Morning Brief: Vaccinated Police, Couch Surfing, And Plant-Based Meat

Good morning, L.A. It’s Nov. 10.

Law enforcement spends a lot of time interacting with the public. So when it comes to the coronavirus vaccine, they’re not just protecting themselves by getting it; they’re protecting the people they’re employed to “protect and serve.”

To that end, LAPD Chief Michael Moore announced yesterday that nearly 80% of officers have received both of their shots, and that the department has started sending notices to employees who aren’t vaccinated yet. 

"It is our intention to have a fully vaccinated workforce," he said. "We continue to provide information relative to the power and the value of this vaccine and its protective values for all of our personnel, their families, and those we come in contact with."

Contrast that with the stance of L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who has pushed back hard against the vaccine mandate.

At the end of October, Villanueva wrote an open letter to county officials, broadcasting his belief that “the choice to receive the vaccine is a personal one, and an individual who served the community tirelessly before there was a vaccine should not now be fired because they made a decision about their own body.”

But county and city workers aren’t the only people required to be vaccinated. So is literally anyone who wants to drink, eat, work out, get their hair done, visit a museum or a recreation center, and more in the city of L.A.

In L.A. County, 72% of eligible people over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.

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

What Else You Need To Know Today

• Couch surfing is one way someone can experience homelessness. Meet Lisa Chilton, a 63-year-old bisexual woman, who has been part of the invisible unhoused in L.A.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom explained that the reason he canceled his trip to the climate summit in Scotland was because of his kids, who begged him not to miss Halloween.
• Nations around the world have pledged to tackle methane and widespread destruction of forests, two major contributors to climate change that California has tried — yet struggled — to address.
• Safety is on many people’s minds after the tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld show; here are some tips for what to do in a crushing crowd.

Before You Go ... LA's Best Plant-Based Meat

An assortment of vegan and plant-based dishes from Los Angeles restaurants.

(Photos by Julia Murray for LAist. Photo collage by Elina Shatkin/LAist.)

There’s never been a better time to be a vegan. LAist contributor Julia Murray writes: