latimes--2020-03-30--15,000 L.A. high school students are AWOL online, 40,000 fail to check in daily amid coronavirus clo

15,000 L.A. high school students are AWOL online, 40,000 fail to check in daily amid coronavirus closures

About 15,000 Los Angeles high school students are absent online and have failed to do any schoolwork while more than 40,000 have not been in daily contact with their teachers since March 16 , when the coronavirus forced campus shutdowns , district officials disclosed Monday .
Those figures , the first official data on student online participation , reveal the massive challenge confronting the nation ’ s second-largest schools district , which is attempting an overnight transition to “ distance learning ” for half a million students , the vast majority from low-income families , many lacking computers and internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early , the numbers demonstrate how the digital divide among underserved students as well many students ’ lack of engagement and strong personal connection to their classes will likely contribute to a deepening and worrisome achievement gap , education experts said .
“ This crisis has laid bare what we always knew — how equitable opportunities are so dependent on parental background and wealth and access to resources , ” said UC Berkeley education and African American studies professor Janelle Scott .
“ Having a physical school does really matter and having caring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family is vital.
” The L.A. Unified School District has moved quickly to distribute computers and has arranged for free internet access — moves that already may have helped thousands , but clearly have not replaced the classroom learning experience .
“ It ’ s not like we went to virtual schooling because we thought virtual schooling was better , ” Scott said .
“ We went to virtual schooling because it was a crisis.
” The 15,000 unaccounted-for students are an especially serious source of concern , said Supt .
Austin Beutner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 40,000 who are not in daily contact with their teachers represents about a third of all Los Angeles high school students .
However , some of them may be doing assigned work that does not require a daily check-in .
Officials declined to release similar figures for middle or elementary schools .
“ It ’ s simply not acceptable that we lose touch with 15,000 young adults or that many students aren ’ t getting the education they should be , ” Beutner said in a video update .
“ This will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trial and error to get it right .
And it will take the continued patience and commitment of all involved — students , families and teachers.
” Beutner says he hopes the online reach will improve as more families take advantage of the free computers and internet , arranged through a contract with Verizon .
To get broadband , students will use individual hot spots — small digital cubes through which students can connect a computer to the internet .
“ The great big digital divide many have spoken about is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
In response to what Beutner characterized as an urgent need , the superintendent used his emergency powers and authorized spending $ 100 million from district reserves for technology .
Many who remain disconnected “ happen to be amongst our most vulnerable students , ” he said .
“ It might be students in the foster system .
It might be students who are experiencing homelessness .
It might be students who were living in deep poverty .
Those are students who struggle with attendance in ordinary times .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ The harder part is establishing a connection to the student .
And I don ’ t mean a digital connection .
I mean that human connection of some sort.
” The staff at Thomas Starr King Middle School in Los Feliz is doing what it can , instructional technology coach Wil Page said .
But contact information for some families frequently becomes out of date — they move , they lose cellphone access , they change numbers , Page said .
The current crisis has exacerbated such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an extraordinary era right now that it becomes very difficult for some families to be able to make those outreaches and vice versa , ” Page said .
Teachers at King are working in teams to figure out who ’ s missing , and then work on reaching out to those families , Page said .
If they ’ re unsuccessful , the names are given to counselors and administrators .
“ Distance learning may have great potential , but mostly it ’ s only worked well for high-achieving , self-motivated learners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support at home , ” said Michael J. Petrilli , president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute , an education think tank in Washington , D.C. Poor and working-class students , he said , “ are least likely to have high-speed internet ” and “ were already learning well below grade level .
We should expect many to struggle ... That ’ s not to say that schools shouldn ’ t give it their all.
” Daniella Hernandez , a junior at Maywood Center for Enriched Studies , said half of the 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending online lessons .
On Friday , however , there were only four students in the Zoom session .
“ It can be a good thing sometimes because you get more of a one-to-one ” experience , without the jokester in the back of the room disrupting class , said Daniella , 17 .
Yet , she also really misses those lighter moments .
“ It ’ s sad because those are the things that get you through , ” she said .
Students in calculus already were familiar with online work because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the shutdown .
But the transition has been more difficult in other classes , where teachers sometimes “ assign busywork instead of productive work ...
I just feel like sometimes it ’ s not getting me anywhere .
I ’ m not learning as much as I should , ” she said .
Although she is showing up virtually for fear of falling behind , she understands why some of her peers do not .
“ They ’ re not feeling inspired to get the work done , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that overall the school has done well — providing computers and hot spots — with teachers using multiple apps to keep students on track .
“ I ’ m pretty sure there are students that just don ’ t want to log in , ” said Melissa , 16 .
“ Some students don ’ t want to be in school when we ’ re , like , in school.
” Teachers ’ relationships with students before the closures could affect whether some show up , said UCLA education professor Tyrone Howard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current L.A. teachers whom he mentored .
The ones best able to take lessons online already had strong relationships with their students and their families .
Even so , some factors are simply out of the teachers ’ control .
“ Some kids will figure it was a time off , other kids don ’ t have the infrastructure , other kids are watching younger siblings , other kids are trying to find a job to help their family out , ” Howard said .
It would be unfair to characterize students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blowing off class , said UC Berkeley ’ s Scott .
“ Certainly there are kids that are just disengaged from school ... but a lot of it has to do with hunger , and housing insecurity , ” as well as potentially a lack of an adult connection or health issues , she said .


latimes--2020-03-30--Lose your job over the coronavirus? Here's how to avoid eviction if you can't pay rent

More than 1 million Californians have applied for unemployment assistance as coronavirus cases have surged in recent weeks .
The pandemic and the economic devastation it has caused have led many renters to wonder how they ’ re going to pay rent on April 1 — after weeks of being asked to stay home and , in some cases , not work to slow the spread of the virus .
From eviction bans to mortgage relief , here ’ s a guide to protections for renters and homeowners in California .
Yes .
No government program passed to date relieves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even in Los Angeles and other cities where renter relief efforts have been approved , tenants are required to ultimately pay back rent in full .
But what if I can ’ t pay ?
Will I get evicted ?
The federal government , state government and individual cities and counties have offered many protections for tenants at risk of getting evicted .
But there is no blanket ban preventing the legal process of eviction across California , and the strength of the protections that exist depends on where you live and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state , however , are entitled to a delay of an eviction through May 31 if they can ’ t pay rent because of financial or medical circumstances caused by the coronavirus .
To qualify , renters must have lost their job or hours at work , or have had to take care of children whose schools are closed or family members with COVID-19 .
Tenants also must notify their landlords in writing no later than seven days after their rent is due — or by April 8 or May 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay .
Come June 1 , affected tenants can still be evicted if they didn ’ t pay rent in April or May .
What about protections from the federal government ?
As part of the coronavirus economic stimulus package signed by President Trump last week , the federal government has offered additional safeguards for renters .
These provisions , however , are confusing and it will be hard for tenants to figure out if they qualify .
The package included a 120-day eviction moratorium for tenants who can ’ t pay rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renters in properties — both single-family homes and apartments — whose owners have federally backed mortgages .
Every renter who lives in federally subsidized low-income housing also is automatically covered , said Shamus Roller , executive director of the National Housing Law Project .
Overall , about 40 % of the nation ’ s single-family homes and about half of multifamily homes qualify , with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae , Freddie Mac or other federal sources , according to the National Housing Law Project and National Multifamily Housing Council .
But renters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their landlord has such a mortgage .
“ From the tenant perspective , it ’ s very difficult to understand whether you ’ re protected , ” Roller said .
What about protections from cities and counties in California ?
More than 80 local governments — including Los Angeles , San Diego , San Jose and San Francisco — have passed some version of a temporary ban on evictions , according to the California Apartment Assn.
, the state ’ s largest landlord group .
These measures provide protections beyond those offered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Los Angeles , renters who can not pay their rent because of economic hardship or because their health has been affected by the coronavirus are not allowed to be evicted .
Neither are Angelenos who have had family members move in because of the virus and increase the number of people that would otherwise be permitted under their lease .
Tenants in L.A. have up to a year after the city ’ s emergency order expires to pay back rent .
All late fees for nonpayment will be waived .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landlords were planning to pull rentals off the market under the Ellis Act or had wanted to displace their tenants by moving in themselves .
On Monday , Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a separate executive order preventing the landlords of hundreds of thousands of apartments across the city from increasing rents during the pandemic .
Oakland approved a less strict policy as part of its eviction moratorium , which limits the ability for landlords to hike rents in properties covered by the city ’ s rent control policies .
What happens if my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles renters can contact the city ’ s housing agency for assistance .
Tenants in L.A. and elsewhere in California also can use the moratoriums approved by their city , or rules approved statewide , as a defense against an eviction in court .
Also , an eviction filing might not go far right now .
Adhering to calls for social distancing , many courts across California have greatly restricted their activities , including the ability to hear eviction cases .
In Los Angeles , such cases have been suspended until further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many overlapping government programs provide some protections for tenants against getting evicted right now .
But none ultimately waive rent payments , and just about all of the protections on the books require tenants to demonstrate how they have been harmed by the coronavirus .
The best way for a renter to prevent an eventual eviction is to make sure they ’ ve saved all of their documentation , including employment and health records .
What will homeowners get ?
Homeowners are getting more than renters , as both the federal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial assistance .
Under the federal plan , homeowners with federally backed mortgages can not be forced into foreclosure for at least two months .
Additionally , homeowners who have suffered economic hardship over the virus can request a six-month deferral of their mortgage payments — without penalties , interest or late fees .
Also , last week , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced that four of the nation ’ s largest banks — Wells Fargo , U.S. Bank , Citibank and JPMorgan Chase — as well as 200 state-chartered banks and credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defer payments for at least three months .
Late payments would not be reported to credit agencies .
For landlords , under a plan offered by the federal government , apartment owners with federally backed mortgages can defer their payments for three months .
But if they accept that relief , they also have to agree not to evict their tenants and must waive late fees .
What are landlords doing ?
Some landlords are offering renters relief beyond what ’ s required under the law .
The California Apartment Assn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent increases and evictions for those affected by the coronavirus , plus waive late fees and offer flexible payment plans .
These are just guidelines , however .
While the federal government has increased unemployment benefits and is issuing a one-time direct payout of up to $ 1,200 for most adults , many housing advocates — including landlord groups — believe that ’ s not enough money to ensure renters , particularly in high-cost states like California , can pay all their bills .
“ There isn ’ t direct rental assistance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carol Galante , faculty director at UC Berkeley ’ s Terner Center for Housing Innovation .
“ I think that ’ s a mistake.
” Homeowners , on the other hand , are likely to fare a bit better .

