latimes--2020-11-26--Column: Newsom and legislators got a surprise windfall. They should resist the urge to spend

Gov .
Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders can be thankful for one surprise holiday gift : a huge windfall of tax dollars .
But this is a one-time present .
Sacramento Democrats should resist the temptation to quickly spend the billions on goodies .
Instead , they ’ d be wise to sock it away in a sort of Christmas fund to be tapped in future years when state government is expected to be operating in the red .
The lawmakers ’ chief nonpartisan policy advisor , Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek , recommends a prudent 50-50 approach : Use half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal debt , and the other half for one-time expenditures , such as pandemic relief .
That makes sense if it can be done without the governor and legislators sneaking some bucks into pet projects .
Petek delivered the unexpected package of surplus money last week , projecting a $ 26-billion tax windfall this fiscal year .
This came after Newsom and the Legislature thought they were facing a horrific $ 54-billion pandemic-induced shortfall when they adopted the state ’ s $ 202-billion annual budget in June .
But Petek also warned of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on course to spend $ 17.5 billion more than it takes in by mid-2025 , he cautioned .
Petek advised the Legislature to begin in January to fix the projected deficit spending .
That may be wishful thinking .
“ This could mean , for example , identifying ways to reduce spending or increase revenues in future years , ” the analyst wrote in his fiscal outlook report .
“ We strongly encourage the Legislature to engage in long-term planning and consider what needs to be done today to address the budget problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning goes against the nature of term-limited legislators .
They ’ re short-timers , limited to 12 years total as state lawmakers .
Many won ’ t be around to face the consequences of deficit spending .
That ’ s a problem with term limits .
Legislators tend to think about today , not tomorrow .
And as for deficit solutions , remember that Democrats hold supermajorities in both legislative houses .
They allow legislators to pass virtually any bill imaginable — including a tax increase — if they ’ re united .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be hard to achieve among moderates who perpetually face reelection competition from Republicans .
But if Democratic leaders face the dreaded prospect of cutting spending , it ’ s a good bet they ’ ll also try to balance this displeasure by raising taxes .
Petek told me he “ won ’ t harp too much ” on the Legislature about finding a solution next year to long-range deficit spending .
“ We ’ re in the middle of a pandemic , ” he said .
“ There ’ s high unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allocate a lot of political capital to solve a future problem , but it would be prudent to start making plans.
” How did the $ 26-billion windfall develop ?
The state ’ s economy “ experienced a quicker rebound than expected , ” Petek ’ s report reads .
“ While negative economic consequences of the pandemic have been severe , they do not appear to have been as catastrophic from a fiscal standpoint as the budget anticipated .
“ But the recovery has been uneven .
Many low-income Californians remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been spared.
” “ This was an atypical downturn , ” the analyst told me .
Basically , technology saved the jobs of many people .
Employees who work online and can do their jobs at home kept getting paychecks .
That wouldn ’ t have happened before Wi-Fi , smartphones , the internet and Zoom .
These people tended to be college-educated , higher-income workers who are the main targets of California ’ s very progressive personal income tax system .
In 2018 , the last year for which data are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income earners — those making at least $ 173,000 annually — supplied 78 % of the personal income tax revenue .
The top 20 % — making at least $ 108,000 — paid 90 % of the tax .
Their money kept flowing into state coffers .
In October , income tax revenue was 40 % higher than what had been projected in June , according to the state Department of Finance .
All state taxes are up 22 % over projections for the fiscal year that began July 1 .
The stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record levels , Petek notes .
That provides the state with hefty taxes on capital gains — unlike in a normal recession when that revenue stream slows to a trickle .
And the federal government kicked in $ 15 billion for the state , cities , counties and the unemployed , the Finance Department says .
That was a big boost .
“ Workers on the lower end bore the disproportionate brunt of the pandemic , ” Petek said .
“ They tended to be the front-line workers , the service workers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their restaurants , shops and offices closed temporarily or went out of business .
“ Workers earning less than $ 20 per hour make up the vast majority of job losses , ” the analyst ’ s report reads .
“ In contrast , employment among workers earning over $ 60 an hour remains at pre-pandemic levels.
” California unemployment in October dipped to 9.3 % from 11 % in September .
Finance Department spokesman H.D .
Palmer pointed to the high unemployment rate as proof that California ’ s economy isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banking account .
But Petek forecasts state tax revenues growing roughly 1 % a year while general fund spending increases by 4.4 % .
The Newsom administration basically “ agrees with that trajectory , ” Palmer said .
Newsom and the Legislature should make New Year ’ s resolutions to resist any new permanent spending for the indefinite future .
Unfortunately , that resolution is almost certain to quickly be broken .

Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2019-20 state budget during a news conference last year in Sacramento.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders can be thankful for one surprise holiday gift: a huge windfall of tax dollars.
But this is a one-time present. Sacramento Democrats should resist the temptation to quickly spend the billions on goodies.
Instead, they’d be wise to sock it away in a sort of Christmas fund to be tapped in future years when state government is expected to be operating in the red.
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The lawmakers’ chief nonpartisan policy advisor, Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek, recommends a prudent 50-50 approach: Use half for rebuilding cash reserves or paying off internal debt, and the other half for one-time expenditures, such as pandemic relief.
That makes sense if it can be done without the governor and legislators sneaking some bucks into pet projects.
Petek delivered the unexpected package of surplus money last week, projecting a $26-billion tax windfall this fiscal year.
This came after Newsom and the Legislature thought they were facing a horrific $54-billion pandemic-induced shortfall when they adopted the state’s $202-billion annual budget in June.
But Petek also warned of boom and bust. The state is on course to spend $17.5 billion more than it takes in by mid-2025, he cautioned.
Petek advised the Legislature to begin in January to fix the projected deficit spending. That may be wishful thinking.
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“This could mean, for example, identifying ways to reduce spending or increase revenues in future years,” the analyst wrote in his fiscal outlook report.
“We strongly encourage the Legislature to engage in long-term planning and consider what needs to be done today to address the budget problem over the multiyear period.”
But long-range planning goes against the nature of term-limited legislators. They’re short-timers, limited to 12 years total as state lawmakers. Many won’t be around to face the consequences of deficit spending. That’s a problem with term limits.
California California could see a $26-billion windfall followed by growing deficits, analysts say Though the gradual trend toward budget shortfalls was expected when lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom crafted a state budget in June, the large supply of extra cash — equal to almost 20% of all current-year spending out of California’s general fund — is a surprise, Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek said.
Legislators tend to think about today, not tomorrow.
And as for deficit solutions, remember that Democrats hold supermajorities in both legislative houses. They allow legislators to pass virtually any bill imaginable — including a tax increase — if they’re united.
For a tax hike, Democratic unity would be hard to achieve among moderates who perpetually face reelection competition from Republicans. But if Democratic leaders face the dreaded prospect of cutting spending, it’s a good bet they’ll also try to balance this displeasure by raising taxes.
Petek told me he “won’t harp too much” on the Legislature about finding a solution next year to long-range deficit spending.
“We’re in the middle of a pandemic,” he said. “There’s high unemployment. I don’t expect them to allocate a lot of political capital to solve a future problem, but it would be prudent to start making plans.”
How did the $26-billion windfall develop?
The state’s economy “experienced a quicker rebound than expected,” Petek’s report reads. “While negative economic consequences of the pandemic have been severe, they do not appear to have been as catastrophic from a fiscal standpoint as the budget anticipated.
“But the recovery has been uneven. Many low-income Californians remain out of work while most high-income workers have been spared.”
“This was an atypical downturn,” the analyst told me.
Basically, technology saved the jobs of many people. Employees who work online and can do their jobs at home kept getting paychecks. That wouldn’t have happened before Wi-Fi, smartphones, the internet and Zoom.
These people tended to be college-educated, higher-income workers who are the main targets of California’s very progressive personal income tax system.
In 2018, the last year for which data are available, the top 10% of income earners — those making at least $173,000 annually — supplied 78% of the personal income tax revenue. The top 20% — making at least $108,000 — paid 90% of the tax.
Their money kept flowing into state coffers.
In October, income tax revenue was 40% higher than what had been projected in June, according to the state Department of Finance. All state taxes are up 22% over projections for the fiscal year that began July 1.
The stock market unexpectedly became robust, recently hitting record levels, Petek notes. That provides the state with hefty taxes on capital gains — unlike in a normal recession when that revenue stream slows to a trickle.
And the federal government kicked in $15 billion for the state, cities, counties and the unemployed, the Finance Department says. That was a big boost.
“Workers on the lower end bore the disproportionate brunt of the pandemic,” Petek said. “They tended to be the front-line workers, the service workers who interact with the public.”
Many of their restaurants, shops and offices closed temporarily or went out of business.
“Workers earning less than $20 per hour make up the vast majority of job losses,” the analyst’s report reads. “In contrast, employment among workers earning over $60 an hour remains at pre-pandemic levels.”
California unemployment in October dipped to 9.3% from 11% in September.
Finance Department spokesman H.D. Palmer pointed to the high unemployment rate as proof that California’s economy isn’t doing as well as the state banking account.
But Petek forecasts state tax revenues growing roughly 1% a year while general fund spending increases by 4.4%.
The Newsom administration basically “agrees with that trajectory,” Palmer said.
Newsom and the Legislature should make New Year’s resolutions to resist any new permanent spending for the indefinite future. Unfortunately, that resolution is almost certain to quickly be broken.


latimes--2020-11-26--Authorities search for suspect after two women are shot in Calabasas

