latimes--2020-08-28--California lawmakers reach deal for new eviction protections that would last through January

California tenants facing financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic would be protected from eviction through January as long as they pay 25 % of their rent during that period , under a proposal announced Friday by state officials .
The plan , which faces the high hurdle of having to get a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature by Monday night , was seen as a compromise with landlord groups who oppose a pending bill that would have kept tenants from being evicted if they did not pay any rent as late as April .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressing COVID-19 evictions , but will tide us over for the next five months , ” said Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) , who wrote the bill opposed by landlords .
“ This gives us the time to reconsider our options next legislative session and potentially work with a new federal administration on economic relief for struggling tenants and property owners.
” The new measure , which Chiu supports in lieu of his stalled bill , would allow landlords who own one to four units to ask their lenders for forbearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We did land on an agreement on evictions , and I am very pleased to announce that , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said during a news conference Friday .
“ We were able to accommodate each other ’ s points of view .
Not everybody is pleased with every detail .
That ’ s the nature of negotiations , but we did get an eviction deal done and I look forward to signing it very , very shortly.
” Democratic lawmakers said the proposal is the best they can do given that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expires on Monday , the same day the Legislature is required to adjourn for the year .
Tenant rights advocates say they are disappointed that the bill does not prevent all evictions .
“ It ’ s better than the absolute nightmare that we are facing with evictions , but there are going to be a lot of challenges , ” said Shanti Singh , a spokeswoman for Tenants Together .
“ The biggest concern is : Do we think we are going to be out of this crisis by Feb. 1 ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ magically get all of their jobs back and be able to have money to pay rent on Feb. 1 ?
I don ’ t think so.
” Francisco Dueñas , executive director of the group Housing Now , said he prefers AB 1436 , the other bill by Chiu offering more generous tenant protection .
“ We are continuing to push for that , plus a ban on evictions through the end of the pandemic , ” he said .
A group advocating for tenants planned a protest outside the governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the failure to prevent evictions will put people on the streets .
The action was organized by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Action .
Asked on Friday about complaints from tenant advocates that the bill does not go far enough , Newsom said the deal will help millions of people .
“ I don ’ t know that there is another state leaning in doing more to protect tenants than the state of California , ” Newsom said .
“ The prospects of literally millions of people being evicted or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mitigated because of this effort.
” Landlords say the proposed COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020 is better for property owners than the previously introduced legislation .
The proposed measure “ provides a stopgap , ” said Debra Carlton , executive vice president of the California Apartment Assn .
“ It requires that tenants impacted by COVID-19 start paying at least some of their rent , ” she said .
“ This is a more sensible approach than AB 1436 ... that would encourage tenants to withhold rent , even if they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic.
” Under the new AB 3088 , to qualify for the eviction protections , tenants would be required to file declarations with their landlords that they are suffering financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The landlords also won a concession in the new bill that would not prevent evictions for other causes , such as cases in which renters have become nuisances to neighbors .
Carlton said the ultimate solution would be for the federal government to provide financial assistance to coronavirus-impacted renters so they can pay their rent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay the rent that ’ s accumulated , and housing providers will go out of business , ” Carlton said .
Under the compromise proposal , tenants can ’ t be evicted for nonpayment of rent this year from March to Sept. 1 .
They can continue to avoid eviction if they pay at least a quarter of their rent starting Sept. 1 and until Jan. 31 , 2021 , after which full rent would have to be paid .
Tenants could not be evicted after January for failing to pay full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protections would not extend to situations in which tenants fail to pay rent for February .
The unpaid rent — both the amount owed since March and the portion unpaid through the fall and early winter — would be treated as consumer debt , only recoverable by a landlord through small-claims court .
Millions of Californians have lost jobs and income since many businesses were closed in March and residents were told to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19 pandemic .
The state last week paid unemployment benefits to 4.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income .
In late March , Newsom issued an executive order briefly banning all renter evictions .
The state Judicial Council later issued a moratorium on courts processing evictions and this month extended it until Sept. 1 .
But legislation to extend the moratorium beyond that time ran into trouble after it drew opposition from landlord groups .
Last week , legislators sidelined a measure by state Sen. Anna Caballero ( D-Salinas ) that would have created a process for preventing evictions for three years as long as a landlord and tenant reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the landlord receiving a tax credit — part of a California economic recovery plan crafted by Senate Democrats in May .
Chiu ’ s bill was held in committee last week to allow negotiations with the governor and representatives for landlords and tenants .
That bill would have prevented evictions until 90 days after Newsom lifts the COVID-19 emergency or April 1 , 2021 , whichever comes first .
It would give renters a year to come up with unpaid rent .
The measure also proposed that owners of up to four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to a year of forbearance on their mortgages , while owners of larger units would get six months .
Assembly Bill 1436 was opposed by groups including the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Rental Housing Assn.
, a group representing 20,000 landlords .
Opponents warned that Chiu ‘ s measure would be challenged in court because landlords unable to collect rent and could lose their properties to foreclosure if they were unable to pay maintenance expenses and mortgages .
Chiu had proposed requiring banks to provide forbearance of mortgage payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being paid , but opponents said that is a power reserved for the federal government , not the state .
“ We recognize that renters that have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and the government ’ s response to the pandemic need assistance , ” Jack Schwartz , the association ’ s legislative chairman , said during a recent hearing on the bill .
“ However , these bills will lead to more harm throughout the rental housing industry and California ’ s economy.
” The bill was co-written by state Sen. Hannah-Beth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it balanced protections for landlords and tenants .
“ We are experiencing an economic and health crisis , ” Jackson said .
“ These calls for help are real , they are immediate , they are justifiable , and we can ’ t ignore them.
” State Sen. Andreas Borgeas ( R-Modesto ) said Chiu ‘ s bill does not set strict enough standards or require documentation to prove a tenant is suffering financially before halting the payment of rent .
He also said it does not sufficiently help those who own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce efforts to expand affordable housing by providing a disincentive for investors , “ creating significant long-term housing problems in California.
” Some cities are also scrambling to head off an eviction crisis .
In March , the Los Angeles City Council approved a measure that temporarily bars landlords from removing tenants who have lost income due to the pandemic , and gives affected renters a year after the expiration of the coronavirus-related state of emergency to repay past due rent .
But landlords can still file eviction cases , and renters would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at trial , worrying tenant activists who note that the vast majority of renters are not represented by lawyers in court .
Earlier this week , City Council President Nury Martinez announced a plan for a $ 10-million legal defense fund for low-income Angelenos facing eviction once the courts resume processing cases on Sept. 1 .
She expects the City Council to vote on approving the measure as soon as next week .
“ These are people who are struggling to stay above water — many are immigrants , Latinos , Black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit by COVID-19 , ” Martinez said in a statement .
“ People have lost family members , are sick themselves or lost their jobs .
They desperately need our help .
”

