latimes--2020-11-20--California imposes night curfew as L.A. careens toward new lockdown measures

California announced Thursday it will impose a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order for much of the state as COVID-19 surged to unprecedented levels and hard-hit Los Angeles County careened toward even more severe lockdown measures .
While the coronavirus is surging across the state , the situation in Los Angeles County was quickly reaching crisis levels , with nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases Thursday , the most it has seen in any one day since the pandemic began .
Morever , California set another record for most coronavirus cases in a single day Thursday .
An independent county-by-county tally conducted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases were reported Thursday , the second time in a week the single-day record has been broken .
The single-day record was last broken on Monday , when 13,412 coronavirus cases were reported .
Officials said they are alarmed by the rapid spread of the infection .
For the two-week period that ended Thursday , average daily cases over a seven-day period have jumped by 102 % , from more than 1,600 cases a day to nearly 3,300 cases a day .
If the number of new daily coronavirus cases on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday ’ s , L.A. County could cross a red line as early as Sunday that would put the region on the cusp of a new stay-at-home order .
Whether such a new stay-at-home order would happen automatically or wait for a few days hasn ’ t yet been decided , L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said .
A new lockdown measure would be another body blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic .
Davis and others said they want to keep businesses open but might not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be slowed .
“ At this point , no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus , nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy , ” Davis said .
“ With the surge in transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County , it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.
” A Times analysis has found that California is now averaging more than 10,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven-day period .
California has not experienced a daily case count this high since the outbreak began , even during the surge in the summer that stands as the state ’ s deadliest time of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The new order issued by the California Department of Public Health will prohibit most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties in the strictest tier of the state ’ s reopening road map — the purple tier .
The restriction goes into place on Saturday and lasts through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended .
“ The virus is spreading at a pace we haven ’ t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge .
We are sounding the alarm , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said in a statement released Thursday afternoon .
“ It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges .
We ’ ve done it before and we must do it again.
” Roughly 94 % of Californians — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are in the purple tier , which has forced many businesses there to suspend or severely restrict the number of customers allowed indoors .
“ We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge .
We must be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distanced during this critical time .
Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives in danger and cripple our healthcare system , ” said Dr. Erica Pan , the state ’ s acting public health officer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order Newsom issued in mid-March , in that they focus more on curbing late-night drinking and group gatherings .
Californians in the affected counties will still be allowed in the overnight hours to buy groceries , walk the dog , pick up restaurant takeout orders , visit doctors or other healthcare providers and other providers of essential services .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s health and human services secretary , said the limited stay-at-home order focuses on the late night because that is a time when people tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either at gatherings in their homes or elsewhere .
Bars and restaurants are settings that can easily spread the coronavirus , through talking and even breathing .
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that adults with positive coronavirus test results were about twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those who tested negative .
Even if people up at these hours tend to be younger — and less susceptible to the ravages of COVID-19 — they can still contract the virus and infect others without showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinking in groups increases the odds of spread since people must remove their masks to ingest or imbibe .
“ COVID can go from zero to 60 .
Very quickly .
And it has , we ’ ve seen it across the nation , ” Ghaly told reporters at an afternoon news conference , warning that more restrictions are possible .
“ Today ’ s actions are an important step , but not the only step .
And as the rate of transmission gets stronger , I think we will too.
” While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jose State University , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious diseases expert , said that a policy of ordering bars and restaurants to close at an earlier time has helped to control the pandemic in other countries .
“ When you look at what happens as you get late into the evening , people let down their guard , people maybe drink a little bit too much , people get in congregate settings , ” Fauci said .
A public policy decision to shorten such business hours to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Newsom was noticeably absent from Thursday ’ s news conference , a departure from his usual practice of making major announcements about the state ’ s COVID-19 response .
The governor announced the curfew as he faces scrutiny over his own behavior and cases increase .
Newsom apologized this week for attending a Nov. 6 dinner party at the French Laundry , where he joined people from other households and several lobbyists at the upscale Napa Valley restaurant to celebrate the 50th birthday of a close friend .
He said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors , ” a description that was contradicted when pictures of the event surfaced the next day .
Reaction from the restaurant industry was mixed Thursday , with some critical but others supportive .
Everardo Santiago , owner of the Inglewood-based El Oaxaco Taqueria y Antojitos Oaxaqueños , said Newsom ’ s decision could hurt him but he endorses it nonetheless .
“ If we can all cooperate in this moment and do things the way they should be done , it will be easier , ” Santiago said .
Republican were far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones said he will refuse to enforce the new order .
“ The Sacramento County Sheriff ’ s Office will not be determining — including entering any home or business — compliance with , or enforcing compliance of , any health or emergency orders related to curfews , staying at home , Thanksgiving or other social gatherings inside or outside the home , maximum occupancy , or mask mandates , ” Jones said in a statement .
Assemblyman James Gallagher ( R-Yuba City ) , who filed as unconstitutional , said the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ The governor likes to tout that his actions are scientifically driven , but evidence simply does not support such drastic action limiting people ’ s freedom , ” Gallagher said in a statement .
“ This virus does not suddenly come out at night , and there is little evidence that shifting businesses ’ operating hours has any impact.
” Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia , a Democrat and strong political ally of Newsom , praised the action announced on Thursday , saying it will “ save lives and provide relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Garcia is considered to be among those Newsom may appoint to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy that will be created when Sen. Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president .
Officials fear the spike in new infections also may drastically increase hospitalizations .
Most of those who test positive eventually will recover , and many do so without needing to be admitted for professional medical care .
However , Ghaly added , authorities expect that roughly 12 % of those testing positive will end up in hospitals in two to three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 63.6 % over the last 14 days — hitting 4,523 , he said Thursday .
The number of patients in intensive care , 1,155 , is 40.5 % higher than two weeks ago .
Officials in Los Angeles County sounded that alarm Wednesday , saying that , unless things change , the demand for local hospital and intensive care beds could soon outstrip supply .
Starting Friday , L.A. County will begin ordering restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m. , although takeout and delivery services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county will also place a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households .
If the county reaches 4,000 average cases daily over a five-day period , officials would stop outdoor dining at restaurants , returning eateries to offering only delivery and takeout service for the first time since May .
If new cases worsen still further , hitting 4,500 average cases daily over a five-day period , the county would impose a new stay-at-home order that would generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential services to leave their homes , and implement a 10 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that only exempts essential workers .
Willon and Luna reported from Sacramento , Lin from San Francisco and Money from Los Angeles .
Times staff writers Sean Greene , Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Andy Roberson contributed to this report .

