A.M. Brief: Not All Restaurants Will Reopen for Outdoor Dining Today

Just because restaurants can reopen doesn’t mean they all will. Also this morning: A diversity record for applicants to the UC system, deputies stay mum at a coroner’s inquest, and local hospitals hope they’ve seen the worst of the pandemic. It’s Friday. Here is your news brief. Take it!

Morning News Rundown

Per county guidelines, restaurants can officially reopen today for outdoor dining. Nonetheless, some owners are wondering if it’s worth it, given ongoing worries about community spread, concerns over customer adherence to guidelines, and costs associated with shutting down again if the county reverses its position. [The Eastsider LA]

The latest stats on college applications for the University of California are in, and the results show a record-breaking increase in Black and Latino applicants. At the Berkley and Los Angeles campuses, Black freshman applicants rose by about 48%. Latino applicants jumped by 33% at UCLA and 36% at Berkeley. [L.A. Times]

Two L.A. sheriff’s deputies involved in the fatal shooting of Fred Williams III have both refused to testify in the coroner’s inquest. The two detectives LASD assigned to investigate the shooting internally have also refused to testify, claiming it could compromise their investigation. [LAist]

Is the worst of COVID-19 over in terms of hospitalizations? L.A. hospitals on the brink of collapse just a few weeks ago appear to have held up without a total breakdown, and forecasts of decreasing hospitalizations in the coming weeks have health officials breathing a sigh of relief. That said, another surge in cases is not out of the question, especially considering the unpredictability of new variants. [L.A. Times]

Los Angeles Rep. Jimmy Gomez is introducing a resolution to expel Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress. Greene—a noted QAnon proponent—has been the focus of renewed outrage over comments she made on social media supporting violence against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. [LA Mag]

Heavy rain overnight led to dozens of car crashes in the Southland, along with concerns over mudslides at recent wildfire burn sites. Additional rain is expected this morning, but the storm should clear by late afternoon. [CBS Los Angeles]