latimes--2020-12-09--Sidelined from protests after an injury, L.A. man sues to ban police projectiles

Deon Jones is one of those people who sees civil rights work and political activism as a personal mission , indistinguishable from everyday life .
Only 29 , he grew up in Mississippi watching Ku Klux Klan members march near his grandmother ’ s house , and says it inspired him to work for change .
He wrote his thesis at American University on the history of the civil rights movement under the tutelage of Julian Bond .
He interviewed Maya Angelou and was mentored by U.S. Rep. John Lewis .
He interned in the Obama White House and worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia .
But in recent months , Jones has felt sidelined in Los Angeles , where he now lives , as protests over police brutality and other political and criminal justice issues have continued to play out in the streets .
After a Los Angeles police officer shot Jones in the face with a projectile during a major protest in May , his doctor told him he was lucky to be alive — and might not be if he were struck in a similar way a second time .
So , fearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept off the streets , feeling his political voice had been stifled .
On Wednesday , Jones filed a federal lawsuit against the city of L.A. and the Los Angeles Police Department , alleging that his constitutional rights were violated when he was targeted and wounded by the officer who fired the projectile at his face in violation of department policy .
He is demanding personal compensation , but also something more substantive : an end to the LAPD ’ s use of projectile weapons to quell protests or other political demonstrations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ end to LAPD ’ s use of rubber bullets , ” Jones said in an interview , using a colloquial term for the hard-foam and plastic projectiles that LAPD officers have used against him and other protesters in recent months .
“ We have a constitutional right to peacefully protest , and nobody should be afraid that their decision to protest peacefully will land them injured or dead.
” The LAPD said the incident is under investigation , but declined to comment on the litigation .
The department has said it investigates all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone being hospitalized .
It also is conducting a broad review of its handling of the summer protests .
Jones ’ lawsuit adds to a growing mountain of litigation against the city over the LAPD ’ s handling of protests this summer — particularly near the Grove in the Fairfax area after a protest ballooned out of Pan Pacific Park on May 30 , which is when Jones was injured .
Already , the city is being sued by Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and the National Lawyers Guild in a major lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters and also aims to ban projectile weapons at future protests .
The city also is facing other lawsuits from individual protesters who were personally injured by police in the fray .
Swirling around the litigation from this summer is a widening debate around the efficacy of such projectile weapons — which has been further called into question by the LAPD ’ s continued use of them at more recent protests and gatherings , including after the Lakers ’ NBA title victory and the Dodgers ’ World Series win this year .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by a police projectile after the Lakers ’ victory , drawing condemnations for the extreme force from his surgeon and from state lawmakers , including one who recently reintroduced legislation in Sacramento that would further regulate the weapons and bar their use in quelling protests statewide .
The LAPD has repeatedly defended its use of projectile weapons , saying they are a necessary tool to protect officers and clear crowds that have turned unruly and violent .
LAPD Chief Michel Moore has repeatedly said such weapons have only been used when officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were under threat .
LAPD policy allows for such weapons to be used to clear crowds , but only when they represent an immediate threat to officers .
They are not allowed to be used for “ mere noncompliance ” from protesters , and are not meant to be fired into crowds .
Police officers are supposed to target individuals who represent a threat only , and aim at their belt lines and never at their heads or necks .
An investigation by The Times following the summer protests documented various incidents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers appeared to violate department policy when firing the weapons .
To date , the LAPD has not announced punishments for any officers involved .
Jones , now an artist and creative consultant , said he sees his lawsuit as adding to the broader effort to end the threat to protesters of serious physical injury from LAPD projectiles — which he says is an injustice that affects him on a near daily basis , every time he wants to protest but can ’ t .
“ Our fundamental right is being stifled because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are supposed to protect them and their constitutional rights are instead going to be aggressive , shoot them with rubber bullets and beat them with batons just because they want their voices heard , ” he said .
In his lawsuit , Jones says he was trying to leave the Fairfax area amid “ rising tensions ” when an LAPD officer in riot gear aimed and fired a projectile directly at his face at close range .
As Jones “ fell to the ground , bleeding from his face , the skin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his head ringing , [ he ] cried out : ‘ Why did they do this to me ?
’ ” the lawsuit reads .
Jones suffered a facial fracture and a serious laceration .
His ophthalmologist told him he would have been blinded if the projectile had struck him anywhere closer to his eye , and possibly killed had it hit him any closer to his temple , the lawsuit says .
Jones said he went through an extensive recovery period , experiencing headaches and ringing in his ears .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — reliving the moment he was shot each time he sees stories about police violence or other people being wounded by projectiles .
“ What happened to him that day while he was protesting ... shouldn ’ t ever happen to anyone else ever again , ” said Katie Marquart , one of his attorneys .
Already , the case is garnering attention from criminal justice experts and reform advocates .
Jeffery Robinson , director of the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality , said Jones ’ case clearly shows how dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police to paint them as “ less than lethal ” tools .
“ The use of force to protect property during times of unrest has a long and ugly history in America , ” Robinson said .
“ This kind of police behavior must be rooted out , and the impact munitions that the LAPD used against Deon Jones should not be used to suppress the 1st Amendment rights of him or others in the future .
”

Deon Jones, 29, was badly injured by an LAPD projectile this summer and is suing to halt the use of such weapons on protesters.
Deon Jones is one of those people who sees civil rights work and political activism as a personal mission, indistinguishable from everyday life.
Only 29, he grew up in Mississippi watching Ku Klux Klan members march near his grandmother’s house, and says it inspired him to work for change.
He wrote his thesis at American University on the history of the civil rights movement under the tutelage of Julian Bond. He interviewed Maya Angelou and was mentored by U.S. Rep. John Lewis. He interned in the Obama White House and worked on the political campaign of Stacey Abrams in Georgia.
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But in recent months, Jones has felt sidelined in Los Angeles, where he now lives, as protests over police brutality and other political and criminal justice issues have continued to play out in the streets.
After a Los Angeles police officer shot Jones in the face with a projectile during a major protest in May, his doctor told him he was lucky to be alive — and might not be if he were struck in a similar way a second time. So, fearing for his life, Jones said he kept off the streets, feeling his political voice had been stifled.
Until now.
On Wednesday, Jones filed a federal lawsuit against the city of L.A. and the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated when he was targeted and wounded by the officer who fired the projectile at his face in violation of department policy.
He is demanding personal compensation, but also something more substantive: an end to the LAPD’s use of projectile weapons to quell protests or other political demonstrations.
“My intention is to put an end to LAPD’s use of rubber bullets,” Jones said in an interview, using a colloquial term for the hard-foam and plastic projectiles that LAPD officers have used against him and other protesters in recent months. “We have a constitutional right to peacefully protest, and nobody should be afraid that their decision to protest peacefully will land them injured or dead.”
The LAPD said the incident is under investigation, but declined to comment on the litigation. The department has said it investigates all cases in which police force results in someone being hospitalized. It also is conducting a broad review of its handling of the summer protests.
Advertisement
Jones’ lawsuit adds to a growing mountain of litigation against the city over the LAPD’s handling of protests this summer — particularly near the Grove in the Fairfax area after a protest ballooned out of Pan Pacific Park on May 30, which is when Jones was injured.
Already, the city is being sued by Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and the National Lawyers Guild in a major lawsuit that seeks class status for thousands of protesters and also aims to ban projectile weapons at future protests. The city also is facing other lawsuits from individual protesters who were personally injured by police in the fray.
Swirling around the litigation from this summer is a widening debate around the efficacy of such projectile weapons — which has been further called into question by the LAPD’s continued use of them at more recent protests and gatherings, including after the Lakers’ NBA title victory and the Dodgers’ World Series win this year.
One man reported having his eye “exploded” by a police projectile after the Lakers’ victory, drawing condemnations for the extreme force from his surgeon and from state lawmakers, including one who recently reintroduced legislation in Sacramento that would further regulate the weapons and bar their use in quelling protests statewide.
The LAPD has repeatedly defended its use of projectile weapons, saying they are a necessary tool to protect officers and clear crowds that have turned unruly and violent. LAPD Chief Michel Moore has repeatedly said such weapons have only been used when officers were taking incoming bottles and rocks and were under threat.
LAPD policy allows for such weapons to be used to clear crowds, but only when they represent an immediate threat to officers. They are not allowed to be used for “mere noncompliance” from protesters, and are not meant to be fired into crowds. Police officers are supposed to target individuals who represent a threat only, and aim at their belt lines and never at their heads or necks.
An investigation by The Times following the summer protests documented various incidents, some captured on video, in which officers appeared to violate department policy when firing the weapons. To date, the LAPD has not announced punishments for any officers involved.
Jones, now an artist and creative consultant, said he sees his lawsuit as adding to the broader effort to end the threat to protesters of serious physical injury from LAPD projectiles — which he says is an injustice that affects him on a near daily basis, every time he wants to protest but can’t.
“Our fundamental right is being stifled because American citizens are fearful that the people who are supposed to protect them and their constitutional rights are instead going to be aggressive, shoot them with rubber bullets and beat them with batons just because they want their voices heard,” he said.
In his lawsuit, Jones says he was trying to leave the Fairfax area amid “rising tensions” when an LAPD officer in riot gear aimed and fired a projectile directly at his face at close range.
As Jones “fell to the ground, bleeding from his face, the skin peeling away from his cheek bone, and his head ringing, [he] cried out: ‘Why did they do this to me?’” the lawsuit reads.
Jones suffered a facial fracture and a serious laceration. His ophthalmologist told him he would have been blinded if the projectile had struck him anywhere closer to his eye, and possibly killed had it hit him any closer to his temple, the lawsuit says.
Jones said he went through an extensive recovery period, experiencing headaches and ringing in his ears. He has also suffered trauma, he said — reliving the moment he was shot each time he sees stories about police violence or other people being wounded by projectiles.
“What happened to him that day while he was protesting ... shouldn’t ever happen to anyone else ever again,” said Katie Marquart, one of his attorneys.
Already, the case is garnering attention from criminal justice experts and reform advocates.
Jeffery Robinson, director of the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality, said Jones’ case clearly shows how dangerous such weapons can be, despite efforts by police to paint them as “less than lethal” tools.
“The use of force to protect property during times of unrest has a long and ugly history in America,” Robinson said. “This kind of police behavior must be rooted out, and the impact munitions that the LAPD used against Deon Jones should not be used to suppress the 1st Amendment rights of him or others in the future.”


