latimes--2020-04-02--Californians won't have their water service turned off for unpaid bills during coronavirus crisis, N

Californians won't have their water service turned off for unpaid bills during coronavirus crisis, Newsom says

Californians won ’ t have their water turned off due to unpaid bills during the coronavirus crisis , and those who already had it turned off will have their service restored , under action taken Thursday by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
The governor ’ s directive comes in response to calls from environmental justice organizations for assistance to low-income residents facing mounting financial pressures .
“ This executive order will help people who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring they have water service , ” Newsom said in a written statement after hinting at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Water is critical to our very lives , and in this time it is critically important that it is available for everyone.
” The decision also requires that residential water service be restored to those who had it turned off for lack of payment since March 4 , when the statewide coronavirus emergency went into effect .
“ People are under enormous pressure economically and the last thing they need to worry about now is not having access to water , ” said Steve Fleischli , senior director of water initiatives at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100 private and public water agencies had already offered help to customers unable to pay their bills , according to Newsom ’ s office .
Governors in several other states , including Michigan , Ohio and North Carolina , have issued similar orders ensuring that water service won ’ t be denied to those who don ’ t pay their bills .
Fleischli said that while the decision by Newsom is welcome news , it won ’ t help those struggling Californians who had water service shut off due to unpaid bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We think everyone should be connected , ” he said .
Nor does it address the needs of rural communities that rely on bottled supplies because of contaminants in tap water .
The financial impact to water agencies remains unclear , as does whether the state government might agree to replace lost operating dollars .
Newsom ’ s order includes small businesses in the moratorium for water shutoffs , though that would likely only apply to those following state or local directives permitting only “ essential ” businesses to remain open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti approved water shutoffs to nonessential businesses that refuse to close their doors .
The governor also announced on Thursday an additional boost to small business owners , granting them a one-year delay in paying up to $ 50,000 in sales taxes — money paid by customers and normally sent every month to government officials .
“ In essence , it is a bridge loan , ” the governor said of the new effort during his webcast .
“ The money that you ’ ve already collected , you will not have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No penalties , no interest — de facto a loan.
” Newsom issued an executive order on Monday that gave businesses until the end of July to comply with sales tax filings .
The action taken Thursday pushes out the requirements to a full year .
Only businesses that have $ 5 million or less in taxable sales would be eligible .
But the relief for some business owners could come at the expense of local services .
A sizable portion of sales taxes , though sent by businesses to the state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across California .
Dozens of communities have enacted their own local sales taxes , either to pay for basic programs such as public safety or to boost other government services .
A 2018 report by the independent Legislative Analyst ’ s Office found that slightly more than half of all annual sales and use taxes goes back to local needs .
Newsom ’ s decision to allow a business to hold onto $ 50,000 of those tax revenues could mean reduced funds in the coming months for a variety of vital city and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California cities and counties didn ’ t immediately respond to requests for comment .

Californians won’t have their water turned off due to unpaid bills during the coronavirus crisis, and those who already had it turned off will have their service restored, under action taken Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The governor’s directive comes in response to calls from environmental justice organizations for assistance to low-income residents facing mounting financial pressures.
“This executive order will help people who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring they have water service,” Newsom said in a written statement after hinting at the action during an event broadcast online. “Water is critical to our very lives, and in this time it is critically important that it is available for everyone.”
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The decision also requires that residential water service be restored to those who had it turned off for lack of payment since March 4, when the statewide coronavirus emergency went into effect.
“People are under enormous pressure economically and the last thing they need to worry about now is not having access to water,” said Steve Fleischli, senior director of water initiatives at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
More than 100 private and public water agencies had already offered help to customers unable to pay their bills, according to Newsom’s office.
Governors in several other states, including Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina, have issued similar orders ensuring that water service won’t be denied to those who don’t pay their bills.
Fleischli said that while the decision by Newsom is welcome news, it won’t help those struggling Californians who had water service shut off due to unpaid bills prior to the public health crisis.
“We think everyone should be connected,” he said. Nor does it address the needs of rural communities that rely on bottled supplies because of contaminants in tap water.
The financial impact to water agencies remains unclear, as does whether the state government might agree to replace lost operating dollars.
Newsom’s order includes small businesses in the moratorium for water shutoffs, though that would likely only apply to those following state or local directives permitting only “essential” businesses to remain open. On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti approved water shutoffs to nonessential businesses that refuse to close their doors.
The governor also announced on Thursday an additional boost to small business owners, granting them a one-year delay in paying up to $50,000 in sales taxes — money paid by customers and normally sent every month to government officials.
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“In essence, it is a bridge loan,” the governor said of the new effort during his webcast. “The money that you’ve already collected, you will not have to pay the state for 12 months. No penalties, no interest — de facto a loan.”
Newsom issued an executive order on Monday that gave businesses until the end of July to comply with sales tax filings. The action taken Thursday pushes out the requirements to a full year. Only businesses that have $5 million or less in taxable sales would be eligible.
But the relief for some business owners could come at the expense of local services. A sizable portion of sales taxes, though sent by businesses to the state, is later returned to cities and counties across California. Dozens of communities have enacted their own local sales taxes, either to pay for basic programs such as public safety or to boost other government services.
A 2018 report by the independent Legislative Analyst’s Office found that slightly more than half of all annual sales and use taxes goes back to local needs.
Newsom’s decision to allow a business to hold onto $50,000 of those tax revenues could mean reduced funds in the coming months for a variety of vital city and county services.
“It’s unclear how this initiative will be implemented, but it simply cannot occur in a manner that redirects county funding and erodes the very services most in need,” Graham Knaus, executive director of the California State Assn. of Counties, said in a written statement. “Counties face dire cash flow challenges due to COVID-19 costs to protect communities and cannot absorb a significant loss of sales tax revenue that would directly impact funding for public safety, public health and behavioral health services.”
A spokesman for the California Department of Finance said there was no immediate plan to replace the delayed local funds with an equal amount of state tax revenue. Newsom has allocated some, but not all, of the $1 billion in emergency response funds approved by the Legislature last month.


latimes--2020-04-02--Are you a landlord whose tenants can't pay rent because of coronavirus?

Millions of Americans are now out of work , or suffering a loss of hours , as large parts of @ @ @ @ @ beat back the coronavirus .
Many renters suddenly can ’ t afford their rent and @ @ @ @ @ to turn for help .
The state of California and local municipalities have rolled out @ @ @ @ @ prevent evictions and give renters some time to pay back rent they suddenly can ’ @ @ @ @ @ landlords now wonder how they can afford to pay their own bills if rent collections @ @ @ @ @ ’ t evict struggling tenants .
The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor how landlords @ @ @ @ @ of income and whether they are able to find help from their banks .
If @ @ @ @ @ tenants can ’ t pay rent because of coronavirus , please share your story with @ @ @

Many landlords are wondering how they can afford to pay their own bills if rent collections dry up and they can’t evict struggling tenants.
Millions of Americans are now out of work, or suffering a loss of hours, as large parts of the economy shut down to beat back the coronavirus.
Many renters suddenly can’t afford their rent and don’t know where to turn for help. The state of California and local municipalities have rolled out several policies that seek to prevent evictions and give renters some time to pay back rent they suddenly can’t afford.
But many landlords now wonder how they can afford to pay their own bills if rent collections dry up and they can’t evict struggling tenants.
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The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor how landlords are grappling with a loss of income and whether they are able to find help from their banks. If you are a landlord whose tenants can’t pay rent because of coronavirus, please share your story with us below.


latimes--2020-04-02--Coronavirus spreads in Los Angeles' homeless community

There are nine confirmed cases of coronavirus among Los Angeles ’ homeless population , said Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health , at her Thursday media briefing .
This is up from five the day before and comes as the city and county attempt to more aggressively test in places like skid row .
Ferrer said it was challenging to know exactly where in the county these homeless people had been , but so far there had been no clustering of cases .
She said there had been cases at two shelters but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations .
The Times reported earlier this week that the first confirmed case on skid row came from an employee of the Union Rescue Mission who lived in the shelter .
“ If we ’ re able to , we quarantine at the shelter everybody who ’ s been exposed .
And sometimes , at a smaller shelter , that could mean we ’ re quarantining the entire facility , ” Ferrer said .
“ But we also will go in and identify who are the people most vulnerable , who had an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an isolated site for them to serve out their quarantine .
” Ferrer said public health staff quarantined 22 homeless people from a shelter in their own rooms at another facility .
The city has scrambled to open shelter beds in shuttered community centers and rent motel beds where homeless individuals can live in isolation .
As the city has moved homeless people off the streets , county officials have been working to secure thousands of beds both for shelters and for isolation or quarantine .
The L.A. County Office of Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space for patients to quarantine or isolate themselves , had 460 rooms ready this week — including 112 trailers at Dockweiler State Beach — and is preparing to open 442 more rooms .
Only 51 people were using them as of Tuesday .
More will be used as more people are confirmed to have COVID-19 or possible exposure to the disease , the agency ’ s director , Kevin McGowan , previously told The Times .

