latimes--2020-03-20--L.A. takes drastic action on coronavirus, closing all nonessential businesses

Los Angeles officials on Thursday took dramatic new steps to severely curtail public movement in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The restrictions came as the number of confirmed cases continued to grow and as officials said Los Angeles is running out of time to prevent a much more rapid spread .
“ We must slow the number of new cases we have — we must , ” said Barbara Ferrer , director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health .
“ Without slowing the number of new cases , we will for sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many other essential services as workers who are doing those essential services fall ill. ” The new Los Angeles County public health order requires all indoor malls , shopping centers , playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces .
The city of Los Angeles issued a significantly more restrictive order , requiring all nonessential businesses to close , with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements .
The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , retail stores , for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations , must stop operations that require workers to be present in person , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
“ No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed , with clear exceptions.
” Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs , including getting food ; caring for a relative , friend or child ; getting necessary healthcare ; or going for a walk in the neighborhood .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage you not to be locked , ” he said .
“ This is not ‘ shelter in place ’ like a school shooting , this is stay at home because you ’ re safer at home .
And the only people who should be leaving home and going out are those whose jobs are critical to the safety , the health and security of the city , as well as the economy of recovery for us and the nation during this crisis.
” Essential businesses include grocery stores , food banks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care ; businesses that provide food , shelter , social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged people ; gas stations ; banks and financial institutions ; hardware stores ; plumbers and electricians ; healthcare operators and facilities ; transportation services ; and residential facilities .
But these businesses must comply with the order ’ s social distancing and hygiene requirements , including providing access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 % alcohol .
The orders come at a time when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from slowing in Los Angeles .
Health officials Thursday reported the county ’ s second death , with the total number of confirmed cases rising by 40 overnight to 230 .
A 34-year-old man who tested positive for the coronavirus after visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and traveling through Los Angeles International Airport this month died Thursday at a hospital in Pasadena , according to medical and government sources .
The Glendora man , who spent nearly a week on a ventilator , had underlying medical conditions , including asthma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health officials did not name the man , but on Thursday , the sister of a 34-year-old Glendora man posted on Facebook that her brother “ went to be with Jesus this morning.
” “ He suffered a lot and put up a good fight , ” she said .
For six days , his sister took over his Facebook page , posting updates about his rapidly deteriorating condition .
He had sent her a text message , she wrote Sunday , that said , “ Tell my friends.
” The man had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a child , but he had not needed an inhaler for years , his sister wrote .
“ He beat testicular cancer in 2016 with surgery alone , ” she wrote Sunday .
“ 2020 , he will beat COVID-19.
” Officials continue to stress that the best way residents can protect themselves and others from contracting the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is to follow the city and county ’ s guidance to remain isolated .
Under the city ’ s new order , officials said residents are permitted to : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities ; • Go to medical appointments ( check with your doctor or provider first ) ; • Take a walk , ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community ; • Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary ; • Help someone to get necessary supplies .
Residents are not allowed to : • Go to work unless providing essential services as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and family if there is no urgent need ; • Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out ; • Travel to or from a job outside the city , unless to perform essential activities ; • Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city ; • Visit loved ones in a hospital , nursing home , skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility .
• Plumbers , electricians , exterminators , custodial/janitorial workers , handyman services , funeral home workers and morticians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , landscapers , gardeners , property managers , private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety , sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities • Organizations and businesses that provide food , shelter , social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals ( including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies ) • Educational institutions , including public and private K-12 schools , colleges , and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person is maintained to the greatest extent possible

Jaclyn Cosgrove, Rong-Gong Lin II, Alex Wigglesworth, Hailey Branson-Potts

During the coronavirus epidemic people continue to walk, ride thier bikes, and play basketball at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk the beach, but maintain “social distancing” during the coronavirus outbreak at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
With all the stores closed, Fashion Island is a ghost town except for an occasional customer getting food for take-out Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The Apple store is among all the stores which have closed during the coronavirus outbreak in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Popular shopping destination Rodeo Drive is all but deserted as retail shops are shuttered in Beverly Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Salvation Army volunteer Christina Cuevas sets up cots for homeless at Westwood Recreation Center in Westwood. (Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Commuter protect themselves with a face mask while riding a bus at El Monte Metro Station. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Union Station was restricted to only ticketed passenger and main entrance closed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
On the first day of L.A.’s ‘Safer at Home,” most major avenues and streets in downtown Los Angeles have very little traffic. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
The city of Santa Monica has closed the Santa Monica Pier, and few people were on the beach Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Vehicles flow smoothly along Interstate 5 and the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles in this drone image. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In this drone image, the Westfield Topanga mall parking lot sits empty, as new regulations have closed all indoor shopping centers in Canoga Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
School buses sit idle since all schools have been closed in Los Angeles County. The image was taken by drone. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
The sparsely trafficked intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles is seen in a drone image. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Spooked by coronavirus fears, people from nearby Inland Empire cities lined-up to buy eggs at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Xiao Ping, holding a tray of eggs, looks back at the long line of egg buyers on Saturda morning in Chino. Spooked by coronavirus people from nearby Inland Empire cities started lining up early morning at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Drivers line-up to get a coronavirus test administered by Riverside County medical personnel at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Those tested have symptoms or have had a risk of exposure. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County medical personnel administer a coronavirus test to a driver at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Jesus Mendoza sells roses on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles. Mendoza said his business was overwhelmed by hundred of boxes of roses they could not sell. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People run and walk on the Veterans Parkway in Manhattan Beach even with signage saying the space is closed to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. (Dania Maxwell/Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
During the coronavirus pandemic, people continue to walk and ride their bikes along the path at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
At Echo Park Lake, friends gather with their dogs and enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the park. Social distancing and home isolation remain in effect due to the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole/Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Workers at the Ralphs grocery store in Westchester measure out social distancing guidelines for its customers with markers every six feet and limiting the number of customers it allows in to shop. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles officials on Thursday took dramatic new steps to severely curtail public movement in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The restrictions came as the number of confirmed cases continued to grow and as officials said Los Angeles is running out of time to prevent a much more rapid spread.
“We must slow the number of new cases we have — we must,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health. “Without slowing the number of new cases, we will for sure overwhelm not only our healthcare system but many other essential services as workers who are doing those essential services fall ill.”
The new Los Angeles County public health order requires all indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close and prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people in enclosed spaces.
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The city of Los Angeles issued a significantly more restrictive order, requiring all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
“All businesses, including museums, malls, retail stores, for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, must stop operations that require workers to be present in person,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “No public and private gatherings of any size that would occur outside of a single home will be allowed, with clear exceptions.”
Garcetti said residents should leave home only for essential activities and needs, including getting food; caring for a relative, friend or child; getting necessary healthcare; or going for a walk in the neighborhood.
“Nobody is locked down, and we encourage you not to be locked,” he said. “This is not ‘shelter in place’ like a school shooting, this is stay at home because you’re safer at home. And the only people who should be leaving home and going out are those whose jobs are critical to the safety, the health and security of the city, as well as the economy of recovery for us and the nation during this crisis.”
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Essential businesses include grocery stores, food banks and outdoor farmers markets; schools and child care; businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged people; gas stations; banks and financial institutions; hardware stores; plumbers and electricians; healthcare operators and facilities; transportation services; and residential facilities.
But these businesses must comply with the order’s social distancing and hygiene requirements, including providing access to hand-washing facilities with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
The orders come at a time when the coronavirus outbreak seems to be far from slowing in Los Angeles.
Health officials Thursday reported the county’s second death, with the total number of confirmed cases rising by 40 overnight to 230.
A 34-year-old man who tested positive for the coronavirus after visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and traveling through Los Angeles International Airport this month died Thursday at a hospital in Pasadena, according to medical and government sources.
The Glendora man, who spent nearly a week on a ventilator, had underlying medical conditions, including asthma and bronchitis, the sources said.
Health officials did not name the man, but on Thursday, the sister of a 34-year-old Glendora man posted on Facebook that her brother “went to be with Jesus this morning.”
“He suffered a lot and put up a good fight,” she said.
For six days, his sister took over his Facebook page, posting updates about his rapidly deteriorating condition. He had sent her a text message, she wrote Sunday, that said, “Tell my friends.”
The man had a history of asthma and frequent bronchitis as a child, but he had not needed an inhaler for years, his sister wrote.
“He beat testicular cancer in 2016 with surgery alone,” she wrote Sunday. “2020, he will beat COVID-19.”
Officials continue to stress that the best way residents can protect themselves and others from contracting the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is to follow the city and county’s guidance to remain isolated.
Under the city’s new order, officials said residents are permitted to:
Go to the grocery store;
Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities;
Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first);
Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community;
Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary;
Help someone to get necessary supplies.
Residents are not allowed to:
Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order;
Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need;
Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out;
Travel to or from a job outside the city, unless to perform essential activities;
Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city;
Visit loved ones in a hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility.
These are considered essential services:
City/county government services
Healthcare providers
Food and grocery service
Hardware stores and nurseries
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities
Banks
Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies)
Laundromats/laundry service
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts and other media services


