mercurynews--2020-12-27--Parts of California likely to have lockdown orders extended

LOS ANGELES — State officials are expected to extend the strictest stay-at-home orders in central and Southern California as hospitals there are quickly running out of intensive care unit beds for coronavirus patients ahead of the presumed post-holiday surge .
The situation is already dire , and the worst is expected to come in the next few weeks after Christmas and New Year ’ s travelers return home .
California hit 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Christmas Eve , becoming the first state to reach the grim milestone .
The stay-at-home orders for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were first imposed three weeks ago — but Gov .
Gavin Newsom has signaled they would not be allowed to lapse .
State officials said Sunday afternoon the orders were likely to be extended but did not make a definitive ruling .
Health inspectors and authorities stepped up enforcement at restaurants and shopping malls over the post-Christmas weekend in an attempt to curb the surge .
Statewide , officials on Sunday reported that California has had 2,122,806 confirmed cases and more than 24,000 deaths .
The figures are from Saturday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state is under stay-at-home orders .
The state ’ s total confirmed cases rose by more than 50,000 — an increase of 2.4 % — over the previous day , data shows .
Some of the cases reflect two days of data from Los Angeles County , which had an internet service interruption Friday and caused delays in reporting .
There were 237 additional deaths reported to the state , a figure believed to be an undercount because of LA County ’ s delayed reporting .
The stay-at-home orders require regions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or equal to 15 % .
Northern California ’ s ICU capacity projections are at 28.3 % , while the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley projections are 0 % .
The Greater Sacramento region stands at 17.8 % and the Bay Area is at 11.1 % , state figures show .
“ It is likely that the Regional Stay at Home Order will extend for many regions in California , ” officials said in a news release Sunday .
In some counties in the San Joaquin Valley , state data shows there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In others , only a handful remain .
The crisis is straining the state ’ s medical system well beyond its normal capacity , prompting hospitals to treat patients in tents , offices and auditoriums .
• South Africa confirms more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 • Santa Clara County records most cases ever since start of pandemic , officials say In Los Angeles County , the nation ’ s most populous , county estimates show that about 1 in 95 people are contagious with the virus .
Officials estimate one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the county .

By Stefanie Dazio | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — State officials are expected to extend the strictest stay-at-home orders in central and Southern California as hospitals there are quickly running out of intensive care unit beds for coronavirus patients ahead of the presumed post-holiday surge.
The situation is already dire, and the worst is expected to come in the next few weeks after Christmas and New Year’s travelers return home. California hit 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Christmas Eve, becoming the first state to reach the grim milestone.
The stay-at-home orders for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California are set to expire Monday — they were first imposed three weeks ago — but Gov. Gavin Newsom has signaled they would not be allowed to lapse. State officials said Sunday afternoon the orders were likely to be extended but did not make a definitive ruling.
Health inspectors and authorities stepped up enforcement at restaurants and shopping malls over the post-Christmas weekend in an attempt to curb the surge.
Statewide, officials on Sunday reported that California has had 2,122,806 confirmed cases and more than 24,000 deaths. The figures are from Saturday, the most recent data available. Most of the state is under stay-at-home orders.
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/12/27/sotu-fauci-full.cnn”]
The state’s total confirmed cases rose by more than 50,000 — an increase of 2.4% — over the previous day, data shows. Some of the cases reflect two days of data from Los Angeles County, which had an internet service interruption Friday and caused delays in reporting.
There were 237 additional deaths reported to the state, a figure believed to be an undercount because of LA County’s delayed reporting.
The stay-at-home orders require regions to have ICU capacity projections to be above or equal to 15%.
Northern California’s ICU capacity projections are at 28.3%, while the Southern California and San Joaquin Valley projections are 0%. The Greater Sacramento region stands at 17.8% and the Bay Area is at 11.1%, state figures show.
“It is likely that the Regional Stay at Home Order will extend for many regions in California,” officials said in a news release Sunday.
In some counties in the San Joaquin Valley, state data shows there aren’t any ICU beds left. In others, only a handful remain. The crisis is straining the state’s medical system well beyond its normal capacity, prompting hospitals to treat patients in tents, offices and auditoriums.


mercurynews--2020-12-27--Earthquake: Magnitude 3.2 quake hits near Prunedale

A magnitude-3.2 earthquake was reported Sunday morning at 11:05 a.m. Pacific time one mile from Prunedale , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The Northern California earthquake occurred seven miles from Hollister , eight miles from Salinas , eight miles from Gilroy and 10 miles from Watsonville .
In the last 10 days , there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
• Video : Anderson Reservoir is drained as part of earthquake project to rebuild 240-foot Anderson Dam • Map : More earthquakes in recent seismic hot spot near California line This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

Quakebot
A magnitude-3.2 earthquake was reported Sunday morning at 11:05 a.m. Pacific time one mile from Prunedale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Northern California earthquake occurred seven miles from Hollister, eight miles from Salinas, eight miles from Gilroy and 10 miles from Watsonville.
In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.2 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.


mercurynews--2020-12-27--Palo Alto pop-up site to offer free COVID-19 tests on Tuesdays

PALO ALTO — Free pop-up COVID-19 testing will be available each Tuesday starting this week , Palo Alto officials announced @ @ @ @ @ from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the Mitchell Park Library @ @ @ @ @ Palo Alto .
The free self-administered testing , available for both insured and uninsured individuals @ @ @ @ @ firm Curative , which also is serving similar programs in Menlo Park and East Palo @ @ @ @ @ neither required or reported .
Visit https : //www.cityofpaloalto.org/news/displaynews.asp ?
NewsID=5065 for more information and @ @ @ @ @ for an appointment .
Additional testing will be offered at the location every other Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ Parts of California likely to have lockdown orders extended • South Africa confirms more than @ @ @ @ @ • Santa Clara County records most cases ever since start of pandemic , officials say @ @ @ @ @ apppointment twice a month at the Mitchell Park Community Center in partnership with the County @ @ @ @

Bay City News Service
PALO ALTO — Free pop-up COVID-19 testing will be available each Tuesday starting this week, Palo Alto officials announced.
Testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at the Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto.
The free self-administered testing, available for both insured and uninsured individuals, is offered by local firm Curative, which also is serving similar programs in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. Documentation status is neither required or reported.
Visit https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=5065 for more information and the link to sign up for an appointment.
Additional testing will be offered at the location every other Wednesday starting Jan. 13.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Man in Donald Trump mask shoots former brother-in-law in Sonoma County

ROHNERT PARK – A man from Las Vegas wearing a Donald Trump mask , a long white beard and a Santa hat shot his former brother-in-law in Rohnert Park Saturday morning , police said .
Police were called to Manchester Avenue about 11:20 a.m. by a woman who said that her 77-year-old husband had been shot .
Police quickly spotted a small black compact car with Nevada license plates that was attempting to make a U-turn .
Officers blocked the road and arrested the man without incident .
Inside the car , police found a handgun in a duffle bag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and a long , white curly beard .
Officers determined the victim had been shot twice and he was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening wounds .
As police continued to investigate , they found a suspicious package on victim ’ s driveway .
The area was cordoned off and the Sonoma County Sheriff Explosive Ordinance Disposal team responded to render the device safe .
After an evaluation , the device was found to be a towel wrapped in the box .
• 12 wild things that happened in aviation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado with hours-long wait declared COVID-19 outbreaks • Maria Bartiromo got punked by an animal rights activist on her show Police said officers later determined that the suspect , Gerald Jacinth , 75 , came to the victim ’ s home claiming he had a “ special delivery ” and then shot the victim twice , including once in the back .
Police have not yet disclosed a motive in the shooting .
Jacinth was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and booked into jail .
Copyright � 2020 by Bay City News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News , Inc. is prohibited .

