latimes--2020-05-04--Coughing echoes through the bus and Metro drivers wonder, 'Am I going to catch it today?'

Coughing filled the bus as Metro ’ s Line 33 rumbled down Venice Boulevard .
The driver looked on , horrified , as a passenger hacked repeatedly into his hands and wiped his palms on the seat .
“ I was disgusted and uneasy , ” said the driver .
“ Like , come on , man .
What if someone sat there and they didn ’ t know ?
That ’ s how the virus spreads.
” For thousands of Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus drivers , going to work during a pandemic means spending hours in a confined space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the day they get sick .
Ridership on Los Angeles County buses has fallen 65 % since the coronavirus outbreak began .
But some lines are still so full that social distancing is impossible , according to interviews with a dozen drivers who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly .
Too many riders are defying California ’ s stay-at-home orders by making nonessential trips , drivers say .
Those passengers are breathing the same recirculated air and touching the same surfaces as the janitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other workers on board who interact with strangers for a living .
Fears of contracting the disease have been exacerbated by periodic shortages of masks , hand sanitizer and other protective gear at Metro ’ s bus yards , and a lack of hazard pay , drivers said .
“ If I come to work , am I going to catch it today ?
Will I catch it tomorrow ?
Will I catch it next week ?
” said a driver from a bus yard in Boyle Heights .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head.
” He added : “ These elected officials are calling medical workers heroes and grocery workers heroes and firefighters heroes .
Yes , they are .
But bus operators are heroes , too .
Literally , we are the front line.
” The worst-case scenario , drivers say , is something like what happened to Jason Hargrove .
In a video posted to Facebook , the Detroit bus driver said a passenger coughed on him several times without covering her mouth .
As he wiped his face with a tissue , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He died 11 days later of complications from COVID-19 .
Nationwide , the death toll for transit workers stands at more than 100 , including more than 80 fatalities in New York .
At least 30 of those workers drove buses , New York transit officials said .
At least one transit worker in Southern California , a bus driver in Santa Clarita , has died of complications from the disease .
Of Metro ’ s 42 confirmed COVID-19 cases , 15 are bus drivers and seven are maintenance workers , the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South L.A. , Boyle Heights and West Hollywood , have had multiple cases confirmed .
No drivers have died .
It has been impossible to know whether masks and hand sanitizer will be available until they clock in for their shifts , drivers said .
Many have found their own : a neck gaiter from Amazon , a precious N95 respirator from a daughter who works at a dentist ’ s office , a stack of papery masks from the lobby of a Kaiser Permanente hospital .
One driver in northeast Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks for several days to save the fresh masks for his older co-workers with health problems .
His calculus , he said , was that “ if I get sick , I ’ d probably survive.
” Nitrile gloves have been plentiful , but training on how to wear them and remove them has been scant , most drivers said .
Hand sanitizer has frequently been in short supply , drivers said .
Workers at multiple yards said they were given a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer and told to make it last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own , using aloe vera and rubbing alcohol .
Dispensers installed at some depots are frequently empty , they said .
“ It ’ s like pulling teeth to get our supplies , ” said Art Aguilar , the president of the union that represents mechanics at Metro and drivers at three other Southern California transit agencies .
“ MTA was not prepared for this pandemic — though I don ’ t think any agency was.
” Metro is facing the same national mask shortages as hospitals , fire stations and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Orders for more gear are being managed “ literally minute to minute , ” Chief Operations Officer Jim Gallagher told directors in April .
The agency has ordered more than 1 million protective items , including more than 700,000 bottles of personal hand sanitizer and 10,000 face shields , spokesman Dave Sotero said .
He said the wait time between an order and delivery can be two to four weeks .
Metro has distributed tens of thousands of surgical masks and bottles of hand sanitizer , and is doing “ everything possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sotero said , calling the drivers “ truly dedicated and heroic public servants.
” He added : “ Their concerns about safety are understandable given the grave threat this public health crisis poses.
” Drivers are taking stringent precautions to avoid bringing the virus home .
Some are changing at the bus yards and bundling their dirty clothes into trash bags .
One driver said she strips off her uniform in the garage .
Another uses a steam cleaner , meant for bus seats , to sanitize his shoes .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a driver who works on the Silver Line .
“ I have a big bump on my face because I ’ m wearing my mask so tight .
I ’ m wearing long sleeves in the heat .
My hands are cracked , I ’ m washing them so much .
“ Metro passengers are now required to board through the back of the bus .
Drivers have been told to close and fasten the clear plastic barrier that separates their seats from the fare box — but to accept any money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interact with strangers , most drivers said they ’ re waving money away .
Some have taken it a step further , barricading the aisle leading to the fare box with bungee cords , twine or seat belts .
Metro has encouraged riders to wear masks but does not require them .
The digital signs on the face of the buses now flash the line , the destination , and a new message : “ Travel Safe : Wear a Face Mask on Board.
” Not requiring masks “ feels like a slap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver who works in Chatsworth .
“ If you have to wear a mask to go to Target or the grocery store , you should also need to do that when you get on a bus .
You ’ re in a small , confined space with other people.
” Enforcing a mandatory mask rule on every bus in the county would be “ physically impractical , ” Sotero said .
In April , Metro reduced the number of hours that buses are on the street by about 29 % .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and sometimes , more people on each bus .
One photo taken by a driver showed passengers standing in the aisles of a packed bus on Line 66 between Westlake and Montebello .
On busy lines , Metro can make adjustments quickly to address the “ on-street reality , ” Chief Executive Phil Washington said last week during a telephone meeting of the Metro board .
Officials have added longer buses , or more frequent service , on some routes to relieve crowding .
“ Social distancing on a bus ?
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a driver who works in South L.A. “ Let ’ s say we board 15 people .
How many of those are infected ?
Maybe it ’ s just one .
Maybe it ’ s no one .
We honestly can not know.
” Sotero said drivers have “ discretion to load their bus ” to respect social distancing , because passenger loads can vary from line to line , and stop to stop .
The closures of nonessential businesses , and long lines at grocery stores , have presented their own problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use the bathroom , they could pull over and run inside a fast-food restaurant or coffee shop .
Drivers are now finding that there ’ s nowhere to go .
A driver in the San Fernando Valley said she drove for five miles searching for one .
“ Driving along with nothing open , it ’ s the worst feeling in the world , ” she said .
She finally wound up at a laundromat in Studio City .