Phil Willon, Taryn Luna, Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II

People play basketball without protective masks on at Reseda Park in Reseda. California has imposed a limited curfew due to a COVID-19 surge.
California announced Thursday it will impose a mandatory overnight stay-at-home order for much of the state as COVID-19 surged to unprecedented levels and hard-hit Los Angeles County careened toward even more severe lockdown measures.
While the coronavirus is surging across the state, the situation in Los Angeles County was quickly reaching crisis levels, with nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases Thursday, the most it has seen in any one day since the pandemic began.
Moreover, California set another record: more than 13,000 cases a day three times this week — on Monday, Thursday and Friday, according to an independent county-by-county tally conducted by The Times. Before this week, there was only one day California recorded more than 13,000 cases in a single day, in early August.
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Officials said they are alarmed by the rapid spread of the infection. For the two-week period that ended Thursday in Los Angeles County, average daily cases over a seven-day period have jumped by 102%, from more than 1,600 cases a day to nearly 3,300 cases a day. If the number of new daily coronavirus cases on Friday, Saturday and Sunday remains the same as Thursday’s, L.A. County could cross a red line as early as Sunday that would put the region on the cusp of a new stay-at-home order.
Whether such a new stay-at-home order would happen automatically or wait for a few days hasn’t yet been decided, L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. A new lockdown measure would be another body blow to businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic. Davis and others said they want to keep businesses open but might not have a choice if the outbreaks cannot otherwise be slowed.
“At this point, no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy,” Davis said. “With the surge in transmission of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, it is safe to assume that many people are infected without even knowing it yet.”
A Times analysis has found that California is now averaging more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases a day over a seven-day period. California has not experienced a daily case count this high since the outbreak began, even during the surge in the summer that stands as the state’s deadliest time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new order issued by the California Department of Public Health will prohibit most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties in the strictest tier of the state’s reopening road map — the purple tier. The restriction goes into place on Saturday and lasts through Dec. 21, though it could be extended.
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“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”
Roughly 94% of Californians — 37 million people — live in counties that are in the purple tier, which has forced many businesses there to suspend or severely restrict the number of customers allowed indoors.
“We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge. We must be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distanced during this critical time. Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives in danger and cripple our healthcare system,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s acting public health officer.
The restrictions are different than the statewide stay-at-home order Newsom issued in mid-March, in that they focus more on curbing late-night drinking and group gatherings. Californians in the affected counties will still be allowed in the overnight hours to buy groceries, walk the dog, pick up restaurant takeout orders, visit doctors or other healthcare providers and other providers of essential services.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary, said the limited stay-at-home order focuses on the late night because that is a time when people tend to congregate and let their guard down, either at gatherings in their homes or elsewhere.
Bars and restaurants are settings that can easily spread the coronavirus, through talking and even breathing. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that adults with positive coronavirus test results were about twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those who tested negative.
Even if people up at these hours tend to be younger — and less susceptible to the ravages of COVID-19 — they can still contract the virus and infect others without showing symptoms, Ghaly said. Eating and drinking in groups increases the odds of spread since people must remove their masks to ingest or imbibe.
“COVID can go from zero to 60. Very quickly. And it has, we’ve seen it across the nation,” Ghaly told reporters at an afternoon news conference, warning that more restrictions are possible. “Today’s actions are an important step, but not the only step. And as the rate of transmission gets stronger, I think we will too.”
While accepting an award this week from San Jose State University, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious diseases expert, said that a policy of ordering bars and restaurants to close at an earlier time has helped to control the pandemic in other countries.
“When you look at what happens as you get late into the evening, people let down their guard, people maybe drink a little bit too much, people get in congregate settings,” Fauci said. A public policy decision to shorten such business hours to control the pandemic is sound, he added.
Newsom was noticeably absent from Thursday’s news conference, a departure from his usual practice of making major announcements about the state’s COVID-19 response.
The governor announced the curfew as he faces scrutiny over his own behavior and cases increase. Newsom apologized this week for attending a Nov. 6 dinner party at the French Laundry, where he joined people from other households and several lobbyists at the upscale Napa Valley restaurant to celebrate the 50th birthday of a close friend.
He said on Monday that the party was held “outdoors,” a description that was contradicted when pictures of the event surfaced the next day.
Reaction from the restaurant industry was mixed Thursday, with some critical but others supportive.
Everardo Santiago, owner of the Inglewood-based El Oaxaco Taqueria y Antojitos Oaxaqueños, said Newsom’s decision could hurt him but he endorses it nonetheless.
“If we can all cooperate in this moment and do things the way they should be done, it will be easier,” Santiago said.
Republicans were far more critical.
Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said he will refuse to enforce the new order.
“The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office will not be determining — including entering any home or business — compliance with, or enforcing compliance of, any health or emergency orders related to curfews, staying at home, Thanksgiving or other social gatherings inside or outside the home, maximum occupancy, or mask mandates,” Jones said in a statement.
Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who filed a legal action challenging one of Newsom’s earlier coronavirus orders as unconstitutional, said the new action will “further decimate struggling businesses.”
“The governor likes to tout that his actions are scientifically driven, but evidence simply does not support such drastic action limiting people’s freedom,” Gallagher said in a statement. “This virus does not suddenly come out at night, and there is little evidence that shifting businesses’ operating hours has any impact.”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, a Democrat and strong political ally of Newsom, praised the action announced on Thursday, saying it will “save lives and provide relief to our hospitals and our healthcare system.”
Garcia is considered to be among those Newsom may appoint to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy that will be created when Sen. Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president.
Officials fear the spike in new infections also may drastically increase hospitalizations.
Most of those who test positive eventually will recover, and many do so without needing to be admitted for professional medical care. However, Ghaly added, authorities expect that roughly 12% of those testing positive will end up in hospitals in two to three weeks.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen by 63.6% over the last 14 days — hitting 4,523, he said Thursday. The number of patients in intensive care, 1,155, is 40.5% higher than two weeks ago.
Officials in Los Angeles County sounded that alarm Wednesday, saying that, unless things change, the demand for local hospital and intensive care beds could soon outstrip supply.
On Friday, L.A. County began ordering restaurants and nonessential stores to close their doors to the public at 10 p.m., although takeout and delivery services can continue after that time. The county also placed a cap on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings — a maximum of 15 people from no more than three households.
If the county reaches 4,000 average cases daily over a five-day period, officials would stop outdoor dining at restaurants, returning eateries to offering only delivery and takeout service for the first time since May.
If new cases worsen still further, hitting 4,500 average cases daily over a five-day period, the county would impose a new stay-at-home order that would generally only allow essential workers and people securing essential services to leave their homes, and implement a 10 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that only exempts essential workers.
Willon and Luna reported from Sacramento, Lin from San Francisco and Money from Los Angeles. Times staff writers Sean Greene, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Andy Roberson contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-20--Late-night restaurant owners want to play fair. So far, they say, Newsom hasn't

When the first pandemic shutdown hit in March , Brett Gallo , owner of the Bamboo Club in Long Beach , had to find creative ways to do business .
He pivoted to delivery and created a pickup system in the Bamboo Club ’ s parking lot for drive-through customers .
When the second pandemic shutdown hit in July and outdoor dining spaces were allowed to open , Gallo spent thousands of dollars on renting and installing a large tent , tables , fencing and tiki-style decorations on that same parking lot to create the best outdoor tiki-bar experience for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was starting to pick up , he said .
On Thursday , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced a third shutdown prohibiting nonessential gatherings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. as another wave of the coronavirus sweeps through the country .
The state has reported an average of more than 10,000 new cases each day over the last week .
California has not experienced a daily case count this high since the outbreak began , even during the surge in the summer that stands as the state ’ s deadliest period during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he feels more prepared and a little less worried .
But it doesn ’ t feel any more fair .
“ In Long Beach in particular , I thought we were doing a good job , ” he said .
“ Are these cases coming from outdoor dining ?
I don ’ t think so.
” Like Gallo , other late-night restaurant and bar owners feel that the third pandemic shutdown is an unfair punishment that isn ’ t getting to the root cause of the coronavirus surge .
Restaurant owners say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs of small businesses and will push patrons to gather in their homes instead , where the virus will continue to silently spread , unregulated .
“ I ’ m definitely very supportive and I follow the science , ” Gallo said .
“ But the outdoor stuff I think is the safest.
” Colton Weiss , owner of Mel ’ s Drive-in restaurant , said business was beginning to pick up for him as well .
He had spent a lot of money , he said , on installing furniture and dividers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally starting to show results .
Now , Weiss said he ’ ll have to cut his longtime employees ’ hours .
“ I ’ d rather not , ” Weiss said .
“ This was not ideal for any of us .
This will cut off a good portion of our late-night sales.
” Weiss said he thinks his patrons will simply continue gathering at home .
“ People still want to be social , ” he said .
“ People are still going to go out and they ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anymore .
They ’ ll be going to their houses.
” According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report , adults with positive coronavirus test results were about twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those who tested negative .
One problem , researchers say , is that eating and drinking inevitably requires customers to remove their masks , which raises the risk of spreading the virus , especially during animated conversations .
When patrons are drinking late into the night , they are more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week from San Jose State University , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious diseases expert , said that a policy of ordering bars and restaurants to close at an earlier time has helped to control the pandemic in other countries .
“ When you look at what happens as you get late into the evening , people let down their guard , people maybe drink a little bit too much , people get in congregate settings , ” Fauci said .
He said it was sound to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Corissa Hernandez , owner of Xelas in Boyle Heights and the newly opened Nativo in Highland Park , said she implemented the rules early after hearing the announcement .
She ’ s aware that the virus has disproportionately affected Black and Latino lives in communities such as Boyle Heights , so she takes her community ’ s safety seriously , she said .
“ Keeping the community safe is of utmost importance to us , ” she said .
“ If it means shutting down , I ’ m OK with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the board and it ’ s fair.
” But Hernandez feels that the way Newsom and local government have arrived at decisions to implement new rules excludes business owners who are in the trenches doing their best to salvage their businesses and local economies .
She also feels the rules implemented so far haven ’ t been enforced fairly , and she said she would have liked to see local business owners have a say in the decisions made across the state and county .
“ The communication needs to be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been , ” she added .
“ Two days ’ notice does not take into consideration the inventory we spent , the costs of labor , the real jobs affected.
” If restaurants are being forced to close early , she said , local officials should find ways to enforce social distancing in homes and private parties that go unregulated .
“ My neighbors just the other night threw a 70-person party until 3 a.m. , ” she said .
“ Unfortunately we ’ re not all playing fair and [ business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price.
” In another punch for restaurant owners , Newsom ’ s restrictions come on the heels of revelations he and his wife joined a party for a friend-lobbyist at the swanky French Laundry restaurant in Napa , and was photographed there without a mask .
“ I don ’ t disagree with Newsom and how he ’ s handled things , ” Gallo said .
“ But the ‘ Do as I say and not as I do ’ [ mentality ] , I don ’ t like that .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s disappointing , ” Hernandez said .
“ I believe in selecting leadership that looks out for BIPOC business owners .
When we ’ re consistently let down when we need them the most , it ’ s disheartening .
”

