latimes--2020-01-29--Admissions scandal: Mother arrested in Spain and charged with bribing son's way into UCLA to take de

Admissions scandal: Mother arrested in Spain and charged with bribing son's way into UCLA to take deal

Both prosecutors and lawyers for Xiaoning Sui , a Chinese mother detained in Madrid on charges of securing her son ’ s admission to UCLA through bribery , have proposed she spend no additional time in prison once she is extradited to the United States , according to court records and her attorney .
Sui , a Chinese national and resident of British Columbia , will plead guilty to a single count of federal program bribery , according to a plea agreement filed in federal court .
She was arrested by Spanish authorities in September .
Her attorney , Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney ’ s office in Massachusetts agreed that a penalty of time served — the months the 48-year-old mother will have spent in a Madrid jail by the time she is sentenced in Boston — would be “ a reasonable and appropriate ” resolution to her case , her plea agreement said .
“ This was an agreement that accomplished her principal objective , which was to have the government agree that no additional term of imprisonment would be required when she reached the United States , ” Weinberg said by telephone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office in Massachusetts declined to comment .
In the plea agreement , Sui admitted working with William “ Rick ” Singer , the Newport Beach consultant who for a decade oversaw a multimillion-dollar fraud that breached some of the country ’ s most prestigious schools to the alleged benefit of his star-studded clientele .
A $ 100,000 bribe to a UCLA soccer coach ensured Sui ’ s son was green-lit for admission to the university as a soccer recruit with a 25 % scholarship , prosecutors said .
The boy didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a judge accepts the joint proposal of no additional prison time , it would bring an unusual end to a case that stood apart from the outset .
Sui was indicted in March and a warrant was issued for her arrest .
But for months , as dozens of Singer ’ s clients were arrested and arraigned in packed courtrooms on the Boston waterfront , the indictment remained secret — and along with it , Sui ’ s dealings with Singer .
The Times reported some details of Sui ’ s deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived near Vancouver , at some point traveled to Madrid and was arrested by Spanish authorities in September .
She has since been detained , unlike 33 other parents charged in the scandal , who were allowed to post bond and remain out of custody while their cases are decided .
Two additional parents brokered plea deals without being arrested .
A judge in October handed down the longest sentence in the case so far — a five-month term — to Agustin Huneeus Jr. , a Napa vintner who pleaded guilty to conspiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jailed in Spain for four months .
Prosecutors calculated Sui ’ s offense level , which would determine her recommended sentencing range , at one that calls for 37 to 46 months in prison , according to federal sentencing guidelines .
While there is “ no agreement ” between prosecutors and Sui ’ s lawyers on how those guidelines apply in her case , the plea deal said , both sides proposed to U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock that a sentence of time served would be appropriate .
Woodlock must accept Sui @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been scheduled as of Tuesday .
In her plea agreement , Sui “ unequivocally ” admitted to taking part in a bribery scheme with Singer and Jorge Salcedo , the former UCLA men ’ s soccer coach .
Singer has pleaded guilty to four felonies and is cooperating with the government .
Salcedo , who resigned from UCLA shortly after his arrest in March , has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering , fraud and bribery .
On a conference call in August 2018 , Singer told the mother he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UCLA by writing his application in a “ special way , ” according to a charging document to which Sui will plead guilty .
Singer told her to set aside $ 400,000 in an escrow account , the document said .
Agents were recording the call with court authorization .
Singer sent her son ’ s transcripts and a falsified athletic profile to Ali Khosroshahin , a former USC soccer coach , who forwarded the materials to Salcedo , the document said .
Khosroshahin , who led the USC women ’ s soccer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty in June to racketeering conspiracy and is cooperating with prosecutors .
In paperwork that gave the boy priority status during the admissions process , Salcedo said he saw Sui ’ s son play soccer “ in China during a coaching education visit last year , ” and that he demonstrated “ good quickness and speed , ” the document said .
A month later , Singer — who by then was cooperating with authorities and letting them record his phone calls — told Sui in English to wire him $ 100,000 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach at UCLA.
” A translator on the call told Sui in Chinese : “ Your son is admitted to this school through UCLA ’ s soccer team .
That $ 100,000 is directly transferred to that soccer coach.
” “ OK , ” Sui said , according to the document .
She wired the money two days later , and Singer mailed Salcedo a $ 100,000 check , prosecutors alleged in an earlier indictment .
Khosroshahin received a $ 25,000 payment for acting as the go-between .

Both prosecutors and lawyers for Xiaoning Sui, a Chinese mother detained in Madrid on charges of securing her son’s admission to UCLA through bribery, have proposed she spend no additional time in prison once she is extradited to the United States, according to court records and her attorney.
Sui, a Chinese national and resident of British Columbia, will plead guilty to a single count of federal program bribery, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court. She was arrested by Spanish authorities in September.
Her attorney, Martin Weinberg, and prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts agreed that a penalty of time served — the months the 48-year-old mother will have spent in a Madrid jail by the time she is sentenced in Boston — would be “a reasonable and appropriate” resolution to her case, her plea agreement said.
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“This was an agreement that accomplished her principal objective, which was to have the government agree that no additional term of imprisonment would be required when she reached the United States,” Weinberg said by telephone. A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts declined to comment.
In the plea agreement, Sui admitted working with William “Rick” Singer, the Newport Beach consultant who for a decade oversaw a multimillion-dollar fraud that breached some of the country’s most prestigious schools to the alleged benefit of his star-studded clientele. A $100,000 bribe to a UCLA soccer coach ensured Sui’s son was green-lit for admission to the university as a soccer recruit with a 25% scholarship, prosecutors said. The boy didn’t play the sport competitively.
California Full Coverage: The college admissions scheme Federal prosecutors accused top CEOs, two Hollywood actresses and others of taking part in an audacious scheme to get their children into elite universities through fraud, bribes and lies.
If a judge accepts the joint proposal of no additional prison time, it would bring an unusual end to a case that stood apart from the outset. Sui was indicted in March and a warrant was issued for her arrest. But for months, as dozens of Singer’s clients were arrested and arraigned in packed courtrooms on the Boston waterfront, the indictment remained secret — and along with it, Sui’s dealings with Singer.
The Times reported some details of Sui’s deal with Singer in August. Sui, who lived near Vancouver, at some point traveled to Madrid and was arrested by Spanish authorities in September. She has since been detained, unlike 33 other parents charged in the scandal, who were allowed to post bond and remain out of custody while their cases are decided. Two additional parents brokered plea deals without being arrested.
A judge in October handed down the longest sentence in the case so far — a five-month term — to Agustin Huneeus Jr., a Napa vintner who pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud. Sui has been jailed in Spain for four months.
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California A $100,000 bribe got teen a UCLA soccer scholarship without even playing College admissions scandal: A $100,000 bribe and help from Rick Singer got him a soccer scholarship to UCLA. But he didn’t play.
Prosecutors calculated Sui’s offense level, which would determine her recommended sentencing range, at one that calls for 37 to 46 months in prison, according to federal sentencing guidelines. While there is “no agreement” between prosecutors and Sui’s lawyers on how those guidelines apply in her case, the plea deal said, both sides proposed to U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock that a sentence of time served would be appropriate.
Woodlock must accept Sui’s guilty plea; no hearing had been scheduled as of Tuesday.
In her plea agreement, Sui “unequivocally” admitted to taking part in a bribery scheme with Singer and Jorge Salcedo, the former UCLA men’s soccer coach. Singer has pleaded guilty to four felonies and is cooperating with the government. Salcedo, who resigned from UCLA shortly after his arrest in March, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering, fraud and bribery.
On a conference call in August 2018, Singer told the mother he would ensure her son was admitted to UCLA by writing his application in a “special way,” according to a charging document to which Sui will plead guilty. Singer told her to set aside $400,000 in an escrow account, the document said. Agents were recording the call with court authorization.
Singer sent her son’s transcripts and a falsified athletic profile to Ali Khosroshahin, a former USC soccer coach, who forwarded the materials to Salcedo, the document said. Khosroshahin, who led the USC women’s soccer program from 2007 to 2013, pleaded guilty in June to racketeering conspiracy and is cooperating with prosecutors.
In paperwork that gave the boy priority status during the admissions process, Salcedo said he saw Sui’s son play soccer “in China during a coaching education visit last year,” and that he demonstrated “good quickness and speed,” the document said.
A month later, Singer — who by then was cooperating with authorities and letting them record his phone calls — told Sui in English to wire him $100,000, which would be “paid to the coach at UCLA.” A translator on the call told Sui in Chinese: “Your son is admitted to this school through UCLA’s soccer team. That $100,000 is directly transferred to that soccer coach.”
“OK,” Sui said, according to the document. She wired the money two days later, and Singer mailed Salcedo a $100,000 check, prosecutors alleged in an earlier indictment. Khosroshahin received a $25,000 payment for acting as the go-between.


