latimes--2020-06-15--Fort Bragg, a California city named for a Confederate general, considers changing its name

The City Council of Fort Bragg , a small Northern California city named after Braxton Bragg , a Confederate Army general and slave owner , is pondering putting a town name change on the November ballot .
The move by the Mendocino County town of nearly 7,400 comes in response “ to many requests ( some local and many not ) that the city of Fort Bragg , Calif. , change its name to avoid any connotation associated with Confederate Army Gen. Braxton Bragg , ” a post on the city ’ s Facebook page read .
The discussion is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has received more than 900 contentious comments decrying and praising the call for conversation , comes amid a national reckoning with racism following protests against police violence .
Since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police , protesters and policymakers have torn down Confederate statues , and namesakes and icons associated with racism and white supremacy have faced intense scrutiny .
The town ’ s name has been challenged before .
In 2015 , the California Legislative Black Caucus sent a letter to then-Mayor Lindy Peters asking Fort Bragg to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bragg ’ s mother was jailed for killing a freed , formerly enslaved person , and the Confederate general enslaved 105 people at his Louisiana plantation before he “ committed treason against our nation during the Civil War and fought to defend the defenseless cause of slavery.
” The request came in July 2015 , a month after white supremacist Dylann Roof shot and killed nine black worshipers at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston , S.C. “ While I completely agree with the effort to remove the Confederate flag from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue that asking us to change our name is taking things a bit too far , ” Peters , who now serves as a City Council member , told The Times then .
“ You can not change history ... .
We are a tight-knit community who do not favor changing our name , especially when pushed to do so by politicos who have never even visited our town and know nothing of our long and rich local history.
” The city — once just a military camp — was named for Bragg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by founder Horatio C. Gibson , who served under Bragg in the Mexican-American War , according to website Mendocino Fun .
Other namesakes of Bragg are also being called into question .
Military leaders , including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy , have signaled they are willing to consider renaming Army bases that honor Confederate officers , such as North Carolina ’ s Ft. Bragg .
On June 10 , President Trump tweeted that his administration would not consider renaming the bases because they “ have become part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of winning , victory and freedom.
” That same day , the Senate ’ s Armed Services Committee voted to require the Pentagon to remove Confederate names , monuments and symbols from the military in the next three years .
Bragg led the Confederate Army of the Tennessee .
A recent biography of the general , who resigned his post under pressure halfway through the war after decisive losses and is regarded as an unsuccessful military leader , is subtitled “ The Most Hated Man of the Confederacy.
” After leading Confederate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served as a close advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis .

The Mendocino County city of Fort Bragg is scheduled to discuss its name on June 22.
The City Council of Fort Bragg, a small Northern California city named after Braxton Bragg, a Confederate Army general and slave owner, is pondering putting a town name change on the November ballot.
The move by the Mendocino County town of nearly 7,400 comes in response “to many requests (some local and many not) that the city of Fort Bragg, California change its name to avoid any connotation associated with Confederate Army General Braxton Bragg,” a post on the city’s Facebook page read, as first reported by the Fort Bragg Advocate-News. The discussion is set for June 22.
The post, which has received more than 900 contentious comments decrying and praising the call for conversation, comes amid a national reckoning with racism following protests against police violence. Since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police, protesters and policymakers have torn down Confederate statues, and namesakes and icons associated with racism and white supremacy have faced intense scrutiny.
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The town’s name has been challenged before. In 2015, the California Legislative Black Caucus sent a letter to then-Mayor Lindy Peters asking Fort Bragg to make a change. According to the letter, Bragg’s mother was jailed for killing a freed, formerly enslaved person, and the Confederate general enslaved 105 people at his Louisiana plantation before he “committed treason against our nation during the Civil War and fought to defend the defenseless cause of slavery.”
The request came in July 2015, a month after white supremacist Dylann Roof shot and killed nine black worshipers at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, S.C.
“While I completely agree with the effort to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state Capitol, I would argue that asking us to change our name is taking things a bit too far,” Peters, who now serves as a City Council member, told The Times then. “You cannot change history.... We are a tight-knit community who do not favor changing our name, especially when pushed to do so by politicos who have never even visited our town and know nothing of our long and rich local history.”
The city — once just a military camp — was named for Bragg in 1857, before the Civil War, by founder Horatio C. Gibson, who served under Bragg in the Mexican-American War, according to website Mendocino Fun.
Other namesakes of Bragg are also being called into question.
Military leaders, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, have signaled they are willing to consider renaming Army bases that honor Confederate officers, such as North Carolina’s Ft. Bragg.
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On June 10, President Trump tweeted that his administration would not consider renaming the bases because they “have become part of a Great American heritage, a history of winning, victory and freedom.” That same day, the Senate’s Armed Services Committee voted to require the Pentagon to remove Confederate names, monuments and symbols from the military in the next three years.
Bragg led the Confederate Army of the Tennessee. A recent biography of the general, who resigned his post under pressure halfway through the war after decisive losses and is regarded as an unsuccessful military leader, is subtitled “The Most Hated Man of the Confederacy.” After leading Confederate troops against American Union troops, Bragg served as a close advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.


latimes--2020-06-15--Evacuations underway as wildfire burns near Avila Beach

A wildfire broke out Monday afternoon near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County , prompting authorities to close the 101 Freeway and evacuate residents , fire and law enforcement agencies said .
The fire began burning about 3 p.m. , near the intersection of Avila Beach Drive and the 101 , east of Avila Beach , the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department said .
By 4:45 p.m. , the fire had spread to 300 acres , the department said .
It was 0 % contained as of 5 p.m. , according to Cal Fire .
The 101 has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach .
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’ s Department , citing the need to keep secondary routes open to first responders , asked people to refrain from nonessential travel between San Luis Obispo and the Shell Beach area .
Authorities established an evacuation center in the parking lot of a Walmart at 1168 W. Branch St. in Arroyo Grande .
Deputies are evacuating residents of Greg Canyon Road , Live Oak Lane , Indian Knob Road and Monte Road , as well as those who live in the neighborhood above Mattie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department said .
The sheriff ’ s department has issued an evacuation warning to residents living in the area east of the 101 , between North Bello Street and Price Canyon Road , meaning people living in this area must “ be prepared to evacuate on a moment ’ s notice , ” the department said on Twitter .
“ If you have to evacuate , head south.
” “ This is a dynamic situation , ” the sheriff ’ s department added .
“ If you feel you are in danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A wildfire broke out Monday afternoon near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, prompting authorities to close the 101 Freeway and evacuate residents, fire and law enforcement agencies said.
The fire began burning about 3 p.m., near the intersection of Avila Beach Drive and the 101, east of Avila Beach, the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department said. By 4:45 p.m., the fire had spread to 300 acres, the department said. It was 0% contained as of 5 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
The 101 has been closed to northbound traffic near Pismo Beach. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department, citing the need to keep secondary routes open to first responders, asked people to refrain from nonessential travel between San Luis Obispo and the Shell Beach area.
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Authorities established an evacuation center in the parking lot of a Walmart at 1168 W. Branch St. in Arroyo Grande. Deputies are evacuating residents of Greg Canyon Road, Live Oak Lane, Indian Knob Road and Monte Road, as well as those who live in the neighborhood above Mattie Road and east of the 101, the department said.
The sheriff’s department has issued an evacuation warning to residents living in the area east of the 101, between North Bello Street and Price Canyon Road, meaning people living in this area must “be prepared to evacuate on a moment’s notice,” the department said on Twitter. “If you have to evacuate, head south.”
“This is a dynamic situation,” the sheriff’s department added. “If you feel you are in danger, leave the area immediately.”


latimes--2020-06-16--Unarmed specialists, not LAPD, would handle mental health, substance abuse calls under proposal

