latimes--2020-07-06--Young adults who think 'they are invincible' increasingly infected by coronavirus, Newsom says

Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday said the surge in coronavirus cases hitting California was due in part to younger people who might believe “ they are invincible ” but nonetheless are becoming sick from COVID-19 .
These are younger adults — who Newsom called “ the young invincibles ” — who are testing positive for the disease , a trend that has become apparent as the economy has reopened and working-aged adults return to work and had resumed social gatherings .
“ So a lot of these younger folks may be coming into hospitals , but with not as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , ” Newsom said .
In L.A. County , working-age adults are making up an increasing share of the percentage of those who are hospitalized , while seniors are making up a declining share .
Some young people think “ they are invincible but don ’ t feel it ’ s going to impact them and if it does , it ’ s not a big burden.
” But Newsom and other experts have warned that increasing infection in younger adults may serve as a way the disease can spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older adults .
That ’ s why , Newsom said , he has made moves to strengthen public health orders , such as ordering many of California ’ s most populous counties to shut down bars and indoor restaurant dining rooms as hospitalizations have increased .
While a higher percentage of coronavirus tests is confirming infections , “ we ’ re not seeing a commensurate increase yet in mortality , ” Newsom said .
For the last six weeks , California has reported an average coronavirus death toll of about 436 a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six weeks , the average weekly death toll was 510 , a Times analysis found .
“ Those are lagging indicators : hospitalizations , ICUs and deaths , ” Newsom said .
It can take weeks for newly infected people to get sick enough to be hospitalized , and even more time before they die from the disease .
Experts say it can take three to four weeks after exposure to the virus for infected people to become sick enough to be hospitalized , and four to five weeks after exposure for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the disease .
The same trends of younger adults being increasingly infected with the coronavirus is being seen in L.A. County .
By the Fourth of July , “ almost 50 % of new cases occur among younger people , ” which are adults 40 and younger , said Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County director of public health , on Monday .
In early April , that age group made up only about 30 % of new confirmed cases .
Adults 18 to 39 make up about one-third of L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in L.A. County is partly due to a significant decline in new deaths among nursing home residents .
In May , L.A. County was reporting an average of 25 daily coronavirus deaths among nursing home residents .
By late June , the average daily death toll from nursing homes was about 10 , Ferrer said last week .
Officials have said better use of personal protective equipment , such as masks , gowns and gloves , and increased testing , has helped reduce the effect of the pandemic on nursing homes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in L.A. County has also changed .
In late April , seniors 65 and older made up 50 % of those hospitalized with COVID-19 ; middle-aged people between 41 to 64 made up more than 35 % ; and the youngest adults made up less than 15 % of cases .
Now , it ’ s working-aged adults who are seeing their share of hospitalizations rise , while the elderly ’ s rate falls .
By the Fourth of July , middle-aged adults made up roughly 45 % of hospitalizations ; seniors made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the youngest adults made up more than 25 % of hospitalizations .
There are several reasons why younger adults are increasingly becoming infected , Ferrer said , citing survey results compiled by the USC Dornsife Center of Economic and Social Research .
More L.A. County residents are leaving their home .
In mid-April , 86 % of L.A. County residents said they stayed home at all times except for essential activities or exercise ; by the last week of June , only 58 % said they were doing so .
More L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people outside of their household .
In mid-April , only 31 % of L.A. County residents had such close contact with people outside of their household ; by the last week of June , 55 % were doing so .
As the reopening has accelerated , however , fewer L.A. County residents are reporting a fear of running out of food because of a lack of money or other resources .
In early April , 30 % of L.A. County residents surveyed were worried about running out of food ; that figure has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week of June .
Additionally , fewer L.A. County residents are now reporting psychological distress as the reopening accelerated .
In early April , 47 % of surveyed county residents reported mild , moderate or severe symptoms of psychological distress ; as the reopening accelerated , 36 % reporting feeling such symptoms .
There was also a slight reduction in the percentage of L.A. County residents who reported the pandemic posed a moderate or substantial threat to their household finances ; 64 % said it did so in mid-May ; 56 % said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the good news about opening — it ’ s that in fact , for many people , it ’ s provided some very important and much needed relief , ” Ferrer said .
But as people have returned to physical work locations , workplaces have increasingly become sites of exposure to the highly contagious virus .
While in early May , 37 % of surveyed L.A. County residents said their job required them to come within six feet of other people regularly , 43 % said they had done so in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly concerned California is lifting restrictions on public activity due to the pandemic too quickly , the survey found .
While 75 % of survey respondents expressed such worry in early May , 79 % did so in mid-June .
The rate at which coronavirus tests in are coming back positive has jumped 42 % over the last two weeks , according to data published on the .
An increasing rate of positive test results is an indication that disease transmission is worsening .
The Fourth of July marked the 15th consecutive day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed coronavirus patients .
On Saturday , the state recorded 5,669 patients with confirmed coronavirus infections in California hospitals — an increase of 62 % over the previous two weeks .
On June 27 , just a week earlier , the state had reported 4,498 hospitalized patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
On June 20 , the number was 3,494 .
The number of intensive care unit patients statewide with confirmed coronavirus infections is up 63 % over the last three weeks .
On Saturday , there were 1,711 people with confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous Saturday , there were 1,376 ; the week before that , there were 1,149 ; and on June 13 , there were 1,049 .
Newsom said Monday that California is now monitoring 23 counties for surges in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations .
That ’ s four more since last week .
Counties on the watch list include : Contra Costa , Colusa , Fresno , Glenn , Imperial , Kern , Kings , Los Angeles , Madera , Marin , Merced , Monterey , Orange , Riverside , Sacramento , San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Santa Barbara , Solano , Stanislaus , Tulare and Ventura .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Colleen Shalby, Sandhya Kambhampati , Iris Lee

