latimes--2020-10-23--Backlog in reporting of test results swells coronavirus case count in L.A. County

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Los Angeles County swelled significantly this week — the result , officials said , of a sizable backlog in the reporting of test results because of technical glitches .
The full extent of the problem and how much it will affect the county ’ s COVID-19 case counts remain to be seen .
Public health officials said Thursday that they ’ ve addressed the issues , though they expect to receive more accumulated results in the coming days .
Of the 3,600 new cases reported in the county Thursday , officials said roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials confirmed 2,773 new cases on Friday , with those higher numbers also being attributed to the backlog .
In a statement to The Times , the county Department of Public Health cited “ processing issues in the state ’ s reporting system that resulted in a large volume of duplicate records being sent to L.A. County.
” But officials added that the pandemic has presented a significant challenge by requiring “ a real-time build out of reportable disease surveillance systems ” that can handle an enormous amount of data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for almost one-third of all the new coronavirus cases reported statewide Thursday .
The 1,600 or so non-backlogged cases are also the most the county has reported in a single day since Oct. 7 .
Reporting issues have popped up periodically throughout the pandemic .
The most significant snafu came to light in August , when state officials announced that a series of data failures had created a backlog of 250,000 to 300,000 test results in California .
While always essential , access to complete , trustworthy data is all the more vital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kinds of coronavirus surges that are striking many other states .
Already , more than 897,000COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in California — the most of any state — and about 17,300 people have died from the disease .
L.A. County alone accounts for more than 296,000 cases and is nearing 7,000 deaths .
Separate from the data issues , the county has also seen a slight uptick in its daily number of reported cases since mid-September , “ and this is a cause for some worry , ” Public Health Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latest data logjam comes as L.A. County is looking to relax some coronavirus-related restrictions to bring local rules in line with wider state guidelines .
The changes would eliminate a requirement that customers at wineries and breweries make reservations , remove the food service requirement for wineries , and allow family entertainment centers to reopen outdoor attractions such as go-kart tracks , miniature golf courses and batting cages .
State officials also announced this week that all personal care services — which include hair removal and massage and tattoo parlors — will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations .
However , individual counties still have the power to decide whether or not to allow that .
Officials also said that all L.A. County schools will be allowed to bring on campus up to 25 % of their enrollment to serve students with special needs , especially those with disabilities or who are learning English .
Additionally , The Times has learned that officials have made it easier for elementary schools to reopen for their youngest students under waivers that drop a requirement that schools obtain a letter of support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
L.A. County remains in Tier 1 of California ’ s four-tier reopening plan — also known as the purple tier , which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission .
For counties in that category , many businesses and public facilities either can not operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity .
Counties are placed in the purple tier if they have more than seven new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people per day or a test positivity rate of more than 8 % .
As of now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate remains too high to move into a less restrictive tier .
Moving through the state ’ s reopening tiers is a deliberative process by design .
Counties must stay in a tier for at least three weeks before progressing and , to do so , must meet the next tier ’ s benchmarks for two straight weeks .
Counties can also backslide to a more restrictive tier if their metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks , as happened most recently with Riverside and Shasta counties .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said officials had developed a “ slow and stringent ” approach based on lessons from the first reopening — during which the state rapidly loosened restrictions , only to see coronavirus infections surge to new heights over the summer .
However , some county-level officials continue to take umbrage with what they see as an overly slow , one-size-fits-all strategy .
“ The top-down approach to mitigating COVID-19 from Sacramento is not working , ” Michelle Steel , chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors , said during a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened , they ’ re still operating in a limited capacity due to state mandates.
” Orange County is currently in Tier 2 , called the red tier , which indicates substantial risk of community coronavirus spread .
Under new guidance the state unveiled this week , theme parks like Disneyland and Knott ’ s Berry Farm — among the county ’ s largest employers — won ’ t be allowed to open even in a limited capacity until the county moves into a less restrictive tier .
The state ’ s approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our residents who need work , small businesses and the communities that rely on them.
” “ Orange County has not been the only county to express concern about this model , ” she said .
“ We want to work with the state on containing and eventually eliminating this virus , but this top-down approach with little communication isn ’ t productive .
Each local government has different issues affecting the spread of COVID-19.
” Officials have repeatedly emphasized that a county ’ s residents play a huge role in tamping case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permit further lifting of restrictions .
“ When we look at the widespread transmission occurring in L.A. County , we know that many people who become positive for COVID-19 are unaware they were exposed to an infected person , ” Ferrer said in a statement Thursday .
“ I [ ask ] that you keep this in mind when you are out and about.
” While it ’ s not a given that residents will come into contact with someone who is infected , “ We do know with certainty that when people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — by wearing a face covering , washing hands often and staying at least six feet from others — this virus can quickly spread with devastating effects , ” she said .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II , Howard Blume , Laura Newberry and Andrew J. Campa contributed to this report .

Cars line up at a COVID-19 test site at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 12 in Los Angeles.
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Los Angeles County swelled significantly this week — the result, officials said, of a sizable backlog in the reporting of test results because of technical glitches.
The full extent of the problem and how much it will affect the county’s COVID-19 case counts remain to be seen. Public health officials said Thursday that they’ve addressed the issues, though they expect to receive more accumulated results in the coming days.
Of the 3,600 new cases reported in the county Thursday, officials said roughly 2,000 were from the backlog. County public health officials confirmed 2,773 new cases on Friday, with those higher numbers also being attributed to the backlog.
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In a statement to The Times, the county Department of Public Health cited “processing issues in the state’s reporting system that resulted in a large volume of duplicate records being sent to L.A. County.”
But officials added that the pandemic has presented a significant challenge by requiring “a real-time build out of reportable disease surveillance systems” that can handle an enormous amount of data.
L.A. County’s backlog alone accounts for almost one-third of all the new coronavirus cases reported statewide Thursday. The 1,600 or so non-backlogged cases are also the most the county has reported in a single day since Oct. 7.
Reporting issues have popped up periodically throughout the pandemic. The most significant snafu came to light in August, when state officials announced that a series of data failures had created a backlog of 250,000 to 300,000 test results in California.
While always essential, access to complete, trustworthy data is all the more vital now as California works to ward off the kinds of coronavirus surges that are striking many other states.
Advertisement
Already, more than 897,000COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in California — the most of any state — and about 17,300 people have died from the disease.
L.A. County alone accounts for more than 296,000 cases and is nearing 7,000 deaths.
Separate from the data issues, the county has also seen a slight uptick in its daily number of reported cases since mid-September, “and this is a cause for some worry,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said earlier this week.
The latest data logjam comes as L.A. County is looking to relax some coronavirus-related restrictions to bring local rules in line with wider state guidelines.
The changes would eliminate a requirement that customers at wineries and breweries make reservations, remove the food service requirement for wineries, and allow family entertainment centers to reopen outdoor attractions such as go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses and batting cages.
State officials also announced this week that all personal care services — which include hair removal and massage and tattoo parlors — will now be allowed to resume modified indoor operations. However, individual counties still have the power to decide whether or not to allow that.
Officials also said that all L.A. County schools will be allowed to bring on campus up to 25% of their enrollment to serve students with special needs, especially those with disabilities or who are learning English.
Additionally, The Times has learned that officials have made it easier for elementary schools to reopen for their youngest students under waivers that drop a requirement that schools obtain a letter of support from employee unions as part of their applications.
L.A. County remains in Tier 1 of California’s four-tier reopening plan — also known as the purple tier, which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission.
For counties in that category, many businesses and public facilities either cannot operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity.
Counties are placed in the purple tier if they have more than seven new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people per day or a test positivity rate of more than 8%. As of now, L.A. County’s new case rate remains too high to move into a less restrictive tier.
Moving through the state’s reopening tiers is a deliberative process by design. Counties must stay in a tier for at least three weeks before progressing and, to do so, must meet the next tier’s benchmarks for two straight weeks.
Counties can also backslide to a more restrictive tier if their metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, as happened most recently with Riverside and Shasta counties.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said officials had developed a “slow and stringent” approach based on lessons from the first reopening — during which the state rapidly loosened restrictions, only to see coronavirus infections surge to new heights over the summer.
However, some county-level officials continue to take umbrage with what they see as an overly slow, one-size-fits-all strategy.
“The top-down approach to mitigating COVID-19 from Sacramento is not working,” Michelle Steel, chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, said during a news conference Thursday. “While most businesses have reopened, they’re still operating in a limited capacity due to state mandates.”
Orange County is currently in Tier 2, called the red tier, which indicates substantial risk of community coronavirus spread.
Under new guidance the state unveiled this week, theme parks like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm — among the county’s largest employers — won’t be allowed to open even in a limited capacity until the county moves into a less restrictive tier.
The state’s approach, Steel said, “is harming our residents who need work, small businesses and the communities that rely on them.”
“Orange County has not been the only county to express concern about this model,” she said. “We want to work with the state on containing and eventually eliminating this virus, but this top-down approach with little communication isn’t productive. Each local government has different issues affecting the spread of COVID-19.”
Officials have repeatedly emphasized that a county’s residents play a huge role in tamping case rates down to a level that will permit further lifting of restrictions.
“When we look at the widespread transmission occurring in L.A. County, we know that many people who become positive for COVID-19 are unaware they were exposed to an infected person,” Ferrer said in a statement Thursday. “I [ask] that you keep this in mind when you are out and about.”
While it’s not a given that residents will come into contact with someone who is infected, “We do know with certainty that when people don’t protect themselves and others — by wearing a face covering, washing hands often and staying at least six feet from others — this virus can quickly spread with devastating effects,” she said.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Howard Blume, Laura Newberry and Andrew J. Campa contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-23--Mother pleads no contest in 2-year-old daughter's death last year in a hot car

