latimes--2020-06-07--'It's the new Chinese Exclusion Act': How a Trump order could hurt California universities

President Trump ’ s recent decision to halt entry of some Chinese graduate students to the U.S. is sowing broad anxiety , particularly in California , as universities fear they could lose an essential source of research talent .
U.S. officials say that Trump ’ s order , which took effect last week , is aimed at safeguarding national security by barring Chinese graduate students and researchers associated with institutions deemed to support China ’ s “ military-civil fusion strategy.
” That strategy , the order says , involves Chinese efforts to acquire foreign technologies to advance China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , State Department officials stressed that Chinese students and scholars pursuing legitimate studies here would continue to be welcomed and that the order will affect only a small number who could be used by the People ’ s Liberation Army to divert or steal sensitive technologies .
“ American universities and research laboratories should not be used to contribute to PRC goals of military dominance , ” a State Department representative said .
University officials say that concern about Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property is legitimate .
Arthur Bienenstock , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science and special assistant to the university president for federal research policy , said it was appropriate for federal officials to limit the entry of suspect scholars since universities are ill equipped to screen them .
But universities are deeply concerned that the order could lead to vast overreach , wrongly shutting out students whose work is non-military , openly published and critical to American research efforts in fields ranging from climate change to energy storage .
Trump ’ s crackdown , they say , could drive away top Chinese scholars and jeopardize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a hallmark of higher education in the U.S. , contributing to world-class research and scientific progress .
Universities are waiting for more details on the order from the Trump administration , including which Chinese universities will be covered by a visa ban , but a State Department official said a list would not be published “ anytime soon.
” If the list is narrowly drawn to include only institutions directly tied to the military — analogous to West Point in the United States — the impact would be relatively small , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leading China expert with UC San Diego ’ s School of Global Policy and Strategy , said she and others fear that federal officials could include all universities that receive any funding from the Chinese military , which would potentially sweep in far more students .
That would be akin to targeting the many top U.S. research universities that receive Pentagon funding , almost exclusively for non-classified research , she said .
“ We ’ re concerned about a slippery slope here , ” Shirk said .
“ I ’ m definitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talented Chinese students from doing graduate work or research at American universities , which would be very counterproductive from the standpoint of our scientific and technological innovation.
” Shirk and Bienenstock are working with China experts , scientists and others to craft a plan on how to protect U.S. science and technology without jeopardizing America ’ s hallmark academic openness .
Ideas include banning members of the Chinese military from studying here , better training of all international researchers on U.S. research protocols , including conflicts of interest , and robust prosecution of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the largest source of international students to the United States for 10 consecutive years , according to the Institute of International Education .
In 2018-19 , students from China numbered 369,548 — about 34 % of all international students — and California was their top destination .
USC was the leading host campus , but the 10-campus University of California system enrolled about 38 % of the state ’ s 68,072 Chinese international students , who primarily attended San Diego , Irvine , Davis , Berkeley and UCLA .
The order does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the vast majority of Chinese international students , or those pursuing fields not likely to contribute to China ’ s military advancement .
Federal officials have said that areas of concern include artificial intelligence and advanced materials and manufacturing .
Nox Yang , a sophomore from China who is studying sociology and film at UCLA , knows she won ’ t be directly affected by the order .
But that doesn ’ t make her rest any easier .
She said the new ban adds to mounting stress among Chinese students exacerbated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling isolated , far from supportive family and familiar surroundings , have recoiled at Trump ’ s references to “ the Chinese virus ” and are concerned by the rise of anti-Asian hostility triggered by the pandemic .
“ It sends out a message : now we are targeting Chinese students , ” Yang said .
“ When I came to the United States , I was imagining a country that is open , inclusive and welcoming , but I ’ m really disappointed.
” Another UCLA student , a fourth-year doctoral candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of his Chinese friends were drawn to the United States by renowned professors , advanced labs and potentially better job prospects than in China .
But that is changing , he said , as the political climate toward China gets dicier and visas are no longer assured .
“ This policy is very unfriendly to Chinese international students , ” said the student , who asked for anonymity to avoid retaliation .
“ It will hurt their confidence in the U.S. and they may choose to attend graduate schools in Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders have condemned Trump ’ s order .
“ The Trump Administration has provided no credible evidence to justify this unprecedented crackdown on international students , ” said the statement by UC Student Assn .
President Varsha Sarveshwar and UC Graduate and Professional Council President Connor Strobel .
And Asian American civil rights groups have accused the Trump administration of scapegoating their scholars with unfair racial profiling .
“ It ’ s the new Chinese Exclusion Act , ” said Stewart Kwoh , founder of Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese immigration to the United States .
The Trump proclamation marks the latest crackdown on Chinese students and scholars .
In California , UC campuses from San Diego to Berkeley are reporting that Chinese students and scholars are encountering visa delays , federal scrutiny over their research activities , and new restrictions on collaboration with China and Chinese companies .
Last month , UC President Janet Napolitano and all 10 chancellors sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf , asking them to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by future executive action ” and that visa interviews proceed so students can start their academic programs on time .
Trump , however , caught university officials off guard with his May 29 order that directs the State Department to deny new visas and revoke existing ones for suspect students .
David Ware , an immigration attorney , told a UC Irvine webinar Thursday that a visa revocation should not affect students ’ permission to study here , just bar reentry should they leave the country .
UCLA and UC San Diego officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in Chinese international students planning to attend this fall , although final enrollments will not be known for months .
Among UCLA ’ s 3,300 Chinese students , nearly half of them are graduate or professional students , according to 2019-20 figures .
Those pursuing advanced degrees make up about 35 % of 5,617 Chinese students at UC San Diego .
“ Chinese students , like many of our students ... bring tremendous intellectual power to the institution , make great contributions to the research effort , ” said UCLA Chancellor Gene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ d like to keep open borders and maintain a rich sort of global presence in our student body ... recognizing that we do understand there are security issues and we have to be mindful of those .
”

