latimes--2020-03-18--'I've never seen the O.C. so quiet.' Coronavirus slows Orange County life to a crawl

In Huntington Beach , Sandy Lopez cut a lonely figure along the boardwalk , where on Wednesday , before cooking dinner with family members at home in Santa Ana , she sneaked out , escaping to the ocean for a long-awaited walk .
“ I need space to think , you know .
The world is racing by , and I ’ m confused with so many people saying do this , do that , don ’ t do this or that , ” said the office clerk , whose hours had been reduced at a real estate business .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I want to be by myself to think through it .
First , we heard that Orange County has a curfew .
But I found out I misheard that , but there could be a curfew — maybe , next week .
Who can predict ?
I don ’ t know where it ’ s safe to go , so I thought , let ’ s just go to the beach.
” Lopez , 29 , stood yards away from the famed Surf City Pier , about to snap some selfies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast friends .
“ They ’ re stuck , too , but at least I have access to the water , ” she said .
Lopez and Orange County ’ s residents awoke to sweeping new restrictions aimed at slowing The county now of coronavirus .
There have been no deaths in the county .
Lopez lives with her parents and a younger sibling .
While her mother and diabetic father must remain indoors under medical advice , she and her sister plan to take turns standing in line weekly for groceries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fried food and trying to stay away from too many sweets — all for the sake of their health .
She isn ’ t a cook but has started to watch the Food Channel to find tips and inspiration for quick meals .
Her mom usually takes care of kitchen “ stuff , ” she said , adding : “ I am so used to just driving a few blocks to the taqueria to grab some snacks — but again , I don ’ t know where it ’ s safe.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to his father ’ s elderly cousin , carrying a grocery bag packed with canned corn , bread , lunch meats , condiments and soda .
The Los Angeles contractor said he stopped by Aldi .
a bargain outlet along Magnolia Street , a normally clogged thoroughfare that has transformed into “ a city on permanent spring break .
This isn ’ t a big metro type of area , but I always see tons of families with kids and their sporting equipment and now , the neighborhood looks like a scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can let your dogs run around and never fear that cars will come up.
” Lewis said his relative doesn ’ t use electronics that allow others to video chat with him , so the only alternative is to drive an hour and a half .
“ So the grocery store , I thought that would be like an hour to pick up nine or 10 items , and it was double .
But I gained the time back since my commute was cut way , way down .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quiet , ” he said .
In Westminster , some young people outside T & K Market saved their face masks to give to their parents and grandparents who rushed in and out , laying their gloved hands on everything from custard pastry and ong choy to oyster sauce and aloe juice , not even looking for sales tags .
The Little Saigon crowd was deep into crisis planning , with some shoppers comparing data broadcast on Vietnamese radio to the latest death tolls updated on CNN .
“ The numbers from Vietnamese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other parts of Asia — which are so important at this point because some countries in the world are an epicenter .
I ’ m keeping tabs on the press in different languages , ” said Tuan Nguyen , an IT specialist taking his son out to find milk tea .
With his two kids home from school , he took advantage of being able to motivate them to do their homework faster .
Whoever did earned $ 5 to cover an outing to get boba .
“ Are we stir-crazy ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and we ’ re going to different cafes each time we leave the house to make it more interesting , ” said Nguyen , 43 .
“ Of course , I bring the Lysol wipes .
But I am worried .
I don ’ t have much left.
” In Anaheim , with both Disneyland and Downtown Disney shuttered , Sami Ruiz and her sister initially thought they could get together with their girlfriends at Denny ’ s instead of a favorite spot at their favorite amusement park .
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But their parents warned them that O.C .
officials mandated that they couldn ’ t leave the house for “ social activities.
” “ I went online to try and research what ’ s true .
I didn ’ t know about any permanent orders to stay home , ” said Ruiz , a part-time retail worker in her 20s .
“ I had to tell my dad that it ’ s ‘ highly recommended ’ that we be indoors — but we ’ re old enough to make our decisions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel like , caged .
There ’ s no traffic at all , so we should feel free to just hang out and explore whatever ’ s open.
” Gatherings : Gatherings of any size outside of a single living unit are prohibited .
Ordered to close : All bars and other establishments that serve alcohol and not food .
Restaurants : May offer food only by delivery , pickup or drive-through .

In Huntington Beach, Sandy Lopez cut a lonely figure along the boardwalk, where on Wednesday, before cooking dinner with family members at home in Santa Ana, she sneaked out, escaping to the ocean for a long-awaited walk.
“I need space to think, you know. The world is racing by, and I’m confused with so many people saying do this, do that, don’t do this or that,” said the office clerk, whose hours had been reduced at a real estate business. “Information is changing every day, and I want to be by myself to think through it. First, we heard that Orange County has a curfew. But I found out I misheard that, but there could be a curfew — maybe, next week. Who can predict? I don’t know where it’s safe to go, so I thought, let’s just go to the beach.”
Lopez, 29, stood yards away from the famed Surf City Pier, about to snap some selfies to post an update to share with East Coast friends. “They’re stuck, too, but at least I have access to the water,” she said.
Lopez and Orange County’s more than 3 million residents awoke to sweeping new restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus.
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The county now has 29 confirmed cases of coronavirus and so far, there have been no deaths.
Lopez lives with her parents and a younger sibling. While her mother and diabetic father must remain indoors under medical advice, she and her sister plan to take turns standing in line weekly for groceries. They are eating more soup, less fried food and trying to stay away from too many sweets — all for the sake of their health.
She isn’t a cook but has started to watch the Food Channel to find tips and inspiration for quick meals. Her mom usually takes care of kitchen “stuff,” she said, adding: “I am so used to just driving a few blocks to the taqueria to grab some snacks — but again, I don’t know where it’s safe.”
In Fountain Valley, Charlie Lewis paid a visit to his father’s elderly cousin, carrying a grocery bag packed with canned corn, bread, lunch meats, condiments and soda. The Los Angeles contractor said he stopped by Aldi, a bargain outlet along Magnolia Street, a normally clogged thoroughfare that has transformed into “a city on permanent spring break. This isn’t a big metro type of area, but I always see tons of families with kids and their sporting equipment and now, the neighborhood looks like a scene from cable TV. Eerie. Silent. You can let your dogs run around and never fear that cars will come up.”
Lewis said his relative doesn’t use electronics that allow others to video chat with him, so the only alternative is to drive an hour and a half.
“So the grocery store, I thought that would be like an hour to pick up nine or 10 items, and it was double. But I gained the time back since my commute was cut way, way down. I’ve never seen the O.C. so quiet,” he said.
In Westminster, some young people outside T & K Food Market saved their face masks to give to their parents and grandparents who rushed in and out, laying their gloved hands on everything from custard pastry and ong choy to oyster sauce and aloe juice, not even looking for sales tags. The Little Saigon crowd was deep into crisis planning, with some shoppers comparing data broadcast on Vietnamese radio to the latest death tolls updated on CNN.
“The numbers from Vietnamese news include numbers and information from China and other parts of Asia — which are so important at this point because some countries in the world are an epicenter. I’m keeping tabs on the press in different languages,” said Tuan Nguyen, an IT specialist taking his son out to find milk tea. With his two kids home from school, he took advantage of being able to motivate them to do their homework faster. Whoever did earned $5 to cover an outing to get boba.
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“Are we stir-crazy? Yes, but you have to push them, and we’re going to different cafes each time we leave the house to make it more interesting,” said Nguyen, 43. “Of course, I bring the Lysol wipes. But I am worried. I don’t have much left.”
In Anaheim, with both Disneyland and Downtown Disney shuttered, Sami Ruiz and her sister initially thought they could get together with their girlfriends at Denny’s instead of a favorite spot at their favorite amusement park. They were craving a Grand Slam breakfast, anyway. But their parents warned them that O.C. officials mandated that they couldn’t leave the house for “social activities.”
“I went online to try and research what’s true. I didn’t know about any permanent orders to stay home,” said Ruiz, a part-time retail worker in her 20s. “I had to tell my dad that it’s ‘highly recommended’ that we be indoors — but we’re old enough to make our decisions. I can’t be inside. I feel like, caged. There’s no traffic at all, so we should feel free to just hang out and explore whatever’s open.”
The Orange County restrictions:
Gatherings: Gatherings of any size outside of a single living unit are prohibited.
Ordered to close: All bars and other establishments that serve alcohol and not food.
Restaurants: May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through.
Effective: Now through March 31.


latimes--2020-03-18--The line at this Costco begins at 2:55 a.m. as coronavirus spooks shoppers

