latimes--2020-07-19--Did baristas lose their jobs because of COVID-19 or because they tried to unionize?

It was just like the heady pre-pandemic days at Augie ’ s Coffee on a recent Friday morning in downtown Riverside .
About 80 regulars lined up outside the beloved Inland Empire mini-chain , which had meticulously built its reputation as a neighborhood hub through delicious drinks and woke politics .
College students and county workers , cyclists in their spandex finest and flâneurs waited patiently for cold-brewed coffee , vegan cupcakes and breakfast tacos while chatting up their favorite baristas .
All the hubbub happened outside , though .
Augie ’ s was closed — perhaps permanently .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate shutdown of its five locations and laid off 54 employees , just a week after workers announced they planned to become one of the few unionized coffee shops in the U.S. Father-and-son owners Andy and Austin Amento blamed the demise of their business on the economic and health ravages of the coronavirus .
In an interview conducted via email , Austin Amento , 31 , maintained that the shutdown happened after a rapid loss of profits and a rash of managers quitting made him and his father “ worried that we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus ] hot spot.
” Many of the chain ’ s workers had been customers first who were inspired to join the type of company that regularly helped nonprofits and applauded staff for organizing and participating in vigils for George Floyd .
Now , customers were signing up for a different kind of activism .
They stood in the blistering sun to put their name on a petition demanding that the Amentos rehire their workers .
Someone had covered up an Augie ’ s logo with a poster that said “ Community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white and black pins that read “ Augie ’ s Union.
” “ I see my baristas more than I do my own family , ” said 20-year-old Marcial Zaroff-Hernandez of Yucaipa , who was there with his brother Ezra .
Their go-to order : large coffee with oat milk .
“ I ’ m so proud of what they ’ re doing.
” “ These people are the backbone of our community , ” said Norman Ellstrand , a UC Riverside genetics professor who stopped by once a week before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was there with his wife , also a UC Riverside professor .
“ So of course we would come out to support.
” “ It feels like my parents are getting a divorce , ” said 35-year-old Redlands resident Freedom Rode .
“ I still don ’ t want to believe what happened.
” What ’ s going on with Augie ’ s is drawing attention from more than just caffeine fiends .
The company ’ s struggle has attracted interest from baristas nationwide , as well as from local labor leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referendum on the Inland Empire ’ s economy .
“ These young people are working people , too , ” said Karen Macias , a vice president for the AFL-CIO ’ s Inland Empire Labor Council .
She attended the Augie ’ s rally with a fellow board member and a platoon of tough-looking Teamsters who looked like their idea of fancy coffee was a Styrofoam cup paired with a bear claw .
“ It ’ s important to show up and support people fighting for an Inland Empire that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re not cheap labor and land anymore.
” Unionized coffee shops remain a rarity in an industry in which worker turnover is high and wages perpetually low .
Two small New York-based chains have organized — Gim me !
Coffee in 2018 and Spot Coffee earlier this year — and that ’ s about it .
“ This sector is crying out for unionization , ” said Mark Meinster , international representative for the United Electrical , Radio and Machine Workers , which helped Augie ’ s staff unionize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UE in its 84-year history .
Meinster added that many workers at small businesses feel guilty even thinking about organizing , because “ no one believes their employers are Amazon or Walmart.
” “ There ’ s an added urgency , ” Meinster said , “ given the immediate life-or-death safety issues many face.
” That ’ s what Augie ’ s workers say pushed them to organize .
Melodye Anderson , 31 , had worked at Augie ’ s for six years .
She handed out her vegan cupcakes underneath a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hungry .
“ I felt we were working for a true ethical company , ” said the Redlands resident .
“ We made our own syrups and cared about issues .
But us losing our jobs showed the opposite .
I ’ m heartbroken.
” The problems started in May , when Augie ’ s began to slowly regain business .
Employees who had refused to show up to work in the spring due to coronavirus fears said they found themselves shut out of shifts .
Employees said they gave up hours so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everyone began to grumble about years of promised raises that hadn ’ t happened and fear of job security as California deals with economic calamity and mandated shutdowns .
“ We had some vague talks about what we could do , ” said catering manager Daniel Storll , 28 .
“ Any talk of unionization was the most hypothetical that it could be.
” He and others reached out to the Democratic Socialists of America , which has a partnership with UE to organize workers .
After a couple of video chats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a union was the best way forward .
At a tense town hall June 26 at the Redlands warehouse , they asked the Amentos to accept the request .
“ We thought that the most devastating reaction was that they wouldn ’ t recognize the union , and then we ’ d have to go to a vote , ” said Anderson .
“ Not lose our jobs.
” “ There was no hint we ’ d get shut down , ” said 30-year-old Riverside resident Josh Penunuri .
Augie ’ s had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its locations and launched a social media campaign to promote the new item for summer .
The layoffs gripped the Inland Empire ’ s activist scene ; more than 150 people showed up to jeer the Amentos July 5 at company headquarters while Augie ’ s workers grabbed their severance checks .
A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $ 21,000 for workers , and the UE filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Augie ’ s laid off its workers as retaliation .
Austin Amento denied the charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has clarified that they have good intentions with their desire for a union , and we believe them.
” Asked whether Augie ’ s would ever reopen , Amento said some locations may “ potentially ” return , depending on how the pandemic plays out .
Rehiring would be on a “ case-by-case basis , regardless of past interest in unionization , ” he said .
In the meantime , Augie ’ s offers local delivery for extra-large latte orders .
That led to Augie ’ s Union calling for a boycott , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Instagram .
“ It ’ s been a trip to see the beginning and the end , ” said barista Brianda Medina , 28 .
She helped to open the Riverside location and mingled with loyal customers during the Friday gathering .
“ It ’ s just been a lot of years of miscommunications [ with management ] .
We didn ’ t feel like we were appreciated .
We want to be important to them.
” Medina looked around and began to tear up .
“ It ’ s good to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our customers care , at least .
”