latimes--2020-12-09--Conservative youth group will offer Burbank students free copies of sidelined books

A conservative youth organization announced Monday that it would provide students in the Burbank Unified School District with free copies of five challenged books that were recently made non-mandatory reading .
“ In addition to putting the books Burbank schools are attempting to hide directly into students ’ hands , [ Young America ’ s Foundation ] is calling on those with the power to do the right thing — the board members of the Burbank Unified School District — to immediately rescind their ban on these books , ” the organization said on Twitter .
On Sept. 9 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not be allowed to teach some of the books on their curriculum until further notice : Harper Lee ’ s “ , ” Mark Twain ’ s “ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , ” John Steinbeck ’ s “ , ” Theodore Taylor ’ s “ ” and Mildred D. Taylor ’ s Newbery Medal-winning young-adult classic “ Roll of Thunder , Hear My Cry.
” Four parents filed district complaints alleging that the novels , which deal with race and racism in America , are harmful to the public school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The district formed a 15-person review committee to address the challenges and present a recommendation to Burbank school district Supt .
Matt Hill , but they did not reach a consensus .
On Nov. 27 , Hill announced that the district was removing the novels from its core reading list and banning the use and reading of the N-word in classrooms .
“ The complaints raised regarding the books have allowed us to examine why we mandate these books , ” said Hill in a letter sent to district families and staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were not intentionally selected to guide us through conversations of race and racism .
In addition , the complaints have created the space to have brave conversations , not just about the books in question , but also about our district ’ s policies , practices , and culture , ” he continued .
“ In my opinion , the number one goal of American public education is to provide access and opportunity to all students .
We must constantly review our educational system to ensure we are making progress towards this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we actually face what must be changed.
” Donor Rob Raede decided to fund the YAF ’ s giveaway in protest of the decision .
“ These books are classics of American fiction precisely because they address uncomfortable historical truths from our past , ” Raede told the YAF .
“ We are proud to do what we can to make sure the students of Burbank have access to this great literature , despite the efforts of the book-banning cowards on the school board to deny to their students the lessons contained within.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization ’ s website , YAF spokesman Spencer Brown said , “ History is to be learned from , not erased anytime the whims of a leftist mob deem it uncomfortable.
” Raede ’ s donation , he added , will help the YAF “ provide these important works of literature and do what the Burbank School Board won ’ t — allow its students to learn from and wrestle with the ideas in these iconic books.
” The challenge does not forbid Burbank students from reading the books ; it only restricts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Supt .
Hill , the novels will still be available in school libraries , and students can choose to read them in small groups or independently .

Three of the five books the Burbank Unified School District removed from in-class instruction because of alleged harm to the district’s Black students.
A conservative youth organization announced Monday that it would provide students in the Burbank Unified School District with free copies of five challenged books that were recently made non-mandatory reading.
“In addition to putting the books Burbank schools are attempting to hide directly into students’ hands, [Young America’s Foundation] is calling on those with the power to do the right thing — the board members of the Burbank Unified School District — to immediately rescind their ban on these books,” the organization said on Twitter.
On Sept. 9, English teachers in Burbank were told they would not be allowed to teach some of the books on their curriculum until further notice: Harper Lee’s “ To Kill a Mockingbird ,” Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” John Steinbeck’s “ Of Mice and Men ,” Theodore Taylor’s “ The Cay ” and Mildred D. Taylor’s Newbery Medal-winning young-adult classic “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.”
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Four parents filed district complaints alleging that the novels, which deal with race and racism in America, are harmful to the public school district’s roughly 400 Black students. The district formed a 15-person review committee to address the challenges and present a recommendation to Burbank school district Supt. Matt Hill, but they did not reach a consensus. On Nov. 27, Hill announced that the district was removing the novels from its core reading list and banning the use and reading of the N-word in classrooms.
“The complaints raised regarding the books have allowed us to examine why we mandate these books,” said Hill in a letter sent to district families and staff.
“When these books were selected they were not intentionally selected to guide us through conversations of race and racism. In addition, the complaints have created the space to have brave conversations, not just about the books in question, but also about our district’s policies, practices, and culture,” he continued. “In my opinion, the number one goal of American public education is to provide access and opportunity to all students. We must constantly review our educational system to ensure we are making progress towards this goal. Only in doing so can we actually face what must be changed.”
BREAKING: Following the Burbank Unified School District's decision to ban several classic books, Young America’s Foundation will provide Burbank students with copies of these banned books—free of charge. — YAF (@yaf) December 7, 2020
Donor Rob Raede decided to fund the YAF’s giveaway in protest of the decision. “These books are classics of American fiction precisely because they address uncomfortable historical truths from our past,” Raede told the YAF. “We are proud to do what we can to make sure the students of Burbank have access to this great literature, despite the efforts of the book-banning cowards on the school board to deny to their students the lessons contained within.”
In a statement published on the organization’s website, YAF spokesman Spencer Brown said, “History is to be learned from, not erased anytime the whims of a leftist mob deem it uncomfortable.” Raede’s donation, he added, will help the YAF “provide these important works of literature and do what the Burbank School Board won’t — allow its students to learn from and wrestle with the ideas in these iconic books.”
The challenge does not forbid Burbank students from reading the books; it only restricts in-class teaching of the material. According to Supt. Hill, the novels will still be available in school libraries, and students can choose to read them in small groups or independently.


latimes--2020-12-09--California has its most coronavirus deaths in a single day as cases, hospitalizations continue to su

California has its most coronavirus deaths in a single day as cases, hospitalizations continue to surge

