latimes--2020-02-22--Kobe Bryant's pilot had been disciplined by FAA over weather-related flight violation

The pilot of the helicopter that crashed into a Calabasas hillside last month , killing NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others , violated federal flight rules in 2015 when he flew into busy airspace near Los Angeles International Airport despite being ordered not to by air traffic control , according to records from the Federal Aviation Administration obtained by The Times .
Ara Zobayan was flying northbound in an AS350 chopper when he was denied clearance to traverse the airspace because weather conditions had reduced visibility below what is known as visual flight rules ( VFR ) , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a freedom of information act request .
The FAA said Zobayan took responsibility for the violation and underwent counseling , but faulted him for his lack of preparation .
“ Had Mr. Zobayan properly planned and reviewed current weather at LAX , he would have been able to anticipate the required action to transit ... resulting in proper coordination , ” the report says .
Federal authorities are investigating Zobayan ’ s actions during last month ’ s flight when he veered out of control after flying into heavy clouds .
Zobayan also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 2015 flight , Zobayan was flying for Island Express Helicopters , the same charter company where he worked for years leading up to the crash .
It is not clear where Zobayan was traveling that day or whether he had any passengers .
Near the Hawthorne Airport and the 105 Freeway , he contacted a tower at LAX to gain clearance to fly through the airspace .
The tower told Zobayan that the airfield was reporting less than three miles of visibility and a cloud ceiling at least 1,000 feet above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his sight to guide him , responded with a request to continue under special VFR , which would grant him clearance to fly in weather conditions with less than the minimum visibility for regular visual flying .
When the tower denied that request and told him to navigate around the airspace , Zobayan backtracked and said that he could actually maintain VFR .
During the conversation , Zobayan continued flying northbound and entered the airspace without approval , violating FAA rules , according to the enforcement report .
An FAA investigator , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not recommend remedial training and instead opted to counsel Zobayan in several areas including operating in airspace around large airports , special VFR weather minimums , proper planning and reviewing weather .
“ There are no indications that this is a repeated incident and there are no signs that this incident is a trend with Mr. Zobayan or any other [ Island Express Helicopter ] personnel , ” the investigator wrote .
Opinions among pilots and experts are split on the severity of the violation .
Shawn Coyle , a longtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered relatively minor .
“ I don ’ t know a single pilot out there who hasn ’ t violated a rule , ” he said .
“ If that ’ s the only violation he ’ s ever had then I would say he ’ s pretty safe.
” The report comes as investigators continue to try to determine the cause of the deadly chopper crash on Jan. 26 , a process that will likely take months .
However , investigators have said Zobayan was struggling with poor visibility in the moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Zoey Tur , a veteran Los Angeles news chopper pilot , noted that both the Hawthorne incident and the Bryant flight involved a case when the pilot found himself struggling with poor weather conditions .
“ As a pilot you ’ re supposed to check the weather conditions along the route of flight , ” Tur said .
A representative for Island Express Helicopters could not be reached for comment .
An attorney representing the company did not respond to a phone call from a reporter on Friday .
Kurt Deetz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Helicopters , said navigating around the controlled airspace near LAX would have added only five to ten minutes to the flight .
He contends the pilot also should have known that LAX rarely allows helicopters to fly under special flight rules in the airspace around the airport .
Entering the airspace without approval , he added , can be dangerous because of potential conflicts with commercial jets .
“ You can ’ t request special VFR and then they deny you and you say , ‘ Oh wait a minute , actually I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ That ’ s not how it works .
It shows that perhaps his understanding of special VFR as opposed to VFR was cloudy.
” Zobayan reported the incident to his employer and the FAA .
Island Express Helicopters told federal investigators that they conducted additional ground and flight training with Zobayan in response to the situation .
Helicopter pilots and aviation experts say less-than-ideal weather is not uncommon for experienced pilots , but flying when visibility is decreasing poses an extreme danger .
Staff writers Richard Winton and Kim Christensen @ @ @ @

Officials remove a body from the wreckage in Calabasas where Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine dead in a helicopter crash.
The pilot of the helicopter that crashed into a Calabasas hillside last month, killing NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others, violated federal flight rules in 2015 when he flew into busy airspace near Los Angeles International Airport despite being ordered not to by air traffic control, according to records from the Federal Aviation Administration obtained by The Times.
Ara Zobayan was flying northbound in an AS350 chopper when he was denied clearance to traverse the airspace because weather conditions had reduced visibility below what are known as visual flight rules (VFR), according to the enforcement action records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The FAA said Zobayan took responsibility for the violation and underwent counseling, but the agency faulted him for his lack of preparation. “Had Mr. Zobayan properly planned and reviewed current weather at LAX, he would have been able to anticipate the required action to transit … resulting in proper coordination,” the report says.
Federal authorities are investigating Zobayan’s actions during last month’s flight when he veered out of control after flying into heavy clouds. Zobayan also died in the crash.
On the May 2015 flight, Zobayan was flying for Island Express Helicopters, the same charter company where he worked for years leading up to last month’s crash. It is not clear where Zobayan was traveling that day or whether he had any passengers.
Near Hawthorne Municipal Airport and the 105 Freeway, he contacted a tower at LAX to gain clearance to fly through the airspace. The tower told Zobayan that the airfield was reporting less than three miles of visibility and a cloud ceiling at least 1,000 feet above the ground.
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Zobayan, who was relying on his sight to guide him, responded with a request to continue under “special VFR,” which would grant him clearance to fly in weather conditions with less than the minimum visibility for regular visual flying. When the tower denied that request and told him to navigate around the airspace, Zobayan backtracked and said that he could maintain VFR.
During the conversation, Zobayan continued flying northbound and entered the airspace without approval, violating FAA rules, according to the enforcement report.
An FAA investigator, who was not named in the document, did not recommend remedial training and instead opted to counsel Zobayan in several areas including operating in airspace around large airports, special VFR weather minimums, proper planning and reviewing weather.
“There are no indications that this is a repeated incident and there are no signs that this incident is a trend with Mr. Zobayan or any other [Island Express Helicopters] personnel,” the investigator wrote.
Opinions among pilots and experts are split on the severity of the violation.
Shawn Coyle, a longtime helicopter pilot, said the violation is considered relatively minor.
“I don’t know a single pilot out there who hasn’t violated a rule,” he said. “If that’s the only violation he’s ever had then I would say he’s pretty safe.”
The report comes as investigators continue to try to determine the cause of the deadly chopper crash on Jan. 26, a process that will probably take months. However, investigators have said Zobayan was struggling with poor visibility in the moments before the aircraft slammed into the hillside.
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Zoey Tur, a veteran Los Angeles news chopper pilot, noted that both the Hawthorne incident and the crash involved the pilot struggling with poor weather conditions.
“As a pilot you’re supposed to check the weather conditions along the route of flight,” Tur said.
A representative for Island Express Helicopters could not be reached for comment. An attorney representing the company did not respond to a phone call from a reporter Friday.
Kurt Deetz, a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters, said navigating around the controlled airspace near LAX would have added only five to 10 minutes to the flight.
He contends the pilot also should have known that LAX rarely allows helicopters to fly under special flight rules in the airspace around the airport. Entering the airspace without approval, he added, can be dangerous because of potential conflicts with commercial jets.
“You can’t request special VFR and then they deny you and you say, ‘Oh wait a minute, actually I’m VFR,’” he said. “That’s not how it works. It shows that perhaps his understanding of special VFR as opposed to VFR was cloudy.”
Zobayan reported the incident to his employer and the FAA. Island Express Helicopters told federal investigators that they conducted additional ground and flight training with Zobayan in response to the situation.
Helicopter pilots and aviation experts say less-than-ideal weather is not uncommon for experienced pilots, but flying when visibility is decreasing poses an extreme danger.
Times staff writers Richard Winton and Kim Christensen contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-23--CicLAvia open streets festival comes to South L.A. on Sunday

Six miles of Central Avenue in South Los Angeles will be closed to cars on Sunday as walkers , joggers and bicyclists take to the streets for CicLAvia .
The open streets festival will run from East Adams Boulevard to East 103rd Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. , organizers said .
“ When you take the cars off the streets , you open it up to people , ” said Romel Pascual , executive director of CicLAvia .
“ When you open the streets up on a Sunday , we hope that they look at the streets differently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be seven designated crossing points for cars .
The route runs parallel to the Metro A ( Blue ) Line , with nearby stops between the San Pedro Street Station and 103rd Street/Watts Towers Station .
The top of the route is also about a mile from the Metro E ( Expo ) Line at the Jefferson/USC Station .
CicLAvia South Los Angeles is the 35th iteration of the event and is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( Metro ) .
CicLAvia is modeled after a car-free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Colombia .
The event is intended to promote a clean environment and good health while encouraging residents to interact with others and to explore their city in new ways .

