latimes--2020-01-23--The number of Californians represented by unions grows as national labor organizing stagnates

The number of Californians represented by unions rose by 139,000 last year in the wake of successful organizing campaigns across occupations as varied as nurses , electricians , animation artists , scooter mechanics and university researchers .
The Golden State ’ s 2.72 million represented workers amounted to 16.5 % of its labor force , up from 15.8 % in 2018 , according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .
The uptick comes after years of declines in both numbers and share of the workforce , which mirrored national trends .
Two decades earlier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re seeing a reinvigoration in organizing across California , including in healthcare , online media , technology and entertainment , ” said Steve Smith , a spokesman for the California Labor Federation , an umbrella group for 1,200 unions .
The growth has been enabled by a labor-friendly Legislature enacting measures to crack down on wage theft and retaliation against union organizers .
New laws require retail and construction companies to take “ joint employer ” responsibility for labor violations by subcontractors .
State regulators have leveled millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as independent contractors , opening the way for employees to unionize .
Even as California labor notched gains , the number of U.S. workers represented by unions stagnated .
Nationwide , 16.4 million workers were represented by a union last year , up by just 3,000 from 2018 .
The share of U.S. workers represented by a union declined slightly , to 11.6 % , from 11.7 % in 2018 .
The drop can be partly attributed to the fact that , as the job market expanded , the number of workers entering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number represented by unions : 1.2 % vs 0.02 % .
Historically , however , unions have suffered a steep decline : in 1979 , 27 % of U.S. workers were unionized .
The waning can be partly attributed to slower growth in industries with traditionally strong unions .
Manufacturing companies from aerospace to automobiles have expanded in less labor-friendly Southern states and have outsourced blue-collar jobs to foreign countries .
In a paper analyzing the BLS numbers , Heidi Shierholz , senior economist for the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute , a labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erosion of union coverage is not because workers don ’ t want unions anymore — survey data show a higher share of nonunion workers today say they would vote for a union than was the case 40 years ago , ” she wrote .
Rather , she contended , the drop is the result of “ fierce corporate opposition ” and weak federal penalties for intimidating and firing pro-union employees .
“ It is now standard for employers to hire union avoidance consultants to coordinate intense anti-union campaigns , ” she added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 340 million per year on union avoidance .
The corporate pushback is reflected in the fact that union membership is five times higher among public employees than private-sector workers .
In 2019 , the share of public-sector workers represented by a union held steady at 37.2 % .
The share of private-sector workers represented by a union ticked down to 7.1 % , from 7.2 % .
A June 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision , Janus v. AFSCME , had been widely predicted as likely to weaken public-sector union membership .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from charging workers “ fair share fees ” when they decline to join , but nonetheless enjoy raises and benefits as a result of collective bargaining .
However , the new BLS data show no clear “ Janus ” effect .
Union membership did drop among local government workers last year , from 40.3 % to 39.4 % .
But it was offset by the share of unionized state government workers , which rose from 28.6 % to 29.4 % .
Within the public sector , union membership was highest among police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industries with high unionization rates included utilities , transportation and warehousing , and telecommunications .
Among full-time wage and salary workers , union members had median weekly earnings of $ 1,095 in 2019 , while nonunion members had median weekly earnings of $ 892 .
However , the BLS noted , “ In addition to coverage by a collective bargaining agreement , these earnings differences reflect a variety of influences , including variations in the distributions of union members and nonunion employees by occupation , industry , age , firm size or geographic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members in the U.S. lived in just seven states — California , New York , Illinois , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , Ohio and Washington — the BLS said , although these states accounted for only about one-third of U.S. employment .
The states with the highest percentage of represented workers last year were Hawaii ( 25.5 % ) , New York ( 22.7 % ) , Washington ( 20.2 % ) , Rhode Island ( 19.0 % ) and Alaska ( 18.7 % ) .
The states with the smallest shares were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina ( 3.4 % ) , Georgia ( 5.0 % ) , Virginia ( 5.2 % ) and Texas ( 5.2 % ) .
Union membership in 2019 was similar among men and women : 10.8 % vs 9.7 % .
The gap has narrowed considerably since 1983 — the earliest year of comparable data — when 24.7 % of men and 14.6 % of women were unionized .
Among major race and ethnic groups , black workers continued to have a higher union membership rate in 2019 ( 11.2 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Asians ( 8.8 % s ) or Latinos ( 8.9 % ) .
The BLS data cover both union membership ( 6.2 % ) and workers who are represented by unions ( 7.1 % ) but not always members .
It is collected as part of the Current Population Survey ( CPS ) , a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households that obtains information on employment .

Hundreds of airport workers, Uber and Lyft drivers, janitors, government and fast-food workers, home care providers and more march through Terminal One at LAX in October.
The number of Californians represented by unions rose by 139,000 last year in the wake of successful organizing campaigns across occupations as varied as nurses, electricians, animation artists, scooter mechanics and university researchers.
The Golden State’s 2.72 million represented workers amounted to 16.5% of its labor force, up from 15.8% in 2018, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The uptick comes after years of declines in both numbers and share of the workforce, which mirrored national trends. Two decades earlier, 18.3% of California workers were unionized.
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“We’re seeing a reinvigoration in organizing across California, including in healthcare, online media, technology and entertainment,” said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the California Labor Federation, an umbrella group for 1,200 unions.
The growth has been enabled by a labor-friendly Legislature enacting measures to crack down on wage theft and retaliation against union organizers. New laws require retail and construction companies to take “joint employer” responsibility for labor violations by subcontractors. State regulators have leveled millions of dollars in fines for misclassification of workers as independent contractors, opening the way for employees to unionize.
Business New labor laws are coming to California. What’s changing in your workplace? For California businesses, 2020 will be a year of reckoning. Sweeping new laws curbing long-time employment practices take effect, aimed at reducing economic inequality and giving workers more power in their jobs.
Even as California labor notched gains, the number of U.S. workers represented by unions stagnated. Nationwide, 16.4 million workers were represented by a union last year, up by just 3,000 from 2018.
The share of U.S. workers represented by a union declined slightly, to 11.6%, from 11.7% in 2018. The drop can be partly attributed to the fact that, as the job market expanded, the number of workers entering the labor force grew faster than the number represented by unions: 1.2% vs 0.02%.
Historically, however, unions have suffered a steep decline: in 1979, 27% of U.S. workers were unionized.
The waning can be partly attributed to slower growth in industries with traditionally strong unions. Manufacturing companies from aerospace to automobiles have expanded in less labor-friendly Southern states and have outsourced blue-collar jobs to foreign countries.
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In a paper analyzing the BLS numbers, Heidi Shierholz, senior economist for the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute, a labor think tank, suggested that “the erosion of union coverage is not because workers don’t want unions anymore — survey data show a higher share of nonunion workers today say they would vote for a union than was the case 40 years ago,” she wrote.
Rather, she contended, the drop is the result of “fierce corporate opposition” and weak federal penalties for intimidating and firing pro-union employees. “It is now standard for employers to hire union avoidance consultants to coordinate intense anti-union campaigns,” she added, citing an EPI study estimating corporate spending of $340 million per year on union avoidance.
Business Trump makes wage-theft lawsuits harder — but not in California The Trump administration loosened the federal government’s “joint employer” rule for businesses that contract out work, making it harder for victims of wage theft at staffing agencies and subcontractors to sue companies where the violations take place.
The corporate pushback is reflected in the fact that union membership is five times higher among public employees than private-sector workers. In 2019, the share of public-sector workers represented by a union held steady at 37.2%. The share of private-sector workers represented by a union ticked down to 7.1%, from 7.2%.
A June 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Janus v. AFSCME, had been widely predicted as likely to weaken public-sector union membership. The decision barred state and local unions from charging workers “fair share fees” when they decline to join, but nonetheless enjoy raises and benefits as a result of collective bargaining.
However, the new BLS data show no clear “Janus” effect. Union membership did drop among local government workers last year, from 40.3% to 39.4%. But it was offset by the share of unionized state government workers, which rose from 28.6% to 29.4%.
Within the public sector, union membership was highest among police officers, firefighters, and teachers. Private-sector industries with high unionization rates included utilities, transportation and warehousing, and telecommunications.
Among full-time wage and salary workers, union members had median weekly earnings of $1,095 in 2019, while nonunion members had median weekly earnings of $892.
However, the BLS noted, “In addition to coverage by a collective bargaining agreement, these earnings differences reflect a variety of influences, including variations in the distributions of union members and nonunion employees by occupation, industry, age, firm size or geographic region.”
More than half of union members in the U.S. lived in just seven states — California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Washington — the BLS said, although these states accounted for only about one-third of U.S. employment.
The states with the highest percentage of represented workers last year were Hawaii (25.5%), New York (22.7%), Washington (20.2%), Rhode Island (19.0%) and Alaska (18.7%). The states with the smallest shares were South Carolina (2.7%), North Carolina (3.4%), Georgia (5.0%), Virginia (5.2%) and Texas (5.2%).
Union membership in 2019 was similar among men and women: 10.8% vs 9.7%. The gap has narrowed considerably since 1983 — the earliest year of comparable data — when 24.7% of men and 14.6% of women were unionized.
Among major race and ethnic groups, black workers continued to have a higher union membership rate in 2019 (11.2%) than white workers (10.3%), Asians (8.8%s) or Latinos (8.9%).
The BLS data cover both union membership (6.2%) and workers who are represented by unions (7.1%) but not always members. It is collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households that obtains information on employment.