Authorities were searching for a suspect after two women were shot in the Calabasas area Wednesday night .
Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ responded at 5:49 p.m. to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon in the @ @ @ @ @ in the gated community of Mountain View Estates , said Lt. Hector Mancinas .
Two @ @ @ @ @ hospital and deputies are searching for the shooter .
The Los Angeles County Fire Department @ @ @ @ @ p.m. reporting a possible shooting in Mountain View Estates .
Emergency responders requested an air @ @ @ @ @ victim who was then transported to a trauma center , according to dispatch supervisor Martin @ @ @ @ @ call , the department received a second call around 7:30 p.m. from sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ gunshot victim .
The second victim , also a woman , was airlifted to a @ @ @ @ @ asking all residents to stay inside and keep your doors locked , ” the Lost @ @ @ @

Authorities were searching for a suspect after two women were shot in the Calabasas area Wednesday night.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded at 5:49 p.m. to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 5500 block of Villawood Circle in the gated community of Mountain View Estates, said Lt. Hector Mancinas.
Two victims were transported to the hospital and deputies are searching for the shooter.
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The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call around 5:41 p.m. reporting a possible shooting in Mountain View Estates. Emergency responders requested an air squad for a female gunshot victim who was then transported to a trauma center, according to dispatch supervisor Martin Rangel.
After clearing the call, the department received a second call around 7:30 p.m. from sheriff’s deputies, who reported another gunshot victim. The second victim, also a woman, was airlifted to a hospital.
Their conditions are unknown.
“We are asking all residents to stay inside and keep your doors locked,” the Lost Hills station tweeted.


latimes--2020-11-25--Inmate from L.A. County fatally shot by guards during attack in state prison

An inmate from Los Angeles County was fatally shot Wednesday by a correctional officer attempting to stop him and two others from stabbing another inmate at California State Prison-Sacramento .
Shortly before 9 a.m. , Gustavo Reyes , Martin Pacheco and Angel Torres attacked fellow inmate Paul Solis with weapons they made , according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation .
The department said the inmates ignored correctional officers ’ repeated orders to stop their attack .
Officers then used chemical agents and fired three rounds .
Pacheco was shot in the back and died at 9:32 a.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County in April 2014 to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with a 25-year enhancement for intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury/death and discharge of a firearm .
Solis suffered six stab wounds and was taken to an outside hospital .
His condition is unknown .
He was admitted from L.A. County in May 2003 to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with a 25-year enhancement .
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ’ s Deadly Force Investigation Team is @ @ @ @

Martin Pachecho, left, was killed after he and two other inmates allegedly attacked fellow inmate Paul Solis, right, at California State Prison-Sacramento.
An inmate from Los Angeles County was fatally shot Wednesday by a correctional officer attempting to stop him and two others from stabbing another inmate at California State Prison-Sacramento.
Shortly before 9 a.m., Gustavo Reyes, Martin Pacheco and Angel Torres attacked fellow inmate Paul Solis with weapons they made, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The department said the inmates ignored correctional officers’ repeated orders to stop their attack. Officers then used chemical agents and fired three rounds.
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Pacheco was shot in the back and died at 9:32 a.m. He had been admitted from L.A. County in April 2014 to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with a 25-year enhancement for intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury/death and discharge of a firearm.
Solis suffered six stab wounds and was taken to an outside hospital. His condition is unknown.
He was admitted from L.A. County in May 2003 to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with a 25-year enhancement.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Deadly Force Investigation Team is examining the incident.


latimes--2020-11-26--SoCal Edison cuts power to more than 5,000 homes on Thanksgiving amid wildfire concerns

More than 5,000 Southern California Edison customers in Ventura and Los Angeles counties were without power on Thanksgiving evening , with 100,000 more at risk of having the lights turned out as high winds led to elevated wildfire risk , officials said .
Homes in areas including Simi Valley , Moorpark and Santa Clarita were affected by outages as part of the utility company ’ s public safety power shutoff program , which is intended to reduce the risk that electrical systems become an ignition point for wildfires .
As of 5 p.m. , 3,015 customers were without power in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to an outage map managed by the utility company .
An additional 106,461 customers could see their power shut off in Ventura , L.A. , Kern , Orange , Riverside and San Bernardino counties , depending on weather conditions , according to the company .
The shutoffs were being enacted as meteorologists warned of potential Santa Ana wind gusts of up to 65 mph across parts of the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains .
Ventura and Los Angeles counties are both under red flag warnings this weekend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignite .
The utility company said its decision to implement risk-based shutoffs was based on information gathered from hundreds of weather stations and wildfire cameras .
“ We are really sympathetic about this happening , number one , during the pandemic when people are at home , and two , during the holiday , ” said Jeff Monford , a senior advisor with Edison International , who said some of the affected customers included company employees .
Customers were first notified of the potential outages on Tuesday , Monford said .
The company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some of the affected areas to provide water , snacks and power charging stations , he said .
Edison came under scrutiny earlier this year after the company admitted that the Bobcat fire , which scarred 115,000 acres in L.A. County and destroyed dozens of homes , may have started after tree branches struck its equipment .

More than 8,000 Southern California Edison customers were without power on Thanksgiving evening, with 100,000 more at risk of having the lights turned out as high winds led to elevated wildfire risk, officials said.
Homes in Los Angeles, Orange, Kern and San Bernardino counties were affected by outages as part of the utility company’s public safety power shutoff program, which is intended to reduce the risk that electrical systems become an ignition point for wildfires.
As of 9:30 p.m., 3,015 customers were without power in Ventura County, while 2,679 customers lost service in Orange County, according to an outage map managed by the utility company. Roughly 1,200 residences in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties were also affected by the shutdowns by late Thursday night, the company said.
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An additional 102,440 customers were in line to have their power shut off in Ventura, L.A., Kern, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, depending on weather conditions, according to the company.
The shut-offs were being enacted as meteorologists warned of potential Santa Ana winds of up to 65 mph across parts of the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains. Ventura and Los Angeles counties are both under red flag warnings this weekend, meaning conditions are ideal for wildfires to ignite.
The utility company said its decision to implement risk-based shut-offs was based on information gathered from hundreds of weather stations and wildfire cameras.
“We are really sympathetic about this happening, number one, during the pandemic when people are at home, and two, during the holiday,” said Jeff Monford, a senior advisor with Edison International, who said some of the affected customers included company employees.
Customers were first notified of the potential outages on Tuesday, Monford said. The company also established resource centers and dispatched trucks in some of the affected areas to provide water, snacks and power charging stations, he said.
Edison came under scrutiny earlier this year after the company admitted that the Bobcat fire, which scarred 115,000 acres in L.A. County and destroyed dozens of homes, may have started after tree branches struck its equipment.


latimes--2020-11-26--Amid COVID-19 surge, health workers and families do their Thanksgiving best

