latimes--2020-09-29--Poll shows Californians give Newsom high marks on COVID-19, low marks on addressing homelessness

Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic helped put him in such good graces with California voters that his approval rating is among the highest of any governor in the past 50 years at the same point in their first term , according to a new poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies .
But the poll released Tuesday also shows that Newsom ’ s popularity is being tempered by intense voter dissatisfaction over the Democratic governor ’ s handing of homelessness in the state and California ’ s high housing costs .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the survey demonstrates that Newsom is currently enjoying an extremely strong political standing — even after he was forced to manage a litany of crises during his first two years in office including historic wildfires , rolling blackouts , a pandemic and a whipsawed state economy .
“ He ’ s got political capital to spend and , you know , he may need to spend it , ” said Mark DiCamillo , director of the poll .
Voters are seeing homelessness persist in their neighborhoods and are also feeling the financial pinch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , DiCamillo said .
Though those intractable issues defy quick-fix solutions , voters clearly feel Newsom has done a poor job handling them , he said .
And there might be more trouble on the horizon .
The economic devastation caused by the pandemic also has sapped state tax revenue , an problem that couldforce Newsom and state lawmakers to slash funding next year for state safety net programs and stall ambitious political agendas .
Economic downturns have been one of the greatest political perils California governors face , DiCamillo said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position but , again , I have seen governors ’ job ratings turn south very quickly in the face of bad news coming out of Sacramento , ” said DiCamillo , who conducted statewide opinion surveys for the Field Poll before joining the Berkeley IGS .
The Berkeley poll found that 64 % of likely California voters approved of the job Newsom has done as governor , compared to 36 % who disapprove .
The high approval numbers account for the majority of voters in all age groups and major regions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Latino and Black people , and voters who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander .
Among Democrats , 88 % give Newsom high marks , while just 17 % of Republicans do so .
And among independent voters — those who register as “ No Party Preference ” — 63 % approve of the job Newsom has done .
Over the past 50 years , the only other California governors with similar job approval numbers after their first two years in office were Republican George Deukmejian in the 1980s and Jerry Brown in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion on Field Polls conducted during those times .
Newsom ‘ s job approval ratings have risen roughly 6 percentage points among Democrats , Republicans and independents since the last IGS poll on his job approval rating in 2019 , and the poll ’ s findings indicate that Newsom ’ s response to the pandemic is a major reason why , DiCamillo said .
Among those surveyed , 49 % said that Newsom has done a good or excellent job handling the pandemic , while 19 % called his response fair and 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poor .
The remainder had no opinion .
For polling interpretation purposes , “ fair ” is seen as people in the “ middle ground , ” DiCamillo said .
“ I think a lot of that is attributable to just high visibility that he ’ s had in the state since the onset of the coronavirus , ” DiCamillo said .
The high visibility of the state ’ s homelessness crisis , and the continuing rise of housing costs in the state , likely made an impact on the dim view Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those issues .
More than half of likely voters — 55 % — said Newsom had done a poor or very poor job handing homelessness in the state , compared to 11 % who said he did a good or excellent job and 22 % who said he did a fair job .
When asked about Newsom ’ s handing of housing costs , 46 % said he did a poor or very poor job , while 12 % said he did a good or excellent job and 25 % said he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trail , then-Lt. Gov Newsom called for the construction of 3.5 million new homes by 2025 , which would require homebuilding at a rate never seen since the construction industry began keeping statistics in the 1950s .
Carol Galante , director of UC Berkeley ’ s Terner Center for Housing Innovation , said Newsom ’ s goal may have been ambitious , but she praised his efforts to address homelessness and housing affordability .
She said the two are inextricably linked , and have not been adequately addressed for years .
“ Everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to do the things to solve it , on all levels , ” Galante said .
The Berkeley poll sampled opinions on Newsom ’ s work in 13 categories , offering a more comprehensive view of what voters think of the governor almost two years in .
Of the other major issues facing the state , Newsom received positive marks on healthcare , education , race relations and on climate change .
The poll was conducted before Newsom ’ s announcement last week to phase out sales of new gas-powered vehicles by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban .
The poll was conducted from Sept. 9-15 among 7,198 registered voters in the state and has a sampling error of approximately plus or minus 2 percentage points .
Newsom received negative marks on his response to wildfires , on taxes and the state budget deficit , and crime and public safety .
The findings showed voters were roughly evenly split on Newsom ’ s handling of immigration , jobs and the economy and ensuring the reliability of electricity .
GOP political consultant Tim Rosales said he isn ’ t surprised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting that voters tend to focus on what ’ s current and affecting their daily lives — and , for most part , that has been COVID-19 .
Newsom for months has held briefings on the coronavirus response several times a week , sending a signal to Californians that that that fight against the outbreak is a paramount concern , he said .
“ The question is whether those [ poll ] numbers represent his high point as governor , ” said Rosales , who ran the 2018 gubernatorial campaign of Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the potential of a vaccine becomes more real , and as Californians adapt to life to a world with coronavirus , issues such as homelessness and housing affordability that were top of mind for voters before the pandemic will begin to “ bubble up , ” he said .
Newsom has come under blistering attack from the right since taking office .
President Trump has accused Newsom of allowing homelessness to go unchecked and criticized him for closing restaurants and stores shortly after the coronavirus outbreak .
Conservatives have also ripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which struck during the August heatwave , and his recent pledge to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars in 15 years .
The governor has faced three recall attempts since taking office and posts demanding # RecallGAvin2020 pepper social media platforms daily , Two of those efforts failed after proponents did not collect enough petition signatures to place a recall on the ballot .
A third recall attempt is underway — supporters must collect 1.49 million signatures from registered California voters by Nov. 17 .
According to a filing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month , they had collected slightly more than 55,000 .
Newsom last week dismissed the recall efforts as byproducts of the nation ’ s bitter partisan divide , as well as evidence of his successes as a progressive governor .
“ It ’ s part and parcel of the partisan political world we ’ re living in and the polarization of our politics , unfortunately , ” he said in an interview with New York Times opinion writer Kara Swisher .
“ I think the old adage is : Dogs don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic helped put him in such good graces with California voters that his approval rating is among the highest of any governor in the past 50 years at the same point in their first term, according to a new poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.
But the poll released Tuesday also shows that Newsom’s popularity is being tempered by intense voter dissatisfaction over the Democratic governor’s handing of homelessness in the state and California’s high housing costs.
In spite of that frustration among voters, the survey demonstrates that Newsom is currently enjoying an extremely strong political standing — even after he was forced to manage a litany of crises during his first two years in office including historic wildfires, rolling blackouts, a pandemic and a whipsawed state economy.
“He’s got political capital to spend and, you know, he may need to spend it,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the poll.
Voters are seeing homelessness persist in their neighborhoods and are also feeling the financial pinch of high rents and out-of-reach home prices, DiCamillo said. Though those intractable issues defy quick-fix solutions, voters clearly feel Newsom has done a poor job handling them, he said.
And there might be more trouble on the horizon. The economic devastation caused by the pandemic also has sapped state tax revenue, a problem that could force Newsom and state lawmakers to slash funding next year for state safety net programs and stall ambitious political agendas. Economic downturns have been one of the greatest political perils California governors face, DiCamillo said.
“He’s in a very solid position but, again, I have seen governors’ job ratings turn south very quickly in the face of bad news coming out of Sacramento,” said DiCamillo, who conducted statewide opinion surveys for the Field Poll before joining the Berkeley IGS.
The Berkeley poll found that 64% of likely California voters approved of the job Newsom has done as governor, compared to 36% who disapprove.
Advertisement
The high approval numbers account for the majority of voters in all age groups and major regions of the state, as well as among white, Latino and Black people, and voters who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander. Among Democrats, 88% give Newsom high marks, while just 17% of Republicans do so. And among independent voters — those who register as “No Party Preference” — 63% approve of the job Newsom has done.
Over the past 50 years, the only other California governors with similar job approval numbers after their first two years in office were Republican George Deukmejian in the 1980s and Jerry Brown in the 1970s, DiCamillo said, basing that conclusion on Field Polls conducted during those times.
Newsom‘s job approval ratings have risen roughly 6 percentage points among Democrats, Republicans and independents since the last IGS poll on his job approval rating in 2019, and the poll’s findings indicate that Newsom’s response to the pandemic is a major reason why, DiCamillo said.
Among those surveyed, 49% said that Newsom has done a good or excellent job handling the pandemic, while 19% called his response fair and 28% called his response poor or very poor. The remainder had no opinion. For polling interpretation purposes, “fair” is seen as people in the “middle ground,” DiCamillo said.
“I think a lot of that is attributable to just high visibility that he’s had in the state since the onset of the coronavirus,” DiCamillo said.
The high visibility of the state’s homelessness crisis, and the continuing rise of housing costs in the state, likely made an impact on the dim view Californians have of Newsom’s response to those issues.
More than half of likely voters — 55% — said Newsom had done a poor or very poor job handing homelessness in the state, compared to 11% who said he did a good or excellent job and 22% who said he did a fair job. When asked about Newsom’s handing of housing costs, 46% said he did a poor or very poor job, while 12% said he did a good or excellent job and 25% said he did a fair job.
On the campaign trail, then-Lt. Gov Newsom called for the construction of 3.5 million new homes by 2025, which would require homebuilding at a rate never seen since the construction industry began keeping statistics in the 1950s. Carol Galante, director of UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, said Newsom’s goal may have been ambitious, but she praised his efforts to address homelessness and housing affordability. She said the two are inextricably linked, and have not been adequately addressed for years.
“Everybody wants the problem solved but no one wants to do the things to solve it, on all levels,” Galante said.
The Berkeley poll sampled opinions on Newsom’s work in 13 categories, offering a more comprehensive view of what voters think of the governor almost two years in.
Of the other major issues facing the state, Newsom received positive marks on healthcare, education, race relations and on climate change. The poll was conducted before Newsom’s announcement last week to phase out sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and his call for a fracking ban.
Advertisement
The poll was conducted from Sept. 9-15 among 7,198 registered voters in the state and has a sampling error of approximately plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Newsom received negative marks on his response to wildfires, on taxes and the state budget deficit, and crime and public safety. The findings showed voters were roughly evenly split on Newsom’s handling of immigration, jobs and the economy and ensuring the reliability of electricity.
GOP political consultant Tim Rosales said he isn’t surprised by the governor’s overall high marks, noting that voters tend to focus on what’s current and affecting their daily lives — and, for most part, that has been COVID-19. Newsom for months has held briefings on the coronavirus response several times a week, sending a signal to Californians that that that fight against the outbreak is a paramount concern, he said.
“The question is whether those [poll] numbers represent his high point as governor,” said Rosales, who ran the 2018 gubernatorial campaign of Republican John Cox, who lost to Newsom.
As the potential of a vaccine becomes more real, and as Californians adapt to life to a world with coronavirus, issues such as homelessness and housing affordability that were top of mind for voters before the pandemic will begin to “bubble up,” he said.
Newsom has come under blistering attack from the right since taking office. President Trump has accused Newsom of allowing homelessness to go unchecked and criticized him for closing restaurants and stores shortly after the coronavirus outbreak. Conservatives have also ripped Newsom for California’s rolling blackouts, which struck during the August heatwave, and his recent pledge to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars in 15 years.
The governor has faced three recall attempts since taking office and posts demanding #RecallGAvin2020 pepper social media platforms daily,
Two of those efforts failed after proponents did not collect enough petition signatures to place a recall on the ballot. A third recall attempt is underway — supporters must collect 1.49 million signatures from registered California voters by Nov. 17. According to a filing with the Secretary of State’s office earlier this month, they had collected slightly more than 55,000.
Newsom last week dismissed the recall efforts as byproducts of the nation’s bitter partisan divide, as well as evidence of his successes as a progressive governor.
“It’s part and parcel of the partisan political world we’re living in and the polarization of our politics, unfortunately,” he said in an interview with New York Times opinion writer Kara Swisher. “I think the old adage is: Dogs don’t bark at parked cars.”


