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A June 2019 rally in Little Tokyo to oppose a Trump administration plan to use Fort Sill Army base in Oklahoma as a detention center for immigrant children and other immigrant detainees. (David McNew/AFP via Getty Images)
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A few months ago, the battle over coronavirus closures was being waged on beaches. Now, it appears, it’s moved to bars; after 500,000 people packed L.A.’s watering holes following their reopening on June 20, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday promptly shut them down again.
"Californians must remain vigilant against this virus," Newsom said in a statement after ordering the closures. "COVID-19 is still circulating in California.”
Of course, it probably didn’t help that over 80% of bars and restaurants were violating coronavirus regulations, like requiring servers to wear masks or enforcing social distancing among patrons.
This is why we can’t have nice things, L.A.
Keep reading for more on what’s happening today, and stay safe out there.
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Coming Up Today, June 29
When there's an incident with a homeless person acting erratically, armed police are often the first to respond. Too frequently, that doesn't end well: one-in-three times that the LAPD used force in 2019, it was against a homeless person. Matt Tinoco reports that as calls to defund the police go mainstream, there's a new push for alternative first responders, such as social workers or mental health experts.
Libby Denkmann follows today’s presentation by the L.A. County CEO of a revised budget proposal. This comes on the heels of a dire outlook released last week, which envisioned deep, across-the-board cuts.
The state fund that provides financial relief for unauthorized workers has faced delays since the start. The application deadline is this week, and Josie Huang reports that getting money to applicants continues to be a slow process.
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The Past 24 Hours In LA
L.A. Protests: Protests against systemic racism and police brutality continued on Saturday and Sunday in L.A., but some organizers are disappointed that turnout has been dwindling.
Coronavirus Updates: Coronavirus cases are on the rise in L.A. County. Nurses are striking at Riverside Community Hospital, citing staffing shortages and concern that 60 employees have been infected with COVID-19. L.A. County has tasked Inspector General Max Huntsman with overseeing nursing homes and holding them accountable for the staggering number of coronavirus-related deaths.
Reopening (And Drinking In) L.A.: After bars reopened in L.A. and 500,000 people in L.A. county went out for drinks, Gov. Newsom on Sunday ordered that the establishments close down again. Of 3,700 bars and restaurants recently surveyed by L.A. County, 83% were not following coronavirus safety precautions.
Family Separation: Children being held in ICE custody must be released by July 17, per an order issued by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee of California.
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Photo Of The Day
Tommy Mofid, owner and bartender of the Wrigley Tavern in Long Beach, takes a patron's temperature.
(Gab Chabran for LAist)
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One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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