A housing rights and anti-eviction protest takes place in Valley Village in May. Because of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Californians have lost the income needed to pay rent.
California tenants facing financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic would be protected from eviction through January as long as they pay 25% of their rent during that period, under a proposal announced Friday by state officials.
The plan, which faces the high hurdle of having to get a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature by Monday night, was seen as a compromise with landlord groups that oppose a pending bill that would have kept tenants from being evicted if they did not pay any rent as late as April.
For the record: In an earlier version of this article, Sen. Hannah Beth Jackson was identified as residing in San Francisco. She is from Santa Barbara.
“This will not be the ultimate solution to addressing COVID-19 evictions, but will tide us over for the next five months,” said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), who wrote the bill opposed by landlords. “This gives us the time to reconsider our options next legislative session and potentially work with a new federal administration on economic relief for struggling tenants and property owners.”
The new measure, which Chiu supports in lieu of his stalled bill, would allow landlords who own one to four units to ask their lenders for forbearance on mortgage payments through January.
Advertisement
“We did land on an agreement on evictions, and I am very pleased to announce that,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference Friday. “We were able to accommodate each other’s points of view. Not everybody is pleased with every detail. That’s the nature of negotiations, but we did get an eviction deal done and I look forward to signing it very, very shortly.”
Democratic lawmakers said the proposal is the best they can do given that a moratorium on California courts processing evictions expires on Monday, the same day the Legislature is required to adjourn for the year.
Tenant rights advocates say they are disappointed that the bill does not prevent all evictions.
“It’s better than the absolute nightmare that we are facing with evictions, but there are going to be a lot of challenges,” said Shanti Singh, a spokeswoman for Tenants Together. “The biggest concern is: Do we think we are going to be out of this crisis by Feb. 1? Absolutely not. Are people going to magically get all of their jobs back and be able to have money to pay rent on Feb. 1? I don’t think so.”
Francisco Dueñas, executive director of the group Housing Now, said he prefers AB 1436, the other bill by Chiu offering more generous tenant protection.
“We are continuing to push for that, plus a ban on evictions through the end of the pandemic,” he said.
A group advocating for tenants planned a protest outside the governor’s house near Sacramento on Friday, warning that the failure to prevent evictions will put people on the streets. The action was organized by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Action.
Advertisement
Asked on Friday about complaints from tenant advocates that the bill does not go far enough, Newsom said the deal will help millions of people.
“I don’t know that there is another state leaning in doing more to protect tenants than the state of California,” Newsom said. “The prospects of literally millions of people being evicted or at least subject to eviction substantially was mitigated because of this effort.”
Landlords say the proposed COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020 is better for property owners than the previously introduced legislation.
The proposed measure “provides a stopgap,” said Debra Carlton, executive vice president of the California Apartment Assn.
“It requires that tenants impacted by COVID-19 start paying at least some of their rent,” she said. “This is a more sensible approach than AB 1436 ... that would encourage tenants to withhold rent, even if they’ve suffered no financial hardships from the pandemic.”
Under the new AB 3088, to qualify for the eviction protections, tenants would be required to file declarations with their landlords that they are suffering financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The landlords also won a concession in the new bill that would not prevent evictions for other causes, such as cases in which renters have become nuisances to neighbors.
Carlton said the ultimate solution would be for the federal government to provide financial assistance to coronavirus-impacted renters so they can pay their rent.
“Otherwise, renters will be hard-pressed to pay the rent that’s accumulated, and housing providers will go out of business,” Carlton said.
Under the compromise proposal, tenants can’t be evicted for nonpayment of rent this year from March to Sept. 1. They can continue to avoid eviction if they pay at least a quarter of their rent starting Sept. 1 and until Jan. 31, 2021, after which full rent would have to be paid.
Tenants could not be evicted after January for failing to pay full rent for the previous months, but the protections would not extend to situations in which tenants fail to pay rent for February.
The unpaid rent — both the amount owed since March and the portion unpaid through the fall and early winter — would be treated as consumer debt, recoverable by a landlord only through small-claims court.
Millions of Californians have lost jobs and income since many businesses were closed in March and residents were told to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. The state last week paid unemployment benefits to 4.9 million Californians who have lost jobs or income. In late March, Newsom issued an executive order briefly banning all renter evictions. The state Judicial Council later issued a moratorium on courts processing evictions and this month extended it until Sept. 1.
But legislation to extend the moratorium beyond that time ran into trouble after it drew opposition from landlord groups.
Last week, legislators sidelined a measure by state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) that would have created a process for preventing evictions for three years as long as a landlord and tenant reach an agreement on forgiving rent in exchange for the landlord receiving a tax credit — part of a California economic recovery plan crafted by Senate Democrats in May.
Chiu’s bill was held in committee last week to allow negotiations with the governor and representatives for landlords and tenants. That bill would have prevented evictions until 90 days after Newsom lifts the COVID-19 emergency or April 1, 2021, whichever comes first. It would give renters a year to come up with unpaid rent.
The measure also proposed that owners of up to four rental units would be able to request up to a year of forbearance on their mortgages, while owners of larger buildings would get six months.
Assembly Bill 1436 was opposed by groups including the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Rental Housing Assn., a group representing 20,000 landlords.
Opponents warned that Chiu‘s measure would be challenged in court because landlords unable to collect rent could lose their properties to foreclosure if they were unable to pay maintenance expenses and mortgages.
Chiu had proposed requiring banks to provide forbearance of mortgage payments in situations in which rent was not being paid, but opponents said that is a power reserved for the federal government, not the state.
“We recognize that renters that have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and the government’s response to the pandemic need assistance,” Jack Schwartz, the association’s legislative chairman, said during a recent hearing on the bill. “However, these bills will lead to more harm throughout the rental housing industry and California’s economy.”
The bill was co-written by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), who said it balanced protections for landlords and tenants.
“We are experiencing an economic and health crisis,” Jackson said. “These calls for help are real, they are immediate, they are justifiable, and we can’t ignore them.”
State Sen. Andreas Borgeas (R-Modesto) said Chiu‘s bill does not set strict enough standards or require documentation to prove a tenant is suffering financially before halting the payment of rent.
He also said it does not sufficiently help those who own five or more rental units and could reduce efforts to expand affordable housing by providing a disincentive for investors, “creating significant long-term housing problems in California.”
Some cities are also scrambling to head off an eviction crisis.
In March, the Los Angeles City Council approved a measure that temporarily bars landlords from removing tenants who have lost income due to the pandemic, and gives affected renters a year after the expiration of the coronavirus-related state of emergency to repay past due rent.
But landlords can still file eviction cases, and renters would have to prove they qualify for relief at trial, worrying tenant activists who note that the vast majority of renters are not represented by lawyers in court.
Earlier this week, City Council President Nury Martinez announced a plan for a $10-million legal defense fund for low-income Angelenos facing eviction once the courts resume processing cases on Sept. 1. She expects the City Council to vote on approving the measure as soon as next week.
“These are people who are struggling to stay above water — many are immigrants, Latinos, Black, and low-income residents who have been hardest hit by COVID-19,” Martinez said in a statement. “People have lost family members, are sick themselves or lost their jobs. They desperately need our help.”
Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-28--Clancy Imislund, longtime director of L.A.'s Midnight Mission, dies at 93.

