latimes--2020-11-18--Watch: L.A. Book Times Club explores the many worlds of Octavia E. Butler

This month , the L.A. Times Book Club is exploring the prolific writing and enduring legacy of science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler .
Watch journalist Lynell George , author of “ A Handful of Earth , A Handful of Sky , ” and Times reporter Julia Wick discuss Butler ’ s work at 7 p.m. PT Nov. 18 .
The virtual book talk is free and will be livestreamed on The Times Facebook Page , YouTube and Twitter .
Whether you ’ re a longtime reader or just discovering Butler ’ s novels , here are five things to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ libraries helped shape Butler ’ s writing .
She called the library her second home and wrote her first novel , “ Patternmaster , ” at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles .
Here ’ s a map exploring of her literary life .
Butler said the novels in her “ Parable ” series were meant to be cautionary .
Her 1993 “ Parable of the Sower ” envisioned a Los Angeles ravaged by climate change and economic injustice , where people are just scraping by to survive .
Butler ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landing on both the Los Angeles Times and New York Times bestseller lists this fall .
She began creating stories as a girl growing up in Pasadena .
“ Writing , for her , was never a part-time endeavor , even when she was forced to press it into the corners of her study time or her day-job schedule , ” George writes in this book excerpt .
“ She had gravitated toward science fiction as a genre because it lifted the ceiling and dissolved the walls .
“ Her path to publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs , including telemarketer , potato chip inspector and dishwasher , while trying to sell her writing .
She went on to publish 12 novels and became the first science fiction writer to win a MacArthur “ genius ” grant .
Expect to hear more about Octavia E. Butler .
Two TV series are in the works , based on her novels “ Wild Seed , ” from Viola Davis and Julius Tennon , and “ Dawn , ” from Victoria Mahony and Ava DuVernay .
The Huntington Library , Art Museum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Butler ’ s archives , announced a new fellowship in the author ’ s honor .

This month, the L.A. Times Book Club is exploring the prolific writing and enduring legacy of science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler.
Watch journalist Lynell George, author of “A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky,” and Times reporter Julia Wick discuss Butler’s work. The virtual book talk was livestreamed on YouTube and Twitter.
Whether you’re a longtime reader or just discovering Butler’s novels, here are five things to know about her work.
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Southern California libraries helped shape Butler’s writing. She called the library her second home and wrote her first novel, “Patternmaster,” at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles. Here’s a map exploring of her literary life.
Butler said the novels in her “Parable” series were meant to be cautionary. Her 1993 “Parable of the Sower” envisioned a Los Angeles ravaged by climate change and economic injustice, where people are just scraping by to survive. Butler’s prescient work has surged in popularity, landing on both the Los Angeles Times and New York Times bestseller lists this fall.
The L.A. Times Book Club explored the prolific writing and enduring legacy of science fiction writer Octavia E. Butlerwith journalist Lynell George, author of “A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky,” and Times reporter Julia Wick discussing Butler’s work at 7 p.m. PT Nov. 18. (Los Angeles Times)
She began creating stories as a girl growing up in Pasadena. “Writing, for her, was never a part-time endeavor, even when she was forced to press it into the corners of her study time or her day-job schedule,” George writes in this book excerpt. “She had gravitated toward science fiction as a genre because it lifted the ceiling and dissolved the walls. “
Her path to publishing was hard. Butler worked at many jobs, including telemarketer, potato chip inspector and dishwasher, while trying to sell her writing. She went on to publish 12 novels and became the first science fiction writer to win a MacArthur “genius” grant.
Expect to hear more about Octavia E. Butler. Two TV series are in the works, based on her novels “Wild Seed,” from Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, and “Dawn,” from Victoria Mahony and Ava DuVernay. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, which is home to Butler’s archives, announced a new fellowship in the author’s honor.


latimes--2020-11-18--Facing increasing criticism, California legislators defend Hawaii trip during COVID-19 surge

California lawmakers who flew to a conference in Maui amid the pandemic broke their silence over the controversy Wednesday , defending the trip by calling it safe despite officials in their home state advising people not to travel during the current surge in COVID-19 cases .
The travel by more than half a dozen state lawmakers has drawn sharp criticism back in California , where observers say it sends the wrong message for legislators to leave the state and gather at a resort when COVID-19 cases are surging , leading to tougher restrictions on the movement of average residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego-based Independent Voter Project has also been blasted by watchdog groups because corporate and labor interests that lobby the Legislature pick up many of the lawmakers ’ tabs for a chance to schmooze with them out of the public eye .
“ In normal times it is an abuse of office to have oil , utility and other big companies that lobby in the Capitol paying for an Hawaiian getaway replete with golf , hula show and mai tais , ” said Jamie Court , president of the group Consumer Watchdog .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abomination that legislators would break quarantine to play in the sun at a four-star resort.
” Statewide , COVID-19 cases in the first week of November jumped 51 % , eclipsing the previous record increase of 39 % the last week of spring , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Monday .
About 20 legislators from California , Washington and Texas are among those attending the conference at the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea , where rooms start at more than $ 500 per night .
The four-day event kicked off Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians not to travel out of state and to quarantine if they did so .
Dan Howle , president of the Independent Voter Project , said all of the 75 participants in the conference had to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to attend .
The state Department of Public health guidelines note that anyone arriving in California from other states should quarantine for 14 days .
Howle said Wednesday that all of the lawmakers “ are committed to honoring the 14 days ” of quarantine upon return when the conference ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they get back to California and the results are negative .
However , the state ’ s out-of-state travel quarantine guidelines do not make an exception for those who have received a negative test result .
“ We are recommending waiting three days before taking the test , ” Howle added .
The annual conference has generated controversy for most of its 18 years because many legislators have much of their travel expenses covered by the host — about $ 3,500 each last year — which receives money from special interests lobbying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , contributors to the conference costs included cigarette maker Altria , Southern California Edison , Pacific Gas & Electric , the California Beer and Beverage Distributors , the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Assn.
, Chevron and the state prison guards union .
While many lawmakers have some travel expenses paid by the host , Assemblyman Frank Bigelow ( R-O ’ Neals ) said he is paying his own way and thinks the trip is worthwhile because the conference includes a discussion of how to safely reopen California ’ s economy amid the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 does not work for small businesses , schools , and working families in rural California , ” Bigelow said in a statement released by his office .
“ I am paying for myself to be here , following the strictest Covid-19 safety protocols , and tested negative to Covid-19 just prior to my arrival.
” Bigelow said he plans to quarantine when he returns to California .
The Independent Voter Project has declined to identify which legislators are attending the annual event , but some have acknowledged their participation while others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly members Heath Flora of Ripon and Jordan Cunningham of Paso Robles , Republican Sen. Andreas Borgeas of Modesto , Democratic Assembly members Blanca Rubio of Baldwin Park , Jose Medina of Riverside and Wendy Carrillo of Los Angeles , as well as Chad Mayes of Rancho Mirage , who won reelection this month as unaffiliated with any political party .
Cunningham confirmed Wednesday that he is at the conference with his family , saying it is a safe environment .
“ This event promotes intelligent public policy in our state , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We paid for my family ’ s tickets and COVID tests with personal money — no state funds were used.
” Flora , who is the Assembly minority floor leader , said in a statement that Newsom ’ s decision this week to go back to restricting businesses and public gatherings because of a surge in COVID-19 cases makes the conference timely .
“ Participants are discussing how to safely re-open larger sectors of the economy and the discussion suddenly became more urgent with Newsom ’ s announcement on Monday , ” Flora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the state might ’ ve made sense back in April or May , but we understand so much more now than we did then .
We ’ re way past blanket solutions.
” Court , the head of Consumer Watchdog , was not persuaded by the legislators ’ statements .
“ You can have a discussion about opening safely on Zoom if you don ’ t care about the golf , the beach and the [ cocktails ] , ” Court said .
“ This has and will always be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also a lethal one that shows disrespect for the quarantine and those hunkering down to do the right thing .
”