Several Los Angeles City Council members called Tuesday for a new emergency-response model that uses trained specialists , rather than LAPD officers , to render aid to homeless people and those suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues .
A motion submitted by City Council members Nury Martinez , Herb Wesson , Marqueece Harris-Dawson , Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield asks city departments to work with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to develop a model that diverts nonviolent calls for service away from the LAPD and to “ appropriate non-law enforcement agencies.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in dealing with homelessness , mental health and even COVID-19-related responses ” the motion states , blaming budget cuts to social service programs for the city ’ s increased reliance on police officers .
“ We have gone from asking the police to be part of the solution , to being the only solution for problems they should not be called on to solve in the first place , ” the motion said .
It ’ s unclear how large the new response team would be , but in a statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an effort to reimagine public safety and reduce unnecessary police interactions .
Representatives for the Los Angeles Police Protective League , the union representing rank-and-file officers , have previously pointed to the increased demands placed upon police officers , saying officers now perform the duties of therapists , drug treatment counselors , social workers and EMTs .
Jerretta Sandoz , vice president of the union ’ s board of directors , said Tuesday that the union agreed that “ not every call our city leaders have asked us to respond to should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more than willing to talk about how , or if , we respond to noncriminal and nonemergency calls so we can free up time to respond quickly to 911 calls , crackdown on violent crime , and property crime and expand our community policing efforts , ” Sandoz said .
The council members ’ motion comes after tens of thousands of people have protested in Los Angeles streets in recent weeks , decrying police brutality and calling for a new approach to long-held strategies over policing , particularly in Black communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move ahead with studying ways to cut the LAPD ’ s budget by $ 100 million to $ 150 million and put the money into community programs .
The council vote was 11-3 , with Councilmen Paul Koretz , Joe Buscaino and John Lee dissenting .
A report back to the council on those proposed budget cuts is expected in the coming weeks .
Buscaino , a former police officer who now serves as a reserve officer , told The Times that his no vote reflected his belief that “ real police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing LAPD program focused on building relationships between police officers and communities .
Separately , the council members ’ motion submitted Tuesday also asks for a report back on crisis intervention models , including the “ Cahoots ” program in Eugene , Ore .
The program , short for Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets , sends in teams of medics and mental health counselors if 911 operators determine armed intervention isn ’ t needed .
The program ’ s teams handled 18 % of the 133,000 calls to 911 last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chris Hecht , executive coordinator of White Bird Clinic , which runs the operation , said in an interview .
The program operated on a $ 2-million budget last year that Hecht said saved the Eugene-Springfield , Ore. , area about $ 14 million in costs of ambulance transport and emergency room care .
Times staff writer Richard Read , in Seattle , contributed to this report .

Several Los Angeles City Council members called Tuesday for a new emergency-response model that uses trained specialists, rather than LAPD officers, to render aid to homeless people and those suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues.
A motion submitted by City Council members Nury Martinez, Herb Wesson, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield asks city departments to work with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to develop a model that diverts nonviolent calls for service away from the LAPD and to “appropriate non-law enforcement agencies.”
The LAPD now has a “greater role in dealing with homelessness, mental health and even COVID-19-related responses” the motion states, blaming budget cuts to social service programs for the city’s increased reliance on police officers.
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“We have gone from asking the police to be part of the solution, to being the only solution for problems they should not be called on to solve in the first place,” the motion said.
It’s unclear how large the new response team would be, but in a statement, council members cast the program as part of an effort to reimagine public safety and reduce unnecessary police interactions.
Representatives for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers, have previously pointed to the increased demands placed upon police officers, saying officers now perform the duties of therapists, drug treatment counselors, social workers and EMTs.
Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the union’s board of directors, said Tuesday that the union agreed that “not every call our city leaders have asked us to respond to should be a police response.”
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“We are more than willing to talk about how, or if, we respond to noncriminal and nonemergency calls so we can free up time to respond quickly to 911 calls, crackdown on violent crime, and property crime and expand our community policing efforts,” Sandoz said.
The council members’ motion comes after tens of thousands of people have protested in Los Angeles streets in recent weeks, decrying police brutality and calling for a new approach to long-held strategies over policing, particularly in Black communities.
The City Council on Tuesday also voted to move ahead with studying ways to cut the LAPD’s budget by $100 million to $150 million and put the money into community programs. The council vote was 11-3, with Councilmen Paul Koretz, Joe Buscaino and John Lee dissenting.
A report back to the council on those proposed budget cuts is expected in the coming weeks.
Buscaino, a former police officer who now serves as a reserve officer, told The Times that his no vote reflected his belief that “real police reform” will come from expanding an existing LAPD program focused on building relationships between police officers and communities.
Separately, the council members’ motion submitted Tuesday also asks for a report back on crisis intervention models, including the “Cahoots” program in Eugene, Ore. The program, short for Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets, sends in teams of medics and mental health counselors if 911 operators determine armed intervention isn’t needed.
The program’s teams handled 18% of the 133,000 calls to 911 last year, requesting police backup only 150 times, Chris Hecht, executive coordinator of White Bird Clinic, which runs the operation, said in an interview.
The program operated on a $2-million budget last year that Hecht said saved the Eugene-Springfield, Ore., area about $14 million in costs of ambulance transport and emergency room care.
Times staff writer Richard Read, in Seattle, contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-16--Coronavirus hospitalizations creep up in Ventura County, raising concerns about reopening

Officials in Ventura County have expressed concern over an uptick in the number of COVID-19 patients being cared for in local hospitals and said they might slow reopenings if the trend continues .
While coronavirus cases have been going up as more California businesses reopen , officials have said they think the increase is caused by an increase in testing , not by community spread .
They have pointed to hospitalization rates as a better sign of whether the virus is surging .
And although hospitalizations remain flat in many places in the state , they are increasing somewhat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
The number of hospitalized patients in Ventura County ticked down over the course of a few days in the last week — from 42 to 37 — but that the trend has since reversed , and hospitalizations hit 47 on Tuesday .
That range is still significantly higher than two weeks ago , when only about 20 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized , according to county Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin .
Though health officials say there is still plenty of space in its hospitals , it ’ s possible the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ button on reopening additional sectors of the economy if hospitalizations continue to rise .
“ At this point , it would be foolhardy to just open up and continue to open up everything given … what our numbers are doing , ” Levin said during Tuesday ’ s meeting of the county ’ s Board of Supervisors .
Ventura County allowed in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping to resume on May 21 , permitted hair salons to reopen on May 26 , and allowed gyms and bars to reopen last Friday .
California officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting this Friday to reopen nail salons , tattoo shops and massage therapists in counties that have filed paperwork to accelerate their reopening .
Ventura County officials , however , said they may decide , for now , to keep nail salons and tattoo shops closed and not allow massage therapists to resume operations in light of the concerns about the increased coronavirus hospitalizations .
Levin said he personally would have no issue with further reopening if the data support such a move .
Even as more spaces reopen , though , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to observe physical distancing to stem the spread of the virus .
“ We have met the enemy , and they are us , ” he said .
“ And many of us have to do a better job of social distancing and quarantine .
Some of us are doing a great job ; we ’ re stalwarts .
If we can do this — and I know we can — we can prevent the state from telling us that we must take a step back from some of the gains we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and businesses.
” Statewide as of Sunday , officials reported there were 3,102 patients with a confirmed case of the virus in California hospitals and 1,220 patients with suspected cases .
The combined tally is the first increase in the number of hospitalizations following a six-day decline .
In Los Angeles County , 1,285 people were in hospitals , health officials said Monday .
Dr. Christina Ghaly , the director of the county ’ s Department of Health Services , said officials are working with the state to prepare for the possibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially overwhelm facilities in the county .
Health officials noted last week that coronavirus transmission continues to worsen in Los Angeles County , bringing with it the chance that the nation ’ s most populous county could run out of intensive care unit beds in two to four weeks .
The numbers have not reached danger levels yet , but health officials said they are monitoring conditions carefully for any signs of new pressures on hospitals .
Santa Barbara County and the San Joaquin Valley are also being closely watched for increasing coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health .
Santa Barbara County is seeing increased hospitalizations in the northern part of the county .
The increase has been blamed on rising community transmission amid increased gatherings , as well as workplace spread .
Outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities are also a factor .
The same problems are being blamed for an increase in hospitalizations in San Joaquin County , east of the San Francisco Bay Area .
And in the the broader San Joaquin Valley , one of the nation ’ s most important agricultural areas and home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations were reported in Kern and Kings counties , where nursing home outbreaks are a contributing factor .
In the last three days , five counties have experienced more than a 10 % rise in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 : Contra Costa ( 13 % ) , Kings ( 18 % ) , San Joaquin ( 12 % ) , Santa Barbara ( 27 % ) and Stanislaus ( 42 % ) .
Increasing hospitalizations and elevated disease transmission have also been recorded in Kern County amid outbreaks at state and federal prisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby counties being admitted to the Kern County hospital , state officials said .
Kings County has reported a number of outbreaks , including at a meatpacking plant in Hanford and an Adventist Health hospital .
An outbreak at Avenal State Prison caused the virus to spread to nearby areas — including Fresno County — carried by prison employees returning home .
In Tulare County , home to cities including Visalia , Tulare and Porterville , state officials are closely monitoring elevated disease transmissions related to outbreaks in nursing homes and workplaces , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission within households .
And Imperial County , east of San Diego , is also experiencing elevated disease transmission as Americans return from Mexico , which is experiencing a worsening outbreak .
in Sacramento County was linked to members of the same household who gathered for birthday parties and a funeral .
Dr. Olivia Kasirye , the county ’ s health officer , said many people think “ we ’ re out of the woods , ” but health experts continue to warn of the seriousness of the virus and the need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state continue to reopen .
On Monday , California reported nearly 3,400 new cases of the coronavirus , the highest number at the start of a week since the outset of the pandemic .
Despite the continued rise in infections , California ’ s top health officials have said that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against the novel coronavirus , noting that increased testing can drive up the number .
“ We ’ ve ramped up testing in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was set for August — not June , not July , but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services .
“ We ’ re already knocking on that door , averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.
” Officials , instead , are closely monitoring two metrics as they gauge how California is handling the pandemic : the positivity rate , or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the daily number of hospitalizations .
A rise in the former could mean an uptick in community transmission separate from increased testing .
A rise in the latter may mean that more people are becoming seriously ill , possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients .
Not only does the hospitalization rate worry health officials , but so does the number of ICU patients .
While the number of people in intensive care units for confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections is down statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from six weeks ago — parts of California are seeing spikes .
According to a Los Angeles Times analysis , Orange County has experienced a 76 % jump in coronavirus intensive care unit hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
During the week of May 4 , the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds .
Last week , that number rose to an average of 165 .
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley has seen a 45 % rise in coronavirus ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumping from a seven-day average of 79 people to 114 .
There was a 38 % increase in coronavirus ICU patients in San Bernardino County , rising from a weekly average of 67 ICU patients six weeks ago to 93 last week Ventura County saw its seven-day average of coronavirus patients rise from 18 six weeks ago to 21 last week , while San Diego County observed a seven-day average of 139 coronavirus ICU cases six weeks ago , which climbed to 147 last week .
Still , other areas — including Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have recorded a decline among ICU beds for coronavirus patients .
The nine counties around San Francisco Bay have seen ICU bed use fall by 31 % over the last six weeks Los Angeles County has seen its ICU cases consistently decline .
Six weeks ago , the seven-day average of daily coronavirus ICU hospitalizations for patients with confirmed and suspected infections was 633 ; last week it was 501 , a decline of 21 % .
In the seven-county Sacramento area , the seven-day average of daily coronavirus patients in the ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , it was 29 .
And in Riverside County , which was also hit hard early in the pandemic , has seen a 17 % decline in ICU cases .
Six weeks ago , the seven-day average was 105 , while it was 87 a week ago .

Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Iris Lee, Colleen Shalby

Officials in Ventura County have expressed concern over an uptick in the number of COVID-19 patients being cared for in local hospitals and said they might slow reopenings if the trend continues.
While coronavirus cases have been going up as more California businesses reopen, officials have said they think the increase is caused by an increase in testing, not by community spread. They have pointed to hospitalization rates as a better sign of whether the virus is surging.
And although hospitalizations remain flat in many places in the state, they are increasing somewhat in a handful of regions, including Ventura County.
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The number of hospitalized patients in Ventura County ticked down over the course of a few days in the last week — from 42 to 37 — but that the trend has since reversed, and hospitalizations hit 47 on Tuesday.
That range is still significantly higher than two weeks ago, when only about 20 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, according to county Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin.
Though health officials say there is still plenty of space in its hospitals, it’s possible the county could have to press the pause button on reopening additional sectors of the economy if hospitalizations continue to rise.
California Newsom defends California reopening rules even as coronavirus cases rise Newsom said COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state remain stable weeks after restrictions started to be modified and maintained that the safeguards in place continue to effectively slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“At this point, it would be foolhardy to just open up and continue to open up everything given … what our numbers are doing,” Levin said during Tuesday’s meeting of the county’s Board of Supervisors.
Ventura County allowed in-restaurant dining and in-store shopping to resume on May 21, permitted hair salons to reopen on May 26, and allowed gyms and bars to reopen last Friday. California officials are set to allow counties to decide starting this Friday to reopen nail salons, tattoo shops and massage therapists in counties that have filed paperwork to accelerate their reopening.
Ventura County officials, however, said they may decide, for now, to keep nail salons and tattoo shops closed and not allow massage therapists to resume operations in light of the concerns about the increased coronavirus hospitalizations.
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Levin said he personally would have no issue with further reopening if the data support such a move. Even as more spaces reopen, though, he said it’s vital that residents continue to observe physical distancing to stem the spread of the virus.
“We have met the enemy, and they are us,” he said. “And many of us have to do a better job of social distancing and quarantine. Some of us are doing a great job; we’re stalwarts. If we can do this — and I know we can — we can prevent the state from telling us that we must take a step back from some of the gains we’ve made in opening our activities and businesses.”
Statewide as of Sunday, officials reported there were 3,102 patients with a confirmed case of the virus in California hospitals and 1,220 patients with suspected cases. The combined tally is the first increase in the number of hospitalizations following a six-day decline.
In Los Angeles County, 1,285 people were in hospitals, health officials said Monday. Dr. Christina Ghaly, the director of the county’s Department of Health Services, said officials are working with the state to prepare for the possibility of an influx in patients, which could potentially overwhelm facilities in the county.
Health officials noted last week that coronavirus transmission continues to worsen in Los Angeles County, bringing with it the chance that the nation’s most populous county could run out of intensive care unit beds in two to four weeks. The numbers have not reached danger levels yet, but health officials said they are monitoring conditions carefully for any signs of new pressures on hospitals.
Santa Barbara County and the San Joaquin Valley are also being closely watched for increasing coronavirus hospitalizations, according to the state Department of Public Health.
Santa Barbara County is seeing increased hospitalizations in the northern part of the county. The increase has been blamed on rising community transmission amid increased gatherings, as well as workplace spread. Outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities are also a factor.
The same problems are being blamed for an increase in hospitalizations in San Joaquin County, east of the San Francisco Bay Area.
And in the the broader San Joaquin Valley, one of the nation’s most important agricultural areas and home to some 4 million residents, increasing hospitalizations were reported in Kern and Kings counties, where nursing home outbreaks are a contributing factor.
In the last three days, five counties have experienced more than a 10% rise in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: Contra Costa (13%), Kings (18%), San Joaquin (12%), Santa Barbara (27%) and Stanislaus (42%).
Increasing hospitalizations and elevated disease transmission have also been recorded in Kern County amid outbreaks at state and federal prisons as well as because of residents in nearby counties being admitted to the Kern County hospital, state officials said.
Kings County has reported a number of outbreaks, including at a meatpacking plant in Hanford and an Adventist Health hospital. An outbreak at Avenal State Prison caused the virus to spread to nearby areas — including Fresno County — carried by prison employees returning home.
In Tulare County, home to cities including Visalia, Tulare and Porterville, state officials are closely monitoring elevated disease transmissions related to outbreaks in nursing homes and workplaces, as well as the difficulty in preventing transmission within households.
And Imperial County, east of San Diego, is also experiencing elevated disease transmission as Americans return from Mexico, which is experiencing a worsening outbreak.
A recent surge in hospitalizations in Sacramento County was linked to members of the same household who gathered for birthday parties and a funeral.
Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the county’s health officer, said many people think “we’re out of the woods,” but health experts continue to warn of the seriousness of the virus and the need for safety and health precautions as larger swaths of the state continue to reopen.
On Monday, California reported nearly 3,400 new cases of the coronavirus, the highest number at the start of a week since the outset of the pandemic.
Despite the continued rise in infections, California’s top health officials have said that overall case counts are not necessarily a measure of how the state is faring in its fight against the novel coronavirus, noting that increased testing can drive up the number.
“We’ve ramped up testing in an extraordinary way, nearly hitting our goal that was set for August — not June, not July, but August — of getting to 60,000 to 80,000 tests a day,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s secretary of Health and Human Services. “We’re already knocking on that door, averaging in the mid- to high 50s over the past few days across the state.”
Officials, instead, are closely monitoring two metrics as they gauge how California is handling the pandemic: the positivity rate, or the percentage of people who have tested positive, and the daily number of hospitalizations. A rise in the former could mean an uptick in community transmission separate from increased testing. A rise in the latter may mean that more people are becoming seriously ill, possibly jeopardizing the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the influx in patients.
Not only does the hospitalization rate worry health officials, but so does the number of ICU patients.
While the number of people in intensive care units for confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections is down statewide — falling about 4% last week from six weeks ago — parts of California are seeing spikes.
According to a Los Angeles Times analysis, Orange County has experienced a 76% jump in coronavirus intensive care unit hospitalizations in the last six weeks. During the week of May 4, the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds. Last week, that number rose to an average of 165.
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley has seen a 45% rise in coronavirus ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks, jumping from a seven-day average of 79 people to 114.
There was a 38% increase in coronavirus ICU patients in San Bernardino County, rising from a weekly average of 67 ICU patients six weeks ago to 93 last week
Ventura County saw its seven-day average of coronavirus patients rise from 18 six weeks ago to 21 last week, while San Diego County observed a seven-day average of 139 coronavirus ICU cases six weeks ago, which climbed to 147 last week.
Still, other areas — including Los Angeles County and the Bay Area — have recorded a decline among ICU beds for coronavirus patients. The nine counties around San Francisco Bay have seen ICU bed use fall by 31% over the last six weeks
Los Angeles County has seen its ICU cases consistently decline. Six weeks ago, the seven-day average of daily coronavirus ICU hospitalizations for patients with confirmed and suspected infections was 633; last week it was 501, a decline of 21%.
In the seven-county Sacramento area, the seven-day average of daily coronavirus patients in the ICU was 23 six weeks ago; last week, it was 29.
And in Riverside County, which was also hit hard early in the pandemic, has seen a 17% decline in ICU cases. Six weeks ago, the seven-day average was 105, while it was 87 a week ago.
Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-16--An 'empty homes' tax could go before L.A. voters in November

