mercurynews--2020-09-14--California police check for link as 6 possible overdose patients found in 6 hours

Pasadena police have launched an investigation after police and fire officials received calls of six people exhibiting signs of drug overdose over a roughly six-hour window , authorities said Saturday , Sept. 12 .
Two of those patients died , while three have recovered , authorities said .
One remained in the hospital receiving treatment .
But authorities couldn ’ t say definitively if the two men had died from drug overdoses , pending a coroner ’ s autopsy findings .
However , police say they believe the cases may involve fentanyl .
Of the six patients , Pasadena police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10:30 p.m. Friday night , Sept. 11 , Lt. Anthony Russo said .
Police found out about three additional patients from a Pasadena Fire Department battalion chief after the patients were taken to area hospitals by paramedics , who responded to calls between 4:30 and 10:30 p.m. , Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said .
The sudden surge in possible overdose patients was very concerning , Pasadena police spokesman Lt. Bill Grisafe said .
“ This is an anomaly , ” Grisafe said .
“ This is not something that we have seen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the patients were men in their 30s to 50s , Grisafe said .
The two men who died were believed to be in their 40s and both were found dead upon arrival , Russo said .
Paramedics used medication from the ambulances to reverse the effects of a drug overdose in two of the patients , Derderian said .
Four of the six men were found in or near the Garfield Heights neighborhood of the city , north of the 210 Freeway .
The last patient was found just north of the Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t immediately known if the men gained access to the drugs from the same source , or if a certain group of people was being targeted , Grisafe said .
“ There ’ s nothing indicating that at this point , ” he said , “ but our detectives are actively investigating to see if there is a link between the cases.
” Two of the men were found in the 200 block of East Hammond Street .
The two men who died were found in the 1400 block of Arroyo Boulevard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Russo said .
The other two men were found in the 400 block of Eldora Road and the 700 block of North Garfield Avenue .
Details on when the men were found at each location wasn ’ t immediately available .

Pasadena police have launched an investigation after police and fire officials received calls of six people exhibiting signs of drug overdose over a roughly six-hour window, authorities said Saturday, Sept. 12.
Two of those patients died, while three have recovered, authorities said. One remained in the hospital receiving treatment.
But authorities couldn’t say definitively if the two men had died from drug overdoses, pending a coroner’s autopsy findings. However, police say they believe the cases may involve fentanyl.
Of the six patients, Pasadena police responded to three between 8:50 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday night, Sept. 11, Lt. Anthony Russo said. Police found out about three additional patients from a Pasadena Fire Department battalion chief after the patients were taken to area hospitals by paramedics, who responded to calls between 4:30 and 10:30 p.m., Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The sudden surge in possible overdose patients was very concerning, Pasadena police spokesman Lt. Bill Grisafe said.
“This is an anomaly,” Grisafe said. “This is not something that we have seen in the past in Pasadena.”
All of the patients were men in their 30s to 50s, Grisafe said.
The two men who died were believed to be in their 40s and both were found dead upon arrival, Russo said.
Paramedics used medication from the ambulances to reverse the effects of a drug overdose in two of the patients, Derderian said.
Four of the six men were found in or near the Garfield Heights neighborhood of the city, north of the 210 Freeway. The last patient was found just north of the Rose Bowl, Russo said.
It wasn’t immediately known if the men gained access to the drugs from the same source, or if a certain group of people was being targeted, Grisafe said.
“There’s nothing indicating that at this point,” he said, “but our detectives are actively investigating to see if there is a link between the cases.”
Two of the men were found in the 200 block of East Hammond Street. The two men who died were found in the 1400 block of Arroyo Boulevard and the 900 block of Worcester Avenue, Russo said.
The other two men were found in the 400 block of Eldora Road and the 700 block of North Garfield Avenue.
Details on when the men were found at each location wasn’t immediately available.


mercurynews--2020-09-14--49ers report card: Doomed by mistakes at every level in opening loss

SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers ( 0-1 ) graded in Sunday ’ s 24-20 season-opening loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals ( 1-0 ) : What an indictment on the 49ers ’ wide receiver unit , which missed potential starters Deebo Samuel ( injured reserve ) and Brandon Aiyuk ( inactive ; hamstring ) .
If only the 49ers could have won it on Jerick McKinnon ’ s TD catch .
If only George Kittle didn ’ t get his knee banged and been shut out after halftime .
Instead , they relied on another Jimmy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor Trent Taylor could make the hero catch on passes underthrown or late , respectively .
Dante Pettis , one target , no true shot at the deep ball .
Raheem Mostert ’ s 76-yard touchdown catch was the fourth-longest all-time by a 49ers running back , and he topped out at 22.73 mph , fastest by any NFL ball carrier since 2018 .
Garoppolo was 8-of-17 for 89 yards after halftime .
“ He ’ s got to play better , ” Shanahan said .
“ We ’ ve all got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it starts with me.
” Averaging 4.9 yards per carry for a run-oriented offense should equal a victory , especially when left tackle Trent Williams is showing what a road grader he could be .
Nope .
Raheem Mostert ( 15 carries , 56 yards ) , Jerick McKinnon ( three carries , 24 yards ) and Tevin Coleman ( four carries , 18 yards ) did not find a cool rhythm .
Max out Mostert , next time .
It probably didn ’ t help juggling the line ’ s interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center , while Daniel Brunskill had mixed moments at right guard .
Emmanuel Moseley had a career-high 15 tackles , and not one pass defense .
Moseley surrendered 96 of DeAndre Hopkins ’ 151 yards , and Richard Sherman ’ s coverage accounted for 22 yards as he played more snaps on the right side ( 23 ) than all of 2019 ( 12 ) , according to NextGen Stats .
The 49ers ’ two sacks came … from Kerry Hyder and D.J .
Jones .
Wait , what ?
Nick Bosa had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , six tackles and two near sacks .
The 49ers needed more , and they certainly did not get it from Dee Ford ( three tackles ) or Arik Armstead ( one tackle ) .
Jaquiski Tartt recorded the first regular-season interception by a 49ers safety since his last one in 2018 .
Top pick Javon Kinlaw assisted on one tackle in his debut , and 2017 top pick Solomon Thomas had no stats in a starting role .
The 49ers had too many missed tackles , whether it was against Murray ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) or Kenyan Drake ( 60 yards , 16 carries , TD ) .
“ The guys that they have over there , getting up field , have a tendency to sometimes get out of rush lanes , get tired , ” Murray said .
Dre Greenlaw , whose deflection set up Tartt ’ s pick , played best among the linebackers .
Captain Fred Warner had 10 tackles , missed a couple others and , maturely , did not express panic afterward .
But by allowing the Cardinals to convert 7-of-14 third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78 total offensive plays were 17 more than the 49ers .
A blocked punt ignited the Cardinals ’ comeback from a 10-0 deficit .
It ’ s never a great sign when Mitch Wishnowsky is making the tackle on his own kickoff .
Three of Wishnowsky ’ s four punts pinned Arizona inside their 20 .
Neither Trent Taylor nor Dante Pettis looked dangerous as punt returners .
This unit ’ s saving grace : Robbie Gould , who made both of his field-goal attempts , including his first over 50 yards since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season openers , acknowledged “ we didn ’ t have a good enough plan , ” as best reflected by offensive failures on third down ( 2-of-11 ) and in the red zone ( 1-for-4 ) .
No running plays on final six snaps after the 2-minute warning , inside Cardinals territory with all timeouts remaining .
The 49ers looked discombobulated on offense , defense and special teams – and it wasn ’ t so much the lack of an exhibition season than it was cramming on-field practice time into a month with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 49ers 20 : Highs , lows and what you need to know

SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers (0-1) graded in Sunday’s 24-20 season-opening loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals (1-0):
PASS OFFENSE: D-
What an indictment on the 49ers’ wide receiver unit, which missed potential starters Deebo Samuel (injured reserve) and Brandon Aiyuk (inactive; hamstring). If only the 49ers could have won it on Jerick McKinnon’s TD catch. If only George Kittle didn’t get his knee banged and get shut out after halftime. Instead, they relied on another Jimmy Garoppolo-led comeback, and neither Kendrick Bourne nor Trent Taylor could make the hero catch on passes underthrown or late, respectively. Dante Pettis, one target, no true shot at the deep ball. Raheem Mostert’s 76-yard touchdown catch was the fourth-longest all-time by a 49ers running back, and he topped out at 22.73 mph, fastest by any NFL ball carrier since 2018. Garoppolo was 8-of-17 for 89 yards after halftime. “He’s got to play better,” Shanahan said. “We’ve all got to play better on offense, especially, and it starts with me.”
RUN OFFENSE: C
Averaging 4.9 yards per carry for a run-oriented offense should equal a victory, especially when left tackle Trent Williams is showing what a road grader he could be. Nope. Raheem Mostert (15 carries, 56 yards), Jerick McKinnon (three carries, 24 yards) and Tevin Coleman (four carries, 18 yards) did not find a cool rhythm. Max out Mostert, next time. It probably didn’t help juggling the line’s interior and summoning Hroniss Grasu to start at center, while Daniel Brunskill had mixed moments at right guard.
PASS DEFENSE: D
Emmanuel Moseley had a career-high 15 tackles, and not one pass defense. Moseley surrendered 96 of DeAndre Hopkins’ 151 yards, and Richard Sherman’s coverage accounted for 22 yards as he played more snaps on the right side (23) than all of 2019 (12), according to the NFL’s NextGen Stats. The 49ers’ two sacks came … from Kerry Hyder and D.J. Jones. Wait, what? Nick Bosa had a forced fumble, a QB hit, six tackles and two near sacks. The 49ers needed more, and they certainly did not get it from Dee Ford (three tackles on 46 snaps), Arik Armstead (one tackle on 52 snaps) or Soloman Thomas (zero tackles on 40 snaps). Jaquiski Tartt recorded the first regular-season interception by a 49ers safety since his last one in 2018.
RUN DEFENSE: D
Top pick Javon Kinlaw assisted on one tackle in his debut, and 2017 top pick Solomon Thomas had no stats in a starting role. The 49ers had too many missed tackles, whether it was against Murray (91 yards, 13 carries, TD) or Kenyan Drake (60 yards, 16 carries, TD). “The guys that they have over there, getting up field, have a tendency to sometimes get out of rush lanes, get tired,” Murray said. Dre Greenlaw, whose deflection set up Tartt’s pick, played best among the linebackers. Captain Fred Warner had 10 tackles, missed a couple others and, maturely, did not express panic afterward. But by allowing the Cardinals to convert 7-of-14 third downs, that enabled Arizona to run 78 total offensive plays — 17 more than the 49ers.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D+
A blocked punt ignited the Cardinals’ comeback from a 10-0 deficit. It’s never a great sign when Mitch Wishnowsky is making the tackle on his own kickoff. Three of Wishnowsky’s four punts pinned Arizona inside their 20. Neither Trent Taylor nor Dante Pettis looked dangerous as punt returners. This unit’s saving grace: Robbie Gould, who made both of his field-goal attempts, including his first over 50 yards since 2018. Related Articles San Francisco 49ers | Kurtenbach: The 49ers aren’t worried about Nick Bosa’s holdout. They should be
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COACHING: D
Kyle Shanahan, 1-3 in season openers, acknowledged “we didn’t have a good enough plan,” as best reflected by offensive failures on third down (2-of-11) and in the red zone (1-for-4). No running plays on final six snaps after the 2-minute warning, inside Cardinals territory with all timeouts remaining. The 49ers looked discombobulated on offense, defense and special teams – and it wasn’t so much the lack of an exhibition season than it was cramming on-field practice time into a month with an injury-laden cast.


mercurynews--2020-09-14--Reporter arrested while covering shooting of two LA County deputies

Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s deputies arrested KPCC/LAist Correspondent Josie Huang Saturday night as she covered the shooting of two deputies in Compton .
Huang had just finished covering a 10 p.m. news conference by Sheriff Alex Villanueva when there was an incident outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood , where the deputies were hospitalized , LAist reported .
The award-winning journalist was accused of obstructing justice .
Huang said she was trying to document the arrest of a protester .
The LA Sheriff ’ s Department later tweeted of Huang : “ The female adult , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the press , did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person.
” Just after 3 a.m. Sunday , Huang ’ s colleague Frank Stoltze retweeted a photo that appeared to show a press pass hanging from her neck while she was being taken away .
In later tweets , Huang said she was wearing her press identification , and videos show she identified herself as a reporter .
Video from ABC7 showed at least five deputies were involved in pinning reporter Huang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huang was released early Sunday .
By the afternoon , Huang wrote a series of posts on Twitter , including video taken immediately before her arrest where she ’ s following several Sheriff ’ s deputies as they pinned a man to the ground and arrested him .
Huang was filming the arrest when a deputy told her to back up .
“ Within seconds , I was getting shoved around .
There was nowhere to back up , ” Huang wrote .
Moments later , she was under arrest herself .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurting her as she shouted for help .
Huang said she was screaming “ for help from the TV reporters I know are around the corner doing their 11 p.m. live hits.
” “ I ’ m a reporter , ” she shouts in the video .
“ I ’ m with KPCC.
” In the last video Huang posted to Twitter , she can be heard shouting : “ You guys are hurting me , ” and “ Stop it.
” She said two deputies damaged her phone “ by kicking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to step on the phone as it lies on the ground , camera up and recording .
Huang said she was put into the backseat of a patrol car before spending “ some five hours ” in custody “ that began with the deputy refusing to uncuff me so I could put my face covering back on , telling me I just had a ‘ scrape ’ when I was bleeding from my foot and not giving me back a shoe.
” Before she was arrested , Huang said she was reflecting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ One of the deputies is a mom of a 6-year-old , ” she wrote .
“ I felt my chest tightening thinking about the little boy.
” Huang had just spoken to one of her editors when she heard shouting and went to investigate .
Protesters were filming deputies and taunting them , she said .
“ I started filming on my phone , standing off to the side , ” Huang said .
“ No one took issue with me being there.
” Deputy Juanita Navarro of the Sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into custody on suspicion of obstruction of justice by “ interfering with a lawful arrest.
” At 1:31 a.m. Sunday , KPCC executive editor Megan Garvey tweeted a video Huang filmed right before her arrest that showed a deputy pointing a weapon directly at a small group of protesters .
Exactly one hour later , Navarro posted a tweet with , “ Don ’ t interfere with an arrest.
” written seven times .
Garvey later confirmed Huang would be charged with a misdemeanor .
Responding to Stoltze , Kyle Stokes , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheriff ’ s Department statement that Huang didn ’ t have her credentials and didn ’ t identify herself as media was a “ blatant falsehood.
” • LA Sheriff : Both deputies are likely to survive ; $ 100,000 reward offered to help find , convict man who shot them • $ 100,000 reward offered to help find , convict man who shot LA deputies • Manhunt ongoing for shooter who ambushed deputies ; LA sheriff seeks help • 2 L.A. County Sheriff ’ s deputies shot in Compton ambush caught on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • East Bay authorities identify man who shot another , then himself Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas called for the county ’ s Office of the Inspector General to launch an investigation into Huang ’ s arrest .
He also urged the Citizens Oversight Commission to convene a special meeting on the matter .
The county ’ s inspector general , Max Huntsman , said his office would open an investigation into the arrest , Stoltze reported .
This newsgroup has reached out to Huntsman and his office for comment , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stoltze , Huntsman described “ an increase in police action against the media ” as “ troubling.
” Huang ’ s arrest drew widespread condemnation from journalists and advocates , including the Committee to Protect Journalists and NPR .

