latimes--2020-06-17--In the Antelope Valley, a history of racism fuels suspicions over Robert Fuller's death

Arthur Calloway , a Black man , was pulled over so many times in Lancaster by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies — asked to step out of his car and handcuffed while it was searched with little or no explanation — that he started avoiding certain streets .
In the Antelope Valley , he said , he has been confronted multiple times by racist skinheads who told him he doesn ’ t belong .
And so , after authorities were quick to say that the death of Robert Fuller — a 24-year-old Black man found June 10 hanging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighboring Palmdale — was likely a suicide , Calloway was immediately skeptical .
His heart sank when he went to the site two days later and saw no “ crime scene ” tape around the tree and someone mowing the grass nearby , as if nothing had happened .
He thought of his own 20-year-old son .
“ I wish some of the people who say ‘ all lives matter ’ actually believed it , ” said Calloway , a 39-year-old Air Force veteran and president of the Democratic Club of the High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found in a tree in Palmdale , there would be 600 cops scouring the neighborhood looking for answers.
” In the Antelope Valley , which has a substantial Black population , a history of racism has fueled deep suspicions over Fuller ’ s death , which came after weeks of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd , a Black man , by a white Minneapolis police officer .
Jamon R. Hicks , an attorney for Fuller ’ s family , told The Times it was troubling that the Sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a homicide , given the current protests over racial injustice and “ the fact that this is a city that has had a history of racial tension and conflict.
” “ Given that I ’ m an African American male , our first thought in our community when you see a Black man hanging in a tree is not a suicide , ” Hicks said .
“ Our first thought brings us back to a dark time in history where we see public lynchings to send a message.
” Five years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that sheriff ’ s deputies had systematically harassed and discriminated against Black people and Latinos in Lancaster and Palmdale .
Some of the worst abuses included surprise , military-style sweeps of federally subsidized Section 8 housing , in which armed deputies accompanied housing authorities to look for violations of housing rules , causing some to be evicted .
Federal investigators also found that Black people were much more likely to be stopped and searched than other residents and that deputies had used excessive force against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas said investigators made their initial assumption because of “ the lack of any evidence ” of foul play .
“ He was hanging , and there was no other information to suggest that there was foul play at the time , ” Lucas said .
At the scene , authorities found no chair or anything else that could have been climbed upon .
Investigators recovered a phone , items in Fuller ’ s pocket and a backpack .
Sheriff ’ s homicide investigators now plan to survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a forensic analysis of the rope and knot structure and research Fuller ’ s medical history .
State Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra said his office was sending independent investigators to Palmdale to review the sheriff ’ s investigation and potentially conduct its own .
An FBI spokeswoman said Monday that the agency would monitor the Palmdale investigation , as well as the May 31 hanging death of Malcolm Harsch , another Black man , near the city library in Victorville .
When asked about racial tensions in the Antelope Valley at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Villanueva said reforms enacted since the 2015 settlement “ are working ” and require additional funding .
“ I think , if you look at the big picture , people trust what the Sheriff ’ s Department does , by and large , ” Villanueva said .
“ And I know the recent events behind the murder of George Floyd cause a lot of people to rethink their relationship with local law enforcement , but we ’ ve been at this for 170 years , and we have longstanding ties .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have remained raw .
At a news briefing Friday , Palmdale City Manager J.J. Murphy , who is white , acknowledged , “ Maybe we should have said it was ‘ an alleged suicide.
’ ” Then he added : “ Can I also ask that we stop talking about lynchings ?
” The audience erupted with cries of “ Hell , no !
” The sunbaked , high desert cities of Lancaster and Palmdale — split along Avenue M but nearly indistinguishable — have undergone dramatic growth and demographic change in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population of the two cities combined was about 7 % .
By 2018 , it had risen to nearly 17 % , according to a Times analysis of census data .
The Latino population grew from about 18 % to 51 % over that time period .
The new , nonwhite residents often were blamed for crime and gang problems , with Section 8 housing becoming a touchstone for racial animosity .
In 2010 , a sheriff ’ s deputy posted a photo on a Facebook page called “ I Hate Section 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garage of a Section 8 voucher recipient .
He had taken the picture while conducting an official compliance check .
Soon , the home was vandalized with racist graffiti .
Someone threw urine at the tenant ’ s son while yelling a racial epithet .
The family eventually left town .
In 2013 , a judge ruled that Palmdale ’ s at-large voting system violated state law and hampered the ability of Black people and Latinos to win office .
The city fought the ruling but agreed in 2015 to vote by geographic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School District was roiled by allegations of racism last year , and four Palmdale elementary school teachers were placed on leave after a photo of them smiling and holding a noose circulated on social media .
In Palmdale and Lancaster this week , Black residents said they often don ’ t feel welcome .
Elaijaha Braddock , 25 , who is Black and moved to Palmdale with her mother four years ago , said authorities ’ initial response to Fuller ’ s death matched the area ’ s reputation for racial animosity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do college work , ” Braddock said , pointing to the city library , near the site of Fuller ’ s death .
“ I don ’ t feel safe here .
It all makes me feel hopeless and scared for my little 5-year-old-brother.
” Domonique Boyd , 26 , said that when he was growing up in Palmdale , students often called him racial epithets .
Once , a man threw a bottle of Gatorade and cursed at him and his Black friends as they walked down the street .
Three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dance competition in L.A. at about 1 a.m. and pulled onto Palmdale Boulevard .
He was stopped by police , allegedly for failing to yield to traffic .
But Boyd saw no other cars .
Boyd said a deputy asked his light-skinned friend to step out of the vehicle but dragged Boyd out and slammed him into the hood of his car .
“ I ’ m a grown man , and I can ’ t even get out of my own car .
I ’ m dragged out , ” Boyd said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t feel safe.
” Johnathon Ervin of Lancaster attended a vigil for Fuller last week with a heavy heart .
Ervin , who is Black , had already spent weeks talking with his children about the death of Floyd .
He worried about his oldest son , who is 18 .
“ He doesn ’ t have the leeway to make one mistake , because it could mean death .
And that is scary , ” said Ervin , 41 .
“ I don ’ t know if people understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night thinking about their kids and the safety of the country that we live in and how we can ’ t protect them out on the street.
” When Ervin , an aerospace engineer and Air Force Reserve senior master sergeant , ran for a seat on the Lancaster City Council in 2014 , Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris , who is white , sent out a campaign mailer that labeled Ervin a “ gang candidate.
” That same year , Ervin had been stopped on the street by sheriff ’ s deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a warrant .
It was deeply unnerving .
“ I said , ‘ I ’ m Johnathon Ervin .
I ’ m running for office .
Here ’ s one of my cards .
I don ’ t have any warrants , ’ ” he said .
“ It was jarring .
”

