latimes--2020-09-25--Firefighter who died in El Dorado fire remembered as dedicated family man who loved his job

A U.S. Forest Service firefighter who died battling a wildfire in San Bernardino County earlier this month was remembered Friday as a gregarious and hard-working man who was as devoted to his family and friends as his job .
Nearly 1,000 people tuned in for the live-streamed memorial service for Charles Morton , 39 , at 11 a.m. at the Rock Church and World Outreach Center in San Bernardino , The service was streamed on the church ’ s website and YouTube page , and the San Bernardino National Forest ’ s Facebook page .
Morton was a 14-year veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad .
“ I speak for the entire United States Forest Service when I say we are deeply shaken for the loss of one of our own , ” Vicki Christiansen , chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’ s Forest Service , said at the memorial .
“ At the Forest Service , we are dedicated to caring for the land and serving people , ” Christiansen said , “ and Charlie showed us what service truly means.
” Morton died Sept. 17 while fighting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 22,600 acres in and around the San Bernardino National Forest .
The fire was sparked by a pyrotechnic device that was part of a gender-reveal party at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa .
The region was in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave , and flames chewed through the sunbaked grass that covered the hills of the park and quickly spread into the mountainous forest .
Forest Service officials previously said Morton died while engaged in fire suppression operations , though the precise cause and circumstances have yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who supervised Morton as former superintendent of the Big Bear Hotshots fire crew , said Morton was a respected firefighter and a beloved friend .
“ Charlie and the crew nourished their friendships , ” he said , pausing often to hold back emotion .
“ I witnessed the respect and admiration they had for each other .
Handshakes became unacceptable : The saying was , ‘ Brothers don ’ t shake hands , brothers hug.
’ ” The two-hour memorial service included an honor cordon outside the church , and the posting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the American flag , the California flag and the flag of the U.S. Forest Service .
Selective mourners dotted the large hall , wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines .
Family and friends also paid tribute to Morton during Friday ’ s service .
“ He embraced you , he accepted you as you were , and he found common ground with people , ” said his brother , Allen Morton .
“ I think that ’ s why people loved him so much.
” Morton ’ s fiancée , Monica @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that he died doing what he loved .
“ He chose to protect his mountain , he chose to protect his crew , he chose to protect his community , he chose to protect all of us here today , ” she said , fighting back tears .
The ceremony concluded with a reading of the Hotshot Firefighter Prayer , and a final , symbolic radio call to recognize the end of Morton ’ s watch .
Morton was the 26th person whose death was linked to a California wildfire since August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blazes to die in that span .
Times staff writers Luke Money and Matthew Ormseth contributed to this report .

A U.S. Forest Service firefighter who died battling a wildfire in San Bernardino County earlier this month was remembered Friday as a gregarious and hard-working man who was as devoted to his family and friends as his job.
Nearly 1,000 people tuned in for the live-streamed memorial service for Charles Morton, 39, at 11 a.m. at the Rock Church and World Outreach Center in San Bernardino. The service was streamed on the church’s website and YouTube page, and the San Bernardino National Forest’s Facebook page.
Morton was a 14-year veteran with the U.S. Forest Service who led the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad.
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“I speak for the entire United States Forest Service when I say we are deeply shaken for the loss of one of our own,” Vicki Christiansen, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, said at the memorial.
“At the Forest Service, we are dedicated to caring for the land and serving people,” Christiansen said, “and Charlie showed us what service truly means.”
Morton died Sept. 17 while fighting the El Dorado fire, which has burned more than 22,600 acres in and around the San Bernardino National Forest. The fire was sparked by a pyrotechnic device that was part of a gender-reveal party at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa. The region was in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave, and flames chewed through the sunbaked grass that covered the hills of the park and quickly spread into the mountainous forest.
Charles Morton, a Big Bear Interagency Hotshot squad boss, died while fighting the El Dorado fire Sept. 17.
(U.S. Forest Service)
Forest Service officials previously said Morton died while engaged in fire suppression operations, though the precise cause and circumstances have yet to be officially released.
Jimmy Avila, who supervised Morton as former superintendent of the Big Bear Hotshots fire crew, said Morton was a respected firefighter and a beloved friend.
“Charlie and the crew nourished their friendships,” he said, pausing often to hold back emotion. “I witnessed the respect and admiration they had for each other. Handshakes became unacceptable: The saying was, ‘Brothers don’t shake hands, brothers hug.’”
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The two-hour memorial service included an honor cordon outside the church, and the posting of the colors — a ceremonial display of the American flag, the California flag and the flag of the U.S. Forest Service. Selective mourners dotted the large hall, wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.
Family and friends also paid tribute to Morton during Friday’s service.
“He embraced you, he accepted you as you were, and he found common ground with people,” said his brother, Allen Morton. “I think that’s why people loved him so much.”
Morton’s fiancée, Monica Tapia, said she took comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved.
“He chose to protect his mountain, he chose to protect his crew, he chose to protect his community, he chose to protect all of us here today,” she said, fighting back tears.
The ceremony concluded with a reading of the Hotshot Firefighter Prayer, and a final, symbolic radio call to recognize the end of Morton’s watch.
Morton was the 26th person whose death was linked to a California wildfire since August and the third person involved in battling the blazes to die in that span.
Times staff writers Luke Money and Matthew Ormseth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-25--Magnitude 3.6 earthquake hits near Desert Hot Springs

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was reported Friday morning three miles from Desert Hot Springs , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred at 10:10 a.m. four miles from Cathedral City , seven miles from Palm Springs , eight miles from Rancho Mirage and eight miles from Yucca Valley , the USGS said .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.0 miles .
In the past 10 days , there have been five earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent three year data sample .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was reported Friday morning three miles from Desert Hot Springs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred at 10:10 a.m. four miles from Cathedral City, seven miles from Palm Springs, eight miles from Rancho Mirage and eight miles from Yucca Valley, the USGS said.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.0 miles.
In the past 10 days, there have been five earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.
Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-09-25--PG&E expands possible shut-offs; 97,000 could see power cut with heat and wind expected to boost fir

PG&E expands possible shut-offs; 97,000 could see power cut with heat and wind expected to boost fire danger

