explanations.
” Tang may have attended “ a prestigious medical school that is run by the military in China , ” Negin wrote , but “ that does not mean that she was ‘ in the military.
’ ” Negin added : Tang may have given certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the questions were phrased , or other “ potential cultural misunderstandings .
”

A federal grand jury in Sacramento has charged that a cancer researcher at UC Davis committed visa fraud when she concealed her alleged membership in the Chinese military in seeking permission to live and study in the United States.
The indictment returned Thursday also alleges that the researcher, Juan Tang, lied to the FBI.
Tang is among several Chinese nationals charged in U.S. courts in recent months, accused of concealing their alleged affiliations with the Chinese military and other government institutions in seeking research positions at several of the United States’ eminent universities, including Stanford and UC San Francisco.
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Tang’s attorney, Alexandra Negin, said in an email that her client would enter a not-guilty plea Monday. She raised concern that Tang, who remains in custody, cannot exercise her right to a speedy trial because jury trials have been postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is truly a situation where a person who is presumed innocent is being punished before she even has a chance to have her case heard by a jury,” Negin said.
Federal prosecutors in Sacramento persuaded a judge to order Tang detained, citing her lack of ties to the United States and alleged links to the Chinese government, whose consulate and intelligence officials could spirit her out of the country and beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement.
Tang, 37, applied for a J-1 visa in October 2019 to “conduct cancer treatment-method research” at UC Davis, Heiko P. Coppola, an assistant U.S. attorney, wrote in court papers. On the application, she said “no” to a series of questions asking if she had ever served in the military, if she belonged to any communist parties and if she had “any special chemical or biological experience.”
“The FBI’s investigation determined Tang’s answers to these questions was false,” Coppola wrote. When agents searched her apartment in Davis in June, they found pictures of her wearing a military uniform, a video of her giving a salute in uniform, and “Chinese military documents” that showed she was researching “antidotes for biological agents,” he wrote.
After the agents left, taking with them Tang’s passport and other items, she went to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to seek help, Negin, her attorney, wrote in a memo.
Tang remained in the building for a month, prompting a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office in Sacramento to declare that the consulate was harboring “a fugitive from justice.”
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When Tang learned of the charges, she was “in hysterics” and taken to a hospital, her attorney wrote in court papers. Agents tailed Tang to the hospital and arrested her after she was treated and discharged. She has been detained ever since.
Negin contended that much of the evidence federal authorities have cited as proof of Tang’s clandestine military affiliation, including photographs of her in uniform, “lend themselves to many innocent explanations.”
Tang may have attended “a prestigious medical school that is run by the military in China,” Negin wrote, but “that does not mean that she was ‘in the military.’”
Negin added: Tang may have given certain responses because she didn’t understand how the questions were phrased, or other “potential cultural misunderstandings.”


latimes--2020-08-06--'Broken' coronavirus tracking system leaves California in the dark: 'We have no idea'

The breakdown in California ’ s coronavirus test reporting system is disrupting pandemic response efforts across the state , leaving local officials in the dark about the spread of COVID-19 and blocking the ability of counties to get restrictions lifted until the system is fixed .
State officials have not yet provided details on when fixes will be made to the electronic system , called CalREDIE , that reports coronavirus test results to the state ’ s disease registry system .
California , as a result , lacks an accurate count of coronavirus infections , leading health officials to freeze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no counties added or removed .
“ CalREDIE has broken , ” said Peter Beilenson , director of Sacramento County ’ s Department of Health Services .
“ The bottom line is we don ’ t know the real caseload ... .
We don ’ t know if we are missing 250 cases [ a day ] or 50 cases , ” he said of his local numbers .
“ We have no idea.
” The flawed picture has cast into serious doubt California ’ s pandemic outlook .
On Wednesday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down from a peak of nearly 13,000 reported about two weeks ago .
But the steep drop relies on the underreported data , and health officials remain unsure about the actual caseloads .
The system snafus come amid mixed signs about the state of the pandemic .
While some hospitalization rates are down , the state ’ s death toll reached a grim milestone , topping 10,000 deaths .
Orange County also reported its single-day highest COVID-19 death toll Thursday , adding 32 deaths for a total of 697 .
And White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday singled out California ’ s Central Valley as a worrisome region .
The lack of reliable infection rate data has led many counties to add disclaimers on their public health websites saying the information is unreliable .
The data is also not being published on the state ’ s county data monitoring website , according to the California Department of Public Health .
The state has not given a timetable for when the problem might be fixed .
The flawed data has not affected patient care or test results for individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghaly , California Health and Human Services secretary , called the problem his department ’ s “ top priority ” and said a team of dozens had been working “ around the clock ” to make fixes .
