latimes--2020-08-21--It's déjà vu in the Bay Area as fires again force evacuations and cloud the skies

Fires across California continued to expand Thursday , most critically in the North Bay and Santa Cruz mountains , propelled by erratic winds near the coast and hampered by resources stretched thin by dozens of blazes .
From the Salinas Valley to wine country , smoke as thick as fog in some places made it feel as if flames were everywhere .
Thousands fled to shelters and hotels , the pandemic ever present but posing a distant risk compared to fire .
In the Sonoma County town of Healdsburg , under an evacuation warning , residents prepared to leave , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
So many fires burned in the numerous low mountain ranges surrounding the San Francisco Bay that the region was home to the world ’ s worst air quality Wednesday night and Thursday morning , according to the website PurpleAir .
In all , more than 492,000 acres have burned in Northern and Central California — the equivalent of 762 square miles , more than the land area of the city of Los Angeles .
At least 134 structures have been destroyed , and while the combination of heat and wind eased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to taper off soon .
“ In the past four days , there have been over 370 new wildfires , “ said Daniel Berlant , a Cal Fire information officer , “ with two dozen of the major fires still burning in California.
” He said 60,000 people are under evacuation orders , and 100,000 more are under warnings .
Flames reared up in communities from the dry hills west of the San Joaquin Valley to the edge of San Jose , nearing the famed Lick Observatory , which serves astronomers from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal hamlets , such as Jenner and Davenport , which are far more often beset by fog and brisk ocean breezes .
Officials at UC Santa Cruz , the thickly wooded campus above its namesake city , announced voluntary evacuations , with a designated area for people to gather on the boardwalk .
Just to the east , winds drove fire deep into the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains , causing extensive damage at Big Basin Redwoods State Park , California ’ s oldest .
“ We are devastated to report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have known it , loved it , and cherished it for generations , is gone , ” tweeted the Sempervirens Fund , a group dedicated to protecting the local redwoods .
“ I couldn ’ t stress more the importance of leaving when those orders come out , I really can ’ t , ” Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Chief Deputy Chris Clark said during a briefing Thursday .
“ There are people that are unaccounted for that we are looking to try to determine where they are , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , you just don ’ t know how things are going to go.
” The multitude of ignitions were mostly sparked by a freak summer lightning storm Sunday , which hit at the worst possible time , when the grass and brush were at their driest .
Southern California also broiled under a scrim of smoke , converging from several fires started last week , mainly the Apple Fire in Riverside County , and the Lake Fire in the Angeles National Forest .
But the bad air was nothing like the acrid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it in the Silicon Valley .
“ Smoky and hazy conditions are likely to impact portions of the region through at least this upcoming weekend , ” the National Weather Service said .
Experts advised staying indoors if possible , and wearing a mask diligently outside — for both the smoke and the coronavirus , which can be spread by coughing .
In the North Bay area , it was the sense of déjà vu that was most dispiriting .
From Fairfield and Vacaville west to the Napa and Sonoma valleys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 by catastrophic blazes .
On Thursday , Harvest Echols was tired of running from fire , tired of packing up her kids , tired of this wine country town that seems to come close to burning every year .
Now faced with her third fire evacuation , she is , she said — as she tried not to cry — “ just trying to keep it together.
” That meant packing up the dark gray trailer she and her husband , Healdsburg vice mayor Shaun McCaffery , bought just before the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming about as predictable as Labor Day or Halloween : evacuation day .
For the last three years , Sonoma ’ s inhabitants have been forced out by flames as wildfire season seems to grow stronger and longer .
Echols remembers the middle-of-the-night run she had to do last October when the Kincade fire was close enough that its orange glow crested the nearby hills .
Then , she and her two kids , Leo , 14 and Lili , 12 , left McCaffery behind to guard the house and headed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pounding on their door alerted them that the hotel was in danger of burning .
They fled again , through dark country roads jammed with traffic , finally sleeping in their car in the parking lot of the Santa Rosa fairgrounds .
Two years before that , the deadly Tubbs fire sent them running .
They drove hours of winding roads to the coast , renting the only house they could find in Ft. Bragg , a “ mansion ” that she thinks must have cost a fortune , but was all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t told her how much they spent .
And though the Camp fire in Paradise in 2018 wasn ’ t close enough to force them out , it brought its own trauma .
A thick smoke settled on Healdsburg , casting them in the dark for days , she said , and leaving her thinking about the dead as she breathed that air .
“ To know all those bodies were burned up in there was horrible , ” she said .
Fire experts say the North Bay has been hit hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & E ’ s power equipment failures but also because of a warmer climate and an influx of invasive species .
These include an exotic plant called ripgut brome grass , which has moved into the oak woodlands , said Don Hankin , a geography and planning professor at Chico State University .
Much of the region was little-touched by fire prior to 2015 , making it more flammable , others note .
Within the region , the area scorched by fire between 2015 and 2018 amounted to 50 % of what had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said John Abatzoglou , an associate professor in UC Merced ’ s school of engineering .
Californians may have to get used to it .
“ I don ’ t see a future where we ’ re going to return to many smoke-free years in a row again , ” he said .
For the Echols family , the wind mercifully stalled Thursday , allowing them time for an organized retreat .
After last year ’ s evacuation , both kids missed weeks of school .
Echols feels like it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends , they miss school , they miss normalcy , ” said McCaffery .
McCaffery said their anxiety is becoming normal this time of year in wine country , when the dry grass starts rasping in the wind .
“ It just kind of wears on people that they might have to go , ” he said .
“ It ’ s just triggering that emotional reaction in everyone that this is a danger.
” Gabriela Orantes volunteers to help vulnerable Latino workers during the fires .
When the Kincade hit last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week at the evacuation center in Petaluma , acting as a translator for the many workers who speak not only Spanish , but also indigenous languages that often leave them with little information in an emergency , she said .
She is “ dismayed , ” she said , that although many in the Latino community have been forced to evacuate four or even five times in recent years , there is still what she believes to be insufficient outreach to ensure their safety .
“ We ’ ve learned that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the city messaging to be accurate , ” when it comes to translations , she said .
“ It still feels like we are learning every time.
” Just off the town square , Ann Foster and her daughter Molly sat at an outdoor table at Williamson Wine eating truffled gouda and drinking pinot noir as ash swirled like snowflakes .
It was a bit of time together before Molly moves to Spokane .
The elder Foster evacuated from the two fires before this and was wondering how much more she could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last night , I was ready to retire and move to the Pacific Northwest , ” she said .
Around the corner , Gina Gandeza smoked a cigarette in front of her apartment complex .
She too evacuated last year and would have left last night , but her two adult daughters work at businesses that are still open — a gas station and a convenience store .
Those places won ’ t close until there is a mandatory evacuation order , she said , and she won ’ t leave without them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said Healdsburg will remain her home , she knew many locals were tired of this annual run .
“ A lot of people have been talking about Oregon lately , ” she said .
Staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Leila Miller and Luke Money contributed to this report .