Outreach nurse Kenya Smith, right, leaves food for Davis Soto, who is homeless, last month in Los Angeles.
There are nine confirmed cases of coronavirus among Los Angeles’ homeless population, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, at her Thursday media briefing.
This is up from five the day before and comes as the city and county attempt to more aggressively test in places like skid row. Ferrer said it was challenging to know exactly where in the county these homeless people had been, but so far there had been no clustering of cases.
She said there had been cases at two shelters but didn’t reveal their names or locations.
The Times reported earlier this week that the first confirmed case on skid row came from an employee of the Union Rescue Mission who lived in the shelter.
“If we’re able to, we quarantine at the shelter everybody who’s been exposed. And sometimes, at a smaller shelter, that could mean we’re quarantining the entire facility,” Ferrer said. “But we also will go in and identify who are the people most vulnerable, who had an exposure, and we move those people to an isolated site for them to serve out their quarantine. ”
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Ferrer said public health staff quarantined 22 homeless people from a shelter in their own rooms at another facility. The city has scrambled to open shelter beds in shuttered community centers and rent motel beds where homeless individuals can live in isolation.
As the city has moved homeless people off the streets, county officials have been working to secure thousands of beds both for shelters and for isolation or quarantine.
The L.A. County Office of Emergency Management, which is responsible for providing space for patients to quarantine or isolate themselves, had 460 rooms ready this week — including 112 trailers at Dockweiler State Beach — and is preparing to open 442 more rooms.
Only 51 people were using them as of Tuesday. More will be used as more people are confirmed to have COVID-19 or possible exposure to the disease, the agency’s director, Kevin McGowan, previously told The Times.


latimes--2020-04-02--Have you applied for mortgage relief because of the coronavirus?

Millions of Americans are now out of work , or suffering a loss of hours , as large parts of @ @ @ @ @ beat back the coronavirus .
For homeowners taking a hit , lenders are offering relief @ @ @ @ @ programs that allow borrowers to defer payments .
The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor @ @ @ @ @ working and how many people are seeking help .
If you ’ ve applied for @ @ @ @ @ story with us below .

Millions of Americans are now out of work, or suffering a loss of hours, as large parts of the economy shut down to beat back the coronavirus.
For homeowners taking a hit, lenders are offering relief in the terms of forbearance programs that allow borrowers to defer payments.
The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor how well these programs are working and how many people are seeking help. If you’ve applied for relief, please share your story with us below.


latimes--2020-04-02--Are you unable to pay rent because of the coronavirus?

Millions of Americans are now out of work , or suffering a loss of hours , as large parts of @ @ @ @ @ beat back the coronavirus .
For tenants taking a hit , the state of California @ @ @ @ @ out several policies that seek to prevent evictions and give renters some time to pay @ @ @ @ @ ’ t afford .
The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor how easy it is @ @ @ @ @ from their landlords and how landlords are responding .
If you ’ ve sought help @ @ @ @ @ share your story with us below .

Some renters are struggling to make their monthly payments as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Millions of Americans are now out of work, or suffering a loss of hours, as large parts of the economy shut down to beat back the coronavirus.
For tenants taking a hit, the state of California and local municipalities have rolled out several policies that seek to prevent evictions and give renters some time to pay back rent they suddenly can’t afford.
The Los Angeles Times wants to monitor how easy it is for tenants to seek help from their landlords and how landlords are responding. If you’ve sought help from your landlord, please share your story with us below.


latimes--2020-04-02--Patrick Soon-Shiong seeks to buy St. Vincent hospital, create 'central command' for coronavirus

A family foundation controlled by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is seeking to buy an empty hospital near downtown Los Angeles and turn it into a sprawling campus for COVID-19 patients and coronavirus research .
Soon-Shiong and his wife , Michele B. Chan , run the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation , which has offered to purchase St. Vincent Medical Center out of bankruptcy for $ 135 million .
Soon-Shiong , who owns The Times , said in an interview that the goal was to create a “ central command ” center that would attract doctors and experts on the virus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state recently moved to lease the property to help the region cope with the coronavirus pandemic , and Soon-Shiong said his purchase would bolster that effort .
“ That ’ s what every city should have done , they should have established a central command , ” Soon-Shiong said , adding that “ we are in a war zone now.
” A judge on Wednesday approved the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation as the lead bidder for the hospital at a federal Bankruptcy Court hearing .
Competing offers must be submitted to the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed since January amid bankruptcy proceedings , a blow to the working-class , predominantly Latino neighborhood served by the hospital .
Politicians talked earlier this year about using the medical center at 3rd and Alvarado streets to help the area ’ s homeless population , but the proposal didn ’ t gain traction .
The foundation ’ s bid marks the latest twist for St. Vincent , which was founded in the 1850s by the Daughters of Charity — six nuns who wanted to offer services to the poor and saw a need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is now owned by Verity Health System , a nonprofit operator of California hospitals , which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2018 .
At the time , Verity officials said the company had more than $ 1 billion in debt from bonds and unfunded pension liabilities and needed cash to make seismic ugrades to its aging facilities .
They said they purchased St. Vincent and five other hospitals in 2017 hoping to restore them to financial health but could not .
The bankruptcy creditors include the hospital system ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is controlled by NantWorks , the Culver City company led by Soon-Shiong .
NantWorks-related entities contributed more than $ 300 million in unsecured and secured loans and investments to the chain as part of Integrity ’ s efforts to recapitalize and revitalize the hospitals .
Verity opted to cancel the contract with Integrity as part of its bankruptcy proceedings , ending Soon-Shiong ’ s relationship with the hospitals , according to court records .
The Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation was founded in 2009 .
Soon-Shiong said the foundation has “ nothing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term plan for St. Vincent Medical Center is still being worked out , Soon-Shiong said .
If the sale to his foundation goes through , the infrastructure “ needs a significant amount of work , ” he said , and it ’ s unclear whether the center would operate as a hospital after the pandemic .
“ I think we have to address the homelessness issue , we have to address the mental health issue , we have to address the poverty issue , and that ’ s the mission of the foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state will be in charge of staffing the hospital .
Court filings show that the state will pay $ 2.6 million a month for the lease with St. Vincent .
The court set a hearing Monday for an auction if other bids are submitted .
A final hearing on the sale is scheduled later next week .
Louis Cisz , attorney for American Hospital Properties of California , said his client also hoped to bid on the center and was disappointed with the timeline .
“ Because of the ruling [ Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re not sure we can complete the bidding in time , ” Cisz said .
“ This is a very accelerated process .
In our view , the lead bidder wanted to close the sale as soon as possible.
” Soon-Shiong said that bankruptcy proceedings had been going on for two years , challenging criticisms that the sale process is now moving quickly .
However , there “ is an urgency in regards to COVID , ” Soon-Shiong said .
“ We literally have weeks before we have a huge @ @ @

The Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation is seeking to buy St. Vincent Medical Center near downtown Los Angeles and use the campus to help with the coronavirus crisis.
A family foundation controlled by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is seeking to buy an empty hospital near downtown Los Angeles and turn it into a sprawling campus for COVID-19 patients and coronavirus research.
Soon-Shiong and his wife, Michele B. Chan, run the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, which has offered to purchase St. Vincent Medical Center out of bankruptcy for $135 million.
Soon-Shiong, who owns The Times, said in an interview that the goal was to create a “central command” center that would attract doctors and experts on the virus, and relieve pressure on other hospitals.
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The state recently moved to lease the property to help the region cope with the coronavirus outbreak, and Soon-Shiong said his purchase would bolster that effort.
“That’s what every city should have done, they should have established a central command,” Soon-Shiong said, adding that “we are in a war zone now.”
A judge on Wednesday approved the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation as the lead bidder for the hospital at a federal Bankruptcy Court hearing. Competing offers must be submitted to the court by Friday.
St. Vincent has been closed since January amid bankruptcy proceedings, a blow to the working-class, predominantly Latino neighborhood served by the hospital.
Politicians talked this year about using the medical center at 3rd and Alvarado streets to help the area’s homeless population, but the proposal didn’t gain traction.
The foundation’s bid marks the latest twist for St. Vincent, which was founded in the 1850s by the Daughters of Charity — six nuns who wanted to offer services to the poor and saw a need for healthcare in a growing L.A.
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It is now owned by Verity Health System, a nonprofit operator of California hospitals, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2018.
At the time, Verity officials said the company had more than $1 billion in debt from bonds and unfunded pension liabilities and needed cash to make seismic ugrades to its aging facilities. They said they purchased St. Vincent and five other hospitals in 2017 hoping to restore them to financial health but could not.
The bankruptcy creditors include the hospital system’s former management company, Integrity Healthcare, which is controlled by NantWorks, the Culver City company led by Soon-Shiong.
NantWorks-related entities contributed more than $300 million in unsecured and secured loans and investments to the chain as part of Integrity’s efforts to recapitalize and revitalize the hospitals. Verity opted to cancel the contract with Integrity as part of its bankruptcy proceedings, ending Soon-Shiong’s relationship with the hospitals, according to court records.
The Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation was founded in 2009. Soon-Shiong said the foundation has “nothing to do with” NantWorks.
The long-term plan for St. Vincent Medical Center is still being worked out, Soon-Shiong said. If the sale to his foundation goes through, the infrastructure “needs a significant amount of work,” he said, and it’s unclear whether the center would operate as a hospital after the pandemic.
“I think we have to address the homelessness issue, we have to address the mental health issue, we have to address the poverty issue, and that’s the mission of the foundation,” Soon-Shiong said.
Soon-Shiong said the state will be in charge of staffing the hospital. Court filings show that the state will pay $2.6 million a month to lease St. Vincent.
The court set a hearing Monday for an auction if other bids are submitted. A final hearing on the sale is scheduled for later next week.
Louis Cisz, attorney for American Hospital Properties of California, said his client also hoped to bid on the center and was disappointed with the timeline.
“Because of the ruling [Wednesday], and the short time frame, we’re not sure we can complete the bidding in time,” Cisz said. “This is a very accelerated process. In our view, the lead bidder wanted to close the sale as soon as possible.”
Soon-Shiong said that bankruptcy proceedings had been going on for two years, challenging criticisms that the sale process is now moving quickly.
However, there “is an urgency in regards to COVID,” Soon-Shiong said. “We literally have weeks before we have a huge surge.”
Times staff writer Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-02--Newsom says face coverings can help, but California won't mandate now

Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Thursday that face coverings are beneficial for trips to grocery stores , but his administration has stopped short of telling Californians to wear them outside .
“ We believe and we put out guidelines that if individuals want to have face coverings , that is a good thing and a preferable thing , in addition to the physical distancing and the stay-at-home order , ” Newsom said .
“ We have been very clear that if you are going into an environment where physical distancing is all but impossible , for example , into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long queue , that we do believe it would be additive and beneficial to have a face covering.
” Newsom discussed face coverings after the California Department of Public Health released guidance that read more like a list of pros and cons than a clear directive to help people protect themselves .
State health officials said cloth face coverings could remind other people to keep their distance and reduce spread of the virus by asymptomatic carriers .
But the officials added that face coverings could also increase risk if people wear them at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand washing .
“ Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing or frequent hand washing , which we know are among the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 , ” said Dr. Sonia Angell , director of the California Department of Public Health and state health officer .
Newsom said he ’ s concerned about mandating face coverings because he wants N-95 masks , surgical masks and other protective gear in short supply to go to healthcare workers .
Meanwhile , local officials in areas inundated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state and advised residents to cover their faces .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday told residents to continue to stay home and to wear homemade , non-medical face coverings — or even bandannas — when they go outdoors to complete essential tasks .
urged residents to cover their noses and mouths when out in public .
Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently state that healthy people unless they work in healthcare or are caring for an infected person , but the agency is reviewing those recommendations @ @ @ @ @

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that face coverings are beneficial for trips to grocery stores, but his administration has stopped short of telling Californians to wear them outside.
“We believe and we put out guidelines that if individuals want to have face coverings, that is a good thing and a preferable thing, in addition to the physical distancing and the stay-at-home order,” Newsom said. “We have been very clear that if you are going into an environment where physical distancing is all but impossible, for example, into a grocery store with small aisles and a long queue, that we do believe it would be additive and beneficial to have a face covering.”
Newsom discussed face coverings after the California Department of Public Health released guidance that read more like a list of pros and cons than a clear directive to help people protect themselves.
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State health officials said cloth face coverings could remind other people to keep their distance and reduce spread of the virus by asymptomatic carriers. But the officials added that face coverings could also increase risk if people wear them at the expense of physical distancing and frequent hand washing.
“Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing or frequent hand washing, which we know are among the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health and state health officer.
Newsom said he’s concerned about mandating face coverings because he wants N-95 masks, surgical masks and other protective gear in short supply to go to healthcare workers.
Meanwhile, local officials in areas inundated with the virus have gone a step further than the state and advised residents to cover their faces.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday told residents to continue to stay home and to wear homemade, non-medical face coverings — or even bandannas — when they go outdoors to complete essential tasks. Riverside County health officials on Tuesday urged residents to cover their noses and mouths when out in public.


latimes--2020-04-02--Ventura County reports 11 new coronavirus cases, adds restrictions on businesses

Ventura County officials are reminding businesses to adhere to social distancing and safety measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
The county reported 11 new cases of people testing positive for COVID-19 late Wednesday , bringing the county ’ s total to 160 .
This includes 31 people who recovered and 34 who were hospitalized .
There are 124 cases under active quarantine and 2,987 people have been tested .
So far , five people in the county have died from the virus .
All of them were in their 70s or 80s and had preexisting medical conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lived .
Sixty-five people between the ages of 45 and 64 have contracted the illness , making up the largest age group , and people over 65 account for 42 cases .
Thousand Oaks has reported the most cases of COVID-19 in the region , with 33 .
On Tuesday , the county issued another order that placed additional restrictions on essential businesses , which include grocery stores and restaurants , including on what they can sell and how it is packaged .
Food must be covered , and the sale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goods is prohibited to avoid attracting crowds .
The new order was issued by Dr. Robert Levin , the county public health officer , to address confusion about what businesses are allowed to do , county spokeswoman Ashley Bautista said .
Violators will be warned before any closures are ordered , she said .
“ The goal here is to really work together in a more unified fashion ” with the community , Bautista said .
Violating the new order , which expires April 19 , is a misdemeanor .
The new order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to admit someone who has been diagnosed with or treated for COVID-19 after they ’ re released from the hospital and approved for admittance by the county health department .
Levin gave a stark warning at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday that if proper steps weren ’ t taken to stop the spread , as many as 1,000 people in the county could die from COVID-19 .
On Wednesday , California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball informed students , staff and faculty in an email that “ a member of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
The private university in Thousand Oaks did not indicate whether the person is a student or staff member .
“ There is no threat to our campus community , but I know that hearing that one of us has COVID-19 may add to the anxiety that all of us are experiencing , ” Kimball said .
The individual started experiencing symptoms on March 23 , nearly two weeks after visiting campus , and public health officials determined there was no risk of exposure , Kimball said .
The notice was by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Thursday , most students will have returned home to continue their semester online .
Sixty-seven students remain on campus , unable to return home , the school said .

A woman wears a protective mask at a bus stop in downtown Ventura on March 30. Most businesses on Main Street are closed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Ventura County officials are reminding businesses to adhere to social distancing and safety measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The county reported 11 new cases of people testing positive for COVID-19 late Wednesday, bringing the county’s total to 160. This includes 31 people who recovered and 34 who were hospitalized. There are 124 cases under active quarantine and 2,987 people have been tested.
So far, five people in the county have died from the virus. All of them were in their 70s or 80s and had preexisting medical conditions. The county has not specified where they lived.
Sixty-five people between the ages of 45 and 64 have contracted the illness, making up the largest age group, and people over 65 account for 42 cases. Thousand Oaks has reported the most cases of COVID-19 in the region, with 33.
On Tuesday, the county issued another order that placed additional restrictions on essential businesses, which include grocery stores and restaurants, including on what they can sell and how it is packaged. Food must be covered, and the sale of items like clothing, jewelry and sporting goods is prohibited to avoid attracting crowds.
The new order was issued by Dr. Robert Levin, the county public health officer, to address confusion about what businesses are allowed to do, county spokeswoman Ashley Bautista said. Violators will be warned before any closures are ordered, she said.
“The goal here is to really work together in a more unified fashion” with the community, Bautista said.
Violating the new order, which expires April 19, is a misdemeanor.
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The new order also forbids long-term care facilities from refusing to admit someone who has been diagnosed with or treated for COVID-19 after they’re released from the hospital and approved for admittance by the county health department.
Levin gave a stark warning at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday that if proper steps weren’t taken to stop the spread, as many as 1,000 people in the county could die from COVID-19.
On Wednesday, California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball informed students, staff and faculty in an email that “a member of our university community” had tested positive for COVID-19. The private university in Thousand Oaks did not indicate whether the person is a student or staff member.
“There is no threat to our campus community, but I know that hearing that one of us has COVID-19 may add to the anxiety that all of us are experiencing,” Kimball said.
The individual started experiencing symptoms on March 23, nearly two weeks after visiting campus, and public health officials determined there was no risk of exposure, Kimball said. The notice was first reported by the Ventura County Star.
By 5 p.m. Thursday, most students will have returned home to continue their semester online. Sixty-seven students remain on campus, unable to return home, the school said.


latimes--2020-04-02--It took her 20 years to claw out of poverty. Coronavirus could take it all away