“ Having accurate data is critical for public confidence , contact tracing and hospital surge planning .
We will not rest until this problem is resolved , ” Ghaly said in a statement .
“ All Californians and local public health officials must have accurate data , and we pledge to share a full accounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude as soon as we have a clear understanding — and the solutions to address them.
” The California Department of Public Health has directed all laboratories to report positive results directly to county health departments until the problem is resolved .
Some county health departments are resorting to counting the testing results by hand to get accurate totals .
Local public health officials and experts are expressing growing frustration with the state ’ s response .
Beilenson said state officials had not clarified how extensive the underreporting was or whether the missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple agencies .
Some officials fear that weeks of data may be inaccurate .
UC San Francisco professor Dr. Peter Chin-Hong , an expert in infectious diseases , said the inaccurate numbers potentially could affect federal aid because case numbers are examined before help is awarded .
Low numbers , he said , could mean fewer federal resources .
“ It ’ s a rationale that the feds can say , ‘ Well maybe you don ’ t need this thing we have , or financial resources , because it doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
But one of the most damaging fallouts of the missed data , he said , might be a decline in public trust .
Case numbers are one of the measurements used to determine what can open in a county and when social restrictions can be lifted , and the public watches them closely .
“ We always put faith in computers , data dumps , and I think having someone discover this glitch makes us wonder : What other glitches are there ?
” Chin-Hong said .
“ Data is power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it just makes us feel a little bit queasy.
” The CalREDIE system is relied on by officials to determine infection rates and to decide which counties land on the watchlist , a category that restricts them from opening many indoor activities .
School reopenings may also be hindered by the inaccurate numbers .
The counties now on the list , including Los Angeles , account for most of the state ’ s population .
Counties must be off the list for 14 days before they can reopen certain businesses .
The inaccurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could allow some private and parochial schools to open for in-person classes .
Public health officials also rely on the system to trace contacts of infected people , and without accurate reports , the tracing can not be done .
Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a news conference Thursday that the glitch has produced an undercount of positive cases in the county .
With new information from the laboratories , L.A. County health officials hope to have a more accurate count by next week .
“ But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis said .
Barbara Ferrer , Los Angeles County ’ s health director , has urged residents who test positive to alert county health officials so they can conduct a contact tracing interview and identify those who may have been exposed so they can avoid infecting others .
“ We are really worried about the fact that we ’ re losing some cases , and that may in fact result in some small increases in transmission in the weeks ahead , ” she said .
In San Francisco , officials said the data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigate new cases and trace contacts .
“ The city will pause providing updated data on testing , cases , contact tracing metrics and associated key public health indicators until the statewide issue is resolved , ” San Francisco ’ s COVID-19 Joint Information Center said Thursday .
Meanwhile , Alameda County , which has been hit hard by the pandemic , has decided to offer $ 1,250 to as many as 7,500 COVID-19 sufferers so they can isolate .
The county ’ s supervisors unanimously approved the $ 10-million pilot program on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unclear .
The money will go to infected residents who do not receive unemployment or sick leave benefits .
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report .

The breakdown in California’s coronavirus test reporting system is disrupting pandemic response efforts across the state, leaving local officials in the dark about the spread of COVID-19 and blocking the ability of counties to get restrictions lifted until the system is fixed.
State officials have not yet provided details on when fixes will be made to the electronic system, called CalREDIE, that reports coronavirus test results to the state’s disease registry system. California, as a result, lacks an accurate count of coronavirus infections, leading health officials to freeze the state’s watchlist, with no counties added or removed.
“CalREDIE has broken,” said Peter Beilenson, director of Sacramento County’s Department of Health Services. “The bottom line is we don’t know the real caseload.... We don’t know if we are missing 250 cases [a day] or 50 cases,” he said of his local numbers. “We have no idea.”
The flawed picture has cast into serious doubt California’s pandemic outlook. On Wednesday, the state counted 5,300 new coronavirus cases, down from a peak of nearly 13,000 reported about two weeks ago. But the steep drop relies on the underreported data, and health officials remain unsure about the actual caseloads.
The system snafus come amid mixed signs about the state of the pandemic. While some hospitalization rates are down, the state’s death toll reached a grim milestone, topping 10,000 deaths. Orange County also reported its single-day highest COVID-19 death toll Thursday, adding 32 deaths for a total of 697. And White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx on Wednesday singled out California’s Central Valley as a worrisome region.
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The lack of reliable infection rate data has led many counties to add disclaimers on their public health websites saying the information is unreliable. The data is also not being published on the state’s county data monitoring website, according to the California Department of Public Health. The state has not given a timetable for when the problem might be fixed.
