latimes--2020-06-26--Coronavirus packs San Bernardino hospitals; Imperial County told to reinstate stay-at-home order

Imperial County has become so overwhelmed by the coronavirus that the state is recommending that county officials reimpose a strict stay-at-home order , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday .
Newsom also said the state has “ paused ” issuing any additional guidelines that would allow counties to accelerate reopening their economies and easing restrictions , likewise in response to the acceleration of COVID-19 hospitalizations , including seriously ill patients sent to intensive care units .
At the same time , San Bernardino County officials said local hospitals are beginning to reach “ surge capacity ” because of new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hitting their licensed limits for the number of available beds .
They stressed that there is still room for more patients but said the system is becoming stressed .
The county said it would consider opening alternate care sites for patients if hospitals fill up .
California health officials said the spike in San Bernardino cases and hospitalizations has been caused by workplace transmission as well as transmissions at state prisons , hospitals , county jails and skilled nursing facilities and by the transfer of hospitalized patients from Imperial County .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus cases in California surpassed 200,000 as the state continues to report a surge in new infections that officials now say can not be explained by increased testing alone .
Newsom said that over the last 14 days , nearly one of every four people tested in Imperial County has been positive for the coronavirus , far above the statewide average of one of every 20 residents .
More than 500 hospital patients have been transferred out of the county to relieve pressure on hospitals in the rural county .
With 5,744 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the highest rate of coronavirus cases per capita in California , according to The Times ’ tracker .
It also has the highest test positivity rate of any county in the state , with a seven-day average of 23 % , compared with 5.7 % statewide , Newsom said Friday .
“ We are advising and counseling them to move forward and reinstitute a stay-at-home order , but they will move at their discretion , ” he said .
“ If they are not able to come to some consensus , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role and responsibility as governor in the state of California.
” Imperial is among the 15 California counties the state is monitoring because they have exceeded criteria set by the state to address the pandemic , including thresholds for hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 tests .
The Newsom administration is working with health officials in those 15 counties to ensure they receive state support , whether that means sending additional healthcare workers or ventilators or moving COVID-19 patients to other counties .
The governor said the decision to pause the release of state guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney ’ s decision to delay the reopening of its theme parks in Anaheim .
“ We ’ re advising and encouraging counties like Imperial ... to toggle back , ” Newsom said .
“ We are acknowledging as a state well over a week ago that we were not moving forward , that we ’ d already paused the reopening of certain sectors of our economy with guidelines that were coming out.
” Newsom said state health officials are working with the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacerbated by COVID-19 patients coming in from Arizona , now a coronavirus hot spot , and Mexico .
The county borders both .
Newsom said the study is focused on specific health data , not “ political punditry.
” He said the results of the study could be delivered as early as today .
San Francisco is also pausing the relaxation of its stay-at-home orders amid a rise in new cases , Mayor London Breed announced Friday .
The city was scheduled on Monday to permit the reopening of outdoor bars , museums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care services , such as hair and nail salons and massage studios , but will now hold off , Breed said .
“ Our reopening process is guided by data and science , ” she wrote in a tweet .
“ COVID-19 cases are rising throughout CA .
We ’ re now seeing a rise in cases in SF too .
Our numbers are still low but rising rapidly.
” San Francisco had reported 3,400 cases of the virus and 48 deaths , as of Thursday .
Newsom indicated Friday that the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
“ What San Francisco did is exactly what the system was designed to do , and that is to empower local health officers , based upon the conditions in their communities , ” he said .
“ Remember , I can ’ t say this enough .
California is not one size fits all.
” The news comes amid skyrocketing numbers of coronavirus cases across California .
The state shattered a daily record for new cases Monday , reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time .
That number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases were reported .
The state reported 4,629 new cases Wednesday and 5,069 on Thursday , according to The Times ’ coronavirus tracker — pushing its cumulative total past 200,000 .
Officials have attributed some of the increase in daily case counts to more tests being performed and said that other metrics , like the average number of daily hospitalizations and the overall rate of people testing positive , give a better picture of how the state is faring in its fight against the virus .
Both of those metrics now suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California has seen a 32 % increase in hospitalizations of patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease , and a 19 % jump in ICU patients with verified infections , over the past 14 days .
The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infections is also on the rise .
On Thursday , 5.6 % of coronavirus test results were positive on average over the previous seven days ; a week earlier , 4.6 % were coming back positive for the virus , according to a Los Angeles Times analysis .
By Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.7 % , Newsom said .
Los Angeles County continues to be a hotbed of new infections , accounting for more than 45 % of the state ’ s total cases and more than 55 % of its COVID-19 deaths .
The county ’ s director of public health , Barbara Ferrer , on Thursday reported more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth time in a week .
“ As you may be aware , the data is now showing concerning trends , ” Ferrer said in a statement .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations increase , and the positivity rate for testing increase.
” After several weeks of relative stability , L.A. County ’ s most recent three-day average of daily hospitalizations reflected a 9 % increase , according to the Department of Public Health dashboard that tracks reopening metrics .
There were 1,633 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals Thursday , with 25 % in intensive care and 18 % on ventilators .
There was concern the increase could stress the healthcare system , should the trend persist .
Dr. Christina Ghaly , L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Monday that , while the county has enough available hospital beds , the number of beds in intensive care units may become limited in coming weeks .
Since then , the four hospitals run by the Department of Health Services reported a 36 % drop in total available ICU beds , from roughly 50 available beds on Monday to 32 available beds Friday .
L.A. County ’ s 70 designated 911 receiving hospitals together reported a 14 % decrease in available ICU beds between Monday and Thursday , from 188 available beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Department of Health Services .
Still , the most recent three-day average of available ICU beds reported by the county , which is considered a more stable indicator , reflected a 5 % increase in capacity , according to the Department of Public Health dashboard .
The county ’ s overall positivity rate is also creeping upward , reaching 9 % Friday after holding at 8 % since late May , officials said .
A total of 1,020,322 people in L.A. County had been tested for the coronavirus and received their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average age of the people who are infected , including those who are newly infected , is trending younger than before , ” Ferrer said Thursday .
About 40 % of coronavirus cases in L.A. County are occurring among those 18 to 40 years old .
Ferrer said earlier this week that it was “ highly likely ” that the rise in new cases is related to people gathering during protests , in addition to clusters of visitors at restaurants and parties as well as newly reopened workplaces where employees are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus appears to be spreading more rapidly elsewhere in the state , as well .
In addition to Los Angeles and Imperial , 13 counties have reported elevated transmission of the disease , increased hospitalizations or a limited hospital capacity that exceed the state ’ s guidelines : Contra Costa , Fresno , Kern , Kings , Riverside , Sacramento , San Bernardino , San Joaquin , Santa Barbara , Santa Clara , Stanislaus , Tulare and Ventura .
The state ’ s public health team is working with those counties to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the specific drivers of the increases , and to ensure that the surges don ’ t overwhelm the hospital system .
“ Certainly if we get to a point where despite all of those collaborative good efforts , a county needs to assert themselves or get support from the state to reintroduce some level of modifications to how people are moving , the state and counties are prepared for that , ” Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services , said earlier this month .
Orange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s targeted engagement list , reported 26 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — its most in a single day .
Officials noted that not all of those people died on that particular day .
The recently reported fatalities date as far back as May 9 , according to the Orange County Health Care Agency .
Though the county also reported 506 new coronavirus infections Thursday , the local Health Care Agency said the number “ reflects another large batch of cases ” from a state reporting system and that these individuals who tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 different dates.
” On Thursday , the county announced another seven fatalities , pushing its total coronavirus-linked death toll to 306 .
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report .

Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene, Luke Money, Phil Willon

Imperial County has become so overwhelmed by the coronavirus that the state is recommending that county officials reimpose a strict stay-at-home order, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.
Newsom also said the state has “paused” issuing any additional guidelines that would allow counties to accelerate reopening their economies and easing restrictions, likewise in response to the acceleration of COVID-19 hospitalizations, including seriously ill patients sent to intensive care units.
At the same time, San Bernardino County officials said local hospitals are beginning to reach “surge capacity” because of new coronavirus cases, meaning they are getting close to hitting their licensed limits for the number of available beds.
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They stressed that there is still room for more patients but said the system is becoming stressed.
The county said it would consider opening alternate care sites for patients if hospitals fill up.
California health officials said the spike in San Bernardino cases and hospitalizations has been caused by workplace transmission as well as transmissions at state prisons, hospitals, county jails and skilled nursing facilities and by the transfer of hospitalized patients from Imperial County.
The shift came a day after the number of coronavirus cases in California surpassed 200,000 as the state continues to report a surge in new infections that officials now say cannot be explained by increased testing alone.
Newsom said that over the last 14 days, nearly one of every four people tested in Imperial County has been positive for the coronavirus, far above the statewide average of one of every 20 residents. More than 500 hospital patients have been transferred out of the county to relieve pressure on hospitals in the rural county.
With 5,744 cases and 73 deaths, Imperial County has the highest rate of coronavirus cases per capita in California, according to The Times’ tracker. It also has the highest test positivity rate of any county in the state, with a seven-day average of 23%, compared with 5.7% statewide, Newsom said Friday.
“We are advising and counseling them to move forward and reinstitute a stay-at-home order, but they will move at their discretion,” he said. “If they are not able to come to some consensus, I am committed to intervening as is my role and responsibility as governor in the state of California.”
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Imperial is among the 15 California counties the state is monitoring because they have exceeded criteria set by the state to address the pandemic, including thresholds for hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 tests.
The Newsom administration is working with health officials in those 15 counties to ensure they receive state support, whether that means sending additional healthcare workers or ventilators or moving COVID-19 patients to other counties.
The governor said the decision to pause the release of state guidelines was made a week ago and influenced Disney’s decision to delay the reopening of its theme parks in Anaheim.
“We’re advising and encouraging counties like Imperial ... to toggle back,” Newsom said. “We are acknowledging as a state well over a week ago that we were not moving forward, that we’d already paused the reopening of certain sectors of our economy with guidelines that were coming out.”
Newsom said state health officials are working with the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine whether the outbreak in Imperial County has been exacerbated by COVID-19 patients coming in from Arizona, now a coronavirus hot spot, and Mexico. The county borders both.
Newsom said the study is focused on specific health data, not “political punditry.” He said the results of the study could be delivered as early as today.
San Francisco is also pausing the relaxation of its stay-at-home orders amid a rise in new cases, Mayor London Breed announced Friday.
The city was scheduled on Monday to permit the reopening of outdoor bars, museums, zoos, tattoo parlors and personal care services, such as hair and nail salons and massage studios, but will now hold off, Breed said.
“Our reopening process is guided by data and science,” she wrote in a tweet. “COVID-19 cases are rising throughout CA. We’re now seeing a rise in cases in SF too. Our numbers are still low but rising rapidly.”
San Francisco had reported 3,400 cases of the virus and 48 deaths, as of Thursday.
Newsom indicated Friday that the decision was made by local authorities, not the state.
“What San Francisco did is exactly what the system was designed to do, and that is to empower local health officers, based upon the conditions in their communities,” he said. “Remember, I can’t say this enough. California is not one size fits all.”
The news comes amid skyrocketing numbers of coronavirus cases across California.
The state shattered a daily record for new cases Monday, reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time. That number surged even higher Tuesday, when 6,652 new cases were reported. The state reported 4,629 new cases Wednesday and 5,069 on Thursday, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker — pushing its cumulative total past 200,000.
Officials have attributed some of the increase in daily case counts to more tests being performed and said that other metrics, like the average number of daily hospitalizations and the overall rate of people testing positive, give a better picture of how the state is faring in its fight against the virus.
Both of those metrics now suggest the virus’ spread has indeed accelerated.
California has seen a 32% increase in hospitalizations of patients with confirmed COVID-19 disease, and a 19% jump in ICU patients with verified infections, over the past 14 days.
The rate at which coronavirus tests are confirming infections is also on the rise. On Thursday, 5.6% of coronavirus test results were positive on average over the previous seven days; a week earlier, 4.6% were coming back positive for the virus, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis. By Friday, the rate had increased slightly to 5.7%, Newsom said.
California Rising infections in younger people fuel California’s new coronavirus spike The alarming recent surge in COVID-19 cases appears to be driven at least in part by increases in infections among Californians ages 18 to 49.
Los Angeles County continues to be a hotbed of new infections, accounting for more than 45% of the state’s total cases and more than 55% of its COVID-19 deaths. The county’s director of public health, Barbara Ferrer, on Thursday reported more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth time in a week.
“As you may be aware, the data is now showing concerning trends,” Ferrer said in a statement. “This week we have seen cases increase, hospitalizations increase, and the positivity rate for testing increase.”
After several weeks of relative stability, L.A. County’s most recent three-day average of daily hospitalizations reflected a 9% increase, according to the Department of Public Health dashboard that tracks reopening metrics.
There were 1,633 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals Thursday, with 25% in intensive care and 18% on ventilators.
There was concern the increase could stress the healthcare system, should the trend persist.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, L.A. County’s director of health services, said Monday that, while the county has enough available hospital beds, the number of beds in intensive care units may become limited in coming weeks.
California More evidence emerges of the coronavirus slipping in through LAX The Times has now identified a third flight into LAX in which public health officials in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic did not alert travelers that they were at risk for infection.
Since then, the four hospitals run by the Department of Health Services reported a 36% drop in total available ICU beds, from roughly 50 available beds on Monday to 32 available beds Friday.
L.A. County’s 70 designated 911 receiving hospitals together reported a 14% decrease in available ICU beds between Monday and Thursday, from 188 available beds to 161, according to data released by the Department of Health Services.
Still, the most recent three-day average of available ICU beds reported by the county, which is considered a more stable indicator, reflected a 5% increase in capacity, according to the Department of Public Health dashboard.
The county’s overall positivity rate is also creeping upward, reaching 9% Friday after holding at 8% since late May, officials said. A total of 1,020,322 people in L.A. County had been tested for the coronavirus and received their results.
“We also know that the average age of the people who are infected, including those who are newly infected, is trending younger than before,” Ferrer said Thursday.
About 40% of coronavirus cases in L.A. County are occurring among those 18 to 40 years old.
Ferrer said earlier this week that it was “highly likely” that the rise in new cases is related to people gathering during protests, in addition to clusters of visitors at restaurants and parties as well as newly reopened workplaces where employees are in close contact with one another.
The virus appears to be spreading more rapidly elsewhere in the state, as well.
In addition to Los Angeles and Imperial, 13 counties have reported elevated transmission of the disease, increased hospitalizations or a limited hospital capacity that exceed the state’s guidelines: Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
The state’s public health team is working with those counties to provide targeted support to help identify and deal with the specific drivers of the increases, and to ensure that the surges don’t overwhelm the hospital system.
“Certainly if we get to a point where despite all of those collaborative good efforts, a county needs to assert themselves or get support from the state to reintroduce some level of modifications to how people are moving, the state and counties are prepared for that,” Mark Ghaly, the state’s secretary of Health and Human Services, said earlier this month.
Orange County, which is not on the state’s targeted engagement list, reported 26 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday — its most in a single day. Officials noted that not all of those people died on that particular day. The recently reported fatalities date as far back as May 9, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Though the county also reported 506 new coronavirus infections Thursday, the local Health Care Agency said the number “reflects another large batch of cases” from a state reporting system and that these individuals who tested positive “had their specimens collected over 28 different dates.”
On Thursday, the county announced another seven fatalities, pushing its total coronavirus-linked death toll to 306.
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby and Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-26--California's unemployment agency targeted for audit as criticism grows

