latimes--2020-03-11--Los Angeles County reports first coronavirus death: Here's what you need to know

Los Angeles County reached a milestone Wednesday in its battle against the coronavirus , announcing the first death in Southern California linked to the illness .
The death of the woman , who was in her 60s and had underlying health issues , came as the number of coronavirus cases reported by the L.A. County Department of Public Health jumped to 28 .
Four of those cases were reported in Long Beach , and officials are saying many more across the state likely have the virus .
Here is what we know : Public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death occurred .
The woman who died was not a county resident but had been visiting after extensive travel over the past month , including a long layover in South Korea , which has been a hotbed for the virus .
“ Shortly after being hospitalized , she unfortunately passed , ” Ferrer said .
Ferrer said additional cases , and deaths , are likely — and the spread may eventually require more stringent social-distancing measures .
More than two dozen cases have been spread across the county , though no specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , these cases were scattered throughout the entire county .
There is no supervisorial district that does not have a positive case , ” she said , and that does not include cases that have yet to be diagnosed .
“ We at this point say to everybody you need to be aware , you need to expect that there ’ s going to be transmission if you ’ re here in L.A. County , and you need to take the steps you can to protect yourself and the people you love.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in L.A. County .
They include : • Three individuals who were household contacts of an L.A. County resident previously confirmed to have the virus .
• One individual who had traveled to France and returned home ill. • One individual who traveled to a religious conference in a different state and was a close contact of someone at the conference who later tested positive .
Los Angeles County has been less aggressive than San Francisco and Santa Clara County , which has prohibited large public events including professional sports .
L.A. officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The county has developed a risk-assessment tool that considers how many community transmissions there have been and whether new cases are accelerating , Ferrer said .
“ We ’ re trying to use that to drive our judgments about when things need to close , ” Ferrer said .
“ We will get to a point , unfortunately , here in L.A. County , where we will be asking for events to close .
But we ’ re not there yet.
” Ferrer stressed the public ’ s need to be cautious in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves whether they should venture into crowded areas .
Those who are pregnant , elderly or have underlying health issues are especially vulnerable to developing serious effects from the virus .

Los Angeles County reached a milestone Wednesday in its battle against the coronavirus, announcing the first death in Southern California linked to the illness.
The death of the woman, who was in her 60s and had underlying health issues, came as the number of coronavirus cases reported by the L.A. County Department of Public Health jumped to 28. Four of those cases were reported in Long Beach, and officials are saying many more across the state likely have the virus.
Here is what we know:
L.A. County fatality
Public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer did not identify where in Los Angeles County the death occurred.
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The woman who died was not a county resident but had been visiting after extensive travel over the past month, including a long layover in South Korea, which has been a hotbed for the virus.
“Shortly after being hospitalized, she unfortunately passed,” Ferrer said.
Virus spreading
Ferrer said additional cases, and deaths, are likely — and the spread may eventually require more stringent social-distancing measures.
More than two dozen cases have been spread across the county, though no specific locations were provided.
“At this point, these cases were scattered throughout the entire county. There is no supervisorial district that does not have a positive case,” she said, and that does not include cases that have yet to be diagnosed. “We at this point say to everybody you need to be aware, you need to expect that there’s going to be transmission if you’re here in L.A. County, and you need to take the steps you can to protect yourself and the people you love.”
New cases
There are now 28 confirmed cases in L.A. County. They include:
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• Three individuals who were household contacts of an L.A. County resident previously confirmed to have the virus.
• One individual who had traveled to France and returned home ill.
• One individual who traveled to a religious conference in a different state and was a close contact of someone at the conference who later tested positive.
New restrictions?
Los Angeles County has been less aggressive than San Francisco and Santa Clara County, which has prohibited large public events including professional sports.
L.A. officials said they were now considering that.
The county has developed a risk-assessment tool that considers how many community transmissions there have been and whether new cases are accelerating, Ferrer said.
“We’re trying to use that to drive our judgments about when things need to close,” Ferrer said. “We will get to a point, unfortunately, here in L.A. County, where we will be asking for events to close. But we’re not there yet.”
Ferrer stressed the public’s need to be cautious in large gatherings and suggested that people assess themselves whether they should venture into crowded areas. Those who are pregnant, elderly or have underlying health issues are especially vulnerable to developing serious effects from the virus.


latimes--2020-03-11--Ex-LAPD officer convicted of off-duty murder in Pomona sentenced to 40 years to life