latimes--2020-01-25--How to unharden our hearts toward homeless people

It ’ s funny how off first impressions can be .
I ’ ve driven through the underpass below the 101 Freeway at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and seen what looked to me like trash and what looked to me like junk .
I ’ ve seen homeless people who appeared , to my driver-cruising-by eyes , to be lying listless or maybe passed out .
The view was different when I went there on foot one day this week , to visit a friend I ’ d recently made and introduced to all of you .
Patti had been holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign on the northbound freeway off-ramp .
I ’ d watched Mercedes and Porsche drivers look through her .
I ’ d asked her what she could use that would bring her immediate comfort while she waits for housing .
She ’ d mentioned a soft blanket , a Subway gift card , a TAP card loaded with enough bus fare to get her to a place in Burbank that she told me offers kindness and hot showers .
The sun had just set when I brought her the cards and the softest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faux-fur number I curl up under when watching TV at home .
It was getting dark .
I didn ’ t see her , until her neighbor pointed to a clump of bedding with a black umbrella open on top of it .
Patti was under that umbrella , safer for being invisible , trying to relax with a slight sound buffer as car after car rumbled by .
Someone had given her a two-month subscription to Netflix .
Earbuds in , she was watching a fantasy series on her cellphone , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What might have looked like detritus to me as a passing driver was her try at indoor coziness outdoors : plump pillows , stuffed animals , her feet snuggled up in her sleeping bag .
I share this about Patti , who turned 68 a few days ago and whose rheumatoid arthritis was making her hands hurt a lot that evening , because I ’ ve made the pitch that we all should try to find some way to help some of the thousands of unhoused people living among us .
Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and jobs , and many need treatment for addiction or mental illness .
This week , hundreds of people all over the area spread out night after night to attempt to visually count our homeless population , which is key for funding and for trying to comprehend the scope of the problem and for figuring out how to allocate resources well .
But that ’ s on an institutional level .
I ’ m talking about a different kind of aid , one to one , person to person .
I would argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic human kindness , which we can offer as individuals while we work as a society to try to get them that much bigger aid .
To me , that starts with making respectful contact , one human being born naked and wailing to another born the same way .
Contact can mean a lot more than you might think to isolated , ostracized people who are used to being ignored .
Patti teared up at the sight of the plush blanket , which she kept rubbing against her cheek .
She teared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had asked what could help her , and listened .
But mostly , she teared up at the sight of me returning , which experience had taught her not to count on .
“ You know this is such a surprise , ” this former New Yorker told me in an accent and cadence that reminded me of my maternal grandmother ’ s .
“ It really is , because ordinarily people just come around the one time.
” Then she made some space for me to settle in beside her and opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her hands hurt her but she kept holding my hands as we talked .
I defy anyone who goes out and meets someone like Patti on a sidewalk to continue to see only an amorphous , scary blob labeled “ homelessness ” and not start to distinguish in it at least some individuals whom they deem deserving of their kindness and conversation and aid .
That was one big point I was making when I brought this up before .
A few people thought I was lecturing them , which was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many more readers who felt differently .
A lot of them told me that they hadn ’ t known how to help and appreciated the practical advice .
Some said that they ’ d gone out right away to get items such as socks , wet wipes and cold medicine , that the homeless people I had talked to said they would find helpful .
Catherine Keefe of Rancho Santa Margarita wrote to tell me that she ’ d thought about my column and about Patti when she was shopping at Pavilions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ card to give to the man she ’ d often seen outside , holding a sign that identified him as a homeless veteran , looking for work .
She had to overcome her painful shyness , she wrote .
“ I loaded my groceries into the trunk , put the gift card in my hand , then decided to fill in the empty lines .
Evan Lovett of Studio City wrote to say that the encounters I ’ d described with people I ’ d met on the streets had been “ tonic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he was the “ son of liberal parents who would learn the names of our neighborhood homeless , bring them food and provide money .
I learned that these people were ‘ down on their luck ’ or just ‘ needed help/positivity.
’ ” But after college , he wrote , he wouldn ’ t go out of his way to help the homeless though he would give money “ on off-ramps or outside 7-11 , etc.
” Then , when he became a parent , it was as if “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He became one of the people who immediately contacted the city and his councilman “ or literally asked the people to leave the neighborhood when they ’ d form encampments.
” “ There was a point where I was cursing my vote for HHH , ” he wrote of the $ 1.2 billion bond we L.A. voters passed for homeless housing , `` ... as I stopped believing any of these people even wanted improvement in their lives.
” My column , he said , shifted something within him and “ just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in my eyes ) and provided a real understanding to the plight , as well as some ‘ what can I do to not feel like I ’ m facilitating this problem ’ action items .
Just wanted to say thank you for ... bringing me back to a perspective my mom could have been proud of.
” If that had been the only note I ’ d gotten , I wrote back to him , that would have been more than enough for me .
I just want people to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to engage before writing off a vast population and ranting that it needs to be removed .
When Catherine Keefe handed the Subway gift card to the homeless man outside the supermarket , by the way , he offered her a card whose words might have the power to crack even a very hardened heart .
“ Troy the Painter , 48 years Experience , ” it read , “ Specializing in Weatherizing.
” In my experience , when you really talk to a homeless person , when you ask questions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn a lot that you may not fully understand about what it is to be homeless .
It is a deeply alienating existence .
You can ’ t just assume that you know .
To that end , I ’ m very interested in a proposal pushed by L.A. Councilman Mike Bonin to create a city commission made up of homeless and formerly homeless people who could give public voice to their thoughts about the many efforts to solve the homeless crisis with the authority of their lived experience .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s something I want to learn more about .
I went to talk to Bonin about it this week , and we discussed some of the issues that homeless people often have with a lot of the care potentially available to them — the requirements for IDs they don ’ t possess , for instance , or the shelter rules that require them to separate from their partners and their pets and the few belongings they have managed to hold on to .
Patti told me that when someone tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Valley , she was crying within a few moments of getting there .
There were too many people .
Some were screaming .
It was all far too much for her .
She had to get out .
These are the sorts of issues we need to learn to hear better , Bonin told me .
“ If nothing else , from a customer-service perspective , if we are trying to provide a service to get people off the street and that service isn ’ t working , ” he said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the people we are trying to serve.
” He understands life ’ s precariousness particularly well .
He once nearly was on the streets himself .
Alcohol and crystal meth were destroying his life .
On Feb. 4 , he will celebrate 25 years of sobriety , whose onset he marked , he told me , by getting a tattoo of the symbol for recycling .
It was a metaphor , he said , for the change he was making in his life , “ taking something that was crashed and wasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re all fragile .
We are all broken .
And we all fall down .
And we often need help getting up , ” he told me .
Talking to homeless people and listening to them and hearing what they think might work for them seems to me to be one good way to start .