A light crowd enjoys the sand and surf at Manhattan Beach on July 6, 2020, following the three-day Fourth of July weekend.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the surge in coronavirus cases hitting California was due in part to younger people who might believe “they are invincible” but nonetheless are becoming sick from COVID-19.
These are younger adults — who Newsom called “the young invincibles” — who are testing positive for the disease, a trend that has become apparent as the economy has reopened and working-aged adults return to work and had resumed social gatherings.
“So a lot of these younger folks may be coming into hospitals, but with not as acute needs as what we were seeing in the past,” Newsom said. In L.A. County, working-age adults are making up an increasing share of the percentage of those who are hospitalized, while seniors are making up a declining share.
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Some young people think “they are invincible but don’t feel it’s going to impact them and if it does, it’s not a big burden.”
But Newsom and other experts have warned that increasing infection in younger adults may serve as a way the disease can spread to those with underlying health conditions and older adults.
That’s why, Newsom said, he has made moves to strengthen public health orders, such as ordering many of California’s most populous counties to shut down bars and indoor restaurant dining rooms as hospitalizations have increased.
1 / 46 Newport Beach police enforce closures along the Wedge in Newport Beach, a popular surf spot. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 46 Spectators along the Wedge in Newport Beach, a surf spot, on July 4. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 46 A bicyclist rides along Highland Avenue with the pier closed to beachgoers on July 3 in Manhattan Beach. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 46 Peter Gratzinger of Pacific Palisades heads to the water at Santa Monica State Beach, which opened to the public at 5 a.m. July 6. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 46 A bicyclist with her child rides along the closed bike path on July 3 in Manhattan Beach. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 46 A police officer and a lifeguard boat comb the shoreline in Venice Beach on July 5. Even though the beach was closed over the weekend a few still made their way to the shoreline. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 46 No-parking signs from the July 4 weekend still block spots on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica on Monday. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 46 Dusk sets in over the the Santa Monica Pier on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 46 Southern California residents watch the fireworks during the Drive-Up 4th of July Spectacular at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base on Saturday in Los Alamitos. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 46 Bella Nousiainen, left, with daughter, Helmi Nousiainen, of Los Angeles, at the Santa Monica Pier, which reopens after being closed to guests for months because of the coronavirus. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 46 Dr. Jamie Taylor checks the ventilators at the refashioned St. Vincent Hospital. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 46 Shoppers and mannequins wear protective masks in the Los Angeles downtown garment district on Thursday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 46 Patrons wear face coverings at Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. A recent surge in COVID-19 cases in California has pushed the state’s total past 200,000 with more than 5,800 deaths. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 46 LAPD officers E. Rosales, left, and D. Castro, patrol the Metro Red Line at the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 46 Visitors wear protective masks while walking through historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 46 People wait in line to have a COVID-19 screening administered by the Community Organized Relief Effort at the Los Angeles City Mayor’s test site at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 46 A woman adjusts a protective mask while walkiing along Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Ti mes) 18 / 46 Cameron Johnson,18, left, headed to UC Berkeley in the fall and Simona Krasnegor,17, headed to UCLA in the fall, watched the sun set while sitting next to the Manhattan Beach Pier, following their drive-through graduation from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 46 Jair Guido, 36, a veterinarian visiting from Durango, Mexico, right, wearing a sombrero with an American flag draped over his shoulders, walks with other pedestrians along Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Guido said that he wore this outfit to show people that he is proud to be a Mexican and that he loves America. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 46 A mask-wearing skateboarder and her dog make their way along the boardwalk in Venice Beach. Californians must wear face masks in public under a coronavirus order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 46 Pedestrians, some with face coverings, some without, walk past musicians Brent Kendell, background left, and Sam Jones, background right, as they perform at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 46 People wear masks while walking along the boardwalk in Venice Beach. Californians must wear face masks in public under a coronavirus order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 46 Pedestrians cross the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public, following growing concerns that an increase in coronavirus cases has been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 46 Sophia Strauss, left, and Sarah Hoffmeister celebrate after their drive-through graduation from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 46 New West Charter School vice principal Mark Herrera shouts at graduate Joe Reid to come and receive his diploma during a drive-up graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 at the charter school in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 46 A worker directs drivers at a drive-up testing site for COVID-19 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium at UCLA.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 46 Destiny VanSciner is tested for COVID-19 with an oral swab by family nurse practitioner Anniesatu Newland at a walk-in site at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center in South Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 46 Melissa Gomes fixes the tassel on the mortarboard of Sarah Anggraini as the new graduate gets ready for a photo at Chaffey College, which held a drive-through graduation, in Rancho Cucamonga. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 46 Maricela Moreno, manager at El Tarasco in Marina del Rey, disinfects cash at the restaurant. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 46 Mildred “Millie” Stratton waves to a caravan of cars led by Alhambra police officers and firefighters. The parade past her home celebrated Stratton’s 102nd birthday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 46 Eric Larkin hands an order to Brittany Wright as she fastens her face covering outside the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 46 A jogger passes Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles as local stay-at-home orders are increasingly relaxed months into the coronavirus outbreak. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 46 Hikers and bikers traverse the Santa Fe Dam trail as county parks officially reopen to the public. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 46 A woman, masked against COVID-19, walks past a building that features the image of Britney Spears at a shopping center in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 46 Manon Guijarro, a new graduate of Pierce College, has her photo taken by friend Paige Johnson at Chris Burden’s outdoor work “Urban Light” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 46 Mary Perez, a salesperson at High Class Jewels on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, helps a customer as he tries on a gold rope chain inside the recently reopened store. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 46 Professional dog walker Lindsay Rojas takes golden retrievers Gomez, left, and Nikki for a stroll along Le Bourget Avenue in Culver City. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 46 The Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team banks over downtown Los Angeles in formation to salute healthcare workers and first responders on May 15. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 46 Maria Morales, center, a member of the USC class of 2020, participates in virtual graduation via Zoom with her brother Manny Morales, left, mom Pilar Morales and stepdad Victor Ramos from her home in Orange. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 46 On a recent day, there’s not a face mask in sight as a roller skater and others share the reopened walking path on the Strand in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 46 Crew members of a Hainan Airlines flight walk through the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 42 / 46 A woman wearing a protective mask walks past a shuttered business in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 43 / 46 Thousands of rental cars are stored at Dodger Stadium as the coronavirus crisis has caused rentals to nosedive. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 44 / 46 Some beachgoers actively use the beach while others relax on the sand, despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s active-use-only order, in Huntington Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 45 / 46 Traveling nurse Gail Cunningham waves thanks outside the emergency room entrance to Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley as residents pay tribute to her and other medical personnel with a drive-by rally. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) 46 / 46 A scene from “Knives Out,” with actor Don Johnson, seen at the Mission Tiki Drive-in Theatre in Montclair. Opened with one screen in 1956, the Mission Tiki expanded to four screens in 1975 and began renovation in 2006, updating to FM transmitters and digital projectors. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
While a higher percentage of coronavirus tests is confirming infections, “we’re not seeing a commensurate increase yet in mortality,” Newsom said. For the last six weeks, California has reported an average coronavirus death toll of about 436 a week since Memorial Day; for the preceding six weeks, the average weekly death toll was 510, a Times analysis found.
“Those are lagging indicators: hospitalizations, ICUs and deaths,” Newsom said.
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It can take weeks for newly infected people to get sick enough to be hospitalized, and even more time before they die from the disease.
Experts say it can take three to four weeks after exposure to the virus for infected people to become sick enough to be hospitalized, and four to five weeks after exposure for some of the most vulnerable patients to die from the disease.
The same trends of younger adults being increasingly infected with the coronavirus is being seen in L.A. County.
By the Fourth of July, “almost 50% of new cases occur among younger people,” which are adults 40 and younger, said Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County director of public health, on Monday. In early April, that age group made up only about 30% of new confirmed cases.
Adults 18 to 39 make up about one-third of L.A. County’s population.
The decline in deaths in L.A. County is partly due to a significant decline in new deaths among nursing home residents. In May, L.A. County was reporting an average of 25 daily coronavirus deaths among nursing home residents. By late June, the average daily death toll from nursing homes was about 10, Ferrer said last week.
Officials have said better use of personal protective equipment, such as masks, gowns and gloves, and increased testing, has helped reduce the effect of the pandemic on nursing homes.
Daily average percentage of COVID-19 cases by age, according to L.A. County. (Los Angeles County)
The age makeup of those being hospitalized in L.A. County has also changed. In late April, seniors 65 and older made up 50% of those hospitalized with COVID-19; middle-aged people between 41 to 64 made up more than 35%; and the youngest adults made up less than 15% of cases.
Now, it’s working-aged adults who are seeing their share of hospitalizations rise, while the elderly’s rate falls. By the Fourth of July, middle-aged adults made up roughly 45% of hospitalizations; seniors made up less than 30%; and the youngest adults made up more than 25% of hospitalizations.
COVID-19 hospitalized cases by admission date by age, according to L.A. County. (Los Angeles County)
There are several reasons why younger adults are increasingly becoming infected, Ferrer said, citing survey results compiled by the USC Dornsife Center of Economic and Social Research.
More L.A. County residents are leaving their home. In mid-April, 86% of L.A. County residents said they stayed home at all times except for essential activities or exercise; by the last week of June, only 58% said they were doing so.
The percentage of L.A. County residents who stayed home except for essential activities and exercise through the last week of June. (Los Angeles County)
More L.A. County residents are also having close contact with people outside of their household. In mid-April, only 31% of L.A. County residents had such close contact with people outside of their household; by the last week of June, 55% were doing so.
The percentage of L.A. County residents who had close contact with people outside of their household through the end of June. (Los Angeles County)
As the reopening has accelerated, however, fewer L.A. County residents are reporting a fear of running out of food because of a lack of money or other resources. In early April, 30% of L.A. County residents surveyed were worried about running out of food; that figure has fallen to 11% for the last week of June.
The percentage of L.A. County residents worried about running out of food because of a lack of money by the end of June. (L.A. County)
Additionally, fewer L.A. County residents are now reporting psychological distress as the reopening accelerated. In early April, 47% of surveyed county residents reported mild, moderate or severe symptoms of psychological distress; as the reopening accelerated, 36% reporting feeling such symptoms.
The percentage of L.A. County residents with symptoms of psychological distress as officials accelerated reopening businesses. (Los Angeles County)
There was also a slight reduction in the percentage of L.A. County residents who reported the pandemic posed a moderate or substantial threat to their household finances; 64% said it did so in mid-May; 56% said it did so in mid-June.
The percentage of L.A. County residents who reported the coronavirus crisis posed a threat to their household finances through mid-June. (Los Angeles County)
“This is the good news about opening — it’s that in fact, for many people, it’s provided some very important and much needed relief,” Ferrer said.
But as people have returned to physical work locations, workplaces have increasingly become sites of exposure to the highly contagious virus. While in early May, 37% of surveyed L.A. County residents said their job required them to come within six feet of other people regularly, 43% said they had done so in mid-June.
The percentage of L.A. County residents whose jobs require close contact on the job through mid-June. (Los Angeles County)
More L.A. County residents are increasingly concerned California is lifting restrictions on public activity due to the pandemic too quickly, the survey found. While 75% of survey respondents expressed such worry in early May, 79% did so in mid-June.
The rate at which coronavirus tests in California are coming back positive has jumped 42% over the last two weeks, according to data published on the Los Angeles Times’ California coronavirus tracker . An increasing rate of positive test results is an indication that disease transmission is worsening.
The Fourth of July marked the 15th consecutive day that California tallied record hospitalization numbers of confirmed coronavirus patients. On Saturday, the state recorded 5,669 patients with confirmed coronavirus infections in California hospitals — an increase of 62% over the previous two weeks.
On June 27, just a week earlier, the state had reported 4,498 hospitalized patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19. On June 20, the number was 3,494.
The number of intensive care unit patients statewide with confirmed coronavirus infections is up 63% over the last three weeks. On Saturday, there were 1,711 people with confirmed coronavirus infections in the ICU; on the previous Saturday, there were 1,376; the week before that, there were 1,149; and on June 13, there were 1,049.
Newsom said Monday that California is now monitoring 23 counties for surges in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. That’s four more since last week.
Counties on the watch list include: Contra Costa, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.