California ’ s unemployment agency faced a barrage of bipartisan criticism from lawmakers this week over continuing delays in approving jobless claims , with calls for an audit and for Gov .
Gavin Newsom to step in with new , corrective action .
The renewed complaints come as the state Employment Development Department reported Thursday that it has processed 6.7 million claims for unemployment benefits since March 14 , just before Newsom declared a statewide coronavirus emergency , and has paid $ 33.5 billion in benefits .
Lawmakers including state Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) say their offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who filed claims weeks or months ago who have not gotten approval or received any money .
Callers also continue to have trouble getting an EDD representative on the phone to help them with stalled claims , legislators say .
The issues have existed for months despite promises by the state to resolve them .
“ It ’ s bad , ” Wiener said in an interview .
“ We are now 3½ months in and it ’ s gotten worse .
It ’ s just an unacceptable situation.
” The Senate Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration and has received assurances that the problems will be addressed , Wiener said .
In addition , he and Assemblymen David Chiu and Phil Ting , also San Francisco Democrats , sent a letter to state Labor Secretary Julie Su last month saying they have “ serious concerns ” about the failure of the system to respond to unemployed Californians .
“ It is infuriating to hear stories of constituents going into debt to stay afloat because they have yet to receive any benefits from EDD , ” Chiu said Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Californians need relief now.
” He said in a series of social media posts that even his staff has been told that they can now only expedite one constituent case involving significant hardship a week , and it is taking four weeks to respond to the lawmaker ’ s staff in other situations .
Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes ( D-Riverside ) said that of the active cases being handled by her staff , 40 % applied for benefits in March and April and still have not heard back or received benefits months later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , noting the EDD has received an unprecedented 6.7 million new claims in a short period of time .
“ That is not something the state has ever had to do in the past , and I am proud of the work they have done under very difficult circumstances , ” Newsom said Monday .
“ We have not been shy about being honest about the frustrations we have all shared , the thousands of people we had to get redeployed to help support those phone lines dealing with the magnitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office deferred comment to the EDD on the new complaints by legislators , but at the news conference earlier in the week the governor said the problems in the system are getting attention from state officials .
“ All these areas are opportunities to do more and do better , but I am very proud of the team for being able to meet the moment overwhelmingly and to advance some best practices for the rest of the nation , ” the governor said .
One component of the state budget deal agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would extend unemployment benefits for another seven weeks and allow the state Department of Motor Vehicles to provide identifying information to help the EDD ensure compliance with unemployment rules .
EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy said data is not available on how many claims have been rejected or are still pending resolution of issues including verification of identity .
Most claims are processed within 21 days , she said .
“ Others will always take longer than three weeks , whether we are in a pandemic or not , ” Levy said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we abide by regulations of this federal-state program.
” Claims that take longer include those in which the EDD has to verify a claimant ’ s identity before it can release wage records associated with a person ’ s Social Security number , wage information that doesn ’ t match employer-reported records , and mistakes or missing information on applications , Levy said .
“ These claims have to be worked manually by staff , ” she said .
Levy said the EDD recently announced plans to hire 4,800 more people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them are on the job , while 1,400 job offers are being finalized and about 500 others have conditional job offers while the agency awaits results of background checks .
Assemblywoman Laura Friedman ( D-Glendale ) said that after the EDD sends letters to benefits applicants asking them to verify their identity , claimants are responding right away .
But some have reported that their claims have been disqualified because of the amount of time EDD is taking to process their proof of identity .
Others have waited two months for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full-scale crisis in my district , ” Friedman wrote in a letter to Newsom on Thursday .
“ Delays in identity verification are placing an unimaginable burden on people whose lives have been upended by the pandemic.
” Terrence Taylor , a corporate trainer and musician who filed a claim for benefits on March 22 , provided proof of identity when requested in April and has still not received any payments .
He has enlisted the help of his state senator and has resubmitted proof of identity after first being told he failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the meantime , he has had to give up his residence in Long Beach , requiring him to stay with various friends , and is facing other pressing bills that he can not pay .
Assemblyman Todd Gloria ( D-San Diego ) took to Twitter this week to complain that many of his constituents also have yet to receive any benefits .
“ It ’ s inexcusable , and I am calling on the Administration to take corrective action , ” Gloria said .
Last month , more than 8,000 Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rated their experience as “ poor ” or “ very poor , ” according to a state survey , but the vast majority of respondents — 76.5 % — gave a rating of “ good ” or “ excellent , ” according to the EDD .
Taylor questioned the accuracy of the survey results , saying his experience was “ extremely poor.
” David Goldfarb of Vallejo said EDD operators have either hung up on him repeatedly or failed to answer when he has tried to call about his benefits , which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim has been certified .
“ This program is truly a failed state operation , ” said Goldfarb , who does maintenance for restaurants .
“ People are out of work and can ’ t pay their bills .
In my own case , I have run up many thousands of dollars in credit card debt just to buy food and other necessities.
” Assemblyman Jim Patterson ( R-Fresno ) cited such complaints in requesting a state audit of the EDD to look at issues including the failure of the phone system and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of traffic from jobless Californians .
Other legislators have indicated they would like to sign on to the request before it is acted on in August by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee , on which Patterson serves , a representative said .
Patterson said the EDD has had technology problems for more than a decade , but the problems have worsened during the pandemic .
The lawmaker said in a letter to the committee that he recently met with a representative of Deloitte Consulting , a private firm given an EDD contract to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was told that during one week in May , 1.5 million phone calls were received from 600,000 callers , but only 150,000 people were able to speak to a live person .
“ People are in desperate need of help and to know that 75 % of them in a given week can ’ t get through to the EDD is unacceptable , ” Patterson said Thursday .
“ Without that person-to-person phone call , many are left hopeless with no other options .
It ’ s another glaring reason why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

A job seeker waits to use a phone at a career center in Richmond, Calif., in 2009. The state Employment Development Department are facing a barrage of complaints that it is failing to respond to the flood of claims filed during the coronavirus pandemic.
California’s unemployment agency faced a barrage of bipartisan criticism from lawmakers this week over continuing delays in approving jobless claims, with calls for an audit and for Gov. Gavin Newsom to step in with new, corrective action.
The renewed complaints come as the state Employment Development Department reported Thursday that it has processed 6.7 million claims for unemployment benefits since March 14, just before Newsom declared a statewide coronavirus emergency, and has paid $33.5 billion in benefits.
Lawmakers including state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) say their offices have been flooded with calls from constituents who filed claims weeks or months ago who have not gotten approval or received any money. Callers also continue to have trouble getting an EDD representative on the phone to help them with stalled claims, legislators say. The issues have existed for months despite promises by the state to resolve them.
“It’s bad,” Wiener said in an interview. “We are now 3½ months in and it’s gotten worse. It’s just an unacceptable situation.”
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The Senate Democratic Caucus conveyed that message to the Newsom administration and has received assurances that the problems will be addressed, Wiener said. In addition, he and Assemblymen David Chiu and Phil Ting, also San Francisco Democrats, sent a letter to state Labor Secretary Julie Su last month saying they have “serious concerns” about the failure of the system to respond to unemployed Californians.
“It is infuriating to hear stories of constituents going into debt to stay afloat because they have yet to receive any benefits from EDD,” Chiu said Thursday. “We have to do things differently. Californians need relief now.”
He said in a series of social media posts that even his staff has been told that they can now only expedite one constituent case involving significant hardship a week, and it is taking four weeks to respond to the lawmaker’s staff in other situations.
Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) said that of the active cases being handled by her staff, 40% applied for benefits in March and April and still have not heard back or received benefits months later.
Newsom acknowledged the continuing concerns again this week, noting the EDD has received an unprecedented 6.7 million new claims in a short period of time.
“That is not something the state has ever had to do in the past, and I am proud of the work they have done under very difficult circumstances,” Newsom said Monday. “We have not been shy about being honest about the frustrations we have all shared, the thousands of people we had to get redeployed to help support those phone lines dealing with the magnitude of the call volume.”
Newsom’s office deferred comment to the EDD on the new complaints by legislators, but at the news conference earlier in the week the governor said the problems in the system are getting attention from state officials.
“All these areas are opportunities to do more and do better, but I am very proud of the team for being able to meet the moment overwhelmingly and to advance some best practices for the rest of the nation,” the governor said.
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One component of the state budget deal agreed to by Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders would extend unemployment benefits for another seven weeks and allow the state Department of Motor Vehicles to provide identifying information to help the EDD ensure compliance with unemployment rules.
EDD spokeswoman Loree Levy said data is not available on how many claims have been rejected or are still pending resolution of issues including verification of identity. Most claims are processed within 21 days, she said.
“Others will always take longer than three weeks, whether we are in a pandemic or not,” Levy said. “This is the case for every state as we abide by regulations of this federal-state program.”
Claims that take longer include those in which the EDD has to verify a claimant’s identity before it can release wage records associated with a person’s Social Security number, wage information that doesn’t match employer-reported records, and mistakes or missing information on applications, Levy said.
“These claims have to be worked manually by staff,” she said.
Levy said the EDD recently announced plans to hire 4,800 more people to help process claims and so far 1,200 of them are on the job, while 1,400 job offers are being finalized and about 500 others have conditional job offers while the agency awaits results of background checks.
Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) said that after the EDD sends letters to benefits applicants asking them to verify their identity, claimants are responding right away. But some have reported that their claims have been disqualified because of the amount of time EDD is taking to process their proof of identity. Others have waited two months for a response.
“This has become a full-scale crisis in my district,” Friedman wrote in a letter to Newsom on Thursday. “Delays in identity verification are placing an unimaginable burden on people whose lives have been upended by the pandemic.”
Terrence Taylor, a corporate trainer and musician who filed a claim for benefits on March 22, provided proof of identity when requested in April and has still not received any payments. He has enlisted the help of his state senator and has resubmitted proof of identity after first being told he failed to do so and therefore was disqualified.
In the meantime, he has had to give up his residence in Long Beach, requiring him to stay with various friends, and is facing other pressing bills that he cannot pay.
“It’s dire,” he said. “I’m exasperated.”
Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) took to Twitter this week to complain that many of his constituents also have yet to receive any benefits.
“It’s inexcusable, and I am calling on the Administration to take corrective action,” Gloria said.
Last month, more than 8,000 Californians who filed new claims for unemployment benefits rated their experience as “poor” or “very poor,” according to a state survey, but the vast majority of respondents — 76.5% — gave a rating of “good” or “excellent,” according to the EDD.
Taylor questioned the accuracy of the survey results, saying his experience was “extremely poor.”
David Goldfarb of Vallejo said EDD operators have either hung up on him repeatedly or failed to answer when he has tried to call about his benefits, which he has not received despite being told his claim has been certified.
“This program is truly a failed state operation,” said Goldfarb, who does maintenance for restaurants. “People are out of work and can’t pay their bills. In my own case, I have run up many thousands of dollars in credit card debt just to buy food and other necessities.”
Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) cited such complaints in requesting a state audit of the EDD to look at issues including the failure of the phone system and computer technology to handle a large amount of traffic from jobless Californians.
Other legislators have indicated they would like to sign on to the request before it is acted on in August by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, on which Patterson serves, a representative said.
Patterson said the EDD has had technology problems for more than a decade, but the problems have worsened during the pandemic.
The lawmaker said in a letter to the committee that he recently met with a representative of Deloitte Consulting, a private firm given an EDD contract to assist with the call centers.
Patterson said he was told that during one week in May, 1.5 million phone calls were received from 600,000 callers, but only 150,000 people were able to speak to a live person.
“People are in desperate need of help and to know that 75% of them in a given week can’t get through to the EDD is unacceptable,” Patterson said Thursday. “Without that person-to-person phone call, many are left hopeless with no other options. It’s another glaring reason why the EDD needs a deep-dive audit.”