Maui’s scenic coastline is part of the draw as more than half a dozen California lawmakers headed to Hawaii this week to attend a policy conference.
California lawmakers who flew to a conference in Maui amid the pandemic broke their silence over the controversy Wednesday, defending the trip by calling it safe despite officials in their home state advising people not to travel during the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
The travel by at least ten state lawmakers has drawn sharp criticism back in California, where observers say it sends the wrong message for legislators to leave the state and gather at a resort when COVID-19 cases are surging, leading to tougher restrictions on the movement of average residents.
The annual conference hosted by the San Diego-based Independent Voter Project has also been blasted by watchdog groups because corporate and labor interests that lobby the Legislature pick up many of the lawmakers’ tabs for a chance to schmooze with them out of the public eye.
“In normal times it is an abuse of office to have oil, utility and other big companies that lobby in the Capitol paying for an Hawaiian getaway replete with golf, hula show and mai tais,” said Jamie Court, president of the group Consumer Watchdog. “In COVID times, it is an abomination that legislators would break quarantine to play in the sun at a four-star resort.”
Statewide, COVID-19 cases in the first week of November jumped 51%, eclipsing the previous record increase of 39% the last week of spring, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday.
About 20 legislators from California, Washington and Texas are among those attending the conference at the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, where rooms start at more than $500 per night.
The four-day event kicked off Monday, just three days after Newsom urged Californians not to travel out of state and to quarantine if they did so.
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Dan Howle, president of the Independent Voter Project, said all of the 75 participants in the conference had to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to attend.
The state Department of Public health guidelines note that anyone arriving in California from other states should quarantine for 14 days.
Howle said Wednesday that all of the lawmakers “are committed to honoring the 14 days” of quarantine upon return when the conference ends Thursday unless they take a COVID test when they get back to California and the results are negative. However, the state’s out-of-state travel quarantine guidelines do not make an exception for those who have received a negative test result.
“We are recommending waiting three days before taking the test,” Howle added.
The annual conference has generated controversy for most of its 18 years because many legislators have much of their travel expenses covered by the host — about $3,500 each last year — which receives money from special interests lobbying at the Capitol.
Howle declined to disclose this year’s corporate sponsors.
In past years, contributors to the conference costs included cigarette maker Altria, Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, the California Beer and Beverage Distributors, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Assn., Chevron and the state prison guards union.
While many lawmakers have some travel expenses paid by the host, Assemblyman Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals) said he is paying his own way and thinks the trip is worthwhile because the conference includes a discussion of how to safely reopen California’s economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“The blanket response to Covid-19 does not work for small businesses, schools, and working families in rural California,” Bigelow said in a statement released by his office. “I am paying for myself to be here, following the strictest Covid-19 safety protocols, and tested negative to Covid-19 just prior to my arrival.”
Bigelow said he plans to quarantine when he returns to California.
The Independent Voter Project has declined to identify which legislators are attending the annual event, but some have acknowledged their participation while others have stayed mum.
Those attending include Republican Assembly members Heath Flora of Ripon and Jordan Cunningham of Paso Robles, Republican Sen. Andreas Borgeas of Modesto, Democratic Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa, Democratic Assembly members Blanca Rubio of Baldwin Park, Mike Gipson of Carson, Jose Medina of Riverside and Wendy Carrillo of Los Angeles, as well as Chad Mayes of Rancho Mirage, who won reelection this month as unaffiliated with any political party.
Mayes has declined comment.
Cunningham confirmed Wednesday that he is at the conference with his family, saying it is a safe environment.
“This event promotes intelligent public policy in our state,” Cunningham said in a statement. “We paid for my family’s tickets and COVID tests with personal money — no state funds were used.”
Flora, who is the Assembly minority floor leader, said in a statement that Newsom’s decision this week to go back to restricting businesses and public gatherings because of a surge in COVID-19 cases makes the conference timely.
“Participants are discussing how to safely re-open larger sectors of the economy and the discussion suddenly became more urgent with Newsom’s announcement on Monday,” Flora said. “Simply shutting down 95% of the state might’ve made sense back in April or May, but we understand so much more now than we did then. We’re way past blanket solutions.”
Court, the head of Consumer Watchdog, was not persuaded by the legislators’ statements.
“You can have a discussion about opening safely on Zoom if you don’t care about the golf, the beach and the [cocktails],” Court said. “This has and will always be a world-class junket. This year it’s also a lethal one that shows disrespect for the quarantine and those hunkering down to do the right thing.”


latimes--2020-11-18--FBI and LAPD arrest 14 in alleged storefront drug ring run by South L.A. gang

FBI agents and Los Angeles police arrested 14 suspects with alleged ties to the Hoover Criminals gang in South Los Angeles on federal drug charges Tuesday night and Wednesday .
A three-year investigation , dubbed Operation Hoover Dam , culminated in three indictments detailing narcotics sales from a South L.A. market and smoke shop and inside a state prison .
The indictments charge a total of 15 defendants .
One of them , Ricky Blue , 51 , remained at large as of Wednesday afternoon .
The indictments allege that the defendants — all members or associates of the street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operated in gang territory — sold methamphetamine , crack cocaine , cocaine and phencyclidine ( PCP ) .
One indictment also alleges weapons violations , including carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime .
At the center of the operations were the TNN Market operated by Andrew Tate , 52 , known as “ Batman , ” and H & E Smoke Shop run by Bobby Lorenzo Reed , 56 , also known as “ Zo , ” who are both charged in the conspiracy with distributing an array of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsealed Wednesday .
The main indictment charges 10 defendants , including Reed and Tate , described as senior members of the gang who directed the sale of methamphetamine , crack cocaine and powder cocaine from their South Los Angeles storefronts .
According to the indictment , they referred customers to one another , supplied one another and directed their employees to engage in drug sales during dozens of transactions in 2017 and 2018 .
The 32-count indictment also alleges Tate and a second suspect conspired to distribute heroin inside California State Prison Solano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the indictment , supplied heroin to Lashina Lacy , 33 , of Fresno , who is accused of attempting to smuggle the contraband into the prison for an incarcerated gang member , who , in turn , intended to sell the heroin to other inmates .
Investigators with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation intercepted the heroin before it entered the prison , according to the indictment .
FBI agents used informants to repeatedly buy narcotics from the suspects and also recorded the suspects ’ telephone calls , in which they used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocaine and meth .
The second indictment charges three defendants with participating in a series of narcotics transactions in 2018 involving methamphetamine and crack cocaine .
The third indictment charges two people with distributing street-level quantities of PCP and crack cocaine .

FBI agents and Los Angeles police arrested 14 suspects with alleged ties to the Hoover Criminals gang in South Los Angeles on federal drug charges after a three-year investigation.
FBI agents and Los Angeles police arrested 14 suspects with alleged ties to the Hoover Criminals gang in South Los Angeles on federal drug charges Tuesday night and Wednesday.
A three-year investigation, dubbed Operation Hoover Dam, culminated in three indictments detailing narcotics sales from a South L.A. market and smoke shop and inside a state prison. The indictments charge a total of 15 defendants. One of them, Ricky Blue, 51, remained at large as of Wednesday afternoon.
The indictments allege that the defendants — all members or associates of the street gang, or alleged drug dealers who operated in gang territory — sold methamphetamine, crack cocaine, cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP). One indictment also alleges weapons violations, including carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
At the center of the operations were the TNN Market operated by Andrew Tate, 52, known as “Batman,” and H&E Smoke Shop run by Bobby Lorenzo Reed, 56, also known as “Zo,” who are both charged in the conspiracy with distributing an array of narcotics, according to the main indictment unsealed Wednesday.
The main indictment charges 10 defendants, including Reed and Tate, described as senior members of the gang who directed the sale of methamphetamine, crack cocaine and powder cocaine from their South Los Angeles storefronts. According to the indictment, they referred customers to one another, supplied one another and directed their employees to engage in drug sales during dozens of transactions in 2017 and 2018.
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The 32-count indictment also alleges Tate and a second suspect conspired to distribute heroin inside California State Prison Solano in Vacaville. Tate, according to the indictment, supplied heroin to Lashina Lacy, 33, of Fresno, who is accused of attempting to smuggle the contraband into the prison for an incarcerated gang member, who, in turn, intended to sell the heroin to other inmates.
Investigators with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation intercepted the heroin before it entered the prison, according to the indictment. FBI agents used informants to repeatedly buy narcotics from the suspects and also recorded the suspects’ telephone calls, in which they used coded language to disguise discussion about crack cocaine and meth.
The second indictment charges three defendants with participating in a series of narcotics transactions in 2018 involving methamphetamine and crack cocaine. The third indictment charges two people with distributing street-level quantities of PCP and crack cocaine.


latimes--2020-11-18--Californians don't love the cold. How to stay warm at outdoor gatherings

