latimes--2020-05-07--2 counties defied Newsom and reopened. Now California warns restaurants could lose licenses if opene

2 counties defied Newsom and reopened. Now California warns restaurants could lose licenses if opened too early

Earlier this week , Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern California defied Gov .
Gavin Newsom and issued local orders to allow some businesses to reopen with strict regulations aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus .
But now , California officials are warning that reopened businesses risk losing their license to operate if they continue to violate the state ’ s stay-at-home order .
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited multiple locations in Yuba and Sutter counties this week and warned restaurants that they could lose their state license to serve alcohol if they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The counties have a combined population of 171,000 , with nearly half of them living in the twin cities of Marysville and Yuba City , which sit on either side of the Feather River and are about 40 miles north of Sacramento , the state capital .
Agents with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control on Tuesday asked restaurants to close in-house dining voluntarily , said John Carr , a spokesman with the agency .
The agency says that restaurants can only operate for takeout service under the governor ’ s statewide stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go , but must be in a sealed container .
Bars that don ’ t serve food can not operate under the state order .
Any business that refuses to comply with a warning to shut down could see its license to sell alcohol suspended or revoked , the agency said on its website .
Defiance of the statewide order , the agency said , “ endangers public health and safety.
” Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order also requires the shutdown of bars and nightclubs that don ’ t serve food , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Newsom says when local and state stay-at-home rules conflict , the stricter rule applies .
A day after the state ’ s action , the health officer for Yuba and Sutter counties expressed concern that local businesses and residents were not doing their part to adhere to local social distancing and face covering rules needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus , which has led to more than 60,000 confirmed infections and more than 2,400 deaths across California .
Even as Dr. Phuong Luu , the health officer for Yuba and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local stay-at-home order at odds with the state ’ s rules — allowing restaurants , stores , gyms , salons , spas and tattoo parlors to reopen — she wrote a letter Wednesday criticizing businesses that failed to enforce new local rules requiring face coverings and keeping customers six feet apart from each other .
“ I understand that some of your customers may strongly object to a facial-covering requirement , but the long-term safety of our community is at stake .
We do not want to take any steps back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a letter dated Wednesday .
“ If you have an indoor business that allows customers and clients , adequate social distancing is not likely to occur on any consistent basis .
Therefore , such operations must include both social-distancing and facial-coverings protocols .
It is incumbent on these business owners to ensure their staff is wearing facial coverings and to require their customers/clients to do the same.
” “ It is imperative to make all necessary adjustments to the way we conduct business in our community immediately so that we do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and need to go back to stricter orders , ” Luu wrote .
Yuba and Sutter counties were two of three Northern California counties in the past week to defy Newsom ’ s orders , allowing businesses to reopen beyond the statewide order .
The third county , Modoc , in the northeastern corner of California , has fewer than 9,000 residents .
Modoc County is one of four California counties to not record a single confirmed case of the coronavirus .
Yuba and Sutter counties have recorded a combined 50 coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the coronavirus .
As of Tuesday , only one person was hospitalized in Yuba and Sutter counties and suspected to have the coronavirus , according to the California Health and Human Services Agency .
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 .
On Tuesday , Newsom criticized Yuba and Sutter counties for reopening businesses still ordered shut by the statewide order .
The Yuba Sutter Mall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all stores inside were open .
“ They ’ re making a big mistake .
They ’ re putting their public at risk .
They ’ re putting our progress at risk , ” Newsom said during a COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento on Tuesday .
“ These are real exceptions .
The overwhelming majority of Californians are playing by the rules doing the right thing.
” The new health order for Yuba and Sutter counties still prohibits some businesses from reopening , including bars and nightclubs that don ’ t serve food , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 , said earlier this week that 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Taryn Luna contributed to this report .

Anthony Frank, center, with wife Melia Campbell, of Plumas Lake, enjoy their first night out in weeks at Silver Dollar Saloon in Marysville.
Earlier this week, Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern California defied Gov. Gavin Newsom and issued local orders to allow some businesses to reopen with strict regulations aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
But now, California officials are warning that reopened businesses risk losing their license to operate if they continue to violate the state’s stay-at-home order.
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited multiple locations in Yuba and Sutter counties this week and warned restaurants that they could lose their state license to serve alcohol if they don’t close down their dining rooms.
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The counties have a combined population of 171,000, with nearly half of them living in the twin cities of Marysville and Yuba City, which sit on either side of the Feather River and are about 40 miles north of Sacramento, the state capital.
Agents with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control on Tuesday asked restaurants to close in-house dining voluntarily, said John Carr, a spokesman with the agency.
The agency says that restaurants can only operate for takeout service under the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order. Alcoholic beverages can be sold to go, but must be in a sealed container. Bars that don’t serve food cannot operate under the state order.
Any business that refuses to comply with a warning to shut down could see its license to sell alcohol suspended or revoked, the agency said on its website. Defiance of the statewide order, the agency said, “endangers public health and safety.”
Newsom’s stay-at-home order also requires the shutdown of bars and nightclubs that don’t serve food, gyms, and hair and nail salons. Newsom says when local and state stay-at-home rules conflict, the stricter rule applies.
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A day after the state’s action, the health officer for Yuba and Sutter counties expressed concern that local businesses and residents were not doing their part to adhere to local social distancing and face covering rules needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has led to more than 60,000 confirmed infections and more than 2,400 deaths across California.
Even as Dr. Phuong Luu, the health officer for Yuba and Sutter Counties, ordered an easing of the local stay-at-home order at odds with the state’s rules — allowing restaurants, stores, gyms, salons, spas and tattoo parlors to reopen — she wrote a letter Wednesday criticizing businesses that failed to enforce new local rules requiring face coverings and keeping customers six feet apart from each other.
“I understand that some of your customers may strongly object to a facial-covering requirement, but the long-term safety of our community is at stake. We do not want to take any steps back in our phasing-in efforts,” Luu wrote in a letter dated Wednesday.
“If you have an indoor business that allows customers and clients, adequate social distancing is not likely to occur on any consistent basis. Therefore, such operations must include both social-distancing and facial-coverings protocols. It is incumbent on these business owners to ensure their staff is wearing facial coverings and to require their customers/clients to do the same.”
Luu warned of grave health impacts if businesses don’t comply.
“It is imperative to make all necessary adjustments to the way we conduct business in our community immediately so that we do not run the risk of seeing a resurgence and need to go back to stricter orders,” Luu wrote.
Yuba and Sutter counties were two of three Northern California counties in the past week to defy Newsom’s orders, allowing businesses to reopen beyond the statewide order. The third county, Modoc, in the northeastern corner of California, has fewer than 9,000 residents.
Modoc County is one of four California counties to not record a single confirmed case of the coronavirus. Yuba and Sutter counties have recorded a combined 50 coronavirus cases and three deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
As of Tuesday, only one person was hospitalized in Yuba and Sutter counties and suspected to have the coronavirus, according to the California Health and Human Services Agency.
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.
On Tuesday, Newsom criticized Yuba and Sutter counties for reopening businesses still ordered shut by the statewide order. The Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City reopened Wednesday, although not all stores inside were open.
“They’re making a big mistake. They’re putting their public at risk. They’re putting our progress at risk,” Newsom said during a COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento on Tuesday. “These are real exceptions. The overwhelming majority of Californians are playing by the rules doing the right thing.”
The new health order for Yuba and Sutter counties still prohibits some businesses from reopening, 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, said earlier this week that 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.
Times staff writers Phil Willon and Taryn Luna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-07--Just in time for Mother's Day, L.A. flower shops reopen after coronavirus shutdown