A mother who allegedly left her 2-year-old in a hot car last year for five hours while drinking with a friend nearby has pleaded no contest for voluntary manslaughter in her daughter ’ s death , according to the Los Angeles District Attorney .
Lacey Ana Mazzarella , 35 , is expected to be sentenced to 14 years and eight months in state prison for charges that also include mayhem and child abuse resulting in death , the district attorney said in a news release Tuesday .
Mazzarella left her daughter , identified by coroner ’ s officials as June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 22400 block of South Vermont Avenue of West Carson , authorities said .
The little girl , whose name relatives spelled “ Agosto , ” died Sept. 23 , 2019 , at a nearby hospital .
“ The [ then ] 34-year-old mother , who was at the location , was interviewed along with several witnesses , ” said Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez at the time .
“ It is unknown if drugs and/or alcohol were involved.
” According to a coroner ’ s report cited by multiple media outlets , the girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a blanket and turned on the vehicle ’ s heat to keep the child from getting cold while she sat in a nearby vehicle drinking with a friend .
The mother allegedly fell asleep , and when she awoke about five hours later , found the girl unresponsive , according to the reports .
The car ’ s engine and heater were still running , the prosecutor said .
“ Vomit was present on her shirt and the car seat , ” the report states , .
The mother placed the girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the water hose in an attempt to cool her down .
The decedent was taken into the house and a call was placed to 911.
” The station reported that paramedics said the girl had what appeared to be burns on her face , chest and arms , and her temperature was 107.5 degrees .

A mother who allegedly left her 2-year-old in a hot car last year for five hours while drinking with a friend nearby has pleaded no contest for voluntary manslaughter in her daughter’s death, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney.
Lacey Ana Mazzarella, 35, is expected to be sentenced to 14 years and eight months in state prison for charges that also include mayhem and child abuse resulting in death, the district attorney said in a news release Tuesday.
Mazzarella left her daughter, identified by coroner’s officials as June Love Augosto, in a car in the 22400 block of South Vermont Avenue of West Carson, authorities said. The little girl, whose name relatives spelled “Agosto,” died Sept. 23, 2019, at a nearby hospital.
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“The [then] 34-year-old mother, who was at the location, was interviewed along with several witnesses,” said
Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez at the time. “It is unknown if drugs and/or alcohol were involved.”
According to a coroner’s report cited by multiple media outlets, the girl’s mother allegedly covered the girl with a blanket and turned on the vehicle’s heat to keep the child from getting cold while she sat in a nearby vehicle drinking with a friend. The mother allegedly fell asleep, and when she awoke about five hours later, found the girl unresponsive, according to the reports. The car’s engine and heater were still running, the prosecutor said.
“Vomit was present on her shirt and the car seat,” the report states, according to KTLA-TV Channel 5 . The mother placed the girl “on the grass and sprayed her with the water hose in an attempt to cool her down. The decedent was taken into the house and a call was placed to 911.”
The station reported that paramedics said the girl had what appeared to be burns on her face, chest and arms, and her temperature was 107.5 degrees.


latimes--2020-10-23--After Times investigation, dog activist Marc Ching charged by city's animal protection unit

Los Angeles prosecutors have filed charges against prominent animal rescuer Marc Ching , alleging that the Hollywood-backed activist practiced veterinary medicine without a license and engaged in deceptive advertising at his for-profit pet food store .
The criminal case comes after a Times investigation earlier this year uncovered years of complaints by veterinarians that Ching persuaded pet owners to abandon prescribed treatment regimens and instead give their ailing dogs and cats products he sells at his business , the Petstaurant .
The Times also exposed troubling financial practices by Ching ’ s animal rescue charity , the Animal Hope and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rescue efforts overseas .
The newspaper found evidence contradicting claims about the authenticity of some of the gruesome videos he shot of animals being tortured and killed in horrifying ways , including by blowtorch , at slaughterhouses in Asia .
The animal protection unit of the city attorney ’ s office charged Ching with one misdemeanor count each of practicing veterinary medicine without a license , false advertising , and packing horsemeat or other meat as pet food without a license .
Ching , who operates Petstaurant stores in Sherman Oaks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arraigned in December , court records show .
If convicted , Ching faces up to two years and six months in county jail and a maximum fine of $ 9,500 , a city attorney ’ s spokesman said .
The spokesman would not go into detail about the case .
“ We ’ re prosecuting because practicing veterinary medicine without a license , as we allege here , is illegal for good reason — it can take advantage of pet owners and place animals at risk , ” City Atty .
Mike Feuer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s true irrespective of whether the defendant holds himself out as a hero of the animal rights movement.
” The California attorney general ’ s office also launched an inquiry after The Times began its investigation of Ching .
On Thursday , the office declined to discuss the matter , saying in a statement , “ To protect its integrity , we are unable to comment on an ongoing investigation.
” Ching and the board members who oversee his foundation did not respond Thursday to a request for comment about the criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry .
Previously , Ching and his attorneys have said that he has always been truthful about his work abroad , his videos were genuine and he never misused foundation funds or harmed animals .
In April , the Federal Trade Commission accused Ching of making false or deceptive claims that an herbal supplement he was selling could treat COVID-19 and that some of his other products could treat cancer .
Ching denied doing anything wrong .
He later that that his products can treat COVID-19 or cancer .
The new charges in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Veterinary Medical Board , the city attorney ’ s spokesman said .
The Times reported in July that more than a dozen L.A.-area veterinarians and pet care providers said that Ching ’ s actions threatened to harm — and in several cases did harm — pets they were treating for conditions such as kidney disease , heart failure and cancer .
The accounts date as far back as seven years .
Five of the care providers said they complained about Ching to the veterinary board , alleging he was practicing veterinary medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describes himself as a fourth-generation herbalist and nutritionist , is not a veterinarian .
The vets said the board at the time either immediately rebuffed them or took no action .
One of the complaints focused on promotional material on the Petstaurant ’ s website .
Peter Weinstein , a veterinarian who is executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Assn.
, a professional organization , said he mailed a complaint about Ching to the veterinary board in 2014 .
He said some of the Petstaurant ’ s online content “ could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suggested treatment.
” Weinstein and the association declined to comment Thursday on the Ching case specifically .
In a statement , the association said it is “ very concerned about any instances of unlicensed activity or individuals without veterinary licenses in the state of California portraying themselves as veterinarians.
” The homepage of the Petstaurant website still promotes its products as providing “ the best in health care ” for skin and food allergies , arthritis , ear infections and other ailments .
In other cases , veterinarians said Ching meddled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk .
Emilie Chaplow , a veterinarian in Studio City , said she complained to the board after a client told her that Ching recommended giving a diabetic dog a steroid medication that could have killed the animal .
Natalia Soto , a veterinary surgeon who works with Chaplow , said two years ago she was treating a dog that needed surgery to remove bladder stones .
She said the dog ’ s owner told her Ching had advised that the stones would dissolve if she gave the pet his supplements .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Ching ’ s foundation , said she persuaded the woman to return the supplements and authorize the surgery .
She said she had not been contacted by prosecutors or investigators for any agency .
But when told of the charges on Thursday , Soto teared up .
“ Finally , ” she said .
“ I just don ’ t want any more dogs to suffer.
” Ching , 41 , started his pet food business and the foundation after serving nine years and seven months in California state prison for kidnapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what authorities called a “ heinous ” and “ sophisticated ” crime , Ching and several accomplices abducted a man who had stolen $ 60,000 in a drug deal , bound his hands and drove him to a hotel , where they removed his pants and beat him at length , court records show .
He was released from prison in 2010 .
By 2016 , Ching ’ s work with his foundation had drawn the support of some of Hollywood ’ s biggest names .
A public service announcement that showed shocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Asian meat markets — from videos Ching produced on his trips overseas — featured a roster of celebrities , including Matt Damon , Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara .
The foundation raised millions of dollars for the purpose of rescuing dogs and cats from the slaughterhouses .
In The Times ’ investigation , butchers in Indonesia told the newspaper that Ching paid them to hang a dog and burn it to death — a method of killing more cruel than any they say they normally employ — so he could stage the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos of that incident and others as candid portrayals of the day-to-day routine at the slaughterhouses he documented mostly while “ undercover , ” posing as a dog meat buyer .
Local animal rights activists in Indonesia , Cambodia and elsewhere in Asia say the slaughterhouses ’ methods are uniformly inhumane , but that they have never heard of dogs being regularly tortured or killed in some of the ways depicted by Ching .
And raw footage of Ching ’ s recordings obtained by The Times casts doubt on whether all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill the dogs .
Ching denied that he ever staged scenes of animals being tortured or killed .
He said the allegations against him were motivated in part by rivalries among animal rescuers .
Foundation records show that more than $ 350,000 in cash was withdrawn from the charity in a period of 27 months and that Ching billed the foundation for at least $ 59,000 in food and other products from the Petstaurant .
In emails to The Times , and through statements by the foundation ’ s attorneys , the organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in goods , services and cash to the charity since 2014 .

