latimes--2020-07-20--Trader Joe's to eliminate product names criticized as racist

Trader Joe ’ s has responded to criticisms about its packaging by announcing that it is in the process of eliminating labels that use ethnic-sounding names intended to be humorous .
The offending products bear such labels as Trader Ming ’ s for foods and condiments related to Chinese cuisine , Trader José 's for Mexican-style products and Trader Giotto ’ s for Italian-themed items .
The company has come under fire in part from a petition , posted for about two weeks , on the Change.org website .
It had collected more than 2,000 signatures by Sunday night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trader Joe ’ s name , exploit “ a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes , ” according to the petition .
The attention on Trader Joe ’ s comes amid a nationwide reconsideration of branding that has accompanied the Black Lives Matter movement .
Land O ’ Lakes has removed a Native -American woman from its products .
Meanwhile , the images of Black men and women on product lines such as Aunt Jemima , Uncle Ben ’ s and Mrs. Butterworth are in for a makeover , if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name also is becoming history .
“ The Trader Joe ’ s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘ Joe ’ as the default ‘ normal ’ and the other characters falling outside of it — they are ‘ Arabian Joe , ’ ‘ Trader José , ’ and ‘ Trader Joe San , ’ ” the petition says .
The company said in a statement that it decided several years ago to use only the Trader Joe ’ s name on its products and has been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness , we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming , rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day , ” company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said .
Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed , and the company expects to complete the process “ very soon , ” she said .
The petition was posted by Briones Bedell , 17 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year at a San Francisco Bay Area high school .
Her family has shopped occasionally at the local Trader Joe ’ s , and she said Sunday night that offending labels remain throughout the store .
Her family isn ’ t patronizing Trader Joe ’ s for the time being .
She said she was encouraged by the company ’ s response but wants Trader Joe ’ s to commit to a timetable for removing the products with the ethnic-themed labels .
She added that she is far from the first person to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While she understands that there are financial costs to relabeling or removing products , “ the petition remains important because Trader Joe ’ s lacks the urgency to deal with this issue in the current climate , ” she said .
In her petition , Briones also calls into question the company ’ s story about the origin of the market ’ s mildly nautical theme .
At the time , founder Joe Coulombe “ had been reading a book called ‘ White Shadows in the South Seas , ’ and he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ride , and it all just…coalesced , ” the company ’ s web site says .
Although the 1919 book by Frederick O ’ Brien portrays white capitalists as destroyers of native culture , critics , including Briones , have accused the narrative of “ perpetuating the myth of the noble savage and the white god.
” The book was made into a 1928 silent movie that was considered a technical and artistic landmark at the time .
The petition also criticizes the use of stereotypes in Disneyland ’ s Jungle Cruise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1967 in Pasadena , and offbeat humor has long been the rhetorical soundtrack for good deals on an eclectic and sometimes unpredictable line of products .
The privately held chain has expanded to more than 500 stores nationwide , pledging a mantra of no artificial flavors , preservatives or genetically modified ingredients in its store brands .
Local stores have been no less popular during the coronavirus pandemic , offering to spray hand sanitizer on customers and disinfecting all carts and baskets between uses .
A testament to the chain ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conscious consumer — is that two other Trader Joe ’ s petitions also have gained traction on the Change.org site .
One calls for the company to reduce plastic packaging — it has 124,000 signatures .
And another begs the company to open a branch in Beaumont , Texas — it has more than 2,800 signatures .
But just as Trader Joe ’ s transformed when it began focusing as much on selling granola as liquor , standards for acceptable mainstream humor also have evolved .
Referring to the book , the Disneyland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labels , the petition says , “ The common thread between all of these transgressions is the perpetuation of exoticism , the goal of which is not to appreciate other cultures , but to further other and distance them from the perceived ‘ normal.
’ The current branding , given this essential context , then becomes even more trivializing and demeaning than before .
What at first seems , at worst , insensitive , further is called into question.
” Briones said that her issue pales next to police brutality , which literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate of activism is a ripe moment to question “ microaggressions ” that build up to greater harms .

Trader Joe’s products labeled Trader Jose’s and Trader Ming’s — far left and far right — will get a name change, the company said.
Trader Joe’s has responded to criticisms about its packaging by announcing that it is in the process of eliminating labels that use ethnic-sounding names intended to be humorous.
The offending products bear such labels as Trader Ming’s for foods and condiments related to Chinese cuisine, Trader José’s for Mexican-style products and Trader Giotto’s for Italian-themed items.
The company has come under fire in part from a petition, posted for about two weeks, on the Change.org website. It had collected more than 2,000 signatures by Sunday night.
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The labels, which offer variations of the Trader Joe’s name, exploit “a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” according to the petition.
The attention on Trader Joe’s comes amid a nationwide reconsideration of branding that has accompanied the Black Lives Matter movement. Land O’Lakes has removed a Native -American woman from its products. Meanwhile, the images of Black men and women on product lines such as Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s and Mrs. Butterworth are in for a makeover, if they survive at all. The Eskimo Pie name also is becoming history.
“The Trader Joe’s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘Joe’ as the default ‘normal’ and the other characters falling outside of it — they are ‘Arabian Joe,’ ‘Trader José,’ and ‘Trader Joe San,’” the petition says.
The company said in a statement that it decided several years ago to use only the Trader Joe’s name on its products and has been in the process of updating the ethnic-sounding labels.
“While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said.
Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, and the company expects to complete the process “very soon,” she said.
The petition was posted by Briones Bedell, 17, who is about to start her senior year at a San Francisco Bay Area high school. Her family has shopped occasionally at the local Trader Joe’s, and she said Sunday night that offending labels remain throughout the store. Her family isn’t patronizing Trader Joe’s for the time being.
She said she was encouraged by the company’s response but wants Trader Joe’s to commit to a timetable for removing the products with the ethnic-themed labels. She added that she is far from the first person to call public attention to this matter.
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While she understands that there are financial costs to relabeling or removing products, “the petition remains important because Trader Joe’s lacks the urgency to deal with this issue in the current climate,” she said.
In her petition, Briones also calls into question the company’s story about the origin of the market’s mildly nautical theme. At the time, founder Joe Coulombe “had been reading a book called ‘White Shadows in the South Seas,’ and he’d been to the Disneyland Jungle Trip ride, and it all just…coalesced,” the company’s web site says.
Although the 1919 book by Frederick O’Brien portrays white capitalists as destroyers of native culture, critics, including Briones, have accused the narrative of “perpetuating the myth of the noble savage and the white god.” The book was made into a 1928 silent movie that was considered a technical and artistic landmark at the time.
The petition also criticizes the use of stereotypes in Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise.
The first Trader Joe’s opened in 1967 in Pasadena, and offbeat humor has long been the rhetorical soundtrack for good deals on an eclectic and sometimes unpredictable line of products. The privately held chain has expanded to more than 500 stores nationwide, pledging a mantra of no artificial flavors, preservatives or genetically modified ingredients in its store brands.
Local stores have been no less popular during the coronavirus pandemic, offering to spray hand sanitizer on customers and disinfecting all carts and baskets between uses.
A testament to the chain’s popularity — and its appeal to the conscious consumer — is that two other Trader Joe’s petitions also have gained traction on the Change.org site. One calls for the company to reduce plastic packaging — it has 124,000 signatures. And another begs the company to open a branch in Beaumont, Texas — it has more than 2,800 signatures.
But just as Trader Joe’s transformed when it began focusing as much on selling granola as liquor, standards for acceptable mainstream humor also have evolved.
Referring to the book, the Disneyland ride and the Trader Joe’s labels, the petition says, “The common thread between all of these transgressions is the perpetuation of exoticism, the goal of which is not to appreciate other cultures, but to further other and distance them from the perceived ‘normal.’ The current branding, given this essential context, then becomes even more trivializing and demeaning than before. What at first seems, at worst, insensitive, further is called into question.”
Briones said that her issue pales next to police brutality, which literally takes lives, but that the current climate of activism is a ripe moment to question “microaggressions” that build up to greater harms.


latimes--2020-07-19--Dangerous coronavirus spike continues in L.A. County as Garcetti warns of new restrictions

Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 2,848 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus , with the majority of those infected under the age of 41 , as related hospitalizations reached a new high .
There are currently 2,216 people hospitalized with the virus , the county Health Department reported .
This is the fifth consecutive day with hospitalizations higher than 2,100 and the first time hospitalizations have surpassed 2,200 .
Among those hospitalized , 26 % are in intensive care units and 19 % are on ventilators .
As the dangerous surge in infections continues , L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday during an appearance on CNN that the city was “ on the brink ” of imposing new restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus .
But he did not elaborate .
The mayor has made similar comments before over the last two weeks , saying the city would act if cases continued to rise .
The county ’ s latest COVID-19 numbers also indicate that the disease has become most prevalent in the relatively young : 53 % of the 2,848 new cases occurred in people younger than 41 ; 52 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county have occurred in that age group .
The latest report also includes 11 deaths , bringing the county ’ s total to 4,095 .
“ We continue to reach concerning milestones and today we are seeing the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations , ” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement .
“ Right now , young adults are being hospitalized at a rate not seen before .
No matter how young you are , you are vulnerable to this virus .
I urge everyone to take collective responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t live with , properly wear a face covering when you are outside your home , but stay home as much as possible.
” Even without Garcetti ’ s intervention , a series of state-imposed restrictions recently took effect , including a ban on indoor restaurant dining and the closing of bars , malls and other retailers in L.A. County and other counties on the state ’ s watch list .
California ’ s watch list includes all counties in Southern California .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered K-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain closed in these counties until a county has been off the watch list for 14 consecutive days .
The county has now tabulated more than 1.5 million tests , of which 10 % have come back positive .

