latimes--2020-12-01--California's prisoner unemployment fraud now estimated at $400 million, officials say

State investigators have so far identified $ 400 million paid on some 21,000 unemployment benefit claims improperly filed in the names of California prison inmates , officials said Monday as state lawmakers called for legislative hearings over the massive fraud .
Debit cards issued by the state Employment Development Department containing the millions in benefits have since been frozen , while an additional $ 80 million in potential payments were blocked when some 10,000 other claims were not approved , according to Crystal Page , a deputy secretary for the state Labor and Workforce Development Agency .
The new total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in claim payments estimated last week by a group of nine district attorneys across California and a federal prosecutor .
The local prosecutors said claims were filed with the EDD on behalf of prisoners including San Quentin State Prison inmate Scott Peterson , who was convicted of killing his wife and unborn son , as well as Cary Stayner , who was convicted of murdering two women and two girls near Yosemite in 1999 .
On Monday , lawmakers including state Sen. Jim Nielsen ( R-Gerber ) called for legislative hearings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims filed in the names of 133 inmates on death row — occurred .
Nielsen noted that hundreds of thousands of unemployed Californians are still waiting for payments from EDD on legitimate claims .
“ Now we find out that this enormous amount of money has been sent out to felons , ” Nielsen said .
“ That is an absolute outrage .
There should be more accountability and an oversight hearing on this.
” A representative of Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) also said he supports legislative hearings .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a single typo that holds up their EDD benefits for months , ” while claims are being paid to death row inmates , Chiu said in a statement .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom last week announced a task force to investigate the improper payments , saying that “ unemployment fraud across local jails and state and federal prisons is absolutely unacceptable.
” Investigators working with the state task force are still trying to determine how many of the claims identified were filed from prison , how many were filed on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incarcerated and how many were filed by fraudsters using the identities of inmates without their permission , state officials said Monday during a briefing on the probe with The Times .
The investigation is also looking into whether those committing the fraud had help from employees of the EDD or California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation , said Brian Ferguson , a spokesman for the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services .
EDD officials said no inside involvement has yet been found .
The problem came to light for state officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County filed charges alleging 21 people were part of a fraud ring that stole $ 250,000 by submitting bogus claims on behalf of inmates at the county jail , officials said .
“ At that point in time we started looking at internally what was our exposure , ” said one administration official who spoke on background because the investigation is ongoing .
The state also took action to prevent new fraudulent claims .
On Sept. 20 , the EDD announced it was putting a pause on accepting new claims for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires claimants to verify their identity with a live picture of themselves and provide documentation such as utility bills .
That new system should prevent claims from being approved for prison inmates , officials said .
To coordinate criminal investigations by state and local prosecutors and law enforcement , the governor appointed a task force that includes officials of the EDD , corrections department and California Highway Patrol .
It is chaired by Mark Ghilarducci , the director of Cal OES , and Tom Osborne , the deputy director of homeland security at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one has been arrested on suspicion of fraud involving state prison inmates , state officials said .
With only 17 investigators in the EDD ’ s fraud unit , the task force is also likely to transfer people from other state investigative units to help , officials said .
A group of district attorneys who made public the prison-related fraud last week complained that the state has been slow to act to prevent fraud involving inmates by cross-matching personal data from claims to the list of inmates , as many other states do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not being done until after the San Mateo case because personal information , including the Social Security information of prison inmates , was confidential and could not legally be shared with the unemployment agency .
“ CDCR is prohibited by law from disclosing an incarcerated person ’ s social security number unless it is to another law enforcement agency or through a valid subpoena , ” the agency said in a statement Monday .
To temporarily solve the problem for the current investigation , state officials said a request was made to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Labor , which oversees federal unemployment funds , and a subpoena was issued in late September compelling the state prison agency to turn over the identifying information on inmates .
But the subpoena is only good for the investigation , so state officials say they are looking at other legal options for continuing to cross-match data in the future , with a resolution to the legal question expected soon .
Once permanent data-sharing is approved , the state will manually cross-check the data until it can put it in a computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials said .
Nielsen said the claim of confidentiality preventing cross-matching is “ a convenient avoidance ” of responsibility and called on state officials to resolve the problem immediately .

California prisoners were sent unemployment benefits in recent months, according to state and federal prosecutors who have been investigating fraud in the pandemic relief system.
State investigators have so far identified $400 million paid on some 21,000 unemployment benefit claims improperly filed in the names of California prison inmates, officials said Monday, as state lawmakers called for legislative hearings over the massive fraud.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a letter to several district attorneys on Tuesday that he has been “deeply alarmed” since first reports of fraud involving prisoners emerged at the San Mateo County Jail in August. He noted that a task force he announced last week began meeting Monday to coordinate a statewide investigation.
Debit cards issued by the state Employment Development Department containing the millions in benefits have since been frozen, while an additional $80 million in potential payments were blocked when some 10,000 other claims were not approved, according to Crystal Page, a deputy secretary for the state Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
Advertisement
The new total is nearly three times the $140 million in claim payments estimated last week by a group of nine district attorneys across California and a federal prosecutor.
The local prosecutors said claims were filed with the EDD on behalf of prisoners, including San Quentin State Prison inmate Scott Peterson, who was convicted of killing his wife and unborn son, as well as Cary Stayner, who was convicted of murdering two women and two girls near Yosemite in 1999.
On Monday, lawmakers including state Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) called for legislative hearings to determine how the fraud — which included claims filed in the names of 133 inmates on death row — occurred.
Nielsen noted that hundreds of thousands of unemployed Californians are still waiting for payments from EDD on legitimate claims.
“Now we find out that this enormous amount of money has been sent out to felons,” Nielsen said. “That is an absolute outrage. There should be more accountability and an oversight hearing on this.”
A representative of Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) also said he supports legislative hearings.
“It’s egregious that my constituents make a single typo that holds up their EDD benefits for months,” while claims are being paid to death row inmates, Chiu said in a statement.
The vast majority of fraudulent claims in the prisons involve the new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which was approved by Congress and allowed self-certification of eligibility to expedite benefits, the governor said in his letter to the local prosecutors on Tuesday.
“While this helped many individuals in need during the pandemic, bad actors took advantage of the crisis to abuse the system,” Newsom wrote.
Advertisement
New security measures adopted by the state in September were followed by a significant drop in PUA claims, the governor added.
Investigators working with the state task force are still trying to determine how many of the claims identified were filed from prison, how many were filed on behalf of inmates by people who aren’t incarcerated and how many were filed by fraudsters using the identities of inmates without their permission, state officials said Monday during a briefing on the probe with The Times.
The investigation is also looking into whether those committing the fraud had help from employees of the EDD or California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
EDD officials said no inside involvement has yet been found.
The problem came to light for state officials in mid-August when prosecutors in San Mateo County filed charges alleging 21 people were part of a fraud ring that stole $250,000 by submitting bogus claims on behalf of inmates at the county jail, officials said.
“At that point in time we started looking at internally what was our exposure,” said one administration official who spoke on background because the investigation is ongoing.
The state also took action to prevent new fraudulent claims.
On Sept. 20, the EDD announced it was putting a pause on accepting new claims for two weeks while it installed a new system that requires claimants to verify their identity with a live picture of themselves and provide documentation such as utility bills. That new system should prevent claims from being approved for prison inmates, officials said.
To coordinate criminal investigations by state and local prosecutors and law enforcement, the governor appointed a task force that includes officials of the EDD, corrections department and California Highway Patrol. It is chaired by Mark Ghilarducci, the director of Cal OES, and Tom Osborne, the deputy director of homeland security at Cal OES.
So far, no one has been arrested on suspicion of fraud involving state prison inmates, state officials said.
With only 17 investigators in the EDD’s fraud unit, the task force is also likely to transfer people from other state investigative units to help, officials said.
A group of district attorneys who made public the prison-related fraud last week complained that the state has been slow to act to prevent fraud involving inmates by cross-matching personal data from claims to the list of inmates, as many other states do.
Administration officials said that cross-checking was not being done until after the San Mateo case because personal information, including the Social Security information of prison inmates, was confidential and could not legally be shared with the unemployment agency.
“CDCR is prohibited by law from disclosing an incarcerated person’s social security number unless it is to another law enforcement agency or through a valid subpoena,” the agency said in a statement Monday.
To temporarily solve the problem for the current investigation, state officials said a request was made to the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor, which oversees federal unemployment funds, and a subpoena was issued in late September compelling the state prison agency to turn over the identifying information on inmates.
But the subpoena is only good for the investigation, so state officials say they are looking at other legal options for continuing to cross-match data in the future, with a resolution to the legal question expected soon. Once permanent data-sharing is approved, the state will manually cross-check the data until it can put it in a computer system that can automatically check the information, officials said.
Nielsen said the claim of confidentiality preventing cross-matching is “a convenient avoidance” of responsibility and called on state officials to resolve the problem immediately.


