latimes--2020-06-12--Police say projectile launchers are safer than other 'less lethal' alternatives. Injured protesters

Police say projectile launchers are safer than other 'less lethal' alternatives. Injured protesters disagree

Police call it a “ 40-millimeter Less-Lethal Launcher , ” but to those who have found themselves on the business end of the weapon during recent protests , the wounds feel deadly serious .
And unjustified .
A homeless man in a wheelchair had his eye bloodied in downtown Los Angeles .
A San Jose activist suffered a ruptured testicle after a blast to the groin .
A radio reporter interviewing protesters in Long Beach suffered a neck wound .
And an untold number of others sustained cuts , bruises and worse during the demonstrations that followed the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police .
The launchers have been deployed by the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies .
In many cases , the departments and weapon manufacturers have previously suggested that the devices — which are usually loaded with single-shot hard-foam projectiles — allow for more precise targeting of violent suspects and thereby reduce serious injuries caused by other “ less-lethal ” alternatives .
Instead , the less-lethal launchers , or “ LLLs , ” as the LAPD calls them , have drawn the same kind of objections from protesters and civil libertarians as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rubber pellets that were the dominant weapons used by police during previous crowd-control efforts .
Critics say the fault is not with the weapons , but with the wanton and indiscriminate way in which some officers fire them .
“ If you fire at close range or at someone ’ s head , they do a lot of damage , and the question is , what danger were these protesters posing ?
” said Carol Sobel , a civil rights attorney who is suing the LAPD for allegedly turning the weapons on bystanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless people in their wheelchairs .
How were they a threat to the police ?
” The patent holder on a commonly used LLL projectile , the U.S. government , describes it as “ a munition that can be employed by soldiers during operations other-than-war , such as riot control ... or by law enforcement personnel when a lethal response is not warranted.
” The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission and its inspector general ’ s office have said they will review all complaints of excessive force against the department .
That looms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of formal complaints , phone calls , videos and social media postings about officers firing what civilians generically label as “ rubber bullets.
” An LAPD spokeswoman said the department is reviewing use of the 40-millimeter launcher and plans to release the findings “ at a later time.
” One police tactics expert said he was told that the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s deputies used so many “ non-lethal ” weapons that the agency had to resupply its ammunition .
A Sheriff ’ s Department representative confirmed the resupply , necessitated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout the County.
” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti last week said that he had directed the LAPD to “ minimize ” use of the less-lethal weapons when dealing with peaceful protesters .
Other police departments also pledged to review use of the 40-millimeter weapon .
In San Jose , police fired the foam bullets toward a crowd of protesters , with one striking Derrick Sanderlin , a 27-year-old Black man who had previously worked with a group that trained the department ’ s recruits on how to root out bias and build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forwarded video showing him trying to calm aggressive protesters during the May 29 confrontation and apparently asking police to stop shooting the foam bullets .
Attorney Sarah Marinho said the “ staggering overreaction ” left Sanderlin with a ruptured testicle ; his doctor said he might not be able to have children .
San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia deemed himself “ broken up ” about the incident , and promised an investigation .
Another protester , Breanna Contreras , said she had been standing half a block behind the front line of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a foam bullet hit her in the temple , causing a welt , severe bruising and a bloody eye .
“ I feel like they are being brutal toward peaceful protesters , ” said Contreras , a 21-year-old San Jose State University student .
In Long Beach , the Police Department said it has launched an internal investigation after an officer fired what was believed to be a 40-millimeter round that hit KPCC radio reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez in the neck .
Guzman-Lopez said he had been interviewing protesters when the round struck him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question that remains [ is ] what policy , what rationale led this police officer to single me ... out of the crowd , ” Lopez told NPR after the May 31 incident .
A 2017 analysis of 1,984 people struck by rubber or plastic bullets found that 3 % were killed and 15 % permanently injured .
The peer-reviewed study , published in the journal BMJ Open , reviewed 30 years of scientific papers worldwide on injuries from kinetic impact projectiles , or KIPs , which include rubber-coated bullets , beanbag rounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rohini Haar , the study ’ s lead author and an emergency room physician , said that the so-called sponge rounds fired by the 40-millimeter launcher had not reduced problems .
“ Because these sponge rounds are used so pervasively , we see a ton of injuries from them , ” said Haar , a public health lecturer at UC Berkeley .
She said there had been a “ false narrative ” that “ less-lethal ” weapons were less problematic , resulting in little rigorous review of their impact .
Two police use-of-force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhibiting restraint in use of the 40-millimeter launcher and other gun alternatives .
But one of the experts , former Los Angeles Sheriff ’ s Department Cmdr .
Sid Heal , said the weapons remain suspect for two reasons : Their public safety and public health impacts have not been studied adequately , and police officers often do not get adequate training in how to use them .
“ They are looking for the technology to solve these problems , ” Heal said , “ and there is no magic bullet.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two previous civil unrest episodes triggered a torrent of complaints .
Nearly 100 protesters , reporters and bystanders sued the LAPD in 2000 after police fired beanbag munitions , small “ stinger ” rounds and hard rubber bullets as they attempted to disperse demonstrators outside the Democratic National Convention gathering at Staples Center .
The city eventually paid out a total of $ 4.1 million in legal settlements , including to a woman who lost vision in one eye after being hit by a rubber bullet .
The Police Department did not admit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired into a crowd gathered in and around MacArthur Park for a May Day rally for immigrant rights .
A Police Commission review later determined that rubber pellets designed to be “ skipped ” off the ground had , instead , been fired directly into the crowd .
The review also found that less-than-lethal force had been directed at people who were either demonstrating peacefully or reporting on the event for news outlets .
Police Commission Inspector Gen. Mark P. Smith said he believes one of the reasons the LAPD initially began using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as having increased utility due to its superior accuracy and effective range when compared with a beanbag shotgun .
An LAPD analysis found the LLL capable of hitting targets at up to 110 feet , while beanbag shotguns worked best at 45 feet or less , and Tasers have a maximum effective range of 15 feet .
( The beanbag weapon fires pellets wrapped in a sack , usually made of nylon . )
The department ’ s Use of Force Report for 2019 shows that police use of the 40-millimeter launcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though it was still only deployed one-third as often as the Taser .
The report showed that police found the Taser , beanbag gun and 40-millimeter launcher all effective a little more than half the time .
The LAPD recognized the increased use of LLLs in 2019 , when it made training with the device a part of the Police Academy curriculum .
Cadets are told that nonlethal force should be applied only when an officer believes that other tactics to subdue a subject are likely to fail or they have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come in close contact with an individual .
A 2018 Use of Force Directive from LAPD Chief Michel Moore tells officers that “ less-lethal force options shall not be used for a suspect or subject who is passively resisting or merely failing to comply with commands .
Verbal threats of violence or mere non-compliance do not alone justify the use of less lethal force.
” Unless an officer is under direct attack , he or she is required to issue a verbal warning before firing the 40-millimeter launcher , the directive says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapon can cause injuries .
Police have said they used the 40-millimeter launcher only after being targeted with bottles , rocks and other projectiles .
Protesters said police often turned the weapons on them without provocation .
While not commenting directly on LAPD training , Heal said that many departments don ’ t provide appropriate training .
“ Everyone buys these things and considers it a big capital expense , ” said Heal , the former sheriff ’ s commander .
“ But without the training , it ’ s a problem .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the training , because you have to pay the trainer , the officer being trained and the person who is back-filling for the officer while they train.
” The closest distance from which a 40-millimeter launcher can safely be fired is among the important factors that remain unknown , Heal said .
But research about the weapon and others remains paltry , he said .
“ We have been screaming and yelling for 20 years that we need more research on these ” weapons , Heal said .
“ I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be having this discussion in 2020 , when we have been calling for this to be done over and over again .
”