latimes--2020-03-20--Letters to the Editor: A prison doctor's stark warning on coronavirus, jails and prisons

To the editor : Thanks to the L.A. Times Editorial Board for bringing the state of our prisons into sharp focus during the COVID-19 epidemic .
As a physician with 30 years of prison experience , I know these are crucial issues .
Prisons are petri dishes for contagious respiratory illnesses .
We who work inside them will inevitably be exposed , probably repeatedly , and are very likely to become ill with COVID-19 .
We may stop visitors from bringing the coronavirus into prison , but there is no way to stop the daily flow of guards , teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Someone is certain to bring the virus in and take it back out while they are asymptomatic .
As the editorial notes , social distancing is impossible in prison , where inmates live two or sometimes three in a cell and work communally every day .
More difficult is the fact we just do not have sufficient protective equipment for our healthcare workers , nor do we have sufficient medical resources to care for those who will become seriously or critically ill. Those inmates will need care in community hospitals .
Prisons are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earth , which promotes any epidemic .
There is no way to seal prisons off from society at large , nor is there any way to seal off our society from the stark conditions likely to develop in our prisons .
Sadly , prisons can not always protect us .

To the editor: Thanks to the L.A. Times Editorial Board for bringing the state of our prisons into sharp focus during the COVID-19 epidemic. As a physician with 30 years of prison experience, I know these are crucial issues.
Prisons are petri dishes for contagious respiratory illnesses. We who work inside them will inevitably be exposed, probably repeatedly, and are very likely to become ill with COVID-19.
We may stop visitors from bringing the coronavirus into prison, but there is no way to stop the daily flow of guards, teachers, food service and healthcare workers. Someone is certain to bring the virus in and take it back out while they are asymptomatic.
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As the editorial notes, social distancing is impossible in prison, where inmates live two or sometimes three in a cell and work communally every day.
More difficult is the fact we just do not have sufficient protective equipment for our healthcare workers, nor do we have sufficient medical resources to care for those who will become seriously or critically ill. Those inmates will need care in community hospitals.
Prisons are among the most densely packed places on Earth, which promotes any epidemic. There is no way to seal prisons off from society at large, nor is there any way to seal off our society from the stark conditions likely to develop in our prisons.
Sadly, prisons cannot always protect us.
Dr. Ross Quinn, Victorville


latimes--2020-03-20--Here are the new rules as Newsom orders all Californians to stay at home

Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s sweeping order for Californians to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak will dramatically restrict public movement .
The governor ’ s office provided a list of how the order will play out : • Essential state and local government functions including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services .
What is behind this ?
Officials hope telling people to stay homes and restrict social interactions will slow the spread of the virus and ultimately prevent hospitals from being overrun with sick patients .
Newsom asked Californians to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary activities.
” “ We ’ re going to keep the grocery stores open , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re going to make sure that you ’ re getting critical medical supplies .
You can still take your kids outside , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog.
” No time frame was set for when the order would end .
What are exemptions from the order ?
Newsom ’ s action orders “ all individuals living in the state of California to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.
” The government order links to a Department of Homeland Security document that lists 16 “ critical infrastructure sectors whose assets , systems , and networks , whether physical or virtual , are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security , national economic security , national public health or safety , or any combination thereof .
”

During the coronavirus epidemic people continue to walk, ride thier bikes, and play basketball at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People walk the beach, but maintain “social distancing” during the coronavirus outbreak at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
With all the stores closed, Fashion Island is a ghost town except for an occasional customer getting food for take-out Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The Apple store is among all the stores which have closed during the coronavirus outbreak in Newport Beach. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Popular shopping destination Rodeo Drive is all but deserted as retail shops are shuttered in Beverly Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Salvation Army volunteer Christina Cuevas sets up cots for homeless at Westwood Recreation Center in Westwood. (Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Commuter protect themselves with a face mask while riding a bus at El Monte Metro Station. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Union Station was restricted to only ticketed passenger and main entrance closed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
The main entrance to Union Station is closed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
On the first day of L.A.’s ‘Safer at Home,” most major avenues and streets in downtown Los Angeles have very little traffic. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood Blvd. is devoid of the usual crowds as most shops are closed. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Shops are shuttered on historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
The city of Santa Monica has closed the Santa Monica Pier, and few people were on the beach Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Vehicles flow smoothly along Interstate 5 and the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles in this drone image. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In this drone image, the Westfield Topanga mall parking lot sits empty, as new regulations have closed all indoor shopping centers in Canoga Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
School buses sit idle since all schools have been closed in Los Angeles County. The image was taken by drone. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
The sparsely trafficked intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles is seen in a drone image. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Spooked by coronavirus fears, people from nearby Inland Empire cities lined-up to buy eggs at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Xiao Ping, holding a tray of eggs, looks back at the long line of egg buyers on Saturda morning in Chino. Spooked by coronavirus people from nearby Inland Empire cities started lining up early morning at Maust’s California Poultry in Chino. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Drivers line-up to get a coronavirus test administered by Riverside County medical personnel at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Those tested have symptoms or have had a risk of exposure. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County medical personnel administer a coronavirus test to a driver at a drive-though testing facility at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Jesus Mendoza sells roses on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles. Mendoza said his business was overwhelmed by hundred of boxes of roses they could not sell. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
People run and walk on the Veterans Parkway in Manhattan Beach even with signage saying the space is closed to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. (Dania Maxwell/Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
During the coronavirus pandemic, people continue to walk and ride their bikes along the path at Junipero Beach in Long Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
At Echo Park Lake, friends gather with their dogs and enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the park. Social distancing and home isolation remain in effect due to the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole/Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Workers at the Ralphs grocery store in Westchester measure out social distancing guidelines for its customers with markers every six feet and limiting the number of customers it allows in to shop. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sweeping order for Californians to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak will dramatically restrict public movement.
The governor’s office provided a list of how the order will play out:
What stays open:
Pharmacies
Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants
Banks
Gas stations
Laundromats/laundry services
Essential state and local government functions including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services.
What is closed:
Bars and nightclubs
Entertainment venues
Gyms and fitness studios
Public events and gatherings
Convention Centers
Dine-in restaurants
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What is behind this?
Officials hope telling people to stay homes and restrict social interactions will slow the spread of the virus and ultimately prevent hospitals from being overrun with sick patients.
Newsom asked Californians to practice social distancing when performing such “necessary activities.”
“We’re going to keep the grocery stores open,” Newsom said. “We’re going to make sure that you’re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog.”
No time frame was set for when the order would end.
What are exemptions from the order?
Newsom’s action orders “all individuals living in the state of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.”
The government order links to a Department of Homeland Security document that lists 16 “critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.”
Advertisement
Chemical Sector
Commercial Facilities Sector
Communications Sector
Critical Manufacturing Sector
Dams Sector
Defense Industrial Base Sector
Emergency Services Sector
Energy Sector
Financial Services Sector
Food and Agriculture Sector
Government Facilities Sector
Healthcare and Public Health Sector
Information Technology Sector
Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector
Transportation Systems Sector
Water and Wastewater Systems Sector
Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles issued a restrictive order, requiring all nonessential businesses to close, with companies able to operate only through work-at-home arrangements. The order also bans all public gatherings of any size outside homes.
Under the city’s new order, officials said residents are permitted to:
Go to the grocery store;
Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities;
Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first);
Take a walk, ride your bike and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others in the community;
Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary;
Help someone to get necessary supplies.
Residents are not allowed to:
Go to work unless providing essential services as defined by the order;
Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need;
Maintain less than six feet of distance from others when you go out;
Travel to or from a job outside the city, unless to perform essential activities;
Travel to or from a vacation home outside the city;
Visit loved ones in a hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility.
These are considered essential services:
City/county government services
Healthcare providers
Food and grocery service
Hardware stores and nurseries
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, HVAC installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and others who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of properties and other essential activities
Banks
Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including gang prevention and intervention and domestic violence agencies)
Laundromats/laundry service
Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, podcasts and other media services


