latimes--2020-08-07--Orange County's coronavirus death toll passes 700

Orange County reported an additional seven COVID-19 fatalities Friday , pushing the region ’ s total death toll past 700 .
While a far cry from the record 32 deaths reported Thursday , the latest fatalities demonstrate that the novel coronavirus is continuing to take a toll on the county , even as officials weigh whether to reopen some schools for in-person instruction .
A frustration of late in that regard , for Orange County and across the state , has been significant issues with the CalREDIE electronic system , which collects information from laboratories and feeds it to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of data failures have created a backlog of as many as 300,000 test results , the state said Friday , and left counties in the dark as to precisely how many new coronavirus infections have been confirmed in their communities .
While the exact impact on Orange County is unclear , “ we are expecting a large number of results , positive and negative , to be entered into the system when the state fixes it , ” Dr. Clayton Chau , director of the Orange County Health Care Agency and acting county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing Friday .
As it relates to schools , the California Department of Public Health recently announced guidelines for granting waivers enabling elementary schools to reopen , but indicated that counties with case rates above 200 per 100,000 residents should not consider applying .
Without accurate case data , Chau said , there ’ s no way to know whether Orange County is below that threshold .
“ In the process of calling the school back and acknowledging their application , we also inform them that , ‘ Hey , thank you for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you submitted the application , but you need to know the conversation can ’ t start until we know what our community case rate is , ’ ” Chau said .
Although the county announced only 43 new coronavirus infections Friday — boosting its cumulative total to 38,754 — officials noted that problems on the state ’ s end “ may result in a lower number of daily COVID-positive cases received and tests reported.
” The county also has now recorded 704 total COVID-19 fatalities .
An estimated 29,009 people have recovered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ county health officials have regularly urged residents to take steps to prevent transmission of the virus — including physical distancing , regular hand washing and wearing face coverings in public .
During the pandemic , Orange County has emerged as a hot spot of mask resistance , even though public health experts have said wearing them is an effective way to decrease the spread of the coronavirus .
Though Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order on June 18 for Californians to wear face coverings while in public , enforcement has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Costa Mesa in Orange County , have threatened to fine those who don ’ t cover up in public , but many haven ’ t .
Some law enforcement agencies also have been reluctant to enforce the mandate , saying their resources and attention are better spent elsewhere .
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is among those who shares that opinion .
He reiterated Friday that he believes “ it ’ s not a law enforcement function to enforce compliance with face coverings.
” “ It ’ s a better use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppression , crime solving and crime prevention than to be tasked with mask compliance , ” he said during a media briefing .
He added , however , that the department doesn ’ t take a hands-off approach when it comes to encouraging compliance with health orders .
“ If somebody ’ s not compliant as a business , we will talk to them and see if we can get voluntary compliance , ” he said .
“ At times when businesses are reluctant to comply , we have taken criminal reports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office for filing consideration .
So , it ’ s not that we aren ’ t doing anything , we just aren ’ t arresting people for not wearing a mask.
” But in response to follow-up questions , Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said those remarks were incorrect and that “ no reports or cases have been provided ” to the D.A .
's office .
“ Deputies have taken information reports on non-compliant businesses , sometimes coupled with referrals to state agencies .
That has been sufficient to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email .

Orange County reported an additional seven COVID-19 fatalities Friday, pushing the region’s total death toll past 700.
While a far cry from the record 32 deaths reported Thursday, the latest fatalities demonstrate that the novel coronavirus is continuing to take a toll on the county, even as officials weigh whether to reopen some schools for in-person instruction.
A frustration of late in that regard, for Orange County and across the state, has been significant issues with the CalREDIE electronic system, which collects information from laboratories and feeds it to state and local health departments.
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A series of data failures have created a backlog of as many as 300,000 test results, the state said Friday, and left counties in the dark as to precisely how many new coronavirus infections have been confirmed in their communities.
While the exact impact on Orange County is unclear, “we are expecting a large number of results, positive and negative, to be entered into the system when the state fixes it,” Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency and acting county health officer, said during a media briefing Friday.
As it relates to schools, the California Department of Public Health recently announced guidelines for granting waivers enabling elementary schools to reopen, but indicated that counties with case rates above 200 per 100,000 residents should not consider applying.
Without accurate case data, Chau said, there’s no way to know whether Orange County is below that threshold.
“In the process of calling the school back and acknowledging their application, we also inform them that, ‘Hey, thank you for the application, I’m glad you submitted the application, but you need to know the conversation can’t start until we know what our community case rate is,’” Chau said.
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Although the county announced only 43 new coronavirus infections Friday — boosting its cumulative total to 38,754 — officials noted that problems on the state’s end “may result in a lower number of daily COVID-positive cases received and tests reported.”
The county also has now recorded 704 total COVID-19 fatalities. An estimated 29,009 people have recovered.
As case counts continue to rise, county health officials have regularly urged residents to take steps to prevent transmission of the virus — including physical distancing, regular hand washing and wearing face coverings in public.
During the pandemic, Orange County has emerged as a hot spot of mask resistance, even though public health experts have said wearing them is an effective way to decrease the spread of the coronavirus.
Though Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order on June 18 for Californians to wear face coverings while in public, enforcement has been another issue. Several Southern California cities, including Costa Mesa in Orange County, have threatened to fine those who don’t cover up in public, but many haven’t.
Some law enforcement agencies also have been reluctant to enforce the mandate, saying their resources and attention are better spent elsewhere.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is among those who shares that opinion. He reiterated Friday that he believes “it’s not a law enforcement function to enforce compliance with face coverings.”
“It’s a better use of our resources to go after crime suppression, crime solving and crime prevention than to be tasked with mask compliance,” he said during a media briefing.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
He added, however, that the department doesn’t take a hands-off approach when it comes to encouraging compliance with health orders.
“If somebody’s not compliant as a business, we will talk to them and see if we can get voluntary compliance,” he said. “At times when businesses are reluctant to comply, we have taken criminal reports and submitted them to the district attorney’s office for filing consideration. So, it’s not that we aren’t doing anything, we just aren’t arresting people for not wearing a mask.”
But in response to follow-up questions, Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said those remarks were incorrect and that “no reports or cases have been provided” to the D.A.’s office.
“Deputies have taken information reports on non-compliant businesses, sometimes coupled with referrals to state agencies. That has been sufficient to obtain compliance,” she wrote in an email.


latimes--2020-08-07--California vows to fix coronavirus reporting system amid huge backlog of unreported tests