Pacific Gas & Electric may cut power to nearly 97,000 customers in 15 counties this weekend as dry , unseasonably hot conditions and strong winds are expected to greatly increase fire danger across much of Northern California .
Utility officials said that a “ public safety power shut-off ” could be necessary as “ hot and dry conditions , combined with expected high wind gusts , pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.
” The “ potentially strong and dry offshore wind event ” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through Monday , according to PG & E .
As a result , the utility said outages may become necessary in parts of Alpine , Amador , Butte , Calaveras , El Dorado , Kern , Lake , Napa , Nevada , Placer , Plumas , Shasta , Sierra , Tehama and Yuba counties .
PG & E previously said potential outages were expected to affect only about 21,000 customers in parts of Butte , Plumas and Yuba counties , but greatly expanded that “ based on updated weather forecasts that showed stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its service area , according to a statement issued late Friday .
Red flag warnings are now in effect for much of Northern California from 9 p.m. Saturday through early Monday .
The warning covers from just above Redding southeast into the Sierra foothills , parts of the Sacramento Valley , and areas in and around the San Francisco Bay Area , including the North Bay mountains , East Bay hills and interior valleys .
David Sweet , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard , previously said that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire West Coast is expected to build over the weekend .
Temperatures could climb 10 to 20 degrees above normal in some areas .
Officials said the forecast conditions — which include sustained winds , low humidity and summer-like temperatures — will make it easier for fires to both start and spread .
That ’ s unwelcome news in an area of the state where crews are still working to contain some of the largest wildfires in California history .
Those include the North Complex fire northeast of Oroville — which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become one of the deadliest and most destructive in the state ’ s history .
Containment on that blaze is at 78 % .
The mammoth August Complex fire has charred a state-record 867,000-plus acres in and around the Mendocino , Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests , southwest of Redding .
That blaze was 38 % contained as of Friday morning .
While many of the blazes comprising this year ’ s unprecedented fire season are believed to have been sparked by lightning , recent years have seen power equipment ignite some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including the 2018 Camp fire that destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and killed 85 people .
PG & E implemented widespread power shut-offs — affecting roughly 172,000 customers in 22 counties — earlier this month on account of severe wind .
Officials said Thursday that the utility later found more than 80 instances of damage or hazards on power lines that were de-energized from Sept. 7 to 10 and that “ any of these could have potentially led to a wildfire had the lines not been turned off.
” “ We have worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by integrating enhanced weather technology , boosting our coordination with counties and state agencies and making sure customers get timely and accurate information , ” PG & E Interim President Michael Lewis said in a statement .
“ Still , we know turning off the power represents a significant hardship for our customers .
Please know that we don ’ t take this decision lightly , and we will only initiate a [ power shut-off ] as an option of last resort when severe weather that could cause a wildfire makes it absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @

Pacific Gas & Electric may cut power to nearly 97,000 customers in 15 counties this weekend as dry, unseasonably hot conditions and strong winds are expected to greatly increase fire danger across much of Northern California.
Utility officials said that a “public safety power shut-off” could be necessary as “hot and dry conditions, combined with expected high wind gusts, pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.”
The “potentially strong and dry offshore wind event” is expected to start early Sunday and last through Monday, according to PG&E.
As a result, the utility said outages may become necessary in parts of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties.
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PG&E previously said potential outages were expected to affect only about 21,000 customers in parts of Butte, Plumas and Yuba counties, but greatly expanded that “based on updated weather forecasts that showed stronger wind gusts in a larger portion” of its service area, according to a statement issued late Friday.
Red flag warnings are now in effect for much of Northern California from 9 p.m. Saturday through early Monday. The warning covers from just above Redding southeast into the Sierra foothills, parts of the Sacramento Valley, and areas in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, including the North Bay mountains, East Bay hills and interior valleys.
David Sweet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, previously said that a large area of high pressure covering almost the entire West Coast is expected to build over the weekend. Temperatures could climb 10 to 20 degrees above normal in some areas.
Officials said the forecast conditions — which include sustained winds, low humidity and summer-like temperatures — will make it easier for fires to both start and spread.
That’s unwelcome news in an area of the state where crews are still working to contain some of the largest wildfires in California history.
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Those include the North Complex fire northeast of Oroville — which has burned more than 304,000 acres and has become one of the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history. Containment on that blaze is at 78%.
The mammoth August Complex fire has charred a state-record 867,000-plus acres in and around the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests, southwest of Redding. That blaze was 38% contained as of Friday morning.
While many of the blazes comprising this year’s unprecedented fire season are believed to have been sparked by lightning, recent years have seen power equipment ignite some of California’s most devastating blazes — including the 2018 Camp fire that destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and killed 85 people.
PG&E implemented widespread power shut-offs — affecting roughly 172,000 customers in 22 counties — earlier this month on account of severe wind.
Officials said Thursday that the utility later found more than 80 instances of damage or hazards on power lines that were de-energized from Sept. 7 to 10 and that “any of these could have potentially led to a wildfire had the lines not been turned off.”
“We have worked diligently to improve public safety power shut-offs by integrating enhanced weather technology, boosting our coordination with counties and state agencies and making sure customers get timely and accurate information,” PG&E Interim President Michael Lewis said in a statement.
“Still, we know turning off the power represents a significant hardship for our customers. Please know that we don’t take this decision lightly, and we will only initiate a [power shut-off] as an option of last resort when severe weather that could cause a wildfire makes it absolutely necessary for public safety.”
Times staff writer Maura Dolan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-25--UC San Diego launches smartphone-based COVID-19 exposure notification system

Elizabeth Meckert breathed a small sigh of relief when her son , Andrew , a freshman at UC San Diego , set up his iPhone to let him know if he comes in contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19 .
This digital heads-up is made possible with smartphone-based exposure notifications .
California recently gave UC San Diego the go-ahead to test the technology , and the La Jolla university launched its pilot program on Thursday .
Students like Andrew were quick to try it .
“ It makes me feel better to know that he ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s come in contact with tests positive .
It ’ s a little insurance policy , ” said Elizabeth Meckert .
She traveled to the campus from Lake Oswego , Ore. , to help her son move into his dorm .
“ It ’ s scary enough sending your freshman away to college this far away , but with COVID , it makes it even scarier.
” University officials hope the cellphone technology will help them avoid the type of coronavirus chaos that has left more than 933 infected at San Diego State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has played out at colleges across the nation , where tens of thousands of cases have occurred .
This week , the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that Americans in their 20s now account for more COVID-19 cases than any other age group .
The same is true in San Diego County , where the 20-29 age group accounts for 25 % of cases .
The UC San Diego program will be built upon Apple and Google ’ s exposure notification system , which uses Bluetooth technology to warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in close contact with someone who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
The latest expansion of this system , called “ exposure notifications express , ” allows health agencies to put the technology to use without developing their own cellphone application .
Apple smartphone users who decide to participate can do so by enabling the exposure notifications system that was recently added to iPhone operating systems , while Android users will get a link to download the CA COVID Notify app from Google Play .
If UC San Diego ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide to offer similar notifications to residents across the state .
“ I would like to urge all UC San Diego students , faculty and staff to consider adding CA COVID Notify to your smartphone today to increase the possibility of quick detection and help keep our community safe , ” UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said in an email announcing the program ’ s launch .
University officials estimate about 3,500 users had enrolled in the program by Thursday .
Luan Nguyen was one of those users .
The public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the installation took no time at all .
“ Honestly , I think it ’ s really important to be aware of what ’ s going on around you , ” the freshman said .
“ We ’ re relying more on technology so it ’ s advancing more ... and in this case it ’ s a good way to keep down COVID cases.
” Taylor Smith , another freshman , plans to enable the notifications , as well .
“ Why not ?
Why not be more safe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But some members of the UC San Diego community are undecided .
“ I don ’ t know , ” said 31-year-old Andrew Christensen , who works in the university ’ s recreation department .
“ They ’ ve sent out some emails about it and I ’ ve kind of gone back and forth.
” Christensen , who works closely with student athletes , acknowledged that app-based technology could be very helpful in the college ’ s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 , and he liked that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privacy was still a concern .
“ When does that sort of tracking stop ?
” Google , Apple and university officials have said often that exposure notification technology uses anonymous keys to track users without identifying individuals .
Students , faculty members and staff can read more about the program on the college ’ s , which explains how the technology works and how to set it up on a smartphone .
Exposure notifications are part of the university ’ s Return to Learn program , which relies in part on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
The plan also includes face covering requirements , increased sanitation , wastewater testing and public health interventions like case isolation and contact tracing .
Across the county , COVID-19 continues to spread .
On Thursday , county officials reported 171 new cases , and six more deaths .
The three men and three women were in their mid-50s to their early 90s .
All but one had underlying medical conditions .
Officials are also investigating seven new community outbreaks : four in restaurants or bars , two in other businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last week , the county has investigated 15 such outbreaks .
So far , no outbreaks have occurred at UC San Diego .

