latimes--2020-11-23--Missing community college student found  in shallow grave near Barstow

When Juan Carlos Hernández didn ’ t come home after clocking out of work in September , his mother mounted a furious public campaign to generate leads and push the police to find the 21-year-old community college student .
The search came to an end earlier this week , the Los Angeles Police Department disclosed Thursday .
Hernández ’ s body was found in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15 , about 40 miles northeast of Barstow , the department said .
Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernández ’ s death , Ethan Astaphan , 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the LAPD .
Both were booked on suspicion of murder .
It couldn ’ t be determined Thursday evening if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf .
Hernández ’ s family had reported him missing the night of Sept. 22 .
A student at El Camino College in Torrance , Hernández , known to family and friends as “ Cookie , ” was a semester shy of transferring to USC , where he planned to study engineering , his mother previously told The Times .
Hernández was last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corner of Western Avenue and 81st Street , where on Sept. 22 he worked a shift from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. A few minutes before 10 p.m. , he sent his mother a text message saying he ’ d be home soon .
He ’ d driven her car , a 2020 Honda Civic , to work .
Police found the car two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street , about two miles from the dispensary .
Within a week of Hernández being reported missing , someone tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange for his return , the LAPD said .
His mother , Yajaira Hernández , said in an interview Thursday that after making the mistake of putting her phone number on an early batch of fliers , she fielded several calls and voicemails demanding ransom .
The case was turned over to detectives from the department ’ s Robbery-Homicide Division , who determined the would-be extortionists were not actually involved in Hernández ’ s disappearance .
Still , they believed Hernández “ was most likely the victim of a crime , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family picketed City Hall and LAPD headquarters , voicing frustration at the authorities ’ inability to find him .
They celebrated his 22nd birthday on Oct. 15 by passing out food on Skid Row , along with kits full of medical and hygiene supplies that also came with missing posters , according to a report in The Union , El Camino College ’ s student newspaper .
On Nov. 15 , LAPD detectives , San Bernardino sheriff ’ s deputies and FBI agents exhumed Hernández ’ s remains from a shallow grave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , the LAPD said Thursday .
Astaphan and Heng , the two people detained in connection with his death , were arrested four days later .
The LAPD did not disclose Thursday how they had linked the two to Hernández ’ s disappearance and death .
Hernández ’ s mother said she did not recognize the suspects ’ names .
In the last eight weeks , Yajaira Hernández passed out and put up more than 50,000 fliers across Los Angeles , Orange and San Bernardino counties , she said .
She visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find .
“ L.A .
is such a big city , it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack , ” she said .
She found some comfort among Facebook groups of parents whose children had vanished .
Many had been waiting “ for months , even years , ” she said .
“ My greatest fear was I ’ d be one of those people , walking around with a hole in my heart for the rest of my life.
” On Thursday , she said , two Robbery-Homicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her the search was over .
“ This isn ’ t the outcome we ever wanted or thought we ’ d get , ” she said , “ but I still feel blessed that we found his body .
”

When Juan Carlos Hernández didn’t come home after clocking out of work in September, his mother mounted a furious public campaign to generate leads and push the police to find the 21-year-old community college student.
The search came to an end earlier this week, the Los Angeles Police Department disclosed Thursday. Hernández’s body was found in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15, about 40 miles northeast of Barstow, the department said.
Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernández’s death, Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, according to the LAPD. Both were booked on suspicion of murder. It couldn’t be determined Thursday evening if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf.
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Hernández’s family had reported him missing the night of Sept. 22. A student at El Camino College in Torrance, Hernández, known to family and friends as “Cookie,” was a semester shy of transferring to USC, where he planned to study engineering, his mother previously told The Times.
Hernández was last seen at a marijuana dispensary on the corner of Western Avenue and 81st Street, where on Sept. 22 he worked a shift from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. A few minutes before 10 p.m., he sent his mother a text message saying he’d be home soon. He’d driven her car, a 2020 Honda Civic, to work. Police found the car two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street, about two miles from the dispensary.
Within a week of Hernández being reported missing, someone tried to extort money from his family in exchange for his return, the LAPD said. His mother, Yajaira Hernández, said in an interview Thursday that after making the mistake of putting her phone number on an early batch of fliers, she fielded several calls and voicemails demanding ransom.
The case was turned over to detectives from the department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, who determined the would-be extortionists were not actually involved in Hernández’s disappearance. Still, they believed Hernández “was most likely the victim of a crime,” the LAPD said.
Meanwhile, Hernández’s family picketed City Hall and LAPD headquarters, voicing frustration at the authorities’ inability to find him. They celebrated his 22nd birthday on Oct. 15 by passing out food on Skid Row, along with kits full of medical and hygiene supplies that also came with missing posters, according to a report in The Union, El Camino College’s student newspaper.
On Nov. 15, LAPD detectives, San Bernardino sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents exhumed Hernández’s remains from a shallow grave off Afton Canyon Road, near Interstate 15, the LAPD said Thursday.
Astaphan and Heng, the two people detained in connection with his death, were arrested four days later. The LAPD did not disclose Thursday how they had linked the two to Hernández’s disappearance and death. Hernández’s mother said she did not recognize the suspects’ names.
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In the last eight weeks, Yajaira Hernández passed out and put up more than 50,000 fliers across Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, she said. She visited every homeless encampment and shelter she could find.
“L.A. is such a big city, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” she said.
She found some comfort among Facebook groups of parents whose children had vanished. Many had been waiting “for months, even years,” she said. “My greatest fear was I’d be one of those people, walking around with a hole in my heart for the rest of my life.”
On Thursday, she said, two Robbery-Homicide detectives knocked on her door and told her the search was over.
“This isn’t the outcome we ever wanted or thought we’d get,” she said, “but I still feel blessed that we found his body.”
Los Angeles Times en Español staff writer Soudi Jiménez contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-24--Failure to bridge divides of age, race doomed affirmative action proposition

Widespread skepticism in Latino and Asian communities and tepid support among younger Black residents combined with opposition from most whites to doom the effort this year to revive affirmative action in California , according to a new postelection survey .
The failure of Proposition 16 , which voters rejected by 57 % to 43 % , marked a significant defeat for the state ’ s Democratic political leadership and many activist groups , which backed the Legislature ’ s move to put the proposal on this year ’ s ballot .
The findings of the survey provide the clearest evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political leaders and many of their ostensible followers on an issue that has been a touchstone in the state ’ s political debates for years .
The survey , conducted by a coalition of community organizations , shows widespread support across racial and ethnic lines for diversity in education , public employment and contracting .
At the same time , it showed broad skepticism about allowing government officials to use race , ethnicity or gender in making decisions .
On two other topics , the survey showed how attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state heads into a period of renewed restrictions designed to limit the spread of the disease .
And it indicated that awareness and concern about racial and ethnic discrimination in the state has receded since reaching a high point this summer .
Asked how often they personally felt discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity , about one-third of Latino respondents said they experienced discrimination “ frequently ” or “ sometimes.
” That ’ s down from nearly half when the poll asked the same question in July .
The finding “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicated , and people just don ’ t have the bandwidth ” to focus constantly on discrimination , especially when the impact of COVID dominates so many peoples ’ lives , said Helen Torres , executive director of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality ( HOPE ) , one of the sponsors of the survey .
“ It ’ s hard to sustain for the long term , ” she said .
The share of Asian and Pacific Islander respondents who reported feeling discriminated against showed a similar decline since July .
The share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against did not significantly decline .
The California Community Poll , conducted online Nov. 4-15 , was designed to provide a more detailed view of the state ’ s racial and ethnic diversity than is typically possible .
It surveyed 1,300 adult California citizens , with over-samples of Black , Latino and Asian Pacific Islander respondents in order to ensure enough in each group to allow analysis by age , gender and other characteristics .
The margin of error is estimated at 2.7 percentage points for the full sample .
The poll is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment ( CAUSE ) , the Los Angeles Urban League and HOPE .
California banned most government affirmative action programs nearly a quarter century ago , in 1996 , when voters approved Proposition 209 .
Since then , overturning the ban has been a major goal for many Democratic lawmakers and state officials , especially at the University of California , where deans and chancellors have repeatedly said that their inability to take race into account in admissions has kept the number of Latino and Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school graduates who meet UC eligibility standards .
But as the poll showed , many Californians have more mixed feelings on the subject than their elected officials do .
The results show “ a limit on California ’ s liberalism ” that “ requires some examination of the progressive base , ” said Drew Lieberman , senior vice president of Strategies 360 , the polling firm that conducted the survey .
Two-thirds of the California adults surveyed said they believe “ diverse representation based on race , gender , ethnicity and national origin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 10 calling it “ very important.
” That ’ s true across major ethnic and racial groups and among both voters and nonvoters , the survey found .
About 6 in 10 white respondents said they considered diversity important , along with about 7 in 10 who identify as Latino or Asian or Pacific Islanders .
Among Black respondents , the share rose to more than 8 in 10 .
But that didn ’ t translate into support for affirmative action .
Among Latino respondents , for example , only 30 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared with 41 % who called it a bad idea and 29 % who said they were unsure .
The division was similar among Asian and Pacific Islander respondents , with 35 % calling the proposition a good idea , 46 % saying it was a bad idea and 20 % unsure .
White respondents were slightly more opposed , with 32 % calling the measure a good idea , 53 % a bad idea and 15 % unsure .
Only among Black respondents did the proposition get majority support , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 19 % a bad idea and 25 % unsure .
The views of voters and nonvoters were very similar , suggesting that higher turnout would probably not have changed the results .
Roughly a third of those polled could be characterized as solid supporters of affirmative action — people who said that diversity is important and the ballot measure was a good idea .
On the other side , just over 1 in 5 say diversity is not important to them and that the ballot measure was a bad idea .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that the proposal was a bad idea .
The members of that swing group are more likely than others to describe themselves as moderates and to be suburbanites .
Since the election , some supporters of the ballot measure have speculated that voters may have been confused about its potential impact .
The survey does not support that .
After asking people their opinion , the survey gave a more extensive description of the ballot measure and retested people ’ s feelings on it .
The additional information did not significantly change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s major racial and ethnic groups , the survey found significant divisions .
Immigrants , for example , were more likely to reject affirmative action than were people born in the U.S. That contributed to a significant generation gap among Asian Pacific Islander respondents , with those older than 50 — an immigrant-heavy group — opposed to affirmative action by roughly 3 to 1 , while those younger than 50 were narrowly favorable .
The poll found a smaller generational divide among Latino respondents .
“ Many immigrants came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are suspicious about preferences for specific groups , said Charlie Woo , the board chairman of CAUSE .
The survey also found Chinese American respondents more strongly opposed than other Asian Pacific Islander groups , with people who identified as Chinese describing the ballot measure as a bad idea by roughly a 2-to-1 margin .
Opponents of the ballot measure argued that Asian American students would lose spots in the state ’ s premier universities if affirmative action were restored , an argument that was widely heard by Chinese Americans .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the concerns around public education , ” said Nancy Yap , CAUSE ’ s executive director .
Among white respondents , people younger than 50 were almost evenly divided on affirmative action , while those 50 and older were heavily opposed .
Among Black respondents , the opposite was true : Older people overwhelmingly supported affirmative action ; younger ones were more closely divided .
For the older generation , the impact of affirmative action “ is clear , ” said Michael Lawson , president of the Los Angeles Urban League .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t live through the elimination of affirmative action , they didn ’ t understand ” the implications .
“ If we ’ re going to eliminate Proposition 209 , ” he added , “ it ’ s going to have to be a longer tale ” than is possible in a ballot campaign .
On several topics , including affirmative action , the survey found wide gaps along partisan and ideological lines .
That was particularly true on questions related to the coronavirus .
Overall , the survey showed a “ widening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responding to the virus , said Ben Winston of Strategies 360 .
The attitudes of liberal Californians and Democrats have largely remained the same since earlier this year , but conservatives and Republicans have shifted significantly toward opposing restrictions on commerce , supporting a full opening of schools and downplaying the impact of the disease .
In July , for example , about one-third of Republicans in the survey said they were not worried about themselves or someone in their family coming down with COVID-19 .
Today , that share has risen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll is mounting , ” Winston said , there is “ a stark and growing divide between the parties .
”