The Bamboo Club owner Brett Gallo said he spent thousands setting up his outdoor patio space so that he could serve patrons until midnight.
When the first pandemic shutdown hit in March, Brett Gallo, owner of the Bamboo Club in Long Beach, had to find creative ways to do business. He pivoted to delivery and created a pickup system in the Bamboo Club’s parking lot for drive-through customers.
When the second pandemic shutdown hit in July and outdoor dining spaces were allowed to open, Gallo spent thousands of dollars on renting and installing a large tent, tables, fencing and tiki-style decorations on that same parking lot to create the best outdoor tiki-bar experience for his customers.
Business, finally, was starting to pick up, he said.
On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a third shutdown prohibiting nonessential gatherings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. as another wave of the coronavirus sweeps through the country. The state has reported an average of more than 10,000 new cases each day over the last week.
California has not experienced a daily case count this high since the outbreak began, even during the surge in the summer that stands as the state’s deadliest period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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This time, Gallo said he feels more prepared and a little less worried. But it doesn’t feel any more fair.
“In Long Beach in particular, I thought we were doing a good job,” he said. “Are these cases coming from outdoor dining? I don’t think so.”
Like Gallo, other late-night restaurant and bar owners feel that the third pandemic shutdown is an unfair punishment that isn’t getting to the root cause of the coronavirus surge. Restaurant owners say the new order once again ignores the needs of small businesses and will push patrons to gather in their homes instead, where the virus will continue to silently spread, unregulated.
“I’m definitely very supportive and I follow the science,” Gallo said. “But the outdoor stuff I think is the safest.”
California California will impose ‘limited’ curfew due to COVID-19 surge The order prohibits most nonessential activity outside the home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in counties in the strictest tier of the state’s reopening road map. It begins Saturday.
The famed Mel’s Drive-In restaurant in West Hollywood. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Colton Weiss, owner of Mel’s Drive-in restaurant, said business was beginning to pick up for him as well. He had spent a lot of money, he said, on installing furniture and dividers for his outdoor patio space that was finally starting to show results.
Now, Weiss said he’ll have to cut his longtime employees’ hours.
Advertisement
“I’d rather not,” Weiss said. “This was not ideal for any of us. This will cut off a good portion of our late-night sales.”
Weiss said he thinks his patrons will simply continue gathering at home.
“People still want to be social,” he said. “People are still going to go out and they’re not going to be doing it at restaurants anymore. They’ll be going to their houses.”
According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, adults with positive coronavirus test results were about twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than those who tested negative.
One problem, researchers say, is that eating and drinking inevitably requires customers to remove their masks, which raises the risk of spreading the virus, especially during animated conversations. When patrons are drinking late into the night, they are more likely to let their guard down.
While accepting an award this week from San Jose State University, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious diseases expert, said that a policy of ordering bars and restaurants to close at an earlier time has helped to control the pandemic in other countries.
“When you look at what happens as you get late into the evening, people let down their guard, people maybe drink a little bit too much, people get in congregate settings,” Fauci said. He said it was sound to shorten such business hours to control the pandemic.
Corissa Hernandez, owner of Xelas in Boyle Heights and the newly opened Nativo in Highland Park, said she implemented the rules early after hearing the announcement.
She’s aware that the virus has disproportionately affected Black and Latino lives in communities such as Boyle Heights, so she takes her community’s safety seriously, she said.
“Keeping the community safe is of utmost importance to us,” she said. “If it means shutting down, I’m OK with that as long as it’s across the board and it’s fair.”
But Hernandez feels that the way Newsom and local government have arrived at decisions to implement new rules excludes business owners who are in the trenches doing their best to salvage their businesses and local economies.
She also feels the rules implemented so far haven’t been enforced fairly, and she said she would have liked to see local business owners have a say in the decisions made across the state and county.
“The communication needs to be more clear and not as insensitive as it has been,” she added. “Two days’ notice does not take into consideration the inventory we spent, the costs of labor, the real jobs affected.”
If restaurants are being forced to close early, she said, local officials should find ways to enforce social distancing in homes and private parties that go unregulated.
“My neighbors just the other night threw a 70-person party until 3 a.m.,” she said. “Unfortunately we’re not all playing fair and [business owners] are the ones who pay the price.”
In another punch for restaurant owners, Newsom’s restrictions come on the heels of revelations he and his wife joined a party for a friend-lobbyist at the swanky French Laundry restaurant in Napa, and was photographed there without a mask.
“I don’t disagree with Newsom and how he’s handled things,” Gallo said. “But the ‘Do as I say and not as I do’ [mentality], I don’t like that. You should be following the guidelines.”
“It’s disappointing,” Hernandez said. “I believe in selecting leadership that looks out for BIPOC business owners. When we’re consistently let down when we need them the most, it’s disheartening.”


latimes--2020-11-20--A support group for women on the front lines of the caregiving crisis

