latimes--2020-02-09--Op-Ed: The forgotten book that launched the Reagan Revolution

In the spring of 1965 , Ronald Reagan slipped into a ritzy Los Angeles restaurant .
He was there to meet Stu Spencer , a political consultant he hoped would join his potential campaign for governor .
The year before , Reagan had famously stumped for the GOP ’ s presidential nominee , Barry Goldwater , who proved way too extreme for American voters .
Spencer was worried the same was true of Reagan , but he found him to be flexible and smart .
In fact , he found him to be downright literary .
“ I wrote a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of their meeting .
“ How ’ s that going to fit ?
” Rather nicely , it turned out .
Although it ’ s been forgotten today , in its own time “ Where ’ s the Rest of Me ?
” was a big seller and a key artifact of California politics .
The book also proves that Reagan was never just an actor , reciting the lines of Spencer-style political pros .
Even in the early 1960s , Reagan was defining his image and defending his philosophy all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough credit for his intellectual side .
As a child , he devoured books , and he was so taken by King Arthur tales he named his cat Sir Lancelot .
As an actor , he spent his on-set breaks reading , often boring his costars with current affairs facts .
Reagan eventually was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild more than once , before moving to TV and “ General Electric Theater.
” At GE factories he gave speeches based on books by economists whose views transformed him from an FDR-style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consider running for something bigger than the SAG presidency .
While Reagan ’ s biographers have explored the influence of GE and SAG on the budding politician , they ’ ve largely ignored what came next — namely “ Where ’ s the Rest of Me ?
” In 1962 , a New York publisher had asked Reagan if he wanted to write “ a dramatic firsthand narrative , ” as the editor put it , about his SAG battles against “ the communist cancer in Hollywood.
” The idea must have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He surely saw its political potential .
John F. Kennedy ’ s “ Profiles in Courage ” and Goldwater ’ s “ Conscience of a Conservative ” had proved that campaign books could stir interest and shape images .
Once he started writing , in early 1963 , Reagan changed the angle from a Hollywood story to a full autobiography that could address his biggest weaknesses as a candidate for governor : the charge that he was a mere actor and that he was a far-right extremist .
Reagan got help from Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared a sense of humor , with Hubler calling their project “ the saga of Reagan ” while Reagan called it “ my literary epic.
” They also shared a work ethic .
They met at Reagan ’ s Pacific Palisades home , outfitted with GE gadgets ( electric iron , electric waffle maker ) .
The ghost rarely needed to prompt his partner , who dug deep into such difficult topics as his father ’ s alcoholism and union battles .
“ Where ’ s the Rest of Me ?
” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a revealing look at Reagan ’ s pre-political life that lacks the cautious muffling of political handlers .
Consider its opening : “ The story begins with the close-up of a bottom in a small town called Tampico in Illinois , on February 6 , 1911 .
My face was blue from screaming , my bottom was red from whacking , and my father claimed afterward that he was white.
” The punch line was pure Reagan : “ Ever since , ” he wrote , “ I have been particularly fond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red , white , and blue.
” “ Where ’ s the Rest of Me ?
” portrays Reagan ’ s biography as serious and his politics as mainstream .
The best example comes in the book ’ s final pages , which , according to a cache of letters no previous biographer has seen , went through at least two major revisions .
Reagan argued that his objections to big government were considered “ a nonpartisan viewpoint ” in the Eisenhower era .
Only after a Democrat took the White House did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also made the safest play in politics , adding a paragraph that invoked Lincoln .
Reagan ’ s ideas were debatable , of course , but the fascinating thing is that his image-shaping book predates handlers like Spencer and the wealthy team of “ friends ” who backed him for California governor and later president .
When the book appeared , in 1965 , it sold 200,000 copies and won national praise .
As one reviewer put it , the book “ may make Ronald Reagan governor.
” At this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reagan-boosting “ friends ” stepped in .
They wanted to test Reagan as a retail politician , and his book signings provided the perfect cover .
At one Los Angeles bookstore , Reagan arrived straight from his horse ranch .
“ He showed up in his English riding gear , breeches , boots , everything but the whip , ” Spencer remembered .
Even in that getup , Reagan charmed the crowd .
At another signing , in Long Beach , a reporter asked for an answer to the question posed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , Reagan replied , “ in politics.
” Reagan ’ s chief opponents for governor — George Christopher in the primary , incumbent Gov .
Pat Brown in the general — viewed “ Where ’ s the Rest of Me ?
” as a corny weak spot .
Lou Cannon , who covered the race as a reporter , was offered the book by a Reagan staffer .
“ I already got my copy from your opponents , ” Cannon replied , and they both had a good laugh .
Yet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Christopher carried an underlined copy to interviews so he could prove something Reagan never hid : He had once been a Democrat .
“ Where ’ s the rest of me ?
” Brown would ask on the stump , reminding the voters of the well-regarded book as much as its author ’ s conservative views .
For his part , Reagan ignored the gibes , playing the part of the disciplined moderate .
He won easily , and his book could only have helped .
The book also revealed something about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Early in the campaign , he ’ d given Spencer the political pro a copy .
“ To Stu , ” he wrote inside it , “ Who probably has an idea about what the rest of me should look like.
” But Reagan already knew what he needed to look like .
The proof was right there in the book he ’ d inscribed .
Craig Fehrman is the author of the new book “ Author in Chief : The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In the spring of 1965, Ronald Reagan slipped into a ritzy Los Angeles restaurant. He was there to meet Stu Spencer, a political consultant he hoped would join his potential campaign for governor.
The year before, Reagan had famously stumped for the GOP’s presidential nominee, Barry Goldwater, who proved way too extreme for American voters. Spencer was worried the same was true of Reagan, but he found him to be flexible and smart. In fact, he found him to be downright literary. “I wrote a book,” Reagan told Spencer near the end of their meeting. “How’s that going to fit?”
Rather nicely, it turned out. Although it’s been forgotten today, in its own time “Where’s the Rest of Me?” was a big seller and a key artifact of California politics. The book also proves that Reagan was never just an actor, reciting the lines of Spencer-style political pros. Even in the early 1960s, Reagan was defining his image and defending his philosophy all by himself.
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Reagan has never received enough credit for his intellectual side. As a child, he devoured books, and he was so taken by King Arthur tales he named his cat Sir Lancelot. As an actor, he spent his on-set breaks reading, often boring his costars with current affairs facts. Reagan eventually was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild more than once, before moving to TV and “General Electric Theater.” At GE factories he gave speeches based on books by economists whose views transformed him from an FDR-style Democrat to a conservative. He began to consider running for something bigger than the SAG presidency.
While Reagan’s biographers have explored the influence of GE and SAG on the budding politician, they’ve largely ignored what came next — namely “Where’s the Rest of Me?” In 1962, a New York publisher had asked Reagan if he wanted to write “a dramatic firsthand narrative,” as the editor put it, about his SAG battles against “the communist cancer in Hollywood.”
The idea must have appealed to a reader like Reagan. He surely saw its political potential. John F. Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage” and Goldwater’s “Conscience of a Conservative” had proved that campaign books could stir interest and shape images. Once he started writing, in early 1963, Reagan changed the angle from a Hollywood story to a full autobiography that could address his biggest weaknesses as a candidate for governor: the charge that he was a mere actor and that he was a far-right extremist.
Reagan got help from Richard Hubler, a talented ghostwriter. They shared a sense of humor, with Hubler calling their project “the saga of Reagan” while Reagan called it “my literary epic.” They also shared a work ethic. They met at Reagan’s Pacific Palisades home, outfitted with GE gadgets (electric iron, electric waffle maker). The ghost rarely needed to prompt his partner, who dug deep into such difficult topics as his father’s alcoholism and union battles.
“Where’s the Rest of Me?” is a surprisingly good read among presidential books, a revealing look at Reagan’s pre-political life that lacks the cautious muffling of political handlers.
Consider its opening: “The story begins with the close-up of a bottom in a small town called Tampico in Illinois, on February 6, 1911. My face was blue from screaming, my bottom was red from whacking, and my father claimed afterward that he was white.” The punch line was pure Reagan: “Ever since,” he wrote, “I have been particularly fond of the colors that were exhibited — red, white, and blue.”
“Where’s the Rest of Me?” portrays Reagan’s biography as serious and his politics as mainstream. The best example comes in the book’s final pages, which, according to a cache of letters no previous biographer has seen, went through at least two major revisions. Reagan argued that his objections to big government were considered “a nonpartisan viewpoint” in the Eisenhower era. Only after a Democrat took the White House did his perspective morph into so-called right-wing extremism. He also made the safest play in politics, adding a paragraph that invoked Lincoln.
Advertisement
Reagan’s ideas were debatable, of course, but the fascinating thing is that his image-shaping book predates handlers like Spencer and the wealthy team of “friends” who backed him for California governor and later president. When the book appeared, in 1965, it sold 200,000 copies and won national praise. As one reviewer put it, the book “may make Ronald Reagan governor.”
At this point, Spencer and a wealthy team of Reagan-boosting “friends” stepped in. They wanted to test Reagan as a retail politician, and his book signings provided the perfect cover. At one Los Angeles bookstore, Reagan arrived straight from his horse ranch. “He showed up in his English riding gear, breeches, boots, everything but the whip,” Spencer remembered. Even in that getup, Reagan charmed the crowd. At another signing, in Long Beach, a reporter asked for an answer to the question posed by the title: I found the rest of me, Reagan replied, “in politics.”
Reagan’s chief opponents for governor — George Christopher in the primary, incumbent Gov. Pat Brown in the general — viewed “Where’s the Rest of Me?” as a corny weak spot. Lou Cannon, who covered the race as a reporter, was offered the book by a Reagan staffer. “I already got my copy from your opponents,” Cannon replied, and they both had a good laugh.
Yet the attacks were less sophisticated than the book. Christopher carried an underlined copy to interviews so he could prove something Reagan never hid: He had once been a Democrat. “Where’s the rest of me?” Brown would ask on the stump, reminding the voters of the well-regarded book as much as its author’s conservative views. For his part, Reagan ignored the gibes, playing the part of the disciplined moderate. He won easily, and his book could only have helped.
The book also revealed something about Reagan’s independence and instincts. Early in the campaign, he’d given Spencer the political pro a copy. “To Stu,” he wrote inside it, “Who probably has an idea about what the rest of me should look like.” But Reagan already knew what he needed to look like. The proof was right there in the book he’d inscribed.
Craig Fehrman is the author of the new book “Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote,” from which this essay is adapted.