The UCLA campus in Westwood is seen in February 2019. Concerns over admissions to UCLA and UC Berkeley drove much of the recent debate over whether to reinstate affirmative action in California.
Widespread skepticism in Latino and Asian communities and tepid support among younger Black residents combined with opposition from most whites to doom the effort this year to revive affirmative action in California, according to a new postelection survey.
The failure of Proposition 16, which voters rejected by 57% to 43%, marked a significant defeat for the state’s Democratic political leadership and many activist groups, which backed the Legislature’s move to put the proposal on this year’s ballot.
The findings of the survey provide the clearest evidence so far of the disconnect between those political leaders and many of their ostensible followers on an issue that has been a touchstone in the state’s political debates for years.
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The survey, conducted by a coalition of community organizations, shows widespread support across racial and ethnic lines for diversity in education, public employment and contracting. At the same time, it showed broad skepticism about allowing government officials to use race, ethnicity or gender in making decisions.
On two other topics, the survey showed how attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic have grown more politically divided as the state heads into a period of renewed restrictions designed to limit the spread of the disease.
And it indicated that awareness and concern about racial and ethnic discrimination in the state has receded since reaching a high point this summer.
Asked how often they personally felt discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity, about one-third of Latino respondents said they experienced discrimination “frequently” or “sometimes.” That’s down from nearly half when the poll asked the same question in July.
The finding “reaffirms that these issues are difficult and complicated, and people just don’t have the bandwidth” to focus constantly on discrimination, especially when the impact of COVID dominates so many peoples’ lives, said Helen Torres, executive director of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), one of the sponsors of the survey.
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“It’s hard to sustain for the long term,” she said.
The share of Asian and Pacific Islander respondents who reported feeling discriminated against showed a similar decline since July. The share of Black respondents who reported feeling discriminated against did not significantly decline.
The California Community Poll, conducted online Nov. 4-15, was designed to provide a more detailed view of the state’s racial and ethnic diversity than is typically possible. It surveyed 1,300 adult California citizens, with over-samples of Black, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander respondents in order to ensure enough in each group to allow analysis by age, gender and other characteristics.
The margin of error is estimated at 2.7 percentage points for the full sample. The poll is sponsored by three community organizations — the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE), the Los Angeles Urban League and HOPE.
California banned most government affirmative action programs nearly a quarter century ago, in 1996, when voters approved Proposition 209. Since then, overturning the ban has been a major goal for many Democratic lawmakers and state officials, especially at the University of California, where deans and chancellors have repeatedly said that their inability to take race into account in admissions has kept the number of Latino and Black students well below their share of high school graduates who meet UC eligibility standards.
But as the poll showed, many Californians have more mixed feelings on the subject than their elected officials do.
The results show “a limit on California’s liberalism” that “requires some examination of the progressive base,” said Drew Lieberman, senior vice president of Strategies 360, the polling firm that conducted the survey.
Two-thirds of the California adults surveyed said they believe “diverse representation based on race, gender, ethnicity and national origin” is important, with about 4 in 10 calling it “very important.”
That’s true across major ethnic and racial groups and among both voters and nonvoters, the survey found. About 6 in 10 white respondents said they considered diversity important, along with about 7 in 10 who identify as Latino or Asian or Pacific Islanders. Among Black respondents, the share rose to more than 8 in 10.
But that didn’t translate into support for affirmative action. Among Latino respondents, for example, only 30% said Proposition 16 was a good idea, compared with 41% who called it a bad idea and 29% who said they were unsure. The division was similar among Asian and Pacific Islander respondents, with 35% calling the proposition a good idea, 46% saying it was a bad idea and 20% unsure.
White respondents were slightly more opposed, with 32% calling the measure a good idea, 53% a bad idea and 15% unsure.
Only among Black respondents did the proposition get majority support, with 56% calling it a good idea, 19% a bad idea and 25% unsure.
The views of voters and nonvoters were very similar, suggesting that higher turnout would probably not have changed the results.
Roughly a third of those polled could be characterized as solid supporters of affirmative action — people who said that diversity is important and the ballot measure was a good idea. On the other side, just over 1 in 5 say diversity is not important to them and that the ballot measure was a bad idea.
Another 1 in 5 say diversity is important but that the proposal was a bad idea. The members of that swing group are more likely than others to describe themselves as moderates and to be suburbanites.
Since the election, some supporters of the ballot measure have speculated that voters may have been confused about its potential impact. The survey does not support that. After asking people their opinion, the survey gave a more extensive description of the ballot measure and retested people’s feelings on it. The additional information did not significantly change people’s views.
In each of the state’s major racial and ethnic groups, the survey found significant divisions.
Immigrants, for example, were more likely to reject affirmative action than were people born in the U.S. That contributed to a significant generation gap among Asian Pacific Islander respondents, with those older than 50 — an immigrant-heavy group — opposed to affirmative action by roughly 3 to 1, while those younger than 50 were narrowly favorable. The poll found a smaller generational divide among Latino respondents.
“Many immigrants came to this country for equal opportunities” and are suspicious about preferences for specific groups, said Charlie Woo, the board chairman of CAUSE.
The survey also found Chinese American respondents more strongly opposed than other Asian Pacific Islander groups, with people who identified as Chinese describing the ballot measure as a bad idea by roughly a 2-to-1 margin. Opponents of the ballot measure argued that Asian American students would lose spots in the state’s premier universities if affirmative action were restored, an argument that was widely heard by Chinese Americans.
The poll results clearly showed “the impact of the concerns around public education,” said Nancy Yap, CAUSE’s executive director.
Among white respondents, people younger than 50 were almost evenly divided on affirmative action, while those 50 and older were heavily opposed.
Among Black respondents, the opposite was true: Older people overwhelmingly supported affirmative action; younger ones were more closely divided.
For the older generation, the impact of affirmative action “is clear,” said Michael Lawson, president of the Los Angeles Urban League. “The younger generation, who didn’t live through the elimination of affirmative action, they didn’t understand” the implications.
“If we’re going to eliminate Proposition 209,” he added, “it’s going to have to be a longer tale” than is possible in a ballot campaign.
On several topics, including affirmative action, the survey found wide gaps along partisan and ideological lines. That was particularly true on questions related to the coronavirus.
Overall, the survey showed a “widening partisan gap” in the state on responding to the virus, said Ben Winston of Strategies 360. The attitudes of liberal Californians and Democrats have largely remained the same since earlier this year, but conservatives and Republicans have shifted significantly toward opposing restrictions on commerce, supporting a full opening of schools and downplaying the impact of the disease.
In July, for example, about one-third of Republicans in the survey said they were not worried about themselves or someone in their family coming down with COVID-19. Today, that share has risen to 55%.
“Even as the death toll is mounting,” Winston said, there is “a stark and growing divide between the parties.”


