latimes--2020-07-07--Younger people hit hard as Orange County sets coronavirus record

For the first time , Orange County residents reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day , with young people accounting for the bulk of new infections .
“ With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks , I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and unable to properly social distance , as well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance , ” Supervisor Michelle Steel said in a statement .
“ This is of the utmost importance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of others , so that we can return back to normal as quickly as possible.
” The spike was due in part to reports from backlogged test results .
The county reported 1,028 additional cases Monday , 1,013 of which were from specimens collected June 20 to July 3 ; the others were collected before June 19 .
The entire state is continuing to see an increase in cases , which now top 271,000 , according to the L.A. Times ’ .
The death toll , too , is increasing , with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials with the Orange County Health Care Agency reported no new deaths in their daily tracking but confirmed a 13.8 % rate of positive results among the 4,157 tests reported Monday , compared with a statewide rate of 6.8 % .
About 634 individuals were hospitalized with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , with 203 being treated in intensive care units , according to agency figures .
Among all ICU beds in the county , about 41.6 % are currently available to accept new patients .
Although older residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 , young people continue to account for the bulk of new infections .
Out of the 17,882 cases recorded so far in Orange County , more than 40 % of patients have been younger than 35 , with those ages 25 to 34 accounting for more than 22 % of all infections countywide .
The younger demographic of news coronavirus cases was noted Monday by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
Newsom said the surge in coronavirus cases hitting California was due in part to younger people who might believe “ they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called them “ the young invincibles ” — who are testing positive for the disease is a trend that has become apparent as the economy has reopened and working-age adults return to jobs and resume social gatherings .
“ So a lot of these younger folks may be coming into hospitals , but with not as acute needs as what we were seeing in the past , ” Newsom said .
In L.A. County , working-age adults are making up an increasing share of the percentage of those who are hospitalized , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some young people think “ they are invincible but don ’ t feel it ’ s going to impact them and , if it does , it ’ s not a big burden.
” The same trend of younger adults increasingly infected with the coronavirus is being seen in L.A. County .
By July 4 , almost 50 % of new cases occurred among those 40 and younger , said Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County director of public health .
In early April , that age group made up only about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adults ages 18 to 39 make up about one-third of L.A. County ’ s population .
Los Angeles County officials on Monday reported an additional 1,584 COVID-19 cases and 48 related deaths , raising the county ’ s death toll to more than 3,500 .
This comes as the number of coronavirus infections continues to increase across the state .
Amid the spike , California is monitoring additional counties for surges in cases and hospitalizations .

Sara Cardine, Colleen Shalby, Rong-Gong Lin II

For the first time, Orange County residents reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day, with young people accounting for the bulk of new infections.
“With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks, I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and unable to properly social distance, as well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance,” Supervisor Michelle Steel said in a statement.
“This is of the utmost importance to protect your health and the health of others, so that we can return back to normal as quickly as possible.”
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The spike was due in part to reports from backlogged test results. The county reported 1,028 additional cases Monday, 1,013 of which were from specimens collected June 20 to July 3; the others were collected before June 19.
The entire state is continuing to see an increase in cases, which now top 271,000, according to the L.A. Times’ coronavirus tracker . The death toll, too, is increasing, with more than 6,400 deaths reported as of Monday.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
Officials with the Orange County Health Care Agency reported no new deaths in their daily tracking but confirmed a 13.8% rate of positive results among the 4,157 tests reported Monday, compared with a statewide rate of 6.8%.
About 634 individuals were hospitalized with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, with 203 being treated in intensive care units, according to agency figures. Among all ICU beds in the county, about 41.6% are currently available to accept new patients.
Although older residents are still the most likely to die from COVID-19, young people continue to account for the bulk of new infections.
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Out of the 17,882 cases recorded so far in Orange County, more than 40% of patients have been younger than 35, with those ages 25 to 34 accounting for more than 22% of all infections countywide.
The younger demographic of news coronavirus cases was noted Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom said the surge in coronavirus cases hitting California was due in part to younger people who might believe “they are invincible.”
Younger adults — Newsom called them “the young invincibles” — who are testing positive for the disease is a trend that has become apparent as the economy has reopened and working-age adults return to jobs and resume social gatherings.
California Young adults who think ‘they are invincible’ increasingly infected by coronavirus, Newsom says Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday said the surge in coronavirus cases hitting California was due in part to younger people who might believe “they are invincible” but nonetheless are becoming sick from COVID-19.
“So a lot of these younger folks may be coming into hospitals, but with not as acute needs as what we were seeing in the past,” Newsom said. In L.A. County, working-age adults are making up an increasing share of the percentage of those who are hospitalized, while seniors are making up a declining share.
Some young people think “they are invincible but don’t feel it’s going to impact them and, if it does, it’s not a big burden.”
The same trend of younger adults increasingly infected with the coronavirus is being seen in L.A. County.
By July 4, almost 50% of new cases occurred among those 40 and younger, said Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County director of public health. In early April, that age group made up only about 30% of new confirmed cases.
Adults ages 18 to 39 make up about one-third of L.A. County’s population.
Los Angeles County officials on Monday reported an additional 1,584 COVID-19 cases and 48 related deaths, raising the county’s death toll to more than 3,500.
This comes as the number of coronavirus infections continues to increase across the state. Amid the spike, California is monitoring additional counties for surges in cases and hospitalizations.


latimes--2020-07-07--As protests against police brutality go global, these Latina moms fight in memory of their sons

