latimes--2020-08-22--To party or not to party? USC students living off-campus weigh COVID-19 risk

Ethan Recinto could hear the laughter and faint thrum of music from his second-floor apartment near USC .
It was midnight and he was trying to sleep .
Restless and annoyed , he stepped outside and saw packs of students roving the hallways , following the alluring siren of collegiate revelry .
On the eighth floor of the privately owned University Gateway complex , Recinto caught a glimpse inside a small apartment — dozens of students packed shoulder to shoulder .
“ I ’ m trying to stay safe , and these people kind of just gave up , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations .
He left , but the scene stirred fear .
“ We use the same elevators , washing machines , hallways .
...
There ’ s probably going to be an outbreak here , which sucks .
And I ’ ll be exposed to it.
” USC is among the first universities in California to begin the fall semester amid the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic , offering a look into the new order of campus life under strictly enforced safety rules : online classes , limited access to campus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like other major universities — including most of the University of California ’ s 10 campuses — USC is ringed by thousands of off-campus , privately owned and operated apartments where student gatherings could quickly emerge as a catalyst for COVID-19 outbreaks .
Although universities have urged students to stay home for online learning , many signed apartment leases months ago that management refused to allow them to break .
Many yearned to be out of childhood bedrooms and back with friends near campus .
Others ’ home circumstances were not conducive to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recipe for disaster , ” said John Swartzberg , an infectious disease expert and professor emeritus at UC Berkeley .
“ We ’ re dealing with a population that ’ s unlikely to follow prudent guidelines , and we ’ re putting them in a situation that is far too tempting , ” he said .
“ So I don ’ t know what people expect.
” USC officials have sternly warned students that parties and gatherings are barred , and hosting or attending one could lead to disciplinary action , including probation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university has taken substantial precautions in response to the pandemic .
Students are required to wear face masks , complete a “ daily symptom check ” through an app , make reservations before stepping foot on campus , and are randomly selected for temperature screenings once they arrive .
“ Now , more than ever , it is essential that we all take responsibility for our behavior , ” university leaders said in an Aug. 19 letter to students .
“ Our individual actions can have a profound effect on our entire community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very real consequences.
” But the primal urge to congregate has been irresistible for some , although big , loud bashes are markedly down this year .
The USC Department of Public Safety ’ s incident log shows that officers have shut down five off-campus parties since Aug. 10 because of noise complaints .
In 2019 , DPS shut down 21 parties in the same time frame , said USC Deputy Chief David Carlisle .
Dr. Sarah Van Orman , USC ’ s chief student health officer , acknowledged that the university doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at private off-campus housing .
But she is confident in USC ’ s ability to respond to outbreaks through its robust testing and contact-tracing program .
Still , Van Orman said , “ We are concerned about outbreaks .
I don ’ t think there ’ s a college health director that ’ s not concerned about outbreaks right now.
” COVID-19 surges have proliferated at universities throughout the country .
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced it would pivot to online learning after COVID-19 cases spiked following the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceased in-person instruction for two weeks after 147 students tested positive within a 14-day period .
A viral video of a massive party held at an off-campus apartment complex near the University of North Georgia set off alarm bells .
And at UC Berkeley , 47 confirmed cases of COVID-19 stemmed from a series of fraternity parties in July .
A coronavirus outbreak was reported at USC ’ s fraternity row in July , with at least 45 students testing positive .
As of Aug. 19 , at least 208 USC students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One student was briefly hospitalized .
The level of social interaction among USC students varies widely .
Some students said they and a good number of their peers have limited their quarantine pods to roommates and a few trusted friends .
Others are comfortable attending small gatherings , while some are hitting up multiple parties a week .
But even hanging out in small groups outside their newly configured households still holds peril .
USC has traced many COVID-19 clusters to gatherings of five to 10 people , Van Orman said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ trusted friend ” at a time when everybody is drawing their boundary lines differently , Swartzberg said .
Though parties are more scarce , USC students still fear outbreaks — especially after a photo shared on Reddit depicting a large USC party in the courtyard of the large University Gateway complex went viral this week .
In an email to residents Wednesday morning , Gateway staff wrote that gatherings of 10 or more people are not allowed and that masks are mandatory in all common areas .
“ The office staff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the email said .
Gateway ’ s building manager and its parent company , Peak Campus , did not respond to requests for comment .
Private landlords should make clear to students that even a 10-person gathering could lead to spread , Van Orman said .
Some students are disturbed by what they view as the careless behavior of their peers and described a hush-hush culture around parties ; those who party tend to not talk about it unless they ’ re around others who they know have also been partying .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lives in a duplex with five other people .
Over the past few weeks , Abadeer has observed a change in the previously quiet summer environment .
Small parties have cropped up near her duplex , and she saw several people at the nearby Trader Joe ’ s not wearing masks .
“ It makes me feel quite upset , to be honest , ” she said .
Still , Abadeer is grateful to live with people who have no qualms about social distancing .
Some of her friends aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take risks that could compromise the whole household .
“ We really have to empathize with how challenging this is for young adults , ” Van Orman said .
Their roommates aren ’ t necessarily their friends or support system , and “ that makes following the public health guidance — to stay with your household — very difficult.
” Alexis Timko , a junior studying journalism and history , said she and her six housemates only allow significant others to visit .
When they do see other friends , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Timko , they are far from easy .
“ You can always put classes and work on Zoom , but you can never re-create the social interactions and memories that come from the party-hopping and drunkenly ordering nachos and having weird bonding sessions with random girls you meet in the bathroom of some bar , ” she said .
“ Even just being sprawled out on the couch with a group of friends after a rough week .
I miss it.
” In an Aug. 15 letter , USC officials directed Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines .
Fraternities and sororities , whose houses flank 28th Street , will be held responsible for the acts of individual members that flout the rules , the letter said , potentially leading to the organization ’ s suspension or “ multi-year derecognition.
” Jordan Al-Rawi , vice president of administrative affairs for USC ’ s Interfraternity Council , said that the recruitment process and all other social offerings will be completely virtual .
“ IFC is a dedicated partner of local and university health officials , and we will continue to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume physical operations , ” he said .
One 20-year-old junior living in a fraternity house , who requested anonymity to speak about his and other organizations , noted that some fraternities are taking the pandemic very seriously .
Others are more laid-back .
Mask-wearing is mandatory in the house when residents are not in their rooms , he said , and residents must also get tested for COVID-19 every two weeks .
Visitors are limited to significant others and members of the fraternity .
He went to one indoor gathering of about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t feel comfortable afterward .
He said he regrets the decision and doesn ’ t plan to attend any more parties — and most of his fraternity brothers are of the same mind .
“ It ’ s definitely a whole different experience , ” he said .
“ We ’ re used to hundreds of people coming through the house every weekend .
Now we ’ re seeing the same faces day after day .
“ I guess I ’ m lucky that all the faces I see are faces I like @ @

