latimes--2020-07-27--Oakland, awash with COVID-19, struggles to keep people away from popular Lake Merritt

As coronavirus cases topped 10,000 in Alameda County last week , Oakland officials started telling residents to avoid Lake Merritt , one of the city ’ s most popular gathering sites .
The tidal lagoon with more than three miles of shoreline near downtown Oakland has been attracting large crowds on weekends , including families with barbecues , young people with sound systems and dozens of vendors hawking meat , alcohol and T-shirts .
With a surge of new COVID-19 cases in Oakland , the epicenter for confirmed coronavirus infections in Alameda County , city police officers in vehicles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lake over the weekend to try to reduce overcrowding .
Signs warned that vehicles parked along the lake on weekends would be towed , and officials once again urged residents “ to give the lake a break.
” Early on Saturday and Sunday , the lake was mostly quiet .
But crowds returned in the evenings to drink and dance , said Joe DeVries , Oakland ’ s director of interdepartmental operations .
He described the scene as a “ nightclub.
” The revelers did not wear masks , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets more and more crowded , ” he said .
“ It is pretty mellow at noon .
By four o ’ clock it is packed , and by 6 o ’ clock it is kind of crazy.
” During the pandemic , out-of-work people have turned to vending at the lake , cooking food in large deep fryers and barbecue pits that amount to `` `` commercial kitchens ” without permits , DeVries said .
Some vendors sell cocktails and blast music .
They promote their offerings on social media , luring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of them are getting very inebriated , ” he said .
The number of vendors , DeVries said , “ exploded ” from 10 to 15 before the pandemic to 50 to 70 in the past five weeks .
Municipal code enforcement officers issued warnings to vendors over the weekend and told them they could be fined $ 250 , $ 500 and even $ 1,000 for repeat offenses .
DeVries said the city is trying to help vendors obtain permits and find a place where they can properly distance .
Vendors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , people running and walking around the lake said they have studiously avoided the spot on weekends during the pandemic because of the large numbers of people .
“ It was way too crowded , ” said Joan Steber , 62 , a dog walker with a golden retriever .
Asked whether the visitors were mostly families or young people , she said : “ It ’ s everybody.
” Steber , who lives in nearby Alameda , said she has been having difficulty finding attractive walking trails that aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t bad here on Mondays , though , ” she said .
As of Monday morning , Alameda County had reported 10,371 cases of COVID-19 , 2,640 of them in just the last two weeks .
The number of confirmed cases is doubling every 32.8 days .
Oakland , with 4,129 cases , had more than any other city in the county .
Hayward was second with 1,502 .
Oakland ’ s hardest-hit neighborhoods have been largely Latino , places where residents often live in multi-generational households .
One of the metrics used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is whether it has kept the number of new cases during the previous two weeks to fewer than 100 per 100,000 people .
Alameda County is at 161 per 100,000 , according to The Times ’ coronavirus tracker .
Positive cases in three East Oakland ZIP Codes — 94601 , 94621 and 94603 — are three times higher than the Alameda County average , according to recent testing data released by Roots Community Health Center .
The center reported that 40 % of its positive cases in July stemmed from social gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ past three weeks , the rate of infection in East Oakland has skyrocketed , with the number of positive cases doubling in ZIP Code 94603 , ” the city said in a July 23 news release .
The city considers Lake Merritt its “ crown jewel.
” Originally an arm of San Francisco Bay , it is the nation ’ s oldest designated wildlife refuge , home to geese , ducks , songbirds , raptors , gulls , grebes , herons and pelicans .
Concerns about weekend crowds at the lake led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago .
In a July 10 news release , the city said overcrowding could accelerate the spread of COVID-19 and warned that the large numbers on the weekends were leading to unsafe traffic and parking congestion .
“ Please , find another alternative to Lake Merritt , ” the release said .
Alan Asari , 64 , a retiree , drove to the lake with his wife from suburban San Ramon on Monday in search of “ a different place to walk.
” He said they would not come on the weekends @ @ @ @ @ @ @

After authorities discouraged crowds over the weekend, Oakland’s Lake Merritt returned to normal Monday morning, with a small number of people enjoying the pathways and sunny blue skies.
As coronavirus cases topped 10,000 in Alameda County last week, Oakland officials started telling residents to avoid Lake Merritt, one of the city’s most popular gathering sites.
The tidal lagoon with more than three miles of shoreline near downtown Oakland has been attracting large crowds on weekends, including families with barbecues, young people with sound systems and dozens of vendors hawking meat, alcohol and T-shirts.
With a surge of new COVID-19 cases in Oakland, the epicenter for confirmed coronavirus infections in Alameda County, city police officers in vehicles and on horseback and civil enforcement officers patrolled the lake over the weekend to try to reduce overcrowding. Signs warned that vehicles parked along the lake on weekends would be towed, and officials once again urged residents “to give the lake a break.”
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Early on Saturday and Sunday, the lake was mostly quiet. But crowds returned in the evenings to drink and dance, said Joe DeVries, Oakland’s director of interdepartmental operations. He described the scene as a “nightclub.” The revelers did not wear masks, he said.
A sign warns motorists away from Lake Merritt in Oakland. (Maura Dolan / Los Angeles Times)
“As the day progresses, it gets more and more crowded,” he said. “It is pretty mellow at noon. By four o’clock it is packed, and by 6 o’clock it is kind of crazy.”
During the pandemic, out-of-work people have turned to vending at the lake, cooking food in large deep fryers and barbecue pits that amount to ``”commercial kitchens” without permits, DeVries said. Some vendors sell cocktails and blast music. They promote their offerings on social media, luring people to the lake. “A lot of them are getting very inebriated,” he said.
The number of vendors, DeVries said, “exploded” from 10 to 15 before the pandemic to 50 to 70 in the past five weeks.
Municipal code enforcement officers issued warnings to vendors over the weekend and told them they could be fined $250, $500 and even $1,000 for repeat offenses. DeVries said the city is trying to help vendors obtain permits and find a place where they can properly distance. Vendors selling alcohol will not be allowed.
On Monday, people running and walking around the lake said they have studiously avoided the spot on weekends during the pandemic because of the large numbers of people.
“It was way too crowded,” said Joan Steber, 62, a dog walker with a golden retriever.
Asked whether the visitors were mostly families or young people, she said: “It’s everybody.”
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Steber, who lives in nearby Alameda, said she has been having difficulty finding attractive walking trails that aren’t crowded. “It isn’t bad here on Mondays, though,” she said.
As of Monday morning, Alameda County had reported 10,371 cases of COVID-19, 2,640 of them in just the last two weeks. The number of confirmed cases is doubling every 32.8 days.
Oakland, with 4,129 cases, had more than any other city in the county. Hayward was second with 1,502. Oakland’s hardest-hit neighborhoods have been largely Latino, places where residents often live in multi-generational households.
One of the metrics used to decide if a county should reopen is whether it has kept the number of new cases during the previous two weeks to fewer than 100 per 100,000 people. Alameda County is at 161 per 100,000, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker.
Positive cases in three East Oakland ZIP Codes — 94601, 94621 and 94603 — are three times higher than the Alameda County average, according to recent testing data released by Roots Community Health Center. The center reported that 40% of its positive cases in July stemmed from social gatherings.
“Even more alarming, over the past three weeks, the rate of infection in East Oakland has skyrocketed, with the number of positive cases doubling in ZIP Code 94603,” the city said in a July 23 news release.
The city considers Lake Merritt its “crown jewel.” Originally an arm of San Francisco Bay, it is the nation’s oldest designated wildlife refuge, home to geese, ducks, songbirds, raptors, gulls, grebes, herons and pelicans.
Concerns about weekend crowds at the lake led to parking restrictions and partial street closures five weeks ago. In a July 10 news release, the city said overcrowding could accelerate the spread of COVID-19 and warned that the large numbers on the weekends were leading to unsafe traffic and parking congestion.
“Please, find another alternative to Lake Merritt,” the release said.
Alan Asari, 64, a retiree, drove to the lake with his wife from suburban San Ramon on Monday in search of “a different place to walk.” He said they would not come on the weekends after seeing reports about the crowds.
“We avoid everybody,” he said.


latimes--2020-07-27--Firefighters make progress in containing 300-acre Ridge fire, which burned one home in Gorman

Firefighters have contained 40 % of the Ridge fire , which rapidly grew to 310 acres and engulfed one home @ @ @ @ @ Angeles County Fire Department received the call about 3:45 p.m. for a 2-acre brush fire @ @ @ @ @ Gorman with heavy fuels , said Leslie Lua , a spokesperson for the agency .
@ @ @ @ @ the Ridge fire had grown to 200 acres .
By 6:40 p.m. , more than @ @ @ @ @ stop the fire ’ s forward progress at just more than 300 acres .
Using @ @ @ @ @ Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and assistance form the Los Angeles Fire Department , @ @ @ @ @ injuries or damage to additional homes , the L.A. County Fire Department said in a @ @ @ @ @ through the night to to continue containing the fire .