A series of data failures has created a backlog of as many as 300,000 test results in California , the state ’ s top health official said Friday as he provided the first public explanation of a problem that has stymied efforts to understand the spread of the coronavirus .
California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the state is developing a new coronavirus tracking system due to the recent deficiencies of the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange , a clearinghouse for state testing data known as CalREDIE .
“ Simply put , the CalREDIE system was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Ghaly .
“ In order to create a lasting solution , we are accelerating the development of a new laboratory reporting system for COVID-19.
” Ghaly said the state would work through the backlog of records , which include COVID-19 tests and other health results , over the next 24 to 48 hours .
He said state missteps compounded a problem that began July 25 with a server outage and promised a full investigation .
The data failure set off alarm bells this week as total deaths surpassed 10,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation in COVID-19 cases despite the undercount and has struggled to mitigate the virus .
The delayed results could significantly increase the confirmed spread of COVID-19 from a total of 540,000 cases in the state as of early Friday .
Ghaly first publicly disclosed “ some discrepancies ” with CalREDIE data in a video news conference on Tuesday .
The disclosure raised questions about the reported 21 % weekly drop in confirmed infections that Gov .
Gavin Newsom described as a positive sign on Monday .
Even if the severity of the problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the underlying failures had already been identified by state officials .
The California Department of Public Health sent county health departments an email on July 31 describing an issue processing lab results and delays in the CalREDIE system — three days before Newsom touted the decrease .
That email , a copy of which was obtained by The Times , notes that local officials had been informed of the problem even earlier .
Ghaly said on Friday he “ became aware of the magnitude of the data backlog in the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his senior staff shortly thereafter.
” The data problem resulted in an inaccurate accounting of positivity rates and confirmed cases , metrics that are crucial to state and local response .
The data issue has also limited the ability of counties to carry out case investigations and trace contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19 , Ghaly said Monday .
Without an accurate picture of confirmed cases , many local officials who rely on the CalREDIE system have scrambled to conduct their own tallies to understand the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped adding and removing counties from its list of areas experiencing higher rates of transmission , which are subject to more restrictions than other parts of California .
Currently 38 counties , representing 97 % of the state population , are on the list .
Ghaly downplayed the effects of the data problem Friday , saying it has no impact on hospitalization or death data , and the state did not change its response policies based on the incomplete information .
The state reported 5,932 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 , including 1,798 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In describing the problem , Ghaly said a July 25 server outage created a delay in records coming into the state ’ s lab reporting system .
The state implemented what he described as “ technical changes that allowed the records to flow into the system more quickly.
” The changes were supposed to be temporary , Ghaly said , but the state did not disable them , “ causing further delays in our reporting of lab data and creating an extensive backlog.
” “ Simultaneously , we discovered that we were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial labs for a period of five days , ” Ghaly said .
“ This was due to a certificate that the state neglected to renew timely .
This resulted in data not being able to transmit to the state.
” Ghaly identified the lab as Quest Diagnostics and said the company had been unable to send test results to the state from July 31 through Aug. 4 .
Ghaly had declined to offer details about the extent of the issue or what may have skewed the data earlier this week and pledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem as soon as the state fully understood it .
As the state waited to release details , California counties added disclaimers on their websites noting that their COVID-19 data may be inaccurate .
In the state ’ s hard-hit Central Valley , local leaders worry the problem will erode the already limited confidence in the government ’ s response to the virus .
“ We ’ re very concerned about it both from a health and safety perspective but also from a public trust perspective , ” said Stanislaus County Supervisor Kristin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to garner community trust and compliance if they don ’ t have faith in the numbers being reported.
” Newsom , who held his most recent news conference on Monday , has not publicly addressed the data errors .
CalREDIE was first connected to local public health departments across the state in 2012 , winning praise that summer with a government technology award .
But while it has been used for other important statewide efforts in the past — notably in helping to gather information on the Zika virus beginning in 2015 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its central role during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Some local health officials complained in late March that not all labs were connected to the statewide system .
And in late June , sporadic reports appeared from some counties of problems with the system ’ s data .
When asked why it took so long for local concerns about the system to come to his attention , Ghaly said he ’ s working to understand communication issues at California Health and Human Services and the California Department of Public Health .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of these challenges , and we are doing a complete look into how that communication both could have been better and where it went wrong , ” Ghaly said .

Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s secretary of Health and Human Services, gestures to a chart showing the impact of the stay-at-home orders in April.
A series of data failures has created a backlog of as many as 300,000 test results in California, the state’s top health official said Friday as he provided the first public explanation of a problem that has stymied efforts to understand the spread of the coronavirus.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the state is developing a new coronavirus tracking system due to the recent deficiencies of the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange, a clearinghouse for state testing data known as CalREDIE.
“Simply put, the CalREDIE system was not built for this volume of data,” said Ghaly. “In order to create a lasting solution, we are accelerating the development of a new laboratory reporting system for COVID-19.”
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Ghaly said the state would work through the backlog of records, which include COVID-19 tests and other health results, over the next 24 to 48 hours. He said state missteps compounded a problem that began July 25 with a server outage and promised a full investigation.
The data failure set off alarm bells this week as total deaths surpassed 10,000 in California, a state that leads the nation in COVID-19 cases despite the undercount and has struggled to mitigate the virus. The delayed results could significantly increase the confirmed spread of COVID-19 from a total of 540,000 cases in the state as of early Friday.
Ghaly first publicly disclosed “some discrepancies” with CalREDIE data in a video news conference on Tuesday.
The disclosure raised questions about the reported 21% weekly drop in confirmed infections that Gov. Gavin Newsom described as a positive sign on Monday.
Even if the severity of the problem wasn’t fully known until this week, the underlying failures had already been identified by state officials.
The California Department of Public Health sent county health departments an email on July 31 describing an issue processing lab results and delays in the CalREDIE system — three days before Newsom touted the decrease. That email, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, notes that local officials had been informed of the problem even earlier. Ghaly said on Friday he “became aware of the magnitude of the data backlog in the late afternoon on Monday and alerted the governor and his senior staff shortly thereafter.”
The data problem resulted in an inaccurate accounting of positivity rates and confirmed cases, metrics that are crucial to state and local response. The data issue has also limited the ability of counties to carry out case investigations and trace contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19, Ghaly said Tuesday.
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Without an accurate picture of confirmed cases, many local officials who rely on the CalREDIE system have scrambled to conduct their own tallies to understand the spread of the virus in their communities. The state has stopped adding and removing counties from its list of areas experiencing higher rates of transmission, which are subject to more restrictions than other parts of California. Currently 38 counties, representing 97% of the state population, are on the list.
Ghaly downplayed the effects of the data problem Friday, saying it has no impact on hospitalization or death data, and the state did not change its response policies based on the incomplete information. The state reported 5,932 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, including 1,798 in intensive care, as of Thursday.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
In describing the problem, Ghaly said a July 25 server outage created a delay in records coming into the state’s lab reporting system. The state implemented what he described as “technical changes that allowed the records to flow into the system more quickly.” The changes were supposed to be temporary, Ghaly said, but the state did not disable them, “causing further delays in our reporting of lab data and creating an extensive backlog.”
“Simultaneously, we discovered that we were not receiving data from one of our largest commercial labs for a period of five days,” Ghaly said. “This was due to a certificate that the state neglected to renew timely. This resulted in data not being able to transmit to the state.”
Ghaly identified the lab as Quest Diagnostics and said the company had been unable to send test results to the state from July 31 through Aug. 4.
Ghaly had declined to offer details about the extent of the issue or what may have skewed the data earlier this week and pledged to share a full accounting of the problem as soon as the state fully understood it.
As the state waited to release details, California counties added disclaimers on their websites noting that their COVID-19 data may be inaccurate. In the state’s hard-hit Central Valley, local leaders worry the problem will erode the already limited confidence in the government’s response to the virus.
“We’re very concerned about it both from a health and safety perspective but also from a public trust perspective,” said Stanislaus County Supervisor Kristin Olsen. “It is very hard to garner community trust and compliance if they don’t have faith in the numbers being reported.”
Newsom, who held his most recent news conference on Monday, has not publicly addressed the data errors.
CalREDIE was first connected to local public health departments across the state in 2012, winning praise that summer with a government technology award. But while it has been used for other important statewide efforts in the past — notably in helping to gather information on the Zika virus beginning in 2015 — such uses were much more limited than its central role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some local health officials complained in late March that not all labs were connected to the statewide system. And in late June, sporadic reports appeared from some counties of problems with the system’s data.
When asked why it took so long for local concerns about the system to come to his attention, Ghaly said he’s working to understand communication issues at California Health and Human Services and the California Department of Public Health.
“We are aware that individuals there were knowledgeable of some of these challenges, and we are doing a complete look into how that communication both could have been better and where it went wrong,” Ghaly said.
Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-07--College admissions scandal: Rick Singer's employee to plead guilty to racketeering

A woman employed by William “ Rick ” Singer , the Newport Beach consultant at the heart of the college admissions scandal , has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering .
In a deal with the government unsealed on Friday , the woman , Mikaela Sanford , acknowledged that she helped fabricate profiles that depicted the children of Singer ’ s wealthy clients as decorated athletes and took online courses on their behalf .
Federal prosecutors in Boston agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of a range that calls for 15 to 21 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range by several points , they described Sanford as “ a minor participant ” in the conspiracy .
Her attorney , Oscar Cruz , declined to comment .
Sanford also agreed to forfeit $ 67,000 , the amount that prosecutors said she gained from Singer ’ s scheme .
Singer , who has pleaded guilty to four felonies , admitted defrauding some of the country ’ s most elite universities for a decade .
He fixed SAT and ACT college entrance exams , created phony profiles that described his clients ’ children as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advocate for their admission .
Sanford , 34 , was indicted last March , entwined in an alleged racketeering conspiracy with a dozen coaches and officials from Georgetown , USC , UCLA and Wake Forest , along with two proctors for the ACT and SAT exams .
Sanford was employed by Singer ’ s organization , “ The Key , ” which was in fact two entities : a for-profit business called the Edge College and Career Network , and a purported nonprofit called the Key Worldwide Foundation .
The foundation served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He , instead , used it to launder payments from his wealthy clients and dole out bribes to coaches , test proctors and others on his payroll , he has admitted .
Its nonprofit status allowed his clients to deduct the bribes from their tax bills .
Sanford , who lived in a suburb of Sacramento , helped create phony profiles for Singer ’ s clients and took online courses in their names , an indictment alleges .
For instance , she retook an online art history class in which the daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capitalist , had earned an F , an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit .
Zangrillo asked if she could also take his daughter ’ s biology class , and Sanford said she was “ happy to assist , ” the agent , Laura Smith , wrote in the affidavit .
“ If you can do the biology thing , just makes sure it gets done as quickly as possible , ” Zangrillo told her , according to the affidavit .
Zangrillo has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit fraud , bribery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others — John Wilson , a financier from Massachusetts ; Gamal Abdelaziz , a casino executive ; and Homayoun Zadeh , a former USC dentistry professor — had been scheduled to stand trial in October .
On Thursday , however , a judge pushed back the trial to February , citing the unabated COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties of traveling to meet with witnesses .
Most of the witnesses in the case live in California , Texas and Georgia , where coronavirus cases have recently surged , prosecutors told the court .