When Shannon Davis arrived at a Costco in Hawthorne on Wednesday , 2 hours and 15 minutes before its doors opened , the sun had not yet risen and about 30 people were already in line .
Davis , who lives and teaches in Lawndale , knows food and other essentials will not run out .
That ’ s what her rational brain tells her .
But those lines .
They trail out the doors and hug the walls of grocery stores and warehouse clubs , in Southern California and elsewhere in a nation gripped by a pandemic .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands in them .
“ The intelligent part of my mind tells me there are plentiful supplies , ” she said .
“ But when you see these kinds of lines for basic supplies , it ’ s alarming .
You become reactionary .
I can ’ t process what the intelligent side of my mind is telling me.
” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti pleaded with residents on Monday to forgo “ panic-buying ” and promised that groceries and other necessities are in good supply .
Panic-buying “ has a consequence not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ but for your loved ones , for grocery workers , and of course for those who are most vulnerable and who need food right now.
” Many stores are limiting the number of shoppers allowed inside at any one time and the quantities they can purchase of high-demand goods , like toilet paper , wipes and certain groceries .
At the Costco in Hawthorne , a sign by the door limited shoppers to a single loaf of bread , one flat of eggs , one bag of rice , one gallon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soup .
Pictures of emptied shelves and serpentine lines are being circulated on social media , aired on television and written about in news reports , and they are fanning the impression , some shoppers said Wednesday , that those who don ’ t buy now will have nothing to buy at all , if and when the pandemic worsens and social controls tighten .
As people waited for the Costco in Hawthorne to open , the sun rose gradually , glinting off the train of carts that circled the cavernous warehouse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trying to keep away from each other .
Soon , the line would start to creep into the store .
“ You know other people are doing it , ” said Stefan Cabezas , who lined up at 5:30 a.m. , 2 ½ hours before the store opened , “ so you ’ re doing it as a precaution.
” “ I see people grabbing five , 10 boxes of pasta off a shelf , ” said Monica De Cuir , who took her place in line around the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need pasta.
’ And I have to stop myself and think , ‘ No I don ’ t. ’ ” Cabezas and De Cuir were not the first to arrive at the store Wednesday morning , nor were they close to being the first .
Ben and Mariam Cole claimed their spot by the door at 2:55 a.m. , Ben Cole said .
He had come to the store three days earlier at 4 a.m. “ We thought we ’ d at least be No .
5 , ” Cole said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time they got in , the store was out of baby wipes they needed for their youngest son , who is 2 , he said .
“ You can say , ‘ You don ’ t have to worry , ’ ” Cole said of the admonishing from public officials against standing in lines , and of their assurances that essentials are in good supply .
“ But when I get to the store and there ’ s no toilet paper , there ’ s no hand sanitizer and cleaning materials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lee Caudle and his wife , Margaret , took a spot in line around 6 a.m. Wednesday after realizing they were low on toilet paper .
Caudle was willing to wait several hours to get in the store , he said , because “ we don ’ t know if we ’ re in the middle of the crisis or if it ’ s going to get a whole lot worse.
” The Caudles said they were more concerned about running out of basic supplies than contracting the virus — a sentiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawndale .
“ I think I can avoid the sickness by taking precautions , ” Davis said .
“ Supplies , I have no control over that .
My biggest concern is just not having resources at this point .
”

When Shannon Davis arrived at a Costco in Hawthorne on Wednesday, 2 hours and 15 minutes before its doors opened, the sun had not yet risen and about 30 people were already in line.
Davis, who lives and teaches in Lawndale, knows food and other essentials will not run out. That’s what her rational brain tells her. But those lines.
They trail out the doors and hug the walls of grocery stores and warehouse clubs, in Southern California and elsewhere in a nation gripped by a pandemic. Those lines worry Davis — and so she stands in them.
“The intelligent part of my mind tells me there are plentiful supplies,” she said. “But when you see these kinds of lines for basic supplies, it’s alarming. You become reactionary. I can’t process what the intelligent side of my mind is telling me.”
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A couple waits in line at Costco in Hawthorne well before it opens. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti pleaded with residents on Monday to forgo “panic-buying” and promised that groceries and other necessities are in good supply. Panic-buying “has a consequence not just for you,” Garcetti said, “but for your loved ones, for grocery workers, and of course for those who are most vulnerable and who need food right now.”
Many stores are limiting the number of shoppers allowed inside at any one time and the quantities they can purchase of high-demand goods, like toilet paper, wipes and certain groceries. At the Costco in Hawthorne, a sign by the door limited shoppers to a single loaf of bread, one flat of eggs, one bag of rice, one gallon of milk and one package of instant soup.
Pictures of emptied shelves and serpentine lines are being circulated on social media, aired on television and written about in news reports, and they are fanning the impression, some shoppers said Wednesday, that those who don’t buy now will have nothing to buy at all, if and when the pandemic worsens and social controls tighten.
Jose Sandova, who came at 4 a.m. to get his spot in long line of shoppers at the Costco in Hawthorne. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
As people waited for the Costco in Hawthorne to open, the sun rose gradually, glinting off the train of carts that circled the cavernous warehouse, off the tired people clinging to them and trying to keep away from each other. Soon, the line would start to creep into the store.
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“You know other people are doing it,” said Stefan Cabezas, who lined up at 5:30 a.m., 2 ½ hours before the store opened, “so you’re doing it as a precaution.”
“I see people grabbing five, 10 boxes of pasta off a shelf,” said Monica De Cuir, who took her place in line around the same time, “and I think, ‘I need pasta.’ And I have to stop myself and think, ‘No I don’t.’”
Cabezas and De Cuir were not the first to arrive at the store Wednesday morning, nor were they close to being the first. Ben and Mariam Cole claimed their spot by the door at 2:55 a.m., Ben Cole said. He had come to the store three days earlier at 4 a.m.
“We thought we’d at least be No. 5,” Cole said. “We were No. 20.” By the time they got in, the store was out of baby wipes they needed for their youngest son, who is 2, he said.
“You can say, ‘You don’t have to worry,’” Cole said of the admonishing from public officials against standing in lines, and of their assurances that essentials are in good supply. “But when I get to the store and there’s no toilet paper, there’s no hand sanitizer and cleaning materials, what am I supposed to do?”
Lee Caudle and his wife, Margaret, took a spot in line around 6 a.m. Wednesday after realizing they were low on toilet paper. Caudle was willing to wait several hours to get in the store, he said, because “we don’t know if we’re in the middle of the crisis or if it’s going to get a whole lot worse.”
The Caudles said they were more concerned about running out of basic supplies than contracting the virus — a sentiment shared by Davis, the teacher from Lawndale.
“I think I can avoid the sickness by taking precautions,” Davis said. “Supplies, I have no control over that. My biggest concern is just not having resources at this point.”


latimes--2020-03-18--LAUSD packs 400,000 meals, prepares for months of 'grab-and-go.' Recipients express relief

One man wore plastic gloves and a face mask as he pulled up in a pickup to receive school-packed meals for his children .
A woman with a preschooler at her side took her boxed meals through her car window and quickly drove away .
Another woman said she was grateful to hear that the district was giving out milk .
She couldn ’ t find any the last time she went to a local market .
As students and parents woke up to news that public schools in California might be closed for the remainder of the school year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gates to what they said would be the first of many morning food pickups in the weeks and possibly months ahead .
Los Angeles Unified , the nation ’ s second-largest school district , has been training volunteers and ramping up food services to care for more than half a million students , and even their families , affected by the closures .
About 80 % of its students are from low-income families and qualify to receive breakfast , lunch and sometimes dinner from school .
About 400,000 “ grab-and-go ” meals were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 7 and 10 a.m. at 60 pickup sites throughout the district .
The locations are set up for drive-through and walk-up distribution .
Officials say they will make adjustments in the coming days based on how many people show up and where .
Riley Frank has 17 children and grandchildren and four great-grandchildren .
Six of his grandchildren came to his home Tuesday .
He wished he ’ d had more food to offer them , he said , but he ’ s had trouble buying staples at local markets because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually only shops for a week ’ s worth of meals , was overwhelmed with emotion when he heard the school district was providing food .
“ They really were saying they ’ re not going to turn away nobody , ” he said .
Frank , who is 70 , was also relieved he didn ’ t have to stand in line at the Dorsey High School distribution site .
“ My legs won ’ t let me do it .
I ’ m just too old.
” For now , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having so much family at home .
“ I think it ’ s a beautiful thing , because you can kinda like touch bases , ” he said .
“ It ’ s going to be a good thing.
” At Dorsey High in southwest L.A. , volunteers , including a Red Cross contingent , were at work before 6 a.m. setting up tents and tables and handing out plastic disposable gloves and hairnets .
A police officer patrolled a gate by the entrance , and yellow tape marked a pathway winding through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood ready to greet and usher visitors , while cafeteria workers inside assembled and packed cold meals into translucent white plastic bags .
A typical breakfast consisted of an individual-portion-sized box of cereal , unsweetened apple sauce , milk and an apple , orange or banana .
For lunch , they provided bags filled with food such as a turkey and cheese sandwich , sunflower butter , mango juice , carrots , raisins , milk and another piece of fruit .
Food pickup was intermittent at first , mostly by car as people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out bagged meals on a tray — providing some precautionary distance between workers and visitors .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner said no one would be turned away , whether or not they have a connection to the school system .
“ Our intent is to serve children , but if adults ask , we will offer , and we ’ re going to serve those in need , ” Beutner said .
“ These are not ordinary days .
... Our goal is to help as many as we can.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to fund schools at normal levels throughout the closure , which allows employees to continue to be paid .
That continuing paycheck is reassuring to Rosa Garcia , cafeteria manager at Liechty Middle School , near downtown Los Angeles , another school-food distribution site that opened Wednesday .
She has three children at home who are 2 , 5 and 8 .
The 2-year-old has asthma and could be susceptible to a respiratory infection , but Garcia wanted to volunteer — both to keep busy and for the $ 100 per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handler at Los Angeles International Airport for China Airlines .
His pay is sharply lower because his workdays and the number of hours he works in a shift have been cut .
Her 19-year-old daughter is helping tutor the children — because her classes at East L.A. College have shut down .
The children ’ s school , State Street Elementary , provided computers to use for online instruction .
“ They sent a little laptop home with instructions about how to log in so the teacher can see the amount of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcia said .
Only 169 meals had been picked up with only half an hour to go at Dorsey .
Officials believed that many families were just learning about the sites and were adjusting to the new realities of school closures .
But as volunteers started walking around the neighborhood , more and more people got the message that their kids did not have to go hungry .
Jacob Zuniga , the cafeteria manager at Dorsey , walked into a nearby furniture store and watched as an employee started making phone calls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ community were picking up meals .
Less than 30 minutes later , volunteers had given out 332 more meals .
“ It ’ s a very humbling experience , ” Zuniga said , “ seeing all these families receiving food .
”