Firefighters were working to contain the 200-acre Ridge fire Monday afternoon.
Firefighters have contained 40% of the Ridge fire, which rapidly grew to 310 acres and engulfed one home Monday afternoon.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department received the call about 3:45 p.m. for a 2-acre brush fire in a remote area of Gorman with heavy fuels, said Leslie Lua, a spokesperson for the agency.
By about 5 p.m., the Ridge fire had grown to 200 acres. By 6:40 p.m., more than 300 firefighters were able to stop the fire’s forward progress at just more than 300 acres.
Using aircraft provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and assistance form the Los Angeles Fire Department, firefighters were able to prevent injuries or damage to additional homes, the L.A. County Fire Department said in a tweet.
Firefighters will work through the night to to continue containing the fire.
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latimes--2020-07-28--California could create its own $600 weekly unemployment benefit

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to damage the California economy , state lawmakers are weighing whether to provide a supplemental unemployment benefit with the extra $ 600 per week provided by the federal government expiring this month .
Assemblyman Phil Ting ( D-San Francisco ) , the leader of a legislative working group , said there is support among Democratic lawmakers for providing up to $ 600 weekly to jobless Californians if Congress fails to act on extending the federal pandemic benefit .
“ There are so many people who are relying on that money to pay rent , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to do everything possible to help them pay their bills , ” said Ting , chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee .
With the end of the federal supplement on July 25 , state unemployment checks will go back to the weekly average of $ 340 unless the state or federal government restore supplemental benefits .
The money for any extended benefit would be borrowed from a federal trust fund that has already been covering the state ’ s costs of paying unemployment benefits to millions of Californians who lost jobs after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March to stop the spread of the virus .
California has borrowed $ 6.5 billion from the federal trust fund to pay an unprecedented number of claims filed since March .
The state borrowed $ 10.7 billion to pay unemployment benefits during the Great Recession a decade ago and only finished paying the money back in 2018 by raising taxes on employers .
Ting and 25 other members of the state Senate and Assembly , acting in working groups , raised the issue as part of a joint $ 100-billion stimulus plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job creation .
An outline of the plan includes a proposal to “ borrow from the federal government to bolster state unemployment insurance programs.
” The proposed stimulus plan will be provided to Gov .
Gavin Newsom and an economic recovery task force created to address the effects of the pandemic-fueled recession in the state .
“ Millions of Californians are suffering in this economic downturn , and Republicans in Washington , D.C. don ’ t seem to care , ” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon ( D–Lakewood ) said as the stimulus plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment on whether he would support the state providing supplemental unemployment benefits .
Newsom said Friday that he is hopeful that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will rally Congress to provide more financial help to unemployed Californians .
“ I have deep confidence in her capacity to pull something off important , to pull something off that directly addresses the issue not just of unemployment insurance , but of getting checks in the pockets of those who have been impacted by COVID-19 , ” Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Senate proposed a package that would reduce the enhanced federal unemployment payments from $ 600 a week to $ 200 after some lawmakers argued the higher payments provided many low-paid workers with more money than they had received while working , providing a disincentive to return to work .
The proposal to cut the supplement to $ 200 would create a financial hardship for many low-income California families , according to a study released Tuesday by the California Policy Lab at UCLA .
The Senate Republican proposal is now subject to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed an extension of the $ 600 unemployment benefit .
California would not have to provide supplemental funds if the federal government restores the $ 600 payments , Ting said , but he said the state should step in if there is no help from Washington .
“ We know that that money has been fairly critical in keeping the number of evictions lower than we had imagined , ” Ting said .
“ The last thing we should do is exacerbate our homeless problem .
We don ’ t need thousands more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrowed from the federal unemployment trust fund is paid back with higher taxes on employers in future years .
The supplemental relief money approved by Congress meant the average weekly benefit for Californians was boosted to $ 940 starting in April , while those who received maximum weekly state benefits saw an increase to $ 1,050 .
So far , California has paid some $ 50 billion in unemployment benefits since March , having processed 8.7 million claims from jobless Californians .
Boosting jobless benefits would come even as lawmakers from both major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state agency that approves claims and pays out unemployment benefits .
State Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield criticized Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday for canceling a committee meeting that would have allowed legislators to order an audit of the state Employment Development Department .
The audit was proposed in response to complaints from jobless Californians who have been unable to file claims for unemployment benefits because of clogged state phone lines and computer glitches .
“ California Democrats killed an opportunity to audit the EDD , which would have helped millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This audit would have been an opportunity to get answers .
”

Assemblyman Phil Ting, chairman of the Assembly budget committee, says lawmakers should consider creating an additional job benefit for Californians if federal coronavirus help expires.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to damage the California economy, state lawmakers are weighing whether to provide a supplemental unemployment benefit with the extra $600 per week provided by the federal government expiring this month.
Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), the leader of a legislative working group, said there is support among Democratic lawmakers for providing up to $600 weekly to jobless Californians if Congress fails to act on extending the federal pandemic benefit.
“There are so many people who are relying on that money to pay rent, to buy food. I think the state has to do everything possible to help them pay their bills,” said Ting, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.
With the end of the federal supplement on July 25, state unemployment checks will go back to the weekly average of $340 unless the state or federal government restore supplemental benefits.
The money for any extended benefit would be borrowed from a federal trust fund that has already been covering the state’s costs of paying unemployment benefits to millions of Californians who lost jobs after the state ordered residents to stay home in March to stop the spread of the virus.
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California has borrowed $6.5 billion from the federal trust fund to pay an unprecedented number of claims filed since March. The state borrowed $10.7 billion to pay unemployment benefits during the Great Recession a decade ago and only finished paying the money back in 2018 by raising taxes on employers.
Ting and 25 other members of the state Senate and Assembly, acting in working groups, raised the issue as part of a joint $100-billion stimulus plan that aims to protect Californians and spur job creation. An outline of the plan includes a proposal to “borrow from the federal government to bolster state unemployment insurance programs.”
The proposed stimulus plan will be provided to Gov. Gavin Newsom and an economic recovery task force created to address the effects of the pandemic-fueled recession in the state.
“Millions of Californians are suffering in this economic downturn, and Republicans in Washington, D.C. don’t seem to care,” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D–Lakewood) said as the stimulus plan was released.
Representatives for Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment on whether he would support the state providing supplemental unemployment benefits. Newsom said Friday that he is hopeful that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will rally Congress to provide more financial help to unemployed Californians.
“I have deep confidence in her capacity to pull something off important, to pull something off that directly addresses the issue not just of unemployment insurance, but of getting checks in the pockets of those who have been impacted by COVID-19,” Newsom said.
On Monday, Republicans in the U.S. Senate proposed a package that would reduce the enhanced federal unemployment payments from $600 a week to $200 after some lawmakers argued the higher payments provided many low-paid workers with more money than they had received while working, providing a disincentive to return to work.
The proposal to cut the supplement to $200 would create a financial hardship for many low-income California families, according to a study released Tuesday by the California Policy Lab at UCLA.
The Senate Republican proposal is now subject to negotiations with House Democrats, who have proposed an extension of the $600 unemployment benefit.
California would not have to provide supplemental funds if the federal government restores the $600 payments, Ting said, but he said the state should step in if there is no help from Washington.
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“We know that that money has been fairly critical in keeping the number of evictions lower than we had imagined,” Ting said. “The last thing we should do is exacerbate our homeless problem. We don’t need thousands more Californians on our streets today.”
Money borrowed from the federal unemployment trust fund is paid back with higher taxes on employers in future years.
The supplemental relief money approved by Congress meant the average weekly benefit for Californians was boosted to $940 starting in April, while those who received maximum weekly state benefits saw an increase to $1,050.
So far, California has paid some $50 billion in unemployment benefits since March, having processed 8.7 million claims from jobless Californians.
Boosting jobless benefits would come even as lawmakers from both major parties have criticized the operations of the state agency that approves claims and pays out unemployment benefits.
State Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield criticized Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday for canceling a committee meeting that would have allowed legislators to order an audit of the state Employment Development Department.
The audit was proposed in response to complaints from jobless Californians who have been unable to file claims for unemployment benefits because of clogged state phone lines and computer glitches.
“California Democrats killed an opportunity to audit the EDD, which would have helped millions of frustrated Californians,” Grove said. “This audit would have been an opportunity to get answers.”


latimes--2020-07-28--L.A. could pull money away from fund tied to beleaguered Councilman Jose Huizar

Los Angeles lawmakers could yank money away from a fund that was controlled by the office of Councilman Jose Huizar , who has been accused by federal prosecutors of heading a pay-to-play scheme fueled by bribes .
At a meeting Tuesday , a council committee backed the move by Mayor Eric Garcetti , recommending that money anticipated under a development deal be reallocated to other city funds .
The decision now heads to the full council for approval .
Huizar , who has been suspended by the council , was arrested last month and charged with racketeering in an ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ intends to respond to the government ’ s allegations in court.
” Amid the federal probe , Garcetti sought to roll back a city decision tied to Huizar , vetoing the development agreement for a Fashion District project called City Market of Los Angeles .
Under such agreements , developers agree to provide community benefits in exchange for legal protections for their projects .
City Market of Los Angeles agreed to provide up to $ 9.8 million to a trust fund controlled by Huizar ’ s office — and could be required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build a specific number of units that are affordable to people with moderate incomes .
The money would go toward street beautification , transportation or affordable housing in the district , under the agreement .
Garcetti argued that the money should instead go to funds earmarked for affordable housing , homeless health services , public transit and street improvements , as the City Planning Commission had earlier recommended .
A council committee headed by Huizar amended the proposed deal two years ago to direct money toward his district fund .
The mayor did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explanation for his veto , which took place before Huizar was arrested .
But the federal investigation , long known to be underway , has spurred concern about decisions tied to Huizar .
Last month , several council members called for reassessing approvals of projects mentioned in the criminal case .
Federal prosecutors have not named the real estate projects involved in the corruption probe , although several others have been identified by The Times and other outlets based on key details included in prosecutors ’ filings .
Investigators have not provided information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles is accused of any wrongdoing in the case .
Ahead of Tuesday ’ s vote , a few callers urged the committee to go farther than reallocating the money and reject the City Market of Los Angeles project entirely , citing the allegations against Huizar .
“ You guys need to send a very strong message today , ” downtown resident Peter Clune said .
Members of the council committee agreed to back the veto and recommended changes without debate or comment .
Eduardo Soriano-Hewitt , chief of staff of the office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement that the veto “ does not change or undermine the spirit and intention of the public benefits that were negotiated for this project.
” “ We support the action that was taken this afternoon , ” Soriano-Hewitt said in a statement , adding that it “ will ensure that there will be targeted funding for homeless services and programs , the expansion of affordable housing opportunities and public works infrastructure improvements.
” Residents of the council district “ will benefit from this decision.
” City Market of Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a letter to council members , a consultant representing the company said it supports allocating the funds “ to uses that the mayor and the council determine to be the most important and beneficial ” and urged city officials to swiftly approve a revised agreement .
Its planned project would redevelop a 10-acre site in the Fashion District with more than 900 units of housing , over 200 hotel rooms , office space , shops and restaurants .

