latimes--2020-10-26--L.A. council members backtrack, turning against request to help a hotel developer

Nine years ago , a judge found that a financially struggling hotel in Koreatown had failed to pay its share of local taxes , ruling that the company owed the city of Los Angeles nearly $ 3.5 million .
City officials , reeling from their own financial crisis , were so eager to collect that they sent sheriff ’ s deputies into the Wilshire Boulevard hotel to retrieve a portion of the money .
The City Council eventually reached a legal settlement in 2012 , securing $ 2.65 million — less than officials claimed they were owed — from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee .
Council members began dealing with Lee again earlier this year .
But this time , they began looking at providing financial help for his latest venture : a new 192-room hotel planned in another part of Koreatown .
After The Times inquired about the city ’ s 2010 lawsuit against Lee , City Atty .
Mike Feuer said he would oppose any financial aid for Lee ’ s planned hotel .
Such an arrangement , while not illegal , would be “ outrageous , ” he said .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to avoid paying millions in taxes that he owed to the city , and then return and ask taxpayers for a subsidy , ” Feuer told The Times last week .
Councilman Herb Wesson , after speaking with Feuer , is now backtracking on the idea of a hotel subsidy — and asking his colleagues to vote Tuesday to drop the effort .
Councilman Curren Price , who previously supported Wesson ’ s request to explore financial aid for Lee ’ s hotel , now opposes any taxpayer assistance , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who served as the hotel developer ’ s bankruptcy lawyer in 2012 , says his client is being wrongly portrayed as a “ deadbeat.
” Lee was one of many businesses owners overwhelmed during the 2008 recession , losing millions of dollars , Sahn said .
The businessman also had a “ bona fide ” dispute with the city , arguing that some parts of his building were being rented by the month and therefore did not require payment of transient occupancy taxes , also known as bed taxes , the lawyer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for bankruptcy in 2011 .
Once Lee succeeded in selling the property , he used the proceeds to pay off his obligations , the lawyer said .
“ People are playing a blame game with someone who shouldn ’ t be blamed , who did his best to keep a project going , ” Sahn said .
“ And when he couldn ’ t keep it going , he sold it and paid his creditors as much as he possibly could.
” Wesson and Price first broached the idea of providing financial help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year .
Both men signed a motion asking the city ’ s policy analysts to determine whether Lee ’ s company , 3800 West Sixth Street LLC , should be allowed to keep a portion of the taxes generated by his hotel project .
Wesson had argued that Lee ’ s hotel could supply more rooms for the city ’ s Convention Center , located three miles away .
The council voted unanimously in February to analyze that idea , bringing in a consulting firm to review Lee ’ s request .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city for the consulting work .
Since June 2016 , Lee , his wife , his company and his business associates have donated at least $ 67,400 to various council candidates and council members , supporting their campaigns , their legal and office holder accounts and a political action committee that supported council members ’ reelection , according to contribution records .
Lee gave $ 25,000 to the Progressive Growth PAC , an independent expenditure committee that worked in 2017 to reelect Price , who heads the council panel that reviews requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That PAC also collected $ 75,000 from a different developer who succeeded in getting Price to approve three massive digital billboards on his property .
Lobbyist Michael Bai , a former Wesson staffer , has been representing Lee ’ s hotel project at City Hall and was a principal officer for the Progressive Growth PAC .
Lee , his wife , his company and his business associates also have donated at least $ 15,000 to Wesson ’ s current bid for county supervisor and at least $ 5,400 to his office holder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wesson , who represents Koreatown , has been a supporter of Lee ’ s proposed 21-story hotel , sending an aide to speak in favor of it at a planning hearing last year .
Last week , after being contacted by Feuer about Lee ’ s tax history , the councilman drafted a new motion calling on his colleagues to rescind the plan for exploring financial aid for the hotel , Wesson spokesman Michael Tonetti said .
Tonetti said Wesson did not know about Lee ’ s previous legal dispute with the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
Price spokeswoman Angelina Valencia said her boss learned about Lee ’ s tax history from Wesson ’ s office .
The council has signed off on hundreds of millions of dollars in financial support for downtown hotels since 2005 , portraying that aid as critical to providing rooms near the convention center .
In some cases , council members have allowed developers to keep as much as half of the local tax revenue their project generates , including sales , property and utility taxes .
Those types of deals have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists have called , without success , for city leaders to seize private hotels and convert them into makeshift shelters for L.A. 's unhoused residents .
Hotels that received taxpayer assistance should have been the first to help , those activists said .
“ Our stance is homes not hotels , ” said Jed Parriott , an organizer with the Services not Sweeps Coalition .
“ If they ’ re going to be developing anything , they should be prioritizing low income or permanent supportive housing for homeless folks.
” Sahn , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has recovered from his financial difficulties , becoming a highly successful businessman .
Given what has happened to the hospitality industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic , Lee ’ s hotel project merits city financial help , he said .
Without that support , Sahn warned , Lee ’ s project will be “ lost to the Koreatown community.
” “ Anybody building a hotel in this economic environment is taking an enormous risk , because there ’ s not going to be occupancy of any significance for two or three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are few industries more depressed right now than the hotel industry.
” Feuer argued that a subsidy deal with Lee would undermine public trust in City Hall .
The city attorney , who took office in 2013 , also said he learned of the developer ’ s previous legal dispute with the city from The Times .
In the future , Feuer said , the city should have a system so that when a developer asks for a subsidy , the city ’ s decision-makers “ know the developer ’ s history @ @ @ @ @ @

Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer said he opposes any effort to give a tax break to the developer of a hotel planned in Koreatown.
Nine years ago, a judge found that a financially struggling hotel in Koreatown had failed to pay its share of local taxes, ruling that the company owed the city of Los Angeles nearly $3.5 million.
City officials, reeling from their own financial crisis, were so eager to collect that they sent sheriff’s deputies into the Wilshire Boulevard hotel to retrieve a portion of the money. The City Council eventually reached a legal settlement in 2012, securing $2.65 million — less than officials claimed they were owed — from the hotel and its owner, Leo Y. Lee.
Council members began dealing with Lee again earlier this year. But this time, they began looking at providing financial help for his latest venture: a new 192-room hotel planned in another part of Koreatown.
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After The Times inquired about the city’s 2010 lawsuit against Lee, City Atty. Mike Feuer said he would oppose any financial aid for Lee’s planned hotel. Such an arrangement, while not illegal, would be “outrageous,” he said.
“I think it takes real chutzpah for a developer to try to avoid paying millions in taxes that he owed to the city, and then return and ask taxpayers for a subsidy,” Feuer told The Times last week.
Councilman Herb Wesson, after speaking with Feuer, is now backtracking on the idea of a hotel subsidy — and asking his colleagues to vote Tuesday to drop the effort. Councilman Curren Price, who previously supported Wesson’s request to explore financial aid for Lee’s hotel, now opposes any taxpayer assistance, according to his spokeswoman.
Victor Sahn, who served as the hotel developer’s bankruptcy lawyer in 2012, says his client is being wrongly portrayed as a “deadbeat.”
Lee was one of many businesses owners overwhelmed during the 2008 recession, losing millions of dollars, Sahn said. The businessman also had a “bona fide” dispute with the city, arguing that some parts of his building were being rented by the month and therefore did not require payment of transient occupancy taxes, also known as bed taxes, the lawyer said.
Lee’s hotel companies filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Once Lee succeeded in selling the property, he used the proceeds to pay off his obligations, the lawyer said.
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“People are playing a blame game with someone who shouldn’t be blamed, who did his best to keep a project going,” Sahn said. “And when he couldn’t keep it going, he sold it and paid his creditors as much as he possibly could.”
Wesson and Price first broached the idea of providing financial help to Lee’s planned 21-story hotel last year. Both men signed a motion asking the city’s policy analysts to determine whether Lee’s company, 3800 West Sixth Street LLC, should be allowed to keep a portion of the taxes generated by his hotel project.
An empty lot on Sixth Street in Koreatown which is slated to become a 21-story Hyatt hotel. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Wesson had argued that Lee’s hotel could supply more rooms for the city’s Convention Center, located three miles away. The council voted unanimously in February to analyze that idea, bringing in a consulting firm to review Lee’s request. Under the plan, Lee would reimburse the city for the consulting work.
Since June 2016, Lee, his wife, his company and his business associates have donated at least $67,400 to various council candidates and council members, supporting their campaigns, their legal and office holder accounts and a political action committee that supported council members’ reelection, according to contribution records.
Lee gave $25,000 to the Progressive Growth PAC, an independent expenditure committee that worked in 2017 to reelect Price, who heads the council panel that reviews requests from hotel developers for financial help. That PAC also collected $75,000 from a different developer who succeeded in getting Price to approve three massive digital billboards on his property.
Lobbyist Michael Bai, a former Wesson staffer, has been representing Lee’s hotel project at City Hall and was a principal officer for the Progressive Growth PAC.
Lee, his wife, his company and his business associates also have donated at least $15,000 to Wesson’s current bid for county supervisor and at least $5,400 to his office holder and legal committees, contribution records show.
Wesson, who represents Koreatown, has been a supporter of Lee’s proposed 21-story hotel, sending an aide to speak in favor of it at a planning hearing last year. Last week, after being contacted by Feuer about Lee’s tax history, the councilman drafted a new motion calling on his colleagues to rescind the plan for exploring financial aid for the hotel, Wesson spokesman Michael Tonetti said.
Councilman Herb Wesson’s campaign for L.A. County supervisor received $15,000 from a hotel developer, the developer’s wife and his business associates. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Tonetti said Wesson did not know about Lee’s previous legal dispute with the city until he heard from Feuer’s office. Price spokeswoman Angelina Valencia said her boss learned about Lee’s tax history from Wesson’s office.
The council has signed off on hundreds of millions of dollars in financial support for downtown hotels since 2005, portraying that aid as critical to providing rooms near the convention center. In some cases, council members have allowed developers to keep as much as half of the local tax revenue their project generates, including sales, property and utility taxes.
Those types of deals have become more controversial in recent months.
Homeless activists have called, without success, for city leaders to seize private hotels and convert them into makeshift shelters for L.A.’s unhoused residents. Hotels that received taxpayer assistance should have been the first to help, those activists said.
“Our stance is homes not hotels,” said Jed Parriott, an organizer with the Services not Sweeps Coalition. “If they’re going to be developing anything, they should be prioritizing low income or permanent supportive housing for homeless folks.”
Sahn, the lawyer for Lee, said his client has recovered from his financial difficulties, becoming a highly successful businessman. Given what has happened to the hospitality industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee’s hotel project merits city financial help, he said.
Without that support, Sahn warned, Lee’s project will be “lost to the Koreatown community.”
“Anybody building a hotel in this economic environment is taking an enormous risk, because there’s not going to be occupancy of any significance for two or three years,” he said. “There are few industries more depressed right now than the hotel industry.”
Feuer argued that a subsidy deal with Lee would undermine public trust in City Hall. The city attorney, who took office in 2013, also said he learned of the developer’s previous legal dispute with the city from The Times.
In the future, Feuer said, the city should have a system so that when a developer asks for a subsidy, the city’s decision-makers “know the developer’s history with the city first.”


latimes--2020-10-26--Exploding fire threatens hundreds of homes in Yorba Linda

A second brush fire ignited in Southern California amid dangerous high winds Monday , prompting evacuation orders for Yorba Linda , officials said .
The fire started in the Chino Hills area of Corona , west of the Santa Ana River , Corona Fire Department program specialist Denise Aguilar said .
The blaze was initially dubbed the Green fire , but Orange County officials are now referring to it as the Blue Ridge fire .
At least one home had burned , and flames were threatening subdivisions north of the 91 Freeway .
The 1,200-acre fire was burning near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it was heading west into Chino Hills and toward Yorba Linda , where officials reported the fire approaching from northeast of Bryant Ranch Park , on the east side of the city .
At the Green River Village mobile home park , Residents wandered out of their homes glancing up at the black smokes and hillsides on fire .
Watching it with his daughter was Rodrigo Suarez , 41 .
He said it was just three years ago when another fire ignited and burned the hillsides across the 91 freeway .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t evacuated then and hoped it would not be this time .
The Orange County sheriff called for an immediate evacuation north of the 91 Freeway and east of Gypsum Canyon , including Bryant Ranch Elementary in Yorba Linda .
Evacuations included the Bryant Ranch School , where students were shuttled to Esperanza High School in Anaheim .
The city of Anaheim tweeted around 2:30 p.m. that the fire was estimated at 700 acres .
The National Weather Service in San Diego residents of Yorba Linda to be on “ high alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by gusts of 35 to 45 mph .
The city of Anaheim tweeted that the smell of smoke had permeated the air .
Winds in Chino Hills peaked at 78 mph Monday morning around 11 a.m. , according to the National Weather Service .
Southern California Edison has in the area where the fire began .
The Silverado fire , a separate Orange County blaze that ignited near Irvine on Monday morning , had scorched 4,000 acres within a few hours , according to the Orange County Fire Authority .