The Geisel Library at UC San Diego, which hosts the largest number of Chinese international students in the University of California system.
President Trump’s recent decision to halt entry of some Chinese graduate students to the U.S. is sowing broad anxiety, particularly in California, as universities fear they could lose an essential source of research talent.
U.S. officials say that Trump’s order, which took effect last week, is aimed at safeguarding national security by barring Chinese graduate students and researchers associated with institutions deemed to support China’s “military-civil fusion strategy.” That strategy, the order says, involves Chinese efforts to acquire foreign technologies to advance China’s military capabilities.
In a news briefing last week, State Department officials stressed that Chinese students and scholars pursuing legitimate studies here would continue to be welcomed and that the order will affect only a small number who could be used by the People’s Liberation Army to divert or steal sensitive technologies.
Advertisement
“American universities and research laboratories should not be used to contribute to PRC goals of military dominance,” a State Department representative said.
University officials say that concern about Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property is legitimate.
Arthur Bienenstock, a Stanford University professor emeritus of photon science and special assistant to the university president for federal research policy, said it was appropriate for federal officials to limit the entry of suspect scholars since universities are ill equipped to screen them.
But universities are deeply concerned that the order could lead to vast overreach, wrongly shutting out students whose work is non-military, openly published and critical to American research efforts in fields ranging from climate change to energy storage.
Trump’s crackdown, they say, could drive away top Chinese scholars and jeopardize the kind of open international collaboration that has been a hallmark of higher education in the U.S., contributing to world-class research and scientific progress.
Universities are waiting for more details on the order from the Trump administration, including which Chinese universities will be covered by a visa ban, but a State Department official said a list would not be published “anytime soon.”
If the list is narrowly drawn to include only institutions directly tied to the military — analogous to West Point in the United States — the impact would be relatively small, Bienenstock said.
But Susan Shirk, a leading China expert with UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, said she and others fear that federal officials could include all universities that receive any funding from the Chinese military, which would potentially sweep in far more students. That would be akin to targeting the many top U.S. research universities that receive Pentagon funding, almost exclusively for non-classified research, she said.
Advertisement
“We’re concerned about a slippery slope here,” Shirk said. “I’m definitely concerned that it would very much discourage talented Chinese students from doing graduate work or research at American universities, which would be very counterproductive from the standpoint of our scientific and technological innovation.”
Shirk and Bienenstock are working with China experts, scientists and others to craft a plan on how to protect U.S. science and technology without jeopardizing America’s hallmark academic openness. Ideas include banning members of the Chinese military from studying here, better training of all international researchers on U.S. research protocols, including conflicts of interest, and robust prosecution of those who violate them.
China has been the largest source of international students to the United States for 10 consecutive years, according to the Institute of International Education. In 2018-19, students from China numbered 369,548 — about 34% of all international students — and California was their top destination.
USC was the leading host campus, but the 10-campus University of California system enrolled about 38% of the state’s 68,072 Chinese international students, who primarily attended San Diego, Irvine, Davis, Berkeley and UCLA.
The order does not apply to undergraduates, who make up the vast majority of Chinese international students, or those pursuing fields not likely to contribute to China’s military advancement. Federal officials have said that areas of concern include artificial intelligence and advanced materials and manufacturing.
Nox Yang, a sophomore from China who is studying sociology and film at UCLA, knows she won’t be directly affected by the order. But that doesn’t make her rest any easier.
She said the new ban adds to mounting stress among Chinese students exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis. Students are feeling isolated, far from supportive family and familiar surroundings, have recoiled at Trump’s references to “the Chinese virus” and are concerned by the rise of anti-Asian hostility triggered by the pandemic.
“It sends out a message: now we are targeting Chinese students,” Yang said. “When I came to the United States, I was imagining a country that is open, inclusive and welcoming, but I’m really disappointed.”
Another UCLA student, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, said he and many of his Chinese friends were drawn to the United States by renowned professors, advanced labs and potentially better job prospects than in China. But that is changing, he said, as the political climate toward China gets dicier and visas are no longer assured.
“This policy is very unfriendly to Chinese international students,” said the student, who asked for anonymity to avoid retaliation. “It will hurt their confidence in the U.S. and they may choose to attend graduate schools in Europe, Japan or other places.”
UC student leaders have condemned Trump’s order. “The Trump Administration has provided no credible evidence to justify this unprecedented crackdown on international students,” said the statement by UC Student Assn. President Varsha Sarveshwar and UC Graduate and Professional Council President Connor Strobel.
And Asian American civil rights groups have accused the Trump administration of scapegoating their scholars with unfair racial profiling.
“It’s the new Chinese Exclusion Act,” said Stewart Kwoh, founder of Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles, referring to the 1882 law that barred Chinese immigration to the United States.
The Trump proclamation marks the latest crackdown on Chinese students and scholars. In California, UC campuses from San Diego to Berkeley are reporting that Chinese students and scholars are encountering visa delays, federal scrutiny over their research activities, and new restrictions on collaboration with China and Chinese companies .
Last month, UC President Janet Napolitano and all 10 chancellors sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, asking them to ensure that student visas “are not affected by future executive action” and that visa interviews proceed so students can start their academic programs on time.
Trump, however, caught university officials off guard with his May 29 order that directs the State Department to deny new visas and revoke existing ones for suspect students.
David Ware, an immigration attorney, told a UC Irvine webinar Thursday that a visa revocation should not affect students’ permission to study here, just bar reentry should they leave the country.
UCLA and UC San Diego officials say their campuses have not seen a drop in Chinese international students planning to attend this fall, although final enrollments will not be known for months.
Among UCLA’s 3,300 Chinese students, nearly half of them are graduate or professional students, according to 2019-20 figures. Those pursuing advanced degrees make up about 35% of 5,617 Chinese students at UC San Diego.
“Chinese students, like many of our students ... bring tremendous intellectual power to the institution, make great contributions to the research effort,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “To the extent possible, we’d like to keep open borders and maintain a rich sort of global presence in our student body ... recognizing that we do understand there are security issues and we have to be mindful of those.”
Times staff writer Don Lee contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-07--Column One: Postal Service controversy? COVID-19? Nothing can stop this letter carrier

Before the start of his shift , James Daniels taped the latest note of gratitude to workstation No .
31 .
In the nearly 16 years he ’ s delivered mail , the letter carrier has received hundreds of notes of appreciation .
But over the last couple of months , as the world changed around him , so did their tone .
In April , a month after Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered Californians to stay at home to slow the spread of COVID-19 , a family along his San Clemente route wrote a note that began , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blessing.
” It included Psalm 91 , a fitting hymn for this era , its words associated with times of hardship : “ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night , nor fear the dangers of the day , nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness , though a thousand fall at your side , though ten thousand are dying around you , these evils will not touch you.
” There may be no institution more American than the United States Postal Service , which traces its roots to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress .
And yet today , in 2020 , its finances are imperiled , its workers are menaced by the dreaded coronavirus and its status has been threatened by the 45th president , who in April declared , “ The Postal Service is a joke.
” Customers have asked Daniels if the USPS is shutting down .
One woman wrote a supportive “ I < 3 USPS ” on her mailbox .
But Daniels tells them what he tells himself : “ We ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry about top officials who are calling the shots .
“ You can ’ t think about them up there , ” the 59-year-old said .
“ You ’ ve got to focus on the people.
” Our postal system is older than the nation itself .
And , just like the U.S. , it ’ s had its ups and downs .
In the early 1920s , so many bandits were targeting mail trains that railway mail clerks were armed with government-issued pistols and ordered to “ shoot to kill.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spate of homicides committed by Postal Service workers , “ going postal ” became shorthand for becoming uncontrollably angry , sometimes to the point of violence .
Those infamous dog attacks regularly referenced in movies and on TV ?
Packing a can of dog repellent is standard operating procedure .
So when the pandemic hit , it became another in a long line of challenges .
As they did during the 2001 anthrax attacks , postal employees put on protective gear and kept on working .
But in recent weeks it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertainty surrounding the agency .
