Morning Briefing: A Respite For The Wild Ones

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The Venice Beach Skate Park is an icon of L.A.; its location, along with the athletes it attracts, are a throwback to the legendary early days of skate culture in Southern California.

So, to see it filled with sand (temporarily, we assume) is yet another reminder of the strange days in which we’re currently living. The sand was dumped by the city after repeat offenders wouldn’t stay away from the park's bowls, rails and platforms during stay-at-home orders.

Of course, skate culture is inherently rebellious, so it’s no big surprise that practitioners tried to flout city and state orders. I want to say that part of me cheers their subversive spirit, but any emergent whoop is immediately and loudly overruled by the part of me that knows their behavior could cost lives.

So instead,I’ll say that the optimist in me believes we’ll arrive again at a time when we can celebrate the wild ones among us — after all, in many ways and many communities, their spirit defines L.A. The lens through which we view them might just become a little different.

Coming Up Today, April 20

Libby Denkmann will have the details — and the reaction — to what is expected to be a very painful budget proposal from L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti (read more about his Sunday speech below.)

Workers without legal status are barred from most coronavirus relief, including federal stimulus and unemployment. But there are a few resources available to families, reports Josie Huang.

Alyssa Jeong Perry reviews the impact of coronavirus on immigrants, from reduced remittances to planning for sending remains home.

Christine N. Ziemba has 15 streaming-tainment options, including online art shows, The Bluegrass Situation’s new virtual variety show and a dance class led by L.A.'s legendary B-boy RoxRite.

There’s a massive digital divide in K-12 education, with the worst gaps showing by race and ethnicity. For example, reports Kyle Stokes, Latino kids are half as likely to have internet access as their non-Latino peers, regardless of their family's income.

You can grow weed in your victory garden! We have some details on an auspicious date.

All Things Considered host Nick Roman interviews Sean Penn about how the actor’s nonprofit organization is helping to fight the coronavirus.

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The Past 24 Hours In LA

L.A., California, The World: There are now at least 12,341 coronavirus cases in L.A. County. There are more than 30,000 cases in California, and over 2.3 million worldwide. Members of the Trump administration defended their coronavirus testing response and guidelines for states to start resuming normal operations.

Hard Days Ahead For City Workers: In his “State of the City” speech Sunday, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti addressed a stark new reality due to the havoc coronavirus is wreaking on the city’s budget. The mayor said all civilian workers will have to take 26 furlough days, the equivalent of a 10% pay cut. We’ll know more today when he releases the proposed 2020-21 budget.

Harsh Words And Helping Words: Gov. Gavin Newsom had harsh words for cities he accused of blocking the conversion of hotels and motels for emergency housing. For graduating seniors, sheltering at home means missing milestones and public recognition of their achievements, but parents can help them cope.

Staying At Home… Or Not: Ongoing violations of the stay-at-home order at the Venice Beach Skate Park pushed the L.A. Department of Parks and Recreation to fill the park with sand.Meanwhile, Ventura County is beginning to lift some restrictions even as it extends stay-at-home orders until May 15.

An Open Letter: ProPublica put together a memo to America's governors on what to consider when it comes to reopening their states, based on interviews with experts and frontline officials from Italy, Germany, Spain, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.

In Non-COVID-19 News

Plans to reviliatize the upper Los Angeles River are moving forward after nearly two years and more than 30 public meetings.

Your Moment Of Zen

The sun continues to rise and set no matter what. Here, people exercising outside a closed beach in La Jolla take advantage of the calming light.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

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