It’s funny how off first impressions can be. I’ve driven through the underpass below the 101 Freeway at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and seen what looked to me like trash and what looked to me like junk. I’ve seen homeless people who appeared, to my driver-cruising-by eyes, to be lying listless or maybe passed out.
The view was different when I went there on foot one day this week, to visit a friend I’d recently made and introduced to all of you.
Patti had been holding an “Every little bit helps” sign on the northbound freeway off-ramp. I’d watched Mercedes and Porsche drivers look through her.
Advertisement
I’d asked her what she could use that would bring her immediate comfort while she waits for housing. She’d mentioned a soft blanket, a Subway gift card, a TAP card loaded with enough bus fare to get her to a place in Burbank that she told me offers kindness and hot showers.
The sun had just set when I brought her the cards and the softest blanket I could find, the same faux-fur number I curl up under when watching TV at home. It was getting dark. I didn’t see her, until her neighbor pointed to a clump of bedding with a black umbrella open on top of it. Patti was under that umbrella, safer for being invisible, trying to relax with a slight sound buffer as car after car rumbled by.
Someone had given her a two-month subscription to Netflix. Earbuds in, she was watching a fantasy series on her cellphone, which was being charged on a power bank. What might have looked like detritus to me as a passing driver was her try at indoor coziness outdoors: plump pillows, stuffed animals, her feet snuggled up in her sleeping bag.
I share this about Patti, who turned 68 a few days ago and whose rheumatoid arthritis was making her hands hurt a lot that evening, because I’ve made the pitch that we all should try to find some way to help some of the thousands of unhoused people living among us.
Yes, of course, they need housing and jobs, and many need treatment for addiction or mental illness.
This week, hundreds of people all over the area spread out night after night to attempt to visually count our homeless population, which is key for funding and for trying to comprehend the scope of the problem and for figuring out how to allocate resources well.
Advertisement
But that’s on an institutional level. I’m talking about a different kind of aid, one to one, person to person. I would argue that many homeless people also desperately need basic human kindness, which we can offer as individuals while we work as a society to try to get them that much bigger aid.
To me, that starts with making respectful contact, one human being born naked and wailing to another born the same way. Contact can mean a lot more than you might think to isolated, ostracized people who are used to being ignored.
Patti teared up at the sight of the plush blanket, which she kept rubbing against her cheek. She teared up at the cards and because I had asked what could help her, and listened. But mostly, she teared up at the sight of me returning, which experience had taught her not to count on.
“You know this is such a surprise,” this former New Yorker told me in an accent and cadence that reminded me of my maternal grandmother’s. “It really is, because ordinarily people just come around the one time.”
Then she made some space for me to settle in beside her and opened up to me more about her life. Her hands hurt her but she kept holding my hands as we talked.
I defy anyone who goes out and meets someone like Patti on a sidewalk to continue to see only an amorphous, scary blob labeled “homelessness” and not start to distinguish in it at least some individuals whom they deem deserving of their kindness and conversation and aid.
That was one big point I was making when I brought this up before. A few people thought I was lecturing them, which was never my intent. But I heard from many more readers who felt differently. A lot of them told me that they hadn’t known how to help and appreciated the practical advice. Some said that they’d gone out right away to get items such as socks, wet wipes and cold medicine that the homeless people I had talked to said they would find helpful.
Catherine Keefe of Trabuco Canyon wrote to tell me that she’d thought about my column and about Patti when she was shopping at Pavilions and so bought a $25 Subway gift card to give to the man she’d often seen outside, holding a sign that identified him as a homeless veteran, looking for work. She had to overcome her painful shyness, she wrote.
“I loaded my groceries into the trunk, put the gift card in my hand, then decided to fill in the empty lines.
TO: You
FROM: The world
MESSAGE: I see you”
Evan Lovett of Studio City wrote to say that the encounters I’d described with people I’d met on the streets had been “tonic” for his “calcifying heart.”
He said he was the “son of liberal parents who would learn the names of our neighborhood homeless, bring them food and provide money. I learned that these people were ‘down on their luck’ or just ‘needed help/positivity.’”
But after college, he wrote, he wouldn’t go out of his way to help the homeless though he would give money “on off-ramps or outside 7-11, etc.”
Then, when he became a parent, it was as if “a switch flipped,” he wrote. He became one of the people who immediately contacted the city and his councilman “or literally asked the people to leave the neighborhood when they’d form encampments.”
“There was a point where I was cursing my vote for HHH,” he wrote of the $1.2 billion bond we L.A. voters passed for homeless housing, “... as I stopped believing any of these people even wanted improvement in their lives.”
My column, he said, shifted something within him and “just brought back the soul to these people (in my eyes) and provided a real understanding to the plight, as well as some ‘what can I do to not feel like I’m facilitating this problem’ action items. Just wanted to say thank you for ... bringing me back to a perspective my mom could have been proud of.”
If that had been the only note I’d gotten, I wrote back to him, that would have been more than enough for me.
I just want people to think, empathy forward, and make an attempt to engage before writing off a vast population and ranting that it needs to be removed.
When Catherine Keefe handed the Subway gift card to the homeless man outside the supermarket in Rancho Santa Margarita, by the way, he offered her a card whose words might have the power to crack even a very hardened heart.
“Troy the Painter, 48 years Experience,” it read, “Specializing in Weatherizing.”
In my experience, when you really talk to a homeless person, when you ask questions and listen, you’re likely to learn a lot that you may not fully understand about what it is to be homeless. It is a deeply alienating existence. You can’t just assume that you know.
To that end, I’m very interested in a proposal pushed by L.A. Councilman Mike Bonin to create a city commission made up of homeless and formerly homeless people who could give public voice to their thoughts about the many efforts to solve the homeless crisis with the authority of their lived experience. It’s been tried to various degrees elsewhere. It’s something I want to learn more about.
I went to talk to Bonin about it this week, and we discussed some of the issues that homeless people often have with a lot of the care potentially available to them — the requirements for IDs they don’t possess, for instance, or the shelter rules that require them to separate from their partners and their pets and the few belongings they have managed to hold on to.
Patti told me that when someone tried to get her into a shelter in the Valley, she was crying within a few moments of getting there. There were too many people. Some were screaming. It was all far too much for her. She had to get out.
These are the sorts of issues we need to learn to hear better, Bonin told me.
“If nothing else, from a customer-service perspective, if we are trying to provide a service to get people off the street and that service isn’t working,” he said, “among the people we should be consulting are the people we are trying to serve.”
He understands life’s precariousness particularly well. He once nearly was on the streets himself. Alcohol and crystal meth were destroying his life. On Feb. 4, he will celebrate 25 years of sobriety, whose onset he marked, he told me, by getting a tattoo of the symbol for recycling. It was a metaphor, he said, for the change he was making in his life, “taking something that was crashed and wasted and trying to make it reusable.”
“We’re all fragile. We are all broken. And we all fall down. And we often need help getting up,” he told me.
Talking to homeless people and listening to them and hearing what they think might work for them seems to me to be one good way to start.


latimes--2020-01-24--Magnitude 4.6 earthquake strikes near Barstow, sending weak shaking into L.A.

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake ruptured in the Mojave Desert on Friday at 7:03 p.m. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey , sending weak shaking as far away as Los Angeles and Las Vegas .
Strong shaking occurred at its remote epicenter , but the shaking was already light by the time it reached the nearest population center in Barstow about 14 miles away .
The earthquake occurred 33 miles from Apple Valley , 37 miles from Adelanto , 37 miles from California City and 37 miles from Victorville .
In the last 10 days , there have been no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.3 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Find out what to do before , and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

The location and shaking intensity of a magnitude 4.6 quake registered Friday evening near Barstow.
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake ruptured in the Mojave Desert on Friday at 7:03 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey, sending weak shaking as far away as Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Strong shaking occurred at its remote epicenter, but the shaking was already light by the time it reached the nearest population center in Barstow about 14 miles away.
The earthquake occurred 33 miles from Apple Valley, 37 miles from Adelanto, 37 miles from California City and 37 miles from Victorville.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
Advertisement
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 2.3 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-01-24--Woman dies after her clothing gets caught in raisin machine

A woman died Friday after her clothing got caught in a raisin processing machine in the Central Valley , authorities @ @ @ @ @ was working at the Del Rey Packing plant in Sanger , east of Fresno , @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Office .
Her clothing became entangled with a shaft to a cylinder that @ @ @ @ @ and she struck her head , the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration @ @ @ @ @ She was pronounced dead at the scene .
Her name was not immediately released .
@ @ @ @ @ worker and it was her second season at the plant , authorities said .
Cal/OSHA @ @ @ @ @ any workplace safety regulations were violated “ such as failure to adequately train employees or @ @ @ @ @ agency said .