A Metro driver operating the Line 605 bus on Soto Street in Boyle Heights wears a mask bearing the logo of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
Coughing filled the bus as Metro’s Line 33 rumbled down Venice Boulevard. The driver looked on, horrified, as a passenger hacked repeatedly into his hands and wiped his palms on the seat.
“I was disgusted and uneasy,” said the driver. “Like, come on, man. What if someone sat there and they didn’t know? That’s how the virus spreads.”
For thousands of Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus drivers, going to work during a pandemic means spending hours in a confined space with strangers, wondering whether this will be the day they get sick.
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Ridership on Los Angeles County buses has fallen 65% since the coronavirus outbreak began. But some lines are still so full that social distancing is impossible, according to interviews with a dozen drivers who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Too many riders are defying California’s stay-at-home orders by making nonessential trips, drivers say. Those passengers are breathing the same recirculated air and touching the same surfaces as the janitors, grocery store clerks, line cooks and other workers on board who interact with strangers for a living.
Fears of contracting the disease have been exacerbated by periodic shortages of masks, hand sanitizer and other protective gear at Metro’s bus yards, and a lack of hazard pay, drivers said.
“If I come to work, am I going to catch it today? Will I catch it tomorrow? Will I catch it next week?” said a driver from a bus yard in Boyle Heights. “It’s always in the back of my head.”
He added: “These elected officials are calling medical workers heroes and grocery workers heroes and firefighters heroes. Yes, they are. But bus operators are heroes, too. Literally, we are the front line.”
The worst-case scenario, drivers say, is something like what happened to Jason Hargrove. In a video posted to Facebook, the Detroit bus driver said a passenger coughed on him several times without covering her mouth. As he wiped his face with a tissue, he said, he felt “violated.” He died 11 days later of complications from COVID-19.
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Nationwide, the death toll for transit workers stands at more than 100, including more than 80 fatalities in New York. At least 30 of those workers drove buses, New York transit officials said.
At least one transit worker in Southern California, a bus driver in Santa Clarita, has died of complications from the disease.
Of Metro’s 42 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 15 are bus drivers and seven are maintenance workers, the agency said. Eight bus yards, including in South L.A., Boyle Heights and West Hollywood, have had multiple cases confirmed. No drivers have died.
It has been impossible to know whether masks and hand sanitizer will be available until they clock in for their shifts, drivers said. Many have found their own: a neck gaiter from Amazon, a precious N95 respirator from a daughter who works at a dentist’s office, a stack of papery masks from the lobby of a Kaiser Permanente hospital.
One driver in northeast Los Angeles said he was reusing his surgical masks for several days to save the fresh masks for his older co-workers with health problems. His calculus, he said, was that “if I get sick, I’d probably survive.”
Nitrile gloves have been plentiful, but training on how to wear them and remove them has been scant, most drivers said.
Hand sanitizer has frequently been in short supply, drivers said. Workers at multiple yards said they were given a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer and told to make it last a week or more. Some made their own, using aloe vera and rubbing alcohol. Dispensers installed at some depots are frequently empty, they said.
“It’s like pulling teeth to get our supplies,” said Art Aguilar, the president of the union that represents mechanics at Metro and drivers at three other Southern California transit agencies. “MTA was not prepared for this pandemic — though I don’t think any agency was.”
Metro is facing the same national mask shortages as hospitals, fire stations and other employers with front-line workers, officials said. Orders for more gear are being managed “literally minute to minute,” Chief Operations Officer Jim Gallagher told directors in April.
The agency has ordered more than 1 million protective items, including more than 700,000 bottles of personal hand sanitizer and 10,000 face shields, spokesman Dave Sotero said. He said the wait time between an order and delivery can be two to four weeks.
Metro has distributed tens of thousands of surgical masks and bottles of hand sanitizer, and is doing “everything possible to ensure a safe work environment,” Sotero said, calling the drivers “truly dedicated and heroic public servants.”
He added: “Their concerns about safety are understandable given the grave threat this public health crisis poses.”
Drivers are taking stringent precautions to avoid bringing the virus home. Some are changing at the bus yards and bundling their dirty clothes into trash bags. One driver said she strips off her uniform in the garage. Another uses a steam cleaner, meant for bus seats, to sanitize his shoes.
“It is very, very scary,” said a driver who works on the Silver Line. “I have a big bump on my face because I’m wearing my mask so tight. I’m wearing long sleeves in the heat. My hands are cracked, I’m washing them so much. “
Metro passengers are now required to board through the back of the bus. Drivers have been told to close and fasten the clear plastic barrier that separates their seats from the fare box — but to accept any money that’s offered.
Rather than interact with strangers, most drivers said they’re waving money away. Some have taken it a step further, barricading the aisle leading to the fare box with bungee cords, twine or seat belts.
Metro has encouraged riders to wear masks but does not require them. The digital signs on the face of the buses now flash the line, the destination, and a new message: “Travel Safe: Wear a Face Mask on Board.”
Not requiring masks “feels like a slap in the face,” said a driver who works in Chatsworth. “If you have to wear a mask to go to Target or the grocery store, you should also need to do that when you get on a bus. You’re in a small, confined space with other people.”
Enforcing a mandatory mask rule on every bus in the county would be “physically impractical,” Sotero said.
In April, Metro reduced the number of hours that buses are on the street by about 29%. That means riders are facing longer waits between buses — and sometimes, more people on each bus.
One photo taken by a driver showed passengers standing in the aisles of a packed bus on Line 66 between Westlake and Montebello.
On busy lines, Metro can make adjustments quickly to address the “on-street reality,” Chief Executive Phil Washington said last week during a telephone meeting of the Metro board. Officials have added longer buses, or more frequent service, on some routes to relieve crowding.
“Social distancing on a bus? It doesn’t exist,” said a driver who works in South L.A. “Let’s say we board 15 people. How many of those are infected? Maybe it’s just one. Maybe it’s no one. We honestly cannot know.”
Sotero said drivers have “discretion to load their bus” to respect social distancing, because passenger loads can vary from line to line, and stop to stop.
The closures of nonessential businesses, and long lines at grocery stores, have presented their own problems. Before, if bus drivers needed to use the bathroom, they could pull over and run inside a fast-food restaurant or coffee shop. Drivers are now finding that there’s nowhere to go.
A driver in the San Fernando Valley said she drove for five miles searching for one.
“Driving along with nothing open, it’s the worst feeling in the world,” she said. She finally wound up at a laundromat in Studio City.


latimes--2020-05-04--Column: Rural areas have a message for Newsom: One size doesn't fit all in reopening California

Rebellion is infectious .
Rural people are in revolt against Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s statewide virus-fighting rules , which make little sense in burgs such as Bieber .
Bieber has hardly anything in common with the likes of Burbank or Balboa .
“ There ’ s a bar , a restaurant , a hardware store , market , post office , school and a gas station with one pump , ” says Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle of Bieber in Lassen County .
“ No stoplight.
” Dahle grows cereal grains and represents 11 mostly mountain counties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dahle , is a Republican assemblywoman .
In four of the senator ’ s counties — Modoc , Lassen , Sierra and Alpine — there hasn ’ t been one case of coronavirus , he says .
Zero .
“ People are getting fed up ” with the governor ’ s stay-at-home , business-shut-down orders , Dahle says .
“ They want to open up , get back to normal .
“ We ’ re not like Los Angeles or San Francisco .
Let ’ s get back to cooler heads .
Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oregon border six miles north of Dahle ’ s farm , with a population of only 9,570 , didn ’ t wait for the governor to set it free .
The county reopened itself Friday .
“ Our businesses are dying , and people need to be able to feed their children and pay their rent , ” said Heather Hadwick , a Modoc County emergency services official .
Good for Modoc .
Its “ big city ” is Alturas , the county seat , with a population of 2,826 .
Alturas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus risk .
Neither is Coloma anything like Carson or Covina .
Coloma is where gold was discovered in 1848 , along the American River in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento .
The find set off the ’ 49ers ’ rush to California in search of riches that mostly never panned out .
But we were admitted to statehood the next year .
There ’ s a state park at the Coloma gold discovery site in El Dorado County .
Newsom ordered it and several state recreation areas along historic Highway 49 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s spring .
Wildflowers are blooming , trout are biting and the weather has been spectacular .
Inevitably , people have been ignoring the governor and enjoying the public parks — educating themselves on the gold discovery , hiking , fishing and basking in the Motherlode majesty .
Problem is , Newsom also closed the parking lots — as he did at the coastal beaches .
With no public lots open , motorists park on streets — and clog beach community neighborhoods .
Closing parking lots inconveniences motorists , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeker .
Definitely not along Highway 49 .
“ The governor said it ’ s OK for people to go out and exercise for their physical and mental health , so people are doing that , ” says El Dorado County Sheriff John D ’ Agostini .
“ But the parks are closed and people can ’ t get into the lots .
So they ’ re parking on the two-lane road .
With a lot of traffic , somebody is going to get hit.
” D ’ Agostini asked the state parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They don ’ t have to open all the concessions , ” he says .
“ Just get people off the roadway .
“ But they are absolutely refusing to do that .
They ’ re not willing to budge and work with us .
They say they can ’ t violate the governor ’ s orders.
” “ The governor is dragging his feet , ” the sheriff adds .
“ I ’ m monitoring it .
If things look like they ’ re going to get out of control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m considering cutting the locks and opening the gates myself.
” El Dorado County — population 193,000 , including South Lake Tahoe — is letting its stay-at-home directive expire and has asked Newsom to loosen restrictions on business .
The county has been lightly touched by the virus , with no deaths .
Politically , these northern mountain and valley farm counties are California outliers .
They ’ re largely Republican .
Bakersfield Republican Shannon Grove is the Senate minority leader .
She keeps stressing that north of the Tehachapi , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in densely populated Southern California .
“ The governor should realize that L.A. County is different than Kern County , ” Grove says .
“ We need to open up county by county .
We ’ ve had only a handful of deaths .
Our hospitals are empty .
We definitely have to reopen the economy.
” Both parties are trying to keep partisan politics out of the virus fight .
They ’ re following the lead of recent uncharacteristically cordial relations between Newsom and President Trump .
Nevertheless , northern farmers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looped in with and overpowered by Southern California , eyeing Angelenos suspiciously as water grabbers .
Now they ’ re trying to escape Newsom ’ s stay-at-home orders that they protest are too heavy-handed for sparsely populated areas .
Yuba and Sutter counties in the Sacramento Valley plan to reopen businesses this week .
They and four other nearby counties — Butte , Glenn , Tehama and Colusa — have asked Newsom to exempt them from his stay-home order .
“ Local businesses can ’ t survive week after week with no business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Tehama ) says .
“ After a while they throw up their hands and quit , and there go the jobs .
“ Given the low infection rates , we have to open up our local economy .
It ’ s always struggling anyway.
” Assemblyman James Gallagher ( R-Yuba City ) , a rice farmer , says : “ We ’ re not saying all of California is ready to open , but we are .
We ’ ve met the [ governor ’ s ] criteria .
The dynamics have changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sense anymore.
” Newsom keeps hinting at loosening his reins .
He shouldn ’ t dawdle .
Rural folks are beginning to cut the reins themselves and head in another direction .

State Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) discusses the impact the coronavirus is having on rural residents and businesses during a news conference in Sacramento on April 28.
Rebellion is infectious. Rural people are in revolt against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide virus-fighting rules, which make little sense in burgs such as Bieber.
Bieber has hardly anything in common with the likes of Burbank or Balboa.
“There’s a bar, a restaurant, a hardware store, market, post office, school and a gas station with one pump,” says Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle of Bieber in Lassen County. “No stoplight.”
Dahle grows cereal grains and represents 11 mostly mountain counties in the Senate. His wife, Megan Dahle, is a Republican assemblywoman.
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In four of the senator’s counties — Modoc, Lassen, Sierra and Alpine — there hasn’t been one case of coronavirus, he says. Zero.
“There is no curve. It’s flat.”
“People are getting fed up” with the governor’s stay-at-home, business-shut-down orders, Dahle says. “They want to open up, get back to normal.
“We’re not like Los Angeles or San Francisco. Let’s get back to cooler heads. Let the people free.”
Modoc, on the Oregon border six miles north of Dahle’s farm, with a population of only 9,570, didn’t wait for the governor to set it free. The county reopened itself Friday.
“Our businesses are dying, and people need to be able to feed their children and pay their rent,” said Heather Hadwick, a Modoc County emergency services official.
California Some California businesses reopen in defiance of coronavirus stay-at-home orders From the high desert to the beach enclaves of Orange County, a growing number of California businesses deemed nonessential are choosing to reopen in defiance of orders from local and state authorities.
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Good for Modoc. Its “big city” is Alturas, the county seat, with a population of 2,826. Alturas hardly equates with Alhambra or Anaheim in virus risk.
Neither is Coloma anything like Carson or Covina.
Coloma is where gold was discovered in 1848, along the American River in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento. The find set off the ’49ers’ rush to California in search of riches that mostly never panned out. But we were admitted to statehood the next year.
There’s a state park at the Coloma gold discovery site in El Dorado County. Newsom ordered it and several state recreation areas along historic Highway 49 closed to slow the virus spread.
But it’s spring. Wildflowers are blooming, trout are biting and the weather has been spectacular. Inevitably, people have been ignoring the governor and enjoying the public parks — educating themselves on the gold discovery, hiking, fishing and basking in the Motherlode majesty.
Problem is, Newsom also closed the parking lots — as he did at the coastal beaches. With no public lots open, motorists park on streets — and clog beach community neighborhoods.
Closing parking lots inconveniences motorists, but it doesn’t deter every recreation seeker. Definitely not along Highway 49.
“The governor said it’s OK for people to go out and exercise for their physical and mental health, so people are doing that,” says El Dorado County Sheriff John D’Agostini.
“But the parks are closed and people can’t get into the lots. So they’re parking on the two-lane road. With a lot of traffic, somebody is going to get hit.”
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
D’Agostini asked the state parks department to reopen the lots and parks.
“They don’t have to open all the concessions,” he says. “Just get people off the roadway.
“But they are absolutely refusing to do that. They’re not willing to budge and work with us. They say they can’t violate the governor’s orders.”
“The governor is dragging his feet,” the sheriff adds. “I’m monitoring it. If things look like they’re going to get out of control and threaten public safety, I’m considering cutting the locks and opening the gates myself.”
El Dorado County — population 193,000, including South Lake Tahoe — is letting its stay-at-home directive expire and has asked Newsom to loosen restrictions on business. The county has been lightly touched by the virus, with no deaths.
Politically, these northern mountain and valley farm counties are California outliers. They’re largely Republican.
Bakersfield Republican Shannon Grove is the Senate minority leader. She keeps stressing that north of the Tehachapi, the virus hasn’t been as vicious as in densely populated Southern California.
“The governor should realize that L.A. County is different than Kern County,” Grove says. “We need to open up county by county. We’ve had only a handful of deaths. Our hospitals are empty. We definitely have to reopen the economy.”
Both parties are trying to keep partisan politics out of the virus fight. They’re following the lead of recent uncharacteristically cordial relations between Newsom and President Trump.
Nevertheless, northern farmers and mountain people have always fought against being looped in with and overpowered by Southern California, eyeing Angelenos suspiciously as water grabbers.
Now they’re trying to escape Newsom’s stay-at-home orders that they protest are too heavy-handed for sparsely populated areas.
The mall in Yuba City, Calif., on April 27. “We’re not saying all of California is ready to open, but we are,” Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), said. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
Yuba and Sutter counties in the Sacramento Valley plan to reopen businesses this week. They and four other nearby counties — Butte, Glenn, Tehama and Colusa — have asked Newsom to exempt them from his stay-home order.
“Local businesses can’t survive week after week with no business,” state Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) says. “After a while they throw up their hands and quit, and there go the jobs.
“Given the low infection rates, we have to open up our local economy. It’s always struggling anyway.”
Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), a rice farmer, says: “We’re not saying all of California is ready to open, but we are. We’ve met the [governor’s] criteria. The dynamics have changed a lot. This doesn’t make sense anymore.”
Newsom keeps hinting at loosening his reins. He shouldn’t dawdle. Rural folks are beginning to cut the reins themselves and head in another direction.


latimes--2020-05-05--A mutant coronavirus has emerged, even more contagious than the original, study says

Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory .
The new strain appeared in February in Europe , migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March , the scientists wrote .
In addition to spreading faster , it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report warned .
The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv , a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer reviewed , an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments .
That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one .
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus , which allow it to enter human respiratory cells .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt an “ urgent need for an early warning ” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain .
Wherever the new strain appeared , it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan , China , and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations , according to the report .
The new strain ’ s dominance over its predecessors demonstrates that it is more infectious , according to the report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus , known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2 , has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year .
The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world , collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data , a public-private organization in Germany .
Time and again , the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant .
The Los Alamos team , assisted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sheffield in England , identified 14 mutations .
Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that other scientists say make up the coronavirus ’ s genome .
The report authors focused on a mutation called D614G , which is responsible for the change in the virus ’ spikes .
“ The story is worrying , as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging , and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form , ” study leader Bette Korber , a computational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her Facebook page .
“ When viruses with this mutation enter a population , they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic , thus they are more transmissible.
” While the Los Alamos report is highly technical and dispassionate , Korber expressed some deep personal feelings about the implications of the finding in her Facebook post .
“ This is hard news , ” wrote Korber , “ but please don ’ t only be disheartened by it .
Our team at LANL was able to document this mutation and its impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global effort of clinical people and experimental groups , who make new sequences of the virus ( SARS-CoV-2 ) in their local communities available as quickly as they possibly can.
” Korber , a graduate of Cal State Long Beach who went on to earn a PhD in chemistry at Caltech , joined the lab in 1990 and focused much of her work on an HIV vaccine .
In 2004 , she won the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award , the U.S. Department of Energy ’ s highest recognition for scientific achievement .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help establish an orphanage for young AIDS victims in South Africa .
The report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant .
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February , almost at the same time that the original strain appeared .
Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February , but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around March 15 , but within days the mutant strain took over .
The team did not report results for California .
Scientists at major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the virus is stable and not likely to mutate the way influenza virus does , requiring a new vaccine every year .
The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption .
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms , the study warns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and vaccines .
Without getting on top of the risk now , the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited .
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action .
If they were designed based on the original version of the spike , they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain , the study ’ s authors warned .
“ We can not afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Please be encouraged by knowing the global scientific community is on this , and we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.
” David Montefiori , a Duke University scientist who worked on the report said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious .
Although the researchers don ’ t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body , it ’ s clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its rapid spread .
One scientist called it a “ classic case of Darwinian evolution.
” “ D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate , indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread , ” the study said .
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world .
In the United States , doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differences in how it has infected , sickened and killed people , said Alan Wu , a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital .
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S. , one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast , according to Wu .
“ We are looking to identify the mutation , ” he said , noting that his hospital has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of cases it has treated , which is “ quite a different story than we are hearing from New York.
” The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original .
People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads .
But the study ’ s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients , hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version .
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the others , it could still complicate efforts to bring the pandemic under control .
That would be an issueif the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version .
If that is indeed the case , it could make “ individuals susceptible to a second infection , ” the study authors wrote .
It ’ s possible that the mutation changes the spike in some way that helps the virus evade the immune system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an HIV vaccine for 30 years .
“ It is hypothetical .
We are looking at it very hard .
”

