California faces strict new coronavirus lockdowns; some sheriffs push back

More than 23 million people in Southern California were preparing on Sunday for the harshest lockdowns in the United States as COVID-19 cases spiked to record levels in the country’s most populous state. The restrictions in California, ordered by Governor Gavin Newsom to take effect on a region-by-region basis as hospital intensive care unit beds are filled almost to capacity, call for bars, hair and nail salons and tattoo shops to close again. As of 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, the affected regions were also required to shut down even outdoor restaurant dining. Newsom, a first-term Democrat, has threatened to withhold funds from local governments that refuse to carry out the restrictions.