latimes--2020-06-19--A search for answers after deputies kill brother of Black man found hanging from tree

Terron Boone was distraught when his younger brother was found hanging from a tree in a park near Palmdale ’ s City Hall last week .
The manner of death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller evoked ugly images of the nation ’ s racist legacy of lynchings and sparked outrage when Los Angeles County coroner ’ s and sheriff ’ s officials quickly listed it as a suicide .
Protests generated national attention and prompted local authorities to involve state and federal investigators .
Then on Wednesday , exactly a week after his brother ’ s body was found , Boone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies in what authorities described as a wild shootout in this desert town north of Palmdale .
The shooting ended a bizarre series of events in which authorities accused Boone of pistol-whipping , imprisoning and threatening a former girlfriend over a weeklong period .
It is unclear what , if any , connection Boone ’ s shooting had to his brother ’ s death , and many questions remain .
But the back-to-back tragedies have heightened an already tense environment coming amid a national furor over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police custody and other racial injustices in the Antelope Valley and beyond .
“ Another name .
Who wants another name ?
Another hashtag .
Terron , his brother , another name , ” Isabele Flax , a 24-year-old activist from Lancaster , said at a news conference Thursday demanding justice for Fuller .
“ Who cares the circumstance ?
It doesn ’ t even matter what he did anymore .
It doesn ’ t matter what they do anymore .
It does not matter.
” Friends of Boone said they could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fun-loving “ fashion junkie ” who uplifted people with his hip-hop music — with the violent crimes he was charged with committing and the way he died .
Some friends say that he was greatly disturbed by his brother ’ s death .
Tony Storey , who said he ’ d been friends with Boone since they were both around 16 in Palmdale , said he reached out to Boone after hearing about Fuller ’ s death and never heard back .
He later noticed Boone had unfollowed him and nearly all his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to private , which was uncharacteristic for him .
“ That situation just pulled him back into the mud .
That just pulled him back to feeling like , ‘ Damn .
I don ’ t have nobody no more.
’ … He was probably in the mind frame of , ‘ F everybody , ’ ” said Storey , 32 .
“ He went silent about two weeks ago , and I believe it was because he was in extreme pain , ” added another friend , Nyki Walker , 29 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday after a report that he held the former girlfriend , with whom he had an on-and-off relationship , at her home against her will .
Sheriff ’ s Lt. Robert Westphal said he had no information about Boone ’ s motivations and that “ so far this is a standalone incident.
” Court records show that Boone was charged Tuesday with multiple criminal counts , including six counts of making criminal threats , four counts of abusing a cohabitant , two counts of false imprisonment and one count of assault with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place over a seven-day period .
A warrant was issued for his arrest .
The next day , Westphal said , undercover detectives trailed Boone in a blue SUV to an apartment complex in Rosamond , about 20 miles north of Palmdale in Kern County .
Detectives attempted a traffic stop , and the SUV stopped in the parking lot of the complex .
Boone exited the car ’ s passenger side and began shooting , firing at least five shots toward the detectives , and striking the police vehicle ’ s hood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detectives and a supervisor returned fire and shot him multiple times in the chest , killing him .
The woman driving the car , who also dated Boone , was shot once in the chest and taken to a hospital , where she was treated and released Wednesday night .
Her 7-year-old daughter was in the back seat but was not injured in the gunfire , Westphal said .
Surveillance video posted by the Rosamond Community Watchdog , a local news platform , showed multiple vehicles trailing a dark SUV into a housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Hands up !
” before gunfire erupted .
None of the detectives or their vehicles were equipped with cameras , but investigators are trying to recover footage from Ring cameras and other home video systems in the area , Westphal said .
News of the shooting reverberated through the community , stirring emotions .
In the parking lot where he was killed , Boone ’ s friends arranged dozens of candles in the shape of the initials “ T.J. ” next to a bouquet of flowers .
The woman who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps nearby and wept .
A resident of the complex expressed frustration that a bullet pierced her kitchen window and could have struck her 12-year-old daughter .
“ She could have easily been standing at that window at that moment making icees , ” Joyce Chaney , 40 , said .
“ Regardless of why they had to open fire or return fire , they should have taken into consideration being right here and facing the complex.
” Meanwhile , dozens of community members and activists gathered outside the office of L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other things , the creation of a database of sheriff ’ s deputies accused of harassing , intimidating and racially profiling Antelope Valley residents .
Online , members of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission asked for information about the deaths of both Fuller and Boone .
“ How was this ruled a suicide , seemingly so quickly , when it looks like a lynching ?
” Commissioner Priscilla Ocen asked at the panel ’ s virtual meeting of Fuller ’ s death .
Walker said she used to date Boone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was a caring father who was pursuing his path as an artist , having recorded singles and music videos under the name TJ Goon .
“ Terron was the sweetest guy I ’ ve ever dated , and he meant a lot to our community .
A true soldier , a true friend and angel , ” she said .
Walker said Boone had been close to his brother and had been upset about his death .
Both men had previously lost their mother in 2004 .
Another ex-girlfriend , Elonda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boone co-parented their 9-year-old daughter , Nia , even though they were no longer partners .
Boone sometimes worked in warehouses , Holman said .
She said he recently had plans to move to Las Vegas , where she and their daughter live .
“ Anyone who knows Terron knows his energy was so magnetic .
His voice was really appealing , ” she said .
“ His daughter is taking after him .
They are natural performers.
” Holman said she waited to reach out to Boone after his brother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to grieve , a decision she now regrets .
“ He lost his mom when he was about 16 , so I knew him losing his brother would be really hard on him.
” Records show Boone had two separate terms in state prison .
He served about a year in custody on a burglary conviction .
Starting in 2015 , he spent two years in prison after being convicted of robbery , corporal punishment on a child and obtaining or retaining aid unlawfully .
In 2012 , a woman who had an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restraining order against him , citing domestic violence .
James Cooper , a 52-year-old resident of Rosamond Garden Apartments , which is connected to the parking lot where Boone was shot , said Boone had been his friend .
The two met about eight years ago in Lancaster , where he said Boone would spend time with a girlfriend who lived across the street from Cooper .
They would sometimes smoke or get beers together .
Cooper was working on fixing a moped in the parking lot Wednesday when he heard a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , the lot was filled with children playing .
“ There was nothing but children here , ” he said .
“ You saw children running out.
” He ’ s not sure what to make of the fact that Boone ’ s death followed shortly after that of his half brother .
“ It is so weird , ” he said .
“ Everyone ’ s got conspiracies now .
I don ’ t know how that plays out.
” Times staff writers Matthew Ormseth , James Queally and Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Miller reported from Rosamond .