A City Council committee on Tuesday backed a move by Mayor Eric Garcetti to move money away from a fund controlled by the office of suspended Councilman Jose Huizar. Above, Los Angeles City Hall.
Los Angeles lawmakers could yank money away from a fund that was controlled by the office of Councilman Jose Huizar, who has been accused by federal prosecutors of heading a pay-to-play scheme fueled by bribes.
At a meeting Tuesday, a council committee backed the move by Mayor Eric Garcetti, recommending that money anticipated under a development deal be reallocated to other city funds. The decision now heads to the full council for approval.
Huizar, who has been suspended by the council, was arrested last month and charged with racketeering in an ongoing corruption case. His attorneys say he “intends to respond to the government’s allegations in court.”
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Amid the federal probe, Garcetti sought to roll back a city decision tied to Huizar, vetoing the development agreement for a Fashion District project called City Market of Los Angeles. Under such agreements, developers agree to provide community benefits in exchange for legal protections for their projects.
City Market of Los Angeles agreed to provide up to $9.8 million to a trust fund controlled by Huizar’s office — and could be required to pay more if it fails to build a specific number of units that are affordable to people with moderate incomes. The money would go toward street beautification, transportation or affordable housing in the district, under the agreement.
Garcetti argued that the money should instead go to funds earmarked for affordable housing, homeless health services, public transit and street improvements, as the City Planning Commission had earlier recommended. A council committee headed by Huizar amended the proposed deal two years ago to direct money toward his district fund.
The mayor did not mention the corruption probe in his explanation for his veto, which took place before Huizar was arrested. But the federal investigation, long known to be underway, has spurred concern about decisions tied to Huizar. Last month, several council members called for reassessing approvals of projects mentioned in the criminal case.
Federal prosecutors have not named the real estate projects involved in the corruption probe, although several others have been identified by The Times and other outlets based on key details included in prosecutors’ filings. Investigators have not provided information to indicate that City Market of Los Angeles is accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, a few callers urged the committee to go farther than reallocating the money and reject the City Market of Los Angeles project entirely, citing the allegations against Huizar.
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“You guys need to send a very strong message today,” downtown resident Peter Clune said.
Members of the council committee agreed to back the veto and recommended changes without debate or comment.
Eduardo Soriano-Hewitt, chief of staff of the office that has been represented by Huizar, said in a statement that the veto “does not change or undermine the spirit and intention of the public benefits that were negotiated for this project.”
“We support the action that was taken this afternoon,” Soriano-Hewitt said in a statement, adding that it “will ensure that there will be targeted funding for homeless services and programs, the expansion of affordable housing opportunities and public works infrastructure improvements.” Residents of the council district “will benefit from this decision.”
City Market of Los Angeles is not fighting the change either: In a letter to council members, a consultant representing the company said it supports allocating the funds “to uses that the mayor and the council determine to be the most important and beneficial” and urged city officials to swiftly approve a revised agreement.
Its planned project would redevelop a 10-acre site in the Fashion District with more than 900 units of housing, over 200 hotel rooms, office space, shops and restaurants.


latimes--2020-07-28--Palm Springs orders all restaurants, bars to close early

Starting Friday , Palm Springs revelers gathering in restaurants , bars , wineries , distilleries and breweries will be asked @ @ @ @ @ the persistent threat of the novel coronavirus , city officials said in a news release @ @ @ @ @ ordered by the city ’ s director of emergency services on Tuesday , dictates that @ @ @ @ @ 11 p.m. or risk facing fines , orders to shut down or the revocation of @ @ @ @ @ ’ s business license .
Guests arriving before 10 p.m. will be allowed to stay @ @ @ @ @ , but no guests will be allowed to be seated after that time , according @ @ @ @ @ Between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. , only employees needed to operate the businesses are @ @ @ @ @

Starting Friday, Palm Springs revelers gathering in restaurants, bars, wineries, distilleries and breweries will be asked to leave early due to the persistent threat of the novel coronavirus, city officials said in a news release.
The new rule, ordered by the city’s director of emergency services on Tuesday, dictates that these establishments must close by 11 p.m. or risk facing fines, orders to shut down or the revocation of licences, including a facility’s business license.
Guests arriving before 10 p.m. will be allowed to stay if individual businesses allow it, but no guests will be allowed to be seated after that time, according to the new order.
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Between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., only employees needed to operate the businesses are allowed in these facilities.


latimes--2020-07-28--With ouster of priest accused of pedophilia, Coptic Church mobilizes against sexual abuse

The Coptic Orthodox Church in the U.S. , shaken in recent weeks by accusations of sexual abuse , has vowed to eradicate inappropriate behavior in its cloistered communities following the defrocking of a priest accused of pedophilia for decades .
The 2,000-year-old church , which was started in Egypt by the Apostle Mark and grew in the U.S. following a wave of immigration in the 1970s , is steeped in centuries-old traditions and rituals that define Christian Orthodoxy .
It is now contending with a new generation of activists among an estimated half-million Copts living in the U.S. in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ Coptic # MeToo ” movement engrossing parishioners on social media .
The flashpoint started with Facebook and Instagram posts from Sally Zakhari , a 33-year-old Florida woman who said she was molested in Orlando by Fr .
Reweiss Aziz Khalil in the late 1990s .
Zakhari wrote that she was molested at home after Khalil convinced her mother that she should start confession .
She was 11 or 12 .
“ He forcefully kissed me all over my face and in my mouth with his tongue .
He forced me down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did what he had to do ( while he kept his black tunic on ) , ” she wrote on July 14 .
Khalil told the girl to remember to never tell anyone about what happens in confession , Zakhari wrote .
According to an investigative report by the church , Khalil has maintained his innocence .
The Times ’ attempts to contact him were unsuccessful .
Zakhari , a pharmacist in Orlando who is also an advocate for survivors of abuse within the church and without , is starting a nonprofit organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts this month — triggered by Khalil ’ s attempts to be assigned a new parish in Chicago — were retweeted , liked and shared thousands of times by parishioners and clergy , igniting a firestorm among young Copts online .
It took Zakhari five years to tell anyone .
She didn ’ t tell her parents what she said happened in that bedroom until she was 19 .
Then , after years of inaction from church leaders , Zakhari filed a police report in Altamonte Springs , Fla. , in 2013 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained by The Times .
But the statute of limitations had expired .
She remained a member of the church and was encouraged by other priests and their wives to report what she said happened to her to the Coptic patriarchs in Egypt , including the late Pope Shenouda III and its current spiritual leader , Pope Tawadros II .
After Zakhari ’ s social media posts and other accusations emerged , Tawadros issued a decree July 18 laicizing Khalil , stripping him of his priestly rank and returning him to his preordination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By this decree , we notify all civic authorities in Egypt and in the United States of America to revoke any recognition of Yousef Aziz Khalil as a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church , ” the signed document stated .
As it turns out , in 2014 , Khalil , who is believed to be in his 60s , had been defrocked from all Coptic ministry globally for “ repeated infringements that are unacceptable to the priesthood and its ministry , ” the decree said .
Because of the insular community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s movements and find more alleged survivors in the U.S. and Egypt .
Word would come back to her of a visiting priest , one who would tell a credible story of his church being attacked by terrorists in Egypt and who would solicit money from sympathizers .
Khalil ’ s laicization wasn ’ t enough for Zakhari .
She is seeking the excommunication of all sexual predators in the church .
“ I ’ m pushing us to do the right thing .
I ’ m not against the church , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want this place to be safe and Christ-like.
” Zakhari said Bishop Youssef , the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the United States , told her to take down her social media posts .
A spokeswoman for Youssef , who is based in Dallas/Fort Worth , said he did not pressure her to stop speaking out .
“ In no way did Bishop Youssef ever seek to silence Ms. Zakhari ; she was however asked to refrain from posting her personal statements on the diocese ’ s basketball website of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sara Brady , the spokeswoman , said in a statement .
Samuel Tadros , a Middle East scholar and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute , said Zakhari had “ ignited a revolution ” that would have repercussions .
“ The church was forced to move finally and remove the priest completely , ” Tadros said .
“ Bishops are forced to issue statements .
Bishop Youssef is going to find some rock to hide under for some time .
Other Copts will feel motivated to act.
” Tadros said that about 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Egypt , and the numbers have climbed in recent years , driven by a wave of immigration to the U.S. linked to the Arab Spring .
“ The Copts are not insignificant in the U.S. , but we ’ re so isolated in our churches to the extent that most Americans remain completely ignorant that we exist , ” he said .
“ But it ’ s funny because , one of us [ Rami Malek ] won an Oscar.
” As such , the Coptic church is entrenched in Egyptian culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just a religious institution but also offers community by way of relationships , recreation , housing , career opportunities and other social outlets .
“ We were hidden from the world for centuries , but the diaspora faces challenges that were not handled in Egypt , ” Tadros said .
“ Challenges of identity , social problems , sexual orientation , gay rights and marriage pose challenges to the Coptic church in America that it never faced in Egypt .
In Egypt , these issues are hidden by societal pressure and culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with it.
” Meanwhile , an Instagram account , @ theburningbush20 , is doing just the opposite .
Its activism coincides with a women ’ s rights movement gaining traction in Egypt after accusations surfaced of serial sexual assault at the elite American University in Cairo .
Inspired by Zakhari , its organizers have been posting anonymously submitted allegations of abuse in the church , both in the U.S. and abroad , about three times a day since mid-July .
The allegations highlighted patterns of victim-blaming , silencing and inappropriate handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high standards the church places on virginity , obedience and patriarchal mores , the organizers said .
Often , the church dealt with alleged predators by moving them to another parish or sending them back to Egypt , particularly in cases of visiting priests or monks .
“ We are a microcosm of this world , ” the organizers said .
“ So the problems that occur in this world are going to occur in our community.
” In the Coptic Church , priests are allowed to marry .
They usually must do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to have families to better understand their congregants .
All members of the clergy , including the pope , must participate in confession because of the main church tenet that all men and women are fallible and subject to sin .
These are distinctions often cited when Copts are compared to other Christians , particularly after the sexual abuse scandals that ravaged the Catholic Church .
After the papal decree and the social media campaign , statements issued by Coptic dioceses in the U.S. , Canada and the U.K. denounced abuse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We pledge our best efforts to prevent any such conduct , to immediately report allegations of such conduct to law enforcement , to promptly investigate such allegations , and to take appropriate action , ” said a joint statement from the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese in New Jersey and New York and New England .
Metropolitan Serapion , the leader of the Diocese of Los Angeles , Southern California and Hawaii , is working to revise a sexual misconduct policy and issue a handbook to “ take real and transparent action to ensure there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has been applied across other U.S. dioceses , was last updated in 2013 and is being amended to keep up with the evolving statute of limitations laws following the # MeToo and Time ’ s Up movements that gripped Hollywood and beyond .
Serapion said in his 25 years with the diocese , only two cases of misconduct had been escalated to him ; one involved a minor and was forwarded to law enforcement .
“ Of course we say ‘ forgive and forget ’ to be healed , to overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t press charges .
Any reconciliation can not be a real reconciliation without justice , ” Serapion said .
His diocese ’ s strict policy does not allow visiting priests to serve in his churches and calls for incidents to be reported to authorities .
It applies to clergy , employees and servants within the church , he said , all of whom will be required to undergo mandatory training on the policy and related protocols , including training on state-mandated reporting .
He said he has done the training himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clergy and laity ( men and women , including therapists ) has been working on protocols regarding investigation and reporting , as well as counseling .
He encouraged victims to come forward and use the resources at their disposal .
Priests are also speaking with their youth groups about sexual abuse and echoed the sentiments in the dioceses ’ public statements .
Some are seeking out medical and psychological professionals to build out a network of resources for victims .
Zakhari said she appreciated the words , but still thinks the church has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m some random girl in Florida , and I got this priest removed in six days , ” she said .
“ These hierarchs couldn ’ t do it for 17 years .
”