A woman died Friday after her clothing got caught in a raisin processing machine in the Central Valley, authorities said.
The 33-year-old woman was working at the Del Rey Packing plant in Sanger, east of Fresno, according to the county Sheriff’s Office.
Her clothing became entangled with a shaft to a cylinder that breaks up bunches of raisins and she struck her head, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a statement.
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She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name was not immediately released.
The woman was a contract worker and it was her second season at the plant, authorities said.
Cal/OSHA will investigate to determine whether any workplace safety regulations were violated “such as failure to adequately train employees or maintain equipment,” the agency said.


latimes--2020-01-25--Beverly Hills files lawsuit seeking changes in L.A. County touch-screen ballot design

Just ahead of California ’ s March 3 primary and Los Angeles County ’ s general election , the city of Beverly Hills has filed a lawsuit calling for changes to the county ’ s new touch-screen electronic voting system .
Under the new system , dubbed “ Voting Solutions for All People , ” or VSAP , only four candidates appear on the touch screen at a time .
To view additional candidates , voters must select the “ MORE ” button .
However , if voters inadvertently press the “ NEXT ” button instead , Beverly Hills officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the candidates in a particular race .
The lawsuit , filed Wednesday in Superior Court , seeks to force Los Angeles County to modify the system to ensure that all candidates are acknowledged by voters .
If successful , the county would be barred from using VSAP for the upcoming primary election — a move that could affect more than 4 million registered voters .
According to the suit , Beverly Hills recognizes that , compared to old punch cards , the new system contains notable “ features that permit voters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as by displaying the ballot in 13 different languages , adjusting the text size and contrast , or using an audio headset and control pad for those with significant visual impairments.
” However , the city says , by requiring that voters “ work through a confusing series of steps even to see the names of these additional candidates , ” VSAP “ compounds and enhances the adverse impact of this positional preference on the fairness of the electoral process.
” In the upcoming consolidated election , the suit underscores , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contests ( not including County Central Committee races ) in which five or more candidates are running for election to the same office.
” This “ severe ballot design flaw , ” it argues , “ threatens the integrity and accuracy of dozens of races.
” But it ’ s a problem that can be resolved , Beverly Hills says — even though the election is just five weeks away .
When all of the candidates ’ names do not fit on a single touchscreen , the city proposes that VSAP “ be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show ) the ‘ SKIP/NEXT ’ button on any screen that is not the ‘ last.
’ Doing so , says the city , would compel voters “ to access all of the voting touch screens and to view all of the candidates ’ names for that contest before finalizing their voting selection.
” “ At a minimum , ” the suit continues , the new system ’ s touch screen “ can and should be programmed to include an explicit warning and instruction alerting the voters that the names of additional candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are deeply troubled that voters will be disenfranchised , ” Beverly Hills City Atty .
Laurence Wiener said in a statement .
“ All candidates should be presented in an equitable and transparent way to the voters , ” he said .
“ As the system is currently designed , a voter may not realize they are bypassing additional candidates.
” The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk declined to comment on the pending litigation .
However , in a Jan. 6 letter to Beverly Hills ’ City Clerk , Dean Logan , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded , saying : “ We take concerns regarding the fairness and integrity of the county ’ s voting system seriously.
” To create VSPA , he added , “ we engaged with recognized experts in human-centered design , usability and accessibility.
” Moreover , he wrote , the “ ballot layout features have been subjected to significant review by both a stakeholder advisory committee and a technical advisory committee , ” as well as “ unprecedented public engagement through user testing , a mock election and a pilot election.
” Plus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting system added a “ pulsating yellow ring to the ‘ MORE ’ button , ” as well as a “ gradient effect to provide visible indication that the contest continues.
” “ Reducing the font size to list all candidates in a single view , ” said Logan , who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit , “ would not be compliant ” with California Voting System Standards .
Whitney Quesenbery , co-director of the Center for Civic Design and co-author of “ Better Design : Better Elections , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that make it easier to vote .
She was also on Registrar Logan ’ s technical advisory committee .
“ People should not be unsure about anything when they go out to vote , ” said Quesenbery .
At the same time , she noted , designing a voting system “ is a delicate process , and you don ’ t want to throw in a new design element at the last minute.
” She said that the process through which Los Angeles County designed its new system “ was as open as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that she has not come across any problems with the use of the “ MORE ” and “ NEXT ” buttons in other contexts .
The lawsuit , said Fredric Woocher , one of the attorneys representing the city of Beverly Hills , was not a last-minute move but rather a “ last resort.
” City Clerk Huma Ahmed , he added , had been in conversation with Los Angeles County regarding the city ’ s concerns since November and wrote a formal objection in late December .
The California Contract Cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also expressed its concerns over the new voting system ’ s ballot layout , Woocher noted .
It would be unfortunate if the lawsuit affected the March elections , said Woocher , “ but , ultimately , we want to get this right.
” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla ’ s office declined to comment on the Beverly Hills lawsuit .
However , on Friday , it conferred a conditional approval of the VSAP system , enabling its use in the March election .
One of those conditions includes “ reviewing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it pertains to the current use of the ‘ MORE ’ button ” within five months .

Beverly Hills has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County because of what it sees as deficiencies in its new electronic voting system.
Just ahead of California’s March 3 primary and Los Angeles County’s general election, the city of Beverly Hills has filed a lawsuit calling for changes to the county’s new touch-screen electronic voting system.
Under the new system, dubbed Voting Solutions for All People, or VSAP, only four candidates appear on the touch screen at a time. To view additional candidates, voters must select the “MORE” button. However, if voters inadvertently press the “NEXT” button instead, Beverly Hills officials warn, they won’t see all the candidates in a particular race.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Superior Court, seeks to force Los Angeles County to modify the system to ensure that all candidates are acknowledged by voters. If the suit is successful, the county would be barred from using VSAP for the upcoming primary election — a move that could affect more than 4 million registered voters.
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According to the suit, Beverly Hills recognizes that, compared with old punch cards, the new system contains notable “features that permit voters to customize their experience to fit their needs, such as by displaying the ballot in 13 different languages, adjusting the text size and contrast, or using an audio headset and control pad for those with significant visual impairments.”
However, the city says, by requiring that voters “work through a confusing series of steps even to see the names of these additional candidates,” VSAP “compounds and enhances the adverse impact of this positional preference on the fairness of the electoral process.”
In the upcoming consolidated election, the suit underscores, “there are at least 30 different contests (not including County Central Committee races) in which five or more candidates are running for election to the same office.” This “severe ballot design flaw,” it argues, “threatens the integrity and accuracy of dozens of races.”
But it’s a problem that can be resolved, Beverly Hills says — even though the election is just five weeks away.
When all of the candidates’ names do not fit on a single screen, the city proposes that VSAP “be programmed to disable (or not to show) the ‘SKIP/NEXT’ button on any screen that is not the ‘last.’ Doing so, says the city, would compel voters “to access all of the voting touch screens and to view all of the candidates’ names for that contest before finalizing their voting selection.”
“At a minimum,” the suit continues, the new system’s touch screen “can and should be programmed to include an explicit warning and instruction alerting the voters that the names of additional candidates appear on subsequent screens.”
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“We are deeply troubled that voters will be disenfranchised,” Beverly Hills City Atty. Laurence Wiener said in a statement.
“All candidates should be presented in an equitable and transparent way to the voters,” he said. “As the system is currently designed, a voter may not realize they are bypassing additional candidates.”
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk declined to comment on the pending litigation. However, in a Jan. 6 letter to Beverly Hills’ City Clerk, Dean Logan, who oversees the office in Los Angeles, responded, saying: “We take concerns regarding the fairness and integrity of the county’s voting system seriously.”
To create VSAP, he added, “we engaged with recognized experts in human-centered design, usability and accessibility.” Moreover, he wrote, the “ballot layout features have been subjected to significant review by both a stakeholder advisory committee and a technical advisory committee,” as well as “unprecedented public engagement through user testing, a mock election and a pilot election.” Plus, in response to previous recommendations, the voting system added a “pulsating yellow ring to the ‘MORE’ button,” as well as a “gradient effect to provide visible indication that the contest continues.”
“Reducing the font size to list all candidates in a single view,” said Logan, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, “would not be compliant” with California Voting System Standards.
Whitney Quesenbery, co-director of the Center for Civic Design and coauthor of “Better Design: Better Elections,” has eighteen years of experience creating products that make it easier to vote. She was also on Registrar Logan’s technical advisory committee.
“People should not be unsure about anything when they go out to vote,” said Quesenbery. At the same time, she noted, designing a voting system “is a delicate process, and you don’t want to throw in a new design element at the last minute.”
She said that the process through which Los Angeles County designed its new system “was as open as anything I’ve ever seen” and that she has not come across any problems with the use of the “MORE” and “NEXT” buttons in other contexts.
The lawsuit, said Fredric Woocher, one of the attorneys representing the city of Beverly Hills, was not a last-minute move but rather a “last resort.” City Clerk Huma Ahmed, he added, had been in conversation with Los Angeles County regarding the city’s concerns since November and wrote a formal objection in late December. The California Contract Cities Assn., which represents 70 member cities, also expressed its concerns over the new voting system’s ballot layout, Woocher noted.
It would be unfortunate if the lawsuit affected the March elections, Woocher said, “but, ultimately, we want to get this right.”
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s office declined to comment on the Beverly Hills lawsuit. However, on Friday, it conferred a conditional approval of the VSAP system, enabling its use in the March election. One of those conditions requires the county to provide, within five months, “a plan to the Secretary of State for reviewing the functionality and usability of the system as it pertains to the current use of the ‘MORE’ button.”