Maya Lau, Alene Tchekmedyian, Leila Miller, Matt Hamilton, Dorany Pineda

Police cars crowd a Rosamond, Calif., street where deputies fatally shot the half brother of Robert Fuller, who was found dead in a hanging in Palmdale. (KTLA)
Terron Boone was distraught when his younger brother was found hanging from a tree in a park near Palmdale’s City Hall last week.
The manner of death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller evoked ugly images of the nation’s racist legacy of lynchings and sparked outrage when Los Angeles County coroner’s and sheriff’s officials quickly listed it as a suicide. Protests generated national attention and prompted local authorities to involve state and federal investigators.
Then on Wednesday, exactly a week after his brother’s body was found, Boone, 31, was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in what authorities described as a wild shootout in this desert town north of Palmdale.
The shooting ended a bizarre series of events in which authorities accused Boone of pistol-whipping, imprisoning and threatening a former girlfriend over a weeklong period.
It is unclear what, if any, connection Boone’s shooting had to his brother’s death, and many questions remain.
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But the back-to-back tragedies have heightened an already tense environment coming amid a national furor over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody and other racial injustices in the Antelope Valley and beyond.
“Another name. Who wants another name? Another hashtag. Terron, his brother, another name,” Isabele Flax, a 24-year-old activist from Lancaster, said at a news conference Thursday demanding justice for Fuller. “Who cares the circumstance? It doesn’t even matter what he did anymore. It doesn’t matter what they do anymore. It does not matter.”
A bullet went through the kitchen window of Joyce Chaney’s ground floor apartment in a complex where Terron Boone was fatally shot by deputies. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Friends of Boone said they could not reconcile the man they knew — a fun-loving “fashion junkie” who uplifted people with his hip-hop music — with the violent crimes he was charged with committing and the way he died.
Some friends say that he was greatly disturbed by his brother’s death.
Tony Storey, who said he’d been friends with Boone since they were both around 16 in Palmdale, said he reached out to Boone after hearing about Fuller’s death and never heard back. He later noticed Boone had unfollowed him and nearly all his friends on Instagram and set his account to private, which was uncharacteristic for him.
“That situation just pulled him back into the mud. That just pulled him back to feeling like, ‘Damn. I don’t have nobody no more.’ … He was probably in the mind frame of, ‘F everybody,’” said Storey, 32.
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“He went silent about two weeks ago, and I believe it was because he was in extreme pain,” added another friend, Nyki Walker, 29.
Authorities said the investigation involving Boone began Monday after a report that he held the former girlfriend, with whom he had an on-and-off relationship, at her home against her will. Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Westphal said he had no information about Boone’s motivations and that “so far this is a standalone incident.”
Court records show that Boone was charged Tuesday with multiple criminal counts, including six counts of making criminal threats, four counts of abusing a cohabitant, two counts of false imprisonment and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. The alleged offenses took place over a seven-day period. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
The next day, Westphal said, undercover detectives trailed Boone in a blue SUV to an apartment complex in Rosamond, about 20 miles north of Palmdale in Kern County.
Joyce Chaney, 40, left, talks to the woman who was driving the car at the time of the deputy-involved fatal shooting. The woman, right, was shot once in the chest and taken to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Detectives attempted a traffic stop, and the SUV stopped in the parking lot of the complex. Boone exited the car’s passenger side and began shooting, firing at least five shots toward the detectives, and striking the police vehicle’s hood and roof, Westphal said. Three detectives and a supervisor returned fire and shot him multiple times in the chest, killing him.
The woman driving the car, who also dated Boone, was shot once in the chest and taken to a hospital, where she was treated and released Wednesday night. Her 7-year-old daughter was in the back seat but was not injured in the gunfire, Westphal said.
Detectives recovered a semiautomatic handgun at the scene.
Surveillance video posted by the Rosamond Community Watchdog, a local news platform, showed multiple vehicles trailing a dark SUV into a housing complex parking lot. Voices repeatedly shouted, “Hands up!” before gunfire erupted.
California Memories of George Floyd, Robert Fuller bring protesters to Palmdale park At Poncitlan Square, steps away from City Hall where the body of Robert Fuller was found hanging days ago, dozens of people gathered Thursday to demand justice.
None of the detectives or their vehicles were equipped with cameras, but investigators are trying to recover footage from Ring cameras and other home video systems in the area, Westphal said.
News of the shooting reverberated through the community, stirring emotions.
In the parking lot where he was killed, Boone’s friends arranged dozens of candles in the shape of the initials “T.J.” next to a bouquet of flowers. The woman who was driving the car with Boone sat on steps nearby and wept. A resident of the complex expressed frustration that a bullet pierced her kitchen window and could have struck her 12-year-old daughter.
“She could have easily been standing at that window at that moment making icees,” Joyce Chaney, 40, said. “Regardless of why they had to open fire or return fire, they should have taken into consideration being right here and facing the complex.”
1 / 12 Colonel Brooks Sr. 50, raises his arm as Pastor Michael Barrett of Do Right Christian Church leads a group in prayer at a memorial for Robert Fuller in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 Protesters outside Palmdale City Hall as organizers demand justice for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 A rally calling for justice and transparency in the deaths of Robert Fuller and Michael L. Thomas takes place in Lancaster in front of Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office in Lancaster. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 Maseana Bennett, 11, lights a candle with cousin Elessa Swink, 18, left, as they visit a memorial to Robert Fuller in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 12 Emily Mathijssen, 22, and Johnny Southworth, 31, visit a memorial to Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 Suzie Washington, left, hugs Tommie Anderson as protesters knock on the front door of Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Palmdale City Hall remained closed Monday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Deonte Kemp, 27, of Los Angeles lights candles at a memorial for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Protesters demand justice for Robert Fuller. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 Protesters become emotional outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 Outside Palmdale City Hall. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Meanwhile, dozens of community members and activists gathered outside the office of L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger in Lancaster to demand, among other things, the creation of a database of sheriff’s deputies accused of harassing, intimidating and racially profiling Antelope Valley residents. Online, members of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission asked for information about the deaths of both Fuller and Boone.
“How was this ruled a suicide, seemingly so quickly, when it looks like a lynching?” Commissioner Priscilla Ocen asked at the panel’s virtual meeting of Fuller’s death.
Walker said she used to date Boone and had remained friends with him. She said he was a caring father who was pursuing his path as an artist, having recorded singles and music videos under the name TJ Goon.
“Terron was the sweetest guy I’ve ever dated, and he meant a lot to our community. A true soldier, a true friend and angel,” she said.
Walker said Boone had been close to his brother and had been upset about his death. Both men had previously lost their mother in 2004.
Another ex-girlfriend, Elonda Holman, 27, said she and Boone co-parented their 9-year-old daughter, Nia, even though they were no longer partners. Boone sometimes worked in warehouses, Holman said. She said he recently had plans to move to Las Vegas, where she and their daughter live.
“Anyone who knows Terron knows his energy was so magnetic. His voice was really appealing,” she said. “His daughter is taking after him. They are natural performers.”
Holman said she waited to reach out to Boone after his brother’s death, wanting to give him space to grieve, a decision she now regrets.
“He lost his mom when he was about 16, so I knew him losing his brother would be really hard on him.”
Records show Boone had two separate terms in state prison. He served about a year in custody on a burglary conviction. Starting in 2015, he spent two years in prison after being convicted of robbery, corporal punishment on a child and obtaining or retaining aid unlawfully. In 2012, a woman who had an infant son with Boone successfully obtained a restraining order against him, citing domestic violence.
James Cooper, a 52-year-old resident of Rosamond Garden Apartments, which is connected to the parking lot where Boone was shot, said Boone had been his friend.
The two met about eight years ago in Lancaster, where he said Boone would spend time with a girlfriend who lived across the street from Cooper. They would sometimes smoke or get beers together.
Cooper was working on fixing a moped in the parking lot Wednesday when he heard a series of gunshots. At the time, he said, the lot was filled with children playing.
“There was nothing but children here,” he said. “You saw children running out.”
He’s not sure what to make of the fact that Boone’s death followed shortly after that of his half brother.
“It is so weird,” he said. “Everyone’s got conspiracies now. I don’t know how that plays out.”
Times staff writers Matthew Ormseth, James Queally and Richard Winton contributed to this report. Ormseth and Miller reported from Rosamond.


latimes--2020-06-20--Manhattan Beach fire chief sacked after 'throat' comments

The use of the phrase “ not taking our foot off their throat , ” made multiple times by Manhattan Beach Fire Chief Daryn Drum , along with other remarks , led to his firing Friday evening .
Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Moe issued a statement at 7 p.m. stating that Drum was “ served with a notice of termination ” and that Police Chief Derrick Abell will step in on an interim basis .
Abell previously served as acting fire chief before the city hired Drum in April 2019 .
“ We need thoughtful leaders offering voices that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
“ Chief Drum ’ s recent comments do not reflect our core values as a city , and an immediate change of Fire Department leadership is in the community ’ s best interests.
” A call to a cellphone listed for Drum was not returned .
Drum oversaw a staff of 31 firefighters and a professional administrative staff that handled a variety of duties , including emergency response and community support services .
The city released a 67-second excerpt Friday in which Drum speaks during a meeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where this meeting took place is unknown , and a call to the city manager ’ s office was not immediately returned .
According to the city manager , Drum speaks about negotiations with an external vendor when he says , “ Pardon my vernacular , ” then , “ I think our foot … needs to be clearly on their throat , and they need to feel it , and they need to feel that constant pressure every single day that we mean business.
” He mentions a foot being on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a month after a Minnesota police officer held a knee on George Floyd ’ s neck for nearly eight minutes .
Floyd , an unarmed Black man , died .
Moe ’ s statement also references comments made by Drum regarding “ police interactions and civil unrest ” on the “ South Bay Show ” podcast with Jackie Balestra on June 11 .
It ’ s unclear exactly what statements Moe was referring to in the podcast .
There was a point in the show in which Drum sided with law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on those being arrested .
“ You ’ re one good shooting away from civil unrest , and now it ’ s changed to you ’ re one violent interaction — and the officer oftentimes doesn ’ t control the level of violence that comes with that interaction — the person that they ’ re in contact with is really the one in control , ” Drum said .
“ If you comply , there is no violence .
If you respond with violence , then the officer has no choice .
”