Pope Tawadros II, leader of Egypt’s Coptic Church, leads an Easter service at the Cathedral of Abbasiya in Cairo.
The Coptic Orthodox Church in the U.S., shaken in recent weeks by accusations of sexual abuse, has vowed to eradicate inappropriate behavior in its cloistered communities following the defrocking of a priest accused of pedophilia for decades.
The 2,000-year-old church, which was started in Egypt by the Apostle Mark and grew in the U.S. following a wave of immigration in the 1970s, is steeped in centuries-old traditions and rituals that define Christian Orthodoxy.
It is now contending with a new generation of activists among an estimated half-million Copts living in the U.S. in what is being described in the community as a “Coptic #MeToo” movement engrossing parishioners on social media.
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The flashpoint started with Facebook and Instagram posts from Sally Zakhari, a 33-year-old Florida woman who said she was molested in Orlando, Fla., by Father Reweiss Aziz Khalil in the late 1990s. Zakhari wrote that she was molested at home after Khalil convinced her mother that she should start confession. She was 11 or 12.
“He forcefully kissed me all over my face and in my mouth with his tongue. He forced me down, laid on top of me and did what he had to do (while he kept his black tunic on),” she wrote on July 14.
Khalil told the girl to remember to never tell anyone about what happens in confession, Zakhari wrote.
California From Cairo to California : Fast-Growing Coptic Church Getting Ready to Install First Bishop for L.A. Fueled by steady immigration from Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church has grown from three to 13 congregations in Southern California since 1980--growth so rapid that the first bishop for Los Angeles will be installed today.
According to an investigative report by the church, Khalil has maintained his innocence. The Times’ attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
Zakhari, a pharmacist in Orlando who is also an advocate for survivors of abuse within the church and without, is starting a nonprofit organization called Coptic Survivor. Her social media posts this month — triggered by Khalil’s attempts to be assigned a new parish in Chicago — were retweeted, liked and shared thousands of times by parishioners and clergy, igniting a firestorm among young Copts online.
It took Zakhari five years to tell anyone. She didn’t tell her parents what she said happened in that bedroom until she was 19. Then, after years of inaction from church leaders, Zakhari filed a police report in Altamonte Springs, Fla., in 2013, according to a copy of the report obtained by The Times. But the statute of limitations had expired.
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She remained a member of the church and was encouraged by other priests and their wives to report what she said happened to her to the Coptic patriarchs in Egypt, including the late Pope Shenouda III and its current spiritual leader, Pope Tawadros II.
After Zakhari’s social media posts and other accusations emerged, Tawadros issued a decree July 18 laicizing Khalil, stripping him of his priestly rank and returning him to his preordination name: Yousef Aziz Khalil.
“By this decree, we notify all civic authorities in Egypt and in the United States of America to revoke any recognition of Yousef Aziz Khalil as a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church,” the signed document stated.
As it turns out, in 2014, Khalil, who is believed to be in his 60s, had been defrocked from all Coptic ministry globally for “repeated infringements that are unacceptable to the priesthood and its ministry,” the decree said.
Because of the insular community, Zakhari was able to track Khalil’s movements and find more alleged survivors in the U.S. and Egypt. Word would come back to her of a visiting priest, one who would tell a credible story of his church being attacked by terrorists in Egypt and who would solicit money from sympathizers.
Khalil’s laicization wasn’t enough for Zakhari. She is seeking the excommunication of all sexual predators in the church.
“I’m pushing us to do the right thing. I’m not against the church,” Zakhari said in an interview. “I want this place to be safe and Christ-like.”
Zakhari said priests who rank below Bishop Youssef, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, told her to take down her social media posts. A spokeswoman for Youssef, who is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, said he did not pressure her to stop speaking out.
“In no way did Bishop Youssef ever seek to silence Ms. Zakhari; she was however asked to refrain from posting her personal statements on the diocese’s basketball website of which she was an administrator,” Sara Brady, the spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Samuel Tadros, a Middle East scholar and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said Zakhari had “ignited a revolution” that would have repercussions.
“The church was forced to move finally and remove the priest completely,” Tadros said. “Bishops are forced to issue statements. Bishop Youssef is going to find some rock to hide under for some time. Other Copts will feel motivated to act.”
Tadros said that about 1 million Copts have permanent immigration status outside of Egypt, and the numbers have climbed in recent years, driven by a wave of immigration to the U.S. linked to the Arab Spring.
“The Copts are not insignificant in the U.S., but we’re so isolated in our churches to the extent that most Americans remain completely ignorant that we exist,” he said. “But it’s funny because, one of us [Rami Malek] won an Oscar.”
As such, the Coptic church is entrenched in Egyptian culture. For Copts, the church is not just a religious institution but also offers community by way of relationships, recreation, housing, career opportunities and other social outlets.
“We were hidden from the world for centuries, but the diaspora faces challenges that were not handled in Egypt,” Tadros said. “Challenges of identity, social problems, sexual orientation, gay rights and marriage pose challenges to the Coptic church in America that it never faced in Egypt. In Egypt, these issues are hidden by societal pressure and culture, so the church never needed to deal with it.”
Meanwhile, an Instagram account, @theburningbush20, is doing just the opposite. Its activism coincides with a women’s rights movement gaining traction in Egypt after accusations surfaced of serial sexual assault at the elite American University in Cairo.
Inspired by Zakhari, its organizers have been posting anonymously submitted allegations of abuse in the church, both in the U.S. and abroad, about three times a day since mid-July.
The allegations highlighted patterns of victim-blaming, silencing and inappropriate handling of cases. They also echoed the extremely high standards the church places on virginity, obedience and patriarchal mores, the organizers said. Often, the church dealt with alleged predators by moving them to another parish or sending them back to Egypt, particularly in cases of visiting priests or monks.
“We are a microcosm of this world,” the organizers said. “So the problems that occur in this world are going to occur in our community.”
In the Coptic Church, priests are allowed to marry. They usually must do so before being ordained. They are encouraged to have families to better understand their congregants. All members of the clergy, including the pope, must participate in confession because of the main church tenet that all men and women are fallible and subject to sin. These are distinctions often cited when Copts are compared to other Christians, particularly after the sexual abuse scandals that ravaged the Catholic Church.
After the papal decree and the social media campaign, statements issued by Coptic dioceses in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. denounced abuse and misconduct and pledged action-oriented plans.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea” Mk9:42
Our clear mandate:
We are entrusted to faithfully protect our children, and accountable if we do not, or if we do harm pic.twitter.com/Xx2aM6HLXd — Archbishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) July 22, 2020
“We pledge our best efforts to prevent any such conduct, to immediately report allegations of such conduct to law enforcement, to promptly investigate such allegations, and to take appropriate action,” said a joint statement from the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese in New Jersey and New York and New England.
Metropolitan Serapion, the leader of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii, is working to revise a sexual misconduct policy and issue a handbook to “take real and transparent action to ensure there are no more victims.”
Statement Regarding Sexual Misconduct pic.twitter.com/SK1clnvAHc — LACopts (@lacopts) July 27, 2020
The policy, which has been applied across other U.S. dioceses, was last updated in 2013 and is being amended to keep up with the evolving statute of limitations laws following the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements that gripped Hollywood and beyond.
Serapion said in his 25 years with the diocese, only two cases of misconduct had been escalated to him; one involved a minor and was forwarded to law enforcement.
“Of course we say ‘forgive and forget’ to be healed, to overcome it. It doesn’t mean don’t press charges. Any reconciliation cannot be a real reconciliation without justice,” Serapion said.
His diocese’s strict policy does not allow visiting priests to serve in his churches and calls for incidents to be reported to authorities. It applies to clergy, employees and servants within the church, he said, all of whom will be required to undergo mandatory training on the policy and related protocols, including training on state-mandated reporting. He said he has done the training himself.
Additionally, a diverse committee of clergy and laity (men and women, including therapists) has been working on protocols regarding investigation and reporting, as well as counseling. He encouraged victims to come forward and use the resources at their disposal.
Priests are also speaking with their youth groups about sexual abuse and echoed the sentiments in the dioceses’ public statements. Some are seeking out medical and psychological professionals to build out a network of resources for victims.
Zakhari said she appreciated the words, but still thinks the church has been slow to act.
“I’m some random girl in Florida, and I got this priest removed in six days,” she said. “These hierarchs couldn’t do it for 17 years.”