Deonte Kemp, 27, of Los Angeles, lights candles at a memorial for Robert Fuller in Poncitlan Square next to Palmdale City Hall.
Arthur Calloway, a Black man, was pulled over so many times in Lancaster by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies — asked to step out of his car and handcuffed while it was searched with little or no explanation — that he started avoiding certain streets.
In the Antelope Valley, he said, he has been confronted multiple times by racist skinheads who told him he doesn’t belong.
And so, after authorities were quick to say that the death of Robert Fuller — a 24-year-old Black man found June 10 hanging from a tree near City Hall in neighboring Palmdale — was likely a suicide, Calloway was immediately skeptical.
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VIDEO | 09:30 As suicide rate rises among Black youths, Robert Fuller’s death prompts much-needed discussion On June 10, Robert Fuller’s body was found hanging from a tree outside Palmdale City Hall. His death came in the middle of the George Floyd protests and a week after Malcolm Harsch, another Black man, was found hanging from a tree in Victorville, less than 50 miles away. Their deaths shed light on the concerning rise in suicides among Black Americans.
His heart sank when he went to the site two days later and saw no “crime scene” tape around the tree and someone mowing the grass nearby, as if nothing had happened. He thought of his own 20-year-old son.
“I wish some of the people who say ‘all lives matter’ actually believed it,” said Calloway, a 39-year-old Air Force veteran and president of the Democratic Club of the High Desert. “If a cop was found in a tree in Palmdale, there would be 600 cops scouring the neighborhood looking for answers.”
Dominick Ford, right, hugs Alex Gonzalez in front of Palmdale City Hall during a sit-in demanding justice for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
In the Antelope Valley, which has a substantial Black population, a history of racism has fueled deep suspicions over Fuller’s death, which came after weeks of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer.
Jamon R. Hicks, an attorney for Fuller’s family, told The Times it was troubling that the Sheriff’s Department did not initially investigate the death as a homicide, given the current protests over racial injustice and “the fact that this is a city that has had a history of racial tension and conflict.”
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“Given that I’m an African American male, our first thought in our community when you see a Black man hanging in a tree is not a suicide,” Hicks said. “Our first thought brings us back to a dark time in history where we see public lynchings to send a message.”
Five years ago, Los Angeles County reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that sheriff’s deputies had systematically harassed and discriminated against Black people and Latinos in Lancaster and Palmdale. Some of the worst abuses included surprise, military-style sweeps of federally subsidized Section 8 housing, in which armed deputies accompanied housing authorities to look for violations of housing rules, causing some to be evicted.
Robert Fuller, 24, was found dead June 10.
Federal investigators also found that Black people were much more likely to be stopped and searched than other residents and that deputies had used excessive force against handcuffed detainees.
“The trust isn’t rebuilt,” Calloway said.
On Monday, L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas said investigators made their initial assumption because of “the lack of any evidence” of foul play.
“He was hanging, and there was no other information to suggest that there was foul play at the time,” Lucas said.
At the scene, authorities found no chair or anything else that could have been climbed upon. Investigators recovered a phone, items in Fuller’s pocket and a backpack.
Sheriff’s homicide investigators now plan to survey the area for surveillance video, conduct a forensic analysis of the rope and knot structure and research Fuller’s medical history.
State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said his office was sending independent investigators to Palmdale to review the sheriff’s investigation and potentially conduct its own.
An FBI spokeswoman said Monday that the agency would monitor the Palmdale investigation, as well as the May 31 hanging death of Malcolm Harsch, another Black man, near the city library in Victorville.
When asked about racial tensions in the Antelope Valley at a news conference this week, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said reforms enacted since the 2015 settlement “are working” and require additional funding.
“I think, if you look at the big picture, people trust what the Sheriff’s Department does, by and large,” Villanueva said. “And I know the recent events behind the murder of George Floyd cause a lot of people to rethink their relationship with local law enforcement, but we’ve been at this for 170 years, and we have longstanding ties. We are part of the community.”
But emotions have remained raw. At a news briefing Friday, Palmdale City Manager J.J. Murphy, who is white, acknowledged, “Maybe we should have said it was ‘an alleged suicide.’” Then he added: “Can I also ask that we stop talking about lynchings?”
The audience erupted with cries of “Hell, no!”
1 / 12 Colonel Brooks Sr. 50, raises his arm as Pastor Michael Barrett of Do Right Christian Church leads a group in prayer at a memorial for Robert Fuller in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 Protesters outside Palmdale City Hall as organizers demand justice for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 A rally calling for justice and transparency in the deaths of Robert Fuller and Michael L. Thomas takes place in Lancaster in front of Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office in Lancaster. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 Maseana Bennett, 11, lights a candle with cousin Elessa Swink, 18, left, as they visit a memorial to Robert Fuller in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 12 Emily Mathijssen, 22, and Johnny Southworth, 31, visit a memorial to Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 Suzie Washington, left, hugs Tommie Anderson as protesters knock on the front door of Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Palmdale City Hall remained closed Monday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Deonte Kemp, 27, of Los Angeles lights candles at a memorial for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Protesters demand justice for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 Protesters become emotional outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 Outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
The sunbaked, high desert cities of Lancaster and Palmdale — split along Avenue M but nearly indistinguishable — have undergone dramatic growth and demographic change in recent decades.
In 1990, the Black population of the two cities combined was about 7%. By 2018, it had risen to nearly 17%, according to a Times analysis of census data. The Latino population grew from about 18% to 51% over that time period.
The new, nonwhite residents often were blamed for crime and gang problems, with Section 8 housing becoming a touchstone for racial animosity.
In 2010, a sheriff’s deputy posted a photo on a Facebook page called “I Hate Section 8” of luxury cars in the Palmdale garage of a Section 8 voucher recipient. He had taken the picture while conducting an official compliance check. Soon, the home was vandalized with racist graffiti. Someone threw urine at the tenant’s son while yelling a racial epithet. The family eventually left town.
In 2013, a judge ruled that Palmdale’s at-large voting system violated state law and hampered the ability of Black people and Latinos to win office. The city fought the ruling but agreed in 2015 to vote by geographic districts.
The Antelope Valley Union High School District was roiled by allegations of racism last year, and four Palmdale elementary school teachers were placed on leave after a photo of them smiling and holding a noose circulated on social media.
In Palmdale and Lancaster this week, Black residents said they often don’t feel welcome.
Elaijaha Braddock, 25, who is Black and moved to Palmdale with her mother four years ago, said authorities’ initial response to Fuller’s death matched the area’s reputation for racial animosity.
“I used to come here to do college work,” Braddock said, pointing to the city library, near the site of Fuller’s death. “I don’t feel safe here. It all makes me feel hopeless and scared for my little 5-year-old-brother.”
Domonique Boyd, 26, said that when he was growing up in Palmdale, students often called him racial epithets. Once, a man threw a bottle of Gatorade and cursed at him and his Black friends as they walked down the street.
Three years ago, Boyd was returning from a dance competition in L.A. at about 1 a.m. and pulled onto Palmdale Boulevard. He was stopped by police, allegedly for failing to yield to traffic. But Boyd saw no other cars.
Boyd said a deputy asked his light-skinned friend to step out of the vehicle but dragged Boyd out and slammed him into the hood of his car.
“I’m a grown man, and I can’t even get out of my own car. I’m dragged out,” Boyd said. “When I see them, I don’t feel safe.”
Johnathon Ervin, right, greets Cedric White on Tuesday in Lancaster. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Johnathon Ervin of Lancaster attended a vigil for Fuller last week with a heavy heart. Ervin, who is Black, had already spent weeks talking with his children about the death of Floyd. He worried about his oldest son, who is 18.
“He doesn’t have the leeway to make one mistake, because it could mean death. And that is scary,” said Ervin, 41. “I don’t know if people understand how many families have been up at night thinking about their kids and the safety of the country that we live in and how we can’t protect them out on the street.”
When Ervin, an aerospace engineer and Air Force Reserve senior master sergeant, ran for a seat on the Lancaster City Council in 2014, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris, who is white, sent out a campaign mailer that labeled Ervin a “gang candidate.”
That same year, Ervin had been stopped on the street by sheriff’s deputies who said he resembled someone cited in a warrant. It was deeply unnerving.
“I said, ‘I’m Johnathon Ervin. I’m running for office. Here’s one of my cards. I don’t have any warrants,’” he said. “It was jarring.”
Times staff writer Doug Smith contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-17--Coronavirus hospitalizations rise in parts of California, jeopardizing wider reopenings