Chris Varjabedian ’ s first stop after picking up his grandmother Zizi from her nursing facility was the salon .
She hadn ’ t left the Mission Hills nursing home since March , before the COVID-19 pandemic erupted locally , and needed to get her hair and nails done if she was going to be home — finally — for the big holiday .
“ She was on Cloud Nine , like being in Disneyland , ” said Varjabedian , 34 .
“ She ’ s really happy and in good spirits , and grateful to spend Thanksgiving with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from behind windows just hadn ’ t been enough for Varjabedian , who stops by Ararat Nursing Facility every Sunday to spend time with his grandmother — whom he got extra close with after his father ’ s death .
So , after the better part of a year apart and a family decision that ensuring Zizi ’ s mental health was worth the risk of bringing her home , they did just that on Wednesday .
“ It ’ s so rewarding , ” said his mother , Suzy Varjabedian , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being with family again .
In a normal year , Thanksgiving is a festive time at many hospitals , nursing homes and other care facilities .
Family members of patients stream in to pick up their loved ones , or bustle in with food to have fun there .
They hug and laugh with their relatives , pushing back against the weight of whatever illness or injury has brought them there .
But in 2020 , amid the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Southern California and across the country — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 5,000 new cases in L.A. County alone — much of that has been curtailed .
Hospitals and other facilities have implemented safety protocols severely restricting visitors , and in some instances banning them , in a desperate effort to ward off the spread of the virus .
Into the void have walked doctors and nurses , care providers and technicians , hospital facilities staff and administrators — some of whom are bound by the Hippocratic Oath to care for patients , all of whom have accepted personal health risks and intense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest medical threat of a generation and push forward , day after day , to help those in its crosshairs .
There are also the families of the elderly , ill or otherwise vulnerable , desperate to make the right decisions for their loved ones on a holiday even more oriented around family gatherings than most .
Some are choosing head over heart and staying away , others deciding time together is too critical to pass up during an already lonely year .
Still others are trying to find some sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in socially distanced outdoor settings — forgoing the tactile comforts of a good holiday hug for fear that it might turn out to be a deadly embrace .
Those who are keeping their distance are leaving their loved ones in the care of health workers who themselves are sacrificing family time .
Many said Thursday that they were doing their duty , showing up as they have for months on end , despite the fatigue .
“ We should be very thankful that we do have such a great healthcare system that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improve treatment and take care of people , ” said Dr. Bill Stringer , a pulmonary critical care physician and head of the pulmonary division at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center .
“ It ’ s an army.
” Stringer , 63 , said he signed up to work the Thanksgiving holiday so younger colleagues with families could be at home .
This year , that means dealing with patients who are critically ill from COVID-19 and the strange circumstances that come with the associated precautions — like trying to help patients communicate electronically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in the hospital , even as some patients approach death .
“ That ’ s obviously hard on the family , hard on the patient , but it ’ s hard on us too , because we have to be the ones who are there in the last minutes , the last seconds of people ’ s lives , ” Stringer said .
Still , Stringer said he wouldn ’ t want to be anywhere else this year .
“ Being a healthcare provider is a gift , ” he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all thankful for that.
” Ronnel Leones has always made it a point to put on a happy face when he makes rounds and sits at the bedsides of patients at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey .
Coming from a big family of nurses — including his wife , his mom and dad , his twin brother and his sister-in-law — Leones said he wants to make his family proud and do right by his patients by giving his all .
But that instinct has never been more important than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extra effort might be as simple as giving a patient an extra clean shave so he can look his best for a FaceTime call home to family .
“ We want patients here to feel loved , cared for .
It ’ s what they deserve , and it ’ s what we signed up for , ” Leones said in the middle of a Thanksgiving shift Thursday .
“ We want to show resiliency and hope.
” Leones , a 34-year-old father of two girls ages 5 and 6 , contracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of his closest friends .
He recovered , but his friend — an otherwise healthy 38-year-old — died , he said .
For weeks he was terrified his daughters would get sick .
Now , back at work , Leones believes his own experience with the illness has helped him treat patients on the intensive care unit .
He said this year has been tough , but days like Thursday — working the holiday away from family — have been made easier by the bonds that hospital staff have made with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s about our camaraderie , ” he said .
“ We give hope to each other.
” Erika Flores Uribe , an emergency medicine physician at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center , was working a 7 a.m.-to-3 p.m. shift on Thursday .
Usually on Thanksgiving , doctors and nurses have a big potluck lunch , she said .
Not wanting to gather this year , they just ordered pizza , she said .
But the shift seemed extra special .
Having grown up in Southeast L.A. , seeing COVID-19 disproportionately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her work this year feel personal , and being at the hospital on Thanksgiving — helping Spanish-speaking patients feel more comfortable by conversing with them in their native tongue — all the more important , she said .
“ The way that we ’ ve shown up every day , especially the holidays , really reflects that oath we took to care of the community , ” she said .
Joel Clark , an emergency room technician , was spending his Thanksgiving working at El Centro Regional Medical Center as part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
The 22-year-old , spending his first big holiday away from his family in Santa Cruz , described his 12-hour holiday shift as part of a team effort — one in which he knows some of his patients are homesick just like he is .
“ Not only am I alone here , but the patients are , too .
They don ’ t have access to family members visiting .
So it ’ s like we ’ re all together , ” he said .
“ It kind of feels like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all alone , but we ’ re still here.
” Dr. Nikhil Barot , a pulmonary critical care physician at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center , said he was working day shifts Thursday and through the weekend , assisting staff as they watch over ICU patients with COVID-19 as his “ superstar ” wife — a nurse on leave — watched over their 5-month-old twins at home .
Even at night , he takes calls , as he did Wednesday night .
Four times between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Thursday , staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient who was crashing .
Despite their best efforts , the patient died , he said .
Barot said he and other medical staff fear a coming wave of new patients .
They will be there to meet it , he said , but they hope people outside of hospitals will do their part to flatten the curve — wearing masks , washing their hands , following the directions from public health officials .
Jeanie Bergen , 36 , hopes for the same — for her and her sister ’ s sake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has intellectual disabilities and lives in a care facility in the Valley .
Bergen is her sister ’ s guardian , with their parents having passed away , and tries to visit her as much as possible .
But in recent months , the facility locked down completely after having several COVID-19 cases among staff and residents .
Finally this week , Bergen was able to visit again , but only from a distance .
She and her sister sat outside , socially distanced .
It was a comfort after only seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for so long , Bergen said , but they still couldn ’ t communicate “ by holding hands and sitting close and hugging , ” as they always have .
It was hard , especially when she thought about others in Los Angeles who have not heeded public health messages to stop the spread of the virus .
“ I wish people would realize that we are all connected and their choices affect other people that they will never meet , ” she said .
“ I can ’ t hold my sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take her in the car , I can ’ t explain to her why none of that is happening .
It ’ s really hard .
It ’ s painful .
And I just have to pray every day and hope that there ’ s not another outbreak .
”

Nurse Zovinar Bolkorkian, left, and executive director Margarita Kechichian, right, stand with resident Shake Godjamanianon and a bouquet her son sent her for Thanksgiving at Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills.
Chris Varjabedian’s first stop after picking up his grandmother Zizi from her nursing facility was the salon. She hadn’t left the Mission Hills nursing home since March, before the COVID-19 pandemic erupted locally, and needed to get her hair and nails done if she was going to be home — finally — for the big holiday.
“She was on Cloud Nine, like being in Disneyland,” said Varjabedian, 34. “She’s really happy and in good spirits, and grateful to spend Thanksgiving with her family.”
Limited outdoor visits and calls from behind windows just hadn’t been enough for Varjabedian, who stops by Ararat Nursing Facility every Sunday to spend time with his grandmother — whom he got extra close with after his father’s death. So, after the better part of a year apart and a family decision that ensuring Zizi’s mental health was worth the risk of bringing her home, they did just that on Wednesday.
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Resident Dikran Hamparian, left, poses for a picture with executive director Margarita Kechichian, right, on Thanksgiving at Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s so rewarding,” said his mother, Suzy Varjabedian, of seeing Zizi light up at the chance of being with family again.
In a normal year, Thanksgiving is a festive time at many hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities. Family members of patients stream in to pick up their loved ones, or bustle in with food to have fun there. They hug and laugh with their relatives, pushing back against the weight of whatever illness or injury has brought them there.
But in 2020, amid the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Southern California and across the country — which on Thursday included 37 new deaths and more than 5,000 new cases in L.A. County alone — much of that has been curtailed. Hospitals and other facilities have implemented safety protocols severely restricting visitors, and in some instances banning them, in a desperate effort to ward off the spread of the virus.
Into the void have walked doctors and nurses, care providers and technicians, hospital facilities staff and administrators — some of whom are bound by the Hippocratic Oath to care for patients, all of whom have accepted personal health risks and intense mental and emotional fatigue to stare down the greatest medical threat of a generation and push forward, day after day, to help those in its crosshairs.
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Cedars-Sinai Medical ICU staff pose for a photograph during a Thanksgiving shift. From left: Christopher Newell, RN; Yuhwen Tseng, RN; Anita Girard, VP Nursing; Olga Martinez, RN; Karen Estrella, RN. (Cedars-Sinai)
There are also the families of the elderly, ill or otherwise vulnerable, desperate to make the right decisions for their loved ones on a holiday even more oriented around family gatherings than most. Some are choosing head over heart and staying away, others deciding time together is too crucial to pass up during an already lonely year. Still others are trying to find some sort of balance, visiting through window panes or in socially distanced outdoor settings — forgoing the tactile comforts of a good holiday hug for fear that it might turn out to be a deadly embrace.
Those who are keeping their distance are leaving their loved ones in the care of health workers who themselves are sacrificing family time. Many said Thursday that they were doing their duty, showing up as they have for months on end, despite the fatigue.
“We should be very thankful that we do have such a great healthcare system that has pivoted in just a matter of months to improve treatment and take care of people,” said Dr. Bill Stringer, a pulmonary critical care physician and head of the pulmonary division at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. “It’s an army.”
Executive Director Margarita Kechichian gestures to a resident on Thanksgiving at Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Stringer, 63, said he signed up to work the Thanksgiving holiday so younger colleagues with families could be at home. This year, that means dealing with patients who are critically ill from COVID-19 and the strange circumstances that come with the associated precautions — like trying to help patients communicate electronically with family members who can’t be in the hospital, even as some patients approach death.
“That’s obviously hard on the family, hard on the patient, but it’s hard on us too, because we have to be the ones who are there in the last minutes, the last seconds of people’s lives,” Stringer said.
Still, Stringer said he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else this year. “Being a healthcare provider is a gift,” he said, “and I think we’re all thankful for that.”
Ronnel Leones has always made it a point to put on a happy face when he makes rounds and sits at the bedsides of patients at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey. Coming from a big family of nurses — including his wife, his mom and dad, his twin brother and his sister-in-law — Leones said he wants to make his family proud and do right by his patients by giving his all.
Nurse Ronnel Leones poses for a portrait at the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
But that instinct has never been more important than this year, he said, when the extra effort might be as simple as giving a patient an extra clean shave so he can look his best for a FaceTime call home to family.
“We want patients here to feel loved, cared for. It’s what they deserve, and it’s what we signed up for,” Leones said in the middle of a Thanksgiving shift Thursday. “We want to show resiliency and hope.”
Leones, a 34-year-old father of two girls ages 5 and 6, contracted COVID-19 himself in March, along with one of his closest friends. He recovered, but his friend — an otherwise healthy 38-year-old — died, he said. For weeks he was terrified his daughters would get sick.
Now, back at work, Leones believes his own experience with the illness has helped him treat patients in the intensive care unit. He said this year has been tough, but days like Thursday — working the holiday away from family — have been made easier by the bonds that hospital staff have made with one another after such a tough year.
“It’s about our camaraderie,” he said. “We give hope to each other.”
Erika Flores Uribe, an emergency medicine physician at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, was working a 7 a.m.-to-3 p.m. shift on Thursday. Usually on Thanksgiving, doctors and nurses have a big potluck lunch, she said. Not wanting to gather this year, they just ordered pizza, she said. But the shift seemed extra special.
Having grown up in southeast L.A., seeing COVID-19 disproportionately affect communities of color there has made her work this year feel personal, and being at the hospital on Thanksgiving — helping Spanish-speaking patients feel more comfortable by conversing with them in their native tongue — all the more important, she said.
“The way that we’ve shown up every day, especially the holidays, really reflects that oath we took to take care of the community,” she said.
Joel Clark, an emergency room technician, was spending his Thanksgiving working at El Centro Regional Medical Center as part of a traveling assignment to help hospitals across the country. The 22-year-old, spending his first big holiday away from his family in Santa Cruz, described his 12-hour holiday shift as part of a team effort — one in which he knows some of his patients are homesick just like he is.
“Not only am I alone here, but the patients are, too. They don’t have access to family members visiting. So it’s like we’re all together,” he said. “It kind of feels like a community. We’re kind of all alone, but we’re still here.”
Dr. Nikhil Barot, a pulmonary critical care physician at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, said he was working day shifts Thursday and through the weekend, assisting staff as they watch over ICU patients with COVID-19 as his “superstar” wife — a nurse on leave — watched over their 5-month-old twins at home.
Even at night, he takes calls, as he did Wednesday night. Four times between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Thursday, staff reached out to him about a COVID-19 patient who was crashing. Despite their best efforts, the patient died, he said.
Barot said he and other medical staff fear a coming wave of new patients. They will be there to meet it, he said, but they hope people outside of hospitals will do their part to flatten the curve — wearing masks, washing their hands, following the directions from public health officials.
Jeanie Bergen, 36, left, visits her sister Edna Bergen, 37, at the care facility where Edna lives. Jeanie is the guardian of Edna, who has an intellectual disability, but has been unable to visit her in person for much of this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. (Jeanie Bergen)
Jeanie Bergen, 36, hopes for the same — for her and her sister’s sake.
Bergen’s sister Edna, 37, has intellectual disabilities and lives in a care facility in the Valley. Bergen is her sister’s guardian, with their parents having passed away, and tries to visit her as much as possible. But in recent months, the facility locked down completely after having several COVID-19 cases among staff and residents.
Finally this week, Bergen was able to visit again, but only from a distance. She and her sister sat outside, socially distanced. It was a comfort after only seeing her sister through a pane of glass for so long, Bergen said, but they still couldn’t communicate “by holding hands and sitting close and hugging,” as they always have.
It was hard, especially when she thought about others in Los Angeles who have not heeded public health messages to stop the spread of the virus.
“I wish people would realize that we are all connected and their choices affect other people that they will never meet,” she said. “I can’t hold my sister’s hand, I can’t take her in the car, I can’t explain to her why none of that is happening. It’s really hard. It’s painful. And I just have to pray every day and hope that there’s not another outbreak.”