Rosa Moreno had heard many stories in her neighborhood about mothers whose sons were killed by police .
Their pain seemed unspeakable .
Their cases left a trail of questions .
“ Police are supposed to keep us safe , ” Moreno used to think .
“ Why would they hurt people and take away their children ?
” Then , in 2017 , her 23-year-old son , Cesar Rodriguez , died brutally in an encounter with law enforcement , and the mother of three became yet another cautionary tale around East L.A .
In recent years , she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heights and East L.A. who have lost their sons to police violence have found solace and a sense of collective voice in one another .
Their group numbered less than a handful when they began about three years ago , then gradually , as law enforcement shootings continued , grew to 15 .
As protests against police brutality have spread nationwide and the rallying cry “ Black Lives Matter ” has gone global , these Eastside moms have pushed for change , largely on their own .
They comfort one another while also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of force and better its relationship with the Latino community .
“ We have no phrase , not even a name , ” said Moreno , 51 .
“ But we ’ re warriors for our sons .
We support one another like family.
” Some of them found each other at their most desperate moment , on the side of road , in parking lots and housing complexes roped off by yellow crime tape , just hours after their sons were killed .
Others connected in support groups .
At one such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mothers were brought together to talk about the effects of gang violence in East L.A .
But when it came time to speak , the women shifted to law enforcement brutality .
“ It turned out that about eight out of 10 of the women had had a child killed by police , ” said Johnny Torres , an organizer with Soledad Enrichment Action , a gang intervention program paid by L.A. County .
Since Torres began serving the area in late 2017 , he ’ s spent a lot of time getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his mandate in East L.A. is gang intervention , there ’ s been so much concern about the violent behavior of the Los Angeles Sheriff ’ s Department that Torres has become one of the few people the community turns to for help .
His phone rings at random hours with desperate calls from mothers , siblings , aunts and uncles searching for a loved one who they fear may have faced off with deputies .
Department officials seldom release information on shootings and fatalities , Torres said , so he and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He often rushes to crime scenes to be sure their legal rights are being respected .
“ A lot of times , there ’ s no remorse , no compassion , even if the guy deserved it , ” Torres said about deputies .
“ They need to at least respect the family ’ s pain.
” In the past three years , his list of those killed by law enforcement on the Eastside has grown : Jose Serrano , 23 ; Omar Garcia ; unnamed victim , 20 ; Paul Rea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Fernando Cruz , 18 ; Rene Herrera , 40 ; Anthony Vargas , 21 ; Jesse Romero , 14 ; Jose Mendez , 16 ; Christian Escobedo , 22 ; Edwin Rodriguez , 24 .
Some reportedly died as they tried to run from authorities .
Others allegedly engaged in a physical struggle , carried a weapon and , in some cases , reportedly shot at law enforcement .
Nearly all the victims died in East L.A. , an unincorporated area of L.A. County that ’ s 96 % Latino .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdiction .
While in nearby neighborhoods the Los Angeles Police Department has been heavily scrutinized for its use of force , including over the last few months , the Sheriff ’ s Department has its own long history of violence and abuse , feeding the community ’ s wariness .
Some of the mothers have said they and their families have been continuously harassed by deputies after their sons were killed .
Officials with the Sheriff ’ s Department did not respond to Los Angeles Times requests seeking comment .
The Times this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , alleging that the department has repeatedly refused to turn over public records , including those about deputies involved in misconduct or shootings .
Figures tracking fatal law enforcement shootings by race are tough to come by , but statewide , according to 2018 numbers released by the Office of the Attorney General , about 47 % of those affected by incidents that involved the discharge of a weapon or use of force resulting in death or serious injury were Latino .
Torres said East L.A. is in dire need of more resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more oversight of the Sheriff ’ s Department , particularly from county officials .
“ I think Hilda Solis is fighting in her own way , ” Torres said .
“ She came out and denounced what happened to George Floyd .
That ’ s commendable , but what about your own backyard ?
There ’ s so much happening here , too.
” Solis , whose district oversees East L.A. , said her office is aware of community frustrations with the Sheriff ’ s Office .
She holds Sheriff Alex Villanueva accountable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a close evaluation of the people he has at the East L.A. station , ” she said .
“ He came in with a lot of rhetoric , but he ’ s not listening ... he ’ s inciting and harassing and intimidating , trying to shut the voices out.
” Solis said she and others established the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and granted them subpoena power to try to keep the office in check .
She also said she supported the inspector general investigating the department .
“ I even went as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solis said .
“ But he ’ s not been responsive.
” For mothers pushing for answers about their sons ’ deaths , it ’ s been a battle , said Leah Garcia , whose son was shot and killed by deputies last summer during an altercation after a traffic stop .
“ At the end of the day , we ’ re all in this together .
Black lives matter .
Our sons ’ lives matter , but when you see no change , it feels like a harder , lonelier fight.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the only ones who understand the trauma , she said .
Together , they keep a running calendar of their sons ’ birthdays and the anniversaries of their deaths .
They hold Masses at each other ’ s homes or vigils where their sons were shot down .
At home , many put up altars as a tribute .
Garcia keeps her son Paul Rea ’ s image everywhere : His portraits hang on her walls .
His life-size cutout stands in her living room .
Stickers of his face deck her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has gotten support from those in the Black Lives Matter movement and also from the American Civil Liberties Union , but most days , their efforts are spontaneous and informal , without too much thought for an overall strategy .
Most of the moms hardly consider themselves activists .
Some struggle with their English .
Others worry about their immigration status .
A few have faced criticism for posting their son ’ s image on social media .
Still , staying home and staying quiet is not an option , so they carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , always ready to bring attention to their cause .
At many protests — outside the Hall of Justice and the Sheriff ’ s Department — Lisa Vargas , a mother known for having a nice way with words , often leads the way .
Her son Anthony Vargas , 21 , was killed by deputies in August 2018 .
The day Anthony was killed , Lisa was frantic .
She said she had to wait nearly 24 hours at the site of the shooting before getting confirmation that her son had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed up with some candles and introduced herself .
So did other other women whose sons had been killed by authorities .
“ They knew how I felt because the same thing had happened to them , ” Vargas said .
Weeks later , the women held one of their first protests .
About 300 people showed up .
Vargas , like Moreno , now tries to rush over whenever there is a police shooting on the Eastside to offer her help .
She connects families with attorneys willing to help or sets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their goal moving forward , she said , is to reform the Sheriff ’ s Department , make it more transparent , have it provide better training to de-escalate situations and get deputies to wear body cameras .
Many women also want charges brought against the officer who killed their son .
Carlos Montes , an organizer with Centro Community Service Organization , began working with the moms a few years back .
His Boyle Heights grassroots group focuses on immigrant rights and education , but it shifted its focus to police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
At 77 , Montes has a long history of activism on the Eastside .
He ’ s been protesting sheriffs ’ misconduct for five decades , dating back to the Chicano civil rights movement and through the Rodney King uprising .
Over the years , he said , he ’ s seen moms in East L.A. and Boyle Heights take on pivotal leadership roles to fight gangs , the construction of prisons and toxic environmental waste sites .
This is the first time he recalls a group of women holding law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These mothers are taking on the big guns , ” he said .
“ They ’ re going up against forces that others consider too controversial .
I ’ m inspired by them.
” Three years after her son Cesar ’ s death , Moreno struggles with how little she ’ s accomplished .
She constantly plays out the day Cesar walked out of their East L.A. home to head to Long Beach .
Three days later , after not hearing from him , she learned that her son had allegedly not paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a struggle with a Long Beach police officer .
Cesar wound up pinned between a train and the platform .
Moreno filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court in April , alleging assault and battery , excessive force and inadequate training .
For days after his death , Moreno said she lost her voice .
“ I couldn ’ t get a word out .
I hardly recognized myself or anyone around me , ” she said .
Now , when she feels adrift , she calls on the other mothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No matter what happens , I know I ’ m not alone , ” Moreno said .
“ I see myself reflected in them .
”

