latimes--2020-05-05--58 new deaths in L.A. County as California communities debate how to lift virus restrictions

With Gov .
Gavin Newsom announcing that some stores could open by the end of the week , Southern California communities are considering what to do next as coronavirus cases continue to increase .
Los Angeles County officials confirmed 58 more COVID-19 deaths Tuesday , bringing the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the county to 1,313 .
Of those who have died , 647 were living in institutional settings — the majority of which were nursing facilities .
Officials reported an additional 1,638 cases — a high number that is largely due to a backlog in data reporting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed coronavirus infections in the county .
As communities continue to report more cases and deaths linked to the virus throughout the state , which has seen more than 56,000 confirmed infections and nearly 3,000 related deaths , Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state could reopen with modifications as early as Friday .
The news came amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has .
On Tuesday , Newsom said social-distancing practices would remain in place as more people would be put at risk when restrictions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core construct of our stay-at-home orders , ” he said at a news conference .
The economy will start to reopen , but that doesn ’ t mean people can “ go back to normal , ” Newsom said .
Since COVID-19 is still present , the reopening relies on Californians remaining cautious and following safety protocols .
The virus has affected some parts of California more than others , and some cities ’ officials have struggled with when , how — and whether — to begin reopening .
Ventura County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than has neighboring Los Angeles County , the most populous in the state with 10 million people .
L.A. County continues to be a hotbed of the crisis .
Here is a rundown of where Southern California stands right now : Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday would need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic -induced shutdown and that city and county officials were still trying to determine the safest course .
“ Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with careful consideration , guided by public health professionals.
” Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Newsom ’ s outline .
L.A. 's Safer at Home order is in effect until May 15 and Garcetti said that he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then .
Los Angeles County Public Health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that officials would be publicly sharing recovery plans this week , noting that “ wherever it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be doing so as quickly as possible.
” She noted that although social distancing practices had helped slow the spread of COVID-19 , the virus remains easily transmissible .
“ The virus has not changed , ” she said .
“ More people die in L.A. County every day from COVID-19 than any other disease.
” On Tuesday , she reiterated that fact , adding that as the county plans its first stages of reopening , it must ensure that a spike in cases does not take place .
“ We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see an increase in our death rate as we are reopening , ” she said .
Ferrer previously said the total number of deaths linked to the coronavirus was greater than those who died from influenza over the last eight-month flu season .
Of the 1,201 individuals who have died of COVID-19 where race and ethnicity have been identified , 38 % of individuals were Latino , 28 % were white , 19 % were Asian , 12 % were African American , 1 % were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander , and 1 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans and those who were identified as Native Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander were dying at a much higher rate than all others in L.A. County .
Roughly 93 % of all individuals who have died from the virus had underlying health conditions , including lung issues , asthma , heart conditions , immuno-compromised illnesses , obesity , diabetes , kidney disease and liver disease .
Ferrer stressed that any individuals with HIV also should take steps to protect themselves .
San Diego city and county leaders unveiled proposed regulations that businesses would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as a plan to help meet those regulations .
The county of roughly 3.4 million has reported more than 4,000 infections and at least 144 deaths linked to the virus .
Although a list detailing which businesses will be allowed to reopen is not yet available , city and county leaders have said there are steps all businesses should be taking as they move toward reopening .
“ We can ’ t do anything about the stay-at-home order — that is clearly up to the governor , ” county Supervisor Greg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do is help make it easier for businesses to reopen safely and smartly and smoothly as soon as possible if they have these [ guidelines ] to work from.
” At Tuesday ’ s Board of Supervisors meeting , Cox and fellow Supervisor Nathan Fletcher will propose , which will require all businesses to develop a Safe Reopening Plan before welcoming customers again .
Such reopening plans are intended to ensure employee and customer safety by increasing sanitation , enforcing physical distancing and encouraging communication with county officials .
A plan unveiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those county regulations .
That plan was developed by the Responsible COVID-19 Economic Reopening Advisory Group and can be used by restaurants , hair and nail salons , and other businesses as they plan to reopen .
“ San Diego is ready to recover , and is preparing for a reopening that ’ s safe , strategic and specific to our diverse industries , ” San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said .
“ These guidelines will help get the economy back on its feet and get San Diegans back to work when state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Employee health : Procure and provide personal protective equipment for employees , and commit to voluntary compliance with public health officials on contact tracing and testing .
• Safe work site entry : Establish controlled entrance and exit practices to avoid queuing issues and work with the Public Health Department to create processes for checking employees ’ symptoms .
• Workplace distancing and conditions : Evaluate occupancy and capacity to ensure proper physical distancing and keep shifts consistent with the same employees in each rotation or shift .
• Employee training and compliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as hand-washing , physical distancing and reporting procedures for employees who become ill. • Enhanced cleaning and sanitation : Develop a sanitation plan that includes frequent cleaning of restrooms , workstations and public spaces .
The economic advisory group also plans to provide enhanced guidance specific to industries such as restaurants , spas and construction .
Those plans are still in development .
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is also considering ending local public health orders amid a growing push to begin reopening .
The county of roughly 2.5 million has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second highest in the state — and 181 deaths linked to the virus .
Supervisors Karen Spiegel and V. Manuel Perez proposed the changes , which include rescinding school closures , ending limitations on short-term lodging , removing restrictions on golf course use and eliminating the requirements to wear face coverings and engaging in social distancing .
The Riverside City Council on Monday urged the county to hold off on the plan .
“ We know that the coronavirus is still out there and that we need to continue to be vigilant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise .
Last week , the county ’ s public health officer , Dr. Cameron Kaiser , lifted a few restrictions , including trails and recreation areas , such as golf courses and tennis courts .
However , Kaiser also requiring residents to wear face coverings and practice social distancing through June 19 .
Individual counties have the authority to impose health orders that best suit their region , as long as they are not more lax than Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order .
Riverside County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health orders in California .
“ I want to thank our residents and our county team , whose actions to this unprecedented pandemic have helped us get to this point , ” Perez said in a written statement .
“ Now , we must continue to prepare for our economic recovery and get people back to work.
” Orange County officials continue to express concern over Newsom ’ s decision to close beaches to slow the spread of coronavirus , even as the county continues to report new cases and deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed nearly 90 infections and 57 deaths , including five reported Monday .
After Huntington Beach and Dana Point the decision , and Newport Beach agreed to in support of the endeavor , state officials announced Tuesday that the beach cities would be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week with certain limitations .
The announcement came one day after officials said Laguna Beach and San Clemente to open their shores this week , with similar limitations in place .
Both cities previously submitted plans to the state that would allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to avoid overcrowding and allow for appropriate physical distancing .
“ We appreciate the governor ’ s willingness to work with us to provide a responsible , gradual approach to reopening all beaches in Laguna Beach for active recreation , ” Mayor Bob Whalen said in a statement Monday .
“ This will allow people the opportunity to walk , jog , swim and surf and get some fresh air and exercise on a limited basis , but not congregate or gather in large groups.
” Wagner , however , characterized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half-steps that satisfy , I guess , the governor ’ s need to feel like he ’ s won something.
” “ The science is entirely in favor of the position the county took before the governor ’ s ill-advised order , ” he said .
Orange County Executive Officer Frank Kim said Monday that the decision of whether the county itself should submit such a plan rested with the Board of Supervisors , which is expected to discuss the matter Tuesday .