Luan Nguyen, left, a UC San Diego freshman, and his sister, Diep Nguyen, try out new COVID-19 exposure notification app.
Elizabeth Meckert breathed a small sigh of relief when her son, Andrew, a freshman at UC San Diego, set up his iPhone to let him know if he comes in contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19.
This digital heads-up is made possible with smartphone-based exposure notifications. California recently gave UC San Diego the go-ahead to test the technology, and the La Jolla university launched its pilot program on Thursday. Students like Andrew were quick to try it.
“It makes me feel better to know that he’ll know right away if someone he’s come in contact with tests positive. It’s a little insurance policy,” said Elizabeth Meckert. She traveled to the campus from Lake Oswego, Ore., to help her son move into his dorm. “It’s scary enough sending your freshman away to college this far away, but with COVID, it makes it even scarier.”
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University officials hope the cellphone technology will help them avoid the type of coronavirus chaos that has left more than 933 infected at San Diego State University .
It’s a scene that has played out at colleges across the nation, where tens of thousands of cases have occurred. This week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that Americans in their 20s now account for more COVID-19 cases than any other age group. The same is true in San Diego County, where the 20-29 age group accounts for 25% of cases.
The UC San Diego program will be built upon Apple and Google’s exposure notification system, which uses Bluetooth technology to warn an individual when they’ve come in close contact with someone who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The latest expansion of this system, called “exposure notifications express,” allows health agencies to put the technology to use without developing their own cellphone application.
Apple smartphone users who decide to participate can do so by enabling the exposure notifications system that was recently added to iPhone operating systems, while Android users will get a link to download the CA COVID Notify app from Google Play.
If UC San Diego’s program is successful, the state may decide to offer similar notifications to residents across the state.
“I would like to urge all UC San Diego students, faculty and staff to consider adding CA COVID Notify to your smartphone today to increase the possibility of quick detection and help keep our community safe,” UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said in an email announcing the program’s launch.
University officials estimate about 3,500 users had enrolled in the program by Thursday.
Luan Nguyen was one of those users. The public health major spotted the email Thursday morning. He said the installation took no time at all.
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“Honestly, I think it’s really important to be aware of what’s going on around you,” the freshman said. “We’re relying more on technology so it’s advancing more ... and in this case it’s a good way to keep down COVID cases.”
Taylor Smith, another freshman, plans to enable the notifications, as well.
“Why not? Why not be more safe, feel more safe?” she said.
But some members of the UC San Diego community are undecided.
“I don’t know,” said 31-year-old Andrew Christensen, who works in the university’s recreation department. “They’ve sent out some emails about it and I’ve kind of gone back and forth.”
Christensen, who works closely with student athletes, acknowledged that app-based technology could be very helpful in the college’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, and he liked that it was specific to the campus community.
But privacy was still a concern. “When does that sort of tracking stop?”
Google, Apple and university officials have said often that exposure notification technology uses anonymous keys to track users without identifying individuals.
Students, faculty members and staff can read more about the program on the college’s California COVID Notify web page , which explains how the technology works and how to set it up on a smartphone.
Exposure notifications are part of the university’s Return to Learn program, which relies in part on the regular testing of the UC San Diego community. The plan also includes face covering requirements, increased sanitation, wastewater testing and public health interventions like case isolation and contact tracing.
Across the county, COVID-19 continues to spread. On Thursday, county officials reported 171 new cases, and six more deaths. The three men and three women were in their mid-50s to their early 90s. All but one had underlying medical conditions.
Officials are also investigating seven new community outbreaks: four in restaurants or bars, two in other businesses and one at a religious-affiiiated location. In the last week, the county has investigated 15 such outbreaks.
So far, no outbreaks have occurred at UC San Diego.
Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune


latimes--2020-09-25--California COVID-19 hospitalizations could jump 89% in next month amid signs of virus spread

California is expected to see an 89 % increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the next month amid growing signs that the spread of the coronavirus may be intensifying again , state officials announced Friday .
The proportion of Californians testing positive for the virus continues to remain low at 3 % over the past two weeks , and the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state ’ s hospitals continues to decline , said Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s health and human services secretary .
But he said that some other metrics are prompting concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread , which public health officials said was possible in the wake of the Labor Day holiday and more businesses reopening , may be materializing .
Many regions have seen a slight increase in the rate of cases per 100,000 residents , and COVID-19-related emergency room visits have trended upward over the past week in virtually all areas of the state , Ghaly said .
The number of new hospital admissions has also crept upwards , “ and that means that overall , we ’ re seeing more admissions than we did the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of our hospital systems across the state , ” he said .
Based on the current conditions , he said , the state is now forecasting that 4,864 people will be hospitalized with COVID-19 by Oct. 25 , an increase of roughly 89 % from Wednesday , when there were 2,578 patients .
California ’ s hospitals can handle the patient volume — at its peak in July , more than 7,100 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 .
But October marks the start of the flu season , adding an additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve never done COVID hospitalizations with flu hospitalizations , and ... we see things coming together that we want to make sure we ’ re very vigilant around , to ensure that even if we go up a little bit with our hospitalizations , we don ’ t continue to have high rates and even come close to the numbers that we saw over the summer , ” he said .
He urged people to wear face coverings , avoid gathering with people from outside their households and get flu shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful that all of you as reporters will help us communicate that indeed there is concern and we have the tools to reduce transmission , ” Ghaly said , “ and by doing these simple things we can hopefully bring these early trends of increase back down and help us get back to where we were just a week or two ago.
” The forecast comes as coronavirus cases in California topped 800,000 on Friday , according to The Times ’ tracker , another milestone in a state that is leading the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most populous state ranks much lower after adjusting for population .
Home to 12 % of the country ’ s population , thus far California has accounted for roughly 11 % of the country ’ s coronavirus cases , according to The Times ’ tracker .
California topped 15,000 COVID-19 deaths earlier this week , a death toll comparable with that of Texas , which was reporting 15,267 fatalities as of Wednesday .
But that number remains far below that of New York , which has recorded more than 33,000 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus-related deaths .
Florida on Friday surpassed 14,000 deaths , reaching 14,083 .
Earlier this week , the state announced that nail salons across California could reopen .
Ghaly said Tuesday that state officials have worked with business sector leaders and county officials to ensure that nail salons can operate indoors in low-risk environments .
In some parts of the state , .
It is ultimately up to individual counties to allow businesses and other sectors to reopen after being given the green light by the state .
, for example , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor malls , despite having the state ’ s permission to do so .
County health officials have said that such changes will not come until late September , at the earliest , after data that would show whether there has been a Labor Day infection surge and the effects of the state ’ s new reopenings are assessed .
But overall , the decline in cases has allowed more sectors of California to slowly reopen .
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the next few weeks will be crucial if the city wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means schools and many businesses are closed .
To progress through the tier system , a county must meet certain thresholds for two consecutive weeks .
The mayor urged Angelenos to try to keep numbers low so the county can move into the new tier in early October .
In recent weeks , L.A. County officials have reported a decline in the number of COVID-19 infections , hospitalizations and deaths .
The county ’ s daily case count is seven cases per 100,000 residents , and the seven-day average positivity rate is 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 8 % in July .
But over the last week , the number of cases has increased slightly , and the projected transmission rate has crept past 1 % to 1.02 % .
It ’ s possible those numbers are early indicators that there will be a spike in infections related to Labor Day weekend activity , but officials are not sure yet .
And as the state numbers continue to climb , there are still concerns California could be reopening too quickly .
Santa Clara County ’ s health officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that care is still needed .
“ Remember , we ’ re still at significant amounts of COVID spread , and we don ’ t want to make the mistake that we collectively made earlier where we went a little bit too fast — and then spent the summer with quite a bit of COVID transmission , ” Cody said .