An LAPD officer holds a less-lethal launcher as fellow officers take a protester into custody during recent demonstrations in the Fairfax District.
Police call it a “40-millimeter Less-Lethal Launcher,” but to those who have found themselves on the business end of the weapon during recent protests, the wounds feel deadly serious. And unjustified.
A homeless man in a wheelchair had his eye bloodied in downtown Los Angeles. A San Jose activist suffered a ruptured testicle after a blast to the groin. A radio reporter interviewing protesters in Long Beach suffered a neck wound. And an untold number of others sustained cuts, bruises and worse during the demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
A man suffered a wound to his face after police fired foam projectiles into a crowd of protesters in downtown Los Angeles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The launchers have been deployed by the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies. In many cases, the departments and weapon manufacturers have previously suggested that the devices — which are usually loaded with single-shot hard-foam projectiles — allow for more precise targeting of violent suspects and thereby reduce serious injuries caused by other “less-lethal” alternatives.
Instead, the less-lethal launchers, or “LLLs,” as the LAPD calls them, have drawn the same kind of objections from protesters and civil libertarians as shotgun “beanbag” rounds and hard rubber pellets that were the dominant weapons used by police during previous crowd-control efforts. Critics say the fault is not with the weapons, but with the wanton and indiscriminate way in which some officers fire them.
“If you fire at close range or at someone’s head, they do a lot of damage, and the question is, what danger were these protesters posing?” said Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney who is suing the LAPD for allegedly turning the weapons on bystanders and peaceful protesters. “Particularly with homeless people in their wheelchairs. How were they a threat to the police?”
The patent holder on a commonly used LLL projectile, the U.S. government, describes it as “a munition that can be employed by soldiers during operations other-than-war, such as riot control ... or by law enforcement personnel when a lethal response is not warranted.”
The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission and its inspector general’s office have said they will review all complaints of excessive force against the department. That looms as a massive undertaking, given thousands of formal complaints, phone calls, videos and social media postings about officers firing what civilians generically label as “rubber bullets.” An LAPD spokeswoman said the department is reviewing use of the 40-millimeter launcher and plans to release the findings “at a later time.”
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An LAPD officer holds a less-lethal launcher during demonstrations recently in downtown Los Angeles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
One police tactics expert said he was told that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies used so many “non-lethal” weapons that the agency had to resupply its ammunition. A Sheriff’s Department representative confirmed the resupply, necessitated by its “involvement in widespread incidents throughout the County.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti last week said that he had directed the LAPD to “minimize” use of the less-lethal weapons when dealing with peaceful protesters.
Other police departments also pledged to review use of the 40-millimeter weapon.
In San Jose, police fired the foam bullets toward a crowd of protesters, with one striking Derrick Sanderlin, a 27-year-old Black man who had previously worked with a group that trained the department’s recruits on how to root out bias and build community ties.
Sanderlin’s attorney forwarded video showing him trying to calm aggressive protesters during the May 29 confrontation and apparently asking police to stop shooting the foam bullets.
Attorney Sarah Marinho said the “staggering overreaction” left Sanderlin with a ruptured testicle; his doctor said he might not be able to have children. San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia deemed himself “broken up” about the incident, and promised an investigation.
Another protester, Breanna Contreras, said she had been standing half a block behind the front line of San Jose demonstrators that same day when a foam bullet hit her in the temple, causing a welt, severe bruising and a bloody eye. “I feel like they are being brutal toward peaceful protesters,” said Contreras, a 21-year-old San Jose State University student.
In Long Beach, the Police Department said it has launched an internal investigation after an officer fired what was believed to be a 40-millimeter round that hit KPCC radio reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez in the neck. Guzman-Lopez said he had been interviewing protesters when the round struck him, bloodying his neck.
“The question that remains [is] what policy, what rationale led this police officer to single me ... out of the crowd,” Lopez told NPR after the May 31 incident.
A 2017 analysis of 1,984 people struck by rubber or plastic bullets found that 3% were killed and 15% permanently injured. The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal BMJ Open, reviewed 30 years of scientific papers worldwide on injuries from kinetic impact projectiles, or KIPs, which include rubber-coated bullets, beanbag rounds, sponge rounds and more.
Dr. Rohini Haar, the study’s lead author and an emergency room physician, said that the so-called sponge rounds fired by the 40-millimeter launcher had not reduced problems.
“Because these sponge rounds are used so pervasively, we see a ton of injuries from them,” said Haar, a public health lecturer at UC Berkeley. She said there had been a “false narrative” that “less-lethal” weapons were less problematic, resulting in little rigorous review of their impact.
Two police use-of-force experts praised police around the country for exhibiting restraint in use of the 40-millimeter launcher and other gun alternatives.
But one of the experts, former Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Cmdr. Sid Heal, said the weapons remain suspect for two reasons: Their public safety and public health impacts have not been studied adequately, and police officers often do not get adequate training in how to use them.
“They are looking for the technology to solve these problems,” Heal said, “and there is no magic bullet.”
The LAPD turned to the 40-millimeter launcher after two previous civil unrest episodes triggered a torrent of complaints.
Nearly 100 protesters, reporters and bystanders sued the LAPD in 2000 after police fired beanbag munitions, small “stinger” rounds and hard rubber bullets as they attempted to disperse demonstrators outside the Democratic National Convention gathering at Staples Center.
The city eventually paid out a total of $4.1 million in legal settlements, including to a woman who lost vision in one eye after being hit by a rubber bullet. The Police Department did not admit wrongdoing.
In 2007, L.A. police fired into a crowd gathered in and around MacArthur Park for a May Day rally for immigrant rights. A Police Commission review later determined that rubber pellets designed to be “skipped” off the ground had, instead, been fired directly into the crowd. The review also found that less-than-lethal force had been directed at people who were either demonstrating peacefully or reporting on the event for news outlets.
Police Commission Inspector Gen. Mark P. Smith said he believes one of the reasons the LAPD initially began using the 40-millimeter weapon was because it was seen as having increased utility due to its superior accuracy and effective range when compared with a beanbag shotgun.
An LAPD analysis found the LLL capable of hitting targets at up to 110 feet, while beanbag shotguns worked best at 45 feet or less, and Tasers have a maximum effective range of 15 feet. (The beanbag weapon fires pellets wrapped in a sack, usually made of nylon.)
The department’s Use of Force Report for 2019 shows that police use of the 40-millimeter launcher had surpassed shotgun beanbag rounds in frequency, though it was still only deployed one-third as often as the Taser. The report showed that police found the Taser, beanbag gun and 40-millimeter launcher all effective a little more than half the time.
The LAPD recognized the increased use of LLLs in 2019, when it made training with the device a part of the Police Academy curriculum.
Cadets are told that nonlethal force should be applied only when an officer believes that other tactics to subdue a subject are likely to fail or they have a reasonable belief that it will be unsafe to come in close contact with an individual.
A 2018 Use of Force Directive from LAPD Chief Michel Moore tells officers that “less-lethal force options shall not be used for a suspect or subject who is passively resisting or merely failing to comply with commands. Verbal threats of violence or mere non-compliance do not alone justify the use of less lethal force.”
Unless an officer is under direct attack, he or she is required to issue a verbal warning before firing the 40-millimeter launcher, the directive says. That warning should state that the weapon can cause injuries.
Police have said they used the 40-millimeter launcher only after being targeted with bottles, rocks and other projectiles. Protesters said police often turned the weapons on them without provocation.
While not commenting directly on LAPD training, Heal said that many departments don’t provide appropriate training.
“Everyone buys these things and considers it a big capital expense,” said Heal, the former sheriff’s commander. “But without the training, it’s a problem. It’s hugely expensive to do the training, because you have to pay the trainer, the officer being trained and the person who is back-filling for the officer while they train.”
The closest distance from which a 40-millimeter launcher can safely be fired is among the important factors that remain unknown, Heal said. But research about the weapon and others remains paltry, he said.
“We have been screaming and yelling for 20 years that we need more research on these” weapons, Heal said.
“I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to be having this discussion in 2020, when we have been calling for this to be done over and over again.”
Times staff writer Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-12--A revolt against wearing masks creates a new coronavirus danger as California reopens