latimes--2020-09-29--Private schools say they're ready to open and are pushing L.A. County to let them

A coalition of private schools , including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles , called Monday for the County Board of Supervisors and public health officials to begin accepting waiver applications to allow elementary schools to open — an issue that Board Chair Kathryn Barger said would be discussed at their Tuesday meeting .
Calling itself the “ Students First Coalition , ” the group also includes Village Christian School and several other religious organizations .
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District on Monday penned its own letter , backed by several South Bay mayors , also urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The letters included at least one prominent signatory from the American Academy of Pediatrics .
“ We have been waiting and working within the state and county guidelines toward preparing our school for the possibility of reopening , ” said Tom Konjoyan , head of school at Village Christian School , a nondenominational Sun Valley campus for preschool through 12th grade .
Konjoyan opened his campus Monday to show off rooms set up for fewer than 20 students , triangular desks with plexiglass partitions , portable handwashing and sanitizing stations and large tents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the school has spent $ 100,000 on personal protective equipment , including temporal thermometers , masks and cleaning supplies .
His sentiments reflect the growing impatience among many private schools and small school districts , especially those that serve affluent communities , that believe they can safely reopen for their youngest students , who have the most difficulties with online learning .
Under current guidelines , no campus in Los Angeles County is able to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November , although schools were recently authorized to offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs , at no more than 10 % of capacity at one time , L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has said .
Under state guidelines , elementary schools can reopen under a waiver application process in which schools must prove to county officials that they have strict COVID-19 safety measures in place .
However , counties do not have to grant waivers ; Los Angeles so far has not .
With widespread coronavirus transmission , the county has remained in the most restrictive tier of the state ’ s reopening plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed by Konjoyan , Los Angeles Archdiocese Supt .
of Schools Paul Escala and Dr. Casey Nagel of the American Academy of Pediatrics , along with leaders from the Assn .
of Christian Schools International of Hawaii and California , the Seventh-Day Adventist Pacific Union Conference , the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles , the Pacific Southwest District of Lutheran Schools , Assn .
of Waldorf Schools of North America and Agudath Israel of California .
The letter calls on the county to reopen transitional kindergarten through 3rd-grade classrooms immediately through waivers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on two-week intervals , when permitted under state guidelines .
Barger said the board has been approached by schools about reopening , and she is due to discuss the issue Tuesday with Supervisor Janice Hahn .
“ Hopefully we can come to some conclusion as it relates to putting something together that allows school districts to ... submit a waiver , ” Barger said Monday during a press conference .
“ Though some are pushing strongly for children to get back to school , many others in my district have contacted me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , as well as teachers and staff , ” Kuehl said .
It ’ s possible that L.A. County may drop into the less-restrictive “ red ” tier for reopening on Tuesday .
After 14 days at this level , all schools could reopen with safety precautions .
Even though educators were pushing to reopen elementary schools , they were not optimistic that Los Angeles County would accept waivers .
Escala pointed out that Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have been accepting waivers for weeks and that eight schools have opened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unified Supt .
Alex Cherniss .
“ The expectation that us moving into the red would trigger them allowing schools to reopen K-12 is not a reality , ” he said .
Other backers of Palos Verdes ’ motion include Los Angeles County Office of Education Vice President Douglas Boyd , Palos Verdes Unified President Suzanne Seymour , Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank , Palos Verdes Estates Mayor David McGowan , Rolling Hills Mayor Jeff Pieper , Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Velveth Schmitz and Glendora Mayor Michael Allawos .