latimes--2020-07-06--13-year-old girl killed in violent carjacking of family van in Pico Rivera

A 13-year-old girl was ejected and killed during a violent carjacking over the weekend in Pico Rivera , authorities said .
The girl was waiting in the family van with her three siblings while her parents stopped at La Mano Tortilleria restaurant near Whittier Boulevard and Durfee Avenue about 2 p.m. Sunday , the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department said in a news release .
While the couple was inside the restaurant , sheriff ’ s officials said a 26-year-old Los Angeles man jumped into the front seat of the vehicle , which was left running .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jose Elias Aguilar , noticed the children inside , he yelled , “ Vamanos !
” and the side doors of the van flung open , authorities said .
But before the siblings — ages 8 , 11 , 13 and 18 — could exit the vehicle safely , Aguilar sped off .
The oldest child fought briefly with Aguilar before she jumped out of the moving van , authorities said .
Her 11-year-old brother was also able to jump from the vehicle .
Both sustained minor injuries , officials said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 13-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother still in the van , deputies said .
At Deland Avenue and Whittier Boulevard , Aguilar pushed the boy from the vehicle , according to the news release .
The child suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital , officials said .
Aguilar then continued driving , speeding at about 60 mph .
At some point , the girl was ejected from the vehicle and struck a stationary object , according to the sheriff ’ s release .
She was declared dead at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrown from the vehicle , Aguilar continued driving west on Whittier Boulevard , where he crashed into another vehicle , authorities said .
He left the scene of the crash and then drove north on Rosemead Boulevard , where the stolen van became disabled in El Monte .
Deputies said Aguilar tried to carjack a man as he was exiting his vehicle , while the man ’ s wife and child were still inside .
The men fought for control of the car for about 100 yards before the vehicle crashed into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran back to the disabled van to try to escape , but several nearby street vendors , who had watched the carjacking attempt , detained him until deputies arrived , according to the release .
Aguilar , who was treated at a hospital for injuries suffered during the crash , was arrested on suspicion of carjacking , murder and kidnapping , the Sheriff ’ s Department said .
According to court records , he is currently on probation and was recently arrested and released on zero bail for felony possession of a dagger @ @ @

Isabella Cortes, 13, died during a violent carjacking in Pico Rivera on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
A 13-year-old girl was ejected and killed during a violent carjacking over the weekend in Pico Rivera, authorities said.
The girl was waiting in the family van with her three siblings while her parents stopped at La Mano Tortilleria restaurant near Whittier Boulevard and Durfee Avenue about 2 p.m. Sunday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The department identified the 13-year-old as Isabella Cortes in a tweet Monday.
While the couple was inside the restaurant, sheriff’s officials said a 26-year-old Los Angeles man jumped into the front seat of the vehicle, which was left running.
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When the man, identified by deputies as Jose Elias Aguilar, noticed the children inside, he yelled, “Vamanos!” and the side doors of the van slid open, authorities said. But before the siblings — ages 8, 11, 13 and 18 — could exit the vehicle safely, Aguilar sped off.
The oldest child fought briefly with Aguilar before she jumped out of the moving van, authorities said. Her 11-year-old brother also was able to jump from the vehicle. Both sustained minor injuries, officials said.
But Aguilar then sped west on Whittier Boulevard with Isabella and her 8-year-old brother still in the van, deputies said. At Deland Avenue and Whittier Boulevard, Aguilar pushed the boy from the vehicle, according to the news release. The child suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital, officials said.
Aguilar then continued driving, speeding at about 60 mph. At some point, the girl was ejected from the vehicle and struck a stationary object, according to the sheriff’s release. Isabella was declared dead at the scene.
After the girl was thrown from the vehicle, Aguilar continued driving west on Whittier Boulevard, where he crashed into another vehicle, authorities said. He left the scene of the crash and then drove north on Rosemead Boulevard, where the stolen van became disabled in El Monte.
Deputies said Aguilar tried to carjack a man as he was exiting his vehicle, while the man’s wife and child were still inside. The men fought for control of the car for about 100 yards before the vehicle crashed into a nearby bridge, authorities said.
Aguilar ran back to the disabled van to try to escape, but several nearby street vendors, who had watched the carjacking attempt, detained him until deputies arrived, according to the release.
Aguilar, who was treated at a hospital for injuries suffered during the crash, was arrested on suspicion of carjacking, murder and kidnapping, the Sheriff’s Department said. According to court records, he is currently on probation and was recently arrested and released on zero bail for felony possession of a dagger and vandalism.


latimes--2020-07-06--As coronavirus cases surge, L.A. County death toll tops 3,500