More than 1 million Californians have applied for unemployment assistance as coronavirus cases have surged in recent weeks.
The pandemic and the economic devastation it has caused have led many renters to wonder how they’re going to pay rent on April 1 — after weeks of being asked to stay home and, in some cases, not work to slow the spread of the virus.
From eviction bans to mortgage relief, here’s a guide to protections for renters and homeowners in California.
Advertisement
Do I still owe rent?
Yes. No government program passed to date relieves California renters of their duty to pay. Even in Los Angeles and other cities where renter relief efforts have been approved, tenants are required to ultimately pay back rent in full.
But what if I can’t pay? Will I get evicted?
The federal government, state government and individual cities and counties have offered many protections for tenants at risk of getting evicted. But there is no blanket ban preventing the legal process of eviction across California, and the strength of the protections that exist depends on where you live and who your landlord is.
All renters in the state, however, are entitled to a delay of an eviction through May 31 if they can’t pay rent because of financial or medical circumstances caused by the coronavirus. To qualify, renters must have lost their job or hours at work, or have had to take care of children whose schools are closed or family members with COVID-19. Tenants also must notify their landlords in writing no later than seven days after their rent is due — or by April 8 or May 8 — if they’re unable to pay.
Come June 1, affected tenants can still be evicted if they didn’t pay rent in April or May.
Advertisement
What about protections from the federal government?
As part of the coronavirus economic stimulus package signed by President Trump last week, the federal government has offered additional safeguards for renters. These provisions, however, are confusing and it will be hard for tenants to figure out if they qualify.
The package included a 120-day eviction moratorium for tenants who can’t pay rent. But the moratorium only applies to renters in properties — both single-family homes and apartments — whose owners have federally backed mortgages. Every renter who lives in federally subsidized low-income housing also is automatically covered, said Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project.
Overall, about 40% of the nation’s single-family homes and about half of multifamily homes qualify, with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or other federal sources, according to the National Housing Law Project and National Multifamily Housing Council. But renters have no easy way of knowing whether their landlord has such a mortgage.
“From the tenant perspective, it’s very difficult to understand whether you’re protected,” Roller said.
What about protections from cities and counties in California?
More than 80 local governments — including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco — have passed some version of a temporary ban on evictions, according to the California Apartment Assn., the state’s largest landlord group. These measures provide protections beyond those offered by the federal and state governments.
In the city of Los Angeles, renters who cannot pay their rent because of economic hardship or because their health has been affected by the coronavirus are not allowed to be evicted. Neither are Angelenos who have had family members move in because of the virus and increase the number of people that would otherwise be permitted under their lease.
Tenants in L.A. have up to a year after the city’s emergency order expires to pay back rent. All late fees for nonpayment will be waived.
Also protected from eviction are tenants whose landlords were planning to pull rentals off the market under the Ellis Act or had wanted to displace their tenants by moving in themselves.
On Monday, Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a separate executive order preventing the landlords of hundreds of thousands of apartments across the city from increasing rents during the pandemic. Oakland approved a less strict policy as part of its eviction moratorium, which limits the ability for landlords to hike rents in properties covered by the city’s rent control policies.
What happens if my landlord tries to evict me anyway?
Los Angeles renters can contact the city’s housing agency for assistance. Tenants in L.A. and elsewhere in California also can use the moratoriums approved by their city, or rules approved statewide, as a defense against an eviction in court.
Also, an eviction filing might not go far right now. Adhering to calls for social distancing, many courts across California have greatly restricted their activities, including the ability to hear eviction cases. In Los Angeles, such cases have been suspended until further notice except for emergencies.
In short, many overlapping government programs provide some protections for tenants against getting evicted right now. But none ultimately waive rent payments, and just about all of the protections on the books require tenants to demonstrate how they have been harmed by the coronavirus.
The best way for a renter to prevent an eventual eviction is to make sure they’ve saved all of their documentation, including employment and health records.
What will homeowners get?
Homeowners are getting more than renters, as both the federal and state governments have secured different forms of financial assistance.
Under the federal plan, homeowners with federally backed mortgages cannot be forced into foreclosure for at least two months. Additionally, homeowners who have suffered economic hardship over the virus can request a six-month deferral of their mortgage payments — without penalties, interest or late fees.
Also, last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that four of the nation’s largest banks — Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Citibank and JPMorgan Chase — as well as 200 state-chartered banks and credit unions will allow affected homeowners in California to defer payments for at least three months. Late payments would not be reported to credit agencies.
For landlords, under a plan offered by the federal government, apartment owners with federally backed mortgages can defer their payments for three months. But if they accept that relief, they also have to agree not to evict their tenants and must waive late fees.
What are landlords doing?
Some landlords are offering renters relief beyond what’s required under the law. The California Apartment Assn. is advising its members to halt all rent increases and evictions for those affected by the coronavirus, plus waive late fees and offer flexible payment plans. These are just guidelines, however.
What’s the bottom line?
While the federal government has increased unemployment benefits and is issuing a one-time direct payout of up to $1,200 for most adults, many housing advocates — including landlord groups — believe that’s not enough money to ensure renters, particularly in high-cost states like California, can pay all their bills.
“There isn’t direct rental assistance for everybody who needs it,” said Carol Galante, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation. “I think that’s a mistake.”
Homeowners, on the other hand, are likely to fare a bit better.


latimes--2020-03-30--As coronavirus roils courts, prosecutors and public defenders fume about state directives