latimes--2020-06-26--Santa Cruz becomes the first U.S. city to ban predictive policing

Nearly a decade ago , Santa Cruz was among the first cities in the U.S. to adopt predictive policing .
This week , the California city became the first in the country to ban the policy .
In a unanimous decision Tuesday , the City Council passed an ordinance that banishes the use of data to predict where crimes may occur and also barred the city from using facial recognition software .
In recent years , both predictive policing and facial recognition technology have been criticized as racially prejudiced , often contributing to increased patrols in Black or brown neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Predictive policing uses algorithms that encourage officers to patrol locations identified as high-crime based on victim reports .
The software “ replicates and supercharges bias in policing by sending police to places that they ’ ve policed before — that is often going to be Black and brown communities , ” said Matt Cagle , a technology and civil liberties attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California .
The Santa Cruz Police Department , which began predictive policing with a pilot project in 2011 , had put a moratorium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mills started as police chief .
The new city ordinance bans the practice permanently .
Mills said predictive policing could have been effective if it had been used to work with community members to solve problems — that didn ’ t happen .
Instead , the policy was used “ to do purely enforcement , ” leading to unavoidable conflicts , he said .
“ You try different things and learn later as you look back retrospectively , ” Mills said .
“ You say , ‘ Jeez , that was a blind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think one of the ways we can prevent that in the future is sitting down with community members and saying : ‘ Here ’ s what we are interested in using .
Give us your take on it .
What are your concerns ?
’ ” Like predictive policing , facial recognition systems have also come under fire , with critics arguing they can show bias toward faces with similar characteristics to the ones used to create the technology , particularly based on racial makeup .
A Santa Cruz City Council report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a recent National Institute of Standards and Technology study found that some forms of face recognition technology were 100 times more likely to misidentify people of African and Asian descent.
” While Santa Cruz is the first city in the nation to ban predictive policing , it follows other cities that have banned facial recognition technology — notably San Francisco in May 2019 and Oakland in July 2019 .
The City Council also voted Tuesday to evaluate additional police reforms following the Minneapolis killing of George Floyd .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are trying to be proactive in continuing this momentum toward actual systemic change , ” Mayor Justin Cummings said during the meeting .
In the last month , he has convened three meetings with Black community members to understand their experience with Santa Cruz police .
Cummings said he hopes to continue hearing “ from communities that are the most impacted and understand how we can support those communities moving forward.
” Nearly 400 local community members had signed an ACLU petition calling for the predictive policing ban , and a host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NAACP Santa Cruz chapter , American Friends Service Committee and Asian Americans Advancing Justice , to name a few .
Cagle said he didn ’ t hear a single speaker oppose the initiative before the long-anticipated ordinance passed .
Even Santa Cruz-based predictive policing company PredPol , whose software was used by the Santa Cruz Police Department until 2017 , backed the new rules .
“ Any government agency that applies technology to its operations should have a process to ensure that it does not result in racially inequitable outcomes , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email to The Times .
The company is confident its software is not racially biased , MacDonald said , and therefore meets the conditions in the city ’ s ordinance .
With widespread support and research backing it , Cagle doubts the policy could ever be reversed .
“ Santa Cruz ’ s ban is ironclad , and it requires new public legislation and finding that the technology can not perpetuate bias ” if such technology were to ever be used again , he said .
Southern California has been the home of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The concept is the brain child of former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton , who wanted to determine whether past data could predict crime locations .
As police departments and universities tweaked the model , they determined their map could forecast crime types , locations and times .
In 2012 , software developing business PredPol chose Santa Cruz as its home , citing the local success of predictive policing .
Since then , some studies have shown the policy reduces crime , but others have found it to have a negligible effect .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racially biased , MacDonald said he stands by PredPol ’ s algorithm .
“ If the command staff provides no explicit guidance , officers have to rely on their ‘ judgment ’ or ‘ intuition ’ as to where to patrol .
Human judgment is of course prone to error and subject to bias , whether conscious or subconscious , ” he wrote .
The LAPD announced in October that it would make changes to its PredPol program , including the creation of a data-driven policing unit to oversee all crime-fighting strategies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new data programs .
The department also said it would develop a system to provide periodic reports about data programs and outcomes with statistics on people and locations targeted for intervention .
The changes were made seven months after an inspector general couldn ’ t determine whether the LAPD ’ s predictive-policing program helped reduce crime .
Though MacDonald maintains that well-formulated algorithms can mitigate racial bias in policing , Cagle questions the policy .
“ Private for-profit companies shouldn ’ t be dictating policing in any American community , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t dismantle the racism and bias that pervades policing in America , but it does take away a system that we know will further exacerbate that problem .
”

Santa Cruz has banned predictive policing, in which law enforcement used data to try to predict where crimes occur.
Nearly a decade ago, Santa Cruz was among the first cities in the U.S. to adopt predictive policing. This week, the California city became the first in the country to ban the policy.
In a unanimous decision Tuesday, the City Council passed an ordinance that banishes the use of data to predict where crimes may occur and also barred the city from using facial recognition software.
In recent years, both predictive policing and facial recognition technology have been criticized as racially prejudiced, often contributing to increased patrols in Black or brown neighborhoods or false accusations against people of color.
Predictive policing uses algorithms that encourage officers to patrol locations identified as high-crime based on victim reports. The software “replicates and supercharges bias in policing by sending police to places that they’ve policed before — that is often going to be Black and brown communities,” said Matt Cagle, a technology and civil liberties attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.
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The Santa Cruz Police Department, which began predictive policing with a pilot project in 2011, had put a moratorium on the practice in 2017 when Andy Mills started as police chief. The new city ordinance bans the practice permanently.
Mills said predictive policing could have been effective if it had been used to work with community members to solve problems — that didn’t happen. Instead, the policy was used “to do purely enforcement,” leading to unavoidable conflicts, he said.
“You try different things and learn later as you look back retrospectively,” Mills said. “You say, ‘Jeez, that was a blind spot I didn’t see.’ I think one of the ways we can prevent that in the future is sitting down with community members and saying: ‘Here’s what we are interested in using. Give us your take on it. What are your concerns?’ ”
× Nationwide, protesters and activists have been calling to “defund the police.” But what does it actually mean? And why are so many people calling for it to happen?
Like predictive policing, facial recognition systems have also come under fire, with critics arguing they can show bias toward faces with similar characteristics to the ones used to create the technology, particularly based on racial makeup.
A Santa Cruz City Council report said that “despite purported technological advances, a recent National Institute of Standards and Technology study found that some forms of face recognition technology were 100 times more likely to misidentify people of African and Asian descent.”
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While Santa Cruz is the first city in the nation to ban predictive policing, it follows other cities that have banned facial recognition technology — notably San Francisco in May 2019 and Oakland in July 2019.
California Facial recognition software mistook 1 in 5 California lawmakers for criminals, says ACLU Roughly 20% of legislators were erroneously matched to a person arrested when the ACLU used face-scanning software to screen their pictures against a criminal database.
The City Council also voted Tuesday to evaluate additional police reforms following the Minneapolis killing of George Floyd.
“We’re really taking this situation seriously, and we are trying to be proactive in continuing this momentum toward actual systemic change,” Mayor Justin Cummings said during the meeting.
In the last month, he has convened three meetings with Black community members to understand their experience with Santa Cruz police. Cummings said he hopes to continue hearing “from communities that are the most impacted and understand how we can support those communities moving forward.”
Nearly 400 local community members had signed an ACLU petition calling for the predictive policing ban, and a host of organizations also backed the ordinance — the NAACP Santa Cruz chapter, American Friends Service Committee and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, to name a few.
Cagle said he didn’t hear a single speaker oppose the initiative before the long-anticipated ordinance passed.
Even Santa Cruz-based predictive policing company PredPol, whose software was used by the Santa Cruz Police Department until 2017, backed the new rules.
“Any government agency that applies technology to its operations should have a process to ensure that it does not result in racially inequitable outcomes,” PredPol CEO Brian MacDonald wrote in an email to The Times. The company is confident its software is not racially biased, MacDonald said, and therefore meets the conditions in the city’s ordinance.
With widespread support and research backing it, Cagle doubts the policy could ever be reversed.
“Santa Cruz’s ban is ironclad, and it requires new public legislation and finding that the technology cannot perpetuate bias” if such technology were to ever be used again, he said.
California LAPD officials defend predictive policing as activists call for its end Early each morning, computers spit out maps of Los Angeles, marked with red squares where a complex algorithm has judged that property crimes are most likely to occur.
Southern California has been the home of predictive policing since the late 2000s. The concept is the brain child of former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton, who wanted to determine whether past data could predict crime locations.
As police departments and universities tweaked the model, they determined their map could forecast crime types, locations and times. In 2012, software developing business PredPol chose Santa Cruz as its home, citing the local success of predictive policing.
Since then, some studies have shown the policy reduces crime, but others have found it to have a negligible effect.
While civil liberties organizations flag predictive policing as racially biased, MacDonald said he stands by PredPol’s algorithm.
“If the command staff provides no explicit guidance, officers have to rely on their ‘judgment’ or ‘intuition’ as to where to patrol. Human judgment is of course prone to error and subject to bias, whether conscious or subconscious,” he wrote.
The LAPD announced in October that it would make changes to its PredPol program, including the creation of a data-driven policing unit to oversee all crime-fighting strategies and seeking input from community groups before implementing new data programs.
The department also said it would develop a system to provide periodic reports about data programs and outcomes with statistics on people and locations targeted for intervention.
The changes were made seven months after an inspector general couldn’t determine whether the LAPD’s predictive-policing program helped reduce crime.
Though MacDonald maintains that well-formulated algorithms can mitigate racial bias in policing, Cagle questions the policy.
“Private for-profit companies shouldn’t be dictating policing in any American community,” he said. “Banning facial recognition won’t dismantle the racism and bias that pervades policing in America, but it does take away a system that we know will further exacerbate that problem.”


