latimes--2020-12-15--LAPD union seeks to raise $10 million to fight layoffs and help political allies in 2022

Faced with the threat of layoffs and calls from activists to defund law enforcement , the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s largest union is looking to raise at least $ 10 million to fight the cutbacks and support its favored candidates in 2022 .
The Police Protective League , which represents about 9,800 officers , mailed its members ballots last week asking them to donate $ 22 per paycheck for the next 48 weeks to help the union support its allies , attack those it views as enemies and inform the public of the dangers associated with eliminating hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved , a portion of the “ Protecting Our Profession ” assessment would be used in part for the 2022 election , when candidates will be running for Los Angeles mayor , city attorney and as many as eight City Council seats .
The funds could also go toward supporting candidates in Sacramento and fighting state and federal legislation , said union spokesman Dustin DeRollo .
“ We ’ re offering our members a chance to make a choice , ” DeRollo said .
“ They can get engaged and make an impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a lunch and a couple of coffees a week — or they can stand by and watch the abolishment of the police department happen .
That ’ s a stark choice , but in today ’ s environment , it ’ s real.
” The union ’ s ballots went out days after City Hall budget analysts recommended that the council begin preparing for the layoffs of up to 951 police officers and 738 civilian employees at the LAPD , part of a larger strategy for closing a deficit .
Council members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of targeted positions down to 355 officers and 273 civilian LAPD employees .
The fundraising pitch is one of several aggressive tactics being pursued by the union in the wake of an election in which some of its favored candidates , including Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey , were soundly defeated .
On Monday , the union announced a web page and new billboard advertisements highlighting the city ’ s recent spike in homicides and shooting victims .
That campaign is targeting five of the L.A. City Council ’ s 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Curren Price , Monica Rodriguez and President Nury Martinez .
Asked about the strategy , Rodriguez invited the police union and other employee groups to return to the bargaining table and “ propose solutions ” to the city ’ s financial crisis .
“ No one wants to make budget cuts , but we are facing an economic crisis of historical proportions , ” said Rodriguez , who faces reelection in 2022 .
Bonin , who is also up for reelection in 2022 , repeated his call for LAPD officers to delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the union has not made such concessions , the city is considering deep cuts , he said .
“ Voters are coming to understand that the police union certainly doesn ’ t have their best interests at heart , ” Bonin added .
If the union ’ s members vote in favor of the fundraising plan , the new assessment would go toward television commercials , digital ads and other forms of messaging targeting politicians who have “ aligned themselves with ill-informed activists intent on defunding ” the police department , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists have become much more vocal following massive protests over the death of George Floyd earlier this year in Minneapolis .
“ As you are aware , some city politicians are calling for 1,000 of our officers to be laid off , while [ Black Lives Matter ] is calling for a 90 % reduction in the LAPD budget , ” the union email states .
Akili , an organizer with Black Lives Matter-LA who goes by a single name , said he believes public sentiment has begun to turn away from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll found that nearly 37 % of respondents in Los Angeles favor the compete dismantling of the police — a position shared by Black Lives Matter-LA , said Akili .
“ What we have been calling for is beginning to resonate , not just with Black Lives Matter supporters , but with the general public , ” he said .
The council cut the LAPD budget by $ 150 million in July , promising to reinvest a portion of the funds in communities of color and the most disadvantaged neighborhoods .
That reduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups such as Ground Game L.A. and the People ’ s City Council , which have argued for the outright abolition of the LAPD , with the proceeds going toward rent relief , affordable housing and other community needs .
Astrid Cota , an organizer with the People ’ s City Council , said she is confident the “ people power ” of Black Lives Matter and its allies will overcome the union ’ s political spending .
Cota , a graphic designer who lives in Highland Park , also said she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members for more money .
“ That means that they are scared , and they know that they are under attack , ” she said .
“ Defunding the police is a nice way to say abolish the police , because the police are extremely problematic , abusive , and they don ’ t keep people safe.
” The union , for its part , has criticized the City Council for cutting the LAPD budget , saying much of the money is being diverted into a “ slush fund ” for its members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medians , tree-stump removal and other nuts-and-bolts services .
If L.A. ’ s politicians want to help disadvantaged communities , they should shield those neighborhoods from public safety cuts , said Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally .
“ Nearly 90 % of our homicide victims are ... Black and Hispanic , and 70 % of our violent crime victims are Black and Hispanic , yet this is a crisis no one is talking about , ” he said in a statement .
Union officials began laying the groundwork for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cuts to the LAPD and the debate over state bills requiring new oversight and accountability over police agencies .
The police union frequently spends big on its favored candidates at City Hall , making expenditures that are not covered by the city ’ s campaign spending limits .
Still , some of the union ’ s efforts have been unsuccessful .
In the 2013 mayoral election , the league spent $ 1.5 million supporting the mayoral bid of then-City Controller Wendy Greuel .
She lost to Eric Garcetti , then the City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 45,000 earlier this year in support of Councilman David Ryu and $ 50,000 on the supervisorial bid of former Councilman Herb Wesson .
Ryu lost to urban planner Nithya Raman , who argued in favor of making the LAPD a “ much smaller ” armed force , and Wesson lost to County Supervisor Holly Mitchell , who ran as a reformer on law enforcement .
The union also spent more than $ 1 million on efforts to reelect Lacey .
Her opponent , George Gascón , took office as her replacement last @ @

The Los Angeles Police Protective League is asking its members to donate $22 per pay period to help the union spread its message and support political allies in the 2022 election.
Faced with the threat of layoffs and calls from activists to defund law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department’s largest union is looking to raise at least $10 million to fight the cutbacks and support its favored candidates in 2022.
The Police Protective League, which represents about 9,800 officers, mailed its members ballots last week asking them to donate $22 per paycheck for the next 48 weeks to help the union support its allies, attack those it views as enemies and inform the public of the dangers associated with eliminating hundreds of positions at the LAPD.
If approved, a portion of the “Protecting Our Profession” assessment would be used in part for the 2022 election, when candidates will be running for Los Angeles mayor, city attorney and as many as eight City Council seats. The funds could also go toward supporting candidates in Sacramento and fighting state and federal legislation, said union spokesman Dustin DeRollo.
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“We’re offering our members a chance to make a choice,” DeRollo said. “They can get engaged and make an impact by taking political action — essentially giving up a lunch and a couple of coffees a week — or they can stand by and watch the abolishment of the police department happen. That’s a stark choice, but in today’s environment, it’s real.”
The union’s ballots went out days after City Hall budget analysts recommended that the council begin preparing for the layoffs of up to 951 police officers and 738 civilian employees at the LAPD, part of a larger strategy for closing a deficit. Council members scaled back that effort, taking the number of targeted positions down to 355 officers and 273 civilian LAPD employees.
The fundraising pitch is one of several aggressive tactics being pursued by the union in the wake of an election in which some of its favored candidates, including Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, were soundly defeated.
On Monday, the union announced a web page and new billboard advertisements highlighting the city’s recent spike in homicides and shooting victims. That campaign is targeting five of the L.A. City Council’s 15 members: Mike Bonin, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price, Monica Rodriguez and President Nury Martinez.
Asked about the strategy, Rodriguez invited the police union and other employee groups to return to the bargaining table and “propose solutions” to the city’s financial crisis.
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“No one wants to make budget cuts, but we are facing an economic crisis of historical proportions,” said Rodriguez, who faces reelection in 2022.
Bonin, who is also up for reelection in 2022, repeated his call for LAPD officers to delay a pair of upcoming raises. Because the union has not made such concessions, the city is considering deep cuts, he said.
“Voters are coming to understand that the police union certainly doesn’t have their best interests at heart,” Bonin added.
If the union’s members vote in favor of the fundraising plan, the new assessment would go toward television commercials, digital ads and other forms of messaging targeting politicians who have “aligned themselves with ill-informed activists intent on defunding” the police department, according to an email sent to members. Those activists have become much more vocal following massive protests over the death of George Floyd earlier this year in Minneapolis.
“As you are aware, some city politicians are calling for 1,000 of our officers to be laid off, while [Black Lives Matter] is calling for a 90% reduction in the LAPD budget,” the union email states.
Akili, an organizer with Black Lives Matter-LA who goes by a single name, said he believes public sentiment has begun to turn away from the union. A recent Loyola Marymount University poll found that nearly 37% of respondents in Los Angeles favor the compete dismantling of the police — a position shared by Black Lives Matter-LA, said Akili.
“What we have been calling for is beginning to resonate, not just with Black Lives Matter supporters, but with the general public,” he said.
The council cut the LAPD budget by $150 million in July, promising to reinvest a portion of the funds in communities of color and the most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
That reduction did not go far enough for grassroots groups such as Ground Game L.A. and the People’s City Council, which have argued for the outright abolition of the LAPD, with the proceeds going toward rent relief, affordable housing and other community needs.
Astrid Cota, an organizer with the People’s City Council, said she is confident the “people power” of Black Lives Matter and its allies will overcome the union’s political spending. Cota, a graphic designer who lives in Highland Park, also said she’s happy the union is asking its members for more money.
“That means that they are scared, and they know that they are under attack,” she said. “Defunding the police is a nice way to say abolish the police, because the police are extremely problematic, abusive, and they don’t keep people safe.”
The union, for its part, has criticized the City Council for cutting the LAPD budget, saying much of the money is being diverted into a “slush fund” for its members to spend on alley cleanups, landscaped medians, tree-stump removal and other nuts-and-bolts services. If L.A.’s politicians want to help disadvantaged communities, they should shield those neighborhoods from public safety cuts, said Los Angeles Police Protective League President Craig Lally.
“Nearly 90% of our homicide victims are ... Black and Hispanic, and 70% of our violent crime victims are Black and Hispanic, yet this is a crisis no one is talking about,” he said in a statement.
Union officials began laying the groundwork for a fundraising drive this past summer, following the cuts to the LAPD and the debate over state bills requiring new oversight and accountability over police agencies.
The police union frequently spends big on its favored candidates at City Hall, making expenditures that are not covered by the city’s campaign spending limits. Still, some of the union’s efforts have been unsuccessful.
In the 2013 mayoral election, the league spent $1.5 million supporting the mayoral bid of then-City Controller Wendy Greuel. She lost to Eric Garcetti, then the City Council president.
The union spent nearly $45,000 earlier this year in support of Councilman David Ryu and $50,000 on the supervisorial bid of former Councilman Herb Wesson. Ryu lost to urban planner Nithya Raman, who argued in favor of making the LAPD a “much smaller” armed force, and Wesson lost to County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who ran as a reformer on law enforcement.
The union also spent more than $1 million on efforts to reelect Lacey. Her opponent, George Gascón, took office as her replacement last week.