An image from an electron microscope shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Scientists say this coronavirus has mutated and become more contagious.
Scientists have identified a new strain of the coronavirus that has become dominant worldwide and appears to be more contagious than the versions that spread in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The new strain appeared in February in Europe, migrated quickly to the East Coast of the United States and has been the dominant strain across the world since mid-March, the scientists wrote.
For the record:
In addition to spreading faster, it may make people vulnerable to a second infection after a first bout with the disease, the report warned.
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The 33-page report was posted Thursday on BioRxiv, a website that researchers use to share their work before it is peer-reviewed, an effort to speed up collaborations with scientists working on COVID-19 vaccines or treatments. That research has been largely based on the genetic sequence of earlier strains and might not be effective against the new one.
Scientists with major organizations working on a vaccine or drugs to combat the coronavirus have told The Times that they are pinning their hopes on initial evidence that the virus is stable and not likely to mutate the way the influenza virus does, requiring a new vaccine every year. The Los Alamos report could upend that assumption.
The mutation identified in the new report affects the now-infamous spikes on the exterior of the coronavirus, which allow it to enter human respiratory cells. The report’s authors said they felt an “urgent need for an early warning” so that vaccines and drugs under development around the world will be effective against the mutated strain.
In many places where the new strain appeared, it quickly infected far more people than the earlier strains that came out of Wuhan, China, and within weeks it was the only strain that was prevalent in some nations, according to the report. The new strain’s dominance over its predecessors suggests that it is more infectious, according to the report, though exactly why is not yet known.
The coronavirus, known to scientists as SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 3.5 million people around the world and caused more than 250,000 COVID-19 deaths since its discovery late last year.
The report was based on a computational analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus sequences from around the world collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-private organization in Germany. Time and again, the analysis found the new version was transitioning to become dominant.
The Los Alamos team, assisted by scientists at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England, identified 14 mutations. Those mutations occurred among the nearly 30,000 base pairs of RNA that make up the coronavirus’s genome. The report authors focused on a mutation called D614G, which is responsible for the change in the virus’ spikes.
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“The story is worrying, as we see a mutated form of the virus very rapidly emerging, and over the month of March becoming the dominant pandemic form,” study leader Bette Korber, a computational biologist at Los Alamos, wrote on her Facebook page. “When viruses with this mutation enter a population, they rapidly begin to take over the local epidemic, thus they are more transmissible.”
Scientists’ reaction to the study were mixed Tuesday.
Charles Brenner, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Iowa who has conducted research on how cells defend themselves against viruses, called the Los Alamos report a useful paper. Teams around the world working to develop vaccines “would be watching papers like this very carefully.”
Brenner noted that the study did not show the mutation makes people sicker, but found more of the virus present in sick people, “suggesting that it replicates better.” The new strain of the virus is likely to be used for vaccine generation, he said.
Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, called the new study “noteworthy” but said its conclusions require further investigation.
“There is a lot of speculation here,” Hotez said. “They have no experimental verification.”
The Los Alamos report contains regional breakdowns of when the new strain of the virus first emerged and how long it took to become dominant.
Italy was one of the first countries to see the new virus in the last week of February, almost at the same time that the original strain appeared. Washington was among the first states to get hit with the original strain in late February, but by March 15 the mutated strain dominated. New York was hit by the original virus around March 15, but within days the mutant strain took over. The team did not report results for California.
If the pandemic fails to wane seasonally as the weather warms, the study warns, the virus could undergo further mutations even as research organizations prepare the first medical treatments and vaccines. Without getting on top of the risk now, the effectiveness of vaccines could be limited.
Some of the compounds in development are supposed to latch onto the spike or interrupt its action. If they were designed based on the original version of the spike, they might not be effective against the new coronavirus strain, the study’s authors warned.
“We cannot afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical testing,” Korber wrote on Facebook. “Please be encouraged by knowing the global scientific community is on this, and we are cooperating with each other in ways I have never seen … in my 30 years as a scientist.”
David Montefiori, a Duke University scientist who worked on the report, said it is the first to document a mutation in the coronavirus that appears to make it more infectious.
Although the researchers don’t yet know the details about how the mutated spike behaves inside the body, it’s clearly doing something that gives it an evolutionary advantage over its predecessor and is fueling its rapid spread. One scientist called it a “classic case of Darwinian evolution.”
“D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate, indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread,” the study said.
Still unknown is whether this mutant virus could account for regional variations in how hard COVID-19 is hitting different parts of the world.
In the United States, doctors had begun to independently question whether new strains of the virus could account for the differences in how it has infected, sickened and killed people, said Alan Wu, a UC San Francisco professor who runs the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratories at San Francisco General Hospital.
Medical experts have speculated in recent weeks that they were seeing at least two strains of the virus in the U.S., one prevalent on the East Coast and another on the West Coast, according to Wu.
“We are looking to identify the mutation,” he said, noting that his hospital has had only a few deaths out of the hundreds of cases it has treated, which is “quite a different story than we are hearing from New York.”
The Los Alamos study does not indicate that the new version of the virus is more lethal than the original. People infected with the mutated strain appear to have higher viral loads. But the study’s authors from the University of Sheffield found that among a local sample of 447 patients, hospitalization rates were about the same for people infected with either virus version.
Even if the new strain is no more dangerous than the others, it could still complicate efforts to bring the pandemic under control. That would be an issue if the mutation makes the virus so different from earlier strains that people who have immunity to them would not be immune to the new version.
If that is indeed the case, it could make “individuals susceptible to a second infection,” the study authors wrote.
Peter Pitts, president of the nonpartisan Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, and former FDA associate commissioner, said the emergence of a mutation is not surprising, but it does increase the urgency to protect the public through social isolation and other measures.
“It clearly means that we are up against a wily virus,” he said.
Times staff writer Anita Chabria contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-05--Garcetti says L.A. might not begin reopening by Friday, vows 'careful consideration'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities will need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials are still trying to determine the safest course .
“ Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state , ” he said .
“ I will reopen our city with careful consideration , guided by public health professionals.
” Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s comments .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” order is in effect until May 15 , and Garcetti said he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then .
Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state can reopen with modifications as early as Friday amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy .
The new changes are part of a four-stage plan the governor to gradually transition back to normal in a state of nearly 40 million people whose lives have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next phase this week , ” Newsom said at his news conference to provide an update on the state ’ s response .
“ This is a very positive sign and it ’ s happened only for one reason : The data says it can happen.
” The governor ’ s plan also expands decision-making at the local level , allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their own pace and open more businesses — such as restaurant dining rooms — beyond those outlined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new statewide COVID-19 guidelines , the governor said bookstores , music stores , toy stores , florists , sporting goods retailers and others can reopen for pickup , and manufacturing and logistics can resume in the retail supply chain .
Newsom said more detailed guidelines on the businesses that can resume limited operations would be released later this week .
The total number of individuals who have been infected by the virus in L.A. County is 26,217 .
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that officials will outline plans to modify restrictions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminded the public that while social distancing practices have slowed the spread of the virus , it still remains easily transmissible .
“ The virus has not changed , ” she said .
“ More people die in L.A. County every day from COVID-19 than any other disease.
” Roughly 5,000 people who tested positive for the virus have been hospitalized at some point , Ferrer said .
There are currently 1,819 individuals who are hospitalized , including 30 % who are in intensive care .