More Californians died of COVID-19 on Tuesday than any other day , the latest milestone in an accelerating pandemic that is infecting and hospitalizing residents at levels far eclipsing any seen before .
Tuesday ’ s death toll , 219 , edged out the previous single-day high of 214 , which was recorded July 31 , according to data compiled by The Times .
The latest figure may be a harbinger of higher death tolls .
Until this past week , California had topped 200 daily coronavirus-related deaths only two times .
That number has been exceeded twice in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average , 135 Californians a day over the last week , is also at a level not seen since the darkest days of the state ’ s summertime surge .
A month ago , the state was averaging about 44 daily deaths .
Nearly 1,400 Californians have died of COVID-19 in the last 14 days .
Since the pandemic began , the disease has killed more than 20,300 statewide .
The death toll has been highest in Los Angeles , the state ’ s most populous county .
More than 8,000 Angelenos have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly brought Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer to tears during a briefing Wednesday .
“ Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back , ” she said , her voice choking .
“ And their deaths are an incalculable loss to their friends and their family , as well as our community.
” The sharp spike in fatalities seen over the last few weeks is the realization of what public health officials have long feared — that a massive surge of new coronavirus cases would not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients but also swell the number of residents dying of the disease .
“ As cases have continued to increase the past few weeks , we will bear witness to a significant rise in the number of people who are dying , ” Ferrer said .
Despite the overall increase in deaths , L.A. County officials said they believe the COVID-19 mortality rate has improved over the course of the pandemic , which they attributed to more experienced staff and wider knowledge about how best to care for patients .
Healthcare providers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanical ventilators — the availability of which was a topic of significant nationwide concern this year — “ isn ’ t the best first option to someone who is struggling breathing , ” said Dr. Christina Ghaly , the county director of health services .
“ There ’ s a lot of treatments that have been shown to be helpful but , sadly , not every patient recovers , ” she said Wednesday .
The number of fatalities is fueled by how many people are being infected — and there are more coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pandemic .
On Nov. 3 , L.A. County was reporting a seven-day COVID-19 average of about 800 hospitalizations and 10 deaths a day .
By Tuesday , the county was seeing a seven-day average of about 3,000 hospitalizations and more than 40 deaths a day .
“ The mortality rate has gone down from COVID-19 .
Nonetheless , the link between cases , hospitalizations and then people dying is still there , ” Ferrer said .
“ The more transmission you have , the more people are ending up in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up in the hospital , because those in the hospital are very sick , the more deaths we ’ re going to witness .
And we ’ re seeing that play out right in front of us.
” Given the speed and ferocity with which the pandemic has worsened statewide , officials say it ’ s more important than ever for residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming infected .
“ Our message is : As much as you can , stay at home , ” Dr. Mark Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services secretary , said Tuesday .
“ We know that it works .
We know that we can bring our transmission rates down.
” Still , conditions statewide are continuing to deteriorate .
California recorded 34,490 new coronavirus cases Monday and an all-time daily high of 35,400 Tuesday .
Before this week , the state had never reached 23,000 new cases in a single day .
Those figures are especially worrying given the time lag between infection and possible hospitalization and death .
Typically , those who fall ill enough to require hospitalization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are infected — meaning this week ’ s astronomically high case counts may trigger a new flood of patients later this month .
Already , California hospitals are caring for more COVID-19 patients than they ever have .
There are 11,012 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide , according to the latest tally , with 2,506 of those in intensive care .
Both of those figures are all-time highs .
As with cases , it ’ s not just the raw numbers that are concerning for public health officials but also the rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus has grown by 78 % .
Intensive care admissions are up 75 % over that same period .
Though hospitals can expand their capacities should the need arise , their ability to do so isn ’ t infinite .
They are further constrained when it comes to ICU beds , which require specially trained healthcare professionals and high-tech equipment and are especially critical for patients with severe cases of COVID-19 , who may require ventilators and round-the-clock care .
Amid the continuing crush of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling the crunch .
At least three counties in the San Joaquin Valley had reached zero capacity as of Tuesday .
That same day , Santa Clara County was down to 31 available intensive care unit beds — just 9.5 % left of its capacity — to serve Northern California ’ s most populous county , home to nearly 2 million people .
“ All the things that you ’ re hearing about how impacted our hospitals are , about how dire this situation with our ICUs is — it ’ s absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Fresno County Department of Public Health ’ s interim health officer .
The potential strain on that precious resource is why the state made ICU numbers the trigger for its latest round of coronavirus-related restrictions .
Under the new system , officials divided the state into five regions : Southern California , the San Joaquin Valley , the Bay Area , the Greater Sacramento area and rural Northern California .
Should a region ’ s available ICU capacity drop below 15 % , it is required to implement a stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % and shuts down outdoor restaurant dining , hair salons , nail salons , card rooms , museums , zoos , aquariums and wineries .
Public outdoor playgrounds were originally listed among the areas that would have to close , but the state reversed that requirement in new guidance released Wednesday morning .
L.A. County officials announced Wednesday that they would also reopen playgrounds .
Already , the new stay-at-home restrictions have been implemented in the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions .
Those areas had seen their ICU availabilities tumble to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as of Wednesday morning .
Greater Sacramento — which encompasses Alpine , Amador , Butte , Colusa , El Dorado , Nevada , Placer , Plumas , Sacramento , Sierra , Sutter , Yolo and Yuba counties — dipped to 14.3 % ICU availability as of Wednesday , according to the state .
The stay-at-home order will take effect in that region at 11:59 p.m. Thursday .
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco , Santa Clara , Contra Costa , Alameda and Marin — have proactively implemented the new restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 % threshold for now , but officials warn that could quickly change and that the stakes for all Californians remain high .
“ It is the worst we have seen , and it ’ s continuing to worsen , ” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal , Santa Clara County ’ s director of health preparedness .
“ Hospitals are nearing capacity , our staffing is stretched thin — not just in our county , but throughout the state and throughout the nation.
” Times staff writers Faith E. Pinho and Lila Seidman contributed @ @ @ @