Health officials have said that the public needs to look beyond the rising number of coronavirus cases in California and focus on whether hospitalizations are increasing as a sign that reopening the economy is leading to new outbreaks .
Statewide , coronavirus hospitalizations have been relatively flat for the last six weeks , even as officials have allowed myriad businesses to open their doors and people have begun to resume old routines .
But in some parts of California , hospitalizations are again on the rise , according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis .
And if the trend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow the pace of reopenings .
The reasons for the upticks vary and are open for debate , but health officials have expressed concern about some people not following safety recommendations , including wearing face coverings and social distancing .
“ We have met the enemy , and they are us , ” said Dr. Robert Levin , the health officer in Ventura County , where hospitalizations are up .
“ And many of us have to do a better job of social distancing and quarantine .
Some of us are doing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If we can do this — and I know we can — we can prevent the state from telling us that we must take a step back from some of the gains we ’ ve made in opening our activities and businesses.
” Last week , there were an average of 91 people hospitalized in Ventura County with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections , the highest such number since early April .
That ’ s a 75 % increase from each of the previous two weeks , The Times analysis found .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ jump in coronavirus intensive care unit hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
In the week of May 4 , the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds .
Last week , that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized .
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley has seen a 45 % rise in coronavirus ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
Meanwhile , L.A. County and statewide ICU hospitalization rates have been declining .
L.A. County once had the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita basis among all of California ’ s 58 counties .
But that ’ s changed , with Imperial County , Kings County and now Orange County having larger ICU coronavirus hospitalization rates , The Times analysis found .
L.A. County now reports 5 ICU coronavirus patients per 100,000 residents ; Orange County is now reporting 5.2 ICU patients per 100,000 residents ; Kings County , 6.1 ICU patients per 100,000 residents ; and Imperial County , 9.9 ICU patients per 100,000 residents .
Though Ventura County health officials say there is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s possible the county might have to press the pause button on reopening additional sectors of the economy if hospitalizations continue to rise .
“ At this point , it would be foolhardy to just open up and continue to open up everything given … what our numbers are doing , ” Levin said during Tuesday ’ s meeting of the county ’ s Board of Supervisors .
Ventura County allowed in late May the resumption of in-restaurant dining , in-store shopping and hair styling .
Gyms and bars were allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are set to allow counties to decide starting this Friday whether to reopen nail salons , tattoo shops and massage therapy establishments in counties that have filed paperwork to accelerate their reopening .
Levin , however , said it was not a given that such personal-care industries would be able to reopen on that date .
“ I personally would like to see them open , ” he said , “ and we ’ re going to do our best to make that happen as we evaluate the numbers.
” Even as more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was vital that residents continued to observe physical distancing to stem the spread of the virus .
Santa Barbara County and the San Joaquin Valley are also being closely watched for increasing coronavirus hospitalizations , according to the state Department of Public Health .
is seeing increased hospitalizations in the northern part of the county .
The increase has been blamed on rising community transmission due to a growing number of gatherings , as well as workplace spread .
Outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities are also a factor .
The same problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations in , east of the San Francisco Bay Area .
And in the the broader San Joaquin Valley , one of the nation ’ s most important agricultural areas and home to 4.2 million residents , increasing hospitalizations were reported in Kern and Kings counties , where nursing home outbreaks are also a contributing factor .
In the last three days , five counties across the state have experienced more than a 10 % rise in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 : Contra Costa ( 13 % ) , Kings ( 18 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , Santa Barbara ( 27 % ) and Stanislaus ( 42 % ) .
Increasing hospitalizations and elevated disease transmission have been recorded in amid outbreaks at state and federal prisons as well as because of residents in nearby counties being admitted to the Kern County hospital , state officials said .
has reported a number of outbreaks , including at and its Adventist Health hospital .
An outbreak at Avenal State Prison caused the virus to spread to nearby areas — including — carried by prison employees returning home .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulare and Porterville , state officials are closely monitoring elevated disease transmissions related to outbreaks in nursing homes and workplaces , as well as the difficulty in preventing transmission within households .
And , east of San Diego , is also experiencing elevated disease transmission as Americans return from Mexico , which is experiencing .
in Sacramento County was linked to members of the same household who gathered for birthday parties and a funeral .
Dr. Olivia Kasirye , Sacramento County ’ s health officer , said many people think “ we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but health experts continue to warn of the seriousness of the virus and the need for safety and health precautions as larger swaths of the state continue to reopen .
On Monday , California reported nearly 3,400 new cases of the coronavirus , the highest number at the start of a week since the outset of the pandemic .
Despite the continued rise in infections , California ’ s top health officials have said that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing can drive up the number .
“ We ’ ve ramped up testing in an extraordinary way , nearly hitting our goal that was set for August — not June , not July , but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services .
“ We ’ re already knocking on that door , averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.
” Officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they gauge how California is handling the pandemic : the positivity rate , or the percentage of people who have tested positive , and the daily number of hospitalizations .
A rise in the former could mean an uptick in community transmission separate from increased testing .
A rise in the latter may mean that more people are becoming seriously ill , possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients .
Los Angeles County has seen its ICU cases consistently decline .
Six weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in L.A. County ICUs daily during that seven-day period .
Last week , there were 501 , a decline of 21 % .
In Los Angeles County on Monday , 1,956 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections were in hospitals , according to the state health agency .
Officials are working with the state to prepare for the possibility of an influx in patients .
Health officials noted last week that coronavirus transmission continues to worsen in Los Angeles County , bringing with it the chance that the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care unit beds in two to four weeks .
The numbers have not reached danger levels yet , but health officials said they are monitoring conditions carefully for any signs of new pressures on hospitals .

Health officials have said that the public needs to look beyond the rising number of coronavirus cases in California and focus on whether hospitalizations are increasing as a sign that reopening the economy is leading to new outbreaks.
Statewide, coronavirus hospitalizations have been relatively flat for the last six weeks, even as officials have allowed myriad businesses to open their doors and people have begun to resume old routines.
But in some parts of California, hospitalizations are again on the rise, according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis. And if the trend continues, it could force officials to slow the pace of reopenings.
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The reasons for the upticks vary and are open for debate, but health officials have expressed concern about some people not following safety recommendations, including wearing face coverings and social distancing.
“We have met the enemy, and they are us,” said Dr. Robert Levin, the health officer in Ventura County, where hospitalizations are up. “And many of us have to do a better job of social distancing and quarantine. Some of us are doing a great job; we’re stalwarts. If we can do this — and I know we can — we can prevent the state from telling us that we must take a step back from some of the gains we’ve made in opening our activities and businesses.”
Last week, there were an average of 91 people hospitalized in Ventura County with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections, the highest such number since early April. That’s a 75% increase from each of the previous two weeks, The Times analysis found.
Orange County has experienced a 76% jump in coronavirus intensive care unit hospitalizations in the last six weeks. In the week of May 4, the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds. Last week, that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized.
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley has seen a 45% rise in coronavirus ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks.
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Meanwhile, L.A. County and statewide ICU hospitalization rates have been declining.
L.A. County once had the worst ICU coronavirus hospitalization rate on a per capita basis among all of California’s 58 counties. But that’s changed, with Imperial County, Kings County and now Orange County having larger ICU coronavirus hospitalization rates, The Times analysis found.
L.A. County now reports 5 ICU coronavirus patients per 100,000 residents; Orange County is now reporting 5.2 ICU patients per 100,000 residents; Kings County, 6.1 ICU patients per 100,000 residents; and Imperial County, 9.9 ICU patients per 100,000 residents.
Though Ventura County health officials say there is still plenty of space in its hospitals, it’s possible the county might have to press the pause button on reopening additional sectors of the economy if hospitalizations continue to rise.
“At this point, it would be foolhardy to just open up and continue to open up everything given … what our numbers are doing,” Levin said during Tuesday’s meeting of the county’s Board of Supervisors.
Ventura County allowed in late May the resumption of in-restaurant dining, in-store shopping and hair styling. Gyms and bars were allowed to reopen last Friday. California officials are set to allow counties to decide starting this Friday whether to reopen nail salons, tattoo shops and massage therapy establishments in counties that have filed paperwork to accelerate their reopening.
Levin, however, said it was not a given that such personal-care industries would be able to reopen on that date. “I personally would like to see them open,” he said, “and we’re going to do our best to make that happen as we evaluate the numbers.”
Even as more spaces reopen, though, he said it was vital that residents continued to observe physical distancing to stem the spread of the virus.
Santa Barbara County and the San Joaquin Valley are also being closely watched for increasing coronavirus hospitalizations, according to the state Department of Public Health.
Santa Barbara County is seeing increased hospitalizations in the northern part of the county. The increase has been blamed on rising community transmission due to a growing number of gatherings, as well as workplace spread. Outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities are also a factor.
The same problems are being blamed for an increase in hospitalizations in San Joaquin County , east of the San Francisco Bay Area.
And in the the broader San Joaquin Valley, one of the nation’s most important agricultural areas and home to 4.2 million residents, increasing hospitalizations were reported in Kern and Kings counties, where nursing home outbreaks are also a contributing factor.
In the last three days, five counties across the state have experienced more than a 10% rise in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: Contra Costa (13%), Kings (18%), San Joaquin (12%), Santa Barbara (27%) and Stanislaus (42%).
Increasing hospitalizations and elevated disease transmission have been recorded in Kern County amid outbreaks at state and federal prisons as well as because of residents in nearby counties being admitted to the Kern County hospital, state officials said.
Kings County has reported a number of outbreaks, including at a meatpacking plant in Hanford and its Adventist Health hospital. An outbreak at Avenal State Prison caused the virus to spread to nearby areas — including Fresno County — carried by prison employees returning home.
In Tulare County , home to cities including Visalia, Tulare and Porterville, state officials are closely monitoring elevated disease transmissions related to outbreaks in nursing homes and workplaces, as well as the difficulty in preventing transmission within households.
And Imperial County , east of San Diego, is also experiencing elevated disease transmission as Americans return from Mexico, which is experiencing a worsening outbreak .
A recent surge in hospitalizations in Sacramento County was linked to members of the same household who gathered for birthday parties and a funeral.
Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s health officer, said many people think “we’re out of the woods,” but health experts continue to warn of the seriousness of the virus and the need for safety and health precautions as larger swaths of the state continue to reopen.
On Monday, California reported nearly 3,400 new cases of the coronavirus , the highest number at the start of a week since the outset of the pandemic.
Despite the continued rise in infections, California’s top health officials have said that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against the novel coronavirus, noting that increased testing can drive up the number.
“We’ve ramped up testing in an extraordinary way, nearly hitting our goal that was set for August — not June, not July, but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s secretary of Health and Human Services. “We’re already knocking on that door, averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.”
Officials, instead, are closely monitoring two metrics as they gauge how California is handling the pandemic: the positivity rate, or the percentage of people who have tested positive, and the daily number of hospitalizations. A rise in the former could mean an uptick in community transmission separate from increased testing. A rise in the latter may mean that more people are becoming seriously ill, possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients.
Los Angeles County has seen its ICU cases consistently decline. Six weeks ago, there were an average of 633 people in L.A. County ICUs daily during that seven-day period. Last week, there were 501, a decline of 21%.
In Los Angeles County on Monday, 1,956 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections were in hospitals, according to the state health agency. Officials are working with the state to prepare for the possibility of an influx in patients.
Health officials noted last week that coronavirus transmission continues to worsen in Los Angeles County, bringing with it the chance that the nation’s most populous county could run out of intensive care unit beds in two to four weeks. The numbers have not reached danger levels yet, but health officials said they are monitoring conditions carefully for any signs of new pressures on hospitals.
Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-17--LAUSD says recycler is endangering Jordan High students with 'sharp metal projectiles'