The Los Angeles City Council took a first step Tuesday toward asking voters to approve a new tax on empty homes , directing city lawyers to draft the measure ahead of a looming deadline .
But the council has not made a final decision to put the tax on the November ballot , in the face of an ongoing debate about how such a tax should work and how it would affect Angelenos .
The vacancy tax has been proposed as a way to nudge landlords to put vacant apartments back on the market and generate revenue for affordable housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tenant and housing advocates , have pointed to Vancouver , Canada , where such a tax was credited with bringing empty homes back into use , as a success story .
An analysis conducted for a city commission by Blue Sky Consulting Group found that after carving out some exemptions , a vacancy tax could cover more than 19,000 residential units , nearly 2,500 commercial units and more than 2,900 parcels across L.A .
This could bring in as much as $ 128 million annually , the study found .
The Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea and found that L.A. has a vacancy rate between 6 % and 7 % and that “ higher end ” units are disproportionately vacant compared to apartments going for lower rates .
Amid rising homelessness , “ it is very hard to argue that this idea isn ’ t worth exploring , ” said Councilman David Ryu , whose district stretches from Sherman Oaks to Miracle Mile .
“ Thousands of people are still sleeping on our streets outside luxury towers with empty units .
We have a clear problem that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Councilman Mike Bonin , who championed the proposed tax , suggested moving forward with a measure modeled on a similar tax passed in Oakland , but using a different structure for taxation rates outlined by the Blue Sky consultants .
The Oakland tax penalizes the owners of properties that are in use fewer than 50 days in a calendar year and includes a number of exemptions , such as for landlords who have low incomes .
Blue Sky had recommended a flat tax of $ 5,000 a year for vacant residential properties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 40,000 annually for vacant parcels , based on their size and use .
In reaction to concerns raised Tuesday , Bonin adjusted his proposal to exclude commercial properties that are not eligible for residential use and single-family homes that are not owned by corporations .
It is unclear how much those changes would affect the anticipated revenue from a vacancy tax .
Blue Sky also estimated that the city would need to spend $ 2.9 million initially and $ 5.6 million annually to administer such a tax ; a city analyst pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to administrative costs .
Many Angelenos phoned in Tuesday to urge the council to pursue the tax .
“ Right now , thousands are living and dying on the streets because of the economic fallout due to the twin pandemics of COVID and racism .
...
It is more important than ever that this go on the ballot , ” said Stephanie Hirsch , a resident of Councilman Paul Koretz ’ s Westside district .
Landlord groups , in turn , have argued that such a tax would hurt property owners even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a letter to the council , Horace H. Heidt said that bureaucratic delays had made it impossible for him to build the housing he had planned on his property .
Being taxed on that empty lot , Heidt argued , would be “ unconscionable and outrageous !
” “ It is insane to tax vacant apartments in Southern California believing that a rational property owner would voluntarily withhold a rental unit , ” Heidt wrote .
Their arguments met with mixed reactions from council members .
Koretz said that although he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discourage development , it ’ s not “ necessarily a bad thing ” to discourage people from building units and leaving them empty .
Others complained that they had scant time to weigh the possible effects of a vacancy tax .
Councilman Joe Buscaino , whose district stretches from Watts to San Pedro , said he wasn ’ t comfortable moving forward with a plan in the “ midnight hour ” amid concerns from property owners .
The council faced a Friday deadline to ask city attorneys to draft the proposed tax .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ northwestern San Fernando Valley , echoed his concerns .
“ We just haven ’ t had time for a thoughtful review of what ’ s before us , an opportunity to engage with stakeholders , ” Lee said .
The council ultimately voted 13-0 to ask city attorneys to draw up the measure for further debate .
Deputy City Atty .
Strefan Fauble said it was possible for city lawyers to have it ready in roughly a week .
The council now faces a July 1 deadline to decide whether to put the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu, shown in 2015, calls the vacancy tax an idea worth exploring, citing the urgent need for housing.
The Los Angeles City Council took a first step Tuesday toward asking voters to approve a new tax on empty homes, directing city lawyers to draft the measure ahead of a looming deadline.
But the council has not made a final decision to put the tax on the November ballot, in the face of an ongoing debate about how such a tax should work and how it would affect Angelenos.
The vacancy tax has been proposed as a way to nudge landlords to put vacant apartments back on the market and generate revenue for affordable housing. Backers of the idea, including tenant and housing advocates, have pointed to Vancouver, Canada, where such a tax was credited with bringing empty homes back into use, as a success story.
An analysis conducted for a city commission by Blue Sky Consulting Group found that after carving out some exemptions, a vacancy tax could cover more than 19,000 residential units, nearly 2,500 commercial units and more than 2,900 parcels across L.A. This could bring in as much as $128 million annually, the study found.
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The Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department also analyzed the idea and found that L.A. has a vacancy rate between 6% and 7% and that “higher end” units are disproportionately vacant compared to apartments going for lower rates.
Amid rising homelessness, “it is very hard to argue that this idea isn’t worth exploring,” said Councilman David Ryu, whose district stretches from Sherman Oaks to Miracle Mile. “Thousands of people are still sleeping on our streets outside luxury towers with empty units. We have a clear problem that requires clear action and urgent action.”
Councilman Mike Bonin, who championed the proposed tax, suggested moving forward with a measure modeled on a similar tax passed in Oakland, but using a different structure for taxation rates outlined by the Blue Sky consultants.
The Oakland tax penalizes the owners of properties that are in use fewer than 50 days in a calendar year and includes a number of exemptions, such as for landlords who have low incomes.
Blue Sky had recommended a flat tax of $5,000 a year for vacant residential properties, with charges ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 annually for vacant parcels, based on their size and whether they were for single-family homes or multifamily development.
In reaction to concerns raised Tuesday, Bonin adjusted his proposal to exclude commercial properties that are not eligible for residential use and single-family homes that are not owned by corporations.
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It is unclear how much those changes would affect the anticipated revenue from a vacancy tax. Blue Sky also estimated that the city would need to spend $2.9 million initially and $5.6 million annually to administer such a tax; a city analyst pointed out Tuesday that additional exemptions could add to administrative costs.
Many Angelenos phoned in Tuesday to urge the council to pursue the tax.
“Right now, thousands are living and dying on the streets because of the economic fallout due to the twin pandemics of COVID and racism. ... It is more important than ever that this go on the ballot,” said Stephanie Hirsch, a resident of Councilman Paul Koretz’s Westside district.
Landlord groups, in turn, have argued that such a tax would hurt property owners even if they are trying to fill units. In a letter to the council, Horace H. Heidt said that bureaucratic delays had made it impossible for him to build the housing he had planned on his property. Being taxed on that empty lot, Heidt argued, would be “unconscionable and outrageous!”
“It is insane to tax vacant apartments in Southern California believing that a rational property owner would voluntarily withhold a rental unit,” Heidt wrote.
Their arguments met with mixed reactions from council members. Koretz said that although he had been warned that a vacancy tax could discourage development, it’s not “necessarily a bad thing” to discourage people from building units and leaving them empty.
Others complained that they had scant time to weigh the possible effects of a vacancy tax.
Councilman Joe Buscaino, whose district stretches from Watts to San Pedro, said he wasn’t comfortable moving forward with a plan in the “midnight hour” amid concerns from property owners. The council faced a Friday deadline to ask city attorneys to draft the proposed tax.
Councilman John Lee, who represents the northwestern San Fernando Valley, echoed his concerns.
“We just haven’t had time for a thoughtful review of what’s before us, an opportunity to engage with stakeholders,” Lee said.
The council ultimately voted 13-0 to ask city attorneys to draw up the measure for further debate. Deputy City Atty. Strefan Fauble said it was possible for city lawyers to have it ready in roughly a week.
The council now faces a July 1 deadline to decide whether to put the proposed measure on the November ballot.


latimes--2020-06-16--California spent $38.2 million on CHP officers at George Floyd protests

The California Highway Patrol incurred $ 38.2 million in overtime costs policing the recent fiery protests in this state that were in response to the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minnesota , state officials said Tuesday .
The costs include more than $ 6 million in CHP overtime costs for deployment in the city and county of Los Angeles , according to a letter to lawmakers by state Finance Director Keely Bosler .
The CHP costs are in addition to the nearly $ 25 million it cost the state to deploy 8,000 National Guard soldiers throughout California to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since April 1 , the state had incurred $ 987,092 in overtime costs for CHP officers to respond to protests at the Capitol seeking the lifting of the governor ’ s stay-at-home order , the agency said .
Mass protests erupted in cities all over the globe in response to the videotaped death of Floyd , a Black man who died May 25 after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Los Angeles city and county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement agencies in their response to widespread civil disturbances , Bosler wrote to lawmakers .
The action was in response to a request by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti for state aid , including National Guard troops , to help the Los Angeles Police Department respond to property damage and thefts in the city .
It marked the third time in more than half a century that the state sent troops to respond to unrest in the city over violence against a Black person in police custody .
“ You ’ ve lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in announcing the deployment .
“ So have I .
You are right to feel wronged .
You are right to feel the way you are feeling.
” The costs of 431,454 hours of unanticipated overtime for CHP officers will be covered by the state budget under the emergency order and other action being taken by the Department of Finance .
Money is being transferred from the general fund “ in support of the state ’ s efforts to mitigate civil unrest in Los Angeles City and County , ” Bosler wrote .

