latimes--2020-03-13--California's job market was on a roll in January. Then the coronavirus hit

California ’ s economy was humming along in January , with unemployment at a record low and job creation moving at a healthy pace , according to data released Friday .
That was then .
State employment officials every year release January data a month later than usual , in March , so they can mine new surveys to adjust their annual statistics .
That late release of the monthly jobs report only becomes an issue when events are unfolding rapidly — as they are amid the coronavirus outbreak .
February jobs numbers will be released March 27 and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the release of the March report , that the impact of layoffs this month will be known .
“ Delays are a special problem when economic changes are accelerating , ” as with the onset of the coronavirus outbreak , said Lynn Reaser , an economist at San Diego ’ s Point Loma Nazarene University .
U.S. joblessness was 3.6 % in January , the state reported .
Although the pace of California ’ s job growth had slowed since a recent peak in April , due to an economy close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to payrolls in January , contributing to a record 119-month expansion .
Year-over-year , California payroll jobs rose by 1.5 % , to a total of 17.58 million .
The nation ’ s growth rate was slightly slower , at 1.4 % .
But those numbers “ are from a California economy that now seems like the distant past , ” said Michael Bernick , a former director of the state employment development department who tracks workforce data .
“ In just the past two weeks , employment dynamics have moved with unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work remotely and starting this week , there were the first significant rounds of layoffs .
San Francisco ’ s Financial District , where I work , has become a ghost town with empty offices and empty retail outlets.
” Some economists are predicting a recession this year , while others , including those at UCLA ’ s Anderson Forecast , say California ’ s economic growth will slow dramatically without quite contracting .
Employment statistics “ will change during the next two months , ” Reaser said .
“ Closures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , restaurants , entertainment venues , transportation and many retailers .
“ Increases in online shopping , spending on basic consumer goods , groceries and pharmacies , along with expansion in healthcare , will only partially cushion the blow.
” Although the Golden State ’ s January numbers are dated , they nonetheless offer some comfort in that a strong job market at the beginning of the year will somewhat buffer a coronavirus downturn , economists said .
“ The coronavirus outbreak has injected major uncertainty into the 2020 outlook , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economics , a Los Angeles consultancy .
“ But California ’ s labor market enters this uncertainty from a position of strength , which should help dampen the effect.
” In January , the number of unemployed Californians was 735,300 , down by 78,600 compared with a year earlier .
That was “ the lowest since 1989 , despite large gains in statewide population since , ” according to the EDD .
That is likely to rise significantly as the virus takes its toll .
Although overall data is unavailable , businesses across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach , where cargo has plunged as China factories went dark , 145 truckers were laid off at Shippers Transport Express on Feb. 27 .
And hundreds of independent drivers who own their own rigs have lost work .
Ruben Alvarado , 29 , was laid off last week from his $ 4,000-a-month dispatcher job at a small Ontario logistics company , along with two drivers .
“ We were shocked , ” he said .
“ There was literally no warning .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep us because of the coronavirus.
” With his $ 2,800 monthly rent due , Alvarado said , “ I don ’ t have the money to pay .
I ’ m struggling to find another job , but with terminals closing , companies have lost freight.
” Restaurants and hotels are laying off staff too , although many unionized workers will still be paid , including several thousand at Disneyland Resort , which will close Saturday for the rest of the month .
“ Consumers have been the backbone of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t count on them much longer , ” said Sung Won Sohn , an economist at Loyola Marymount University .
“ Coronavirus has hit almost every industry.
” Leisure and hospitality , he noted , accounts for 11.7 % of payroll jobs in the state .
Adding trade , transportation and utilities , another deeply affected sector , translates into some 29.1 % of the job market , including many low-paid positions , already feeling the coronavirus pain .
“ Both the U.S. and California economies are likely to fall into a recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , ” Sohn predicted .
• Leisure and hospitality added 7,800 jobs , more than any other sector , as year-over-year payrolls grew by 1.7 % .
• Healthcare grew by 6,800 jobs , for a 3 % increase over the year .
• Information positions , including many at technology firms , rose by 5,500 , and by 4.2 % year-over-year .
• Transportation , warehousing , and utilities added 3,400 jobs .
The year-over-year was 4.4 % .
• Retail trade posted the largest decline , a drop of 2,600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
• Construction payrolls dipped by 2,400 but grew by 2 % over the year .
Regionally , Los Angeles County added the highest number of jobs in January ( 10,600 ) for a total of 4.96 million .
Orange County added 2,100 positions for a total of 1.58 million .
The Inland Empire added 1,800 jobs for a total of 1.06 million in Riverside and 933,500 in San Bernardino .
Unemployment stood at 4.5 % in Los Angeles County , 2.9 % in Orange County , 4.2 % in Riverside County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where cargo has plunged, 145 truckers were laid off at one company and hundreds of independent drivers who own their own rigs have lost work.
California’s economy was humming along in January, with unemployment at a record low and job creation moving at a healthy pace, according to data released Friday.
That was then.
State employment officials every year release January data a month later than usual, in March, so they can mine new surveys to adjust their annual statistics. That late release of the monthly jobs report only becomes an issue when events are unfolding rapidly — as they are amid the coronavirus outbreak.
February jobs numbers will be released March 27 and it won’t be until April, with the release of the March report, that the impact of layoffs this month will be known.
“Delays are a special problem when economic changes are accelerating,” as with the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, said Lynn Reaser, an economist at San Diego’s Point Loma Nazarene University.
Advertisement
In January, California’s unemployment stood at 3.9%, the same as in December, and down from 4.3% a year earlier. That was a record low going back to the 1970s when the current methodology was adopted.
U.S. joblessness was 3.6% in January, the state reported.
Although the pace of California’s job growth had slowed since a recent peak in April, due to an economy close to full employment, bosses added 21,400 jobs to payrolls in January, contributing to a record 119-month expansion.
Year-over-year, California payroll jobs rose by 1.5%, to a total of 17.58 million. The nation’s growth rate was slightly slower, at 1.4%.
But those numbers “are from a California economy that now seems like the distant past,” said Michael Bernick, a former director of the state employment development department who tracks workforce data.
“In just the past two weeks, employment dynamics have moved with unprecedented speed. Major employers began asking workers to work remotely and starting this week, there were the first significant rounds of layoffs. San Francisco’s Financial District, where I work, has become a ghost town with empty offices and empty retail outlets.”
Advertisement
Some economists are predicting a recession this year, while others, including those at UCLA’s Anderson Forecast, say California’s economic growth will slow dramatically without quite contracting.
Employment statistics “will change during the next two months,” Reaser said. “Closures and ‘personal distancing’ will pummel hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, transportation and many retailers.
“Increases in online shopping, spending on basic consumer goods, groceries and pharmacies, along with expansion in healthcare, will only partially cushion the blow.”
Although the Golden State’s January numbers are dated, they nonetheless offer some comfort in that a strong job market at the beginning of the year will somewhat buffer a coronavirus downturn, economists said.
“The coronavirus outbreak has injected major uncertainty into the 2020 outlook,” said Taner Osman, research manager at Beacon Economics, a Los Angeles consultancy. “But California’s labor market enters this uncertainty from a position of strength, which should help dampen the effect.”
In January, the number of unemployed Californians was 735,300, down by 78,600 compared with a year earlier. That was “the lowest since 1989, despite large gains in statewide population since,” according to the EDD.
That is likely to rise significantly as the virus takes its toll. Although overall data is unavailable, businesses across the state have been shedding workers. At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where cargo has plunged as China factories went dark, 145 truckers were laid off at Shippers Transport Express on Feb. 27. And hundreds of independent drivers who own their own rigs have lost work.
Business Truckers, dockworkers suffer as coronavirus chokes L.A., Long Beach ports cargo The nation’s largest port is hurting. That may be a leading indicator of the pain that’s in store for Southern California and the U.S. economy as businesses hunker down to deal with the rapidly expanding new coronavirus.
Ruben Alvarado, 29, was laid off last week from his $4,000-a-month dispatcher job at a small Ontario logistics company, along with two drivers. “We were shocked,” he said. “There was literally no warning. But the owner said he couldn’t afford to keep us because of the coronavirus.”
With his $2,800 monthly rent due, Alvarado said, “I don’t have the money to pay. I’m struggling to find another job, but with terminals closing, companies have lost freight.”
Restaurants and hotels are laying off staff too, although many unionized workers will still be paid, including several thousand at Disneyland Resort, which will close Saturday for the rest of the month.
“Consumers have been the backbone of the recent economic strength but we can’t count on them much longer,” said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at Loyola Marymount University. “Coronavirus has hit almost every industry.”
Leisure and hospitality, he noted, accounts for 11.7% of payroll jobs in the state. Adding trade, transportation and utilities, another deeply affected sector, translates into some 29.1% of the job market, including many low-paid positions, already feeling the coronavirus pain.
“Both the U.S. and California economies are likely to fall into a recession if they’re not already in one,” Sohn predicted.
January’s key sector-by-sector numbers:
Leisure and hospitality added 7,800 jobs, more than any other sector, as year-over-year payrolls grew by 1.7%.
Healthcare grew by 6,800 jobs, for a 3% increase over the year.
Information positions, including many at technology firms, rose by 5,500, and by 4.2% year-over-year.
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 3,400 jobs. The year-over-year was 4.4%.
Retail trade posted the largest decline, a drop of 2,600 and year-over-year, it decreased by 1.2%.
Construction payrolls dipped by 2,400 but grew by 2% over the year.
Regionally, Los Angeles County added the highest number of jobs in January (10,600) for a total of 4.96 million. Orange County added 2,100 positions for a total of 1.58 million. The Inland Empire added 1,800 jobs for a total of 1.06 million in Riverside and 933,500 in San Bernardino.
Unemployment stood at 4.5% in Los Angeles County, 2.9% in Orange County, 4.2% in Riverside County and 3.9% in San Bernardino County.