Hope Macias signs a petition organized by workers demanding that Augie’s Coffee reopen. The Inland Empire chain recently shut down for what it says are coronavirus-related reasons, but former workers claim it was in retaliation for unionizing.
It was just like the heady pre-pandemic days at Augie’s Coffee on a recent Friday morning in downtown Riverside.
About 80 regulars lined up outside the beloved Inland Empire mini-chain, which had meticulously built its reputation as a neighborhood hub through delicious drinks and woke politics. College students and county workers, cyclists in their spandex finest and flâneurs waited patiently for cold-brewed coffee, vegan cupcakes and breakfast tacos while chatting up their favorite baristas.
All the hubbub happened outside, though. Augie’s was closed — perhaps permanently.
Advertisement
On July 4, the company announced the immediate shutdown of its five locations and laid off 54 employees, just a week after workers announced they planned to become one of the few unionized coffee shops in the U.S. Father-and-son owners Andy and Austin Amento blamed the demise of their business on the economic and health ravages of the coronavirus.
In an interview conducted via email, Austin Amento, 31, maintained that the shutdown happened after a rapid loss of profits and a rash of managers quitting made him and his father “worried that we were in line to become the next [coronavirus] hot spot.”
The regulars didn’t buy it.
Brianda Medina became emotional seeing customer support for the fired workers at the Riverside location of Augie’s Coffee. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Many of the chain’s workers had been customers first who were inspired to join the type of company that regularly helped nonprofits and applauded staff for organizing and participating in vigils for George Floyd. Now, customers were signing up for a different kind of activism.
They stood in the blistering sun to put their name on a petition demanding that the Amentos rehire their workers. Someone had covered up an Augie’s logo with a poster that said “Community, not coffee.” Nearly everyone wore red, white and black pins that read “Augie’s Union.”
“I see my baristas more than I do my own family,” said 20-year-old Marcial Zaroff-Hernandez of Yucaipa, who was there with his brother Ezra. Their go-to order: large coffee with oat milk. “I’m so proud of what they’re doing.”
Advertisement
“These people are the backbone of our community,” said Norman Ellstrand, a UC Riverside genetics professor who stopped by once a week before the university halted in-person classes in March. He was there with his wife, also a UC Riverside professor. “So of course we would come out to support.”
“It feels like my parents are getting a divorce,” said 35-year-old Redlands resident Freedom Rode. “I still don’t want to believe what happened.”
What’s going on with Augie’s is drawing attention from more than just caffeine fiends. The company’s struggle has attracted interest from baristas nationwide, as well as from local labor leaders who see the battle as a small-scale referendum on the Inland Empire’s economy.
“These young people are working people, too,” said Karen Macias, a vice president for the AFL-CIO’s Inland Empire Labor Council. She attended the Augie’s rally with a fellow board member and a platoon of tough-looking Teamsters who looked like their idea of fancy coffee was a Styrofoam cup paired with a bear claw.
“It’s important to show up and support people fighting for an Inland Empire that’s not all low-paying jobs,” Macias continued. “We’re not cheap labor and land anymore.”
Workers organized a petition drive in front of the Riverside location, demanding that Augie’s Coffee reopen. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Unionized coffee shops remain a rarity in an industry in which worker turnover is high and wages perpetually low. Two small New York-based chains have organized — Gimme! Coffee in 2018 and Spot Coffee earlier this year — and that’s about it.
“This sector is crying out for unionization,” said Mark Meinster, international representative for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, which helped Augie’s staff unionize — the first-ever coffee shop to join the UE in its 84-year history.
Meinster added that many workers at small businesses feel guilty even thinking about organizing, because “no one believes their employers are Amazon or Walmart.”
But coronavirus has sparked a large-scale rethinking.
“There’s an added urgency,” Meinster said, “given the immediate life-or-death safety issues many face.”
That’s what Augie’s workers say pushed them to organize.
Melodye Anderson, 31, had worked at Augie’s for six years. She handed out her vegan cupcakes underneath a tent while explaining the situation to the hungry.
“I felt we were working for a true ethical company,” said the Redlands resident. “We made our own syrups and cared about issues. But us losing our jobs showed the opposite. I’m heartbroken.”
The problems started in May, when Augie’s began to slowly regain business. Employees who had refused to show up to work in the spring due to coronavirus fears said they found themselves shut out of shifts.
Employees said they gave up hours so their colleagues could come back. Soon, everyone began to grumble about years of promised raises that hadn’t happened and fear of job security as California deals with economic calamity and mandated shutdowns.
“We had some vague talks about what we could do,” said catering manager Daniel Storll, 28. “Any talk of unionization was the most hypothetical that it could be.”
Freedom Rode, center, and others at a rally in support of fired Augie’s workers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
He and others reached out to the Democratic Socialists of America, which has a partnership with UE to organize workers. After a couple of video chats, Augie’s workers agreed that a union was the best way forward.
At a tense town hall June 26 at the Redlands warehouse, they asked the Amentos to accept the request.
“We thought that the most devastating reaction was that they wouldn’t recognize the union, and then we’d have to go to a vote,” said Anderson. “Not lose our jobs.”
“There was no hint we’d get shut down,” said 30-year-old Riverside resident Josh Penunuri. Augie’s had just bought expensive slushie machines for all of its locations and launched a social media campaign to promote the new item for summer.
The layoffs gripped the Inland Empire’s activist scene; more than 150 people showed up to jeer the Amentos July 5 at company headquarters while Augie’s workers grabbed their severance checks. A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $21,000 for workers, and the UE filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Augie’s laid off its workers as retaliation.
Austin Amento denied the charge and added that his former staff “has clarified that they have good intentions with their desire for a union, and we believe them.” Asked whether Augie’s would ever reopen, Amento said some locations may “potentially” return, depending on how the pandemic plays out. Rehiring would be on a “case-by-case basis, regardless of past interest in unionization,” he said.
In the meantime, Augie’s offers local delivery for extra-large latte orders. That led to Augie’s Union calling for a boycott, while its members told their individual stories on Instagram.
“It’s been a trip to see the beginning and the end,” said barista Brianda Medina, 28. She helped to open the Riverside location and mingled with loyal customers during the Friday gathering. “It’s just been a lot of years of miscommunications [with management]. We didn’t feel like we were appreciated. We want to be important to them.”
Medina looked around and began to tear up. “It’s good to see,” she said, “that our customers care, at least.”


latimes--2020-07-19--Cannabis farmers in a poor California town want to go legit, but the raids keep coming

Ronnie Bell ’ s prized possessions aren ’ t the collectible toys or bongs that clutter his ranch-style house .
What the 65-year-old values most is his extensive indoor marijuana grow .
Bell ’ s “ bachelor pad ” features a guest-bedroom-turned-nursery with a reflective grow-tent .
There are racks of marijuana plants in the next room .
This farmer , who served 21 years in the U.S. Marines and 21 years in the U.S .
Postal Service , is one of many unlicensed marijuana cultivators in the unincorporated township of Anza .
Over the 24 years Bell has grown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times and arrested seven .
When he was arrested in May , Bell said , he suffered a torn rotator cuff .
His old friend , marijuana , made the pain bearable .
In the Inland Empire , Anza , population about 3,000 , is a small place with a big reputation — when it comes to weed .
If you smoked it and it didn ’ t come from a legal source , many locals said , it might well have come from Anza .
Drive into town and it seems impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t point you to a neighbor who grows cannabis ; said pointer may grow it too .
The town has the optimal microclimate for marijuana cultivation ; access to water , hot , dry summers .
And the sale of cannabis supplements the income of people who might otherwise live below the poverty line .
Riverside County supervisors have so far shown little inclination to support the small , thriving marijuana growers of Anza .
Meanwhile , the county Sheriff ’ s Department has conducted frequent raids in recent years .
“ Illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and community , ” said sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Albert Martinez .
“ The Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department has responded to crimes of homicide , theft , robbery , kidnapping , the theft of utilities , illegal chemical waste dumping ( which ends up in the water table ) all associated with illegal grows.
” Since Proposition 64 took effect in 2017 , California residents have been allowed to grow up to six plants .
The year before , Riverside County passed an ordinance allowing qualified medical cannabis patients in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants .
For households with two qualified patients , the number doubles to 24 .
But Anza ’ s zoning prevents most from growing and selling cannabis .
So there ’ s nothing legal about Bell ’ s operation .
His small cannabis grow helps supplement his income and supplies him with medicinal marijuana to treat a back injury , Bell said , and the onset of a pandemic-caused recession has made his operation all the more essential .
“ I ’ m just a peaceful farmer .
I want to give this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bell said .
“ I ’ ve put everything I ’ ve got into this .
We ’ re not trying to make a million bucks , I ’ m just passionate about this plant and the people involved with it.
” For dozens of small growers in Anza , where the median household income sits at $ 41,200 , the cannabis farms are crucial , said Edison Gomez-Krauss , a founding member of the High Country Grower ’ s Assn.
, which advocates for laxer cannabis cultivation laws .
The sprawling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greenhouses than local merchants .
Small markets , gas stations and the prized Dairy Queen are among the few signs of mainstream commerce .
Farming is the town ’ s life force , and the smell of marijuana is omnipresent .
Mondays are nervous times for Bell .
The Sheriff ’ s Department dubs them “ Marijuana Mondays ” because of the frequency of raids .
And so on Mondays , Bell ’ s attention is focused on the security cameras monitoring the front gate .
One recent Monday saw him slowly stripping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining greenhouses , which he said the Sheriff ’ s Department deemed a code violation .
On May 13 , Bell was one of 10 people busted by the Sheriff ’ s Department .
He was startled by the sound of deputies over a loudspeaker as they charged through his gate .
As he headed to the front porch , he shrank away from the guns pointed in his direction , he said .
Officers zip-tied his wrists , pulling his arms back farther than they could bend , he said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard crashing .
Deputies slashed through greenhouses that cost about $ 6,000 each , kicked down lights and confiscated 10 pounds of weed , a generator and 1,898 plants , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department property report .
He was slapped with a code enforcement violation for his greenhouses .
In total that day , authorities eradicated nearly 10,000 plants and collected 298 pounds of processed marijuana , according to Martinez .
Bell said he keeps half of the product he grows for personal medicinal use , and his son sells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dubbed “ OG Kush 371 , ” the plants are an homage to the road to Anza , Highway 371 .
Shaken by the most recent raid , Bell grows on a smaller scale and dedicates his time to the 10-month cultivation process .
In March , he starts by planting seeds or cloning plants .
After two months , his son or hired hands take the plants and move them into a greenhouse .
By September or October , Bell harvests the plants and hangs them to dry for 10 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When finished , he places the product into a nylon bag and uses a hydraulic press to create cannabis oil .
Most mornings he inspects each plant for blemishes or seeds — a sign that the plant would be unsalable — and sets the large carbon dioxide tank to 1,015 parts per million .
The gas is directed through a series of tubes to a fan that blows it onto the plants for 12 hours a day .
He makes sure the grow lights are set to stay on for 12 hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the growing process .
Years back , he also tended a larger indoor nursery that allowed him to harvest year-round .
But now he spends more time raising baby chicks and fish .
Bell ran away from home at age 15 , hitchhiking from Kansas City , Mo.
, to Anaheim .
“ We was selling drugs and pills just to make enough to eat and stuff , ” he said .
“ I didn ’ t have the best childhood .
But eventually someone told us about a hippie commune up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across town , fellow HGCA founding member Kendall Steinmetz , 67 , contemplates putting up plywood to surround his legal outdoor grow with a note that reads : “ Civil forfeiture is unconstitutional.
” He starts the day at 9 a.m. trimming last year ’ s harvest — a laborious process that has taken him months — while watching the morning news .
He smokes the first of 10 joints and checks on his outdoor plants and fruit trees .
“ We ’ re like any other farmer , we ’ re just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Anza residents are divided on the issue of cannabis cultivation .
While it has existed here for decades , legislation that has made enforcement less tough has led to tensions as the area became more attractive to prospective growers .
In 2016 , Take Back Anza was formed .
The group is concerned about the impacts of farming , including dips in water supply in the Santa Margarita Watershed , an increase in illegal operations and properties ruined by renters who leave after harvesting .
Take Back Anza founder Gary Worobec @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads .
Worobec said the group is focused on removing large , illegal grows .
But small growers felt they have been targeted in the past .
In the last year , Martinez said , the Hemet sheriff ’ s station conducted or assisted in 31 raids , eradicating 163,704 plants and more than 41 tons of marijuana .
Martinez estimated $ 170 million in plants and processed marijuana were eradicated this year alone .
The station will likely double 2019 ’ s number of raids .
In their downtime , Bell and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zoning policies to legalize small growing operations .
According to a report by the Anza Valley Municipal Advisory Council , 97 % of Anza residents live on rural residential or agricultural land , which prevents them from growing and selling cannabis but allows other commercial farming .
No permits have been granted to cannabis cultivators in Riverside County , said County Supervisor Chuck Washington , who oversees Anza Valley .
“ Admittedly our process is overly burdensome for the small growers , ” Washington said .
“ The licensing process by its nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becomes very expensive and out of reach .
We haven ’ t figured out a way to manage that.
” For Bell and Steinmetz , attempting to fit in the legal framework is a trip in itself .
“ This is the Napa Valley of marijuana cultivation , ” Bell said .
“ So much revenue comes in from this plant , and we just want to positively contribute to the revenue stream in Anza .
This town is asleep , and it ’ s begging for life .
”