latimes--2020-12-15--Column: Why the 'beginning of the end' of COVID-19 is further away than some think

For all of the front-line healthcare workers who eagerly rolled up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday , there ’ s something a little disingenuous — or maybe Pollyannaish — about the chorus of insistence that we ’ re at “ the beginning of the end ” of the pandemic .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom tweeted as much on Sunday , as trucks and planes carrying millions of doses packed in dry ice fanned out across the country .
His words echoed those of Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards and of Army Gen. Gustave Perna , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine distribution operation to D-day , as if it was the beginning of the end of World War II .
The truth is , the hardest work is just beginning — and , contrary to what seems to be popular belief , there ’ s no real end in sight .
Few people understand this more than Dr. Roberto Vargas , an assistant dean of health policy and inter-professional education at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science .
For months now , he and his colleagues at the historically Black university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the surrounding communities about COVID-19 , hoping that when a vaccine is finally widely available , they will be in a unique position to help persuade the people who need it most to take it .
Already the roughly 1 million people who live in South Los Angeles , most of whom are Latino or Black , are at a disproportionate risk of dying of COVID-19 .
Reversing that trend , as Vargas and his colleagues are attempting to do , is slow and complicated work .
It requires navigating a maze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and processing human fears and distrust .
But it ’ s also extremely necessary work .
Nationally , only about half of all Americans say they plan to join the millions of nurses , doctors and residents of long-term care facilities who , starting this week , are getting the first doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech .
That drops to 24 % among Black adults and to 34 % among Latino adults , according to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Health Research .
In California , only 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Latino adults told the Public Policy Institute of California that they probably or definitely will take a vaccine .
That ’ s far short of the percentage of the population , roughly 70 % , that must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity from COVID-19 .
Some Americans will change their minds — hopefully — as they see others get vaccinated and walk away with nothing more than a sore arm .
Others will never get over the very real horrors of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study , fearing that the government will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people — like guinea pigs .
Sandra Lindsay , a Black critical care nurse at a Long Island hospital , became the first American to be vaccinated outside of a clinical trial on Monday for this very purpose .
“ This is gon na be tough , ” Vargas said , “ and so one has got to be multifactorial.
” Charles R. Drew University has done that throughout the pandemic with some success , persuading thousands to get tested and connecting many of them with the healthcare system for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community-based healthcare in Watts , the faculty zigged when others in Los Angeles County mostly zagged .
While drive-through coronavirus testing sites were being set up in parking lots , requiring people to make appointments online , the university , in partnership with the county and Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital , decided to offer appointment-free , walk-up testing .
When that didn ’ t draw enough people , Dr. Sheila Young , an assistant professor of Charles R. Drew University , decided to try a more direct approach .
She and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell people about the availability of coronavirus testing , reassuring them that it was free and would be painless .
It worked .
The number of tests conducted per day shot up from about 250 to 1,000 .
There were lines around the block some mornings .
And as spring turned into summer , the South L.A. testing site quickly became the most popular for Black and Latino residents in L.A. County , representing about 87 % of everyone tested .
“ One of the things that ’ s important , especially when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals who may have certain fears , is realizing that their fears are valid , ” Young said .
“ So we went out into the community , and we heard about what their fears were and we addressed them.
” What they heard should prompt anyone who thinks we ’ re at the beginning of the end of the pandemic to think again .
In addition to the common fear of losing part of one ’ s brain to a nasal swab — a fear I very much share — many thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get tested .
So they didn ’ t try .
Never mind the signs around South L.A. that say otherwise .
“ You have to understand , ” Young said , “ that individuals have gone to either free clinics or they ’ ve gone to county hospitals , and then they ’ ll get a $ 3,000 or $ 5,000 bill after we ’ ve told them , ‘ No , you can go and get services and that there are programs to cover you.
’ ” Some thought that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government will take their children away .
Or that they would be deported .
Still others said they had never got tested because , while they had seen the signs for it , they had assumed that the advertising was targeted at other people .
“ There was a sense of , it ’ s not going to be made available to us , ” Young said .
“ That was something that was actually heartbreaking because what it demonstrated was their feeling that they weren ’ t important and that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None of this bodes well for getting Black and Latino people to take a vaccine , the first of which has been deemed safe by multiple agencies at multiple levels of government .
The side effects are minimal , especially compared to the life-threatening consequences of getting COVID-19 .
And in a statistic that ’ s likely to complicate matters even further in the coming months , about 30 % of the people who showed up to get tested at the university-run site didn ’ t have a primary care physician to consult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually go for help .
They are invisible to the healthcare system at exactly the time when the public health officials need people to be visible .
“ You ’ re asking somebody to get an injection when they ’ re healthy , ” Vargas explained .
“ And they ’ re going to take a risk — and there is a risk associated with it — to give them some individual benefit , but more so to benefit other people .
And you never gave them healthcare in the first place .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disparities needs to be part of that conversation.
” Of course , Charles R. Drew University is in a unique position do just that , being that it was founded after the Watts revolt to address that very problem of access to healthcare .
Its faculty , many of whom are from South L.A. , have been embedded in the community ever since .
Lucky us .
Other cities are going to have to work that much harder before we truly get to the beginning of the end .