Raquel Lezama had reason to be proud .
At 17 , after crossing the Mexican border , she toiled in a Los Angeles garment factory , earning 5 cents for each blouse she ironed — $ 50 a day if she could manage 1,000 pieces .
A few years later , after surviving a brutal beating by her day-laborer husband , she gained legal residency through a green card reserved for victims of domestic violence .
And seven years ago , the single mother was hired at Mr. C Beverly Hills , a luxury hotel catering to Saudi princes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she worked her way up from a minimum wage bed-making job to a position as a $ 17.76-an-hour minibar attendant — and helped organize fellow housekeepers into a union .
“ We were like a family , ” she said of her co-workers .
It had taken Lezama two decades to claw her way out of poverty .
Then , in just a few minutes , she lost her way of life .
The 38-year-old is among more than 1.6 million Californians who are out of work as a result of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotel laid her off , along with some 20 other housekeepers .
The hotel canceled workers ’ health insurance and sent them home with no severance .
California ’ s lodging industry is one of the hardest hit as the economy all but shuts down ; it is expected to shed some 125,000 jobs .
On Thursday , the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 878,727 Californians filed unemployment claims last week , more than double in any other state .
Nationwide , jobless claims surged to a record 6.6 million , up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For those who can work at home or have savings to tide them over , COVID-19 can be a painful disruption for as long as it lasts .
But for low-wage workers like Lezama , who speaks little English , it can amount to a catastrophe .
How does the other half live in the age of the coronavirus ?
Lezama ’ s struggle over the past three weeks is a lesson in survival — in how one modest family , led by one tenacious woman , copes at a time when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come into sharp relief .
On the day Lezama lost her job , President Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency .
Meanwhile , at the cramped South Los Angeles home she shares with her three children , “ I went into my bedroom and closed the door , ” she said .
“ I didn ’ t want my kids to see me crying.
” That afternoon , there was more bad news : the Los Angeles Unified School District announced it would shut down , leaving her sons — 13-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 8-year-old Jesus , who suffers from chronic colitis — at home with little means of keeping up their education .
A few days before , her 19-year-old daughter , Monica , had moved back home from Riverside County , her hopes dashed of finding a job there and studying to be a dental assistant .
By Monday at 9 a.m. , Lezama was standing in line with several hundred others on Alvarado Street , where the hotel workers union , Unite Here , was helping members apply for unemployment benefits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ crashing , and , after five hours , she left without succeeding .
She had to get to a pharmacy to pick up medicine for Jesus .
That night , after three hours on the secondhand computer she had bought on an installment plan just a year ago , Lezama was finally able to file her application .
It would be 10 days before she got a response saying she qualifies for the state ’ s maximum of $ 450 a week — less than two-thirds of her base pay at the hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
She still doesn ’ t know .
Meanwhile , with no savings , how would she feed the children ?
How would she pay the monthly rent of $ 1,400 on her half of the small lime-green duplex off South Figueroa Street , due next week ?
The landlord charges $ 10 for every late day and was not offering any relief .
And what about the $ 300 monthly loan on her 13-year-old Honda Accord ?
Or her $ 140 monthly car insurance bill ?
The gas bill ?
The electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 monthly Wi-Fi ?
But then her son Alan could not access his school ’ s promised distance learning .
“ I need to sit down and figure out what to cut , ” she said in an interview , sitting on a park bench near her home .
“ I just want to keep my little family together.
” At night , Lezama wakes up and can ’ t go back to sleep , another worry on her mind : The life insurance policy she had been contributing to each week disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told my kids this was very important if something happens to me , ” she said .
“ Now , if I die , will they even have money to bury me ?
” Two weeks after Lezama was laid off , Congress passed a $ 2-trillion federal relief package , which includes a one-time $ 1,200 cash payment for Americans who make less than $ 75,000 , plus $ 500 for each dependent child .
The law ’ s supplemental unemployment insurance — $ 600 a month for four months — could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the money could take weeks to come , and what happens when it runs out ?
Meanwhile , bills are due .
Early on a chilly morning , mother and daughter walked the six blocks from their home , down streets with little stucco bungalows , across a playground with a mural reading “ Be Kind , ” past a shuttered boxing gym and a Pentecostal church to the grab-and-go food center at Manual Arts High School .
The two plastic bags they collected would replace a day ’ s free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers to low-income families .
Back home , Lezama set up three tray tables and laid out the chocolate milk , burritos , apples , oranges , cheese and cookies .
The boys sat on Monica ’ s bed , which takes up half the space in the small living room .
Alan was a study in gloom , his head down , his shoulders rounded , his voice barely registering above a whisper .
He missed his school friends , he said , and was spending a lot of time playing Fortnite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , showing off the packet of homework his mother had picked up from school .
He cuddled his pet rabbit and said he was doing more chores because of a card game they had made up .
“ Whoever loses must wash the dishes , ” he said .
The boys stay indoors , fearing that venturing outside could expose them to the virus .
They do jumping jacks and push-ups .
They play Monopoly and chess .
Monica tries to help with homework , navigating the schools ’ confusing websites .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Sometimes the Wi-Fi cuts out .
Sometimes Alan ’ s teacher doesn ’ t email him back .
And when I don ’ t understand fractions either , he gets frustrated.
” Monica has her own troubles .
She had quit a job at an L.A. Jack-in-the Box out of fear : Customers made death threats when orders were not to their liking .
Her Riverside move was an effort “ to find calm and less violence , but it didn ’ t turn out so good and now I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I can ’ t help my mom with the rent and the bills .
It ’ s really hard to find a job.
” Lezama hasn ’ t applied for a new job , partly because she is in constant pain .
Last June , a co-worker opened a door , inadvertently pushing Lezama ’ s heavy minibar cart and causing her to fall .
A workers ’ comp doctor gave her medication , but injuries to her neck , shoulder and hand have failed to heal .
She goes to physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But I never missed work , ” she said .
Now , along with her job , coronavirus has stolen Lezama ’ s pride .
As a garment worker , she got food stamps .
But she swore that if she ever got legal documents , “ I would never depend on the government again , ” she said .
“ We never lived in luxury .
But I earned enough to cover our expenses.
” Since her layoff , Lezama ’ s days are a whirl of caring for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rushing out to union food banks and school lunch handouts , picking up homework for Jesus , and driving to physical therapy .
“ It is too depressing , ” she said .
“ It makes me sad not to be able to help.
” Three years ago , when an earthquake hit her hometown of Puebla , “ I cried , ” she said .
“ So many deaths .
I collected clothing and sent big boxes of supplies.
” She wishes she could help her co-workers who call to commiserate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billed more than $ 1,000 for a colonoscopy after finding out the hotel had terminated workers ’ health insurance plan .
Another , an undocumented mother of five , used a fake Social Security number to work and will not be able to collect unemployment benefits .
The housekeepers at Mr. C were expected to be discreet , Lezama said , making a little zipping motion across her mouth .
But now she freely describes the guests she served : the Saudi prince who came with five wives and insisted that “ no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luis Miguel , the Mexican crooner , who stayed three months , dodging paparazzi ; and the Japanese executive from the company that marketed Hello Kitty , who died of a heart attack in his room .
Google Mr. C and what eventually pops up — besides its Venetian chandeliers , marble bathrooms , poolside cabanas and affiliation with Europe ’ s Cipriani hotel empire — is something darker .
The hotel , developed by Los Angeles investors Bob and Alex Ghassemieh , was the site of an alleged 2013 sexual assault by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a charge that figured in his New York trial and is now pending in Los Angeles criminal court .
Bob Ghassemieh , reached by phone , declined to comment on Mr. C ’ s layoffs .
Lezama can ’ t help thinking about the contrast between the luxury that surrounded her at Mr. C ’ s and the circumstances of her dismissal .
“ I tried to stay calm , ” she recalled .
“ I didn ’ t talk back .
I gave them my key and my uniform.
” The manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the layoff was temporary and that she could apply for unemployment benefits .
But later , when she picked up her final check , she was told her termination was final , and if the hotel recovered in the future , she could re-apply but would have no seniority .
“ I will have to start at minimum wage again , ” she said .
“ That ’ s what gets to me .
”

