Morning Briefing: The Financial Fallout

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As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, the financial fallout is wreaking havoc in just about every sector.

For some Californians, it’s meant getting their job back only to lose it again during the most recent surge. For others, it’s meant trying to help groups that have been hit the hardest – like Indigenous Angelenos – only to find that their needs were greater than anyone anticipated. It’s about trying to hang on to housing at a time when losing it could mean the difference between life and death.

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

— Jessica P. Ogilvie

The Past 24 Hours In LA

Race In L.A.: In 1956, Shirlee Smith was hired over the phone, but everything changed when her new employer found out she was Black. This photo essay of recent local protests against racism and police brutality documents what it looks like when Los Angeles shows up and gets loud.

Coronavirus Updates: A breakdown in California's coronavirus reporting system led to inaccurate case numbers and positivity rates. At least one L.A. child care center followed COVID-19 safety guidelines and still had an outbreak.

Money Matters: Many people who lost their jobs to the pandemic and got them back, have lost them again. Burbank voters will likely see a ballot measure on rent control in November. Here is a step-by-step guide to getting as much money as you can from California’s unemployment system. A local group is raising money to help indigenous Mesoamericans in L.A. affected by the pandemic.

Graffiti And Housing: The latest chapter in a gentrification saga involving tenants who've been fighting eviction from their apartment complex has the landlord accused of covering the building with graffiti to get back at them.

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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 without also trying to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, these articles provide some much-needed insight into the current moment in L.A., as well as some news you may have missed:

Andrew Kettle was unhoused and living at Echo Park Lake when he died of a heart attack. This profile chronicles his life. (KCRW)

Undocumented agricultural workers in Central California are reeling from making the decision between risking their lives by going back to work, or risking their livelihoods by staying home. (La Opinión)

Casting agent Berenice Molina helps young people transition out of gangs and into acting careers. (LA Taco)

Asha Grant is preparing to open The Salt Eaters Bookshop in downtown Inglewood, which will feature books by and about Black women and girls, femmes, and non-binary folks. (Los Angeleno)

An editorial asks if a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes is motivated by white guilt. (2 Urban Girls)

Racial covenants stating that buyers must be white to purchase a given property can’t be enforced, but are still included in some housing documents in California. (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

Photo Of The Day

Graffiti on the walls of a Shoe City in Bell reminds people to stay home.

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

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The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This post has been updated to reflect changes in what's coming up for today.

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