latimes--2020-08-27--Beverly Hills will prosecute protesters for curfew violations

As thousands of protesters took to the streets of Southern California in the last few months to call for criminal justice reform in demonstrations that sometimes veered into vandalism and arson , hundreds found themselves handcuffed for far lesser violations .
Police in Los Angeles , Long Beach and Santa Monica racked up thousands of arrests , mostly for defiance of curfew or dispersal orders , drawing criticism from public health officials who feared that unmasked officers detaining people in close quarters risked worsening the spread of COVID-19 .
Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey and L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would not prosecute people arrested for such minor violations , and legal challenges to the constitutionality of county and city curfew orders soon arose .
But on Monday , the city of Beverly Hills filed misdemeanor curfew violation charges against 25 people involved in a comparatively calm June protest , a move that has civil liberties advocates scratching their heads .
“ It ’ s totally outrageous that this is going forward at all , that any resources are being expended , ” said Rachel Steinback , a defense attorney involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already under fire for their handling of the June 26 protest , when police tried to jail protesters who couldn ’ t post the $ 5,000 bail for the curfew violation .
Normally in such cases , police put arrestees through a booking process , issue citations and release them , a practice that has become more widely accepted as law enforcement tries to reduce jail crowding due to the pandemic .
Beverly Hills began to release the protesters the next day after the National Lawyers Guild and other organizations mounted a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim they were detained for nearly 20 hours .
The protesters were charged under an emergency ordinance meant to “ preserve the peace and tranquility of residential neighborhoods , ” which barred loud gatherings of more than 10 people after 9 p.m .
The ordinance was enacted 13 days before the protest .
An arraignment in the case was delayed until October .
“ We are going to treat these prosecutions the same as we treat other prosecutions that are violations of the municipal code , ” city spokesman Keith Sterling said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same benefits of any prosecutions.
” Sterling said neither Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman nor the City Council was involved in the decision to press charges .
Beverly Hills does not have a city attorney ’ s office and contracts with the outside law firm Dapeer , Rosenblit and Litvak to handle such matters .
Many other cities in L.A. County leave misdemeanor prosecutions to the discretion of Lacey ’ s office .
In court filings , police alleged the protesters had outfitted a van with speakers and amplification equipment that allowed music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the march went on , police alleged , one protester cut down an American flag near the office of the Beverly Hills Courier newspaper and attempted to burn it .
That person was charged with arson in a separate criminal case .
There were no other reports of injuries or property damage related to the protest , according to the filing .
Around 9 p.m. , protesters who defied the curfew were arrested in a residential area near Rexford Drive , the filings said .
James Butler , who organized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was arrested that night , said demonstrators chose to march in Beverly Hills to shock the conscience of people who might otherwise ignore the criminal justice reform movement that has swept the nation in the wake of the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .
“ We go to Beverly Hills often because our system obviously works very hard to try to protect the rich from the truth of what is happening , ” Butler said .
Butler said he was held in the city jail for 22 hours and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also alleged he was denied medical attention .
The Beverly Hills police report said Butler briefly fainted while being arrested , but mentions no other complaints about injuries .
In recent days , demonstrations against police brutality have once again begun to tick up after officers in Kenosha , Wis. , shot Jacob Blake in the back several times , potentially leaving him paralyzed .
With solidarity protests already popping up in downtown L.A. this week , some attorneys said Beverly Hills ’ insistence on prosecuting protesters for minor offenses could require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they are the only prosecuting agency in L.A. County which has gone forward with what are , essentially , identical violations to what the L.A. [ County ] D.A .
declined to prosecute , what the L.A. city attorney declined to prosecute , ” said Jerod Gunsberg , a defense attorney .
“ There ’ s no different conduct here.
” Butler and others involved in the case also expressed shock at a paragraph in the Beverly Hills Police Department ’ s summary of the event , which suggested the sight of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents reflect on the Holocaust or killings during the Iranian revolution .
“ It should be noted that Beverly Hills is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city .
However , a large percentage of its population is comprised of Iranians and Jews of Christian and Jewish faiths .
Many of the community have experienced untold atrocities before they fled their countries to come to the United States , ” a police sergeant wrote in the report .
“ Many lost their families to mobs who took them from homes during the cover of darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iranian Revolution and the genocide of the Jews .
To many of the residents , this is not merely an intrusion of their peace , rather , it is a terrifying reminder of their past.
” Sterling said the report simply reflected the opinions of those in the neighborhood where the protest occurred .
Butler , who said a police official sent him a similar email , said he was disgusted that police would compare nonviolent protest to the brutality of the Holocaust .
“ That was mind-blowing to me , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point that I was speechless and couldn ’ t even respond .
”

A family member of Breonna Taylor is hugged by another woman after speaking to protesters in Beverly Hills on June 6.
As thousands of protesters took to the streets of Southern California in the last few months to call for criminal justice reform in demonstrations that sometimes veered into vandalism and arson, hundreds found themselves handcuffed for far lesser violations.
Police in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Monica racked up thousands of arrests, mostly for defiance of curfew or dispersal orders, drawing criticism from public health officials who feared that unmasked officers detaining people in close quarters risked worsening the spread of COVID-19.
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer announced that they would not prosecute people arrested for such minor violations, and legal challenges to the constitutionality of county and city curfew orders soon arose.
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But on Monday, the city of Beverly Hills filed misdemeanor curfew violation charges against 25 people involved in a comparatively calm June protest, a move that has civil liberties advocates scratching their heads.
“It’s totally outrageous that this is going forward at all, that any resources are being expended,” said Rachel Steinback, a defense attorney involved in the case.
Beverly Hills officials were already under fire for their handling of the June 26 protest, when police tried to jail protesters who couldn’t post the $5,000 bail for the curfew violation.
Normally in such cases, police put arrestees through a booking process, issue citations and release them, a practice that has become more widely accepted as law enforcement tries to reduce jail crowding during the pandemic. Beverly Hills began to release the protesters the next day after the National Lawyers Guild and other organizations mounted a public pressure campaign. Still, some people say they were detained for nearly 20 hours.
The protesters were charged under an emergency ordinance meant to “preserve the peace and tranquility of residential neighborhoods,” which barred loud gatherings of more than 10 people after 9 p.m. The ordinance was enacted 13 days before the protest.
An arraignment in the case was delayed until October.
“We are going to treat these prosecutions the same as we treat other prosecutions that are violations of the municipal code,” city spokesman Keith Sterling said. “The public safety benefits are the same benefits of any prosecutions.”
Sterling said neither Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman nor the City Council was involved in the decision to press charges.
Beverly Hills does not have a city attorney’s office and contracts with the outside law firm Dapeer, Rosenblit and Litvak to handle such matters. Many other cities in L.A. County leave misdemeanor prosecutions to the discretion of Lacey’s office.
In court filings, police alleged the protesters had outfitted a van with speakers and amplification equipment that allowed music to be heard from 100 yards away. As the march went on, police alleged, one protester cut down an American flag near the office of the Beverly Hills Courier newspaper and attempted to burn it. That person was charged with arson in a separate criminal case.
There were no other reports of injuries or property damage related to the protest, according to the filing. Around 9 p.m., protesters who defied the curfew were arrested in a residential area near Rexford Drive, the filings said.
James Butler, who organized the protest through the organization Black Future Project and was arrested that night, said demonstrators chose to march in Beverly Hills to shock the conscience of people who might otherwise ignore the criminal justice reform movement that has swept the nation after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
“We go to Beverly Hills often because our system obviously works very hard to try to protect the rich from the truth of what is happening,” Butler said.
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Butler said he was held in the city jail for 22 hours and was denied food for several hours. He also alleged he was denied medical attention. The Beverly Hills police report said Butler briefly fainted while being arrested, but mentions no other complaints about injuries.
In recent days, demonstrations against police brutality have once again begun to tick up after officers in Kenosha, Wis., shot Jacob Blake in the back several times, potentially leaving him paralyzed. With solidarity protests already popping up in downtown L.A. this week, some attorneys said Beverly Hills’ insistence on prosecuting protesters for minor offenses could require additional scrutiny.
“In my knowledge, they are the only prosecuting agency in L.A. County which has gone forward with what are, essentially, identical violations to what the L.A. [County] D.A. declined to prosecute, what the L.A. city attorney declined to prosecute,” said Jerod Gunsberg, a defense attorney. “There’s no different conduct here.”
Butler and others involved in the case also expressed shock at a paragraph in the Beverly Hills Police Department’s summary of the event, which suggested the sight of protesters in the city might make some residents reflect on the Holocaust or killings during the Iranian revolution.
“It should be noted that Beverly Hills is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic city. However, a large percentage of its population is comprised of Iranians and Jews of Christian and Jewish faiths. Many of the community have experienced untold atrocities before they fled their countries to come to the United States,” a police sergeant wrote in the report. “Many lost their families to mobs who took them from homes during the cover of darkness and executed them in the streets during the Iranian Revolution and the genocide of the Jews. To many of the residents, this is not merely an intrusion of their peace, rather, it is a terrifying reminder of their past.”
Sterling said the report simply reflected the opinions of those in the neighborhood where the protest occurred. Butler, who said a police official sent him a similar email, said he was disgusted that police would compare nonviolent protest to the brutality of the Holocaust.
“That was mind-blowing to me,” he said. “That’s to the point that I was speechless and couldn’t even respond.”