Celebrity-backed animal activist Marc Ching was charged with practicing veterinary medicine without a license and engaging in false advertising at his pet food store.
Los Angeles prosecutors have filed charges against prominent animal rescuer Marc Ching, alleging that the Hollywood-backed activist practiced veterinary medicine without a license and engaged in deceptive advertising at his for-profit pet food store.
The criminal case comes after a Times investigation earlier this year uncovered years of complaints by veterinarians that Ching persuaded pet owners to abandon prescribed treatment regimens and instead give their ailing dogs and cats products he sells at his business, the Petstaurant.
The Times also exposed troubling financial practices by Ching’s animal rescue charity, the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, and raised questions about his rescue efforts overseas. The newspaper found evidence contradicting claims about the authenticity of some of the gruesome videos he shot of animals being tortured and killed in horrifying ways, including by blowtorch, at slaughterhouses in Asia.
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The animal protection unit of the city attorney’s office charged Ching with one misdemeanor count each of practicing veterinary medicine without a license, false advertising, and packing horsemeat or other meat as pet food without a license. Ching, who operates Petstaurant stores in Sherman Oaks and the Westside, is scheduled to be arraigned in December, court records show.
If convicted, Ching faces up to two years and six months in county jail and a maximum fine of $9,500, a city attorney’s spokesman said. The spokesman would not go into detail about the case.
“We’re prosecuting because practicing veterinary medicine without a license, as we allege here, is illegal for good reason — it can take advantage of pet owners and place animals at risk,” City Atty. Mike Feuer said in a statement. “That’s true irrespective of whether the defendant holds himself out as a hero of the animal rights movement.”
The California attorney general’s office also launched an inquiry after The Times began its investigation of Ching. On Thursday, the office declined to discuss the matter, saying in a statement, “To protect its integrity, we are unable to comment on an ongoing investigation.”
California Animal rescue charity with star-studded support has ‘troubling’ financial practices, experts say A whistleblower and watchdogs raise concerns over cash withdrawals, allegedly deceptive solicitations and other financial practices at the Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation. The charity denies misleading donors or misusing money.
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Ching and the board members who oversee his foundation did not respond Thursday to a request for comment about the criminal charges and the attorney general’s inquiry. Previously, Ching and his attorneys have said that he has always been truthful about his work abroad, his videos were genuine and he never misused foundation funds or harmed animals.
In April, the Federal Trade Commission accused Ching of making false or deceptive claims that an herbal supplement he was selling could treat COVID-19 and that some of his other products could treat cancer. Ching denied doing anything wrong. He later agreed to a settlement that barred him from making baseless claims that his products can treat COVID-19 or cancer.
The new charges in L.A. stemmed from a referral from the California Veterinary Medical Board, the city attorney’s spokesman said.
The Times reported in July that more than a dozen L.A.-area veterinarians and pet care providers said that Ching’s actions threatened to harm — and in several cases did harm — pets they were treating for conditions such as kidney disease, heart failure and cancer. The accounts date as far back as seven years.
Five of the care providers said they complained about Ching to the veterinary board, alleging he was practicing veterinary medicine without a license. Ching, who describes himself as a fourth-generation herbalist and nutritionist, is not a veterinarian. The vets said the board at the time either immediately rebuffed them or took no action.
One of the complaints focused on promotional material on the Petstaurant’s website. Peter Weinstein, a veterinarian who is executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Assn., a professional organization, said he mailed a complaint about Ching to the veterinary board in 2014. He said some of the Petstaurant’s online content “could be considered to be offering a diagnosis and suggested treatment.”
Weinstein and the association declined to comment Thursday on the Ching case specifically. In a statement, the association said it is “very concerned about any instances of unlicensed activity or individuals without veterinary licenses in the state of California portraying themselves as veterinarians.”
The homepage of the Petstaurant website still promotes its products as providing “the best in health care” for skin and food allergies, arthritis, ear infections and other ailments.
In other cases, veterinarians said Ching meddled with their course of treatment, putting pets at risk. Emilie Chaplow, a veterinarian in Studio City, said she complained to the board after a client told her that Ching recommended giving a diabetic dog a steroid medication that could have killed the animal.
Natalia Soto, a veterinary surgeon who works with Chaplow, said two years ago she was treating a dog that needed surgery to remove bladder stones. She said the dog’s owner told her Ching had advised that the stones would dissolve if she gave the pet his supplements.
Soto, who was an occasional volunteer with Ching’s foundation, said she persuaded the woman to return the supplements and authorize the surgery.
She said she had not been contacted by prosecutors or investigators for any agency. But when told of the charges on Thursday, Soto teared up.
“Finally,” she said. “I just don’t want any more dogs to suffer.”
Ching, 41, started his pet food business and the foundation after serving nine years and seven months in California state prison for kidnapping and causing great bodily injury. In what authorities called a “heinous” and “sophisticated” crime, Ching and several accomplices abducted a man who had stolen $60,000 in a drug deal, bound his hands and drove him to a hotel, where they removed his pants and beat him at length, court records show. He was released from prison in 2010.
By 2016, Ching’s work with his foundation had drawn the support of some of Hollywood’s biggest names. A public service announcement that showed shocking images of dogs being tortured and killed in Asian meat markets — from videos Ching produced on his trips overseas — featured a roster of celebrities, including Matt Damon, Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara. The foundation raised millions of dollars for the purpose of rescuing dogs and cats from the slaughterhouses.
In The Times’ investigation, butchers in Indonesia told the newspaper that Ching paid them to hang a dog and burn it to death — a method of killing more cruel than any they say they normally employ — so he could stage the scene for the camera.
Ching presented videos of that incident and others as candid portrayals of the day-to-day routine at the slaughterhouses he documented mostly while “undercover,” posing as a dog meat buyer. Local animal rights activists in Indonesia, Cambodia and elsewhere in Asia say the slaughterhouses’ methods are uniformly inhumane, but that they have never heard of dogs being regularly tortured or killed in some of the ways depicted by Ching.
And raw footage of Ching’s recordings obtained by The Times casts doubt on whether all of the videos show how butchers typically torture and kill the dogs.
Ching denied that he ever staged scenes of animals being tortured or killed. He said the allegations against him were motivated in part by rivalries among animal rescuers.
Foundation records show that more than $350,000 in cash was withdrawn from the charity in a period of 27 months and that Ching billed the foundation for at least $59,000 in food and other products from the Petstaurant.
In emails to The Times, and through statements by the foundation’s attorneys, the organization said Ching never misused funds and had contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in goods, services and cash to the charity since 2014.


latimes--2020-10-23--Parole granted to former California probation officer convicted of killing his pregnant wife

A former San Bernadino County probation officer who was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and her fetus was granted parole this week after spending more than two decades behind bars .
In March , Gov .
Gavin Newsom commuted Rodney McNeal ’ s sentence , as the coronavirus ravaged jails across the state .
In his commutation letter , Newsom wrote that McNeal “ has committed himself to his self-improvement.
” The move allowed McNeal to bring his case to the parole board , which made its decision on Tuesday .
San Bernadino County District Attorney Jason Anderson swiftly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling it “ appalling and wrong , ” in a statement .
Debra McNeal was found submerged in a bathtub with stab wounds and strangulation marks in the couple ’ s Highland home in March 1997 .
She was six months pregnant .
McNeal was convicted in their deaths and sentenced to 30 years-to-life in 2000 .
Granting patrol to McNeal “ strips away the notice and reliance the victims ’ family placed in the criminal justice system , ” Anderson said in the statement .
The California Innocence Project took up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguing that McNeal was convicted “ despite the compelling evidence of innocence ” and suggesting his half-brother may have committed the murder .
Shantel Haynes , Debra ’ s daughter from another marriage , has pushed against Rodney McNeal ’ s release .
In a Change.org petition , she wrote that she and her siblings witnessed McNeal ’ s abuse of her mother .
“ Help me keep justice in my mother ’ s name and the countless victims of domestic violence , ” Haynes wrote .