Protesters crowd around a CHP vehicle during a Black Lives Matter protest at LAPD headquarters in downtown L.A.
The California Highway Patrol incurred $38.2 million in overtime costs policing the recent fiery protests in this state that were in response to the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minnesota, state officials said Tuesday.
The costs include more than $6 million in CHP overtime costs for deployment in the city and county of Los Angeles, according to a letter to lawmakers by state Finance Director Keely Bosler.
The CHP costs are in addition to the nearly $25 million it cost the state to deploy 8,000 National Guard soldiers throughout California to help local law enforcement quell violence.
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Previously, since April 1, the state had incurred $987,092 in overtime costs for CHP officers to respond to protests at the Capitol seeking the lifting of the governor’s stay-at-home order, the agency said.
Mass protests erupted in cities all over the globe in response to the videotaped death of Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Los Angeles city and county on May 30 to assist local law enforcement agencies in their response to widespread civil disturbances, Bosler wrote to lawmakers.
The action was in response to a request by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti for state aid, including National Guard troops, to help the Los Angeles Police Department respond to property damage and thefts in the city.
It marked the third time in more than half a century that the state sent troops to respond to unrest in the city over violence against a Black person in police custody.
“You’ve lost patience,” Newsom said to protesters in announcing the deployment. “So have I. You are right to feel wronged. You are right to feel the way you are feeling.”
The costs of 431,454 hours of unanticipated overtime for CHP officers will be covered by the state budget under the emergency order and other action being taken by the Department of Finance.
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Money is being transferred from the general fund “in support of the state’s efforts to mitigate civil unrest in Los Angeles City and County,” Bosler wrote.


latimes--2020-06-16--Activists, students, parents rally for end to L.A. school police

Hundreds of students , parents and community members gathered in front of a downtown L.A. high school Tuesday , calling for the elimination of the Los Angeles School Police Department , a force of about 470 officers and civilians .
The rally and march began at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex , just west of downtown , and ended at the nearby school district headquarters during an L.A. Board of Education meeting .
But the future of school policing was not on the posted agenda of the closed-door session .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner said Monday he would propose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carotid holds — better known as chokeholds — by school police .
Although the Board of Education will pass a budget this month , no senior official has proposed defunding the school police for the coming school year .
Those marching said they wanted to redirect school police funding — which amounts to $ 70 million annually — to mental health services and restorative justice programs , as well as additional positions for college counselors and nurses , among other services that would benefit Black students .
Thandiwe Abdullah , 16 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Enriched Studies , told the hundreds who filled the block along 3rd Street : “ I hated my school , ” which was why she ’ d chosen to graduate early .
She criticized the administration for assigning a white instructor to teach ethnic studies and because she had to deal with school police officers rather than a psychiatric social worker when she needed help .
“ We have never been silent about what we wanted , ” she said .
“ We know what we want .
We know what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black- and brown-centered curriculum , Thandiwe said .
School , she said , “ feels like a place that criminalizes us , and it ’ s not only LASPD .
...
It ’ s also through curriculum , it ’ s also the teachers .
...
Since middle school I ’ ve only had two black teachers who taught me.
” Channing Martinez , an organizer with the Labor Community Strategy Center , spoke about the years-long effortto end policing at schools , including working to stop suspensions based on willful defiance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to school .
Organizers also successfully pressured the school system to return grenade launchers and other weapons provided by the federal government .
Each of those wins represents a thread of racism extracted from a large fabric of oppression in Los Angeles Unified , Martinez said .
“ Might as well just burn the fabric , ” he said .
Karla Payes Arnold , a psychiatric social worker at Contreras , said she ’ d had good experiences with some school police , “ but it ’ s a systemic issue.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventive work and not reactive work , ” Payes Arnold said .
“ We deserve what other communities have .
Let ’ s make that our reality .
Let ’ s make that our normal.
” For 19-year-old Brianna Parnell , who graduated last year from Gardena High School , the protest marked an emotional moment .
The Sacramento State student told those assembled that , when she was 7 years old , police killed her father as well as her 18-year-old cousin .
Demonstrators chanted each of their names in response .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw Black students targeted for minor offenses like talking back .
“ Do you think the dean believed the black girl with the box braids and the pink backpack or the terrified teacher ” with too many students in her classroom ?
Parnell asked .
After more than an hour at the rally , demonstrators marched to district headquarters chanting , “ Hey , LAUSD , defund the police ” and “ Students , not suspects.
” Those in attendance included Cecily Myart-Cruz , president-elect of United Teachers Los Angeles , which represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , librarians and counselors .
Myart-Cruz , also a member of Black Lives Matter L.A. , stood on the steps of school district headquarters .
“ Let our imaginations fly in police-free zones , ” she said , “ where our students do more than survive , they thrive.
” Members of a union that represents district classified employees , SEIU 99 , also participated in the march .
In an email statement , SEIU 99 president Max Arias said the union does not support eliminating the school police department .
Instead they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no pepper spray on our children ” as well as “ more investment in education , counseling , parent engagement , after school programs.
” L.A. school police used pepper spray on at least five students during the 2018 calendar year , seven in 2019 and one thus far in 2020 , a district spokeswoman said .
Activists say these figures are an undercount .
It ’ s not clear if or when a school police officer has used a chokehold on a student .
The carotid hold , also known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can lead to serious injury or even death and has been banned by many law enforcement agencies across the country since George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Floyd died after an officer pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes .
Supt .
Beutner ’ s comments on changing police policy , broadcast on Monday during a pre-recorded briefing , came after more than a decade of teen activism to disband the school police force , recent calls from advocacy groups to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote from the leadership of the teachers union last week to eliminate school police .
“ I will be recommending to the board to eliminate the use of pepper spray and the policy allowing carotid holds before students return to schools in August , ” he said .
The annual funding for school police will be examined during budget discussions , and a task force that includes community members and L.A. Unified staff will query families and school employees to come up with “ concrete recommendations , ” Beutner said .
L.A.-based groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suspects Coalition , the parent organizing group CADRE , Youth Justice Coalition , InnerCity Struggle and others have long pushed to reduce police presence in schools .
In Oakland Unified , the Black Organizing Project succeeded after a decade of advocacy in getting a resolution before the school district to eliminate the school Police Department .
The board is scheduled to vote later this month .
L.A. school board members are likely to discuss issues around school police use of force and the school police budget at a meeting later this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s board meeting , three parent activists spoke in support of school police .
“ The system isn ’ t perfect and needs to be changed , but leaving campus exposed without an officer ” would be the wrong course of action , said Ofelia Sofia Ryan , a member of the group Padres Unidos .
Having to rely on city police would be worse , she added : “ School police is a better option because you can decide what training they need and what protocol to follow in working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen campus police work as mentors to students , helping them turn their lives around and become successful .