Ronnie Bell, one of many unlicensed marijuana growers in Anza, Calif., cultivates young cannabis plants in a guest room.
Ronnie Bell’s prized possessions aren’t the collectible toys or bongs that clutter his ranch-style house. What the 65-year-old values most is his extensive indoor marijuana grow.
Bell’s “bachelor pad” features a guest-bedroom-turned-nursery with a reflective grow-tent. There are racks of marijuana plants in the next room. This farmer, who served 21 years in the U.S. Marines and 21 years in the U.S. Postal Service, is one of many unlicensed marijuana cultivators in the unincorporated township of Anza.
Over the 24 years Bell has grown marijuana, he has been raided eight times and arrested seven. When he was arrested in May, Bell said, he suffered a torn rotator cuff. His old friend, marijuana, made the pain bearable.
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Ronnie Bell smokes cannabis oil in his living room. The drug helps with back pain and a shoulder injury he suffered when deputies twisted his arm, Bell said. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In the Inland Empire, Anza, population about 3,000, is a small place with a big reputation — when it comes to weed. If you smoked it and it didn’t come from a legal source, many locals said, it might well have come from Anza. Drive into town and it seems impossible to run into someone who can’t point you to a neighbor who grows cannabis; said pointer may grow it too.
The town has the optimal microclimate for marijuana cultivation; access to water, hot, dry summers. And the sale of cannabis supplements the income of people who might otherwise live below the poverty line.
Riverside County supervisors have so far shown little inclination to support the small, thriving marijuana growers of Anza. Meanwhile, the county Sheriff’s Department has conducted frequent raids in recent years.
“Illegal marijuana cultivation is harmful to the environment and community,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Albert Martinez. “The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has responded to crimes of homicide, theft, robbery, kidnapping, the theft of utilities, illegal chemical waste dumping (which ends up in the water table) all associated with illegal grows.”
Since Proposition 64 took effect in 2017, California residents have been allowed to grow up to six plants. The year before, Riverside County passed an ordinance allowing qualified medical cannabis patients in unincorporated townships like Anza to grow 12 plants. For households with two qualified patients, the number doubles to 24. But Anza’s zoning prevents most from growing and selling cannabis.
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So there’s nothing legal about Bell’s operation.
His small cannabis grow helps supplement his income and supplies him with medicinal marijuana to treat a back injury, Bell said, and the onset of a pandemic-caused recession has made his operation all the more essential.
“I’m just a peaceful farmer. I want to give this farm to my son one day,” Bell said. “I’ve put everything I’ve got into this. We’re not trying to make a million bucks, I’m just passionate about this plant and the people involved with it.”
For dozens of small growers in Anza, where the median household income sits at $41,200, the cannabis farms are crucial, said Edison Gomez-Krauss, a founding member of the High Country Grower’s Assn., which advocates for laxer cannabis cultivation laws.
The sprawling fields in Anza are home to more greenhouses than local merchants. Small markets, gas stations and the prized Dairy Queen are among the few signs of mainstream commerce. Farming is the town’s life force, and the smell of marijuana is omnipresent.
Mondays are nervous times for Bell. The Sheriff’s Department dubs them “Marijuana Mondays” because of the frequency of raids.
And so on Mondays, Bell’s attention is focused on the security cameras monitoring the front gate. One recent Monday saw him slowly stripping away at the skeleton of his two remaining greenhouses, which he said the Sheriff’s Department deemed a code violation.
On May 13, Bell was one of 10 people busted by the Sheriff’s Department. He was startled by the sound of deputies over a loudspeaker as they charged through his gate. As he headed to the front porch, he shrank away from the guns pointed in his direction, he said. Officers zip-tied his wrists, pulling his arms back farther than they could bend, he said. He watched investigators enter his house.
Bell heard crashing. Deputies slashed through greenhouses that cost about $6,000 each, kicked down lights and confiscated 10 pounds of weed, a generator and 1,898 plants, according to the Sheriff’s Department property report. He was slapped with a code enforcement violation for his greenhouses.
Ronnie Bell inside a greenhouse he said was damaged by Sheriff’s deputies during a raid. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In total that day, authorities eradicated nearly 10,000 plants and collected 298 pounds of processed marijuana, according to Martinez.
Bell said he keeps half of the product he grows for personal medicinal use, and his son sells the other half to trusted black marketeers. Dubbed “OG Kush 371,” the plants are an homage to the road to Anza, Highway 371.
Shaken by the most recent raid, Bell grows on a smaller scale and dedicates his time to the 10-month cultivation process.
In March, he starts by planting seeds or cloning plants. After two months, his son or hired hands take the plants and move them into a greenhouse. By September or October, Bell harvests the plants and hangs them to dry for 10 days before starting the two-month trimming process.
When finished, he places the product into a nylon bag and uses a hydraulic press to create cannabis oil.
Despite raids and arrests by deputies, Bell continues to grow cannabis to supplement his income and supply himself for medicinal use. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Most mornings he inspects each plant for blemishes or seeds — a sign that the plant would be unsalable — and sets the large carbon dioxide tank to 1,015 parts per million. The gas is directed through a series of tubes to a fan that blows it onto the plants for 12 hours a day. He makes sure the grow lights are set to stay on for 12 hours. He has perfected this setup to speed the growing process.
Years back, he also tended a larger indoor nursery that allowed him to harvest year-round. But now he spends more time raising baby chicks and fish.
Bell ran away from home at age 15, hitchhiking from Kansas City, Mo., to Anaheim.
“We was selling drugs and pills just to make enough to eat and stuff,” he said. “I didn’t have the best childhood. But eventually someone told us about a hippie commune up in Idyllwild, so we went.”
Kendall Steinmetz of Anza, Calif., at his living room table, where he trims his cannabis buds. Steinmetz, too, has had several run-ins with law enforcement, but continues to grow. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Just across town, fellow HGCA founding member Kendall Steinmetz, 67, contemplates putting up plywood to surround his legal outdoor grow with a note that reads: “Civil forfeiture is unconstitutional.”
He starts the day at 9 a.m. trimming last year’s harvest — a laborious process that has taken him months — while watching the morning news. He smokes the first of 10 joints and checks on his outdoor plants and fruit trees.
Kendall Steinmetz checks on his cannabis. “We’re like any other farmer,” he said, “We’re just passionate about our plants.” (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re like any other farmer, we’re just passionate about our plants,” Steinmetz said.
Anza residents are divided on the issue of cannabis cultivation. While it has existed here for decades, legislation that has made enforcement less tough has led to tensions as the area became more attractive to prospective growers. In 2016, Take Back Anza was formed.
The group is concerned about the impacts of farming, including dips in water supply in the Santa Margarita Watershed, an increase in illegal operations and properties ruined by renters who leave after harvesting.
Take Back Anza founder Gary Worobec said men brandishing guns have occasionally blocked roads. Worobec said the group is focused on removing large, illegal grows. But small growers felt they have been targeted in the past.
In the last year, Martinez said, the Hemet sheriff’s station conducted or assisted in 31 raids, eradicating 163,704 plants and more than 41 tons of marijuana.
Martinez estimated $170 million in plants and processed marijuana were eradicated this year alone. The station will likely double 2019’s number of raids.
In their downtime, Bell and Steinmetz work with HCGA to propose alternative zoning policies to legalize small growing operations. According to a report by the Anza Valley Municipal Advisory Council, 97% of Anza residents live on rural residential or agricultural land, which prevents them from growing and selling cannabis but allows other commercial farming.
A close-up of one of Kendall Steinmetz’s cannabis plants. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
No permits have been granted to cannabis cultivators in Riverside County, said County Supervisor Chuck Washington, who oversees Anza Valley.
“Admittedly our process is overly burdensome for the small growers,” Washington said. “The licensing process by its nature ... [is] bureaucratic. It becomes very expensive and out of reach. We haven’t figured out a way to manage that.”
For Bell and Steinmetz, attempting to fit in the legal framework is a trip in itself.
“This is the Napa Valley of marijuana cultivation,” Bell said. “So much revenue comes in from this plant, and we just want to positively contribute to the revenue stream in Anza. This town is asleep, and it’s begging for life.”