A former San Bernadino County probation officer who was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and her fetus was granted parole this week after spending more than two decades behind bars.
In March, Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted Rodney McNeal’s sentence, as the coronavirus ravaged jails across the state. In his commutation letter, Newsom wrote that McNeal “has committed himself to his self-improvement.”
The move allowed McNeal to bring his case to the parole board, which made its decision on Tuesday.
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San Bernadino County District Attorney Jason Anderson swiftly condemned the parole board’s decision, calling it “appalling and wrong,” in a statement.
Debra McNeal was found submerged in a bathtub with stab wounds and strangulation marks in the couple’s Highland home in March 1997. She was six months pregnant. McNeal was convicted in their deaths and sentenced to 30 years-to-life in 2000.
Granting patrol to McNeal “strips away the notice and reliance the victims’ family placed in the criminal justice system,” Anderson said in the statement.
The California Innocence Project took up McNeal’s case in 2006, arguing that McNeal was convicted “despite the compelling evidence of innocence” and suggesting his half-brother may have committed the murder.
Shantel Haynes, Debra’s daughter from another marriage, has pushed against Rodney McNeal’s release. In a Change.org petition, she wrote that she and her siblings witnessed McNeal’s abuse of her mother.
“Help me keep justice in my mother’s name and the countless victims of domestic violence,” Haynes wrote.


latimes--2020-10-23--LAPD reports show that the vast majority of George Floyd protests were peaceful

Field reports from Los Angeles police commanders at protests across the city this summer indicate that between 6 % and 7 % resulted in violence , destruction or serious uses of force by police , according to the LAPD .
The vast majority of events during the period reviewed — May 25 to July 31 — were peaceful .
That is one finding that will be reflected in a forthcoming “ after-action report ” by the LAPD on its handling of the summer gatherings , officials said .
“ The majority of our protests and demonstrations have been peaceful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first mentioning the findings during a Tuesday meeting of the Police Commission .
Asked for more information on the issue , LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said the figures were “ an estimate made from a review of daily reports and field reports from incident commanders during the protests , and not from one single source document.
” Rubenstein said the minority of protests that were considered violent involved situations where the “ actions of the protestors turned aggressive with assaults , ” where there was use of force “ between the public and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ vandalism to commerce and government facilities.
” More details from the incident commanders ’ reports will be released with the full after-action report , he said .
He did not say when it would come .
The finding that most L.A. protests were peaceful supports similar claims that Moore , Mayor Eric Garcetti and other officials in the city have made in the past , at times to the consternation of protest critics .
Moore has previously said that there were agitators among peaceful crowds that succeeded in turning peaceful events destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to declare gatherings unlawful — which led to mass arrests and police using crowd-control weapons that badly injured protesters .
Protesters have said that police in riot gear instigated the clashes more than anyone in the crowd .
The idea that mostly peaceful protests were infiltrated by individuals intent on causing violence and property damage — essentially that legitimate protests were hijacked by anarchists and other extremists — has been adopted by police and other officials across the country , not just in L.A. On Wednesday , FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the International Assn .
of Chiefs of Police , saying that law enforcement has “ seen violence and destruction of property at otherwise lawful protests across U.S. cities.
” “ All too often , the primary agitators are dangerous extremists who seek to sow discord and divide our country , not to bring about peaceful change , ” he said , according to his prepared remarks .
“ We ’ ve had to work together to ensure that both our law enforcement officers on the front lines and our citizens remain safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise their 1st Amendment rights in the midst of this violence , ” Wray said .
“ Because the voices of people demonstrating to support the bedrock principles of justice and equality deserve to be heard.
” In addition to the LAPD ’ s internal after-action report , the Police Commission has hired the National Police Foundation to conduct an independent review of the LAPD ’ s protest response this summer .

Demonstrators drop to their knees during a march in downtown L.A. in August as they protested police killings around the country.
Field reports from Los Angeles police commanders at protests across the city this summer indicate that between 6% and 7% resulted in violence, destruction or serious uses of force by police, according to the LAPD.
The vast majority of events during the period reviewed — May 25 to July 31 — were peaceful.
That is one finding that will be reflected in a forthcoming “after-action report” by the LAPD on its handling of the summer gatherings, officials said.
“The majority of our protests and demonstrations have been peaceful,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore said after first mentioning the findings during a Tuesday meeting of the Police Commission.
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Asked for more information on the issue, LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said the figures were “an estimate made from a review of daily reports and field reports from incident commanders during the protests, and not from one single source document.”
Rubenstein said the minority of protests that were considered violent involved situations where the “actions of the protestors turned aggressive with assaults,” where there was use of force “between the public and police,” and where there was “vandalism to commerce and government facilities.”
More details from the incident commanders’ reports will be released with the full after-action report, he said. He did not say when it would come.
The finding that most L.A. protests were peaceful supports similar claims that Moore, Mayor Eric Garcetti and other officials in the city have made in the past, at times to the consternation of protest critics.
Moore has previously said that there were agitators among peaceful crowds that succeeded in turning peaceful events destructive and dangerous, and who forced police to declare gatherings unlawful — which led to mass arrests and police using crowd-control weapons that badly injured protesters.
Protesters have said that police in riot gear instigated the clashes more than anyone in the crowd.
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The idea that mostly peaceful protests were infiltrated by individuals intent on causing violence and property damage — essentially that legitimate protests were hijacked by anarchists and other extremists — has been adopted by police and other officials across the country, not just in L.A.
On Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a nod to the idea in a speech to the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, saying that law enforcement has “seen violence and destruction of property at otherwise lawful protests across U.S. cities.”
“All too often, the primary agitators are dangerous extremists who seek to sow discord and divide our country, not to bring about peaceful change,” he said, according to his prepared remarks.
“We’ve had to work together to ensure that both our law enforcement officers on the front lines and our citizens remain safe — particularly those citizens trying to peacefully exercise their 1st Amendment rights in the midst of this violence,” Wray said. “Because the voices of people demonstrating to support the bedrock principles of justice and equality deserve to be heard.”
In addition to the LAPD’s internal after-action report, the Police Commission has hired the National Police Foundation to conduct an independent review of the LAPD’s protest response this summer.


latimes--2020-10-23--Father arrested after 5-year-old girl's gun death in Merced, police say

A 5-year-old girl was shot and killed by another child inside her Merced home Thursday afternoon , police said .
Officers responded to reports of a gunshot around 2:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of East 26th Street .
Police also received information that a 5-year-old shooting victim had been dropped off at Mercy Medical Center .
“ After a preliminary investigation , detectives believe the 5-year-old victim was accidentally shot by another juvenile family member , ” police said in a statement .
The girl ’ s father , Rodney Matthews , 44 , drove her to the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving the medical center but evaded officers and eventually led them on a high-speed pursuit .
He later was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment that resulted in the death of a child , felony reckless driving while evading officers and a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition .
An estimated 4.6 million American children live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked , according to research by the Gun Safety Support Fund , a nonprofit that aims to reduce gun violence .
There have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 , resulting in 97 deaths and 139 injuries .
“ Responsible gun storage — storing guns locked , unloaded and separate from ammunition — can save children ’ s lives , ” the nonprofit says .
Det .
Sgt .
Robert Solis of the Merced Police Department said that the juvenile suspected in the shooting was at home with his mother Friday and that charges would not be filed against him .
“ Obviously it ’ s traumatic , and we don ’ t think this is an intentional act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accidental .
... Our goal is to hopefully get this child the help and the counseling he may need.
” Merced Police have not released any further information about the shooter or the family , but they are asking anyone with information to call ( 209 ) 385-4703 .
“ It ’ s unfortunate these children had access to these firearms , to tragic results , ” Solis said .

A 5-year-old girl was shot and killed by another child inside her Merced home Thursday afternoon, police said.
Officers responded to reports of a gunshot around 2:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of East 26th Street. Police also received information that a 5-year-old shooting victim had been dropped off at Mercy Medical Center.
“After a preliminary investigation, detectives believe the 5-year-old victim was accidentally shot by another juvenile family member,” police said in a statement.
Rodney Matthews was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment that resulted in the death of a child. (Merced Police Department)
The girl’s father, Rodney Matthews, 44, drove her to the hospital, police said. He was seen leaving the medical center but evaded officers and eventually led them on a high-speed pursuit.
He later was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment that resulted in the death of a child, felony reckless driving while evading officers and a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.
An estimated 4.6 million American children live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked, according to research by the Gun Safety Support Fund, a nonprofit that aims to reduce gun violence. There have been at least 229 unintentional shootings by children in 2020, resulting in 97 deaths and 139 injuries.
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“Responsible gun storage — storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition — can save children’s lives,” the nonprofit says.
Det. Sgt. Robert Solis of the Merced Police Department said that the juvenile suspected in the shooting was at home with his mother Friday and that charges would not be filed against him.
“Obviously it’s traumatic, and we don’t think this is an intentional act,” Solis said. “It was accidental. ... Our goal is to hopefully get this child the help and the counseling he may need.”
Merced Police have not released any further information about the shooter or the family, but they are asking anyone with information to call (209) 385-4703.
“It’s unfortunate these children had access to these firearms, to tragic results,” Solis said.


latimes--2020-10-23--Police fatally shoot man during altercation outside San Bernardino liquor store