Cynthia Arenas picks up a to-go lunch for son Jezis Lamb, a 4-year-old in pre-K, at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Ricky Ohm, 9, a third-grader at Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School in East Los Angeles, receives food to-go from the Dream Center in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Karyna Renoj, 11, and her mom, Pascuala Reno, carry box lunches from the Dream Center in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Melgar, left, and Ricardo Oseguera, employees at Pink’s Hot Dogs, deliver 500 donated hot dogs to the Dream Center in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Jonathan Mitchell, 12, left, and Jason Garcia, 11, sixth-graders at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in Los Angeles, eat corn dogs after receiving free box lunches at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
LAUSD Supt. Austin Beutner said on Friday that LAUSD schools would be closing. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Students leave John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles at the end of the school day on Friday. The campus closed the following Monday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times )
Students hug as they are let out of school at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Blake Anderson, left, a freshman, walks with his father, Oree Anderson, as school is let out at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles just before campuses closed down. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Courtney Johnson, left, Benjula Prasad and Cindy King prepare the to-go meals to be handed out at the Dorsey High food distribution center. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Gloria Murrietta, who works in LAUSD food services, delivers food that will be distributed to drivers in vehicles at Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Alake Ilegbameh, with his three school-age children, gets to-go meals at Dorsey High on Wednesday from LAUSD employee Benjula Prasad. “May God continue to bless you,” he said. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
One man wore plastic gloves and a face mask as he pulled up in a pickup to receive school-packed meals for his children. A woman with a preschooler at her side took her boxed meals through her car window and quickly drove away. Another woman said she was grateful to hear that the district was giving out milk. She couldn’t find any the last time she went to a local market.
As students and parents woke up to news that public schools in California might be closed for the remainder of the school year, Los Angeles school officials opened campus gates to what they said would be the first of many morning food pickups in the weeks and possibly months ahead.
Los Angeles Unified, the nation’s second-largest school district, has been training volunteers and ramping up food services to care for more than half a million students, and even their families, affected by the closures. About 80% of its students are from low-income families and qualify to receive breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner from school.
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About 400,000 “grab-and-go” meals were prepped and ready to be distributed Wednesday between 7 and 10 a.m. at 60 pickup sites throughout the district. The locations are set up for drive-through and walk-up distribution. Officials say they will make adjustments in the coming days based on how many people show up and where.
Riley Frank has 17 children and grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Six of his grandchildren came to his home Tuesday. He wished he’d had more food to offer them, he said, but he’s had trouble buying staples at local markets because of the panic buying.
Frank, who usually only shops for a week’s worth of meals, was overwhelmed with emotion when he heard the school district was providing food. “They really were saying they’re not going to turn away nobody,” he said.
Frank, who is 70, was also relieved he didn’t have to stand in line at the Dorsey High School distribution site.
“My legs won’t let me do it. I’m just too old.”
For now, he’s focusing on the positives of having so much family at home.
“I think it’s a beautiful thing, because you can kinda like touch bases,” he said. “It’s going to be a good thing.”
Advertisement
At Dorsey High in southwest L.A., volunteers, including a Red Cross contingent, were at work before 6 a.m. setting up tents and tables and handing out plastic disposable gloves and hairnets. A police officer patrolled a gate by the entrance, and yellow tape marked a pathway winding through campus to the distribution area.
Volunteers stood ready to greet and usher visitors, while cafeteria workers inside assembled and packed cold meals into translucent white plastic bags. A typical breakfast consisted of an individual-portion-sized box of cereal, unsweetened apple sauce, milk and an apple, orange or banana.
For lunch, they provided bags filled with food such as a turkey and cheese sandwich, sunflower butter, mango juice, carrots, raisins, milk and another piece of fruit.
Food pickup was intermittent at first, mostly by car as people drove up to volunteers, who held out bagged meals on a tray — providing some precautionary distance between workers and visitors.
L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner said no one would be turned away, whether or not they have a connection to the school system.
“Our intent is to serve children, but if adults ask, we will offer, and we’re going to serve those in need,” Beutner said. “These are not ordinary days. ... Our goal is to help as many as we can.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to continue to fund schools at normal levels throughout the closure, which allows employees to continue to be paid.
That continuing paycheck is reassuring to Rosa Garcia, cafeteria manager at Liechty Middle School, near downtown Los Angeles, another school-food distribution site that opened Wednesday.
She has three children at home who are 2, 5 and 8. The 2-year-old has asthma and could be susceptible to a respiratory infection, but Garcia wanted to volunteer — both to keep busy and for the $100 per day stipend. Her husband is a baggage handler at Los Angeles International Airport for China Airlines. His pay is sharply lower because his workdays and the number of hours he works in a shift have been cut.
Her 19-year-old daughter is helping tutor the children — because her classes at East L.A. College have shut down. The children’s school, State Street Elementary, provided computers to use for online instruction.
“They sent a little laptop home with instructions about how to log in so the teacher can see the amount of time that the student is working,” Garcia said.
Only 169 meals had been picked up with only half an hour to go at Dorsey. Officials believed that many families were just learning about the sites and were adjusting to the new realities of school closures.
But as volunteers started walking around the neighborhood, more and more people got the message that their kids did not have to go hungry.
Jacob Zuniga, the cafeteria manager at Dorsey, walked into a nearby furniture store and watched as an employee started making phone calls. Soon people from the store and the community were picking up meals.
Less than 30 minutes later, volunteers had given out 332 more meals.
“It’s a very humbling experience,” Zuniga said, “seeing all these families receiving food.”


latimes--2020-03-18--Coronavirus makes California census count more crucial, and more challenging