latimes--2020-03-13--Coronavirus cases rise in Orange County amid calls to close all schools

Orange County on Friday reported three suspected coronavirus cases , bringing its total to nine .
The new tally came as the Orange County superintendent of schools said he supported suspending all school operations for at least two weeks .
“ This is not a decision we take lightly , ” Supt .
Al Mijares said in statement .
“ We know that temporarily closing a school has a tremendous impact on our families , and steps will need to be implemented to support the continuity of learning and to ensure students have access to healthy meals .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our top priority , and we have confidence that this is the proper precautionary course for Orange County.
” Orange County ’ s top health official said she backed the closure idea .
“ I want to reassure our Orange County community that the risk of transmission remains low , and that there are no known cases of COVID-19 infection in a student or teacher at this time , ” said County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick in a statement .
“ That said , I understand the concerns parents are experiencing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close temporarily.
” Of the nine coronavirus cases , six are confirmed and three are presumptive .
All but one is known to be travel-related .
Some Orange County schools have already said they would close .

Orange County on Friday reported three suspected coronavirus cases, bringing its total to nine.
The new tally came as the Orange County superintendent of schools said he supported suspending all school operations for at least two weeks.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Supt. Al Mijares said in statement. “We know that temporarily closing a school has a tremendous impact on our families, and steps will need to be implemented to support the continuity of learning and to ensure students have access to healthy meals. But the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we have confidence that this is the proper precautionary course for Orange County.”
Advertisement
Orange County’s top health official said she backed the closure idea.
“I want to reassure our Orange County community that the risk of transmission remains low, and that there are no known cases of COVID-19 infection in a student or teacher at this time,” said County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick in a statement. “That said, I understand the concerns parents are experiencing and support the school district’s decision to close temporarily.”
Of the nine coronavirus cases, six are confirmed and three are presumptive. All but one is known to be travel-related.
Some Orange County schools have already said they would close.


latimes--2020-03-13--As coronavirus spreads, communities are demanding notification of local cases

Manhattan Beach city officials recently learned that two people were diagnosed with the coronavirus and self-quarantined inside a home there .
But the confirmation didn ’ t come from the county or state .
The city only heard about the cases when one of the people called City Hall to say he ’ d tested positive , Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery said Friday .
He said L.A. County public health officials have declined multiple requests to disclose whether there are other coronavirus cases in Manhattan Beach .
“ We ’ re frustrated because we don ’ t know and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Nothing is worse than not knowing .
… What scares me is how many other people in my city have been tested or not tested or confirmed.
” The two people had been traveling overseas together with a larger group when they became ill , the city said Thursday in an news release .
Montgomery was unable to say exactly how long they have been self-quarantining but said it appears “ they ’ ve been there for a while.
” They receive regular food deliveries and a daily visit from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Montgomery said Manhattan Beach has already taken steps to slow the spread of the virus , including canceling town hall meetings and pausing programs for older adults .
But he might have done so on an accelerated timeline had he had all the facts , he said .
“ I ’ d have taken those steps earlier if I ’ d have known for sure we had it , ” he said .
“ That was a danger — we did not know .
We could have taken preventive steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d have known this two weeks ago , three weeks ago.
” Supervisor Janice Hahn ’ s office told Manhattan Beach that public health officials will not confirm or report coronavirus cases to a local agency “ unless there is known public exposure or need to cancel an event or close a facility , ” the city said in the release .
The Department of Public Health has cited patient privacy laws in keeping the information under wraps , Montgomery said .
Montgomery said that since the city announced the positive results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone calls from upset residents , and he imagines other local mayors have been too .
“ We are all getting phone calls from residents who are angry that they don ’ t know who is sick in their city because the county won ’ t tell us , ” he said .
Montgomery said he plans to “ express his frustration ” on Friday when he , along with the mayors of Redondo Beach , Torrance , El Segundo , and Hermosa Beach , meet with Supervisor Janice Hahn and the L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get answers about the geographical location of coronavirus cases in the county .
He hopes to press public health officials to provide a list of cases by ZIP code , which he believes would not violate patient privacy rules .
“ We need the L.A. County Department of Public Health to help us , to help calm down the fear of our residents because that ’ s what partners do , ” Montgomery said .
“ They can ’ t ask for our cooperation on one hand and turn us down on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not immediately return a message seeking comment in response to Montgomery ’ s allegations .
But it appears that officials may comply with his request .
Dr. Barbara Ferrer , director of the department , said at a news conference Friday that officials on Monday will release geographic locations and age groups of the county ’ s 40 known coronavirus cases .

In Manhattan Beach home, two people are self-quarantined after they were diagnosed with the coronavirus, city officials say.
Manhattan Beach city officials recently learned that two people were diagnosed with the coronavirus and self-quarantined inside a home there.
But the confirmation didn’t come from the county or state.
The city only heard about the cases when one of the people called City Hall to say he’d tested positive, Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery said Friday. He said L.A. County public health officials have declined multiple requests to disclose whether there are other coronavirus cases in Manhattan Beach.
“We’re frustrated because we don’t know and that’s worse,” Montgomery said. “Nothing is worse than not knowing. … What scares me is how many other people in my city have been tested or not tested or confirmed.”
Advertisement
The two people had been traveling overseas together with a larger group when they became ill, the city said Thursday in an news release. Montgomery was unable to say exactly how long they have been self-quarantining but said it appears “they’ve been there for a while.” They receive regular food deliveries and a daily visit from a nurse sent by the county, he said.
Montgomery said Manhattan Beach has already taken steps to slow the spread of the virus, including canceling town hall meetings and pausing programs for older adults. But he might have done so on an accelerated timeline had he had all the facts, he said.
“I’d have taken those steps earlier if I’d have known for sure we had it,” he said. “That was a danger — we did not know. We could have taken preventive steps earlier and contained this better if we’d have known this two weeks ago, three weeks ago.”
Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office told Manhattan Beach that public health officials will not confirm or report coronavirus cases to a local agency “unless there is known public exposure or need to cancel an event or close a facility,” the city said in the release. The Department of Public Health has cited patient privacy laws in keeping the information under wraps, Montgomery said.
Montgomery said that since the city announced the positive results, he’s been inundated with phone calls from upset residents, and he imagines other local mayors have been too.
“We are all getting phone calls from residents who are angry that they don’t know who is sick in their city because the county won’t tell us,” he said.
Montgomery said he plans to “express his frustration” on Friday when he, along with the mayors of Redondo Beach, Torrance, El Segundo, and Hermosa Beach, meet with Supervisor Janice Hahn and the L.A. County Department of Public Health in attempt to get answers about the geographical location of coronavirus cases in the county. He hopes to press public health officials to provide a list of cases by ZIP code, which he believes would not violate patient privacy rules.
Advertisement
“We need the L.A. County Department of Public Health to help us, to help calm down the fear of our residents because that’s what partners do,” Montgomery said. “They can’t ask for our cooperation on one hand and turn us down on the other.”
The health department did not immediately return a message seeking comment in response to Montgomery’s allegations.
But it appears that officials may comply with his request.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the department, said at a news conference Friday that officials on Monday will release geographic locations and age groups of the county’s 40 known coronavirus cases.


latimes--2020-03-13--Coronavirus concerns force cancellation of L.A. Police Commission meetings

Concern about the coronavirus has upended the weekly public meetings held by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners , the oversight panel of one of the country ’ s largest police forces .
In an email sent Friday , the Board of Police Commissioners announced that future meetings would be canceled in pursuant with guidance from the mayor ’ s office issued on Thursday to try to slow the spread of the virus .
A special community meeting that was scheduled to be held at Nickerson Gardens on Monday has also been postponed .
The meetings — held on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s Information Technology Agency implements a telephonic or video conferencing system that would allow the sessions to continue , the email stated .
Appointed by the mayor , the five civilian police commissioners oversee the operations of the LAPD , set department policies and evaluate the chief .
One of their most crucial roles is to decide whether police shootings and other serious uses of force were appropriate .
Richard Tefank , the commission ’ s executive director , said he ’ s not concerned about how the changes will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ function .
“ The commission performs oversight all the time whether it is meeting or not , ” he said .
“ The president of the commission routinely interfaces with the chief of police on a variety of matters .
Just because they ’ re not meeting does not mean they ’ re not involved with the oversight of the department.
” People will still be able to submit public comment by emailing individual police commissioners ( whose addresses are available on the LAPD ’ s website ) or by calling the commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission was in the process of creating an email address that can receive public comment while its meetings are canceled .
Hamid Khan , who regularly attends the commission meetings as a member of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition , said that regardless of how and when the meetings take place , the concerns that he has about LAPD — such as its use of data-driven policing — still stand .
He worried that the cancellations could “ create a paralysis ” in addressing those issues .
But Commissioner Steve Soboroff said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that the public knows it is not being ignored during this time .
“ People have the right to tell us what they think , ” he said .
“ What concerns me is that if the meetings are postponed or delayed or canceled , the public needs to feel and needs to know that we have the ability to hear what ’ s on their mind , irrespective of the commission meeting not happening .
”