Los Angeles County officials on Monday reported an additional 1,584 COVID-19 cases and 48 related deaths , raising the county ’ s death toll to more than 3,500 .
This comes as the number of coronavirus infections continues to increase across the state .
Amid the spike , California is monitoring additional counties for surges in cases and hospitalizations , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced Monday .
San Diego , Marin , Madera and Colusa counties have been added to the state ’ s watch list , which now includes 23 of California ’ s 58 counties that have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s objectives in curtailing the spread of the virus .
The other counties on the list are Contra Costa , Fresno , Glenn , Imperial , Kern , Kings , Los Angeles , Merced , Monterey , Orange , Riverside , Sacramento , San Bernardino , San Joaquin , Santa Barbara , Solano , Stanislaus , Tulare and Ventura .
The entire state is continuing to see an increase in cases , which now top 271,000 , according to the Los Angeles Times tracker .
The death toll , too , is increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of Monday .
The rate of deaths has not increased at the same speed as the number of cases and hospitalizations , however .
Officials say that ’ s partly because new cases are now skewing more heavily toward younger people , and fewer deaths are being reported in congregate settings , such as nursing homes , that were once hot spots for the virus .
But it ’ s possible the toll will spike again .
“ Deaths will often lag behind slightly as much as one to three weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , noting that those who have died are often sick or hospitalized for weeks before they succumb to the illness .
People between the ages of 18 and 41 now account for more than 50 % of new cases in the county , health officials said .
Hospitalizations among this age group , as well as those between 41 and 64 , have also risen , while hospitalizations of those 65 and older have declined .
Officials said the seven-day average percentage of those testing positive for the virus has climbed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an indicator of spread , but as demand has increased , shortages in testing capacity have persisted in recent weeks .
On Monday , the city-run testing facility at Dodger Stadium — the largest in the county — was closed .
According to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s office , the closure was scheduled , and testing will resume Tuesday .
“ No appointments were canceled , ” press secretary Andrea Garcia said Monday afternoon .
“ City sites provided 2,800 tests today and will provide 80,000 tests this week.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the possibility of adding five to 10 more COVID-19 testing facilities , while also increasing the number of available testing slots .
“ We opened 6,000 slots this morning , ” Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said .
“ Those are [ now ] full.
” Before the extended Fourth of July weekend , state and local officials shut down beaches , bars and dine-in restaurants in an effort to limit social gatherings , which have been blamed for some of the increases in the number of COVID-19 cases .
In terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the holiday weekend , it will be a couple of weeks before the numbers are in , health officials said “ We won ’ t know for another 14 days what the impact of the holiday weekend is , ” Ferrer said , noting that extensive gatherings over the Memorial Day holiday led to an increase in infections two weeks later .
Still , the weekend saw increased infection rates in various parts of the state .
In Orange County , public health officials reported 663 new cases Sunday , raising the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county reported three more deaths , bringing the total to 366 .
On Monday that count spiked again , due to reports from backlogged test results .
The county reported 1,028 additional cases , 1,013 of which were from specimens collected between June 20 and July 3 ; the others were collected before June 19 .
“ With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks , I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance , ” Supervisor Michelle Steel said in a statement .
“ This is of the utmost importance to protect your health and the health of others , so that we can return back to normal as quickly as possible.
” Riverside County reported a similar spike in cases , recording more than 1,105 Monday .
Last week , Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency and the county ’ s interim health officer , said the county had mistakenly inflated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been conducted , an error that may have painted a rosier picture of the pandemic in the region .
In Los Angeles County , health officials announced a total of on Thursday , Friday and Saturday , after a backlog delayed reports of the numbers .
Friday marked the highest single-day total of new cases in the county : 3,187 .
The overall positivity rate has also continued to increase in the state , as has the number of hospitalizations , which jumped 50 % over a 14-day period .
Newsom stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverings when they are out , the only tool to fight the spread of the virus in the absence of a vaccine or medical therapies .
“ [ The virus ] continues to spread at rates that we have not experienced here in California since the beginning of this pandemic , ” the governor said Monday .
Newsom said that from July 2 to July 5 , inspectors visited nearly 6,000 bars and restaurants to monitor safety practices , after several counties were instructed to stop indoor operations .
He didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in violation of state rules .

Shoppers wear masks while walking along Santee Alley in the Garment District in downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials on Monday reported an additional 1,584 COVID-19 cases and 48 related deaths, raising the county’s death toll to more than 3,500.
This comes as the number of coronavirus infections continues to increase across the state. Amid the spike, California is monitoring additional counties for surges in cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.
San Diego, Marin, Madera and Colusa counties have been added to the state’s watch list, which now includes 23 of California’s 58 counties that have been flagged for not meeting the state’s objectives in curtailing the spread of the virus. The other counties on the list are Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
The entire state is continuing to see an increase in cases, which now top 271,000, according to the Los Angeles Times tracker. The death toll, too, is increasing, with more than 6,400 deaths reported as of Monday.
The rate of deaths has not increased at the same speed as the number of cases and hospitalizations, however. Officials say that’s partly because new cases are now skewing more heavily toward younger people, and fewer deaths are being reported in congregate settings, such as nursing homes, that were once hot spots for the virus.
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California California coronavirus spikes worsen over holiday weekend In Los Angeles County, officials said the holiday weekend saw the highest single-day count of new cases since the pandemic began: 3,200 on Friday.
But it’s possible the toll will spike again.
“Deaths will often lag behind slightly as much as one to three weeks,” Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said, noting that those who have died are often sick or hospitalized for weeks before they succumb to the illness.
People between the ages of 18 and 41 now account for more than 50% of new cases in the county, health officials said. Hospitalizations among this age group, as well as those between 41 and 64, have also risen, while hospitalizations of those 65 and older have declined.
Officials said the seven-day average percentage of those testing positive for the virus has climbed to nearly 10%.
Testing remains critical as an indicator of spread, but as demand has increased, shortages in testing capacity have persisted in recent weeks.
On Monday, the city-run testing facility at Dodger Stadium — the largest in the county — was closed. According to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office, the closure was scheduled, and testing will resume Tuesday.
“No appointments were canceled,” press secretary Andrea Garcia said Monday afternoon. “City sites provided 2,800 tests today and will provide 80,000 tests this week.”
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County officials said Monday they are exploring the possibility of adding five to 10 more COVID-19 testing facilities, while also increasing the number of available testing slots.
“We opened 6,000 slots this morning,” Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said. “Those are [now] full.”
Before the extended Fourth of July weekend, state and local officials shut down beaches, bars and dine-in restaurants in an effort to limit social gatherings, which have been blamed for some of the increases in the number of COVID-19 cases.
In terms of spread that might have occurred over the holiday weekend, it will be a couple of weeks before the numbers are in, health officials said
“We won’t know for another 14 days what the impact of the holiday weekend is,” Ferrer said, noting that extensive gatherings over the Memorial Day holiday led to an increase in infections two weeks later.
Still, the weekend saw increased infection rates in various parts of the state.
In Orange County, public health officials reported 663 new cases Sunday, raising the total to 16,854. In addition, the county reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 366.
On Monday that count spiked again, due to reports from backlogged test results. The county reported 1,028 additional cases, 1,013 of which were from specimens collected between June 20 and July 3; the others were collected before June 19.
“With cases of COVID-19 in California increasing over the last six weeks, I ask the residents and visitors of Orange County to please wear a face covering when you are in a public place and unable to properly social distance, as well as following hygiene and social distancing guidance,” Supervisor Michelle Steel said in a statement. “This is of the utmost importance to protect your health and the health of others, so that we can return back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Riverside County reported a similar spike in cases, recording more than 1,105 Monday.
Last week, Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency and the county’s interim health officer, said the county had mistakenly inflated data indicating the number of tests that had been conducted, an error that may have painted a rosier picture of the pandemic in the region.
In Los Angeles County, health officials announced a total of 7,232 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, after a backlog delayed reports of the numbers. Friday marked the highest single-day total of new cases in the county: 3,187.
The overall positivity rate has also continued to increase in the state, as has the number of hospitalizations, which jumped 50% over a 14-day period.
Newsom stressed the need for people to wear face coverings when they are out, the only tool to fight the spread of the virus in the absence of a vaccine or medical therapies.
“[The virus] continues to spread at rates that we have not experienced here in California since the beginning of this pandemic,” the governor said Monday.
Newsom said that from July 2 to July 5, inspectors visited nearly 6,000 bars and restaurants to monitor safety practices, after several counties were instructed to stop indoor operations. He didn’t say whether any of those businesses had been in violation of state rules.