Taking a head count of the entire U.S. population was already going to be hard .
The coronavirus will make it much harder .
Across California , grassroots groups looking to amp up census participation among historically hard-to-count communities have hit a snag : how to reach people at a time when many are self-quarantining to stem the spread of the pandemic .
Canvassers had hoped to use the weeks leading up to Census Day , April 1 , to reach communities that are at the greatest risk of an undercount by knocking on doors .
They were betting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians would fill out the decennial survey .
But with social distancing , those conversations will have to happen via text messages and phone calls , or on social media .
“ With increased restrictions on group gatherings , we ’ re seeing we may not even be able to convene folks on-site to do collective phone banking , ” said Kevin Cosney , senior organizing manager at California Calls , a coalition of community groups .
“ We were supposed to launch our outreach efforts last weekend .
Now we won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April.
” California Calls aims to provide workers with the resources needed to do their phone banking remotely , he said .
On Wednesday , the U.S. Census Bureau announced it would temporarily suspend all field operations for the 2020 census for two weeks , until April 1 , to help slow the virus .
Steven Dillingham , the bureau ’ s director , said the office is making the change “ to help protect the health and safety of the American public , Census Bureau employees , and everyone going through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Even before the outbreak , officials said that Los Angeles County would be the nation ’ s hardest to tally because of its high concentrations of renters and homeless people , as well as immigrant communities that may not participate because of language barriers or because they fear reprisal from the federal government .
States draw on census data to form school district boundaries , and many of the services that people rely on in California — such as nutrition programs and housing assistance — are tied to funds calculated using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the population belongs to one or another historically undercounted group .
Cosney worries that organizations such as his could lose out on connecting with people who aren ’ t registered to vote , whose phone numbers they wouldn ’ t have , or ethnic communities that would respond well to a conversation with a “ trusted messenger.
” The point of outreach on the streets , he added , was to tell people the various ways they could ensure they were counted , whether through online participation , calling in their responses or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus now is not only on participation rates , but also on pivoting their messaging to underscore the importance of vulnerable populations , such as California ’ s tens of thousands of homeless people , being counted .
“ It ’ s hard to do social distancing if you don ’ t have a home , ” Cosney said .
“ And one way to ensure affordable housing is by completing the census .
It ’ s hard to stay healthy if we don ’ t have adequate healthcare services .
Certainly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that.
” William Frey , a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution , said hard-to-count groups are “ the exact communities that may require face-to-face interaction.
” A widespread illness such as the coronavirus , he added , is the “ kind of situation where people need to be able to rely on the government to have good information on where people who are vulnerable live.
” “ This is one of the reasons we take the census , ” he said .
“ It ’ s the basis for these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable populations in a time like this.
” Both the census bureau and the state have encouraged people to complete the survey online or by phone .
More than 11 million people already have responded to the 2020 census , according to the Census Bureau .
In an email , a spokesperson for the bureau noted the importance of self-responding online to avoid the in-person nonresponse follow-up by a census taker .
“ We are working with our partners in local , county and state governments to make sure people are informed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes by March 20th and that it is imperative , given the current health emergency , that people follow suit by filling out their survey , ” the spokesperson said .
The closure or quarantining of many homeless shelters , nursing homes and colleges because of the virus is also forcing the bureau to change the way it counts some of the most-difficult-to-reach populations .
The move might mean that the count could take longer .
The original plan was to have census workers interview each person staying at an emergency or transitional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchen or mobile food vans between March 30 and April 1 .
Rather than starting March 30 , the bureau will delay its mobile outreach , which is often set up at grocery stores , churches or festivals in areas with low response rates .
The bureau has also decided to push the start of census takers ’ door-knocking in college towns to April 23 .
As the bureau makes those changes , groups are also looking at how best to tailor their online messaging .
“ Some partners have started to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said June Lim , demographic research project director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice .
One of AAAJ ’ s community partners in the Fresno area has encouraged its young , college-age residents to create bilingual YouTube videos related to the census in various Southeast Asian languages and in English , Lim said .
A Pacific Islander group , she added , is encouraging people to post videos or photos of themselves with a completed form with the hashtag # mystoryhasbeenwritten .
“ Before , the messaging was about safety related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , I think it ’ s not just going to be that , but also safety in terms of you can do it without leaving your home , without compromising your health or the health of others.
” Like other groups , AAAJ plans on increasing its phone banking efforts , she said .
Arturo Vargas , chief executive of NALEO Educational Fund , said that the organization ’ s public outreach has also shifted to social media .
Their messaging , he said , is encouraging people to self-respond because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone coming and knocking on your door.
” They are also noting that census data is critical to planning and the allocation of resources during a crisis .
“ I would imagine governments are looking at data updated by the Census Bureau to make plans for providing supplies and enough food and other items for their populations , ” he said .
“ Under the current situation , the elderly population is vulnerable .
Under census data , you have information on age groups.
” NALEO is reminding people that they can call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , he said .
“ Anybody who is marginalized in society in any way , ” he said , “ by poverty , by language , by housing situation — I think this [ virus ] exponentially complicates ability to count those populations .
”

California community organizations focused on reaching hard-to-count populations in the state have shifted their outreach from door-to-door interactions to social media because of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Taking a head count of the entire U.S. population was already going to be hard. The coronavirus will make it much harder.
Across California, grassroots groups looking to amp up census participation among historically hard-to-count communities have hit a snag: how to reach people at a time when many are self-quarantining to stem the spread of the pandemic.
Canvassers had hoped to use the weeks leading up to Census Day, April 1, to reach communities that are at the greatest risk of an undercount by knocking on doors. They were betting that a face-to-face connection would help to ensure Californians would fill out the decennial survey.
But with social distancing, those conversations will have to happen via text messages and phone calls, or on social media.
“With increased restrictions on group gatherings, we’re seeing we may not even be able to convene folks on-site to do collective phone banking,” said Kevin Cosney, senior organizing manager at California Calls, a coalition of community groups. “We were supposed to launch our outreach efforts last weekend. Now we won’t be able to until at least April.”
California Calls aims to provide workers with the resources needed to do their phone banking remotely, he said.
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On Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau announced it would temporarily suspend all field operations for the 2020 census for two weeks, until April 1, to help slow the virus.
Steven Dillingham, the bureau’s director, said the office is making the change “to help protect the health and safety of the American public, Census Bureau employees, and everyone going through the hiring process for temporary census taker positions.”
Even before the outbreak, officials said that Los Angeles County would be the nation’s hardest to tally because of its high concentrations of renters and homeless people, as well as immigrant communities that may not participate because of language barriers or because they fear reprisal from the federal government.
States draw on census data to form school district boundaries, and many of the services that people rely on in California — such as nutrition programs and housing assistance — are tied to funds calculated using the census. Statewide, 72% of the population belongs to one or another historically undercounted group.
Cosney worries that organizations such as his could lose out on connecting with people who aren’t registered to vote, whose phone numbers they wouldn’t have, or ethnic communities that would respond well to a conversation with a “trusted messenger.”
The point of outreach on the streets, he added, was to tell people the various ways they could ensure they were counted, whether through online participation, calling in their responses or going to an assistance center.
Their focus now is not only on participation rates, but also on pivoting their messaging to underscore the importance of vulnerable populations, such as California’s tens of thousands of homeless people, being counted.
“It’s hard to do social distancing if you don’t have a home,” Cosney said. “And one way to ensure affordable housing is by completing the census. It’s hard to stay healthy if we don’t have adequate healthcare services. Certainly, the census is a way to ensure that.”
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William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said hard-to-count groups are “the exact communities that may require face-to-face interaction.”
A widespread illness such as the coronavirus, he added, is the “kind of situation where people need to be able to rely on the government to have good information on where people who are vulnerable live.”
“This is one of the reasons we take the census,” he said. “It’s the basis for these government and private sector programs that help vulnerable populations in a time like this.”
Both the census bureau and the state have encouraged people to complete the survey online or by phone. More than 11 million people already have responded to the 2020 census, according to the Census Bureau.
In an email, a spokesperson for the bureau noted the importance of self-responding online to avoid the in-person nonresponse follow-up by a census taker.
“We are working with our partners in local, county and state governments to make sure people are informed that their census invitation will be at their homes by March 20th and that it is imperative, given the current health emergency, that people follow suit by filling out their survey,” the spokesperson said.
The closure or quarantining of many homeless shelters, nursing homes and colleges because of the virus is also forcing the bureau to change the way it counts some of the most-difficult-to-reach populations. The move might mean that the count could take longer.
The original plan was to have census workers interview each person staying at an emergency or transitional shelter, or eating at a soup kitchen or mobile food vans between March 30 and April 1.
Rather than starting March 30, the bureau will delay its mobile outreach, which is often set up at grocery stores, churches or festivals in areas with low response rates. The bureau has also decided to push the start of census takers’ door-knocking in college towns to April 23.
This is one of the reasons we take the census. It’s the basis for these government and private sector programs that help vulnerable populations in a time like this. — William Frey, demographer
As the bureau makes those changes, groups are also looking at how best to tailor their online messaging.
“Some partners have started to use online contests to boost social media outreach,” said June Lim, demographic research project director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
One of AAAJ’s community partners in the Fresno area has encouraged its young, college-age residents to create bilingual YouTube videos related to the census in various Southeast Asian languages and in English, Lim said. A Pacific Islander group, she added, is encouraging people to post videos or photos of themselves with a completed form with the hashtag #mystoryhasbeenwritten.
“Before, the messaging was about safety related to confidentiality,” Lim said. “Now, I think it’s not just going to be that, but also safety in terms of you can do it without leaving your home, without compromising your health or the health of others.”
Like other groups, AAAJ plans on increasing its phone banking efforts, she said.
Arturo Vargas, chief executive of NALEO Educational Fund, said that the organization’s public outreach has also shifted to social media. Their messaging, he said, is encouraging people to self-respond because it is a “great way to avoid someone coming and knocking on your door.” They are also noting that census data is critical to planning and the allocation of resources during a crisis.
“I would imagine governments are looking at data updated by the Census Bureau to make plans for providing supplies and enough food and other items for their populations,” he said. “Under the current situation, the elderly population is vulnerable. Under census data, you have information on age groups.”
NALEO is reminding people that they can call in their response to the census as well, he said.
“Anybody who is marginalized in society in any way,” he said, “by poverty, by language, by housing situation — I think this [virus] exponentially complicates ability to count those populations.”
Times staff writer Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-18--Life in California is changing with coronavirus. These 15 photo show how