California is expected to see an 89% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the next month amid growing signs that the spread of the coronavirus may be intensifying again, state officials announced Friday.
The proportion of Californians testing positive for the virus continues to remain low at 3% over the last two weeks, and the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state’s hospitals continues to decline, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s health and human services secretary.
But he said that some other metrics are prompting concern that a feared uptick in the virus’ spread, which public health officials said was possible in the wake of the Labor Day holiday and more businesses reopening, may be materializing.
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Many regions have seen a slight increase in the rate of cases per 100,000 residents, and COVID-19-related emergency room visits have trended upward over the last week in virtually all areas of the state, Ghaly said.
The number of new hospital admissions has also crept upwards, “and that means that overall, we’re seeing more admissions than we did the day or week prior for COVID-19 in some of our hospital systems across the state,” he said.
Based on the current conditions, he said, the state is now forecasting that 4,864 people will be hospitalized with COVID-19 by Oct. 25, an increase of roughly 89% from Wednesday, when there were 2,578 patients.
California’s hospitals can handle the patient volume — at its peak in July, more than 7,100 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19. But October marks the start of the flu season, adding an additional layer of concern, Ghaly said.
“We’ve never done COVID hospitalizations with flu hospitalizations, and ... we see things coming together that we want to make sure we’re very vigilant around, to ensure that even if we go up a little bit with our hospitalizations, we don’t continue to have high rates and even come close to the numbers that we saw over the summer,” he said.
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He urged people to wear face coverings, avoid gathering with people from outside their households and get flu shots.
“Today’s message is hopeful that all of you as reporters will help us communicate that indeed there is concern and we have the tools to reduce transmission,” Ghaly said, “and by doing these simple things we can hopefully bring these early trends of increase back down and help us get back to where we were just a week or two ago.”
The forecast comes as coronavirus cases in California topped 800,000 on Friday, according to The Times’ tracker, another milestone in a state that is leading the nation in infections.
Still, America’s most populous state ranks much lower after adjusting for population. Home to 12% of the country’s population, thus far California has accounted for roughly 11% of the country’s coronavirus cases, according to The Times’ tracker.
California topped 15,000 COVID-19 deaths earlier this week, a toll comparable with that of Texas, which was reporting 15,267 fatalities as of Wednesday. But that number remains far below that of New York, which has recorded more than 33,000 deaths. New Jersey has reported more than 16,000 coronavirus-related deaths. Florida on Friday surpassed 14,000 deaths, reaching 14,083.
Earlier this week, the state announced that nail salons across California could reopen. Ghaly said Tuesday that state officials have worked with business sector leaders and county officials to ensure that nail salons can operate indoors in low-risk environments. In some parts of the state, salons have been operating outdoors .
It is ultimately up to individual counties to allow businesses and other sectors to reopen after being given the green light by the state.
Los Angeles County , for example, has refrained from allowing operations to resume at indoor malls, despite having the state’s permission to do so. County health officials have said that such changes will not come until late September, at the earliest, after data that would show whether there has been a Labor Day infection surge and the effects of the state’s new reopenings are assessed.
But overall, the decline in cases has allowed more sectors of California to slowly reopen.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the next few weeks will be crucial if the city wants to see more reopenings.
Los Angeles County is in Tier 1 , which means schools and many businesses are closed. To progress through the tier system, a county must meet certain thresholds for two consecutive weeks.
The mayor urged Angelenos to try to keep numbers low so the county can move into the new tier in early October.
In recent weeks, L.A. County officials have reported a decline in the number of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths. The county’s daily case count is seven cases per 100,000 residents, and the seven-day average positivity rate is 3% — a notable drop from a reported 8% in July.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
But over the last week, the number of cases has increased slightly, and the projected transmission rate has crept past 1% to 1.02%. It’s possible those numbers are early indicators that there will be a spike in infections related to Labor Day weekend activity, but officials are not sure yet.
And as the state numbers continue to climb, there are still concerns California could be reopening too quickly.
Santa Clara County’s health officer, Dr. Sara Cody, told supervisors this week that care is still needed.
“Remember, we’re still at significant amounts of COVID spread, and we don’t want to make the mistake that we collectively made earlier where we went a little bit too fast — and then spent the summer with quite a bit of COVID transmission,” Cody said.
Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-25--This L.A. company was hit with the state's largest-ever COVID-19 fine. Some say it's a model for wor

This L.A. company was hit with the state's largest-ever COVID-19 fine. Some say it's a model for worker safety