latimes--2020-11-24--Column: How Huntington Beach became Angrytown, USA

If you ’ ve been to one locals-led protest in Huntington Beach during the Trump administration , you ’ ve been to them all .
The picturesque setting of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway near the pier .
The conservative bent of attendees .
Their mountains of complaints — Joe Biden ’ s presidential win , Black Lives Matter , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom — born of conspiratorial molehills .
In this year , the lack of mask being worn and outright disbelief about the severity of coronavirus are hallmarks .
In all years , the overwhelming whiteness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has been majority minority for nearly a generation .
And anger , anger — so much anger .
The protests happen so much that the city ’ s tourism website should list them alongside surfing and volleyball under “ Things to Do.
” But I still swung by on Sunday night to catch the latest one .
The source of ire this time ?
A statewide mandatory 10 p.m. curfew issued to try and stave off more coronavirus infections .
About 400 people showed up to the usual stomping grounds on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the man they call “ Gruesome Newsom.
” I expected the same party on Sunday , but it was a far more subdued affair : No more than 40 bundled-up folks stood in the clear night to the approving honks of traffic on PCH .
Equal numbers of Trump flags flapped alongside Old Glory flags and a solitary California flag that read , “ Trump Country.
” There was even a sizable Latino presence .
The rallies have unsurprisingly drawn widespread attention and out-of-towners looking to join the fun .
To clueless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of socialism , the Huntington Beach gatherings are surprising , even perplexing .
How can such vivid displays of right-wing pique persist in such a blue state ?
But even Californians can ’ t look away .
Because we know they ’ re our doppelgangers .
Throughout our history , a significant chunk of the state ’ s residents have risen up as California inched leftward .
The anti-curfew protests that happened here over the weekend and across the state are a manifestation of the same tendencies that has seen Californians vote against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past , and keep Proposition 13 — which keeps property taxes low for those who can afford property — and reject affirmative action this year .
Wearing a mask and acting for the common good during a pandemic , of course , should be a nonpartisan act .
But in these polarized times of ours , our outgoing president and his followers see such common sense acts as lefty wimpiness .
In the past , it was the San Fernando Valley , San Diego and the Inland Empire that led the anti-lib revolt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fertile for Golden State grievance politics than Huntington Beach .
Because , as always , participants think of themselves as guardians of the California Dream they fear is slipping away .
The story that locals like to broadcast to the world is a simple , even truthful one .
Beaches and waves worthy of HB ’ s Surf City nickname .
Largest Fourth of July parade west of the Mississippi .
A haven for mixed-martial arts .
One of the last places in Southern California with a healthy white working class .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ugly truths .
It remains a breeding ground for neo-Nazis , and has battled California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra so much over matters the rest of the state largely accepts — affordable housing policies , sanctuary state laws , coronavirus-provoked beach closures — that it should switch its nickname to Sue City .
Huntington Beach is the type of place where City Atty .
Michael Gates can be so baldly partisan that he was a featured guest at a meet-and-greet for newly minted council member , mixed-martial artist and coronavirus truther Tito @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of place that elects people like Ortiz ) .
It ’ s a city that riots every once in a while for surfing events , chaos that residents summarily blame on their cousins from Yucaipa .
Where residents counter-protest anything that stinks of progressives , whether it was antiwar vigils during the Iraq war or a George Floyd solidarity gathering this summer .
For that latter event , the city declared an 8 p.m. curfew that tellingly didn ’ t draw carloads of whining Trump Bros screaming tyranny .
All these traits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the rest of Orange County now stereotypes HB residents as spittle-flecking , over-muscled , badly tattooed , ultra-tanned men and women whose idea of dressing up is matching Rainbow flip-flops with Oakley shades .
It used to not be like this .
Yeah , HB has always been conservative — you can ’ t not be when voters kept sending Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s favorite congressman , Dana Rohrabacher , back to Congress for decades .
But as a lifelong Orange County resident , and someone who has kept an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ ve seen the Huntington Beach ethos degrade from a hang-loose cheeriness into one of eternal anger .
Something seeped into the acai bowls and breakfast burritos these townies scarf down religiously , folks .
Gina Clayton-Tarvin has lived in Huntington Beach since 1993 and also remembers when the conservatives in town were more measured .
She used to be one herself , and more than a few of them helped elect her in 2012 to the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees .
But by then , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get upset because a Black man was in the White House.
” The election of Trump was like gasoline to this “ vocal minority ” of residents .
But so was the reality of a changing city .
People of color now make up nearly 40 % of the population .
Two progressive Democrats won council seats in the November election .
And Clayton-Tarvin won reelection in 2016 , ran unopposed this year , and is considering a City Council run in 2022 .
Those demographic and political shifts , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in recent years .
But the ones surrounding the coronavirus are by far the dumbest .
“ The level of cognitive dissonance that it takes to get out there at 10:01 and declare your freedom against this so-called tyranny is astounding , ” Clayton-Tarvin said .
She placed direct blame on city leaders and Orange County law enforcement officials who have openly said they will not enforce curfews or mask mandates .
“ If the City Council is not telling their police chief to enforce orders , then don ’ t you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Hey , that ’ s the place we should flock to ’ ?
” she said .
“ When children act out in my classroom , that ’ s what they do .
They think , ‘ I ’ m going to flaunt my ability to not follow the rules.
’ And they do.
” That ’ s what I thought when I readied to leave the Sunday night shutdown .
The protesters were in good spirits as they filed down Main Street toward the pier .
They paid no attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night in front of shuttered storefronts , or the restaurants that were cleaning up their tents .
Instead , a woman with a megaphone proclaimed , “ We are the curfew breakers !
” with all the glee of a playground dodgeball champion .

If you’ve been to one locals-led protest in Huntington Beach during the Trump administration, you’ve been to them all.
The picturesque setting of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway near the pier. The conservative bent of attendees. Their mountains of complaints — Joe Biden’s presidential win, Black Lives Matter, California Gov. Gavin Newsom — born of conspiratorial molehills.
In this year, the lack of masks being worn and outright disbelief about the severity of coronavirus are hallmarks. In all years, the overwhelming whiteness of the crowd in an Orange County that has been majority minority for nearly a generation.
And anger, anger — so much anger.
The protests happen so much that the city’s tourism website should list them alongside surfing and volleyball under “Things to Do.”
Advertisement
But I still swung by on Sunday night to catch the latest one. The source of ire this time? A statewide mandatory 10 p.m. curfew issued to try and stave off more coronavirus infections. About 400 people showed up to the usual stomping grounds on Saturday night to protest and take back liberty from the man they call “Gruesome Newsom.”
I expected the same party on Sunday, but it was a far more subdued affair: No more than 40 bundled-up folks stood in the clear night to the approving honks of traffic on PCH. An equal number of Trump flags flapped alongside Old Glory flags, and a solitary California flag that read, “Trump Country.”
There was even a sizable Latino presence.
Progress, right?
The rallies have unsurprisingly drawn widespread attention and out-of-towners looking to join the fun. To clueless outsiders who think California is a sapphire of socialism, the Huntington Beach gatherings are surprising, even perplexing. How can such vivid displays of right-wing pique persist in such a blue state?
But even Californians can’t look away. Because we know they’re our doppelgangers.
Throughout our history, a significant chunk of the state’s residents have risen up as California inched leftward.
The anti-curfew protests that happened here over the weekend and across the state are a manifestation of the same tendencies that have seen Californians vote against gay marriage and housing desegregation in the past, and keep Proposition 13 — which keeps property taxes low for those who can afford property — and reject affirmative action this year.
Advertisement
Wearing a mask and acting for the common good during a pandemic, of course, should be a nonpartisan act. But in these polarized times of ours, our outgoing president and his followers see such common sense acts as lefty wimpiness.
In the past, it was the San Fernando Valley, San Diego and the Inland Empire that led the anti-lib revolt. Today, no place is more fertile for Golden State grievance politics than Huntington Beach.
Because, as always, participants think of themselves as guardians of the California Dream they fear is slipping away.
Nga Trump joins other demonstrators to protest against a state-mandated 10 p.m. curfew as coronavirus cases reach record numbers in the U.S. and California. (Raul Roa / Times Community News)
The story that locals like to broadcast to the world is a simple, even truthful one. Beaches and waves worthy of HB’s Surf City nickname. Largest Fourth of July parade west of the Mississippi. A haven for mixed-martial arts. One of the last places in Southern California with a healthy white working class.
But this veneer of gentility has always masked ugly truths. It remains a breeding ground for neo-Nazis, and has battled California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra so much over matters the rest of the state largely accepts — affordable housing policies, sanctuary state laws, coronavirus-provoked beach closures — that it should switch its nickname to Sue City.
Huntington Beach is the type of place where City Atty. Michael Gates can be so baldly partisan that he was a featured guest at a meet-and-greet for newly minted council member, mixed-martial artist and coronavirus truther Tito Ortiz. (Huntington is also the type of place that elects people like Ortiz).
It’s a city that riots every once in a while for surfing events, chaos that residents summarily blame on their cousins from Yucaipa. Where residents counter-protest anything that stinks of progressives, whether it was antiwar vigils during the Iraq war or a George Floyd solidarity gathering this summer. For the latter event, the city declared an 8 p.m. curfew that tellingly didn’t draw carloads of whining Trump Bros screaming tyranny.
All these traits have compounded on themselves to the point that the rest of Orange County now stereotypes HB residents as spittle-flecking, over-muscled, badly tattooed, ultra-tanned men and women whose idea of dressing up is matching Rainbow flip-flops with Oakley shades.
It used to not be like this.
Yeah, HB has always been conservative — you can’t not be when voters kept sending Russian President Vladimir Putin’s favorite congressman, Dana Rohrabacher, back to Congress for decades. But as a lifelong Orange County resident, and someone who has kept an eye on Sore City for 20 years, I’ve seen the Huntington Beach ethos degrade from a hang-loose cheeriness into one of eternal anger.
Something seeped into the acai bowls and breakfast burritos these townies scarf down religiously, folks.
Thousands of protesters rally in Huntington Beach at Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in May. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gina Clayton-Tarvin has lived in Huntington Beach since 1993 and also remembers when the conservatives in town were more measured. She used to be one herself, and more than a few of them helped elect her in 2012 to the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees. But by then, said the sixth-grade schoolteacher, “people were starting to get upset because a Black man was in the White House.”
The election of Trump was like gasoline to this “vocal minority” of residents. But so was the reality of a changing city. People of color now make up nearly 40% of the population. Two progressive Democrats won council seats in the November election. And Clayton-Tarvin won reelection in 2016, ran unopposed this year, and is considering a City Council run in 2022.
Those demographic and political shifts, she says, have led to the spate of protests in recent years. But the ones surrounding the coronavirus are by far the dumbest.
“The level of cognitive dissonance that it takes to get out there at 10:01 and declare your freedom against this so-called tyranny is astounding,” Clayton-Tarvin said.
She placed direct blame on city leaders and Orange County law enforcement officials who have openly said they will not enforce curfews or mask mandates.
“If the City Council is not telling their police chief to enforce orders, then don’t you think that the general public will say, ‘Hey, that’s the place we should flock to’?” she said. “When children act out in my classroom, that’s what they do. They think, ‘I’m going to flaunt my ability to not follow the rules.’ And they do.”
That’s what I thought when I readied to leave the Sunday night shutdown. The protesters were in good spirits as they filed down Main Street toward the pier. They paid no attention to the homeless men settled in for the night in front of shuttered storefronts, or the restaurants that were cleaning up their tents.
Instead, a woman with a megaphone proclaimed, “We are the curfew breakers!” with all the glee of a playground dodgeball champion.