For all of the front-line healthcare workers who eagerly rolled up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, there’s something a little disingenuous — or maybe Pollyannaish — about the chorus of insistence that we’re at “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic.
Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted as much on Sunday, as trucks and planes carrying millions of doses packed in dry ice fanned out across the country. His words echoed those of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and of Army Gen. Gustave Perna, who compared the Trump administration’s massive vaccine distribution operation to D-day, as if it was the beginning of the end of World War II.
For the record: An earlier version of this column incorrectly identified Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital as a partner in running a COVID-19 testing site with Charles R. Drew University and L.A. County. The partnership is with the Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center.
The truth is, the hardest work is just beginning — and, contrary to what seems to be popular belief, there’s no real end in sight.
Few people understand this more than Dr. Roberto Vargas, an assistant dean of health policy and inter-professional education at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
For months now, he and his colleagues at the historically Black university have been doing intensive outreach in Watts and the surrounding communities about COVID-19, hoping that when a vaccine is finally widely available, they will be in a unique position to help persuade the people who need it most to take it.
Already the roughly 1 million people who live in South Los Angeles, most of whom are Latino or Black, are at a disproportionate risk of dying of COVID-19.
Reversing that trend, as Vargas and his colleagues are attempting to do, is slow and complicated work. It requires navigating a maze of past and present institutional failures, and processing human fears and distrust. But it’s also extremely necessary work.
Trucks carrying the first shipment of the #COVID19 vaccine have now left Pfizer’s facility in Michigan.
This is the beginning of the end.
We can do this. Wear a mask. Stay home as much as possible. Let’s crush this curve and get to the finish line. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 13, 2020
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Nationally, only about half of all Americans say they plan to join the millions of nurses, doctors and residents of long-term care facilities who, starting this week, are getting the first doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. That drops to 24% among Black adults and to 34% among Latino adults, according to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Health Research.
In California, only 29% of Black adults and 54% of Latino adults told the Public Policy Institute of California that they probably or definitely will take a vaccine.
That’s far short of the percentage of the population, roughly 70%, that must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity from COVID-19.
Some Americans will change their minds — hopefully — as they see others get vaccinated and walk away with nothing more than a sore arm. Sandra Lindsay, a Black critical care nurse at a Long Island hospital, became the first American to be vaccinated outside of a clinical trial on Monday for this very purpose. Others will never get over the very real horrors of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, fearing that the government will once again use people — specifically Black people — like guinea pigs.
“This is gonna be tough,” Vargas said, “and so one has got to be multifactorial.”
Charles R. Drew University has done that throughout the pandemic with some success, persuading thousands to get tested and connecting many of them with the healthcare system for the first time.
Building on a long history of community-based healthcare in Watts, the faculty zigged when others in Los Angeles County mostly zagged. While drive-through coronavirus testing sites were being set up in parking lots, requiring people to make appointments online, the university, in partnership with the county and Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center, decided to offer appointment-free, walk-up testing.
When that didn’t draw enough people, Dr. Sheila Young, an assistant professor of Charles R. Drew University, decided to try a more direct approach. She and several students took to the streets to tell people about the availability of coronavirus testing, reassuring them that it was free and would be painless.
Advertisement
It worked. The number of tests conducted per day shot up from about 250 to 1,000. There were lines around the block some mornings. And as spring turned into summer, the South L.A. testing site quickly became the most popular for Black and Latino residents in L.A. County, representing about 87% of everyone tested.
“One of the things that’s important, especially when you’re looking at working with individuals who may have certain fears, is realizing that their fears are valid,” Young said. “So we went out into the community, and we heard about what their fears were and we addressed them.”
What they heard should prompt anyone who thinks we’re at the beginning of the end of the pandemic to think again.
In addition to the common fear of losing part of one’s brain to a nasal swab — a fear I very much share — many thought they had to pay or have insurance to get tested. So they didn’t try. Never mind the signs around South L.A. that say otherwise.
Registered nurse La Tanya Forbes, right, waits to be inoculated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by RN Cheryl Birmingham at Memorial Healthcare System in Miramar, Fla. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
“You have to understand,” Young said, “that individuals have gone to either free clinics or they’ve gone to county hospitals, and then they’ll get a $3,000 or $5,000 bill after we’ve told them, ‘No, you can go and get services and that there are programs to cover you.’”
Some thought that if they tested positive for the coronavirus, the government will take their children away. Or that they would be deported.
Still others said they had never got tested because, while they had seen the signs for it, they had assumed that the advertising was targeted at other people.
“There was a sense of, it’s not going to be made available to us,” Young said. “That was something that was actually heartbreaking because what it demonstrated was their feeling that they weren’t important and that they were not valued in the community.”
None of this bodes well for getting Black and Latino people to take a vaccine, the first of which has been deemed safe by multiple agencies at multiple levels of government. The side effects are minimal, especially compared to the life-threatening consequences of getting COVID-19.
And in a statistic that’s likely to complicate matters even further in the coming months, about 30% of the people who showed up to get tested at the university-run site didn’t have a primary care physician to consult or an emergency clinic where they would usually go for help. They are invisible to the healthcare system at exactly the time when the public health officials need people to be visible.
“You’re asking somebody to get an injection when they’re healthy,” Vargas explained. “And they’re going to take a risk — and there is a risk associated with it — to give them some individual benefit, but more so to benefit other people. And you never gave them healthcare in the first place. So really addressing some of the preexisting disparities needs to be part of that conversation.”
Of course, Charles R. Drew University is in a unique position do just that, being that it was founded after the Watts revolt to address that very problem of access to healthcare. Its faculty, many of whom are from South L.A., have been embedded in the community ever since. Lucky us.
Other cities are going to have to work that much harder before we truly get to the beginning of the end.


latimes--2020-12-15--California again shatters single-day coronavirus case record: more than 42,000 cases

California has shattered another grim record — more than 42,000 coronavirus cases in a single day , breaking a record set just a week ago .
A Los Angeles Times county-by-county tally tallied 42,129 coronavirus cases across the state Monday .
That ’ s the first time more than 40,000 cases have been reported by the state ’ s local health agencies in a single day .
And it breaks the single-day record set on Dec. 8 , when 35,400 coronavirus cases were recorded .
The state is now averaging nearly 33,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
COVID-19 hospitalizations also continued breaking records .
On Sunday , there were 13,635 people in California hospitalized , the 16th consecutive day the record has been broken .
COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide are now six times worse than they were in late October .
The number of people in the intensive care units with COVID-19 have also soared , climbing to 2,967 on Sunday .
That ’ s more than quadruple the number from Nov. 1 .
Daily COVID-19 deaths are also climbing , too .
The Times ’ tally found that 155 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brings the average daily number of COVID-19 deaths over the past week to 164 , the sixth consecutive day that number has broken the record .
Of the five regions of California as defined by the state Department of Public Health , Southern California is reporting the highest number of cases per 100,000 residents than any other — 690 cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days .
The Bay Area reported the fewest — 301 cases per 100,000 residents over the past week .
The counts came on a day that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inoculations to COVID-19 .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that there are some initial signs that the new stay-at-home order — in effect for most of the state for a week — was starting to work to reduce the movement of Californians .
“ That is buying us time , ” Newsom said .
But it will take time for the stay-at-home orders that went into effect in much of California on Dec. 6 to begin having an effect .
Barbara Ferrer , the L.A. County public health director , said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order become apparent in a stabilizing or decrease in the number of new daily coronavirus cases around Christmas in L.A. County .
Intensive care unit capacity was tight across the southern half of the state .
Across Southern California , available ICU capacity fell to 2.7 % on Monday , down from 4.2 % a day earlier .
In the San Joaquin Valley , it fell again to 0 % , meaning some critically ill patients must be housed in areas of hospitals not normally designed to care for ICU patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.61 million coronavirus cases and 21,200 COVID-19 deaths .
Asked about the controversy over his latest stay-at-home orders , which were imposed across most of the state last week and which some business owners have opposed , Newsom on Monday defended his approach .
He and other officials have said it ’ s essential to ensure the hospital system is not overwhelmed , which would cause mortality to significantly rise .
“ As soon as this pandemic is behind us , this state will recover more resilient , more vibrant than ever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so the most important thing we can do , from an economic perspective , is focus on public health .
Focus on mitigating the spread of this virus.
” California was the first state in the nation , back in March , to introduce a statewide stay-at-home order , which public health experts credit for keeping deaths on a per capita basis lower than those in many other states .
Among the 50 states , the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico , California has the 39th highest cumulative number of coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents .

David Cheng places trays of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine into a freezer at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center on Monday.
California has shattered another grim record — more than 42,000 coronavirus cases in a single day, breaking a record set just a week ago.
A Los Angeles Times county-by-county tally tallied 42,129 coronavirus cases across the state Monday. That’s the first time more than 40,000 cases have been reported by the state’s local health agencies in a single day. And it breaks the single-day record set on Dec. 8, when 35,400 coronavirus cases were recorded.
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The state is now averaging nearly 33,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the last week — the highest level ever recorded.
COVID-19 hospitalizations also continued breaking records. On Sunday, there were 13,635 people in California hospitalized, the 16th consecutive day the record has been broken. COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide are now six times worse than they were in late October.
The number of people in the intensive care units with COVID-19 have also soared, climbing to 2,967 on Sunday. That’s more than quadruple the number from Nov. 1.
Daily COVID-19 deaths are also climbing, too. The Times’ tally found that 155 deaths were recorded statewide Monday. That brings the average daily number of COVID-19 deaths over the past week to 164, the sixth consecutive day that number has broken the record.
Of the five regions of California as defined by the state Department of Public Health, Southern California is reporting the highest number of cases per 100,000 residents than any other — 690 cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days. The Bay Area reported the fewest — 301 cases per 100,000 residents over the past week.
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Southern California reported the most number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the last week among California’s five regions. The Bay Area reported the fewest.
The counts came on a day that saw the first Californians were vaccinated with inoculations to COVID-19.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that there are some initial signs that the new stay-at-home order — in effect for most of the state for a week — was starting to work to reduce the movement of Californians.
“That is buying us time,” Newsom said.
But it will take time for the stay-at-home orders that went into effect in much of California on Dec. 6 to begin having an effect.
Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County public health director, said she hoped to see the effects of the stay-at-home order become apparent in a stabilizing or decrease in the number of new daily coronavirus cases around Christmas in L.A. County.
Intensive care unit capacity was tight across the southern half of the state.
Across Southern California, available ICU capacity fell to 2.7% on Monday, down from 4.2% a day earlier. In the San Joaquin Valley, it fell again to 0%, meaning some critically ill patients must be housed in areas of hospitals not normally designed to care for ICU patients.
California has recorded a cumulative total of 1.61 million coronavirus cases and 21,200 COVID-19 deaths.
Asked about the controversy over his latest stay-at-home orders, which were imposed across most of the state last week and which some business owners have opposed, Newsom on Monday defended his approach. He and other officials have said it’s essential to ensure the hospital system is not overwhelmed, which would cause mortality to significantly rise.
“As soon as this pandemic is behind us, this state will recover more resilient, more vibrant than ever,” Newsom said Monday. “And so the most important thing we can do, from an economic perspective, is focus on public health. Focus on mitigating the spread of this virus.”
California was the first state in the nation, back in March, to introduce a statewide stay-at-home order, which public health experts credit for keeping deaths on a per capita basis lower than those in many other states.
Among the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, California has the 39th highest cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents and the 39th highest cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents.