latimes--2020-02-08--Bell High wins LAUSD's 2020 Academic Decathlon, a first for the school

Bell High School has won the 2020 Academic Decathlon for the Los Angeles Unified School District , a first for the team from the working class and immigrant-rich community in southeast Los Angeles County .
District officials announced Bell ’ s victory Saturday at Hollywood High School , a week after the school finished first in one of the final phases of the competition , the Super Quiz .
The nine-member team beat second-place Grant High of Van Nuys and third-place Marshall High of Los Feliz .
Diego Mora led Bell by winning medals in five categories—math , art , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Bell students — Gilbert Castro , Armando Aguilar and Isabelle Torres — won medals in four categories each .
Other team members were Rubi Espinoza , Cindy Soto , Danny Arteaga , Emanuel Perez and Andrew Vargas .
Senior Ben Bryant of Marshall took home the trophy as the high point winner in the competition , an honor he also won last year .
Bell came out on top of 55 teams in the competition , which focused on the topic , In Sickness and in Health : An Exploration of Illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state Academic Decathlon in Sacramento from March 26 to March 29 .

Bell High School has won the 2020 Academic Decathlon for the Los Angeles Unified School District, a first for the team from the working class and immigrant-rich community in southeast Los Angeles County.
District officials announced Bell’s victory Saturday at Hollywood High School, a week after the school finished first in one of the final phases of the competition, the Super Quiz.
The nine-member team beat second-place Grant High of Van Nuys and third-place Marshall High of Los Feliz.
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Diego Mora led Bell by winning medals in five categories—math, art, speech, essay and interview. Three other Bell students — Gilbert Castro, Armando Aguilar and Isabelle Torres — won medals in four categories each. Other team members were Rubi Espinoza, Cindy Soto, Danny Arteaga, Emanuel Perez and Andrew Vargas.
Congratulations to Bell HS winner of the 39th annual LAUSD Academic Decathlon!! The Bell High School decathletes are: Gilbert Castro, Rubi Espinoza, Cindy Soto, Armando Aguilar, Danny Arteaga, Emanuel Perez, Diego Mora, Isabelle Torres and Andrew Vargas. pic.twitter.com/Ayh0qk6cNx — L.A. Unified (@LASchools) February 9, 2020
Senior Ben Bryant of Marshall took home the trophy as the high point winner in the competition, an honor he also won last year.
Bell came out on top of 55 teams in the competition, which focused on the topic, In Sickness and in Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness.
Top teams move on to the state Academic Decathlon in Sacramento from March 26 to March 29.


latimes--2020-02-08--Dave McCoy, who gave skiers and boarders Mammoth Mountain, has died at 104