A woman employed by William “Rick” Singer, the Newport Beach consultant at the heart of the college admissions scandal, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering.
In a deal with the government unsealed on Friday, the woman, Mikaela Sanford, acknowledged that she helped fabricate profiles that depicted the children of Singer’s wealthy clients as decorated athletes and took online courses on their behalf.
Federal prosecutors in Boston agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of a range that calls for 15 to 21 months in prison. In reducing the guideline range by several points, they described Sanford as “a minor participant” in the conspiracy. Her attorney, Oscar Cruz, declined to comment.
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Sanford also agreed to forfeit $67,000, the amount that prosecutors said she gained from Singer’s scheme.
Singer, who has pleaded guilty to four felonies, admitted defrauding some of the country’s most elite universities for a decade. He fixed SAT and ACT college entrance exams, created phony profiles that described his clients’ children as promising athletes, and bribed university coaches to advocate for their admission.
Sanford, 34, was indicted last March, entwined in an alleged racketeering conspiracy with a dozen coaches and officials from Georgetown, USC, UCLA and Wake Forest, along with two proctors for the ACT and SAT exams.
Sanford was employed by Singer’s organization, “The Key,” which was in fact two entities: a for-profit business called the Edge College and Career Network, and a purported nonprofit called the Key Worldwide Foundation.
The foundation served little charitable purpose, Singer has acknowledged. He, instead, used it to launder payments from his wealthy clients and dole out bribes to coaches, test proctors and others on his payroll, he has admitted. Its nonprofit status allowed his clients to deduct the bribes from their tax bills.
Sanford, who lived in a suburb of Sacramento, helped create phony profiles for Singer’s clients and took online courses in their names, an indictment alleges. For instance, she retook an online art history class in which the daughter of Robert Zangrillo, a Miami venture capitalist, had earned an F, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit.
Zangrillo asked if she could also take his daughter’s biology class, and Sanford said she was “happy to assist,” the agent, Laura Smith, wrote in the affidavit. “If you can do the biology thing, just makes sure it gets done as quickly as possible,” Zangrillo told her, according to the affidavit.
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Zangrillo has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering. He and three others — John Wilson, a financier from Massachusetts; Gamal Abdelaziz, a casino executive; and Homayoun Zadeh, a former USC dentistry professor — had been scheduled to stand trial in October.
On Thursday, however, a judge pushed back the trial to February, citing the unabated COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties of traveling to meet with witnesses. Most of the witnesses in the case live in California, Texas and Georgia, where coronavirus cases have recently surged, prosecutors told the court.


latimes--2020-08-07--Attorney general denounces murder charge over stillborn baby

California ’ s top prosecutor has intervened in the case of a Central Valley woman who was charged with murder after she gave birth to a stillborn baby and authorities alleged her methamphetamine use was to blame .
Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra on Friday filed an amicus brief in support of ending the prosecution of Chelsea Becker , saying his office believes “ the law was misapplied and misinterpreted.
” “ We will work to end the prosecution and imprisonment of Ms. Becker so we can focus on applying this law to those who put the lives of pregnant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
Becker , 26 , has been confined to the Kings County Jail since her arrest in November , with bail set at $ 2 million .
Her attorneys have asked California ’ s 5th District Court of Appeals to prohibit the lower court from proceeding with the case , arguing that California ’ s murder law was never intended to be used against women in connection with the deaths of their own unborn children .
“ It is outrageous that Ms. Becker has been incarcerated since November of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lynn Paltrow , executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women , which is assisting with Becker ’ s defense .
Kings County Dist .
Atty .
Keith Fagundes has maintained the murder law supports the charge , pointing to a 1970 amendment that added a fetus as a potential victim .
A Kings County Superior Court judge sided with his office in June , denying an application by Becker ’ s lawyers to dismiss the case .
But in the brief , Becerra argues that Fagundes misinterpreted the law ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Superior Court erred in declining to dismiss it .
“ Section 187 of the California Penal Code was intended to protect pregnant women from harm , not charge them with murder , ” Becerra said .
“ Our laws in California do not convict women who suffer the loss of their pregnancy , and in our filing today we are making clear that this law has been misused to the detriment of women , children and families.
” Fagundes said he had not seen the brief as of Friday afternoon , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district attorney ’ s office by mistake .
“ It ’ s shocking to me the attorney general ’ s office has taken a position without ever having contacted our office , without admitting whether they ’ ve read any police reports , without discussing these issues to say what makes this [ case ] different , ” he said .
“ And unfortunately the petitioner is attempting to couch this in terms of a reproductive rights case and it ’ s not about that.
” The filing does not have an immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
But it is a powerful statement of support from the state ’ s top lawyer as the appeals court weighs whether to dismiss the case .
“ The attorney general of California is the highest legal officer in the executive branch of the state government , ” said Daniel Arshack , special counsel to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women .
“ That they felt compelled to alert the court that the Kings County judiciary has misapplied state law is something that the court will not ignore.
” Becker ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and civil rights organizations , with 15 groups — including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry — signing onto a brief in support of dismissing the charge .
The American Civil Liberties Union also filed a brief .
“ We commend Attorney General Becerra ’ s call for the criminal charges against Chelsea Becker to be dropped , ” attorney Jennifer Chou of the ACLU of Northern California said in a statement .
“ The decision to prosecute her flies in the face of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Experts have expressed concern that the Superior Court ’ s interpretation of the homicide statute could change how the law is applied .
“ It would subject all women who suffer a pregnancy loss to the threat of criminal investigation and possible prosecution for murder , ” Becerra wrote in the brief .
But Fagundes said the defense and attorney general ’ s office have politicized the case to distract from the core legal issues .
He said the amendment to the murder statute did not anticipate the meth epidemic that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general ’ s intervention to the state of California condoning meth use .
“ We ’ re not sitting here seeking to lock up mothers who have miscarriages , ” he said .
“ That ’ s not what ever happens here .
But there ’ s certain conduct a government should not partake in , which is allowing people to use drugs to a degree that ’ s harmful to themselves and others.
” If the charge is dismissed , advocates hope the ruling will also bolster the case to free Adora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years into an 11-year sentence at the state prison in Chowchilla .
The facts in Perez ’ s case are nearly identical to Becker ’ s : Fagundes charged the Hanford woman with murder in 2018 after she gave birth to a stillborn baby at the same hospital where Becker delivered her stillborn child .
Staff called the coroner ’ s office in both instances .
Perez was assigned the same public defender as Becker and appeared before the same judge .
But her counsel didn ’ t challenge the legality of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement , pleading no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter .
The case marked the first time in nearly 30 years a California woman was charged with the murder of her unborn child .
Perhaps more troubling , advocates say , is that it was the first time in the state ’ s history that such a charge resulted in jail time .
Several other attempts to prosecute women for murder for stillbirths in the 1990s were dismissed .
“ Every single other judge in California has recognized that you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stillbirth , ” Arshack said .
“ Only Kings County , twice in the last two years , has decided to criminalize women who have stillbirths .
”