latimes--2020-01-25--L.A. is prepared for coronavirus despite no confirmed cases, officials say

The Los Angeles area is bracing for the coronavirus , which has spread to at least 1,354 people in 11 countries and territories since it was discovered late last month in central China .
“ While we have had no cases yet , it is likely we will see some and we are ready , ” Dr. Sonia Angell , director of the California Department of Public Health , said in a video released this week .
As of Friday , 18 people between the ages of 3 and 58 had been tested for the virus in California , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They included a traveler who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on a flight from Mexico City and was taken to a hospital early Thursday for an evaluation .
Angell said that the immediate health risk to the general public in California is low , based on current information , but that the department is carefully monitoring the virus and considers it “ a serious public health concern.
” So far , only two people have tested positive for the virus in the United States — a man in Washington state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. has not seen a major outbreak , the virus has spread widely across Asia in the last month , killing at least 17 people and sickening hundreds more , according to Chinese officials .
In China , the pneumonia-like illnesses from the newly identified coronavirus first appeared last month in Wuhan , an industrial and transportation hub in central China ’ s Hubei province .
Other cases have been reported in Japan , South Korea and Thailand .
Singapore , Vietnam and Hong Kong reported their first cases Thursday .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Wuhan into LAX , San Francisco International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York would be examined for the virus ’ symptoms .
Though the coronavirus hasn ’ t yet arrived in California , it ’ s affected the region ’ s travel agencies at a time when they typically do a brisk business .
“ Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year , but no one is here to go back to China , ” Albert Eng , owner of Chosen Travel in Monterey Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are very busy , but this year , no way.
” He estimates business has been down about 95 % since fears over the virus hit .
He said that in years past , he ’ d have at least 40 clients taking trips to China during the week preceding the Lunar New Year .
This week , he had five .
“ Right now , I ... think even if the tickets were free of charge , no one would take it , ” he said .

Health officials have confirmed the first two cases of the new strain of coronavirus in Los Angeles and Orange counties, brought by travelers who came from the epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, China.
In both counties, the virus infecting the two individuals was the same strain as the one that has spread to more than 2,700 people in 14 countries and territories and caused 80 deaths since it was discovered late last month in central China. Three other cases have been diagnosed in the U.S., one each in Arizona, Washington state and Chicago.
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In L.A. County, the infected person was a returning traveler from Wuhan who is receiving medical treatment at a hospital, officials said.
The Orange County patient is in good condition and is in isolation at a hospital, health officials said. In both counties, health authorities are following up with anyone who has had close contact with the patients, but they noted that casual contact with an infected person — such as visiting the same grocery store or movie theater — carries only “minimal risk of developing infection.”
“The risk of local transmission remains low,” officials said.
The L.A. County patient is a Wuhan resident who was flying through Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday on his way back to China, L.A. County public health officials said during a news conference Sunday.
“The infected person presented themselves immediately for care at LAX airport once they noticed they weren’t feeling well,” said L.A. County public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer. The patient was taken from LAX directly to a hospital, and no L.A. County residents were infected or at risk as of Sunday morning, Ferrer said.
The Arizona case, which was also announced Sunday, was a Maricopa County resident who health officials described as “a member of the Arizona State University community” but who did not live in university housing. The patient had recently returned from a trip to Wuhan, health officials said.
The patient was not severely ill and was being kept in isolation, the Arizona Department of Health Services and Maricopa County Department of Public Health said. Officials were working to identify and reach out to people who might have been exposed to the virus while the patient was contagious, officials said.
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The new strain of coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, can cause respiratory illness and pneumonia. It was originally thought to be spreading only from animals to people in central China, but there are now indications it is also spreading among people.
The virus can cause pneumonia-like symptoms, including fever, coughing and shortness of breath and, in extreme cases, can be fatal.
Most of the dead were at least 50 years old with underlying medical problems or weakened immune systems, Chinese officials said. But a 36-year-old man succumbed to the coronavirus last week, and a healthcare worker also was reported to be among the fatalities.
Health experts in the United States have said there’s no evidence to suggest the new coronavirus is any more virulent than the flu.
But because this strain of coronavirus is new, health officials are on high alert, and researchers will have to start from square one in creating a vaccine, which will probably take years to develop.
Coronaviruses include a large variety of viruses — the common cold as well as those that caused Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). SARS and MERS sickened thousands of people around the world and caused hundreds of deaths.
It is too soon to tell how the new strain compares to coronaviruses that fueled the previous epidemics, experts said.
“I think that there are important unanswered questions about this outbreak,” said Anne W. Rimoin, an epidemiologist at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and director of the UCLA Center for Global and Immigrant Health. “We don’t know how easily people transmit the virus or how ill it can make otherwise healthy people. We just don’t know the true risks posed by this new virus, and these are the questions that will need to be answered.”
As of Friday, 18 people between the ages of 3 and 58 had been tested for the virus in California, according to the state Department of Public Health. They included a traveler who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on a flight from Mexico City and was taken to a hospital early Thursday for an evaluation.
L.A. County public health officials could not confirm whether the Mexico City traveler was the same one with the virus.
“We’re working very closely with LAX, we have staff stationed at the quarantine station,” said Dr. Sharon Balter, director of the L.A. County Public Health Department’s Acute Communicable Disease Control program. “All travelers who are arriving from China are being screened…. [LAX officials] call us immediately if they think anybody needs to be tested and then they work with our staff … to get them to a hospital that’s appropriate to test them, and everything went as one would expect in this case.”
Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement Sunday that the immediate health risk to the general public in California is low, but “the California Department of Public Health has been preparing for this situation by working closely with local health departments and health care providers.”
Healthcare workers who treat anyone with this kind of infectious disease should make sure they wash their hands after contact and consider wearing protective eye gear, officials said.
At Orange County Global Medical Center and Regional Trauma Center, patients who come in with respiratory symptoms are given masks, and an infectious disease specialist regularly consults with the staff to provide education about what to look for when performing triage, said Dr. Vu Huynh, medical director of emergency services.
If a patient is suspected to be infected with coronavirus, staffers have been instructed to quarantine them in an isolated room and contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so a special series of tests can be performed, Huynh said. So far, the hospital has had one patient tested, and the results came back negative, he said.
Still, the staff is prepared to see more cases of the virus.
“There could have been a lot of cases that weren’t caught at the beginning, and maybe those patients traveled,” Huynh said. “With Southern California being a multicultural area, I think there’s more risk.”
Though the U.S. has not seen a major outbreak, the virus has spread widely across Asia in the last month.
China’s health minister said the country was entering a “crucial stage” as “it seems like the ability of the virus to spread is getting stronger.”
As the spread of the virus continued to accelerate and fears intensified, two of Hong Kong’s biggest attractions, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park, announced they were closing for the time being.
The Asian Football Confederation said it was moving an Olympic qualifying event scheduled to start Feb. 3 from Nanjing to Sydney, Australia, and the International Tennis Federation moved a regional Fed Cup qualifying event from Dongguan to Kazakhstan next month.
Beijing said it would delay the start of classes for all schools, from kindergarten to universities, until after the Lunar New Year holiday ends this week.
In the Hong Kong suburb of Fanling, protesters set fire to the lobby of a building in an unoccupied public housing complex where officials had proposed quarantining suspected coronavirus cases. The fire was extinguished, and no major damage was reported.
Also on Sunday, Chinese authorities announced a temporary ban on the trade of wild animals and warned the public against eating wild animal meat. No wildlife can be transported or sold in any markets or online, according to text of the announcement in state media, and officials said they will “severely investigate and punish” violators.
The pneumonia-like illnesses from the newly identified coronavirus first appeared last month in Wuhan, where most of the early victims said they had visited a large seafood and live animal market. Other cases have been reported in Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong reported their first cases Thursday.
The U.S. State Department announced Sunday morning that it will relocate personnel at the U.S. Consulate General in Wuhan to the U.S. via a single flight Tuesday from Wuhan to San Francisco. There is limited space for private American citizens on the flight, officials said. “Capacity is extremely limited; priority will be given to individuals at greater risk from coronavirus,” the State Department said in a news statement.
Canada reported its first case Saturday in Toronto. Officials said the man is in his 50s and recently flew from Wuhan to Guangzhou, China, and then on to Toronto on Thursday.
The first coronavirus cases in Europe have also been confirmed, with three patients being treated in French hospitals. All three had recently traveled to China; they were reportedly doing well, according to officials.
The CDC is screening passengers on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan at five major airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Experts say that the U.S. is well equipped to deal with any possible outbreak and that it’s important to remain calm.
“Fear spreads a lot faster than the virus itself,” Rimoin said. “We need to make sure that people do not have undue worry. We have a good public health system in place, and we’ve been preparing for this.”
Times staff writers Emily Baumgaertner in Los Angeles and Cindy Chang in Beijing, contributed to this report. The Associated Press was used in compiling this report.


latimes--2020-01-25--Coronavirus full coverage: Cases grow around the world as China scrambles to contain the virus

Surgical masks but not much panic as Lunar New Year begins in Beijing .
Meanwhile , the death toll continues @ @ @ @ @ people are on lockdown at the center of the coronavirus outbreak .