Her hands pulsed with pain as she tried , once more , to tug a pair of super-tight socks over her husband ’ s toes and up his swollen legs .
The compression socks would help his circulation , she reminded herself .
They would help keep him out of the hospital .
Helen Wynne — the fulltime caregiver for her husband — took a deep breath and yanked .
But a twinge crawled up her fingers and reverberated in her joints , a feeling she knew well after years of living with lupus and arthritis .
She sat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crying and looking up at her frail , then-89-year-old husband , Harel , a Korean War veteran , who leaned down to help but couldn ’ t reach his feet .
It was around that time last fall — during the days of back-to-back ER visits , when she started to feel lightheaded from stress — that the 67-year-old Wynne decided to follow up about the pamphlet she ’ d picked up during a recent church event .
On a Tuesday morning a year ago , she arrived at the support group for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met twice a month at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church .
I ’ m Helen , she told the group , and I ’ m a caregiver for my husband , who has Alzheimer ’ s .
When I have to remind him to eat or nap , she told the women around the wooden table , I feel like I ’ m caring for a child again .
“ Welcome to the caregiver world , ” she said .
The dynamic Akalonu , 86 , who wears a signature black hat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that she ’ s “ vintage , not old , ” leads the support group that now meets via conference call .
Akalonu started the group in 2014 as a collaboration between First AME , the city ’ s oldest African American church , and USC ’ s Family Caregiver Support Center , one of 11 state-funded caregiver resource centers , which she learned about years earlier while caring for her mother , who had vascular dementia .
She is passionate about inclusivity — any caregiver is welcome , Akalonu often says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendees are all women , many of whom have some tie to the church in the West Adams district .
Akalonu has attended the church since she was a baby .
The group members are predominantly baby boomers caring for husbands or parents with dementia or Parkinson ’ s , but there is also a millennial in the group and members of the Silent Generation ( born from 1928-1945 ) , as well as a “ sandwiched caregiver , ” who helps her mother who has Alzheimer ’ s and her son who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first meeting , her cadence quickened as she introduced herself and began rattling off her husband ’ s many health conditions .
She paused , scanning the room until she locked eyes with Akalonu .
The stress had been crushing lately , Wynne said , and she realized she ’ d neglected herself and her own health .
During the 90-minute meetings , the women grieve for their old lives — about the days before they had to remind their mother of their name or stare into their sister ’ s eyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how hard it is to make big money decisions without input from a partner .
While sharing stories about how , after a seventh call , you sometimes have a breakthrough with the insurance company , they toss out terms like Coumadin and laminectomy , knowing that everyone here understands the reference to a blood thinner and back surgery .
Inside this room , the isolation they often feel finally disappears .
The U.S. is several years into a caregiving crisis that ’ s expected to get worse as the baby boomers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer children and people retiring later in life , the pool of caregivers within families is dwindling quickly .
By 2030 , AARP estimates , the ratio of Americans in their 80s or older to potential family caregivers will be 1 to 4 , down from 1 to 7 a decade ago .
And that will be especially problematic in California , which is graying rapidly and faces a projected shortage of more than half a million professional home-care workers in the next decade — a problem born of the mismatch between low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing shortfall of professional caregivers will put more pressure on the state ’ s 4.5 million family caregivers , including the women in the Tuesday support group .
And because older Black people are about twice as likely as older white people to have Alzheimer ’ s or other dementias , the growing gaps will continue to disproportionately affect Black families .
When a member of the Tuesday group mentioned her recent vacation and the steep price tag of her husband ’ s week-and-a-half-long stay at a respite care facility — $ 5,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the table .
At another meeting , a longtime caregiver said she scrutinizes even the slightest changes in her husband ’ s condition , desperate to catch any issues before they require an ambulance ride .
The average family caregiver in California spends $ 7,000 out-of-pocket annually toward their loved one ’ s care .
The financial strain is disproportionately high for Black caregivers — who on average spend more of their annual income on caring for a loved one than white caregivers — and who are more likely to care for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Dr. Donna Benton , a geropsychologist who runs the Family Caregiver Support Center at USC .
And that is why the support group at First AME — a civic powerhouse and spiritual hub for many Black Angelenos — is so important .
It provides a critical bridge , Benton said , for linking Black caregivers to the services offered by the USC center , including individual consultations , training and access to support groups and grant money for respite .
“ They serve as that trusted middleman , ” Benton said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some caregivers might feel hesitant coming to the university for help , they often feel more comfortable knowing it ’ s a partnership with First AME .
The collaboration has been so successful that other caregiver centers across the state are now partnering with AME churches in those areas .
The COVID pandemic has not only shone a bright light on disparities within the healthcare structure in the U.S .
It has also helped highlight other areas of inequality , including the dire impacts of not having proper technology or WiFi , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups have moved online .
The center recently has helped some caregivers get new tablets , Benton said , but there is still a vast need .
While a 2018 report from California ’ s family caregiver task force concluded that the state ’ s current policies haven ’ t “ kept pace with changing needs , ” the topic of family caregiving has gained serious traction in recent years .
Edna Kane Williams , senior vice president for multicultural leadership at AARP , who was a live-in caregiver for her mother for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ an all-consuming , exhausting , emotional roller coaster.
” While caring for her mother , her social circle shrunk drastically and quickly — she often felt isolated , trapped and hesitant to ask for help .
“ I never did a support group and I ’ m really sorry that I didn ’ t , ” she said .
“ I think there ’ s strength in sharing your story.
” And while support groups are an important piece of the puzzle , Kane Williams said , they ’ re still rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can ’ t solve all the stressors caregivers face , including the long-term financial impacts , especially for people — often women — who put their careers on hold .
“ There definitely is a price people pay , ” Kane Williams said , adding that the impacts are even more pronounced for Black and Latina women , who already get paid less than anyone else for equal work .
It was 6:15 a.m. on a Thursday in February and Wynne had already been up for half an hour .
She scurried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas stove and threw a frozen turkey patty and eggs on the skillet .
After setting the table , she put her husband ’ s blue pillbox to the right of his plate — eight tablets , including Donepezil , a memory medication that she says helps him remember to do things like turn off the faucet .
“ Breakfast is ready !
” she shouted from the kitchen .
Harel walked slowly into the dining room , stopping a few feet shy of the table .
“ You ’ re right here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tapping twice on his chair .
He took a few more steps , then paused , whispering the word “ jacket.
” She helped him pull on his green fleece and then guided him to the table .
Before the pandemic , her husband spent a few hours each week at the Mayfair Adult Day Healthcare Center .
Now he stays home and Wynne is helped by a caregiver whose costs are covered because Harel is a veteran .
Having someone come three times a week to help cook and clean was especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had foot surgery and had to stay off her feet .
During those two weeks , she had a second caregiver , who she found through the USC center , come to help her .
“ An answer from God , ” she said .
While she hasn ’ t yet called into the Tuesday group since it ’ s gone virtual , she hopes to return soon , knowing it ’ s a space where members often chime in with advice or a gentle correction for one another .
A therapist whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him falling when he gets up to use the restroom at night .
( “ Would a bedside commode help ?
” ) Another woman complained of insomnia .
( “ Try the Hallmark channel .
‘ Golden Girls ’ at 2 a.m. works like a charm.
” ) A new member said she wanted to take a trip to Atlanta , but wondered if anyone had put their loved one in a respite-care facility for more than a week .
( “ Yes , for a trip I took to Malta.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( “ I ’ ve learned not to.
” ) Another member vented that her mother has turned into quite the “ mean girl.
” ( “ It ’ s the disease , not the person.
” ) When Akalonu , the group ’ s leader , was growing up , her paternal grandmother got sick and moved into a small bungalow behind her family ’ s home near USC .
“ We always took care of our elders , ” she said , explaining that following the deaths of her husband and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother had a vascular stroke and Akalonu moved into her home so she wouldn ’ t be alone .
For years , her mother maintained a lot of independence , but when her dementia worsened , Akalonu turned to the Family Caregiver Support Center for help .
Her mother died in 2002 , but her passion for caregiving remained and she wrote a proposal for the support group and presented it to Pastor J. Edgar Boyd , who loved the idea of collaborating with USC , knowing it holds sway in statewide conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alzheimer ’ s .
Boyd was also particularly impressed with the USC center ’ s focus on respite .
“ Caregiving is a godsend , and having somebody relieve the caregiver is even more of a godsend , ” Boyd said .
During an in-person meeting before the pandemic , Akalonu asked Melissa Phillips — “ our millennial , ” Akalonu lovingly calls her — how she was doing .
Phillips , now 38 , said she was deeply frustrated with herself .
She had forgotten to remind her 89-year-old grandmother , whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her blood thinner before a dental appointment , so her grandmother couldn ’ t have a tooth pulled as planned .
“ Are you taking blame for those things , ” Akalonu asked , “ when you should be forgiving yourself ?
” Phillips adores Akalonu — “ Miss Bobbe , '' she calls her — for her warm , sure presence .
As a small thank-you to her and the other group members , she bought them folding fans from the Dollar Tree .
They gasped and hugged her , as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ To be around that type of gratitude , ” Phillips said .
“ It does something to you.
” The pandemic has made keeping a routine — a sacrosanct part of caregiving — especially tough .
Before the shutdowns , Phillips ’ grandmother maintained a robust social life .
She went to several church events and salsa and line dancing classes every week .
Then , in an instant , it was gone .
Phillips encourages her grandmother to take Zoom dance classes , but it isn ’ t the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Phillips said , but now walks more slowly , seems deeply tired and often repeats the same question 50 times in a day .
“ I saw it rapidly affect my granny , ” Phillips said .
These days , during their Tuesday meetings , the women share about the latest visiting restrictions at hospitals or nursing homes .
They swap information about rent-relief grants and free food delivery services for seniors and encourage one another to practice self-care with at-home Zumba or a drive to the ocean .
In her 86 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she could not recall anything like this moment in history .
The pandemic has created deep stress , she said , but has also served as a reminder of how interconnected we all are .
“ It ’ s gotten us out of ourselves and into other people.
” At the end of the meeting , women signed off , creating a melody of “ Buh bye , ” “ Have a peaceful evening , “ and “ Be blessed , ” layered over a steady electric beep of ending calls .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last voice said before the line went quiet .
They knew that in two weeks , they would all dial in again to share new setbacks and joys — another chance to laugh together through tears .