California’s top prosecutor has intervened in the case of a Central Valley woman who was charged with murder after she gave birth to a stillborn baby and authorities alleged her methamphetamine use was to blame.
Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Friday filed an amicus brief in support of ending the prosecution of Chelsea Becker, saying his office believes “the law was misapplied and misinterpreted.”
“We will work to end the prosecution and imprisonment of Ms. Becker so we can focus on applying this law to those who put the lives of pregnant women in danger,” Becerra said in a statement.
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Becker, 26, has been confined to the Kings County Jail since her arrest in November, with bail set at $2 million. Her attorneys have asked California’s 5th District Court of Appeal to prohibit the lower court from proceeding with the case, arguing that California’s murder law was never intended to be used against women in connection with the deaths of their own unborn children.
“It is outrageous that Ms. Becker has been incarcerated since November of 2019 for a nonexistent crime,” said Lynn Paltrow, executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, which is assisting with Becker’s defense.
Kings County Dist. Atty. Keith Fagundes has maintained the murder law supports the charge, pointing to a 1970 amendment that added a fetus as a potential victim. A Kings County Superior Court judge sided with his office in June, denying an application by Becker’s lawyers to dismiss the case.
But in the brief, Becerra argues that Fagundes misinterpreted the law’s intent in filing the charge, and the Superior Court erred in declining to dismiss it.
“Section 187 of the California Penal Code was intended to protect pregnant women from harm, not charge them with murder,” Becerra said. “Our laws in California do not convict women who suffer the loss of their pregnancy, and in our filing today we are making clear that this law has been misused to the detriment of women, children and families.”
Fagundes said he had not seen the brief as of Friday afternoon, because it was served on the Kern County district attorney’s office by mistake.
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“It’s shocking to me the attorney general’s office has taken a position without ever having contacted our office, without admitting whether they’ve read any police reports, without discussing these issues to say what makes this [case] different,” he said.
“And unfortunately the petitioner is attempting to couch this in terms of a reproductive rights case and it’s not about that.”
The filing does not have an immediate impact on whether the prosecution will go forward. But it is a powerful statement of support from the state’s top lawyer as the appeals court weighs whether to dismiss the case.
“The attorney general of California is the highest legal officer in the executive branch of the state government,” said Daniel Arshack, special counsel to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women. “That they felt compelled to alert the court that the Kings County judiciary has misapplied state law is something that the court will not ignore.”
Becker’s case has gained the support of medical and civil rights organizations, with 15 groups — including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry — signing onto a brief in support of dismissing the charge. The American Civil Liberties Union also filed a brief.
“We commend Attorney General Becerra’s call for the criminal charges against Chelsea Becker to be dropped,” attorney Jennifer Chou of the ACLU of Northern California said in a statement. “The decision to prosecute her flies in the face of California law, and holds deeply dangerous implications.”
Experts have expressed concern that the Superior Court’s interpretation of the homicide statute could change how the law is applied. “It would subject all women who suffer a pregnancy loss to the threat of criminal investigation and possible prosecution for murder,” Becerra wrote in the brief.
But Fagundes said the defense and attorney general’s office have politicized the case to distract from the core legal issues. He said the amendment to the murder statute did not anticipate the meth epidemic that has ravaged Kings County and likened the attorney general’s intervention to the state of California condoning meth use.
“We’re not sitting here seeking to lock up mothers who have miscarriages,” he said. “That’s not what ever happens here. But there’s certain conduct a government should not partake in, which is allowing people to use drugs to a degree that’s harmful to themselves and others.”
If the charge is dismissed, advocates hope the ruling will also bolster the case to free Adora Perez, 32, who is two years into an 11-year sentence at the state prison in Chowchilla.
The facts in Perez’s case are nearly identical to Becker’s: Fagundes charged the Hanford woman with murder in 2018 after she gave birth to a stillborn baby at the same hospital where Becker delivered her stillborn child. Staff called the coroner’s office in both instances. Perez was assigned the same public defender as Becker and appeared before the same judge.
But her counsel didn’t challenge the legality of the proceedings, and Perez took a plea agreement, pleading no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter.
The case marked the first time in nearly 30 years a California woman was charged with the murder of her unborn child. Perhaps more troubling, advocates say, is that it was the first time in the state’s history that such a charge resulted in jail time. Several other attempts to prosecute women for murder for stillbirths in the 1990s were dismissed.
“Every single other judge in California has recognized that you don’t prosecute a woman for having a stillbirth,” Arshack said. “Only Kings County, twice in the last two years, has decided to criminalize women who have stillbirths.”


latimes--2020-08-07--California congressional candidate slams Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's 'WAP'

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion : Are they enemies of God ?
Within hours of release , the rappers ’ filthy new collaborative single “ WAP ” became an instant candidate for song of the summer .
The single ( whose title is an acronym for a forthright sexual overture ) samples Frank Ski ’ s Baltimore club classic “ Whores in This House , ” and serves as both Cardi B ’ s return to the pop spotlight and Megan Thee Stallion ’ s victory lap over everyone who made cheap jokes about her recent brush with gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 13 million YouTube views , and it ’ s packed with Alice-In-Trap-Wonderland delight — hallways to nowhere , several varieties of jungle cats , a pit of live snakes and cameos from Kylie Jenner , Rosalía and more .
It also deeply upset California Republican congressional candidate James P. Bradley , a Coast Guard vet and health industry executive running to replace noted Twitter swordsman and L.A. westside representative Ted Lieu .
Bradley claimed to have heard the Cardi/Meg collab “ accidentally , ” but it clearly unnerved him .
“ Cardi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens when children are raised without God and without a strong father figure , ” the longshot candidate wrote on Twitter .
“ Their new ‘ song ’ The # WAP ( which i heard accidentally ) made me want to pour holy water in my ears and I feel sorry for future girls if this is their role model !
” For the record , Megan Thee Stallion did indeed have a strong father figure .
The rapper recently shared photos of her dad on Father ’ s Day .
“ Happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OG 🙏🏽 The best dad in the world , my first best friend , my partner in crime when my mom would fuss at us 😂🌎💙 He passed when I was 15 but I still apply every lesson he taught me at an early age in my life to this day !
I miss you every day , ” she wrote .
As well , Cardi B is no stranger to faith : “ If I was to see Jesus Christ… I would kiss his feet .
I wish I could give God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once said after two singles landed simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 chart .
“ I love my supporters and I love God ... the devil be working but God always works harder !
” A fun music video made by two successful women of color seems like a nice respite from everything going on right now .
Though it would be pretty ironic if Cardi made it to Congress before Bradley did .

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion: Are they enemies of God?
Within hours of release, the rappers’ filthy new collaborative single “WAP” became an instant candidate for song of the summer. The single (whose title is an acronym for a forthright sexual overture) samples Frank Ski’s Baltimore club classic “Whores in This House,” and serves as both Cardi B’s return to the pop spotlight and Megan Thee Stallion’s victory lap over everyone who made cheap jokes about her recent brush with gun violence.
The video has already clocked over 13 million YouTube views, and it’s packed with Alice-In-Trap-Wonderland delight — hallways to nowhere, several varieties of jungle cats, a pit of live snakes and cameos from Kylie Jenner, Rosalía and more.
It also deeply upset California Republican congressional candidate James P. Bradley, a Coast Guard vet and health industry executive running to replace noted Twitter swordsman and L.A. westside representative Ted Lieu.
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Bradley claimed to have heard the Cardi/Meg collab “accidentally,” but it clearly unnerved him.
“Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion are what happens when children are raised without God and without a strong father figure,” the longshot candidate wrote on Twitter. “Their new ‘song’ The #WAP (which i heard accidentally) made me want to pour holy water in my ears and I feel sorry for future girls if this is their role model!”
For the record, Megan Thee Stallion did indeed have a strong father figure. The rapper recently shared photos of her dad on Father’s Day. “Happy Father’s Day to the real OG 🙏🏽 The best dad in the world, my first best friend, my partner in crime when my mom would fuss at us 😂🌎💙 He passed when I was 15 but I still apply every lesson he taught me at an early age in my life to this day! I miss you every day,” she wrote.
As well, Cardi B is no stranger to faith: “If I was to see Jesus Christ… I would kiss his feet. I wish I could give God a hug, bro,” she once said after two singles landed simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “I love my supporters and I love God... the devil be working but God always works harder!”
A fun music video made by two successful women of color seems like a nice respite from everything going on right now. Though it would be pretty ironic if Cardi made it to Congress before Bradley did.


latimes--2020-08-07--With 10,000 COVID-19 deaths, California increasingly in the dark about spread