latimes--2020-11-24--Will California's small businesses survive another COVID-19 surge without more help?

For 27 years , along an industrial strip by the 405 Freeway , Go Kart World has offered family fun with six racetracks and an arcade .
But as news of the coronavirus spread in February , customers fled .
And in March , health officials shut down the business .
“ I was freaking out , ” said Cynde Harris , co-owner with her husband , John .
“ Our season runs February through September .
We were losing like $ 1.4 million a month .
There ’ s no way to recover from that.
” The Harrises furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months , they managed to snag two federal loans totaling $ 270,000 .
In October , a $ 30,000 grant from Los Angeles County came through .
Go Kart World reopened this month in Carson .
But Harris is worried .
“ You can only take on so much debt , ” she said .
“ It ’ s bitter medicine to be told , ‘ You can borrow the money , ’ when a government closure just drove a truck through your business.
” When the coronavirus began its death march @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ $ 2.2-trillion CARES Act buoyed California ’ s small businesses like Go Kart World with billions of dollars in loans and grants .
But rescue efforts are now faltering as the pandemic reaches catastrophic new heights .
After months of partisan wrangling and the presidential election of Joe Biden , Congress remains in a stalemate over new stimulus funding for struggling entrepreneurs , unemployed workers and strapped state and local governments .
Without an influx of new federal aid , tens of thousands of California ’ s 5 million small enterprises face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dwindling customers and closures amid a slowing economic recovery .
Many may not survive .
“ The loans they got gave many businesses some moments of respite , ” said John Kabateck , California director of the National Federation of Independent Business .
“ But they were Band-Aids on a very big wound .
Now they ’ re very , very terrified.
” Despite a partial rebound over the summer , California ’ s small business revenue was down by 29.3 % this month , compared with January , according to Opportunity Insights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvard University .
The number of the state ’ s small businesses that remain open has dropped 31.8 % .
With the possibility of a prolonged economic downturn , “ many of these closures may be permanent because of the inability of owners to pay ongoing expenses , ” said UC Santa Cruz economist Robert Fairlie , who tracks data for the National Bureau of Economic Research .
COVID-19 vaccines may be on the way , but it is unclear whether they will be widespread early enough to help many teetering businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Small Business Majority , a network of 70,000 companies , more than a third of owners said their businesses would not survive past mid-January without additional funding .
For Black-owned and Latino-owned enterprises , the portion was 41 % .
Maricela Guerrero bought La Taverna Cubana , a money-losing Valley Village restaurant , three years ago and had begun to turn a profit when pandemic restrictions forced her to close in March .
She laid off two of her four employees and reopened a week later for take-out and delivery only .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was , she said .
“ We used to have lunchtime customers from the studios , but now they ’ re not making movies , so it is really slow , ” said Guerrero , 48 .
“ I don ’ t want to shut down .
I ’ ve put my soul into this business.
” Thanks to the CARES Act , Guerrero got two federal loans , for $ 13,000 and $ 28,000 .
They helped with rent , supplies and payroll , but the money ran out in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scored a $ 15,000 grant from the LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund , a joint city-county program .
But like many small eateries , La Taverna Cubana operates on a slim margin and Guerrero has racked up $ 40,000 in credit card debt .
Unless her restaurant can reopen fully , she says , she can ’ t survive past January without more help .
Full reopening is unlikely to happen soon .
In the last week , California ’ s weekly coronavirus infections have more than doubled , with the state averaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hospitalizations rose 78 % in the last two weeks .
Businesses in most of the state , including all of Southern California , are operating under the state ’ s most restrictive capacity and reopening rules .
Even if the state were to reopen soon , customers are likely to be wary of returning to malls , stadiums and other public places until transmission of the virus subsides .
Moreover , with the spring ’ s $ 1,200 federal stimulus checks now spent and the August expiration of a $ 600 weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money in their pockets to spend even if they do go out .
That ’ s a big worry for Serina Lim , 40 , owner of Phnom Pich Jewelry International in Long Beach ’ s Cambodia Town district .
Her store was shut in March and didn ’ t reopen until Oct. 1 .
She said sales have dropped to about half of what she saw this time last year .
“ Jewelry isn ’ t on everyone ’ s list of necessities , ” she said .
And under county COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one customer at a time .
Lim got two federal loans , for $ 50,000 and $ 27,500 , as well as a $ 15,000 grant from the Los Angeles regional fund , but said her landlord refused to lower rent while her store was closed .
And in late May , as protests erupted over police violence , her store suffered $ 80,000 in damage only partly covered by insurance , she said .
“ We ’ ve depleted our savings trying to stay afloat , ” Lim said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the horrors of this pandemic .
We need more aid to ride it out before the vaccine comes.
” To be sure , the pandemic ’ s effects are uneven .
Restaurants , gyms , hair salons , movie theaters and other businesses involving close human contact are suffering far more than law practices , accountancy firms or technology companies whose workers can operate from home .
Stuart Waldman , president of the Valley Industry & Commerce Assn.
, which represents 400 San Fernando Valley companies , said “ a lot of businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exist .
It ’ s heartbreaking.
” Others are adapting , Waldman added , citing an actors ’ studio that moved classes online .
Small clothing shops and bookstores with loyal customers have brought back furloughed workers for online sales and curbside pickup .
Santa Ana ’ s Blinking Owl Distillery began making hand sanitizer for hospitals .
In Manhattan Beach , Kasih Co-op , a small company selling Indonesian-made pillows and cutting boards , pivoted to batik face coverings .
Survival often depends on landlords .
Business operators “ who own their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Waldman said .
“ And some landlords are giving rent discounts .
But others force their tenants to even pay for parking spaces they can ’ t use.
” An October survey by the independent business federation found that sales were down by at least half for 1 in 5 small businesses in the U.S. as compared with before COVID-19 .
But 17 % were doing better , with the rest somewhere in between .
Most small businesses that sought federal loans under two major CARES Act programs were able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the Paycheck Protection Program , which funneled $ 68.6 billion to 623,000 Golden State companies , stopped taking applications in August .
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program , which has loaned $ 34 billion to 550,000 California businesses , expires in December .
Many local programs are running out of money too .
The $ 108-million LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund , using city and county CARES Act money , stopped accepting applications last month .
A new $ 25-million state-funded loan program , the California Rebuilding Fund , launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fewer employees .
Of California ’ s 1.59 million business establishments with employees , 1.16 million have fewer than five people on payroll , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .
Many , like Guerrero ’ s restaurant and Lim ’ s jewelry store , qualified for federal loans .
But California has 3.4 million sole proprietors with no employees , and many have fallen through the cracks .
Some couldn ’ t meet federal loan requirements or were flummoxed by paperwork .
Others lacked a relationship with a bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PPP required you to show you made a profit , ” said Tunua Thrash-Ntuk , executive director of Los Angeles Local Initiatives Support Corp. , a nonprofit distributing the regional funds .
“ Some people didn ’ t have that .
And if you were a backup singer , a hairdresser or a street vendor and you didn ’ t have employees , you couldn ’ t get much money.
” One clue to the vast need : 140,000 small businesses have applied for the Los Angeles grants since July but only about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 108 million , which must be spent this year , $ 31 million was allocated as of mid-November .
“ We have to wait for entities to provide their information , ” Thrash-Ntuk said .
“ We have to verify it .
We are communicating with them in 15 different languages.
” Ebony Lynk ’ s business consists of a 20-foot video game trailer for parties .
Based at her Paramount apartment , Gamebox Mobile Video Gaming and Entertainment has no employees , but Lynk ’ s husband , Romel Mallard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job last year , helps with the driving .
Their sons , ages 13 and 10 , volunteer as game coaches on weekends .
“ After COVID hit in March , revenue went from $ 4,000 a month to zero , ” she said .
“ We didn ’ t know what to do .
We just kept praying.
” Lynk , 38 , cut back on loan payments for the trailer but had to cover storage , phone and website maintenance .
Then , in early July , as customers began trickling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing sanitizer and masks .
The number of gamers inside the trailer was cut by half for social distancing .
In August , the federal Small Business Administration turned Lynk down for a disaster loan .
But in October , she got a $ 5,000 grant from the Los Angeles regional fund .
“ I was so ecstatic , I screamed and ran around like a 5-year-old , ” she said .
The grant , Lynk said , enabled her to increase loan payments for the trailer and now , with business back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program that offers gift certificates for fundraisers and free sessions for nonprofits .
Among the first recipients : Sisters of Watts , a South Los Angeles community group .
If the new COVID-19 wave shuts down the game business , Lynk has a plan B .
She has applied for a city license to sell home-prepared treats such as Rice Krispie squares and chocolate-covered pretzels .
She ’ s been studying videos on how to make decorations such as balloon towers .
“ I want my children to know if you work hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lynk said .