The Southland has taken extraordinary measures this week to stop dine-in restaurant eating , close gyms and movie theaters , @ @ @ @ @ gatherings to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
Most parts of Southern California measures @ @ @ @ @ those imposed in 10 counties in the and Central California , which asked residents to @ @ @ @ @ as possible in the coming weeks .
The coronavirus outbreak has killed 13 people across @ @ @ @ @ in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County — all over the age of 70 , @ @ @ @ @ underlying health conditions — and one person in Los Angeles County , a non-California resident @ @ @ @ @ health issues .
Here ’ s a visual look at how life has changed in @ @ @

The Southland has taken extraordinary measures this week to stop dine-in restaurant eating, close gyms and movie theaters, and ban or limit gatherings to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Most Southern California measures were not as stringent as those imposed in 10 counties in the Bay Area and Central California, which asked residents to shelter in place and stay home as much as possible in the coming weeks.
The coronavirus outbreak has killed 17 people across California, including three people in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County — all over the age of 70, with two of them having underlying health conditions — and one person in Los Angeles County, a non-California resident in her 60s with underlying health issues.
Here’s a visual look at how life has changed in the Southland.
Dallas Weaver, 79, and his wife, Janet Weaver, 75, of Huntington Beach, wear face masks as they finish a walk on the Huntington Beach pier during the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A man pulls his luggage bag through an empty Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
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Salvador Lareas, left, and Raul Arias clean chairs with disinfectant inside Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. Foot traffic is way down at Union Station due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
A traveler doesn’t have to fight the crowds at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A musician walks across an empty parking lot in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark V. Morocco listens to a patient’s breathing through a car window at UCLA Medical Center, where people can drive up and get tested for the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Alake Ilegbameh says “May God continue to bless you” over and over again as he picks up food for his children from an L.A. Unified worker at Dorsey High in South Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Michael Ray, 11, plays with a ball before a movie at the Paramount Drive-In. Many theaters have closed amid coronavirus concerns. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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An employee of the Trader Joe’s store in Monrovia tells customers waiting in line that it will open doors to everyone at 9 a.m., not just senior citizens. Some grocery outlets were offering special morning shopping hours to accommodate older residents. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Ralph Gomez, who does outreach work with the homeless, tosses a clipboard for a signature to Davis Soto, taking care to stay at least 6 feet away in keeping with guidelines to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Don Whitaker, who runs Island Renters on Catalina, has been struggling for customers. He said on a typical day, all of his carts would be rented. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Emma Bradley, left, and her husband, Samuel Bradley, of Palmdale walk up a ramp to catch a Metrolink train at deserted Union Station in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Seniors line up outside Gelson’s Market in Manhattan Beach. The store is doing a “seniors shopping hour,” during which older residents can purchase groceries before anybody else. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Surrounded by social distancing signs on seats, Orange County Undersheriff Bob Peterson listens to an official from the Orange County Health Care Agency describe to county supervisors the latest efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dustin Chupurdy brought a chair to sit in as he waited in the early morning for the Costco in Hawthorne to open. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Signs on L.A. freeways encourage motorists to practice social distancing. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Lydia Alvisures keeps 6 feet away from others waiting in line at the Unite Here Local 11 food bank Tuesday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Ezeh, wearing a face mask and gloves, speaks at a Los Angeles City council meeting that was held inside a tent erected outside City Hall amid the threats of the novel coronavirus. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-03-18--Can tacos stand against coronavirus? L.A. street vendors struggle under lockdown

Outside Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center , street vendors called out to passersby , trying to entice them with gorditas , tamales or pupusas .
Many of them have sold there for years , side by side with food trucks , used to a steady flow of hospital patients and staff day and night .
But after the coronavirus outbreak happened , the L.A. County Department of Health Services began rescheduling all nonurgent appointments and postponing elective surgeries and procedures .
Food vendors who made hundreds of dollars a week are now only making enough to cover their expenses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat nearly shoulder to shoulder Tuesday as Patricia Escobar prepared pupusas .
They pulled down flimsy purple masks to speak .
“ We need to trust in God , ” Escobar told them , as she slapped the masa between her gloved hands .
She and her husband , both Salvadoran , have sold pupusas there for a year and a half , choosing that spot because of the constant traffic .
Now though , the streets were empty .
“ It ’ s the panic , ” said customer Laura Bolanos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning with her teenage daughter for an appointment .
It isn ’ t so much the virus that worries Bolanos , it ’ s the financial impact .
That week , her husband ’ s boss at a Huntington Park car service told him they might have to shut down for two weeks .
“ The poorest , ” she pronounced , “ are always the most screwed.
” Sidewalk sellers are already facing the strain of dwindling crowds and meager sales as Angelenos hunker down at home to avoid spreading the novel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramp up its enforcement on vendors .
The L.A. City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to crack down on food vendors who lack health permits , a move that Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez argued was needed to protect Angelenos amid the pandemic .
Rodriguez , who had initially proposed a blanket moratorium on vending , said she was worried about crowds gathering at vending sites .
“ If we can close restaurants , if we can close hotels , if we can close movie theaters because people gather there ... then we can also put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Councilman Gil Cedillo said , calling it a “ critical moment.
” Up until now , L.A. had been enforcing some basic rules about where and how people can sell food or goods , but not citing vendors for lacking city permits .
The grace period , expected to last through the end of June , was supposed to give vendors time to learn about the rules and get permits under the new system set up by the city .
The new push from the City Council would effectively terminate that grace period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
Few have gotten their permits : As of this week , only 29 food vendors had obtained permits from the city , whose requirements include having a have health permit from the county , according to the Department of Public Works .
“ It ’ s effectively a moratorium on vending because it has been so difficult for vendors to access the county health permit , ” said Doug Smith , supervising staff attorney at the pro-bono law firm Public Counsel .
Porter Ranch resident David Lasher said the move was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the San Fernando Valley were using unsanitary practices and leaving propane tanks sitting out on the sidewalk .
“ A brick-and-mortar restaurant 50 feet away is subject to a thousand regulations these guys are skirting , ” said Lasher , who is a board member with the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council but was not speaking on its behalf .
“ I don ’ t know why they gave them a grace period.
” In a recent letter to council members , the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign complained that obtaining the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting a $ 772 fee for an annual permit .
To get the county permit , vendors “ must navigate an incredibly opaque system and make multiple trips to Baldwin Park — far from most vendors ’ place of work and a difficult location for those without vehicles , ” the coalition wrote .
In addition , they complained that there is no existing cart available on the market that meets city , county and state requirements for selling hot food .
That has affected which vendors have applied for permits .
Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , most of the food vendors who have gotten city permits are selling ice cream or pre-packaged food .
Smith said he was puzzled that the city was pledging to crack down on vendors who lacked the county permit — a county requirement that the county enforces .
Rodriguez aides said the idea was for the city to enforce its own permit rules on food vendors , who must have the county permit before they can get the city permit .
The push for a crackdown worried vendors and their advocates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not apply for unemployment benefits or other benefits from the federal government because they are in the U.S. illegally .
“ I don ’ t want to suggest that vendors expect to operate business as usual — we ’ re all needing to take difficult steps , ” Smith said .
“ But how do we also support them and create opportunities so that folks who are already the most vulnerable don ’ t slip through the cracks ?
” Smith pointed to Washington , D.C. , where vendors are to become ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the coronavirus .
In exchange for distributing hand sanitizer and health information , vendors would earn a stipend to help with lost wages , according to the Washington Post .
Vendor advocates have suggested grants or loans to help vendors — who don ’ t have paid sick leave — weather the crisis .
The City Council did vote Tuesday , at the urging of Councilman Jose Huizar , to look into refunding the permit fees already paid by sidewalk vendors .
“ There ’ s a big concern on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not having the resources they need , ” said Carla De Paz , director of organizing for the East L.A. Community Corporation , which is part of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign .
“ We don ’ t want to push people into deeper economic crisis.
” Along a Lincoln Heights side street , taqueros wearing blue gloves filled tortillas with carne asada , pastor or suadero on Tuesday night as they worked over an open-air grill .
For the most part , it looked like any other night at Avenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up along this street for over a decade .
But the customers waiting for dollar tacos kept a distance in line .
Some have started using plastic before gripping tongs at the toppings bar .
And there ’ s no denying there are fewer people showing up .
Over the past week , there ’ s been a nearly 50 % drop in sales , its manager said .
The owners have talked to employees about potentially cutting hours , or pay .
“ Business has gone down , ” said Cesar Martinez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was the rain .
But , yeah , a lot of people are talking about the pandemic ... it ’ s affecting everyone.
” Throughout Tuesday night , customers lined up at the taco spot for the last night that workers would be cooking outside .
They planned to shift operations to two taco trucks , for the safety of the customers and workers .
Although there were fewer people showing up , some of the regulars made sure to come by .
“ We ’ re not letting this slow us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he held a bag of 16 tacos .
“ Our friends still have to make a living and I love the food .
”