latimes--2020-01-29--Major resource infusion is in the works for 20 struggling L.A. schools

Twenty struggling Los Angeles schools will get a mega-infusion of resources in an aggressive , experimental effort to show that L.A. Unified — if properly funded — can boost student achievement , L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner announced on Tuesday .
The effort , tentatively called Project 2020 , seeks to raise standardized test scores in reading and math by 20 percentage points at each of 20 elementary schools within two years , a challenging statistical jump , based on typical school performance .
During a talk at UCLA , Beutner also presented other elements of his core long-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-largest school system , where achievement trails state averages and large gaps separate the performance of white and Asian students from black and Latino students .
A large gap also separates students from low-income families and those better off .
Overall , about 44 % of district students test as proficient in English and about 34 % in math .
The superintendent highlighted his ongoing project to decentralize — which aims to organize groups of schools within geographic communities , such as Boyle Heights .
He also said the district should focus more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development opportunities aimed at retaining teachers , and expand programs that develop fully bilingual students .
Beutner also intends to revamp the training of aspiring principals .
At present , he said , their preparation concentrates too much on how to comply with district procedures .
He wants fledgling principals to spend an entire semester shadowing a highly regarded principal .
And he wants their training to include community organizing .
But nothing would showcase his efforts more than Project 2020 , which envisions placing an extra teacher in every early-grade class to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more engaging math program that is based on recommendations from district teachers .
Although Beutner hasn ’ t yet selected the schools or set a funding level , he sees the effort as a way to bust through the “ seduction of incrementalism , ” he said during a discussion with UCLA education professor Pedro Noguera before an audience of invited guests .
“ What do we know would work to see a 20-point literacy gain ?
” Beutner said .
“ Well , this is it .
So it ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re not accelerating the pace of progress , we ’ re not helping students who are here today , tomorrow , in our schools , and we have to do better.
” District officials also would arrange for outside help at 2020 schools , such as county-funded mental health services to provide social and emotional support , an essential underpinning for academic progress , Beutner said .
The city , for its part , should provide support for homeless families , using the campus as a focal point , he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take all of us , ” the superintendent said .
“ So the county has to join this party .
The city has to join this party .
The state has to join this party.
” Beutner frequently notes that L.A. Unified receives about $ 17,000 per student , compared with about $ 30,000 in New York City .
That differential , over a child ’ s entire education , would pay the cost of individual reading support for every child , he ’ s asserted .
Now , he hopes to prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district ’ s most challenged students .
“ We ’ re going to concentrate dollars in our highest-needs schools serving our highest-needs students to show we can do it , and we ’ re confident it ’ s going to work , ” he said in a later interview with The Times .
“ That will be the proof point to advocate for more , to be able to do it in more schools.
” There are schools that have achieved such gains , but it isn ’ t easy , said Morgan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Rossier School of Education .
“ It likely requires new resources , more instructional time for students , high-quality curriculum and curriculum implementation , a coherent school vision for improvement and stability of staff — among other things.
” “ Experience tells us that shifts of this magnitude take time , generally more than two years , particularly in schools that have struggled for years , ” said Julie Marsh , professor of education policy at Rossier .
The Board of Education will have an opportunity to weigh in during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melvoin , who attended the event , said he ’ s encouraged by what he heard .
All the same , he ’ d like to see Beutner ’ s vision presented in a formal strategic plan , especially given that the superintendent has been on the job more than 18 months .
“ If you have 100 priorities , you have no priorities , ” he said in an interview .
“ You need to focus.
” A strategic plan also would set out benchmarks , timelines and accountability measures .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know if we ’ re successful.
” Beutner ’ s strategy echoes past efforts , including several to decentralize and a “ Ten Schools Plan , ” which provided an extra million dollars per year for a group of elementary campuses starting in 1987 .
Over the next decade , student achievement at these schools significantly surpassed those of similar nearby schools but still fell well short of national averages .
Academic gains , as measured by test scores , generally faded out as students got older .
Beutner said Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of long-term commitment and follow through .

L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner visits Napa Street Elementary in May of 2018. On Tuesday, he unveiled some of his long-term plans for California’s largest school system.
Twenty struggling Los Angeles schools will get a mega-infusion of resources in an aggressive, experimental effort to show that L.A. Unified — if properly funded — can boost student achievement, L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner announced on Tuesday.
The effort, tentatively called Project 2020, seeks to raise standardized test scores in reading and math by 20 percentage points at each of 20 elementary schools within two years, a challenging statistical jump, based on typical school performance.
During a talk at UCLA, Beutner also presented other elements of his core long-term plans for improving the nation’s second-largest school system, where achievement trails state averages and large gaps separate the performance of white and Asian students from black and Latino students. A large gap also separates students from low-income families and those better off. Overall, about 44% of district students test as proficient in English and about 34% in math.
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The superintendent highlighted his ongoing project to decentralize — which aims to organize groups of schools within geographic communities, such as Boyle Heights. He also said the district should focus more intensely on early education, increase professional development opportunities aimed at retaining teachers, and expand programs that develop fully bilingual students.
Beutner also intends to revamp the training of aspiring principals. At present, he said, their preparation concentrates too much on how to comply with district procedures. He wants fledgling principals to spend an entire semester shadowing a highly regarded principal. And he wants their training to include community organizing.
But nothing would showcase his efforts more than Project 2020, which envisions placing an extra teacher in every early-grade class to focus on reading and on installing a more engaging math program that is based on recommendations from district teachers.
Although Beutner hasn’t yet selected the schools or set a funding level, he sees the effort as a way to bust through the “seduction of incrementalism,” he said during a discussion with UCLA education professor Pedro Noguera before an audience of invited guests.
“What do we know would work to see a 20-point literacy gain?” Beutner said. “Well, this is it. So it’s going to be intensive focus.... If we’re not accelerating the pace of progress, we’re not helping students who are here today, tomorrow, in our schools, and we have to do better.”
District officials also would arrange for outside help at 2020 schools, such as county-funded mental health services to provide social and emotional support, an essential underpinning for academic progress, Beutner said. The city, for its part, should provide support for homeless families, using the campus as a focal point, he added.
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“It’s going to take all of us,” the superintendent said. “So the county has to join this party. The city has to join this party. The state has to join this party.”
Beutner frequently notes that L.A. Unified receives about $17,000 per student, compared with about $30,000 in New York City. That differential, over a child’s entire education, would pay the cost of individual reading support for every child, he’s asserted. Now, he hopes to prove how much such funding would help the district’s most challenged students.
“We’re going to concentrate dollars in our highest-needs schools serving our highest-needs students to show we can do it, and we’re confident it’s going to work,” he said in a later interview with The Times. “That will be the proof point to advocate for more, to be able to do it in more schools.”
There are schools that have achieved such gains, but it isn’t easy, said Morgan Polikoff, an associate professor at USC’s Rossier School of Education. “It likely requires new resources, more instructional time for students, high-quality curriculum and curriculum implementation, a coherent school vision for improvement and stability of staff — among other things.”
“Experience tells us that shifts of this magnitude take time, generally more than two years, particularly in schools that have struggled for years,” said Julie Marsh, professor of education policy at Rossier.
The Board of Education will have an opportunity to weigh in during the budget-approval process.
School board member Nick Melvoin, who attended the event, said he’s encouraged by what he heard. All the same, he’d like to see Beutner’s vision presented in a formal strategic plan, especially given that the superintendent has been on the job more than 18 months.
“If you have 100 priorities, you have no priorities,” he said in an interview. “You need to focus.” A strategic plan also would set out benchmarks, timelines and accountability measures. “This is how we’re going to know if we’re successful.”
Beutner’s strategy echoes past efforts, including several to decentralize and a “Ten Schools Plan,” which provided an extra million dollars per year for a group of elementary campuses starting in 1987. Over the next decade, student achievement at these schools significantly surpassed those of similar nearby schools but still fell well short of national averages. Academic gains, as measured by test scores, generally faded out as students got older.
Beutner said Tuesday that previous efforts yielded disappointing results because of a lack of long-term commitment and follow through.


latimes--2020-01-29--Column: What won't Hollister Ranch residents do to keep us off 'their' beach?