latimes--2020-12-01--Filming of 'She's All That' forces COVID-19 testing to be canceled at Union Station

Coronavirus test appointments scheduled for Tuesday at Union Station were canceled after Miramax was granted a permit to film there , officials confirmed late Monday night .
As Los Angeles County broke records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and new restrictions were imposed , a film permit was granted to Miramax for the filming of “ He ’ s All That , ” a remake of the 1999 film “ She ’ s All That ” featuring Tik Tok-er Addison Rae and directed by Mark Waters .
The filming will take place Tuesday inside and outside Union Station with a cast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philip Sokoloski , a spokesman for FilmLA , which processes film permit applications .
According to reporting from Deadline , Los Angeles residents who had coronavirus test appointments scheduled Tuesday received an email informing them of the shutdown .
“ We apologize for the inconvenience and delayed notification but LA Union Station Kiosk site has had to cancel all appointments for December 1st due to an event being held at this location , ” the email said .
But , until this afternoon , FilmLA and the mayor ’ s office was unaware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closure of the testing site .
Andrea Garcia , a spokesperson for the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti , said the office is working to reopen the site ’ s operations Tuesday .
A follow-up email from the mayor ’ s office was sent at 7:46 p.m. Monday to those with scheduled appointments .
“ As soon as this was brought to our attention , we contacted the 504 people scheduled for a test on December 1st at Union Station to let them know that their appointment would be honored at any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including another mobile testing site located at the North Hollywood Metro Station accessible by the Metro transit system , ” Garcia said .
“ We remain committed to providing free tests and are scheduled to test more than 38,000 people tomorrow , ” she continued .
Sokoloski said FilmLA did not know who made the decision to close the testing center to appointments Tuesday .
“ All we know at this hour is that this decision wasn ’ t made by FilmLA or the City ’ s film permit approver LAPD , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company seeking to film at Union Station.
” The Union Station site tests 350 to 400 people daily , about 1.5 % of the city ’ s total capacity .
A source close to the Miramax production said that after learning about the shutdown , Miramax requested that Curative , the company operating the testing site , resume its services .
The source said the scheduled filming will not take place near the testing kiosks .
“ The two uses of the facility may be compatible , based on the area to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s interest in making it work , ” Sokoloski said .
It ’ s unclear whether the testing kiosk will reopen on Tuesday .
Curative and Union Station officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
As of 10 p.m. Monday , Sokoloski said , “ we do not know , at this hour , what will happen tomorrow or what is possible .
”

Officials confirmed late Monday that the coronavirus testing kiosks at Union Station were shut down because of filming approved at the train station.
Coronavirus test appointments scheduled for Tuesday at Union Station were canceled after Miramax was granted a permit to film there, officials confirmed late Monday night.
As Los Angeles County broke records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and new restrictions were imposed, a film permit was granted to Miramax for the filming of “He’s All That,” a remake of the 1999 film “She’s All That” featuring Tik Tok-er Addison Rae and directed by Mark Waters. The filming will take place Tuesday inside and outside Union Station with a cast and crew of about 170 people, said Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmLA, which processes film permit applications.
According to reporting from Deadline, Los Angeles residents who had coronavirus test appointments scheduled Tuesday received an email informing them of the shutdown. “We apologize for the inconvenience and delayed notification but LA Union Station Kiosk site has had to cancel all appointments for December 1st due to an event being held at this location,” the email said.
Advertisement
But, until this afternoon, FilmLA and the mayor’s office was unaware that the filming permit would lead to the closure of the testing site. Andrea Garcia, a spokesperson for the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the office is working to reopen the site’s operations Tuesday.
A follow-up email from the mayor’s office was sent at 7:46 p.m. Monday to those with scheduled appointments.
“As soon as this was brought to our attention, we contacted the 504 people scheduled for a test on December 1st at Union Station to let them know that their appointment would be honored at any of the other 14 city testing locations, including another mobile testing site located at the North Hollywood Metro Station accessible by the Metro transit system,” Garcia said.
“We remain committed to providing free tests and are scheduled to test more than 38,000 people tomorrow,” she continued.
Sokoloski said FilmLA did not know who made the decision to close the testing center to appointments Tuesday. “All we know at this hour is that this decision wasn’t made by FilmLA or the City’s film permit approver LAPD, nor was it sought by the production company seeking to film at Union Station.”
The Union Station site tests 350 to 400 people daily, about 1.5% of the city’s total capacity.
Advertisement
Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted early Tuesday: “My team has worked to reopen testing at Union Station on Tuesday. The 504 Angelenos who were scheduled for a test there can visit the kiosk as originally planned or any of the other 14 City sites, where we offer 38K tests daily.”
A source close to the Miramax production said that after learning about the shutdown, Miramax requested that Curative, the company operating the testing site, resume its services. The source said the scheduled filming will not take place near the testing kiosks.
“The two uses of the facility may be compatible, based on the area to be used for filming and the production’s interest in making it work,” Sokoloski said.
It’s unclear whether the testing kiosk will reopen on Tuesday. Curative and Union Station officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As of 10 p.m. Monday, Sokoloski said, “we do not know, at this hour, what will happen tomorrow or what is possible.”


latimes--2020-11-30--Christy Smith concedes to Mike Garcia in tight CA-25 race

For weeks the CA-25 congressional race looked like anyone ’ s game .
Democratic candidate Christy Smith and Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia took turns in the lead , separated by a hair of a margin .
After days of trailing Garcia , Smith conceded the race to the current officer holder Monday evening , marking another GOP win in the state .
Garcia maintained a slim lead over Smith by 333 votes as of Monday evening , according to the Los Angeles and Ventura county registrars ’ office .
Garcia had an early lead in the district , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 .
“ Thank you for all your kindness , patience and support , ” Smith tweeted that night .
“ My team and I appreciate you !
We will continue to honor the process as officials do their important work.
” Garcia quickly of 159 votes the next day .
“ This is not the end result we fought for , but I am proud of the strong , grass-roots campaign we ran , ” Smith said in a statement .
“ We exhausted every possible option , and did everything within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this election was heard .
Nonetheless , we came up short.
” Garcia said his first priority is obtaining federal relief for the district .
“ I am once again honored to represent CA-25 during this pivotal time in our country ’ s history , ” the former Navy pilot and defense executive said in a statement .
“ I remain committed to protecting the Constitution , fighting for the longevity of our nation and ensuring we invest in our public ’ s safety and our collective national security.
” The district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horse ranches north of downtown L.A. includes Simi Valley , Santa Clarita , Palmdale and Lancaster .
Democrats have recently gained a voter registration advantage , but deep red pockets throughout the district helped secure Garcia ’ s seat .
Garcia , 44 , lost the March primary to Smith but won the May special election to fill the remainder of former Democratic congresswoman Katie Hill ’ s term .
Hill resigned a year into her term after allegations arose about an inappropriate relationship between her and a congressional aide and a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the special election was the first time in more than 20 years that the GOP flipped a California congressional seat from blue to red and garnered a public congratulations from President Trump .
Since 2018 , the district has flipped twice when Hill unseated Republican incumbent Steve Knight .
Before Hill ’ s election , the district had served as a Republican stronghold after being redrawn after the 1990 census .
“ It ’ s been a tough election , but the fight has been worth it , ” Garcia said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward to two more years .
”