latimes--2020-11-26--Homeless families sought shelter from COVID-19 in vacant houses. CHP officers evicted them before Th

Homeless families sought shelter from COVID-19 in vacant houses. CHP officers evicted them before Thanksgiving

California Highway Patrol officers forcibly removed people who had “ reclaimed ” vacant , publicly owned homes in El Sereno late Wednesday — the night before Thanksgiving — amid a surge in COVID-19 cases .
Videos of the evictions , posted on Twitter , show dozens of officers crowding the street near Sheffield Avenue and Poplar Boulevard around 7 p.m .
The officers were met by a wave of protesters , who shouted “ shame on you !
” as authorities moved from door to door removing those who had moved into the homes .
At least one CHP team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the homes , video shows .
The evictions came just hours after 20 families moved into the homes owned by the California Department of Transportation , activists said , arguing that government officials have failed to provide the shelter that ’ s necessary for them to remain healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic .
It was not clear how many people were evicted from the houses .
The CHP did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Caltrans owns dozens of homes in the area that were purchased years ago as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 710 Freeway .
In March , a group of homeless and housing-insecure Angelenos occupied a different group of houses , citing the coronavirus .
Claudia Lara , a member of Reclaim and Rebuild Our Community , said the families who moved in on Wednesday included children as young as 3 months and seniors over 70 who had been living in cars and encampments .
Lara said she watched last night as officers descended on the homes after the group wrapped up a news conference pleading for Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holidays , it is inhumane .
It ’ s really irresponsible , ” she said .
“ Housing is a human right , and all families deserve to have safe shelter , especially during the global pandemic.
” Housing activists sent a letter to Newsom on Wednesday notifying him that people were moving into the houses and asking for his support while those living in the homes used them to “ shelter in place ” during the pandemic .
“ We , people of color , are certainly facing ‘ The Darkest Winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spiking , but because for us , the economic crisis has worsened and the tsunami of evictions is dwarfing the already minuscule number of available affordable housing statewide , ” the letter said .
“ As you said , we are safer if we have the ability to self-quarantine and safely isolate in a home .
We therefore ask that you , as Governor , direct Caltrans to allow the new families to immediately turn on all their utilities : heating and running water and electricity are essential to shelter safely in place.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in quarantine at their Fair Oaks estate after his children were exposed in two separate incidents to someone who had tested positive for COVID-19 .
In response to Wednesday night ’ s evictions , Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León tweeted that his office has worked to secure hotel vouchers and “ other rapid rehousing solutions ” for those in immediate need , while negotiating with the state to secure permanent support for families .
De León , who was elected in March to represent the city ’ s 14th Council District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached out to the governor this morning to “ highlight the need to restore these remaining properties.
” “ It is unconscionable that anyone should be forced to spend Thanksgiving , or any day of the year , on the street , ” he said .
De León also criticized “ using such physical methods of enforcement .
The images I saw from last night are heartbreaking , and unacceptable.
” Records kept by The Times show that in 2015 , 37 of the El Sereno homes were listed as “ uninhabitable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the years , residents have complained of break-ins , mold and vermin infestations .
That figure appears to have increased in recent years .
In a statement , Caltrans spokesman Matt Rocco confirmed that vacant homes along the 710 Freeway were “ unsafe and uninhabitable.
” “ As such , Caltrans requested the CHP remove trespassers so that the properties can be re-secured and boarded up , ” Rocco said .
The agency has been working with local governments to lease several of its available properties for use as temporary emergency shelters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles ’ housing authority recently signed a lease to use 22 of the vacant properties owned by Caltrans for the city ’ s transitional housing program .
“ As Caltrans continues to sell the remaining homes on the corridor , it is committed to working with local entities and other stakeholders to ensure the properties are used for affordable housing , ” Rocco said in the statement .
In March , the families who took over homes in El Sereno said they were inspired by a group of homeless mothers who took similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those women took over a vacant , corporate-owned property and , after they were evicted , secured backing from the governor to force the Bay Area property ’ s sale to a community land trust .

California Highway Patrol officers forcibly removed people who had “reclaimed” vacant, publicly owned homes in El Sereno late Wednesday — the night before Thanksgiving — amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Videos of the evictions, posted on Twitter, show dozens of officers crowding the street near Sheffield Avenue and Poplar Boulevard around 7 p.m. The officers were met by a wave of protesters, who shouted “shame on you!” as authorities moved from door to door removing those who had moved into the homes.
At least one CHP team rammed open the door to one of the homes, video shows.
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The evictions came just hours after 20 families moved into the homes owned by the California Department of Transportation, activists said, arguing that government officials have failed to provide the shelter that’s necessary for them to remain healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CHP said Friday that 62 people had been arrested — 21 on Wednesday and Thursday in connection with breaking into the properties and refusing to vacate. They were charged with trespassing and burglary. Forty-one people were arrested on Thursday evening and charged with unlawful assembly/blocking officers from approaching occupied homes and deliberately blocking the right of way. All of those arrested were cited and released.
“The persons removed from the Caltrans-owned properties were given the opportunity to vacate prior to CHP making contact, and only after refusing to leave the locations were people escorted off of the property in order to allow the uninhabitable buildings to be re-secured and boarded up for public safety,” the agency said in a statement.
Caltrans owns dozens of homes in the area that were purchased years ago as part of a now-failed plan to extend the 710 Freeway. In March, a group of homeless and housing-insecure Angelenos occupied a different group of houses, citing the coronavirus.
Claudia Lara, a member of Reclaim and Rebuild Our Community, said the families who moved in on Wednesday included children as young as 3 months and seniors over 70 who had been living in cars and encampments.
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Lara said she watched as officers descended on the homes after the group wrapped up a news conference pleading for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s support.
“To do this during the holidays, it is inhumane. It’s really irresponsible,” she said. “Housing is a human right, and all families deserve to have safe shelter, especially during the global pandemic.”
Housing activists sent a letter to Newsom on Wednesday notifying him that people were moving into the houses and asking for his support while those living in the homes used them to “shelter in place” during the pandemic.
“We, people of color, are certainly facing ‘The Darkest Winter’ not only because COVID-19 is again spiking, but because for us, the economic crisis has worsened and the tsunami of evictions is dwarfing the already minuscule number of available affordable housing statewide,” the letter said.
“As you said, we are safer if we have the ability to self-quarantine and safely isolate in a home. We therefore ask that you, as Governor, direct Caltrans to allow the new families to immediately turn on all their utilities: heating and running water and electricity are essential to shelter safely in place.”
Newsom and his family are currently in quarantine at their Fair Oaks estate after his children were exposed in two separate incidents to someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Minutes after the activists wrapped up a press conference at least 50+ CHP officers in riot gear descend on the homes. You can hear the officer try to stop me filming pic.twitter.com/7QzEDYbFrW — Cerise Castle (@cerisecastle) November 26, 2020
In response to Wednesday night’s evictions, Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León tweeted that his office has worked to secure hotel vouchers and “other rapid rehousing solutions” for those in immediate need, while negotiating with the state to secure permanent support for families.
De León, who was elected in March to represent the city’s 14th Council District that includes El Sereno, said he reached out to the governor this morning to “highlight the need to restore these remaining properties.”
“It is unconscionable that anyone should be forced to spend Thanksgiving, or any day of the year, on the street,” he said.
De León also criticized “using such physical methods of enforcement. The images I saw from last night are heartbreaking, and unacceptable.”
Records kept by The Times show that in 2015, 37 of the El Sereno homes were listed as “uninhabitable,” including two dozen apartment units. Over the years, residents have complained of break-ins, mold and vermin infestations. That figure appears to have increased in recent years.
In a statement, Caltrans spokesman Matt Rocco confirmed that vacant homes along the 710 Freeway were “unsafe and uninhabitable.”
“As such, Caltrans requested the CHP remove trespassers so that the properties can be re-secured and boarded up,” Rocco said.
The agency has been working with local governments to lease several of its available properties for use as temporary emergency shelters, he added. He said Los Angeles’ housing authority recently signed a lease to use 22 of the vacant properties owned by Caltrans for the city’s transitional housing program.
“As Caltrans continues to sell the remaining homes on the corridor, it is committed to working with local entities and other stakeholders to ensure the properties are used for affordable housing,” Rocco said in the statement.
In March, the families who took over homes in El Sereno said they were inspired by a group of homeless mothers who took similar action in Oakland late last year. Those women took over a vacant, corporate-owned property and, after they were evicted, secured backing from the governor to force the Bay Area property’s sale to a community land trust.
Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-26--Column: Dejected L.A. restaurants serve their last meals, fear for the future