Teresa Dominguez, left, and Rosa Moreno hug at a Black Lives Matter rally in Los Angeles after the story of their sons’ deaths at the hands of law enforcement were told.
Rosa Moreno had heard many stories in her neighborhood about mothers whose sons were killed by police.
Their pain seemed unspeakable. Their cases left a trail of questions.
“Police are supposed to keep us safe,” Moreno used to think. “Why would they hurt people and take away their children?”
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Then, in 2017, her 23-year-old son, Cesar Rodriguez, died brutally in an encounter with law enforcement, and the mother of three became yet another cautionary tale around East L.A.
In recent years, she and other women from Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights and East L.A. who have lost their sons to police violence have found solace and a sense of collective voice in one another. Their group numbered less than a handful when they began about three years ago, then gradually, as law enforcement shootings continued, grew to 15.
As protests against police brutality have spread nationwide and the rallying cry “Black lives matter” has gone global, these Eastside moms have pushed for change, largely on their own. They comfort one another while also pressuring law enforcement to overhaul its use-of-force policies and better its relationship with the Latino community.
Isaiah Valdovinos raises his fist at a June 24 rally against police brutality. Behind the boy is Evelia Granado, who spoke on behalf of the Rodriguez family at the downtown L.A. protest. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
“We have no phrase, not even a name,” said Moreno, 51. “But we’re warriors for our sons. We support one another like family.”
Some of them found each other at their most desperate moment, on the side of road, in parking lots and housing complexes roped off by yellow crime tape, just hours after their sons were killed. Others connected in support groups.
Advertisement
At one such group about a year ago, 10 mothers were brought together to talk about the effects of gang violence in East L.A. But when it came time to speak, the women shifted to law enforcement brutality.
“It turned out that about 8 out of 10 of the women had had a child killed by police,” said Johnny Torres, an organizer with Soledad Enrichment Action, a gang intervention program paid by L.A. County.
Since Torres began serving the area in late 2017, he’s spent a lot of time getting to know the mothers. And though his mandate in East L.A. is gang intervention, there’s been so much concern about the violent behavior of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department that Torres has become one of the few people the community turns to for help. His phone rings at random hours with desperate calls from mothers, siblings, aunts and uncles searching for a loved one who they fear may have faced off with deputies.
Department officials seldom release information on shootings and fatalities, Torres said, so he and the families are left to piece together fragments. He often rushes to crime scenes to be sure their legal rights are being respected.
Evelia Granado, left, 5-year-old Isaiah Valdovinos and Valerie Rivera protest the death of their loved ones at a June 24 Black Lives Matter rally in downtown L.A. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
“A lot of times, there’s no remorse, no compassion, even if the guy deserved it,” Torres said about deputies. “They need to at least respect the family’s pain.”
In the last three years, his list of those killed by law enforcement on the Eastside has grown: Jose Serrano, 23; Omar Garcia; unnamed victim, 20; Paul Rea, 19; Ivan Pena, 42; Fernando Cruz, 18; Rene Herrera, 40; Anthony Vargas, 21; Jesse Romero, 14; Jose Mendez, 16; Christian Escobedo, 22; Edwin Rodriguez, 24.
Some reportedly died as they tried to run from authorities. Others allegedly engaged in a physical struggle, carried a weapon and, in some cases, reportedly shot at law enforcement.
Nearly all the victims died in East L.A., an unincorporated area of L.A. County that’s 96% Latino. The region is under the sheriff’s jurisdiction. While in nearby neighborhoods the Los Angeles Police Department has been scrutinized for its use of force, including over the last few months, the Sheriff’s Department has its own long history of violence and abuse, feeding the community’s wariness. Some of the mothers have said they and their families have been harassed by deputies after their sons were killed.
Officials with the Sheriff’s Department did not respond to requests by The Times seeking comment. The Times this week filed a lawsuit against L.A. County, alleging that the department has repeatedly refused to turn over public records, including those about deputies involved in misconduct or shootings.
Figures tracking fatal law enforcement shootings by race are tough to come by, but statewide, according to 2018 numbers released by the Office of the Attorney General, about 47% of those affected by incidents that involved the discharge of a weapon or use of force resulting in death or serious injury were Latino.
Torres said East L.A. is in dire need of more resources to help families with police brutality and more oversight of the Sheriff’s Department, particularly from county officials.
“I think Hilda Solis is fighting in her own way,” Torres said of the L.A. County supervisor. “She came out and denounced what happened to George Floyd. That’s commendable, but what about your own backyard? There’s so much happening here, too.”
Solis, whose district oversees East L.A., said her office is aware of community frustrations with the Sheriff’s Department. She holds Sheriff Alex Villanueva accountable.
“He really needs to take a close evaluation of the people he has at the East L.A. station,” she said. “He came in with a lot of rhetoric, but he’s not listening. ... He’s inciting and harassing and intimidating, trying to shut the voices out.”
Solis said she and others established the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and granted them subpoena power to try to keep the office in check. She also said she supported the inspector general investigating the department.
“I even went as far as holding his budget,” Solis said. “But he’s not been responsive.”
Leah Garcia, who lost her son, receives a hug during a vigil in Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
For mothers pushing for answers about their sons’ deaths, it’s been a battle, said Leah Garcia, whose son was shot and killed by deputies last summer during an altercation after a traffic stop.
“At the end of the day, we’re all in this together. Black lives matter. Our sons’ lives matter. But when you see no change, it feels like a harder, lonelier fight.”
The grieving mothers in her group are the only ones who understand the trauma, she said. Together, they keep a running calendar of their sons’ birthdays and the anniversaries of their deaths. They hold Masses at one another’s homes or vigils where their sons were shot down.
At home, many put up altars as a tribute. Garcia keeps her son Paul Rea’s image everywhere: His portraits hang on her walls. His life-size cutout stands in her living room. Stickers of his face deck her laptop and her car.
The group has gotten support from those in the Black Lives Matter movement and also from the American Civil Liberties Union, but most days, their efforts are spontaneous and informal, without too much thought for an overall strategy.
Leah Garcia cries for her late son, Paul Rea, during a vigil in Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Most of the moms hardly consider themselves activists. Some struggle with their English. Others worry about their immigration status. A few have faced criticism for posting their son’s image on social media.
Still, staying home and staying quiet is not an option, so they carry rally signs and banners in their cars, always ready to bring attention to their cause.
At many protests — outside the Hall of Justice and the Sheriff’s Department — Lisa Vargas, a mother known for having a nice way with words, often leads the way. Her son Anthony Vargas, 21, was killed by deputies in August 2018.
The day Anthony was killed, Lisa was frantic. She said she had to wait nearly 24 hours at the site of the shooting before getting confirmation that her son had been killed. At some point, Moreno showed up and introduced herself. So did other women whose sons had been killed by authorities.
“They knew how I felt because the same thing had happened to them,” Vargas said. Weeks later, the women held one of their first protests. About 300 people showed up.
Vargas, like Moreno, now tries to rush over whenever there is a police shooting on the Eastside to offer her help. She connects families with attorneys willing to help or sets up money drives to cover funeral expenses.
Their goal moving forward, she said, is to reform the Sheriff’s Department, make it more transparent, have it provide better training to deescalate situations and get deputies to wear body cameras. Many women also want charges brought against the officer who killed their son.
Carlos Montes, an organizer with Centro Community Service Organization, began working with the moms a few years back. His Boyle Heights grass-roots group focuses on immigrant rights and education, but it shifted its focus to police brutality after a rash of killings in 2016.
At 77, Montes has a long history of activism on the Eastside. He’s been protesting sheriff’s deputy misconduct for five decades, dating back to the Chicano civil rights movement and through the Rodney King uprising. Over the years, he said, he’s seen moms in East L.A. and Boyle Heights take on leadership roles to fight gangs, the construction of prisons and toxic environmental waste sites.
This is the first time he recalls a group of women holding law enforcement accountable for killing people.
“These mothers are taking on the big guns,” he said. “They’re going up against forces that others consider too controversial. I’m inspired by them.”
Three years after her son Cesar’s death, Moreno struggles with how little she’s accomplished.
She constantly plays out the day Cesar walked out of their East L.A. home to head to Long Beach. Three days later, after not hearing from him, she learned that her son had allegedly not paid his train fare and reportedly ended up in a struggle with a Long Beach police officer. Cesar wound up pinned between a train and the platform. Moreno filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit in April, alleging assault and battery, excessive force and inadequate training.
For days after his death, Moreno said she lost her voice. “I couldn’t get a word out. I hardly recognized myself or anyone around me,” she said.
Now, when she feels adrift, she calls on the other mothers. She marches alongside them.
“No matter what happens, I know I’m not alone,” Moreno said. “I see myself reflected in them.”


latimes--2020-07-07--Reopening L.A. economy improved mental health, but coronavirus fears persist, survey finds

More Los Angeles County residents are leaving their homes and venturing back into public life as the economy reopens , prompting a reduction in psychological distress but heightening anxiety that reopening is occurring too quickly and could cause serious new coronavirus outbreaks , according to a new survey .
The results of a survey by the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research and analyzed by L.A. County officials were revealed Monday by Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer amid a major increase in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations tied to the reopening of businesses and people getting back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without wearing masks or keeping distance from people .
In mid-April , nearly 86 % of L.A. County residents said they stayed home at all times except for essential activities or exercise ; by the last week of June , only 58 % said they were doing so .
More L.A. County residents are also having close contact — being in a distance within 6 feet — with people outside their household .
In mid-April , only about 31 % of L.A. County residents had such close contact with people outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of June , 55 % were doing so .
As the reopening has accelerated , however , fewer L.A. County residents are reporting a fear of running out of food because of a lack of money or other resources .
In early April , 30 % of L.A. County residents surveyed were worried about running out of food ; that figure fell to roughly 11 % for the last week of June .
Additionally , fewer L.A. County residents are now reporting psychological distress as the reopening accelerated .
In early April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mild , moderate or severe symptoms of psychological distress ; as the reopening accelerated , 36 % reporting feeling such symptoms .
There was also a slight reduction in the percent of L.A. County residents who reported the pandemic posed a moderate or substantial threat to their household finances ; 64 % said it did so in mid-May ; 56 % said it did so in mid-June .
“ This is the good news about opening — it ’ s that in fact , for many people , it ’ s provided some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ferrer said .
But as people have returned to physical work locations , workplaces have increasingly become sites of exposure to the highly contagious virus .
While in early May , 37 % of surveyed L.A. County residents said their job required them to come within 6 feet of other people regularly , 43 % said they had to do so in mid-June .
More L.A. County residents are increasingly concerned that California is lifting restrictions on public activity due to the pandemic too quickly , the survey found .
While 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early May , 79 % did so in mid-June .
Ferrer said it ’ s obvious that people fed up with the stay-at-home order and wanting to return to a pre-pandemic way of life are a big reason behind the increased spread of disease .
“ It ’ s clear that after months of quarantine , combined with the reopening of many sectors in the span of several weeks , we ’ ve had a lot of people disregard the very practices that allowed us to slow the spread , ” Ferrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most basic infection control and distancing directives leads to serious illness , and even the death of the people we love.
” Ferrer said she understands that “ everyone is extraordinarily tired and they ’ re tired of having to deal with this virus.
” But she added that “ the sooner we get back to creating a new normal ” — avoiding crowds , confined spaces , close contact ; and always wearing masks and staying physically distant from those not in our household — the sooner we can return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family .