Raquel Lezama, left, with her daughter Monica Ramos, center, at their Los Angeles home, after walking to Manual Arts High School to pick up grab-and-go meals for the family.
Raquel Lezama had reason to be proud.
At 17, after crossing the Mexican border, she toiled in a Los Angeles garment factory, earning 5 cents for each blouse she ironed — $50 a day if she could manage 1,000 pieces.
A few years later, after surviving a brutal beating by her day-laborer husband, she gained legal residency through a green card reserved for victims of domestic violence.
And seven years ago, the single mother was hired at Mr. C Beverly Hills, a luxury hotel catering to Saudi princes, Japanese industrialists and European models. There she worked her way up from a minimum wage bed-making job to a position as a $17.76-an-hour minibar attendant — and helped organize fellow housekeepers into a union.
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“We were like a family,” she said of her co-workers.
It had taken Lezama two decades to claw her way out of poverty. Then, in just a few minutes, she lost her way of life.
The 38-year-old is among more than 1.6 million Californians who are out of work as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. On March 13, the hotel laid her off, along with some 20 other housekeepers. The hotel canceled workers’ health insurance and sent them home with no severance. California’s lodging industry is one of the hardest hit as the economy all but shuts down; it is expected to shed some 125,000 jobs.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 878,727 Californians filed unemployment claims last week, more than double in any other state. Nationwide, jobless claims surged to a record 6.6 million, up from 3.3 million the prior week.
For those who can work at home or have savings to tide them over, COVID-19 can be a painful disruption for as long as it lasts. But for low-wage workers like Lezama, who speaks little English, it can amount to a catastrophe.
Raquel Lezama with her daughter, Monica Ramos, 19, at Manual Arts High School to collect their grab-and-go meals for the family. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
How does the other half live in the age of the coronavirus? Lezama’s struggle over the past three weeks is a lesson in survival — in how one modest family, led by one tenacious woman, copes at a time when the nation’s threadbare safety net has come into sharp relief.
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On the day Lezama lost her job, President Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. Meanwhile, at the cramped South Los Angeles home she shares with her three children, “I went into my bedroom and closed the door,” she said. “I didn’t want my kids to see me crying.”
That afternoon, there was more bad news: The Los Angeles Unified School District announced it would shut down, leaving her sons — 13-year-old Alan, who has a learning disability, and 8-year-old Jesus, who suffers from chronic colitis — at home with little means of keeping up their education.
A few days before, her 19-year-old daughter, Monica, had moved back home from Riverside County, her hopes dashed of finding a job there and studying to be a dental assistant.
By Monday at 9 a.m., Lezama was standing in line with several hundred others on Alvarado Street, where the hotel workers union, Unite Here, was helping members apply for unemployment benefits. But the state’s website kept crashing, and, after five hours, she left without succeeding. She had to get to a pharmacy to pick up medicine for Jesus.
That night, after three hours on the secondhand computer she had bought on an installment plan just a year ago, Lezama was finally able to file her application. It would be 10 days before she got a response saying she qualifies for the state’s maximum of $450 a week — less than two-thirds of her base pay at the hotel.
But when would the money come? She still doesn’t know.
Meanwhile, with no savings, how would she feed the children? How would she pay the monthly rent of $1,400 on her half of the small lime-green duplex off South Figueroa Street, due next week? The landlord charges $10 for every late day and was not offering any relief.
And what about the $300 monthly loan on her 13-year-old Honda Accord? Or her $140 monthly car insurance bill? The gas bill? The electric bill?
Should she cancel the $35 monthly Wi-Fi? But then her son Alan could not access his school’s promised distance learning.
“I need to sit down and figure out what to cut,” she said in an interview, sitting on a park bench near her home. “I just want to keep my little family together.”
Raquel Lezama at home with her children. Her family struggles for its financial survival during the coronavirus pandemic. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
At night, Lezama wakes up and can’t go back to sleep, another worry on her mind: The life insurance policy she had been contributing to each week disappeared with her paycheck. “I had told my kids this was very important if something happens to me,” she said. “Now, if I die, will they even have money to bury me?”
Two weeks after Lezama was laid off, Congress passed a $2-trillion federal relief package, which includes a one-time $1,200 cash payment for Americans who make less than $75,000, plus $500 for each dependent child. The law’s supplemental unemployment insurance — $600 a week for four months — could also make Lezama whole for a time.
But the money could take weeks to come, and what happens when it runs out? Meanwhile, bills are due.
Early on a chilly morning, mother and daughter walked the six blocks from their home, down streets with little stucco bungalows, across a playground with a mural reading “Be Kind,” past a shuttered boxing gym and a Pentecostal church to the grab-and-go food center at Manual Arts High School.
The two plastic bags they collected would replace a day’s free breakfast and lunch that the school district offers to low-income families.
Back home, Lezama set up three tray tables and laid out the chocolate milk, burritos, apples, oranges, cheese and cookies. The boys sat on Monica’s bed, which takes up half the space in the small living room.
Alan was a study in gloom, his head down, his shoulders rounded, his voice barely registering above a whisper. He missed his school friends, he said, and was spending a lot of time playing Fortnite.
Jesus sprang up with a grin, showing off the packet of homework his mother had picked up from school. He cuddled his pet rabbit and said he was doing more chores because of a card game they had made up.
“Whoever loses must wash the dishes,” he said.
The boys stay indoors, fearing that venturing outside could expose them to the virus. They do jumping jacks and push-ups. They play Monopoly and chess.
Monica tries to help with homework, navigating the schools’ confusing websites.
“It’s hard,” she said. “Sometimes the Wi-Fi cuts out. Sometimes Alan’s teacher doesn’t email him back. And when I don’t understand fractions either, he gets frustrated.”
Raquel Lezama with her daughter, Monica Ramos, 19, walk home from Manual Arts High School with their grab-and-go meals for the family. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Monica has her own troubles. She had quit a job at an L.A. Jack in the Box out of fear: Customers made death threats when orders were not to their liking. Her Riverside move was an effort “to find calm and less violence, but it didn’t turn out so good and now I feel useless,” she said. “I can’t help my mom with the rent and the bills. It’s really hard to find a job.”
Lezama hasn’t applied for a new job, partly because she is in constant pain. Last June, a co-worker opened a door, inadvertently pushing Lezama’s heavy minibar cart and causing her to fall. A workers’ comp doctor gave her medication, but injuries to her neck, shoulder and hand have failed to heal. She goes to physical therapy and acupuncture three times a week.
“But I never missed work,” she said.
Now, along with her job, the coronavirus has stolen Lezama’s pride. As a garment worker, she got food stamps. But she swore that if she ever got legal documents, “I would never depend on the government again,” she said. “We never lived in luxury. But I earned enough to cover our expenses.”
Since her layoff, Lezama’s days are a whirl of caring for her children, negotiating to delay her bills, rushing out to union food banks and school lunch handouts, picking up homework for Jesus, and driving to physical therapy.
Raquel Lezama waited five hours in line at her union hall to get help filing unemployment, but that won’t cover her rent, her car loan and other bills. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
She doesn’t watch the news.
“It is too depressing,” she said. “It makes me sad not to be able to help.”
Three years ago, when an earthquake hit her hometown of Puebla, “I cried,” she said. “So many deaths. I collected clothing and sent big boxes of supplies.”
She wishes she could help her co-workers who call to commiserate. One is terrified she will be billed more than $1,000 for a colonoscopy after finding out the hotel had terminated workers’ health insurance plan. Another, an undocumented mother of five, used a fake Social Security number to work and will not be able to collect unemployment benefits.
The housekeepers at Mr. C were expected to be discreet, Lezama said, making a little zipping motion across her mouth. But now she freely describes the guests she served: the Saudi prince who came with five wives and insisted that “no one look at his face”; Luis Miguel, the Mexican crooner, who stayed three months, dodging paparazzi; and the Japanese executive from the company that marketed Hello Kitty, who died of a heart attack in his room.
Mr. C, developed by Los Angeles investors Bob and Alex Ghassemieh, boasts Venetian chandeliers, marble bathrooms, poolside cabanas and affiliation with Europe’s Cipriani hotel empire. It also was the site of an alleged 2013 sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein against an Italian model — a charge that figured in his New York trial and is now pending in Los Angeles criminal court.
Bob Ghassemieh, reached by phone, declined to comment on Mr. C’s layoffs.
Lezama can’t help thinking about the contrast between the luxury that surrounded her at Mr. C’s and the circumstances of her dismissal.
“I tried to stay calm,” she recalled. “I didn’t talk back. I gave them my key and my uniform.”
The manager, she said, told her that the layoff was temporary and that she could apply for unemployment benefits. But later, when she picked up her final check, she was told her termination was final, and if the hotel recovered in the future, she could re-apply but would have no seniority.
“I will have to start at minimum wage again,” she said. “That’s what gets to me.”


latimes--2020-04-02--Pentecostal church in Sacramento linked to dozens of coronavirus cases

