Friday, August 7, 2020
One restaurant is experimenting with “outdoor igloos” as restrictions on indoor dining remain in place.
L.A. County surpassed 200,000 COVID-19 cases and 4,869 deaths on Thursday. The county accounts for nearly half of the state’s total deaths. — L.A. Times, Palm Springs Desert Sun
The popular annual L.A. Festival of Books is going virtual, with four weeks of online programming instead of the traditional two-day fair. — The Hollywood Reporter
While sidewalk and parking lot dining have become all the rage in Southern California, a new dining option — igloos — is being test-run by a sushi restaurant in San Francisco. — ABC Fresno and Central Valley
The U.S. Postal Service announced a $2.2 billion loss over the last three months of the pandemic. — L.A. Times
The 15-year-old L.A. Barber College in DTLA is in danger of closing down due to the prolonged coronavirus shutdown and a lack of loans and assistance programs. — ABC Los Angeles
Thursday, August 6, 2020
Garcetti Moves to Shut Down Utilities to Properties Hosting Large Parties
Renters are facing off against sheriff’s deputies as they begin to process court-ordered evictions handed down before protections were enacted mid-March.
Southeast Los Angeles has become the new epicenter for the coronavirus, disproportionately impacting working-class Latino communities. The area’s residents account for 19% of new infections, despite only making up 12% of the countywide population. — L.A. Times
Mayor Eric Garcetti authorized the city to shut off utilities at homes and businesses that are violating public health guidelines by hosting large parties. — ABC News Bakersfield
Nearly 1,000 L.A. County renters are facing eviction for pre-COVID judgments, now that the four-month freeze on all court-ordered evictions has ended. — Daily Bulletin
A California state assemblymember has introduced a measure that requires employers to notify employees if a coworker has tested positive for COVID-19. — ABC Los Angeles
Up to 17,600 inmates in California state prisons may be released early due to coronavirus safety concerns. — KRON4
Eleven players on the L.A. Galaxy II, the reserves team of the L.A. Galaxy soccer team, have tested positive for the virus. — Patch
A free indoor COVID-19 testing site will open Aug. 11 at Memorial Park in Azusa. — CBS Los Angeles
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
L.A. County Bans Large Parties
As a socially-distant hobby and semi-urban escape, some locals are trying out fishing on the L.A. River.
L.A. County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced a “legally binding health officer order” banning large gatherings and parties. The ban follows recent publicity surrounding high-profile parties as well as the coronavirus infection trend impacting young people — since June 9, the case rate among 18-29-year-olds has quadrupled. — Deadline
California’s statewide disease registry system, CalREDIE, has been malfunctioning for the past few weeks, resulting in a “significant and unresolved” undercounting of COVID-19 cases. — Eater, Mission Local
L.A. Councilmember David Ryu introduced a motion to penalize Angelenos for renting out their home for large parties using “deterrence tools” besides fines. — KCET
At a Westlake Food 4 Less, 28 employees tested positive for the coronavirus. Workers hosted a rally demanding more safety precautions. — ABC Los Angeles
For some pandemic escapism, some locals are taking up fishing on the L.A. River. — L.A. Times
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
LAPD and LAFD Report Additional COVID-19 Cases Among Employees
A USC study is using L.A.’s sewer system to predict future outbreaks.
California’s coronavirus surge, sparked by the state’s attempt to rapidly reopen in May, appears to be slowing down — now, health officials are attempting to improve public education about the importance of wearing masks and avoiding social gatherings. — L.A. Times
Two California inmates died from coronavirus complications Sunday. Across all state prisons, nearly 8,300 inmates and 1,000 employees have been infected and 49 have died. — L.A. Times
The Los Angeles Police Department reported that 10 more employees tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of cases in the department to 484. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported three more cases, for a total of 154. — CBS Los Angeles
Scientists working on a USC study are attempting to trace COVID-19 and predict future outbreaks using wastewater samples from L.A. sewers. — NBC Los Angeles
Is your favorite neighborhood cafe ignoring safety guidelines? There are official and unofficial methods you can use to nudge businesses to enforce mask-wearing and social distancing. — L.A. Times
Monday, August 3, 2020
California Passes 500,000 COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Decrease
As public spaces remain closed, L.A. homeowners are renting out their backyard pools to make extra cash.
California cases have surpassed 500,000, but hospitalizations are decreasing in both Los Angeles County and Orange County. There were 1,784 coronavirus patients in L.A. county hospitals on Saturday, a 12% drop from 2,017 patients in the prior week. — The Mercury News, L.A. Times
A video posted by KNOCK.LA allegedly shows L.A. County Sheriff’s Department employees attending a party at a Hollywood bar while not wearing masks. LASD has since denied any affiliation with the party. — KNOCK.LA, L.A. Times
As wildfire season nears, California firefighters are adjusting the size of their base camp teams to adhere to COVID-19 social-distancing precautions. — KTLA
Californians are renting out their backyard pools to strangers using a mobile app that allows homeowners to charge hourly rates. — KRON4
The Los Angeles Tenants Union led a rally Friday in downtown L.A. demanding rent cancellation during the pandemic. — KTLA
LAX is debuting a “Travel Safely Ambassador Program” where employees hand out masks and COVID-19 informational pamphlets to flyers. — NBC Los Angeles