Manhattan Beach Fire Chief Daryn Drum was fired Friday after using the analogy a “foot ... on their throat” when referencing negotiations with local vendors.
The use of the phrase “not taking our foot off their throat,” made multiple times by Manhattan Beach Fire Chief Daryn Drum, along with other remarks, led to his firing Friday evening.
Manhattan Beach City Manager Bruce Moe issued a statement at 7 p.m. stating that Drum was “served with a notice of termination” and that Police Chief Derrick Abell will step in on an interim basis.
Abell previously served as acting fire chief before the city hired Drum in April 2019.
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“We need thoughtful leaders offering voices that are open and inclusive,” Moe said in a statement. “Chief Drum’s recent comments do not reflect our core values as a city, and an immediate change of Fire Department leadership is in the community’s best interests.”
A call to a cellphone listed for Drum was not returned.
Drum oversaw a staff of 31 firefighters and a professional administrative staff that handled a variety of duties, including emergency response and community support services.
The city released a 67-second excerpt Friday in which Drum speaks during a meeting of regional public safety officials. When and where this meeting took place is unknown, and a call to the city manager’s office was not immediately returned.
According to the city manager, Drum speaks about negotiations with an external vendor when he says, “Pardon my vernacular,” then, “I think our foot … needs to be clearly on their throat, and they need to feel it, and they need to feel that constant pressure every single day that we mean business.”
He mentions a foot being on a throat three times during the clip, less than a month after a Minnesota police officer held a knee on George Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes. Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died.
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Moe’s statement also references comments made by Drum regarding “police interactions and civil unrest” on the “South Bay Show” podcast with Jackie Balestra on June 11.
It’s unclear exactly what statements Moe was referring to in the podcast.
There was a point in the show in which Drum sided with law enforcement and put the focus on violence on those being arrested.
“You’re one good shooting away from civil unrest, and now it’s changed to you’re one violent interaction — and the officer oftentimes doesn’t control the level of violence that comes with that interaction — the person that they’re in contact with is really the one in control,” Drum said. “If you comply, there is no violence. If you respond with violence, then the officer has no choice.”


latimes--2020-06-19--To cut LAPD's budget by $150 million, reduce officer ranks below 10,000, report says

If the Los Angeles City Council wants to cut $ 150 million from the Police Department , it should scale back hiring , top city analysts said in a report released Friday .
Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso and City Administrative Officer Richard Llewellyn said the effort to cut back spending at the LAPD would leave the department with 9,757 officers by the end of June 2021 .
Doing so would mark a major shift in policy for the city leaders who had long pushed to get — and keep — the department at or above 10,000 officers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending would also mean reducing LAPD overtime spending in the coming year .
If the department does not change the way it operates , the analysts said , that could mean more “ overtime banking , ” with officers working overtime but not receiving compensation for those hours until later years .
Making such cuts would allow the city to reduce LAPD spending and redirect the savings into other services without resorting to layoffs , the report said .
Other suggested cuts include reducing spending on technology , replacement vehicles and expense accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and an array of other grass-roots groups and labor unions , who say money should be shifted from policing to other local needs .
Activists have argued that many duties now handled by police officers could be shouldered more effectively by other workers .
Councilman Mike Bonin , who represents coastal neighborhoods from Westchester to Pacific Palisades , has already come out in favor of putting a halt to hiring , which would gradually decrease the size of the force as officers retire and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least until the city ’ s financial crisis is over , Bonin said last week .
“ We are already forcing a hiring freeze on other departments , ” he said in a statement .
“ We can not keep cutting core city services while growing the department that is the largest segment of the budget.
” Craig Lally , president of the union that represents rank-and-file officers at the LAPD , immediately denounced the proposal as “ irresponsible , ” saying council members “ need to explain to the public how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and exploding costs are in the best interest of Angelenos.
” The proposal “ will lead to longer response times to emergencies , eliminate dozens of daily patrol areas across the city and increase the city ’ s unfunded liability for overtime by over $ 50,000,000 , ” he said in a statement .
The proposed cuts also troubled Councilman Joe Buscaino , who argued that “ real police reform ” would come from expanding a community policing program , not slashing overtime .
“ Instead of nickel-and-diming public safety to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should put on the ballot a serious proposal to raise billions , ” said Buscaino , whose district covers Watts and San Pedro .
Black Lives Matter-L.A. and other groups have been pressing council members to back the People ’ s Budget , an alternative spending plan for City Hall that would reduce funding for the LAPD by around 90 % — a much deeper cut than the $ 150 million that city leaders have suggested .
Under the activists ’ proposal , savings would be redirected into housing , healthcare and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counselors and gang intervention specialists .
Cutting `` $ 150 million looks big , until you realize it still leaves the LAPD with 51 % of the city ’ s unrestricted revenues , ” BLM-LA co-founder Melina Abdullah said earlier this month .
“ City Council and Mayor Garcetti need to know that we ’ re fighting for truly transformative change here and won ’ t be bought off with just this minimal amount of money.
” Activists presented the People ’ s Budget to five of the council ’ s 15 members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Hall .
Councilwoman Nury Martinez , who has proposed cutting the LAPD by up to $ 150 million , praised the ideas put forward by activists , saying : “ This is exactly how you reimagine neighborhoods.
” The Los Angeles Police Protective League has targeted Martinez over her proposed cuts , sending mailers to voters in her San Fernando Valley district warning that the reductions would cause police to respond more slowly to emergencies .
The mailer says , “ Tell Nury Martinez to stop playing politics with people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety spending have shifted rapidly over the last two months .
In April , Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a 7 % boost to the LAPD — an increase fueled in large part by new raises and bonuses for officers — and cuts of 10 % to many other city employees .
Although activists sharply criticized that approach , they did not gain momentum until massive citywide protests broke out over police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Garcetti changed course , joining Martinez in her call for cuts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cut could eliminate the previously planned budget increase for the police department , which Chief Michel Moore said would probably result in staffing reductions .

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez, shown at a news conference in 2017, is pushing for cuts of up to $150 million at the LAPD.
If the Los Angeles City Council wants to cut $150 million from the Police Department, it should scale back hiring, top city analysts said in a report released Friday.
Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso and City Administrative Officer Richard Llewellyn said the effort to cut back spending at the LAPD would leave the department with 9,757 officers by the end of June 2021. Doing so would mark a major shift in policy for the city leaders who had long pushed to get — and keep — the department at or above 10,000 officers.
The report said the proposed rollback in police spending would also mean reducing LAPD overtime spending in the coming year. If the department does not change the way it operates, the analysts said, that could mean more “overtime banking,” with officers working overtime but not receiving compensation for those hours until later years.
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Making such cuts would allow the city to reduce LAPD spending and redirect the savings into other services without resorting to layoffs, the report said. Other suggested cuts include reducing spending on technology, replacement vehicles and expense accounts.
Cutting spending at the LAPD has been a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and an array of other grass-roots groups and labor unions, who say money should be shifted from policing to other local needs. Activists have argued that many duties now handled by police officers could be shouldered more effectively by other workers.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents coastal neighborhoods from Westchester to Pacific Palisades, has already come out in favor of putting a halt to hiring, which would gradually decrease the size of the force as officers retire and resign. Such a move should last at least until the city’s financial crisis is over, Bonin said last week.
“We are already forcing a hiring freeze on other departments,” he said in a statement. “We cannot keep cutting core city services while growing the department that is the largest segment of the budget.”
Craig Lally, president of the union that represents rank-and-file officers at the LAPD, immediately denounced the proposal as “irresponsible,” saying council members “need to explain to the public how fewer officers, longer emergency response times, and exploding costs are in the best interest of Angelenos.”
The proposal “will lead to longer response times to emergencies, eliminate dozens of daily patrol areas across the city and increase the city’s unfunded liability for overtime by over $50,000,000,” he said in a statement.
The proposed cuts also troubled Councilman Joe Buscaino, who argued that “real police reform” would come from expanding a community policing program, not slashing overtime.
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“Instead of nickel-and-diming public safety to address under-investment into communities of color, we should put on the ballot a serious proposal to raise billions,” said Buscaino, whose district covers Watts and San Pedro.
Black Lives Matter-L.A. and other groups have been pressing council members to back the People’s Budget, an alternative spending plan for City Hall that would reduce funding for the LAPD by around 90% — a much deeper cut than the $150 million that city leaders have suggested.
Under the activists’ proposal, savings would be redirected into housing, healthcare and other public services, such as mental health counselors and gang intervention specialists.
Cutting “$150 million looks big, until you realize it still leaves the LAPD with 51% of the city’s unrestricted revenues,” BLM-LA co-founder Melina Abdullah said earlier this month. “City Council and Mayor Garcetti need to know that we’re fighting for truly transformative change here and won’t be bought off with just this minimal amount of money.”
Activists presented the People’s Budget to five of the council’s 15 members on Monday during a two-hour meeting at City Hall. Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who has proposed cutting the LAPD by up to $150 million, praised the ideas put forward by activists, saying: “This is exactly how you reimagine neighborhoods.”
The Los Angeles Police Protective League has targeted Martinez over her proposed cuts, sending mailers to voters in her San Fernando Valley district warning that the reductions would cause police to respond more slowly to emergencies. The mailer says, “Tell Nury Martinez to stop playing politics with people’s lives!”
The dynamics around public safety spending have shifted rapidly over the last two months.
In April, Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a 7% boost to the LAPD — an increase fueled in large part by new raises and bonuses for officers — and cuts of 10% to many other city employees. Although activists sharply criticized that approach, they did not gain momentum until massive citywide protests broke out over police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Garcetti changed course, joining Martinez in her call for cuts of up to $150 million. Such a cut could eliminate the previously planned budget increase for the police department, which Chief Michel Moore said would probably result in staffing reductions.