Anita Chabria, Joe Mozingo, Joseph Serna

Firefighter Ian Johnson watches as an air tanker drops retardant to keep the River fire from reaching a home in Salinas. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A home in the Sky Ranch community burns in the Carmel fire near Carmel Valley. (Nic Coury / Associated Press)
Flames consume a cabin at the Nichelini Family Winery in unincorporated Napa County as the Hennessey fire burns in Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Horses stand in an enclosure as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Seen in a long-exposure photograph, embers burn along a hillside above Lake Berryessa as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Matt Nichols sprays water while trying to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through Vacaville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Seen in a long-exposure photograph, embers burn along a hillside as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Bill Nichols, 84, works to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through Vacaville. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
An air tanker drops retardant as the LNU Lightning Complex fire tears through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville on Wednesday. The highway was closed in both directions shortly afterward. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A firefighter walks through an area burned by the Hennessey fire along Solar Hills drive in Vacaville. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters from Eugene, Ore., walk beside an area burning along Pine Flat Road during the CZU August Lightning Complex fire in Felton. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A plume of smoke billows over Healdsburg as the LNU Lightning Complex fire continues to burn. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Charles Chavira, left, and Thomas Henney watch a plume of smoke spread over Healdsburg as the LNU Lightning Complex fire continues to burn. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A crew cuts down foliage and trees near some structures in preparation in Boulder Creek. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Ben Lomond firefighters work on a blaze at The Sequoia Retreat Center during the CZU August Lightning Complex Fires on Friday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters keeps watch as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Smoke hangs low in the air at Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods are still on fire on Saturday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
The Big Basin Redwoods State Park Headquarters & Visitor Center which was built in 1936 was one of the structures lost to the blaze that tore through the state park. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Hand crews work on a hillside above the Boulder Creek Community Church as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire on Sunday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters watches as the fire line creeps up on Highway 9 during the CZU Lightning complex fire on Sunday. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Burned vehicles and rubble from homes are left after the CZU Lightning Complex Fire tore through Sunday in Boulder Creek, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
Firefighters protect a home in the Berryessa Estates neighborhood of unincorporated Napa County, Calif., as the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn on Friday. The blaze forced thousands to flee and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Fires across California continued to expand Thursday, most critically in the North Bay and Santa Cruz mountains, propelled by erratic winds near the coast and hampered by resources stretched thin by dozens of blazes.
From the Salinas Valley to wine country, smoke as thick as fog in some places made it feel as if flames were everywhere. Thousands fled to shelters and hotels, the pandemic ever present but posing a distant risk compared to fire. In the Sonoma County town of Healdsburg, under an evacuation warning, residents prepared to leave, some for the third time in four years.
So many fires burned in the numerous low mountain ranges surrounding the San Francisco Bay that the region was home to the world’s worst air quality Wednesday night and Thursday morning, according to the website PurpleAir.
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In all, more than 700,000 acres have burned in Northern and Central California, displacing more than 60,000 people. At least 134 structures have been destroyed, and while the combination of heat and wind eased slightly Thursday, it is not expected to taper off soon.
“In the past four days, there have been over 370 new wildfires, “said Daniel Berlant, a Cal Fire information officer, “with two dozen of the major fires still burning in California.”
Flames reared up in communities from the dry hills west of the San Joaquin Valley to the edge of San Jose, nearing the famed Lick Observatory, which serves astronomers from the University of California.
They threatened small coastal hamlets, such as Jenner and Davenport, which are far more often beset by fog and brisk ocean breezes.
Late Thursday, authorities ordered the evacuation of UC Santa, a campus that typically educates more than 18,000 students. Those on campus were urged to go to the city’s beach boardwalk.
Just to the east, winds drove fire deep into the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, causing extensive damage at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California’s oldest.
“We are devastated to report that Big Basin State Park, as we have known it, loved it, and cherished it for generations, is gone,” tweeted the Sempervirens Fund, a group dedicated to protecting the local redwoods.
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“I couldn’t stress more the importance of leaving when those orders come out, I really can’t,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Chris Clark said during a briefing Thursday. “There are people that are unaccounted for that we are looking to try to determine where they are, so I stress that because, with this fire, you just don’t know how things are going to go.”
The multitude of ignitions were mostly sparked by a freak summer lightning storm Sunday, which hit at the worst possible time, when the grass and brush were at their driest.
Southern California also broiled under a scrim of smoke, converging from several fires started last week, mainly the Apple Fire in Riverside County, and the Lake Fire in the Angeles National Forest.
But the bad air was nothing like the acrid clouds smothering Northern California — the worst of it in the Silicon Valley.
“Smoky and hazy conditions are likely to impact portions of the region through at least this upcoming weekend,” the National Weather Service said.
Experts advised staying indoors if possible, and wearing a mask diligently outside — for both the smoke and the coronavirus, which can be spread by coughing.
In the North Bay area, it was the sense of déjà vu that was most dispiriting. From Fairfield and Vacaville west to the Napa and Sonoma valleys, the region has been devastated repeatedly since 2017 by catastrophic blazes.
On Thursday, Harvest Echols was tired of running from fire, tired of packing up her kids, tired of this wine country town that seems to come close to burning every year. Now faced with her third fire evacuation, she is, she said — as she tried not to cry — “just trying to keep it together.”
That meant packing up the dark gray trailer she and her husband, Healdsburg vice mayor Shaun McCaffery, bought just before the pandemic in preparation for the moment that is becoming about as predictable as Labor Day or Halloween: evacuation day.
For the last three years, Sonoma’s inhabitants have been forced out by flames as wildfire season seems to grow stronger and longer.
Echols remembers the middle-of-the-night run she had to do last October when the Kincade fire was close enough that its orange glow crested the nearby hills. Then, she and her two kids, Leo, 14 and Lili, 12, left McCaffery behind to guard the house and headed to a hotel in Sebastapol.
But within hours, pounding on their door alerted them that the hotel was in danger of burning. They fled again, through dark country roads jammed with traffic, finally sleeping in their car in the parking lot of the Santa Rosa fairgrounds.
Two years before that, the deadly Tubbs fire sent them running. They drove hours of winding roads to the coast, renting the only house they could find in Ft. Bragg, a “mansion” that she thinks must have cost a fortune, but was all they could find. McCaffery still hasn’t told her how much they spent.
And though the Camp fire in Paradise in 2018 wasn’t close enough to force them out, it brought its own trauma. A thick smoke settled on Healdsburg, casting them in the dark for days, she said, and leaving her thinking about the dead as she breathed that air.
“To know all those bodies were burned up in there was horrible,” she said.
Fire experts say the North Bay has been hit hard in recent years partly because of PG&E’s power equipment failures but also because of a warmer climate and an influx of invasive species. These include an exotic plant called ripgut brome grass, which has moved into the oak woodlands, said Don Hankins, a geography and planning professor at Chico State University.
Much of the region was little-touched by fire prior to 2015, making it more flammable, others note. Within the region, the area scorched by fire between 2015 and 2018 amounted to 50% of what had burned there in the previous 65 years, said John Abatzoglou, an associate professor in UC Merced’s school of engineering.
Californians may have to get used to it. “I don’t see a future where we’re going to return to many smoke-free years in a row again,” he said.
For the Echols family, the wind mercifully stalled Thursday, allowing them time for an organized retreat.
After last year’s evacuation, both kids missed weeks of school. Echols feels like it’s adding up.
“They miss their friends, they miss school, they miss normalcy,” said McCaffery.
McCaffery said their anxiety is becoming normal this time of year in wine country, when the dry grass starts rasping in the wind. “It just kind of wears on people that they might have to go,” he said. “It’s just triggering that emotional reaction in everyone that this is a danger.”
Gabriela Orantes volunteers to help vulnerable Latino workers during the fires. When the Kincade hit last year, she spent 12-hour days for a week at the evacuation center in Petaluma, acting as a translator for the many workers who speak not only Spanish, but also indigenous languages that often leave them with little information in an emergency, she said.
She is “dismayed,” she said, that although many in the Latino community have been forced to evacuate four or even five times in recent years, there is still what she believes to be insufficient outreach to ensure their safety. “We’ve learned that we can’t count on the county messaging or the city messaging to be accurate,” when it comes to translations, she said. “It still feels like we are learning every time.”
Just off the town square, Ann Foster and her daughter Molly sat at an outdoor table at Williamson Wine eating truffled gouda and drinking pinot noir as ash swirled like snowflakes. It was a bit of time together before Molly moves to Spokane.
The elder Foster evacuated from the two fires before this and was wondering how much more she could take. “If you asked me last night, I was ready to retire and move to the Pacific Northwest,” she said.
Around the corner, Gina Gandeza smoked a cigarette in front of her apartment complex. She too evacuated last year and would have left last night, but her two adult daughters work at businesses that are still open — a gas station and a convenience store. Those places won’t close until there is a mandatory evacuation order, she said, and she won’t leave without them.
Her car was packed and though she said Healdsburg will remain her home, she knew many locals were tired of this annual run.
“A lot of people have been talking about Oregon lately,” she said.
Staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Leila Miller and Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-21--Golden State Killer to be sentenced for crimes that terrorized a generation of Californians

All that now awaits the Golden State Killer is an end of his days in prison .
A Sacramento County judge on Friday will sentence the 74-year-old serial rapist and murderer to 26 life terms for killing 13 people and raping 50 in a series of break-ins that terrorized a state .
But as the historic criminal case comes to an end , victims and prosecutors struggle with what constitutes justice after four decades of suffering and loss .
“ To say our family is in grief is an understatement .
Calling this true justice is probably an overstatement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder victim Greg Sanchez , told Judge Michael Bowman in Sacramento County Superior Court this week during three days of impact statements .
“ Justice is not possible in this case , ” said Jennifer Carole , the daughter of another murdered victim , Lyman Smith , and his wife , Charlene .
“ And because of that , I can have no peace.
” The 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. marked the first cold case in the nation to be solved by tracking a killer through the DNA of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeAngelo has admitted to crimes originally attributed to multiple assailants in the 1970s and 1980s , each with his own sobriquet — the Visalia Ransacker , East Area Rapist and Original Night Stalker .
It wasn ’ t until DNA connected the crimes that the unknown attacker was rebranded the Golden State Killer .
The crimes began as window peeping in DeAngelo ’ s hometown of Rancho Cordova .
They progressed to bedroom burglaries and panty thefts in Visalia , and then the murder of a college instructor who caught the intruder attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The rapes that ensued became more violent , as DeAngelo began to attack couples together , and later , to kill them .
The investigations were often botched by law enforcement agencies refusing to cooperate , but the crimes also instigated major advances in criminal justice laws and tools .
They were cited by women ’ s rights advocates to successfully increase the penalties for rape .
A political crusade launched and funded by the family of murder victim Keith Harrington fueled a California law requiring felons to add their DNA to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harrington ’ s older brother , Ron , used his victim statement in court this week to make the case for overriding privacy concerns and preserving police access to consumer genealogy sites , like the one detectives used to identify DeAngelo .
“ It is so important for law enforcement to be allowed to solve cold cases using public access DNA sites , ” he said .
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors , DeAngelo admitted to carrying out 53 attacks on 87 victims in 11 counties , starting in 1975 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a teenage girl in Orange County in 1986 .
Authorities believe he is also responsible for two more sexual assaults and a shooting for which he was not charged .
In exchange for his plea , prosecutors agreed to spare him the death penalty .
He is to be sentenced to 11 life terms without the possibility of parole , to be served consecutively , plus 15 life terms and eight years .
Prosecutors from Ventura , Orange , Santa Barbara , Sacramento , Contra Costa and Tulare counties are scheduled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recounted painful and often remarkable stories of human suffering and triumph with their own presentation on Friday .
But they also are intent on proving that DeAngelo is conning the court , and want to enter into the record a video of DeAngelo as he bounds about his jail cell , seeking to block the bright light from a high window with cardboard .
In court appearances , DeAngelo appears thin and stooped , often reliant on a wheelchair .
Among those filing victim statements was DeAngelo ’ s ex-wife .
Sharon Huddle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murders of the 1970s and 1980s , but moved out with their three daughters not long after .
She finalized their divorce after his arrest .
“ I have lost my ability to trust people , ” Huddle wrote in a brief statement , telling the court DeAngelo ’ s crimes “ have had a devastating and pervasive ” effect on both her and her family .
“ I trusted the defendant when he told me he had to work , or was pheasant hunting , or going to visit his parents hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silent most of the two-year court case , beyond expressing sympathy for victims shortly after DeAngelo ’ s arrest .
Huddle did not say what she wished to happen with her former husband .
She instead concluded , “ I wish that nothing I say here will detract from any other person ’ s impact statement .
”

Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., known as the Golden State Killer, stands in court while apologizing to his victims before a judge sentenced him to spend the rest of his life in prison.
All that now awaits the Golden State Killer is an end of his days in prison.
A Sacramento County judge Friday sentenced 74-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. to life without parole for killing 13 people and raping 50 in a series of break-ins that terrorized the state.
Judge Michael Bowman handed down the sentence in the ballroom at Sacramento State University, where DeAngelo, a former police officer, graduated nearly 50 years ago with a degree in criminal justice.
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Among those in attendance for the filled-to-capacity proceedings were victims, family members, prosecutors from nearly a dozen counties — including Ventura, Orange, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Contra Costa and Tulare, the six prosecuting DeAngelo — former case detectives, and even newspaper reporters who covered the first of the crimes in the 1970s.
Before he was officially sentenced, DeAngelo rose easily from his wheelchair and, for the first time, addressed the victims who had recounted over the last few days in court horrific details about the ordeal that has haunted them for decades.
“I’ve listened to all your statements, each one of them,” he said in a halting but clear voice. “And I’m truly sorry to everyone I’ve hurt.”
Contra Costa County Dist. Atty. Diana Becton called DeAngelo “the boogeyman, the man whose horrific, unspeakable crimes devastated the lives of so many people, lives that will never be the same, lives forever changed, moments, hours of terror that can never be erased or forgotten.”
But as the historic criminal case came to an end, victims and prosecutors struggled with what constitutes justice after four decades of suffering and loss.
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“To say our family is in grief is an understatement. Calling this true justice is probably an overstatement,” Bryan Sanchez, nephew of 1981 murder victim Greg Sanchez, told the judge this week during three days of impact statements.
“Justice is not possible in this case,” said Jennifer Carole, whose father, Lyman Smith, and his wife, Charlene, were murdered by DeAngelo. “And because of that, I can have no peace.”
DeAngelo’s 2018 arrest marked the first cold case in the nation to be solved by tracking a killer through the DNA of his family members on public genealogy sites.
Since his capture, he has admitted to crimes originally attributed to multiple assailants in the 1970s and ’80s, each with his own sobriquet — the Visalia Ransacker, East Area Rapist and Original Night Stalker. It wasn’t until DNA connected the crimes that the unknown attacker was rebranded the Golden State Killer.
“These rapes and these murders, in the words of our victims, have cut across families, friends, generations and entire communities,” Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert said.
She added that “my greatest hope is perhaps put into their own words ... the greatest revenge is to live your lives. Paint your children’s and your grandchildren’s rooms with hearts and rainbows” — a reference to the decor of a bedroom where one 13-year-old victim was attacked.
Schubert drew applause in challenging DeAngelo’s appearance in court as old, wheelchair-bound and infirm. At a news conference after the hearing, she played several video clips showing him doing stretches and otherwise moving easily around his jail cell.
The counts against DeAngelo, detailing more than 100 criminal offenses, were so numerous that Bowman needed 22 minutes to read them aloud and impose the accompanying sentences, the maximum allowed under law after prosecutors had agreed not to seek the death penalty.
Alice Michel, one of DeAngelo’s public defenders, acknowledged the pain her client had inflicted.
“We hope that, by admitting these offenses, Mr. DeAngelo has provided some peace to the survivors and their loved ones, and we hope that these proceedings have provided some relief.”
DeAngelo’s apology took his first rape victim, Phyllis Henneman, by surprise. However, she was not moved.
“They’re just words,” she said from her own wheelchair.
California Full coverage: ‘Man in the Window’ To an early love interest, Joe DeAngelo was energetic and worldly. Now, nearly 50 years later, he stands accused of an extended spasm of violence — home invasions, rapes, murders — in the 1970s and ’80s.
Immediately before issuing the sentence, Bowman spoke to DeAngelo about the words of his victims, saying, “I was moved by their courage, their grace, their strength, all qualities you clearly lack.”
He added that he “could not help but wonder, what are you thinking? Are you capable of comprehending the pain and anguish you have caused?”
The crimes began as window peeping in DeAngelo’s hometown of Rancho Cordova. They progressed to bedroom burglaries and panty thefts in Visalia, and then the murder of Claude Snelling, a college instructor who caught the intruder attempting to abduct his 16-year-old daughter from her bedroom in 1975.
The rapes that ensued became more violent as DeAngelo began to attack couples together and, later, to kill them.
While DeAngelo typically dragged women out of bed and away from their husbands to rape them in other rooms, crime scene evidence shows the couples he murdered died in bed beside each other.
“It wasn’t enough for him to rape or beat or shoot his victims,” said Santa Barbara County Dist. Atty. Joyce Dudley. “He wanted to take inflicting human pain to the highest level possible. Therefore, he often ensured that their loved ones saw or heard their loved ones being killed. That’s who Joe DeAngelo is.”
The investigations were often botched by law enforcement agencies refusing to cooperate, but the crimes also instigated major advances in criminal justice laws and tools. They were cited by women’s rights advocates to successfully increase the penalties for rape. A political crusade launched and funded by the family of murder victim Keith Harrington fueled a California law requiring felons to add their DNA to a databank used to hunt criminals.
Harrington’s older brother, Ron, used his victim statement in court this week to make the case for overriding privacy concerns and preserving police access to consumer genealogy sites, like the one detectives used to identify DeAngelo.
As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, DeAngelo admitted to carrying out 53 attacks on 87 victims in 11 counties, starting in 1975 and ending with the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Orange County in 1986. Authorities believe he is also responsible for two more sexual assaults and a shooting for which he was not charged.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to spare him the death penalty. He was sentenced to 11 life terms without the possibility of parole, to be served consecutively, plus 15 life terms and eight years.
Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said Friday that he still believes “this beast deserved the ultimate punishment of death,” but the extended time involved in bringing a capital punishment case to trial and through appeals made DeAngelo’s execution unlikely, considering his age, and the toll on victims for all that time too great.
DeAngelo’s defense lawyers read aloud letters of anguish, support and love from family and friends who described a different DeAngelo.
Michel read a statement from a niece of his, who called him “kind and loving” and her “favorite person.”
“He made my life peaceful. He is part of why I am a good, kind, loving person today,” the unidentified niece wrote, adding, “I am thankful I had him in my life.”
Among those filing victim statements was DeAngelo’s ex-wife. Sharon Huddle lived with him during the rapes and murders of the 1970s and ’80s but moved out with their three daughters not long after. She finalized their divorce after his arrest.
Huddle has remained silent most of the two-year court case, beyond expressing sympathy for victims shortly after DeAngelo’s arrest.
She told the court DeAngelo’s crimes “have had a devastating and pervasive” effect on her and her family. She did not say what she wished to happen with her former husband, but said she hoped “that nothing I say here will detract from any other person’s impact statement.”


latimes--2020-08-21--'It's a frustrating period.' Yet LAUSD teachers muster smiles on the first day of school