Waiter Pedro Armenta, wearing a face shield and mask, checks the temperature of customer Julian Bourely before entering Dupar’s Restaurant, which was receiving customers for patio dining and take-out service at the Original Farmers Market in the Fairfax district in Los Angeles on July 1.
More Los Angeles County residents are leaving their homes and venturing back into public life as the economy reopens, prompting a reduction in psychological distress but heightening anxiety that reopening is occurring too quickly and could cause serious new coronavirus outbreaks, according to a new survey.
The results of a survey by the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research and analyzed by L.A. County officials were revealed Monday by Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer amid a major increase in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations tied to the reopening of businesses and people getting back to old routines, such as private gatherings, without wearing masks or keeping distance from people.
In mid-April, nearly 86% of L.A. County residents said they stayed home at all times except for essential activities or exercise; by the last week of June, only 58% said they were doing so.
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Percent of L.A. County residents who stayed home except for essential activities and exercise. (Los Angeles County)
More L.A. County residents are also having close contact — being in a distance within 6 feet — with people outside their household. In mid-April, only about 31% of L.A. County residents had such close contact with people outside of their household; by the last week of June, 55% were doing so.
Percent of L.A. County residents who had close contact with people outside of their household. (Los Angeles County)
As the reopening has accelerated, however, fewer L.A. County residents are reporting a fear of running out of food because of a lack of money or other resources. In early April, 30% of L.A. County residents surveyed were worried about running out of food; that figure fell to roughly 11% for the last week of June.
Percent of L.A. County residents worried about running out of food because of a lack of money. (Los Angeles County)
Additionally, fewer L.A. County residents are now reporting psychological distress as the reopening accelerated. In early April, 47% of surveyed county residents reported mild, moderate or severe symptoms of psychological distress; as the reopening accelerated, 36% reporting feeling such symptoms.
Percent of L.A. County residents with symptoms of psychological distress. (Los Angeles County)
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There was also a slight reduction in the percent of L.A. County residents who reported the pandemic posed a moderate or substantial threat to their household finances; 64% said it did so in mid-May; 56% said it did so in mid-June.
Percent of L.A. County residents who reported the coronavirus pandemic posed a threat to their household finances. (Los Angeles County)
“This is the good news about opening — it’s that in fact, for many people, it’s provided some very important and much needed relief,” Ferrer said.
But as people have returned to physical work locations, workplaces have increasingly become sites of exposure to the highly contagious virus. While in early May, 37% of surveyed L.A. County residents said their job required them to come within 6 feet of other people regularly, 43% said they had to do so in mid-June.
L.A. County residents whose jobs require close contact. (Los Angeles County)
More L.A. County residents are increasingly concerned that California is lifting restrictions on public activity due to the pandemic too quickly, the survey found. While 75% of survey respondents expressed such worry in early May, 79% did so in mid-June.
Ferrer said it’s obvious that people fed up with the stay-at-home order and wanting to return to a pre-pandemic way of life are a big reason behind the increased spread of disease.
“It’s clear that after months of quarantine, combined with the reopening of many sectors in the span of several weeks, we’ve had a lot of people disregard the very practices that allowed us to slow the spread,” Ferrer said. “Our inability to follow the most basic infection control and distancing directives leads to serious illness, and even the death of the people we love.”
Ferrer said she understands that “everyone is extraordinarily tired and they’re tired of having to deal with this virus.” But she added that “the sooner we get back to creating a new normal” — avoiding crowds, confined spaces, close contact; and always wearing masks and staying physically distant from those not in our household — the sooner we can return to school and work and seeing friends and family.


latimes--2020-07-08--As decision looms on reopening schools, LAUSD sticks with four-time board president

Richard Vladovic on Tuesday was reelected as Los Angeles school board president for the fourth time — and as soon as Thursday , he ’ ll have an immediate issue to confront : whether to reopen campuses for the start of school .
July usually passes as a relatively sleepy interlude for the Board of Education , generally with no meetings other than the annual exercise of selecting a board president .
But that was pre-pandemic .
“ We ’ ve got some troubling waters ahead as board members and many decisions to make , ” Vladovic said before again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ ll give it 1000 % .
Trust me.
” The nation ’ s second-largest school district is resuming classes Aug. 18 .
But if campuses reopen , what form will schooling take ?
Vladovic suggested that reopening schools might come up in a closed session on Thursday — and that the board might also schedule a session on the topic that is open to the public before the end of the month .
Since March , the school board has deferred most authority to schools Supt .
Austin Beutner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campuses and has acted on his own repeatedly since that time , with board approval after the fact .
On Monday , Beutner said no decision had been made on whether campuses would reopen in the fall .
If they do , schools would operate on a hybrid schedule — with students spending part of the week on campus in small classes and the remainder of the school week at home , working online or on work-at-home assignments .
Even in that scenario , officials also would have to prepare to serve families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In L.A. County , 79 other school districts face similar decisions , including Long Beach Unified , which also is among the state ’ s largest .
The state and regional pandemic crisis has worsened with a recent surge in coronavirus infections .
The local campus reopening concerns come despite exhortations Tuesday by President Trump to open the nation ’ s schools .
The Los Angeles board president has no more voting authority than the other six Board of Education members , but runs the meetings and exerts some control over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members to oversee committees , chooses representatives to other agencies and frequently acts as a district spokesperson .
The choice of president also reflects the district ’ s evolving power dynamics .
The selection of Vladovic in 2013 , marked the waning influence of then-Supt .
John Deasy , who resigned 16 months later , during Vladovic ’ s second one-year term as president .
Last year , Vladovic became president again after skillfully triangulating opposing political forces .
First , he won the approval of philanthropic power brokers for helping navigate Beutner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later , he won plaudits from the teachers union — which was critical of Beutner — for Vladovic ’ s role in ending the 2019 teachers ’ strike .
This time he was viewed as a stabilizing force in uncertain times , an uncontested but ironic attribute for a veteran educator and politician whose trademark charm was undermined by a flashing temper .
First elected in 2007 , Vladovic , 75 , has acknowledged and largely doused his short fuse , which his doctors had long advised him to get under control .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stability and “ the need to be together as a board.
” Nick Melvoin cast the one opposing vote .
Because the timing of school board elections has changed , Vladovic ’ s term will last just six months , coinciding with his departure from office due to term limits .
At that point , Vladovic ’ s successor will become part of the reconfigured board that will choose the next president , said Jefferson Crain , the board ’ s executive officer and parliamentarian .

Richard Vladovic will begin another term as L.A. school board president. He’s shown at a meeting before the pandemic, when such gatherings moved online.
Richard Vladovic on Tuesday was reelected as Los Angeles school board president for the fourth time — and as soon as Thursday, he’ll have an immediate issue to confront: whether to reopen campuses for the start of school.
July usually passes as a relatively sleepy interlude for the Board of Education, generally with no meetings other than the annual exercise of selecting a board president. But that was pre-pandemic.
“We’ve got some troubling waters ahead as board members and many decisions to make,” Vladovic said before again becoming president, by a 6-1 vote. “I’ll give it 1000%. Trust me.”
The nation’s second-largest school district is resuming classes Aug. 18. But if campuses reopen, what form will schooling take?
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Vladovic suggested that reopening schools might come up in a closed session on Thursday — and that the board might also schedule a session on the topic that is open to the public before the end of the month. Since March, the school board has deferred most authority to schools Supt. Austin Beutner, who used emergency powers to close campuses and has acted on his own repeatedly since that time, with board approval after the fact.
On Monday, Beutner said no decision had been made on whether campuses would reopen in the fall. If they do, schools would operate on a hybrid schedule — with students spending part of the week on campus in small classes and the remainder of the school week at home, working online or on work-at-home assignments.
Even in that scenario, officials also would have to prepare to serve families who are unwilling to return to campuses.
In L.A. County, 79 other school districts face similar decisions, including Long Beach Unified, which also is among the state’s largest.
The state and regional pandemic crisis has worsened with a recent surge in coronavirus infections. The local campus reopening concerns come despite exhortations Tuesday by President Trump to open the nation’s schools.
The Los Angeles board president has no more voting authority than the other six Board of Education members, but runs the meetings and exerts some control over the agenda. The president also appoints board members to oversee committees, chooses representatives to other agencies and frequently acts as a district spokesperson.
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The choice of president also reflects the district’s evolving power dynamics. The selection of Vladovic in 2013, marked the waning influence of then-Supt. John Deasy, who resigned 16 months later, during Vladovic’s second one-year term as president.
Last year, Vladovic became president again after skillfully triangulating opposing political forces. First, he won the approval of philanthropic power brokers for helping navigate Beutner into the job of district superintendent. Later, he won plaudits from the teachers union — which was critical of Beutner — for Vladovic’s role in ending the 2019 teachers’ strike.
This time he was viewed as a stabilizing force in uncertain times, an uncontested but ironic attribute for a veteran educator and politician whose trademark charm was undermined by a flashing temper. First elected in 2007, Vladovic, 75, has acknowledged and largely doused his short fuse, which his doctors had long advised him to get under control.
Vladovic said he recognized the benefit of stability and “the need to be together as a board.” Nick Melvoin cast the one opposing vote.
Because the timing of school board elections has changed, Vladovic’s term will last just six months, coinciding with his departure from office due to term limits. At that point, Vladovic’s successor will become part of the reconfigured board that will choose the next president, said Jefferson Crain, the board’s executive officer and parliamentarian.