A Pentecostal church in a Sacramento suburb is the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak with more than six dozen confirmed cases of the illness , prompting county officials to warn against religious gatherings .
“ It ’ s outrageous that this is happening , ” Sacramento County Public Health Director Peter Beilenson said .
“ Obviously there is freedom of religion , but when it ’ s impacting public health as this is , we have to enforce social distancing.
” The church , Bethany Slavic Missionary Church , did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church members may still be meeting in private homes to conduct services , despite county orders .
“ Whether or not you have community-wide sermons or meetings in people ’ s houses , they are all dangers and they are very detrimental to the public ’ s health , ” Beilenson said .
Beilenson said 71 of the church ’ s members who live in Sacramento County have tested positive , and more members who live in surrounding counties also have confirmed cases , though he could not immediately say how many .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s website indicate it stopped holding large gatherings on March 18 .
The church is the largest Russian-language Pentecostal church in the area and has a congregation of more than 3,000 people , according to published reports .
Its two-story building is normally packed with congregants , many of them older immigrants , during multiple services each week .
According to a March 29 sermon posted online , the church ’ s senior pastor , Adam Bondaruk , is hospitalized with the virus , as are two other pastors , who were described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unidentified pastor in the video .
“ We have many different people in our church , they are ill , so we need to pray .
We need to intervene , ” the pastor continued in the video .
“ God will hear us , and he will heal us.
” The church has met with controversy in the past , including for anti-gay rhetoric .
Earlier this year , a well on the church ’ s property that was used by congregants was found to be contaminated with chemicals from a nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s officials was convicted of pedophilia in 2018 .
Beilenson confirmed that church greeters shaking hands with congregants as they entered may have helped spread the coronavirus .
In the online sermon , the unidentified pastor said that shortly after New Year ’ s , the church had a problem with the “ greeting team.
” “ I know we are entering this valley right now , ” the pastor said during the taped sermon .
“ When this thing will be over , and when we [ are ] going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shake hands , I think it ’ s going to be a totally different meaning.
” As the coronavirus has spread across Sacramento County , infecting more than 300 people and killing nine , health officials said one in three confirmed cases of the illness in the county are linked to church gatherings .
“ Sacramento County is urging all residents , from all faiths and all backgrounds , to stay home , ” the county said in a statement Wednesday .
The disclosure of the mass infection comes as large gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents in which people are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Such “ super-spreading ” events can play a major role in widening the outbreak .
It can take two to 14 days after someone is infected with the coronavirus before symptoms can appear .
Once the illness is apparent and a patient is hospitalized , it can take 17 to 25 days to either recover and be discharged , or to die from the illness , according to a study of patients in Wuhan , China , the global epicenter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in Sacramento County publicly associated with a house of worship involved a woman older than 70 with underlying health conditions who attended Faith Presbyterian Church in Sacramento .
More cases of the virus have since been associated with the church , which has been in operation since 1967 and is in a popular residential neighborhood near schools and shopping .
Faith Presbyterian said on March 12 that it discovered “ a small number of church members were displaying symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19.
” Despite a statement made three days earlier by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher risk should consider staying home “ and away from crowded social gatherings where people are within arm ’ s length , ” Faith Presbyterian was still open .
But after discovering the pocket of potential coronavirus patients among its congregation , worship leaders said they immediately decided to shut down the church on Florin Road to prevent the spread of the virus .
Choir practice had been scheduled for that evening .
One of the church members who contracted the virus , a substitute teacher who worked at Sutterville Elementary School , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 .
Her death was announced by the Sacramento City Unified School District , which closed campuses the day after the woman died .
Three days later , Sacramento County issued a mandatory stay-at-home order .
By the end of the day , Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a similar directive for the entire state .
Church officials released a new statement on March 22 , saying that two members had died of COVID-19 and there were a “ small number of confirmed positive cases in the congregation.
” The announcement indicated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Friday and said that “ church elders appointed a task force ” of three members to help “ guide all decisions.
” As the virus has spread across the state , many houses of worship have canceled services , prayer circles and classes or moved them online .
All Saints ’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills began canceling services on March 8 after its rector , Janet Broderick , fell ill. Broderick , the sister of actor Matthew Broderick , had attended a conference in Kentucky along with more than 500 other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later tested positive for COVID-19 and suffered from severe pneumonia .
On March 12 , the Ikar synagogue in Los Angeles said it was suspending shabbat services .
A day later , the Orange County Islamic Foundation suspended Friday prayers at the mosque and said no one would be allowed inside apart from employees .
The Diocese of San Jose ordered public Masses at Catholic churches to be suspended starting March 14 ; the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced the same on March 16 , the same day the San Francisco Bay Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches are shifting to digital worship , some churches around the nation have defied orders to close .
On Sunday , the Life Tabernacle Church in a suburb of Baton Rouge , La.
, defied the governor ’ s order to stay home and continued to use its fleet of two dozen buses to bring hundreds of congregants to services three times a week .
“ We ’ re not going to be intimidated , ” the Rev .
Tony Spell said .
And this week , sheriff ’ s deputies handcuffed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local stay-at-home orders by gathering hundreds to worship .
Police said the minister , the Rev .
Rodney Howard-Browne of the River at Tampa Bay , showed “ reckless disregard for human life ” by potentially exposing his congregants to the coronavirus .
Brown , out on bail , has complained of “ religious bigotry , ” and the church maintained it had the right to assemble in worship even in an emergency .
Chabria reported from Sacramento , Greene from Thousand Oaks and Lin from Millbrae .
Times staff writer Sarah Parvini @ @ @ @ @