The USPS is projecting a $ 13-billion revenue loss tied to the pandemic and an additional $ 54 billion in losses over 10 years , Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan told lawmakers in April .
At the same time , it has a longer-term burden : a mandate imposed by Congress in 2006 that it pre-fund the retirement benefits of its 630,000 employees , a requirement not imposed on other federal agencies .
The Trump administration has blocked access to a $ 10-billion line of credit made available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But last month , a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Postal Preservation Act , which would make an emergency appropriation of $ 25 billion and require oversight of the funding by the Postal Service inspector general .
Mark Dimondstein , president of the American Postal Workers Union , said the agency finds itself on a precipice .
“ The post office belongs to everybody , ” he said .
“ If there ’ s not genuine relief … then the whole question of whether the post office as a public entity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an equal basis is going to be up for grabs probably by early fall.
” Not if James Daniels can help it .
On a recent Friday morning , Daniels observed a series of pre-delivery rituals .
He reached down and gripped his knees below his cotton shorts , stretching near a fleet of blue-and-white Postal Service trucks .
There are about 800 addresses on his route , one of the longest in the office .
He didn ’ t want to pull a muscle .
At 10 minutes after 9 a.m. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with packages — from Target and Staples , from Macy ’ s and Ulta Beauty and Amazon Prime — that clerks began sorting hours before the sun rose .
They were destined for his truck , where Daniels arranged them by street , before heading back to his workstation to sort the mail .
He wore his black reading glasses as he rapidly scanned the letters .
Memory is key in this job .
For his USPS entry test , Daniels had to look at 100 addresses and , on the next page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he recalled getting 80 ) .
Over time , regular carriers like Daniels can deliver just by reading the name .
Daniels ’ voice radiated warmth as he joked with his co-workers .
His fellow letter carriers call him “ funny man ” and “ King James.
” “ Appreciate you guys , ” Daniels called out to the clerks , as he grabbed a bag filled with small parcels .
With more people sheltering at home and ordering items to be delivered , the post office is now handling more packages than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which typically lasts for only four weeks .
Letter carriers are delivering gifts and cards for virtual birthday parties , food and flowers , toilet paper and bleach , as well as countless tokens of love and friendship sent by parents and children and friends who can ’ t be there in person .
When Doug Reid , a clerk who arrived at 3:15 a.m. to begin sorting mail , shouted that the last batch of parcels was ready , a cheer rang out among the workers .
Shortly before 11 a.m. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He wore the red , white and blue mask a customer had given him for protection .
Before he left the parking lot , he read the Scripture that rested above the sun visor of his truck : Psalm 91 .
Walking the hilly streets of his route , Daniels was a vision in blue : hat , shorts , long-sleeve shirt and gloves .
Residents and business owners greeted him by name .
A physical therapy office left him a note with three Kind bars : “ We appreciate your joy-filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The changes in the city were noticeable .
Closed offices .
Restaurants boasting takeout and delivery .
Customers telling Daniels over and over to “ be safe.
” “ I haven ’ t seen you in forever , ” Daniels said to one woman .
“ I can ’ t spend any more time with those teenage kids at my house , ” she replied .
“ I ’ m coming back to work.
” “ I don ’ t blame you , ” Daniels said , with a laugh .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He greeted his people by name .
In 16 years , he ’ s seen young men and women he knew as children head off to college , he ’ s been introduced to significant others and he has grieved for longtime customers who died .
Daniels emulates the letter carrier who — decades ago — inspired him to pursue this career .
The postal worker joked around with his grandmother nearly every day on her porch in Flint , Mich. Daniels ’ grandmother trusted the mailman completely , clipping her outgoing mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When she quizzed him the next day , he ’ d name everything he picked up .
“ This guy was just like the coolest dude ever to me , ” Daniels said .
Although he joined the military at 17 , and ultimately spent 26 years in the Army , Daniels never forgot that letter carrier or the importance of the profession .
There are more than 31,000 post offices and 630,000 postal employees across the country .
On a typical day , they process and deliver 471 million pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the agency .
A recent Pew Research Center survey showed that 91 % of respondents have a favorable view of the USPS .
The Postal Service has long served as an entry point into the middle class for African Americans ; around a quarter of the agency ’ s workers are black , according to the Pew Research Center .
And , as of 2018 , the agency employed more than 100,000 military veterans , according to Pew .
“ The man upstairs blessed me with this job , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there and do the best I can , ” Daniels said .
“ I ’ m going to keep doing it until the candle burns out.
” Daniels knows how important the Postal Service is , especially at a time like this .
So do his customers .
When Daniels reached Avenida Serra around 1 p.m. , residents were gathered in the street waiting for a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover honoring front-line COVID-19 responders and essential workers .
“ All you ’ ve got to do is look up , ” Traycee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lived on the street for 30 years , and every Christmas she gives baked goods to Daniels .
Daniels receives so many treats that time of year that he ’ s had to turn people down or put the sweets in the post office break room for everyone to share .
Because of the virus , Taylor Greene said , she planned to put together another package for him .
Across the street , as Daniels dropped off the mail , Todd McMeill reminded him about the jets .
The longtime resident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energetic deliveryman on “ Mister Rogers ’ Neighborhood , ” who was known for his catchphrase , “ Speedy delivery !
” Daniels ’ normal stride , McMeill said , “ is about 18 miles per hour.
” McMeill , who once worked for the post office , calls Daniels the “ No .
1 ` mailman.
” “ I ’ ve been in the industry , and they don ’ t get any better than that guy , ” he said , describing letter carriers as “ unsung heroes.
” McMeill joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street , making sure to stay physically distanced .
Both of them stared up at the cloudless sky , waiting for the Thunderbirds to make their appearance .
“ I ’ d be happy with a rogue balloon flying by , ” McMeill said .
“ Give me something.
” “ Something in our lives !
” Taylor Greene shouted at the heavens .
“ Help us !
” Daniels kept his eyes trained on his route , ducking into apartment complexes and behind fences .
As he walked , his postal shoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sang Dean Martin ’ s “ Tiny Bubbles.
” There was a Band-Aid on his right leg , applied after he ’ d been pricked by some rose bushes while delivering mail .
Other times , he ’ s had to bandage cuts on his knuckles from ragged mailboxes .
Back at his truck , Daniels wiped down his hand brake , steering wheel and blinkers with disinfectant wipes given to him by a customer .
He kept a laminated handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the back of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careful .
More than 1,000 postal workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 61 have died .
Before Daniels moved on to his next stop , he changed his gloves for a third time .
After all , he observed , the two dirtiest things in the world are “ mail and money.
” Daniels , focused on his deliveries , never heard the jets .
Hours into the day , Daniels pulled down his mask to take a breath .
After walking up steep inclines under a relentless sun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it was nothing , he reasoned , compared to his time in the Army , when he ran in 100-degree weather wearing an M17 gas mask .
“ He knew I was going to do this , ” Daniels said , pointing up at the sky .
“ So he got me ready for it.
” Daniels falls back on his faith often , especially when conversation turns to the challenges facing the Postal Service .
He avoids reading about the issues , but at times his customers will ask him if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we didn ’ t do this every day , there ’ d be a whole bunch of chaos in the world going on , ” Daniels said .
“ I look at people up above that don ’ t have a clue , that ain ’ t down here doing nothing — they can make all the comments they want to make , but guess what ?
I just let them keep talking .
I ’ ll keep taking care of my people .
“ You ’ ve got somebody waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their medicine , somebody waiting on a birthday gift , ” he said .
“ These are people ’ s lives you ’ re putting in their mailbox.
” Daniels , who thanks God every morning when his feet hit the floor , has faith that a higher power will make everything right .
The Scripture he ’ d written in his journal that morning was a comfort : “ God is not unjust ; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Route 31 is Daniels ’ town , and he ’ s the sheriff .
Over the years , he ’ s seen it all .
A boa constrictor coming down the steps of a home on Avenida Miramar ( that house didn ’ t get mail that day ) ; a bee swarm that sent him fleeing to his mail truck ; and three dog attacks in one day .
“ You ’ ve just got to be aware of what ’ s out here , ” he said .
By 5:16 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to 700 deliveries .
He drew energy from the half bag of peanuts he ’ d eaten for lunch .
But after nearly two decades , his body had conditioned itself to his routine .
Someone once asked him how far he walked every day .
“ I don ’ t want to know that , ” Daniels said , with a laugh .
As he hit his final homes , Daniels greeted a circle of five people sitting in their driveway along Marquita .
It was happy hour , they joked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his favorite on the route .
“ Is there a paycheck in there ?
” a resident called out to Daniels , as he dropped mail in their box .
“ All right !
” “ Have a great weekend , ” one of the men called out to Daniels , who wouldn ’ t be off for another five days .
“ See you tomorrow , ” he said .