latimes--2020-08-27--California Senate Republicans under COVID-19 quarantine, not allowed in state Capitol

Nearly every Republican in the California Senate was barred from the state Capitol on Thursday and required to vote remotely for the remainder of session after contact tracing showed that a lawmaker who tested positive for COVID-19 had exposed the others .
The state Senate abruptly canceled session on Wednesday after learning that Sen. Brian Jones ( R-Santee ) tested positive for the virus .
Jones is now under quarantine orders along with nine Republican lawmakers he had personal contact with in recent days .
Several Senate staffers are also under quarantine , Senate officials said .
“ Unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the exposures was such that virtually every member of the Republican Caucus is now unable to enter the Capitol without violating public health orders , ” Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) said in a statement .
“ I know our Republican colleagues are disappointed not to be on the floor or in their offices today , but I also know they would never knowingly put the health and safety of others at risk.
” Jones was in the Capitol this week before being tested along with several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of both parties met for a floor session on Monday , while Senate Republicans including Jones met in person for a caucus meeting on Tuesday .
Some Republicans also met in person for a private gathering on Monday night .
Senate Democrats stopped holding in-person caucus meetings in March , according to Atkins ’ office and several senators .
The only Republican who is not subject to the quarantine is Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber , who said he skipped the Republican caucus meeting and a dinner with his GOP colleagues this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed will continue to debate and vote from their homes in order for the house to wrap up the final days of the legislative session on Monday .
However , Republican senators said they had not yet been told how they would vote remotely and were not able to do so on Thursday .
Lawmakers have discussed remote voting or a hybrid model of in-person and virtual sessions , but there has been strong opposition to those accommodations , including from Jones .
In May , Jones asked the Legislature ’ s lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional .
Legislative Counsel wrote that the California Constitution calls for a body to be assembled and for the public to be able to directly observe , but noted that a court may defer to the Legislature ’ s judgment in a time of emergency .
In the May letter , Legislative Counsel wrote that “ we can not counsel the Legislature to engage in remote legislating with a sense of security that such a practice would ultimately be upheld by the courts.
” However , Diane Griffiths , general counsel for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Senate is confident that remote voting would be upheld if challenged because of the “ precautions we ’ ve taken and the fact that we ’ ve waited until it was actually necessary.
” Due to the pandemic , the Senate has allowed remote voting for bills being considered in committee hearings if the voting was conducted from district offices , but did not allow proxy votes during floor sessions .
The Assembly has allowed lawmakers at high risk for contracting the virus to submit proxy votes to the house ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of spreading the virus inside district offices , the Senate will allow lawmakers subjected to a quarantine order to vote from their Sacramento residences .
Under California Department of Public Health guidelines , Republican senators will not be allowed to return to the Capitol until after the end of the session Monday , even if they test negative for the virus .
On the Senate floor Thursday , Nielsen questioned Atkins ’ decision and said his colleagues should be allowed to return to the Senate in person if they test negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had equally examined exchanges Jones may have had with Democrats .
“ There is a hypocrisy of majority that sometimes borders on arrogance , ” Nielsen said .
“ I ’ m disappointed in the institution.
” Atkins pushed back against the implication that her decision was politically motivated , saying she would have done the same thing if there were Democrats who needed to be quarantined .
Atkins said she worked with experts to find solutions and that it was regretful that Republicans were not able to be on the Senate floor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not want to find ourselves in , which is why you have heard me , again and again , plead with people to follow the guidelines , ” Atkins said .
Secretary of the Senate Erika Contreras sent a memo to all senators and staff on Aug. 21 that included a schedule for floor sessions in the final week of the year and described the house ’ s safety guidelines .
One of the rules was “ do not participate in social gatherings with people outside of your own household.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday night to pay tribute to their colleagues who are leaving office at the end of the year .
State Sen. Brian Dahle ( R-Bieber ) said he and Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove ( R-Bakersfield ) went over to the Sacramento residence of state Sen. Mike Morrell ( R-Rancho Cucamonga ) , who is among the departing lawmakers , during the tribute .
Dahle said he ate cake , kept a distance from the other lawmakers and that Jones did not attend .
“ There was no watch party , ” Dahle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering .
Dahle also participated in the in-person caucus meeting Tuesday with Jones and others .
A nurse called him on Wednesday and said he was identified as someone who came in contact with Jones and advised him to stay home .
On Thursday , Dahle watched the Senate floor session on his iPad at his Sacramento home .
He said no one had contacted him about how to vote remotely .
Prior to his quarantine order , Dahle has been vocal about his belief that remote voting is unconstitutional and said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll vote from home .
He wants the Senate to let him quarantine in his office and then visit the floor at the end of the day to vote on all of the pending bills under an “ on-call ” system the lower house deploys to allow lawmakers who are not present at the time of a vote to add on later .
“ We do it all the time , ” Dahle said .
“ That ’ s what I thought was fair .
I want to participate .
I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goal.
” The Legislature has dealt with disruptions since March , when leaders in both houses decided to move up and extend a spring recess to lessen the risk of spreading the virus .
Then , during summer recess , both houses delayed a return to the Capitol last month .
Lawmakers have been required to wear masks and maintain a safe distance from each other at the Capitol , while visitors in the building had to undergo a health screening .
On Wednesday , both the Senate and Assembly announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have their temperature checked before entering the building .
Previously , lawmakers and staff were asked to take their own temperatures before leaving home , while there were strict limits on how many staffers could work in each office at one time .
Wednesday marked the third known COVID-19 diagnosis for a state lawmaker after two Assembly members tested positive last month .
Last month , Assemblyman Tom Lackey ( R-Palmdale ) was hospitalized following COVID-19 complications , while Assemblywoman Autumn Burke ( D-Marina del Rey ) also tested positive .
Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time as the Legislature was meeting to pass the state budget .
Senate officials said an officer of the California Highway Patrol , who had last been inside the Capitol on Monday , had also tested positive for the virus .
The governor ’ s office said the officer did not work in Gov .
Gavin Newsom ‘ s security detail .

The floor of the California state Senate, seen here on May 28, is now off-limits to several senators under quarantine for COVID-19.
Nearly every Republican in the California Senate was barred from the state Capitol on Thursday and required to vote remotely for the remainder of session after contact tracing showed that a lawmaker who tested positive for COVID-19 had exposed the others.
The state Senate abruptly canceled session on Wednesday after learning that Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee) tested positive for the virus. Jones is now under quarantine orders along with nine Republican lawmakers he had personal contact with in recent days. Several Senate staffers are also under quarantine, Senate officials said.
“Unfortunately, the nature of the gathering that resulted in the exposures was such that virtually every member of the Republican Caucus is now unable to enter the Capitol without violating public health orders,” Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said in a statement. “I know our Republican colleagues are disappointed not to be on the floor or in their offices today, but I also know they would never knowingly put the health and safety of others at risk.”
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Jones was in the Capitol this week before being tested along with several other lawmakers in recent days. Lawmakers of both parties met for a floor session on Monday, while Senate Republicans including Jones met in person for a caucus meeting on Tuesday. Some Republicans also met in person for a private gathering on Monday night. Senate Democrats stopped holding in-person caucus meetings in March, according to Atkins’ office and several senators.
The only Republican who is not subject to the quarantine is Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber, who said he skipped the Republican caucus meeting and a dinner with his GOP colleagues this week.
Atkins said the lawmakers who were exposed will continue to debate and vote from their Sacramento residences in order for the house to wrap up the final days of the legislative session on Monday. However, Republican senators said they had not yet been told how they would vote remotely and were not able to do so on Thursday.
Lawmakers have discussed remote voting or a hybrid model of in-person and virtual sessions, but there has been strong opposition to those accommodations, including from Jones. In May, Jones asked the Legislature’s lawyers to opine on whether remote voting is constitutional. Legislative Counsel wrote that the California Constitution calls for a body to be assembled and for the public to be able to directly observe, but noted that a court may defer to the Legislature’s judgment in a time of emergency.
In the May letter, Legislative Counsel wrote that “we cannot counsel the Legislature to engage in remote legislating with a sense of security that such a practice would ultimately be upheld by the courts.” However, Diane Griffiths, general counsel for the Senate president pro tem, said Thursday that the Senate is confident that remote voting would be upheld if challenged because of the “precautions we’ve taken and the fact that we’ve waited until it was actually necessary.”
Due to the pandemic, the Senate has allowed remote voting for bills being considered in committee hearings if the voting was conducted from district offices, but did not allow proxy votes during floor sessions. The Assembly has allowed lawmakers at high risk for contracting the virus to submit proxy votes to the house’s leaders.
Under California Department of Public Health guidelines, Republican senators will not be allowed to return to the Capitol until after the end of the session Monday, even if they test negative for the virus. On the Senate floor Thursday, Nielsen questioned Atkins’ decision and said his colleagues should be allowed to return to the Senate in person if they test negative for COVID-19.
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Nielsen also questioned whether Atkins had equally examined exchanges Jones may have had with Democrats.
“There is a hypocrisy of majority that sometimes borders on arrogance,” Nielsen said. “I’m disappointed in the institution.”
Atkins pushed back against the implication that her decision was politically motivated, saying she would have done the same thing if there were Democrats who needed to be quarantined. Atkins said she worked with experts to find solutions and that it was regretful that Republicans were not able to be on the Senate floor.
“This is the position we did not want to find ourselves in, which is why you have heard me, again and again, plead with people to follow the guidelines,” Atkins said.
Secretary of the Senate Erika Contreras sent a memo to all senators and staff on Aug. 21 that included a schedule for floor sessions in the final week of the year and described the house’s safety guidelines. One of the rules was “do not participate in social gatherings with people outside of your own household.”
The entire Senate held a virtual Zoom meeting Monday night to pay tribute to their colleagues who are leaving office at the end of the year. State Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) said he and Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) went over to the Sacramento residence of state Sen. Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), who is among the departing lawmakers, during the tribute.
Dahle said he ate cake, kept a distance from the other lawmakers and that Jones did not attend.
“There was no watch party,” Dahle said, addressing rumors of a larger gathering.
Dahle also participated in the in-person caucus meeting Tuesday with Jones and others. A nurse called him on Wednesday and said he was identified as someone who came in contact with Jones and advised him to stay home.
On Thursday, Dahle watched the Senate floor session on his iPad at his Sacramento home. He said no one had contacted him about how to vote remotely.
Prior to his quarantine order, Dahle has been vocal about his belief that remote voting is unconstitutional and said he hasn’t decided if he’ll vote from home. He wants the Senate to let him quarantine in his office and then visit the floor at the end of the day to vote on all of the pending bills under an “on-call” system the lower house deploys to allow lawmakers who are not present at the time of a vote to add on later.
“We do it all the time,” Dahle said. “That’s what I thought was fair. I want to participate. I want to serve my people. That’s the goal.”
The Legislature has dealt with disruptions since March, when leaders in both houses decided to move up and extend a spring recess to lessen the risk of spreading the virus. Then, during summer recess, both houses delayed a return to the Capitol last month.
Lawmakers have been required to wear masks and maintain a safe distance from each other at the Capitol, while visitors in the building had to undergo a health screening. On Wednesday, both the Senate and Assembly announced that staffers and lawmakers would also be required to have their temperature checked before entering the building. Previously, lawmakers and staff were asked to take their own temperatures before leaving home, while there were strict limits on how many staffers could work in each office at one time.
Wednesday marked the third known COVID-19 diagnosis for a state lawmaker after two Assembly members tested positive last month.
Last month, Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) was hospitalized following COVID-19 complications, while Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey) also tested positive. Several staffers also tested positive around the same time as the Legislature was meeting to pass the state budget.
Senate officials said an officer of the California Highway Patrol, who had last been inside the Capitol on Monday, had also tested positive for the virus. The governor’s office said the officer did not work in Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s security detail.
Times staff writer John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-27--Contra Costa County allows gyms, nail salons and massage services to reopen outdoors