Prosecutors and public defenders vented their anger Monday with a decision by California ’ s judicial leaders to extend some legal deadlines and recommend that hearings be held remotely .
The state ’ s Judicial Council , which makes policy and sets rules for the courts , voted unanimously Saturday to extend the deadlines for pre-trial criminal matters and recommended they be conducted remotely by telephone or video if possible , during the coronavirus crisis .
Public defenders , who have been trying to get clients out of jail , were furious about the extension of deadlines .
Prosecutors were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings rather than ordering them .
Oscar Bobrow , president of the California Public Defenders Assn.
, called the situation in California ’ s jails a “ time bomb.
” He said the deadline extensions were forcing inmates who have not been convicted to live in close quarters in jails that are become a breeding ground for the coronavirus .
“ People are fighting over toilet paper in the aisles of Safeway , ” Bobrow said .
“ Things could turn crazy quickly .
And if you are held in custody on that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in jeopardy.
” An inmate in the Los Angeles County jail has tested positive for COVID-19 as well as four employees .
Four inmates in the Orange County jail also have tested positive .
In Solano County , where Bobrow is chief deputy public defender , defense lawyers have been going to court , he said .
Prosecutors have been participating remotely .
Bobrow called on Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye , head of the Judicial Council , to order sheriffs to release more inmates , including those with low-level crimes and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some sheriffs have done this , while others have not .
Bobrow said he believed Cantil-Sakauye had the powers to do so under a sweeping order Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued last week .
The unprecedented order gave her temporary power to suspend laws .
Orange County Dist .
Atty .
Todd Spitzer , on the other hand , called on Cantil-Sakauye to issue a statewide order requiring preliminary hearings be held remotely .
He said the council ’ s emergency meeting Saturday just created confusion .
“ I was so angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Orange County Public Defender Sharon Petrosino was insisting that clients appear in person for preliminary hearings , where prosecutors must show there is sufficient evidence to believe a crime has been committed .
“ There is no doubt we are going to litigate this , ” he said .
He suggested that public defenders were simply trying to get charges dismissed by refusing to waive their clients ’ rights to appear .
Prosecutors can refile charges only once after dismissal for most felonies and twice for the most serious felonies .
Judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all courts were equipped to handle them .
Cathal Conneely , speaking for the Judicial Council , said the courts were doing their best during this state of emergency to balance health and safety concerns with litigants ’ civil and constitutional rights .
Orange County ’ s Petrosino complained that Spitzer has been fighting her office ’ s attempts to get the vulnerable and those accused of low-level level crimes out of jail .
One of them was a former combat Marine who had been a prisoner of war and suffered from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on suspicion of violating probation in 2010 but had committed no later crime .
Her office was trying to get him out of jail when he died .
He was 69 .
She said it wasn ’ t yet known whether he contracted the coronavirus .
“ Practically everybody who was arrested since the 17th of March is in custody and has not yet seen a judge , ” she said .
Normally , someone who is arrested is entitled to go before a judge within 48 hours for an arraignment , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can enter a plea .
The Judicial Council extended the time to seven days .
Inmates are supposed to be given to a preliminary hearing within 10 court days after arraignment .
Judicial leaders have extended that time to 30 court days Petrosino said her office has agreed to remote arraignments , but her clients have a constitutional right to appear for their preliminary hearings .
Courtrooms are big enough for social distancing , she said , and it is important that the accused see the witnesses against them and be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we are the ones giving up on our clients ’ constitutional rights , then who do they have left ?
” she said .
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report .

California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, shown in 2011, and other judicial leaders issued a decision Saturday that has frustrated both prosecutors and public defenders, although for different reasons.
Prosecutors and public defenders vented their anger Monday with a decision by California’s judicial leaders to extend some legal deadlines and recommend that hearings be held remotely.
The state’s Judicial Council, which makes policy and sets rules for the courts, voted unanimously Saturday to extend the deadlines for pre-trial criminal matters and recommended they be conducted remotely by telephone or video if possible, during the coronavirus crisis.
Public defenders, who have been trying to get clients out of jail, were furious about the extension of deadlines. Prosecutors were upset that judicial leaders merely recommended remote hearings rather than ordering them.
Oscar Bobrow, president of the California Public Defenders Assn., called the situation in California’s jails a “time bomb.”
He said the deadline extensions were forcing inmates who have not been convicted to live in close quarters in jails that are become a breeding ground for the coronavirus.
Advertisement
“People are fighting over toilet paper in the aisles of Safeway,” Bobrow said. “Things could turn crazy quickly. And if you are held in custody on that kind of offense, your life could be in jeopardy.”
An inmate in the Los Angeles County jail has tested positive for COVID-19 as well as four employees. Four inmates in the Orange County jail also have tested positive.
In Solano County, where Bobrow is chief deputy public defender, defense lawyers have been going to court, he said. Prosecutors have been participating remotely.
Bobrow called on Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, head of the Judicial Council, to order sheriffs to release more inmates, including those with low-level crimes and those who are close to completing their sentences.
Some sheriffs have done this, while others have not. Bobrow said he believed Cantil-Sakauye had the powers to do so under a sweeping order Gov. Gavin Newsom issued last week. The unprecedented order gave her temporary power to suspend laws.
Advertisement
Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer, on the other hand, called on Cantil-Sakauye to issue a statewide order requiring preliminary hearings be held remotely.
He said the council’s emergency meeting Saturday just created confusion.
“I was so angry,” he said.
He complained that Orange County Public Defender Sharon Petrosino was insisting that clients appear in person for preliminary hearings, where prosecutors must show there is sufficient evidence to believe a crime has been committed.
“There is no doubt we are going to litigate this,” he said.
He suggested that public defenders were simply trying to get charges dismissed by refusing to waive their clients’ rights to appear. Prosecutors can refile charges only once after dismissal for most felonies and twice for the most serious felonies.
Judicial leaders who recommended remote hearings said that not all courts were equipped to handle them.
Cathal Conneely, speaking for the Judicial Council, said the courts were doing their best during this state of emergency to balance health and safety concerns with litigants’ civil and constitutional rights.
Orange County’s Petrosino complained that Spitzer has been fighting her office’s attempts to get the vulnerable and those accused of low-level level crimes out of jail.
One of them was a former combat Marine who had been a prisoner of war and suffered from post-traumatic stress. He was recently arrested on suspicion of violating probation in 2010 but had committed no later crime.
Her office was trying to get him out of jail when he died. He was 69. She said it wasn’t yet known whether he contracted the coronavirus.
“Practically everybody who was arrested since the 17th of March is in custody and has not yet seen a judge,” she said.
In response, Spitzer said the 69-year old former marine died of pre-existing conditions and the DA’s office did not oppose the inmate’s release. Because he had already been sentenced, prosecutors did not even have the authority to weigh in on the case, Spitzer said.
Normally, someone who is arrested is entitled to go before a judge within 48 hours for an arraignment, where the charges are explained and the person can enter a plea. The Judicial Council extended the time to seven days.
Inmates are supposed to be given to a preliminary hearing within 10 court days after arraignment. Judicial leaders have extended that time to 30 court days
Petrosino said her office has agreed to remote arraignments, but her clients have a constitutional right to appear for their preliminary hearings. Courtrooms are big enough for social distancing, she said, and it is important that the accused see the witnesses against them and be able to confer with their lawyers.
``”If we are the ones giving up on our clients’ constitutional rights, then who do they have left?” she said.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-30--Tenants get help as L.A. freezes rent hikes for thousands of apartments over coronavirus