latimes--2020-07-08--Column: This is the only California county that's coronavirus-free. Masks are optional

In the high desert of Modoc County , a remote expanse of mostly nothingness between Oregon and Nevada , almost no one wears a face mask .
I figured this out one morning last week , when I strolled into the sparse but well-kept office of Sheriff William “ Tex ” Dowdy .
He took one look at my mask , and a bemused smirk spread across his boyish — and , yes , bare — face .
Then he choked down a chuckle and shrugged .
“ Do whatever you want to do , ” Dowdy said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ choice ” of this sort is not something most of us get anymore — and with good reason .
We ’ re in the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans , including 6,500 Californians , and , after a brief lull , is sending more people to hospitals than we saw even in April .
Not wearing a face mask is reckless .
But in some strange way , it seems a little less so in Modoc , the only county in California that has yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here , residents greet one another with hugs and hearty handshakes .
They go out to lunch with coworkers , sitting elbow to elbow .
They laugh with abandon and slap each other ’ s backs without immediately slathering themselves in hand sanitizer .
And yet , while people aren ’ t exactly lining up around the block to get tested , the county ’ s main hospital is empty .
No one knows why they ’ ve been spared , although everyone seems to have a theory .
Most insist it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the county , most of them on far-flung farms and ranches dotting 4,200 square miles of brush and rocky cliffs .
At the very least , the ultra-low people-to-acres ratio of Modoc County compared to say , Los Angeles County , raises questions about why the state would use any sort of one-size-fits-all approach to fighting the coronavirus .
The only city in the county to speak of , Alturas , has traffic lights that blink yellow , and Main Street is filled with more long-shuttered storefronts than actual operating businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ small gym and a movie theater that is still shut down , there ’ s a hair salon .
It has four chairs , and people tell me that there are never four people in there at the same time .
Dowdy sees himself as defending this way of life , frequently extolling the virtues of “ personal choice ” and “ common sense.
” “ It ’ s kind of insulting for the state or anybody else to think that we don ’ t have the common sense to do the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And the right thing is different depending on the person .
We all have our rights.
” He says he ’ s not trying “ to poke the governor in the chest.
” But it was Modoc that was the its economy , weeks after Gov .
Gavin Newsom had ordered all Californians to stay home and to shut businesses to slow the spread of the virus .
Dowdy ’ s office submitted a plan but didn ’ t wait for official approval from Newsom ’ s office before moving forward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the first sheriffs in the state to announce that he wouldn ’ t be enforcing Newsom ’ s mask order .
That prompted the governor to threaten again on Monday to withhold funding from counties that don ’ t cooperate with state health directives , including making sure people cover their faces in situations where social distancing isn ’ t possible .
Even though any reduction in state funding would surely decimate his already cash-strapped sheriff ’ s department , Dowdy isn ’ t backing down .
“ I totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear a face mask , please do so , ” he said last week .
“ If you feel that that ’ s some protection for you or your family .
I feel it ’ s a personal choice.
” I guess Dowdy figures he ’ s no Vernon Warnke .
Back in May , Warnke , the sheriff of Merced County , was defiant .
He refused to enforce the state ’ s stay-at-home order , because , he argued , the governor didn ’ t have the right to issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it lead to “ economic slaughter.
” But now , with the rural Central Valley county on the state ’ s coronavirus watch list , Warnke is telling people to “ wear your masks , do your social distancing , wash your hands.
” Things can change , but Dowdy is adamant .
Even if there were to be an outbreak in Modoc County , he told me , he wouldn ’ t enforce the mask order , because residents have common sense .
“ I think you would see more people wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think it ’ s something that I necessarily need to come out and tell people to do , ” Dowdy said .
“ It ’ s very frustrating to me to think that the government believes that we ’ re so ignorant that they have to tell us what to do.
” The sheriff knows full well what many people in more populous parts of California must think of him .
That he ’ s shortsighted and selfish , given the science showing that a face covering helps slow the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merely a product of a hopelessly unreasonable , right-wing environment .
( It ’ s true that nearly 72 % of voters in Modoc County went for Donald Trump , and the people soliciting signatures to recall Newsom from office don ’ t have to work very hard . )
But he doesn ’ t seem to care .
What he does care about is how Modoc County is in a perpetual state of waiting .
Waiting on Newsom to issue more public health orders to counties .
And then waiting for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the state .
But most of all , it ’ s waiting for a pandemic that has yet to arrive .
Early on , the county cleared out its small , rural hospital , telling patients to come back later and erecting a white emergency tent outside for those with COVID-19 .
It willingly shuttered schools , as well as the handful of small businesses in Alturas and neighboring Cedarville .
County officials pulled out and distributed all of the heavy-duty face masks and other personal protective equipment they had squirreled away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were well prepared , ” said Dowdy , whose office coordinates emergency services for the county .
“ And that sounds strange coming from a very , very , very small county , but we were well prepared.
” Residents had resisted the temptation to hoard supplies , knowing the county ’ s already tenuous supply chain — with food , toilet paper and other goods being trucked to a handful of local stores a few times per week — was being disrupted by the broader pandemic .
Many worried about the cash-strapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet without paying patients , and the toll being paid by students who , rather than going to school , were in troubled households .
The two restaurants in Alturas were struggling to survive , in part because they had to figure out how to handle delivery .
Luckily , some enterprising high school students decided to make a business out of it , charging a few bucks to bring food to the farthest reaches of the county .
“ Have you been up and down Main Street ?
There ’ s quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was before COVID , ” Dowdy said .
“ So we didn ’ t need any more of that.
” Without those stores , residents knew , everyone would have to make the two-hour-plus drive to Redding or Reno just to get basic supplies .
Among many other side effects of this pandemic , it has taken a hammer to existing fault lines in rural communities .
So , feeling as if they had little choice , Modoc County officials agreed to start reopening the local economy faster than other parts of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hasn ’ t heard anything from Newsom ’ s office to indicate that Modoc County is out of compliance with the state .
But the sheriff admitted that the governor ’ s messaging is often confusing or nonexistent , so he ’ s still a bit worried .
Dowdy isn ’ t alone in this assessment .
A growing chorus of critics has emerged in recent days , dinging Newsom for being inconsistent , unfocused and tone-deaf .
Even in far more populous parts of California , like Los Angeles , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what ’ s open , what ’ s closed and , most important , why .
Heck , I ’ m still trying to figure out why Newsom closed the beaches but initially let restaurants and bars that serve food — you know , like potato chips — stay open last week .
It ’ s no wonder that many in Modoc County , where antipathy toward big government was already a thing , now feel confused , a little duped and angry that they allowed themselves to trust Newsom ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as American citizens , ” Dowdy said , explaining residents ’ fears about the loss of local decision-making .
“ I feel like that ’ s slowly being taken away , and that is concerning to me.
” And yet , making a habit of refusing to wear a face mask because Newsom ordered everyone to wear a face mask is hardly a hill worth dying on — unless the goal is actual death .
That ’ s a choice , too .