Contra Costa County will allow gyms , nail salons and massage services to reopen for outside business Friday , but health officials cautioned that smoke from Northern California ’ s wildfires may create unhealthy air .
“ Based on what we are able to see , we can be cautiously optimistic that there is a gradual downward trend in county cases , testing positivity rates and hospitalizations , ” Dr. Chris Farnitano , Contra Costa County ’ s health officer , said Wednesday in a statement .
“ We need everyone to understand this is a reason to keep up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down our guards.
” The new order also will permit hotels and short-term rentals to reopen for personal travel , not only essential business .
Farnitano said the seven-day average of the number of patients who are hospitalized for COVID-19 has dropped slightly and the percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive has declined from 8.8 % on Aug. 6 to 7.4 % on Monday .
Contra Costa County remains on California ’ s monitoring list , however , and state restrictions limit what can be reopened .
A series of wildfires has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Farnitano urged businesses to take into account air quality before offering outdoor services .
The county has issued a health order warning residents to stay inside when there is heavy smoke .
Hair salons and barbers have been open for outdoor business since late last month , and county officials said the services have not been linked to any COVID-19 outbreaks .
The latest order covers all personal-care services that do not require close contact with the face .
One factor used to determine reopenings in a county is the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal is to keep new cases under 100 per 100,000 residents over 14 days .
Over the last 14 days , Contra Costa County reported an average of 278 new cases per 100,000 residents as of Thursday , according to the Los Angeles Times ’ coronavirus tracker .
County officials say key health indicators remain at “ dangerously high levels ” and residents should continue to wear face coverings and socially distance in an effort to stem the spread of the illness .

Insignia Hair Salon stylist Regina Muslimova cleans her station after giving a haircut in the parking lot behind her salon in Walnut Creek. Contra Costa County will allow gyms, nail salons and massage services to join hair salons and barbers in reopening for business outside.
Contra Costa County will allow gyms, nail salons and massage services to reopen for outside business Friday, but health officials cautioned that smoke from Northern California’s wildfires may create unhealthy air.
“Based on what we are able to see, we can be cautiously optimistic that there is a gradual downward trend in county cases, testing positivity rates and hospitalizations,” Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County’s health officer, said Wednesday in a statement. “We need everyone to understand this is a reason to keep up what we are doing and not let down our guards.”
The new order also will permit hotels and short-term rentals to reopen for personal travel, not only essential business.
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Farnitano said the seven-day average of the number of patients who are hospitalized for COVID-19 has dropped slightly and the percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive has declined from 8.8% on Aug. 6 to 7.4% on Monday.
Contra Costa County remains on California’s monitoring list, however, and state restrictions limit what can be reopened.
A series of wildfires has polluted Bay Area air for several days, and Farnitano urged businesses to take into account air quality before offering outdoor services. The county has issued a health order warning residents to stay inside when there is heavy smoke.
Hair salons and barbers have been open for outdoor business since late last month, and county officials said the services have not been linked to any COVID-19 outbreaks. The latest order covers all personal-care services that do not require close contact with the face.
One factor used to determine reopenings in a county is the number of cases per 100,000 people. The goal is to keep new cases under 100 per 100,000 residents over 14 days.
Over the last 14 days, Contra Costa County reported an average of 278 new cases per 100,000 residents as of Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times’ coronavirus tracker.
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County officials say key health indicators remain at “dangerously high levels” and residents should continue to wear face coverings and socially distance in an effort to stem the spread of the illness.


latimes--2020-08-27--How Los Angeles is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium

Fifty years after the Chicano Moratorium of Aug. 29 , 1970 — a peace march and rally against the Vietnam War that turned violent amid police response and left three dead , including journalist Ruben Salazar — a series of marches , forums , screenings and more this week examine that pivotal moment and show how the issues are still relevant in the current climate of protest .
What : A virtual screening of the Phillip Rodriguez-directed documentary “ Ruben Salazar : Man in the Middle ” with opening remarks by Mayor Eric Garcetti and actor-producer Edward James Olmos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & A with Rodriguez , U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro , Univision “ Edición Digital California ” anchor Yarel Ramos , grassroots network Mijente co-founder Neidi Dominguez , author and educator Myriam Gurba and L.A. Times staff writer Daniel Hernandez .
What : A virtual community forum on the National Chicano Moratorium Against the Vietnam War held 50 years ago on Aug. 29 .
Hosted by Column One editor Steve Padilla , with Times reporters Daniel Hernandez and Carolina A. Miranda , and former Times reporter Robert Lopez , who has written about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
Where : Live stream on the L.A. Times website , Facebook page , YouTube channel and Twitter feed .
What : A sneak-peek virtual reading of the play “ August 29 , ” written and first produced in 1990 by members of the Latino Theater Company , then known as the Latino Theater Lab .
The play will receive a full stage production in 2021 .
When : 7 p.m. Friday .
A discussion of the play will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday .
Where : Links available at thelatc.org @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , speeches , reception and performance of Teatro Urbano ’ s play “ The Silver Dollar ” at an outdoor theater on the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe , where journalist Ruben Salazar was killed .
Where : Meet between 3 and 4 p.m. at 4945 Whittier Blvd.
, Los Angeles , site of the Silver Dollar , now Sounds of Music .
( Some participants will meet between 1 and 3 p.m. at Belvedere Park and march to the Silver Dollar site . )
After speeches and performance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park and outdoor theater at East Los Angeles Library , 4837 E. 3rd St. , Los Angeles .
Reception will follow .
What : A march and socially distant car caravan hosted by the 50th Chicano Moratorium committee along Whittier Boulevard to the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe for an outdoor performance of Teatro Urbano ’ s play “ The Silver Dollar ” and a program at Ruben F. Salazar Park .
When : 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Where : 50th Chicano Moratorium car caravan meets at 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road and Whittier Boulevard ; the group ’ s march meets 10 a.m. at Atlantic Park , 570 S Atlantic Blvd.
, Los Angeles .
Caravan and march will stop at 4945 Whittier Blvd .
( now Sounds of Music ) for “ The Silver Dollar ” performance on the way to Ruben F. Salazar Park , 3864 Whittier Blvd , Los Angeles .
What : The 50th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee hosts a daily webinar series with activists , artists and others taking part in discussions , short screenings and performances .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montes , Benjamin Prado and Sol Már .
When : 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily through Sunday , all day on Saturday Info : chicano-moratorium.com , 50th Chicano Moratorium Facebook events page or live streaming from co-chair Lupe Carrasco Cardona ’ s Facebook page or Ethnic Studies Now Coalition Facebook page , with past seminars viewable in the video section of mentioned Facebook pages .
“ Remembering the Life and Death of Ruben Salazar , ” a 40-minute virtual panel discussion followed by a 40-minute question-and-answer session , hosted by the National Assn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderated by Associated Press reporter Russell Contreras with photojournalist Monica Almeida ; L.A. Times reporter Esmeralda Bermudez ; University of Texas at Austin journalism professor Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez ; Dawn Garcia , director of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University ; and filmmaker Phillip Rodriguez , director of “ Ruben Salazar : Man in the Middle , ” and more .
Info : Register for the webinar at nahj.org/events .
The UCLA Film & Television Archive , partnering with the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center , presented a still-viewable selection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moments of activism in East Los Angeles to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium .
Clips include an episode of 1968 ’ s mostly English-language telenovela “ Canción de la Raza ” ( Song of the People ) , 1971 ’ s “ The Chicano Moratorium : A Question of Freedom ” by Thomas Myrdahl , and excerpts of interviews with Ruben Salazar on the television shows “ The Siesta Is Over ” and “ Tempo.
” Artist Harry Gamboa Jr. and Times writer Carolina A. Miranda join a post-screening discussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center and author of “ Shot in America : Television , the State , and the Rise of Chicano Cinema.
” Viewing link on the UCLA Film & Television Archive site and on Vimeo .

