latimes--2020-03-13--Los Angeles Unified district to close all schools

Los Angeles school officials on Friday announced that the nation ’ s second-largest school system will shut down its 900 campuses serving more than 670,000 students beginning Monday , citing concerns over the rapid spread of the coronavirus and joining an escalating number of districts throughout the state and nation .
The Los Angeles closure is initially scheduled to last two weeks , but a firm reopen date will depend on the status of the outbreak .
“ The public health crisis created by the coronavirus is not something any of us could ’ ve reasonably expected to happen and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to prevent the spread of the illness , ” said L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner .
LAUSD ’ s announcement came as all but one of California ’ s five largest public school districts — Fresno — will pause classes .
Although the state Department of Education does not have an exact number , all schools are closed in the counties of Marin , Monterey , Sacramento , Santa Barbara , Santa Clara , Solano and Ventura , affecting more than 2 million students .
This comes on top of widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the University of California , to cancel in-person classes and move to online learning .
Catholic schools in Los Angeles , Ventura and Santa Barbara counties will close on Tuesday and nearly 75,000 students will shift to remote learning through at least March 31 , the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced .
At least seven states throughout the country , including Oregon , Ohio and Maryland , have ordered all schools closed .
Education leaders throughout the country have struggled with the monumental decision to upend the routines of millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical time of the year , as teachers enter the home-stretch of their curricular programs .
Also , children from poor and low-income families receive their weekday breakfast and lunch and , in some cases , dinner on campus .
Parents rely on schools to provide childcare while they work — including first-responders , nurses , doctors and other emergency personnel who are likely to be needed to deal with the community medical crisis .
“ California has now entered a critical new phase in the fight to stop the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement by Beutner and San Diego Supt .
Paul Gothold , who also closed his district .
“ There is evidence the virus is already present in the communities we serve , and our efforts now must be aimed at preventing its spread .
We believe closing the state ’ s two largest school districts will make an important contribution to this effort.
” A key element of the Los Angeles coping strategy will be to open 40 “ family resource centers ” throughout the vast school system that will open Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities and other services .
They ’ ll also provide packaged meals .
Beutner said a list of the centers will be provided before Monday .
As a public health precaution , all center visitors will have their temperature taken upon arrival and all students will be directed to wash their hands , Beutner said .
The centers will be staffed by district employees on a voluntary basis , who will receive extra pay .
The details on how employees will step forward and what they will be paid are the subject of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The district plans to provide training for those working at the centers Monday and Tuesday .
The facilities will operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m .
They are likely to be located at schools .
Beutner said they will be tied , when possible , to community hubs that already had been identified as part of the district ’ s effort to decentralize into regional communities of schools .
Beutner said he hoped that local transit agencies would provide free transportation to and from these centers as needed , but nothing has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition , the Los Angeles district will offer televised and online lessons in an attempt to help families .
School district employees will continue to be paid , even if not directly involved in working with students .
Some parents reacted to the news of the closures with apprehension .
Crystal Ellis , 34 , stood outside of Raymond Elementary School in South Los Angeles on Friday as a light drizzle came down .
She held a white package and an iPad that the school asked her to pick up for her 11-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little bit scary because I don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen , ” she said .
Nearby , an occasional parent rushed inside to pick up their children .
“ Some parents are panicking and coming in to pick up their kids , ” she said .
Veteran L.A. school board member and former state lawmaker Jackie Goldberg said that considerations about childcare weighed heavily in their unanimous decision .
Shaking her head as she spoke , Goldberg said the school closures were “ probably the most difficult decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to make because it affects so many people and it affects so many children and it affects so many people who have jobs that they are fearful of losing if they have childcare issues.
” Teachers union president Alex Caputo-Pearl , who called on the district Thursday night to shut schools said all district leaders faces two “ unacceptable alternatives ” : keeping schools open during a dangerous public health crisis or closing them despite the lack of a social safety net for children and their families .
“ What it shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this county does not have ... the practices in place or the structures in place to support young people or workers , ” he said .
L.A. Unified had announced on Wednesday that all gatherings of groups would be canceled until further notice — curtailing events such as proms and the state academic decathlon .
And sports events would continue , if at all , without spectators .
LAUSD enrolls about half a million students in kindergarten through 12th grade , 80 % of whom rely on free or reduced-price lunches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central challenge faced by the district is the continuation of academic work during a shutdown that could last for two weeks or more .
L.A. Unified is trying to address three hurdles : a lack of broadband access for students , a lack of computers at home , and teachers and students who are underprepared to switch to a non-classroom format .
In a Monday letter to Gov .
Gavin Newsom , Beutner said that the district has about 330,000 computer devices available for 480,000 K-12 students .
The district , Beutner said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devices to make sure all students can continue to learn if their schools are closed.
” However , it isn ’ t clear that all these computers could be sent home with students or that they are the correct devices for the task at hand .
An iPad without a keyboard , for example , would work for a student film project , but not so well for an essay .
Beutner has requested $ 50 million from the state for additional computers , but no immediate relief appears to be in sight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorized the use of $ 10 million to purchase 50,000 additional devices , which should be available in several days , he said .
Beutner had the power to authorize this purchase , without going through the normal , lengthy bidding process , by virtue of emergency powers granted this week by the Board of Education .
In the meantime , the plan was for schools to distribute computer devices Friday for students who need them .
This step — allowing potentially tens of thousands of students to take home district computers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unprecedented for L.A. Unified .
Students could face problems using them and keeping them secure .
But having computers is only part of the challenge .
Many families lack the broadband access needed to connect online to lessons and assignments .
Beutner on Monday wrote to local carriers requesting that they place free hotspots in low-income communities .
Charter Communications announced that , beginning Monday , it will offer 60 days of free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access to households with K-12 or college students who do not already have a Spectrum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waived for these households , the company said in a news release .
The company also plans to open Wi-Fi hotspots across its footprint for public use , as of Monday .
Adela Hernandez , 35 , watched Friday as the washer at a laundromat spun around , wondering how she and her husband would manage their 10-year-old son ’ s education without internet at home .
He attends West Vernon Elementary school without internet at home .
“ Maybe I ’ ll ask the neighbor if they can give us access , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll have to maybe pay her.
” Times were already getting hard .
Hernandez said she ’ s bringing in less money at home because her hours at work were cut down .
“ I was working five days out of the week , now just three , ” she said .
It is unclear how prepared teachers and students are for the transition .
Beutner said every school has asked teachers to prepare two weeks of instruction that students can continue at home .
Every student has an online account through which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn it in .
Some teachers make better use of this resource than others .
Self-contained online courses also will be available , but have mainly been used by high school students to pass required courses that they previously failed .
In a move that was both resourceful and desperate , Beutner entered into a partnership with PBS to provide educational programming on three local public television stations .
KCET will offer high school level programming .
KLCS — which is operated by L.A. Unified — will offer content for grades 3 through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through grade 2 .
Beutner said the service is available to other school systems as needed and he welcomed their collaboration to make it better .
Disaster planning is going on in schools and school districts across the state and county .
Las Virgenes Unified , for example , will close for two days next week for “ staff in-service time to prepare for the likelihood of a districtwide closure , ” the district ’ s Supt .