Dave McCoy , a towering pioneer of the California ski industry , who with vision , hard work and a knack for the mechanical transformed a remote Sierra peak into the storied Mammoth Mountain Ski Area , has died .
He was 104 .
A notice of McCoy ’ s death posted Saturday afternoon on the Mammoth Mountain website simply said , “ Thank you , Dave McCoy , for everything.
” Rusty Gregory , former chief executive at Mammoth Mountain , said McCoy “ died peacefully in his sleep ” at his home in the eastern Sierra Nevada community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocked by the news of his passing , ” Gregory said .
“ Yes , he was on in years .
But he was such a force of nature that it was hard to accept .
Dave was Mammoth Mountain.
” The mountain , about 300 miles north of Los Angeles , off Highway 395 , was the hub of McCoy ’ s life for more than six decades .
In his hands , it grew from a downhill depot for friends to a profitable , debt-free operation of 3,000 workers and 4,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mammoth and June mountains , a haven for generations of skiers and boarders Mammoth was one of the three most-visited ski resorts in 2018 , drawing about 1.21 million skiers and boarders , most of whom drove there on weekends from Southern California .
“ McCoy was part of a post-World War II cohort of pioneers who had an extraordinary sense of what they could do , which is why we have a place like Mammoth Mountain today , ” said Hal Clifford , executive editor of Orion , a nature and culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique creation that wasn ’ t hatched in a corporate planning room or a focus group.
” Bob Roberts , spokesman for the California Ski Industry Assn.
, described McCoy as a “ visionary who was pivotal in the development of the sport in the West.
” “ McCoy ’ s passion literally grew out of the snow , ” Roberts said .
Born Aug. 24 , 1915 , in El Segundo , McCoy was the son of a nomadic paving contractor with a passion for machinery .
His parents separated when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduating from high school , he moved to Independence , an eastern Sierra hamlet where they still talk about his speeding along Highway 395 on a brown and yellow Harley Davidson with a red bandanna tied around his head .
Lashed to the side of that motorcycle were skis he carved from ash wood .
McCoy bent the tips with steam from a boiler at a mine where his grandfather worked .
He strapped them to his logging boots with strips of inner tube .
As a young man , McCoy picked grapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied flies for fishermen .
Judging from photographs taken of McCoy at the time , he enjoyed skiing in T-shirts and jeans , or even shirtless .
McCoy was working as a soda jerk at a restaurant in Independence when he first laid eyes on his future wife , Roma .
“ She was in a group of cheerleaders , and they ’ d stopped to get sodas , ” he recalled in an interview in early 2005 .
“ I knew right then and there , she was the right girl for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them like her anymore.
” In the late 1930s , McCoy landed work as a snow surveyor for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power .
As a city hydrographer , he concluded that skiing didn ’ t come any better than on the massive extinct volcano with steep chutes on all sides that caught storms like a sail .
“ David McCoy ’ s LADWP career is the stuff of legend , ” Martin Adams , chief engineer and general manager of the DWP , said Saturday .
“ David ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storied history and to the ski community worldwide can not be overstated.
” In 1937 , McCoy parked his Ford Model A on a slope where snow fell early and hard on Mammoth Mountain .
He jacked up the rear of the car and lashed one end of a rope to the back wheel and the other to a tree .
He charged 50 cents a person for what became the first rope tow on the mountain , which usually has skiable snow from early November to early summer .
With the help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , droughts and economic downturns , building increasingly sophisticated machinery to pull skiers up the mountain and groom the snow .
Dave and Roma married in 1941 in Yuma , Ariz. , and then moved into a single-room house in Bishop , an hour outside Mammoth .
They opened a mom-and-pop ski business , using one of his motorcycles as collateral to buy a used portable rope tow for $ 86 .
McCoy secured a year-to-year permit from the U.S. Forest Service to run a portable tow anywhere in the eastern Sierra between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one but McCoy envisioned Mammoth , which then was home for no more than a dozen permanent residents , as a major resort .
“ People told me it snowed too much , ” he recalled in an interview with The Times .
“ It was too stormy , too high and too far away.
” The McCoys stashed their rope tow proceeds in fishing creels and cigar boxes .
Occasionally , they traded lift rides for staples .
In 1942 , McCoy was racing downhill in a state championship when he crashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Doctors wanted to amputate , but McCoy wouldn ’ t listen .
His injuries , along with his work as a government hydrographer , exempted him from military duty during World War II .
The 1942 accident was only one of many serious spills on the slopes and on his motorcycles and mountain bikes .
At age 87 , McCoy lost control of his motorcycle and spent a month in the hospital .
After World War II , Southern California saw an explosion of interest in skiing .
But building a top-notch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a dream when McCoy envisioned a diesel-powered tow that could move 1,800 skiers an hour .
Warren Miller , the late ski video producer and an old friend , recalled how skiers liked to josh that after hanging onto McCoy ’ s tows for a few weekends , their right arms would be an inch longer than their left .
“ Dave led a hearty band of pioneers , ” Miller said .
“ When a rope tow started wearing out , he ’ d shut it down , get out some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tow engine was running low on fuel , he ’ d get some up there by holding onto the rope tow with one hand and a five-gallon can of gas with the other.
” Over the ensuing decades , the amiable McCoy cleared land , laid concrete , raised ski lift towers , maneuvered cranes and frequently stood in line at his ski lifts to overhear what his customers had to say about what worked and what didn ’ t .
Many of the operation ’ s special tools , cranes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built from scratch in McCoy ’ s garage , where he spent long hours experimenting with new designs and modifying available machinery .
In 1955 , within only three months — and 30 days ahead of schedule — Mammoth Mountain erected a high-capacity double-chair lift that was 3,400 feet long with a vertical rise of 1,000 feet .
The lift ’ s 86 double chairs , which were diesel-driven , carried 900 skiers an hour — at the time , the largest lift of its kind in the state .
In the adjacent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his staff launched a water district , volunteer fire department , regional hospital , high school , skiing museum and college .
Untold numbers of people received employment , financial help , even property from McCoy over the years .
But much of what the reserved ski operator did for others went unpublicized .
“ If he liked someone and felt they had a positive contribution to make , he ’ d help them out , ” said Benett Kessler , the late owner of Bishop ’ s Sierra Wave radio and television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for advice and moral support over the years .
McCoy was loved by local families , who for decades enjoyed a variety of special privileges such as cut-rate lessons and skiing passes for children .
McCoy also coached legions of hardcore ski competitors and young racers , some of whom made U.S. Olympic teams .
Among them was Robin Morning , who is now writing a biography of McCoy titled “ Tracks of Passion.
” “ We skied all day long with him — he kept us moving — and he really believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Morning , who was a member of the 1968 team .
In 1972 , Mammoth took over Sierra Pacific Airlines , which flew 54-seat Convairs from Los Angeles , Burbank , Fresno and Reno directly to Mammoth Lakes ’ airport until 1978 .
It was sold to reduce costs following a series of drought years .
Around this time , Mammoth ’ s ski patrol walked off the job after one ski area employee was killed and another lost a portion of his hand from accidental explosions during avalanche control work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the perilous work , detonating charges on cloud-covered , windy mountain peaks .
As the operation mushroomed into a full-scale resort , critics complained that McCoy spent too much time fine-tuning the mountain and not enough on improving local amenities .
As a result , Mammoth struggled with a nagging image as an everyman ’ s “ Sears , Roebuck ” resort of cheap rooms and fast-food lunches .
In the early 1990s , facing a prolonged drought , a volcano scare and a recession , McCoy was forced to lay off 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the mountain for decades .
To stave off bankruptcy , Mammoth installed extensive snow-making machinery that could guarantee a Thanksgiving Day opening .
In 1996 , Vancouver-based Intrawest Corp. bought a significant stake in the operation and moved to make the area more upscale by building a Craftsman-style hub of lodging , entertainment and shopping called the Village at Mammoth .
In October 2005 , McCoy announced plans to sell a controlling interest in the resort to Starwood Capital Group for $ 365 million — then the largest ski resort sale in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing of more than 100 pages of documents believed to have brought him $ 80 million , McCoy openly wept .
Later that day , McCoy sat in his office , wistfully surveying hundreds of awards , plaques and photographs of him skiing down the slopes , overseeing construction projects or caked with mud after off-roading competitions .
“ We did something here that everyone said would be impossible , ” he said .
Asked how he and his wife planned to spend that evening , he smiled and said : “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll go home , have dinner and watch the sunset .
If it ’ s beautiful , I ’ ll take a picture of it.
” At 94 , McCoy found a new calling as a photographer , tirelessly prowling the eastern Sierra ’ s backcountry roads several times each week on an all-terrain vehicle known as a Rhino , toting an array of sophisticated cameras he called “ my six-shooters.
” Over the years , McCoy archived hundreds of thousands of photographs on his home computer attached to a 52-inch television monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They were mostly of wildlife and vistas he ’ d known since childhood : Mammoth Mountain ’ s long , open slopes , cloud formations over the White Mountains , iris blooms in spring meadows , 13,649-foot Mt .
Tom , cottonwood and birch trees , sagebrush , snow-fed streams , waterfalls and boulders sculpted by rain and wind until they resembled walruses , bears and human faces .
Personal favorites included an “ angel in the sky ” cloud formation taken in 2008 while he and Roma were off-roading a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , ” Roma recalled , “ and noticed wisps of clouds shifting over the White Mountains .
I grabbed Dave ’ s arm and said , ‘ Stop !
We ’ ve got an angel up there.
’ ” McCoy aimed his telephoto lens and waited .
“ I saw her taking shape , ” he recalled .
“ First her body , then her athletic thighs and legs .
Then came the wings and arms .
Then she seemed to be carrying a torch .
I took the picture .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture , though , ” he said .
“ It must mean something .
”