Colleen Shalby, Luke Money, Kailyn Brown, Lindsay Winkley

With Gov. Gavin Newsom announcing that some stores could open by the end of the week, Southern California communities are considering what to do next as coronavirus cases continue to increase.
Los Angeles County officials confirmed 58 more COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the county to 1,313. Of those who have died, 647 were living in institutional settings — the majority of which were nursing facilities.
Officials reported an additional 1,638 cases — a high number that is largely due to a backlog in data reporting. So far, there have been 27,815 confirmed coronavirus infections in the county.
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As communities continue to report more cases and deaths linked to the virus throughout the state, which has seen more than 56,000 confirmed infections and nearly 3,000 related deaths, Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state could reopen with modifications as early as Friday. The news came amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy .
On Tuesday, Newsom said social-distancing practices would remain in place as more people would be put at risk when restrictions were lifted.
“We have to maintain the core construct of our stay-at-home orders,” he said at a news conference.
The economy will start to reopen, but that doesn’t mean people can “go back to normal,” Newsom said. Since COVID-19 is still present, the reopening relies on Californians remaining cautious and following safety protocols.
The virus has affected some parts of California more than others, and some cities’ officials have struggled with when, how — and whether — to begin reopening. Ventura County, for example, has been less affected than has neighboring Los Angeles County, the most populous in the state with 10 million people. L.A. County continues to be a hotbed of the crisis.
Here is a rundown of where Southern California stands right now:
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities would need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic -induced shutdown and that city and county officials were still trying to determine the safest course.
“Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state,” he said. “I will reopen our city with careful consideration, guided by public health professionals.”
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Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Newsom’s outline. L.A.’s Safer at Home order is in effect until May 15 and Garcetti said that he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then.
On Tuesday, Garcetti said he supports working in the next few days and weeks on the reopening of “low-risk spaces,” such as trails.
He also announced a new initiative, L.A. Represents, to provide free legal services to residents facing hardships, such as debt and bankruptcy, caused by COVID-19. Volunteer attorneys would represent vulnerable renters and survivors of domestic violence, he said.
“People are finding themselves in some of the most pressing and painful moments of their lives,” Garcetti said. “These are complex situations, and we don’t always all understand the law.”
He said the initiative would also include a support system for small businesses to get back on their feet by helping them renegotiate leases or apply for government loans.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” he said. “They too often lack effective representation.”
Garcetti also said he is permitting flower wholesalers to open to gear up for Mother’s Day, which he described as one of the industry’s biggest days of the year.
Los Angeles County Public Health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that officials would be publicly sharing recovery plans this week, noting that “wherever it’s possible to safely reopen, we’ll be doing so as quickly as possible.”
She noted that although social distancing practices had helped slow the spread of COVID-19, the virus remains easily transmissible.
“The virus has not changed,” she said. “More people die in L.A. County every day from COVID-19 than any other disease.”
On Tuesday, she reiterated that fact, adding that as the county plans its first stages of reopening, it must ensure that a spike in cases does not take place.
“We want to make sure we don’t see an increase in our death rate as we are reopening,” she said.
Ferrer previously said the total number of deaths linked to the coronavirus was greater than those who died from influenza over the last eight-month flu season.
Of the 1,201 individuals who have died of COVID-19 where race and ethnicity have been identified, 38% of individuals were Latino, 28% were white, 19% were Asian, 12% were African American, 1% were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 1% identified as another race.
Ferrer said African Americans and those who were identified as Native Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander were dying at a much higher rate than all others in L.A. County.
Roughly 93% of all individuals who have died from the virus had underlying health conditions, including lung issues, asthma, heart conditions, immuno-compromised illnesses, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease. Ferrer stressed that any individuals with HIV also should take steps to protect themselves.
San Diego County
San Diego city and county leaders unveiled proposed regulations that businesses would have to meet before reopening their doors, as well as a plan to help meet those regulations. The county of roughly 3.4 million has reported more than 4,000 infections and at least 144 deaths linked to the virus.
Although a list detailing which businesses will be allowed to reopen is not yet available, city and county leaders have said there are steps all businesses should be taking as they move toward reopening.
“We can’t do anything about the stay-at-home order — that is clearly up to the governor,” county Supervisor Greg Cox said. “But what we can do is help make it easier for businesses to reopen safely and smartly and smoothly as soon as possible if they have these [guidelines] to work from.”
At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Cox and fellow Supervisor Nathan Fletcher will propose the Reopen San Diego Business Safety Framework , which will require all businesses to develop a Safe Reopening Plan before welcoming customers again.
Such reopening plans are intended to ensure employee and customer safety by increasing sanitation, enforcing physical distancing and encouraging communication with county officials.
A plan unveiled Monday is designed to help businesses meet those county regulations. That plan was developed by the Responsible COVID-19 Economic Reopening Advisory Group and can be used by restaurants, hair and nail salons, and other businesses as they plan to reopen.
“San Diego is ready to recover, and is preparing for a reopening that’s safe, strategic and specific to our diverse industries,” San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. “These guidelines will help get the economy back on its feet and get San Diegans back to work when state and regional orders are lifted.”
The advisory group’s plan includes five focus areas:
Employee health: Procure and provide personal protective equipment for employees, and commit to voluntary compliance with public health officials on contact tracing and testing.
Safe work site entry: Establish controlled entrance and exit practices to avoid queuing issues and work with the Public Health Department to create processes for checking employees’ symptoms.
Workplace distancing and conditions: Evaluate occupancy and capacity to ensure proper physical distancing and keep shifts consistent with the same employees in each rotation or shift.
Employee training and compliance: Ensure signage on safety requirements, such as hand-washing, physical distancing and reporting procedures for employees who become ill.
Enhanced cleaning and sanitation: Develop a sanitation plan that includes frequent cleaning of restrooms, workstations and public spaces.
The economic advisory group also plans to provide enhanced guidance specific to industries such as restaurants, spas and construction. Those plans are still in development.
Riverside County
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is also considering ending local public health orders amid a growing push to begin reopening. The county of roughly 2.5 million has reported more than 4,300 infections — the second highest in the state — and 181 deaths linked to the virus.
Supervisors Karen Spiegel and V. Manuel Perez proposed the changes, which include rescinding school closures, ending limitations on short-term lodging, removing restrictions on golf course use and eliminating the requirements to wear face coverings and engaging in social distancing.
The Riverside City Council on Monday urged the county to hold off on the plan.
“We know that the coronavirus is still out there and that we need to continue to be vigilant,” said City Councilman Andy Melendrez, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Last week, the county’s public health officer, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, lifted a few restrictions, including reopening some parks, trails and recreation areas, such as golf courses and tennis courts. However, Kaiser also extended a county health order requiring residents to wear face coverings and practice social distancing through June 19.
Individual counties have the authority to impose health orders that best suit their region, as long as they are not more lax than Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order. Riverside County had previously implemented some of the strictest public health orders in California.
“I want to thank our residents and our county team, whose actions to this unprecedented pandemic have helped us get to this point,” Perez said in a written statement. “Now, we must continue to prepare for our economic recovery and get people back to work.”
Orange County
Orange County officials continue to express concern over Newsom’s decision to close beaches to slow the spread of coronavirus, even as the county continues to report new cases and deaths.
The county of roughly 3.2 million has confirmed nearly 90 infections and 57 deaths, including five reported Monday.
After Huntington Beach and Dana Point filed a lawsuit against the decision, and Newport Beach agreed to file a court brief in support of the endeavor, state officials announced Tuesday that the beach cities would be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week with certain limitations.
The announcement came one day after officials said Laguna Beach and San Clemente would be allowed to open their shores this week, with similar limitations in place.
Both cities previously submitted plans to the state that would allow active recreation along their coastlines while maintaining measures to avoid overcrowding and allow for appropriate physical distancing.
“We appreciate the governor’s willingness to work with us to provide a responsible, gradual approach to reopening all beaches in Laguna Beach for active recreation,” Mayor Bob Whalen said in a statement Monday. “This will allow people the opportunity to walk, jog, swim and surf and get some fresh air and exercise on a limited basis, but not congregate or gather in large groups.”
Wagner, however, characterized the idea of an active plan as “half-steps that satisfy, I guess, the governor’s need to feel like he’s won something.”
“The science is entirely in favor of the position the county took before the governor’s ill-advised order,” he said.
Orange County Executive Officer Frank Kim said Monday that the decision of whether the county itself should submit such a plan rested with the Board of Supervisors, which is expected to discuss the matter Tuesday.