Dan Stepenosky said in a letter to families Thursday .
The Santa Monica-Malibu district is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning and staff meetings after “ a community member with children in our schools ” was exposed to coronavirus , according to a Thursday afternoon release from Supt .
Ben Drati .
No decision has been made on whether schools will reopen Tuesday .
“ “ This allows us time to consult with our local agencies and consider the status of this health emergency in L.A. County and the communities we serve , ” Drati said .
`` Staff and teachers will prepare for possible school closures next week.
” Jenna Schwartz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her two children out of school on Thursday , because she believed school closure was imminent and wanted to prepare .
Last year , during the LAUSD teacher ’ s strike , Schwartz started the Facebook group “ Parents Supporting Teachers , ” that has since grown to more than 23,000 members .
In recent days , it has become a sounding board for parents concerned about school closures .
The strike helped ready parents for the possibility that schools might shutter , but Schwartz said , this time is very different .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their children to parks and museums and organized play dates , Schwartz said .
But it ’ s not the same with large gatherings canceled and people practicing social distancing .
“ This is actually being at home , ” she said .
“ I think this is going to be really challenging for people .
It ’ s going to be challenging to not sort of be like , ‘ fine watch TV.
’ ” As a stay-at-home mom , Schwartz said , she knows she has it easier than some parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the district will provide child care centers to help parents who have to work .
Yesterday , she and her children inventoried their refrigerator , to stock up on food for the coming weeks .
And on Friday , they set up a school room at home — the kids made their own desks from folding tables , and spent part of the morning searching cookbooks , picking out meals for the family as they hunker down .
In the afternoon , Schwartz said she would be going to her children ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After that , she said , “ we ’ re planning ideally to not leave the house anymore .
”

Howard Blume, Sonali Kohli, Ruben Vives, Alex Wigglesworth, Hailey Branson-Potts

Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus.
Los Angeles school officials on Friday announced that the nation’s second-largest school system will shut down its 900 campuses serving more than 670,000 students beginning Monday, citing concerns over the rapid spread of the coronavirus and joining an escalating number of districts throughout the state and nation.
The Los Angeles closure is initially scheduled to last two weeks, but a firm reopen date will depend on the status of the outbreak.
For the record: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the school system that jointly announced a shutdown with L.A. Unified. The school system was San Diego Unified, under Supt. Cindy Marten, not the San Diego County Office of Education, under Supt. Paul Gothold.
“The public health crisis created by the coronavirus is not something any of us could’ve reasonably expected to happen and we are in uncharted waters as we work to prevent the spread of the illness,” said L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner.
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LAUSD’s announcement came as California’s five largest public school districts — including Fresno, Long Beach and San Diego — will pause classes. Although the state Department of Education does not have an exact number, all schools are closed in the counties of Marin, Monterey, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano and Ventura, affecting more than 2 million students. This comes on top of widespread actions by most state universities, including most of the University of California, to cancel in-person classes and move to online learning.
Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Catholic schools in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties will close on Tuesday and nearly 75,000 students will shift to remote learning through at least March 31, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced.
At least 12 states — Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin —have ordered all schools closed affecting millions of students nationwide.
Education leaders throughout the country have struggled with the monumental decision to upend the routines of millions of families and seriously disrupt instruction at a critical time of the year, as teachers enter the home-stretch of their curricular programs. Also, children from poor and low-income families receive their weekday breakfast and lunch and, in some cases, dinner on campus. Parents rely on schools to provide childcare while they work — including first-responders, nurses, doctors and other emergency personnel who are likely to be needed to deal with the community medical crisis.
“California has now entered a critical new phase in the fight to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a joint statement by Beutner and San Diego Unified Supt. Cindy Marten, who also closed her district. “There is evidence the virus is already present in the communities we serve, and our efforts now must be aimed at preventing its spread. We believe closing the state’s two largest school districts will make an important contribution to this effort.”
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A key element of the Los Angeles coping strategy will be to open 40 “family resource centers” throughout the vast school system that will open Wednesday. These centers will provide childcare, educational activities and other services. They’ll also provide packaged meals. Beutner said a list of the centers will be provided before Monday.
As a public health precaution, all center visitors will have their temperature taken upon arrival and all students will be directed to wash their hands, Beutner said. The centers will be staffed by district employees on a voluntary basis, who will receive extra pay. The details on how employees will step forward and what they will be paid are the subject of ongoing discussions with district labor groups.
The district plans to provide training for those working at the centers Monday and Tuesday. The facilities will operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are likely to be located at schools. Beutner said they will be tied, when possible, to community hubs that already had been identified as part of the district’s effort to decentralize into regional communities of schools.
Beutner said he hoped that local transit agencies would provide free transportation to and from these centers as needed, but nothing has been worked out so far.
In addition, the Los Angeles district will offer televised and online lessons in an attempt to help families. School district employees will continue to be paid, even if not directly involved in working with students.
Some parents reacted to the news of the closures with apprehension.
1 / 44 The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 44 Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 44 People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 44 David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 44 Dr. Dallas Weaver, 79, and his wife, Janet Weaver, 75, of Huntington Beach, walk on the Huntington pier. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 44 Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 44 Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 44 Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 44 HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 44 Medical personnel screen patients outside the emergency room at Loma Linda University Health during the coronavirus pandemic. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 44 A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 44 An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 44 Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 44 Orange County Undersheriff Bob Peterson listens during a board of supervisors discussion on combating the coronavirus in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 44 Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 44 A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 44 Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 44 Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 44 Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 44 Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 44 Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) 23 / 44 From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 44 Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 44 L.A. has banned restaurants from offering seating at places such as Grand Central Market. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 44 Carlos Perez, a worker at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles sits in the empty restaurant. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 44 A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times) 28 / 44 A guest wears a mask in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 44 Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 44 Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 44 Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times ) 32 / 44 Alexandria Casserly crosses the street while looking for toilet paper in downtown Los Angeles. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 44 A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 44 Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 44 Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 44 People shop at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 44 Disneyland guests take photos in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 44 Airline workers take precautions at Tom Bradley International Terminal in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 44 An airport worker cleans a railing at Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 44 Two people arrive at Knott’s Berry Farm on Thursday in Buena Park. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 44 Cab drivers wait for riders at the Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 42 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 43 / 44 A woman claims her luggage at he Long Beach Airport. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 44 / 44 The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Crystal Ellis, 34, stood outside of Raymond Elementary School in South Los Angeles on Friday as a light drizzle came down. She held a white package and an iPad that the school asked her to pick up for her 11-year-old son.
“It’s a little bit scary because I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.
Nearby, an occasional parent rushed inside to pick up their children.
“Some parents are panicking and coming in to pick up their kids,” she said.
Veteran L.A. school board member and former state lawmaker Jackie Goldberg said that considerations about childcare weighed heavily in their unanimous decision.
Shaking her head as she spoke, Goldberg said the school closures were “probably the most difficult decision any of us on the board have had to make because it affects so many people and it affects so many children and it affects so many people who have jobs that they are fearful of losing if they have childcare issues.”