latimes--2020-03-19--The West is in an expanding 20-year drought that a 'March Miracle' will do little to change

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday shows that although recent rains have provided some relief for Southern California , Northern California remains locked in moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions .
An area near the Klamath River in extreme Northern California and southern Oregon that missed out on heavy precipitation this season has slipped into severe drought .
The area joins other parts of the West , including a portion of south-central Idaho and a large chunk of land in the Four Corners region , in severe drought .
It is that area around the Four Corners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Mexico meet , along with the parts of California that are drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers , that are most consequential to Southern California water users .
The area around the Four Corners is part of the Colorado River watershed .
Water from the Colorado River is one source of supply to the Los Angeles region , via the Colorado River Aqueduct .
That Four-Corners area is in severe drought , and it is surrounded by areas of moderate drought that cover much of Utah and Colorado , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico .
“ What I call the continuing drought has waxed and waned , but we ’ ve generally stayed near the threshold of large-scale severe drought in the West and Southwest , ” said climatologist Bill Patzert .
“ This year , like the previous five to 10 years , has water managers working their worry beads.
” The Colorado River flows from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains .
The river and its tributaries drain about 246,000 square miles , including southwestern Wyoming , most of western Colorado and New Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portions of Utah , Nevada and California .
But a large portion of the Colorado River watershed is in drought .
“ There ’ s no quick fix to a long drought , ” said Patzert , citing groundwater basins and Lake Mead , the reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado , as the West ’ s large-scale drought monitors .
Lake Mead takes 17 years to fill with normal rainfall , and groundwater basins take a long time to replenish .
“ It takes more than one wet year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drought , ” said Patzert , especially when the drought encompasses much of the West .
“ When the Pacific Northwest and California are dry , the Rockies are dry.
” “ Don ’ t get too euphoric about our mini-March Miracle , ” Patzert warns .
“ It doesn ’ t fill the bill as a drought buster , and it certainly is a fuel-maker for the summer fire season.
” Scott McLean of Cal Fire agrees , noting the varied nature of rainfall throughout the state .
“ It just waters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ light , flashy fuel such as grass and weeds that are the fuse that lights wildfires.
” McLean maintains that several years of significant precipitation are needed to end the drought .
He said that while he appreciates the rain , “ we still have a ways to go.
” Southern California has fared better than Northern California this year , but even that isn ’ t great .
Downtown Los Angeles has received just 10.12 inches of rain since Oct.1 — 80 % of normal .
By this point in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 12.63 inches , on average .
Last year at this time , it had 17.99 inches in the rain gauge .
Meanwhile , and more importantly , the Northern Sierra 8-Station Index stands at 57 % of normal , as of Thursday , according to the California Department of Water Resources .
The index is the average of eight precipitation measuring sites that provide a representative sample of the Northern Sierra ’ s major watersheds .
These watersheds include the Sacramento , Feather , Yuba and American rivers , which flow into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Along with water from the Colorado River , they provide a large portion of the Los Angeles and Southern California water supply .
Summing up , the drought in California and the West has been “ on-again , off-again , ” said Patzert , “ but now it looks like it ’ s on again .
And a wannabe March Miracle isn ’ t likely to end it .
”

Drought continues in the West and is especially severe in the Four Corners region.
The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday shows that although recent rains have provided some relief for Southern California, Northern California remains locked in moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions.
An area near the Klamath River in extreme Northern California and southern Oregon that missed out on heavy precipitation this season has slipped into severe drought. The area joins other parts of the West, including a portion of south-central Idaho and a large chunk of land in the Four Corners region, in severe drought.
It is that area around the Four Corners, where Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico meet, along with the parts of California that are drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, that are most consequential to Southern California water users. The area around the Four Corners is part of the Colorado River watershed. Water from the Colorado River is one source of supply to the Los Angeles region, via the Colorado River Aqueduct.
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That Four-Corners area is in severe drought, and it is surrounded by areas of moderate drought that cover much of Utah and Colorado, as well as northeastern Arizona and northern New Mexico.
“What I call the continuing drought has waxed and waned, but we’ve generally stayed near the threshold of large-scale severe drought in the West and Southwest,” said climatologist Bill Patzert. “This year, like the previous five to 10 years, has water managers working their worry beads.”
The Colorado River flows from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains. The river and its tributaries drain about 246,000 square miles, including southwestern Wyoming, most of western Colorado and New Mexico, nearly all of Arizona, and portions of Utah, Nevada and California. But a large portion of the Colorado River watershed is in drought.
“There’s no quick fix to a long drought,” said Patzert, citing groundwater basins and Lake Mead, the reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado, as the West’s large-scale drought monitors. Lake Mead takes 17 years to fill with normal rainfall, and groundwater basins take a long time to replenish.
“It takes more than one wet year in the Sierra Nevada to bust a drought,” said Patzert, especially when the drought encompasses much of the West. “When the Pacific Northwest and California are dry, the Rockies are dry.”
“Don’t get too euphoric about our mini-March Miracle,” Patzert warns. “It doesn’t fill the bill as a drought buster, and it certainly is a fuel-maker for the summer fire season.”
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Scott McLean of Cal Fire agrees, noting the varied nature of rainfall throughout the state. “It just waters the vegetation,” promoting growth of “light, flashy fuel such as grass and weeds that are the fuse that lights wildfires.”
McLean maintains that several years of significant precipitation are needed to end the drought. He said that while he appreciates the rain, “we still have a ways to go.”
Southern California has fared better than Northern California this year, but even that isn’t great. Downtown Los Angeles has received just 10.12 inches of rain since Oct.1 — 80% of normal. By this point in the season, downtown Los Angeles should be at 12.63 inches, on average. Last year at this time, it had 17.99 inches in the rain gauge.
Meanwhile, and more importantly, the Northern Sierra 8-Station Index stands at 57% of normal, as of Thursday, according to the California Department of Water Resources. The index is the average of eight precipitation measuring sites that provide a representative sample of the Northern Sierra’s major watersheds. These watersheds include the Sacramento, Feather, Yuba and American rivers, which flow into some of California’s biggest reservoirs. Along with water from the Colorado River, they provide a large portion of the Los Angeles and Southern California water supply.
Summing up, the drought in California and the West has been “on-again, off-again,” said Patzert, “but now it looks like it’s on again. And a wannabe March Miracle isn’t likely to end it.”


latimes--2020-03-19--Cannabis dispensaries listed as essential businesses under L.A. County coronavirus order

The “ safer at home ” emergency order just announced by Los Angeles County and the cities within its borders at a Thursday evening news conference requires all indoor malls , shopping centers , playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close effective midnight tonight through at least April 19 .
Allowed to operate — as long as they observe proper social-distancing guidelines and do not include more than 10 people in one place — are a list of essential services including city and county government services , grocery stores , hardware stores and , wait for it , cannabis dispensaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Bay Area “ shelter in place ” order that was announced Monday ( which had dispensaries closing only to open the next day after a handful of cities — including San Francisco and San Jose — clarified that they could remain open ) , the city of Los Angeles ’ coronavirus FAQ lists as essential healthcare services “ cannabis dispensaries , or any related and/or ancillary healthcare services.
” The actual order issued by the county of Los Angeles reads slightly differently , noting that the order does not apply to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a medicinal cannabis license , ” though at the news conference announcing the order , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said ( though not in reference to this particular issue ) that the cities and the county had worked hard to ensure that the details of the order were not in conflict .