Mike Custer, director of facilities at Village Christian School in Sun Valley, installs a temporary sneeze guard made out of plexiglass. The school has invested $100,000 in safety measures to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.
A coalition of private schools, including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, called Monday for the County Board of Supervisors and public health officials to begin accepting waiver applications to allow elementary schools to open — an issue that Board Chair Kathryn Barger said would be discussed at their Tuesday meeting. Calling itself the “Students First Coalition,” the group also includes Village Christian School and several other religious organizations.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District on Monday penned its own letter, backed by several South Bay mayors, also urging the county to accept waiver applications.
The letters included at least one prominent signatory from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“We have been waiting and working within the state and county guidelines toward preparing our school for the possibility of reopening,” said Tom Konjoyan, head of school at Village Christian School, a nondenominational Sun Valley campus for preschool through 12th grade.
Advertisement
Konjoyan opened his campus Monday to show off rooms set up for fewer than 20 students, triangular desks with plexiglass partitions, portable handwashing and sanitizing stations and large tents for outdoor classes. According to Konjoyan, the school has spent $100,000 on personal protective equipment, including temporal thermometers, masks and cleaning supplies.
His sentiments reflect the growing impatience among many private schools and small school districts, especially those that serve affluent communities, that believe they can safely reopen for their youngest students, who have the most difficulties with online learning.
Students First Coalition of Los Angeles A letter from private schools to Los Angeles County supervisors and health officials in regards to opening up schools.
Under current guidelines, no campus in Los Angeles County is able to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November, although schools were recently authorized to offer small in-person classes for children with special needs, at no more than 10% of capacity at one time, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has said.
Under state guidelines, elementary schools can reopen under a waiver application process in which schools must prove to county officials that they have strict COVID-19 safety measures in place. However, counties do not have to grant waivers; Los Angeles so far has not. With widespread coronavirus transmission, the county has remained in the most restrictive tier of the state’s reopening plan.
The coalition’s letter was signed by Konjoyan, Los Angeles Archdiocese Supt. of Schools Paul Escala and Dr. Casey Nagel of the American Academy of Pediatrics, along with leaders from the Assn. of Christian Schools International of Hawaii and California, the Seventh-Day Adventist Pacific Union Conference, the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Pacific Southwest District of Lutheran Schools, Assn. of Waldorf Schools of North America and Agudath Israel of California.
Advertisement
The letter calls on the county to reopen transitional kindergarten through 3rd-grade classrooms immediately through waivers and to phase in reopening of upper grades on two-week intervals, when permitted under state guidelines.
Barger said the board has been approached by schools about reopening, and she is due to discuss the issue Tuesday with Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Dana Mikels, principal of Village Christian School in Sun Valley, is photographed at an outdoor classroom that would seat one student per table. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
“Hopefully we can come to some conclusion as it relates to putting something together that allows school districts to ... submit a waiver,” Barger said Monday during a press conference.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl expressed more caution in a statement Monday.
“Though some are pushing strongly for children to get back to school, many others in my district have contacted me, worried about exposure for children and their families, as well as teachers and staff,” Kuehl said.
It’s possible that L.A. County may drop into the less-restrictive “red” tier for reopening on Tuesday. After 14 days at this level, all schools could reopen with safety precautions.
Even though educators were pushing to reopen elementary schools, they were not optimistic that Los Angeles County would accept waivers. Escala pointed out that Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have been accepting waivers for weeks and that eight schools have opened.
Bradley Peterson, a teacher at Village Christian School, is photographed inside his classroom at a setup for potential in-person learning. At right is Principal Dana Mikels. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The concern was echoed by Palos Verdes Unified Supt. Alex Cherniss.
“The expectation that us moving into the red would trigger them allowing schools to reopen K-12 is not a reality,” he said.
Other backers of Palos Verdes’ motion include Los Angeles County Office of Education Vice President Douglas Boyd, Palos Verdes Unified President Suzanne Seymour, Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank, Palos Verdes Estates Mayor David McGowan, Rolling Hills Mayor Jeff Pieper, Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Velveth Schmitz and Glendora Mayor Michael Allawos.


latimes--2020-09-29--As some push for faster COVID-19 reopenings, Newsom warns of a possible second wave

By practically every metric , California is steadily beating back the coronavirus pandemic .
But officials are watching data that could suggest a second surge of the virus is on the way , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
As COVID-19 test positivity rates , hospitalizations and deaths have fallen , more than half of California ’ s counties have been allowed to reopen some indoor business operations .
Health officials are now watching as a lesser-known metric that signals how quickly the virus is spreading has “ crept back up , ” Newsom said .
“ If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not vigilant , if we ’ re not wearing our masks , if we ’ re not practicing physical distancing , these numbers can start to tip back up , ” he said .
The metric , called the effective transmission number , represents the average number of people who are infected by each person with COVID-19 .
A rate under 1 means COVID-19 cases will fall over time , while a rate over 1 means cases will increase , experts say .
The Bay Area ’ s rate is 0.95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to state data .
The rate in five Southern California counties , excluding Los Angeles , is approaching 0.97 , the highest since mid-July .
In Los Angeles County , the figure is 1.02 , suggesting there may be an uptick in COVID-19 cases , officials said .
But the region has avoided a significant surge in cases after Labor Day weekend , said Barbara Ferrer , head of the county ’ s Public Health Department .
Newsom ’ s warning comes as elected officials from San Diego , Orange and Riverside counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and schools , saying the restrictions are crushing California ’ s economy .
“ Our businesses have suffered , ” said Banning , Calif. , Mayor Daniela Andrade at a media briefing Monday morning .
“ We have empty storefronts .
Some will never be reopened again .
The economy is suffering hugely.
” The complaint has become a familiar drumbeat for the Golden State , as officials try to strike a balance between preventing the spread of the deadly virus and allowing business owners , workers and students to return to normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that requires counties to show consistent progress in slowing the transmission of the virus before businesses can reopen or in-person instruction can resume in schools .
The rankings — purple , red , orange and yellow — measure the COVID-19 risk in each county and are used to determine which businesses and schools can resume indoor operations .
Newsom said 13 California counties have left the most restrictive tier , purple , over the last month .
He said a “ number of counties ” will be shifted into less restrictive tiers when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The purple tier keeps most nonessential businesses closed .
Los Angeles County will remain there until new coronavirus cases fall below seven per 100,000 residents per day for two consecutive weeks .
In the red tier , schools can reopen .
Restaurants , gyms , salons , movie theaters , places of worship , libraries and other establishments can operate indoors with reduced capacity .
But others , including bars and breweries that don ’ t serve food , must remain closed .
That distinction has drawn criticism from elected officials and business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow some businesses to reopen and not others .
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond said Monday that Newsom was “ punishing businesses ” that have not been allowed to reopen .
After weeks of low case counts , San Diego was promoted to the red tier and allowed to reopen some indoor businesses .
But virus cases are rising again , driven by an outbreak among nearly 1,000 students at San Diego State University .
“ All businesses should have the same opportunity to open up safely , ” Desmond said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some businesses can and some can ’ t. ” Riverside County was moved from the purple tier to the red tier last week .
The county ’ s supervisors also voted last week to set their own timeline for reopening , separate from the state guidelines .
Newsom has threatened to cut funding to counties that don ’ t comply with the state ’ s COVID-19 guidelines , and the decision could cost the county $ 28 million to $ 656 million in state funds , the county ’ s chief executive officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tier three weeks ago , Orange County will probably be promoted again Tuesday to the orange tier , which means the risk of coronavirus infection is moderate , health officials said .
That would allow bars and breweries without kitchens to resume outdoor service .
Grocery stores and libraries could return to full capacity .
Restaurants , movie theaters and places of worship would be allowed to increase indoor capacity from 25 % to half , or 200 people , whichever is less .

“If we’re not vigilant, ... these numbers can start to tip back up,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
By practically every metric, California is steadily beating back the coronavirus pandemic. But officials are watching data that could suggest a second surge of the virus is on the way, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
As COVID-19 test positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths have fallen, more than half of California’s counties have been allowed to reopen some indoor business operations. Health officials are now watching as a lesser-known metric that signals how quickly the virus is spreading has “crept back up,” Newsom said.
“If we’re not cautious, if we’re not vigilant, if we’re not wearing our masks, if we’re not practicing physical distancing, these numbers can start to tip back up,” he said.
Advertisement
The metric, called the effective transmission number, represents the average number of people who are infected by each person with COVID-19. A rate under 1 means COVID-19 cases will fall over time, while a rate over 1 means cases will increase, experts say.
The Bay Area’s rate is 0.95, the highest since mid-August, according to state data. The rate in five Southern California counties, excluding Los Angeles, is approaching 0.97, the highest since mid-July.
In Los Angeles County, the figure is 1.02, suggesting there may be an uptick in COVID-19 cases, officials said. But the region has avoided a significant surge in cases after Labor Day weekend, said Barbara Ferrer, head of the county’s Public Health Department.
Newsom’s warning comes as elected officials from San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties continue to push to fully reopen businesses and schools, saying the restrictions are crushing California’s economy.
“Our businesses have suffered,” said Banning, Calif., Mayor Daniela Andrade at a media briefing Monday morning. “We have empty storefronts. Some will never be reopened again. The economy is suffering hugely.”
The complaint has become a familiar drumbeat for the Golden State, as officials try to strike a balance between preventing the spread of the deadly virus and allowing business owners, workers and students to return to normal life.
Advertisement
A month ago, Newsom announced a new four-tier reopening plan that requires counties to show consistent progress in slowing the transmission of the virus before businesses can reopen or in-person instruction can resume in schools.
The rankings — purple, red, orange and yellow — measure the COVID-19 risk in each county and are used to determine which businesses and schools can resume indoor operations.
Newsom said 13 California counties have left the most restrictive tier, purple, over the last month. He said a “number of counties” will be shifted into less restrictive tiers when health officials announce new data Tuesday.
The purple tier keeps most nonessential businesses closed. Los Angeles County will remain there until new coronavirus cases fall below seven per 100,000 residents per day for two consecutive weeks.
In the red tier, schools can reopen. Restaurants, gyms, salons, movie theaters, places of worship, libraries and other establishments can operate indoors with reduced capacity. But others, including bars and breweries that don’t serve food, must remain closed.
That distinction has drawn criticism from elected officials and business owners, who say it is unfair to allow some businesses to reopen and not others.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond said Monday that Newsom was “punishing businesses” that have not been allowed to reopen. After weeks of low case counts, San Diego was promoted to the red tier and allowed to reopen some indoor businesses. But virus cases are rising again, driven by an outbreak among nearly 1,000 students at San Diego State University.
“All businesses should have the same opportunity to open up safely,” Desmond said. “It shouldn’t be some businesses can and some can’t.”
Riverside County was moved from the purple tier to the red tier last week. The county’s supervisors also voted last week to set their own timeline for reopening, separate from the state guidelines. Newsom has threatened to cut funding to counties that don’t comply with the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, and the decision could cost the county $28 million to $656 million in state funds, the county’s chief executive officer said.
After moving to the red tier three weeks ago, Orange County will probably be promoted again Tuesday to the orange tier, which means the risk of coronavirus infection is moderate, health officials said.
That would allow bars and breweries without kitchens to resume outdoor service. Grocery stores and libraries could return to full capacity. Restaurants, movie theaters and places of worship would be allowed to increase indoor capacity from 25% to half, or 200 people, whichever is less.