ROHNERT PARK – A man from Las Vegas wearing a Donald Trump mask, a long white beard and a Santa hat shot his former brother-in-law in Rohnert Park Saturday morning, police said.
Police were called to Manchester Avenue about 11:20 a.m. by a woman who said that her 77-year-old husband had been shot.
Police quickly spotted a small black compact car with Nevada license plates that was attempting to make a U-turn.
Officers blocked the road and arrested the man without incident.
Inside the car, police found a handgun in a duffle bag, a rubber head mask resembling President Trump and a long ,white curly beard.
Officers determined the victim had been shot twice and he was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening wounds.
As police continued to investigate, they found a suspicious package on victim’s driveway. The area was cordoned off and the Sonoma County Sheriff Explosive Ordinance Disposal team responded to render the device safe.
After an evaluation, the device was found to be a towel wrapped in the box.
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30-year-old Michigan woman charged with having sex with a dog Crime and Public Safety | ‘All of the dream’: How Eurodance parody ‘Planet of the Bass’ became the song of the summer Police said officers later determined that the suspect, Gerald Jacinth, 75, came to the victim’s home claiming he had a “special delivery” and then shot the victim twice, including once in the back.
Police have not yet disclosed a motive in the shooting.
Jacinth was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and booked into jail.
Copyright � 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. — Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse
without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Key 2020 health stories you may have missed because of Covid-19

The pandemic brought the world ’ s scientists together in an unprecedented race to develop vaccines .
Meeting that goal in under a year is “ truly historic , ” according to Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Covid-19 was not , however , the only battle waged by doctors and researchers over the last year .
The fight against many other diseases and conditions that plague humanity continued this year despite challenging circumstances .
Here are some of the top non-pandemic advances in health care during 2020 that you may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them nominated by major health organizations .
In June , a vaccine years in the making finally brought an end to the second deadliest outbreak of Ebola , which killed over 2,200 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo .
Another outbreak killed over 11,000 West Africans between 2014 and 2016 .
Transmitted by exposure to bodily fluids , often when relatives were bathing the dead body for burial , Ebola is highly contagious and deadly — killing up to 90 % of its victims in past outbreaks .
The World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine by the DRC and other African countries a “ milestone ” in the fight against Ebola .
The fight against dementia and Alzheimer ’ s — which affect some 50 million people worldwide — continued during 2020 , with some good news .
“ Advances in biomarkers for Alzheimer ’ s disease have perhaps been the biggest story this year , ” said Joe Balintfy , a spokesperson for the National Institute on Aging .
Blood-based tests are being developed to detect beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles , two of the hallmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up until recently , the only way to test for Alzheimer ’ s was to do a spinal tap or use an expensive brain scan that required injecting a radioactive tracer and is only performed at specialized centers .
The US Food and Drug Administration in May approved flortaucipir , or AV-1451 , as the first drug used to image the presence of tau tangles .
And the first blood test that can be used in clinic by physicians to measure amyloid proteins Aβ42 and Aβ40 became available in most US states in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interventions for dementia continued in 2020 .
The National Institute on Aging has over 100 nondrug clinical trials in progress exploring the role of diet , exercise and sleep .
The Alzheimer ’ s Association reported on studies of supplements — such as benfotiamine , a lab-made version of vitamin B1 , and a drink that boosts ketones in the blood and brain — and their effectiveness at slowing early cognitive decline .
The American Heart Association nominated a “ game-changing ” development in the fight against heart and kidney disease associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness , kidney failure , heart attacks , stroke and lower limb amputation .
In addition to managing blood sugars , the two newer classes of medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes — SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs — can “ safely and significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and death , ” said the AHA in a statement .
The drugs were also shown to “ reduce hospitalization and slow the progression of chronic to end-stage kidney disease including the risks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AHA said .
A clinical trial published in March showed promise for the investigational drug vericiguat in helping people with worsening heart failure and reduced ejection fraction , a measure of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction .
About 6.2 million adults in the US have heart failure , according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ This is an important treatment breakthrough for a group of patients with limited options and who are growing in number , ” said Nicole Napoli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American College of Cardiology .
The FDA in January approved the first treatment for thyroid eye disease , in which the eyes push forward and bulge outward , causing eye pain , double vision , light sensitivity or difficulty closing the eye .
The Endocrine Society said its members were “ thrilled to finally have a treatment ” for the rare but debilitating disorder .
Moms and Dads , listen up : If you missed this story , you ’ ll want to get the full treatment .
The FDA approved a drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older than 6 months .
The drug , abametapir , or XEGLYZE , is applied as a lotion to dry hair and rinsed with warm water in about 10 minutes .
The lotion was shown in clinical trials to be about 80 % effective in ridding the hair of lice compared to 50 % from a placebo .
XEGLYZE is a welcome addition to the lice-treatment arsenal as many lice have become resistant to existing treatments .
Between 6 million and 12 million cases of head lice occur in children 3 to 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The FDA in November recognized sesame seeds as a common allergen , calling upon manufacturers to voluntarily add a warning to products that contain the seeds .
Over a million people in the United States have an allergy to sesame , and it is “ among the 10 most common childhood food allergies , ” according to the National Institutes of Health .
Reactions can be severe , the NIH warns .
Food allergy consumer advocates have been petitioning Congress and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead of leaving it up to the companies , so expect to hear more about this issue in 2021 .
Despite these advances , a number of important public health issues fell out of the spotlight during 2020 .
Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) : International progress toward bringing the HIV epidemic under control was blown “ completely off track ” by the novel coronavirus , according to the World Health Organization .
In the US , for example , spring 2020 saw a 75 % drop in people starting PrEP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to prevent people at risk for HIV from getting the disease from sex or needles using for drugs .
Reduced access to care : Fear of the novel coronavirus — and a wish not to overwhelm doctors and hospitals deluged with Covid-19 patients — kept many people from seeking basic health care .
By the first of July , “ an estimated 41 % of U.S. adults had delayed or avoided medical care including urgent or emergency care ( 12 % ) and routine care ( 32 % ) ” due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was especially devastating for people with chronic and progressive illnesses , such as cancer .
Nearly 80 % of people experienced some delay in care for their cancer due to the pandemic , a study found .
Delays in breast and colorectal cancer screenings and treatment may cause an additional 10,000 deaths over the next decade , the report estimated .
Increase in overdose deaths : A lack of access to care also impacted the fight against drugs .
A new CDC report found the US had the largest number of fatal drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ended in June .
The CDC said most deaths occurred when access to care was limited or closed during lockdowns to control the coronavirus pandemic .
Health impact of climate change : The Clean Air Act celebrated its 50th anniversary this year , but the celebration was marred by wildfires that endangered lung health and the loss of a number of environmental safeguards .
“ The Trump administration has attempted to roll back more than 100 public health and environmental safeguards , many of which protected our communities from dangerous air pollution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief medical officer of the American Lung Association , via email .
“ This has included repealing the first-ever limit on carbon pollution from existing power plants , undermining cleaner cars standards and the authority of states to address tailpipe pollution and attempting to undermine protections from toxic mercury pollution , ” he said .
The association ’ s 2020 “ State of the Air ” report found “ nearly half of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air quality , ” which is made worse by climate change .
E-cigarette use by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health concern , especially among young people , yet the topic has “ basically fallen off the radar since Covid-19 ” arrived , said the American College of Cardiology ’ s Napoli .
That ’ s disturbing , since a recent study found young people who have vaped are up to five times more likely to test positive for Covid-19 , said the ALA ’ s Rizzo .
The 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey found nearly 2 million youth stopped vaping , but that still left 3.6 million teens using e-cigarettes — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one in 20 middle school students .
“ Many vape every day or nearly daily , underscoring the highly addictive nature of nicotine , which is harmful to developing brains , ” Rizzo said .
Health care disparities : While people of color and marginalized communities have long failed to receive equal access to quality health care and treatment , the deadly impact of those inequities was never starker than during the pandemic .
• 13,580 new coronavirus cases logged in Los Angeles County ; hospitalizations keep climbing • Letters : Managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests | Not in the numbers • LA County hospitals running dangerously low on oxygen , supplies as ER units are overwhelmed Studies showed that racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to have severe cases of Covid-19 and were more likely to need to be admitted to intensive care units , put on ventilators or die , according to the CDC .
Americans live in a country where “ access to health care depends on where you live and work , ” Dr. Richard E. Besser , former acting CDC director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wood Johnson Foundation , wrote in an editorial for CNN .
“ This sad truth is not new , but it has been put on display during a pandemic that has served as both an illustration and an accelerant of the unequal opportunities and systemic barriers that leave Black , Hispanic and Native Americans exposed and disproportionately vulnerable .
”