Fifty years after the Chicano Moratorium of Aug. 29, 1970 — a peace march and rally against the Vietnam War that turned violent amid police response and left three dead, including journalist Ruben Salazar — a series of marches, forums, screenings and more this week examine that pivotal moment and show how the issues are still relevant in the current climate of protest.
The Chicano Rebellion Reconsidered 50 Years Later
What: A virtual screening of the Phillip Rodriguez-directed documentary “Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle” with opening remarks by Mayor Eric Garcetti and actor-producer Edward James Olmos, followed by a live discussion and Q&A with Rodriguez, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Univision “Edición Digital California” anchor Yarel Ramos, grassroots network Mijente co-founder Neidi Dominguez, author and educator Myriam Gurba and L.A. Times staff writer Daniel Hernandez.
When: 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday
Info: Register at chicanorebellionreconsidered.splashthat.com or USC Annenberg events page.
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Cost: Free
L.A. Times Chicano Moratorium Forum
What: A virtual community forum on the National Chicano Moratorium Against the Vietnam War held 50 years ago on Aug. 29. Hosted by Column One editor Steve Padilla, with Times reporters Daniel Hernandez and Carolina A. Miranda, and former Times reporter Robert Lopez, who has written about the theories still swirling around Salazar’s death.
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Live stream on the L.A. Times website, Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter feed.
Cost: Free
READ THE LA TIMES SPECIAL SERIES: The Chicano Moratorium 50 Years Later
“August 29”
What: A sneak-peek virtual reading of the play “August 29,” written and first produced in 1990 by members of the Latino Theater Company, then known as the Latino Theater Lab. The play will receive a full stage production in 2021.
When: 7 p.m. Friday. A discussion of the play will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Where: Links available at thelatc.org.
Cost: Free.
Brown Berets Chicano Moratorium March
What: A Brown Berets march, speeches, reception and performance of Teatro Urbano’s play “The Silver Dollar” at an outdoor theater on the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe, where journalist Ruben Salazar was killed.
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When: 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Meet between 3 and 4 p.m. at 4945 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, site of the Silver Dollar, now Sounds of Music. (Some participants will meet between 1 and 3 p.m. at Belvedere Park and march to the Silver Dollar site.) After speeches and performance, march departs Whittier Boulevard location for Belvedere Park and outdoor theater at East Los Angeles Library, 4837 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles. Reception will follow.
Info: brownberet.us/upcoming-events or facebook.com/brownberetnational
50th Chicano Moratorium Committee March and Caravan
What: A march and socially distant car caravan hosted by the 50th Chicano Moratorium committee along Whittier Boulevard to the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe for an outdoor performance of Teatro Urbano’s play “The Silver Dollar” and a program at Ruben F. Salazar Park.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: 50th Chicano Moratorium car caravan meets at 10 a.m. and departs 11 a.m. from Gregg Road and Whittier Boulevard; the group’s march meets 10 a.m. at Atlantic Park, 570 S Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles. Caravan and march will stop at 4945 Whittier Blvd. (now Sounds of Music) for “The Silver Dollar” performance on the way to Ruben F. Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles.
Info: chicano-moratorium-com or Chicano Moratorium Facebook page.
Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee Webinars
What: The 50th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee hosts a daily webinar series with activists, artists and others taking part in discussions, short screenings and performances. Hosted by Lupe Carrasco Cordona, Carlos Montes, Benjamin Prado and Sol Már.
When: 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily through Sunday, all day on Saturday
Info: chicano-moratorium.com, 50th Chicano Moratorium Facebook events page or live streaming from co-chair Lupe Carrasco Cardona’s Facebook page or Ethnic Studies Now Coalition Facebook page, with past seminars viewable in the video section of mentioned Facebook pages.
Cost: Free
NAHJ panel discussion
“Remembering the Life and Death of Ruben Salazar,” a 40-minute virtual panel discussion followed by a 40-minute question-and-answer session, hosted by the National Assn. of Hispanic Journalists, will be moderated by Associated Press reporter Russell Contreras with photojournalist Monica Almeida; L.A. Times reporter Esmeralda Bermudez; University of Texas at Austin journalism professor Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez; Dawn Garcia, director of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University; and filmmaker Phillip Rodriguez, director of “Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle,” and more.
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Info: Register for the webinar at nahj.org/events.
UCLA Chicano Moratorium film screening
The UCLA Film & Television Archive, partnering with the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, presented a still-viewable selection of short films on Aug. 24, examining moments of activism in East Los Angeles to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium. Clips include an episode of 1968’s mostly English-language telenovela “Canción de la Raza” (Song of the People), 1971’s “The Chicano Moratorium: A Question of Freedom” by Thomas Myrdahl, and excerpts of interviews with Ruben Salazar on the television shows “The Siesta Is Over” and “Tempo.” Artist Harry Gamboa Jr. and Times writer Carolina A. Miranda join a post-screening discussion with moderator Chon Noriega, director of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center and author of “Shot in America: Television, the State, and the Rise of Chicano Cinema.” Viewing link on the UCLA Film & Television Archive site and on Vimeo.


latimes--2020-08-27--10 arrested after protesters clash with L.A. police in wake of Jacob Blake shooting

Several scuffles broke out and 10 people were arrested during a protest in downtown Los Angeles late Wednesday night , the latest in a series of nationwide demonstrations following the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , in Wisconsin .
The crowd , initially numbering about 300 , took to the streets and marched around downtown through the evening .
About 11 p.m. , some in the crowd began spray-painting graffiti on glass doors of the U.S. Bank Tower on West 5th Street .
From there , protesters marched into the 3rd Street tunnel , where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who set up skirmish lines at both ends of the underpass .
That ’ s when scuffles broke out between some officers and protesters .
Video from KABC-TV showed one protester swinging what looked to be a makeshift shield at an officer and others throwing objects toward police .
Some officers appeared to push protesters to the ground and fire less-lethal munitions .
“ They had already destroyed property .
They refused to obey a lawful order to disperse .
They were observed to be in possession of prohibited weapons ” — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAPD Assistant Chief Horace Frank saidThursday .
Ten people were arrested on charges including suspicion of vandalism , battery of a police officer and unlawfully attempting to take a person from police custody , according to authorities .
Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo said officers had fired less-lethal munitions at protesters , including “ beanbag ” and soft-top rounds , after a group attacked officers trying to arrest a woman who had shined a green laser into the eyes of officers .
“ We have gotten an officer with permanent eye damage from one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said that protesters injured two officers and that batons were used to “ push the crowd away.
” Diego Olivas , 26 , was booked on suspicion of battery of a police officer .
He said officers had trapped protesters inside the tunnel and made them drop makeshift shields made from of boogie boards .
After officers opened fire with beanbag rounds , he said he saw an officer hit someone with a baton and tried to intervene .
At that point , he said , a group of officers jumped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My face is still sore .
My chest is still sore , ” he said Thursday .
LAPD Officer Mike Chance said Thursday morning that the department is still assessing how many protesters or officers may have been injured , as well as the extent of any vandalism .
Wednesday ’ s protest was among many nationwide in response to the shooting of Blake , 29 , in Kenosha , Wis. , as well as the deaths of two people who were killed this week during protests there .
Cellphone video shows Blake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car with his children inside .
Blake is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed .
Kenosha police officials have said officers were responding to a call about a domestic dispute and did not immediately say why they shot Blake .
Kenosha County Dist .
Atty .
Michael Graveley is investigating the shooting with the Wisconsin Justice Department ’ s Division of Criminal Investigation .
In Oakland , 600 to 700 people took part Wednesday in what authorities characterized as destructive and violent protests .
At one point , some in the crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Superior Courthouse — one of a number of blazes set throughout the night , according to the Oakland Police Department .
Multiple businesses were reportedly vandalized and several arrests were made .
Hundreds have demonstrated nightly this week in Kenosha , defying city curfews and clashing with law enforcement .
Police on Wednesday arrested a teenager in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests .
Several Kenosha County supervisors asked Wisconsin ’ s Democratic governor Wednesday to send in 1,250 additional National Guard members to reinforce the 250 already patrolling .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ headquarters in downtown Los Angeles to denounce Blake ’ s shooting .
Protesters at one point moved a metal barricade that had been set up at the building ’ s perimeter , video from the scene showed .
Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 11:20 p.m .
There were also reports of police firing projectiles into the crowd .
NBA players refused to take the court Wednesday for their scheduled playoff games following days of around the league about the relationship between Black people and police in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodgers and San Francisco Giants , followed suit .

