Newport Beach (Photo: LA Times)
California stay-at-home faces its biggest test: A heat wave driving people to the beach
From the LAT's JAMES RAINEY, ROSANNA XIA and HANNAH FRY: "The natural air conditioner created some 13 million years ago with the formation of Santa Monica Bay has helped charm and cool Angelenos from the time people first inhabited this land. The chance to enjoy ocean breezes, and perhaps a swim, seemed like a Los Angeles birthright.
But the coronavirus pandemic has upended many truths of earlier eras. Now the people of Los Angeles will enter their sixth week under a stay-at-home order, facing a weekend of 90-degree-plus temperatures, with all 72 miles of the Los Angeles County coast closed to one and all.
The people appear prepared to abide. At least most of them. At least for now."
READ MORE related to Pandemic: Toilet paperruns and blood drives. Lawmakers on district duty while Newsom steals the show -- Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY; Lysol maker warns not to drink disinfectant -- The Chronicle's ALEJANDRO SERRANO/ANNA BAUMAN/MATT KAWAHARA; California clears coronavirus testing backlog, tops 480K completed tests -- The Chronicle's ANNA BAUMAN; San Jose woman who died Feb. 6 showed no symptoms of coronavirus, father says -- The Chronicle's MATTHIAS GAFNI/LAUREN HERNANDEZ; Flu or coronavirus? With new timeline, some wonder about earlier illnesses -- The Chronicle's JILL TUCKER/ERIN ALLDAY; Charts show how Bay Area's coronavirus 'curve' compares with hot spots in US -- The Chronicle's KELLIE HWANG/MICHAEL MASSA; Napa County relaxes some coronavirus social distancing restrictions, recommends masks -- The Chronicle's MATT KAWAHARA; Coronavirus canceled fertility treatments, but Bay Area residents hope to restart them -- The Chronicle's SARAH FELDBERG; Bay Area residents largely comply with new coronavirus mask orders -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN; Don't inject disinfectants, Lysol warns as Trump raises idea -- AP
Newsom sued over financial support for unemployed undocumented immigrants
Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "A conservative group has filed an emergency petition with the California Supreme Court, seeking to block the implementation of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s program to provide $500 checks to unemployed undocumented immigrants.
The Center for American Liberty and Dhillon Law Group, led by conservative attorney Harmeet Dhillon, filed the emergency petition on Wednesday on behalf of two plaintiffs, Ricardo Benitez and Jessica Martinez.
Both Benitez and Martinez are candidates for a seat on the California State Assembly; Benitez is a Republican running for Assembly District 39, while Martinez is a Republican running for Assembly District 57."
READ MORE related to Economy: Overwhelmed by jobless claims, California waives rule requiring unemployed to update status -- Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER; Too celebratory for a pandemic, California's farmed oysters and caviar lose their markets -- The Chronicle's JANELLE BITKER; Gap Inc. stops paying rent and is running out of money to operate -- The Chronicle's SHWANIKA NARAYAN; LA street vendors fought 10 years for the right to sell. Then COVID-19 came along -- LA Times's PATRICIA ESCARCEGA
US judge blocks background checks that denied ammo to law-abiding gun owners in California
Sac Bee's RYAN SABALOW: "A federal judge has blocked California’s ammunition background check program, which had prevented nearly one in five law-abiding gun owners from purchasing ammunitionbecause of database glitches and other record-keeping problems.
In a 120-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez said the state’s program has been used to “systematically prohibit or deter an untold number of law-abiding California citizen-residents from undergoing the required background checks.”
“The experiment has been tried. The casualties have been counted. California’s new ammunition background check law misfires and the Second Amendment rights of California citizens have been gravely injured,” Benitez, of the Southern District of California in San Diego, wrote in an opinion posted Wednesday."
L.A. hunkered down. But it hasn’t stopped building mansions, stadiums and apartments
From the LAT's NATHAN FENNO, ANDREW KHOURI and ROGER VINCENT: "The sounds of electric saws and hammering filled a narrow street in Pacific Palisades on a recent morning.
Crews wearing protective masks worked on the roof and patio of a sprawling home under construction on the corner. Building permits show it will be about 17,000 square feet and include a sport court, swimming pool and a 1,500-square-foot auxiliary residence.
On a nearby lot, workers scurried around the dirt yard and scaffolding of another imposing home underway. And across the street, excavation continued on the basement for a planned “resort-inspired” home with two swimming pools that’s on the market for $14.8 million."
Student loan debt collection on pause in California due to coronavirus, Newsom says
Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "Have student loan debt? You’re about to get a break on paying it back.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that 21 of the 24 largest student loan servicers have agreed to a 90-day forebearance of loan repayment collection. This comes about as an effort led by Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker, Newsom said.
During that period, loan servicers won’t charge late fees, fines or put down bad credit marks for student loan holders."
READ MORE related to Education: Sacramento State students warned of scam offering job after coronavirus order lifts -- Sac Bee's ROSALIO AHUMADA
Clashing recreation vex Californians during coronavirus stay-at-home order
The Chronicle's TOM STIENSTRA: "Drive to South Lake Tahoe this weekend, and you’ll risk getting a $1,000 fine for violating El Dorado County’s no-travel order, put in place in response to the coronoavirus pandemic.
Yet anyone in California can tow a boat to the Berkeley or Richmond marinas to launch on San Francisco Bay.
In the five weeks since Gov. Gavin Newsom passed the stay-at-home order, every county, city, park district and water agency has its own interpretation of how it would be implemented. As a result, closures of park and recreational sites across the state has been haphazard. Those looking to engage in outdoor activities are often confronted by a clashing series of regulations."
‘It’s horrible for everyone’: How the coronavirus changed these landlords’ and tenants’ lives
From the LAT's LIAM DILLON and ANDREW KHOURI: "Over the last month, millions of Californians have lost their jobs because of orders to stay at home and close nonessential businesses to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Both tenants and landlords have faced sudden losses in income and new fears about what will happen to their homes and properties. Federal, state and local governments have passed measures to prevent evictions and provide mortgage assistance with the expectation that many tenants won’t be able to pay their rent.
But the patchwork of rules has led to confusion and, in many cases, has failed to relieve worries about missed rent and mortgage payments. Some landlords are pressuring their tenants for financial documentation or to agree to rent repayment plans that are more onerous than required by law."
Govt scientist felt pressured to approve contract for work on drug Trump touted
LA Times's DAVID S CLOUD/MELISSA HEALY: "The federal scientist recently ousted from a senior position overseeing research on coronavirus vaccines felt pressured by Trump administration officials to award a $21-million contract to a Florida laboratory to study an anti-malaria drug touted by the president as a COVID-19 treatment, according to a person familiar with the incident.
Rick Bright, who was abruptly removed this week from his senior post at the Department of Health and Human Services, was told by officials to approve the contract for a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine to Alchem Laboratories, a small drug-development firm, the person said.
“He was very concerned and was ordered to do it,” said the person."
Wuhan was the fentanyl capitol of the world. Then the coronavirus hit
LA Times's KATE LINTHICUM: "For drug traffickers interested in getting in on thefentanyl business, all roads once led to Wuhan.
The sprawling industrial city built along the Yangtze River in east-central China is known for its production of chemicals, including the ingredients needed to cook fentanyl and other powerful synthetic opioids.
Vendors there shipped huge quantities around the world. The biggest customers were Mexican drug cartels, which have embraced fentanyl in recent years because it is cheaper and easier to produce than heroin."