Hugging your mom on Mother ’ s Day may be out of the question , but praising her with flowers this weekend just got a bit easier .
Flower shops across Los Angeles County will reopen this Friday for curbside pickup , giving florists a chance to sell on one of their biggest days of the year .
County officials announced Wednesday that they will allow several retailers to open their doors , including clothing stores , bookstores , sporting good stores and car dealerships .
For flower shops , Mother ’ s Day weekend is a pivotal event that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earnings .
It ’ s also the start of a busy season that then pivots to spring weddings and summer events , said Kate Penn , chief executive of the Society of American Florists .
The organization has spent recent weeks lobbying on behalf of nearly 4,000 florists , wholesale dealers and growers nationwide for the reopening of businesses that sell flowers , a commodity categorized as horticulture .
“ Our industry is so relieved to be coming back , ” Penn said .
“ I can ’ t imagine us having a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Los Angeles , the heart of the flower trade is downtown ‘ s Flower District , a roughly six-block area comprising hundreds of vendors , considered by many to be the biggest in the country .
Roses , lilies , orchids and countless other flowers are imported from as far away as Colombia and Costa Rica and purchased by local flower shops , funeral homes , hospitals and event planners .
The district props up a diverse ecosystem of small businesses , including street vendors .
Some estimates indicate that businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion a year .
Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke about the Flower District at a briefing this week , calling it the “ Big Daddy.
” He allowed wholesale dealers to reopen and begin stocking up their inventory on Tuesday under strict social distancing guidelines .
“ We saw some other flower marts that do wholesale open in other parts of the state and even in this county , ” Garcetti said .
“ And we thought if those ones have stayed open this one should be as well especially coming up for Mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mix of feelings for business owners across the district .
Many , like Mark Chatoff , president and CEO of California Flower Mall , were pleased to hear they would be serving customers once more .
“ It ’ s been quite the challenge getting through this , ” Chatoff said .
“ For weeks , we had nothing and now we have something .
It ’ s a good start.
” Since he closed up shop in mid-March , Chatoff estimates , he lost about 20 % of his 40 vendors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 100,000 worth of flowers to dispose of when the pandemic hit ; others feared they could not weather the loss or uncertainty , so they permanently shut down .
“ These were hardworking , loyal people who had been here for years supporting their families , ” he said .
One of the concerns vendors regularly brought to Chatoff in recent weeks had to do with outside vendors -- the dozens of mom and pop flower shops that deal independently in the district .
As Mother ’ s Day approached , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and county orders and open their stores .
“ There were a few renegades , ” Chatoff said .
“ They were running willy-nilly thinking if they get busted , they get busted.
” Some business owners were concerned that these rule breakers were going to lure away customers in the long run by offering cheaper prices .
Others who followed protocol said they felt blindsided by the mayor ’ s decision to reopen , leaving them at a disadvantage just days before Mother ’ s Day .
“ It usually takes me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said one rose vendor at the Original Los Angeles Flower Market who declined to give her name .
“ I sell seven trailers ’ worth of flowers .
This year , I ’ m hoping to get just one because I don ’ t have the inventory.
” Estela Lopez , executive director of the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District , said she was happy to hear that businesses would be earning income once more , but she worried about the city ’ s efforts to keep the area safe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a destination for shoppers from across Southern California .
On Mother ’ s Day , a crush of people descends on the area to buy bouquets for moms , grandmothers and aunts .
On those days , the narrow sidewalks and shops are packed with floral arrangements , balloons and generations of families .
Lopez said she worries that the bigger wholesalers such as Mellano and the Southern California Flower Market will be better informed and regulated , but the smaller shops that the public patronizes most won ’ t know all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If you think the beaches got crowded , wait until you see how busy this place gets , ” Lopez said .
“ The last thing you want is for people to be unprepared , to get sick themselves or bring this virus home to Grandma.
” City officials said they have a team working closely with businesses to emphasize safety protocols .
In recent weeks , they said , 95 % of locations in the district complied with orders and stayed closed , and officials visited and warned about 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday morning , Gladys Soria was relieved to be back at work at Lupita ’ s Flowers .
She and 10 other workers had been busy since they opened at 5 a.m. , taking orders .
There was a buzz of chatter in the shop as workers rang up roses and bouquets .
“ It feels good , ” said Soria , who has worked at the corner shop for five years .
“ Bills don ’ t pay themselves .
I ’ m just hoping everything will go back to normal soon @ @

Hugging your mom on Mother’s Day may be out of the question, but praising her with flowers this weekend just got a bit easier.
Flower shops across Los Angeles County will reopen this Friday for curbside pickup, giving florists a chance to sell on one of their biggest days of the year.
County officials announced Wednesday that they will allow several retailers to open their doors, including clothing stores, bookstores, sporting good stores and car dealerships.
For flower shops, Mother’s Day weekend is a pivotal event that provides some shops with half their annual earnings. It’s also the start of a busy season that then pivots to spring weddings and summer events, said Kate Penn, chief executive of the Society of American Florists.
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The organization has spent recent weeks lobbying on behalf of nearly 4,000 florists, wholesale dealers and growers nationwide for the reopening of businesses that sell flowers, a commodity categorized as horticulture.
Carlos Trejo, who works for Patty’s Flowers in Costa Mesa, purchases flowers in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Flower arrangement at Lupita’s Flowers in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
“Our industry is so relieved to be coming back,” Penn said. “I can’t imagine us having a Mother’s Day without flowers.”
In Los Angeles, the heart of the flower trade is downtown‘s Flower District, a roughly six-block area comprising hundreds of vendors, considered by many to be the biggest in the country. Roses, lilies, orchids and countless other flowers are imported from as far away as Colombia and Costa Rica and purchased by local flower shops, funeral homes, hospitals and event planners.
The district props up a diverse ecosystem of small businesses, including street vendors. Some estimates indicate that businesses in the area collectively produce about $1 billion a year.
Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke about the Flower District at a briefing this week, calling it the “Big Daddy.” He allowed wholesale dealers to reopen and begin stocking up their inventory on Tuesday under strict social distancing guidelines.
“We saw some other flower marts that do wholesale open in other parts of the state and even in this county,” Garcetti said. “And we thought if those ones have stayed open this one should be as well especially coming up for Mother’s Day.”
Advertisement
The announcement triggered a mix of feelings for business owners across the district.
Many, like Mark Chatoff, president and CEO of California Flower Mall, were pleased to hear they would be serving customers once more.
“It’s been quite the challenge getting through this,” Chatoff said. “For weeks, we had nothing and now we have something. It’s a good start.”
The Original Los Angeles Flower Market in downtown Los Angeles will reopen Friday ahead of Mother’s Day weekend. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Since he closed up shop in mid-March, Chatoff estimates, he lost about 20% of his 40 vendors. Some were left with up to $100,000 worth of flowers to dispose of when the pandemic hit; others feared they could not weather the loss or uncertainty, so they permanently shut down.
“These were hardworking, loyal people who had been here for years supporting their families,” he said.
Advertisement
One of the concerns vendors regularly brought to Chatoff in recent weeks had to do with outside vendors -- the dozens of mom and pop flower shops that deal independently in the district.
As Mother’s Day approached, a number of them began to defy city and county orders and open their stores.
“There were a few renegades,” Chatoff said. “They were running willy-nilly thinking if they get busted, they get busted.”
Flower wholesalers are allowed to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Some business owners were concerned that these rule breakers were going to lure away customers in the long run by offering cheaper prices.
Others who followed protocol said they felt blindsided by the mayor’s decision to reopen, leaving them at a disadvantage just days before Mother’s Day.
“It usually takes me three weeks to prepare for this day,” said one rose vendor at the Original Los Angeles Flower Market who declined to give her name. “I sell seven trailers’ worth of flowers. This year, I’m hoping to get just one because I don’t have the inventory.”
Advertisement
Estela Lopez, executive director of the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District, said she was happy to hear that businesses would be earning income once more, but she worried about the city’s efforts to keep the area safe.
For years, the Flower District has been a destination for shoppers from across Southern California. On Mother’s Day, a crush of people descends on the area to buy bouquets for moms, grandmothers and aunts. On those days, the narrow sidewalks and shops are packed with floral arrangements, balloons and generations of families.
Lopez said she worries that the bigger wholesalers such as Mellano and the Southern California Flower Market will be better informed and regulated, but the smaller shops that the public patronizes most won’t know all the regulations -- or bother obeying them.
Flower wholesalers are allowed to reopen ahead of Mother’s Day weekend. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
“If you think the beaches got crowded, wait until you see how busy this place gets,” Lopez said. “The last thing you want is for people to be unprepared, to get sick themselves or bring this virus home to Grandma.”
City officials said they have a team working closely with businesses to emphasize safety protocols. In recent weeks, they said, 95% of locations in the district complied with orders and stayed closed, and officials visited and warned about 65 flower shops and wholesale locations.
On Wednesday morning, Gladys Soria was relieved to be back at work at Lupita’s Flowers. She and 10 other workers had been busy since they opened at 5 a.m., taking orders. There was a buzz of chatter in the shop as workers rang up roses and bouquets.
Advertisement
“It feels good,” said Soria, who has worked at the corner shop for five years. “Bills don’t pay themselves. I’m just hoping everything will go back to normal soon.”


latimes--2020-05-07--Skip the steak, buy the brisket: Consumers need to be flexible amid beef bottlenecks

