New Los Angeles Coronavirus Cases Reportedly Freefall By 50%, But State Data Says Otherwise

Two men and two teens have been charged in the death of rising rapper Pop Smoke, who was killed during a Los Angeles home-invasion robbery in February, the district attorney’s office said Monday. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement that Corey Walker and Keandre Rodgers were charged with murder that occurred during the commission of a robbery and burglary.

LOS ANGELES -- Two men and two teens have been charged in the death of rising rapper Pop Smoke who was killed during a Los Angeles home-invasion robbery in February, the district attorney’s office said Monday. Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement that Corey Walker and Keandre Rodgers were charged with murder that occurred during the commission of a robbery and burglary.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorLos Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti began his Friday coronavirus news conference by reminding residents, “This threat is real. This threat is growing.” He emphasized that Angelenos need to wear masks whenever they’re outside.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorOne day after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned that “We’d likely return to a mandated stay-at-home order” in one or two weeks if coronavirus conditions in the region get worse, the head of Los Angeles County’s Health Department agreed, with some qualifications. “Nothing can be off the table in the pandemic,” said county public health director, Barbara Ferrer.

LOS ANGELES -- Three men and two juveniles have been arrested in connection with the February home-invasion death of rising rapper Pop Smoke in Los Angeles, police said Thursday. The 20-year-old New York rapper whose legal name is Bashar Barakah Jackson was killed Feb.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorCalifornia, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia broke records for daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to the New York Times. That — among other things — had the mayor of America’s second-largest city worried about a new COVID-related crisis.“We’re going to see across this nation a testing emergency,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in response to a question from Deadline.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorLos Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti began his Wednesday coronavirus press conference with some good news, and then a warning.“We are making progress,” said the mayor, “and while it is fragile, it is progress.”Noting that Los Angeles as seeing the highest level of hospitalizations since the pandemic began, Garcetti warned, “These [next two] weeks are absolutely critical.

David Robb Labor EditorThe board of directors SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles Local voted overwhelmingly Tuesday – strictly along the guild’s fractious party lines – to oppose ratification of the union’s new film and TV contract. The local is the union’s largest, representing just over 50% of the entire membership.Local board members voted 29-13 (69%-31%) to oppose ratification, almost exactly the reverse of the national board, which late last month voted 67.6%-32.4% to approve the contract.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorOn Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to instruct the Director of Public Health to create a plan for how her department will fine businesses that ignore the county’s coronavirus protocols.Los Angeles Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer indicated last Monday that businesses are a large contributor to the continued growth of COVID-19.

Prince Harry is featured in a recorded video where he speaks about the “challenges of digging deep to find resilience.”

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerNo fireworks on Independence Day, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. To hell with that, said the people.Ignoring the mayor’s order and a lack of traditional municipal displays, Los Angeles residents set off their own celebration, lighting up Southern California skies with their own fireworks.Fireworks are illegal in the city of Los Angeles and all firework displays were banned in L.A.

Ellise Shafer editorMajor League Baseball has officially canceled this year’s All-Star game, which was supposed to be hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 14.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorOn Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he was shutting down dine-in service in local restaurants, as well as indoor operations at movie theaters, indoor family entertainment businesses, card rooms and zoos. Over the weekend, Newsom ordered bars and nightclubs closed.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorCOVID-19 continued to put pressure on the Los Angeles County hospital system today, with the number of patients continuing its upward march as the county confirmed a near-record 2,779 new cases.

Jordan Moreau California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered all bars in several counties, including Los Angeles, to shut down again due to the rising number of coronavirus cases.Other counties’ bars forced to close include Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, San Joaquin and Tulare.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle secretly visited the Los Angeles charity Homeboy Industries earlier this week, and they went to work preparing food while wearing hairnets, gloves, and masks. The Duke and Duchess volunteered to help the organization that focuses on improving the lives of former gang members and the formerly incarcerated, and this issue could be a part of the couple’s new Archewell Foundation.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorAfter a week of record numbers and a curious plunge in cases yesterday, Johns Hopkins University indicated that Los Angeles now has the highest number of coronavirus cases of any county in the nation.Johns Hopkins reported 89,633 total cases in L.A. County as of Wednesday.