Her hands pulsed with pain as she tried, once more, to tug a pair of super-tight socks over her husband’s toes and up his swollen legs. The compression socks would help his circulation, she reminded herself. They would help keep him out of the hospital.
Helen Wynne — the full-time caregiver for her husband — took a deep breath and yanked. But a twinge crawled up her fingers and reverberated in her joints, a feeling she knew well after years of living with lupus and arthritis.
She sat on the floor of her South L.A. home crying and looking up at her frail, then-89-year-old husband, Harel, a Korean War veteran, who leaned down to help but couldn’t reach his feet.
“I can’t do it!” Wynne remembers crying out.
It was around that time last fall — during the days of back-to-back ER visits, when she started to feel lightheaded from stress — that the 67-year-old Wynne decided to follow up about the pamphlet she’d picked up during a recent church event. On a Tuesday morning a year ago, she arrived at the support group for caregivers that, before the pandemic, met twice a month at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church.
I’m Helen, she told the group, and I’m a caregiver for my husband, who has Alzheimer’s. When I have to remind him to eat or nap, she told the women around the wooden table, I feel like I’m caring for a child again.
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The group’s leader, Bobbe Akalonu, offered an encouraging nod.
“Welcome to the caregiver world,” she said.
Bobbe Akalonu, 86, leads the meeting of the caregiver support group at First AME church. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The dynamic Akalonu, 86, who wears a signature black hat and reminds you, with a smile, that she’s “vintage, not old,” leads the support group that now meets via conference call.
Akalonu started the group in 2014 as a collaboration between First AME, the city’s oldest African American church, and USC’s Family Caregiver Support Center, one of 11 state-funded caregiver resource centers, which she learned about years earlier while caring for her mother, who had vascular dementia.
She is passionate about inclusivity — any caregiver is welcome, Akalonu often says — but the core group of current attendees are all women, many of whom have some tie to the church in the West Adams district. Akalonu has attended the church since she was a baby.
The group members are predominantly baby boomers caring for husbands or parents with dementia or Parkinson’s, but there is also a millennial in the group and members of the Silent Generation (born from 1928-1945), as well as a “sandwiched caregiver,” who helps her mother who has Alzheimer’s and her son who has Down syndrome.
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During Wynne’s first meeting, her cadence quickened as she introduced herself and began rattling off her husband’s many health conditions. She paused, scanning the room until she locked eyes with Akalonu.
“I’m listening,” Akalonu assured her. “I hear you.”
The stress had been crushing lately, Wynne said, and she realized she’d neglected herself and her own health.
“Self-love first,” Akalonu said.
During the 90-minute meetings, the women grieve for their old lives — about the days before they had to remind their mother of their name or stare into their sister’s eyes and see only blankness. They talk about how hard it is to make big money decisions without input from a partner.
While sharing stories about how, after a seventh call, you sometimes have a breakthrough with the insurance company, they toss out terms like “Coumadin” and “laminectomy,” knowing that everyone here understands the reference to a blood thinner and back surgery.
Inside this room, the isolation they often feel finally disappears.
Maria Tirado, left, high fives Erica Byrd at a meeting of the support group. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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::
The U.S. is several years into a caregiving crisis that’s expected to get worse as the baby boomers age.
With divorce, couples having fewer children and people retiring later in life, the pool of caregivers within families is dwindling quickly. By 2030, AARP estimates, the ratio of Americans in their 80s or older to potential family caregivers will be 1 to 4, down from 1 to 7 a decade ago.
And that will be especially problematic in California, which is graying rapidly and faces a projected shortage of more than half a million professional home-care workers in the next decade — a problem born of the mismatch between low wages and the tiring work.
The growing shortfall of professional caregivers will put more pressure on the state’s 4.5 million family caregivers, including the women in the Tuesday support group.
And because older Black people are about twice as likely as older white people to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias, the growing gaps will continue to disproportionately affect Black families.
COLUMN ONE A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. Read More
When a member of the Tuesday group mentioned her recent vacation and the steep price tag of her husband’s week-and-a-half-long stay at a respite care facility — $5,000 — it drew knowing nods from around the table. At another meeting, a longtime caregiver said she scrutinizes even the slightest changes in her husband’s condition, desperate to catch any issues before they require an ambulance ride.
“That’s $1,500,” another member added.
“Easily.”
The average family caregiver in California spends $7,000 out of pocket annually toward their loved one’s care. The financial strain is disproportionately high for Black caregivers — who on average spend more of their annual income on caring for a loved one than white caregivers — and who are more likely to care for a loved one without help from service providers, said Dr. Donna Benton, a geropsychologist who runs the Family Caregiver Support Center at USC.
And that is why the support group at First AME — a civic powerhouse and spiritual hub for many Black Angelenos — is so important. It provides a critical bridge, Benton said, for linking Black caregivers to the services offered by the USC center, including individual consultations, training and access to support groups and grant money for respite.
“They serve as that trusted middleman,” Benton said of the church, explaining that while some caregivers might feel hesitant coming to the university for help, they often feel more comfortable knowing it’s a partnership with First AME.
Women in the support group talk about their caregiving experiences. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The collaboration has been so successful that other caregiver centers across the state are now partnering with AME churches in those areas.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has not only shone a bright light on disparities within the healthcare structure in the U.S. It has also helped highlight other areas of inequality, including the dire effects of not having proper technology or Wi-Fi as more doctor’s appointments and support groups have moved online. The center recently has helped some caregivers get new computer tablets, Benton said, but there is still a vast need.
While a 2018 report from California’s family caregiver task force concluded that the state’s current policies haven’t “kept pace with changing needs,” the topic of family caregiving has gained serious traction in recent years.
Edna Kane Williams, senior vice president for multicultural leadership at AARP, who was a live-in caregiver for her mother for six years, described the role as “an all-consuming, exhausting, emotional roller coaster.” While she was caring for her mother, her social circle shrunk drastically and quickly — she often felt isolated, trapped and hesitant to ask for help.
“I never did a support group and I’m really sorry that I didn’t,” she said. “I think there’s strength in sharing your story.”
And while support groups are an important piece of the puzzle, Kane Williams said, they’re still rare in many parts of the country and they can’t solve all the stressors caregivers face, including the long-term financial effects, especially for people — often women — who put their careers on hold.
“There definitely is a price people pay,” Kane Williams said, adding that the effects are even more pronounced for Black and Latina women, who already get paid less than anyone else for equal work.
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“When is enough enough?”
::
It was 6:15 a.m. on a Thursday in February and Wynne had already been up for half an hour.
She scurried through the kitchen, twisted on the gas stove and threw a frozen turkey patty and eggs on the skillet. After setting the table, she put her husband’s blue pillbox to the right of his plate — eight tablets, including Donepezil, a memory medication that she says helps him remember to do things like turning off the faucet.
“Breakfast is ready!” she shouted from the kitchen. Harel walked slowly into the dining room, stopping a few feet shy of the table.
“You’re right here, baby,” she said, tapping twice on his chair. He took a few more steps, then paused, whispering the word “jacket.” She helped him pull on his green fleece and then guided him to the table.
Before the pandemic, her husband spent a few hours each week at the Mayfair Adult Day Healthcare Center. Now he stays home, and Wynne is helped by a caregiver whose costs are covered because Harel is a veteran.
Having someone come three times a week to help cook and clean was especially crucial, Wynne said, after she had foot surgery and had to stay off her feet. During those two weeks, she had a second caregiver, whom she found through the USC center, come to help her.
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“An answer from God,” she said.
While she hasn’t yet called into the Tuesday group since it’s gone virtual, she hopes to return soon, knowing it’s a space where members often chime in with advice or a gentle correction for one another.
A therapist whose husband has Parkinson’s worries about him falling when he gets up to use the restroom at night. (“Would a bedside commode help?”) Another woman complained of insomnia. (“Try the Hallmark Channel. ‘Golden Girls’ at 2 a.m. works like a charm.”)
A new member said she wanted to take a trip to Atlanta, but wondered whether anyone had put their loved one in a respite-care facility for more than a week. (“Yes, for a trip I took to Malta.”) Did you feel any guilt? (“I’ve learned not to.”) Another member vented that her mother has turned into quite the “mean girl.” (“It’s the disease, not the person.”)
When Akalonu, the group’s leader, was growing up, her paternal grandmother got sick and moved into a small bungalow behind her family’s home near USC.
“We always took care of our elders,” she said, explaining that following the deaths of her husband and father in the early 1980s, her mother had a vascular stroke and Akalonu moved into her home so she wouldn’t be alone. For years, her mother maintained a lot of independence, but when her dementia worsened, Akalonu turned to the Family Caregiver Support Center for help.
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Her mother died in 2002, but her passion for caregiving remained and she wrote a proposal for the support group and presented it to Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, who loved the idea of collaborating with USC, knowing it holds sway in statewide conversations about caregiving, aging and research surrounding Alzheimer’s. Boyd was also particularly impressed with the USC center’s focus on respite.
“Caregiving is a godsend, and having somebody relieve the caregiver is even more of a godsend,” Boyd said.
During an in-person meeting before the pandemic, Akalonu asked Melissa Phillips — “our millennial,” Akalonu lovingly calls her — how she was doing. Phillips, now 38, said she was deeply frustrated with herself. She had forgotten to remind her 89-year-old grandmother, whom she lives with, not to take her blood thinner before a dental appointment, so her grandmother couldn’t have a tooth pulled as planned.
“Are you taking blame for those things,” Akalonu asked, “when you should be forgiving yourself?”
Phillips smiled softly.
Melissa Phillips listens as women talk about the challenges of caring for a family member. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Phillips adores Akalonu — “Miss Bobbe,”she calls her — for her warm, sure presence. As a small thank-you to her and the other group members, she bought them folding fans from the Dollar Tree. They gasped and hugged her, as if she’d given them Tiffany diamonds.
Advertisement
“To be around that type of gratitude,” Phillips said. “It does something to you.”
The pandemic has made keeping a routine — a sacrosanct part of caregiving — especially tough.
Before the shutdowns, Phillips’ grandmother maintained a robust social life. She went to several church events and salsa and line dancing classes every week. Then, in an instant, it was gone.
Phillips encourages her grandmother to take Zoom dance classes, but it isn’t the same. She still has her cheerful spirit, Phillips said, but now walks more slowly, seems deeply tired and often repeats the same question 50 times in a day.
“I saw it rapidly affect my granny,” Phillips said.
These days, during their Tuesday meetings, the women share about the latest visiting restrictions at hospitals or nursing homes. They swap information about rent-relief grants and free food delivery services for seniors and encourage one another to practice self-care with at-home Zumba or a drive to the ocean.
Advertisement
In her 86 years, Akalonu told the group, she could not recall anything like this moment in history. The pandemic has created deep stress, she said, but has also served as a reminder of how interconnected we all are.
“It’s gotten us out of ourselves and into other people.”
At the end of the meeting, women signed off, creating a melody of “Buh bye,” “Have a peaceful evening, “and “Be blessed,” layered over a steady electric beep of ending calls. “Until we meet again,” one last voice said before the line went quiet.
They knew that in two weeks, they would all dial in again to share new setbacks and joys — another chance to laugh together through tears.


latimes--2020-11-20--Missing community college student found  in shallow grave near Barstow