Ebony Lynk with her husband, Romel Mallard, and their children: Bryce Hayes, Romari Mallard and Rori Mallard. The Paramount couple operate Gamebox Mobile Video Gaming, a small business hit hard by pandemic closures. Their sons Romari, left, and Bryce, right, volunteer as game coaches on weekends.
For 27 years, along an industrial strip by the 405 Freeway, Go Kart World has offered family fun with six racetracks and an arcade. But as news of the coronavirus spread in February, customers fled. And in March, health officials shut down the business.
“I was freaking out,” said Cynde Harris, co-owner of the Carson business with her husband, John. “Our season runs February through September. We were losing like $1.4 million. There’s no way to recover from that.”
The Harrises furloughed 35 workers, and over the next few months, they managed to snag two federal loans totaling $270,000. In October, a $30,000 grant from Los Angeles County came through. Go Kart World reopened this month.
But Harris is worried. “You can only take on so much debt,” she said. “It’s bitter medicine to be told, ‘You can borrow the money,’ when a government closure just drove a truck through your business.”
Advertisement
When the coronavirus began its death march through the economy last spring, Congress’ $2.2-trillion CARES Act buoyed California’s small businesses like Go Kart World with billions of dollars in loans and grants. But rescue efforts are now faltering as the pandemic reaches catastrophic new heights.
After months of partisan wrangling and the presidential election of Joe Biden, Congress remains in a stalemate over new stimulus funding for struggling entrepreneurs, unemployed workers and strapped state and local governments.
Without an influx of new federal aid, tens of thousands of California’s 5 million small enterprises face a bleak winter of government restrictions, dwindling customers and closures amid a slowing economic recovery. Many may not survive.
“The loans they got gave many businesses some moments of respite,” said John Kabateck, California director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “But they were Band-Aids on a very big wound. Now they’re very, very terrified.”
Despite a partial rebound over the summer, California’s small business revenue was down by 29.3% this month, compared with January, according to Opportunity Insights, an economic indicators tracker based at Harvard University. The number of the state’s small businesses that remain open has dropped by 28.8%.
With the possibility of a prolonged economic downturn, “many of these closures may be permanent because of the inability of owners to pay ongoing expenses,” said UC Santa Cruz economist Robert Fairlie, who tracks data for the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Cynde Harris, co-owner of Go Kart World in Carson, said more federal aid is needed to cope with the economic effects of COVID-19. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
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COVID-19 vaccines may be on the way, but it is unclear whether they will be widespread early enough to help many teetering businesses. In a national survey last month by the Small Business Majority, a network of 70,000 companies, more than a third of owners said their businesses would not survive past mid-January without additional funding. For Black-owned and Latino-owned enterprises, the portion was 41%.
Maricela Guerrero bought La Taverna Cubana, a money-losing Valley Village restaurant, three years ago and had begun to turn a profit when pandemic restrictions forced her to close in March. She laid off two of her four employees and reopened a week later for take-out and delivery only. Revenue is less than half of what it was, she said.
“We used to have lunchtime customers from the studios, but now they’re not making movies, so it is really slow,” said Guerrero, 48. “I don’t want to shut down. I’ve put my soul into this business.”
Thanks to the CARES Act, Guerrero got two federal loans, for $13,000 and $28,000. They helped with rent, supplies and payroll, but the money ran out in September.
A few weeks ago, she scored a $15,000 grant from the LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund, a joint city-county program. But like many small eateries, La Taverna Cubana operates on a slim margin and Guerrero has racked up $40,000 in credit card debt.
Unless her restaurant can reopen fully, she says, she can’t survive past January without more help.
Business California employers bring back workers, but recovery worries linger California’s economy perked up in October, as employers brought back tens of thousands of furloughed workers. But the state has regained less than half the jobs it lost in the spring’s catastrophic coronavirus downturn.
Full reopening is unlikely to happen soon. In the last week, California’s weekly coronavirus infections averaged 12,695 cases per day as of Friday, a 72.5% increase from two weeks ago. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled. Businesses in most of the state, including all of Southern California, are operating under the state’s most restrictive capacity and reopening rules.
Even if the state were to reopen soon, customers are likely to be wary of returning to malls, stadiums and other public places until transmission of the virus subsides.
Moreover, with the spring’s $1,200 federal stimulus checks now spent and the August expiration of a $600 weekly federal unemployment supplement, consumers have less money in their pockets to spend even if they do go out.
That’s a big worry for Serina Lim, 40, owner of Phnom Pich Jewelry International in Long Beach’s Cambodia Town district. Her store was shut in March and didn’t reopen until Oct. 1. She said sales have dropped to about half of what she saw this time last year.
Serina Lim, owner of Phnom Pich Jewelry International in Long Beach, at her store with husband Tarith Tan. She said sales are only half what they were this time last year due to the coronavirus lockdowns. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
“Jewelry isn’t on everyone’s list of necessities,” she said. And under county COVID-19 safety rules, the store can serve only one customer at a time.
Lim got two federal loans, for $50,000 and $27,500, as well as a $15,000 grant from the Los Angeles regional fund, but said her landlord refused to lower rent while her store was closed. And in late May, as protests erupted over police violence, her store suffered $80,000 in damage only partly covered by insurance, she said.
“We’ve depleted our savings trying to stay afloat,” Lim said. “But we’re still faced with the horrors of this pandemic. We need more aid to ride it out before the vaccine comes.”
To be sure, the pandemic’s effects are uneven. Restaurants, gyms, hair salons, movie theaters and other businesses involving close human contact are suffering far more than law practices, accountancy firms or technology companies whose workers can operate from home.
Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry & Commerce Assn., which represents 400 San Fernando Valley companies, said “a lot of businesses, especially restaurants, have ceased to exist. It’s heartbreaking.”
Others are adapting, Waldman added, citing an actors’ studio that moved classes online. Small clothing shops and bookstores with loyal customers have brought back furloughed workers for online sales and curbside pickup. Santa Ana’s Blinking Owl Distillery began making hand sanitizer for hospitals. In Manhattan Beach, Kasih Co-op, a small company selling Indonesian-made pillows and cutting boards, pivoted to batik face coverings.
A sign at Go Kart World in Carson informs customers that face coverings are required. The company usually counts on money from the summer high season to get through the lean winter months, but this year, the pandemic deprived it of that cushion. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Survival often depends on landlords. Business operators “who own their own buildings are in a good position,” Waldman said. “And some landlords are giving rent discounts. But others force their tenants to even pay for parking spaces they can’t use.”
An October survey by the independent business federation found that sales were down by at least half for 1 in 5 small businesses in the U.S. as compared with before COVID-19. But 17% were doing better, with the rest somewhere in between.
Most small businesses that sought federal loans under two major CARES Act programs were able to get them, according to the federation. But the Paycheck Protection Program, which funneled $68.6 billion to 623,000 Golden State companies, stopped taking applications in August. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, which has loaned $34 billion to 550,000 California businesses, expires in December.
Many local programs are running out of money too. The $108-million LA Regional COVID-19 Recovery Fund, using city and county CARES Act money, stopped accepting applications last month.
A new $25-million state-funded loan program, the California Rebuilding Fund, launched last week for pandemic-affected businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
Of California’s 1.59 million business establishments with employees, 1.16 million have fewer than five people on payroll, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many, like Guerrero’s restaurant and Lim’s jewelry store, qualified for federal loans.
But California has 3.4 million sole proprietors with no employees, and many have fallen through the cracks. Some couldn’t meet federal loan requirements or were flummoxed by paperwork. Others lacked a relationship with a bank to process a loan.
“The PPP required you to show you made a profit,” said Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, executive director of Los Angeles Local Initiatives Support Corp., a nonprofit distributing the regional funds. “Some people didn’t have that. And if you were a backup singer, a hairdresser or a street vendor and you didn’t have employees, you couldn’t get much money.”
Romari Mallard, 10, in the Gamebox Mobile Video Gaming trailer. His parents’ small business in Paramount rents out the 20-foot trailer full of video games for parties and fundraisers — which have been scarce during the pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
One clue to the vast need: 140,000 small businesses have applied for the Los Angeles grants since July but only about 7,000 will be funded. Of the $108 million, which must be spent this year, $31 million was allocated as of mid-November.
“We have to wait for entities to provide their information,” Thrash-Ntuk said. “We have to verify it. We are communicating with them in 15 different languages.”
Ebony Lynk’s business consists of a 20-foot video game trailer for parties. Based at her Paramount apartment, Gamebox Mobile Video Gaming and Entertainment has no employees, but Lynk’s husband, Romel Mallard, who was laid off from his trucking job last year, helps with the driving. Their sons, ages 13 and 10, volunteer as game coaches on weekends.
“After COVID hit in March, revenue went from $4,000 a month to zero,” she said. “We didn’t know what to do. We just kept praying.”
Lynk, 38, cut back on loan payments for the trailer but had to cover storage, phone and website maintenance. Then, in early July, as customers began trickling back, expenses rose as she began providing sanitizer and masks. The number of gamers inside the trailer was cut by half for social distancing.
In August, the federal Small Business Administration turned Lynk down for a disaster loan. But in October, she got a $5,000 grant from the Los Angeles regional fund. “I was so ecstatic, I screamed and ran around like a 5-year-old,” she said.
The grant, Lynk said, enabled her to increase loan payments for the trailer and now, with business back to normal, she has begun a program that offers gift certificates for fundraisers and free sessions for nonprofits. Among the first recipients: Sisters of Watts, a South Los Angeles community group.
If the new COVID-19 wave shuts down the game business, Lynk has a plan B. She has applied for a city license to sell home-prepared treats such as Rice Krispie squares and chocolate-covered pretzels. She’s been studying videos on how to make decorations such as balloon towers.
“I want my children to know if you work hard, you can make it happen,” Lynk said.