Like most Angelenos , my holidays will look different this year .
With COVID-19 cases spiking , we ’ re having Thanksgiving in a tent and exchanging Hanukkah gifts through the mail .
My son ’ s fifth birthday will be held on a video conference .
But I know many other families who are cautiously planning to gather outdoors .
Such get-togethers still carry risk , experts warn .
But outside is safer than indoors , and as a believer in harm reduction , I ’ m here to tell you : You ’ re going to get cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to a decade covering breaking news and crime in New York City , which involved hanging around outside in all weather , often for hours , with nothing but the clothes on my back to keep warm .
In those years , I staked out innumerable shootings and stabbings , deadly fires and dismemberments , police station perp walks , arraignments in night court , and a distressing number of emergency rooms .
My last assignment before I moved to L.A. was the months-long trial of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín “ El @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of us to line up outside Brooklyn federal court every day , sometimes before dawn , occasionally in the snow .
Early on , I learned the weather feels different when you ’ re doing something active than when you ’ re standing still .
That ’ s why no one who can avoid it hangs outside doing nothing in the winter .
Add in a big meal , and suddenly 55 degrees feels like 40 , and 45 feels like Season 6 of “ Alone.
” So how do you stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option and the sun sets at 4:45 p.m. ?
Contrary to popular wisdom , layers aren ’ t going to help you much .
Neither is a bulky ski coat .
Instead , I suggest you focus on three key areas : your ears , your feet and your tush .
Scientists say you lose up to 10 % of your body heat through your head , but the place you ’ ll feel that first is in your ears — and trust me , once your ears get cold , your kick-it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can keep you comfortable , but they make conversation hard , especially with everyone wearing masks .
A knit hat works better — a standard Army-Navy surplus watch cap has saved me many times — though a headband or scarf will do the trick if the weather is mild and you ’ re trying to save a cute hairstyle .
A hood can insulate your hat or keep it dry , but that ’ s all .
Beware , your accessories can undermine you .
Hoops , chandelier earrings , even metal posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canal , where that agonizing pain comes from .
I learned this lesson on New Year ’ s Eve 2013 , when we decided to walk two and a half miles to a party in 20-degree weather , and my statement earrings convinced me I was about to freeze to death in the middle of Eastern Parkway despite wearing an ankle-length coat .
Feet are an obvious pain point — even normal holiday shoes can make them hurt — but outside , doing nothing , they can get surprisingly uncomfortable .
To start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your core , where your body concentrates heat when it ’ s cold .
Your circulation also tends to gets worse when you sit for a long time — though if you ’ re standing , cold will seep up from the ground into your shoes .
And a lap blanket or heat lamp is unlikely to make much difference .
You could be toasty warm in the middle and miserable down below .
But keeping your feet warm enough is trickier than it sounds .
Tights alone will keep your legs warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plus socks can make your feet sweat , which will make your feet cold .
And double socks can further pinch your circulation , which — surprise — will make your feet cold .
So unless you ’ re absolutely dying to break out your Uggs , wool socks are the answer .
They ’ re warm , they won ’ t make you sweat , and they complement everything from Birkenstocks to Chelsea boots to Air Force 1s .
If you run cold like me , tuck a couple of hand warmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Again , if you ’ ve never had occasion to sit on a sidewalk for more than an hour — and sincerely I hope you have not — it might surprise you to learn how much heat leaves your body through your butt .
Fat is nature ’ s insulation , so it stands to reason that tushies would stay warm on their own .
But your sit parts have a higher ratio of surface-to-mass than your torso does , and if you ’ re like most people , you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park it on a metal or plastic chair — or a damp outdoor cushion , heaven forbid — and you ’ ll get a chill fast .
The solution here is to bring something to sit on — any beach towel or blanket will do .
Fold a couple of hand warmers in there and you ’ re gold .
The cold wears you out No matter how you dress , or what you do , your body will be expending extra energy to stay warm .
And that ’ s a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions you take with your holiday hangouts , you ’ ll be safer if you keep it short .

Snow chased the last leaves of fall from their branches near Mt. Baldy in early November. Nighttime can be especially chilly in Southern California this time of year.
Like most Angelenos, my holidays will look different this year. With COVID-19 cases spiking, we’re having Thanksgiving in a tent and exchanging Hanukkah gifts through the mail. My son’s fifth birthday will be held on a video conference.
But I know many other families who are cautiously planning to gather outdoors. Such get-togethers still carry risk, experts warn. But outside is safer than indoors, and as a believer in harm reduction, I’m here to tell you: You’re going to get cold.
I know this because I spent close to a decade covering breaking news and crime in New York City, which involved hanging around outside in all weather, often for hours, with nothing but the clothes on my back to keep warm.
In those years, I staked out innumerable shootings and stabbings, deadly fires and dismemberments, police station perp walks, arraignments in night court, and a distressing number of emergency rooms. My last assignment before I moved to L.A. was the months-long trial of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán — work that required dozens of us to line up outside Brooklyn federal court every day, sometimes before dawn, occasionally in the snow.
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Early on, I learned the weather feels different when you’re doing something active than when you’re standing still. That’s why no one who can avoid it hangs outside doing nothing in the winter. Add in a big meal, and suddenly 55 degrees feels like 40, and 45 feels like Season 6 of “Alone.”
So how do you stay cozy when cuddling isn’t an option and the sun sets at 4:45 p.m.?
Contrary to popular wisdom, layers aren’t going to help you much. Neither is a bulky ski coat. Instead, I suggest you focus on three key areas: your ears, your feet and your tush.
Protect your ears
Scientists say you lose up to 10% of your body heat through your head, but the place you’ll feel that first is in your ears — and trust me, once your ears get cold, your hangout is pretty much over.
Earmuffs alone can keep you comfortable but they make conversation hard, especially with everyone wearing masks. A knit hat works better — a standard Army-Navy surplus watch cap has saved me many times — though a headband or scarf will do the trick if the weather is mild and you’re trying to save a cute hairstyle. A hood can insulate your hat or keep it dry, but that’s all.
Beware, your accessories can undermine you. Hoops, chandelier earrings, even metal posts will conduct the cold into your ear canal, where that agonizing pain comes from. I learned this lesson on New Year’s Eve 2013, when we decided to walk 2½ miles to a party in 20-degree weather, and my statement earrings convinced me I was about to freeze to death in the middle of Eastern Parkway despite wearing an ankle-length coat.
Treat your feet with extra care
Feet are an obvious pain point — even normal holiday shoes can make them hurt — but outside, doing nothing, they can get surprisingly uncomfortable. To start with, your feet are far from your core, where your body concentrates heat when it’s cold. Your circulation also tends to get worse when you sit for a long time — though if you’re standing, cold will seep up from the ground into your shoes. And a lap blanket or heat lamp is unlikely to make much difference. You could be toasty warm in the middle and miserable down below.
But keeping your feet warm enough is trickier than it sounds. Tights alone will keep your legs warm but leave your feet cold. Tights plus socks can make your feet sweat, which will make your feet cold. And double socks can further pinch your circulation, which — surprise — will make your feet cold.
So unless you’re absolutely dying to break out your Uggs, wool socks are the answer. They’re warm, they won’t make you sweat, and they complement everything from Birkenstocks to Chelsea boots to Air Force 1s. If you run cold like me, tuck a couple of hand warmers into your shoes at the two-hour mark.
Advertisement
Cushion your tush
Again, if you’ve never had occasion to sit on a sidewalk for more than an hour — and I sincerely hope you have not — it might surprise you to learn how much heat leaves your body through your butt.
Fat is nature’s insulation, so it stands to reason that tushies would stay warm on their own. But your sit parts have a higher ratio of surface-to-mass than your torso does, and if you’re like most people, you’re more likely to layer on top. Park it on a metal or plastic chair — or a damp outdoor cushion, heaven forbid — and you’ll get a chill fast.
The solution here is to bring something to sit on — any beach towel or blanket will do. Fold a couple of hand warmers in there and you’re gold.
The cold wears you out
No matter how you dress, or what you do, your body will be expending extra energy to stay warm. And that’s a good thing. Because no matter how many precautions you take with your holiday hangouts, you’ll be safer if you keep it short.


latimes--2020-11-18--This Thanksgiving, hit the grocery store early to avoid overcrowding

Amid an alarming statewide surge of COVID-19 cases , California ’ s grocers are urging consumers to do their holiday food shopping ahead of time .
November and December are traditionally the two busiest months for the grocery industry , according to the California Grocers Assn .
This year , crowds could be a threat to shoppers and workers alike .
Cases of the coronavirus have increased substantially in recent weeks , spurred in most instances by large gatherings and close contact .
“ Thanksgiving and Christmas are the Super Bowl days for grocery store retail , ” Ron Fong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO , said Wednesday .
“ We recommend that you purchase non-perishable items starting today .
It ’ s not too early.
” Unlike in earlier months of the pandemic — remember the run on toilet paper ?
— Fong said supplies wouldn ’ t be an issue and there was more than enough turkey , stuffing and gravy to go around .
The concern right now , he said , is people .
“ We do have capacity limits , and we will be enforcing that , which is another reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What we ’ re really worried about is the few days before Thanksgiving when everybody ’ s rushing.
” Much of California is now in the strictest , or purple , tier of the state ’ s color-coded reopening system , which means that although grocery stores are considered an essential service , they must operate at 50 % capacity .
That could translate to longer lines and congestion for people who wait until the last minute .
In a news release about the upcoming holiday , the grocers association said many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added cooler and freezer capacity and created pickup stations to keep things moving .
But the association also urged shoppers to take advantage of online delivery options and avoid entering grocery stores at all .
Meanwhile , city officials are hoping people will be preparing smaller holiday meals .
They are discouraging Thanksgiving travel , large indoor dinners and any gatherings with more than 10 people .
If you must shop , the association said , don ’ t bring extra people , maintain a distance of two carts between yourself and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of food items and products in stores , and always wear a mask .
And — in the spirit of the season — be kind to one another .
“ Our grocery store workers have families just like everybody else , ” Fong said .
“ They have the same worries , but they are choosing to go to work to serve their communities .
A simple ‘ thank you ’ will go such a long way .
”