latimes--2020-05-05--California sues Uber and Lyft, saying drivers are employees

California sued Uber and Lyft on Tuesday , alleging the ride-hailing companies have illegally treated their drivers as independent contractors , depriving them of worker protections and benefits such as minimum wage and unemployment insurance .
The lawsuit , brought by state Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra and the city attorneys of Los Angeles , San Diego and San Francisco , seeks restitution for unpaid wages it says are owed to drivers , and it requests that the court force the companies to immediately classify their drivers as employees .
Filed in the Superior Court of San Francisco , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves an unfair market advantage by dodging expenses including drivers ’ wages and local and state payroll taxes .
The law enables plaintiffs to seek up to $ 2,500 in civil penalties per violation for drivers going back four years .
At a video news conference Tuesday , Becerra said the coronavirus outbreak had laid bare the lack of protections for drivers .
“ Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us , ” he said .
The lawsuit comes after California ’ s Assembly Bill 5 , which took effect Jan. 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be treated as independent contractors rather than employees .
AB5 empowers California ’ s attorney general and city attorneys to force companies to provide minimum wage , overtime pay , workers ’ compensation , and unemployment and disability insurance to workers who meet the legal test for employee classification .
Lyft said in a statement it is “ looking forward to working with the Attorney General and mayors across the state to bring all the benefits of California ’ s innovation economy to as many workers as possible , especially during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with access to affordable healthcare and other benefits is more important than ever.
” Uber , also alluding to the high unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis , said California should “ make it easier , not harder , for people to quickly start earning .
We will contest this action in court , while at the same time pushing to raise the standard of independent work for drivers in California , including with guaranteed minimum earnings and new benefits , ” a company spokesperson said in a statement .
Drivers and labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the state to enforce AB 5 , celebrated the lawsuit .
“ Billionaires like to pick and choose what laws they follow , ” said Carlos Ramos , a driver and organizer with Gig Workers Rising , an advocacy group that represents on-demand platform workers .
“ Today , California is showing that no one is above the law , not even big tech.
” Over the years , Uber and Lyft have battled numerous lawsuits alleging the companies have misclassified workers .
Since February , more than 2,000 California ride-hailing drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleging Uber and Lyft owe them more than $ 630 million in lost wages , expenses and damages .
In response to a lawsuit brought by Lyft drivers , a federal judge in San Francisco said last month that drivers are employees under AB 5 .
“ It ’ s obvious ” AB 5 was intended to apply to drivers at companies like Lyft , and refusing to reclassify drivers Lyft is “ really disregarding the rule of law , ” U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said during a April 2 teleconference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion to immediately classify drivers seeking sick pay as employees amid the coronavirus outbreak , saying the case was filed hurriedly and “ riddled with defects.
” The companies say they do not employ the drivers but rather act as intermediaries between drivers and riders .
They anticipated a crackdown by the state , and have mounted a vehement campaign against AB 5 , spending the better part of 2019 working to derail the bill before state lawmakers approved it .
Two days before the law went into effect , Uber and delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AB 5 violates individuals ’ constitutional rights and unfairly discriminates against technology platforms and those who make a living through such platforms .
Uber and Lyft , along with other gig-economy companies , have poured $ 110 million into a ballot measure in California that could serve as an alternative to AB 5 .
The measure would create a third category of work in between contracting and employment .
During Tuesday ’ s news conference , Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said the ballot campaign would not affect the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful in their efforts to overturn AB 5 .
The law simply codifies and clarifies the state supreme court ’ s 2018 ruling in Dynamex Operations West vs. Superior Court , which established the stricter test that determines whether a worker is a contractor or employee .
That ruling would remain in effect .
Ride-hailing companies are just one category of California businesses that have pushed back against the new law .
For instance , the trade group representing California newspapers has asked lawmakers to exclude newspaper delivery workers from being classified as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaken the fiscal health of some publications .
Management of the Los Angeles Times , as well as the paper ’ s editorial board , has supported that effort .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said at a briefing Tuesday that he planned to request more money in the state budget for the purpose of enforcing AB 5 .

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, shown in 2017, announced May 5 that the state — along with Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco — is suing Uber and Lyft.
California sued Uber and Lyft on Tuesday, alleging the ride-hailing companies have illegally treated their drivers as independent contractors, depriving them of worker protections and benefits such as minimum wage and unemployment insurance.
The lawsuit, brought by state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and the city attorneys of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, seeks restitution for unpaid wages it says are owed to drivers, and it requests that the court force the companies to immediately classify their drivers as employees.
Filed in the Superior Court of San Francisco, the suit argues that Uber and Lyft gave themselves an unfair market advantage by dodging expenses including drivers’ wages and local and state payroll taxes. The law enables plaintiffs to seek up to $2,500 in civil penalties per violation for drivers going back four years.
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At a video news conference Tuesday, Becerra said the coronavirus outbreak had laid bare the lack of protections for drivers. “Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us,” he said.
The lawsuit comes after California’s Assembly Bill 5, which took effect Jan. 1, established stricter standards for which workers can be treated as independent contractors rather than employees. AB5 empowers California’s attorney general and city attorneys in the state’s most populous cities to force companies to provide minimum wage, overtime pay, workers’ compensation, and unemployment and disability insurance to workers who meet the legal test for employee classification.
Gig economy companies have largely opposed the legislation.
Lyft said in a statement it is “looking forward to working with the Attorney General and mayors across the state to bring all the benefits of California’s innovation economy to as many workers as possible, especially during this time when the creation of good jobs with access to affordable healthcare and other benefits is more important than ever.”
Uber, also alluding to the high unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis, said California should “make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning. We will contest this action in court, while at the same time pushing to raise the standard of independent work for drivers in California, including with guaranteed minimum earnings and new benefits,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Drivers and labor groups, which have staged rallies calling for the state to enforce AB 5, celebrated the lawsuit.
“Billionaires like to pick and choose what laws they follow,” said Carlos Ramos, a driver and organizer with Gig Workers Rising, an advocacy group that represents on-demand platform workers. “Today, California is showing that no one is above the law, not even big tech.”
Over the years, Uber and Lyft have battled numerous lawsuits alleging the companies have misclassified workers. Since February, more than 2,000 California ride-hailing drivers have filed claims against the companies, alleging Uber and Lyft owe them more than $630 million in lost wages, expenses and damages.
In response to a lawsuit brought by Lyft drivers, a federal judge in San Francisco said last month that drivers are employees under AB 5. “It’s obvious” AB 5 was intended to apply to drivers at companies like Lyft, and refusing to reclassify drivers Lyft is “really disregarding the rule of law,” U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said during a April 2 teleconference, according to Bloomberg .
Still, Chhabria rejected an emergency motion to immediately classify drivers seeking sick pay as employees amid the coronavirus outbreak, saying the case was filed hurriedly and “riddled with defects.”
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The companies say they do not employ the drivers but rather act as intermediaries between drivers and riders. They anticipated a crackdown by the state, and have mounted a vehement campaign against AB 5, spending the better part of 2019 working to derail the bill before state lawmakers approved it.
Two days before the law went into effect, Uber and delivery startup Postmates filed a suit alleging that AB 5 violates individuals’ constitutional rights and unfairly discriminates against technology platforms and those who make a living through such platforms.
Uber and Lyft, along with other gig-economy companies, have poured $110 million into a ballot measure in California that could serve as an alternative to AB 5. The measure would create a third category of work in between contracting and employment.
During Tuesday’s news conference, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said the ballot campaign would not affect the state’s lawsuit even if the gig companies are successful in their efforts to overturn AB 5. The law simply codifies and clarifies the state supreme court’s 2018 ruling in Dynamex Operations West vs. Superior Court, which established the stricter test that determines whether a worker is a contractor or employee. That ruling would remain in effect.
Ride-hailing companies are just one category of California businesses that have pushed back against the new law. For instance, the trade group representing California newspapers has asked lawmakers to exclude newspaper delivery workers from being classified as employees, saying the move could further weaken the fiscal health of some publications. Management of the Los Angeles Times, as well as the paper’s editorial board, has supported that effort.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a briefing Tuesday that he planned to request more money in the state budget for the purpose of enforcing AB 5.


latimes--2020-05-05--6th Terminal Island prisoner dies of COVID-19; congresswoman says Fauci 'a little alarmed'