latimes--2020-06-19--With shower curtains, sanitization and social distancing, Los Angeles gyms reopen

His clients worked out in separate cubicles made up of see-through shower curtains and PVC pipe .
But even behind his face shield , fitness trainer Peet Sapsin ’ s enthusiasm was contagious .
“ Socially distancing , yeah !
” Sapsin hollered , as music with a heavy bass line throbbed through the Redondo Beach gym .
A ringing boxing bell marked the end of the 30-second set of repetitive squat exercises known as half-burpees , and all five sweat-drenched trainees caught their breath at Saspin ’ s Inspire South Bay Fitness studio .
The cubicles , which Sapsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have allowed him to feel comfortable reopening Inspire ’ s doors after many clients told him they didn ’ t want to work out while wearing masks .
The gym ’ s maximum class size has been reduced from 24 people to nine to allow for ten feet of social distancing , but that was enough for Saspin , who experienced a devastating financial loss during the three-month shutdown .
“ We didn ’ t know if we were going to get to reopen again , ” Sapsin said .
“ It keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles County announced , with a two-day warning , that gyms could reopen June 12 , the area ’ s fitness centers have been scrambling to figure out how to resume in-person business .
Their solutions have been unique and creative .
But are they safe ?
“ The devil is in the details , ” said Anne Rimoin , professor of epidemiology at UCLA .
“ Who ’ s going to be doing the cleaning ?
What about shared bathrooms , how often are those going to be cleaned ?
How are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six feet apart from each other ?
Are people going to have to wear masks ?
They should have to wear masks.
” Rimoin said potential exercisers should feel comfortable with their gym ’ s coronavirus protocol before returning .
They should wear masks too , she said , even if it ’ s uncomfortable .
“ Just because you can do something doesn ’ t mean you should do something , ” Rimoin said , pointing out the risk of acquiring and transmitting the coronavirus is higher than ever as fitness centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exercise in a gym for a while , she said .
The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles will open six of its branches on Monday .
The plan is to open six more every Monday until all 26 locations are up and running , with accommodations made for social distancing , Chief Operating Officer Mark Dengler said .
“ It ’ s safe to say when you walk in , you will notice a difference , ” Dengler said .
Since the shutdown , local YMCAs have conducted blood drives and offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care for essential workers .
Staffs have been retrained , air filters in buildings replaced , hand sanitizers installed and social distancing practices adopted .
“ We want to be able to do and offer the same programs as quickly as possible , but we just want people to be safe , ” Dengler said .
He added that 50 % of the organization ’ s members have continued to pay dues to support its work within the community .
“ So , the question is , do you think people are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Dengler said .
The YMCA is requiring masks be worn inside its buildings , except when people are exercising .
The rules seemed to be looser earlier this week at Gold ’ s Gym in Venice Beach , where former Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger skipped a planned workout after learning others weren ’ t required to use such protection , according to CBS Los Angeles ’ reporter Tina Patel .
Some Angelenos won ’ t get to choose whether they go back to their gym .
Industry titan 24 Hour Fitness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , citing losses from closures due to the coronavirus .
About 130 of its locations , including 18 in the Greater Los Angeles area and Orange County , are now permanently shuttered .
“ It kind of feels like opening up a new business , ” said Adrienne DiMatteo , who owns Hype Silverlake , a class-based fitness studio , with her family .
For Hype ’ s opening on Wednesday , DiMatteo is moving most workouts outside .
Clients will be spaced eight to 12 feet apart .
“ That would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rimoin , of UCLA , said of outside classes .
“ We know the virus doesn ’ t spread as easily outside.
” “ From everything we ’ ve read , the likelihood of the virus spreading with the protocols we have in place is almost theoretical , ” DiMatteo said , describing the distancing and repetitive equipment cleaning that will take place at Hype .
Still , the financial effect of the shutdown has been rough .
The personal guarantee on Hype ’ s lease made things even more difficult , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like sitting back and waiting to see , how much are we going to lose , ” DiMatteo said .
“ Because it really was out of our hands .
We couldn ’ t close the business.
” The Bay Club , which reopened its seven Los Angeles clubs last Friday , is taking advantage of its outdoor spaces too .
That ’ s where most of its fitness classes and some of its cardio equipment have been moved .
After Gov .
Newsom announced the state ’ s new face covering order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require people inside to where masks even while exercising .
As of Friday , children in the club ’ s camps are also required to wear masks .
“ You kind of have to keep your head on a swivel with all the changes that are coming out from the state and the county level , ” Executive Vice President Annie Appel said .
Tape marks boundaries around the club ’ s weightlifting benches to ensure only one client occupies each at a time .
If member want to lift — or play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — they ’ ll need to plan ahead .
“ The whole club is now by reservation , and it allows us to really understand what parts of the club are being used by who and then put a cleaning schedule to that as the reservations turn over , ” Appel said .
At Inspire South Bay Fitness , the equipment is wiped down with germ killer and the plastic shower curtains are sprayed and steamed .
Clients can take off their masks once they ’ re behind the curtain , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be wearing a mask , pass a thermometer test and otherwise show no signs of illness .
They are then allowed in and directed to a cubicle , where they may take off their mask .
“ If we ’ re going to do it , we ’ re going to do it right , ” said Trinh Sapsin , who co-owns the gym with her husband and takes credit for dreaming up the “ gainz pods.
” As the Wednesday evening high-intensity workout session ended , Diane Gloor , a Redondo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the gym since it opened almost three years ago , emerged from her cubicle , sweaty and smiling through her mask .
“ It ’ s like community .
We can ’ t get close to each other , but we talk and see each other and catch up , ” Gloor said .
“ You definitely work up a sweat in that one little area.
” Gloor said she plans to come to classes four times a week .