It wasn ’ t problem free and frustrations flared through the day , but as formal instruction began Thursday in Los Angeles public schools , students , parents and teachers attempted to project a positive face on the difficult work of distance-learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Also on Thursday , L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner provided new details on how the district ’ s nascent COVID-19 testing and contract tracing would work .
These plans became slightly more pressing when a county health official suggested that positive health trends could soon permit the potential reopening of elementary schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of tiny faces appeared on screen for online classes , provoking worry among some teachers about how they will get to know and inspire their students in a virtual setting .
The district did not release figures Thursday on attendance or enrollment , although several classes observed by The Times were missing only a few children .
Thursday ‘ s snags tended to be technical , whether it was user error , programmer error , beginners bad luck or system overload .
“ It ’ s all of the above and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fix it , ” said school board member Nick Melvoin , who added that he also saw positives .
“ Most parents are understanding of the difficulties , but it ’ s still frustrating , whether an individual iPad is not working or families are just frustrated .
It ’ s a frustrating period.
” “ There have been lots of technical issues , ” said Jenny Hontz , communications director for Speak Up , an advocacy group in contact with several thousand parents .
Parents are “ spending hours on hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they call the district helpline .
Many are giving up.
” Another advocacy group reported various problems at a school in South Los Angeles , reflecting the struggles of many families in a district where 80 % of students qualify for free or subsidized meals because of low household income .
One father , who can ’ t read or write , could not help his first- and third-grader with their computer woes , for instance .
The students “ need to be taught how to log onto the computer independently , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respective platforms since they will have to do this on their own every day , ” said Elmer G. Roldan , executive director of Communities in Schools of Los Angeles .
Beutner said the goal is to answer hotline calls within five minutes , which he hoped has been happening the majority of the time .
“ We ’ re doing the best we can , ” Beutner said .
“ We have almost 500,000 students .
So there are some peaks.
” Besides the technology helpline , families can call the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or turn to a YouTube help channel .
“ We ’ ll get through all the calls and make sure everyone gets the support .
This week is meant to be that week to find those issues.
” Melvoin said schools may need more support , because some parents call the school before trying the district hotline , which was picking up calls quickly on Thursday afternoon .
“ Teachers are doing IT and their teaching content , ” he added , “ which is too much.
” The district on Thursday provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducting their first lessons on Zoom .
At Eagle Rock Junior-Senior High School , teacher Arlene Alpuerto had the advantage of already knowing many students taking her sports medicine-related classes .
But she also anticipates a class roster of about 250 students over six periods — a lot of tiny faces to keep track of on a laptop .
Her teaching station has two rooms — a classroom and an exercise room for students learning how to be athletic trainers or athletes learning to condition and avoid injuries .
Elsewhere on campus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know more than 20 seventh-graders who are new to the school in her morning medieval world history class .
She understands the importance of making a personal connection with them ; she had strong ties with last year ’ s students by the time campuses closed in March .
Today , however , the students were strangers on a small screen .
About a fourth did not have their cameras turned on .
She walked around with her laptop , giving students a tour of a room she ’ d decorated as though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A bulletin board behind her shouted out : Welcome .
There is so much to figure out .
At Euclid Elementary in Boyle Heights , 11 members of the district ’ s audiometry department gathered six feet apart in the school ’ s cafeteria while troubleshooting how to conduct hearing tests .
The district conducts approximately 240,000 screenings annually .
Typically , a specialist would place a headset over a child and run through close-up tasks .
The mood was upbeat but the Wi-Fi was shaky , forcing them to share ethernet cables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have a strong signal as teachers began their instruction .
Even so , parent Galvina Valverde , who had stopped by to pick up school supplies , could not hide her frustration .
She and her husband run a nearby taco stand and worry about their first-grader , Isabella .
“ There are times when she will be left alone to learn and I don ’ t expect a 6-year-old to pay attention , ” Valverde said .
“ This way of learning doesn ’ t work for everybody.
” Across town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , attendance was almost perfect in the fourth-grade class of Stephanie Ross .
After about 15 minutes of screen time , Ross instructed students to take a “ wiggle break.
” Also on Thursday , Beutner provided more detail about the district ’ s coronavirus testing and tracing program announced on Sunday .
Actual testing did not roll out this week , but the plan call for testing school nurses first .
These nurses would need a clean bill of health because they would be responsible for testing others .
The next step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially those working at schools — before moving on to students .
He envisioned something like drive-through testing , one line for families with symptoms , another for those without .
A Microsoft app that is supposed to be integral to the effort is going through late-stage testing , he said .
Teacher Jancy Amaya had high praise for the efforts undertaken to open as smoothly as possible .
“ The district immediately released tutorials based on the log-in glitches that we had yesterday , ” said Amaya , an English learner instructional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reseda .
“ It does take a village , and I am proud of the resources the district has provided , the combined effort of the dedicated educators at Cleveland , and my administration that has kept us up-to-date with resources throughout the day , ” Amaya said .

Gladys Alvarez, a fifth grade teacher at Manchester Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles, talks to her students via Zoom during a meet-and-greet on Wednesday.
It wasn’t problem free and frustrations flared through the day, but as formal instruction began Thursday in Los Angeles public schools, students, parents and teachers attempted to project a positive face on the difficult work of distance-learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also on Thursday, L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner provided new details on how the district’s nascent COVID-19 testing and contract tracing would work. These plans became slightly more pressing when a county health official suggested that positive health trends could soon permit the potential reopening of elementary schools.
In thousands of classrooms, hundreds of thousands of tiny faces appeared on screen for online classes, provoking worry among some teachers about how they will get to know and inspire their students in a virtual setting.
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The district did not release figures Thursday on attendance or enrollment, although several classes observed by The Times were missing only a few children. Thursday‘s snags tended to be technical, whether it was user error, programmer error, beginners bad luck or system overload.
“It’s all of the above and the district is working around the clock to fix it,” said school board member Nick Melvoin, who added that he also saw positives. “Most parents are understanding of the difficulties, but it’s still frustrating, whether an individual iPad is not working or families are just frustrated. It’s a frustrating period.”
Outside groups reported widespread problems.
“There have been lots of technical issues,” said Jenny Hontz, communications director for Speak Up, an advocacy group in contact with several thousand parents. Parents are “spending hours on hold waiting for someone to pick up when they call the district helpline. Many are giving up.”
Another advocacy group reported various problems at a school in South Los Angeles, reflecting the struggles of many families in a district where 80% of students qualify for free or subsidized meals because of low household income. One father, who can’t read or write, could not help his first- and third-grader with their computer woes, for instance.
The students “need to be taught how to log onto the computer independently, but also taught how to log onto their respective platforms since they will have to do this on their own every day,” said Elmer G. Roldan, executive director of Communities in Schools of Los Angeles.
Beutner said the goal is to answer hotline calls within five minutes, which he hoped has been happening the majority of the time.
“We’re doing the best we can,” Beutner said. “We have almost 500,000 students. So there are some peaks.” Besides the technology helpline, families can call the school or consult a family handbook online and or turn to a YouTube help channel. “We’ll get through all the calls and make sure everyone gets the support. This week is meant to be that week to find those issues.”
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Melvoin said schools may need more support, because some parents call the school before trying the district hotline, which was picking up calls quickly on Thursday afternoon.
“Teachers are doing IT and their teaching content,” he added, “which is too much.”
The district on Thursday provided access to three schools where teachers were conducting their first lessons on Zoom.
At Eagle Rock Junior-Senior High School, teacher Arlene Alpuerto had the advantage of already knowing many students taking her sports medicine-related classes. But she also anticipates a class roster of about 250 students over six periods — a lot of tiny faces to keep track of on a laptop. Her teaching station has two rooms — a classroom and an exercise room for students learning how to be athletic trainers or athletes learning to condition and avoid injuries.
Elsewhere on campus, Alice Lee was trying to get to know more than 20 seventh-graders who are new to the school in her morning medieval world history class. She understands the importance of making a personal connection with them ; she had strong ties with last year’s students by the time campuses closed in March.
Today, however, the students were strangers on a small screen. About a fourth did not have their cameras turned on. She walked around with her laptop, giving students a tour of a room she’d decorated as though they were going to be there. A bulletin board behind her shouted out: Welcome.
There is so much to figure out.
At Euclid Elementary in Boyle Heights, 11 members of the district’s audiometry department gathered six feet apart in the school’s cafeteria while troubleshooting how to conduct hearing tests. The district conducts approximately 240,000 screenings annually. Typically, a specialist would place a headset over a child and run through close-up tasks.
The mood was upbeat but the Wi-Fi was shaky, forcing them to share ethernet cables. The classrooms, however, seemed to have a strong signal as teachers began their instruction.
Even so, parent Galvina Valverde, who had stopped by to pick up school supplies, could not hide her frustration. She and her husband run a nearby taco stand and worry about their first-grader, Isabella.
“There are times when she will be left alone to learn and I don’t expect a 6-year-old to pay attention,” Valverde said. “This way of learning doesn’t work for everybody.”
Across town at at Kenter Canyon Elementary in Brentwood, attendance was almost perfect in the fourth-grade class of Stephanie Ross. After about 15 minutes of screen time, Ross instructed students to take a “wiggle break.”
Also on Thursday, Beutner provided more detail about the district’s coronavirus testing and tracing program announced on Sunday. Actual testing did not roll out this week, but the plan call for testing school nurses first. These nurses would need a clean bill of health because they would be responsible for testing others.
The next step would be expanding to test staff — especially those working at schools — before moving on to students. He envisioned something like drive-through testing, one line for families with symptoms, another for those without.
A Microsoft app that is supposed to be integral to the effort is going through late-stage testing, he said.
Teacher Jancy Amaya had high praise for the efforts undertaken to open as smoothly as possible.
“The district immediately released tutorials based on the log-in glitches that we had yesterday,” said Amaya, an English learner instructional coach at Cleveland Charter High School in Reseda.
“It does take a village, and I am proud of the resources the district has provided, the combined effort of the dedicated educators at Cleveland, and my administration that has kept us up-to-date with resources throughout the day,” Amaya said.


latimes--2020-08-21--UC Santa Cruz evacuates amid fires; students urged to shelter at the beach