The “safer at home” emergency order just announced by Los Angeles County and the cities within its borders at a Thursday evening news conference requires all indoor malls, shopping centers, playgrounds and nonessential retail businesses to close effective midnight tonight through at least April 19.
Allowed to operate — as long as they observe proper social-distancing guidelines and do not include more than 10 people in one place — are a list of essential services including city and county government services, grocery stores, hardware stores and, wait for it, cannabis dispensaries.
Unlike the confusion surrounding cannabis businesses in the Bay Area “shelter in place” order that was announced Monday (which had dispensaries closing only to open the next day after a handful of cities — including San Francisco and San Jose — clarified that they could remain open), the city of Los Angeles’ coronavirus FAQ lists as essential healthcare services “cannabis dispensaries, or any related and/or ancillary healthcare services.”
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The actual order issued by the county of Los Angeles reads slightly differently, noting that the order does not apply to healthcare organizations including “cannabis dispensaries with a medicinal cannabis license,” though at the news conference announcing the order, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said (though not in reference to this particular issue) that the cities and the county had worked hard to ensure that the details of the order were not in conflict.


latimes--2020-03-19--'Complete chaos' as Orange County courts reopen amidst coronavirus panic

Orange County ’ s first attempt to hold court hearings after a brief closure due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus descended into “ complete chaos ” Thursday , with packed courtrooms seeming to fly in the face of recent guidance offered by health officials , some of the county ’ s top legal officials said .
On Monday , the Orange County Superior Court system announced the closure of all courthouses until March 27 , with exceptions for emergency matters .
But an attempt to use five courtrooms in Santa Ana to hold arraignments and other proceedings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We were not following the state guidelines for public health .
We were not following the federal guidelines for public health , ” Orange County Public Defender Sharon Petrosino said .
“ It was wall-to-wall people , everywhere you looked.
” Dist .
Atty .
Todd Spitzer said a system that would have allowed hearings to be conducted by video malfunctioned for half the day .
Poor communication from court officials , who Spitzer said attempted to pack too much onto Thursday ’ s court calendar , led to long delays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when health officials have urged people to limit contact with one another .
“ They got ahead of themselves .
They didn ’ t communicate well with the private defense bar .
They didn ’ t have instructions up on their website … so today was complete chaos , ” he said .
“ Social distancing ?
” Spitzer quipped later .
“ It was actually social consolidation.
” Petrosino called the situation a “ catastrophe ” and faulted court officials for trying to mash “ three days ” worth of cases into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendants in custody , saying at least 140 county inmates were held in close quarters in the building while waiting hours to appear .
“ I worry about two things .
I worry about my clients … and I worry about my staff , ” Petrosino said .
“ None of those people were protected today by the court system.
” A Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to Petrosino ’ s claim about the treatment of in-custody defendants .
Court spokesman Kostas Kalaitzidis declined to address specific allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email said officials were scrambling to deal with an unprecedented situation .
“ We are working very hard to provide access to justice , preserve everyone ’ s constitutional rights and do our part to provide safety and security to all residents of Orange County , ” he said .
Photos taken in the Santa Ana courthouse showed attorneys wearing masks and filling hallways in crowds , at a time when California leaders are urging people to stay home and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising people to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit the spread of the virus .
Staycie Sena , a criminal defense lawyer , said private attorneys were not notified that hearings would be taking place in Santa Ana until 4 p.m. Wednesday .
The lack of communication from court officials and heavy backlog of cases created an unnecessary and dangerous situation , she said .
“ It ’ s not just the clients and the court personnel who are being put at risk , ” she said .
“ You have to choose between your bar card and the safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it puts us in an impossible position.
” The fiasco in Orange County comes as law enforcement officials continue to try and balance public safety and the scheduling of necessary court hearings with statewide and national efforts to limit the spread of the virus , which has killed 19 people in California and infected nearly 1,000 people .
Earlier this week , the Los Angeles County Superior Court announced it would shut down for three days and effectively halt criminal trials for a month .
The nation ’ s largest court system is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , and some attorneys fear similar chaos .

Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said the county’s court system devolved into “complete chaos” on Thursday as courtrooms partially reopened after a brief closure due to fears of the spread of the coronavirus.
Orange County’s first attempt to hold court hearings after a brief closure due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus descended into “complete chaos” Thursday, with packed courtrooms seeming to fly in the face of recent guidance offered by health officials, some of the county’s top legal officials said.
On Monday, the Orange County Superior Court system announced the closure of all courthouses until March 27, with exceptions for emergency matters. But an attempt to use five courtrooms in Santa Ana to hold arraignments and other proceedings quickly overwhelmed the system, officials said.
“We were not following the state guidelines for public health. We were not following the federal guidelines for public health,” Orange County Public Defender Sharon Petrosino said. “It was wall-to-wall people, everywhere you looked.”
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Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said a system that would have allowed hearings to be conducted by video malfunctioned for half the day. Poor communication from court officials, who Spitzer said attempted to pack too much onto Thursday’s court calendar, led to long delays and heavy foot traffic at a time when health officials have urged people to limit contact with one another.
“They got ahead of themselves. They didn’t communicate well with the private defense bar. They didn’t have instructions up on their website … so today was complete chaos,” he said.
“Social distancing?” Spitzer quipped later. “It was actually social consolidation.”
Petrosino called the situation a “catastrophe” and faulted court officials for trying to mash “three days” worth of cases into one. She also expressed concern for defendants in custody, saying at least 140 county inmates were held in close quarters in the building while waiting hours to appear.
“I worry about two things. I worry about my clients … and I worry about my staff,” Petrosino said. “None of those people were protected today by the court system.”
A Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to Petrosino’s claim about the treatment of in-custody defendants.
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Court spokesman Kostas Kalaitzidis declined to address specific allegations of poor planning or conditions, but in an email said officials were scrambling to deal with an unprecedented situation.
“We are working very hard to provide access to justice, preserve everyone’s constitutional rights and do our part to provide safety and security to all residents of Orange County,” he said.
Photos taken in the Santa Ana courthouse showed attorneys wearing masks and filling hallways in crowds, at a time when California leaders are urging people to stay home and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising people to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 to limit the spread of the virus.
Staycie Sena, a criminal defense lawyer, said private attorneys were not notified that hearings would be taking place in Santa Ana until 4 p.m. Wednesday. The lack of communication from court officials and heavy backlog of cases created an unnecessary and dangerous situation, she said.
“It’s not just the clients and the court personnel who are being put at risk,” she said. “You have to choose between your bar card and the safety and health of your family. So it puts us in an impossible position.”
The fiasco in Orange County comes as law enforcement officials continue to try and balance public safety and the scheduling of necessary court hearings with statewide and national efforts to limit the spread of the virus, which has killed 19 people in California and infected nearly 1,000 people.
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Superior Court announced it would shut down for three days and effectively halt criminal trials for a month. The nation’s largest court system is scheduled to reopen for limited matters on Friday, and some attorneys fear similar chaos.


latimes--2020-03-19--In wild hearing, federal judge grills L.A. officials over coronavirus and homeless shelters