Modoc County Sheriff William “Tex” Dowdy prepares for the annual Fourth of July parade. It’s traditional for the sheriff to lead the parade on horseback, behind the color guard.
In the high desert of Modoc County, a remote expanse of mostly nothingness between Oregon and Nevada, almost no one wears a face mask.
I figured this out one morning last week, when I strolled into the sparse but well-kept office of Sheriff William “Tex” Dowdy. He took one look at my mask, and a bemused smirk spread across his boyish — and, yes, bare — face.
Then he choked down a chuckle and shrugged.
“Do whatever you want to do,” Dowdy said. “You have a choice here.”
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A “choice” of this sort is not something most of us get anymore — and with good reason. We’re in the middle of a pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans, including 6,500 Californians, and, after a brief lull, is sending more people to hospitals than we saw even in April.
Not wearing a face mask is reckless. But in some strange way, it seems a little less so in Modoc, the only county in California that has yet to report a single case of the coronavirus.
Here, residents greet one another with hugs and hearty handshakes. They go out to lunch with coworkers, sitting elbow to elbow. They laugh with abandon and slap each other’s backs without immediately slathering themselves in hand sanitizer.
And yet, while people aren’t exactly lining up around the block to get tested, the county’s main hospital is empty and no one has come down with COVID-19.
No one knows why they’ve been spared, although everyone seems to have a theory. Most insist it’s because only about 9,000 people live in the county, most of them on far-flung farms and ranches dotting 4,200 square miles of brush and rocky cliffs.
At the very least, the ultra-low people-to-acres ratio of Modoc County compared with, say, Los Angeles County raises questions about why the state would use any sort of one-size-fits-all approach to fighting the coronavirus.
Residents of Modoc County watch a scaled-back Fourth of July parade. Most people don’t wear face masks despite the threat of the coronavirus. (Modoc County Sheriff’s Office)
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The only city in the county to speak of, Alturas, has traffic lights that blink yellow, and Main Street is filled with more long-shuttered storefronts than actual operating businesses. In addition to a cafe, a small gym and a movie theater that is still shut down, there’s a hair salon. It has four chairs, and people tell me that there are never four people in there at the same time.
Dowdy sees himself as defending this way of life, frequently extolling the virtues of “personal choice” and “common sense.”
“It’s kind of insulting for the state or anybody else to think that we don’t have the common sense to do the right thing,” he told me. “And the right thing is different depending on the person. We all have our rights.”
He says he’s not trying “to poke the governor in the chest.”
But it was Modoc that was the first county to reopen its economy, weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom had ordered all Californians to stay home and to shut businesses to slow the spread of the virus. Dowdy’s office submitted a plan but didn’t wait for official approval from Newsom’s office before moving forward.
And then, last month, Dowdy was one of the first sheriffs in the state to announce that he wouldn’t be enforcing Newsom’s mask order. That prompted the governor to threaten again on Monday to withhold funding from counties that didn’t cooperate with state health directives, including making sure people cover their faces in situations where social distancing isn’t possible.
Even though any reduction in state funding would surely decimate his already cash-strapped Sheriff’s Department, Dowdy isn’t backing down.
“I totally support the fact that if somebody wants to wear a face mask, please do so,” he said last week. “If you feel that that’s some protection for you or your family. I feel it’s a personal choice.”
I guess Dowdy figures he’s no Vernon Warnke. Back in May, Warnke, the sheriff of Merced County, was defiant. He refused to enforce the state’s stay-at-home order because, he argued, the governor didn’t have the right to issue it in the first place and it would lead to “economic slaughter.” But now, with the rural Central Valley county on the state’s coronavirus watch list, Warnke is telling people to “wear your masks, do your social distancing, wash your hands.”
Things can change, but Dowdy is adamant. Even if there were to be an outbreak in Modoc County, he told me, he wouldn’t enforce the mask order, because residents have common sense.
“I think you would see more people wearing them, but I don’t think it’s something that I necessarily need to come out and tell people to do,” Dowdy said. “It’s very frustrating to me to think that the government believes that we’re so ignorant that they have to tell us what to do.”
The sheriff seems to know full well what many people in more populous parts of California must think of him.
That he’s shortsighted and selfish, given the science showing that a face covering helps slow the spread of the coronavirus. Or that he’s merely a product of a hopelessly unreasonable, right-wing environment. (It’s true that nearly 72% of voters in Modoc County went for Donald Trump, and the people soliciting signatures to recall Newsom from office don’t have to work very hard.)
But he doesn’t seem to care.
What he does care about is how Modoc County is in a perpetual state of waiting. Waiting on Newsom to issue more public health orders to counties. And then waiting for a clear explanation on what counts as compliance with the state. But most of all, it’s waiting for a pandemic that has yet to arrive.
Early on, the county cleared out its small, rural hospital, telling patients to come back later and erecting a white emergency tent outside for those with COVID-19. It willingly shuttered schools, as well as the handful of small businesses in Alturas and neighboring Cedarville.
County officials pulled out and distributed all of the heavy-duty face masks and other personal protective equipment they had squirreled away after seasons of wildfires.
“We were well prepared,” said Dowdy, whose office coordinates emergency services for the county. “And that sounds strange coming from a very, very, very small county, but we were well prepared.”
Then, nothing.
The old county courthouse looms large in the Modoc county seat of Alturas. (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)
Residents had resisted the temptation to hoard supplies, knowing the county’s already tenuous supply chain — with food, toilet paper and other goods being trucked to a handful of local stores a few times per week — was being disrupted by the broader pandemic.
Many worried about the cash-strapped rural hospital being unable to make ends meet without paying patients, and the toll being paid by students who, rather than going to school, were in troubled households.
Two of the main restaurants in Alturas were struggling to survive, in part because they had to figure out how to handle delivery. Luckily, some enterprising high school students decided to make a business out of it, charging a few bucks to bring food to the farthest reaches of the county.
“Have you been up and down Main Street? There’s quite a few closed storefronts, and that was before COVID,” Dowdy said. “So we didn’t need any more of that.”
Without those stores, residents knew, everyone would have to make the two-hour-plus drive to Redding or Reno just to get basic supplies.
Like many other side effects of this pandemic, it has taken a hammer to existing fault lines in rural communities. So, feeling as if they had little choice, Modoc County officials agreed to start reopening the local economy faster than other parts of California.
So far, Dowdy said, he hasn’t heard anything from Newsom’s office to indicate that Modoc County is out of compliance with the state. But the sheriff admitted that the governor’s messaging is often confusing or nonexistent, so he’s still a bit worried.
Dowdy isn’t alone in this assessment. A growing chorus of critics has emerged in recent days, dinging Newsom for being inconsistent, unfocused and tone-deaf. Even in far more populous parts of California, like Los Angeles, it seems impossible to get a straight answer about what’s open, what’s closed and, most important, why.
Heck, I’m still trying to figure out why Newsom closed the beaches but initially let restaurants and bars that serve food — you know, like potato chips — stay open last week.
It’s no wonder that many in Modoc County, where antipathy toward big government was already a thing, now feel confused, a little duped and angry that they allowed themselves to trust Newsom’s administration at all.
“Our rights as American citizens,” Dowdy said, explaining residents’ fears about the loss of local decision-making. “I feel like that’s slowly being taken away, and that is concerning to me.”
And yet, making a habit of refusing to wear a face mask just because Newsom ordered everyone to wear a face mask is hardly a hill worth dying on — unless the goal is actual death. That’s a choice, too.


latimes--2020-07-08--Many in Orange County resist masks even as coronavirus cases soar