It was not a question of if , but when .
The residents of Hollister Ranch in Santa Barbara County are nothing if not predictable , determined and relentless as the tides .
So it ’ s no surprise they have fired a torpedo at a new law that would finally , after decades of battle , allow public access to one of California ’ s greatest coastal treasures .
Lobbyists , lawyers , legislators — the affluent residents of Hollister Ranch have used them all over the course of nearly 40 years to keep other Californians away from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Hollister Ranch Owners Assn .
has sued the state over AB 1680 , which took effect Jan. 1 and called for the development of a plan that would allow public access to some of its shoreline by April 2022 .
What ’ s turning heads , though , is the name of the heavy-hitting law firm representing the residents .
Hero to some , villain to others , the nonprofit has been supported by some of the nation ’ s most influential archconservatives and says on its website that it “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government overreach and abuse .
We sue the government when it violates Americans ’ constitutional rights — and win !
” Pacific Legal has argued against affirmative action , sued California for requiring minimum numbers of women on corporate boards , derisively referred to clean energy as costly energy , and claims that “ the right to own and use our property is the guardian of every other right.
” OK , but when it comes to Hollister ’ s hookup with the legal nonprofit , there ’ s a strong whiff of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe they ’ re focused on reaching an agreement with the state through “ collaboration and cooperation , ” as homeowner association president Monte Ward told my colleague Rosanna Xia .
Yeah , sure .
Heard it all before , Monte .
But locking arms with Pacific Legal Foundation — which fights cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — does not suggest you ’ re interested in working out a truce .
It says you ’ re escalating the war .
Residents have argued for years that their efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precious coastline .
In their view , if the rest of us slobbering , uncouth hooligans had access to the area , we would quickly destroy it .
They say this despite a long tradition of DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES ON THE BEACH .
I ’ m not kidding .
The California Coastal Commission notified residents just last month that even if such nonsense stops , the residents still must “ develop and implement a plan to restore the degraded portions of the beaches … to mitigate for resource destruction caused by beach driving.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hubris Ranch , and thank you very much , but please don ’ t lecture us on environmental sensitivity when you ’ re using a PUBLIC BEACH as a private drag strip and the Pacific Legal Foundation is doing your bidding in court .
At some point , doesn ’ t somebody out on the ranch fess up to the hypocrisy of a long history of exclusion in a state that has decreed that the beaches are not owned by anyone , they ’ re owned by everyone ?
This part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would naturally limit traffic , and I think access can be worked out with respect for residents and with minimal impact on their 100-acre parcels .
I tried to get hold of Hollister residents Jackson Browne , the singer , James Cameron , the director , and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard — all of whom have histories of environmental activism — to see what they have to say about having their interests defended by Pacific Legal Foundation .
Do they even know about it ?
Do they care ?
The only response was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chouinard , world-famous adventurer and developer of outdoor gear , “ is not available for comment.
” I hope he ’ ll reconsider , because I ’ d like to know what he thinks about beach access and about his interests being defended by Pacific Legal .
“ Pacific Legal Foundation has been one of the worst things that ’ s happened to the environment , ” said Marc Chytilo , a lawyer with the Gaviota Coast Conservancy .
“ Their approach has been pretty much anti-regulatory and libertarian and do whatever you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , saying the legal nonprofit has worked to erode local , state and federal efforts to “ prevent people from unnecessarily harming the environment.
” No doubt government overreach , bureaucracy and incompetence are rampant , and I ’ ve spent decades swinging a stick at all of that .
But if it ’ s land owner vs. natural habitat or endangered species , anywhere in the United States , Pacific rides shotgun with the land owner .
It has taken on the Environmental Protection Agency , the U.S .
Fish and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Of all the job-killing and growth-inhibiting regulations issued by the [ Obama ] Administration , ” said a 2017 claim on Pacific Legal ’ s website , “ those purportedly authorized b ` y the Clean Air Act probably had the highest costs and the smallest benefits to human health or the environment.
” Pacific Legal , by the way , doesn ’ t charge its clients .
It takes cases that tend to make the news and catch the eye of those who want to support the cause .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me Hollister residents approached his law firm last fall because , although they were OK with AB 1680 initially , they objected to later amendments .
In its final version AB 1680 makes it a crime , punishable by fines , to “ impede , delay , or otherwise obstruct implementation ” of public access .
As Ward wrote in a letter to the state , revisions created an “ unconstitutional bill that tramples on protections of due process , illegal search and seizure , free speech and the taking of private property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author , Assemblywoman Monique Limón , was exasperated when I asked about the objection to revisions .
“ Every single bill in the legislative process has amendments , ” she said , adding that 1680 itself was a series of amendments and compromises , and that the residents were involved in much of the sausage making along with representatives of four state agencies .
No party was entirely happy with the final language , Limón said .
The specifics of the access plan are still to be worked out over the next two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondered if the real opposition isn ’ t just to the amendments , but to the bill itself .
Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network echoed that thought .
“ The war started roughly 40 years ago when they knew they had to provide subdivision-wide public access in exchange for developing their properties at the ranch but refused to do so , ” said Jordan .
The state is tired of being fooled by Hollister , Jordan said , and the residents ’ long-standing opposition to a beach access agreement “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include tough sanctions for failure to comply .
“ I think their vision of a public access plan is one that they and only they control , ” said Jordan , “ and that is not how the Coastal Act is written.
” One way or another — by land , by sea , by air — we ’ re coming in .
And I want your dirty vehicles off the beach and the damaged habitat restored before we get there .