USC junior Alexis Timko in the hallway outside her apartment near campus. Classes are completely online for the fall semester.
Ethan Recinto could hear the laughter and faint thrum of music from his second-floor apartment near USC.
It was midnight and he was trying to sleep. Restless and annoyed, he stepped outside and saw packs of students roving the hallways, following the alluring siren of collegiate revelry. On the eighth floor of the privately owned University Gateway complex, Recinto caught a glimpse inside a small apartment — dozens of students packed shoulder to shoulder.
“I’m trying to stay safe, and these people kind of just gave up,” said Recinto, a junior studying international relations. He left, but the scene stirred fear. “We use the same elevators, washing machines, hallways. ... There’s probably going to be an outbreak here, which sucks. And I’ll be exposed to it.”
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USC is among the first universities in California to begin the fall semester amid the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a look into the new order of campus life under strictly enforced safety rules: online classes, limited access to campus, dorms all but shut down.
But like other major universities — including most of the University of California’s 10 campuses — USC is ringed by thousands of off-campus, privately owned and operated apartments where student gatherings could quickly emerge as a catalyst for COVID-19 outbreaks.
Although universities have urged students to stay home for online learning, many signed apartment leases months ago that management refused to allow them to break. Many yearned to be out of childhood bedrooms and back with friends near campus. Others’ home circumstances were not conducive to studies.
It’s a “recipe for disaster,” said John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert and professor emeritus at UC Berkeley. “We’re dealing with a population that’s unlikely to follow prudent guidelines, and we’re putting them in a situation that is far too tempting,” he said. “So I don’t know what people expect.”
USC senior Ethan Recinto, 21, gets set up for his Japanese class in his University Gateway apartment on Aug. 20. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
USC officials have sternly warned students that parties and gatherings are barred, and hosting or attending one could lead to disciplinary action, including probation, suspension or expulsion. And the university has taken substantial precautions in response to the pandemic. Students are required to wear face masks, complete a “daily symptom check” through an app, make reservations before setting foot on campus, and submit to randomly selected temperature screenings once they arrive.
“Now, more than ever, it is essential that we all take responsibility for our behavior,” university leaders said in an Aug. 19 letter to students. “Our individual actions can have a profound effect on our entire community, and the choices we make carry very real consequences.”
But the primal urge to congregate has been irresistible for some, although big, loud bashes are markedly down this year. The USC Department of Public Safety’s incident log shows that officers have shut down five off-campus parties since Aug. 10 because of noise complaints. In 2019, DPS shut down 21 parties in the same time frame, said USC Deputy Chief David Carlisle.
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Dr. Sarah Van Orman, USC’s chief student health officer, acknowledged that the university doesn’t have much control over activity at private off-campus housing. But she is confident in USC’s ability to respond to outbreaks through its robust testing and contact-tracing program.
Still, Van Orman said, “We are concerned about outbreaks. I don’t think there’s a college health director that’s not concerned about outbreaks right now.”
USC student Mitchell Steimle, 21, and his brother Anthony, 18, participate in a wellness check conducted by campus health and screening ambassadors on Aug. 17, the first day of classes. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
COVID-19 surges have proliferated at some universities in other states that have already opened — and officials are cracking down on parties.
Syracuse University announced Thursday that it had suspended 23 students and is continuing its investigation to identify other partygoers after a large gathering of students on the campus quad “selfishly jeopardized” the school’s reopening “and may have done enough to shut down campus,” a vice chancellor said in a statement.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced it would pivot to online learning after COVID-19 cases surged after the first week of classes. Notre Dame also ceased in-person instruction for two weeks after 147 students tested positive within a 14-day period. A viral video of a massive party held at an off-campus apartment complex near the University of North Georgia set off alarm bells. And at UC Berkeley, 47 confirmed cases of COVID-19 stemmed from a series of fraternity parties in July.
A coronavirus outbreak was reported at USC’s fraternity row in July, with at least 45 students testing positive. As of Aug. 19, at least 208 USC students and 73 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. One student was briefly hospitalized.
The level of social interaction among USC students varies widely. Some students said they and a good number of their peers have limited their quarantine pods to roommates and a few trusted friends. Others are comfortable attending small gatherings, while some are hitting up multiple parties a week.
But even hanging out in small groups outside their newly configured households still holds peril. USC has traced many COVID-19 clusters to gatherings of five to 10 people, Van Orman said.
There is no such thing as a “trusted friend” at a time when everybody is drawing their boundary lines differently, Swartzberg said.
Though parties are more scarce, USC students still fear outbreaks — especially after a photo shared on Reddit depicting a large USC party in the courtyard of the large University Gateway complex went viral this week.
In an email to residents Wednesday morning, Gateway staff wrote that gatherings of 10 or more people are not allowed and that masks are mandatory in all common areas. “The office staff and security will be closely monitoring this,” the email said.
Gateway’s building manager and its parent company, Peak Campus, did not respond to requests for comment.
USC students and friends Robert Beyer, left, and Ethan Recinto stand outside the University Gateway apartment complex. Both expressed concern after a photo of a party at the complex went viral. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
Private landlords should make clear to students that even a 10-person gathering could lead to spread, Van Orman said.
Some students are disturbed by what they view as the careless behavior of their peers and described a hush-hush culture around parties; those who party tend to not talk about it unless they’re around others who they know have also been partying.
Ashley Abadeer, a junior from Riverside, lives in a duplex with five other people. Over the past few weeks, Abadeer has observed a change in the previously quiet summer environment. Small parties have cropped up near her duplex, and she saw several people at the nearby Trader Joe’s not wearing masks.
“It makes me feel quite upset, to be honest,” she said.
Still, Abadeer is grateful to live with people who have no problem with social distancing. Some of her friends aren’t so lucky, dealing with roommates who take risks that could compromise the whole household.
“We really have to empathize with how challenging this is for young adults,” Van Orman said. Their roommates aren’t necessarily their friends or support system, and “that makes following the public health guidance — to stay with your household — very difficult.”
Alexis Timko, a junior studying journalism and history, said she and her six housemates only allow significant others to visit. When they do see other friends, it’s outside.
Though these restrictions are imperative to Timko, they are far from easy.
“You can always put classes and work on Zoom, but you can never re-create the social interactions and memories that come from the party-hopping and drunkenly ordering nachos and having weird bonding sessions with random girls you meet in the bathroom of some bar,” she said. “Even just being sprawled out on the couch with a group of friends after a rough week. I miss it.”
In an Aug. 15 letter, USC officials directed Greek organizations to abide by the campus safety guidelines. Fraternities and sororities, whose houses flank 28th Street, will be held responsible for the acts of individual members who flout the rules, the letter said, potentially leading to the organization’s suspension or “multi-year derecognition.”
Jordan Al-Rawi, vice president of administrative affairs for USC’s Interfraternity Council, said that the recruitment process and all other social offerings will be completely virtual.
“IFC is a dedicated partner of local and university health officials, and we will continue to do our part until it is safe to resume physical operations,” he said.
One 20-year-old junior living in a fraternity house, who requested anonymity to speak about his and other organizations, noted that some fraternities are taking the pandemic very seriously. Others are more laid-back.
Mask-wearing is mandatory in the house when residents are not in their rooms, he said, and residents must also get tested for COVID-19 every two weeks. Visitors are limited to significant others and members of the fraternity.
He went to one indoor gathering of about 10 people, but he didn’t feel comfortable afterward. He said he regrets the decision and doesn’t plan to attend any more parties — and most of his fraternity brothers are of the same mind.
“It’s definitely a whole different experience,” he said. “We’re used to hundreds of people coming through the house every weekend. Now we’re seeing the same faces day after day.
“I guess I’m lucky that all the faces I see are faces I like.”


latimes--2020-08-22--Column: The case for four more years of Donald J. Trump, in his own words

On the eve of the Republican National Convention , it ’ s worth noting that no one has made a greater case for reelecting Donald Trump — if not adding him to the lineup at Mount Rushmore — than the president himself .
But don ’ t take my word for it .
Take his .
“ I ’ m a big environmentalist … We have the cleanest air , the cleanest water we ’ ve ever had … Nobody has more respect for women than Donald Trump !
... Nobody would fight harder for free speech than me ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to build cities ...
Many people have commented that my fragrance , ‘ Success ’ is the best scent & lasts the longest .
Try it & let me know what you think !
... “ We will immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare — and nobody can do that like me .
We will save $ 's and have much better healthcare !
... How do you get impeached when you have done NOTHING wrong ( a perfect call ) , have created the best economy in the history of our Country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ V.A .
( Choice ! )
, cut Taxes & Regs , protected your 2nd A , created Jobs , Jobs , Jobs , and soooo much more ?
Crazy !
... “ In addition to winning the Electoral College vote in a landslide , I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally … We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China virus , and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can ’ t socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than me , your favorite President !
... “ Sorry losers and haters , but my I.Q .
is one of the highest — and you all know it !
Please don ’ t feel so stupid or insecure , it ’ s not your fault ...
I am the least racist person there is … I am drawing the biggest crowds , by far , and the best poll numbers , also by far … “ Many are saying I ’ m the best 140 character writer in the world …Why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s birth certificate ?
I got him to release it , or whatever it was , when nobody else could !
...
I have built so many great & complicated projects — creating tens of thousands of jobs … “ I am at the Trump National Doral-best resort in U.S … I employ many people in Hawaii at my great hotel in Honolulu ...
I am in Las Vegas , at the best hotel ( by far ) , Trump International ... Trump Int ’ l Golf Links & Hotel , Ireland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 2.5 miles .
Extraordinary !
... Trump International in Dubai will be one of the great projects anywhere in the world ...
I am now going to the brand new Trump International , Hotel D.C. for a major statement ... “ The press is doing everything within their power to fight the magnificence of the phrase , MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN !
They can ’ t stand the fact that this Administration has done more than virtually any other Administration in its first 2yrs ... “ We are going to fix our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridges , tunnels , airports , school , hospitals … I think I ’ ve done more for the Black community than any other president , and let ’ s take a pass on Abraham Lincoln , cause he did good , although it ’ s always questionable … “ The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA .
We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries .
CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart .
Stock Market starting to look very good to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that knocks it out in a minute , one minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
As you see , it gets in the lungs , it does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that … “ I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn ’ t lose any voters … All the women on ‘ The Apprentice ’ flirted with me — consciously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be expected ...
The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill .
I love Hispanics !
...
I am the only one who can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN ... “ Sorry folks , but Donald Trump is far richer and much better looking than dopey @ mcuban !
... And by the way , I ’ m the best thing that ’ s ever happened to Puerto Rico !
... “ A Very Stable Genius !
” Thank you ...
I am a Tariff Man .
When people or countries come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Nation , I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so ... “ Anybody that needs a test gets a test .
They ’ re there .
They have the tests .
And the tests are beautiful ...
The virus will not have a chance against us .
No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States ...
There ’ s a monster we ’ re fighting but signs are that our strategy is totally working ... “ 96 % Approval Rating in the Republican Party ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25,000 .
S & P 500 over 3000 .
States should open up ASAP .
The Transition to Greatness has started , ahead of schedule .
There will be ups and downs , but next year will be one of the best ever ... “ I will be the best by far in fighting terror ... Our Testing is the BEST in the World , by FAR !
Numbers are coming down in most parts of our Country , which wants to open and get going again .
It is happening , safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of our Country .
Best employment number EVER , almost 160 million people working right now ... “ And then , 10 minutes , 15 , 20 minutes later they say , ‘ Remember the first question ?
Not the first question but the 10th question ?
Give us that again , can you do that again ?
’ And you go , ‘ Person , woman , man , camera , TV.
’ If you get it in order , you get extra points .
He said nobody gets it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that easy .
But for me it was easy ... “ The best Economy ever !
... 96 % Approval Rating in the Republican Party ... Stock Market up BIG , DOW crosses 25,000 .
S & P 500 over 3000 .
States should open up ASAP .
The Transition to Greatness has started , ahead of schedule .
There will be ups and downs , but next year will be one of the best ever ...
The best Economy ever !
... “ AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME !
”