latimes--2020-09-28--Earthquake: 3.3 quake registered near Hollister

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Monday evening at 7:22 p.m. Pacific time eight miles from Hollister , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Salinas , 14 miles from Soledad , 14 miles from Prunedale and 21 miles from Gilroy , Calif .
In the past 10 days , there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Monday evening at 7:22 p.m. Pacific time eight miles from Hollister, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Salinas, 14 miles from Soledad, 14 miles from Prunedale and 21 miles from Gilroy, Calif.
In the past 10 days, there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
Advertisement
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 4.6 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-09-28--Federal judge orders Postal Service to stop operational changes that slowed mail in California and U

Federal judge orders Postal Service to stop operational changes that slowed mail in California and U.S.

The U.S .
Postal Service must prioritize election mail and immediately reverse changes that resulted in widespread delays in California and several other states , a federal judge ruled Monday .
The nationwide order is the latest rejection of efforts by Louis DeJoy , the postmaster general , to cut costs by instituting changes that snarled the mail system and caused delays in the delivery of medication , unemployment checks and other essential items .
The judge ’ s ruling came as part of a lawsuit by attorneys general for the District of Columbia and six states , including California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermining the Postal Service by decommissioning high-speed mail-sorting machines , curtailing overtime and mandating that trucks run on time , which led to backlogs because mail was left behind .
“ The court has spoken .
It ’ s time for President Trump to follow the law and stop interfering with our mail , ” said Xavier Becerra , California ’ s attorney general , in a statement Monday .
“ Our elections — and the health and livelihood of American families — depend on it .
This is a major victory for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to vote.
” The preliminary injunction imposed by Judge Gerald A. McHugh of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania temporarily bars the Postal Service from mandating that mail trucks and carriers leave exactly on time .
It also says the organization must allow overtime around the election and suspend the removal of mail-sorting machines until after Nov. 3 , among other measures .
The Postal Service ’ s “ ability to fulfill its mission during a presidential election taking place in the midst of a public health crisis is vital .
The record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that irreparable harm will result unless its ability to operate is assured , ” McHugh wrote in a memorandum supporting his order .
The ruling is the latest by federal judges that reverse DeJoy ’ s changes .
Judges in New York , Washington state and the District of Columbia ordered the Postal Service over the last two weeks to restore operations in the organization , including treating election mail as first-class mail and allowing for the processing of all the day ’ s mail , even if it means trucks are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California alleged that the Postal Service made numerous operational changes without getting the required approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission .
It was the directive that trucks run on time — not the removal of more than 700 sorting machines — that contributed to significant delays in the mail , the Los Angeles Times reported .
The backups caused food to rot and animals to die inside packages that were piling up at processing plants in California over the summer .
The Postal Service has said in recent weeks that the trucking changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to encourage more timeliness and mitigate the need for extra trips .
On Monday , in response to the judge ’ s order , Postal Service spokesman David Partenheimer said that delivering election mail is the Postal Service ’ s main priority .
Mail-in ballots are expected to play a key role in the election as voters and elections officials seek alternatives to gathering at polling places during the pandemic .
`` [ W ] e are 100 percent committed throughout the Postal Service to fulfilling our vital role in the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivering all ballots pursuant to our long-established processes and procedures , ” Partenheimer said in an email .

Employees work with an automated parcel and bundle sorter at the Postal Service center in the City of Industry.
The U.S. Postal Service must prioritize election mail and immediately reverse changes that resulted in widespread delays in California and several other states, a federal judge ruled Monday.
The nationwide order is the latest rejection of efforts by Louis DeJoy, the postmaster general, to cut costs by instituting changes that snarled the mail system and caused delays in the delivery of medication, unemployment checks and other essential items.
The judge’s ruling came as part of a lawsuit by attorneys general for the District of Columbia and six states, including California, that accused the Trump administration of undermining the Postal Service by decommissioning high-speed mail-sorting machines, curtailing overtime and mandating that trucks run on time, which led to backlogs because mail was left behind.
Advertisement
“The court has spoken. It’s time for President Trump to follow the law and stop interfering with our mail,” said Xavier Becerra, California’s attorney general, in a statement Monday. “Our elections — and the health and livelihood of American families — depend on it. This is a major victory for the rule of law and protecting our right to vote.”
The preliminary injunction imposed by Judge Gerald A. McHugh of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania temporarily bars the Postal Service from mandating that mail trucks and carriers leave exactly on time. It also says the organization must allow overtime around the election and suspend the removal of mail-sorting machines until after Nov. 3, among other measures.
The Postal Service’s “ability to fulfill its mission during a presidential election taking place in the midst of a public health crisis is vital. The record in this case strongly supports the conclusion that irreparable harm will result unless its ability to operate is assured,” McHugh wrote in a memorandum supporting his order.
California Empty trucks, falsified records: How Louis DeJoy’s changes at the Postal Service brought chaos New rules requiring U.S. Postal Service trucks to leave exactly on schedule went relatively unnoticed amid the public outcry over the removal of sorting machines across the country — but they were far more disruptive to mail delivery.
The ruling is the latest by federal judges that reverse DeJoy’s changes. Judges in New York, Washington state and the District of Columbia ordered the Postal Service over the last two weeks to restore operations in the organization, including treating election mail as first-class mail and allowing for the processing of all the day’s mail, even if it means trucks are a few minutes late.
The lawsuit involving California alleged that the Postal Service made numerous operational changes without getting the required approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Advertisement
It was the directive that trucks run on time — not the removal of more than 700 sorting machines — that contributed to significant delays in the mail, the Los Angeles Times reported. The backups caused food to rot and animals to die inside packages that were piling up at processing plants in California over the summer.
The Postal Service has said in recent weeks that the trucking changes were not strict mandates but were efforts to encourage more timeliness and mitigate the need for extra trips.
On Monday, in response to the judge’s order, Postal Service spokesman David Partenheimer said that delivering election mail is the Postal Service’s main priority. Mail-in ballots are expected to play a key role in the election as voters and elections officials seek alternatives to gathering at polling places during the pandemic.
“[W]e are 100 percent committed throughout the Postal Service to fulfilling our vital role in the nation’s electoral process by securely and timely delivering all ballots pursuant to our long-established processes and procedures,” Partenheimer said in an email.


latimes--2020-09-29--Military cargo plane, fighter jet collide near Salton Sea

A military C-130 cargo plane collided with a fighter jet Tuesday afternoon over Imperial County , according to the California @ @ @ @ @ were immediately available about the crash , which took place around 4 p.m. near Thermal @ @ @ @ @ of the Salton Sea .
The cargo plane made an emergency landing on a nearby @ @ @ @ @ source with knowledge of the crash said rescuers found the fighter jet pilot and navigator @ @ @ @ @ jet .
Emergency personnel were on the scene .
KYMA-TV reported that there were fires @ @ @ @ @ crash .