Six miles of Central Avenue in South Los Angeles will be closed to cars on Sunday as walkers, joggers and bicyclists take to the streets for CicLAvia.
The open streets festival will run from East Adams Boulevard to East 103rd Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., organizers said.
“When you take the cars off the streets, you open it up to people,” said Romel Pascual, executive director of CicLAvia. “When you open the streets up on a Sunday, we hope that they look at the streets differently on a Monday.”
CicLAvia—South LA is tomorrow! There are 7 @metrolosangeles A (Blue) Line Stations within 1 mile of the route. More parking & transit info in the link, and @BikeMetro will have pop-up bike share stations at the Watts and South Central Hubs: https://t.co/mtN6dP7WLC pic.twitter.com/CK4c7oyoAR — CicLAvia (@CicLAvia) February 22, 2020
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Running north-south, there will be seven designated crossing points for cars.
The route runs parallel to the Metro A (Blue) Line, with nearby stops between the San Pedro Street Station and 103rd Street/Watts Towers Station. The top of the route is also about a mile from the Metro E (Expo) Line at the Jefferson/USC Station.
CicLAvia South Los Angeles is the 35th iteration of the event and is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). CicLAvia is modeled after a car-free event that happens every Sunday in Bogota, Colombia.
The event is intended to promote a clean environment and good health while encouraging residents to interact with others and to explore their city in new ways.


latimes--2020-02-22--Daredevil 'Mad Mike' Hughes killed in rocket crash outside Barstow

Mike Hughes , the self-made engineer who billed himself as the “ world ’ s greatest daredevil , ” was killed Saturday outside Barstow during a launch of a homemade rocket gone wrong , his publicist confirmed .
Hughes , who went by the nickname “ Mad Mike , ” was captured on video as he rode a rocket into the sky , failed to activate a parachute and then plummeted to his death , said Darren Shuster , his public relations representative .
The daredevil had been hoping to use Saturday ’ s launch to reach a height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Space.com .
Instead , dozens of people watched in horror as he fell to earth , said Justin Chapman , a freelance writer who told The Times that he attended the launch .
“ Everyone was stunned .
They didn ’ t know what to do , ” said Chapman , who had been working on a profile of Hughes .
“ He landed about a half a mile away from the launch pad.
” An official with the San Bernardino County coroner ’ s office said she expected there would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident .
“ We have no facts at this point , ” she said .
Saturday ’ s launch was supposed to be featured in “ Homemade Astronauts , ” a series on the Science Channel , according to Discovery.com .
The series followed people looking to “ explore the final frontier on limited budgets , ” the company said .
Chapman said he believes the daredevil had been knocked unconscious during the launch , which took place in the desert south of Barstow , off Highway 247 .
“ The parachute ripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So the rocket went straight up in an arc and came straight down.
” None of Hughes ’ backup parachutes activated , either , Chapman said .
Hughes , 64 , had been performing stunts for decades , making long-distance jumps in a limousine and , in more recent years , riding in his own homemade rockets .
In 2018 , his rocket soared nearly 1,900 feet into the air , landing in the Mojave Desert .
Before that launch , Hughes told the Associated Press that he believed Earth is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ shaped like a Frisbee ” — and that he wanted to fly into space to make sure .
Shuster , who did not attend Saturday ’ s launch , said the flat Earth argument helped drum up publicity and sponsors for Hughes , who made his rockets at his home in Apple Valley .
“ I don ’ t think he believed it , ” Shuster said .
“ He did have some governmental conspiracy theories .
But don ’ t confuse it with that flat Earth thing .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other sponsors , such as a New Zealand dating app , later signed on to promote Hughes ’ adventures , Shuster said .
Eric Sherwin , spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department , said his agency had neither been alerted in advance that Saturday ’ s rocket launch was going to take place nor informed of the fatality after it had occurred .
Fire Department officials will look into why they were not told of the crash , Sherwin said .
A private company , Desert Ambulance , was on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They said they did have a fatality , ” Sherwin said .
“ They pronounced a single person deceased at 1:45 this afternoon.
” Hughes ’ s DIY rocket-making ventures drew widespread attention , attracting the interest of documentary filmmakers and reality TV producers .
His supporters donated money so that their names would appear on his rockets , Shuster said .
“ He was this generation ’ s Evel Knievel , ” the publicist said , referring to the late daredevil motorcyclist and showman .
“ This guy knew he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 .
I spent a lot of hours with him , ” Shuster added .
“ He had something in him that compelled himself to push himself further each time .
”

Mike Hughes, the self-made engineer who billed himself as the “world’s greatest daredevil,” was killed Saturday outside Barstow during a launch of a homemade rocket gone wrong, his publicist confirmed.
Hughes, who went by the nickname “Mad Mike,” was captured on video as he rode a rocket into the sky, failed to activate a parachute and then plummeted to his death, said Darren Shuster, his public relations representative.
The daredevil had been hoping to use Saturday’s launch to reach a height of 5,000 feet, according to a post on Space.com. Instead, dozens of people watched in horror as he fell to earth, said Justin Chapman, a freelance writer who told The Times that he attended the launch.
“Everyone was stunned. They didn’t know what to do,” said Chapman, who had been working on a profile of Hughes. “He landed about a half a mile away from the launch pad.”
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An official with the San Bernardino County coroner’s office said she expected there would be a “lengthy” investigation into the incident. “We have no facts at this point,” she said.
Saturday’s launch was supposed to be featured in “Homemade Astronauts,” a series on the Science Channel, according to Discovery.com. The series followed people looking to “explore the final frontier on limited budgets,” the company said.
Michael 'Mad Mike' Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket. Our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch & Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey pic.twitter.com/GxwjpVf2md — Science Channel (@ScienceChannel) February 23, 2020
Chapman said he believes the daredevil had been knocked unconscious during the launch, which took place in the desert south of Barstow, off Highway 247. “The parachute ripped off at launch,” he said. “So the rocket went straight up in an arc and came straight down.”
None of Hughes’ backup parachutes activated, either, Chapman said.
Hughes, 64, had been performing stunts for decades, making long-distance jumps in a limousine and, in more recent years, riding in his own homemade rockets. In 2018, his rocket soared nearly 1,900 feet into the air, landing in the Mojave Desert.
Before that launch, Hughes told the Associated Press that he believed Earth is flat — or, in his words, “shaped like a Frisbee” — and that he wanted to fly into space to make sure.
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Shuster, who did not attend Saturday’s launch, said the flat Earth argument helped drum up publicity and sponsors for Hughes, who made his rockets at his home in Apple Valley.
“I don’t think he believed it,” Shuster said. “He did have some governmental conspiracy theories. But don’t confuse it with that flat Earth thing. That was a PR stunt we dreamed up.”
Other sponsors, such as a New Zealand dating app, later signed on to promote Hughes’ adventures, Shuster said.
Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said his agency had neither been alerted in advance that Saturday’s rocket launch was going to take place nor informed of the fatality after it had occurred.
Fire Department officials will look into why they were not told of the crash, Sherwin said. A private company, Desert Ambulance, was on the scene at the time, he added.
“They said they did have a fatality,” Sherwin said. “They pronounced a single person deceased at 1:45 this afternoon.”
Hughes’s DIY rocket-making ventures drew widespread attention, attracting the interest of documentary filmmakers and reality TV producers. His supporters donated money so that their names would appear on his rockets, Shuster said. “He was this generation’s Evel Knievel,” the publicist said, referring to the late daredevil motorcyclist and showman.
“This guy knew he wasn’t going to live till 80. I spent a lot of hours with him,” Shuster added. “He had something in him that compelled himself to push himself further each time.”


latimes--2020-02-22--Early voting starts in L.A. County, with some hiccups reported

Hundreds of Los Angeles County centers opened for early voting Saturday ahead of next month ’ s presidential primary election , giving voters a first glimpse of the $ 300-million overhaul of the county ’ s balloting system .
About a quarter of the county ’ s 960 voting centers were slated to be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting Saturday .
But some of them were unable to open on time because supplies or equipment needed to set up had not yet arrived , said Michael Sanchez , deputy communications director for the county registrar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not have the security codes or login information necessary to start the new touch-screen ballot-marking devices .
And some places were dark even though they appeared on the county ’ s official list of early voting centers .
The registrar ’ s office was still determining how many locations were affected by the problems but confirmed that at least 10 voting centers in Hollywood , West Hollywood , Silver Lake , Eagle Rock , Montecito Heights , Lincoln Heights , downtown L.A. and Pomona either opened late or not at all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clock ” to send out troubleshooters and provide other assistance to those locations , and most of them were operational by Saturday afternoon , Sanchez said .
He pointed out that , as part of the revamp of the voting system , L.A. County residents can now cast a ballot at any voting center , rather than just one neighborhood polling place that ’ s assigned to them , and they have up to 11 days to do so before the March 3 primary .
“ This is part of the beauty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Of course , in a perfect world , we ’ d want to make sure everything is up and running when we open , but the fact of the matter is we have additional days under this new voting model , and that ’ s part of the benefit .
We can fix all of these opening-day issues.
” The remainder of the county ’ s voting centers will open Feb. 29 , three days before the election .
The transition to the expanded voting schedule and roster of locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that grew out of the Voter ’ s Choice Act , a state law that encouraged counties to invest in mail balloting while also offering a more flexible experience for those wishing to cast ballots in person .