A raging and unpredictable complex of wildfires forced authorities Thursday to order the evacuation of UC Santa Cruz , one of the few times students and faculty at a top California learning institution have been forced to flee from flames .
State and local authorities ordered the campus to evacuate late in the day after previously warning that evacuations might be necessary .
Scotts Valley , a hub of Santa Cruz County ’ s tech industry , was also ordered to evacuate , with some residents heading down to the Santa Cruz boardwalk , a refuge from the blazes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be prepared to not return for at least two weeks , ” UC Santa Cruz said in a tweet .
“ The evacuation center for UCSC is in Coconut Grove at the Boardwalk.
” The mascot of UC Santa Cruz is the Banana Slug , a creature that thrives in cool , wet forests .
Santa Cruz has been anything but lately , and the flames from the CZU August Lightning Complex fire threaten to overwhelm a UC campus and possibly push down into Santa Cruz , a city of 64,000 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ UC Santa Cruz , although it is unclear how many were physically on campus or in Santa Cruz before the evacuation order .
The university is working with local hotels to find rooms for students forced to flee .
The CZU August Lightning Complex fire has spread to 48,000 acres , destroyed dozens of structures and forced the evacuations of tens of thousands .
It has destroyed historic structures in Big Basin Redwoods State Park and is jumping across rugged terrain amid a pandemic and multiple fires in Northern California that have challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of late Thursday , more than 492,000 acres have burned in Northern and Central California — the equivalent of roughly 760 square miles , more than the land area of the city of Los Angeles .
At least 134 structures have been destroyed .
Firefighters called the fires hitting San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties the largest in recent memory .
“ It ’ s a historic event .
This fire is historic for an area like San Mateo-Santa Cruz .
We have not seen fires burn like this in this unit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for many , many years .
And those fires were much smaller than what we have in front of us today , ” said Ian Larkin , unit chief for Cal Fire ’ s San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit .
Billy See , a Cal Fire incident commander for the CZU August fire in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties , said the fire grew fast on Thursday — 700 to 1,000 acres an hour in heavy timber .
“ That ’ s a dangerous rate of spread , ” See said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are in historic times in this fire that we ’ re dealing with here on the coast line.
” “ It ’ s a dangerous situation for everyone involved , ” See said .
While more resources and more manpower are arriving , “ it ’ s still not enough .
We ’ re still drastically short for a fire this size.
” See said the return of the cool marine layer and humidities will help , but there ’ s still some concern about the wind , which was expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday nights , with forecast winds of 10 mph to 20 mph at the ridge tops .
There will still be low humidities overnight , he said .
“ This country likes to burn at night , more so than during the day .
And that ’ s because of the wind patterns .
The winds aloft will lower down , and clear out the smoke , which will then increase the fire rate of spread through the vegetation out there , ” See said .
“ It ’ s all based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the fuels conditions right now are very poor , just because of the drought conditions … on this coastline.
” Officials said Thursday night that the fire was encroaching into the San Mateo County communities of Pescadero and Loma Mar .
The Santa Cruz community of Davenport was still threatened , although fire was subsiding on the coastline.The fire has moved its way down to Highway 9 near the mountainous Santa Cruz County community of Ben Lomond , which is also close to the communities of Boulder Creek and Felton .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ structures .
San Mateo County has issued evacuation orders of the towns of Pescadero , San Gregorio and La Honda .
The National Weather Service Thursday night said low pressure was nudging into this area , bringing cooler temperatures and higher humidities .
The smoke plume associated with the fire in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties was blanketing most of the Central Coast in smoke , “ with the plume stretching nearly 600 miles offshore , ” the weather service said .
“ Smoke continues to be trapped over the region owing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and free atmosphere , resulting in poor air quality conditions , ” the weather service said .

A raging and unpredictable complex of wildfires forced authorities Thursday to order the evacuation of UC Santa Cruz, one of the few times students and faculty at a top California learning institution have been forced to flee from flames.
State and local authorities ordered the campus to evacuate late in the day after previously warning that evacuations might be necessary.
Scotts Valley, a hub of Santa Cruz County’s tech industry, was also ordered to evacuate, with some residents heading down to the Santa Cruz boardwalk, a refuge from the blazes.
“All on-campus residents must evacuate now and be prepared to not return for at least two weeks,” UC Santa Cruz said in a tweet. “The evacuation center for UCSC is in Coconut Grove at the Boardwalk.”
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UC Santa Cruz has issued at State of Emergency. All on-campus residents must evacuate now and be prepared to not return for at least two weeks. The evacuation center for UCSC is in Coconut Grove at the Boardwalk. Get more info: https://t.co/Fir6Rth3qX pic.twitter.com/0jh5TPWaJy — UC Santa Cruz (@ucsc) August 21, 2020
The mascot of UC Santa Cruz is the banana slug, a creature that thrives in cool, wet forests. Santa Cruz has been anything but lately, and the flames from the CZU August Lightning Complex fire threaten to overwhelm the campus and possibly push down into Santa Cruz, a city of 64,000.
More than 18,000 students are enrolled at UC Santa Cruz, although it is unclear how many were physically on campus or in Santa Cruz before the evacuation order. The university is working with local hotels to find rooms for students forced to flee.
As of Friday morning, the CZU August Lightning Complex fire was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire. It had spread to more than 50,000 acres, was threatening more than 20,000 structures and had forced the evacuations of roughly 64,000 people. It has destroyed historic structures in Big Basin Redwoods State Park and is jumping across rugged terrain amid a pandemic and multiple fires in Northern California that have challenged fire crews.
As of late Thursday, more than 700,000 acres have burned in Northern and Central California.
Firefighters called the fires hitting San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties the largest in recent memory.
“It’s a historic event. This fire is historic for an area like San Mateo-Santa Cruz. We have not seen fires burn like this in this unit, in either one of these counties, for many, many years. And those fires were much smaller than what we have in front of us today,” said Ian Larkin, unit chief for Cal Fire’s San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit.
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Billy See, a Cal Fire incident commander, said the fire grew fast on Thursday — from 700 to 1,000 acres an hour in heavy timber.
“That’s a dangerous rate of spread,” See said.
“We need to be cognizant that we are in historic times in this fire that we’re dealing with here on the coastline. It’s a dangerous situation for everyone involved,” See said. While more resources and more manpower are arriving, “it’s still not enough. We’re still drastically short for a fire this size.”
See said the return of the cool, humid marine layer would help, but there’s still some concern about the forecast for winds of 10-20 mph on ridge tops. There will still be low humidities overnight, he said.
“This country likes to burn at night, moreso than during the day. And that’s because of the wind patterns. The winds aloft will lower down, and clear out the smoke, which will then increase the fire rate of spread through the vegetation out there,” See said.
“It’s all based on terrain, weather conditions and fuels conditions. And the fuels conditions right now are very poor, just because of the drought conditions.”
Officials said Thursday night that the fire was encroaching into the San Mateo County communities of Pescadero and Loma Mar.
The Santa Cruz County community of Davenport was still threatened, although fire was subsiding on the coastline.The fire has moved down to Highway 9 near the mountainous community of Ben Lomond, which is also close to the communities of Boulder Creek and Felton.
Firefighters were in that area protecting structures. San Mateo County has issued evacuation orders for the towns of Pescadero, San Gregorio and La Honda.
The National Weather Service on Thursday night said low pressure was nudging into the area, bringing cooler temperatures and higher humidities.
The smoke plume associated with the fire was blanketing most of the Central Coast in smoke, “with the plume stretching nearly 600 miles offshore,” the weather service said.
“Smoke continues to be trapped over the region owing to a strong decoupling of the lower and free atmosphere, resulting in poor air quality conditions,” the weather service said.


latimes--2020-08-20--California Democrats gather — mostly socially distanced — to celebrate Biden's nomination

As Joe Biden claimed the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night and spoke of the power of love and hope , more than a half-dozen people gathered in a Long Beach backyard cheered and applauded .
“ I haven ’ t felt that way for so long , ” said Sabrina Sanders , the host of the socially distanced Democratic National Convention viewing party behind her craftsman bungalow in Long Beach .
“ It ’ s inspirational , and being able to share in that moment as a community , as a group , it ’ s that much more powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to be as a country starting Jan. 20.
” The quiet celebration , taking place under a canopy as the sun set and an ocean breeze pierced the sweltering heat , is a far cry from the festivities Sanders experienced when she traveled to the DNC in 2012 in Charlotte , N.C. , and was in the arena as President Obama accepted his reelection nomination .
But the 47-year-old felt it was important to create a sense of community as she watched this year ’ s convention , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
“ The Democratic convention is like a meeting of your family , ” she said .
“ Watching it solo just adds to the isolation of COVID .
The synergy of watching it with your friends or family or other folks in the community is that much more powerful.
” The Democratic Party did not hold any sanctioned gatherings to watch the convention , but supporters organized small private watch parties in communities across the state .
At the Long Beach gathering , seven attendees largely wore masks — except when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wine — and spaced apart their garden chairs .
Signs showing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s face superimposed on Rosie the Riveter , bearing Sen. Kamala Harris ’ campaign slogan “ She the People ” and depicting scenes from the civil rights movement decorated the backyard .
Eboney Pearson , 34 , had watched the previous nights of the convention from her Long Beach home but decided she needed to see the final night with friends .
“ From home , it ’ s obviously comfortable , but because of social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have this long-distance relationship with everyone you know , ” said the business community liaison .
“ So to safely socially distance yourself among friends that you love and trust to watch something that ’ s a historical moment , it kind of makes you feel a little bit more invigorated or upbeat .
Because there ’ s so many down times right now .
So it ’ s a little bit refreshing to be here.
” The convention was projected on a drop-down screen .
Occasional internet hiccups led to buffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom ’ s message about climate change amidst the wildfires burning wide swaths of California .
Throughout the night , the mood soared from solemn , as John Legend and Common sang “ Glory , ” to giggles as Julia Louis-Dreyfus made fun of President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence .
After the actress accused Trump of cheating at golf and declared herself a proud “ nasty woman , ” Pearson declared , “ This is something else !
” The women broke out in laughter as they watched comedian Sarah Cooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting , and murmured in agreement as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker described how a union job helped lift his family into the middle class .
They broke into applause after 13-year-old Brayden Harrington explained how Biden helped him overcome his stutter , and sat rapt as they listened to the words of Biden ’ s late son , Beau .
Robyn Kinney , a purveyor of natural home products , said she was grateful to bounce ideas and ask questions of her peers as they watched the proceedings .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the plan is really .
Like we need to plan , and this is the time for everyone to be giving their opinions and listening and seeing what we can offer , ” Kinney , 32 , said .
Veronica Garcia Davalos , 61 , said she joined her friends because of the importance of the night .
But she and several attendees said they appreciated how Democrats used the virtual convention to showcase the diversity of the Democratic Party .
“ It ’ s a historic moment .
I think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope about Biden and Kamala , and we want to experience that together , ” said the executive director of a nonprofit , adding that this year ’ s convention lacked the insider feel of typical conventions and felt more intimate .
“ I think this is almost the way to go in the future .
I like the in-person , but you have to be a delegate to be there , ” Davalos said .
“ Now , I feel like I ’ m there .
”