The pandemic brought the world’s scientists together in an unprecedented race to develop vaccines. Meeting that goal in under a year is “truly historic,” according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Covid-19 was not, however, the only battle waged by doctors and researchers over the last year. The fight against many other diseases and conditions that plague humanity continued this year despite challenging circumstances.
Here are some of the top non-pandemic advances in health care during 2020 that you may not have heard much about — many of them nominated by major health organizations.
Vaccine ends deadly Ebola outbreak
In June, a vaccine years in the making finally brought an end to the second deadliest outbreak of Ebola, which killed over 2,200 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Another outbreak killed over 11,000 West Africans between 2014 and 2016.
Transmitted by exposure to bodily fluids, often when relatives were bathing the dead body for burial, Ebola is highly contagious and deadly — killing up to 90% of its victims in past outbreaks.
The World Health Organization called the use of the vaccine by the DRC and other African countries a “milestone” in the fight against Ebola.
Advances in Alzheimer’s
The fight against dementia and Alzheimer’s — which affect some 50 million people worldwide — continued during 2020, with some good news.
“Advances in biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease have perhaps been the biggest story this year,” said Joe Balintfy, a spokesperson for the National Institute on Aging.
Blood-based tests are being developed to detect beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles, two of the hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Up until recently, the only way to test for Alzheimer’s was to do a spinal tap or use an expensive brain scan that required injecting a radioactive tracer and is only performed at specialized centers.
The US Food and Drug Administration in May approved flortaucipir, or AV-1451, as the first drug used to image the presence of tau tangles. And the first blood test that can be used in clinic by physicians to measure amyloid proteins Aβ42 and Aβ40 became available in most US states in October.
Advances in behavioral and lifestyle interventions for dementia continued in 2020. The National Institute on Aging has over 100 nondrug clinical trials in progress exploring the role of diet, exercise and sleep. The Alzheimer’s Association reported on studies of supplements — such as benfotiamine, a lab-made version of vitamin B1, and a drink that boosts ketones in the blood and brain — and their effectiveness at slowing early cognitive decline.
‘Game-changing’ diabetes drugs
The American Heart Association nominated a “game-changing” development in the fight against heart and kidney disease associated with diabetes as a top health advance for 2020. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
In addition to managing blood sugars, the two newer classes of medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes — SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs — can “safely and significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and death,” said the AHA in a statement.
The drugs were also shown to “reduce hospitalization and slow the progression of chronic to end-stage kidney disease including the risks of dialysis, transplantation or death,” the AHA said.
Hope for heart failure patients
A clinical trial published in March showed promise for the investigational drug vericiguat in helping people with worsening heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, a measure of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction.
About 6.2 million adults in the US have heart failure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This is an important treatment breakthrough for a group of patients with limited options and who are growing in number,” said Nicole Napoli, the director of media relations for the American College of Cardiology.
First treatment for thyroid eye disease
The FDA in January approved the first treatment for thyroid eye disease, in which the eyes push forward and bulge outward, causing eye pain, double vision, light sensitivity or difficulty closing the eye.
The Endocrine Society said its members were “thrilled to finally have a treatment” for the rare but debilitating disorder.
Treatment for head lice
Moms and Dads, listen up: If you missed this story, you’ll want to get the full treatment. The FDA approved a drug for head lice in adults and children older than 6 months. The drug, abametapir, or XEGLYZE, is applied as a lotion to dry hair and rinsed with warm water in about 10 minutes.
The lotion was shown in clinical trials to be about 80% effective in ridding the hair of lice compared to 50% from a placebo. XEGLYZE is a welcome addition to the lice-treatment arsenal as many lice have become resistant to existing treatments.
Between 6 million and 12 million cases of head lice occur in children 3 to 11 years of age in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
FDA calls for voluntary labeling of sesame seeds
The FDA in November recognized sesame seeds as a common allergen, calling upon manufacturers to voluntarily add a warning to products that contain the seeds.
Over a million people in the United States have an allergy to sesame, and it is “among the 10 most common childhood food allergies,” according to the National Institutes of Health. Reactions can be severe, the NIH warns.
Food allergy consumer advocates have been petitioning Congress and the FDA to mandate the warning on labels, instead of leaving it up to the companies, so expect to hear more about this issue in 2021.
Fell by the wayside
Despite these advances, a number of important public health issues fell out of the spotlight during 2020.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): International progress toward bringing the HIV epidemic under control was blown “completely off track” by the novel coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. In the US, for example, spring 2020 saw a 75% drop in people starting PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, the medicine designed to prevent people at risk for HIV from getting the disease from sex or needles using for drugs.
Reduced access to care: Fear of the novel coronavirus — and a wish not to overwhelm doctors and hospitals deluged with Covid-19 patients — kept many people from seeking basic health care. By the first of July, “an estimated 41% of U.S. adults had delayed or avoided medical care including urgent or emergency care (12%) and routine care (32%)” due to Covid-19, the CDC said.
This was especially devastating for people with chronic and progressive illnesses, such as cancer. Nearly 80% of people experienced some delay in care for their cancer due to the pandemic, a study found. Delays in breast and colorectal cancer screenings and treatment may cause an additional 10,000 deaths over the next decade, the report estimated.
Increase in overdose deaths: A lack of access to care also impacted the fight against drugs. A new CDC report found the US had the largest number of fatal drug overdoses ever recorded during the 12-month period that ended in June.
The CDC said most deaths occurred when access to care was limited or closed during lockdowns to control the coronavirus pandemic.
Health impact of climate change: The Clean Air Act celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, but the celebration was marred by wildfires that endangered lung health and the loss of a number of environmental safeguards.
“The Trump administration has attempted to roll back more than 100 public health and environmental safeguards, many of which protected our communities from dangerous air pollution,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, via email.
“This has included repealing the first-ever limit on carbon pollution from existing power plants, undermining cleaner cars standards and the authority of states to address tailpipe pollution and attempting to undermine protections from toxic mercury pollution,” he said.
The association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report found “nearly half of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air quality,” which is made worse by climate change.
E-cigarette use by teens: Use of e-cigarettes is still a health concern, especially among young people, yet the topic has “basically fallen off the radar since Covid-19” arrived, said the American College of Cardiology’s Napoli.
That’s disturbing, since a recent study found young people who have vaped are up to five times more likely to test positive for Covid-19, said the ALA’s Rizzo.
The 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey found nearly 2 million youth stopped vaping, but that still left 3.6 million teens using e-cigarettes — including one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students.
“Many vape every day or nearly daily, underscoring the highly addictive nature of nicotine, which is harmful to developing brains,” Rizzo said.
Health care disparities: While people of color and marginalized communities have long failed to receive equal access to quality health care and treatment, the deadly impact of those inequities was never starker than during the pandemic.
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Americans live in a country where “access to health care depends on where you live and work,” Dr. Richard E. Besser, former acting CDC director and president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, wrote in an editorial for CNN.
“This sad truth is not new, but it has been put on display during a pandemic that has served as both an illustration and an accelerant of the unequal opportunities and systemic barriers that leave Black, Hispanic and Native Americans exposed and disproportionately vulnerable.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Missing juvenile found injured along California freeway

A juvenile who was reported as a runaway with the Barstow Police Department was discovered walking visibly injured along the @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , Dec. 27 , the California Highway Patrol reported .
At about 4:18 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ a report of a juvenile male walking on the right side of the eastbound 91 @ @ @ @ @ Freeway .
When the units arrived at the scene , they discovered the juvenile with @ @ @ @ @ , neck and back .
The juvenile ’ s age was not disclosed .
Medical @ @ @ @ @ aid to the juvenile at the scene and he was later transported to Loma Linda @ @ @ @ @ of his injuries , the CHP reported .
Notification was made to San Bernardino County @ @ @ @ @ They went to the hospital and took protective custody of the boy , CHP said @ @ @ @ @ and Family Services took over the investigation and further information was not immediately released .