Concern about the coronavirus has upended the weekly public meetings held by the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, the oversight panel of one of the country’s largest police forces.
In an email sent Friday, the Board of Police Commissioners announced that future meetings would be canceled in pursuant with guidance from the mayor’s office issued on Thursday to try to slow the spread of the virus. A special community meeting that was scheduled to be held at Nickerson Gardens on Monday has also been postponed.
The meetings — held on Tuesday mornings — will be canceled until the city’s Information Technology Agency implements a telephonic or video conferencing system that would allow the sessions to continue, the email stated.
Appointed by the mayor, the five civilian police commissioners oversee the operations of the LAPD, set department policies and evaluate the chief. One of their most crucial roles is to decide whether police shootings and other serious uses of force were appropriate.
Advertisement
Richard Tefank, the commission’s executive director, said he’s not concerned about how the changes will affect the panel’s ability to function.
“The commission performs oversight all the time whether it is meeting or not,” he said. “The president of the commission routinely interfaces with the chief of police on a variety of matters. Just because they’re not meeting does not mean they’re not involved with the oversight of the department.”
People will still be able to submit public comment by emailing individual police commissioners (whose addresses are available on the LAPD’s website) or by calling the commission’s office. Tefank said the commission was in the process of creating an email address that can receive public comment while its meetings are canceled.
Hamid Khan, who regularly attends the commission meetings as a member of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, said that regardless of how and when the meetings take place, the concerns that he has about LAPD — such as its use of data-driven policing — still stand. He worried that the cancellations could “create a paralysis” in addressing those issues.
But Commissioner Steve Soboroff said it was the responsibility of the commissioners to ensure that the public knows it is not being ignored during this time.
“People have the right to tell us what they think,” he said. “What concerns me is that if the meetings are postponed or delayed or canceled, the public needs to feel and needs to know that we have the ability to hear what’s on their mind, irrespective of the commission meeting not happening.”


latimes--2020-03-13--Is it safe to go to the gym? L.A. officials urge coronavirus precautions

Los Angeles County health officials said Friday they are not recommending that people avoid gyms due to the coronavirus , but they did urge that patrons take special precautions .
Dr. Barbara Ferrer , the county public health director , said that while gyms have not been closed , common sense is needed to reduce the spread of the virus .
She urged people not to take spinning classes and other activities where they would be less than six feet away from others .
Spinning is “ not a good activity right now , ” she said .
As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following steps : —Wash your hands before using the equipment .
—Wipe down the equipment before using .
—Wipe down the equipment again after using .
—Wash your hands again after using the equipment .
“ if you are going to go to the gym , you need to not expose yourself and not expose others , ” she said .
“ You need to take a lot of precautions.
” Officials said social distancing is essential to slowing the spread of the virus at this point .
But maintaining a safe distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others have suggested going to the gym only when there are not big crowds , while some communities have called for gyms to close .
L.A. County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the coronavirus , bringing the total to 40 , as community spread intensified .
Three of those cases are likely the result of community transmission and two of the individuals are hospitalized , Ferrer said .
Officials said they expect the number of cases to expand significantly as more people get tested .
Ferrer said L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to gather .
“ Its very hard to know how many cases we have , ” she said .
Ferrer also said that officials will release geographic locations and age groups of the known cases on Monday .
Those who may be close contacts of individuals who test positive for the virus may start receiving “ blanket quarantines , ” rather than being interviewed first , Ferrer said .

Colleen Shalby, Alex Wigglesworth, Shelby Grad

Los Angeles County health officials said Friday they are not recommending that people avoid gyms due to the coronavirus, but they did urge that patrons take special precautions.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county public health director, said that while gyms have not been closed, common sense is needed to reduce the spread of the virus. She urged people not to take spinning classes and other activities where they would be less than six feet away from others.
Spinning is “not a good activity right now,” she said.
As for using gym equipment, she encouraged the following steps:
Advertisement
—Wash your hands before using the equipment.
—Wipe down the equipment before using.
—Wipe down the equipment again after using.
—Wash your hands again after using the equipment.
“if you are going to go to the gym, you need to not expose yourself and not expose others,” she said. “You need to take a lot of precautions.”
Officials said social distancing is essential to slowing the spread of the virus at this point. But maintaining a safe distance might not be possible at crowded gyms.
Others have suggested going to the gym only when there are not big crowds, while some communities have called for gyms to close.
L.A. County Public Health Department officials confirmed eight new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total to 40, as community spread intensified.
Three of those cases are likely the result of community transmission and two of the individuals are hospitalized, Ferrer said.
Officials said they expect the number of cases to expand significantly as more people get tested. Ferrer said L.A. County got more test kits this week, and noted that initial testing limitations have made estimates difficult to gather.
Advertisement
“Its very hard to know how many cases we have,” she said.
Ferrer also said that officials will release geographic locations and age groups of the known cases on Monday. Those who may be close contacts of individuals who test positive for the virus may start receiving “blanket quarantines,” rather than being interviewed first, Ferrer said.


latimes--2020-03-13--Panic buying at L.A. supermarkets amid coronavirus leaves shelves empty, many anxious

With dozens of novel coronavirus cases confirmed in Los Angeles County , hordes of residents are swarming supermarkets , working from home and altering their lives in dramatic ways .
Some of these behaviors are the result of recommendations from health officials , while others are based on instinct and , in some cases , fear .
Christopher Thornberg , founding partner of Beacon Economics , compared the situation to a “ national earthquake ” that is hitting hard but will pass .
“ If we just close down the damn country … we might get in front of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief , ” he said .
The Ralphs parking lot in Koreatown on Friday morning looked like a crowded DMV office .
Though parking spots were available , gridlock reigned as motorists drove in the wrong direction , blocked pathways and eased slowly around pedestrians walking every which way .
Inside , the supermarket off 3rd Street and Vermont Avenue was a hive of activity .
As three cashiers rang up purchases , dozens of customers waited in long queues that snaked through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vegetables displays and down the condiment and milk aisles .
Many of them pushed shopping carts loaded with gallon jugs of water , stacks of frozen meat and cases of ramen noodles .
One overflowing cart was being pushed by two friends preparing to have their kids home from school for the rest of the month .
“ I ’ ve been here , to Vons across the street , we ’ ve been to Target , ” said Monica Boyd , 30 , whose teenage son will be one of thousands across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had friends ask me to get them food because they ’ re in the Valley and they ’ re saying everything is kind of cleaned out down there .
So this is a combination of me getting groceries for friends and mostly for my kid.
” Boyd ’ s friend , Shulanda Rush , 28 , joined her for the trip .
A property manager in Koreatown , Rush said her 5-year-old daughter may have to stay with the girl ’ s father for the next few weeks because he has more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workweek .
The friends knew that people were cleaning out store shelves , but it still surprised them to see it in person .
Most of the ramen in the store was gone .
So was the powdered milk , most of the water , toilet paper , dried pasta , rice and allergy medication .
It was more packed than a pre-Super Bowl , Cinco de Mayo , Thanksgiving or July 4 weekend shopping rush .
“ I ’ m not really worried about what ’ s going on , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are panicking , so it ’ s not business as usual , ” Boyd said .
“ They ’ re just like , ‘ Let ’ s come and buy every ... thing.
’ ” “ I walked here last night to get allergy medicine and it was all gone .
Allergy medicine does not block viruses .
What is happening here ?
” she said in exasperation .
“ I just think it ’ s ridiculous in a general sense .
The fact that there ’ s no toilet paper is insane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is going to save you from anything.
” Rush saw how tense things can get when she visited Vons recently and the toilet paper shelves were empty .
“ They had people yelling at them two days ago at the counter .
‘ When you going to have more tissue ?
!
’ I ’ m like , why are you yelling at them ?
They just work here , bro.
” This is what L.A. County public health officials are saying : DISTANCE : People are advised to avoid communal eating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 attendees , and all nonessential travel , both international and domestic , Dr. Barbara Ferrer , director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health , said Thursday at a news conference .
Those who are immunocompromised , pregnant or elderly should consider avoiding gatherings of even 10 people , she said .
FOOD : Officials advise avoiding communal food .
Costco has stopped providing food samples at stores , while some Las Vegas casinos have closed their buffets .
EXERCISE : Group fitness classes where people aren ’ t able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely , she said .
GOVERNMENT : All city departments were being ordered to postpone or cancel public events and meetings expected to draw 50 or more people .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti also called for a ban on all public events and conferences on city-owned properties expected to draw 50 or more people .
He also said visitors were effectively banned from City Hall .
• Event organizers should postpone or cancel nonessential gatherings of 250 or more until at least the end of March .
• Smaller events should proceed only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 6 feet per person .
• Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 ( people older than 65 , pregnant women and those with chronic illness ) should be limited to no more than 10 people .
• This guidance does not apply to activities such as attendance at regular school classes , work or essential services .
• This guidance does not apply to essential public transportation , airport travel or shopping at a store or mall .
• This guidance does not apply to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless encampments .
• If you are mildly sick with a fever , stay home except to get medical care .
• Individuals who are elderly , have underlying health conditions or are pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick .
• Avoid nonessential travel , public gatherings and places where large groups of people congregate .