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies arrested KPCC/LAist Correspondent Josie Huang Saturday night as she covered the shooting of two deputies in Compton.
Huang had just finished covering a 10 p.m. news conference by Sheriff Alex Villanueva when there was an incident outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where the deputies were hospitalized, LAist reported.
The award-winning journalist was accused of obstructing justice. Huang said she was trying to document the arrest of a protester.
The LA Sheriff’s Department later tweeted of Huang: “The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person.”
Just after 3 a.m. Sunday, Huang’s colleague Frank Stoltze retweeted a photo that appeared to show a press pass hanging from her neck while she was being taken away. In later tweets, Huang said she was wearing her press identification, and videos show she identified herself as a reporter.
BREAKING: My colleague @josie_huang has been detained in Compton by #LASD deputies. We don't know why. I know her to be an extremely competent and responsible journalist. This video of five deputies on top of her is highly disturbing. https://t.co/Q6NsOJc0UJ — Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) September 13, 2020
Video from ABC7 showed at least five deputies were involved in pinning reporter Huang to the ground and arresting her. Huang was released early Sunday.
By the afternoon, Huang wrote a series of posts on Twitter, including video taken immediately before her arrest where she’s following several Sheriff’s deputies as they pinned a man to the ground and arrested him.
Huang was filming the arrest when a deputy told her to back up.
“Within seconds, I was getting shoved around. There was nowhere to back up,” Huang wrote.
Here’s more of the video, the zoom is still on. I saw a commotion ahead of me. Deputies rushed one man and chased another. I was filming an arrest when suddenly deputies shout “back up.” Within seconds, I was getting shoved around. There was nowhere to back up. pic.twitter.com/Y0amc46NZr — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Moments later, she was under arrest herself.
You can hear Huang tell deputies they were hurting her as she shouted for help.
Huang said she was screaming “for help from the TV reporters I know are around the corner doing their 11 p.m. live hits.”
“I’m a reporter,” she shouts in the video. “I’m with KPCC.”
In the last video Huang posted to Twitter, she can be heard shouting: “You guys are hurting me,” and “Stop it.”
She said two deputies damaged her phone “by kicking and stepping on it.”
Several deputies appear to step on the phone as it lies on the ground, camera up and recording.
After my phone drops, it keeps recording and it captures two deputies damaging my phone by kicking and stepping on it. I can hear myself in the background shouting: “You guys are hurting me” and “Stop it.” It feels very out-of-body to play this back. pic.twitter.com/8o1kdjqlA9 — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Huang said she was put into the backseat of a patrol car before spending “some five hours” in custody “that began with the deputy refusing to uncuff me so I could put my face covering back on, telling me I just had a ‘scrape’ when I was bleeding from my foot and not giving me back a shoe.”
Before she was arrested, Huang said she was reflecting on the press conference she had just covered.
“One of the deputies is a mom of a 6-year-old,” she wrote. “I felt my chest tightening thinking about the little boy.”
Huang had just spoken to one of her editors when she heard shouting and went to investigate. Protesters were filming deputies and taunting them, she said.
“I started filming on my phone, standing off to the side,” Huang said. “No one took issue with me being there.”
Deputy Juanita Navarro of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau confirmed deputies took Huang into custody on suspicion of obstruction of justice by “interfering with a lawful arrest.”
At 1:31 a.m. Sunday, KPCC executive editor Megan Garvey tweeted a video Huang filmed right before her arrest that showed a deputy pointing a weapon directly at a small group of protesters. Exactly one hour later, Navarro posted a tweet with, “Don’t interfere with an arrest.” written seven times.
Garvey later confirmed Huang would be charged with a misdemeanor.
UPDATE #2: #LASD Undersheriff @LASDMurakami told me around 20 minutes ago that he would look into the arrest by his deputies of @KPCC @LAist reporter @josie_huang. We have asked for her immediate release and an apology from the department. https://t.co/f16QI0rez7 — Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) September 13, 2020
(3/3) The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person. Both individuals have been arrested for 148 P.C. — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
NEW: @josie_huang tells us #LASD deputies knocked her cellphone from her hands when they arrested her..and that it was recording video at the time. The audio is troubling. You can hear Josie repeatedly identifying herself as a @KPCC reporter & yelling "You're hurting me" @LAist — Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) September 13, 2020
Responding to Stoltze, Kyle Stokes, an education reporter at KPCC, said the Sheriff’s Department statement that Huang didn’t have her credentials and didn’t identify herself as media was a “blatant falsehood.”
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Three people wounded in East Oakland shootings Crime and Public Safety | Redwood City drug deal ends in double shooting Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas called for the county’s Office of the Inspector General to launch an investigation into Huang’s arrest. He also urged the Citizens Oversight Commission to convene a special meeting on the matter.
The county’s inspector general, Max Huntsman, said his office would open an investigation into the arrest, Stoltze reported. This newsgroup has reached out to Huntsman and his office for comment, but has not yet heard back.
Per Stoltze, Huntsman described “an increase in police action against the media” as “troubling.”
Huang’s arrest drew widespread condemnation from journalists and advocates, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and NPR.
NPR is appalled by the arrest of Josie Huang, a KPCC public radio reporter, who was performing her job last night—gathering facts to inform the American public. The rights of journalists are protected by the First Amendment, and essential to an informed public and our Democracy. — nprextra (@NPRextra) September 13, 2020
We condemn @lasdhq‘s arrest of @kpcc’s @josie_huang while she was working in Los Angeles & are disturbed by video of many officers pinning her to the ground. https://t.co/9Z2q0U3p0d — Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 13, 2020
City News Service contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-09-15--Bay Area man and woman charged with possible capital murder in I-80 shooting

MARTINEZ — Contra Costa prosecutors have filed murder charges against two Fairfield residents , including a woman who was initially arrested only on suspicion of being an accessory , according to court records .
Jorge Vazquez , 24 , and Camille Yvette McAlister , 23 , were charged Monday with murdering 20-year-old Kevin Santisteban and attempting to kill two other people in a Sept. 5 shooting on Interstate 80 .
Because Santisteban was passing through San Pablo when he was shot , the city ’ s police department took the case .
The charging records include enhancements for allegedly lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McAlister eligible for the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole .
The criminal complaint does not include any gun enhancements , a possible indication that police have not identified the suspected shooter .
Police have not released a suspected motive for the crime .
• Stranger reached out to Bay Area woman online .
She was found dead in Northern California two weeks later , police say • Oakland man gets 21 months in federal prison for possessing gun at friend ’ s funeral • He spent nearly 30 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t commit .
A California judge just dismissed the case , called investigation ‘ outrageous ’ • California man arrested in alleged marijuana-by-mail ring that led to shooting death of beloved South Carolina postal worker • Appeals court : Parole board is holding California prisoner to an impossible standard Santisteban , a Richmond resident , was shot at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 5 , by someone in a passing car on I-80 near San Pablo Dam Road .
The car carrying Santisteban got off the freeway and the driver had begun looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santisteban was taken to a hospital , but died later that day .
Vazquez and McAlister were identified as suspects within a day of the shooting , police said .
They remained in county jail on a no-bail hold , according to prosecutors .

MARTINEZ — Contra Costa prosecutors have filed murder charges against two Fairfield residents, including a woman who was initially arrested only on suspicion of being an accessory, according to court records.
Jorge Vazquez, 24, and Camille Yvette McAlister, 23, were charged Monday with murdering 20-year-old Kevin Santisteban and attempting to kill two other people in a Sept. 5 shooting on Interstate 80. Because Santisteban was passing through San Pablo when he was shot, the city’s police department took the case.
The charging records include enhancements for allegedly lying in wait, which make Vazquez and McAlister eligible for the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole.
The criminal complaint does not include any gun enhancements, a possible indication that police have not identified the suspected shooter. Police have not released a suspected motive for the crime.
Santisteban, a Richmond resident, was shot at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 5, by someone in a passing car on I-80 near San Pablo Dam Road. The car carrying Santisteban got off the freeway and the driver had begun looking for a hospital when police encountered them. Santisteban was taken to a hospital, but died later that day.
Vazquez and McAlister were identified as suspects within a day of the shooting, police said. They remained in county jail on a no-bail hold, according to prosecutors.


mercurynews--2020-09-15--Firefighters control two-alarm Fremont vegetation fire near I-680

FREMONT — Firefighters stopped forward progress Monday evening to a grass fire near the Interstate 680 exit at Mission Boulevard @ @ @ @ @ reported .
Just after 5 p.m. , Alameda County Fire District firefighters responded to a @ @ @ @ @ firefighters arrived , they found a small fire just under an acre spreading uphill in @ @ @ @ @ from growing winds .
A second alarm was called by 5:40 p.m. Fremont Fire Department @ @ @ @ @ to social media that Fremont police were working to close Mill Creek Road at Mission @ @ @ @ @ responded , calling the blaze the Mission Fire and estimating its size at around 5 @ @ @ @ @ .
There were no initial reports of any injuries , evacuations or threatened structures .

FREMONT — Firefighters stopped forward progress Monday evening to a grass fire near the Interstate 680 exit at Mission Boulevard near Mission Road, authorities reported.
Just after 5 p.m., Alameda County Fire District firefighters responded to a reported vegetation fire. When firefighters arrived, they found a small fire just under an acre spreading uphill in light flashy fuel with help from growing winds. A second alarm was called by 5:40 p.m.
Fremont Fire Department firefighters also responded, posting to social media that Fremont police were working to close Mill Creek Road at Mission Boulevard.
CalFire crews also responded, calling the blaze the Mission Fire and estimating its size at around 5 acres shortly before 6 p.m.
There were no initial reports of any injuries,evacuations or threatened structures.
Road Closure Update: due to the vegetation fire in the area of Mission Blvd at Mission Rd (near Mission Blvd & I-680), @FremontPD has been requested to close Mill Creek Rd (at Mission Blvd). #MissionIC — Fremont Fire Department (@FremontFire) September 15, 2020
Firefighters are at scene of a vegetation fire by Mission Boulevard near Mission Road in Fremont (Alameda County) Fire is approximately 5 acres. #MissionFire @FremontFire pic.twitter.com/cHQv7PRkxQ — CAL FIRE SCU (@calfireSCU) September 15, 2020
Good news–forward progress of the vegetation fire at Mission Blvd & Mission Rd has been stopped at 5 acres. Firefighters will remain at the scene mopping up. Thank you, @calfireSCU, @MilpitasFire, @AlamedaCoFire & @FremontPD. #MissionIC https://t.co/Ncnz15WRsW — Fremont Fire Department (@FremontFire) September 15, 2020
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.


mercurynews--2020-09-15--Fact check: Trump, Biden, Newsom talked climate change — what do scientists say?