latimes--2020-07-20--California weighs steep new fines to combat illegal cannabis sellers

Alarmed that unlicensed cannabis sellers continue to dominate California ’ s pot market , state lawmakers are moving toward imposing steep new fines on businesses that provide building space , advertising platforms and other aid to illicit operations .
Those who provide assistance to illegal pot sellers would face civil fines of up to $ 30,000 per day under legislation approved unanimously by the state Assembly that is now pending in the Senate .
A final vote on the proposal is expected sometime after lawmakers return to Sacramento this month .
Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio ( D-Baldwin Park ) said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much as 80 % of the cannabis sold in California comes from the illicit market , despite voters approving legal and licensed sales that began in 2018 .
“ Despite some success during the first two years of legalized cannabis sales , the illicit market has flourished , ” Rubio said .
“ In addition to dwindling tax revenues , the underground market presents public safety and health threats to California.
” But the proposal has divided advocates for legal marijuana .
The United Cannabis Business Assn.
, which represents licensed firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2122 , saying it “ brings much-needed support in enforcement.
” Licensed retailers have struggled as many Californians continue to buy from the illicit market sellers , who charge lower prices because they do not pay state taxes or abide by costly state regulations , including testing and security requirements .
“ The illicit cannabis market must be shut down to ensure that legal operators can see an increase of patients and consumers which creates union jobs while we contribute to local and the State of California ’ s tax revenues , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislators .
However , the measure is opposed by the California chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws , also known as NORML , which argues the bill is overbroad and heavy-handed .
“ In general we would rather see ‘ carrots ’ to assist people in securing commercial licenses by lowering the barriers to entry , rather than ‘ sticks , ’ be they criminal or civil , ” said Ellen Komp , deputy director of California NORML .
The group supports an existing law requiring advertising for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number .
NORML officials said many illicit operators display fake licenses to fool those they do business with , so it is not always easy to ascertain whether a cannabis business has a license .
Komp suggested the state can help licensed businesses by addressing the fact that two-thirds of the cities in California do not allow licensing of cannabis businesses .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom , the leading supporter of the legalization initiative Proposition 64 in 2016 , has said enforcement is an important part of building a legal industry .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously run into roadblocks in attempting to enforce laws requiring cannabis businesses to be licensed .
In 2018 , the bureau sent a letter to Weedmaps , the internet site that provides consumers with information on cannabis firms , directing it to cease and desist from displaying listings of unlicensed sellers .
Weedmaps said it was protected from such an order by the 1996 Communications Decency Act , which gave platforms such as Facebook and YouTube safe harbor from being held liable for the content of their users ’ posts .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would end the practice of listing unlicensed cannabis businesses on its Yelp-like platform .
Still , state officials say ads for illegal operators can be found elsewhere on the internet and said sharper teeth are needed in state law to give enforcement real bite .
A Weedmaps spokesman said the firm is neutral on the Rubio bill , but the company warned lawmakers that the measure “ has the potential to capture non-nefarious actors across multiple media platforms who are not intentionally supporting the illicit cannabis market.
” To address concerns from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides fines for “ aiding and abetting , ” which require knowledge that a cannabis business is illegal and intent to help it .
A publisher would not likely be fined if it put up an ad of a licensed business that later had its license expire or taken away , according to Taylor Woolfork , a spokesman for Rubio .
But there have been allegations by state officials that some websites have used false license numbers on ads .
That could be taken as evidence that the advertiser knew the ads were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aiding and abetting , Woolfork said .
“ We are not looking to fine folks who make honest mistakes , ” he said .
The measure would also give the bureau more enforcement power when building owners are found to have knowingly leased storefronts to unlicensed marijuana retailers .
Cannabis sold in those stores “ does not meet established standards , evades state testing and puts people at risk , ” Rubio said .
In December , state regulators served search warrants at 24 unlicensed shops in Los Angeles , seizing $ 8.8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 10,000 illegal vape pens and $ 129,000 in cash .
Rubio ’ s bill would also allow fines against landlords who rent space to shops they know are unlicensed .
The legislation is one of the few cannabis-related bills left to be considered this year as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced legislators meeting in a truncated session to pare back the number of measures not related to the health crisis .
The industry had also hoped this year might see success for a measure by Assemblyman Rob Bonta ( D-Alameda ) that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on marijuana sales from 15 % to 11 % for three years while eliminating a cultivation tax for that period .
Bonta said that while the tax cut bill “ will not be moving forward this year , I remain committed to supporting our legal operators , ending the illicit market , and fulfilling California ’ s promise to the voters under Prop .
215 and Prop .
64 to provide legal , safe , and regulated adult-use and medical cannabis .
”

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy loads evidence bags into a van after raiding an illegal cannabis dispensary in Compton in 2018. State lawmakers are considering new fines for landlords and advertisers that aid illegal pot shops.
Alarmed that unlicensed cannabis sellers continue to dominate California’s pot market, state lawmakers are moving toward imposing steep new fines on businesses that provide building space, advertising platforms and other aid to illicit operations.
Those who provide assistance to illegal pot sellers would face civil fines of up to $30,000 per day under legislation approved unanimously by the state Assembly that is now pending in the Senate. A final vote on the proposal is expected sometime after lawmakers return to Sacramento this month.
Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said she introduced the bill out of concern that as much as 80% of the cannabis sold in California comes from the illicit market, despite voters approving legal and licensed sales that began in 2018.
“Despite some success during the first two years of legalized cannabis sales, the illicit market has flourished,” Rubio said. “In addition to dwindling tax revenues, the underground market presents public safety and health threats to California.”
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But the proposal has divided advocates for legal marijuana. The United Cannabis Business Assn., which represents licensed firms, asked Rubio to introduce Assembly Bill 2122, saying it “brings much-needed support in enforcement.”
Licensed retailers have struggled as many Californians continue to buy from the illicit market sellers, who charge lower prices because they do not pay state taxes or abide by costly state regulations, including testing and security requirements.
“The illicit cannabis market must be shut down to ensure that legal operators can see an increase of patients and consumers which creates union jobs while we contribute to local and the State of California’s tax revenues,” the UCBA said in a letter to legislators.
However, the measure is opposed by the California chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, also known as NORML, which argues the bill is overbroad and heavy-handed.
“In general we would rather see ‘carrots’ to assist people in securing commercial licenses by lowering the barriers to entry, rather than ‘sticks,’ be they criminal or civil,” said Ellen Komp, deputy director of California NORML.
The group supports an existing law requiring advertising for cannabis businesses to include a state license number. NORML officials said many illicit operators display fake licenses to fool those they do business with, so it is not always easy to ascertain whether a cannabis business has a license.
Komp suggested the state can help licensed businesses by addressing the fact that two-thirds of the cities in California do not allow licensing of cannabis businesses.
Advertisement
Gov. Gavin Newsom, the leading supporter of the legalization initiative Proposition 64 in 2016, has said enforcement is an important part of building a legal industry.
But the state Bureau of Cannabis Control has previously run into roadblocks in attempting to enforce laws requiring cannabis businesses to be licensed.
In 2018, the bureau sent a letter to Weedmaps, the internet site that provides consumers with information on cannabis firms, directing it to cease and desist from displaying listings of unlicensed sellers.
Weedmaps said it was protected from such an order by the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which gave platforms such as Facebook and YouTube safe harbor from being held liable for the content of their users’ posts.
However, last August, the firm announced it would end the practice of listing unlicensed cannabis businesses on its Yelp-like platform.
Still, state officials say ads for illegal operators can be found elsewhere on the internet and said sharper teeth are needed in state law to give enforcement real bite.
A Weedmaps spokesman said the firm is neutral on the Rubio bill, but the company warned lawmakers that the measure “has the potential to capture non-nefarious actors across multiple media platforms who are not intentionally supporting the illicit cannabis market.”
To address concerns from the newspaper industry, Rubio’s bill provides fines for “aiding and abetting,” which require knowledge that a cannabis business is illegal and intent to help it.
A publisher would not likely be fined if it put up an ad of a licensed business that later had its license expire or taken away, according to Taylor Woolfork, a spokesman for Rubio.
But there have been allegations by state officials that some websites have used false license numbers on ads. That could be taken as evidence that the advertiser knew the ads were for unlicensed firms, and therefore was aiding and abetting, Woolfork said.
“We are not looking to fine folks who make honest mistakes,” he said.
The measure would also give the bureau more enforcement power when building owners are found to have knowingly leased storefronts to unlicensed marijuana retailers.
Cannabis sold in those stores “does not meet established standards, evades state testing and puts people at risk,” Rubio said.
In December, state regulators served search warrants at 24 unlicensed shops in Los Angeles, seizing $8.8 million in cannabis products, and confiscated nearly 10,000 illegal vape pens and $129,000 in cash.
Rubio’s bill would also allow fines against landlords who rent space to shops they know are unlicensed.
The legislation is one of the few cannabis-related bills left to be considered this year as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced legislators meeting in a truncated session to pare back the number of measures not related to the health crisis.
The industry had also hoped this year might see success for a measure by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) that would have cut the state excise tax on marijuana sales from 15% to 11% for three years while eliminating a cultivation tax for that period.
Bonta said that while the tax cut bill “will not be moving forward this year, I remain committed to supporting our legal operators, ending the illicit market, and fulfilling California’s promise to the voters under Prop. 215 and Prop. 64 to provide legal, safe, and regulated adult-use and medical cannabis.”


