A.M. Brief: Dodgers Legend Tommy Lasorda Dead at 93

Los Angeles lost two local legends on Thursday: a Hall of Fame manager and a spirited public servant who loved L.A. more than anything. Also this morning: The FDA issues a warning about false negatives from a widely used COVID-19 test, a Black woman was assaulted by a pro-Trump mob in DTLA, and the numbers from the pandemic just keep getting worse. It’s Friday. Here is your news. Take it.

Morning News Rundown

Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda has died. Lasorda spent more than 70 years with the Dodgers organization as a player, manager, and executive. He led the franchise to two World Series championships in 1981 and 1988. Lasorda passed away due to a heart attack Thursday night, according to a statement from the team. He was 93 years old. [L.A. Times]

Sadly, Los Angeles lost another influential figure with the death of former City Councilmember Tom LaBonge. LaBonge represented the Fourth District for 14 years and was known for his boundless enthusiasm for all things Los Angeles and his longtime advocacy of Griffith Park. LaBonge died of a heart attack at his home on Thursday. He was 67. [ABC 7]

The FDA has released a warning that the COVID-19 tests administered by L.A.-based startup Curative may produce a high number of false negatives. Curative tests are used at dozens of testing locations in the Los Angeles metro area, including at the county’s largest testing site at Dodger Stadium. [We Like L.A.]

A Black woman walking home near a Pro-Trump rally in Downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday was violently attacked by Trump supporters. According to statements from the victim and a witness, the mob physically assaulted her, screamed racial epitaphs, and pepper-sprayed her in the face before a Good Samaritan stepped in to shepherd her away from the crowd. The LAPD said it is investigating the incident as a hate crime. [CBS Los Angeles]

On Thursday, the U.S. reported 268,883 COVID-19 cases and 4,110 deaths, marking the first time the country topped 4,000 reported deaths from the virus in a single day. Locally, L.A. Public Health reported 218 new deaths and 19,719 new cases of COVID-19, bringing county totals to 871,404 positive cases and 11,545 deaths. [NBC Los Angeles]