A former rookie Los Angeles police officer who gunned down a man while off duty outside a Pomona bar and then fled to Mexico was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years to life in prison .
Henry Solis , 32 , was convicted Feb. 5 of second-degree murder for the March 13 , 2015 , shooting of 23-year-old Salome Rodriguez Jr .
The seven-man , five-woman jury also found that Solis had personally discharged a handgun during the commission of the crime .
Solis was arrested by Mexican authorities in the border city of Juarez and deported to the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing .
Rodriguez ’ s mother , Lidia Rodriguez , told reporters outside court after Solis ’ conviction that the verdict “ should have been first-degree [ murder ] , but I ’ m good with second-degree.
” Solis ’ attorney , Bradley Brunon , said he was “ disappointed ” by the outcome .
He had asked jurors to acquit his client , a former Marine who he said had “ never been in trouble a day in his life.
” “ Henry Solis is a good person .
He spent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have made a terrific peace officer , ” Brunon said .
“ Unfortunately , this event occurred and derailed his plans .
... We felt that the evidence didn ’ t warrant a murder conviction — perhaps manslaughter on a theory of provocation or imperfect self-defense .
[ The ] jury didn ’ t agree .
“ Forty to life is a big jolt for anybody , particularly somebody who ’ s never had a misdeed in his life , ” the defense attorney told reporters at the time .
In her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deann Rivard told the jury that Solis “ wasn ’ t acting like a cop ” at the time of the shooting and called into question Solis ’ claim that he was trying to arrest Rodriguez after being robbed and sexually assaulted by two men inside the restroom of the bar .
The prosecutor noted that video surveillance cameras along the street captured much of the interaction between Solis and Rodriguez , but not the shooting itself , and urged jurors to ask themselves if Solis ’ actions looked like what a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this courtroom ... wants to believe that a police officer sworn to uphold the laws ... would kill somebody for a stupid reason , for some reason , a slight , whatever it is , ” Rivard told the panel , adding that it was the only reasonable conclusion about what had happened .
Another prosecutor , Martha Carrillo , told the jury that she suspected “ somebody disrespected ” Solis and he “ zeroed in on the wrong guy ” while trying to exact revenge .
She said he subsequently told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” and later conceded that “ the evidence caught up to him.
” In his closing argument , Solis ’ attorney said he was convinced that his client wouldn ’ t have been prosecuted if he had stayed at the scene of the shooting .
Brunon said the rookie officer “ panicked ” and “ ran away ” in what was the “ biggest mistake he ’ s ever made in his life , ” but said it didn ’ t prove that he should be found guilty of murder .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a person who kills someone is not guilty , ” Brunon said .
“ But if it ’ s done in an effort to arrest ... by a peace officer , if it ’ s done in self-defense , it ’ s not a crime .
He is not guilty , and that ’ s your duty — to find him not guilty.
” Solis , who worked at the LAPD ’ s Devonshire Division in the San Fernando Valley , was fired soon after becoming the subject of an extensive weeks-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico .
He had been on the force for about four months at the time of the shooting .
His father drove him out of California after the shooting and later told federal authorities that he had dropped his son off at a Texas bus stop , but the pair were caught on surveillance video walking across the U.S.-Mexico border .
Solis had been staying with relatives in the Juarez area prior to his arrest , FBI officials said .
His father , Victor , was convicted by a federal jury in El @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping his son ’ s escape .
He was sentenced to three years ’ probation and fined $ 1,000 .