A juvenile who was reported as a runaway with the Barstow Police Department was discovered walking visibly injured along the 91 Freeway in Corona on Sunday, Dec. 27, the California Highway Patrol reported.
At about 4:18 p.m., CHP units responded to a report of a juvenile male walking on the right side of the eastbound 91, west of the 71 Freeway. When the units arrived at the scene, they discovered the juvenile with visible injuries to his head, neck and back. The juvenile’s age was not disclosed.
Medical personnel on scene provided first aid to the juvenile at the scene and he was later transported to Loma Linda University Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, the CHP reported.
Notification was made to San Bernardino County child protective services personnel. They went to the hospital and took protective custody of the boy, CHP said.
San Bernardino County Children and Family Services took over the investigation and further information was not immediately released.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Stimulus is here. But there are some big caveats

President Donald Trump reversed course on Sunday , signing into law a massive $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government funding bill that he had objected to at the last minute .
That signature does two important things for the US economy : It averts a government shutdown that was set to begin on Tuesday , and extends billions of dollars in coronavirus aid to struggling Americans .
The estimated 12 million people in two key pandemic unemployment programs , who were facing their last payment this weekend , will now receive benefits for another 11 weeks .
Plus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 300 weekly federal boost through mid-March .
The relief package also extends eviction protection to January 31 and provides $ 25 billion in rental assistance for those who lost their sources of income during the pandemic .
An estimated 9.2 million renters who have lost employment income during the pandemic are behind on rent , according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities .
The caveats : Because Trump did not sign the bill on Saturday , those enrolled in the two unemployment programs will likely not receive a payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their payments could also be delayed several weeks while state agencies reprogram their computers .
US futures and most global markets moved higher on Monday as investors welcomed the additional stimulus .
The backstory : Economists had been arguing for months that US lawmakers needed to deliver another relief package to help protect the fragile economic recovery from the pandemic .
The Federal Reserve said so , too .
But getting a deal that was acceptable to both Democrats and Republicans proved to be exceedingly difficult .
Trump ’ s 11th hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiated — didn ’ t help matters .
The deal removes two sources of uncertainty for investors .
It provides some relief to struggling Americans before President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month , and keeps the US government running through September 30 .
That means no pesky government shutdowns until at least the next fiscal year .
China has ordered Ant Group to overhaul its operations , dealing yet another blow to the payments giant controlled by billionaire Jack Ma .
Financial regulators outlined a laundry list of expectations for Ant Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The officials blasted Ant Group for having “ defied ” regulations , edging out rivals from the market place , harming consumer rights and taking advantage of regulatory loopholes for its own profit .
They also accused the company ’ s corporate governance structure of being “ unsound , ” according to a transcript of remarks by Pan Gongsheng , deputy governor of the People ’ s Bank of China .
Big problems : Ant Group , which is affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba , offers everything from investment accounts and micro savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even dating profiles .
The company been subjected to intense scrutiny in recent weeks after Chinese officials shocked investors by halting its huge IPO at the last minute .
Here ’ s more great context from my colleague Laura He : President Xi Jinping made clear at a recent conference that one China ’ s most important goals for next year is to strengthen anti-monopoly efforts against online platforms and prevent a “ disorderly expansion ” of capital .
Regulators told Ant Group executives on Saturday to “ go back ” and focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other tasks , according to Pan .
Regulators also called for a “ strict overhaul ” of the company ’ s credit , insurance , and wealth management services .
“ Ant Group must fully realize the seriousness and necessity of this rectification , ” the regulators told the company .
They added that the firm must develop a plan to implement these changes “ as soon as possible.
” Ant Group said Sunday that it would take heed of the latest requirements , while focusing on innovation , serving small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale for the benefit of the country .
“ We appreciate [ the ] financial regulators ’ guidance and help , ” the company added .
Bitcoin is crashing — upward .
Its price briefly topped $ 28,000 over the weekend and may have more room to run .
The context : Bitcoin passed $ 20,000 for the first time just 11 days ago , reports my CNN Business colleague David Goldman .
Investors are pouring money into bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies during the Covid-19 pandemic as the Federal Reserve sent interest rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them there for several more years ) , severely weakening the US dollar .
That makes bitcoin , comparatively , an attractive currency .
Also pushing the valuation : Big , name-brand investors are stockpiling it , and huge consumer companies are embracing it .
For example , a top executive at BlackRock recently said the cryptocurrency can replace gold , and Square and PayPal have both embraced bitcoin .
Even with mainstream credibility , the recent cryptocurrency surge is showing signs of a melt-up — over-enthusiasm fueled by the fear of missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weibo reports earnings before the opening bell .
There are no major economic reports expected on Monday .
Coming tomorrow : The S & P Case-Shiller Home Price Index will be released at 9:00 a.m .
ET .

President Donald Trump reversed course on Sunday, signing into law a massive $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government funding bill that he had objected to at the last minute.
That signature does two important things for the US economy: It averts a government shutdown that was set to begin on Tuesday, and extends billions of dollars in coronavirus aid to struggling Americans.
The estimated 12 million people in two key pandemic unemployment programs, who were facing their last payment this weekend, will now receive benefits for another 11 weeks. Plus, all those collecting jobless payments will receive a $300 weekly federal boost through mid-March.
The relief package also extends eviction protection to January 31 and provides $25 billion in rental assistance for those who lost their sources of income during the pandemic. An estimated 9.2 million renters who have lost employment income during the pandemic are behind on rent, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The caveats: Because Trump did not sign the bill on Saturday, those enrolled in the two unemployment programs will likely not receive a payment for the final week of the year. Their payments could also be delayed several weeks while state agencies reprogram their computers.
US futures and most global markets moved higher on Monday as investors welcomed the additional stimulus.
The backstory: Economists had been arguing for months that US lawmakers needed to deliver another relief package to help protect the fragile economic recovery from the pandemic. The Federal Reserve said so, too.
But getting a deal that was acceptable to both Democrats and Republicans proved to be exceedingly difficult. Trump’s 11th hour intervention — against an agreement his administration negotiated — didn’t help matters.
The deal removes two sources of uncertainty for investors. It provides some relief to struggling Americans before President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month, and keeps the US government running through September 30. That means no pesky government shutdowns until at least the next fiscal year.
[vemba-video id=”business/2020/12/22/hedge-fund-manager-ray-dalio-economy-pandemic.cnn”]
China tells Ant Group to quickly overhaul its business
China has ordered Ant Group to overhaul its operations, dealing yet another blow to the payments giant controlled by billionaire Jack Ma.
Financial regulators outlined a laundry list of expectations for Ant Group executives in a meeting on Saturday. The officials blasted Ant Group for having “defied” regulations, edging out rivals from the market place, harming consumer rights and taking advantage of regulatory loopholes for its own profit. They also accused the company’s corporate governance structure of being “unsound,” according to a transcript of remarks by Pan Gongsheng, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China.
Big problems: Ant Group, which is affiliated with e-commerce giant Alibaba, offers everything from investment accounts and micro savings products to insurance, credit scores and even dating profiles. The company been subjected to intense scrutiny in recent weeks after Chinese officials shocked investors by halting its huge IPO at the last minute.
Here’s more great context from my colleague Laura He:
President Xi Jinping made clear at a recent conference that one China’s most important goals for next year is to strengthen anti-monopoly efforts against online platforms and prevent a “disorderly expansion” of capital.
Regulators told Ant Group executives on Saturday to “go back” and focus on its “original” payments services, among other tasks, according to Pan. Regulators also called for a “strict overhaul” of the company’s credit, insurance, and wealth management services.
“Ant Group must fully realize the seriousness and necessity of this rectification,” the regulators told the company. They added that the firm must develop a plan to implement these changes “as soon as possible.”
Ant Group said Sunday that it would take heed of the latest requirements, while focusing on innovation, serving small businesses and increasing competitiveness on an international scale for the benefit of the country.
“We appreciate [the] financial regulators’ guidance and help,” the company added.
Bitcoin prices go berserk
Bitcoin is crashing — upward. Its price briefly topped $28,000 over the weekend and may have more room to run.
The context: Bitcoin passed $20,000 for the first time just 11 days ago, reports my CNN Business colleague David Goldman.
Investors are pouring money into bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies during the Covid-19 pandemic as the Federal Reserve sent interest rates near zero (and expects to keep them there for several more years), severely weakening the US dollar. That makes bitcoin, comparatively, an attractive currency.
Also pushing the valuation: Big, name-brand investors are stockpiling it, and huge consumer companies are embracing it. For example, a top executive at BlackRock recently said the cryptocurrency can replace gold, and Square and PayPal have both embraced bitcoin.
Even with mainstream credibility, the recent cryptocurrency surge is showing signs of a melt-up — over-enthusiasm fueled by the fear of missing out, not simply market fundamentals.
Up next
Weibo reports earnings before the opening bell. There are no major economic reports expected on Monday.
Coming tomorrow: The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index will be released at 9:00 a.m. ET.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--13,580 new coronavirus cases logged in Los Angeles County; hospitalizations keep climbing