Hospital workers respond to a coronavirus patient in need at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in Willowbrook earlier this year.
Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 2,848 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with the majority of those infected under the age of 41, as related hospitalizations reached a new high.
There are currently 2,216 people hospitalized with the virus, the county Health Department reported. This is the fifth consecutive day with hospitalizations higher than 2,100 and the first time hospitalizations have surpassed 2,200.
Among those hospitalized, 26% are in intensive care units and 19% are on ventilators.
As the dangerous surge in infections continues, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti delivered a fresh warning Sunday during an appearance on CNN that the city was “on the brink” of imposing new restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus. But he did not elaborate.
The mayor has made similar comments before over the last two weeks, saying the city would act if cases continued to rise.
The county’s latest COVID-19 numbers also indicate that the disease has become most prevalent in the relatively young: 53% of the 2,848 new cases occurred in people younger than 41; 52% of cases to date in the county have occurred in that age group.
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The latest report also includes 11 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 4,095.
“We continue to reach concerning milestones and today we are seeing the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Right now, young adults are being hospitalized at a rate not seen before. No matter how young you are, you are vulnerable to this virus. I urge everyone to take collective responsibility — stay physically apart from people you don’t live with, properly wear a face covering when you are outside your home, but stay home as much as possible.”
Even without Garcetti’s intervention, a series of state-imposed restrictions recently took effect, including a ban on indoor restaurant dining and the closing of bars, malls and other retailers in L.A. County and other counties on the state’s watch list.
California’s watch list includes all counties in Southern California. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered K-12 campuses — public and private — to remain closed in these counties until a county has been off the watch list for 14 consecutive days.
The county has now tabulated more than 1.5 million tests, of which 10% have come back positive.


latimes--2020-07-21--A 17-year-old called out Trader Joe's. Now the chain is dropping offensive labeling

When Trader Joe ’ s founder Joe Coulombe died earlier this year , he was hailed as a marketing whiz , a retail visionary .
He had opened a small , nautical-themed market in South Pasadena in 1967 and watched it grow into an empire of nearly 500 stores nationwide .
But today that empire , known for its trading-post motif and international product lines , has come under attack for its branding of ethnic foods .
The names Trader Ming ’ s , Arabian Joe ’ s , Trader Jose ’ s , Trader Giotto ’ s and Trader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habañero and lime salsa , gyoza dipping sauce and artichoke antipasto .
The popular Southern California institution has created “ a narrative of exoticism , ” according to an online petition posted about two weeks ago calling for Trader Joe ’ s to remove and rebrand a variety of products with “ racist ” labeling .
“ The Trader Joe ’ s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘ Joe ’ as the default ‘ normal ’ and the other characters falling outside of it , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a statement , Trader Joe ’ s — which Coulombe sold in 1979 to German supermarket chain Aldi — acknowledged that its approach to product naming , “ rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness ... may now have the opposite effect.
” A spokeswoman said the company is changing the packaging and expects to complete the process “ very soon.
” What once was considered successful marketing has been shaken by a cultural moment that took hold in the aftermath of George Floyd ’ s death and the Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had famously thrived on the presumption that all ’ s fair in the name of free enterprise and commerce , and consumers responded , drawn to its quirky themes and budget pricing .
But over the last few months , public spaces have lost statues , buildings have been stripped of names , and now consumer products are having a day of reckoning amid a nationwide reconsideration of once popularly accepted precepts .
Land O ’ Lakes has removed the image of a Native American woman from its butter products , and images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines such as Aunt Jemima , Uncle Ben ’ s and Mrs. Butterworth ’ s are in for a makeover , if they survive at all .
The Eskimo Pie name also is being replaced .
“ Long gone are the days when the communication between brands and consumers was one way , ” said Maria Rodas , a professor of marketing at USC .
“ Consumers have more power than ever , given the huge amount of information at their fingertips , how connected they all are and the easy access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages.
” Rodas is not surprised that Trader Joe ’ s has come under fire .
“ Brands are symbols , and some of them are even cultural symbols , ” she said .
“ Years ago , people would buy a product mainly for its functional benefits , but now people expect more of brands and hold them to higher standards.
” Cultural critic M.G .
Lord , whose book “ Forever Barbie : The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll , ” examined popular perceptions of that icon , wonders why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She cites Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben ’ s in particular .
“ The ‘ Aunt ’ and ‘ Uncle ’ clearly reference the way honorifics like ‘ Mrs. ’ and ‘ Mr. ’ were withheld from older enslaved people , ” Lord said Monday .
In her petition , Briones also calls into question the company ’ s story about the origin of the market ’ s nautical theme .
According to the company ’ s website , at the time Coulombe founded the chain , he “ had been reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South Seas , ’ and he ’ d been to the Disneyland Jungle Trip ride , and it all just … coalesced.
” But “ White Shadows , ” written by Frederick O ’ Brien and published in 1919 , is far from romantic .
The book , according to critics , portrays white capitalists as destroyers of native culture .
The story was made into a 1928 silent movie that was considered a technical and artistic landmark at the time .
But Briones and other critics accuse the narrative of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the white god.
” Her petition also criticizes the use of stereotypes in Disneyland ’ s Jungle Cruise .
Inside the Trader Joe ’ s in Temecula , shoppers crowded the aisles on Monday .
Loyal to their store , they were either unconcerned or hadn ’ t paid attention to the controversy caused by the product labeling .
Britny Montaño , 30 , drove across town to the store “ for the ethnic foods , ” she said , preferring most the Asian curry .
“ I honestly never noticed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ But it ’ s difficult because as a person of color , I can see the harm.
” Standing in front of a row of cereal boxes , Sarah Adams said it would not stop her from buying her favorite snacks .
“ It doesn ’ t bother me , I guess that might be my privilege showing , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t think they meant anything derogatory by the names , but if many people are upset , then I think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doria Christie , showed no compunction pulling out of her shopping cart her Trader Giotto ’ s Bambino Pizza Formaggio .
“ I ’ m Italian , and I don ’ t take offense to it , ” she said .
“ They could put weird photos on these products , and I ’ d still buy them .
Trader Joe ’ s can ’ t do anything wrong.
” Such loyalty is to be expected , said Rodas , who puts Trader Joe ’ s in a different category than the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s and those other names are just one aspect of the whimsical shopping experience at Trader Joe ’ s , which makes it easy to overlook , ” she said .
In a recent pricing disclaimer , the company cited “ fluctuating market prices , federal regulations , currency rates , drought , bandits , rush hour traffic , filibusters , the zombie apocalypse , punctilious product developers.
” Meanwhile , Briones and her family have stopped patronizing Trader Joe ’ s for the time being .
Briones said in a phone interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the company ’ s response but wants a commitment to a timetable for removing the products and their ethnic-themes labels .
She knows that her complaint against Trader Joe ’ s pales next to police brutality , but that the current climate of activism is a ripe moment to question the “ microaggressions ” that build up to greater harm .