The flawed data has not affected patient care or test results for individual patients, officials said.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary, called the problem his department’s “top priority” and said a team of dozens had been working “around the clock” to make fixes.
“Having accurate data is critical for public confidence, contact tracing and hospital surge planning. We will not rest until this problem is resolved,” Ghaly said in a statement. “All Californians and local public health officials must have accurate data, and we pledge to share a full accounting of when these problems began and their magnitude as soon as we have a clear understanding — and the solutions to address them.”
The California Department of Public Health has directed all laboratories to report positive results directly to county health departments until the problem is resolved. Some county health departments are resorting to counting the testing results by hand to get accurate totals.
Local public health officials and experts are expressing growing frustration with the state’s response. Beilenson said state officials had not clarified how extensive the underreporting was or whether the missing data came from a single lab or multiple agencies. Some officials fear that weeks of data may be inaccurate.
UC San Francisco professor Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an expert in infectious diseases, said the inaccurate numbers potentially could affect federal aid because case numbers are examined before help is awarded. Low numbers, he said, could mean fewer federal resources.
“It’s a rationale that the feds can say, ‘Well maybe you don’t need this thing we have, or financial resources, because it doesn’t seem as bad,’” Chin-Hong said.
But one of the most damaging fallouts of the missed data, he said, might be a decline in public trust. Case numbers are one of the measurements used to determine what can open in a county and when social restrictions can be lifted, and the public watches them closely.
Advertisement
“We always put faith in computers, data dumps, and I think having someone discover this glitch makes us wonder: What other glitches are there?” Chin-Hong said. “Data is power, and if data are unreliable, it just makes us feel a little bit queasy.”
The CalREDIE system is relied on by officials to determine infection rates and to decide which counties land on the watchlist, a category that restricts them from opening many indoor activities. School reopenings may also be hindered by the inaccurate numbers. The counties now on the list, including Los Angeles, account for most of the state’s population.
Counties must be off the list for 14 days before they can reopen certain businesses. The inaccurate numbers also may affect state waivers that could allow some private and parochial schools to open for in-person classes.
Public health officials also rely on the system to trace contacts of infected people, and without accurate reports, the tracing cannot be done.
Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a news conference Thursday that the glitch has produced an undercount of positive cases in the county. With new information from the laboratories, L.A. County health officials hope to have a more accurate count by next week.
“But it might take us some time,” Davis said.
Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s health director, has urged residents who test positive to alert county health officials so they can conduct a contact tracing interview and identify those who may have been exposed so they can avoid infecting others.
“We are really worried about the fact that we’re losing some cases, and that may in fact result in some small increases in transmission in the weeks ahead,” she said.
In San Francisco, officials said the data problems are seriously affecting their ability to investigate new cases and trace contacts.
“The city will pause providing updated data on testing, cases, contact tracing metrics and associated key public health indicators until the statewide issue is resolved,” San Francisco’s COVID-19 Joint Information Center said Thursday.
Meanwhile, Alameda County, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, has decided to offer $1,250 to as many as 7,500 COVID-19 sufferers so they can isolate. The county’s supervisors unanimously approved the $10-million pilot program on Tuesday, but when it will start is unclear. The money will go to infected residents who do not receive unemployment or sick leave benefits.
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-06--ICE deliberately limited testing at Bakersfield immigration facility with COVID-19 outbreak

Last month , as the coronavirus spread through federal immigration detention centers around the country , officials at the Mesa Verde facility in Bakersfield rejected a suggestion to test all detainees there because it would be difficult to quarantine those who tested positive , the officials said .
In an email on July 6 , Janese Mull , the acting field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Francisco , said lawyers for ICE had advised that it was in the facility ’ s best interest to look into conducting COVID-19 testing for all detainees .
But Brooke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Wellpath , a private Nashville-based healthcare company that provides services to ICE detention facilities , pushed back against Mull ’ s direction .
The proposal to test all detainees , Sanchez Othon wrote , already had been denied “ due to the housing restrictions we face.
” “ Testing all detainees will potentially cause the same housing issue we had last week but on a larger scale , ” Sanchez Othon continued , referring to the problem of quarantining infected detainees .
“ Completing the testing is not the issue it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the results once they are received.
” The email exchange , obtained by lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union and the public defender ’ s office of San Francisco , reveals how ICE has failed to contain the spread of the coronavirus in its facilities , critics of the agency contend .
This week , a COVID-19 outbreak emerged at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center , where about 120 detainees are being held .
So far , 14 staff members and nine detainees have tested positive .
Detainees and immigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with two men hospitalized since Saturday and several more displaying symptoms of the virus while being held in large dormitories with others who feared becoming infected .