Hundreds of Los Angeles County centers opened for early voting Saturday ahead of next month’s presidential primary election, giving voters a first glimpse of the $300-million overhaul of the county’s balloting system.
Some hiccups were reported.
About a quarter of the county’s 960 voting centers were slated to be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting Saturday. But some of them were unable to open on time because supplies or equipment needed to set up had not yet arrived, said Michael Sanchez, deputy communications director for the county registrar’s office. At other centers, workers did not have the security codes or login information necessary to start the new touch-screen ballot-marking devices. And some places were dark even though they appeared on the county’s official list of early voting centers.
× Watch how to navigate the new rules, locations, and ways Los Angeles can vote.
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The registrar’s office was still determining how many locations were affected by the problems but confirmed that at least 10 voting centers in Hollywood, West Hollywood, Silver Lake, Eagle Rock, Montecito Heights, Lincoln Heights, downtown L.A. and Pomona either opened late or not at all.
The office was “working around the clock” to send out troubleshooters and provide other assistance to those locations, and most of them were operational by Saturday afternoon, Sanchez said.
He pointed out that, as part of the revamp of the voting system, L.A. County residents can now cast a ballot at any voting center, rather than just one neighborhood polling place that’s assigned to them, and they have up to 11 days to do so before the March 3 primary.
Politics What you need to know before voting in California’s primary election How do I vote? Will I get a ballot in the mail? A new procedure will change how some Californians cast ballots. Here’s how to vote in the California primary election.
“This is part of the beauty of having the additional days,” Sanchez said. “Of course, in a perfect world, we’d want to make sure everything is up and running when we open, but the fact of the matter is we have additional days under this new voting model, and that’s part of the benefit. We can fix all of these opening-day issues.”
The remainder of the county’s voting centers will open Feb. 29, three days before the election.
The transition to the expanded voting schedule and roster of locations are all part of a modernization plan that grew out of the Voter’s Choice Act, a state law that encouraged counties to invest in mail balloting while also offering a more flexible experience for those wishing to cast ballots in person.


latimes--2020-02-22--Latino voters seem fond of 'Tío Bernie.' Big-name Latino politicians, not so much

They showed up in Stetsons and Dodgers caps .
Guayaberas and Mexican blouses .
Chicano hipsters — aka “ Chipsters ” — and punks .
Dark , light and all skin tones in between .
It was a rainbow of Latino diversity that streamed onto the Santa Ana Valley High School basketball courts Friday for a Bernie Sanders rally .
“ Santa Ana ‘ Berns ’ for you !
” shouted one long-haired volunteer , eliding the A ’ s in the two words so it came out like “ SanTana.
” The crowd of more than 4,000 people reflected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big cities in the United States .
Sanders was here to shore up support among voters like them , a demographic he ’ ll need to win California ’ s Democratic presidential primary on Super Tuesday , March 3 .
A poll released by the Public Policy Institute of California this week shows 53 % of Latino voters in California plan to cast their ballot for Sanders — a number far larger than the 32 % he picked up among all voters .
But one group of Latinos that Sanders isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the Golden State ?
Big-name politicians .
All the remaining presidential hopefuls have sought the blessings of this generation of California Latino leaders because of their key role in turning the state into a blue bulwark against President Trump .
A push from any of them would help raise the profile of commander-in-chief aspirants among Latinos not just in California but beyond .
Yet not a single member of the powerful Latino Legislative Caucus has backed Sanders .
Nor has any member of California ’ s Latino congressional delegation or any statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower-level Latino politicians across California — mayors , council members , school board trustees , county supervisors , even water district directors — who have actively campaigned for the Vermont senator .
“ It ’ s interesting — I didn ’ t know that , ” said 21-year-old Kingsburg Councilwoman Jewel Hurtado .
She thought about it for a bit , then continued .
“ It might be a smart , strategic move for them .
Or maybe they ’ re more moderate than they say they are.
” “ They [ Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of what ’ s best for Latinx people , ” said Walter Muneton , president of the Garden Grove Unified School District board .
Monterey County Supervisor and former Latino Legislative Caucus chair Luis Alejo remembers seeing Eduardo Garcia ( D – Coachella ) , his former colleague in the state Assembly , stump for Tom Steyer on television .
“ I texted him , and jabbed him a little bit , ” Alejo said .
“ Like , ‘ Where is this coming from ?
’ ” He laughed , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacramento , there ’ s sometimes a disconnect about what the voters are thinking.
” The highest-ranking Latino in California to endorse Sanders is Board of Equalization member Tony Vazquez ( an auxiliary member of the Legislative Caucus ) , who is listed on the Sanders website ’ s endorsement page .
But what ’ s happening in California isn ’ t unique .
Only two Latino congressional representatives and seven Latino state legislators have come out for Sanders .
Far from being upset about the upper-echelon snubs , the Sanders camp is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latino strategy : rally the rabble , and eschew the elite .
They ’ ve opened offices in rural and working-class cities like Oxnard , Visalia , and Fontana with huge Latino populations but with little historical political cachet .
“ In most of these areas , people love Bernie , ” said the campaign ’ s California state director , Rafael Návar .
“ We ’ re challenging a lot of the establishment politics and the power brokers who are not working-class people — so there ’ s caution about that from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sanders enlists local Latino politicians to introduce him .
They , in turn , offer impassioned speeches about how “ Tío Bernie ” inspired them to enter politics .
In East Los Angeles in November , it was 26-year-old Cudahy Mayor Elizabeth Alcantar .
In Coachella during December , the entire City Council came out to reveal they were unanimously behind him .
At Fresno City College , the task fell to Hurtado , who attends the school .
“ Bernie understands local issues — that ’ s where he started , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to explain why so many municipal Latino pols are with Sanders .
“ We are the state who is leading in liberal issues , and it ’ s hard to see that we don ’ t have more to see more support on the higher levels .
But change comes from the bottom up.
” Political analysts aren ’ t surprised that Sanders has yet to win over the Latino ruling class .
“ The repercussions of endorsing someone who ’ s outside the Democratic mainstream has ramifications for whether they ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else wins the nomination , said University of Notre Dame political science professor Ricardo Ramírez .
“ If they do give the endorsement to someone who ’ s asking , in his own words , for a revolution for politics , then they might be seen as outside the mainstream themselves.
” “ In the eyes of this older generation of Latino electeds , he ’ s portrayed as someone with big ideas but can ’ t get anything done , ” said Christian Arana , policy director for the Latino Community Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase Latino political participation in California .
A November poll by the group showed that 38 % of Latino voters age 18 to 39 preferred Sanders at the time , while those over the age of 50 preferred Joe Biden .
“ For younger ones , they don ’ t have time for the same old same old , ” Arana continued .
“ That ’ s why they like Bernie .
He ’ s the type of person who ’ s going to go for it .
He just doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gonzalez ( D-San Diego ) gets why so many Latinos in her Assembly district and beyond favor Sanders .
“ Bernie lines up with their values .
It makes sense .
If [ Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth ] Warren weren ’ t in the race , I ’ d support Bernie.
” Sanders joined his rivals in courting the caucus last summer and fall across the state in hotel conference rooms and labor offices , at the state Democratic convention and in restaurant basements .
The candidates made half-hour pitches and took questions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Kamala Harris , who started with strong support .
Her dropping out of the presidential race left “ a lot of people shell-shocked , ” said Gonzalez , and they then went with whom the politicos thought had the best chance of beating Trump .
“ We probably , more than our constituents , have a more up-close look at the candidates , ” Gonzalez said .
“ Our access to the information is just at a different level.
” She said Sanders “ did a good job ” in his interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her : Sanders suggested that they should talk with so-called Dreamers , as if he had discovered a new constituency .
“ We ’ re like , ‘ Um , they ’ re our family and friends and constituents , ’ ” Gonzalez said .
“ He didn ’ t realize where we live and operate.
” But the Santa Ana rally suggested the Sanders team gets California Latinos more than ever .
The last time Sanders campaigned in Orange County , in 2016 , it was at the since-shuttered Irvine Meadows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Valley High , a school deep in the barrio .
Democratic Party of Orange County chair Ada Briceño drew roars when she called everyone santaneros , the Spanish demonym for Santa Ana residents .
Sanders promised “ profound changes ” to immigration reform but otherwise didn ’ t make any explicit nods to Latinos .
“ Latino voters don ’ t care , ” said Hairo Cortes , executive director of Santa Ana-based nonprofit Chispa .
“ Elected Latinos , let ’ s be real , are just as beholden to corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident Maria Ruvalcaba , 28 , who walked to the Sanders event from her home , was more forgiving .
“ They ’ re like our tías , who are , like , ‘ Ese viejito , que es no tanto ’ [ That old man , he ain ’ t much ] , ” she said .
“ But they learn once you talk to them about Bernie .
They ’ re not dumb .
”