The dinner soundtrack at Michael ’ s on Naples for Wednesday was all about the sad slow jams — classic Motown , Gamble & Huff , Al Green .
They tapped into the mood that night at the Long Beach bistro and at thousands of restaurants across Los Angeles County .
It was the precious last hours before health officials had ordered all outdoor dining to stop for at least three weeks to try to slow down an explosive rise in coronavirus cases .
Regulars packed into Michael ’ s two rooftop patios as much as social distancing protocols allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheerful as always , even though all the workers would lose their jobs at end of their shifts for the second time this year .
I slurped on a fine mafaldine — a ruffled ribbon pasta enlivened with prosciutto — and sipped a strong boulevardier .
And I stewed .
It was the conclusion to a long , delicious — and frustrating day .
To capture the pulse of a citizenry that ’ s hangry ( that ’ s “ hungry ” and “ angry ” sauteed together , gentle readers ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to restaurants owners and their customers about this second alimentary Armageddon .
I drove down three iconic L.A. streets — the one that turns from Avenida Cesar Chavez to Sunset Boulevard , Olympic Boulevard , and Normandie Avenue — to see how this most recent Last Supper would play out .
Except I also sought a Last Breakfast , Brunch and Lunch .
But let ’ s begin in the beginning : In March , health officials across California forced restaurants to offer takeout only to try to fend off COVID-19 .
L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations — first outdoor dining , then some limited tables indoors .
But that initial hit crushed the dining industry , with too many restaurants shutting down for good .
And now another gut punch ?
“ It ’ s a sad situation for everyone , ” said 41-year-old Long Beach resident Heather Waider , who dined at Michael ’ s with her husband , Marvin , and their two sons .
“ It ’ s a joke , ” added Marvin .
“ I don ’ t know what these guys are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these people.
” “ These politicians just don ’ t get it , ” said Artemia Murcia .
The 46-year-old enjoyed huevos divorciados at Tamales Liliana in East L.A. under a giant yellow-and-red tent in the parking lot .
“ Not letting people eat outside doesn ’ t kill coronavirus , but it ’ ll kill restaurants.
” “ It sucks , ” said Kaylee Anchulis , a 25-year-old software developer .
She enjoyed a biscuit sandwich at All Day Baby in Silver Lake as she talked to her mother via phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order out , but business will definitely drop .
At least going out , you can pretend that things are normal.
” I agreed with their words .
My wife runs a restaurant , and less severe closures in Orange County have nevertheless hurt her revenue to the point I ’ m a cashier as well as a columnist ( my customer service for both is unsurprisingly terrible ) .
But because I have a front-row seat to restaurants and the coronavirus , I also understand why health officials issued their edict — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , even as they hate it .
We all have to pitch in to tackle the coronavirus .
But part of that is to reward those businesses that do it right , and punish the ignorant .
What all the owners I interviewed complained about the most is that they said no one with the local government — not the L.A. County Board of Supervisors , not health officials — has reached out to ask restaurants how to work together .
But they were prepared to go along for the common good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it ’ s our health , ” said Walter Soto .
He ’ s the owner of my current favorite taco trailer , El Ruso in Boyle Heights .
Just a couple of weeks ago , Soto and his brother created a makeshift patio in the empty parking lot they use for seating by installing an awning and a wooden fence .
“ I ’ ll be fine , ” he continued .
“ I own my trailer .
But people who have to pay rent on a space ?
May God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ It starts with three weeks , then it goes into another three , ” said Eric Samaniego , executive chef at Michael ’ s .
He sat down with me before the dinner rush and had the look of an overmatched boxer who wasn ’ t going to give up — but , man , did he need a breather .
“ None of the data will ever be as low as it needs , because there ’ s always going to be people who don ’ t think coronavirus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ ve been doing it right from the start get crushed.
” I started in East L.A. and Boyle Heights , where tents bloomed everywhere for breakfast .
Icons like El 7 Mares .
Mainstream chains like Dennys .
Taquerias and panaderias and more .
The tents disappeared as Cesar Chavez turned into Sunset Boulevard around Echo Park .
There was no real need for them : Most of the older restaurants were already takeout spots , and newer eateries made do with a couple of tables and umbrellas on the sidewalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the iconic French restaurant Taix … but it was for free coronavirus testing at the Edendale branch library next door .
I stopped at All Day Baby because coronavirus shutdowns keep slamming owners Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener .
Its sister restaurant , Here ’ s Looking at You , closed in July , unable to recover from the original L.A. County timeout .
In October , Ta and Whitener opened a pop-up weekend dinner series called Helluva Time in an empty parking lot across the street from All Day Baby .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ta , who took a break from working the register to stamp brown paper bags with her restaurant ’ s logo .
“ A lot of them said it was their first pandemic dining experience , and they were happy to do it with us.
” But there were also people who mocked Ta ’ s request to keep their masks on when not eating .
Helluva Time closed at the beginning of this month .
“ I could already sense the energy that people were staying in , ” said Ta , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dinner suspension “ makes sense .
We don ’ t have [ the coronavirus ] under control .
But there are a bunch of us who are earnest and do the right thing .
But we have no help .
Right now , you always lose.
” From All Day Baby , I swung by El Ruso only to find it closed for Thanksgiving .
So I took Olympic all the way to Guelaguetza , the iconic Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown .
Along the way , I saw a suffering food scene .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve sat on often to enjoy its famous shrimp tacos was now roped off with a warning that eating in front of the lonchera was prohibited .
At Mercado Olympic , street vendors sizzled and smoked delicious meals as usual but had no crowds whatsoever .
On the outskirts of Koreatown , the busiest food business I saw was a line outside a health clinic near a Northgate market .
There was at least a good lunch crowd at Guelaguetza .
The Lopez siblings who run the place converted what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colorful umbrellas , wooden benches , potted bamboo plants and a sound system that played rock en español and sonidero as I enjoyed chilaquiles .
“ This really reflects how it is in Oaxaca , ” said co-owner Bricia Lopez .
She tried to keep a cheerful attitude , even though her staff was half the number it was before the coronavirus , and all the workers were going to get their hours reduced by as much as two-thirds starting Friday .
Even though outdoor dining was going to be prohibited , Lopez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s like sweeping the floor if someone is going to visit , ” she said .
“ It helps the morale .
It gives you hope .
“ But she knows the outlook is grim for her industry .
Lopez belongs to a group thread of L.A. female restaurateurs who all fret for the future — and are frustrated .
“ Everything that this city takes pride in , that leaders sell to the world that we are , restaurants built , ” she said .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of this.
” She puts the blame simultaneously on county health officials who punish the good restaurants because of the bad ones — and the bad ones for screwing it up for the good .
“ I have an A , ” Lopez said , gesturing to the L.A. Department of Public Health letter grade on Guelaguetza ’ s front door .
“ Why can ’ t I have one for COVID protocols ?
Bad restaurants are the reason why we ’ re in this .
“ Ven la tempestad , y @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using a Mexican proverb .
They see the storm , and they don ’ t kneel .
The drive down Normandie offered the sobering discovery that I saw nearly as many banners for food giveaways as I saw patio dining .
The long drive convinced me that the restaurant shutdown was foolish .
Why should good eggs like All Day Baby and Guelaguetza suffer closures at the expense of their livelihood ?
Then I drove through 2nd Street in Long Beach .
It was like spring break in Florida .
People packed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no attention to six-foot rules .
“ I drive by and think , ‘ Come on , dude , you ’ re not even trying , ’ ” said Eric Samaniego of Michael ’ s on Naples .
“ It ’ s almost December , and people are still forgetting their masks .
Really ?
How are we forgetting a mask right now ?
” Michael ’ s has COVID-19 protocol out of a hospital .
Cheery hostess Elizabeth Reyes commanded me to sanitize my hands when I entered , then sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else .
The 22-year-old felt sad that she and her co-workers wouldn ’ t work for the foreseeable future but said that , nevertheless , the shutdown was necessary .
As I left , I overheard a customer complain that she didn ’ t need to sanitize her hands .
Reyes wouldn ’ t budge .
Nor should she .
Because as she told me on this dreary eve : “ It ’ s our only way to get things in order .
”