It was not a question of if, but when.
The residents of Hollister Ranch in Santa Barbara County are nothing if not predictable, determined and relentless as the tides. So it’s no surprise they have fired a torpedo at a new law that would finally, after decades of battle, allow public access to one of California’s greatest coastal treasures.
Lobbyists, lawyers, legislators — the affluent residents of Hollister Ranch have used them all over the course of nearly 40 years to keep other Californians away from their little stretch of paradise.
And now, the Hollister Ranch Owners Assn. has sued the state over AB 1680, which took effect Jan. 1 and called for the development of a plan that would allow public access to some of its shoreline by April 2022.
What’s turning heads, though, is the name of the heavy-hitting law firm representing the residents.
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Pacific Legal Foundation.
Hero to some, villain to others, the nonprofit has been supported by some of the nation’s most influential archconservatives and says on its website that it “defends Americans’ liberties when threatened by government overreach and abuse. We sue the government when it violates Americans’ constitutional rights — and win!”
Pacific Legal has argued against affirmative action, sued California for requiring minimum numbers of women on corporate boards, derisively referred to clean energy as costly energy, and claims that “the right to own and use our property is the guardian of every other right.”
OK, but when it comes to Hollister’s hookup with the legal nonprofit, there’s a strong whiff of hypocrisy.
The Hollister homeowners want us to believe they’re focused on reaching an agreement with the state through “collaboration and cooperation,” as homeowner association president Monte Ward told my colleague Rosanna Xia.
Yeah, sure. Heard it all before, Monte.
But locking arms with Pacific Legal Foundation — which fights cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — does not suggest you’re interested in working out a truce. It says you’re escalating the war.
And here’s another thing.
Residents have argued for years that their efforts are all aimed at ecological stewardship of precious coastline. In their view, if the rest of us slobbering, uncouth hooligans had access to the area, we would quickly destroy it.
Advertisement
They say this despite a long tradition of DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES ON THE BEACH. I’m not kidding. The California Coastal Commission notified residents just last month that even if such nonsense stops, the residents still must “develop and implement a plan to restore the degraded portions of the beaches … to mitigate for resource destruction caused by beach driving.”
The place should have been called Hubris Ranch, and thank you very much, but please don’t lecture us on environmental sensitivity when you’re using a PUBLIC BEACH as a private drag strip and the Pacific Legal Foundation is doing your bidding in court.
At some point, doesn’t somebody out on the ranch fess up to the hypocrisy of a long history of exclusion in a state that has decreed that the beaches are not owned by anyone, they’re owned by everyone? This part of the California coast is relatively remote, which would naturally limit traffic, and I think access can be worked out with respect for residents and with minimal impact on their 100-acre parcels.
I tried to get hold of Hollister residents Jackson Browne, the singer, James Cameron, the director, and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard — all of whom have histories of environmental activism — to see what they have to say about having their interests defended by Pacific Legal Foundation. Do they even know about it? Do they care?
The only response was from someone at Patagonia, which said Chouinard, world-famous adventurer and developer of outdoor gear, “is not available for comment.”
I hope he’ll reconsider, because I’d like to know what he thinks about beach access and about his interests being defended by Pacific Legal.
“Pacific Legal Foundation has been one of the worst things that’s happened to the environment,” said Marc Chytilo, a lawyer with the Gaviota Coast Conservancy.
“Their approach has been pretty much anti-regulatory and libertarian and do whatever you want with your property,” he added, saying the legal nonprofit has worked to erode local, state and federal efforts to “prevent people from unnecessarily harming the environment.”
No doubt government overreach, bureaucracy and incompetence are rampant, and I’ve spent decades swinging a stick at all of that.
But if it’s land owner vs. natural habitat or endangered species, anywhere in the United States, Pacific rides shotgun with the land owner. It has taken on the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Clean Water Act.
“Of all the job-killing and growth-inhibiting regulations issued by the [Obama] Administration,” said a 2017 claim on Pacific Legal’s website, “those purportedly authorized b`y the Clean Air Act probably had the highest costs and the smallest benefits to human health or the environment.”
Pacific Legal, by the way, doesn’t charge its clients. It takes cases that tend to make the news and catch the eye of those who want to support the cause. The group’s attorney Dave Breemer told me Hollister residents approached his law firm last fall because, although they were OK with AB 1680 initially, they objected to later amendments.
In its final version AB 1680 makes it a crime, punishable by fines, to “impede, delay, or otherwise obstruct implementation” of public access. As Ward wrote in a letter to the state, revisions created an “unconstitutional bill that tramples on protections of due process, illegal search and seizure, free speech and the taking of private property without compensation.”
The bill’s author, Assemblywoman Monique Limón, was exasperated when I asked about the objection to revisions.
“Every single bill in the legislative process has amendments,” she said, adding that 1680 itself was a series of amendments and compromises, and that the residents were involved in much of the sausage making along with representatives of four state agencies.
No party was entirely happy with the final language, Limón said. The specifics of the access plan are still to be worked out over the next two years, she said, and she wondered if the real opposition isn’t just to the amendments, but to the bill itself.
Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network echoed that thought.
“The war started roughly 40 years ago when they knew they had to provide subdivision-wide public access in exchange for developing their properties at the ranch but refused to do so,” said Jordan.
The state is tired of being fooled by Hollister, Jordan said, and the residents’ long-standing opposition to a beach access agreement “made it imperative” that the bill include tough sanctions for failure to comply.
“I think their vision of a public access plan is one that they and only they control,” said Jordan, “and that is not how the Coastal Act is written.”
Note to Hollister:
One way or another — by land, by sea, by air — we’re coming in. And I want your dirty vehicles off the beach and the damaged habitat restored before we get there.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-01-29--Kobe Bryant's girls are dealing with their father's sudden, untimely death. My daughters did too

I was in the grocery store when the news landed in a text message from a friend .
“ Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas this morning .
So terribly tragic.
” His sudden death was more than tragic ; it was triggering for me .
Kobe ’ s girls would be growing up without a father — just as my three daughters had .
It ’ s a loss that transcends whatever healing the grieving process ultimately brings .
I hurried through the checkout line and made it to my car , tears blurring my vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one to break the news to my daughters , but I just sat there staring at my phone .
Would this feel as personal to them as it did to me ?
Would it penetrate layers of buried grief , resurrecting painful memories ?
Or would it simply be another heartbreaking loss of a beloved celebrity ?
A phone call from my youngest daughter answered that .
She ’ d been crying all morning , holed up alone in her San Francisco apartment .
“ It ’ s so not fair !
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
I knew exactly who “ they ” were : Kobe ’ s family .
His wife .
His three surviving girls .
He was a star whose basketball prowess was legendary , but his legacy , to us at least , rests on his devotion to daughters .
My daughter ’ s pain was for those now-fatherless girls .
Her outrage reflected the anger that her 3-year-old self could not express when her father died 26 years ago .
My husband ’ s death , like Kobe ’ s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news from a police officer , who knocked on our door as the girls and I were making Christmas cookies and counting down the minutes until he would be home .
I gathered them around me and explained , as gently as I could , that Daddy had died , that he wouldn ’ t be coming home , but that he ’ d be an angel watching us from above .
That didn ’ t comfort anyone .
My middle daughter , just weeks from her fifth birthday , was unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d said .
“ But I just made him a gingerbread man , ” she told me , nonchalantly dusting the flour from her shirt .
Who was going to eat that if daddy didn ’ t come home ?
My 8-year-old refused to believe the news .
She covered her ears with her hands and tried to hold back her tears .
“ I ’ ll be the only girl in the third grade that doesn ’ t have a father , ” she shouted .
She seemed to understand in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that set her apart and might never fade .
It would take years for me to acknowledge that .
I flashed back to that dreadful night , as I made the rounds of my daughters to talk about the death of Kobe and his 13-year-old Gianna , a budding superstar on the basketball court .
My middle daughter is now 31 and married to a sports fanatic who ’ s just like her dad in ways that only I can see .
They have a 1-year-old daughter , who wears tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lap , shrieking and clapping through hours of basketball on TV .
Now my daughter is seeing them through the lens of Kobe and Gianna : daddy and his mini-me .
She ’ s put aside her list of chores and focused on being grateful for her family .
For my youngest , now 29 , the tragedy has taken her back in time , not just to the loss she suffered at 3 , but to all the ways she loved Kobe .
“ He was my first crush , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In middle school , when she played basketball , he was the image she conjured up every time she set foot on the court .
My oldest is trying to hold on to the only bit of solace we can find : At least in those last terrifying moments , father and daughter had each other .
But that only makes it harder for the rest of the family .
I can ’ t bear to think about what Vanessa Bryant must be going through in this nightmarish time .
I remember how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after their father died , one of my daughters admitted that she understood when I said he was dead , “ but I didn ’ t know that meant he would always be dead.
” None of us really understood what always dead would mean .
We couldn ’ t have imagined that our lives would be shaped in perpetuity by his absence .
My husband , like Kobe , was delighted to be the father of girls .
He ’ d been a three-sport athlete , the toughest kid in a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one day he ’ d be coaching a son .
But his daughters were the joy of his life .
They brought out a tenderness that balanced his ferocity .
He coddled and cuddled them , but also encouraged them to test their limits in a way that their doting mother never would .
I imagine Kobe ’ s daughters softened him that same way .
His relationship with them certainly helped shape the way we perceived him .
The public shame of a sexual assault allegation and marital indiscretion seemed to fade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him defer to his wife and dote on his daughters .
His girls , like mine , lost something irreplaceable when their father died .
That loss will be etched into their psyche — as individuals and a family .
We ’ ve been shadowed since then by the sense that happiness is a tenuous thing .
But we ’ ve also learned to be grateful for every good thing .