latimes--2020-07-28--Texas man charged with murder in Hollywood street race shooting that left teen girl dead

A Texas man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a shooting at a street racing scene that left a teenage girl dead in the heart of Hollywood , prosecutors said .
Ramon Roque Monreal , 33 , of El Paso was also charged with attempted murder after he allegedly sprayed bullets during a dispute near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue early Sunday , according to the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office .
Alejandra Estrada , 17 , of Huntington Park was killed during the altercation .
A second victim was wounded , prosecutors said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday afternoon , but his hearing was continued and he has not entered a plea .
It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney .
Monreal was armed with a handgun when he was arrested Sunday morning , Los Angeles police said .
The shooting was captured in a number of videos posted to social media and appeared to spill out of an argument between two men in the busy intersection that is usually overrun with tourists on the Walk of Fame .
In one video , a man wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoes — who police say is Monreal — can be seen confronting a larger man wearing a white shirt , gray shorts and sandals .
“ You down to do some [ stuff ] like that ?
” the man in the black shirt asks before pulling a handgun from his waistband .
A third man who was watching the confrontation immediately swings and punches the gunman in the head twice from behind , knocking him to the ground .
During the struggle , the gunman then appears to fire three quick shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scattering the crowd .
Ricardo Santiago , a spokesman for the district attorney ’ s office , said Estrada and the other victim were not involved in the dispute , though it was not clear if they were attending the street race or simply standing in the area when the shots rang out .
Earlier this year , police warned that street racers were taking advantage of empty roadways during the pandemic , with reports of sideshows , takeovers and roll races coming in from throughout the state not long after much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
A law enforcement official described the event that led to the shooting Sunday as a “ full-blown takeover , ” referring to incidents where street racers block sections of roadway to perform dangerous vehicle stunts , including burnouts .
A number of racers had come to Southern California from the Bay Area over the weekend as part of an event known as Bay-to-L.A. , according to the official , who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly about an ongoing investigation .
The dispute came after an L.A. racer smacked his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hollywood and Highland intersection , the official said .
While that kind of behavior is common at L.A. takeovers , the official said , Monreal took offense to it .
Monreal has previously resided in Oakland and has been affiliated with Bay Area street racing crews , the official said .

A Texas man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a shooting at a street racing scene that left a teenage girl dead in the heart of Hollywood, prosecutors said.
Ramon Roque Monreal, 33, of El Paso was also charged with attempted murder after he allegedly sprayed bullets during a dispute near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue early Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Alejandra Estrada, 17, of Huntington Park was killed during the altercation. A second victim was wounded, prosecutors said.
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Monreal was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, but his hearing was continued and he has not entered a plea. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.
A sidewalk memorial was set up at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood for Alejandra Estrada, 17. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Monreal was armed with a handgun when he was arrested Sunday morning, Los Angeles police said. The shooting was captured in a number of videos posted to social media and appeared to spill out of an argument between two men in the busy intersection that is usually overrun with tourists on the Walk of Fame.
In one video, a man wearing a black shirt, dark pants and white shoes — who police say is Monreal — can be seen confronting a larger man wearing a white shirt, gray shorts and sandals.
“You down to do some [stuff] like that?” the man in the black shirt asks before pulling a handgun from his waistband. A third man who was watching the confrontation immediately swings and punches the gunman in the head twice from behind, knocking him to the ground.
During the struggle, the gunman then appears to fire three quick shots as he jumps to his feet, scattering the crowd. Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said Estrada and the other victim were not involved in the dispute, though it was not clear if they were attending the street race or simply standing in the area when the shots rang out.
Earlier this year, police warned that street racers were taking advantage of empty roadways during the pandemic, with reports of sideshows, takeovers and roll races coming in from throughout the state not long after much of California shut down in response to the coronavirus.
A law enforcement official described the event that led to the shooting Sunday as a “full-blown takeover,” referring to incidents where street racers block sections of roadway to perform dangerous vehicle stunts, including burnouts.
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A number of racers had come to Southern California from the Bay Area over the weekend as part of an event known as Bay-to-L.A., according to the official, who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly about an ongoing investigation.
The dispute came after an L.A. racer smacked his hand against a car doing doughnuts near the Hollywood and Highland intersection, the official said. While that kind of behavior is common at L.A. takeovers, the official said, Monreal took offense to it.
Monreal has previously resided in Oakland and has been affiliated with Bay Area street racing crews, the official said.


latimes--2020-07-28--California Legislature to consider new tax on millionaires for schools, other services

Democrats in the California Legislature have unveiled a new effort to significantly raise tax rates on taxable income of $ 1 million and higher , an effort they say would provide billions of dollars to improve K-12 schools and a variety of government services vital to the state ’ s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic .
The bill , jointly introduced by 15 Democrats Monday in the Senate , is the clearest sign so far that liberal legislators and interest groups intend to put pressure on business-aligned lawmakers and Gov .
Gavin Newsom for new tax revenue before the legislative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California ’ s deep-seated racial and socioeconomic inequities , exacerbated by the current recession , can ’ t be addressed without more government resources .
“ When you take a look at the state , there ’ s a lot of pain and suffering out there , and we need to put every idea on the table , ” said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago ( D-Los Angeles ) , the bill ’ s author .
Assembly Bill 1253 lays out three new surcharges on income tax for California ’ s highest earners .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on adjusted gross income starting at $ 1 million , increasing to 3 % for those who earn more than $ 2 million and rising to 3.5 % for taxpayers with income above $ 5 million .
Santiago ’ s staff cites a labor-union analysis that the tax increase could amount to $ 6.8 billion in new annual revenue .
That ’ s equal to almost half the amount of general-fund spending in the current fiscal year for the University of California and California State University systems .
If approved by a supermajority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of August and signed by Newsom , AB 1253 would apply to all income earned since Jan. 1 .
The impact would be felt almost immediately by taxpayers who file quarterly and face their next installment on Sept. 15 .
Jeff Freitas , president of the California Federation of Teachers , praised the proposal as fair in light of continued success in the stock market for some of the state ’ s wealthiest residents during the coronavirus crisis , and record-high unemployment for millions of others .
“ California must invest in essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to stop the spread of this pandemic and recover from this economic crisis , ” he said .
“ The stark and widening inequality laid bare by the pandemic makes apparent that we must have a more equitable tax structure to invest in California.
” Education groups are likely to be some of the proposal ’ s biggest champions .
The state budget signed last month by Newsom relies on $ 12.5 billion in deferred payments to public schools , money the schools will have to borrow or take from their reserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come .
Even with overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the state Senate and Assembly , a new and permanent increase in income tax is far from a sure bet .
Sizable numbers of Democrats in both houses are generally more aligned with the limited tax positions of business groups .
Critics are already warning the bill could be an economic drag on the state .
“ During the worst recession in decades , it would be an astonishingly bad idea to enact a massive tax increase , ” said David Kline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other than a controversial recession-inspired levy imposed in 1991 with the backing of the governor at the time , Pete Wilson , state lawmakers have shied away from tax increases .
The last effort was in 2009 , when legislators and Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger asked voters to raise taxes — a ballot measure that was soundly defeated and resulted in the electoral defeat of Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats in supporting the proposal .
Voters changed their minds in 2012 , imposing temporary income and sales taxes championed by Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ income tax increases , affecting those earning more than $ 250,000 , were extended by voters in 2016 and will expire in 2030 .
The tax increases in AB 1253 would be permanent .
Santiago , who said he has spent most of his recent weekends watching long lines at food banks in his district , stretching through much of downtown L.A. , said he worries that low-income communities will continue to suffer long after the coronavirus is contained .
“ We ’ re not talking about increasing taxes on the average person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an idea that should be debated.
” AB 1253 would affect the tax returns of only 0.5 % of those who filed in 2018 , according to data compiled by the state Franchise Tax Board .
But those taxpayers already account for 40 % of all income tax revenue collected that year — a function of the state ’ s strongly progressive tax structure .
California ’ s highest marginal tax rate is 13.3 % , higher than that of any other state , according to statistics compiled by the Tax Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D.C. For years , critics of California ’ s tax policy have warned that its most wealthy residents might consider moving to other states if taxes continue to rise .
In the meantime , demand for government services is on the rise .
The state ’ s Employment Development Department has paid out jobless benefits to 8.7 million Californians since the beginning of March .
And while the state ’ s budget was balanced for the current year , with a combination of delayed payments and cash reserves , estimates are that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fill an operating deficit currently projected at $ 8.7 billion .