In late July , Gloria Lopez , a weight checker at a frozen food processing plant in Vernon , noticed that a plexiglass divider was missing between workers on the production line .
Two employees were left exposed to the coronavirus .
Neither had said anything .
“ I said to one of them , ‘ Do you feel comfortable the way you ’ re working ?
’ And she said , ‘ No , but what do you want me to do ?
’ ” Lopez recalled .
Within minutes , Lopez instructed an employee to hit a button @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line leader she belonged to a new safety committee at the plant owned by Overhill Farms , which has authorized the panel ’ s members to halt production if safety precautions were lacking .
About 10 minutes later , the divider was back .
“ I thought to myself , ‘ Yes , we can do something with our committee , ’ ” said Lopez , from Huntington Park .
“ Yes , we can be safer where we work.
” The company and workers backed by a union formed the group in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Sept. 9 , California ’ s Division of Occupational Safety and Health , known as Cal/OSHA , announced more than $ 200,000 in fines each for Overhill Farms and its temporary employment agency , Jobsource North America — the state ’ s largest fines to date for coronavirus health violations .
The citations , which reference more than 20 cases of the virus and one worker death , stem from inspections begun in April , which found the company failed to provide sufficient protective equipment , enforce physical distancing or inform workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first fines Cal/OSHA announced on Sept. 4 for coronavirus safety violations , with penalties against 11 employers ranging from $ 2,025 to $ 51,190 .
Overhill Farms and Jobsource have said they plan to dispute the citations .
Overhill Farms called the allegations “ erroneous , ” asserting that Cal/OSHA falsely claimed that the company failed to install plexiglass dividers .
“ The health and safety of our employees is our first priority , ” the company said in a statement .
“ Overhill Farms has not only taken steps in line with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local guidance , we have gone above and beyond those recommendations as we developed our employee safety procedures.
” Since the committee was first convened in late July , six workers , a union liaison and company representatives have met almost weekly to discuss coronavirus safety .
Some of these workers have said they ’ ve slowly seen improvements in enforcement of social distancing and feel safer on the job .
Labor advocates have highlighted Overhill ’ s safety committee as a precedent as the county ’ s Board of Supervisors moves forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to form public health councils authorized to report whether their employers are complying with coronavirus health orders — a proposal with widespread backing among labor groups but strongly opposed by many business leaders .
“ It ’ s a common sense approach , ” said Rob Nothoff , policy director for the L.A. County Federation of Labor .
“ You empower workers to help add additional capacity to the Department of Public Health and to serve as kind of enforcers or whistleblowers .
Everyone is better off protected.
” According to county health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases from March through August at Overhill Farms .
Most cases were in April , when 11 workers became sick .
Kathy Finn , secretary-treasurer for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 , which represents several hundred Overhill employees , said she hoped the citation would send a sharp message to other workplaces .
“ The fact that there have been some improvements now is I think a reflection of the fact the state took so long to actually do anything , ” Finn said .
Armando Romero , a forklift operator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that in the early days of the pandemic Overhill Farms failed to provide workers with masks .
He took a 30-day leave , worried about the possibility of exposing his mother-in-law with whom he lived .
When he returned , the Maywood resident said that the company was providing masks but not enforcing social distancing or providing sufficient hand sanitizer .
“ When coronavirus began , no one knew what rules to follow , ” Romero said .
“ From there , we saw we needed to do something to protect ourselves.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns approached their union , which proposed the idea of the committee to Overhill managers .
Romero said that after the company began hearing the committee ’ s concerns , it moved to limit how many workers could enter a plant at a time and enforced social distancing during lunch breaks by adding plexiglass dividers to tables in the lunchroom and limiting seating .
Throughout the workday , the committee ’ s workers scan their areas to ensure dividers are in place and that employees wear face coverings and observe social distancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South Gate , said she joined the committee to protect her three daughters and husband and the families of her co-workers .
Like Romero , she stopped going to work briefly because she said the company wasn ’ t providing adequate protective equipment .
To get her co-workers to social distance , she tells them , “ I don ’ t want my family to get infected and I don ’ t want your family to get infected.
” Although she said the workplace still poses a dangerous environment , Finn acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise issues in an industry where workers often fear retaliation .
“ Some of the things they accomplished was giving the workers a voice , ” she said .
“ They got the ability to shut down the line when they saw unsafe things happening .
That is a huge , huge power to stop production because that impacts the company in its pocketbook.
” In response to questions about whether the safety committee had led to improvements , Frank Polizzi , a public information officer for California ’ s Department of Industrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said that as of the citation date the state “ has not received proof that the COVID-19-related violations have been corrected by either employer.
” But in recent weeks , labor groups have pointed to the Overhill Farms committee as a model to support the motion supervisors are considering to create similar groups .
Under the current proposal , worker councils would pair with third-party organizations certified by the county Department of Public Health to document violations , with the goal of expanding the department ’ s enforcement capacity .
Details of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , who co-authored the motion initially approved in late July , said it should focus on industries with high rates of violations and outbreaks .
“ The establishment of public health councils will provide another tool in the toolkit to better monitor , document and report public health violations , ” said Ridley-Thomas at the board ’ s Sept. 1 meeting .
“ If we want to slow the spread , we need to do it in the context of a just economy.
” In an Aug. 6 letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Barbara Ferrer acknowledged concerns that employers might retaliate against workers who participate in the councils and suggested adopting rules to address that issue .
Tia Koonse , a legal and policy research manager at the UCLA Labor Center , said that , with too few county investigators , worker councils are a cost-effective measure to ensure compliance .
But the motion has faced staunch pushback from business leaders .
In a letter to the board , the Los Angeles County Business Federation , known as BizFed , called the proposal “ nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to harass employers at the whim of any disgruntled employee.
” It said that employees can already report noncompliance to a county hotline , and that it would support the councils only “ for the few bad actors that have been repeatedly warned and are still unable to comply.
” “ We don ’ t really see any redeemable aspects to it , ” Sarah Wiltfong , BizFed ’ s policy manager , said in an interview , adding that the proposal would result in the “ de facto unionization of businesses.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensate for worker councils meeting during business hours , she said .
Similarly , Patricia Torres Bruno , chief policy officer for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce , said that the motion has been “ rushed through the Board of Supervisors ” with little input from the business community .
“ It is not in a business ’ best interest not to be compliant with the health orders , ” Bruno said .
“ They are eager to open and open safely.
” Freddie Agyin , director of health and environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that when his staff visited Overhill Farms in mid-August , they noted only that plexiglass barriers needed to be extended farther on lunch tables and that more copies of health orders needed to be posted in areas employees frequent .
“ They have made progress , ” he said of the company .
Agyin said employee engagement around safety issues is key .
“ You can ’ t implement things where you don ’ t have buy-in , ” he said .

Armando Espinoza, a representative of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, says a prayer next to a memorial in front of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration that honors the more than 5700 Angelenos who have died of COVID-19.
In late July, Gloria Lopez, a weight checker at a frozen food processing plant in Vernon, noticed that a plexiglass divider was missing between workers on the production line.
Two employees were left exposed to the coronavirus. Neither had said anything.
“I said to one of them, ‘Do you feel comfortable the way you’re working?’ And she said, ‘No, but what do you want me to do?’” Lopez recalled.
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Within minutes, Lopez instructed an employee to hit a button to stop production. She told the line leader she belonged to a new safety committee at the plant owned by Overhill Farms, which has authorized the panel’s members to halt production if safety precautions were lacking.
About 10 minutes later, the divider was back.
“I thought to myself, ‘Yes, we can do something with our committee,’” said Lopez, from Huntington Park. “Yes, we can be safer where we work.”
Photographs of people who lost their lives to COVID-19, including Celia Marcos, left, were part of a memorial erected in front of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The company and workers backed by a union formed the group in the midst of a serious problem. On Sept. 9, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, announced more than $200,000 in fines each for Overhill Farms and its temporary employment agency, Jobsource North America — the state’s largest fines to date for coronavirus health violations.
The citations, which reference more than 20 cases of the virus and one worker death, stem from inspections begun in April, which found the company failed to provide sufficient protective equipment, enforce physical distancing or inform workers about the dangers. They follow the first fines Cal/OSHA announced Sept. 4 for coronavirus safety violations, with penalties against 11 employers ranging from $2,025 to $51,190.
Overhill Farms and Jobsource have said they plan to dispute the citations. Overhill Farms called the allegations erroneous, asserting that Cal/OSHA falsely claimed the company failed to install plexiglass dividers.
“The health and safety of our employees is our first priority,” the company said in a statement. “Overhill Farms has not only taken steps in line with the constantly evolving federal, state and local guidance, we have gone above and beyond those recommendations as we developed our employee safety procedures.”
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Since the committee was first convened in late July, six workers, a union liaison and company representatives have met almost weekly to discuss coronavirus safety. Some of these workers have said they’ve slowly seen improvements in enforcement of social distancing and feel safer on the job.
Labor advocates have highlighted Overhill’s safety committee as a precedent as the county’s Board of Supervisors moves forward on a motion that would allow workers to form public health councils authorized to report whether their employers are complying with coronavirus health orders — a proposal with widespread backing among labor groups but strongly opposed by many business leaders.
“It’s a common sense approach,” said Rob Nothoff, policy director for the L.A. County Federation of Labor. “You empower workers to help add additional capacity to the Department of Public Health and to serve as kind of enforcers or whistleblowers. Everyone is better off protected.”
County health officials said there had been 26 coronavirus cases from March through August at Overhill Farms. Most cases were in April, when 11 workers became sick.
Kathy Finn, secretary-treasurer for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, which represents several hundred Overhill employees, said she hoped the citation would send a sharp message to other workplaces.
“The fact that there have been some improvements now is I think a reflection of the fact the state took so long to actually do anything,” Finn said.
Armando Romero, a forklift operator and member of the safety committee, said that in the early days of the pandemic Overhill Farms failed to provide workers with masks. He took a 30-day leave, worried about the possibility of exposing his mother-in-law with whom he lived.
When he returned, the Maywood resident said that the company was providing masks but not enforcing social distancing or providing sufficient hand sanitizer.
“When coronavirus began, no one knew what rules to follow,” Romero said. “From there, we saw we needed to do something to protect ourselves.”
A group of workers with safety concerns approached their union, which proposed the idea of the committee to Overhill managers. Romero said that after the company began hearing the committee’s concerns, it moved to limit how many workers could enter a plant at a time and enforced social distancing during lunch breaks by adding plexiglass dividers to tables in the lunchroom and limiting seating.
Throughout the workday, the committee’s workers scan their areas to ensure dividers are in place and that employees wear face coverings and observe social distancing.
Rhina Blanco, a worker who lives in South Gate, said she joined the committee to protect her three daughters and husband and the families of her co-workers. Like Romero, she stopped going to work briefly because she said the company wasn’t providing adequate protective equipment.
To get her co-workers to keep their distance, she tells them, “I don’t want my family to get infected and I don’t want your family to get infected.”
Although she said the workplace still poses a dangerous environment, Finn acknowledged the committee has created a space to raise issues in an industry where workers often fear retaliation.
“Some of the things they accomplished was giving the workers a voice,” she said. “They got the ability to shut down the line when they saw unsafe things happening. That is a huge, huge power to stop production because that impacts the company in its pocketbook.”
In response to questions about whether the safety committee had led to improvements, Frank Polizzi, a public information officer for California’s Department of Industrial Relations, the parent agency of Cal/OSHA, said that as of the citation date the state “has not received proof that the COVID-19-related violations have been corrected by either employer.”
But in recent weeks, labor groups have pointed to the Overhill Farms committee as a model to support the motion supervisors are considering to create similar groups.
Under the current proposal, worker councils would pair with third-party organizations certified by the county Department of Public Health to document violations, with the goal of expanding the department’s enforcement capacity. Details of the program are still being developed, but Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who co-authored the motion initially approved in late July, said it should focus on industries with high rates of violations and outbreaks.
“The establishment of public health councils will provide another tool in the toolkit to better monitor, document and report public health violations,” said Ridley-Thomas at the board’s Sept. 1 meeting. “If we want to slow the spread, we need to do it in the context of a just economy.”
In an Aug. 6 letter to the board, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged concerns that employers might retaliate against workers who participate in the councils and suggested adopting rules to address that issue.
Tia Koonse, a legal and policy research manager at the UCLA Labor Center, said that, with too few county investigators, worker councils are a cost-effective measure to ensure compliance.
But the motion has faced staunch pushback from business leaders. In a letter to the board, the Los Angeles County Business Federation, known as BizFed, called the proposal “nothing more than another layer of cumbersome bureaucracy designed to harass employers at the whim of any disgruntled employee.”
It said that employees can already report noncompliance to a county hotline and that it would support the councils only “for the few bad actors that have been repeatedly warned and are still unable to comply.”
“We don’t really see any redeemable aspects to it,” Sarah Wiltfong, BizFed’s policy manager, said in an interview, adding that the proposal would result in the “de facto unionization of businesses.” Questions remain about how employers would compensate for worker councils meeting during business hours, she said.
Similarly, Patricia Torres Bruno, chief policy officer for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, said the motion has been “rushed through the Board of Supervisors” with little input from the business community.
“It is not in a business’ best interest not to be compliant with the health orders,” Bruno said. “They are eager to open and open safely.”
Freddie Agyin, director of health and environmental control for the city of Vernon, said that when his staff visited Overhill Farms in mid-August, they noted only that plexiglass barriers needed to be extended farther on lunch tables and that more copies of health orders needed to be posted in areas employees frequent.
“They have made progress,” he said of the company.
Agyin said employee engagement around safety issues is key.
“You can’t implement things where you don’t have buy-in,” he said.