Skip the steak and buy the brisket .
Start going for those big , bone-in options .
And if you still want prime cuts and can afford it , consider buying directly from a local butcher .
That ’ s one message from California cattle ranchers and suppliers as the closure of big meat processing plants across the country creates a bottleneck for processed beef .
As they work hard to get their animals to market , buyers can help steady the supply chain by branching out .
“ I always tell people , ‘ Why don ’ t you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morris , co-owner of T.O .
Cattle Co. and Morris Grassfed in San Juan Bautista , which normally does brisk trade in steaks but has been overwhelmed by recent orders .
“ They are easy to cook .
They are delicious .
They feed a family .
They leave leftovers.
” As the coronavirus crisis continues to disrupt normal food supply chains , those in the beef industry are looking for new ways to sell animals , and stretch each one that gets to market further .
Nationwide , dozens of processing plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus among employees .
Unions are calling for more protections for workers , even as President Trump has demanded processors keep operating to feed the nation .
Some fast-food outlets have struggled to source enough meat for their carry-out and drive-through customers .
Groceries are working around the clock to stock shelves , but are seeing some shortages .
In California , which is one of the biggest beef producing states in the U.S. , cattle ranchers are not immune to the fallout .
For large operations in particular , the reduction in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of cattle they can get to market .
Reshuffling is going to take some time , and supply might fall short as long as the bottleneck is there , said Dave Daley , a fifth-generation cattleman in Butte County and chair of the California Cattle Council .
“ The most important thing we can do is to get those processing facilities open and working and safe , ” because local butchers can ’ t make up for shuttered processing plants that normally handle thousands of cattle per day , Daley said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto longer than chicken and pork , and Daley said he does not expect California ranchers to begin killing off unused animals .
They will keep herds on green pastures and keep looking for ways to sell more animals into the market , he said .
Still , the outlook is cloudy .
Buyers of ranch cattle are unsure of what demand will look like in coming weeks , and how many animals they will be able to move into market due to processing slowdowns , all of which has held down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is high , Daley said .
“ Logically , if people want to buy it , the price would go up .
The problem is we can ’ t get it through the process , ” he said .
“ There is a lot of frustration in the agriculture community.
” Some critics of the meat industry say a drop in meat consumption would be a good thing , given the industry ’ s contribution to climate change , the health impacts of a meat-heavy diet and ethical concerns about eating animals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardly the time to let such a vital supply of food shrivel .
To help , customers shouldn ’ t hoard meat , because that frustrates efforts to reach a new balance between supply and demand and adds volatility to pricing , those in the industry said .
Shoppers also shouldn ’ t fear that suddenly there will be no meat , because there is a lot of it in California .
But they will need to be patient .
Until the processing facilities are up and running again , buyers can expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliance on frozen products , Daley and others said .
“ We ’ ll get you the beef , but we got ta get time to get it through that processing facility , ” Daley said .
Buyers should also get more creative , said Chelsea Minor , corporate director of public affairs for Raley ’ s , a family-owned grocery chain with 127 stores in Northern California and Nevada .
Some processing facilities are looking for ways to speed up production , and one way to do that would be to spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shoppers could help facilitate the shift by increasing demand for those cuts , Minor said .
“ Don ’ t be afraid of a bone , ” she said .
“ Don ’ t be afraid to try something different.
” Cody Nicholson Stratton , a dairy farmer who also sells meat from his family ’ s land in Ferndale , said big processors are important because they help feed big urban populations cheaply .
But the current crisis has highlighted the lack of diversity in processing in California , as smaller butcheries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown in market share .
That makes everyone in the industry more vulnerable to sudden shutdowns of big processing facilities , he said .
“ We need more butchers .
We need more independent processors , ” he said .
But it also shows how important smaller producers are in the market , especially now .
From his family ’ s farm , which he helps run alongside his family and husband Thomas , Nicholson Stratton has continued providing dairy for partner Rumiano Cheese Co. And on his own website , under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has continued offering up meat , including beef tongue for $ 20 , a pound of ground beef for $ 10 and marrow bones for $ 15 .
“ More people are shopping closer to home , buying directly from a farmer right now when they maybe hadn ’ t in the past , ” he said .
Belcampo , which sells organic meats at a premium in boutique butcheries in Los Angeles and the Bay Area , has seen in-store butcher shop sales nearly quadruple , and online sales explode .
Anya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said her company was able to handle the surge because it farms its own animals in Yreka , Calif. , and owns its own small slaughterhouse , sparing it from the broader industry turmoil .
“ We control our own supply chain , ” she said .
“ This is a time when local butchers can really shine .
”

California’s livestock industry is urging consumers to try out cuts of beef other than prime steaks.
Skip the steak and buy the brisket. Start going for those big, bone-in options. And if you still want prime cuts and can afford it, consider buying directly from a local butcher.
That’s one message from California cattle ranchers and suppliers as the closure of big meat processing plants across the country creates a bottleneck for processed beef. As they work hard to get their animals to market, buyers can help steady the supply chain by branching out.
“I always tell people, ‘Why don’t you want roasts?’” said Julie Morris, co-owner of T.O. Cattle Co. and Morris Grassfed in San Juan Bautista, which normally does brisk trade in steaks but has been overwhelmed by recent orders. “They are easy to cook. They are delicious. They feed a family. They leave leftovers.”
Advertisement
As the coronavirus crisis continues to disrupt normal food supply chains, those in the beef industry are looking for new ways to sell animals, and stretch each one that gets to market further.
Nationwide, dozens of processing plants have shuttered because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among employees. Unions are calling for more protections for workers, even as President Trump has demanded processors keep operating to feed the nation.
Some fast-food outlets have struggled to source enough meat for their carry-out and drive-through customers. Groceries are working around the clock to stock shelves, but are seeing some shortages.
In California, which is one of the biggest beef producing states in the U.S., cattle ranchers are not immune to the fallout. For large operations in particular, the reduction in processing has meant a sharp decline in the number of cattle they can get to market.
Reshuffling is going to take some time, and supply might fall short as long as the bottleneck is there, said Dave Daley, a fifth-generation cattleman in Butte County and chair of the California Cattle Council.
Advertisement
“The most important thing we can do is to get those processing facilities open and working and safe,” because local butchers can’t make up for shuttered processing plants that normally handle thousands of cattle per day, Daley said.
Luckily, cattle can be held onto longer than chicken and pork, and Daley said he does not expect California ranchers to begin killing off unused animals. They will keep herds on green pastures and keep looking for ways to sell more animals into the market, he said.
Still, the outlook is cloudy.
Buyers of ranch cattle are unsure of what demand will look like in coming weeks, and how many animals they will be able to move into market due to processing slowdowns, all of which has held down the price per head even though grocery demand is high, Daley said.
“Logically, if people want to buy it, the price would go up. The problem is we can’t get it through the process,” he said. “There is a lot of frustration in the agriculture community.”
Some critics of the meat industry say a drop in meat consumption would be a good thing, given the industry’s contribution to climate change, the health impacts of a meat-heavy diet and ethical concerns about eating animals. But meat producers say it’s hardly the time to let such a vital supply of food shrivel.
To help, customers shouldn’t hoard meat, because that frustrates efforts to reach a new balance between supply and demand and adds volatility to pricing, those in the industry said. Shoppers also shouldn’t fear that suddenly there will be no meat, because there is a lot of it in California. But they will need to be patient.
Until the processing facilities are up and running again, buyers can expect less variety, fewer brands and more reliance on frozen products, Daley and others said.
“We’ll get you the beef, but we gotta get time to get it through that processing facility,” Daley said.
Buyers should also get more creative, said Chelsea Minor, corporate director of public affairs for Raley’s, a family-owned grocery chain with 127 stores in Northern California and Nevada.
Some processing facilities are looking for ways to speed up production, and one way to do that would be to spend less time deboning cuts of meat. Shoppers could help facilitate the shift by increasing demand for those cuts, Minor said.
“Don’t be afraid of a bone,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to try something different.”
Cody Nicholson Stratton, a dairy farmer who also sells meat from his family’s land in Ferndale, said big processors are important because they help feed big urban populations cheaply. But the current crisis has highlighted the lack of diversity in processing in California, as smaller butcheries have gone away and large processors have grown in market share.
That makes everyone in the industry more vulnerable to sudden shutdowns of big processing facilities, he said. “We need more butchers. We need more independent processors,” he said.
But it also shows how important smaller producers are in the market, especially now.
From his family’s farm, which he helps run alongside his family and husband Thomas, Nicholson Stratton has continued providing dairy for partner Rumiano Cheese Co. And on his own website, under the Foggy Bottoms Boys brand, Nicholson Stratton has continued offering up meat, including beef tongue for $20, a pound of ground beef for $10 and marrow bones for $15.
“More people are shopping closer to home, buying directly from a farmer right now when they maybe hadn’t in the past,” he said.
Belcampo, which sells organic meats at a premium in boutique butcheries in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, has seen in-store butcher shop sales nearly quadruple, and online sales explode.
Anya Fernald, Belcampo’s CEO, said her company was able to handle the surge because it farms its own animals in Yreka, Calif., and owns its own small slaughterhouse, sparing it from the broader industry turmoil.
“We control our own supply chain,” she said. “This is a time when local butchers can really shine.”