Restoring his faith in a higher power was the hardest step for Clancy Imislund .
So when the day finally came in October 1958 , to take that step , he put his faith in Bob .
“ I ’ ll try to do what Bob says , ” he recounted decades later .
That wasn ’ t Dr. Bob , co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous , but just Bob , a run-of-the-mill actor who became his sponsor in the latest of many episodes of sobriety .
After several weeks of tagging along with Bob to grab food at AA meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I began to get the sense that Bob knew how I felt , ” he said , a sense he had never gotten before from father , friend or therapist .
“ I never knew anybody who knew how I felt , ” he said .
“ People like us are magnets for advice from everybody that we know .
But if you can find someone you believe knows how you feel , that advice becomes meaningful information.
” Imislund stayed sober that time , and for the next 62 years he carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks almost weekly at AA meetings from South Dakota to Reykjavik , Iceland , and becoming a sponsor to thousands of others .
Along the way , he left a lucrative career with a Beverly Hills marketing firm to become managing director of the Midnight Mission in downtown ’ s skid row , returning as a transformative leader to an institution that had once kicked him out for bad behavior .
Under his hand , the soup kitchen and flop house grew with programs to address the social needs of skid row , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arnold .
“ He ’ s probably the first person to bring substance use treatment to people living on skid row , ” Arnold said .
Evolving from executive to ambassador at-large , Imislund held the title of managing director for the next 46 years until his death Monday at 93 .
He left a legacy in the quasi-secret world of AA unmatched by any but founders Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob , said Stephen Watson , a Midnight Mission board member and one of the roughly 170 people Imislund was sponsoring up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an undetermined cause while in isolation following a positive test for COVID-19 , his daughter Mary Imislund Dougherty said .
He was undergoing rehabilitation for a broken hip and was at the end of the isolation period when the rehabilitation center informed her of his death , she said .
Growing up in a Norwegian Lutheran family in Eau Claire , Wis. , Imislund discovered , as he would later confess , that , “ I seem to need more fun than other Lutherans somehow.
” By the time he was 15 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind him .
“ I have a flair for doing the wrong thing , to almost instantly do the worst thing I could have done , ” he said .
The attack on Pearl Harbor offered an escape .
He hitch-hiked to San Francisco intending to make something of himself as a war hero .
Stints in the merchant marine , then the Navi introduced him to whisky and tobacco to the betterment of his self-image if not his character .
“ I felt like men looked , ” he said of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war Imislund returned to Wisconsin , enrolled in college , married Charlotte , “ this girl with flashing black eyes and black hair , ” and settled into what he would later recognize to be the normal life of an alcoholic .
Nights with family punctuated by nights in jail culminated in a vow of sobriety , made over the coffin of his first son , who died on a frigid winter night when Imislund was jailed and didn ’ t make it home to restart a finicky heater .
“ John Imislund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a vow made to be broken .
The family moved a lot .
The time in El Paso stands out as the pleasantest of her life , his daughter said .
Her father , a talented self-taught musician , partied at home with the city ’ s marijuana-smoking jazz musicians .
“ My happiest memories are laying in my bed , smelling that smell , hearing that music , ” she said .
“ They would sit all night and play the most amazing incredible music .
He just gathers these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had great jobs , Mary said , among them even directing the Grand Opera at the University of Texas .
But he always lost them , falling victim to what he would describe as the recurring “ spring in my gut ” that made him restless , eventually turning the world from “ technicolor to black and white.
” A nearly successful suicide attempt led to a mental commitment and electric shock therapy .
Thorazine and tequila followed .
The night he went out to buy food for his new daughter Susan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packed up the kids and resettled in a one-bedroom apartment .
After being ejected from the Midnight Mission , Imislund made the most important trip of his life , walking miles to the AA club at Wilshire and Fairfax where he fell under Bob ’ s sway .
“ He found me ways not to quit jobs , ” Imislund would say .
“ A terrible process .
I finally held a job for four months before I got fired.
” Gradually , Bob broke through to Imislund ’ s faith which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took his son ’ s life to pay for his sins .
“ Kid , you ’ re not important enough for God to hate , ” Bob told him .
“ By the time he died , I believed in AA as the higher power , ” Imislund would say .
It took five years to regain Charlotte ’ s trust .
He got a job in advertising , became head of a family again and founded the Pacific Group , held in a Westside synagogue , that has grown into one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and largest AA meetings , said Watson , the Midnight Mission board member .
Within AA , Pacific Group has its detractors who find it cultish and doctrinally severe .
“ I don ’ t like the Pacific and avoid them , ” said Sarah D. of Dallas in an email to The Times .
But not Imislund .
“ Clancy inspired the masses , ” she wrote .
“ I see in my mind ’ s eye ... so many rooms , so many people crowded into the back , outside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words .
I hear the laughter .
And i am grateful.
” He became what Watson would describe a 12-step “ rock star , ” becoming sponsor to Hollywood elites , judges and business executives along with the people he picked up off the street .
“ If you asked Clancy how many people he had sponsored he would say , ‘ One too few , ’ ” Watson said .
He estimates the number at 10,000 with the ripple effect touching tens of thousands of lives .
Family ties with his four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distant , Susan Imislund Yodice , the daughter born in Texas , said .
The daughters understood his absences as necessary amends for “ things you can never undo.
” After Charlotte died in 2012 , their father became more spiritual and a more attentive father .
“ He became this accessible , very loving dad , ” she said .
“ I feel grateful that in my 50s I got this dad .
And that ’ s been a joy.
” It was in 1974 that Imislund returned to the Midnight Mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to embrace treatment , work and housing services .
He built its financial base with his pen , president and CEO Arnold said .
“ He would open the phone book and start writing letters to people in the phone directory , ” Arnold said .
“ He could create some of the most compelling stories about both recovery and the work of the Midnight Mission , ” Arnold said .
“ It ’ s hard to separate Clancy from either the Midnight Mission or the AA .
He dedicated the last 46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do good with those two messages.
” In his talks , Imislund spoke of AA as a mystery with a practical goal .
“ Nobody knows why it works , ” he said .
“ The purpose of AA is not to make you dry longer and longer .
The purpose of AA is to do very slowly what alcohol did fast .
To change my perception of reality .
”

Clancy Imislund left a lucrative career with a Beverly Hills marketing firm to become managing director of the Midnight Mission in downtown’s skid row, returning as a transformative leader to an institution that had once kicked him out for bad behavior.
Restoring his faith in a higher power was the hardest step for Clancy Imislund.
So when the day finally came in October 1958, to take that step, he put his faith in Bob.
“I’ll try to do what Bob says,” he recounted decades later.
That wasn’t Dr. Bob, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, but just Bob, a run-of-the-mill actor who became his sponsor in the latest of many episodes of sobriety. After several weeks of tagging along with Bob to grab food at AA meetings, Imislund had an awakening.
“I began to get the sense that Bob knew how I felt,” he said, a sense he had never gotten before from father, friend or therapist.
Advertisement
“I never knew anybody who knew how I felt,” he said. “People like us are magnets for advice from everybody that we know. But if you can find someone you believe knows how you feel, that advice becomes meaningful information.”
Imislund stayed sober that time, and for the next 62 years he carried the message around the world, giving talks almost weekly at AA meetings from South Dakota to Reykjavik, Iceland, and becoming a sponsor to thousands of others.
Along the way, he left a lucrative career with a Beverly Hills marketing firm to become managing director of the Midnight Mission in downtown’s skid row, returning as a transformative leader to an institution that had once kicked him out for bad behavior. Under his hand, the soup kitchen and housing facilities grew with programs to address the social needs of skid row, said its president and CEO G. Michael Arnold.
“He’s probably the first person to bring substance use treatment to people living on skid row,” Arnold said.
Evolving from executive to ambassador at-large, Imislund held the title of managing director for the next 46 years until his death Monday at 93.
He left a legacy in the quasi-secret world of AA unmatched by any but founders Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob, said Stephen Watson, a Midnight Mission board member and one of the roughly 170 people Imislund was sponsoring up to his death.
Imislund died of an undetermined cause while in isolation following a positive test for COVID-19, his daughter Mary Imislund Dougherty said. He was undergoing rehabilitation for a broken hip and was at the end of the isolation period when the rehabilitation center informed her of his death, she said.
Advertisement
Growing up in a Norwegian Lutheran family in Eau Claire, Wis., Imislund discovered, as he would later confess, that, “I seem to need more fun than other Lutherans somehow.”
By the time he was 15, straight A’s and self-discipline were behind him.
“I have a flair for doing the wrong thing, to almost instantly do the worst thing I could have done,” he said.
The attack on Pearl Harbor offered an escape. He hitch-hiked to San Francisco intending to make something of himself as a war hero. Stints in the merchant marine, then the Navy introduced him to whiskey and tobacco to the betterment of his self-image if not his character.
“I felt like men looked,” he said of his emotional reaction to alcohol.
After the war Imislund returned to Wisconsin, enrolled in college, married Charlotte, “this girl with flashing black eyes and black hair,” and settled into what he would later recognize to be the normal life of an alcoholic.
Nights with family punctuated by nights in jail culminated in a vow of sobriety, made over the coffin of his first son, who died on a frigid winter night when Imislund was jailed and didn’t make it home to restart a finicky heater.
“John Imislund, this will never happen again.” It was a vow made to be broken.
The family moved a lot. The time in El Paso stands out as the pleasantest of her life, his daughter said.
Her father, a talented self-taught musician, partied at home with the city’s marijuana-smoking jazz musicians.
“My happiest memories are laying in my bed, smelling that smell, hearing that music,” she said. “They would sit all night and play the most amazing incredible music. He just gathers these incredible people.”
In Texas, Imislund had great jobs, Mary said, among them even directing the Grand Opera at the University of Texas. But he always lost them, falling victim to what he would describe as the recurring “spring in my gut” that made him restless, eventually turning the world from “technicolor to black and white.”
A nearly successful suicide attempt led to a mental commitment and electric shock therapy.
Thorazine and tequila followed. The night he went out to buy food for his new daughter Susan and didn’t come back, Charlotte packed up the kids and resettled in a one-bedroom apartment.
Imislund eventually headed for Los Angeles.
After being ejected from the Midnight Mission, Imislund made the most important trip of his life, walking miles to the AA club at Wilshire and Fairfax where he fell under Bob’s sway.
“He found me ways not to quit jobs,” Imislund would say. “A terrible process. I finally held a job for four months before I got fired.”
Gradually, Bob broke through to Imislund’s faith which had been devastated by the belief that God took his son’s life to pay for his sins.
“Kid, you’re not important enough for God to hate,” Bob told him. “By the time he died, I believed in AA as the higher power,” Imislund would say.
It took five years to regain Charlotte’s trust. He got a job in advertising, became head of a family again and founded the Pacific Group, held in a Westside synagogue, that has grown into one of the world’s longest standing and largest AA meetings, said Watson, the Midnight Mission board member.
Within AA, Pacific Group has its detractors who find it cultish and doctrinally severe.
“I don’t like the Pacific and avoid them,” said Sarah D. of Dallas in an email to The Times. But not Imislund.
“Clancy inspired the masses,” she wrote. “I see in my mind’s eye ... so many rooms, so many people crowded into the back, outside, in adjoining rooms. I remember his words. I hear the laughter. And i am grateful.”
He became what Watson would describe a 12-step “rock star,” becoming sponsor to Hollywood elites, judges and business executives along with the people he picked up off the street.
“If you asked Clancy how many people he had sponsored he would say, ‘One too few,’ ” Watson said. He estimates the number at 10,000 with the ripple effect touching tens of thousands of lives.
Family ties with his four daughters and surviving son were stable but distant, Susan Imislund Yodice, the daughter born in Texas, said. The daughters understood his absences as necessary amends for “things you can never undo.” After Charlotte died in 2012, their father became more spiritual and a more attentive father.
“He became this accessible, very loving dad,” she said. “I feel grateful that in my 50s I got this dad. And that’s been a joy.”
It was in 1974 that Imislund returned to the Midnight Mission. Under his leadership its mission expanded to embrace treatment, work and housing services. He built its financial base with his pen, president and CEO Arnold said.
“He would open the phone book and start writing letters to people in the phone directory,” Arnold said.
“He could create some of the most compelling stories about both recovery and the work of the Midnight Mission,” Arnold said. “It’s hard to separate Clancy from either the Midnight Mission or the AA. He dedicated the last 46 years of his life to trying to do good with those two messages.”
In his talks, Imislund spoke of AA as a mystery with a practical goal.
“Nobody knows why it works,” he said. “The purpose of AA is not to make you dry longer and longer. The purpose of AA is to do very slowly what alcohol did fast. To change my perception of reality.”