latimes--2020-06-26--Here's everything to know about voting by mail in Los Angeles County

Because of concerns about the coronavirus , Gov .
Gavin Newsom last month ordered that ballots be mailed to all of California ’ s 20.6 million voters for the Nov. 3 general election .
Although President Trump has baselessly called mail-in ballots “ dangerous , ” California leaders are worried that millions of people showing up at polling places could be dangerous to people ’ s health as the COVID-19 pandemic continues .
Here ’ s what to know about voting by mail , from Dean Logan , who runs elections in Los Angeles County as the registrar-recorder/county clerk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your registration at the L.A. County registrar ’ s website .
To verify that you ’ re registered , you ’ ll be asked for your last name , date of birth , house number and ZIP Code .
You can also call ( 800 ) 815-2666 .
You can register in person at libraries , post office branches or Department of Motor Vehicles offices .
You can even register on election day at any vote center .
Logan said that his office will send information about the election to each registered voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include how to request ballots in different languages .
If you aren ’ t registered and want to receive a mail-in ballot , you must register by Oct. 19 , 2020 .
You can check your address of record at the California secretary of state ’ s website .
After entering your name , California driver ’ s license or identification card number , partial Social Security number and date of birth , you ’ ll find out what address you are registered at , if your voting status is active , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and your party preference .
If you need to change your address or any other information , you can re-register online .
In 2020 , L.A. County transitioned from precinct-based polling places to vote centers , where any voter can cast their ballot .
The process in the March 3 primary was criticized for delays and long lines caused by technical issues .
Logan said his office was preparing for long lines this November and officials are seeking out larger vote center locations that can accommodate more people .
“ We will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Logan said .
In other California counties , in-person voting may be different under rules issued by Newsom .
What else should voters know ?
If you return your ballot by mail , it must be postmarked no later than election day .
No postage stamps are required .
You can also return it in person at any vote-by-mail drop box or at any vote center in the county any time on or before election day .
What if you forgot to sign the envelope on your ballot ?
You have up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ unsigned ballot statement , ” which you must sign .
You can drop the form off at a voting center , a drop box , in person or via email , snail mail and fax .

Mail-in ballots, registration deadlines, voting centers — we’ve got you covered with the basics of voting in the Nov. 3 election.
Because of concerns about the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom last month ordered that ballots be mailed to all of California’s 20.6 million voters for the Nov. 3 general election.
Although President Trump has baselessly called mail-in ballots “dangerous,” California leaders are worried that millions of people showing up at polling places could be dangerous to people’s health as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Here’s what to know about voting by mail, from Dean Logan, who runs elections in Los Angeles County as the registrar-recorder/county clerk.
Registering to vote
You can register to vote or confirm your registration at the L.A. County registrar’s website. To verify that you’re registered, you’ll be asked for your last name, date of birth, house number and ZIP Code. You can also call (800) 815-2666.
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You can register in person at libraries, post office branches or Department of Motor Vehicles offices. You can even register on election day at any vote center.
Logan said that his office will send information about the election to each registered voter in L.A. County. The information will include how to request ballots in different languages.
If you aren’t registered and want to receive a mail-in ballot, you must register by Oct. 19, 2020.
How to make sure your mail ballot gets counted Check your registration status Every voter should do this now. Just go to https://www.nass.org/can-I-vote, a portal created by the National Assn. of Secretaries of State. If you find you are not on the voting rolls, use the portal to register. Get a mail ballot California and some other states will automatically send them to all registered voters. In other places, you must request one. You can find out whether you need to request one -- and submit the request, if you do -- through the NASS.org portal. Do this now. Mail your ballot by Oct. 27 Earlier is even better. This will give the postal service plenty of time to deliver it. While California will count votes that arrive up to 17 days late -- provided they are postmarked by election day -- many states will not. They will toss any votes that arrive after November 3rd. Don't panic if your ballot is not mailed by Oct. 27 Again, in California it will still get counted as long as it is postmarked by election day and arrives within 17 days after. In other states, if you haven’t mailed your ballot by a week before election day, hang onto it. You can drop your mail ballot in one of the drop boxes at polling places and -- in California and several states -- on street corners, sidewalks and in municipal buildings. If your state has early voting, you can drop your mail ballot off anywhere that is being held. Track your ballot Many states now enable voters to track the status of their mail-in ballot online. Californians can do this at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. Voters in other states can register for tracking online through their state or local elections website.
Checking your address
You can check your address of record at the California secretary of state’s website.
After entering your name, California driver’s license or identification card number, partial Social Security number and date of birth, you’ll find out what address you are registered at, if your voting status is active, if you’re a permanent vote-by-mail voter and your party preference.
If you need to change your address or any other information, you can re-register online.
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Voting in person
In 2020, L.A. County transitioned from precinct-based polling places to vote centers, where any voter can cast a ballot.
The process in the March 3 primary was criticized for delays and long lines caused by technical issues. Logan said his office was preparing for long lines in the upcoming election, and officials are seeking out larger vote center locations that can accommodate more people.
“We will have to plan for social distancing,” Logan said.
In other California counties, in-person voting may be different under rules issued by Newsom.
What else should voters know?
If you return your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked no later than election day. No postage stamps are required. You can also return it in person at any vote-by-mail drop box or at any vote center in the county any time on or before election day.
What if you forgot to sign the envelope on your ballot? You have up to eight days after election day to return an “unsigned ballot statement,” which you must sign. You can drop the form off at a voting center, a drop box, in person or via mail, email or fax.


latimes--2020-06-26--USC dean resigns after past relationship with student is revealed