L.A. County coroner’s officials move a gurney carrying the body of an ob-gyn tech who died of coronavirus complications at the Days Inn by Wyndham in West Covina on Oct. 13.
More Californians died of COVID-19 on Tuesday than any other day, the latest milestone in an accelerating pandemic that is infecting and hospitalizing residents at levels far eclipsing any seen before.
Tuesday’s death toll, 219, edged out the previous single-day high of 214, which was recorded July 31, according to data compiled by The Times.
The latest figure may be a harbinger of higher death tolls. Until this past week, California had topped 200 daily coronavirus-related deaths only two times. That number has been exceeded twice in the last five days.
The seven-day fatality average, 135 Californians a day over the last week, is also at a level not seen since the darkest days of the state’s summertime surge.
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A month ago, the state was averaging about 44 daily deaths.
Nearly 1,400 Californians have died of COVID-19 in the last 14 days. Since the pandemic began, the disease has killed more than 20,300 statewide.
The death toll has been highest in Los Angeles, the state’s most populous county. More than 8,000 Angelenos have died of COVID-19 — a fact that nearly brought Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer to tears during a briefing Wednesday.
“Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back,” she said, her voice choking. “And their deaths are an incalculable loss to their friends and their family, as well as our community.”
The sharp spike in fatalities seen over the last few weeks is the realization of what public health officials have long feared — that a massive surge of new coronavirus cases would not only swamp the state’s hospitals with patients but also swell the number of residents dying of the disease.
“As cases have continued to increase the past few weeks, we will bear witness to a significant rise in the number of people who are dying,” Ferrer said.
Despite the overall increase in deaths, L.A. County officials said they believe the COVID-19 mortality rate has improved over the course of the pandemic, which they attributed to more experienced staff and wider knowledge about how best to care for patients.
Healthcare providers, for example, have learned that using mechanical ventilators — the availability of which was a topic of significant nationwide concern this year — “isn’t the best first option to someone who is struggling breathing,” said Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county director of health services.
“There’s a lot of treatments that have been shown to be helpful but, sadly, not every patient recovers,” she said Wednesday.
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The number of fatalities is fueled by how many people are being infected — and there are more coronavirus cases now than at any other point in the pandemic.
On Nov. 3, L.A. County was reporting a seven-day COVID-19 average of about 800 hospitalizations and 10 deaths a day.
By Tuesday, the county was seeing a seven-day average of about 3,000 hospitalizations and more than 40 deaths a day.
“The mortality rate has gone down from COVID-19. Nonetheless, the link between cases, hospitalizations and then people dying is still there,” Ferrer said. “The more transmission you have, the more people are ending up in the hospital. And the more people that end up in the hospital, because those in the hospital are very sick, the more deaths we’re going to witness. And we’re seeing that play out right in front of us.”
Given the speed and ferocity with which the pandemic has worsened statewide, officials say it’s more important than ever for residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming infected.
“Our message is: As much as you can, stay at home,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, said Tuesday. “We know that it works. We know that we can bring our transmission rates down.”
Still, conditions statewide are continuing to deteriorate.
California recorded 34,490 new coronavirus cases Monday and an all-time daily high of 35,400 Tuesday. Before this week, the state had never reached 23,000 new cases in a single day.
Those figures are especially worrying given the time lag between infection and possible hospitalization and death. Typically, those who fall ill enough to require hospitalization do so two to three weeks after they are infected — meaning this week’s astronomically high case counts may trigger a new flood of patients later this month.
Already, California hospitals are caring for more COVID-19 patients than they ever have.
There are 11,012 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide, according to the latest tally, with 2,506 of those in intensive care. Both of those figures are all-time highs.
As with cases, it’s not just the raw numbers that are concerning for public health officials but also the rate of growth.
Over the last two weeks, the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus has grown by 78%. Intensive care admissions are up 75% over that same period.
Though hospitals can expand their capacities should the need arise, their ability to do so isn’t infinite. They are further constrained when it comes to ICU beds, which require specially trained healthcare professionals and high-tech equipment and are especially critical for patients with severe cases of COVID-19, who may require ventilators and round-the-clock care.
Amid the continuing crush of COVID-19 patients, some ICUs are already feeling the crunch.
At least three counties in the San Joaquin Valley had reached zero capacity as of Tuesday. That same day, Santa Clara County was down to 31 available intensive care unit beds — just 9.5% left of its capacity — to serve Northern California’s most populous county, home to nearly 2 million people.
“All the things that you’re hearing about how impacted our hospitals are, about how dire this situation with our ICUs is — it’s absolutely true,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, the Fresno County Department of Public Health’s interim health officer.
The potential strain on that precious resource is why the state made ICU numbers the trigger for its latest round of coronavirus-related restrictions.
Under the new system, officials divided the state into five regions: Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley, the Bay Area, the Greater Sacramento area and rural Northern California.
Should a region’s available ICU capacity drop below 15%, it is required to implement a stay-at-home order, which restricts retail capacity to 20% and shuts down outdoor restaurant dining, hair salons, nail salons, card rooms, museums, zoos, aquariums and wineries.
Public outdoor playgrounds were originally listed among the areas that would have to close, but the state reversed that requirement in new guidance released Wednesday morning. L.A. County officials announced Wednesday that they would also reopen playgrounds.
Already, the new stay-at-home restrictions have been implemented in the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley regions. Those areas had seen their ICU availabilities tumble to 9% and 4.2%, respectively, as of Wednesday morning.
Greater Sacramento — which encompasses Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties — dipped to 14.3% ICU availability as of Wednesday, according to the state. The stay-at-home order will take effect in that region at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
Five Bay Area counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin — have proactively implemented the new restrictions.
The other state-defined regions remain above the 15% threshold for now, but officials warn that could quickly change and that the stakes for all Californians remain high.
“It is the worst we have seen, and it’s continuing to worsen,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamal, Santa Clara County’s director of health preparedness. “Hospitals are nearing capacity, our staffing is stretched thin — not just in our county, but throughout the state and throughout the nation.”
Times staff writers Faith E. Pinho and Lila Seidman contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-09--Southern California is in for a reprieve from dangerous fire weather

Southern Californians are in for a reprieve from dangerous fire weather that plagued the region for more than a week , with lower temperatures and moister air in the forecast — though still no rain .
Santa Ana winds and dry heat fueled several wildfires across multiple counties , including the Bond fire in Orange County and the Cornell fire in Ventura .
On Tuesday afternoon , two additional brush fires broke out amid high winds in Ventura .
The first , dubbed the Perkin fire , spread to about 50 acres near the Oxnard city limits after erupting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowed its progress by 7 p.m. , Ventura County Fire Department Capt .
Brian McGrath said .
The second blaze , called the Main fire , burned through about 10 acres near the Ventura Pier after erupting at 5:30 p.m. , according to McGrath .
Within 40 minutes , it was smoldering .
Meanwhile , the Los Angeles County Fire Department battled a five- to seven-acre fire near Center Pointe Parkway in Santa Clarita , which ignited around 11 p.m. and forced evacuations of several nearby homes .
The fire ’ s advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city said on Twitter .
The county also worked with the Los Angeles Fire Department to battle a blaze that ignited in the Hollywood Hills early Wednesday morning .
That fire , which burned in brush near the 1400 block of North Miller Drive , was extinguished within about 30 minutes , according to Brian Humphrey of the LAFD .
Fire crews across the region are now hoping milder weather will offer some relief , as red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service expired Tuesday evening .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be better off , ” McGrath said .
National Weather Service meteorologist David Sweet said Wednesday that the warm , dry , windy conditions will dissipate in the coming days .
“ We ’ re expecting a cooling trend and for the winds to die off from the east , ” he said , noting that low clouds , fog and a breeze along coastal areas are possible .
Temperatures will be in the 60s and lower 70s through Thursday .
Firefighters weren ’ t the only ones welcoming the change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of customers across the region throughout the last week in an effort to prevent their electrical equipment from sparking a blaze .
Still , at least one fire , the Cornell fire , was reported to have ignited after the utility company ’ s low-voltage power lines came into contact with a wind-toppled tree .
Residents affected by Edison ’ s repeated outages said they had had enough of living in the dark .
Many reported spoiled food and an inability to perform their jobs without internet access , saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid stay-at-home orders and increasing cases of COVID-19 .
“ During a time where we are in full lockdown and in a pandemic , students are unable to attend school and adults lose access to pay , since they can not access the internet to work from home , ” said Chatsworth resident Nishell Johnson , who has had her power cut three times since Thanksgiving .
Johnson said she is thinking about leaving Southern California .
“ We can ’ t live in an area where we can ’ t rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tehachapi residents Brandy and Ed Sweeney said they have been without power for more than 40 hours over the course of the last week .
They worried that power outages were driving residents to use candles , fireplaces and generators , which in turn could spark more fires .
More than 59,000 Edison customers were without power Tuesday morning .
By Wednesday , that number had decreased to 4,600 as the weather improved .
Edison spokesman Paul Griffo said residents affected by the outages could file a claim on the company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of customers , employees and communities , which is why we continue to enhance our wildfire mitigation efforts through grid hardening , situational awareness and enhanced operational practices , ” he said .
Sweet said there are still no signs of rain on the horizon and that weather hospitable to fire will likely be back beginning Friday evening .
“ This weekend , it does reverse again , ” he said .
“ It goes back to more of a warm and dry situation .
”