Thomas Curwen, Howard Blume, Stephanie Lai

The Trader Joe’s grocery chain says it will eliminate product labels that use ethnic-sounding names intended to be “lighthearted.” Above, customers outside the Trader Joe’s in Sherman Oaks on Monday.
When Trader Joe’s founder Joe Coulombe died earlier this year, he was hailed as a marketing whiz, a retail visionary. He had opened a small, nautical-themed market in South Pasadena in 1967 and watched it grow into an empire of nearly 500 stores nationwide.
But today that empire, known for its trading-post motif and international product lines, has come under attack for its branding of ethnic foods. The names Trader Ming’s, Arabian Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, Trader Giotto’s and Trader Joe San appear on items such as habañero and lime salsa, gyoza dipping sauce and artichoke antipasto.
The popular Southern California institution has created “a narrative of exoticism,” according to an online petition posted about two weeks ago calling for Trader Joe’s to remove and rebrand a variety of products with “racist” labeling.
“The Trader Joe’s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents ‘Joe’ as the default ‘normal’ and the other characters falling outside of it,” said the petition posted by 17-year-old Briones Bedell.
In a statement, Trader Joe’s — which Coulombe sold in 1979 to German supermarket chain Aldi — acknowledged that its approach to product naming, “rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness ... may now have the opposite effect.” A spokeswoman said the company is changing the packaging and expects to complete the process “very soon.”
Advertisement
What once was considered successful marketing has been shaken by a cultural moment that took hold in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
Trader Joe’s had famously thrived on the presumption that all’s fair in the name of free enterprise and commerce, and consumers responded, drawn to its quirky themes and budget pricing.
But over the last few months, public spaces have lost statues, buildings have been stripped of names, and now consumer products are having a day of reckoning amid a nationwide reconsideration of once popularly accepted precepts.
Land O’Lakes has removed the image of a Native American woman from its butter products, and images of Black men and women on product lines such as Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s and Mrs. Butterworth’s are in for a makeover, if they survive at all. The Eskimo Pie name also is being replaced.
“Long gone are the days when the communication between brands and consumers was one way,” said Maria Rodas, a professor of marketing at USC. “Consumers have more power than ever, given the huge amount of information at their fingertips, how connected they all are and the easy access to social media platforms that help broadcast their messages.”
Advertisement
Rodas is not surprised that Trader Joe’s has come under fire.
“Brands are symbols, and some of them are even cultural symbols,” she said. “Years ago, people would buy a product mainly for its functional benefits, but now people expect more of brands and hold them to higher standards.”
Cultural critic M.G. Lord, whose book “Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll,” examined popular perceptions of that icon, wonders why these brand names were not eliminated sooner. She cites Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s in particular.
“The ‘Aunt’ and ‘Uncle’ clearly reference the way honorifics like ‘Mrs.’ and ‘Mr.’ were withheld from older enslaved people,” Lord said Monday.
In her petition, Briones also calls into question the company’s story about the origin of the market’s nautical theme.
According to the company’s website, at the time Coulombe founded the chain, he “had been reading a book called ‘White Shadows in the South Seas,’ and he’d been to the Disneyland Jungle Trip ride, and it all just … coalesced.”
But “White Shadows,” written by Frederick O’Brien and published in 1919, is far from romantic. The book, according to critics, portrays white capitalists as destroyers of native culture. The story was made into a 1928 silent movie that was considered a technical and artistic landmark at the time.
But Briones and other critics accuse the narrative of “perpetuating the myth of the noble savage and the white god.” Her petition also criticizes the use of stereotypes in Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise.
Inside the Trader Joe’s in Temecula, shoppers crowded the aisles on Monday. Loyal to their store, they were either unconcerned or hadn’t paid attention to the controversy caused by the product labeling.
Britny Montaño, 30, drove across town to the store “for the ethnic foods,” she said, preferring most the Asian curry.
“I honestly never noticed the product names or found anything offensive,” she said. “But it’s difficult because as a person of color, I can see the harm.”
Standing in front of a row of cereal boxes, Sarah Adams said it would not stop her from buying her favorite snacks.
“It doesn’t bother me, I guess that might be my privilege showing,” she said. “I don’t think they meant anything derogatory by the names, but if many people are upset, then I think they should change them.”
Another shopper, Doria Christie, showed no compunction pulling out of her shopping cart her Trader Giotto’s Bambino Pizza Formaggio.
“I’m Italian, and I don’t take offense to it,” she said. “They could put weird photos on these products, and I’d still buy them. Trader Joe’s can’t do anything wrong.”
Such loyalty is to be expected, said Rodas, who puts Trader Joe’s in a different category than the other branding controversies.
“Trader Jose’s and those other names are just one aspect of the whimsical shopping experience at Trader Joe’s, which makes it easy to overlook,” she said.
In a recent pricing disclaimer, the company cited “fluctuating market prices, federal regulations, currency rates, drought, bandits, rush hour traffic, filibusters, the zombie apocalypse, punctilious product developers.”
Meanwhile, Briones and her family have stopped patronizing Trader Joe’s for the time being.
Briones said in a phone interview with The Times that she is encouraged by the company’s response but wants a commitment to a timetable for removing the products and their ethnic-themes labels.
She knows that her complaint against Trader Joe’s pales next to police brutality, but that the current climate of activism is a ripe moment to question the “microaggressions” that build up to greater harm.


latimes--2020-07-21--Many Latino workers fear getting tested for COVID-19. A San Francisco program aims to change that

At least once a week in the mornings , Elsa Hernandez walks the mile from her apartment to the Mission Language and Vocational School , sometimes falling in line behind hundreds of other Latinos picking up groceries from the Mission Food Hub .
But on a recent Thursday afternoon , she stood in a different line near the hub .
Wearing a mask , her red glasses propped on her head , Hernandez , 44 , a longtime resident of San Francisco ’ s Mission District , took a COVID-19 test under a tent , while dozens of others waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos , don ’ t have the opportunity to work from home , ” said Hernandez , a housekeeper who was seeking her second test in part because the pandemic has hit her community so hard .
A Times analysis has found that across California , people of color have been hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus , with Latino residents three times more likely to test positive than white residents .
At least part of the inequity can be explained by the large numbers of Latino and Black Californians who serve as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs from home and therefore more at risk of exposure to the virus .
Some of those with the lowest pay are reluctant to get regularly tested out of fear they could lose their job with a single positive test .
In San Francisco ’ s Mission District , a community task force aims to address those fears and help essential workers through hard times .
The Latino Task Force successfully advocated for a citywide wage replacement program to encourage people to stay home and quarantine if they test positive .
Public policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program ” provides a social safety net for workers , especially as states across the U.S. , including California , see a spike in cases .
“ People are willing to expose themselves because they have to live , they have to survive , ” said Jon Jacobo , who chairs the task force ’ s health committee , which partnered with UC San Francisco to conduct a study in the Mission to test Latinos .
The program , he said , aims to give people an incentive to stay home and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Formed after San Francisco ’ s original stay-at-home order was implemented in March , the task force , comprising four women and one man , originally focused on urging people to wash their hands .
But as the need has grown , so have their efforts .
They now help people apply for healthcare coverage , rental assistance and unemployment .
Most recently , they pushed for a COVID-19 testing site at the cultural center on Alabama Street , where volunteers hand out boxes of food to about 7,000 families each week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the receiving end of the help .
In San Francisco , the Mission District is home to most of the city ’ s Latino population , and the neighborhood ’ s rich history of activism and culture is depicted on the many murals that line the streets .
It ’ s the hardest-hit ZIP Code in a city where Latinos have paid the pandemic ’ s steepest price .
In San Francisco , Latinos account for 15 % of the population but make up nearly half of all positive COVID-19 cases .
Prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mission were struggling with San Francisco ’ s other crisis : gentrification .
Rising rents had pushed thousands out of the neighborhood and forced some families to double up in overcrowded dwellings , adding to the risks once the coronavirus arrived .
In Hernandez ’ s case , she worked three to four days a week cleaning homes .
Now , she ’ s hanging on to four cleanings a month — not enough to pay bills and rent and feed her two sons and husband , who works in construction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not rely on the government programs that are keeping some Americans afloat .
Under the CARES Act , many Americans received a check for $ 1,200 , but millions of others were left out .
California began offering $ 500 stimulus checks to residents without legal immigration status , but that money is still being disbursed .
On a recent Friday afternoon , Hernandez stayed home with her sons , Dylan , 12 , and Mathew , 5 .
At lunchtime , she joined Mathew for a call with his teacher and classmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a taco de huevos and slurped on a Popsicle as he caught up with his friends .
When the pandemic first hit , Hernandez and her husband dug into their emergency funds to cover their bills , because her work had stopped completely .
She had no paid sick leave , and none of her clients offered to keep paying her when they asked her to stay away .
She said she has not applied for services like food stamps because she doesn ’ t want to become a “ public charge.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monthly to rent a two-bedroom apartment , and that will probably go up .
She said she has considered moving away after living in the city for 16 years but feels drawn to San Francisco and her neighborhood , where she feels supported by the community and sees leaders like those in the task force advocating for people like her .
“ I have lived in other cities , and none of the services that we have here are accessible in those places , ” she said .
“ Yes , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , there are truly a lot of services here that you can access .
… It ’ s a very kindhearted city.
” In April , a UC San Francisco study confirmed what many task force organizers already suspected : Low-wage working Latinos were among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus in the city because sheltering in place was largely not an option .
Of the people who tested positive , 95 % were Latino ; more than 80 % of those who tested positive made less than $ 50,000 a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulier-Laiwa , said the group negotiated with the public health department to start testing at the cultural hub so that Latinos , who make up two-thirds of the neighborhood ’ s population , could be screened while seeking food or other help .
“ When people live in poverty , they don ’ t just have one problem or one issue , ” said Tulier-Laiwa , who grew up in the Mission but was forced out during a wave of gentrification .
“ There are multiple issues impacting people who are poor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not enough for them to receive results.
” There needs to be follow-through , too , she said .
On a recent Wednesday morning , Mission District resident Yani Gonzalez arrived at the school at 6:15 a.m. , an hour before volunteers showed up , to stake her place in line .
The line wrapped around the block and down for several more , with people standing six feet apart .
That day , Gonzalez , who has been out of a job for two months and just received her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box of vegetables , fruit , chicken and a gallon of milk just before 11 a.m .
The surprise item was a box of Velveeta macaroni and cheese .
But the real prize , said Roberto Y. Hernández , the task force member who started the food pantry in his garage before the group took over its warehouse space , is la masa .
Hernández said the señoras in line will often ask whether the corn flour , a home staple , is available that day .
It ’ s important for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the culture of Latino families , Hernández said .
Over the years , Hernández has decried gentrification and advocated for affordable housing units .
In some cases , people are set up in tents behind homes and charged rent , he said , or crowded into any space they can get , from closets to garages .
“ You go from one crisis to the corona crisis , ” he said .
He ’ s on the front lines with the task force , providing for the Mission District residents being left behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We know nobody else will do it for us .
The government has failed us on a local level , on a state level , on a federal level , ” he said .
When it came to finding a solution to keep workers quarantined at home , the task force found an ally in Supervisor Hillary Ronen .
Jacobo , chair of the task force ’ s health committee , said they had already been raising money privately to replace lost wages for people who tested positive , when Ronen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the city ’ s emergency fund , Give2SF , suggested tapping that for the program .
With $ 2 million , they created the right-to-recover program , which doesn ’ t require information about immigration or current employment status .
They began disbursing funds in July , she said , and so far , more than 200 people — 81 % of them Latino — have qualified .
While the idea was born in the Mission , residents in other areas , like Bayview , a historically Black neighborhood , and Chinatown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also apply .
“ Nothing happens this quickly in San Francisco , ” Ronen said .
But because the money is coming from donors , the task force was able to bypass a long implementation process .
“ We ’ re just really trying to make it possible for people to rest and get better and quarantine.
” Jamila Michener , co-director of the Cornell Center for Health Equity , said essential workers often face choosing between the lesser of two evils .
“ Nobody wants to go to work when they think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But if the choice is between that and seeing your children go hungry , you will expose people to this virus , ” said Michener , who teaches about race , public policy and poverty .
But she questioned the program ’ s reliance on its current source of funding .
“ I don ’ t think that the survival , the access to basic resources and the human dignity of people ” should be dependent on the generosity of wealthy people , she said .
The future of the program will rely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development , said that with the city facing a $ 1.5-billion budget deficit , officials will look to donors to keep the program going once the $ 2 million runs out .
Once the funds are out and they identify the need , “ we can go back out to philanthropy and say , this is an absolutely viable , valuable program that serves the communities in need , ” said Torres , whose office is supportive of but not part of the Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force have inspired others like Raymond Whitley , a 31-year-old Bayview resident , who said the struggles of the Latino and Black communities are often the same .
He said he wanted to take what is happening in the Mission — seeing the task force advocate for more testing and resources — and bring it to Bayview , where Black residents also shy away from getting tested for fear of losing their jobs .
“ We have to do it for our community , and we have to step up and speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do need it , too.
” Times video journalist Jackeline Luna and photojournalist Gary Coronado contributed to this report .