Patricia Escobar prays before having her lunch she bought from a vendor outside L.A. County-USC Medical Center on Tuesday.
Outside Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, street vendors called out to passersby, trying to entice them with gorditas, tamales or pupusas.
Many of them have sold there for years, side by side with food trucks, used to a steady flow of hospital patients and staff day and night.
But after the coronavirus outbreak started, the L.A. County Department of Health Services began rescheduling all nonurgent appointments and postponing elective surgeries and procedures.
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Food vendors who made hundreds of dollars a week are now making only enough to cover their expenses.
A customer gets her lunch Tuesday from a food truck outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Under a white tarp, three women sat nearly shoulder to shoulder Tuesday as Patricia Escobar prepared pupusas. They pulled down flimsy purple masks to speak.
“We need to trust in God,” Escobar told them, as she slapped the masa between her gloved hands. She and her husband, both Salvadoran, have sold pupusas there for a year and a half, choosing that spot because of the constant traffic.
Now though, the streets were empty. “It’s the panic,” said customer Laura Bolanos, who had come to the hospital that morning with her teenage daughter for an appointment.
It isn’t so much the virus that worries Bolanos; it’s the financial fallout. That week, her husband’s boss at a Huntington Park car service told him they might have to shut down for two weeks.
“The poorest,” she pronounced, “are always the most screwed.”
Sidewalk sellers are already facing the strain of dwindling crowds and meager sales as Angelenos hunker down at home to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus. Now the city could also ramp up its enforcement on vendors.
Julio Dominguez is a taquero at the Avenue 26 taco stand in Lincoln Heights. The manager says they have lost 50% of their business over this past week due to COVID-19. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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The L.A. City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to crack down on food vendors who lack health permits, a move that Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez argued was needed to protect Angelenos amid the pandemic. Rodriguez, who had initially proposed a blanket moratorium on vending, said she was worried about crowds gathering at vending sites.
“If we can close restaurants, if we can close hotels, if we can close movie theaters because people gather there ... then we can also put a pause on street vending,” Councilman Gil Cedillo said, calling it a “critical moment.”
Until now, L.A. had been enforcing some basic rules about where and how people can sell food or goods but not citing vendors for lacking city permits. The grace period, expected to last through the end of June, was supposed to give vendors time to learn about the rules and get permits under the new system set up by the city.
The new push from the City Council would effectively terminate that grace period for food vendors, according to city officials. Few have gotten their permits: As of this week, only 29 food vendors had obtained permits from the city, whose requirements include having a health permit from the county, according to the Department of Public Works.
“It’s effectively a moratorium on vending because it has been so difficult for vendors to access the county health permit,” said Doug Smith, supervising staff attorney at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel.
Wilson Vanega, 42, his leg in a cast, eats at a food truck outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Porter Ranch resident David Lasher said the move was long overdue, citing concerns that vendors in the San Fernando Valley were using unsanitary practices and leaving propane tanks sitting out on the sidewalk.
“A brick-and-mortar restaurant 50 feet away is subject to a thousand regulations these guys are skirting,” said Lasher, who is a board member with the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council but was not speaking on its behalf. “I don’t know why they gave them a grace period.”
In a recent letter to council members, the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign complained that obtaining the health permit was extremely difficult and costly, with a $772 fee for an annual permit.
To get the county permit, vendors “must navigate an incredibly opaque system and make multiple trips to Baldwin Park — far from most vendors’ place of work and a difficult location for those without vehicles,” the coalition wrote.
California California asks Navy for coronavirus support The latest updates from our reporters in California and around the world
In addition, the group complained that there is no existing cart available on the market that meets city, county and state requirements for selling hot food. That has affected which vendors have applied for permits. Public works spokeswoman Elena Stern said that so far, most of the food vendors who have gotten city permits are selling ice cream or pre-packaged food.
Smith said he was puzzled that the city was pledging to crack down on vendors who lacked the county permit — a county requirement that the county enforces. Rodriguez aides said the idea was for the city to enforce its own permit rules on food vendors, who must have the county permit before they can get the city permit.
The push for a crackdown worried vendors and their advocates, who said many of these workers cannot apply for unemployment benefits or other benefits from the federal government because they are in the U.S. illegally.
Food trucks outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“I don’t want to suggest that vendors expect to operate business as usual — we’re all needing to take difficult steps,” Smith said. “But how do we also support them and create opportunities so that folks who are already the most vulnerable don’t slip through the cracks?”
Smith pointed to Washington, D.C., where vendors are to become ad hoc public health ambassadors to curb the spread of the coronavirus. In exchange for distributing hand sanitizer and health information, vendors would earn a stipend to help with lost wages, according to the Washington Post.
Vendor advocates have suggested grants or loans to help vendors — who don’t have paid sick leave — weather the crisis. The City Council did vote Tuesday, at the urging of Councilman Jose Huizar, to look into refunding the permit fees already paid by sidewalk vendors.
“There’s a big concern on our end of folks not having the cash, not having the resources they need,” said Carla De Paz, director of organizing for the East L.A. Community Corp., which is part of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign. “We don’t want to push people into deeper economic crisis.”
Food vendors serve customers in shelters outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Along a Lincoln Heights side street, taqueros wearing blue gloves filled tortillas with carne asada, pastor or suadero on Tuesday night as they worked over an open-air grill.
For the most part, it looked like any other night at the Avenue 26 taco stand, which has set up along this street for over a decade. But the customers waiting for dollar tacos kept a distance in line. Some have started using plastic before gripping tongs at the toppings bar.
And there’s no denying there are fewer people showing up. Over the last week, there’s been a nearly 50% drop in sales, its manager said. The owners have talked to employees about potentially cutting hours, or pay.
“Business has gone down,” said Cesar Martinez, the manager. “We thought it was the rain. But, yeah, a lot of people are talking about the pandemic ... it’s affecting everyone.”
Throughout Tuesday night, customers lined up at the taco spot for the last night that workers would be cooking outside. They planned to shift operations to two taco trucks, for the safety of the customers and workers.
Although there were fewer people showing up, some of the regulars made sure to come by.
“We’re not letting this slow us down,” said David Nordberg, as he held a bag of 16 tacos. “Our friends still have to make a living, and I love the food.”


latimes--2020-03-18--Silicon Valley death toll reaches six as coronavirus continues rapid spread

Silicon Valley , which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus , reported a sixth death on Wednesday with the total number of cases increasing to 175 .
Of those who have contracted the virus , 70 are believed to have gotten it through community transmission and 56 are now hospitalized , according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department .
Santa Clara County and other parts of the Bay Area have been on shelter-in-place orders .
Issued Monday , the directive requires residents to stay home until at least April 7 .
They may leave their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting grocery stores , pharmacies , doctors and relatives .
Officials say the order seeks to prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming the healthcare system in a region that ’ s home to 7 million people .
In the seven Bay Area counties bound by the order , compliance has been generally strong but uneven in places .
Some businesses were uncertain whether they were required to close .
Palo Alto ’ s University Avenue was a ghost town on Tuesday .
All nonessential shops were closed , and restaurants were empty .
Just two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Pizza My Heart .
Businesses and residents are subject to citation for violating the order , but elected officials said law enforcement was much more likely to issue warnings than citations .
Palo Alto Mayor Adrian Fine said , for example , if police there saw a group of 20 construction workers huddled together , they planned to issue a gentle reminder , not a citation .
Still , the threat of a sanction proved effective in some cases .
Janine Hedlund , 37 , a hair stylist who works on one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lafayette , texted clients Tuesday that she was canceling their appointments .
“ What if somebody sees me doing hair and then calls the police on me ?
” she said .
“ I want to abide by the rules.
” Meanwhile , the San Mateo County Public Health Department on Wednesday morning reported 16 more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the county ’ s total to 81 , including one death .
Santa Clara County Public Health reported one more death , bringing the county ’ s total to six , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
The latest death was a man in his late 60s .
San Joaquin County reported its first two deaths , and the city of Long Beach confirmed two new cases , bringing the city ’ s total to 10 , according to local health officials .
That tally does not include a patient at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital who also has tested positive because that person is not a Long Beach resident , a city spokesman said .
California has seen the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 17 deaths as of Wednesday , compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week prior .
Nearly 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring .
The jump is due largely to a recent increase in testing capacity in the state — and across the nation — and the numbers are expected to continue rising .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Colleen Shalby, Hannah Fry, Susanne Rust