The Los Angeles Unified School District filed suit against a metal recycling facility adjacent to Jordan High School in Watts , alleging it has endangered students and teachers by releasing sharp pieces of metal , smoke , fumes and other hazards onto school grounds .
The lawsuit , filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California , seeks a court order to stop S & W Atlas Iron & Metal Co. from “ continuing to allow dangerous , sharp metal projectiles , fine metallic dust and other objects to be launched or emitted from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The district also alleges the metallic dust released by the facility is composed of lead , arsenic and other hazards and leaves a “ purple shimmer ” on the blacktop .
Through its attorney , the company said the suit had no legitimate basis and that the recycling facility enjoyed broad community support .
The school district , however , hopes to apply the legal and political pressure necessary to force the plant to relocate or shut down , calling it an unsuitable neighbor for a school as well as for the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public housing development .
“ This high-risk facility must be relocated away from the sensitive school population and the new residents who will soon populate the new Jordan Downs project , ” the district wrote to L.A. City officials in a letter signed by school board President Richard Vladovic .
Although the company was not yet prepared to respond to every new allegation , “ similar issues were raised previously and they continue to be without merit , ” said attorney William W. Funderburk , Jr. of Castellón & Funderburk , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business had played a positive role in the community and tried to operate responsibly .
“ They supported us when we needed anything , ” said Sweet Alice Harris , a well-known community civil rights activist .
“ They have always worked with us .
They ’ ve always worked with Jordan High School.
” Harris said that over the years the company ’ s owners had donated money for the school ’ s basketball and football uniforms .
She also praised the company for providing jobs within the economically stressed Watts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents who dropped off scrap metal .
The district ’ s lawsuit accuses the three-acre facility of recently intensifying its operations , amassing giant metal piles of dismantled vehicles , junk and debris that tower over a wall separating its operations from the school .
The district cites incidents in February and March in which sharp pieces of metal flew from the facility onto the school property , one landing within five feet of an LAUSD construction worker and another next to the school ’ s gymnasium .
The suit alleges that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Atlas facility was burning “ a plastic wiring object ” with a torch and released noxious fumes and smoke that engulfed part of the school for hours , nauseating construction workers .
The suit , filed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response , Compensation and Liability Act — the federal Superfund law — also seeks to hold the company liable for district costs of responding to , monitoring , investigating and cleaning the school site , as well as for attorneys ’ fees and other damages .
It estimates those costs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to the company , the suit also names Gary Weisenberg and Matthew Weisenberg as defendants , identifying them as owners of the recycling facility at 10019 S. Alameda St. School district leaders , in their letter to the city , called the situation an “ environmental injustice ” and blamed the Los Angeles City Council for allegedly failing to address the hazards of the metal-recycling operation and even easing health and safety restrictions over the objections of the city planning department .
The letter also refers to the city ’ s concurrent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It is absolutely stupefying that a one-billion-dollar residential development project , designed to improve the quality of life for an underserved community in South Los Angeles , does not reflect the environmental justice values frequently advanced and advocated by government officials , ” the letter said .
The Los Angeles City Attorney ’ s Office said Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into “ environmental concerns ” related to Atlas .
This inquiry is in response to contact over the last several weeks with the school district , said Rob Wilcox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feuer .
The area is represented on the City Council by Joe Buscaino .
“ The councilman is in favor of rectifying any problems the school district has with this business , ” said Branimir Kvartuc , Buscaino ’ s communications director .
A spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Garcetti said his office was reviewing the letter .
The Jordan campus is shared by a district-run high school and a charter school , with a combined capacity of about 3,700 students , though the campus has been closed since March 13 due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing development are located in a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood of South Los Angeles with some of the city ’ s highest poverty levels .
State environmental agencies ranked the area in the top 5 % Census tracts most burdened by multiple pollution sources statewide , based on the amount of contaminated sites , toxic emissions , hazardous waste facilities and other health threats .
The facility has operated as a metal recycling and salvage yard since the 1940s and has a history of environmental problems , according to the lawsuit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which occurred when an oil drum was being cut and sent metal shards onto school grounds .
In another incident that year , a chunk of metal from a military shell was propelled over a fence onto the athletic field .
Those incidents prompted an investigation and subsequent cleanup of contaminated soil overseen by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control .
Another incident cited in the lawsuit occurred two years ago when a metal projectile landed on the playing fields during a physical education class .
Camille Sosa , a physical education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a sworn declaration attached to the lawsuit that when one of her students showed her the 6-inch-long piece of metal , “ I immediately stopped the class and instructed the students to go indoors in order to protect them from being hit by a metal projectile from the Atlas Site.
” The suit , in addition to alleging chemical emissions , says students are exposed to “ extreme screeching and high-pitched noises and vibrations caused by the constantly moving and grinding of the tall piles of recycled metals , ” throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities of students and teachers ” in their classrooms and playing fields .
Moreover , “ several times a week , there are incredibly loud explosions that sound like bombs , ” according to a declaration from Sosa .
Recent tests of the school ’ s roof and HVAC system completed by environmental consultants for the school district found “ the School is being dramatically impacted by emissions of metallic dusts consisting of lead , arsenic , zinc and other hazardous metals emanating from the Atlas Site , ” according to the lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a sworn declaration attached to the lawsuit that when she started working there as a teacher 12 years ago , “ I was immediately struck by the deafening noises and vibrations caused by the crushing metals at the Atlas site and by the tall piles of metals that towered over the wall separating the School from the Atlas Site.
” “ The constant loud noises combined with the shocking eye sore of the gigantic metal piles presented a challenging learning environment , ” Cerda ’ s declaration said .
Since Cerda became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , she had become increasingly concerned that the giant metal piles would topple onto the campus as well as result in long-term health problems for students , teachers and staff .
In response to the allegations , Funderburk provided court documents from separate litigation , in which company representatives insist they have taken responsibility for past issues and don ’ t deserve the blame for others .
The incident with the military shell , for example , occurred when ordnance that had been certified as inert turned out not to be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company is being unfairly and incorrectly blamed for pollution problems in an area that has seen much more hazardous industrial activity .