latimes--2020-11-24--Pasadena will allow outdoor dining to continue despite L.A. County health order

The Pasadena City Council will allow restaurants to continue outdoor dinning despite a new L.A. County health order to suspend such operations for three weeks due to the alarming coronavirus surge .
“ We will assess our data daily but at this point will not close down restaurants on Wednesday or the near future based on a discussion at our City Council meeting tonight , ” said Lisa Derderian , spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena .
The announcement was made after Monday ’ s City Council meeting and a day after Los Angeles County said it would halt in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bars for at least three weeks starting Wednesday .
Pasadena has its own Department of Public Health that has the authority to issue health orders independent of Los Angeles County .
Its orders have generally followed those of Los Angeles .
As of Monday , Pasadena has reported 3,405 coronavirus cases and 132 deaths .
The Los Angeles County decision to temporarily halt outdoor dining has sparked a backlash from eateries and some county officials , who worry about the devastating economic toll .
The county Board of Supervisors is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
County health officials argued that the outdoor dining restrictions are warranted given the critical healthcare crisis .
They noted that restricting businesses has worked to bring down coronavirus cases in the past , and that action is needed before hospitals are overwhelmed .
The city of Long Beach , which also has its own public health department , joined with the county and also issued a new health order to prohibit on-site dining .
The order , which goes in effect Wednesday , will allow restaurants , bars and breweries to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pickup and delivery .
Over the last two weeks , the number of new cases has increased in Long Beach .
Health officials say hospitalizations have jumped by 248 % from 25 to 85 since the start of the month .
The positivity rate is now at 5.8 % , compared with 2.9 % when it was at its lowest , and the most recent five-day average case rate is 34 per 100,000 , up from a low of 6.9 per 100,000 .
As Monday , the city has reported 15,226 confirmed cases @ @ @ @

Patrons enjoy dinner outside Perle Restaurant in Pasadena. The City Council will not halt outdoor dining on Wednesday. Pasadena has its own public health department.
The Pasadena City Council will allow restaurants to continue outdoor dining despite a new L.A. County health order to suspend such operations for three weeks due to the alarming coronavirus surge.
“We will assess our data daily but at this point will not close down restaurants on Wednesday or the near future based on a discussion at our City Council meeting tonight,” said Lisa Derderian, spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena.
The announcement was made after Monday’s City Council meeting and a day after Los Angeles County said it would halt in-person dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars for at least three weeks starting Wednesday.
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Pasadena has its own Department of Public Health that has the authority to issue health orders independent of Los Angeles County. Its orders have generally followed those of Los Angeles. As of Monday, Pasadena has reported 3,405 coronavirus cases and 132 deaths.
The Los Angeles County decision to temporarily halt outdoor dining has sparked a backlash from eateries and some county officials, who worry about the devastating economic toll. The county Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss the the health department order on Tuesday.
County health officials argued that the outdoor dining restrictions are warranted given the critical healthcare crisis. They noted that restricting businesses has worked to bring down coronavirus cases in the past, and that action is needed before hospitals are overwhelmed.
The city of Long Beach, which also has its own public health department, joined with the county and also issued a new health order to prohibit on-site dining. The order, which goes in effect Wednesday, will allow restaurants, bars and breweries to operate drive-through, curbside and other outdoor pickup and delivery.
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Over the last two weeks, the number of new cases has increased in Long Beach. Health officials say hospitalizations have jumped by 248% from 25 to 85 since the start of the month. The positivity rate is now at 5.8%, compared with 2.9% when it was at its lowest, and the most recent five-day average case rate is 34 per 100,000, up from a low of 6.9 per 100,000.
As Monday, the city has reported 15,226 confirmed cases and 270 deaths.


latimes--2020-11-24--Apple's chief security officer, Santa Clara County undersheriff charged in alleged bribery scheme

Apple Inc. ’ s head of global security and the Santa Clara County undersheriff are among those charged in an alleged bribery scheme in which iPads worth $ 70,000 were to be given to the Santa Clara County Sheriff ’ s Office in exchange for concealed-carry firearms permits , according to an indictment released on Monday .
A grand jury last week indicted Thomas Moyer , Apple ’ s chief security officer , Undersheriff Rick Sung , Capt .
James Jensen of the sheriff ’ s department and insurance broker Harpreet Chadha .
The indictments were the latest developments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s two-year investigation into an alleged scheme by sheriff ‘ s officials to extort bribes for the licenses .
To date , six people — including Sung and a close adviser to Sheriff Laurie Smith — have been indicted , according to the Mercury News .
Sung , 48 , and Jensen , 43 , are accused of requesting bribes for concealed-carry weapons , or CCW , permits .
Chadha , 49 and Moyer , 50 , are accused of offering bribes to get the permits , according to a news release released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office .
“ Undersheriff Sung and Captain Jensen treated CCW licenses as commodities and found willing buyers , ” Santa Clara County Dist .
Atty .
Jeff Rosen said in a statement .
“ Bribe seekers should be reported to the District Attorney ’ s Office , not rewarded with compliance.
” The defendants will be arraigned Jan. 11 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose .
If convicted , they could receive prison time , according to the district attorney ’ s office .
The news release said Sung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple would donate about 200 iPads to the Sheriff ’ s Office in exchange for four concealed-carry weapons licenses .
The donation was allegedly scuttled after Aug. 2 , 2019 , when Sung and Moyer learned that the district attorney ’ s office issued a warrant with the Sheriff ’ s Office , seizing all its concealed-carry weapons license records , according to the release .
Ed Swanson , Moyer ’ s attorney , denied the allegations and said his client is innocent .
In a statement , he called Moyer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rivalry between the district attorney and Smith , the sheriff .
According to Swanson , Apple frequently donates devices .
He said the iPads offered by the company were not related to the concealed-carry weapons licenses his client was seeking on behalf of other Apple employees .
Those permits were granted in March 2019 , before Apple confirmed the decision to approve the donation , Swanson said by phone .
“ Apple applied for CCW permits the right way , ” Swanson said .
“ They didn ’ t make a bribe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a bribe , and the DA ’ s office has just gotten it wrong on this one.
” At the behest of Sung , Chadha reportedly promised box seat tickets worth $ 6,000 worth to a San Jose Sharks hockey game at the SAP Center on Valentine ’ s Day last year , according to the indictment .
Fees to acquire a concealed-carry weapons license run from $ 200 to $ 400 , according to the district attorney ’ s office .
Under state law , it is a crime to carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license .
Although state law requires that the applicant demonstrate “ good cause ” for the license , in addition to completing a firearms course and having good moral character , the sheriff has broad discretion in determining who should qualify , according to the district attorney ’ s office .