August 2020 was the second-warmest on record , the Northern Hemisphere just experienced its warmest summer yet , and the Earth as a whole recorded its third-hottest three-month season .
That ’ s according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on an alarming warming trend .
But President Trump seemed to be dismissing the news Monday when he suggested in a visit to the fire-ravaged Golden State that “ it will start getting cooler .
You just watch.
” In fact , Trump wasn ’ t the only high-profile politician to weigh in on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden insisted climate change is making wildfires , hurricanes and superstorms worse .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said climate change is driving the state ’ s record heat waves and wildfires as “ the hots are getting hotter , the dries are getting drier.
” So what does the science say ?
First off , are we in store for a cooling off , as Trump suggested ?
“ There ’ s no evidence that California is likely to encounter cooling , ” said Noah Diffenbaugh , a climate scientist at Stanford University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a warming trend is virtually certain to continue as long as global warming continues.
” According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the planet ’ s average surface temperature “ has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century , a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.
” Most of the warming , the agency says , occurred in the past 35 years , with the six warmest years on record taking place since 2014 .
Diffenbaugh said that even places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago to be cooling while other areas warmed have now “ transitioned into areas of less warming rather than an area of cooling.
” How about Biden ’ s claim that global warming is driving all manner of destructive weather from wildfires to storms and floods ?
Is that scientifically sound ?
A Climate Science Special Report by the U.S .
Global Change Research Program said the global temperature increase over the 115 years from 1901 to 2016 has led to the warmest period in the history of modern civilization and linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent years .
As a consequence , it said , daily tidal flooding is accelerating in more than 25 Atlantic and Gulf Coast cities .
Heatwaves have become more frequent in the U.S. since the 1960s , while extreme cold temperatures and cold waves are less frequent .
And large forest fires in the western United States have increased since the early 1980s and are projected to continue .
Diffenbaugh said evidence shows hurricanes have become wetter , and together with rising sea levels , there ’ s evidence of increasing flooding from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drier , as Newsom said ?
Diffenbaugh ’ s own research points to increasing odds in the Golden State of warm years coinciding with low rainfall , which fire officials say in turn increases the intensity of fires as they leave vegetation drier and less fire resistant .
“ The warming in California , ” he said , “ has increased the risk of drought periods in California .
”

August 2020 was the second-warmest on record, the Northern Hemisphere just experienced its warmest summer yet, and the Earth as a whole recorded its third-hottest three-month season.
That’s according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on an alarming warming trend.
But President Trump seemed to be dismissing the news Monday when he suggested in a visit to the fire-ravaged Golden State that “it will start getting cooler. You just watch.”
In fact, Trump wasn’t the only high-profile politician to weigh in on the topic Monday as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden insisted climate change is making wildfires, hurricanes and superstorms worse. Gov. Gavin Newsom said climate change is driving the state’s record heat waves and wildfires as “the hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting drier.”
So what does the science say?
First off, are we in store for a cooling off, as Trump suggested?
“There’s no evidence that California is likely to encounter cooling,” said Noah Diffenbaugh, a climate scientist at Stanford University. “Climate model projections show that a warming trend is virtually certain to continue as long as global warming continues.”
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the planet’s average surface temperature “has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.” Most of the warming, the agency says, occurred in the past 35 years, with the six warmest years on record taking place since 2014.
Diffenbaugh said that even places such as the Midwest that had seemed years ago to be cooling while other areas warmed have now “transitioned into areas of less warming rather than an area of cooling.”
How about Biden’s claim that global warming is driving all manner of destructive weather from wildfires to storms and floods? Is that scientifically sound?
A Climate Science Special Report by the U.S. Global Change Research Program said the global temperature increase over the 115 years from 1901 to 2016 has led to the warmest period in the history of modern civilization and linked it to record-breaking climate-related weather extremes in recent years.
As a consequence, it said, daily tidal flooding is accelerating in more than 25 Atlantic and Gulf Coast cities. Heatwaves have become more frequent in the U.S. since the 1960s, while extreme cold temperatures and cold waves are less frequent. And large forest fires in the western United States have increased since the early 1980s and are projected to continue.
Diffenbaugh said evidence shows hurricanes have become wetter, and together with rising sea levels, there’s evidence of increasing flooding from them.
What about California becoming hotter and drier, as Newsom said?
Diffenbaugh’s own research points to increasing odds in the Golden State of warm years coinciding with low rainfall, which fire officials say in turn increases the intensity of fires as they leave vegetation drier and less fire resistant.
“The warming in California,” he said, “has increased the risk of drought periods in California.”
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/09/14/trump-wildfires-climate-change-coronavirus-collins-dnt-lead-vpx.cnn”]
Video: Trump ignores climate change science
“Currently, climate change has caused rare California heat waves to be 3 to 4 degrees warmer than they would have been without the human interference in the climate system. How much warmer they will be in the future depends on how much more climate change occurs.”
Michael Wehner, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory specializing in extreme weather events in a changing climate, said California heat waves have become several degrees hotter.
“Currently, climate change has caused rare California heat waves to be 3 to 4 degrees warmer than they would have been without the human interference in the climate system,” Wehner said. “How much warmer they will be in the future depends on how much more climate change occurs.”


mercurynews--2020-09-15--As election draws nearer, Biden assembles legal team

WASHINGTON — Democrat Joe Biden is assembling a team of top lawyers in anticipation of court challenges to the election process that could ultimately determine who wins the race for the White House .
Biden ’ s presidential campaign says the legal war room will work to ensure that elections are properly administered and votes correctly counted .
It will also seek to combat voter suppression at the polls , identify foreign interference and misinformation , and educate voters on the different methods available for casting ballots .
The effort , which the Biden campaign described as the largest election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflects the extent of the preparation underway for an already divisive presidential contest in November that could produce significant , perhaps even decisive , court cases over voter access and the legitimacy of mail ballots .
Democrats and Republicans are locked in legal fights on election rules that could help shape the outcome of the vote , and President Donald Trump ’ s campaign has its own attorneys handling cases on a variety of issues .
Trump in recent months has sought to preemptively cast doubt on the election , warning that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic will lead to massive fraud and could open the door to foreign countries to print their own fraudulent ballots .
“ Notwithstanding Donald Trump and his Republican allies ’ hollow threats and constant misinformation , election officials around the country are working tirelessly to hold a free and fair and election , and we have an extraordinary national team in place to ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted , ” Bob Bauer , a senior adviser to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to President Barack Obama , said in a statement .
Bauer , who served as general counsel to the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012 , will work with campaign general counsel Dana Remus on voter protection — an issue that thousands of Democratic lawyers around the country are also engaged in , according to the Biden campaign .
The campaign is also creating a special national litigation team involving hundreds of lawyers that will include as leaders Walter Dellinger , a solicitor general in the Clinton administration , and Donald Verrilli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer Marc Elias and a team of lawyers from his firm , Perkins Coie , will focus on protecting voter access and ensuring a fair and accurate vote count .
Former Attorney General Eric Holder will also play an outreach role on the question of voting rights , according to the campaign .
“ We can and will be able to hold a free and fair election this November and we ’ re putting in place an unprecedented voter protection effort with thousands of lawyers and volunteers around the country to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
The Trump campaign issued a statement from deputy manager Justin Clark saying that as “ Democrats continue their push to weaken reasonable rules preventing fraud — like voter ID and signature matching — President Trump and his campaign will continue to protect the integrity of the vote .
• As Nov. 3 election draws near , fears mount of escalating street violence • Editorial : Elect Joe Biden president to heal and unify our country • What Kamala Harris ’ Indian roots reveal about the US “ Our team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courtroom and on the ground to make sure that every eligible voter has the right to vote and that their vote is counted — once , ” Clark said .
The New York Times reported on the legal war room initiative earlier Monday .

By Eric Tucker | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Democrat Joe Biden is assembling a team of top lawyers in anticipation of court challenges to the election process that could ultimately determine who wins the race for the White House.
Biden’s presidential campaign says the legal war room will work to ensure that elections are properly administered and votes correctly counted. It will also seek to combat voter suppression at the polls, identify foreign interference and misinformation, and educate voters on the different methods available for casting ballots.
The effort, which the Biden campaign described as the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history, reflects the extent of the preparation underway for an already divisive presidential contest in November that could produce significant, perhaps even decisive, court cases over voter access and the legitimacy of mail ballots.
Democrats and Republicans are locked in legal fights on election rules that could help shape the outcome of the vote, and President Donald Trump’s campaign has its own attorneys handling cases on a variety of issues.
Trump in recent months has sought to preemptively cast doubt on the election, warning that the expected surge in mail ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic will lead to massive fraud and could open the door to foreign countries to print their own fraudulent ballots.
“Notwithstanding Donald Trump and his Republican allies’ hollow threats and constant misinformation, election officials around the country are working tirelessly to hold a free and fair and election, and we have an extraordinary national team in place to ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted,” Bob Bauer, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, said in a statement.
Bauer, who served as general counsel to the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012, will work with campaign general counsel Dana Remus on voter protection — an issue that thousands of Democratic lawyers around the country are also engaged in, according to the Biden campaign.
The campaign is also creating a special national litigation team involving hundreds of lawyers that will include as leaders Walter Dellinger, a solicitor general in the Clinton administration, and Donald Verrilli, a solicitor general under Obama.
Democratic lawyer Marc Elias and a team of lawyers from his firm, Perkins Coie, will focus on protecting voter access and ensuring a fair and accurate vote count.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder will also play an outreach role on the question of voting rights, according to the campaign.
“We can and will be able to hold a free and fair election this November and we’re putting in place an unprecedented voter protection effort with thousands of lawyers and volunteers around the country to ensure that voting goes smoothly,” Remus said in a statement.
The Trump campaign issued a statement from deputy manager Justin Clark saying that as “Democrats continue their push to weaken reasonable rules preventing fraud — like voter ID and signature matching — President Trump and his campaign will continue to protect the integrity of the vote.
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The New York Times reported on the legal war room initiative earlier Monday.


