Morning Brief: COVID Cases, Reducing Water Usage, And The Railway To The Clouds

Good morning, L.A. It’s Sept. 20.

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Local and national officials are doing what they can to increase vaccinations, but in L.A. County, the number of new coronavirus cases is still high.

On Saturday, officials reported 2,130 new cases and 29 deaths from complications of the virus. The number of new cases was up after being below 2,000 for most of the week except Thursday, when 2,023 new cases were reported.

In a statement, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that we now have the means to reduce the spread of the virus, and that it’s concerning that we are not necessarily doing so.

“Given the powerful tools at our disposal that we didn’t have last fall – rapid antigen tests and highly effective vaccinations -- the high number of cases is troubling and reflects the unevenness of vaccination coverage and screenings,” she said.

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• Even responsible recyclers are contributing to the waste in the ocean, and misinformation is a big reason why.
• During the pandemic, 7,000 fewer undocumented California students applied for financial aid for college.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a pair of controversial housing bills.
• An environmental nonprofit is putting together a plan to reduce daily at-home water usage in L.A.

Before You Go ... The Railway To The Clouds

The view from the Alpine Division section of the Mount Lowe Railway, circa 1908.

In the late 1800’s, a 5.8-mile-long railway called the Railway to the Clouds ascended 4,000 feet into the San Gabriel Mountains. The open trolley car passed pines and oak trees, chaparral and wild poppies for two hours, then reached a summit that had views of the ocean on one side and the valley on the other. Here’s its story.