Before the start of his shift, James Daniels taped the latest note of gratitude to workstation No. 31.
In the nearly 16 years he’s delivered mail, the letter carrier has received hundreds of notes of appreciation.
But over the last couple of months, as the world changed around him, so did their tone.
In April, a month after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered Californians to stay at home to slow the spread of COVID-19, a family along his San Clemente route wrote a note that began, “Dearest Angel man James you are a blessing.”
It included Psalm 91, a fitting hymn for this era, its words associated with times of hardship:
“Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.”
Advertisement
James Daniels holds a note given to him by a resident on his route in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
There may be no institution more American than the United States Postal Service, which traces its roots to 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was named the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress. And yet today, in 2020, its finances are imperiled, its workers are menaced by the dreaded coronavirus and its status has been threatened by the 45th president, who in April declared, “The Postal Service is a joke.”
Customers have asked Daniels if the USPS is shutting down. One woman wrote a supportive “I <3 USPS” on her mailbox. But Daniels tells them what he tells himself: “We’ll be all right.”
He tries not to worry about top officials who are calling the shots.
“You can’t think about them up there,” the 59-year-old said. “You’ve got to focus on the people.”
::
Our postal system is older than the nation itself. And, just like the U.S., it’s had its ups and downs.
Advertisement
In the early 1920s, so many bandits were targeting mail trains that railway mail clerks were armed with government-issued pistols and ordered to “shoot to kill.” In the 1980s and ’90s, after a spate of homicides committed by Postal Service workers, “going postal” became shorthand for becoming uncontrollably angry, sometimes to the point of violence.
Those infamous dog attacks regularly referenced in movies and on TV? Packing a can of dog repellent is standard operating procedure.
So when the pandemic hit, it became another in a long line of challenges. As they did during the 2001 anthrax attacks, postal employees put on protective gear and kept on working.
But in recent weeks it’s become increasingly difficult to ignore the uncertainty surrounding the agency.
The USPS is projecting a $13-billion revenue loss tied to the pandemic and an additional $54 billion in losses over 10 years, Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan told lawmakers in April. At the same time, it has a longer-term burden: a mandate imposed by Congress in 2006 that it pre-fund the retirement benefits of its 630,000 employees, a requirement not imposed on other federal agencies.
The Trump administration has blocked access to a $10-billion line of credit made available in the recently enacted federal stimulus packages. But last month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Postal Preservation Act, which would make an emergency appropriation of $25 billion and require oversight of the funding by the Postal Service inspector general.
Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said the agency finds itself on a precipice.
Advertisement
“The post office belongs to everybody,” he said. “If there’s not genuine relief … then the whole question of whether the post office as a public entity can continue to serve the people on an equal basis is going to be up for grabs probably by early fall.”
Not if James Daniels can help it.
::
“The man upstairs blessed me with this job, so I’m going to go out there and do the best I can. ... I’m going to keep doing it until the candle burns out.” — James Daniels
On a recent Friday morning, Daniels observed a series of pre-delivery rituals. He reached down and gripped his knees below his cotton shorts, stretching near a fleet of blue-and-white Postal Service trucks. There are about 800 addresses on his route, one of the longest in the office. He didn’t want to pull a muscle.
At 10 minutes after 9 a.m., he wheeled out an orange hamper loaded with packages — from Target and Staples, from Macy’s and Ulta Beauty and Amazon Prime — that clerks began sorting hours before the sun rose. They were destined for his truck, where Daniels arranged them by street, before heading back to his workstation to sort the mail. He wore his black reading glasses as he rapidly scanned the letters.
Memory is key in this job. For his USPS entry test, Daniels had to look at 100 addresses and, on the next page, identify the ones he remembered (he recalled getting 80). Over time, regular carriers like Daniels can deliver just by reading the name.
James Daniels loads mail into his truck. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Daniels’ voice radiated warmth as he joked with his co-workers. His fellow letter carriers call him “funny man” and “King James.”
“Appreciate you guys,” Daniels called out to the clerks, as he grabbed a bag filled with small parcels.
With more people sheltering at home and ordering items to be delivered, the post office is now handling more packages than around Christmastime — the peak season, which typically lasts for only four weeks. Letter carriers are delivering gifts and cards for virtual birthday parties, food and flowers, toilet paper and bleach, as well as countless tokens of love and friendship sent by parents and children and friends who can’t be there in person.
When Doug Reid, a clerk who arrived at 3:15 a.m. to begin sorting mail, shouted that the last batch of parcels was ready, a cheer rang out among the workers.
Shortly before 11 a.m., Daniels was ready to start his route. He wore the red, white and blue mask a customer had given him for protection.
Before he left the parking lot, he read the Scripture that rested above the sun visor of his truck: Psalm 91.
::
Walking the hilly streets of his route, Daniels was a vision in blue: hat, shorts, long-sleeve shirt and gloves.
James Daniels watches for traffic in San Clemente. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Residents and business owners greeted him by name. A physical therapy office left him a note with three Kind bars: “We appreciate your joy-filled spirit that walks in here every day.”
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The changes in the city were noticeable. Closed offices. Restaurants boasting takeout and delivery. Customers telling Daniels over and over to “be safe.”
“I haven’t seen you in forever,” Daniels said to one woman.
“I can’t spend any more time with those teenage kids at my house,” she replied. “I’m coming back to work.”
“I don’t blame you,” Daniels said, with a laugh. After raising three kids, he understood.
He greeted his people by name. In 16 years, he’s seen young men and women he knew as children head off to college, he’s been introduced to significant others and he has grieved for longtime customers who died.
Daniels emulates the letter carrier who — decades ago — inspired him to pursue this career. The postal worker joked around with his grandmother nearly every day on her porch in Flint, Mich.
Daniels’ grandmother trusted the mailman completely, clipping her outgoing mail to the box with a raggedy clothespin. When she quizzed him the next day, he’d name everything he picked up.
“This guy was just like the coolest dude ever to me,” Daniels said.
Although he joined the military at 17, and ultimately spent 26 years in the Army, Daniels never forgot that letter carrier or the importance of the profession.
There are more than 31,000 post offices and 630,000 postal employees across the country. On a typical day, they process and deliver 471 million pieces of mail to nearly 160 million delivery points, according to the agency. A recent Pew Research Center survey showed that 91% of respondents have a favorable view of the USPS.
The Postal Service has long served as an entry point into the middle class for African Americans; around a quarter of the agency’s workers are black, according to the Pew Research Center. And, as of 2018, the agency employed more than 100,000 military veterans, according to Pew.
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“The man upstairs blessed me with this job, so I’m going to go out there and do the best I can,” Daniels said. “I’m going to keep doing it until the candle burns out.”
James Daniels is greeted by resident Katie Price as he walks his route. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Daniels knows how important the Postal Service is, especially at a time like this.
So do his customers.
::
When Daniels reached Avenida Serra around 1 p.m., residents were gathered in the street waiting for a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover honoring front-line COVID-19 responders and essential workers.
“All you’ve got to do is look up,” Traycee Taylor Greene told Daniels. She’s lived on the street for 30 years, and every Christmas she gives baked goods to Daniels.
Daniels receives so many treats that time of year that he’s had to turn people down or put the sweets in the post office break room for everyone to share.
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Because of the virus, Taylor Greene said, she planned to put together another package for him.
Across the street, as Daniels dropped off the mail, Todd McMeill reminded him about the jets.
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The longtime resident likened Daniels to Mr. McFeely, the energetic deliveryman on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” who was known for his catchphrase, “Speedy delivery!” Daniels’ normal stride, McMeill said, “is about 18 miles per hour.”
McMeill, who once worked for the post office, calls Daniels the “No. 1 ` mailman.”
“I’ve been in the industry, and they don’t get any better than that guy,” he said, describing letter carriers as “unsung heroes.”
McMeill joined Taylor Greene in the middle of the street, making sure to stay physically distanced. Both of them stared up at the cloudless sky, waiting for the Thunderbirds to make their appearance.
“I’d be happy with a rogue balloon flying by,” McMeill said. “Give me something.”
“Something in our lives!” Taylor Greene shouted at the heavens. “Help us!”
Daniels kept his eyes trained on his route, ducking into apartment complexes and behind fences. As he walked, his postal shoes shining from his morning polish, he sang Dean Martin’s “Tiny Bubbles.”
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There was a Band-Aid on his right leg, applied after he’d been pricked by some rose bushes while delivering mail. Other times, he’s had to bandage cuts on his knuckles from ragged mailboxes.
Back at his truck, Daniels wiped down his hand brake, steering wheel and blinkers with disinfectant wipes given to him by a customer.
He kept a laminated handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the back of his truck as a reminder to be careful. More than 1,000 postal workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 61 have died. Before Daniels moved on to his next stop, he changed his gloves for a third time.
After all, he observed, the two dirtiest things in the world are “mail and money.”
Daniels, focused on his deliveries, never heard the jets.
::
Hours into the day, Daniels pulled down his mask to take a breath.
James Daniels takes a break after a grueling walk in hot sun delivering mail. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
After walking up steep inclines under a relentless sun, the mask was getting to him. But it was nothing, he reasoned, compared to his time in the Army, when he ran in 100-degree weather wearing an M17 gas mask.
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“He knew I was going to do this,” Daniels said, pointing up at the sky. “So he got me ready for it.”
Daniels falls back on his faith often, especially when conversation turns to the challenges facing the Postal Service. He avoids reading about the issues, but at times his customers will ask him if his employer is going to survive.
“If we didn’t do this every day, there’d be a whole bunch of chaos in the world going on,” Daniels said. “I look at people up above that don’t have a clue, that ain’t down here doing nothing — they can make all the comments they want to make, but guess what? I just let them keep talking. I’ll keep taking care of my people.
James Daniels greets a resident while taking a lunch break. (Irfan Khan/ Los Angeles Times)
“You’ve got somebody waiting on their check, somebody waiting on their medicine, somebody waiting on a birthday gift,” he said. “These are people’s lives you’re putting in their mailbox.”
Daniels, who thanks God every morning when his feet hit the floor, has faith that a higher power will make everything right.
The Scripture he’d written in his journal that morning was a comfort:
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
::
Route 31 is Daniels’ town, and he’s the sheriff.
Over the years, he’s seen it all. A boa constrictor coming down the steps of a home on Avenida Miramar (that house didn’t get mail that day); a bee swarm that sent him fleeing to his mail truck; and three dog attacks in one day.
“You’ve just got to be aware of what’s out here,” he said.
By 5:16 p.m., Daniels estimated he’d made close to 700 deliveries. He drew energy from the half bag of peanuts he’d eaten for lunch. But after nearly two decades, his body had conditioned itself to his routine.
Someone once asked him how far he walked every day.
“I don’t want to know that,” Daniels said, with a laugh.
As he hit his final homes, Daniels greeted a circle of five people sitting in their driveway along Marquita. It was happy hour, they joked.
He pointed out their dog, his favorite on the route.
“Is there a paycheck in there?” a resident called out to Daniels, as he dropped mail in their box. “All right!”
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“You guys have a good evening,” the letter carrier responded.
“Have a great weekend,” one of the men called out to Daniels, who wouldn’t be off for another five days.
Daniels cracked a smile. Gave them a wave.
“See you tomorrow,” he said.