When Juan Carlos Hernández didn ’ t come home after clocking out of work in September , his mother mounted a furious public campaign to generate leads and push the police to find the 21-year-old community college student .
The search came to an end earlier this week , the Los Angeles Police Department disclosed Thursday .
Hernández ’ s body was found in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15 , about 40 miles northeast of Barstow , the department said .
Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernández ’ s death , Ethan Astaphan , 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the LAPD .
Both were booked on suspicion of murder .
It couldn ’ t be determined Thursday evening if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf .
Hernández ’ s family had reported him missing the night of Sept. 22 .
A student at El Camino College in Torrance , Hernández , known to family and friends as “ Cookie , ” was a semester shy of transferring to USC , where he planned to study engineering , his mother previously told The Times .
Hernández was last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corner of Western Avenue and 81st Street , where on Sept. 22 he worked a shift from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. A few minutes before 10 p.m. , he sent his mother a text message saying he ’ d be home soon .
He ’ d driven her car , a 2020 Honda Civic , to work .
Police found the car two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street , about two miles from the dispensary .
Within a week of Hernández being reported missing , someone tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange for his return , the LAPD said .
His mother , Yajaira Hernández , said in an interview Thursday that after making the mistake of putting her phone number on an early batch of fliers , she fielded several calls and voicemails demanding ransom .
The case was turned over to detectives from the department ’ s Robbery-Homicide Division , who determined the would-be extortionists were not actually involved in Hernández ’ s disappearance .
Still , they believed Hernández “ was most likely the victim of a crime , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family picketed City Hall and LAPD headquarters , voicing frustration at the authorities ’ inability to find him .
They celebrated his 22nd birthday on Oct. 15 by passing out food on Skid Row , along with kits full of medical and hygiene supplies that also came with missing posters , according to a report in The Union , El Camino College ’ s student newspaper .
On Nov. 15 , LAPD detectives , San Bernardino sheriff ’ s deputies and FBI agents exhumed Hernández ’ s remains from a shallow grave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , the LAPD said Thursday .
Astaphan and Heng , the two people detained in connection with his death , were arrested four days later .
The LAPD did not disclose Thursday how they had linked the two to Hernández ’ s disappearance and death .
Hernández ’ s mother said she did not recognize the suspects ’ names .
In the last eight weeks , Yajaira Hernández passed out and put up more than 50,000 fliers across Los Angeles , Orange and San Bernardino counties , she said .
She visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find .
“ L.A .
is such a big city , it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack , ” she said .
She found some comfort among Facebook groups of parents whose children had vanished .
Many had been waiting “ for months , even years , ” she said .
“ My greatest fear was I ’ d be one of those people , walking around with a hole in my heart for the rest of my life.
” On Thursday , she said , two Robbery-Homicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her the search was over .
“ This isn ’ t the outcome we ever wanted or thought we ’ d get , ” she said , “ but I still feel blessed that we found his body .
”

When Juan Carlos Hernández didn’t come home after clocking out of work in September, his mother mounted a furious public campaign to generate leads and push the police to find the 21-year-old community college student.
The search came to an end earlier this week, the Los Angeles Police Department disclosed Thursday. Hernández’s body was found in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15, about 40 miles northeast of Barstow, the department said.
Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernández’s death, Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, according to the LAPD. Both were booked on suspicion of murder. It couldn’t be determined Thursday evening if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf.
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Hernández’s family had reported him missing the night of Sept. 22. A student at El Camino College in Torrance, Hernández, known to family and friends as “Cookie,” was a semester shy of transferring to USC, where he planned to study engineering, his mother previously told The Times.
Hernández was last seen at a marijuana dispensary on the corner of Western Avenue and 81st Street, where on Sept. 22 he worked a shift from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. A few minutes before 10 p.m., he sent his mother a text message saying he’d be home soon. He’d driven her car, a 2020 Honda Civic, to work. Police found the car two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street, about two miles from the dispensary.
Within a week of Hernández being reported missing, someone tried to extort money from his family in exchange for his return, the LAPD said. His mother, Yajaira Hernández, said in an interview Thursday that after making the mistake of putting her phone number on an early batch of fliers, she fielded several calls and voicemails demanding ransom.
The case was turned over to detectives from the department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, who determined the would-be extortionists were not actually involved in Hernández’s disappearance. Still, they believed Hernández “was most likely the victim of a crime,” the LAPD said.
Meanwhile, Hernández’s family picketed City Hall and LAPD headquarters, voicing frustration at the authorities’ inability to find him. They celebrated his 22nd birthday on Oct. 15 by passing out food on Skid Row, along with kits full of medical and hygiene supplies that also came with missing posters, according to a report in The Union, El Camino College’s student newspaper.
On Nov. 15, LAPD detectives, San Bernardino sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents exhumed Hernández’s remains from a shallow grave off Afton Canyon Road, near Interstate 15, the LAPD said Thursday.
Astaphan and Heng, the two people detained in connection with his death, were arrested four days later. The LAPD did not disclose Thursday how they had linked the two to Hernández’s disappearance and death. Hernández’s mother said she did not recognize the suspects’ names.
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In the last eight weeks, Yajaira Hernández passed out and put up more than 50,000 fliers across Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, she said. She visited every homeless encampment and shelter she could find.
“L.A. is such a big city, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” she said.
She found some comfort among Facebook groups of parents whose children had vanished. Many had been waiting “for months, even years,” she said. “My greatest fear was I’d be one of those people, walking around with a hole in my heart for the rest of my life.”
On Thursday, she said, two Robbery-Homicide detectives knocked on her door and told her the search was over.
“This isn’t the outcome we ever wanted or thought we’d get,” she said, “but I still feel blessed that we found his body.”
Los Angeles Times en Español staff writer Soudi Jiménez contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-11-19--Fire captain sues over phone demand in Kobe Bryant crash photo  probe

A Los Angeles County fire captain who was at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others has filed a retaliation lawsuit against the county , alleging he was demoted for refusing to fully cooperate with an investigation into graphic photos taken of the crash site .
The lawsuit , filed Wednesday by Capt .
Tony Imbrenda , marks the latest fallout from the photo scandal that embroiled the county ’ s fire agency and the Sheriff ’ s Department .
The Times reported this year that sheriff ’ s deputies shared gruesome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above Calabasas .
Imbrenda , who served as a spokesman for the fire department in the days after the crash and later was stripped of that title during the investigation , alleges his career prospects were damaged severely by the cloud of suspicion cast over him during the inquiry .
“ Imbrenda had an impeccable reputation in the Southern California PIO community with extensive earning potential in his post fire service career , ” the lawsuit said .
“ That potential is now totally destroyed.
” The Fire Department did not respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his lawsuit that he was dispatched to the Jan. 26 crash scene , where he helped organize a press conference some distance from the debris field for journalists who arrived as word of Bryant ’ s death spread .
That first day , he said he received multiple photographs from people working at the crash site , “ as is common practice on all major incidents , ” according to his lawsuit .
The lawsuit did not explain why it is routine for a spokesperson to receive photographs of a crime or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be released to the public .
Imbrenda said he returned the next day to help with the investigation , traveling to the accident site “ to gain intelligence on conditions and to assist the FBI photographer with her equipment.
” While there , he took a few photos on his own , according to the lawsuit .
Imbrenda ’ s superiors did not communicate that photos of the scene were not allowed , and there ’ s no department policy on photography at emergency incidents , the lawsuit said .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear the Sheriff ’ s Department was investigating its deputies for sharing images of the incident , Imbrenda , 50 , alerted firefighters who had sent him photos that they should be deleted , according to the lawsuit .
He also “ spread the word ” that possession of graphic images could be problematic , the lawsuit said , and that “ everyone should delete them so as to minimize the potential for the content to fall into the wrong hands.
” On March 6 , the lawsuit said , Imbrenda complied with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cellphone and laptop .
He was then informed he was the subject of a fire department investigation into the alleged photo taking and sharing , which was “ something Imbrenda had never done , ” according to the lawsuit .
Imbrenda subsequently was ordered to turn over his personal cell phone or face suspension or discharge .
He refused to do so , saying the order was a violation of the Firefighter Bill of Rights .
In response , he alleges , he was removed from the spokesman position and his county-issued vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Imbrenda denies taking photos of the victims ’ bodies and said he did not take photos with his personal cell phone .
But he did not address whether he transferred images to his personal phone .
He was first reassigned to a telemedicine unit , where he worked 12-hour days in a “ dungeon-like setting ” earning half of what he made as a spokesman , the lawsuit said .
Then , he was transferred to work in serology testing , a “ totally humiliating ” experience because other employees made jokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the lawsuit .
In September , he moved to a fire station in Altadena .
Imbrenda still does not know what misconduct allegations were lodged against him , the lawsuit said .
The status and scope of the fire department ’ s investigation into the photos is unclear .
At the Sheriff ’ s Department , after a citizen filed a complaint about a deputy sharing gruesome images from the crash at a bar in Norwalk , the behavior by quietly ordering the photos deleted .
But when The Times exposed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation be opened .
.
The department has since moved to discipline one deputy who stored the photographs on a personal cellphone and shared them with friends , family and coworkers on “ multiple occasions , ” according to the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s quarterly disciplinary report .
The deputy , who faces a 10-day suspension , was not identified in the report .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a bill that makes it a crime for peace officers and other first responders to take unauthorized photos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime or accident .
In the midst of the scandal over the photos , and under fire from Bryant ’ s widow , Vanessa Bryant , the Sheriff ’ s Department sponsored the legislation that created the law .
The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gipson ( D-Carson ) .
against the Sheriff ’ s Department over the photos , seeking damages for negligence , invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress .
Her attorney has called the deputies ’ actions “ inexcusable and deplorable.
” The crash killed Bryant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter slammed into a hillside in heavy fog on a morning flight from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks .

A Los Angeles County fire captain who served as a department spokesman after the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others has filed a retaliation lawsuit against his employer.
A Los Angeles County fire captain who was at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others has filed a retaliation lawsuit against the county, alleging he was demoted for refusing to fully cooperate with an investigation into graphic photos taken of the crash site.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by Capt. Tony Imbrenda, marks the latest fallout from the photo scandal that embroiled the county’s fire agency and the Sheriff’s Department. The Times reported this year that sheriff’s deputies shared gruesome images of the scene in the foothills above Calabasas.
Imbrenda, who served as a spokesman for the fire department in the days after the crash and later was stripped of that title during the investigation, alleges his career prospects were damaged severely by the cloud of suspicion cast over him during the inquiry.
“Imbrenda had an impeccable reputation in the Southern California PIO community with extensive earning potential in his post fire service career,” the lawsuit said. “That potential is now totally destroyed.”
The Fire Department did not respond to a request for comment.
× Jan. 26 interview with Capt. Tony Imbrenda near the scene of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash.
Imbrenda said in his lawsuit that he was dispatched to the Jan. 26 crash scene, where he helped organize a press conference some distance from the debris field for journalists who arrived as word of Bryant’s death spread. That first day, he said he received multiple photographs from people working at the crash site, “as is common practice on all major incidents,” according to his lawsuit.
The lawsuit did not explain why it is routine for a spokesperson to receive photographs of a crime or accident scene from others that are not to be released to the public.
Imbrenda said he returned the next day to help with the investigation, traveling to the accident site “to gain intelligence on conditions and to assist the FBI photographer with her equipment.” While there, he took a few photos on his own, according to the lawsuit.
Imbrenda’s superiors did not communicate that photos of the scene were not allowed, and there’s no department policy on photography at emergency incidents, the lawsuit said.
In the weeks that followed, as it became clear the Sheriff’s Department was investigating its deputies for sharing images of the incident, Imbrenda, 50, alerted firefighters who had sent him photos that they should be deleted, according to the lawsuit.
He also “spread the word” that possession of graphic images could be problematic, the lawsuit said, and that “everyone should delete them so as to minimize the potential for the content to fall into the wrong hands.”
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On March 6, the lawsuit said, Imbrenda complied with an order to hand over his department cellphone and laptop. He was then informed he was the subject of a fire department investigation into the alleged photo taking and sharing, which was “something Imbrenda had never done,” according to the lawsuit.
Imbrenda subsequently was ordered to turn over his personal cell phone or face suspension or discharge. He refused to do so, saying the order was a violation of the Firefighter Bill of Rights. In response, he alleges, he was removed from the spokesman position and his county-issued vehicle was taken away.
In the lawsuit, Imbrenda denies taking photos of the victims’ bodies and said he did not take photos with his personal cell phone. But he did not address whether he transferred images to his personal phone.
He was first reassigned to a telemedicine unit, where he worked 12-hour days in a “dungeon-like setting” earning half of what he made as a spokesman, the lawsuit said. Then, he was transferred to work in serology testing, a “totally humiliating” experience because other employees made jokes and laughed at his expense, according to the lawsuit. In September, he moved to a fire station in Altadena.
Imbrenda still does not know what misconduct allegations were lodged against him, the lawsuit said. The status and scope of the fire department’s investigation into the photos is unclear.
At the Sheriff’s Department, after a citizen filed a complaint about a deputy sharing gruesome images from the crash at a bar in Norwalk, Sheriff Alex Villanueva initially sought to cover up the behavior by quietly ordering the photos deleted. But when The Times exposed the conduct, the sheriff quickly ordered an investigation be opened. .
The department has since moved to discipline one deputy who stored the photographs on a personal cellphone and shared them with friends, family and coworkers on “multiple occasions,” according to the Sheriff’s Department’s quarterly disciplinary report. The deputy, who faces a 10-day suspension, was not identified in the report.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a bill that makes it a crime for peace officers and other first responders to take unauthorized photos of dead people at the scene of a crime or accident. In the midst of the scandal over the photos, and under fire from Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, the Sheriff’s Department sponsored the legislation that created the law. The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson).
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Vanessa Bryant has filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Department over the photos, seeking damages for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her attorney has called the deputies’ actions “inexcusable and deplorable.”
The crash killed Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others. The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter slammed into a hillside in heavy fog on a morning flight from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks.


latimes--2020-11-19--The fire that devastated a Sierra town created a pyrocumulus cloud. What does that mean?

A deadly wind-driven fire that started Tuesday largely destroyed the small community of Walker , Calif. , and has burned nearly 21,000 acres .
It also gave rise to a dramatic pyrocumulus cloud .
“ It was a remarkable wind event that caused multiple destructive wildfires , ” said Alex Hoon , an incident meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno .
“ The winds were like a freight train .
Winds of this magnitude are uncontainable.
” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said seeing such plume-dominated fires anywhere in the American West is “ pretty extraordinary by late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season on record has generated a number of pyrocumulus clouds .
The Apple fire , which began in Riverside County near Banning on July 31 , created an enormous plume of smoke that generated its own winds , The Times reported .
The pyrocumulus cloud was visible from space and smoke spread over a large portion of Arizona in the following days .
This California fire season has also spawned some pyrocumulonimbus clouds , such as the one produced by the massive Creek fire , which started Sept. 4 and is still burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has called these “ the fire-breathing dragon of clouds ” because they ’ re the ultimate extreme pyrocumulus clouds , capable of injecting pollutant particles into the lower stratosphere , 10 miles above the surface of Earth .
Intense high pressure can promote extremely hot , dry conditions that are ripe for the development of “ plume-dominated ” fires .
This means that the fires produce smoke plumes that develop vertically like a thunderstorm .
If the air over the fire is rising rapidly , as in a thunderstorm , the surrounding air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This results in stronger , more erratic winds and extreme fire behavior .
Fires such as this sustain and grow themselves .
How does this happen ?
Fire creates heat and smoke .
The heated air from the fire rises rapidly , creating what is called an updraft .
Air from the surrounding area rushes in to the fill the empty space .
Winds at the surface can be strong or erratic as a result .
Under certain conditions , that fast-rising air can create a fire tornado .
As the smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , water that is already in the atmosphere and that has evaporated from vegetation that is being consumed by the fire will cool and condense .
This forms a pyrocumulus cloud .
These are not the puffy white summertime cumulus clouds you may have drawn as a child .
These “ fire clouds ” get their name from “ pyro , ” which means fire in Latin , and “ cumulo , ” which means heap or pile .
These are hot , dense , dark clouds full of soot and ash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles into the atmosphere , sometimes blanketing entire regions in soot and ash .
“ They ’ re the Darth Vader of cumulus clouds , ” said climatologist Bill Patzert .
“ They ’ re not the side of Mother Nature that Ansel Adams photographed.
” When the weight of the moisture lifted into a pyrocumulus cloud overwhelms the strength of the updraft , the moisture can fall as precipitation .
But the rain may evaporate on the way down because of drier air closer to the surface .
Rain that doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This evaporation process cools the air , making it heavier and accelerating it as it plummets toward the ground .
These powerful columns are called downbursts , potentially with winds in excess of 100 mph — as powerful and as damaging as a tornado .
Downward flowing wind slams into the ground at speed and splatters in all directions like water from a faucet hitting the basin of a sink .
Such erratic winds contribute to extreme fire behavior .
A pyrocumulonimbus cloud , or “ fire storm cloud , ” may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intense enough .
Thunderstorm clouds are called cumulonimbus clouds — the nimbus part of the name comes from the Latin for “ dark cloud , ” because the moisture within nimbus clouds can block or reduce incoming sunlight .
Like a thunderstorm cloud , a pyrocumulonimbus cloud produces lightning and potentially stronger winds , which can start and spread more fires .
Some reports say a pyrocumulonimbus cloud formed near or over the Yarnell Hill fire southwest of Prescott , Ariz. , on June 30 , 2013 .
The fire had been ignited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but temperatures above 100 degrees with low humidity that afternoon created favorable conditions for rapid fire growth .
There were thunderstorms in the vicinity that day , and Nick Nauslar from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise , Idaho , says that outflow from a separate dry thunderstorm moved over the fire , resulting in a wind shift and stronger winds .
Nineteen firefighters from the Granite Mountain Hotshots were killed by the rapid growth and abrupt changes in the fire ’ s direction .
“ Pyrocumulus clouds above active fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common , ” Nauslar said .
“ However , pyrocumulonimbus clouds are much taller and are associated with more extreme fire behavior and faster rates of spread .
While not all pyrocumulonimbus clouds produce lightning , they do have the potential.
” Here are a few questions about pyrocumulus clouds , answered by Patrick Marsh of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ’ s Storm Prediction Center .
The answers have been edited for length and clarity .
Q : Do pyrocumulus clouds collapse in the late afternoon , especially late in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sun and the ground begins to cool ?
A : Not necessarily .
In a nutshell , the fire will remain plume-dominated as long as the heat being released from the fire is warmer than the air surrounding it as it rises .
This might lead someone to think that nighttime fires would be more likely to be plume-dominated because the surrounding air is cooler than in the afternoon .
But cooler nighttime temperatures tend to result in increased relative humidity and less hot , less intense fires than in the afternoon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the nocturnal inversion or nocturnal boundary layer .
Because the Earth ’ s surface cools faster than the air above it , the air temperature within this layer increases with height .
So the fire is weaker at night because of increased relative humidity , and the air being pulled into the fire is cooler .
The smoke plume will rise above the fire at first , but at some point the plume runs out of oomph and spreads out horizontally .
Nauslar , the National Interagency Fire Center expert , adds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inversion layer .
For example , a fire on the middle or upper slopes of a mountain will probably remain active throughout the night because there is usually drier air and stronger winds above the inversion .
A : Despite everything I said in my answer to [ the first question ] , pyrocumulus clouds can and do occur at night .
Several of the Colorado fires this year made significant nocturnal runs as a result of pyrocumulus or plume-dominated fires .
Q : So do pyrocumulus clouds occur mainly during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak late morning into the afternoon but can occur at all hours of the day .
Q : If or when a pyrocumulus cloud does collapse , is that essentially the same as when the weight of moisture overcomes the strength of the updraft that formed the cloud in the first place — in other words , a downdraft or downburst ?
A : I ’ ve never heard of it referred to as ‘ weight , ’ but conceptually you are correct .
The moisture-laden air aloft becomes too heavy for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it falls back to Earth .
This is known as the downdraft — or downburst if the falling back is intense .
What about the future ?
Harsh conditions , including an expanding drought in the West and La Niña , provide an environment that summons such fire-breathing dragons .
La Niña conditions , currently in effect in the Pacific , statistically result in a warmer , drier winter across the southern part of the United States , from coast to coast .
In most of California and across the Southwest , drought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules the landscape , as the U.S. Drought Monitor reports .
So absent some serious rain , unfortunately , conditions may be ripe for more of these plume-dominated fires in the coming months .
“ Given these conditions , fires are more frequent , they ’ re larger and they burn hotter , ” Patzert said , “ so we can expect these ominous pyrocumulus clouds to become a more common threat in a fire season that has expanded to include all twelve months .
”