At least once a week in the mornings, Elsa Hernandez walks the mile from her apartment to the Mission Language and Vocational School, sometimes falling in line behind hundreds of other Latinos picking up groceries from the Mission Food Hub.
But on a recent Thursday afternoon, she stood in a different line near the hub. Wearing a mask, her red glasses propped on her head, Hernandez, 44, a longtime resident of San Francisco’s Mission District, took a COVID-19 test under a tent, while dozens of others waited their turn.
“We, as Latinos, don’t have the opportunity to work from home,” said Hernandez, a housekeeper who was seeking her second test in part because the pandemic has hit her community so hard.
A Times analysis has found that across California, people of color have been hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus, with Latino residents three times more likely to test positive than white residents.
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At least part of the inequity can be explained by the large numbers of Latino and Black Californians who serve as essential workers, unable to do their jobs from home and therefore more at risk of exposure to the virus. Some of those with the lowest pay are reluctant to get regularly tested out of fear they could lose their job with a single positive test.
In San Francisco’s Mission District, a community task force aims to address those fears and help essential workers through hard times.
From left, San Francisco State University nursing instructor Linda Mariscal and nursing students Philip Valdivia, Luis Villafranca, Annie Chen and Kathryn Domingo before they give COVID-19 tests to residents of the Mission District. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
The Latino Task Force successfully advocated for a citywide wage replacement program to encourage people to stay home and quarantine if they test positive. Public policy and labor experts say this “right-to-recover program” provides a social safety net for workers, especially as states across the U.S., including California, see a spike in cases.
“People are willing to expose themselves because they have to live, they have to survive,” said Jon Jacobo, who chairs the task force’s health committee, which partnered with UC San Francisco to conduct a study in the Mission to test Latinos. The program, he said, aims to give people an incentive to stay home and not have to worry about paying bills.
Formed after San Francisco’s original stay-at-home order was implemented in March, the task force, comprising four women and one man, originally focused on urging people to wash their hands.
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But as the need has grown, so have their efforts. They now help people apply for healthcare coverage, rental assistance and unemployment. Most recently, they pushed for a COVID-19 testing site at the cultural center on Alabama Street, where volunteers hand out boxes of food to about 7,000 families each week. Many of the volunteers are sometimes on the receiving end of the help.
In San Francisco, the Mission District is home to most of the city’s Latino population, and the neighborhood’s rich history of activism and culture is depicted on the many murals that line the streets.
It’s the hardest-hit ZIP Code in a city where Latinos have paid the pandemic’s steepest price. In San Francisco, Latinos account for 15% of the population but make up nearly half of all positive COVID-19 cases.
Prior to the pandemic, longtime residents of the Mission were struggling with San Francisco’s other crisis: gentrification. Rising rents had pushed thousands out of the neighborhood and forced some families to double up in overcrowded dwellings, adding to the risks once the coronavirus arrived.
In Hernandez’s case, she worked three to four days a week cleaning homes. Now, she’s hanging on to four cleanings a month — not enough to pay bills and rent and feed her two sons and husband, who works in construction.
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“We, as Latinos, don’t have the opportunity to work from home.” — Elsa Hernandez, housekeeper
Because she is undocumented, she cannot rely on the government programs that are keeping some Americans afloat. Under the CARES Act, many Americans received a check for $1,200, but millions of others were left out. California began offering $500 stimulus checks to residents without legal immigration status, but that money is still being disbursed.
On a recent Friday afternoon, Hernandez stayed home with her sons, Dylan, 12, and Mathew, 5. At lunchtime, she joined Mathew for a call with his teacher and classmates on a laptop. Mathew munched on a taco de huevos and slurped on a Popsicle as he caught up with his friends.
When the pandemic first hit, Hernandez and her husband dug into their emergency funds to cover their bills, because her work had stopped completely. She had no paid sick leave, and none of her clients offered to keep paying her when they asked her to stay away. She said she has not applied for services like food stamps because she doesn’t want to become a “public charge.”
She and her husband pay $2,613 monthly to rent a two-bedroom apartment, and that will probably go up. She said she has considered moving away after living in the city for 16 years but feels drawn to San Francisco and her neighborhood, where she feels supported by the community and sees leaders like those in the task force advocating for people like her.
“I have lived in other cities, and none of the services that we have here are accessible in those places,” she said. “Yes, this is an expensive city, but the truth is, there are truly a lot of services here that you can access. … It’s a very kindhearted city.”
Josefina Coronado of San Francisco takes a COVID-19 test administered by Alyssa Tabula left and Annie Chen, both nursing students at San Francisco State University. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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In April, a UC San Francisco study confirmed what many task force organizers already suspected: Low-wage working Latinos were among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus in the city because sheltering in place was largely not an option. Of the people who tested positive, 95% were Latino; more than 80% of those who tested positive made less than $50,000 a year.
One task force member, Valerie Tulier-Laiwa, said the group negotiated with the public health department to start testing at the cultural hub so that Latinos, who make up two-thirds of the neighborhood’s population, could be screened while seeking food or other help.
Cesar Moran waits to receive a COVID-19 test at the Mission Language and Vocational School. A UC San Francisco study shows that economic factors fueled COVID-19 transmission in Latino essential workers and their families. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
“When people live in poverty, they don’t just have one problem or one issue,” said Tulier-Laiwa, who grew up in the Mission but was forced out during a wave of gentrification. “There are multiple issues impacting people who are poor. So for us, we know that it’s not enough for them to receive results.” There needs to be follow-through, too, she said.
On a recent Wednesday morning, Mission District resident Yani Gonzalez arrived at the school at 6:15 a.m., an hour before volunteers showed up, to stake her place in line. The line wrapped around the block and down for several more, with people standing six feet apart. That day, Gonzalez, who has been out of a job for two months and just received her first unemployment check, took home a box of vegetables, fruit, chicken and a gallon of milk just before 11 a.m. The surprise item was a box of Velveeta macaroni and cheese.
But the real prize, said Roberto Y. Hernández, the task force member who started the food pantry in his garage before the group took over its warehouse space, is la masa. Hernández said the señoras in line will often ask whether the corn flour, a home staple, is available that day.
It’s important for him to source food that is part of the culture of Latino families, Hernández said.
Over the years, Hernández has decried gentrification and advocated for affordable housing units. In some cases, people are set up in tents behind homes and charged rent, he said, or crowded into any space they can get, from closets to garages.
Volunteer Margarita Gonzalez prepares boxes of food to be distributed to some 1,800 families by the Mission Food Hub. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
“You go from one crisis to the corona crisis,” he said. He’s on the front lines with the task force, providing for the Mission District residents being left behind by government programs, often immigrant Latinos. “We know nobody else will do it for us. The government has failed us on a local level, on a state level, on a federal level,” he said.
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When it came to finding a solution to keep workers quarantined at home, the task force found an ally in Supervisor Hillary Ronen.
Jacobo, chair of the task force’s health committee, said they had already been raising money privately to replace lost wages for people who tested positive, when Ronen, who sits on an oversight committee for the city’s emergency fund, Give2SF, suggested tapping that for the program.
With $2 million, they created the right-to-recover program, which doesn’t require information about immigration or current employment status. They began disbursing funds in July, she said, and so far, more than 200 people — 81% of them Latino — have qualified. While the idea was born in the Mission, residents in other areas, like Bayview, a historically Black neighborhood, and Chinatown, which is predominantly Asian, can also apply.
“Nothing happens this quickly in San Francisco,” Ronen said. But because the money is coming from donors, the task force was able to bypass a long implementation process. “We’re just really trying to make it possible for people to rest and get better and quarantine.”
Jamila Michener, co-director of the Cornell Center for Health Equity, said essential workers often face choosing between the lesser of two evils.
Advertisement
Pedestrians on 24th Street in the Mission District. The mural in the background, “Alto al Fuego en la Mision” (Ceasefire in the Mission), is dedicated to victims of police shootings and immigration violence. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
“Nobody wants to go to work when they think they have COVID-19 and expose people. But if the choice is between that and seeing your children go hungry, you will expose people to this virus,” said Michener, who teaches about race, public policy and poverty.
But she questioned the program’s reliance on its current source of funding.
“I don’t think that the survival, the access to basic resources and the human dignity of people” should be dependent on the generosity of wealthy people, she said.
The future of the program will rely on philanthropy. Joaquín Torres, director of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said that with the city facing a $1.5-billion budget deficit, officials will look to donors to keep the program going once the $2 million runs out.
Once the funds are out and they identify the need, “we can go back out to philanthropy and say, this is an absolutely viable, valuable program that serves the communities in need,” said Torres, whose office is supportive of but not part of the Latino Task Force.
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The actions of the task force have inspired others like Raymond Whitley, a 31-year-old Bayview resident, who said the struggles of the Latino and Black communities are often the same. He said he wanted to take what is happening in the Mission — seeing the task force advocate for more testing and resources — and bring it to Bayview, where Black residents also shy away from getting tested for fear of losing their jobs.
“We have to do it for our community, and we have to step up and speak up,” he said. “We do need it, too.”
Times video journalist Jackeline Luna and photojournalist Gary Coronado contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-21--L.A. may face a grim distinction: the biggest U.S. city with a second stay-home order