A gloved grocery shopper expresses dismay over the empty shelves at a Ralphs supermarket in Panorama City on Friday.
With dozens of novel coronavirus cases confirmed in Los Angeles County, hordes of residents are swarming supermarkets, working from home and altering their lives in dramatic ways.
Some of these behaviors are the result of recommendations from health officials, while others are based on instinct and, in some cases, fear.
Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, compared the situation to a “national earthquake” that is hitting hard but will pass.
“If we just close down the damn country … we might get in front of this and stop it, in which case that short-term panic will lead to a collective sigh of relief,” he said.
Advertisement
Supermarkets
The Ralphs parking lot in Koreatown on Friday morning looked like a crowded DMV office.
Though parking spots were available, gridlock reigned as motorists drove in the wrong direction, blocked pathways and eased slowly around pedestrians walking every which way.
Inside, the supermarket off 3rd Street and Vermont Avenue was a hive of activity.
As three cashiers rang up purchases, dozens of customers waited in long queues that snaked through the market, past the fruit and vegetables displays and down the condiment and milk aisles. Many of them pushed shopping carts loaded with gallon jugs of water, stacks of frozen meat and cases of ramen noodles.
A Vons supermarket in South Pasadena was all out of anti-bacterial wipes Wednesday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
One overflowing cart was being pushed by two friends preparing to have their kids home from school for the rest of the month.
“I’ve been here, to Vons across the street, we’ve been to Target,” said Monica Boyd, 30, whose teenage son will be one of thousands across the county staying home Monday. “I had friends ask me to get them food because they’re in the Valley and they’re saying everything is kind of cleaned out down there. So this is a combination of me getting groceries for friends and mostly for my kid.”
Boyd’s friend, Shulanda Rush, 28, joined her for the trip. A property manager in Koreatown, Rush said her 5-year-old daughter may have to stay with the girl’s father for the next few weeks because he has more family support to care for her during the workweek.
The friends knew that people were cleaning out store shelves, but it still surprised them to see it in person.
Advertisement
Most of the ramen in the store was gone. So was the powdered milk, most of the water, toilet paper, dried pasta, rice and allergy medication. It was more packed than a pre-Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving or July 4 weekend shopping rush.
“I’m not really worried about what’s going on, I think it scares me more that people are panicking, so it’s not business as usual,” Boyd said. “They’re just like, ‘Let’s come and buy every ... thing.’”
“I walked here last night to get allergy medicine and it was all gone. Allergy medicine does not block viruses. What is happening here?” she said in exasperation. “I just think it’s ridiculous in a general sense. The fact that there’s no toilet paper is insane. I don’t understand how that is going to save you from anything.”
Shelves of toilet paper are half-empty at a Pavilions supermarket in South Pasadena on Wednesday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Rush saw how tense things can get when she visited Vons recently and the toilet paper shelves were empty. “They had people yelling at them two days ago at the counter. ‘When you going to have more tissue?!’ I’m like, why are you yelling at them? They just work here, bro.”
Health recommendations
This is what L.A. County public health officials are saying:
DISTANCE: People are advised to avoid communal eating, meetings or gatherings with more than 50 attendees, and all nonessential travel, both international and domestic, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said Thursday at a news conference. Those who are immunocompromised, pregnant or elderly should consider avoiding gatherings of even 10 people, she said.
FOOD: Officials advise avoiding communal food. Costco has stopped providing food samples at stores, while some Las Vegas casinos have closed their buffets.
EXERCISE: Group fitness classes where people aren’t able to stay 6 feet apart should be avoided entirely, she said.
GOVERNMENT: All city departments were being ordered to postpone or cancel public events and meetings expected to draw 50 or more people. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti also called for a ban on all public events and conferences on city-owned properties expected to draw 50 or more people. He also said visitors were effectively banned from City Hall.
General L.A. County Health Department guidance:


latimes--2020-03-13--SeaWorld to temporarily close parks nationwide starting Monday, lasting through March

SeaWorld Entertainment will temporarily close all of its theme parks effective Monday through the end of March to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus .
The parent of SeaWorld San Diego announced the pending park closures Friday and posted the statement in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission .
The shutdown follows Disney ’ s announcement that it will close Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim beginning Saturday and lasting through the end of the month .
“ During this time , essential personnel , including animal care experts , will continue to look after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the animals in our care , ” the company said in a statement .
“ Our animal rescue and rehabilitation operations also will continue to operate.
” SeaWorld said it will continue to pay full-time staff during the shutdown .
“ We are monitoring this evolving COVID-19 closely and coordinating with public health officials , ” the company said .
For now , Legoland and the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park remain open .
Both have taken steps to discourage crowds within their parks , including canceling shows .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said San Diego Zoo/Safari Park spokeswoman Christina Simmons .
“ We are open today with social distancing practices in place including not having shows in our large amphitheaters and spacing apart family groups on bus and tram tours .
”

SeaWorld San Diego will temporarily close through the end of March to help guard against the spread of the coronavirus, officials with the theme park’s company parent announced Friday.
SeaWorld Entertainment will temporarily close all of its theme parks effective Monday through the end of March to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The parent of SeaWorld San Diego announced the pending park closures Friday and posted the statement in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The shutdown follows Disney’s announcement that it will close Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim beginning Saturday and lasting through the end of the month.
Advertisement
“During this time, essential personnel, including animal care experts, will continue to look after the health, safety and nutritional needs of the animals in our care,” the company said in a statement. “Our animal rescue and rehabilitation operations also will continue to operate.”
SeaWorld said it will continue to pay full-time staff during the shutdown. “We are monitoring this evolving COVID-19 closely and coordinating with public health officials,” the company said.
For now, Legoland and the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park remain open. Both have taken steps to discourage crowds within their parks, including canceling shows.
“It’s a daily discussion,” said San Diego Zoo/Safari Park spokeswoman Christina Simmons. “We are open today with social distancing practices in place including not having shows in our large amphitheaters and spacing apart family groups on bus and tram tours.”
Freeman writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune


latimes--2020-03-13--'Huge cloud' hangs over concert industry as Live Nation and AEG shut down tours amid coronavirus