mercurynews--2020-09-15--San Jose unveils new plan to clean up ‘stratospheric increase’ in illegal dumping

After weeks of hounding city leaders with calls and emails , launching grassroots neighborhood campaigns and even petitions , San Jose is finally pumping up its efforts to clean up the growing blight and illegal dumping mounting in pockets across the city .
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and council members Lan Diep , Sergio Jimenez and Dev Davis on Monday announced a plan to allocate an additional $ 3 million toward cleaning up the most “ highly visible ” and “ high-traffic ” illegal dump sites in the city over the next three months .
The entire city council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plan at its meeting on Sept. 22 .
“ We look forward to having a cleaner community because we know that then we ’ ll have a better chance of attracting tourists again and new businesses as we recover from the economic fallout of COVID-19 , ” Davis said .
Although San Jose is no stranger to illegal dumping , the problem has grown worse since the COVID-19 pandemic began — with Liccardo calling it a “ stratospheric increase ” in illegal dumping .
City officials suspended its illegal dumping crews for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with abatements of homeless encampments , allowing trash and debris to accumulate longer than normal .
And as home-ridden residents have spent more time decluttering in recent months , some have felt freer to add their own junk onto the piles .
In turn , pockets of the city — from creek beds to off-ramps to long stretches of roadways — are now littered with piles of trash , tires , abandoned vehicles and furniture .
According to the mayor ’ s memo , illegal dumping of appliances , in particular , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
The new funding — which would triple the budget within the city ’ s Emergency Operations Center for blight response for the remainder of the year — will be used to hire more contractors and bring back some furloughed city employees to increase clean-ups at “ sore spots that have had the greatest impact on residents ’ perception of their community , ” the council members ’ memo states .
Deputy City Manager Jim Ortbal has been open about the city ’ s inability to address all of the blight in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only about 10 % of San Jose ’ s 200 known homeless encampments and illegal dumping sites are inspected and cleaned up once a week , according to city statistics .
Yet Ortbal says that all 200 sites need to be visited weekly to truly keep the city clean .
Ortbal said Monday that the additional funding will “ enable us to do more , to test more , to try more and to bring back better solutions ” to the mayor and council by December — when the city ’ s Beautify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more robust plan for routine trash pick-up services to encampments and illegal dumping sites on city properties by the start of 2021 .
Jim Salata , owner of Garden City Construction who has tried for years to get local officials to address the trash and debris that accumulates on the off-ramps of Interstate 280 in downtown San Jose , said he was pleased to see city officials step up .
But he ’ s reserving final judgment until December , when city officials will unveil their more comprehensive long-term plan .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fantastic , but it has to be sustained , ” Salata said .
“ It can ’ t be a one-shot deal just because the heat is on now.
” Aside from the anticipated new funding , San Jose residents — who have grown more and more vocal in recent weeks about their dismay over the poor state of their city — are starting to see some progress and action from the city .
South San Jose early last week started a Change.org petition , which now has more than 2,500 signatures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stretch of Monterey Road along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks from Bailey Avenue to Bernal Road where the dumping has become out of control .
After creating the petition and sending hundreds of emails to city officials to denounce their lack of response , the city announced late last week that Union Pacific and the city would begin clean-up work at the site on Monday .
While glad to see their voices were heard , residents in the area are questioning what took officials so long to clean up the mess .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not reacting to these problems , ” said David Nettemeyer , a south San Jose resident who started the petition .
“ You can ’ t just keep reacting to stuff or you ’ re just continuing to spend money that the city doesn ’ t really have.
” Since many of the city ’ s “ problem sites ” are owned by private entities such as Caltrans , Union Pacific and Santa Clara County Valley Water , the council members also have also asked staff to provide them with an update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entities and any plans in the works to clean-up their properties .
For instance , a proposal between the city and Union Pacific that would require the company to clean up its right of way roughly once a month and allow San Jose employees to enter the tracks for law enforcement calls and homeless outreach has been in the hands of Union Pacific attorneys for the past seven months — and the city is still waiting for their approval .
“ Obviously the pressure made a difference , ” Salata said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressing .
“ The city is only half the problem .
”

After weeks of hounding city leaders with calls and emails, launching grassroots neighborhood campaigns and even petitions, San Jose is finally pumping up its efforts to clean up the growing blight and illegal dumping mounting in pockets across the city.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and council members Lan Diep, Sergio Jimenez and Dev Davis on Monday announced a plan to allocate an additional $3 million toward cleaning up the most “highly visible” and “high-traffic” illegal dump sites in the city over the next three months. The entire city council will decide whether to move forward with the plan at its meeting on Sept. 22.
“We look forward to having a cleaner community because we know that then we’ll have a better chance of attracting tourists again and new businesses as we recover from the economic fallout of COVID-19,” Davis said.
Although San Jose is no stranger to illegal dumping, the problem has grown worse since the COVID-19 pandemic began — with Liccardo calling it a “stratospheric increase” in illegal dumping. City officials suspended its illegal dumping crews for several weeks during the pandemic, along with abatements of homeless encampments, allowing trash and debris to accumulate longer than normal. And as home-ridden residents have spent more time decluttering in recent months, some have felt freer to add their own junk onto the piles.
In turn, pockets of the city — from creek beds to off-ramps to long stretches of roadways — are now littered with piles of trash, tires, abandoned vehicles and furniture. According to the mayor’s memo, illegal dumping of appliances, in particular, has jumped significantly since the start of the pandemic.
The new funding — which would triple the budget within the city’s Emergency Operations Center for blight response for the remainder of the year — will be used to hire more contractors and bring back some furloughed city employees to increase clean-ups at “sore spots that have had the greatest impact on residents’ perception of their community,” the council members’ memo states.
Deputy City Manager Jim Ortbal has been open about the city’s inability to address all of the blight in the city with its limited resources.
Only about 10% of San Jose’s 200 known homeless encampments and illegal dumping sites are inspected and cleaned up once a week, according to city statistics. Yet Ortbal says that all 200 sites need to be visited weekly to truly keep the city clean.
Ortbal said Monday that the additional funding will “enable us to do more, to test more, to try more and to bring back better solutions” to the mayor and council by December — when the city’s Beautify SJ team is expected to present a more robust plan for routine trash pick-up services to encampments and illegal dumping sites on city properties by the start of 2021.
Jim Salata, owner of Garden City Construction who has tried for years to get local officials to address the trash and debris that accumulates on the off-ramps of Interstate 280 in downtown San Jose, said he was pleased to see city officials step up. But he’s reserving final judgment until December, when city officials will unveil their more comprehensive long-term plan.
“I think anything that we start doing is fantastic, but it has to be sustained,” Salata said. “It can’t be a one-shot deal just because the heat is on now.”
Aside from the anticipated new funding, San Jose residents — who have grown more and more vocal in recent weeks about their dismay over the poor state of their city — are starting to see some progress and action from the city.
South San Jose early last week started a Change.org petition, which now has more than 2,500 signatures, to urge city officials to clean up a stretch of Monterey Road along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks from Bailey Avenue to Bernal Road where the dumping has become out of control. After creating the petition and sending hundreds of emails to city officials to denounce their lack of response, the city announced late last week that Union Pacific and the city would begin clean-up work at the site on Monday.
While glad to see their voices were heard, residents in the area are questioning what took officials so long to clean up the mess.
“The city needs to start leading and not reacting to these problems,” said David Nettemeyer, a south San Jose resident who started the petition. “You can’t just keep reacting to stuff or you’re just continuing to spend money that the city doesn’t really have.”
Since many of the city’s “problem sites” are owned by private entities such as Caltrans, Union Pacific and Santa Clara County Valley Water, the council members also have also asked staff to provide them with an update Sept. 22 on their correspondence with those entities and any plans in the works to clean-up their properties.
For instance, a proposal between the city and Union Pacific that would require the company to clean up its right of way roughly once a month and allow San Jose employees to enter the tracks for law enforcement calls and homeless outreach has been in the hands of Union Pacific attorneys for the past seven months — and the city is still waiting for their approval.
“Obviously the pressure made a difference,” Salata said. “But we’re going to keep pressing. “The city is only half the problem.”


mercurynews--2020-09-15--In George Floyd protest report, San Jose police concede training gaps but stand by response