Los Angeles was one of the first major cities in the nation to impose a stay-at-home order when the COVID-19 pandemic hit .
Now , L.A. may soon have the dubious distinction of being the biggest U.S. city to receive a second stay-at-home order , amid a surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that so far shows few signs of slowing .
For two weeks , Mayor Eric Garcetti has warned that the city is close to returning to some type of stay-at-home order due to the new increase — which became clear in June after businesses began to rapidly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
On Sunday , he said a decision will probably come in the next week or two as officials determine whether restrictions imposed in late June and July — such as closing bars , indoor restaurant dining and shopping malls — slowed the rapid community spread of COVID-19 .
Los Angeles had long been one of the hardest-hit parts of California , recording a disproportionate share of the total cases and fatalities .
But the new wave has also hit surrounding counties such as Orange , San Bernardino and Riverside .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although some heavily populated areas have been hit relatively less hard so far , like the Bay Area , which has seen fewer than half as many new cases over the last two weeks than L.A. County on a per capita basis .
Some health experts said the situation makes another stay-at-home order for Los Angeles County a real possibility if the conditions don ’ t improve soon .
“ I wish we weren ’ t in this situation , I really do , ” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , chair of UC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biostatistics .
“ And again , I want to stress this is not punitive .
We are in a situation where we did so well at the beginning of this pandemic .
And I believe we could get back there ... but it means for a period of time , we have to do what it takes to make sure the virus has no place to go.
” Few , if any , big cities in the U.S. have reimposed a second stay at home order after reopening .
But Leicester , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garment industry — was forced to do so after a severe outbreak among heavily nonwhite areas of the city , according to the medical journal Lancet .
Even a less strict version of the spring stay-at-home order would be a devastating blow to Los Angeles , where the coronavirus has battered the economy and the county ’ s unemployment rate hovered around 19.5 % in June .
Many cheered when state and local officials began reopening the economy in May and June , hoping that social distancing , masks and workplace safety rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hasn ’ t worked out that way .
Some people went back to old habits , such as participating in summer social events , and it ’ s becoming increasingly clear some employers are not enforcing safety rules .
Latino workers are getting sick at disproportionate levels , and officials believe many are becoming infected at work and bringing the virus home .
Stuart Waldman , president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn.
, watched with dismay as people ignored health guidance .
“ The city reopened , but people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing before , ” Waldman said .
“ Unfortunately , people jumped back in like the virus was gone.
” Another shutdown could leave businesses , already reeling from months of losses , at the breaking point .
“ It ’ s very important for businesses to be able to plan , and if we keep opening and closing , that is not in the best interest of those businesses that are trying to stay open , ” said Maria Salinas , president of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 3,128 new cases , pushing the cumulative total past 159,000 .
The number of people hospitalized in L.A. County with confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday was 2,218 — the second-worst tally so far in the pandemic , just below the record of 2,232 set on Saturday .
More than 4,100 people in the county have died .
Among California ’ s most populated counties , L.A. County has one of the worst per-capita rates of coronavirus-related deaths in the last two weeks , reporting 6 deaths per 100,000 residents .
Orange and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 residents ; San Diego and San Bernardino counties , 2.8 ; Ventura County , 1.2 ; and San Francisco , 0.2 .
Despite the increase , L.A. County is still in good shape when it comes to available hospital beds .
Hospitalizations are rising but not as dramatically as seen in some weeks .
Officials are hoping to see cases begin to flatten in the coming week , accounting for new restrictions implemented just before the July Fourth holiday and beyond .
But no one is sure if that will materialize .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes in behavior can still save the day .
“ It ’ s not just about what ’ s open and what ’ s closed .
Much of this is also about our actions , ” Garcetti said at a news briefing Friday .
“ You could close plenty more , but if young people were still congregating outside of their household in large numbers , we would still see spread.
” Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County public health director , said Monday that there are three main reasons for why people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people not taking the disease seriously .
In particular , the spread at work happens at places “ where people are very close together for long periods of time , and where the business owners and operators haven ’ t yet fully implemented the directives to try to keep people as separated from each other as possible , ” Ferrer said .
Just months ago , local leaders were thanking Angelenos for staying at home and following social distancing guidelines .
Then , some businesses were allowed to reopen in May .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many businesses in counties across the state were again ordered closed under an order issued by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
Garcetti was asked at the news briefing what would need to happen for him to support another stay-at-home order .
Garcetti said he supported Newsom ’ s recent decision to shut down some businesses and that he is waiting to see the effects of those moves before acting .
“ If you just go with this moment , you ’ re basically making decisions based on where we were two to three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti also said his goal was to get L.A. off the state ’ s watchlist .
His spokesman , Alex Comisar , said that requires reducing disease transmission , lowering hospitalization and ensuring adequate hospital capacity .
Meanwhile , Garcetti told CNN on Sunday that “ mayors often have no control what opens up and doesn ’ t — that ’ s either at a state or county level .
And I do agree that those things happened too quickly.
” Despite his comments , local leaders like Garcetti are permitted to issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than those issued by the county or state , just not rules that are more lenient .
Garcetti in fact did so on March 19 , issuing a stay-at-home order for the city of Los Angeles , while county officials stopped short of such an order .
The distinction did not receive much attention at the time , however , since Newsom on the same day also issued a statewide stay-at-home order .
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger , when asked about Garcetti ’ s comments on CNN , suggested in a statement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations about reopening the region .
“ All of the decisions regarding the initial Safer at Home orders , the gradual reopening of businesses and activities , and the subsequent closures have been done in collaboration with local leaders and health officials , and guided by public health data , ” Barger said .
At a news briefing Monday , Barger defended the decision to open up L.A. County ’ s economy , but added that the county needs to do a better job of getting out its message that reopening up society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let their guard down.
” “ And I believe that is what happened … you had Memorial Day as well as protests that were taking place .
People were not practicing social distancing and , in fact , in some cases , were not wearing a mask , ” Barger said .