latimes--2020-07-06--Top medical officer for California prisons ousted amid worsening coronavirus outbreak

As COVID-19 infections rapidly spread through California ’ s prisons , authorities on Monday announced the replacement of the state correction system ’ s top medical officer .
The move came as Gov .
Gavin Newsom criticized a previous decision to transfer hundreds of inmates from a Chino facility that had been battling an outbreak .
The leadership shakeup occurred as corrections officials reported three more deaths over the July 4 weekend among inmates at San Quentin State Prison , where more than one-third of inmates have tested positive .
The death toll is now at six .
Most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in the last two weeks , after 121 inmates were transferred there in late May from the California Institution for Men in Chino .
“ They should not have been transferred , ” Newsom said in his public address .
The governor described combating the outbreak at the state ’ s prison system as “ a top priority for our administration.
” He said he hoped San Quentin would be able to reduce its inmate count from more than 4,000 on March 1 to 3,082 in the next few weeks .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send people out to park benches and homeless shelters , ” Newsom said .
“ We have to make sure we responsibly move people out.
” On Monday , the federal court-appointed receiver overseeing medical care at the state ’ s prisons announced the removal of Dr. R. Steven Tharratt as the prison system ’ s statewide medical director .
Tharratt will now serve as a special healthcare advisor to the receiver .
Statewide , at least 28 inmates have died of COVID-related illnesses .
More than 2,400 are currently infected .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic , ” the receiver , J. Clark Kelso , said in a statement .
“ In order to meet current response needs while also working toward further delegation of medical care back to state control , it has become evident that a reorganization is necessary for long-term sustainability.
” Last week , Assemblyman Marc Levine ( D-San Rafael ) called for Kelso ’ s removal and described the shifting of inmates without contemporaneous testing as “ the worst prison health screw-up in state history.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that nearly 700 vulnerable inmates from the Chino prison would be transferred to a dozen other corrections facilities around the state .
At the time , the Chino prison had reported more than 600 cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths among its inmates , who are in close quarters in dormitory housing .
The inmates to be transferred had tested negative for COVID-19 but had medical histories that would make them especially vulnerable to the infection .
The transfers did alleviate the outbreak in Chino , which on Monday reported 119 active cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the virus spread elsewhere , hitting San Quentin , California ’ s oldest prison , especially hard .
San Quentin now has 1,381 infected inmates , including 920 new cases in the last 14 days , according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ’ s COVID-19 tracker .
The positive cases translate to more than one-third of the prison ’ s inmate population of about 3,450 , which includes 721 inmates on death row .
Last week , Marin County reported that Richard Stitely , 71 , a death-row inmate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 , had tested positive for COVID-19 .
On Friday , the department announced the deaths of death-row inmates Scott Thomas Erskine , 57 , and Manuel Machado Alvarez , 59 , followed the next day by Dewayne Michael Carey , 59 .
Authorities have yet to identify two more inmates who died Sunday .
All died at an outside hospital “ from what appear to be complications related to COVID-19 , ” the department said .
Local hospitals have been inundated with intensive care patients from the prison , Marin County officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phil Willon and Stuart Leavenworth contributed to this report .

The decision to transfer hundreds of inmates from the California Institution for Men in Chino, shown, during a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility has been blamed for helping spread the virus to other prisons.
As COVID-19 infections spread rapidly through California’s prisons, authorities on Monday announced the replacement of the state correction system’s top medical officer, and Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized an earlier decision to transfer hundreds of inmates from a Chino facility that had been battling an outbreak.
The leadership shakeup occurred as corrections officials reported three more deaths over the July 4 weekend among inmates at San Quentin State Prison, where more than one-third of inmates have tested positive. The death toll is now at six.
Most of the facility’s COVID-19 infections were reported in the last two weeks, more than a month after 121 inmates were transferred there in late May from the California Institution for Men in Chino, where more than 900 inmates have tested positive in the last three months.
“They should not have been transferred,” Newsom said in his public address.
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The governor described combating the outbreak at the state’s prison system as “a top priority for our administration.” He said he hoped San Quentin would be able to reduce its inmate count from more than 4,000 on March 1 to 3,082 in the next few weeks.
“We don’t want to just send people out to park benches and homeless shelters,” Newsom said. “We have to make sure we responsibly move people out.”
On Monday, the federal court-appointed receiver overseeing medical care at the state’s prisons announced the removal of Dr. R. Steven Tharratt as the prison system’s statewide medical director. Tharratt, who was appointed to that post by the receiver in 2010, will now serve as a special healthcare advisor to the receiver.
Statewide, at least 28 inmates have died of COVID-related illnesses. More than 2,400 are currently infected.
“We are in unprecedented times as we deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the receiver, J. Clark Kelso, said in a statement. “In order to meet current response needs while also working toward further delegation of medical care back to state control, it has become evident that a reorganization is necessary for long-term sustainability.”
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Last week, Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) called for Kelso’s removal and described the shifting of inmates without contemporaneous testing as “the worst prison health screw-up in state history.”
In late May, corrections officials announced that nearly 700 inmates from the Chino prison would be transferred to a dozen other corrections facilities around the state. Those selected for transfer had medical histories that made them especially vulnerable to COVID-19.
At the time, the Chino prison had reported more than 600 cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths among its inmates, who are in close quarters in dormitory housing.
The 121 inmates who boarded buses for San Quentin on May 30 had all tested negative while at the Chino prison, but few had been tested in the two weeks prior to the move. At San Quentin, where there were no confirmed COVID-positive inmates at the time, the newly arrived prisoners were checked for signs of illness and had their temperatures taken.
While kept separate from the rest of the inmate population, the new arrivals used the same showers and ate in the same mess hall as the other prisoners. On June 4, San Quentin reported four positive cases among inmates and immediately halted further transfers.
The transfers did alleviate the outbreak in Chino, which on Monday reported 119 active cases and a total of 16 deaths. But the virus spread elsewhere, hitting San Quentin, California’s oldest prison, especially hard.
California San Quentin prison coronavirus outbreak ‘tragic, predictable and unacceptable’ More than 500 inmates at the prison in Marin County have tested positive for COVID-19, many of them after transferring from the men’s prison in Chino, the site of a massive coronavirus outbreak.
San Quentin now has 1,381 infected inmates, including 920 new cases in the last 14 days, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s COVID-19 tracker.
The positive cases translate to more than one-third of the prison’s inmate population of about 3,450, which includes 721 inmates on death row. San Quentin also reported 165 confirmed infections among employees, the highest of any of the state’s prisons.
Last week, Marin County reported that Richard Stitely, 71, a death-row inmate found dead in his cell on June 24, had tested positive for COVID-19. On Friday, the department announced the deaths of death-row inmates Scott Thomas Erskine, 57, and Manuel Machado Alvarez, 59, followed the next day by Dewayne Michael Carey, 59. Authorities have yet to identify two more inmates who died Sunday.
All died at an outside hospital “from what appear to be complications related to COVID-19,” the department said. Local hospitals have been inundated with intensive care patients from the prison, Marin County officials said last week.
The transfer of inmates from Chino grew out of a legal agreement involving the California attorney general, the state corrections department and the nonprofit advocacy group Prison Law Office as a way to protect vulnerable inmates.
Until late May, California Correctional Health Care Services had opposed such transfers, saying that “mass movement of high-risk inmates between institutions without outbreaks is ill-advised and potentially dangerous” and noting that it “carries significant risk of spreading transmission of the disease between institutions.”
But according to federal court filings, the prior approach of keeping inmates with underlying health issues in an infected facility had failed to keep them safe.
“Since [the California corrections department’s] current and past measures have failed to stem outbreaks and stop the spread, it is imperative that vulnerable patients receive additional protection immediately,” the attorney general and the Prison Law Office argued in a brief.
U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar, who is presiding over a federal lawsuit brought on behalf of inmates that seeks to force California to create a detailed plan to change the way prisoners are housed, cited the state’s handling of infections Sunday in a court memorandum.
“San Quentin provides a signal example of what can happen when an outbreak overwhelms an institution,” he said. “The number of inmate infections is undoubtedly even higher, because hundreds of inmates have refused to be tested.”
At a hearing Monday, he said the prison spread likely will affect surrounding communities’ hospital capacities. He said it was his understanding that 20 of 45 COVID-19 patients being treated in Alameda County hospitals are from San Quentin.
Tigar indicated that he was likely to order California to set aside sufficient cells and staff to cope with infections at each institution. The judge did not appear to be inclined to order prisoners released or to have a three-judge panel consider such a move, but he asked whether the state could make it happen because there may come a point where there is no other option.
“People are dying every day,” Tigar said.
Public health experts echoed his concerns.
Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, said that prisons, especially San Quentin in the Bay Area, will likely have an impact on hospitals in the coming weeks as inmates and staff need greater levels of care.
“As the inmates start to get sicker and require hospitalization, not only are Bay Area hospitals going to feel it, hospitals across the state are going to feel it,” said Chin-Hong, who also worries that stocks of drugs such as Remdesivir will run out.
“It’s really shocking. It’s scary,” he said. “It’s like a California wildfire, and you need to put it out, but putting it out is hard to do, and in the meantime, it’s spreading.”
Times Staff Writers Anita Chabria, Phil Willon and Stuart Leavenworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-06--Newsom, coming under fire, ramps up enforcement and adds counties to watchlist