Hundreds of students and community members gather at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in L.A.
Hundreds of students, parents and community members gathered in front of a downtown L.A. high school Tuesday, calling for the elimination of the Los Angeles School Police Department, a force of about 470 officers and civilians.
The rally and march began at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, just west of downtown, and ended at the nearby school district headquarters during an L.A. Board of Education meeting. The future of school policing,however, was not on the posted agenda of the closed-door session.
Those marching said they wanted to redirect the $70 million school police budget to mental health services, restorative justice programs, college counselors, nurses and other services that could help Black students. At district headquarters, they chanted, “Hey, LAUSD, defund the police” and “Students, not suspects.”
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L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner said Monday he would propose banning the use of pepper spray and carotid holds — better known as chokeholds — by school police. Although the Board of Education will pass a budget this month, no members have voiced support for eliminating or defunding the school police for the coming year, and three — Jackie Goldberg, George McKenna and Nick Melvoin — have publicly said they are open to discussing school police policies and reforms.
Student speakers at the rally expressed pain and fear they experience from the school police presence and their frustration over the lack of much needed services. They also called for greater diversity among teachers.
Thandiwe Abdullah, 16, a recent graduate of the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, said “I hated my school,” and criticized the administration for assigning a white instructor to teach ethnic studies, for placing her in classes with only two Black teachers from middle school through high school, and for involving school police officers who made her feel criminalized, rather than a psychiatric social worker, when she needed support.
Schools should spend the police budget on investment in curriculum that imparts more Black and Latino stories and on services for those youth, she said.
“We have never been silent about what we wanted,” she said. “We know what we want. We know what we need.”
Labor Community Strategy Center organizer Channing Martinez spoke about the years-long effort to end policing at schools, including work to stop suspensions for “willful defiance” and the ticketing of tardy students on their way to school. Organizers also successfully pressured the school system to return weapons from the federal government.
Each of those wins represents a thread of racism extracted from a large fabric of oppression in Los Angeles Unified, Martinez said. “Might as well just burn the fabric.”
Brianna Parnell, a 2019 Gardena High School graduate, told those assembled that, when she was 7 years old, police killed her father and more recently her 18-year-old cousin. Demonstrators chanted each of their names in response.
At school, Parnell said, she saw Black students targeted for minor offenses like talking back.
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“Do you think the dean believed the Black girl with the box braids and the pink backpack or the terrified teacher” with too many students in her classroom? Parnell asked.
Cecily Myart-Cruz, a Black Lives L.A. member and president-elect of United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents the district’s teachers, nurses, librarians and counselors, spoke on the steps of L.A. Unified headquarters.
“Let our imaginations fly in police-free zones,” she said, “where our students do more than survive — they thrive.”
Members of a union that represents district classified employees, SEIU 99, also participated in the march. In an email statement, SEIU 99 president Max Arias said the union does not support eliminating the school police department. Instead, it supports “no guns, no handcuffs, no pepper spray on our children” as well as “more investment in education, counseling, parent engagement, after school programs.”
L.A. School Police Association President Gil Gamez has said officers are necessary to keep the peace on campus and are trained to deescalate situations among students. His and five other unions released a joint letter Monday asking the school board to keep the police department intact.
On Sunday, L.A. Unified spokeswoman Shannon Haber said school police used pepper spray on at least five students during the 2018 calendar year, at least seven in 2019 and at least one thus far in 2020.
On Tuesday she said that in 2019, school police pepper spray impacted a total of seven students at six different schools. The 2020 incident involved one student at one school, she said. Youth advocates say the numbers of students affected are an undercount.
Haber would not say where or when the 2019 incidents happened or why police pepper sprayed students. The district has not provided The Times with police documentation or incident reports related to pepper spray or other school police weapon use.
During the school board meeting, three parent activists spoke in support of school police.
“The system isn’t perfect and needs to be changed, but leaving campus exposed without an officer” would be the wrong course of action, said Ofelia Sofia Ryan, a member of the group Padres Unidos.
Having to rely on city police would be worse, she added: “School police is a better option because you can decide what training they need and what protocol to follow in working with students.”
Maria Parra said she had seen campus police work as mentors to students, helping them turn their lives around and become successful.


latimes--2020-06-16--Mysterious explosion, fire shuts down Highway 1 in beach town north of San Francisco

Authorities closed Highway 1 after fire from an explosion spread to multiple buildings Tuesday in a beach community just north of San Francisco .
Two people suffered minor injuries but refused treatment following the blast around 8:40 a.m. in Stinson Beach , the Marin Independent Journal reported .
The explosion blew off the roof a businesses and sparked a blaze that spread to other structures .
Two buildings were destroyed and two others were damaged , said Laine Hendricks , spokeswoman for the Marin County Fire Department .
The California Highway Patrol shut down the two-lane coastal route as crews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electric Co. workers de-energized power lines in the area while authorities investigated the cause of the explosion .
Resident Ginny Felch , who lives about a half-mile away , said the explosion woke her .
“ I went outside and saw thick black plumes of smoke blowing up towards our home , ” she told the newspaper .
“ I never heard anything like it .
I thought it was a car crash with a tanker or something.
” Michelle Fox , who is staying at a home two blocks away , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was brutal , ” she said .
“ I thought it was an earthquake and the roof over my house was caving in .
”

An explosion and fire forced authorities on Tuesday to shut down Highway 1 in Stinson Beach, seen here in a 2004 file photo.
Authorities closed Highway 1 after fire from an explosion spread to multiple buildings Tuesday in a beach community just north of San Francisco.
Two people suffered minor injuries but refused treatment following the blast around 8:40 a.m. in Stinson Beach, the Marin Independent Journal reported.
The explosion blew off the roof a businesses and sparked a blaze that spread to other structures.
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Two buildings were destroyed and two others were damaged, said Laine Hendricks, spokeswoman for the Marin County Fire Department.
The California Highway Patrol shut down the two-lane coastal route as crews cleaned up debris.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. workers de-energized power lines in the area while authorities investigated the cause of the explosion.
Resident Ginny Felch, who lives about a half-mile away, said the explosion woke her.
“I went outside and saw thick black plumes of smoke blowing up towards our home,” she told the newspaper. “I never heard anything like it. I thought it was a car crash with a tanker or something.”
Michelle Fox, who is staying at a home two blocks away, said she felt the ground shake.
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“It was brutal,” she said. “I thought it was an earthquake and the roof over my house was caving in.”


latimes--2020-06-16--'They were bent on silencing us': Groups clash in Orange County over mask requirements

A small group opposed to Orange County ’ s relaxed rules on face coverings amid the COVID-19 pandemic was met Tuesday by a much louder crowd intent on drowning out their message .
About 25 Orange County union leaders gathered on the steps of the county administration building to call on health officials to reinstate an order requiring that residents wear masks when conducting essential business .
Five speakers tried to discuss the necessity of face coverings during a gathering organized by the Orange County Labor Federation , a group representing about 90 local unions , including healthcare workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they largely could not be heard over the roar of protesters , who crowded around them holding signs and shouting , “ Hey hey , ho ho , these masks have got to go ” and “ Fake news has got to go ” in singsong refrains .
Protesters screamed at speakers and pushed them , mocking them for sanitizing their hands .
They even tried to hit them in the head with their signs , said Luis Aleman , a project lead for the Orange County Labor Federation .
“ They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We expected this to happen , but we are going to be undeterred about our message .
We saw 100 folks go out and tell the county Board of Supervisors that we don ’ t need masks .
There ’ s a lot more people on the side of doctors and scientists saying that masks should be a required part of public policy.
” Gloria Alvarado , the executive director of the labor federation , said the county ’ s loosened mask policy has put workers and healthcare professionals at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grocery stores have told stories of being spit on and yelled at by residents who don ’ t want to wear a mask , she said .
“ That ’ s what ’ s painful , ” she said .
“ A few weeks ago , we were celebrating the heroes , the frontline workers .
Now they ’ re asking us to stand with them for safety , and we see people in the community saying no.
” The encounter emphasized the potency of mask politics , which came to a head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new health officer rolled back a mandatory order on face coverings within days of his predecessor ’ s resignation and amid pressure from the Board of Supervisors .
The battle over masks began in May , when then-county health officer Dr. Nichole Quick issued an order requiring that county residents and visitors wear cloth face coverings while in a public place , at work or visiting a business where they are unable to stay six feet apart .
The move set off a firestorm of controversy as some residents and elected officials challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings as more businesses in the region continued to reopen .
Quick herself became a target for criticism during county Board of Supervisors meetings , with some residents castigating her for the order .
During one meeting , public speakers displayed a poster showing Quick ’ s photo with a Hitler mustache and swastikas .
The Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department provided a security detail for the doctor after she received what officials deemed to during a meeting last month .
After several intense weeks defending her order , Quick resigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left , Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau was appointed as the interim health officer and was immediately peppered with questions from the Board of Supervisors about when he would lift the mask order .
Two days later , he rolled back the requirement .
The new order strongly recommends that people wear masks in public settings but stops short of mandating it .
“ I want to be clear : This does not diminish the importance of face coverings , ” Chau said Thursday .
“ I stand with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives.
” The Orange County Medical Assn .
last week called Quick ’ s resignation a “ dangerous precedent that should concern all of us ” and said that “ we must ... not allow bullying to drive the health recommendations that can keep us safe and healthy.
” The dispute has unfolded as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Orange County .
Health officials on Tuesday reported 248 new infections and 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll to 233 .
The county has seen nearly 9,000 cases of the virus over the course of the pandemic .
Roughly 4,185 people have since recovered , according to county data .
Some cities have instituted stricter mask requirements despite the county ’ s relaxed order .
Costa Mesa and Irvine have both mandated face coverings for customers and workers in businesses when staying six feet apart isn ’ t possible .
Customers and workers in Laguna Beach are required to wear face coverings at all times when inside businesses .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not wearing a face covering when entering an essential business should be refused service and asked to leave the premises.
” “ We are far from out of the woods on this pandemic , and medical experts agree that face coverings will reduce the community spread of COVID-19 , ” Mayor Bob Whalen said .
“ I urge residents and visitors to Laguna Beach to be smart , think of others and wear a face covering where you can ’ t physically distance.
” Health experts have expressed alarm at Orange County ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , saying it will make it harder to prevent new outbreaks of the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s the only way we get back to work — it ’ s to mask , ” Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo , UC San Francisco chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , said last week .
“ All of the data tells us ... it ’ s pretty clear that masking is the element that changes the trajectories of the COVID pandemic.
” Times staff writers Luke Money and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed @ @ @ @

A man jogs along Harbor Boulevard in downtown Fullerton last week after Orange County rescinded its mask order.
A small group opposed to Orange County’s relaxed rules on face coverings amid the COVID-19 pandemic was met Tuesday by a much louder crowd intent on drowning out their message.
About 25 Orange County union leaders gathered on the steps of the county administration building to call on health officials to reinstate an order requiring that residents wear masks when conducting essential business.
Five speakers tried to discuss the necessity of face coverings during a gathering organized by the Orange County Labor Federation, a group representing about 90 local unions, including healthcare workers, grocery employees and first responders.
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But they largely could not be heard over the roar of protesters, who crowded around them holding signs and shouting, “Hey hey, ho ho, these masks have got to go” and “Fake news has got to go” in singsong refrains.
Protesters screamed at speakers and pushed them, mocking them for sanitizing their hands. They even tried to hit them in the head with their signs, said Luis Aleman, a project lead for the Orange County Labor Federation.
“They were bent on silencing us,” he said. “We expected this to happen, but we are going to be undeterred about our message. We saw 100 folks go out and tell the county Board of Supervisors that we don’t need masks. There’s a lot more people on the side of doctors and scientists saying that masks should be a required part of public policy.”
Gloria Alvarado, the executive director of the labor federation, said the county’s loosened mask policy has put workers and healthcare professionals at risk. Union members who work in grocery stores have told stories of being spit on and yelled at by residents who don’t want to wear a mask, she said.
“That’s what’s painful,” she said. “A few weeks ago, we were celebrating the heroes, the frontline workers. Now they’re asking us to stand with them for safety, and we see people in the community saying no.”
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The encounter emphasized the potency of mask politics, which came to a head in the county last week when the new health officer rolled back a mandatory order on face coverings within days of his predecessor’s resignation and amid pressure from the Board of Supervisors.
The battle over masks began in May, when then-county health officer Dr. Nichole Quick issued an order requiring that county residents and visitors wear cloth face coverings while in a public place, at work or visiting a business where they are unable to stay six feet apart.
The move set off a firestorm of controversy as some residents and elected officials challenged the need for the widespread use of face coverings as more businesses in the region continued to reopen .
Quick herself became a target for criticism during county Board of Supervisors meetings, with some residents castigating her for the order. During one meeting, public speakers displayed a poster showing Quick’s photo with a Hitler mustache and swastikas.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provided a security detail for the doctor after she received what officials deemed to be a death threat during a meeting last month. After several intense weeks defending her order, Quick resigned last week.
A day after she left, Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau was appointed as the interim health officer and was immediately peppered with questions from the Board of Supervisors about when he would lift the mask order. Two days later, he rolled back the requirement. The new order strongly recommends that people wear masks in public settings but stops short of mandating it.
“I want to be clear: This does not diminish the importance of face coverings,” Chau said Thursday. “I stand with the public health experts and believe wearing cloth face coverings helps to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community and save lives.”
The Orange County Medical Assn. last week called Quick’s resignation a “dangerous precedent that should concern all of us” and said that “we must ... not allow bullying to drive the health recommendations that can keep us safe and healthy.”
The dispute has unfolded as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Orange County.
Health officials on Tuesday reported 248 new infections and 12 new fatalities, bringing the countywide death toll to 233. The county has seen nearly 9,000 cases of the virus over the course of the pandemic. Roughly 4,185 people have since recovered, according to county data.
Some cities have instituted stricter mask requirements despite the county’s relaxed order. Costa Mesa and Irvine have both mandated face coverings for customers and workers in businesses when staying six feet apart isn’t possible.
Customers and workers in Laguna Beach are required to wear face coverings at all times when inside businesses. The city has noted that “any customer not wearing a face covering when entering an essential business should be refused service and asked to leave the premises.”
“We are far from out of the woods on this pandemic, and medical experts agree that face coverings will reduce the community spread of COVID-19,” Mayor Bob Whalen said. “I urge residents and visitors to Laguna Beach to be smart, think of others and wear a face covering where you can’t physically distance.”
Health experts have expressed alarm at Orange County’s actions and the large rebellion over masks, saying it will make it harder to prevent new outbreaks of the coronavirus.
“It’s the only way we get back to work — it’s to mask,” Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, UC San Francisco chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, said last week. “All of the data tells us ... it’s pretty clear that masking is the element that changes the trajectories of the COVID pandemic.”
Times staff writers Luke Money and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-16--60 Freeway lanes will be closed four nights this week for 'Swarm' project

There has never been a better time to stay home , especially if you were thinking about a drive on the 60 Freeway this week .
Lanes of the east-west artery will be closed , in alternating directions , in the Chino area over the next four nights so crews can work on replacing the Pipeline Avenue bridge , according to the California Department of Transportation .
To accommodate that , the following closures will be in place : • Tuesday : The westbound 60 will be completely closed between Ramona and Pipeline avenues from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lanes will be closed from Ramona to Pipeline from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. , and the westbound Ramona onramp also will be closed during that time .
• Wednesday : The eastbound 60 will be fully closed from Reservoir Street to Pipeline Avenue from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m .
The westbound carpool and # 1 lanes will be closed in the same area from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. , and the eastbound Reservoir onramp will be inaccessible from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. • Friday : The same closures as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be fully closed between Reservoir and Pipeline from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Detours will be in place .
Replacing the Pipeline bridge — along with those at Monte Vista and Benson avenues — is one facet of what Caltrans calls the “ 60 Swarm , ” a roughly $ 157.5-million effort that also entails replacing deteriorating pavement along the roadway in San Bernardino and Riverside counties .

Traffic flows along the 60 Freeway in Ontario. There will be significant overnight closures on the thoroughfare through Chino this week.
There has never been a better time to stay home, especially if you were thinking about a drive on the 60 Freeway this week.
Lanes of the east-west artery will be closed, in alternating directions, in the Chino area over the next four nights so crews can work on replacing the Pipeline Avenue bridge, according to the California Department of Transportation.
To accommodate that, the following closures will be in place:
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Tuesday: The westbound 60 will be completely closed between Ramona and Pipeline avenues from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The eastbound carpool and #1 lanes will be closed from Ramona to Pipeline from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the westbound Ramona onramp also will be closed during that time.
The westbound 60 will be completely closed between Ramona and Pipeline avenues from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The eastbound carpool and #1 lanes will be closed from Ramona to Pipeline from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the westbound Ramona onramp also will be closed during that time. Wednesday: The eastbound 60 will be fully closed from Reservoir Street to Pipeline Avenue from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The westbound carpool and #1 lanes will be closed in the same area from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the eastbound Reservoir onramp will be inaccessible from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The eastbound 60 will be fully closed from Reservoir Street to Pipeline Avenue from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The westbound carpool and #1 lanes will be closed in the same area from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the eastbound Reservoir onramp will be inaccessible from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday: Same closures as Tuesday.
Same closures as Tuesday. Friday: The same closures as Wednesday, except the eastbound 60 will be fully closed between Reservoir and Pipeline from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
#60Swarm Three Bridges Project continues on Tuesday, June 16 with overnight full-directional closures. 10:00pm to 4:00am.
For updates go to https://t.co/vzONoBP16I or call 1-833-60-SWARM pic.twitter.com/W9cz5wdsS2 — Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) June 15, 2020
Detours will be in place.
Replacing the Pipeline bridge — along with those at Monte Vista and Benson avenues — is one facet of what Caltrans calls the “60 Swarm,” a roughly $157.5-million effort that also entails replacing deteriorating pavement along the roadway in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.


latimes--2020-06-16--Statue of colonizer John Sutter removed after being defaced in Sacramento

A statue of John Sutter , a colonizer of California during the Gold Rush and the founder of Sutter ’ s Fort , was taken down Monday at Sutter Medical Center amid complaints of racism , according to officials .
Last week , as monuments were being removed across the globe — sometimes forcibly — the statue of Sutter was , according to reports .
Officials decided this week to remove the statue “ out of respect for some community members ’ viewpoints , and in the interest of public safety for patients and staff , ” a Sutter Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations happening across the country about the appropriate representation of statues and monuments , and we look forward to listening to and participating in future conversations about how our own community may display artwork from the different communities and individuals that have played important roles in Sacramento ’ s history , ” a news statement said .
The 8-foot-tall statue was created in 1987 and donated to then-Sutter General Hospital by the The statue ’ s inscription noted it was to commemorate “ a man of vision and compassion.
” The origins of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its first hospital was named after neighboring Sutter ’ s Fort , which cared for Gold Rush pioneers as Sacramento ’ s first hospital , according to the hospital system .
Though much of Sacramento is named after Sutter , he has been a controversial figure for decades .
Historians have written about the German-born Swiss immigrant who enslaved hundreds of Native Americans , forcing them to work and defend the territory .
A called Sutter a “ shrewd businessman ” and a key player in the genocide of Native Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Diana Tumminia , a founding member of Statewide Coalition Against Racist Symbols , said the reinvigoration of the Black Lives Matter movement made the removal of Sutter ’ s statue possible .
“ For five years we ’ ve been planning demonstrations at Sutter ’ s Fort , but [ the statue ] never actually came [ down ] because [ Sutter ] was such a powerful symbol , ” said Tumminia , a retired professor who taught race relations .
“ This is a long time coming.
” The statue will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its original donors at a later date , a Sutter Health spokesperson said .

