latimes--2020-12-08--Judge expected to put limit on L.A. County outdoor dining ban, but state order remains

A judge has limited Los Angeles County ’ s outdoor dining ban to three weeks , even as a state order will keep the restriction in place past Christmas , according to a tentative decision announced Tuesday .
Once the ban expires — on Dec. 16 — county public health officials must conduct a risk-benefit analysis to extend the closures , L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said in his decision .
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday .
Under a targeted stay-at-home order , which rolled out across most of California early Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county can not open at this time , ” Chalfant said in the decision .
“ Instead , the county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely.
” The ruling arrives nearly a week after Chalfant ordered the county to provide scientific evidence justifying the ban that went into effect Nov. 25 .
The initial ban was scheduled to last only three weeks but the county later made the restrictions indefinite , the judge said .
Swift backlash followed the ban , which was issued as coronavirus cases began to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spell the end for restaurants and bars already struggling during the pandemic .
Amid the outcry , the California Restaurant Assn .
sued to stop the ban , with a downtown L.A. restaurant , Engine Co. No .
28 , filing a similar suit .
The challengers hoped to stop the ban from going into effect , a request Chalfant has consistently rejected .
But Tuesday , Chalfant suggested the closure could not be open-ended .
On Wednesday , the judge said he would not issue any ruling that could adversely affect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said he wanted to give the county time to show concrete proof that health benefits outweigh the negative economic impacts of the dining ban .
As part of the risk analysis , the county could be expected “ to consider the economic cost of closing 30,000 restaurants , the impact to restaurant owners and their employees and the psychological and emotional cost to a public tired of the pandemic and seeking some form of enjoyment in their lives , ” Chalfant wrote in the decision .
“ You don ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said at last week ’ s hearing .
“ You have to talk about the benefit of keeping restaurants open .
”

Connley Peterson, left, Garrett Lambert, Erin Mazza and Teresa Frase toast while singing along to “Proud to Be an American” at Cronies sports bar and grill in Agoura Hills on Monday night.
A judge has limited Los Angeles County’s outdoor dining ban to three weeks, even as a state order will keep the restrictions in place past Christmas, according to a ruling issued Tuesday.
At a court hearing, the latest to address a pair of challenges to the ban, L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said county public health officials must conduct a risk-benefit analysis if they want to extend the ban past its current end date, Dec. 16.
“The county should be prevented from continuing the restaurant closure order indefinitely,” Chalfant said in the decision.
The county health department imposed a three-week ban as coronavirus cases began to soar. It went into effect Nov. 25, but was superseded late Sunday by a sweeping regional stay-at-home order that banned all in-person restaurant dining across most of California. Triggered when available intensive care unit capacity in a given region falls below 15%, the state order will last for at least three weeks.
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With the state order in effect, there is no immediate practical impact of the ruling. Outdoor dining will remain off limits. But it amounted to a rebuke of the county’s justification for imposing the ban.
“The issue here is, is shutting down outdoor dining going to help in any significant way, or is it just something to do?” Chalfant said at the court hearing.
Swift backlash followed the county ban, which opponents said could spell the end for restaurants and bars already struggling during the pandemic. The California Restaurant Assn. sued and a downtown L.A. restaruant, Engine Co. No. 28, sued separately to lift the ban.
At the hearing Tuesday, Chalfant said the county should consider the economic and psychological costs of closing more than 30,000 restaurants and assess whether the ban had the intended effect — easing the strained hospital system amid skyrocketing coronavirus cases.
“Is it going to help, or is it just a drop in the ocean of a much bigger problem?” Chalfant said at the hearing. “And I don’t know, it’s not my job to make that decision, it’s the public health officials’ job.”
The county’s attorney, Amnon Siegel, said his client “vehemently disagrees” with Chalfant’s ruling.
Siegel said the judge was asking for “some kind of analysis that puts a value on long-term illness and death,” adding, “That’s not even feasible.”
Siegel also said the court was overreaching by attempting to sway county health policy.
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“There is no admission by the county that they have failed to conduct the proper balancing analysis,” Siegel said. “They haven’t conducted the analysis that the court would like them to conduct, but the court’s not in the business of policymaking.”
Mark Geragos, owner of and attorney for the restaurant, called the county’s restrictions “political theater” and the county’s unwillingness to consider them an error, “intellectual shelter-in-place.”
“It has driven people to the point where they will not...expect guidance from the county because they know the guidance given to them by the county is absolutely baseless,” he said.
California L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges L.A. County public health officials on Saturday announced they will issue an order suspending outdoor dining at restaurants amid a surge of new coronavirus cases.
The judge last week had said he wanted to give the county time to show concrete proof that the health benefits outweigh the negative economic impacts of the dining ban.
Referencing a pair of studies from Japan and China, Chalfant on Tuesday said the results did not support that outdoor dining is more than a moderate risk “at best.”
Chalfant said the county made only “generalized” arguments that outdoor dining is inherently risky because patrons aren’t wearing masks and aren’t socially distancing. And he blasted American public health officials at all levels of government for not studying the specific risk of outdoor dining since the pandemic started.
Officials “in nine months have not seriously looked at outdoor dining, and then ... impose a restriction preventing outdoor dining,” he said. “That’s just shocking.”
Although he agreed that intensive care beds were dwindling, he said he thought it was possible to reconfigure hospitals to add more.
At a news conference Tuesday, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California health and human services secretary, declined to directly comment on Chalfant’s ruling.
The decision to close outdoor restaurant dining as well as other business sectors “really has to do with the goal of trying to keep people at home,” Ghaly said. “Now’s not the time to spend additional time outside of your household, potentially mixing with others, transmitting the illness far and wide.”
Staff writer Ron-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--California coronavirus cases spike to new daily high. 'This is the start of the Thanksgiving bump'