Luke Money, Richard Winton, Leila Miller

Several scuffles broke out and 10 people were arrested during a protest in downtown Los Angeles late Wednesday night, the latest in a series of nationwide demonstrations following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin.
The crowd, initially numbering about 300, took to the streets and marched around downtown through the evening.
About 11 p.m., some in the crowd began spray-painting graffiti on glass doors of the U.S. Bank Tower on West 5th Street.
A protester is chased by an LAPD officer as police converge on demonstrators in the 3rd Street tunnel. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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From there, protesters marched into the 3rd Street tunnel, where they were corralled by Los Angeles police officers, who set up skirmish lines at both ends of the underpass. That’s when scuffles broke out between some officers and protesters.
Video from KABC-TV showed one protester swinging what looked to be a makeshift shield at an officer and others throwing objects toward police. Some officers appeared to push protesters to the ground and fire less-lethal munitions.
“They had already destroyed property. They refused to obey a lawful order to disperse. They were observed to be in possession of prohibited weapons” — including brass knuckles and baseball bats, LAPD Assistant Chief Horace Frank saidThursday.
Protesters march through the 3rd Street tunnel. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ten people were arrested on charges including suspicion of vandalism, battery of a police officer and unlawfully attempting to take a person from police custody, according to authorities.
Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo said officers had fired less-lethal munitions at protesters, including “beanbag” and soft-top rounds, after a group attacked officers trying to arrest a woman who had shined a green laser into the eyes of officers.
“We have gotten an officer with permanent eye damage from one of those lasers,” he said.
He said that protesters injured two officers and that batons were used to “push the crowd away.”
Diego Olivas, 26, was booked on suspicion of battery of a police officer. He said officers had trapped protesters inside the tunnel and made them drop makeshift shields made from boogie boards.
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After officers opened fire with beanbag rounds, he said he saw an officer hit someone with a baton and tried to intervene. At that point, he said, a group of officers jumped on him, delivering blows.
“My face is still sore. My chest is still sore,” he said Thursday.
LAPD Officer Mike Chance said Thursday morning that the department is still assessing how many protesters or officers may have been injured, as well as the extent of any vandalism.
Wednesday’s protest was among many nationwide in response to the shooting of Blake, 29, in Kenosha, Wis., as well as the deaths of two people who were killed this week during protests there. Cellphone video shows Blake being shot as he leaned into his car with his children inside. Blake is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed.
An injured protester is helped by a fellow demonstrator during the confrontation.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Kenosha police officials have said officers were responding to a call about a domestic dispute and did not immediately say why they shot Blake. Kenosha County Dist. Atty. Michael Graveley is investigating the shooting with the Wisconsin Justice Department’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
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Liliana Ruiz roller skates in front of LAPD officers in the 3rd Street tunnel. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
In Oakland, 600 to 700 people took part Wednesday in what authorities characterized as destructive and violent protests.
At one point, some in the crowd started a fire at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse — one of a number of blazes set throughout the night, according to the Oakland Police Department. Multiple businesses were reportedly vandalized and several arrests were made.
Hundreds have demonstrated nightly this week in Kenosha, defying city curfews and clashing with law enforcement. Police on Wednesday arrested a teenager in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests. Several Kenosha County supervisors asked Wisconsin’s Democratic governor Wednesday to send in 1,250 additional National Guard members to reinforce the 250 already patrolling.
A demonstrator speaks to the crowd during a protest in downtown L.A. before entering the 3rd Street tunnel. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
On Monday, hundreds of protesters also marched past LAPD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles to denounce Blake’s shooting. Protesters at one point moved a metal barricade that had been set up at the building’s perimeter, video from the scene showed. Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 11:20 p.m. There were also reports of police firing projectiles into the crowd.
NBA players refused to take the court Wednesday for their scheduled playoff games following days of impassioned statements by players and coaches around the league about the relationship between Black people and police in the United States.
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Teams in other sports, including the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, followed suit.
Hundreds gather in downtown Los Angeles to support Senate Bill 107, which seeks to defund police departments. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
People take a knee to touch the ground during a Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and Build Power gathering in downtown L.A. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-27--California targets diesel trucks, ships with biggest pollution cuts in years

California air quality officials are poised to adopt their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade , targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state ’ s cancer-causing and smog-forming emissions .
The state Air Resources Board is expected to vote after a public hearing Thursday on two rules : one to establish stringent new emissions standards for heavy-duty diesel trucks and one to reduce pollution from ships docked at ports .
Together , the measures take aim at what remain the largest , most poorly controlled pollution sources in California .
Diesel trucks emit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than one-quarter of diesel particulate matter in the state .
Oceangoing ships are projected to surpass trucks to become Southern California ’ s largest source of nitrogen oxides by 2023 .
The truck standards face significant opposition from engine manufacturers , while ports and labor unions have sought to delay the ship pollution reduction measures , citing the COVID-19 pandemic .
But the measures can ’ t come soon enough for people living in some of the nation ’ s worst-polluted corridors near ports , warehouses and other freight-clogged areas , largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered from dirty air and higher rates of cancer and asthma .
“ When these two rules are adopted , it will send a strong signal that California is continuing to find its way forward on clean air issues and protecting public health , ” said Will Barrett , director of clean air advocacy for the American Lung Assn .
in California .
“ We ’ re not letting the COVID pandemic interfere with our drive to ensure every Californian has clean air to breathe.
” Tougher truck rules could , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battles with the Trump administration .
Much like the fight over auto emissions , California ’ s move to adopt its own stricter rules for heavy-duty trucks puts the state at odds with federal officials and manufacturers , who want a single , nationwide standard .
But California regulators say they must drastically cut pollution from freight-moving operations if they are to reach the state ’ s ambitious climate goals .
And Southern California has little hope of meeting 2023 and 2031 deadlines to clean its ozone pollution to federal health standards without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship emissions .
South Coast Air Quality Management District Executive Officer Wayne Nastri , who oversees the four-county region of Southern California with the nation ’ s worst smog , in a letter urged the state to adopt an even tougher truck emissions standard that takes effect sooner , calling the proposed rule “ a necessary but insufficient measure to achieve healthful air quality for the 17 million California residents living in the South Coast Basin.
” Also eager for tougher action are people living in communities such as San Bernardino , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental regulators ’ failure to clean smog to federal standards .
San Bernardino has experienced a boom in warehouse logistic centers that attract diesel trucks to an area with some of the nation ’ s highest levels of ozone , the invisible gas in smog that inflames the lungs and triggers asthma and other respiratory problems .
Alejandra Dávila , a 23-year-old education liaison , grew up in San Bernardino from age 7 .
But she didn ’ t understand how bad the smog really was until she went away for college in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dávila has watched her mother , a high school Spanish teacher , suffer from asthma that has gotten worse over the years .
“ It didn ’ t even dawn on me until recently that maybe the reason that she ’ s having such a hard time breathing is because we are in San Bernardino , there are so many trucks coming in and out , and there ’ s no oversight on the air quality.
” Dávila welcomes tougher emissions rules as a step in the right direction , “ but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly improve the air quality in the next year and mitigate the harm that has already been done ” she said .
“ Every day that we wait is a day that somebody ’ s asthma gets worse.
” The new standards would reduce allowable emissions of nitrogen oxides from new trucks 90 % by 2027 .
The proposal , which has been in development for more than seven years , is the state ’ s biggest cut in smog-forming pollutants since 2008 and equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s nearly two-thirds of 26 million light-duty vehicles currently operating in California .
Curbing those emissions will prevent about 3,900 early deaths and 3,150 hospitalizations , according to the air board , which valued health benefits of the standards at nearly $ 37 billion , far outweighing the $ 4.5 billion it will cost engine manufacturers to meet them .
Much of the costs will be passed on to customers , increasing the price of a truck in California by an estimated 2 % to 6 % .
Vehicle and engine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid the headache of designing and producing vehicles for two sets of standards : one for California and other like-minded states that adopt its rules , and one for the rest of the country .
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Assn .
submitted more than 300 pages of comments opposing the measures as an “ extremely aggressive California-only regulatory program , ” with provisions so onerous and costly they would force some producers to leave the California market .
The Chicago-based trade association also asked regulators to delay and weaken the rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crippled the industry ’ s research and development and its capabilities to develop less-polluting products .
For now , at least , California appears to be on its own in pursuing the tougher standards .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2018 that it would pursue new emissions standards to clean nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks , but has lagged behind schedule and is not expected to unveil its proposal until after the November election .
“ The EPA continues to work on the Cleaner Trucks Initiative , ” EPA spokeswoman Enesta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As with any large regulatory effort , schedules get adjusted on a regular basis , ” she said , but she did not have a comment on California ’ s proposed rules .
California air board officials said they have worked with the EPA and negotiated for years with manufacturers but could not justify further delay because of the severity of California ’ s air pollution and the uncertainty over whether the Trump administration would act .
California ’ s proposal would also overhaul emissions-testing procedures to better account for real-world driving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowly or in stop-and-go-traffic and are known to release much higher levels of pollution .
Thursday ’ s public hearing comes two months after the Air Resources Board adopted the nation ’ s first sales mandate requiring manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks to zero-emission models until every new truck sold in the state is zero-emission by 2045 .
“ Looking decades out in the future , we ’ re hopeful that most of these trucks are going to turn over and be electric or fuel cell vehicles , ” said Kim Heroy-Rogalski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mobile source regulatory development branch .
“ In working on this rule , we really see this as our last chance to try to put in place the best program we can for ensuring that the remaining diesel vehicles … are as clean as possible.
” The ship pollution measures , which the board will also consider Thursday , would expand state regulations to increase the number of ships that , while docked in port , must either shut down their auxiliary engines and plug into shore-based electricity or connect to machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more types of vessels including oil tankers and ships that transport vehicles , would be subject to the rules .
A health analysis last year by air board staff found the new rules would reduce cancer risk for about 2.4 million residents living around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach .
The Air Resources Board had planned to bring the measures for a final vote in the spring , and had accelerated the implementation schedule after criticism from community groups and environmentalists that health benefits would come too slowly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought calls from ports , dockworkers and the shipping industry to delay the rules , citing the pandemic .
They also added provisions that would allow compliance by funding emissions reduction projects elsewhere , such as cleaner locomotives .
Still , dockworkers fear imposing the rules too quickly will divert shipments to other ports with fewer environmental requirements .
“ They ’ re going to turn around and say I ’ m going to Houston because there ’ s no standard there , ” said Danny Miranda , president of International Longshore and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come at the cost of good-paying jobs , he said , especially in unloading so-called roll-on/roll-off ships .
They carry vehicles that must be driven off one by one , a labor-intensive process that can take more than 30 longshoremen eight hours to complete .
Environmental justice groups said ship pollution must be reined in to ease the health damage to hard-hit harbor-area communities like Wilmington , West Long Beach and West Oakland .
Jesse Marquez , who heads the Wilmington-based Coalition for a Safe Environment , criticized delays as “ an act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts on public health , the environment and climate change ” in a letter signed by 19 community and environmental groups .
“ Hundreds of innocent residents and children will die prematurely and hospitalized with the new delays in implementation and compliance , ” Marquez said .