For weeks the CA-25 congressional race looked like anyone’s game. Democratic candidate Christy Smith and Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia took turns in the lead, separated by a hair of a margin.
After days of trailing Garcia, Smith conceded the race to the current officer holder Monday evening, marking another GOP win in the state. Garcia maintained a slim lead over Smith by 333 votes as of Monday evening, according to the Los Angeles and Ventura county registrars’ office.
Garcia had an early lead in the district, but Smith took a 1,287-vote lead on Nov. 9.
Advertisement
“Thank you for all your kindness, patience and support,” Smith tweeted that night. “My team and I appreciate you! We will continue to honor the process as officials do their important work.”
Garcia quickly regained a slim lead of 159 votes the next day.
“This is not the end result we fought for, but I am proud of the strong, grass-roots campaign we ran,” Smith said in a statement. “We exhausted every possible option, and did everything within our power to ensure that every voice in this election was heard. Nonetheless, we came up short.”
Garcia said his first priority is obtaining federal relief for the district.
“I am once again honored to represent CA-25 during this pivotal time in our country’s history,” the former Navy pilot and defense executive said in a statement. “I remain committed to protecting the Constitution, fighting for the longevity of our nation and ensuring we invest in our public’s safety and our collective national security.”
The district of sprawling suburbs, desert land and horse ranches north of downtown L.A. includes Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Palmdale and Lancaster. Democrats have recently gained a voter registration advantage, but deep red pockets throughout the district helped secure Garcia’s seat.
Garcia, 44, lost the March primary to Smith but won the May special election to fill the remainder of former Democratic congresswoman Katie Hill’s term. Hill resigned a year into her term after allegations arose about an inappropriate relationship between her and a congressional aide and a campaign staff member.
Advertisement
Garcia’s win in the special election was the first time in more than 20 years that the GOP flipped a California congressional seat from blue to red and garnered a public congratulations from President Trump.
Since 2018, the district has flipped twice when Hill unseated Republican incumbent Steve Knight. Before Hill’s election, the district had served as a Republican stronghold after being redrawn after the 1990 census.
“It’s been a tough election, but the fight has been worth it,” Garcia said in his statement. “I am looking forward to two more years.”


latimes--2020-11-30--Parolee files claim against San Bernardino County after deputies allegedly shot him as he ran away

A parolee in San Bernardino County has filed a claim against the county after he was shot several times as he was running away from deputies , he said .
Attorneys Jim Terrell and Sharon Brunner , who are representing 31-year-old Joseph McLaughlin , filed the $ 10-million claim against the county , a step that precedes a lawsuit , on Nov. 23 , according to the Associated Press .
The county has 45 days to respond .
According to reporting by the San Bernardino Sun , San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Deputies Kyle Smit and Adan Ochoa were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms .
They attempted to detain him on an arrest warrant for parole violation , the Sun reported .
Video and audio footage from the Oct. 23 incident shows McLaughlin running away and at one point stopping to pick up a rock .
He makes a throwing motion toward one of the deputies before continuing to run .
“ Drop the rock , ” the deputy tells him just before firing several shots .
McLaughlin is seen stumbling to the ground .
“ Come on man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” McLaughlin asks .
“ Why ’ d you pick up a rock ?
” the deputy responds .
The audio recording captures McLaughlin repeatedly asking why he was shot and saying the rock wasn ’ t a weapon .
“ Yeah it is , it could f—ing kill me , ” one deputy responds .
“ I wasn ’ t going to throw it at you ; you didn ’ t have to shoot me , ” McLaughlin says .
One of the deputies asks him where he was shot and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responds “ Yes.
” McLaughlin was charged with assault on a peace officer after the incident .
He has burglary convictions in San Bernardino and Kern counties .
Brunner and Terrell are arguing that McLaughlin didn ’ t throw the rock and said the deputies did not provide him with medical aid in a timely manner and moved him from where he was shot , potentially causing more injuries , according to the Sun .
“ Mr .
McLaughlin has been overcharged in an effort to cause distraction to the real failings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun .
“ Mr .
McLaughlin , by all accounts , could be dead given the seven or more shots fired by Deputy Smit.
” Representatives for the San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department and the district attorney ’ s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
David Wert , a spokesman for San Bernardino County said “ the county will examine the claim and act in the public ’ s best interests.
” The Associated Press Contributed to this report .

Deputies chased a parolee outside a Twentynine Palms casino last month before allegedly shooting him several times. San Bernardino County now faces a potential lawsuit.
A parolee in San Bernardino County has filed a claim against the county after he was shot several times as he was running away from deputies, he said.
Attorneys Jim Terrell and Sharon Brunner, who are representing 31-year-old Joseph McLaughlin, filed the $10-million claim against the county, a step that precedes a lawsuit, on Nov. 23, according to the Associated Press. The county has 45 days to respond.
According to reporting by the San Bernardino Sun, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies Kyle Smit and Adan Ochoa were chasing McLaughlin after they saw him leave the Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms. They attempted to detain him on an arrest warrant for parole violation, the Sun reported.
Advertisement
Video and audio footage from the Oct. 23 incident shows McLaughlin running away and at one point stopping to pick up a rock. He makes a throwing motion toward one of the deputies before continuing to run.
“Drop the rock,” the deputy tells him just before firing several shots. McLaughlin is seen stumbling to the ground.
“Come on man, why’d you do that?” McLaughlin asks.
“Why’d you pick up a rock?” the deputy responds.
“Sorry,” McLaughlin apologizes.
The audio recording captures McLaughlin repeatedly asking why he was shot and saying the rock wasn’t a weapon.
“Yeah it is, it could f—ing kill me,” one deputy responds.
“I wasn’t going to throw it at you; you didn’t have to shoot me,” McLaughlin says.
One of the deputies asks him where he was shot and if he can walk, to which he responds “Yes.”
McLaughlin was charged with assault on a peace officer after the incident. He has burglary convictions in San Bernardino and Kern counties.
Advertisement
Brunner and Terrell are arguing that McLaughlin didn’t throw the rock and said the deputies did not provide him with medical aid in a timely manner and moved him from where he was shot, potentially causing more injuries, according to the Sun.
“Mr. McLaughlin has been overcharged in an effort to cause distraction to the real failings of the deputies,” Brunner told the Sun. “Mr. McLaughlin, by all accounts, could be dead given the seven or more shots fired by Deputy Smit.”
Representatives for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and the district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. David Wert, a spokesman for San Bernardino County said “the county will examine the claim and act in the public’s best interests.”
The Associated Press Contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-30--California urges weekly COVID-19 testing for hospital workers

