Read Article
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
B CALIFORNIA W EDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2020 :: L ATIMES.COM/CALIFORNIA L.A. County’s next goal is Fourth of July lost work and pay. Any comprehensive Also Tuesday, Sacra- mento County announced it reopening to aid the has been given the go-ahead struggling economy by the state to reopen dine- in restaurants. County offi- will depend on cials said their reopening reduced cases of virus. plan differs slightly from the state’s road map: religious services and ceremonies By Colleen Shalby, such as graduations can be Rong-Gong Lin II held only via drive-through, and Sarah Parvini and outdoor gatherings — such as weddings, funerals and family gatherings — can Los Angeles County offi- have a maximum of 10 people cials’ newest goal is to more with strict social distancing. fully reopen the economy by Citing county officials, July 4, officials said Tuesday. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Al Seib Los Angeles Times The mission is to safely Steinberg tweeted that the FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER Anniesatu Newland swabs Alfredo Contreras’ mouth during walk- reopen retail businesses, county would be able to “re- in coronavirus testing this week at St. John’s Well Child & Family Center in South Los Angeles. restaurants and malls. But open some offices, small getting there will be slow go- shops and restaurants” by ing. Friday. “We have to do a lot of “It’s not just about allow- things right so we can actu- ing the businesses to open; ally get to that date,” L.A. it’s also about the custom- I got tested. Should you? County Public Health Direc- ers,” he said in a media brief- tor Barbara Ferrer said. “I ing. “People on the one hand think the reality is that we are going to be understand- are going to really aim to- ably cautious, as they should L.A. County has made free coronavirus testing available to anyone gether to get there as quickly be. But I know that I’m going as possible, but we’re going to try to lead the way. I will go who wants it — symptoms or not. But is that good public policy? to pay attention to the data out to eat. I’ll eat al fresco.” and science.” But in Los Angeles STEVE LOPEZ in offering free testing to all resi- with L.A. County. “No one should The goal was announced County — the center of co- dents, whether or not they have have to wait, wonder, or risk infect- during a Board of Supervi- ronavirus cases in Califor- The last time I trav- symptoms. ing others. Don’t leave it to chance. sors meeting Tuesday, as nia, with more than 1,900 eled along Stadium Second, I’m pretty sure that my Schedule a test.” business leaders lamented deaths — officials have long Way I was headed to a minor allergy-like symptoms are just The theory is that such testing the toll the COVID-19 pan- said reopening the economy Dodger game, but on that: allergies. But as someone who could prevent asymptomatic super- demic has placed on the will be more difficult than in Monday afternoon I is almost 67, with a couple of minor spreaders from infecting others. And economy, saddling business other parts of the state less drove to the fire train- health issues, I thought I should it could help identify trend lines and owners and employees with [See Reopen, B5] ing center near the make sure. Not just for the benefit of give us a better picture of what per- ballpark for a much loved ones, but because I’m in con- centage of the public is sick, and less enjoyable experi- tact with other people while out and when we can safely begin returning ence. about on interviews. to school and to work. A COVID-19 test. As of Tuesday, about 350,000 But not everyone believes that it’s No beer, no Dodger dogs. Just a people in L.A. County had been practical or even desirable to test cotton swab and a five-minute drive- tested and roughly 33,000 of them, or people who have no symptoms. through, with results to follow in a 9%, were positive. Dr. Clayton Kazan, medical direc- few days. “So long as COVID-19 spreads, we tor of the L.A. County Fire Depart- I was conflicted about being have to scale up our response — and ment and an emergency room physi- tested, for two reasons. because this disease can be a silent cian, said he’s all for routine testing First, while we definitely needed killer, we have carefully built the of people in high-risk situations, to ramp up testing back at the begin- capacity to get more people tested,” such as staffers at elder-care facili- ning of this crisis, I’m wondering if Mayor Eric Garcetti said in an- ties. He also supports the testing of the county has now gone overboard nouncing the testing partnership [See Lopez, B5] Genaro Molina Los Angeles Times A WORKER cleans tables at the Original Farmers UC Market, where a variety of stores have been open. divests