Large crowds gather near the Newport Beach Pier in California on Saturday. Photo: Mindy Schauer/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks to close Friday to avoid a repeat of last weekend's "violation" of lockdown measures when the coast became "overcrowded," a police memo leaked to a local Fox station said Wednesday.
The big picture: California Police Chiefs Association president Eric Nuñez told AP the memo was sent for planning purposes ahead of Newsom's announcement Thursday. Newsom said earlier Wednesday he was working with local authorities to take further action after Newport Beach City Council voted to keep its beaches open, per the Los Angeles Times. The novel coronavirus has killed 1,887 people in California and infected 46,500 others, per the latest state health figures.