Anita Chabria, Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II

A Pentecostal church in a Sacramento suburb is the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak with more than six dozen confirmed cases, prompting county officials to warn against religious gatherings.
“It’s outrageous that this is happening,” said Dr. Peter Beilenson, the Sacramento County public health director. “Obviously there is freedom of religion, but when it’s impacting public health as this is, we have to enforce social distancing.”
The church, Bethany Slavic Missionary Church, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday. But Beilenson said health officials were concerned that church members may still be meeting in private homes to conduct services, despite county orders.
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“Whether or not you have community-wide sermons or meetings in people’s houses, they are all dangers and they are very detrimental to the public’s health,” Beilenson said.
Beilenson said 71 of the church’s members who live in Sacramento County have tested positive, and more members who live in surrounding counties also have confirmed cases, though he could not immediately say how many.
Information and sermons on the church’s website indicate it stopped holding large gatherings March 18. The church is the largest Russian-language Pentecostal church in the area and has a congregation of more than 3,000 people, according to published reports. Its two-story building is normally packed with congregants, many of them older immigrants, during multiple services each week.
According to a sermon from Sunday posted online, the church’s senior pastor, Adam Bondaruk, is hospitalized with the virus, as are two other pastors, who were described as “critically ill” by an unidentified pastor in the video.
“We have many different people in our church, they are ill, so we need to pray. We need to intervene,” the pastor continued in the video. “God will hear us, and he will heal us.”
The church has met with controversy in the past, including for anti-gay rhetoric. This year, a well on the church’s property that was used by congregants was found to be contaminated with chemicals from a nearby military base. One of the church’s officials was convicted of pedophilia in 2018.
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Beilenson confirmed that church greeters shaking hands with congregants as they entered may have helped spread the coronavirus. In the online sermon, the unidentified pastor said that shortly after New Year’s Day, the church had a problem with the “greeting team.”
“I know we are entering this valley right now,” the pastor said during the taped sermon. “When this thing will be over, and when we [are] going to come here and when we are going to shake hands, I think it’s going to be a totally different meaning.”
As the coronavirus has spread across Sacramento County, infecting more than 340 people and killing nine, health officials said 1 in 3 confirmed cases in the county are linked to church gatherings.
“Sacramento County is urging all residents, from all faiths and all backgrounds, to stay home,” the county said in a statement Wednesday.
The disclosure of the mass infection comes as large gatherings across the country have been identified as incidents in which people are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Such “super-spreading” events can play a major role in widening the outbreak.
It can take two to 14 days after someone is infected with the coronavirus for symptoms to appear. Once the illness is apparent and a patient is hospitalized, it can take 17 to 25 days to either recover and be discharged, or to die from the illness, according to a study of patients in Wuhan, China, the origin of the pandemic.
The first coronavirus case in Sacramento County publicly associated with a house of worship involved a woman older than 70 with underlying health conditions who attended Faith Presbyterian Church in Sacramento. More cases of the virus have since been associated with the church, which has been in operation since 1967 and is in a popular residential neighborhood near schools and shopping.
But that church took a different approach.
The Rev. Jeff Chapman of Faith Presbyterian said Thursday that the church had begun protective measures in late February at the request of a parishioner with an underlying medical condition. The woman asked that the church stop all physical contact during worship events, he said.
“I was hesitant,” Chapman said. “The tendency of a religious leader … is to gather people. That is their heart.”
But he said the woman persuaded him to stop such things as passing the collection plate and shaking hands. A week later, the church began to see members with symptoms, Chapman said.
“I think again, in retrospect, it may have saved some lives because our folks would have been together … shaking hands and passing plates, and we didn’t do any of that,” he said.
After discovering the pocket of potential coronavirus patients among the congregation, Chapman said leaders immediately decided to shut down the church on March 12 to prevent the spread of the virus on the advice of a task force made up of three members — an emergency room doctor, a former public health professional and a person who formerly worked at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of the church members who contracted the virus, a substitute teacher who worked at Sutterville Elementary School, died three days later, on March 15. Her death was announced by the Sacramento City Unified School District, which closed campuses the day after the woman died.
Three days later, Sacramento County issued a mandatory stay-at-home order. By the end of the day, Gov. Gavin Newsom had issued a similar directive for the entire state.
In all, Chapman said, about six people at Faith Presbyterian have tested positive, with no new cases in more than two weeks. Chapman suspected he might have had the virus but tested negative.
“Ironically, or maybe gratefully, we were more proactive than other churches,” he said. “I don’t know what I would have done differently, actually.”
As the virus has spread across the state, many houses of worship have canceled services, prayer circles and classes or moved them online.
All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills began canceling services March 8 after its rector, the Rev. Janet Broderick, fell ill. Broderick, the sister of actor Matthew Broderick, had attended a conference in Kentucky along with more than 500 other Episcopalians from around the country. She later tested positive for COVID-19 and suffered from severe pneumonia.
On March 12, the Ikar synagogue in Los Angeles said it was suspending Shabbat services. A day later, the Orange County Islamic Foundation suspended Friday prayers at the mosque and said no one would be allowed inside apart from employees.
The Diocese of San Jose ordered public Masses at Catholic churches to be suspended starting March 14; the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced the same March 16, the same day counties in the San Francisco Bay Area released a shelter-in-place order.
While many churches are shifting to digital worship, some around the nation have defied orders to close.
On Sunday, the Life Tabernacle Church in a suburb of Baton Rouge, La., defied the governor’s order to stay home and continued to use its fleet of two dozen buses to bring hundreds of congregants to services three times a week.
“We’re not going to be intimidated,” the Rev. Tony Spell said.
And this week, sheriff’s deputies handcuffed a Tampa, Fla., minister for violating local stay-at-home orders by gathering hundreds to worship. Police said the minister, the Rev. Rodney Howard-Browne of the River at Tampa Bay, showed “reckless disregard for human life” by potentially exposing his congregants to the coronavirus.
Howard-Browne, out on bail, has complained of “religious bigotry,” and the church maintained it had the right to assemble in worship even in an emergency.
Chabria reported from Sacramento, Greene from Thousand Oaks and Lin from Millbrae. Times staff writer Sarah Parvini contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-04-02--Getty to create $10-million COVID-19 relief fund for L.A. arts organizations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a torrent of bad news to cultural institutions , which have had to close galleries , cancel exhibitions and lay off workers .
But a new relief fund could bring a glimmer of hope — and the possibility of survival — to Los Angeles arts organizations .
The J. Paul Getty Trust has announced that it is establishing a $ 10-million COVID-19 relief fund for small and midsize visual arts organizations in Los Angeles County .
In addition , the Fellowship for the Visual Arts grant , which is administered by the California Community Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Getty in 1988 , will this year be repurposed as an emergency support grant for individual visual artists .
“ The Getty has an important role in the cultural life of the city , ” says Jim Cuno , president and chief executive of the Getty Trust .
“ The idea is that we could work with others and get something done to address the needs of small and midsize institutions , which have fewer resources that can sustain them over time.
” The organizational grants will be geared at visual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will range in amount from $ 25,000 to $ 200,000 .
The funding for these is being drawn from the Getty Trust ’ s strategic initiatives fund .
“ It ’ s a sum of money that we put aside for unanticipated opportunities that are deserving , ” Cuno says .
The hope is that other foundations and individual donors will step forward to support it .
“ We don ’ t want to be doing it alone.
” The artist grants will be part of a regular cycle of individual grants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number and amount of these , along with guidelines for eligibility , are still being worked out , says Getty Foundation director Joan Weinstein , who has helped spearhead the COVID-19 relief effort .
“ We need to look and see what funds are available , ” she says .
“ But we will work with an intermediary to get those grants out the door as quickly as possible .
We know how much artists are suffering right now.
” Details about how to apply for the grants will be made available on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and the Getty ( getty.edu ) in coming days .
The Getty began working on a relief plan in mid-March , just five days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic , and three days after both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa ( and a slew of other Los Angeles institutions ) were closed to the public .
In 2005 , after Hurricane Katrina , the Getty Foundation supported recovery and conservation efforts in New Orleans .
This included helping to fund a team from the National Trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm to help determine what could be preserved .
( The effort helped save 100 historic buildings that otherwise would have been demolished . )
The foundation also worked with local organizations , helping connect them to one another , to see how they might be able to share resources .
“ People were so preoccupied with the losses of their own homes and their own institutions , that they were focused on that , ” Weinstein says .
“ Part of it was bringing together institutions to figure out how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The next step consisted of supporting organizations through a period of uncertainty .
In New Orleans , that meant dispensing $ 2.9 million in relief grants to help see organizations through the darkest days .
“ In New Orleans , they didn ’ t know what was going to happen next : Would the people come back ?
Would the money come back ?
” Weinstein says .
“ It reminds me of the moment we ’ re in .
...
Even if we get through this initial part of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we be able to venture back out again ?
Will people want to congregate ?
” The hope is that a little bit of financial relief will see arts organizations through to the next step .
Cuno says the plan was presented to the Getty ’ s board of directors at an emergency meeting on Sunday .
On Wednesday , the board voted to approve it .
The Getty will continue to pay its 1,400 employees through the immediate coronavirus crisis .
The Getty Foundation also remains committed to funding the next wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be devoted to art and science .
“ It ’ s more than four years away , ” Weinstein says .
“ In the first Pacific Standard Time , a lot of the funding came after the recession of 2008 and it was a real boost — not just an economic boost but a morale boost .
We hope this can provide the same function.
” The Getty expects to announce the first wave of grants , for research , at some point this summer .

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a torrent of bad news to cultural institutions, which have had to close galleries, cancel exhibitions and lay off workers. But a new relief fund could bring a glimmer of hope — and the possibility of survival — to Los Angeles arts organizations.
The J. Paul Getty Trust has announced that it is establishing a $10-million COVID-19 relief fund for small and midsize visual arts organizations in Los Angeles County. In addition, the Fellowship for the Visual Arts grant, which is administered by the California Community Foundation (CCF) from an endowment established by the Getty in 1988, will this year be repurposed as an emergency support grant for individual visual artists.
CCF will administer both grant programs.
“The Getty has an important role in the cultural life of the city,” says Jim Cuno, president and chief executive of the Getty Trust. “The idea is that we could work with others and get something done to address the needs of small and midsize institutions, which have fewer resources that can sustain them over time.”
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The organizational grants will be geared at visual arts institutions based in Los Angeles County and will range in amount from $25,000 to $200,000. The funding for these is being drawn from the Getty Trust’s strategic initiatives fund.
“It’s a sum of money that we put aside for unanticipated opportunities that are deserving,” Cuno says. The hope is that other foundations and individual donors will step forward to support it. “We don’t want to be doing it alone.”
The artist grants will be part of a regular cycle of individual grants awarded through the CCF. The exact number and amount of these, along with guidelines for eligibility, are still being worked out, says Getty Foundation director Joan Weinstein, who has helped spearhead the COVID-19 relief effort.
“We need to look and see what funds are available,” she says. “But we will work with an intermediary to get those grants out the door as quickly as possible. We know how much artists are suffering right now.”
Details about how to apply for the grants will be made available on the websites of the CCF (calfund.org) and the Getty (getty.edu) in coming days.
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The Getty began working on a relief plan in mid-March, just five days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and three days after both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa (and a slew of other Los Angeles institutions) were closed to the public.
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, the Getty Foundation supported recovery and conservation efforts in New Orleans. This included helping to fund a team from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the weeks after the storm to help determine what could be preserved. (The effort helped save 100 historic buildings that otherwise would have been demolished.) The foundation also worked with local organizations, helping connect them to one another, to see how they might be able to share resources.
“People were so preoccupied with the losses of their own homes and their own institutions, that they were focused on that,” Weinstein says. “Part of it was bringing together institutions to figure out how to share resources as their staffs were devastated.”
The next step consisted of supporting organizations through a period of uncertainty. In New Orleans, that meant dispensing $2.9 million in relief grants to help see organizations through the darkest days.
“In New Orleans, they didn’t know what was going to happen next: Would the people come back? Would the money come back?” Weinstein says. “It reminds me of the moment we’re in. ... Even if we get through this initial part of the pandemic, what will happen? When will we be able to venture back out again? Will people want to congregate?”
The hope is that a little bit of financial relief will see arts organizations through to the next step.
Cuno says the plan was presented to the Getty’s board of directors at an emergency meeting on Sunday. On Wednesday, the board voted to approve it.
The Getty will continue to pay its 1,400 employees through the immediate coronavirus crisis. The Getty Foundation also remains committed to funding the next wave of Pacific Standard Time exhibitions, which will be devoted to art and science.
“It’s more than four years away,” Weinstein says. “In the first Pacific Standard Time, a lot of the funding came after the recession of 2008 and it was a real boost — not just an economic boost but a morale boost. We hope this can provide the same function.”
The Getty expects to announce the first wave of grants, for research, at some point this summer.


latimes--2020-04-02--Coronavirus reduced its workforce and supplies but O.C. food bank finds a way to help