James Queally, Colleen Shalby, Taryn Luna

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says that different cities will need to take different steps to emerge from the shutdown.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities would need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials were still trying to determine the safest course.
“Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state,” he said. “I will reopen our city with careful consideration, guided by public health professionals.”
Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s comments. The city’s Safer at Home order is in effect until May 15, and Garcetti said he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then.
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Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state would be allowed to reopen with modifications as early as Friday, amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy.
The new changes are part of a four-stage plan the governor laid out last week to gradually transition back to normal in a state of nearly 40 million people whose lives have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are entering into the next phase this week,” Newsom said at his news conference to provide an update on the state’s response. “This is a very positive sign and it’s happened only for one reason: The data says it can happen.”
The governor’s plan also expands decision-making at the local level, allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their own pace and open more businesses — such as restaurant dining rooms — beyond those outlined in the statewide policy.
Under the new statewide COVID-19 guidelines, the governor said bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists, sporting goods retailers and others can reopen for pickup, and manufacturing and logistics can resume in the retail supply chain. Newsom said more detailed guidelines on the businesses that can resume limited operations would be released later this week.
The total number of individuals who have been confirmed to be infected by the virus in L.A. County is 26,217.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that officials will outline plans to modify restrictions in L.A. County later this week, but reminded the public that while social distancing practices have slowed the spread of the virus, it still remains easily transmissible.
“The virus has not changed,” she said. “More people die in L.A. County every day from COVID-19 than any other disease.”
Roughly 5,000 people who tested positive for the virus have been hospitalized at some point, Ferrer said. There are currently 1,819 individuals who are hospitalized, including 30% who are in intensive care.


latimes--2020-05-05--Beverly Hills loosens restrictions on medical procedures, including plastic surgery, in coronavirus

Beverly Hills loosens restrictions on medical procedures, including plastic surgery, in coronavirus crisis

Beverly Hills has rolled back its moratorium on elective surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic , a decision a dissenting city councilman said would “ open the floodgates ” to not just medically necessary procedures but cosmetic ones as well .
The City Council voted 4 to 1 , with Councilman John Mirisch dissenting , last week to follow the state government in easing restrictions on elective surgeries .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom , bracing for a surge in hospitalizations because of COVID-19 , had halted such procedures to ensure that hospitals had the beds and the personnel to treat victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all elective surgeries March 17 .
Newsom loosened the statewide moratorium April 23 , saying people should be able to seek treatment for conditions such as heart disease and cancer that may not immediately amount to a medical emergency but can become one if left untreated .
In a Zoom meeting last week , several members of the Beverly Hills City Council said they , too , wanted to see residents treated for a flagging heart valve , a toothache or an arthritic joint .
Rolling back the moratorium on elective procedures would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they acknowledged , but that wasn ’ t the purpose of the change .
The “ butt and boob thing is the smallest part of the conversation , ” said Councilman Dr. Julian Gold , an anesthesiologist .
“ Really , what we ’ re talking about is people who need an arthroscopy of their knee.
” But Mirisch , the dissenting vote , pushed back .
By declining to prohibit plastic surgery , he told the council , Beverly Hills was sending “ a terrible message to the world : That the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boob and butt jobs to happen again.
” Cosmetic surgeries are “ completely frivolous and unnecessary at this time , ” he said , noting that Beverly Hills has a high infection rate in Los Angeles County , with 105 cases of COVID-19 as of last week in a city of roughly 34,000 people .

Beverly Hills has rolled back its moratorium on elective surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision a dissenting city councilman said would “open the floodgates” to not just medically necessary procedures but cosmetic ones as well.
The City Council voted 4 to 1, with Councilman John Mirisch dissenting, last week to follow the state government in easing restrictions on elective surgeries. Gov. Gavin Newsom, bracing for a surge in hospitalizations because of COVID-19, had halted such procedures to ensure that hospitals had the beds and the personnel to treat victims of the virus. Beverly Hills halted all elective surgeries March 17.
Newsom loosened the statewide moratorium April 23, saying people should be able to seek treatment for conditions such as heart disease and cancer that may not immediately amount to a medical emergency but can become one if left untreated.
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In a Zoom meeting last week, several members of the Beverly Hills City Council said they, too, wanted to see residents treated for a flagging heart valve, a toothache or an arthritic joint. Rolling back the moratorium on elective procedures would open the door to plastic surgery, they acknowledged, but that wasn’t the purpose of the change.
The “butt and boob thing is the smallest part of the conversation,” said Councilman Dr. Julian Gold, an anesthesiologist. “Really, what we’re talking about is people who need an arthroscopy of their knee.”
But Mirisch, the dissenting vote, pushed back. By declining to prohibit plastic surgery, he told the council, Beverly Hills was sending “a terrible message to the world: That the first thing we do is to allow boob and butt jobs to happen again.”
Cosmetic surgeries are “completely frivolous and unnecessary at this time,” he said, noting that Beverly Hills has a high infection rate in Los Angeles County, with 105 cases of COVID-19 as of last week in a city of roughly 34,000 people.


latimes--2020-05-04--Newsom administration refuses to divulge nearly $1-billion contract for coronavirus masks

Attorneys for Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s administration refused Monday to reveal the contents of a $ 990-million contract for purchasing protective masks from a Chinese electric car manufacturer , even though millions of the masks have already arrived in California to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
In a letter responding to a public records request from the Los Angeles Times , the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services insisted the contract with BYD does not have to be made public , despite similar requests made by members of the Legislature since Newsom announced the deal last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records are exempt from disclosure , including exemptions for records reflecting attorney work product , attorney-client privileged information , or other information exempt from disclosure under federal or state law , ” Ryan Gronsky , an attorney with the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services , wrote in a letter to The Times .
Newsom first touted the deal for the company to sell the state a combination of N95 protective masks and more traditional surgical masks during an April 7 appearance on MSNBC .
“ We decided enough ’ s enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rachel Maddow of the state ’ s need to ensure protective masks could be acquired for emergency responders .
“ Let ’ s use the power , the purchasing power of the state of California , as a nation-state.
” A Cal OES spokesman said the agreement calls for the purchase of 200 million masks a month — including 150 million of the N95 variety — and would be in effect for at least two months .
But all other details , including the price paid per mask , have been kept confidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to the BYD contract the day after Newsom ’ s TV appearance .
Lawmakers have also requested additional details .
Under provisions of emergency legislation ratified in March before the Legislature suspended operations due to the public health crisis , advisors to Newsom were required to give 72 hours notice before authorizing spending on coronavirus-related items .
But for the contract with BYD to obtain masks , the administration said action had to be taken even faster .
“ Under normal circumstances , the Legislature would have had more time to deliberate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been allowed to thoroughly vet the details of the contract before proceeding , ” state Sen. Holly Mitchell ( D-Los Angeles ) wrote in an April 9 letter to Newsom ’ s budget director .
In the weeks since , legislators have frequently asked why they ’ ve been denied access to the contract .
Administration officials have insisted disclosure could jeopardize the delivery of the masks , a concern repeated in Monday ’ s letter to The Times .
“ Publishing the agreement now — before performance under the contract is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk to the State ’ s ability to secure necessary supplies , ” Gronsky wrote .
The first installment of masks arrived last weekend in Los Angeles .
A spokesman for Cal OES said Monday that more than 10 million surgical masks have now been delivered .
The N95 masks , he said , still are awaiting safety approval by federal officials .
BYD announced in March that it was retooling its Shenzhen vehicle facility to produce masks and hand sanitizer .
The company has a U.S. subsidiary headquartered in Los Angeles County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials as integral to the deal .
To date , the state has paid a BYD-affiliated company almost $ 600 million .
Asked on April 18 about his administration ’ s refusal to disclose the document , Newsom said he looked forward to “ all those details becoming public very , very shortly.
” Repeating a promise that the BYD deal could also produce enough protective masks for other states , the governor dismissed concerns about the lack of transparency .
“ Some are consumed by process , personality , intrigue , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down ?
” Newsom said .
“ We are for actually solving a major , major problem .
Not only for the state , but potentially a template for the country .
”