With 13,580 new cases logged on Sunday , Dec. 27 , the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 40,000 new positive COVID-19 cases since Christmas Day .
State officials , meanwhile , are expected to extend the strictest stay-home orders in Southern California on Monday as hospitals are quickly running out of intensive-care unit beds for coronavirus patients ahead of a presumed post-holiday surge .
L.A. County health officials reported 44 new COVID-related fatalities Sunday — bringing the total since Christmas to 180 and 9,482 overall — but added that the death toll is under-reported because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Overall , the county has reported 719,833 cases since the pandemic began .
Sunday ’ s hospitalization total climbed to 6,815 people — up from 6,770 on Saturday and 6,499 on Christmas Eve — with 20 % of patients being treated in intensive-care units .
With the situation already dire , the worst is expected to come in the next few weeks after Christmas and New Year ’ s travelers return home .
California hit 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Christmas Eve , becoming the first state to reach the grim milestone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regional Stay at Home Order will extend for many regions in California , ” officials said in a news release Sunday , but did not offer a definitive ruling or a new timetable .
The order includes such measures as a ban on outdoor dining and limits on malls and other retail businesses , aimed at stemming the flow of infections .
The stay-home orders for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley were set to expire Monday , Dec. 28 — they were first imposed three weeks ago , when the percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % — but Gov .
Gavin Newsom has signaled they would not be allowed to lapse .
The 11-county Southern California region remained at 0 % ICU availability on Sunday .
The state ’ s metric indicated that the San Joaquin Valley shared the same 0 % rate as Southern California , while Northern California ’ s ICU capacity projections were at 28.3 % , the Greater Sacramento region stood at 17.8 % and the Bay Area hovered at 11.1 % .
The figure , intended as a warning sign that ICU units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t necessarily mean there are absolutely no open ICU beds on a particular day .
The state Department of Public Health index takes the actual percentage of remaining adult ICU beds each day and adjusts it to reflect the lopsided share of COVID-19 patients in intensive care compared to others who also need those beds for life-saving treatment and equipment , such as ventilators .
Nonetheless , experts agree that L.A. County ’ s ICU beds are alarmingly full and hospitals are scrambling to respond to the unrelenting demand .
Health officials have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to find room for patients and trained staff to care for them .
County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said last week that some ambulance crews have been waiting hours outside emergency rooms to offload patients due to lack of space .
During the past week , many of the county ’ s 70 emergency-room-equipped hospitals were forced to divert ambulance traffic to other medical facilities at some point due to overcrowding , Ghaly said .
Health inspectors and authorities stepped up enforcement at restaurants and shopping malls over the post-Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge and most hospitals have implemented surge plans they hammered out weeks ago in preparation for such a boom in new cases .
Statewide , officials on Sunday reported that California has had 2,122,806 confirmed cases and more than 24,000 deaths .
The figures are from Saturday , the most recent data available .
Most of the state is under stay-at-home orders .
In Los Angeles County , about 1 in 95 people are contagious with the virus , officials said .
“ People mixing with others not in their household has driven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most dangerous levels that we have ever seen , ” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement Saturday .
“ The overwhelmed hospitals are the saddest proof of this reality .
To honor our health care workers and for the safety of your family and friends , please delay travel plans and gather only with members of our household .
These actions will save lives , ” she said .
The Sunday update did not include new numbers from the cities Long Beach and Pasadena , which maintain their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not post updated totals over the weekend ; as of Thursday , the city had posted 29,197 cases and 349 deaths .
Pasadena added 127 new cases to its total Sunday , for a total of 6,297 ; three new fatalities increased the city ’ s death toll to 154 .
County officials discouraged residents from traveling for the holiday and Southern California Auto Club experts said that such trips would decrease by 37 % .
But that still left 5.4 million people expected to take a trip , most of them by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fly , a decrease of more than 50 percent from last year .
Health officials reminded travelers entering L.A. County that they are required to quarantine for at least 10 days in their homes or in the rooms of their lodgings — even if they feel well .
City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report .

With 13,580 new cases logged on Sunday, Dec. 27, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported more than 40,000 new positive COVID-19 cases since Christmas Day. State officials, meanwhile, are expected to extend the strictest stay-home orders in Southern California on Monday as hospitals are quickly running out of intensive-care unit beds for coronavirus patients ahead of a presumed post-holiday surge.
L.A. County health officials reported 44 new COVID-related fatalities Sunday — bringing the total since Christmas to 180 and 9,482 overall — but added that the death toll is under-reported because of weekend and holiday reporting delays.
Overall, the county has reported 719,833 cases since the pandemic began.
Sunday’s hospitalization total climbed to 6,815 people — up from 6,770 on Saturday and 6,499 on Christmas Eve — with 20% of patients being treated in intensive-care units.
With the situation already dire, the worst is expected to come in the next few weeks after Christmas and New Year’s travelers return home. California hit 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Christmas Eve, becoming the first state to reach the grim milestone.
“It is likely that the Regional Stay at Home Order will extend for many regions in California,” officials said in a news release Sunday, but did not offer a definitive ruling or a new timetable. The order includes such measures as a ban on outdoor dining and limits on malls and other retail businesses, aimed at stemming the flow of infections.
The stay-home orders for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley were set to expire Monday, Dec. 28 — they were first imposed three weeks ago, when the percentage of available intensive-care beds fell below 15% — but Gov. Gavin Newsom has signaled they would not be allowed to lapse.
The 11-county Southern California region remained at 0% ICU availability on Sunday. The state’s metric indicated that the San Joaquin Valley shared the same 0% rate as Southern California, while Northern California’s ICU capacity projections were at 28.3%, the Greater Sacramento region stood at 17.8% and the Bay Area hovered at 11.1%.
The figure, intended as a warning sign that ICU units are growing dangerously scarce, doesn’t necessarily mean there are absolutely no open ICU beds on a particular day. The state Department of Public Health index takes the actual percentage of remaining adult ICU beds each day and adjusts it to reflect the lopsided share of COVID-19 patients in intensive care compared to others who also need those beds for life-saving treatment and equipment, such as ventilators.
Nonetheless, experts agree that L.A. County’s ICU beds are alarmingly full and hospitals are scrambling to respond to the unrelenting demand. Health officials have reported that hospitals across the region are struggling to find room for patients and trained staff to care for them. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said last week that some ambulance crews have been waiting hours outside emergency rooms to offload patients due to lack of space. During the past week, many of the county’s 70 emergency-room-equipped hospitals were forced to divert ambulance traffic to other medical facilities at some point due to overcrowding, Ghaly said.
Health inspectors and authorities stepped up enforcement at restaurants and shopping malls over the post-Christmas weekend in an attempt to curb the surge and most hospitals have implemented surge plans they hammered out weeks ago in preparation for such a boom in new cases.
Statewide, officials on Sunday reported that California has had 2,122,806 confirmed cases and more than 24,000 deaths. The figures are from Saturday, the most recent data available. Most of the state is under stay-at-home orders.
In Los Angeles County, about 1 in 95 people are contagious with the virus, officials said.
“People mixing with others not in their household has driven the COVID-19 pandemic in L.A. County to the most dangerous levels that we have ever seen,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement Saturday.
“The overwhelmed hospitals are the saddest proof of this reality. To honor our health care workers and for the safety of your family and friends, please delay travel plans and gather only with members of our household. These actions will save lives,” she said.
The Sunday update did not include new numbers from the cities Long Beach and Pasadena, which maintain their own health departments. Long Beach did not post updated totals over the weekend; as of Thursday, the city had posted 29,197 cases and 349 deaths. Pasadena added 127 new cases to its total Sunday, for a total of 6,297; three new fatalities increased the city’s death toll to 154.
County officials discouraged residents from traveling for the holiday and Southern California Auto Club experts said that such trips would decrease by 37%. But that still left 5.4 million people expected to take a trip, most of them by car. More than 350,000 people planned to fly, a decrease of more than 50 percent from last year.
Health officials reminded travelers entering L.A. County that they are required to quarantine for at least 10 days in their homes or in the rooms of their lodgings — even if they feel well.
City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Former police captain set to move forward with ‘whistleblower lawsuit’ against the city, Vallejo Pol