A military KC-130 cargo plane collided with a fighter jet Tuesday afternoon over Imperial County, according to the United States Marine Corps and the California Highway Patrol.
At about 4 p.m., an F-35B jet made contact with the cargo plane during an air-to-air refueling effort, causing the jet to crash, the Marine Corps said in a statement. The jet’s pilot — its sole occupant — ejected from the craft and is being treated for injuries that are not life threatening, 1st Lt. Brett Vannier said.
The cargo plane made an emergency landing in a nearby farm area and is now at an airport in Thermal. All eight crew members of the cargo plane are safe, Vannier said.
Advertisement
#BREAKING A plane made an emergency landing in a farm field in Thermal just East if the airport. Early reports of 8 on board. It reportedly clipped another plane mid-air. We are live in scene wirh the early details. @KESQ pic.twitter.com/b4rDWJgoat — Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) September 30, 2020
Emergency personnel were on the scene. KYMA-TV reported that there were fires around the site of the crash.


latimes--2020-09-29--LAPD youth diversion program under review as advocates, commissioners cite shortcomings

The Los Angeles Police Department ’ s program for diverting kids detained for crimes into support programs rather than courts and jail cells came under fire during a Tuesday meeting of the civilian Police Commission , with youth advocates highlighting problems and commissioners promising reforms .
A major concern is that only a small percentage of the kids who are eligible for diversion under state guidelines are being provided the opportunity , even though community groups that offer services say they have the capacity to serve them .
“ The programs are in place , the programs are healthy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still is not using the programs , ” said Kim McGill of the Youth Justice Coalition .
LAPD Chief Michel Moore and other police officials promised to collaborate with the groups and the commission to improve the program but stopped short of accepting a major recommendation from the advocacy groups : that the LAPD stop operating its program altogether and instead allow kids detained in the city to go into a parallel L.A. County diversion program in which advocates have more trust .
Arrests of juveniles by the LAPD have plummeted in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversion program .
Started in 2013 in one small area of the city , it allows kids who have allegedly committed lesser crimes to avoid arrest and instead be diverted into community programs where they are mentored , taught to process their emotions and introduced to hobbies — from slam poetry to boxing to gardening .
In recent years , the program has been expanded to every part of the city .
Police officials say it is a success and is a major part of their approach to juvenile crime .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a majority of kids who are detained by the LAPD and are eligible for diversion don ’ t receive it and instead get arrested and booked into the criminal justice system .
Of 4,278 kids who were recently arrested , 2,592 — about 61 % — were eligible for diversion under state guidelines , according to the data .
However , only 789 — just over 30 % — were actually diverted .
During the meeting Tuesday , advocates of the program and Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith asked why the department had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said kids who are technically eligible for diversion based on the crimes they are alleged to have committed may be excluded from the program because they have a prior criminal record , because they have alleged gang ties or because they or their parents declined to participate in diversion .
Police officials said the decisions are made by watch commanders and LAPD juvenile coordinators in the areas where the kids have been detained , but also that the criteria for possible exclusion from the program were established in consultation with prosecutors in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including members of the Youth Justice Coalition and several diversion providers — said the city ’ s exclusion criteria were inappropriate and far stricter than those employed by L.A. County ’ s Youth Diversion and Development program .
They also said excluding kids with records or gang ties from diversion programs makes no sense , because those are the kids who need the services the most .
Among other demands , the advocates called on the LAPD to redirect all diversions to the county , provide community organizations with real-time data on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tracking of youth diversion in the city and reconfigure its responses to situations involving kids to ensure that a team of counselors and others with experience in the youth diversion system get dispatched to scenes .
Several young people joined the call and spoke to the value of diversion in their lives .
Xcellen Connor said a diversion program taught him to process his thoughts and dive deeper into becoming a writer .
“ You can feel the love , ” he said of being in a program .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police could not provide reasons for all of the exclusions in recent years , citing a failure in data collection that they said they are now fixing .
Goldsmith said she wants to see 100 % of eligible kids be diverted rather than arrested and specifically challenged the use of gang affiliation as a criterion for exclusion , given recent evidence that “ the way that young people are characterized as gang members is deeply flawed.
” This year , criminal charges were filed against three LAPD officers for allegedly mislabeling people as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its use of the statewide CalGang database , citing problems with accurately identifying alleged gang members and affiliates .
Goldsmith said LAPD data have shown racial disparities in juvenile arrests in recent years — including an increase in the proportion of juvenile arrests involving Black kids , even as overall juvenile arrests declined .
Any review of the diversion program must include a look at how the program confronts or adds to structural racism , she said .
Commission President Eileen Decker said there was “ a lot of work to be done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Calanche to an ad hoc subcommittee to look into issues with the LAPD ’ s current program and report back to the full commission with ideas for improving it .
Moore said he looks forward to building an improved program that serves all parties — including victims of crime — and is reliable whenever kids come into contact with police , even if that is at 3 a.m. Anne Tremblay , director of gang reduction and youth development in Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s office , said her team is facilitating diversion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help of state grant funding and , moving forward , will coordinate with the county and the LAPD to ensure robust oversight and broad-access diversion programming for kids citywide .

The Los Angeles Police Department’s system for diverting kids who are detained for crimes into support programs, rather than courts and jail cells, came under fire during a Tuesday meeting of the civilian Police Commission, with youth advocates highlighting problems and commissioners promising reforms.
A major concern is that only a small percentage of the kids who are eligible for diversion under state guidelines are being provided the opportunity, even though community groups that offer services say they have the capacity to serve them.
“The programs are in place, the programs are healthy and robust and comprehensive, yet law enforcement still is not using the programs,” said Kim McGill of the Youth Justice Coalition.
Advertisement
LAPD Chief Michel Moore and other police officials promised to collaborate with the groups and the commission to improve the program but stopped short of accepting a major recommendation from the advocacy groups: that the LAPD stop operating its program altogether and instead allow kids detained in the city to go into a parallel L.A. County diversion program in which advocates have more trust.
Arrests of juveniles by the LAPD have plummeted in recent years, in part because of the diversion program. Started in 2013 in one small area of the city, it allows kids who have allegedly committed lesser crimes to avoid arrest and instead be diverted into community programs where they are mentored, taught to process their emotions and introduced to hobbies — from slam poetry to boxing to gardening.
In recent years, the program has been expanded to every part of the city. Police officials say it is a success and is a major part of their approach to juvenile crime.
However, LAPD data shared with The Times show that a majority of kids who are detained by the LAPD and are eligible for diversion don’t receive it and instead get arrested and booked into the criminal justice system.
Of 4,278 kids who were recently arrested, 2,592 — about 61% — were eligible for diversion under state guidelines, according to the data. However, only 789 — just over 30% — were actually diverted.
During the meeting Tuesday, advocates of the program and Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith asked why the department had decided to exclude kids.
Police officials said kids who are technically eligible for diversion based on the crimes they are alleged to have committed may be excluded from the program because they have a prior criminal record, because they have alleged gang ties or because they or their parents declined to participate in diversion.
Police officials said the decisions are made by watch commanders and LAPD juvenile coordinators in the areas where the kids have been detained, but also that the criteria for possible exclusion from the program were established in consultation with prosecutors in the district attorney’s office.
Advocates — including members of the Youth Justice Coalition and several diversion providers — said the city’s exclusion criteria were inappropriate and far stricter than those employed by L.A. County’s Youth Diversion and Development program. They also said excluding kids with records or gang ties from diversion programs makes no sense, because those are the kids who need the services the most.
Advertisement
Among other demands, the advocates called on the LAPD to redirect all diversions to the county, provide community organizations with real-time data on youth arrests and other data relevant to the tracking of youth diversion in the city and reconfigure its responses to situations involving kids to ensure that a team of counselors and others with experience in the youth diversion system get dispatched to scenes.
Several young people joined the call and spoke to the value of diversion in their lives. Xcellen Connor said a diversion program taught him to process his thoughts and dive deeper into becoming a writer.
“You can feel the love,” he said of being in a program. “It was such an amazing, enlightening experience.”
Police could not provide reasons for all of the exclusions in recent years, citing a failure in data collection that they said they are now fixing.
Goldsmith said she wants to see 100% of eligible kids be diverted rather than arrested and specifically challenged the use of gang affiliation as a criterion for exclusion, given recent evidence that “the way that young people are characterized as gang members is deeply flawed.”
This year, criminal charges were filed against three LAPD officers for allegedly mislabeling people as gang members, and the department halted its use of the statewide CalGang database, citing problems with accurately identifying alleged gang members and affiliates.
Goldsmith said LAPD data have shown racial disparities in juvenile arrests in recent years — including an increase in the proportion of juvenile arrests involving Black kids, even as overall juvenile arrests declined. Any review of the diversion program must include a look at how the program confronts or adds to structural racism, she said.
Commission President Eileen Decker said there was “a lot of work to be done” and appointed Goldsmith and Commissioner Lou Calanche to an ad hoc subcommittee to look into issues with the LAPD’s current program and report back to the full commission with ideas for improving it.
Moore said he looks forward to building an improved program that serves all parties — including victims of crime — and is reliable whenever kids come into contact with police, even if that is at 3 a.m.
Anne Tremblay, director of gang reduction and youth development in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office, said her team is facilitating diversion in some parts of the city with the help of state grant funding and, moving forward, will coordinate with the county and the LAPD to ensure robust oversight and broad-access diversion programming for kids citywide.