The dean of USC ’ s School of Dramatic Arts resigned Thursday after information emerged about a relationship he ’ d had with a student .
A day after another woman described the relationship in a town hall meeting , Dean David Bridel sent a letter to faculty on Thursday acknowledging that he briefly dated a BFA senior in 2009 .
He said their relationship had ended amicably , but described the public characterization of the relationship as “ grossly inaccurate.
” “ I fully accept , however , that my behavior in 2009 demonstrated a failure in judgment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I apologize , profusely , for any harm I caused by my conduct in 2009.
” Provost Charles Zukoski announced in a memo to the school that he had accepted Bridel ’ s resignation , adding that the university is looking into the allegation .
School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth Daley was named interim dean .
The relationship was revealed during a meeting for faculty , students and alumni of the MFA in acting program .
News of the resignation was first reported by the Daily Trojan , which did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was not cited in any of the official correspondence about Bridel ’ s resignation .
Bridel did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment .
One alumna who graduated in 2016 expressed disappointment in Bridel , calling his actions a “ severe lapse of judgment.
” Pallavi Srinivasan said his leadership , which included creating a diversity board , made her believe that the school was becoming a much more inclusive place for people of color .
“ Now I realize that I don ’ t know who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him that was presented to me was everything that I ’ d ever wanted , ” she said .
Pallavi , who said she also suffered from an inappropriate interaction with former USC gynecologist George Tyndall , said Bridel was part of a “ culture of abuse ” that USC has yet to address .
“ That school hides a lot of dirty laundry in some really beautiful buildings , ” she said .
Andrei Belgrader , a professor of theater practice in acting , said Bridel ’ s leadership will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dean , so I ’ m kind of in shock , ” he said .
“ He ’ s one of the best I ’ ve encountered.
” Bridel is the second dean to resign under President Carol Folt , who took over in September .
Jack Knott , the dean of the Price School of Public Policy , resigned in April after accepting a deanship at New York University .
Bridel was appointed dean in 2016 after serving on the faculty for 10 years .
His university biography credits him with being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clown School in Los Angeles .
He ’ s worked as a playwright , director and performer .
He is the latest USC leader to depart from the university since April 2016 , when medical school dean Carmen Puliafito resigned after a woman overdosed in his presence in a hotel room three weeks earlier .
Other notable departures include President C.L .
Max Nikias , who left his post after an uproar over USC ’ s handling of the Tyndall case , and numerous athletics department leaders , who were fired over their @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The dean of USC’s School of Dramatic Arts resigned after a relationship he’d had with a student was revealed publicly.
The dean of USC’s School of Dramatic Arts resigned Thursday after information emerged about a relationship he’d had with a student.
A day after another woman described the relationship in a town hall meeting, Dean David Bridel sent a letter to faculty on Thursday acknowledging that he briefly dated a BFA senior in 2009. He said their relationship had ended amicably, but described the public characterization of the relationship as “grossly inaccurate.”
For the record: An earlier version of this article said Dean David Bridel’s relationship was revealed by the woman he’d dated. It was revealed by another woman.
“I fully accept, however, that my behavior in 2009 demonstrated a failure in judgment and evidence of irresponsibility,” he wrote. “I apologize, profusely, for any harm I caused by my conduct in 2009.”
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USC dean’s letter USC Dean David Bridel’s resignation letter
Provost Charles Zukoski announced in a memo to the school that he had accepted Bridel’s resignation, adding that the university is looking into the allegation. School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth Daley was named interim dean.
The relationship was revealed during a meeting for faculty, students and alumni of the MFA in acting program. News of the resignation was first reported by the Daily Trojan, which did not reveal the woman’s name. It was not cited in any of the official correspondence about Bridel’s resignation.
Bridel did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment.
One alumna who graduated in 2016 expressed disappointment in Bridel, calling his actions a “severe lapse of judgment.” Pallavi Srinivasan said his leadership, which included creating a diversity board, made her believe that the school was becoming a much more inclusive place for people of color.
“Now I realize that I don’t know who he was, even though the version of him that was presented to me was everything that I’d ever wanted,” she said.
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Pallavi, who said she also suffered from an inappropriate interaction with former USC gynecologist George Tyndall, said Bridel was part of a “culture of abuse” that USC has yet to address. “That school hides a lot of dirty laundry in some really beautiful buildings,” she said.
Andrei Belgrader, a professor of theater practice in acting, said Bridel’s leadership will be missed.
“He was an incredible dean, so I’m kind of in shock,” he said. “He’s one of the best I’ve encountered.”
Bridel is the second dean to resign under President Carol Folt, who took over in September. Jack Knott, the dean of the Price School of Public Policy, resigned in April after accepting a deanship at New York University.
Bridel was appointed dean in 2016 after serving on the faculty for 10 years. His university biography credits him with being the founding and artistic director of the Clown School in Los Angeles. He’s worked as a playwright, director and performer.
He is the latest USC leader to depart from the university since April 2016, when medical school dean Carmen Puliafito resigned after a woman overdosed in his presence in a hotel room three weeks earlier. Other notable departures include President C.L. Max Nikias, who left his post after an uproar over USC’s handling of the Tyndall case, and numerous athletics department leaders, who were fired over their involvement with the college admissions scandal.


latimes--2020-06-26--Porto's Bakery closes Downey shop after employees test positive for coronavirus

Porto ’ s Bakery has temporarily closed its Downey location after three employees tested positive for COVID-19 , the company announced this week .
Officials said the plan is to resume offering in-car pickup for online orders Monday .
“ This temporary closure will allow us to bring in an outside professional company to disinfect the entire bakery , above and beyond our daily rigorous processes and allow team members time to obtain testing , ” company officials wrote in a statement Thursday .
The company added that the three employees “ had been self-quarantined and not reported to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We will continue adhering to , and exceeding , the recommendations and guidelines set forth by the [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] and the public health department in order to maintain a healthy and safe working environment moving forward , ” the statement continued .
The popular bakery ’ s other locations remain open for online ordering and in-car pickup .
Numerous businesses have had to contend with employees testing positive for coronavirus infection since the pandemic began .
As of Friday morning , more than 40 restaurants , stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their staff countywide , according to a list maintained by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .

The Porto’s Bakery location in Downey is temporarily closed after three employees tested positive for COVID-19.
Porto’s Bakery has temporarily closed its Downey location after three employees tested positive for COVID-19, the company announced this week.
Officials said the plan is to resume offering in-car pickup for online orders Monday.
“This temporary closure will allow us to bring in an outside professional company to disinfect the entire bakery, above and beyond our daily rigorous processes and allow team members time to obtain testing,” company officials wrote in a statement Thursday.
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The company added that the three employees “had been self-quarantined and not reported to work since prior to being tested.”
“We will continue adhering to, and exceeding, the recommendations and guidelines set forth by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and the public health department in order to maintain a healthy and safe working environment moving forward,” the statement continued.
The popular bakery’s other locations remain open for online ordering and in-car pickup.
Food How Rosa Porto created the most beloved bakery in all of Los Angeles An appreciation of Rosa Porto, who died Friday at 89, creator of one of the most beloved food institutions in Los Angeles. In one of her last interviews, she and her daughter Margarita Navarro spoke about the origins of Porto’s Bakery & Cafe.
Numerous businesses have had to contend with employees testing positive for coronavirus infection since the pandemic began.
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As of Friday morning, more than 40 restaurants, stores and other workplaces had confirmed cases among their staff countywide, according to a list maintained by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.


latimes--2020-06-26--L.A. to pay nearly $1 million in settlement against officer who shot Black teen in back

Los Angeles will pay nearly $ 1 million to settle excessive force claims against an LAPD officer who fired into a group of teenagers in 2015 after apparently mistaking a toy gun for a real weapon .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for the L.A. city attorney ’ s office , confirmed the $ 985,000 settlement Friday but declined to comment further .
The claim stemmed from the events of Feb. 10 , 2015 , when an LAPD officer shot at Jamar Nicholson , then 15 , in an alley near 10th Street and Florence Avenue — wounding him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Black , had been rapping and dancing with some of his friends in the alley that morning , which they previously told The Times was part of their typical routine before school .
Attorneys for Nicholson and another young man , Jason Huerta , filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city in September 2015 , contending that the officer violated their 4th Amendment rights against unlawful arrest and excessive force by shooting at them and holding them in handcuffs for five hours .
They also alleged the shooting violated their 14th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a redacted copy of a report former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck submitted to the L.A. Police Commission , officers had been driving by when one looked over and saw someone pointing what he thought was a gun at somebody else in the alley .
But it turned out to be a toy replica with an orange-colored tip at the end of the barrel .
The LAPD also later acknowledged that Nicholson hadn ’ t been holding it .
One of the officers told investigators that when he gave an order to drop the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it toward him .
An attorney representing Nicholson , however , has challenged that account .
“ The officer falsely claimed a crime was being committed by Blacks and a Latino as they filmed themselves rapping with a bright orange-tipped replica gun as a prop , ” said the pair ’ s attorney , John Harris .
“ This shooting wouldn ’ t have occurred if the kids were white , or on the way to school in a Westside neighborhood .
This was a classic example of the mistreatment , racial prejudice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children.
” The L.A. Police Commission ruled in January 2016 that the officer was justified in opening fire .