Former police captain set to move forward with ‘whistleblower lawsuit’ against the city, Vallejo Police Department

Former Vallejo Police Captain John Whitney appears to be moving forward with a “ whistleblower ” lawsuit against the city , the police department , City Manager Greg Nyhoff , and former chiefs Andrew Bidou and Joseph Allio , KGO has reported .
Whitney claims that he was let go for speaking up about several issues , including exposing the “ bent badges ” scandal that alleges that officers bent star points back on their badges after killing someone in the line of duty .
Nyhoff told people gathered at a town hall to discuss police matters on Oct. 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true ” that officers were bending their badges to celebrate kills and he pledged that there would be discipline .
A third-party investigation of the practice was launched by Chief Shawny Wiliams in late July .
According to KGO , Whitney also alleges that when he brought up the misconduct , then chief Bidou rounded up the badges in an attempt to send them for repairs but realized that if finance saw a bill for ten badge repairs they might start asking questions .
Whitney also alleges that on the evening that Willie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taco Bell drive thru , their supervisors were back at the station watching Netflix .
He alleges that once he told Bidou , “ He did not want an investigation conducted because it would add further liability to the department for failure to supervise , ” KGO reported .
Bidou did not return requests for comment to ABC-7 .
McCoy ’ s family filed a federal civil rights wrongful death lawsuit in June .
McCoy fell asleep in the drive-thru line in February and when he awoke he was allegedly surrounded by officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a video press release put out by the VPD , the department alleges that McCoy reached to his lap where he had a gun and six officers fired at him .
He was hit with 55 bullets and killed .
Whitney was fired in August of 2019 and the VPD told the Times-Herald that the reasons for his dismissal were “ confidential.
” During his tenure , he received a Medal of Courage and a lifetime achievement award from the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training ( POST ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pays nearly $ 1 million a year in salary for problem deputies to stay home • Former California police investigator accused of stealing drugs from a suspect ’ s vehicle , driving under the influence Open Vallejo reported that Whitney was terminated for removing personal data from his work cellphone while he was being investigated for improperly handling information .
He was later cleared of these allegations .
Mayor Bob Sampayan wrote a letter attached to the ex-captain ’ s initial claim filed in March .
“ Frankly , I believe that because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Vallejo Police Department , his reputation was soiled by those who did not want ‘ dirty laundry ’ aired , ” he wrote .
The city claims Whitney ’ s suit has not yet been filed , according to KGO .
Whitney ’ s lawyer might be holding out for 2021 , when a new whistleblower law goes into effect that awards plaintiffs lawyers ’ fees if they prevail .

Former Vallejo Police Captain John Whitney appears to be moving forward with a “whistleblower” lawsuit against the city, the police department, City Manager Greg Nyhoff, and former chiefs Andrew Bidou and Joseph Allio, KGO has reported.
Whitney claims that he was let go for speaking up about several issues, including exposing the “bent badges” scandal that alleges that officers bent star points back on their badges after killing someone in the line of duty.
Nyhoff told people gathered at a town hall to discuss police matters on Oct. 1 of this year that it “appears true” that officers were bending their badges to celebrate kills and he pledged that there would be discipline. A third-party investigation of the practice was launched by Chief Shawny Wiliams in late July.
According to KGO, Whitney also alleges that when he brought up the misconduct, then chief Bidou rounded up the badges in an attempt to send them for repairs but realized that if finance saw a bill for ten badge repairs they might start asking questions.
Whitney also alleges that on the evening that Willie McCoy was shot and killed in the Taco Bell drive thru, their supervisors were back at the station watching Netflix. He alleges that once he told Bidou, “He did not want an investigation conducted because it would add further liability to the department for failure to supervise,” KGO reported. Bidou did not return requests for comment to ABC-7.
McCoy’s family filed a federal civil rights wrongful death lawsuit in June. McCoy fell asleep in the drive-thru line in February and when he awoke he was allegedly surrounded by officers telling him to put his hands up. In a video press release put out by the VPD, the department alleges that McCoy reached to his lap where he had a gun and six officers fired at him. He was hit with 55 bullets and killed.
Whitney was fired in August of 2019 and the VPD told the Times-Herald that the reasons for his dismissal were “confidential.” During his tenure, he received a Medal of Courage and a lifetime achievement award from the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST).
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Ex-Mississippi police officers plead guilty to torturing Black men Crime and Public Safety | Judge rules retrial of ex-Philadelphia officer in 2020 protest actions should be held outside city Open Vallejo reported that Whitney was terminated for removing personal data from his work cellphone while he was being investigated for improperly handling information. He was later cleared of these allegations.
Mayor Bob Sampayan wrote a letter attached to the ex-captain’s initial claim filed in March.
“Frankly, I believe that because John spoke out about a negative culture in the Vallejo Police Department, his reputation was soiled by those who did not want ‘dirty laundry’ aired,” he wrote.
The city claims Whitney’s suit has not yet been filed, according to KGO. Whitney’s lawyer might be holding out for 2021, when a new whistleblower law goes into effect that awards plaintiffs lawyers’ fees if they prevail.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--Unredacted Vallejo Police Department policy manual released

The independent site Open Vallejo has released an unredacted version of the 2018 Vallejo Police Department ’ s policy manual .
Open Vallejo filed suit in June of this year after unsuccessfully seeking the full version of the manual for over a year through public record requests , the news outlet said .
After Open Vallejo requested the manual in March , the police released a heavily redacted copy , citing that “ the public interest was not served by disclosing the entire manual.
” Open Vallejo disagreed , arguing “ These policies , in many instances , implicate matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical public rights such as the right to demonstrate and the right to record police officers in public.
” The unredacted manual shines more light on incidents involving the police that have led to several use-of-force lawsuits to the tune of $ 50 million .
Just recently in November , Vallejo resident Carl Edwards was awarded $ 750,000 in an excessive force lawsuit against the VPD , which mistook him for a suspect and left him with severe injuries .
At issue are things like the department ’ s foot pursuit and canine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits .
Access to the full manual before now might have illuminated for the public whether or not officer Ryan McMahon behaved appropriately when he shot and killed Ronell Foster in February of 2018 .
Foster had been on his bicycle and McMahon claimed he wanted to stop him because he didn ’ t have a bike light .
Foster fled on his bike and then on foot and McMahon took chase .
When the officer reached Foster , he reportedly hit him several times with his flashlight .
Foster attempted to escape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back and the back of his head .
Foster was not armed , according to reports .
Initially the police department said that McMahon had not violated policy , but months later Interim Police Chief Joseph Allio reversed that decision .
The unredacted manual appears to sustain Allio ’ s contention that McMahon behaved inappropriately .
In the 2018 manual , under “ Deadly Force Applications , ” it states , “ An officer may use deadly force to stop a fleeing subject when the officer has probable cause to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intends to commit , a felony involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious bodily injury or death , and the officer reasonably believes that there is an imminent risk of serious bodily injury or death to any other person if the subject is not immediately apprehended.
” McMahon was fired by Chief Shawny Williams this year for putting another officer in danger during the officer-involved killing of musician Willie McCoy at a Taco Bell drive thru in February of 2019 .
Another fully-redacted part of the manual initially released to the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police dogs in suspect apprehension .
Through Open Vallejo ’ s lawsuit , the canine section can now be read in its entirety .
• Former police captain set to move forward with ‘ whistleblower lawsuit ’ against the city , Vallejo Police Department • One California sheriff ’ s department pays nearly $ 1 million a year in salary for problem deputies to stay home Currently there is a lawsuit alleging that suspect Michael Sanz sustained severe bite wounds and a broken tibia as a result of Officer Mark Thompson releasing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanz admits that he was initially fleeing from the police in a stolen vehicle .
He alleges that he was unarmed and that the dog mauled him for two minutes as he attempted to hide from the police in a bush .
The manual reads , “ A canine may be used to ; locate and apprehend a suspect if the canine handler reasonably believes that the individual has either committed , is committing , or threatening to commit any serious offense… Absent reasonable belief that a suspect has committed , is committing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mere flight from from a pursuing officer , without any of the above conditions , shall not serve as the basis for the use of a canine to apprehend a suspect.
” There is no specific guideline for the length of time a canine should or should not sustain in apprehending a suspect .