latimes--2020-05-07--Desperate for coronavirus help, California spending billions on no-bid contracts with little account

Desperate for coronavirus help, California spending billions on no-bid contracts with little accountability

In a frantic effort to secure face masks and respond to the coronavirus crisis , California has committed to spend more than $ 3.7 billion on no-bid contracts , scores of them with businesses that have no track record with the state .
A Times data analysis found that nearly a third of those funds — about $ 1.2 billion — has been earmarked for suppliers of goods and services that do not appear in the state ’ s database of contracts prior to the COVID-19 outbreak .
Since Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s emergency order on March 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors , including a medical staffing firm that signed a $ 500-million deal and a company headed by the former attorney general of Alabama , who secured orders for more than $ 326 million for face masks and shields .
There have already been examples of questionable deals and alleged fraud across the country .
The Times reported last month that California officials are paying more than 300 % above list prices for masks .
And a powerful California union that claimed to have discovered 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scam uncovered by FBI investigators , authorities alleged .
Spending watchdogs acknowledge that state governments are under immense pressure to secure medical supplies during times of crisis .
But they caution that if officials don ’ t adhere to accepted purchasing protocols , such as dealing only with companies that have direct lines to manufacturers and proven track records in government contracts , they could result in bad deals .
“ Pandemic times lead to pandemic decisions , which are not usually well-thought-out , ” said Sergio Fernandez de Cordova , the chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is working with the consulting firm Raymond Associates LLC to secure better mask deals for government agencies .
The state ’ s initial pandemic response is estimated to cost at least $ 7 billion by the end of the year , and the Newsom administration has told lawmakers the state is counting on the federal government to pick up the bulk of those costs .
But FEMA must first determine whether purchase prices were reasonable , according to a guidance drafted by the Office of Emergency Services .
Under California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchases and sign contracts without the usual accountability measures required for multi-million dollar deals , such as obtaining competitive bids or waiting for delivery before payment .
Jon Coupal , president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.
, said the public is generally forgiving of “ decisions made on the fly in an emergency , ” but that transparency is paramount .
“ When your house is on fire , taxpayers understand that you won ’ t price-check hoses — you have to act quickly , ” he said .
“ But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they bought and how it was negotiated.
” It ’ s unclear how much has been paid out so far .
Until Wednesday , one of California ’ s largest and least transparent transactions had been a nearly billion-dollar contract for protective masks from Chinese automaker BYD .
Government contracts are public under state law .
But Newsom ’ s Office of Emergency Services had refused to make the BYD contract public or to disclose such relevant details as the price per mask , claiming that doing so “ would introduce substantial and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to secure necessary supplies.
” Documents subsequently obtained by The Times from the state treasurer ’ s office through a public records request show that California agreed to pay $ 3.30 per mask made by a BYD subsidiary , Global Healthcare Product Solutions .
On Wednesday , Newsom abruptly shifted course to release the BYD contract , which revealed the company agreed that same day to reimburse the state $ 247.5 million for a delay in the mask delivery .
Newsom blamed government attorneys for the delay in releasing the contract .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been made public as quickly as we would like them to be , ” he said during a midday briefing streamed online .
“ And you , the public , deserve that information.
” Details on many other state deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars have been similarly hard to come by .
In contrast , when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the city would buy 24 million N95 masks over the course of two years at 79 cents each , the contract was released to The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutting deals with new suppliers was illustrated in late March when state officials abruptly clawed back a wire transfer of nearly $ 500 million to a firm that was offering protective masks , according to state treasurer ’ s records .
The company , Blue Flame Medical LLC , was founded recently by two GOP operatives to provide coronavirus-related supplies .
A company official did not return a call for comment .
The deal ’ s collapse was first reported this week by CalMatters .
The company had another contract with Maryland that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some companies with no record of previous business with California have so far delivered on their agreements .
The state agreed last month to pay $ 2.8 million to a Pennsylvania outfit called Arnold ’ s Used Office Furniture to supply face masks to the corrections department .
The company , which has a furniture showroom in suburban Philadelphia , had not previously done business with the state , and its website touts conference room tables and cubicle dividers but not personal protective gear .
Messages left for company President Jordan Berkowitz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who took over his family furniture business , were not returned .
Despite appearing to be new to the mask dealing industry , Arnold ’ s Used Furniture has delivered 1 million surgical masks ordered for 79 cents each and 650,000 KN95 masks are expected to be delivered next week at $ 2.80 each , a corrections department spokeswoman said .
In addition to medical supplies , the state also has struck deals for services .
The California Department of Public Health signed a six-month contract on March 23 for up to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aya Healthcare to provide workers at hospitals the state opened to help with the pandemic .
Aya Healthcare declined to comment on any of the particulars of the contract , citing a request from state public health officials .
“ I can ’ t comment on that contract , ” said Sophia Morris , vice president of account management at Aya Healthcare , which is headquartered in San Diego .
“ They ’ ve told me to redirect you back to them.
” The state ’ s public health department offered few details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times ’ request for its release , a spokeswoman said .
On April 3 , the state public health department also inked a $ 500-million deal with Medefis , a Nebraska-based company that maintains a national database of healthcare professionals for hire .
State procurement records show that Medefis , which has not previously worked with the state , billed for $ 706,000 so far under the contract .
One of the state ’ s largest contracts , for more than $ 300 million , went to Bear Mountain Development Co. LLC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Troy King , who served as Alabama ’ s attorney general from 2004 to 2011 .
He mounted a losing campaign for the same post in 2018 , and in March of this year he was knocked out of the race for a seat in the U.S. House when he finished fourth in Alabama ’ s Republican primary .
On April 8 , Mark Ghilarducci , the director of the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services , cited Bear Mountain as an example of California “ working with direct contracts ” with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of masks .
Since then , the state has made deals with Bear Mountain totaling more than $ 326 million for face shields and medical isolation masks , according to state procurement records .
It ’ s unclear how and when King , 51 , got into the medical supply business .
He currently heads a small personal-injury law firm in Montgomery , Ala. Alabama corporate records show he has been involved with a dozen businesses as an officer , organizer or registered agent .
Several , including Rx Connections and Rx Solutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field , but they and most of the other business entities have been dissolved .
Among those still in existence is Innovate !
Technologies Inc. , which King formed in 2012 .
According to an article on the AL.com website in 2013 , the company had developed a game called “ O-craps !
” offered to Indian casinos .
“ It looks like a craps game , ” King told the website , “ but it ’ s bingo balls , bingo cards , daubing , etc .
… It ’ s bingo.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a recent ProPublica article about another entrepreneur ’ s failed effort to execute a $ 34-million contract to deliver masks and other protective equipment to the Veterans Administration .
King had offered to broker that deal but a spokeswoman told ProPublica that no agreement was made .
King didn ’ t return phone calls and emails for comment for this story .
Bear Mountain ’ s supplier appears to be Mimish-PPE , a New York company formed late last month , according to its website and state business filings .
Mimish says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fulfilling a California order with Bear Mountain for 400 million masks and 200 million face shields .
Mimish PPE shares the same Brooklyn address as Mimish Designs , which sells craft bean bags , throw pillows and other stylish goods .
Mimish representatives did not return phone calls and emails .
Times staff writers John Myers , Harriet Ryan , Dakota Smith and Paige St. John contributed to this report