Mounds of debris at Atlas Iron & Metal Co., a metal recycler that operates adjacent to Jordan High School in South Los Angeles. A lawsuit accuses the company of being a health hazard.
The Los Angeles Unified School District filed suit against a metal recycling facility adjacent to Jordan High School in Watts, alleging it has endangered students and teachers by releasing sharp pieces of metal, smoke, fumes and other hazards onto school grounds.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeks a court order to stop S&W Atlas Iron & Metal Co. from “continuing to allow dangerous, sharp metal projectiles,fine metallic dust and other objects to be launched or emitted from their property onto the adjacent LAUSD school.”
The district also alleges the metallic dust released by the facility is composed of lead, arsenic and other hazards and leaves a “purple shimmer” on the blacktop.
Through its attorney, the company said the suit had no legitimate basis and that the recycling facility enjoyed broad community support.
The school district, however, hopes to apply the legal and political pressure necessary to force the plant to relocate or shut down, calling it an unsuitable neighbor for a school as well as for the $1-billion makeover of the adjacent Jordan Downs public housing development.
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“This high-risk facility must be relocated away from the sensitive school population and the new residents who will soon populate the new Jordan Downs project,” the district wrote to L.A. City officials in a letter signed by school board President Richard Vladovic.
Although the company was not yet prepared to respond to every new allegation, “similar issues were raised previously and they continue to be without merit,” said attorney William W. Funderburk, Jr. of Castellón & Funderburk, which is representing Atlas.
An Atlas defender said the business had played a positive role in the community and tried to operate responsibly.
“They supported us when we needed anything,” said Sweet Alice Harris, a well-known community civil rights activist. “They have always worked with us. They’ve always worked with Jordan High School.”
Harris said that over the years the company’s owners had donated money for the school’s basketball and football uniforms. She also praised the company for providing jobs within the economically stressed Watts neighborhood and providing needed cash to local residents who dropped off scrap metal.
The district’s lawsuit accuses the three-acre facility of recently intensifying its operations, amassing giant metal piles of dismantled vehicles, junk and debris that tower over a wall separating its operations from the school. The district cites incidents in February and March in which sharp pieces of metal flew from the facility onto the school property, one landing within five feet of an LAUSD construction worker and another next to the school’s gymnasium.
Advertisement
The suit alleges that, on June 9, a worker at the Atlas facility was burning “a plastic wiring object” with a torch and released noxious fumes and smoke that engulfed part of the school for hours, nauseating construction workers.
The suit, filed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act — the federal Superfund law — also seeks to hold the company liable for district costs of responding to, monitoring, investigating and cleaning the school site, as well as for attorneys’ fees and other damages. It estimates those costs to be more than $1 million.
In addition to the company, the suit also names Gary Weisenberg and Matthew Weisenberg as defendants, identifying them as owners of the recycling facility at 10019 S. Alameda St.
School district leaders, in their letter to the city, called the situation an “environmental injustice” and blamed the Los Angeles City Council for allegedly failing to address the hazards of the metal-recycling operation and even easing health and safety restrictions over the objections of the city planning department.
The letter also refers to the city’s concurrent redevelopment of the adjacent Jordan Downs.
“It is absolutely stupefying that a one-billion-dollar residential development project, designed to improve the quality of life for an underserved community in South Los Angeles, does not reflect the environmental justice values frequently advanced and advocated by government officials,” the letter said.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into “environmental concerns” related to Atlas. This inquiry is in response to contact over the last several weeks with the school district, said Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Attorney Mike Feuer.
The area is represented on the City Council by Joe Buscaino. “The councilman is in favor of rectifying any problems the school district has with this business,” said Branimir Kvartuc, Buscaino’s communications director.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Garcetti said his office was reviewing the letter.
The Jordan campus is shared by a district-run high school and a charter school, with a combined capacity of about 3,700 students, though the campus has been closed since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campus and neighboring housing development are located in a predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood of South Los Angeles with some of the city’s highest poverty levels. State environmental agencies ranked the area in the top 5% Census tracts most burdened by multiple pollution sources statewide, based on the amount of contaminated sites, toxic emissions, hazardous waste facilities and other health threats.
The facility has operated as a metal recycling and salvage yard since the 1940s and has a history of environmental problems, according to the lawsuit. They include a May 2002 explosion, which occurred when an oil drum was being cut and sent metal shards onto school grounds. In another incident that year, a chunk of metal from a military shell was propelled over a fence onto the athletic field. Those incidents prompted an investigation and subsequent cleanup of contaminated soil overseen by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Another incident cited in the lawsuit occurred two years ago when a metal projectile landed on the playing fields during a physical education class.
Camille Sosa, a physical education teacher at Jordan since 2011, said in a sworn declaration attached to the lawsuit that when one of her students showed her the 6-inch-long piece of metal, “I immediately stopped the class and instructed the students to go indoors in order to protect them from being hit by a metal projectile from the Atlas Site.”
The suit, in addition to alleging chemical emissions, says students are exposed to “extreme screeching and high-pitched noises and vibrations caused by the constantly moving and grinding of the tall piles of recycled metals,” throughout the day, which “greatly disrupts the activities of students and teachers” in their classrooms and playing fields.
Moreover, “several times a week, there are incredibly loud explosions that sound like bombs,” according to a declaration from Sosa.
Recent tests of the school’s roof and HVAC system completed by environmental consultants for the school district found “the School is being dramatically impacted by emissions of metallic dusts consisting of lead, arsenic, zinc and other hazardous metals emanating from the Atlas Site,” according to the lawsuit.
Jordan High Principal Lucia Cerda said in a sworn declaration attached to the lawsuit that when she started working there as a teacher 12 years ago, “I was immediately struck by the deafening noises and vibrations caused by the crushing metals at the Atlas site and by the tall piles of metals that towered over the wall separating the School from the Atlas Site.”
“The constant loud noises combined with the shocking eye sore of the gigantic metal piles presented a challenging learning environment,” Cerda’s declaration said.
Since Cerda became principal in January 2019, the declaration said, she had become increasingly concerned that the giant metal piles would topple onto the campus as well as result in long-term health problems for students, teachers and staff.
In response to the allegations, Funderburk provided court documents from separate litigation, in which company representatives insist they have taken responsibility for past issues and don’t deserve the blame for others. The incident with the military shell, for example, occurred when ordnance that had been certified as inert turned out not to be.
In a larger sense, Funderburk said, the company is being unfairly and incorrectly blamed for pollution problems in an area that has seen much more hazardous industrial activity.


latimes--2020-06-17--Column: Why are so many people not wearing masks? Here's how they explain it

At lunchtime Tuesday on the sweet , little tree-lined main drag in downtown Glendora , people were out and about under pleasant pandemic skies , and most were not wearing masks .
I ’ d say it was one-third with , two-thirds without .
I can ’ t say I was surprised .
Even though L.A. County is still seeing more than 1,100 new cases of COVID-19 per day , a lot of people have begun acting as if the pandemic is over .
I get that we ’ re all sick of putting our lives on hold .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s too soon to abandon basic precautions .
In Los Angeles County , a recent inspection of about 2,000 newly reopened restaurants found that roughly half were out of compliance with safety rules , while in San Diego , a public health warning was issued because of crowds partying mask-free in the Gaslamp District .
On Sunday , I took my dog for a walk at the Eagle Rock Recreation Center and saw 10 sweaty bodies banging into one another on the basketball court while another several hung out waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not one mask .
Last week , Orange County ’ s public health director resigned after her call for mandatory face masks prompted a death threat , a security detail and a poster of her with a Hitler mustache and swastikas .
On Tuesday in Santa Ana , face mask supporters were pushed and mocked by foes who chanted , “ Hey hey , ho ho , these masks have got to go.
” This , in a country with nearly 117,000 COVID-19 deaths and counting .
In Glendora , some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and others were carrying masks in their pockets .
But it wasn ’ t hard to find people who told me they didn ’ t buy into the argument that masks necessarily limit the spread of the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s probably driven by political scare tactics , ” said a 77-year-old retiree strolling with his wife , neither of them wearing masks .
He added that he didn ’ t know anyone who has gotten COVID-19 , but if reported cases are up , maybe it ’ s simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a worrisome surge .
A man named Jon told me that he ’ s in a bar every night , no one in the place wears a mask , and he doesn ’ t have a problem with that .
He said he lost his job in the cement business because the economy shut down , and while he knows the coronavirus is a killer , he wondered why L.A. County focuses so much on new COVID-19 cases and not on the number of people who recover from the virus .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son who was riding a scooter , neither of them wearing a mask .
Elise said she doubted that masks do much good .
And then I came upon Robin and her daughter Natasha , both maskless .
Robin said she likes to breathe in the fresh air on a nice day , and they cover up in stores , as required .
But they weren ‘ t sold on the usefulness of masks .
Natasha said even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has contradicted itself on the matter .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to learn about the virus , and opinions on masks have varied .
But for the record , the CDC currently “ recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
” We implemented safety precautions too late in the U.S. , costing lives , and we ’ ve given up on them too soon , which will cost more .
A new University of Washington model forecasts that the COVID-19 death toll could top 200,000 by October .
“ Increased mobility and premature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections and we see it in Florida , Arizona , and other states , ” said the director of the study .
“ This means more projected deaths.
” Meanwhile , a new study — published last week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — found that face coverings reduced the number of new infections in New York City by 66,000 between April 6 and May 9 .
“ We conclude that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent inter-human transmission , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inexpensive practice , in conjunction with extensive testing , quarantine , and contact tracking , poses the most probable fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic , prior to the development of a vaccine.
” There you go .
Masks are inexpensive .
They are a minor inconvenience .
And they are an important part of a strategy to save lives , not to mention that by wearing a mask you let it be known that you care about the health of others .
Somehow the mask requirement became identified as anti-business , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the observance of other safety measures are what will make reopening possible without a sharp uptick in cases .
A little more patience and sacrifice might be the quickest route to greater recovery that benefits everyone .
In California , the number of new cases per day continues to climb .
And some states that rushed to return to normal — Arizona turned on the party lights a month ago — are now national hot spots for new cases .
In Tulsa , Okla. , public health officials have reported a weekly doubling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plead with President Trump to cancel a scheduled rally there Saturday at which masks will be provided but not required .
“ It ’ s the perfect storm of potential over-the-top disease transmission , ” a Tulsa official told the New York Times .
I can understand how , in a quiet burg like Glendora , where large gatherings don ’ t happen , it ’ s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security .
I saw lots of kids without masks on the streets , riding bikes and scooters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a normal , disease-free summer .
The virus is indeed deadliest in nursing homes and jails , and older people tend to be harder hit , but it knows no boundaries of age or circumstance .
The state reported this week that 44 % of new cases are in people 34 and younger .
A man named Jack , from Rancho Cucamonga , was playing it safe .
He and his wife both wore masks on their visit to Glendora .
“ It ’ s crazy here , ” said Jack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials .
“ Eighty percent don ’ t wear masks here , ” said a guy sitting outside a coffee shop with his dog .
His mask was on the table , and his wife said they wear masks if they ’ re in a store or near anyone else .
But not everyone is buying in .
“ They think it ’ s a hoax , or they ’ re Trump supporters , ” said a guy named Gary , who sat eight feet away with his mask on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , the hoax had infected 2.1 million people in the U.S. , and the number of fake funerals is now speeding toward 120,000 .