A police officer shot a man multiple times during an altercation that was captured on video outside a liquor store in San Bernardino on Thursday night .
The man , identified as Mark Matthew Bender Jr. , 35 , died at a local hospital , Sgt .
John Echevarria said .
Echevarria said the man had “ retrieved a weapon from his pocket ” during the struggle .
“ When the officer saw that he had a weapon , he defended himself with his firearm , ” Echevarria said , adding that detectives found a handgun at the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said Bender was holding .
A video shows Bender holding an object when police confronted him .
On Friday afternoon , the department also released a video showing the altercation from an officer body camera .
Video from the scene , taken by a bystander and obtained by KTLA-TV , does not show the entire encounter .
It begins with the officer flipping the man over and onto the sidewalk outside King Tut Liquor on Base Line Street in San Bernardino .
Straddling the man , who is lying facedown , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dude.
” “ What are you doing ?
” the man says , as he shrugs the officer off his back and stands up .
He says , “ Get off.
” When the officer draws his handgun , the man appears to hold a dark object in his hand .
The officer then fires four rounds in quick succession , according to the video .
It appears the man ’ s back was turned to the officer when the rounds were fired .
Echevarria said the fatal encounter began around 11 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t identified , responded to a report of a man “ jumping on vehicles ” in the parking lot of King Tut Liquor in the 200 block of West Base Line Street .
The man , later identified as Bender , didn ’ t comply with the officer ’ s commands to stop and tried to enter the store , Echevarria said .
When the officer tried to stop him , a struggle ensued , and Bender “ was able to physically overpower the officer , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bender pull a weapon from his pocket and begin to turn toward him , Echevarria said .
During a news conference Friday morning , police sought to portray Bender as physically intimidating , listing his height and weight — 6 foot 3 inches and 300 pounds — and cataloging what they called Bender ’ s “ lengthy criminal past , ” prompting one bystander to remark , “ What does that have to do with him being murdered ?
” The shooting comes at a fraught time for police departments across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the police that left Black people dead or seriously injured in Minneapolis ; Louisville , Ky. ; Kenosha , Wis. ; and elsewhere have strained tensions in many cities between police departments and residents of the streets they patrol .
In Los Angeles County , two fatal shootings by sheriff ’ s deputies — one of an 18-year-old Latino man in Gardena , the other of a 29-year-old Black man in Westmont — spurred months of protests that at times escalated into clashes with the Sheriff ’ s Department .

An investigation was underway Friday morning after a police officer shot a man multiple times during a struggle Thursday night outside a San Bernardino liquor store.
A police officer fatally shot a man during an altercation that was partially captured on video Thursday night outside a liquor store in San Bernardino.
The man, identified as Mark Matthew Bender Jr., 35, died at a local hospital, Sgt. John Echevarria said. Echevarria said Bender had “retrieved a weapon from his pocket” during the struggle.
“When the officer saw that he had a weapon, he defended himself with his firearm,” Echevarria said, adding that detectives at the scene found a handgun Bender allegedly drew from his pocket before he was shot.
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The San Bernardino Police Department published footage from the officer’s body camera that showed the fatal encounter, which lasted just one minute. The officer, who hasn’t been identified, responded a little after 11 p.m. Thursday to a report of a man “jumping on vehicles” in the parking lot of King Tut Liquor in the 200 block of East Base Line Street, Echevarria said.
The video shows the officer approaching Bender in the parking lot, his gun drawn. “Hey man, come here,” the officer says.
“Why do you have a gun on me?” Bender asks, walking away.
“Let me see your hands,” the officer says. Bender briefly raises his hands, then moves them down near his waistline and pockets as he walks toward the liquor store’s entrance.
“Man, I’m going to the store,” he says. “Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me.”
A struggle ensues, and the footage from the body camera becomes difficult to make out.
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“Get on the ground,” the officer can be heard saying. “Stop moving! Stop fighting!”
Image of dark object held by man who was fatally shot by police. (KTLA)
Video from the scene, taken by a bystander and obtained by KTLA-TV, shows the officer flipping Bender over and onto the sidewalk in front of the liquor store. Straddling Bender, who is lying facedown, the officer says, “Stop fighting, dude.”
“What are you doing?” Bender says, as he shrugs the officer off his back and stands up. He says, “Get off,” and he appears to be holding a dark object in his right hand. The officer backs away and fires four rounds in quick succession, according to the video.
From the bystander video, it appears that Bender’s back was turned to the officer when the rounds were fired. In a statement, the San Bernardino police said Bender had begun to turn toward the officer when he fired his weapon.
Detectives at the scene found a loaded, 9mm handgun that Bender had drawn from his pocket, according to police.
Bender, a Black resident of San Bernardino, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at a local hospital, Echevarria said.
During a news conference Friday morning, the police sought to portray him as physically intimidating, listing his height and weight — 6 feet 3 and 300 pounds — and cataloging what they called his “lengthy criminal past,” prompting one bystander to remark, “What does that have to do with him being murdered?”
The shooting comes at a fraught time for police departments across the country. A series of highly publicized encounters with police that left Black people dead or seriously injured in Minneapolis; Louisville, Ky.; Kenosha, Wis.; and elsewhere have strained tensions in many cities between police departments and residents of the streets they patrol.


latimes--2020-10-23--For fifth year in a row, hate crimes rise in Orange County — and by 24%

From slurs to physical confrontations , hate crimes in Orange County rose in 2019 for the fifth year in a row , and by a huge leap , 24 % .
The findings were released this week by the nonprofit Orange County Human Relations Commission in its 2019 Hate Crimes Report .
The review cited 83 hate crimes documented by community groups , education institutions and law enforcement .
The annual report , which detailed 67 hate crimes in 2018 , covers both hate crimes and hate incidents , the latter of which dropped from 165 two years earlier to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crimes involved the perpetrator attacking the victim for his or her race , national origin or ethnicity .
One incident involved an attacker hurling anti-Latino slurs while hitting the victim with a metal pipe .
In another incident , the attacker threatened to “ pop ” the victim ’ s head , while threatening the person with anti-Black slurs .
Although Black people constitute less than 2 % of Orange County ’ s nearly 3.2 million residents , they were the most targeted racial group , according to the report .
Among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , members of the Jewish community were the primary targets , representing about two-thirds of 44 hate incidents , followed by Catholics , other Christians and Muslims , according to the report .
Among crimes related to victims ’ sexual orientation and gender identity , a majority of the cases were antigay , followed by antifemale and antitransgender .
In one incident last fall , Stephanie Camacho-Van Dyke had been hosting a meeting for young adults who are lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender , queer or questioning at the LGBTQ Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glass bottle at the building .
It shattered on the pavement outside the meeting room .
“ I had to move them to safety right away , ” Camacho-Van Dyke said in an interview .
“ I wasn ’ t sure if they were going to come back , and what I would tell people who aren ’ t accepting is that we ’ re just like everyone else .
We have loving partners , we have jobs , we have families .
We ’ re all real people — we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination.
” Overwhelmingly , hate crimes occurred in public places , the report documented , followed by places of worship , residences , school campuses and workplaces and businesses .
The most reported hate-based criminal offense was vandalism , followed by aggravated assaults , simple assaults , criminal threats and harassment .
Perhaps the most visible hate incident in 2019 happened at a private party in March , when a gathering of Orange County teens raised their arms in Nazi salutes while standing around a cluster of cups arranged in the shape of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media , unleashed a firestorm of national attention , prompting local Jewish residents to connect with the high school students to help educate them about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism .
“ We can not allow fear , hatred and bigotry to divide us .
We must listen to one another , communicate respectfully , build bridges of understanding , and support each other through these traumatic events , ” said Michael Reynolds , chair of the Orange County Human Relations Commission , who helped to introduce the report .
Officials worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spiral higher , exacerbated by the global pandemic and the backlash it has triggered against some ethnic groups .
This past March , Jenny Hwang was pumping gas in Fullerton when a stranger drove by , cursing at her from his car .
“ F— Chinese !
Coronavirus !
” he yelled .
Shocked , she jumped into the driver ’ s seat and followed his vehicle along Harbor Boulevard , just in time to take a snapshot of his license plate .
Back home , her husband later alerted the police to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so sad they could not do anything because according to them , the man was inside his car , ” Simon Hwang said .
“ I don ’ t understand why police can not track him down to give him a verbal warning .
Things like this should never happen and the more people who report it , the more attention it will get so others realize this is wrong.
” In May , Lauren Johnson-Norris , an Irvine attorney specializing in child welfare , was conducting a Zoom webinar on parenting during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using aliases interrupted the dialogue , one of them asking questions about abortion before the other started spewing profanity , then projected a red swastika on the screen .
She struggled to mute them online .
“ It was certainly chilling , ” she recalled .
“ Because we were live , the important thing to do was to remain calm , to reiterate to anyone watching that we will not tolerate hate and anti-Semitism in our city .
In fact , hate ... never has been welcomed in the county — ever @ @