As test results trickled in , the staff ran out of quarantine spaces , at one point reportedly placing two men in a bathroom for hours .
Spokespeople for ICE and GEO declined to comment because of pending litigation .
On Thursday , a federal judge in San Francisco issued a searing ruling , saying that ICE has “ responded to the health crisis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has “ lost the right to be trusted.
” “ The documentary evidence shows that the defendants have avoided widespread testing of staff and detainees at the facility , not for lack of tests , but for fear that positive test results would require them to implement safety measures that they apparently felt were not worth the trouble , ” Judge Vincent Chhabria wrote in granting the temporary restraining order .
Chhabria ordered officials to administer weekly rapid COVID-19 tests to all detainees at the facility and not take in new detainees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers , who sued the federal government in April over conditions at the facility amid the pandemic , provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at conditions in the facility and ICE ’ s response to the novel coronavirus .
Mesa Verde has four dorms , each outfitted with enough bunk beds for 100 people .
The facility has three disciplinary segregation rooms , two medical segregation rooms and three intake rooms , which don ’ t have beds .
Before the outbreak last week , detainees alternated top and bottom bunk sleeping assignments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in dorm B demanded to be tested for days before facility staff supplied tests late last month , advocates and detainees said .
In an email sent Wednesday , an attorney for the federal government said that 78 detainees in the remaining three dormitories at Mesa Verde were tested and seven others refused testing .
Detainees from dorm B were moved into dorm C so that dorm B could be designated for those who test positive .
In a May 18 memo , Nathan Allen , the warden at Mesa Verde , laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would begin two days later , and detainees who refused to be tested would be held together in a dorm for 14 days .
Those who tested positive would be moved to medical isolation areas or a general population living area , depending on the number of people .
“ Any detainee who tests positive will be quarantined appropriately according to CDC guidelines , ” he wrote .
But that plan was not executed , documents show .
Three days later , the San Francisco assistant field office director , Alexander Pham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , because of constraints that the ICE Health Service Corps guidelines would put on housing resources , “ we will be limiting the scope of testing as much as possible.
” Further correspondence makes clear ICE and GEO Group ’ s indifference to testing , and their inability to agree on a consistent strategy , advocates said .
Another heated exchange began May 21 when Wendy Baca , the acting health service administrator for Mesa Verde , addressed by email concerns that she had with the warden ’ s plan for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the facility after being arrested by ICE rather than being transferred in .
Baca said that testing those detainees immediately and then releasing them to the facility ’ s general population right after they test negative “ will not ensure COVID-19 does not make it into the facility .
This is due to the incubation period ( generally 14 days ) needed to trigger a positive COVID-19 test result.
” Erik Bonnar , the deputy field office director for ICE in San Francisco , replied by email bluntly : “ It appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing AND the test kits GEO secured are not the IHSC [ ICE Health Service Corps ] recommended type .
You can ’ t make this ... up.
” On May 26 , the warden , Allen , wrote that the acting field office director “ would rather not have staff testing ” because it would affect Enforcement and Removal Operations , the arm of ICE that handles deportations .
A month later , an executive with the GEO Group , the private prison company that manages the facility , scolded Allen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of identifying mitigating strategies for incoming detainees who don ’ t consent to being tested but are placed directly into a housing unit anyway .
“ We can not just throw up our hands and say there isn ’ t anything we can do , ” said Paul Laird , GEO ’ s western region vice president .
“ We should at minimum identify specific areas within the unit for new arrivals .
Maybe it is in a row of bunks in the front , maybe in the back etc , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unit without any controls .
“ Whether it be tape on the floor , privacy curtains , or any other strategy you can identify , it would be better than just saying we are unable to do anything.
” On April 29 , Chhabria ordered ICE to produce a list of detainees at serious risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 for consideration for release .
Nearly 130 detainees have been ordered released by Chhabria since then .
Others have been released voluntarily by ICE or on bond .
But at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the facility — about 175 since early May , lawyers said .
Detainees have been left to wonder how the outbreak began , speculating that it could have been either through staff or recent arrivals .
The first Mesa Verde staffer to test positive , on June 17 , was a nurse .
The first detainee tested positive at intake and remained quarantined before entering the general population on July 1 .
But the virus didn ’ t spread until four weeks later , on July 30 , when 65-year-old Yao Saeturn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local hospital the next day and released to his family on Monday .
Some detainees arrived from prisons with coronavirus outbreaks .
One detainee who was transferred from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi , where more than 150 inmates have COVID-19 , said that he was tested only after he requested a test .