As California rapidly reopens its economy , health officials have made clear the only way to avoid a wave of new coronavirus infections is with strict safety rules , including social distancing , limits on the capacity of businesses and wearing face coverings when around other people .
But a mask rebellion is underway in some parts of the state , with residents pushing back on mandatory face-covering rules even with coronavirus cases on the rise and as more businesses open their doors and some people yearn to return to old routines .
The potency of mask politics became clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health officer resigned after weeks of attacks — and a death threat — over her mandatory mask rules .
Her replacement on Thursday rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors .
Instead , Orange County “ strongly recommends ” wearing masks in public settings , and the county ’ s top health official was left to explain the change even while acknowledging face coverings could prevent more deaths .
“ I want to be clear : This does not diminish the importance of face coverings , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clayton Chau , who is now also the interim health officer .
“ I stand with the public health experts and believe wearing cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives.
” Other counties have also buckled to public pressure .
Fresno County had a face mask rule for less than a day before it was pulled back .
Riverside and San Bernardino pulled their orders after blowback .
Stockton ’ s mayor , Michael Tubbs , proposed face covering rules but failed to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Health experts expressed alarm at Orange County ’ s actions and the large rebellion about masks , saying it will make it harder to prevent new outbreaks of coronavirus .
“ It ’ s the only way we get back to work — it ’ s to mask , ” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , UC San Francisco chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics .
“ All of the data tells us ... it ’ s pretty clear that masking is the element that changes the trajectories of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that face coverings are essential to allowing a broader reopening .
Places that have kept coronavirus transmission under control , such as Hong Kong and Taiwan , have virtually universal wearing of masks in public .
A recent study out of Germany found that face masks reduce the daily growth rate of reported infections by around 40 % .
Another study , published Thursday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , concluded that “ wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no customers became infected with the virus despite two hairstylists being sick — and scientists believe it was because they were wearing face masks .
And many countries where masking is socially routine , including Japan , have not seen an out-of-control national epidemic .
“ They haven ’ t seen the large spikes , because there ’ s a strong universal masking culture , ” Bibbins-Domingo said .
Of California ’ s 15 most populous counties , Los Angeles , San Diego , Santa Clara , Alameda , Sacramento , Contra Costa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask wearing in public , while Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , Fresno , Kern , Ventura and San Joaquin do not .
The Orange County battle began in May , when then-county health officer Dr. Nichole Quick issued an order mandating that county residents and visitors wear cloth face coverings while in a public place , at work or visiting a business where they are unable to stay six feet apart .
The switch set off a firestorm of controversy as some residents and elected officials challenged the need for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses in the region continued to reopen .
Quick herself became a target for criticism during county Board of Supervisors meetings , with some residents castigating her for the order .
During one meeting , public speakers displayed a poster showing Quick ’ s photo with a Hitler mustache and swastikas .
The Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department provided a security detail for the doctor after she received what officials deemed to be a death threat during a meeting last month .
After several intense weeks defending her order , Quick resigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Quick ’ s role and was immediately peppered with questions from elected officials about the need for a mandatory mask order .
Members of the public could be heard shouting in the background as Chau responded to questions from the board .
Supervisors pushed Chau for a definitive answer about when he planned to lift the requirement .
“ There ’ s always going to be community infection going on , ” Supervisor Don Wagner said .
“ There ’ s always flu infection going on .
Are you telling us masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be necessary until the end of time or until there ’ s a vaccine or what ?
” The dispute over the requirement has unfolded as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Orange County .
Last week , Orange County reported 1,179 new coronavirus infections — a weekly record in the course of the pandemic , and up 22 % from the previous week , according to a Times analysis .
Hospitalizations are up 34 % from a month ago .
Last week , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals in Orange County daily for confirmed or suspected coronavirus infection ; a month ago , it was nearly 300 .
And last week , Orange County recorded 30 coronavirus deaths , the second-highest weekly toll .
As of Thursday , there were a total of 7,987 confirmed cases and 202 deaths in Orange County .
The California Medical Assn.
, which represents doctors across the state , has said mandating face masks is an appropriate public policy , and its immediate past president , Dr. David Aizuss , said lawmakers should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the California Medical Assn.
, it ’ s our opinion that mandatory face masking is appropriate and Orange County should ’ ve backed her up .
Our position is that this is being driven by ignorance and politics instead of science , ” Aizuss said .
He also criticized the Board of Supervisors for not backing up her health orders .
“ Local public servants should be supporting local health officers to do what they ’ re doing to protect the public and to protect public health , ” Aizuss said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Quick ’ s resignation a “ dangerous precedent that should concern all of us ” and said that “ we must ... not allow bullying to drive the health recommendations that can keep us safe and healthy.
” “ This public health crisis is not over .
As we begin to reopen our county , the science is clear : wearing a face covering can help slow the spread of this deadly virus , ” Dr. Diana Ramos , president of the Orange County Medical Assn.
, said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponents of mandatory masks that face coverings pose a danger to people ’ s oxygen levels .
“ No , there ’ s nothing to that .
There ’ s all sorts of conspiracy theories about low oxygen and high CO2 levels , ” said Dr. Otto Yang , an infectious diseases expert at UCLA .
“ It ’ s really not an issue.
” Many health officials say that face coverings are an integral tool in the fight against COVID-19 — as they can block transmission of the respiratory droplets released by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research published by the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness in 2013 found that homemade cloth masks “ significantly ” reduced the amount of potentially infectious droplets expelled by the wearer .
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has routinely touted the health benefits of wearing face coverings in public .
That , along with other practices like physical distancing and regular hand-washing , can stave off a spike in coronavirus infections , she has said .
“ Masks provide a hell of a lot of protection .
And I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is wearing masks than if they weren ’ t , ” Dr. George Rutherford , a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert , said recently .
At the reopening Thursday of South Coast Plaza , many shoppers said they were not taking any chances — even some who were skeptical about the benefit of masks .
Pay Wykoff — a 65-year-old Irvine resident who waited weeks to come to mall to get a watch battery and find a Father ’ s Day present — wore a yellow hand-sewn mask but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not everyone agrees that masks are helpful , ” Wykoff said .
“ I think masks are hurtful because you ’ re breathing in your own germs.
” Times staff writers Sandhya Kambhampati and Iris Lee contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Hannah Fry, Stephanie Lai, Rong-Gong Lin II

People walk along Harbor Boulevard in downtown Fullerton on Thursday, some wearing masks, some not.
As California rapidly reopens its economy, health officials have made clear the only way to avoid a wave of new coronavirus infections is with strict safety rules, including social distancing, limits on the capacity of businesses and wearing face coverings when around other people.
But a mask rebellion is underway in some parts of the state, with residents pushing back on mandatory face-covering rules even with coronavirus cases on the rise and as more businesses open their doors and some people yearn to return to old routines.
The potency of mask politics became clear this week in Orange County, where the health officer resigned after weeks of attacks — and a death threat — over her mandatory mask rules. Her replacement on Thursday rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors.
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Instead, Orange County “strongly recommends” wearing masks in public settings, and the county’s top health official was left to explain the change even while acknowledging face coverings could prevent more deaths.
“I want to be clear: This does not diminish the importance of face coverings,” said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau, who is now also the interim health officer. “I stand with the public health experts and believe wearing cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives.”
Other counties have also buckled to public pressure. Fresno County had a face mask rule for less than a day before it was pulled back. Riverside and San Bernardino pulled their orders after blowback. Stockton’s mayor, Michael Tubbs, proposed face covering rules but failed to get any support from the City Council this week.
Health experts expressed alarm at Orange County’s actions and the large rebellion about masks, saying it will make it harder to prevent new outbreaks of coronavirus.
“It’s the only way we get back to work — it’s to mask,” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, UC San Francisco chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “All of the data tells us ... it’s pretty clear that masking is the element that changes the trajectories of the COVID pandemic.”
There’s increasing evidence that face coverings are essential to allowing a broader reopening. Places that have kept coronavirus transmission under control, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, have virtually universal wearing of masks in public.
Advertisement
A recent study out of Germany found that face masks reduce the daily growth rate of reported infections by around 40%. Another study, published Thursday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that “wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission.”
In one Missouri salon, no customers became infected with the virus despite two hairstylists being sick — and scientists believe it was because they were wearing face masks. And many countries where masking is socially routine, including Japan, have not seen an out-of-control national epidemic.
“They haven’t seen the large spikes, because there’s a strong universal masking culture,” Bibbins-Domingo said.
Of California’s 15 most populous counties, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo require mask wearing in public, while Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Fresno, Kern, Ventura and San Joaquin do not.
The Orange County battle began in May, when then-county health officer Dr. Nichole Quick issued an order mandating that county residents and visitors wear cloth face coverings while in a public place, at work or visiting a business where they are unable to stay six feet apart.
The switch set off a firestorm of controversy as some residents and elected officials challenged the need for the widespread use of face coverings as more businesses in the region continued to reopen.
Quick herself became a target for criticism during county Board of Supervisors meetings, with some residents castigating her for the order. During one meeting, public speakers displayed a poster showing Quick’s photo with a Hitler mustache and swastikas.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provided a security detail for the doctor after she received what officials deemed to be a death threat during a meeting last month.
After several intense weeks defending her order, Quick resigned Monday.
On Tuesday, Chau stepped into Quick’s role and was immediately peppered with questions from elected officials about the need for a mandatory mask order. Members of the public could be heard shouting in the background as Chau responded to questions from the board.
Supervisors pushed Chau for a definitive answer about when he planned to lift the requirement.
“There’s always going to be community infection going on,” Supervisor Don Wagner said. “There’s always flu infection going on. Are you telling us masks, in your professional opinion, are going to be necessary until the end of time or until there’s a vaccine or what?”
The dispute over the requirement has unfolded as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Orange County.
Last week, Orange County reported 1,179 new coronavirus infections — a weekly record in the course of the pandemic, and up 22% from the previous week, according to a Times analysis.
Hospitalizations are up 34% from a month ago. Last week, there were an average of nearly 400 people in hospitals in Orange County daily for confirmed or suspected coronavirus infection; a month ago, it was nearly 300.
And last week, Orange County recorded 30 coronavirus deaths, the second-highest weekly toll. As of Thursday, there were a total of 7,987 confirmed cases and 202 deaths in Orange County.
The California Medical Assn., which represents doctors across the state, has said mandating face masks is an appropriate public policy, and its immediate past president, Dr. David Aizuss, said lawmakers should have supported Quick.
“On behalf of the California Medical Assn., it’s our opinion that mandatory face masking is appropriate and Orange County should’ve backed her up. Our position is that this is being driven by ignorance and politics instead of science,” Aizuss said. He also criticized the Board of Supervisors for not backing up her health orders.
“Local public servants should be supporting local health officers to do what they’re doing to protect the public and to protect public health,” Aizuss said.
The Orange County Medical Assn. this week called Quick’s resignation a “dangerous precedent that should concern all of us” and said that “we must ... not allow bullying to drive the health recommendations that can keep us safe and healthy.”
“This public health crisis is not over. As we begin to reopen our county, the science is clear: wearing a face covering can help slow the spread of this deadly virus,” Dr. Diana Ramos, president of the Orange County Medical Assn., said in a statement.
Experts rejected the unfounded charge expressed by opponents of mandatory masks that face coverings pose a danger to people’s oxygen levels. “No, there’s nothing to that. There’s all sorts of conspiracy theories about low oxygen and high CO2 levels,” said Dr. Otto Yang, an infectious diseases expert at UCLA. “It’s really not an issue.”
Many health officials say that face coverings are an integral tool in the fight against COVID-19 — as they can block transmission of the respiratory droplets released by asymptomatic people when breathing or talking.
Research published by the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness in 2013 found that homemade cloth masks “significantly” reduced the amount of potentially infectious droplets expelled by the wearer.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has routinely touted the health benefits of wearing face coverings in public. That, along with other practices like physical distancing and regular hand-washing, can stave off a spike in coronavirus infections, she has said.
“Masks provide a hell of a lot of protection. And I’m more comfortable relaxing things if everybody is wearing masks than if they weren’t,” Dr. George Rutherford, a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert, said recently.
At the reopening Thursday of South Coast Plaza, many shoppers said they were not taking any chances — even some who were skeptical about the benefit of masks.
Pay Wykoff — a 65-year-old Irvine resident who waited weeks to come to mall to get a watch battery and find a Father’s Day present — wore a yellow hand-sewn mask but said she thought it was unnecessary.
“Not everyone agrees that masks are helpful,” Wykoff said. “I think masks are hurtful because you’re breathing in your own germs.”
Times staff writers Sandhya Kambhampati and Iris Lee contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-12--Homelessness jumped 13% in L.A. County, 14% in the city before pandemic

Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to curb homelessness , the number of people without a home in Los Angeles grew last year for the fifth time in the last six years , officials announced Friday .
And that was before the pandemic .
The double-digit increases reported in both the city and county reflected the status in January , when the annual count is taken , and before the novel coronavirus thrashed the region ’ s economy , raising the likelihood of a new wave of people losing their homes .
The count “ is not that helpful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Executive Director Heidi Marston .
“ This doesn ’ t take into account the almost 600,000 people that , since January , and even just since May , have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 , ” she said .
The annual point-in-time count released Friday estimated the county ’ s homeless population at 66,433 , up nearly 13 % from the prior year , the second consecutive double-digit increase .
The estimate for the city was 41,290 , up almost 14 % and only slightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 16 % .
Those dismal numbers highlight the continuing incapacity of the region ’ s expanding homeless services institutions to get their arms around interwoven crises of affordable housing , income inequality and mental health that are playing out on city and county streets .
“ We hate these numbers , ” Marston said .
“ We hate seeing the increases.
” Since January , struggling to prevent the contagion from sweeping through the homeless population , LAHSA , along with the city and county , has rented thousands of beds in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most medically frail and oldest .
But the number of sheltered pales in comparison with the estimates in academic reports projecting that the explosion in unemployment and the likelihood of looming evictions will probably exacerbate homelessness further .
A recent study from the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy estimates that 120,000 households in Los Angeles County could become homeless for some period of time once eviction moratoriums are lifted .
“ Until America has a right to housing as an entitlement for the truly indigent , we ’ re not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country that solved homelessness has done that , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
Garcetti said the grim numbers “ underscore the scope of the problem and needed solutions.
” Still , he said the ability to shelter thousands of people in response to the pandemic has given him some optimism .
“ We ’ ve shown the fastest acceleration I ’ ve seen in those six months , thanks to finally having a FEMA-like response to homelessness in the face of a pandemic that maybe , just maybe , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not just to contain , but to begin to reverse the homelessness.
” One small measure of progress was that both the city and county saw declines in the unsheltered homeless population , which includes those in tents along with people living in cars , RVs and vans .
As of January , in the city of Los Angeles , 30 % of the homeless population was sheltered , up from 25 % the year prior .
That ’ s partially the result of a growth in the number of shelter beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Program , which has opened 20 shelters over the past two years .
But even with huge progress toward building a system that shelters and houses thousands of people each year , the latest homeless count numbers paint a grim picture of how the region ’ s most vulnerable population is growing .
“ The reality is that we continue to perform better every year and are unable to keep pace with the crisis , ” said Marston , who served as interim director since December and was selected for the post this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January when volunteers spread over all corners of the county counting cars , vans , tents and individuals .
The results come about six months later , allowing LAHSA to survey thousands of homeless people individually to construct a picture of their demographics and the rate at which people are becoming homeless .
LAHSA estimated that more than 82,000 people fell into homelessness last year , a 51 % increase over the year before .
Nearly two-thirds of those people became housed again on their own .
Added to the 23,000 LAHSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left nearly 7,500 more without a home .
The numbers would have been even worse without the gains supported by Measure H , the 2017 county sales tax measure to fund homeless services , Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said .
But those gains , too , are in jeopardy because of the coronavirus .
Ridley-Thomas said the county expects a sales tax hit from business interruption that will drain nearly $ 200 million from Measure H over this fiscal year and next .
“ We know that there is tough sledding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no question about that.
” The funds will have to be made up by the state and federal governments , he said .
“ We ’ ll appeal to the state .
The state will appeal to the feds.
” The homeless population continues to be about two-thirds male .
The racial dynamics of homelessness continue to be stark .
Black residents account for 8 % of the population in Los Angeles County , but 34 % of those who are homeless .
Marston said that structural racism means that Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to experience homelessness .
“ We have an obligation to look at this data very carefully in terms of the racial disparities and disproportionality ... and ask ourselves , can ’ t we , in fact , do a better job , particularly in light of the forceful presentation of racial intolerance , racial injustice , racial animus , racial antipathy and racism itself ?
” Ridley-Thomas said .
There was little growth in the population of homeless veterans , but both seniors and people aged 18 to 24 increased by 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of those classified as chronically homeless was also up , largely because of increases in the rates of substance use disorder and mental illness , which fit into the definition of chronic homelessness .
Marston said the doubling of the substance use rate may not have been an actual change but attributed it to adjustments made in the survey questions .
Jane Nguyen , secretary of the homeless outreach and advocacy group Ktown for All , issued a statement saying : “ The people of Los Angeles have said time and time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue facing our city , yet our leaders have failed to take meaningful action while simultaneously disinvesting in proven solutions.
” One worrisome sign was the increase of family homelessness , which saw a jump of nearly 46 % from 8,800 to 12,800 family members living without a home .
Officials said this increase was partially a result of better tracking .
The hard reality of homelessness set in for Nicole Bradley-Bibb , 40 , when her son , Dallas , was born five months ago at 31 weeks .
After Dallas spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neonatal intensive care unit , Bradley-Bibb might have been expected to be happy when doctors told her she could take her child home .
Except she wasn ’ t .
She , her fiance and her 9-year-old , Annalise , were living in a Chrysler Town & Country minivan .
During her pregnancy , she did drug education in schools and said she made $ 16 a hour .
Try as she might , she couldn ’ t find an apartment to rent on that salary .
“ I was living in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see him every day , ” she said .
“ When they said he could leave [ the hospital ] , I was wondering : ‘ What are we going to do ?
’ ” She has fibromyalgia , which made it challenging to work .
This led her to stay in the van and motels along with her family for nearly three years .
As the pandemic became a reality , Bradley-Bibb ’ s family found beds at a shelter on skid row and later was connected with St. Joseph ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and homeless people in Los Angeles .
They placed her in a trailer in the Florence neighborhood of South L.A.
It ’ s a respite from the uncertainty and challenges of being without a home .
The roof over her head along with help from case managers have allowed her to sign up for disability benefits , she said .
Still , the prospect of finding an apartment she can afford is daunting .
Maia Eaglin , director of family services for St. Joseph ’ s Center , said that the lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other challenges that families experiencing homelessness face .
A health event might be harder to recover from because of new bills .
A substance abuse issue might be exacerbated by the lack of stable accommodations , she said .
“ We didn ’ t catch this in time , ” Eaglin said of the investment Los Angeles has made in battling homelessness .
Elise Buik , president and chief executive of United Way of Greater Los Angeles , said the results of the count should not be surprising .
She said the nonprofit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and county ballot measures to fund homeless services and housing , is shifting its focus to finding a new approach to filling the gap of affordable units .
United Way is pushing for a new countywide agency that would have the funding and authority to boost housing production , both market-rate and subsidized , in all the county ’ s cities .
“ We ’ ll never dig out of that deficit of half a million units if we do this city by city 88 times , ” Buik said .