latimes--2020-06-07--Across the nation, Americans demand justice in protests loud, raucous and peaceful

They jammed onto the Brooklyn Bridge .
Flowed past the White House , newly fortified to keep the nation ’ s citizens at bay .
Forced city officials to close Chicago ’ s famed Lake Shore Drive .
Marched on USC , Sunset Boulevard , Beverly Hills , Los Angeles City Hall , San Pedro , Huntington Beach .
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the country Saturday — in some cities , for the 10th straight day — to protest the killing of George Floyd , a black man who died May 25 in Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knee on his neck .
The protesters demanded justice .
They called for racism and police brutality to end .
They were loud .
They were boisterous .
And they were peaceful .
There were no apparent incidents of vandalism or looting by Saturday evening , no broken windows or stolen goods .
And for the most part , the throngs of law enforcement officers in riot gear stood down .
Unlike earlier in the week , there were no reports of tear gas , rubber bullets or police batons connecting with flesh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayors marched .
Nurses waved signs , wore masks , handed out hand sanitizer .
Denver Broncos football players and staff joined protesters leaving the Colorado Capitol .
Law enforcement agents in some cities took a knee — the near-universal sign of anti-racist protest , thanks to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick .
In a perfectly California touch , a white Tesla was parked in the middle of Sunset Boulevard as its occupants handed out water and food .
At Hollywood and Vine , Jose Lagunas waved a rubber facsimile of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick .
“ If there ’ s one thing I ’ ve learned , ” he said , “ it ’ s that stuff like this gets good attention and spreads the message.
” Lagunas , who has marched in four demonstrations in the last week , was among thousands of people at more than a dozen Los Angeles-area protests Saturday raising their voices against the unjust killings of black Americans .
They honored Floyd ; Breonna Taylor , a black emergency medical technician shot dead by police in March in her Louisville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arbery , a black jogger chased and shot to death by two white men in February in Georgia , among others .
Andrea Gonzalez brought her mother , husband and three children to the growing crowd at Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday afternoon .
It was the first time her children — ages 4 , 6 and 7 — had hit a protest line .
The family drove from San Dimas to take part .
“ We brought them out here because it ’ s important to show them why we respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ and that even though we are brown , we support black lives.
” Said her mother , Micaela Ruiz , who has vivid memories of the 1992 Los Angeles riots : “ Silence is acceptance.
” A group of about 50 nurses and other healthcare workers from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center , UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center , Keck Medicine of USC , Children ’ s Hospital Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente joined the protest in front of City Hall after months of working around the clock to help COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines to come here .
We felt a lot of anger , and as patients ’ advocates , we felt we needed to speak up about the injustice , ” Kannitha Lor , 25 , said .
Black communities have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus — a major reason the healthcare workers joined in the demonstration , they said .
“ Racism is a public health crisis , ” said Delilah Garcia , 24 , noting the disproportionate number of black patients she sees in comparison to other races .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face masks , in accordance with coronavirus restrictions , and holding signs that read “ Nurses for Black Lives Matter ” and “ If someone says they can ’ t breathe , you help them , ” they offered hand sanitizer to other protesters and were prepared to offer medical assistance if needed .
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at about 2 p.m. around the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood .
One woman , wearing a black beret and a “ Black Girls Rock ” T-shirt , stood in the street blocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of a nearby intersection , face down .
Then dozens of protesters joined in , lying on their stomachs in the street .
They stayed there , silent and immobile , for several minutes .
Then they rose and began to chant , “ Say their name ” and “ Breonna Taylor.
” In Washington , D.C , thousands of people converged on the newly — and officially — named Black Lives Matter Plaza in front of the White House , which now resembles a fortress , surrounded by high fences and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with women from the YWCA .
Army vets and union recruiters .
Heavily tattooed people and women in hijabs .
Children and gray-haired grandmothers .
Federal workers , priests , doctors in scrubs , people with Bibles who seemed familiar enough with the book to know how to hold it .
Unlike earlier in the week , there was minimal police presence and no reports of violence or vandalism .
The mood was serious and passionate but also peaceful and friendly .
And the mayor was there .
“ You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more justice and more peace !
” Mayor Muriel Bowser called out to the crowd .
Few American cities have embraced the demonstrations over the police killing of Floyd and over the heavy-handed federal response as enthusiastically as the District of Columbia .
And that has led to a battle between the mayor and the president .
At Bowser ’ s order , public works crews on Friday painted “ Black Lives Matter ” in huge neon-yellow letters , stretching from curb to curb and down two full city blocks on 16th Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
Trump snapped back on Twitter , calling her “ incompetent.
” “ The silent majority can not be silent anymore , ” said Eileen Suffian , a 64-year-old accountant who attended the Washington rally with her dog Moxie .
“ Where there is justice somewhere , there is justice everywhere.
” As part of the age group considered most vulnerable to the coronavirus , Suffian said she spent weeks trying to avoid crowds .
But after federal officials deployed riot police , National Guard troops , chemical gas and low-flying military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , she had to act .
“ The government mobilizing the Army against its own citizens — I never thought I ’ d live to see that , ” she said .
The protests have so far appeared successful in shifting public discourse and bringing to the forefront what many say are long-overdue conversations about police brutality and institutionalized racism in America .
In Ferguson , Mo.
, voters last week elected Ella Jones as the city ’ s first black mayor .
This is the same town where 18-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white police officer six years ago .
In Virginia , civil rights activists are celebrating Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Richmond .
Meanwhile , in Louisville , Mayor Greg Fischer announced last week that the police department ’ s use of no-knock warrants is suspended indefinitely .
On Saturday , the question loomed : How long will the protests continue ?
So far , there seems to be no answer , just protest signs , impassioned chants and more marching .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and white , marched downtown in humid 85-degree heat , shouting , “ No justice , no peace.
” Just before dusk , Amisha Harding , 41 , a nonprofit consultant and realtor , wiggled her hips beside a loudspeaker in Centennial Olympic Park , belting out Bob Marley songs and encouraging marchers to write on a “ healing board.
” For days , she had come downtown because she worried about her 18-year-old son , a student at Morehouse College .
“ I still fear for his life , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t imagine not being here .
We have to get to the point that everyone recognizes racism is a problem.
” On her first day protesting , the mood was tense as demonstrators yelled at one another and police deployed tear gas .
The people , she feared , could not sustain so much dark emotion .
So on Monday , she and her cousin brought a speaker to blast disco and hip-hop .
They wanted to create a more positive vibe .
Protesters danced , and the mood lightened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Guard were tapping their feet .
She coaxed them onto the impromptu dance floor .
One or two broke formation .
Then the major joined in , then the general .
Before long , more than a dozen men and women dressed in camouflage were doing the electric slide , their batons and assault rifles swinging to the beat .
The next day , she got them to do “ Macarena.
” “ It was so beautiful , ” Harding said Saturday .
“ Protesters saw the humanity in them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
We created a place for unity.
” By Saturday , the city had lifted its 8 p.m. curfew .
At dusk , no police in riot gear were within sight of Centennial Olympic Park or blocking the CNN Center , where windows had been smashed eight days earlier .
Times staff writers Jenny Jarvie , Amy Kaufman , Ruben Vives , Sonali Kohli , Arit John , Colleen Shalby and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report .