At lunchtime Tuesday on the sweet, little tree-lined main drag in downtown Glendora, people were out and about under pleasant pandemic skies, and most were not wearing masks.
I’d say it was one-third with, two-thirds without.
I can’t say I was surprised. Even though L.A. County is still seeing more than 1,100 new cases of COVID-19 per day, a lot of people have begun acting as if the pandemic is over. I get that we’re all sick of putting our lives on hold. But as the death toll continues to mount, it’s too soon to abandon basic precautions.
In Los Angeles County, a recent inspection of about 2,000 newly reopened restaurants found that roughly half were out of compliance with safety rules, while in San Diego, a public health warning was issued because of crowds partying mask-free in the Gaslamp District.
Advertisement
On Sunday, I took my dog for a walk at the Eagle Rock Recreation Center and saw 10 sweaty bodies banging into one another on the basketball court while another several hung out waiting to get into the game, and not one mask.
Last week, Orange County’s public health director resigned after her call for mandatory face masks prompted a death threat, a security detail and a poster of her with a Hitler mustache and swastikas. On Tuesday in Santa Ana, face mask supporters were pushed and mocked by foes who chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, these masks have got to go.”
This, in a country with nearly 117,000 COVID-19 deaths and counting.
In Glendora, some of the people without face coverings were with relatives, and others were carrying masks in their pockets. But it wasn’t hard to find people who told me they didn’t buy into the argument that masks necessarily limit the spread of the coronavirus.
“It’s probably driven by political scare tactics,” said a 77-year-old retiree strolling with his wife, neither of them wearing masks. He added that he didn’t know anyone who has gotten COVID-19, but if reported cases are up, maybe it’s simply because there’s more testing rather than a worrisome surge.
A man named Jon told me that he’s in a bar every night, no one in the place wears a mask, and he doesn’t have a problem with that. He said he lost his job in the cement business because the economy shut down, and while he knows the coronavirus is a killer, he wondered why L.A. County focuses so much on new COVID-19 cases and not on the number of people who recover from the virus.
A woman named Elise came by with a son who was riding a scooter, neither of them wearing a mask. Elise said she doubted that masks do much good.
And then I came upon Robin and her daughter Natasha, both maskless. Robin said she likes to breathe in the fresh air on a nice day, and they cover up in stores, as required. But they weren‘t sold on the usefulness of masks. Natasha said even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has contradicted itself on the matter.
No question, there’s still a lot to learn about the virus, and opinions on masks have varied. But for the record, the CDC currently “recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.”
We implemented safety precautions too late in the U.S., costing lives, and we’ve given up on them too soon, which will cost more. A new University of Washington model forecasts that the COVID-19 death toll could top 200,000 by October.
Advertisement
“Increased mobility and premature relaxation of social distancing led to more infections and we see it in Florida, Arizona, and other states,” said the director of the study. “This means more projected deaths.”
Meanwhile, a new study — published last week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — found that face coverings reduced the number of new infections in New York City by 66,000 between April 6 and May 9.
“We conclude that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent inter-human transmission,” said the report, “and this inexpensive practice, in conjunction with extensive testing, quarantine, and contact tracking, poses the most probable fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to the development of a vaccine.”
There you go. Masks are inexpensive. They are a minor inconvenience. And they are an important part of a strategy to save lives, not to mention that by wearing a mask you let it be known that you care about the health of others.
Somehow the mask requirement became identified as anti-business, when actually the wearing of masks and the observance of other safety measures are what will make reopening possible without a sharp uptick in cases. A little more patience and sacrifice might be the quickest route to greater recovery that benefits everyone.
In California, the number of new cases per day continues to climb. And some states that rushed to return to normal — Arizona turned on the party lights a month ago — are now national hot spots for new cases.
In Tulsa, Okla., public health officials have reported a weekly doubling of COVID-19 hospitalizations, even as they plead with President Trump to cancel a scheduled rally there Saturday at which masks will be provided but not required.
“It’s the perfect storm of potential over-the-top disease transmission,” a Tulsa official told the New York Times.
I can understand how, in a quiet burg like Glendora, where large gatherings don’t happen, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. I saw lots of kids without masks on the streets, riding bikes and scooters, and wandering around as if this were a normal, disease-free summer.
But it isn’t.
The virus is indeed deadliest in nursing homes and jails, and older people tend to be harder hit, but it knows no boundaries of age or circumstance. The state reported this week that 44% of new cases are in people 34 and younger.
A man named Jack, from Rancho Cucamonga, was playing it safe. He and his wife both wore masks on their visit to Glendora.
“It’s crazy here,” said Jack, bewildered at the resistance to advice from public health officials.
“Eighty percent don’t wear masks here,” said a guy sitting outside a coffee shop with his dog. His mask was on the table, and his wife said they wear masks if they’re in a store or near anyone else. But not everyone is buying in.
“They think it’s a hoax, or they’re Trump supporters,” said a guy named Gary, who sat eight feet away with his mask on the table and his dog at his side.
On Tuesday, the hoax had infected 2.1 million people in the U.S., and the number of fake funerals is now speeding toward 120,000.
Steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-06-18--O.C. officials monitoring increase in ICU hospitalizations from coronavirus

Orange County officials said Wednesday they are continuing to monitor increases in hospitalization levels due to the coronavirus but that the trends don ’ t necessarily mean the county needs to slow its reopening of the economy .
Coronavirus-related ICU hospitalizations have jumped 76 % in the last six weeks in Orange County .
During the week of May 4 , the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds .
Last week , that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized .
In early May , the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orange County was in the low 200s .
A month later , those figures had jumped to the high 200s and low 300s .
Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett attributes some of the uptick to outbreaks in skilled nursing homes .
She also noted that about two dozen patients in Orange County hospitals were from Imperial County .
She added that Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau is still reviewing a plan to reopen personal-care businesses in the county beginning Friday .
“ I look to our public health officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates , hospitalizations , ICU beds and deaths to determine whether we need to readjust our reopening plans or other policies such as face coverings , ” Bartlett said .
Despite the uptick in hospitalizations , Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Steel indicated Wednesday that county leaders have no plans to tamp down reopening plans .
“ Orange County has continued to meet the state ’ s metrics in the reopening process and remains below the state ’ s threshold to continue moving forward in the ‘ resilience roadmap , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We will continue to do so in accordance with state and federal guidelines while watching these numbers closely.
” County officials have said other data points — such as deaths and the number of positive COVID-19 tests — paint a more promising picture , as both numbers in Orange County compare favorably with neighboring counties .
“ While we are not out of this completely yet , Orange County is in good position to continue moving forward , ” Steel said last week , “ and we have reason to be positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County public health officials on Wednesday reemphasized the need for people to maintain physical distancing , wash their hands and wear face coverings as more public spaces reopen .
“ We have learned that simple face coverings that cover your nose and your mouth , along with keeping your distance from others , is very effective at preventing the spread of your droplets to others and thus reduces the risk of you infecting someone else unknowingly , ” said Dr. Christina Ghaly , director of the county ’ s Department of Health Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work with the structural changes in our communities that are being put in place.
” Los Angeles County officials have not yet outlined plans for the next stage of reopening .
L.A. County officials announced Wednesday , bringing the death toll to 2,991 .
In addition , 2,129 new cases were announced , raising the countywide infection total to 77,189 .
Despite the uptick in the number of deaths , L.A. county ’ s daily fatality rate has declined compared with a month ago .
In early May , the average daily number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45 .
By early June , that number had dropped to about 33 , county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Hospitalizations have also remained steady , officials said .