SAN JOSE — A new report states that officers ’ inexperience with large protest crowds led to issues with the San Jose Police Department ’ s chaotic response to demonstrators protesting the police killing of George Floyd this summer — a response that drew widespread criticism over the department ’ s use of rubber bullets , tear gas and other munitions to disperse unarmed and nonviolent civilians protesting the disproportionate use of force against Black men and women by police .
The “ after action ” report produced by SJPD was provided to the City Council ahead of a Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactics and disclosure of body-camera videos are expected to receive more scrutiny from local lawmakers .
On Friday , the department released officer-recorded footage of three high-profile police encounters stemming from the demonstrations between May 29 and June 7 , though any revelations contained in those videos were minimal , since civilian videos of those incidents have circulated widely for months .
In the SJPD report , the department made some concessions to complaints about violent acts against nonviolent protesters .
But the report largely repeated previous statements about the department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and maintained that officers were responding to “ continuous violent confrontations with officers , rampant destruction of property , arson , and looting.
” Protesters and activists have firmly refuted that account , asserting that police officers escalated encounters against demonstrators practicing nonviolent civil disobedience .
“ Tensions rose only in the presence of police , and , in particular , when police decided to take control of certain public spaces and prevent the movement of protesters in certain directions , ” said Sharat G. Lin , a longtime South Bay peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful assembly that is constitutionally protected to be ‘ illegal , ’ it is unequivocally a provocation.
” Lin was arrested June 5 after police alleged he was shining a laser pointer at a police helicopter , when he says he was just shining a light on a wall at City Hall as part of a musical light show .
His arrest was detailed in the report .
In explaining their response , SJPD said the department was surprised by how large and boisterous the crowds grew in the late afternoon of May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in officers and improvise a plan to corral demonstrators , who numbered over a thousand and had temporarily forced the shutdown of Highway 101 .
The department acknowledged in the report that it was not a familiar scenario for the majority of officers dispatched to form skirmish lines near and around City Hall , stating that most had “ never experienced civil unrest of this type ” and that commanders “ lacked the sufficient training and experience ” in crowd control .
The training was “ minimal and infrequent , ” the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffing .
Throughout the report , SJPD puts the onus on agitators within groups of protesters for why innocent people might have been the targets of force or police projectiles ; just 10 civilian injuries were officially reported to or by police — a portrayal that frustrated local activists .
“ The SJPD can ’ t PR spin this away from the truth that hundreds of people not only saw but experienced , ” said Raj Jayadev , co-founder of Silicon Valley De-Bug .
“ It was mainly youth of color out there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to distinguish .
It was teachers .
I saw reverends out there , and I saw people who wanted protest a racist system .
“ For them to mischaracterize who was there and why they were there , it ’ s literally adding insult to injury.
” The report also waded into how rubber and foam bullets , pepper spray rounds , tear-gas canisters and stun grenades were lobbed into crowds that refused to disperse .
According to police , more than 500 rounds were used in the first day of protests May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first day , most of the Department ’ s less lethal munitions and chemical agents were exhausted , requiring an improvised emergency purchase , ” the report states .
As to an exact number , the report found “ the number of less lethal rounds was difficult to quantify as many officers simply documented they fired ‘ multiple ’ rounds .
The unprecedented nature of this event does not justify the lack of accurate documentation and need to track the use of less lethal responses.
” The department banned bullets from crowd-control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SJPD also backed off the use of tear-gas and similar agents after health experts decried their respiratory effects amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Without naming the officer , the report also addresses Officer Jared Yuen ’ s profane comments toward protesters that garnered international attention during the May and June protests .
The department affirmed Yuen is now on a “ non-enforcement assignment ” pending an internal affairs investigation .
Yuen accounted for 1,079 of 1,247 protest-related police complaints received by the department , according to the report .
The report notes officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knocked unconscious by a man ’ s punch — and related attacks , including 181 instances of them being hit by objects like frozen water bottles or being fired at with a potato gun in one instance .
But while the document also addresses injuries to protesters , the language is general and sticks closely to what has already been reported by media or disclosed in eyewitness videos .
Those injured in the incidents include community activist and former police bias trainer Derrick Sanderlin , who was shot in the groin with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a standoff between protesters and police ; Tim Harper , a citizen who helped carry an injured officer to safety then was later hit in the stomach with a police projectile ; and David Baca , who was hit in the Adam ’ s apple by an officer ’ s baton when he approached a skirmish line with the aim of taking down an officer ’ s name and badge number .
The primary solutions offered by SJPD involve improving training of crowd control tactics and use-of-force documentation at all levels of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plea for ready access to a fixed-wing plane for overhead surveillance of large crowds , and states that the department wants the authority to “ fully implement ” its unmanned aerial system , which has been mostly grounded since 2014 amid privacy concerns from city residents .

SAN JOSE — A new report states that officers’ inexperience with large protest crowds led to issues with the San Jose Police Department’s chaotic response to demonstrators protesting the police killing of George Floyd this summer — a response that drew widespread criticism over the department’s use of rubber bullets, tear gas and other munitions to disperse unarmed and nonviolent civilians protesting the disproportionate use of force against Black men and women by police.
The “after action” report produced by SJPD was provided to the City Council ahead of a Tuesday meeting in which the department’s tactics and disclosure of body-camera videos are expected to receive more scrutiny from local lawmakers. On Friday, the department released officer-recorded footage of three high-profile police encounters stemming from the demonstrations between May 29 and June 7, though any revelations contained in those videos were minimal, since civilian videos of those incidents have circulated widely for months.
In the SJPD report, the department made some concessions to complaints about violent acts against nonviolent protesters. But the report largely repeated previous statements about the department’s rationale for using force during the protests, and maintained that officers were responding to “continuous violent confrontations with officers, rampant destruction of property, arson, and looting.”
Protesters and activists have firmly refuted that account, asserting that police officers escalated encounters against demonstrators practicing nonviolent civil disobedience.
“Tensions rose only in the presence of police, and, in particular, when police decided to take control of certain public spaces and prevent the movement of protesters in certain directions,” said Sharat G. Lin, a longtime South Bay peace activist. “Once police declare a peaceful assembly that is constitutionally protected to be ‘illegal,’ it is unequivocally a provocation.”
Lin was arrested June 5 after police alleged he was shining a laser pointer at a police helicopter, when he says he was just shining a light on a wall at City Hall as part of a musical light show. His arrest was detailed in the report.
In explaining their response, SJPD said the department was surprised by how large and boisterous the crowds grew in the late afternoon of May 29, leaving commanders to rapidly call in officers and improvise a plan to corral demonstrators, who numbered over a thousand and had temporarily forced the shutdown of Highway 101.
The department acknowledged in the report that it was not a familiar scenario for the majority of officers dispatched to form skirmish lines near and around City Hall, stating that most had “never experienced civil unrest of this type” and that commanders “lacked the sufficient training and experience” in crowd control. The training was “minimal and infrequent,” the department wrote, because of depleted and overstretched staffing.
Throughout the report, SJPD puts the onus on agitators within groups of protesters for why innocent people might have been the targets of force or police projectiles; just 10 civilian injuries were officially reported to or by police — a portrayal that frustrated local activists.
“The SJPD can’t PR spin this away from the truth that hundreds of people not only saw but experienced,” said Raj Jayadev, co-founder of Silicon Valley De-Bug. “It was mainly youth of color out there, that’s one important feature to distinguish. It was teachers. I saw reverends out there, and I saw people who wanted protest a racist system.
“For them to mischaracterize who was there and why they were there, it’s literally adding insult to injury.”
The report also waded into how rubber and foam bullets, pepper spray rounds, tear-gas canisters and stun grenades were lobbed into crowds that refused to disperse. According to police, more than 500 rounds were used in the first day of protests May 29: “By the end of the first day, most of the Department’s less lethal munitions and chemical agents were exhausted, requiring an improvised emergency purchase,” the report states.
As to an exact number, the report found “the number of less lethal rounds was difficult to quantify as many officers simply documented they fired ‘multiple’ rounds. The unprecedented nature of this event does not justify the lack of accurate documentation and need to track the use of less lethal responses.”
The department banned bullets from crowd-control uses after the George Floyd protests. SJPD also backed off the use of tear-gas and similar agents after health experts decried their respiratory effects amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without naming the officer, the report also addresses Officer Jared Yuen’s profane comments toward protesters that garnered international attention during the May and June protests. The department affirmed Yuen is now on a “non-enforcement assignment” pending an internal affairs investigation. Yuen accounted for 1,079 of 1,247 protest-related police complaints received by the department, according to the report.
The report notes officer injuries — including an officer who was knocked unconscious by a man’s punch — and related attacks, including 181 instances of them being hit by objects like frozen water bottles or being fired at with a potato gun in one instance. But while the document also addresses injuries to protesters, the language is general and sticks closely to what has already been reported by media or disclosed in eyewitness videos.
Those injured in the incidents include community activist and former police bias trainer Derrick Sanderlin, who was shot in the groin with a police rubber bullet while trying to de-escalate a standoff between protesters and police; Tim Harper, a citizen who helped carry an injured officer to safety then was later hit in the stomach with a police projectile; and David Baca, who was hit in the Adam’s apple by an officer’s baton when he approached a skirmish line with the aim of taking down an officer’s name and badge number.
The primary solutions offered by SJPD involve improving training of crowd control tactics and use-of-force documentation at all levels of the force. The report also makes a plea for ready access to a fixed-wing plane for overhead surveillance of large crowds, and states that the department wants the authority to “fully implement” its unmanned aerial system, which has been mostly grounded since 2014 amid privacy concerns from city residents.


mercurynews--2020-09-14--“I shouldn’t be gasping for air:” In a smoky haze, the A’s blow lead late to Mariners