California has again demolished a daily record for newly confirmed coronavirus cases , continuing a relentless onslaught of infections that has already sent more people to the hospital than at any point during the pandemic .
The state reported 34,490 new daily coronavirus cases Monday , a figure stratospherically higher than any daily case count , according to data compiled by The Times .
So large is the gap between Monday ’ s report and the previous single-day record — set Friday , when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers , 12,121 , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the latest surge .
The record-shattering report coincides with when officials said they expected to begin seeing the consequences of travel and gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday .
The numbers also may foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city could be more the norm than the exception .
“ I would say this is the start of the Thanksgiving bump , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The latest increases , she said during a briefing Monday , “ reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we can ’ t take those actions back .
What we can do is change our actions today so that , two to three weeks from now , we ’ re not reporting a similarly disastrous cascade of events.
” Over the last week , California has averaged 22,220 new coronavirus cases per day — a 78 % increase from two weeks ago , according to The Times ’ county-by-county tally of infections .
The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infection has also soared in recent weeks .
California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , the latest state data show , up from the 14-day average of 8.4 % .
Officials are quick to note that cases themselves are not a byproduct of testing , because screenings merely confirm whether someone is already infected .
But the ballooning case count , combined with a greater proportion of tests coming back positive , makes clear that coronavirus transmission is widespread throughout the state , experts say .
The extent of infections in California is particularly troubling because about 12 % of those who test positive will fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks later .
If case counts remain high for an extended period of time , the worry is that hospitals will be inundated , stretching bed capacity and the ability for trained staff to care for the flood of new patients .
Overworked staff and overtaxed facilities threaten to erode the quality of care for everyone , not just those battling COVID-19 , officials say .
“ Unfortunately , we are shattering records , every day , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , the health officer for Santa Clara County .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cancel elective surgeries and other procedures in order to be able to care for the influx of COVID patients.
” There are now 10,567 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide , and 2,417 are in intensive care , state data show .
Both of those figures are all-time highs .
The current number of hospitalizations has doubled in less than three weeks .
“ I think everyone at this point really shares with me this deep concern about how do we make sure that people understand , if the numbers don ’ t start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I say are horrific scenarios that end up playing out , not just in our county , but across the state , ” Ferrer said .
Those , she said , would be “ where your morgue can get backed up , where you ’ re delaying care for people who really need care.
” Given all the distressing data points seen during the recent surge , one relatively bright spot had been that the most devastating metric — the number of deaths — had remained relatively low .
But that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has averaged 120 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week , a rate not seen in months , according to data compiled by The Times .
Nearly 1,300 Californians have died from COVID-19 in the last 14 days , Times data show .
Those deaths combined to push the state past a milestone Monday : 20,000 cumulative coronavirus-related fatalities .
It ’ s against this backdrop that Gov .
Gavin Newsom last week unveiled a fresh round of restrictions , to be implemented when a region ’ s available ICU capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order would require affected communities to limit most retail capacity to 20 % and close hair salons , nail salons , public outdoor playgrounds , card rooms , museums , zoos , aquariums and wineries .
Restaurants would be able to offer only takeout or delivery as indoor and outdoor dining would be banned .
“ Our message is : As much as you can , stay at home , ” Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s health and human services secretary , said during a briefing Tuesday .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we can bring our transmission rates down.
” As of Tuesday , two state-defined regions — Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley — had seen their available ICU capacities tumble low enough to trigger the order .
Those restrictions took hold at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in place for at least three weeks .
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco , Santa Clara , Contra Costa , Alameda and Marin — also announced last week that they would proactively implement the new restrictions and planned to keep them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Combined , those regions are home to some 33 million Californians , representing 84 % of the state ’ s population .
Ghaly said all residents — even those in areas not covered under a regional stay-at-home order — should heed the call .
“ Right now , we ’ re seeing such high levels of transmission that almost every activity — I should say every activity — that could be done differently and keep us at our home , not mixing with others , is safer , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools that help us get this under control.
” The Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services sent cellphone emergency alerts emphasizing that point to residents across Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday afternoon .
Ghaly added that he thinks the early move on the part of some Bay Area counties is a recognition “ that the sooner some of these changes go into effect , the hope is that the impact is greater and that we can shorten the time that these orders are in place.
” That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus .
Those who are hospitalized now were largely infected two to three weeks ago , when case counts , though high , were significantly lower than today .
“ We anticipate not just the ongoing slope of increase that we ’ ve seen now , [ but ] we are [ also ] worried about a rapidly accelerating increase and pressure on our hospitals , ” Ghaly said .
“ If we thought we were sort of peaking at this level , some of the regional stay-at-home orders may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week that cases stemming from “ dinner tables or activities and plans , travel through Thanksgiving , are going to show up right about now , ” and “ we know we ’ ll be seeing that for many days to come.
” Ferrer reiterated that point Tuesday , telling the L.A. County Board of Supervisors that “ we anticipate continuing to see these very high numbers of cases now as we ’ re moving into a reflection of actions people took over the Thanksgiving week.
” Though the latest numbers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic in California , officials emphasize that everyone — residents and businesses alike — can do their part to help stymie the surge .
Taking simple steps , such as wearing a mask in public , regularly washing your hands and staying home when you ’ re sick , as well as keeping distance from , and avoiding gatherings with , those outside your household can all make a significant dent , experts and officials say .
There ’ s also hope on the horizon , as the first COVID-19 vaccines are slated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Monday the state was planning to receive 2.16 million doses this month — with deliveries expected to start by next week .
Ferrer said L.A. County will likely get 84,000 doses of the vaccine in its first allocation from the state , possibly next week .
Health officials in Orange County said they expect to receive 25,350 doses next week .
“ COVID-19 isn ’ t over yet , ” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said in a statement Tuesday .
“ But this first batch of vaccines will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The priority for the initial wave of vaccines will be healthcare workers .
Though the next few weeks may be tough , it ’ s not too late to turn things around , Ferrer said .
“ While we know we ’ re going to see significant increases for the next two to three weeks , it can turn itself around at the moment we all start getting back into the game , ” she said Monday .
“ We don ’ t have to actually just say , ‘ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see an overwhelmed healthcare system.
’ ... We have time , but very little , to get ourselves to a place where that will not be the case.
” Times staff writers Jaclyn Cosgrove , Rong-Gong Lin II , Sean Greene and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report .