Chef Eric Samaniego, right, works Wednesday in the kitchen at Michael’s in the Naples area of Long Beach.
The dinner soundtrack at Michael’s on Naples for Wednesday was all about the sad slow jams — classic Motown, Gamble & Huff, Al Green. They tapped into the mood that night at the Long Beach bistro and at thousands of restaurants across Los Angeles County.
It was the precious last hours before health officials had ordered all outdoor dining to stop for at least three weeks to try to slow down an explosive rise in coronavirus cases.
Regulars packed into Michael’s two rooftop patios as much as social distancing protocols allowed. The staff was as attentive and cheerful as always, even though all the workers would lose their jobs at end of their shifts for the second time this year.
Advertisement
I slurped on a fine mafaldine — a ruffled ribbon pasta enlivened with prosciutto — and sipped a strong boulevardier. And I stewed.
Diners enjoy the outdoor patio at Michael’s in the Naples area of Long Beach on Wednesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
It was the conclusion to a long, delicious — and frustrating day. To capture the pulse of a citizenry that’s hangry (that’s “hungry” and “angry” sauteed together, gentle readers), I traveled across Los Angeles to talk to restaurants owners and their customers about this second alimentary Armageddon.
I drove down three iconic L.A. streets — the one that turns from Avenida Cesar Chavez to Sunset Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, and Normandie Avenue — to see how this most recent Last Supper would play out. Except I also sought a Last Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch.
But let’s begin in the beginning: In March, health officials across California forced restaurants to offer takeout only to try to fend off COVID-19. L.A. County slowly allowed them to resume some operations — first outdoor dining, then some limited tables indoors. But that initial hit crushed the dining industry, with too many restaurants shutting down for good.
A sign of encouragement shines on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
And now another gut punch?
Eaters across Southern California raged.
“It’s a sad situation for everyone,” said 41-year-old Long Beach resident Heather Waider, who dined at Michael’s with her husband, Marvin, and their two sons.
“It’s a joke,” added Marvin. “I don’t know what these guys are going to do. My heart hurts for these people.”
“These politicians just don’t get it,” said Artemia Murcia. The 46-year-old enjoyed huevos divorciados at Tamales Liliana in East L.A. under a giant yellow-and-red tent in the parking lot. “Not letting people eat outside doesn’t kill coronavirus, but it’ll kill restaurants.”
Kaylee Anchulis enjoys breakfast at All Day Baby on the last day the Silver Lake restaurant was allowed outdoor dining. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“It sucks,” said Kaylee Anchulis, a 25-year-old software developer. She enjoyed a biscuit sandwich at All Day Baby in Silver Lake as she talked to her mother via phone. “I hope that people will order out, but business will definitely drop. At least going out, you can pretend that things are normal.”
I agreed with their words. My wife runs a restaurant, and less severe closures in Orange County have nevertheless hurt her revenue to the point I’m a cashier as well as a columnist (my customer service for both is unsurprisingly terrible).
But because I have a front-row seat to restaurants and the coronavirus, I also understand why health officials issued their edict — and why the restaurateurs I interviewed accept it, even as they hate it.
We all have to pitch in to tackle the coronavirus. But part of that is to reward those businesses that do it right, and punish the ignorant. What all the owners I interviewed complained about the most is that they said no one with the local government — not the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, not health officials — has reached out to ask restaurants how to work together. But they were prepared to go along for the common good.
Lien Ta, left, co-owner of All Day Baby restaurant in Silver Lake, greets customer Camille Yi. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s necessary, because it’s our health,” said Walter Soto. He’s the owner of my current favorite taco trailer, El Ruso in Boyle Heights. Just a couple of weeks ago, Soto and his brother created a makeshift patio in the empty parking lot they use for seating by installing an awning and a wooden fence.
“I’ll be fine,” he continued. “I own my trailer. But people who have to pay rent on a space? May God protect them for what’s coming.”
“It starts with three weeks, then it goes into another three,” said Eric Samaniego, executive chef at Michael’s. He sat down with me before the dinner rush and had the look of an overmatched boxer who wasn’t going to give up — but, man, did he need a breather. “None of the data will ever be as low as it needs, because there’s always going to be people who don’t think coronavirus is real. And so those of us who’ve been doing it right from the start get crushed.”
::
I started in East L.A. and Boyle Heights, where tents bloomed everywhere for breakfast. Icons like El 7 Mares. Mainstream chains like Dennys. Taquerias and panaderias and more.
The tents disappeared as Cesar Chavez turned into Sunset Boulevard around Echo Park. There was no real need for them: Most of the older restaurants were already takeout spots, and newer eateries made do with a couple of tables and umbrellas on the sidewalk. Tellingly, the busiest line was outside the iconic French restaurant Taix … but it was for free coronavirus testing at the Edendale branch library next door.
Yes, Taix in Echo Park had long a line Wednesday, but it was for a free COVID-19 test. The iconic French restaurant was closed. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
I stopped at All Day Baby because coronavirus shutdowns keep slamming owners Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener. Its sister restaurant, Here’s Looking at You, closed in July, unable to recover from the original L.A. County timeout. In October, Ta and Whitener opened a pop-up weekend dinner series called Helluva Time in an empty parking lot across the street from All Day Baby.
“People were excited,” said Ta, who took a break from working the register to stamp brown paper bags with her restaurant’s logo. “A lot of them said it was their first pandemic dining experience, and they were happy to do it with us.”
But there were also people who mocked Ta’s request to keep their masks on when not eating. Helluva Time closed at the beginning of this month.
“I could already sense the energy that people were staying in,” said Ta, who added that this most recent nighttime dinner suspension “makes sense. We don’t have [the coronavirus] under control. But there are a bunch of us who are earnest and do the right thing. But we have no help. Right now, you always lose.”
Masked customer Sarah De Sa Rego peers inside the window an empty All Day Baby restaurant while awaiting her takeout order. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
From All Day Baby, I swung by El Ruso only to find it closed for Thanksgiving. So I took Olympic all the way to Guelaguetza, the iconic Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown.
Along the way, I saw a suffering food scene.
At Mariscos Jalisco, a planter which I’ve sat on often to enjoy its famous shrimp tacos was now roped off with a warning that eating in front of the lonchera was prohibited.
At Mercado Olympic, street vendors sizzled and smoked delicious meals as usual but had no crowds whatsoever. On the outskirts of Koreatown, the busiest food business I saw was a line outside a health clinic near a Northgate market.
There was at least a good lunch crowd at Guelaguetza. The Lopez siblings who run the place converted what was once a driveway into a patio with colorful umbrellas, wooden benches, potted bamboo plants and a sound system that played rock en español and sonidero as I enjoyed chilaquiles.
“This really reflects how it is in Oaxaca,” said co-owner Bricia Lopez. She tried to keep a cheerful attitude, even though her staff was half the number it was before the coronavirus, and all the workers were going to get their hours reduced by as much as two-thirds starting Friday.
Gilberto Marquez, with 11-month-old daughter Cynthya, walks to their table at Guelaguetza in Koreatown. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Even though outdoor dining was going to be prohibited, Lopez refused to break down the patio.
“It’s like sweeping the floor if someone is going to visit,” she said. “It helps the morale. It gives you hope. “
But she knows the outlook is grim for her industry. Lopez belongs to a group thread of L.A. female restaurateurs who all fret for the future — and are frustrated.
“Everything that this city takes pride in, that leaders sell to the world that we are, restaurants built,” she said. “There’s going to be a flood of closures because of this.”
She puts the blame simultaneously on county health officials who punish the good restaurants because of the bad ones — and the bad ones for screwing it up for the good.
Customers enjoy a meal at Guelaguetza, a Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“I have an A,” Lopez said, gesturing to the L.A. Department of Public Health letter grade on Guelaguetza’s front door. “Why can’t I have one for COVID protocols? Bad restaurants are the reason why we’re in this.
“Ven la tempestad, y no se hincan,” she added, using a Mexican proverb.
They see the storm, and they don’t kneel.
::
The drive down Normandie offered the sobering discovery that I saw nearly as many banners for food giveaways as I saw patio dining.
The long drive convinced me that the restaurant shutdown was foolish. Why should good eggs like All Day Baby and Guelaguetza suffer closures at the expense of their livelihood?
Then I drove through 2nd Street in Long Beach.
It was like spring break in Florida. People packed into parklets and tents with no masks and no attention to six-foot rules.
Chefs at work in the kitchen of Michael’s in Naples. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“I drive by and think, ‘Come on, dude, you’re not even trying,’” said Eric Samaniego of Michael’s on Naples. “It’s almost December, and people are still forgetting their masks. Really? How are we forgetting a mask right now?”
Michael’s has COVID-19 protocol out of a hospital. Cheery hostess Elizabeth Reyes commanded me to sanitize my hands when I entered, then sat me about 12 feet away from anyone else. The 22-year-old felt sad that she and her co-workers wouldn’t work for the foreseeable future but said that, nevertheless, the shutdown was necessary.
As I left, I overheard a customer complain that she didn’t need to sanitize her hands.
Reyes wouldn’t budge. Nor should she. Because as she told me on this dreary eve:
“It’s our only way to get things in order.”