From slurs to physical confrontations, hate crimes in Orange County rose in 2019 for the fifth year in a row, and by a huge leap, 24%.
The findings were released this week by the nonprofit Orange County Human Relations Commission in its 2019 Hate Crimes Report. The review cited 83 hate crimes documented by community groups, education institutions and law enforcement.
The annual report, which detailed 67 hate crimes in 2018, covers both hate crimes and hate incidents, the latter of which dropped from 165 two years earlier to 156 last year.
A majority of the crimes involved the perpetrator attacking the victim for his or her race, national origin or ethnicity.
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One incident involved an attacker hurling anti-Latino slurs while hitting the victim with a metal pipe. In another incident, the attacker threatened to “pop” the victim’s head, while threatening the person with anti-Black slurs.
Although Black people constitute less than 2% of Orange County’s nearly 3.2 million residents, they were the most targeted racial group, according to the report.
Among the hate crimes motivated by religious prejudice, members of the Jewish community were the primary targets, representing about two-thirds of 44 hate incidents, followed by Catholics, other Christians and Muslims, according to the report. Among crimes related to victims’ sexual orientation and gender identity, a majority of the cases were antigay, followed by antifemale and antitransgender.
In one incident last fall, Stephanie Camacho-Van Dyke had been hosting a meeting for young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning at the LGBTQ Center OC in Santa Ana when someone threw a glass bottle at the building. It shattered on the pavement outside the meeting room.
“I had to move them to safety right away,” Camacho-Van Dyke said in an interview. “I wasn’t sure if they were going to come back, and what I would tell people who aren’t accepting is that we’re just like everyone else. We have loving partners, we have jobs, we have families. We’re all real people — we don’t deserve to have hate and discrimination.”
Overwhelmingly, hate crimes occurred in public places, the report documented, followed by places of worship, residences, school campuses and workplaces and businesses. The most reported hate-based criminal offense was vandalism, followed by aggravated assaults, simple assaults, criminal threats and harassment.
Perhaps the most visible hate incident in 2019 happened at a private party in March, when a gathering of Orange County teens raised their arms in Nazi salutes while standing around a cluster of cups arranged in the shape of a swastika. Their photo, posted on social media, unleashed a firestorm of national attention, prompting local Jewish residents to connect with the high school students to help educate them about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism.
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“We cannot allow fear, hatred and bigotry to divide us. We must listen to one another, communicate respectfully, build bridges of understanding, and support each other through these traumatic events,” said Michael Reynolds, chair of the Orange County Human Relations Commission, who helped to introduce the report.
Officials worry that next year, the numbers could spiral higher, exacerbated by the global pandemic and the backlash it has triggered against some ethnic groups.
Victims and their family members agree.
This past March, Jenny Hwang was pumping gas in Fullerton when a stranger drove by, cursing at her from his car.
“F— Chinese! Coronavirus!” he yelled. Shocked, she jumped into the driver’s seat and followed his vehicle along Harbor Boulevard, just in time to take a snapshot of his license plate. Back home, her husband later alerted the police to ask for help.
“We were so sad they could not do anything because according to them, the man was inside his car,” Simon Hwang said. “I don’t understand why police cannot track him down to give him a verbal warning. Things like this should never happen and the more people who report it, the more attention it will get so others realize this is wrong.”
In May, Lauren Johnson-Norris, an Irvine attorney specializing in child welfare, was conducting a Zoom webinar on parenting during the pandemic. Suddenly, two men using aliases interrupted the dialogue, one of them asking questions about abortion before the other started spewing profanity, then projected a red swastika on the screen. She struggled to mute them online.
“It was certainly chilling,” she recalled. “Because we were live, the important thing to do was to remain calm, to reiterate to anyone watching that we will not tolerate hate and anti-Semitism in our city. In fact, hate ... never has been welcomed in the county — ever.”


latimes--2020-10-23--Photos: San Francisco leaps to yellow tier, allowing new openings

San Francisco has done an excellent job following public health guidance and made a huge leap from the orange tier @ @ @ @ @ tier under California ’ s coronavirus guidelines , providing a pathway for more businesses and @ @ @ @ @ Francisco is the only Bay Area county and only urban area in the yellow tier @ @ @ @ @ that with the new status the city will move forward with reopening offices at 25 @ @ @ @ @ as well as reopening climbing gyms and some personal services .
“ As long as @ @ @ @ @ remain stable or improve , we expect that starting November 3 , we can expand @ @ @ @ @ that have already reopened , like indoor dining , indoor worship , and museums up @ @ @ @ @ Breed said via Twitter .
Right of way

Associated Press, Photography by Luis Sinco

San Francisco has done an excellent job following public health guidance and made a huge leap from the orange tier to the least restrictive yellow tier under California’s coronavirus guidelines, providing a pathway for more businesses and activities to reopen.
San Francisco is the only Bay Area county and only urban area in the yellow tier.
Mayor London Breed announced that with the new status the city will move forward with reopening offices at 25% capacity starting Tuesday, as well as reopening climbing gyms and some personal services.
“As long as our Key Public Health Indicators remain stable or improve, we expect that starting November 3, we can expand capacity at businesses and activities that have already reopened, like indoor dining, indoor worship, and museums up to 50%,” Breed said via Twitter.
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Right of way
A pedestrian crosses cable car tracks in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
City Lights
An employee wearing a mask looks out the window of the iconic City Lights bookstore in San Francisco. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Concert in the park
Musicians play at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, which is moving to the least restrictive yellow tier under the state’s coronavirus reopening guidelines. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Masked riders
People wearing masks wait to ride the SkyStar Wheel, the Ferris wheel at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Haight-Ashbury
A pedestrian walks past a mural in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
North Beach
Pedestrians wear masks in the North Beach neighborood of San Francisco. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
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Streaming light


latimes--2020-10-23--Testing company ACT flagged students' disabilities to colleges. Now it must pay $16 million

College admissions testing company ACT Inc. has agreed to pay out $ 16 million to California students with disabilities who alleged their rights were violated when the company flagged their disability status to colleges and excluded them from a beneficial recruitment program , according to a settlement announced Thursday .
A class-action federal lawsuit filed in California in 2018 alleged that ACT violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and California ’ s Unruh Civil Rights Act by indicating to colleges on students ’ score reports whether those students had received special testing accommodations or otherwise indicated they had a disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discriminated against students with disabilities by making it harder for them to participate in a student search service called Educational Opportunity Service , which the company sells to colleges to help them identify potential recruits — and then allowed colleges to filter the data based on disability status .
A consent decree announced as part of the settlement prohibits ACT from engaging in any of these practices .
“ We ’ ve worked very hard to get to a consent decree that they agreed to , and they ’ re doing the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to benefit hundreds of thousands of students , ” said attorney Jesse Creed of the law firm Panish Shea & Boyle , which represented the plaintiffs .
ACT has denied any wrongdoing and said it entered into the settlement to avoid the costs and uncertainty of protracted litigation .
“ Neither the settlement nor the court found that ACT violated any laws or rights of students with disabilities or privacy rights , ” the company said in a statement .
“ ACT ’ s mission includes serving underserved populations , including students with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for students with disabilities ; this is a longstanding priority for ACT and will continue to be.
” The lawsuit said that the administrator of the SAT , the College Board , does not report student disabilities on its score reports .
The lead plaintiff in the case , Halie Bloom , had a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a reading disability similar to dyslexia .
Bloom , who attended high school in Newport Beach , had an individualized education program , or IEP , and received ACT testing accommodations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her disability status through her testing registration and documents provided by her school counselor and annotated all of the score reports it sent to colleges on her behalf with information about her disability .
It further alleges that the company disclosed Bloom ’ s disability status without her permission to colleges , universities and scholarship organizations through its Educational Opportunity Service , listing her disability status as a searchable data element on which they could sort and exclude her .
“ She had no expectation that ACT would include her disability status with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her confidential disability information , ” the complaint says .
Bloom , now 21 and a junior at the University of Arizona , said in an interview that she has learned to accommodate her disability in daily life and that she is “ loud and proud ” about it .
But , she said , when the disability was labeled by the ACT on material it sent to colleges , “ it was labeled without my being able to put my words to it .
Every college has their own understanding of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did hurt me because it wasn ’ t my voice being told.
” Bloom said she ’ s happy that others with disabilities won ’ t face the same hurt or hurdles she did .
“ From our perspective the actual admissions process by the college and the testing company should be disability-blind , and they ’ ve really stepped up and made powerful changes to ensure that any discussion of disability is from the student ’ s voice only , ” Creed said .
The lawsuit represents two classes of plaintiffs : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score reports , and those who were excluded from the Educational Opportunity Service because of their disabilities .
Creed said there are more than 65,000 claims in California , and probably hundreds of thousands nationwide .