Dave McCoy, a towering pioneer of the California ski industry, who with vision, hard work and a knack for the mechanical transformed a remote Sierra peak into the storied Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, has died. He was 104.
A notice of McCoy’s death posted Saturday afternoon on the Mammoth Mountain website simply said, “Thank you, Dave McCoy, for everything.”
Rusty Gregory, former chief executive at Mammoth Mountain, said McCoy “died peacefully in his sleep” at his home in the eastern Sierra Nevada community of Bishop, Calif.
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“I was shocked by the news of his passing,” Gregory said. “Yes, he was on in years. But he was such a force of nature that it was hard to accept. Dave was Mammoth Mountain.”
The mountain, about 300 miles north of Los Angeles, off Highway 395, was the hub of McCoy’s life for more than six decades. In his hands, it grew from a downhill depot for friends to a profitable, debt-free operation of 3,000 workers and 4,000 acres of ski trails and lifts at Mammoth and June mountains, a haven for generations of skiers and boarders
Mammoth was one of the three most-visited ski resorts in 2018, drawing about 1.21 million skiers and boarders, most of whom drove there on weekends from Southern California.
“McCoy was part of a post-World War II cohort of pioneers who had an extraordinary sense of what they could do, which is why we have a place like Mammoth Mountain today,” said Hal Clifford, executive editor of Orion, a nature and culture magazine. “It’s a unique creation that wasn’t hatched in a corporate planning room or a focus group.”
Dave McCoy and Mammoth Chief Executive Rusty Gregory in 2005. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Bob Roberts, spokesman for the California Ski Industry Assn., described McCoy as a “visionary who was pivotal in the development of the sport in the West.”
“McCoy’s passion literally grew out of the snow,” Roberts said.
Born Aug. 24, 1915, in El Segundo, McCoy was the son of a nomadic paving contractor with a passion for machinery. His parents separated when he was in his teens.
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Shortly after graduating from high school, he moved to Independence, an eastern Sierra hamlet where they still talk about his speeding along Highway 395 on a brown and yellow Harley Davidson with a red bandanna tied around his head.
Lashed to the side of that motorcycle were skis he carved from ash wood.
McCoy bent the tips with steam from a boiler at a mine where his grandfather worked. He strapped them to his logging boots with strips of inner tube.
As a young man, McCoy picked grapes, tended pigs, sold firewood and tied flies for fishermen. Judging from photographs taken of McCoy at the time, he enjoyed skiing in T-shirts and jeans, or even shirtless.
McCoy was working as a soda jerk at a restaurant in Independence when he first laid eyes on his future wife, Roma.
“She was in a group of cheerleaders, and they’d stopped to get sodas,” he recalled in an interview in early 2005. “I knew right then and there, she was the right girl for me. They don’t make them like her anymore.”
In the late 1930s, McCoy landed work as a snow surveyor for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. As a city hydrographer, he concluded that skiing didn’t come any better than on the massive extinct volcano with steep chutes on all sides that caught storms like a sail.
“David McCoy’s LADWP career is the stuff of legend,” Martin Adams, chief engineer and general manager of the DWP, said Saturday. “David’s significant contributions to LADWP’s storied history and to the ski community worldwide cannot be overstated.”
In 1937, McCoy parked his Ford Model A on a slope where snow fell early and hard on Mammoth Mountain. He jacked up the rear of the car and lashed one end of a rope to the back wheel and the other to a tree.
He charged 50 cents a person for what became the first rope tow on the mountain, which usually has skiable snow from early November to early summer.
With the help of friends, McCoy worked through blizzards, droughts and economic downturns, building increasingly sophisticated machinery to pull skiers up the mountain and groom the snow.
Dave and Roma married in 1941 in Yuma, Ariz., and then moved into a single-room house in Bishop, an hour outside Mammoth. They opened a mom-and-pop ski business, using one of his motorcycles as collateral to buy a used portable rope tow for $86.
McCoy secured a year-to-year permit from the U.S. Forest Service to run a portable tow anywhere in the eastern Sierra between Bridgeport and Bishop.
Still, no one but McCoy envisioned Mammoth, which then was home for no more than a dozen permanent residents, as a major resort.
“People told me it snowed too much,” he recalled in an interview with The Times. “It was too stormy, too high and too far away.” The McCoys stashed their rope tow proceeds in fishing creels and cigar boxes. Occasionally, they traded lift rides for staples.
In 1942, McCoy was racing downhill in a state championship when he crashed, shattering the bones in left leg. Doctors wanted to amputate, but McCoy wouldn’t listen. His injuries, along with his work as a government hydrographer, exempted him from military duty during World War II.
The 1942 accident was only one of many serious spills on the slopes and on his motorcycles and mountain bikes. At age 87, McCoy lost control of his motorcycle and spent a month in the hospital.
After World War II, Southern California saw an explosion of interest in skiing. But building a top-notch ski resort at Mammoth Mountain still seemed only a dream when McCoy envisioned a diesel-powered tow that could move 1,800 skiers an hour.
Warren Miller, the late ski video producer and an old friend, recalled how skiers liked to josh that after hanging onto McCoy’s tows for a few weekends, their right arms would be an inch longer than their left.
Obituaries Warren Miller, the ski bum whose films made him king of the slopes, dies at 93 Freezing in a cramped trailer, shooting rabbits for dinner, slurping a gruel of ketchup and oyster crackers: Warren Miller’s early 20s would have been downright Dickensian if they weren’t so much fun.
“Dave led a hearty band of pioneers,” Miller said. “When a rope tow started wearing out, he’d shut it down, get out some tools and fix it himself. If the tow engine was running low on fuel, he’d get some up there by holding onto the rope tow with one hand and a five-gallon can of gas with the other.”
Over the ensuing decades, the amiable McCoy cleared land, laid concrete, raised ski lift towers, maneuvered cranes and frequently stood in line at his ski lifts to overhear what his customers had to say about what worked and what didn’t.
Many of the operation’s special tools, cranes, rigs, engines and snow cats were built from scratch in McCoy’s garage, where he spent long hours experimenting with new designs and modifying available machinery.
In 1955, within only three months — and 30 days ahead of schedule — Mammoth Mountain erected a high-capacity double-chair lift that was 3,400 feet long with a vertical rise of 1,000 feet. The lift’s 86 double chairs, which were diesel-driven, carried 900 skiers an hour — at the time, the largest lift of its kind in the state.
In the adjacent community of Mammoth Lakes, McCoy and his staff launched a water district, volunteer fire department, regional hospital, high school, skiing museum and college.
Untold numbers of people received employment, financial help, even property from McCoy over the years. But much of what the reserved ski operator did for others went unpublicized.
“If he liked someone and felt they had a positive contribution to make, he’d help them out,” said Benett Kessler, the late owner of Bishop’s Sierra Wave radio and television station, who often went to McCoy for advice and moral support over the years.
McCoy was loved by local families, who for decades enjoyed a variety of special privileges such as cut-rate lessons and skiing passes for children.
McCoy also coached legions of hardcore ski competitors and young racers, some of whom made U.S. Olympic teams. Among them was Robin Morning, who is now writing a biography of McCoy titled “Tracks of Passion.”
“We skied all day long with him — he kept us moving — and he really believed that everything should be fun,” said Morning, who was a member of the 1968 team.
In 1972, Mammoth took over Sierra Pacific Airlines, which flew 54-seat Convairs from Los Angeles, Burbank, Fresno and Reno directly to Mammoth Lakes’ airport until 1978. It was sold to reduce costs following a series of drought years.
Around this time, Mammoth’s ski patrol walked off the job after one ski area employee was killed and another lost a portion of his hand from accidental explosions during avalanche control work. McCoy and one of his employees completed the perilous work, detonating charges on cloud-covered, windy mountain peaks.
As the operation mushroomed into a full-scale resort, critics complained that McCoy spent too much time fine-tuning the mountain and not enough on improving local amenities. As a result, Mammoth struggled with a nagging image as an everyman’s “Sears, Roebuck” resort of cheap rooms and fast-food lunches.
In the early 1990s, facing a prolonged drought, a volcano scare and a recession, McCoy was forced to lay off 150 employees, some of whom had worked on the mountain for decades.
To stave off bankruptcy, Mammoth installed extensive snow-making machinery that could guarantee a Thanksgiving Day opening.
In 1996, Vancouver-based Intrawest Corp. bought a significant stake in the operation and moved to make the area more upscale by building a Craftsman-style hub of lodging, entertainment and shopping called the Village at Mammoth.
In October 2005, McCoy announced plans to sell a controlling interest in the resort to Starwood Capital Group for $365 million — then the largest ski resort sale in history.
At one point during the signing of more than 100 pages of documents believed to have brought him $80 million, McCoy openly wept.
Later that day, McCoy sat in his office, wistfully surveying hundreds of awards, plaques and photographs of him skiing down the slopes, overseeing construction projects or caked with mud after off-roading competitions.
“We did something here that everyone said would be impossible,” he said.
Asked how he and his wife planned to spend that evening, he smiled and said: “The way we always do: We’ll go home, have dinner and watch the sunset. If it’s beautiful, I’ll take a picture of it.”
At 94, McCoy found a new calling as a photographer, tirelessly prowling the eastern Sierra’s backcountry roads several times each week on an all-terrain vehicle known as a Rhino, toting an array of sophisticated cameras he called “my six-shooters.”
Over the years, McCoy archived hundreds of thousands of photographs on his home computer attached to a 52-inch television monitor used to critique and modify the images.
They were mostly of wildlife and vistas he’d known since childhood: Mammoth Mountain’s long, open slopes, cloud formations over the White Mountains, iris blooms in spring meadows, 13,649-foot Mt. Tom, cottonwood and birch trees, sagebrush, snow-fed streams, waterfalls and boulders sculpted by rain and wind until they resembled walruses, bears and human faces.
Personal favorites included an “angel in the sky” cloud formation taken in 2008 while he and Roma were off-roading a few miles from home.
“I looked up,” Roma recalled, “and noticed wisps of clouds shifting over the White Mountains. I grabbed Dave’s arm and said, ‘Stop! We’ve got an angel up there.’ ”
McCoy aimed his telephoto lens and waited. “I saw her taking shape,” he recalled. “First her body, then her athletic thighs and legs. Then came the wings and arms. Then she seemed to be carrying a torch. I took the picture.
“I still don’t understand that picture, though,” he said. “It must mean something.”


latimes--2020-02-08--Why did the government mandate a coronavirus quarantine?