latimes--2020-12-14--L.A. Unified will not give Fs this semester and instead give students a second chance to pass

Citing pandemic hardships , Los Angeles school officials on Monday deferred any failing grades from this semester until at least Jan. 29 , giving students additional time to avoid receiving an F in their classes .
The move is the latest effort by the nation ’ s second-largest school district to avoid penalizing students under increasing strain during the surging coronavirus emergency that continues to upend their education and worsen family hardships .
Compared with last year , grades have dramatically deteriorated , especially for Latino and Black students , English learners , students with disabilities , foster youth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directive sent to secondary school principals Monday and obtained by The Times .
The move extends a modified version of the district ’ s “ no fail ” policy of the spring semester , when campuses first shut down at the onset of the pandemic .
Monday ’ s decision won praise from Elmer Roldan , executive director of the advocacy group Communities in Schools of Los Angeles .
Given the limitations of distance learning , “ failing kids is sending the wrong message and further increasing their chances of being pushed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is not the time to castigate students when their families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.
” The teachers union leadership said it supports “ humane grading policies ” but is concerned about the timing of the announcement — four days before the end of the semester — and a lack of coordination with the union in the district ’ s planning .
In Orange County , Santa Ana Unified also has modified grading in hopes of helping more students pass their classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems seem to be providing grading relief than in the spring , when campuses shut down suddenly and districts had difficulty pivoting to online learning .
The new L.A. Unified policy grew out of district concerns about the rise in D and F grades , a pattern mirrored across the country in school systems that have closed campuses and relied on distance-only learning .
Among the problems faced by students is inconsistent or inadequate internet access and a poor learning environment at home .
In April , L.A. Unified prohibited failing grades for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no student ’ s grade would be lower than it was on March 13 , the final day of on-campus instruction .
At the time , many teachers and some principals complained that the policy undermined student motivation and some reported a subsequent drop-off in student effort .
Such concerns resurfaced Monday during a faculty meeting at a high school in the San Fernando Valley , according to an English teacher who did not wish to be identified because she was not authorized to speak .
“ Yes , it ’ s COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But this soft bigotry of low expectations — including us being banned from demanding students ever comment with their voices or actually show themselves on camera during Zoom — will indeed help our low-income students stay on the bottom of the pile of learning.
” A high school principal from a different campus was more supportive .
Given the unprecedented crisis , the principal said , students who earn A ’ s and B ’ s should get to keep them but that the only other grade handed out should be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not authorized to comment — requested anonymity .
The district directive — sent out by the Division of Instruction and initialed by Chief Academic Officer Alison Yoshimoto-Towery and Senior Executive Director Pedro Garcia — provides new data on students who were failing classes 15 weeks into the fall semester .
The percentage of failed classes among Latino high school students is 24.9 % ; for Black high school students , it is 23.2 % .
This compares with 12.9 % for white students and 7.6 % for Asians .
The gap separating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black students has widened since last year .
The number of failing grades for students learning English already was high , but it increased by nearly 15 percentage points , rising to 35 % .
The overriding goal of the policy — besides avoiding failing grades — is to give students a chance to demonstrate academic knowledge without penalizing them for any factors that would traditionally result in a lower grade .
Poor attendance , lack of class participation and failing to turn in assignments should not be the basis of a student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ Having the camera off should not be weighted into an academic mark , ” states the district directive , referring to the now-ubiquitous class sessions on Zoom and other online platforms .
“ Attendance , engagement , turning work in on time , and/or behavior concerns should be reflected in the Work Habits or Cooperation mark , as appropriate.
” If a teacher does assign a failing mark , L.A. Unified ’ s records system will convert that grade into an “ Incomplete ” for the time being .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ‘ Incomplete ’ must be fully stated in a Letter to Parents Regarding Incomplete Work , ” the district states .
“ Incomplete work must be made up by January 29 , 2020 , unless mutually extended by student and teacher.
” Even a mark of Incomplete should not be assigned without notable measures to reach out , including multiple , documented attempts to contact the student and family , opportunities to make up work , collaboration with counselors and other student support staff and consultation with an administrator .
If a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge of the subject matter , such an assignment could justify a passing grade or better .
The approach in Santa Ana is different .
There , if a student doesn ’ t do any work at all , the student receives a grade point average of 55 rather than zero .
This gives the student a chance to achieve a passing GPA — of 60 % or better — by beginning to turn in assignments , even if they are late , said Fermin Leal , the district ’ s director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a D. “ We still believe that doing the work that is assigned and that has been part of the curriculum is important , ” Leal said .

Eagle Rock Jr./Sr. High School Principal Mylene Keipp, right, interacts virtually with students in Arlene Alpuerto’s sports medicine class. Students who are failing classes this semester will receive an “Incomplete” rather than an F.
Citing pandemic hardships, Los Angeles school officials on Monday deferred any failing grades from this semester until at least Jan. 29, giving students additional time to avoid receiving an F in their classes.
The move is the latest effort by the nation’s second-largest school district to avoid penalizing students under increasing strain during the surging coronavirus emergency that continues to upend their education and worsen family hardships.
Compared with last year, grades have dramatically deteriorated, especially for Latino and Black students, English learners, students with disabilities, foster youth and those experiencing homelessness, according to a directive sent to secondary school principals Monday and obtained by The Times.
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The move extends a modified version of the district’s “no fail” policy of the spring semester, when campuses first shut down at the onset of the pandemic. Monday’s decision won praise from Elmer Roldan, executive director of the advocacy group Communities in Schools of Los Angeles.
Given the limitations of distance learning, “failing kids is sending the wrong message and further increasing their chances of being pushed out of school,” Roldan said. “This is not the time to castigate students when their families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.”
The teachers union leadership said it supports “humane grading policies” but is concerned about the timing of the announcement — four days before the end of the semester — and a lack of coordination with the union in the district’s planning.
In Orange County, Santa Ana Unified also has modified grading in hopes of helping more students pass their classes. Overall, however, fewer school systems seem to be providing grading relief than in the spring, when campuses shut down suddenly and districts had difficulty pivoting to online learning.
The new L.A. Unified policy grew out of district concerns about the rise in D and F grades, a pattern mirrored across the country in school systems that have closed campuses and relied on distance-only learning. Among the problems faced by students is inconsistent or inadequate internet access and a poor learning environment at home.
In April, L.A. Unified prohibited failing grades for the spring semester and also determined that no student’s grade would be lower than it was on March 13, the final day of on-campus instruction. At the time, many teachers and some principals complained that the policy undermined student motivation and some reported a subsequent drop-off in student effort.
Such concerns resurfaced Monday during a faculty meeting at a high school in the San Fernando Valley, according to an English teacher who did not wish to be identified because she was not authorized to speak.
“Yes, it’s COVID time,” the teacher said. “But this soft bigotry of low expectations — including us being banned from demanding students ever comment with their voices or actually show themselves on camera during Zoom — will indeed help our low-income students stay on the bottom of the pile of learning.”
A high school principal from a different campus was more supportive. Given the unprecedented crisis, the principal said, students who earn A’s and B’s should get to keep them but that the only other grade handed out should be a pass. This principal — who also was not authorized to comment — requested anonymity.
The district directive — sent out by the Division of Instruction and initialed by Chief Academic Officer Alison Yoshimoto-Towery and Senior Executive Director Pedro Garcia — provides new data on students who were failing classes 15 weeks into the fall semester.
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The percentage of failed classes among Latino high school students is 24.9%; for Black high school students, it is 23.2%. This compares with 12.9% for white students and 7.6% for Asians. The gap separating white and Asian students from Latino and Black students has widened since last year.
The number of failing grades for students learning English already was high, but it increased by nearly 15 percentage points, rising to 35%.
The overriding goal of the policy — besides avoiding failing grades — is to give students a chance to demonstrate academic knowledge without penalizing them for any factors that would traditionally result in a lower grade. Poor attendance, lack of class participation and failing to turn in assignments should not be the basis of a student receiving a failing grade, the directive says.
“Having the camera off should not be weighted into an academic mark,” states the district directive, referring to the now-ubiquitous class sessions on Zoom and other online platforms. “Attendance, engagement, turning work in on time, and/or behavior concerns should be reflected in the Work Habits or Cooperation mark, as appropriate.”
Work habits receive a rating of “Excellent,” “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.”
If a teacher does assign a failing mark, L.A. Unified’s records system will convert that grade into an “Incomplete” for the time being.
“The nature of the work to remove the ‘Incomplete’ must be fully stated in a Letter to Parents Regarding Incomplete Work,” the district states. “Incomplete work must be made up by January 29, 2021, unless mutually extended by student and teacher.”
Even a mark of Incomplete should not be assigned without notable measures to reach out, including multiple, documented attempts to contact the student and family, opportunities to make up work, collaboration with counselors and other student support staff and consultation with an administrator.
If a student turns in an assignment that demonstrates knowledge of the subject matter, such an assignment could justify a passing grade or better.
The approach in Santa Ana is different. There, if a student doesn’t do any work at all, the student receives a grade point average of 55 rather than zero. This gives the student a chance to achieve a passing grade — of 60% or better — by beginning to turn in assignments, even if they are late, said Fermin Leal, the district’s director of communications. An average of 60 would be a D.
“We still believe that doing the work that is assigned and that has been part of the curriculum is important,” Leal said.
Times staff writer Eric Sondheimer contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-15--Kelly Gonez, 32, first in her family to attend college, is new L.A. school board president