Teachers union president Alex Caputo-Pearl, who called on the district Thursday night to shut schools said all district leaders faces two “unacceptable alternatives”: keeping schools open during a dangerous public health crisis or closing them despite the lack of a social safety net for children and their families.
“What it shows is that this country, this city, this county does not have ... the practices in place or the structures in place to support young people or workers,” he said.
L.A. Unified had announced on Wednesday that all gatherings of groups would be canceled until further notice — curtailing events such as proms and the state academic decathlon. And sports events would continue, if at all, without spectators.
LAUSD enrolls about half a million students in kindergarten through 12th grade, 80% of whom rely on free or reduced-price lunches and 18,000 of whom are homeless.
A central challenge faced by the district is the continuation of academic work during a shutdown that could last for two weeks or more.
L.A. Unified is trying to address three hurdles: a lack of broadband access for students, a lack of computers at home, and teachers and students who are underprepared to switch to a non-classroom format.
In a Monday letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Beutner said that the district has about 330,000 computer devices available for 480,000 K-12 students. The district, Beutner said, would “need an additional 150,000 devices to make sure all students can continue to learn if their schools are closed.”
However, it isn’t clear that all these computers could be sent home with students or that they are the correct devices for the task at hand. An iPad without a keyboard, for example, would work for a student film project, but not so well for an essay.
Beutner has requested $50 million from the state for additional computers, but no immediate relief appears to be in sight. In the meantime, he has authorized the use of $10 million to purchase 50,000 additional devices, which should be available in several days, he said.
Beutner had the power to authorize this purchase, without going through the normal, lengthy bidding process, by virtue of emergency powers granted this week by the Board of Education.
In the meantime, the plan was for schools to distribute computer devices Friday for students who need them. This step — allowing potentially tens of thousands of students to take home district computers on short notice for an extended period — is unprecedented for L.A. Unified. Students could face problems using them and keeping them secure.
But having computers is only part of the challenge. Many families lack the broadband access needed to connect online to lessons and assignments. Beutner on Monday wrote to local carriers requesting that they place free hotspots in low-income communities.
Charter Communications announced that, beginning Monday, it will offer 60 days of free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access to households with K-12 or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Installation fees will be waived for these households, the company said in a news release.
The company also plans to open Wi-Fi hotspots across its footprint for public use, as of Monday.
Adela Hernandez, 35, watched Friday as the washer at a laundromat spun around, wondering how she and her husband would manage their 10-year-old son’s education without internet at home. He attends West Vernon Elementary school without internet at home.
“Maybe I’ll ask the neighbor if they can give us access,” she said. “I’ll have to maybe pay her.”
Times were already getting hard. Hernandez said she’s bringing in less money at home because her hours at work were cut down.
“I was working five days out of the week, now just three,” she said.
It is unclear how prepared teachers and students are for the transition.
Beutner said every school has asked teachers to prepare two weeks of instruction that students can continue at home.
Every student has an online account through which teachers can assign work and students can turn it in. Some teachers make better use of this resource than others. Self-contained online courses also will be available, but have mainly been used by high school students to pass required courses that they previously failed.
In a move that was both resourceful and desperate, Beutner entered into a partnership with PBS SoCal/KCET to provide educational programming on three local public television stations. The KCET channel will offer high school level programming. KLCS — which is operated by L.A. Unified — will offer content for grades 3 through 8. And the PBS SoCal channel will manage preschool through grade 2.
Beutner said the service is available to other school systems as needed and he welcomed their collaboration to make it better.
Disaster planning is going on in schools and school districts across the state and county.
Las Virgenes Unified, for example, will close for two days next week for “staff in-service time to prepare for the likelihood of a districtwide closure,” the district’s Supt. Dan Stepenosky said in a letter to families Thursday.
The Santa Monica-Malibu district is closed Friday and Monday for a deep cleaning and staff meetings after “a community member with children in our schools” was exposed to coronavirus, according to a Thursday afternoon release from Supt. Ben Drati. No decision has been made on whether schools will reopen Tuesday.
““This allows us time to consult with our local agencies and consider the status of this health emergency in L.A. County and the communities we serve,” Drati said.”Staff and teachers will prepare for possible school closures next week.”
Jenna Schwartz, 41, of Valley Village, pulled her two children out of school on Thursday, because she believed school closure was imminent and wanted to prepare.
Last year, during the LAUSD teacher’s strike, Schwartz started the Facebook group “Parents Supporting Teachers,” that has since grown to more than 23,000 members. In recent days, it has become a sounding board for parents concerned about school closures.
The strike helped ready parents for the possibility that schools might shutter, but Schwartz said, this time is very different.
During the strike, many parents took their children to parks and museums and organized play dates, Schwartz said. But it’s not the same with large gatherings canceled and people practicing social distancing.
“This is actually being at home,” she said. “I think this is going to be really challenging for people. It’s going to be challenging to not sort of be like, ‘fine watch TV.’”
As a stay-at-home mom, Schwartz said, she knows she has it easier than some parents, so she’s grateful that the district will provide child care centers to help parents who have to work.
Yesterday, she and her children inventoried their refrigerator, to stock up on food for the coming weeks. And on Friday, they set up a school room at home — the kids made their own desks from folding tables, and spent part of the morning searching cookbooks, picking out meals for the family as they hunker down.
In the afternoon, Schwartz said she would be going to her children’s schools to pick up their assignments.
After that, she said, “we’re planning ideally to not leave the house anymore.”


latimes--2020-03-13--L.A. County coronavirus cases hit 40 as community spread intensifies; state reported its fifth death

L.A. County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the coronavirus , bringing the total to 40 , while the state reported its fifth death .
Three of those cases are likely the result of community transmission , as the source of exposure is unknown .
Two of the individuals are hospitalized , public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said .
Officials said they expect those cases to expand significantly as more people get tested .
Ferrer said L.A. County got more test kits this week , and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how many cases we have , ” she said .
Ferrer also said that on Monday , officials will release geographic locations and age groups of the known cases .
Those who may be close contacts of individuals who test positive for the virus may start receiving “ blanket quarantines , ” rather than being interviewed first , Ferrer said .
As the number of cases throughout the world grew to more than 137,000 , with more than 2,500 infections reported in Italy , World Health Organization officials said Friday that Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic .
“ More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic , ” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus .
In the U.S. , President Trump declared a national emergency , freeing up more resources to aid local and state governments .
At the same time , school districts , sports organizations , concert promoters and religious groups were racing to cancel or delay large gatherings to guard against the spread of the virus .
In California , the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death Friday afternoon , but it was not immediately clear which county was affected .
Amid growing concerns , and fresh signs that the virus is continuing to sweep across California , officials continued to take action against the virus .
School officials announced that Los Angeles Unified School District – the second largest school district in the U.S. – would shut down on Monday as fears over the coronavirus continued to mount .
The move will affect more than 670,000 children and adult students .
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least , but refrained from providing a reopening date .
“ These next two weeks will be difficult , and we are not certain what lies ahead after that , ” he said .
Other school districts across the state continued to close campuses , affecting hundreds of thousands of students .
Long Beach Unified School District , San Diego Unified School District , Santa Clara Unified School District , Oakland Unified School District officials announced that schools would close until at least early April .