Apple iPads were part of an alleged bribery scheme that has led to indictments, including Apple’s head of global security and the Santa Clara County undersheriff.
Apple Inc.’s head of global security and the Santa Clara County undersheriff are among those charged in an alleged bribery scheme in which iPads worth $70,000 were to be given to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office in exchange for concealed-carry firearms permits, according to an indictment released on Monday.
A grand jury last week indicted Thomas Moyer, Apple’s chief security officer, Undersheriff Rick Sung, Capt. James Jensen of the sheriff’s department and insurance broker Harpreet Chadha.
The indictments were the latest developments in the Santa Clara County district attorney’s two-year investigation into an alleged scheme by sheriff‘s officials to extort bribes for the licenses. To date, six people — including Sung and a close adviser to Sheriff Laurie Smith — have been indicted, according to the Mercury News.
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Sung, 48, and Jensen, 43, are accused of requesting bribes for concealed-carry weapons, or CCW, permits. Chadha, 49 and Moyer, 50, are accused of offering bribes to get the permits, according to a news release released by the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office.
“Undersheriff Sung and Captain Jensen treated CCW licenses as commodities and found willing buyers,” Santa Clara County Dist. Atty. Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “Bribe seekers should be reported to the District Attorney’s Office, not rewarded with compliance.”
The defendants will be arraigned Jan. 11 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. If convicted, they could receive prison time, according to the district attorney’s office.
The news release said Sung and Jensen got Moyer to promise that Apple would donate about 200 iPads to the Sheriff’s Office in exchange for four concealed-carry weapons licenses.
The donation was allegedly scuttled after Aug. 2, 2019, when Sung and Moyer learned that the district attorney’s office issued a warrant with the Sheriff’s Office, seizing all its concealed-carry weapons license records, according to the release.
Ed Swanson, Moyer’s attorney, denied the allegations and said his client is innocent. In a statement, he called Moyer’s charge “collateral damage” in a rivalry between the district attorney and Smith, the sheriff.
According to Swanson, Apple frequently donates devices. He said the iPads offered by the company were not related to the concealed-carry weapons licenses his client was seeking on behalf of other Apple employees.
Those permits were granted in March 2019, before Apple confirmed the decision to approve the donation, Swanson said by phone.
“Apple applied for CCW permits the right way,” Swanson said. “They didn’t make a bribe, they didn’t get asked to make a bribe, and the DA’s office has just gotten it wrong on this one.”
At the behest of Sung, Chadha reportedly promised box seat tickets worth $6,000 worth to a San Jose Sharks hockey game at the SAP Center on Valentine’s Day last year, according to the indictment.
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Fees to acquire a concealed-carry weapons license run from $200 to $400, according to the district attorney’s office.
Under state law, it is a crime to carry a concealed firearm without a concealed-carry weapons license.
Although state law requires that the applicant demonstrate “good cause” for the license, in addition to completing a firearms course and having good moral character, the sheriff has broad discretion in determining who should qualify, according to the district attorney’s office.


latimes--2020-11-23--New stay-home order looms for L.A. County as COVID-19 cases soar to new highs

The specter of another COVID-19 shutdown is looming over Los Angeles County , as a record-high number of daily coronavirus cases Monday pushed the region over its self-set threshold for issuing a new stay-at-home order .
The strong possibility of more restrictions comes as health officials and epidemiologists expressed increasing alarm at the unparalleled pace of increased cases in L.A. County and throughout the state .
California is now on pace to see its cumulative death toll double just before spring , from the more than 18,700 deaths currently tallied to more than 37,000 by March 1 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation .
A Times analysis on Monday found that the average daily number of coronavirus cases over a five-day period has more than tripled since election day .
COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled since mid-October , from 730 on Oct. 18 to 1,473 on Sunday .
Both California and Los Angeles County shattered records for single day on Monday , with the state recording more than 20,000 coronavirus cases and Los Angeles County recording more than 6,100 .
The previous statewide single-day record came just a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reported on Nov. 16 , and in L.A. County , on Thursday , when nearly 5,000 cases were recorded .
“ We ’ ve seen alarming steep increases in cases of COVID-19 , ” said the L.A. County director of public health , Barbara Ferrer .
The Los Angeles County total was inflated by roughly 1,500 that were part of a reporting backlog from Sunday , but Ferrer said “ it ’ s still an impressive and alarming surge .
Our problem right now is we have such a high rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are infected at this point , that it will take a lot of work to get us back down.
” When such a new stay-at-home order will be handed down , or what precise form it will take , is unclear .
But Ferrer said “ for sure , we ’ re not going back to all of the restrictions that were in place in the original Safer at Home order.
” The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the order at its Tuesday meeting .
As COVID spikes , hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents are dying at an increasingly rapid pace .
A Times analysis found that the deaths of an average of 26 people were reported every day over a seven-day period , more than double the pace experienced on election day .
“ We need to be examining all of our options and put all of the possible methods of control on the table , ” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health , and a former senior official with the L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention .
As a state , “ we have runaway transmission and it mostly seems to be coming from metropolitan Southern California , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco .
“ You got ta get it under control.
” At a certain point , if intensive care units max out at capacity and “ all of a sudden you have one nurse taking care of seven patients on ventilators like in New York , mortality can be astronomical , ” Rutherford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely take two to three weeks to show up in changing daily case counts , and that ’ s why it ’ s plausible that daily infection numbers will continue to rise this week , Ferrer said .
With Monday ’ s numbers , the average number of new daily coronavirus cases over a five-day period hassurpassed 4,500 , according to the county ’ s tally — cracking the threshold that would trigger a new three-week order that , as described last week , would generally permit only essential workers and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Monday , however , Ferrer described a proposed new stay-at-home order that would be less encompassing than the one issued in March .
It ’ s unnecessary to be as broad , she suggested , because officials know more about the virus and testing capacity has improved .
The specifics will be discussed with the the supervisors , a five-person elected board that represents the 10.1 million residents of Los Angeles County .
“ The question now that we ’ ll be working with the board on is exactly what additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ferrer said .
Such a move would be the latest , and most drastic , step the county has taken as it scrambles to get arms around its most significant coronavirus surge yet .
Given the severity of the current spike , L.A. County residents are already being urged to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks , and are being asked to cancel Thanksgiving travel plans , whether it be a flight or a drive across town .
Though there may be relief in the months ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , Ferrer said everyone needs to remain vigilant and do what ’ s necessary to protect themselves and their loved ones .
“ I ’ m not here to dance around this issue or to take , you know , half measures and watch people die , ” Garcetti said .
“ And what are we going to do ?
Wait ’ til it gets to 10 , 15 , 20,000 cases [ a day ] and then suddenly say , ‘ We ’ re shutting down , ’ and now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months ?
” With the county ’ s daily number of coronavirus cases , averaged over a five-day period topping 4,000 , officials are set to suspend outdoor dining starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday — delivering yet another blow to the region ’ s already battered restaurant industry .
Takeout and delivery of restaurant food can continue .
That move sparked pushback from restaurants , who have been reeling from the pandemic .
Outdoor dining had offered a lifeline , and many owners and workers felt they were doing everything they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kathryn Barger also criticized the suspension of outdoor dining , saying it “ will further devastate local businesses and employees who have been asked to shoulder an unfair burden this year.
” “ Increased case counts are not coming from businesses reopening , but from large gatherings where people aren ’ t wearing masks , ” she added .
Experts say that increased case counts actually come from all situations where people from different households mix with each other — and that can happen at both large gatherings as well as outdoor dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks while eating .
Because the disease transmission has gone up so high , “ the same activities we were doing safely last month are now more risky , ” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , chair of UC San Francisco ’ s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics .
“ We have to accept the fact that community transmission is going up , ” Bibbins-Domingo said .
“ And that means all these activities that we were doing earlier , safely , while there was less virus around us — we now have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do something more.
” Bibbins-Domingo said she understands the economic pain .
“ It doesn ’ t change the fact that the next several weeks are extraordinarily risky and we have to figure out some belt tightening measures for even two weeks.
” A short time period of more intense control measures can have a dramatic effect that can be noticed within a few weeks , as has been observed in Europe recently .
Decisions made now will help determine the disease ’ s spread .
“ Two weeks from now , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steady and looking towards now holding steady for the winter , or we ’ re going to see this exponential rise in cases , which will mean even more drastic measures , ” Bibbins-Domingo said .
During a briefing with reporters Monday , Ferrer repeatedly said that discussions between the board and public health officials will help chart the course forward .
Last week , state officials announced a new order prohibiting most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that are in the strictest “ purple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color-coded reopening road map .
Roughly 94 % of Californians — including all those in the southern third of the state — are subject to that order , which lasts until Dec. 21 , though it could be extended .
“ We ’ re hoping that ’ s all we ’ ll need , but we ’ ll see , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
“ We ’ re open minded to the dynamics of the conditions that are changing in real time.
” Times staff writers Jaclyn Cosgrove , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luna contributed to this report .