It was an unusual scene Thursday in the ordinarily staid chambers of federal court : Local officials lined up to have a judge grill them about finding as many beds as possible to quickly get homeless people off the streets of Los Angeles County amid the coronavirus outbreak .
The emergency hearing was called by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter for a lawsuit filed last week by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights , a group of business owners , downtown residents and others who are demanding solutions to what they call unsafe and inhumane conditions in encampments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case , worried that any decision could undermine a previous settlement related to the personal property rights of homeless people .
No decisions about the lawsuit were made Thursday , but the extraordinary two-part , nearly five-hour session featured an array of Los Angeles leaders , including Mayor Eric Garcetti , City Atty .
Mike Feuer , Police Chief Michel Moore , county Supervisor Kathryn Barger and City Council President Nury Martinez .
Carter , an unorthodox figure who , in another closely watched case , forced the opening of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t want to keep the gaggle of government officials from their work .
The elected officials were allowed to exit once they spoke .
Nevertheless , he peppered them with questions , pressing for solutions that would provide some immediate relief for people living on the streets as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to swell .
Government officials expressed fear that if the outbreak reaches the homeless population , it would ravage a group of people who are already vulnerable to health problems from the strain of living on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s considerable fear and anxiety , especially for those of us who have a deep caring for those who are not only the most vulnerable but the most susceptible , ” Garcetti said .
“ Most vulnerable because they ’ re much more likely to have underlying health conditions.
” The freewheeling discussion was rare for the normally prim and sedate halls of federal court .
Moore described how the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s officers didn ’ t want to be in a situation in which they would have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that outreach workers and mental health professionals needed to be running the facilities .
L.A. Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas told the court about the strain the coronavirus outbreak was having on firefighters who are already overworked as a result of the homelessness crisis .
Carter , then noting that he has the luxury of social distancing , said “ guess who is responding to it.
” L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey described how she was working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department to mitigate the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jails .
She said they have identified 2,000 nonviolent or nonserious offenders and are discussing whether to release them .
Throughout the hearing , Carter pulled people from the audience , asking their opinions on a range of subjects .
Midway through the hearing , for example , representatives from the Salvation Army said they had a long list of locations across the county that could be used for shelters or triage centers .
Carter then called to the front of the courtroom the interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back of the room to hash out a deal .
“ There ’ s a wonderful corner .
Stand six feet apart , ” Carter told them , referencing the recommendations from public health officials for social distancing .
After lunch , the 76-year-old judge shed his robe and suit jacket and wandered through the room — at times veering closer than six feet to other people .
He asked rapid-fire questions of the attorneys as they discussed how they would proceed in the coming weeks .
In its lawsuit , the L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles city and county officials have violated state and federal laws requiring government to protect the neediest members of society , to keep sidewalks clear of obstructions for residents with disabilities and to ensure safety on public rights of way .
“ Enforcement of homeless-related crimes has been reduced , or in some cases eliminated , in the name of compassion , ” the plaintiffs said in their filing .
“ But allowing people to die on the streets isn ’ t compassionate ; it ’ s cruel.
” Two advocacy groups that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Los Angeles Community Action Network and Los Angeles Catholic Worker , said they were concerned that the L.A. Alliance was trying to undermine a settlement that protected the personal property rights of homeless people on skid row .
They also argued that it was “ unimaginable ” that the case could proceed without groups that represent homeless people Throughout the hearing — and even before it — the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the discussion .
The L.A. skid row groups submitted a legal filing calling on the city and county to suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citations for homeless residents , stop confiscating possessions that exceed city restrictions , and suspend comprehensive cleanups of encampments unless they involve power washing that requires people to be displaced , among other measures .
Attorneys have agreed to suspend litigation to permit the court and parties to work on underlying issues of the lawsuit .
The parties are scheduled to gather in court again Tuesday to sort through a range of plans to help homeless people amid the coronavirus threat .
“ If the federal courtrooms go in lockdown across the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t guarantee we can come here.
” The parties agreed , preemptively , to meet at another downtown building .
They ’ ll mostly focus on two issues : getting the homeless people who are at the highest risk of infection off the streets and into hotels and motels , and addressing concerns about plans that Garcetti announced Wednesday to provide 6,000 new beds at city recreation centers .
Despite philosophical and practical disagreements about the homelessness crisis , the L.A. Alliance and the advocacy groups agreed Thursday that motels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step to get people off the streets .
But civil rights attorney Carol Sobel , representing the Orange County Catholic Worker , said she was worried about the city packing more people into recreation centers than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends gathering in one place .
Sobel said she was concerned that cramming people into buses and transporting them to recreation centers could spread the virus , suggesting that rooms in hotels and motels would be better .
“ I just don ’ t understand how you identify the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregant setting and transfer them to take showers in closer contact on a bus , ” Sobel said after the hearing .
“ It seems to me to be antithetical to everything we ’ re being told.
” Matthew Umhofer , one of the attorneys representing the L.A. Alliance , said he got a call from a hotel owner who was willing to offer 1,000 beds and had been in talks with government officials , but needed $ 10 more per room in order to make it feasible .
Like Sobel , Umhofer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into motels and hotels .
Attorneys for the city and county said they had to go back to their respective political bodies to understand whether they could make a plan happen .
Carter at one point Thursday stood in front of a dry-erase board jotting down notes as Ken Rice , who runs a company that builds modular homes , described how he could house hundreds of people within 90 days .
He then barked at officials from the city and county that they should decide within 24 hours whether to take Rice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t care if you accept them or reject them , just make a decision , ” he said .