Conditions weren ’ t right in Seattle .
Smoke from nearby wildfires seeped through the enclosed T-Mobile Park roof to a point that manager Bob Melvin wondered an hour before first pitch if the day ’ s doubleheader would be a go .
The game went on , though , and the Mariners took a 6-5 come-from-behind win from the A ’ s .
The A ’ s grim meltdown was practically impossible to see through the thick haze .
A ’ s outfielders donned masks to help mitigate their breathing on long runs through the grass .
Jesús Luzardo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voiced his discomfort .
“ When I came out ( the AQI ) was at 284 , ” Luzardo said after the game .
“ I ’ m a healthy 22-year-old .
I shouldn ’ t be gasping for air , or missing oxygen when I ’ m getting to the line .
I ’ ll leave it at that.
” That Luzardo felt it necessary to voice his discomfort should ring loud .
The A ’ s prized talent tested positive for coronavirus during intake testing prior to spring training 2.0 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke over the Oakland Coliseum as a result of Northern California wildfires .
As it happened , they flew out of the frying pan and into more fire in the Pacific Northwest .
But the game went on .
Here are some takeaways .
A ’ s reliever Joakim Soria has been nearly untouchable all year , allowing just five runs in 18 2/3 innings .
He came in for the sixth inning and could not find the strike zone .
Holding a one-run lead , Soria gave up a single and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow the Mariners ’ go-ahead run score on Kyle Lewis ’ walk .
“ He ’ s pitched with traffic and pitched out of jams , so this is a tough one for us , ” Melvin said .
“ This is a game we usually win.
” Jesús Luzardo struggles a third time through the lineup again Luzardo was dazzling at first , spinning six strikeouts through his first three scoreless innings against the Mariners .
Then , and old habit came back to bite him again .
He hit trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lineup , mirroring the sequencing difficulties he experienced in a rough outing against the San Diego Padres two starts ago .
“ This is my first year facing the third time through the lineup , I didn ’ t make adjustments that I needed to make today , ” Luzardo said .
Luis Torrens hit a home run off him in the fourth inning to give the Mariners their first run .
Jose Marmolejos hit a solo blast to start the fifth and Kyle Lewis ’ two-run shot cut the A ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ His stuff was great the whole game , ” Melvin said .
“ At times he probably overthrow them and that ’ s when he missed his location .
Gave up a couple unexpected homers there , it looked like he was cruising.
” He ’ d get two outs in the fifth before Kyle Seager ’ s bloop single prompted Melvin to tap Yusmeiro Petit for relief .
“ I take it pretty personal .
They give you the five run lead , to give up a four-spot .
For a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you want .
Especially in a doubleheader with seven innings .
“ Losing this game was kind of tough.
” • A ’ s split series with Rangers as a difficult stretch of games begins • Sources : A ’ s to sign former All Star third baseman • A ’ s use big second inning to split double-header , shrink magic number • Jefferies roughed up in debut as A ’ s win streak ends at three Who will get hot to make up for loss of Matt Chapman ?
Melvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Game 1 of the doubleheader .
Sean Murphy — who typically hits eighth or ninth — moved up to the sixth spot of the lineup , behind Matt Olson .
It ’ s a much-deserved move up the ladder .
After a slow start — understandable for catchers who prioritize getting on the same page with pitchers in camp — Murphy is honing his approach and seems to have found his power swing .
He hit his sixth home run of the year , a solo blast to start the fourth inning that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murphy is especially hot at the plate this September , after the A ’ s abrupt hiatus because of the COVID-19 positive test .
He ’ s slashing .400/.538/.850 with a 1.388 OPS , four home runs , eight RBIs and six walks with six strikeouts in 24 at bats .
With consistent middle-order presence Matt Chapman getting season-ending hip surgery , it ’ s important for players like Murphy to step up .
Monday ’ s doubleheader flashed signs that other players are up for the task .
Marcus Semien seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 self at the plate .
Monday , he accounted for four of the A ’ s five runs , including a three-run home run .
He also had an RBI single in the second inning and a walk to complete a four-RBI game .
In his past five games , Semien is batting .318 with eight RBIs and a 1.014 OPS .
Khris Davis , getting more reps post-COVID hiatus , had a two-hit day in Game 1 , including a double and an opposite field single .
The A ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a while .
He sprained his right knee jumping up in attempt to make a catch on Jose Marmolejos ’ home run .
“ He jumped for the ball in right field and had a pop , ” Melvin said .
Piscotty didn ’ t play in Game 2 of the doubleheader and will have the sprained knee examined in Colorado today .

Conditions weren’t right in Seattle. Smoke from nearby wildfires seeped through the enclosed T-Mobile Park roof to a point that manager Bob Melvin wondered an hour before first pitch if the day’s doubleheader would be a go.
The games went on, though, and the Mariners took a 6-5 come-from-behind win from the A’s in Game 1. They went on to beat the Mariners, 9-0, behind a Mike Minor gem.
The A’s grim meltdown in the first game was practically impossible to see through the thick haze. A’s outfielders donned masks to help mitigate their breathing on long runs through the grass. Jesús Luzardo, the A’s starter for the first game, voiced his discomfort.
“When I came out (the AQI) was at 284,” Luzardo said after the game. “I’m a healthy 22-year-old. I shouldn’t be gasping for air, or missing oxygen when I’m getting to the line. I’ll leave it at that.”
That Luzardo felt it necessary to voice his discomfort should ring loud. The A’s have played through smoke over the Oakland Coliseum as a result of Northern California wildfires. As it happened, they flew out of the frying pan and into more fire in the Pacific Northwest.
“It was pretty smoky out there,” Melvin said after the second game. “And guys were starting to feel it in the second game some. I think the numbers were pretty high.”
Here are some takeaways from the games.
Game 1
A’s reliever Joakim Soria has been nearly untouchable all year, allowing just five runs in 18 2/3 innings.
He came in for the sixth inning and could not find the strike zone. Holding a one-run lead, Soria gave up a single and, with two outs, three consecutive walks to allow the Mariners’ go-ahead run score on Kyle Lewis’ walk. It completed a meltdown in which the A’s pitching staff let go of a five-run lead the A’s offense built through the first four innings.
“He’s pitched with traffic and pitched out of jams, so this is a tough one for us,” Melvin said. “This is a game we usually win.”
Luzardo was dazzling at first, spinning six strikeouts through his first three scoreless innings against the Mariners.
Then, and old habit came back to bite him again. He hit trouble a third time through Seattle’s lineup, mirroring the sequencing difficulties he experienced in a rough outing against the San Diego Padres two starts ago.
“This is my first year facing the third time through the lineup, I didn’t make adjustments that I needed to make today,” Luzardo said.
Luis Torrens hit a home run off him in the fourth inning to give the Mariners their first run. Jose Marmolejos hit a solo blast to start the fifth and Kyle Lewis’ two-run shot cut the A’s early 5-run lead to one run.
“His stuff was great the whole game,” Melvin said. “At times he probably overthrow them and that’s when he missed his location. Gave up a couple unexpected homers there, it looked like he was cruising.”
He’d get two outs in the fifth before Kyle Seager’s bloop single prompted Melvin to tap Yusmeiro Petit for relief. He departed with a 4 2/3 inning, four-run, seven-strikeout outing.
But not a win to show for it.
“I take it pretty personal. They give you the five run lead, to give up a four-spot. For a starting pitcher, it’s not what you want. Especially in a doubleheader with seven innings.
“Losing this game was kind of tough.”
Game 2
The A’s managed to hold their early, large lead and extend it with a 9-0 Game 2 win.
Ramón Laureano got a good piece of a Jimmy Yacabonis pitch with the bases loaded in the first inning, but rookie phenom Kyle Lewis robbed him at the wall.
Laureano would get his revenge in his next at bat with some softer contact: a two-run RBI double blooped into the right field corner ignited a five-run third inning generated on productive contact.
Behind all the run support, Mike Minor had one of his best starts of the year — and certainly a high point to his weeks-old A’s tenure. He threw seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts for his first win of the year.
What’s been the difference? Minor is throwing his fastball 20 percent more with the A’s than he did in his time with the Rangers, per Brooks Baseball. Monday, he attacked hitters with it.
“Nothing crazy, it’s just a matter of — I felt in the past I’ve been trying to trick guys instead of attacking them and throwing four-seam fastballs at them,” Minor said. “Today we threw a lot of fastballs that I probably normally wouldn’t throw.”
Minor’s fastball spin rate ranks among the top 97 percentile in baseball — it fills the strike zone without Minor having to finesse his stuff too much. Of the 102 pitches Minor threw, 66 were fastballs. Five of his seven strikeouts came on that four-seamer, mostly up in the zone.
Designated hitter Jake Lamb — who doubled in his second at bat as an Athletic — also hit his first home run of the year to give the A’s a 9-0 lead.
Who will get hot to make up for loss of Matt Chapman?
Melvin made a notable lineup adjustment prior to Game 1 of the doubleheader. Sean Murphy — who typically hits eighth or ninth — moved up to the sixth spot of the lineup, behind Matt Olson.
It’s a much-deserved move up the ladder. After a slow start — understandable for catchers who prioritize getting on the same page with pitchers in camp — Murphy is honing his approach and seems to have found his power swing. He hit his sixth home run of the year, a solo blast to start the fourth inning that just dropped fair in left field.
Murphy is especially hot at the plate this September, after the A’s abrupt hiatus because of the COVID-19 positive test. He’s slashing .400/.538/.850 with a 1.388 OPS, four home runs, eight RBIs and six walks with six strikeouts in 24 at bats.
With consistent middle-order presence Matt Chapman getting season-ending hip surgery, it’s important for players like Murphy to step up. Monday’s doubleheader flashed signs that other players are up for the task.
Marcus Semien seems to be looking a bit more like his 2019 self at the plate. Monday, he accounted for four of the A’s five runs, including a three-run home run. He also had an RBI single in the second inning and a walk to complete a four-RBI game.
In his past five games, Semien is batting .318 with eight RBIs and a 1.014 OPS.
Khris Davis, getting more reps post-COVID hiatus, had a two-hit day in Game 1, including a double and an opposite field single.
In Game 2, Mark Canha hit his first home run since Aug. 19 — if a disciplined hitter in Canha can start to find his power stroke again, the A’s offense could be singing.
Stephen Piscotty injury
The A’s could be without outfielder Stephen Piscotty for a while. He sprained his right knee jumping up in attempt to make a catch on Jose Marmolejos’ home run.
“He jumped for the ball in right field and had a pop,” Melvin said. Piscotty didn’t play in Game 2 of the doubleheader and will have the sprained knee examined in Colorado today.