Los Angeles was one of the first major cities in the nation to impose a stay-at-home order when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Now, L.A. may soon have the dubious distinction of being the biggest U.S. city to receive a second stay-at-home order, amid a surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations that so far shows few signs of slowing.
For two weeks, Mayor Eric Garcetti has warned that the city is close to returning to some type of stay-at-home order due to the new increase — which became clear in June after businesses began to rapidly reopen in May — but has held off.
On Sunday, he said a decision will probably come in the next week or two as officials determine whether restrictions imposed in late June and July — such as closing bars, indoor restaurant dining and shopping malls — slowed the rapid community spread of COVID-19.
Los Angeles had long been one of the hardest-hit parts of California, recording a disproportionate share of the total cases and fatalities.
Advertisement
But the new wave has also hit surrounding counties such as Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside. All of California is seeing rising cases, although some heavily populated areas have been hit relatively less hard so far, like the Bay Area, which has seen fewer than half as many new cases over the last two weeks than L.A. County on a per capita basis.
Politics Trump and Congress square off over coronavirus aid as crisis worsens President Trump is acknowledging a “big flare-up” in COVID-19 cases, but divisions between the White House and Congress are threatening passage of a new federal aid package.
Some health experts said the situation makes another stay-at-home order for Los Angeles County a real possibility if the conditions don’t improve soon.
“I wish we weren’t in this situation, I really do,” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “And again, I want to stress this is not punitive. We are in a situation where we did so well at the beginning of this pandemic. And I believe we could get back there ... but it means for a period of time, we have to do what it takes to make sure the virus has no place to go.”
Few, if any, big cities in the U.S. have reimposed a second stay at home order after reopening. But Leicester, England — which is known for its garment industry — was forced to do so after a severe outbreak among heavily nonwhite areas of the city, according to the medical journal Lancet.
Even a less strict version of the spring stay-at-home order would be a devastating blow to Los Angeles, where the coronavirus has battered the economy and the county’s unemployment rate hovered around 19.5% in June. Many cheered when state and local officials began reopening the economy in May and June, hoping that social distancing, masks and workplace safety rules would keep COVID-19 in check.
Advertisement
But it hasn’t worked out that way.
Some people went back to old habits, such as participating in summer social events, and it’s becoming increasingly clear some employers are not enforcing safety rules. Latino workers are getting sick at disproportionate levels, and officials believe many are becoming infected at work and bringing the virus home.
Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., watched with dismay as people ignored health guidance.
“The city reopened, but people’s behavior reverted to what they were doing before,” Waldman said. “Unfortunately, people jumped back in like the virus was gone.”
Another shutdown could leave businesses, already reeling from months of losses, at the breaking point.
“It’s very important for businesses to be able to plan, and if we keep opening and closing, that is not in the best interest of those businesses that are trying to stay open,” said Maria Salinas, president of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
On Monday, public health officials reported at least 3,128 new cases, pushing the cumulative total past 159,000.
The number of people hospitalized in L.A. County with confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday was 2,218 — the second-worst tally so far in the pandemic, just below the record of 2,232 set on Saturday.
More than 4,100 people in the county have died. Among California’s most populated counties, L.A. County has one of the worst per-capita rates of coronavirus-related deaths in the last two weeks, reporting 6 deaths per 100,000 residents. Orange and Riverside counties reported about 4 deaths per 100,000 residents; San Diego and San Bernardino counties, 2.8; Ventura County, 1.2; and San Francisco, 0.2.
Despite the increase, L.A. County is still in good shape when it comes to available hospital beds. Hospitalizations are rising but not as dramatically as seen in some weeks.
Officials are hoping to see cases begin to flatten in the coming week, accounting for new restrictions implemented just before the July Fourth holiday and beyond. But no one is sure if that will materialize.
Garcetti and other leaders have suggested that changes in behavior can still save the day.
“It’s not just about what’s open and what’s closed. Much of this is also about our actions,” Garcetti said at a news briefing Friday. “You could close plenty more, but if young people were still congregating outside of their household in large numbers, we would still see spread.”
Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County public health director, said Monday that there are three main reasons for why people are getting infected: gatherings, workplaces and people not taking the disease seriously.
In particular, the spread at work happens at places “where people are very close together for long periods of time, and where the business owners and operators haven’t yet fully implemented the directives to try to keep people as separated from each other as possible,” Ferrer said.
Just months ago, local leaders were thanking Angelenos for staying at home and following social distancing guidelines. Then, some businesses were allowed to reopen in May. But as cases ticked up again, many businesses in counties across the state were again ordered closed under an order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Garcetti was asked at the news briefing what would need to happen for him to support another stay-at-home order. Garcetti said he supported Newsom’s recent decision to shut down some businesses and that he is waiting to see the effects of those moves before acting.
“If you just go with this moment, you’re basically making decisions based on where we were two to three weeks ago,” Garcetti said.
Garcetti also said his goal was to get L.A. off the state’s watchlist. His spokesman, Alex Comisar, said that requires reducing disease transmission, lowering hospitalization and ensuring adequate hospital capacity.
Meanwhile, Garcetti told CNN on Sunday that “mayors often have no control what opens up and doesn’t — that’s either at a state or county level. And I do agree that those things happened too quickly.”
Despite his comments, local leaders like Garcetti are permitted to issue closure and stay-at-home restrictions that are stricter than those issued by the county or state, just not rules that are more lenient.
Garcetti in fact did so on March 19, issuing a stay-at-home order for the city of Los Angeles, while county officials stopped short of such an order. The distinction did not receive much attention at the time, however, since Newsom on the same day also issued a statewide stay-at-home order.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, when asked about Garcetti’s comments on CNN, suggested in a statement that the mayor was not left out of conversations about reopening the region.
“All of the decisions regarding the initial Safer at Home orders, the gradual reopening of businesses and activities, and the subsequent closures have been done in collaboration with local leaders and health officials, and guided by public health data,” Barger said.
At a news briefing Monday, Barger defended the decision to open up L.A. County’s economy, but added that the county needs to do a better job of getting out its message that reopening up society “doesn’t mean people can let their guard down.”
“And I believe that is what happened … you had Memorial Day as well as protests that were taking place. People were not practicing social distancing and, in fact, in some cases, were not wearing a mask,” Barger said.
Times staff writer Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-20--San Bernardino County hits record for ICU patients hospitalized for COVID-19 symptoms

San Bernardino County reached a new record for coronavirus patients in intensive care units Monday and positive cases surpassed 24,000 @ @ @ @ @ to the California Department of Public Health .
As of Monday afternoon , 613 people @ @ @ @ @ whom were in ICU marking , a new high for the county .
But the @ @ @ @ @ hospitalized fell from last week ’ s high of 625 , .
San Bernardino County @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus hospitalizations in the state , according to the California Department of Public Health .
@ @ @ @ @ a record number of coronavirus hospitalizations on Monday .
Records show that 2,232 people were @ @ @ @ @ the highest single-day number reported and the sixth consecutive day that hospitalizations surpassed 2,100 patients @ @ @ @ @ has 24,099 positive COVID-19 cases , which is 327 more than the previous day .
@ @ @ @ @ toll is 329 , records show .

The coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19, is isolated from a patient in the U.S.
San Bernardino County reached a new record for coronavirus patients in intensive care units Monday and positive cases surpassed 24,000 over the weekend, according to the California Department of Public Health.
As of Monday afternoon, 613 people were hospitalized, 194 of whom were in ICU marking, a new high for the county. But the overall number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized fell from last week’s high of 625, records show .
San Bernardino County has the third-highest number of coronavirus hospitalizations in the state, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Los Angeles County also reported a record number of coronavirus hospitalizations on Monday. Records show that 2,232 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms — the highest single-day number reported and the sixth consecutive day that hospitalizations surpassed 2,100 patients.
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San Bernardino County now has 24,099 positive COVID-19 cases, which is 327 more than the previous day. The county’s death toll is 329, records show.
Times staff reporter Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-21--At SoCal's drive-in concerts, fans, artists and promoters make the best of a live-music apocalypse

If you closed your eyes and leaned back in your car seat Saturday night at the Ventura County Fairgrounds , you ’ d have smelled the cool salt air and heard the manic ska-funk-punk of L.A. 's Fishbone and Ozomatli .
You ’ d have almost felt like live music was back to normal in Southern California .
At the show , one of the region ’ s first drive-in concerts bringing live music back during the COVID-19 pandemic , cars encircled the main stage , plonked in the middle of the outdoor venue ’ s vast seaside parking lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show on big LED screens ) .
Some families , donning face masks , climbed on the roofs of their cars to get an optimal view , while others stayed in , clandestinely tailgating with takeout pizza .
Over a well-synced FM radio signal , Fishbone played its ageless hits — “ Party at Ground Zero , ” “ Lyin ’ Ass Bitch ” — with extra verve to rouse those in attendance in the 500 cars at the show .
Concertgoers honked their approval at the end of songs .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one left their vehicles , or the Hollywood Bowl , if they brought the stage out to meet the Highland Avenue traffic .
For the time being , and for who knows how long beyond that , it ’ ll likely be the only way we see shows in SoCal .
“ 2022 feels realistic about being back to normal , ” lamented Vincenzo Giammanco , the founder of CBF Productions , which produces the Concerts in Your Car series at the Ventura County Fairgrounds .
“ But there will be creative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country , including California , the live music business may be falling off a cliff .
California has more than 400,000 confirmed cases and 7,779 deaths from COVID-19 .
Former WME music head Marc Geiger recently said he didn ’ t expect large shows to return for another year and a half at the soonest .
Major promoters like AEG have laid off or cut pay for much of its workforce ; small venues like the Satellite have announced the end of live music in their storied rooms ; and music-driven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully recover .
Companies like Spotify , Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have redoubled their lobbying efforts with the National Independent Venue Assn .
to try and protect music venues from total collapse , in part by supporting the Restart Act , a bill in Congress that would extend and bolster the Paycheck Protection Program .
With supplemental unemployment benefits drying up at the end of the month , and few expectations for additional entertainment-specific aid packages , promoters have had to find workarounds .
Some have reached back into Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary answer : drive-in concerts .
L.A. ’ s midcentury 20th culture was in a big way defined by drive-in attractions .
In the 1950s , there was the popular Gilmore Drive-In , now the site of the Grove outdoor mall , while the Van Nuys Drive-In Theatre was lovingly re-created for “ Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.
” The city ’ s retro-futuristic Googie architecture came into its form to attract passing cars from freeways .
In the COVID-19 era , drive-in concerts were first mounted in Denmark , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But if there ’ s anywhere in the world prepared to bring them back , it ’ s Southern California .
“ I used to go to drive-ins when I was a kid .
I never thought we ’ d see the day when you ’ d go to one to see a concert , ” Angelo Moore , Fishbone ’ s founding singer and saxophonist , said the day before his Ventura show , which also featured sets from stalwart L.A. Latin rockers Ozomatli and Ventura ’ s Rey Fresco .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wind and produced nondistanced , mask-free sets from country singers like Chase Rice and Chris Janson , the vast majority of touring acts and promoters have refrained from such shows .
But Moore admitted that for a band like his that makes much of its living on the road , COVID-19 has been devastating .
“ Ever since corona hit the scene , it ’ s been difficult to make a living .
It is hard to plan for the future , so I guess God ’ s making us take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
For Moore , Saturday ’ s show was both a fiscal and personal relief .
“ Entertainment ’ s been hurt badly , so people are glad to get together for music , even if from their cars , because there ’ s no other way , ” he said .
Giammanco was even more blunt about COVID-19 ’ s impact on concerts .
“ Catastrophic , I think that ’ s the right word , ” he said .
“ There might not be any shows this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had to furlough and lay off everybody .
We went from thriving in 2019 to nothing.
” His company usually produces around 12 large events across California , including the popular Boots & Brews country music festival , which draws around 20,000 fans to Santa Clarita .
After forming a plan for drive-in shows in April , Giammanco got a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program to restart his company for a few months , booked acts like Third Eye Blind , Fitz and the Tantrums and Sublime With Rome , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what worked for a car show .
“ It ’ s not like you can go to a show to figure it out first , ” he said .
“ It ’ s kind of surreal.
” Safety protocols were visible and strict — patrons stayed close to their cars , masks were required , and staff is tested weekly for COVID-19 .
The series is not a permanent replacement for live shows .
These sets attract perhaps a tenth of the audience that a festival would bring in , and the sheer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars puts a limit on capacity .
With extra production costs and no concession sales , the margins are slimmer too .
But so far , 33,000 people have attended various concerts , films and stage shows for the series , and hopefully , it will be enough to keep the lights on during a dark year .
“ While it ’ s all upside down , we ’ re happy to be able to work , ” Giammanco said .
“ A break from constant negativity is essential.
” Even the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a stopgap .
Last month , Live Nation began its Live From the Drive-In series , a slate of nine concerts held across the Midwest , with acts like Brad Paisley , Darius Rucker , Jon Pardi and Nelly .
Fans — around 1,000 cars for the St. Louis events , at about $ 125 per vehicle — could tailgate next to their vehicles .
Live Nation , the world ’ s largest concert promoter , has seen revenues collapse during the pandemic .
Drive-in sets may be one way to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of whom may be off the road for a year or more — with something approximating a return to performing .
Many acts are experimenting with the format .
Garth Brooks , the Avett Brothers , Blake Shelton and Los Lobos have booked or performed drive-in sets across the country this summer .
While drive-in shows have leaned toward country music and middle America , their footprint is growing : dance-music duo the Chainsmokers are headlining a drive-in charity benefit in the Hamptons next week , with tickets starting at $ 1,250 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drive-in concerts have also subbed for private or corporate concerts , wherein artists are handsomely compensated by a brand to perform for a select number of influential invitees .
Last week , German luxury car manufacturer Audi sponsored an intimate , invitation-only drive-in concert in Malibu featuring R & B artist Kehlani , billed as an event to honor front-line and essential workers .
The lawn at Calamigos Ranch was filled with neat rows of gleaming new Audis ( provided free as transport to each concertgoer ) , all of which faced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ Cars ” franchise .
“ It ’ s nice to socially distantly meet y ’ all , ” Kehlani said to the humans in attendance , among them NBA great Dwyane Wade and actor Gabrielle Union , who chose to watch ( and dance ) from the adjacent makeshift parking space allotted to each carload .
Kehlani and her band gamely debuted songs from her new album ( “ I haven ’ t sung for three months , because I ’ ve been in the house , ” she said apologetically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gathered weren ’ t paying fans or because cars can ’ t clap , the finish of each song was greeted not by the usual rapturous applause of a packed audience but by an eerie , depressing quiet .
Other venues have had more luck .
Jordan Harding , general manager of the City National Grove of Anaheim , knew he was taking a gamble when he booked three drive-in sets from singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon last week .
“ A lot of artists were waiting to see the proof-of-concept , ” Harding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live entertainment now , and artists are craving performance opportunities.
” The three shows sold out — 274 cars per set in the venue ’ s parking lot , which meant around 2,500 fans over the three-day weekend .
An additional 4,000 paid to livestream the set at home .
It ’ s not a replacement for the venue ’ s 1,700 capacity for a typical show , but it ’ s better than nothing .
While new protocols like an app to queue for restrooms and temperature checks at the gate took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time being , it ’ s been very helpful , ” Harding said .
“ It ’ s amazing to see our staff back to work and cutting them paychecks and know they ’ re feeding families .
That kept me up a lot in the last few months.
” The surreality of COVID-19 life means that , for now , all entertainment will be seen on a digital screen or through a car window .
No one throwing these drive-in shows wants for this time to be anything other than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
But they already have artists like Moore longing for the days when crowds can get rowdy again .
“ Maybe instead of mosh pits with people , there ’ s gon na be a mosh pit of cars , like at a destruction derby , ” Moore joked .
“ That might be pretty expensive for your car insurance , though .
”