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, it’s worth noting that no one has made a greater case for reelecting Donald Trump — if not adding him to the lineup at Mount Rushmore — than the president himself.
But don’t take my word for it. Take his.
“I’m a big environmentalist … We have the cleanest air, the cleanest water we’ve ever had … Nobody has more respect for women than Donald Trump! ... Nobody would fight harder for free speech than me ... I am the only one that knows how to build cities ... Many people have commented that my fragrance, ‘Success’ is the best scent & lasts the longest. Try it & let me know what you think! ...
Advertisement
“We will immediately repeal and replace ObamaCare — and nobody can do that like me. We will save $’s and have much better healthcare! ... How do you get impeached when you have done NOTHING wrong (a perfect call), have created the best economy in the history of our Country, rebuilt our Military, fixed the V.A. (Choice!), cut Taxes & Regs, protected your 2nd A, created Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, and soooo much more? Crazy! ...
“In addition to winning the Electoral College vote in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally … We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! ...
“Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault ... I am the least racist person there is … I am drawing the biggest crowds, by far, and the best poll numbers, also by far …
“Many are saying I’m the best 140 character writer in the world …Why are people upset w/me over Pres Obama’s birth certificate? I got him to release it, or whatever it was, when nobody else could! ... I have built so many great & complicated projects — creating tens of thousands of jobs …
“I am at the Trump National Doral-best resort in U.S … I employ many people in Hawaii at my great hotel in Honolulu ... I am in Las Vegas, at the best hotel (by far), Trump International ... Trump Int’l Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, fronts the Atlantic Ocean in County Clare for 2.5 miles. Extraordinary! ... Trump International in Dubai will be one of the great projects anywhere in the world ... I am now going to the brand new Trump International, Hotel D.C. for a major statement ...
“The press is doing everything within their power to fight the magnificence of the phrase, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! They can’t stand the fact that this Administration has done more than virtually any other Administration in its first 2yrs ...
Advertisement
“We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, school, hospitals … I think I’ve done more for the Black community than any other president, and let’s take a pass on Abraham Lincoln, cause he did good, although it’s always questionable …
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me! ...
“I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that …
“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters … All the women on ‘The Apprentice’ flirted with me — consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected ... The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics! ... I am the only one who can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN ...
“Sorry folks, but Donald Trump is far richer and much better looking than dopey @mcuban! ... And by the way, I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to Puerto Rico! ... “A Very Stable Genius!” Thank you ... I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so ...
“Anybody that needs a test gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful ... The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States ... There’s a monster we’re fighting but signs are that our strategy is totally working ...
“96% Approval Rating in the Republican Party ... Stock Market up BIG, DOW crosses 25,000. S&P 500 over 3000. States should open up ASAP. The Transition to Greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever ...
“I will be the best by far in fighting terror ... Our Testing is the BEST in the World, by FAR! Numbers are coming down in most parts of our Country, which wants to open and get going again. It is happening, safely!... Best unemployment numbers in the history of our Country. Best employment number EVER, almost 160 million people working right now ...
“And then, 10 minutes, 15, 20 minutes later they say, ‘Remember the first question? Not the first question but the 10th question? Give us that again, can you do that again?’ And you go, ‘Person, woman, man, camera, TV.’ If you get it in order, you get extra points. He said nobody gets it in order, it’s actually not that easy. But for me it was easy ...
“The best Economy ever! ... 96% Approval Rating in the Republican Party... Stock Market up BIG, DOW crosses 25,000. S&P 500 over 3000. States should open up ASAP. The Transition to Greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever ... The best Economy ever!...
“AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-08-22--Prop. 209's affirmative action ban drove down Black and Latino UC enrollment and wages, study finds

California ’ s ban on affirmative action has significantly harmed Black and Latino students by reducing their enrollment across University of California campuses , lowering their graduation rates and driving down subsequent wages , a new UC Berkeley study has found .
The study , released Friday , also found evidence that the affirmative action ban imposed by Proposition 209 did not significantly harm Asian American and white students denied admission to UC ’ s most selective campuses .
That ’ s because they enrolled instead at universities of comparable high quality and earned similarly high earnings in the following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complementary pieces of evidence that suggest that the benefits provided by affirmative action to Black and Hispanic Californians prior to Prop .
209 substantially exceeded the costs faced by white and Asian Californians , and that those costs may have been quite small , ” said Zachary Bleemer , the study ’ s author and a research associate at UC Berkeley ’ s Center for Studies in Higher Education .
The findings come as California voters weigh whether to support Proposition 16 , a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment in public education and employment based on race , ethnicity or sex .
In June , the UC Board of Regents unanimously supported a repeal of Proposition 209 , amplifying the sweeping support within the university system to restore affirmative action .
Then-UC President Janet Napolitano , all 10 campus chancellors and the governing bodies for faculty , undergraduate and graduate students all expressed support for the repeal effort .
The proportion of underrepresented groups — commonly defined as students who are Black , Latino , Pacific Islander or American Indian — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 % in 1998 , the memo said .
Asian Americans and whites increased their share .
Supporters of the repeal effort hailed the study for providing clear empirical evidence about Proposition 209 ’ s harmful effects on the state ’ s most underserved students .
But opponents , including some Asian Americans , say they are troubled by a return to what one called “ racial favoritism.
” Bleemer found , however , that Asian Americans and whites were not significantly disadvantaged by affirmative action nor particularly benefited from its repeal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 1996 and 1999 to see whether they were admitted , where they ultimately enrolled and their academic outcomes .
Bleemer also tracked the applicants ’ wage earnings through their early 30s .
The study found that Proposition 209 did harm Black and Latino applicants .
About 1,000 fewer Black and Latino high school seniors annually applied to UC campuses after the ban took effect and those who did apply were significantly less likely to win admission and enroll at them .
Many of them were “ cascaded ” down from top-rated campuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UC system and elsewhere , such as the California State University system .
That , in turn , led to a decline in the attainment of both undergraduate and graduate degrees , the study found .
Those findings counter arguments that students with lower grades and test scores do better at less selective campuses rather than being “ mismatched ” with more competitive ones .
Their attainment of degrees in science , technology , engineering and math fields did not improve at less competitive campuses .
And their academic outcomes were stronger at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received more support there , Bleemer said .
In addition , Bleemer found that Latinos who were funneled to less selective campuses after Proposition 209 earned about 5 % lower average annual wages than their counterparts who were admitted to more selective campuses before the affirmative action ban .
Black college graduates , however , did not show a similar decline in earnings ; Bleemer was unsure why but noted that more Black applicants denied admission to selective UC campuses ended up enrolling at Ivy League schools .
Bleemer said Proposition 209 set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students in U.S. history , as it upended the admissions process for hundreds of thousands of students in both the UC and CSU systems .
“ Suddenly all of these universities stopped using this policy .
It seemed like a great opportunity to understand what affirmative action was doing for thousands of students in California .
And the answer looks pretty bleak for those students , ” he said .