Barely five days ago , music fans and the concert business had a rude awakening to the reality of the coronavirus pandemic when promoters of the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals bumped both back six months into October .
Just two days later , however , even that shock to the system was dwarfed as the entire live entertainment industry ground to a near halt , capped by the decision of the world ’ s two largest promoters of live music to halt all tours and shows , at least through the end of March .
Live Nation Entertainment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles area , are the leading promoters of events from massive festivals such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio to hundreds of other shows annually at sports arenas , theaters and clubs , many of which they also own and/or operate .
Those include AEG ’ s Staples Center sports arena , the El Rey Theatre , the Fonda Theatre , the Shrine Auditorium , the Roxy , the Microsoft and Novo theaters and Live Nation ’ s Hollywood Palladium , Wiltern and Belasco Theatres and House of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both promoters suspended all events they had organized through the end of March , according to an extraordinary joint statement issued by a task force created by the two concert promotion behemoths and three major booking agencies .
The move came in tandem with Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s request for the postponement or cancellation of all events across the state anticipating crowds exceeding 250 people .
This week ’ s postponement of all national concert tours was interspersed with simultaneous announcements of suspension of the NBA and NHL 2020 season — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is having on the Staples Center sports arena that is home to both — as well as the NCAA “ March Madness ” basketball playoffs , spring training in Major League Baseball and the temporary closures of Southland tourist attractions such as Disneyland and California Adventure to the Grammy Museum in downtown L.A .
The widespread interruption of the concert business threatens what over the last two decades has become the lifeblood of most musicians ’ livelihoods .
Unlike in decades past when recording and touring acts could count on a balance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as income from sales to concerts , the digital age virtually obliterated the money many artists derive from recorded music sales .
In the streaming age , only the biggest superstar acts collect significant revenues from streamed music , which is typically paid at thousandths of a cent per stream .
“ If you are a headlining act and have been touring for many years , hopefully you ’ ve been financially smart and can weather these wrinkles , ” said country star Miranda Lambert ’ s manager , Marion Kraft .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two to three months ’ worth of savings in case something was to happen .
The hope is that most artists have that buffer as well.
” The Taylor Swifts , Lady Gagas and Rolling Stones often do , but for mid- and entry-level acts it ’ s far more challenging given the overhead costs of performing live .
Artists not only need to pay musicians who support them onstage but split their nightly takes among members of their road crews , sound engineers , stage and lighting designers , booking agents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myriad others who are indispensable parts of the touring profession .
It ’ s a comparable situation for the promoters and venues that put on these shows .
The giants are considered capable of weathering the coronavirus storm , but it may represent an existential threat to some independent promoters and grass-roots level clubs and theaters .
Of the nearly $ 22 billion in ticket revenue sold globally for live music events in 2019 , Live Nation promoted about 60 % of those shows , AEG handled roughly 30 % and the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firms .
“ This throws a huge wrench in the business at a bad time , ” said Ray Waddell , who covered the concert industry for nearly 30 years for Billboard and is now president of Oak View Group , which owns Pollstar , the concert tracking publication .
“ The ripples are massive .
There ’ s a whole economy built around this , a massive machine for every tour that gets rolling .
You hate to see it ground to a halt .
It hasn ’ t ground to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge cloud hovering over it.
” Thursday ’ s announcement brought a dizzying cascade of tour and concert cancellations or postponements , including the debut tour of 18-year-old phenom Billie Eilish , rock band Pearl Jam , veteran pop stars Celine Dion and Cher , English rock band the Who , New York rockers the Strokes , country superstars Kenny Chesney and Reba McEntire and adult pop vocalist Michael Buble , as well as high-profile music world events such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ’ s annual induction ceremony .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ operated by New York-based Madison Square Garden Entertainment , has rescheduled a number of events , including scheduled stops by the Strokes and Dion , and the Nickelodeon SlimeFest Tour featuring rising boy band Why Don ’ t We .
Another significant promoter of concerts and theatrical productions , Nederlander Concerts , likewise suspended all activities through the end of this month , including California tour stops by rock bands Wilco and Kansas , Christian singer-songwriter Amy Grant and the “ Baby Shark Live !
” touring show .
“ Promoters , managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abundance of caution , ” Nederlander Concerts CEO Alex Hodges said Thursday .
“ We ’ re just trying to pay attention , not panic and be responsible.
” Promoters are working closely with artists and their management to explore moving tour dates to later in the summer , the fall or in some cases even into 2021 .
But the complexity of the concert business makes moving an entire tour , or a significant leg of one , exceedingly difficult .
Tours are often built around release dates of new recordings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescheduled because of associated marketing and publicity considerations .
What many across the concert industry say is the toughest aspect of the coronavirus pandemic is the uncertainty about how long it will continue to spread , and how widely it will affect musicians , fans and those working in the concert business .
“ The year we started in New York [ in 2001 ] was the year of 9/11 , ” said Crush Music co-founder Jonathan Daniel , who manages performers including Green Day , Weezer , Sia , Lorde and Fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hurricane that hit New York [ in 2012 ] and we had to cancel some things .
“ But with those kinds of things , you ’ re reacting , ” he said .
“ This is what we have , let ’ s figure out how to make the best of it .
With this , there ’ s no end in sight.
” Live Nation Entertainment President Joe Berchtold tried to reassure investors about his company ’ s position during an investors ’ conference earlier this month , reminding them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s business is generated from June and beyond .
“ So , depending on what you read today , ” Berchtold said , “ it gives us some comfort that we ’ ve got a little time to play out.
” Both Live Nation and AEG are major employers , with Live Nation counting about 10,500 employees globally , while AEG , the parent of AEG Presents , listed 28,000 full and part-time employees in a 2018 diversity and inclusion report .
The concerts and festivals they promote across the country and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ticket sales registered at the box office .
AEG/Goldenvoice ’ s Coachella and Stagecoach festivals are major contributors to the overall economy of the entire Coachella Valley .
A source with knowledge of AEG-Goldenvoice operations estimated the overall economic impact from those festivals at around $ 700 million annually , meaning that hundreds of businesses will feel the pain of the postponement along with performers and music fans .
In less than a month , Live Nation ’ s stock has dropped in value more than 50 % , from a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 36.20 at the close of trading Thursday .
Stephen Glagola , vice president of equity research at Cowen & Co. , said that while “ the near-term impact could be quite severe ” to Live Nation , investors have overreacted to negative macro developments in the past that have affected the business very little .
“ Pending when COVID-19 concerns dissipate , the live concerts industry has favorable supply and demand tailwinds that we expect to continue and help support growth , ” Glagola told The Times by email .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touring as their main earnings driver , ensuring an adequate supply of quality content for fans year after year , and the experience economy is driving increasing demand for concerts.
” AEG Presents is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Entertainment Group , which in turn is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp. , the world ’ s largest owner of sports teams , including ownership interests in the Los Angeles Lakers , the Kings and the Sparks , and sporting events .
The parent company is controlled by billionaire businessman Philip Anschutz .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Live Nation will be able to financially survive , but smaller concert promoters could be hurt if concerns about the coronavirus continue to cancel or postpone concerts in the months to come .
That could lead to Live Nation acquiring them .
“ Companies like Live Nation and AEG have plenty of cash liquidity , so they are going to be able to weather the storm , ” said Brandon Ross , a partner and media and technology analyst at LightShed Partners .
“ The longer this goes on , the more difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ross added , “ which is probably going to breed a larger opportunity for the likes of Live Nation to grab even more market share on the other side.
” Meanwhile , entertainers and their teams continue to monitor the pandemic closely as they decide how , or whether , to proceed with tour plans .
“ Concerts are there for people to feel better , ” said Miranda Lambert manager Kraft .
“ If it ’ s making people feel anxious or worse to attend , then it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Billie Eilish opened her new tour last week in Miami but is postponing other dates originally scheduled through the end of March.
Barely five days ago, music fans and the concert business had a rude awakening to the reality of the coronavirus pandemic when promoters of the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals bumped both back six months into October.
Just two days later, however, even that shock to the system was dwarfed as the entire live entertainment industry ground to a near halt, capped by the decision of the world’s two largest promoters of live music to halt all tours and shows, at least through the end of March.
Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Presents, both based in the Los Angeles area, are the leading promoters of events from massive festivals such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio to hundreds of other shows annually at sports arenas, theaters and clubs, many of which they also own and/or operate. Those include AEG’s Staples Center sports arena, the El Rey Theatre, the Fonda Theatre, the Shrine Auditorium, the Roxy, the Microsoft and Novo theaters and Live Nation’s Hollywood Palladium, Wiltern and Belasco Theatres and House of Blues in Anaheim.
Advertisement
On Thursday, both promoters suspended all events they had organized through the end of March, according to an extraordinary joint statement issued by a task force created by the two concert promotion behemoths and three major booking agencies. The move came in tandem with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for the postponement or cancellation of all events across the state anticipating crowds exceeding 250 people.
This week’s postponement of all national concert tours was interspersed with simultaneous announcements of suspension of the NBA and NHL 2020 season — which add to the impact the coronavirus is having on the Staples Center sports arena that is home to both — as well as the NCAA “March Madness” basketball playoffs, spring training in Major League Baseball and the temporary closures of Southland tourist attractions such as Disneyland and California Adventure to the Grammy Museum in downtown L.A.
The widespread interruption of the concert business threatens what over the last two decades has become the lifeblood of most musicians’ livelihoods. Unlike in decades past when recording and touring acts could count on a balance of revenue from sales of recordings as well as income from sales to concerts, the digital age virtually obliterated the money many artists derive from recorded music sales. In the streaming age, only the biggest superstar acts collect significant revenues from streamed music, which is typically paid at thousandths of a cent per stream.
“If you are a headlining act and have been touring for many years, hopefully you’ve been financially smart and can weather these wrinkles,” said country star Miranda Lambert’s manager, Marion Kraft. “Every American is always asked to have two to three months’ worth of savings in case something was to happen. The hope is that most artists have that buffer as well.”
The Taylor Swifts, Lady Gagas and Rolling Stones often do, but for mid- and entry-level acts it’s far more challenging given the overhead costs of performing live. Artists not only need to pay musicians who support them onstage but split their nightly takes among members of their road crews, sound engineers, stage and lighting designers, booking agents, managers, merchandise suppliers and vendors and myriad others who are indispensable parts of the touring profession.
It’s a comparable situation for the promoters and venues that put on these shows. The giants are considered capable of weathering the coronavirus storm, but it may represent an existential threat to some independent promoters and grass-roots level clubs and theaters. Of the nearly $22 billion in ticket revenue sold globally for live music events in 2019, Live Nation promoted about 60% of those shows, AEG handled roughly 30% and the other 10% were organized by indie promotion firms.
“This throws a huge wrench in the business at a bad time,” said Ray Waddell, who covered the concert industry for nearly 30 years for Billboard and is now president of Oak View Group, which owns Pollstar, the concert tracking publication. “The ripples are massive. There’s a whole economy built around this, a massive machine for every tour that gets rolling. You hate to see it ground to a halt. It hasn’t ground to a halt yet, but there is a huge cloud hovering over it.”
Thursday’s announcement brought a dizzying cascade of tour and concert cancellations or postponements, including the debut tour of 18-year-old phenom Billie Eilish, rock band Pearl Jam, veteran pop stars Celine Dion and Cher, English rock band the Who, New York rockers the Strokes, country superstars Kenny Chesney and Reba McEntire and adult pop vocalist Michael Buble, as well as high-profile music world events such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony.
Advertisement
The Forum in Inglewood, owned and operated by New York-based Madison Square Garden Entertainment, has rescheduled a number of events, including scheduled stops by the Strokes and Dion, and the Nickelodeon SlimeFest Tour featuring rising boy band Why Don’t We.
Another significant promoter of concerts and theatrical productions, Nederlander Concerts, likewise suspended all activities through the end of this month, including California tour stops by rock bands Wilco and Kansas, Christian singer-songwriter Amy Grant and the “Baby Shark Live!” touring show.
It is with great sadness to announce the following Billie Eilish ‘WHERE DO WE GO’ North American tour dates have been postponed until further notice. Details on postponed dates to be announced soon. All tickets will be honored for the new dates. (1/4) — billie eilish (@billieeilish) March 12, 2020
“Promoters, managers and venue operators are acting with an abundance of caution,” Nederlander Concerts CEO Alex Hodges said Thursday. “We’re just trying to pay attention, not panic and be responsible.”
Promoters are working closely with artists and their management to explore moving tour dates to later in the summer, the fall or in some cases even into 2021. But the complexity of the concert business makes moving an entire tour, or a significant leg of one, exceedingly difficult. Tours are often built around release dates of new recordings, which can’t always be easily rescheduled because of associated marketing and publicity considerations.
For the safety of everyone, we have decided to postpone our new arena tour until July. All tickets will be honored for the new dates. Most importantly, stay safe and take care of you and your loved ones. We’ll get through this together. https://t.co/XRFIoBct8Y pic.twitter.com/USTObQVb5E — Reba (@reba) March 12, 2020
What many across the concert industry say is the toughest aspect of the coronavirus pandemic is the uncertainty about how long it will continue to spread, and how widely it will affect musicians, fans and those working in the concert business.
“The year we started in New York [in 2001] was the year of 9/11,” said Crush Music co-founder Jonathan Daniel, who manages performers including Green Day, Weezer, Sia, Lorde and Fall Out Boy. “Then we had the hurricane that hit New York [in 2012] and we had to cancel some things.
“But with those kinds of things, you’re reacting,” he said. “This is what we have, let’s figure out how to make the best of it. With this, there’s no end in sight.”
Due to the extenuating circumstances of COVID-19, we have decided to postpone our show at Los Angeles’ The Forum, originally scheduled for March 14, to May 29.
We are disappointed to have to postpone this show. As unfortunate as it is for us to not to be able to play, pic.twitter.com/nvBxwAcB5Q — The Strokes (@thestrokes) March 12, 2020
Live Nation Entertainment President Joe Berchtold tried to reassure investors about his company’s position during an investors’ conference earlier this month, reminding them that about 70% of the company’s business is generated from June and beyond.
“So, depending on what you read today,” Berchtold said, “it gives us some comfort that we’ve got a little time to play out.”
AEG/Goldenvoice’s Stagecoach country music festival was postponed until October.
(Christopher Polk / Getty Images )
Both Live Nation and AEG are major employers, with Live Nation counting about 10,500 employees globally, while AEG, the parent of AEG Presents, listed 28,000 full and part-time employees in a 2018 diversity and inclusion report.
The concerts and festivals they promote across the country and around the world have impact far beyond the ticket sales registered at the box office. AEG/Goldenvoice’s Coachella and Stagecoach festivals are major contributors to the overall economy of the entire Coachella Valley.
A source with knowledge of AEG-Goldenvoice operations estimated the overall economic impact from those festivals at around $700 million annually, meaning that hundreds of businesses will feel the pain of the postponement along with performers and music fans.
In less than a month, Live Nation’s stock has dropped in value more than 50%, from a recent high of $76.08 on Feb. 19 to $36.20 at the close of trading Thursday.
Music Can L.A. nightlife survive the coronavirus? L.A.’s nightclubs were still open this week, as musicians, concert industry workers and fans gathered, perhaps for the last time in the foreseeable future, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephen Glagola, vice president of equity research at Cowen & Co., said that while “the near-term impact could be quite severe” to Live Nation, investors have overreacted to negative macro developments in the past that have affected the business very little.
“Pending when COVID-19 concerns dissipate, the live concerts industry has favorable supply and demand tailwinds that we expect to continue and help support growth,” Glagola told The Times by email. “Today, musicians are primarily reliant on touring as their main earnings driver, ensuring an adequate supply of quality content for fans year after year, and the experience economy is driving increasing demand for concerts.”
AEG Presents is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which in turn is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp., the world’s largest owner of sports teams, including ownership interests in the Los Angeles Lakers, the Kings and the Sparks, and sporting events. The parent company is controlled by billionaire businessman Philip Anschutz.
Some analysts said they expect AEG and Live Nation will be able to financially survive, but smaller concert promoters could be hurt if concerns about the coronavirus continue to cancel or postpone concerts in the months to come. That could lead to Live Nation acquiring them.
“Companies like Live Nation and AEG have plenty of cash liquidity, so they are going to be able to weather the storm,” said Brandon Ross, a partner and media and technology analyst at LightShed Partners.
“The longer this goes on, the more difficult it’s going to be,” Ross added, “which is probably going to breed a larger opportunity for the likes of Live Nation to grab even more market share on the other side.”
Meanwhile, entertainers and their teams continue to monitor the pandemic closely as they decide how, or whether, to proceed with tour plans.
“Concerts are there for people to feel better,” said Miranda Lambert manager Kraft. “If it’s making people feel anxious or worse to attend, then it’s not the time to be doing concerts.”