Benjamin Oreskes, Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser

It was an unusual scene Thursday in the ordinarily staid chambers of federal court: Local officials lined up to have a judge grill them about finding as many beds as possible to quickly get homeless people off the streets of Los Angeles County amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The emergency hearing was called by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter for a lawsuit filed last week by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, a group of business owners, downtown residents and others who are demanding solutions to what they call unsafe and inhumane conditions in encampments.
Skid row advocacy groups also are involved in the case, worried that any decision could undermine a previous settlement related to the personal property rights of homeless people.
No decisions about the lawsuit were made Thursday, but the extraordinary two-part, nearly five-hour session featured an array of Los Angeles leaders, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Atty. Mike Feuer, Police Chief Michel Moore, county Supervisor Kathryn Barger and City Council President Nury Martinez.
Advertisement
Carter, an unorthodox figure who, in another closely watched case, forced the opening of new shelters in Orange County, said he didn’t want to keep the gaggle of government officials from their work. The elected officials were allowed to exit once they spoke. Nevertheless, he peppered them with questions, pressing for solutions that would provide some immediate relief for people living on the streets as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to swell.
Government officials expressed fear that if the outbreak reaches the homeless population, it would ravage a group of people who are already vulnerable to health problems from the strain of living on the streets.
“I think there’s considerable fear and anxiety, especially for those of us who have a deep caring for those who are not only the most vulnerable but the most susceptible,” Garcetti said. “Most vulnerable because they’re much more likely to have underlying health conditions.”
The freewheeling discussion was rare for the normally prim and sedate halls of federal court.
Moore described how the Los Angeles Police Department’s officers didn’t want to be in a situation in which they would have to force people into shelters, and he added that outreach workers and mental health professionals needed to be running the facilities.
L.A. Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas told the court about the strain the coronavirus outbreak was having on firefighters who are already overworked as a result of the homelessness crisis.
Carter, then noting that he has the luxury of social distancing, said “guess who is responding to it.”
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“We are,” Terrazas said.
L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey described how she was working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to mitigate the potential spread of the coronavirus in the county jails. She said they have identified 2,000 nonviolent or nonserious offenders and are discussing whether to release them.
Throughout the hearing, Carter pulled people from the audience, asking their opinions on a range of subjects.
Midway through the hearing, for example, representatives from the Salvation Army said they had a long list of locations across the county that could be used for shelters or triage centers. Carter then called to the front of the courtroom the interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and sent them all to the back of the room to hash out a deal.
“There’s a wonderful corner. Stand six feet apart,” Carter told them, referencing the recommendations from public health officials for social distancing.
After lunch, the 76-year-old judge shed his robe and suit jacket and wandered through the room — at times veering closer than six feet to other people. He asked rapid-fire questions of the attorneys as they discussed how they would proceed in the coming weeks.
In its lawsuit, the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights argues that Los Angeles city and county officials have violated state and federal laws requiring government to protect the neediest members of society, to keep sidewalks clear of obstructions for residents with disabilities and to ensure safety on public rights of way.
“Enforcement of homeless-related crimes has been reduced, or in some cases eliminated, in the name of compassion,” the plaintiffs said in their filing. “But allowing people to die on the streets isn’t compassionate; it’s cruel.”
Two advocacy groups that have moved to intervene in the suit, the Los Angeles Community Action Network and Los Angeles Catholic Worker, said they were concerned that the L.A. Alliance was trying to undermine a settlement that protected the personal property rights of homeless people on skid row. They also argued that it was “unimaginable” that the case could proceed without groups that represent homeless people
The Orange County Catholic Worker raised similar concerns.
Throughout the hearing — and even before it — the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the discussion. The L.A. skid row groups submitted a legal filing calling on the city and county to suspend enforcement of quality-of-life offenses that lead to citations for homeless residents, stop confiscating possessions that exceed city restrictions, and suspend comprehensive cleanups of encampments unless they involve power washing that requires people to be displaced, among other measures.
Attorneys have agreed to suspend litigation to permit the court and parties to work on underlying issues of the lawsuit. The parties are scheduled to gather in court again Tuesday to sort through a range of plans to help homeless people amid the coronavirus threat.
“If the federal courtrooms go in lockdown across the county,” Carter cautioned, “then I can’t guarantee we can come here.” The parties agreed, preemptively, to meet at another downtown building.
They’ll mostly focus on two issues: getting the homeless people who are at the highest risk of infection off the streets and into hotels and motels, and addressing concerns about plans that Garcetti announced Wednesday to provide 6,000 new beds at city recreation centers.
Despite philosophical and practical disagreements about the homelessness crisis, the L.A. Alliance and the advocacy groups agreed Thursday that motels and hotels would be a good first step to get people off the streets.
But civil rights attorney Carol Sobel, representing the Orange County Catholic Worker, said she was worried about the city packing more people into recreation centers than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends gathering in one place. Sobel said she was concerned that cramming people into buses and transporting them to recreation centers could spread the virus, suggesting that rooms in hotels and motels would be better.
“I just don’t understand how you identify the most vulnerable people, put them in a congregant setting and transfer them to take showers in closer contact on a bus,” Sobel said after the hearing. “It seems to me to be antithetical to everything we’re being told.”
Matthew Umhofer, one of the attorneys representing the L.A. Alliance, said he got a call from a hotel owner who was willing to offer 1,000 beds and had been in talks with government officials, but needed $10 more per room in order to make it feasible. Like Sobel, Umhofer said the priority should be moving people into motels and hotels.
Attorneys for the city and county said they had to go back to their respective political bodies to understand whether they could make a plan happen.
Carter at one point Thursday stood in front of a dry-erase board jotting down notes as Ken Rice, who runs a company that builds modular homes, described how he could house hundreds of people within 90 days. He then barked at officials from the city and county that they should decide within 24 hours whether to take Rice up on the offer.
“I don’t care if you accept them or reject them, just make a decision,” he said.


latimes--2020-03-19--L.A. releases locations for 13 temporary homeless shelters for coronavirus crisis

The city of Los Angeles on Thursday released the locations of 13 recreation centers that will become temporary shelters for homeless people as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow .
The shelters will open Friday , and the city ’ s Department of Recreation and Parks is preparing gymnasiums , finalizing 24-hour schedules for employees and ordering supplies .
Beds will be placed 6 1/2 feet apart , department spokeswoman Ashley Rodriguez said , but she couldn ’ t immediately say how many would be provided .
“ The department will provide beds , offer personal hygiene kits and make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Meals will be provided with the support from other government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
” On Wednesday , Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city would convert 42 of its recreation centers into temporary shelters for homeless residents , providing 6,000 new beds .
The 13 announced on Thursday are the first step .
“ This isn ’ t about forcing people onto a bus , ” Garcetti said during a briefing livestreamed on Facebook .
“ This is about letting people know if you stay out here , you are at great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the locations of the 13 new shelters : Also on Thursday , the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced that it will extend the operations of its winter shelters , which had been scheduled to close as the end of March .
Some of the 900 beds at the shelters will be available through April 30 , while others will remain through the end of September .
“ During this crisis , it ’ s more important than ever to provide our unhoused neighbors with safe , clean places to shelter and practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interim executive director , Heidi Marston , said in a statement .
“ We ’ re grateful to our partners at the county and city of Los Angeles for their support to make this possible .
”

Tents line a street near in the skid row area of Los Angeles.
The city of Los Angeles on Thursday released the locations of 13 recreation centers that will become temporary shelters for homeless people as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow.
The shelters will open Friday, and the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks is preparing gymnasiums, finalizing 24-hour schedules for employees and ordering supplies.
Beds will be placed 6 1/2 feet apart, department spokeswoman Ashley Rodriguez said, but she couldn’t immediately say how many would be provided.
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“The department will provide beds, offer personal hygiene kits and make showers accessible,” Rodriguez said. “Meals will be provided with the support from other government agencies and nonprofit organizations.”
On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city would convert 42 of its recreation centers into temporary shelters for homeless residents, providing 6,000 new beds. The 13 announced on Thursday are the first step.
“This isn’t about forcing people onto a bus,” Garcetti said during a briefing livestreamed on Facebook. “This is about letting people know if you stay out here, you are at great risk of potentially dying.”
Here's a quick map of those 13 rec centers that will become temporary homeless shelters on Friday. I see 4 in the SF Valley and 2 in South L.A. @boreskes @latimes https://t.co/1ZGERUvFWT https://t.co/XYzXOAMZqb pic.twitter.com/yWFoKucoNX — Ben Poston LA Times (@bposton) March 20, 2020
Here are the locations of the 13 new shelters:
Granada Hills Recreation Center, 16730 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills
Hollywood Recreation Center, 1122 Cole Ave., Los Angeles
Northridge Recreation Center, 18300 Lemarsh St., Northridge
Westchester Recreation Center, 7000 W. Manchester Ave., Los Angeles
North Hollywood Recreation Center, 11430 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood
Pan Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
Woodland Hills Recreation Center, 5858 Shoup Ave., Woodland Hills
Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles
Yosemite Recreation Center, 1840 Yosemite Drive, Los Angeles
Central Recreation Center, 1357 E. 22nd St., Los Angeles
Echo Park Community Center, 303 Patton St., Los Angeles
Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor Ave., Los Angeles
109th Recreation Center, 1464 East 109th St., Los Angeles
Also on Thursday, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced that it will extend the operations of its winter shelters, which had been scheduled to close as the end of March.
Some of the 900 beds at the shelters will be available through April 30, while others will remain through the end of September.
“During this crisis, it’s more important than ever to provide our unhoused neighbors with safe, clean places to shelter and practice good hygiene,” LAHSA’s interim executive director, Heidi Marston, said in a statement. “We’re grateful to our partners at the county and city of Los Angeles for their support to make this possible.”


latimes--2020-03-20--Here is what you can do and can't do under L.A.'s new coronavirus health orders