The Concerts in Your Car series at the Ventura County Fairgrounds featured Fishbone and Ozomatli on July 18. “People are glad to get together for music,” said Fishbone’s Angelo Moore.
If you closed your eyes and leaned back in your car seat Saturday night at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, you’d have smelled the cool salt air and heard the manic ska-funk-punk of L.A.’s Fishbone and Ozomatli. You’d have almost felt like live music was back to normal in Southern California.
At the show, one of the region’s first drive-in concerts bringing live music back during the COVID-19 pandemic, cars encircled the main stage, plonked in the middle of the outdoor venue’s vast seaside parking lot (fans in the back could view the show on big LED screens).
Some families, donning face masks, climbed on the roofs of their cars to get an optimal view, while others stayed in, clandestinely tailgating with takeout pizza. Over a well-synced FM radio signal, Fishbone played its ageless hits — “Party at Ground Zero,” “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” — with extra verve to rouse those in attendance in the 500 cars at the show. Concertgoers honked their approval at the end of songs.
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It was a bit like Coachella, if no one left their vehicles, or the Hollywood Bowl, if they brought the stage out to meet the Highland Avenue traffic. For the time being, and for who knows how long beyond that, it’ll likely be the only way we see shows in SoCal.
“2022 feels realistic about being back to normal,” lamented Vincenzo Giammanco, the founder of CBF Productions, which produces the Concerts in Your Car series at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. “But there will be creative adaptations.”
Fishbone’s Angelo Moore at Concerts in Your Car at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on July 18 in Ventura, Calif.
(Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
As COVID-19 explodes across much of the country, including California, the live music business may be falling off a cliff. California has more than 400,000 confirmed cases and 7,779 deaths from COVID-19. Former WME music head Marc Geiger recently said he didn’t expect large shows to return for another year and a half at the soonest. Major promoters like AEG have laid off or cut pay for much of its workforce; small venues like the Satellite have announced the end of live music in their storied rooms; and music-driven neighborhoods like Highland Park may struggle to fully recover. Companies like Spotify, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have redoubled their lobbying efforts with the National Independent Venue Assn. to try and protect music venues from total collapse, in part by supporting the Restart Act, a bill in Congress that would extend and bolster the Paycheck Protection Program.
With supplemental unemployment benefits drying up at the end of the month, and few expectations for additional entertainment-specific aid packages, promoters have had to find workarounds. Some have reached back into Southern California car culture for at least a temporary answer: drive-in concerts.
L.A.’s midcentury 20th culture was in a big way defined by drive-in attractions. In the 1950s, there was the popular Gilmore Drive-In, now the site of the Grove outdoor mall, while the Van Nuys Drive-In Theatre was lovingly re-created for “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.” The city’s retro-futuristic Googie architecture came into its form to attract passing cars from freeways.
In the COVID-19 era, drive-in concerts were first mounted in Denmark, with an April set from singer Mads Langer. But if there’s anywhere in the world prepared to bring them back, it’s Southern California.
“I used to go to drive-ins when I was a kid. I never thought we’d see the day when you’d go to one to see a concert,” Angelo Moore, Fishbone’s founding singer and saxophonist, said the day before his Ventura show, which also featured sets from stalwart L.A. Latin rockers Ozomatli and Ventura’s Rey Fresco.
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Natalie Vidal and her husband, Brandon, left, dance to Fishbone at Concerts in Your Car in Ventura, Calif. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
While some promoters have thrown caution to the wind and produced nondistanced, mask-free sets from country singers like Chase Rice and Chris Janson, the vast majority of touring acts and promoters have refrained from such shows. But Moore admitted that for a band like his that makes much of its living on the road, COVID-19 has been devastating.
“Ever since corona hit the scene, it’s been difficult to make a living. It is hard to plan for the future, so I guess God’s making us take a break whether we like it or not,” he said.
For Moore, Saturday’s show was both a fiscal and personal relief. “Entertainment’s been hurt badly, so people are glad to get together for music, even if from their cars, because there’s no other way,” he said.
Giammanco was even more blunt about COVID-19’s impact on concerts. “Catastrophic, I think that’s the right word,” he said. “There might not be any shows this year, and without any income, I had to furlough and lay off everybody. We went from thriving in 2019 to nothing.”
His company usually produces around 12 large events across California, including the popular Boots & Brews country music festival, which draws around 20,000 fans to Santa Clarita. After forming a plan for drive-in shows in April, Giammanco got a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program to restart his company for a few months, booked acts like Third Eye Blind, Fitz and the Tantrums and Sublime With Rome, and had to learn on the fly about what worked for a car show.
“It’s not like you can go to a show to figure it out first,” he said. “It’s kind of surreal.”
Safety protocols were visible and strict — patrons stayed close to their cars, masks were required, and staff is tested weekly for COVID-19.
The series is not a permanent replacement for live shows. These sets attract perhaps a tenth of the audience that a festival would bring in, and the sheer amount of space required for socially distanced cars puts a limit on capacity. With extra production costs and no concession sales, the margins are slimmer too. But so far, 33,000 people have attended various concerts, films and stage shows for the series, and hopefully, it will be enough to keep the lights on during a dark year.
“While it’s all upside down, we’re happy to be able to work,” Giammanco said. “A break from constant negativity is essential.”
Even the largest promoters might be counting on that format as a stopgap. Last month, Live Nation began its Live From the Drive-In series, a slate of nine concerts held across the Midwest, with acts like Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi and Nelly. Fans — around 1,000 cars for the St. Louis events, at about $125 per vehicle — could tailgate next to their vehicles.
Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, has seen revenues collapse during the pandemic. Drive-in sets may be one way to keep employees on payroll and give artists — many of whom may be off the road for a year or more — with something approximating a return to performing.
Many acts are experimenting with the format. Garth Brooks, the Avett Brothers, Blake Shelton and Los Lobos have booked or performed drive-in sets across the country this summer. While drive-in shows have leaned toward country music and middle America, their footprint is growing: dance-music duo the Chainsmokers are headlining a drive-in charity benefit in the Hamptons next week, with tickets starting at $1,250 and going up to $25,000.
Drive-in concerts have also subbed for private or corporate concerts, wherein artists are handsomely compensated by a brand to perform for a select number of influential invitees.
Cars are lined up for Audi Presents: Summer Drive-in Concert featuring Kehlani at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Audi)
Last week, German luxury car manufacturer Audi sponsored an intimate, invitation-only drive-in concert in Malibu featuring R&B artist Kehlani, billed as an event to honor front-line and essential workers. The lawn at Calamigos Ranch was filled with neat rows of gleaming new Audis (provided free as transport to each concertgoer), all of which faced the stage like a scene from Pixar’s “Cars” franchise.
“It’s nice to socially distantly meet y’all,” Kehlani said to the humans in attendance, among them NBA great Dwyane Wade and actor Gabrielle Union, who chose to watch (and dance) from the adjacent makeshift parking space allotted to each carload.
Kehlani and her band gamely debuted songs from her new album (“I haven’t sung for three months, because I’ve been in the house,” she said apologetically), but whether it was because the gathered weren’t paying fans or because cars can’t clap, the finish of each song was greeted not by the usual rapturous applause of a packed audience but by an eerie, depressing quiet.
Other venues have had more luck. Jordan Harding, general manager of the City National Grove of Anaheim, knew he was taking a gamble when he booked three drive-in sets from singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon last week. “A lot of artists were waiting to see the proof-of-concept,” Harding said. “But people are craving live entertainment now, and artists are craving performance opportunities.”
The three shows sold out — 274 cars per set in the venue’s parking lot, which meant around 2,500 fans over the three-day weekend. An additional 4,000 paid to livestream the set at home. It’s not a replacement for the venue’s 1,700 capacity for a typical show, but it’s better than nothing.
While new protocols like an app to queue for restrooms and temperature checks at the gate took some getting used to, “for the time being, it’s been very helpful,” Harding said. “It’s amazing to see our staff back to work and cutting them paychecks and know they’re feeding families. That kept me up a lot in the last few months.”
The surreality of COVID-19 life means that, for now, all entertainment will be seen on a digital screen or through a car window. No one throwing these drive-in shows wants for this time to be anything other than a strange interregnum before sets can return to normal. But they already have artists like Moore longing for the days when crowds can get rowdy again.
“Maybe instead of mosh pits with people, there’s gonna be a mosh pit of cars, like at a destruction derby,” Moore joked. “That might be pretty expensive for your car insurance, though.”
VIDEO | 06:22 Drive-in concerts Watch LA Times Today at 7 PM/10PM on channel 1 on Spectrum News 1, and on Cox systems in Palos Verdes and Orange County on channel 99.
Times pop music editor Craig Marks contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-21--Restaurant spurs uproar and risks being closed down for defying virus orders