latimes--2020-03-13--Police arrest man they allege sexually assaulted woman sleeping next to her boyfriend

Authorities have arrested a 43-year-old man they allege sexually assaulted a woman while she was sleeping next to her boyfriend , Riverside police said .
Jose Ivan Rodriguez was taken into custody Wednesday at his residence in Moreno Valley , police said .
He was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of burglary and sexual battery , but has since been released on $ 35,000 bail , authorities said .
Riverside police were called to an apartment in the 5800 block of Fair Isle Drive at about 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 11 , police said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had “ entered the apartment and committed a sexual assault on a female resident while she slept , ” police said .
“ This woke up the victim — who alerted her boyfriend sleeping next to her , which caused the suspect to run out of the apartment.
” Officers recovered material at the scene that they submitted to the crime lab for DNA processing .
A sketch of the suspect was also made based on a description by the victim , authorities said .
Anyone with information related to the investigation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at ( 951 ) 826-8716 or jramos @ riversideca.gov .

Jose Ivan Rodriguez, 43, of Moreno Valley was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexual battery and burglary, authorities said.
Authorities have arrested a 43-year-old man they allege sexually assaulted a woman while she was sleeping next to her boyfriend, Riverside police said.
Jose Ivan Rodriguez was taken into custody Wednesday at his residence in Moreno Valley, police said. He was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of burglary and sexual battery, but has since been released on $35,000 bail, authorities said.
Riverside police were called to an apartment in the 5800 block of Fair Isle Drive at about 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 11, police said in a statement.
Advertisement
Responding officers learned that someone had “entered the apartment and committed a sexual assault on a female resident while she slept,” police said. “This woke up the victim — who alerted her boyfriend sleeping next to her, which caused the suspect to run out of the apartment.”
Officers recovered material at the scene that they submitted to the crime lab for DNA processing. A sketch of the suspect was also made based on a description by the victim, authorities said.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Det. Janet Ramos at (951) 826-8716 or jramos@riversideca.gov.


latimes--2020-03-13--Pipeline company to pay more than $60 million for 2015 oil spill near Santa Barbara

A pipeline company has agreed to pay more than $ 60 million , and change its operations , to settle litigation arising from an oil spill that gushed from one of its lines in 2015 , north of Refugio State Beach near Santa Barbara , the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday .
The spill dumped roughly 2,934 barrels of crude oil along the Gaviota coast , forced the closure of Refugio and El Capitan state beaches and covered waves , rocky shores , sandy beaches and kelp forests with oil .
Hundreds of sea birds and mammals , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area in the weeks following the spill .
According to a Justice Department news release , the spill was caused by the company ’ s failure to address external corrosion and have proper procedures place in its control room .
In addition , the environmental damage was “ further exacerbated by [ the company ’ s ] failure to respond properly to the release , ” the department said .
Under the settlement , Plains All American Pipeline L.P. and Plains Pipeline L.P. agreed to modify operations to prevent further spills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties , plus $ 22.325 million in natural resource damages , $ 10 million for natural resource damage assessment costs and $ 4.26 million for Coast Guard cleanup costs .
The total costs exceed $ 60 million , the Justice Department said , “ excluding the value of the required injunctive relief changes to Plains ’ national operations.
” “ Today ’ s settlement shows federal and local governments working in partnership to hold industry fairly accountable , ” said Deputy Assistant Atty .
Gen. Bruce Gelber of the Justice Department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The agreement will also promote public health and safety , and protect the environment for local communities.
” The Justice Department said it worked closely with its co-plaintiff , the state of California , on behalf of federal agencies including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ; the Department of the Interior ; the Department of Commerce ; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ; and the U.S. Coast Guard .
In a statement , Plains said it takes “ very seriously ” its responsibility to safely deliver energy products .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is the culmination of collaborative discussions with federal and state agencies over the course of a multi-year period , said Brad Leone , director of communications and public affairs for Plains All American Pipeline .
“ The consent decree sets forth certain improvement actions that we are implementing into our operations.
” After a four-month trial in 2018 , a jury found Plains had knowingly caused or “ or should have known ” that it caused the spill .
It also found the company guilty of knowingly filing a false or misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement at the time , Santa Barbara County Dist .
Atty .
Joyce E. Dudley described the case as a “ David vs. Goliath ” battle against a large firm with teams of lawyers and thanked prosecutors for being “ relentless in seeking justice for our people , our animals and our environment.
” Friday ’ s settlement comes at a time when environmentalists are facing an executive order President Trump signed in 2017 to consider new offshore drilling in federal waters off Southern California and around the country .
“ This settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end oil drilling offshore and in our neighborhoods , ” Katherine Pease , director of science and policy at Heal The Bay , “ in order to prevent further harm to the environment and our health.
” Local opposition to oil drilling was fueled by televised images in 1969 of oil-drenched birds and frantic cleanup crews after a drill boring in federal waters punctured a high-pressure pocket of petroleum .
An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude spewed uncontrolled from the breach into the blue Pacific , much of it congealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oil was pushed southwest by winds to San Miguel Island , and the rest was carried by currents toward Santa Barbara .
The event galvanized public awareness of the environment and support for tighter regulatory control of the oil industry .
In the 1980s and ’ 90s , it played a role in defeating efforts by the Reagan administration and later by the first Bush administration to sink more oil wells along stretches of the California coastline , including Monterey Bay .