Kelly Gonez , the daughter of an immigrant mother and the first in her family to attend college , was selected Tuesday as the new school board president for the Los Angeles Unified School District , representing a generational shift in the nation ’ s second-largest school system and potentially a shift toward more influence for backers of charter schools .
Gonez , 32 , was elected in 2017 to the Board of Education , representing a district that covers most of the east San Fernando Valley .
She pledged to center her attention “ on our students and families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dire and extremely difficult time for so many in our school community.
” She especially emphasized racial and social justice issues as areas where the school system needs to do better .
“ The Black and brown students we serve can not thrive in a system built to undermine their promise , ” Gonez said .
“ As a board we must lead with equity in mind and confront the racist vestiges in our public schools , from discipline practices ... to resource allocation to staff development selection and placement .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historically underserved students , ” including Latino students , students experiencing homelessness , foster youth , English learners and students with disabilities .
Just before the board vote , Gonez rebutted speakers who phoned in during public comment to claim that vaccines are dangerous and that the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic has been exaggerated .
“ We are an educational institution so I think it ’ s important that we stand up for correct information , particularly because of the communities we serve , ” she said in a later interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color have been impacted by issues of medical malpractice in history , ” but “ for anti-vaxxers to spread misinformation when this virus is hitting our communities the hardest — that ’ s just something I can ’ t stomach.
” The board president is typically selected for one year based on the votes of the seven-member body , of which Gonez is a part .
At one level the position is symbolic — the board president has one vote , just like other board members .
But the president runs the meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meeting agenda , representing the district in public and interacting with schools Supt .
Austin Beutner , who manages L.A. Unified on a daily basis .
The selection of the president also serves as a political barometer — and this occasion is no different because board elections have been financed primarily by two opposing factions : charter-school advocates and the teachers union .
Once the elections were concluded in November , there was one newcomer — Tanya Ortiz Franklin — who was elected with millions of dollars in financial support from allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board President Richard Vladovic , who , in his final term , was generally more allied with the teachers union , although not on all issues .
Vladovic , 75 , could not run again because of term limits .
Franklin ’ s win made it likely that the new president would come from the faction supported by charter advocates , and that is what happened .
All the same , Gonez has tried to position herself as a centrist who can work with both factions .
She demonstrated that last week when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its push to provide permanent employment status for adult-school teachers .
Gonez — like other members of the charter-backed bloc — has insisted she supports all students .
Charters are privately operated but must be authorized periodically by L.A. Unified , typically once every five years .
Most charters are nonunion .
Gonez sided with charter advocates in casting a deciding vote Tuesday for the board ’ s other top leadership position , chair of the Committee of the Whole , which examines policy issues in depth .
She voted for Nick Melvoin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over union favorite Jackie Goldberg .
The union-charter divide has moved into the background during the pandemic , as all schools grapple with the unprecedented crisis .
For the three returning board members , the oath of office was formally administered by state Supt .
of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond , who , like everyone else , participated in the meeting via Zoom .
For Franklin , that service was performed via pre-recorded video by Caleb Ebo , a first-grader at President Avenue Elementary School in Harbor City .
The daughter of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local Catholic schools and went on to UC Berkeley , becoming the first in her family to graduate from college .
She returned to L.A. as a teacher , earning a master ’ s degree in urban education from Loyola Marymount University .
She completed her student teaching at Dorsey High School before teaching 6th- and 7th-grade science at two local charter schools .
Gonez also worked in the Obama administration , specializing in education policy and advocacy .

Kelly Gonez, the daughter of an immigrant mother and the first in her family to attend college, was selected Tuesday as the new school board president for the Los Angeles Unified School District, representing a generational shift in the nation’s second-largest school system and potentially a shift toward more influence for backers of charter schools.
Gonez, 32, was elected in 2017 to the Board of Education, representing a district that covers most of the east San Fernando Valley.
She pledged to center her attention “on our students and families above all else, especially during this dire and extremely difficult time for so many in our school community.” She especially emphasized racial and social justice issues as areas where the school system needs to do better.
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“The Black and brown students we serve cannot thrive in a system built to undermine their promise,” Gonez said. “As a board we must lead with equity in mind and confront the racist vestiges in our public schools, from discipline practices ... to resource allocation to staff development selection and placement. That means in every board decision prioritizing our most historically underserved students,” including Latino students, students experiencing homelessness, foster youth, English learners and students with disabilities.
Just before the board vote, Gonez rebutted speakers who phoned in during public comment to claim that vaccines are dangerous and that the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic has been exaggerated.
“We are an educational institution so I think it’s important that we stand up for correct information, particularly because of the communities we serve,” she said in a later interview. She acknowledged that “communities of color have been impacted by issues of medical malpractice in history,” but “for anti-vaxxers to spread misinformation when this virus is hitting our communities the hardest — that’s just something I can’t stomach.”
Gonez’s mother works in a hospital as a medical clerk.
The board president is typically selected for one year based on the votes of the seven-member body, of which Gonez is a part.
At one level the position is symbolic — the board president has one vote, just like other board members. But the president runs the meetings and has an expanded role in setting the meeting agenda, representing the district in public and interacting with schools Supt. Austin Beutner, who manages L.A. Unified on a daily basis.
The selection of the president also serves as a political barometer — and this occasion is no different because board elections have been financed primarily by two opposing factions: charter-school advocates and the teachers union.
Once the elections were concluded in November, there was one newcomer — Tanya Ortiz Franklin — who was elected with millions of dollars in financial support from allies of charter schools. She replaces outgoing board President Richard Vladovic, who, in his final term, was generally more allied with the teachers union, although not on all issues.
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Vladovic, 75, could not run again because of term limits.
Franklin’s win made it likely that the new president would come from the faction supported by charter advocates, and that is what happened. All the same, Gonez has tried to position herself as a centrist who can work with both factions. She demonstrated that last week when she sided with the teachers union in its push to provide permanent employment status for adult-school teachers.
Gonez — like other members of the charter-backed bloc — has insisted she supports all students. Charters are privately operated but must be authorized periodically by L.A. Unified, typically once every five years. Most charters are nonunion.
Gonez sided with charter advocates in casting a deciding vote Tuesday for the board’s other top leadership position, chair of the Committee of the Whole, which examines policy issues in depth. She voted for Nick Melvoin, who prevailed in a 4-3 vote over union favorite Jackie Goldberg.
The union-charter divide has moved into the background during the pandemic, as all schools grapple with the unprecedented crisis.
For the three returning board members, the oath of office was formally administered by state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who, like everyone else, participated in the meeting via Zoom. For Franklin, that service was performed via pre-recorded video by Caleb Ebo, a first-grader at President Avenue Elementary School in Harbor City.
The daughter of an immigrant mother from Peru, Gonez attended local Catholic schools and went on to UC Berkeley, becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. She returned to L.A. as a teacher, earning a master’s degree in urban education from Loyola Marymount University.
She completed her student teaching at Dorsey High School before teaching sixth- and seventh-grade science at two local charter schools.
Gonez also worked in the Obama administration, specializing in education policy and advocacy.


latimes--2020-12-15--LAPD officials blame surging violence on gang disputes and pandemic-driven inmate releases