Los Angeles County firefighters put out a hot spot in the Durfee fire, which spread to an encampment for homeless people in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte on Tuesday.
Southern Californians are in for a reprieve from dangerous fire weather that plagued the region for more than a week, with lower temperatures and moister air in the forecast — though still no rain.
Santa Ana winds and dry heat fueled several wildfires across multiple counties, including the Bond fire in Orange County and the Cornell fire in Ventura.
On Tuesday afternoon, two additional brush fires broke out amid high winds in Ventura.
Advertisement
The first, dubbed the Perkin fire, spread to about 50 acres near the Oxnard city limits after erupting in a river bottom around 4:30 p.m. Crews slowed its progress by 7 p.m., Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Brian McGrath said.
The second blaze, called the Main fire, burned through about 10 acres near the Ventura Pier after erupting at 5:30 p.m., according to McGrath. Within 40 minutes, it was smoldering.
“Everyone is pretty worn out,” McGrath said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Fire Department battled a five- to seven-acre fire near Center Pointe Parkway in Santa Clarita, which ignited around 11 p.m. and forced evacuations of several nearby homes. The fire’s advance was halted shortly after midnight, the city said on Twitter.
The county also worked with the Los Angeles Fire Department to battle a blaze that ignited in the Hollywood Hills early Wednesday morning. That fire, which burned in brush near the 1400 block of North Miller Drive, was extinguished within about 30 minutes, according to Brian Humphrey of the LAFD.
Fire crews across the region are now hoping milder weather will offer some relief, as red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service expired Tuesday evening.
“We’re a lot more optimistic that we’ll be better off,” McGrath said.
Advertisement
Fire Alert: Second alarm blaze burning near Centre Pointe Parkway and Isabella Parkway. Five acres moving up hill, avoid the area. #Centrepointefire #CentrePointeIC #SantaClarita pic.twitter.com/dYgZL3o2Q5 — Santa Clarita City (@santaclarita) December 9, 2020
National Weather Service meteorologist David Sweet said Wednesday that the warm, dry, windy conditions will dissipate in the coming days.
“We’re expecting a cooling trend and for the winds to die off from the east,” he said, noting that low clouds, fog and a breeze along coastal areas are possible. Temperatures will be in the 60s and lower 70s through Thursday.
Firefighters weren’t the only ones welcoming the change. Southern California Edison shut power to tens of thousands of customers across the region throughout the last week in an effort to prevent their electrical equipment from sparking a blaze.
Still, at least one fire, the Cornell fire, was reported to have ignited after the utility company’s low-voltage power lines came into contact with a wind-toppled tree.
Residents affected by Edison’s repeated outages said they had had enough of living in the dark. Many reported spoiled food and an inability to perform their jobs without internet access, saying it was especially difficult to be without power amid stay-at-home orders and increasing cases of COVID-19.
“During a time where we are in full lockdown and in a pandemic, students are unable to attend school and adults lose access to pay, since they cannot access the internet to work from home,” said Chatsworth resident Nishell Johnson, who has had her power cut three times since Thanksgiving.
Johnson said she is thinking about leaving Southern California.
“We can’t live in an area where we can’t rely on power,” she said Wednesday.
Tehachapi residents Brandy and Ed Sweeney said they have been without power for more than 40 hours over the course of the last week.
They worried that power outages were driving residents to use candles, fireplaces and generators, which in turn could spark more fires.
More than 59,000 Edison customers were without power Tuesday morning. By Wednesday, that number had decreased to 4,600 as the weather improved.
Edison spokesman Paul Griffo said residents affected by the outages could file a claim on the company’s website.
“Our top priority is the safety of customers, employees and communities, which is why we continue to enhance our wildfire mitigation efforts through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices,” he said.
Sweet said there are still no signs of rain on the horizon and that weather hospitable to fire will likely be back beginning Friday evening.
“This weekend, it does reverse again,” he said. “It goes back to more of a warm and dry situation.”


latimes--2020-12-09--In a reversal, California and L.A. County say playgrounds can be open under COVID-19 restrictions

Following an outcry from parents and some legislators , California will keep playgrounds open despite a surge in coronavirus cases .
Playgrounds had been closed in some areas under a stay-at-home order that took effect last week .
Los Angeles County had closed its playgrounds before that , but officials there confirmed they will follow the state ’ s lead and allow them to reopen .
According to the updated state guidance , which was released Wednesday morning , “ playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise ” — an about-face from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would be closed in regions where critical care services were strained due to COVID-19 .
Though several aspects of California ’ s latest regional stay-at-home order have come under fire since Gov .
Gavin Newsom unveiled it last week , the closure of playgrounds sparked particular backlash — with parents expressing outrage and confusion about why their children ’ s play areas would be off-limits while places like malls remain open .
The state “ received feedback from the community and heard their concerns about the lack of outdoor spaces for children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional stay home order ” and decided those areas could stay open “ with modifications that include masking , social distancing and following other recommendations , ” according to Ali Bay , a spokesperson with the California Department of Public Health .
“ We encourage all children and families to get outdoors during this challenging time for exercise , fresh air and good mental health while avoiding sites where people congregate and where social distancing is not possible , ” Bay said in an email .
In a letter to Newsom last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower-income areas would be hit hardest by the rule because many residents don ’ t have backyards and other open spaces to take their kids .
“ While we must appropriately consider best practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission , we also must ensure the children across the state are not unfairly deprived of their opportunities for outdoor access and play , ” said the letter , which was signed by a dozen legislators .
“ The broad closure of playgrounds unfairly negatively impacts children and families.
” One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gonzalez ( D-San Diego ) — greeted the state ’ s reversal Wednesday with an emphatic , “ Yay !
” “ Thank you to all the legislators who joined me in asking the state to review playground closures , ” she wrote on Twitter .
Officials in Los Angeles County — which had closed outdoor public playgrounds before the state ’ s order as part of its own set of restrictions meant to slow an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases — announced Wednesday that they would also allow playgrounds to reopen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But low-income communities of color living in dense housing often do not have access to a yard , ” L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis wrote on Twitter .
“ With distance learning , having access to public playgrounds is more important now than ever.
” Generally , counties are allowed to adopt regulations that are more restrictive , but not more lenient , than the state ’ s .
Though the county has not publicly linked outbreaks to playgrounds , officials previously said they believed the closures were necessary .
Before issuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and forth for many days ” about how to handle reports from local parks departments about crowding , children playing without masks and the difficulty of sanitizing playground equipment , L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said last week .
Those concerns linger despite the rule change , she said Wednesday .
“ These decisions are really hard decisions , and again , it ’ s a balance of trying to make sure that we ’ re allowing children to get some physical exercise and have some activity and knowing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to places where there can be a lot of intermingling , ” she said during a briefing .
Everyone needs to wear a face covering , she said , and parents and caregivers should regularly sanitize youngsters ’ hands before and after they use communal equipment .
Ferrer also recommended that families avoid overcrowded playgrounds and said it ’ s vital to maintain physical distance from other households .
“ We really think it ’ s appropriate for families to make sure they understand , if at all possible , [ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to be physically active and , if you are going to a playground … to take all kinds of precautions , ” she said .

Idris Solaiman, 3, left, plays with 2-year old Felix Quon, right, on the playground in Griffith Park Thursday morning. Idris’ mother, Denni Kephart, and Felix’s father, Jarrod Quon, met at the park for their children to play after they heard LA County playgrounds would re-open. Yellow caution tape remained up as Maintenance crews at Griffith Park said they hadn’t received word yet to remove the tape.
Following an outcry from parents and some legislators, California will keep playgrounds open despite a surge in coronavirus cases.
Playgrounds had been closed in some areas under a regional stay-at-home order that took effect last week. Los Angeles County had closed its playgrounds before that, but officials there confirmed they will follow the state’s lead and allow playgrounds to reopen.
According to the updated state guidance, which was released Wednesday morning, “playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise” — an about-face from the previously announced rules, which stated they would be closed in regions where critical care services were strained due to COVID-19.
Though several aspects of California’s latest regional stay-at-home order have come under fire since Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled it last week, the closure of playgrounds sparked particular backlash — with parents expressing outrage and confusion about why their children’s play areas would be off-limits while places like malls remain open.
Advertisement
The state “received feedback from the community and heard their concerns about the lack of outdoor spaces for children if playgrounds remained closed under the new regional stay-home order” and decided those areas could stay open “with modifications that include masking, social distancing and following other recommendations,” said Ali Bay, a representative for the California Department of Public Health.
“We encourage all children and families to get outdoors during this challenging time for exercise, fresh air and good mental health while avoiding sites where people congregate and where social distancing is not possible,” Bay said in an email.
In a letter to Newsom last week, some California lawmakers also noted that lower-income areas would be hit hardest by the rule because many residents don’t have backyards and other open spaces where they can take their children.
“While we must appropriately consider best practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we also must ensure the children across the state are not unfairly deprived of their opportunities for outdoor access and play,” said the letter, which was signed by a dozen legislators. “The broad closure of playgrounds unfairly negatively impacts children and families.”
One of the letter’s signers — Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) — greeted the state’s reversal Wednesday with an emphatic, “Yay!”
“Thank you to all the legislators who joined me in asking the state to review playground closures,” she wrote on Twitter.
Thank you to all the legislators who joined me in asking the state to review playground closures. And thank you Dr. Ghaly for your patience with my advocacy. Thank you @GavinNewsom for listening! Yay! Playgrounds. https://t.co/MCg73GpCmQ — Lorena Gonzalez (@LorenaSGonzalez) December 9, 2020
Officials in Los Angeles County — which had closed outdoor public playgrounds before the state’s order as part of its own set of restrictions meant to slow an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases — announced Wednesday that they would also allow playgrounds to reopen.
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“Play is crucial for childhood development. But low-income communities of color living in dense housing often do not have access to a yard,” L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis wrote on Twitter. “With distance learning, having access to public playgrounds is more important now than ever.”
Generally, counties are allowed to adopt regulations that are more restrictive, but not more lenient, than the state’s.
Though the county has not publicly linked outbreaks to playgrounds, officials previously said they believed the closures were necessary.
Before issuing the regulations, health officials “went back and forth for many days” about how to handle reports from local parks departments about crowding, children playing without masks and the difficulty of sanitizing playground equipment, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said last week.
Those concerns linger despite the rule change, she said Wednesday.
“These decisions are really hard decisions, and again, it’s a balance of trying to make sure that we’re allowing children to get some physical exercise and have some activity and knowing that there’s risk every time we go to places where there can be a lot of intermingling,” she said during a briefing.
Everyone needs to wear a face covering, she said, and parents and caregivers should regularly sanitize youngsters’ hands before and after they use communal equipment.
Ferrer also recommended that families avoid overcrowded playgrounds and said it’s vital to maintain physical distance from other households.
“We really think it’s appropriate for families to make sure they understand, if at all possible, [to] find other ways for your children to be able to be physically active and, if you are going to a playground … to take all kinds of precautions,” she said.
Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-09--Column: Want to knock out your holiday shopping in an hour? Say bon appetit with restaurant gift car