After months of by healthcare workers for better coronavirus protection , California has unveiled some of the nation ’ s strongest COVID-19 testing guidelines for hospital personnel , many of whom are .
The guidelines , announced in an from the California Department of Public Health , stipulate that all workers at general acute-care hospitals — the kind most people go to for short-term care — be tested weekly for the coronavirus .
Tests must also be administered to all newly admitted patients .
“ It ’ s a huge victory that will save lives , ” said Sal Rosselli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Healthcare Workers , which represents more than 15,000 healthcare workers in California and helped lobby for the change .
Before the policy update , the state had no formal testing requirements for healthcare workers , Rosselli said .
The introduction of weekly testing , which benefits both patients and workers , was long overdue .
“ Sports players and their teams are tested every day to keep them safe , ” Rosselli said , “ and elite colleges are testing their entire student bodies and faculties every week to minimize COVID infection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with COVID couldn ’ t get tested.
” Under the guidelines outlined in the letter , dated Nov. 25 , hospitals will have until Dec. 7 to submit a formal , facility-wide testing plan to their local licensing authority .
Weekly test procedures for all healthcare workers must be in place by Dec. 14 .
Hospitals must also for explaining and tracking results , and for using those results to implement greater infection control measures .
The guidelines are similar to those authorized for earlier this year , which contributed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those facilities , Rosselli said .
They arrive as California is experiencing a record number of hospitalizations : There were 7,415 COVID-19 patients in the state ’ s hospitals on Saturday , surpassing the previous high of 7,170 set in July .
In a media briefing Monday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said projections for hospitalization numbers are grim .
“ Without any additional interventions , change of behavior or fundamental shifts in the way we are conducting ourselves as individuals in this state , we could see an increase in hospitalizations two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ census in just one calendar month , ” he said .
Fifty-nine percent of California ’ s hospital beds are in use , Newsom said , and projections indicate that number could climb to 78 % by Christmas Eve .
“ We ’ re not just looking at positivity rates , we ’ re not just looking at case rates , ” he said .
“ We are now looking in real time at hospitalizations and ICU capacity.
” In its guidelines , the Department of Public Health said healthcare personnel in areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that now includes almost every county in California — are at a higher risk because they are exposed to COVID-19 both at work and at home .
Per the new guidelines , healthcare personnel include all paid and unpaid workers who have “ the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients , ” and account for doctors and nurses as well as students , volunteers , pharmacists , laundry and facilities workers , administrative employees and others .
Routine screening can aid in early identification of infected personnel , reduce the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients , and prevent hospital outbreaks , the department said .
“ Every day , we hear how respected the nursing workforce is , and how they ’ re the heartbeat of the hospital , ” said Stephanie Roberson , director of government relations at the California Nurses Assn .
“ But all that pomp and circumstance doesn ’ t amount to anything when a nurse goes into a facility and is willing to take care of their patients , and is willing to take every measure and precaution available to continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ They just want to be protected.
” The California Nurses Assn .
represents more than 100,000 nurses statewide and has been outspoken about the need for better safety protections for nurses , healthcare workers and patients on the front lines of the pandemic .
In August , they in Orange County .
“ We applaud California for being a leader in requiring this type of testing program because it is desperately needed to fight this virus , ” association president and Bay Area nurse Zenei Triunfo-Cortez said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There are simply too many asymptomatic people with COVID , ” Triunfo-Cortez said , “ and without robust testing , our hospitals will remain centers for spreading the disease instead of centers of healing as they should be .
”

Cianna Christopher, second from left, a registered nurse, joins other healthcare workers Monday morning in a demonstration outside Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.
After months of rallies, protests and pleas by healthcare workers for better coronavirus protection, California has unveiled some of the nation’s strongest COVID-19 testing guidelines for hospital personnel, many of whom are bracing for a post-Thanksgiving virus surge .
The guidelines, announced in an all-facilities letter from the California Department of Public Health, stipulate that all workers at general acute-care hospitals — the kind most people go to for short-term care — be tested weekly for the coronavirus. Tests must also be administered to all newly admitted patients.
“It’s a huge victory that will save lives,” said Sal Rosselli, president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents more than 15,000 healthcare workers in California and helped lobby for the change.
Advertisement
Before the policy update, the state had no formal testing requirements for healthcare workers, Rosselli said. The introduction of weekly testing, which benefits both patients and workers, was long overdue.
“Sports players and their teams are tested every day to keep them safe,” Rosselli said, “and elite colleges are testing their entire student bodies and faculties every week to minimize COVID infection. But hospital workers who take care of people with COVID couldn’t get tested.”
Under the guidelines outlined in the letter, dated Nov. 25, hospitals will have until Dec. 7 to submit a formal, facility-wide testing plan to their local licensing authority. Weekly test procedures for all healthcare workers must be in place by Dec. 14.
Hospitals must also outline policies and procedures for explaining and tracking results, and for using those results to implement greater infection control measures.
The guidelines are similar to those authorized for California nursing homes earlier this year, which contributed to a decrease in coronavirus cases and deaths at those facilities, Rosselli said.
They arrive as California is experiencing a record number of hospitalizations: There were 7,415 COVID-19 patients in the state’s hospitals on Saturday, surpassing the previous high of 7,170 set in July.
Advertisement
In a media briefing Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said projections for hospitalization numbers are grim.
“Without any additional interventions, change of behavior or fundamental shifts in the way we are conducting ourselves as individuals in this state, we could see an increase in hospitalizations two to three times greater than the current census in just one calendar month,” he said.
Fifty-nine percent of California’s hospital beds are in use, Newsom said, and projections indicate that number could climb to 78% by Christmas Eve.
“We’re not just looking at positivity rates, we’re not just looking at case rates,” he said. “We are now looking in real time at hospitalizations and ICU capacity.”
In its guidelines, the Department of Public Health said healthcare personnel in areas with elevated community transmission — a list that now includes almost every county in California — are at a higher risk because they are exposed to COVID-19 both at work and at home.
Per the new guidelines, healthcare personnel include all paid and unpaid workers who have “the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients,” and account for doctors and nurses as well as students, volunteers, pharmacists, laundry and facilities workers, administrative employees and others.
Routine screening can aid in early identification of infected personnel, reduce the risk of transmission to other healthcare workers and patients, and prevent hospital outbreaks, the department said.
“Every day, we hear how respected the nursing workforce is, and how they’re the heartbeat of the hospital,” said Stephanie Roberson, director of government relations at the California Nurses Assn.
“But all that pomp and circumstance doesn’t amount to anything when a nurse goes into a facility and is willing to take care of their patients, and is willing to take every measure and precaution available to continue to work in these dire circumstances,” she said. “They just want to be protected.”
The California Nurses Assn. represents more than 100,000 nurses statewide and has been outspoken about the need for better safety protections for nurses, healthcare workers and patients on the front lines of the pandemic.
In August, they organized a rally about the issue in Orange County.
“We applaud California for being a leader in requiring this type of testing program because it is desperately needed to fight this virus,” association president and Bay Area nurse Zenei Triunfo-Cortez said in a statement Monday about the new guidelines.
“There are simply too many asymptomatic people with COVID,” Triunfo-Cortez said, “and without robust testing, our hospitals will remain centers for spreading the disease instead of centers of healing as they should be.”


latimes--2020-11-30--Black Lives Matter and other activists protest possible Biden appointment for Garcetti