Trucks line up to drop off their loads at the Port of Los Angeles on August 27, 2020.
California air quality officials have adopted their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade, targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state’s health-damaging pollution.
The pair of rules approved Thursday by the state Air Resources Board will be crucial in reducing smog and cancer risk to millions of Californians who, despite years of gradual improvement, still breathe the nation’s worst-polluted air. One establishes stringent new emissions standards for heavy-duty diesel trucks, and the other requires more ships docked at ports to plug into electric power or scrub their exhaust.
The measures are part of a multiyear push to clean up freight-moving industries that are both a lifeblood of California’s economy and its dominant source of harmful pollution. Diesel trucks emit nearly one-third of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and more than one-quarter of diesel particulate matter in the state. Oceangoing ships are projected to surpass trucks to become Southern California’s largest source of nitrogen oxides by 2023.
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“We’re going after the two big polluters within port complexes and goods movement across the state,” Air Resources Board member Hector De La Torre said..
The truck standards face significant opposition from engine manufacturers and truckers, while ports and labor unions have sought to delay the ship pollution reduction measures, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. But the measures can’t come soon enough for people living near ports, warehouses and other freight-clogged areas, largely lower-income communities of color that have long suffered disproportionately from dirty air and higher rates of cancer and asthma.
Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, said it was the 16-member panel’s “biggest day in over a decade for reducing the toxic diesel exhaust that is choking our communities.”
Tougher truck rules could, however, add to California’s many legal battles with the Trump administration. Much like the fight over auto emissions, California’s move to adopt its own stricter rules for heavy-duty trucks puts the state at odds with federal officials and manufacturers, who want a single, nationwide standard.
But the measures are crucial for Southern California, which has little hope of meeting looming deadlines to clean its smog to federal health standards without swift and dramatic cuts in truck and ship emissions.
A man walks along the Wilmington Waterfront Park against a backdrop of the Port of Los Angeles. California officials adopted pollution-cutting regulations targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
South Coast Air Quality Management District Executive Officer Wayne Nastri, who oversees the four-county region of Southern California with the nation’s worst smog, called the truck emissions rule “a necessary but insufficient measure to achieve healthful air quality for the 17 million California residents living in the South Coast Basin.”
Also eager for tougher action are people living in communities such as San Bernardino, who have long paid with their health for environmental regulators’ failure to clean smog to federal standards. San Bernardino has experienced a boom in warehouse logistic centers that attract diesel trucks to an area with some of the nation’s highest levels of ozone, the invisible gas in smog that inflames the lungs and triggers asthma and other respiratory problems.
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Alejandra Dávila, a 23-year-old education liaison, grew up in San Bernardino from age 7. But she didn’t understand how bad the smog really was until she went away for college in Massachusetts and breathed the clean air there.
Dávila has watched her mother, a high school Spanish teacher, suffer from asthma that has gotten worse over the years. “It didn’t even dawn on me until recently that maybe the reason that she’s having such a hard time breathing is because we are in San Bernardino, there are so many trucks coming in and out, and there’s no oversight on the air quality.”
Dávila welcomes tougher emissions rules as a step in the right direction, “but I wish something could be done to directly improve the air quality in the next year and mitigate the harm that has already been done” she said. “Every day that we wait is a day that somebody’s asthma gets worse.”
The new standards would reduce allowable emissions of nitrogen oxides from new trucks 90% by 2027.
The rule, which has been in development for more than seven years, is the state’s biggest cut in smog-forming pollutants since 2008 and is equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road, according to the air board. That’s nearly two-thirds of 26 million light-duty vehicles currently operating in California.
Curbing those emissions will prevent about 3,900 early deaths and 3,150 hospitalizations, according to the air board, which valued health benefits of the standards at nearly $37 billion, far outweighing the $4.5 billion it will cost engine manufacturers to meet them. Much of the costs will be passed on to customers, increasing the price of a truck in California by up to 6%.
Vehicle and engine manufacturers have fought the new standards to avoid the headache of designing and producing vehicles for two sets of standards: one for California and other like-minded states that adopt its rules, and one for the rest of the country.
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Assn. submitted more than 300 pages of comments opposing the measures as an “extremely aggressive California-only regulatory program,” with provisions so onerous and costly they would force some producers to leave the California market. The Chicago-based trade association said the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the industry’s research and development and its capabilities to develop less-polluting products.
”California-only standards will achieve less emission reduction in California than a national approach while also hurting the competitiveness of California-based truckers,” said Chris Shimoda, vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Assn.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2018 that it would pursue new nationwide emissions standards to clean nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks, but has lagged behind schedule and is not expected to unveil its proposal until after the November election.
“The EPA continues to work on the Cleaner Trucks Initiative,” EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said in an email Wednesday. “As with any large regulatory effort, schedules get adjusted on a regular basis,” she said, but she did not have a comment on California’s proposed rules.
California air board officials said they have worked with the EPA and negotiated for years with manufacturers but could not justify further delay because of the severity of California’s air pollution and the uncertainty over whether the Trump administration would act.
The rules adopted Thursday would also overhaul emissions-testing procedures to better account for real-world driving, including when trucks are idling, traveling slowly or in stop-and-go traffic and are known to release much higher levels of pollution.
The new diesel emissions standards are intended to work in concert with a pioneering sales mandate the air board adopted in June requiring manufacturers to transition to zero-emission electric or fuel cell models until every new truck sold in the state is zero-emission by 2045.
“Diesel emissions are bad for health and we’ve got to get rid of diesel,” said Dr. John Balmes, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who sits on the Air Resources Board. “But since we still need to have some diesel vehicles for the short term, they have to be as clean as possible.”
The ship pollution measures approved by the board will expand state regulations to increase the number of ships that, while docked in port, must either shut down their auxiliary engines and plug into shore-based electricity or connect to machines that clean their exhaust. Over time, more types of vessels, including oil tankers and ships that transport vehicles, would be subject to the rules.
A health analysis last year by air board staff found the new rules would reduce cancer risk for about 2.4 million residents living around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The Air Resources Board had planned to bring the measures for a final vote in the spring, and had accelerated the implementation schedule after criticism from community groups and environmentalists that health benefits would come too slowly. But officials backtracked after COVID-19 hit and brought calls from ports, dockworkers and the shipping industry to delay the rules, citing the pandemic. They also added provisions that would allow compliance by funding emissions reduction projects elsewhere, such as cleaner locomotives.
Still, dockworkers fear the rules will divert shipments to other ports with fewer environmental requirements.
“They’re going to turn around and say I’m going to Houston because there’s no standard there,” said Danny Miranda, president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 94. That could come at the cost of good-paying jobs, he said, especially in unloading so-called roll-on/roll-off ships. They carry vehicles that must be driven off one by one, a labor-intensive process that can take more than 30 longshoremen eight hours to complete.
The implementation delays disappointed environmentalists, who want ship pollution reined in as quickly as possible to ease the health damage to hard-hit communities like Wilmington, West Long Beach and West Oakland.
Francis Yang, a Long Beach-based organizer with the Sierra Club’s My Generation campaign, said that “millions of lives have already been affected and even some are lost” from pollution by a goods movement hubs that “built their empires off the lungs of Black and brown communities. They’ve externalized all their costs off the health of people.”
Neither the truck nor ship rules will bring immediate air quality improvements because they do not start taking effect until 2023 or later and take years more to phase in.
“That’s more time that ships continue to pollute our air,” Yang said. “That’s more time for the same front-line communities to have to wait to breathe.”