Column: Want to knock out your holiday shopping in an hour? Say bon appetit with restaurant gift cards

Thomas Penfield , a retired San Diego County lawyer , sent me an idea that just might help restaurants survive pandemic lockdowns .
“ Most restaurants offer gift certificates , or will if asked , ” Penfield said .
“ Why not buy one from your favorite restaurant every week during the … closure to help them out in lieu of dining out ?
You can use it later at your convenience and the restaurant gets some immediate cash flow.
“ I loved the idea , and when I saw that shopping malls have been allowed to stay open while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors until at least Dec. 16 , I got an idea of my own .
At a time in the COVID pandemic when community spread is out of control , isn ’ t there a better way to say happy holidays than hanging out in an indoor mall hunting for gifts ?
I mean , really , what would you rather get for Christmas : a six-pack of tube socks and a sweater that doesn ’ t fit , or a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant ?
If we buy gift certificates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , maintain a lifeline for tens of thousands of employees , and knock out all our holiday shopping in just a couple of hours .
And restaurants aren ’ t the only businesses in jeopardy of going under .
You can buy gift certificates from lots of shops , including Mom and Pops that might not make it otherwise .
“ It sounds like a great idea to me , ” said Fred Hillan , owner of Fred 62 , a Los Feliz diner .
But Hillan said I ’ m a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just called today , ” Hillan said , “ and asked to buy 10 $ 100 gift certificates.
” Dina Samson , who owns Rossoblu in downtown Los Angeles and serves on a restaurant advocacy group called the Independent Hospitality Coalition , said one of her regular diners just bought $ 3,000 worth of gift certificates and plans to give them away .
“ We would never discourage it , ” said Samson , who has had to furlough employees and is happy to have whatever support she can get .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if the recipients of those gift certificates don ’ t all show up the first week restaurants reopen .
Jordan Okun , host of a restaurant podcast called Air Jordan , told me he ’ s been promoting gift certificate purchases for months .
He ’ s also asking listeners to wait six months after restaurants reopen to cash them in , so the eateries have a chance to recover some of their losses first .
Los Angeles is a food lover ’ s paradise , Okun noted , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of year-round dining , indoors and out .
“ Gift certificates should be at the top of everyone ’ s holiday gift list , ” he said .
Rod Davis owns two small restaurants — Nick ’ s Café , near the state park on the edge of downtown Los Angeles , and Rock ’ N Egg Café in Eagle Rock .
Outdoor dining was keeping him afloat , he said , but with the recent ban , he ’ s been forced to close both restaurants and furlough his 20 employees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to them , because they ’ ve already used it , ” Davis said .
He ’ s also burned through two government loans that were offered months ago , and he ’ s been exasperated by the dickering in Congress , which hasn ’ t been able to agree on a new stimulus package .
Meanwhile , as restaurants and other businesses stand on the brink of extinction , the tone-deaf White House announced with great fanfare this week that First Lady Melania Trump has completed efforts to open a private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis said that he ’ s thinking of making gift certificates available , and he ’ s hoping to reopen Nick ’ s in time to keep up his tradition of selling holiday hams .
At Guelaguetza , the celebrated Mid-City Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles , owner Bricia Lopez said she ’ d be happy to sell gift certificates and other merchandise , like cookbooks , mole and other products her restaurant is famous for .
You can go to store.ilovemole.com to fill out your shopping list .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in as soon as we reopen and use their gift certificates , ” Lopez said , telling me she ’ s had to pare down her regular staff of 100 to as few as 10 during the pandemic .
Fifteen years ago , when my daughter was about 2 , she couldn ’ t contain herself when a live band performed at Guelaguetza .
While we were dining , she got up from the table and danced for the first time in her life .
A restaurant experience is more than the food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspire her to “ do anything we can ” to survive the pandemic .
But for some restaurants , it ’ s already too late .
“ I was just devastated that one of my top-three favorite restaurants in L.A. , that I just loved and adored , and went to with my husband to celebrate special occasions , closed a few months ago , ” Lopez said .
She was talking about Here ’ s Looking At You , in Koreatown , where she bought T-shirts and other merchandise to help out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they weren ’ t going to make it .
There is , of course , the risk that people will buy gift certificates for restaurants that won ’ t survive .
But supporting them now , in their moment of need , could elevate their chance of survival .
L.A. County began taking applications for grants of up to $ 30,000 for restaurants , except those in Los Angeles and Pasadena , and demand was so heavy , the website crashed .
Meanwhile , some restaurants have pushed back against the outdoor dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
But with the number of coronavirus cases surging , health officials were playing it safe to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed , while restaurateurs argued that putting people out of work was its own threat to the well-being of thousands .
One restaurant , Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill in Sherman Oaks , has raised more than $ 170,000 in donations after its owner — Angela Marsden — made headlines for a tearful video in which she blasted local officials for banning outdoor dining at the restaurant , while an adjacent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained open .
Marsden was unavailable when I called , but bartender Liz McCracken said the “ outpouring of love ” has been a great boost , and the restaurant is hoping to begin processing requests for gift certificates .
“ If you buy a gift certificate from us , we ’ re going to honor it , ” McCracken said .
“ That gift card is the same as currency.
” Getting back to Penfield , the retired attorney , he told me he has bought gift certificates from one of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — for his cat sitter and handyman , as well as for himself .
For the holidays , he ’ s planning to buy another gift card for his housekeeper , and one more for the handyman , who ’ s coming by to fix a fence .
I ’ ll be headed to a small neighborhood joint in the San Rafael Hills , to buy a few of my own .
Don ’ t you have a place of your own you ’ d like to support ?
‘ Tis the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gift that says bon appetit .