Christian Armenta, left and Jennie Reynoso work out in “gainz pods” during a high-intensity interval class led by Peet Sapsin, who co-owns Inspire South Bay Fitness, Wednesday in Redondo Beach.
His clients worked out in separate cubicles made of see-through shower curtains and PVC pipe.
But even behind his face shield, fitness trainer Peet Sapsin’s enthusiasm was contagious.
“Socially distancing, yeah!” Sapsin hollered, as music with a heavy bass line throbbed through the Redondo Beach gym.
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A ringing boxing bell marked the end of a 30-second set of repetitive squat exercises known as half-burpees, and all five sweat-drenched trainees caught their breath at Sapsin’s Inspire South Bay Fitness studio.
The cubicles, which Sapsin affectionately calls “gainz pods,” have allowed him to feel comfortable reopening Inspire’s doors after many clients told him they didn’t want to work out while wearing masks. The gym’s maximum class size has been reduced from 24 people to nine to allow for 10 feet of social distancing, but that was enough for Sapsin, who experienced a devastating financial loss during the three-month shutdown.
“We didn’t know if we were going to get to reopen again,” he said. “It keeps us afloat for now.”
Since Los Angeles County announced, with a two-day warning, that gyms could reopen June 12, fitness centers have been scrambling to figure out how to resume in-person business. Their solutions have been creative.
But are they safe?
“The devil is in the details,” said Anne Rimoin, professor of epidemiology at UCLA. “Who’s going to be doing the cleaning? What about shared bathrooms — how often are those going to be cleaned? How are you going to keep people more than six feet apart from each other? Are people going to have to wear masks? They should have to wear masks.”
Rimoin said exercisers should feel comfortable with their gym’s coronavirus protocol before returning. They should wear masks, she said, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Advertisement
“Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something,” Rimoin said, pointing out that the risk of acquiring and transmitting the coronavirus is higher than ever as fitness centers reopen. She’s not going to exercise in a gym for a while, she said.
Protocol Galore
Cardio exercise machines sit socially distanced at the Collins & Katz Family YMCA in Los Angeles. (Kristine Alfonso / YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles)
The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles opened six of its branches on Monday. The plan is to open six more every Monday until all 26 locations are up and running, with accommodations made for social distancing, Chief Operating Officer Mark Dengler said.
“It’s safe to say when you walk in, you will notice a difference,” Dengler said.
Since the shutdown, local YMCAs have conducted blood drives, offered showers for those without shelter and provided child care for essential workers. Staffs have been retrained, air filters in buildings replaced, hand sanitizers installed and social distancing practices adopted.
“We want to be able to do and offer the same programs as quickly as possible, but we just want people to be safe,” Dengler said.
He added that 50% of the organization’s members have continued to pay dues to support its work within the community.
“So, the question is, do you think people are going to come back? Hell, yeah,” Dengler said.
The YMCA is requiring masks be worn inside its buildings, except when people are exercising. The rules seemed to be looser earlier last week at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, where former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger skipped a planned workout after learning others weren’t required to use such protection while exercising, according to CBS Los Angeles’ reporter Tina Patel. After Gov. Newsom announced the state’s new face covering order on Thursday, the gym updated its protocol to require that masks be worn inside.
Arnold @Schwarzenegger just came by the Gold’s Gym in Venice, but left when he found out members aren’t required to wear masks. He says he’ll post his thoughts about safety on social media later today. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/mLtfNsQ2xT — Tina Patel (@tina_patel) June 16, 2020
Some Angelenos won’t get to choose whether they go back to their gym. Industry titan 24 Hour Fitness filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, citing losses from closures due to the coronavirus. About 130 of its locations, including 18 in the Greater Los Angeles area and Orange County, are permanently shuttered.
“It kind of feels like opening up a new business,” said Adrienne DiMatteo, who owns Hype Silverlake, a class-based fitness studio, with her family.
For Hype’s opening on Wednesday, DiMatteo is moving most workouts outside. Clients will be spaced eight to 12 feet apart.
“That would definitely be a better situation,” Rimoin, of UCLA, said of outside classes. “We know the virus doesn’t spread as easily outside.”
“From everything we’ve read, the likelihood of the virus spreading with the protocols we have in place is almost theoretical,” DiMatteo said, describing the distancing and repetitive equipment cleaning that will take place at Hype.
Still, the financial effect of the shutdown has been rough. The personal guarantee on Hype’s lease made things even more difficult, the owner said.
“It was more like sitting back and waiting to see, how much are we going to lose?” DiMatteo said. “Because it really was out of our hands. We couldn’t close the business.”
The Bay Club, which reopened its seven Los Angeles clubs June 12, is taking advantage of its outdoor spaces too. That’s where most of its fitness classes and some of its cardio equipment have been moved.
After Thursday’s state order, the club decided to require people inside to wear masks even while exercising. As of Friday, children in the club’s camps are also required to wear masks.
“You kind of have to keep your head on a swivel with all the changes that are coming out from the state and the county level,” Executive Vice President Annie Appel said.
Tape marks boundaries around the club’s weightlifting benches to ensure only one client occupies each at a time. If members want to lift — or play tennis, golf, swim or more — they’ll need to plan ahead.
“The whole club is now by reservation, and it allows us to really understand what parts of the club are being used by who and then put a cleaning schedule to that as the reservations turn over,” Appel said.
At Inspire South Bay Fitness, the equipment is wiped down with germ killer, and the plastic shower curtains are sprayed and steamed.
Before entering, customers must be wearing a mask, pass a thermometer test and otherwise show no signs of illness. They are then allowed in and directed to a cubicle, where they may take off their mask.
“If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right,” said Trinh Sapsin, who co-owns the gym with her husband and takes credit for dreaming up the “gainz pods.”
As the high-intensity workout session ended Wednesday evening, Diane Gloor, a Redondo Beach resident who has been a member of the gym since it opened almost three years ago, emerged from her cubicle, sweaty and smiling through her mask.
“It’s like community. We can’t get close to each other, but we talk and see each other and catch up,” Gloor said. “You definitely work up a sweat in that one little area.”
Gloor said she plans to come to classes four times a week.


latimes--2020-06-20--Junipero Serra statue toppled in downtown L.A.

A statue of Junipero Serra was toppled from its post at Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday , images and video shared on social media showed .
It was the latest likeness of the 18th century Roman Catholic priest to be knocked down or moved in recent days .
Video footage tweeted by L.A. Taco showed a group of people tugging on a rope tied to the statue , bringing it to the ground .
The tweet identified the group as acting in solidarity with a Black Lives Matter protest that was taking place .
Other photos showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statue splattered with what appeared to be red paint .
The tear-down came a day after San Francisco protesters reportedly overturned statues of Serra , along with Francis Scott Key and President Ulysses S. Grant , in Golden Gate Park .
Earlier this week , Ventura officials announced they were removing a statue of Serra from in front of Ventura City Hall and would have it “ moved to a more appropriate non-public location.
” Serra , born on the Spanish island of Mallorca in 1713 , is a controversial figure in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Franciscan priest founded nine of 21 missions throughout the state and is perhaps the person most responsible for spreading Roman Catholicism into the Western United States , which then was Spanish territory .
Serra ’ s mission system was responsible for the destruction of several tribes , often through the introduction of foreign diseases .
Tribes that did survive , such as the Chumash , still suffered greatly and were often forced into building the missions .
The mission system not only pressured indigenous peoples into becoming Catholic , but pressured them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite this history , Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez referred to Serra as one of his “ spiritual heroes.
” Pope Francis canonized him a saint in 2015 .
Still , the legacies of the priest and other historical figures are being freshly reevaluated in the midst of a cultural reckoning that has led many to criticize such monuments as tributes to colonialism and white supremacy .
In the last few days , a likeness of explorer Christopher Columbus was also taken down in San Francisco , while a statue of California Gold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then removed in Sacramento .