At roughly 4 p.m. on Jan. 28 , the Riverside County Public Health Department got word that nearly 200 Americans fleeing the novel coronavirus in Wuhan , China , would land at March Air Reserve Base the next day for a voluntary quarantine .
For the next 10 hours , local , state and federal officials — including those at Riverside , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the Department of Health and Human Services — scrambled to hash out preparation plans and gathered supplies to accommodate the incoming travelers who would be screened and monitored for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had infected thousands .
The original plan was to send the travelers to Ontario International Airport , a site previously deemed a repatriation location , but the CDC had revised plans because of logistics .
By 4 a.m. Jan. 29 , health department staffers had activated a mobile health clinic on base and got into place to await the arrival .
“ We didn ’ t have a lot of time , but this is what we practice for , ” said Kim Saruwatari , director of public health for Riverside County .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaration of a public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus , a Jan. 31 proclamation from President Trump suspended entry to the United States from those traveling from China and instructed officials to take “ all necessary and appropriate measures to facilitate orderly medical screening and , where appropriate , quarantine of persons allowed to enter the United States who may have been exposed to this virus.
” In Riverside County , the voluntary quarantine was elevated to a mandatory quarantine — the U.S. government ’ s first since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time since , the group of 195 Americans has remained on March Reserve Air Base for the designated 14-day period — the incubation period for the virus .
Two children were hospitalized after developing a fever ; both were returned to base after testing negative for the virus .
Those under quarantine are tested at least twice a day .
According to Jarred Evans , an individual who has documented his quarantine on base , they have access to exercise options such as Zumba , and cards and board games to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has managed day-to-day operations without difficulty or a diversion of resources from other public health areas , quarantine plans for those traveling from mainland China remain in place indefinitely .
“ At some point they have to look at how the impact is in the long term , ” Saruwatari said .
The State Department has reported that roughly 800 people have been evacuated from Wuhan since Jan. 29 , most of whom will remain under quarantine in California at facilities tapped by the Department of Defense .
Incremental and daily updates on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gripped communities throughout the country .
Officials have confirmed 12 cases of the virus in the U.S. , six of which have been found in California , and have continued to press upon the public that the flu still poses a greater risk than the new coronavirus .
The question that remains is why the government imposed a quarantine now , when no such mandate has been issued in over 50 years , despite the outbreak of disease .
The decision to quarantine does not align with the World Health Organization ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel ban , and the CDC said the decision to mandate a quarantine was unprecedented .
The 2009 H1N1 pandemic — commonly referred to as the swine flu , which resulted in more than 60 million cases and more than 12,000 deaths in the United States over a one-year period — did not see a quarantine , for example .
Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said the debate over quarantine has come up routinely during her 25-year career at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between the coronavirus outbreak and 2009 ’ s swine flu outbreak was that the latter was already on American soil by the time an outbreak was confirmed .
The coronavirus , on the other hand , did not originate in the U.S. in such numbers and is believed to be transmitted directly from those traveling from mainland China .
Officials believe that by quarantining those who may have traveled from the area , the virus will remain contained .
“ What was different about this one is that the outbreak was caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , ” she said .
“ But this is a situation where hopefully because of improved global capacity and surveillance and lab capacity , it was caught early before it spread around the world and we had this window of time in which we could intervene to slow it down .
I think that is different from other situations that we faced.
” It ’ s difficult to quantify the effectiveness of a modern-day quarantine , a practice that was created in the 14th century in Venice , Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal cities from ships that had returned to port .
“ We ’ re a globally connected society today .
It ’ s difficult to have an effective quarantine , ” said Timothy Brewer , professor of medicine and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA ’ s David Geffen School of Medicine .
“ For a quarantine to really be effective , you have to be able to prevent any movement .
That ’ s very difficult to do in this day and age.
” Brewer said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution , it ’ s one of the only tools available to mitigate today ’ s issue , as no vaccine exists and confirmed cases won ’ t test positive when they ’ re asymptomatic .
Unlike an influenza outbreak like H1N1 , in which people are show symptoms about 24 hours after catching the virus , the incubation period for the coronavirus is longer .
“ Part of the thinking with coronavirus is the hope that it would act more like SARS and MERS coronavirus , where the most contagious individuals were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are sick before they ’ re capable of spreading a virus , that ’ s where screening and quarantines tend to be more effective , ” Brewer said .
Politics may also have something to do with the decision , said Jennifer Nuzzo , enior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
“ I do believe that politics played a role in our decision to implement these quarantines and travel [ restrictions ] .
It ’ s not what health officials were talking about a few days earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians called on the government to expand efforts , a “ knee-jerk ” reaction whenever a new virus emerges .
During the H1N1 outbreak , the U.S. was on the receiving end of such reactions from other countries .
The U.S. pork industry , the largest in the world , took a $ 1.1-billion hit after more than 25 countries blocked pork imports from the U.S. , fearing swine flu , even though the country was not directly connected .
Nuzzo said that she fears a similar response on the United States ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detrimental in terms of the United States ’ economic relationship with China , and the social impact such responses may have on Chinese Americans .
In areas of California , fear of the coronavirus has fueled racist sentiment toward East Asian people .
“ We have little to no evidence that [ quarantines ] work , and a lot of evidence that they do harm , ” Nuzzo said .
During a House panel testimony Wednesday , Nuzzo said there are still several unknowns about the virus , including whether people have contracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of circumstances make quarantines challenging because we don ’ t know who we should be quarantining fully , ” she said .
Ron Klain , White House Ebola response coordinator under the Obama administration , echoed the sentiment .
Less is known about the coronavirus today than what was known about the Ebola virus in 2014 , he said .
In 2018 , then-national security advisor John Bolton disbanded a unit inside the National Security Council tasked with the coordination of government-wide pandemic preparations following the Ebola outbreak .
Klain insisted on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House to oversee U.S. efforts to contain the virus .
“ Epidemic response should not be a partisan issue , ” he said .
More than 37,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world , most of them in mainland China .
More than 800 deaths have been reported , including one in the Philippines .