Los Angeles city and county officials issued sweeping new rules Thursday to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
But they were very different from each other .
The city of Los Angeles , with a population of 4 million : • Orders Los Angeles residents to remain in their homes , with exceptions ; • Requires all Los Angeles businesses that require in-person attendance to cease operations , with exceptions ; and • Bans all gatherings outside a home , with exceptions .
The county of Los Angeles , with a population of 10 million : • Does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes ; • Only requires retail businesses that are considered nonessential to shut down ; and • Bans gatherings of 10 or more people , with exceptions .
Both orders went into effect just before midnight Friday morning and last through April 19 .
Violations of either the city or county order can be enforced as a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and imprisonment .
The cities of Long Beach and Pasadena , which are in L.A. County but have their own health departments , issued similar orders to the one issued by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new L.A. city and county rules were announced , Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order instructing all 40 million California residents to stay at home as much as possible , with certain exceptions .
City of Los Angeles : Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered all persons living in the city to remain in their homes , with certain exceptions , such as : • To exercise , but remain 6 feet away from others , such as walking , hiking , running , cycling , using scooters , roller skates , skateboards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household members to go to a place to walk , hike , run or ride a bike .
• To care for a family member , a friend , or a pet in another household • All first responders , gang and crisis intervention workers , public health workers , emergency management personnel , emergency dispatchers , law enforcement personnel , and others working for emergency services providers are exempt .
• To do certain business operations and activities that are exempted , and listed below .
While doing these things , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer , cover coughs and sneezes , clean high-touch surfaces and not shake hands .
Homeless people are exempt .
People are allowed on Friday to go to work to gather belongings .
County of Los Angeles : There is no stay at home order enforceable as a misdemeanor and punishable as a fine or imprisonment .
City of Los Angeles : All businesses within the city of Los Angeles are ordered to cease operations that require in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including malls and shopping centers , with exceptions for certain essential businesses that have exterior doors .
Businesses that can continue by telecommuting can continue to operate .
Exceptions are listed below .
County of Los Angeles : Only retail stores considered not essential are ordered shut .
This includes malls and shopping centers .
Essential stores are listed below .
Children ’ s playgrounds are ordered closed in both the city and county .
City of Los Angeles : All gatherings outside a home are banned , except for exempted activities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 or more people are banned .
Just three days earlier , the county banned gatherings of 50 or more people .
For gatherings that are not banned , the county orders that : • People inside stay separated by at least six feet • People have access to handwashing facilities with soap and water or hand sanitizer with at least 60 % alcohol • A sign is posted instructing sick people to stay out • People are allowed to exercise , such as go on a hike and walk • People are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as grocery stores and to pick up takeout food at restaurants • The site should be cleaned and disinfected .
For both the city and county , to the extent possible , child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions : • Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer ( “ stable ” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day ) ; • Children shall not change from one group to another ; • If more than one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one facility , each group shall be in a separate room .
Groups shall not mix with each other ; • Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children .
County of Los Angeles : Personal grooming services are allowed to remain open .
Previous orders issued by the city and county requires restaurants to offer food by takeout or delivery only .
Previous orders issued by the city and county required gyms , movie theaters and bars that don ’ t serve food to close .
Businesses exempted from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations , including hospitals , clinics , dentists , pharmacies , pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies , medical and scientific research , laboratories , healthcare suppliers , home healthcare services providers , veterinary care providers , mental health providers , physical therapists and chiropractors , cannabis dispensaries , or any related services , manufacturers and suppliers .
• Grocery stores , water retailers , certified farmers markets , farm and produce stands , convenience stores , warehouse stores , food banks , convenience stores and stores that sell other household consumer products such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products , and stores that sell products needed to maintain safety , sanitation and essential operation of homes .
• Food cultivation , such as farming , fishing and livestock .
• Organizations and businesses that provide food , shelter and social services , and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals , including gang prevention and intervention , domestic violence , and homeless services agencies .
• Plumbers , electricians , exterminators , custodial/janitorial workers , handyman services , funeral home workers and morticians , moving services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , carpenters , landscapers , gardeners , property managers , private security personnel and other service providers who provide services to maintain the safety , sanitation and essential operation to properties and other essential activities discussed in this subsection .
• Educational institutions — including public and private K-12 schools , colleges and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible .
• Restaurants can be open only for pickup or delivery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Businesses must establish measures to keep patrons six feet away from each other .
• Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home .
• Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support , services or supplies necessary to operate , provided that strict social distancing is maintained .
This section includes , without limitation , utility companies .
• Businesses that ship or deliver groceries , food , beverages or goods directly to residences or businesses .
• Airlines , taxis , ride-sharing services and other private transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities and other purposes expressly authorized in this order .
• Residential facilities and shelters for disabled persons , seniors , adults and children .
• Professional services , such as legal , payroll or accounting services , when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities .
• Child-care facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted .
To the extent possible , child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions : • Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day ) .
• Children shall not change from one group to another .
• If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility , each group shall be in a separate room .
Groups shall not mix with each other .
• Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children • Military/defense contractors/federally funded research and development centers .
Essential personnel may leave their residence to provide any service or perform any work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without limitation , defense , intelligence and aerospace development and manufacturing for the Department of Defense , the intelligence community , and NASA and other federal government , and/or United States government departments and agencies .
Essential personnel include prime , subprime and supplier contractor employees , at both the prime contract level and any supplier level at any tier , working on federal United States government contracts , such as contracts for national intelligence and national security requirements .
Essential retail businesses exempted from order to shut down • Grocery stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce stands , supermarkets , food banks , convenience stores and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food , dry goods , fresh fruit and vegetables , pet supply , water , fresh meats , fish and poultry , and any other household consumer products ( such as cleaning or personal care products ) .
This includes stores that sell groceries and sell other non-grocery products , and products necessary to maintaining the safety , sanitation and essential operation of residences ; • Businesses that provide food , shelter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals ; • Plumbers , electricians , exterminators , custodial/janitorial workers , handyman services , funeral home workers and morticians , moving services , HVAC installers , carpenters , vegetation services , tree maintenance , landscapers , gardeners , property managers , private security personnel and other service providers who provide services to maintain the safety , sanitation and essential operation to properties and other essential businesses ; • Educational institutions ( including public and private K-12 schools , colleges , and universities ) for purposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functions , provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintaining to the greatest extent possible ; • Restaurants and other food facilities that prepare and serve food , but only for delivery , drive-thru or carryout ; • Businesses that supply office or computer products needed by people who work from home ; • Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate ; • Businesses that ship , truck , provide logistical support or deliver groceries , food , goods or services directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , essential infrastructure ; • Airlines , taxis and other private transportation providers offering transportation services necessary for activities of daily living and other purposes expressly authorized in this order ; • Businesses that provide parts and service for essential infrastructure ; • Residential facilities and shelters for seniors , adults , disabled persons and children ; • Professional services , such as legal or accounting services , when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities , and the permitting , inspection , construction , transfer and recording of ownership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Military/defense contractors/federally funded research and development centers .
For purposes of this order , essential personnel may leave their residence to provide any service or perform any work deemed essential for national security including , but not limited to defense , intelligence and aerospace development and manufacturing for the Department of Defense , the intelligence community , and NASA and other federal government , and or United States government departments and agencies .
Essential personnel include prime , subprime and supplier contractor employees , at both the prime contract level and any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on federal United States government contracts such as contracts rated under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System and contracts for national intelligence and national security requirements ; • Child-care facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted .
To the extent possible , child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions : ( 1 ) Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer ( “ stable ” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not change from one group to another ; ( 3 ) If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility , each group shall be in a separate room .
Groups shall not mix with each other ; ( 4 ) Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children .