Banging drums and chanting “ Block Garcetti , ” activists with Black Lives Matter-L.A. and other groups rallied outside Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s home to protest the mayor ’ s possible appointment to President-elect Joe Biden ’ s administration .
Monday ’ s demonstration marked the seventh day in a row that protesters have gathered outside Getty House , the official residence of L.A. 's mayor .
Protesters slammed Garcetti ’ s record on transportation , homelessness and policing and said he shouldn ’ t be in charge of those policies at the federal level .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti , ” said Channing Martinez , director of organizing for the Bus Riders Union , a civil rights and climate justice group .
“ The fare increases , the bus service cuts .
His policies have targeted Black people.
” Garcetti , who served as a co-chair of Biden ’ s election campaign , has been mentioned by various publications as a possible contender for a Cabinet post or other job in Biden ’ s administration .
He hasn ’ t dismissed such talk but also has said “ it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll remain L.A. 's mayor .
Then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was also the topic of speculation over whether he would be appointed secretary of Transportation under President Obama .
But unlike Garcetti , Villaraigosa in 2013 announcing he would finish out his term , a move intended to end chatter about his possible departure .
Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles — which has long clashed with Garcetti over policing — and other groups have vowed to protest every day until either the mayor removes himself as a possible appointee or Biden says he won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed up on Nov. 24 , banging on pots to harangue Garcetti .
At one point that day , the crowd of about 35 blocked a vehicle from exiting the driveway of Getty House .
“ It ’ s a damn shame .
Someone who has failed in both the areas of transportation and houselessness and now they think of putting him on a national level to be in charge of any of it , ” said Sheila Banks , a 34-year-old organizer with Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles , during the Nov. 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years left on his term .
Los Angeles can take one for the team , ” said Melina Abdullah , co-founder of Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles .
“ Garcetti ain ’ t going to D.C. ” The size of the demonstrations has fluctuated over the week .
Organizers said several hundred people attended protests over the weekend .
There have been two arrests for failure to disperse during the week of protests , said LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein .
It ’ s unclear if the mayor and his family have been home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member David Cunningham , 22 , said he came out Monday to bring attention to the rising numbers of arrests of homeless people that have occurred under Garcetti .
Cunningham , a law student at UCLA and grandson of former Los Angeles City Councilman David Cunningham , also pointed to skid row ’ s disproportionate population of Black residents .
He accused Garcetti , who served as City Council president before becoming mayor , of effectively ignoring the downtown neighborhood , where thousands of people live in squalid conditions .
Bus Riders Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his group in 2014 .
The mayor told the group he was moving toward the goal of free transit , Martinez said .
Instead , the mayor , who serves on the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , backed a hike in monthly bus fares .
The group also opposed a contract between Metro and the Los Angeles Police Department for patrols .
Garcetti backed the deal .
Some of those protesting outside Getty House are longtime critics of the mayor .
Pete White , founder of the Los Angeles Community Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in homelessness seen across the city .
“ He can ’ t be allowed to fail forward , ” White said .
Asked about specific criticisms , Garcetti spokesman Alex Comisar said that arrests of homeless Angelenos decreased in the first half of this year , as compared with the same period in 2019 .
Comisar also said that Garcetti has initiated a feasibility study on eliminating fares on public transit and that the city has housed more homeless people than ever before .
“ I will always support people ’ s right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep listening to what they have to say , ” Garcetti told The Times on Monday .
“ I am honored to represent 4 million Angelenos , and I am singularly focused on saving lives and rebuilding a city out of this crisis that is more fair , just , and equitable.
” More than a dozen police officers formed a line in front of Getty House during Monday ’ s morning protest , which drew about 100 people .
Several women wearing T-shirts that read “ White People 4 Black Lives ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After more than an hour of speeches , protesters marched to Wilshire Boulevard , where they blocked traffic , forcing several city buses to stop .
At one point , a distraught-looking man emerged from one of the buses and waved a piece of paper at the group , saying he had a scheduled surgery appointment .
The group let the bus pass .
Since March , Getty House has been the site of protests from different groups focused on racial injustice , evictions and COVID-19 restrictions .
Neighbor Suz Landay , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefly watched Monday ’ s protest from her driveway .
Her orange cat , Sven , has been a fixture at the protests .
After residing for 26 years across the street from Getty House , Landay said she ’ s used to the protests .
Still , “ they ’ ve never come every day , ” Landay said .

People were detained at a Black Lives Matter protest outside Mayor Eric Garcetti’s home in Windsor Square on Thanksgiving.
Banging drums and chanting “Block Garcetti,” activists with Black Lives Matter-L.A. and other groups rallied outside Mayor Eric Garcetti’s home to protest the mayor’s possible appointment to President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.
Monday’s demonstration marked the seventh day in a row that protesters have gathered outside Getty House, the official residence of L.A.’s mayor.
For the record: An earlier version of this article misidentified Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles organizer Sheila Bates as Sheila Banks.
Protesters slammed Garcetti’s record on transportation, homelessness and policing and said he shouldn’t be in charge of those policies at the federal level.
Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles participate in a demonstration Friday outside Mayor Eric Garcetti’s official residence. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
“It’s been a rough seven years with Garcetti,” said Channing Martinez, director of organizing for the Bus Riders Union, a civil rights and climate justice group. “The fare increases, the bus service cuts. His policies have targeted Black people.”
Garcetti, who served as a co-chair of Biden’s election campaign, has been mentioned by various publications as a possible contender for a Cabinet post or other job in Biden’s administration. He hasn’t dismissed such talk but also has said “it’s more likely than not” that he’ll remain L.A.’s mayor.
Then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was also the topic of speculation over whether he would be appointed secretary of Transportation under President Obama.
Demonstrators stop traffic near Garcetti’s home on Monday, the seventh consecutive day of protests there. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
But unlike Garcetti, Villaraigosa ultimately issued a statement in 2013 announcing he would finish out his term, a move intended to end chatter about his possible departure.
Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles — which has long clashed with Garcetti over policing — and other groups have vowed to protest every day until either the mayor removes himself as a possible appointee or Biden says he won’t hire him.
Advertisement
Protesters first showed up on Nov. 24, banging on pots to harangue Garcetti. At one point that day, the crowd of about 35 blocked a vehicle from exiting the driveway of Getty House.
“It’s a damn shame. Someone who has failed in both the areas of transportation and houselessness and now they think of putting him on a national level to be in charge of any of it,” said Sheila Bates, a 34-year-old organizer with Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, during the Nov. 24 protest.
Melina Abdullah, co-founder of the L.A. chapter of Black Lives Matter, speaks at Monday’s demonstration. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
“He’s got two years left on his term. Los Angeles can take one for the team,” said Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles. “Garcetti ain’t going to D.C.”
The size of the demonstrations has fluctuated over the week. Organizers said several hundred people attended protests over the weekend.
There have been two arrests for failure to disperse during the week of protests, said LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein.
It’s unclear if the mayor and his family have been home during the demonstrations.
Black Lives Matter member David Cunningham, 22, said he came out Monday to bring attention to the rising numbers of arrests of homeless people that have occurred under Garcetti.
Tekoah Flory, with Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles, participates in Monday’s demonstration outside Mayor Eric Garcetti’s home. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Cunningham, a law student at UCLA and grandson of former Los Angeles City Councilman David Cunningham, also pointed to skid row’s disproportionate population of Black residents.
He accused Garcetti, who served as City Council president before becoming mayor, of effectively ignoring the downtown neighborhood, where thousands of people live in squalid conditions.
“His policies have negatively affected Black Angelenos,” Cunningham said.
Bus Riders Union organizer Martinez said that Garcetti met with his group in 2014. The mayor told the group he was moving toward the goal of free transit, Martinez said.
Instead, the mayor, who serves on the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, backed a hike in monthly bus fares.
The group also opposed a contract between Metro and the Los Angeles Police Department for patrols. Garcetti backed the deal.
Some of those protesting outside Getty House are longtime critics of the mayor. Pete White, founder of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, blamed Garcetti for the increase in homelessness seen across the city.
“He can’t be allowed to fail forward,” White said.
Asked about specific criticisms, Garcetti spokesman Alex Comisar said that arrests of homeless Angelenos decreased in the first half of this year, as compared with the same period in 2019.
Comisar also said that Garcetti has initiated a feasibility study on eliminating fares on public transit and that the city has housed more homeless people than ever before.
“I will always support people’s right to make their voices heard peacefully and keep listening to what they have to say,” Garcetti told The Times on Monday. “I am honored to represent 4 million Angelenos, and I am singularly focused on saving lives and rebuilding a city out of this crisis that is more fair, just, and equitable.”
More than a dozen police officers formed a line in front of Getty House during Monday’s morning protest, which drew about 100 people.
Several women wearing T-shirts that read “White People 4 Black Lives” helped direct traffic around the protest.
After more than an hour of speeches, protesters marched to Wilshire Boulevard, where they blocked traffic, forcing several city buses to stop.
At one point, a distraught-looking man emerged from one of the buses and waved a piece of paper at the group, saying he had a scheduled surgery appointment. The group let the bus pass.
Since March, Getty House has been the site of protests from different groups focused on racial injustice, evictions and COVID-19 restrictions.
Neighbor Suz Landay, who lives in a Mediterranean Revival-style home, briefly watched Monday’s protest from her driveway. Her orange cat, Sven, has been a fixture at the protests.
After residing for 26 years across the street from Getty House, Landay said she’s used to the protests. Still, “they’ve never come every day,” Landay said.