latimes--2020-07-20--UC Berkeley has a poor reputation among Black students. It's trying to change that

Two years ago , UC Berkeley seemed like a dream campus for Ahmad Mahmuod .
The San Diego-born son of Somali refugees , the first in his family of nine to attend a four-year university , could hardly believe he ’ d earned admission to the world-famous campus , known for its top academic rankings and history of progressive activism .
But he quickly learned that Berkeley had another , dubious reputation : It ’ s known for having the worst campus climate for Black students in the University of California system .
On his big move-in day in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would get into the residence hall elevator with him even though it was empty .
On his first day of classes , he encountered only one other Black student among some 800 peers in three courses — statistics , Arabic , oceanography — and all of his professors were white .
That fall , only 3.4 % of Berkeley ’ s nearly 31,000 students were Black .
“ I made it to the No .
1 public university in the world , ” Mahmuod said , “ but it took less than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not belong.
” That persistent feeling among many Black students at Berkeley — and years of demands for remedies — has led to what campus officials call their most concerted effort ever to improve diversity and combat anti-Blackness and other racism .
The effort , which includes changes to admissions , increased financial aid , expanded student support and new communal spaces , has been given greater urgency by the nationwide movement for racial justice triggered by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May .
The efforts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced it had accepted the largest number of Black students in three decades , accounting for 5 % of the admitted California freshman class .
The figure is close to mirroring the proportion of California high school graduates who are Black , 5.3 % , but it ’ s too early to know how many students will actually enroll .
“ The most important thing is creating a campus in which everybody feels that they belong , that they ’ re valued , that they ’ re respected and that they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an interview .
“ My commitment to that work is , today , stronger than ever given the state of race relations in our country and the moral imperative to provide justice , equity and opportunity for all.
” Berkeley ’ s problems started as the state ’ s Black share of residents began to decline in the 1990s and were exacerbated by the 1996 passage of Proposition 209 , which banned affirmative action .
Black student numbers plummeted from a high of 7.4 % of all undergraduates in 1989 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Berkeley now has the smallest percentage of Black students among UC ’ s nine undergraduate campuses except San Diego and Irvine .
Eddie Comeaux , a UC Riverside professor , attended Berkeley before the affirmative action ban and said the critical mass of Black students then gave him a sense of belonging .
“ There were more opportunities to build community with people who look like you , ” said Comeaux , who has studied Black student college choices .
“ When you don ’ t see that , it sends a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” A 2019 study by the USC Race and Equity Center ranked Berkeley last among UC campuses in equity for Black students based on four factors .
Berkeley scored an A for its Black student-faculty ratio , a B for gender diversity , a C for numerical representation and a D for its six-year Black student graduation rate of 75.4 % — 15.9 percentage points lower than the campus ’ overall student rate .
The USC study was largely based on 2016 data ; Berkeley has since increased the number of Black students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduation rate to 77.5 % and added five Black full-time faculty members as of fall 2018 .
Black Berkeley students have expressed dismay with their campus climate .
In a 2018 UC undergraduate survey , 58 % of Black respondents said they felt their race was disrespected , the highest proportion among UC campuses .
Those feelings were exacerbated in December , when a video went viral showing a UC Berkeley student using racial slurs against Black people , prompting a university review and statement of condemnation .
Mahmuod and other Black students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campus police — being stopped for ID , for instance , more often than other students .
After years of Black student demands for change , Christ accelerated diversity efforts .
“ If [ students ] don ’ t experience diversity in their classrooms , living spaces and extracurricular activities ; if they don ’ t learn how to live and work in a diverse world , we ’ re really shortchanging them educationally , ” she said .
To forge a new way forward , Berkeley hired Femi Ogundele away from Stanford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and director of undergraduate admissions .
He believes that enrolling more Black students will improve the negative campus environment for them .
“ The only way that we ’ re going to be able to fight that narrative is to get into those communities and let them know that not only are you good enough but we are actively looking for you , ” he said .
He and his team have “ doubled down ” on partnerships with Black community groups and high school counselors to widen the pipeline of potential applicants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , both close to home in places such as Vallejo and Richmond and farther out , adding a recruiter in the mid-Atlantic region and a second one in Los Angeles .
They ’ ve used social media to publicize Berkeley ’ s commitment to diversity , including an Instagram post last month by Black admission staff speaking out against racism and anti-Blackness .
Berkeley also has begun to read applications differently to understand the context of a student ’ s background before evaluating their grades and test scores .
The student-led Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , sponsored basketball camps and organized study jams , community barbecues , scholarships and networking opportunities .
“ Even though we have a lot of issues here , it kind of motivates us to fight because I don ’ t think just giving up on this school is going to be beneficial for the Black students who are here , ” said Nazak Wali-Ali , the center ’ s community development coordinator and a rising senior in legal studies and ethnic studies .
More generous financial aid has been a key recruiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program for Black students in 2018 , raising private funds for it , and increased the $ 8,000 annual awards to 44 recipients this year compared with 12 last year .
Such financial aid sealed the deal for students such as Nicole Anyanwu , a student senator and rising senior majoring in molecular biology .
Yet when she arrived , Anyanwu soon felt isolated , as the only Black student in many of her classes .
When she walked through Sproul Plaza , which is typically lined with campus clubs trying to recruit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fliers — a common experience known as “ Sprouling while Black.
” When she did try to join a campus consulting club , Anyanwu said , she was told she wasn ’ t a good “ cultural fit.
” Meanwhile , Black students have worked hard to create a sense of community among their limited numbers .
They gather on Sproul Plaza each “ Black Wednesday ” to hang out and used demonstrations , including blockading the Golden Bear Cafe , to successfully lobby for a Black Resource Center .
The center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lou Hamer , opened in 2017 and has become a sanctuary .
Another gathering spot is the African American themed dorm .
The resource center features African art , a library and an altar dedicated to ancestors bearing flowers and inspiring messages .
During a recent visit , students studied and socialized ; some snacked on pupusas and built “ vision boards ” to set their intentions for the new decade .
Jasmine Sozi , a rising senior majoring in ethnic studies , said the spaces and programming — on Black self-care , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of community .
“ Our experience at Berkeley would just like be completely different without the center , ” Sozi said .
“ At a school where there ’ s maybe like 30,000 students , I maybe might see three Black people a day .
So that ’ s one of the reasons I come to the center all of the time .
I ’ m always able to see a friendly face here.
” In addition , the African American Student Development Office has added staff to provide academic guidance , social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community building .
“ Black joy ” events , such as cultural food tastings , are also important to offset negativity and stress , Director Takiyah Jackson said .
Christ said , however , that much work remains .
Campus officials are planning workshops to counter anti-Blackness and increased research opportunities for Black students .
They also are working to hire more faculty of color , a major issue for many Black students .
Chezliah Osman , a rising fourth-year student in history , said she dropped out of her first-choice major , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many classes “ incredibly Eurocentric and whitewashed.
” In one course on wars , for instance , the professor said only European conflicts would be studied because of their technological advances .
But last year , Berkeley hired assistant professor of political science Desmond Jagmohan , who has begun to teach a course on the History of African American Political Thought .
Raven Gatson , an incoming freshman from San Antonio , said she already senses change .
She was awarded an $ 8,000 scholarship and has been invited to a summer bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s academic rigor .
Several Black students and staff already have reached out to welcome her .
“ If I as a Black female don ’ t go to Berkeley , it means one less Black person there , ” she said .
“ Having a seat at the table is important .
”