An air tanker drops fire retardant on a ridge near the Green River Golf Club on Oct. 26, 2020, in Yorba Linda.
A second brush fire ignited in Southern California amid dangerous high winds Monday, prompting evacuation orders for Yorba Linda, officials said.
The fire started in the Chino Hills area of Corona, west of the Santa Ana River, Corona Fire Department program specialist Denise Aguilar said. The blaze was initially dubbed the Green fire, but Orange County officials are now referring to it as the Blue Ridge fire.
At least one home had burned, and flames were threatening subdivisions north of the 91 Freeway.
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1 / 32 Firefighters make their way up a hill through smoke Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 32 Residents watch the Blue Ridge fire from Vellano Club Drive Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 32 The sun shines through smoke in the air Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 32 A firefighting helicopter makes a drop on the Silverado fire, which has been fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds for a second day in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Lake Forest. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 32 Orange County firefighters battle Blue Ridge fire along 3700 block of San Antonio in Yorba Linda. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 32 Blue Ridge fire burns close to oil derricks along Aspen Avenue in Yorba Linda. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 32 A flare-up fills the sky with smoke from the Silverado fire burning in Irvine on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 32 An air tanker drops fire retardant behind homes Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 32 Yorba Linda residents gather around an Orange County Fire Authority vehicle at the intersection of Fairmont Boulevard and San Antonio Road, inquiring about the Blue Ridge fire that was burning close to their homes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 32 Firefighter Raymond Vasquez fights the Silverado fire, fueled by Santa Ana winds, at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 32 A crowd watches a hillside burn on Foxtail Drive and Lotus Avenue in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 32 A homeowner watches flames burn a hillside near Foxtail Drive and Lotus Avenue in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 32 People watch the Blue Ridge fire burn on Foxtail Drive in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 32 A hillside burns near Foxtail Drive and Lotus Avenue in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 32 A bicyclist takes a look at fire activity on Via Lomas de Yorba amid the Blue Ridge fire in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 32 A firefighter hoses down a home in Yorba Linda that was ablaze due to the Blue Ridge fire Monday. (OnScene.TV) 17 / 32 An air tanker drops fire retardant on a ridge near the Green River Golf Club in Corona. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 32 A hot spot flares in the Silverado fire at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 32 A water truck operator runs through the thick smoke of the advancing Silverado fire at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 32 Firetrucks convoy through thick smoke on Portola Parkway to battle the advancing Silverado fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 32 Firefighter Raymond Vasquez braves tall flames as he fights the advancing Silverado fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 32 Firetrucks convoy through thick smoke on the 241 Freeway to battle the advancing Silverado fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 32 A water truck operator is overcome after running through thick smoke from the advancing Silverado fire in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 32 An Orange County Fire Authority firefighter stands ready to defend a home as the Silverado fire approaches the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 32 Orange County Fire Authority firefighters defend homes as the Silverado fire approaches the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 32 A firefighter sustained second- and third-degree burns near Santiago Canyon Road and Limestone Spur fighting the Silverado fire and was transported to a nearby trauma center. (OnScene.TV) 27 / 32 Orange County Fire Authority firefighters have to look away because of the gusty, hot wind, debris and approaching flames while defending homes from the Silverado fire in the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 32 Orange County Fire Authority firefighters do structure protection for homes in the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine as the Silverado fire continues to burn. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 32 The Silverado fire broke out in Orange County on Monday morning, threatening communities and forcing residents from their homes. (OnScene.TV) 30 / 32 Orange County Fire Authority firefighters monitor the Silverado fire, which is threatening communities in Irvine. (OnScene.TV) 31 / 32 A deer navigates through the smoke of the Silverado fire that broke out in Orange County on Monday morning. (OnScene.TV) 32 / 32 A wind-driven blaze, dubbed the Silverado fire, sparked around 6:45 a.m. Monday morning and is spreading at a “moderate” speed in the area of Santiago Canyon and Silverado Canyon roads in Orange County. (KTLA)
The fire was burning near the Green River Golf Club, Aguilar said, but it was heading west into Chino Hills and toward Yorba Linda, where officials reported the fire approaching from northeast of Bryant Ranch Park, on the east side of the city.
By late Monday night, the blaze had burned 6,600 acres, authorities said.
At the Green River Village mobile home park, Residents wandered out of their homes glancing up at the black smokes and hillsides on fire.
Watching it with his daughter was Rodrigo Suarez, 41. He said it was just three years ago when another fire ignited and burned the hillsides across the 91 freeway. He said the mobile home park wasn’t evacuated then and hoped it would not be this time.
Corona E5 reporting 200+ acres running towards the west, will threaten the Yorba Linda area shortly, is behind the Green River Golf Club. This new fire is the #GreenFire. https://t.co/vLbZlJJcFh — CA Fire Scanner (@CAFireScanner) October 26, 2020
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Ken Leitner,71 and his wife were ready to go. They had stuffed their vehicles with what they felt they needed: important documents, pet food and other items.
On the driveway of their stucco and tile home in Yorba Linda, they watched the yellow and brown smoke cover the sky and took bites out of their frozen chocolate ice cream.
It’s the second time the Leitners had to deal with a brush fire on this canyon.
In 2008, a fire swept through the area and took out nearly two dozen homes. Leitner said he remembered using a hose to douse flames and protect his home.
The Orange County sheriff called for an immediate evacuation north of the 91 Freeway and east of Gypsum Canyon, including Bryant Ranch Elementary in Yorba Linda. Evacuations included the Bryant Ranch School, where students were shuttled to Esperanza High School in Anaheim. The city of Anaheim tweeted around 2:30 p.m. that the fire was estimated at 700 acres.
The National Weather Service in San Diego warned residents of Yorba Linda to be on “high alert” as the fire was being fueled by gusts of 35 to 45 mph. The city of Anaheim tweeted that the smell of smoke had permeated the air.
Winds in Chino Hills peaked at 78 mph Monday morning around 11 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Southern California Edison has shut off power in the area where the fire began.
The Silverado fire, a separate Orange County blaze that ignited near Irvine on Monday morning, had scorched 4,000 acres within a few hours, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.


latimes--2020-10-26--L.A. County supervisors to consider motion seeking options to remove Sheriff Villanueva

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion Tuesday seeking options for removing Sheriff Alex Villanueva , who in recent weeks has faced growing calls to step down because of what many describe as his resistance to oversight and transparency .
“ Week after week , there ’ s a new problem with the sheriff , ” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , who authored the proposal , told the Los Angeles Times on Monday .
“ Increasingly , he ’ s being viewed as a liability.
” If approved at Tuesday ’ s board meeting , the motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to impeach Villanueva or take away some of his responsibilities , and explore legislative changes that could make the position of sheriff an appointed one .
It seeks a report back in 30 days .
Villanueva , who is independently elected and has only limited oversight from the board , said in a statement through a spokesman Monday that some members of the board have opposed him since he took office .
“ Rather than allow the voice of the voters to stand , those same members are now exploring ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawful election , outside of the established constitutional methods of : voter recall , grand jury indictment , or defeating me in the next election , ” he said .
“ I have been more transparent , more accountable , and have offered greater access to the community than any previous sheriff , ” he added .
“ Before the board votes on this motion and triggers a legal battle which will waste millions of taxpayer dollars , I urge each supervisor to meet with me privately .
Let ’ s set aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He has previously pushed back against criticism , touting his ban on transferring jail inmates to federal immigration authorities , his rollout this month of body cameras for deputies at five stations , and his policy blocking deputies from forming illicit cliques .
He has said he has no intention of stepping down .
The proposal escalates the already contentious relationship between the county ’ s most powerful elected leaders , some of whom have echoed calls by overseers of the Sheriff ’ s Department , as well as labor unions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ All of it significantly contributes to dysfunction in county government , ” Ridley-Thomas said .
“ And it ’ s completely avoidable.
” Ridley-Thomas , who is running for a City Council seat after serving the maximum 12 years on the board , cited Villanueva ’ s inability to balance the Sheriff ’ s Department budget , as well as his threats to close patrol stations and remove deputies from county parks .
He added that Villanueva had blocked independent investigations into a string of deputy shootings that led to months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andres Guardado in Gardena , Dijon Kizzee in Westmont and , most recently , Fred Williams in Willowbrook .
“ Three examples , no cooperation in terms of independent investigation , ” Ridley-Thomas said .
“ We can ’ t get to the facts because the sheriff refuses to cooperate with the Office of Inspector General.
” Villanueva has said the Sheriff ’ s Department will release body camera footage of Williams ’ Oct. 16 shooting , but did not say when .
It was the first fatal shooting at a station where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion , coauthored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl , said the county had paid out more than $ 149 million in the last five years to settle lawsuits and satisfy judgments in cases in which deputies were involved in incidents that include civil rights violations , excessive force , sexual assault and killings .
“ With a sheriff that is unwilling to demand accountability for deputy misbehavior , lawsuits will continue to be filed against the sheriff , and it is the county ’ s taxpayers who will continue to pay for the consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civilian Oversight Commission similarly blasted Villanueva ’ s leadership earlier this month when it approved a resolution calling for his resignation , criticizing his failure to root out deputy gangs from the department , and the treatment by deputies of protesters and journalists at demonstrations against police brutality .
“ He fails to take responsibility for the problems in the department , blaming everyone else , ” Commissioner Priscilla Ocen said at the meeting .
“ He blames everyone else , including the former sheriff , for the problems that he is responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for , under his administration.
” The Assn .
for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs , the labor union that represents rank-and-file deputies and spent at least $ 1.3 million supporting Villanueva ’ s election , piggybacked on those calls earlier this month after deputies were being moved around involuntarily because of budget cuts .
“ If the sheriff doesn ’ t resign , his staff should , ” union leaders wrote in an email to their membership , saying the changes had not been entirely negotiated .
ALADS President Ron Hernandez said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not asking for anyone ’ s resignation , but rather was reminding the Sheriff ’ s Department of its duty to meet and confer .
“ It was a play on the ridiculous request by the Civilian Oversight Commission ’ s call for a [ duly ] elected Sheriff to quit , simply because they are unhappy with him , ” he said .

