Morning Briefing: The San Gabriel Valley’s Food Scene

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The San Gabriel Valley is full of excellent restaurants, and throughout the pandemic, they’ve faced the same problems as other eateries and businesses.

Fiona Ng, the head producer at KPCC's AirTalk, lives in the SGV and worked together with LAist Food Editor Elina Shatkin to produce a short series about how these restaurants are doing. In her reporting, Fiona spoke with the owner of a hot pot restaurant who was literally giving away pots with every order, a boba shop attempting a grand reopening, and more.

“[Fiona] didn't go hunting for these stories,” writes Elina in the series round-up. “She discovered most of them while she was out and about, living her daily life… She's fluent in Cantonese and speaks Mandarin well enough to get by. And since she doesn't cook, she eats out... a lot. That kind of unique perspective and boots-on-the-ground experience is rare, and it can't be taught.”

Fortunately, Fiona shared that perspective with us. 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

L.A., California, The World: There are now 43,052 coronavirus cases and 2,049 deaths in L.A. County, and at least 89,865 cases and 3,649 deaths in California. Worldwide, there are more than 5.2 million cases and over 337,000 deaths. California’s hospitalization and ICU numbers are improving, with hospitalizations down 7.5% over the past two weeks.

Money Matters: Hawaiian Gardens is L.A. County’s smallest city, and it’s been hit hard by the closure of its card room casino. Unemployment in L.A. County rose to a staggering 20.3% in April. The recently ousted head of Aviron Pictures, William Sadleir, was arrested this morning on federal fraud charges alleging he applied for $1.7 million in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program.

The 2020 Census: Malibu and Bel Air are showing unusually low census response rates, and no one is quite sure why — but there are some theories. The deadline for the Census Bureau to turn in data will likely be delayed, which could have significant implications for redistricting in California.

Reopening L.A.: Guidelines for reopening churches will be coming soon. L.A. city officials launched a program to open up neighborhood streets for Angelenos to stay active while keeping a safe distance from other people.

L.A.’s Unhoused: A court order to “humanely relocate” people experiencing homelessness away from freeways was refined to say that homeless people who live within 500 feet of a freeway bridge or ramp must be relocated by Sept. 1.

Parenting: In today’s conversation about parenting in the time of quarantine, we talk about screen time. Before the pandemic, the issue of how much time we let our children spend on devices was already causing parents angst. But now that schooling and socializing is happening via screens, this issue is even more of a minefield.

Immigration: Advocacy groups have filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Homeland Security, alleging immigrant detainees have been subject to chemical exposure at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. Several detainees have said the disinfectants used at the facility have caused eye irritation and some people to cough up blood.

Arts, Food And Entertainment: Inspired by Vivian Maier, a homeless photographer begins to get recognition for his work. AirTalk's Larry Mantle joins KPCC critics to review movies you can see at home. This week, it's The Lovebirds, The Trip To Greece, The Painter And The Thief and more. Here’s how the San Gabriel Valley’s restaurants are weathering the pandemic.

First Person: Columnist Erick Galindo writes about the experience of penning an obituary for an immigrant father who fell to COVID-19, and consoling his grieving family.

Your Moment Of Zen

Early childhood education reporter Mariana Dale stumbled across this scene in Pasadena.

(Mariana Dale / LAist)

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