They showed up in Stetsons and Dodgers caps. Guayaberas and Mexican blouses. Chicano hipsters — aka “Chipsters” — and punks. Dark, light and all skin tones in between.
It was a rainbow of Latino diversity that streamed onto the Santa Ana Valley High School basketball courts Friday for a Bernie Sanders rally. “Santa Ana ‘Berns’ for you!” shouted one long-haired volunteer, eliding the A’s in the two words so it came out like “SanTana.”
The crowd of more than 4,000 people reflected one of the youngest and most Latino big cities in the United States. Sanders was here to shore up support among voters like them, a demographic he’ll need to win California’s Democratic presidential primary on Super Tuesday, March 3.
A poll released by the Public Policy Institute of California this week shows 53% of Latino voters in California plan to cast their ballot for Sanders — a number far larger than the 32% he picked up among all voters.
But one group of Latinos that Sanders isn’t counting on, so far, to take the Golden State? Big-name politicians.
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All the remaining presidential hopefuls have sought the blessings of this generation of California Latino leaders because of their key role in turning the state into a blue bulwark against President Trump. A push from any of them would help raise the profile of commander-in-chief aspirants among Latinos not just in California but beyond.
Yet not a single member of the powerful Latino Legislative Caucus has backed Sanders. Nor has any member of California’s Latino congressional delegation or any statewide elected official.
That incongruity has befuddled lower-level Latino politicians across California — mayors, council members, school board trustees, county supervisors, even water district directors — who have actively campaigned for the Vermont senator.
1 / 8 David Reyes holds up his baby, Galadriel Reyes, 8 months old, as his wife, Erica Smith joins supporters cheering as they listen to Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speak at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 8 Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders greets supporters after speaking at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 8 Supporters cheer as Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 8 Joseline Garcia, student organizer manager for Bernie Sanders in California, sports a hat as she speaks before Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addressed the crowd at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 8 Jeff Jones, of Los Angeles, center, poses with Bernie Sanders fans after Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 8 Maya Lasso, 4, of Monterey Park, watches the “Chihuahua for Bernie” Mia and Fiesta walk by with their owner, Anna Masa, of Boyle Heights, after Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 8 Bernie Sanders supporters pose at the podium after Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke to supporters at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 8 Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at Valley High School in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“It’s interesting — I didn’t know that,” said 21-year-old Kingsburg Councilwoman Jewel Hurtado. She thought about it for a bit, then continued. “It might be a smart, strategic move for them. Or maybe they’re more moderate than they say they are.”
“They [Latino Legislative Caucus members] put special interests ahead of what’s best for Latinx people,” said Walter Muneton, president of the Garden Grove Unified School District board.
Monterey County Supervisor and former Latino Legislative Caucus chair Luis Alejo remembers seeing Eduardo Garcia (D – Coachella), his former colleague in the state Assembly, stump for Tom Steyer on television. “I texted him, and jabbed him a little bit,” Alejo said. “Like, ‘Where is this coming from?’”
He laughed, then sighed. “When folks get to Sacramento, there’s sometimes a disconnect about what the voters are thinking.”
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The highest-ranking Latino in California to endorse Sanders is Board of Equalization member Tony Vazquez (an auxiliary member of the Legislative Caucus), who is listed on the Sanders website’s endorsement page.
But what’s happening in California isn’t unique. Only two Latino congressional representatives and seven Latino state legislators have come out for Sanders.
Far from being upset about the upper-echelon snubs, the Sanders camp is taking the development as validation of its Latino strategy: rally the rabble, and eschew the elite.
They’ve opened offices in rural and working-class cities like Oxnard, Visalia, and Fontana with huge Latino populations but with little historical political cachet.
Bernie Sanders greets supporters in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“In most of these areas, people love Bernie,” said the campaign’s California state director, Rafael Návar. “We’re challenging a lot of the establishment politics and the power brokers who are not working-class people — so there’s caution about that from them.”
At rallies across the state, Sanders enlists local Latino politicians to introduce him. They, in turn, offer impassioned speeches about how “Tío Bernie” inspired them to enter politics.
In East Los Angeles in November, it was 26-year-old Cudahy Mayor Elizabeth Alcantar. In Coachella during December, the entire City Council came out to reveal they were unanimously behind him. At Fresno City College, the task fell to Hurtado, who attends the school.
“Bernie understands local issues — that’s where he started,” the city councilwoman said when asked to explain why so many municipal Latino pols are with Sanders. “We are the state who is leading in liberal issues, and it’s hard to see that we don’t have more to see more support on the higher levels. But change comes from the bottom up.”
Political analysts aren’t surprised that Sanders has yet to win over the Latino ruling class.
“The repercussions of endorsing someone who’s outside the Democratic mainstream has ramifications for whether they’ll be included for possibilities” if someone else wins the nomination, said University of Notre Dame political science professor Ricardo Ramírez. “If they do give the endorsement to someone who’s asking, in his own words, for a revolution for politics, then they might be seen as outside the mainstream themselves.”
“In the eyes of this older generation of Latino electeds, he’s portrayed as someone with big ideas but can’t get anything done,” said Christian Arana, policy director for the Latino Community Foundation, a San Francisco nonprofit founded to increase Latino political participation in California. A November poll by the group showed that 38% of Latino voters age 18 to 39 preferred Sanders at the time, while those over the age of 50 preferred Joe Biden.
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Bernie Sanders takes the stage in Santa Ana on Friday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“For younger ones, they don’t have time for the same old same old,” Arana continued. “That’s why they like Bernie. He’s the type of person who’s going to go for it. He just doesn’t care.”
Latino Legislative Caucus chair Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) gets why so many Latinos in her Assembly district and beyond favor Sanders. “Bernie lines up with their values. It makes sense. If [Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth] Warren weren’t in the race, I’d support Bernie.”
Sanders joined his rivals in courting the caucus last summer and fall across the state in hotel conference rooms and labor offices, at the state Democratic convention and in restaurant basements. The candidates made half-hour pitches and took questions.
Many caucus members initially sided with California Sen. Kamala Harris, who started with strong support. Her dropping out of the presidential race left “a lot of people shell-shocked,” said Gonzalez, and they then went with whom the politicos thought had the best chance of beating Trump.
“We probably, more than our constituents, have a more up-close look at the candidates,” Gonzalez said. “Our access to the information is just at a different level.”
She said Sanders “did a good job” in his interview. One moment, however, stayed with her: Sanders suggested that they should talk with so-called Dreamers, as if he had discovered a new constituency.
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“We’re like, ‘Um, they’re our family and friends and constituents,’” Gonzalez said. “He didn’t realize where we live and operate.”
But the Santa Ana rally suggested the Sanders team gets California Latinos more than ever.
The last time Sanders campaigned in Orange County, in 2016, it was at the since-shuttered Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. This time, it was in Valley High, a school deep in the barrio.
Democratic Party of Orange County chair Ada Briceño drew roars when she called everyone santaneros, the Spanish demonym for Santa Ana residents. Sanders promised “profound changes” to immigration reform but otherwise didn’t make any explicit nods to Latinos.
Not a single Latino politician was onstage.
It didn’t matter to attendees.
“Latino voters don’t care,” said Hairo Cortes, executive director of Santa Ana-based nonprofit Chispa. “Elected Latinos, let’s be real, are just as beholden to corporate interests as other politicians.”
Santa Ana resident Maria Ruvalcaba, 28, who walked to the Sanders event from her home, was more forgiving.
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“They’re like our tías, who are, like, ‘Ese viejito, que es no tanto’ [That old man, he ain’t much],” she said. “But they learn once you talk to them about Bernie. They’re not dumb.”


latimes--2020-02-21--Author who led backlash against 'American Dirt' novel is escorted from Long Beach teaching job

Myriam Gurba , the novelist and Long Beach high school teacher who sparked a row in U.S. publishing over the bestselling novel “ American Dirt , ” has been placed on administrative leave and was escorted from her school Friday .
Gurba broke word of her removal from Long Beach Polytechnic High School via Twitter , a platform she ’ s used to intensifying effect since disclosing last month that a magazine rejected her scathingly negative review of Jeanine Cummins ’ “ American Dirt.
” Gurba and other readers have derided the thriller-romance story set in Mexico for what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexican life .
But in recent days , Gurba has turned her attention to brewing allegations of abuse or battery on the part of another Long Beach Poly teacher , Libby Huff .
She also has raised unconfirmed allegations against a separate teacher at another school .
Gurba said earlier this week that her school administration had begun ostracizing her for speaking out in support of the students who alleged abuse at the hands of Huff .
That teacher is on leave from the district ; Long Beach police are also investigating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gurba railed this week against the district , her school and Huff .
A counselor at Long Beach Poly walked into Gurba ’ s classroom Friday to tell her she had to leave school grounds .
“ They said that my social media was disruptive to the school , ” Gurba said in an interview .
The teacher and author of the memoir “ Mean ” said she was placed on administrative leave without being given any further explanation .
A district official confirmed the decision .
“ Our school district placed Poly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative leave today , ” Chris Eftychiou , spokesman for the Long Beach Unified School District , said in an emailed response to questions .
“ The school district is not at liberty to provide further details because of confidentiality rules affecting personnel matters.
” In a Twitter post , Gurba criticized the school and her district for not “ protecting ” her and students .
“ Women and children [ are ] treated as problems by LBUSD , ” Gurba She also “ I would rather have my dignity than a job.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of AP psychology .
On Friday afternoon she told The Times she was in touch with a lawyer but not clear on what action she would take , if any .
She added that she has contacted her union about a response to the district ’ s actions .
During the controversy over “ American Dirt , ” under growing pressure from Gurba and other critics , Cummins and her publisher , Macmillan Books , apologized for the novel ’ s publicity rollout and canceled a planned promotional tour .
The debate also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion about cultural appropriation and the mechanics of a books industry that many claim sidelines or erases U.S. Latino voices .
“ American Dirt , ” meanwhile , has continued to sell well .
It currently sits at third place on the Amazon bestseller list .