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday that landlords would not be allowed to increase the rent for hundreds of thousands of apartments in the city , in his latest effort to ease the financial hardship on Angelenos from the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Rent will stay the same , ” the mayor said during a briefing on Monday afternoon .
“ This is a common sense action on top of the eviction moratorium that will help folks stay in their homes and make ends meet.
” The announcement covers about 624,000 apartments that fall under the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistics .
Normally , that program allows owners of apartment buildings built on or before October 1978 to increase rents by about 3 % or 4 % every year .
Single-family rentals and most newer apartments , neither of which are subject to rent control under state law , will remain unaffected by Garcetti ’ s executive order .
The freeze on rent increases covers the vast majority of apartments in L.A. and will last until the city ’ s state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic ends , Garcetti said .
Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartments covered by the order are void , a Garcetti spokesman confirmed .
The mayor ’ s action adds yet another layer of protection for tenants , many of whom have rent due on Wednesday .
On Friday , the L.A. City Council approved a temporary ban on evictions for renters who are unable to pay rent because of the virus .
The council also waived late fees and allowed renters to make up late payments for up to a year after the expiration of the emergency order .
Council members , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evictions during the pandemic , and all back rent must still be paid .
Councilman Mike Bonin , who represents Venice and several other Westside neighborhoods and had been pushing for a halt on rent hikes , said he was thrilled by the mayor ’ s decision .
“ This is a big and important and necessary step to prevent people from winding up on the streets , ” he said .
Bonin said he and Councilman David Ryu would continue to press Gov .
Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suspension of rent and mortgage payments and other relief measures for tenants and homeowners .
Garcetti ’ s decision troubled Daniel Yukelson , executive director of the Apartment Assn .
of Greater Los Angeles .
He was concerned that landlords who were counting on rent increases to pay their mortgages , property taxes and other bills now had to forgo that revenue .
City leaders “ are just forcing this entire burden on rental property owners , ” Yukelson said .
“ They ’ re going to put a lot of owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners that live month to month and depend on these rent checks to survive.
” Some tenant advocates said the mayor ’ s action will be helpful , but still wasn ’ t enough to ensure that renters are protected from evictions in the future , as they continue to grapple with the economic ripples of the pandemic .
“ It ’ s great that tenants won ’ t receive a rent increase , ” said Trinidad Ruiz , an organizer with Los Angeles Tenants Union , one of several groups that protested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But that won ’ t protect them as soon as this eviction pause is lifted .
”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday that landlords would not be allowed to increase the rent for hundreds of thousands of apartments in the city, in his latest effort to ease the financial hardship on Angelenos from the coronavirus outbreak.
“Rent will stay the same,” the mayor said during a briefing on Monday afternoon. “This is a common sense action on top of the eviction moratorium that will help folks stay in their homes and make ends meet.”
The announcement covers about 624,000 apartments that fall under the city’s rent stabilization program, according to city statistics. Normally, that program allows owners of apartment buildings built on or before October 1978 to increase rents by about 3% or 4% every year. Single-family rentals and most newer apartments, neither of which are subject to rent control under state law, will remain unaffected by Garcetti’s executive order.
The freeze on rent increases covers the vast majority of apartments in L.A. and will last until the city’s state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic ends, Garcetti said. Any rent increases planned for April 1 at apartments covered by the order are void, a Garcetti spokesman confirmed.
Advertisement
The mayor’s action adds yet another layer of protection for tenants, many of whom have rent due on Wednesday.
On Friday, the L.A. City Council approved a temporary ban on evictions for renters who are unable to pay rent because of the virus. The council also waived late fees and allowed renters to make up late payments for up to a year after the expiration of the emergency order. Council members, however, rejected a blanket ban on all evictions during the pandemic, and all back rent must still be paid.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents Venice and several other Westside neighborhoods and had been pushing for a halt on rent hikes, said he was thrilled by the mayor’s decision.
“This is a big and important and necessary step to prevent people from winding up on the streets,” he said.
Bonin said he and Councilman David Ryu would continue to press Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration for a more complete stoppage on rent increases, a suspension of rent and mortgage payments and other relief measures for tenants and homeowners.
Garcetti’s decision troubled Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles. He was concerned that landlords who were counting on rent increases to pay their mortgages, property taxes and other bills now had to forgo that revenue.
Advertisement
City leaders “are just forcing this entire burden on rental property owners,” Yukelson said. “They’re going to put a lot of owners out of business. There are many owners that live month to month and depend on these rent checks to survive.”
Some tenant advocates said the mayor’s action will be helpful, but still wasn’t enough to ensure that renters are protected from evictions in the future, as they continue to grapple with the economic ripples of the pandemic.
“It’s great that tenants won’t receive a rent increase,” said Trinidad Ruiz, an organizer with Los Angeles Tenants Union, one of several groups that protested outside Garcetti’s home Sunday afternoon. “But that won’t protect them as soon as this eviction pause is lifted.”


latimes--2020-03-30--Coronavirus hospitalizations have doubled in California over last three days

Hospitalizations continued to spike in California as the coronavirus spreads , officials said Monday .
Between Friday and Monday , the number of California patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in intensive-care beds nearly tripled to 597 from 200 .
The number of hospitalizations has nearly doubled , from 746 to 1,432 .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s secretary of health and human services , said the state ’ s modeling suggests California will need 50,000 new hospital beds by mid-May .
“ We project that we will need that toward the second half of the month of May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very busy trying to build toward that.
” Gov .
Gavin Newsom declined to say how many people his administration believes are infected with the virus based on the state ’ s existing models .
“ It ’ s a dynamic model and it ’ s radically different , I can assure you , than it was just four or five days ago , ” Newsom said .
“ And if we had a model that I could more confidently say , based on all of these conditions and everything being static @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , but I can assure you we are running those models in real time.
” California has recorded 142 deaths and more than 6.800 cases .
Los Angeles County officials on Monday confirmed seven new coronavirus-linked deaths , bringing the death toll to 44 .
Six of the victims were 65 or older , and one was between the ages of 41 and 65 , county Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Ferrer announced an additional 342 cases of the virus in the county , bringing the total to 2,474 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered from COVID-19 , a number that officials are working to accurately track .

A worker at Eisenberg Village nursing home screens all incoming patients for symptoms of the coronavirus in Reseda.
Hospitalizations continued to spike in California as the coronavirus spreads, officials said Monday.
Between Friday and Monday, the number of California patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in intensive-care beds nearly tripled to 597 from 200.
The number of hospitalizations has nearly doubled, from 746 to 1,432.
Advertisement
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s secretary of health and human services, said the state’s modeling suggests California will need 50,000 new hospital beds by mid-May.
“We project that we will need that toward the second half of the month of May,” Ghaly said. “So we are very busy trying to build toward that.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom declined to say how many people his administration believes are infected with the virus based on the state’s existing models.
“It’s a dynamic model and it’s radically different, I can assure you, than it was just four or five days ago,” Newsom said. “And if we had a model that I could more confidently say, based on all of these conditions and everything being static, then we would provide it to you, but I can assure you we are running those models in real time.”
California has recorded 142 deaths and more than 6.800 cases.
Los Angeles County officials on Monday confirmed seven new coronavirus-linked deaths, bringing the death toll to 44.
Advertisement
Six of the victims were 65 or older, and one was between the ages of 41 and 65, county Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Ferrer announced an additional 342 cases of the virus in the county, bringing the total to 2,474. That count includes people who have recovered from COVID-19, a number that officials are working to accurately track.


latimes--2020-03-30--Conditions at San Francisco nursing home deteriorate rapidly amid coronavirus outbreak