Melody Gutierrez, Adam Elmahrek, Ben Poston, Kim Christensen

In a frantic effort to secure face masks and respond to the coronavirus crisis, California has committed to spend more than $3.7 billion on no-bid contracts, scores of them with businesses that have no track record with the state.
A Times data analysis found that nearly a third of those funds — about $1.2 billion — has been earmarked for suppliers of goods and services that do not appear in the state’s database of contracts prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency order on March 4, at least 80 were to first-time vendors, including a medical staffing firm that signed a $500-million deal and a company headed by the former attorney general of Alabama, who secured orders for more than $326 million for face masks and shields.
There have already been examples of questionable deals and alleged fraud across the country. The Times reported last month that California officials are paying more than 300% above list prices for masks. And a powerful California union that claimed to have discovered 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the novel coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, authorities alleged.
Advertisement
Spending watchdogs acknowledge that state governments are under immense pressure to secure medical supplies during times of crisis.
But they caution that if officials don’t adhere to accepted purchasing protocols, such as dealing only with companies that have direct lines to manufacturers and proven track records in government contracts, they could result in bad deals.
“Pandemic times lead to pandemic decisions, which are not usually well-thought-out,” said Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, the chair of a media nonprofit in New York who is working with the consulting firm Raymond Associates LLC to secure better mask deals for government agencies.
The state’s initial pandemic response is estimated to cost at least $7 billion by the end of the year, and the Newsom administration has told lawmakers the state is counting on the federal government to pick up the bulk of those costs. But FEMA must first determine whether purchase prices were reasonable, according to a guidance drafted by the Office of Emergency Services.
Under California’s emergency order, state agencies can make purchases and sign contracts without the usual accountability measures required for multi-million dollar deals, such as obtaining competitive bids or waiting for delivery before payment.
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., said the public is generally forgiving of “decisions made on the fly in an emergency,” but that transparency is paramount.
Advertisement
“When your house is on fire, taxpayers understand that you won’t price-check hoses — you have to act quickly,” he said. “But the state needs to come clean on what they bought and how it was negotiated.”
It’s unclear how much has been paid out so far.
Until Wednesday, one of California’s largest and least transparent transactions had been a nearly billion-dollar contract for protective masks from Chinese automaker BYD.
Government contracts are public under state law. But Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services had refused to make the BYD contract public or to disclose such relevant details as the price per mask, claiming that doing so “would introduce substantial and unnecessary risk to the state’s ability to secure necessary supplies.”
Documents subsequently obtained by The Times from the state treasurer’s office through a public records request show that California agreed to pay $3.30 per mask made by a BYD subsidiary, Global Healthcare Product Solutions.
On Wednesday, Newsom abruptly shifted course to release the BYD contract, which revealed the company agreed that same day to reimburse the state $247.5 million for a delay in the mask delivery. Newsom blamed government attorneys for the delay in releasing the contract.
“A lot of these contracts haven’t been made public as quickly as we would like them to be,” he said during a midday briefing streamed online. “And you, the public, deserve that information.”
Details on many other state deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars have been similarly hard to come by.
In contrast, when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the city would buy 24 million N95 masks over the course of two years at 79 cents each, the contract was released to The Times days later.
The potential peril of cutting deals with new suppliers was illustrated in late March when state officials abruptly clawed back a wire transfer of nearly $500 million to a firm that was offering protective masks, according to state treasurer’s records.
The company, Blue Flame Medical LLC, was founded recently by two GOP operatives to provide coronavirus-related supplies. A company official did not return a call for comment. The deal’s collapse was first reported this week by CalMatters. The company had another contract with Maryland that was also canceled.
State officials say some companies with no record of previous business with California have so far delivered on their agreements.
The state agreed last month to pay $2.8 million to a Pennsylvania outfit called Arnold’s Used Office Furniture to supply face masks to the corrections department.
The company, which has a furniture showroom in suburban Philadelphia, had not previously done business with the state, and its website touts conference room tables and cubicle dividers but not personal protective gear.
Messages left for company President Jordan Berkowitz, 33, a onetime teen poker prodigy who took over his family furniture business, were not returned.
Despite appearing to be new to the mask dealing industry, Arnold’s Used Furniture has delivered 1 million surgical masks ordered for 79 cents each and 650,000 KN95 masks are expected to be delivered next week at $2.80 each, a corrections department spokeswoman said.
In addition to medical supplies, the state also has struck deals for services.
The California Department of Public Health signed a six-month contract on March 23 for up to $1 billion with the healthcare staffing firm Aya Healthcare to provide workers at hospitals the state opened to help with the pandemic.
Aya Healthcare declined to comment on any of the particulars of the contract, citing a request from state public health officials.
“I can’t comment on that contract,” said Sophia Morris, vice president of account management at Aya Healthcare, which is headquartered in San Diego. “They’ve told me to redirect you back to them.”
The state’s public health department offered few details about the contract and is reviewing The Times’ request for its release, a spokeswoman said.
On April 3, the state public health department also inked a $500-million deal with Medefis, a Nebraska-based company that maintains a national database of healthcare professionals for hire.
State procurement records show that Medefis, which has not previously worked with the state, billed for $706,000 so far under the contract.
One of the state’s largest contracts, for more than $300 million, went to Bear Mountain Development Co. LLC. The company was formed in 2014 by Troy King, who served as Alabama’s attorney general from 2004 to 2011. He mounted a losing campaign for the same post in 2018, and in March of this year he was knocked out of the race for a seat in the U.S. House when he finished fourth in Alabama’s Republican primary.
On April 8, Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, cited Bear Mountain as an example of California “working with direct contracts” with large vendors to obtain tens of millions of masks.
Since then, the state has made deals with Bear Mountain totaling more than $326 million for face shields and medical isolation masks, according to state procurement records.
It’s unclear how and when King, 51, got into the medical supply business. He currently heads a small personal-injury law firm in Montgomery, Ala.
Alabama corporate records show he has been involved with a dozen businesses as an officer, organizer or registered agent. Several, including Rx Connections and Rx Solutions, appeared to be in the healthcare field, but they and most of the other business entities have been dissolved.
Among those still in existence is Innovate! Technologies Inc., which King formed in 2012. According to an article on the AL.com website in 2013, the company had developed a game called “O-craps!” offered to Indian casinos.
“It looks like a craps game,” King told the website, “but it’s bingo balls, bingo cards, daubing, etc. … It’s bingo.”
King and Bear Mountain were included in a recent ProPublica article about another entrepreneur’s failed effort to execute a $34-million contract to deliver masks and other protective equipment to the Veterans Administration. King had offered to broker that deal but a spokeswoman told ProPublica that no agreement was made.
King didn’t return phone calls and emails for comment for this story.
Bear Mountain’s supplier appears to be Mimish-PPE, a New York company formed late last month, according to its website and state business filings. Mimish says on its website that it’s fulfilling a California order with Bear Mountain for 400 million masks and 200 million face shields.
Mimish PPE shares the same Brooklyn address as Mimish Designs, which sells craft bean bags, throw pillows and other stylish goods.
Mimish representatives did not return phone calls and emails.
Times staff writers John Myers, Harriet Ryan, Dakota Smith and Paige St. John contributed to this report


latimes--2020-05-07--Banks: Pain, fear and isolation. COVID-19 made his hospital stay even more surreal and sad