The independent site Open Vallejo has released an unredacted version of the 2018 Vallejo Police Department’s policy manual. Open Vallejo filed suit in June of this year after unsuccessfully seeking the full version of the manual for over a year through public record requests, the news outlet said.
After Open Vallejo requested the manual in March, the police released a heavily redacted copy, citing that “the public interest was not served by disclosing the entire manual.” Open Vallejo disagreed, arguing “These policies, in many instances, implicate matters of life and death as well as critical public rights such as the right to demonstrate and the right to record police officers in public.”
The unredacted manual shines more light on incidents involving the police that have led to several use-of-force lawsuits to the tune of $50 million. Just recently in November, Vallejo resident Carl Edwards was awarded $750,000 in an excessive force lawsuit against the VPD, which mistook him for a suspect and left him with severe injuries.
At issue are things like the department’s foot pursuit and canine policies, and both are central in lawsuits.
Access to the full manual before now might have illuminated for the public whether or not officer Ryan McMahon behaved appropriately when he shot and killed Ronell Foster in February of 2018. Foster had been on his bicycle and McMahon claimed he wanted to stop him because he didn’t have a bike light.
Foster fled on his bike and then on foot and McMahon took chase. When the officer reached Foster, he reportedly hit him several times with his flashlight. Foster attempted to escape and McMahon shot him, hitting him in the back and the back of his head. Foster was not armed, according to reports.
The family of Foster received a $5.7 million settlement.
Initially the police department said that McMahon had not violated policy, but months later Interim Police Chief Joseph Allio reversed that decision. The unredacted manual appears to sustain Allio’s contention that McMahon behaved inappropriately.
In the 2018 manual, under “Deadly Force Applications,” it states, “An officer may use deadly force to stop a fleeing subject when the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed, or intends to commit, a felony involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious bodily injury or death, and the officer reasonably believes that there is an imminent risk of serious bodily injury or death to any other person if the subject is not immediately apprehended.”
McMahon was fired by Chief Shawny Williams this year for putting another officer in danger during the officer-involved killing of musician Willie McCoy at a Taco Bell drive thru in February of 2019.
Another fully-redacted part of the manual initially released to the press was the section on the use of police dogs in suspect apprehension. Through Open Vallejo’s lawsuit, the canine section can now be read in its entirety.
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Ex-Mississippi police officers plead guilty to torturing Black men California News | Judge rules retrial of ex-Philadelphia officer in 2020 protest actions should be held outside city Currently there is a lawsuit alleging that suspect Michael Sanz sustained severe bite wounds and a broken tibia as a result of Officer Mark Thompson releasing his dog. The city denies wrongdoing.
Sanz admits that he was initially fleeing from the police in a stolen vehicle. He alleges that he was unarmed and that the dog mauled him for two minutes as he attempted to hide from the police in a bush.
The manual reads, “A canine may be used to; locate and apprehend a suspect if the canine handler reasonably believes that the individual has either committed, is committing, or threatening to commit any serious offense… Absent reasonable belief that a suspect has committed, is committing or threatening to commit a serious offense, mere flight from from a pursuing officer, without any of the above conditions, shall not serve as the basis for the use of a canine to apprehend a suspect.”
There is no specific guideline for the length of time a canine should or should not sustain in apprehending a suspect.


mercurynews--2020-12-28--How will 49ers’ cornerbacks parlay Saturday’s success into 2021 free agency?

Cornerbacks Jason Verrett , K ’ Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon made for an astonishingly successful unit in the 49ers ’ win Saturday at Arizona .
How about in 2021 ?
All are under contract for just one more game – Sunday ’ s season finale against Seattle — before hitting unrestricted free agency in March , along with veteran leader Richard Sherman .
The 49ers ( 6-9 ) went into this season expecting big things from their cornerbacks .
That proved to be especially daunting once pass rushers Nick Bosa and Dee Ford vanished after 1 1/2 games due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – of the league ’ s fourth-ranked pass defense — raised their profile and market value from a 20-12 win over the host Cardinals .
Sherman , meanwhile , missed his 10th game this season because of a calf injury , and he watched from a State Farm Stadium suite alongside injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo .
Let ’ s look deeper at the 49ers ’ cornerback corps heading into Sunday ’ s season finale against the Seattle Seahawks : Verrett boosted his stock more than any 49ers cornerback this season , perhaps more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 40 free agents , with plenty to be argued in favor of left tackle Trent Williams , fullback Kyle Juszczyk and defensive end Kerry Hyder .
“ Guys really believe in this guy and they know how much it means to him , ” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Verrett .
“ That ’ s why I wanted him back here so bad.
” Verrett , in pushing past his dubious history of leg issues , has started 12 games this season .
Before Saturday , his comeback was highlighted with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win over the Los Angeles Rams .
Verrett topped that Saturday with suffocating coverage against DeAndre Hopkins .
Verrett broke up a potential touchdown catch before halftime , and he kept the All-Pro receiver from grabbing the game ’ s final pass .
Verrett turns 30 in June , and with his injury history , he won ’ t command a huge contract .
He obviously merits much more , however , than the one-year deals he got from the 49ers in 2019 ( $ 3 million ) and this year ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve got a ton of respect for this organization , for allowing me to come back , show what I can do and believing in me , ” Verrett said earlier this month .
“ It ’ s definitely a place I want to be but we ’ ve got to see where things go when the season is over.
” Conventional wisdom says the 49ers will have to keep either Verrett or Sherman .
Sherman , who represents himself , spoke like an agent when he said this month it would take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have enough money for him and other teammates , such as Trent Williams , their highest-priced free agent .
Sherman , 32 , missed nine games after the season opener with a calf injury that he ’ s said is not a chronic issue .
But after a four-game return , he was inactive Saturday , and it ’ s unknown if he ’ ll return Sunday to face his former team , the Seahawks .
Sherman made a cameo at safety for select plays this month , and while that may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the 49ers may pass and go forth with a safety tandem of Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore .
• 49ers ’ C.J .
Beathard says of emotional victory : ‘ You couldn ’ t write a script like this ’ • 49ers report card : Heroics abound at Arizona in what could be Robert Saleh ’ s penultimate act • What the 49ers are saying after beating Cardinals • 49ers ’ George Kittle wins over Bears fans , relishes more Saturday football with Beathard Williams has been a coach favorite , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persona , meriting the nickname “ Shark.
” He has more career sacks ( five ) than interceptions ( three ) .
Williams is finishing strong , and he bounced back Saturday from a leg contusion to make a sudden sack early in the second half .
His tackling and coverage ability are required facets for a slot cornerback .
“ It would have been tough to win without him , ” Shanahan said Saturday .
Injuries since training camp – calf , knee , hip , ankle – have limited Williams to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That could keep his price down , although if defensive coordinator Robert Saleh lands a head coaching job , Williams will draw competitive offers .
His backup , Jamar Taylor , excelled before tearing an ACL a month ago , spoiling his free agency stakes .
Witherspoon is this season ’ s most improved 49er .
He ’ s seized this last-chance opportunity to thrive as an injury replacement starter .
But how much can a strong finish truly lead to his return ?
He plummeted down the depth chart and into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when he balked at starting against the Dolphins and came in only after Brian Allen got torched .
Witherspoon responded by working harder in the weight room and on the scout team , returning to his coach ’ s good graces .
“ I was hard on him at the beginning of this year , I thought for good reasons , and Ahkello didn ’ t really shy away from it , ” Shanahan said .
“ Lost his job , lost his backup job , wasn ’ t able to dress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really cool about it , once all that stuff happens , is how he reacted .
He didn ’ t pout.
” A microcosm of Witherspoon ’ s resiliency came in a three-play span Saturday .
He lost outside containment on a 30-yard run by Kyler Murray on fourth-and-1 , but , two snaps later , Witherspoon made an endzone interception with 4 1/2 minutes left to preserve the 49ers ’ lead .
Witherspoon used his cerebral approach to make that pick , having learned from a first-series completion that he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murray lob if it came his way again .
Hence , Witherspoon made the play when it counted most .
“ This year it gave me time to really work on myself , get better and try to get back to where I was before I was injured ( in 2019 ) , ” Witherspoon said .
“ I was not worrying about being inactive or not starting .
“ I ’ m really just thankful for the difficulties that this year came with , along with COVID and being away from family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to look at it as a challenge , because I still get to play football and do something I love.
” Witherspoon ( 2017 third round ) is the highest drafted cornerback under Shanahan ; the only others are D.J .
Reed ( 2018 , fifth round , now on the Seahawks ) and Tim Harris ( 2019 , sixth round ) .
Emmanuel Moseley went from being a Super Bowl starter to a December reserve who ’ s battling a hamstring injury .
Moseley started eight of the first 10 games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Cardinals ’ Hopkins and his lone interception in a win at New England .
He ’ s an exclusive rights free agent , so he ’ s almost sure to return .
Also slated for free agency are Dontae Johnson and Ken Webster .
As for the draft , the 49ers likely pick around the same spot as last draft ( they took defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No .
14 ) .
They haven ’ t drafted an outside cornerback in the first round since Mike Rumph in 2002 .