What better way to say happy holidays than with a gift of food at a restaurant struggling during the pandemic?
Thomas Penfield, a retired San Diego County lawyer, sent me an idea that just might help restaurants survive pandemic lockdowns.
“Most restaurants offer gift certificates, or will if asked,” Penfield said. “Why not buy one from your favorite restaurant every week during the … closure to help them out in lieu of dining out? You can use it later at your convenience and the restaurant gets some immediate cash flow.“
I loved the idea, and when I saw that shopping malls have been allowed to stay open while restaurants can’t serve food even outdoors until at least Dec. 16, I got an idea of my own. At a time in the COVID pandemic when community spread is out of control, isn’t there a better way to say happy holidays than hanging out in an indoor mall hunting for gifts?
I mean, really, what would you rather get for Christmas: a six-pack of tube socks and a sweater that doesn’t fit, or a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant? If we buy gift certificates, we can help keep restaurants alive, maintain a lifeline for tens of thousands of employees, and knock out all our holiday shopping in just a couple of hours.
Advertisement
And restaurants aren’t the only businesses in jeopardy of going under. You can buy gift certificates from lots of shops, including Mom and Pops that might not make it otherwise.
“It sounds like a great idea to me,” said Fred Hillan, owner of Fred 62, a Los Feliz diner.
But Hillan said I’m a bit late to the party.
“Someone just called today,” Hillan said, “and asked to buy 10 $100 gift certificates.”
Dina Samson, who owns Rossoblu in downtown Los Angeles and serves on a restaurant advocacy group called the Independent Hospitality Coalition, said one of her regular diners just bought $3,000 worth of gift certificates and plans to give them away.
“We would never discourage it,” said Samson, who has had to furlough employees and is happy to have whatever support she can get. But it would be extra helpful, she said, if the recipients of those gift certificates don’t all show up the first week restaurants reopen.
Jordan Okun, host of a restaurant podcast called Air Jordan, told me he’s been promoting gift certificate purchases for months. He’s also asking listeners to wait six months after restaurants reopen to cash them in, so the eateries have a chance to recover some of their losses first.
Advertisement
Los Angeles is a food lover’s paradise, Okun noted, and it’s worth helping to support the culture of year-round dining, indoors and out.
“Gift certificates should be at the top of everyone’s holiday gift list,” he said.
Rod Davis owns two small restaurants — Nick’s Café, near the state park on the edge of downtown Los Angeles, and Rock’N Egg Café in Eagle Rock. Outdoor dining was keeping him afloat, he said, but with the recent ban, he’s been forced to close both restaurants and furlough his 20 employees.
“There’s no unemployment insurance available to them, because they’ve already used it,” Davis said.
He’s also burned through two government loans that were offered months ago, and he’s been exasperated by the dickering in Congress, which hasn’t been able to agree on a new stimulus package. Meanwhile, as restaurants and other businesses stand on the brink of extinction, the tone-deaf White House announced with great fanfare this week that First Lady Melania Trump has completed efforts to open a private tennis pavilion at the White House.
Davis said that he’s thinking of making gift certificates available, and he’s hoping to reopen Nick’s in time to keep up his tradition of selling holiday hams.
At Guelaguetza, the celebrated Mid-City Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles, owner Bricia Lopez said she’d be happy to sell gift certificates and other merchandise, like cookbooks, mole and other products her restaurant is famous for. You can go to store.ilovemole.com to fill out your shopping list.
“I’m not at all concerned about people coming in as soon as we reopen and use their gift certificates,” Lopez said, telling me she’s had to pare down her regular staff of 100 to as few as 10 during the pandemic.
Fifteen years ago, when my daughter was about 2, she couldn’t contain herself when a live band performed at Guelaguetza. While we were dining, she got up from the table and danced for the first time in her life.
A restaurant experience is more than the food, and Lopez said memories like that inspire her to “do anything we can” to survive the pandemic. But for some restaurants, it’s already too late.
“I was just devastated that one of my top-three favorite restaurants in L.A., that I just loved and adored, and went to with my husband to celebrate special occasions, closed a few months ago,” Lopez said.
She was talking about Here’s Looking At You, in Koreatown, where she bought T-shirts and other merchandise to help out in the days before the owners announced they weren’t going to make it.
There is, of course, the risk that people will buy gift certificates for restaurants that won’t survive. But supporting them now, in their moment of need, could elevate their chance of survival. L.A. County began taking applications for grants of up to $30,000 for restaurants, except those in Los Angeles and Pasadena, and demand was so heavy, the website crashed.
Meanwhile, some restaurants have pushed back against the outdoor dining ban, questioning whether science really supports it. But with the number of coronavirus cases surging, health officials were playing it safe to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed, while restaurateurs argued that putting people out of work was its own threat to the well-being of thousands.
One restaurant, Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill in Sherman Oaks, has raised more than $170,000 in donations after its owner — Angela Marsden — made headlines for a tearful video in which she blasted local officials for banning outdoor dining at the restaurant, while an adjacent outdoor dining area for a film shoot remained open.
Marsden was unavailable when I called, but bartender Liz McCracken said the “outpouring of love” has been a great boost, and the restaurant is hoping to begin processing requests for gift certificates.
“If you buy a gift certificate from us, we’re going to honor it,” McCracken said. “That gift card is the same as currency.”
Getting back to Penfield, the retired attorney, he told me he has bought gift certificates from one of his favorite restaurants — Besta-Wan Pizza in Cardiff-by-the-Sea — for his cat sitter and handyman, as well as for himself. For the holidays, he’s planning to buy another gift card for his housekeeper, and one more for the handyman, who’s coming by to fix a fence.
I’ll be headed to a small neighborhood joint in the San Rafael Hills, to buy a few of my own. Don’t you have a place of your own you’d like to support?
‘Tis the season to lend a hand, and give the gift that says bon appetit.
Steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-12-09--Formerly homeless motel residents were kicked out — to make room for L.A.'s homeless

The owner was a willing seller , and Los Angeles County an eager buyer .
Escrow was set to close Tuesday on what would have been the county ’ s 10th purchase under a state program to convert hotels and motels that are ailing because of the COVID-19 pandemic into housing for homeless people .
Then the good news story turned messy when activists , including lawyers representing some of the motel occupants , came to the county Friday with a shocking complaint : The management of the extended-stay Studio 6 motel in Commerce was locking out residents who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forcing some into homelessness without the relocation benefits they were entitled to under state law .
The situation grew contentious over the weekend as activists gathered at the entrance in support of about a dozen remaining residents and the management installed a locked fence across the narrow driveway to the parking lot to keep them out .
This week , activists continued their vigil outside the fence , shouting support for the residents , who included a single mother with three children and a three-generation family with a disabled grandmother who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being locked out .
Caught off guard by the blowup , the county pushed the close of escrow to Dec. 17 and sent its relocation consultant back to the motel to determine whether any occupants had established legal tenancy and were unlawfully evicted and denied relocation payments .
Terms of the sale require the owner to deliver the building without occupants , and any relocation benefits owed would be paid by the county , officials said .
A front-desk worker who answered the phone at the motel said the manager , identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not available .
But the worker , Harry Bacta , denied that any guests had lived in the motel as permanent residents .
He said all were notified when they checked in that Dec. 3 would be their last day .
“ Some of them are like regular guests who leave and come back from time to time.
” Bacta said .
“ None of them are long-term guests.
” County officials said they worked furiously over the weekend to stabilize the situation but have not yet determined how many , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ rights .
“ We ’ re currently working in a collaborative manner with the advocacy organizations who became aware of the situation to ensure that no one is displaced from the hotel into homelessness and to ensure anyone who does have tenant status is accorded all the rights and benefits to which they are entitled , ” said Phil Ansell , director of the county ’ s Homeless Initiative .
The tenant relocation consultant , OPC , is interviewing hotel occupants and others who claim tenancy .
The relocation consultant determined in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager qualified for tenancy .
During contract negotiations , the county was led by the owner to believe that there were no guests who have stayed close to 30 days , Ansell said .
Several residents told The Times that they had been paying rent regularly , either from their own resources or with government rental assistance .
They said the manager would not provide them receipts and frequently levied unfair fines .
The question of who qualifies as a tenant could hinge on a nuance of state law .
If a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he or she is considered a tenant with a litany of rights afforded through state and federal law , including eviction protections , said Navneet Grewal , a lawyer for Disability Rights California who has been helping some of the people staying in the Studio 6 .
Often , she said , residential motels will force people to leave just before they hit 30 days so they don ’ t qualify for protections .
This is sometimes referred to as the “ 28-day shuffle ” and is banned by state law , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used by social services agencies to house some of the county ’ s poorest and most vulnerable — some of whom receive vouchers to subsidize their stay .
The rooms are a lifeline for many who would otherwise be on the street .
Several of the residents said they had well-established residency in the building .
“ I moved here [ in ] August of 2019 , ” Genevieve Marilyn Green said .
“ I get mail here.
” Green shares a unit with three infant and toddler children with rental assistance through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said she was working with a homeless agency to find permanent housing but had to turn down a new home to quarantine after she contracted the coronavirus .
“ We were supposed to be here two or three months , and we were supposed to be housed , ” said Mikki Morris , 65 , who lives with two sons , one severely disabled , and gets around on a walker .
“ The pandemic made that impossible .
We were stuck here.
” Morris said the management manipulated and intimidated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once living there to leave .
“ We were lied to , manipulated , bamboozled , everything you can imagine , ” she said .
Hope Golden , 55 , who steadies herself with crutches , said she , her daughter and son-in-law and their 2-year-old son receive no rental assistance and were current with their rent .
But when she came back from the bank on Nov. 30 , she was locked out of her room and her personal belongings were gone .
She said she made a police report and slept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking lot .
“ I don ’ t got nowhere to go , ” said her son-in-law , Amis Streeter , who said he lost his job at Universal City because of the pandemic .
“ I need my stuff .
They cleared all my stuff out .
I don ’ t know where it ’ s at.
” Lucia Veloz , 40 , had worked as a housekeeper at the motel since 2018 , but was let go in October after injuring her back .
She recalled meeting families , some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years , packed into small rooms as a last resort .
Every month , they were told by management they had to leave for at least a day .
That was when Veloz cleaned their rooms .
“ A lot of these families , they don ’ t have anywhere to go .
That ’ s why they ’ re there to begin with , ” she said in Spanish .
“ I feel terrible because they lost their home and I lost my job.
” Veloz is now struggling like these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how she ’ ll pay the bills .
She ’ s still out of work and recovering from COVID-19 , which sickened several members of her family .
Heidi Marston , who heads the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , said this issue came onto her team ’ s radar late Friday night when county officials reached out for help finding some of the displaced people places to stay .
They were told about two people and a family were staying in the parking lot and needed help .
They were able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County is paying $ 14.95 million for the four-story , 81-room motel .
It stands next to a gas station on a noisy triangle of land wedged between the 5 Freeway and East Slauson Avenue , a busy truck route .
When the sale closes , it will be the 10th building purchased by the county under Project Homekey , a state program providing funds for cities and counties to quickly house thousands of homeless people by purchasing motels and hotels that are financially weakened by the pandemic .
The city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels under the same program .
Two of the hotels in the county are currently under lease to Project Roomkey , another state program to provide temporary housing for homeless people during the pandemic .
The Studio 6 , owned by a company called Anmol , was not a participant in Project Roomkey .
“ It ’ s just ironic that they ’ re creating homelessness when implementing this program that ’ s supposed to take people off the streets , ” said Jasmine Gonzalez , an organizer for East Yard Communities for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the families at the Commerce motel .
“ It ’ s a lack of communication .
It ’ s just incredible that this is happening .
”