People shop at a Smart & Final Extra! at Jordan Downs Plaza in Watts. The California Grocers Assn. is urging consumers to try to avoid crowds.
Amid an alarming statewide surge of COVID-19 cases, California’s grocers are urging consumers to do their holiday food shopping ahead of time.
November and December are traditionally the two busiest months for the grocery industry, according to the California Grocers Assn.
This year, crowds could be a threat to shoppers and workers alike. Cases of the coronavirus have increased substantially in recent weeks, spurred in most instances by large gatherings and close contact.
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“Thanksgiving and Christmas are the Super Bowl days for grocery store retail,” Ron Fong, California Grocers Assn. president and CEO, said Wednesday. “We recommend that you purchase non-perishable items starting today. It’s not too early.”
Unlike in earlier months of the pandemic — remember the run on toilet paper? — Fong said supplies wouldn’t be an issue and there was more than enough turkey, stuffing and gravy to go around.
The concern right now, he said, is people.
“We do have capacity limits, and we will be enforcing that, which is another reason to shop early,” Fong said. “What we’re really worried about is the few days before Thanksgiving when everybody’s rushing.”
Much of California is now in the strictest, or purple, tier of the state’s color-coded reopening system, which means that although grocery stores are considered an essential service, they must operate at 50% capacity. That could translate to longer lines and congestion for people who wait until the last minute.
In a news release about the upcoming holiday, the grocers association said many stores had hired additional staff members, added cooler and freezer capacity and created pickup stations to keep things moving.
But the association also urged shoppers to take advantage of online delivery options and avoid entering grocery stores at all.
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Meanwhile, city officials are hoping people will be preparing smaller holiday meals. They are discouraging Thanksgiving travel, large indoor dinners and any gatherings with more than 10 people.
If you must shop, the association said, don’t bring extra people, maintain a distance of two carts between yourself and others at all times, avoid unnecessary handling of food items and products in stores, and always wear a mask.
And — in the spirit of the season — be kind to one another.
“Our grocery store workers have families just like everybody else,” Fong said. “They have the same worries, but they are choosing to go to work to serve their communities. A simple ‘thank you’ will go such a long way.”


latimes--2020-11-18--LAPD sergeant sues after being disciplined over social media posts on Nipsey Hussle, other topics

A Los Angeles police sergeant who was repeatedly disciplined over controversial posts on his personal Facebook and Instagram accounts is suing the LAPD and its top commander for violating his constitutional rights , alleging they punished him simply for expressing political viewpoints they didn ’ t like .
Sgt .
Joel Sydanmaa , a 24-year veteran of the department who lives in Orange County , claims in his federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court that he has “ never done anything improper on the job , ” yet was reprimanded twice and briefly suspended for “ expressing his opinions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on his personal social media accounts , about matters of public concern.
” Sydanmaa alleges the punishments — which followed posts he made about Muslims , the appointment of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court amid sexual assault allegations , and the shooting death of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle in South L.A. — were doled out solely because his opinions “ run counter ” to the LAPD ’ s “ preferred political stance.
” Josh Rubenstein , an LAPD spokesman , said the department could not comment on ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an image making multiple false claims about the treatment of Muslim people in Japan , under the headline , “ Japan keeps Islam at bay by putting restrictions on Islam and ALL Muslims.
” Sydanmaa said he was officially reprimanded by the department after a complaint was filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations .
A CAIR representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday .
In 2018 , Sydanmaa wrote a post on Facebook — which he said he was doing “ as if I ’ m in uniform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by women against Kavanaugh and concluded that “ there ’ s no way that Kavanaugh can be proven guilty.
” Sydanmaa claimed an unidentified complainant accused him of “ shaming ” Kavanaugh ’ s accusers , and that he was again reprimanded by the department .
In 2019 , after the killing of Hussle , who was a beloved figure in parts of L.A. , Sydanmaa took to Instagram to accuse Hussle of being a gang member and suggest that public remembrances of his positive impact on the community were misplaced — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gang lifestyle and the anti-police sentiment in this country ” with his lyrics and “ chose the lifestyle that ultimately killed him.
” When the post went viral , Sydanmaa argued back and forth with commenters , writing to one detractor , “ Next time you need help , call a Crip , not 911.
” Again the LAPD launched a review of his post , and suspended Sydanmaa for one day , he said .
Sydanmaa claims in his lawsuit that other officers and commanders — including LAPD Chief Michel Moore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case — have expressed their own political positions in public and while in uniform without repercussions , including by kneeling with Black Lives Matter protesters during recent demonstrations in the city .
Sydanmaa claims the discipline imposed on him harmed him “ psychologically , reputationally , and emotionally , ” and has significantly reduced his “ prospects for promotion and advancement ” within the LAPD and hurt his ability to secure outside employment after his retirement from the force .
He is seeking an injunction from the court to stop the LAPD from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for the actions already taken against him .

An LAPD sergeant alleges in a federal lawsuit that his rights were violated when he was disciplined by the department for controversial posts on his personal social media pages.
A Los Angeles police sergeant who was repeatedly disciplined over controversial posts on his personal Facebook and Instagram accounts is suing the LAPD and its top commander for violating his constitutional rights, alleging they punished him simply for expressing political viewpoints they didn’t like.
Sgt. Joel Sydanmaa, a 24-year veteran of the department who lives in Orange County, claims in his federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court that he has “never done anything improper on the job,” yet was reprimanded twice and briefly suspended for “expressing his opinions, as a private citizen, while off-duty, on his personal social media accounts, about matters of public concern.”
Sydanmaa alleges the punishments — which followed posts he made about Muslims, the appointment of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court amid sexual assault allegations, and the shooting death of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle in South L.A. — were doled out solely because his opinions “run counter” to the LAPD’s “preferred political stance.”
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Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman, said the department could not comment on ongoing litigation.
In 2015, Sydanmaa posted an image making multiple false claims about the treatment of Muslim people in Japan, under the headline, “Japan keeps Islam at bay by putting restrictions on Islam and ALL Muslims.”
Sydanmaa said he was officially reprimanded by the department after a complaint was filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. A CAIR representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
In 2018, Sydanmaa wrote a post on Facebook — which he said he was doing “as if I’m in uniform” — that selectively picked apart allegations made by women against Kavanaugh and concluded that “there’s no way that Kavanaugh can be proven guilty.”
Sydanmaa claimed an unidentified complainant accused him of “shaming” Kavanaugh’s accusers, and that he was again reprimanded by the department.
In 2019, after the killing of Hussle, who was a beloved figure in parts of L.A., Sydanmaa took to Instagram to accuse Hussle of being a gang member and suggest that public remembrances of his positive impact on the community were misplaced — writing that Hussle “perpetuated the criminal gang lifestyle and the anti-police sentiment in this country” with his lyrics and “chose the lifestyle that ultimately killed him.”
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When the post went viral, Sydanmaa argued back and forth with commenters, writing to one detractor, “Next time you need help, call a Crip, not 911.”
Again the LAPD launched a review of his post, and suspended Sydanmaa for one day, he said.
Sydanmaa claims in his lawsuit that other officers and commanders — including LAPD Chief Michel Moore, who is a named defendant in the case — have expressed their own political positions in public and while in uniform without repercussions, including by kneeling with Black Lives Matter protesters during recent demonstrations in the city.
Sydanmaa claims the discipline imposed on him harmed him “psychologically, reputationally, and emotionally,” and has significantly reduced his “prospects for promotion and advancement” within the LAPD and hurt his ability to secure outside employment after his retirement from the force.
He is seeking an injunction from the court to stop the LAPD from controlling his online political speech moving forward, and seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for the actions already taken against him.


latimes--2020-11-18--Photos raise doubts about Newsom's claim that dinner with lobbyist was outdoors amid COVID-19 surge