Medical assistant Ana Ivette Zacarias, 25, walks to her car to change clothes after working at South Central Family Health Center on Saturday in Los Angeles.
California on Tuesday shattered single-day records of coronavirus cases and deaths — 35,400 new infections, and 219 fatalities — by far the worst tallies of the entire pandemic.
Tuesday’s death toll edged out the previous single-day high for California, which was recorded on July 31, when 214 deaths were recorded, according to The Times’ independent county-by-county tally of cases. And Tuesday’s case count just eclipsed Monday’s record-breaking tally, 34,490 cases, which itself was stratospherically higher than any prior case count.
The latest tally means an average of 135 Californians have died each day over the last week — a number not seen since August — and nearly 25,000 people tested positive for the virus daily, a figure more than twice as bad as the peak of the summer surge.
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Monday’s tally of infections marked a particularly sizable jump from any other previous daily tally.
So large was the gap between Monday’s report and the previous single-day record — set Friday, when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers, 12,121, would have ranked among California’s highest totals before the latest surge.
The record-shattering report mirrors the consequences that officials had expected to see of travel and gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday. The numbers also may foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city could be more the norm than the exception.
“I would say this is the start of the Thanksgiving bump,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
The latest increases, she said during a briefing Monday, “reflect actions we took in late November, and we can’t take those actions back. What we can do is change our actions today so that, two to three weeks from now, we’re not reporting a similarly disastrous cascade of events.”
The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infection has also soared in recent weeks. California’s seven-day positivity rate is now 10.5%, the latest state data show, up from the 14-day average of 8.4%.
Officials are quick to note that cases themselves are not a byproduct of testing, because screenings merely confirm whether someone is already infected. But the ballooning case count, combined with a greater proportion of tests coming back positive, makes clear that coronavirus transmission is widespread throughout the state, experts say.
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The extent of infections in California is particularly troubling because about 12% of those who test positive will fall ill enough to require hospitalizations two to three weeks later. If case counts remain high for an extended period of time, the worry is that hospitals will be inundated, stretching bed capacity and the ability for trained staff to care for the flood of new patients.
Overworked staff and overtaxed facilities threaten to erode the quality of care for everyone, not just those battling COVID-19, officials say.
“Unfortunately, we are shattering records, every day,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the health officer for Santa Clara County. “Many of our hospitals have already elected to cancel elective surgeries and other procedures in order to be able to care for the influx of COVID patients.”
There are now 10,567 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide, and 2,417 are in intensive care, state data show. Both of those figures are all-time highs.
The current number of hospitalizations has doubled in less than three weeks.
“I think everyone at this point really shares with me this deep concern about how do we make sure that people understand, if the numbers don’t start to go down ... you look at what I say are horrific scenarios that end up playing out, not just in our county, but across the state,” Ferrer said.
Those, she said, would be “where your morgue can get backed up, where you’re delaying care for people who really need care.”
Given all the distressing data points seen during the recent surge, one relatively bright spot had been that the most devastating metric — the number of deaths — had remained relatively low. But that’s no longer the case.
The state has averaged 135 COVID-19 deaths a day over the last week, a rate not seen in months, according to data compiled by The Times.
Nearly 1,400 Californians have died from COVID-19 in the last 14 days, Times data show. Those deaths combined to push the state past a milestone Monday: 20,000 cumulative coronavirus-related fatalities.
It’s against this backdrop that Gov. Gavin Newsom last week unveiled a fresh round of restrictions, to be implemented when a region’s available ICU capacity drops below 15%.
The new stay-at-home order would require affected communities to limit most retail capacity to 20% and close hair salons, nail salons, public outdoor playgrounds, card rooms, museums, zoos, aquariums and wineries. Restaurants would be able to offer only takeout or delivery as indoor and outdoor dining would be banned.
“Our message is: As much as you can, stay at home,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, said during a briefing Tuesday. “We know that it works. We know that we can bring our transmission rates down.”
As of Tuesday, two state-defined regions — Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley — had seen their available ICU capacities tumble low enough to trigger the order. Those restrictions took hold at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in place for at least three weeks.
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin — also announced last week that they would proactively implement the new restrictions and planned to keep them in place until at least Jan. 4.
Combined, those regions are home to some 33 million Californians, representing 84% of the state’s population.
Ghaly said all residents — even those in areas not covered under a regional stay-at-home order — should heed the call.
“Right now, we’re seeing such high levels of transmission that almost every activity — I should say every activity — that could be done differently and keep us at our home, not mixing with others, is safer,” he said. “Those are going to be the tools that help us get this under control.”
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services sent cellphone emergency alerts emphasizing that point to residents across Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday afternoon.
Ghaly added that he thinks the early move on the part of some Bay Area counties is a recognition “that the sooner some of these changes go into effect, the hope is that the impact is greater and that we can shorten the time that these orders are in place.”
That’s particularly true given the lagging nature of the virus. Those who are hospitalized now were largely infected two to three weeks ago, when case counts, though high, were significantly lower than today.
“We anticipate not just the ongoing slope of increase that we’ve seen now, [but] we are [also] worried about a rapidly accelerating increase and pressure on our hospitals,” Ghaly said. “If we thought we were sort of peaking at this level, some of the regional stay-at-home orders may not have been necessary.”
Ghaly said earlier this week that cases stemming from “dinner tables or activities and plans, travel through Thanksgiving, are going to show up right about now,” and “we know we’ll be seeing that for many days to come.”
Ferrer reiterated that point Tuesday, telling the L.A. County Board of Supervisors that “we anticipate continuing to see these very high numbers of cases now as we’re moving into a reflection of actions people took over the Thanksgiving week.”
Though the latest numbers are painting an increasingly bleak picture of the pandemic in California, officials emphasize that everyone — residents and businesses alike — can do their part to help stymie the surge.
Taking simple steps, such as wearing a mask in public, regularly washing your hands and staying home when you’re sick, as well as keeping distance from, and avoiding gatherings with, those outside your household can all make a significant dent, experts and officials say.
There’s also hope on the horizon, as the first COVID-19 vaccines are slated to arrive in California shortly. Newsom said Monday the state was planning to receive 2.16 million doses this month — with deliveries expected to start by next week.
Ferrer said L.A. County will likely get 84,000 doses of the vaccine in its first allocation from the state, possibly next week.
Health officials in Orange County said they expect to receive 25,350 doses next week.
“COVID-19 isn’t over yet,” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said in a statement Tuesday. “But this first batch of vaccines will help stop the spread of the virus.”
The priority for the initial wave of vaccines will be healthcare workers.
Though the next few weeks may be tough, it’s not too late to turn things around, Ferrer said.
“While we know we’re going to see significant increases for the next two to three weeks, it can turn itself around at the moment we all start getting back into the game,” she said Monday. “We don’t have to actually just say, ‘This is inevitable. We’re going to see an overwhelmed healthcare system.’ ... We have time, but very little, to get ourselves to a place where that will not be the case.”
Times staff writers Andrea Roberson, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--Wind-toppled tree likely sparked Cornell fire in Ventura County as tens of thousands lose power

A large tree that toppled onto a power line Monday during gusty Santa Ana winds has been revealed as the likely ignition point of a brush fire in Ventura County .
Dubbed the Cornell fire , the blaze began shortly before noon in a river bottom near Santa Paula Airport .
It burned through 174 acres before fire crews halted its progress about five hours later , officials said .
The tree fell during dangerous fire weather conditions and red flag warnings indicating dry , gusty conditions across much of Southern California .
The Ventura County Fire Department shared an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been upended at its roots , in a post on Twitter , where they cited it as the source of the fire .
It ’ s precisely the kind of incident Southern California Edison was attempting to avoid with public safety power shutoffs , preemptive power cuts intended to prevent electrical equipment from sparking a blaze .
Edison spokesman Paul Griffo said Tuesday the company submitted an electric safety report to the California Public Utilities Commission about the Cornell fire , as required when the utility ’ s equipment is potentially involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicates that a tree fell over during a period of high winds onto SCE ’ s low-voltage wires in the area of the reported fire , ” Griffo said .
The report is intended to flag the regulatory agency so it can conduct its own investigation , Griffo said , and is not a concession that Edison equipment caused the fire or is at fault .
“ Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by wildfires this year , ” Griffo said .
“ Our top priority is the safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is why we continue to enhance our wildfire mitigation efforts through grid hardening , situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.
” Residents in areas where the power had been shut off were incensed by the outages , though .
“ People are suffering in my community , ” said East Simi Valley resident Stephan Reese , who has been without power since 8 a.m. Monday .
Reese said power outages were endangering medical patients who relied on oxygen , knocking out internet access for students during finals week and forcing residents out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed to be sheltering at home .
“ I can ’ t heat the house , ” he said .
“ We have no hot water , and we can ’ t leave.
” In a video shared on Facebook , Reese filmed several drivers speeding through a busy intersection where traffic lights were out because of the power outage .
He even captures one crash on camera .
“ How long until this is a fatality , Edison ?
” he asked in the video .
“ How long are you going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get killed ?
” Simi Valley resident Missy Bierend said she lost power around 10:30 a.m. Monday and was still in the dark Tuesday morning .
She ’ s experienced one other outage this year , she said , but knows several people who have had more — including those who were without power for more than 24 hours on Thanksgiving .
“ So many people , myself included , are working from home , and we rely on our power and our internet to make money , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for a service they aren ’ t consistently providing , when we ’ re losing wages and all of our refrigerated food because of their actions ?
” The groceries she bought over the weekend have already spoiled , she said .
Both Bierend and Reese pointed to Edison ’ s aging infrastructure and called the power shutoffs a stopgap solution in lieu of actual improvements and repairs .
“ This is so disruptive to so many lives , ” Bierend said .
More than 59,000 Southern Californians remain without power Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damaging winds continue to threaten a parched landscape .
An additional 147,000 customers across eight counties are under consideration for a shutoff as well .
Griffo said power would resume once the winds died down and crews could visually confirm it was safe to reenergize the lines .
Residents negatively affected by the shutoffs can file a claim on the company ’ s website , he said .
“ We make every effort , ” he said , “ to be as precise as we can in making the decision of what circuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the length and the number of shutoffs as minimal as possible.
” But red flag warnings will remain in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday in most of Southern California , including portions of Los Angeles , Ventura , Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo and Orange counties , the National Weather Service said , with gusts as high as 70 mph buffeting some mountain and foothill areas .
“ While winds are certainly the main weather story today , people may talk more about the temperatures , ” the weather service said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all coast and valley locations will have highs in the 80s , and there will likely be one or two 90-degree readings.
” Most coast and valley temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees above normal , officials said , contributing to bone-dry vegetation that can act as fuel for hungry flames .
In Orange County , firefighters turned a corner on the wind-whipped Bond fire , which has burned through 6,686 acres since igniting nearly a week ago .
As of Tuesday morning , it was 75 % contained , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Fire Authority .
Barta said the fire would be “ wind-tested ” Tuesday .
“ There ’ s hot spots that could flare up and cause the fire to expand , ” he said .
“ That ’ s why we still have quite a few crews on scene in position and still actively battling it , but we ’ ve definitely made a turn in the right direction .
”