San Francisco announced it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3 .
Long Beach school officials said though there are no presumptive or confirmed cases in the schools , the closures would provide “ an extra measure of protection to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
” “ Schools are an essential service and crucial to our communities ” officials said in a statement .
An online petition prompted San Mateo Union High School District and the San Mateo Foster City School District to shift to online classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City School District also announced Friday that it would switch to online instruction and close all of its offices , its extended day program and View and Valley schools starting Monday .
“ This move to online instruction will remain in effect for at least a week , however , families should plan through the conclusion of spring break ; returning April 13 , ” the district wrote on its Facebook page .
The Los Angeles County Probation Department , which maintains juvenile halls and camps , is temporarily suspending visitations to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to keep the coronavirus from infecting its staff or the youth under their supervision , officials said Friday .
The prohibition applies to weekend , special and after-court visits from family or community groups , but will not stop court-ordered or required legal visits from taking place , according to the department.
“ The department values visitation as an essential part of family reunification , ” officials wrote in a press release .
“ Youth in juvenile facilities will have extended phone privileges to maintain contact with family and loved ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue .
In addition , the department will explore the feasibility of other options for families to communicate with their youth , such as video conferencing from various community locations.
” Other steps the department is taking to minimize the risk of the coronavirus include posting additional signage , ensuring restrooms and staff quarters are clean and well stocked and bringing in more staff to regularly clean and disinfect common touch areas , officials said .
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced it was lifting from its parishioners the obligation of attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Archbishop José H. Gomez also said at any Mass in the archdiocese should be limited to 250 people and that nonessential group meetings and retreats would be suspended .
“ I encourage those of you who can not come to Mass to stay home and read the gospels , pray with your families and to join yourself to the sacrifice of the Mass by making an act of spiritual communion , ” Gomez wrote in a letter to the archdiocese .
The Diocese of San Jose issued a similar suspension on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , weddings , and funerals may be celebrated but should be limited to immediate family , ” Bishop Oscar Cantú said .
“ I am requesting that all parishes , missions , and chapels in the Diocese of San José suspend all public Masses beginning Saturday , March 14 , until further notice.
” In San Jose , city officials confirmed that two more firefighter have coronavirus , bringing the total to six , and a fourth Transportation Security Administration employee based at the Mineta San Jose International Airport has tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tokyo on Japanese airline All Nippon Airways will suspend on March 24 .
Santa Clara County , which has been hard hit , banned all gatherings of 100 or more and limited gatherings of 35 or more , starting at midnight .
No sick individuals or high-risk persons may be present at such gatherings , officials said .
County Health Officer Dr. Sarah Cody said the county had 79 Covid-19 cases of Thursday night with 36 more cases from Monday .
Cody called the virus a historic struggle in medical terms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of disease , ” Cody said .
said .
The number of confirmed cases rose to at least three in San Joaquin County — prompting officials there to declare a local public health emergency — and Santa Cruz County now has at least seven cases .
“ We have shifted our efforts away from containment and towards mitigation , ” said Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel .
“ We continue to work closely with our regional , state and national partners in our efforts to lessen the impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the cancellation of all gatherings of more than 250 people , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping executive order allowing the state , if necessary , to take over hotels and medical facilities to treat a potential tide of coronavirus patients .
The unprecedented actions mirrored a hunkering down across the U.S. , as the National Collegiate Athletic Assn .
canceled its men ’ s and women ’ s basketball tournaments , all theaters on Broadway went dark , the U.S. Supreme Court said it would no longer welcome visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training games and said the start of the season would be delayed at least two weeks .
“ This is where we need to go next , ” Newsom told reporters Thursday , adding that the shutdowns are aimed at slowing the virus ’ spread and to “ get through the next few months , so we don ’ t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system.
” Christopher Thornberg , founding partner of Beacon Economics , compared the situation to a “ national earthquake ” that is hitting hard but will pass .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country … we might get in front of this and stop it , in which case that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief , ” he said .
The calls for “ social distancing ” to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 could be seen from the San Francisco waterfront , where normally bustling food stands were nearly empty , to Los Angeles International Airport , where cars could make the usually jammed vehicle loop in just five minutes .
In Palm Springs , the landmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disneyland ’ s announced closure , Universal Studios theme park said it too would close through March 28 , while the adjoining Universal CityWalk shopping center would remain open .
Disney said it would keep the parks closed through the end of March .
It planned to keep the hotels at the resort open until Monday to give guests time to make plans .
The company said it would pay its employees during the shutdown .
The park has closed only three other times since its 1955 opening : on a national day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Kennedy , following the 1994 Northridge earthquake and after the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack on the U.S .
In light of the pending temporary closure of both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure , resort officials announced Friday that excess food inventory would be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.Among the gifted items will be fresh products — like fruit , vegetables and dairy — banquet meals and packaged goods.The resort donated more than 20,000 meals to the food bank last year , officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ card rooms and movie theaters from his guidance against large gatherings .
But he said his administration was “ moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution ” with those businesses .
Newsom said that movie theater operators had told him they were trying to devise ways to introduce social distancing while still allowing patrons to gather to see films .
In San Francisco on Thursday , the normally bustling Ferry Building Marketplace was largely empty , with customers keeping their distance from food shops manned by worried employees .
“ We usually have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at lunch time , ” said Jade Kim , manager of Namu Stonepot .
Outside , a couple strolled through the empty square as seagulls and pigeons looked on .
“ It ’ s weird .
Things are super quiet .
There was nobody on BART , ” said Altoni Cabling , 28 , of her ride on a Bay Area Rapid Transit commuter train from her home in Oakland to San Francisco .
The travel industry was further rocked Thursday when a leading cruise industry operator , Princess Cruises , said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The industry had come under the scrutiny of government officials following coronavirus outbreaks on two Princess Cruises vessels .
A crisis on the Grand Princess led to the quarantine of 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members , who had been aboard the ship that finally docked in Oakland on Monday .
Earlier this year , the company ’ s Diamond Princess also suffered an outbreak , with hundreds testing positive for the virus .
The state ’ s signature industry also signaled a partial retreat Thursday as Hollywood studios pushed back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pictures ’ “ A Quiet Place Part II ” and Universal Pictures ’ “ F9 , ” the latest in the “ Fast and the Furious ” saga .
The new “ Fast ” movie has been delayed by nearly a year .
“ One of the things I am most proud of is people have said our movie is one you have to see all together , ” said actor-director John Krasinski of “ A Quiet Place Part II.
” “ Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of the world around us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to do that.
” With Garcetti ’ s order to limit L.A. city properties to no more than 50 outside visitors at a time , the operators of Griffith Observatory opted to close .
The Hollywood Hills landmark normally has about 4,000 visitors a day .
The Los Angeles Zoo also said it would close .
The city-owned Los Angeles Convention Center is rescheduling the Rug Show , the Best of You LA Expo and about eight other planned consumer shows , said Doane Liu , executive director of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said City Hall would be closed to non-city employees , with the exception of members of the public attending City Council meetings .
The Los Angeles City Council also planned to sharply reduce the number of public meetings , to limit potential public exposure to the virus .