Henry Solis, a former LAPD officer who gunned down a man in Pomona and then fled to Mexico, was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years to life in prison.
A former rookie Los Angeles police officer who gunned down a man while off duty outside a Pomona bar and then fled to Mexico was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years to life in prison.
Henry Solis, 32, was convicted Feb. 5 of second-degree murder for the March 13, 2015, shooting of 23-year-old Salome Rodriguez Jr. The seven-man, five-woman jury also found that Solis had personally discharged a handgun during the commission of the crime.
Solis was arrested by Mexican authorities in the border city of Juarez and deported to the United States about 2½ months after Rodriguez’s killing.
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Rodriguez’s mother, Lidia Rodriguez, told reporters outside court after Solis’ conviction that the verdict “should have been first-degree [murder], but I’m good with second-degree.”
Solis’ attorney, Bradley Brunon, said he was “disappointed” by the outcome. He had asked jurors to acquit his client, a former Marine who he said had “never been in trouble a day in his life.”
“Henry Solis is a good person. He spent years serving the country honorably [and] would have made a terrific peace officer,” Brunon said. “Unfortunately, this event occurred and derailed his plans. ... We felt that the evidence didn’t warrant a murder conviction — perhaps manslaughter on a theory of provocation or imperfect self-defense. [The] jury didn’t agree.
“Forty to life is a big jolt for anybody, particularly somebody who’s never had a misdeed in his life,” the defense attorney told reporters at the time.
In her closing argument, Deputy Dist. Atty. Deann Rivard told the jury that Solis “wasn’t acting like a cop” at the time of the shooting and called into question Solis’ claim that he was trying to arrest Rodriguez after being robbed and sexually assaulted by two men inside the restroom of the bar.
The prosecutor noted that video surveillance cameras along the street captured much of the interaction between Solis and Rodriguez, but not the shooting itself, and urged jurors to ask themselves if Solis’ actions looked like what a police officer would do.
“Nobody in this courtroom ... wants to believe that a police officer sworn to uphold the laws ... would kill somebody for a stupid reason, for some reason, a slight, whatever it is,” Rivard told the panel, adding that it was the only reasonable conclusion about what had happened.
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Another prosecutor, Martha Carrillo, told the jury that she suspected “somebody disrespected” Solis and he “zeroed in on the wrong guy” while trying to exact revenge.
She said he subsequently told a roommate that he “killed somebody,” and later conceded that “the evidence caught up to him.”
In his closing argument, Solis’ attorney said he was convinced that his client wouldn’t have been prosecuted if he had stayed at the scene of the shooting. Brunon said the rookie officer “panicked” and “ran away” in what was the “biggest mistake he’s ever made in his life,” but said it didn’t prove that he should be found guilty of murder.
“It’s not easy to say that a person who kills someone is not guilty,” Brunon said. “But if it’s done in an effort to arrest ... by a peace officer, if it’s done in self-defense, it’s not a crime. He is not guilty, and that’s your duty — to find him not guilty.”
Solis, who worked at the LAPD’s Devonshire Division in the San Fernando Valley, was fired soon after becoming the subject of an extensive weeks-long manhunt that ended with his arrest in Mexico. He had been on the force for about four months at the time of the shooting.
His father drove him out of California after the shooting and later told federal authorities that he had dropped his son off at a Texas bus stop, but the pair were caught on surveillance video walking across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Solis had been staying with relatives in the Juarez area prior to his arrest, FBI officials said.
His father, Victor, was convicted by a federal jury in El Paso of lying to the FBI about helping his son’s escape. He was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $1,000.