Sarah Parvini, Melissa Etehad, Tracy Wilkinson, Maria L. La Ganga, Kevin Baxter

Lucy Carbajal grieves for her son Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal during a vigil in front of Utah State Capitol Saturday in Salt Lake City. People gathered, chanted and spoke out against racism and police brutality in an eighth straight day of protests. (Rick Bowmer/AP)
People raise their fists during a protest over the death of George Floyd, Saturday in Miami. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
Protesters and activists walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York Saturday. (Craig Ruttle/AP)
Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, left, greets offensive guard Dalton Risner as they take part in a rally in the Greek Amphitheatre in Civic Center Park in Denver, Saturday. (David Zalubowski/AP)
Freddie Peralta stands with the America flag as he holds a sign in memory of Breonna Taylor during a protest in Miami over the death of George Floyd and others, Saturday. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
A demonstrator stands in front of Chicago Police officers during the March for Justice in honor of George Floyd Saturday, June 6, 2020, in Chicago. Demonstrators who gathered at Union Park marched through the city’s West Side on Saturday afternoon, as the city prepared for another weekend of rallies. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (Nam Y. Huh/Los Angeles Times)
Members of the Austin Police Department kneel in front of demonstrators who gathered in Austin Saturday. (Eric Gay/AP)
Protesters hold up signs and their hands as they chant during a protest in Pittsburgh Saturday. (Keith Srakocic/AP)
A man speaks into a megaphone while standing with others on the center divider as traffic is stopped on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Saturday. (Jeff Chiu/AP)
They jammed onto the Brooklyn Bridge. Flowed past the White House, newly fortified to keep the nation’s citizens at bay. Forced city officials to close Chicago’s famed Lake Shore Drive. Marched on USC, Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles City Hall, San Pedro, Huntington Beach.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the country Saturday — in some cities, for the 10th straight day — to protest the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 in Minneapolis with a white police officer’s knee on his neck.
The protesters demanded justice. They called for racism and police brutality to end. They were loud. They were boisterous. And they were peaceful.
There were no apparent incidents of vandalism or looting by Saturday evening, no broken windows or stolen goods. And for the most part, the throngs of law enforcement officers in riot gear stood down. Unlike earlier in the week, there were no reports of tear gas, rubber bullets or police batons connecting with flesh in most cities across the country.
Mayors marched. Nurses waved signs, wore masks, handed out hand sanitizer. Denver Broncos football players and staff joined protesters leaving the Colorado Capitol. Law enforcement agents in some cities took a knee — the near-universal sign of anti-racist protest, thanks to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Advertisement
In a perfectly California touch, a white Tesla was parked in the middle of Sunset Boulevard as its occupants handed out water and food. At Hollywood and Vine, Jose Lagunas waved a rubber facsimile of President Trump’s head on a stick. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned,” he said, “it’s that stuff like this gets good attention and spreads the message.”
Lagunas, who has marched in four demonstrations in the last week, was among thousands of people at more than a dozen Los Angeles-area protests Saturday raising their voices against the unjust killings of black Americans.
They honored Floyd; Breonna Taylor, a black emergency medical technician shot dead by police in March in her Louisville, Ky., home; and Ahmaud Arbery, a black jogger chased and shot to death by two white men in February in Georgia, among others.
Andrea Gonzalez brought her mother, husband and three children to the growing crowd at Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday afternoon. It was the first time her children — ages 4, 6 and 7 — had hit a protest line. The family drove from San Dimas to take part.
“We brought them out here because it’s important to show them why we respect all human lives,” Gonzalez said, “and that even though we are brown, we support black lives.”
Said her mother, Micaela Ruiz, who has vivid memories of the 1992 Los Angeles riots: “Silence is acceptance.”
Advertisement
A group of about 50 nurses and other healthcare workers from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, Keck Medicine of USC, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente joined the protest in front of City Hall after months of working around the clock to help COVID-19 patients.
“We left the front lines to come here. We felt a lot of anger, and as patients’ advocates, we felt we needed to speak up about the injustice,” Kannitha Lor, 25, said.
Black communities have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus — a major reason the healthcare workers joined in the demonstration, they said.
“Racism is a public health crisis,” said Delilah Garcia, 24, noting the disproportionate number of black patients she sees in comparison to other races. “Enough is enough.”
Wearing scrubs and face masks, in accordance with coronavirus restrictions, and holding signs that read “Nurses for Black Lives Matter” and “If someone says they can’t breathe, you help them,” they offered hand sanitizer to other protesters and were prepared to offer medical assistance if needed.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at about 2 p.m. around the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood. One woman, wearing a black beret and a “Black Girls Rock” T-shirt, stood in the street blocking traffic, while another laid in the middle of a nearby intersection, face down.
Then dozens of protesters joined in, lying on their stomachs in the street. They stayed there, silent and immobile, for several minutes. Then they rose and began to chant, “Say their name” and “Breonna Taylor.”
In Washington, D.C, thousands of people converged on the newly — and officially — named Black Lives Matter Plaza in front of the White House, which now resembles a fortress, surrounded by high fences and concrete barriers.
Black Power activists came, along with women from the YWCA. Army vets and union recruiters. Heavily tattooed people and women in hijabs. Children and gray-haired grandmothers. Federal workers, priests, doctors in scrubs, people with Bibles who seemed familiar enough with the book to know how to hold it.
Unlike earlier in the week, there was minimal police presence and no reports of violence or vandalism. The mood was serious and passionate but also peaceful and friendly.
And the mayor was there.
“You know we have to speak up loudly for more justice and more peace!” Mayor Muriel Bowser called out to the crowd.
Few American cities have embraced the demonstrations over the police killing of Floyd and over the heavy-handed federal response as enthusiastically as the District of Columbia. And that has led to a battle between the mayor and the president.
At Bowser’s order, public works crews on Friday painted “Black Lives Matter” in huge neon-yellow letters, stretching from curb to curb and down two full city blocks on 16th Street, which leads directly to the White House. Trump snapped back on Twitter, calling her “incompetent.”
“The silent majority cannot be silent anymore,” said Eileen Suffian, a 64-year-old accountant who attended the Washington rally with her dog Moxie. “Where there is justice somewhere, there is justice everywhere.”
As part of the age group considered most vulnerable to the coronavirus, Suffian said she spent weeks trying to avoid crowds. But after federal officials deployed riot police, National Guard troops, chemical gas and low-flying military helicopters to scatter peaceful protesters Monday near the White House, she had to act.
“The government mobilizing the Army against its own citizens — I never thought I’d live to see that,” she said.
The protests have so far appeared successful in shifting public discourse and bringing to the forefront what many say are long-overdue conversations about police brutality and institutionalized racism in America.
In Ferguson, Mo., voters last week elected Ella Jones as the city’s first black mayor. This is the same town where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by a white police officer six years ago.
In Virginia, civil rights activists are celebrating Gov. Ralph Northam’s decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Richmond. Meanwhile, in Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer announced last week that the police department’s use of no-knock warrants is suspended indefinitely.
On Saturday, the question loomed: How long will the protests continue? So far, there seems to be no answer, just protest signs, impassioned chants and more marching.
In Atlanta, thousands of protesters, black and white, marched downtown in humid 85-degree heat, shouting, “No justice, no peace.”
Just before dusk, Amisha Harding, 41, a nonprofit consultant and realtor, wiggled her hips beside a loudspeaker in Centennial Olympic Park, belting out Bob Marley songs and encouraging marchers to write on a “healing board.”
For days, she had come downtown because she worried about her 18-year-old son, a student at Morehouse College.
“I still fear for his life,” she said. “As a mother, I couldn’t imagine not being here. We have to get to the point that everyone recognizes racism is a problem.”
On her first day protesting, the mood was tense as demonstrators yelled at one another and police deployed tear gas. The people, she feared, could not sustain so much dark emotion. So on Monday, she and her cousin brought a speaker to blast disco and hip-hop.
They wanted to create a more positive vibe. Protesters danced, and the mood lightened. By Thursday, a few members of the National Guard were tapping their feet. She coaxed them onto the impromptu dance floor.
One or two broke formation. Then the major joined in, then the general.
Before long, more than a dozen men and women dressed in camouflage were doing the electric slide, their batons and assault rifles swinging to the beat. The next day, she got them to do “Macarena.”
“It was so beautiful,” Harding said Saturday. “Protesters saw the humanity in them, and they saw the humanity in the protesters. We created a place for unity.”
By Saturday, the city had lifted its 8 p.m. curfew. At dusk, no police in riot gear were within sight of Centennial Olympic Park or blocking the CNN Center, where windows had been smashed eight days earlier.
Times staff writers Jenny Jarvie, Amy Kaufman, Ruben Vives, Sonali Kohli, Arit John, Colleen Shalby and Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-08--Earthquake: Magnitude 4.3 quake near Ridgecrest, Calif.

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake was reported at 9:15 p.m. Sunday 11 miles from Ridgecrest , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 27 miles from California City , 54 miles from Barstow , 64 miles from Rosamond and 65 miles from Tehachapi .
According to the USGS , the earthquake produced light to moderate shaking near its epicenter , and weak shaking was reported as far as the San Fernando Valley and the Riverside area .
In the last 10 days , there have been 14 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was felt throughout Southern California .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.3 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Find out what to do before , and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake was reported at 9:15 p.m. Sunday 11 miles from Ridgecrest, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 27 miles from California City, 54 miles from Barstow, 64 miles from Rosamond and 65 miles from Tehachapi.
According to the USGS, the earthquake produced light to moderate shaking near its epicenter, and weak shaking was reported as far as the San Fernando Valley and the Riverside area.
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In the last 10 days, there have been 14 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby, including a magnitude 5.5 quake Wednesday that was felt throughout Southern California.
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.3 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-06-08--Police ask North Hollywood Art District residents to stay inside as armed man barricades in home

Police are urging residents of the North Hollywood Art District to stay inside as they try to arrest an armed @ @ @ @ @ inside his home , according to the Los Angeles Police Department .
Police were alerted @ @ @ @ @ rifle in a residence on Bakman Avenue near Otsego Street at around 7 p.m. , @ @ @ @ @ .
The man was still barricaded inside his home as of 8:30 p.m. Several helicopters @ @ @ @ @ There will a heavy police presence in the area until the LAPD “ gets the @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lopez said .

Police are urging residents of the North Hollywood Art District to stay inside as they try to arrest an armed man who has barricaded himself inside his home, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police were alerted to a man wielding a rifle in a residence on Bakman Avenue near Otsego Street at around 7 p.m., LAPD Officer Mike Lopez said.
The man was still barricaded inside his home as of 8:30 p.m. Several helicopters continued to circle above.
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There will a heavy police presence in the area until the LAPD “gets the individual into custody without incident,” Lopez said.


latimes--2020-06-07--Criticized over mass arrests of protesters, L.A. says it won't seek criminal charges or fines