Another detainee who was transferred July 28 from Avenal State Prison , where the virus has killed two inmates , said his temperature was taken when he arrived but he wasn ’ t tested .
When German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 9 from the Growlersberg Conservation Camp northeast of Sacramento , he did not receive a coronavirus test .
Najera developed nausea and body aches early last week .
The 33-year-old , who suffers from asthma , said he immediately requested a coronavirus test but was told that it wasn ’ t necessary .
He received one days later .
By Monday , he was taken to medical , where a nurse told him he had COVID-19 .
Najera said she told him not to tell anyone “ so they wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the dorm .
An hour later , they moved him to a disciplinary segregation room .
That night , he fainted and woke up in the hospital , where he was placed on oxygen and had a seizure before being discharged and taken back to Mesa Verde .
“ They haven ’ t treated me like a human being , ” Najera said .
“ They ’ re viewing this illness as if it ’ s not serious .
They don ’ t fear it.
” He said things started to improve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finally , nurses began checking his temperature three times a day instead of one .
Susan Beaty , a fellow at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland , was one of 14 people arrested July 27 at the home of California Gov .
Gavin Newsom while demanding that he halt transfers from prisons to detention facilities .
“ We were there because clients and community members had been telling us for six months that the transfers are going to fuel the outbreak , ” Beaty said .
“ A week later , @ @ @ @ @

Last month, as the coronavirus spread through federal immigration detention centers around the country, officials at the Mesa Verde facility in Bakersfield rejected a suggestion to test all detainees there because it would be difficult to quarantine those who tested positive, the officials said.
In an email on July 6, Janese Mull, the acting field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Francisco, said lawyers for ICE had advised that it was in the facility’s best interest to look into conducting COVID-19 testing for all detainees.
But Brooke Sanchez Othon, a clinical operations specialist at Wellpath, a private Nashville-based healthcare company that provides services to ICE detention facilities, pushed back against Mull’s direction. The proposal to test all detainees, Sanchez Othon wrote, already had been denied “due to the housing restrictions we face.”
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“Testing all detainees will potentially cause the same housing issue we had last week but on a larger scale,” Sanchez Othon continued, referring to the problem of quarantining infected detainees. “Completing the testing is not the issue it is just what we will need to do with the results once they are received.”
The email exchange, obtained by lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union and the public defender’s office of San Francisco, reveals how ICE has failed to contain the spread of the coronavirus in its facilities, critics of the agency contend.
This week, a COVID-19 outbreak emerged at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center, where about 120 detainees are being held. So far, 14 staff members and nine detainees have tested positive.
Detainees and immigrant rights advocates described a chaotic situation there, with two men hospitalized since Saturday and several more displaying symptoms of the virus while being held in large dormitories with others who feared becoming infected. As test results trickled in, the staff ran out of quarantine spaces, at one point reportedly placing two men in a bathroom for hours.
Spokespeople for ICE and GEO declined to comment because of pending litigation.
On Thursday, a federal judge in San Francisco issued a searing ruling, saying that ICE has “responded to the health crisis in such a cavalier fashion” that it has “lost the right to be trusted.”
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“The documentary evidence shows that the defendants have avoided widespread testing of staff and detainees at the facility, not for lack of tests, but for fear that positive test results would require them to implement safety measures that they apparently felt were not worth the trouble,” Judge Vincent Chhabria wrote in granting the temporary restraining order.
Chhabria ordered officials to administer weekly rapid COVID-19 tests to all detainees at the facility and not take in new detainees.
Emails and other documents obtained by the lawyers, who sued the federal government in April over conditions at the facility amid the pandemic, provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at conditions in the facility and ICE’s response to the novel coronavirus.
Mesa Verde has four dorms, each outfitted with enough bunk beds for 100 people. The facility has three disciplinary segregation rooms, two medical segregation rooms and three intake rooms, which don’t have beds. Before the outbreak last week, detainees alternated top and bottom bunk sleeping assignments, with one person per bed.
Detainees in dorm B demanded to be tested for days before facility staff supplied tests late last month, advocates and detainees said. In an email sent Wednesday, an attorney for the federal government said that 78 detainees in the remaining three dormitories at Mesa Verde were tested and seven others refused testing. Detainees from dorm B were moved into dorm C so that dorm B could be designated for those who test positive.
In a May 18 memo, Nathan Allen, the warden at Mesa Verde, laid out a COVID-19 testing plan. Testing would begin two days later, and detainees who refused to be tested would be held together in a dorm for 14 days. Those who tested positive would be moved to medical isolation areas or a general population living area, depending on the number of people.
“Any detainee who tests positive will be quarantined appropriately according to CDC guidelines,” he wrote.
But that plan was not executed, documents show.