Orange County officials said Wednesday they are continuing to monitor increases in hospitalization levels due to the coronavirus but that the trends don’t necessarily mean the county needs to slow its reopening of the economy.
Coronavirus-related ICU hospitalizations have jumped 76% in the last six weeks in Orange County. During the week of May 4, the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds. Last week, that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized.
In early May, the number of people hospitalized for the virus in Orange County was in the low 200s. A month later, those figures had jumped to the high 200s and low 300s.
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Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett attributes some of the uptick to outbreaks in skilled nursing homes. She also noted that about two dozen patients in Orange County hospitals were from Imperial County.
She added that Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau is still reviewing a plan to reopen personal-care businesses in the county beginning Friday.
“I look to our public health officer to keep monitoring the data for positivity rates, hospitalizations, ICU beds and deaths to determine whether we need to readjust our reopening plans or other policies such as face coverings,” Bartlett said.
Despite the uptick in hospitalizations, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Steel indicated Wednesday that county leaders have no plans to tamp down reopening plans.
“Orange County has continued to meet the state’s metrics in the reopening process and remains below the state’s threshold to continue moving forward in the ‘resilience roadmap,’” she said in a statement. “We will continue to do so in accordance with state and federal guidelines while watching these numbers closely.”
County officials have said other data points — such as deaths and the number of positive COVID-19 tests — paint a more promising picture, as both numbers in Orange County compare favorably with neighboring counties.
“While we are not out of this completely yet, Orange County is in good position to continue moving forward,” Steel said last week, “and we have reason to be positive about where we are.”
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Los Angeles County public health officials on Wednesday reemphasized the need for people to maintain physical distancing, wash their hands and wear face coverings as more public spaces reopen.
“We have learned that simple face coverings that cover your nose and your mouth, along with keeping your distance from others, is very effective at preventing the spread of your droplets to others and thus reduces the risk of you infecting someone else unknowingly,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the county’s Department of Health Services. “We need to respect and work with the structural changes in our communities that are being put in place.”
Los Angeles County officials have not yet outlined plans for the next stage of reopening.
L.A. County officials announced 34 new coronavirus-related fatalities Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 2,991. In addition, 2,129 new cases were announced, raising the countywide infection total to 77,189.
Despite the uptick in the number of deaths, L.A. county’s daily fatality rate has declined compared with a month ago. In early May, the average daily number of deaths in the county was about 45. By early June, that number had dropped to about 33, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Hospitalizations have also remained steady, officials said.


latimes--2020-06-18--Let civilians police the police. Politicians and law enforcement are protecting bad cops

The U.S. government had the right answer from the start : civilian control of the armed forces .
State and local governments should have paid attention .
The commander in chief : a civilian .
The ranking No .
2 : a civilian secretary of Defense .
The American military isn ’ t perfect .
But it ’ s basically disciplined and tends to keep the troops in line .
Bad apples are routinely discarded .
Contrast that with local police and sheriffs ’ departments — and , in much of their history , state prison guards .
Bad apples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re protected by the buddy system and hardly ever tossed .
City councils , boards of supervisors and state legislatures have been afraid to significantly control law enforcement because they fear risking their cozy political relationships with uniformed officers .
Now , finally , public pressure is mounting to force change because of repeated unjust white cop killings of Black men .
Los Angeles , San Francisco and Sacramento are among the cities moving toward dramatically changing their police forces ’ missions .
The goal is for cops to respond mostly only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle noncriminal incidents .
On Monday , state Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra announced a package designed to rein in officers who use excessive force .
He urged that all agencies ban chokeholds , among other killer restraints , and make it easier to dump bad cops .
Last year , the Legislature passed a compromise bill requiring that deadly force be used only when “ necessary ” instead of the old standard : when “ reasonable.
” Police unions in L.A. , San Francisco and San Jose recently proposed a package of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , de-escalation , a duty to intercede [ against abusive cops ] , proportional responses to dangerous incidents and strong accountability.
” Clearly , police unions are responding to the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests and the call to — as politically foolish as it is — “ defund the police.
” It ’ s “ either one of the dumbest ideas of all time or the hands-down winner of the worst slogan ever , ” retired politician Willie Brown wrote in his Sunday column for the San Francisco Chronicle .
Brown was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco mayor and the first Black state Assembly speaker .
On paper , state and local law enforcement are under civilian control .
But it ’ s a façade because politicians — especially Democrats — rely on law enforcement unions to help them get reelected .
Not enough politicians will stand up against the unions to crack down on their members ’ misbehavior , let alone their retirement benefits .
Union endorsements are golden and their campaign money sweetens the pot .
You don ’ t see the Army , Navy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for federal office .
Nor U.S .
Marshals and FBI agents .
What ’ s sorely needed in local law enforcement are independent , nonpolitical entities that investigate alleged abusive officers , recommend whether they should be fired and make their findings public .
Police and sheriff ’ s departments are incapable of honestly investigating themselves because it ’ s a blatant conflict of interest .
And local politicians haven ’ t had the guts to force the issue .
“ Democrats in particular are so afraid of being labeled ‘ soft on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of standing up to police associations , ” says Phil Trounstine , a former political and government reporter for the San Jose Mercury News who became Democratic Gov .
Gray Davis ’ chief spokesman .
“ The only way to gain control of police behavior is to institute genuine civilian control with the power to discipline and terminate police officers for abusive behavior.
” Trounstine and longtime Democratic consultant Garry South are promoting the need for powerful , independent civilian review boards to oversee local law enforcement .
“ I ’ m exposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says South , who was Davis ’ chief strategist .
“ There ’ s an unholy alliance between Democratic politicians and police officer associations , ” South says .
“ Democrats need to show they ’ re tough on crime .
And one of the ways they do that is scoring endorsements from police associations .
“ I ’ ve sat in on dozens and dozens of endorsement conferences and they ’ re never about law enforcement issues that affect the public .
They ’ re about working conditions , salaries , pensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing wrong with that , but it puts Democratic politicians in bed with police unions .
“ That ’ s the dirty little secret in the political world that everyone knows but nobody wants to talk about.
” In California , it ’ s illegal to use a law enforcement uniform and badge in a political ad .
“ There ’ s a way around that , ” South says .
“ I ’ ve done it.
” You craft a plastic badge with the union ’ s name on it and rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters “ don ’ t know the difference , ” South says .
“ I ’ ve rented cop cars from movie rental agencies with lights on top flashing around .
“ It ’ s all basically a game .
… The consequences are that when there are calls for really substantial reform , a lot of Democratic politicians are compromised because they ’ re dependent on unions giving them a fig leaf on public safety.
” MapLight , which monitors political donations , counted up $ 7 million in police union contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roughly half the lawmakers received more than $ 50,000 .
The biggest donors were the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.
, the Peace Officers Research Assn .
of California and the California Assn .
of Highway Patrolmen .
“ That ’ s only a fraction of what police unions spend on politics in California , ” says MapLight President Dan Newman .
Unions have a constitutional right to support political candidates .
But the ability of politicians to repay unions can be substantially lessened by true civilian control of police .