latimes--2020-09-25--Driver plows through Breonna Taylor protest in Hollywood, hitting at least one person

A truck drove through a group of protesters in Hollywood on Thursday night , striking at least one person as it sped through the crowd , according to the police and news footage from the scene .
Demonstrators had gathered at 7 p.m. at Hollywood Forever Cemetery before marching through the streets of Hollywood .
They were decrying the announcement Wednesday that just one of three Louisville , Ky. , police officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor , who was shot to death in a bungled raid of her apartment , had been charged with a crime .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was charged not in connection with Taylor ’ s death but for allegedly firing blindly into her apartment building .
The charging decision , anticipated for months , has infuriated people throughout the country and spurred large protests , including one Wednesday night that drew hundreds of people to downtown Los Angeles .
On Thursday , the group in Hollywood was walking down Sunset Boulevard , video posted to Twitter and YouTube shows , when a dark-colored pickup accelerated among the protesters , striking one directly and hurtling the person backward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nearly hitting other people who leaped out of the way , the footage shows .
Capt .
Steve Lurie , who leads the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s Hollywood Division , said officers stopped and identified the motorist , although they didn ’ t immediately arrest him .
The motorist told them that protesters had attacked his car first , according to Lurie , who added that officers have noted damage to the car .
Christian Monterrosa , a freelance photojournalist who was following the protest , said the truck was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — west , when the group was walking east — when protesters began crowding the vehicle , trying to bring it to a stop .
“ I would say the truck instigated the incident , definitely , ” Monterrosa said , noting that other motorists had yielded to the demonstrators .
Nicholas Prange , a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department , said paramedics were called just before 9 p.m. to the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Seward Street .
An ambulance transported at least one person to a hospital with minor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lurie said the person was in stable condition and refused to cooperate with police .
Moments after the incident and a few blocks east on Sunset Boulevard , a white Prius tried to drive through the fringes of a group of demonstrators who had gathered in an intersection , according to the LAPD and footage from KCAL-TV Channel 9 ’ s chopper , Sky9 .
“ It wasn ’ t traveling at a fast speed — it was inching forward , trying to get past , and that upset people , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd began striking the car ’ s windows and doors , the news footage shows .
After the Prius cleared the crowd , a black pickup truck with several people sitting in the bed gave chase , accelerated ahead of the Prius and pulled to an abrupt halt .
A man got out of the truck and , according to the footage , appeared to try to pull the driver out of the Prius .
The Prius reversed and collided with a green Mustang convertible , which was associated with the protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person got out of the convertible and began striking the Prius with a flagpole , the footage shows , and another person arrived on a skateboard , which he used to smash the Prius ’ windshield .
The motorist drove off but was detained a few blocks away by the LAPD .
No one was injured in the incident , according to police .
Police have identified the motorists involved in both incidents , which were still being investigated , the LAPD said in a statement .
Lurie , the Hollywood captain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both of whom maintain they were accosted by protesters , are “ the suspect of a hit-and-run or the victim of an assault.
” Cases could be presented to either county or city prosecutors for charging consideration , he said .
Meanwhile , protesters continued to march along Fountain Avenue , just south of Sunset .
Mo Broughton , 32 , of Hollywood used a megaphone to urge protesters to stay behind vehicles that were part of the protest .
“ Please stay behind the cars — it ’ s for your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated 350 people took to the streets in Hollywood on Thursday night , according to Lurie .
Most were peaceful but about 20 were “ violent , ” the captain said , painting graffiti and lighting fires in a pair of trash cans .