A day after the World Health Organization first said that COVID-19 had caused a world pandemic , health experts struggled to come to grips with the magnitude of the challenge , and in Washington , the House was considering a coronavirus relief package .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Fauci said the U.S. was “ failing ” to provide testing for everyone who needs it .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now — what you are asking for , ” said Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ That is a failing… .
Let ’ s admit it … the idea of anybody getting it easily , the way people in other countries are doing it , we ’ re not set up for that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes.
” Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence — who is heading the White House response to the disease — urging the administration to rapidly expand coronavirus testing capacity and to establish clear guidelines for when state and local government should deploy public health measures .
The head of the American College of Emergency Physicians said in a call with reporters that the virus would “ put a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.
” Dr. William Jaquis said he expects the case counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding : “ COVID is very serious and we ’ re treating it as such.
” Another federal official said blood banks had seen a substantial drop in donations because of a fear of the coronavirus .
That trend needs to be reversed , said Dr. Peter Marks , director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research .
“ We need people to prevent the blood supply from getting depleted .
We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ To ensure an adequate blood supply , we need people to come out and donate blood.
” Even as they scrambled to address the threat , public officials had to tend firefighters and police officers whose work exposed them to the virus .
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said three deputies and five county Fire Department staff members had been placed under quarantine after responding to a call Monday involving a person in Walnut who later died of the coronavirus .
The department announced that six firefighters were quarantined after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 2 .
The woman had respiratory issues and declined to be transported to the hospitals .
LAFD was notified that she tested positive for the virus on Friday .
The firefighters had regularly reported to work , but have not shown symptoms .
They will only need to be quarantined for three more days .
South of Sacramento , one man in Elk Grove described the strange isolation of the coronavirus era .
His two children , ages 2 and 5 , were home after an elementary student tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died at a senior living facility just across a lot from his back window .
Pesarlai Mukhtar , an Uber driver , said he is afraid to work , calling it “ risky ” to pick up unknown passengers .
So his family is living off their savings , and he is scared .
“ Our life graph is going down , ” he said , making a plummeting motion with his hand .
“ Education , work , everything.
” Times staff writers Susanne Rust , Rong-Gong Lin II , Andrew J.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Richard Winton contributed to this report .

James Rainey, Hailey Branson-Potts, Anita Chabria, Luke Money, Colleen Shalby

Disneyland guests wearing ponchos pass the Marketplace inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Thursday. Disneyland and California Adventure will temporarily close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two children look at movie posters in the lobby of the Arclight theater Thursday in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
A crew member stands on the stern of a cruise ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday, Mar. 13, 2020. LAUSD announced it will shut down beginning Monday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times )
Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. LAUSD announced that schools will be closed due to the Coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 13, 2020. The school has 2,623 students who live in 94 different zip codes, some of whom travel upwards of 30 miles to school on 24 different school bus routes. 221 school staff live in 88 zip codes. Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
A line at the Martin B. Retting gun store in Culver City on Sunday extends out the door and around the corner. (Francine Orr / The Times)
Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
From left, Josh Akamine, of Oahu, Hawaii; Madison Shine of Oahu; Matthew Valencia of Los Altos and Dani Ikeda visit L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Medical personnel surround a car that is going through a coronavirus drive-thru test clinic at the San Mateo County Event Center. Drive-thru test clinics for COVID-19 are popping up across the country as more tests become available. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Rachel Figueroa, serves a free lunch to go to Destiny Mendez, with her mother, Estefany, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. LAUSD students can get free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Dream Center, Monday through Friday. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Muhammad Faruq, an Uber driver, picks his ride Sotero Reyes, left, and Cristian Eguia, visitors from Houston, all in protective masks, from downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Shoppers queue up ahead of the Los Feliz Costco opening for business on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
A large tent is installed for public attendance at Tuesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting. The public was not allowed in the council chamber. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing at UCLA Medical Center. Testing for Covid-19 is going on at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Ezeh, protected with face mask and gloves, addresses the Los Angeles City Council meeting standing under a tent erected outside City Hall. A television livestreamed video of the meeting and the public offered comments remotely. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it would open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just seniors, who arrived believing doors would open earlier to older residents, as some of the people were told by employees and it was reported. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning hours of shopping to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A nurse takes the vital signs of a woman in a medical tent outside the hospital on Catalina. (Francine Orr/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
HOPICS outreach worker Ralph Gomez tosses a clipboard for a signature to homeless client Davis Soto, right, taking care to stay at least six feet away during outreach in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees testing at UCLA Medical Center where people can drive up and get tested if they have the symptoms. Morocco listens to a female patient’s lungs through the car window. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors shop at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors can go grocery shopping before the store opens to the general public. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Roberta Tabor, 66, of Hermosa Beach, has her ID checked by store director Dennis Sullivan at Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour” where seniors 65+ can go grocery shopping before anybody else. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Seniors, including Eileen Oda Leaf, 67, left, and her husband Dave Leaf, 67, right, both wearing protective masks, line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach early on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
David Barker, 56, is visiting with his friend living in a tent on skidrow in Los Angeles. Barker, who is not homeless, works in the area. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk up the ramp, exiting the secure area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Nagma Shakur, 16, left, hugs her “Grannie” as she helps senior shoppers with their carts at the Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Altadena. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Santa Clara County announced a second death from COVID-19 Friday evening. The person who passed away was an adult woman in her 80s, was hospitalized March 9, and was among the COVID-19 cases previously reported by the county, a news release from the county’s public health department said.
The death was the fifth in California, which had 247 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Friday morning. Santa Clara County has the most cases of any county in the state, reporting 79.
L.A. County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the novel coronavirus Friday, bringing the local total to 40.
Three of those cases are likely the result of community transmission, as the source of exposure is unknown. Two of the individuals are hospitalized, public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference.
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Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said in a news release Friday that it was treating a child between the ages of 6 and 9 with COVID-19. The child, who had no history of travel and has an unrelated underlying medical condition, was in isolation, as were the child’s parents, the hospital said.
Officials said they expect cases to expand significantly as more people get tested. Ferrer said L.A. County got more test kits this week, and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to gather.
“It’s very hard to know how many cases we have,” she said.
On Monday L.A. County officials will release geographic locations and age groups of the known cases. Those who may be close contacts of individuals who test positive for the virus may start receiving “blanket quarantines,” rather than being interviewed first, Ferrer said.
In Riverside County a former patient from a Rancho Mirage skilled nursing home tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Friday. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer, said the department plans to test each patient and employee at the 99-bed facility as soon as possible.
“Quick action is required when we are dealing with a vulnerable population like this,” said Kaiser.
An elderly patient at a Northern California assisted-living facility died from the disease earlier this week, and the death toll has mounted at a Seattle-area nursing home that has been at the center of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic.
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As the number of cases throughout the world grew to more than 137,000, with more than 2,500 infections reported in Italy, World Health Organization officials said Friday that Europe has now become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In the U.S., President Trump declared a national emergency, freeing up more resources to aid local and state governments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin reached a deal on an economic stimulus package, providing paid sick leave for workers and billions of dollars for food programs and unemployment benefits.