At roughly 4 p.m. on Jan. 28, the Riverside County Public Health Department got word that nearly 200 Americans fleeing the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, would land at March Air Reserve Base the next day for a voluntary quarantine.
For the next 10 hours, local, state and federal officials — including those at Riverside, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services — scrambled to hash out preparation plans and gathered supplies to accommodate the incoming travelers who would be screened and monitored for the virus, dubbed 2019-nCoV, that had infected thousands.
The original plan was to send the travelers to Ontario International Airport, a site previously deemed a repatriation location, but the CDC had revised plans because of logistics. By 4 a.m. Jan. 29, health department staffers had activated a mobile health clinic on base and got into place to await the arrival.
“We didn’t have a lot of time, but this is what we practice for,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of public health for Riverside County.
After the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency related to the spread of the coronavirus, a Jan. 31 proclamation from President Trump suspended entry to the United States from those traveling from China and instructed officials to take “all necessary and appropriate measures to facilitate orderly medical screening and, where appropriate, quarantine of persons allowed to enter the United States who may have been exposed to this virus.”
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In Riverside County, the voluntary quarantine was elevated to a mandatory quarantine — the U.S. government’s first since the smallpox outbreak in the 1960s.
In the time since, the group of 195 Americans has remained on March Reserve Air Base for the designated 14-day period — the incubation period for the virus. Two children were hospitalized after developing a fever; both were returned to base after testing negative for the virus. Those under quarantine are tested at least twice a day. According to Jarred Evans, an individual who has documented his quarantine on base, they have access to exercise options such as Zumba, and cards and board games to pass the time.
While Riverside health staff has managed day-to-day operations without difficulty or a diversion of resources from other public health areas, quarantine plans for those traveling from mainland China remain in place indefinitely.
“At some point they have to look at how the impact is in the long term,” Saruwatari said.
The State Department has reported that roughly 800 people have been evacuated from Wuhan since Jan. 29, most of whom will remain under quarantine in California at facilities tapped by the Department of Defense. Incremental and daily updates on the virus’ status have stirred fears and gripped communities throughout the country.
Officials have confirmed 12 cases of the virus in the U.S., six of which have been found in California, and have continued to press upon the public that the flu still poses a greater risk than the new coronavirus. The question that remains is why the government imposed a quarantine now, when no such mandate has been issued in over 50 years, despite the outbreak of disease.
The decision to quarantine does not align with the World Health Organization’s recommendations, which advise against a travel ban, and the CDC said the decision to mandate a quarantine was unprecedented.
The 2009 H1N1 pandemic — commonly referred to as the swine flu, which resulted in more than 60 million cases and more than 12,000 deaths in the United States over a one-year period — did not see a quarantine, for example.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the debate over quarantine has come up routinely during her 25-year career at the CDC. She said that a major difference between the coronavirus outbreak and 2009’s swine flu outbreak was that the latter was already on American soil by the time an outbreak was confirmed. The coronavirus, on the other hand, did not originate in the U.S. in such numbers and is believed to be transmitted directly from those traveling from mainland China. Officials believe that by quarantining those who may have traveled from the area, the virus will remain contained.
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“What was different about this one is that the outbreak was caught so early before it really got to the United States,” she said. “But this is a situation where hopefully because of improved global capacity and surveillance and lab capacity, it was caught early before it spread around the world and we had this window of time in which we could intervene to slow it down. I think that is different from other situations that we faced.”
It’s difficult to quantify the effectiveness of a modern-day quarantine, a practice that was created in the 14th century in Venice, Italy, to prevent plague epidemics from spreading to coastal cities from ships that had returned to port.
“We’re a globally connected society today. It’s difficult to have an effective quarantine,” said Timothy Brewer, professor of medicine and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “For a quarantine to really be effective, you have to be able to prevent any movement. That’s very difficult to do in this day and age.”
Brewer said that while a quarantine may not be a clear-cut solution, it’s one of the only tools available to mitigate today’s issue, as no vaccine exists and confirmed cases won’t test positive when they’re asymptomatic. Unlike an influenza outbreak like H1N1, in which people are show symptoms about 24 hours after catching the virus, the incubation period for the coronavirus is longer.
“Part of the thinking with coronavirus is the hope that it would act more like SARS and MERS coronavirus, where the most contagious individuals were the sickest individuals. If you have people who are sick before they’re capable of spreading a virus, that’s where screening and quarantines tend to be more effective,” Brewer said.
Politics may also have something to do with the decision, said Jennifer Nuzzo, enior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
“I do believe that politics played a role in our decision to implement these quarantines and travel [restrictions]. It’s not what health officials were talking about a few days earlier,” she said, adding that politicians called on the government to expand efforts, a “knee-jerk” reaction whenever a new virus emerges.
During the H1N1 outbreak, the U.S. was on the receiving end of such reactions from other countries. The U.S. pork industry, the largest in the world, took a $1.1-billion hit after more than 25 countries blocked pork imports from the U.S., fearing swine flu, even though the country was not directly connected.
Nuzzo said that she fears a similar response on the United States’ end in regards to China could prove detrimental in terms of the United States’ economic relationship with China, and the social impact such responses may have on Chinese Americans. In areas of California, fear of the coronavirus has fueled racist sentiment toward East Asian people.
“We have little to no evidence that [quarantines] work, and a lot of evidence that they do harm,” Nuzzo said.
During a House panel testimony Wednesday, Nuzzo said there are still several unknowns about the virus, including whether people have contracted it beyond China.
“Those types of circumstances make quarantines challenging because we don’t know who we should be quarantining fully,” she said.
Ron Klain, White House Ebola response coordinator under the Obama administration, echoed the sentiment. Less is known about the coronavirus today than what was known about the Ebola virus in 2014, he said.
In 2018, then-national security advisor John Bolton disbanded a unit inside the National Security Council tasked with the coordination of government-wide pandemic preparations following the Ebola outbreak. Klain insisted on the need for a key official inside the White House to oversee U.S. efforts to contain the virus.
“Epidemic response should not be a partisan issue,” he said.
More than 37,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world, most of them in mainland China. More than 800 deaths have been reported, including one in the Philippines.


latimes--2020-02-09--Rainy red carpet forecast for Sunday's Academy Awards

Rain is expected to make an unwelcome appearance on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday .
About a tenth of an inch is forecast to fall over the Los Angeles area , including Hollywood , where the Academy Awards will be presented at the Dolby Theatre .
“ We ’ re not expecting it to be particularly heavy , ” said Kathy Hoxsie , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ It ’ s just coming at the wrong time.
” The morning will start off with the possibility of light rain , and the chances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
By late afternoon and through the evening , when the awards start , there will be a 60 % to 70 % chance of showers .
The storm is expected to cause snow levels to drop down to 3,500 to 4,000 feet on Sunday , and then to 2,500 feet by Monday morning .
It ’ s also forecast to be on the chilly side , with a high of about 60 degrees on Sunday and temperatures in the mid- to upper 50s around red carpet time .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , though showers could linger in the mountain areas , Hoxsie said .
Rain isn ’ t terribly unusual during the Oscars , having fallen on 18 of the 91 Academy Awards ceremonies , most recently in 2017 .
In the past , crews have used vacuums and squeegees to dry off the carpet and umbrellas to shield stars from the elements as they usher them into the event .
February is usually the wettest month of the year in California .
But , at least until late in the month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition to the expected showers , those visiting Hollywood this weekend will encounter street and sidewalk closures because of the awards ceremony .
Hollywood Boulevard has been closed between Highland Avenue and Orange Drive since Feb. 2 and will reopen at 6 a.m. Wednesday .
Metro trains will bypass the Hollywood and Highland station after the last scheduled train Saturday night , and service to the station will resume at 6 a.m. Monday .
More closures will take effect overnight until most of the streets in the area surrounding the theater are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street closures and a map is available on the Academy Awards website .