A pipeline company has agreed to pay more than $60 million, and change its operations, to settle litigation arising from an oil spill that gushed from one of its lines in 2015, north of Refugio State Beach near Santa Barbara, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday.
The spill dumped roughly 2,934 barrels of crude oil along the Gaviota coast, forced the closure of Refugio and El Capitan state beaches and covered waves, rocky shores, sandy beaches and kelp forests with oil. Hundreds of sea birds and mammals, many coated in crude, washed up in the area in the weeks following the spill.
According to a Justice Department news release, the spill was caused by the company’s failure to address external corrosion and have proper procedures place in its control room. In addition, the environmental damage was “further exacerbated by [the company’s] failure to respond properly to the release,” the department said.
Advertisement
California 105,000 gallons of oil may have spilled in Santa Barbara County The operator of an underground pipeline that ruptured and released up to 105,000 gallons of crude oil in Santa Barbara County -- and tens of thousands of gallons into the ocean -- said Wednesday that the spill happened after a series of mechanical problems caused the line to be shut down.
Under the settlement, Plains All American Pipeline L.P. and Plains Pipeline L.P. agreed to modify operations to prevent further spills, and to pay $24 million in penalties, plus $22.325 million in natural resource damages, $10 million for natural resource damage assessment costs and $4.26 million for Coast Guard cleanup costs.
The total costs exceed $60 million, the Justice Department said, “excluding the value of the required injunctive relief changes to Plains’ national operations.”
“Today’s settlement shows federal and local governments working in partnership to hold industry fairly accountable,” said Deputy Assistant Atty. Gen. Bruce Gelber of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The agreement will also promote public health and safety, and protect the environment for local communities.”
The Justice Department said it worked closely with its co-plaintiff, the state of California, on behalf of federal agencies including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; the Department of the Interior; the Department of Commerce; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the U.S. Coast Guard.
In a statement, Plains said it takes “very seriously” its responsibility to safely deliver energy products.
“This Consent Decree represents a significant step and is the culmination of collaborative discussions with federal and state agencies over the course of a multi-year period, said Brad Leone, director of communications and public affairs for Plains All American Pipeline. “The consent decree sets forth certain improvement actions that we are implementing into our operations.”
After a four-month trial in 2018, a jury found Plains had knowingly caused or “or should have known” that it caused the spill. It also found the company guilty of knowingly filing a false or misleading report to the state.
Advertisement
In a statement at the time, Santa Barbara County Dist. Atty. Joyce E. Dudley described the case as a “David vs. Goliath” battle against a large firm with teams of lawyers and thanked prosecutors for being “relentless in seeking justice for our people, our animals and our environment.”
Friday’s settlement comes at a time when environmentalists are facing an executive order President Trump signed in 2017 to consider new offshore drilling in federal waters off Southern California and around the country.
“This settlement is a poignant reminder of the need to end oil drilling offshore and in our neighborhoods,” Katherine Pease, director of science and policy at Heal The Bay, “in order to prevent further harm to the environment and our health.”
Local opposition to oil drilling was fueled by televised images in 1969 of oil-drenched birds and frantic cleanup crews after a drill boring in federal waters punctured a high-pressure pocket of petroleum.
An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude spewed uncontrolled from the breach into the blue Pacific, much of it congealing into a foot-thick mat. Part of the oil was pushed southwest by winds to San Miguel Island, and the rest was carried by currents toward Santa Barbara.
The event galvanized public awareness of the environment and support for tighter regulatory control of the oil industry. In the 1980s and ’90s, it played a role in defeating efforts by the Reagan administration and later by the first Bush administration to sink more oil wells along stretches of the California coastline, including Monterey Bay.


latimes--2020-03-13--To fight coronavirus, Silicon Valley health officer says all gatherings should be canceled

Calling the coronavirus outbreak “ one of the most historic public health challenges of our time , ” the health officer for Silicon Valley has issued a new aggressive ban on public gatherings — restricting gatherings of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more .
The order also recommended all gatherings be canceled .
With the coronavirus spreading fast and hitting Silicon Valley hard , the order by Santa Clara County health officer Dr. Sara Cody was the most stringent ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clara County is the worst hit county across the state , reporting one death and 79 cases .
The number of cases is more than triple than what it was a week ago .
The county superintendent of school also ordered the closure of public schools in Santa Clara County beginning March 16 through April 3 .
“ Based on these data and patterns of disease that we see around the world , we know that the outbreak of COVID-19 in our county will accelerate .
And we anticipate many , many more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come , ” the health officer said .
“ These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease and preserve critical health-care capacity and other essential services , ” Cody said .
The order will likely have a dramatic effect on restaurants , theaters and bars .
A gathering is any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or space at the same time , like an auditorium , stadium , arena , conference room , meeting hall , cafeteria , restaurant , theater , bar or any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cody said .
The order also instructs prospective attendees of gatherings between 35 and 100 people be warned that older adults and people with existing health conditions “ are at particularly serious risk and should not attend , ” and that the gatherings “ pose a heightened risk of COVID-19 transmission.
” The ban does not include normal operations at airports , or places where people may be in transit , offices , classrooms , retail environments such as pharmacies and grocery stores , or hospitals and clinics .
The new order will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The swift rise in cases has caused authorities to believe the outbreak will get dramatically worse .
Cody acknowledged what a tough decision this was .
“ These decisions are hard to make .
We are balancing the public health need to slow the spread of infection with the significant impact we know these actions will have on the lives of our residents .
We believe these actions are necessary to protect the well-being of our community during one of the most historic public health challenges of our time , ” Cody said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public and private gatherings between 35 and 100 people must comply with : • Keep attendees at least 6 feet from each other • Make soap and water available for attendees to wash their hands , or alcohol-based hand sanitizer • People hosting gatherings must alert prospective attendees 24 hours before that the events post a heightened risk of coronavirus transmission , and older adults and those with health conditions are at serious risk and should not attend • For ticketed events , hosts must allow prospective attendees to cancel their attendance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hosts must clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes and other standard cleaners .
The order said that while gatherings of fewer than 100 are not prohibited if hosts comply with the five requirements , “ the Health Officer strongly urges hosts and sponsors to cancel all such gatherings.
” San Francisco ’ s health officer has issued a public health order banning all non-essential events of 100 or more people .
Restaurants that have a capacity of more than 100 people can continue operating if they reduce their occupancy in half .
For instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150 can continue operating if it reduces its occupancy in half to 75 .
“ We hope that this order will encourage people to skip social gatherings for the time being , and promote telecommuting and social distancing .
Together , we can fight the spread of coronavirus , reduce harm to our community , and protect the most vulnerable people , ” said Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of health .

Calling the coronavirus outbreak “one of the most historic public health challenges of our time,” the health officer for Silicon Valley has issued a new aggressive ban on public gatherings — restricting gatherings of 35 or more unless organizers warn attendees that it poses a heightened risk of infection and banning all public and private gatherings of 100 or more.
The order also recommended all gatherings be canceled.
With the coronavirus spreading fast and hitting Silicon Valley hard, the order by Santa Clara County health officer Dr. Sara Cody was the most stringent ban on public gatherings across California. Santa Clara County is the worst hit county across the state, reporting one death and 79 cases. The number of cases is more than triple than what it was a week ago.
The county superintendent of school also ordered the closure of public schools in Santa Clara County beginning March 16 through April 3.
Advertisement
“Based on these data and patterns of disease that we see around the world, we know that the outbreak of COVID-19 in our county will accelerate. And we anticipate many, many more cases in the days and weeks to come,” the health officer said.
“These measures are designed to slow the spread of disease and preserve critical health-care capacity and other essential services,” Cody said.
The order will likely have a dramatic effect on restaurants, theaters and bars.
A gathering is any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or space at the same time, like an auditorium, stadium, arena, conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, restaurant, theater, bar or any other confined indoor or outdoor space, Cody said.
The order also instructs prospective attendees of gatherings between 35 and 100 people be warned that older adults and people with existing health conditions “are at particularly serious risk and should not attend,” and that the gatherings “pose a heightened risk of COVID-19 transmission.”
The ban does not include normal operations at airports, or places where people may be in transit, offices, classrooms, retail environments such as pharmacies and grocery stores, or hospitals and clinics.
The new order will go into effect 12 a.m. Saturday.
Advertisement
The swift rise in cases has caused authorities to believe the outbreak will get dramatically worse.
Cody acknowledged what a tough decision this was.
“These decisions are hard to make. We are balancing the public health need to slow the spread of infection with the significant impact we know these actions will have on the lives of our residents. We believe these actions are necessary to protect the well-being of our community during one of the most historic public health challenges of our time,” Cody said.
There are five requirements that hosts of public and private gatherings between 35 and 100 people must comply with:
Keep attendees at least 6 feet from each other
Make soap and water available for attendees to wash their hands, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
People hosting gatherings must alert prospective attendees 24 hours before that the events post a heightened risk of coronavirus transmission, and older adults and those with health conditions are at serious risk and should not attend
For ticketed events, hosts must allow prospective attendees to cancel their attendance at no charge and refund them
Hosts must clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes and other standard cleaners.
The order said that while gatherings of fewer than 100 are not prohibited if hosts comply with the five requirements, “the Health Officer strongly urges hosts and sponsors to cancel all such gatherings.”
San Francisco’s health officer has issued a public health order banning all non-essential events of 100 or more people. Restaurants that have a capacity of more than 100 people can continue operating if they reduce their occupancy in half. For instance, a restaurant with an occupancy of 150 can continue operating if it reduces its occupancy in half to 75.
“We hope that this order will encourage people to skip social gatherings for the time being, and promote telecommuting and social distancing. Together, we can fight the spread of coronavirus, reduce harm to our community, and protect the most vulnerable people,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of health.
Lin reported from San Francisco; Winton, from Los Angeles.