UC Berkeley student Ahmad Mahmuod, center, chats with Kendall Dowell, left, and Kyra Abrams during “Black Wednesday” on Sproul Plaza in February. Black students gather to socialize and create a sense of community among their limited numbers on campus.
Two years ago, UC Berkeley seemed like a dream campus for Ahmad Mahmuod.
The San Diego-born son of Somali refugees, the first in his family of nine to attend a four-year university, could hardly believe he’d earned admission to the world-famous campus, known for its top academic rankings and history of progressive activism.
But he quickly learned that Berkeley had another, dubious reputation: It’s known for having the worst campus climate for Black students in the University of California system.
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On his big move-in day in August 2018, Mahmuod said, no one would get into the residence hall elevator with him even though it was empty. On his first day of classes, he encountered only one other Black student among some 800 peers in three courses — statistics, Arabic, oceanography — and all of his professors were white. That fall, only 3.4% of Berkeley’s nearly 31,000 students were Black.
UC Berkeley student Ahmad Mahmuod turns to another student in his philosophy class. When Mahmuod arrived on campus in 2018, he says, he immediately felt “I did not belong.” (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
“I made it to the No. 1 public university in the world,” Mahmuod said, “but it took less than 10 minutes for me to feel I did not belong.”
That persistent feeling among many Black students at Berkeley — and years of demands for remedies — have led to what campus officials call their most concerted effort ever to improve diversity and combat anti-Blackness and other racism.
The effort, which includes changes to admissions, increased financial aid, expanded student support and new communal spaces, has been given greater urgency by the nationwide movement for racial justice triggered by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May.
The efforts are paying off. Last week, Berkeley announced it had accepted the largest number of Black students in three decades, accounting for 5% of the admitted California freshman class. The figure is close to mirroring the proportion of California high school graduates who are Black, 5.3%, but it’s too early to know how many students will actually enroll.
UC Berkeley students hang out during “Black Wednesday” at Golden Bear Cafe on Sproul Plaza. “The most important thing is creating a campus in which everybody feels that ... they’re respected and that they’re heard,” Chancellor Carol L. Christ says. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
“The most important thing is creating a campus in which everybody feels that they belong, that they’re valued, that they’re respected and that they’re heard,” Chancellor Carol Christ said in an interview. “My commitment to that work is, today, stronger than ever given the state of race relations in our country and the moral imperative to provide justice, equity and opportunity for all.”
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Berkeley’s problems started as the state’s Black share of residents began to decline in the 1990s and were exacerbated by the 1996 passage of Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action. Black student numbers plummeted from a high of 7.4% of all undergraduates in 1989 to a low of 3.2% in 2016. Berkeley now has the smallest percentage of Black students among UC’s nine undergraduate campuses except San Diego and Irvine.
Eddie Comeaux, a UC Riverside professor, attended Berkeley before the affirmative action ban and said the critical mass of Black students then gave him a sense of belonging.
“There were more opportunities to build community with people who look like you,” said Comeaux, who has studied Black student college choices. “When you don’t see that, it sends a signal that you’re not wanted.”
UC Berkeley students hold a prayer circle during “Black Wednesday.” After demands by Black students, diversity efforts were expanded in admissions, financial aid and communal spaces. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
A 2019 study by the USC Race and Equity Center ranked Berkeley last among UC campuses in equity for Black students based on four factors. Berkeley scored an A for its Black student-faculty ratio, a B for gender diversity, a C for numerical representation and a D for its six-year Black student graduation rate of 75.4% — 15.9 percentage points lower than the campus’ overall student rate.
The USC study was largely based on 2016 data; Berkeley has since increased the number of Black students to 1,084 last fall, raised the graduation rate to 77.5% and added five Black full-time faculty members as of fall 2018.
Black Berkeley students have expressed dismay with their campus climate. In a 2018 UC undergraduate survey, 58% of Black respondents said they felt their race was disrespected, the highest proportion among UC campuses.
Those feelings were exacerbated in December, when a video went viral showing a UC Berkeley student using racial slurs against Black people, prompting a university review and statement of condemnation. Mahmuod and other Black students also complain about being racially profiled by campus police — being stopped for ID, for instance, more often than other students.
Nicole Anyanwu, center, talks to a fellow student over free cupcakes on UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. Financial assistance helped her decide to attend Berkeley, but the student senator says she initially felt isolated on campus. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
After years of Black student demands for change, Christ accelerated diversity efforts.
“If [students] don’t experience diversity in their classrooms, living spaces and extracurricular activities; if they don’t learn how to live and work in a diverse world, we’re really shortchanging them educationally,” she said.
To forge a new way forward, Berkeley hired Femi Ogundele away from Stanford University to serve as assistant vice chancellor and director of undergraduate admissions. He believes that enrolling more Black students will improve the negative campus environment for them.
“The only way that we’re going to be able to fight that narrative is to get into those communities and let them know that not only are you good enough but we are actively looking for you,” he said.
He and his team have “doubled down” on partnerships with Black community groups and high school counselors to widen the pipeline of potential applicants. They’ve expanded their recruiting efforts, both close to home in places such as Vallejo and Richmond and farther out, adding a recruiter in the mid-Atlantic region and a second one in Los Angeles.
UC Berkeley students grab donated food at the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center, a sanctuary for many Black students. As part of a diversity push, the university says it has accepted the largest number of Black students in three decades. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
They’ve used social media to publicize Berkeley’s commitment to diversity, including an Instagram post last month by Black admission staff speaking out against racism and anti-Blackness. Berkeley also has begun to read applications differently to understand the context of a student’s background before evaluating their grades and test scores.
The student-led Black Recruitment and Retention Center has visited high schools, sponsored basketball camps and organized study jams, community barbecues, scholarships and networking opportunities.
“Even though we have a lot of issues here, it kind of motivates us to fight because I don’t think just giving up on this school is going to be beneficial for the Black students who are here,” said Nazak Wali-Ali, the center’s community development coordinator and a rising senior in legal studies and ethnic studies.
More generous financial aid has been a key recruiting tool. Berkeley launched a special scholarship program for Black students in 2018, raising private funds for it, and increased the $8,000 annual awards to 44 recipients this year compared with 12 last year.
Officials at UC Berkeley, which is known for having the worst campus climate for Black students in the University of California system, are working to improve diversity and combat racism. Above, students dance at Sproul Plaza. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
Such financial aid sealed the deal for students such as Nicole Anyanwu, a student senator and rising senior majoring in molecular biology.
Yet when she arrived, Anyanwu soon felt isolated, as the only Black student in many of her classes. When she walked through Sproul Plaza, which is typically lined with campus clubs trying to recruit members, she said no one offered her fliers — a common experience known as “Sprouling while Black.” When she did try to join a campus consulting club, Anyanwu said, she was told she wasn’t a good “cultural fit.”
Meanwhile, Black students have worked hard to create a sense of community among their limited numbers. They gather on Sproul Plaza each “Black Wednesday” to hang out and used demonstrations, including blockading the Golden Bear Cafe, to successfully lobby for a Black Resource Center.
The center, named after civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, opened in 2017 and has become a sanctuary. Another gathering spot is the African American themed dorm.
The resource center features African art, a library and an altar dedicated to ancestors bearing flowers and inspiring messages. During a recent visit, students studied and socialized; some snacked on pupusas and built “vision boards” to set their intentions for the new decade.
UC Berkeley students Grant Yackel and Jennifer Oliver chat at the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center. The university has added staff to provide academic guidance, social and emotional support, career development and community building. (Peter DaSilva / For The Times)
Jasmine Sozi, a rising senior majoring in ethnic studies, said the spaces and programming — on Black self-care, for instance — give her a sense of community. “Our experience at Berkeley would just like be completely different without the center,” Sozi said. “At a school where there’s maybe like 30,000 students, I maybe might see three Black people a day. So that’s one of the reasons I come to the center all of the time. I’m always able to see a friendly face here.”
In addition, the African American Student Development Office has added staff to provide academic guidance, social and emotional support, career development and community building. “Black joy” events, such as cultural food tastings, are also important to offset negativity and stress, Director Takiyah Jackson said.
Christ said, however, that much work remains. Campus officials are planning workshops to counter anti-Blackness and increased research opportunities for Black students. They also are working to hire more faculty of color, a major issue for many Black students.
Chezliah Osman, a rising fourth-year student in history, said she dropped out of her first-choice major, political science, because she found too many classes “incredibly Eurocentric and whitewashed.” In one course on wars, for instance, the professor said only European conflicts would be studied because of their technological advances. But last year, Berkeley hired assistant professor of political science Desmond Jagmohan, who has begun to teach a course on the History of African American Political Thought.
Raven Gatson, an incoming freshman from San Antonio, said she already senses change.
She was awarded an $8,000 scholarship and has been invited to a summer bridge program to ease her into Berkeley’s academic rigor. Several Black students and staff already have reached out to welcome her.
“If I as a Black female don’t go to Berkeley, it means one less Black person there,” she said. “Having a seat at the table is important.”