Newly published pictures of Gov .
Gavin Newsom at a birthday dinner show him seated with top lobbyists for the California Medical Assn .
around a table in a private dining room at an upscale Napa Valley restaurant , undercutting the governor ’ s description of the party being held outdoors .
The California Medical Assn .
on Wednesday confirmed that Dustin Corcoran , the association ’ s chief executive , and its top lobbyist Janus Norman attended the Nov. 6 dinner at the Michelin-starred French Laundry in Yountville for Jason Kinney , a close friend of the governor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advisors .
The pictures , published by Fox 11 Los Angeles , show a group of 12 representing six different households sitting at a table in a private dining room with a roof , three walls and another wall open to the outside with sliding glass doors .
The event and the photos emphasized Newsom ’ s close ties to top lobbyists at the state Capitol and led to criticism that the governor is flouting the safety guidelines he has set for Californians .
Newsom said Monday that he and his wife paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday for attending the dinner before the pictures were published late Tuesday night , saying “ the spirit of what I ’ m preaching all the time was contradicted.
” He noted that he and his wife paid for their own meals .
“ It was an outdoor restaurant ... ” Newsom said at a news conference .
“ As soon as I sat down at the larger table I realized was a little larger group than I had anticipated .
And I made a bad mistake — instead of sitting down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked back down to my car and drove back to my house .
Instead , I chose to sit there with my wife and a number of other couples that were outside the household.
” A spokeswoman for Kinney , who organized the event , insisted that the party requested outdoor seating and noted that the restaurant considers the dining area to be outdoors .
“ The guests and the restaurant followed all applicable state and county public health guidance , ” said the spokeswoman , Molly Weedn .
“ The guests specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s outdoor seating , as confirmed and provided by the restaurant.
” The governor ’ s office declined to comment on the photos and pointed to pictures from a Town and Country feature story on the restaurant showing the open wall in the dining space .
California ’ s COVID-19 safety guidelines limit the number of households at a private gathering , but do not explicitly impose those same rules on restaurant patrons .
State guidelines updated in November allow private gatherings of no more than three households at a park or outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should “ limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be seated together , ” without stating any limits on the number of households that can sit at a table .
At the time , Napa County was in the state ’ s orange tier , which allows for indoor seating .
An Oct. 3 post from the Twitter account for the governor warned restaurant patrons to wear masks “ between bites ” while eating with others and also showed a contradictory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of times they take their mask off during a meal .
None of the guests at the dinner are wearing masks in the pictures , including in one shot in which Newsom , his wife , Jennifer Siebel Newsom , and Kinney are standing together talking outside .
Corcoran and Norman lobby in Sacramento on behalf of doctors , who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic and urging people to practice safety precautions .
Fox 11 quoted a fellow patron who described the party as loud and said at one point @ @ @ @ @

Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking in his weekly televised coronavirus update, has publicly apologized for attending a birthday dinner at a Napa Valley restaurant this month.
Newly published pictures of Gov. Gavin Newsom at a birthday dinner show him seated with top lobbyists for the California Medical Assn. around a table in a private dining room at an upscale Napa Valley restaurant, undercutting the governor’s description of the party being held outdoors.
The California Medical Assn. on Wednesday confirmed that Dustin Corcoran, the association’s chief executive, and its top lobbyist Janus Norman attended the Nov. 6 dinner at the Michelin-starred French Laundry in Yountville for Jason Kinney, a close friend of the governor and lobbyist with his own firm, Axiom Advisors.
The pictures, published by Fox 11 Los Angeles, show a group of 12 representing six different households sitting at a table in a private dining room with a roof, three walls and another wall open to the outside with sliding glass doors.
The event and the photos emphasized Newsom’s close ties to top lobbyists at the state Capitol and led to criticism that the governor is flouting the safety guidelines he has set for Californians. Newsom said Monday that he and his wife paid for their meals.
California Newsom, legislators face anger over party and Hawaii trip Their choices strike many as if they believe they are immune to COVID-19, by ignoring the safety precautions they have asked Californians to take.
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Newsom publicly apologized on Monday for attending the dinner before the pictures were published late Tuesday night, saying “the spirit of what I’m preaching all the time was contradicted.” He noted that he and his wife paid for their own meals.
“It was an outdoor restaurant” Newsom said at a news conference. “As soon as I sat down at the larger table I realized it was a little larger group than I had anticipated. And I made a bad mistake — instead of sitting down, I should have stood up and walked back down to my car and drove back to my house. Instead, I chose to sit there with my wife and a number of other couples that were outside the household.”
EXCLUSIVE: We've obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he's in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864 — Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 18, 2020
A spokeswoman for Kinney, who organized the event, insisted that the party requested outdoor seating and noted that the restaurant considers the dining area to be outdoors.
“The guests and the restaurant followed all applicable state and county public health guidance,” said the spokeswoman, Molly Weedn. “The guests specifically required outdoor seating. And that’s outdoor seating, as confirmed and provided by the restaurant.”
The governor’s office declined to comment on the photos and pointed to pictures from a Town & Country feature story on the restaurant showing the open wall in the dining space.
California’s COVID-19 safety guidelines limit the number of households at a private gathering, but do not explicitly impose those same rules on restaurant patrons.
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State guidelines updated in November allow private gatherings of no more than three households at a park or outdoor space. Rules for dining say restaurants should “limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be seated together,” without stating any limits on the number of households that can sit at a table. At the time, Napa County was in the state’s orange tier, which allows for indoor seating.
An Oct. 3 post from the Twitter account for the governor warned restaurant patrons to wear masks “between bites” while eating with others and also showed a contradictory graphic telling diners to limit the number of times they take their mask off during a meal.
Going out to eat with members of your household this weekend? Don't forget to keep your mask on in between bites.
Do your part to keep those around you healthy. #SlowtheSpreadhttps://t.co/snYe5v55Rw pic.twitter.com/Y4fcDO5Zke — Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) October 3, 2020
None of the guests at the dinner are wearing masks in the pictures, including in one shot in which Newsom, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and Kinney are standing together talking outside. Corcoran and Norman lobby in Sacramento on behalf of doctors, who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic and have been urging people to practice safety precautions.
Fox 11 quoted a fellow patron who described the party as loud and said at one point the doors were closed.


latimes--2020-11-18--Are you a California healthcare worker dealing with the surge in coronavirus cases?

Statewide , the current acceleration in coronavirus cases is the fastest on record , with cases in the first week @ @ @ @ @ % , California ’ s fastest increase yet .
We want to hear from healthcare @ @ @ @ @ with the latest surge in coronavirus cases .

Nurses working at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital on May 7 as a patient was brought from the COVID-19 unit into the ICU.
Statewide, the current acceleration in coronavirus cases is the fastest on record, with cases in the first week of November climbing by 51%, California’s fastest increase yet.
We want to hear from healthcare workers in California currently dealing with the latest surge in coronavirus cases.


latimes--2020-11-18--One person dead as Mountain View fire continues raging in Eastern Sierra

One person has died and another was injured in a fire that ravaged the Mono County town of Walker overnight and continues to burn , authorities said .
Spurred by strong winds , the Mountain View fire ignited Tuesday afternoon and has scorched 20,879 acres in the Eastern Sierra , along the Nevada border .
It has destroyed at least 80 structures and is 20 % contained .
The Mono County Sheriff ’ s Office could not immediately be reached for additional information about the fatality .
With the fire raging , residents in the communities of Coleville , Walker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Damage assessments are underway , and “ it could be days before it ’ s safe for residents to return , ” the Mono County Sheriff ’ s Office wrote in a Facebook post .
On Wednesday , rain and snow that fell at above 5,000 feet in elevation slowed the fire ’ s growth , the Bureau of Land Management said in a news release .
“ The goal of wildland fire crews today is to remain focused on protection of the communities of Walker , Coleville and Topaz as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the news release stated .
About 88 miles north of Walker , the Pinehaven fire also started Tuesday afternoon in the Caughlin Ranch area of Reno , according to Reno Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Winkelman .
That fire has burned 1,200 acres and is about 5 % contained , Winkelman said Wednesday morning .
About 1,300 homes were evacuated .
Five single-family homes were destroyed and 15 more were damaged in Caughlin Ranch , he said .
“ We ’ re currently getting day crews in place , continuing to reinforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out structure fires where they have occurred , ” Winkelman said , “ and just continuing to mop up fire in general.
” He added that the cause is still under investigation .
Two firefighters suffered medical emergencies while battling the blaze and have both been treated and released , Winkelman said .
One firefighter injured a calf muscle .
The other had an allergic reaction .
“ They ’ re doing well , ” Winkelman said .
The firefighter with the calf injury is “ being monitored.
” He added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which may open later Wednesday morning .
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph were expected Wednesday , the Reno Fire Department cautioned in a news release .
“ It ’ s important for the public to know that things can change quickly , ” the department said .
But firefighters said they were optimistic that the blaze would be fully contained by Friday .