In recent months , bloodshed in South Los Angeles has increasingly been caused by bursts of gunfire from high-capacity firearms aimed at outdoor gatherings , leaving dozens of shell casings on the ground and multiple victims dead or wounded at once .
The violence has not come as part of a single rivalry , but in “ spurts of retaliation ” among more than 40 gangs that police believe are actively involved in the carnage — often after one sect disrespects another online and the latter sends gunmen out to exact revenge before police or intervention workers can get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said LAPD Deputy Chief Regina Scott , commander of the department ’ s south bureau , during a virtual meeting of the Police Commission on Tuesday .
Central L.A. has seen a surge in shootings into growing homeless emcampments by an influx of repeat offenders and older gang members , thanks in large part to pandemic-related rules for the release of inmates and arrestees from jails and prisons , said Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo , who commands the department ’ s central bureau .
Within the encampments and on their periphery , drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people less afraid to carry firearms than before , Palazzolo said .
The percentage of homeless homicide victims has shot up as a result .
“ The information is getting out to the street that if you carry a firearm and you get arrested , you aren ’ t going to stay in jail , ” Palazzolo said .
Both he and Scott joined the commission meeting as part of a frank discussion about an ongoing surge in homicides and shootings that has made 2020 the deadliest year for gun violence in L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which left more than 40 people wounded or killed in the last week alone .
Citywide , homicides are up 30 % from last year and shootings are up 34 % , and a huge portion of the violence is playing out in South L.A. and Central L.A. , said LAPD Chief Michel Moore — with more than half of the latest violence occurring in the Southeast and 77th Street areas of South L.A. Moore said many of the shootings are linked to gangs , with many involving multiple victims .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or disagreements , ” Moore said .
“ They are amplifying quickly into multiple shootings , multiple victims.
” The discussion came at the request of the Police Commission , whose members in recent weeks have lamented the increase in violence — which mirrors surges in other cities across the country — and asked for better explanations from police .
While gangs were repeatedly cited , the LAPD officials also emphasized their frustration with changes to the criminal justice system amid the pandemic and cuts to overtime spending and other budget restrictions imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-police protests this summer and city revenue streams being devastated by the pandemic and its associated shutdowns .
Moore said he was extremely concerned about the potential for more than 350 layoffs as the city seeks to close a projected $ 650-million budget shortfall this year , and the impact that will have on the department ’ s ability to prevent violent crime .
Scott noted two arrests from August that she said exemplified how new rules for the release of arrestees and inmates are causing problems on the street .
In one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stealing a car , only to realize he had been arrested six times since March .
In the second incident , police arrested a suspect for burglary , then realized he had been arrested nine times since May .
Scott also said restrictions on overtime and a reconfiguration of the department ’ s Metropolitan Division had limited her ability to conduct “ high-visibility crime suppression ” in areas experiencing crime spikes .
The LAPD commanders said residents want more to be done about the violence — a point echoed by two community advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reginald was killed in San Pedro in 1995 and who works with the families of other gun violence victims as founder of Justice for Murdered Children , said communities beset by violence are concerned about talk of less policing .
“ Murder is at its highest in a decade in minority communities and we hear cuts ?
” she asked .
“ How can that be ?
” Bobby Lopez , founder and CEO of Passion LA , said community members are busy worrying about COVID-19 and how to put food on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean they don ’ t want the violence to stop .
Lopez said public safety does need to be reimagined in L.A. , but “ if you ’ re going to stop something , you ’ ve got to start something ” in its place , and not enough is happening to empower community groups to fill in the gaps as funding for police is pulled back .
Members of the commission denounced the violence , and expressed some frustration that more people aren ’ t calling for an end to it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first commission meeting , repeatedly asked , “ Where is the outrage ?
” — seemingly directing the question toward activists who regularly condemn police and have called for the department ’ s defunding .
“ Why aren ’ t they as outraged by the harm that is taking place in our own communities ?
” Briggs said .
Commissioner Lou Calanche said she was equally concerned , but pushed back on the idea that residents should be expected to lead the charge for change given all the struggles of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outraged ?
They ’ re just surviving and hoping that their kids won ’ t be victims and their kids can graduate and go on to college , ” she said .
Calanche also stressed that policing should not be seen as the entire solution .
“ I really believe that investing in these communities is a public safety strategy , ” she said .
“ It just can ’ t be law enforcement responding to these issues.
” In addition to police commanders , the commission heard from Anne Tremblay , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program in Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s office and said intervention workers and other community workers have continued their efforts , with grant funding from her office , to interrupt cycles of violence and reduce shootings — work that LAPD officials and commissioners lauded .
Commission President Eileen Decker said “ everyone should be outraged with the rising crime numbers , ” and that all of the officials involved in the discussion realized that putting an end to the violence would take a group effort — involving more than just the police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversation continuing in coming weeks and months .

In recent months, bloodshed in South Los Angeles has increasingly been caused by bursts of gunfire from high-capacity firearms aimed at outdoor gatherings, leaving dozens of shell casings on the ground and multiple victims dead or wounded at once.
The violence has not come as part of a single rivalry, but in “spurts of retaliation” among more than 40 gangs that police believe are actively involved in the carnage — often after one sect disrespects another online and the latter sends gunmen out to exact revenge before police or intervention workers can get a handle on what’s happening, said LAPD Deputy Chief Regina Scott, commander of the department’s south bureau, during a Police Commission meeting on Tuesday.
Los Angeles has seen a surge in homicides this year, to levels not seen in more than a decade, and some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods are being hardest hit. More than 40 people were wounded or killed in the last week alone.
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Central L.A. has seen a surge in shootings at growing homeless encampments, said Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo, who commands the department’s central bureau.
He argued Tuesday that part of the cause was an influx of repeat offenders and older gang members who were released from prison or jail early due to pandemic rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in those institutions.
Within the encampments and on their periphery, drug disputes are being resolved with bullets by people less afraid to carry firearms than before, Palazzolo said. The percentage of homeless homicide victims has shot up as a result.
Detention facilities have seen dramatic spread of coronavirus. In the California prison system alone, more than 26,000 inmates — just over one in every four prisoners — have tested positive, and 95 have died. Critics have slammed prison officials for not slowing the infection rates.
The LAPD has not provided data analysis connecting the early release to the rise in violence. But Palazzolo said that the “information is getting out to the street that if you carry a firearm and you get arrested, you aren’t going to stay in jail.”
Citywide, homicides are up 30% from last year and shootings are up 34%, and a huge portion of the violence is playing out in South L.A. and Central L.A., said LAPD Chief Michel Moore — with more than half of the latest violence occurring in the Southeast and 77th Street areas of South L.A.
Moore said many of the shootings are linked to gangs, with many involving multiple victims.
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“These are not just low-level disputes or fights or disagreements,” Moore said. “They are amplifying quickly into multiple shootings, multiple victims.”
The discussion came at the request of the Police Commission, whose members in recent weeks have lamented the increase in violence — which mirrors surges in other cities across the country — and asked for better explanations from police.
While gangs were repeatedly cited, the LAPD officials also emphasized their frustration with changes to the criminal justice system amid the pandemic and cuts to overtime spending and other budget restrictions imposed this year as the result of major anti-police protests this summer and city revenue streams being devastated by the pandemic and its associated shutdowns.
Moore said he was extremely concerned about the potential for more than 350 layoffs as the city seeks to close a projected $650-million budget shortfall this year, and the impact that will have on the department’s ability to prevent violent crime.
Scott also said restrictions on overtime and a reconfiguration of the department’s Metropolitan Division had limited her ability to conduct “high-visibility crime suppression” in areas experiencing crime spikes.
The LAPD commanders said residents want more to be done about the violence — a point echoed by two community advocates.
Lawanda Hawkins, whose 19-year-old son Reginald was killed in San Pedro in 1995 and who works with the families of other gun violence victims as founder of Justice for Murdered Children, said communities beset by violence are concerned about talk of less policing.
“Murder is at its highest in a decade in minority communities and we hear cuts?” she asked. “How can that be?”
Bobby Lopez, founder and CEO of Passion LA, said community members are busy worrying about COVID-19 and how to put food on their tables, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want the violence to stop.
Lopez said public safety does need to be reimagined in L.A., but “if you’re going to stop something, you’ve got to start something” in its place, and not enough is happening to empower community groups to fill in the gaps as funding for police is pulled back.
Members of the commission denounced the violence, and expressed some frustration that more people aren’t calling for an end to it.
Newly appointed Commissioner William Briggs, attending his first commission meeting, repeatedly asked, “Where is the outrage?” — seemingly directing the question toward activists who regularly condemn police and have called for the department’s defunding.
“Why aren’t they as outraged by the harm that is taking place in our own communities?” Briggs said.
Commissioner Lou Calanche said she was equally concerned, but pushed back on the idea that residents should be expected to lead the charge for change given all the struggles of 2020.
“To ask for them to be outraged? They’re just surviving and hoping that their kids won’t be victims and their kids can graduate and go on to college,” she said.
Calanche also stressed that policing should not be seen as the entire solution. “I really believe that investing in these communities is a public safety strategy,” she said. “It just can’t be law enforcement responding to these issues.”
In addition to police commanders, the commission heard from Anne Tremblay, who directs the Gang Reduction and Youth Development program in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office and said intervention workers and other community workers have continued their efforts, with grant funding from her office, to interrupt cycles of violence and reduce shootings — work that LAPD officials and commissioners lauded.
Commission President Eileen Decker said “everyone should be outraged with the rising crime numbers,” and that all of the officials involved in the discussion realized that putting an end to the violence would take a group effort — involving more than just the police.
She said she looked forward to the conversation continuing in coming weeks and months.


latimes--2020-12-15--LAPD officers who opened fire outside Trader Joe's won't be charged in manager's death