Myriam Gurba speaks at a panel hosted by #DignidadLiteraria on “American Dirt” and Latinx visibility, held at Antioch University on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Myriam Gurba, the novelist and Long Beach high school teacher who sparked a row in U.S. publishing over the bestselling novel “American Dirt,” has been placed on administrative leave and was escorted from her school Friday.
Gurba broke word of her removal from Long Beach Polytechnic High School via Twitter, a platform she’s used to intensifying effect since disclosing last month that a magazine rejected her scathingly negative review of Jeanine Cummins’ “American Dirt.” Gurba and other readers have derided the thriller-romance story set in Mexico for what they have deemed stereotypical or harmful depictions of Mexican life.
But in recent days, Gurba has turned her attention to brewing allegations of abuse or battery on the part of another Long Beach Poly teacher, Libby Huff. She also has raised unconfirmed allegations against a separate teacher at another school.
Gurba said earlier this week that her school administration had begun ostracizing her for speaking out in support of the students who alleged abuse at the hands of Huff. That teacher is on leave from the district; Long Beach police are also investigating the allegations against her.
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On Twitter, Gurba railed this week against the district, her school and Huff.
A counselor at Long Beach Poly walked into Gurba’s classroom Friday to tell her she had to leave school grounds. “They said that my social media was disruptive to the school,” Gurba said in an interview.
The teacher and author of the memoir “Mean” said she was placed on administrative leave without being given any further explanation. A district official confirmed the decision.
“Our school district placed Poly High School teacher Myriam Gurba on paid administrative leave today,” Chris Eftychiou, spokesman for the Long Beach Unified School District, said in an emailed response to questions. “The school district is not at liberty to provide further details because of confidentiality rules affecting personnel matters.”
In a Twitter post, Gurba criticized the school and her district for not “protecting” her and students. “Women and children [are] treated as problems by LBUSD,” Gurba wrote. She also tweeted, “I would rather have my dignity than a job.”
Gurba said she is a teacher of AP psychology. On Friday afternoon she told The Times she was in touch with a lawyer but not clear on what action she would take, if any. She added that she has contacted her union about a response to the district’s actions.
Swear to god as I was sitting on the curb after getting quasi-FIRED one of my former students shows up w a BEST TEACHER EVER plaque and some snacks. I'm holding a Socratic sidewalk seminar. pic.twitter.com/z02DLEDC6H — Myriam Chingona Gurba de Serrano (@lesbrains) February 21, 2020
During the controversy over “American Dirt,” under growing pressure from Gurba and other critics, Cummins and her publisher, Macmillan Books, apologized for the novel’s publicity rollout and canceled a planned promotional tour. The debate also led to a simmering and often emotional discussion about cultural appropriation and the mechanics of a books industry that many claim sidelines or erases U.S. Latino voices.
“American Dirt,” meanwhile, has continued to sell well. It currently sits at third place on the Amazon bestseller list.
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Times staff writer Dorany Pineda contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-23--After 3 killed, 18 hurt in charter bus crash in San Diego, NTSB sends team to investigate

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to investigate a charter bus crash off Interstate 15 that killed three passengers and injured 18 others , the federal agency said Sunday .
The agency , which investigates transportation crashes , said on Twitter that “ a team of four ” was sent to the scene of the crash in the Pala Mesa area in northern San Diego County , just south of Highway 76 , authorities said .
The crash occurred amid rainy conditions when the driver swerved and lost control of the bus in the southbound lanes of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The bus slid down an embankment and landed on its roof .
Some of the 21 passengers , a mix of adults and children , were thrown from the bus , while others were trapped inside , authorities said .
Some crawled out on their own .
Three women , one who was pinned under the bus and two who were pulled from inside , died before they could be taken to a hospital , authorities said .
Their names were not released .
Eighteen others were taken to area hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man from Whittier , suffered minor injuries and initially remained at the scene , said California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe .
He was later taken to a station for questioning .
The driver , whose name was not released , voluntarily submitted a blood sample , which is standard in such investigations .
However , drugs and alcohol are not suspected of being a factor in the crash , authorities said .
The charter is owned by Executive Lines , a company based east of Los Angeles .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for the company , which passed all inspections in the last two years .
Latulippe said Saturday that it was too early to determine what extent weather played a role .
The bus , which was hauled up the embankment by a heavy-duty tow trunk , was taken to a CHP evidence yard .
Latulippe said it would be examined for possible mechanic failures such as steering and braking issues .

A bus veered off Interstate 15 and rolled down an embankment in north San Diego County early Saturday, killing three people and injuring more than a dozen others.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to investigate a charter bus crash off Interstate 15 that killed three passengers and injured 18 others, the federal agency said Sunday.
The agency, which investigates transportation crashes, said on Twitter that “a team of four” was sent to the scene of the crash in the Pala Mesa area in northern San Diego County, just south of State Route 76, authorities said.
The crash occurred amid rainy conditions when the driver swerved and lost control of the bus in the southbound lanes of the freeway about 10:20 a.m. Saturday, officials said. The bus slid down an embankment and landed on its roof.
Some of the 21 passengers, a mix of adults and children, were thrown from the bus, while others were trapped inside, authorities said. Some crawled out on their own.
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Three women, one who was pinned under the bus and two who were pulled from inside, died before they could be taken to a hospital, authorities said. Their names were not released.
Eighteen others were taken to area hospitals, authorities said.
The bus driver, a man from Whittier, suffered minor injuries and initially remained at the scene, said California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe. He was later taken to a station for questioning.
The driver, whose name was not released, voluntarily submitted a blood sample, which is standard in such investigations. However, drugs and alcohol are not suspected of being a factor in the crash, authorities said.
The charter is owned by Executive Lines, a company based east of Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Transportation website shows a clean record for the company, which passed all inspections in the last two years.
Latulippe said Saturday that it was too early to determine what extent weather played a role.
The bus, which was hauled up the embankment by a heavy-duty tow trunk, was taken to a CHP evidence yard. Latulippe said it would be examined for possible mechanic failures such as steering and braking issues.
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-23--Man leaps from ambulance, is killed on California highway

A 23-year-old man jumped out of the back of a moving ambulance and was struck by a car and killed @ @ @ @ @ Diego , authorities said .
The man , who may have been suffering from mental @ @ @ @ @ of restraints Saturday and pushed past the attendant to open the ambulance ’ s rear @ @ @ @ @ Officer Mark Latulippe said .
The patient landed in southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in @ @ @ @ @ the center divider .
As the man sprinted across northbound lanes he was struck by @ @ @ @ @ .
He died at the scene .
The BMW driver , a 40-year-old Carlsbad woman @ @ @ @ @ hitting a pedestrian .
She was taken to a hospital in unknown condition and her @ @ @ @ @ newspaper said .
The patient was being transferred by private ambulance from Tri-City Medical Center @ @ @ @ @ Administration hospital in La Jolla , the reported .

A 23-year-old man jumped out of the back of a moving ambulance and was struck by a car and killed on an interstate near San Diego, authorities said.
The man, who may have been suffering from mental health issues, slipped out of restraints Saturday and pushed past the attendant to open the ambulance’s rear door, California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Latulippe said.
The patient landed in southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Encinitas and managed to jump the center divider. As the man sprinted across northbound lanes he was struck by a BMW, Latulippe said. He died at the scene.
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The BMW driver, a 40-year-old Carlsbad woman, called 911 to report hitting a pedestrian. She was taken to a hospital in unknown condition and her car was towed, the newspaper said.


latimes--2020-02-23--Send coronavirus patients to Costa Mesa? Officials, residents decry plan

Dozens of concerned residents , state officials and representatives of surrounding communities packed Costa Mesa City Hall on Saturday to show their support for the city ’ s decision to request a temporary restraining order that blocks state and federal agencies from using a local facility as a quarantine site for coronavirus patients .
U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton issued an injunction on Friday preventing the transport of anyone infected with or exposed to the COVID-19 virus to any location in Costa Mesa before a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , has spread to more than two dozen countries , including the United States , and has resulted in more than 78,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,400 deaths .
Residents of Costa Mesa and neighboring cities maintained Saturday that the state-owned Fairview Developmental Center in the city is a bad choice for a quarantine and treatment center .
“ Ludicrous , ” said Costa Mesa resident Katherine Craft .
“ What would motivate someone ... to put sick people with a deadly virus that we don ’ t know enough about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a facility that ’ s outdated ?
” The center , on 114 acres at 2501 Harbor Blvd.
, opened in 1959 and at its peak in 1967 housed 2,700 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities , but it is now virtually empty .
Like similar facilities around the state , it is slated to close soon as part of an effort to use smaller accommodations more integrated into communities rather than institutional-style centers .
Costa Mesa ’ s legal action Friday came less than 24 hours after city officials said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19 to Fairview .
The defendants listed — including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , Department of Defense , Air Force , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the state of California and its Office of Emergency Services and Department of General Services , and the Fairview Developmental Center — were given a deadline of noon Sunday to file a response .
Representatives of Orange County and Newport Beach said they planned to file court documents in support of Costa Mesa ’ s action .
The city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in court documents that representatives of the California Office of Emergency Services , the Orange County Emergency Management Division and the county Health Care Agency called him at 5:45 p.m. Thursday and told him the buildings at Fairview would be cleaned up by Sunday in order to place 30 to 50 infected people there .
Any California residents diagnosed with the coronavirus at Travis Air Force Base , a quarantine site in Northern California , would be sent to Fairview , he said .
If they needed hospital care , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
Jim Acosta , acting administrator of the Office of Emergency Services ’ Southern Region , told Dempsey on Thursday in an email included in the court documents that Fairview “ was selected because no military installations will be used ... [ and ] state-owned properties with these characteristics are few and in condition to handle this.
” Dempsey notified the City Council , which held an emergency closed session Friday afternoon in which it voted unanimously to file for the temporary restraining order .
Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Costa Mesa was unacceptable .
“ We have families here and we have children here , ” she said .
“ We didn ’ t have any details and just suddenly they said , ‘ We ’ re going to send these people down to your location.
’ ” A large contingent of elected officials filled the Costa Mesa City Council Chamber on Saturday , including U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda ( D-Laguna Beach ) , state Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris ( D-Laguna Beach ) and council members from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We do have deep sympathy for those who are infected with this virus , ” Rouda said .
“ But let ’ s also be clear — all of us , as elected officials representing you , have an obligation for your safety and welfare as well.
” On Friday night , Kate Folmar of the California Health and Human Services Agency said in an email to the Daily Pilot that the Fairview Developmental Center was “ under consideration as a potential location.
” “ We are working closely with the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations only for fellow Californians who have tested positive for novel coronavirus , received necessary medical care and need an appropriate place to spend the remainder of their federal quarantine , ” Folmar said .
“ Housing these individuals in a single facility for the remainder of their quarantine will help ensure public health and safety.
” In a statement Saturday afternoon , the agency said Fairview was “ one of the possible locations under consideration ” and that , if it were chosen , the federal government would provide healthcare and security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that anyone who tests positive for novel coronavirus can not stay at Travis Air Force Base , ” the statement said .
“ Some who have tested positive will need hospital care .
But based upon our experience , many are not sick enough to need hospital care but still must be isolated until the infection is cleared.
” Patrick Huggins , 55 , said he lived a stone ’ s throw from Fairview — “ downwind.
” “ When it was a fully functional mental hospital ... we could tell when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If they want to build up the facility and turn it into something that can handle a biological hazard , go for it .
I ’ m not a NIMBY .
I ’ m just , ‘ Please God , think through it !
’ ” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus is spread through person-to-person contact “ via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes … [ that ] can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley echoed many residents ’ thoughts when she questioned why officials would choose Fairview .
Last week , she said , the California Department of General Services informed city officials that Fairview was “ inadequate to put a homeless shelter.
” “ So you tell me , ” Foley said .
“ Is it adequate ” for patients with coronavirus ?
The Fairview campus is surrounded by several group homes for senior citizens or people with disabilities .
Neighbors expressed concerns Saturday about the possibility of infected patients coming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it : “ Nobody ’ s happy.
” Eddrick Watson , 24 , a caregiver at a ResCare home , said his biggest concern was for his clients , who are already vulnerable to illness .
“ Any type of virus going around … could be fatal for them , ” Watson said .
Fary Fattaey , a caregiver at a nearby home for people with disabilities , agreed .
“ They can get sick just like that , ” Fattaey said , snapping her fingers .
Caregiver Salome Sandoval , 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay at Fairview and the disease somehow made its way into the surrounding area , it could spread further from there .
“ From here I have to drive home , ” Sandoval said .
“ I have a 5-month-old grandson .
So it ’ s more scary .
”