latimes--2020-11-26--Earthquake: 3.3 quake reported near Palmdale

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Thursday at 8:52 a.m. four miles from Palmdale , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred four miles from Palmdale and the unincorporated community of Sun Village , six miles from Acton , nine miles from Lake Los Angeles and 13 miles from Lancaster .
In the last 10 days , there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of five earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in the Greater Los Angeles area , according to a recent three-year data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depth of 4.4 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported at 8:52 a.m. Thursday near Palmdale.
A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Thursday at 8:52 a.m. four miles from Palmdale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred four miles from Palmdale and the unincorporated community of Sun Village, six miles from Acton, nine miles from Lake Los Angeles and 13 miles from Lancaster.
In the last 10 days, there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of five earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in the Greater Los Angeles area, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 4.4 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-11-26--Health officials' warnings are put to the test on Thanksgiving

Weeks of warnings and pleas will be put to the test on Thursday as Thanksgiving arrives amid the worst pandemic in America in more than a century .
Federal , state and local authorities have urged people to stay home for Thanksgiving and cancel travel plans .
Although airports were far less busy than normal for the holidays , it was clear some people were traveling .
But the bigger question comes with the Thanksgiving meal .
Officials fear large traditional gatherings indoors may become superspreader events , increasing cases as California is already seeing unprecedented levels of coronavirus spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last month across the state and particularly in L.A. County , spurring new restrictions on movements .
Officials have warned that if infections spread further due to Thanksgiving gatherings , more restrictions will likely follow .
L.A. County was reporting a seven-day average of nearly 4,300 new coronavirus cases a day as of Wednesday , the third consecutive day that number has hit a new high .
Unless something dramatic is done to slow transmission , that number is on track to double within two weeks and quadruple in a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County ’ s director of health services .
Officials said hospitals could see a shortage of beds — especially in intensive care units — over the next two to four weeks if these trends continued .
Hospitals are better equipped now than they were in the spring to handle a surge in cases , treatment for COVID-19 has significantly improved , and hospitals can cancel elective surgeries to make more room for critical COVID patients .
But “ that ability for hospitals to be able to surge and open up additional beds is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the last week , officials have been urging people to have small gatherings and to avoid travel , even across town .
“ The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with , ” Barbara Ferrer , director of public health for Los Angeles County , said earlier this week .
On Monday , Ferrer verbally recommended that L.A. County residents not hold gatherings with people from more than one household , even if it is outside .
But for those who are holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ’ s some general Thanksgiving guidance , from state and county rules , on how to make it safer : • Gatherings should be held outside and involve no more than three households .
L.A. County has a separate rule restricting such gatherings to no more than 15 people .
• The space must be large enough so that everyone can maintain at least a six-foot distance from others who don ’ t live in their household .
• Shared items should be minimized , and food and beverages should be served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ washes their hands often .
• Face coverings must be worn , and removed only when people are actively eating or drinking .
• Gatherings should be kept to two hours or less .
“ The longer the duration , the risk of transmission increases , ” the state says .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued an advisory asking those arriving in California from another state or country to self-quarantine for 14 days .
Ferrer advised that those who decide to travel — such as college students returning home for the next month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone for 14 days , avoid sharing a bathroom or clean it every time if they do share one , not eat with others in the household , and have people in the home wear masks at all times indoors .
If the students haven ’ t been able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination , Ferrer suggested they not take part in Thanksgiving festivities to reduce the chance of infecting others .
For people returning home to California after a trip , a 14-day quarantine is advised , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , and not leaving to go to the grocery store or to restaurants .
Instead , people in quarantine should order food to be delivered , Ferrer said .
During quarantine , you can go out for a walk by yourself , said Ferrer , as long as you don ’ t come into contact with other people .
“ We don ’ t want you going to restaurants and sitting and eating outside .
And we don ’ t want you going into retail establishments , either , when we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The tighter you can restrict your activities over those 14 days , the better off we all are , ” Ferrer said .
A negative result simply means the test hasn ’ t detected the virus in your body .
It ’ s possible that the virus is actually there and the test just didn ’ t find it , health officials say .
This can happen during the early stages of infection , when virus levels are too low to be detected .
That ’ s why a negative test does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day quarantine early , Ferrer said .
Tests are particularly helpful , obviously , if you start to feel sick .
“ The quicker people are able to know that they ’ re a case , the quicker we can do contact tracing for people who may have had an exposure to you , ” Ferrer said .
Tracing helps warn people you ’ ve had close contact with that they might be infected and allows them to take steps not to infect others .

On Thanksgiving eve 2020, members of the Hobbs-Brown family dine on the sand at sunset at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County.
Weeks of warnings and pleas will be put to the test on Thursday as Thanksgiving arrives amid the worst pandemic in America in more than a century.
Federal, state and local authorities have urged people to stay home for Thanksgiving and cancel travel plans. Although airports were far less busy than normal for the holidays, it was clear some people were traveling. But the bigger question comes with the Thanksgiving meal. Officials fear large traditional gatherings indoors may become superspreader events, increasing cases as California is already seeing unprecedented levels of coronavirus spread.
Cases of infection have spiked dramatically in the last month across the state and particularly in L.A. County, spurring new restrictions on movements. Officials have warned that if infections spread further due to Thanksgiving gatherings, more restrictions will likely follow.
Advertisement
L.A. County was reporting a seven-day average of nearly 4,300 new coronavirus cases a day as of Wednesday, the third consecutive day that number has hit a new high. Unless something dramatic is done to slow transmission, that number is on track to double within two weeks and quadruple in a month, said Dr. Christina Ghaly, L.A. County’s director of health services.
Officials said hospitals could see a shortage of beds — especially in intensive care units — over the next two to four weeks if these trends continued. Hospitals are better equipped now than they were in the spring to handle a surge in cases, treatment for COVID-19 has significantly improved, and hospitals can cancel elective surgeries to make more room for critical COVID patients.
But “that ability for hospitals to be able to surge and open up additional beds is not endless,” Ghaly said.
Over the last week, officials have been urging people to have small gatherings and to avoid travel, even across town.
“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with,” Barbara Ferrer, director of public health for Los Angeles County, said earlier this week.
Advertisement
On Monday, Ferrer verbally recommended that L.A. County residents not hold gatherings with people from more than one household, even if it is outside.
But for those who are holding gatherings from more than one household, here’s some general Thanksgiving guidance, from state and county rules, on how to make it safer:
Gatherings should be held outside and involve no more than three households. L.A. County has a separate rule restricting such gatherings to no more than 15 people.
The space must be large enough so that everyone can maintain at least a six-foot distance from others who don’t live in their household.
Shared items should be minimized, and food and beverages should be served by someone wearing a face covering who washes their hands often.
Face coverings must be worn, and removed only when people are actively eating or drinking.
Gatherings should be kept to two hours or less. “The longer the duration, the risk of transmission increases,” the state says.
Self-quarantine
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an advisory asking those arriving in California from another state or country to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Ferrer advised that those who decide to travel — such as college students returning home for the next month or two — quarantine in a room alone for 14 days, avoid sharing a bathroom or clean it every time if they do share one, not eat with others in the household, and have people in the home wear masks at all times indoors.
If the students haven’t been able to quarantine for 14 days at their destination, Ferrer suggested they not take part in Thanksgiving festivities to reduce the chance of infecting others.
For people returning home to California after a trip, a 14-day quarantine is advised, and that means staying at home as much as possible, and not leaving to go to the grocery store or to restaurants. Instead, people in quarantine should order food to be delivered, Ferrer said.
During quarantine, you can go out for a walk by yourself, said Ferrer, as long as you don’t come into contact with other people. “We don’t want you going to restaurants and sitting and eating outside. And we don’t want you going into retail establishments, either, when we’ve asked you to quarantine.”
“The tighter you can restrict your activities over those 14 days, the better off we all are,” Ferrer said.
COVID-19 testing
A negative result simply means the test hasn’t detected the virus in your body. It’s possible that the virus is actually there and the test just didn’t find it, health officials say. This can happen during the early stages of infection, when virus levels are too low to be detected.
That’s why a negative test does not give you a pass to end the 14-day quarantine early, Ferrer said.
Tests are particularly helpful, obviously, if you start to feel sick. “The quicker people are able to know that they’re a case, the quicker we can do contact tracing for people who may have had an exposure to you,” Ferrer said. Tracing helps warn people you’ve had close contact with that they might be infected and allows them to take steps not to infect others.


latimes--2020-11-26--Proposed aerial tram for Dodger fans ignites controversy at Los Angeles State Historic Park