latimes--2020-09-29--Band director in Anaheim sexually abused students decades ago, lawsuit alleges

A junior high school band director from Anaheim molested eight students from the 1970s to the 1990s , forcing one girl to have two abortions , a lawsuit alleges .
The band director , Richard Elgas , retired in 2003 after a nearly 40-year career .
He died in 2017 , according to the Orange County Coroner Division .
The alleged abuse occurred while Elgas taught at Fremont and Sycamore junior high schools and ranged from sexually harassing students to having years-long sexual relationships with girls , who were 12 or 13 years old when the abuse started , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one girl three times , ordering her to abort the fetuses .
The final time , in 1983 , she had the baby , but he died seven days later , the lawsuit said .
The eight former students sued unnamed defendants who were responsible for overseeing Elgas .
Fremont Junior High , which closed in 1989 , and Sycamore Junior High were part of the Anaheim Union High school district .
A spokesperson for the school district declined to comment , citing the litigation .
Elgas ’ family members could not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed in June by four plaintiffs and amended on Monday to include four additional victims , said Michael Carney , an attorney representing the eight women .
The plaintiffs are not named in the lawsuit , and The Times does not name victims of sexual assaults .
Carney urged any additional victims to contact him .
Elgas does not appear to have been criminally charged .
“ This is just the tip of the iceberg , ” Carney said .
“ He ’ s gone through generations of young women , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These eight women deserve to be vindicated .
For so long , he was treated like this venerated figure.
” To support the claim that school officials should have protected the girls from Elgas , the lawsuit cites other Anaheim Union teachers who were convicted of molesting their students .
In 1999 , a jury awarded $ 2.5 million to a former student who was 13 when science teacher and track coach Clifford Scofield began a sexual relationship with her .
Scofield served 13 months in prison .
Two of the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Delao and Jeffrey William Plum , were convicted of molesting students in the 1980s .
In 1998 , he took the Sycamore Junior High band to Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to perform as the opening act for the Los Angeles Philharmonic .
The band gave concerts at Knott ’ s Berry Farm and played under college conductors at Cal State Fullerton .
Elgas told The Times that his students “ don ’ t know how good they can be .
This proves to them that if we work together and work very hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also had a reputation for getting too close to some girls in his class , according to the lawsuit .
A former student , identified in the lawsuit as Jane Roe 2 , said Elgas began keeping her after class to touch her breasts when she was in eighth grade in the late 1970s .
A counselor at Fremont Junior High witnessed Elgas reaching under her blouse and took no action , the former student said in an interview with The Times .
In class , Elgas sometimes dimmed the lights and pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kiss , she said .
In ninth grade , Elgas began taking her to his house to have sex , she said .
“ He had explained to me that ’ s what happened when people are in love and that he loved me , ” she said .
“ He said it wasn ’ t a sin.
” Shortly after her 15th birthday , she got pregnant .
Elgas took her to get an abortion .
A second pregnancy ended the same way .
When she was 18 and pregnant by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the abortion clinic .
She dropped out of high school and ran away to a home for unwed teenage mothers .
She had not told her parents about the pregnancies , though they eventually tracked her down .
In October 1983 , she gave birth to a boy , naming him Richard after his father .
The baby had a birth defect and died a week later .
“ I wonder where I ’ d be today if it wasn ’ t for this person who turned my entire world upside down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now in her 50s , who later married and had children .

A junior high school band director from Anaheim molested eight students from the 1970s to the 1990s, forcing one girl to have two abortions, a lawsuit alleges.
The band director, Richard Elgas, retired in 2003 after a nearly 40-year career. He died in 2017, according to the Orange County Coroner Division.
The alleged abuse occurred while Elgas taught at Fremont and Sycamore junior high schools and ranged from sexually harassing students to having years-long sexual relationships with girls, who were 12 or 13 years old when the abuse started, according to the suit.
He allegedly impregnated one girl three times, ordering her to abort the fetuses. The final time, in 1983, she had the baby, but he died seven days later, the lawsuit said.
Advertisement
The eight former students sued unnamed defendants who were responsible for overseeing Elgas. Fremont Junior High, which closed in 1989, and Sycamore Junior High were part of the Anaheim Union High school district.
A spokesperson for the school district declined to comment, citing the litigation. Elgas’ family members could not be reached for comment.
The lawsuit was filed in June by four plaintiffs and amended on Monday to include four additional victims, said Michael Carney, an attorney representing the eight women.
The plaintiffs are not named in the lawsuit, and The Times does not name victims of sexual assaults.
Carney urged any additional victims to contact him. Elgas does not appear to have been criminally charged.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Carney said. “He’s gone through generations of young women, and the district did nothing to protect these students. These eight women deserve to be vindicated. For so long, he was treated like this venerated figure.”
To support the claim that school officials should have protected the girls from Elgas, the lawsuit cites other Anaheim Union teachers who were convicted of molesting their students.
Advertisement
In 1999, a jury awarded $2.5 million to a former student who was 13 when science teacher and track coach Clifford Scofield began a sexual relationship with her. Scofield served 13 months in prison.
Two of the district’s high school band directors, Alex Delao and Jeffrey William Plum, were convicted of molesting students in the 1980s.
Elgas was a well-known band director in Orange County
In 1998, he took the Sycamore Junior High band to Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to perform as the opening act for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The band gave concerts at Knott’s Berry Farm and played under college conductors at Cal State Fullerton.
Elgas told The Times that his students “don’t know how good they can be. This proves to them that if we work together and work very hard, success will come.”
But he also had a reputation for getting too close to some girls in his class, according to the lawsuit.
A former student, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Roe 2, said Elgas began keeping her after class to touch her breasts when she was in eighth grade in the late 1970s.
A counselor at Fremont Junior High witnessed Elgas reaching under her blouse and took no action, the former student said in an interview with The Times.
In class, Elgas sometimes dimmed the lights and pushed boys and girls together to force them to kiss, she said.
In ninth grade, Elgas began taking her to his house to have sex, she said.
“He had explained to me that’s what happened when people are in love and that he loved me,” she said. “He said it wasn’t a sin.”
Shortly after her 15th birthday, she got pregnant. Elgas took her to get an abortion. A second pregnancy ended the same way.
When she was 18 and pregnant by Elgas again, she changed her mind at the abortion clinic.
She dropped out of high school and ran away to a home for unwed teenage mothers. She had not told her parents about the pregnancies, though they eventually tracked her down.
In October 1983, she gave birth to a boy, naming him Richard after his father. The baby had a birth defect and died a week later.
“I wonder where I’d be today if it wasn’t for this person who turned my entire world upside down,” said the former student, now in her 50s, who later married and had children.


latimes--2020-09-29--For Yosemite day-trippers, it's no reservation, no problem as of Nov. 1

Yosemite National Park will reopen to drive-up traffic on Nov. 1 , dropping the day-use reservation system that has limited access since June .
That system , which capped bookings through recreation.gov at about 1,700 passes per day , aimed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission .
Most days have been sold out well in advance .
“ It ’ s been maxed every day , ” spokesman Scott Gediman said on Tuesday .
Because the number of visitors declines in fall , Gediman said , “ We feel that the numbers that we ’ re going to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manageable.
” Starting Nov. 1 , he said , visitors can “ pay your $ 35 and go right on in.
” The admission fee allows visitors access for seven days .
Tuesday ’ s announcement follows crises that closed the park twice in the last seven months .
The park closed March 20-June 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic ; most of its campgrounds remained closed through the summer .
The entire park closed again Sept. 17-24 because of smoky air from the nearby Creek fire in Sierra National Forest .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reopened most of Yosemite Valley ’ s North Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds along with half of the Upper Pines campground , which had been open for much of the summer .
But it ’ s a brief reopening .
The North Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds will close Oct. 12 , following their seasonal schedule .
Most park features and operations have reopened , including Glacier Point , Tuolumne Meadows and the Ahwahnee Hotel .
The notable exception : The Mariposa Grove area remains closed .
In the first seven months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistics show , Yosemite counted 1.05 million visitors , down from 2.39 million the year before .
Mariposa County , which includes Yosemite Valley , has reported 75 cases of COVID-19 , with two fatalities , since April 28 .
Meanwhile , wildfires continue to burn throughout the state , forcing evacuations and closures of many parks and other public lands .
Sequoia National Park is closed .
Though Pinnacles National Park is open , most of its trails and all climbing routes are closed because of “ severe fire danger.
” Kings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Channel Islands national parks are open .
In Northern California , Lassen Volcanic National Park remains open ; Redwood National Park is open with restrictions because of fire risk .
The Creek fire near Yosemite continues to burn .
As of Tuesday morning , it had covered more than 305,000 acres and was 44 % contained .
California State Parks have fully closed 16 parks and partially closed five others .
The closures include six parks threatened in Napa and Sonoma counties by the Glass fire .