latimes--2020-08-28--Thief racks up more than $1,400 on credit cards stolen from firefighter, authorities say

Authorities have arrested a man they say stole the wallet of a firefighter who was battling a Bay Area wildfire and used the credit cards inside to rack up multiple fraudulent purchases , including one for $ 1,400 .
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said the suspect , identified as 37-year-old Live Oak resident Brian Johnson , was arrested late Wednesday and confessed to his crime .
When questioned by a sheriff ’ s investigator , Hart said , Johnson “ admitted that he had used the credit cards and made the charges .
He also sat down and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireman.
” Hart said the firefighter , whose name was not released , is an employee of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
Officials said the wallet was stolen out of his vehicle last weekend while he was out battling the CZU Lightning Complex fire .
“ That case really resonated with me because here we had somebody who came from completely out of the area , left their family , left their normal life to come here to Santa Cruz County to help our community get through the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our history , and then somebody has the audacity to steal from this man , ” Hart said during a Thursday news conference .
Hart said investigators received a tip from the public that led them to identify Johnson as a potential suspect .
Authorities searched his home and found recently purchased merchandise , as well as clothing that the suspect had been seen wearing on surveillance video , the sheriff said .
Johnson was arrested on suspicion of multiple felony charges , including forgery , grand theft , credit card theft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probation violation , Hart said .
He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday , court records show .
Hart said Thursday that investigators were still working to determine whether any other people may have been involved .
To reassure Californians who have expressed interest in making donations to help cover the firefighter ’ s losses , Hart said all the fraudulent charges — the total amount of which was not immediately disclosed — have already been reversed .
The firefighter “ wanted to extend his appreciation for all the support and the offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said he ’ s good now and all he wants to do is get up on that fire line and do his job.
” The CZU Lightning Complex has burned more than 82,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties and was 26 % contained as of Friday morning , according to Cal Fire .

Authorities have arrested a man they say stole the wallet of a firefighter who was battling a Bay Area wildfire and used the credit cards inside to rack up multiple fraudulent purchases, including one for $1,400.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Live Oak resident Brian Johnson, was arrested late Wednesday and confessed to his crime.
When questioned by a sheriff’s investigator, Hart said, Johnson “admitted that he had used the credit cards and made the charges. He also sat down and wrote a letter of apology to the fireman.”
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Hart said the firefighter, whose name was not released, is an employee of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials said the wallet was stolen out of his vehicle last weekend while he was out battling the CZU Lightning Complex fire.
“That case really resonated with me because here we had somebody who came from completely out of the area, left their family, left their normal life to come here to Santa Cruz County to help our community get through the most catastrophic fire that we’ve seen in our history, and then somebody has the audacity to steal from this man,” Hart said during a Thursday news conference.
Hart said investigators received a tip from the public that led them to identify Johnson as a potential suspect. Authorities searched his home and found recently purchased merchandise, as well as clothing that the suspect had been seen wearing on surveillance video, the sheriff said.
Johnson was arrested on suspicion of multiple felony charges, including forgery, grand theft, credit card theft, possession of stolen property and a probation violation, Hart said. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, court records show.
Hart said Thursday that investigators were still working to determine whether any other people may have been involved.
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To reassure Californians who have expressed interest in making donations to help cover the firefighter’s losses, Hart said all the fraudulent charges — the total amount of which was not immediately disclosed — have already been reversed.
The firefighter “wanted to extend his appreciation for all the support and the offers,” Hart said, “but he said he’s good now and all he wants to do is get up on that fire line and do his job.”
The CZU Lightning Complex has burned more than 82,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties and was 26% contained as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.


latimes--2020-08-28--Newsom unveils sweeping new coronavirus reopening rules for businesses in California