Genevieve Marilyn Green, a mother of three, livestreams video with her phone as Mikki Morris talks from inside of fencing that contains homeless people who are staying in the Studio 6 motel in Commerce. The motel residents were locked out of their roomsg.
The owner was a willing seller, and Los Angeles County an eager buyer. Escrow was set to close Tuesday on what would have been the county’s 10th purchase under a state program to convert hotels and motels that are ailing because of the COVID-19 pandemic into housing for homeless people.
Then the good news story turned messy when activists, including lawyers representing some of the motel occupants, came to the county Friday with a shocking complaint: The management of the extended-stay Studio 6 motel in Commerce was locking out residents who had lived there for months or even years, forcing some into homelessness without the relocation benefits they were entitled to under state law.
The situation grew contentious over the weekend as activists gathered at the entrance in support of about a dozen remaining residents and the management installed a locked fence across the narrow driveway to the parking lot to keep them out.
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This week, activists continued their vigil outside the fence, shouting support for the residents, who included a single mother with three children and a three-generation family with a disabled grandmother who said she spent three days in her car after being locked out.
Caught off guard by the blowup, the county pushed the close of escrow to Dec. 17 and sent its relocation consultant back to the motel to determine whether any occupants had established legal tenancy and were unlawfully evicted and denied relocation payments.
Terms of the sale require the owner to deliver the building without occupants, and any relocation benefits owed would be paid by the county, officials said.
A front-desk worker who answered the phone at the motel said the manager, identified by residents as a Mr. Patel, was not available. But the worker, Harry Bacta, denied that any guests had lived in the motel as permanent residents. He said all were notified when they checked in that Dec. 3 would be their last day.
“Some of them are like regular guests who leave and come back from time to time.” Bacta said. “None of them are long-term guests.”
Activist Patty Chavez, right, talks with residents who are on the inside of fencing that contains homeless people who are staying in the Studio 6 motel in Commerce. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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County officials said they worked furiously over the weekend to stabilize the situation but have not yet determined how many, if any, of the occupants have tenants’ rights.
“We’re currently working in a collaborative manner with the advocacy organizations who became aware of the situation to ensure that no one is displaced from the hotel into homelessness and to ensure anyone who does have tenant status is accorded all the rights and benefits to which they are entitled,” said Phil Ansell, director of the county’s Homeless Initiative.
The tenant relocation consultant, OPC, is interviewing hotel occupants and others who claim tenancy.
The relocation consultant determined in its initial assessment that only the on-site manager qualified for tenancy. During contract negotiations, the county was led by the owner to believe that there were no guests who have stayed close to 30 days, Ansell said.
Several residents told The Times that they had been paying rent regularly, either from their own resources or with government rental assistance.
They said the manager would not provide them receipts and frequently levied unfair fines.
The question of who qualifies as a tenant could hinge on a nuance of state law. If a person lives somewhere longer than 30 days, he or she is considered a tenant with a litany of rights afforded through state and federal law, including eviction protections, said Navneet Grewal, a lawyer for Disability Rights California who has been helping some of the people staying in the Studio 6. Often, she said, residential motels will force people to leave just before they hit 30 days so they don’t qualify for protections.
This is sometimes referred to as the “28-day shuffle” and is banned by state law, she said.
Many hotels and motels are used by social services agencies to house some of the county’s poorest and most vulnerable — some of whom receive vouchers to subsidize their stay. The rooms are a lifeline for many who would otherwise be on the street.
Several of the residents said they had well-established residency in the building.
“I moved here [in] August of 2019,” Genevieve Marilyn Green said. “I get mail here.”
Green shares a unit with three infant and toddler children with rental assistance through L.A. County’s Family Solutions program.
She said she was working with a homeless agency to find permanent housing but had to turn down a new home to quarantine after she contracted the coronavirus.
Mikki Morris, left, and Genevieve Marilyn Green stand inside fencing that was put up over the weekend around the Studio 6 motel in Commerce. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“We were supposed to be here two or three months, and we were supposed to be housed,” said Mikki Morris, 65, who lives with two sons, one severely disabled, and gets around on a walker. “The pandemic made that impossible. We were stuck here.”
Morris said the management manipulated and intimidated many of the more than 30 families once living there to leave.
“We were lied to, manipulated, bamboozled, everything you can imagine,” she said.
Hope Golden, 55, who steadies herself with crutches, said she, her daughter and son-in-law and their 2-year-old son receive no rental assistance and were current with their rent.
But when she came back from the bank on Nov. 30, she was locked out of her room and her personal belongings were gone.
She said she made a police report and slept three nights in her car in the parking lot.
“I don’t got nowhere to go,” said her son-in-law, Amis Streeter, who said he lost his job at Universal City because of the pandemic. “I need my stuff. They cleared all my stuff out. I don’t know where it’s at.”
Lucia Veloz, 40, had worked as a housekeeper at the motel since 2018, but was let go in October after injuring her back. She recalled meeting families, some of whom had lived there as long as three years, packed into small rooms as a last resort. Every month, they were told by management they had to leave for at least a day. That was when Veloz cleaned their rooms.
“A lot of these families, they don’t have anywhere to go. That’s why they’re there to begin with,” she said in Spanish. “I feel terrible because they lost their home and I lost my job.”
Veloz is now struggling like these families — on government assistance and unsure how she’ll pay the bills. She’s still out of work and recovering from COVID-19, which sickened several members of her family.
Heidi Marston, who heads the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, said this issue came onto her team’s radar late Friday night when county officials reached out for help finding some of the displaced people places to stay. They were told about two people and a family were staying in the parking lot and needed help.
They were able to get the family into a motel.
California Program to house homeless people in hotels is ending after falling short of goal After reaching less than 30% of its goal to shelter homeless people who are vulnerable to the coronavirus, Project Roomkey is starting to phase out in the face of funding uncertainty.
L.A. County is paying $14.95 million for the four-story, 81-room motel. It stands next to a gas station on a noisy triangle of land wedged between the 5 Freeway and East Slauson Avenue, a busy truck route.
When the sale closes, it will be the 10th building purchased by the county under Project Homekey, a state program providing funds for cities and counties to quickly house thousands of homeless people by purchasing motels and hotels that are financially weakened by the pandemic.
The city of Los Angeles is purchasing an additional 10 hotels under the same program.
Two of the hotels in the county are currently under lease to Project Roomkey, another state program to provide temporary housing for homeless people during the pandemic.
The Studio 6, owned by a company called Anmol, was not a participant in Project Roomkey.
“It’s just ironic that they’re creating homelessness when implementing this program that’s supposed to take people off the streets,” said Jasmine Gonzalez, an organizer for East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. She has been helping some of the families at the Commerce motel.
“It’s a lack of communication. It’s just incredible that this is happening.”