A truck drove through a group of protesters in Hollywood on Thursday night, striking at least one person as it sped through the crowd, according to the police and news footage from the scene.
Demonstrators had gathered at 7 p.m. at Hollywood Forever Cemetery before marching through the streets of Hollywood.
They were decrying the announcement Wednesday that just one of three Louisville, Ky., police officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death in a bungled raid of her apartment, had been charged with a crime. The one indicted officer, Brett Hankison, was charged not in connection with Taylor’s death but for allegedly firing blindly into her apartment building.
The charging decision, anticipated for months, has infuriated people throughout the country and spurred large protests, including one Wednesday night that drew hundreds of people to downtown Los Angeles.
On Thursday, the group in Hollywood was walking down Sunset Boulevard, video posted to Twitter and YouTube shows, when a dark-colored pickup accelerated among the protesters, striking one directly and hurtling the person backward. The truck then sped down Sunset Boulevard, nearly hitting other people who leaped out of the way, the footage shows.
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Capt. Steve Lurie, who leads the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollywood Division, said officers stopped and identified the motorist, although they didn’t immediately arrest him. The motorist told them that protesters had attacked his car first, according to Lurie, who added that officers have noted damage to the car.
A protester who was hit by a car is attended to as paramedics arrive on Sunset Boulevard. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Christian Monterrosa, a freelance photojournalist who was following the protest, said the truck was traveling against the flow of the crowd — west, when the group was walking east — when protesters began crowding the vehicle, trying to bring it to a stop.
“I would say the truck instigated the incident, definitely,” Monterrosa said, noting that other motorists had yielded to the demonstrators.
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Nicholas Prange, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said paramedics were called just before 9 p.m. to the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Seward Street. An ambulance transported at least one person to a hospital with minor injuries, according to the LAPD. Lurie said the person was in stable condition and refused to cooperate with police.
Caution: Video contains graphic content and strong language.
Moments after the incident and a few blocks east on Sunset Boulevard, a white Prius tried to drive through the fringes of a group of demonstrators who had gathered in an intersection, according to the LAPD and footage from KCAL-TV Channel 9’s chopper, Sky9.
“It wasn’t traveling at a fast speed — it was inching forward, trying to get past, and that upset people,” said Monterrosa, the photojournalist.
People in the crowd began striking the car’s windows and doors, the news footage shows. After the Prius cleared the crowd, a black pickup truck with several people sitting in the bed gave chase, accelerated ahead of the Prius and pulled to an abrupt halt. A man got out of the truck and, according to the footage, appeared to try to pull the driver out of the Prius.
The Prius reversed and collided with a green Mustang convertible, which was associated with the protest, according to the LAPD. A person got out of the convertible and began striking the Prius with a flagpole, the footage shows, and another person arrived on a skateboard, which he used to smash the Prius’ windshield. The motorist drove off but was detained a few blocks away by the LAPD. No one was injured in the incident, according to police.
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A victim is comforted after being hit by a hit and run driver on Sunset Blvd. as she was protesting the Kentucky grand jury’s decision in the Breonna Taylor case. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Police have identified the motorists involved in both incidents, which were still being investigated, the LAPD said in a statement. Lurie, the Hollywood captain, said detectives will review whether the motorists, both of whom maintain they were accosted by protesters, are “the suspect of a hit-and-run or the victim of an assault.” Cases could be presented to either county or city prosecutors for charging consideration, he said.
Meanwhile, protesters continued to march along Fountain Avenue, just south of Sunset. Mo Broughton, 32, of Hollywood used a megaphone to urge protesters to stay behind vehicles that were part of the protest.
“Please stay behind the cars — it’s for your protection,” she yelled.
An estimated 350 people took to the streets in Hollywood on Thursday night, according to Lurie. Most were peaceful but about 20 were “violent,” the captain said, painting graffiti and lighting fires in a pair of trash cans.
A Prius runs through a crowd of people on Sunset Boulevard and North Cahuenga Boulevard during a protest held for Breonna Taylor in Hollywood. (Josie Norris/Los Angeles Times)
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Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-24--Los Angeles D.A. will not prosecute KPCC reporter arrested for interfering with arrest of a proteste

Los Angeles D.A. will not prosecute KPCC reporter arrested for interfering with arrest of a protester

A KPCC reporter who was slammed to the ground and accused of interfering with an arrest the night two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies were shot in Compton will not face criminal charges , the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said Thursday .
Josie Huang , 39 , was arrested outside St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood after deputies alleged she tried to interfere with the arrest of a protester earlier this month .
The incident drew widespread condemnation from journalism organizations and politicians , criticism that worsened after video of the incident captured on Huang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Sheriff Alex Villanueva .
“ Ms .
Huang was in a public area filming a protest .
When asked to back up , she is almost immediately grabbed by deputies and taken to the ground , giving her little if any time to comply , ” prosecutors wrote in a memo declining to file criminal charges .
“ It does not appear that she was intentionally attempting to interfere with the deputies , but merely trying to record the occurrence.
” Hours earlier on Sept. 12 , someone had walked up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Compton Metro station and opened fire on the two deputies , both of whom suffered gunshot wounds to the head .
The deputies — a 31-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man who have not been identified — were seriously injured but are expected to survive .
Both deputies have been released from the hospital , officials said .
No arrests have been made .
In the hours that followed the shooting , a small group of protesters descended on the hospital where the deputies were being treated , some of whom were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Recordings that Huang posted to Twitter the day after the incident showed her approaching a group of deputies as they arrested a man .
The deputies ordered her to back up , but then almost immediately took her to the ground .
The Sheriff ’ s Department initially alleged Huang failed to identify herself as a reporter .
But Huang ’ s phone kept recording while she was in handcuffs , showing deputies stomp on the device and ignore her as she continually announced she was a reporter for KPCC .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Associated Press that Huang had “ crossed the line from journalism to activism ” and defended his deputies ’ actions .
In a statement , a Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman said the agency “ values the media and highly respects the freedom of the press ” but maintained that deputies believed Huang “ inserted herself too close to the highly charged situation as an arrest was being made.
” “ It is unfortunate this incident took place during a time in which our focus was on the horrific attempted assassination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events during that time were very tense and rapidly evolving , ” the statement read .
“ At that same time , our personnel were dealing with protesters who were blocking the driveway to the hospital emergency room and chanting for our wounded deputies to die , which could also be heard by their family members.
” Separate investigations of the arrest are being carried out by county Inspector General Max Huntsman and the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Internal Affairs Bureau .
Huang said she appreciated the district attorney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors reviewed her cellphone video .
But she isn ’ t done challenging the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s narrative .
“ I am seeking a finding of ‘ factual innocence ’ that will wipe this unlawful arrest from my record , ” she said .
“ More than ever , I am grateful for the 1st Amendment , which entitles all Americans — not just journalists — to the rights of free speech and assembly .
”