Test positivity has ticked up in L.A. County in recent weeks, though we’re still well below peak COVID levels. If you get COVID now, here’s how to treat it, how long to isolate, how to get Paxlovid, and more information on getting healthy.


latimes--2020-01-25--Funeral service held for sheriff's detective killed as she helped a person in need

Funeral services were held Saturday for Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s Det .
Amber Leist , who was struck by a vehicle after helping a woman cross a Valley Village street .
“ Since her passing , I ’ ve come to find out that she left a gigantic void in the hearts of many in our department , particularly those at the West Hollywood station , ” where she was assigned , Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at the service , held at the Mosaic Church on Hollywood Boulevard .
“ Amber ’ s commitment to service is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the sheriff ’ s department do every day.
” Services were closed to the public , but were livestreamed on the sheriff ’ s department Facebook page .
Leist , 41 , was returning to her vehicle when she was struck by a car Jan. 12 .
She was taken to a hospital , where she was pronounced dead .
She was a 12-year veteran of the department .
“ Our hearts are broken , ” Amber ’ s father , Daniel Leist , told reporters at a vigil earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart-rending thing you could ever experience .
You never think you ’ re going to lose your baby .
But Amber came into this department and she knew what she had to do.
” The woman Leist helped the day she was killed also attended the vigil .
“ She saved my life , I wish I could have saved hers , ” Leslie Menaha told KTTV-TV .
The sheriff ’ s department shared on its Twitter page a video tribute to Leist from her classmates at the Sheriff ’ s Academy that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touched everyone w/her positive & uplifting personality .
We may not be able to see you , but we know you ’ ll always be there.
” Leist is survived by her parents and 17- and 20-year-old sons .

Funeral services were held Saturday for Los Angeles County sheriff’s Det. Amber Leist, who was struck by a vehicle after helping a woman cross a Valley Village street.
“Since her passing, I’ve come to find out that she left a gigantic void in the hearts of many in our department, particularly those at the West Hollywood station,” where she was assigned, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at the service, held at the Mosaic Church on Hollywood Boulevard. “Amber’s commitment to service is a reflection of what the men and women of the sheriff’s department do every day.”
Services were closed to the public, but were livestreamed on the sheriff’s department Facebook page.
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Leist, 41, was returning to her vehicle when she was struck by a car Jan. 12. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was a 12-year veteran of the department.
“Our hearts are broken,” Amber’s father, Daniel Leist, told reporters at a vigil earlier this month. `”This is the most heart-rending thing you could ever experience. You never think you’re going to lose your baby. But Amber came into this department and she knew what she had to do.”
The woman Leist helped the day she was killed also attended the vigil.
“She saved my life, I wish I could have saved hers,” Leslie Menaha told KTTV-TV.
The sheriff’s department shared on its Twitter page a video tribute to Leist from her classmates at the Sheriff’s Academy that included the caption, ``”Amber touched everyone w/her positive & uplifting personality. We may not be able to see you, but we know you’ll always be there.”
Leist is survived by her parents and 17- and 20-year-old sons.


latimes--2020-01-25--Commentary: In L.A., everybody stays in their own bubble — until it's time to count the homeless

There ’ s a myth that most of us have bought into living in Los Angeles .
Everybody stays in their bubble .
Nobody on the Westside ever leaves the Westside .
Nobody in the Valley ever leaves the Valley .
People in Silver Lake just stay in Silver Lake and do hipster Silver Lake things .
OK , that last part is more reality than myth .
But the good thing about fighting all of that horrible traffic from time to time is that you realize not everyone actually does stay in his or her bubble .
Apparently — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive across the city to count homeless people .
And at the end of the workday , no less And when I say count , I mean walk — yes , walk — in the dark and the cold — yes , cold — to scour unfamiliar street corners and alleyways , peer into battered RVs , and avoid sketchy piles of both liquid and solid human waste .
Of all the things I would have guessed Angelenos would willingly drive across the city to do — a Dodgers game , a concert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight out of LAX — never would I have guessed it would be this .
It ’ s a small sacrifice , for sure , but it ’ s something .
It ’ s far easier for people of means to turn away from human suffering than to face it .
So on Thursday evening , as I left my bubble for Vernon and Western avenues in South L.A. and walked into the office of First To Serve to participate in this year ’ s countywide homeless count , I was surprised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dudes from Silver Lake — or Echo Park or Los Feliz or one of those neighborhoods I never visit because I never leave the Westside .
To their credit , they told me they had participated in Los Angeles County ’ s homeless count several times , once in Koreatown , once downtown and another time on the Westside .
Why ?
Curiosity , mostly .
Empathy , surely .
They seemed to want to see for themselves how homeless people were living in other parts of L.A .
I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the two young men were , I ended up climbing into a car with three women to comb a couple of census tracts near the 110 Freeway .
Our driver was a retiree , born and raised and still living in Santa Monica .
She fosters homeless dogs , wants to do more volunteering , and laments the rising cost of housing and the lack of empathy among landlords and the public .
I ’ m pretty sure she had never driven — much less walked — in South L.A. before , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathetic .
Our navigator was a UPS employee , born and raised in Inglewood .
She knows the streets of South L.A. backwards and forwards and probably with her eyes closed .
Our counter was a woman who works with homeless veterans who has substance abuse problems .
She regaled us with tales of calling landlords to suss out those willing to accept a government housing voucher and a tenant struggling to get on his or her feet .
She gets hung up on a lot , she said .
A veteran herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless counts — our counter taught us how to walk dicey blocks and simultaneously peer into tents without getting the wrong kind of attention .
She said she learned during a count in Mar Vista one year .
The four of us talked about how beautiful South L.A. really is .
The massive houses with the original wood flooring and huge lots , surrounded by iron fences , guard dogs and skinny palm trees .
We agreed that even the roughest neighborhoods seemed ripe for gentrification and homelessness to match , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how I saw more cars with parking tickets than I ’ ve seen anywhere else in the city .
While counting tents and tarps and homeless people , I couldn ’ t help count the slips of paper on cars and trucks .
By my rough estimate , some 75 % of the vehicles had been tagged .
What does that do to people of little means who are already struggling to make ends meet ?
What kind of sense does that make , our counter asked ?
No one has an answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they shared stories of their churches and gospel music , and volunteering to help homeless people with their fellow congregants .
Santa Monica to Inglewood .
That was uplifting .
What was heartbreaking were the people we met .
So many were , more than anything , just happy and amazed that somebody — anybody — cared enough to notice their very existence .
They were shocked that we were walking , a flashlight and bright yellow vests signaling our presence , and not driving .
That ’ s how forgotten and discarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out here like this ?
” one man shouted from his car window .
“ Count me .
And my wife , ” another man said .
“ She ’ s in the car , ” he added , nodding back toward the Burger King where we had just parked .
So invisible that a woman we saw squatting nearly naked didn ’ t move even as the headlights from the retiree ’ s car flashed over her .
So used to not receiving help that a man in a face mask who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop scooting and crawling along the sidewalk didn ’ t even look up as we walked by .
“ The homeless count ?
” another woman shouted .
“ Yay !
Good .
You should go over there.
” She pointed toward the freeway underpass , packed with old couches and bicycle parts and sprawling , makeshift tents .
A homeless man was absentmindedly swinging a piece of metal — back and forth , back and forth — and it glinted under the streetlights .
“ They ’ re good people , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They ’ re just , you know ?
” I wondered later how the homeless people we encountered would feel if they knew it wasn ’ t just the people in their neighborhoods who cared , but people from all over Los Angeles County ?
What would they think that the woman next to me had come from Santa Monica ?
That somewhere nearby , some dudes from Silver Lake — or Echo Park or Los Feliz — were walking around with clipboards , both completely out of their element ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver , the navigator , the counter and I shared pizza , phone numbers and more conversation .
The woman who rescues homeless dogs now that she ’ s retired wanted to connect with the woman who works with homeless veterans to find new opportunities to volunteer .
The UPS employee wanted to connect with all of us .
If that ’ s not evidence that homelessness is one of the ties that binds across neighborhoods , I don ’ t know what is .
I also don ’ t know what that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know is that the counting is officially over for this year , and it will be months before we know how many more homeless people are on the streets of Los Angeles County .
And let ’ s be real ; we all know it ’ s likely to be more , not less .
Bubbles be damned .