Faced with growing criticism over the arrests of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators , top Los Angeles law enforcement officials said Sunday they will not pursue criminal or financial penalties against the protesters .
The decision follows complaints by many of those arrested that they spent hours in plastic handcuffs in crammed buses without justification , leaving them with injuries and potentially exposing them to the coronavirus .
Many of those were taken into custody last week for either violating curfew rules or failing to disperse after the LAPD had declared their protest unlawful .
A lawsuit filed by the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter L.A. claims the curfews illegally suppressed constitutionally protected protests and violated people ’ s freedom of movement .
The organizations have also decried videos that show police officers responding with violence against protesters , including swinging batons and firing foam and sponge projectiles .
Those advocates said the city ’ s new stance does not resolve all the concerns outlined in the lawsuit .
They added that officials shouldn ’ t waffle on repercussions but rather dismiss the charges immediately .
“ Given what we have seen this week with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the many videos and news reports of excessive force and ambush tactics — any move by the city attorney to force people to defend themselves against curfew charges would be tantamount to sanctioning police repression , ” said Adrienna Wong , senior staff attorney at the ACLU .
Though city officials said those protesters won ’ t face criminal charges , it remains unclear how authorities plan to resolve their cases .
City Atty .
Mike Feuer said the process will be “ nonpunitive ” and “ outside of the courts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moore said officials are leaning toward leniency for anyone not suspected of vandalism .
Moore said the process will focus on educating those arrested on the legal rationale for curfew and dispersal orders , “ so that people are more equipped to understand their responsibilities should they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
” Moore and Feuer declined to elaborate but said more information would be available Monday .
Police and prosecutors are still pursuing cases against individuals accused of more serious crimes .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office had received at least 30 looting cases from police .
The Los Angeles Police Department has formed a task force with other agencies , including the FBI and Santa Monica Police Department , to collect evidence and pursue additional charges as well .
“ Ultimately , persons who committed significant crimes such as looting , burglary , robbery , vandalism , arson , and assault with great bodily injury will be held accountable for their actions during the past days , ” the LAPD said .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a row after protests in downtown and the Fairfax district were marred by incidents of looting and arson a week ago .
At times , the curfews were issued and changed hastily , causing confusion .
Police used the curfews , as well as orders declaring large gatherings unlawful , as justification to sweep people off the streets in huge numbers — possibly into the thousands — amid an all-hands-on-deck mobilization effort .
Some applauded the crackdown for restoring order , but others lambasted it as a heavy-handed response to legitimate protests over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other police killings of black people in cities across the U.S. Curfews also were used by Los Angeles County and surrounding municipalities , as well as other major cities experiencing similar unrest and protests across the country .
Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties were also targeted by the ACLU and Black Lives Matter L.A. lawsuit .
L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey , whose office would handle curfew violations in parts of the county without their own local prosecutor ’ s office , said her office is “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said that she supports the 1st Amendment and that her office has more important cases to pursue .
Lacey ’ s opponent in the upcoming race for district attorney , George Gascón , has called for all such cases to be dismissed .
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said his agency made 475 arrests and would forward its cases to local prosecutors and leave it to them to determine the right course of action .
The lawsuit gave voice to many in the streets who rejected the legitimacy of the curfews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their defiance .
Moore said he personally spoke to arrestees who rejected outright the notion that police were justified in arresting them for peacefully protesting .
Many credited the ACLU and Black Lives Matter L.A. lawsuit with bringing an end to the curfew .
Litigation around mass arrests has shifted the needle before and forced the city to pay out expensive settlements .
Such settlements cost the city nearly $ 13 million after a May Day protest in 2007 and $ 2.45 million after arrests at Occupy L.A. demonstrations in 2011 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time around had more to do with the increasingly peaceful nature of protests in the city , which continued this weekend without major incident .
“ As soon as we had a quiet night , [ and ] we saw business burglaries drop and return to more reasonable levels , there wasn ’ t a need for that control agent anymore , ” Moore said .
Early on , every protester detained for a curfew violation was cuffed and transported to a processing center , sometimes miles from where the person was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moore said the process served a purpose in removing people from situations that the Police Department felt had grown unsafe , both for officers and protesters , and allowed the department to restore order to the streets .
He said the department kept those arrested out of corrections facilities after hearing concerns from community leaders about curfew violators being exposed to the coronavirus .
On the last two nights of curfew orders , Moore said , police released some violators on the spot after only a brief detention .
How the LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much larger , ongoing review of the department ’ s actions , which marks a pivot out of emergency response and into a more extended phase of reflection , officials said — including assessing whether the police response in this historic moment was too much or too little .
“ I understand the criticism from both sides .
I appreciate it .
And I ’ m committed to us investigating and determining and bringing forth to those critics on all sides a review of what occurred , ” Moore said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gathering the information.
” Critics say curfew enforcement unfairly affected homeless people and individuals who were coming from and going to work , despite the fact that both groups were supposed to be exempt from the order .
Amanda Young , 27 , of San Pedro said she and a friend were arrested for curfew violations while peacefully protesting after police surrounded them near L.A. City Hall on Tuesday night .
“ It was really kind of weird because they were all screaming ‘ Go home !
’ , but no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ How can you give me an order and then not allow me to fulfill that order ?
” Young , who works at the front desk of an animal hospital , said she worries about a hefty fine , and officials saying such penalties won ’ t be pursued didn ’ t immediately make her feel better .
“ I guess I ’ ll believe it when I see it , because as far as I know , I still have to show up to court on Nov. 4 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also winding down other emergency responses and has shifted its strategy to deal with protests , Moore said .
For instance , on Saturday , police tracked 35 different marches and protests in the city , he said .
For the vast majority , police left protesters alone , staging officers a couple of blocks away in case they were needed , the chief said .
Police had been criticized for staging in huge numbers around previous protests and escalating tensions with protesters .
They also have been accused of excessive force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several of those incidents are now under review .
Four officers involved in pulling a driver out of a vehicle in Van Nuys after smashing the driver ’ s side window have been assigned to administrative duties pending an investigation , Moore said .
He said he was not aware of any other officers having their status changed because of incidents involving protesters .
City Councilman Mike Bonin over the weekend sent a letter to Moore demanding a broad investigation of “ not just individual instances , but of underlying policies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moore said the National Guard was leaving the city Sunday , but about 250 personnel would remain on standby at a nearby military facility .
The police chief said the LAPD is also beginning to demobilize .
About half of the officers on the force would have their first days off in a week on Monday and Tuesday , and the other half on Wednesday and Thursday , he said .