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion Tuesday seeking options for removing Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who in recent weeks has faced growing calls to step down because of what many describe as his resistance to oversight and transparency.
“Week after week, there’s a new problem with the sheriff,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who authored the proposal, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday. “Increasingly, he’s being viewed as a liability.”
If approved at Tuesday’s board meeting, the motion would direct county lawyers to look into how to impeach Villanueva or take away some of his responsibilities, and explore legislative changes that could make the position of sheriff an appointed one. It seeks a report back in 30 days.
Villanueva, who is independently elected and has only limited oversight from the board, said in a statement through a spokesman Monday that some members of the board have opposed him since he took office.
“Rather than allow the voice of the voters to stand, those same members are now exploring ways to [undo] the results of a lawful election, outside of the established constitutional methods of: voter recall, grand jury indictment, or defeating me in the next election,” he said.
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“I have been more transparent, more accountable, and have offered greater access to the community than any previous sheriff,” he added. “Before the board votes on this motion and triggers a legal battle which will waste millions of taxpayer dollars, I urge each supervisor to meet with me privately. Let’s set aside the past and work out our differences.”
He has previously pushed back against criticism, touting his ban on transferring jail inmates to federal immigration authorities, his rollout this month of body cameras for deputies at five stations, and his policy blocking deputies from forming illicit cliques. He has said he has no intention of stepping down.
The proposal escalates the already contentious relationship between the county’s most powerful elected leaders, some of whom have echoed calls by overseers of the Sheriff’s Department, as well as labor unions and activist groups, for him to resign.
“All of it significantly contributes to dysfunction in county government,” Ridley-Thomas said. “And it’s completely avoidable.”
Ridley-Thomas, who is running for a City Council seat after serving the maximum 12 years on the board, cited Villanueva’s inability to balance the Sheriff’s Department budget, as well as his threats to close patrol stations and remove deputies from county parks.
He added that Villanueva had blocked independent investigations into a string of deputy shootings that led to months of protests, including the killings of Andres Guardado in Gardena, Dijon Kizzee in Westmont and, most recently, Fred Williams in Willowbrook.
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“Three examples, no cooperation in terms of independent investigation,” Ridley-Thomas said. “We can’t get to the facts because the sheriff refuses to cooperate with the Office of Inspector General.”
Villanueva has said the Sheriff’s Department will release body camera footage of Williams’ Oct. 16 shooting, but did not say when. It was the first fatal shooting at a station where deputies wore body cameras.
Ridley-Thomas’ motion, coauthored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, said the county had paid out more than $149 million in the last five years to settle lawsuits and satisfy judgments in cases in which deputies were involved in incidents that include civil rights violations, excessive force, sexual assault and killings.
“With a sheriff that is unwilling to demand accountability for deputy misbehavior, lawsuits will continue to be filed against the sheriff, and it is the county’s taxpayers who will continue to pay for the consequences,” the motion says.
The Civilian Oversight Commission similarly blasted Villanueva’s leadership earlier this month when it approved a resolution calling for his resignation, criticizing his failure to root out deputy gangs from the department, and the treatment by deputies of protesters and journalists at demonstrations against police brutality.
“He fails to take responsibility for the problems in the department, blaming everyone else,” Commissioner Priscilla Ocen said at the meeting. “He blames everyone else, including the former sheriff, for the problems that he is responsible for, that his department is responsible for, under his administration.”
The Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the labor union that represents rank-and-file deputies and spent at least $1.3 million supporting Villanueva’s election, piggybacked on those calls earlier this month after deputies were being moved around involuntarily because of budget cuts.
“If the sheriff doesn’t resign, his staff should,” union leaders wrote in an email to their membership, saying the changes had not been entirely negotiated.
ALADS President Ron Hernandez said in an email Monday that the union was not asking for anyone’s resignation, but rather was reminding the Sheriff’s Department of its duty to meet and confer.
“It was a play on the ridiculous request by the Civilian Oversight Commission’s call for a [duly] elected Sheriff to quit, simply because they are unhappy with him,” he said.


latimes--2020-10-26--High winds carry ash from Bobcat fire into L.A. Basin, causing bad air quality

As a wind-driven wildfire burned in Orange County on Monday , ash was blanketing the streets of East Los Angeles and parts of the San Gabriel Valley .
But the particles were likely from the nearly contained Bobcat fire , which has been burning for more than a month in the Angeles National Forest , a forest spokesman said .
The Bobcat fire has scorched more than 115,000 acres , leaving a forest floor carpeted in gray , burned flecks of brush and trees .
With winds whipping through Los Angeles County at gusts up to 60 mph , ash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby cities , said Angeles National Forest spokesman Andrew Mitchell .
“ It would be easy to extrapolate that we have a major fire of 115,000 acres , that wind blowing down from that northeast direction is going to push that [ ash ] down into the southern part of L.A. County , ” Mitchell said , adding that the Bobcat fire is 95 % contained .
He also said it ’ s possible the ash could be coming from the Dolan or El Dorado fires farther east .
Air quality in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the particulate matter , with parts of the county in the “ unhealthy ” range , according to government tracking .
“ I know air quality for the San Gabriel mountains is not ideal with all the ash , but there ’ s no real smoke impact , ” Mitchell said .
In some mountain ridges , winds are in the upper 70 mph range , with 96-mph gusts recorded in the Magic Mountain Truck Trail , according to the National Weather Service .
California ’ s most recent blaze , the Silverado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapidly spread to 4,000 acres in a few hours .
Mitchell said it is possible but highly unlikely that the winds are carrying ash from Orange County to East Los Angeles .

A water truck operator runs through the thick smoke of the advancing Silverado fire at the 241 toll road and Portola Parkway in Irvine.
The strongest Santa Ana winds of the year not only fueled wildfires in Orange County but brought unhealthful air quality to parts of the Los Angeles Basin and San Gabriel Valley as ash from the Bobcat fire blew into neighborhoods.
The powerful winds, which included gusts that topped 90 mph at at least one location, toppled big rigs in the Inland Empire and forced officials to briefly close Ontario International Airport. Dan Gregoria, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in San Diego, said gusts at the airport on Monday had clocked in as high as 70 mph.
Santa Anas are expected to return early Tuesday before dying off in the afternoon, Gregoria added.
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Firefighter Raymond Vasquez fights the Silverado fire fueled by Santa Ana winds at the 241 toll road and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The winds fueled two big fires — in Irvine and Yorba Linda — and that sent smoke into many parts of Orange County.
But officials believe the poor air quality in Los Angeles County had a different cause.
The particles were probably from the nearly contained Bobcat fire, which has been burning for more than a month in the Angeles National Forest, a forest spokesman said.
The Bobcat fire has scorched more than 115,000 acres, leaving a forest floor carpeted in gray, burned flecks of brush and trees. With winds whipping through Los Angeles County at gusts up to 60 mph, ash is being carried into East L.A. and nearby cities, Angeles National Forest spokesman Andrew Mitchell said.
“It would be easy to extrapolate that we have a major fire of 115,000 acres, that wind blowing down from that northeast direction is going to push that [ash] down into the southern part of L.A. County,” Mitchell said, adding that the Bobcat fire is 95% contained.
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He also said it’s possible the ash could be coming from the El Dorado fire farther east.
The red circles show where the Red Flag conditions are right now, and their size relates to the wind speed. #CAwx #SoCal pic.twitter.com/MoWHjTFtMD — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) October 26, 2020
Air quality in Los Angeles is suffering as a result of the particulate matter, with parts of the county in the “unhealthy” range, according to government tracking.
California How to read and understand air quality numbers and maps Here’s how to interpret the air quality numbers you see when you look at air quality maps or readouts on smartphone weather apps.
In some mountain ridges, winds are in the upper 70 mph range, with 96-mph gusts recorded in the Magic Mountain Truck Trail, according to the National Weather Service.
Powerful winds also pounded Northern California, prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to shut off power to about 361,000 customers in the weather-weary region.
Strong Diablo winds continued Monday in the area surrounding the Sacramento Valley, most of the Sierra, parts of southern Kern County and the mountainous regions of the Bay Area, including the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Anthony Bravo, 31, and his dog Kylo watch as smoke from the Silverado fire shrouds the Los Angeles skyline. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Red flag warnings are in place for most of Northern California. A warning for the North Bay Mountains and the East Bay Hills is in place through Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service .
A 94-mph gust blew through part of Tahoe overnight, and Mt. Saint Helena saw gusts at 89 mph, according to the weather service.
“It’s been very dry,” National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Schneider said. “We’ve been kind of lucky here. We haven’t had any major fires starting overnight in our area. But it’s certainly dry enough.”
Angelina Skovlova, 13, left, and Mila Rubinstein, 15, brave the high winds at Lake Balboa Beilenson Park in Encino. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A few small fires did ignite, but emergency responders were able to snuff them out before they grew, she said. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection units for San Mateo and Santa Cruz reported downed trees in Half Moon Bay.
Once the fierce offshore winds taper off Tuesday, lower temperatures are expected to roll in, making for cooler nights in parts of the Bay Area, Schneider said.
GUST TO 96 MPH!!! Here is an areal look at the strongest gusts. Now up to 90 MPH in the mountains just south of Santa Clarita in the San Gabriel Mountains. #cawx #LAweather #SoCal pic.twitter.com/4kq1YDo0GQ — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) October 26, 2020


latimes--2020-10-26--As flames approach, Irvine mom collects her crying kids, passports and flees home