Russell Terrell, 50, left, Scott Townsend, 65, and Martin Freeman, 56, all army veterans hangout at Boeing Plaza in Lancaster. Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority officials and volunteers conducted their annual homeless count, focusing on the Antelope Valley. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority employees Dale Wilson, right, and Daniel Ornelas canvas the grounds of the West LA VA campus to conduct the yearly homeless census. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority employee Daniel Ornelas joins others at the West LA VA campus to conduct the yearly homeless census. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers Kay Gabbard and L.A. County Sheriff Deputies look for signs of homeless in the Point Dume State Beach area in the city of Malibu. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Kay Gabbard assisted by L.A. County Sheriff Deputy Santiago Cienfuegos finds a tent while looking for signs of homeless in the Point Dume State Beach area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteer Kay Gabbard assisted by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Barragan look for signs of homeless people or encampments in the City of Malibu as they participate in the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers and L.A. County Sheriff Deputies walk past piles of debris at an encampment in Zuma Canyon. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Anthoni Krawczyk, who is watching over his friends encampment in Zuma Canyon, watches as volunteer Kay Gabbard assisted by Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy Santiago Cienfuegos, look for signs of homeless people or encampments in the Zuma Canyon and Zuma Lagoon area in the City of Malibu. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A homeless woman walks past a sleeping homeless man in North Hollywood Park on the first night of the 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers Aaron Smith, left, Lisa-Mone Lamontagne and Andre Gaona look for homeless people while participating in the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
A homeless person carries his belongings in a shopping cart on the first night of the 2020 LA County Homeless Count in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers Lisa-Mone Lamontagne, left, Aaron Smith and Andre Gaona look for participate in the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count at the North Hollywood Recreation Center in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
A pair of camper trailers, which house homeless people, were counted by volunteers on the first night of the 2020 LA County Homeless Count in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
A homeless person stands with his belongings on the first night of the 2020 LA County Homeless Count in North Hollywood Park in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers Lisa-Mone Lamontagne, left, Andre Gaona and Aaron Smith look for homeless people while participating in the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
U.S. Army veteran Michelle Olbrich, photographed during the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in North Hollywood, has been living homeless on and off since 2011, served in Iraq and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers Aaron Smith, left, Lisa-Mone Lamontagne and Andre Gaona look for homeless people while participating in the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in North Hollywood. Volunteers will canvas more than 80 cities and 200 communities across Los Angeles County over three days to count the number of homeless people living on the streets. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Gospel musician Clemmie Williams is homeless in North Hollywood Park. Williams has been working part-time jobs but it’s not enough to make first and last month’s rent for an apartment, he says. “It’s a struggle to get back to normalcy,” Williams said. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to curb homelessness, the number of people without a home in Los Angeles grew last year for the fifth time in the last six years, officials announced Friday. And that was before the pandemic.
The double-digit increases reported in both the city and county reflected the status in January, when the annual count is taken, and before the novel coronavirus thrashed the region’s economy, raising the likelihood of a new wave of people losing their homes.
The count “is not that helpful because the whole landscape has changed,” said Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Executive Director Heidi Marston.
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Kenny Welch, 57, builds a living structure under a 110 Freeway overpass in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
“This doesn’t take into account the almost 600,000 people that, since January, and even just since May, have lost their jobs due to COVID-19,” she said.
The annual point-in-time count released Friday estimated the county’s homeless population at 66,433, up nearly 13% from the prior year, the second consecutive double-digit increase. The estimate for the city was 41,290, up almost 14% and only slightly less than last year’s increase of 16%.
Those dismal numbers highlight the continuing incapacity of the region’s expanding homeless services institutions to get their arms around interwoven crises of affordable housing, income inequality and mental health that are playing out on city and county streets.
“We hate these numbers,” Marston said. “We hate seeing the increases.”
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Since January, struggling to prevent the contagion from sweeping through the homeless population, LAHSA, along with the city and county, has rented thousands of beds in hotels and recreation centers to shelter the most medically frail and oldest.
But the number of sheltered pales in comparison with the estimates in academic reports projecting that the explosion in unemployment and the likelihood of looming evictions will probably exacerbate homelessness further.
A recent study from the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy estimates that 120,000 households in Los Angeles County could become homeless for some period of time once eviction moratoriums are lifted.
‘We hate these numbers. We hate seeing the increases.’ — Heidi Marston, executive director of the L.A. Homeless Services Authority
“Until America has a right to housing as an entitlement for the truly indigent, we’re not going to solve homelessness in America. Every country that solved homelessness has done that,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
Garcetti said the grim numbers “underscore the scope of the problem and needed solutions.”
Still, he said the ability to shelter thousands of people in response to the pandemic has given him some optimism.
“We’ve shown the fastest acceleration I’ve seen in those six months, thanks to finally having a FEMA-like response to homelessness in the face of a pandemic that maybe, just maybe, we’re seeing the scale of what it takes, not just to contain, but to begin to reverse the homelessness.”
David Barker, 56, visits a friend living in a tent on skid row in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
One small measure of progress was that both the city and county saw declines in the unsheltered homeless population, which includes those in tents along with people living in cars, RVs and vans.
As of January, in the city of Los Angeles, 30% of the homeless population was sheltered, up from 25% the year prior. That’s partially the result of a growth in the number of shelter beds through Garcetti’s A Bridge Home Program, which has opened 20 shelters over the past two years.
But even with huge progress toward building a system that shelters and houses thousands of people each year, the latest homeless count numbers paint a grim picture of how the region’s most vulnerable population is growing.
“The reality is that we continue to perform better every year and are unable to keep pace with the crisis,” said Marston, who served as interim director since December and was selected for the post this month.
The annual count is taken in January when volunteers spread over all corners of the county counting cars, vans, tents and individuals. The results come about six months later, allowing LAHSA to survey thousands of homeless people individually to construct a picture of their demographics and the rate at which people are becoming homeless.
LAHSA estimated that more than 82,000 people fell into homelessness last year, a 51% increase over the year before. Nearly two-thirds of those people became housed again on their own. Added to the 23,000 LAHSA helped to get permanent housing, that left nearly 7,500 more without a home.
The numbers would have been even worse without the gains supported by Measure H, the 2017 county sales tax measure to fund homeless services, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said.
But those gains, too, are in jeopardy because of the coronavirus. Ridley-Thomas said the county expects a sales tax hit from business interruption that will drain nearly $200 million from Measure H over this fiscal year and next.
“We know that there is tough sledding here,” Ridley-Thomas said. “There is no question about that.”
Gary Lindley, 68, who has been homeless off and on since 1989, at a temporary shelter at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Long Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The funds will have to be made up by the state and federal governments, he said. “We’ll appeal to the state. The state will appeal to the feds.”
The homeless population continues to be about two-thirds male. The racial dynamics of homelessness continue to be stark. Black residents account for 8% of the population in Los Angeles County, but 34% of those who are homeless. Marston said that structural racism means that Black men and women are four times more likely to experience homelessness.
“We have an obligation to look at this data very carefully in terms of the racial disparities and disproportionality ... and ask ourselves, can’t we, in fact, do a better job, particularly in light of the forceful presentation of racial intolerance, racial injustice, racial animus, racial antipathy and racism itself?” Ridley-Thomas said.
There was little growth in the population of homeless veterans, but both seniors and people aged 18 to 24 increased by 20% from the prior year.
The number of those classified as chronically homeless was also up, largely because of increases in the rates of substance use disorder and mental illness, which fit into the definition of chronic homelessness.
Marston said the doubling of the substance use rate may not have been an actual change but attributed it to adjustments made in the survey questions.
Jane Nguyen, secretary of the homeless outreach and advocacy group Ktown for All, issued a statement saying: “The people of Los Angeles have said time and time again that homelessness is the number one issue facing our city, yet our leaders have failed to take meaningful action while simultaneously disinvesting in proven solutions.”
One worrisome sign was the increase of family homelessness, which saw a jump of nearly 46% from 8,800 to 12,800 family members living without a home. Officials said this increase was partially a result of better tracking.
Nicole Bradley-Bibb lives with her two children, including a toddler named Dallas, at the St. Joseph Center’s South Los Angeles trailer shelter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The hard reality of homelessness set in for Nicole Bradley-Bibb, 40, when her son, Dallas, was born five months ago at 31 weeks. After Dallas spent an extended period of time in the neonatal intensive care unit, Bradley-Bibb might have been expected to be happy when doctors told her she could take her child home.
Except she wasn’t. She, her fiance and her 9-year-old, Annalise, were living in a Chrysler Town & Country minivan. During her pregnancy, she did drug education in schools and said she made $16 a hour. Try as she might, she couldn’t find an apartment to rent on that salary.
“I was living in the van, going to the hospital to see him every day,” she said.
“When they said he could leave [the hospital], I was wondering: ‘What are we going to do?’”
She has fibromyalgia, which made it challenging to work. This led her to stay in the van and motels along with her family for nearly three years. As the pandemic became a reality, Bradley-Bibb’s family found beds at a shelter on skid row and later was connected with St. Joseph’s Center, a nonprofit that helps poor and homeless people in Los Angeles. They placed her in a trailer in the Florence neighborhood of South L.A.
Nicole Bradley-Bibb lives with her two children, Annalise and Dallas, at the St. Joseph Center’s South Los Angeles trailer shelter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
It’s a respite from the uncertainty and challenges of being without a home. The roof over her head along with help from case managers have allowed her to sign up for disability benefits, she said. Still, the prospect of finding an apartment she can afford is daunting.
Maia Eaglin, director of family services for St. Joseph’s Center, said that the lack of a living wage and high rents magnify other challenges that families experiencing homelessness face. A health event might be harder to recover from because of new bills. A substance abuse issue might be exacerbated by the lack of stable accommodations, she said.
“We didn’t catch this in time,” Eaglin said of the investment Los Angeles has made in battling homelessness.
Elise Buik, president and chief executive of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, said the results of the count should not be surprising.
She said the nonprofit, which led the campaigns for city and county ballot measures to fund homeless services and housing, is shifting its focus to finding a new approach to filling the gap of affordable units.
United Way is pushing for a new countywide agency that would have the funding and authority to boost housing production, both market-rate and subsidized, in all the county’s cities.
“We’ll never dig out of that deficit of half a million units if we do this city by city 88 times,” Buik said.