California voters will decide whether to repeal Proposition 209’s ban on affirmative action in public education and employment. Above, protesters in San Francisco demonstrate against the proposition.
California’s ban on affirmative action has significantly harmed Black and Latino students by reducing their enrollment across University of California campuses, lowering their graduation rates and driving down subsequent wages, a new UC Berkeley study has found.
The study, released Friday, also found evidence that affirmative action before the Proposition 209 ban did not significantly hurt Asian American and white students denied admission to UC’s most selective campuses. That’s because they enrolled instead at universities of comparable high quality and earned similarly high earnings in the following years.
For the record: A previous version of this article said the UC Berkeley study found evidence that Proposition 209 did not significantly hurt Asian American and white students. The study found that affirmative action before the Proposition 209 ban did not hurt them.
“This study presents several complementary pieces of evidence that suggest that the benefits provided by affirmative action to Black and Hispanic Californians prior to Prop. 209 substantially exceeded the costs faced by white and Asian Californians, and that those costs may have been quite small,” said Zachary Bleemer, the study’s author and a research associate at UC Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education.
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The findings come as California voters weigh whether to support Proposition 16, a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot that would repeal the 24-year ban on preferential treatment in public education and employment based on race, ethnicity or sex.
In June, the UC Board of Regents unanimously supported a repeal of Proposition 209, amplifying the sweeping support within the university system to restore affirmative action. Then-UC President Janet Napolitano, all 10 campus chancellors and the governing bodies for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students all expressed support for the repeal effort.
The proportion of underrepresented groups — commonly defined as students who are Black, Latino, Pacific Islander or American Indian — dropped from 20% in 1995 to 15% in 1998, the memo said. Asian Americans and whites increased their share.
Supporters of the repeal effort hailed the study for providing clear empirical evidence about Proposition 209’s harmful effects on the state’s most underserved students. But opponents, including some Asian Americans, say they are troubled by a return to what one called “racial favoritism.”
Bleemer found, however, that Asian Americans and whites were not significantly disadvantaged by affirmative action nor particularly benefited from its repeal. He tracked more than 200,000 UC applicants between 1996 and 1999 to see whether they were admitted, where they ultimately enrolled and their academic outcomes. Bleemer also tracked the applicants’ wage earnings through their early 30s.
The study found that Proposition 209 did harm Black and Latino applicants. About 1,000 fewer Black and Latino high school seniors annually applied to UC campuses after the ban took effect and those who did apply were significantly less likely to win admission and enroll at them. Many of them were “cascaded” down from top-rated campuses into less selective ones both in the UC system and elsewhere, such as the California State University system.
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That, in turn, led to a decline in the attainment of both undergraduate and graduate degrees, the study found.
Those findings counter arguments that students with lower grades and test scores do better at less selective campuses rather than being “mismatched” with more competitive ones. Their attainment of degrees in science, technology, engineering and math fields did not improve at less competitive campuses. And their academic outcomes were stronger at more selective campuses — possibly because they received more support there, Bleemer said.
In addition, Bleemer found that Latinos who were funneled to less selective campuses after Proposition 209 earned about 5% lower average annual wages than their counterparts who were admitted to more selective campuses before the affirmative action ban. Black college graduates, however, did not show a similar decline in earnings; Bleemer was unsure why but noted that more Black applicants denied admission to selective UC campuses ended up enrolling at Ivy League schools.
Bleemer said Proposition 209 set off the most massive reshuffling of college students in U.S. history, as it upended the admissions process for hundreds of thousands of students in both the UC and CSU systems.
“Suddenly all of these universities stopped using this policy. It seemed like a great opportunity to understand what affirmative action was doing for thousands of students in California. And the answer looks pretty bleak for those students,” he said.


latimes--2020-08-22--Lawyers for Los Angeles' poor try to ease pandemic burdens

It was hard enough to be poor and in need of help in Los Angeles before the COVID-19 pandemic hit .
Before the whole world started lining up for unemployment benefits and the phone lines at the state Employment Development Department jammed up .
Before such government offices as well as many courts shut their doors , making it all but impossible ( except in some cases by appointment ) to ask a question , file an application , fill out a form or produce required documentation in person .
Before some ways of earning a living disappeared and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay safe at home became dangerous too for some who found themselves threatened by landlords eager to get rid of them or cooped up with their abusers .
I ’ ve spent the week talking to valiant lawyers at two nonprofits , the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and the Inner City Law Center .
Their life ’ s work is to help our neediest .
They feel it intensely when they can ’ t .
The stories they ’ ve told me about the travails of those who have been seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever more aware of the abyss between weathering a storm like this in reasonable domestic comfort , with some financial padding , and trying to do the same without any such buffers .
Access remains a fundamental hurdle for many right now : access to critical information , access to computers and the internet for online filing and printers for those processes , such as requesting restraining orders , that still require paper copies .
Access even to mail .
Yolanda Arias , the managing attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many homeless people , lacking fixed addresses , get mail about their benefits at county Department of Public Social Services offices , which remain largely closed .
People trying to get the benefits they need are unable to find information in a language they know .
Some are selling their belongings and begging strapped family members for loans because of lost or backlogged or flagged applications for benefits they have every right to get .
Unscrupulous employers are trying to force people back to work with big deductions in their pay or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extralegal means to try to get rid of tenants protected by eviction bans .
Yes , some good temporary protections have been put in place to try to help people — to keep many of them , for instance , from being evicted right now even if they can not pay their rent .
But just as some people try to take advantage of those who don ’ t know their rights , gaps also exist in those protections .
Some people , for instance , already were in the process of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporarily put those processes on hold .
This month , the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department resumed enforcing those pre-COVID evictions — even as the lives of those being evicted have grown more unstable since the virus hit .
A single mother was taking care of her own mother as well as her four children , one of whom has disabilities .
She ’ d been struggling to make ends meet before her landlord added several hundred dollars to her rent last year .
When she couldn ’ t keep up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They reached an agreement to delay that process but then the pandemic hit and left the single mother out of work .
She gave the landlord what she could for rent , but the landlord wasn ’ t satisfied .
The Inner City Law Center got involved just days before a hearing on the scheduled sheriff ’ s lockout , said Donella Green , the center ’ s supervising attorney for homeless prevention .
The court allowed the lockout to go forward .
Now this family of six is about to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are starting online school .
Their mother will have to try to search for a way to put a roof over their heads as she also works to keep the kids connected so they can learn — when the obvious places to do that , such as public libraries , remain closed .
Some landlords and employers and domestic abusers , by refusing to hold to safety precautions , essentially have weaponized the coronavirus as a threat .
Monica Arellano , the managing attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation ’ s program for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a person who had lost his job just before the pandemic and couldn ’ t pay his rent .
His landlord began the process of evicting him , but couldn ’ t legally complete it .
Now , as he tries to stay free of COVID-19 , the landlord enters his rental constantly for random inspections .
Rob Reed , the directing attorney for homelessness prevention at the Inner City Law Center , told me about a couple with children living in a small rent-stabilized apartment who were in the midst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the mother , who thought she had the virus , tried to self-isolate to keep her family safe , the building ’ s owner , unable for the time being to legally evict , began insisting on repairs and then sending unmasked workers to do them .
“ You ’ re stuck at home .
You have nowhere to go ... .There ’ s a lot of intimidation going on , ” Reed told me .
Matthew G. Clark , a staff attorney who handles employment-related cases for the Legal Aid Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called in because her boss at a pricey gym told her that she needed to come back to work even though the high-end customers could not be expected to wear masks .
Clark advised her she had good cause to refuse to return and collect unemployment benefits .
The people whose stories the lawyers recounted to me are the relatively lucky ones really .
At least they ’ ve found their way to resources , to people determined to help them .
And often they ’ ve gotten the help they needed most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has moved more than 4,300 homeless people particularly vulnerable to the virus into hotel and motel rooms , has given lawyers from both nonprofits the ability to reach out to homeless people and give them sustained help without losing track of them as they move — a silver lining for them in this tough time .
So are the good outreach programs they already had in place pre-pandemic .
Ronnette Ramos is the managing attorney for medical-legal partnerships at the Legal Aid Foundation .
Through those partnerships at four medical clinics in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , patients get connected to lawyers if they need legal help .
Ramos told me of one case in which a nurse-practitioner noticed strangulation marks on the neck of a woman who came into a clinic for her newborn ’ s wellness check .
The woman then said that she ’ d been forced to move in with her baby ’ s father , who ’ d long been abusive , after someone in the home she was sharing with relatives got the virus .
The baby ’ s father recently had squeezed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have sex with him .
The clinic got the woman in touch with foundation staff attorney Erin Gunter , who helped her get the protection she needed .
Police arrested her abuser on suspicion of domestic violence .
Gunter ended up getting her a two-year restraining order against him .
“ But for that wellness check , who knows , ” Ramos told me , which points out another toll of this crisis on those in great need .
The Inner City Law Center and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous different ways .
They hold community clinics .
Their lawyers can be found at the courthouses .
People can walk into their well-placed offices and get a helping hand .
Now the lawyers mostly are working out of their homes .
The offices are closed .
In-person clinics can ’ t be held .
They do outreach , of course , to let people know they ’ re still here .
They ’ re going down their lists of former clients , trying to contact them and check in .
But think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard of their services are out there in crisis , not knowing where to turn .
Think of how many must be falling into the cracks of the sidewalks they suddenly find themselves living on .

