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Temperatures are expected to soar across Southern California this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. A heat advisory is in effect for much of Southern California with temps in some areas rising over 100 degrees Farenheight. 

According to NWS, “High pressure will build into California from the desert Southwest through the weekend. Hot temperatures will spread from the Antelope Valley across the mountains and inland valleys of southwest California for Saturday and Sunday.”

The Antelope Valley is expected to hit temperatures of 100-110, the foothills/mountains are expected to hit 92-110, and the Valleys are expected to see temps of 95 to 105.

Residents are advised to limit time spent outdoors; wear light-colored, lightweight clothes; try to find shade or A/C; stay hydrated, and never leave a human or animal inside a hot car.

L.A. County currently has no information available regarding cooling centers. However, you can check for updates here or call 211.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to develop a plan to fine L.A. County businesses that fail to comply with current health orders. In some cases, repeat offenders could even lose their license.

Even if a business is allowed to reopen, officials have made it clear that it shouldn’t do so until it can follow the health order, thus protecting customers and employees as much as possible. The motion, submitted by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Janice Hahn, notes that even as COVID-19 cases surge, several businesses are still non-compliant.

Over the weekend of June 27 and 28, inspectors said that 49% of bars and 33% of restaurants weren’t following physical distancing protocols. When it came to face masks and shields, 54% of bars and 44% of restaurants weren’t in compliance. Sixty-five percent of retail stores and 83% of restaurants hadn’t posted Public Health’s protocols. The latter won’t necessarily make a difference when it comes to you or an employee getting sick, but it is part of the local law. 

Right now, an Environmental Health Inspector might visit a non-compliant business three to five times before shutting it down. “At no point in the process is a fine currently issued in connection with a violation order or at any other time, even though DPH has code enforcement authority to issue fines for non-compliance,” the motion reads.

This process can take up to several weeks.

“We have neither the time nor the government resources to continue to spend weeks counseling businesses that should be prepared to adhere to public health rules before ever reopening,” the motion states.

This motion directs the Director of Public Health to work with County Counsel on a plan to incorporate fines into its Environmental Health Inspector enforcement. 

Fines will be based on a variety of factors, including the business’s maximum occupancy and the level of non-compliance. A business would incur a fine on its first violation, while a second violation could result in the business losing its license.

Public Health is instructed to report back to the Board in 14 days.

Meanwhile, Santa Monica and West Hollywood are both issuing fines for individuals who fail to wear face masks in public.

Today, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to develop a plan to close Men’s Central Jail in DTLA within one year.

According to the motion authored by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl, the Board is committing to a “care first, jails last approach based on evidence demonstrating that punitive environments are not only inhumane for those who are suffering from mental illness, but also exacerbate the illnesses faced by the most vulnerable people in our custody, while greatly reducing their likelihood of recovery, upon release.”

Or, as Solis said via a statement, “People are not made whole locked up in a decrepit cell.”

MCJ’s inmates would be transferred to the county’s six other facilities and alternatives to incarceration will be considered when applicable. The motion notes that some funds saved from the jail’s closure, versus paying to replace it, should support the release of county inmates and help them get back on their feet.

A report from Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Workgroup included a roadmap for how “a care first, jail last” model might be achieved. Strategies include scaling community-based services, using behavioral and mental health professionals instead of law enforcement when responding to individuals with those needs, supporting pre-trial release and diversion services, and offering treatment services in facilities that aren’t jails. And when implementing these strategies, ATI has further recommendations for making sure it’s done equitably. You can read the whole report here.

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is apparently against the closure, claiming via Twitter that without MCJ, there will be nowhere to house the county’s most violent offenders. 

Not that jails in the U.S. are ever built for luxury, but Men’s Central Jail, built in 1963, is considered particularly bad and has had its share of scandal. A 2011 report from the ACLU detailed allegations of deputy violence within the county’s jails; the ACLU sued the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department in 2012. In 2013, 18 LASD officials were charged as part of a federal probe into allegations of abuse. Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca is now in prison for attempting to hide an inmate and FBI informant from investigators. In 2015, two deputies and a sergeant were found guilty in regards to the 2011 beating of a handcuffed visitor and the subsequent attempt to cover it up.  

Los Angeles County hit a new record in COVID-19 cases over the weekend, announcing 3,187 new cases on Friday, July 3. That number is now the highest single-day total for the county, surpassing the previous record of 2,903, reported on June 29. 

On July 2, a release from Los Angeles County Public Health reported 2,643 new cases. The total for July 4 was 1,402, but was missing reports from one of the larger labs. 

As of July 4, 1,921 people were hospitalized, 28% of whom were in the ICU and 18% of whom were on ventilators. This, too, was a higher total than the 1,889 hospitalizations reported the previous week. 

In response to surging cases, bars, indoor service at restaurants, indoor museums, and card rooms have all closed once more in several counties, including Los Angeles. 

The county also closed its beaches and banned fireworks displays over Independence Day weekend. If you were in L.A. County on the 4th of July, you know residents lit off a massive amount of fireworks anyhow, which resulted in numerous service calls to the Los Angeles Fire Department and “very unhealthy” air quality on Sunday.

Metro is offering free 30-day Bike Share passes to all essential workers in Los Angeles County. Apply now through July 31 for unlimited, 30-minute rides and to unlock Electric Metro Bikes for free. The 30-day pass is effective from the date you enroll and won’t auto-renew. 

If you’re not currently a Bike Share pass holder, click here to apply. If you are a pass holder and an essential worker, you can email support@bikeshare.metro.net to enroll. If you’re a Bike Share for Business pass holder, email business@bikeshare.metro.net. 

You do need a credit or debit card to enroll. Also note that you will be charged after 30 minutes. To skip that fee, you can dock the bike before the 30 minutes is up and then start a new trip. There is no limit as to how many free, half-hour trips you can take.

Find more information here.