Jamar Nicholson shows the bullet wound on his back from when an LAPD officer shot him in 2015. Nicholson was 15 at the time.
Los Angeles will pay nearly $1 million to settle excessive force claims against an LAPD officer who fired into a group of teenagers in 2015 after apparently mistaking a toy gun for a real weapon.
Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for the L.A. city attorney’s office, confirmed the $985,000 settlement Friday but declined to comment further.
The claim stemmed from the events of Feb. 10, 2015, when an LAPD officer shot at Jamar Nicholson, then 15, in an alley near 10th Street and Florence Avenue — wounding him in the upper back.
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Nicholson, who is Black, had been rapping and dancing with some of his friends in the alley that morning, which they previously told The Times was part of their typical routine before school.
Attorneys for Nicholson and another young man, Jason Huerta, filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city in September 2015, contending that the officer violated their 4th Amendment rights against unlawful arrest and excessive force by shooting at them and holding them in handcuffs for five hours.
They also alleged the shooting violated their 14th Amendment due process rights.
California Unarmed 15-year-old mistakenly shot by LAPD officer wants apology A Los Angeles police shooting of a teenager this week has once again stoked law enforcement concerns about realistic-looking toy weapons, which have been part of fatal police clashes around the country and prompted calls for legislative action in California.
According to a redacted copy of a report former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck submitted to the L.A. Police Commission, officers had been driving by when one looked over and saw someone pointing what he thought was a gun at somebody else in the alley.
But it turned out to be a toy replica with an orange-colored tip at the end of the barrel. The LAPD also later acknowledged that Nicholson hadn’t been holding it.
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One of the officers told investigators that when he gave an order to drop the item, the person turned and pointed it toward him. An attorney representing Nicholson, however, has challenged that account.
California LAPD officer who mistakenly shot teen in replica gun case was justified, commission finds A Los Angeles police officer who mistakenly shot a teenager last year after seeing a group of boys with a replica gun was justified in opening fire, even though the wounded teen hadn’t been holding the toy weapon, the L.A.
“The officer falsely claimed a crime was being committed by Blacks and a Latino as they filmed themselves rapping with a bright orange-tipped replica gun as a prop,” said the pair’s attorney, John Harris. “This shooting wouldn’t have occurred if the kids were white, or on the way to school in a Westside neighborhood. This was a classic example of the mistreatment, racial prejudice and injustice against Blacks, including Black children.”
The L.A. Police Commission ruled in January 2016 that the officer was justified in opening fire.
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-26--Trump broke the law by using military funds for border wall, appeals court rules

A federal appeals court decided 2-1 Friday that the Trump administration violated the law by using military money to build a wall at the southern border of Arizona , New Mexico and California .
A panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the power of the purse belongs to Congress , and the administration lacked constitutional authority to transfer the military money toward the border project .
Two Democratic appointees were in the majority .
A Trump appointee dissented .
“ The president has long supported the construction of a border wall on the southern border between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas , a Clinton appointee , wrote for the court in one of two decisions on the issue .
“ Since the president took office in 2017 , however , Congress has repeatedly declined to provide the amount of funding requested by the president.
” Whether the rulings will stand is uncertain .
The Supreme Court last year blocked a 9th Circuit injunction that barred the administration from spending $ 2.5 billion of military money on the wall .
The high court acted after the Trump administration filed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinstated that injunction , which the Trump administration is almost certain to appeal .
Brian Segee , a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity , had called the Supreme Court ’ s decision “ an ominous signal ” for the challengers of the wall .
The center has a separate lawsuit pending against the administration ’ s use of military funding for the project .
The high court in July 2019 cleared the way for Trump to spend the money while the issue was litigated in the 9th Circuit , a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may overturn the 9th Circuit once again .
In a one- paragraph decision , the conservatives on the high court voted in favor of Trump , and the liberals dissented .
Friday ’ s decisions came in two cases , one filed by California and other states , the other brought by the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition .
Both suits charged that the wall would harm the environment , including endangered species .
The same panel heard both , with Thomas writing for the majority and Trump appointee Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wall was needed to prevent drug smuggling .
But the 9th Circuit majority said Friday that the law allows for the transfer of Pentagon funds only for unanticipated military purposes , and a border wall “ was not an unforeseen military requirement.
” Drug smuggling at the border was neither a new nor an unforeseen problem , the majority said .
“ There was no unanticipated crisis at the border , ” Thomas wrote , joined by Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw , also a Clinton appointee .
“ Nothing prevented Congress from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinary appropriations process — Congress simply chose not to fund this particular solution.
” Collins , the Trump appointee , said in a dissent that combating illegal drug activity was “ plainly ” a military function .
He argued the court should have upheld the money transfer .
The state of California and the Sierra Clubpraised Friday ’ s decisions .
“ Today , the court reminded the President — once again — that no one is above the law , ” Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build an unauthorized wall at the Southern border , families across the country are struggling to pay their bills .
They deserve to know that their hard-earned dollars are going where the law intended — to benefit their families and their communities.
” The American Civil Liberties Union , which represented the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition , called the decision in its case “ a win for the rule of law , the environment , and border communities.
” “ President Trump ’ s xenophobic wall is already leveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroying wildlife , ” said Dror Ladin , staff attorney with the ACLU ’ s National Security Project .
“ There ’ s no undoing the damage that ’ s been done , but we will be back before the Supreme Court to finally put a stop to this destructive wall.
” The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

A man stands outside the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals building in San Francisco in 2017.
A federal appeals court decided 2-1 Friday that the Trump administration violated the law by using military money to build a wall at the southern border of Arizona, New Mexico and California.
A panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the power of the purse belongs to Congress, and the administration lacked constitutional authority to transfer the military money toward the border project. Two Democratic appointees were in the majority. A Trump appointee dissented.
“The president has long supported the construction of a border wall on the southern border between the United States and Mexico,” Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas, a Clinton appointee, wrote for the court in one of two decisions on the issue.
“Since the president took office in 2017, however, Congress has repeatedly declined to provide the amount of funding requested by the president.”
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Whether the rulings will stand is uncertain. The Supreme Court last year blocked a 9th Circuit injunction that barred the administration from spending $2.5 billion of military money on the wall. The high court acted after the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal.
Friday’s rulings reinstated that injunction, which the Trump administration is almost certain to appeal.
Brian Segee, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, had called the Supreme Court’s decision “an ominous signal” for the challengers of the wall. The center has a separate lawsuit pending against the administration’s use of military funding for the project.
The high court in July 2019 cleared the way for Trump to spend the money while the issue was litigated in the 9th Circuit, a sign that a majority on the Supreme Court may overturn the 9th Circuit once again. In a one- paragraph decision, the conservatives on the high court voted in favor of Trump, and the liberals dissented.
Friday’s decisions came in two cases, one filed by California and other states, the other brought by the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. Both suits charged that the wall would harm the environment, including endangered species. The same panel heard both, with Thomas writing for the majority and Trump appointee Judge Daniel P. Collins dissenting.
Trump argued the wall was needed to prevent drug smuggling.
But the 9th Circuit majority said Friday that the law allows for the transfer of Pentagon funds only for unanticipated military purposes, and a border wall “was not an unforeseen military requirement.” Drug smuggling at the border was neither a new nor an unforeseen problem, the majority said.
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“There was no unanticipated crisis at the border,” Thomas wrote, joined by Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, also a Clinton appointee. “Nothing prevented Congress from funding solutions to this problem through the ordinary appropriations process — Congress simply chose not to fund this particular solution.”
Collins, the Trump appointee, said in a dissent that combating illegal drug activity was “plainly” a military function. He argued the court should have upheld the money transfer.
The state of California and the Sierra Clubpraised Friday’s decisions.
“Today, the court reminded the President — once again — that no one is above the law,” Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“While the Trump Administration steals public funds to build an unauthorized wall at the Southern border, families across the country are struggling to pay their bills. They deserve to know that their hard-earned dollars are going where the law intended — to benefit their families and their communities.”
The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition, called the decision in its case “a win for the rule of law, the environment, and border communities.”
“President Trump’s xenophobic wall is already leveling protected lands, desecrating cultural sites and destroying wildlife,” said Dror Ladin, staff attorney with the ACLU’s National Security Project. “There’s no undoing the damage that’s been done, but we will be back before the Supreme Court to finally put a stop to this destructive wall.”
The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


latimes--2020-06-26--Immigrants detained at Adelanto staged a peaceful protest. Guards in riot gear pepper-sprayed them