A firefighter battles flames at a home as the Mountain View fire tears through the Mono County community of Walker on Wednesday.
A fast-moving brush fire at the California-Nevada border ravaged the small town of Walker in Mono County, burning many buildings and killing at least one person.
Spurred by strong winds, the Mountain View fire ignited Tuesday afternoon and has scorched 20,879 acres in the Eastern Sierra, along the Nevada border.
On Wednesday, governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Mono County, allowing the county to access state assistance to fight the fire, which so far has destroyed at least 80 structures and is 20% contained.
The Mono County Sheriff’s Office could not immediately be reached for additional information about the fatality.
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California Photos: Mountain View fire continues raging in Eastern Sierra A fire that ignited Tuesday along the California-Nevada border has led to one death and caused extensive damage in the Mono County town of Walker.
With the fire raging, residents in the communities of Coleville, Walker and Topaz were ordered to evacuate.
Damage assessments were underway, and “it could be days before it’s safe for residents to return,” the Mono County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post.
The fatality and destruction add to California’s worst year of fire on record. Thousands of structures have been lost across Northern California and dozens of people killed.
On Wednesday, rain and snow that fell above 5,000 feet in elevation slowed the Mountain View fire’s growth, the federal Bureau of Land Management said in a news release. By Wednesday night, officials said they were not expecting the fire to grow.
“The goal of wildland fire crews today is to remain focused on protection of the communities of Walker, Coleville and Topaz as well as the Camp Antelope Native American Community,” the news release said.
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About 88 miles north of Walker, the Pinehaven fire also started Tuesday afternoon in the Caughlin Ranch area of Reno, according to Reno Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Winkelman.
That fire had burned 1,200 acres and was about 5% contained, Winkelman said Wednesday morning. About 1,300 homes were evacuated. Five single-family homes were destroyed and 15 more were damaged in Caughlin Ranch, he said.
“We’re currently getting day crews in place, continuing to reinforce fire lines, assess structure damage and put out structure fires where they have occurred,” Winkelman said, “and just continuing to mop up fire in general.”
He added that the cause is still under investigation.
A firefighter extinguishes flames from the Mountain View fire in Walker, Calif. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Two firefighters suffered medical emergencies while battling the blaze and have both been treated and released, Winkelman said. One firefighter injured a calf muscle. The other had an allergic reaction.
“They’re doing well,” Winkelman said. The firefighter with the calf injury is “being monitored.”
He added that about 15 roads were closed.
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph were expected Wednesday, the Reno Fire Department cautioned in a news release.
“It’s important for the public to know that things can change quickly,” the department said.
But firefighters said they were optimistic that the blaze would be fully contained by Friday.
Times staff writer Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-18--Why the third wave of coronavirus could be the most difficult for California

Faced with a third COVID-19 wave just as we enter the holiday season , it would be fair for Californians to pose some existential questions .
Why does this virus seem to be targeting us yet again ?
Why have we struggled to control it ?
Where did we go wrong ?
The simple answer is : We actually do know how to fight the virus .
We just got tired of doing it .
This third coronavirus wave is particularly troubling because “ we never got back down ” to a low baseline number of cases , said Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officer and a key architect of the nation ’ s first regional stay-at-home order .
Even worse , this surge is happening during the traditional cold-and-flu season , exacerbated because people tend to stay indoors , where it ’ s easier to pass along germs .
“ We ’ re also facing this surge on the eve of what has traditionally been the greatest travel day of the year — and that ’ s the day before Thanksgiving , ” Cody said .
Moreover , California won ’ t be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
“ Everyone is experiencing a surge at the same time , ” Cody said .
Many unknowns remain .
In general , deaths from COVID-19 have fallen since the spring as the infections hit a younger , healthier demographic and hospitals get better at treatments .
Some workplaces and institutions like nursing homes have gotten better at protection measures .
But there are still concerns about hospitals filling up in the coming weeks if California can not begin again to flatten the curve .
And there is also a psychological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly devastating .
Many hoped for a reprieve from the isolation , uncertainty and economic damage from coronavirus by now , a chance to reconnect with family and friends , to do some in-person Christmas shopping and feel like better times are ahead .
The news of successful vaccines is a boost .
But many enter the holiday season as anxious as ever .
Even in San Francisco , which has seen a relatively low number of deaths from COVID-19 , “ we are seeing an explosion of new cases throughout the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the director of public health .
“ This rate of rise is higher than ever before , ” Colfax said , and warned that it ’ s possible that the city could run out of hospital bed and intensive care unit capacity .
“ The choices we ... make in the next two weeks will determine the remainder of this holiday season , ” Colfax said , urging people to cancel travel plans and stay home for Thanksgiving .
“ We have the ability to choose if we beat back the third surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the surge , like we are seeing unfortunately in other parts of the country.
” California was once a shining example of how a state can marshal itself to prevent this pandemic from becoming a full blown catastrophe .
With officials acting relatively early to impose a stay-at-home order , hospitals across the Golden State never became as overwhelmed as those in New York , which endured a wrenching death toll double that of California .
But California was not spared from a devastated economy , and that brought pressure to reopen from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruin .
Attitudes also changed as the pandemic dragged on .
California shows how a collective shrug , a lack of discipline and a yearning to quickly “ get back to normal ” can also result in a new season of death .
Loosened rules on restaurants and bars and a burst of social activity in the waning weeks of spring and the first weeks of summer resulted in California ’ s deadliest season of the pandemic , sabotaging efforts to reopen schools in time for fall .
Now , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same path again , with the lure of Thanksgiving , Christmas and other winter holidays irresistible to some .
Mass fatigue and even resentment of the coronavirus are causing some people to defiantly hold dinner parties without masks and plan for holiday feasts .
The lure of social gatherings is strong : Gov .
Gavin Newsom recently apologized for attending a birthday dinner for a friend at an exclusive Napa Valley restaurant .
And health officials are urging people to not think they can use testing to give themselves a free pass to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing .
Doing so would be making the same mistake the Trump administration did when its testing strategy failed to protect President Trump from getting infected and allowed a super-spreading incident at a Rose Garden ceremony announcing his nominee to the Supreme Court .
Unless they ’ re canceled or dramatically scaled back , traditional social gatherings held amid the world ’ s worst pandemic in a century will lead to a season of heartbreak , overwhelmed hospitals and busy morgues as the weeks tick closer to Christmas .
Health officials are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s for that reason they ’ re terrified of what may hit the state if nothing is done to shift from this trajectory .
Statewide , the current acceleration in cases is the fastest on record , with cases in the first week of November climbing by 51 % , California ’ s fastest increase yet , which previously had been a 39 % jump on the last week of spring , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Monday .
It ’ s “ simply without precedent in California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the late spring , scientists now believe , the rapid reopening of businesses that began in May and stories crowing about how California survived the pandemic better than the East Coast seemed to telegraph to people that , after two months of following a strict stay-at-home order , it was OK to loosen up .
But birthday parties and celebrations soon became super-spreader events .
There was the story about a truck driver who , after months of diligently isolating , finally went to a barbecue party .
More than 10 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected , and the truck driver , Tommy Macias , 51 , died on the second day of summer .
Then there was the story , later in the summer , of a couple that traveled from California to Maine to get married in the small town of Millinocket .
There were just 55 attendees at the wedding reception , but , over the next few weeks , 176 people would get infected , including a parent of a person who attended the wedding — who also worked at a long-term care facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s residents were infected , and six of them ultimately died of COVID-19 .
In Los Angeles County , Barbara Ferrer , the director of public health , has meticulously tracked key moments that preceded surges in coronavirus infections .
In hindsight , it ’ s now clear that L.A. County ’ s second surge in cases began to be detected on May 28 , three days after Memorial Day , leading to a peak in daily coronavirus cases that would only crest on July 14 .
But the surge in hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak July 20 .
The jump in deaths began June 30 and finally peaked on July 27 , and it would take until early October before deaths hit a low point .
A similar timeline with L.A. County ’ s current surge would possibly translate to a surge in deaths beginning in early December , and worsening through Christmas and New Year ’ s Day into early January .
That ’ s a similar timeline forecast by the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation .
The institute ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin rising in early December in California .
Daily COVID-19 deaths have already been rising nationwide for about a month , and the institute forecasts the pace will worsen through through mid-January .
Increasing travel recently may be a reason why officials noticed a sudden uptick in coronavirus cases in the first few days of November , Cody said , with Silicon Valley residents traveling to areas with more infection , getting infected without knowing it , and bringing the virus back home .
Also , “ we see both accelerating transmission both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then in work sites , and back and forth , ” Cody said .
“ We need to redouble our efforts on all fronts.
” Part of that is increasing public education , and emphasizing that people can be highly contagious with the virus without ever feeling sick — resulting in silent chains of viral transmission that result in a super-spreading incident , Cody said .
In fact , the idea that we could be facing several waves of the pandemic had been forecast ever since shortly after the pandemic began .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health and circulated in March , scientists suspected that a one-time effort at social distancing in the spring would never be enough .
They forecast a situation in which we would need long periods of social distancing , perhaps with occasional periods of loosening , to keep the hospital system from being overwhelmed at any one time .
And they suggested one plausible scenario that said social distancing measures would only be able to be relaxed by early to mid-2021 , with the epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s likely that the widespread availability of promising coronavirus vaccines to most of the public won ’ t happen until mid-2021 .
Times staff writers Karen Kaplan and Stephanie Lai contributed to this report .