Rain is expected to make an unwelcome appearance on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday.
About a tenth of an inch is forecast to fall over the Los Angeles area, including Hollywood, where the Academy Awards will be presented at the Dolby Theatre.
“We’re not expecting it to be particularly heavy,” said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “It’s just coming at the wrong time.”
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The morning will start off with the possibility of light rain, and the chances will increase as the day goes on, she said. By late afternoon and through the evening, when the awards start, there will be a 60% to 70% chance of showers.
The storm is expected to cause snow levels to drop down to 3,500 to 4,000 feet on Sunday, and then to 2,500 feet by Monday morning.
It’s also forecast to be on the chilly side, with a high of about 60 degrees on Sunday and temperatures in the mid- to upper 50s around red carpet time.
The rain is expected to clear up by Monday, though showers could linger in the mountain areas, Hoxsie said.
Rain isn’t terribly unusual during the Oscars, having fallen on 18 of the 91 Academy Awards ceremonies, most recently in 2017.
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In the past, crews have used vacuums and squeegees to dry off the carpet and umbrellas to shield stars from the elements as they usher them into the event.
February is usually the wettest month of the year in California. But, at least until late in the month, the state will have below-normal precipitation.
In addition to the expected showers, those visiting Hollywood this weekend will encounter street and sidewalk closures because of the awards ceremony.
Hollywood Boulevard has been closed between Highland Avenue and Orange Drive since Feb. 2 and will reopen at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Metro trains will bypass the Hollywood and Highland station after the last scheduled train Saturday night, and service to the station will resume at 6 a.m. Monday.
More closures will take effect overnight until most of the streets in the area surrounding the theater are shut down. A full list of street closures and a map is available on the Academy Awards website.


latimes--2020-02-08--Magnitude 3.9 earthquake strikes near Barstow

A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was reported at 11:34 a.m. Saturday 12 miles from Barstow , according to the U.S. Geological @ @ @ @ @ 33 miles from Apple Valley , 37 miles from Adelanto , 37 miles from Victorville @ @ @ @ @ California City .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of @ @ @ @ @ nearby .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per @ @ @ @ @ , according to a recent three year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a @ @ @ @ @ Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
@ @ @ @ @ before , and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness @ @ @ @ @ automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by @ @ @ @ @ editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in @ @ @ @ @ , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake occurred 12 miles from Barstow, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was reported at 11:34 a.m. Saturday 12 miles from Barstow, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 33 miles from Apple Valley, 37 miles from Adelanto, 37 miles from Victorville, and 37 miles from California City.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 1.3 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-02-08--Nearly two weeks into Kobe Bryant crash investigation, foggy weather a leading factor

The official cause of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash is still likely months away .
But the latest report by the National Transportation Safety Board continues to suggest more attention toward cloudy conditions and low visibility as leading factor .
The preliminary report found no evidence of engine failure before the crash , focusing in some detail on the weather conditions .
The NTSB noted that videos and photos from the public “ depict fog and low clouds obscuring the hilltops.
” The preliminary report repeatedly noted that the pilot had struggled with a low cloud ceiling .
The report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chopper flying under cloudy conditions shortly before it hit a hill in Calabasas .
Investigators had asked the public for images of weather conditions at the time of the crash on the morning of Jan. 26 , and some of those were released Friday .
Witnesses said visibility had been very poor when they heard the chopper slam into the hillside .
RELATED : The perplexing final moments of the Kobe Bryant crash A witness on a mountain bike trail told investigators that the area was “ surrounded by mist ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helicopter and saw a blue and white chopper emerge from the clouds , passing from left to right .
“ He judged it to be moving fast , traveling on a forward and descending trajectory .
It started to roll to the left such that he caught a glimpse of its belly .
He observed it for 1 to 2 seconds , before it impacted terrain about 50 feet below his position , ” according to the report .
The 1991 Sikorsky S-76B was carrying to a youth basketball game at Bryant ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other eight people who perished in the fiery crash were ; Christina Mauser ; Payton and Sarah Chester ; John , Keri and Alyssa Altobelli ; along with pilot Ara Zobayan .
Other questions remain unanswered , including the reason for the pilot ’ s choices in the final chaotic moments of the flight .
NTSB member Jennifer Homendy said last week that the helicopter , which lacked a , was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers .
The helicopter was descending at more than 2,000 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the new NTSB report , eight seconds after that , the helicopter was going down with the rate of descent “ increasing to over 4,000 feet per minute ” and the ground speed reached about 184 mph on impact .
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet , about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping .
Even if the pilot had been able to fly above the hilltop , he would have faced new hazards , officials said .
Helicopter pilots and crash experts have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pilot who became spatially disoriented in the clouds in the moments before the deadly impact on the foggy hillside .

The official cause of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash is still likely months away. But the latest report by the National Transportation Safety Board continues to suggest more attention toward cloudy conditions and low visibility as leading factor.
The preliminary report found no evidence of engine failure before the crash, focusing in some detail on the weather conditions. The NTSB noted that videos and photos from the public “depict fog and low clouds obscuring the hilltops.” The preliminary report repeatedly noted that the pilot had struggled with a low cloud ceiling.
The report included several photos, including one showing the chopper flying under cloudy conditions shortly before it hit a hill in Calabasas.
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The wreckage of the Jan. 26 helicopter crash in which Kobe Bryant and eight other people were killed. (James Anderson / NTSB via AP)
Investigators had asked the public for images of weather conditions at the time of the crash on the morning of Jan. 26, and some of those were released Friday. Witnesses said visibility had been very poor when they heard the chopper slam into the hillside.
RELATED: The perplexing final moments of the Kobe Bryant crash
A witness on a mountain bike trail told investigators that the area was “surrounded by mist” and that he heard the sound of a helicopter and saw a blue and white chopper emerge from the clouds, passing from left to right.
“He judged it to be moving fast, traveling on a forward and descending trajectory. It started to roll to the left such that he caught a glimpse of its belly. He observed it for 1 to 2 seconds, before it impacted terrain about 50 feet below his position,” according to the report.
The 1991 Sikorsky S-76B was carrying parents, coaches and players to a youth basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks. The other eight people who perished in the fiery crash were Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna ; Christina Mauser; Payton and Sarah Chester; John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli; along with pilot Ara Zobayan.
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The helicopter crash site. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times )
Other questions remain unanswered, including the reason for the pilot’s choices in the final chaotic moments of the flight.
NTSB member Jennifer Homendy said last week that the helicopter, which lacked a terrain warning system , was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers. The helicopter was descending at more than 2,000 feet per minute at the time of impact.
According to the new NTSB report, eight seconds after that, the helicopter was going down with the rate of descent “increasing to over 4,000 feet per minute” and the ground speed reached about 184 mph on impact.
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet, about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping. Even if the pilot had been able to fly above the hilltop, he would have faced new hazards, officials said.
Helicopter pilots and crash experts have suggested the crash shows telltale signs of a pilot who became spatially disoriented in the clouds in the moments before the deadly impact on the foggy hillside.


latimes--2020-02-08--Actor Obi Ndefo works to move far beyond the hit-and-run crash that took his legs