Gov .
Gavin Newsom unveiled a new plan on Friday to rekindle a California economy decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic , a four-tier system in which counties must show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen and group activities to resume .
In doing so , Newsom appears to be taking a far more cautious approach than his first effort in the spring , when his decision to rapidly ease restrictions led to such a major surge in cases that he ordered another statewide shutdown .
“ We ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Newsom said during a news conference Friday in Sacramento .
“ This more stringent , but we believe more steady approach.
” For most of California , the new rules won ’ t result in many immediate changes , since restaurant dining , religious services , gyms and fitness centers , movies theaters and museums will remain restricted to outdoors only in the vast majority of counties in the state .
But beginning on Monday , hair salons and barbershops can open statewide , including for indoor services if they adhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear masks and follow other health-related mandates .
All retail stores and shopping malls also are permitted to open at a maximum of 25 % capacity , state officials said .
Counties will be allowed to ease restrictions in progressive stages , slowly granting Californians the everyday freedoms they enjoyed before the outbreak if virus transmission wanes in their counties .
Unlike last time , the governor said the decision to grant counties the ability to open businesses will be based entirely on data showing the spread of the virus among residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ uniform for all 58 counties in California and a Newsom advisor said the new system takes effect on Monday .
The vast majority of counties — including all those in Southern California except San Diego — will begin in the first and most restrictive tier .
• Tier 1 , widespread transmission : Most nonessential businesses must be closed .
Counties in this tier have more than seven new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of more than 8 % .
• Tier 2 , substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed .
Counties in this tier have between four to seven COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of between 5 % -8 % .
• Tier 3 , moderate transmission : Some businesses can open with modifications .
Counties in this tier have 1-3.9 new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus positivity rate of 2-4.9 % .
• Tier 4 , minimal transmission : Most businesses can reopen , with modifications .
Counties in this tier have less than one new COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus positivity rate of less than 2 % .
For example , restaurants in counties in Tier 1 will be allowed only to serve customers outdoors .
Once a county moves into Tier 2 , restaurants can serve customers indoors , but only at 25 % capacity .
At Tier 3 , 50 % capacity and at Tier 4 full capacity , as long as social distancing and other safeguards are in place .
The Newsom administration also updated its COVID-19 website to explain the status of every county and provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what activities are permitted The new rules also provide a new pathway toward the partial reopening of schools in some communities .
School officials in the 20 counties listed in the state ’ s new structure as having “ substantial , ” “ moderate ” or “ minimal ” virus transmission will be able to offer limited in-person instruction on school campuses once those counties maintain that status for at least 14 days .
Counties with even fewer incidences of confirmed COVID-19 cases and lower test positivity rates could allow students to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the impact of the new rules on K-12 education , for now , is minimal .
Most counties would still not be allowed to offer in-person instruction for K-12 students .
Those that can move forward are subject to rules rolled out by Newsom last month , where outbreaks can close individual classrooms on a campus or — if more substantial — an entire school district .
The new system will be based on averages of new cases each day per 100,000 residents and the percentage of positive cases compared to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening rules require counties to wait at least 21 days before moving to the next reopening tier ( some counties may be eligible to move out of the first tier sooner at the outset ) .
If a county has met reopening metrics for the next stage for at least two continuous weeks , they will be allowed to progress to the next stage when the 21-day wait period expires .
Otherwise they will be required to remain in place until they meet the benchmarks for the next tier for two straight weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metrics for their current tier for two consecutive weeks will be required to move to a more restrictive tier , according to the governor ’ s office .
The governor ’ s office said the metrics will be reported as seven-day averages calculated every Tuesday but will be based on data from a full week earlier to give counties time to provide up-to-date information .
“ I like this new framework because of the clear guidance on which and when each business sector is able to reopen , ” said Orange County Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chau said he has asked the state to clarify how the new system will affect efforts to resume in-person education .
Newsom ’ s decision to replace his original reopening plan from the spring comes after he faced criticism for allowing counties to reopen too quickly .
That plan , which was announced in May , relied on local officials to attest to their own readiness to reopen .
But instead of requiring counties to meet the benchmarks outlined in his plan , Newsom permitted dozens of counties to move forward as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing capacity or train more contact tracers in the weeks and months after businesses opened their doors again .
The virus surged , counties weren ’ t prepared to conduct the necessary case investigation and contact tracing , and California and other states around the country experienced a massive testing shortage .
“ It collapsed the effectiveness of our efforts to kill the virus , ” state Sen. Steve Glazer ( D-Orinda ) said of the governor ’ s deferral to counties during the first reopening .
“ It ’ s too easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allure of making choices that people like and avoiding the anger that comes from telling people things they can ’ t do.
” In the past , Newsom has blamed the outbreak on county officials .
He said the state allowed counties to reopen only if officials could prove that COVID-19 hospitalizations had stabilized , medical centers , nursing homes and other essential services had adequate protective equipment , and that they were prepared to accommodate and care for a surge in patients affected by the virus .
Adherence to those reopening standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the state , Newsom said .
In recent weeks , counties have complained about the lack of instructions and communication from the governor and California Department of Public Health about the path forward .
Thirty-four counties that were on the state ’ s monitoring list as of Friday morning have been forced to close businesses after local reopenings resulted in increased community spread of COVID-19 , increased hospitalizations or limited hospital capacity .
But another nine counties lowered the spread of the virus and were taken off the watchlist , only to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new instructions about when and how they could begin to reopen businesses .
Some counties , a Newsom advisor said , will initially be subject to additional restrictions under the Tier 1 rules but will be able to move up earlier if current conditions hold .
That could mean Orange County , in particular , could move up to a less restrictive tier in early September .
The delayed information from the Newsom administration , which left some counties in the lurch for nearly two weeks , added to a growing frustration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and poor communication from Sacramento since the pandemic began .
San Diego was the only county in Southern California to be placed on the state ’ s Tier 2 level , which will allow indoor operations to resume in a modified capacity at movie theaters , places of worship , museums and restaurants .
County health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said that there is some concern that residents from outside counties where certain indoor operations are not yet allowed may flock to San Diego County , posing a risk to the rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ re opening up as a percentage of capacity , ” Wooten said about the fact that 25 % or 100 people — whichever is less — will be allowed inside those places .
Los Angeles County , which has remained on the watchlist since it was announced in June , has been placed in the most restrictive tier .
“ Although the State today revised slightly the list of permitted activities in Tier 1 to allow for the re-opening of both hair salons for indoor services and indoor shopping centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Officer Order has not been changed to permit these re-openings , ” the county said in a statement .
The number of cases in L.A. County , which totals more than 237,000 and accounts for the bulk of the state ’ s total infections , surged in June after the county rapidly reopened various sectors of the economy after months of closures .
Transmission related to Memorial Day weekend activities and other informal gatherings also contributed to an increase in cases throughout the state .
At the same time , mass protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials have said that those outdoor demonstrations did not contribute to the massive surge in new coronavirus infections .
Still , it is impossible for officials to trace cases that originate in public spaces .
The statewide surge in cases and hospitalization continued after the Fourth of July weekend , followed by a case reporting backlog that sent daily infections into record territory .
Those numbers have just begun to decline in recent weeks , as has the number of hospitalizations in California .
The state ’ s new guidelines come as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police shooting of Jacob Blake , who is Black , and as Labor Day approaches .