Silicon Valley, which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus, reported a sixth death on Wednesday with the total number of cases increasing to 175.
Of those who have contracted the virus, 70 are believed to have gotten it through community transmission and 56 are now hospitalized, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
Santa Clara County and other parts of the Bay Area have been on shelter-in-place orders. Issued Monday, the directive requires residents to stay home until at least April 7. They may leave their homes only for essential needs, such as visiting grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors and relatives. Officials say the order seeks to prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming the healthcare system in a region that’s home to 7 million people.
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In the seven Bay Area counties bound by the order, compliance has been generally strong but uneven in places. Some businesses were uncertain whether they were required to close.
Palo Alto’s University Avenue was a ghost town on Tuesday. All nonessential shops were closed, and restaurants were empty. Just two people were seen eating lunch, outside a Pizza My Heart.
Businesses and residents are subject to citation for violating the order, but elected officials said law enforcement was much more likely to issue warnings than citations. Palo Alto Mayor Adrian Fine said, for example, if police there saw a group of 20 construction workers huddled together, they planned to issue a gentle reminder, not a citation.
Still, the threat of a sanction proved effective in some cases.
Janine Hedlund, 37, a hair stylist who works on one client at a time at her shop in Lafayette, texted clients Tuesday that she was canceling their appointments.
“What if somebody sees me doing hair and then calls the police on me?” she said. “I want to abide by the rules.”
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Meanwhile, the San Mateo County Public Health Department on Wednesday morning reported 16 more cases of COVID-19, bringing the county’s total to 81, including one death. Santa Clara County Public Health reported one more death, bringing the county’s total to six, the most in any region of the state. The latest death was a man in his late 60s.
San Joaquin County reported its first two deaths, and the city of Long Beach confirmed two new cases, bringing the city’s total to 10, according to local health officials. That tally does not include a patient at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital who also has tested positive because that person is not a Long Beach resident, a city spokesman said.
California has seen the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continue to rise: at least 598 cases and 17 deaths as of Wednesday, compared with 157 cases and three deaths the week prior. Nearly 12,000 people in the state are self-monitoring.
The jump is due largely to a recent increase in testing capacity in the state — and across the nation — and the numbers are expected to continue rising.


latimes--2020-03-18--Lime will remove its scooters from California and other states due to coronavirus

Lime is pulling its shared electric scooters from 20 countries and 21 states , including California , as the number of COVID-19 cases spread across the world .
Scooters will be pulled from California , Texas , New York and other U.S. states , as well as from most of Europe , including France , Spain , Italy , Germany and the United Kingdom .
In a statement Wednesday , Chief Executive and founder Brad Bao said that Lime will “ begin winding down and pausing our service to reflect public health guidance.
” “ Like you , we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call home , the people we serve , and our colleagues on the ground , ” Bao said .
“ Loving cities means protecting them too .
For now , we ’ re pausing Lime service to help people stay put and stay safe.
” The company is the first major scooter provider to halt service in California .
The timing reflects the rapidly changing response to coronavirus in the United States .
Two days ago , when Lime scooters were still available in every U.S. market , the company ’ s head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing gloves and to wash their hands before and after riding .
The timing of the pandemic could pose major revenue problems for scooter companies , which see business contract in the winter and expand again when the weather gets nicer .
Lime said “ all parts of the scooter that are touched by people ” are being cleaned .
Mechanics and field operators are required to wear gloves , the company said , and hand sanitizer is being distributed to workers in warehouses .
As of Wednesday morning , Lime was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Orlando , Fla. , and Washington , D.C. , but “ will continue to adjust our operations as appropriate , ” Bao said .
Most private systems and several publicly owned bike-share services are still operating , including L.A. Metro ’ s bike share , Metro Bike , and Santa Monica ’ s Breeze system .
For the next month , Breeze is waiving all fees for rides up to 90 minutes .
The discount is available to prepaid monthly pass holders and pay-as-you-go users , according to the program ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city-owned service was made to “ ensure the availability of reliable transportation options through this uncertain time for essential trips outside the home , ” a Breeze representative said .
Before and after riding a scooter , every scooter provider said , follow the advice of public health officials and wash your hands .

Lime is removing all its shared electric scooters from the streets and sidewalks of California.
Lime is pulling its shared electric scooters from 20 countries and 21 states, including California, as the number of COVID-19 cases spread across the world.
Scooters will be pulled from California, Texas, New York and other U.S. states, as well as from most of Europe, including France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
In a statement Wednesday, Chief Executive and founder Brad Bao said that Lime will “begin winding down and pausing our service to reflect public health guidance.”
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“Like you, we are worried about the cities we love and call home, the people we serve, and our colleagues on the ground,” Bao said. “Loving cities means protecting them too. For now, we’re pausing Lime service to help people stay put and stay safe.”
The company is the first major scooter provider to halt service in California.
The timing reflects the rapidly changing response to coronavirus in the United States. Two days ago, when Lime scooters were still available in every U.S. market, the company’s head of global safety told riders to consider wearing gloves and to wash their hands before and after riding.
The timing of the pandemic could pose major revenue problems for scooter companies, which see business contract in the winter and expand again when the weather gets nicer.
Lime said “all parts of the scooter that are touched by people” are being cleaned. Mechanics and field operators are required to wear gloves, the company said, and hand sanitizer is being distributed to workers in warehouses.
As of Wednesday morning, Lime was still operating in Denver, Miami, Tampa and Orlando, Fla., and Washington, D.C., but “will continue to adjust our operations as appropriate,” Bao said.
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Most private systems and several publicly owned bike-share services are still operating, including L.A. Metro’s bike share, Metro Bike, and Santa Monica’s Breeze system.
For the next month, Breeze is waiving all fees for rides up to 90 minutes. The discount is available to prepaid monthly pass holders and pay-as-you-go users, according to the program’s Twitter account.
The decision by the city-owned service was made to “ensure the availability of reliable transportation options through this uncertain time for essential trips outside the home,” a Breeze representative said.
Before and after riding a scooter, every scooter provider said, follow the advice of public health officials and wash your hands.


latimes--2020-03-18--How long will California schools be closed for coronavirus? Here is what we know

It ’ s the question parents across California want to know : How long will schools be closed because of coronavirus ?
Virtually all schools across the state are closed and there has been hope that it might last only a few weeks and include spring break in many districts .
But Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that schools might need to stay closed through the end of the academic year in response to the coronavirus emergency .
Both state and local officials stressed that no decision has yet been made about keeping schools shuttered through June and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing basis .
Here is what we know : So what did Newsom and other state officials say ?
Newsom told parents and educators that he expected the state ’ s public schools to remain closed in response to the spreading coronavirus pandemic — a disruption that would affect the education of 6.1 million students and their families .
“ Don ’ t anticipate schools are going to open up in a week .
Please don ’ t anticipate in a few weeks , ” Newsom said .
“ I would plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely that many of these schools — few , if any — will open before the summer break.
” State Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Tuesday night that Newsom ’ s comment offered an assessment of the future school year with closed campuses .
But as of now , he said , “ there is no declaration that school is over for the year.
” He said school districts needed to be fully prepared to shift their method of instruction .
He added that officials had not yet discussed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the summer .
“ We ’ re not going to know exactly what we need to do until we have a sense of how this is all going to go , ” Thurmond said .
On Wednesday , Thurmond will lead a statewide call for school district leaders to examine the state ’ s new guidelines on how to operate , including online learning and meal distribution .
What is the view on the local level ?
Los Angeles school board member George McKenna said it ’ s too early to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think that gives people the wrong message that it ’ s a definitive , that schools would be out for the rest of the year .
And that ’ s not true .
We don ’ t know yet , ” he said .
“ I know that we need to keep our children safe , but we can go overboard , and you can see the community going overboard with hoarding and wiping out what ’ s in the markets and all of that .
But I think some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days.
” McKenna said the school board and senior leadership would reassess the situation Monday as they plan next necessary steps .
The district is doing what it can to provide academic support to students , he said .
But L.A. Unified students already were dealing with inadequate resources and the coronavirus crisis only exacerbates that problem .
“ It ’ s a tough thing and parents have to leave the home to go to work — those who can go to work .
So what happens to the children ?
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answering now .
We ’ re just saying : ‘ Do the best you can and we ’ re with you and we love you , ’ ” he said .
“ But it feels sometimes like we ’ re flying the plane and repairing it at the same time.
” L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner declined to speculate on how long schools would be closed or to respond directly to the governor ’ s prediction , but said the district was continuing to refine plans for ongoing instruction off campus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure students are learning , ” he said .
“ We ’ re doing the best we can to provide support to those most in need.
” “ These are not ordinary days , but our students still need help , ” he added .
“ So we ’ re here together with our partners from the Red Cross to make sure that we do the best we can to take care of students and families.
” One challenge with school closures is feeding kids in need , who rely on schools for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even dinner .
In California , 60 % of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals because they are members of low-income households .
In Los Angeles public schools , the percentage is even higher , with 80 % of students who qualify ; in Compton , it ’ s 83 % ; Pomona , 89 % .
Nationwide , well over half the states in the country have also closed their public schools or ordered them to close in the coming days .
More than 400,000 “ grab-and-go ” meals were being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and families , Across the state , school districts from to and have been setting up to do the same .
Lisa Melhouse , associate director of the California Department of Education ’ s Nutrition Services , said that creative workarounds and partnerships have popped up across the state .
In rural areas , she ’ s seen districts use school bus routes to reach students .
Food trucks , community centers and food banks have also offered to find ways to help not just the students , but also their families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with so many school districts that are jumping on this so quickly to make sure their students are fed , ” she said .
“ I can ’ t say it enough .
”