The pain , like a knife , had been stabbing his insides for three days when my son-in-law finally called the nurse hotline for advice .
By then he could barely move from the bed and couldn ’ t even keep a glass of water down .
The nurse directed him to head to the emergency room right away .
And that unleashed a tag team of worries in his mind : Something very wrong was going on inside his body .
But might something worse contaminate him in a medical setting swamped by COVID-19 ?
“ I didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayhem of a hospital , ” recalls TJ , my son-in-law .
“ I knew everything was different ; I didn ’ t know what to expect.
” For weeks health officials had been warning the public that unless absolutely necessary , emergency rooms should be avoided ; they might be overrun with contagious coronavirus cases .
But staying home had undoubtedly escalated the seriousness of TJ ’ s condition , complicating its prognosis .
His stomachache signaled an abscess near his appendix ; the delay in treatment allowed the infection to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of what some doctors consider an under-the-radar epidemic of patients who delay seeking care for what turn out to be dangerous medical issues .
Emergency room visits have dropped dramatically , and many people don ’ t show up until they ’ re critically ill .
Even people with heart attacks and strokes are trying to wait it out , hoping their problem will resolve .
“ I worry people are suffering at home because they ’ re afraid our emergency rooms are radioactive , ” Antelope Valley physician Larry Stock told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time my son-in-law drove himself to the hospital , the virulent infection coursing through his abdomen had invaded his appendix .
And what might have been routine surgery and a one-night hospital stay would turn into two torturous weeks of fear , pain and paranoia , in a setting transformed by the coronavirus crisis .
When he arrived at the hospital on the morning of April 1 , the check-in procedure in the parking lot was enough to shake TJ up .
He had to drive through a maze of checkpoints ; an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different screening tents .
When he made it into the building , there were blood tests , X-rays , IVs , more X-rays , and finally a diagnosis : appendicitis and an abscess that needed draining .
“ They told me , ‘ You can probably be back home by tomorrow evening , if all goes well , ’ ” he recalled .
All did not go well .
The abscess wouldn ’ t drain .
The infection spread .
His fever spiked .
His appendix ruptured .
His asthma kicked in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going home anytime soon , no one would be allowed to visit him .
“ That just about broke me , ” he told me .
“ I was already scared … .
For a million reasons , it would have been nice to have my wife there.
” The no-visit rule is a pandemic creation , to protect patients , guests and hospital employees from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 .
It applies to every patient — and takes a toll on them and their families .
“ The darkest thing is you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same four walls every day , ” TJ said .
And you know that no one is going to show up to break the monotony of that .
TJ had left home with nothing but his keys and wallet , so my daughter went to the hospital the next day to drop off his phone charger , toiletries and a fresh T-shirt Ahead of her in the drop-off line was a man bringing supplies for his wife .
The receptionist asked him what she was in the hospital for .
“ A miscarriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soft and wobbly with grief .
That just about broke my daughter .
She tried not to cry when the man turned to leave and she saw the pain in his eyes .
And then she did something that she still can ’ t quite explain : She pulled off her T-shirt and stuffed it in the bag with her husband ’ s things .
She knew people were staring as she dashed back to her car , in sweat pants and a sports bra .
But it seemed desperately important in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her to hold on to .
TJ came home three weeks ago , after 13 days in the hospital .
He ’ s still recovering from the ordeal .
His care was good and his surgeon first rate , but the precautions required by the pandemic made the whole experience surreal .
“ I didn ’ t feel human for a while , ” he told me in his living room as he tried to keep his 18-month-old daughter from head-butting his tender belly .
Everyone he encountered in that first week at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in protective gear , he said .
“ I couldn ’ t see a face ; I only saw eyes.
” He learned to recognize his nurses by their disembodied voices , “ because everyone was wearing that same blue onesie outfit ” that covers everything .
“ That ’ s one of the hardest things to talk about , ” he said .
“ Not seeing the people who were taking care of me .
Not knowing if they were smiling .
Not having anyone touch me .
It ’ s very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of that ... .
I didn ’ t realize how much it meant to have contact with somebody.
” I thought about my own brief stints in hospitals years ago .
The demeanor of the nurses meant everything .
When I was feeling scared or worried , a smile from my nurse could unburden me .
TJ had to buck himself up , absent that overt show of humanity .
So he seized on small familiar things : The jovial nurse who sometimes called him “ my son.
” The bald-headed guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greg .
They made him feel less alone .
But there are darker things he won ’ t easily forget .
They remind him of his blessings , even as they bind us to this bleak season , when health seems fragile and happiness fleeting .
After his surgery , TJ would practice walking up and down the hall outside his room .
One room away was an elderly woman .
He ’ d heard her nurse say something about a “ bypass ” as he shuffled by one day .
Another day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her daughter had driven a long way to see her , she said .
She pleaded for one brief visit with her daughter before she went into surgery .
The daughter was in the parking lot , but not allowed to enter the hospital .
The mother was inconsolable .
He imagined himself in her place .
“ It put into perspective what I was going through , ” he said .
Two days later , there was a cleaning cart outside the woman ’ s room when TJ walked by .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ red notice with one word , handwritten in block letters : DECEASED .

The pain, like a knife, had been stabbing his insides for three days when my son-in-law finally called the nurse hotline for advice. By then he could barely move from the bed and couldn’t even keep a glass of water down.
The nurse directed him to head to the emergency room right away. And that unleashed a tag team of worries in his mind: Something very wrong was going on inside his body. But might something worse contaminate him in a medical setting swamped by COVID-19?
“I didn’t want to get caught up in the mayhem of a hospital,” recalls TJ, my son-in-law. “I knew everything was different; I didn’t know what to expect.”
Advertisement
For weeks health officials had been warning the public that unless absolutely necessary, emergency rooms should be avoided; they might be overrun with contagious coronavirus cases.
Dr. Mark V. Morocco talks to a woman through her car window at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
But staying home had undoubtedly escalated the seriousness of TJ’s condition, complicating its prognosis. His stomachache signaled an abscess near his appendix; the delay in treatment allowed the infection to spread.
My son-in-law is now a part of what some doctors consider an under-the-radar epidemic of patients who delay seeking care for what turn out to be dangerous medical issues.
Emergency room visits have dropped dramatically, and many people don’t show up until they’re critically ill. Even people with heart attacks and strokes are trying to wait it out, hoping their problem will resolve.
“I worry people are suffering at home because they’re afraid our emergency rooms are radioactive,” Antelope Valley physician Larry Stock told Times reporter Joel Rubin.
Advertisement
By the time my son-in-law drove himself to the hospital, the virulent infection coursing through his abdomen had invaded his appendix.
And what might have been routine surgery and a one-night hospital stay would turn into two torturous weeks of fear, pain and paranoia, in a setting transformed by the coronavirus crisis.
A hospital worker waits for patients at a screening tent outside Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
When he arrived at the hospital on the morning of April 1, the check-in procedure in the parking lot was enough to shake TJ up. He had to drive through a maze of checkpoints; an hourlong process that took him through four different screening tents.
When he made it into the building, there were blood tests, X-rays, IVs, more X-rays, and finally a diagnosis: appendicitis and an abscess that needed draining.
“They told me, ‘You can probably be back home by tomorrow evening, if all goes well,’” he recalled.
All did not go well. The abscess wouldn’t drain. The infection spread. His fever spiked. His appendix ruptured. His asthma kicked in.
And not only would he not be going home anytime soon, no one would be allowed to visit him. “That just about broke me,” he told me. “I was already scared …. For a million reasons, it would have been nice to have my wife there.”
The no-visit rule is a pandemic creation, to protect patients, guests and hospital employees from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19. It applies to every patient — and takes a toll on them and their families.
“The darkest thing is you wake up and you stare at the same four walls every day,” TJ said. And you know that no one is going to show up to break the monotony of that.
A person in protective gear leaves the UCLA Medical Center emergency room. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
TJ had left home with nothing but his keys and wallet, so my daughter went to the hospital the next day to drop off his phone charger, toiletries and a fresh T-shirt
Ahead of her in the drop-off line was a man bringing supplies for his wife. The receptionist asked him what she was in the hospital for. “A miscarriage,” he said, his voice soft and wobbly with grief.
That just about broke my daughter. She tried not to cry when the man turned to leave and she saw the pain in his eyes. And then she did something that she still can’t quite explain: She pulled off her T-shirt and stuffed it in the bag with her husband’s things.
She knew people were staring as she dashed back to her car, in sweat pants and a sports bra. But it seemed desperately important in that moment that TJ have a bit of her to hold on to.
TJ came home three weeks ago, after 13 days in the hospital. He’s still recovering from the ordeal. His care was good and his surgeon first rate, but the precautions required by the pandemic made the whole experience surreal.
“I didn’t feel human for a while,” he told me in his living room as he tried to keep his 18-month-old daughter from head-butting his tender belly.
Everyone he encountered in that first week at the hospital was garbed head to toe in protective gear, he said. “I couldn’t see a face; I only saw eyes.” He learned to recognize his nurses by their disembodied voices, “because everyone was wearing that same blue onesie outfit” that covers everything.
“That’s one of the hardest things to talk about,” he said. “Not seeing the people who were taking care of me. Not knowing if they were smiling. Not having anyone touch me. It’s very cold to just be there and without all of that .... I didn’t realize how much it meant to have contact with somebody.”
I thought about my own brief stints in hospitals years ago. The demeanor of the nurses meant everything. When I was feeling scared or worried, a smile from my nurse could unburden me. TJ had to buck himself up, absent that overt show of humanity.
So he seized on small familiar things: The jovial nurse who sometimes called him “my son.” The bald-headed guy whose voice called to mind his friend Greg. They made him feel less alone.
But there are darker things he won’t easily forget. They remind him of his blessings, even as they bind us to this bleak season, when health seems fragile and happiness fleeting.
After his surgery, TJ would practice walking up and down the hall outside his room. One room away was an elderly woman. He’d heard her nurse say something about a “bypass” as he shuffled by one day.
Another day he heard her crying into the phone. Her daughter had driven a long way to see her, she said. She pleaded for one brief visit with her daughter before she went into surgery. The daughter was in the parking lot, but not allowed to enter the hospital. The mother was inconsolable.
He imagined himself in her place. “It put into perspective what I was going through,” he said.
Two days later, there was a cleaning cart outside the woman’s room when TJ walked by. And taped to the door was a red notice with one word, handwritten in block letters: DECEASED.