Conditions are deteriorating at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center , a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center facility in San Francisco , amid a coronavirus outbreak there , city officials said Monday .
Mayor London Breed said nine employees of the large facility had tested positive as well as two patients .
Infection control nurses from the state and infectious disease physicians and epidemiologists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been sent to San Francisco to help deal with the outbreak , officials said .
“ I am saddened to report to the San Francisco community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of coronavirus , ” said Dr. Grant Colfax , director of public health for San Francisco .
Because long-term-care facilities around the world have been at greater risk in the COVID-19 pandemic , “ we expect the situation to unfortunately get worse , ” Colfax said .
Laguna Honda is operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center with space for about 780 residents .
“ The situation will escalate in Laguna Honda , ” Breed said at a news conference Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco.
” The nine Laguna Honda workers and two patients infected with the coronavirus are in good condition , Colfax said Monday .
Since March 26 , 158 workers and 54 patients were tested for the virus .
Of the patients , 51 tested negative and one result is still pending .
Among staff , 156 have tested negative and 25 tests are underway .
Colfax said he expected for infections to be reported in both staff and the residents .
Managers are working to train staff on proper wearing of personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms and common spaces .
The two units where coronavirus cases have been diagnosed are under an extensive quarantine order ; each unit houses about 60 residents .
Doors have been secured and sheriff ’ s deputies are monitoring the exits to prevent residents from leaving , and are only allowing appropriate staff to enter .
Residents are being monitored for illness during every shift , and staff are screened twice for symptoms at every shift .
Laguna Honda is also setting up a field care clinic as a precaution in case there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of patients , Colfax said .
Breed said that more people in the city seemed to be adhering to a shelter-in-place order over the weekend .
There are 374 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in San Francisco , and six people have died .
There are still challenges San Francisco is facing .
The city still doesn ’ t have a good estimate what percentage of San Francisco residents likely have the coronavirus , Colfax said .
They also are short of testing swabs .
“ We are struggling to get swabs in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are multiple items that are in short supply — from items needed to capture a specimen to test to the chemicals needing to process the tests .
The situation at Laguna Honda underscores larger concerns about hospitals in California in general as coronavirus cases spike .
The number of COVID-19 patients in California ’ s intensive-care beds doubled overnight , from 200 on Friday to 410 on Saturday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said .
And the number of hospitalized patients testing positive for COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 746 on Friday to 1,034 on Saturday , he said .
“ We ’ re blessed that we ’ re just at 410 , devastating for the individuals there and their family members and loved ones , ” Newsom said at a news conference in Sunnyvale on Saturday .
“ But by comparison and contrast to other parts of this country , that number seems relatively modest.
” To prepare for a surge in coronavirus patients , medical cots and equipment are being delivered to the San Mateo Event Center in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the National Guard is expected be at the center through Tuesday to set up the equipment .
The federal treatment site can house 250 patients with mild symptoms .
“ The latest projections estimate that a medical surge could push the hospitals in our county to capacity and we ’ ll need another location to house patients requiring particular levels of care , ” County Manager Mike Callagy said .
“ We can ’ t just wait to see if this will happen .
”

Conditions are deteriorating at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center facility in San Francisco, amid a coronavirus outbreak there, city officials said Monday.
Mayor London Breed said nine employees of the large facility had tested positive as well as two patients. Infection control nurses from the state and infectious disease physicians and epidemiologists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been sent to San Francisco to help deal with the outbreak, officials said.
“I am saddened to report to the San Francisco community the Laguna Honda hospital has a growing outbreak of coronavirus,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of public health for San Francisco. Because long-term-care facilities around the world have been at greater risk in the COVID-19 pandemic, “we expect the situation to unfortunately get worse,” Colfax said.
Advertisement
Laguna Honda is operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center with space for about 780 residents.
“The situation will escalate in Laguna Honda,” Breed said at a news conference Monday, adding, “It escalate here in San Francisco.”
The nine Laguna Honda workers and two patients infected with the coronavirus are in good condition, Colfax said Monday. Since March 26, 158 workers and 54 patients were tested for the virus. Of the patients, 51 tested negative and one result is still pending. Among staff, 156 have tested negative and 25 tests are underway.
Colfax said he expected for infections to be reported in both staff and the residents. Managers are working to train staff on proper wearing of personal protective equipment and thorough cleaning of resident rooms and common spaces.
The two units where coronavirus cases have been diagnosed are under an extensive quarantine order; each unit houses about 60 residents. Doors have been secured and sheriff’s deputies are monitoring the exits to prevent residents from leaving, and are only allowing appropriate staff to enter. Residents are being monitored for illness during every shift, and staff are screened twice for symptoms at every shift.
Laguna Honda is also setting up a field care clinic as a precaution in case there’s a need to separate groups of patients, Colfax said.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Advertisement
Breed said that more people in the city seemed to be adhering to a shelter-in-place order over the weekend. There are 374 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in San Francisco, and six people have died.
There are still challenges San Francisco is facing. The city still doesn’t have a good estimate what percentage of San Francisco residents likely have the coronavirus, Colfax said. They also are short of testing swabs. “We are struggling to get swabs in order to test,” Colfax said. There are multiple items that are in short supply — from items needed to capture a specimen to test to the chemicals needing to process the tests.
The situation at Laguna Honda underscores larger concerns about hospitals in California in general as coronavirus cases spike.
Hospitals risk being overwhelmed by a growing number of sick patients.
The number of COVID-19 patients in California’s intensive-care beds doubled overnight, from 200 on Friday to 410 on Saturday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. And the number of hospitalized patients testing positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, rose by 38.6% — from 746 on Friday to 1,034 on Saturday, he said.
“We’re blessed that we’re just at 410, devastating for the individuals there and their family members and loved ones,” Newsom said at a news conference in Sunnyvale on Saturday. “But by comparison and contrast to other parts of this country, that number seems relatively modest.”
To prepare for a surge in coronavirus patients, medical cots and equipment are being delivered to the San Mateo Event Center in the Bay Area.
Deliveries began Sunday, and the National Guard is expected be at the center through Tuesday to set up the equipment. The federal treatment site can house 250 patients with mild symptoms.
“The latest projections estimate that a medical surge could push the hospitals in our county to capacity and we’ll need another location to house patients requiring particular levels of care,” County Manager Mike Callagy said. “We can’t just wait to see if this will happen.”


latimes--2020-03-30--L.A. suspends all farmers markets to slow coronavirus spread