Alake Ilegbameh picks up food for his children from L.A. Unified employee Benjula Prasad at Dorsey High School in South L.A. on Wednesday.
It’s the question parents across California want to know: How long will schools be closed because of coronavirus?
Virtually all schools across the state are closed and there has been hope that it might last only a few weeks and include spring break in many districts. But Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that schools might need to stay closed through the end of the academic year in response to the coronavirus emergency.
Both state and local officials stressed that no decision has yet been made about keeping schools shuttered through June and said those assessments are being made on an ongoing basis.
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Here is what we know:
So what did Newsom and other state officials say?
Newsom told parents and educators that he expected the state’s public schools to remain closed in response to the spreading coronavirus pandemic — a disruption that would affect the education of 6.1 million students and their families.
“Don’t anticipate schools are going to open up in a week. Please don’t anticipate in a few weeks,” Newsom said. “I would plan, and assume, that it’s unlikely that many of these schools — few, if any — will open before the summer break.”
State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Tuesday night that Newsom’s comment offered an assessment of the future school year with closed campuses. But as of now, he said, “there is no declaration that school is over for the year.” He said school districts needed to be fully prepared to shift their method of instruction.
He added that officials had not yet discussed the potential option of extending the school year into the summer.
“We’re not going to know exactly what we need to do until we have a sense of how this is all going to go,” Thurmond said.
On Wednesday, Thurmond will lead a statewide call for school district leaders to examine the state’s new guidelines on how to operate, including online learning and meal distribution.
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What is the view on the local level?
Los Angeles school board member George McKenna said it’s too early to tell whether school is done for the year.
“I think that gives people the wrong message that it’s a definitive, that schools would be out for the rest of the year. And that’s not true. We don’t know yet,” he said. “I know that we need to keep our children safe, but we can go overboard, and you can see the community going overboard with hoarding and wiping out what’s in the markets and all of that. But I think some stability will come in a couple of days.”
McKenna said the school board and senior leadership would reassess the situation Monday as they plan next necessary steps. The district is doing what it can to provide academic support to students, he said. But L.A. Unified students already were dealing with inadequate resources and the coronavirus crisis only exacerbates that problem.
“It’s a tough thing and parents have to leave the home to go to work — those who can go to work. So what happens to the children? There’s a question we’re not answering now. We’re just saying: ‘Do the best you can and we’re with you and we love you,’” he said. “But it feels sometimes like we’re flying the plane and repairing it at the same time.”
L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner declined to speculate on how long schools would be closed or to respond directly to the governor’s prediction, but said the district was continuing to refine plans for ongoing instruction off campus.
“We’re continuing to make sure students are learning,” he said. “We’re doing the best we can to provide support to those most in need.”
“These are not ordinary days, but our students still need help,” he added. “So we’re here together with our partners from the Red Cross to make sure that we do the best we can to take care of students and families.”
What about school meals?
One challenge with school closures is feeding kids in need, who rely on schools for their weekday breakfast and lunch, sometimes even dinner.
In California, 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals because they are members of low-income households. In Los Angeles public schools, the percentage is even higher, with 80% of students who qualify; in Compton, it’s 83%; Pomona, 89%.
Nationwide, well over half the states in the country have also closed their public schools or ordered them to close in the coming days.
More than 400,000 “grab-and-go” meals were being distributed Wednesday morning to Los Angeles students and families, Across the state, school districts from San Francisco to Fresno and San Diego have been setting up to do the same.
Lisa Melhouse, associate director of the California Department of Education’s Nutrition Services, said that creative workarounds and partnerships have popped up across the state. In rural areas, she’s seen districts use school bus routes to reach students. Food trucks, community centers and food banks have also offered to find ways to help not just the students, but also their families.
“I’m just so impressed with so many school districts that are jumping on this so quickly to make sure their students are fed,” she said. “I can’t say it enough.”


latimes--2020-03-18--UC regents postpone vote on tuition increase, citing coronavirus uncertainties

University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase as scheduled this week because the coronavirus crisis has created too much uncertainty , board Chairman John Pérez said Wednesday .
Pérez said he and UC President Janet Napolitano , in consultation with Gov .
Gavin Newsom , campus chancellors and others , believe it was “ not an appropriate time ” to move forward on the tuition proposal .
“ In this moment of great uncertainty , adding a change to people who couldn ’ t fully anticipate is not the right course of action , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a five-year plan to raise tuition and fees beginning in fall 2020 for each incoming class and guarantee that level with no further increases for six years .
Under the proposal , tuition and fees would increase by inflation plus 2 % for the class entering this fall and by smaller amounts for succeeding classes through 2024-25 .
The plan would have reduced the net cost of attendance for more than 100,000 UC students who receive need-based grants .
That ’ s because one-third of every tuition dollar goes into the UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would increase available grant dollars .
The university also hoped to use the additional tuition revenue to help close academic achievement gaps , increase enrollment of California students , beef up academic support , increase faculty salaries and repair aging infrastructure .

“In this moment of great uncertainty, adding a change to people who couldn’t fully anticipate is not the right course of action,” said John Pérez, chair of the UC Regents board.
University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase as scheduled this week because the coronavirus crisis has created too much uncertainty, board Chairman John Pérez said Wednesday.
Pérez said he and UC President Janet Napolitano, in consultation with Gov. Gavin Newsom, campus chancellors and others, believe it was “not an appropriate time” to move forward on the tuition proposal.
“In this moment of great uncertainty, adding a change to people who couldn’t fully anticipate is not the right course of action,” he said.
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Regents were planning to vote on a five-year plan to raise tuition and fees beginning in fall 2020 for each incoming class and guarantee that level with no further increases for six years. Under the proposal, tuition and fees would increase by inflation plus 2% for the class entering this fall and by smaller amounts for succeeding classes through 2024-25.
The plan would have reduced the net cost of attendance for more than 100,000 UC students who receive need-based grants. That’s because one-third of every tuition dollar goes into the UC financial aid pool, so higher tuition would increase available grant dollars.
The university also hoped to use the additional tuition revenue to help close academic achievement gaps, increase enrollment of California students, beef up academic support, increase faculty salaries and repair aging infrastructure.


latimes--2020-03-18--Long Beach VA patient tests positive for coronavirus; hospital closes to visitors

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Long Beach has been closed to visitors while the facility treats a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 , officials said .
Additional information about the patient , or that person ’ s condition , was not immediately available Wednesday , but officials said this was the first case of the illness caused by the coronavirus within the VA Long Beach Healthcare System .
The decision to bar visitors was made “ to stay ahead of a constantly changing environment and to reduce risk [ of ] exposure , ” officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not an easy decision to make , but given the risks to our veterans , their families and our communities , we feel we must .
We are actively looking for safe alternatives to help you stay connected to your veterans , so continue to visit our social media pages for updates as they become available , ” the statement noted .
Elective procedures and surgeries also have been postponed , and representatives “ will be reaching out directly to our veterans to go over your treatment options , ” according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were endeavoring to ensure veterans received necessary care without taking unnecessary risks .
“ Our teams are ready , we are prepared , and we are dedicated to providing the best care possible , ” officials said .
As of Wednesday , there were 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Long Beach .
That tally does not include the patient at the VA hospital because that person does not live in Long Beach , a city spokesman said .
Statewide , there have been more than 400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The VA Long Beach Healthcare System is closed to visitors as officials care for a veteran who has COVID-19.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Long Beach has been closed to visitors while the facility treats a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19, officials said.
Additional information about the patient, or that person’s condition, was not immediately available Wednesday, but officials said this was the first case of the illness caused by the coronavirus within the VA Long Beach Healthcare System.
The decision to bar visitors was made “to stay ahead of a constantly changing environment and to reduce risk [of] exposure,” officials said in a statement Tuesday.
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“This is not an easy decision to make, but given the risks to our veterans, their families and our communities, we feel we must. We are actively looking for safe alternatives to help you stay connected to your veterans, so continue to visit our social media pages for updates as they become available,” the statement noted.
California California asks Navy for coronavirus support The latest updates from our reporters in California and around the world
Elective procedures and surgeries also have been postponed, and representatives “will be reaching out directly to our veterans to go over your treatment options,” according to the medical center.
Hospital officials said they were endeavoring to ensure veterans received necessary care without taking unnecessary risks.
“Our teams are ready, we are prepared, and we are dedicated to providing the best care possible,” officials said.
As of Wednesday, there were 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Long Beach. That tally does not include the patient at the VA hospital because that person does not live in Long Beach, a city spokesman said.
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Statewide, there have been more than 400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 13 deaths as of Wednesday.