Gov. Gavin Newsom, welcoming the hospital ship USNS Mercy into the Port of Los Angeles in March. The governor has refused to reveal the details of a contract for almost $1 billion in protective masks being provided by a Chinese company.
Attorneys for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration refused Monday to reveal the contents of a $990-million contract for purchasing protective masks from a Chinese electric car manufacturer, even though millions of the masks have already arrived in California to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter responding to a public records request from the Los Angeles Times, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services insisted the contract with BYD does not have to be made public, despite similar requests made by members of the Legislature since Newsom announced the deal last month.
“Cal OES determined all responsive records are exempt from disclosure, including exemptions for records reflecting attorney work product, attorney-client privileged information, or other information exempt from disclosure under federal or state law,” Ryan Gronsky, an attorney with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, wrote in a letter to The Times.
Newsom first touted the deal for the company to sell the state a combination of N95 protective masks and more traditional surgical masks during an April 7 appearance on MSNBC.
“We decided enough’s enough,” the governor said to host Rachel Maddow of the state’s need to ensure protective masks could be acquired for emergency responders. “Let’s use the power, the purchasing power of the state of California, as a nation-state.”
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A Cal OES spokesman said the agreement calls for the purchase of 200 million masks a month — including 150 million of the N95 variety — and would be in effect for at least two months. But all other details, including the price paid per mask, have been kept confidential.
The Times asked for all documents related to the BYD contract the day after Newsom’s TV appearance. Lawmakers have also requested additional details. Under provisions of emergency legislation ratified in March before the Legislature suspended operations due to the public health crisis, advisors to Newsom were required to give 72 hours notice before authorizing spending on coronavirus-related items. But for the contract with BYD to obtain masks, the administration said action had to be taken even faster.
“Under normal circumstances, the Legislature would have had more time to deliberate an expenditure of this magnitude and would have been allowed to thoroughly vet the details of the contract before proceeding,” state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) wrote in an April 9 letter to Newsom’s budget director.
In the weeks since, legislators have frequently asked why they’ve been denied access to the contract. Administration officials have insisted disclosure could jeopardize the delivery of the masks, a concern repeated in Monday’s letter to The Times.
“Publishing the agreement now — before performance under the contract is complete — would introduce substantial and unnecessary risk to the State’s ability to secure necessary supplies,” Gronsky wrote.
The first installment of masks arrived last weekend in Los Angeles. A spokesman for Cal OES said Monday that more than 10 million surgical masks have now been delivered. The N95 masks, he said, still are awaiting safety approval by federal officials.
BYD announced in March that it was retooling its Shenzhen vehicle facility to produce masks and hand sanitizer. The company has a U.S. subsidiary headquartered in Los Angeles County, whose executives were touted by state officials as integral to the deal. To date, the state has paid a BYD-affiliated company almost $600 million.
Asked on April 18 about his administration’s refusal to disclose the document, Newsom said he looked forward to “all those details becoming public very, very shortly.” Repeating a promise that the BYD deal could also produce enough protective masks for other states, the governor dismissed concerns about the lack of transparency.
“Some are consumed by process, personality, intrigue, who’s up, who’s down?” Newsom said. “We are for actually solving a major, major problem. Not only for the state, but potentially a template for the country.”


latimes--2020-05-04--Florida man arrested in 1984 rape and murder in Los Angeles

Prosecutors in Los Angeles County charged a Florida man Monday with killing and torturing another man in 1984 at a South L.A. motel room , a brutal slaying that had grown cold in the decades since but was rekindled through a recent match in a national DNA database .
Police arrested the accused killer , Manuel Fraga-Madan , Friday in Hialeah , Fla .
He was in custody in a Miami jail awaiting extradition to Southern California , according to inmate records .
Det .
Joseph Purcell of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department said Fraga-Madan , 66 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stormed the Vermont Motel on July 12 , 1984 , during a violent pursuit of drugs and money .
The intended target of the men was Johnny Williams , but when the pair arrived , they found Williams ’ friend , a 23-year-old woman , and her baby son .
Purcell said that while waiting for Williams to return to the motel room , Fraga-Madan and the other man raped the young woman at gunpoint .
When Williams , who was 40 , came back to the motel room , the woman hid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money and drugs from Williams , but he said he had neither .
Purcell said the men shot Williams once in the leg , then fired again , killing him .
The woman heard the gunshots , and the bathroom door was slightly ajar , the detective said .
“ She could see some of the activity , but not all , ” Purcell said .
The men fled .
Authorities interviewed the woman at the time , but she later died of natural causes , Purcell said .
Her death was unrelated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not publicly identified her .
The detective , one of about 10 assigned to the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s cold case homicide unit , took over the investigation in 2018 .
In all aging cases , Purcell said , he looks for evidence that was impounded by police because no forensic methods were available at the time to trace a suspect ’ s genetic profile .
In the Williams case , he was hoping for a DNA match .
“ There was no magic phone call , no letter , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case , ” Purcell said .
“ We were going through our process.
” The clinching evidence was the motel bedding , which had semen from the sexual assault .
Purcell said Fraga-Madan has a criminal history in California and Florida , mostly on drug-related offenses , which resulted in his DNA being stored in a database .
The DNA match was enough for the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office to file a murder charge , alleging that Fraga-Madan killed Williams while torturing him and while carrying out a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rape charge has passed .
Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty .
The second man who was at the scene has not been identified , Purcell said .
Nor have detectives been able to track down the woman ’ s son , perhaps the only person still alive who was in the motel room that day .
“ With this case , there are no witnesses , ” Purcell said .
“ The science is a witness .
”

Prosecutors in Los Angeles County charged a Florida man Monday with killing and torturing another man in 1984 at a South L.A. motel room, a brutal slaying that had grown cold in the decades since but was rekindled through a recent match in a national DNA database.
Police arrested the accused killer, Manuel Fraga-Madan, Friday in Hialeah, Fla. He was in custody in a Miami jail awaiting extradition to Southern California, according to inmate records.
Det. Joseph Purcell of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Fraga-Madan, 66, was one of two men who stormed the Vermont Motel on July 12, 1984, during a violent pursuit of drugs and money.
The intended target of the men was Johnny Williams, but when the pair arrived, they found Williams’ friend, a 23-year-old woman, and her baby son. Purcell said that while waiting for Williams to return to the motel room, Fraga-Madan and the other man raped the young woman at gunpoint.
When Williams, who was 40, came back to the motel room, the woman hid in the bathroom. Both men demanded money and drugs from Williams, but he said he had neither. Purcell said the men shot Williams once in the leg, then fired again, killing him.
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The woman heard the gunshots, and the bathroom door was slightly ajar, the detective said.
“She could see some of the activity, but not all,” Purcell said.
The men fled. Authorities interviewed the woman at the time, but she later died of natural causes, Purcell said. Her death was unrelated to the crime, and police have not publicly identified her.
The detective, one of about 10 assigned to the Sheriff’s Department’s cold case homicide unit, took over the investigation in 2018. In all aging cases, Purcell said, he looks for evidence that was impounded by police because no forensic methods were available at the time to trace a suspect’s genetic profile. In the Williams case, he was hoping for a DNA match.
“There was no magic phone call, no letter, no informant saying you need to look at this case,” Purcell said. “We were going through our process.”
The clinching evidence was the motel bedding, which had semen from the sexual assault.
Purcell said Fraga-Madan has a criminal history in California and Florida, mostly on drug-related offenses, which resulted in his DNA being stored in a database.
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The DNA match was enough for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to file a murder charge, alleging that Fraga-Madan killed Williams while torturing him and while carrying out a rape. The statute of limitations on the rape charge has passed.
Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty.
The second man who was at the scene has not been identified, Purcell said. Nor have detectives been able to track down the woman’s son, perhaps the only person still alive who was in the motel room that day.
“With this case, there are no witnesses,” Purcell said. “The science is a witness.”


latimes--2020-05-04--Riverside County Supervisors to vote on ending coronavirus restrictions