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday a temporary suspension of all farmers ’ markets , many of which have stayed open without restrictions during the coronavirus shutdowns .
Markets that wish to continue operating are required to submit a plan to ensure social distancing between customers .
“ We want people to get access to food , but we can ’ t risk the spread of this disease , ” Garcetti said .
The mayor also said landlords would not be allowed to increase the rent for hundreds of thousands of apartments in the city , in his latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angelenos from the coronavirus outbreak .
The announcement covers about 624,000 apartments that fall under the city ’ s rent stabilization program , according to city statistics .
Garcetti ’ s action on Monday increases protections for tenants , many of whom have rent due on April 1 .
Garcetti said the Los Angeles Police Department on Monday visited 46 non-essential businesses that have resisted closing down .
If those businesses continue to operate , they could face penalties , he said .
Los Angeles County officials on Monday confirmed seven new coronavirus-linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 .
Six of the victims were 65 or older , and one was between the ages of 41 and 65 , county Public Health Department director Barbara Ferrer said .
Ferrer announced an additional 342 cases of the virus in the county , bringing the total to 2,474 .
That count includes individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 , a number that officials are working to accurately track .
More than 15,500 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the county , with 12 % showing positive .
“ Although our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assume there are others infected , ” Ferrer said .
Officials are investigating cases at 25 institutions in the county , including 18 nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities .
Eleven of those locations have three or more coronavirus cases , which Ferrer said is the mark of an outbreak .
Within the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department , four employees and one inmate have tested positive for coronavirus , according to LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva .
Test results take five to six days on average , Ferrer said , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assess whether cases double or triple .
“ Those are the numbers needed to more accurately predict what the peak will be , ” she said .
California ’ s death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 130 , with officials warning of tough weeks ahead as the number of confirmed cases continues to surge .
A new death was reported Monday morning by San Francisco ’ s Department of Public Health .
Details about the individual who died were not immediately available .
In order to assist with the growing number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom announced Monday that his administration is launching the California Health Corps initiative , asking recent retirees and healthcare students nearing graduation to join the state ’ s efforts to combat the virus .
Over the past four days , the number of intensive care patients in the state has tripled — from 200 to 597 — and the number of hospitalizations has nearly doubled , from 746 to 1,432 .
Newsom said that 32.6 million N95 masks have been distributed throughout California and that the state is working to obtain 10,000 additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is looking at several sites to house an additional 50,000 hospital beds .
“ Still , more needs to be done , ” the governor said .
In Orange County , the number of cases hit 464 Monday .
The number of confirmed cases has more than tripled in a week .
Currently , the cities of Anaheim , Irvine and Newport Beach have 126 confirmed cases among them — one more than the entire county had only a week ago .
Two men and two women have died .
Three of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one was between the age of 45 and 64 , according to the Orange County Health Care Agency .
So far , 5,522 people have been tested countywide .
There are currently more than 6,500 confirmed cases of the virus in the state .
Experts say California will likely continue to see a rise in new cases and deaths for the next few weeks as testing capacity increases but hope that the social distancing measures imposed can slow the spread .
The California Department of Public Health announced Monday that it would no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have contracted the virus .
“ Community transmission of COVID-19 has been identified in California since late February , and since early March , most of the confirmed cases in the state were not related to travel outside of the United States , ” the state agency said in a statement .
Health officers in several Bay Area counties will extend their shelter-in-place order until at least May 1 .
At a news conference Monday , San Francisco Mayor London Breed said more people seemed to adhere to the stay-at-home order over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Francisco , and six people have died of the virus .
The biggest immediate concern as the virus continue to spread is for hospitals , which risk being overwhelmed by a growing number of sick patients .
Breed said that at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center , a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health with space for about 780 residents , nine employees and two patients have tested positive .
Infection control nurses from the state and infection control physicians and epidemiologists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention have been sent to help deal with the outbreak , officials said .
To prepare for a surge in coronavirus patients , medical cots and equipment are being delivered to the San Mateo Event Center in the San Francisco Bay Area .
Deliveries began Sunday , and the National Guard is expected be at the center through Tuesday to set up the equipment .
The federal treatment site can house 250 patients with mild symptoms .
“ The latest projections estimate that a medical surge could push the hospitals in our county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another location to house patients requiring particular levels of care , ” County Manager Mike Callagy said .
“ We can ’ t just wait to see if this will happen.
” A Los Angeles Times found that California had 7,200 intensive-care beds across more than 365 hospitals .
In total , the state has more than 70,000 beds .
There is roughly one intensive-care bed for every 5,500 people in California , Times data show .
About half of California ’ s total intensive-care beds — 3,700 — are in the five-county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data from 2018 , the most recent available .
In the nine-county Bay Area , there are roughly 1,400 ICU beds for a population of 7.6 million people .
Intensive-care beds allow for a higher level of treatment than regular beds , a level of care some COVID-19 patients require .
Those unable to breathe properly may need a breathing tube and to be hooked up to a ventilator , which physically pushes oxygen into the lungs .
Although a system overload remained the fear , one projection from University of Washington epidemiologists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order might keep the hospital strain below catastrophic levels .
And Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , a UCLA epidemiologist , said Friday that after a considerable uptick in cases , “ I think we should be able to see some leveling off of those numbers in a couple of weeks because of the physical distancing measures.
” UC Berkeley biostatistics professor Nicholas Jewell says California will soon learn whether its limits on work and public movement have paid dividends .
Because of a lag time of as much as two weeks between transmission of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gauging the benefits of physical distancing takes time .
With California ’ s stay-at-home order less than 2 weeks old , people reporting the illness may have been infected prior to the limitations .
“ We need another week or two to really tell if California ’ s fairly quick shelter in place did make a difference , ” Jewell said .
“ It has the potential to make a huge difference .
I know that mathematically … but I don ’ t know that with any degree of certainty.
” Authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure people were staying away from beaches , parks and hiking trails that were recently closed as part of unprecedented restrictions on public movements to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Many people obeyed the closures .
One man , however , received a $ 1,000 citation on Saturday after he ignored numerous warnings by police and lifeguards cautioning him not to go in the water .
A Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Department cruiser could be seen guarding the entrance to a popular trail in Wildwood Regional Park in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and families descended Saturday .
In Venice , a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter was seen circling a skate park , announcing that people who did not leave the area would be “ arrested for trespassing.
” On Sunday , officials confirmed that two San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department deputies and two firefighters had tested positive for COVID-19 .
San Bernardino County had recorded 111 cases of the virus and three deaths as of Monday morning .
In Orange County , 431 cases of the virus have been reported , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four Los Angeles County jails employees have also tested positive for the coronavirus , heightening fears that the disease could spread quickly in the overcrowded jail system .
On Monday , Los Angeles Unified School District Supt .
Austin Beutner confirmed the first case of the virus in a district employee .
The infection was reported to officials last week .
“ Unfortunately as the virus spreads throughout the communities we serve , we know this will not be the only employee or member of our school community who is diagnosed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy , which docked at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday , has begun receiving patients .
The boat is operated by naval medical and support staff from 22 commands , along with 70 civil mariners , who will treat patients who don ’ t have COVID-19 in order to help reduce the strain on the hospital system .
There were three patients aboard the ship as of Sunday afternoon .
“ The men and women embarked on board Mercy are energized , eager and ready to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Capt .
John Rotruck , Mercy ’ s Military Treatment Facility commanding officer , in a news release .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Luke Money , Liam Dillon and Richard Winton contributed to this report .

Colleen Shalby, Hannah Fry, Alex Wigglesworth, Taryn Luna, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Laura Newberry