The U.S. government had the right answer from the start: civilian control of the armed forces. State and local governments should have paid attention.
The commander in chief: a civilian. The ranking No. 2: a civilian secretary of Defense.
The American military isn’t perfect. But it’s basically disciplined and tends to keep the troops in line. Bad apples are routinely discarded.
Advertisement
Contrast that with local police and sheriffs’ departments — and, in much of their history, state prison guards. Bad apples stink up the entire place because they’re protected by the buddy system and hardly ever tossed.
City councils, boards of supervisors and state legislatures have been afraid to significantly control law enforcement because they fear risking their cozy political relationships with uniformed officers.
Now, finally, public pressure is mounting to force change because of repeated unjust white cop killings of Black men.
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento are among the cities moving toward dramatically changing their police forces’ missions. The goal is for cops to respond mostly only to criminal cases — trained specialists would handle noncriminal incidents.
On Monday, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra announced a package designed to rein in officers who use excessive force. He urged that all agencies ban chokeholds, among other killer restraints, and make it easier to dump bad cops.
Last year, the Legislature passed a compromise bill requiring that deadly force be used only when “necessary” instead of the old standard: when “reasonable.”
Advertisement
Police unions in L.A., San Francisco and San Jose recently proposed a package of reforms that “emphasizes reverence for life, de-escalation, a duty to intercede [against abusive cops], proportional responses to dangerous incidents and strong accountability.”
Clearly, police unions are responding to the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests and the call to — as politically foolish as it is — “defund the police.”
It’s “either one of the dumbest ideas of all time or the hands-down winner of the worst slogan ever,” retired politician Willie Brown wrote in his Sunday column for the San Francisco Chronicle. Brown was the first Black person to be elected San Francisco mayor and the first Black state Assembly speaker.
On paper, state and local law enforcement are under civilian control. But it’s a façade because politicians — especially Democrats — rely on law enforcement unions to help them get reelected. Not enough politicians will stand up against the unions to crack down on their members’ misbehavior, let alone their retirement benefits.
Union endorsements are golden and their campaign money sweetens the pot.
You don’t see the Army, Navy and Air Force endorsing or donating to candidates for federal office. Nor U.S. Marshals and FBI agents.
What’s sorely needed in local law enforcement are independent, nonpolitical entities that investigate alleged abusive officers, recommend whether they should be fired and make their findings public.
Police and sheriff’s departments are incapable of honestly investigating themselves because it’s a blatant conflict of interest. And local politicians haven’t had the guts to force the issue.
“Democrats in particular are so afraid of being labeled ‘soft on crime’ that they’re terrified of standing up to police associations,” says Phil Trounstine, a former political and government reporter for the San Jose Mercury News who became Democratic Gov. Gray Davis’ chief spokesman.
“The only way to gain control of police behavior is to institute genuine civilian control with the power to discipline and terminate police officers for abusive behavior.”
Trounstine and longtime Democratic consultant Garry South are promoting the need for powerful, independent civilian review boards to oversee local law enforcement.
“I’m exposing the Democrats’ dirty laundry,” says South, who was Davis’ chief strategist.
“There’s an unholy alliance between Democratic politicians and police officer associations,” South says. “Democrats need to show they’re tough on crime. And one of the ways they do that is scoring endorsements from police associations.
“I’ve sat in on dozens and dozens of endorsement conferences and they’re never about law enforcement issues that affect the public. They’re about working conditions, salaries, pensions, binding arbitration. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it puts Democratic politicians in bed with police unions.
“That’s the dirty little secret in the political world that everyone knows but nobody wants to talk about.”
In California, it’s illegal to use a law enforcement uniform and badge in a political ad.
“There’s a way around that,” South says. “I’ve done it.”
You craft a plastic badge with the union’s name on it and rent a uniform from a costume store. Voters “don’t know the difference,” South says. “I’ve rented cop cars from movie rental agencies with lights on top flashing around.
“It’s all basically a game. … The consequences are that when there are calls for really substantial reform, a lot of Democratic politicians are compromised because they’re dependent on unions giving them a fig leaf on public safety.”
Campaign money helps too.
MapLight, which monitors political donations, counted up $7 million in police union contributions to current California legislators over several elections. Roughly half the lawmakers received more than $50,000.
The biggest donors were the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California and the California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen.
“That’s only a fraction of what police unions spend on politics in California,” says MapLight President Dan Newman.
Unions have a constitutional right to support political candidates.
But the ability of politicians to repay unions can be substantially lessened by true civilian control of police.


latimes--2020-06-17--Owner of Irish pub that opened on St. Patrick's Day despite coronavirus order charged with misdemean

Owner of Irish pub that opened on St. Patrick's Day despite coronavirus order charged with misdemeanor

A South Pasadena Irish pub opened up on St. Patrick ’ s Day in defiance of coronavirus shutdown orders .
Now its owner could face up to 90 days in jail or a $ 1,000 fine .
Griffin ’ s of Kinsale in South Pasadena welcomed patrons in green inside on March 17 , just two days after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an order prohibiting restaurants from serving dine-in food .
Angry residents outside the restaurant and on Facebook immediately criticized the festivities apparently going on inside .
On Wednesday , the L.A. County district attorney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner , Joseph Patrick Griffin of Lake View Terrace , has been charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly violating the countywide coronavirus order .
If there was a party at the pub that day , it didn ’ t go smoothly .
South Pasadena police first visited the pub at 12:48 p.m. to tell Griffin , 57 , that his business could serve only takeout and delivery .
At 3:08 p.m. , they returned and issued a health and safety code citation .
About 7 p.m. , officers — this time joined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Safety — made their third and final visit , issuing yet another citation before Griffin shut things down .
In a video posted to Twitter by Josh Albrekston at 6:45 p.m. that day , police were shown standing outside as customers ate and Irish rock music blasted within .
A news release from the district attorney ’ s office laid out the charge .
“ During the order mandating the closing of bars that did not serve food and other nonessential businesses , the bar allegedly opened its doors , served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago said in the release .
Griffin did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday .
He previously told The Times he did not know the pub was supposed to be closed because of the rapid influx of coronavirus health orders .
On March 16 , the city of South Pasadena followed the county ’ s lead and issued its own order halting dine-in restaurant service .
South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe said at the time that the “ health and safety of our community comes first .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ county in the nation , and the more we can do to limit our interactions will help to curb the spread of coronavirus.
” Griffin told The Times then that he had advised customers to make only takeout and delivery orders and to not eat on the premises .
The pub ’ s day was set to start with a 7:30 a.m. all-you-can-eat Irish breakfast and roll on with two bands , its event calendar shows .
“ I didn ’ t hear any complaints until the day of , and I firmly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and from a few people determined to shut us down , ” Griffin said .
Comments made on a “ Happy St. Patrick ’ s Day ” post on the restaurant ’ s Facebook page chastising the owner for opening paint a different picture of a vexed community .
“ You put the community at risk for money , ” read a post from Mitzye Ribas .
“ This is exactly why all of these hard decisions were made ... to prevent people from potentially spreading Covid-19 , ” said another , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , L.A. County reported 144 cases of coronavirus .
Three months later , the county has reported 77,260 confirmed cases , including 2,088 new cases on Wednesday .

Griffin’s of Kinsale in South Pasadena is photographed on March 19. The Irish pub’s owner was charged with a misdemeanor after the pub was open on March 17 for St. Patrick’s Day despite Los Angeles County orders that restaurants and bars be shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A South Pasadena Irish pub opened up on St. Patrick’s Day in defiance of coronavirus shutdown orders. Now its owner could face up to 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine.
Griffin’s of Kinsale in South Pasadena welcomed patrons in green inside on March 17, just two days after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an order prohibiting restaurants from serving dine-in food.
Angry residents outside the restaurant and on Facebook immediately criticized the festivities apparently going on inside. On Wednesday, the L.A. County district attorney’s office announced that the pub’s owner, Joseph Patrick Griffin of Lake View Terrace, has been charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly violating the countywide coronavirus order.
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If there was a party at the pub that day, it didn’t go smoothly.
South Pasadena police first visited the pub at 12:48 p.m. to tell Griffin, 57, that his business could serve only takeout and delivery. At 3:08 p.m., they returned and issued a health and safety code citation. About 7 p.m., officers — this time joined by a representative from the L.A. County Department of Public Safety — made their third and final visit, issuing yet another citation before Griffin shut things down.
In a video posted to Twitter by Josh Albrekston at 6:45 p.m. that day, police were shown standing outside as customers ate and Irish rock music blasted within.
The one bar in South Pasadena, Griffins next to the train station, was having a Saint Patrick’s day party. I opened the door and screamed at them that they were all sh!tty horrible people. The cops with County Health came 5 minutes later to shut them down. pic.twitter.com/ePYMoSJsf5 — Josh (@JalbyMD) March 18, 2020
A news release from the district attorney’s office laid out the charge.
“During the order mandating the closing of bars that did not serve food and other nonessential businesses, the bar allegedly opened its doors, served customers and offered live entertainment,” Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago said in the release.
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Griffin did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. He previously told The Times he did not know the pub was supposed to be closed because of the rapid influx of coronavirus health orders. On March 16, the city of South Pasadena followed the county’s lead and issued its own order halting dine-in restaurant service.
South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe said at the time that the “health and safety of our community comes first. Los Angeles County is the most populated county in the nation, and the more we can do to limit our interactions will help to curb the spread of coronavirus.”
Griffin told The Times then that he had advised customers to make only takeout and delivery orders and to not eat on the premises. The pub’s day was set to start with a 7:30 a.m. all-you-can-eat Irish breakfast and roll on with two bands, its event calendar shows.
“I didn’t hear any complaints until the day of, and I firmly believe those came from other area businesses and from a few people determined to shut us down,” Griffin said.
Comments made on a “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” post on the restaurant’s Facebook page chastising the owner for opening paint a different picture of a vexed community.
“You put the community at risk for money,” read a post from Mitzye Ribas.
“This is exactly why all of these hard decisions were made ... to prevent people from potentially spreading Covid-19,” said another, from Malinda Fong Vargas.
On March 17, L.A. County reported 144 cases of coronavirus. Three months later, the county has reported 77,260 confirmed cases, including 2,088 new cases on Wednesday.