latimes--2020-11-30--L.A. County surpasses 400,000 coronavirus cases, hits record number of hospitalizations

Los Angeles County hit two new troubling milestones in the battle with COVID-19 on Monday , surpassing 400,000 cumulative coronavirus cases and breaking a record for COVID-19 hospitalizations .
The county surpassed its previous all-time high of 2,232 hospitalizations set on July 18 .
On Sunday , the county recorded a total of 2,316 people in its hospitals with confirmed coronavirus infections , according to data released Monday .
The rate of increasing hospitalizations in L.A. County has been breathtaking : tripling from a total of 777 recorded on Halloween .
“ The increases we ’ re seeing now are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable , because they ’ re gon na overwhelm not just our healthcare system , but the entire state ’ s healthcare system , ” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday .
She added that the county is in “ the most difficult moment in the pandemic.
” The county recorded 5,569 new coronavirus cases Monday , the second-highest number recorded in a single day , according to a Times independent tally of cases .
“ We don ’ t really have any choice but to use all the tools at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferrer said during a briefing .
“ Until there is a vaccine , each of us needs to protect all of those around us — both those we know and those we don ’ t .
The virus is running rampant through almost every part of our county.
” Officials in L.A. County a targeted ‘ safer-at-home ’ order that is in effect through Dec. 20 .
It closes public playgrounds ; sets new capacity limits on retail stores , outdoor museums , galleries , zoos and aquariums ; and prohibits all gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for outdoor religious services and political demonstrations .
Those limitations are on top of restrictions that went into effect last week , including on outdoor dining .
Though she acknowledged the disruption hat comes with new restrictions , Ferrer said health officials have tried to be more targeted in their efforts to slow the spread of the disease .
But , she said , the county can ’ t sit idly by as conditions worsen — particularly in terms of the healthcare system .
“ So we ’ re going to have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone gets on board with this , ” Ferrer said .
“ It ’ s three weeks .
We ’ ve done this for much longer in the past and with many more restrictions .
”

Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Ryan Menezes

Los Angeles County hit two new troubling milestones in the battle with COVID-19 on Monday, surpassing 400,000 cumulative coronavirus cases and breaking a record for COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The county surpassed its previous all-time high of 2,232 hospitalizations set on July 18. On Sunday, the county recorded a total of 2,316 people in its hospitals with confirmed coronavirus infections, according to data released Monday. The rate of increasing hospitalizations in L.A. County has been breathtaking: tripling from a total of 777 recorded on Halloween.
“The increases we’re seeing now are not sustainable. They’re not sustainable, because they’re gonna overwhelm not just our healthcare system, but the entire state’s healthcare system,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday.
Advertisement
She added that the county is in “the most difficult moment in the pandemic.”
The county recorded 5,569 new coronavirus cases Monday, the second-highest number recorded in a single day, according to a Times independent tally of cases.
“We don’t really have any choice but to use all the tools at hand to stop the surge,” Ferrer said during a briefing. “Until there is a vaccine, each of us needs to protect all of those around us — both those we know and those we don’t. The virus is running rampant through almost every part of our county.”
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
Officials in L.A. County rolled out a targeted ‘safer-at-home’ order that is in effect through Dec. 20. It closes public playgrounds; sets new capacity limits on retail stores, outdoor museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums; and prohibits all gatherings among people from different households, except for outdoor religious services and political demonstrations. Those limitations are on top of restrictions that went into effect last week , including a controversial renewed ban on outdoor dining.
Though she acknowledged the disruption hat comes with new restrictions, Ferrer said health officials have tried to be more targeted in their efforts to slow the spread of the disease. But, she said, the county can’t sit idly by as conditions worsen — particularly in terms of the healthcare system.
Advertisement
“So we’re going to have to do everything we can, and hopefully everyone gets on board with this,” Ferrer said. “It’s three weeks. We’ve done this for much longer in the past and with many more restrictions.”


latimes--2020-12-01--One killed, two seriously injured in Pasadena park shooting

Pasadena police are looking for a suspect after three men were shot in a park , one of them fatally @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , the Pasadena Police Department received calls of shots fired on the north side @ @ @ @ @ Street .
Officers arrived to find one man dead at the scene and two others @ @ @ @ @ said Lt. Bill Grisafe , a spokesman for the Police Department .
Both men are @ @ @ @ @ Grisafe said .
The northern end of Villa Parke and Parke Street were shut down @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have a suspect description , but said a dark colored sedan may @ @ @ @ @ officers don ’ t know whether the shooting was a drive-by .
Detectives are searching @ @ @ @ @ of the crime .

Pasadena police are investigating a shooting at Villa Parke that killed one man and left two others seriously injured.
Pasadena police are looking for a suspect after three men were shot in a park, two of them fatally.
Just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Pasadena Police Department received calls of shots fired on the north side of Villa Parke near Parke Street.
Officers arrived to find one man dead at the scene and two others injured with gunshot wounds, said Lt. Bill Grisafe, a spokesman for the Police Department. Both men were hospitalized in serious condition and one of the men later died in the hospital, Grisafe said.
The men had been near a park bench when the suspect or suspects shot them and fled in a dark colored sedan, Grisafe said.
The northern end of Villa Parke and Parke Street were shut down as detectives investigated. Detectives are searching for witnesses and video evidence of the crime.


latimes--2020-12-01--Captain in Conception dive boat fire indicted on 34 counts of manslaughter