Costa Mesa resident Tricia Miller was among those protesting a plan to send coronavirus patients to Costa Mesa.
Dozens of concerned residents, state officials and representatives of surrounding communities packed Costa Mesa City Hall on Saturday to show their support for the city’s decision to request a temporary restraining order that blocks state and federal agencies from using a local facility as a quarantine site for coronavirus patients.
U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton issued an injunction on Friday preventing the transport of anyone infected with or exposed to the COVID-19 virus to any location in Costa Mesa before a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana.
The virus, first reported in China in January, has spread to more than two dozen countries, including the United States, and has resulted in more than 78,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,400 deaths.
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Residents of Costa Mesa and neighboring cities maintained Saturday that the state-owned Fairview Developmental Center in the city is a bad choice for a quarantine and treatment center.
“Ludicrous,” said Costa Mesa resident Katherine Craft. “What would motivate someone ... to put sick people with a deadly virus that we don’t know enough about into a community of over 100,000 and at a facility that’s outdated?”
The center, on 114 acres at 2501 Harbor Blvd., opened in 1959 and at its peak in 1967 housed 2,700 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, but it is now virtually empty.
Like similar facilities around the state, it is slated to close soon as part of an effort to use smaller accommodations more integrated into communities rather than institutional-style centers.
Costa Mesa’s legal action Friday came less than 24 hours after city officials said they were notified about plans to send patients with COVID-19 to Fairview.
Mayor @KatrinaFoley said a lack of information provoked the city to file for a temporary restraining order against state and federal agencies.
“We have more unanswered questions than we have answers at this time.” pic.twitter.com/oAeVAJ2182 — Faith E. Pinho (@faithepinho) February 23, 2020
The defendants listed — including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Air Force, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of California and its Office of Emergency Services and Department of General Services, and the Fairview Developmental Center — were given a deadline of noon Sunday to file a response.
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Representatives of Orange County and Newport Beach said they planned to file court documents in support of Costa Mesa’s action.
The city’s emergency services manager, Jason Dempsey, said in court documents that representatives of the California Office of Emergency Services, the Orange County Emergency Management Division and the county Health Care Agency called him at 5:45 p.m. Thursday and told him the buildings at Fairview would be cleaned up by Sunday in order to place 30 to 50 infected people there.
Any California residents diagnosed with the coronavirus at Travis Air Force Base, a quarantine site in Northern California, would be sent to Fairview, he said. If they needed hospital care, they would be taken to an Orange County hospital.
Jim Acosta, acting administrator of the Office of Emergency Services’ Southern Region, told Dempsey on Thursday in an email included in the court documents that Fairview “was selected because no military installations will be used ... [and] state-owned properties with these characteristics are few and in condition to handle this.”
Dempsey notified the City Council, which held an emergency closed session Friday afternoon in which it voted unanimously to file for the temporary restraining order.
Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said the idea of sending patients to Costa Mesa was unacceptable.
“We have families here and we have children here,” she said. “We didn’t have any details and just suddenly they said, ‘We’re going to send these people down to your location.’ ”
A large contingent of elected officials filled the Costa Mesa City Council Chamber on Saturday, including U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Laguna Beach), state Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach) and council members from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.
“Let’s be clear. We do have deep sympathy for those who are infected with this virus,” Rouda said. “But let’s also be clear — all of us, as elected officials representing you, have an obligation for your safety and welfare as well.”
On Friday night, Kate Folmar of the California Health and Human Services Agency said in an email to the Daily Pilot that the Fairview Developmental Center was “under consideration as a potential location.”
“We are working closely with the federal government and local partners to assess possible locations only for fellow Californians who have tested positive for novel coronavirus, received necessary medical care and need an appropriate place to spend the remainder of their federal quarantine,” Folmar said.
“Housing these individuals in a single facility for the remainder of their quarantine will help ensure public health and safety.”
In a statement Saturday afternoon, the agency said Fairview was “one of the possible locations under consideration” and that, if it were chosen, the federal government would provide healthcare and security.
“The federal government has determined that anyone who tests positive for novel coronavirus cannot stay at Travis Air Force Base,” the statement said. “Some who have tested positive will need hospital care. But based upon our experience, many are not sick enough to need hospital care but still must be isolated until the infection is cleared.”
Patrick Huggins, 55, said he lived a stone’s throw from Fairview — “downwind.”
“When it was a fully functional mental hospital ... we could tell when they burned fish sticks,” Huggins said. “If they want to build up the facility and turn it into something that can handle a biological hazard, go for it. I’m not a NIMBY. I’m just, ‘Please God, think through it!’”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus is spread through person-to-person contact “via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes … [that] can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.”
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley echoed many residents’ thoughts when she questioned why officials would choose Fairview. Last week, she said, the California Department of General Services informed city officials that Fairview was “inadequate to put a homeless shelter.”
“So you tell me,” Foley said. “Is it adequate” for patients with coronavirus?
Residents erupted into applause.
The Fairview campus is surrounded by several group homes for senior citizens or people with disabilities.
Neighbors expressed concerns Saturday about the possibility of infected patients coming to stay close by. As one person put it: “Nobody’s happy.”
Eddrick Watson, 24, a caregiver at a ResCare home, said his biggest concern was for his clients, who are already vulnerable to illness.
“Any type of virus going around … could be fatal for them,” Watson said.
Fary Fattaey, a caregiver at a nearby home for people with disabilities, agreed.
“They can get sick just like that,” Fattaey said, snapping her fingers.
Caregiver Salome Sandoval, 40, worried that if patients were to stay at Fairview and the disease somehow made its way into the surrounding area, it could spread further from there.
“From here I have to drive home,” Sandoval said. “I have a 5-month-old grandson. So it’s more scary.”
Pinho writes for Times Community News


latimes--2020-02-23--Plaque marks Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House as L.A.'s first UNESCO World Heritage Site

State and local officials unveiled a plaque Sunday designating architect Frank Lloyd Wright ’ s Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Art Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
Rep. Adam B. Schiff ( D-Burbank ) and Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O ’ Farrell delivered remarks at a 2 p.m. ceremony , which also included officials from the city ’ s Department of Cultural Affairs .
“ The unveiling of the plaque , ” O ’ Farrell said , “ underscores what we already know : The structure represents an unparalleled symbol of cultural heritage and an outstanding contribution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the world.
” The Hollyhock House , which was almost demolished in the 1940s , earned Los Angeles its first World Heritage designation in July .
Built between 1918 and 1921 on a hill in East Hollywood , the house joins Wright ’ s more famous creations — the spiral-shaped in New York City , in Pennsylvania , and in Scottsdale , Ariz. — that collectively recognize the genius of Wright ’ s architecture as a cultural global treasure .
Eight of Wright ’ s buildings nationwide represent the first U.S. modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites around the world , of which 869 are awarded cultural status .
The Hollyhock House is named for stylized motifs of the flower of the same name that dominate the concrete house ’ s exterior .
It was said to be the favorite flower of Aline Barnsdall , an oil heiress who engaged Wright to build her a hilltop community on what is now Barnsdall Art Park .
Visitors can tour the outside gardens and the house for $ 7 for a self-guided tour and $ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Hollyhock House, one of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces and his first project in Los Angeles.
Federal and local officials unveiled a plaque Sunday designating architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Art Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) and Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell delivered remarks at a 2 p.m. ceremony, which also included officials from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs.
“The unveiling of the plaque,” O’Farrell said, “underscores what we already know: The structure represents an unparalleled symbol of cultural heritage and an outstanding contribution to design in the city of Los Angeles and the world.”
The Hollyhock House, which was almost demolished in the 1940s, earned Los Angeles its first World Heritage designation in July.
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Built between 1918 and 1921 on a hill in East Hollywood, the house joins Wright’s more famous creations — the spiral-shaped Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Ariz. — that collectively recognize the genius of Wright’s architecture as a cultural global treasure.
Eight of Wright’s buildings nationwide represent the first U.S. modern architecture designations on the World Heritage list. There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites around the world, of which 869 are awarded cultural status.
The Hollyhock House is named for stylized motifs of the flower of the same name that dominate the concrete house’s exterior. It was said to be the favorite flower of Aline Barnsdall, an oil heiress who engaged Wright to build her a hilltop community on what is now Barnsdall Art Park. Visitors can tour the outside gardens and the house for $7 for a self-guided tour and $14 for a docent tour.