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of the Cornell fire after about five hours Monday. The blaze started shortly before noon in a river bottom near Santa Paula Airport and burned 174 acres.
A large tree that toppled onto a power line Monday during gusty Santa Ana winds has been revealed as the likely ignition point of a brush fire in Ventura County.
Dubbed the Cornell fire, the blaze began shortly before noon in a river bottom near Santa Paula Airport. It burned through 174 acres before fire crews halted its progress about five hours later, officials said.
The tree fell during dangerous fire weather conditions and red flag warnings indicating dry, gusty conditions across much of Southern California.
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The Ventura County Fire Department shared an image of the downed tree, which had been upended at its roots, in a post on Twitter, where they cited it as the source of the fire.
It’s precisely the kind of incident Southern California Edison was attempting to avoid with public safety power shutoffs, preemptive power cuts intended to prevent electrical equipment from sparking a blaze.
Edison spokesman Paul Griffo said Tuesday the company submitted an electric safety report to the California Public Utilities Commission about the Cornell fire, as required when the utility’s equipment is potentially involved in an incident.
“Preliminary information indicates that a tree fell over during a period of high winds onto SCE’s low-voltage wires in the area of the reported fire,” Griffo said.
Business California looks to electricity shutoffs as a faster, cheaper wildfire solution Electric utilities are under increasing pressure to shut down power lines during dangerous weather conditions to stop fires from sparking.
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The report is intended to flag the regulatory agency so it can conduct its own investigation, Griffo said, and is not a concession that Edison equipment caused the fire or is at fault.
“Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by wildfires this year,” Griffo said. “Our top priority is the safety of customers, employees and communities, which is why we continue to enhance our wildfire mitigation efforts through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.”
Residents in areas where the power had been shut off were incensed by the outages, though.
“People are suffering in my community,” said East Simi Valley resident Stephan Reese, who has been without power since 8 a.m. Monday.
Reese said power outages were endangering medical patients who relied on oxygen, knocking out internet access for students during finals week and forcing residents out of their houses when they’re supposed to be sheltering at home.
“I can’t heat the house,” he said. “We have no hot water, and we can’t leave.”
In a video shared on Facebook, Reese filmed several drivers speeding through a busy intersection where traffic lights were out because of the power outage. He even captures one crash on camera.
“How long until this is a fatality, Edison?” he asked in the video. “How long are you going to let this go on before people get killed?”
Simi Valley resident Missy Bierend said she lost power around 10:30 a.m. Monday and was still in the dark Tuesday morning.
She’s experienced one other outage this year, she said, but knows several people who have had more — including those who were without power for more than 24 hours on Thanksgiving.
“So many people, myself included, are working from home, and we rely on our power and our internet to make money,” she said. “How do they expect us to pay them for a service they aren’t consistently providing, when we’re losing wages and all of our refrigerated food because of their actions?”
The groceries she bought over the weekend have already spoiled, she said.
Both Bierend and Reese pointed to Edison’s aging infrastructure and called the power shutoffs a stopgap solution in lieu of actual improvements and repairs.
“This is so disruptive to so many lives,” Bierend said.
More than 59,000 Southern Californians remain without power Tuesday morning, according to Edison, as damaging winds continue to threaten a parched landscape. An additional 147,000 customers across eight counties are under consideration for a shutoff as well.
Griffo said power would resume once the winds died down and crews could visually confirm it was safe to reenergize the lines. Residents negatively affected by the shutoffs can file a claim on the company’s website, he said.
“We make every effort,” he said, “to be as precise as we can in making the decision of what circuits to turn off so that we can make the length and the number of shutoffs as minimal as possible.”
But red flag warnings will remain in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday in most of Southern California, including portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Orange counties, the National Weather Service said, with gusts as high as 70 mph buffeting some mountain and foothill areas.
“While winds are certainly the main weather story today, people may talk more about the temperatures,” the weather service said in its Tuesday forecast. “Almost all coast and valley locations will have highs in the 80s, and there will likely be one or two 90-degree readings.”
Most coast and valley temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees above normal, officials said, contributing to bone-dry vegetation that can act as fuel for hungry flames.
In Orange County, firefighters turned a corner on the wind-whipped Bond fire, which has burned through 6,686 acres since igniting nearly a week ago.
As of Tuesday morning, it was 75% contained, according to Capt. Greg Barta of the Orange County Fire Authority.
Barta said the fire would be “wind-tested” Tuesday.
“There’s hot spots that could flare up and cause the fire to expand,” he said. “That’s why we still have quite a few crews on scene in position and still actively battling it, but we’ve definitely made a turn in the right direction.”


latimes--2020-12-08--In alarming shift, Latinos getting coronavirus at more than double rate of whites in L.A. County

Latino residents are bearing the brunt of an unprecedented surge in coronavirus infections , underscoring the racial and economic inequities the pandemic has had in California , and particularly in Los Angeles County .
In L.A. County , Latino residents are now becoming infected with the virus at more than double the rate of white residents , according to data .
The increase is a reversal in progress the county saw in the late summer and early fall as the disparity among racial and ethnic groups lessened and the overall spread of the virus flattened .
In August , county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths in the Latino and Black communities tumbled .
Now they are sounding new alarms .
“ It is very clear and quite alarming that certain groups are once again bearing a greater burden than others , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said recently .
“ The gaps between race and ethnicity groups , where we made a lot of progress in closing in September , have now once again dramatically widened , particularly for our Latino residents .
All groups , as you ’ ll see , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities are at higher risk for the illness for several reasons .
They tend to be essential workers who must go to retail stores , manufacturing plants and other sites rather than working from home .
That puts them at a great risk of contracting the virus .
Some Latino neighborhoods are more densely populated , making the virus easier to spread .
By mid-November , the age-adjusted daily case rate among Latino residents was about 274 cases per 100,000 , more than double the case rate among white residents , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are adjusted to account for age differences among racial and ethnic groups provide more meaningful comparisons , according to epidemiologists . )
The gap had been less pronounced before the latest surge hit .
Latino and Black residents have disproportionately higher rates of hospitalization for COVID-19 than white residents .
Latino residents were nearly three times as likely , and Black residents nearly twice as likely , to be hospitalized after contracting the virus as white residents .
While 9 of every 100,000 white residents were hospitalized for the most recent weeklong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate of weekly hospitalizations was 15 for every 100,000 Black residents and 24 for every 100,000 Latino residents .
In recent weeks , the COVID-19 death rate has jumped among Latino and Black residents .
Among white and Asian American residents , the death rate as of mid-November has been fairly stable .
Latino residents had a daily age-adjusted death rate of 3 deaths per 100,000 ; among Black residents , the rate was 1.7 deaths per 100,000 ; among Asian American residents , it was 1.2 deaths per 100,000 ; and among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The chances of infection and death from COVID-19 also remain disproportionately higher among residents living in impoverished areas of Los Angeles County .
Those living in the poorest areas of L.A. County had a 65 % higher rate of contracting the virus than those in wealthier areas .
For a seven-day period in mid-November , people in areas with the highest poverty levels had an age-adjusted rate of 364 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents , while those living in the wealthiest areas reported a rate of 221 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in impoverished areas .
“ As overall deaths have begun to increase , we see that people in the lowest-resource areas are bearing a great deal of this burden , ” Ferrer said .
“ Death rates among people and communities with high rates of poverty is around three times that of people living in areas where there are more resources.
” Five of the 25 communities with the highest infection rates in L.A. County are in the northeast San Fernando Valley — in ZIP codes with high rates of crowded housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers of essential workers who are at prime risk of infection .
A statewide Times analysis showed that other heavily Latino areas are also among the hardest hit by the pandemic .
Such communities along the 10 Freeway corridor in San Bernardino County have some of the state ’ s highest case rates , including in Bloomington , Colton , Fontana , Montclair , Rialto and San Bernardino , as well as those in the high desert , such as Adelanto , Hesperia and Victorville .
The same demographics are playing out across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Diego and Imperial counties , such as Calexico and San Ysidro ; in agricultural communities in the Central Valley and Coachella Valley ; and in a community in Berkeley , where an outbreak has spread among hundreds of workers at the Golden Gate Fields racetrack .
California has recorded more than 20,000 COVID-19 deaths .
Latino residents account for nearly half of those , even though they represent only 38 % of the state ’ s population , according to state data .
They also represent 58 % of total coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that workplaces properly enact COVID-19 safety protocols , such as at manufacturing and food processing plants and grocery and retail stores .
“ Those on the frontlines keeping healthcare facilities open , transportation and energy systems working and making sure that we are safe ought not to be asked , once again , to bear the brunt of rampant community transmission , ” Ferrer said .
On Monday , she released data showing that less than 60 % of workplaces visited by inspectors during a recent week were fully compliant with COVID-19 safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 61 % of restaurants and bars visited between Nov. 25 and Thursday complied with coronavirus rules : 71 % of gyms were in compliance , as were 69 % of retail stores and indoor malls , 48 % of food markets and 46 % of hotels .
None of the 14 garment manufacturers visited by the county was in full compliance .
Violations included workers and customers not wearing masks , and a failure to follow physical distancing and cleaning requirements , Ferrer said .
The reality of COVID-19 in the Latino community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual Virgen de Guadalupe procession and Mass .
There were still floats and celebrations , but the format was changed to avoid crowds and encourage social distancing .
This year ’ s procession — in San Gabriel — was the first held outside Los Angeles and the first in years to be relocated from Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in East L.A. , in part to discourage large crowds .
Mass was limited to 120 in-person , physically distanced participants , but it was also livestreamed to 5,800 viewers , the Roman Catholic Archdiocese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was more important to be involved in the event , even if changes had to be made to keep people safe .
“ This has been a crazy year , and we needed this , ” said Hernandez , 19 , whose parish is St. Dominic Savio in Bellflower .
“ We have a chance to escape our house for a little while , but also to be safe and honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.
” Added Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez : “ This year , it was particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Virgen de Guadalupe because she is the mother of healing and hope .
”