Three days later, the San Francisco assistant field office director, Alexander Pham, wrote in notes from a conference call that, because of constraints that the ICE Health Service Corps guidelines would put on housing resources, “we will be limiting the scope of testing as much as possible.”
Further correspondence makes clear ICE and GEO Group’s indifference to testing, and their inability to agree on a consistent strategy, advocates said.
Another heated exchange began May 21 when Wendy Baca, the acting health service administrator for Mesa Verde, addressed by email concerns that she had with the warden’s plan for testing “street arrests” — those brought to the facility after being arrested by ICE rather than being transferred in.
Baca said that testing those detainees immediately and then releasing them to the facility’s general population right after they test negative “will not ensure COVID-19 does not make it into the facility. This is due to the incubation period (generally 14 days) needed to trigger a positive COVID-19 test result.”
Erik Bonnar, the deputy field office director for ICE in San Francisco, replied by email bluntly: “It appears GEO has no interest in conducting asymptomatic testing AND the test kits GEO secured are not the IHSC [ICE Health Service Corps] recommended type. You can’t make this ... up.”
On May 26, the warden, Allen, wrote that the acting field office director “would rather not have staff testing” because it would affect Enforcement and Removal Operations, the arm of ICE that handles deportations.
A month later, an executive with the GEO Group, the private prison company that manages the facility, scolded Allen, saying that his testing plan fell short of identifying mitigating strategies for incoming detainees who don’t consent to being tested but are placed directly into a housing unit anyway.
“We cannot just throw up our hands and say there isn’t anything we can do,” said Paul Laird, GEO’s western region vice president. “We should at minimum identify specific areas within the unit for new arrivals. Maybe it is in a row of bunks in the front, maybe in the back etc, but we can’t just scatter them throughout the unit without any controls.
“Whether it be tape on the floor, privacy curtains, or any other strategy you can identify, it would be better than just saying we are unable to do anything.”
On April 29, Chhabria ordered ICE to produce a list of detainees at serious risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 for consideration for release. Nearly 130 detainees have been ordered released by Chhabria since then. Others have been released voluntarily by ICE or on bond.
But at the same time, ICE continued bringing new detainees into the facility — about 175 since early May, lawyers said.
Detainees have been left to wonder how the outbreak began, speculating that it could have been either through staff or recent arrivals.
The first Mesa Verde staffer to test positive, on June 17, was a nurse. The first detainee tested positive at intake and remained quarantined before entering the general population on July 1.
But the virus didn’t spread until four weeks later, on July 30, when 65-year-old Yao Saeturn tested positive. He was taken to a local hospital the next day and released to his family on Monday.
Some detainees arrived from prisons with coronavirus outbreaks. One detainee who was transferred from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, where more than 150 inmates have COVID-19, said that he was tested only after he requested a test. Another detainee who was transferred July 28 from Avenal State Prison, where the virus has killed two inmates, said his temperature was taken when he arrived but he wasn’t tested.
When German Najera Grajeda was transferred to Mesa Verde April 9 from the Growlersberg Conservation Camp northeast of Sacramento, he did not receive a coronavirus test.
Najera developed nausea and body aches early last week. The 33-year-old, who suffers from asthma, said he immediately requested a coronavirus test but was told that it wasn’t necessary.
He received one days later. By Monday, he was taken to medical, where a nurse told him he had COVID-19.
Najera said she told him not to tell anyone “so they wouldn’t be alarmed” and sent him back to the dorm. An hour later, they moved him to a disciplinary segregation room.
That night, he fainted and woke up in the hospital, where he was placed on oxygen and had a seizure before being discharged and taken back to Mesa Verde.
“They haven’t treated me like a human being,” Najera said. “They’re viewing this illness as if it’s not serious. They don’t fear it.”
He said things started to improve Wednesday, under pressure from lawyers. Finally, nurses began checking his temperature three times a day instead of one.
Susan Beaty, a fellow at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, was one of 14 people arrested July 27 at the home of California Gov. Gavin Newsom while demanding that he halt transfers from prisons to detention facilities.
“We were there because clients and community members had been telling us for six months that the transfers are going to fuel the outbreak,” Beaty said. “A week later, here we are.”


latimes--2020-08-07--Man dies attempting to save three children from drowning in Kings River

A 29-year-old man has died after jumping into California ’ s Kings River to save three children he saw struggling in the water .
The man , identified as Manjeet Singh , was visiting Reedley Beach on Wednesday evening near his home in Fresno County when he saw three children struggling in the river .
The children , two 8-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy , had waded into the river , but a strong current was pulling them downstream .
Singh was at the river with his brother-in-law and other friends .