Progress can stutter along after a devastating traumatic injury .
You feel hopeless .
You glimpse hope .
It disappears again .
You chafe at the speed of salvaging all you can of your old life .
Obi Ndefo is one of the most determined people I ’ ve met .
Just over five months after a hit-and-run driver tore his body in two , leaving him without legs , he is doing everything he was doing before the crash with the exception of driving .
This 47-year-old actor recognizable to many for his appearances in such TV shows as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Stargate SG-1 '' has made it clear that he wants his life after to be bigger than his life before .
And watching the way he moves everyone he talks to leads me to believe that it will be .
He ’ s so focused on that future that he tries not to look back .
He doesn ’ t want to think much for now about 25-year-old John Michael Maese , who faces three felony charges in the Aug. 17 crash .
But even Obi ’ s courage and optimism can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardest parts of adapting to his new reality , as Dr. Milton Little , the orthopedic surgeon who saved his life , reminded him in a checkup this week .
Obi doesn ’ t like to dwell on this but he knows it is true .
I have watched Obi ’ s grueling sessions at the Hanger Clinic , where his costly prosthetic legs and the sockets they fit into are being painstakingly shaped and fine-tuned for him .
I have watched him strain , gripping parallel bars , to get used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have flinched and grimaced with him as he does so because I have seen sharp pain ripple through him .
His residual limbs are still changing shape and remain very tender , as he does .
Try as he might , I know he doesn ’ t get through a day without sadness .
I ’ ve told you about Obi before — about what was done to him late on the night of Aug. 17 , after he taught a yoga class downtown and stopped at Erewhon Market on the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vegan , who wants to make the world healthier , more creative , more inclusive and kinder , was loading salad greens into a cooler in the trunk of his parked car on Beverly Boulevard when a driver veered out of lane and slammed his SUV right into him .
About how his right leg was severed in an instant , his left leg amputated soon after .
About how in the space of an hour this 6-foot-4 paragon of fitness who had always favored highly physical parts became a bilateral above-knee amputee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked outward and thought to use his own traumatic experience to help others .
He chose hope and optimism , he said the first day we met , as a means of survival .
“ This is just so horrendous what happened to me , why would I compound this by feeling bad about it ?
” Which leads me to another person who had a choice , and who left Obi for dead , all alone on the street .
Frankly , Obi would rather I skip over the driver of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not possible .
Slam into someone , reverse , drive off .
There are far too many hit-and-run crashes in Los Angeles .
Last year , according to the LAPD , 225 caused injury , while 62 were deadly .
Many hit-and-run drivers are never arrested and charged .
But in Obi ’ s crash , a criminal case recently has been filed .
Maese faces one felony count each of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury , driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 % or more causing injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to another person , according to the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office .
He faces a misdemeanor count of driving with a license suspended after a DUI conviction ( in 2016 in Bakersfield ) .
The charges include a sentence-extending allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury .
If convicted on all charges , he could serve a maximum of seven years and two months in state prison , the D.A .
's office told me .
Maese is scheduled to be arraigned in criminal court downtown on Valentine ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , but I do not know if I will see Obi , whose own sentence is for life .
Obi intends to be striding comfortably soon on his new legs .
He already is ahead of schedule on that front , and moving fast all over town by Uber and wheelchair in the meantime .
I went with him recently to talk to casting agents .
He ’ s hoping to get acting gigs soon — and thus help fight for greater inclusiveness in Hollywood .
He ’ s back to pitching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show he ’ s spent the last few years writing and workshopping with a large collection of friends .
It ’ s a gently satirical , playful look at a natural-foods emporium , much like Obi ’ s beloved Erewhon but with a twist of Willy Wonka , in which harried city people with a host of modern woes come in search of cures of all kinds , from magic herbal potions to every kind of New Age healing .
It pokes fun at that world , but lovingly , with an intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself its perfect ambassador .
The crash and Obi ’ s brave approach to its aftermath have attracted a lot of attention .
He gets frequent requests for interviews .
People want to tell his story .
Obi never says no .
But he ’ s getting tired of having the focus stay firmly on the crash .
He has so much else he wants to talk about , and it ’ s hard to answer in succinct sound bites questions from strangers about how it feels to suddenly find yourself without legs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from children in December when he returned for the first time since the crash to Bridges Academy , the private school in the Valley where he has been teaching after-school yoga for five years now .
The kids , curious and direct , rushed right up to stare at his scars and then asked and asked and asked : How do you go to the bathroom now ?
What happened to your legs ?
Where are they ?
( “ I don ’ t know .
I ’ ve wondered that myself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
It ’ s a little different coming from adults who are filming you while simultaneously checking the time .
But Obi soldiers on and is unfailingly polite .
I love watching him trying to change the subject .
As for the driver who hit him , I have no idea how that person feels .
But I do hope he ’ s keeping up on all the news about Obi .
Do harm .
Sit with it .
Change .

Leap forward, grind backward, repeat.
Progress can stutter along after a devastating traumatic injury.
You feel hopeless. You glimpse hope. It disappears again. You chafe at the speed of salvaging all you can of your old life.
Obi Ndefo is one of the most determined people I’ve met. Just over five months after a hit-and-run driver tore his body in two, leaving him without legs, he is doing everything he was doing before the crash with the exception of driving.
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This 47-year-old actor recognizable to many for his appearances in such TV shows as “Dawson’s Creek” and “Stargate SG-1” has made it clear that he wants his life after to be bigger than his life before. And watching the way he moves everyone he talks to leads me to believe that it will be.
Obi Ndefo meets with Dr. Milton Little, the Cedars-Sinai orthopedic trauma surgeon who saved his life. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
He’s so focused on that future that he tries not to look back. He doesn’t want to think much for now about 25-year-old John Michael Maese, who faces three felony charges in the Aug. 17 crash.
But even Obi’s courage and optimism can’t let him hop over the hardest parts of adapting to his new reality, as Dr. Milton Little, the orthopedic surgeon who saved his life, reminded him in a checkup this week. Obi doesn’t like to dwell on this but he knows it is true.
I have watched Obi’s grueling sessions at the Hanger Clinic, where his costly prosthetic legs and the sockets they fit into are being painstakingly shaped and fine-tuned for him. I have watched him strain, gripping parallel bars, to get used to a future of walking with them.
I have flinched and grimaced with him as he does so because I have seen sharp pain ripple through him. His residual limbs are still changing shape and remain very tender, as he does.
Try as he might, I know he doesn’t get through a day without sadness.
I’ve told you about Obi before — about what was done to him late on the night of Aug. 17, after he taught a yoga class downtown and stopped at Erewhon Market on the way home.
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About how this peace-loving raw vegan, who wants to make the world healthier, more creative, more inclusive and kinder, was loading salad greens into a cooler in the trunk of his parked car on Beverly Boulevard when a driver veered out of lane and slammed his SUV right into him. About how his right leg was severed in an instant, his left leg amputated soon after. About how in the space of an hour this 6-foot-4 paragon of fitness who had always favored highly physical parts became a bilateral above-knee amputee.
Almost from Day One, he looked outward and thought to use his own traumatic experience to help others.
He chose hope and optimism, he said the first day we met, as a means of survival. “This is just so horrendous what happened to me, why would I compound this by feeling bad about it?”
Which leads me to another person who had a choice, and who left Obi for dead, all alone on the street. Frankly, Obi would rather I skip over the driver of the SUV — but for me that’s not possible.
Slam into someone, reverse, drive off.
There are far too many hit-and-run crashes in Los Angeles. Last year, according to the LAPD, 225 caused injury, while 62 were deadly.
Many hit-and-run drivers are never arrested and charged.
But in Obi’s crash, a criminal case recently has been filed.
× A hit-and-run took Obi Ndefo’s legs and nearly his life. Now, he has big plans to live it
Maese faces one felony count each of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08% or more causing injury, and hit-and-run driving resulting in injury to another person, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
He faces a misdemeanor count of driving with a license suspended after a DUI conviction (in 2016 in Bakersfield). The charges include a sentence-extending allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury. If convicted on all charges, he could serve a maximum of seven years and two months in state prison, the D.A.’s office told me.
Maese is scheduled to be arraigned in criminal court downtown on Valentine’s Day. I hope to be there, but I do not know if I will see Obi, whose own sentence is for life.
Move forward, move on, make a splash.
Obi intends to be striding comfortably soon on his new legs. He already is ahead of schedule on that front, and moving fast all over town by Uber and wheelchair in the meantime.
I went with him recently to talk to casting agents. He’s hoping to get acting gigs soon — and thus help fight for greater inclusiveness in Hollywood.
He’s back to pitching “Juice Bar,” the TV show he’s spent the last few years writing and workshopping with a large collection of friends. It’s a gently satirical, playful look at a natural-foods emporium, much like Obi’s beloved Erewhon but with a twist of Willy Wonka, in which harried city people with a host of modern woes come in search of cures of all kinds, from magic herbal potions to every kind of New Age healing.
It pokes fun at that world, but lovingly, with an intent to shift thinking. Obi now finds himself its perfect ambassador.
The crash and Obi’s brave approach to its aftermath have attracted a lot of attention. He gets frequent requests for interviews. People want to tell his story. Obi never says no.
But he’s getting tired of having the focus stay firmly on the crash. He has so much else he wants to talk about, and it’s hard to answer in succinct sound bites questions from strangers about how it feels to suddenly find yourself without legs.
Obi Ndefo has resumed teaching the yoga classes he taught kids before the crash at Bridges Academy in Studio City. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
I saw him field such questions from children in December when he returned for the first time since the crash to Bridges Academy, the private school in the Valley where he has been teaching after-school yoga for five years now. The kids, curious and direct, rushed right up to stare at his scars and then asked and asked and asked: How do you go to the bathroom now? What happened to your legs? Where are they? (“I don’t know. I’ve wondered that myself,” he replied with an easy smile.)
It’s a little different coming from adults who are filming you while simultaneously checking the time.
But Obi soldiers on and is unfailingly polite. I love watching him trying to change the subject.
As for the driver who hit him, I have no idea how that person feels. But I do hope he’s keeping up on all the news about Obi.
Do harm. Sit with it. Change.