The captain of the Conception , the dive boat that caught fire last year off the coast of Santa Barbara , killing 34 people on board , was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on 34 counts of seaman ’ s manslaughter .
The indictment says that as the leader of the Labor Day weekend diving tour near the Channel Islands , Jerry Boylan , 67 , “ was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel , its crew , and its passengers , ” according to the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a resident of Santa Barbara , was expected to surrender to authorities at a later date , and two federal public defenders representing him did not respond to messages seeking comment .
“ As a result of the alleged failures of Captain Boylan to follow well-established safety rules , a pleasant holiday dive trip turned into a hellish nightmare as passengers and one crew member found themselves trapped in a fiery bunkroom with no means of escape , ” United States Attorney Nick Hanna said in a statement after the charges were announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who perished in the bunk room of the 75-foot vessel told The Times they were informed Tuesday afternoon of the criminal case .
“ I am glad they finally indicted the captain , ” James Adamic said in a phone interview .
His sister , Diana Adamic ; brother-in-law , Steven Salika ; and niece , Tia Salika-Adamic , were on board the Conception for a family diving vacation when they died in the fire .
“ It has to be done to hold someone accountable , ” Adamic said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the owner needs to also be held accountable.
” The federal charges were the culmination of a multi-agency investigation of the ship ’ s owner , Truth Aquatics , and its crew that began in the aftermath of the 2019 blaze .
As captain of the ship , Boylan had long been the target of the criminal inquiry .
In July , the captain and his attorney met with prosecutors and were presented with evidence authorities had gathered about his failure to safely operate the vessel .
The pressure to file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall held by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that many of those trapped below deck were awake — some with their shoes on — as the fire engulfed the vessel about 3 a.m. , but could not escape the bunk room and died of smoke inhalation .
That victims were awake contradicted what Santa Barbara officials had long maintained : that the 34 who died likely never knew of the encroaching flames .
The indictment said that “ by his misconduct , negligence , and inattention to his duties , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one crew member .
Prosecutors singled out three violations : failing to have a roving patrol ; failing to conduct sufficient fire drills ; and failing to conduct sufficient crew training .
The summary of alleged failures in safety protocol aboard the Conception mirrors the findings of the NTSB , which earlier this year faulted the boat ’ s owner , Truth Aquatics , for failing to have effective oversight of the vessel and not having a roving watchperson that would have detected the blaze sooner , saving lives .
“ Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prevention of boating accidents and the senseless destruction of lives through proper precautions and training , ” said Kristi K. Johnson , the assistant director in charge of the FBI ’ s office in L.A .
The NTSB determined the fire began in the back of a middle deck salon where lithium-ion batteries were being charged , but the agency could not say whether it was the batteries , the ship ’ s electrical system or an unattended fire source that ignited the blaze .
But NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those below deck probably could have escaped if there had been early detection of the blaze by a roving watch .
The agency found that a crew member sleeping in the wheelhouse atop the three-deck boat was awakened by a pop , crackle and the glow of the flames from the middle deck .

The captain of the Conception, the dive boat that caught fire last year off the coast of Santa Barbara, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter for the passengers and crew member who died in one of the worst maritime disasters in recent U.S. history.
The indictment says that as the leader of the Labor Day weekend diving tour near the Channel Islands, Jerry Boylan, 67, “was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel, its crew, and its passengers,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, which announced the charges.
Boylan, a resident of Santa Barbara, was expected to surrender to authorities at a later date, and two federal public defenders representing him did not respond to messages seeking comment. If convicted, Boylan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of seaman’s manslaughter, although defendants have typically served less time in custody.
Advertisement
“As a result of the alleged failures of Captain Boylan to follow well-established safety rules, a pleasant holiday dive trip turned into a hellish nightmare as passengers and one crew member found themselves trapped in a fiery bunkroom with no means of escape,” United States Attorney Nick Hanna said in a statement.
Family members of those who perished in the vessel’s bunk room during the Sept. 2, 2019 fire told The Times they were informed Tuesday afternoon of the criminal charges.
Dive boat captain Jerry Boylan is brought back to the U.S.Coast Guard station in Oxnard in Oct. 2019. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
“I am glad they finally indicted the captain,” James Adamic said in a phone interview. His sister, Diana Adamic; brother-in-law, Steven Salika; and niece, Tia Salika-Adamic, were on board the Conception for a family diving vacation when the fire consumed the boat and killed them.
“It has to be done to hold someone accountable,” Adamic said. “But I hope it is a first step, as the owner needs to also be held accountable.”
The ship’s owner, Glen Fritzler and his company, Truth Aquatics, have been the subject of a multi-agency investigation that began shortly after the Conception burned and sank to the ocean floor.
Earlier this year, the National Transportation Safety Board faulted Truth Aquatics for failing to adhere to various safety practices, with the chairman of the NTSB, Robert Sumwalt, urging the company, “Clean up your act.” Fritzler and his Santa Barbara-based diving outfit have also faced a barrage of lawsuits from the relatives of dead passengers, but no criminal charges.
Fritzler could not be reached for comment. His attorneys, Stephen Larson, a former federal judge, and Hilary Potashner, the former top public defender for the Central District of California, issued a statement expressing sympathy to victims and families. “We and our clients are and will be forever saddened by this tragedy,” the lawyers said.
Advertisement
As captain of the ship, Boylan had long been a target of a criminal inquiry. In July, the captain and his attorney met with prosecutors and were presented with evidence authorities had gathered about his failure to safely operate the Conception.
The pressure to file charges against Boylan rose after a hearing this fall held by the NTSB revealed that many of those trapped below deck were awake — some with their shoes on — as the fire engulfed the vessel , but could not escape the bunk room and died of smoke inhalation. That victims were awake contradicted what Santa Barbara County officials had long maintained: that the 34 who died likely never knew of the encroaching flames.
The indictment said that “by his misconduct, negligence, and inattention to his duties,” Boylan caused the deaths of all 34 people. Prosecutors singled out three violations: failing to have a roving patrol; failing to conduct sufficient fire drills; and failing to conduct sufficient crew training.
The summary of alleged failures mirrors the NTSB’s findings, which also said that not having a roving watchperson, among other lapses, prevented crew members from detecting the fire sooner, saving lives.
“Our hope is that this indictment leads to the prevention of boating accidents and the senseless destruction of lives through proper precautions and training,” said Kristi K. Johnson, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s office in L.A.
The same federal charge used to prosecute Boylan has become more common in cases of negligence and misconduct at sea. In 2013, BP pleaded guilty to 11 count of seaman’s manslaughter in connection with the explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal prosecutors in Missouri charged a duck boat captain and two others under the statute after 17 people died from a capsized boat in 2018.
Boylan is a veteran in the Central Coast’s maritime scene, with a long history at Truth Aquatics and experience navigating the Channel Islands, former crew members said.
It was Boylan who told the U.S. Coast Guard in a statement that by the time crew awakened him, the fire had already reached the upper deck and smoke filled the wheelhouse — the top level of the 75-foot boat, above the cooking area. He managed to issue a distress call shortly after 3 a.m., gasping into the radio, “I can’t breathe.”
Boylan had to jump into the water to escape, he said. Almost instantly, he recognized the magnitude of the disaster. The second galley hand told federal officials that when Boylan came to the surface of the water, he said, “‘Oh my God, all those people,’” according to NTSB records.
The NTSB determined the fire began in the back of a middle deck salon where lithium-ion batteries were being charged, but the agency could not say whether it was the batteries, the ship’s electrical system or an unattended fire source that ignited the blaze.
Sumwalt, the NTSB chairman, said regardless of the source of the fire, those below deck probably could have escaped if there had been early detection of the blaze by a roving watch. Instead, most of the crew was asleep on the top level of the boat. Without anyone awake, the agency found, the crew was notified of the fire by the pop, crackle and the glow of the flames.
The family of Charles McIlvain, who died aboard the Conception, renewed their call late Tuesday for Congress to pass the Small Passenger Vessel Safety Act. The bill includes stricter standards for fire alarm systems and requires no less than two escape routes from all areas used by passengers.
“We not only want to see those responsible held fully accountable but also ensure this type of disaster never happens again,” said McIlvain’s wife, Jasmine Lord-McIlvain, and parents.


latimes--2020-12-01--San Francisco poised to tighten restrictions as coronavirus cases surge