Rong-Gong Lin II, Andrew J. Campa, Luke Money

In this Nov. 19, 2020, file photo, EMT Giselle Dorgalli, second from right, looks at a monitor while performing chest compression on a patient who tested positive for coronavirus in the emergency room at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills section of Los Angeles.
Latino residents are bearing the brunt of an unprecedented surge in coronavirus infections, underscoring the racial and economic inequities the pandemic has had in California, and particularly in Los Angeles County.
In L.A. County, Latino residents are now becoming infected with the virus at more than double the rate of white residents, according to data.
The increase is a reversal in progress the county saw in the late summer and early fall as the disparity among racial and ethnic groups lessened and the overall spread of the virus flattened. In August, county officials expressed optimism as COVID-19 infection rates and deaths in the Latino and Black communities tumbled. Now they are sounding new alarms.
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“It is very clear and quite alarming that certain groups are once again bearing a greater burden than others,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said recently. “The gaps between race and ethnicity groups, where we made a lot of progress in closing in September, have now once again dramatically widened, particularly for our Latino residents. All groups, as you’ll see, are in fact experiencing increases.”
Latino communities are at higher risk for the illness for several reasons. They tend to be essential workers who must go to retail stores, manufacturing plants and other sites rather than working from home. That puts them at a great risk of contracting the virus. Some Latino neighborhoods are more densely populated, making the virus easier to spread.
By mid-November, the age-adjusted daily case rate among Latino residents was about 274 cases per 100,000, more than double the case rate among white residents, which was 125 cases per 100,000. (Statistics that are adjusted to account for age differences among racial and ethnic groups provide more meaningful comparisons, according to epidemiologists.)
The gap had been less pronounced before the latest surge hit.
L.A. County daily coronavirus cases by race and ethnicity
(Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
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Latino and Black residents have disproportionately higher rates of hospitalization for COVID-19 than white residents.
Latino residents were nearly three times as likely, and Black residents nearly twice as likely, to be hospitalized after contracting the virus as white residents. While 9 of every 100,000 white residents were hospitalized for the most recent weeklong period available, in mid-November, the rate of weekly hospitalizations was 15 for every 100,000 Black residents and 24 for every 100,000 Latino residents.
Latino and Black residents were more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than white residents of L.A. County. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
In recent weeks, the COVID-19 death rate has jumped among Latino and Black residents. Among white and Asian American residents, the death rate as of mid-November has been fairly stable.
Latino residents had a daily age-adjusted death rate of 3 deaths per 100,000; among Black residents, the rate was 1.7 deaths per 100,000; among Asian American residents, it was 1.2 deaths per 100,000; and among white residents, 0.91 death per 100,000.
The death rate among Latino and Black residents in L.A. County is higher than that of white residents for COVID-19. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health )
The chances of infection and death from COVID-19 also remain disproportionately higher among residents living in impoverished areas of Los Angeles County.
Those living in the poorest areas of L.A. County had a 65% higher rate of contracting the virus than those in wealthier areas. For a seven-day period in mid-November, people in areas with the highest poverty levels had an age-adjusted rate of 364 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents, while those living in the wealthiest areas reported a rate of 221 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents.
Coronavirus cases were more likely to occur among people living in the poorest areas of L.A. County. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
Death rates are also worsening among people in impoverished areas.
“As overall deaths have begun to increase, we see that people in the lowest-resource areas are bearing a great deal of this burden,” Ferrer said. “Death rates among people and communities with high rates of poverty is around three times that of people living in areas where there are more resources.”
The COVID-19 death rate for people living in the lowest income areas of L.A. County is higher than those living in wealthier areas. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
Five of the 25 communities with the highest infection rates in L.A. County are in the northeast San Fernando Valley — in ZIP codes with high rates of crowded housing and areas that are home to large numbers of essential workers who are at prime risk of infection.
A statewide Times analysis showed that other heavily Latino areas are also among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Such communities along the 10 Freeway corridor in San Bernardino County have some of the state’s highest case rates, including in Bloomington, Colton, Fontana, Montclair, Rialto and San Bernardino, as well as those in the high desert, such as Adelanto, Hesperia and Victorville.
The same demographics are playing out across the state: In border communities in San Diego and Imperial counties, such as Calexico and San Ysidro; in agricultural communities in the Central Valley and Coachella Valley; and in a community in Berkeley, where an outbreak has spread among hundreds of workers at the Golden Gate Fields racetrack.
California has recorded more than 20,000 COVID-19 deaths. Latino residents account for nearly half of those, even though they represent only 38% of the state’s population, according to state data. They also represent 58% of total coronavirus cases.
Ferrer said it’s imperative that workplaces properly enact COVID-19 safety protocols, such as at manufacturing and food processing plants and grocery and retail stores.
“Those on the frontlines keeping healthcare facilities open, transportation and energy systems working and making sure that we are safe ought not to be asked, once again, to bear the brunt of rampant community transmission,” Ferrer said.
On Monday, she released data showing that less than 60% of workplaces visited by inspectors during a recent week were fully compliant with COVID-19 safety rules.
Only 59% of businesses visited by L.A. County inspectors between Nov. 25 and Thursday were found to be in full compliance with COVID-19 safety measures. (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
In L.A. County, only 61% of restaurants and bars visited between Nov. 25 and Thursday complied with coronavirus rules: 71% of gyms were in compliance, as were 69% of retail stores and indoor malls, 48% of food markets and 46% of hotels. None of the 14 garment manufacturers visited by the county was in full compliance.
Violations included workers and customers not wearing masks, and a failure to follow physical distancing and cleaning requirements, Ferrer said.
California Coronavirus changes everything about Virgen de Guadalupe procession but participants’ devotion Nearly everything about Sunday’s 89th annual Virgen de Guadalupe procession and Mass was different from the year before: a new location, at the San Gabriel Mission, a scant crowd and social distancing.
The reality of COVID-19 in the Latino community was on display Sunday at the 89th annual Virgen de Guadalupe procession and Mass. There were still floats and celebrations, but the format was changed to avoid crowds and encourage social distancing.
This year’s procession — in San Gabriel — was the first held outside Los Angeles and the first in years to be relocated from Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in East L.A., in part to discourage large crowds.
Mass was limited to 120 in-person, physically distanced participants, but it was also livestreamed to 5,800 viewers, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles said.
Margarita Hernandez said it was more important to be involved in the event, even if changes had to be made to keep people safe.
“This has been a crazy year, and we needed this,” said Hernandez, 19, whose parish is St. Dominic Savio in Bellflower. “We have a chance to escape our house for a little while, but also to be safe and honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Added Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez: “This year, it was particularly important to continue this beautiful tradition celebrating the Virgen de Guadalupe because she is the mother of healing and hope.”
Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--KCRW names Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez new 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' co-hosts