latimes--2020-06-11--USC removes name of Rufus von KleinSmid, a eugenics leader, from prominent building

With its soaring arches , international flags and globe-topped tower , the Von KleinSmid Center for International and Public Affairs is one of the most prominent buildings at USC .
Its namesake , the late Rufus B. von KleinSmid , has held a place of distinction as the university ’ s fifth president .
But on Thursday , USC announced it had stripped Von KleinSmid ’ s name from the building as the university at last reconciled with his disturbing leadership role in California ’ s eugenics movement .
The scholar , who is credited with expanding the university ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as president from 1921 to 1947 , believed that people with “ defects ” had no ethical right to parenthood and should be sterilized .
His “ Human Betterment Foundation ” was instrumental in supporting the 1909 California legislation that authorized the forced sterilization of those deemed “ unfit ” — essentially anyone non-white , said Alexandra Minna Stern , a University of Michigan history professor and expert on eugenics .
His active support of eugenics is “ at direct odds with USC ’ s multicultural community and our mission of diversity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced .
“ This moment is our Call to Action , a call to confront anti-Blackness and systemic racism , and unite as a diverse , equal , and inclusive university , ” Folt wrote .
“ You have asked for actions , not rhetoric , and actions , now.
” The university also removed Von KleinSmid ’ s bust from the building after a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees ’ executive committee .
Tweets with the hashtag # VKCIsOverParty celebrating the change circulated Thursday among USC students after photos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name were posted on the platform .
“ Everything he believed in is a threat to the Black community and any marginalized community , so I do think it ’ s a step in the right direction , ” said junior Jaya Hinton , co-director of USC ’ s Black Student Assembly .
“ But anti-Blackness is more than just names on buildings .
USC is an institution and systemic , institutional racism is a real thing.
” USC had failed to respond to years of demands from within and outside the university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the building .
They include Japanese Americans , who say Von KleinSmid prevented more than 150 second-generation Nisei students from returning to USC after World War II , when tens of thousands were wrongly incarcerated following Japan ’ s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor .
Von KleinSmid was the only West Coast university president who refused to send their transcripts to colleges in other states , where Japanese Americans released from incarceration camps were trying to finish their education , said Jon Kaji , past president of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 to remove Von KleinSmid ’ s name from the building but officials did not respond , he said .
But mass protests calling for racial justice , triggered by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis , finally pushed USC to action .
Folt said her office has been deluged with input from students , staff , faculty leadership , deans , alumni and neighbors .
Earlier this week , students began circulating an online petition , similar to one in 2018 , calling for the renaming of the building .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was sworn in as USC president , the bust of Von KleinSmid was found with a rag over its face with the words “ rename VKC ” on it and a piece of cardboard inscribed with “ NAZI ” hung around its neck .
Last year , then-Provost Michael Quick announced the formation of a Nomenclature Task Force to address concerns regarding building names , symbols and monuments .
The committee ’ s formation came after members of the Undergraduate Student Government had called for it a year before .
Folt also announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confront systemic racism .
• Form a Community Advisory Board for the Department of Public Safety .
Racial and identity profiling , officer training , education , disciplinary matters , financial resources and partnerships with the Los Angeles Police Department are among issues that will be examined .
• Convene a new Taskforce on Diversity , Equity and Inclusion .
Folt said she will charge a new committee to identify structural and institutional processes that perpetuate racism and inequality .
• Expand space and programming for underserved students , including those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the first in their families to attend college .
The expanded services will include students who are Black , Asian Pacific American , Latino , Native American , Middle Eastern , LGBTQ+ , veterans and former foster youths .
Folt ’ s announcement drew cautious support from students who have been pressing for action on the issue .
“ She ’ s using the right words for sure , I ’ m just hoping there ’ s action behind them , ” said USC rising senior Michael Mikail , who is majoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s one step in the right direction , but we have a lot of steps to go.
” In a Daily Trojan letter to the editor last week , Mikail had included the name change on a list of actions he wanted Folt to take to better support Black students .
“ I , and other Black students advocating for change , did not come to USC to be activists or agitators , ” said Mikail , who also serves as executive director of USC ’ s Pan-African Student Assembly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and USC ’ s institutional failings have forced us into these roles.
” Hinton , who is studying business administration , commended Folt ’ s other actions , such as instituting implicit bias training .
But she said she hoped not just students , but also faculty members , administration and Department of Public Safety members would be required to take it .
George Sanchez , a professor of American studies and ethnicity and history at the school , who has documented Von KleinSmid ’ s history , said the former USC president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the forefront of the eugenics movement .
The German Nazis were reading writings by California scientists leading the movement , which was couched as a scientific way to improve public health and welfare by regulating the makeup of America ’ s “ racial stock.
” “ They were seen as reformers , ” Sanchez said .
“ At the time , these ideas were seen as what the social sciences and science should work together to make a better society.
” California ’ s sterilization law did not call out race explicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficiencies ” and “ feeblemindedness.
” But the labels were disproportionately applied to racial and ethnic minorities , people with actual and perceived disabilities , poor people and women , Stern said , and the eugenics literature of the time specifically mentioned Mexicans , Filipinos and , later , Japanese and Japanese Americans .
Overall , about 20,000 people in a dozen California state institutions were sterilized throughout the 20th century under the law , which was repealed in 1979 , Stern said .
Her research lab has found that Latinos were sterilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the institutions , the majority of whom were white .
Latinas were 59 % more likely to be sterilized than non-Latinas , the lab found .
Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo ( D-Los Angeles ) has introduced legislation to compensate survivors of sterilization .
“ To me , this is California ’ s version of Confederate monuments , ” Sanchez said .
“ This history of eugenics and sterilization is central to California ’ s racial history .
In a sense , USC understands that it has a long history that is implicated in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a moment like this to act .
”

USC has removed the name of former President Rufus von KleinSmid from a prominent campus building because of his active support of eugenics.
With its soaring arches, international flags and globe-topped tower, the Von KleinSmid Center for International and Public Affairs is one of the most prominent buildings at USC. Its namesake, the late Rufus B. von KleinSmid, has held a place of distinction as the university’s fifth president.
But on Thursday, USC announced it had stripped Von KleinSmid’s name from the building as the university at last reconciled with his disturbing leadership role in California’s eugenics movement.
The scholar, who is credited with expanding the university’s academic programs and international relations curriculum as president from 1921 to 1947, believed that people with “defects” had no ethical right to parenthood and should be sterilized. His “Human Betterment Foundation” was instrumental in supporting the 1909 California legislation that authorized the forced sterilization of those deemed “unfit” — essentially anyone non-white, said Alexandra Minna Stern, a University of Michigan history professor and expert on eugenics.
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His active support of eugenics is “at direct odds with USC’s multicultural community and our mission of diversity and inclusion,” President Carol L. Folt announced.
“This moment is our Call to Action, a call to confront anti-Blackness and systemic racism, and unite as a diverse, equal, and inclusive university,” Folt wrote. “You have asked for actions, not rhetoric, and actions, now.”
The university also removed Von KleinSmid’s bust from the building after a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees’ executive committee.
Tweets with the hashtag #VKCIsOverParty celebrating the change circulated Thursday among USC students after photos of the building without Von KleinSmid’s name were posted on the platform.
“Everything he believed in is a threat to the Black community and any marginalized community, so I do think it’s a step in the right direction,” said junior Jaya Hinton, co-director of USC’s Black Student Assembly. “But anti-Blackness is more than just names on buildings. USC is an institution and systemic, institutional racism is a real thing.”
USC had failed to respond to years of demands from within and outside the university to remove Von KleinSmid’s name from the building.
They include Japanese Americans, who say Von KleinSmid prevented more than 150 second-generation Nisei students from returning to USC after World War II, when tens of thousands were wrongly incarcerated following Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Von KleinSmid was the only West Coast university president who refused to send their transcripts to colleges in other states, where Japanese Americans released from incarceration camps were trying to finish their education, said Jon Kaji, past president of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Assn. He began pressing USC in 2012 to remove Von KleinSmid’s name from the building but officials did not respond, he said.
But mass protests calling for racial justice, triggered by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, finally pushed USC to action. Folt said her office has been deluged with input from students, staff, faculty leadership, deans, alumni and neighbors.
Earlier this week, students began circulating an online petition, similar to one in 2018, calling for the renaming of the building. Last September, just an hour before Folt was sworn in as USC president, the bust of Von KleinSmid was found with a rag over its face with the words “rename VKC” on it and a piece of cardboard inscribed with “NAZI” hung around its neck.
Last year, then-Provost Michael Quick announced the formation of a Nomenclature Task Force to address concerns regarding building names, symbols and monuments. The committee’s formation came after members of the Undergraduate Student Government had called for it a year before.
Folt also announced five other actions USC would immediately take to confront systemic racism.
Form a Community Advisory Board for the Department of Public Safety. Racial and identity profiling, officer training, education, disciplinary matters, financial resources and partnerships with the Los Angeles Police Department are among issues that will be examined.
Convene a new Taskforce on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Folt said she will charge a new committee to identify structural and institutional processes that perpetuate racism and inequality.
Hire a Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.
Expand space and programming for underserved students, including those who are undocumented, along with those who are the first in their families to attend college. The expanded services will include students who are Black, Asian Pacific American, Latino, Native American, Middle Eastern, LGBTQ+ , veterans and former foster youths.
Require Unconscious Bias Training.
Folt’s announcement drew cautious support from students who have been pressing for action on the issue.
“She’s using the right words for sure, I’m just hoping there’s action behind them,” said USC rising senior Michael Mikail, who is majoring in political science. “I think it’s one step in the right direction, but we have a lot of steps to go.”
In a Daily Trojan letter to the editor last week, Mikail had included the name change on a list of actions he wanted Folt to take to better support Black students.
“I, and other Black students advocating for change, did not come to USC to be activists or agitators,” said Mikail, who also serves as executive director of USC’s Pan-African Student Assembly. “We came for an education, and USC’s institutional failings have forced us into these roles.”
Hinton, who is studying business administration, commended Folt’s other actions, such as instituting implicit bias training. But she said she hoped not just students, but also faculty members, administration and Department of Public Safety members would be required to take it.
George Sanchez, a professor of American studies and ethnicity and history at the school, who has documented Von KleinSmid’s history, said the former USC president was a key figure in pushing California to the forefront of the eugenics movement. The German Nazis were reading writings by California scientists leading the movement, which was couched as a scientific way to improve public health and welfare by regulating the makeup of America’s “racial stock.”
“They were seen as reformers,” Sanchez said. “At the time, these ideas were seen as what the social sciences and science should work together to make a better society.”
California’s sterilization law did not call out race explicitly, instead targeting those with “mental deficiencies” and “feeblemindedness.” But the labels were disproportionately applied to racial and ethnic minorities, people with actual and perceived disabilities, poor people and women, Stern said, and the eugenics literature of the time specifically mentioned Mexicans, Filipinos and, later, Japanese and Japanese Americans.
Overall, about 20,000 people in a dozen California state institutions were sterilized throughout the 20th century under the law, which was repealed in 1979, Stern said. Her research lab has found that Latinos were sterilized at significantly higher rates than others in the institutions, the majority of whom were white. Latinas were 59% more likely to be sterilized than non-Latinas, the lab found.
Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) has introduced legislation to compensate survivors of sterilization.
“To me, this is California’s version of Confederate monuments,” Sanchez said. “This history of eugenics and sterilization is central to California’s racial history. In a sense, USC understands that it has a long history that is implicated in this, but I think they waited until a moment like this to act.”