California’s state Senate, seen in May, will consider a proposal to impose new taxes on California millionaires.
Democrats in the California Legislature have unveiled a new effort to significantly raise tax rates on taxable income of $1 million and higher, an effort they say would provide billions of dollars to improve K-12 schools and a variety of government services vital to the state’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill, jointly introduced by 15 Democrats Monday in the Senate, is the clearest sign so far that liberal legislators and interest groups intend to put pressure on business-aligned lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom for new tax revenue before the legislative session ends Aug. 31 — arguing that California’s deep-seated racial and socioeconomic inequities, exacerbated by the current recession, can’t be addressed without more government resources.
“When you take a look at the state, there’s a lot of pain and suffering out there, and we need to put every idea on the table,” said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), the bill’s author.
Assembly Bill 1253 lays out three new surcharges on income tax for California’s highest earners. It would impose a new 1% surcharge on adjusted gross income starting at $1 million, increasing to 3% for those who earn more than $2 million and rising to 3.5% for taxpayers with income above $5 million.
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Santiago’s staff cites a labor-union analysis that the tax increase could amount to $6.8 billion in new annual revenue. That’s equal to almost half the amount of general-fund spending in the current fiscal year for the University of California and California State University systems.
If approved by a supermajority vote of both houses before the end of August and signed by Newsom, AB 1253 would apply to all income earned since Jan. 1. The impact would be felt almost immediately by taxpayers who file quarterly and face their next installment on Sept. 15.
Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, praised the proposal as fair in light of continued success in the stock market for some of the state’s wealthiest residents during the coronavirus crisis, and record-high unemployment for millions of others.
“California must invest in essential services, including public education, in order to stop the spread of this pandemic and recover from this economic crisis,” he said. “The stark and widening inequality laid bare by the pandemic makes apparent that we must have a more equitable tax structure to invest in California.”
Education groups are likely to be some of the proposal’s biggest champions. The state budget signed last month by Newsom relies on $12.5 billion in deferred payments to public schools, money the schools will have to borrow or take from their reserves and wait to be repaid in years to come.
Even with overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the state Senate and Assembly, a new and permanent increase in income tax is far from a sure bet. Sizable numbers of Democrats in both houses are generally more aligned with the limited tax positions of business groups. Critics are already warning the bill could be an economic drag on the state.
“During the worst recession in decades, it would be an astonishingly bad idea to enact a massive tax increase,” said David Kline, a spokesman for the California Taxpayers Assn.
Other than a controversial recession-inspired levy imposed in 1991 with the backing of the governor at the time, Pete Wilson, state lawmakers have shied away from tax increases. The last effort was in 2009, when legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked voters to extend temporary taxes — a ballot measure that was soundly defeated and resulted in the electoral defeat of Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats in supporting the proposal.
Voters changed their minds in 2012, imposing temporary income and sales taxes championed by Gov. Jerry Brown and labor unions. The income tax increases, affecting those earning more than $250,000, were extended by voters in 2016 and will expire in 2030.
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The tax increases in AB 1253 would be permanent. Santiago, who said he has spent most of his recent weekends watching long lines at food banks in his district, stretching through much of downtown L.A., said he worries that low-income communities will continue to suffer long after the coronavirus is contained.
“We’re not talking about increasing taxes on the average person,” Santiago said. “This is an idea that should be debated.”
AB 1253 would affect the tax returns of only 0.5% of those who filed in 2018, according to data compiled by the state Franchise Tax Board. But those taxpayers already account for 40% of all income tax revenue collected that year — a function of the state’s strongly progressive tax structure.
California’s highest marginal tax rate is 13.3%, higher than that of any other state, according to statistics compiled by the Tax Foundation, a conservative-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C. For years, critics of California’s tax policy have warned that its most wealthy residents might consider moving to other states if taxes continue to rise.
In the meantime, demand for government services is on the rise. The state’s Employment Development Department has paid out jobless benefits to 8.7 million Californians since the beginning of March. And while the state’s budget was balanced for the current year, with a combination of delayed payments and cash reserves, estimates are that additional actions will be needed next year to fill an operating deficit currently projected at $8.7 billion.


latimes--2020-07-28--Orange County reports 15 coronavirus deaths, the highest single-day count since June

The Orange County Health Agency on Tuesday reported its highest number of daily deaths related to COVID-19 in more than a month .
The health department reported 15 deaths , a count tallied once before on June 24 , bringing the coronavirus death toll in the county to 581 .
Five of the individuals who died lived in skilled nursing facilities , which account for 253 of the county ’ s deaths .
The county also reported an additional 187 coronavirus cases , bringing the total number of infections to more than 34,800 .
There are 640 people hospitalized for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care .
The number of hospitalizations hit 600 at the start of July and climbed above 700 mid-month before declining over the past week .
The county ’ s seven-day positivity rate , or the average number of positive test results among all those tested in that period , currently stands at 11.1 % .
That number falls above the state ’ s safety threshold for COVID-19 guidelines , but is lower than what has previously been reported .
The state is monitoring Orange County , as well as more than 30 other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge in cases and the virus ’ s rate of transmission .
The county accounts for the second-highest number of cases in the state .
L.A. County , the state ’ s most populous , continues to account for the bulk of infections in California .
On Tuesday , L.A. County health officials reported 2,708 additional cases , bringing the total number of infections to more than 178,600 , and 51 deaths , including two people between the ages of 18 and 29 who had underlying health conditions .
That age demographic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the county .
Health officials are expecting a backlog of cases in the coming days due to reporting delays , which could result in a much higher case count .
More than 2,051 people who have been confirmed to have the virus are hospitalized , including 29 % who are intensive care .
An additional 570 people who are suspected to have the virus are also hospitalized .
Recently , California ’ s COVID-19 epicenter has shifted to the Central Valley , where eight counties have been ravaged by the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gavin Newsom said he asked the California Legislature to approve $ 52 million to expand testing , tracing and isolation protocols in the affected region where the virus has disproportionately affected Latino communities .
That ’ s also the case throughout the state , including L.A. County , where Black and Latino populations have been more impacted by the virus than other groups .
In an effort to better serve those communities , California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said Tuesday that labs and providers that collect coronavirus tests will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ethnicity — a practice that is standard in L.A. County but is not a set statewide protocol .
“ About a third of our cases that are reported to California Department of Public Health don ’ t come with race and ethnicity data .
We need that to improve so that we have a better sense of where transmission is happening , which communities are impacted , ” Ghaly said .
“ We know early on that roughly ... 47 % of our COVID cases were among Latino populations .
Today that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which represents a significant increase of the total impact on the Latino population .
”

Pedestrians walk along the strand in Huntington Beach in Orange County, which has had a total of more than 34,800 COVID-19 cases.
The Orange County Health Agency on Tuesday reported its highest number of daily deaths related to COVID-19 in more than a month.
The health department reported 15 deaths, a count tallied once before on June 24, bringing the coronavirus death toll in the county to 581. Five of the individuals who died lived in skilled nursing facilities, which account for 253 of the county’s deaths.
The county also reported an additional 187 coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to more than 34,800.
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There are 640 people hospitalized for the virus, including 203 in intensive care. The number of hospitalizations hit 600 at the start of July and climbed above 700 mid-month before declining over the past week.
The county’s seven-day positivity rate, or the average number of positive test results among all those tested in that period, currently stands at 11.1%. That number falls above the state’s safety threshold for COVID-19 guidelines, but is lower than what has previously been reported. The state is monitoring Orange County, as well as more than 30 other counties, including Los Angeles, for a surge in cases and the virus’s rate of transmission.
The county accounts for the second-highest number of cases in the state. L.A. County, the state’s most populous, continues to account for the bulk of infections in California.
On Tuesday, L.A. County health officials reported 2,708 additional cases, bringing the total number of infections to more than 178,600, and 51 deaths, including two people between the ages of 18 and 29 who had underlying health conditions. That age demographic accounts for 0.6% of COVID-19 deaths in the county.
Health officials are expecting a backlog of cases in the coming days due to reporting delays, which could result in a much higher case count.
More than 2,051 people who have been confirmed to have the virus are hospitalized, including 29% who are intensive care. An additional 570 people who are suspected to have the virus are also hospitalized.
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Recently, California’s COVID-19 epicenter has shifted to the Central Valley, where eight counties have been ravaged by the virus in recent weeks.
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he asked the California Legislature to approve $52 million to expand testing, tracing and isolation protocols in the affected region where the virus has disproportionately affected Latino communities. That’s also the case throughout the state, including L.A. County, where Black and Latino populations have been more impacted by the virus than other groups.
In an effort to better serve those communities, California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said Tuesday that labs and providers that collect coronavirus tests will be asked to retrieve information on race and ethnicity — a practice that is standard in L.A. County but is not a set statewide protocol.
“About a third of our cases that are reported to California Department of Public Health don’t come with race and ethnicity data. We need that to improve so that we have a better sense of where transmission is happening, which communities are impacted,” Ghaly said. “We know early on that roughly ... 47% of our COVID cases were among Latino populations. Today that number is closer to 56%, which represents a significant increase of the total impact on the Latino population.”
Time staff writer John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-28--L.A. County district attorney refiles public corruption charges against former assessor Noguez, othe