At the same time, school districts, sports organizations, concert promoters and religious groups were racing to cancel or delay large gatherings to guard against the spread of the virus.
The National Collegiate Athletic Assn. canceled its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, all theaters on Broadway went dark, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would no longer welcome visitors, and Major League Baseball called off spring training games and delayed the start of the season by at least two weeks.
Amid growing concerns and fresh signs that the virus is continuing to sweep across California, officials continued to take action against the virus.
School officials announced that Los Angeles Unified School District – the second largest school district in the U.S. – would shut down on Monday as fears over the coronavirus continued to mount. The move will affect more than 670,000 children and adult students.
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said that the district was planning for a two-week closure, at least, but refrained from providing a reopening date.
“These next two weeks will be difficult, and we are not certain what lies ahead after that,” he said.
Other school districts across the state continued to close campuses, affecting hundreds of thousands of students. Long Beach Unified School District, San Diego Unified School District, Santa Clara Unified School District, and Oakland Unified School District officials announced that schools would close until at least early April. San Francisco announced it was closing its public schools for three weeks, beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles also announced that Catholic schools in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties would close and move to remote learning effective Tuesday, until at least March 31. The archdiocese serves nearly 75,000 students, including many from low-income and immigrant communities.
“We recognize the significant impact this extended closure will have on our entire community, students, families, and staff,” Paul Escala, Superintendent of Catholic Schools wrote in a letter to families. “We also acknowledge the burden this will place on our staff and working families. As a community of faith, we must come together and help one another.”
Earlier the archdiocese announced it was lifting from its parishioners the obligation of attending Sunday Mass for the next three weeks. The Diocese of San Jose issued a similar suspension on all public masses beginning Saturday.
“Baptisms, weddings, and funerals may be celebrated but should be limited to immediate family,” San Jose diocese Bishop Oscar Cantú said.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said City Hall would be closed to non-city employees, with the exception of members of the public attending City Council meetings. The Los Angeles City Council also planned to sharply reduce the number of public meetings, to limit potential public exposure to the virus.
With Garcetti’s order properties to limit city properties to no more than 50 outside visitors at a time, the operators of Griffith Observatory opted to close. The Hollywood Hills landmark normally has about 4,000 visitors a day. The Los Angeles Zoo also said it would close.
The city-owned Los Angeles Convention Center is rescheduling the Rug Show, the Best of You LA Expo and about eight other planned consumer shows, said Doane Liu, executive director of the Department of Convention and Tourism Development.
The Los Angeles Public Library said Friday that the Central Library in downtown and all 72 branch libraries will close through March 31. Due dates for borrowed materials are being extended and late fines waived during the closure period, the library said in an announcement on its website.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Natural History Museums announced they will close their main campuses until further notice. The decision affects LACMA’s main Wilshire campus, the museum’s gallery at Charles White Elementary School in MacArthur Park, and all public programs and events.
The Los Angeles County Probation Department, which maintains juvenile halls and camps, is temporarily suspending visitations to its juvenile halls and residential treatment facilities in an attempt to keep the coronavirus from infecting its staff or the youth under their supervision, officials said Friday.
The prohibition applies to weekend, special and after-court visits from family or community groups, but will not stop court-ordered or required legal visits from taking place, according to the department. Youth will have extended phone privileges and internal programming will continue, officials said.
The calls for “social distancing” to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 could be seen from the San Francisco waterfront, where normally bustling food stands were nearly empty, to Los Angeles International Airport, where cars could make the usually jammed vehicle loop in just five minutes.
In Palm Springs, the landmark aerial tramway closed indefinitely. And following Disneyland’s announced closure through the end of March, Universal Studios theme park said it, too, would close through March 28, while the adjoining Universal CityWalk shopping center would remain open. Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Knott’s Berry Farm will all close until the end of March.
Disney said it planned to keep hotels at the resort open until Monday to give guests time to make plans. The company said it would pay its employees during the shutdown.
The park has closed only three other times since its 1955 opening: on a national day of mourning after the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy, following the 1994 Northridge earthquake and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the U.S.
Santa Clara County, which has been hard hit, banned all gatherings of 100 or more and limited gatherings of 35 or more. No sick individuals or high-risk persons may be present at such gatherings, officials said.
County Health Officer Dr. Sarah Cody called the virus a historic struggle in medical terms.
“These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease,” Cody said.
The number of confirmed cases rose to at least three in San Joaquin County — prompting officials there to declare a local public health emergency — and Santa Cruz County now has at least seven cases.
“We have shifted our efforts away from containment and towards mitigation,” said Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel. “We continue to work closely with our regional, state and national partners in our efforts to lessen the impact of COVID-19.”
After calling for the cancellation of all gatherings of more than 250 people, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping executive order allowing the state, if necessary, to take over hotels and medical facilities to treat a potential tide of coronavirus patients.
“This is where we need to go next,” Newsom told reporters Thursday, adding that the shutdowns are aimed at slowing the virus’ spread and to “get through the next few months, so we don’t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system.”
The governor had exempted casinos, card rooms and movie theaters from his guidance against large gatherings. But he said his administration was “moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution” with those businesses. Newsom said that movie theater operators had told him they were trying to devise ways to introduce social distancing while still allowing patrons to gather to see films.
Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, compared the situation to a “national earthquake” that is hitting hard but will pass.
“If we just close down the damn country … we might get in front of this and stop it, in which case that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief,” he said.
Two days after the World Health Organization first said that COVID-19 had caused a world pandemic, health experts struggled to come to grips with the magnitude of the challenge.
At a House Oversight Committee hearing Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. was “failing” to provide testing for everyone who needs it.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now — what you are asking for,” said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “That is a failing…. Let’s admit it … the idea of anybody getting it easily, the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence — who is heading the White House response to the disease — urging the administration to rapidly expand coronavirus testing capacity and to establish clear guidelines for when state and local government should deploy public health measures.
The head of the American College of Emergency Physicians said in a call with reporters that the virus would “put a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.” Dr. William Jaquis said he expects the case counts to rapidly increase in the coming weeks, adding: “COVID is very serious and we’re treating it as such.”
Another federal official said blood banks had seen a substantial drop in donations because of a fear of the coronavirus. That trend needs to be reversed, said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
“We need people to prevent the blood supply from getting depleted. We need it not to get to the point that surgeries are having to get canceled,” Marks said. “To ensure an adequate blood supply, we need people to come out and donate blood.”
Even as they scrambled to address the threat, public officials had to tend firefighters and police officers whose work exposed them to the virus.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said three deputies and five county Fire Department staff members had been placed under quarantine after responding to a call Monday involving a person in Walnut who later died of the coronavirus.
The department announced that six firefighters were quarantined after responding to a call at Union Station on March 2. The woman had respiratory issues and declined to be transported to the hospitals. LAFD was notified that she tested positive for the virus on Friday. The firefighters had regularly reported to work, but have not shown symptoms. They will only need to be quarantined for three more days.
Times staff writers Hailey Branson-Potts, Andrew J. Campa, James Rainey, Susanne Rust, Dakota Smith, Alex Wigglesworth and Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-14--Supermarkets swarmed, coronavirus deaths increase in California

With supermarkets overrun , workplaces clearing out and coronavirus spreading deeper into communities , California officials desperately attempted to slow the virus with new restrictions and a unified message : social distancing .