Last May, Amy Garcia came looking for information about her unemployment claim but found the offices of the California Employment Development Department closed in Canoga Park.
It was hard enough to be poor and in need of help in Los Angeles before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Before the whole world started lining up for unemployment benefits and the phone lines at the state Employment Development Department jammed up.
Before such government offices as well as many courts shut their doors, making it all but impossible (except in some cases by appointment) to ask a question, file an application, fill out a form or produce required documentation in person.
Before some ways of earning a living disappeared and others became suddenly dangerous.
Advertisement
Before trying to stay safe at home became dangerous too for some who found themselves threatened by landlords eager to get rid of them or cooped up with their abusers.
I’ve spent the week talking to valiant lawyers at two nonprofits, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and the Inner City Law Center. Their life’s work is to help our neediest. They feel it intensely when they can’t.
The stories they’ve told me about the travails of those who have been seeking their assistance of late have made me ever more aware of the abyss between weathering a storm like this in reasonable domestic comfort, with some financial padding, and trying to do the same without any such buffers.
Access remains a fundamental hurdle for many right now: access to critical information, access to computers and the internet for online filing and printers for those processes, such as requesting restraining orders, that still require paper copies. Access even to mail. Yolanda Arias, the managing attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation’s economic stability work group, reminded me that many homeless people, lacking fixed addresses, get mail about their benefits at county Department of Public Social Services offices, which remain largely closed.
People trying to get the benefits they need are unable to find information in a language they know. Some are selling their belongings and begging strapped family members for loans because of lost or backlogged or flagged applications for benefits they have every right to get. Unscrupulous employers are trying to force people back to work with big deductions in their pay or safety gaps. Unscrupulous landlords are using extralegal means to try to get rid of tenants protected by eviction bans.
Advertisement
Yes, some good temporary protections have been put in place to try to help people — to keep many of them, for instance, from being evicted right now even if they cannot pay their rent. But just as some people try to take advantage of those who don’t know their rights, gaps also exist in those protections.
Some people, for instance, already were in the process of being evicted before coronavirus protections came in and temporarily put those processes on hold. This month, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department resumed enforcing those pre-COVID evictions — even as the lives of those being evicted have grown more unstable since the virus hit.
California California lawmakers ask Newsom to act immediately on unemployment claims A majority of the California Legislature calls on Newsom to immediately begin paying unemployment benefits to more than 1 million jobless workers.
A single mother was taking care of her own mother as well as her four children, one of whom has disabilities. She’d been struggling to make ends meet before her landlord added several hundred dollars to her rent last year. When she couldn’t keep up, the landlord began the eviction process. They reached an agreement to delay that process but then the pandemic hit and left the single mother out of work. She gave the landlord what she could for rent, but the landlord wasn’t satisfied.
The Inner City Law Center got involved just days before a hearing on the scheduled sheriff’s lockout, said Donella Green, the center’s supervising attorney for homeless prevention. The court allowed the lockout to go forward. Now this family of six is about to lose its housing, just as the kids are starting online school. Their mother will have to try to search for a way to put a roof over their heads as she also works to keep the kids connected so they can learn — when the obvious places to do that, such as public libraries, remain closed.
Some landlords and employers and domestic abusers, by refusing to hold to safety precautions, essentially have weaponized the coronavirus as a threat.
Monica Arellano, the managing attorney for the Legal Aid Foundation’s program for preventing and ending homelessness, told me of a person who had lost his job just before the pandemic and couldn’t pay his rent. His landlord began the process of evicting him, but couldn’t legally complete it. Now, as he tries to stay free of COVID-19, the landlord enters his rental constantly for random inspections.
Rob Reed, the directing attorney for homelessness prevention at the Inner City Law Center, told me about a couple with children living in a small rent-stabilized apartment who were in the midst of eviction proceedings when the virus hit. While the mother, who thought she had the virus, tried to self-isolate to keep her family safe, the building’s owner, unable for the time being to legally evict, began insisting on repairs and then sending unmasked workers to do them.
“You’re stuck at home. You have nowhere to go....There’s a lot of intimidation going on,” Reed told me.
Matthew G. Clark, a staff attorney who handles employment-related cases for the Legal Aid Foundation, told me of one woman who called in because her boss at a pricey gym told her that she needed to come back to work even though the high-end customers could not be expected to wear masks. Clark advised her she had good cause to refuse to return and collect unemployment benefits.
The people whose stories the lawyers recounted to me are the relatively lucky ones really. At least they’ve found their way to resources, to people determined to help them. And often they’ve gotten the help they needed most.
Project Roomkey, the program which has moved more than 4,300 homeless people particularly vulnerable to the virus into hotel and motel rooms, has given lawyers from both nonprofits the ability to reach out to homeless people and give them sustained help without losing track of them as they move — a silver lining for them in this tough time.
So are the good outreach programs they already had in place pre-pandemic.
Ronnette Ramos is the managing attorney for medical-legal partnerships at the Legal Aid Foundation. Through those partnerships at four medical clinics in the L.A. area, which predate the coronavirus, patients get connected to lawyers if they need legal help.
Ramos told me of one case in which a nurse-practitioner noticed strangulation marks on the neck of a woman who came into a clinic for her newborn’s wellness check. The woman then said that she’d been forced to move in with her baby’s father, who’d long been abusive, after someone in the home she was sharing with relatives got the virus. The baby’s father recently had squeezed her neck as he forced her to have sex with him.
The clinic got the woman in touch with foundation staff attorney Erin Gunter, who helped her get the protection she needed. Police arrested her abuser on suspicion of domestic violence. Gunter ended up getting her a two-year restraining order against him.
“But for that wellness check, who knows,” Ramos told me, which points out another toll of this crisis on those in great need.
The Inner City Law Center and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in normal times maintain highly visible presences in numerous different ways. They hold community clinics. Their lawyers can be found at the courthouses. People can walk into their well-placed offices and get a helping hand.
Now the lawyers mostly are working out of their homes. The offices are closed. In-person clinics can’t be held.
They do outreach, of course, to let people know they’re still here. They’re going down their lists of former clients, trying to contact them and check in.
But think of how many people who have never heard of their services are out there in crisis, not knowing where to turn. Think of how many must be falling into the cracks of the sidewalks they suddenly find themselves living on.


latimes--2020-08-22--Firefighters 'running on fumes,' begging for equipment, manpower amid  firestorms

