Coronavirus leads to an early blackball season at the Wedge
LA TimesSurfers and boogie boarders angle for position at the Wedge in Newport Beach on Thursday. Newport Beach city officials are tightening access to the Wedge surfing spot as they say too many people, in the water and on the sand, are gathering at the famed locale when they should be at home to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. City lifeguards will fly blackball flags prohibiting board surfing from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the area beginning Friday and will also close off the adjacent beach to prevent people from gathering. The Newport Beach Fire Department, which oversees the lifeguard division, recommended the closure Thursday after seeing an uptick in surfers and spectators during this week’s strong swell. The city has also closed its large beach parking lots and other shoreline amenities such as piers and boardwalks to discourage people from gathering.
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