There’s a myth that most of us have bought into living in Los Angeles.
Everybody stays in their bubble.
Nobody on the Westside ever leaves the Westside. Nobody in the Valley ever leaves the Valley. People in Silver Lake just stay in Silver Lake and do hipster Silver Lake things.
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Traffic is horrible.
OK, that last part is more reality than myth. But the good thing about fighting all of that horrible traffic from time to time is that you realize not everyone actually does stay in his or her bubble.
Apparently — get this — Angelenos are willing to drive across the city to count homeless people. And at the end of the workday, no less.
And when I say count, I mean walk — yes, walk — in the dark and the cold — yes, cold — to scour unfamiliar street corners and alleyways, peer into battered RVs, and avoid sketchy piles of both liquid and solid human waste.
Of all the things I would have guessed Angelenos would willingly drive across the city to do — a Dodgers game, a concert at Hollywood Bowl, a badly timed flight out of LAX — never would I have guessed it would be this.
It’s a small sacrifice, for sure, but it’s something. It’s far easier for people of means to turn away from human suffering than to face it.
So on Thursday evening, as I left my bubble for Vernon and Western avenues in South L.A. and walked into the office of First to Serve to participate in this year’s countywide homeless count, I was surprised that the first two people I met were dudes from Silver Lake — or Echo Park or Los Feliz or one of those neighborhoods I never visit because I never leave the Westside.
To their credit, they told me they had participated in Los Angeles County’s homeless count several times, once in Koreatown, once downtown and another time on the Westside.
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Why? Curiosity, mostly. Empathy, surely. They seemed to want to see for themselves how homeless people were living in other parts of L.A. I can’t say I blame them.
As nice as the two young men were, I ended up climbing into a car with three women to comb a couple of census tracts near the 110 Freeway.
Our driver was a retiree, born and raised and still living in Santa Monica. She fosters homeless dogs, wants to do more volunteering, and laments the rising cost of housing and the lack of empathy among landlords and the public. I’m pretty sure she had never driven — much less walked — in South L.A. before, but she was eager, optimistic and empathetic.
Our navigator was a UPS employee, born and raised in Inglewood. She knows the streets of South L.A. backward and forward, probably with her eyes closed.
Our counter was a woman who works with homeless veterans who have substance abuse problems. She regaled us with tales of calling landlords to suss out those willing to accept a government housing voucher and a tenant struggling to get on his or her feet. She gets hung up on a lot, she said.
Business L.A. City Council votes to ban low-income Section 8 rental discrimination The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance that bars landlords from refusing to consider tenants who pay rent through Section 8, the federal subsidy program for low-income households.
A veteran herself — not of the military but of homeless counts — our counter taught us how to walk dicey blocks and simultaneously peer into tents without garnering the wrong kind of attention. She said she learned during a count in Mar Vista one year.
The four of us talked about how beautiful South L.A. really is. The massive houses with the original wood flooring and huge lots, surrounded by iron fences, guard dogs and skinny palm trees. We agreed that even the roughest neighborhoods seemed ripe for gentrification and homelessness to match, and it’s sad.
We talked about how I saw more cars with parking tickets than I’ve seen anywhere else in the city. While counting tents and tarps and homeless people, I couldn’t help count the slips of paper on cars and trucks. By my rough estimate, some 75% of the vehicles had been tagged. What does that do to people of little means who are already struggling to make ends meet? What kind of sense does that make, our counter asked? No one has an answer.
They talked and I listened as they shared stories of their churches and gospel music, and volunteering to help homeless people with their fellow congregants. Santa Monica to Inglewood.
That was uplifting. What was heartbreaking were the people we met. So many were, more than anything, just happy and amazed that somebody — anybody — cared enough to notice their very existence. They were shocked that we were walking, a flashlight and bright yellow vests signaling our presence, and not driving. That’s how forgotten and discarded people feel.
“Y’all out here like this?” one man shouted from his car window.
“Count me. And my wife,” another man said. “She’s in the car,” he added, nodding back toward the Burger King where we had just parked.
So invisible that a woman we saw squatting nearly naked didn’t move even as the headlights from the retiree’s car flashed over her. So used to not receiving help that a man in a face mask who was trying to get another man to stop scooting and crawling along the sidewalk didn’t even look up as we walked by.
“The homeless count?” another woman shouted. “Yay! Good. You should go over there.”
She pointed toward the freeway underpass, packed with old couches and bicycle parts and sprawling, makeshift tents. A homeless man was absentmindedly swinging a piece of metal — back and forth, back and forth — and it glinted under the streetlights.
“They’re good people,” she continued, looking back at us. “They’re just, you know?”
I wondered later how the homeless people we encountered would feel if they knew it wasn’t just the people in their neighborhoods who cared, but people from all over Los Angeles County? What would they think that the woman next to me had come from Santa Monica? That somewhere nearby, some dudes from Silver Lake — or Echo Park or Los Feliz — were walking around with clipboards, both completely out of their element?
Back at First to Serve, the driver, the navigator, the counter and I shared pizza, phone numbers and more conversation.
The woman who rescues homeless dogs now that she’s retired wanted to connect with the woman who works with homeless veterans to find new opportunities to volunteer. The UPS employee wanted to connect with all of us.
If that’s not evidence that homelessness is one of the ties that binds across neighborhoods, I don’t know what is. I also don’t know what that fact says about L.A.
What I do know is that the counting is officially over for this year, and it will be months before we know how many more homeless people are on the streets of Los Angeles County. And let’s be real; we all know it’s likely to be more, not less. Bubbles be damned.


latimes--2020-01-25--Pete Stark, former California congressman who reshaped healthcare, has died

Former California Rep. Fortney “ Pete ” Stark Jr. , an influential Democrat whose legislative work helped reshape America ’ s healthcare system , has died .
He was 88 .
Stark ’ s family said he died Friday at his home in Maryland .
They did not disclose a cause of death .
During his 40-year career in Congress representing the East Bay , Stark helped craft the Affordable Care Act , the signature policy change of the Obama administration .
He also created the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act , the 1986 law best known as COBRA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employer ’ s health insurance plan after they leave a job as long as they pay the full premium .
He also pushed for a law that requires hospitals that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to treat anyone seeking emergency treatment , regardless of their insurance status .
“ Congressman Stark dedicated his life to defending every American ’ s right to quality , affordable healthcare , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement .
She added that the laws he helped enact “ made a difference in the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Stark ’ s family remembered him as a “ persistent champion ” of foster children and gay people , supporting laws that barred discriminating against LGBTQ people in adoptions , as well as paid family leave .
According to his family , Stark met a young Steve Jobs on a cross-country flight and later worked with him to write a bill providing tax credits to technology companies that donated computers to public schools .
Born in Wisconsin during the Great Depression , Stark later served as an officer in the U.S. Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his master of business administration from UC Berkeley .
He took out a loan to start his own bank in the 1960s where he took stances that seemed radical at the time : The bank was the first in the nation to offer free checking accounts and provided free child care and transportation for his largely black workforce .
He ran for Congress in 1972 on an anti-poverty and anti-war platform and unseated Rep. George P. Miller .
After serving 20 terms in office , Stark lost a bid for reelection to Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stark is survived by his wife , Deborah Roderick Stark , seven children , eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren .

Former California Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark Jr., an influential Democrat whose legislative work helped reshape America’s healthcare system, has died. He was 88.
Stark’s family said he died Friday at his home in Maryland. They did not disclose a cause of death.
During his 40-year career in Congress representing the East Bay, Stark helped craft the Affordable Care Act, the signature policy change of the Obama administration. He also created the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, the 1986 law best known as COBRA, which allows workers to stay on their employer’s health insurance plan after they leave a job as long as they pay the full premium.
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He also pushed for a law that requires hospitals that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to treat anyone seeking emergency treatment, regardless of their insurance status.
“Congressman Stark dedicated his life to defending every American’s right to quality, affordable healthcare,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. She added that the laws he helped enact “made a difference in the lives of millions.”
In an obituary posted online, Stark’s family remembered him as a “persistent champion” of foster children and gay people, supporting laws that barred discriminating against LGBTQ people in adoptions, as well as paid family leave.
According to his family, Stark met a young Steve Jobs on a cross-country flight and later worked with him to write a bill providing tax credits to technology companies that donated computers to public schools.
Born in Wisconsin during the Great Depression, Stark later served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and settled in California after receiving his master of business administration from UC Berkeley. He took out a loan to start his own bank in the 1960s where he took stances that seemed radical at the time: The bank was the first in the nation to offer free checking accounts and provided free child care and transportation for his largely black workforce.
He ran for Congress in 1972 on an anti-poverty and anti-war platform and unseated Rep. George P. Miller. After serving 20 terms in office, Stark lost a bid for reelection to Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell in 2012 and retired.
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Stark is survived by his wife, Deborah Roderick Stark, seven children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.


latimes--2020-01-25--Trump administration sues California over private prison ban

The Trump administration sued the state of California on Friday , asserting that a new state law that bans for-profit prison contracts unconstitutionally interferes with the federal prison and immigration detention systems .
The case , filed in U.S. District Court in San Diego , asks a judge to ban the enforcement of the law against the federal government .
“ California , of course , is free to decide that it will no longer use private detention facilities for its state prisoners and detainees , ” the lawsuit said .
“ But it can not dictate that choice for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manner that discriminates against the federal government and those with whom it contracts.
” Assembly Bill 32 , which took effect Jan. 1 , prohibits new private detention contracts in California and changes to current contracts .
It phases out existing facilities entirely by 2028 .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom and supporters of the legislation have argued that privately run prisons and detention centers create incentives for both greater incarceration rates and the mistreatment of inmates to save costs .
Private prisons “ contribute to over-incarceration , including those that incarcerate inmates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and asylum seekers , ” Newsom spokeswoman Vicky Waters said in a statement responding to the lawsuit .
“ They run contrary to our values and have no place in California.
” The lawsuit filed by the U.S. attorney ’ s office alleges that AB 32 violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution if applied against the federal government , contending that federal agencies have the power to decide how they ’ ll house prisoners and detainees without interference from state governments .
According to the complaint , about 3,200 federal inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , between those in custody of the U.S .
Marshal Service and Bureau of Prisons .
Additionally , U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has contracted with private companies to house about 5,000 detainees in California , which accounts for 96 % of the agency ’ s total detention space in the state , the lawsuit said .
AB 32 , the complaint argues , would require the federal government to transport inmates and detainees out of state , something that would “ cripple ” U.S .
Marshal Service operations in California and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enforce the immigration laws.
” Last month , corrections corporation GEO Group filed a lawsuit against AB 32 in the San Diego federal court , similarly alleging that it ’ s unconstitutional .
The Florida-based company operates seven of the 10 privately managed prison and immigrant detention facilities in California .
Also last month , federal officials signed nearly $ 6.5 billion in contracts with private prison companies for immigration detention centers — weeks before AB 32 took effect .
A coalition of immigration advocacy groups , including the Immigrant Defense Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government ’ s lawsuit , arguing that the state has the right to keep inmates and detained immigrants out of private prisons .
“ It is outrageous , though not surprising , that the Trump administration is colluding with the for-profit prison industry to guard the immoral profits reaped from mass incarceration , ” a statement from the coalition said .
“ Our tax dollars should not pay for suffering and mistreatment .
”

A guard watches as detainees fold clothes at an immigration detention center run by the private corrections corporation GEO Group in Bakersfield.
The Trump administration sued the state of California on Friday, asserting that a new state law that bans for-profit prison contracts unconstitutionally interferes with the federal prison and immigration detention systems.
The case, filed in U.S. District Court in San Diego, asks a judge to ban the enforcement of the law against the federal government.
“California, of course, is free to decide that it will no longer use private detention facilities for its state prisoners and detainees,” the lawsuit said. “But it cannot dictate that choice for the federal government, especially in a manner that discriminates against the federal government and those with whom it contracts.”
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Assembly Bill 32, which took effect Jan. 1, prohibits new private detention contracts in California and changes to current contracts. It phases out existing facilities entirely by 2028.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and supporters of the legislation have argued that privately run prisons and detention centers create incentives for both greater incarceration rates and the mistreatment of inmates to save costs.
Private prisons “contribute to over-incarceration, including those that incarcerate inmates, as well as those that detain immigrants and asylum seekers,” Newsom spokeswoman Vicky Waters said in a statement responding to the lawsuit. “They run contrary to our values and have no place in California.”
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. attorney’s office alleges that AB 32 violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution if applied against the federal government, contending that federal agencies have the power to decide how they’ll house prisoners and detainees without interference from state governments.
According to the complaint, about 3,200 federal inmates in California are housed in private detention facilities between those in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons. Additionally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has contracted with private companies to house about 5,000 detainees in California, which accounts for 96% of the agency’s total detention space in the state, the lawsuit said.
AB 32, the complaint argues, would require the federal government to transport inmates and detainees out of state, something that would “cripple” U.S. Marshals Service operations in California and “critically undermine ICE’s mission to enforce the immigration laws,” according to the suit.
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Last month, corrections corporation GEO Group filed a lawsuit against AB 32 in the San Diego federal court, similarly alleging that the law is unconstitutional. The Florida-based company operates seven of the 10 privately managed prison and immigrant detention facilities in California. Also last month, federal officials signed nearly $6.5 billion in contracts with private prison companies for immigration detention centers — less than two weeks before AB 32 took effect.
A coalition of immigration advocacy groups, including the Immigrant Defense Project and Immigrant Legal Resource Center, denounced the federal government’s lawsuit, arguing that the state has the right to keep inmates and detained immigrants out of private prisons.
“It is outrageous, though not surprising, that the Trump administration is colluding with the for-profit prison industry to guard the immoral profits reaped from mass incarceration,” a statement from the coalition said. “Our tax dollars should not pay for suffering and mistreatment.”


latimes--2020-01-25--Dense fog causes some flight delays at LAX

“ We expect the FAA to have a ground delay program , in which arriving aircraft headed to LAX are @ @ @ @ @ departure airports to space out flights , through about 1 p.m. Average delays are about @ @ @ @ @ your flight status w/your airline , ” LAX tweeted at 8:23 a.m. Saturday .
A @ @ @ @ @ National Weather Service expired at 9 a.m. , and LAX tweeted at 9:32 a.m. that @ @ @ @ @ canceled but some lingering delays might still be possible .

The sun is out following dense early morning fog that caused some delays at LAX on Saturday.
Thick morning fog caused some flight delays at Los Angeles International Airport early Saturday.
“We expect the FAA to have a ground delay program, in which arriving aircraft headed to LAX are held for a time at departure airports to space out flights, through about 1 p.m. Average delays are about one hour but please check your flight status w/your airline,” LAX tweeted at 8:23 a.m. Saturday.
A dense fog advisory from the National Weather Service expired at 9 a.m., and LAX tweeted at 9:32 a.m. that the FAA ground delay was canceled but some lingering delays might still be possible.


latimes--2020-01-25--Man and woman dead in Alhambra shooting; suspect in custody

Two people were shot and killed inside an apartment in Alhambra on Friday night , and a man was taken @ @ @ @ @ their deaths , police said .
Authorities received a report of gunfire in the 400 @ @ @ @ @ about 7:15 p.m. , the Alhambra Police Department said in a release .
Arriving officers @ @ @ @ @ man and a woman , with gunshot wounds , according to investigators .
They attempted @ @ @ @ @ victims , but both were pronounced dead at the scene .
A couple of blocks @ @ @ @ @ was en route to the scene was flagged down by a man who confessed to @ @ @ @ @ .
The man , identified by police as Sam Nhat Do , 42 , of @ @ @ @ @ was being held in the Alhambra jail in lieu of $ 2-million bail .
The @ @ @ @ @ released .
Police said they were still working to determine the relationship between the suspect @ @ @ @ @ as a motive for the shooting .

Two people were shot and killed inside an apartment in Alhambra on Friday night, and a man was taken into custody in connection with their deaths, police said.
Authorities received a report of gunfire in the 400 block of North 2nd Street about 7:15 p.m., the Alhambra Police Department said in a release.
Arriving officers found two people, a man and a woman, with gunshot wounds, according to investigators. They attempted to resuscitate one of the victims, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
A couple of blocks away, another officer who was en route to the scene was flagged down by a man who confessed to the shooting, police said.
The man, identified by police as Sam Nhat Do, 42, of Alhambra, was arrested and was being held in the Alhambra jail in lieu of $2-million bail. The victims’ identities were not released.
Police said they were still working to determine the relationship between the suspect and victims, as well as a motive for the shooting.