latimes--2020-06-13--California coronavirus surge tied to increase in testing, not reopening businesses, official says

California continues to see big increases in coronavirus cases as its death toll approaches 5,000 , causing alarm from some as the state continues to reopen its economy .
But are caseloads the best measure of how well California is controlling COVID-19 ?
Not necessarily , one of California ’ s top health officials said Friday as he announced a new round of businesses that are eligible for reopening , including nail salons .
The move came as the state reported two consecutive record single-day increases in coronavirus cases , logging 3,620 new cases Thursday and 3,644 Friday .
Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s leading virus hot spot , recorded 1,848 new cases Thursday , which was also a single-day high , and 1,575 cases Friday .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services , said Friday that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against the novel coronavirus .
Increased testing can drive up the number of cases as more infections are identified among those who are not seriously ill. “ We ’ ve ramped up testing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal that was set for August — not June , not July , but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day , ” Ghaly said .
“ We ’ re already knocking on that door , averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.
” Instead , officials are closely monitoring two metrics : the positivity rate , which is the proportion of people who have tested positive out of all those who have been tested , and the daily number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could indicate an uptick in community transmission that ’ s taking place separately from increased testing .
A rise in the latter could mean that more people are becoming seriously ill , possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients .
So far , California ’ s positivity rate has continued to trend downward , and hospitalizations have remained within the range of stability , Ghaly said Friday .
L.A. County has seen similar trends , with slight declines in both the positivity rate and number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county health director , said Friday .
The uptick has come as California has allowed many businesses to reopen with preventive measures in place .
That has sparked concerns that California is reopening too quickly and could face new outbreaks .
But Ghaly believes the increases are mostly due to testing .
“ I think it ’ s natural , that it ’ s easy to just focus on the number of new cases .
But I think that ’ s really anchored — if you ’ re not seeing a tremendous uptick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right timeline or … ICU cases , that ’ s really connected at least in California ’ s case to an increase in testing .
So I think it ’ s always important to kind of have that in the context.
” He said the stepped-up testing , combined with enhanced contact tracing efforts , is enabling the state and counties “ to contain and suppress disease transmission like we couldn ’ t before the stay-at-home order and even during the stay-at-home order.
” California saw far fewer deaths than hot spots such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and many attribute that to Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order , the first in the nation .
Officials said those weeks of restrictions are now allowing for gradual reopening .
“ We closed down to prepare , we created the awareness among those in our communities , and we ’ re starting to begin the reopening — bringing back the economy , bringing back that vital social and economic presence in our communities — while we still stay vigilant and watchful over the movement of COVID-19 so we can stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can , ” Ghaly said .
State officials have continued to allow more businesses , including movie theaters and gyms , to reopen this week with restrictions and pending county approval .
On Friday , officials announced nail salons , tattoo shops and massage therapists in California will be permitted to reopen in a week as the state continues to ease stay-at-home restrictions .
Each county will have to greenlight the businesses to open within its jurisdiction , and the establishments will be required to follow detailed guidelines issued by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictate details including the flow of people in and out of the establishments and the way in which pedicure bowls are disinfected .
The weeklong delay between the release of the guidelines and the date that salons and parlors can start to reopen is intended to give businesses time to prepare and local officials an opportunity “ to look at their data and determine if in the global move to reopen , whether it ’ s the right timing to have an additional sector come back into their communities , ” Ghaly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will be thrilled to get back to work , one huge hurdle remains for many of them : face masks .
In some counties in California , officials are not requiring people to cover their faces when out in public .
“ Nail salon owners in a county that does not require face coverings for clients are now put in a predicament to ask customers to wear those coverings when they come in for services .
It ’ s a way to protect both the customer and the worker .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need in place when we reopen , ” said Tam Nguyen , president of Advance Beauty College , which has locations in Laguna Hills and Garden Grove .
“ We are not in a position to enforce .
That ’ s unfair to the small-business owners .
“ The million-dollar question becomes : Do you lose your business walking out the door to a competitor down the street — or do you welcome the client and risk your health , along with your staff ?
” Nguyen and supporters launched Nailing It for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent months has delivered more than 1.2 million pieces of personal protective equipment and 52,000 restaurant meals to healthcare workers and others fighting COVID-19 .
He said safety remains the top priority , “ no matter where you ’ re operating .
For counties with mask regulations , more power to them .
Their salons should be able to reopen with less of a burden.
” But in Orange County , where his network is based , officials Thursday announced a sudden change in health orders after weeks of arguments over the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required , are now just strongly recommended in public settings , said Dr. Clayton Chau , the county ’ s Health Care Agency director .
“ This does not diminish the importance of face coverings , ” Chau said .
“ I stand with public health experts and believe wearing cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives .
“ By being consistent with the state , this will give our business community and individuals the ability to make the most appropriate decision for them @ @ @ @ @