Faced with a third COVID-19 wave just as we enter the holiday season, it would be fair for Californians to pose some existential questions.
Why does this virus seem to be targeting us yet again? Why have we struggled to control it? Where did we go wrong?
The simple answer is: We actually do know how to fight the virus. We just got tired of doing it.
Advertisement
This third coronavirus wave is particularly troubling because “we never got back down” to a low baseline number of cases, said Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer and a key architect of the nation’s first regional stay-at-home order.
Even worse, this surge is happening during the traditional cold-and-flu season, exacerbated because people tend to stay indoors, where it’s easier to pass along germs.
“We’re also facing this surge on the eve of what has traditionally been the greatest travel day of the year — and that’s the day before Thanksgiving,” Cody said.
Moreover, California won’t be able to count on help from other parts of the country. “Everyone is experiencing a surge at the same time,” Cody said.
Many unknowns remain. In general, deaths from COVID-19 have fallen since the spring as the infections hit a younger, healthier demographic and hospitals get better at treatments. Some workplaces and institutions such as nursing homes have gotten better at protection measures.
Advertisement
But hospitals are beginning to fill up again, and the rate of increase in cases reached unprecedented levels across the state.
The average number of new daily coronavirus cases over a seven-day period has jumped by 108% in the last two weeks, rising from 4,847 a day to 10,064 a day.
That pace is even faster than at the start of the summer, when the average number of new daily coronavirus cases jumped by 96%, from 3,703 a day on June 21 to 7,264 a day on July 4.
California on Thursday announced a limited nighttime stay-at-home order in most of the state, with certain exceptions, such as walking a dog or picking up takeout food. And Los Angeles County, which has been particularly hard hit by this latest wave, issued an order beginning Friday instructing restaurants and nonessential businesses to close by 10 p.m., although takeout and delivery orders will be able to continue overnight.
L.A. County has warned that it may impose even further restrictions if infections continue at their current rate, and could order a shutdown of outdoor restaurant dining areas and even impose a new stay-at-home order.
There is also a psychological dimension to the third wave that is particularly devastating. Many had hoped by now for a reprieve from the isolation, uncertainty and economic damage from the coronavirus, a chance to reconnect with family and friends, to do some in-person Christmas shopping and feel as if better times are ahead. The news of successful vaccines is a boost. But many enter the holiday season as anxious as ever.
Even in San Francisco, which has seen a relatively low number of deaths from COVID-19, “we are seeing an explosion of new cases throughout the city,” warned Dr. Grant Colfax, the director of public health.
“This rate of rise is higher than ever before,” Colfax said, adding that it’s possible that the city could run out of hospital beds and intensive care unit capacity.
“The choices we ... make in the next two weeks will determine the remainder of this holiday season,” Colfax said, urging people to cancel travel plans and stay home for Thanksgiving. “We have the ability to choose if we beat back the third surge, or if we fall victim to the surge, like we are seeing unfortunately in other parts of the country.”
California was once a shining example of how a state can marshal itself to prevent the pandemic from becoming a full blown catastrophe. With officials acting relatively early to impose a stay-at-home order, hospitals across the Golden State never became as overwhelmed as those in New York, which endured a wrenching death toll double that of California.
But California was not spared from a devastated economy, and that brought pressure to reopen from people desperate to save their businesses from ruin.
Attitudes also changed as the pandemic dragged on. California shows how a collective shrug, a lack of discipline and a yearning to quickly “get back to normal” can also result in a new season of death.
Loosened rules on restaurants and bars and a burst of social activity in the waning weeks of spring and the first weeks of summer resulted in California’s deadliest season of the pandemic, sabotaging efforts to reopen schools in time for fall.
Now, there’s fear that California is headed on that same path again, with the lure of Thanksgiving, Christmas and other winter holidays irresistible to some.
Mass fatigue and even resentment of the coronavirus are causing some people to defiantly hold dinner parties without masks and plan for holiday feasts.
The lure of social gatherings is strong: Gov. Gavin Newsom recently apologized for attending a birthday dinner for his political advisor, who is also a registered lobbyist, at an exclusive Napa Valley restaurant.
And health officials are urging people to not think they can use testing to give themselves a free pass to hold parties without needing face masks or social distancing. Doing so would be making the same mistake the Trump administration did when its testing strategy failed to protect President Trump from getting infected and allowed a super-spreading incident at a Rose Garden ceremony announcing his nominee to the Supreme Court.
Unless they’re canceled or dramatically scaled back, traditional social gatherings held amid the world’s worst pandemic in a century will lead to a season of heartbreak, overwhelmed hospitals and busy morgues as the weeks tick closer to Christmas.
Health officials are tracking this pattern across California, and it’s for that reason they’re terrified of what may hit the state if nothing is done to shift from this trajectory.
Statewide, the current acceleration in cases is the fastest on record, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday.
It’s “simply without precedent in California’s pandemic history,” Newsom said.
In the late spring, scientists now believe, the rapid reopening of businesses that began in May and stories crowing about how California survived the pandemic better than the East Coast seemed to telegraph to people that, after two months of following a strict stay-at-home order, it was OK to loosen up.
But birthday parties and celebrations soon became super-spreader events.
There was the story about a truck driver who, after months of diligently isolating, finally went to a barbecue party. More than 10 people who attended the party ended up getting infected, and the driver, Tommy Macias, 51, died on the second day of summer.
Then there was the story, later in the summer, of a couple who traveled from California to Maine to get married in the small town of Millinocket. There were just 55 attendees at the wedding reception, but, over the next few weeks, 176 people would get infected, including a parent of a person who attended the wedding. That parent worked at a long-term care facility, and is believed to have introduced the virus among its residents. More than half of the facility’s residents were infected, and six of them ultimately died of COVID-19.
In Los Angeles County, Barbara Ferrer, the director of public health, has meticulously tracked key moments that preceded surges in coronavirus infections.
In hindsight, it’s now clear that L.A. County’s second surge in cases began to be detected on May 28, three days after Memorial Day, leading to a peak in daily coronavirus cases that would crest on July 14.
But the surge in hospitalizations would only begin on June 18 and peak July 20. The jump in deaths began June 30 and finally peaked on July 27, and it would take until early October before deaths hit a low point.
A similar timeline with L.A. County’s current surge would possibly translate to a surge in deaths beginning in early December, and worsening through Christmas and New Year’s Day into early January.
That’s a similar timeline forecast by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The institute’s scientists are forecasting daily deaths to begin rising in early December in California.
Daily COVID-19 deaths have already been rising nationwide for about a month, and the institute forecasts the pace will worsen through through mid-January.
Increasing travel recently may be a reason why officials noticed a sudden uptick in coronavirus cases in the first few days of November, Cody said, with Silicon Valley residents traveling to areas with more infection, getting infected without knowing it, and bringing the virus back home.
Also, “we see both accelerating transmission both within households and in private settings, and then in work sites, and back and forth,” Cody said. “We need to redouble our efforts on all fronts.”
Part of that is increasing public education, and emphasizing that people can be highly contagious with the virus without ever feeling sick — resulting in silent chains of viral transmission that result in a super-spreading incident, Cody said.
In fact, the idea that we could be facing several waves had been forecast ever since shortly after the pandemic began.
In a computer model developed by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and circulated in March, scientists suspected that a one-time effort at social distancing in the spring would never be enough.
They forecast a situation in which we would need long periods of social distancing, perhaps with occasional periods of loosening, to keep the hospital system from being overwhelmed at any one time. And they suggested one plausible scenario that said social distancing measures would only be able to be relaxed by early to mid-2021, with the epidemic concluding by mid-2022.
Experts now say it’s likely that the widespread availability of promising coronavirus vaccines to most of the public won’t happen until mid-2021.
Times staff writers Karen Kaplan and Stephanie Lai contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-18--UC Berkeley to remove names of LeConte and Barrows halls due to 'controversial legacies'