On the eve of a controversial vote , Riverside County supervisors made their case Monday as to why the county ’ s COVID-19 restrictions should be lifted .
Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel told reporters that precautionary orders have made it possible for the county to contain the virus and prevent a hospital surge that was expected to occur in mid-April .
But now that the virus is seemingly under control , they want to focus on the county ’ s economic future .
“ The metrics in Riverside County have improved , ” Spiegel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That was due to the extra measures that the county put in place early on .
We were one of the first that stepped up and said we ’ re going to fight this battle .
The positive results would not have been possible if the community didn ’ t do their part and step up.
” Spiegel and 4th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez will go before the board Tuesday to recommend that all of the county ’ s own public health orders be revoked .
Specifically , the supervisors are asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limitations on short-term lodging , to remove restrictions on golf course use and eliminate the requirements to wear face coverings and engage in social distancing .
Last week , the county ’ s public health officer , Dr. Cameron Kaiser , lifted a few restrictions , such as allowing for the reopening of some parks , trails and recreation areas including golf courses and tennis courts .
However , Kaiser also extended a county health order requiring residents to wear face coverings and practice social distancing through June 19 .
Individual counties have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best suit their region , as long as they are not more lax than the Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order .
Riverside County , which has reported 4,354 cases — the second highest in the state — had implemented some of the strictest public health orders in California .
“ I want to thank our residents and our county team , whose actions to this unprecedented pandemic have helped us get to this point , ” Perez said in a written statement .
“ Now , we must continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people back to work.
” The Board of Supervisors will be voting on the supervisors ’ agenda item at their meeting on Tuesday .
The vote will not replace Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order , according to Brooke Federico , the county ’ s public information officer .
Moving onto the second phase During the press conference Monday , Bailey said he thinks the county is ready for the second stage of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s , which includes the opening of low-risk workplaces such as retail and manufacturing .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ weeks , not months ” away from making meaningful modifications in the current restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Bailey said the Inland Empire is ready to open three sectors in the second stage : retail and manufacturing , recreation and religion .
He said he wants to make sure that the city he represents and the rest of the county have detailed plans for when the governor lifts restrictions .
“ Our region desires to be on our toes , not on our heels , at the front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the green light , ” Bailey said .
“ We are eagerly awaiting for the go-ahead to restart Riverside ’ s regional economy.
” Bailey invited local business and religious leaders to share written plans for safely reopening their establishments .
John Collins , the executive pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside , said he planned to hold multiple drive-in services in the church ’ s parking lot , which could accommodate nearly 1,000 cars , until they can hold indoor services .
The church is one of four drive-up testing sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with and without symptoms — can be tested for COVID-19 .
Andrea Taylor , owner of A Taylored Body , said that she ’ d utilize her gym ’ s bay doors to divide the facility into sections to allow more social distancing .
She said she would also install more hand sanitizer stations and control the number of people inside the studio .
Bailey said the purpose of the news conference was to “ communicate directly with our residents about the county ’ s progress on COVID-19 and to build their confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next phase of reopening .
“ Our Western Riverside regional leaders wanted to demonstrate the success in which our county has managed this virus to date and to call on the state to allow for greater levels of local control , ” Bailey said in an email .
“ Our businesses and faith-based communities have went to great lengths to plan for a reopening and they can be trusted to be responsible moving forward.
” As of Monday afternoon , 181 residents have died from the novel coronavirus , which is 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nearly 2,000 people have recovered from the virus , and about 56,300 people have been tested , according to health officials .

On the eve of a controversial vote, Riverside County supervisors made their case Monday as to why the county’s COVID-19 restrictions should be lifted.
Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel told reporters that precautionary orders have made it possible for the county to contain the virus and prevent a hospital surge that was expected to occur in mid-April. But now that the virus is seemingly under control, they want to focus on the county’s economic future.
“The metrics in Riverside County have improved,” Spiegel said at a news conference. “That was due to the extra measures that the county put in place early on. We were one of the first that stepped up and said we’re going to fight this battle. The positive results would not have been possible if the community didn’t do their part and step up.”
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Spiegel and 4th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez will go before the board Tuesday to recommend that all of the county’s own public health orders be revoked. Specifically, the supervisors are asking to rescind school closures, to end limitations on short-term lodging, to remove restrictions on golf course use and eliminate the requirements to wear face coverings and engage in social distancing.
Last week, the county’s public health officer, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, lifted a few restrictions, such as allowing for the reopening of some parks, trails and recreation areas including golf courses and tennis courts. However, Kaiser also extended a county health order requiring residents to wear face coverings and practice social distancing through June 19.
Individual counties have the authority to impose health orders that best suit their region, as long as they are not more lax than the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order. Riverside County, which has reported 4,354 cases — the second highest in the state — had implemented some of the strictest public health orders in California.
“I want to thank our residents and our county team, whose actions to this unprecedented pandemic have helped us get to this point,” Perez said in a written statement. “Now, we must continue to prepare for our economic recovery and get people back to work.”
The Board of Supervisors will be voting on the supervisors’ agenda item at their meeting on Tuesday. The vote will not replace Newsom’s stay-at-home order, according to Brooke Federico, the county’s public information officer.
Moving onto the second phase
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During the press conference Monday, Bailey said he thinks the county is ready for the second stage of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-stage plan , which includes the opening of low-risk workplaces such as retail and manufacturing. Last week, Newsom said that the state is “weeks, not months” away from making meaningful modifications in the current restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bailey said the Inland Empire is ready to open three sectors in the second stage: retail and manufacturing, recreation and religion. He said he wants to make sure that the city he represents and the rest of the county have detailed plans for when the governor lifts restrictions.
“Our region desires to be on our toes, not on our heels, at the front of the pack when the governor gives us the green light,” Bailey said. “We are eagerly awaiting for the go-ahead to restart Riverside’s regional economy.”
Bailey invited local business and religious leaders to share written plans for safely reopening their establishments. John Collins, the executive pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, said he planned to hold multiple drive-in services in the church’s parking lot, which could accommodate nearly 1,000 cars, until they can hold indoor services. The church is one of four drive-up testing sites in the county where residents — both with and without symptoms — can be tested for COVID-19.
Andrea Taylor, owner of A Taylored Body, said that she’d utilize her gym’s bay doors to divide the facility into sections to allow more social distancing. She said she would also install more hand sanitizer stations and control the number of people inside the studio.
Bailey said the purpose of the news conference was to “communicate directly with our residents about the county’s progress on COVID-19 and to build their confidence about our readiness to move” into the next phase of reopening.
“Our Western Riverside regional leaders wanted to demonstrate the success in which our county has managed this virus to date and to call on the state to allow for greater levels of local control,” Bailey said in an email. “Our businesses and faith-based communities have went to great lengths to plan for a reopening and they can be trusted to be responsible moving forward.”
Tracking COVID-19 in Riverside County
As of Monday afternoon, 181 residents have died from the novel coronavirus, which is 20 more than was reported the previous day.
Nearly 2,000 people have recovered from the virus, and about 56,300 people have been tested, according to health officials.


latimes--2020-05-04--Brentwood School returns federal aid after Trump, Mnuchin criticism

Brentwood School , the elite K-12 institution in West Los Angeles , has returned the federal coronavirus aid money it recently received after President Trump and others leveled criticism at private schools that had taken the funding .
The school said Monday that it had returned an undisclosed amount of funds “ so they can be distributed to others who are in greater need of the assistance.
” The move comes four days after The Times reported the school had gotten the loan through the Paycheck Protection Program — a disclosure that was quickly followed by criticism from the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Small Business Administration , are designed to help pay for workers ’ salaries and are forgivable if certain parameters are met .
“ The president has made clear that he does not believe private schools with significant endowments should be receiving [ Paycheck Protection Program ] money and those that have should consider returning it , ” White House spokesman Judd Deere said Friday .
Brentwood had an endowment of $ 17.4 million as of 2017 , according to Internal Revenue Service data .
Trump ’ s comments followed earlier statements on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who said in a tweet that such private schools “ should return the loans.
” At least two of Mnuchin ’ s children are students at Brentwood , and one of Trump ’ s children also goes to a tony private school that got federal aid .
Barron Trump attends St. Andrew ’ s Episcopal School in Potomac , Md.
, which said in a statement Friday it would keep the PPP money it received .
Brentwood , a K-12 facility with more than 1,100 students on two campuses , said in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PPP funding on April 3 , but reevaluated that decision after the dynamics of the program changed .
On April 26 , after an initial round of the $ 660-billion PPP was quickly exhausted , the Small Business Administration issued revised guidelines for the program that make clear big , public companies with other financing options shouldn ’ t seek the money .
It also cautioned entities receiving the loans that they might be asked to certify the funding was required for continued operation .
“ Throughout the last week , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the growing understanding that , unfortunately , not all who qualify will receive PPP funds , ” the school said .
Brentwood told The Times last week — after the SBA ’ s revised guidance had been issued — that its PPP loan would help it navigate a future that could include “ a potential decline in enrollment and charitable giving , accompanied by increased demand for financial assistance and other escalating expenses.
” At least a handful of Brentwood ’ s alumni took to social media to voice their displeasure with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept the aid .
One of those former Brentwood students was actor Patrick Schwarzenegger , the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver .
Schwarzenegger said in a tweet on Sunday that the Brentwood loan “ pisses me off so much , ” adding that PPP funding is “ meant for small businesses to keep their employees at work ” and “ not private schools with millions of dollars in their account.
” Allocations of PPP funding , which is a component of the CARES Act , have come under intense scrutiny , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Shake Shack Inc. , saying they would give back their loan after facing public pressure .
Mnuchin has threatened to hold participating companies criminally liable if they do not meet criteria for the program .
Founded in 1972 , Brentwood boasts a board of trustees that includes actress Calista Flockhart and investor Lance Milken , son of billionaire Michael Milken , the former junk bond king .
The school said in its statement that the board voted unanimously “ to decline the loan.
” Tuition at Brentwood ranges from $ 37,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 44,000 for sixth- through 12th-grade pupils .
Several other private schools in the L.A. area — including Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles , Marlborough School in Hancock Park and Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica — opted to not apply for PPP loans .