Mario Ynostrosa, right, with Los Angeles Restoration Church offers hand sanitizer to people waiting in line for food distribution at MacArthur Park recently.
The specter of another COVID-19 shutdown is looming over Los Angeles County, as a record-high number of daily coronavirus cases Monday pushed the region over its self-set threshold for issuing a new stay-at-home order.
The strong possibility of more restrictions comes as health officials and epidemiologists expressed increasing alarm at the unparalleled pace of increased cases in L.A. County and throughout the state. California is now on pace to see its cumulative death toll double just before spring, from the more than 18,700 deaths currently tallied to more than 37,000 by March 1, according to model forecasts by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
A Times analysis on Monday found that the average daily number of coronavirus cases over a five-day period has more than tripled since election day. COVID-19 hospitalizations have doubled since mid-October, from 730 on Oct. 18 to 1,473 on Sunday.
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Both California and Los Angeles County shattered records for single day on Monday, with the state recording more than 20,000 coronavirus cases and Los Angeles County recording more than 6,100. The previous statewide single-day record came just a week earlier, when more than 13,400 cases were reported on Nov. 16, and in L.A. County, on Thursday, when nearly 5,000 cases were recorded.
“We’ve seen alarming steep increases in cases of COVID-19,” said the L.A. County director of public health, Barbara Ferrer.
The Los Angeles County total was inflated by roughly 1,500 that were part of a reporting backlog from Sunday, but Ferrer said “it’s still an impressive and alarming surge. Our problem right now is we have such a high rate of transmission, there are so many people that are infected at this point, that it will take a lot of work to get us back down.”
When such a new stay-at-home order will be handed down, or what precise form it will take, is unclear. But Ferrer said “for sure, we’re not going back to all of the restrictions that were in place in the original Safer at Home order.” The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the order at its Tuesday meeting.
As COVID spikes, hospitalizations are rising — and more L.A. County residents are dying at an increasingly rapid pace. A Times analysis found that the deaths of an average of 26 people were reported every day over a seven-day period, more than double the pace experienced on election day.
“We need to be examining all of our options and put all of the possible methods of control on the table,” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, medical epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and a former senior official with the L.A. County public health department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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As a state, “we have runaway transmission and it mostly seems to be coming from metropolitan Southern California,” said Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco. “You gotta get it under control.”
At a certain point, if intensive care units max out at capacity and “all of a sudden you have one nurse taking care of seven patients on ventilators like in New York, mortality can be astronomical,” Rutherford said.
The actions taken this week will likely take two to three weeks to show up in changing daily case counts, and that’s why it’s plausible that daily infection numbers will continue to rise this week, Ferrer said.
With Monday’s numbers, the average number of new daily coronavirus cases over a five-day period hassurpassed 4,500, according to the county’s tally — cracking the threshold that would trigger a new three-week order that, as described last week, would generally permit only essential workers and those procuring essential services to leave their homes.
On Monday, however, Ferrer described a proposed new stay-at-home order that would be less encompassing than the one issued in March. It’s unnecessary to be as broad, she suggested, because officials know more about the virus and testing capacity has improved. The specifics will be discussed with the the supervisors, a five-person elected board that represents the 10.1 million residents of Los Angeles County.
“The question now that we’ll be working with the board on is exactly what additional measures need to be in there,” Ferrer said.
California L.A. County suspends outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus surges L.A. County public health officials on Saturday announced they will issue an order suspending outdoor dining at restaurants amid a surge of new coronavirus cases.
Such a move would be the latest, and most drastic, step the county has taken as it scrambles to get arms around its most significant coronavirus surge yet. Given the severity of the current spike, L.A. County residents are already being urged to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks, and are being asked to cancel Thanksgiving travel plans, whether it be a flight or a drive across town.
Though there may be relief in the months ahead, given the recent promising news on vaccines, Ferrer said everyone needs to remain vigilant and do what’s necessary to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed support for tougher stay-at-home orders.
“I’m not here to dance around this issue or to take, you know, half measures and watch people die,” Garcetti said. “ And what are we going to do? Wait ’til it gets to 10, 15, 20,000 cases [a day] and then suddenly say, ‘We’re shutting down,’ and now we’re shut down for two or three months?”
With the county’s daily number of coronavirus cases, averaged over a five-day period topping 4,000, officials are set to suspend outdoor dining starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday — delivering yet another blow to the region’s already battered restaurant industry. Takeout and delivery of restaurant food can continue.
That move sparked pushback from restaurants, who have been reeling from the pandemic. Outdoor dining had offered a lifeline, and many owners and workers felt they were doing everything they could to keep their establishment safe.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger also criticized the suspension of outdoor dining, saying it “will further devastate local businesses and employees who have been asked to shoulder an unfair burden this year.”
“Increased case counts are not coming from businesses reopening, but from large gatherings where people aren’t wearing masks,” she added.
Experts say that increased case counts actually come from all situations where people from different households mix with each other — and that can happen at both large gatherings as well as outdoor dining tables where people don’t wear masks while eating.
Because the disease transmission has gone up so high, “the same activities we were doing safely last month are now more risky,” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
“We have to accept the fact that community transmission is going up,” Bibbins-Domingo said. “And that means all these activities that we were doing earlier, safely, while there was less virus around us — we now have to take seriously that we all have to do something more.”
Bibbins-Domingo said she understands the economic pain. “It doesn’t change the fact that the next several weeks are extraordinarily risky and we have to figure out some belt tightening measures for even two weeks.”
A short time period of more intense control measures can have a dramatic effect that can be noticed within a few weeks, as has been observed in Europe recently. Decisions made now will help determine the disease’s spread.
“Two weeks from now, we’re either going to be holding steady and looking towards now holding steady for the winter, or we’re going to see this exponential rise in cases, which will mean even more drastic measures,” Bibbins-Domingo said.
During a briefing with reporters Monday, Ferrer repeatedly said that discussions between the board and public health officials will help chart the course forward.
California Daily California coronavirus cases triple as pandemic dramatically worsens The coronavirus is infecting more Californians daily than at any other point in the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a peak in deaths by Christmas.
Last week, state officials announced a new order prohibiting most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties that are in the strictest “purple” tier of the state’s color-coded reopening road map.
Roughly 94% of Californians — including all those in the southern third of the state — are subject to that order, which lasts until Dec. 21, though it could be extended.
“We’re hoping that’s all we’ll need, but we’ll see,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. “We’re open minded to the dynamics of the conditions that are changing in real time.”
Times staff writers Jaclyn Cosgrove, Alex Wigglesworth, Matt Hamilton and Taryn Luna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-25--Concordia University coronavirus 'outbreak' attributed to more than 50 'false positives'

Concordia University in Irvine will discontinue its use of antigen testing for asymptomatic students and employees , after more than 50 false positives prompted unwarranted concern about a possible major coronavirus outbreak .
As of Wednesday , university officials said there were six active cases — four students and two employees — on campus as opposed to the more than 60 infections reported two days ago .
Testing in another six cases has not been confirmed , and 55 students and employees have been confirmed as negative for the virus , they said .
Campus officials had canceled athletic practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the erroneous test results , which were preliminary pending confirmation from an outside lab .
The university previously had been posting only confirmed test results on its COVID-19 dashboard , but made an exception for the unconfirmed numbers because of the indication of a “ potential outbreak.
” “ We praise the Lord that many of the confirmation tests are coming back negative , ” Concordia ’ s COVID-19 response team wrote in a campus update Wednesday .
Officials said the high number of “ false positives ” was “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine has about an 80 % accuracy rate .
Because of the test results , the Orange County Health Care Agency advised the university to stop using the antigen test for asymptomatic individuals .
Instead , the university will use the PCR molecular test , which is processed in an outside lab .
According to the university , preliminary results indicated that spread has been mostly contained to small friend groups and suitemates .
Concordia , a private Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students , previously announced that most of its classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Monday .

Concordia University in Irvine will discontinue its use of antigen testing for asymptomatic students and employees.
Concordia University in Irvine will discontinue its use of antigen testing for asymptomatic students and employees, after more than 50 false positives prompted unwarranted concern about a possible major coronavirus outbreak.
As of Wednesday, university officials said there were six active cases — four students and two employees — on campus as opposed to the more than 60 infections reported two days ago. Testing in another six cases has not been confirmed, and 55 students and employees have been confirmed as negative for the virus, they said.
Campus officials had canceled athletic practices and urged against out-of-state travel for Thanksgiving because of the erroneous test results, which were preliminary pending confirmation from an outside lab.
The university previously had been posting only confirmed test results on its COVID-19 dashboard, but made an exception for the unconfirmed numbers because of the indication of a “potential outbreak.”
“We praise the Lord that many of the confirmation tests are coming back negative,” Concordia’s COVID-19 response team wrote in a campus update Wednesday.
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Officials said the high number of “false positives” was “not entirely uncommon” because the rapid testing machine has about an 80% accuracy rate.
Because of the test results, the Orange County Health Care Agency advised the university to stop using the antigen test for asymptomatic individuals. Instead, the university will use the PCR molecular test, which is processed in an outside lab.
According to the university, preliminary results indicated that spread has been mostly contained to small friend groups and suitemates.
Concordia, a private Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students, previously announced that most of its classes would move back to online instruction as of Monday.