A KPCC reporter who was slammed to the ground and accused of interfering with an arrest the night two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were shot in Compton will not face criminal charges, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Thursday.
Josie Huang, 39, was arrested outside St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood after deputies alleged she tried to interfere with the arrest of a protester earlier this month. The incident drew widespread condemnation from journalism organizations and politicians, criticism that worsened after video of the incident captured on Huang’s cellphone seemingly disproved allegations levied by Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
“Ms. Huang was in a public area filming a protest. When asked to back up, she is almost immediately grabbed by deputies and taken to the ground, giving her little if any time to comply,” prosecutors wrote in a memo declining to file criminal charges. “It does not appear that she was intentionally attempting to interfere with the deputies, but merely trying to record the occurrence.”
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Hours earlier on Sept. 12, someone had walked up to a Sheriff’s Department cruiser near the Compton Metro station and opened fire on the two deputies, both of whom suffered gunshot wounds to the head. The deputies — a 31-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man who have not been identified — were seriously injured but are expected to survive.
Both deputies have been released from the hospital, officials said. No arrests have been made.
In the hours that followed the shooting, a small group of protesters descended on the hospital where the deputies were being treated, some of whom were chanting that they hoped the deputies died. Recordings that Huang posted to Twitter the day after the incident showed her approaching a group of deputies as they arrested a man. The deputies ordered her to back up, but then almost immediately took her to the ground.
The Sheriff’s Department initially alleged Huang failed to identify herself as a reporter. But Huang’s phone kept recording while she was in handcuffs, showing deputies stomp on the device and ignore her as she continually announced she was a reporter for KPCC.
In the days after the incident, Villanueva told the Associated Press that Huang had “crossed the line from journalism to activism” and defended his deputies’ actions.
In a statement, a Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said the agency “values the media and highly respects the freedom of the press” but maintained that deputies believed Huang “inserted herself too close to the highly charged situation as an arrest was being made.”
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“It is unfortunate this incident took place during a time in which our focus was on the horrific attempted assassination of two of our deputies. The events during that time were very tense and rapidly evolving,” the statement read. “At that same time, our personnel were dealing with protesters who were blocking the driveway to the hospital emergency room and chanting for our wounded deputies to die, which could also be heard by their family members.”
Separate investigations of the arrest are being carried out by county Inspector General Max Huntsman and the Sheriff’s Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau.
Huang said she appreciated the district attorney’s office’s decision and was thankful prosecutors reviewed her cellphone video. But she isn’t done challenging the Sheriff’s Department’s narrative.
“I am seeking a finding of ‘factual innocence’ that will wipe this unlawful arrest from my record,” she said. “More than ever, I am grateful for the 1st Amendment, which entitles all Americans — not just journalists — to the rights of free speech and assembly.”


latimes--2020-09-23--Yosemite is open again, more campsites available

Yosemite National Park will reopen Friday , with scores of campsites available that have been closed all summer .
The move , announced Wednesday , follows a Sept. 17 closure because of unhealthy air quality .
The park reopens at 9 a.m. Friday .
Park spokesman Scott Gediman said campsites in Yosemite Valley ’ s Upper Pines , North Pinse and Lower Pines campgrounds will be available for campers beginning Friday night .
The campgrounds can be booked at recreation.gov .
Through the summer , Yosemite has tried to reduce COVID-19 risks by making available only about half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Upper Pines area , about 120 spots .
Virtually all of the park ’ s other campsites have been closed for months , and longstanding reservations were cancelled as a result .
Beginning Friday , most of of the 90 campsites in North Pines and 90 more in Lower Pines will now also be available to reserve in addition to Upper Pines , Gediman said .
He said only “ a small number ” of sites in North Pines and Lower Pines would remain closed .
“ We ’ ve seen improved air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Gediman .
He warned , however , that as air quality fluctuates in days and weeks ahead , “ there may be a need for intermittent closures.
” The park will still require day-use reservations to enter whether visitors are spending the night or not , a measure adopted earlier this year to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection through crowding .
Meanwhile , the nearby Creek fire continues to burn .
As of Wednesday morning , it has covered more than 289,000 acres , blackening large portions of Sierra National Forest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lakes .
Authorities said the fire was 42 % contained .
Nearby , along the Sierra foothills , Kings Canyon National Park was expected to reopen Wednesday but Sequoia National Park remained closed .
On the coast , Highway 1 reopened Monday after a closure that lasted more than a month as firefighters battled the Dolan fire near Big Sur in Monterey County .
Much public land remains closed because of fire threats or air befouled by smoke .
Several of Monterey County ’ s state parks are still shut , including Julia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reserve , Limekiln , Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur State Historic Park .
As of Wednesday morning , the Dolan fire had blackened more than 128,000 acres and was 44 % contained .
More than 500 firefighters are working on the blaze , whose origins are unknown .
In Southern California , all of the region ’ s national forests are closed , including Angeles , Cleveland , Los Padres and San Bernardino national forests .
The Forest Service has a regional order in place that closes those forests through Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision ” on when to reopen , said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Jonathan Groveman .
As of Wednesday noon , the Bobcat fire in Angeles National Forest had claimed more than 113,000 acres and was 38 % contained .
Farther north , these national forests are open to varying degrees : Eldorado , Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit , Lassen , Mendocino , Modoc , Plumas , Shasta-Trinity , Stanislaus and Tahoe .
These forests are closed through at least Thursday : Inyo , Sequoia , Sierra , Klamath and Six Rivers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest web pages for specific restrictions ; the Cal Fire website for updates on the blazes in progress ; and AirNow or a comparable source for air-quality readings .

Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Flames leap into the sky as fire engulfs trees near Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A duck swims in Shaver Lake as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation along California 168 as the Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew battles the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A table stands outside the destroyed Cressman’s General Store in Fresno County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A deer grazes in Cook’s Meadow as thick smoke shrouds the iconic landmarks of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Lance Georgeson of Mammoth Lakes paddleboards on Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Yosemite National Park will reopen Friday, with scores of campsites available that have been closed all summer.
The move, announced Wednesday, follows a Sept. 17 closure because of unhealthy air quality.
The park reopens at 9 a.m. Friday. Park spokesman Scott Gediman said campsites in Yosemite Valley’s Upper Pines, North Pinse and Lower Pines campgrounds will be available for campers beginning Friday night. The campgrounds can be booked at recreation.gov.
Through the summer, Yosemite has tried to reduce COVID-19 risks by making available only about half of the 240 campsites in Yosemite Valley’s Upper Pines area, about 120 spots. Virtually all of the park’s other campsites have been closed for months, and longstanding reservations were cancelled as a result.
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Beginning Friday, most of of the 90 campsites in North Pines and 90 more in Lower Pines will now also be available to reserve in addition to Upper Pines, Gediman said. He said only “a small number” of sites in North Pines and Lower Pines would remain closed.
“We’ve seen improved air quality over the last few days,” said Gediman. He warned, however, that as air quality fluctuates in days and weeks ahead, “there may be a need for intermittent closures.”
The park will still require day-use reservations to enter whether visitors are spending the night or not, a measure adopted earlier this year to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection through crowding.
Meanwhile, the nearby Creek fire continues to burn. As of Wednesday morning, it has covered more than 289,000 acres, blackening large portions of Sierra National Forest and drawing within 14 miles of Mammoth Lakes. Authorities said the fire was 42% contained.
Nearby, along the Sierra foothills, Kings Canyon National Park was expected to reopen Wednesday but Sequoia National Park remained closed.
On the coast, Highway 1 reopened Monday after a closure that lasted more than a month as firefighters battled the Dolan fire near Big Sur in Monterey County.
Much public land remains closed because of fire threats or air befouled by smoke. Several of Monterey County’s state parks are still shut, including Julia Pfeiffer Burns, John Little State Natural Reserve, Limekiln, Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur State Historic Park.
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As of Wednesday morning, the Dolan fire had blackened more than 128,000 acres and was 44% contained. More than 500 firefighters are working on the blaze, whose origins are unknown.
In Southern California, all of the region’s national forests are closed, including Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino national forests.
The Forest Service has a regional order in place that closes those forests through Thursday. It’s still “a day-to-day decision” on when to reopen, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Jonathan Groveman.
As of Wednesday noon, the Bobcat fire in Angeles National Forest had claimed more than 113,000 acres and was 38% contained.
Joshua Tree and Death Valley national parks remain open.
Farther north, these national forests are open to varying degrees: Eldorado, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta-Trinity, Stanislaus and Tahoe. These forests are closed through at least Thursday: Inyo, Sequoia, Sierra, Klamath and Six Rivers.
Authorities urged would-be visitors to check individual forest web pages for specific restrictions; the Cal Fire website for updates on the blazes in progress; and AirNow or a comparable source for air-quality readings.