Longtime radio tastemaker KCRW-FM ( 89.9 ) has announced a new host for its flagship morning show , “ Morning Becomes Eclectic , ” but instead of one voice , the left-of-the-dial stalwart has called in a tag team .
Starting at the beginning of 2021 , weekend hosts Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez will join forces to take over the show for music director Anne Litt , who has hosted since Jason Bentley departed at the end of 2019 .
The pairing is uniquely Californian .
Carmel , 38 , is the youngest daughter of soul and funk hitmaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a radio DJ in San Francisco in the mid-1960s before forming his band the Family Stone .
She moved from Sausalito to Los Angeles to attend UCLA when she was 18 , and has been a singer with acts such as BabyStone and Wallpaper .
For the last 14 years , Carmel has been a concert booker and DJ .
She joined the on-air staff of KCRW in 2018 .
Valadez , 42 , grew up in the Valley learning about music through KCRW ’ s late-night sounds .
A beat producer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ label Plug Research , Valadez is a turntablist and vinyl collector who parlayed that passion into hosting a TV show , “ Cratediggers , ” on Fuse TV .
As a remixer , he ’ s done official reworkings of tracks by David Bowie , Ozomatli and Local Natives .
Litt , the station ’ s program director of music , said the pair felt like a natural for “ Morning Becomes Eclectic , ” which has been airing continually for more than 40 years .
“ Novena and Anthony are idea machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Litt via email .
“ They brim with positivity and collaborative energy and come at music from different perspectives — different , yet symbiotic.
” The pair will add a sixth chapter to a show that has been helmed since its birth in the late 1970s by Litt , Bentley , Nic Harcourt , Chris Douridas and Tom Schnabel .
It will also mark a pair of firsts for the Santa Monica-based station : Valadez will be the first Latino and Carmel the first Black host of “ Morning Becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Valadez said institutions such as KCRW “ need perspectives from different socioeconomic places and races .
I ’ m glad it ’ s happening and I ’ m glad we ’ re talking about it .
This is something that ’ s been long overdue.
” Added Litt : “ The issue of representation is foremost on KCRW ’ s mind .
All of the candidates for this job were people of color .
And we have absolutely found the best possible people for this position.
” The format of the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will evolve , said Litt , both due to the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hosts ’ personalities .
She said that even before she joined on as the station ’ s head of music programming last year , she had ideas for the show .
“ I knew that if I ever had that opportunity , I ’ d like to reimagine ‘ MBE ’ and the way the show interacts with our listeners and fans over multiple platforms.
” She added that her vision for the show “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , incorporating the voices and perspectives of our hosts , and amplifying the expertise of our entire community of DJs.
” Valadez said he ’ s wanted to host “ Morning Becomes Eclectic ” since he was a teenager , and will dedicate himself to bringing his Los Angeles experience to the show .
“ I want listeners to hear the show and smell the taco shops on Sunset Boulevard .
I really want to bring L.A. to the world.
” Adds Carmel of her approach : “ Whenever I create , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s happening in the world and in culture .
Always being open to that will make what you ’ re doing relevant to people.
” Those curious about her tastes can get a sense through playlists of her recent weekend shows .
Across November she mixed new and old music from acts such as Azymuth , Parliament-Funkadelic , King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard , Eliza Soares , Earthgang , Odetta , Brittany Howard , Chicano Batman and Millie Jackson .
Valedez ’ s recent on-air sets have featured tracks from Kate Tempest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Y La Bamba , Pete Rock , Prince , Ambar Lucid , Tokimonsta and Gabriel Garzon-Montano .
The announcement comes during a tough 2020 for KCRW .
Like most media companies , the Santa Monica College-owned NPR affiliate has been hit hard by drops in sponsorship and underwriting money .
In the summer , management accepted buyouts from more than two dozen employees and laid off four others .
The reductions came a few months after producers and DJs signed their first union contract with the station .
Last year the station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility on the college campus , but it ’ s been virtually empty since the pandemic forced most station employees to work from home .

Longtime radio tastemaker KCRW-FM (89.9) has announced a new host for its flagship morning show, “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” but instead of one voice, the left-of-the-dial stalwart has called in a tag team.
Starting at the beginning of 2021, weekend hosts Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez will join forces to take over the show for music director Anne Litt, who has hosted since Jason Bentley departed at the end of 2019.
For the record: An earlier version of this story wrongly identified Anthony Valadez’s relationship with the label Plug Research. He issued music on the imprint, but did not found it.
The pairing is uniquely Californian. Carmel, 38, is the youngest daughter of soul and funk hitmaker Sly Stone, who got his start as a radio DJ in San Francisco in the mid-1960s before forming his band the Family Stone. She moved from Sausalito to Los Angeles to attend UCLA when she was 18, and has been a singer with acts such as BabyStone and Wallpaper. For the last 14 years, Carmel has been a concert booker and DJ. She joined the on-air staff of KCRW in 2018.
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Valadez, 42, grew up in the Valley learning about music through KCRW’s late-night sounds. A beat producer who issued records on the L.A. electronic label Plug Research, Valadez is a turntablist and vinyl collector who parlayed that passion into hosting a TV show, “Cratediggers,” on Fuse TV. As a remixer, he’s done official reworkings of tracks by David Bowie, Ozomatli and Local Natives.
Litt, the station’s program director of music, said the pair felt like a natural for “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” which has been airing continually for more than 40 years. “Novena and Anthony are idea machines on every platform, not just radio,” said Litt via email. “They brim with positivity and collaborative energy and come at music from different perspectives — different, yet symbiotic.”
The pair will add a sixth chapter to a show that has been helmed since its birth in the late 1970s by Litt, Bentley, Nic Harcourt, Chris Douridas and Tom Schnabel. It will also mark a pair of firsts for the Santa Monica-based station: Valadez will be the first Latino and Carmel the first Black host of “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”
Asked about these historic firsts, Valadez said institutions such as KCRW “need perspectives from different socioeconomic places and races. I’m glad it’s happening and I’m glad we’re talking about it. This is something that’s been long overdue.”
Added Litt: “The issue of representation is foremost on KCRW’s mind. All of the candidates for this job were people of color. And we have absolutely found the best possible people for this position.”
The format of the show, which has long included live sets, will evolve, said Litt, both due to the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hosts’ personalities. She said that even before she joined on as the station’s head of music programming last year, she had ideas for the show. “I knew that if I ever had that opportunity, I’d like to reimagine ‘MBE’ and the way the show interacts with our listeners and fans over multiple platforms.” She added that her vision for the show “is that it extends well past noon, incorporating the voices and perspectives of our hosts, and amplifying the expertise of our entire community of DJs.”
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Valadez said he’s wanted to host “Morning Becomes Eclectic” since he was a teenager, and will dedicate himself to bringing his Los Angeles experience to the show. “I want listeners to hear the show and smell the taco shops on Sunset Boulevard. I really want to bring L.A. to the world.”
Adds Carmel of her approach: “Whenever I create, I like taking the temperature of what’s happening in the world and in culture. Always being open to that will make what you’re doing relevant to people.”
Those curious about her tastes can get a sense through playlists of her recent weekend shows. Across November she mixed new and old music from acts such as Azymuth, Parliament-Funkadelic, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Eliza Soares, Earthgang, Odetta, Brittany Howard, Chicano Batman and Millie Jackson. Valedez’s recent on-air sets have featured tracks from Kate Tempest, Steve Lacy, Sault, Khruangbin, Y La Bamba, Pete Rock, Prince, Ambar Lucid, Tokimonsta and Gabriel Garzon-Montano.
The announcement comes during a tough 2020 for KCRW. Like most media companies, the Santa Monica College-owned NPR affiliate has been hit hard by drops in sponsorship and underwriting money. In the summer, management accepted buyouts from more than two dozen employees and laid off four others. The reductions came a few months after producers and DJs signed their first union contract with the station. Last year the station moved into its new $38-million media facility on the college campus, but it’s been virtually empty since the pandemic forced most station employees to work from home.