Activists topple and deface with red paint the statue of Father Junipero Serra (1713 - 1784) at Father Serra Park in El Pueblo de Los Ángeles in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday.
Activists toppled a statue of Junipero Serra from its post at Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. It was the latest carved or sculpted figure of the 18th century Roman Catholic priest to be knocked down or moved across California in recent days.
Video footage tweeted by L.A. Taco showed a group of people tugging on a rope tied to the statue, bringing it to the ground. The tweet identified the group as acting in solidarity with a Black Lives Matter protest that was taking place. Other photos showed the head and hands of the fallen statue splattered with red paint.
Natives just tore down the statue of Junipero Serra at Placita Olvera in solidarity with #BLMprotest #antiracism #antislavery pic.twitter.com/8ZDdv7vej7 — L.A. TACO 🌴🌮 (@LATACO) June 20, 2020
The tear-down came a day after San Francisco protesters reportedly overturned statues of Serra, along with Francis Scott Key and President Ulysses S. Grant, in Golden Gate Park. Earlier this week, Ventura officials announced they were removing a statue of Serra from in front of Ventura City Hall and would have it “moved to a more appropriate non-public location.”
Serra, born on the Spanish island of Mallorca in 1713, is a controversial figure in California, particularly among indigenous tribes.
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The Franciscan priest founded nine of 21 missions throughout the state and is perhaps the person most responsible for spreading Roman Catholicism into the Western United States, which then was Spanish territory.
Serra’s mission system was responsible for the destruction of several tribes, often through the introduction of foreign diseases. Tribes that did survive, such as the Chumash, still suffered greatly and were often forced into building the missions.
The mission system not only pressured indigenous peoples into becoming Catholic, but pressured them to assimilate and lose their cultural ways.
Activists begin to topple the statue of Father Junipero Serra at Father Serra Park in
El Pueblo de Los Ángeles in downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Despite this history, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez referred to Serra as one of his “spiritual heroes.” Pope Francis canonized him a saint in 2015.
Still, the legacies of the priest and other historical figures are being freshly reevaluated in the midst of a cultural reckoning that has led many to criticize such monuments as tributes to colonialism and white supremacy.
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In the last few days, a likeness of explorer Christopher Columbus was also taken down in San Francisco, while a statue of California Gold Rush colonizer John Sutter was defaced and then removed in Sacramento.


latimes--2020-06-20--L.A. County reports 2,055 new coronavirus cases, 48 deaths

Los Angeles County public health officials reported 2,055 new cases of COVID-19 and 48 related deaths Saturday , marking the third-highest daily case count since the pandemic began .
Officials attributed the high number in part to delays in lab reporting .
Long Beach , which has its own public health department , reported an additional 48 cases and two deaths , bringing the county ’ s total to more than 81,000 cases and more than 3,100 deaths .
“ While the most critical numbers for us to watch are daily hospitalizations and deaths , and these numbers remain stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the county have increased , and this reflects both high rates of testing and increased community transmission over the past few weeks , ” Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County health director , said in a statement .
“ Many businesses and spaces reopened in the last month , and residents have found themselves in crowded situations at boardwalks , bars and protests.
” As of Saturday , nearly 916,000 people had been tested and received their results , with about 8 % testing positive .
That positivity rate has remained roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were 1,406 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals Saturday , with 29 % in intensive care units and 22 % on ventilators .
That was a slight decline from the day before , when there were 1,446 patients .
That comes as the county continues to relax stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Officials permitted a wider swath of businesses to reopen Friday , including bars , nail salons and tattoo parlors .
Ferrer issued a reminder Saturday that contact with people outside one ’ s household @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is why it is more important than ever to do what we know slows the spread of the virus : Always wear a face covering and keep six feet or more of distance from others not in your household , wash hands frequently , self-isolate if you ’ re positive for COVID-19 and quarantine if you ’ re a close contact of someone who tested positive , ” she said .
“ This is how we protect each other in the weeks ahead.
” L.A. County residents have been required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since mid-May .
On Thursday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a similar order that applies statewide .
In Orange County , where mask rules have prompted protests and clashes , officials on Saturday reported 413 new cases of COVID-19 , the county ’ s highest single-day total by far .
Previously , the county reported a high of 297 new cases on June 14 .
The county , which also recorded 10 more fatalities Saturday , has logged a total of 9,988 cases and 267 related deaths .
As the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also increased , with the county performing an average of 3,800 per day as of Thursday , compared with 2,200 tests per day in early May .
Still , the seven-day average number of daily hospitalizations has also been rising steadily , from 202 in early May to 319 on Friday .
According to a Los Angeles Times analysis , Orange County also experienced a 76 % jump in ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks .
As of Saturday , a total of 321 COVID-19 patients were in county hospitals , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slight drop from Tuesday , when county hospitals saw a high of 345 COVID-19 patients .
Earlier this week , Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett attributed some of the uptick to outbreaks in skilled nursing homes .
She also noted that about two dozen patients in Orange County hospitals were from Imperial County .
Imperial County has the state ’ s highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases and has seen an influx of hospitalizations , prompting officials to transfer patients to hospitals in other counties to ease the burden on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imperial County are being treated at Riverside County hospitals , officials said Wednesday .
Times staff writers Hannah Fry and Kailyn Brown contributed to this report .

Shoppers were out Thursday at the Orange Circle Antique Mall in Orange.
Los Angeles County public health officials reported 2,055 new cases of COVID-19 and 48 related deaths Saturday, marking the third-highest daily case count since the pandemic began.
Officials attributed the high number in part to delays in lab reporting.
Long Beach, which has its own public health department, reported an additional 48 cases and two deaths, bringing the county’s total to more than 81,000 cases and more than 3,100 deaths.
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“While the most critical numbers for us to watch are daily hospitalizations and deaths, and these numbers remain stable, we are mindful that positive cases across the county have increased, and this reflects both high rates of testing and increased community transmission over the past few weeks,” Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County health director, said in a statement.
“Many businesses and spaces reopened in the last month, and residents have found themselves in crowded situations at boardwalks, bars and protests.”
Coronavirus: What you need to know Do I have to wear a mask? Yes.
All Californians must wear face coverings in public or high-risk settings. What is open in California right now? The state is moving into Stage 3 of reopening, with counties allowed to reopen higher-risk businesses and venues such as bars, gyms and movie theaters. Here is the latest information. Is it safe to shop, eat out or see my friends and family? Some experts say it is safer to venture out into the world today than it was when most stay-at-home orders first went into effect, but you should know the risks. Why is California reopening? Two key indicators — the positivity rate and average number of daily hospitalizations — have continued to remain relatively steady, while average daily deaths have declined, officials said.
As of Saturday, nearly 916,000 people had been tested and received their results, with about 8% testing positive. That positivity rate has remained roughly the same for several weeks.
There were 1,406 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals Saturday, with 29% in intensive care units and 22% on ventilators. That was a slight decline from the day before, when there were 1,446 patients.
That comes as the county continues to relax stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Officials permitted a wider swath of businesses to reopen Friday, including bars, nail salons and tattoo parlors.
Ferrer issued a reminder Saturday that contact with people outside one’s household increases the risk of coronavirus transmission.
“This is why it is more important than ever to do what we know slows the spread of the virus: Always wear a face covering and keep six feet or more of distance from others not in your household, wash hands frequently, self-isolate if you’re positive for COVID-19 and quarantine if you’re a close contact of someone who tested positive,” she said. “This is how we protect each other in the weeks ahead.”
L.A. County residents have been required to wear face coverings in many public places since mid-May. On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a similar order that applies statewide.
In Orange County, where mask rules have prompted protests and clashes, officials on Saturday reported 413 new cases of COVID-19, the county’s highest single-day total by far. Previously, the county reported a high of 297 new cases on June 14.
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The county, which also recorded 10 more fatalities Saturday, has logged a total of 9,988 cases and 267 related deaths.
As the number of cases has ticked upward, testing has also increased, with the county performing an average of 3,800 per day as of Thursday, compared with 2,200 tests per day in early May.
Still, the seven-day average number of daily hospitalizations has also been rising steadily, from 202 in early May to 319 on Friday. According to a Los Angeles Times analysis, Orange County also experienced a 76% jump in ICU hospitalizations in the last six weeks.
As of Saturday, a total of 321 COVID-19 patients were in county hospitals, with 135 in intensive care. That was a slight drop from Tuesday, when county hospitals saw a high of 345 COVID-19 patients.
Earlier this week, Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett attributed some of the uptick to outbreaks in skilled nursing homes. She also noted that about two dozen patients in Orange County hospitals were from Imperial County.
Imperial County has the state’s highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases and has seen an influx of hospitalizations, prompting officials to transfer patients to hospitals in other counties to ease the burden on the local healthcare system. Sixty-three patients from Imperial County are being treated at Riverside County hospitals, officials said Wednesday.
Times staff writers Hannah Fry and Kailyn Brown contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-20--Arcadia woman accused of targeting Chinese investors in $20-million real estate scam

An Arcadia woman used a Coachella Valley real estate project to swindle Chinese investors out of more than $ 20 million , according to a federal complaint .
Ruixue “ Serena ” Shi , 36 , was arrested Friday by FBI agents and charged with one count of wire fraud .
An affidavit unsealed Friday alleges Shi wooed investors in a condominium and hotel complex with the promise that condo purchases would enable them to obtain U.S. visas under a program that encourages foreign investments in American businesses .
Shi , who was the owner of a China-based real estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beverly Hills-based company , is accused of fraudulently soliciting $ 21.6 million in investments from 2015 to 2018 .
She transferred funds to personal accounts and spent $ 2.2 million on autos , clothes , meals and hotel stays in Beverly Hills , France , Thailand and China , according to the complaint .
Authorities say Shi used radio advertisements and WeChat , a Chinese messaging app , to solicit investments in Hyde Resorts and Residences Coachella Valley , a 207-unit luxury condominium and hotel complex with conference facilities , a pool , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranged in price from $ 400,000 to $ 700,000 and required a 40 % down payment .
Shi told investors her company had purchased 47 acres for the development , had obtained necessary local approvals and started construction , according to the complaint .
In fact , authorities say , she had 20 acres , no approvals and her real estate firm , Global House Buyer , never began construction .