Lana Salameh , 45 , had just dropped off her two youngest children to school and returned home in Irvine ’ s Eastwood community .
The sky was a dull orange , trees were falling outside and smoke was seeping in the house , but she had not been informed that school was canceled .
She returned to grab her 9-year-old daughter , Farah Abdelbari , whose tears were soaking her pink mask at Eastwood Elementary School .
She then picked up her 11-year-old son , Omar .
“ They were scared , it wasn ’ t easy , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crying , but we had to leave.
” They grabbed their passports and some bananas before arriving at Quail Hill Community Center that was reaching capacity .
The Silverado fire swept down from the hills above Irvine , threatening homes in the city ’ s northside and prompting 40,000 to be evacuated .
So far , firefighters had kept the flames away from homes and north of Portola Parkway , but erratic winds remained a major problem .
Inside the shelter , about 30 people sat at socially distanced desks and small dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports of the fire were pulled up on many of the evacuees ’ laptops .
Salameh ’ s children were glued to their laptops to do their school work .
Esther Lee , 55 , along with dozens of others waited outside in the parking lot for a spot to open up .
When Lee looked outside her bedroom porch Monday morning , the palm trees swayed and a large plume of smoke overtook the nearby mountains .
Her home of 19 years along Portola Avenue in Irvine was being beaten by smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started packing .
Around 9:30 a.m. she received a mandatory evacuation notice and quickly packed important documents into her two cars .
“ We didn ’ t have much time , and I didn ’ t want to stay too long , ” Lee said .
“ We ’ re just staying put for now because the winds can be so unpredictable.
” She and her husband , Jay , decided to stay in the park nearby until her family members in Lake Forest had a plan for the day .
They had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had evacuated in the past , but the winds from today made her more concerned for her home ’ s safety .
Pat Grath , 78 , was making breakfast when a stranger pounded on the front door of her Ridge Valley home to inform her of the evacuation notice .
Grath has no family on the West Coast .
“ I just panicked , I started crying , ” McGrath said .
“ I ’ m cold , I ’ m hungry , I ’ m stressed , and I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice was faint as she reclined back into her seat with a beige cardigan draped over her .
“ I was hoping there would be food or water , but I only got a bottle of water from a woman here earlier , ” she said .
“ There ’ s a fountain down the hall , but I forgot my cane and my legs don ’ t work too well .
I think your body doesn ’ t work as well when you ’ re stressed.
” The winds were knocking out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the streets of Orchard Hills , an Irvine neighborhood that sits in the path of Silverado fire .
Smaller trees were nearly being blown off their roots .
The neighborhood is dotted with two-story stucco homes .
Some are still in the middle of construction .
Almost everyone had evacuated with the exception of one or two families who were still gathering their belongings before getting out .
Not far from Bella Garden Park , Raymond Siu , 44 , stuffed his Lexus SUV with luggage and other personal items .
Breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire from police alerts on his phone and immediately began preparing to evacuate .
“ I ’ m feeling rushed , ” he said , running to his white Tesla before driving off .
His family , who was seated in the white Lexus SUV , followed behind him .

A wind-driven blaze, dubbed the Silverado fire, sparked around 6:45 a.m. Monday morning and is spreading at a “moderate” speed in the area of Santiago Canyon and Silverado Canyon roads in Orange County. (KTLA)
A deer navigates through the smoke of the Silverado fire that broke out in Orange County on Monday morning. (OnScene.TV)
Orange County Fire Authority firefighters monitor the Silverado fire, which is threatening communities in Irvine. (OnScene.TV)
The Silverado fire broke out in Orange County on Monday morning, threatening communities and forcing residents from their homes. (OnScene.TV)
Orange County Fire Authority firefighters do structure protection for homes in the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine as the Silverado fire continues to burn. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Orange County Fire Authority firefighters have to look away because of the gusty, hot wind, debris and approaching flames while defending homes from the Silverado fire in the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter sustained second- and third-degree burns near Santiago Canyon Road and Limestone Spur fighting the Silverado fire and was transported to a nearby trauma center. (OnScene.TV)
Orange County Fire Authority firefighters defend homes as the Silverado fire approaches the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An Orange County Fire Authority firefighter stands ready to defend a home as the Silverado fire approaches the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A water truck operator is overcome after running through thick smoke from the advancing Silverado fire in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Firetrucks convoy through thick smoke on the 241 Freeway to battle the advancing Silverado fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Firetrucks convoy through thick smoke on Portola Parkway to battle the advancing Silverado fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A water truck operator runs through the thick smoke of the advancing Silverado fire at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A hot spot flares in the Silverado fire at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An air tanker drops fire retardant on a ridge near the Green River Golf Club in Corona. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter hoses down a home in Yorba Linda that was ablaze due to the Blue Ridge fire Monday. (OnScene.TV)
A bicyclist takes a look at fire activity on Via Lomas de Yorba amid the Blue Ridge fire in Yorba Linda. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighter Raymond Vasquez fights the Silverado fire, fueled by Santa Ana winds, at the 241 Freeway and Portola Parkway in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Yorba Linda residents gather around an Orange County Fire Authority vehicle at the intersection of Fairmont Boulevard and San Antonio Road, inquiring about the Blue Ridge fire that was burning close to their homes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
A flare-up fills the sky with smoke from the Silverado fire burning in Irvine on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighting helicopter makes a drop on the Silverado fire, which has been fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds for a second day in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Lake Forest. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The sun shines through smoke in the air Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters make their way up a hill through smoke Tuesday in Chino Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Lana Salameh, 45, had just dropped off her two youngest children to school and returned home in Irvine’s Eastwood community.
The sky was a dull orange, trees were falling outside and smoke was seeping in the house, but she had not been informed that school was canceled.
She returned to grab her 9-year-old daughter, Farah Abdelbari, whose tears were soaking her pink mask at Eastwood Elementary School. She then picked up her 11-year-old son, Omar.
“They were scared, it wasn’t easy,” Salameh said. “My kids were crying, but we had to leave.”
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They grabbed their passports and some bananas before arriving at Quail Hill Community Center that was reaching capacity.
California Orange County under siege by wildfires; 2 firefighters gravely burned The fast-moving Silverado fire broke out in Orange County on Monday and quickly grew to more than 7,000 acres. Southern California Edison says its equipment may be to blame. A second blaze started hours later in Corona and forced evacuations in Yorba Linda.
The Silverado fire swept down from the hills above Irvine, threatening homes in the city’s northside and prompting 40,000 to be evacuated. So far, firefighters had kept the flames away from homes and north of Portola Parkway, but erratic winds remained a major problem.
Inside the shelter, about 30 people sat at socially distanced desks and small dogs were tied to the tables. News reports of the fire were pulled up on many of the evacuees’ laptops.
Salameh’s children were glued to their laptops to do their school work.
Esther Lee, 55, along with dozens of others waited outside in the parking lot for a spot to open up.
When Lee looked outside her bedroom porch Monday morning, the palm trees swayed and a large plume of smoke overtook the nearby mountains.
Her home of 19 years along Portola Avenue in Irvine was being beaten by smoke and Santa Ana winds, so she started packing.
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Around 9:30 a.m. she received a mandatory evacuation notice and quickly packed important documents into her two cars.
“We didn’t have much time, and I didn’t want to stay too long,” Lee said. “We’re just staying put for now because the winds can be so unpredictable.”
She and her husband, Jay, decided to stay in the park nearby until her family members in Lake Forest had a plan for the day. They had their dog Katara with them.
Lee had evacuated in the past, but the winds from today made her more concerned for her home’s safety.
Pat Grath, 78, was making breakfast when a stranger pounded on the front door of her Ridge Valley home to inform her of the evacuation notice. Grath has no family on the West Coast.
“I just panicked, I started crying,” McGrath said. “I’m cold, I’m hungry, I’m stressed, and I don’t know what to do.”
Her voice was faint as she reclined back into her seat with a beige cardigan draped over her.
“I was hoping there would be food or water, but I only got a bottle of water from a woman here earlier,” she said. “There’s a fountain down the hall, but I forgot my cane and my legs don’t work too well. I think your body doesn’t work as well when you’re stressed.”
The winds were knocking out half full trash cans, pushing them around the streets of Orchard Hills, an Irvine neighborhood that sits in the path of Silverado fire.
Smaller trees were nearly being blown off their roots. The neighborhood is dotted with two-story stucco homes. Some are still in the middle of construction. Almost everyone had evacuated with the exception of one or two families who were still gathering their belongings before getting out.
Not far from Bella Garden Park, Raymond Siu, 44, stuffed his Lexus SUV with luggage and other personal items.
Breathing hard, he said he learned about the fire from police alerts on his phone and immediately began preparing to evacuate.
“I’m feeling rushed,” he said, running to his white Tesla before driving off.
His family, who was seated in the white Lexus SUV, followed behind him.