Two halls at UC Berkeley will have their names removed Wednesday in response to growing awareness of their namesakes ’ controversial legacies , campus officials said .
For now , Barrows Hall will be referred to simply as the Social Sciences Building , while the two buildings that make up LeConte Hall will be known as Physics North and Physics South , according to a news release from the university .
Their original namesakes were early , prominent members of the university faculty who also promoted racist rhetoric and colonialist ideas .
A process for selecting new , permanent names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They will continue to go by their “ default ” names until they receive new ones .
“ The decisions reflect a new urgency being felt by U.S. civic and higher education leaders to remove building names and monuments that memorialize individuals who expressed racist and dehumanizing views , ” the university said .
Berkeley is the oldest campus in the University of California system and is home to several classical Beaux-Arts buildings and historic landmarks .
The move to “ dename ” the halls capped a formal review process that found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campus community and clashed with the school ’ s current mission and values , the university said .
Chancellor Carol Christ and UC President Michael V. Drake both consented to the change .
The review process was spurred by two proposals submitted to the chancellor ’ s Building Name Review Committee in July by members of the UC community .
The 12-member committee of students , faculty and staff members unanimously approved dropping the names .
“ Our buildings should not be another reminder that we are and have long been despised , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , co-president of the Black Graduate Student Assn .
“ They should signal otherwise , and those signals should correspond with institutional norms , policies and practices that make us feel otherwise in our everyday lives.
” John and Joseph LeConte — the namesakes for the hall that houses the school ’ s physics department — were brothers from a slaveholding family who came to Berkeley in 1869 , the school said .
John was a professor of physics and chemistry who served as the university ’ s first acting president from 1869 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning in 1875 .
Joseph was a professor of natural science and geology and served as president of the American Assn .
for the Advancement of Science and of the Sierra Club , which he established with John Muir .
Both had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and were heirs to their family ’ s Georgia plantation , which had more than 200 enslaved people .
Joseph , in particular , wrote several works “ aimed at justifying , through pseudo-scientific language , the inferiority of African Americans , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses solicited by the committee about the proposal to rename LeConte Hall , 87 % approved , according to the school .
“ Both men made important academic contributions , but this does not undo or offset the harm done by their racism , ” said UC Berkeley physics professor Frances Hellman , dean of the Division of Mathematical and Physical Science .
Hellman said the brothers disgraced science by allowing dangerous ideologies to become enmeshed with their work .
“ This illustrates one of the many ways in which diversity of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said , “ and how much the quality of science is diminished without it.
” The committee ’ s letter said the faculty was catalyzed by the Black Lives Matter movement and acted in support of calls to action from student organizations on campus .
They were similarly decisive about David Prescott Barrows , whose hall houses departments such as sociology and ethnic studies .
Barrows served as UC president from 1919 to 1923 and was a faculty member for more than 30 years .
But , the unnaming proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were anti-Black , anti-Filipinx , anti-Indigenous , xenophobic and Anglocentric.
” “ Unnamings are just the tip of the issue , ” said Melissa Charles , UC Berkeley ’ s assistant director of African American student development who was a co-author of the proposal to unname Barrows Hall with her colleague , Takiyah Jackson .
“ They ’ re a step in the right direction — a necessary step , but a small step.
” The university ’ s Native American Advisory Committee also wrote in support of the unnaming , calling Barrows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ multiple violent policies and atrocities against Native Americans and Indigenous peoples around the globe.
” Ninety-five percent of the 518 responses solicited about Barrows Hall approved of the change .
The unnaming follows similar decisions made by UC Berkeley and other universities this year .
In January , Boalt Hall at the UC Berkeley School of Law was denamed because of attorney John Henry Boalt ’ s racist writings , while USC removed the name of Rufus von KleinSmid , a prominent eugenicist , from one of its buildings in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name was removed from a lodge in Yosemite National Park in 2015 and from an elementary school in 2017 .
Calling the decision to remove the names a “ testament to student advocacy , ” undergraduate student representative for the Building Name Review Committee Victoria Vera said it had been disheartening to see the university honor men who “ never imagined me as a student.
” “ For me , it ’ s important to be in this battle to make sure that other folks like me that come afterward genuinely feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ and like they belong here , no questions asked.
” But the Building Name Review Committee said the removal of the halls ’ names should not equate to erasure .
They recommended that the school ensure that the namesakes ’ histories , including what led to their names ’ removal , won ’ t be forgotten .
“ Unnaming is not an erasure of history , but a profound acknowledgment of history , a reckoning of the present with the past , ” said Raka Ray , dean of UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many of her division ’ s departments are housed in the former Barrows Hall .
“ The unnaming of Barrows represents this acknowledgement and pledges commitment to a future that Berkeley stands for , ” Ray said .
The university is considering plaques or explanatory pages on school websites to explain how the buildings received — and later lost — their names .

A member of a UC Berkeley work crew covers up the words “LeConte Hall” with a plank of oak to match the massive wooden doors on the academic building that has been known for nearly 100 years as Old LeConte Hall.
Two halls at UC Berkeley will have their names removed Wednesday in response to growing awareness of their namesakes’ controversial legacies, campus officials said.
For now, Barrows Hall will be referred to simply as the Social Sciences Building, while the two buildings that make up LeConte Hall will be known as Physics North and Physics South, according to a news release from the university. Their original namesakes were early, prominent members of the university faculty who also promoted racist rhetoric and colonialist ideas.
A process for selecting new, permanent names is in the works, officials said. They will continue to go by their “default” names until they receive new ones.
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“The decisions reflect a new urgency being felt by U.S. civic and higher education leaders to remove building names and monuments that memorialize individuals who expressed racist and dehumanizing views,” the university said.
Berkeley is the oldest campus in the University of California system and is home to several classical Beaux-Arts buildings and historic landmarks.
The move to “dename” the halls capped a formal review process that found the original names caused pain in the campus community and clashed with the school’s current mission and values, the university said. Chancellor Carol Christ and UC President Michael V. Drake both consented to the change.
The review process was spurred by two proposals submitted to the chancellor’s Building Name Review Committee in July by members of the UC community. The 12-member committee of students, faculty and staff members unanimously approved dropping the names.
“Our buildings should not be another reminder that we are and have long been despised,” said doctoral student Caleb E. Dawson, co-president of the Black Graduate Student Assn. “They should signal otherwise, and those signals should correspond with institutional norms, policies and practices that make us feel otherwise in our everyday lives.”
John and Joseph LeConte — the namesakes for the hall that houses the school’s physics department — were brothers from a slaveholding family who came to Berkeley in 1869, the school said.
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John was a professor of physics and chemistry who served as the university’s first acting president from 1869 to 1870 and again for five years beginning in 1875. Joseph was a professor of natural science and geology and served as president of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and of the Sierra Club, which he established with John Muir.
Both had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and were heirs to their family’s Georgia plantation, which had more than 200 enslaved people. Joseph, in particular, wrote several works “aimed at justifying, through pseudo-scientific language, the inferiority of African Americans,” the university said.
Of the 634 responses solicited by the committee about the proposal to rename LeConte Hall, 87% approved, according to the school.
“Both men made important academic contributions, but this does not undo or offset the harm done by their racism,” said UC Berkeley physics professor Frances Hellman, dean of the Division of Mathematical and Physical Science.
Hellman said the brothers disgraced science by allowing dangerous ideologies to become enmeshed with their work.
“This illustrates one of the many ways in which diversity of the scientific community is essential to good science,” she said, “and how much the quality of science is diminished without it.”
The committee’s letter said the faculty was catalyzed by the Black Lives Matter movement and acted in support of calls to action from student organizations on campus.
They were similarly decisive about David Prescott Barrows, whose hall houses departments such as sociology and ethnic studies.
Barrows served as UC president from 1919 to 1923 and was a faculty member for more than 30 years. But, the unnaming proposal said, his “words and actions were anti-Black, anti-Filipinx, anti-Indigenous, xenophobic and Anglocentric.”
“Unnamings are just the tip of the issue,” said Melissa Charles, UC Berkeley’s assistant director of African American student development who was a co-author of the proposal to unname Barrows Hall with her colleague, Takiyah Jackson. “They’re a step in the right direction — a necessary step, but a small step.”
The university’s Native American Advisory Committee also wrote in support of the unnaming, calling Barrows’ adherence to colonial ideology the foundation for “multiple violent policies and atrocities against Native Americans and Indigenous peoples around the globe.”
Ninety-five percent of the 518 responses solicited about Barrows Hall approved of the change.
The unnaming follows similar decisions made by UC Berkeley and other universities this year. In January, Boalt Hall at the UC Berkeley School of Law was denamed because of attorney John Henry Boalt’s racist writings, while USC removed the name of Rufus von KleinSmid, a prominent eugenicist, from one of its buildings in June.
Similarly, Joseph LeConte’s name was removed from a lodge in Yosemite National Park in 2015 and from an elementary school in 2017.
Calling the decision to remove the names a “testament to student advocacy,” undergraduate student representative for the Building Name Review Committee Victoria Vera said it had been disheartening to see the university honor men who “never imagined me as a student.”
“For me, it’s important to be in this battle to make sure that other folks like me that come afterward genuinely feel like this is their campus,” Vera said, “and like they belong here, no questions asked.”
But the Building Name Review Committee said the removal of the halls’ names should not equate to erasure. They recommended that the school ensure that the namesakes’ histories, including what led to their names’ removal, won’t be forgotten.
“Unnaming is not an erasure of history, but a profound acknowledgment of history, a reckoning of the present with the past,” said Raka Ray, dean of UC Berkeley’s Division of Social Sciences. Many of her division’s departments are housed in the former Barrows Hall.
“The unnaming of Barrows represents this acknowledgement and pledges commitment to a future that Berkeley stands for,” Ray said.
The university is considering plaques or explanatory pages on school websites to explain how the buildings received — and later lost — their names.