ACT Inc. agreed to pay $16 million to California students with disabilities as part of a class-action settlement.
College admissions testing company ACT Inc. has agreed to pay out $16 million to California students with disabilities who alleged their rights were violated when the company flagged their disability status to colleges and excluded them from a beneficial recruitment program, according to a settlement announced Thursday.
A class-action federal lawsuit filed in California in 2018 alleged that ACT violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act by indicating to colleges on students’ score reports whether those students had received special testing accommodations or otherwise indicated they had a disability.
The lawsuit also alleged that ACT discriminated against students with disabilities by making it harder for them to participate in a student search service called Educational Opportunity Service, which the company sells to colleges to help them identify potential recruits — and then allowed colleges to filter the data based on disability status.
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A consent decree announced as part of the settlement prohibits ACT from engaging in any of these practices.
“We’ve worked very hard to get to a consent decree that they agreed to, and they’re doing the right thing, and it’s going to benefit hundreds of thousands of students,” said attorney Jesse Creed of the law firm Panish Shea & Boyle, which represented the plaintiffs.
ACT has denied any wrongdoing and said it entered into the settlement to avoid the costs and uncertainty of protracted litigation.
“Neither the settlement nor the court found that ACT violated any laws or rights of students with disabilities or privacy rights,” the company said in a statement. “ACT’s mission includes serving underserved populations, including students with disabilities. ACT creates opportunities in education for students with disabilities; this is a longstanding priority for ACT and will continue to be.”
The lawsuit said that the administrator of the SAT, the College Board, does not report student disabilities on its score reports.
The lead plaintiff in the case, Halie Bloom, had a history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a reading disability similar to dyslexia. Bloom, who attended high school in Newport Beach, had an individualized education program, or IEP, and received ACT testing accommodations.
The complaint alleges that the company acquired her disability status through her testing registration and documents provided by her school counselor and annotated all of the score reports it sent to colleges on her behalf with information about her disability. It further alleges that the company disclosed Bloom’s disability status without her permission to colleges, universities and scholarship organizations through its Educational Opportunity Service, listing her disability status as a searchable data element on which they could sort and exclude her.
“She had no expectation that ACT would include her disability status with her score reports or otherwise ever report her confidential disability information,” the complaint says.
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Bloom, now 21 and a junior at the University of Arizona, said in an interview that she has learned to accommodate her disability in daily life and that she is “loud and proud” about it.
But, she said, when the disability was labeled by the ACT on material it sent to colleges, “it was labeled without my being able to put my words to it. Every college has their own understanding of a disability and I do feel like it did hurt me because it wasn’t my voice being told.”
Bloom said she’s happy that others with disabilities won’t face the same hurt or hurdles she did.
“From our perspective the actual admissions process by the college and the testing company should be disability-blind, and they’ve really stepped up and made powerful changes to ensure that any discussion of disability is from the student’s voice only,” Creed said.
The lawsuit represents two classes of plaintiffs: those who had their disability disclosed on score reports, and those who were excluded from the Educational Opportunity Service because of their disabilities. Creed said there are more than 65,000 claims in California, and probably hundreds of thousands nationwide.


latimes--2020-10-23--Chaos and confusion as judge pushes plan to clear homeless camps from near freeways

The red Prius came to a stop under a freeway overpass in the San Fernando Valley .
Out jumped Pastor Donald Dermit , bearing hygiene kits , Capri Suns and exhortations from 2 Corinthians .
Dermit and two other outreach workers approached Robin Lee and Andrew Carolus , two of the homeless people living in a cluster of tents sheltered by the 101 Freeway .
Lee rolled a joint as they spoke .
Dermit offered help — and a warning : They had until Oct. 27 to clear out of the Fallbrook Avenue underpass , either to some form of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can be that bridge for you .
Old things pass away , ” Dermit told Carolus , leaning in closely with two masks shielding his mouth and nose .
Dermit helps run a homeless services nonprofit in Orange County , Helping HandUps , and has been making the long drive here at the behest of U.S. District Judge David O. Carter , who is overseeing a lawsuit filed in March by a group of downtown Los Angeles business owners and residents .
They allege that the city and county of Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide adequate shelter for those living on the streets .
Carter has zeroed in on encampments under freeways and wants them cleared , starting with those in the West Valley district of Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield , where Carolus and Lee were living .
This month outreach workers posted notices on official city letterhead , citing the lawsuit and telling people they needed to move .
It ’ s unclear , however , on whose authority the moving of these people was issued .
The judge , who declined to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on a number of people with different levels of authority including City Council members , city workers and shelter providers to focus on people near freeways instead of on the broader population of all those who are most vulnerable .
Yet Carter vacated an order he issued earlier this year demanding the clearance of the freeway-adjacent camps .
And some homeless advocates , outreach workers and lawyers involved in the case say they are confused about how they are supposed to proceed , because — in their view — there may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help than those camping under freeways .
“ Chaos is being created by multiple voices weighing in on the best strategy , ” said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer , president and chief executive of LA Family Housing , a nonprofit that coordinates the homeless services in this part of the city and has taken on the responsibility of executing Carter ’ s plan in the West Valley .
“ The lawsuit isn ’ t against LA Family Housing , and we don ’ t have a contract with the city to help them meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get any additional funding to do this pilot .
We ’ re just stepping in and doing what we typically do .
...
It ’ s unclear who we ’ re taking direction from.
” The freeway camps , which have spread through the city in recent years , have brought new visibility to a problem once largely confined to skid row and a few other locations such as Venice Beach .
Carter believes that their proximity to cars and their emissions poses a health threat , especially during the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued an order calling for the relocation of up to 7,000 people living near overpasses , offramps and on-ramps .
But the order was vacated after the city and county came to an understanding about how to fund alternative shelter for people near freeways .
The agreement sets out criteria for how to pay for new forms of shelter .
It says nothing about where people are not permitted to sleep .
Nevertheless , the judge has continued to focus the city ’ s attention on the underpass camps as if the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lawsuit support the relocations , and argue that “ Carter has been absolutely clear that there is a health and safety issue , and clearance is mandatory , regardless of vacating the order.
” Similarly , in court documents , city attorneys have said Los Angeles will “ enforce its laws , including its anti-camping laws , within 500 feet of such overpasses , underpasses and ramps ” if people refuse to move .
However , Legal Aid Foundation attorney Shayla Myers , who represents intervenors in the case , said last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overstepped its authority by telling people they must move from beneath freeways .
She said that Carter “ appears to be providing instructions , which could be construed as orders , ” but the relocations aren ’ t “ being taken pursuant to any court order or court proceeding.
” Homeless services providers are trying to figure out what to do about Carter ’ s focus on freeways while they struggle with the tall order of finding shelter for 4,000 homeless people who are temporarily being housed in hotels but must leave soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelters , these hotels were the city ’ s primary pandemic response to homelessness , especially as the opening of permanent supportive housing funded by a city bond measure was delayed .
( There is some discussion of keeping them open for homeless people , but that ’ s up in the air . )
Earlier this month , Klasky-Gamer ’ s team found about 90 available shelter beds and 136 permanent housing units — a far cry from what is needed .
At the same time , a wave of evictions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to crush the economy .
A flood of money is being spent to construct cabins in parks and convert some hotels into permanent shelters .
Those projects won ’ t come to fruition until the beginning of next year at the earliest .
In the meantime , Klasky-Gamer and others are trying to make sure that anyone inside now doesn ’ t end up back on the street .
It ’ s a daunting challenge .
Klasky-Gamer joined Carter and others on a tour of freeway encampments recently , In the spring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would kill many homeless people , LA Family Housing was able to move almost an entire camp of about 40 people living beneath an underpass of the 118 Freeway in Pacoima into a hotel under the auspices of Project Roomkey , the state-funded program that allowed localities to lease hotel space for homeless people during the pandemic .
“ That was phenomenal , ” she said .
However , the city has already begun pulling out of Project Roomkey and it ’ s hard to rent units from private landlords en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one person , one encampment at a time in one geographic area and not looking at the regional challenge in front of us , ” Klasky-Game said .
She said that once the hotels are converted into some form of permanent housing and the cabins go up , there will be more supply available .
There are three temporary cabin construction projects in the works in parks in the Valley and one in South L.A. Each project would include 50 to 70 units along with toilets and showers in parks and other unoccupied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would work with service providers such as LA Family Housing to identify the people who are most in need and do outreach to bring them indoors .
The authority is still doing that , but the process has been short-circuited as Carter has played a larger role .
Over the summer , Carter had each member of the City Council identify encampments near freeways and how they would shelter those people .
These plans will then be filtered down to providers who are already stretched thin trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a lot of voices at play right now with a lot of different ideas of how things should be done , ” said the authority ’ s executive director , Heidi Marston .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s wrong to say that there ’ s not one unified voice or approach.
” For elected officials like Blumenfield , Carter ’ s attention and efforts help accomplish two goals : getting people without a home the help they need and placating residents who are frustrated by the encampments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban sitting and sleeping around freeway underpasses .
Blumenfield knows by name many of the people who live beneath underpasses .
His district has one of the smallest homeless populations in the city , which doesn ’ t stop his other constituents from complaining about them .
`` [ Carter ] has made it clear that those freeway areas have to be cleared , which I ’ m thrilled about , by the way , because it ’ ll show the community that we ’ re doing something and it actually creates visible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matson is not homeless but hangs with friends who live in these encampments and said Blumenfeld is a regular presence at the Corbin Avenue underpass of the 101 .
He said encampments at other underpasses had been consolidated here after homeless people were hassled by local residents .
As he stood talking , a silver Range Rover drove by and its driver blared its horn and yelled an obscenity out the window .
“ People are so fed up .
I understand , ” he said .
“ The councilman is doing everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue underpass , Dermit talked with Carolus , the man who had been homeless for five years , about how he ’ d previously expressed some desire to go into a hotel room or shelter .
The timing just wasn ’ t right , Carolus said .
He wanted to reconnect with his young daughter and begin to sort through his personal belongings before making another transition .
Dermit listened intently , offering support and a promise that he wouldn ’ t abandon him during this transition .
Still , on Oct. 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ We ’ re here to help you get into shelter , ” he said .
“ On that date , though , you ’ re going to have to move from here .
They ’ re not going to let you keep the tent here .
”