L.A. County district attorney refiles public corruption charges against former assessor Noguez, others

The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office has refiled charges against former county Assessor John Noguez , reviving the long-running bribery and public corruption case after an appellate court ordered its dismissal on a technical violation .
In a criminal complaint filed Monday , prosecutors accused Noguez along with Mark McNeil , a top official in the assessor ’ s office , and Arizona tax consultant Ramin Salari of participating in a scheme in which Noguez would accept bribes to illegally lower the values of properties across greater L.A. so that Salari ’ s clients would pay less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2012 and accused of accepting a $ 185,000 bribe , but the case was marked by delays owing in part to the tens of thousands of pages of evidence collected by investigators .
At a preliminary hearing in the summer of 2018 , a judge found sufficient evidence for the trio to stand trial .
However , the L.A. County district attorney ’ s office did not file a charging document within 15 days of the preliminary hearing .
In May , the 2nd District Court of Appeals ordered all charges against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadline , although the ruling did not prohibit Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s office from rebooting .
“ The prosecution refiling the case was completely expected , ” said Noguez ’ s defense attorney , Anthony Falangetti .
“ Mr .
Noguez has always maintained that he ’ s innocent , and he continues to maintain he ’ s innocent .
He intends to fight this.
” Stephen G. Larson , Salari ’ s defense attorney , who is also a former federal judge , said the charges were “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I ’ m disappointed in the DA ’ s office .
I don ’ t think they thought this through , ” Larson added .
“ They should have used [ the appellate ruling ] as a time-out to reevaluate the evidence .
This case is going to be driven into a brick wall .
It ’ s really problematic on many levels.
” Larson said the case was flawed because it relied “ on a highly unreliable witness ” and because the lower tax assessments sought by Salari — brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aftermath of the Great Recession — were agreed upon and validated by the county ’ s assessment appeals board , a quasi-judicial body .
“ We are very convinced that if this case goes to trial , we are confident the evidence will establish [ Salari ’ s ] innocence , ” Larson added .
Noguez , a longtime Huntington Park city councilman who was elected in 2010 to serve as L.A. County ’ s tax assessor , was first led out of his home in handcuffs in 2012 .
Then-Dist .
Atty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most significant public corruption cases in county government in decades .
“ Residents must have confidence that their government is not for sale to the highest bidder or the highest briber , ” Cooley said at the time .
Prosecutors allege that McNeil ’ s role was to help obtain the tax reductions for Salari ’ s clients .
Among the properties that received the reductions : The site of the shuttered Old Spaghetti Factory in Hollywood , a grocery store in Torrance and a seven-bedroom mansion in Bel-Air , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Santa Monica , Hermosa Beach and Beverly Hills also benefited from the breaks .
Some refunds reached into six figures , according to court records , including two neighboring apartment complexes in Hermosa Beach , with refunds totaling more than $ 560,000 .
Over the years , the case was amended several times , with the number of charges against Noguez fluctuating from 24 to 36 to 25 .
The latest complaint against him has 39 counts , including perjury , embezzlement , accepting a bribe , grand theft , misappropriation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theft .
Noguez faces a maximum sentence of 36 years in prison if convicted as charged .
Salari faces 59 years in prison and McNeil , 22 years .
Marilyn Bednarski , the defense attorney representing McNeil , said in a statement that her client will prove his innocence in court .
“ We believe it is a flawed circumstantial case based on the District Attorney ’ s Office misunderstanding of the laws applicable to tax laws , ” Bednarski said .

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has refiled charges against former county Assessor John Noguez, reviving the long-running bribery and public corruption case after an appellate court ordered its dismissal on a technical violation.
In a criminal complaint filed Monday, prosecutors accused Noguez along with Mark McNeil, a top official in the assessor’s office, and Arizona tax consultant Ramin Salari of participating in a scheme in which Noguez would accept bribes to illegally lower the values of properties across greater L.A. so that Salari’s clients would pay less in taxes.
Noguez was first arrested in 2012 and accused of accepting a $185,000 bribe, but the case was marked by delays owing in part to the tens of thousands of pages of evidence collected by investigators. At a preliminary hearing in the summer of 2018, a judge found sufficient evidence for the trio to stand trial.
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However, the L.A. County district attorney’s office did not file a charging document within 15 days of the preliminary hearing.
In May, the 2nd District Court of Appeals ordered all charges against the trio dismissed because of the missed deadline, although the ruling did not prohibit Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office from rebooting.
“The prosecution refiling the case was completely expected,” said Noguez’s defense attorney, Anthony Falangetti. “Mr. Noguez has always maintained that he’s innocent, and he continues to maintain he’s innocent. He intends to fight this.”
Stephen G. Larson, Salari’s defense attorney, who is also a former federal judge, said the charges were “completely meritless, both legally and factually.”
“I’m disappointed in the DA’s office. I don’t think they thought this through,” Larson added. “They should have used [the appellate ruling] as a time-out to reevaluate the evidence. This case is going to be driven into a brick wall. It’s really problematic on many levels.”
Larson said the case was flawed because it relied “on a highly unreliable witness” and because the lower tax assessments sought by Salari — brought about by lower property values in the aftermath of the Great Recession — were agreed upon and validated by the county’s assessment appeals board, a quasi-judicial body.
“We are very convinced that if this case goes to trial, we are confident the evidence will establish [Salari’s] innocence,” Larson added.
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Noguez, a longtime Huntington Park city councilman who was elected in 2010 to serve as L.A. County’s tax assessor, was first led out of his home in handcuffs in 2012. Then-Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley described it as one of the most significant public corruption cases in county government in decades.
“Residents must have confidence that their government is not for sale to the highest bidder or the highest briber,” Cooley said at the time.
Prosecutors allege that McNeil’s role was to help obtain the tax reductions for Salari’s clients. Among the properties that received the reductions: The site of the shuttered Old Spaghetti Factory in Hollywood, a grocery store in Torrance and a seven-bedroom mansion in Bel-Air, according to court documents. Owners of parcels in Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach and Beverly Hills also benefited from the breaks.
Some refunds reached into six figures, according to court records, including two neighboring apartment complexes in Hermosa Beach, with refunds totaling more than $560,000.
Over the years, the case was amended several times, with the number of charges against Noguez fluctuating from 24 to 36 to 25. The latest complaint against him has 39 counts, including perjury, embezzlement, accepting a bribe, grand theft, misappropriation of public funds and conspiracy to commit grand theft.
Noguez faces a maximum sentence of 36 years in prison if convicted as charged. Salari faces 59 years in prison and McNeil, 22 years.
Marilyn Bednarski, the defense attorney representing McNeil, said in a statement that her client will prove his innocence in court.
“We believe it is a flawed circumstantial case based on the District Attorney’s Office misunderstanding of the laws applicable to tax laws,” Bednarski said.


latimes--2020-07-28--Hundreds of cases involving LAPD officers accused of corruption now under review