latimes--2020-10-26--Ferocious winds briefly force closure of Ontario Airport

Intense winds buffeting Southern California sparked at least one wildfire and led to the closure of Ontario International Airport for over an hour Monday .
The San Bernardino County airport announced the closure on Twitter just before noon Monday .
Shortly after 1 p.m. , all but one runway had reopened , according to airport spokesman Steve Lambert .
Departures and arrivals were briefly canceled , delayed or redirected because of the winds , Lambert said .
Dan Gregoria , meteorologist for the National Weather Service in San Diego , said gusts at the airport on Monday had clocked in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely to dissipate for several hours .
“ Through the rest of the afternoon , ” Gregoria said , “ there ’ s potential for wind gusts of 50 and even up to 70 mph.
” People can check Ontario International Airport ’ s flight information for the latest flight updates .
The fierce winds remain some of the strongest of the season , but wind-related closures are fairly uncommon at Ontario , Lambert said .
“ You may get a situation a few times a year where they ’ ll briefly shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday ’ s winds were “ some pretty heavy-duty winds .
”

People walk through Ontario International Airport in August 2019. Strong Santa Ana winds temporarily forced the closure of all runways at the airport.
Intense winds buffeting Southern California sparked at least one wildfire and led to the closure of Ontario International Airport for over an hour Monday.
The San Bernardino County airport announced the closure on Twitter just before noon Monday. Shortly after 1 p.m., all but one runway had reopened, according to airport spokesman Steve Lambert.
Departures and arrivals were briefly canceled, delayed or redirected because of the winds, Lambert said.
Dan Gregoria, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in San Diego, said gusts at the airport on Monday had clocked in as high as 70 mph and were unlikely to dissipate for several hours.
“Through the rest of the afternoon,” Gregoria said, “there’s potential for wind gusts of 50 and even up to 70 mph.”
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People can check Ontario International Airport’s flight information for the latest flight updates.
The fierce winds remain some of the strongest of the season, but wind-related closures are fairly uncommon at Ontario, Lambert said.
“You may get a situation a few times a year where they’ll briefly shut down,” he said, but Monday’s winds were “some pretty heavy-duty winds.”


latimes--2020-10-26--Orange County fires: Irvine, Yorba Linda evacuation areas, road and school closures, shelters

The fast-moving , wind-driven Silverado fire was burning in the hills north of Irvine on Monday , closing major roads @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what we know : A mandatory was issued for more than 80,000 residents @ @ @ @ @ Great Park and Bake , and north of Toledo until the City limits • Areas @ @ @ @ @ Trabuco Road , and from Jeffrey Road East to Portola High School Mandatory evacuations were @ @ @ @ @ : Tustin Unified schools will be evacuated to Beckman High School : The Blue Ridge @ @ @ @ @ Yorba Linda .
Area North of the 91 freeway East of Gypsum Canyon , including @ @ @ @ @ Area North of the 91 Freeway along Hidden Hills Road .
Bryant Ranch School has @ @ @ @ @ students are being bused to the reunification site , Esperanza High School at 1830 Kellogg @ @ @ @

Alex Wigglesworth, Hayley Smith, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

The fast-moving Silverado fire burns Monday in the hills of the Cleveland National Forest.
Silverado Fire
The fast-moving, wind-driven Silverado fire was burning in the hills north of Irvine on Monday, closing major roads and threatening homes.
Here’s what we know:
Road closures
Portola Parkway from Highway 241 to Jamboree Road
Highway 241 from Highway 133 to Santiago
Santiago Canyon Road from Cooks to Highway 241
Road closures for #SilveradoFire:
•Portolla from 241 to Jamboree
•241 from the 133 to Santiago
•Santiago Canyon Rd from Cooks to the 241 pic.twitter.com/s7Gg1wjAvO — OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) October 26, 2020
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Evacuations
A mandatory evacuation order was issued for more than 80,000 residents in Irvine,
Between Great Park and Bake, and north of Toledo until the City limits
Areas from Irvine Boulevard south to Trabuco Road, and from Jeffrey Road East to Portola High School
Areas north of Irvine Boulevard between Jamboree Rd & Bake Parkway
Silverado fire evacuations (City of Irvine)
Evacuation centers
University Community Center
1 Beech Tree Lane
Irvine, CA 92612
Quail Hill Community Center
39 Shady Canyon Drive
Irvine, CA 92603
Los Olivos Community Center
101 Alfonso Drive, 91618
Harvard Community Center
14701 Harvard Ave., 92606
Rancho Senior Center
3 Ethel Coplen Way, 92612
Las Lomas Community Center
10 Federation Way, 92603
Turtle Rock Community Center
1 Sunnyhill, 92063
Newport Coast Community Center
6401 San Joaquin Hills Rd., 92657
Village Church of Irvine
77 Post, 92618
Turtle Rock Community Center: 1 Sunnyhill, 92603
University Community Center: 1 Beech Tree Lane (currently at capacity)
Quail Hill Community Center: 35 Shady Canyon Dr
Los Olivos Community Center: 101 Alfonso (currently at capacity)
Harvard Community Center: 14701 Harvard (currently at capacity)
Rancho Senior Center: 3 Ethel Coplen Way
Schools
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the following schools:
Northwood High School
Elementary:
Portola Springs
Eastwood
Stonegate
Loma Ridge
Canyon View
Santiago Hills
Montessori:
Le Port
Northwood
Little Explorers
Tustin Unified schools will be evacuated to Beckman High School:
Hicks Canyon
Orchard Hills
UC Irvine has suspended all campus operations
Blue Ridge Fire
The Blue Ridge fire is threatening homes in Yorba Linda.
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Blue Ridge Fire evacuations (OCFD)
Evacuations
Area North of the 91 freeway East of Gypsum Canyon, including Bryant Ranch Elementary School.
Area North of the 91 Freeway along Hidden Hills Road.
Area North of 91 Freeway along Avienda Bryant,
Schools
Bryant Ranch School has been ordered to evacuate; students are being bused to the reunification site, Esperanza High School at 1830 Kellogg Dr in Anaheim.
Sources: City of Irvine; Orange County Fire Authority; OC Sheriff


latimes--2020-10-26--L.A. County hits new milestones in coronavirus cases, deaths amid troubling increase in infections