Calling the outbreak “ one of the most historic public health challenges of our time , ” the health officer for Silicon Valley has issued a new aggressive ban on public gatherings — restricting gatherings of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more .
Other counties canceled events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now reports 247 confirmed cases and six deaths , with new cases being tallied every few hours .
But officials say many more have the virus but have not yet been tested .
Los Angeles County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the virus , bringing the total to 40 , as community spread intensified .
Three of those cases are thought to be the result of community transmission , as the source of exposure is unknown .
Two of the individuals are hospitalized , Public Health Director Dr. Barbara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those cases to expand significantly as more people get tested .
Ferrer said L.A. County got more test kits this week , and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to gather .
Orange County on Friday reported three suspected coronavirus cases , bringing its total to nine .
The new tally came as the Orange County superintendent of schools said he supported suspending all school operations for at least two weeks .
Perhaps the greatest symbol of concern over the virus was at supermarkets , where many shelves were empty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot in Koreatown on Friday morning looked like a crowded DMV office .
Though parking spots were available , gridlock reigned as motorists drove in the wrong direction , blocked pathways and eased slowly around pedestrians walking every which way .
Inside , the supermarket off 3rd Street and Vermont Avenue was a hive of activity .
As three cashiers rang up purchases , dozens of customers waited in long queues that snaked through the market , past the fruit and vegetables displays and down the condiment and milk aisles .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jugs of water , stacks of frozen meat and cases of ramen noodles .
One overflowing cart was being pushed by two friends preparing to have their kids home from school for the rest of the month .
“ I ’ ve been here , to Vons across the street , we ’ ve been to Target , ” said Monica Boyd , 30 , whose teenage son will be one of thousands across the county staying home Monday .
“ I had friends ask me to get them food because they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re saying everything is kind of cleaned out down there .
So this is a combination of me getting groceries for friends and mostly for my kid.
” Boyd ’ s friend , Shulanda Rush , 28 , joined her for the trip .
A property manager in Koreatown , Rush said her 5-year-old daughter may have to stay with the girl ’ s father for the next few weeks because he has more family support to care for her during the workweek .
The friends knew that people were cleaning out store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see it in person .
Most of the ramen in the store was gone .
So was the powdered milk , most of the water , toilet paper , dried pasta , rice and allergy medication .
It was more packed than a pre-Super Bowl , Cinco de Mayo , Thanksgiving or Fourth of July shopping rush .
“ I ’ m not really worried about what ’ s going on , I think it scares me more that people are panicking , so it ’ s not business as usual , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re just like , ‘ Let ’ s come and buy every ... thing.
’ ” “ I walked here last night to get allergy medicine and it was all gone .
Allergy medicine does not block viruses .
What is happening here ?
” she said in exasperation .
“ I just think it ’ s ridiculous in a general sense .
The fact that there ’ s no toilet paper is insane .
I don ’ t understand how that is going to save you from anything .
”

Joseph Serna, Alex Wigglesworth, Colleen Shalby, Rong-Gong Lin II

The fear of the coronavirus has Southern California residents stocking up. Above, empty shelves at a Target in Manhattan Beach.
California saw a rise Saturday in coronavirus cases, with Los Angeles and several other counties confirming more patients, bringing the statewide total to at least 288, officials said.
Los Angeles County reported 13 more cases and Long Beach one, bringing the county’s total to 54.
Two of the people among the most recent cases reported are hospitalized, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a news release. Two cases are suspected to be related to travel, and four had close contact with another confirmed case, officials said. Two of the cases have an unidentified source of exposure, meaning they could be more evidence of community spread, officials said.
In Long Beach, a woman in her 60s who was diagnosed with the virus was hospitalized in stable condition, the city said in a statement. She did not have contact with another known COVID-19 case and did not travel to an area where the virus is widespread, meaning her diagnosis may be the first instance of community spread in Long Beach, officials said.
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“This case highlights the need for continued vigilance and preparation, especially for those at higher risk of severe illness and those with underlying health conditions,” said Dr. Anissa Davis, the city health officer, in a statement.
The outbreak is interrupting the everyday life of residents in Southern California and beyond.
Ski resorts close
On Saturday, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the eastern Sierra and 14 other resorts in North America announced they will close Sunday until further notice, according to the Denver-based operator of the resorts, Alterra Mountain Co.
The company issued a brief statement attributing the closures to the outbreak and “the best interests of our guests, employees and local communities.”
Alterra is also closing June Mountain in the eastern Sierra, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows near Lake Tahoe, and Big Bear Mountain Resort in the San Bernardino Mountains, among other resorts in Vermont, West Virginia, Utah and Washington state.
Vail Resorts, one of the world’s largest ski resort operators, also announced it would close its North American slopes, starting Sunday until March 22, to give management “time to reassess our approach for the rest of the season,” the company said in an online statement.
The Vail closures will include Northstar, Kirkwood and Heavenly ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area, as well as resorts in Utah, Colorado and British Columbia, Canada.
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The ski resorts are among the growing list of businesses, including casinos and theme parks, that are temporarily closing as officials advise against large gatherings.
But it appeared in some places around the country that avoiding a large crowd was virtually impossible.
O’Hare Airport
In a series of tweets Saturday evening, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker chastised the federal government’s response at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, where posts on social media showed thousands of international passengers arriving from overseas shoulder to shoulder, stuck in hours-long lines to collect their baggage and be screened for entry.
“The federal government needs to get its s@#t together. NOW,” the governor tweeted.
But where possible, public officials are trying to ensure large groups are avoided.
Coastal Commission chairman tests positive
The California Coastal Commission is considering holding its April meeting online. On Saturday, its chairman, Steve Padilla, who also serves on the Chula Vista City Council, announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus and was being isolated at home.
He said he is healthy, strong and safe, but noted his symptoms, fever, body aches, headaches and chills, “came on very rapidly.”
“My main concern now is for the well-being of others. My friends and family have been informed and are taking the necessary steps — but it’s my duty to be transparent for the entire community,” he said in a video to his constituents.
L.A. parks, animal control, libraries and courts
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks announced that it would close all recreation and senior centers and cancel all activities there through at least April 4. All events that involve 50 people or more scheduled at Recreation and Parks locations are canceled, and new reservations for facilities or permits are suspended, the department said.
The Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control department said its animal control officers would continue to respond to public safety and animal welfare calls, such as dangerous dogs, dead animal reports and animal cruelty investigations, but that the department is deferring less urgent calls until further notice.
Pet owners who want to surrender their pets are asked to delay doing so, those who have found lost pets are asked to foster them temporarily instead of bringing them in, and those who seek to surrender healthy stray cats are asked to release them where they were trapped and bring them in after there is no longer a public health recommendation for social distancing, the department said.
Animal care centers are suspending the sale of pet licenses, and pet owners will be given a 30-day grace period for late license submissions.
And all of the county’s 86 library locations will be closed from Saturday through the end of the month.