The Los Angeles police officers involved in the accidental killing of a Trader Joe ’ s manager when they opened fire on a man who was fleeing into the store after a car chase will not face criminal charges in the manager ’ s death , the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said Tuesday .
Melyda Corado , 27 , died from a single bullet wound as two police officers exchanged gunfire with Gene Atkins outside the Silver Lake store in July 2018 .
Police had been pursuing Atkins across the city , and the 29-year-old had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursuit , which police said began after he had shot his grandmother .
Atkins crashed his car into a light pole outside the Trader Joe ’ s and fired three rounds at LAPD Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans , according to a memorandum made public Tuesday by the district attorney ’ s office .
Tse and Winans returned fire with eight shots in total .
One round struck Atkins in the elbow , according to the document .
Another fatally wounded Corado .
The shooting generated fierce criticism of the LAPD and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their actions had led to the death of an innocent bystander .
Days after , LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the situation was “ every officer ’ s worst nightmare.
” In their filing decision , among the final batch overseen by outgoing Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey , prosecutors decided the officers were only reacting to Atkins ’ provocations .
Atkins , not the officers , was “ criminally responsible for Corado ’ s death , ” prosecutors wrote .
“ The officers knew the Trader Joe ’ s store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tse and Winans returned fire in an attempt to stop Atkins from trying to injure or kill them or civilians in the Trader Joe ’ s , ” the memorandum reads .
The ruling came as little surprise after both the city Police Commission and Moore ruled the officers actions were within policy last year .
Corado ’ s family has sued the city alleging negligence and excessive force , and her older brother , Albert , has become a regular presence at protests against police violence .
“ This is what LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a Trader Joe ’ s and kill someone and they think that ’ s just how these things played out , ” Albert Corado said Tuesday .
“ That it ’ s a tragedy , but unfortunately , that ’ s the cost of LAPD doing business in the city.
” Newly elected Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón has said he plans to review a number of fatal use-of-force cases in which Lacey declined to file charges against officers , and Albert Corado said he and his family might contact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death .
Max Szabo , a spokesman for Gascón ’ s transition team , said there will be a process for families to seek review of their cases but it has yet to be formally established .
Gascón has yet to make a decision on any other cases to review beyond the four shootings he announced would be reevaluated during the campaign , according to Szabo .
Tse and Winans both told investigators they did not see Corado when they opened fire , according to the memorandum , with Tse noting she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was standing in front of a concrete wall , minimizing the chance she ’ d wound anyone if she missed .
Corado ’ s shooting was not captured by the store ’ s surveillance footage or on the officers ’ body-worn cameras , according to the document .
Atkins entered the store and took several customers and employees , including the wounded Corado , hostage .
Police did not know Corado had been shot until Atkins told them so during hostage negotiations , according to the memorandum .
By that time , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not begin rendering aid to Corado until 3:52 p.m. , 35 minutes after she was shot , the memorandum read .
She died at the scene a short time later .
Investigators determined that a round from Tse ’ s gun mortally wounded Corado , who was most likely shot “ when she was still inside the Trader Joe ’ s running toward the entrance that Atkins entered , ” according to the memorandum .
Last year , a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Corado , the attempted murders of his grandmother and girlfriend , and 48 other criminal counts .
Though Atkins did not fire the round that killed Corado , prosecutors charged him under the “ provocative act murder ” doctrine because he allegedly set off the events that led to her death .

Melyda Corado was killed by the LAPD two years ago when police shot at a man who was running into Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake after a car chase that would turn into a hostage situation. Prosecutors announced Tuesday that the officers who fired the shots will not face criminal charges.
The Los Angeles police officers involved in the accidental killing of a Trader Joe’s manager when they opened fire on a man who was fleeing into the store after a car chase will not face criminal charges in the manager’s death, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Tuesday.
Melyda Corado, 27, died from a single bullet wound as two police officers exchanged gunfire with Gene Atkins outside the Silver Lake store in July 2018. Police had been pursuing Atkins across the city, and the 29-year-old had fired on them numerous times during the pursuit, which police said began after he had shot his grandmother.
Atkins crashed his car into a light pole outside the Trader Joe’s and fired three rounds at LAPD Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans, according to a memorandum made public Tuesday by the district attorney’s office. Tse and Winans returned fire with eight shots in total. One round struck Atkins in the elbow, according to the document. Another fatally wounded Corado.
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The shooting generated fierce criticism of the LAPD and left the department’s leadership horrified that their actions had led to the death of an innocent bystander. Days after, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the situation was “every officer’s worst nightmare.”
In their filing decision, among the final batch overseen by outgoing Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, prosecutors decided the officers were only reacting to Atkins’ provocations. Atkins, not the officers, was “criminally responsible for Corado’s death,” prosecutors wrote.
“The officers knew the Trader Joe’s store was filled with customers and employees. Tse and Winans returned fire in an attempt to stop Atkins from trying to injure or kill them or civilians in the Trader Joe’s,” the memorandum reads.
Gene Evin Atkins is arraigned in Los Angeles Criminal Court. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The ruling came as little surprise after both the city Police Commission and Moore ruled the officers actions were within policy last year. Corado’s family has sued the city alleging negligence and excessive force, and her older brother, Albert, has become a regular presence at protests against police violence.
“This is what LAPD does. They can fire eight shots into a Trader Joe’s and kill someone and they think that’s just how these things played out,” Albert Corado said Tuesday. “That it’s a tragedy, but unfortunately, that’s the cost of LAPD doing business in the city.”
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Newly elected Dist. Atty. George Gascón has said he plans to review a number of fatal use-of-force cases in which Lacey declined to file charges against officers, and Albert Corado said he and his family might contact the new top prosecutor about his sister’s death.
Max Szabo, a spokesman for Gascón’s transition team, said there will be a process for families to seek review of their cases but it has yet to be formally established. Gascón has yet to make a decision on any other cases to review beyond the four shootings he announced would be reevaluated during the campaign, according to Szabo.
Tse and Winans both told investigators they did not see Corado when they opened fire, according to the memorandum, with Tse noting she chose to shoot because she believed Atkins was standing in front of a concrete wall, minimizing the chance she’d wound anyone if she missed.
Corado’s shooting was not captured by the store’s surveillance footage or on the officers’ body-worn cameras, according to the document. Atkins entered the store and took several customers and employees, including the wounded Corado, hostage.
Police did not know Corado had been shot until Atkins told them so during hostage negotiations, according to the memorandum. By that time, nearly 20 minutes had elapsed. Paramedics could not begin rendering aid to Corado until 3:52 p.m., 35 minutes after she was shot, the memorandum read. She died at the scene a short time later.
Investigators determined that a round from Tse’s gun mortally wounded Corado, who was most likely shot “when she was still inside the Trader Joe’s running toward the entrance that Atkins entered,” according to the memorandum.
Last year, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence for Atkins to face trial for the murder of Corado, the attempted murders of his grandmother and girlfriend, and 48 other criminal counts. Though Atkins did not fire the round that killed Corado, prosecutors charged him under the “provocative act murder” doctrine because he allegedly set off the events that led to her death.


latimes--2020-12-15--California health officials scramble to staff medical facilities amid COVID-19 surge