On the first day of L.A.’s ‘Safer at Home’ order, Union Station was restricted to only ticketed passengers.
Los Angeles city and county officials issued sweeping new rules Thursday to limit the spread of the coronavirus. But they were very different from each other.
The city of Los Angeles, with a population of 4 million:
Orders Los Angeles residents to remain in their homes, with exceptions;
Requires all Los Angeles businesses that require in-person attendance to cease operations, with exceptions; and
Bans all gatherings outside a home, with exceptions.
The county of Los Angeles, with a population of 10 million:
Does not order county residents to remain in their homes;
Only requires retail businesses that are considered nonessential to shut down; and
Bans gatherings of 10 or more people, with exceptions.
Both orders went into effect just before midnight Friday morning and last through April 19. Violations of either the city or county order can be enforced as a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and imprisonment.
The cities of Long Beach and Pasadena, which are in L.A. County but have their own health departments, issued similar orders to the one issued by Los Angeles County.
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Shortly after the new L.A. city and county rules were announced, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order instructing all 40 million California residents to stay at home as much as possible, with certain exceptions.
Stay at home order
City of Los Angeles: Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered all persons living in the city to remain in their homes, with certain exceptions, such as:
To visit a healthcare or veterinary professional
To exercise, but remain 6 feet away from others, such as walking, hiking, running, cycling, using scooters, roller skates, skateboards, or travel in a vehicle with household members to go to a place to walk, hike, run or ride a bike.
Obtain medical supplies
Buy groceries
To care for a family member, a friend, or a pet in another household
Returning to a home outside Los Angeles
Traveling to a home outside Los Angeles
Comply with a court or law enforcement order
Legally mandated government purposes
All first responders, gang and crisis intervention workers, public health workers, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, law enforcement personnel, and others working for emergency services providers are exempt.
To do certain business operations and activities that are exempted, and listed below.
While doing these things, people should keep 6 feet from others, frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer, cover coughs and sneezes, clean high-touch surfaces and not shake hands.
Homeless people are exempt. People are allowed on Friday to go to work to gather belongings.
County of Los Angeles: There is no stay at home order enforceable as a misdemeanor and punishable as a fine or imprisonment.
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Closure of businesses
City of Los Angeles: All businesses within the city of Los Angeles are ordered to cease operations that require in-person attendance by workers at a workplace, including malls and shopping centers, with exceptions for certain essential businesses that have exterior doors. Businesses that can continue by telecommuting can continue to operate. Exceptions are listed below.
County of Los Angeles: Only retail stores considered not essential are ordered shut. This includes malls and shopping centers. Essential stores are listed below.
Playgrounds
Children’s playgrounds are ordered closed in both the city and county.
Gatherings
City of Los Angeles: All gatherings outside a home are banned, except for exempted activities.
County of Los Angeles: Gatherings of 10 or more people are banned. Just three days earlier, the county banned gatherings of 50 or more people.
For gatherings that are not banned, the county orders that:
People inside stay separated by at least six feet
People have access to handwashing facilities with soap and water or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
A sign is posted instructing sick people to stay out
People are allowed to exercise, such as go on a hike and walk
People are allowed to go to essential businesses, such as grocery stores and to pick up takeout food at restaurants
The site should be cleaned and disinfected.
Child-care centers
For both the city and county, to the extent possible, child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions:
Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day);
Children shall not change from one group to another;
If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other;
Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children.
Personal grooming services
City of Los Angeles: Personal grooming services are ordered shut.
County of Los Angeles: Personal grooming services are allowed to remain open.
Restaurants
Previous orders issued by the city and county requires restaurants to offer food by takeout or delivery only.
Gyms, movie theaters, bars
Previous orders issued by the city and county required gyms, movie theaters and bars that don’t serve food to close.
Businesses exempted from the order to shut down
City of Los Angeles
All healthcare operations, including hospitals, clinics, dentists, pharmacies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical and scientific research, laboratories, healthcare suppliers, home healthcare services providers, veterinary care providers, mental health providers, physical therapists and chiropractors, cannabis dispensaries, or any related services, manufacturers and suppliers.
Grocery stores, water retailers, certified farmers markets, farm and produce stands, convenience stores, warehouse stores, food banks, convenience stores and stores that sell other household consumer products such as construction supplies, cleaning and personal care products, and stores that sell products needed to maintain safety, sanitation and essential operation of homes.
Food cultivation, such as farming, fishing and livestock.
Organizations and businesses that provide food, shelter and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, including gang prevention and intervention, domestic violence, and homeless services agencies.
Newspapers, television, radio, magazine, podcast and other media services.
Gas service stations, auto supply, mobile auto repair operations, auto repair shops, bicycle repair shops and related facilities.
Banks, credit unions, financial institutions and insurance companies.
Hardware and building supply stores, and nurseries.
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, custodial/janitorial workers, handyman services, funeral home workers and morticians, moving services, heating, ventilation and air conditioning installers, carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, property managers, private security personnel and other service providers who provide services to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation to properties and other essential activities discussed in this subsection.
Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes.
Educational institutions — including public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities — for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible.
Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers.
Restaurants can be open only for pickup or delivery of food; dine-in eating is banned. Businesses must establish measures to keep patrons six feet away from each other.
Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home.
Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support, services or supplies necessary to operate, provided that strict social distancing is maintained. This section includes, without limitation, utility companies.
Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, beverages or goods directly to residences or businesses.
Airlines, taxis, ride-sharing services and other private transportation services providing transportation services necessary for essential activities and other purposes expressly authorized in this order.
Home-based care for disabled persons, seniors, adults or children.
Residential facilities and shelters for disabled persons, seniors, adults and children.
Professional services, such as legal, payroll or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities.
Child-care facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, child-care facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions: Child care must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day). Children shall not change from one group to another. If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other. Child-care providers shall remain solely with one group of children
Hotels, motels, shared rental units and similar facilities.
Military/defense contractors/federally funded research and development centers. Essential personnel may leave their residence to provide any service or perform any work deemed essential for national security, including, without limitation, defense, intelligence and aerospace development and manufacturing for the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and NASA and other federal government, and/or United States government departments and agencies. Essential personnel include prime, subprime and supplier contractor employees, at both the prime contract level and any supplier level at any tier, working on federal United States government contracts, such as contracts for national intelligence and national security requirements.
Essential retail businesses exempted from order to shut down
County of Los Angeles
Grocery stores, certified farmers markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, pet supply, water, fresh meats, fish and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning or personal care products). This includes stores that sell groceries and sell other non-grocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences;


latimes--2020-03-19--$2-million bail for suspect in Tahoe child sex abuse investigation

A three-month investigation into the sexual abuse of multiple children in the South Lake Tahoe area has led to the arrest of a 51-year-old man on 99 felony counts .
Scott Flanders of South Lake Tahoe , was being held Thursday in the El Dorado County Jail on $ 2 million bail , South Lake Tahoe police said in a statement .
They say he was arrested Wednesday in the Placerville , Calif. , area with assistance of authorities in Sacramento .
Investigators believe there may be many more victims in California , Nevada , Washington and Oregon .
Flanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a child , oral copulation of a child , lewd acts upon a child and sexual penetration with a foreign object on a child , all under the age of 14 .
Police said they believe there are additional victims in areas where Flanders has lived , including San Jose , Salinas , Pacific Grove , Boulder Creek , Palmdale , Aptos , Fort Bragg , Sunland , Mendocino and Watsonville in California ; as well as Woodinville and Vancouver , Wash. ; and Las Vegas .
It ’ s not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be appointed one at a pending court appearance .
Anyone with information is asked to call South Lake Tahoe police at ( 530 ) 542-6100 .

A three-month investigation into the sexual abuse of multiple children in the South Lake Tahoe area has led to the arrest of a 51-year-old man on 99 felony counts.
Scott Flanders of South Lake Tahoe, was being held Thursday in the El Dorado County Jail on $2 million bail, South Lake Tahoe police said in a statement. They say he was arrested Wednesday in the Placerville, Calif., area with assistance of authorities in Sacramento.
Investigators believe there may be many more victims in California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon.
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Flanders was booked on suspicion of sexual abuse of a child, oral copulation of a child, lewd acts upon a child and sexual penetration with a foreign object on a child, all under the age of 14.
Police said they believe there are additional victims in areas where Flanders has lived, including San Jose, Salinas, Pacific Grove, Boulder Creek, Palmdale, Aptos, Fort Bragg, Sunland, Mendocino and Watsonville in California; as well as Woodinville and Vancouver, Wash.; and Las Vegas.
It’s not clear whether Flanders has a lawyer or will be appointed one at a pending court appearance.
Anyone with information is asked to call South Lake Tahoe police at (530) 542-6100.