mercurynews--2020-09-14--California shows encouraging progress with COVID hospitalizations; experts say caution must continue

In a strong sign coronavirus is receding in California , the number of patients hospitalized with the virus fell over the weekend to levels not seen since weeks after shelter-at-home orders were enacted in spring , according to the California Department of Public Health .
A month of steady decline , following a long summer surge of cases , reached encouraging milestones this weekend : hospitalizations have been cut by more than half since a peak in late July .
Perhaps more critical , the number of people battling the virus in intensive care units fell to the lowest it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s looking better , it ’ s moving in the right direction , ” UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said Monday .
“ We are trying to get cases down , trying to get hospitalizations down , trying to get mortality down , and all those things are going down .
Rather than this being a random event in the universe … this is all governed by human behavior .
People wearing masks and socially distancing .
That ’ s all good.
” Local and state officials put tight new restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late June to arrest a surge that began after Memorial Day , and more actively encouraged safe behavior .
More recently , however , those restrictions are being eased as cases , hospitalizations and deaths decline .
There were 2,869 patients hospitalized with the virus around the state Saturday , according to the latest update from the California Department of Public Health , hitting its lowest level since April 10 .
Meanwhile , 932 people were in ICU .
Southern California saw dramatic drops in the number of hospital beds used by people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 % cut in hospitalizations over the past two weeks in Orange County .
Four of the largest counties — Orange , San Bernardino , Riverside and Los Angeles — had practically returned to pre-summer levels , although they still account for the majority of hospitalizations in the state .
Los Angeles , for instance , shed more than 65 % of its hospital patients since its peak in mid-July .
There are also fewer patients hospitalized in the San Joaquin Valley , where the epicenter shifted in late summer , than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since May , despite its 4.3 million population being about half that of the Bay Area .
And in the Bay Area , 502 patients in hospital beds on Saturday were the fewest since July 2 , although the decline here has not been as dramatic .
“ I ’ m delighted to see it but we still haven ’ t gotten back to where we were in terms of the number of cases a day in April , ” said Dr. John Swartzberg , an infectious disease expert at the UC Berkeley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,271 cases Sunday , the state has reported one-third the number of cases in the past week than at its peak and 36 % fewer than two weeks ago .
The test-positivity rate also continued to sink lower to 3.5 % as of Sunday — less than half its peak rate and a two-point decline in two weeks .
Over the past few weeks , the number of cases have declined in Bay Area counties , with the exception of Napa , which saw a small uptick .
Those numbers also were encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can confidently predict , looking at this last week and the dramatic decline in all but Napa County , that a month from now we ’ ll see a decrease in deaths , ” he said .
“ That said , the problem will be , are we seeing a decrease in deaths at the same time we are seeing cases go up ?
” Following a record 30 fatalities reported on Friday , there were another 17 in the Bay Area on Sunday , including a dozen in Alameda County .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Alameda County reported double-digit deaths , following two more days of the same last week .
Still , Alameda County , which at 332 has the largest overall death toll of any Bay Area locale , only made ninth on the state ’ s list counties with the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities .
No other county in the region has 300 deaths , and just two others — Santa Clara and Contra Costa — crack the state ’ s top 15 .
In total , there were 53 new fatalities reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernardino , 12 in Alameda and 11 in Los Angeles .
Kern County also reported six deaths , while there were three in Santa Clara County and one each in Contra Costa and San Francisco .
The 17 deaths in the Bay Area pushed its total over 1,300 , but that accounts for a fraction of the statewide death toll .
Despite accounting for about 20 % of California ’ s population , the Bay Area makes up about 9 % of its COVID-19 deaths , which totaled 14,385 as of Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization .
Meanwhile , Los Angeles County accounts for more than 40 % of the state ’ s fatalities — 6,208 as of Sunday — despite making up about 25 % of its population .

In a strong sign coronavirus is receding in California, the number of patients hospitalized with the virus fell over the weekend to levels not seen since weeks after shelter-at-home orders were enacted in spring, according to the California Department of Public Health.
A month of steady decline, following a long summer surge of cases, reached encouraging milestones this weekend: hospitalizations have been cut by more than half since a peak in late July. Perhaps more critical, the number of people battling the virus in intensive care units fell to the lowest it has been since April 2.
“It’s looking better, it’s moving in the right direction,” UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said Monday. “We are trying to get cases down, trying to get hospitalizations down, trying to get mortality down, and all those things are going down. Rather than this being a random event in the universe … this is all governed by human behavior. People wearing masks and socially distancing. That’s all good.”
Local and state officials put tight new restrictions on businesses and outdoor activities beginning in late June to arrest a surge that began after Memorial Day, and more actively encouraged safe behavior. More recently, however, those restrictions are being eased as cases, hospitalizations and deaths decline.
There were 2,869 patients hospitalized with the virus around the state Saturday, according to the latest update from the California Department of Public Health, hitting its lowest level since April 10. Meanwhile, 932 people were in ICU.
Southern California saw dramatic drops in the number of hospital beds used by people sickened with coronavirus, led by a 40% cut in hospitalizations over the past two weeks in Orange County.
Four of the largest counties — Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles — had practically returned to pre-summer levels, although they still account for the majority of hospitalizations in the state. Los Angeles, for instance, shed more than 65% of its hospital patients since its peak in mid-July.
There are also fewer patients hospitalized in the San Joaquin Valley, where the epicenter shifted in late summer, than in the Bay Area for the first time since May, despite its 4.3 million population being about half that of the Bay Area.
And in the Bay Area, 502 patients in hospital beds on Saturday were the fewest since July 2, although the decline here has not been as dramatic.
“I’m delighted to see it but we still haven’t gotten back to where we were in terms of the number of cases a day in April,” said Dr. John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
With another 2,271 cases Sunday, the state has reported one-third the number of cases in the past week than at its peak and 36% fewer than two weeks ago. The test-positivity rate also continued to sink lower to 3.5% as of Sunday — less than half its peak rate and a two-point decline in two weeks.
Over the past few weeks, the number of cases have declined in Bay Area counties, with the exception of Napa, which saw a small uptick. Those numbers also were encouraging to Swartzberg.
“I think you can confidently predict, looking at this last week and the dramatic decline in all but Napa County, that a month from now we’ll see a decrease in deaths,” he said. “That said, the problem will be, are we seeing a decrease in deaths at the same time we are seeing cases go up?”
Following a record 30 fatalities reported on Friday, there were another 17 in the Bay Area on Sunday, including a dozen in Alameda County. It was the second time in three days that Alameda County reported double-digit deaths, following two more days of the same last week.
Still, Alameda County, which at 332 has the largest overall death toll of any Bay Area locale, only made ninth on the state’s list counties with the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities. No other county in the region has 300 deaths, and just two others — Santa Clara and Contra Costa — crack the state’s top 15.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge In total, there were 53 new fatalities reported Sunday, led by 18 in San Bernardino, 12 in Alameda and 11 in Los Angeles. Kern County also reported six deaths, while there were three in Santa Clara County and one each in Contra Costa and San Francisco.
The 17 deaths in the Bay Area pushed its total over 1,300, but that accounts for a fraction of the statewide death toll.
Despite accounting for about 20% of California’s population, the Bay Area makes up about 9% of its COVID-19 deaths, which totaled 14,385 as of Sunday, according to data compiled by this news organization.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County accounts for more than 40% of the state’s fatalities — 6,208 as of Sunday — despite making up about 25% of its population.