California is scrambling to find enough nurses , doctors and other medical staff for the increasing demands of the unrelenting pandemic , with the state having so far acquired just one in 10 temporary contracted positions needed to treat surging caseloads .
Meanwhile , the state ’ s Health Corps , created by Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s administration in March , has been unable to provide the help needed to make up the difference , with only a small fraction of the thousands of people who signed up for the volunteer service available to staff overloaded facilities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that California is “ looking overseas ” for additional staffing because other states are “ in a similar predicament ” to California and can ’ t spare their own healthcare workers .
“ Staffing has gone to places that started surging a month and a half ago , ” said Joanne Spetz , an associate director of research at Healthforce Center at UC San Francisco , which produces supply-and-demand forecasts on registered nurses in the state .
“ That makes our scramble harder.
” Newsom said the state needs to hire 3,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands .
California has 300 of those currently working , he said Tuesday .
The state also has 186 medical staff members deployed from the California National Guard and the California Medical Assistance Teams and has submitted requests to the federal government for medical personnel .
The California Health Corps has just 21 people currently helping with the surge in COVID-19 cases , a small number considering the thousands of people who signed up for the program after it launched to great fanfare in the spring , when Newsom initially estimated that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
Newsom said the need for additional hospital capacity and staffing was highlighted over the weekend when San Joaquin County ran out of ICU beds .
He said he expected other parts of the state to run out of ICU beds this month .
“ We are very close within the next week or so , ” Newsom said Monday during a visit to Los Angeles .
Newsom has also renewed calls for healthcare workers to join Health Corps , which aims to recruit recently retired providers , those in the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrolled in medical or nursing school to help meet the crushing workloads of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Health Corps allows those workers to sign up for paid shifts in different parts of the state that are experiencing staffing shortages .
More than 94,000 people registered for the program , but most lacked the licenses needed to work in the medical field or did not follow up with necessary hiring paperwork .
About 4,900 registrants ultimately were qualified to work in the spring , according to data from the state ’ s public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said the Health Corps now has about 900 people who are able to be deployed .
When asked why there are only 21 Health Corps members working during the current surge , a state public health department spokesperson said Tuesday that the agency is looking for ways to optimize the use of the volunteer program .
Since the program was created , Newsom said Health Corps members have covered almost 3,000 shifts at 143 facilities .
State Sen. Richard Pan ( D-Sacramento ) , a doctor who chairs the Senate Health Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Corps ’ membership fell precipitously given the high demand for healthcare workers , particularly with high-paying temporary staffing agencies .
Pan said that Health Corps is an altruistic program whose actual usefulness is limited .
But , he added , the state is rightfully emphasizing the “ all hands on deck ” need for medical professionals .
“ Staffing is a huge challenge right now and that ’ s probably our biggest limiting issue , ” Pan said .
“ Before , in the spring , we were all worried about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you don ’ t have the staff to operate the ventilators that ’ s a problem.
” California has contracted with two staffing agencies to hire temporary workers .
In April , the California Department of Public Health inked a deal with Medefis , a Nebraska-based company that maintains a national database of healthcare professionals for hire .
When that contract expired in September , it was extended through June 2021 for up to $ 50 million .
To date , the state has paid $ 15.1 million to Medifis .
The public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through September with the healthcare staffing firm Aya Healthcare .
That contract was extended through June 2021 for up to $ 50 million .
California has so far paid $ 7.3 million to Aya Healthcare .
Aya Healthcare reported surging demand for travel nurses across the country , with 29,000 open positions .
In just the past month , the company said there has been a 92 % increase in hospital systems posting urgent job requests .
California tops the company ’ s list as the state with the most staffing requests deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There ’ s tremendous demand , ” Pan said .
“ This is not a California-only problem .
We are competing with every other state .
Our country is one entire hotspot .
There is no place to draw staff from.
” California has 11 designated overflow facilities across the state that can be used when hospitals become too full , which allow for an additional 1,668 beds if needed .
In most cases , those sites would be used for less serious illnesses and injuries in order to ensure hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But although the state has the space and equipment to add those beds when needed , staffing has presented a new challenge compared with the first surge in COVID-19 cases during the spring .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , the California Health and Human Services secretary , said typically California would turn to staffing agencies for those kinds of needs .
“ Those registries are being used throughout the nation , ” Ghaly said Tuesday .
“ We ’ re only getting a small percentage [ of requests for temporary workers filled ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 % of our requests .
We ’ re lucky to get two-thirds at the moment.
” Five of the state ’ s alternative care sites have been opened , including one on Monday at the Fairview Developmental Center in Orange County .
That facility , which has a total capacity of 180 beds , has 10 beds considered active , with eight patients being treated there .
In addition , Porterville Developmental Center in Tulare County has opened 10 beds for use , and the site can add an additional 113 beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened at Sleep Train Arena , the former home of the NBA ’ s Sacramento Kings .
That care site , which has 20 beds available and a capacity of up to 244 beds , is currently treating seven patients .
An additional 23 patients have filled available beds at Imperial Valley College , which has space for an additional 100 beds .
The state also has a site for patients from the California Department of State Hospitals , which has 43 of 46 available beds filled to treat patients .
The remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days and weeks as COVID cases continue to trend upward .
Ghaly said two weeks ago that California was averaging around 15,000 cases a day , a number that has since more than doubled .
“ That should tell you that in the next couple of weeks what our hospitals will be facing , the amount of people knocking on the front door with COVID to the emergency room departments that need an in-patient hospital bed , that might need that ICU bed , are going to increase , ” Ghaly @ @

A San Diego-area overflow facility used to treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California is “looking overseas” for additional staffing because other states are “in a similar predicament” to California and can’t spare their own healthcare workers.
California is scrambling to find enough nurses, doctors and other medical staff for the increasing demands of the unrelenting pandemic, with the state having so far acquired just one in 10 temporary contracted positions needed to treat surging caseloads.
Meanwhile, the state’s Health Corps, created by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration in March, has been unable to provide the help needed to make up the difference, with only a small fraction of the thousands of people who signed up for the volunteer service available to staff overloaded facilities.
To address the shortage, Newsom said Tuesday that California is “looking overseas” for additional staffing because other states are “in a similar predicament” to California and can’t spare their own healthcare workers.
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“Staffing has gone to places that started surging a month and a half ago,” said Joanne Spetz, an associate director of research at Healthforce Center at UC San Francisco, which produces supply-and-demand forecasts on registered nurses in the state. “That makes our scramble harder.”
Newsom said the state needs to hire 3,000 temporary contracted medical workers to meet increasing demands. California has 300 of those currently working, he said Tuesday. The state also has 186 medical staff members deployed from the California National Guard and the California Medical Assistance Teams and has submitted requests to the federal government for medical personnel.
The California Health Corps has just 21 people currently helping with the surge in COVID-19 cases, a small number considering the thousands of people who signed up for the program after it launched to great fanfare in the spring, when Newsom initially estimated that the program could add up to 37,000 healthcare workers.
Newsom said the need for additional hospital capacity and staffing was highlighted over the weekend when San Joaquin County ran out of ICU beds. He said he expected other parts of the state to run out of ICU beds this month.
“We are very close within the next week or so,” Newsom said Monday during a visit to Los Angeles.
Newsom has also renewed calls for healthcare workers to join Health Corps, which aims to recruit recently retired providers, those in the process of getting a medical license and students enrolled in medical or nursing school to help meet the crushing workloads of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Health Corps allows those workers to sign up for paid shifts in different parts of the state that are experiencing staffing shortages.
More than 94,000 people registered for the program, but most lacked the licenses needed to work in the medical field or did not follow up with necessary hiring paperwork. About 4,900 registrants ultimately were qualified to work in the spring, according to data from the state’s public health department. In recent weeks, Newsom said the Health Corps now has about 900 people who are able to be deployed.
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When asked why there are only 21 Health Corps members working during the current surge, a state public health department spokesperson said Tuesday that the agency is looking for ways to optimize the use of the volunteer program.
Since the program was created, Newsom said Health Corps members have covered almost 3,000 shifts at 143 facilities.
State Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), a doctor who chairs the Senate Health Committee, said it’s understandable that Health Corps’ membership fell precipitously given the high demand for healthcare workers, particularly with high-paying temporary staffing agencies.
Pan said that Health Corps is an altruistic program whose actual usefulness is limited. But, he added, the state is rightfully emphasizing the “all hands on deck” need for medical professionals.
“Staffing is a huge challenge right now and that’s probably our biggest limiting issue,” Pan said. “Before, in the spring, we were all worried about how many ventilators we have, but if you don’t have the staff to operate the ventilators that’s a problem.”
California has contracted with two staffing agencies to hire temporary workers.
In April, the California Department of Public Health inked a deal with Medefis, a Nebraska-based company that maintains a national database of healthcare professionals for hire. When that contract expired in September, it was extended through June 2021 for up to $50 million. To date, the state has paid $15.1 million to Medifis.
The public health department also signed a six-month contract through September with the healthcare staffing firm Aya Healthcare. That contract was extended through June 2021 for up to $50 million. California has so far paid $7.3 million to Aya Healthcare.
Aya Healthcare reported surging demand for travel nurses across the country, with 29,000 open positions. In just the past month, the company said there has been a 92% increase in hospital systems posting urgent job requests. California tops the company’s list as the state with the most staffing requests deemed urgent, according to Aya Healthcare data.
“There’s tremendous demand,” Pan said. “This is not a California-only problem. We are competing with every other state. Our country is one entire hotspot. There is no place to draw staff from.”
California has 11 designated overflow facilities across the state that can be used when hospitals become too full, which allow for an additional 1,668 beds if needed. In most cases, those sites would be used for less serious illnesses and injuries in order to ensure hospitals have enough beds for the sickest patients.
But although the state has the space and equipment to add those beds when needed, staffing has presented a new challenge compared with the first surge in COVID-19 cases during the spring.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California Health and Human Services secretary, said typically California would turn to staffing agencies for those kinds of needs.
“Those registries are being used throughout the nation,” Ghaly said Tuesday. “We’re only getting a small percentage [of requests for temporary workers filled]. Usually, we get close to 100% of our requests. We’re lucky to get two-thirds at the moment.”
Five of the state’s alternative care sites have been opened, including one on Monday at the Fairview Developmental Center in Orange County. That facility, which has a total capacity of 180 beds, has 10 beds considered active, with eight patients being treated there. In addition, Porterville Developmental Center in Tulare County has opened 10 beds for use, and the site can add an additional 113 beds.
Last week, a site was opened at Sleep Train Arena, the former home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. That care site, which has 20 beds available and a capacity of up to 244 beds, is currently treating seven patients. An additional 23 patients have filled available beds at Imperial Valley College, which has space for an additional 100 beds. The state also has a site for patients from the California Department of State Hospitals, which has 43 of 46 available beds filled to treat patients.
The remaining six sites could begin offering beds in the coming days and weeks as COVID cases continue to trend upward. Ghaly said two weeks ago that California was averaging around 15,000 cases a day, a number that has since more than doubled.
“That should tell you that in the next couple of weeks what our hospitals will be facing, the amount of people knocking on the front door with COVID to the emergency room departments that need an in-patient hospital bed, that might need that ICU bed, are going to increase,” Ghaly said.