California has now recorded more than 10,000 deaths from coronavirus .
But the milestone comes at a complex and confusing time in the pandemic .
After a two-month surge in cases following the reopening of the economy , there are signs the outbreak is peaking and the rate of infections is going down .
Yet a serious breakdown in the electronic collection of coronavirus test data has raised questions about how accurate the numbers are .
A lot is riding on fixing the system .
Schools are debating if and when they can reopen to anything other than remote learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cases , they could consider reopening some closed businesses and institutions .
Here is what we know from coverage over the last week in The Times : Where are we with the numbers ?
As of Friday morning , there were 541,494 confirmed cases and 10,028 coronavirus-related deaths statewide .
California now has more cases than any other state , but the death toll is still well below that of New York , where more than 32,700 have died .
, which is approaching 5,000 fatalities , has by far the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county hit another somber milestone , topping 200,000 total cases .
The surge of the virus in California over the last two months has had several causes , including the reopening of the economy that allowed COVID-19 to spread rapidly among low-wage essential workers , many of them Latinos whose employers haven ’ t followed new infection-control rules .
But summer celebrations among young people are also a recurring problem and one particularly frustrating to officials trying to slow outbreaks .
What do we know about the dead ?
Older people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus , and nursing homes have been particularly hard hit .
More than 40 % of those who have died were older than 80 , and more than 20 % have been between 70 and 79 , according to The Times tracker .
But when it comes to confirmed cases , the demographics are skewing much younger .
The vast majority of those newly infected are between 18 and 49 .
The Times has a running list of tributes to lives lost .
“ The Times has spoken with hundreds of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Through those difficult conversations , a pattern of human kindness has emerged , ” Hayley Smith wrote last week .
“ Story after story touches on small acts of generosity and great acts of charity — fundraisers , volunteer work , reliable helping hands .
As a whole , the tributes tell the stories of ordinary people with ordinary lives who are remembered most for the extraordinary things , large and small , they did for others.
” Are things getting better ?
on Monday found that California experienced its first weekly reduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time in 12 weeks .
For the seven-day period that ended Sunday , California reported 59,697 new cases , a drop of 9 % from the previous week of 65,634 cases , which was a record .
If the trends continue , it would mark a turning point after weeks of record hospitalizations that began in mid-June , the result of California starting to rapidly reopen the economy in May .
California experienced its highest number of average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations about two weeks ago ; for the week of July 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in hospitals statewide .
That number fell last week to 6,632 .
The improvement was the first time in 10 weeks that California has seen such a reduction in average daily hospitalizations .
But the data snafu has cast doubt on whether the picture is actually improving .
What do we know about the data issues ?
At issue is an electronic system , called CalREDIE , that reports coronavirus test results to the state ’ s disease registry system .
California , as a result , lacks an accurate count of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze the state ’ s watch list , with no counties being added or removed .
The flawed picture has cast California ’ s pandemic outlook into serious doubt .
On Wednesday , the state counted 5,300 new coronavirus cases , down from a peak of nearly 13,000 reported about two weeks ago .
But the steep drop relies on the underreported data , and health officials remain unsure about the actual caseloads .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s Health and Human Services secretary , called the problem his department ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a team of dozens had been working “ around the clock ” to make fixes .
“ Having accurate data is critical for public confidence , contact tracing and hospital surge planning .
We will not rest until this problem is resolved , ” Ghaly said in a statement .
“ All Californians and local public health officials must have accurate data , and we pledge to share a full accounting of when these problems began and their magnitude as soon as we have a clear understanding — and the solutions to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health has directed all laboratories to report positive results directly to county health departments until the problem is resolved .
Some county health departments are resorting to counting the tests results by hand to get accurate totals .
The lack of reliable infection rate data has led many counties to add disclaimers on their public health websites saying the information is unreliable .
The information also is not being published on the state ’ s county data monitoring website , according to the California Department of Public Health .
The state has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be fixed .
“ CalREDIE has broken , ” said Peter Beilenson , director of Sacramento County ’ s Department of Health Services .
“ The bottom line is we don ’ t know the real caseload .
... We don ’ t know if we are missing 250 cases [ a day ] or 50 cases , ” he said of his local numbers .
“ We have no idea.
” What are the biggest COVID-19 concerns right now ?
Recently , coronavirus hot spots have shifted from urban areas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Los Angeles County was one of the hot spots for new infections .
By June , it was Imperial County .
The rural , agricultural and impoverished county east of San Diego soared up the list as California ’ s hardest hit county , in terms of new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks .
Imperial County hit its worst number on June 16 , when there were 1,438 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous two weeks .
Now it ’ s clear that the virus is hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , home to Bakersfield , has recorded 1,160 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks .
The rate reached its highest point Saturday , with 1,376 cases per 100,000 residents over the prior two weeks — more than nine times what it was at the beginning of July , when the county reported 136 cases per 100,000 residents .
The Central Valley is among the areas of the nation that federal officials are particularly worried about .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious diseases expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uptick in the rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infections .
The 14-day positive test rate climbed to 24 % in Kern County on Monday , more than triple the state ’ s average of 7 % on that day .
“ This is a predictor of trouble ahead , ” Fauci said Thursday on CNN .
A high rate of tests confirming infections is “ a clear indication that you are getting an uptick in cases , which inevitably — as we ’ ve seen in the Southern states — leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations , and then you get deaths .
“ Now is the time to accelerate the fundamental preventive measures ... masks , social distancing , avoiding crowds , ” Fauci said .
If conditions improve , should we expect another round of rapid reopening of businesses ?
Many experts say the decision to again close bars , indoor dining , shopping malls and other locations for a second time likely helped slow the expansion of the virus .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday the state needs to be cautious .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were just a few weeks ago , a month ago , with significant increases if we do not maintain our vigilance , ” Newsom said .
“ Until we have a vaccine , we are going to be living with this virus.
” One of the things the governor says will be different with a new reopening would be looking not only for consistent stabilization of key pandemic numbers — as occurred before the first reopening — but consistent declines as well .
And Newsom said there needs to be greater effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the spread of the disease , and that will be “ foundational in terms of any subsequent efforts to reopen.
” In the first reopening , too many Californians resumed gatherings and did not wear masks , he said , planting the seeds for a resurgence .
“ Let ’ s not relive that experience again , ” Newsom said .
“ We didn ’ t expect people to become complacent as they have , which provides more opportunities for transmission , ” added Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , medical epidemiologist and infectious-diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health .
“ We can ’ t expect to reopen again soon , ” Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth , Sean Greene , Iris Lee and Anita Chabria contributed to this report .