As Joe Biden claimed the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night and spoke of the power of love and hope, more than a half-dozen people gathered in a Long Beach backyard cheered and applauded.
“I haven’t felt that way for so long,” said Sabrina Sanders, the host of the socially distanced Democratic National Convention viewing party behind her craftsman bungalow in Long Beach.
“It’s inspirational, and being able to share in that moment as a community, as a group, it’s that much more powerful. And it’s where we’re going to be as a country starting Jan. 20.”
The quiet celebration, taking place under a canopy as the sun set and an ocean breeze pierced the sweltering heat, is a far cry from the festivities Sanders experienced when she traveled to the DNC in 2012 in Charlotte, N.C., and was in the arena as President Obama accepted his reelection nomination.
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But the 47-year-old felt it was important to create a sense of community as she watched this year’s convention, which is taking place virtually because of the coronavirus crisis.
“The Democratic convention is like a meeting of your family,” she said. “Watching it solo just adds to the isolation of COVID. The synergy of watching it with your friends or family or other folks in the community is that much more powerful.”
Sabrina Sanders was a California delegate for President Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. (Sabrina Sanders)
The Democratic Party did not hold any sanctioned gatherings to watch the convention, but supporters organized small private watch parties in communities across the state. At the Long Beach gathering, seven attendees largely wore masks — except when noshing on charcuterie and crudite or sipping wine — and spaced apart their garden chairs.
Signs showing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s face superimposed on Rosie the Riveter, bearing Sen. Kamala Harris’ campaign slogan “She the People” and depicting scenes from the civil rights movement decorated the backyard.
Eboney Pearson, 34, had watched the previous nights of the convention from her Long Beach home but decided she needed to see the final night with friends.
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“From home, it’s obviously comfortable, but because of social distancing it’s like you feel like you have this long-distance relationship with everyone you know,” said the business community liaison.
“So to safely socially distance yourself among friends that you love and trust to watch something that’s a historical moment, it kind of makes you feel a little bit more invigorated or upbeat. Because there’s so many down times right now. So it’s a little bit refreshing to be here.”
The convention was projected on a drop-down screen. Occasional internet hiccups led to buffering pauses, notably during Gov. Gavin Newsom’s message about climate change amidst the wildfires burning wide swaths of California.
Throughout the night, the mood soared from solemn, as John Legend and Common sang “Glory,” to giggles as Julia Louis-Dreyfus made fun of President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
After the actress accused Trump of cheating at golf and declared herself a proud “nasty woman,” Pearson declared, “This is something else!”
The women broke out in laughter as they watched comedian Sarah Cooper mimic Trump’s words about mail voting, and murmured in agreement as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker described how a union job helped lift his family into the middle class. They broke into applause after 13-year-old Brayden Harrington explained how Biden helped him overcome his stutter, and sat rapt as they listened to the words of Biden’s late son, Beau.
Robyn Kinney, a purveyor of natural home products, said she was grateful to bounce ideas and ask questions of her peers as they watched the proceedings.
“I’m just coming to listen and see what the plan is really. Like we need to plan, and this is the time for everyone to be giving their opinions and listening and seeing what we can offer,” Kinney, 32, said.
Veronica Garcia Davalos, 61, said she joined her friends because of the importance of the night. But she and several attendees said they appreciated how Democrats used the virtual convention to showcase the diversity of the Democratic Party.
“It’s a historic moment. I think we’re all feeling a lot of hope about Biden and Kamala, and we want to experience that together,” said the executive director of a nonprofit, adding that this year’s convention lacked the insider feel of typical conventions and felt more intimate.
“I think this is almost the way to go in the future. I like the in-person, but you have to be a delegate to be there,” Davalos said. “Now, I feel like I’m there.”


latimes--2020-08-20--At Democratic convention, Newsom criticizes Trump for California fire comments

In a video appearance Thursday at the Democratic National Convention , Gov .
Gavin Newsom tore into President Trump for threatening to strip federal funding for wildfire prevention in California after nearly 500,000 acres burned in storm-related lightning strikes , criticizing him further for trying to dismantle the state ’ s landmark vehicle emission standards .
The Democratic governor ’ s attack of Trump , while not surprising during a presidential election , marked a departure from his hesitancy over the last months to attack the president ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Newsom has consistently said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more important than engaging in partisan politics .
But Newsom rekindled his criticism of Trump — which has focused on the president ’ s environmental and immigration policies — on national television Thursday evening .
“ Just today , the president of the United States threatened the state of California , 40 million Americans who happen to live here in the state of California , to defund our efforts on wildfire suppression because he said we hadn ’ t raked enough leaves .
I can ’ t make that up , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During an event in Scranton , Pa. , on Thursday , Trump repeated a charge he has often made — that California could better control wildfires if the state cleaned up fallen leaves and other natural debris on forest floors .
“ I see again , the forest fires are starting , ” Trump said .
“ They ’ re starting again in California .
And I said , you ’ ve got to clean your [ forest ] floors .
You ’ ve got to clean your floors .
There are many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trees .
And they are so flammable.
” In response , Newsom has noted that the federal government owns nearly 58 % of California ’ s 33 million acres of forestlands , while the state owns 3 % .
The remainder are owned by private landholders , local governments and others .
Newsom ’ s appearance at the convention , a plum political opportunity on the night that former Vice President Joe Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president , appeared in jeopardy earlier in the day .
On Sunday , Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air during the convention , but it was pulled because of the continuing wildfire crisis in California , said Dan Newman , the governor ’ s political advisor .
“ The segment that was originally planned didn ’ t make sense given the growth and severity of the state ’ s devastating wildfires , ” Newman said .
Instead , the governor appeared in a cellphone video from Watsonville , which has been threatened by a massive outbreak of wildfires around the Santa Cruz Mountains , at the beginning of Thursday night ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this is not where I expected to be speaking here tonight ; I ’ m about a mile or so away from one of over 370 wildfires that we ’ re battling here in the state of California , ” Newsom said , with a wall of tall trees in the background .
Newsom went on to attack Trump for attempting to peel back environmental protections for clean water and air , as well as pesticide regulation and vehicle emissions , noting that California has filed more than 90 lawsuits against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions .
The governor went on to praise Biden and his pick for a running mate , U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California , as environmental champions .
Newsom and Harris have been longtime political allies , starting when Newsom served as San Francisco ’ s mayor and Harris was the city ’ s district attorney more than a decade ago .
“ It ’ s our decision , not our conditions , that will determine our fate and future , so let us resolve that after this historic night , this incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that we do everything in our power to get Joe Biden and Kamala Harris into the White House , ” Newsom said .

In a video appearance Thursday at the Democratic National Convention, Gov. Gavin Newsom tore into President Trump for threatening to strip federal funding for wildfire prevention in California after nearly 500,000 acres burned in storm-related lightning strikes, criticizing him further for trying to dismantle the state’s landmark vehicle emission standards.
The Democratic governor’s attack of Trump, while not surprising during a presidential election, marked a departure from his hesitancy over the last months to attack the president’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsom has consistently said that the lives at stake in the crisis are more important than engaging in partisan politics.
But Newsom rekindled his criticism of Trump — which has focused on the president’s environmental and immigration policies — on national television Thursday evening.
“Just today, the president of the United States threatened the state of California, 40 million Americans who happen to live here in the state of California, to defund our efforts on wildfire suppression because he said we hadn’t raked enough leaves. I can’t make that up,” Newsom said in a three-minute video.
During an event in Scranton, Pa., on Thursday, Trump repeated a charge he has often made — that California could better control wildfires if the state cleaned up fallen leaves and other natural debris on forest floors.
“I see again, the forest fires are starting,” Trump said. “They’re starting again in California. And I said, you’ve got to clean your [forest] floors. You’ve got to clean your floors. There are many, many years of leaves and broken trees. And they are so flammable.”
In response, Newsom has noted that the federal government owns nearly 58% of California’s 33 million acres of forestlands, while the state owns 3%. The remainder are owned by private landholders, local governments and others.
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Newsom’s appearance at the convention, a plum political opportunity on the night that former Vice President Joe Biden will accept the Democratic nomination for president, appeared in jeopardy earlier in the day. On Sunday, Newsom pre-recorded a video that was supposed to air during the convention, but it was pulled because of the continuing wildfire crisis in California, said Dan Newman, the governor’s political advisor.
“The segment that was originally planned didn’t make sense given the growth and severity of the state’s devastating wildfires,” Newman said.
Instead, the governor appeared in a cellphone video from Watsonville, which has been threatened by a massive outbreak of wildfires around the Santa Cruz Mountains, at the beginning of Thursday night’s convention broadcast.
“I confess, this is not where I expected to be speaking here tonight; I’m about a mile or so away from one of over 370 wildfires that we’re battling here in the state of California,” Newsom said, with a wall of tall trees in the background.
Newsom went on to attack Trump for attempting to peel back environmental protections for clean water and air, as well as pesticide regulation and vehicle emissions, noting that California has filed more than 90 lawsuits against the Trump administration to block those and other actions.
The governor went on to praise Biden and his pick for a running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, as environmental champions. Newsom and Harris have been longtime political allies, starting when Newsom served as San Francisco’s mayor and Harris was the city’s district attorney more than a decade ago.
“It’s our decision, not our conditions, that will determine our fate and future, so let us resolve that after this historic night, this incredible, incredible week, this remarkable convention, that we do everything in our power to get Joe Biden and Kamala Harris into the White House,” Newsom said.