Hundreds of criminal cases involving three city police officers charged earlier this month with falsifying evidence are now under review by prosecutors after corruption allegations sparked questions about whether their past police work could be suspect .
Prosecutors are already analyzing pending cases to determine if they can move forward on the strength of evidence other than the charged officers ’ testimony , but past cases and convictions — including those based on plea deals — could also be revisited , Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey said .
Her office is sending letters to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of the charged officers as potential witnesses , urging them or their attorneys to contact her office if they feel the officers ’ involvement was prejudicial or merits further review .
Defendants who were convicted in cases involving officers Braxton Shaw , Michael Coblentz or Nicolas Martinez “ should contact us for more information , so that together we can make a determination as to whether their conviction should stand , ” Lacey said .
She said prosecutors would prioritize any cases in which the defendants are incarcerated .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions , because it does affect the criminal justice system and it affects how people view the criminal justice system — whether they have faith in it or not , ” Lacey said .
“ I take it seriously.
” “ An officer ’ s most critical value , aside from their heart and their compassion for people and dedication for service , is their integrity , ” he said .
“ When that ’ s lost , it jeopardizes everything they ’ ve touched.
” The reviews are the latest step by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that broke earlier this year , involving LAPD officers allegedly identifying people they stopped as gang members or associates on field interview cards without evidence .
Criminal justice reform advocates say such labels can follow people through their lives and hurt their ability to find employment and housing .
Lacey ’ s office filed a 59-count complaint earlier this month charging Shaw , Coblentz and Martinez with conspiracy to obstruct justice and multiple counts of filing false reports and preparing false evidence .
Prosecutors alleged the officers wrote on field cards that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body-camera footage showed no such admissions or showed the individuals had explicitly denied gang affiliation .
Shaw is accused of falsifying 43 cards , Coblentz of falsifying seven and Martinez of falsifying two .
However , Lacey ’ s review goes far beyond those incidents , to include felony cases from the start of the officers ’ careers .
For Shaw , that is 206 cases involving 256 defendants since February 2009 , according to district attorney records obtained by The Times .
For Coblentz , that is 296 cases involving 345 defendants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is 122 cases involving 157 defendants since September 2010 .
The officers , who were all assigned to the LAPD ’ s elite Metro Division , handled a range of cases , up to and including homicides .
Shaw ’ s credibility came into question in 2015 when a prosecutor discovered video from an LAPD patrol car that contradicted testimony Shaw gave about a weapons arrest .
The following year , a judge tossed out an unrelated firearm case after prosecutors disclosed their investigation of Shaw .
Attorneys for the officers did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greg Yacoubian , an attorney for Shaw , has previously said Shaw did nothing wrong , and followed directions from his commanders .
While prosecutors are proactively reviewing pending cases , Lacey said it will be “ more efficient ” in closed cases for her office to wait on defense counsel to “ tell us whether they wish to have it reopened or re-examined.
” For those cases in which the charged officers are major witnesses , Lacey said prosecutors will determine whether dismissal is “ in the interest of justice.
” However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built on evidence beyond the word of individual officers , and it ’ s possible that few will be undone .
“ It may be that the officers , although listed as a subpoenaed witness , may not have witnessed anything , may not be a key player , or there may be other witnesses who corroborated that a crime occurred , ” Lacey said .
Moore said he is confident the state “ does not just have to rely on those officers ’ accounts ” to prove many of the cases identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , however , suggested the impact of the officers ’ alleged actions goes beyond guilt or innocence , including by serving as the basis for labeling defendants as gang members , which can lead to harsher sentences .
Stephen Kahn , a Beverly Hills defense attorney who specializes in gang and felony cases , said those harsher sentences could also require a remedy if the officers ’ testimony was found to be crucial to the filing of an enhancement .
Inaccurate gang pronouncements , he said , leave defendants at a steep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s a bad guy , and therefore , he ’ s guilty .
It really changes the whole tenor of the case , ” Kahn said .
“ It makes it harder to ever settle the case .
It forces these people , most of whom have public defenders … to take a deal .
And a lot of people plead to things that they would not have plead to , but for the gang allegations.
” In addition to the Metro scandal , a 2016 audit of the statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of several agencies that “ could not substantiate ” the reasons it had added people .
In 2018 , a federal judge barred the LAPD from enforcing most of the city ’ s gang injunctions — which restrict movements of suspected gang members — by ruling the department had violated the individuals ’ due process rights .
Lacey , who has been criticized as being weak in holding officers accountable and faces stiff competition from challenger George Gascón in the district attorney race in November , said her prosecutors use a range of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAPD to verify gang affiliations — including “ tattoos and Facebook posts ” — and will continue to do so to seek higher sentences fairly .
“ Gang crime does happen and there are innocent people who are living in communities who want prosecutors to address gang crime , ” Lacey said .
“ For me , the bottom line is : Be careful with this evidence .
Make sure you have enough evidence to prove that someone did something for the benefit of a gang .
You shouldn ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it out.
” In addition to Shaw , Coblentz and Martinez , more than 20 other LAPD officers are under investigation in the field card scandal .
If any are criminally charged , their past cases may also be reviewed , Lacey said .
Peter Bibring , a senior staff attorney for the ACLU , said Lacey ’ s review falls far short of what ’ s necessary to mitigate misconduct that likely goes beyond the three charged officers .
Instead of putting the onus on defendants to repair a mistake caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Conviction Review Unit initiate a case audit .
“ Just simply notifying defense attorneys in cases where these specific cops testified definitely doesn ’ t get at the harm this scandal has caused , ” he said .

Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office is revisiting hundreds of cases involving three city officers who her office charged with falsifying evidence.
Hundreds of criminal cases involving three city police officers charged earlier this month with falsifying evidence are now under review by prosecutors after corruption allegations sparked questions about whether their past police work could be suspect.
Prosecutors are already analyzing pending cases to determine if they can move forward on the strength of evidence other than the charged officers’ testimony, but past cases and convictions — including those based on plea deals — could also be revisited, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said.
Her office is sending letters to more than 750 defendants whose cases listed one or more of the charged officers as potential witnesses, urging them or their attorneys to contact her office if they feel the officers’ involvement was prejudicial or merits further review.
Defendants who were convicted in cases involving officers Braxton Shaw, Michael Coblentz or Nicolas Martinez “should contact us for more information, so that together we can make a determination as to whether their conviction should stand,” Lacey said.
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She said prosecutors would prioritize any cases in which the defendants are incarcerated.
“I’m extremely disappointed in the officers’ actions, because it does affect the criminal justice system and it affects how people view the criminal justice system — whether they have faith in it or not,” Lacey said. “I take it seriously.”
LAPD Chief Michel Moore called the review “appropriate.”
“An officer’s most critical value, aside from their heart and their compassion for people and dedication for service, is their integrity,” he said. “When that’s lost, it jeopardizes everything they’ve touched.”
The reviews are the latest step by law enforcement officials to address a scandal that broke earlier this year, involving LAPD officers allegedly identifying people they stopped as gang members or associates on field interview cards without evidence. Criminal justice reform advocates say such labels can follow people through their lives and hurt their ability to find employment and housing.
Lacey’s office filed a 59-count complaint earlier this month charging Shaw, Coblentz and Martinez with conspiracy to obstruct justice and multiple counts of filing false reports and preparing false evidence. Prosecutors alleged the officers wrote on field cards that people had admitted to being gang members when body-camera footage showed no such admissions or showed the individuals had explicitly denied gang affiliation.
Shaw is accused of falsifying 43 cards, Coblentz of falsifying seven and Martinez of falsifying two.
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However, Lacey’s review goes far beyond those incidents, to include felony cases from the start of the officers’ careers. For Shaw, that is 206 cases involving 256 defendants since February 2009, according to district attorney records obtained by The Times. For Coblentz, that is 296 cases involving 345 defendants since July 2002. For Martinez, that is 122 cases involving 157 defendants since September 2010.
The officers, who were all assigned to the LAPD’s elite Metro Division, handled a range of cases, up to and including homicides.
Shaw’s credibility came into question in 2015 when a prosecutor discovered video from an LAPD patrol car that contradicted testimony Shaw gave about a weapons arrest. The following year, a judge tossed out an unrelated firearm case after prosecutors disclosed their investigation of Shaw.
Attorneys for the officers did not respond to requests for comment. Greg Yacoubian, an attorney for Shaw, has previously said Shaw did nothing wrong, and followed directions from his commanders.
While prosecutors are proactively reviewing pending cases, Lacey said it will be “more efficient” in closed cases for her office to wait on defense counsel to “tell us whether they wish to have it reopened or re-examined.”
For those cases in which the charged officers are major witnesses, Lacey said prosecutors will determine whether dismissal is “in the interest of justice.”
However, Lacey said many criminal cases are built on evidence beyond the word of individual officers, and it’s possible that few will be undone.
“It may be that the officers, although listed as a subpoenaed witness, may not have witnessed anything, may not be a key player, or there may be other witnesses who corroborated that a crime occurred,” Lacey said.
Moore said he is confident the state “does not just have to rely on those officers’ accounts” to prove many of the cases identified.
Defense attorneys who specialize in gang cases, however, suggested the impact of the officers’ alleged actions goes beyond guilt or innocence, including by serving as the basis for labeling defendants as gang members, which can lead to harsher sentences.
Stephen Kahn, a Beverly Hills defense attorney who specializes in gang and felony cases, said those harsher sentences could also require a remedy if the officers’ testimony was found to be crucial to the filing of an enhancement. Inaccurate gang pronouncements, he said, leave defendants at a steep disadvantage at trial.
“It implies that he’s a bad guy, and therefore, he’s guilty. It really changes the whole tenor of the case,” Kahn said. “It makes it harder to ever settle the case. It forces these people, most of whom have public defenders … to take a deal. And a lot of people plead to things that they would not have plead to, but for the gang allegations.”
In addition to the Metro scandal, a 2016 audit of the statewide CalGang database found the LAPD was one of several agencies that “could not substantiate” the reasons it had added people. In 2018, a federal judge barred the LAPD from enforcing most of the city’s gang injunctions — which restrict movements of suspected gang members — by ruling the department had violated the individuals’ due process rights.
Lacey, who has been criticized as being weak in holding officers accountable and faces stiff competition from challenger George Gascón in the district attorney race in November, said her prosecutors use a range of sources and information beyond that provided by the LAPD to verify gang affiliations — including “tattoos and Facebook posts” — and will continue to do so to seek higher sentences fairly.
“Gang crime does happen and there are innocent people who are living in communities who want prosecutors to address gang crime,” Lacey said. “For me, the bottom line is: Be careful with this evidence. Make sure you have enough evidence to prove that someone did something for the benefit of a gang. You shouldn’t just charge these gang enhancements without really checking it out.”
In addition to Shaw, Coblentz and Martinez, more than 20 other LAPD officers are under investigation in the field card scandal. If any are criminally charged, their past cases may also be reviewed, Lacey said.
Peter Bibring, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said Lacey’s review falls far short of what’s necessary to mitigate misconduct that likely goes beyond the three charged officers. Instead of putting the onus on defendants to repair a mistake caused by officer misconduct, Bibring suggested her office’s Conviction Review Unit initiate a case audit.
“Just simply notifying defense attorneys in cases where these specific cops testified definitely doesn’t get at the harm this scandal has caused,” he said.