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new plan Friday to rekindle a California economy decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a four-tier system in which counties must show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen and group activities to resume.
In doing so, Newsom appears to be taking a far more cautious approach than his first effort in the spring, when his decision to rapidly ease restrictions led to such a major surge in cases that he ordered another statewide shutdown.
“We’re going to be more stubborn this time,” Newsom said during a news conference Friday in Sacramento. “This more stringent, but we believe more steady, approach.”
For most of California, the new rules won’t result in many immediate changes because restaurant dining, religious services, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters and museums will remain restricted to outdoors only in the vast majority of counties in the state.
But beginning Monday, hair salons and barbershops can open statewide, including for indoor services if they adhere to requirements for social distancing and employees wear masks and follow other health-related mandates. All retail stores and shopping malls also are permitted to open at a maximum of 25% capacity, state officials said.
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Counties will be allowed to ease restrictions in progressive stages, slowly granting Californians the everyday freedoms they enjoyed before the outbreak if virus transmission wanes in their counties. Unlike last time, the governor said, the decision to grant counties the ability to open businesses will be based entirely on data showing the spread of the virus among residents.
The criteria for each tier will be uniform for all 58 counties in California, and a Newsom advisor said the new system takes effect Monday. The vast majority of counties — including all those in Southern California except San Diego — will begin in the first and most restrictive tier.
Tier 1, widespread transmission: Most nonessential businesses must be closed. Counties in this tier have more than seven new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of more than 8%.
Most nonessential businesses must be closed. Counties in this tier have more than seven new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of more than 8%. Tier 2, substantial transmission: Some nonessential indoor businesses remain closed. Counties in this tier have between four to seven COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of between 5%-8%.
Some nonessential indoor businesses remain closed. Counties in this tier have between four to seven COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus test positivity rate of between 5%-8%. Tier 3, moderate transmission: Some businesses can open with modifications. Counties in this tier have 1-3.9 new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus positivity rate of 2-4.9%.
Some businesses can open with modifications. Counties in this tier have 1-3.9 new COVID cases per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus positivity rate of 2-4.9%. Tier 4, minimal transmission: Most businesses can reopen, with modifications. Counties in this tier have less than one new COVID case per 100,000 people per day and a coronavirus positivity rate of less than 2%.
For example, restaurants in counties in Tier 1 will be allowed only to serve customers outdoors. Once a county moves into Tier 2, restaurants can serve customers indoors, but only at 25% capacity. At Tier 3, that rises to 50% capacity and at Tier 4 full capacity, as long as social distancing and other safeguards are in place.
The Newsom administration also updated its COVID-19 website to explain the status of every county and provide a description of which businesses can open and what activities are permitted
The new rules also provide a new pathway toward the partial reopening of schools in some communities. School officials in the 20 counties listed in the state’s new structure as having “substantial,” “moderate” or “minimal” virus transmission will be able to offer limited in-person instruction on school campuses once those counties maintain that status for at least 14 days. Counties with even fewer incidences of confirmed coronavirus cases and lower test positivity rates could allow students to return to campus part time even earlier.
But the effect of the new rules on K-12 education, for now, is minimal. Most counties would still not be allowed to offer in-person instruction for K-12 students. Those that can move forward are subject to rules rolled out by Newsom last month, under which outbreaks can close individual classrooms on a campus or — if more substantial — an entire school district.
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The new system will be based on averages of new cases each day per 100,000 residents and the percentage of positive cases compared to the overall number of tests conducted.
The reopening rules require counties to wait at least 21 days before moving to the next reopening tier (some counties may be eligible to move out of the first tier sooner at the outset). If a county has met reopening metrics for the next stage for at least two continuous weeks, it will be allowed to progress to the next stage when the 21-day wait period expires. Otherwise it will be required to remain in place until it meets the benchmarks for the next tier for two straight weeks. Counties that fail to meet the metrics for their current tier for two consecutive weeks will be required to move to a more restrictive tier, according to the governor’s office.
The governor’s office said the metrics will be reported as seven-day averages calculated every Tuesday but will be based on data from a full week earlier to give counties time to provide up-to-date information.
“I like this new framework because of the clear guidance on which and when each business sector is able to reopen,” said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau.
Chau said he has asked the state to clarify how the new system will affect efforts to resume in-person education.
Newsom’s decision to replace his original reopening plan from the spring comes after he faced criticism for allowing counties to reopen too quickly.
That plan, which was announced in May, relied on local officials to attest to their own readiness to reopen. But instead of requiring counties to meet the benchmarks outlined in his plan, Newsom permitted dozens of counties to move forward as long as local officials said they could increase testing capacity or train more contact tracers in the weeks and months after businesses opened their doors again.
The virus surged, counties weren’t prepared to conduct the necessary case investigation and contact tracing, and California and other states around the country experienced a massive testing shortage.
“It collapsed the effectiveness of our efforts to kill the virus,” state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) said of the governor’s deferral to counties during the first reopening. “It’s too easy for local officials to acquiesce to the allure of making choices that people like and avoiding the anger that comes from telling people things they can’t do.”
In the past, Newsom has blamed the outbreak on county officials. He said the state allowed counties to reopen only if officials could prove that COVID-19 hospitalizations had stabilized and that medical centers, nursing homes and other essential services had adequate protective equipment and were prepared to accommodate and care for a surge in patients affected by the virus. Adherence to those reopening standards was the responsibility of the counties, not the state, Newsom said.
In recent weeks, counties have complained about the lack of instructions and communication from the governor and California Department of Public Health about the path forward. Thirty-four counties that were on the state’s monitoring list as of Friday morning have been forced to close businesses after local reopenings resulted in increased community spread of the coronavirus, increased hospitalizations or limited hospital capacity.
But nine other counties lowered the spread of the virus and were taken off the watchlist, only to find themselves in limbo awaiting Newsom’s new instructions about when and how they could begin to reopen businesses. Some counties, a Newsom advisor said, will initially be subject to additional restrictions under the Tier 1 rules but will be able to move up earlier if current conditions hold. That could mean Orange County, in particular, could move up to a less restrictive tier in early September.
The delayed information from the Newsom administration, which left some counties in the lurch for nearly two weeks, added to a growing frustration among local officials over sometimes incomplete directives and poor communication from Sacramento since the pandemic began.
San Diego was the only county in Southern California to be placed on the state’s Tier 2 level, which will allow indoor operations to resume in a modified capacity at movie theaters, places of worship, museums and restaurants. County health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said that there is some concern that residents from outside counties where certain indoor operations are not yet allowed may flock to San Diego County, posing a risk to the rate of transmission.
“The good news is that we’re opening up as a percentage of capacity,” Wooten said about the fact that 25% or 100 people — whichever is less — will be allowed inside those places.
Los Angeles County, which has remained on the watchlist since it was announced in June, has been placed in the most restrictive tier.
“Although the State today revised slightly the list of permitted activities in Tier 1 to allow for the re-opening of both hair salons for indoor services and indoor shopping centers for permitted retail establishments, the County Health Officer Order has not been changed to permit these re-openings,” the county said in a statement.
The number of cases in L.A. County, which totals more than 237,000 and accounts for the bulk of the state’s total infections, surged in June after the county rapidly reopened various sectors of the economy after months of closures. Transmission related to Memorial Day weekend activities and other informal gatherings also contributed to an increase in cases throughout the state.
At the same time, mass protests over the death of George Floyd erupted. Officials have said that those outdoor demonstrations did not contribute to the massive surge in new coronavirus infections. Still, it is impossible for officials to trace cases that originate in public spaces.
The statewide surge in cases and hospitalization continued after the Fourth of July weekend, followed by a case reporting backlog that sent daily infections into record territory. Those numbers have just begun to decline in recent weeks, as has the number of hospitalizations in California.
The state’s new guidelines come as protests have once again emerged after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who is Black, and as Labor Day approaches.
Times staff writer John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-28--TikTok stars charged with misdemeanors related to Hollywood parties during pandemic

A pair of social media stars were charged in Los Angeles this week with misdemeanor crimes for allegedly throwing parties at a Hollywood Hills rental home in violation of public health orders intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus , City Atty .
Mike Feuer announced Friday .
Bryce Hall and Blake Gray , who rose to internet fame largely on the video-sharing app TikTok , each face fines of up to $ 2,000 and one year in jail stemming from large , raucous gatherings that city officials allege the men held earlier this month at a house on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their alleged behavior at a news event Friday , saying house parties are potential “ super-spreader events for COVID-19.
” “ If you have a combined 19 million followers on TikTok , in the middle of a public health crisis you should be modeling great behavior , best practices for all of us , ” Feuer said , “ rather than brazenly violating the law and then posting videos about it , as we allege happened here.
” The house was the site of two parties that drew police on Aug. 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Gray are accused of violating a city law prohibiting large and unruly gatherings and another law intended to protect the lives of city residents during a local emergency .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , who earlier this summer authorized the city to turn off utility services at homes where parties are regularly held , has targeted the house as well , announcing last week that the Department of Water and Power had cut off electricity to the address .
An email to a representative for Hall and Gray wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that he deserved to have his house ’ s power shut off by the city and expressed remorse after being asked about one of the parties .
“ Now , I ’ m just facing the consequences , ” Hall said .
DWP spokeswoman Ellen Cheng said Friday that power had not yet been restored at the Appian Way home .
It is unclear if anyone is living there , however .
Hall left Los Angeles this week , according to his social media postings .
Even before the pandemic , party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a longtime problem for city officials , who faced complaints from neighborhood groups about noise and crowds .
The issue has been compounded by the rise of TikTok , which has spawned a legion of young social media celebrities .
Los Angeles has emerged as a destination for some of the largest personalities , many of whom live together in houses and broadcast their lives to millions of followers .
The city is home to about a dozen such houses .
TikTok , which debuted in the U.S. two years ago and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under pressure from the U.S. government over concerns about how the company handles data collected from U.S. users .
Encino residents Jeffrey and Elisabeth Okun said social media figures have taken over four houses within blocks of their home over the last several years .
Only one of the homes has been a problem , the couple said , because of frequent parties .
“ It was a very quiet and pleasant place , ” Jeffrey Okun said of his neighborhood .
“ Now we have drag racing at all hours and used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls changing clothes in the street.
” In light of the huge sums the stars on TikTok and other platforms can earn , Jeffrey Okun questioned whether misdemeanor fines of $ 2,000 or so would deter the parties .
The couple said they want to see the city ban social media figures from using homes in residential neighborhoods to promote themselves .
“ It ’ s essentially a business operating in a residential area , ” Elisabeth Okun said .
“ They have no accountability to the neighborhood or the property.
” Feuer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a deterrent , telling reporters that “ one misdemeanor puts one in much more serious circumstances if they commit another misdemeanor in the future.
” “ Maybe people are willing to risk being criminals and having that on their record , ” Feuer said .
“ I have to say a party isn ’ t worth those consequences.
” Feuer ’ s office also this week filed charges in two other cases related to illicit house parties .
The owner of a home on Outpost Drive and the owner of a Sunset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The two homes have also allegedly hosted parties and were previously cited , he said .
Los Angeles isn ’ t alone in battling party houses during the pandemic .
The city of Glendora went to court this week in an effort to stop parties from being hosted at a five-bedroom mansion on Sierra Madre Avenue .
Promoters advertised live musical performances , pre-sale tickets and bus transportation for a recent party at the home , which drew hundreds of people , according to city documents .

Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer chided TikTok celebrities Bryce Hall and Blake Gray for their alleged behavior, saying house parties are potential “super-spreader events for COVID-19.”
A pair of social media stars were charged in Los Angeles this week with misdemeanor crimes for allegedly throwing parties at a Hollywood Hills rental home in violation of public health orders intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, City Atty. Mike Feuer announced Friday.
Bryce Hall and Blake Gray, who rose to internet fame largely on the video-sharing app TikTok, each face fines of up to $2,000 and one year in jail stemming from large, raucous gatherings that city officials allege the men held earlier this month at a house on Appian Way.
Feuer chided the pair for their alleged behavior at a news event Friday, saying house parties are potential “super-spreader events for COVID-19.”
“If you have a combined 19 million followers on TikTok, in the middle of a public health crisis you should be modeling great behavior, best practices for all of us,” Feuer said, “rather than brazenly violating the law and then posting videos about it, as we allege happened here.”
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The house was the site of two parties that drew police on Aug. 8 and 14, officials said. Hall and Gray are accused of violating a city law prohibiting large and unruly gatherings and another law intended to protect the lives of city residents during a local emergency.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who earlier this summer authorized the city to turn off utility services at homes where parties are regularly held, has targeted the house as well, announcing last week that the Department of Water and Power had cut off electricity to the address.
An email to a representative for Hall and Gray wasn’t immediately returned. Hall told TMZ last week that he deserved to have his house’s power shut off by the city and expressed remorse after being asked about one of the parties. “Now, I’m just facing the consequences,” Hall said.
DWP spokeswoman Ellen Cheng said Friday that power had not yet been restored at the Appian Way home. It is unclear if anyone is living there, however. Hall left Los Angeles this week, according to his social media postings.
Even before the pandemic, party houses in the Hollywood Hills and elsewhere were a longtime problem for city officials, who faced complaints from neighborhood groups about noise and crowds.
The issue has been compounded by the rise of TikTok, which has spawned a legion of young social media celebrities. Los Angeles has emerged as a destination for some of the largest personalities, many of whom live together in houses and broadcast their lives to millions of followers. The city is home to about a dozen such houses.
TikTok, which debuted in the U.S. two years ago and is owned by China-based ByteDance, is under pressure from the U.S. government over concerns about how the company handles data collected from U.S. users.
Encino residents Jeffrey and Elisabeth Okun said social media figures have taken over four houses within blocks of their home over the last several years. Only one of the homes has been a problem, the couple said, because of frequent parties .
“It was a very quiet and pleasant place,” Jeffrey Okun said of his neighborhood. “Now we have drag racing at all hours and used condoms everywhere. We have video of girls changing clothes in the street.”
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In light of the huge sums the stars on TikTok and other platforms can earn, Jeffrey Okun questioned whether misdemeanor fines of $2,000 or so would deter the parties.
The couple said they want to see the city ban social media figures from using homes in residential neighborhoods to promote themselves. “It’s essentially a business operating in a residential area,” Elisabeth Okun said. “They have no accountability to the neighborhood or the property.”
Feuer said he hopes the charges announced Friday are a deterrent, telling reporters that “one misdemeanor puts one in much more serious circumstances if they commit another misdemeanor in the future.”
“Maybe people are willing to risk being criminals and having that on their record,” Feuer said. “I have to say a party isn’t worth those consequences.”
Feuer’s office also this week filed charges in two other cases related to illicit house parties. The owner of a home on Outpost Drive and the owner of a Sunset View Drive residence were charged, Feuer said. The two homes have also allegedly hosted parties and were previously cited, he said.
Los Angeles isn’t alone in battling party houses during the pandemic. The city of Glendora went to court this week in an effort to stop parties from being hosted at a five-bedroom mansion on Sierra Madre Avenue. Promoters advertised live musical performances, pre-sale tickets and bus transportation for a recent party at the home, which drew hundreds of people, according to city documents.


latimes--2020-08-28--Protesters plaster signs at LAPD chief's home during another night of demonstrations

Demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles in another round of protests , and one group plastered signs at LAPD Chief Michel Moore ’ s home Thursday night amid the continuing nationwide outcry following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin .
After making their way inside the gated community in Porter Ranch where Moore lives , a number of protesters attached posters to the front of the police chief ’ s residence before leaving the area , according to video of the incident .
Some of the signs read , “ Fire Chief Moore , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecute Killer Cops.
” The group Black Future Project — one of many new activist groups that sprang up in L.A. amid the protests the followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis — staged the action , according to social media .
One protester reportedly broke a lamp beside Moore ’ s driveway as the group left .
LAPD spokeswoman Officer Rosario Cervantes , confirmed Friday morning that officers took a vandalism report at Moore ’ s home and that no arrests had been made .
Elsewhere Thursday , a crowd of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Hall in downtown L.A. , according to reports from the scene .
Video showed protesters chanting , “ Black lives matter , ” and carrying signs that read , “ Care , Not Cops , ” “ Destroy White Supremacy ” and “ Defund LAPD.
” The marching crowd was followed by cars honking their horns in support .
No arrests were made and no injuries were reported during the protest , Cervantes said .
That ’ s a far cry from the previous night , when scuffles broke out between protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tunnel .
Several injuries were reported among protesters and officers in the clash late Wednesday night , and 10 people were arrested on charges including suspicion of vandalism , battery of a police officer and unlawfully attempting to take a person from police custody , authorities said .
Demonstrations have been a near-nightly occurrence since the shooting of Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , in Kenosha , Wis. Cellphone video shows Blake being shot as he leaned into his car with his children inside .
A white officer fired seven bullets into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed .
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the shooting , which began with officers attempting to arrest Blake on the street while responding to a report of a domestic dispute .
Since the shooting , hundreds have protested nightly in Kenosha .
Police on Wednesday arrested 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse — a white youth who has often praised police — in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests .
While expressing support for “ the many voices who are coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against racism and violence , ” L.A. County public health officials in a statement urged who participate in protests to stay vigilant about the threat of the coronavirus , which can be easily transmitted in crowds .
Officials said residents should stay home if they feel ill , frequently wash or sanitize their hands , wear a face covering , maintain physical distance and consider wearing eye protection .
“ When you are outside , for any activity where others are around , please wear a face covering at all times and keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone not in your household , ” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement .
“ This is the best way we can care for and protect the people around us.
” City News Service and Times staff writers Jaweed Kaleem and Chris Megerian contributed to this report .