latimes--2020-12-09--COVID-19 hit Latinos hard. Now officials must build trust around vaccine in the community

Silvia Orellana knows how serious COVID-19 is .
She sees its destructive steps every time she looks outside her perfume shop in Huntington Park , where the foot traffic has dwindled to almost nothing .
The 45-year-old recently thought she had contracted the coronavirus , but it turned out to be the flu .
Despite her fears — both personal and economic — she ’ s resolute on her feelings about a COVID vaccine : “ Yo no me lo pondria.
” “ I wouldn ’ t get it.
” Three years ago , Orellana dealt with a fever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting a flu shot .
She doesn ’ t want to take chances on another vaccine .
It ’ s a sentiment echoed by Latinos up and down Pacific Boulevard , where cheery red and green holiday decorations contrast with shuttered storefronts .
And it angers Berta Calderon , who works across the street from Orellana in her store , Los Cuatro Sabios .
A friend she ’ s known for 25 years died of COVID-19 in June .
Children in her catechism class lost parents .
There are days her business barely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
In Calderon ’ s landscape of heartache and loss , every face is Latino , reflecting the warpath of a disease that has affected this group more than any other in California .
“ It ’ s necessary that we get vaccinated , ” the 65-year-old said .
“ I ’ m going to get it as soon as I can.
” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious-disease expert , has warned that the pandemic will continue to disrupt lives unless the “ overwhelming majority ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of creating vaccines has happened with extraordinary speed , he said , it has not been “ at the expense of safety and scientific integrity.
” But as states plan for vaccine distribution , an all-too-important question has arisen : How many people will take it ?
That question might prove especially pivotal for groups that have seen the highest casualty rates from COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m concerned more about vaccines for different demographic groups that normally are reluctant to get vaccinated , like the minority communities , ” Fauci said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In California , the plight of Latino residents looms especially large .
They make up about 40 % of the state ’ s population , but represent 58 % of its COVID cases and 48 % of its deaths from the virus .
They also account for a disproportionate number of “ essential workers , ” who are more exposed to the coronavirus , which has swept through fields , meatpacking plants and construction sites .
In L.A. County , Latino residents are now becoming infected with the virus at more than double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
California ’ s fate , to no small degree , rests on how Latino residents fare during and after this pandemic .
Around half of the state ’ s Latino population said they would probably or definitely take a COVID vaccine , according to an October survey by the Public Policy Institute of California .
Fewer than 30 % of Black people said the same .
Experts say vaccine hesitancy will likely decrease as more people get it .
( Nationally , a higher percentage of the Latino population than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — though not in California ) .
“ In communities of color in particular , there is a real history of abuse by the medical system that creates a potentially higher level of skepticism .
And yet that is the population that ’ s also at increased risk of COVID , and increased risk of getting very sick and dying , ” said Dr. Robert Wachter , chair of the Department of Medicine at UC San Francisco .
“ We don ’ t get back to normal as a society until 70 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus , ” he said , “ and you just can ’ t get to 70 % unless a lot of people that are a little skeptical about it are convinced to take it.
” President-elect Joe Biden ’ s pick of California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra to be the next Health and Human Services secretary could help build trust within the Latino community .
If confirmed , Becerra would be the first Latino to hold the office .
The health secretary oversees the Food and Drug Administration and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of the agencies at the forefront of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
On a recent Friday morning in Uptown Whittier , Adriana Gomez directed each shopper to a hand-washing station near the entrance to the farmers ’ market .
Vendors , many of them Latino , loaded tables with kettle corn , Mexican oregano and boxes of oranges , grapes and pomegranates .
Gomez , whose parents are high risk , plans on getting vaccinated .
But her father-in-law , who believes that hospitals are only after his money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you decided , ‘ I ’ m not gon na take the shot , ’ you have to understand you can impact thousands .
It ’ s a domino effect , ” Gomez said .
“ We have to really think about , ‘ how do we get it out to the people that it ’ s safe to take this , and that you have to for this to stop ?
’ '' Magda Navarro , who was selling kettle corn under a red tent , said her parents aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t rush to get it .
Navarro , who wore a black candy cane mask , said she likely wouldn ’ t get vaccinated even if she saw good results for others .
“ I ’ ve never taken the flu shot , ” the 39-year-old said by way of explanation .
“ I hardly ever get sick.
” A couple of vendors over , Uriel Ibarra — who stood behind tables laden with dragon fruit , mandarins and grapes — was on the fence .
The 36-year-old grew frustrated after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three , but said he ’ d likely wait to see what the vaccine ’ s side effects were before getting it himself .
Wachter said he believes the number of people who ultimately get vaccinated “ will be better than we fear ” as people see their sport heroes , doctors and others do so .
“ They are going to see that those people now feel much more comfortable going out and about and are living their life with less anxiety , ” he said .
“ They may over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are allowed on an airplane or allowed to go into a workplace .
...
It ’ s not at all inconceivable that there will become places where you can go if you ’ ve been vaccinated and you can ’ t go if you ’ re not.
” In the state ’ s interim COVID-19 vaccination plan — submitted to the CDC — the California Department of Public Health said that “ extensive public and stakeholder engagement is already underway , with a focus on tailoring messages to key populations and vulnerable communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public health and in the COVID-19 vaccine.
” The plan referenced partnering with community-based organizations , employers , public and private health plans and faith-based groups .
“ It is going to take a while to build the trust that is needed for people to get the vaccine , ” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan , executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network , a health advocacy organization .
“ And to do that , we are going to have to enlist our trusted community messengers ... to talk to people about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how we ’ ve studied the safety and efficacy of the vaccine to provide people with real , trusted , scientifically based information about it.
” The COVID Collaborative , a coalition of experts in health , education and the economy , recently announced a public education campaign to convince people to get vaccinated .
A national poll conducted by the COVID Collaborative , NAACP , UnidosUS , and Langer Research found that 14 % of Black people and 34 % of Latinos trust that a vaccine will be safe .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ leverage voices from within the Latinx community ” and reinforce the notion that taking the vaccine is “ a responsibility that helps the Latinx community at large.
” Building trust and being “ part of the solution ” is what drove National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis to enter the UC San Diego Health COVID-19 vaccine trial last month .
“ As a Latina , as somebody who believes in science , believes in vaccines , I think it ’ s important to continue reaffirming that , ” Sotelo-Solis said.
” I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position to where I can say , ‘ Look , I went through the process , and this is what you can expect.
’ ” Her decision to join the trial was met with skepticism by some of her relatives .
They questioned why it had to be her .