Police in Los Angeles arrest a demonstrator for curfew violation last week after a day of peaceful protest against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Faced with growing criticism over the arrests of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators, top Los Angeles law enforcement officials said Sunday they will not pursue criminal or financial penalties against the protesters.
The decision follows complaints by many of those arrested that they spent hours in plastic handcuffs in crammed buses without justification, leaving them with injuries and potentially exposing them to the coronavirus. Many of those were taken into custody last week for either violating curfew rules or failing to disperse after the LAPD had declared their protest unlawful.
A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and Black Lives Matter L.A. claims the curfews illegally suppressed constitutionally protected protests and violated people’s freedom of movement. The organizations have also decried videos that show police officers responding with violence against protesters, including swinging batons and firing foam and sponge projectiles.
Those advocates said the city’s new stance does not resolve all the concerns outlined in the lawsuit. They added that officials shouldn’t waffle on repercussions but rather dismiss the charges immediately.
“Given what we have seen this week with respect to how LAPD enforced the curfew — the many videos and news reports of excessive force and ambush tactics — any move by the city attorney to force people to defend themselves against curfew charges would be tantamount to sanctioning police repression,” said Adrienna Wong, senior staff attorney at the ACLU.
Though city officials said those protesters won’t face criminal charges, it remains unclear how authorities plan to resolve their cases.
City Atty. Mike Feuer said the process will be “nonpunitive” and “outside of the courts,” and Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said officials are leaning toward leniency for anyone not suspected of vandalism.
Moore said the process will focus on educating those arrested on the legal rationale for curfew and dispersal orders, “so that people are more equipped to understand their responsibilities should they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.”
Moore and Feuer declined to elaborate but said more information would be available Monday.
Police and prosecutors are still pursuing cases against individuals accused of more serious crimes. Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for Feuer, said the city attorney’s office had received at least 30 looting cases from police. The Los Angeles Police Department has formed a task force with other agencies, including the FBI and Santa Monica Police Department, to collect evidence and pursue additional charges as well.
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“Ultimately, persons who committed significant crimes such as looting, burglary, robbery, vandalism, arson, and assault with great bodily injury will be held accountable for their actions during the past days,” the LAPD said.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered a nighttime curfew five nights in a row after protests in downtown and the Fairfax district were marred by incidents of looting and arson a week ago. At times, the curfews were issued and changed hastily, causing confusion.
Police used the curfews, as well as orders declaring large gatherings unlawful, as justification to sweep people off the streets in huge numbers — possibly into the thousands — amid an all-hands-on-deck mobilization effort. Some applauded the crackdown for restoring order, but others lambasted it as a heavy-handed response to legitimate protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other police killings of black people in cities across the U.S.
Curfews also were used by Los Angeles County and surrounding municipalities, as well as other major cities experiencing similar unrest and protests across the country. Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties were also targeted by the ACLU and Black Lives Matter L.A. lawsuit.
L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, whose office would handle curfew violations in parts of the county without their own local prosecutor’s office, said her office is “not going to pursue” curfew cases either.
She said that she supports the 1st Amendment and that her office has more important cases to pursue.
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Lacey’s opponent in the upcoming race for district attorney, George Gascón, has called for all such cases to be dismissed.
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said his agency made 475 arrests and would forward its cases to local prosecutors and leave it to them to determine the right course of action.
The lawsuit gave voice to many in the streets who rejected the legitimacy of the curfews and ended up in so-called flex cuffs for their defiance. Moore said he personally spoke to arrestees who rejected outright the notion that police were justified in arresting them for peacefully protesting.
Many credited the ACLU and Black Lives Matter L.A. lawsuit with bringing an end to the curfew. Litigation around mass arrests has shifted the needle before and forced the city to pay out expensive settlements. Such settlements cost the city nearly $13 million after a May Day protest in 2007 and $2.45 million after arrests at Occupy L.A. demonstrations in 2011.
Moore said the lifting of the curfew this time around had more to do with the increasingly peaceful nature of protests in the city, which continued this weekend without major incident.
“As soon as we had a quiet night, [and] we saw business burglaries drop and return to more reasonable levels, there wasn’t a need for that control agent anymore,” Moore said.
Early on, every protester detained for a curfew violation was cuffed and transported to a processing center, sometimes miles from where the person was arrested. Some spent hours aboard buses.
Moore said the process served a purpose in removing people from situations that the Police Department felt had grown unsafe, both for officers and protesters, and allowed the department to restore order to the streets.
He said the department kept those arrested out of corrections facilities after hearing concerns from community leaders about curfew violators being exposed to the coronavirus. On the last two nights of curfew orders, Moore said, police released some violators on the spot after only a brief detention.
How the LAPD handled curfew violators will be part of a much larger, ongoing review of the department’s actions, which marks a pivot out of emergency response and into a more extended phase of reflection, officials said — including assessing whether the police response in this historic moment was too much or too little.
“I understand the criticism from both sides. I appreciate it. And I’m committed to us investigating and determining and bringing forth to those critics on all sides a review of what occurred,” Moore said. “We’ve already begun the process of gathering the information.”
Critics say curfew enforcement unfairly affected homeless people and individuals who were coming from and going to work, despite the fact that both groups were supposed to be exempt from the order.
Amanda Young, 27, of San Pedro said she and a friend were arrested for curfew violations while peacefully protesting after police surrounded them near L.A. City Hall on Tuesday night.
“It was really kind of weird because they were all screaming ‘Go home!’, but no one would let you leave,” she said. “How can you give me an order and then not allow me to fulfill that order?”
Young, who works at the front desk of an animal hospital, said she worries about a hefty fine, and officials saying such penalties won’t be pursued didn’t immediately make her feel better.
“I guess I’ll believe it when I see it, because as far as I know, I still have to show up to court on Nov. 4,” she said.
The LAPD is also winding down other emergency responses and has shifted its strategy to deal with protests, Moore said.
For instance, on Saturday, police tracked 35 different marches and protests in the city, he said. For the vast majority, police left protesters alone, staging officers a couple of blocks away in case they were needed, the chief said.
Police had been criticized for staging in huge numbers around previous protests and escalating tensions with protesters. They also have been accused of excessive force, including in many incidents caught on camera. Several of those incidents are now under review.
Four officers involved in pulling a driver out of a vehicle in Van Nuys after smashing the driver’s side window have been assigned to administrative duties pending an investigation, Moore said. He said he was not aware of any other officers having their status changed because of incidents involving protesters.
City Councilman Mike Bonin over the weekend sent a letter to Moore demanding a broad investigation of “not just individual instances, but of underlying policies and of strategic decisions” by police.
Moore said the National Guard was leaving the city Sunday, but about 250 personnel would remain on standby at a nearby military facility.
The police chief said the LAPD is also beginning to demobilize. About half of the officers on the force would have their first days off in a week on Monday and Tuesday, and the other half on Wednesday and Thursday, he said.


latimes--2020-06-07--FBI looks for link between shootings of officers in Santa Cruz and Oakland

After a Santa Cruz County sheriff ’ s deputy was shot and killed Saturday , federal investigators are trying to determine whether the slaying is connected to other recent crimes in the San Francisco Bay Area , including the shooting of an officer last month in Oakland , officials said .
Sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Damon Gutzwiller , 38 , was shot and killed Saturday in Ben Lomond , an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz .
Gutzwiller and other officers , some of whom were also injured , were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office since the early 1980s , stunned the region .
“ This will be something that will be with us for a long time , ” Sheriff Jim Hart said at a news conference .
“ His life was taken needlessly , and it ’ s a hard thing to process.
” At the scene , authorities arrested and booked Steven Carrillo , who was later identified as an active-duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base .
Carrillo , 32 , was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a Travis Air Force Base spokesman .
Law enforcement officials said they were unsure whether Carrillo had been acting alone and whether the explosives in his car were part of a larger plot he planned to carry out .
The FBI said it was looking into potential links to previous incidents , including the one late last month in Oakland .
On the night of May 29 , Dave Patrick Underwood , 53 , was shot and killed while working as a security officer at the federal courthouse in Oakland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security ’ s Federal Protective Service .
Another officer who was present was injured , officials said .
The FBI , already investigating the Underwood case , is now trying to determine the motive behind the Santa Cruz County incident , as well as “ links to other crimes committed in the Bay Area , to include the shooting of the FPS officers in Oakland , ” a spokesperson said in an email .
Carrillo , the suspect in the Santa Cruz case , came to Travis Air Force Base in June 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to authorities and obituaries .
His wife , Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo , was also in the Air Force .
She was found dead in May 2018 in what was ruled a suicide while stationed in South Carolina , according to the Air Force .
Monika Carrillo , 30 , had been married to Steven Carrillo for nine years , and they had a son and daughter together , according to an obituary posted online .
On Saturday , Steven Carrillo was reportedly shot during his arrest and then treated at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be charged with murder , assault with a deadly weapon and several other felony charges , the sheriff said .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered all flags in the state Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of Gutzwiller .
The fallen sergeant , who had been with the Sheriff ’ s Office since 2006 , had a wife , a young child and another child on the way .
“ He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Dozens gathered outside the Sheriff ’ s Office on Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to Gutzwiller .
His wife and child stood next to a photo of him and bouquets of flowers .
Gutzwiller ’ s colleagues described him as unusually patient , always smiling and cracking jokes , with a self-deprecating sense of humor .
Hart said he had reviewed Gutzwiller ’ s personnel file , and there hadn ’ t been a single complaint from the public against him in his 14 years in the department .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and understood the community , and was beloved by his colleagues , Hart said .
“ He was kind , caring and empathetic , ” Hart said .
“ I will never forget him.
” The Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report .

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed when he and other officers were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities say.
After a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed Saturday, federal investigators are trying to determine whether the slaying is connected to other recent crimes in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the shooting of an officer last month in Oakland, officials said.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed Saturday in Ben Lomond, an unincorporated area near Santa Cruz. Gutzwiller and other officers, some of whom were also injured, were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities said.
The death, the first in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office since the early 1980s, stunned the region.
“This will be something that will be with us for a long time,” Sheriff Jim Hart said at a news conference. “His life was taken needlessly, and it’s a hard thing to process.”
At the scene, authorities arrested and booked Steven Carrillo, who was later identified as an active-duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base. Carrillo, 32, was a member of the 60th Security Forces Squadron, according to a Travis Air Force Base spokesman.
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Law enforcement officials said they were unsure whether Carrillo had been acting alone and whether the explosives in his car were part of a larger plot he planned to carry out. The FBI said it was looking into potential links to previous incidents, including the one late last month in Oakland.
On the night of May 29, Dave Patrick Underwood, 53, was shot and killed while working as a security officer at the federal courthouse in Oakland, employed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service. Another officer who was present was injured, officials said.
The FBI, already investigating the Underwood case, is now trying to determine the motive behind the Santa Cruz County incident, as well as “links to other crimes committed in the Bay Area, to include the shooting of the FPS officers in Oakland,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Carrillo, the suspect in the Santa Cruz case, came to Travis Air Force Base in June 2018, a month after his wife died, according to authorities and obituaries. His wife, Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo, was also in the Air Force. She was found dead in May 2018 in what was ruled a suicide while stationed in South Carolina, according to the Air Force.
Monika Carrillo, 30, had been married to Steven Carrillo for nine years, and they had a son and daughter together, according to an obituary posted online.
On Saturday, Steven Carrillo was reportedly shot during his arrest and then treated at a hospital, Hart said. He will be charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon and several other felony charges, the sheriff said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all flags in the state Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of Gutzwiller. The fallen sergeant, who had been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2006, had a wife, a young child and another child on the way.
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“He will be remembered as a hero who devoted his life to protecting the community and as a loving husband and father,” Newsom said in a statement.
Dozens gathered outside the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to Gutzwiller. His wife and child stood next to a photo of him and bouquets of flowers.
Gutzwiller’s colleagues described him as unusually patient, always smiling and cracking jokes, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. Hart said he had reviewed Gutzwiller’s personnel file, and there hadn’t been a single complaint from the public against him in his 14 years in the department.
He grew up in Santa Cruz and knew and understood the community, and was beloved by his colleagues, Hart said.
“He was kind, caring and empathetic,” Hart said. “I will never forget him.”
The Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.