A sixth inmate at the Terminal Island federal prison in San Pedro has died after testing positive for the coronavirus infection .
And with more than 60 % of inmates there testing positive , a local congresswoman said infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci “ seemed a little alarmed ” when she spoke to him about the situation .
Eduardo Robles-Holguin , 58 , died Monday in a hospital nine days after he reported COVID-19 symptoms to the medical staff at the Terminal Island prison , where some 623 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus .
On April 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical facility , Robles-Holguin was taken to a hospital and , that same day , was placed on a ventilator and tested positive for the virus , according to the federal Bureau of Prisons .
On Monday , he was pronounced dead .
He is one of 40 federal prison inmates to die from a coronavirus-related illness nationwide during the pandemic .
In January , Robles-Holguin began serving a 20-month sentence for violating terms of supervised release , according to the Bureau of Prisons .
About 1,984 federal inmates have tested positive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including 14 employees at Terminal Island .
Over the weekend , family members of inmates held protests outside the facility , which has the worst coronavirus outbreak of any federal prison in the U.S. Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan , a Democrat who represents the area , said in an interview that she told the warden not enough was being done to release inmates under provisions announced by U.S. Atty .
Gen. William Barr at the low-security facility that houses just over a 1,000 medically vulnerable inmates .
She said she also took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the facility to one of President Trump ’ s top officials handling the virus outbreak , Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ I was on the phone with Dr. Fauci and brought up Terminal Island , ” Barragan said .
“ He seemed a little alarmed.
” She said she explained to Fauci that more than 60 % of the inmates had tested positive and that he told her he would look into it .
Barragan said after she spoke to the prison ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week she was disappointed at the response and the effort to protect inmates and prevent the spread .
She said she raised questions about the protocols in place to keep inmates safely spread out and to keep those who tested positive and others needing quarantining apart from other inmates .
Bureau of Prisons officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment but previously said that inmates were being treated at a medical facility at the prison and were being spaced apart through use of areas in the facility usually used for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Coast Guard .
Barragan said she asked how many of the inmates had been given consideration for a program supported by Barr for home confinement for some vulnerable inmates .
She said she was disappointed to learn just 46 inmates had been considered under that program , with just five as of last week being released .
She said many inmates should be eligible for the program .
“ If I am an inmate , I don ’ t have a choice to leave , ” she said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have attributed the high number of infections at Terminal Island to Los Angeles County Public Health ’ s testing of hundreds of inmates at the facility , including those who show no symptoms .
Last week , federal officials said , of those tested , only 10 % showed symptoms at the time .

More than half of the inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island in San Pedro have tested positive for COVID-19.
A sixth inmate at the Terminal Island federal prison in San Pedro has died after testing positive for the coronavirus infection. And with more than 60% of inmates there testing positive, a local congresswoman said infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci “seemed a little alarmed” when she spoke to him about the situation.
Eduardo Robles-Holguin, 58, died Monday in a hospital nine days after he reported COVID-19 symptoms to the medical staff at the Terminal Island prison, where some 623 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus. On April 25, after being assessed at the prison medical facility, Robles-Holguin was taken to a hospital and, that same day, was placed on a ventilator and tested positive for the virus, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons. On Monday, he was pronounced dead.
He is one of 40 federal prison inmates to die from a coronavirus-related illness nationwide during the pandemic.
In January, Robles-Holguin began serving a 20-month sentence for violating terms of supervised release, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
About 1,984 federal inmates have tested positive and so have 356 Bureau of Prison staff, including 14 employees at Terminal Island.
Over the weekend, family members of inmates held protests outside the facility, which has the worst coronavirus outbreak of any federal prison in the U.S.
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Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan, a Democrat who represents the area, said in an interview that she told the warden not enough was being done to release inmates under provisions announced by U.S. Atty. Gen. William Barr at the low-security facility that houses just over a 1,000 medically vulnerable inmates. She said she also took her concerns about the level of spread within the facility to one of President Trump’s top officials handling the virus outbreak, Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“I was on the phone with Dr. Fauci and brought up Terminal Island,” Barragan said. “He seemed a little alarmed.”
She said she explained to Fauci that more than 60% of the inmates had tested positive and that he told her he would look into it.
Barragan said after she spoke to the prison’s warden, Felicia Ponce, last week she was disappointed at the response and the effort to protect inmates and prevent the spread. She said she raised questions about the protocols in place to keep inmates safely spread out and to keep those who tested positive and others needing quarantining apart from other inmates.
Bureau of Prisons officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment but previously said that inmates were being treated at a medical facility at the prison and were being spaced apart through use of areas in the facility usually used for a factory and military facilities usually used by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Barragan said she asked how many of the inmates had been given consideration for a program supported by Barr for home confinement for some vulnerable inmates. She said she was disappointed to learn just 46 inmates had been considered under that program, with just five as of last week being released.
She said many inmates should be eligible for the program. “If I am an inmate, I don’t have a choice to leave,” she said. “I cannot socially distance.”
Federal prison officials have attributed the high number of infections at Terminal Island to Los Angeles County Public Health’s testing of hundreds of inmates at the facility, including those who show no symptoms. Last week, federal officials said, of those tested, only 10% showed symptoms at the time.


latimes--2020-05-05--California sees first drop in weekly coronavirus deaths. Is it a turning point?

California recorded its first week-over-week decline in reported coronavirus deaths , a promising if preliminary sign of progress as Gov .
Gavin Newsom prepared to reopen some businesses this week .
Two weeks ago , California reported its highest one-week death toll — 542 fatalities among people infected with the coronavirus between April 20 and April 26 .
Last week , the weekly death toll fell for the first time , dropping nearly 9 % to 495 fatalities for the seven-day period that ended Sunday , according to a Times data analysis .
While it was an improvement , last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third highest over the course of the pandemic .
Even hard-hit parts of the state saw some relief .
Los Angeles County , home to 55 % of California ’ s COVID-19 deaths despite having only one-quarter of the state ’ s population , saw its reported weekly death toll flatten for the first time : 315 deaths each week for the last two weeks .
The San Francisco Bay Area reported 49 deaths last week , a decrease from the 61 fatalities reported the previous week ; San Diego County reported 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 40 reported the previous week .
The San Joaquin Valley reported 22 deaths last week , a decline from the 25 reported the previous week , and the Sacramento area reported four deaths last week , down from 12 the previous week .
The Central Coast reported three deaths last week , the same as the previous week .
Nationally , nearly 13,000 deaths were reported last week , compared with nearly 14,000 the previous week .
But California still has not seen the sustained 14-day decline in coronavirus cases the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before easing stay-at-home orders .
The state reported its highest weekly coronavirus case total during April 20-26 , with 12,122 cases .
Last week , 9,967 cases were reported , an 18 % decline , but last week ’ s case count was still the second-highest weekly total reported during the pandemic .
Statewide , the number of hospitalizations remains steady and flat , with perhaps some initial signs of decreasing , the state health officer , Dr. Sonia Angell , said Monday .
The statewide average daily number of hospitalized patients with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,822 last week , down nearly 2 % from 4,905 the previous week .
Hospitalizations have been flat in the five Southern California counties closest to Los Angeles , as well as the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County .
But hospitalizations are noticeably trending downward in the San Francisco Bay Area , the Sacramento region , the Central Coast and the Shasta Cascade region , made up of the eight counties in northeastern California .
California , which has recorded more than 2,200 fatalities , has seen far fewer deaths compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Jersey , which have respectively logged deaths of more than 24,000 and more than 7,000 .
Experts credit early social distancing rules for part of that trend .
Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state can reopen for curbside pickup as early as Friday .
The new changes are part of a four-stage plan the governor to gradually transition back to normal in a state of nearly 40 million people whose lives have been upended by the COVID-19 health crisis .
But Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials are still trying to determine the safest course .
Only time will tell whether the weekly drop is a momentary blip or marks the beginning of a sustained decline in cases .
Experts have warned about a rise in cases and deaths as governments ease stay-at-home orders , and there continues to be worry about a second wave of deadly cases later in the year .
And COVID-19 continues to be a severe threat , having become the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , surpassing the previous top killer , coronary heart disease .
“ Ninety-five percent of us have still not been infected .
And until there ’ s a vaccine , most residents in L.A. County can be infected at any time over the months to come , ” Los Angeles County ’ s director of public health , Barbara Ferrer , said last week .
“ Without taking extraordinary measures to reduce our exposures to people who are infected , and to keep our distance as much as possible , we could easily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Dr. Scott Gottlieb , former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , said Sunday on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation ” that it ’ s hard to predict whether the pandemic will become increasingly quiet after June , or if large outbreaks could occur as states ease stay-at-home orders .
Currently , the national death toll is more than 68,000 , according to Johns Hopkins University , having killed more Americans than the Vietnam War .
“ When you look out to the end of June , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to get above 100,000 deaths nationally , ” Gottlieb said on the CBS program .
“ But what happens when we come back in the fall and schools are back in session ?
... Then you can see this slow simmer explode into a new epidemic or large outbreaks .
That ’ s the concern , that if we don ’ t snuff this out more , and you have this slow burn of infection , it can ignite at any time.
” Here are charts showing coronavirus-related deaths , hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the San Francisco Bay Area , the San Joaquin Valley , San Diego County , the Sacramento area , the Central Coast and the Shasta Cascade region .
Times staff writer Lin reported from San Francisco and data journalist Lee from Los Angeles .