Gov .
Gavin Newsom , facing criticism he opened up the state economy too soon , said Monday the state will expand monitoring of counties hard-hit by the virus after cracking down on restaurants and bars ignoring restrictions over the Fourth of July weekend .
As coronavirus hospitalizations continue to rise , Newsom said that state agents from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited close to 6,000 restaurants and bars during the holiday weekend .
In addition , officials from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health contacted 440,000 other businesses to ensure they heeded the tougher restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most of those establishments were in the 23 California counties now on the state ’ s coronavirus watchlist , including counties in Southern California and the Bay Area , all of which showed alarming increases in key public health metrics , including hospitalizations and community transmission .
“ We have not lost our energy , our capacity , our focus , our determination , our desire to do what we did at the outset of this pandemic , and that ’ s to bend the curve to tame this growth to mitigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said during his COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento on Monday .
“ We ’ ll deal with these hot spots.
” The rate at which coronavirus tests in California are coming back positive has jumped 39 % over the last two weeks , Newsom said .
On Sunday , the state recorded 5,790 patients with confirmed coronavirus infections in California hospitals — an increase of 50 % over the previous two weeks .
On June 22 , the number was 3,868 .
The number of intensive care unit patients statewide with confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last two weeks .
Contra Costa County , in the San Francisco Bay Area , and rural Colusa County , northwest of Sacramento , were added Sunday to the list of regions being monitored for their rising case counts and increased hospitalizations .
Marin , Monterey and San Diego counties joined the list Thursday .
The changes come amid growing concern about Newsom ’ s response to the outbreak , including sometimes-harsh critiques in the San Jose Mercury News and the Sacramento Bee in recent days .
“ Newsom ’ s leadership has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News said in an editorial .
“ In the weeks ahead , we will see how short as the rising number of cases in California are followed by commensurate increases in hospitalizations and then deaths.
” State Sen. Steven Glazer ( D-Orinda ) said Newsom reopened the state too quickly , squandering the gains made in slowing the virus with Newsom ’ s first-in-the-nation stay-at-home order issued in mid-March .
“ The heart of this problem was Newsom ’ s decision on May 8 to allow counties to accelerate the reopening by meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opinion article in the Sacramento Bee .
“ That decision came when the state ’ s infection rate was not declining and we had little information about how people were getting infected , despite being sheltered in place for 60 days.
” Newsom on Monday refuted that , saying reopening the state could be done safely — as long as safeguards were in place and Californians abided by restrictions announced by the state and local governments , while looking after the safety of themselves and their loved ones by wearing face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe distance from non-family members .
“ Can you safely reopen ?
I believe you can , but with enforcement and with individual responsibility , ” Newsom said .
“ We set those expectations .
We focused on how to responsibly reopen certain sectors of the economy .
And now it ’ s incumbent upon all of us to not only monitor that but to enforce those rules and regulations .
It ’ s exactly what we ’ re doing .
”

Gov. Gavin Newsom, facing criticism he opened up the state economy too soon, said Monday the state will expand monitoring of counties hard-hit by the virus after cracking down on restaurants and bars ignoring restrictions over the Fourth of July weekend.
As coronavirus hospitalizations continue to rise, Newsom said that state agents from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control visited close to 6,000 restaurants and bars during the holiday weekend. In addition, officials from the Division of Occupational Safety and Health contacted 440,000 other businesses to ensure they heeded the tougher restrictions on indoor activities for most of the state.
Most of those establishments were in the 23 California counties now on the state’s coronavirus watchlist, including counties in Southern California and the Bay Area, all of which showed alarming increases in key public health metrics, including hospitalizations and community transmission.
“We have not lost our energy, our capacity, our focus, our determination, our desire to do what we did at the outset of this pandemic, and that’s to bend the curve to tame this growth to mitigate the spread of this disease,” Newsom said during his COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento on Monday. “We’ll deal with these hot spots.”
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The rate at which coronavirus tests in California are coming back positive has jumped 39% over the last two weeks, Newsom said.
On Sunday, the state recorded 5,790 patients with confirmed coronavirus infections in California hospitals — an increase of 50% over the previous two weeks. On June 22, the number was 3,868. The number of intensive care unit patients statewide with confirmed coronavirus infections is up 39% over the last two weeks.
Contra Costa County, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and rural Colusa County, northwest of Sacramento, were added Sunday to the list of regions being monitored for their rising case counts and increased hospitalizations. Marin, Monterey and San Diego counties joined the list Thursday.
The changes come amid growing concern about Newsom’s response to the outbreak, including sometimes-harsh critiques in the San Jose Mercury News and the Sacramento Bee in recent days.
“Newsom’s leadership has fallen woefully short,” the Mercury News said in an editorial. “In the weeks ahead, we will see how short as the rising number of cases in California are followed by commensurate increases in hospitalizations and then deaths.”
State Sen. Steven Glazer (D-Orinda) said Newsom reopened the state too quickly, squandering the gains made in slowing the virus with Newsom’s first-in-the-nation stay-at-home order issued in mid-March.
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“The heart of this problem was Newsom’s decision on May 8 to allow counties to accelerate the reopening by meeting certain benchmarks,” Glazer said in an opinion article in the Sacramento Bee. “That decision came when the state’s infection rate was not declining and we had little information about how people were getting infected, despite being sheltered in place for 60 days.”
Newsom on Monday refuted that, saying reopening the state could be done safely — as long as safeguards were in place and Californians abided by restrictions announced by the state and local governments, while looking after the safety of themselves and their loved ones by wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently and keeping a safe distance from non-family members.
“Can you safely reopen? I believe you can, but with enforcement and with individual responsibility,” Newsom said. “We set those expectations. We focused on how to responsibly reopen certain sectors of the economy. And now it’s incumbent upon all of us to not only monitor that but to enforce those rules and regulations. It’s exactly what we’re doing.”


latimes--2020-07-06--L.A. lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19, forcing delay of Assembly legislative session