He heard the children ’ s cries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed his turban and attempted to use it as a rope to pull the children in but was quickly pulled under himself .
“ He went in to try and help them and , unfortunately , went underwater fairly quickly and never came back up , ” said Reedley Police Commander Marc Ediger .
Singh was found unresponsive 40 minutes later , downriver .
He was taken to a hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
Several other bystanders worked together to rescue the three children .
Two of them were brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the girls was underwater for nearly 15 minutes .
She was taken to Valley Children ’ s Hospital in Fresno and as of Friday afternoon remained in critical condition and on life support .
According to Ediger , Singh moved to California from India two years ago .
He had plans to start a trucking business and had been taking truck-driving lessons Wednesday before visiting the river .
Singh is not the first person to drown in the Kings River this summer .
In June , another man from Fresno , Arthur Caballero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was struggling to swim .
“ The water is generally fairly calm down here in Reedley , ” Ediger said , but the sandbars at the river drop off quickly , and the depth changes dramatically .
“ People will go in with clothing on , and it weighs them down even more .
For people who are not strong swimmers , the river can be dangerous .
”

Manjeet Singh, 29, has died after trying to save three children struggling in Kings River in Fresno County.
A 29-year-old man has died after jumping into California’s Kings River to save three children he saw struggling in the water.
The man, identified as Manjeet Singh, was visiting Reedley Beach on Wednesday evening near his home in Fresno County when he saw three children struggling in the river. The children, two 8-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy, had waded into the river, but a strong current was pulling them downstream.
Singh was at the river with his brother-in-law and other friends. He heard the children’s cries and quickly went to help. He removed his turban and attempted to use it as a rope to pull the children in but was quickly pulled under himself.
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“He went in to try and help them and, unfortunately, went underwater fairly quickly and never came back up,” said Reedley Police Commander Marc Ediger.
Singh was found unresponsive 40 minutes later, downriver. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Several other bystanders worked together to rescue the three children. Two of them were brought to shore unharmed, but one of the girls was underwater for nearly 15 minutes. She was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno and as of Friday afternoon remained in critical condition and on life support.
According to Ediger, Singh moved to California from India two years ago. He had plans to start a trucking business and had been taking truck-driving lessons Wednesday before visiting the river.
Singh is not the first person to drown in the Kings River this summer. In June, another man from Fresno, Arthur Caballero, died after saving a young girl who was struggling to swim.
“The water is generally fairly calm down here in Reedley,” Ediger said, but the sandbars at the river drop off quickly, and the depth changes dramatically.
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“People will go in with clothing on, and it weighs them down even more. For people who are not strong swimmers, the river can be dangerous.”


latimes--2020-08-07--A judge commandeers L.A.'s City Hall in his campaign to curb homelessness

With deaths from COVID-19 spiking in California , it might seem unsafe for nearly three dozen politicians , lawyers and activists to pile into a room for a legal hearing about homelessness .
But on Friday , U.S. District Judge David O. Carter sat in the Los Angeles City Council chambers , in a chair normally reserved for the president , as each member of the council — in person or via video — provided updates on the progress of their efforts to create more shelter for homeless people now camped near freeways and underpasses .
Temperatures were taken .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes slipped to people ’ s chins , and city employees and lawyers congregated closely in aisles .
“ This is a rather historic occasion that the federal court would gather in the City Council chamber , ” Carter said .
“ I hope it ’ s very positive.
” The setting highlighted the commandeering and theatrical posture Carter has taken in his drive to force concrete action on the county ’ s homeless crisis .
The ostensible purpose was a status conference for an agreement reached by the city and county to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living on the sidewalks under freeway overpasses .
Several elected officials complained about delays on a variety of projects across the city .
Last month , each member identified encampments from which they wanted to see people moved ; in some cases , they told Carter about challenges they were facing .
Some council members were frustrated by the bureaucracy of city departments .
For example , Councilman Paul Koretz , who represents parts of the Westside and the San Fernando Valley , described how 94 people were living within 500 feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed concern that the judge ’ s order and subsequent agreement with the city and county would run afoul of guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to not clear encampments unnecessarily for fear of spreading the coronavirus further .
Carter ’ s reports were interspersed with long slide shows of iPhone photos he has taken on his tours of Los Angeles with council members and other advocates for people experiencing homelessness .
Koretz told Carter there are two parks he ’ d like to use as sites for modular tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department appeared to be opposed to the idea .
The judge asked what he could do about it .
“ If you have any way to help lean on those departments , that would be 50 tiny homes in those two combined sites , ” Koretz said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s that much to ask.
” Last month , the city set aside $ 100 million in coronavirus relief funding from the federal government to shelter 6,000 people over the next 18 months .