latimes--2020-02-23--Man drives Jeep off roof of Santa Monica parking garage and lands across the street

A man was recovering in the hospital from injuries he suffered after driving his Jeep off the top of a six-level parking garage in Santa Monica early Sunday , authorities said .
The man drove off the top level of the public parking structure on 2nd Street near Colorado Avenue shortly after midnight , the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release .
Officers arrived to find his vehicle up against a McDonald ’ s restaurant across the street .
Two passengers inside the Jeep were able to jump out before it went off the roof , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver , a 20-year-old man from Twentynine Palms , was conscious and speaking with officers when they arrived , police said .
Firefighters extricated him from the wreckage and took him to a local trauma center , where he was listed in critical condition , the Fire Department said .
Police are still investigating what caused the crash .
Because the man was receiving medical treatment , investigators weren ’ t yet able to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role , police said .
The top of the parking garage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage , the Fire Department said .
A representative from Santa Monica Building & Safety was called to the scene to assess the garage ’ s structural integrity .
Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact Santa Monica detectives at ( 310 ) 458-8941 or the watch commander at ( 310 ) 458-8491 .

A man was recovering in the hospital from injuries he suffered after driving his Jeep off the top of a six-level parking garage in Santa Monica early Sunday, authorities said.
The man drove off the top level of the public parking structure on 2nd Street near Colorado Avenue shortly after midnight, the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release. Officers arrived to find his vehicle up against a McDonald’s restaurant across the street.
Two passengers inside the Jeep were able to jump out before it went off the roof, the Santa Monica Fire Department said.
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The driver, a 20-year-old man from Twentynine Palms, was conscious and speaking with officers when they arrived, police said. Firefighters extricated him from the wreckage and took him to a local trauma center, where he was listed in critical condition, the Fire Department said.
Police are still investigating what caused the crash. Because the man was receiving medical treatment, investigators weren’t yet able to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role, police said.
The top of the parking garage and the McDonald’s both sustained significant damage, the Fire Department said. A representative from Santa Monica Building & Safety was called to the scene to assess the garage’s structural integrity.
Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact Santa Monica detectives at (310) 458-8941 or the watch commander at (310) 458-8491.


latimes--2020-02-23--Man, 87, dies after being struck by two cars in Westlake hit-and-run

Authorities were continuing to search Sunday for two separate drivers who struck and killed an 87-year-old man in Westlake this weekend before fleeing the scene .
The man , whom authorities identified as Chan Wook Park , was crossing 8th Street west of Westmoreland Avenue about 4 a.m. Saturday when he was struck by a white BMW sedan traveling east on 8th Street , Los Angeles police said .
The driver stopped and was told to remain at the scene by multiple witnesses , but he got back into his car and fled , according to investigators .
A white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lying on the ground and did not stop , police said .
Park was taken to a hospital , where he died from his injuries .
Police described the BMW driver as a man between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9 , last seen driving a four-door sedan .
No description of the Honda driver was available .
Anyone with information was asked to contact LAPD West Traffic Detectives at ( 213 ) 473-0234 , or to call ( 877 ) LAPD-247 .
A reward of up to $ 50,000 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the arrest and conviction of a suspect involved in a hit-and-run , police said .
Police said in a statement that drivers who are involved in a collision should pull over , stop , notify emergency services and remain at the scene , and that witnesses should document the license plate numbers of vehicles involved in crashes .

An 87-year-old man died after he was struck by two cars in a hit-and-run crash in Westlake early Saturday, police said.
Authorities were continuing to search Sunday for two separate drivers who struck and killed an 87-year-old man in Westlake this weekend before fleeing the scene.
The man, whom authorities identified as Chan Wook Park, was crossing 8th Street west of Westmoreland Avenue about 4 a.m. Saturday when he was struck by a white BMW sedan traveling east on 8th Street, Los Angeles police said.
The driver stopped and was told to remain at the scene by multiple witnesses, but he got back into his car and fled, according to investigators.
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A white Honda Accord then struck Park as he was lying on the ground and did not stop, police said. Park was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police described the BMW driver as a man between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9, last seen driving a four-door sedan. No description of the Honda driver was available.
Anyone with information was asked to contact LAPD West Traffic Detectives at (213) 473-0234, or to call (877) LAPD-247. A reward of up to $50,000 is available for those who provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect involved in a hit-and-run, police said.
Police said in a statement that drivers who are involved in a collision should pull over, stop, notify emergency services and remain at the scene, and that witnesses should document the license plate numbers of vehicles involved in crashes.


latimes--2020-02-23--Friends of slain therapist Amie Harwick detail her fears of former boyfriend

Slain marriage and sex therapist Amie Harwick feared her former boyfriend , who is now charged with her killing , “ might do something violent , ” according to an interview broadcast this weekend .
Harwick , 38 , was strangled before falling to her death from a third floor balcony at her Hollywood Hills residence Feb. 15 , the Los Angeles County coroner ’ s office said last week .
Prosecutors have charged her former boyfriend , Gareth Pursehouse , with her murder .
Harwick was afraid Pursehouse would become violent , Robert Coshland said in an interview broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 Hours.
” Harwick had a chance encounter with Pursehouse last month at a professional event , putting her back on his radar .
“ He came like over to her all like yelling at her , he was yelling in her face saying , ‘ You ruined my life , ’ ” Coshland said .
Another friend , Hernando Chaves , was at the event .
He said Pursehouse “ looked upset , in duress ” and Harwick “ was trying to soothe and calm ” him and Pursehouse “ was agitated.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what-ifs ” following that encounter , Chaves said .
Police said Harwick had recently talked about her fear of Pursehouse , 41 .
Harwick had filed for temporary restraining orders against Pursehouse during the course of their relationship in 2011 and 2012 , according to “ 48 Hours.
” The final restraining order expired in 2015 .
In court papers seeking the restraining order , Harwick accused Pursehouse of repeated acts of abuse , including slamming her head on the ground and kicking her .
Harwick claimed he had previously broken into her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatening her via text message that the situation “ will get worse.
” Harwick , who was once engaged to comedian and “ The Price Is Right ” host Drew Carey , was killed on the morning of Feb. 15 at her home in the 2000 block of Mound Street in the Hollywood Hills .
Police said they went to the home around 1:15 a.m. in response to a call about a woman screaming .
When officers arrived , they were met outside the home by Harwick ’ s roommate , who told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , police said .
Officers subsequently found Harwick lying on the ground beneath a third-floor balcony .
She was taken to a hospital , where she was pronounced dead .
Authorities said they believe Pursehouse threw Harwick from her third-floor balcony .
The Los Angeles County coroner ’ s office determined that her death was caused by blunt force injuries to her head and upper body , but also found bodily “ evidence ” she had been choked .
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza on Thursday ordered Pursehouse to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the downtown courthouse March 4 for arraignment on one count each of murder and first-degree residential burglary .
The murder charge includes a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait , making him eligible for a possible death sentence .

Amie Harwick, shown in 2016, was strangled before falling to her death from a balcony, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said.
Slain marriage and sex therapist Amie Harwick feared her former boyfriend, who is now charged with her killing, “might do something violent,” according to an interview broadcast this weekend.
Harwick, 38, was strangled before falling to her death from a third floor balcony at her Hollywood Hills residence Feb. 15, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said last week. Prosecutors have charged her former boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse, with her murder.
Harwick was afraid Pursehouse would become violent, Robert Coshland said in an interview broadcast Saturday on the CBS News magazine “48 Hours.”
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Harwick had a chance encounter with Pursehouse last month at a professional event, putting her back on his radar. “He came like over to her all like yelling at her, he was yelling in her face saying, ‘You ruined my life,’” Coshland said.
Pursehouse “created a giant scene, sobbing, wailing,” Coshland said.
Another friend, Hernando Chaves, was at the event. He said Pursehouse “looked upset, in duress” and Harwick “was trying to soothe and calm” him and Pursehouse “was agitated.”
Harwick was scared of the “what-ifs” following that encounter, Chaves said.
Police said Harwick had recently talked about her fear of Pursehouse, 41. Harwick had filed for temporary restraining orders against Pursehouse during the course of their relationship in 2011 and 2012, according to “48 Hours.” The final restraining order expired in 2015.
In court papers seeking the restraining order, Harwick accused Pursehouse of repeated acts of abuse, including slamming her head on the ground and kicking her.
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Harwick claimed he had previously broken into her apartment building, smashing picture frames and threatening her via text message that the situation “will get worse.”
Harwick, who was once engaged to comedian and “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey, was killed on the morning of Feb. 15 at her home in the 2000 block of Mound Street in the Hollywood Hills.
Police said they went to the home around 1:15 a.m. in response to a call about a woman screaming. When officers arrived, they were met outside the home by Harwick’s roommate, who told officers Harwick was being assaulted inside the home, police said.
Officers subsequently found Harwick lying on the ground beneath a third-floor balcony. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities said they believe Pursehouse threw Harwick from her third-floor balcony. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined that her death was caused by blunt force injuries to her head and upper body, but also found bodily “evidence” she had been choked.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza on Thursday ordered Pursehouse to remain jailed without bail and to return to the downtown courthouse March 4 for arraignment on one count each of murder and first-degree residential burglary.
The murder charge includes a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait, making him eligible for a possible death sentence.