I was in the grocery store when the news landed in a text message from a friend. “Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas this morning. So terribly tragic.”
His sudden death was more than tragic; it was triggering for me.
Kobe’s girls would be growing up without a father — just as my three daughters had. It’s a loss that transcends whatever healing the grieving process ultimately brings.
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I hurried through the checkout line and made it to my car, tears blurring my vision. I knew I should be the one to break the news to my daughters, but I just sat there staring at my phone.
Would this feel as personal to them as it did to me? Would it penetrate layers of buried grief, resurrecting painful memories? Or would it simply be another heartbreaking loss of a beloved celebrity?
A phone call from my youngest daughter answered that. She’d been crying all morning, holed up alone in her San Francisco apartment. “It’s so not fair! What are they going to do?” she said.
I knew exactly who “they” were: Kobe’s family. His wife. His three surviving girls. He was a star whose basketball prowess was legendary, but his legacy, to us at least, rests on his devotion to daughters.
My daughter’s pain was for those now-fatherless girls. Her outrage reflected the anger that her 3-year-old self could not express when her father died 26 years ago.
Advertisement
My husband’s death, like Kobe’s, was utterly unexpected. I got the news from a police officer, who knocked on our door as the girls and I were making Christmas cookies and counting down the minutes until he would be home.
I gathered them around me and explained, as gently as I could, that Daddy had died, that he wouldn’t be coming home, but that he’d be an angel watching us from above. That didn’t comfort anyone.
Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna after the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in Game Five of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
My middle daughter, just weeks from her fifth birthday, was unable to wrap her mind around what I’d said. “But I just made him a gingerbread man,” she told me, nonchalantly dusting the flour from her shirt. Who was going to eat that if daddy didn’t come home?
My 8-year-old refused to believe the news. She covered her ears with her hands and tried to hold back her tears. “I’ll be the only girl in the third grade that doesn’t have a father,” she shouted.
She seemed to understand in that moment that she had been marked in a way that set her apart and might never fade. It would take years for me to acknowledge that.
I flashed back to that dreadful night, as I made the rounds of my daughters to talk about the death of Kobe and his 13-year-old Gianna, a budding superstar on the basketball court.
My middle daughter is now 31 and married to a sports fanatic who’s just like her dad in ways that only I can see. They have a 1-year-old daughter, who wears tiny sports jerseys and sits on her father’s lap, shrieking and clapping through hours of basketball on TV.
Now my daughter is seeing them through the lens of Kobe and Gianna: daddy and his mini-me. She’s put aside her list of chores and focused on being grateful for her family.
For my youngest, now 29, the tragedy has taken her back in time, not just to the loss she suffered at 3, but to all the ways she loved Kobe. “He was my first crush,” she told me on Sunday. In middle school, when she played basketball, he was the image she conjured up every time she set foot on the court.
My oldest is trying to hold on to the only bit of solace we can find: At least in those last terrifying moments, father and daughter had each other. But that only makes it harder for the rest of the family.
I can’t bear to think about what Vanessa Bryant must be going through in this nightmarish time. I remember how scary and bewildering it felt.
Years after their father died, one of my daughters admitted that she understood when I said he was dead, “but I didn’t know that meant he would always be dead.”
None of us really understood what always dead would mean. We couldn’t have imagined that our lives would be shaped in perpetuity by his absence.
My husband, like Kobe, was delighted to be the father of girls. He’d been a three-sport athlete, the toughest kid in a family of five boys. Everyone presumed that one day he’d be coaching a son.
But his daughters were the joy of his life. They brought out a tenderness that balanced his ferocity. He coddled and cuddled them, but also encouraged them to test their limits in a way that their doting mother never would.
I imagine Kobe’s daughters softened him that same way. His relationship with them certainly helped shape the way we perceived him. The public shame of a sexual assault allegation and marital indiscretion seemed to fade as years went by and we watched him defer to his wife and dote on his daughters.
His girls, like mine, lost something irreplaceable when their father died. That loss will be etched into their psyche — as individuals and a family.
We’ve been shadowed since then by the sense that happiness is a tenuous thing. But we’ve also learned to be grateful for every good thing.


latimes--2020-01-29--Can't get into UC? These colleges outside California would love to have you

Can ’ t get into the University of California or California State University ?
Never fear — many colleges outside California would love to have you .
More than 50 of them came to Pasadena on Tuesday to deliver their best elevator pitches to more than 120 local high school counselors , college admissions consultants and community organizations .
With a mother lode of more than 430,000 high school graduates annually , California is the nation ’ s richest source of prospective college students .
Yet the UC and Cal State systems are overcrowded , turning away thousands of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges in other states have been hit by declining birth rates and slumping enrollments .
Nationally , college enrollments dipped below 18 million for fall 2019 for the first time in a decade — a drop of 2 million from the peak in 2011 , according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center .
But that downward trend is not expected in California for several years , according to demographers .
So colleges outside the state are increasingly flocking here to bolster their enrollment , offering less expensive in-state tuition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Pasadena event was one stop on an annual roadshow throughout the state organized by the Regional Admission Counselors of California to help its 117 out-of-state college and university members get their names and virtues known .
Founded by eight campuses 30 years ago , membership has particularly grown in the last five years and ranges from top-rated national universities to small and specialized campuses , said Sarah Blank , an organization official who also recruits for a college in Ireland .
“ We ’ re promoting the idea that it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools potentially less expensive than here , ” Blank said .
“ We know there are challenges students are facing with state systems here — impacted classes , longer graduation times , accessibility getting in .
So why not look elsewhere ?
” On Tuesday , campus representatives lined up at the University Club in Pasadena to give their two-minute sales pitches and afterward offered the high school counselors one-on-one conversations , brochures and swag at tables festooned with their school names and colors .
Hawai ’ i Pacific University got the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it planned this fall to cut its $ 28,000 annual tuition for Californians to match UC ’ s in-state tuition and fees of $ 12,570 .
The private university offers popular programs in business , nursing and marine biology in Honolulu — “ the happiest city in America ” and the fourth safest , according to Michael Taylor , the campus ’ recruiter , who wore a Hawaiian shirt and greeted the crowd with a booming “ Aloooha !
” The University of Houston also offers in-state tuition to California students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their class and hit minimum SAT scores of 1260 .
That would make the annual cost of attendance with room and board about $ 22,000 — significantly lower than UC ’ s total with room and board of about $ 36,000 .
The Houston representative touted the university ’ s top research enterprise , broad diversity and its 800 California students , the largest out-of-state contingent .
“ It ’ s an opportunity to get a UC education at a Cal State price , ” said Cassidy Plair , the university ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campus representatives put a positive spin on potential deal-breakers for Californians — bitterly cold winters , for instance .
Nazareth College in New York promoted its underground campus tunnels , while Emerson College in Boston said its tiny campus of 12 buildings on two blocks would make any walk outside mercifully short .
The University of Illinois representative admitted to “ austere coldness ” but pitched its “ gregarious , friendly people ” and a quick plane ride back to the West Coast .
Others played on perceived desires of California students .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plug for the high number of ethnic restaurants per capita in the “ quintessential college town ” of Bloomington .
Dickinson College in Pennsylvania has long valued access and equity by eliminating SAT and ACT scores as admission requirements , said representative Phil Moreno .
And the University of Oklahoma is a “ big football school who can beat UCLA , ” said Amanda Marsh , the campus California recruiter .
Gary Bednorz of the University of New Mexico gave the most creative spiel with a rhyming rap that reinvented the campus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Numerous Majors , University Near Mountains — and University Not close to Mom .
Later , several high school counselors said they appreciated learning about the varied opportunities — but getting their students to leave California isn ’ t easy .
“ They ’ re fearful , ” said Ana Romero , a counselor with Maywood Center for Enriched Studies , an L.A. Unified magnet school .
“ They think it ’ s going to be very costly and they ’ re going to be alone.
” Adriana Ostos , another Maywood counselor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly encouraged children to leave their homes and families for college .
“ Most of our students want to go to UC and Cal State because that ’ s what they know , ” she said .
But as the California public university systems become more selective , especially in such high-demand fields as engineering and nursing , counselors say their students are increasingly open to other opportunities .
Ana Delgado-Chavez , a counselor with the Critical Design and Gaming School on the Augustus F. Hawkins High School campus in South Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presentations .
She noted that the University of Houston was diverse and near NASA , while the University of Oklahoma offered 18 engineering majors .
“ They have space for our kids to go and finish in four years , which will save money , ” she said .
“ And leaving Los Angeles will be a major life-changing experience for them .
”