The Thomas fire created a huge pyrocumulus cloud in December 2017. The Mountain View fire that largely destroyed the small town of Walker, Calif., this week gave rise to a similar phenomenon.
A deadly wind-driven fire that started Tuesday largely destroyed the small community of Walker, Calif., and has burned nearly 21,000 acres. It also gave rise to a dramatic pyrocumulus cloud.
“It was a remarkable wind event that caused multiple destructive wildfires,” said Alex Hoon, an incident meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. “The winds were like a freight train. Winds of this magnitude are uncontainable.”
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said seeing such plume-dominated fires anywhere in the American West is “pretty extraordinary by late November.”
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California’s worst fire season on record has generated a number of pyrocumulus clouds. The Apple fire, which began in Riverside County near Banning on July 31, created an enormous plume of smoke that generated its own winds, The Times reported. The pyrocumulus cloud was visible from space and smoke spread over a large portion of Arizona in the following days.
This California fire season has also spawned some pyrocumulonimbus clouds, such as the one produced by the massive Creek fire, which started Sept. 4 and is still burning in Fresno and Madera counties.
A pyrocumulonimbus is the ultimate extreme pyrocumulus cloud. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
NASA has called these “the fire-breathing dragon of clouds” because they’re the ultimate extreme pyrocumulus clouds, capable of injecting pollutant particles into the lower stratosphere, 10 miles above the surface of Earth.
What are pyrocumulus clouds?
Intense high pressure can promote extremely hot, dry conditions that are ripe for the development of “plume-dominated” fires. This means that the fires produce smoke plumes that develop vertically like a thunderstorm. If the air over the fire is rising rapidly, as in a thunderstorm, the surrounding air will be drawn in toward the fire. This results in stronger, more erratic winds and extreme fire behavior. Fires such as this sustain and grow themselves.
How does this happen?
Fire creates heat and smoke. The heated air from the fire rises rapidly, creating what is called an updraft. Air from the surrounding area rushes in to the fill the empty space. Winds at the surface can be strong or erratic as a result.
Under certain conditions, that fast-rising air can create a fire tornado.
As the smoke and heated air from the fire rise, water that is already in the atmosphere and that has evaporated from vegetation that is being consumed by the fire will cool and condense. This forms a pyrocumulus cloud.
These are not the puffy white summertime cumulus clouds you may have drawn as a child. These “fire clouds” get their name from “pyro,” which means fire in Latin, and “cumulo,” which means heap or pile.
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A towering pyrocumulus cloud created in 2009 by the Station fire in the Angeles National Forest billows into a blue sky behind downtown Los Angeles. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
These are hot, dense, dark clouds full of soot and ash. They carry pollutants as high as 10 miles into the atmosphere, sometimes blanketing entire regions in soot and ash. “They’re the Darth Vader of cumulus clouds,” said climatologist Bill Patzert. “They’re not the side of Mother Nature that Ansel Adams photographed.”
When the weight of the moisture lifted into a pyrocumulus cloud overwhelms the strength of the updraft, the moisture can fall as precipitation. But the rain may evaporate on the way down because of drier air closer to the surface. Rain that doesn’t reach the ground is called virga.
This evaporation process cools the air, making it heavier and accelerating it as it plummets toward the ground. These powerful columns are called downbursts, potentially with winds in excess of 100 mph — as powerful and as damaging as a tornado. Downward flowing wind slams into the ground at speed and splatters in all directions like water from a faucet hitting the basin of a sink. Such erratic winds contribute to extreme fire behavior.
What is a pyrocumulonimbus cloud?
A pyrocumulonimbus cloud, or “fire storm cloud,” may form when a fire is big and intense enough.
Thunderstorm clouds are called cumulonimbus clouds — the nimbus part of the name comes from the Latin for “dark cloud,” because the moisture within nimbus clouds can block or reduce incoming sunlight.
Like a thunderstorm cloud, a pyrocumulonimbus cloud produces lightning and potentially stronger winds, which can start and spread more fires.
Some reports say a pyrocumulonimbus cloud formed near or over the Yarnell Hill fire southwest of Prescott, Ariz., on June 30, 2013. The fire had been ignited by lightning a couple of days earlier, but temperatures above 100 degrees with low humidity that afternoon created favorable conditions for rapid fire growth. There were thunderstorms in the vicinity that day, and Nick Nauslar from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, says that outflow from a separate dry thunderstorm moved over the fire, resulting in a wind shift and stronger winds.
Nineteen firefighters from the Granite Mountain Hotshots were killed by the rapid growth and abrupt changes in the fire’s direction.
The massive smoke plume from the Apple fire was visible from space. (NOAA; Los Angeles Times)
“Pyrocumulus clouds above active fires, especially large fires, are relatively common,” Nauslar said. “However, pyrocumulonimbus clouds are much taller and are associated with more extreme fire behavior and faster rates of spread. While not all pyrocumulonimbus clouds produce lightning, they do have the potential.”
Here are a few questions about pyrocumulus clouds, answered by Patrick Marsh of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center. The answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Do pyrocumulus clouds collapse in the late afternoon, especially late in the season when there are fewer hours of sun and the ground begins to cool?
A: Not necessarily. In a nutshell, the fire will remain plume-dominated as long as the heat being released from the fire is warmer than the air surrounding it as it rises. This might lead someone to think that nighttime fires would be more likely to be plume-dominated because the surrounding air is cooler than in the afternoon. But cooler nighttime temperatures tend to result in increased relative humidity and less hot, less intense fires than in the afternoon. In addition, there’s something called the nocturnal inversion or nocturnal boundary layer. Because the Earth’s surface cools faster than the air above it, the air temperature within this layer increases with height. So the fire is weaker at night because of increased relative humidity, and the air being pulled into the fire is cooler. The smoke plume will rise above the fire at first, but at some point the plume runs out of oomph and spreads out horizontally.
Nauslar, the National Interagency Fire Center expert, adds that active fire behavior can continue above the inversion layer. For example, a fire on the middle or upper slopes of a mountain will probably remain active throughout the night because there is usually drier air and stronger winds above the inversion.
Q: Do pyrocumulus clouds occur at night?
A: Despite everything I said in my answer to [the first question], pyrocumulus clouds can and do occur at night. Several of the Colorado fires this year made significant nocturnal runs as a result of pyrocumulus or plume-dominated fires.
Q: So do pyrocumulus clouds occur mainly during the day?
A: They tend to peak late morning into the afternoon but can occur at all hours of the day.
Q: If or when a pyrocumulus cloud does collapse, is that essentially the same as when the weight of moisture overcomes the strength of the updraft that formed the cloud in the first place — in other words, a downdraft or downburst?
A: I’ve never heard of it referred to as ‘weight,’ but conceptually you are correct. The moisture-laden air aloft becomes too heavy for the updraft to hold it up and thus it falls back to Earth. This is known as the downdraft — or downburst if the falling back is intense.
What about the future?
Harsh conditions, including an expanding drought in the West and La Niña, provide an environment that summons such fire-breathing dragons. La Niña conditions, currently in effect in the Pacific, statistically result in a warmer, drier winter across the southern part of the United States, from coast to coast. In most of California and across the Southwest, drought — including extreme and exceptional drought — rules the landscape, as the U.S. Drought Monitor reports. So absent some serious rain, unfortunately, conditions may be ripe for more of these plume-dominated fires in the coming months.
“Given these conditions, fires are more frequent, they’re larger and they burn hotter,” Patzert said, “so we can expect these ominous pyrocumulus clouds to become a more common threat in a fire season that has expanded to include all twelve months.”