latimes--2020-08-27--L.A. teacher flees home amid threats after wearing 'I can't breathe' T-shirt to online class

On the first day of class at El Camino Real Charter High School , an English teacher appeared before her ninth-grade students online wearing a T-shirt with the words “ I can ’ t breathe ” written across the front in big block letters .
She had just attended a workshop at her school about how to create an anti-racist curriculum .
Her gesture was part of a national program called Black Lives Matter at School , a colleague wrote .
The slogan she wore has become a rallying cry for a national movement against police brutality .
The three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , a Black man who died in May after a Minneapolis police officer put a knee on his neck , and by Eric Garner , a Black man who died after a police officer restrained him in a chokehold in New York in 2014 .
But one parent thought his daughter ’ s teacher had gone too far .
He just wanted his daughter to “ go to English class and learn about English , ” he told KCBS-TV Channel 2 .
He shared a screenshot of the teacher on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a national divide over race and policing infiltrated the high school in suburban Woodland Hills .
After a conservative media personality reposted the father ’ s screenshot , a torrent of threats poured in on social media , frightening the teacher enough that she fled her home with her daughter and sought restraining orders against the parent and the media commentator .
The school ’ s principal has tried to quell the uproar and mediate the controversy among parents amid calls by the teachers union for the school to better support and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of teachers across the Los Angeles Unified School District wore Black Lives Matter shirts to class to show solidarity with the El Camino Real teacher .
Outside the school ’ s campus Wednesday afternoon , about 100 students gathered to support her and “ to end racial injustices and silence within our school systems , ” according to an Instagram post publicizing the event .
“ What happened at El Camino is a travesty , ” said United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart-Cruz .
“ No one should have to endure those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school should be doing a much better job in addressing the attacks as well as shielding the educators that work at the school site.
” The fury took off Aug. 16 , when Elijah Schaffer , who hosts a podcast and YouTube show called “ Slightly Offens*ve , ” posted the screenshot to his Twitter account .
“ A concerned father reached out to me because his daughter was not being taught English in her online English class , ” Schaffer wrote .
That ’ s when the death threats started coming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haven ’ t felt safe enough to go home since 8/18/20 , ” she wrote in her petition for a restraining order filed Monday in the Van Nuys Courthouse East .
“ Can ’ t work.
” She also listed “ mental anguish ” and “ fear for … my child ’ s safety ” among the harms caused by the harassment .
Before going to court , the teacher sent an email to her students saying that she wouldn ’ t be in school and that her administration had not supported her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the school has abandoned me , ironically after we had a whole day of professional development on how and why to create an anti-racist curriculum , ” she wrote in the email .
She described her curriculum in a television interview as including “ authors of color … writing , talking about being Black in a biased world.
” The Times is not naming the teacher because of her safety concerns .
Reached by email , she declined to comment and referred a reporter to Myart-Cruz .
Myart-Cruz said the teacher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is “ afraid for her life ” and moving out of her home because her address was posted online .
Myart-Cruz said that what the teacher was doing “ was exactly right ” — in line with standards that encourage educators to talk about current and local events and with the goal of cultivating critical thinkers .
Myart-Cruz sent a letter to the school ’ s executive director , David Hussey , on Monday .
“ Educators need to be able to teach about racial and social injustice without threats , harassment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote .
“ UTLA believes Black Lives Matter , has provided resources , and emphasizes that simply saying Black Lives Matter is not enough : educators and administrators must actively show it in their work in creating and promoting anti-racist curriculum.
” Hussey sent a schoolwide email Monday evening .
The school “ believes that all people are equal and that all voices should be heard , valued and included , ” it said .
“ We also recognize the need to end systemic racism that disproportionately harms , disciplines , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ECR is dedicated to racial justice within our education.
” In an interview , Hussey said administrators last week reached out to the teacher , who has taught at El Camino Real for more than 10 years , “ to try to help her and support her as best as we can.
” He declined to comment further , citing confidentiality issues .
Hussey said the teacher had not violated any school policies by wearing an “ I can ’ t breathe ” T-shirt , but he said the employee handbook was ambiguous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to have to reevaluate our policies , ” he said .
“ We ’ re in a new era now.
” El Camino Real is a charter high school within Los Angeles Unified .
Its teachers are represented by UTLA .
About 40 % of its students are white , 30 % are Hispanic or Latino , 10 % are Asian , and 4 % are African American , according to California Department of Education data .
Hussey said he has received emails from people who support the teacher and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was allowing students to be “ indoctrinated.
” He said that in conversations with the latter group , he expresses unequivocal support for the Black Lives Matter movement , but he wants teachers to facilitate “ a safe space to have courageous conversation ” rather than impose a specific viewpoint .
“ It ’ s not just Black lives , ” he said .
“ It ’ s gender equality , it ’ s abortion .
There are a lot of hot topics that we want our students to be able to form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the fortitude to stand up for them.
” Reached by text , the father who posted the first screenshot declined to comment , on the advice of his attorney , he said .
He told KCBS that it was “ horrible ” that the teacher had received death threats and that he had not sought to get her fired .
He said in the text message that he too has had to “ deal with protecting my family ” and asked that his name not be used .
One freshman student who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for the targeted teacher said her English teacher also wore a Black Lives Matter T-shirt on the first day of classes .
“ I was very happy that she wore it , ” the 13-year-old said .
“ I thought it was very brave of her .
I knew that there could of course be some sort of backlash.
” She was critical of the parent who circulated the teacher ’ s image on social media , which she attributed to dissatisfaction with a curriculum in which students learn about current events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withheld , said she feared retaliation in the charged atmosphere .
“ As a grown adult you ’ re supposed to set an example , ” she said .
“ The fact that you can ’ t even stand that your child ’ s going to learn about what ’ s going on in the world today is really sad .
”

On the first day of class at El Camino Real Charter High School, an English teacher appeared before her ninth-grade students online wearing a T-shirt with the words “I can’t breathe” written across the front in big block letters. She had just attended a workshop at her school about how to create an anti-racist curriculum. Her gesture was part of a national program called Black Lives Matter at School, a colleague wrote.
The slogan she wore has become a rallying cry for a national movement against police brutality. The three words were among the last spoken by George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after a Minneapolis police officer put a knee on his neck, and by Eric Garner, a Black man who died after a police officer restrained him in a chokehold in New York in 2014.
But one parent thought his daughter’s teacher had gone too far. He just wanted his daughter to “go to English class and learn about English,” he told KCBS-TV Channel 2. He shared a screenshot of the teacher on social media — unleashing nearly two weeks of turmoil as a national divide over race and policing infiltrated the high school in suburban Woodland Hills.
After a conservative media personality reposted the father’s screenshot, a torrent of threats poured in on social media, frightening the teacher enough that she fled her home with her daughter and sought restraining orders against the parent and the media commentator.
The school’s principal has tried to quell the uproar and mediate the controversy among parents amid calls by the teachers union for the school to better support and protect faculty.
On Wednesday, hundreds of teachers across the Los Angeles Unified School District wore Black Lives Matter shirts to class to show solidarity with the El Camino Real teacher. Outside the school’s campus Wednesday afternoon, about 100 students gathered to support her and “to end racial injustices and silence within our school systems,” according to an Instagram post publicizing the event.
UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz wears a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“What happened at El Camino is a travesty,” said United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart-Cruz. “No one should have to endure those kinds of attacks, and surely the school should be doing a much better job in addressing the attacks as well as shielding the educators that work at the school site.”
The fury took off Aug. 16, when Elijah Schaffer, who hosts a podcast and YouTube show called “Slightly Offens*ve,” posted the screenshot to his Twitter account. “A concerned father reached out to me because his daughter was not being taught English in her online English class,” Schaffer wrote.
That’s when the death threats started coming in, according to the teacher.
“Haven’t felt safe enough to go home since 8/18/20,” she wrote in her petition for a restraining order filed Monday in the Van Nuys Courthouse East. “Can’t work.” She also listed “mental anguish” and “fear for … my child’s safety” among the harms caused by the harassment.
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Junior Ashton Summers, 16, wears a Black Lives Matter mask as he joins fellow students and community members protesting in front of El Camino Real Charter High School to show support for a teacher who wore an ‘I can’t breathe’ T-shirt to online class. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Before going to court, the teacher sent an email to her students saying that she wouldn’t be in school and that her administration had not supported her.
“Please let other students know that the school has abandoned me, ironically after we had a whole day of professional development on how and why to create an anti-racist curriculum,” she wrote in the email.
She described her curriculum in a television interview as including “authors of color … writing, talking about being Black in a biased world.”
The Times is not naming the teacher because of her safety concerns. Reached by email, she declined to comment and referred a reporter to Myart-Cruz.
Myart-Cruz said the teacher, a single mother with a ninth-grade daughter, is “afraid for her life” and moving out of her home because her address was posted online. Myart-Cruz said that what the teacher was doing “was exactly right” — in line with standards that encourage educators to talk about current and local events and with the goal of cultivating critical thinkers.
Advertisement
Myart-Cruz sent a letter to the school’s executive director, David Hussey, on Monday.
“Educators need to be able to teach about racial and social injustice without threats, harassment, bullying, or scare-tactics,” she wrote. “UTLA believes Black Lives Matter, has provided resources, and emphasizes that simply saying Black Lives Matter is not enough: educators and administrators must actively show it in their work in creating and promoting anti-racist curriculum.”
Students and community members protest in front of El Camino Real Charter High School. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Hussey sent a schoolwide email Monday evening. The school “believes that all people are equal and that all voices should be heard, valued and included,” it said. “We also recognize the need to end systemic racism that disproportionately harms, disciplines, and fails our Black students. Therefore, ECR is dedicated to racial justice within our education.”
In an interview, Hussey said administrators last week reached out to the teacher, who has taught at El Camino Real for more than 10 years, “to try to help her and support her as best as we can.” He declined to comment further, citing confidentiality issues.
Hussey said the teacher had not violated any school policies by wearing an “I can’t breathe” T-shirt, but he said the employee handbook was ambiguous on this specific point.
Advertisement
“We’re going to have to reevaluate our policies,” he said. “We’re in a new era now.”
El Camino Real is a charter high school within Los Angeles Unified. Its teachers are represented by UTLA. About 40% of its students are white, 30% are Hispanic or Latino, 10% are Asian, and 4% are African American, according to California Department of Education data.
Hussey said he has received emails from people who support the teacher and from those who have asked why he was allowing students to be “indoctrinated.” He said that in conversations with the latter group, he expresses unequivocal support for the Black Lives Matter movement, but he wants teachers to facilitate “a safe space to have courageous conversation” rather than impose a specific viewpoint.
“It’s not just Black lives,” he said. “It’s gender equality, it’s abortion. There are a lot of hot topics that we want our students to be able to form their own thoughts [about] and have the fortitude to stand up for them.”
Reached by text, the father who posted the first screenshot declined to comment, on the advice of his attorney, he said. He told KCBS that it was “horrible” that the teacher had received death threats and that he had not sought to get her fired. He said in the text message that he too has had to “deal with protecting my family” and asked that his name not be used.
One freshman student who attended Wednesday’s protest to show support for the targeted teacher said her English teacher also wore a Black Lives Matter T-shirt on the first day of classes.
“I was very happy that she wore it,” the 13-year-old said. “I thought it was very brave of her. I knew that there could of course be some sort of backlash.”
She was critical of the parent who circulated the teacher’s image on social media, which she attributed to dissatisfaction with a curriculum in which students learn about current events. The student, whose name was withheld, said she feared retaliation in the charged atmosphere.
“As a grown adult you’re supposed to set an example,” she said. “The fact that you can’t even stand that your child’s going to learn about what’s going on in the world today is really sad.”