California continues to see big increases in coronavirus cases as its death toll approaches 5,000, causing alarm from some as the state continues to reopen its economy.
But are caseloads the best measure of how well California is controlling COVID-19?
Not necessarily, one of California’s top health officials said Friday as he announced a new round of businesses that are eligible for reopening, including nail salons.
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The move came as the state reported two consecutive record single-day increases in coronavirus cases, logging 3,620 new cases Thursday and 3,644 Friday. Los Angeles County, which remains California’s leading virus hot spot, recorded 1,848 new cases Thursday, which was also a single-day high, and 1,575 cases Friday.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s secretary of Health and Human Services, said Friday that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against the novel coronavirus. Increased testing can drive up the number of cases as more infections are identified among those who are not seriously ill.
“We’ve ramped up testing in an extraordinary way, nearly hitting our goal that was set for August — not June, not July, but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day,” Ghaly said. “We’re already knocking on that door, averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.”
Instead, officials are closely monitoring two metrics: the positivity rate, which is the proportion of people who have tested positive out of all those who have been tested, and the daily number of hospitalizations. A rise in the former could indicate an uptick in community transmission that’s taking place separately from increased testing. A rise in the latter could mean that more people are becoming seriously ill, possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients.
So far, California’s positivity rate has continued to trend downward, and hospitalizations have remained within the range of stability, Ghaly said Friday.
L.A. County has seen similar trends, with slight declines in both the positivity rate and number of hospitalizations, Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said Friday.
The uptick has come as California has allowed many businesses to reopen with preventive measures in place. That has sparked concerns that California is reopening too quickly and could face new outbreaks. But Ghaly believes the increases are mostly due to testing.
“I think it’s natural, that it’s easy to just focus on the number of new cases. But I think that’s really anchored — if you’re not seeing a tremendous uptick in the number of hospitalizations in the right timeline or … ICU cases, that’s really connected at least in California’s case to an increase in testing. So I think it’s always important to kind of have that in the context.”
He said the stepped-up testing, combined with enhanced contact tracing efforts, is enabling the state and counties “to contain and suppress disease transmission like we couldn’t before the stay-at-home order and even during the stay-at-home order.”
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California saw far fewer deaths than hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, and many attribute that to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order, the first in the nation. Officials said those weeks of restrictions are now allowing for gradual reopening.
“We closed down to prepare, we created the awareness among those in our communities, and we’re starting to begin the reopening — bringing back the economy, bringing back that vital social and economic presence in our communities — while we still stay vigilant and watchful over the movement of COVID-19 so we can stay in front of it as much as we can,” Ghaly said.
State officials have continued to allow more businesses, including movie theaters and gyms, to reopen this week with restrictions and pending county approval.
On Friday, officials announced nail salons, tattoo shops and massage therapists in California will be permitted to reopen in a week as the state continues to ease stay-at-home restrictions.
Each county will have to greenlight the businesses to open within its jurisdiction, and the establishments will be required to follow detailed guidelines issued by the state. Those guidelines, issued Friday, dictate details including the flow of people in and out of the establishments and the way in which pedicure bowls are disinfected.
The weeklong delay between the release of the guidelines and the date that salons and parlors can start to reopen is intended to give businesses time to prepare and local officials an opportunity “to look at their data and determine if in the global move to reopen, whether it’s the right timing to have an additional sector come back into their communities,” Ghaly said.
Though many nail salon employees say they will be thrilled to get back to work, one huge hurdle remains for many of them: face masks. In some counties in California, officials are not requiring people to cover their faces when out in public.
“Nail salon owners in a county that does not require face coverings for clients are now put in a predicament to ask customers to wear those coverings when they come in for services. It’s a way to protect both the customer and the worker. That’s one of the safety measures we need in place when we reopen,” said Tam Nguyen, president of Advance Beauty College, which has locations in Laguna Hills and Garden Grove. “We are not in a position to enforce. That’s unfair to the small-business owners.
“The million-dollar question becomes: Do you lose your business walking out the door to a competitor down the street — or do you welcome the client and risk your health, along with your staff?”
Nguyen and supporters launched Nailing It for America, an all-volunteer initiative that in recent months has delivered more than 1.2 million pieces of personal protective equipment and 52,000 restaurant meals to healthcare workers and others fighting COVID-19. He said safety remains the top priority, “no matter where you’re operating. For counties with mask regulations, more power to them. Their salons should be able to reopen with less of a burden.”
But in Orange County, where his network is based, officials Thursday announced a sudden change in health orders after weeks of arguments over the use of face coverings. Masks, previously required, are now just strongly recommended in public settings, said Dr. Clayton Chau, the county’s Health Care Agency director.
“This does not diminish the importance of face coverings,” Chau said. “I stand with public health experts and believe wearing cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives.
“By being consistent with the state, this will give our business community and individuals the ability to make the most appropriate decision for them and their situation.”


latimes--2020-06-13--Photos of the reopening of Yosemite National Park after coronavirus closure

Yosemite National Park reopened Thursday after an 83-day shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
Only a few cars were lined up at 5 a.m. when gates were unlocked at the park ’ s south entrance .
An hour later , a lone visitor at the usually teeming Tunnel View watched the sunrise over Half Dome and the Sierra .
Like national parks across the country , Yosemite is taking a phased-in approach to gradually reopen parts of the park and setting new rules and protocols designed to keep visitors and employees safe .
Visitors lucky enough to get in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an overnight reservation or a wilderness permit — had the park to themselves , something unthinkable on a typical June day at California ’ s beloved national park .
On Thursday , campgrounds ( only one is open ) were quiet , waterfalls still held their spring thunder , rangers wearing masks convened an outdoor visitor center , and at least one bear and deer were seen roaming as they did during the people-free days .
“ There is no place like Yosemite , and we can ’ t wait to welcome visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muldoon said in a statement this week .
“ It ’ s going to be a different kind of summer.
” The closure was unprecedented in the park ’ s 130-year history .
Popular landmarks such as Glacier Point , the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in the southern part of the park , Tuolumne Meadows , Hetch Hetchy and trails are open .
Museums and visitor centers remain closed , and park shuttles around the Valley and at Mariposa Grove won ’ t operate this summer .
The biggest change is letting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half the number of visitors that usually turn up in June .
That means you can ’ t just show up and expect to get in .
On average , about 488,000 people visit Yosemite in June .
Last year , the park welcomed almost 4.6 million tourists .
Day visitors must pay $ 35 for an entry pass and vehicle permit at recreation.gov .
Vehicle permits are required even for a drive through the park on Tioga Road ( Highway 120 ) , which will open Monday .
People who have overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t need to get a vehicle permit .
Yosemite Valley Lodge , Curry Village and the Ahwahnee will reopen Saturday .
Upper Pines Campground , the only camping spot open in the park , is limited to 50 % capacity .
Others campgrounds remain closed because the park doesn ’ t have enough staff to keep restrooms clean and trash removed , according to Yosemite ’ s website .
The park opened June 5 to hikers who had permits to hike up Half Dome or access the wilderness .
Also , visitors are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention social distancing guidelines to stay at least six feet from others , whether on a trail or in a parking lot , and wear a face covering when you can ’ t social distance ( few visitors were seen wearing masks Thursday ) .

Yosemite National Park reopened Thursday after an 83-day shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Only a few cars were lined up at 5 a.m. when gates were unlocked at the park’s south entrance. An hour later, a lone visitor at the usually teeming Tunnel View watched the sun rise over Half Dome and the Sierra.
Like national parks across the country, Yosemite is taking a phased-in approach to gradually reopen parts of the park and setting new rules and protocols designed to keep visitors and employees safe. Visitors lucky enough to get in — you need a day permit, an overnight reservation or a wilderness permit — had the park to themselves, something unthinkable on a typical June day at California’s beloved national park.
On Thursday, campgrounds (only one is open) were quiet, waterfalls still held their spring thunder, rangers wearing masks convened at an outdoor visitor center, and at least one bear and deer were seen roaming as they did during the people-free days.
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“There is no place like Yosemite, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors back,” acting park supervisor Cicely Muldoon said in a statement this week. “It’s going to be a different kind of summer.”
Austin Wall of Napa takes a picture of a bear wearing a tag and transmitter collar near El Capitan Meadow in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The closure was unprecedented in the park’s 130-year history. Popular landmarks such as Glacier Point, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in the southern part of the park, Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy and trails are open. Museums and visitor centers remain closed, and park shuttles around the Valley and at Mariposa Grove won’t operate this summer.
The biggest change is letting in just 1,700 vehicles a day, half the number of visitors that usually turn up in June. That means you can’t just show up and expect to get in. On average, about 488,000 people visit Yosemite in June. Last year, the park welcomed almost 4.6 million tourists.
Day visitors must pay $35 for an entry pass and vehicle permit at recreation.gov. Vehicle permits are required even for a drive through the park on Tioga Road (Highway 120), which will open Monday. People who have overnight reservations or back-country hiking permits don’t need to get a vehicle permit.
1 / 10 Ahwahnee Meadow in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 10 Bridalveil Fall trail remains closed to visitors in Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 10 A hiker on Four Mile Trail in Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 10 Al Dueck of Fresno takes in the view of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 10 Park visitors along the Merced River. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 10 Masked park rangers behind plastic shields check in visitors to Yosemite. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 10 Rafters on the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 10 Erin Bell serves up burgers at Base Camp Grill. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 10 Gary Lin and his mother, May Lin, set up their tent in Upper Pines Campground. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 10 Visitors take photos at Lower Yosemite Falls. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village and the Ahwahnee will reopen Saturday. Upper Pines Campground, the only camping spot open in the park, is limited to 50% capacity. Others campgrounds remain closed because the park doesn’t have enough staff to keep restrooms clean and trash removed, according to Yosemite’s website. The park opened June 5 to hikers who had permits to hike up Half Dome or access the wilderness.
Also, visitors are asked to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines to stay at least six feet from others, whether on a trail or in a parking lot, and wear a face covering when you can’t social distance (few visitors were seen wearing masks Thursday).
Taking the plunge
A young woman jumps off Swinging Bridge into the frigid Merced River. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Restricted access
Visitors to Yosemite Valley take photos at Lower Yosemite Falls. Parts of the park are now restricted. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Closed for now
Adirondack chairs are stacked under the balcony at Big Trees Lodge in Wawona. The lodge will be closed for the season because of the coronavirus. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Yosemite Valley trams, left, are idle for now. Vines, right, take over a bench at Big Trees Lodge in Wawona. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Limited camping
A lone tent in Yosemite Valley’s Upper Pines Campground, where less than a dozen campsites were occupied. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Social distancing
Park ranger Jamie Jirele maintains social distancing as she chats with a visitor in a meadow in Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Sunrise at Tunnel View
First-time Yosemite visitor Anwar Shariff of San Diego takes in the sunrise from Tunnel View. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Times photographer Brian van der Brug contributed to this story.