from Former City Hall fossil official embroiled fuels in federal probe Although federal investi- By Emily Alpert Reyes gators did not name the for- By Teresa Watanabe and Joel Rubin mer deputy mayor in court papers, details about his em- The University of Califor- Raymond Chan earned ployment history make clear nia announced Tuesday Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times praise at City Hall for his it is Chan, including the that it has fully divested RESTRICTIONS on in-person religious services led to “unequal treatment of eagerness to smooth out city dates that he headed the Los from all fossil fuels, the na- faith communities” the Justice Department wrote. Above, protesters in Riverside. bureaucracy for developers, Angeles Department of tion’s largest educational in- both as the head of Los An- Building and Safety and stitution to do so as cam- geles’ building department when he was appointed dep- paigns to fight climate and later as a deputy mayor uty mayor for economic de- change through investment focused on economic devel- velopment. He has not been strategies proliferate at Feds warn of religious bias opment. charged with a crime. campuses across the coun- When Chan stepped Chan has long been try. in restricting their abilities “This facially discrimi- down from city service, May- known to be under scrutiny The UC milestone Justice Department to gather and ultimately re- nates against religious exer- or Eric Garcetti credited him by investigators: He was pre- capped a five-year effort to open. cise,” he said. with helping to usher in viously named in a federal move the public research says state’s closure “Simply put, there is no Moreover, Dreiband L.A.’s development boom warrant seeking evidence of university system’s $126-bil- rules are ‘unequal.’ pandemic exception to the wrote, the governor has per- and lauded him as a “true possible crimes involving lion portfolio into more envi- U.S. Constitution and its Bill mitted restaurants, shop- public servant.” more than a dozen people, ronmentally sustainable in- of Rights,” Dreiband wrote. ping malls and offices to re- Now court records in an which surfaced more than a vestments, such as wind and By Matthew Ormseth Newsom’s office had no sume operations in the sec- ongoing federal probe into year ago. The warrant, solar energy. UC officials say and Alex comment beyond confirm- ond phase of his plan to re- corruption at City Hall tell a served on Google, sought re- their strategy is grounded in Wigglesworth ing that it had received the open California’s economy, different story. Prosecutors cords from his email ac- concerns about the planet’s letter. but houses of worship can- have alleged that a deputy count. future and in what makes fi- The measures Gov. Gav- Dreiband raised issues not hold in-person services mayor was paid by a real But the latest filing spells nancial sense. in Newsom enacted to slow both with California’s stay- until its third, later phase. estate consultant to help out much more about what “As long-term investors, the spread of the corona- at-home order and New- “The Constitution calls shepherd a major project investigators are probing we believe the university and virus and his plans to un- som’s plan to roll it back. for California to do more through City Hall — and lev- about the former deputy its stakeholders are much wind them may discriminate While worshipers cannot to accommodate religious eraged his power as a city of- mayor and building chief, better served by investing in against religious groups and gather in person, even while worship, including in stage 2 ficial to aid the devel- whose enthusiasm for fos- promising opportunities in violate their constitutional following social distancing of the reopening plan,” opment. [See Chan, B4] the alternative energy field rights, the U.S. Justice De- protocols, California has Dreiband said. rather than gambling on oil partment warned in a letter deemed employees in the In April, the Justice De- and gas,” Richard Sherman, Tuesday. entertainment and e-com- partment intervened in a chair of the UC Board of Re- In a three-page letter to merce industries essential dispute between a Missis- Reopening’s He took own life gents’ investments commit- the governor, Eric S. Dreib- and allowed them to contin- sippi church and the city of tee, said in a statement. and, an assistant attorney ue working in person, “re- Greenville, whose police offi- risk magnets in ICE custody The movement against general and the head of the gardless of whether the cers had broken up a service Large workplaces pose Immigrant, 74, had fossil fuels has mushroomed Justice Department’s civil product they are selling and held in the church’s parking particular concerns for sought release over to encompass more than rights division, said Newsom shipping are life-preserving lot.