A Northern California restaurant has caused an uproar by dismissing county orders to practice COVID-19 safety protocols .
The sign in front of the Apple Bistro in Placerville warns that social distancing is not practiced and that “ oxygen deprivation ” masks and “ dirty germ spreader ” gloves are not worn .
The policy comes with a clear message : “ This may not be for you.
” The El Dorado County restaurant ’ s decision has stirred debate among longtime customers — both those who defend the business and others who have denounced their allegiance — on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now includes an “ unusual activity alert ” label as the page has been flooded by posts with the recent news .
Some claimed that they were denied service for wearing a mask , an allegation that the restaurant has denied .
“ We don ’ t discriminate against anybody with masks .
We give people a choice , ” a female employee who did not identify herself said over the phone before hanging up .
The restaurant did not respond to further inquiry via email , and attempts to reconnect by phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No one has ever been asked to leave for wearing a mask , ever , ” the restaurant states on Facebook .
“ We will not have vulgar posts , threats , or lies about us on our page attempting to ‘ Cancel ’ us .
We furthermore will not allow people that are acting this way to continue to post on our page ” The county has received upward of 50 complaints about the restaurant since July 16 , communications director Carla Hass said Tuesday .
The county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s owner and partner Monday to ensure that they understood the state ’ s guidelines and to warn that if an additional complaint was received and verified , the county would suspend their permit , meaning they ’ d have to close their doors .
The violation the team was investigating was whether employees were wearing masks , Hass said .
If physical distancing and proper signage are not maintained , the county will alert the restaurant but will not suspend its permit .
“ We permit the establishment — we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
El Dorado County has been one of the least affected counties in the state during the pandemic and is not currently on the state ’ s watch list , which includes counties that have had surges in cases or hospitalizations , or changes in their so-called positivity rate — the percentage of people testing positive for the virus out of all those who have been tested .
But El Dorado has not been completely spared .
The county of nearly 193,000 reported its first death on Monday in addition to 49 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 443 infections .
The county ’ s guidelines for businesses cite the statewide face-covering mandate , which doesn ’ t apply to customers while they ’ re eating or drinking , and physical distancing practices .
The county instructs all businesses to include signage that informs customers to : • Practice physical distancing , keeping six feet away from others • Avoid the business if they have a cough or fever • Sneeze or cough into an elbow or tissue and use hand sanitizer During an emergency Board of Supervisors meeting two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to licensing authorities to suspend the health permits of businesses that did not adhere to state guidance .
“ I don ’ t want to drive them out of business , ” Supervisor John Hidahl said .
“ I don ’ t want to over-regulate , but I do want to do as much as we can to help them get in the right posture [ and ] operating processes.
” In El Dorado County , those wishing to complain about a business can call or email with details including the name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint , or they can fill out a non-compliance reporting form on the county ’ s site .
“ Due to the volume of non-compliance reports received , we are unable to provide individual updates on the status of reports , ” a note at the end of the form reads .
Several counties throughout the state have grappled with how to enforce and discipline restaurants and businesses that do not adhere to its mandate .
In Los Angeles County , for example , the Board of Supervisors recently directed staff to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permits of businesses that violated the county ’ s health order .
Prior to the state ’ s mandate to cease indoor operations at eateries and bars , L.A. County inspectors found that from June 27 to 28 , 49 % of bars and 33 % of restaurants were not adhering to physical distancing protocols indoors , and 54 % of bars and 44 % of restaurants were not enforcing face mask and face shield requirements .

In Placerville, Calif., a restaurant says “oxygen deprivation” masks and “dirty germ spreader” gloves are not used there.
A Northern California restaurant has caused an uproar by dismissing county orders to practice COVID-19 safety protocols.
The sign in front of the Apple Bistro in Placerville warns that social distancing is not practiced and that “oxygen deprivation” masks and “dirty germ spreader” gloves are not worn. The policy comes with a clear message: “This may not be for you.”
The El Dorado County restaurant’s decision has stirred debate among longtime customers — both those who defend the business and others who have denounced their allegiance — on the restaurant’s Yelp page, which now includes an “unusual activity alert” label as the page has been flooded by posts with the recent news. Some claimed that they were denied service for wearing a mask, an allegation that the restaurant has denied.
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“We don’t discriminate against anybody with masks. We give people a choice,” a female employee who did not identify herself said over the phone before hanging up. The restaurant did not respond to further inquiry via email, and attempts to reconnect by phone were met with a full voicemail inbox.
“No one has ever been asked to leave for wearing a mask, ever,” the restaurant states on Facebook. “We will not have vulgar posts, threats, or lies about us on our page attempting to ‘Cancel’ us. We furthermore will not allow people that are acting this way to continue to post on our page.”
Apple Bistro in Placerville, CA - refusing to serve customers wearing masks!! Do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs! pic.twitter.com/Yfpe064rIv — avi 🦎 (@illingston) July 20, 2020
The county has received upward of 50 complaints about the restaurant since July 16, communications director Carla Hass said Tuesday.
The county’s environmental management team visited the restaurant’s owner and partner Monday to ensure that they understood the state’s guidelines and to warn that if an additional complaint was received and verified, the county would suspend their permit, meaning they’d have to close their doors.
The violation the team was investigating was whether employees were wearing masks, Hass said. If physical distancing and proper signage are not maintained, the county will alert the restaurant but will not suspend its permit.
“We permit the establishment — we don’t police the patrons,” Hass said.
El Dorado County has been one of the least affected counties in the state during the pandemic and is not on the state’s watchlist, which includes counties that have had surges in cases or hospitalizations, or changes in their so-called positivity rate — the percentage of people testing positive for the virus out of all those who have been tested. But El Dorado has not been completely spared. The county of nearly 193,000 reported its first death on Monday in addition to 49 new cases, for a total of 443 infections.
The county’s guidelines for businesses cite the statewide face-covering mandate, which doesn’t apply to customers while they’re eating or drinking, and physical distancing practices. The county instructs all businesses to include signage that informs customers to:
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Practice physical distancing, keeping six feet away from others.
Avoid the business if they have a cough or fever.
Sneeze or cough into an elbow or tissue and use hand sanitizer.
Wear a face covering.
During an emergency Board of Supervisors meeting two weeks ago, El Dorado County officials gave power to licensing authorities to suspend the health permits of businesses that did not adhere to state guidance.
“I don’t want to drive them out of business,” Supervisor John Hidahl said. “I don’t want to over-regulate, but I do want to do as much as we can to help them get in the right posture [and] operating processes.”
In El Dorado County, those wishing to complain about a business can call or email with details including the name of the business and nature of the complaint, or they can fill out a non-compliance reporting form on the county’s site.
“Due to the volume of non-compliance reports received, we are unable to provide individual updates on the status of reports,” a note at the end of the form reads.
Several counties throughout the state have grappled with how to enforce and discipline restaurants and businesses that do not adhere to its mandate. In Los Angeles County, for example, the Board of Supervisors recently directed staff to develop an enforcement plan to fine or revoke permits of businesses that violated the county’s health order.
Prior to the state’s mandate to cease indoor operations at eateries and bars, L.A. County inspectors found that from June 27 to 28, 49% of bars and 33% of restaurants were not adhering to physical distancing protocols indoors, and 54% of bars and 44% of restaurants were not enforcing face mask and face shield requirements.