Maura Dolan, Rong-Gong Lin II, Colleen Shalby

Friends and family members of a 76-year-old woman who died of COVID-19 remain in their cars for a drive-by funeral service in Madera.
California has now recorded more than 10,000 deaths from coronavirus.
But the milestone comes at a complex and confusing time in the pandemic. After a two-month surge in cases following the reopening of the economy, there are signs the outbreak is peaking and the rate of infections is going down.
Yet a serious breakdown in the electronic collection of coronavirus test data has raised questions about how accurate the numbers are.
Advertisement
A lot is riding on fixing the system. Schools are debating if and when they can reopen to anything other than remote learning. If counties see a big decline in cases, they could consider reopening some closed businesses and institutions.
Here is what we know from coverage over the last week in The Times:
Where are we with the numbers?
As of Friday morning, there were 541,494 confirmed cases and 10,028 coronavirus-related deaths statewide. California now has more cases than any other state, but the death toll is still well below that of New York, where more than 32,700 have died.
Los Angeles County , which is approaching 5,000 fatalities, has by far the most deaths in California. On Thursday, the county hit another somber milestone, topping 200,000 total cases.
The surge of the virus in California over the last two months has had several causes, including the reopening of the economy that allowed COVID-19 to spread rapidly among low-wage essential workers, many of them Latinos whose employers haven’t followed new infection-control rules.
But summer celebrations among young people are also a recurring problem and one particularly frustrating to officials trying to slow outbreaks.
Advertisement
What do we know about the dead?
Older people are by far the most likely to die from coronavirus, and nursing homes have been particularly hard hit.
More than 40% of those who have died were older than 80, and more than 20% have been between 70 and 79, according to The Times tracker. But when it comes to confirmed cases, the demographics are skewing much younger. The vast majority of those newly infected are between 18 and 49.
The Times has a running list of tributes to lives lost.
“The Times has spoken with hundreds of people about their loved ones’ lives. Through those difficult conversations, a pattern of human kindness has emerged,” Hayley Smith wrote last week. “Story after story touches on small acts of generosity and great acts of charity — fundraisers, volunteer work, reliable helping hands. As a whole, the tributes tell the stories of ordinary people with ordinary lives who are remembered most for the extraordinary things, large and small, they did for others.”
Are things getting better?
Possibly.
A Los Angeles Times analysis on Monday found that California experienced its first weekly reduction in new confirmed coronavirus cases for the first time in 12 weeks. For the seven-day period that ended Sunday, California reported 59,697 new cases, a drop of 9% from the previous week of 65,634 cases, which was a record.
If the trends continue, it would mark a turning point after weeks of record hospitalizations that began in mid-June, the result of California starting to rapidly reopen the economy in May.
California experienced its highest number of average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations about two weeks ago; for the week of July 20, there were an average of 6,969 people in hospitals statewide. That number fell last week to 6,632. The improvement was the first time in 10 weeks that California has seen such a reduction in average daily hospitalizations.
But the data snafu has cast doubt on whether the picture is actually improving.
What do we know about the data issues?
At issue is an electronic system, called CalREDIE, that reports coronavirus test results to the state’s disease registry system. California, as a result, lacks an accurate count of coronavirus infections, leading health officials to freeze the state’s watch list, with no counties being added or removed.
The flawed picture has cast California’s pandemic outlook into serious doubt. On Wednesday, the state counted 5,300 new coronavirus cases, down from a peak of nearly 13,000 reported about two weeks ago. But the steep drop relies on the underreported data, and health officials remain unsure about the actual caseloads.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services secretary, called the problem his department’s “top priority” and said a team of dozens had been working “around the clock” to make fixes.
“Having accurate data is critical for public confidence, contact tracing and hospital surge planning. We will not rest until this problem is resolved,” Ghaly said in a statement. “All Californians and local public health officials must have accurate data, and we pledge to share a full accounting of when these problems began and their magnitude as soon as we have a clear understanding — and the solutions to address them.”
The California Department of Public Health has directed all laboratories to report positive results directly to county health departments until the problem is resolved. Some county health departments are resorting to counting the tests results by hand to get accurate totals.
The lack of reliable infection rate data has led many counties to add disclaimers on their public health websites saying the information is unreliable. The information also is not being published on the state’s county data monitoring website, according to the California Department of Public Health. The state has not given a timetable for when the problem might be fixed.
“CalREDIE has broken,” said Peter Beilenson, director of Sacramento County’s Department of Health Services. “The bottom line is we don’t know the real caseload. ... We don’t know if we are missing 250 cases [a day] or 50 cases,” he said of his local numbers. “We have no idea.”
What are the biggest COVID-19 concerns right now?
Recently, coronavirus hot spots have shifted from urban areas to rural ones.
Earlier in the pandemic, Los Angeles County was one of the hot spots for new infections. By June, it was Imperial County. The rural, agricultural and impoverished county east of San Diego soared up the list as California’s hardest hit county, in terms of new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. Imperial County hit its worst number on June 16, when there were 1,438 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous two weeks.
Now it’s clear that the virus is hitting the Central Valley the hardest. Kern County, home to Bakersfield, has recorded 1,160 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. The rate reached its highest point Saturday, with 1,376 cases per 100,000 residents over the prior two weeks — more than nine times what it was at the beginning of July, when the county reported 136 cases per 100,000 residents.
The Central Valley is among the areas of the nation that federal officials are particularly worried about. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious diseases expert, said the big problem is the uptick in the rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infections.
The 14-day positive test rate climbed to 24% in Kern County on Monday, more than triple the state’s average of 7% on that day.
“This is a predictor of trouble ahead,” Fauci said Thursday on CNN. A high rate of tests confirming infections is “a clear indication that you are getting an uptick in cases, which inevitably — as we’ve seen in the Southern states — leads to surges, and then you get hospitalizations, and then you get deaths.
“Now is the time to accelerate the fundamental preventive measures ... masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds,” Fauci said.
If conditions improve, should we expect another round of rapid reopening of businesses?
Not necessarily.
Many experts say the decision to again close bars, indoor dining, shopping malls and other locations for a second time likely helped slow the expansion of the virus.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the state needs to be cautious.
“We can quickly find ourselves back to where we were just a few weeks ago, a month ago, with significant increases if we do not maintain our vigilance,” Newsom said. “Until we have a vaccine, we are going to be living with this virus.”
One of the things the governor says will be different with a new reopening would be looking not only for consistent stabilization of key pandemic numbers — as occurred before the first reopening — but consistent declines as well. And Newsom said there needs to be greater effort to educate the public about how to reduce the spread of the disease, and that will be “foundational in terms of any subsequent efforts to reopen.”
In the first reopening, too many Californians resumed gatherings and did not wear masks, he said, planting the seeds for a resurgence.
“Let’s not relive that experience again,” Newsom said.
“We didn’t expect people to become complacent as they have, which provides more opportunities for transmission,” added Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, medical epidemiologist and infectious-diseases expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “We can’t expect to reopen again soon,”
Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth, Sean Greene, Iris Lee and Anita Chabria contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-07--L.A. County nears 5,000 COVID-19 deaths — half the state's total

Six months after California lost its first victim to COVID-19 , the state has recorded more than 10,000 deaths — with nearly half occurring in Los Angeles County .
Officials recorded 53 additional deaths in the county — bringing the total to 4,918 — and 3,116 new infections Friday , according to the public health department .
L.A. County ’ s total case count now stands at more than 204,000 .
The high number of new cases is due in part to a backlog of test results received from one lab .
Officials caution that ongoing technical problems with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering test results means that the county ’ s overall number of positive test cases is probably far higher , though it ’ s unclear to what extent .
“ These metrics as a whole are what we used to guide our decision-making , ” County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said during a news briefing Thursday .
“ At the moment I don ’ t have clear expectations or understanding of what the state is finding in terms of their investigation.
” Such data are integral for projections related to transmission rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract the virus from one infected person , and hospital supply and demand .
The technical issues related to the state ’ s electronic system for collecting test results affected the state ’ s data from July 25 to Aug. 4 .
California Health and Human Services Director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday that a server outage prevented 250,000 to 300,000 records from entering the state ’ s reporting system .
It ’ s unclear how many of those records are COVID-related , as the system includes lab results for multiple illnesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem would change the overall trend in case counts that the state has previously reported .
But it ’ s unclear how many counties were affected or whether the cases are scattered throughout the state or limited to a few areas .
Officials from the state and county have reported a recent plateau in hospitalizations .
As of Thursday , 1,741 L.A. County residents with confirmed cases of the virus were hospitalized ; 29 % were in intensive care .
The number of hospitalized patients was roughly 2,200 in mid-July .
The plateau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and comes after back-to-back records for single-day fatalities .
Younger people now account for the majority of cases in the county , with those between the ages of 30 and 49 accounting for the highest number of infections among any age group and 25 % of hospitalized patients .
And those between 18 and 29 now account for more than twice the proportion of all hospitalizations than they did in April .
“ These patients now match the hospitalization rate of people aged 80 years old or older , ” the county said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those 80 years old or older have fallen by half since a peak in April.
” Officials have continued to stress the need for people to remain socially distant and avoid gatherings and have instructed businesses to maintain safety protocols from the county .
The public health department has received more than 20,100 complaints about businesses since March and has shut down 27 restaurants and 27 other businesses , including seven gyms , for violating the orders .

Six months after California lost its first victim to COVID-19, the state has recorded more than 10,000 deaths — with nearly half occurring in Los Angeles County.
Officials recorded 53 additional deaths in the county — bringing the total to 4,918 — and 3,116 new infections Friday, according to the public health department. L.A. County’s total case count now stands at more than 204,000. The high number of new cases is due in part to a backlog of test results received from one lab.
Officials caution that ongoing technical problems with the state’s electronic system used for gathering test results means that the county’s overall number of positive test cases is probably far higher, though it’s unclear to what extent.
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“These metrics as a whole are what we used to guide our decision-making,” County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said during a news briefing Thursday. “At the moment I don’t have clear expectations or understanding of what the state is finding in terms of their investigation.”
Such data are integral for projections related to transmission rates, which indicate how many people could contract the virus from one infected person, and hospital supply and demand.
The technical issues related to the state’s electronic system for collecting test results affected the state’s data from July 25 to Aug. 4.
California Health and Human Services Director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday that a server outage prevented 250,000 to 300,000 records from entering the state’s reporting system. It’s unclear how many of those records are COVID-related, as the system includes lab results for multiple illnesses.
Ghaly said he did not think the problem would change the overall trend in case counts that the state has previously reported. But it’s unclear how many counties were affected or whether the cases are scattered throughout the state or limited to a few areas.
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Officials from the state and county have reported a recent plateau in hospitalizations. As of Thursday, 1,741 L.A. County residents with confirmed cases of the virus were hospitalized; 29% were in intensive care. The number of hospitalized patients was roughly 2,200 in mid-July.
The plateau follows new shutdown orders from the state and comes after back-to-back records for single-day fatalities.
Younger people now account for the majority of cases in the county, with those between the ages of 30 and 49 accounting for the highest number of infections among any age group and 25% of hospitalized patients. And those between 18 and 29 now account for more than twice the proportion of all hospitalizations than they did in April.
“These patients now match the hospitalization rate of people aged 80 years old or older,” the county said. “By comparison, hospitalizations of those 80 years old or older have fallen by half since a peak in April.”
Officials have continued to stress the need for people to remain socially distant and avoid gatherings and have instructed businesses to maintain safety protocols from the county. The public health department has received more than 20,100 complaints about businesses since March and has shut down 27 restaurants and 27 other businesses, including seven gyms, for violating the orders.


