SUNDAY,MAY 31, 2020 /// Now including Coastline Pilot and Huntington Beach Independent/// dailypilot.com O.C. tops 6,000 cases of COVID-19 One death and 181 new incidents of the coronavirus Saturday are among the latest numbers provided by the county’s healthcare agency. BY ANDREW TURNER Cumulative cases of the novel co- ronavirus in Orange County have reached 6,100, according to the latest numbers released by the Orange County Health Care Agency. Of the confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, there have been 665 skilled nursing fa- cility residents and 377 county jail in- mates infected. Photos by Raul Roa|Staff Photographer The county reported one death and SENIORS FROM Huntington Terrace Senior Living wave at a van with a message as the Sycamore Creek Community Charter School an additional 181 confirmed cases. Senior Cheer Parade drives by their location on the 18800 block of Florida Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday. There have now been 146 deaths coun- tywide due to COVID-19, with 61 of the fatalities involving skilled nursing facil- Sycamore Creek school cheers ity residents. Within the last day, there were 1,927 more coronavirus tests performed, bringing the number of tests adminis- on seniors, essential workers tered to 121,811. There are 272 cases that currently re- quire hospitalization, and 89 of the pa- tients hospitalized are in an intensive with parade in Huntington Beach care unit. The 272 hospitalizations are the second-highest total for a single day during the pandemic, trailing only the BY LILLY NGUYEN mark of 274 in Wednesday’s report. Twenty-four of 25 eligible hospitals re- Students, teachers and community ported for this period. members of the Sycamore Creek Commu- An estimated 2,447 people have re- nity Charter School were planning for a pa- covered to date from COVID-19. The rade for weeks. county healthcare agency is using the On Saturday, the “cheer parade” in Hunt- difference between the prior 28-day cu- ington Beach for seniors and healthcare mulative case count and the current workers was scheduled to start on Franklin day’s mortality to determine the approx- Drive. The plan was to loop participants imate figure of those who have recov- down Delaware Street and past several sen- ered on a specific day. ior housing and care facilities along the Broken down into age groups, those way. ages 25-34 and 45-54 have each ac- The goal of the parade, Sarah Bach, counted for 18% of the county’s total in- founder and executive director of the char- fections. The age brackets of 35-44 and ter school, said, was to connect students 55-64 each come in at 15% of the cumu- with the Huntington Beach community. lative cases. Ten percent have been 18- “We were having a meeting [for fundrais- 24, while 9% have been 65-74. Another ing and community building on May 8] 10% of the total cases have involved per- and we were trying to think of different sons that are at least 75 years old. things that we could do. Who needs help? By ethnicity, 37% of the county’s What can we do that builds our own com- COVID-19 related deaths have been munity of families during this time, be- white, 32% Hispanic, 18% Asian and 2% cause it’s really hard on everyone to be African American. Looking at the death separated,” Bach said. toll by gender, 58% of those to succumb After thinking about the seniors and es- to the disease have been male. sential workers affected most by the co- Updated figures are posted daily at ronavirus pandemic, the team struck upon occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus- the idea of holding a parade, similar to the BEV ISON, 79, right, from Huntington Terrace Senior Living waves as the Sycamore Creek in-oc. For information on getting tested birthday parades that have grown in popu- Community Charter School Senior Cheer Parade drives by in Huntington Beach on Saturday. at one of the nearly two dozen public larity since state and local regulations pro- clinics around the county, visit hibited large gatherings. right now and hopefully impact as many “I was able to reach out [to] some of the occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19- “We kind of bounced off of that idea that people as possible and also thank those centers,” Walker said. “We don’t want to testing-and-screening. we could bring cheer to a … retirement or hero workers on the front lines with those give them any extra work. How can we cel- senior living row that has so many centers individuals,” Alisha Walker, board president [email protected] and all different kinds of levels of isolation of the charter, said. See Parade, page A2 Twitter: @ProfessorTurner HIGH SCHOOLS CIF commissioner ALSO FROM THE DAILY PILOT: WORLD TEAM TENNIS D.A. TO HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE optimistic about TO HOLD 2020 SEASON ABOUT HOMELESS POISONINGS IN WEST VIRGINIA ON MONDAY PAGE A2 return of sports The Orange County Breakers will be one of nine franchises MAILBAG: IF YOU’RE HEALTHY to play at The Greenbrier IN NEWPORT BEACH, YOU MAY BY ANDREW TURNER fall sports resort starting July 12. WANT TO THANK GOV. GAVIN season, Kevin Chang | Staff Photographer PAGE A5 NEWSOM PAGE A4 Rob Wigod, the commis- but Wigod sioner of athletics for the has no in- CIF Southern Section, has tention of consistently said recently moving Mariners Christian School bids farewell to departing that the section has a goal forward to have a fall, a winter and a without students with socially distanced ‘Drive-Bye’ event spring sports season in the Rob one. school year to come. Wigod Some BY SARA CARDINE Although it is not known contin- exactly when high school gency plans would include The carpool lane at Costa Mesa’s sports will be able to return pushing back the start of Mariners Christian School recently after the coronavirus pan- the season. became a makeshift party venue as demic forced a shutdown, Aperiod for student-ath- families and teachers convened for a Wigod has maintained that letes to reacclimate them- “Great MCS Drive-Bye” on May 22 to the section will be ready selves to the training regi- celebrate the end of a school year when it is deemed safe to mens associated with their marked by distance and coronavirus play. sports, a league schedule cautions. “I always just say to peo- and full section playoffs Hundreds of parents lined up their ple, ‘You give me a date and would be the minimum vehicles and waited for a chance to I’ll give you a calendar,’ and that CIF is hoping for in any drive their children through a corri- that’s true,” Wigod said. plan to get back on the dor of teachers and staff, some of “We’re prepared for any field. whom dressed in costumes specially eventuality, but the ques- “We would have to be for the occasion. tion that no one has the an- cognizant of definitely in- Music blared from cars as students Scott Smeltzer | Staff Photographer swer [to] on May 28 is, cluding league play,” Wigod stood and waved through sunroofs. ‘What is the date?’ ” said. Among them was eighth-grader ABIGAIL AND Elia Choi, 5, hold signs and wave to staff members at The original calendar for “I don’t believe we can Clay Riener, who festooned the fam- Mariners Christian School during “The Great MCS Drive-Bye” on May 22. high school sports in the really have a viable regular ily SUV with individualized poster- section remains in place at season without full league board greetings made out to his fa- of new norms. job to keep that community feeling present. Time will tell just play and allow leagues to vorite teachers. “We were excited to participate going,” she said. “Just to go through how creative and flexible Mom Valerie Riener said it was the and say good-bye and thank you to CIF has to be to work in a See Sports, page A3 perfect end to a year marked by a lot the school. They’ve done such a great See Mariners, page A3 A2 SUNDAY, MAY31, 2020 DAILY PILOT | COASTLINE PILOT | HUNTINGTON BEACH INDEPENDENT WWW.DAILYPILOT.COM Air Force vet joins Laguna Beach News conference set Monday American Legion Auxiliary as its about homeless poisonings An arrest has been made after ton Beach. aseries of poisonings targeted She added that one adult ar- first male member of the chapter homeless individuals in Hunt- rest has been made in relation to ington Beach, sending several to the food poisonings, which she the hospital, authorities said on said began in mid-May. An Air Force veteran has membership American Legion Auxiliary if Friday. Homeless people received joined the Laguna Beach Ameri- was available they are related to a female vet- The Orange County district at- food laced with oleoresin cap- can Legion Auxiliary Unit chap- only to women eran that is a member of Ameri- torney’s office issued an advisory sicum, considered to be “twice as ter as its first male member. as membership can Legion Post, regardless of that it will be holding a joint news strong as the pepper spray used Richard Moore previously of American Le- military service. conference Monday at 10 a.m. by police,” the announcement served as an American Legion gion Post, a na- Moore officially joined the or- with the city of Huntington said. The statement also said that Post 222 commander for more tional veterans’ ganization chapter, but has not Beach and the county of Orange the reaction of those who were than nine years and currently service organi- been formally welcomed be- to further discuss an ongoing in- given the poisoned food were holds the rank of 2nd vice com- Richard zation, were cause of the suspension of vestigation into the matter.