Cornerbacks Jason Verrett, K’Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon made for an astonishingly successful unit in the 49ers’ win Saturday at Arizona.
How about in 2021?
All are under contract for just one more game – Sunday’s season finale against Seattle — before hitting unrestricted free agency in March, along with veteran leader Richard Sherman.
The 49ers (6-9) went into this season expecting big things from their cornerbacks. That proved to be especially daunting once pass rushers Nick Bosa and Dee Ford vanished less than two games in due to injuries.
Saturday, the cornerbacks – of the league’s fourth-ranked pass defense — raised their profile and market value from a 20-12 win over the host Cardinals.
Sherman, meanwhile, missed his 10th game this season because of a calf injury, and he watched from a State Farm Stadium suite alongside injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Let’s look deeper at the 49ers’ cornerback corps heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Seattle Seahawks:
VERRETT’S COMEBACK
Verrett boosted his stock more than any 49ers cornerback this season, perhaps more so than any of the team’s 40 free agents, with plenty to be argued in favor of left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and defensive end Kerry Hyder.
“Guys really believe in this guy and they know how much it means to him,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Verrett. “That’s why I wanted him back here so bad.”
Verrett, in pushing past his dubious history of leg issues, has started 12 games this season. Before Saturday, his comeback was highlighted with an end zone interception in an Oct. 18 home win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Verrett topped that Saturday with suffocating coverage against DeAndre Hopkins. Verrett broke up a potential touchdown catch before halftime, and he kept the All-Pro receiver from grabbing the game’s final pass.
Verrett turns 30 in June, and with his injury history, he won’t command a huge contract. He obviously merits much more, however, than the one-year deals he got from the 49ers in 2019 ($3 million) and this year ($1.1 million).
“I’ve got a ton of respect for this organization, for allowing me to come back, show what I can do and believing in me,” Verrett said earlier this month. “It’s definitely a place I want to be but we’ve got to see where things go when the season is over.”
SHERMAN’S STATUS
Conventional wisdom says the 49ers will have to keep either Verrett or Sherman. Sherman, who represents himself, spoke like an agent when he said this month it would take a miracle for the cap-strapped 49ers to have enough money for him and other teammates, such as Trent Williams, their highest-priced free agent.
Sherman, 32, missed nine games after the season opener with a calf injury that he’s said is not a chronic issue. But after a four-game return, he was inactive Saturday, and it’s unknown if he’ll return Sunday to face his former team, the Seahawks.
Sherman made a cameo at safety for select plays this month, and while that may be his final position before heading to Canton, the 49ers may pass and go forth with a safety tandem of Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore.
K’WAUN CASHES OUT?
Williams has been a coach favorite, and the entire defense raves about his on-field persona, meriting the nickname “Shark.” He has more career sacks (five) than interceptions (three).
Williams is finishing strong, and he bounced back Saturday from a leg contusion to make a sudden sack early in the second half. His tackling and coverage ability are required facets for a slot cornerback. “It would have been tough to win without him,” Shanahan said Saturday.
Injuries since training camp – calf, knee, hip, ankle – have limited Williams to about half this season’s games. That could keep his price down, although if defensive coordinator Robert Saleh lands a head coaching job, Williams will draw competitive offers. His backup, Jamar Taylor, excelled before tearing an ACL a month ago, spoiling his free agency stakes.
WITHERSPOON IMPROVES
Witherspoon is this season’s most improved 49er. He’s seized this last-chance opportunity to thrive as an injury replacement starter. But how much can a strong finish truly lead to his return?
He plummeted down the depth chart and into Shanahan’s doghouse in Week 5, when he balked at starting against the Dolphins and came in only after Brian Allen got torched. Witherspoon responded by working harder in the weight room and on the scout team, returning to his coach’s good graces.
“I was hard on him at the beginning of this year, I thought for good reasons, and Ahkello didn’t really shy away from it,” Shanahan said. “Lost his job, lost his backup job, wasn’t able to dress for some special teams issues. What was really cool about it, once all that stuff happens, is how he reacted. He didn’t pout.”
A microcosm of Witherspoon’s resiliency came in a three-play span Saturday. He lost outside containment on a 30-yard run by Kyler Murray on fourth-and-1, but, two snaps later, Witherspoon made an end zone interception with 4 1/2 minutes left to preserve the 49ers’ lead.
Witherspoon used his cerebral approach to make that pick, having learned from a first-series completion that he’d have time to track down a Murray lob if it came his way again. Hence, Witherspoon made the play when it counted most.
“This year it gave me time to really work on myself, get better and try to get back to where I was before I was injured (in 2019),” Witherspoon said. “I was not worrying about being inactive or not starting.
“I’m really just thankful for the difficulties that this year came with, along with COVID and being away from family members. It’s been easy not to look at it as a challenge, because I still get to play football and do something I love.”
Witherspoon (2017 third round) is the highest drafted cornerback under Shanahan; the only others are D.J. Reed (2018, fifth round, now on the Seahawks) and Tim Harris (2019, sixth round).
OTHER OPTIONS
Emmanuel Moseley went from being a Super Bowl starter to a December reserve who’s battling a hamstring injury. Moseley started eight of the first 10 games this season, including a rough opener against Hopkins and the Cardinals. His lone interception came in a win at New England. He’s an exclusive rights free agent, so he’s almost sure to return.
Also slated for free agency are Dontae Johnson and Ken Webster.
As for the draft, the 49ers likely pick around the same spot as last draft (they took defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 14). They haven’t drafted an outside cornerback in the first round since Mike Rumph in 2002.