Workers remove a statue of John Sutter, a Swiss settler who built the first European settlement on the site of the city of Sacramento, outside Sutter Medical Center on Monday.
A statue of John Sutter, a colonizer of California during the Gold Rush and the founder of Sutter’s Fort, was taken down Monday at Sutter Medical Center amid complaints of racism, according to officials.
Last week, as monuments were being removed across the globe — sometimes forcibly — the statue of Sutter was vandalized with red paint , according to reports.
Officials decided this week to remove the statue “out of respect for some community members’ viewpoints, and in the interest of public safety for patients and staff,” a Sutter Health spokesperson said.
“There are important conversations happening across the country about the appropriate representation of statues and monuments, and we look forward to listening to and participating in future conversations about how our own community may display artwork from the different communities and individuals that have played important roles in Sacramento’s history,” a news statement said.
The 8-foot-tall statue was created in 1987 and donated to then-Sutter General Hospital by the United Swiss Lodge. The statue’s inscription noted it was to commemorate “a man of vision and compassion.”
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The origins of Sutter Health are linked to John Sutter. Its first hospital was named after neighboring Sutter’s Fort, which cared for Gold Rush pioneers as Sacramento’s first hospital, according to the hospital system.
Though much of Sacramento is named after Sutter, he has been a controversial figure for decades. Historians have written about the German-born Swiss immigrant who enslaved hundreds of Native Americans, forcing them to work and defend the territory. A History Channel article called Sutter a “shrewd businessman” and a key player in the genocide of Native Americans, many of whom he reportedly sexually assaulted.
Diana Tumminia, a founding member of Statewide Coalition Against Racist Symbols, said the reinvigoration of the Black Lives Matter movement made the removal of Sutter’s statue possible.
“For five years we’ve been planning demonstrations at Sutter’s Fort, but [the statue] never actually came [down] because [Sutter] was such a powerful symbol,” said Tumminia, a retired professor who taught race relations. “This is a long time coming.”
The statue will be kept in storage and returned to its original donors at a later date, a Sutter Health spokesperson said.


latimes--2020-06-16--DEA investigating drug thefts and damage at 177 pharmacies in L.A. area

At least 177 pharmacies were burglarized or damaged during recent unrest in the Los Angeles area , disrupting some residents ’ access to medication and raising concerns that the stolen drugs will be resold on the street .
Local and federal law enforcement officials believe organized groups targeted the businesses because they stock prescription drugs , which are easy to carry off in large amounts and can be resold for a high profit on the street .
Officials said the groups took advantage of the peaceful protests and were not connected to them .
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration totted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles and Riverside counties , agency officials said .
Two pharmacies — one in Huntington Park and one in Van Nuys — were destroyed by fire .
The DEA also has received 54 reports from pharmacies in the two counties of more than $ 534,000 in thefts and damage .
Many other pharmacies in the region “ are still in the process of taking inventory and will report their losses in the future , ” the DEA said .
Such reports are mandated when licensed pharmacies lose significant amounts of controlled substances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have helped fuel the nation ’ s deadly opioid epidemic .
The DEA said it was working with the California State Board of Pharmacy and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the thefts .
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said federal agents had told him that the pharmacies were intentionally targeted .
The Board of Pharmacy issued a statement earlier this month advising pharmacies in “ impacted areas ” to board up their buildings to limit damage and “ prevent drug losses , ” and to move inventory and sensitive medical records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to “ inventory all dangerous drugs and devices to identify any losses.
” The board also said pharmacies should carefully check drugs that were in areas that were broken into but were left behind by burglars to be sure they were not tampered with .
It noted that pharmacies were required to report losses to it and the DEA and said security videos should be saved for the police and the DEA .
As for patients whose pharmacies were closed as a result of the unrest , Department of Consumer Affairs spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they reach out to have their prescriptions sent to another pharmacy to be filled or ask their provider if they could receive their medicines another way .
As a rule , she noted , patients should keep a list of their medical contacts and current medications in the event of an emergency .
CVS , a pharmacy chain with a large presence in the region , said it had at least 10 store closures in Los Angeles and some damage .
Other stores were temporarily closed “ as a precaution to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thibault , a company spokeswoman .
Customers whose pharmacies were closed were temporarily rerouted to other stores nearby , Thibault said .
As of this week , only one CVS store , in the 1300 block of South La Brea Avenue , remained closed .
Reopening is expected next month after repairs are completed .
“ Each closed pharmacy ’ s phone system has been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open so all patients will continue to have access to pharmacy care , ” Thibault said .
In 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into during unrest following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered in police custody .
Law enforcement in Baltimore also believed then that organized groups were responsible and said the stolen drugs were eventually sold off in open-air drug markets in the city .
The DEA investigated those incidents as well .
It initially calculated 175,000 drug doses had been stolen but later upped that count to nearly 315,000 doses — more than 40 % of which were powerful opioids including fentanyl , methadone and oxycodone .
Harms said pharmacies in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audits to determine their losses individually before reporting those figures to the DEA .
Los Angeles Times reporters Jaclyn Cosgrove , Melissa Etehad and Tania Ganguli contributed to this article .

At least 177 pharmacies were burglarized or damaged during recent unrest in the Los Angeles area, disrupting some residents’ access to medication and raising concerns that the stolen drugs will be resold on the street.
Local and federal law enforcement officials believe organized groups targeted the businesses because they stock prescription drugs, which are easy to carry off in large amounts and can be resold for a high profit on the street. Officials said the groups took advantage of the peaceful protests and were not connected to them.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration totted up 177 pharmacies burglarized or damaged in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, agency officials said. Two pharmacies — one in Huntington Park and one in Van Nuys — were destroyed by fire.
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The DEA also has received 54 reports from pharmacies in the two counties of more than $534,000 in thefts and damage. Many other pharmacies in the region “are still in the process of taking inventory and will report their losses in the future,” the DEA said.
Such reports are mandated when licensed pharmacies lose significant amounts of controlled substances, like prescription opioids. Such medications have helped fuel the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic.
The DEA said it was working with the California State Board of Pharmacy and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the thefts.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said federal agents had told him that the pharmacies were intentionally targeted.
The Board of Pharmacy issued a statement earlier this month advising pharmacies in “impacted areas” to board up their buildings to limit damage and “prevent drug losses,” and to move inventory and sensitive medical records to safer locations. It also advised them to “inventory all dangerous drugs and devices to identify any losses.”
The board also said pharmacies should carefully check drugs that were in areas that were broken into but were left behind by burglars to be sure they were not tampered with.
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It noted that pharmacies were required to report losses to it and the DEA and said security videos should be saved for the police and the DEA.
As for patients whose pharmacies were closed as a result of the unrest, Department of Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Veronica Harms said the pharmacy board recommended that they reach out to have their prescriptions sent to another pharmacy to be filled or ask their provider if they could receive their medicines another way.
As a rule, she noted, patients should keep a list of their medical contacts and current medications in the event of an emergency.
CVS, a pharmacy chain with a large presence in the region, said it had at least 10 store closures in Los Angeles and some damage. Other stores were temporarily closed “as a precaution to keep our employees safe,” said Amy Thibault, a company spokeswoman.
Customers whose pharmacies were closed were temporarily rerouted to other stores nearby, Thibault said. As of this week, only one CVS store, in the 1300 block of South La Brea Avenue, remained closed. Reopening is expected next month after repairs are completed.
“Each closed pharmacy’s phone system has been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open so all patients will continue to have access to pharmacy care,” Thibault said.
In 2015, nearly 30 pharmacies in Baltimore were broken into during unrest following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered in police custody. Law enforcement in Baltimore also believed then that organized groups were responsible and said the stolen drugs were eventually sold off in open-air drug markets in the city.
The DEA investigated those incidents as well. It initially calculated 175,000 drug doses had been stolen but later upped that count to nearly 315,000 doses — more than 40% of which were powerful opioids including fentanyl, methadone and oxycodone.
Harms said pharmacies in Los Angeles would have to conduct their own audits to determine their losses individually before reporting those figures to the DEA.
Los Angeles Times reporters Jaclyn Cosgrove, Melissa Etehad and Tania Ganguli contributed to this article.