California recorded its first week-over-week decline in reported coronavirus deaths, a promising if preliminary sign of progress as Gov. Gavin Newsom prepared to reopen some businesses this week.
Two weeks ago, California reported its highest one-week death toll — 542 fatalities among people infected with the coronavirus between April 20 and April 26. Last week, the weekly death toll fell for the first time, dropping nearly 9% to 495 fatalities for the seven-day period that ended Sunday, according to a Times data analysis.
While it was an improvement, last week’s toll was still the third highest over the course of the pandemic.
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Even hard-hit parts of the state saw some relief. Los Angeles County, home to 55% of California’s COVID-19 deaths despite having only one-quarter of the state’s population, saw its reported weekly death toll flatten for the first time: 315 deaths each week for the last two weeks.
The San Francisco Bay Area reported 49 deaths last week, a decrease from the 61 fatalities reported the previous week; San Diego County reported 28 deaths last week, a drop from the 40 reported the previous week. The San Joaquin Valley reported 22 deaths last week, a decline from the 25 reported the previous week, and the Sacramento area reported four deaths last week, down from 12 the previous week. The Central Coast reported three deaths last week, the same as the previous week.
Nationally, nearly 13,000 deaths were reported last week, compared with nearly 14,000 the previous week.
But California still has not seen the sustained 14-day decline in coronavirus cases the White House has suggested as a key criteria before easing stay-at-home orders. The state reported its highest weekly coronavirus case total during April 20-26, with 12,122 cases. Last week, 9,967 cases were reported, an 18% decline, but last week’s case count was still the second-highest weekly total reported during the pandemic.
Statewide, the number of hospitalizations remains steady and flat, with perhaps some initial signs of decreasing, the state health officer, Dr. Sonia Angell, said Monday. The statewide average daily number of hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 was 4,822 last week, down nearly 2% from 4,905 the previous week.
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Hospitalizations have been flat in the five Southern California counties closest to Los Angeles, as well as the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County. But hospitalizations are noticeably trending downward in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento region, the Central Coast and the Shasta Cascade region, made up of the eight counties in northeastern California.
California, which has recorded more than 2,200 fatalities, has seen far fewer deaths compared to hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, which have respectively logged deaths of more than 24,000 and more than 7,000. Experts credit early social distancing rules for part of that trend. Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state can reopen for curbside pickup as early as Friday.
The new changes are part of a four-stage plan the governor laid out last week to gradually transition back to normal in a state of nearly 40 million people whose lives have been upended by the COVID-19 health crisis.
But Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities will need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials are still trying to determine the safest course.
Only time will tell whether the weekly drop is a momentary blip or marks the beginning of a sustained decline in cases. Experts have warned about a rise in cases and deaths as governments ease stay-at-home orders, and there continues to be worry about a second wave of deadly cases later in the year.
And COVID-19 continues to be a severe threat, having become the leading cause of death in L.A. County, surpassing the previous top killer, coronary heart disease.
“Ninety-five percent of us have still not been infected. And until there’s a vaccine, most residents in L.A. County can be infected at any time over the months to come,” Los Angeles County’s director of public health, Barbara Ferrer, said last week. “Without taking extraordinary measures to reduce our exposures to people who are infected, and to keep our distance as much as possible, we could easily see a big spike in new cases.”
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that it’s hard to predict whether the pandemic will become increasingly quiet after June, or if large outbreaks could occur as states ease stay-at-home orders. Currently, the national death toll is more than 68,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, having killed more Americans than the Vietnam War.
“When you look out to the end of June, it’s probably the case that we’re going to get above 100,000 deaths nationally,” Gottlieb said on the CBS program. “But what happens when we come back in the fall and schools are back in session? ... Then you can see this slow simmer explode into a new epidemic or large outbreaks. That’s the concern, that if we don’t snuff this out more, and you have this slow burn of infection, it can ignite at any time.”
Here are charts showing coronavirus-related deaths, hospitalizations and cases by region — Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, San Diego County, the Sacramento area, the Central Coast and the Shasta Cascade region.
Southern California
Population: 18.6 million
San Francisco Bay Area
Population: 7.7 million
San Joaquin Valley
Population: 4.2 million
San Diego County
Population: 3.3 million
Sacramento area
Population: 2.6 million
Central Coast
Population: 1.5 million
Shasta Cascade region
Population: 585,000
Times staff writer Lin reported from San Francisco and data journalist Lee from Los Angeles.


latimes--2020-05-05--Ventura County Fair becomes the latest summer event canceled due to coronavirus

The coronavirus outbreak has scrapped another California summertime staple , as officials decided Monday to cancel the Ventura County Fair .
The event — which was to run from Aug. 5 to 16 — dates back to 1875 and has been an annual fixture in the county , save for when the U.S. military commandeered the fairgrounds during World War II , officials said .
“ We are already looking forward to welcoming everybody back in 2021 when we will resume the 145th Ventura County Fair , ” Chief Executive Barbara Quaid said in a statement Monday .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue adhering to all public health guidelines so that we can all come together again in 2021.
” Quaid called the fair , which attracts nearly 300,000 attendees in a typical year , “ the county ’ s most timeless tradition ” and said it ’ s “ because of those smiling faces that we are completely comfortable with this decision.
” The coronavirus outbreak — which has infected more than 56,000 Californians and been blamed for almost 2,300 deaths — has forced officials throughout the state to ax large-scale events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have put the kibosh on the San Diego County Fair , the Orange County Fair and the California State Fair , among others , in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
Ventura County , however , hasn ’ t seen the same level of coronavirus activity that some of its Southern California neighbors have .
As of Tuesday morning , the county had 577 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 coronavirus-linked deaths .
By comparison , those numbers were 4,020 and 144 in San Diego County , and 2,819 and 57 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles County — which accounts for nearly half of all the coronavirus infections that have been confirmed statewide , as well as a majority of the documented deaths — a fair still remains on the books , however .
“ It is our expectation that the 2020 LA County Fair , still more than four months away , will go forward as scheduled , ” states a message on the event ’ s website .
The L.A. County Fair is scheduled from Sept. 4 to 27 .
While carnival attractions , fried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the menu in Ventura County , Quaid said the fairgrounds stands ready to assist in the county ’ s coronavirus response , has partnered “ to serve as a food distribution site and will continue looking for ways that we may serve the community.
” “ We are thankful to the healthcare workers and those who are on the front lines making extraordinary efforts to help others during this great time of need , ” she said .