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday a temporary suspension of all farmers’ markets, many of which have stayed open without restrictions during the coronavirus shutdowns.
Markets that wish to continue operating are required to submit a plan to ensure social distancing between customers.
“We want people to get access to food, but we can’t risk the spread of this disease,” Garcetti said.
Advertisement
The mayor also said landlords would not be allowed to increase the rent for hundreds of thousands of apartments in the city, in his latest effort to ease the financial hardship on Angelenos from the coronavirus outbreak.
The announcement covers about 624,000 apartments that fall under the city’s rent stabilization program, according to city statistics.
Garcetti’s action on Monday increases protections for tenants, many of whom have rent due on April 1.
Garcetti said the Los Angeles Police Department on Monday visited 46 non-essential businesses that have resisted closing down. If those businesses continue to operate, they could face penalties, he said.
1 / 83 Socially distanced bikers and walkers, against a backdrop of the Queen Mary, make their way along pedestrian and beach bike path on the first day that Long Beach reopened the path on Monday May 11, 2020. The city of Long Beach eased a few of its public health restrictions, allowing under certain guidelines the reopening of pedestrian and beach bike paths, tennis centers and courts. Beach bathrooms are also reopening, but the parking lots and beaches still remain closed. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 83 Traffic remains light on the southbound 110 Freeway headed toward downtown Los Angeles on April 28. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 83 Dominique Barrett, center, known as “King Vader” to his 2.4 million TikTok followers, prepares to shoot a video on April 30 in Glendora. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 83 Cody Purcell of Redondo Beach rides a wave, glowing from the bioluminescence, in Hermosa Beach, CA, after midnight Friday morning, May 8. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 83 Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 83 The majority of golfers are wearing masks while hitting balls on the driving range at Van Buren Executive Golf Course in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 83 Beaches including Harbor Cove Beach were open but beachgoers were not supposed to be sitting on the sand. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 83 Tango instructor Yelizaveta Nersesova leads a Zoom tango event from her Los Angeles home April 27 that brought together hundreds of dancers from around the world. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 83 Grocery store workers, joined by United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 770 representatives and community members, hold a rally in support of strict social distancing on May 1 at a Ralphs store in Hollywood where 19 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 83 Mostly masked commuters keep their distance from one another on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles on April 29. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 83 Gregory Kuhl, 69, heads home after a shopping trip in Hollywood on April 28. Big cracks in the street, cars parked in driveways blocking sidewalks and uneven pavement levels make navigating his route difficult. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 83 Tenants and their supporters from across Los Angeles gather at city hall to call on L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, the L.A. City Council and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the COVID-19 crisis. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 83 Aerial view of over 100 vehicles lined up at the West Valley COVID-19 testing center at Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 83 Senior Mason Wise, left, helps his sister, Mackenzie, a sophomore, clean out her PE locker at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills. School officials were allowing no more than five students at a time on campus to take home their belongings. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 83 Shuttered storefront businesses in the garment district of Los Angeles. California’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed since the statewide coronavirus shutdown took effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 83 Healthcare workers celebrate as Claudia Martinez is discharged from the ICU after she recovered from COVID-19 at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 83 Carson residents Kaeli Burks, 3, left, and her cousin Bailey Watson, 5, look out the window of their car after their mothers helped them with self-testing at a new drive-up testing site for COVID-19 in Carson. Free COVID-19 testing is available to all city residents thanks to a partnership between the city and US Health Fairs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 83 Norm and Tracy Kahn enjoy eating dinner outside on a small cafe table sitting in blue chairs on their side yard during the coronavirus pandemic on April 27 in Riverside. “During this pandemic, eating outside offers us an opportunity to change surrounding and appreciate the calmness of being outdoors among trees, scents from nature and the sounds of birds,” she said. Also adding, “Mixing up where we eat puts variety into our days and takes away the sameness of feeling trapped at home.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 83 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center nurses carry supplies outside the hospital. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 83 Tom Sean Foley pauses on a walk with his kids, Cathelen Claire, “C.C.,” 3, and Timothy Joseph, 4, to take a photo in front of the “Love Wall,” mural by artist Curtis Kulig, outside of Smashbox Studios in Culver City. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 83 Protesters stand along Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach during A Day of Liberty rally on April 26. The protesters were against the government shutdown due to the coronavirus. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 83 People make orders at a food truck along Shoreline Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 83 Medical staff, wearing protective gear, work inside a COVID-19 isolation area inside the emergency department at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where patients with the virus are being treated. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 83 Neighbors practice social distancing while enjoying the nice weather near The Strand in Hermosa Beach. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 83 Counter-protesters attend a protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 83 A group of protesters cheer on cars during a vehicle caravan protest to call on state and local officials to reopen the economy in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 83 Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation staff member Navi Cavaltera waters a flower pot put up by the community to show their support for the nursing staff of the facility in Yucaipa. Eighteen of 20 coronavirus-related deaths in Yucaipa were residents of the skilled nursing facility. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 83 A pedestrian wearing a protective mask passes a mural on a store on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 83 Jonte Florence, a freestyle dancer, does a handstand on a mostly empty Hollywood Walk of Fame. Florence said he normally performs for hundreds of tourists along the busy street. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 83 The Tyrannosaurus rex overlooking the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue wears a protective mask while practicing social distancing. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 83 Businesses are shuttered and pedestrians are few and far between on Hollywood Boulevard. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 83 Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 83 A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 83 Life around Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Soto Street has slowed down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 83 UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responder vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 83 Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Boulevard with a protective face covering. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 83 Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each on the 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart Reyes said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 83 A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 83 Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USC’s Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 83 Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 83 After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 83 An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 83 Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 83 As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 83 People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 83 The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 83 Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 83 Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 83 A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 83 Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 83 Nurses pose for a fun photo during a break in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 83 A woman shows a notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 83 A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonald’s employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 83 Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, “We’re All in This Together,” while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 83 Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 83 Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group. “It’s hard,” she said. “My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 83 A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 83 A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 83 A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 83 A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 83 Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for their family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 83 The Iron City Tavern in San Pedro tries an incentive to lure takeout customers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 83 Healthcare workers gather outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center to call for further action from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 83 Kristen Edgerle, of Victorville, collects information from a blood donor before drawing blood at The Richard Nixon Presidential Library blood drive during the coronavirus pandemic in Yorba Linda. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 83 Shauna Jin, of Los Angeles, with her dog, Bodhi, practices social distancing with John Kiss, of Los Angeles, at the entrance of Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 83 A lending library had some additional useful items, including a roll of toilet paper and cans of beans and corn, in a Hermosa Beach neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 83 Protesters drive by the Getty House, the home of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, in Hancock Park. Tenant advocates are demanding a total moratorium on evictions during the coronavirus crisis. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 83 Venice residents Emily Berry and Gavin Kelley take a break at Venice Beach. Berry, a cocktail waitress at Enterprise Fish Co., lost her job due to the coronavirus outbreak. Kelley, a manager at a performing arts school with a focus on music, said that he still has a job and that classes at the school will resume online this coming Monday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 83 The JW Marriott at L.A. Live is sharing a message of hope with red lights in 34 windows, creating a 19-story display on the hotel’s north side. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 83 Juan Diaz Jr., a lifelong Dodgers fan, prays that the season will start by May in front of Dodger Stadium on what would have been opening day. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 83 Hayley, CEO and founder of Love My Neighbor Foundation, right, dances with Crystal Armster, 51, while she and her colleagues continue to feed the homeless on skid row amid the pandemic. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 83 A masked passenger on a Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 83 Dede Oneal waits for a coronavirus test at the Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 83 A man in a mask passes a closed restaurant along Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 83 Artist Corie Mattie paints a mural on the side of a pop-up store as a man takes a picture in West Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 83 Medical assistant Zoila Villalta works with Rosie Boston, 32, of Glendale, who is donating blood for her first time at L.A. Care Health Plan downtown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 83 A couple wait for a bus outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 78 / 83 With all Los Angeles schools closed until further notice, LAUSD buses sit idle in Gardena. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 83 A lone traveler makes his way to catch a flight in Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80 / 83 Denise Young looks on as her daughter, Allison, 9, a fourth-grader at EARThS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School in Newbury Park, receives a Chromebook. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 83 Hollywood Boulevard is devoid of the usual crowds. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 83 Michael Ray, 11, plays before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 83 Isabella Leader, 15, counts how many flags have been left for World War II veteran Lt. Col. Sam Sachs who was celebrating his 105th birthday at the Mom & Dad’s House, an assisted living facility, in Lakewood. Lt. Col. Sachs appealed to the public for birthday cards after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of a big celebration and wound up receiving thousands, including a letter and photo from President Trump. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles County officials on Monday confirmed seven new coronavirus-linked deaths, bringing the death toll to 44.
Advertisement
Six of the victims were 65 or older, and one was between the ages of 41 and 65, county Public Health Department director Barbara Ferrer said.
Ferrer announced an additional 342 cases of the virus in the county, bringing the total to 2,474. That count includes individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, a number that officials are working to accurately track.
More than 15,500 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the county, with 12% showing positive.
“Although our numbers continually rise, we have to assume there are others infected,” Ferrer said.
Officials are investigating cases at 25 institutions in the county, including 18 nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities. Eleven of those locations have three or more coronavirus cases, which Ferrer said is the mark of an outbreak.
Within the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, four employees and one inmate have tested positive for coronavirus, according to LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Test results take five to six days on average, Ferrer said, calling this week an important time frame to assess whether cases double or triple.
“Those are the numbers needed to more accurately predict what the peak will be,” she said.
California’s death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 130, with officials warning of tough weeks ahead as the number of confirmed cases continues to surge.
A new death was reported Monday morning by San Francisco’s Department of Public Health. Details about the individual who died were not immediately available.
In order to assist with the growing number of cases in the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that his administration is launching the California Health Corps initiative, asking recent retirees and healthcare students nearing graduation to join the state’s efforts to combat the virus.
Over the past four days, the number of intensive care patients in the state has tripled — from 200 to 597 — and the number of hospitalizations has nearly doubled, from 746 to 1,432.
Newsom said that 32.6 million N95 masks have been distributed throughout California and that the state is working to obtain 10,000 additional ventilators. The Army Corps of Engineers is looking at several sites to house an additional 50,000 hospital beds.
“Still, more needs to be done,” the governor said.
In Orange County, the number of cases hit 464 Monday. The number of confirmed cases has more than tripled in a week. Currently, the cities of Anaheim, Irvine and Newport Beach have 126 confirmed cases among them — one more than the entire county had only a week ago.
Two men and two women have died. Three of the victims were at least 65, and one was between the age of 45 and 64, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
So far, 5,522 people have been tested countywide.
There are currently more than 6,500 confirmed cases of the virus in the state.
Experts say California will likely continue to see a rise in new cases and deaths for the next few weeks as testing capacity increases but hope that the social distancing measures imposed can slow the spread.
The California Department of Public Health announced Monday that it would no longer collect information about how residents might have contracted the virus.
“Community transmission of COVID-19 has been identified in California since late February, and since early March, most of the confirmed cases in the state were not related to travel outside of the United States,” the state agency said in a statement.
Health officers in several Bay Area counties will extend their shelter-in-place order until at least May 1. At a news conference Monday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said more people seemed to adhere to the stay-at-home order over the weekend. There are 374 COVID-19 cases in San Francisco, and six people have died of the virus.
The biggest immediate concern as the virus continue to spread is for hospitals, which risk being overwhelmed by a growing number of sick patients.
Breed said that at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health with space for about 780 residents, nine employees and two patients have tested positive. Infection control nurses from the state and infection control physicians and epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been sent to help deal with the outbreak, officials said.
To prepare for a surge in coronavirus patients, medical cots and equipment are being delivered to the San Mateo Event Center in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Deliveries began Sunday, and the National Guard is expected be at the center through Tuesday to set up the equipment. The federal treatment site can house 250 patients with mild symptoms.
“The latest projections estimate that a medical surge could push the hospitals in our county to capacity and we’ll need another location to house patients requiring particular levels of care,” County Manager Mike Callagy said. “We can’t just wait to see if this will happen.”
A Los Angeles Times data analysis found that California had 7,200 intensive-care beds across more than 365 hospitals. In total, the state has more than 70,000 beds. There is roughly one intensive-care bed for every 5,500 people in California, Times data show.
About half of California’s total intensive-care beds — 3,700 — are in the five-county area around Los Angeles, according to data from 2018, the most recent available. In the nine-county Bay Area, there are roughly 1,400 ICU beds for a population of 7.6 million people.
Intensive-care beds allow for a higher level of treatment than regular beds, a level of care some COVID-19 patients require. Those unable to breathe properly may need a breathing tube and to be hooked up to a ventilator, which physically pushes oxygen into the lungs.
Although a system overload remained the fear, one projection from University of Washington epidemiologists suggested that California’s 9-day-old stay-at-home order might keep the hospital strain below catastrophic levels. And Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a UCLA epidemiologist, said Friday that after a considerable uptick in cases, “I think we should be able to see some leveling off of those numbers in a couple of weeks because of the physical distancing measures.”
UC Berkeley biostatistics professor Nicholas Jewell says California will soon learn whether its limits on work and public movement have paid dividends.
Because of a lag time of as much as two weeks between transmission of the illness and the onset of symptoms, gauging the benefits of physical distancing takes time. With California’s stay-at-home order less than 2 weeks old, people reporting the illness may have been infected prior to the limitations.
“We need another week or two to really tell if California’s fairly quick shelter in place did make a difference,” Jewell said. “It has the potential to make a huge difference. I know that mathematically … but I don’t know that with any degree of certainty.”
Authorities were out in force over the weekend to make sure people were staying away from beaches, parks and hiking trails that were recently closed as part of unprecedented restrictions on public movements to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Many people obeyed the closures. One man, however, received a $1,000 citation for surfing in Manhatthan Beach on Saturday after he ignored numerous warnings by police and lifeguards cautioning him not to go in the water.
A Ventura County Sheriff’s Department cruiser could be seen guarding the entrance to a popular trail in Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, where hundreds of hikers and families descended Saturday. In Venice, a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter was seen circling a skate park, announcing that people who did not leave the area would be “arrested for trespassing.”
On Sunday, officials confirmed that two San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies and two firefighters had tested positive for COVID-19. San Bernardino County had recorded 111 cases of the virus and three deaths as of Monday morning. In Orange County, 431 cases of the virus have been reported, including four who died.
An inmate and four Los Angeles County jails employees have also tested positive for the coronavirus, heightening fears that the disease could spread quickly in the overcrowded jail system.
On Monday, Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner confirmed the first case of the virus in a district employee. The infection was reported to officials last week.
“Unfortunately as the virus spreads throughout the communities we serve, we know this will not be the only employee or member of our school community who is diagnosed with the virus,” Beutner said.
The U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy, which docked at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, has begun receiving patients. The boat is operated by naval medical and support staff from 22 commands, along with 70 civil mariners, who will treat patients who don’t have COVID-19 in order to help reduce the strain on the hospital system.
There were three patients aboard the ship as of Sunday afternoon.
“The men and women embarked on board Mercy are energized, eager and ready to provide relief to those in need,” said Capt. John Rotruck, Mercy’s Military Treatment Facility commanding officer, in a news release.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Luke Money, Liam Dillon and Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-31--California schools unlikely to reopen this academic year amid coronavirus, state schools chief says