The 32-year-old asylum seeker from Egypt said that he and other detainees were peacefully protesting ongoing lockdowns at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility near Victorville earlier this month when more than a dozen guards in riot gear shot pepper bullets and pepper spray at them .
The chemical irritant instantly caused his eyes to blur and his throat to close up .
Abdelsalam , who has asthma , said he had to be taken to the facility ’ s medical center and given oxygen .
“ I lost my breath and almost passed away , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement , said that the incident occurred when more than 150 detainees became disruptive and refused directives from staff , necessitating “ the use of non-lethal force to preserve order ” after attempts at deescalation were unsuccessful .
Detainees paint a different picture of what happened .
Abdelsalam and others said the facility had been under lockdown since June 7 , when protesters damaged several vehicles in the parking lot and broke a few of the building ’ s windows , causing minor injury to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Press .
Detainees said they were kept in their dorm rooms for 23.5 hours a day .
Five days later , when an official announced that they needed to return to their rooms because of another planned protest by demonstrators outside the facility , detainees refused .
Some stood just outside their rooms , while others sat in the common area .
It was late afternoon when guards told them to “ rack up ” to be counted .
Detainees said they agreed to participate in the count but told guards that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their rooms .
They said the guards , dressed in black with face shields and gas masks , told them once more to “ rack it up ” before shooting them indiscriminately with pepper balls , pepper spray and rubber bullets .
Edgar Guillen said he was standing outside his second-floor room for count when a guard standing on the lower level shot a pepper ball at him .
The ball hit the wall behind him and exploded onto his face .
“ I got really scared because I didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take it if we didn ’ t go inside , ” said Guillen , a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Mexico .
Afterward , he said it was impossible to sleep and breathe .
He coughed and vomited through the night .
Guillen said guards refused to let him out to get cleaning supplies .
So the next day , he used his bath towel and toilet water to clean his room .
“ I threw it on the floor , got some shampoo that I had and started scrubbing the floor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detainees yelled that they couldn ’ t breathe .
They said the chemicals caused them to vomit and burned their eyes and skin for hours .
One man had a seizure .
Another fell down the stairs while being taken to shower and was carried out in a stretcher .
One detainee said he watched guards pelt a man with rubber bullets as he told them he had leukemia .
Pons , the ICE spokesman , said four detainees were transferred to a nearby medical facility and later returned to Adelanto after treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other detainees with decontamination , he said .
“ Detainees ultimately complied and returned to their rooms , and facility staff were able to restore order and prevent further risk of injury to both detainees and staff , ” he said .
Abdelsalam said he was placed in segregation and wasn ’ t allowed out of the room to call his lawyer or shower for three days , which prolonged the effects of the pepper spray .
More than a week after the incident , he still had trouble breathing and was taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has a recommended dosage of three puffs a day .
Guillen said it wasn ’ t fair for detainees to be punished for protests taking place outside the facility .
“ We decided that if they ’ re going to protest on our behalf , we should stand up for ourselves as well , ” he said .
Guillen anticipated the possibility that detainees could be handcuffed and forced into their rooms but not the level of force they encountered .
The incident was preceded by weeks of detainee complaints that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinfectant spray about every 20 minutes in poorly ventilated areas , causing nose bleeds , burning eyes , nausea and headaches .
In a legal complaint filed May 21 , the advocacy groups Freedom for Immigrants and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice allege that staff are purposefully exposing detainees to the spray , called HDQ Neutral , as a form of retaliation for speaking out about dangerous conditions amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Reps. Mark Takano and Juan Vargas sent a letter to acting ICE Director Matthew Albence , calling the reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturer warning about the chemical ’ s use indoors .
ICE maintains that it is following EPA and CDC guidance in using the disinfectant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at the facility .
Earlier this year , eight former ICE detainees settled a civil rights lawsuit against the Geo Group , the private prison company that runs Adelanto , after guards pepper-sprayed them while they protested facility conditions by sitting in the common area outside their rooms .
Last week , the same lawyers who litigated that case sent a new letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility officials demanding that they preserve evidence , including videos , of the pepper spray incident , chemical disinfectant use and any other instances of force or punishment in anticipation of a lawsuit .
“ All of this conduct is blatantly unconstitutional , ” the lawyers Rachel Steinback and Catherine Sweetser wrote .
Under a class-action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union , a federal judge ruled June 19 that ICE provide information on Adelanto detainees for potential release on bail in order to depopulate the facility to a level that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds nearly 1,000 detainees .
Ten detainees there have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday , according to ICE .
ACLU attorney Minju Cho said she hopes the bail application process will be speedy .
“ I never could have imagined it but conditions in Adelanto today are more hellish than they were on the day we filed our lawsuit , ” she said .
“ ICE and GEO have shown that they can not be trusted with the health and safety of our clients .
Release is the only way @ @ @ @ @ @

A guard escorts an immigrant detainee from his “segregation cell” back into the general population at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility near Victorville.
Mohammed Abdelsalam remembers the scene as a war zone.
The 32-year-old asylum seeker from Egypt said that he and other detainees were peacefully protesting ongoing lockdowns at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility near Victorville earlier this month when more than a dozen guards in riot gear shot pepper bullets and pepper spray at them.
The chemical irritant instantly caused his eyes to blur and his throat to close up. Abdelsalam, who has asthma, said he had to be taken to the facility’s medical center and given oxygen.
“I lost my breath and almost passed away,” he said. “My heart almost stopped.”
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Alexx Pons, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that the incident occurred when more than 150 detainees became disruptive and refused directives from staff, necessitating “the use of non-lethal force to preserve order” after attempts at deescalation were unsuccessful.
Detainees paint a different picture of what happened.
Abdelsalam and others said the facility had been under lockdown since June 7, when protesters damaged several vehicles in the parking lot and broke a few of the building’s windows, causing minor injury to an employee inside, according to the Victorville Daily Press.
Detainees said they were kept in their dorm rooms for 23.5 hours a day. Five days later, when an official announced that they needed to return to their rooms because of another planned protest by demonstrators outside the facility, detainees refused. Some stood just outside their rooms, while others sat in the common area.
It was late afternoon when guards told them to “rack up” to be counted. Detainees said they agreed to participate in the count but told guards that they “respectfully refused” to return to their rooms. They said the guards, dressed in black with face shields and gas masks, told them once more to “rack it up” before shooting them indiscriminately with pepper balls, pepper spray and rubber bullets.
Edgar Guillen said he was standing outside his second-floor room for count when a guard standing on the lower level shot a pepper ball at him. The ball hit the wall behind him and exploded onto his face.
“I got really scared because I didn’t know to what extent they were going to take it if we didn’t go inside,” said Guillen, a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Mexico. Afterward, he said it was impossible to sleep and breathe. He coughed and vomited through the night.
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Guillen said guards refused to let him out to get cleaning supplies. So the next day, he used his bath towel and toilet water to clean his room.
“I threw it on the floor, got some shampoo that I had and started scrubbing the floor and the walls,” he said.
Detainees yelled that they couldn’t breathe. They said the chemicals caused them to vomit and burned their eyes and skin for hours. One man had a seizure. Another fell down the stairs while being taken to shower and was carried out in a stretcher.
One detainee said he watched guards pelt a man with rubber bullets as he told them he had leukemia.
Pons, the ICE spokesman, said four detainees were transferred to a nearby medical facility and later returned to Adelanto after treatment. Medical staff at the facility assisted other detainees with decontamination, he said.
“Detainees ultimately complied and returned to their rooms, and facility staff were able to restore order and prevent further risk of injury to both detainees and staff,” he said.
Abdelsalam said he was placed in segregation and wasn’t allowed out of the room to call his lawyer or shower for three days, which prolonged the effects of the pepper spray. More than a week after the incident, he still had trouble breathing and was taking 15 puffs a day of his inhaler, which has a recommended dosage of three puffs a day.
Guillen said it wasn’t fair for detainees to be punished for protests taking place outside the facility.
“We decided that if they’re going to protest on our behalf, we should stand up for ourselves as well,” he said. Guillen anticipated the possibility that detainees could be handcuffed and forced into their rooms but not the level of force they encountered.
The incident was preceded by weeks of detainee complaints that Adelanto facility employees are using a hazardous disinfectant spray about every 20 minutes in poorly ventilated areas, causing nose bleeds, burning eyes, nausea and headaches.
In a legal complaint filed May 21, the advocacy groups Freedom for Immigrants and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice allege that staff are purposefully exposing detainees to the spray, called HDQ Neutral, as a form of retaliation for speaking out about dangerous conditions amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Reps. Mark Takano and Juan Vargas sent a letter to acting ICE Director Matthew Albence, calling the reports troubling and pointing to the HDQ Neutral manufacturer warning about the chemical’s use indoors.
I've heard reports that immigrants in detention are getting sick after using a chemical disinfectant to combat the spread of #COVID19 at the Adelanto Detention Center and other detention centers nationwide.@RepJuanVargas & I want answers from ICE about the use of this chemical. pic.twitter.com/ftea5C8ovd — Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) June 18, 2020
ICE maintains that it is following EPA and CDC guidance in using the disinfectant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at the facility.
Earlier this year, eight former ICE detainees settled a civil rights lawsuit against the Geo Group, the private prison company that runs Adelanto, after guards pepper-sprayed them while they protested facility conditions by sitting in the common area outside their rooms.
Last week, the same lawyers who litigated that case sent a new letter to Adelanto Warden James Janecka and other facility officials demanding that they preserve evidence, including videos, of the pepper spray incident, chemical disinfectant use and any other instances of force or punishment in anticipation of a lawsuit.
“All of this conduct is blatantly unconstitutional,” the lawyers Rachel Steinback and Catherine Sweetser wrote.
Under a class-action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge ruled June 19 that ICE provide information on Adelanto detainees for potential release on bail in order to depopulate the facility to a level that allows social distancing. The facility currently holds nearly 1,000 detainees. Ten detainees there have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday, according to ICE.
ACLU attorney Minju Cho said she hopes the bail application process will be speedy.
“I never could have imagined it but conditions in Adelanto today are more hellish than they were on the day we filed our lawsuit,” she said. “ICE and GEO have shown that they cannot be trusted with the health and safety of our clients. Release is the only way to keep them safe.”
Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.