There will be no racing pigs this year at the Ventura County Fair, which officials canceled May 5.
The coronavirus outbreak has scrapped another California summertime staple, as officials decided Monday to cancel the Ventura County Fair.
The event — which was to run from Aug. 5 to 16 — dates back to 1875 and has been an annual fixture in the county, save for when the U.S. military commandeered the fairgrounds during World War II, officials said.
“We are already looking forward to welcoming everybody back in 2021 when we will resume the 145th Ventura County Fair,” Chief Executive Barbara Quaid said in a statement Monday. “We encourage our Ventura County neighbors and friends to continue adhering to all public health guidelines so that we can all come together again in 2021.”
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California Across California, festivals and fairs fall victim to the coronavirus County Fairs from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay area have been canceled, and large music festivals have been postponed over the coronavirus.
Quaid called the fair, which attracts nearly 300,000 attendees in a typical year, “the county’s most timeless tradition” and said it’s “because of those smiling faces that we are completely comfortable with this decision.”
The coronavirus outbreak — which has infected more than 56,000 Californians and been blamed for almost 2,300 deaths — has forced officials throughout the state to ax large-scale events, including summertime fairs.
Already, officials have put the kibosh on the San Diego County Fair, the Orange County Fair and the California State Fair, among others, in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Ventura County, however, hasn’t seen the same level of coronavirus activity that some of its Southern California neighbors have.
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As of Tuesday morning, the county had 577 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 coronavirus-linked deaths. By comparison, those numbers were 4,020 and 144 in San Diego County, and 2,819 and 57 in Orange County, respectively.
In Los Angeles County — which accounts for nearly half of all the coronavirus infections that have been confirmed statewide, as well as a majority of the documented deaths — a fair still remains on the books, however.
“It is our expectation that the 2020 LA County Fair, still more than four months away, will go forward as scheduled,” states a message on the event’s website.
The L.A. County Fair is scheduled from Sept. 4 to 27.
While carnival attractions, fried food and live entertainment are no longer on the menu in Ventura County, Quaid said the fairgrounds stands ready to assist in the county’s coronavirus response, has partnered “to serve as a food distribution site and will continue looking for ways that we may serve the community.”
“We are thankful to the healthcare workers and those who are on the front lines making extraordinary efforts to help others during this great time of need,” she said.


latimes--2020-05-05--Historic Troubadour nightclub launches GoFundMe page, calls survival 'a big if'

For 60 years , the historic club the Troubadour has anchored the western edge of West Hollywood with live music .
A perennial presence in Los Angeles live music since the beatnik era , the club opened by Doug Weston has provided thousands of artists the opportunity to make magic on hallowed ground .
But as Gov .
Gavin Newsom was recently laying out the stages by which businesses may be able to re-open , Christine Karayan , the club ’ s general manager , realized the seeming futility of the Troubadour ’ s plight .
Newsom has announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open , in Phase 4 .
“ That means the middle to the end of next year to potentially open , and maybe a 25 % cap ” on crowd size , Karayan says .
“ I can ’ t foresee being able to ride this out like that.
” A rustic general admission room with a small balcony and an upstairs VIP area , the 500-capacity club ’ s selling point has long been its intimacy .
Save a few pesky support beams , there ’ s not a bad spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blues venue to start , in the mid-1960s it started adding rock , jazz and pop acts that included rising artists such as the Byrds , Lee Hazlewood , Nina Simone and Judy Collins .
It served as a crucial early comedy platform for Richard Pryor , Steve Martin and the Smothers Brothers .
Though it ’ s a tourist destination , its location just south of the Sunset Strip has made it a kind of neighborhood spot for musically minded Hollywood Hills , Beverly Hills and Hollywood residents .
Starting in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide artists including Joni Mitchell , Linda Ronstadt , Jackson Browne , James Taylor , Tom Waits , the Eagles and Warren Zevon into the mainstream .
Most famously , it was on the Troubadour ’ s stage in 1970 that a 20-year-old Elton John , across a series of shows , became a household name .
That moment was captured in the recent John biopic , “ Rocketman.
” “ My whole life came alive that night , musically , emotionally ... everything , ” Elton John told The Times a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was like everything I had been waiting for suddenly happened ... .
I could tell it was a magical night from the moment I stepped onstage.
” In the decades since , the Troubadour has remained defiantly independent .
As other clubs shuttered or made booking arrangements with moneyed promoters such as Live Nation and AEG , the Troubadour has charted its own course — and continued booking standing-room-only gigs .
“ My last four talent buyers , actually , have all gone to Live Nation , ” Karayan says with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the training ground , apparently.
” Outsiders commonly think of the Troubadour as a folk and singer-songwriter venue , but across the decades it has adapted and evolved .
In the ‘ 80s , as heavy metal ripped through Southern California , the Troubadour served as a stage for early gigs by Slayer , Metallica and Motley Crue .
In the 1990s and ‘ 00s , the club hosted Brit pop , grunge and alt-rock : Foo Fighters , Queens of the Stone Age , Melvins , Dave Matthews , the White Stripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneath the club ’ s iconic neon sign on their ascents to main stages .
The Troubadour brand in Los Angeles is so embedded into music culture that many fans misunderstand the mechanics of the club , Karayan says .
Describing it as “ a little bit forgotten , ” Karayan says , “ We ’ re lumped in with the big boys , and we ’ re not the big boys .
We don ’ t have shareholders .
We don ’ t have corporate money .
We are what we are.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karayan , owns both the club and the building that it ’ s housed in .
He ’ s been sole caretaker since his former business partner Weston died in 1999 .
The club leases neighboring offices and storage space at market value , and insurance premiums are exorbitant .
Listing the costs , Karayan pauses .
“ The more I think about it , it ’ s just completely futile .
At least a big seated venue has space where they can keep people apart .
But I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venue .
Are you going to stop them from using the restroom ?
” Like most proprietors , at first Karayan figured that the pandemic would prompt some temporary belt-tightening .
She remembers her mind set : “ At first , it was , ‘ What is happening ?
’ And then we started canceling shows.
” The last gig was Glass Animals on March 11 .
YouTube videos show the band ’ s singer , Dave Bayley , singing from up in the balcony before moving his way through the VIP area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was packed .
The next day , doom set in , Karayan says .
“ When we walked into the office on March 12 , I thought , ‘ Something horribly wrong is coming our way.
’ ” So she decided to cancel shows through May .
“ And then it just started unraveling.
” When she read a month ago that Live Nation and AEG were predicting a fall 2020 reopening , Karayan was relieved .
“ I was like , ‘ We can do that .
We probably won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , but it ’ s OK. ” But , she adds , “ Now it ’ s like , ‘ Oh , I ’ m sorry .
We ’ re talking , potentially , the middle of next year.
’ ” As an active member of the National Independent Venue Assn.
, she ’ s communicating with its 800 affiliates about lobbying for government aid .
She says that many have expressed doubt that they ’ ll be able to survive an extended closure without immediate help .
Like many businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help its 20 hourly employees , some of whom have worked at the club for decades , meet their needs .
All but three have been laid off .
To date , the campaign has raised $ 11,400 of its $ 30,000 goal .
But that was a stopgap measure , and Karayan said the club will soon be raising its goal to underscore the urgency .
It ’ s one of the only remaining options .
“ It looks tacky , but it ’ s a reality at this point .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she says .
“ If we ’ re going to survive this thing — and that ’ s a big if — we ’ re going to need all the help we can get , from any direction we can get it.
” Whether that aid comes from one of the many multi-millionaires who owe their fortunes , in part , to momentous gigs at the Troubadour , or through the thousands of fans with once-in-a-lifetime memories , response to the Troubadour ’ s ask will likely determine whether that Glass Animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club .
“ We know there ’ s going to be a huge fatality rate as far as how many venues will not be able to open again when/if this thing ever ends , ” Karayan has concluded .
“ We ’ re just looking to survive , like everybody else .
”