latimes--2020-02-23--Winning California's Democratic presidential primary isn't as simple as it sounds

Voters in California , like others across the country , have long assumed that only one candidate can win an election .
And in most cases , they ’ re right .
But most presidential primaries work differently — a fact obscured in years past when the race was all but over by the time Californians cast ballots .
On March 3 , the Democratic presidential campaign will be far from over and the arcane rules for winning in the Golden State will come into play .
There are 54 Democratic primaries in California California will send 494 delegates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wis. , this July .
Most of them — 271 delegates — will represent one of the state ’ s 53 congressional districts .
In essence , the March 3 primary is made up of one statewide election and 53 district-level elections .
Candidates will be awarded delegates based on how they do in each of these distinct contests and the remaining delegates will be divided by the top statewide vote-getters .
Not all of these 54 races will award the same number of delegates .
The statewide results decide who wins 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention delegates , the single largest subset , as well as 54 delegates representing party leaders and elected officials .
In the individual congressional districts , the Democratic Party uses a formula that takes into account population and voting data from the last two presidential elections .
No congressional district will award more than seven delegates to the Democratic convention or fewer than four delegates .
Delegates are ( sort of ) divvied up by vote totals Here ’ s where things get complicated , because a Democratic candidate for president can win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional districts and still not be awarded any delegates .
The key in each of these micro-primaries is that a candidate must win at least 15 % of the votes cast to walk away with convention delegates .
End up with less than 15 % of the vote in either a congressional district or the statewide primary , and the candidate gets nothing .
In fact , those votes are completely cast aside : The unlucky candidates are crossed off the list and the vote percentages are recalculated .
In other words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a district ’ s raw vote — with 19 % , 16 % and 15 % of the ballots cast , for example — all other candidates and totals are discarded .
The process then starts over and each candidate ’ s share of what ’ s known as the “ qualified ” votes is calculated .
The simplest way to describe it is to imagine a district where 100 voters cast ballots .
After the initial review , only 50 of those ballots — 19 cast for the first-place candidate , 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one in third place — are used to award delegates .
Of the qualified votes , the first-place candidate received 19 of 50 ( 38 % ) .
The second-place candidate received 16 of 50 votes ( 32 % ) .
And the third-place candidate received 15 of 50 votes ( 30 % ) .
These percentages are now used to award delegates to each of the three candidates .
Rounding off for the final delegate total In the hypothetical district mentioned above , three candidates will receive delegates .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one of California ’ s bigger cities and voted strongly for then-President Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016 — and therefore will send seven delegates to the Democratic National Convention .
The first-place candidate received 38 % of the qualified primary vote .
Multiply that by the total delegates available and the result is 2.66 delegates , which would be rounded up to 3 .
The second-place candidate received 32 % of the qualified primary vote , which translates into 2.24 delegates — rounded down to 2 .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualified primary vote , which results in 2 delegates .
The same system applies for delegates awarded to those who do well in the statewide vote total .
There are 144 delegate seats awarded in this contest , some of which will be taken by state party leaders and elected officials .
Only candidates receiving 15 % or more of all California Democratic primary votes will receive a portion of these delegates .
The results might not always seem logical — or fair The strict 15 % threshold might seem easy to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in practice — particularly because there ’ s a very good chance that three or more Democrats will be strong contenders once the polls close across California at 8 p.m. on March 3 .
There ’ s likely to be very little difference in support at the congressional level between candidates receiving 13 % and 15 % of the vote , but a huge difference when it becomes clear one of those contenders will come up empty-handed .
On the other hand , it ’ s possible that a Democrat could be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut out of the California primary based on statewide returns — only to have actually been awarded a smattering of delegates from congressional districts spread across the state .
Delegate totals may not be known until April Perhaps the hardest thing for everyone to accept is that the complicated process means that California ’ s Democratic delegates really can ’ t be awarded until state elections officials finalize the vote totals on April 2 .
Even a fraction of a percentage point in ballots could shift a candidate from winning a few delegates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election returns aren ’ t reported by congressional districts until the tally is complete — which could potentially leave no impartial voice to counter the perception peddled by a candidate ’ s supporters or opponents in the first few days and weeks after the California primary .

In essence, California’s March 3 primary is made up of one statewide election and 53 district-level elections. Candidates will be awarded delegates based on how they do in each of these distinct contests, and the remaining delegates will be divided by the top statewide vote-getters.
Voters in California, like others across the country, have long assumed that only one candidate can win an election. And in most cases, they’re right.
But most presidential primaries work differently — a fact obscured in years past when the race was all but over by the time Californians cast ballots. On March 3, the Democratic presidential campaign will be far from over and the arcane rules for winning in the Golden State will come into play.
Politics What you need to know before voting in California’s primary election How do I vote? Will I get a ballot in the mail? A new procedure will change how some Californians cast ballots. Here’s how to vote in the California primary election.
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There are 54 Democratic primaries in California
California will send 494 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee this July. Most of them — 271 delegates — will represent one of the state’s 53 congressional districts.
In essence, the March 3 primary is made up of one statewide election and 53 district-level elections. Candidates will be awarded delegates based on how they do in each of these distinct contests, and the remaining delegates will be divided by the top statewide vote-getters.
Not all of these 54 races will award the same number of delegates. The statewide results decide who wins 90 of California’s “at-large” convention delegates, the single largest subset, as well as 54 delegates representing party leaders and elected officials. In the individual congressional districts, the Democratic Party uses a formula that takes into account population and voting data from the last two presidential elections. No congressional district will award more than seven delegates to the Democratic convention or fewer than four delegates.
Delegates are (sort of) divvied up by vote totals
Here’s where things get complicated, because a Democratic candidate for president can win votes in one of California’s congressional districts and still not be awarded any delegates.
The key in each of these micro-primaries is that a candidate must win at least 15% of the votes cast to walk away with convention delegates. End up with less than 15% of the vote in either a congressional district or the statewide primary, and the candidate gets nothing. In fact, those votes are completely cast aside: The unlucky candidates are crossed off the list and the vote percentages are recalculated.
In other words, if three candidates split 50% of a district’s raw vote — with 19%, 16% and 15% of the ballots cast, for example — all other candidates and totals are discarded. The process then starts over and each candidate’s share of what’s known as the “qualified” votes is calculated.
The simplest way to describe it is to imagine a district where 100 voters cast ballots. After the initial review, only 50 of those ballots — 19 cast for the first-place candidate, 16 for the second-place candidate, 15 for the one in third place — are used to award delegates.
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Of the qualified votes, the first-place candidate received 19 of 50 (38%). The second-place candidate received 16 of 50 votes (32%). And the third-place candidate received 15 of 50 votes (30%).
These percentages are now used to award delegates to each of the three candidates.
And then there are a few delegates that won’t come into play unless the convention fails to pick a nominee on the first round of balloting. Seventy-nine California Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and those in the state’s congressional delegation, are considered “unpledged” delegates to the convention. Their preferences have the potential to be game changers, particularly because they are free to support anyone — even someone who did poorly in the California primary on March 3.
Rounding off for the final delegate total
In the hypothetical district mentioned above, three candidates will receive delegates. Let’s assume that the district is in one of California’s bigger cities and voted strongly for then-President Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016 — and therefore will send seven delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
The first-place candidate received 38% of the qualified primary vote. Multiply that by the total delegates available and the result is 2.66 delegates, which would be rounded up to 3.
The second-place candidate received 32% of the qualified primary vote, which translates into 2.24 delegates — rounded down to 2.
And the third-place candidate received 30% of the qualified primary vote, which results in 2 delegates.
The same system applies for delegates awarded to those who do well in the statewide vote total. There are 144 delegate seats awarded in this contest, some of which will be taken by state party leaders and elected officials. Only candidates receiving 15% or more of all California Democratic primary votes will receive a portion of these delegates.
The results might not always seem logical — or fair
The strict 15% threshold might seem easy to support in theory but much harder to defend in practice — particularly because there’s a very good chance that three or more Democrats will be strong contenders once the polls close across California at 8 p.m. on March 3. There’s likely to be very little difference in support at the congressional level between candidates receiving 13% and 15% of the vote, but a huge difference when it becomes clear one of those contenders will come up empty-handed. On the other hand, it’s possible that a Democrat could be considered by national political watchers as having been shut out of the California primary based on statewide returns — only to have actually been awarded a smattering of delegates from congressional districts spread across the state.
Delegate totals may not be known until April
Perhaps the hardest thing for everyone to accept is that the complicated process means that California’s Democratic delegates really can’t be awarded until state elections officials finalize the vote totals on April 2. Even a fraction of a percentage point in ballots could shift a candidate from winning a few delegates to none. In addition, official election returns aren’t reported by congressional districts until the tally is complete — which could potentially leave no impartial voice to counter the perception peddled by a candidate’s supporters or opponents in the first few days and weeks after the California primary.


latimes--2020-02-23--Daredevil 'Mad Mike' Hughes killed in rocket crash captured on video