When Basilico ’ s Pasta e Vino took to social media to proclaim itself a mask-free location amid the coronavirus pandemic in late May , it prompted responses ranging from overwhelming support to stern admonishments from customers who pledged never to dine at the restaurant again .
On Monday , officials at the Huntington Beach establishment had a message for those who have expressed anger about their policy .
They updated the restaurant ’ s voicemail greeting , joking that they were “ having some fun with the haters.
” “ As you may know , we have been recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciation have been receiving an overwhelming show of support by the community and even from across the state and country , so if you ’ re calling to place an order or express support for our position please hold or leave a voicemail , ” the greeting states .
“ If you ’ re calling to place a death threat , please press 2 and leave your name , number and address so our cousin Guido and his crew can pay you a visit.
” It is not clear whether the restaurant is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entering .
A man who identified himself as the restaurant manager declined to comment to a Times reporter on Tuesday .
Huntington Beach police spokeswoman Angela Bennett said officials have sent the restaurant a letter requesting that they comply with the state ’ s mask order .
But the restaurant ’ s defiance underscores how Orange County remains a battleground where dueling factions of the population debate the necessity of masks .
As coronavirus cases have spiked , more officials are urging people to cover their faces when in public .
But many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a larger debate raging this summer as businesses reopen even as coronavirus surges .
The politics of masks are particularly intense among those who don ’ t like the idea of the government telling them what they should wear .
Public health experts have said that wearing a face covering is an effective way to decrease the spread of the coronavirus .
A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , concluded that , “ wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early June , Orange County ’ s public health officer resigned after weeks of verbal attacks , including a death threat , over her mandatory mask rules .
Her replacement rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors , instead “ strongly recommending ” that residents wear face coverings when in public .
A week later , Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings , including shopping , taking public transit or seeking medical care .
The order was handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cases had been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution .
Last week , Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau included a mask requirement in the Orange County ’ s latest order .
The order also closed certain business sectors including bars and indoor dining at restaurants amid a troubling uptick in infections and hospitalizations in the county .
On Monday , Orange County for the first time reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day , with young people accounting for the bulk of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of coronavirus cases among the state ’ s 58 counties and the fourth-most deaths , Officials say the recent spike was due in part to reports from backlogged test results .
The county reported 1,028 additional cases Monday , 1,013 of which were from specimens collected June 20 to July 3 ; the others were collected before June 19 .
The county ’ s positivity rate has also skyrocketed in recent weeks .
The positivity rate , which health officials use to gauge whether case numbers are increasing because of more testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading within the community , was listed as 7.95 % over a seven-day period in mid-May .
As of Monday , the county had a case rate of 222 per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 14.2 % , according to health officials .
The state has set a desired standard average of 25 positive cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period and a seven-day average positive test rate of 8 % .
The surge in new cases and the recent rollback of business reopenings prompted Supervisor Michelle Steel , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer ’ s decision to mandate masks , to appeal to residents to wear a face covering .
“ With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks , I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and unable to properly social distance , as well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance , ” Steel said in a statement this week .
“ This is of the utmost importance to protect your health and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can return back to normal as quickly as possible.
” While more public officials appear to be embracing the mask requirement , law enforcement throughout much of the county has taken a softer approach than its northerly neighbors .
In some Westside cities in Los Angeles County , like Santa Monica , not wearing a mask could result in a $ 300 fine for a first offense .
The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department on Tuesday could not immediately provide data about the number of citations they have issued .
Orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement that the department has to be practical when considering enforcement of face coverings in the sections of the county where deputies patrol .
Officials said the sheriff is not taking an adversarial approach to the governor ’ s orders , but is operating with limited resources .
“ With limited exceptions , not wearing a face covering is a violation of the public health order , but it is not a practical application of a criminal law violation , ” Barnes wrote .
“ As many other industries are gaining compliance through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to educate the public about the statewide face-covering requirement and will request voluntary compliance.
” Cities with their own police departments in Orange County , including Irvine and Newport Beach , have also found success taking an education-first approach .
While police in Irvine can cite people who refuse to wear face coverings under a city order , officers have not found it to be necessary , said Sgt .
Karie Davies .
“ People have been receptive to the information that our officers provide .
I think some of it is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Davies said .
“ We ’ re really trying not to give people citations , but if push came to shove and we really had to , we would.
” Newsom on Monday indicated that counties not enforcing the orders could risk losing their share of $ 2.5 billion worth of state funds , saying that if officials are “ unwilling to do it , then we will redirect those dollars to communities that are.
” “ I have great respect for the overwhelming majority of officials in Orange County that want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said .
“ If there ’ s a handful that don ’ t , we ’ ll work through them , around them or we ’ ll work through whatever the problems are .
”

Lisa and Todd Smith enjoy drinks on Main Street in Huntington Beach on July 1 as they greet a passerby who says she can’t get used to wearing a face mask.
When Basilico’s Pasta e Vino took to social media to proclaim itself a mask-free location amid the coronavirus pandemic in late May, it prompted responses ranging from overwhelming support to stern admonishments from customers who pledged never to dine at the restaurant again.
On Monday, officials at the Huntington Beach establishment had a message for those who have expressed anger about their policy. They updated the restaurant’s voicemail greeting, joking that they were “having some fun with the haters.”
“As you may know, we have been recently featured in the press and with great appreciation have been receiving an overwhelming show of support by the community and even from across the state and country, so if you’re calling to place an order or express support for our position please hold or leave a voicemail,” the greeting states. “If you’re calling to place a death threat, please press 2 and leave your name, number and address so our cousin Guido and his crew can pay you a visit.”
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It is not clear whether the restaurant is mandating that diners remove their masks before entering. A man who identified himself as the restaurant manager declined to comment to a Times reporter on Tuesday. Huntington Beach police spokeswoman Angela Bennett said officials have sent the restaurant a letter requesting that they comply with the state’s mask order.
But the restaurant’s defiance underscores how Orange County remains a battleground where dueling factions of the population debate the necessity of masks. As coronavirus cases have spiked, more officials are urging people to cover their faces when in public. But many are skill skeptical.
It’s part of a larger debate raging this summer as businesses reopen even as coronavirus surges. The politics of masks are particularly intense among those who don’t like the idea of the government telling them what they should wear.
Public health experts have said that wearing a face covering is an effective way to decrease the spread of the coronavirus. A study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that, “wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission.”
In early June, Orange County’s public health officer resigned after weeks of verbal attacks, including a death threat, over her mandatory mask rules. Her replacement rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors, instead “strongly recommending” that residents wear face coverings when in public.
A week later, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings, including shopping, taking public transit or seeking medical care. The order was handed down amid growing concerns that an increase in cases had been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution.
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Last week, Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau included a mask requirement in the Orange County’s latest order. The order also closed certain business sectors including bars and indoor dining at restaurants amid a troubling uptick in infections and hospitalizations in the county.
On Monday, Orange County for the first time reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day, with young people accounting for the bulk of new infections. The county has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases among the state’s 58 counties and the fourth-most deaths, according to Los Angeles Times data.
Officials say the recent spike was due in part to reports from backlogged test results. The county reported 1,028 additional cases Monday, 1,013 of which were from specimens collected June 20 to July 3; the others were collected before June 19.
The county’s positivity rate has also skyrocketed in recent weeks. The positivity rate, which health officials use to gauge whether case numbers are increasing because of more testing or because there’s more disease spreading within the community, was listed as 7.95% over a seven-day period in mid-May. As of Monday, the county had a case rate of 222 per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 14.2%, according to health officials.
The state has set a desired standard average of 25 positive cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period and a seven-day average positive test rate of 8%.
The surge in new cases and the recent rollback of business reopenings prompted Supervisor Michelle Steel, who had previously repeatedly questioned the county health officer’s decision to mandate masks, to appeal to residents to wear a face covering.
“With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks, I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and unable to properly social distance, as well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance,” Steel said in a statement this week. “This is of the utmost importance to protect your health and the health of others, so that we can return back to normal as quickly as possible.”
While more public officials appear to be embracing the mask requirement, law enforcement throughout much of the county has taken a softer approach than its northerly neighbors. In some Westside cities in Los Angeles County, like Santa Monica, not wearing a mask could result in a $300 fine for a first offense.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday could not immediately provide data about the number of citations they have issued.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said in a statement that the department has to be practical when considering enforcement of face coverings in the sections of the county where deputies patrol. Officials said the sheriff is not taking an adversarial approach to the governor’s orders, but is operating with limited resources.
“With limited exceptions, not wearing a face covering is a violation of the public health order, but it is not a practical application of a criminal law violation,” Barnes wrote. “As many other industries are gaining compliance through an education-first approach, deputies will continue to educate the public about the statewide face-covering requirement and will request voluntary compliance.”
Cities with their own police departments in Orange County, including Irvine and Newport Beach, have also found success taking an education-first approach.
While police in Irvine can cite people who refuse to wear face coverings under a city order, officers have not found it to be necessary, said Sgt. Karie Davies.
“People have been receptive to the information that our officers provide. I think some of it is just a matter of clearing up misinformation,” Davies said. “We’re really trying not to give people citations, but if push came to shove and we really had to, we would.”
Newsom on Monday indicated that counties not enforcing the orders could risk losing their share of $2.5 billion worth of state funds, saying that if officials are “unwilling to do it, then we will redirect those dollars to communities that are.”
“I have great respect for the overwhelming majority of officials in Orange County that want to do the right thing,” Newsom said. “If there’s a handful that don’t, we’ll work through them, around them or we’ll work through whatever the problems are.”
Daily Pilot staff writer Sara Cardine contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-08--Many residents say California reopened too soon and fear coronavirus spread, poll finds