latimes--2020-08-27--L.A. Zoo reopens, but visitors have to stay one zebra apart

The small , bushy meerkat crawled out of its dusty home Wednesday morning and lifted itself atop the highest rock .
It was an unusual shift for the elder keeping guard of its pack , including the new litter of pups .
For one , the people this small African mongoose saw weren ’ t the usual humans that it had observed for the past few months .
These homo sapiens intruders were among the first batch of 200 visitors who snagged a ticket to enter the Los Angeles Zoo , which was reopening for the first time since it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ We ’ re so glad to have this day .
It ’ s such a milestone , ” CEO & Zoo Director Denise M. Verret said .
“ Part of the reopening for me sort of allows some normalcy to return for people to have an opportunity to come out in a safe environment to see animals up close to embrace their lives.
” In the coronavirus era , the zoo experience has been stripped down to its barest bones to conform with the Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety protocols .
The zoo also took a financial hit , losing $ 11.7 million and seeing a dip in memberships since its closure , according to Verret .
Gone are the days of giraffe feedings , peering into telescopes to spy on zebras , or crowding along the fence to watch knobby flamingos stretch their wings .
Now , the zoo is limited to 1,200 visitors daily with 200 people per hour within the facility , which covers about 100 acres .
Tickets are being sold in two-week blocks in case zoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Face masks are required for visitors and children age 2 and older .
Outdoor eating facilities are closed , but visitors can still buy grab-and-go items .
Additional signage reminds visitors to keep six feet apart , and markers on the asphalt show people where to go next .
Large events aren ’ t planned in the near future .
“ I told the staff we ’ re going to be flexible , ” Verret said .
“ We ’ re going to be nimble .
We ’ re going to have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual experience of not only what ’ s going on here at the zoo , but what ’ s going on out in the public world in this community.
” In April , zoo officials announced increased safety measures for their employees and animals after a tiger in New York tested positive for the coronavirus .
Employees overseeing mammals were given personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves and were encouraged to practice social distancing .
These measures were already in place for primates and other mammals .
Training sessions with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stressful time for people , Dominique Keller , chief veterinarian and director of animal health and wellness for the zoo , said their furry residents had remained in good health .
After living in relative isolation , Keller said some animals such as meerkats and chimpanzees were hyper-aware of human behavior , including zoo staff .
“ I ’ d like to think they ’ ve missed us , ” she said , “ but I ’ ll be frank and say no.
” Even with health-protective modifications in place , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely draw big , though socially distanced , crowds .
Angela , a 7-month-old western lowland gorilla , was spotted clinging to her mother ’ s back .
A litter of four meerkat pups was active Wednesday morning , scurrying around and popping in and out of their burrows .
For families who braved the heat , the reprieve of an outdoor adventure was worth it .
Rachel Ngo , 37 , of Sherman Oaks said her family had memberships to the zoo but had to buy general admission tickets because reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ngo said they ’ d visit the zoo quarterly and loved feeding giraffes .
On this day , they were there to celebrate their 2-year-old ’ s birthday .
“ We ’ ve been trapped inside too long , ” said Jamie Pourroy , 32 , who was among the first people in line with her 2-year-old daughter , Charlotte .
“ We just wanted to get out of the house .
We ’ re so happy the zoo ’ s back open .
”

Some of the first visitors arrive for the reopening. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Melanie Olmeda and her 6-year-old son Mason Gutierrez came from Chino for the reopening. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Meerkats look at visitors during the reopening of the Los Angeles Zoo on Wednesday. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
The small, bushy meerkat crawled out of its dusty home Wednesday morning and lifted itself atop the highest rock. It was an unusual shift for the elder keeping guard of its pack, including the new litter of pups.
For one, the people this small African mongoose saw weren’t the usual humans that it had observed for the past few months.
These homo sapiens intruders were among the first batch of 200 visitors who snagged a ticket to enter the Los Angeles Zoo, which was reopening for the first time since it closed in March for 166 consecutive days because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re so glad to have this day. It’s such a milestone,” CEO & Zoo Director Denise M. Verret said. “Part of the reopening for me sort of allows some normalcy to return for people to have an opportunity to come out in a safe environment to see animals up close to embrace their lives.”
Advertisement
In the coronavirus era, the zoo experience has been stripped down to its barest bones to conform with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s safety protocols. The zoo also took a financial hit, losing $11.7 million and seeing a dip in memberships since its closure, according to Verret.
Gone are the days of giraffe feedings, peering into telescopes to spy on zebras, or crowding along the fence to watch knobby flamingos stretch their wings.
Now, the zoo is limited to 1,200 visitors daily with 200 people per hour within the facility, which covers about 100 acres. Tickets are being sold in two-week blocks in case zoo officials need to modify their plan. Face masks are required for visitors and children age 2 and older. Outdoor eating facilities are closed, but visitors can still buy grab-and-go items.
Additional signage reminds visitors to keep six feet apart, and markers on the asphalt show people where to go next. Large events aren’t planned in the near future.
“I told the staff we’re going to be flexible,” Verret said. “We’re going to be nimble. We’re going to have to make changes as necessary based on the actual experience of not only what’s going on here at the zoo, but what’s going on out in the public world in this community.”
In April, zoo officials announced increased safety measures for their employees and animals after a tiger in New York tested positive for the coronavirus. Employees overseeing mammals were given personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves and were encouraged to practice social distancing. These measures were already in place for primates and other mammals. Training sessions with some animals also were modified.
Despite the stressful time for people, Dominique Keller, chief veterinarian and director of animal health and wellness for the zoo, said their furry residents had remained in good health.
After living in relative isolation, Keller said some animals such as meerkats and chimpanzees were hyper-aware of human behavior, including zoo staff.
“I’d like to think they’ve missed us,” she said, “but I’ll be frank and say no.”
Advertisement
Even with health-protective modifications in place, there are new additions to the zoo family that will likely draw big, though socially distanced, crowds. Angela, a 7-month-old western lowland gorilla, was spotted clinging to her mother’s back. A litter of four meerkat pups was active Wednesday morning, scurrying around and popping in and out of their burrows.
For families who braved the heat, the reprieve of an outdoor adventure was worth it.
Rachel Ngo, 37, of Sherman Oaks said her family had memberships to the zoo but had to buy general admission tickets because reservations were already full. Before the pandemic, Ngo said they’d visit the zoo quarterly and loved feeding giraffes. On this day, they were there to celebrate their 2-year-old’s birthday.
“We’ve been trapped inside too long,” said Jamie Pourroy, 32, who was among the first people in line with her 2-year-old daughter, Charlotte. “We just wanted to get out of the house. We’re so happy the zoo’s back open.”