San Francisco this week will announce more rollbacks to its reopening plan , including a possible quarantine order for travelers and reduced indoor capacity at businesses , as the coronavirus continues to pummel the state , city officials said Tuesday .
During an online news conference , Dr. Grant Colfax , San Francisco ’ s director of public health , said shutdowns ordered during the past few weeks have failed to stem the pace of infections and warned the city may have a shortage of hospital beds by Christmas .
“ We know , unfortunately , that the worst is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
San Francisco has an average of 140 new cases a day , four times the number of just one month ago , and the infections show “ no signs of slowing down , ” he said .
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have doubled in 10 days , he said .
Colfax said new rollbacks may be announced as early as Wednesday and may include new limitations on outdoor gatherings .
San Francisco has already banned indoor dining , closed gyms and museums for indoor activity and restricted indoor capacity at stores .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus , ” Colfax said .
“ In fact infections have continued to increase.
” Colfax said San Francisco was considering the kind of travel order imposed by Santa Clara County .
It requires people to quarantine for 14 days after returning from travel of more than 150 miles .
The county also has ordered hotels to limit rooms to essential travel and quarantine .
Mayor London Breed said a ban on outdoor dining could not be ruled out .
“ What we are seeing now is a spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of this pandemic , ” she said .
“ We are in trouble , and we are sounding the alarm.
” Only a month ago , San Francisco was viewed as a success story in tamping down the virus .
The state had placed the city in the yellow tier , for minimal rate of infections , and restrictions were being lifted .
Now San Francisco , like most of the Bay Area , is in the purple tier , indicating widespread infection .
A Times analysis reported the city had 980 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 113 for each 100,000 residents .

Cars line up at a coronavirus testing site in San Jose on Tuesday.
San Francisco this week will announce more rollbacks to its reopening plan, including a possible quarantine order for travelers and reduced indoor capacity at businesses, as the coronavirus continues to pummel the state, city officials said Tuesday.
During an online news conference, Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco’s director of public health, said shutdowns ordered during the past few weeks have failed to stem the pace of infections and warned the city may have a shortage of hospital beds by Christmas.
“We know, unfortunately, that the worst is likely yet to come,” Colfax said.
Advertisement
San Francisco has an average of 140 new cases a day, four times the number of just one month ago, and the infections show “no signs of slowing down,” he said. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have doubled in 10 days, he said.
Colfax said new rollbacks may be announced as early as Wednesday and may include new limitations on outdoor gatherings.
San Francisco has already banned indoor dining, closed gyms and museums for indoor activity and restricted indoor capacity at stores.
“None has slowed the rate of the spread of the virus,” Colfax said. “In fact infections have continued to increase.”
Colfax said San Francisco was considering the kind of travel order imposed by Santa Clara County. It requires people to quarantine for 14 days after returning from travel of more than 150 miles. The county also has ordered hotels to limit rooms to essential travel and quarantine.
Mayor London Breed said a ban on outdoor dining could not be ruled out.
“What we are seeing now is a spike unlike anything we have seen since the beginning of this pandemic,” she said. “We are in trouble, and we are sounding the alarm.”
Advertisement
Only a month ago, San Francisco was viewed as a success story in tamping down the virus. The state had placed the city in the yellow tier, for minimal rate of infections, and restrictions were being lifted.
Now San Francisco, like most of the Bay Area, is in the purple tier, indicating widespread infection.
A Times analysis reported the city had 980 new cases over the past seven days or 113 for each 100,000 residents.


latimes--2020-12-01--L.A. Times files lawsuit seeking records on abuse claims at U.S. immigration detention centers

The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security , seeking the release of records detailing allegations of widespread sexual abuse and harassment at immigration detention centers .
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles followed a recent Times investigation that uncovered hundreds of allegations by detainees in California of violence and abuse .
Few of the allegations resulted in criminal charges , a lack of accountability that fostered unchecked violence within the facilities .
The Times was also among several outlets that reported on the alleged forced sterilization of over a dozen women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit .
Tens of thousands of immigrants are held in detention centers across the U.S. as they await deportation proceedings , which can take months or years to be decided .
Many are asylum seekers and have no criminal background .
Others were arrested by ICE in targeted sweeps , or are green-card holders with criminal convictions .
The vast majority of ICE detainees are held in facilities that are owned or managed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comply with care and safety standards set by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
But several media and internal investigation reports have documented widespread lapses in oversight by ICE , resulting in a patchwork system of privately run facilities .
Starting in June , The Times submitted five requests under the Freedom of Information Act seeking detainee complaint data , investigation reports , and other detention policy documents from ICE and the DHS Office of Inspector General .
Both agencies have failed to provide such records , leading to the lawsuit .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s care — whether that ’ s in schools , public hospitals , detention centers , etc .
— there is a certain bare minimum standard of treatment that we expect , ” said Selina MacLaren , an associate attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP , which has been retained as co-counsel by The Times to represent the news outlet in the lawsuit .
“ The Freedom of Information Act was designed precisely for this type of situation , to shed light on whether the government is meeting the public ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public flip the switch , we remain in the dark about what government officials are doing.
” The Freedom of Information Act guarantees access to a wide range of government records deemed fundamental to “ the functioning of a democratic society.
” Under the law , any member of the public may submit a request to a federal agency for documents .
According to the Government Accountability Office , Homeland Security receives the most FOIA requests of all federal agencies , processing roughly 40 % of all requests in any given year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requests , often resulting in a backlog .
DHS was named in 144 FOIA lawsuits in 2019 , making it the second-most-sued federal agency after the U.S. Department of Justice , according to the FOIA Project .

A drawing depicts a woman crying on a medical consent form. A number of women allege they were administered birth control and underwent procedures, including the removal of their reproductive organs, without their consent while being held at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia.
The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, seeking the release of records detailing allegations of widespread sexual abuse and harassment at immigration detention centers.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles followed a recent Times investigation that uncovered hundreds of allegations by detainees in California of violence and abuse. Few of the allegations resulted in criminal charges, a lack of accountability that fostered unchecked violence within the facilities.
The Times was also among several outlets that reported on the alleged forced sterilization of over a dozen women at a detention center in Georgia.
Advertisement
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit.
Tens of thousands of immigrants are held in detention centers across the U.S. as they await deportation proceedings, which can take months or years to be decided. Many are asylum seekers and have no criminal background. Others were arrested by ICE in targeted sweeps, or are green-card holders with criminal convictions.
The vast majority of ICE detainees are held in facilities that are owned or managed by for-profit corporations, which are supposed to comply with care and safety standards set by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But several media and internal investigation reports have documented widespread lapses in oversight by ICE, resulting in a patchwork system of privately run facilities.
Starting in June, The Times submitted five requests under the Freedom of Information Act seeking detainee complaint data, investigation reports, and other detention policy documents from ICE and the DHS Office of Inspector General. Both agencies have failed to provide such records, leading to the lawsuit.
“When human lives are in the government’s care — whether that’s in schools, public hospitals, detention centers, etc. — there is a certain bare minimum standard of treatment that we expect,” said Selina MacLaren, an associate attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, which has been retained as co-counsel by The Times to represent the news outlet in the lawsuit. “The Freedom of Information Act was designed precisely for this type of situation, to shed light on whether the government is meeting the public’s expectations. Unless reporters and members of the public flip the switch, we remain in the dark about what government officials are doing.”
Advertisement
The Freedom of Information Act guarantees access to a wide range of government records deemed fundamental to “the functioning of a democratic society.” Under the law, any member of the public may submit a request to a federal agency for documents.
According to the Government Accountability Office, Homeland Security receives the most FOIA requests of all federal agencies, processing roughly 40% of all requests in any given year. The department has struggled to manage requests, often resulting in a backlog.
DHS was named in 144 FOIA lawsuits in 2019, making it the second-most-sued federal agency after the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the FOIA Project.