Morning Brief: Masks At Disneyland, Lawsuits Against LASD, And Hiking Icehouse Canyon

Good morning, L.A. It’s July 30.

The Happiest Place on Earth is recognizing the spread of the delta variant and acting accordingly. Disney announced on its website that, beginning today, all guests ages two and up will need to wear face masks while indoors at their parks, whether they’re vaccinated or not.

The new rule applies to buses, the monorail, and the Disney Skyliner, in addition to indoor rides and attractions.

Character masks don’t count.

Disneyland reopened at 15% capacity on April 30, and fully reopened along with the rest of the state on July 15. At that time, the park opted to allow vaccinated visitors to go unmasked both indoors and out, and to self-attest to their vaccination status.

Meanwhile, L.A. County officially reinstated an indoor mask mandate at midnight on July 18. County health officials reported yesterday that coronavirus transmission has reached what they consider a “high” rate, and that new cases in L.A. County are approaching nearly half of the new cases in the entire state of California.

The vast majority of new cases are caused by the delta variant.

L.A. County’s director of public health, Barbara Ferrer, noted that affluent areas on the West Side, including Beverly Hills, are seeing some of the highest case numbers.

“It does appear that transmission in these neighborhoods is being driven mostly by community spread among young adults,” 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

• The family of David Ordaz, Jr., who was fatally shot by L.A. Sheriff’s Department deputies during a mental health crisis, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the county.
• Similarly, the family of Dana Mitchell Young Jr., who was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy who claimed to have mistaken Young’s face mask for a gun, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit.
• LAUSD will require all students and employees, vaccinated or not, to get a COVID-19 test before the new school year begins, and to participate in weekly testing once they're back on campuses.
• A group of divers removed a large patch of invasive algae off the coast of Newport Beach.
• California is adding diversity goals as part of its new funding for film and TV tax credits.
• Last night’s 8.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska had experts watching for a tsunami along California’s coast.

Weekend Reads

There's a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s hard enough to keep up with our day-to-day lives, let alone to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, here’s what you may have missed:

Restaurants are having a hard time restaffing as they open back up — here’s why. (LAist)

Some landlords in L.A. took advantage of the pandemic, and some renters believe the city and county don’t have what it takes to crack down. (LAist)

A new father, who is Black, tells his story of being confronted and arrested by LAPD officers, reportedly with their guns drawn, on his newborn baby’s first day at home. (L.A. Watts Times)

A teenager’s reports of sexual abuse at the hands of a detention service officer at an L.A. County juvenile hall went uninvestigated for more than a year. (Witness L.A.)

The measly rain that hit SoCal this week was, surprisingly, record-setting. (LAist)

An L.A.-based app aims to help members of the Asian community in the U.S. simplify the process of sending money to their families in other countries. (Asian Journal)

Boyle Heights’ Breed Street Shul, once a gateway for immigration, is undergoing a full restoration. (LAist)

Slay your next summer picnic with these tips. (LAist)

Before You Go ... This Week's Outdoor Pick: Icehouse Canyon

This week's outdoor pick takes you Icehouse Canyon for cooler temperature while hiking.

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JinxiBoo, licensed under CC BY 2.0

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This higher-elevation hike through the canyon to the Icehouse Saddle is a good way to get in some exercise while escaping the heat. A little more than seven miles roundtrip, the shady trail passes long-abandoned recreation cabins. More experienced hikers can trek beyond the saddle to one of the nearby peaks or further into the Cucamonga Wilderness.

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