latimes--2020-03-11--L.A. housing department head is stepping down

Los Angeles housing department chief Rushmore Cervantes , who has worked with the department for more than a decade , is stepping down at the end of March .
Cervantes said in a statement Wednesday that he had decided to leave his current post after years of service and called it “ a privilege to work with a pool of talented public servants during challenging times.
” In a message to employees this week , Cervantes said he was leaving with “ mixed emotions.
” Cervantes told employees that they had “ collectively accomplished many things , ” including tripling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , undertaking programs to stabilize neighborhoods and resell foreclosed properties , expanding shelters for people who had suffered domestic violence or human trafficking , and getting a new “ linkage fee ” approved to fund affordable housing .
“ Notwithstanding these efforts , there is much more on the horizon and it is time for new leadership to enable the city to successfully address the homeless and housing crisis as well as the creation of one of the largest accessibility programs in the country , ” Cervantes wrote in his message to employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Eric Garcetti , said that Assistant City Administrative Officer Yolanda Chavez would serve as the acting general manager of the department while a national search was conducted .
When asked why Cervantes was leaving , Comisar said simply , “ He ’ s stepping down.
” Comisar said that after Cervantes leaves the department , he will “ be advising our office on several key housing and homelessness initiatives.
” Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O ’ Farrell , who heads a council committee focused on homelessness , said Cervantes “ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pathway to building desperately needed low income and permanent supportive housing ” and done so “ with efficiency and a sense of urgency.
” “ Whomever is appointed to replace him must continue moving aggressively on the city ’ s implementation of our housing goals as seamlessly as possible , ” O ’ Farrell said .
The Housing and Community Investment Department facilitates the funding of housing projects with federal , state and local money , inspects and enforces city codes meant to prevent shoddy conditions in apartment complexes , and oversees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other responsibilities .
It has faced criticism over the high cost of building supportive housing for homeless people under the $ 1.2-billion bond measure , Proposition HHH , which drew scrutiny from City Controller Ron Galperin in a recent audit .
The housing department said reassessing projects that had gotten preliminary approval , as Galperin had suggested , would delay construction , create “ a chilling effect on the development industry and damage the city ’ s reputation.
” The department also had a dispute with the federal government over allegations that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was properly accessible to tenants who are in wheelchairs or have other disabilities , as required by law .
In August , L.A. officials reached an agreement with the Trump administration to build or retrofit more than 4,000 apartments for disabled residents .
Nearly three years earlier , the city agreed to spend $ 200 million to settle a lawsuit over complaints about accessibility problems in hundreds of projects approved over nearly three decades .
Tenant activists have also complained that the department has been slow to move on new policies to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better defend tenants from harassment by landlords .
L.A .
Tenants Union organizer Trinidad Ruiz said it hadn ’ t been “ a consistently reliable institution — and in this housing crisis we can ’ t afford that.
” “ The department has gotten better at being responsive to the needs of tenants , ” but that was due to persistence of renters and their advocates , said René Moya , director of Housing Is A Human Right , an advocacy division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation .
“ We hope the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is willing to have the hard conversations with City Council to make sure they have the funding they need to protect tenants the way they should.
” Stephanie Klasky-Gamer , executive director of the nonprofit affordable housing developer LA Family Housing , called Cervantes “ a strong leader during a time of extraordinary growth for our city.
” The challenge for Cervantes — or any leader of the housing department — is that the department has limited control as it tries to tackle daunting problems such as homelessness , Klasky-Gamer said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of supportive housing for homeless people is tied to a host of external factors , including policies set by council members .
The housing department “ administers the resources they ’ re given , ” Klasky-Gamer said .
“ There ’ s a public perception that it might have more control over a larger societal problem like homelessness than it actually does.
” Before Cervantes joined the housing department , he worked for other Los Angeles departments including the city controller , the El Pueblo Historical Monument , the Department of Aging and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a resume included in city files .
He has worked for city agencies since 1993 .

Los Angeles housing department chief Rushmore Cervantes, who has worked with the department for more than a decade, is stepping down at the end of March.
Cervantes said in a statement Wednesday that he had decided to leave his current post after years of service and called it “a privilege to work with a pool of talented public servants during challenging times.”In a message to employees this week, Cervantes said he was leaving with “mixed emotions.”
Cervantes told employees that they had “collectively accomplished many things,” including tripling the amount of homeless housing under development, undertaking programs to stabilize neighborhoods and resell foreclosed properties, expanding shelters for people who had suffered domestic violence or human trafficking, and getting a new “linkage fee” approved to fund affordable housing.
“Notwithstanding these efforts, there is much more on the horizon and it is time for new leadership to enable the city to successfully address the homeless and housing crisis as well as the creation of one of the largest accessibility programs in the country,” Cervantes wrote in his message to employees.
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Alex Comisar, a spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti, said that Assistant City Administrative Officer Yolanda Chavez would serve as the acting general manager of the department while a national search was conducted.
When asked why Cervantes was leaving, Comisar said simply, “He’s stepping down.” Comisar said that after Cervantes leaves the department, he will “be advising our office on several key housing and homelessness initiatives.”
Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who heads a council committee focused on homelessness, said Cervantes “has been instrumental in keeping Los Angeles on a pathway to building desperately needed low income and permanent supportive housing” and done so “with efficiency and a sense of urgency.”
“Whomever is appointed to replace him must continue moving aggressively on the city’s implementation of our housing goals as seamlessly as possible,” O’Farrell said.
Rushmore Cervantes (City of Los Angeles)
The Housing and Community Investment Department facilitates the funding of housing projects with federal, state and local money, inspects and enforces city codes meant to prevent shoddy conditions in apartment complexes, and oversees programs to assist poor Angelenos, among other responsibilities.
It has faced criticism over the high cost of building supportive housing for homeless people under the $1.2-billion bond measure, Proposition HHH, which drew scrutiny from City Controller Ron Galperin in a recent audit. The housing department said reassessing projects that had gotten preliminary approval, as Galperin had suggested, would delay construction, create “a chilling effect on the development industry and damage the city’s reputation.”
The department also had a dispute with the federal government over allegations that the city failed to provide affordable housing that was properly accessible to tenants who are in wheelchairs or have other disabilities, as required by law.
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In August, L.A. officials reached an agreement with the Trump administration to build or retrofit more than 4,000 apartments for disabled residents. Nearly three years earlier, the city agreed to spend $200 million to settle a lawsuit over complaints about accessibility problems in hundreds of projects approved over nearly three decades.
Tenant activists have also complained that the department has been slow to move on new policies to protect tenants, including a proposed law to better defend tenants from harassment by landlords. L.A. Tenants Union organizer Trinidad Ruiz said it hadn’t been “a consistently reliable institution — and in this housing crisis we can’t afford that.”
“The department has gotten better at being responsive to the needs of tenants,” but that was due to persistence of renters and their advocates, said René Moya, director of Housing Is A Human Right, an advocacy division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “We hope the new person takes a more proactive stance — and is willing to have the hard conversations with City Council to make sure they have the funding they need to protect tenants the way they should.”
Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, executive director of the nonprofit affordable housing developer LA Family Housing, called Cervantes “a strong leader during a time of extraordinary growth for our city.”
The challenge for Cervantes — or any leader of the housing department — is that the department has limited control as it tries to tackle daunting problems such as homelessness, Klasky-Gamer said. For instance, she said the price of supportive housing for homeless people is tied to a host of external factors, including policies set by council members.
The housing department “administers the resources they’re given,” Klasky-Gamer said. “There’s a public perception that it might have more control over a larger societal problem like homelessness than it actually does.”
Before Cervantes joined the housing department, he worked for other Los Angeles departments including the city controller, the El Pueblo Historical Monument, the Department of Aging and the city administrative officer, according to a resume included in city files. He has worked for city agencies since 1993.