California ’ s Assembly leader said Monday he will be delaying legislative hearings after a Los Angeles lawmaker tested positive for the coronavirus , forcing the state Capitol to close so it could be disinfected .
The announcements came after Assemblywoman Autumn Burke ( D-Marina Del Rey ) and four others who work in the building tested positive for the coronavirus , which likely spread as staffers and legislators met to pass the state budget in late June .
Burke said in a tweet Monday that she was told Friday that she had a “ mask-to-mask ” exposure to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met in person to pass the state budget .
The Democratic lawmaker said she tested positive on Saturday .
“ Currently , my daughter and I have no symptoms , but will be remaining in quarantine until released by a doctor , ” Burke wrote on Twitter .
Through a spokeswoman , Burke declined to comment further .
The Capitol will be closed for one week while undergoing a deep cleaning , according to representatives of both the state Senate and Assembly .
In a letter to lawmakers , Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus in the Capitol will delay legislative hearings in the coming weeks .
Lawmakers were scheduled to return from summer recess July 13 to finish the busy final weeks of the legislative session , which ends Aug. 31 .
“ I have instructed my staff to develop a schedule for hearings and other Assembly business that will allow us to conduct our work but minimize the days in the Capitol building , ” Rendon wrote to lawmakers , according to a copy provided to The Times .
Rendon said in the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly will resume its session .
The Assembly has five confirmed cases , said John Casey , a spokesman for Rendon .
Casey said the Assembly is not identifying if the five confirmed cases are lawmakers or staffers .
The Assembly announced June 22 the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the state Capitol after a staffer tested positive .
That employee had minimal interactions with just one co-worker while wearing a mask , wrote Debra Gravert , the Assembly ’ s chief administrative officer , in an email to employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , while two employees who work in district offices have confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
The Legislature has taken unprecedented measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 .
Both houses halted sessions in March to lessen the risk of the virus spreading in the Capitol .
The Assembly returned May 4 and the Senate resumed May 11 in order to and , all while adhering to physical distancing and mask protocols .
Staff and lawmakers were asked to take their temperatures at home and monitor their temperatures throughout the day .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to undergo health screenings and temperature checks .
Elevators were limited to one person per ride and strict limits were established on in-person seating for public hearings .

Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey), seen here in 2019, announced on Twitter that she had tested positive for the coronavirus.
California’s Assembly leader said Monday he will be delaying legislative hearings after a Los Angeles lawmaker tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing the state Capitol to close so it could be disinfected.
The announcements came after Assemblywoman Autumn Burke (D-Marina Del Rey) and four others who work in the building tested positive for the coronavirus, which likely spread as staffers and legislators met to pass the state budget in late June.
Burke said in a tweet Monday that she was told Friday that she had a “mask-to-mask” exposure to COVID-19 on June 26, when the Assembly met in person to pass the state budget. The Democratic lawmaker said she tested positive on Saturday.
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“Currently, my daughter and I have no symptoms, but will be remaining in quarantine until released by a doctor,” Burke wrote on Twitter. Through a spokeswoman, Burke declined to comment further.
The Capitol will be closed for one week while undergoing a deep cleaning, according to representatives of both the state Senate and Assembly.
In a letter to lawmakers, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) said the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Capitol will delay legislative hearings in the coming weeks. Lawmakers were scheduled to return from summer recess July 13 to finish the busy final weeks of the legislative session, which ends Aug. 31.
“I have instructed my staff to develop a schedule for hearings and other Assembly business that will allow us to conduct our work but minimize the days in the Capitol building,” Rendon wrote to lawmakers, according to a copy provided to The Times.
Rendon said in the letter that he did not yet know when the Assembly will resume its session.
The Assembly has five confirmed cases, said John Casey, a spokesman for Rendon. Casey said the Assembly is not identifying if the five confirmed cases are lawmakers or staffers.
The Assembly announced June 22 the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the state Capitol after a staffer tested positive. That employee had minimal interactions with just one co-worker while wearing a mask, wrote Debra Gravert, the Assembly’s chief administrative officer, in an email to employees.
One Senate staffer tested positive last month, while two employees who work in district offices have confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The Legislature has taken unprecedented measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 . Both houses halted sessions in March to lessen the risk of the virus spreading in the Capitol . The Assembly returned May 4 and the Senate resumed May 11 in order to continue their legislative work and pass a budget , all while adhering to physical distancing and mask protocols.
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Staff and lawmakers were asked to take their temperatures at home and monitor their temperatures throughout the day.
In addition, anyone entering the Capitol was required to undergo health screenings and temperature checks. Elevators were limited to one person per ride and strict limits were established on in-person seating for public hearings.


latimes--2020-07-06--Gimme Shelter: Why it's still really expensive to buy a home in California

More than one in five Los Angeles workers are unemployed and statewide the jobless rate is more than 16 % @ @ @ @ @ slowdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic , home prices and rents have largely remained at @ @ @ @ @ On this episode of Gim me Shelter : The California Housing Crisis Podcast , we @ @ @ @ @ market has not softened and what the effects of the coronavirus means for your ability @ @ @ @ @ live .
Our guest is Skylar Olsen , a senior principal economist at Zillow .
@ @ @ @ @ podcast that looks at why it ’ s so expensive to live in California and @ @ @ @ @ about it , features Liam Dillon , who covers housing affordability issues for the Los @ @ @ @ @ Levin , data and housing reporter for .
You can subscribe to “ Gim me @ @ @ @ @ , , and .

More than one in five Los Angeles workers are unemployed and statewide the jobless rate is more than 16%. Yet despite the economic slowdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, home prices and rents have largely remained at their prior sky-high levels.
On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about why the housing market has not softened and what the effects of the coronavirus means for your ability to afford a place to live. Our guest is Skylar Olsen, a senior principal economist at Zillow.
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“ Gimme Shelter ,”a biweekly podcast that looks at why it’s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CalMatters .


latimes--2020-07-06--Crews fire near Gilroy destroys two homes, chars 2,000 acres

A wildfire near Gilroy has charred 2,000 acres , destroyed two homes and forced dozens of residents to evacuate , officials said Monday .
The Crews fire ignited about 11:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of Canada Road and Highway 152 , according to Pam Temmermand , a fire prevention specialist with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
As of 7:30 a.m. , the blaze was 20 % contained .
Temmermand said one minor injury had been reported , though it was not immediately clear whether that person was a firefighter or a civilian .
An evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place along Canada Road , and there ’ s “ no timetable for when that evacuation will be lifted , ” Temmermand said shortly after 10 a.m. About 375 firefighters are actively battling the blaze .
The cause is under investigation .
In Southern California , a large brush fire broke out along Soledad Canyon Road and the 14 Freeway near Agua Dulce about 3:30 p.m. Sunday and burned 1,100 acres before firefighters got the blaze mostly under control Monday morning .
The Soledad fire was roughly 30 % contained as of 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Fire Department .