An Arcadia woman used a Coachella Valley real estate project to swindle Chinese investors out of more than $20 million, according to a federal complaint.
Ruixue “Serena” Shi, 36, was arrested Friday by FBI agents and charged with one count of wire fraud.
An affidavit unsealed Friday alleges Shi wooed investors in a condominium and hotel complex with the promise that condo purchases would enable them to obtain U.S. visas under a program that encourages foreign investments in American businesses.
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Shi, who was the owner of a China-based real estate development company and chief executive of a Beverly Hills-based company, is accused of fraudulently soliciting $21.6 million in investments from 2015 to 2018.
She transferred funds to personal accounts and spent $2.2 million on autos, clothes, meals and hotel stays in Beverly Hills, France, Thailand and China, according to the complaint.
Authorities say Shi used radio advertisements and WeChat, a Chinese messaging app, to solicit investments in Hyde Resorts and Residences Coachella Valley, a 207-unit luxury condominium and hotel complex with conference facilities, a pool, spa and fitness center.
The condos ranged in price from $400,000 to $700,000 and required a 40% down payment.
Shi told investors her company had purchased 47 acres for the development, had obtained necessary local approvals and started construction, according to the complaint. In fact, authorities say, she had 20 acres, no approvals and her real estate firm, Global House Buyer, never began construction.


latimes--2020-06-20--Adam Schiff drops endorsement of Jackie Lacey in L.A. County district attorney's race

U.S. Rep. Adam B. Schiff ( D-Burbank ) has withdrawn his endorsement of Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ahead of a contentious November election where she will seek a third term in office .
In a tweet Saturday morning , Schiff seemed to acknowledge that recent protests and calls for criminal justice reform after George Floyd ’ s death in police custody had influenced his decision .
“ This is a rare time in our nation ’ s history , ” Schiff wrote .
“ We have a responsibility to make profound changes to end systemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign staff confirmed Saturday that Schiff had contacted them to let them know he was withdrawing his support .
Lacey later issued a statement , saying she stands by her record .
“ As the first African American woman to hold the LA County D.A.
’ s office , I am proud of my record of taking on systemic racism and reforming criminal justice - from bail reform , to reducing juvenile cases by nearly 50 % , to increasing our office ’ s focus on mental health treatment instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am singularly focused on doing the work of the people of L.A. County during this time of crisis.
” Lacey is trying to fend off a challenge from former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascon , who is seen as part of a nationwide effort to elect progressive prosecutors .
Lacey won 48 % of all ballots cast in a March primary against Gascon and former public defender Rachel Rossi , but fell short of the majority she needed to avoid a runoff .
Schiff revoked his endorsement of Lacey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nod of approval from Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, a progressive darling and former presidential candidate .
In a tweet , Warren said Gascon “ has been a national leader in criminal justice reform and a powerful advocate for rethinking our approach to public safety and ending mass incarceration.
” Later on Saturday , about 100 protesters descended on Lacey ’ s Granada Hills home to demand she charge the LAPD officers who shot and killed Alex Flores and Daniel Hernandez in late 2019 and April 2020 , respectively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flores ’ shooting shows he ran toward officers while holding a knife last year , and authorities have said Hernandez had a firearm , though footage from his killing has not been released .
Prosecutors have not made a decision about either case .
Relatives of both men led a protest to Lacey ’ s doorstep Saturday afternoon , calling for her to be voted out of office in November .
“ Jackie Lacey doesn ’ t do anything , ” screamed Hernandez ’ s sister , Mariana Vegara .
“ She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has collected a raft of endorsements from powerful politicians during her reelection bid , including U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) and four of the five members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors .
But many of those endorsements were issued before Lacey faced serious opposition .
Some consultants believe nationwide protests against police use-of-force have made Lacey vulnerable , given that she has repeatedly refused to prosecute police officers involved in controversial shootings during her two terms in office .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also appeared to walk back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting “ it may be ” time for a change in the district attorney ’ s office during an interview with the Appeal last week .
A spokesman for Garcetti has not responded to a request from The Times to clarify his position on Lacey .

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) has withdrawn his endorsement of L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey in her reelection bid.
Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) has withdrawn his endorsement of Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey ahead of a contentious November election, when she will seek a third term in office.
In a tweet Saturday morning, Schiff alluded to recent protests and calls for criminal-justice reform after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody.
“This is a rare time in our nation’s history,” Schiff wrote. “We have a responsibility to make profound changes to end systemic racism & reform criminal justice.”
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Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Lacey’s campaign staff confirmed Saturday that Schiff had let them know he was withdrawing his support. Lacey later issued a statement saying she stands by her record.
“As the first African American woman to hold the LA County D.A.’s office, I am proud of my record of taking on systemic racism and reforming criminal justice — from bail reform, to reducing juvenile cases by nearly 50%, to increasing our office’s focus on mental health treatment instead of incarceration,” she said. “I am singularly focused on doing the work of the people of L.A. County during this time of crisis.”
Lacey is running against former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón, who is part of a nationwide effort to elect progressive prosecutors. Lacey won 48% in a March primary against Gascón and former public defender Rachel Rossi, falling short of the majority she needed to avoid a runoff.
Schiff revoked his endorsement of Lacey just hours before Gascón picked up a nod of approval from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a progressive favorite.
In a tweet, Warren said Gascón “has been a national leader in criminal justice reform and a powerful advocate for rethinking our approach to public safety and ending mass incarceration.”
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Later on Saturday, about 100 protesters gathered outside Lacey’s Granada Hills home to demand that she charge the Los Angeles police officers who shot and killed Alex Flores and Daniel Hernandez in late 2019 and April 2020, respectively.
Body-camera footage from Flores’ shooting shows he ran toward officers while holding a knife last year. Hernandez was one of several people involved in a car accident in late April, and witnesses told police he was armed with a knife. Body-worn camera footage from the scene shows an officer shoot Hernandez multiple times as he advances toward her, and cell phone footage from the scene appears to show Hernandez was armed.
Prosecutors have not made a decision about either case. Relatives of both men led the protest at Lacey’s home, calling for her to be voted out in November.
“Jackie Lacey doesn’t do anything,” shouted Hernandez’s sister, Marina Vegara. “She is funded by the police union.”
Lacey has collected endorsements from powerful politicians including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and four of the five members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. But many endorsements came before Lacey faced serious opposition.
Some consultants say nationwide protests against police use of force have made Lacey vulnerable, given that she has repeatedly refused to prosecute police officers involved in controversial shootings during her two terms in office.
L.A.Mayor Eric Garcetti also appeared to walk back his endorsement of Lacey in recent weeks, noting “it may be” time for a change in the district attorney’s office during an interview with the Appeal last week. A spokesman for Garcetti has not responded to a request from The Times to clarify his position on Lacey.


latimes--2020-06-20--150 cannery workers are in forced quarantine at L.A. hotel without pay, suit claims