For 60 years, the historic club the Troubadour has anchored the western edge of West Hollywood with live music. A perennial presence in Los Angeles live music since the beatnik era, the club opened by Doug Weston has provided thousands of artists the opportunity to make magic on hallowed ground.
But as Gov. Gavin Newsom was recently laying out the stages by which businesses may be able to re-open, Christine Karayan, the club’s general manager, realized the seeming futility of the Troubadour’s plight. Newsom has announced that music venues will be among the last to open, in Phase 4.
“That means the middle to the end of next year to potentially open, and maybe a 25% cap” on crowd size, Karayan says. “I can’t foresee being able to ride this out like that.”
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A rustic general admission room with a small balcony and an upstairs VIP area, the 500-capacity club’s selling point has long been its intimacy. Save a few pesky support beams, there’s not a bad spot in the place. A folk and blues venue to start, in the mid-1960s it started adding rock, jazz and pop acts that included rising artists such as the Byrds, Lee Hazlewood, Nina Simone and Judy Collins. It served as a crucial early comedy platform for Richard Pryor, Steve Martin and the Smothers Brothers.
Though it’s a tourist destination, its location just south of the Sunset Strip has made it a kind of neighborhood spot for musically minded Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills and Hollywood residents.
Starting in the late ‘60s, the Troubadour helped guide artists including Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Tom Waits, the Eagles and Warren Zevon into the mainstream. Most famously, it was on the Troubadour’s stage in 1970 that a 20-year-old Elton John, across a series of shows, became a household name. That moment was captured in the recent John biopic, “Rocketman.”
“My whole life came alive that night, musically, emotionally... everything,” Elton John told The Times a few decades after those auspicious performances. “It was like everything I had been waiting for suddenly happened.... I could tell it was a magical night from the moment I stepped onstage.”
In the decades since, the Troubadour has remained defiantly independent. As other clubs shuttered or made booking arrangements with moneyed promoters such as Live Nation and AEG, the Troubadour has charted its own course — and continued booking standing-room-only gigs. “My last four talent buyers, actually, have all gone to Live Nation,” Karayan says with a fatalistic chuckle. “I’m the training ground, apparently.”
Outsiders commonly think of the Troubadour as a folk and singer-songwriter venue, but across the decades it has adapted and evolved. In the ‘80s, as heavy metal ripped through Southern California, the Troubadour served as a stage for early gigs by Slayer, Metallica and Motley Crue. In the 1990s and ‘00s, the club hosted Brit pop, grunge and alt-rock: Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins, Dave Matthews, the White Stripes, Bon Iver and Weezer all played beneath the club’s iconic neon sign on their ascents to main stages.
Advertisement
The Troubadour brand in Los Angeles is so embedded into music culture that many fans misunderstand the mechanics of the club, Karayan says. Describing it as “a little bit forgotten,” Karayan says, “We’re lumped in with the big boys, and we’re not the big boys. We don’t have shareholders. We don’t have corporate money. We are what we are.”
Karayan’s father, Ed Karayan, owns both the club and the building that it’s housed in. He’s been sole caretaker since his former business partner Weston died in 1999. The club leases neighboring offices and storage space at market value, and insurance premiums are exorbitant.
Listing the costs, Karayan pauses. “The more I think about it, it’s just completely futile. At least a big seated venue has space where they can keep people apart. But I don’t know how that works for a general admission venue. Are you going to stop them from using the restroom?”
Like most proprietors, at first Karayan figured that the pandemic would prompt some temporary belt-tightening. She remembers her mind set: “At first, it was, ‘What is happening?’ And then we started canceling shows.”
The last gig was Glass Animals on March 11. YouTube videos show the band’s singer, Dave Bayley, singing from up in the balcony before moving his way through the VIP area and back onto stage. The place was packed. The next day, doom set in, Karayan says. “When we walked into the office on March 12, I thought, ‘Something horribly wrong is coming our way.’” So she decided to cancel shows through May. “And then it just started unraveling.”
When she read a month ago that Live Nation and AEG were predicting a fall 2020 reopening, Karayan was relieved. “I was like, ‘We can do that. We probably won’t have concerts until the end of the year, but it’s OK.” But, she adds, “Now it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. We’re talking, potentially, the middle of next year.’”
As an active member of the National Independent Venue Assn., she’s communicating with its 800 affiliates about lobbying for government aid. She says that many have expressed doubt that they’ll be able to survive an extended closure without immediate help.
Like many businesses, the Troubadour set up a GoFundMe page to help its 20 hourly employees, some of whom have worked at the club for decades, meet their needs. All but three have been laid off. To date, the campaign has raised $11,400 of its $30,000 goal. But that was a stopgap measure, and Karayan said the club will soon be raising its goal to underscore the urgency. It’s one of the only remaining options.
“It looks tacky, but it’s a reality at this point. It’s not a joke,” she says. “If we’re going to survive this thing — and that’s a big if — we’re going to need all the help we can get, from any direction we can get it.”
Whether that aid comes from one of the many multi-millionaires who owe their fortunes, in part, to momentous gigs at the Troubadour, or through the thousands of fans with once-in-a-lifetime memories, response to the Troubadour’s ask will likely determine whether that Glass Animals gig was the last show at the club.
“We know there’s going to be a huge fatality rate as far as how many venues will not be able to open again when/if this thing ever ends,” Karayan has concluded. “We’re just looking to survive, like everybody else.”


latimes--2020-05-05--Big cities like L.A. might be slower to reopen than suburbs and smaller communities

Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s latest plans for easing stay-at-home restrictions will potentially allow some parts of California to reopen at a faster rate than others if they can show the coronavirus has eased as a public health threat .
Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state can reopen with modifications as early as Friday amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy .
But the virus is a bigger problem in some parts of California than others .
L.A. County continues to be a hotbed of the crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
The county accounts for nearly half of all hospitalizations in the state .
Conversely , the number of infections in some rural and suburban counties is dramatically lower , four counties have seen no cases at all , and more than a dozen counties have reported no deaths from the illness .
At least three counties — Modoc , near the Oregon border , and Yuba and Sutter , north of Sacramento — have reopened with restrictions in defiance of Newsom ’ s order , and more than a dozen other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit .
Politically , there have also been divides .
Officials in Los Angeles and the Bay Area have been more cautious , saying they fear reopening too early could cause further outbreaks and hurt the economy in the long run .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said would need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials were still trying to determine the safest course .
“ Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consideration , guided by public health professionals.
” Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Newsom ’ s outline .
L.A. 's Safer at Home order is in effect until May 15 , and Garcetti said that he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then .
Los Angeles County Public Health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that officials would be publicly sharing recovery plans this week , noting that “ wherever it ’ s possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be doing so as quickly as possible.
” On Monday , San Francisco Mayor London Breed said she could not say when city businesses covered by Newsom ’ s order would reopen , saying safety is the top priority .
“ I think it ’ s important that we provide some guidance .
To be clear , the whole point of the health directive has everything to do with limiting our ability to be in contact with people so we can avoid not only transmitting the virus or contracting the virus , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that is critical , but we also realize there are a number of people out there who are struggling financially , and if there is a way to accomplish the public health goals of keeping people safe with also allowing businesses to operate , but operate differently with certain guidelines.
” The governor ’ s plan also expands decision-making at the local level , allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their own pace and open more businesses — such as restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statewide policy .
But if communities want to take that next step , counties must first submit “ containment plans ” that meet certain requirements for hospital beds , testing kits , and the ability to track infected people and trace their contacts , Newsom said .
Other local orders that are more restrictive than statewide reopening plans would supersede any changes the governor makes .
The Democratic governor ’ s move to give more discretion to counties follows large protests against Newsom ’ s restrictions at the state Capitol and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of small rural counties moved to open their communities in defiance of his authority .
On Monday , Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel argued that the county ’ s orders had made it possible to contain the spread of the virus and prevent a hospital surge that was expected in mid-April .
But now , they want to focus on the county ’ s economic future .
“ The metrics in Riverside County have improved , ” Spiegel said at a news conference .
“ That was due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put in place early on .
We were one of the first that stepped up and said we ’ re going to fight this battle .
The positive results would not have been possible if the community didn ’ t do their part and step up.
” Bailey said he thought the county was ready for the second stage of Newsom ’ s , which includes the opening of low-risk workplaces such as retail and manufacturing .
He said the Inland Empire was also ready to open recreation facilities and religious institutions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our toes , not on our heels , at the front of the pack when the governor gives us the green light , ” Bailey said .
“ We are eagerly awaiting for the go-ahead to restart Riverside ’ s regional economy.
” At least three Northern California counties have defied Newsom ’ s orders , allowing businesses to reopen beyond the statewide order .
Newsom declined to say Monday whether there would be consequences for those counties and said the overwhelming majority of the state ’ s 58 counties were doing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ order allows restaurants , retailers , shopping malls , gyms , salons , spas and tattoo parlors to operate once more “ as long as appropriate business modifications are made to adhere to social distancing and other tenets of combating COVID-19 , ” according .
Those measures include regularly washing hands , staying home when sick and wearing a facial covering when social distancing isn ’ t possible , according to public heath officer Phuong Luu .
Many businesses remain closed , even under the counties ’ revised order , including bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food , museums , movie theaters , bowling alleys , arcades , live performance venues , places of worship and other mass gathering spaces , schools , community centers , beaches and piers , and summer camps and residence halls .
Marni Sanders , chief executive of the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce , says the local business community “ is thrilled that we are open.
” “ I can tell you driving around there are lots of businesses open that weren ’ t open yesterday , so it ’ s a really good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the past few weeks , Sanders said , there “ was a lot of frustration and anxiety , ” but the community “ is very optimistic and has remained hopeful throughout this whole pandemic situation.
” “ We want to encourage people to shop and to dine and to get out there into our businesses and get money pumping into our economy , but we also are reminding people to be safe , ” she said .
“ And our businesses are being safe as well during this phased reopening.
” Among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revised health order was Lumberjacks Restaurant in Yuba City , which announced it would welcome diners back with restrictions , including “ constant sanitation , significantly reduced capacity , limited contact with customers , and more , ” according to a Facebook post .
“ We understand some of you do not feel comfortable returning to dining rooms just yet , ” the post continued , “ which is why we will be continuing our takeout and delivery options the same as we have been for the last few weeks .
”