latimes--2020-08-20--La Luz Del Mundo leader held on all counts of rape, child pornography and sex trafficking

One after another , the agents from the California Department of Justice took the witness stand and related what the teenage girls and young women had told them : Naasón Joaquin Garcia , the leader of La Luz Del Mundo , an international church headquartered in Mexico , had raped them .
After five days of testimony , Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen on Tuesday found that prosecutors from the California Attorney General ’ s office had gathered enough evidence to bind over for trial Garcia and two co-defendants , Alondra Ocampo and Susana Oaxaca , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pornography , sex trafficking and extortion lodged against them .
All three have pleaded not guilty , arguing through their lawyers that the prosecution ’ s case rests on the untested , uncorroborated word of accusers whom the authorities have refused to identify .
Garcia , a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico , succeeded his father in 2014 as the leader of La Luz Del Mundo .
The church ’ s followers , said to number in the millions , consider Garcia an “ apostle ” of Jesus Christ .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Light of the World , ” was founded nearly a century ago by Garcia ’ s grandfather , Aarón Joaquín .
In court papers , prosecutors said they believe sexual abuse has been perpetrated within La Luz Del Mundo since the 1970s .
When he took control of the church six years ago , Garcia “ found himself at the head of an organized sex ring originated by his father ( or perhaps grandfather ) , ’ ” Troy Holmes , a special agent for the California Department of Justice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , Jack Freeman , a minister and spokesman for the church , said the attorney general ’ s office has presented only “ suspicions ” based on “ anonymous witnesses alleging outlandish claims.
” “ Blatant hearsay does not amount to truth , ” he said , predicting that as the case moves through the courts , “ the innocence and honorability of the Apostle of Jesus Christ Naasón Joaquin Garcia will be proven.
” Over five days , Holmes and several other agents related the accounts of Garcia ’ s unnamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” several of whom attended a La Luz Del Mundo church in East Los Angeles , described a circumscribed religious community outside of which they had no friends or social life .
Some of the girls ’ families had belonged to the church for generations , the agents said .
Such an insular congregation made leaving the church — and escaping Garcia ’ s abuse — extremely difficult , Deputy Atty .
Gen. Amanda Plisner told the court .
Garcia ’ s attorneys , Caleb Mason and Alan Jackson , disputed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering testimony from their central witnesses — Garcia ’ s accusers — through surrogates depriving Garcia ’ s defense the chance to find inconsistencies in their accounts or pinpoint biases and motives .
Coen ordered that Garcia had no right to confront his alleged victims at a preliminary hearing , but said that ruling is “ not going to go on forever.
” The accounts of the Jane Does , as related by the agents who interviewed them , followed a similar line : In their teens , they were invited by Ocampo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles church , to join a “ service group ” that did chores at Garcia ’ s home .
The girls told investigators their parents felt proud and considered it an honor to be near the head of the church .
At 14 or 15 , the girls were solicited to join a more exclusive group , they told agents .
Some knew it as “ the dancers ” ; others , the “ fruteros , ” or “ fruit servers , ” Holmes testified .
A girl referred to as Jane Doe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , said they first danced and performed skits for Garcia , according to Thomas Donohue , a former special agent who interviewed the girl .
One day , while practicing a dance at a La Luz Del Mundo church in Whittier , Ocampo told Jane Doe 1 and several other girls a story about “ God allowing a king to take a woman to serve him , to please him , ” Donohue testified .
Ocampo told them it would be “ an abomination ” to deny Garcia ’ s desires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described Ocampo , a student at Cal State University Dominguez Hills at the time of her arrest , as a groomer , someone who enticed young girls into Garcia ’ s orbit , then coerced them into sex and pornographic photo shoots in hotel rooms in Whittier and El Monte .
A second girl , Jane Doe 2 , told agents that Ocampo instructed her to undress and serve Garcia coffee , Holmes testified .
The girl walked into his office , naked and carrying a cup of coffee , and was raped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had told him .
She was a virgin at the time , he testified .
Jane Doe 2 had previously felt uncomfortable dancing for Garcia in lingerie , but she remembered how proud her mother was of her being part of the “ service group , ” Holmes testified .
“ The church would see that as a shameful thing , to be kicked out , ” he said .
Questioned by Jackson , Garcia ’ s attorney , Holmes acknowledged that none of the girls recalled Garcia using violence in the encounters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agent had described in a Beverly Hills hotel room with Garcia , Ocampo , an alleged victim he called Jane Doe 5 , and a co-defendant who remains at large , Azalea Rangel Melendez .
Holmes had testified that Rangel held Jane Doe 5 ’ s hands behind her head as Ocampo penetrated her with a sex toy and Garcia looked on .
The agent conceded Jane Doe 5 was an adult at the time of the liaison .
“ Four adults with a dildo in Los Angeles isn ’ t illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not really noteworthy , is it ?
” Jackson criticized Plisner for her dealings with an alleged victim dubbed Jane Doe 4 .
Agents had described Jane Doe 4 as a onetime victim of Garcia , who eventually assumed a role in Mexico similar to Ocampo ’ s in Los Angeles , grooming a circle of girls for sex and pornographic photoshoots .
Jane Doe 4 has helped agents identify potential victims in videos seized from Garcia ’ s phone and given them hundreds of graphic text messages that she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with children and bestiality , according to copies of the messages filed in court .
Plisner , Jackson told the court , had offered Jane Doe 4 immunity in the U.S. and an assurance she would intervene in any Mexican prosecution .
He read aloud a WhatsApp message she had sent Jane Doe 4 : “ If they make you look like a defendant , it will be hard for us to make you look like a victim.
” Jackson tried to call Plisner to the stand as a defense witness ; Coen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended only to embarrass the prosecution .
Jackson told the court that Jane Doe 4 was an embittered ex-parishioner with an ax to grind .
After having a consensual sexual affair with Garcia for years , “ now , she ’ s mad at the church — her words , she ’ s ‘ mad at the church ’ — and she ’ s going to cry foul , ” he said .