A significant number of residents believe California reopened its economy too early and are worried they could get COVID-19 , as cases and hospitalizations are again surging , according to the most recent tracking poll from the California Health Care Foundation and survey firm Ipsos .
The survey of 1,156 California residents , conducted June 26 to June 30 in both English and Spanish , reflects growing worries about the surge in COVID-19 cases over the last month as businesses reopened and people returned to old habits .
Californians ’ attitudes on whether shelter-in-place orders were relaxed too soon is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 19 to 53 % in the new survey .
In the latest CHCF poll , 27 % of residents said the pace is “ just right , ” and 18 % think the order is being relaxed “ too slowly.
” Seventy-one percent of Black people think the state is reopening too quickly , a significantly higher share than that of Latinos ( 51 % ) and whites ( 50 % ) .
Differences along ideological lines are particularly pronounced when it comes to opinions on whether the state reopened at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 73 % of liberals thought the state has reopened too quickly ; 37 % of conservatives said it ’ s been too slow .
“ Californians are clearly worried about the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases , especially as more and more people are returning to work , ” said Kristof Stremikis , director of the Market Analysis and Insight team at CHCF .
“ There has been a noticeable jump in the number of people who think the state has been reopening too quickly.
” “ This new poll also highlights widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system to respond , ” he added , “ although most people believe they can get the care they need.
” The rising case numbers led to Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s order last week to in many counties , researchers said Tuesday in a news release .
Some 77 % of the poll ’ s respondents said they were concerned that they or a family member will contract the coronavirus .
The level of concern weighs heavier for residents who have lower incomes , with 81 % saying they were worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos , who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 , were at least “ somewhat ” concerned , with 61 % saying they were “ very concerned.
” Ninety percent of Asians said they were concerned about contracting the virus .
Over the past week , the state has averaged more than 7,100 COVID-19 cases and roughly 70 deaths , records show .
As of late Tuesday , the state had recorded totals of more than 284,000 cases and more than 6,570 deaths , according to .
Last week , to reopening the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial stay-at-home order allowed the state to ensure there was adequate hospital capacity , along with ventilators , personal protective equipment and other medical supplies needed to handle a surge .
“ The whole purpose of the original stay-at-home was to buy us time , not put us into a permanent state of closure , ” Newsom told The Times on July 1 .
“ No one advertised that we would shut down the fifth-largest economy for a year .
That would create a health crisis the likes of which the nation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not available for comment at the time of publication for this story .
The poll also discussed concerns about the healthcare system .
Of those polled , 84 % said that , if infected , they or a family member would have access to the care they need .
Among those with low incomes — defined as income at or below — the figure fell to 70 % .
More than nine in 10 white residents said they were confident , compared to 73 % of Latino and 83 % of Black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The survey found that attitudes were mixed when it comes to the ability of the health system “ as a whole ” to respond to another wave of COVID-19 cases .
White residents have the most confidence in the state ’ s healthcare system , with 63 % saying they were “ somewhat ” or “ very ” confident , in comparison to 50 % of Latinos .
With more sectors of the economy reopening , researchers asked residents if they were concerned about catching the virus at work and bringing it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Californians who said they “ leave home to go to work , ” 75 % were concerned about exposing members of their household .
Eighty-four percent of Latinos said they were concerned about exposing their family members , versus 59 % of white residents , the poll shows .
Researchers also said there were notable differences in the latest poll as to whether masks are required in the workplace , with 83 % saying their employer requires them to wear a facial covering at least “ most of the time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ all the time.
” The results vary by ethnicity , with 89 % of Latinos required to wear a mask at least “ most of the time , ” compared with 67 % of white residents .
Just over two-thirds of residents ( 69 % ) who leave home to go to work said their employer has “ done enough to ensure employees are safe where they work , ” while 21 % said their employer has “ not done enough.
” Nearly 10 % of those polled said they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report .

A significant number of residents believe California reopened its economy too early and are worried they could get COVID-19, as cases and hospitalizations are again surging, according to the most recent tracking poll from the California Health Care Foundation and survey firm Ipsos.
The survey of 1,156 California residents, conducted June 26 to June 30 in both English and Spanish, reflects growing worries about the surge in COVID-19 cases over the last month as businesses reopened and people returned to old habits.
Californians’ attitudes on whether shelter-in-place orders were relaxed too soon is shifting — jumping from 43% on June 19 to 53% in the new survey. In the latest CHCF poll, 27% of residents said the pace is “just right,” and 18% think the order is being relaxed “too slowly.”
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Seventy-one percent of Black people think the state is reopening too quickly, a significantly higher share than that of Latinos (51%) and whites (50%).
Differences along ideological lines are particularly pronounced when it comes to opinions on whether the state reopened at an appropriate rate. The survey showed that 73% of liberals thought the state has reopened too quickly; 37% of conservatives said it’s been too slow.
“Californians are clearly worried about the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, especially as more and more people are returning to work,” said Kristof Stremikis, director of the Market Analysis and Insight team at CHCF. “There has been a noticeable jump in the number of people who think the state has been reopening too quickly.”
“This new poll also highlights widespread concerns with the ability of the health system to respond,” he added, “although most people believe they can get the care they need.”
The rising case numbers led to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order last week to close indoor restaurants, bars and other businesses in many counties, researchers said Tuesday in a news release.
Some 77% of the poll’s respondents said they were concerned that they or a family member will contract the coronavirus. The level of concern weighs heavier for residents who have lower incomes, with 81% saying they were worried.
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Researchers found that 85% of Latinos, who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, were at least “somewhat” concerned, with 61% saying they were “very concerned.” Ninety percent of Asians said they were concerned about contracting the virus.
Over the past week, the state has averaged more than 7,100 COVID-19 cases and roughly 70 deaths, records show. As of late Tuesday, the state had recorded totals of more than 284,000 cases and more than 6,570 deaths, according to data tracked by The Times .
Last week, Newsom defended his administration’s approach to reopening the state’s economy and said the initial stay-at-home order allowed the state to ensure there was adequate hospital capacity, along with ventilators, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies needed to handle a surge.
“The whole purpose of the original stay-at-home was to buy us time, not put us into a permanent state of closure,” Newsom told The Times on July 1. “No one advertised that we would shut down the fifth-largest economy for a year. That would create a health crisis the likes of which the nation has never seen in history.”
He was not available for comment at the time of publication for this story.
The poll also discussed concerns about the healthcare system. Of those polled, 84% said that, if infected, they or a family member would have access to the care they need. Among those with low incomes — defined as income at or below 138% of the federal poverty guidelines — the figure fell to 70%. More than nine in 10 white residents said they were confident, compared to 73% of Latino and 83% of Black and Asian residents, the poll shows.
The survey found that attitudes were mixed when it comes to the ability of the health system “as a whole” to respond to another wave of COVID-19 cases. White residents have the most confidence in the state’s healthcare system, with 63% saying they were “somewhat” or “very” confident, in comparison to 50% of Latinos.
With more sectors of the economy reopening, researchers asked residents if they were concerned about catching the virus at work and bringing it into their homes. Of the 38% of Californians who said they “leave home to go to work,” 75% were concerned about exposing members of their household. Eighty-four percent of Latinos said they were concerned about exposing their family members, versus 59% of white residents, the poll shows.
Researchers also said there were notable differences in the latest poll as to whether masks are required in the workplace, with 83% saying their employer requires them to wear a facial covering at least “most of the time,” and two-thirds saying their employer requires masks “all the time.” The results vary by ethnicity, with 89% of Latinos required to wear a mask at least “most of the time,” compared with 67% of white residents.
Just over two-thirds of residents (69%) who leave home to go to work said their employer has “done enough to ensure employees are safe where they work,” while 21% said their employer has “not done enough.” Nearly 10% of those polled said they didn’t know.
Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-07--L.A. Sheriff's Department employee arrested after alleged sexual misconduct with detainees

An employee with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of engaging in sexual @ @ @ @ @ sheriff ’ s officials said .
Roy ’ ce Bass , 29 , surrendered to @ @ @ @ @ by the Sheriff Department ’ s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau .
Bass , who was @ @ @ @ @ all-female Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood , was released after posting $ 100,000 bail @ @ @ @ @ said in a news release that Bass is accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with @ @ @ @ @ his workplace between August 2017 and January 2018 .
He is scheduled to appear in @ @ @ @ @ The Sheriff ’ s Department finds these allegations deeply troubling , ” the news release @ @ @ @ @ committed to transparency and holding our employees fully accountable .
”

An employee with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department turned himself in Tuesday after an investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct with detainees.
A custody assistant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been charged with engaging in sexual activity with two detainees being held at a women’s jail in Lynwood, prosecutors said.
Roy’ce Bass, 29, surrendered to investigators Tuesday after an investigation by the Sheriff Department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau. Bass, who worked at the Century Regional Detention Facility, was released after posting $100,000 bail.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Wednesday that Bass was charged with four counts of having sex with an adult confined in a detention facility. Two of the charges are linked to a July 2017 encounter in an inmate’s cell, and the other two are tied to a January 2018 incident with a second inmate, according to the district attorney’s office and the criminal complaint.
If convicted, Bass faces up to five years in state prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 13.
“The Sheriff’s Department finds these allegations deeply troubling,” the sheriff’s officials said in a news release. “We are committed to transparency and holding our employees fully accountable.”