Los Angeles County on Monday reached two unwelcome milestones in its fight against the novel coronavirus : 300,000 cases and 7,000 deaths .
The magnitude of those figures , officials say , reinforce the importance of continued caution in the face of a pandemic that is surging in many parts of the country and locally has made a worrying upward turn .
While recent increases in the number of cases in L.A. County have not been as steep as those seen over the summer , when coronavirus infections , hospitalizations and deaths shot to new heights throughout the state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern , ” public health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday .
The rise — which has seen the daily average number of new cases grow from under 1,000 in early October to almost 1,200 as of last week — is the result “ of decisions we collectively made two to three weeks ago , and the action we ’ re taking today will influence whether we continue our recovery journey , we stall , or we step backward , ” she said during a briefing .
“ If you ’ ve eased up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more opportunities for interacting with others , it ’ s time to go back to being extremely careful , ” she said .
The county reported 830 new COVID-19 cases Sunday and another 861 on Monday , which pushed the total number of people infected past 300,000 .
Eight new fatalities raised the death toll to 7,000 .
The number of deaths , Ferrer said , is “ a grim reminder of the horrific impact COVID-19 has had on so many of our families.
” Though the daily case totals announced Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3-day run of high positive case counts that were the result of a backlog caused by technical problems with the state ’ s computer tracking system , officials warned the low figures are at least partly the result of weekend reporting delays .
There has been an overall uptick recently in the local number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients — from 722 on Oct. 19 to 767 as of Monday — though that figure remains substantially below the peak seen during the summer ’ s coronavirus surge .
Ferrer said one likely culprit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easing up on the precautions they have been taking , socializing with people outside their immediate family and not doing so safely .
In particular , this could be the case , she said , if people are coming together to cheer on local sports teams like the Lakers , who recently won the NBA title , or the Dodgers , who are hoping to secure the World Series crown this week .
Fan exuberance — howling in joy or despair , hugging or high-fiving complete strangers , staying in close proximity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counter to the safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus .
“ I think it ’ s really wonderful that we have both incredible teams with so much talent and also incredible spirit amongst people in L.A. County who root with their hearts and their souls for their teams to do well , ” Ferrer said .
“ The downside of this is , during a pandemic , some of the things we ’ ve done in the past just don ’ t make sense.
” California as a whole surpassed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weekend .
More than 17,300 people have died statewide , according to The Times ’ coronavirus tracker .
Though the state ’ s overall number of cases and deaths continues to be among the highest in the nation — not surprising , given it is by far the most populous state — California has , to this point , seemingly avoided the significant surge currently striking many other parts of the country .
The U.S. on Sunday reached a new high for the average number of new cases over a seven-day period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tracking Project .
The tally surpassed a previous peak of cases that came in July .
About half of states in the U.S. have seen their highest daily infection numbers at some point in October , and the country as a whole came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday .
As of Monday morning , there had been more than 8.6 million total confirmed infections in the U.S. , according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center .
More than 225,000 Americans have died .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s wrestling with renewed outbreaks .
Nations across Europe are enacting more sweeping restrictions to try to slow surging infection rates as a long-feared winter wave of the coronavirus seems to be materializing .
It ’ s amid this landscape that California health officials find themselves trying to strike a delicate balance between further reopening sections of the state ’ s battered economy and staving off a significant surge .
The state has implemented a color-coded , four-tier reopening roadmap , which relies on new case and testing positivity rates to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other communal spaces .
L.A. is one of 12 counties currently placed in the most restrictive Tier 1 , also known as the purple tier , which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission .
For the counties in that category — which include San Bernardino , Imperial and Riverside in Southern California — many businesses and public facilities either can not operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity .
By comparison , only nine of the state ’ s 58 counties are in Tier 4 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — of the reopening plan .
Those counties , which as of last week include San Francisco , can resume most business operations with modifications .
In Riverside County , which slid back to the purple tier just last week , officials stressed that residents need to follow safety measures like regular handwashing , maintaining physical distancing and wearing masks in public .
Getting tested for the coronavirus is also an important tool to help stymie the spread and get the county moving back in the right direction , the officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , detecting the infection early might reduce your risk of complications and , even if you ’ re well , it means you can take precautions sooner to avoid spreading it to your family or workplace , ” county public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement .
“ If we can get less spread , fewer people will be at risk , and that ’ s the most important goal.
” Still , even though a broad reopening remains off the table for now in L.A. County , officials have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the county revised the local health order to permit personal care services such as massage and tattoo parlors to resume modified indoor operations , eliminate a requirement that customers at wineries and breweries make reservations , remove the food service requirement for wineries , and allow family entertainment centers to reopen outdoor attractions such as go-kart tracks , miniature golf courses and batting cages .
County schools also will be permitted to bring 25 % of their students back to campus at a time , provided they need special services best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned a lot ” about balancing reopening with safety over the past few months , Ferrer said , and “ we ’ ve been much more deliberate ” about making sure businesses are complying with COVID-19 protocols .
Still , though , she stressed that personal decisions will continue to play a key role in determining whether the county progresses or regresses in its recovery journey .
“ If everybody was wearing their face covering and everybody was keeping their distance , we ’ d be moving a lot quicker through our tiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s what it takes to get our schools reopened and that ’ s what it takes to keep people at work , ” she added , “ I think that ’ s a small price to pay right now.
” The Associated Press contributed to this report .