Naasón Joaquin Garcia, leader of the Guadalajara-based La Luz del Mundo church, at his bail hearing in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 5.
One after another, the agents from the California Department of Justice took the witness stand and related what the teenage girls and young women had told them: Naasón Joaquin Garcia, the leader of La Luz Del Mundo, an international church headquartered in Mexico, had raped them.
After five days of testimony, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen on Tuesday found that prosecutors from the California Attorney General’s office had gathered enough evidence to bind over for trial Garcia and two co-defendants, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Oaxaca, on all 36 counts of rape, child pornography, sex trafficking and extortion lodged against them.
All three have pleaded not guilty, arguing through their lawyers that the prosecution’s case rests on the untested, uncorroborated word of accusers whom the authorities have refused to identify.
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Garcia, a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, succeeded his father in 2014 as the leader of La Luz Del Mundo. The church’s followers, said to number in the millions, consider Garcia an “apostle” of Jesus Christ.
La Luz Del Mundo, Spanish for “The Light of the World,” was founded nearly a century ago by Garcia’s grandfather, Aarón Joaquín. In court papers, prosecutors said they believe sexual abuse has been perpetrated within La Luz Del Mundo since the 1970s.
When he took control of the church six years ago, Garcia “found himself at the head of an organized sex ring originated by his father (or perhaps grandfather),’” Troy Holmes, a special agent for the California Department of Justice, wrote in a declaration.
In a statement, Jack Freeman, a minister and spokesman for the church, said the attorney general’s office has presented only “suspicions” based on “anonymous witnesses alleging outlandish claims.”
“Blatant hearsay does not amount to truth,” he said, predicting that as the case moves through the courts, “the innocence and honorability of the Apostle of Jesus Christ Naasón Joaquin Garcia will be proven.”
Over five days, Holmes and several other agents related the accounts of Garcia’s unnamed alleged victims. These “Jane Does,” several of whom attended a La Luz Del Mundo church in East Los Angeles, described a circumscribed religious community outside of which they had no friends or social life. Some of the girls’ families had belonged to the church for generations, the agents said.
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Such an insular congregation made leaving the church — and escaping Garcia’s abuse — extremely difficult, Deputy Atty. Gen. Amanda Plisner told the court.
Garcia’s attorneys, Caleb Mason and Alan Jackson, disputed that account. They protested that prosecutors were offering testimony from their central witnesses — Garcia’s accusers — through surrogates depriving Garcia’s defense the chance to find inconsistencies in their accounts or pinpoint biases and motives. Coen ordered that Garcia had no right to confront his alleged victims at a preliminary hearing, but said that ruling is “not going to go on forever.”
The accounts of the Jane Does, as related by the agents who interviewed them, followed a similar line: In their teens, they were invited by Ocampo, a parishioner at the East Los Angeles church, to join a “service group” that did chores at Garcia’s home. The girls told investigators their parents felt proud and considered it an honor to be near the head of the church.
At 14 or 15, the girls were solicited to join a more exclusive group, they told agents. Some knew it as “the dancers”; others, the “fruteros,” or “fruit servers,” Holmes testified. A girl referred to as Jane Doe 1, who joined the group at 15, said they first danced and performed skits for Garcia, according to Thomas Donohue, a former special agent who interviewed the girl.
One day, while practicing a dance at a La Luz Del Mundo church in Whittier, Ocampo told Jane Doe 1 and several other girls a story about “God allowing a king to take a woman to serve him, to please him,” Donohue testified. Ocampo told them it would be “an abomination” to deny Garcia’s desires, Donohue said the girl recalled.
Prosecutors described Ocampo, a student at Cal State University Dominguez Hills at the time of her arrest, as a groomer, someone who enticed young girls into Garcia’s orbit, then coerced them into sex and pornographic photo shoots in hotel rooms in Whittier and El Monte.
A second girl, Jane Doe 2, told agents that Ocampo instructed her to undress and serve Garcia coffee, Holmes testified. The girl walked into his office, naked and carrying a cup of coffee, and was raped by Garcia, the agent said she had told him. She was a virgin at the time, he testified.
Jane Doe 2 had previously felt uncomfortable dancing for Garcia in lingerie, but she remembered how proud her mother was of her being part of the “service group,” Holmes testified. “The church would see that as a shameful thing, to be kicked out,” he said.
Questioned by Jackson, Garcia’s attorney, Holmes acknowledged that none of the girls recalled Garcia using violence in the encounters.
“No gun?” Jackson asked.
“Correct.”
“No zip ties?”
“No zip ties.”
“No duct tape?”
“She didn’t tell me that.”
Jackson grilled Holmes about a tryst the agent had described in a Beverly Hills hotel room with Garcia, Ocampo, an alleged victim he called Jane Doe 5, and a co-defendant who remains at large, Azalea Rangel Melendez. Holmes had testified that Rangel held Jane Doe 5’s hands behind her head as Ocampo penetrated her with a sex toy and Garcia looked on.
The agent conceded Jane Doe 5 was an adult at the time of the liaison. “Four adults with a dildo in Los Angeles isn’t illegal,” Jackson remarked. “It’s not really noteworthy, is it?”
Jackson criticized Plisner for her dealings with an alleged victim dubbed Jane Doe 4. Agents had described Jane Doe 4 as a onetime victim of Garcia, who eventually assumed a role in Mexico similar to Ocampo’s in Los Angeles, grooming a circle of girls for sex and pornographic photoshoots.
Jane Doe 4 has helped agents identify potential victims in videos seized from Garcia’s phone and given them hundreds of graphic text messages that she said she exchanged with Garcia, discussing sex with children and bestiality, according to copies of the messages filed in court.
Plisner, Jackson told the court, had offered Jane Doe 4 immunity in the U.S. and an assurance she would intervene in any Mexican prosecution. He read aloud a WhatsApp message she had sent Jane Doe 4: “If they make you look like a defendant, it will be hard for us to make you look like a victim.” Jackson tried to call Plisner to the stand as a defense witness; Coen denied the attempt, saying it seemed intended only to embarrass the prosecution.
Jackson told the court that Jane Doe 4 was an embittered ex-parishioner with an ax to grind. After having a consensual sexual affair with Garcia for years, “now, she’s mad at the church — her words, she’s ‘mad at the church’ — and she’s going to cry foul,” he said.


latimes--2020-08-20--Wildfire damages much of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Fate of big trees unknown

A raging wildfire has inflicted serious damage on Big Basin Redwoods State Park northeast of Santa Cruz , prompting a conservation group on Thursday to openly mourn the loss of California ’ s oldest state park .
“ We are devastated to report that Big Basin , as we have known it , loved it , and cherished it for generations , is gone , ” said the Sempervirens Fund in a statement .
“ Early reports are that the wildfire has consumed much of the park ’ s historic facilities .
We do not yet know the fate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” California State Parks confirmed in a news release that the park “ sustained extensive damage ” Tuesday from the C.Z.U .
August Lightning Complex fires and would be closed until further notice .
“ The fire damaged the park ’ s headquarters , historic core and campgrounds , ” said the statement .
“ Staff are currently assessing the damage cause by the fire to state park property and we do not know the number of acres burned within the park right now.
” As of Thursday morning , the C.Z.U .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ acres , forced the evacuation of more than 22,000 people and prompted authorities to issue an evacuation warning for UC Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley .
Originally called California Redwood Park , Big Basin was created in 1902 amid a statewide movement to protect California ’ s ancient redwoods , a campaign that included the Sempervirens Fund .
The park originally was 3,800 acres and now is roughly 18,000 acres .
Over the decades , Big Basin became one of the state ’ s most popular parks , with miles of trails amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cabins and an amphitheater built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s .
According to state officials , many if not all of the park ’ s historic buildings , including its headquarters , have been destroyed .
Hollywood has long had an affinity for Big Basin park .
It was a stand-in for Muir Woods in Alfred Hitchcock ’ s “ Vertigo , ” as James Stewart walked with Kim Novak among the giant trees .
It was also a stand-in for Redwood National Park in the 1967 Disney film “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes , Big Basin has burned before .
Reporting on a 1904 fire , the New York Times reported that Big Basin , “ which contains some of the largest and finest redwoods trees in the State , seems doomed for destruction.
” But the park and forest recovered , and the conservation group is hopeful it will again , despite the challenges of a warming climate that is sparking more intense wildfires .
“ We are confident that it will be reborn from the ashes and once again be a place that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , ” the group said .
“ When Big Basin was first established , it was the catalyst for a conservation movement and a park system that were groundbreaking .
In rebuilding Big Basin , we hope it is a catalyst for a new movement , one in which we learn to coexist with wildfire and deal directly with the impacts of climate change .
”

A raging wildfire has inflicted serious damage on Big Basin Redwoods State Park northeast of Santa Cruz, prompting a conservation group on Thursday to openly mourn the loss of California’s oldest state park.
“We are devastated to report that Big Basin, as we have known it, loved it, and cherished it for generations, is gone,” said the Sempervirens Fund in a statement. “Early reports are that the wildfire has consumed much of the park’s historic facilities. We do not yet know the fate of the park’s grandest old trees.”
California State Parks confirmed in a news release that the park “sustained extensive damage” Tuesday from the C.Z.U. August Lightning Complex fires and would be closed until further notice.
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“The fire damaged the park’s headquarters, historic core and campgrounds,” said the statement. “Staff are currently assessing the damage cause by the fire to state park property and we do not know the number of acres burned within the park right now.”
As of Thursday morning, the C.Z.U. August Lightning Complex fires had burned 40,000 acres, forced the evacuation of more than 22,000 people and prompted authorities to issue an evacuation warning for UC Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley.
Originally called California Redwood Park, Big Basin was created in 1902 amid a statewide movement to protect California’s ancient redwoods, a campaign that included the Sempervirens Fund. The park originally was 3,800 acres and now is roughly 18,000 acres.
Fires have extensively damaged structures at California’s oldest state park, but it is not yet known if Big Basin’s ancient redwoods were seriously harmed. (Mark Barnes / Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council)
Over the decades, Big Basin became one of the state’s most popular parks, with miles of trails amid the towering trees, camp sites and cabins and an amphitheater built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. According to state officials, many if not all of the park’s historic buildings, including its headquarters, have been destroyed.
Andrew Walsh of Ben Lomond, Calif., walks with his boys, Philip, 2, right, and Thomas, 4, center, along a trail in Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Sept. 5, 2019. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Hollywood has long had an affinity for Big Basin park. It was a stand-in for Muir Woods in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” as James Stewart walked with Kim Novak among the giant trees. It was also a stand-in for Redwood National Park in the 1967 Disney film “The Gnome-Mobile.”
As the Sempervirens Fund notes, Big Basin has burned before. Reporting on a 1904 fire, the New York Times reported that Big Basin, “which contains some of the largest and finest redwoods trees in the State, seems doomed for destruction.”
But the park and forest recovered, and the conservation group is hopeful it will again, despite the challenges of a warming climate that is sparking more intense wildfires.
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“We are confident that it will be reborn from the ashes and once again be a place that inspires and educates people from around the world,” the group said.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz, in better days. (Allie Caulfield / Wikimedia Commons)
“When Big Basin was first established, it was the catalyst for a conservation movement and a park system that were groundbreaking. In rebuilding Big Basin, we hope it is a catalyst for a new movement, one in which we learn to coexist with wildfire and deal directly with the impacts of climate change.”