Wildfires ravaged and menaced communities from Napa ’ s wine country to the coast above Santa Cruz on Friday , forcing California officials to make tough choices on which ones to fight as the state braced for a weekend that could include more lightning strikes .
In some places , officials said they were being turned down for state help and left to beg equipment and manpower from volunteers and local agencies .
“ Many of these firefighters have been on the lines for 72 hours , and everybody is running on fumes , ” said Assemblyman Jim Wood ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country areas currently under siege .
“ Our first responders are working to the ragged edge of everything they have.
” More than 930,000 acres have burned so far in Northern and Central California — an area larger than the land mass of Rhode Island — with little containment , in part because firefighting resources are stretched beyond capacity by the number of blazes .
On Thursday , 376 fires burned in the state , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
But by Friday , there were about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups of fires , known as the LNU Lightning Complex and the SCU Lightning Complex , that have resulted from the convergence of about two dozen fires .
The two complexes are among “ the largest fires the state of California has had to battle in recent memory , arguably in modern recorded history , ” said Gov .
Gavin Newsom during an afternoon briefing .
A third massive blaze has also grown in rural areas in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties .
Scott Lewis , a professor of fire science at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new burns were probably from a massive lightning storm last weekend that saw more than 12,000 bolts hit California , many unusually close to cities including San Francisco .
Those strikes may be causing “ holdover fires ” that can ignite and appear days or weeks later after smoldering undetected , he said .
Tony Scardina , deputy regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service , said the state ’ s 18 federal parks have also seen up to a 300 % increase in campfires sparking wildfires this year , as more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic quarantines .
The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a weather watch from Sunday through Tuesday mornings for dry lightning from the state capital to Lassen County near the Oregon border .
Though the heat wave that helped explode so many recent fires has broken , the possibility of new storms were crushing to many firefighters , 12,000 of whom are battling both flames and fatigue .
With more need than can be met by the crews available , fire experts said state officials are now forced to prioritize which fires will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being used .
Though officials often deploy crews and equipment to surround fires with defensible lines so that they can be contained , fire experts said the focus is now is on saving lives and structures , and predict that the current blazes will burn for weeks .
“ At the statewide level , we do get into this mode where we start wondering where the biggest loss is going to be , what ’ s the highest priority , and that is where the resources are going to go , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the University of California Cooperative Extension .
Scardina , the U.S. Forest Service official , said priorities are being set by state and federal authorities continually evaluating the larger picture of where they will have the most impact to protect lives , property and infrastructure , but the calculations are difficult .
“ At this point we have to triage , we have to set priorities , we have to make some tough choices , ” Scardina said .
“ Every fire manager , every leader at a local level , every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire obviously and for valid reasons .
...
The best we can do is ... be transparent and honest with people about the limitations that we have [ and ] be clear with them about how we set priorities.
” The lack of equipment and outside fire crews was evident Friday as a smoky evening fell in Ben Lomond , a heavily forested town in the Santa Cruz Mountains .
The fire there has destroyed scores of homes and structures and is burning up steep hills that crest near the campus of UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 18,000 students .
Ben Lomond Fire Chief Stacie Brownlee said she requested help from Cal Fire and was told it had nothing to offer .
The rejection startled her .
In the 10 years she ’ s been chief and 36 years she ’ s served , she said she ’ s never seen the state unable to help .
She said she is running out of basic equipment , including hoses , radios and hand tools , and feels as though they ’ ve been abandoned .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ We ’ re just trying to get a handle on this.
” Matt Sanders , a volunteer firefighter for Ben Lomond , said he and his colleagues have barely slept since Monday .
Their force , which is 27 strong , is being supplemented by retirees , many fighting to save their own homes .
Todd Ellis , a Menlo Park Fire District training captain who lives in town and is captain of the volunteer force , on Friday persuaded his chief to send a engine , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a retreat center amid redwoods .
Billy See , one of the Cal Fire incident commanders , said personnel on this fire increased by almost 100 from the previous night , up to about 1,000 , but it ’ s “ still not enough.
” Farther north , the LNU Lightning Complex — now the second-largest fire in state history , having consumed more than 302,000 acres — brought mixed news .
In the Solano County city of Vacaville , halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco , some residents were able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials reported the blaze was 15 % contained .
But on the northern part of that fire , new evacuation orders were issued for the Sonoma County enclave of Guerneville , where the blaze was burning strongly in rugged territory .
Newsom said the state sent assistance to that fire overnight , nearly doubling the number of firefighters from about 587 yesterday to more than 1,000 Friday .
California in recent weeks has also hired 830 seasonal firefighters meant to replace prison crews that are not available due to early releases prompted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 10 states had offered mutual aid to California so far , and he has sent out more requests , including to Canada and Australia .
So far , dozens of extra engines , manpower , airplanes and other resources have arrived from Oregon , Arizona and other states .
But there is also the threat of a long fire season , with the current blazes burning for weeks — a scenario experts said was possible with containment a lesser priority .
Smoke is also hampering aerial firefighting .
There are so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopscotching across the state trying to slow ones that pose the greatest threats , officials said .
Smoke from the LNU Lightning Complex fire has at times settled over the area and kept scouting aircraft from descending low enough to see where the blaze was most active .
Such “ air attack ” provides intelligence for crews on the ground and guides other aerial endeavors .
“ You just avoid the areas where there ’ s no visibility , ” said Scott Ross , public information officer on the LNU Complex fire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ air attack , you wouldn ’ t have fixed-wing tankers , helicopters , they ’ d all just be flying up there willy-nilly.
” Meanwhile , the SCU Lightning Complex fire , threatening rural areas around Silicon Valley , has only three water-dropping helicopters helping at a given time because the flames have stayed mostly in rugged terrain , said public information officer Dominic Polito .
Nationally , the fire threat is also at its highest level .
Some 90 large fires have burned in 14 states , leaving many places taxed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have more people , but it ’ s not enough , ” said Newsom .
“ We have more air support , but it ’ s still not enough .
”