latimes--2020-07-20--Black bears stealing food prompt campsite closures at Lassen Volcanic National Park

As black bears continue to swipe human food , backcountry campsite closures are expanding at Lassen Volcanic National Park .
Park officials first shut down the Twin and Rainbow Lake areas for camping on June 10 , according to the park ’ s Facebook page .
“ At least one black bear has learned to associate humans and their equipment with food .
One bear boldly searched a campsite and gear undeterred by backpackers yelling and making loud noises nearby , ” a post read .
Then later in June , the park announced expanded shutdowns “ due to multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtaining food from backpackers.
” The area east of Hat Creek , the park highway and Kings Creek are now closed .
“ The closure will reduce the risk of bears getting human food and encourage them to forage on natural food sources , ” a release on the park ’ s website said .
Hiking is still fair game at Lassen Volcanic , even in areas closed to campers , the park ’ s Facebook page said .
Visitors can still pitch tents at Lassen Volcanic , too — they just need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as those at Juniper Lake and along the Lassen National Park Highway .
The Butte Lake area isn ’ t closed because of bears , but is currently inaccessible because of the Hog fire , which has burned over 5,800 acres in Lassen County .
The park warned potential visitors to be “ bear aware ” should they come across any ursine individuals .
“ Since the bear ( s ) are seeking human food , be especially vigilant in keep [ ing ] your pack within arm ’ s reach at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If visitors come into contact with a black bear , they should stay calm , remain in a group and hold onto their packs , the park ’ s website says .
There ’ s no use in running or scaling trees , the park continues : Bears can climb , and they can outrun humans .
The park ’ s Facebook post said the initial closure would last for 60 days to “ provide the bear ( s ) with a period to return to normal foraging behavior before further action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately be reached for additional comment Monday , but one ranger said via social media that Lassen Volcanic ’ s phone and internet services were not functioning .
The bear-induced shutdown isn ’ t the only closure related to Lassen Volcanic ’ s animal inhabitants .
Earlier this month , park officials closed Manzanita Lake due to river otter danger , stating that “ a female is naturally protecting its three pups with aggression.
” Hard-sided boats can hit the lake ’ s waters , but only in certain areas .
Swimmers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The national park , 180 miles north of Sacramento , is home to about 30 black bears .
The park ’ s website warns that “ a Fed Bear is a Dead Bear.
” “ Allowing a bear to obtain human food — even once — often results in aggressive behavior , which can be cause for a bear ’ s destruction , ” the website says .

As black bears continue to swipe human food, backcountry campsite closures are expanding at Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Park officials first shut down the Twin and Rainbow Lake areas for camping on June 10, according to the park’s Facebook page.
“At least one black bear has learned to associate humans and their equipment with food. One bear boldly searched a campsite and gear undeterred by backpackers yelling and making loud noises nearby,” a post read.
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Then later in June, the park announced expanded shutdowns “due to multiple incidents of one or more black bears obtaining food from backpackers.” The area east of Hat Creek, the park highway and Kings Creek are now closed.
“The closure will reduce the risk of bears getting human food and encourage them to forage on natural food sources,” a release on the park’s website said.
Hiking is still fair game at Lassen Volcanic, even in areas closed to campers, the park’s Facebook page said. Visitors can still pitch tents at Lassen Volcanic, too — they just need to stick to open developed campgrounds, such as those at Juniper Lake and along the Lassen National Park Highway.
The Butte Lake area isn’t closed because of bears, but is currently inaccessible because of the Hog fire, which has burned over 5,800 acres in Lassen County.
The park warned potential visitors to be “bear aware” should they come across any ursine individuals.
“Since the bear(s) are seeking human food, be especially vigilant in keep[ing] your pack within arm’s reach at all times,” the park wrote.
If visitors come into contact with a black bear, they should stay calm, remain in a group and hold onto their packs, the park’s website says. There’s no use in running or scaling trees, the park continues: Bears can climb, and they can outrun humans.
The park’s Facebook post said the initial closure would last for 60 days to “provide the bear(s) with a period to return to normal foraging behavior before further action is required.” Park officials could not immediately be reached for additional comment Monday, but one ranger said via social media that Lassen Volcanic’s phone and internet services were not functioning.
The bear-induced shutdown isn’t the only closure related to Lassen Volcanic’s animal inhabitants. Earlier this month, park officials closed Manzanita Lake due to river otter danger, stating that “a female is naturally protecting its three pups with aggression.”
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Hard-sided boats can hit the lake’s waters, but only in certain areas. Swimmers and soft-sided flotation devices aren’t allowed.
The national park, 180 miles north of Sacramento, is home to about 30 black bears. The park’s website warns that “a Fed Bear is a Dead Bear.”
“Allowing a bear to obtain human food — even once — often results in aggressive behavior, which can be cause for a bear’s destruction,” the website says.


latimes--2020-07-20--L.A. County Fair chief Miguel Santana is stepping down

Miguel Santana , the former Los Angeles city administrator who took on the task of overhauling the financially troubled nonprofit that runs the annual county fair in Pomona , has announced that he won ’ t seek an extension of his four-year contract at the Fairplex .
Santana started as president and chief executive of the Los Angeles County Fair Assn.
, which manages the Fairplex , in January 2017 .
He said the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organization played a role in his decision , as did his plans for his future .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cancellation of the 2020 Los Angeles County Fair for the first time since World War II .
He said the Fairplex ’ s strained budget would benefit from cutting his salary , which started in 2017 at $ 485,000 , with opportunities for 10 % bonuses .
After the pandemic hit , he and his staff cut their salaries by as much as 25 % .
Santana said he now wants to focus his attention on issues of equity in Los Angeles .
“ I hope my next job allows me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that he has no position lined up .
In a letter to Los Angeles County Fair Assn .
Chairwoman Heidi Hanson , Santana suggested that the nine-member board that oversees the 500-acre facility in Pomona needs to figure out its priorities , given that the pandemic has made the viability of public events questionable for the near future .
But in an interview , he said his decision to leave the Fairplex “ was not based on any conflict with me and the board.
” Hanson responded to Santana ’ s announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praising him for his leadership in improving relations with the fairground ’ s neighbors and developing a long-term strategic plan for the facility .
That plan , released in 2018 , proposed lower entrance prices , more music and food events , a solution for the traffic problems that annoy neighbors during big events at the facility and a green belt with a bike path , among other changes .
Santana also pushed to draw more young people to the fair .
The plan , a nonbinding vision that has been approved by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can proceed without Santana .
Hanson said this month that it “ sets the framework for the organization … into our next 100 years.
” Santana , who previously served as Los Angeles city administrative officer , replaced the Fairplex ’ s previous top executive , James Henwood Jr. , who stepped down in 2016 after The Times reported on the lucrative pay and benefits he and other association executives received .
The fair association ’ s tax reports show that the nonprofit has operated in the red since 2010 but had gradually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating profit of $ 611,000 in 2018 .
Its 2019 financial report has yet to be made public , but Santana said the Fairplex ran a deficit last year .