Roughly 150 to 200 people march around City Hall in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday night. A separate group of protesters papered LAPD Chief Michel Moore’s house with fliers.
Demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles in another round of protests, and one group plastered signs at LAPD Chief Michel Moore’s home Thursday night amid the continuing nationwide outcry following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
After making their way inside the gated community in Porter Ranch where Moore lives, a number of protesters attached posters to the front of the police chief’s residence before leaving the area, according to video of the incident.
Some of the signs read, “Fire Chief Moore,” “Defund LAPD Now” and “Prosecute Killer Cops.”
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The group Black Future Project — one of many new activist groups that sprang up in L.A. amid the protests the followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis — staged the action, according to social media. One protester reportedly broke a lamp beside Moore’s driveway as the group left.
LAPD spokeswoman Officer Rosario Cervantes, confirmed Friday morning that officers took a vandalism report at Moore’s home and that no arrests had been made.
Elsewhere Thursday, a crowd of roughly 150 to 200 people marched near City Hall in downtown L.A., according to reports from the scene.
Video showed protesters chanting, “Black lives matter,” and carrying signs that read, “Care, Not Cops,” “Destroy White Supremacy” and “Defund LAPD.”
The marching crowd was followed by cars honking their horns in support.
No arrests were made and no injuries were reported during the protest, Cervantes said.
That’s a far cry from the previous night, when scuffles broke out between protesters and police in the downtown 3rd Street tunnel.
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Several injuries were reported among protesters and officers in the clash late Wednesday night, and 10 people were arrested on charges including suspicion of vandalism, battery of a police officer and unlawfully attempting to take a person from police custody, authorities said.
Demonstrations have been a near-nightly occurrence since the shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in Kenosha, Wis.
Cellphone video shows Blake being shot as he leaned into his car with his children inside. A white officer fired seven bullets into his back at point-blank range.
Blake is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the shooting, which began with officers attempting to arrest Blake on the street while responding to a report of a domestic dispute.
Since the shooting, hundreds have protested nightly in Kenosha. Police on Wednesday arrested 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse — a white youth who has often praised police — in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests.
While expressing support for “the many voices who are coming together in anger, frustration and protest against racism and violence,” L.A. County public health officials in a statement urged who participate in protests to stay vigilant about the threat of the coronavirus, which can be easily transmitted in crowds.
Officials said residents should stay home if they feel ill, frequently wash or sanitize their hands, wear a face covering, maintain physical distance and consider wearing eye protection.
“When you are outside, for any activity where others are around, please wear a face covering at all times and keep at least six feet of distance from anyone not in your household,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “This is the best way we can care for and protect the people around us.”
City News Service and Times staff writers Jaweed Kaleem and Chris Megerian contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-28--California lawmakers vote to expand ban on death penalty for the intellectually disabled

More people convicted of murder may receive death penalty exemptions under a measure California lawmakers approved Friday that would expand whom the courts can classify as intellectually disabled .
Under the legislation , the death penalty could not be sought against defendants if health experts determined there was evidence of an intellectual disability that began during their “ developmental period ” — the time in a person ’ s life when their brain is developing — as defined by mental health diagnosis standards .
Current California law prohibits intellectually disabled defendants from being sentenced to death if mental health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were 18 years old .
This legislation removes that age threshold .
“ All we ’ re really doing is updating the state of the science used to determine intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities to what is currently being used , ” said Assemblyman Mark Stone ( D-Scotts Valley ) , who introduced the bill .
“ There are people who are sitting on death row who shouldn ’ t be there and don ’ t need to be there .
That ’ s what we ’ re trying to rectify.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital cases from adjusting the results of tests measuring a defendant ’ s intellectual ability based on their race , ethnicity , national origin or socioeconomic status .
The bill received strong support from death penalty opponents and was contested by the California District Attorneys Assn.
, which criticized the measure for creating “ a vague and prejudicial loophole that would result in a miscarriage of justice for all murder victims and their loved ones.
” Assembly Bill 2512 will head to Gov .
Gavin Newsom for his consideration .
A staunch opponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just months after taking office placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California and ordered the dismantling of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison .
The moratorium will expire as soon as Newsom leaves office , pushing decisions on capital punishment to his successor .
“ The death penalty still technically exists , ” Stone said .
“ So this policy is still very relevant and necessary.
” If the bill is signed into law , inmates on death row would have the right to petition the courts to assess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new definition .
Retired Alameda County prosecutor Angela Backers , who handled death penalty cases for decades , said reputable mental health experts overwhelmingly agree that intellectual disabilities become evident before people turn 18 years old .
Replacing the age threshold with a defendant ’ s age-indeterminate “ developmental period ” would allow defense attorneys to argue that their clients are intellectually disabled even if no signs of impairment surfaced until they were in their 30s , she said .
“ They don ’ t want there to be a definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be all wishy-washy , ” said Backers , co-chair of the California District Attorneys Assn .
capital litigation committee .
“ All qualified experts agree that if you have an intellectual disability , it manifests itself before 18.
” In 2002 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was cruel and unusual punishment to impose a death sentence on a person convicted of murder who had a mental disability .
In that ruling , Atkins vs. Virginia , the court relied on a definition of intellectual disability set by the American Psychiatric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of such disabilities occurred before the age of 18 .
California later adopted the Supreme Court ’ s definition for capital cases in state law , which stated that intellectual disability means “ condition of significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested before 18 years of age , ” when the brain is still developing .
The American Psychiatric Assn .
has since changed its definition of intellectual disability , removing the age threshold and determining that the “ developmental period ” of a person should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physicians .
Stone said existing California law should be changed to reflect that new definition .
The assemblyman ’ s bill also prohibits prosecutors from arguing that Black and Latino people have less access than white people to adequate education , healthcare , nutrition and other essentials while growing up , and therefore may score lower on tests measuring potential intellectual disabilities , leading to a determination that results should be adjusted upward .
Backers , however , said that addresses a problem that does not exist .
“ Where ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proof where prosectors inflate the IQs of people of color , ” she said .

A death row inmate is escorted back to his cell after spending time in the yard at San Quentin State Prison.
More people convicted of murder may receive death penalty exemptions under a measure California lawmakers approved Friday that would expand whom the courts can classify as intellectually disabled.
Under the legislation, the death penalty could not be sought against defendants if health experts determined there was evidence of an intellectual disability that began during their “developmental period” — the time in a person’s life when their brain is developing — as defined by mental health diagnosis standards.
Current California law prohibits intellectually disabled defendants from being sentenced to death if mental health experts determine that their impairment was evident before they were 18 years old. This legislation removes that age threshold.
“All we’re really doing is updating the state of the science used to determine intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities to what is currently being used,” said Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), who introduced the bill. “There are people who are sitting on death row who shouldn’t be there and don’t need to be there. That’s what we’re trying to rectify.”
The bill would also prohibit prosecutors in capital cases from adjusting the results of tests measuring a defendant’s intellectual ability based on their race, ethnicity, national origin or socioeconomic status.
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The bill received strong support from death penalty opponents and was contested by the California District Attorneys Assn., which criticized the measure for creating “a vague and prejudicial loophole that would result in a miscarriage of justice for all murder victims and their loved ones.”
Assembly Bill 2512 will head to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. A staunch opponent to capital punishment, the Democratic governor just months after taking office placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California and ordered the dismantling of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison. The moratorium will expire as soon as Newsom leaves office, pushing decisions on capital punishment to his successor.
“The death penalty still technically exists,” Stone said. “So this policy is still very relevant and necessary.”
If the bill is signed into law, inmates on death row would have the right to petition the courts to assess whether they qualify as intellectually disabled under the new definition.
Retired Alameda County prosecutor Angela Backers, who handled death penalty cases for decades, said reputable mental health experts overwhelmingly agree that intellectual disabilities become evident before people turn 18 years old. Replacing the age threshold with a defendant’s age-indeterminate “developmental period” would allow defense attorneys to argue that their clients are intellectually disabled even if no signs of impairment surfaced until they were in their 30s, she said.
“They don’t want there to be a definition of intellectual disability. They want it to be all wishy-washy,” said Backers, co-chair of the California District Attorneys Assn. capital litigation committee. “All qualified experts agree that if you have an intellectual disability, it manifests itself before 18.”
In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was cruel and unusual punishment to impose a death sentence on a person convicted of murder who had a mental disability.
In that ruling, Atkins vs. Virginia, the court relied on a definition of intellectual disability set by the American Psychiatric Assn., which said that the onset of such disabilities occurred before the age of 18.
California later adopted the Supreme Court’s definition for capital cases in state law, which stated that intellectual disability means “condition of significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested before 18 years of age,” when the brain is still developing.
The American Psychiatric Assn. has since changed its definition of intellectual disability, removing the age threshold and determining that the “developmental period” of a person should be left up to the discretion of physicians.
Stone said existing California law should be changed to reflect that new definition.
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The assemblyman’s bill also prohibits prosecutors from arguing that Black and Latino people have less access than white people to adequate education, healthcare, nutrition and other essentials while growing up, and therefore may score lower on tests measuring potential intellectual disabilities, leading to a determination that results should be adjusted upward.
Backers, however, said that addresses a problem that does not exist.
“Where’s the proof of that?” she said. “Where is the proof where prosecutors inflate the IQs of people of color?”