latimes--2020-08-07--Prepared food vendors at farmers markets try to battle coronavirus ban

The scent of freshly prepared food wafting through the Studio City Farmers Market used to entice customers every Sunday .
But that aroma — of grilled hot dogs , stuffed pupusas , smoky barbecue and savory crepes — has disappeared since Los Angeles County health orders shut down vendors who prepare food on-site at farmers markets .
The lines for Mama Musubi ’ s protein-filled , nori-covered rice balls used to be “ crazy , ” owner Carol Kwan said .
But that was before health and safety restrictions were put in place to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ career in finance to start the popular business with her brother , Phillip — is worried the business could perish because of the pandemic .
Kwan said she is frustrated that other venues , including restaurants who seat customers outside and permitted food trucks and street vendors , can serve food outdoors .
Since Mama Musubi ’ s has been barred from operating at the five weekly markets it usually serves , Kwan has had to lay off 13 workers .
She and her brother are hoping to more fully pivot to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have been using to maintain some musubi sales , but they ’ re “ burning through savings , ” she said , and business is down 80 % .
“ We love being with people and serving people food .
… Not being able to do that would be difficult to get over , difficult to swallow , because it ’ s been eight years and we ’ ve thrown everything we ’ ve got into this , ” Kwan said .
Several local farmers markets suspended operations in early March at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
But within a week , the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health deemed certified outdoor farmers markets essential businesses , allowing them to operate under certain guidelines , including the end of samples and a ban on the sale of unpackaged food .
In July , the health department allowed prepared food vendors to switch permits so their businesses could sell prepackaged food at markets , but Kwan said that keeping her typically made-to-order rice balls cold would ruin them .
She thinks the restrictions should be lifted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s super inconsistent , ” Kwan said , pointing out that restaurants have long been allowed to serve takeout amid the pandemic and eateries are now allowed to serve diners outdoors under Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s latest order to stem the spread of the virus .
“ These are very small businesses who have managed to survive and employ a lot of people over the years .
And they are going to lose their homes , going to be evicted , ” Walker said .
“ We don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to order takeout from a restaurant versus ordering takeout from the farmers market .
It ’ s also an outdoor event .
Everyone is telling us it ’ s safer to be outdoors.
” To adapt to COVID-19 restrictions , the market has put up tape so mask-wearing customers walk one way and brought in security guards to make sure everyone is in compliance .
Vendors have moved into a parking lot and spaced out to allow for greater social distancing .
The Studio City market even eliminated sampling and told the bounce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before those restrictions were put in place by the county , Walker said .
“ None of us are going to do anything we don ’ t feel safe doing , ” she said .
Still , as the coalition of small businesses tries to rebound , it faces hurdles .
Sales are down nearly 40 % , Walker said .
She thinks health authorities have singled out prepared food vendors while allowing similar businesses to reopen because the vendors lack power .
“ Farmers markets don ’ t have a strong lobby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They aren ’ t supermarkets or anything like that .
It ’ s just kind of being lost.
” Aubrey Yarbrough , the community development manager for Farmer Mark , which operates two farmers markets in L.A. County and two others in Orange County , tried to challenge the policy with a June 22 petition to the health department .
Walker , representing Studio City , signed on alongside managers representing 12 Los Angeles markets and a handful of prepared food vendors .
In her petition , Yarborough said vendors were struggling and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance be able to bring back food vendors .
Health authorities rejected the emailed appeal within hours .
“ We take the COVID threat very seriously , ” Yarbrough said , noting that Farmer Mark ’ s Hermosa Beach market permanently closed because of the pandemic .
“ It just didn ’ t seem to make a whole lot of sense to ban this one type of vendor .
They ’ d be working with masks and gloves behind a screen wall .
… We ’ re already spacing out booths and limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department defended its policy in an email to The Times .
“ While the sale of whole uncut produce and pre-packaged food items is permitted , prepared food sales are not because individuals tend to buy their food and then eat it while walking around the farmers market — doing so without a face covering , ” the department said .
“ With approved food carts and mobile food trucks , the risk of community transmission is lessened due to the smaller numbers of customers being served.
” Walker said the farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street vendor who ’ s selling hot dogs on the corner , who ’ s permitted and been allowed to sell during this entire time.
” She has removed the tables and chairs from the Studio City market .
“ We can control people .
If our hot dog vendor is selling hot dogs , they ’ re going to be wrapped and handed to someone in a bag to take home .
There ’ s no place to sit and eat a meal.
” Mama Musubi fans have been messaging the business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will return .
Kwan said she ’ s having a hard time responding .
She worries that if the rules aren ’ t changed soon , there will be no business to reopen .
“ It ’ s just really hard to see all of this , in a situation where it ’ s out of our control .
”

Siblings Carol and Phillip Kwan walk through the Studio City Farmers Market, where they used to sell their Mama Musubi made-to-order rice balls. Prepared-food sales have been banned.
The scent of freshly prepared food wafting through the Studio City Farmers Market used to entice customers every Sunday.
But that aroma — of grilled hot dogs, stuffed pupusas, smoky barbecue and savory crepes — has disappeared since Los Angeles County health orders shut down vendors who prepare food on-site at farmers markets.
The lines for Mama Musubi’s protein-filled, nori-covered rice balls used to be “crazy,” owner Carol Kwan said. But that was before health and safety restrictions were put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Now, Kwan — who left a career in finance to start Mama Musubi with her brother, Phillip — is worried the business could perish because of the pandemic.
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Kwan said she is frustrated that other venues, including restaurants that seat customers outside and permitted food trucks and street vendors, can serve food outdoors.
Since Mama Musubi has been barred from operating at the five weekly markets it had usually served, Kwan has had to lay off 13 workers.
She and her brother are hoping to more fully pivot to a delivery service based in Pasadena, which they have been using to maintain some sales, but they’re “burning through savings,” she said, and business is down 80%.
“We love being with people and serving people food. … Not being able to do that would be difficult to get over, difficult to swallow, because it’s been eight years and we’ve thrown everything we’ve got into this,” Kwan said.
Several local farmers markets suspended operations in early March at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the state. But within a week, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health deemed certified outdoor farmers markets essential businesses, allowing them to operate under certain guidelines, including the end of samples and a ban on the sale of unpackaged food items.
In July, the health department allowed prepared-food vendors to switch permits so their businesses could sell prepackaged food at markets, but Kwan said that keeping her typically made-to-order rice balls cold would ruin them. She thinks the restrictions should be lifted.
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“It’s really unfair. It’s super inconsistent,” Kwan said, pointing out that restaurants have long been allowed to serve takeout amid the pandemic and eateries are now allowed to serve diners outdoors under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest health order.
Esther Walker, director of the Studio City Farmers Market, agrees.
“These are very small businesses who have managed to survive and employ a lot of people over the years. And they are going to lose their homes, going to be evicted,” Walker said.
“We don’t see the difference between being able to order takeout from a restaurant versus ordering takeout from the farmers market. It’s also an outdoor event. Everyone is telling us it’s safer to be outdoors.”
To adapt to COVID-19 restrictions, the market has placed tape directing mask-wearing customers to walk in only one direction and brought in security guards to ensure compliance. Vendors have moved into a parking lot and spaced out to allow for greater physical distancing. The Studio City market eliminated sampling and told the bounce house operator not to come anymore — before those restrictions were put in place by the county, Walker said.
“None of us are going to do anything we don’t feel safe doing,” she said.
Still, as the coalition of small businesses tries to rebound, it faces hurdles. Sales are down nearly 40%, Walker said.
She thinks health authorities have singled out prepared-food vendors while allowing similar businesses to reopen because the vendors lack power.
“Farmers markets don’t have a strong lobby group,” Walker said. “They aren’t supermarkets or anything like that. It’s just kind of being lost.”
Aubrey Yarbrough, the community development manager for Farmer Mark, which operates two farmers markets in L.A. County and two others in Orange County, tried to challenge the policy with a June 22 petition to the health department. Walker, representing Studio City, signed on alongside managers representing 12 Los Angeles markets and a handful of prepared-food vendors.
In her petition, Yarborough said vendors were struggling and asked that venues with space to physically distance be able to bring back food vendors. Health authorities rejected the emailed appeal within hours.
“We take the COVID threat very seriously,” Yarbrough said, noting that Farmer Mark’s Hermosa Beach market permanently closed because of the pandemic. “It just didn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense to ban this one type of vendor. They’d be working with masks and gloves behind a screen wall. … We’re already spacing out booths and limiting the number of customers.”
The L.A. County health department defended its policy in an email to The Times.
“While the sale of whole uncut produce and pre-packaged food items is permitted, prepared food sales are not because individuals tend to buy their food and then eat it while walking around the farmers market — doing so without a face covering,” the department said. “With approved food carts and mobile food trucks, the risk of community transmission is lessened due to the smaller numbers of customers being served.”
Walker said the farmers markets are “way safer than the street vendor who’s selling hot dogs on the corner, who’s permitted and been allowed to sell during this entire time.”
She has removed the tables and chairs from the Studio City market. “We can control people,” she said. “If our hot dog vendor is selling hot dogs, they’re going to be wrapped and handed to someone in a bag to take home. There’s no place to sit and eat a meal.”
Mama Musubi fans have been messaging the business’ Instagram account, asking when it will return.
Kwan said she’s having a hard time responding. She worries that if the rules aren’t changed soon, there will be no business to reopen.
“It’s just really hard to see all of this, in a situation where it’s out of our control,” she said.