Yosemite National Park will reopen to drive-up traffic on Nov. 1, dropping the day-use reservation system that has limited access since June.
That system, which capped bookings through recreation.gov at about 1,700 passes per day, aimed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Most days have been sold out well in advance.
“It’s been maxed every day,” spokesman Scott Gediman said on Tuesday.
Because the number of visitors declines in fall, Gediman said, “We feel that the numbers that we’re going to see starting in November are going to be manageable.”
Advertisement
Starting Nov. 1, he said, visitors can “pay your $35 and go right on in.” The admission fee allows visitors access for seven days.
Tuesday’s announcement follows crises that closed the park twice in the last seven months. The park closed March 20-June 11 because of the coronavirus pandemic; most of its campgrounds remained closed through the summer.
The entire park closed again Sept. 17-24 because of smoky air from the nearby Creek fire in Sierra National Forest.
When the park reopened Friday, Yosemite management also reopened most of Yosemite Valley’s North Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds along with half of the Upper Pines campground, which had been open for much of the summer.
But it’s a brief reopening. The North Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds will close Oct. 12, following their seasonal schedule.
Most park features and operations have reopened, including Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows and the Ahwahnee Hotel. The notable exception: The Mariposa Grove area remains closed.
Advertisement
In the first seven months of this year, National Park Service statistics show, Yosemite counted 1.05 million visitors, down from 2.39 million the year before. Mariposa County, which includes Yosemite Valley, has reported 75 cases of COVID-19, with two fatalities, since April 28.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to burn throughout the state, forcing evacuations and closures of many parks and other public lands. Sequoia National Park is closed. Though Pinnacles National Park is open, most of its trails and all climbing routes are closed because of “severe fire danger.”
Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree and Channel Islands national parks are open. In Northern California, Lassen Volcanic National Park remains open; Redwood National Park is open with restrictions because of fire risk.
The Creek fire near Yosemite continues to burn. As of Tuesday morning, it had covered more than 305,000 acres and was 44% contained.
California State Parks have fully closed 16 parks and partially closed five others. The closures include six parks threatened in Napa and Sonoma counties by the Glass fire.


latimes--2020-09-29--Death of man near trailers at SoFi Stadium is ruled an accident

The death of a man near construction trailers at the SoFi Stadium development in Inglewood was an accident caused by @ @ @ @ @ ” the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ruled Tuesday .
The agency identified the man @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman said the 25-year-old had been experiencing homelessness .
Rojo was found dead early Friday @ @ @ @ @ serves as the centerpiece of a 298-acre mixed-use project .
The circumstances of the death @ @ @ @ @ report isn ’ t available pending the results of additional testing .
A spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ which solicited information Friday about the death , didn ’ t immediately respond to a @ @ @ @ @ construction workers died at the project in June and July .
One fell from the @ @ @ @ @ and the other died after experiencing “ signs of a health issue , ” according @ @ @ @ @ construction .
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is probing the deaths of @ @ @ @ @ the agency isn ’ t investigating Friday ’ s death .

The death of a man near construction trailers at the SoFi Stadium development in Inglewood was an accident caused by “sharp force injury,” the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ruled Tuesday.
The agency identified the man as Sergio Rojo. A spokeswoman said the 25-year-old had been experiencing homelessness.
Rojo was found dead early Friday near the stadium, which serves as the centerpiece of a 298-acre mixed-use project. The circumstances of the death remained unclear.
Advertisement
The autopsy report isn’t available pending the results of additional testing.
A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department, which solicited information Friday about the death, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Two construction workers died at the project in June and July.
One fell from the stadium’s roof, and the other died after experiencing “signs of a health issue,” according to the joint venture overseeing construction.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is probing the deaths of the two workers, but the agency isn’t investigating Friday’s death.


latimes--2020-09-29--Attempted murder charges filed in attack on officer; LAPD investigating video leak

Prosecutors filed attempted murder charges Tuesday against the man accused in a violent attack on a Los Angeles police officer inside the Harbor Community police station Saturday night .
Jose Cerpa Guzman , 29 , was charged with two counts each of attempted murder on a peace officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm , as well as second-degree robbery and evading and resisting an officer , Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s office said .
Video of the attack , obtained and published by The Times on Monday , shows an assailant — identified by police as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station , exchange words with an officer working the front desk , briefly leave and then come back in and start swinging on the 37-year veteran officer , who stumbles backwards before falling to the ground .
It then shows the assailant take the officer ’ s gun off of him , repeatedly pistol-whip the officer and point the gun at the officer ’ s chest at close range .
Police sources said investigators believe the attacker repeatedly pulled the trigger , but that a safety mechanism on the gun prevented it from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
After , police said Guzman and a watch commander at the station exchanged gunfire as Guzman fled the scene .
He was followed by other officers and arrested shortly after .
Police said no one was injured in the shooting , and the officer who was attacked escaped with what LAPD Chief Michel Moore called “ bumps and bruises.
” Lacey ’ s office said Guzman faces life in state prison if convicted of the crimes he ’ s been charged with .
Guzman could not be reached for comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney as of Tuesday , when he was to be arraigned .
The LAPD is continuing to investigate the incident .
It is also investigating how the video of the attack made its way into the hands of The Times .
Addressing the incident before the Police Commission on Tuesday morning , Moore denounced attacks on officers — including another recent incident in which an off-duty officer was shot at in his car after leaving a station .
He said investigators are continuing to assess all of the facts in the weekend attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot by this assailant is unclear , but I ’ m grateful , ” Moore said .
Commissioner Dale Bonner then asked him how the video had gotten out .
Moore said he didn ’ t know , but that it was under investigation .
He said he was frustrated that it had been released outside the department ’ s normal process for releasing footage in critical incidents — a process that can , and often does , take more than a month — and “ disappointed ” in The Times for publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoed Bonner in saying she would like a follow-up from police on the outcome of that investigation .
“ There are procedures and channels in place for the release of all of these materials in an appropriate way , and we don ’ t want to see any of those ... violated , ” Decker said .
The Times obtained the footage from sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to share the footage with media .
Moore complained about the release of the footage — which brought significant attention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the meeting that not enough attention was being paid by leaders in the city to recent attacks on police .
Several callers took a different stance .
On Moore and the commissioners focusing on The Times ’ publishing the video , one caller said , “ To me that says everything about what this organization is .
All it does is try to keep everything secret.
” Another caller said that videos of critical incidents “ need to be released sooner ” by the LAPD after they occur .
By policy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which deadly force is used , but not for 45 days .
The video can be released at any time under the chief ’ s discretion .

