| Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has characterized the long tail of the immigration raids as dealing "a body blow" to the city's economy, with many people scared to go to school, work or out in their communities. Whole sectors of the economy can't function without immigrant labor, the mayor said. |
| The aftereffects of the ensuing mass protests have also pummeled restaurants and bars in the downtown area, with widespread vandalism in the Civic Center and Little Tokyo areas. |
| And the indefinite 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew imposed on downtown Los Angeles has walloped sales at establishments that have already faced years of financial and operational setbacks. |
Ghost town |
| When Bass and Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez showed up at Estrada Courts on Father's Day morning with a mariachi band in tow, the Boyle Heights public housing project was far quieter than normal. |
| "Folks were afraid to come out," Gonzalez recalled, saying that residents were hesitant to exit their homes for the celebration, despite the joyous music and confetti. |
| And the typically bustling Mariachi Plaza was all but deserted when Gonzalez and Bass visited it a few hours later. |
| More than a week after President Trump's immigration raids first instilled terror in Los Angeles communities, the federal sweeps have had a profound chilling effect in the overwhelmingly Latino, working-class neighborhood just east of downtown. |
| "Mariachi Plaza was completely empty. There was not a soul there," Bass told me Sunday afternoon. "One restaurant, there were a handful of people. The other restaurant, there was literally nobody there." |
| Gonzalez said the proprietor of one of the restaurants they visited was crying. |
| "He said, 'It's so empty. I've never seen it like this, and I don't know how we can survive this,' " Gonzalez said. |
Today's top stories |
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| Sherri Pender, right, receives her COVID-19 vaccination from nurse Breiona Lang at a Kaiser Permanente clinic in Venice in September. (Carlin Stiehl/For The Times) |
COVID 'razor blade throat' rises as a new subvariant spreads in California |
- Nicknamed "Nimbus," the new subvariant has been described in news reports in China as having more obvious signs of "razor blade throat" — what patients describe as feeling as if their throats are studded with razor blades.
- The Nimbus subvariant has been increasing since May in California, the state Department of Public Health said in an email to the Los Angeles Times.
- Projections suggest the Nimbus subvariant accounts for 55% of the circulating virus in California, up from observations of just 2% in April, the agency said Friday.
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Opera lovers attend shows in downtown L.A. despite protests |
- Despite the focus on protests in downtown Los Angeles and a nighttime curfew, during which performing arts venues to operate, L.A. Opera ticket holders were vocal about showing up Sunday to support the arts and the city.
- "I didn't feel threatened coming downtown," said one operagoer, "because I understood the cause."
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Temperatures soar across Southern California. How hot will it get this week? |
- A system that started to heat up the region Sunday is expected to stick around through the weekend and send temperatures soaring into the triple digits in many areas, according to the National Weather Service.
- The weather service also warned that temperatures could cause health issues such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, especially for at-risk populations, and urged people to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
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What else is going on |
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Commentary and opinions |
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This morning's must reads |
| | | Surveys show that job prospects and future pay are major parts of college decisions for students. New data reveal which majors make the most money as debates over the value of higher education degrees continue. | | | |
Other must reads |
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| Keep up with California | Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. | | | | | |
For your downtime |
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| Rhiannon Giddens performs with her Old Time Revue on Wednesday at the Hollywood Bowl. (Ebru Yildiz) |
Going out |
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Staying in |
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And finally ... your photo of the day |
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| Shohei Ohtani delivers during his pitching debut for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) |
| Today's great photo is from Times photographer Robert Gauthier at Monday night's Dodgers game where Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited pitching debut. |
Have a great day, from the Essential California team |
| Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters |
| How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com. |