Can’t get into the University of California or California State University?
Never fear — many colleges outside California would love to have you. More than 50 of them came to Pasadena on Tuesday to deliver their best elevator pitches to more than 120 local high school counselors, college admissions consultants and community organizations.
With a mother lode of more than 430,000 high school graduates annually, California is the nation’s richest source of prospective college students. Yet the UC and Cal State systems are overcrowded, turning away thousands of students from their desired campuses each year while colleges in other states have been hit by declining birth rates and slumping enrollments.
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Nationally, college enrollments dipped below 18 million for fall 2019 for the first time in a decade — a drop of 2 million from the peak in 2011, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
But that downward trend is not expected in California for several years, according to demographers. So colleges outside the state are increasingly flocking here to bolster their enrollment, offering less expensive in-state tuition, attractive financial aid and other lures. The Pasadena event was one stop on an annual roadshow throughout the state organized by the Regional Admission Counselors of California to help its 117 out-of-state college and university members get their names and virtues known.
Founded by eight campuses 30 years ago, membership has particularly grown in the last five years and ranges from top-rated national universities to small and specialized campuses, said Sarah Blank, an organization official who also recruits for a college in Ireland.
“We’re promoting the idea that it’s possible to go out of state to schools potentially less expensive than here,” Blank said. “We know there are challenges students are facing with state systems here — impacted classes, longer graduation times, accessibility getting in. So why not look elsewhere?”
On Tuesday, campus representatives lined up at the University Club in Pasadena to give their two-minute sales pitches and afterward offered the high school counselors one-on-one conversations, brochures and swag at tables festooned with their school names and colors.
Hawai’i Pacific University got the biggest applause of the day with the announcement that it planned this fall to cut its $28,000 annual tuition for Californians to match UC’s in-state tuition and fees of $12,570. The private university offers popular programs in business, nursing and marine biology in Honolulu — “the happiest city in America” and the fourth safest, according to Michael Taylor, the campus’ recruiter, who wore a Hawaiian shirt and greeted the crowd with a booming “Aloooha!”
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The University of Houston also offers in-state tuition to California students who rank in the top 25% of their class and hit minimum SAT scores of 1260. That would make the annual cost of attendance with room and board about $22,000 — significantly lower than UC’s total with room and board of about $36,000. The Houston representative touted the university’s top research enterprise, broad diversity and its 800 California students, the largest out-of-state contingent.
“It’s an opportunity to get a UC education at a Cal State price,” said Cassidy Plair, the university’s Southern California regional admissions advisor.
Some campus representatives put a positive spin on potential deal-breakers for Californians — bitterly cold winters, for instance. Nazareth College in New York promoted its underground campus tunnels, while Emerson College in Boston said its tiny campus of 12 buildings on two blocks would make any walk outside mercifully short. The University of Illinois representative admitted to “austere coldness” but pitched its “gregarious, friendly people” and a quick plane ride back to the West Coast.
Others played on perceived desires of California students. Stefanie Miller of Indiana University put in a plug for the high number of ethnic restaurants per capita in the “quintessential college town” of Bloomington. Dickinson College in Pennsylvania has long valued access and equity by eliminating SAT and ACT scores as admission requirements, said representative Phil Moreno. And the University of Oklahoma is a “big football school who can beat UCLA,” said Amanda Marsh, the campus California recruiter.
Gary Bednorz of the University of New Mexico gave the most creative spiel with a rhyming rap that reinvented the campus UNM abbreviation with virtues: University of Numerous Majors, University Near Mountains — and University Not close to Mom.
Later, several high school counselors said they appreciated learning about the varied opportunities — but getting their students to leave California isn’t easy.
“They’re fearful,” said Ana Romero, a counselor with Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, an L.A. Unified magnet school. “They think it’s going to be very costly and they’re going to be alone.”
Adriana Ostos, another Maywood counselor, said her Latino culture had not strongly encouraged children to leave their homes and families for college. “Most of our students want to go to UC and Cal State because that’s what they know,” she said.
But as the California public university systems become more selective, especially in such high-demand fields as engineering and nursing, counselors say their students are increasingly open to other opportunities.
Ana Delgado-Chavez, a counselor with the Critical Design and Gaming School on the Augustus F. Hawkins High School campus in South Los Angeles, took copious notes during the college presentations. She noted that the University of Houston was diverse and near NASA, while the University of Oklahoma offered 18 engineering majors.
“They have space for our kids to go and finish in four years, which will save money,” she said. “And leaving Los Angeles will be a major life-changing experience for them.”


latimes--2020-01-29--Driver must pay $18 million for running over woman and daughter in Calabasas crosswalk

A jury has decided that a Malibu woman must pay $ 18 million in damages for crashing into a mother and daughter who were in a Calabasas crosswalk , leaving one dead and the other injured , and later denying she was behind the wheel in the collision .
The jury also found Friday that Nicole Herschel , 39 , acted with malice in the 2016 incident , which occurred at a 101 Freeway onramp .
The surviving victim , Yijing Chen , had told authorities that after the crash , Herschel got out of her Chevy Silverado pickup , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconscious mother toward the curb , then reversed the truck and parked along an adjacent road .
Herschel waited at the scene of the crash , and when California Highway Patrol officers spoke with her , she maintained she came upon the injured women while driving to the supermarket .
A CHP officer found her answers “ evasive.
” Ultimately , the CHP recommended criminal charges against Herschel , and she was sentenced in 2017 to a year in jail after pleading no contest to vehicular manslaughter .
The multimillion-dollar civil verdict came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Van Nuys courtroom .
Chen ’ s attorney , Jonathan Ritter , said the trial offered some measure of closure to his client , but she still suffers from the harrowing loss .
“ If it was an accident , Yijing could have gotten over this easier , ” Ritter said .
“ But treating her mom like a dead animal ?
That ’ s an image she can ’ t get out of her brain.
” Attorneys representing Herschel , who worked as a horse trainer in the Malibu area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In court papers , the defense lawyers acknowledged that Herschel was liable and that her negligence caused the crash .
The lawyers disputed that Herschel dragged Chen ’ s mother , and stated that she briefly “ touched ” and “ lifted ” her body .
Herschel did not call 911 , and her attorneys said that at the time , she did not think she was involved in the accident .
“ I ’ m very sorry .
I didn ’ t see you guys and I didn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 court hearing .
Ritter said Herschel ’ s attorneys have repeatedly vowed to appeal .
No formal appeal has been filed .
Chen previously told The Times that her mother , Hongfen Shen , 53 , had been visiting from eastern China .
Shen was newly widowed , and her daughter was studying in a graduate business program at Pepperdine University .
Just before 9 p.m. on June 5 , 2016 , the mother and daughter held hands as they walked along Las Virgenes Road , toward the nearby Albertsons .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she felt her mother ’ s arms start to pull away .
The CHP ’ s investigative report details what happened next .
Chen was thrown to the ground , and the truck ran over her left leg .
She saw her mother ’ s torso being run over by the truck ’ s right rear tire , according to the interview she gave to investigators .
Herschel got out of the pickup .
“ What happened to you ?
Why are you guys walking when the light is red ?
” Herschel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another witness told the CHP that the driver , later identified as Herschel , pulled Shen ’ s body toward the curb , hopped back into the truck , and parked along Las Virgenes Road .
At the scene , Herschel told the CHP that her dog had jumped on her daughter ’ s car seat , and while tending to the dog , she looked and saw the two women in the roadway .
Authorities seized Herschel ’ s truck a few days later at a Los Angeles International Airport parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truck had been recently washed , according to CHP records .
Investigators found a strand of dark hair above the rear axle , and also saw marks along the truck ’ s frame that appeared consistent with Hongfen Shen ’ s footwear .
“ There were obvious signs of scrubbing/rubbing over and adjacent to the marks , ” the officer said in the investigative report .
The CHP had recommended that prosecutors file a felony hit-and-run charge along with misdemeanor charges of manslaughter and tampering with evidence at the scene .
The Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted for the single misdemeanor manslaughter charge , which carries at most one year in jail .
When Herschel was sentenced to the maximum penalty , Chen still lamented the punishment .
“ I will never have my mother back , ” Chen said amid tears .
“ A year from now , she ’ ll get out and enjoy the Malibu sunshine and fresh air.
” According to booking records , Herschel served about five months in jail .