San Pedro resident Jodi Hughes and her children, ages 3 and 5, joined other families for an Open Our Schools rally at L.A. City Hall on Saturday.
Los Angeles County on Monday reached two unwelcome milestones in its fight against the novel coronavirus: 300,000 cases and 7,000 deaths.
The magnitude of those figures, officials say, reinforces the importance of continued caution in the face of a pandemic that is surging in many parts of the country and locally has made a worrying upward turn.
While recent increases in the number of cases in L.A. County have not been as steep as those seen over the summer, when coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths shot to new heights throughout the state, they are nevertheless “a cause for concern,” public health director Barbara Ferrer said Monday.
The rise — which has seen the daily average number of new cases grow from under 1,000 in early October to almost 1,200 as of last week — is the result “of decisions we collectively made two to three weeks ago, and the action we’re taking today will influence whether we continue our recovery journey, we stall, or we step backward,” she said during a briefing.
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“If you’ve eased up over the past few weeks as there are more opportunities for interacting with others, it’s time to go back to being extremely careful,” she said.
The county reported 830 new COVID-19 cases Sunday and another 861 on Monday, which pushed the total number of people infected past 300,000. Eight new fatalities raised the death toll to 7,000.
The number of deaths, Ferrer said, is “a grim reminder of the horrific impact COVID-19 has had on so many of our families.”
Though the daily case totals announced Sunday and Monday offered a reprieve from a three-day run of high positive case counts that were the result of a backlog caused by technical problems with the state’s computer tracking system, officials warned the low figures are at least partly the result of weekend reporting delays.
There has been an overall uptick recently in the local number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients — from 722 on Oct. 19 to 767 as of Monday — though that figure remains substantially below the peak seen during the summer’s coronavirus surge.
Ferrer said one likely culprit for the recent increase in cases is people easing up on the precautions they have been taking, socializing with people outside their immediate family and not doing so safely.
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In particular, this could be the case, she said, if people are coming together to cheer on local sports teams like the Lakers, who recently won the NBA title, or the Dodgers, who are hoping to secure the World Series crown this week.
Fan exuberance — howling in joy or despair, hugging or high-fiving complete strangers, staying in close proximity with others for an hours-long broadcast — runs counter to the safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
“I think it’s really wonderful that we have both incredible teams with so much talent and also incredible spirit amongst people in L.A. County who root with their hearts and their souls for their teams to do well,” Ferrer said. “The downside of this is, during a pandemic, some of the things we’ve done in the past just don’t make sense.”
California Young adults still driving COVID-19 cases in L.A. County Officials stressed that the disease can strike any age group and that personal decisions on adhering to prevention measures will dictate when the county can further lift restrictions on businesses and public facilities.
California as a whole surpassed 900,000 confirmed cases of the virus over the weekend. More than 17,300 people have died statewide, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker.
Though the state’s overall number of cases and deaths continues to be among the highest in the nation — not surprising, given it is by far the most populous state — California has, to this point, seemingly avoided the significant surge currently striking many other parts of the country.
The U.S. on Sunday reached a new high for the average number of new cases over a seven-day period with 68,954, according to the COVID Tracking Project. The tally surpassed a previous peak of cases that came in July.
About half of states in the U.S. have seen their highest daily infection numbers at some point in October, and the country as a whole came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday.
As of Monday morning, there had been more than 8.6 million total confirmed infections in the U.S., according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. More than 225,000 Americans have died.
It’s not just the United States that’s wrestling with renewed outbreaks. Nations across Europe are enacting more sweeping restrictions to try to slow surging infection rates as a long-feared winter wave of the coronavirus seems to be materializing.
World & Nation Fear and anxiety spike in coronavirus hot spots across U.S. as Trump downplays pandemic About half of U.S. states have seen their highest daily coronavirus infection numbers so far at some point in October, and the country as a whole came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday
It’s amid this landscape that California health officials find themselves trying to strike a delicate balance between further reopening sections of the state’s battered economy and staving off a significant surge.
The state has implemented a color-coded, four-tier reopening road map, which relies on new case and testing positivity rates to determine how widely individual counties can reopen businesses and other communal spaces.
L.A. is one of 12 counties currently placed in the most restrictive Tier 1, also known as the purple tier, which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission.
For the counties in that category — which include San Bernardino, Imperial and Riverside in Southern California — many businesses and public facilities either cannot operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity.
By comparison, only nine of the state’s 58 counties are in Tier 4 — the least restrictive “yellow” tier — of the reopening plan. Those counties, which as of last week include San Francisco, can resume most business operations with modifications.
California How San Francisco became a COVID-19 success story as other cities stumbled San Francisco shut down early in the pandemic and later limited reopening. Now the city is the first urban center in California where the risk of infection is rated as minimal.
In Riverside County, which slid back to the purple tier just last week, officials stressed that residents need to follow safety measures like regular handwashing, maintaining physical distancing and wearing masks in public.
Getting tested for the coronavirus is also an important tool to help stymie the spread and get the county moving back in the right direction, the officials said.
“If you’re medically vulnerable, detecting the infection early might reduce your risk of complications and, even if you’re well, it means you can take precautions sooner to avoid spreading it to your family or workplace,” county public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement. “If we can get less spread, fewer people will be at risk, and that’s the most important goal.”
Still, even though a broad reopening remains off the table for now in L.A. County, officials have relaxed some coronavirus-related restrictions recently.
Last week, the county revised the local health order to permit personal care services such as massage and tattoo parlors to resume modified indoor operations, eliminate a requirement that customers at wineries and breweries make reservations, remove the food service requirement for wineries, and allow family entertainment centers to reopen outdoor attractions such as go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses and batting cages.
County schools also will be permitted to bring 25% of their students back to campus at a time, provided they need special services best offered in person.
Officials have “learned a lot” about balancing reopening with safety over the past few months, Ferrer said, and “we’ve been much more deliberate” about making sure businesses are complying with COVID-19 protocols.
Still, though, she stressed that personal decisions will continue to play a key role in determining whether the county progresses or regresses in its recovery journey.
“If everybody was wearing their face covering and everybody was keeping their distance, we’d be moving a lot quicker through our tiers,” she said.
“If that’s what it takes to get our schools reopened and that’s what it takes to keep people at work,” she added, “I think that’s a small price to pay right now.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-26--PG&E cuts power to 361,000 as fierce Diablo winds blow through Northern California

Autumn winds are kicking up in Northern California again this week , increasing the risk of wildfires and causing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to shut off power to about 361,000 customers in the weather-weary region .
As a preventative measure in the face of Diablo winds and single-digit humidity levels , parts of 36 counties and 17 tribal communities are losing power , according to PG & E .
“ PG & E is calling a [ public safety power shutoff ] due to a significant , offshore wind event starting Sunday that is forecast to have the driest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wildfire season thus far , that together create high risk of catastrophic wildfires , ” PG & E said in Strong Diablo winds are expected in much of the area surrounding the Sacramento Valley , most of the Sierra , parts of southern Kern County and the mountainous regions of the Bay Area , including the Santa Cruz Mountains .
Red flag warnings are in place for most of Northern California .
A warning for the North Bay Mountains and the East Bay Hills is in place through Tuesday afternoon , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal regions , Santa Cruz Mountains and the lower valleys expires at 11 a.m. Monday .
Winds are around 40 to 60 mph in much of the area , said National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Schneider .
A 94-mph gust blew through part of Tahoe overnight , and Mt .
Saint Helena saw gusts at 89 mph , according to the weather service .
Relative humidity is hovering in the 20s and below across the Bay Area , with at least some areas dipping to 5 % , forecasters said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schneider said .
“ We ’ ve been kind of lucky here .
We haven ’ t had any major fires starting overnight in our area .
But it ’ s certainly dry enough.
” A few small fires did ignite , but emergency responders were able to snuff them out before they grew , she said .
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection units for San Mateo and Santa Cruz reported downed trees in Half Moon Bay .
Once the fierce offshore winds taper off Tuesday , lower temperatures are expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nights in parts of the Bay Area , Schneider said .
Dry air and clear skies have already caused temperatures to plummet in parts of the valley .
Forecasters say the marine layer should return later in the week , bringing mild weather .

Autumn winds are kicking up in Northern California again this week, increasing the risk of wildfires and causing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to shut off power to about 361,000 customers in the weather-weary region.
As a preventative measure in the face of Diablo winds and single-digit humidity levels, parts of 36 counties and 17 tribal communities are losing power, according to PG&E.
“PG&E is calling a [public safety power shutoff] due to a significant, offshore wind event starting Sunday that is forecast to have the driest humidity levels and the strongest winds of the wildfire season thus far, that together create high risk of catastrophic wildfires,” PG&E said in a statement Sunday.
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California Orange County under siege by wildfires; 2 firefighters gravely burned The fast-moving Silverado fire broke out in Orange County on Monday and quickly grew to more than 7,000 acres. Southern California Edison says its equipment may be to blame. A second blaze started hours later in Corona and forced evacuations in Yorba Linda.
Strong Diablo winds are expected in much of the area surrounding the Sacramento Valley, most of the Sierra, parts of southern Kern County and the mountainous regions of the Bay Area, including the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Red flag warnings are in place for most of Northern California. A warning for the North Bay Mountains and the East Bay Hills is in place through Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, while another warning for the coastal regions, Santa Cruz Mountains and the lower valleys expires at 11 a.m. Monday.
Winds are around 40 to 60 mph in much of the area, said National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Schneider. A 94-mph gust blew through part of Tahoe overnight, and Mt. Saint Helena saw gusts at 89 mph, according to the weather service.
Strong winds continue early this morning across #NorCal. The strongest winds are occurring over the higher elevations of the northern #SierraNevada where gusts over 70 mph have been reported. Gusty winds will persist into midday with critical fire weather conditions. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/7JUcdq0kJS — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) October 26, 2020
Relative humidity is hovering in the 20s and below across the Bay Area, with at least some areas dipping to 5%, forecasters said.
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“It’s been very dry,” Schneider said. “We’ve been kind of lucky here. We haven’t had any major fires starting overnight in our area. But it’s certainly dry enough.”
A few small fires did ignite, but emergency responders were able to snuff them out before they grew, she said. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection units for San Mateo and Santa Cruz reported downed trees in Half Moon Bay.
Once the fierce offshore winds taper off Tuesday, lower temperatures are expected to roll in, making for cooler nights in parts of the Bay Area, Schneider said. Dry air and clear skies have already caused temperatures to plummet in parts of the valley. Forecasters say the marine layer should return later in the week, bringing mild weather.