latimes--2020-05-07--'Don't go visit your mom' on Mother's Day, San Francisco health director advises

The director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health told residents Wednesday not to visit their mothers on Mother ’ s Day , even if wearing masks and keeping six feet apart .
Unless residents live in the same households with their mothers , “ the greatest gift we can give to our mothers this Mother ’ s Day is to stay away , ” said Dr. Grant Colfax , who formerly worked in the Obama White House on HIV prevention .
“ Don ’ t go visit your mom in person this year.
” Colfax ’ s advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , further muddles the picture of what Mother ’ s Day will look like Sunday in the Bay Area and beyond .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that he might allow certain businesses , including flower shops , to reopen as early as Friday .
In Los Angeles , Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday said he would allow wholesale florists to open as a horticultural exemption for Mother ’ s Day .
San Francisco is also allowing florists to operate , but Colfax ’ s advice suggests people shouldn ’ t deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one option permitted by the city .
San Francisco officials said the Bay Area ’ s stay-home orders would continue to be enforced even as Newsom prepared to announce potentially more relaxed statewide guidelines .
During a news conference , Mayor London Breed said the city had been working to learn the exact details of Newsom ’ s new guidelines but emphasized that Bay Area health officers could continue to order tighter restrictions .
The reason has “ everything to do ” with the number of cases and deaths in the Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers are still going up , ” she said .
“ The number of deaths are still going up , and we have not lowered the curve , and we have to be mindful of that.
” “ The more that people have interactions with other people , ” she added , “ the likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.
” Colfax said one of the goals that needed to be met before reopening was the ability to trace contacts of infected people and test them for the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ system across the Bay Area , ” he said .
To do that , the region is working with scientists from the city ’ s public hospital , UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley .
“ We must hold steady and let the data guide us , ” he said .
He said city officials had been asked many questions about how Newsom ’ s new guidelines would affect San Francisco .
“ Let me be clear : The San Francisco and Bay Area health orders currently do not permit curbside pickup from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Restrictive orders take precedence over more relaxed guidelines , he added .
He said 27,334 residents had been tested for the virus as of Wednesday , and about 8 % were positive for the disease .
City officials also announced that homeless numbers in San Francisco had gone up during the pandemic .
Homeless individuals from other counties have moved to the city in search of hotel rooms , which the city has leased for the most vulnerable members of its longtime homeless population .
The city is working to move some street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tenderloin district to other sites and will close some streets so people in tents can socially distance , officials said .

Evelyn Linares sells flowers at the Los Angeles Flower Market on May 6.
Sorry, Mom.
The director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health told residents Wednesday not to visit their mothers on Mother’s Day, even if wearing masks and keeping six feet apart.
Unless residents live in the same households with their mothers, “the greatest gift we can give to our mothers this Mother’s Day is to stay away,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, who formerly worked in the Obama White House on HIV prevention. “Don’t go visit your mom in person this year.”
Colfax’s advice, shared by other public health experts, further muddles the picture of what Mother’s Day will look like Sunday in the Bay Area and beyond. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that he might allow certain businesses, including flower shops, to reopen as early as Friday.
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In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday said he would allow wholesale florists to open as a horticultural exemption for Mother’s Day.
San Francisco is also allowing florists to operate, but Colfax’s advice suggests people shouldn’t deliver flowers to their moms. Florist delivery is one option permitted by the city.
San Francisco officials said the Bay Area’s stay-home orders would continue to be enforced even as Newsom prepared to announce potentially more relaxed statewide guidelines.
During a news conference, Mayor London Breed said the city had been working to learn the exact details of Newsom’s new guidelines but emphasized that Bay Area health officers could continue to order tighter restrictions.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
The reason has “everything to do” with the number of cases and deaths in the Bay Area, she said.
“The numbers are still going up,” she said. “The number of deaths are still going up, and we have not lowered the curve, and we have to be mindful of that.”
“The more that people have interactions with other people,” she added, “the likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.”
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Colfax said one of the goals that needed to be met before reopening was the ability to trace contacts of infected people and test them for the coronavirus.
“We are still building our surveillance system across the Bay Area,” he said. To do that, the region is working with scientists from the city’s public hospital, UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley.
“We must hold steady and let the data guide us,” he said.
He said city officials had been asked many questions about how Newsom’s new guidelines would affect San Francisco.
“Let me be clear: The San Francisco and Bay Area health orders currently do not permit curbside pickup from nonessential retailers,” he said. Restrictive orders take precedence over more relaxed guidelines, he added.
He said 27,334 residents had been tested for the virus as of Wednesday, and about 8% were positive for the disease.
City officials also announced that homeless numbers in San Francisco had gone up during the pandemic.
Homeless individuals from other counties have moved to the city in search of hotel rooms, which the city has leased for the most vulnerable members of its longtime homeless population.
The city is working to move some street and sidewalk tent encampments in the low-income Tenderloin district to other sites and will close some streets so people in tents can socially distance, officials said.


latimes--2020-05-07--L.A. County and the Bay Area take a conservative approach as California eases stay-at-home rules

With parts of the California economy poised to reopen Friday , it ’ s becoming increasingly clear that major metropolitan areas are going to be taking it slow over concerns that the coronavirus remains a significant public health threat .
L.A. County officials Wednesday laid out modest first steps toward easing stay-at-home orders , which have been credited with slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The county remains the primary hotbed of the outbreak in California , with more than 1,300 deaths and 28,000 confirmed cases , including about 800 new ones reported Wednesday alone .
Under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other types of brick-and-mortar stores — including those that sell toys , music , books , clothing and sporting goods — will be allowed to open for curbside pickup only starting Friday .
In-store shopping will not be permitted .
“ This list is less about what products are sold and more about the ability to maintain social distancing , ” county Supervisor Kathryn Barger said .
The San Francisco Bay Area is taking an even more conservative stance , with officials saying closure orders will be enforced even as Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city had been working to learn details of Newsom ’ s new guidelines , but she stressed that Bay Area health officers could continue to order tighter restrictions .
The reason has “ everything to do ” with the numbers of cases and deaths in the Bay Area , she said .
“ The numbers are still going up , ” Breed said .
“ The number of deaths are still going up , and we have not lowered the curve , and we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : “ The more that people have interactions with other people , the [ greater the ] likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.
” Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s public health director , said one of the goals that needs to be met before reopening is the ability to trace contacts of infected people and test them for the coronavirus .
“ We are still building our surveillance system , ” he said .
To do that , local officials are working with scientists from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco and UC Berkeley .
“ We must hold steady and let the data guide us.
” Newsom has announced that some stay-at-home rules will be modestly eased by Friday .
Bookstores , music stores , toy stores , florists , sporting goods retailers , clothing stores and others can reopen for curbside pickup as early as Friday .
Additional businesses could be named later this week , also with curbside pickup .
Factories that supply those businesses would also be allowed to resume operating .
Otherwise , only essential businesses such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices , gas stations and auto repair shops are open , with social distancing rules in place .
Offices , shopping malls and seated dining at restaurants are still ordered closed .
Personal grooming businesses , entertainment venues , live concerts and sports are also not included in the first phase of Newsom ’ s reopening plan .
Some rural counties and suburban cities in California have demanded to reopen with social distancing restrictions , and three counties in Northern California — Yuba , Sutter and Modoc — have defied Newsom and opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health officer for two of those counties is expressing grave concerns that businesses are not following the modified rules .
Dr. Phuong Luu , the health officer for Yuba and Sutter counties , north of Sacramento , said in a letter that a “ number of businesses ” are not enforcing rules on social distancing and face coverings .
“ I understand that some of your customers may strongly object to a facial covering requirement , but the long-term safety of our community is at stake .
We do not want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , ” Luu wrote , expressing concern about public health if the rules are not followed .
Los Angeles and Bay Area officials say they are trying to avoid these problems .
Under the Los Angeles County plan , recreational amenities including golf courses and trails will also reopen Friday .
People still must adhere to physical distancing requirements and wear face coverings when they ’ re in proximity to others .
But city leaders are also considering more restrictions .
Los Angeles officials are exploring whether to require Angelenos to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave their homes , a proposal championed by Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections .
“ The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we ’ re trying to move forward , ” Koretz said .
“ People still walk dogs .
They still ride bicycles .
They still may stop and chat with their neighbors .
This would reduce the spread.
” The City Council has not decided to draft such a law , but it voted Wednesday to ask city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for wearing face coverings , what requirements have been imposed by other cities and how such rules might be enforced .
And beginning Monday , anyone traveling through Los Angeles International Airport must wear a mask or face covering , Mayor Eric Garcetti announced .
Health officials on Wednesday also outlined for the first time a five-stage plan for reopening L.A. County .
Though the first retailers will be permitted to reopen with conditions this week under Stage 2 , the county hopes to soon allow other low-risk business — including manufacturers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open their doors .
Stage 2 also allows for the reopening of libraries , museums , cultural centers and galleries .
The county has not provided a proposed date when those spaces could again be accessible .
Los Angeles County beaches will remain closed for the time being , despite other coastal stretches reopening — with limitations — this week in nearby Orange County with the state ’ s blessing .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II and Luke Money contributed to this report .