A crew of workers descended this week on the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County to pack boxes of food for those in need .
A month ago , none of these workers would have been there .
The program they were hired to staff didn ’ t even exist .
Like virtually all public and private organizations , the Irvine-based nonprofit has had to dramatically retool its operations in a coronavirus pandemic world where “ business as usual ” is fast becoming a distant memory .
It ’ s been a challenge but a necessary one — particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves out of work and schools keep their doors closed .
“ Food banks across the nation can not fail , ” Second Harvest Chief Executive Harald Herrmann said Wednesday .
As the coronavirus began its global spread , the team at Second Harvest sprang into action .
“ We started crisis planning in late February and started buying truckloads of shelf-stable food , anticipating what would be coming our way , ” Herrmann said .
The organization did so with the expectation — ultimately realized — that the tap could tighten on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donated food : “ grocery rescue ” items that have reached their sell-by date but are still safe to consume .
Second Harvest — which provides food to more than 250,000 children , families and seniors in Orange County each month through a network of partner agencies and programs — also had to largely move away from purchasing and providing perishable foods in favor of goods that can safely sit on a pantry shelf .
`` [ That ] was really , for us , a shift overnight to stop what we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Herrmann said .
Despite the upheaval , he said the food bank has thus far been able to keep its larders well-stocked .
“ We have a five-week supply of food , ” he said .
“ We absolutely have the inventory , we have the distribution methodology to be able to feed Orange County during this crisis.
” Figuring out how to connect those supplies to the people who needed them , however , was another puzzle the food bank had to solve .
Many sites where Second Harvest would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer accessible .
Dozens of food pantries countywide have closed their doors in recent weeks .
The food bank ’ s army of volunteers — which made up about 42 % of its workforce pre-coronavirus — has withered as a result of local , county and state health orders for people to stay home and keep from clustering in crowds .
To fill in the gap , Second Harvest has brought on more than 100 part-time employees , some of whom have been laid off from their regular jobs , to pack thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feed an individual or family for days at a time .
To help distribute the packages , the organization launched its Harvest Truck Brigade , a volunteer fleet of pickup truck drivers who ferry food directly to those who need it .
“ We can get a call routed to us from ... a senior or someone who has critical needs and can not get out of the house to get food , and we can literally take that information and have a box of food delivered to that individual within 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost , ” Herrmann said .
To connect other Orange County residents with the food they need , Second Harvest also has created a weekly drive-through pickup service at the Honda Center in Anaheim .
There , people can pull up , have their vehicles loaded with food and be on their way .
That service started two weeks ago , and 3,932 cars drove through Saturday .
This weekend , Herrmann said they ’ re “ bracing for somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000.
” All of these new efforts come at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated an additional $ 340,000 a week is needed to keep up with the demand of the programs .
Anyone who ’ s interested in donating , or learning more about the food bank , can visit feedoc.org .
While predictions change daily on how long the coronavirus-fueled crisis will last , Herrmann said Second Harvest is anticipating mid-April through mid-June will be the most challenging stretch for its operations .
In the meantime , the organization will keep rolling with the punches .
“ There is no manual , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentor you can call , there ’ s no advisor , ” Herrmann said .
“ This is basically , ‘ Figure it out as you go , learn as much as you can as quickly as you can ... and keep moving .
’ ”

Jose Secundino, center, joins other recently hired temporary employees at Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County to pack boxes of food for the needy on Wednesday.
A crew of workers descended this week on the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County to pack boxes of food for those in need.
A month ago, none of these workers would have been there. The program they were hired to staff didn’t even exist.
Like virtually all public and private organizations, the Irvine-based nonprofit has had to dramatically retool its operations in a coronavirus pandemic world where “business as usual” is fast becoming a distant memory.
Advertisement
It’s been a challenge but a necessary one — particularly as an increasing number of people find themselves out of work and schools keep their doors closed.
“Food banks across the nation cannot fail,” Second Harvest Chief Executive Harald Herrmann said Wednesday.
As the coronavirus began its global spread, the team at Second Harvest sprang into action.
“We started crisis planning in late February and started buying truckloads of shelf-stable food, anticipating what would be coming our way,” Herrmann said.
The organization did so with the expectation — ultimately realized — that the tap could tighten on one of its largest reliable sources of donated food: “grocery rescue” items that have reached their sell-by date but are still safe to consume.
Recently hired Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County temporary employees load boxes of food that volunteers will deliver to senior centers in Orange County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Second Harvest — which provides food to more than 250,000 children, families and seniors in Orange County each month through a network of partner agencies and programs — also had to largely move away from purchasing and providing perishable foods in favor of goods that can safely sit on a pantry shelf.
“[That] was really, for us, a shift overnight to stop what we were doing and move in a different direction,” Herrmann said.
Despite the upheaval, he said the food bank has thus far been able to keep its larders well-stocked.
“We have a five-week supply of food,” he said. “We absolutely have the inventory, we have the distribution methodology to be able to feed Orange County during this crisis.”
Figuring out how to connect those supplies to the people who needed them, however, was another puzzle the food bank had to solve.
Many sites where Second Harvest would normally drop off food deliveries are no longer accessible. Dozens of food pantries countywide have closed their doors in recent weeks.
The food bank’s army of volunteers — which made up about 42% of its workforce pre-coronavirus — has withered as a result of local, county and state health orders for people to stay home and keep from clustering in crowds.
To fill in the gap, Second Harvest has brought on more than 100 part-time employees, some of whom have been laid off from their regular jobs, to pack thousands of bags and boxes with enough food to feed an individual or family for days at a time.
To help distribute the packages, the organization launched its Harvest Truck Brigade, a volunteer fleet of pickup truck drivers who ferry food directly to those who need it.
“We can get a call routed to us from ... a senior or someone who has critical needs and cannot get out of the house to get food, and we can literally take that information and have a box of food delivered to that individual within 24 to 48 hours — door-to-door at no cost,” Herrmann said.
To connect other Orange County residents with the food they need, Second Harvest also has created a weekly drive-through pickup service at the Honda Center in Anaheim. There, people can pull up, have their vehicles loaded with food and be on their way.
That service started two weeks ago, and 3,932 cars drove through Saturday. This weekend, Herrmann said they’re “bracing for somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000.”
All of these new efforts come at a significant cost to Second Harvest. Herrmann estimated an additional $340,000 a week is needed to keep up with the demand of the programs.
Anyone who’s interested in donating, or learning more about the food bank, can visit feedoc.org.
While predictions change daily on how long the coronavirus-fueled crisis will last, Herrmann said Second Harvest is anticipating mid-April through mid-June will be the most challenging stretch for its operations.
In the meantime, the organization will keep rolling with the punches.
“There is no manual, there’s no playbook, there’s no mentor you can call, there’s no advisor,” Herrmann said. “This is basically, ‘Figure it out as you go, learn as much as you can as quickly as you can ... and keep moving.’ ”


latimes--2020-04-02--FBI looks at whether man accused of train derailment near USS Mercy has ties to extremist groups

The FBI is examining whether a man accused of intentionally derailing a freight train near the hospital ship Mercy , which is docked in San Pedro to help with the coronavirus crisis , had any ties to extremist groups , and agents are digging into his social media background .
Eduardo Moreno , 44 , of San Pedro , was charged with deliberately wrecking a train during the incident Tuesday , which lead to a derailment and fuel leak , according to charges .
“ Moreno is the only person charged in the case .
While the government has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideology , our investigation is continuing , ” the FBI said in a statement to The Times .
Prosecutors allege that Moreno derailed the train and deliberately crashed through barriers designed to stop engines before grinding to a halt 250 yards from the Mercy .
Prosecutors said Moreno admitted during an interview that he ran the train beyond the track because he believed the Mercy was part of suspicious activities involving the coronavirus .
Moreno , according to multiple sources , believed the Mercy was part of a government control conspiracy designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the incident .
Moreno was an employee of Pacific Harbor Line , which operates inside the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex .
He had been a locomotive engineer for several years .
According to an affidavit , he said he thought his act would bring media attention and “ people could see for themselves , ” referring to the Mercy .
Moreno appeared Wednesday in court and his bond hearing was delayed until Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials have found he was a member of a Facebook group interested in train crashes .

The Navy hospital ship Mercy leaves port in San Diego. Now deployed in Los Angeles, it has 1,000 beds and is treating patients who do not have the coronavirus to ease the strain on hospitals.
The FBI is examining whether a man accused of intentionally derailing a freight train near the Navy hospital ship Mercy, which is docked in San Pedro to help with the coronavirus crisis, had any ties to extremist groups, and agents are digging into his social media background.
Eduardo Moreno, 44, of San Pedro was charged with deliberately wrecking a train during the incident Tuesday, which led to a derailment and fuel leak, according to the charges.
“Moreno is the only person charged in the case. While the government has made no allegations linking Moreno to an extremist ideology, our investigation is continuing,” the FBI said in a statement to The Times.
Prosecutors allege that Moreno derailed the train and deliberately crashed through barriers designed to stop engines before grinding to a halt 250 yards from the Mercy.
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Prosecutors said Moreno admitted during an interview that he had run the train beyond the track because he believed the Mercy was part of suspicious activities involving the coronavirus.
Moreno, according to multiple sources, believed the Mercy was part of a government control conspiracy designed to divide and control the people. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the incident.
Moreno was an employee of Pacific Harbor Line, which operates inside the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex. He had been a locomotive engineer for several years.
According to an affidavit, he said he thought his act would bring media attention and “people could see for themselves,” referring to the Mercy.
Moreno appeared Wednesday in court, and his bond hearing was delayed until Friday.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, officials have found he was a member of a Facebook group interested in train crashes.