The red Prius came to a stop under a freeway overpass in the San Fernando Valley. Out jumped Pastor Donald Dermit, bearing hygiene kits, Capri Suns and exhortations from 2 Corinthians.
Dermit and two other outreach workers approached Robin Lee and Andrew Carolus, two of the homeless people living in a cluster of tents sheltered by the 101 Freeway. Lee rolled a joint as they spoke.
Dermit offered help — and a warning: They had until Oct. 27 to clear out of the Fallbrook Avenue underpass, either to some form of shelter or to another encampment.
Chris Brown, 43, who is homeless, visits friends at an encampment on Corbin Avenue, under the 101 freeway in Tarzana. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
“I can be that bridge for you. Old things pass away,” Dermit told Carolus, leaning in closely with two masks shielding his mouth and nose.
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Dermit helps run a homeless services nonprofit in Orange County, Helping HandUps, and has been making the long drive here at the behest of U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who is overseeing a lawsuit filed in March by a group of downtown Los Angeles business owners and residents. They allege that the city and county of Los Angeles have failed to protect the public and provide adequate shelter for those living on the streets.
Carter has zeroed in on encampments under freeways and wants them cleared, starting with those in the West Valley district of Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield, where Carolus and Lee were living. This month outreach workers posted notices on official city letterhead, citing the lawsuit and telling people they needed to move.
It’s unclear, however, on whose authority the moving of these people was issued.
The judge, who declined to be interviewed for this article, has put pressure on a number of people with different levels of authority including City Council members, city workers and shelter providers to focus on people near freeways instead of on the broader population of all those who are most vulnerable.
Judge David Carter and L.A. Police Officer Deon Joseph check an empty water dispenser while touring skid row in April. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Yet Carter vacated an order he issued earlier this year demanding the clearance of the freeway-adjacent camps. And some homeless advocates, outreach workers and lawyers involved in the case say they are confused about how they are supposed to proceed, because — in their view — there may be homeless people more desperately in need of help than those camping under freeways.
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“Chaos is being created by multiple voices weighing in on the best strategy,” said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president and chief executive of LA Family Housing, a nonprofit that coordinates the homeless services in this part of the city and has taken on the responsibility of executing Carter’s plan in the West Valley.
“The lawsuit isn’t against LA Family Housing, and we don’t have a contract with the city to help them meet the expectations of the lawsuit. We didn’t get any additional funding to do this pilot. We’re just stepping in and doing what we typically do. ... It’s unclear who we’re taking direction from.”
The freeway camps, which have spread through the city in recent years, have brought new visibility to a problem once largely confined to skid row and a few other locations such as Venice Beach. Carter believes that their proximity to cars and their emissions poses a health threat, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ramona Gutierrez, 68, stands near her encampment after receiving a meal from Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority outreach worker Alex Jung, left, under the 605 Freeway in July. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
In the spring, Carter issued an order calling for the relocation of up to 7,000 people living near overpasses, offramps and on-ramps. But the order was vacated after the city and county came to an understanding about how to fund alternative shelter for people near freeways.
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The agreement sets out criteria for how to pay for new forms of shelter. It says nothing about where people are not permitted to sleep. Nevertheless, the judge has continued to focus the city’s attention on the underpass camps as if the order was in force.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit support the relocations, and argue that “Carter has been absolutely clear that there is a health and safety issue, and clearance is mandatory, regardless of vacating the order.” Similarly, in court documents, city attorneys have said Los Angeles will “enforce its laws, including its anti-camping laws, within 500 feet of such overpasses, underpasses and ramps” if people refuse to move.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority outreach workers Jose Gutierrez, left, and Alex Jung bring food for Greg Luckhart, 30, right, and other homeless peoplewho live under the 605 Freeway in Arcadia. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
However, Legal Aid Foundation attorney Shayla Myers, who represents intervenors in the case, said last week that she believed the city had overstepped its authority by telling people they must move from beneath freeways. She said that Carter “appears to be providing instructions, which could be construed as orders,” but the relocations aren’t “being taken pursuant to any court order or court proceeding.”
Homeless services providers are trying to figure out what to do about Carter’s focus on freeways while they struggle with the tall order of finding shelter for 4,000 homeless people who are temporarily being housed in hotels but must leave soon. Along with recreation centers used as shelters, these hotels were the city’s primary pandemic response to homelessness, especially as the opening of permanent supportive housing funded by a city bond measure was delayed. (There is some discussion of keeping them open for homeless people, but that’s up in the air.)
California Program to house homeless people in hotels is ending after falling short of goal After reaching less than 30% of its goal to shelter homeless people who are vulnerable to the coronavirus, Project Roomkey is starting to phase out in the face of funding uncertainty.
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Earlier this month, Klasky-Gamer’s team found about 90 available shelter beds and 136 permanent housing units — a far cry from what is needed.
At the same time, a wave of evictions from rental housing is expected as COVID-19 continues to crush the economy. A flood of money is being spent to construct cabins in parks and convert some hotels into permanent shelters.
Outreach workers John Oliver, from right, Jimmy Vasquez and Kim Barnett check on homeless encampments along the 710 Freeway in Bell Gardens. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Those projects won’t come to fruition until the beginning of next year at the earliest. In the meantime, Klasky-Gamer and others are trying to make sure that anyone inside now doesn’t end up back on the street. It’s a daunting challenge.
Klasky-Gamer joined Carter and others on a tour of freeway encampments recently. In the spring, as the virus spread and officials feared that it would kill many homeless people, LA Family Housing was able to move almost an entire camp of about 40 people living beneath an underpass of the 118 Freeway in Pacoima into a hotel under the auspices of Project Roomkey, the state-funded program that allowed localities to lease hotel space for homeless people during the pandemic.
“There are a lot of voices at play right now with a lot of different ideas of how things should be done.” — Heidi Marston, LAHSA executive director
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“That was phenomenal,” she said. However, the city has already begun pulling out of Project Roomkey and it’s hard to rent units from private landlords en masse.
Carter is “just doing one person, one encampment at a time in one geographic area and not looking at the regional challenge in front of us,” Klasky-Game said.
A homeless encampment under the 134 Freeway in North Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
She said that once the hotels are converted into some form of permanent housing and the cabins go up, there will be more supply available. There are three temporary cabin construction projects in the works in parks in the Valley and one in South L.A. Each project would include 50 to 70 units along with toilets and showers in parks and other unoccupied plots of land.
Normally, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would work with service providers such as LA Family Housing to identify the people who are most in need and do outreach to bring them indoors.
The authority is still doing that, but the process has been short-circuited as Carter has played a larger role. Over the summer, Carter had each member of the City Council identify encampments near freeways and how they would shelter those people.
These plans will then be filtered down to providers who are already stretched thin trying to respond to the pandemic.
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Kenny Welch, 57, of Los Angeles builds a living structure on a 110 Freeway overpass. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
“There are a lot of voices at play right now with a lot of different ideas of how things should be done,” said the authority’s executive director, Heidi Marston. “I don’t think it’s wrong to say that there’s not one unified voice or approach.”
For elected officials like Blumenfield, Carter’s attention and efforts help accomplish two goals: getting people without a home the help they need and placating residents who are frustrated by the encampments. He supports a council motion that would ban sitting and sleeping around freeway underpasses.
Blumenfield knows by name many of the people who live beneath underpasses. His district has one of the smallest homeless populations in the city, which doesn’t stop his other constituents from complaining about them.
“[Carter] has made it clear that those freeway areas have to be cleared, which I’m thrilled about, by the way, because it’ll show the community that we’re doing something and it actually creates visible progress,” Blumenfield said.
Lance Matson visits friends at a homeless encampment on Corbin Avenue underneath the 101 Freeway in Tarzana. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
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Lance Matson is not homeless but hangs with friends who live in these encampments and said Blumenfeld is a regular presence at the Corbin Avenue underpass of the 101.
He said encampments at other underpasses had been consolidated here after homeless people were hassled by local residents. As he stood talking, a silver Range Rover drove by and its driver blared its horn and yelled an obscenity out the window.
“People are so fed up. I understand,” he said. “The councilman is doing everything he can.”
Back at the Fallbrook Avenue underpass, Dermit talked with Carolus, the man who had been homeless for five years, about how he’d previously expressed some desire to go into a hotel room or shelter.
The timing just wasn’t right, Carolus said. He wanted to reconnect with his young daughter and begin to sort through his personal belongings before making another transition. Dermit listened intently, offering support and a promise that he wouldn’t abandon him during this transition.
Still, on Oct. 27, things would have to change, he said.
“We’re here to help you get into shelter,” he said. “On that date, though, you’re going to have to move from here. They’re not going to let you keep the tent here.”