Yijing Chen and her mother were hit by a pickup driver while crossing the street in Calabasas. Her mother died, and on Friday, a jury awarded Chen $18 million in damages.
A jury has decided that a Malibu woman must pay $18 million in damages for crashing into a mother and daughter who were in a Calabasas crosswalk, leaving one dead and the other injured, and later denying she was behind the wheel in the collision.
The jury also found Friday that Nicole Herschel, 39, acted with malice in the 2016 incident, which occurred at a 101 Freeway onramp. The surviving victim, Yijing Chen, had told authorities that after the crash, Herschel got out of her Chevy Silverado pickup, dragged the body of Chen’s unconscious mother toward the curb, then reversed the truck and parked along an adjacent road.
Herschel waited at the scene of the crash, and when California Highway Patrol officers spoke with her, she maintained she came upon the injured women while driving to the supermarket. A CHP officer found her answers “evasive.” Ultimately, the CHP recommended criminal charges against Herschel, and she was sentenced in 2017 to a year in jail after pleading no contest to vehicular manslaughter.
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The multimillion-dollar civil verdict came after a brief trial this month in a Van Nuys courtroom. Chen’s attorney, Jonathan Ritter, said the trial offered some measure of closure to his client, but she still suffers from the harrowing loss.
“If it was an accident, Yijing could have gotten over this easier,” Ritter said. “But treating her mom like a dead animal? That’s an image she can’t get out of her brain.”
Attorneys representing Herschel, who worked as a horse trainer in the Malibu area, did not respond to messages seeking comment. In court papers, the defense lawyers acknowledged that Herschel was liable and that her negligence caused the crash. The lawyers disputed that Herschel dragged Chen’s mother, and stated that she briefly “touched” and “lifted” her body. Herschel did not call 911, and her attorneys said that at the time, she did not think she was involved in the accident.
“I’m very sorry. I didn’t see you guys and I didn’t know,” Herschel told Chen in a 2017 court hearing.
Ritter said Herschel’s attorneys have repeatedly vowed to appeal. No formal appeal has been filed.
Chen previously told The Times that her mother, Hongfen Shen, 53, had been visiting from eastern China. Shen was newly widowed, and her daughter was studying in a graduate business program at Pepperdine University.
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Just before 9 p.m. on June 5, 2016, the mother and daughter held hands as they walked along Las Virgenes Road, toward the nearby Albertsons. They stepped into the crosswalk and Chen said she felt her mother’s arms start to pull away.
The CHP’s investigative report details what happened next. Chen was thrown to the ground, and the truck ran over her left leg. She saw her mother’s torso being run over by the truck’s right rear tire, according to the interview she gave to investigators.
Herschel got out of the pickup.
“What happened to you? Why are you guys walking when the light is red?” Herschel said, according to records.
Chen and another witness told the CHP that the driver, later identified as Herschel, pulled Shen’s body toward the curb, hopped back into the truck, and parked along Las Virgenes Road.
At the scene, Herschel told the CHP that her dog had jumped on her daughter’s car seat, and while tending to the dog, she looked and saw the two women in the roadway.
Authorities seized Herschel’s truck a few days later at a Los Angeles International Airport parking lot, and an officer noticed the truck had been recently washed, according to CHP records. Investigators found a strand of dark hair above the rear axle, and also saw marks along the truck’s frame that appeared consistent with Hongfen Shen’s footwear.
“There were obvious signs of scrubbing/rubbing over and adjacent to the marks,” the officer said in the investigative report.
The CHP had recommended that prosecutors file a felony hit-and-run charge along with misdemeanor charges of manslaughter and tampering with evidence at the scene. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office opted for the single misdemeanor manslaughter charge, which carries at most one year in jail.
When Herschel was sentenced to the maximum penalty, Chen still lamented the punishment.
“I will never have my mother back,” Chen said amid tears. “A year from now, she’ll get out and enjoy the Malibu sunshine and fresh air.”
According to booking records, Herschel served about five months in jail.


latimes--2020-01-29--Kobe Bryant's memory runs through the heart of L.A., and on its walls

After Art Gozukuchikyan heard that Kobe Bryant had died in the hills above Los Angeles , he transformed into Artoon .
The 37-year-old artist gathered dozens of spray cans and headed to Studio City .
On the side of an exotic car rental company along Ventura Boulevard , he began to paint the five-time NBA champion , biting his jersey , and his smiling 13-year-old daughter , Gianna .
Both looked skyward .
In short order , Gozukuchikyan had turned a little stretch of sidewalk into the latest shrine for the vanquished Lakers superstar .
It will , irrefutably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant ’ s death Sunday along with his daughter and seven other people in a fiery helicopter crash , murals have popped up around the world — in New York , Massachusetts and Texas , and in the Philippines .
Beneath them , fans have placed candles , flowers and personalized notes .
As news of the accident spread Sunday , traffic on Melrose Avenue snarled as people got out of their cars to leave Post-it notes by the hundreds on an existing mural of the basketball legend .
“ For years this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people enjoyed visiting .
But with each note , each thank you , each moment of remembrance that is taped to the wall now , its meaning becomes more and more important in trying to help everyone heal , ” said artist JC Ro , who has painted three murals of Bryant .
L.A. is a city of murals , its walls decorated with colorful portraits of La Virgen de Guadalupe , Martin Luther King Jr. , Frida Kahlo and Nipsey Hussle .
In the 1960s and 1970s , such artwork emerged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Venice and South L.A. From the mid-'80s to early 2000s , the City of Angels became the mural capital of the world .
Although a lawsuit led to a citywide ban , it was lifted in 2013 — paving the way for a rebirth of public artwork .
“ Murals tell the story of their communities , the issues that affect us — whether it is social justice , equality and human rights — and of the people we love , ” said Isabel Rojas-Williams , an art historian and mural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatal helicopter crash , businesses called on muralists to paint portraits of Bryant .
In some cases , muralists sought out the walls themselves .
Tristan Eaton , a prominent street artist and designer , took to his Instagram account .
“ Los Angeles !
” he wrote over a photo of Bryant.
`` If you have a ginormous wall , let ’ s do a memorial mural for the legend ASAP .
Paint is on me.
” Eaton said he wants to take the athlete ’ s life story and immortalize it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way of patching that or allowing us to heal , ” he said .
At Figueroa Street and Pico Boulevard in downtown L.A. , across from the Convention Center , fans this week have made their way into a narrow alley where a mural of Bryant has stood untouched for five years .
The piece shows him grabbing his jersey and yelling , with the words “ Los Angeles Culture ” next to him .
It was created by Jonas Never , a sports muralist , who painted it shortly after the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NBA in 2015 .
It was the mural that Isaac Patino , 27 , kept thinking about after he heard his idol had been killed .
Holding his 1-year-old girl , Alyssa , Patino and his wife , Rocio Leon , 27 , stood by the mural to take a photo .
Leon wore a Lakers shirt and yellow Crocs she had decorated with yellow and purple flowers as well as Bryant ’ s jersey number : 24 .
Their daughter wore Lakers pajamas .
“ It ’ s perfect because ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about , ” said Patino , who wore Bryant ’ s jersey .
A few feet away , a mural of Hussle had been painted on another building — one of many that had popped up in alleys and on buildings after the 33-year-old rapper ’ s killing last year .
“ For me , they ’ re heroes , ” Jerry Herrera , 25 , of Compton said of Hussle and Bryant .
“ Heroes that will forever be embedded into the city , into people ’ s hearts and into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Mid City , fans were descending on a new mural that had been painted on the side of Pickford Market .
Created by Jules Muck , who goes by Muckrock , it shows a smiling Bryant and Gigi — short for Gianna .
A vertical ribbon with the words “ Kobe and Gigi , forever daddy ’ s girl ” coiled next to the father and daughter .
Gazing at the mural , Ivan Staley , 34 , was in tears .
“ It ’ s beautiful , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it she really took her time and made sure she captured the true beauty of them together.
” A father of two girls , Staley said the loss of Bryant and his daughter was devastating as a fan and as a parent .
Inside the Pickford Market , manager Mandeep Singh , 37 , said of the mural : “ We ’ re part of the community , and it should reflect that on the outside .
“ It ’ s great … and people have a place they can pay tribute.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mural of the father and daughter on the exterior of a marijuana dispensary on Pico Boulevard .
People walked in to thank employees for the artwork .
It was a reminder , one Angeleno said , of “ what could have been and what was.
” In Studio City , as Gozukuchikyan worked on his own mural , spectators dropped off candles and flowers .
Visitors included retired basketball player Matt Barnes .
Gozukuchikyan has done three other murals of Bryant .
He did one when Bryant retired in 2016 and another featuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which he did when James decided to come to L.A. “ Life goes on .
It ’ s on us to remember them , ” Gozukuchikyan said .
“ It ’ s not just art , it ’ s a documentation .
We ’ re documenting what ’ s happening in modern times .
”