latimes--2020-03-13--L.A. County Probation Department suspends visitations at juvenile facilities

The Los Angeles County Probation Department is temporarily suspending visitations to its juvenile halls and residential treatment facilities in an @ @ @ @ @ from infecting its staff or the youth under its supervision , officials said Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ , special and after-court visits from family or community groups , but will not stop @ @ @ @ @ from taking place , according to the department .
“ The department values visitation as @ @ @ @ @ reunification , ” officials wrote in a news release .
“ Youth in juvenile facilities @ @ @ @ @ to maintain contact with family and loved ones and all internal programming within the facilities @ @ @ @ @ , the department will explore the feasibility of other options for families to communicate with @ @ @ @ @ video conferencing from various community locations.
” Other steps the department is taking to minimize @ @ @ @ @ include posting additional signage , ensuring restrooms and staff quarters are clean and well stocked @ @ @ @ @ to regularly clean and disinfect common areas , officials said .

The Los Angeles County Probation Department is temporarily suspending visitations to its juvenile halls and residential treatment facilities in an attempt to keep the coronavirus from infecting its staff or the youth under its supervision, officials said Friday.
The prohibition applies to weekend, special and after-court visits from family or community groups, but will not stop court-ordered or required legal visits from taking place, according to the department.
“The department values visitation as an essential part of family reunification,” officials wrote in a news release. “Youth in juvenile facilities will have extended phone privileges to maintain contact with family and loved ones and all internal programming within the facilities will continue. In addition, the department will explore the feasibility of other options for families to communicate with their youth, such as video conferencing from various community locations.”
Advertisement
Other steps the department is taking to minimize the risk of the coronavirus include posting additional signage, ensuring restrooms and staff quarters are clean and well stocked and bringing in more staff to regularly clean and disinfect common areas, officials said.


latimes--2020-03-13--State energy regulators approve more funding to decommission San Onofre nuclear plant

California utility regulators awarded owners of the San Onofre nuclear plant hundreds of millions of dollars in new money to pay for ongoing decommissioning of the shuttered power station , rejecting a protest from a San Diego consumer group .
Majority plant owner Southern California Edison late last year asked the California Public Utilities Commission to approve withdrawing $ 461 million from an existing trust fund to continue deconstructing the closed nuclear plant north of Oceanside .
In 2017 , Edison estimated it would need $ 166 million to perform the same next steps in the decommissioning process .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel-transfer program moving the waste from wet to dry storage and approval of a permit from the state Coastal Commission contributed to the higher cost estimates .
The Public Watchdogs consumer advocacy group filed a formal protest to the application late last year , asserting that Edison had not properly explained why it needed more money than it had previously estimated .
Regulators initially placed a hold on the funding , but last week they announced in a letter they would approve the application .
“ Since SCE properly explained its 2020 decommissioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewed in ... [ future hearings ] , Public Watchdogs ’ protest does not provide sufficient grounds for rejection , ” the commission wrote .
Edison said the decision would allow the company to proceed safely with decommissioning the former plant .
“ The CPUC ’ s approval is consistent with the process for obtaining trust fund disbursements to pay for decommissioning costs , ” Edison said in a statement .
Public Watchdogs executive director Charles Langley criticized regulators for not holding more frequent hearings over how the multibillion-dollar decommissioning fund is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to occur once every three years , ” he said by email .
“ The last hearing was held four years ago in 2016.
” California electricity customers paid more than $ 4 billion into the decommissioning trust fund over the last several decades to pay for the eventual dismantling of the plant .
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station , owned by Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric , was closed permanently after a small radiation leak in 2012 .

The San Onofre nuclear power plant was permanently shut down after a radiation leak in 2012.
California utility regulators awarded owners of the San Onofre nuclear plant hundreds of millions of dollars in new money to pay for ongoing decommissioning of the shuttered power station, rejecting a protest from a San Diego consumer group.
Majority plant owner Southern California Edison late last year asked the California Public Utilities Commission to approve withdrawing $461 million from an existing trust fund to continue deconstructing the closed nuclear plant north of Oceanside.
In 2017, Edison estimated it would need $166 million to perform the same next steps in the decommissioning process. Since then Edison has said delays in the fuel-transfer program moving the waste from wet to dry storage and approval of a permit from the state Coastal Commission contributed to the higher cost estimates.
Advertisement
The Public Watchdogs consumer advocacy group filed a formal protest to the application late last year, asserting that Edison had not properly explained why it needed more money than it had previously estimated.
Regulators initially placed a hold on the funding, but last week they announced in a letter they would approve the application.
“Since SCE properly explained its 2020 decommissioning forecast costs and their reasonableness will be reviewed in ... [future hearings], Public Watchdogs’ protest does not provide sufficient grounds for rejection,” the commission wrote.
Edison said the decision would allow the company to proceed safely with decommissioning the former plant.
“The CPUC’s approval is consistent with the process for obtaining trust fund disbursements to pay for decommissioning costs,” Edison said in a statement.
Public Watchdogs executive director Charles Langley criticized regulators for not holding more frequent hearings over how the multibillion-dollar decommissioning fund is being spent.
Advertisement
“The hearings are supposed to occur once every three years,” he said by email. “The last hearing was held four years ago in 2016.”
California electricity customers paid more than $4 billion into the decommissioning trust fund over the last several decades to pay for the eventual dismantling of the plant.
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, owned by Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric, was closed permanently after a small radiation leak in 2012.
McDonald writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune


latimes--2020-03-13--In L.A., coronavirus scammers and price gougers prey on fear. Prosecutors vow crackdown

Los Angeles County and city officials said Friday they are cracking down on fraud related to the coronavirus outbreak .
L.A. County District Atty .
Jackie Lacey and L.A. City Atty .
Mike Feuer announced a joint task force Friday , saying they are already seeing evidence of people pushing illegal and dangerous schemes related to the virus .
“ We ’ re fighting to protect an anxious and uncertain public from price gouging , online scams and misinformation , ” said Feuer in a stateement .
He said the city attorney is investigating “ traditional stores and online retailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus prevention , treatment , and cures , and investigating safety products—such as protective masks—that may not perform as advertised , as well as products being sold at astronomical prices.
” He cited one case in which a company was selling vitamins it falsely claimed could prevent children from getting coronavirus .
“ As prosecutors , we see first-hand how consumer fraud can infringe on our sense of security , shatter our trust and endanger our well-being , ” Lacey said .
“ The consequences of today ’ s scams are more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our health and the health of those around us .
Unfortunately , every one of us is at risk of being duped by one of these scams.
” Los Angeles County health officials confirmed three new cases , two of which had an unidentified source of exposure , suggesting that the virus is actively spreading in the community .
Over the past week , county leaders have stressed the importance of personal responsibility as coronavirus is believed to be active throughout Los Angeles County , which has 32 confirmed cases .
California officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The state of the new coronavirus as of Thursday , up from 177 the day before .
Meanwhile , the United States has surpassed 1,300 coronavirus cases , with most in Washington state , New York and California .

Los Angeles County and city officials said Friday they are cracking down on fraud related to the coronavirus outbreak.
L.A. County District Atty. Jackie Lacey and L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer announced a joint task force Friday, saying they are already seeing evidence of people pushing illegal and dangerous schemes related to the virus.
“We’re fighting to protect an anxious and uncertain public from price gouging, online scams and misinformation,” said Feuer in a stateement.
Advertisement
He said the city attorney is investigating “traditional stores and online retailers, uncovering unsubstantiated advertising claims about alleged coronavirus prevention, treatment, and cures, and investigating safety products—such as protective masks—that may not perform as advertised, as well as products being sold at astronomical prices.”
He cited one case in which a company was selling vitamins it falsely claimed could prevent children from getting coronavirus.
“As prosecutors, we see first-hand how consumer fraud can infringe on our sense of security, shatter our trust and endanger our well-being,” Lacey said. “The consequences of today’s scams are more than just financial. These frauds may affect our health and the health of those around us. Unfortunately, every one of us is at risk of being duped by one of these scams.”
Los Angeles County health officials confirmed three new cases, two of which had an unidentified source of exposure, suggesting that the virus is actively spreading in the community.
Over the past week, county leaders have stressed the importance of personal responsibility as coronavirus is believed to be active throughout Los Angeles County, which has 32 confirmed cases.
California officials are calling for the cancellation of all gatherings with 250 or more people to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The state has recorded 198 cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday, up from 177 the day before.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the United States has surpassed 1,300 coronavirus cases, with most in Washington state, New York and California.