Susanne Rust, Joseph Serna, Rong-Gong Lin II, Anita Chabria

Firefighter Ian Johnson watches as an air tanker drops retardant to keep the River fire from reaching a home in Salinas. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A home in the Sky Ranch community burns in the Carmel fire near Carmel Valley. (Nic Coury / Associated Press)
Flames consume a cabin at the Nichelini Family Winery in unincorporated Napa County as the Hennessey fire burns in Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Horses stand in an enclosure as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Seen in a long-exposure photograph, embers burn along a hillside above Lake Berryessa as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Matt Nichols sprays water while trying to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through Vacaville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Seen in a long-exposure photograph, embers burn along a hillside as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Bill Nichols, 84, works to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through Vacaville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
An air tanker drops retardant as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville on Wednesday. The highway was closed in both directions shortly afterward. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A firefighter walks through an area burned by the Hennessey fire along Solar Hills drive in Vacaville. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters from Eugene, Ore., walk beside an area burning along Pine Flat Road during the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in Felton. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A plume of smoke billows over Healdsburg as the LNU Lightning Complex fire continues to burn. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Charles Chavira, left, and Thomas Henney watch a plume of smoke spread over Healdsburg as the LNU Lightning Complex fire continues to burn. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A crew cuts down foliage and trees near some structures in preparation in Boulder Creek. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Ben Lomond firefighters work on a blaze at The Sequoia Retreat Center during the CZU August Lightning Complex Fires on Friday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters keeps watch as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Smoke hangs low in the air at Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods are still on fire on Saturday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
The Big Basin Redwoods State Park Headquarters & Visitor Center which was built in 1936 was one of the structures lost to the blaze that tore through the state park. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Hand crews work on a hillside above the Boulder Creek Community Church as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire on Sunday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters watches as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire on Sunday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Burned vehicles and rubble from homes are left after the CZU Lightning Complex Fire tore through Sunday in Boulder Creek, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
Firefighters protect a home in the Berryessa Estates neighborhood of unincorporated Napa County, Calif., as the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn on Friday. The blaze forced thousands to flee and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Wildfires ravaged and menaced communities from Napa’s wine country to the coast above Santa Cruz on Friday, forcing California officials to make tough choices on which ones to fight as the state braced for a weekend that could include more lightning strikes.
In some places, officials said they were being turned down for state help and left to beg equipment and manpower from volunteers and local agencies.
For the record: An earlier version of this story misidentified UC Berkeley professor Scott Lewis Stephens as Scott Lewis.
“Many of these firefighters have been on the lines for 72 hours, and everybody is running on fumes,” said Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), whose district includes wine country areas currently under siege. “Our first responders are working to the ragged edge of everything they have.”
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More than 930,000 acres have burned so far in Northern and Central California — an area larger than the land mass of Rhode Island — with little containment, in part because firefighting resources are stretched beyond capacity by the number of blazes.
On Thursday, 376 fires burned in the state, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. But by Friday, there were about 560 active blazes, including two separate groups of fires, known as the LNU Lightning Complex and the SCU Lightning Complex, that have resulted from the convergence of about two dozen fires.
The two complexes are among “the largest fires the state of California has had to battle in recent memory, arguably in modern recorded history,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom during an afternoon briefing.
A third massive blaze has also grown in rural areas in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
Scott Lewis Stephens, a professor of fire science at UC Berkeley, said some of the new burns were probably from a massive lightning storm last weekend that saw more than 12,000 bolts hit California, many unusually close to cities including San Francisco. Those strikes may be causing “holdover fires” that can ignite and appear days or weeks later after smoldering undetected, he said.
Tony Scardina, deputy regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service, said the state’s 18 federal parks have also seen up to a 300% increase in campfires sparking wildfires this year, as more people seek the wilderness as a getaway from pandemic quarantines.
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The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a weather watch from Sunday through Tuesday mornings for dry lightning from the state capital to Lassen County near the Oregon border. Though the heat wave that helped explode so many recent fires has broken, the possibility of new storms were crushing to many firefighters, 12,000 of whom are battling both flames and fatigue.
With more need than can be met by the crews available, fire experts said state officials are now forced to prioritize which fires will get resources and change how those resources are being used. Though officials often deploy crews and equipment to surround fires with defensible lines so that they can be contained, fire experts said the focus is now is on saving lives and structures, and predict that the current blazes will burn for weeks.
“At the statewide level, we do get into this mode where we start wondering where the biggest loss is going to be, what’s the highest priority, and that is where the resources are going to go,” said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, a fire expert with the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Scardina, the U.S. Forest Service official, said priorities are being set by state and federal authorities continually evaluating the larger picture of where they will have the most impact to protect lives, property and infrastructure, but the calculations are difficult.
“At this point we have to triage, we have to set priorities, we have to make some tough choices,” Scardina said. “Every fire manager, every leader at a local level, every community, is really focused on their fire obviously and for valid reasons. ... The best we can do is ... be transparent and honest with people about the limitations that we have [and] be clear with them about how we set priorities.”
The lack of equipment and outside fire crews was evident Friday as a smoky evening fell in Ben Lomond, a heavily forested town in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The fire there has destroyed scores of homes and structures and is burning up steep hills that crest near the campus of UC Santa Cruz, normally an education hub of 18,000 students.
Ben Lomond Fire Chief Stacie Brownlee said she requested help from Cal Fire and was told it had nothing to offer. The rejection startled her. In the 10 years she’s been chief and 36 years she’s served, she said she’s never seen the state unable to help.
She said she is running out of basic equipment, including hoses, radios and hand tools, and feels as though they’ve been abandoned.
“We’re sleeping just two to five hours,” she said. “We’re just trying to get a handle on this.”
Matt Sanders, a volunteer firefighter for Ben Lomond, said he and his colleagues have barely slept since Monday. Their force, which is 27 strong, is being supplemented by retirees, many fighting to save their own homes. Todd Ellis, a Menlo Park Fire District training captain who lives in town and is captain of the volunteer force, on Friday persuaded his chief to send a engine, which arrived in time to fight a blaze at a retreat center amid redwoods.
Billy See, one of the Cal Fire incident commanders, said personnel on this fire increased by almost 100 from the previous night, up to about 1,000, but it’s “still not enough.”
Farther north, the LNU Lightning Complex — now the second-largest fire in state history, having consumed more than 302,000 acres — brought mixed news.
In the Solano County city of Vacaville, halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco, some residents were able to return home from evacuations Friday, and officials reported the blaze was 15% contained. But on the northern part of that fire, new evacuation orders were issued for the Sonoma County enclave of Guerneville, where the blaze was burning strongly in rugged territory.
Newsom said the state sent assistance to that fire overnight, nearly doubling the number of firefighters from about 587 yesterday to more than 1,000 Friday.
California in recent weeks has also hired 830 seasonal firefighters meant to replace prison crews that are not available due to early releases prompted by the pandemic.
Newsom also said Friday that 10 states had offered mutual aid to California so far, and he has sent out more requests, including to Canada and Australia.
So far, dozens of extra engines, manpower, airplanes and other resources have arrived from Oregon, Arizona and other states.
But there is also the threat of a long fire season, with the current blazes burning for weeks — a scenario experts said was possible with containment a lesser priority. Smoke is also hampering aerial firefighting.
There are so many conflagrations in California that aircraft have been hopscotching across the state trying to slow ones that pose the greatest threats, officials said.
Smoke from the LNU Lightning Complex fire has at times settled over the area and kept scouting aircraft from descending low enough to see where the blaze was most active. Such “air attack” provides intelligence for crews on the ground and guides other aerial endeavors.
“You just avoid the areas where there’s no visibility,” said Scott Ross, public information officer on the LNU Complex fire.
“If you didn’t have air attack, you wouldn’t have fixed-wing tankers, helicopters, they’d all just be flying up there willy-nilly.”
Meanwhile, the SCU Lightning Complex fire, threatening rural areas around Silicon Valley, has only three water-dropping helicopters helping at a given time because the flames have stayed mostly in rugged terrain, said public information officer Dominic Polito.
Nationally, the fire threat is also at its highest level. Some 90 large fires have burned in 14 states, leaving many places taxed for resources, according to federal fire authorities.
“We have more people, but it’s not enough,” said Newsom. “We have more air support, but it’s still not enough.”


latimes--2020-08-22--Earthquake: 2.5 temblor shakes Huntington Beach

A magnitude 2.5 earthquake was reported Friday at 11:19 p.m. in Huntington Beach , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred less than a mile from Seal Beach , one mile from Westminster , two miles from Midway City and three miles from Garden Grove .
In the last 10 days , there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 59 earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.0 and 3.0 occur per year in the greater Los Angeles area , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 2.5 earthquake was reported Friday at 11:19 p.m. in Huntington Beach, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred less than a mile from Seal Beach, one mile from Westminster, two miles from Midway City and three miles from Garden Grove.
In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 59 earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.0 and 3.0 occur per year in the greater Los Angeles area, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 9.1 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-08-21--California's job growth slowed dramatically in July: August will likely be worse

California ’ s economic recovery slowed markedly last month as COVID-19 infections rose and the state resumed shutting businesses .
Employers added just 140,400 payroll jobs from mid-June to mid-July to a total workforce of nearly 15.8 million , state officials reported .
The July job gain was dramatically less than the record 542,500-job rise the previous month when some restaurants , gyms and other businesses briefly reopened amid hopes that the virus was abating .
California ’ s unemployment rate lowered to 13.3 % last month , down from 14.9 % in June .
A year earlier , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decline in last month ’ s rate was due to a drop in people looking for work .
In June , the state ’ s labor force expanded by 464,000 as many furloughed workers returned to their jobs .
But last month it shrank by 167,000 as businesses closed again .
“ July ’ s forward progress is welcome , but measured against historical benchmarks , the California labor market remains very much in the ICU , ” said Scott Anderson , chief economist of Bank of the West in San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture was particularly dire , with a July jobless rate of 17.5 % , down from 19.4 % in June .
A year earlier , it was 4.4 % .
Many of Southern California ’ s tourist-dependent industries , including hotels , restaurants and theme parks , remain closed , while many Northern California technology firms continued to thrive thanks to remote working , online shopping and digital streaming , economists say .
For the week that ended Aug. 15 , California ’ s new unemployment claims fell to their lowest level in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state Employment Development Department .
But 4.8 million Californians were still collecting jobless benefits .
A federal supplement of $ 600 a week expired at the end of July .
That ’ s expected to push more Californians to seek work this month , said Michael Bernick , a former EDD director .
“ California ’ s local workforce boards and employment agencies are reporting an increase in job applicants , ” he said .
“ But with the economic lockdowns , the jobs are not coming back in any significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite is occurring .
California businesses continue to announce that they are closing permanently .
Any economic recovery we saw in June and early July has stalled , and a listlessness set in.
” The U.S. jobless rate of 10.2 % was significantly lower than California ’ s in July , and the nation ’ s payrolls grew more than California ’ s : 1.3 % , as compared with 0.9 % .
The comparatively better national picture reflects the fact that many other states have either succeeded in tamping down the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close businesses despite high infection rates .
Over the last three months , California has regained less than a third of the 2.6 million positions lost during March and April as the pandemic took hold .
And the state ’ s jobless rate remains a percentage point higher than its 12.3 % peak during the Great Recession .
As of Friday morning , California had reported more than 653,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 11,800 deaths .
“ Difficult times remain ahead , ” said Lynn Reaser , an economist at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University .
“ Forty-two of California ’ s 58 counties are currently on the state ’ s COVID-19 watchlist , which means bans on a significant number of indoor activities , including gyms , restaurant dine-in service , museums , indoor malls and hair salons .
People also remain cautious about venturing out.
” Small businesses face cash flow crises as an extension of the federal Paycheck Protection Program loan program remains in limbo .
“ PPP was intended to provide a bridge for businesses to get to the ‘ other side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the distance to the other side has turned out to be much longer than expected.
” Meanwhile , negotiations have stalled between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats who propose a trillion-dollar stimulus for state and local governments as tax revenues drop and safety net expenses rise .
The bill passed by the Democratic-led House would also extend the $ 600 weekly unemployment supplement through the end of the year , but it has been blocked by the Republican-led Senate and the White House .
This week California applied for a stopgap $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from federal disaster funds , under an executive order issued by President Trump on Aug. 8 .
But the supplement is expected to last just a few weeks .
It applies only to workers earning at least $ 100 in state unemployment benefits , thus excluding many low-income part-timers who have lost jobs .
“ The end of the federal stimulus will have a big impact on California , ” said Sung Won Sohn , a Loyola Marymount University economist .
“ It accounted for about 20 % of personal income nationwide and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food .
Many small businesses may not survive.
” Statewide , nine of California ’ s 11 industry sectors gained jobs last month .
Trade , transportation , and utilities had the largest job increase ( 40,900 ) because of motor vehicle and professional equipment wholesalers , as well as automobile dealers .
Construction lost 14,800 jobs , the largest drop in any sector , because of weak hiring in residential building despite a rise in commercial construction .
As its unemployment rate dipped slightly , Los Angeles County ’ s payrolls dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment was down 9.4 % over the year , with leisure and hospitality jobs plummeting 30 % .
In Orange County , joblessness stood at 12.3 % , down from 13.6 % in June , and from 3.1 % a year earlier .
July payrolls dropped by 17,700 jobs , to 1,464,500 .
In the Inland Empire , the unemployment rate was 13.4 % , down from 14.3 % in June and 4.6 % a year earlier .
Payrolls in the region , encompassing Riverside and San Bernardino counties , shrank by 8,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employment numbers are based on a monthly federal survey of 5,100 California households that focuses on workers .
Payroll estimates come from a second survey of about 80,000 California businesses .
If economists are doubtful that July ’ s job report offers much hope , they are even more pessimistic about the direction of the California economy in August .
“ The July numbers probably paint a brighter picture of the California labor market than what actually occurred , ” Anderson said , noting that Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered more business shutdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that likely won ’ t show up in the data until the August payroll report is released in September.
” California ’ s economic recovery will depend on whether the federal government can enact more stimulus measures , including unemployment benefits , and on curbing the COVID-19 infection rate , said David Smith , an economist at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School .
“ It looks like a long road ahead where we are going to have to punch , kick and crawl our way back to anything near historically normal employment , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social safety net , any economic resurgence is linked to the behavior of individual Californians , state officials say .
It “ depends on Californians choosing to wear face masks , staying at home when possible , and following state and local guidance ” on coronavirus measures , California Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement on the jobs report .