California public school campuses are unlikely to reopen for the remainder of the academic school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic , state Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Tuesday in a letter to school district officials .
“ Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year , ” Thurmond wrote .
“ This is in no way to suggest that school is over for the year , but rather we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery of education through distance learning.
” Earlier , Thurmond had resisted suggestions that there was no hope for returning to campus .
His letter Tuesday represented a shift of direction .
His statement also echoed remarks from Gov .
Gavin Newsom at a midday Tuesday news conference : “ We have more work to do : internet connection , rural issues , and still trying to address the anxiety of parents like me and my wife and millions of others about whether or not kids are going to go back to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said .
“ I have been clear in my belief they will not , but let me announce formally what the superintendent of public education believes and what the superintendents believe and expect that announcement in the next day or two.
” Los Angeles Unified , the state ’ s largest school system , shut down its schools on March 16 .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner recently extended that campus closure to May 1 , in line with recommendations from the Los Angeles County Office of Education .
School districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how students will be graded , how attendance requirements would be modified and how graduation requirements would be be affected .

Tenth-grader Fredy Rubio, 16, center, and his mother, Carolyn Chavez, pick up a laptop last week at Linda Esperanza Marquez High School in Huntington Park for schoolwork at home.
California public school campuses are unlikely to reopen for the remainder of the academic school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Tuesday in a letter to school district officials.
“Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year,” Thurmond wrote.
Earlier, Thurmond had resisted suggestions that there was no hope for returning to campus. His letter represented a shift in direction and echoed views that Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed two weeks ago, which the governor reiterated Tuesday.
Advertisement
Newsom said at a briefing that an announcement on the fate of the school year could come “in the next day or two.”
Seven states have already shut down campuses for the remainder of the school year, according to tracking by Education Week. Others appear headed in that direction.
Los Angeles Unified, the state’s largest school system, closed its schools on March 16. L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner recently extended that campus closure to May 1, in line with recommendations from the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
The extended school closures present numerous questions that state education leaders must answer.
School districts have yet to receive firm state guidance on how students should be graded, how attendance requirements will be modified and how graduation requirements could be affected, said L.A. school board President Richard Vladovic.
Advertisement
“There’s a plethora of issues that need to be discussed with all the districts,” Vladovic said. “We have to move as a state. It has to be consistent throughout the state because otherwise kids are going to be cheated.”
In his letter, Thurmond said the sobering reality should compel school systems redouble their efforts to keep students learning.
“This is in no way to suggest that school is over for the year, but rather we should put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of education through distance learning,” Thurmond wrote.
Newsom acknowledged that much work needs to be done to make sure that instruction is reaching students.
“We have more work to do: internet connection, rural issues, and still trying to address the anxiety of parents like me and my wife and millions of others about whether or not kids are going to go back to school this calendar year or not,” Newsom said. “I have been clear in my belief they will not, but let me announce formally what the superintendent of public education believes and what the superintendents believe — and expect that announcement in the next day or two.”
In a news conference that largely addressed other issues, Newsom said that Thurmond had been on a group call Monday with the superintendents of each county, with part of the discussion focusing on efforts to feed students. So far, about 73 school systems are offering meal programs, Newsom said.
Although that figure represents a small minority of the state’s 1,037 school districts, it includes some of the largest — such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno and Long Beach. L.A. Unified alone is handing out more than 400,000 meals a day to all who ask, according to the district.
In addition, Thurmond “also talked about the calendar, talked about the summer coming upon us,” Newsom said. “He talked not just about the calendar this spring but the fall calendar, talked about how people in communities large and small, districts large and small, have different expectations when they may or may not come back. We are working together to go together, to formalize a much more robust framework.”
L.A. Unified moved swiftly and is spending $100 million from its reserves to purchase computers and internet access for students who need it. Even so, district Supt. Beutner disclosed Monday that the district has been unable to connect with about 15,000 high school students, more than 12%. In addition, about one-third of high schoolers are not interacting with their teachers on a typical school day. Some of these students, however, may be completing assignments that don’t require a daily check-in.
L.A. school board member Jackie Goldberg said district employees have made a Herculean effort to connect with and serve students in a district where 80% are members of low-income households.
“We are trying to hook up every single child to the internet, not only during this period of distance learning but so they will still be connected when they get back in school,” Goldberg said. “Nobody has ever tried to do that in a district this size before. People are working seven days a week, 24 hours a day.”
Times staff writer Sonali Kohli contributed to this report.