Silvia Orellana fears COVID-19, but said she wouldn’t get a vaccine, citing her negative experience with a flu shot.
Silvia Orellana knows how serious COVID-19 is. She sees its destructive steps every time she looks outside her perfume shop in Huntington Park, where the foot traffic has dwindled to almost nothing.
The 45-year-old recently thought she had contracted the coronavirus, but it turned out to be the flu. Despite her fears — both personal and economic — she’s resolute on her feelings about a COVID vaccine: “Yo no me lo pondria.” “I wouldn’t get it.”
Three years ago, Orellana dealt with a fever, chills and pain in her bones after getting a flu shot. She doesn’t want to take chances on another vaccine.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Latinos up and down Pacific Boulevard, where cheery red and green holiday decorations contrast with shuttered storefronts. And it angers Berta Calderon, who works across the street from Orellana in her store, Los Cuatro Sabios. A friend she’s known for 25 years died of COVID-19 in June. Children in her catechism class lost parents. There are days her business barely makes $10 because of the unceasing pandemic.
In Calderon’s landscape of heartache and loss, every face is Latino, reflecting the warpath of a disease that has affected this group more than any other in California.
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“It’s necessary that we get vaccinated,” the 65-year-old said. “I’m going to get it as soon as I can.”
“It’s necessary that we get vaccinated,” Berta Calderon said. “I’m going to get it as soon as I can.”
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, has warned that the pandemic will continue to disrupt lives unless the “overwhelming majority” of Americans get vaccinated. While the process of creating vaccines has happened with extraordinary speed, he said, it has not been “at the expense of safety and scientific integrity.”
But as states plan for vaccine distribution, an all-too-important question has arisen: How many people will take it? That question might prove especially pivotal for groups that have seen the highest casualty rates from COVID-19.
“I’m concerned more about vaccines for different demographic groups that normally are reluctant to get vaccinated, like the minority communities,” Fauci said during a Facebook livestream last week.
In California, the plight of Latino residents looms especially large. They make up about 40% of the state’s population, but represent 58% of its COVID cases and 48% of its deaths from the virus.
A clinic offers flu shots on Pacific Boulevard in Huntington Park. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
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They also account for a disproportionate number of “essential workers,” who are more exposed to the coronavirus, which has swept through fields, meatpacking plants and construction sites.
In L.A. County, Latino residents are now becoming infected with the virus at more than double the rate of white residents, data show.
California’s fate, to no small degree, rests on how Latino residents fare during and after this pandemic.
Around half of the state’s Latino population said they would probably or definitely take a COVID vaccine, according to an October survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. Fewer than 30% of Black people said the same. Experts say vaccine hesitancy will likely decrease as more people get it. (Nationally, a higher percentage of the Latino population than the white one said they would get vaccinated — though not in California).
“In communities of color in particular, there is a real history of abuse by the medical system that creates a potentially higher level of skepticism. And yet that is the population that’s also at increased risk of COVID, and increased risk of getting very sick and dying,” said Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at UC San Francisco.
“We don’t get back to normal as a society until 70% or so of the population is immune to the virus,” he said, “and you just can’t get to 70% unless a lot of people that are a little skeptical about it are convinced to take it.”
A woman uses the hand-washing station at a farmers market in Whittier. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
President-elect Joe Biden’s pick of California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to be the next Health and Human Services secretary could help build trust within the Latino community. If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino to hold the office.
The health secretary oversees the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two of the agencies at the forefront of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a recent Friday morning in Uptown Whittier, Adriana Gomez directed each shopper to a hand-washing station near the entrance to the farmers’ market. Vendors, many of them Latino, loaded tables with kettle corn, Mexican oregano and boxes of oranges, grapes and pomegranates.
Gomez, whose parents are high risk, plans on getting vaccinated. But her father-in-law, who believes that hospitals are only after his money, does not.
“Just because you decided, ‘I’m not gonna take the shot,’ you have to understand you can impact thousands. It’s a domino effect,” Gomez said. “We have to really think about, ‘how do we get it out to the people that it’s safe to take this, and that you have to for this to stop?’”
Magda Navarro at her kettle korn stand at the farmers market in Whittier. Navarro said she will not take the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Magda Navarro, who was selling kettle corn under a red tent, said her parents aren’t opposed to the vaccine but that they wouldn’t rush to get it. Navarro, who wore a black candy cane mask, said she likely wouldn’t get vaccinated even if she saw good results for others.
“I’ve never taken the flu shot,” the 39-year-old said by way of explanation. “I hardly ever get sick.”
A couple of vendors over, Uriel Ibarra — who stood behind tables laden with dragon fruit, mandarins and grapes — was on the fence. The 36-year-old grew frustrated after his work week dropped from six days to three, but said he’d likely wait to see what the vaccine’s side effects were before getting it himself.
Wachter said he believes the number of people who ultimately get vaccinated “will be better than we fear” as people see their sport heroes, doctors and others do so.
“They are going to see that those people now feel much more comfortable going out and about and are living their life with less anxiety,” he said. “They may over time begin to see that those people are allowed on an airplane or allowed to go into a workplace. ... It’s not at all inconceivable that there will become places where you can go if you’ve been vaccinated and you can’t go if you’re not.”
People walk past Orellana’s Perfumes in Huntington Park. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
In the state’s interim COVID-19 vaccination plan — submitted to the CDC — the California Department of Public Health said that “extensive public and stakeholder engagement is already underway, with a focus on tailoring messages to key populations and vulnerable communities to ensure maximum vaccine acceptance and trust in public health and in the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The plan referenced partnering with community-based organizations, employers, public and private health plans and faith-based groups.
“It is going to take a while to build the trust that is needed for people to get the vaccine,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, a health advocacy organization. “And to do that, we are going to have to enlist our trusted community messengers ... to talk to people about what the vaccine is, how it works, how we’ve studied the safety and efficacy of the vaccine to provide people with real, trusted, scientifically based information about it.”
The COVID Collaborative, a coalition of experts in health, education and the economy, recently announced a public education campaign to convince people to get vaccinated.
A national poll conducted by the COVID Collaborative, NAACP, UnidosUS, and Langer Research found that 14% of Black people and 34% of Latinos trust that a vaccine will be safe. The report said efforts to promote uptake should “leverage voices from within the Latinx community” and reinforce the notion that taking the vaccine is “a responsibility that helps the Latinx community at large.”
Building trust and being “part of the solution” is what drove National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis to enter the UC San Diego Health COVID-19 vaccine trial last month.
“As a Latina, as somebody who believes in science, believes in vaccines, I think it’s important to continue reaffirming that,” Sotelo-Solis said.” I think that I’m in this unique position to where I can say, ‘Look, I went through the process, and this is what you can expect.’”
Her decision to join the trial was met with skepticism by some of her relatives. They questioned why it had to be her.
Sotelo-Solis had a simple answer: “Why not me?”