Prosecutors filed attempted murder charges Tuesday against the man accused in a violent attack on a Los Angeles police officer inside the Harbor Community police station Saturday night.
Jose Cerpa Guzman, 29, was charged with two counts each of attempted murder on a peace officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, as well as second-degree robbery and evading and resisting an officer, Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office said.
Video of the attack, obtained and published by The Times on Monday, shows an assailant — identified by police as Guzman — enter the lobby of the station, exchange words with an officer working the front desk, briefly leave and then come back in and start swinging on the 37-year veteran officer, who stumbles backwards before falling to the ground.
Advertisement
It then shows the assailant take the officer’s gun off of him, repeatedly pistol-whip the officer and point the gun at the officer’s chest at close range. Police sources said investigators believe the attacker repeatedly pulled the trigger, but that a safety mechanism on the gun prevented it from firing and saved the officer’s life.
After, police said Guzman and a watch commander at the station exchanged gunfire as Guzman fled the scene. He was followed by other officers and arrested shortly after. Police said no one was injured in the shooting, and the officer who was attacked escaped with what LAPD Chief Michel Moore called “bumps and bruises.”
Lacey’s office said Guzman faces life in state prison if convicted of the crimes he’s been charged with.
Guzman could not be reached for comment. It was unclear if he had an attorney as of Tuesday, when he was to be arraigned.
The LAPD is continuing to investigate the incident.
It is also investigating how the video of the attack made its way into the hands of The Times.
Addressing the incident before the Police Commission on Tuesday morning, Moore denounced attacks on officers — including another recent incident in which an off-duty officer was shot at in his car after leaving a station. He said investigators are continuing to assess all of the facts in the weekend attack.
“Why this officer was not shot by this assailant is unclear, but I’m grateful,” Moore said.
Advertisement
Commissioner Dale Bonner then asked him how the video had gotten out.
Moore said he didn’t know, but that it was under investigation. He said he was frustrated that it had been released outside the department’s normal process for releasing footage in critical incidents — a process that can, and often does, take more than a month — and “disappointed” in The Times for publishing the footage.
Commission President Eileen Decker echoed Bonner in saying she would like a follow-up from police on the outcome of that investigation.
“There are procedures and channels in place for the release of all of these materials in an appropriate way, and we don’t want to see any of those ... violated,” Decker said.
The Times obtained the footage from sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to share the footage with media.
Moore complained about the release of the footage — which brought significant attention to the incident — even as he suggested at the meeting that not enough attention was being paid by leaders in the city to recent attacks on police.
Several callers took a different stance.
On Moore and the commissioners focusing on The Times’ publishing the video, one caller said, “To me that says everything about what this organization is. All it does is try to keep everything secret.”
Another caller said that videos of critical incidents “need to be released sooner” by the LAPD after they occur.
By policy, the LAPD releases footage in incidents in which deadly force is used, but not for 45 days. The video can be released at any time under the chief’s discretion.


latimes--2020-09-29--L.A. County to reopen breweries, wineries and card rooms outdoors

After months of closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic , the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to reopen outdoor operations at wineries , breweries and card rooms , a move that will take effect in one week .
In accordance with state guidelines , breweries and wineries will need to partner with a food vendor in order to reopen .
Visitors to card rooms will be required to wear face coverings at all times and are not permitted to eat or drink .
Without public notice , Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn introduced the motion at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheila Kuehl and Mark Ridley-Thomas did not support the move .
“ In my own humble opinion , I think it ’ s not a great idea to say , ‘ Thank you , Dr. Ferrer , but we ’ re not going to support your advice , ’ ” Kuehl said before voting against the motion .
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer previously said that the county ’ s cautious approach over the last several weeks has helped stabilize COVID-19 numbers , but that because it remains in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reopening blueprint , it should continue to proceed slowly .
The board also passed a motion directing the county ’ s Department of Public Health to implement the county ’ s school waiver system for grades K-2 , starting at 30 schools per week .
Earlier Tuesday , state officials announced that 10 more counties had progressed through the state ’ s four-part , color-coded reopening plan , but no place in Southern California was allowed to change tiers .
Butte , Contra Costa , Fresno , Sacramento , San Joaquin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tier 1 , also known as the purple tier , to Tier 2 , also known as the red tier .
The changes denote the risk of spread of COVID-19 , moving from widespread to substantial , according to the state ’ s labeling system .
Three other counties — Amador , Calaveras and San Francisco — advanced from Tier 2 to Tier 3 , also known as the orange tier , in which a county is considered to have a moderate risk of infection .
Movement through the tiers allows counties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some already reopened sectors .
Several counties that have changed tiers have been in the path of recent wildfires — which have displaced tens of thousands of residents — and smoke , which has prompted others to stay inside .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state ’ s Health and Human Services secretary , said Tuesday that those factors did not have a significant effect on the number of reported infections or testing capacity in those areas .
The state , which has recorded more than 814,000 infections since March , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state ’ s seven-day average for daily infections is currently 3,300 , and the 14-day average positivity rate is 2.8 % .
Although those numbers are lower than what was seen over the summer , there has been a slight increase in the number of hospitalizations in the state .
On Friday , Ghaly warned that the state projected an 89 % increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations by Oct. 25 .
The rate of transmission in Southern California is slightly higher than that in the Bay Area , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a second wave of the virus .
“ The transmission rate in different counties are different .
We don ’ t live in the aggregate , ” Ghaly said Tuesday .
In Los Angeles County , which toggled between metrics for Tier 1 and Tier 2 last week , officials have not seen an anticipated surge in cases connected to Labor Day , but the transmission rate has crept up to 1.02 .
The goal is to keep that number below 1 .
Ferrer warned Monday that community transmission was still high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopened its schools , officials had hoped to move to Tier 3 .
But a slight bump in cases has kept the county in Tier 2 .
A county must meet the threshold of a new tier for two consecutive weeks before advancing .
San Diego County , which last week avoided regressing to the more restrictive Tier 1 , is again on the brink of moving backward , officials said this week .

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to reopen outdoor operations at breweries, wineries and card rooms.
After months of closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to reopen outdoor operations at wineries, breweries and card rooms, a move that will take effect in one week.
In accordance with state guidelines, breweries and wineries will need to partner with a food vendor in order to reopen.
Visitors to card rooms will be required to wear face coverings at all times and are not permitted to eat or drink.
Without public notice, Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn introduced the motion at the end of the weekly meeting. Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Mark Ridley-Thomas did not support the move.
Advertisement
“In my own humble opinion, I think it’s not a great idea to say, ‘Thank you, Dr. Ferrer, but we’re not going to support your advice,’” Kuehl said before voting against the motion.
Supervisor Hilda Solis cast the winning vote.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer previously said that the county’s cautious approach over the last several weeks has helped stabilize COVID-19 numbers, but that because it remains in the Tier 1 level of the state’s reopening blueprint, it should continue to proceed slowly.
The board also passed a motion directing the county’s Department of Public Health to implement the county’s school waiver system for grades K-2, starting at 30 schools per week.
Earlier Tuesday, state officials announced that 10 more counties had progressed through the state’s four-part, color-coded reopening plan, but no place in Southern California was allowed to change tiers.
Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara and Yolo counties moved from Tier 1, also known as the purple tier, to Tier 2, also known as the red tier. The changes denote the risk of spread of COVID-19, moving from widespread to substantial, according to the state’s labeling system.
Three other counties — Amador, Calaveras and San Francisco — advanced from Tier 2 to Tier 3, also known as the orange tier, in which a county is considered to have a moderate risk of infection.
Advertisement
Movement through the tiers allows counties to further reopen businesses and expand visitor capacity for some already reopened sectors.
California Why one coronavirus metric might be keeping your county from reopening California counties need to show seven or fewer new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents each day for two weeks to see some restrictions lifted. That’s a high bar for some.
Several counties that have changed tiers have been in the path of recent wildfires — which have displaced tens of thousands of residents — and smoke, which has prompted others to stay inside.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s Health and Human Services secretary, said Tuesday that those factors did not have a significant effect on the number of reported infections or testing capacity in those areas. The state, which has recorded more than 814,000 infections since March, is currently testing 130,000 people per day.
The state’s seven-day average for daily infections is currently 3,300, and the 14-day average positivity rate is 2.8%. Although those numbers are lower than what was seen over the summer, there has been a slight increase in the number of hospitalizations in the state.
On Friday, Ghaly warned that the state projected an 89% increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations by Oct. 25.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
The rate of transmission in Southern California is slightly higher than that in the Bay Area, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, while warning of the potential for a second wave of the virus.
“The transmission rate in different counties are different. We don’t live in the aggregate,” Ghaly said Tuesday.
In Los Angeles County, which toggled between metrics for Tier 1 and Tier 2 last week, officials have not seen an anticipated surge in cases connected to Labor Day, but the transmission rate has crept up to 1.02. The goal is to keep that number below 1.
Ferrer warned Monday that community transmission was still high.
In Orange County, which recently reopened its schools, officials had hoped to move to Tier 3. But a slight bump in cases has kept the county in Tier 2. A county must meet the threshold of a new tier for two consecutive weeks before advancing.
San Diego County, which last week avoided regressing to the more restrictive Tier 1, is again on the brink of moving backward, officials said this week.