latimes--2020-08-07--Prosecutors reviewing case in which L.A. man alleges LAPD officers planted gun

Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing a case in which two city police officers allegedly lied about a traffic stop and planted a gun into evidence to justify a man ’ s arrest in 2018 .
The man , Dahmeer Williams , alleged in a complaint to the LAPD and in a lawsuit filed this week that he was falsely arrested and forced to spend more than a month behind bars before video footage from the scene cast doubt on the officers ’ version of events .
The case sparked an internal affairs investigation , police said , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice System Integrity Division in Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s office , her office confirmed .
“ The case has been submitted to JSID and is under review , ” said Greg Risling , a spokesman for Lacey .
He declined to comment further .
Prosecutors in JSID handle allegations of criminal conduct by law enforcement personnel in the county .
The two officers , Joshua Camacho and Jorge Gutierrez , could not be reached for comment .
An attorney for Gutierrez did not respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the force .
Camacho is assigned to the 77th Division and Gutierrez to the Southwest Division , said Josh Rubenstein , an LAPD spokesman .
Rubenstein acknowledged the internal affairs investigation but said he could not comment on the case due to the pending litigation .
Williams is suing the city for unspecified damages , arguing the officers showed “ malicious , oppressive , or reckless disregard ” for his rights by falsely arresting him and that their supervisor was aware of the contradicting video evidence but never intervened .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ouchi , Williams ’ attorney .
Williams claims the city is liable for damages in part because it has allowed LAPD officers to maintain “ longstanding practices ” of fabricating evidence — an apparent nod to other cases in which LAPD officers have been accused , and in some instances charged , with making allegations against defendants based on false or contrived evidence .
According to Williams ’ lawsuit , Camacho and Gutierrez were patrolling in the city ’ s West Adams neighborhood in the early hours of August 12 , 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Porsche Cayenne run a red light , then accelerate and pull into an alleyway .
The officers alleged they saw the driver and that he tossed a gun from the vehicle as he drove out of the area , the lawsuit states .
The officers then traced the vehicle ’ s license plate back to Williams ’ father , who said he sometimes lends the vehicle to his son ’ s friend because his son lacks a driver ’ s license , the lawsuit states .
The officers then arrested Williams , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another gun-related offense , and forwarded the police report to corrections officials — triggering a parole violation and a recommendation that Williams serve another six months in prison , according to the lawsuit .
Williams claims that he was not in the car ; that the officers could not have seen who was in the car because of the heavy tint on the windows ; and that video from the officers ’ vehicle camera shows that no gun was thrown out of the vehicle as the officers claimed .
According to an LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which The Times reviewed , Gutierrez had referred to a black object in the video as the gun , but the video did not show a gun being tossed out of the car .
“ I did not observe the driver or any occupants throw a firearm out of the vehicle , ” the supervisor wrote .
“ The angle ( s ) of the video footage has no indication that Suspect threw a firearm out of a Porsche Cayenne as he drove past Officers after the Officers attempted to conduct their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the black object that was meant to be the gun was not on the side of the alley where the Porsche ’ s driver was , but on the passenger side of the vehicle .
According to the lawsuit , Williams was ultimately released from custody after several hearings on the revocation of his probation .
His public defender in that case did not respond to a request for comment , and Ouchi did not make Williams available for an interview .
The lawsuit says that internal affairs detectives told Williams ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal charges against the two officers to Lacey ’ s office , and if prosecutors failed to take action that LAPD Chief Michel Moore would ensure the officers were disciplined .

Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing a case in which two city police officers allegedly lied about a traffic stop and planted a gun into evidence to justify a man’s arrest in 2018.
The man, Dahmeer Williams, alleged in a complaint to the LAPD and in a lawsuit filed this week that he was falsely arrested and forced to spend more than a month behind bars before video footage from the scene cast doubt on the officers’ version of events.
The case sparked an internal affairs investigation, police said, and has since been referred to prosecutors in the Justice System Integrity Division in Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office, her office confirmed.
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“The case has been submitted to JSID and is under review,” said Greg Risling, a spokesman for Lacey. He declined to comment further.
Prosecutors in JSID handle allegations of criminal conduct by law enforcement personnel in the county.
The two officers, Joshua Camacho and Jorge Gutierrez, could not be reached for comment. An attorney for Gutierrez did not respond to a request for comment.
Both officers remain on the force. Camacho is assigned to the 77th Division and Gutierrez to the Southwest Division, said Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman. Rubenstein acknowledged the internal affairs investigation but said he could not comment on the case due to the pending litigation.
Williams is suing the city for unspecified damages, arguing the officers showed “malicious, oppressive, or reckless disregard” for his rights by falsely arresting him and that their supervisor was aware of the contradicting video evidence but never intervened.
“This was really wrong,” said Wesley Ouchi, Williams’ attorney.
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Williams claims the city is liable for damages in part because it has allowed LAPD officers to maintain “longstanding practices” of fabricating evidence — an apparent nod to other cases in which LAPD officers have been accused, and in some instances charged, with making allegations against defendants based on false or contrived evidence.
According to Williams’ lawsuit, Camacho and Gutierrez were patrolling in the city’s West Adams neighborhood in the early hours of Aug. 12, 2018, when they said they witnessed a white Porsche Cayenne run a red light, then accelerate and pull into an alleyway.
The officers alleged they saw the driver and that he tossed a gun from the vehicle as he drove out of the area, the lawsuit states.
The officers then traced the vehicle’s license plate back to Williams’ father, who said he sometimes lends the vehicle to his son’s friend because his son lacks a driver’s license, the lawsuit states. The officers then arrested Williams, who was on parole at the time for another gun-related offense, and forwarded the police report to corrections officials — triggering a parole violation and a recommendation that Williams serve another six months in prison, according to the lawsuit.
Williams claims that he was not in the car; that the officers could not have seen who was in the car because of the heavy tint on the windows; and that video from the officers’ vehicle camera shows that no gun was thrown out of the vehicle as the officers claimed.
According to an LAPD supervisor’s report on the incident, which The Times reviewed, Gutierrez had referred to a black object in the video as the gun, but the video did not show a gun being tossed out of the car.
“I did not observe the driver or any occupants throw a firearm out of the vehicle,” the supervisor wrote. “The angle(s) of the video footage has no indication that Suspect threw a firearm out of a Porsche Cayenne as he drove past Officers after the Officers attempted to conduct their traffic stop.”
The supervisor also noted that the black object that was meant to be the gun was not on the side of the alley where the Porsche’s driver was, but on the passenger side of the vehicle.
According to the lawsuit, Williams was ultimately released from custody after several hearings on the revocation of his probation. His public defender in that case did not respond to a request for comment, and Ouchi did not make Williams available for an interview.
The lawsuit says that internal affairs detectives told Williams’ family that they were going to recommend criminal charges against the two officers to Lacey’s office, and if prosecutors failed to take action that LAPD Chief Michel Moore would ensure the officers were disciplined.