A wildfire that broke out Sunday has forced the evacuation of dozens of residents near Gilroy.
A wildfire near Gilroy has charred 5,400 acres, destroyed two homes and forced dozens of residents to evacuate, officials said Monday.
The Crews fire ignited about 11:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of Canada Road and Highway 152, according to Pam Temmermand, a fire prevention specialist with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
As of 7:30 p.m., the blaze was 20% contained.
Temmermand said one minor injury had been reported, though it was not immediately clear whether that person was a firefighter or a civilian.
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An evacuation order affecting roughly 70 residents remains in place along Canada Road, and there’s “no timetable for when that evacuation will be lifted,” Temmermand said shortly after 10 a.m.
About 375 firefighters are actively battling the blaze. The cause is under investigation.
In Southern California, a large brush fire broke out along Soledad Canyon Road and the 14 Freeway near Agua Dulce about 3:30 p.m. Sunday and burned 1,500 acres before firefighters got the blaze mostly under control Monday morning.
Evacuation orders in the area were lifted at 2 p.m. and the Soledad fire was nearly 50% contained as of 7 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.


latimes--2020-07-06--Beaches reopen in L.A., Ventura counties after holiday weekend closure

Beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties reopened Monday after officials closed them ahead of the holiday weekend in an effort to contain the spread of the growing coronavirus outbreak .
The Los Angeles County order , which went into effect July 3 , temporarily closed all public beaches , parking lots and access points as well as piers and beach bike paths .
The mandate also prohibited public fireworks shows .
“ Closing the beaches and prohibiting fireworks displays during this important summer holiday weekend was an incredibly difficult decision to make , but it ’ s the responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our residents from a deadly virus , ” said Barbara Ferrer , the director of public health for L.A. County , in a statement last week .
“ The Fourth of July holiday weekend typically means large crowds and gatherings to celebrate , a recipe for increased transmission of COVID-19.
” All beaches managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors were off-limits over the long weekend , including Marina del Rey harbor .
In addition , 25 miles of shoreline along the coast were shuttered , including Malibu and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite the closures .
County officials relied on local law enforcement for patrols .
A similar closure went into effect Friday in Ventura County beaches , which also reopened its shores Monday .
In the absence of other options , large crowds flocked to San Diego beaches , which remained open , and San Clemente Beach , one of the few in Orange County that did not close .
Ahead of the holiday weekend , state officials also shut down indoor dining at all restaurants in Los Angeles County , among other locales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 7,232 new COVID-19 cases among Thursday , Friday and Saturday , after recording a backlog in numbers .
Friday marked the highest single-day total of new cases in the county , with 3,187 .
The number of infections in the county has surpassed 115,000 , and the death toll is nearing 3,500 .

Peter Gratzinger of Pacific Palisades at Santa Monica State Beach which reopened to the public at 5 a.m. Monday.
Beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties reopened Monday after officials closed them ahead of the holiday weekend in an effort to contain the spread of the growing coronavirus outbreak.
The Los Angeles County order, which went into effect July 3, temporarily closed all public beaches, parking lots and access points as well as piers and beach bike paths. The mandate also prohibited public fireworks shows.
“Closing the beaches and prohibiting fireworks displays during this important summer holiday weekend was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but it’s the responsible decision to protect public health and protect our residents from a deadly virus,” said Barbara Ferrer, the director of public health for L.A. County, in a statement last week. “The Fourth of July holiday weekend typically means large crowds and gatherings to celebrate, a recipe for increased transmission of COVID-19.”
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No parking signs from the Fourth of July weekend still block spots on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica on Monday. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
All beaches managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors were off-limits over the long weekend, including Marina del Rey harbor. In addition, 25 miles of shoreline along the coast were shuttered, including Malibu and Venice, where some visitors were seen despite the closures. County officials relied on local law enforcement for patrols.
A similar closure went into effect Friday in Ventura County beaches, which also reopened its shores Monday.
In the absence of other options, large crowds flocked to San Diego beaches, which remained open, and San Clemente Beach, one of the few in Orange County that did not close.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, state officials also shut down indoor dining at all restaurants in Los Angeles County, among other locales.
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A police officer and a lifeguard boat patrol the shoreline in Venice Beach on July 5. Even though the beach was closed over the weekend, a few still made their way to the shore.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
On Sunday, L.A. County officials reported 7,232 new COVID-19 cases among Thursday, Friday and Saturday, after recording a backlog in numbers. Friday marked the highest single-day total of new cases in the county, with 3,187. The number of infections in the county has surpassed 115,000, and the death toll is nearing 3,500.


latimes--2020-07-06--Soledad fire evacuations lifted as firefighters gain upper hand

Firefighters continued making progress in their battle against a 1,300-acre brush fire in the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday , though officials warned that weather and wind conditions could still pose a challenge .
The Soledad fire , which broke out in the area of Soledad Canyon Road and the 14 Freeway about 3:30 p.m. Sunday , was roughly 30 % contained as of 9 a.m. , according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department .
L.A. County Fire Chief Deputy David Richardson said that there was “ minimal visible fire ” as of 9 a.m. but that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what ’ s expected to be another hot , dry day .
“ Don ’ t be fooled : There ’ s still a huge potential out there with the open line , ” he said .
“ The fire could start running in any direction due to the geography , the topography of the land , as well [ as ] when it ’ s aided by wind.
” As of Monday morning , fire officials said 4,795 structures were still considered threatened , though only about nine homes were under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuations were lifted at 2 p.m. More than 350 firefighters are battling the blaze .
No injuries have been reported .
The 14 Freeway was shut down for several hours Sunday as crews worked to douse the flames .
The right two northbound lanes remained blocked between Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon Road on Monday morning .
“ As we move through today , crews will be focused on establishing perimeter control around the fire to ensure we do not have increased growth of the fire and , of course , improving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , ” Richardson said .
Though the cause of the fire remains under investigation , officials said it underscores the potential dangers posed by illegal fireworks — the kind that lighted up the night sky and rattled pets throughout Southern California over the Fourth of July weekend .
“ I can tell you over the course of really the last couple of weeks , we ’ ve all seen the evidence out there of illegal fireworks throughout all our communities across the Southland , ” Richardson said during a briefing Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire started , to be very clear.
” Though most official holiday fireworks displays were canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak , a number of Californians staged shows of their own .
Firefighters were kept busy , too , as the L.A. city and county fire departments reported higher-than-normal call volume .
Richardson said fireworks , both illegal and those that are characterized as safe and sane , “ cause a huge hazard for us , especially when they ’ re being set off in dry areas , in those communities that are @ @ @ @ @ @

Firefighters continued making progress in their battle against a 1,300-acre brush fire in the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday, though officials warned that weather and wind conditions could still pose a challenge.
The Soledad fire, which broke out in the area of Soledad Canyon Road and the 14 Freeway about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, was roughly 30% contained as of 9 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
L.A. County Fire Chief Deputy David Richardson said that there was “minimal visible fire” as of 9 a.m. but that there is still a risk of spread — particularly on what’s expected to be another hot, dry day.
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“Don’t be fooled: There’s still a huge potential out there with the open line,” he said. “The fire could start running in any direction due to the geography, the topography of the land, as well [as] when it’s aided by wind.”
A sign for Agua Dulce Airport lies next to the 14 Freeway near the scene of the Soledad fire. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
As of Monday morning, fire officials said 4,795 structures were still considered threatened, though only about nine homes were under a formal evacuation order. All fire-related evacuations were lifted at 2 p.m.
More than 350 firefighters are battling the blaze. No injuries have been reported.
The 14 Freeway was shut down for several hours Sunday as crews worked to douse the flames. The right two northbound lanes remained blocked between Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon Road on Monday morning.
L.A. County firefighters Justin Corrales, from right, Jason Torres and Capt. August Dougherty mop up hot spots along Agua Dulce Canyon Road on Monday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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“As we move through today, crews will be focused on establishing perimeter control around the fire to ensure we do not have increased growth of the fire and, of course, improving those control lines that are already in place,” Richardson said.
Though the cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said it underscores the potential dangers posed by illegal fireworks — the kind that lighted up the night sky and rattled pets throughout Southern California over the Fourth of July weekend.
“I can tell you over the course of really the last couple of weeks, we’ve all seen the evidence out there of illegal fireworks throughout all our communities across the Southland,” Richardson said during a briefing Sunday. “It’s unknown how this fire started, to be very clear.”
Though most official holiday fireworks displays were canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak, a number of Californians staged shows of their own.
Firefighters were kept busy, too, as the L.A. city and county fire departments reported higher-than-normal call volume.
Richardson said fireworks, both illegal and those that are characterized as safe and sane, “cause a huge hazard for us, especially when they’re being set off in dry areas, in those communities that are vulnerable to wildland fire.”