This week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details about how to use the money , subject to the approval of the City Council .
Among other projects now in the pipeline is the construction of the tiny homes known as “ pallet shelters ” in two parks near the 170 Freeway in North Hollywood .
They would cost a total of about $ 13 million and house about 270 people .
Llewellyn estimates that as part of the city ’ s overall plan , there will be 740 interim beds in total , including the pallet shelters .
The plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to increase the amount of available rental assistance , asking that another $ 100 million in federal funding be set aside for this purpose .
This would create 3,000 placements for homeless people over the next 18 months , according to city documents .
The plan will also create 850 temporary shelter beds , Llewellyn estimates , and the city is planning to apply for up to $ 250 million in state money that can be used to purchase vacant buildings and hotels that would house homeless people .
As the updates were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials and bureaucrats about conditions on the street .
He implored them to go out and see what ’ s happening in their communities and , as he showed photos of skid row and people passed out on the street , he reminded officials that he is prepared to hold the city and county in contempt of court if they don ’ t make progress on building more shelter for homeless people living near freeways .
“ Remember , skid row was created by all of us , ” Carter said .

With deaths from COVID-19 spiking in California, it might seem unsafe for nearly three dozen politicians, lawyers and activists to pile into a room for a legal hearing about homelessness.
But on Friday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter sat in the Los Angeles City Council chambers, in a chair normally reserved for the president, as each member of the council — in person or via video — provided updates on the progress of their efforts to create more shelter for homeless people now camped near freeways and underpasses.
Temperatures were taken. Masks were worn, but those accessories sometimes slipped to people’s chins, and city employees and lawyers congregated closely in aisles.
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“This is a rather historic occasion that the federal court would gather in the City Council chamber,” Carter said. “I hope it’s very positive.”
The setting highlighted the commandeering and theatrical posture Carter has taken in his drive to force concrete action on the county’s homeless crisis. The ostensible purpose was a status conference for an agreement reached by the city and county to find alternate shelter for about 7,000 people living on the sidewalks under freeway overpasses.
So @bvdbrug showed up to take photos, + Judge Carter said that B/c this is technically federal court no photos. Judge Carter is sitting in the seat normally reserved for the City Council Prez. Attorneys are in the seats where City Council members hang. Bizarre scene — Benjamin Oreskes🦅 (@boreskes) August 7, 2020
Several elected officials complained about delays on a variety of projects across the city. Last month, each member identified encampments from which they wanted to see people moved; in some cases, they told Carter about challenges they were facing. Some council members were frustrated by the bureaucracy of city departments.
For example, Councilman Paul Koretz, who represents parts of the Westside and the San Fernando Valley, described how 94 people were living within 500 feet of a freeway in his district. He expressed concern that the judge’s order and subsequent agreement with the city and county would run afoul of guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to not clear encampments unnecessarily for fear of spreading the coronavirus further.
Koretz told Carter there are two parks he’d like to use as sites for modular tiny homes, but the Parks and Recreation Department appeared to be opposed to the idea. The judge asked what he could do about it.
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“If you have any way to help lean on those departments, that would be 50 tiny homes in those two combined sites,” Koretz said.
“I don’t think it’s that much to ask.”
Carter’s reports were interspersed with long slide shows of iPhone photos he has taken on his tours of Los Angeles with council members and other advocates for people experiencing homelessness.
Last month, the city set aside $100 million in coronavirus relief funding from the federal government to shelter 6,000 people over the next 18 months. This week, City Administrative Officer Richard Llewellyn offered more details about how to use the money, subject to the approval of the City Council.
Among other projects now in the pipeline is the construction of the tiny homes known as “pallet shelters” in two parks near the 170 Freeway in North Hollywood. They would cost a total of about $13 million and house about 270 people.
Llewellyn estimates that as part of the city’s overall plan, there will be 740 interim beds in total, including the pallet shelters. The plan also lays out how the city intends to increase the amount of available rental assistance, asking that another $100 million in federal funding be set aside for this purpose. This would create 3,000 placements for homeless people over the next 18 months, according to city documents.
The plan will also create 850 temporary shelter beds, Llewellyn estimates, and the city is planning to apply for up to $250 million in state money that can be used to purchase vacant buildings and hotels that would house homeless people.
As the updates were reported to Carter, he peppered elected officials and bureaucrats with questions about conditions on the street. He implored them to go out and see what’s happening in their communities and, as he showed photos of skid row and people passed out on the street, he reminded officials that he is prepared to hold the city and county in contempt of court if they don’t make progress on building more shelter for homeless people living near freeways.
“Remember, skid row was created by all of us,” Carter said.