Miguel Santana, who took over in 2017 as president and CEO of the Fairplex in Pomona, is not seeking an extension of his four-year contract.
Miguel Santana, the former Los Angeles city administrator who took on the task of overhauling the financially troubled nonprofit that runs the annual county fair in Pomona, has announced that he won’t seek an extension of his four-year contract at the Fairplex.
Santana started as president and chief executive of the Los Angeles County Fair Assn., which manages the Fairplex, in January 2017. He said the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organization played a role in his decision, as did his plans for his future.
In May, the pandemic forced Santana to announce the cancellation of the 2020 Los Angeles County Fair for the first time since World War II. He said the Fairplex’s strained budget would benefit from cutting his salary, which started in 2017 at $485,000, with opportunities for 10% bonuses. After the pandemic hit, he and his staff cut their salaries by as much as 25%.
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Santana said he now wants to focus his attention on issues of equity in Los Angeles.
“I hope my next job allows me to do that,” he said, adding that he has no position lined up.
In a letter to Los Angeles County Fair Assn. Chairwoman Heidi Hanson, Santana suggested that the nine-member board that oversees the 500-acre facility in Pomona needs to figure out its priorities, given that the pandemic has made the viability of public events questionable for the near future. But in an interview, he said his decision to leave the Fairplex “was not based on any conflict with me and the board.”
Hanson responded to Santana’s announcement with a letter to association members, praising him for his leadership in improving relations with the fairground’s neighbors and developing a long-term strategic plan for the facility.
That plan, released in 2018, proposed lower entrance prices, more music and food events, a solution for the traffic problems that annoy neighbors during big events at the facility and a green belt with a bike path, among other changes. Santana also pushed to draw more young people to the fair.
The plan, a nonbinding vision that has been approved by the fair association’s board, can proceed without Santana. Hanson said this month that it “sets the framework for the organization … into our next 100 years.”
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Santana, who previously served as Los Angeles city administrative officer, replaced the Fairplex’s previous top executive, James Henwood Jr., who stepped down in 2016 after The Times reported on the lucrative pay and benefits he and other association executives received.
The fair association’s tax reports show that the nonprofit has operated in the red since 2010 but had gradually reduced its deficit and reported a small operating profit of $611,000 in 2018. Its 2019 financial report has yet to be made public, but Santana said the Fairplex ran a deficit last year.


latimes--2020-07-20--Earthquake: 3.5 temblor strikes near Bakersfield

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Monday afternoon at 3:01 p.m. PDT 18 miles from Bakersfield , the U.S. Geological Survey said .
The earthquake occurred 19 miles from the town of Arvin , 21 miles from Lamont , 27 miles from Tehachapi and 29 miles from Rosedale in Central California .
In the last 10 days , there had been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you felt the earthquake , consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
You can ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Monday afternoon at 3:01 p.m. PDT 18 miles from Bakersfield, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The earthquake occurred 19 miles from the town of Arvin, 21 miles from Lamont, 27 miles from Tehachapi and 29 miles from Rosedale in Central California.
In the last 10 days, there had been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 7.7 miles.
If you felt the earthquake, consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
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Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. You can ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-07-20--Need a trim? Newsom allows haircuts, salon services to resume outdoors amid coronavirus

Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that hair salons and barbershops could offer services outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The announcement provides relief to salons that closed in March under the stay-at-home order , were allowed to reopen in May and then closed again on July 13 when the governor shut down indoor businesses in counties on the state ’ s monitoring list .
In new guidance issued Monday , after conflicting messages from government entities last week , the state clarified that salons could operate outdoors .
“ It was our intention to provide for barbershops and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work outdoors , ” Newsom said .
“ It turned out that was more challenging than it may have appeared.
” Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris ( D-Laguna Beach ) , who has been advocating for executive action , wrote about the state ’ s contradictory rules on outdoor hair salons and barbershop services in a letter to Newsom last week .
Petrie-Norris said the California Department of Public Health ’ s July 13 guidance allowed salons to operate outdoors .
But the Board of Barbering & Cosmetology said all barbering and cosmetology services “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not offer any services , ” including outdoor services .
“ As a result , all barbershops and hair salons would need to shut down and not offer any outdoor services , ” Petrie-Norris wrote in the letter to the governor .
The new guidance says outdoor services are permitted if patrons and stylists wear masks and meet other safety requirements .
The allowed outdoor services include skin care , cosmetology , nail services , and massage therapy .
Electrology , tattooing and piercing services are not allowed indoors or outdoors at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list .
The decision comes as California grapples with a 15.7 % increase in hospitalizations and nearly 120,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks .
The latest numbers show California has 389,230 total cases and 7,720 deaths .
Newsom announced Friday that most public and private schools in California would not reopen at the start of the school year under a new ban on classroom instruction in counties experiencing elevated disease transmission , increased hospitalizations or limited hospital capacity .
Under the rules , counties must conduct distance learning if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring list .
Schools can only begin in-person classes if they have remained off the list for 14 consecutive days .
Newsom said 33 counties , including Los Angeles , San Diego , Orange , Riverside and Santa Clara , were on the list as of Monday .
The counties are home to more than 35.5 million Californians .

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that hair salons and barbershops could offer services outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement provides relief to salons that closed in March under the stay-at-home order, were allowed to reopen in May and then closed again on July 13 when the governor shut down indoor businesses in counties on the state’s monitoring list.
In new guidance issued Monday, after conflicting messages from government entities last week, the state clarified that salons could operate outdoors.
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“It was our intention to provide for barbershops and the like to be able to do their work outdoors,” Newsom said. “It turned out that was more challenging than it may have appeared.”
Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), who has been advocating for executive action, wrote about the state’s contradictory rules on outdoor hair salons and barbershop services in a letter to Newsom last week.
Petrie-Norris said the California Department of Public Health’s July 13 guidance allowed salons to operate outdoors. But the Board of Barbering & Cosmetology said all barbering and cosmetology services “within the specified counties must close immediately and not offer any services,” including outdoor services.
“As a result, all barbershops and hair salons would need to shut down and not offer any outdoor services,” Petrie-Norris wrote in the letter to the governor.
The new guidance says outdoor services are permitted if patrons and stylists wear masks and meet other safety requirements. The allowed outdoor services include skin care, cosmetology, nail services, and massage therapy. Electrology, tattooing and piercing services are not allowed indoors or outdoors at this point in counties on the monitoring list.
The decision comes as California grapples with a 15.7% increase in hospitalizations and nearly 120,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks. The latest numbers show California has 389,230 total cases and 7,720 deaths.
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Newsom announced Friday that most public and private schools in California would not reopen at the start of the school year under a new ban on classroom instruction in counties experiencing elevated disease transmission, increased hospitalizations or limited hospital capacity.
Under the rules, counties must conduct distance learning if they are on the state’s monitoring list. Schools can only begin in-person classes if they have remained off the list for 14 consecutive days.
Newsom said 33 counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Santa Clara, were on the list as of Monday. The counties are home to more than 35.5 million Californians.


latimes--2020-07-20--Ventura County bars can reopen outdoors if they serve food, officials say

Bars , breweries and other businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages were given the green light Friday to reopen some outdoor services in Ventura County .
The order issued by the county ’ s health officer , Robert Levin , eased restrictions given that shut down operations at local facilities without restaurant permits .
The county ’ s new order — which went into effect Thursday but wasn ’ t announced until the following day — allows bars , pubs and breweries to open outdoor services if they serve meals as well .
Alcohol can only be sold in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Officials also said that wineries and wine tasting rooms could open outdoor operations even if they didn ’ t serve food .
Current indoor-service restrictions put in place in late June remain for both restaurants and bars .
Local officials have asked those facilities to encourage takeout and delivery service whenever possible .
Ventura County ’ s latest order , which is more restrictive than state regulations , also states that only members of the same household may sit together at a single table , and the maximum time a patron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer than one hour and 30 minutes .
The order also states that facilities must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. As of Monday , the county had reported 5,192 cases and 57 coronavirus-related deaths .

Matt and Leanne Harmon of Santa Clarita enjoy a beer at Ventura Coast Brewing Co.
Bars, breweries and other businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages were given the green light Friday to reopen some outdoor services in Ventura County.
The order issued by the county’s health officer, Robert Levin, eased restrictions given July 2 that shut down operations at local facilities without restaurant permits.
The county’s new order — which went into effect Thursday but wasn’t announced until the following day — allows bars, pubs and breweries to open outdoor services if they serve meals as well. Alcohol can only be sold in the same transaction as a meal, the news release states.
Officials also said that wineries and wine tasting rooms could open outdoor operations even if they didn’t serve food.
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Current indoor-service restrictions put in place in late June remain for both restaurants and bars. Local officials have asked those facilities to encourage takeout and delivery service whenever possible.
Ventura County’s latest order, which is more restrictive than state regulations, also states that only members of the same household may sit together at a single table, and the maximum time a patron may be on the premises is no longer than one hour and 30 minutes.
The order also states that facilities must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
As of Monday, the county had reported 5,192 cases and 57 coronavirus-related deaths.