To the average visitor , the Los Angeles State Historic Park looks to be an urban oasis — a serene expanse of rolling grass and shady glens tucked between Chinatown and the Los Angeles River .
But the park ’ s assorted picnickers , joggers and children flying kites belie a long history of conflict , one that continues to this day .
The park , which opened on Earth Day 2017 , is just a few blocks from the site where hundreds of white rioters killed 19 Chinese men and boys on Oct. 24 , 1871 .
And just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials forced more than a thousand mostly Latino families from Chavez Ravine in the 1950s to build the stadium where the Dodgers now play .
In the 1990s , the 32-acre tract had become a legal battleground when the city planned to transform it into a warehouse center .
Yielding to pressure from activists , California State Parks acquired the property for a park in 2001 .
It was built 16 years later with $ 20 million in voter-approved Proposition 40 bond funds and touted as a model for solving land use battles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has proposed a $ 125-million electric aerial gondola system to ferry baseball fans and concert goers from Union Station over the park to Dodger Stadium — and community activists have weighed in with a barrage of concerns .
“ This park is a tribute not just to the historic struggle that created it but to the communities that continue to fight for it , ” said Jon Christensen , an environmental historian at UCLA .
“ Nothing comes without struggle , ” he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will reap the value of the park for their projects respect its historic nature and realize their obligations to those communities.
” Among the community members is Xochitl Manzanilla , 78 , a volunteer at the park who lives in a nearby public housing development in Chinatown .
Standing on a pedestrian bridge in the park with panoramic views of the L.A. skyline , she wagged a finger in disapproval and said , “ We don ’ t want gondolas in this park .
People come here to enjoy nature , open space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sky.
” That kind of talk has the developer bracing for a fierce debate as the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit project enters the environmental review phase .
The project currently envisions two competing proposals : the southern Broadway alignment and the Spring Street alignment .
Both would encroach upon and cross portions of the park with a passenger tower , stanchions , aerial cables and gondola cars able to whisk some 5,500 people per hour from Union Station to the stadium in about seven minutes , the developer said .
Proponents say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air quality .
The Spring Street alignment would be the most impactful to the park ’ s recreational opportunities , views and archaeological resources , according to state parks officials .
Conversely , it would provide the most direct path with the fewest turns and potential clashes with property owners for the developer , officials said .
Cindy Starret , an attorney and manager of the project , said that the developer “ is happy ” to help state parks officials and local stakeholders secure funding for improvements including a pedestrian bridge linking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station .
“ Our approach is to have a partnership , ” Starret said .
“ We are offering to help with the cost of the pedestrian bridge .
If the state wants more say , restrooms , we can help with that .
It has proposed more tree planting .
We can help with that , too.
” But a big worry buzzing around the park is the scale and design of a passenger station to be built on city property just south of the park boundary , where gondola cars would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cross over the mid-section of the park and continue up to its destination in the stadium parking lot owned by the McCourt family .
Critics say developer ’ s renderings suggest that the station would be about 75 feet tall with a huge , curved roof ( designed to mimic the shape of a bird in flight ) that would tower over the park ’ s nearby visitor pavilion , ranger station , promenade and orchards .
Its cables and steady stream of moving gondola cars would block views of the park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and downtown skyscrapers for people on foot .
In a recent letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority , which has agreed to act as the lead agency for the environmental impact report , Patricia Perez , board chair of the nonprofit Los Angeles River State Park Partners , complained that “ these unobstructed views are now being promoted by the developer as a gondola benefit.
” The gondola rides , which would cost about $ 10 each way , would fly roughly 30 feet over historic sites including where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gaspar de Portola forded the L.A. River in 1759 and set up a base camp near the Native American village of Yang-Na .
Across that terrain ran the Zanja Madre , a web of brick and mortar conduits fed by a large water wheel that carried irrigation water in the young city .
Entombed in dirt nearby are remnants of a passenger station built in 1876 to serve the newly arrived Southern Pacific Railroad .
Supporters of the gondola line include Martin Farfan , president of Cathedral High School , just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corner of the park .
“ I love the Dodgers , ” said Farfan , whose school receives donations of $ 5,000 to $ 10,000 each year from the McCourt family to help provide scholarships for students .
“ Beyond that , I ’ m in favor of anything we can do to get vehicles off Los Angeles ’ freeways.
” But opponents worry the project could transform the surrounding working-class neighborhoods into a commercial center festooned with corporate advertising .
The area , after all , is already struggling to contain gentrification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what had been an abandoned downtown rail yard .
It ’ s not a development plan that Julia Meltzer , a community activist and founder of Clockshop , a nonprofit arts organization in nearby Elysian Valley , will be keen to promote .
Sitting on a boulder in the proposed path of the gondola line on a recent weekday , she looked up at western bluebirds flitting in the highest branches of 20-foot sycamore trees .
From the elevated windows of a crowded gondola car , she said , the trees would tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoters have the nerve to say , ‘ Think of the views you ’ ll get from the gondolas , ’ ” she said with a deep sigh .
“ We say , ‘ Think of the views you ’ ll destroy at a park people fought like hell to create .
”

To the average visitor, Los Angeles State Historic Park looks to be an urban oasis — a serene expanse of rolling grass and shady glens tucked between Chinatown and the Los Angeles River.
But the park’s assorted picnickers, joggers and children flying kites belie a long history of conflict, one that continues to this day.
The park, which opened on Earth Day 2017, is just a few blocks from the site where hundreds of white rioters killed 19 Chinese men and boys on Oct. 24, 1871. And just to the north, developers and city officials forced more than a thousand mostly Latino families from Chavez Ravine in the 1950s to build the stadium where the Dodgers now play.
Advertisement
In the 1990s, the 32-acre tract had become a legal battleground when the city planned to transform it into a warehouse center. Yielding to pressure from activists, California State Parks acquired the property for a park in 2001. It was built 16 years later with $20 million in voter-approved Proposition 40 bond funds and touted as a model for solving land use battles in metropolitan areas.
Now, a company funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has proposed a $125-million electric aerial gondola system to ferry baseball fans and concertgoers from Union Station over the park to Dodger Stadium — and community activists have weighed in with a barrage of concerns.
“This park is a tribute not just to the historic struggle that created it but to the communities that continue to fight for it,” said Jon Christensen, an environmental historian at UCLA.
“Nothing comes without struggle,” he added. “But I hope that developers who will reap the value of the park for their projects respect its historic nature and realize their obligations to those communities.”
Among the community members is Xochitl Manzanilla, 78, a park volunteer who lives in a nearby public housing development in Chinatown.
Xochitl Manzanilla, 78, who serves on a housing and development council, describes standing on the pedestrian bridge overlooking Los Angeles State Historic Park as her “Titanic moment.” (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Standing on a pedestrian bridge in the park with panoramic views of the L.A. skyline, she wagged a finger in disapproval and said, “We don’t want gondolas in this park. People come here to enjoy nature, open space and fly kites high up in the sky.”
That kind of talk has the developer bracing for a fierce debate as the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit project enters the environmental review phase.
The project envisions two competing proposals: the southern Broadway alignment and the Spring Street alignment. Both would encroach upon and cross portions of the park with a passenger tower, stanchions, aerial cables and gondola cars able to whisk some 5,500 people per hour from Union Station to the stadium in about seven minutes, the developer said. Proponents say it would help reduce traffic and improve air quality.
The Spring Street alignment would have the biggest effect on the park’s recreational opportunities, views and archaeological resources, according to state parks officials. Conversely, it would provide the most direct path with the fewest turns and potential clashes with property owners for the developer, officials said.
Cindy Starret, an attorney and manager of the project, said that the developer “is happy” to help state parks officials and local stakeholders secure funding for improvements including a pedestrian bridge linking the park to a nearby Gold Line station.
“Our approach is to have a partnership,” Starret said. “We are offering to help with the cost of the pedestrian bridge. If the state wants more say, restrooms, we can help with that. It has proposed more tree planting. We can help with that too.”
But a big worry buzzing around the park is the scale and design of a passenger station to be built on city property just south of the park boundary, where gondola cars would make a 90-degree turn off Spring Street, cross over the mid-section of the park and continue up to their destination in the stadium parking lot owned by the McCourt family.
A company funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has proposed a $125-million gondola lift that would fly customers over Los Angeles State Historic Park from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Critics say developer’s renderings suggest that the station would be about 75 feet tall with a huge, curved roof (designed to mimic the shape of a bird in flight) that would tower over the park’s nearby visitor pavilion, ranger station, promenade and orchards. Its cables and steady stream of moving gondola cars would block views of the park’s rolling grasslands, urban forests and downtown skyscrapers for people on foot.
In a recent letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has agreed to act as the lead agency for the environmental impact report, Patricia Perez, board chair of the nonprofit Los Angeles River State Park Partners, complained that “these unobstructed views are now being promoted by the developer as a gondola benefit.”
The gondola rides, which would cost about $10 each way, would fly roughly 30 feet over historic sites including where a Spanish expeditionary force led by Capt. Gaspar de Portolá forded the L.A. River in 1759 and set up a base camp near the Native American village of Yang-Na.
Across that terrain ran the Zanja Madre, a web of brick and mortar conduits fed by a large water wheel that carried irrigation water in the young city. Entombed in dirt nearby are remnants of a passenger station built in 1876 to serve the newly arrived Southern Pacific Railroad.
Supporters of the gondola line include Martin Farfan, president of Cathedral High School, just a stone’s throw from the northwestern corner of the park.
“I love the Dodgers,” said Farfan, whose school receives donations of $5,000 to $10,000 each year from the McCourt family to help provide scholarships for students. “Beyond that, I’m in favor of anything we can do to get vehicles off Los Angeles’ freeways.”
But opponents worry the project could transform the surrounding working-class neighborhoods into a commercial center festooned with corporate advertising. The area, after all, is already struggling to contain gentrification triggered by creation of the park on what had been an abandoned downtown rail yard.
Julia Meltzer, founder of Clockshop, a nonprofit arts organization in the nearby Elysian Valley neighborhood, visits Los Angeles State Historic Park. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )
It’s not a development plan that Julia Meltzer, a community activist and founder of Clockshop, a nonprofit arts organization in nearby Elysian Valley, will be keen to promote.
Sitting on a boulder in the proposed path of the gondola line on a recent weekday, she looked up at western bluebirds flitting in the highest branches of 20-foot sycamore trees. From the elevated windows of a crowded gondola car, she said, the trees would tell a less vibrant story.
“Project promoters have the nerve to say, ‘Think of the views you’ll get from the gondolas,’” she said with a deep sigh. “We say, ‘Think of the views you’ll destroy at a park people fought like hell to create.’”