Marisa Gerber, Hannah Fry, Maura Dolan, Emily Alpert Reyes

Anthony Frank and his wife, Melia Campbell, of Plumas Lake enjoy their first night out in weeks May 5 at Silver Dollar Saloon in Marysville, Calif.
With parts of the California economy poised to reopen Friday, it’s becoming increasingly clear that major metropolitan areas are going to be taking it slow over concerns that the coronavirus remains a significant public health threat.
L.A. County officials Wednesday laid out modest first steps toward easing stay-at-home orders, which have been credited with slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The county remains the primary hotbed of the outbreak in California, with more than 1,300 deaths and 28,000 confirmed cases, including about 800 new ones reported Wednesday alone.
Under the county plan, florists, car dealers and other types of brick-and-mortar stores — including those that sell toys, music, books, clothing and sporting goods — will be allowed to open for curbside pickup only starting Friday. In-store shopping will not be permitted.
“This list is less about what products are sold and more about the ability to maintain social distancing,” county Supervisor Kathryn Barger said.
The San Francisco Bay Area is taking an even more conservative stance, with officials saying closure orders will be enforced even as Gov. Gavin Newsom prepares to loosen statewide guidelines.
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San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city had been working to learn details of Newsom’s new guidelines, but she stressed that Bay Area health officers could continue to order tighter restrictions.
The reason has “everything to do” with the numbers of cases and deaths in the Bay Area, she said.
“The numbers are still going up,” Breed said. “The number of deaths are still going up, and we have not lowered the curve, and we have to be mindful of that.”
She added: “The more that people have interactions with other people, the [greater the] likelihood that other folks will continue to get infected.”
Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s public health director, said one of the goals that needs to be met before reopening is the ability to trace contacts of infected people and test them for the coronavirus.
“We are still building our surveillance system,” he said. To do that, local officials are working with scientists from the city’s public hospital, UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley.
Advertisement
“We must hold steady and let the data guide us.”
Newsom has announced that some stay-at-home rules will be modestly eased by Friday. Bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists, sporting goods retailers, clothing stores and others can reopen for curbside pickup as early as Friday. Additional businesses could be named later this week, also with curbside pickup. Factories that supply those businesses would also be allowed to resume operating.
Otherwise, only essential businesses such as grocery stores, drugstores, medical offices, gas stations and auto repair shops are open, with social distancing rules in place.
Offices, shopping malls and seated dining at restaurants are still ordered closed. Personal grooming businesses, entertainment venues, live concerts and sports are also not included in the first phase of Newsom’s reopening plan.
Some rural counties and suburban cities in California have demanded to reopen with social distancing restrictions, and three counties in Northern California — Yuba, Sutter and Modoc — have defied Newsom and opened on their own.
But now, the health officer for two of those counties is expressing grave concerns that businesses are not following the modified rules. Dr. Phuong Luu, the health officer for Yuba and Sutter counties, north of Sacramento, said in a letter that a “number of businesses” are not enforcing rules on social distancing and face coverings.
“I understand that some of your customers may strongly object to a facial covering requirement, but the long-term safety of our community is at stake. We do not want to take any steps back in our phasing-in efforts,” Luu wrote, expressing concern about public health if the rules are not followed.
Los Angeles and Bay Area officials say they are trying to avoid these problems.
Under the Los Angeles County plan, recreational amenities including golf courses and trails will also reopen Friday. People still must adhere to physical distancing requirements and wear face coverings when they’re in proximity to others.
But city leaders are also considering more restrictions.
Los Angeles officials are exploring whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings whenever they leave their homes, a proposal championed by Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections.
“The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we’re trying to move forward,” Koretz said. “People still walk dogs. They still ride bicycles. They still may stop and chat with their neighbors. This would reduce the spread.”
The City Council has not decided to draft such a law, but it voted Wednesday to ask city staffers to report back on health guidelines for wearing face coverings, what requirements have been imposed by other cities and how such rules might be enforced.
And beginning Monday, anyone traveling through Los Angeles International Airport must wear a mask or face covering, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced.
Health officials on Wednesday also outlined for the first time a five-stage plan for reopening L.A. County. Though the first retailers will be permitted to reopen with conditions this week under Stage 2, the county hopes to soon allow other low-risk business — including manufacturers, offices and larger retail — to also open their doors.
Stage 2 also allows for the reopening of libraries, museums, cultural centers and galleries. The county has not provided a proposed date when those spaces could again be accessible.
Los Angeles County beaches will remain closed for the time being, despite other coastal stretches reopening — with limitations — this week in nearby Orange County with the state’s blessing.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II and Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-07--Letters to the Editor: Does Trump think he can just bluff the coronavirus?

To the editor : So our captain of state has telegraphed his intention to sail into a pack of icebergs at flank speed , ignoring the wishes of the majority in steerage who don ’ t want that .
( “ White House may close its coronavirus task force this month , ” May 5 ) Many years ago , Herman Kahn wrote of optimal strategy in the game of chicken : “ The ‘ skillful ’ player may get into the car quite drunk , throwing whisky bottles out the window to make it clear to everybody just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark glasses so that it is obvious he can not see much , if anything .
As soon as the car reaches high speed , he takes the steering wheel and throws it out the window.
” Sound familiar ?
But there ’ s just one catch .
Trump may think he can bluff his critics , but they are not his real opponent .
He wants to play chicken with a virus .
The virus didn ’ t get the memo .
It can ’ t read the memo .
It can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor : Our country needs to be saved from the president .
So , I have an idea : Why can ’ t the living ex-presidents offer to meet with Trump ?
Maybe he ’ ll listen , maybe he won ’ t , but the publicity of such a meeting might cause him to change direction .
Certainly he wouldn ’ t refuse a meeting with Presidents Carter , Bush , Clinton and Obama .
I only wish I could present this to someone who could make it happen .
We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way .
To the editor : Your article on the president trying to distance himself from the pandemic prompts the question : Why doesn ’ t he just do himself and the rest of us a favor and resign ?

To the editor: So our captain of state has telegraphed his intention to sail into a pack of icebergs at flank speed, ignoring the wishes of the majority in steerage who don’t want that. (“White House may close its coronavirus task force this month,” May 5)
Many years ago, Herman Kahn wrote of optimal strategy in the game of chicken: “The ‘skillful’ player may get into the car quite drunk, throwing whisky bottles out the window to make it clear to everybody just how drunk he is. He wears very dark glasses so that it is obvious he cannot see much, if anything. As soon as the car reaches high speed, he takes the steering wheel and throws it out the window.”
Sound familiar? But there’s just one catch. Trump may think he can bluff his critics, but they are not his real opponent. He wants to play chicken with a virus.
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The virus didn’t get the memo. It can’t read the memo. It can’t be bluffed.
John Morgan, La Cañada Flintridge
..
To the editor: Our country needs to be saved from the president. So, I have an idea: Why can’t the living ex-presidents offer to meet with Trump?
Maybe he’ll listen, maybe he won’t, but the publicity of such a meeting might cause him to change direction. Certainly he wouldn’t refuse a meeting with Presidents Carter, Bush, Clinton and Obama.
I only wish I could present this to someone who could make it happen. We need someone, anyone, to show Trump the way.
Chuck Mondrus, Northridge
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..
To the editor: Your article on the president trying to distance himself from the pandemic prompts the question: Why doesn’t he just do himself and the rest of us a favor and resign?
Gil Katen, Culver City