California’s economic recovery slowed markedly last month as COVID-19 infections rose and the state resumed shutting businesses.
Employers added just 140,400 payroll jobs from mid-June to mid-July to a total workforce of nearly 15.8 million, state officials reported.
The July job gain was dramatically less than the record 542,500-job rise the previous month when some restaurants, gyms and other businesses briefly reopened amid hopes that the virus was abating.
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California’s unemployment rate lowered to 13.3% last month, down from 14.9% in June. A year earlier, it stood at 4%.
Part of the decline in last month’s rate was due to a drop in people looking for work. In June, the state’s labor force expanded by 464,000 as many furloughed workers returned to their jobs. But last month it shrank by 167,000 as businesses closed again.
“July’s forward progress is welcome, but measured against historical benchmarks, the California labor market remains very much in the ICU,” said Scott Anderson, chief economist of Bank of the West in San Francisco.
Los Angeles County’s economic picture was particularly dire, with a July jobless rate of 17.5%, down from 19.4% in June. A year earlier, it was 4.4%.
Many of Southern California’s tourist-dependent industries, including hotels, restaurants and theme parks, remain closed, while many Northern California technology firms continued to thrive thanks to remote working, online shopping and digital streaming, economists say.
For the week that ended Aug. 15, California’s new unemployment claims fell to their lowest level in five months, with 201,600 applications submitted to the state Employment Development Department. But 4.8 million Californians were still collecting jobless benefits.
A federal supplement of $600 a week expired at the end of July. That’s expected to push more Californians to seek work this month, said Michael Bernick, a former EDD director.
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“California’s local workforce boards and employment agencies are reporting an increase in job applicants,” he said. “But with the economic lockdowns, the jobs are not coming back in any significant numbers.
“In fact, the opposite is occurring. California businesses continue to announce that they are closing permanently. Any economic recovery we saw in June and early July has stalled, and a listlessness set in.”
The U.S. jobless rate of 10.2% was significantly lower than California’s in July, and the nation’s payrolls grew more than California’s: 1.3%, as compared with 0.9%.
The comparatively better national picture reflects the fact that many other states have either succeeded in tamping down the spread of the coronavirus or have been reluctant to close businesses despite high infection rates.
California Newsom reopened California without meeting his own coronavirus testing, tracing benchmarks California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his reopening decisions and adopted the same argument made by many critics of his original order: The consequences of the COVID-19 shutdown for the economy and mental health were too great to ignore.
Over the last three months, California has regained less than a third of the 2.6 million positions lost during March and April as the pandemic took hold.
And the state’s jobless rate remains a percentage point higher than its 12.3% peak during the Great Recession.
As of Friday morning, California had reported more than 653,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 11,800 deaths.
“Difficult times remain ahead,” said Lynn Reaser, an economist at San Diego’s Point Loma Nazarene University. “Forty-two of California’s 58 counties are currently on the state’s COVID-19 watchlist, which means bans on a significant number of indoor activities, including gyms, restaurant dine-in service, museums, indoor malls and hair salons. People also remain cautious about venturing out.”
Small businesses face cash flow crises as an extension of the federal Paycheck Protection Program loan program remains in limbo. “PPP was intended to provide a bridge for businesses to get to the ‘other side,’” Reaser said. “But the distance to the other side has turned out to be much longer than expected.”
Meanwhile, negotiations have stalled between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats who propose a trillion-dollar stimulus for state and local governments as tax revenues drop and safety net expenses rise.
The bill passed by the Democratic-led House would also extend the $600 weekly unemployment supplement through the end of the year, but it has been blocked by the Republican-led Senate and the White House.
This week California applied for a stopgap $300 weekly jobless payment to be drawn from federal disaster funds, under an executive order issued by President Trump on Aug. 8.
But the supplement is expected to last just a few weeks. It applies only to workers earning at least $100 in state unemployment benefits, thus excluding many low-income part-timers who have lost jobs.
“The end of the federal stimulus will have a big impact on California,” said Sung Won Sohn, a Loyola Marymount University economist. “It accounted for about 20% of personal income nationwide and allowed consumers to pay rent and buy food. Many small businesses may not survive.”
Statewide, nine of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs last month. Trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest job increase (40,900) because of motor vehicle and professional equipment wholesalers, as well as automobile dealers.
Construction lost 14,800 jobs, the largest drop in any sector, because of weak hiring in residential building despite a rise in commercial construction.
As its unemployment rate dipped slightly, Los Angeles County’s payrolls dropped by 3,600 jobs to 4,093,500. County employment was down 9.4% over the year, with leisure and hospitality jobs plummeting 30%.
In Orange County, joblessness stood at 12.3%, down from 13.6% in June, and from 3.1% a year earlier. July payrolls dropped by 17,700 jobs, to 1,464,500.
In the Inland Empire, the unemployment rate was 13.4%, down from 14.3% in June and 4.6% a year earlier. Payrolls in the region, encompassing Riverside and San Bernardino counties, shrank by 8,000 jobs last month to 1,385,400.
State employment numbers are based on a monthly federal survey of 5,100 California households that focuses on workers. Payroll estimates come from a second survey of about 80,000 California businesses.
If economists are doubtful that July’s job report offers much hope, they are even more pessimistic about the direction of the California economy in August.
“The July numbers probably paint a brighter picture of the California labor market than what actually occurred,” Anderson said, noting that Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered more business shutdowns in mid-July “so new layoffs from that likely won’t show up in the data until the August payroll report is released in September.”
California’s economic recovery will depend on whether the federal government can enact more stimulus measures, including unemployment benefits, and on curbing the COVID-19 infection rate, said David Smith, an economist at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.
“It looks like a long road ahead where we are going to have to punch, kick and crawl our way back to anything near historically normal employment,” he added.
But beyond funding the social safety net, any economic resurgence is linked to the behavior of individual Californians, state officials say. It “depends on Californians choosing to wear face masks, staying at home when possible, and following state and local guidance” on coronavirus measures, California Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement on the jobs report.