Luke Money, Taryn Luna, James Queally, Kailyn Brown, Rong-Gong Lin II

A woman wearing a mask walks by the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced select retail businesses will be allowed to reopen starting May 8 in California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest plans for easing stay-at-home restrictions will potentially allow some parts of California to reopen at a faster rate than others if they can show the coronavirus has eased as a public health threat.
Newsom announced Monday that some retail stores across the state can reopen with modifications as early as Friday amid growing pressure to ease the stay-at-home order that has cratered the California economy.
But the virus is a bigger problem in some parts of California than others. L.A. County continues to be a hotbed of the crisis, with more than 1,250 deaths linked to COVID-19. The county accounts for nearly half of all hospitalizations in the state.
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Conversely, the number of infections in some rural and suburban counties is dramatically lower, four counties have seen no cases at all, and more than a dozen counties have reported no deaths from the illness.
At least three counties — Modoc, near the Oregon border, and Yuba and Sutter, north of Sacramento — have reopened with restrictions in defiance of Newsom’s order, and more than a dozen other communities have requested the power to follow suit.
Politically, there have also been divides. Officials in Los Angeles and the Bay Area have been more cautious, saying they fear reopening too early could cause further outbreaks and hurt the economy in the long run.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that different cities would need to take different steps to emerge from the pandemic-induced shutdown and that city and county officials were still trying to determine the safest course.
“Our timing on opening may vary from other parts of the state,” he said. “I will reopen our city with careful consideration, guided by public health professionals.”
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Garcetti said he did not expect city businesses to be able to offer curbside delivery on Friday in step with Newsom’s outline. L.A.’s Safer at Home order is in effect until May 15, and Garcetti said that he hoped steps restricting commerce could begin to be rolled back by then.
Los Angeles County Public Health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that officials would be publicly sharing recovery plans this week, noting that “wherever it’s possible to safely reopen, we’ll be doing so as quickly as possible.”
On Monday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said she could not say when city businesses covered by Newsom’s order would reopen, saying safety is the top priority.
“I think it’s important that we provide some guidance. To be clear, the whole point of the health directive has everything to do with limiting our ability to be in contact with people so we can avoid not only transmitting the virus or contracting the virus,” Breed told reporters. “The ability to do that is critical, but we also realize there are a number of people out there who are struggling financially, and if there is a way to accomplish the public health goals of keeping people safe with also allowing businesses to operate, but operate differently with certain guidelines.”
The governor’s plan also expands decision-making at the local level, allowing some communities to move further ahead into the second phase of the reopening process at their own pace and open more businesses — such as restaurant dining rooms — beyond those outlined in the statewide policy.
But if communities want to take that next step, counties must first submit “containment plans” that meet certain requirements for hospital beds, testing kits, and the ability to track infected people and trace their contacts, Newsom said. Other local orders that are more restrictive than statewide reopening plans would supersede any changes the governor makes.
The Democratic governor’s move to give more discretion to counties follows large protests against Newsom’s restrictions at the state Capitol and in Orange County, and as a handful of small rural counties moved to open their communities in defiance of his authority.
On Monday, Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and 2nd District Supervisor Karen Spiegel argued that the county’s orders had made it possible to contain the spread of the virus and prevent a hospital surge that was expected in mid-April. But now, they want to focus on the county’s economic future.
“The metrics in Riverside County have improved,” Spiegel said at a news conference. “That was due to the extra measures that the county put in place early on. We were one of the first that stepped up and said we’re going to fight this battle. The positive results would not have been possible if the community didn’t do their part and step up.”
Bailey said he thought the county was ready for the second stage of Newsom’s four-stage plan , which includes the opening of low-risk workplaces such as retail and manufacturing. He said the Inland Empire was also ready to open recreation facilities and religious institutions.
“Our region desires to be on our toes, not on our heels, at the front of the pack when the governor gives us the green light,” Bailey said. “We are eagerly awaiting for the go-ahead to restart Riverside’s regional economy.”
At least three Northern California counties have defied Newsom’s orders, allowing businesses to reopen beyond the statewide order. Newsom declined to say Monday whether there would be consequences for those counties and said the overwhelming majority of the state’s 58 counties were doing the right thing.
The revised Yuba-Sutter counties’ order allows restaurants, retailers, shopping malls, gyms, salons, spas and tattoo parlors to operate once more “as long as appropriate business modifications are made to adhere to social distancing and other tenets of combating COVID-19,” according to a statement .
Those measures include regularly washing hands, staying home when sick and wearing a facial covering when social distancing isn’t possible, according to public heath officer Phuong Luu.
Many businesses remain closed, even under the counties’ revised order, including bars and nightclubs that don’t serve food, museums, movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, live performance venues, places of worship and other mass gathering spaces, schools, community centers, beaches and piers, and summer camps and residence halls.
Marni Sanders, chief executive of the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce, says the local business community “is thrilled that we are open.”
“I can tell you driving around there are lots of businesses open that weren’t open yesterday, so it’s a really good sign,” she said Monday.
Over the past few weeks, Sanders said, there “was a lot of frustration and anxiety,” but the community “is very optimistic and has remained hopeful throughout this whole pandemic situation.”
“We want to encourage people to shop and to dine and to get out there into our businesses and get money pumping into our economy, but we also are reminding people to be safe,” she said. “And our businesses are being safe as well during this phased reopening.”
Among the establishments that took advantage of the revised health order was Lumberjacks Restaurant in Yuba City, which announced it would welcome diners back with restrictions, including “constant sanitation, significantly reduced capacity, limited contact with customers, and more,” according to a Facebook post.
“We understand some of you do not feel comfortable returning to dining rooms just yet,” the post continued, “which is why we will be continuing our takeout and delivery options the same as we have been for the last few weeks.”


latimes--2020-05-05--Motorist fatally shot by CHP during traffic stop on 60 Freeway in Monterey Park

A traffic stop ended in a fatal police shooting Monday night and closed a stretch of the 60 Freeway in @ @ @ @ @ seven hours , according to the California Highway Patrol .
CHP officers stopped a vehicle @ @ @ @ @ about 8:20 p.m. Monday , Capt .
Salvador Suarez told reporters at the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ the enforcement stop , an officer-involved shooting occurred with one individual , ” Suarez said @ @ @ @ @ by gunfire and died at the scene , authorities said .
Officers were helping the @ @ @ @ @ a project on the freeway in the area at the time , CHP Officer Tony @ @ @ @ @ not immediately clear what led to the shooting , but video from the scene showed @ @ @ @ @ sheathed sword lying in the roadway .

CHP officers walk toward an object that appears to be a sheathed sword after fatal police shooting Monday in Monterey Park.
A traffic stop ended in a fatal police shooting Monday night and closed a stretch of the 60 Freeway in Monterey Park for more than seven hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officers stopped a vehicle traveling east near Garfield Avenue about 8:20 p.m. Monday, Capt. Salvador Suarez told reporters at the scene.
“At some point during the enforcement stop, an officer-involved shooting occurred with one individual,” Suarez said. The person was struck by gunfire and died at the scene, authorities said.
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Officers were helping the California Department of Transportation with a project on the freeway in the area at the time, CHP Officer Tony Polizzi said.
It was not immediately clear what led to the shooting, but video from the scene showed what appears to be a sheathed sword lying in the roadway.