About 150 seasonal employees hired to work at a salmon cannery in Alaska are instead being forced to quarantine without pay at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport after three of them tested positive for the coronavirus , a lawsuit claims .
The workers , most of them from Mexico and Southern California , were hired June 2 by North Pacific Seafoods to work at its Red Salmon Cannery in Naknek , Alaska , through August , according to the lawsuit filed Friday in San Francisco Superior Court .
Instead , they ’ ve been stuck at the Crowne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney Jonathan Davis said Saturday .
“ Tomorrow is Father ’ s Day , ” Davis said .
“ I have two young sons , and I ’ d be sick to my stomach if I knew one of my children was being held in this type of situation.
” Leauri Moore , vice president of human resources for North Pacific Seafoods , said in an email that she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on the specifics .
Moore said authorities in Alaska has issued orders requiring a 14-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anyone to work at a seafood processing plant in the state , and that the company has been working with health professionals to ensure compliance with the orders .
“ I ’ ve worked in the Alaska seafood industry for 30 years and the challenges this year are like nothing we have faced in the past , ” Moore wrote .
“ We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic , and are doing what we can to ensure the continuation of the worldwide food supply chain while also ensuring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , and the Indigenous people in the Bristol Bay watershed.
” Intercontinental Hotels Group , which owns the Crowne Plaza LAX and is also named in the lawsuit , did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Saturday .
Based in Seattle , Pacific Seafoods each summer hires hundreds of workers from around the world for temporary jobs at its Naknek cannery , promising them round-trip transportation to and from their point of hire as well as lodging and meals .
Dozens of workers were directed to the Crowne Plaza LAX @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the canning season , according to the lawsuit .
They were told they would quarantine there for four days while awaiting test results and then fly via charter to Alaska to start work , the complaint states .
Once the workers arrived at the hotel , they were instructed to wait together in a crowded hallway and fill out paperwork using shared pens , putting them in close contact with one another for up to six hours , the lawsuit alleges .
They were then assigned individual rooms , where they received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hotel deactivated their key cards to ensure they couldn ’ t come and go , the complaint states .
Four days later , when results came back positive for three of the workers , all 150 were told that their quarantine had been extended 11 days , until June 25 and that they would not be paid for the time , the lawsuit alleges .
They were warned that if they left their rooms for any reason they ’ d be immediately fired , the complaint states .
Many of the workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no choice but to comply , Davis said .
“ If they left , they ’ d be at the LAX airport high and dry , ” he said .
“ They wouldn ’ t have any pay for the time they were there , and no promise from the company that they ’ ll be transported back to where they came from.
” Since the start of the initial quarantine June 10 , the hotel has provided the workers with no more than two meals a day , according to the lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving the premises to get additional food or supplies , they ’ ve also been barred from ordering room service or accessing any hotel services , the complaint states .
“ They ’ re mostly young people .
They ’ re away from home , ” Davis said .
“ I think it ’ s fair to say that English is not their first language , so they ’ re in a foreign country or foreign environment .
… They ’ re all worried and preoccupied about what is happening and what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation as “ bizarre and outrageous , ” even when it comes to the treatment of seasonal workers , who are often vulnerable to abuse .
“ There are certainly many , many horrible stories in the history of labor and migrant workers and seasonal workers in the United States , but I have not seen this type of case before , ” he said .
On the fifth day of confinement , the lawsuit claims , North Pacific Seafoods left a note at each worker ’ s room that read , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected but given the circumstances we appreciate your patience .
Every third day you will receive a snack bag to cheer you up.
” It was signed with a smiley face emoji .
“ North Pacific provided no compensation or remuneration beyond the occasional snack bag in exchange for confining its employees without pay , ” the complaint notes .
The lawsuit alleges false imprisonment , nonpayment of wages , failure to pay minimum wages and overtime , negligence and unlawful business practices .
Attorneys plan to go to court next week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workers immediately paid , Davis said .
If the court finds that all 150 workers are owed pay for 14 days of quarantine , the compensatory damages for lost wages could top $ 1.1 million , he said .
“ The bottom line is : We all want people to be able to work in healthy and safe environments , and we all want to mitigate the possible spread or exposure to COVID , ” he said .
“ But … if you ’ re going to open the doors and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of the people who are going to make your business work .
”

About 150 seasonal employees hired to work at a salmon cannery in Alaska are instead being forced to quarantine without pay at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport after three of them tested positive for the coronavirus, a lawsuit claims.
The workers, most of them from Mexico and Southern California, were hired June 2 by North Pacific Seafoods to work at its Red Salmon Cannery in Naknek, Alaska, through August, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in San Francisco Superior Court.
Instead, they’ve been stuck at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel since June 10, attorney Jonathan Davis said Saturday.
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“Tomorrow is Father’s Day,” Davis said. “I have two young sons, and I’d be sick to my stomach if I knew one of my children was being held in this type of situation.”
Leauri Moore, vice president of human resources for North Pacific Seafoods, said in an email that she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment on the specifics.
Moore said authorities in Alaska have issued orders requiring a 14-day controlled quarantine and coronavirus testing in order for anyone to work at a seafood processing plant in the state, and that the company has been working with health professionals to ensure compliance with the orders.
“I’ve worked in the Alaska seafood industry for 30 years and the challenges this year are like nothing we have faced in the past,” Moore wrote. “We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and are doing what we can to ensure the continuation of the worldwide food supply chain while also ensuring the safety and health of workers, Alaskan residents, and the Indigenous people in the Bristol Bay watershed.”
A spokesman for Intercontinental Hotels Group, which owns the Crowne Plaza LAX and is also named in the lawsuit, said Sunday that the company does not comment on pending litigation, but that it prioritizes the health and safety of guests and employees. .
“We want to stress that the hotel did not prevent any guest from freely leaving the property and provided safe and comfortable accommodations to the guests, including three meals a day,” Jacob Hawkins, the spokesman, wrote in an email.
Based in Seattle, Pacific Seafoods each summer hires hundreds of workers from around the world for temporary jobs at its Naknek cannery, promising them round-trip transportation to and from their point of hire as well as lodging and meals.
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Dozens of workers were directed to the Crowne Plaza LAX to be tested for the coronavirus ahead of the canning season, according to the lawsuit. They were told they would quarantine there for four days while awaiting test results and then fly via charter to Alaska to start work, the complaint states.
Once the workers arrived at the hotel, they were instructed to wait together in a crowded hallway and fill out paperwork using shared pens, putting them in close contact with one another for up to six hours, the lawsuit alleges.
They were then assigned individual rooms, where they received coronavirus tests.
That’s when the hotel deactivated their key cards to ensure they couldn’t come and go, the complaint states.
Four days later, when results came back positive for three of the workers, all 150 were told that their quarantine had been extended 11 days, until June 25 and that they would not be paid for the time, the lawsuit alleges. They were warned that if they left their rooms for any reason they’d be immediately fired, the complaint states.
Many of the workers were effectively stranded, leaving them with no choice but to comply, Davis said.
“If they left, they’d be at the LAX airport high and dry,” he said. “They wouldn’t have any pay for the time they were there, and no promise from the company that they’ll be transported back to where they came from.”
Since the start of the initial quarantine June 10, the hotel has provided the workers with no more than two meals a day, according to the lawsuit. In addition to being prohibited from leaving the premises to get additional food or supplies, they’ve also been barred from ordering room service or accessing any hotel services, the complaint states.
“They’re mostly young people. They’re away from home,” Davis said. “I think it’s fair to say that English is not their first language, so they’re in a foreign country or foreign environment. … They’re all worried and preoccupied about what is happening and what is going to happen.”
He described the situation as “bizarre and outrageous,” even when it comes to the treatment of seasonal workers, who are often vulnerable to abuse.
“There are certainly many, many horrible stories in the history of labor and migrant workers and seasonal workers in the United States, but I have not seen this type of case before,” he said.
On the fifth day of confinement, the lawsuit claims, North Pacific Seafoods left a note at each worker’s room that read, “I know this is not what you expected but given the circumstances we appreciate your patience. Every third day you will receive a snack bag to cheer you up.” It was signed with a smiley face emoji.
“North Pacific provided no compensation or remuneration beyond the occasional snack bag in exchange for confining its employees without pay,” the complaint notes.
The lawsuit alleges false imprisonment, nonpayment of wages, failure to pay minimum wages and overtime, negligence and unlawful business practices. Attorneys plan to go to court next week and seek a temporary restraining order to have the workers immediately paid, Davis said.
If the court finds that all 150 workers are owed pay for 14 days of quarantine, the compensatory damages for lost wages could top $1.1 million, he said.
“The bottom line is: We all want people to be able to work in healthy and safe environments, and we all want to mitigate the possible spread or exposure to COVID,” he said. “But … if you’re going to open the doors and do business, you’ve got to take care of the people who are going to make your business work.”