After Art Gozukuchikyan heard that Kobe Bryant had died in the hills above Los Angeles, he transformed into Artoon.
The 37-year-old artist gathered dozens of spray cans and headed to Studio City. On the side of an exotic car rental company along Ventura Boulevard, he began to paint the five-time NBA champion, biting his jersey, and his smiling 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Both looked skyward.
In short order, Gozukuchikyan had turned a little stretch of sidewalk into the latest shrine for the vanquished Lakers superstar. It will, irrefutably, be far from the last.
Since Bryant’s death Sunday along with his daughter and seven other people in a fiery helicopter crash, murals have popped up around the world — in New York, Massachusetts and Texas, and in the Philippines. Beneath them, fans have placed candles, flowers and personalized notes.
Art Gozukuchikyan, whose artist name is Artoon, beside a mural he painted of Kobe Bryant in Studio City. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
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As news of the accident spread Sunday, traffic on Melrose Avenue snarled as people got out of their cars to leave Post-it notes by the hundreds on an existing mural of the basketball legend.
“For years this wall was just a local L.A. landmark that people enjoyed visiting. But with each note, each thank you, each moment of remembrance that is taped to the wall now, its meaning becomes more and more important in trying to help everyone heal,” said artist JC Ro, who has painted three murals of Bryant.
Where to see Kobe Bryant murals Pickford Market in Mid City: 4566 Pickford St., Los Angeles, CA 90019
Near the Los Angeles Convention Center: 1336 Lebanon St., Los Angeles, CA 90015
Studio City: 11459 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
L.A. is a city of murals, its walls decorated with colorful portraits of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Martin Luther King Jr., Frida Kahlo and Nipsey Hussle.
In the 1960s and 1970s, such artwork emerged as political or personal statements in neighborhoods such as Venice and South L.A. From the mid-’80s to early 2000s, the City of Angels became the mural capital of the world. Although a lawsuit led to a citywide ban, it was lifted in 2013 — paving the way for a rebirth of public artwork.
“Murals tell the story of their communities, the issues that affect us — whether it is social justice, equality and human rights — and of the people we love,” said Isabel Rojas-Williams, an art historian and mural expert.
Within 24 hours of the fatal helicopter crash, businesses called on muralists to paint portraits of Bryant. In some cases, muralists sought out the walls themselves.
People are quiet as their wait their turn taking to take photos in front of a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, on the side of Pickford Market in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Edwin Lopez and Rose Fliegel take a moment at the site of the mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Tristan Eaton, a prominent street artist and designer, took to his Instagram account.
“Los Angeles!” he wrote over a photo of Bryant. “ If you have a ginormous wall, let’s do a memorial mural for the legend ASAP. Paint is on me.”
Eaton said he wants to take the athlete’s life story and immortalize it.
“A painting is a small way of patching that or allowing us to heal,” he said.
At Figueroa Street and Pico Boulevard in downtown L.A., across from the Convention Center, fans this week have made their way into a narrow alley where a mural of Bryant has stood untouched for five years.
The piece shows him grabbing his jersey and yelling, with the words “Los Angeles Culture” next to him. It was created by Jonas Never, a sports muralist, who painted it shortly after the former Lakers player announced he would retire from the NBA in 2015.
Martin Yan stands in front of a mural of Kobe Bryant near Staples. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
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It was the mural that Isaac Patino, 27, kept thinking about after he heard his idol had been killed. Holding his 1-year-old girl, Alyssa, Patino and his wife, Rocio Leon, 27, stood by the mural to take a photo. Leon wore a Lakers shirt and yellow Crocs she had decorated with yellow and purple flowers as well as Bryant’s jersey number: 24. Their daughter wore Lakers pajamas.
“It’s perfect because ‘culture’ is what Los Angeles is about,” said Patino, who wore Bryant’s jersey.
A few feet away, a mural of Hussle had been painted on another building — one of many that had popped up in alleys and on buildings after the 33-year-old rapper’s killing last year.
“For me, they’re heroes,” Jerry Herrera, 25, of Compton said of Hussle and Bryant. “Heroes that will forever be embedded into the city, into people’s hearts and into the city’s soul.”
In L.A.’s Mid City, fans were descending on a new mural that had been painted on the side of Pickford Market. Created by Jules Muck, who goes by Muckrock, it shows a smiling Bryant and Gigi — short for Gianna. A vertical ribbon with the words “Kobe and Gigi, forever daddy’s girl” coiled next to the father and daughter.
Justine Mendiola stricks a pose as others quietly await their turn to take photos in front of a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, n the side of Pickford Market in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Gazing at the mural, Ivan Staley, 34, was in tears.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “You can tell by looking at it she really took her time and made sure she captured the true beauty of them together.”
A father of two girls, Staley said the loss of Bryant and his daughter was devastating as a fan and as a parent.
Inside the Pickford Market, manager Mandeep Singh, 37, said of the mural: “We’re part of the community, and it should reflect that on the outside.
“It’s great … and people have a place they can pay tribute.”
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On Monday, Muck painted a second mural of the father and daughter on the exterior of a marijuana dispensary on Pico Boulevard. People walked in to thank employees for the artwork. It was a reminder, one Angeleno said, of “what could have been and what was.”
In Studio City, as Gozukuchikyan worked on his own mural, spectators dropped off candles and flowers. Visitors included retired basketball player Matt Barnes.
Gozukuchikyan has done three other murals of Bryant. He did one when Bryant retired in 2016 and another featuring Bryant passing the ball to LeBron James, which he did when James decided to come to L.A.
“Life goes on. It’s on us to remember them,” Gozukuchikyan said. “It’s not just art, it’s a documentation. We’re documenting what’s happening in modern times.”