“After careful consideration, and discussions with local health authorities, we have decided to close our libraries in an abundance of caution and to help prevent and limit the spread of COVID-19.” said Library Director Skye Patrick in a statement Saturday. “We understand the impact this can potentially cause on customers and will continue to monitor the situation closely to provide updates.”
Several library lobbies will remain open, and the public can still call the system with reference inquiries, officials said. More information can be found at the library system’s main website.
Courts across California, including in Los Angeles, are beginning to grind to a halt as well. Santa Clara County, where the coronavirus outbreak has hit particularly hard, announced delays Friday in many traffic, family, civil and probate trials, as well as some criminal trials.
The scene in Hollywood
Fears over the virus were evident at L.A. tourist attractions on Saturday. Few are as popular with visitors from throughout the world as the TCL Chinese Theatre forecourt, where nearly 200 celebrities have immortalized their handprints in concrete.
Many visitors get a thrill from pressing their own hands into the exact places their screen idols cast theirs. The coronavirus pandemic has dampened enthusiasm for that kind of interactive experience.
Looking down at the slab imprinted with the prints of Marilyn Monroe, Giulia Ragusa, 27, of San Francisco, hesitated, then got down on her knees, smiled and plunged her hands into the hallowed depressions.
“I’m not afraid! I’m young and strong!” she said, as her friend Carolina Benetti, 19, snapped photos.
Mission accomplished, Ragusa sprang to her feet and said, “Hey, Carolina, get the hand sanitizer out of my backpack, please.”
On any other Saturday, hundreds of visitors would crowd the theater courtyard, pivoting on their heels as they snapped selfies or aimed video cameras in all directions. Tour buses would be disgorging throngs of visitors.
California Even small neighborhood stores are getting raided by coronavirus hoarders It’s not just supermarkets and big box retailers that are struggling to keep toilet paper and groceries on the shelves. Liquor stores and other neighborhood businesses are too.
Costumed movie figures would be parading up and down the boulevard in search of tips in exchange for photos.
But Hollywood souvenir salesman Nick Brooks, 34, was having to face up to grim views he did not think were possible.
Standing forlornly on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, holding an umbrella in one hand and a large sign that read “Everything’s $5” in the other, he said, “I’ve worked this corner seven years and I’ve never seen it this slow. Business is down nearly 100%.”
“On a normal Saturday, without rain or coronavirus, I shout the sales pitch ‘Everything’s $5!’” 200 times a day in perfect Chinese,” he said, shaking his head. “Now, I say it four times a week because the place is almost empty.
“Usually, this sidewalk is a river of people, 30 persons deep,” he added. “But right now, for the first time, I’ve got a clear view all the way down to Highland Avenue, a quarter-mile away.”
Across California
Elsewhere, San Francisco reported 28 cases Saturday, up from 23 the day before; in San Mateo County, the number increased from 20 to 26. Contra Costa County reported four new cases, bringing its total to 29, and in Sacramento County, the number of cases rose from 17 to 29. Santa Clara County announced 17 additional cases, bringing the total there to 91.
Marin County announced two new cases Saturday, bringing its total to five. Neither had exposure to another known case, and both are believed to be the result of community spread, officials said.
“The first cases of community transmission of COVID-19 in Marin means we’re in a new stage of working to mitigate spread,” said Dr. Matt Willis, the county public health officer, in a statement. “We’ve been anticipating this.
With supermarkets overrun, workplaces clearing out and coronavirus spreading deeper into communities, California officials desperately attempted to slow the virus with new restrictions and a unified message: social distancing.
“COVID-19 LESS IS MORE,” electronic signs over the 405 and 105 freeways in Los Angeles read Saturday morning. “AVOID GATHERINGS.” Similar messages were displayed on all 700 of the state’s digital highway signs, Caltrans said.
Of California’s 288 confirmed cases, 70 are believed to be from community transmission and the cause of 66 of them are under investigation, the state health department said. The rest are a mix of confirmed person-to-person transmissions, related to travel or patients returning to the country after contracting the disease elsewhere.
Calling the outbreak “one of the most historic public health challenges of our time,” Santa Clara County health officer Dr. Sara Cody issued an aggressive new ban, restricting public gatherings of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection, and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more.
On Saturday, Contra Costa County announced similar restrictions, with the county’s health officer issuing an order prohibiting gatherings of 100 people or more in a single room or enclosed space. Those who violate the order, which is in effect from midnight Sunday through March 31, could be charged with a misdemeanor and face a fine or imprisonment in county jail, officials said. Other counties canceled events and introduced new restrictions.
In Riverside County, officials announced that a former patient at the Coachella Valley nursing home has the coronavirus, prompting them to test workers and patients at the facility.
The county public health department said the patient spent time at Rancho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Center before being transferred to a hospital.
Riverside County declared a state of emergency last week. As of Saturday, it had 14 confirmed cases, four of which are believed to be related to travel, and 10 to have been acquired locally.
Schools and universities react
Amid the steady increase in cases in Santa Clara County, Stanford University announced a wave of changes to campus operations after an undergraduate student there tested positive for the virus.
The student is self-isolating, and university teams are working to reach out to the person’s close contacts, university President Marc Tessier-Lavigne announced in a letter to students Friday night.
As a result, during spring break and the spring quarter, the school “will only be able to provide on-campus undergraduate housing and dining for a very limited number of students — those who have no other option than to be here,” the letter said. They will prioritize international and homeless students, and those who “have known severe health or safety risks.”
A graduate student at Stanford’s rival, UC Berkeley, has also contracted COVID-19, school officials announced. The individual does not live on campus or in the city of Berkeley and has self-isolated at home, the university said.
Major school districts throughout California, including Los Angeles Unified, announced shutdowns Friday, joining at least 12 states that have ordered complete closures amid escalating attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The closure initially is scheduled to last two weeks, but a firm reopen date will depend on the status of the outbreak, which President Trump on Friday declared a national emergency
President Trump and travel restrictions
Speaking at a White House news conference on Saturday, Trump said he was considering domestic travel restrictions “specifically from certain areas,” although he didn’t mention any particular spots.
“If you don’t have to travel, I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “We want this thing to end.”
In addition, his administration is extending the ban on travel from Europe to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The restriction goes into effect on Monday at midnight, but U.S. citizens will be allowed to return home.
Trump also said that he took a test for the coronavirus the night before after days of mixed messages over whether he would do so.
“I took the test last night,” he said. “I decided I should based on the press conference last night.”
The president said Friday night that he would “most likely” get tested after interacting with Brazilian officials who tested positive for the virus. But hours later, his physician released a memo suggesting that he would not take the test because he’s at “LOW risk.”
Trump told reporters Saturday that he had his temperature checked before entering the White House briefing room. “Totally normal,” he said as he left the podium. The White House announced later in the day that the president tested negative.
More cases nationwide
More cases were announced nationally, including 100 new ones in New York on Saturday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Saturday that there are 2,226 coronavirus cases in the United States, including repatriations, and 50 deaths. He said there are 532 new cases and nine new deaths.
“We have not reached our peak,” Fauci said. “We will see more cases, and we will see more suffering and death.”
However, the country still has an opportunity to influence how fast and far the virus spreads, he said.