President Trump said through a spokesman on Friday that private schools with “significant endowments” should consider returning any Paycheck Protection Program loans they have received.
Brentwood School, the elite K-12 institution in West Los Angeles, has returned the federal coronavirus aid money it recently received after President Trump and others leveled criticism at private schools that had taken the funding.
The school said Monday that it had returned an undisclosed amount of funds “so they can be distributed to others who are in greater need of the assistance.”
The move comes four days after The Times reported the school had gotten the loan through the Paycheck Protection Program — a disclosure that was quickly followed by criticism from the president. The loans, backed by the Small Business Administration, are designed to help pay for workers’ salaries and are forgivable if certain parameters are met.
“The president has made clear that he does not believe private schools with significant endowments should be receiving [Paycheck Protection Program] money and those that have should consider returning it,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said Friday.
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Brentwood had an endowment of $17.4 million as of 2017, according to Internal Revenue Service data.
Trump’s comments followed earlier statements on Friday by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, who said in a tweet that such private schools “should return the loans.”
At least two of Mnuchin’s children are students at Brentwood, and one of Trump’s children also goes to a tony private school that got federal aid.
Barron Trump attends St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md., which said in a statement Friday it would keep the PPP money it received.
Brentwood, a K-12 facility with more than 1,100 students on two campuses, said in its Monday statement that it had applied for the PPP funding on April 3, but reevaluated that decision after the dynamics of the program changed.
On April 26, after an initial round of the $660-billion PPP was quickly exhausted, the Small Business Administration issued revised guidelines for the program that make clear big, public companies with other financing options shouldn’t seek the money. It also cautioned entities receiving the loans that they might be asked to certify the funding was required for continued operation.
“Throughout the last week, we carefully considered the added clarifications as well as the growing understanding that, unfortunately, not all who qualify will receive PPP funds,” the school said.
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Brentwood told The Times last week — after the SBA’s revised guidance had been issued — that its PPP loan would help it navigate a future that could include “a potential decline in enrollment and charitable giving, accompanied by increased demand for financial assistance and other escalating expenses.”
At least a handful of Brentwood’s alumni took to social media to voice their displeasure with the school’s initial decision to accept the aid. One of those former Brentwood students was actor Patrick Schwarzenegger, the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.
Schwarzenegger said in a tweet on Sunday that the Brentwood loan “pisses me off so much,” adding that PPP funding is “meant for small businesses to keep their employees at work” and “not private schools with millions of dollars in their account.”
Allocations of PPP funding, which is a component of the CARES Act, have come under intense scrutiny, with several other high-profile businesses and organizations, including Shake Shack Inc., saying they would give back their loan after facing public pressure. Mnuchin has threatened to hold participating companies criminally liable if they do not meet criteria for the program.
Founded in 1972, Brentwood boasts a board of trustees that includes actress Calista Flockhart and investor Lance Milken, son of billionaire Michael Milken, the former junk bond king. The school said in its statement that the board voted unanimously “to decline the loan.”
Tuition at Brentwood ranges from $37,500 a year for kindergarten through fifth-grade students to $44,000 for sixth- through 12th-grade pupils.
Several other private schools in the L.A. area — including Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, Marlborough School in Hancock Park and Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica — opted to not apply for PPP loans.


latimes--2020-05-04--4 California inmates killed within 2 days at 3 state prisons

Four California inmates were killed at three state prisons , including two at a single facility north of Bakersfield a day apart , corrections department officials said Monday .
Robert Beltran , 50 , was fatally stabbed by three other inmates as he left his cell at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano on Friday , officials said .
That ’ s in a different part of the same prison where a day earlier two inmates fatally stabbed convicted murderer Robert Hargrave , 48 .
Beltran was serving a life term for attempted second-degree murder and kidnapping .
The three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Charles Garibay , Rafael Navarro and Guillermo Navarro .
The victim and suspected attackers are all from Los Angeles County .
Guillermo Navarro , 38 , is serving a life term for murder .
He is not related to Rafael Navarro .
Rafael Navarro , 32 , is serving a 25-year sentence for armed robbery with gang enhancements .
He has additional sentences for drug possession and attacking another inmate while in prison .
Garibay , 34 , is serving a 46-year sentence for assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and another four years for possessing a weapon in prison .
Also Thursday , 260 miles to the north , officials at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville said they found 75-year-old Tuc X. Tran unresponsive in his cell with multiple injuries to his head and face .
His next of kin were notified Monday .
He had been serving a life sentence for a Riverside County murder .
They are holding his cellmate , James A. Norton , 39 , as a suspect .
He is serving a two-year sentence from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest land .
The fourth slaying was Friday at High Desert State Prison in Susanville .
Officials say two inmates fatally stabbed Michael M. Ramadanovic , 65 , and didn ’ t stop until correctional officers used chemical agents and fired a warning shot .
Ramadanovic was serving a life sentence for a Merced County murder , with another six-year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon in prison .
The two suspects are Rodney Rice and Robert Smith , both 28 .
Officials did not immediately provide their criminal histories .

Four California inmates were killed at three state prisons, including two at a single facility north of Bakersfield a day apart, corrections department officials said Monday.
“They’re all unrelated,” said department spokeswoman Terry Thornton.
Robert Beltran, 50, was fatally stabbed by three other inmates as he left his cell at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano on Friday, officials said.
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That’s in a different part of the same prison where a day earlier two inmates fatally stabbed convicted murderer Robert Hargrave, 48.
Beltran was serving a life term for attempted second-degree murder and kidnapping.
The three being held on suspicion of killing Beltran are Charles Garibay, Rafael Navarro and Guillermo Navarro. The victim and suspected attackers are all from Los Angeles County.
Guillermo Navarro, 38, is serving a life term for murder. He is not related to Rafael Navarro.
Rafael Navarro, 32, is serving a 25-year sentence for armed robbery with gang enhancements. He has additional sentences for drug possession and attacking another inmate while in prison.
Garibay, 34, is serving a 46-year sentence for assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer, attempted carjacking and attempted murder, and another four years for possessing a weapon in prison.
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Also Thursday, 260 miles to the north, officials at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville said they found 75-year-old Tuc X. Tran unresponsive in his cell with multiple injuries to his head and face. His next of kin were notified Monday. He had been serving a life sentence for a Riverside County murder.
They are holding his cellmate, James A. Norton, 39, as a suspect. He is serving a two-year sentence from Mendocino County for causing a fire on forest land.
The fourth slaying was Friday at High Desert State Prison in Susanville.
Officials say two inmates fatally stabbed Michael M. Ramadanovic, 65, and didn’t stop until correctional officers used chemical agents and fired a warning shot.
Ramadanovic was serving a life sentence for a Merced County murder, with another six-year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon in prison.
The two suspects are Rodney Rice and Robert Smith, both 28. Officials did not immediately provide their criminal histories.