latimes--2020-03-11--How much freedom of speech can your license plate have? New suit could decide

After an honorable discharge following four oversea tours , Paul Ogilvie bought a car and wanted to combine two of his nicknames to create a personalized license plate .
He decided on “ OGWOOLF , ” a combination of his military nickname , using the first two letters of his last name and “ woolf , ” an online screen name he ’ s used since 1999 .
But the California Department of Motor Vehicles rejected Ogilvie ’ s application because his request didn ’ t meet the agency ’ s criteria .
Now the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license plate program on behalf of five California residents , including Ogilvie , on 1st Amendment grounds .
The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco this week alleges the DMV acts as speech police , limiting personal expression for “ arbitrary ” and “ laughable ” reasons .
“ Like many Californians , our clients wanted to express messages like their nickname from the military , favorite rock band or love of motorcycles , ” attorney Wen Fa said .
“ They shouldn ’ t be prevented from expressing those messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hunch that those messages are offensive.
” Department officials declined comment on the pending litigation , which challenges a program that brought the state nearly $ 60 million last year .
This legal challenge follows another federal judge ’ s recent ruling that environmental license plates “ unequivocally express personal speech and not government speech , ” the lawsuit argues .
In that challenge , filed by the same nonprofit legal organization , the department eventually allowed California soccer fan Jonathan Kotler to honor his favorite team with the vanity plate “ COYW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t change its policy .
Kotler supports London-based Fulham , whose fans often chant “ Come On You Whites ” for their players in white jerseys .
In 2018 , the department denied over 30,000 personalized license plate applications of the 249,000 requests received because the proposed language didn ’ t meet the department ’ s criteria , according to the suit .
According to the DMV ’ s special interest license plate ordering system , the department will refuse any request if it carries offensive connotations to good taste and decency or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person submits a request , the DMV outlines a list of guidelines describing what isn ’ t allowed , including slang , vulgar and swear words , and sexual connotations .
In Ogilvie ’ s case , the DMV rejected his request because it “ contain [ ed ] a reference to a gang affiliation ” and is “ offensive to good taste and decency.
” “ OG ” could be interpreted to stand for “ original gangster.
” Other examples in the lawsuit include : • SLAAYRR : James Blair of San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorite metal band , Slayer , but the department found the request “ threatening , aggressive , or hostile.
” • QUEER : Amrit Kohli of Oakland established Queer Folks Records in attempt to reclaim the word queer .
The department denied his request because it could be considered offensive to a specific group or person .
• DUK N A : Andrea Campanile of Monterey owns two Ducati motorcycles and intended it to mean “ Ducati and Andrea.
” That request was found “ profane or obscene.
” • BO11LUX : Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to represent his Shakespeare Pub ’ s slogan , “ Real beer , proper food , no bollocks.
” His request was also denied because it could be construed to be of a sexual nature .
The firm probably has a good point , said Eugene Volokh , who teaches 1st Amendment law at the UCLA School of Law .
“ When the government sets up a program in which people can engage in their own speech , like a license plate program , it generally has to administer it in a reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t discriminate based on viewpoint , ” he said .
The current policy seems to fall short , he said , “ first of all because that ’ s very vague , and separately because some of the offensiveness that the DMV seems to be pointing to seems to come from the viewpoint.
” The Associated Press contributed to this report .

A lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco this week alleges the DMV acts as speech police, limiting personal expression in license plates for “arbitrary” and “laughable” reasons.
After an honorable discharge following four oversea tours, Paul Ogilvie bought a car and wanted to combine two of his nicknames to create a personalized license plate.
He decided on “OGWOOLF,” a combination of his military nickname, using the first two letters of his last name and “woolf,” an online screen name he’s used since 1999.
But the California Department of Motor Vehicles rejected Ogilvie’s application because his request didn’t meet the agency’s criteria.
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Now the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation is legally challenging the DMV’s environmental license plate program on behalf of five California residents, including Ogilvie, on 1st Amendment grounds. The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco this week alleges the DMV acts as speech police, limiting personal expression for “arbitrary” and “laughable” reasons.
“Like many Californians, our clients wanted to express messages like their nickname from the military, favorite rock band or love of motorcycles,” attorney Wen Fa said. “They shouldn’t be prevented from expressing those messages based on a DMV official’s hunch that those messages are offensive.”
Department officials declined comment on the pending litigation, which challenges a program that brought the state nearly $60 million last year.
This legal challenge follows another federal judge’s recent ruling that environmental license plates “unequivocally express personal speech and not government speech,” the lawsuit argues.
In that challenge, filed by the same nonprofit legal organization, the department eventually allowed California soccer fan Jonathan Kotler to honor his favorite team with the vanity plate “COYW,” but the department didn’t change its policy. Kotler supports London-based Fulham, whose fans often chant “Come On You Whites” for their players in white jerseys.
In 2018, the department denied over 30,000 personalized license plate applications of the 249,000 requests received because the proposed language didn’t meet the department’s criteria, according to the suit.
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According to the DMV’s special interest license plate ordering system, the department will refuse any request if it carries offensive connotations to good taste and decency or if it is misleading. Before a person submits a request, the DMV outlines a list of guidelines describing what isn’t allowed, including slang, vulgar and swear words, and sexual connotations.
In Ogilvie’s case, the DMV rejected his request because it “contain[ed] a reference to a gang affiliation” and is “offensive to good taste and decency.” “OG” could be interpreted to stand for “original gangster.”
Other examples in the lawsuit include:
SLAAYRR: James Blair of San Mateo wanted to pay tribute to his favorite metal band, Slayer, but the department found the request “threatening, aggressive, or hostile.”
QUEER: Amrit Kohli of Oakland established Queer Folks Records in attempt to reclaim the word queer. The department denied his request because it could be considered offensive to a specific group or person.
DUK N A: Andrea Campanile of Monterey owns two Ducati motorcycles and intended it to mean “Ducati and Andrea.” That request was found “profane or obscene.”
BO11LUX: Paul Crawford of San Diego wanted his plate to represent his Shakespeare Pub’s slogan, “Real beer, proper food, no bollocks.” His request was also denied because it could be construed to be of a sexual nature.
The firm probably has a good point, said Eugene Volokh, who teaches 1st Amendment law at the UCLA School of Law.
“When the government sets up a program in which people can engage in their own speech, like a license plate program, it generally has to administer it in a reasonable and viewpoint-neutral way, so it doesn’t discriminate based on viewpoint,” he said.
The current policy seems to fall short, he said, “first of all because that’s very vague, and separately because some of the offensiveness that the DMV seems to be pointing to seems to come from the viewpoint.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-11--College admissions scandal: Canadian businessman, a former pro football player, to plead guilty

David Sidoo , a Canadian businessman and former football player charged with paying $ 200,000 to rig his sons ’ exams , will plead guilty to fraud under an agreement that calls for 90 days in prison .
Sidoo signed his plea agreement in February but the document was not made public until Wednesday .
He is scheduled to appear in court Friday to reverse the not-guilty plea he entered a year ago , when he and 32 other parents were charged with conspiring with William “ Rick ” Singer , a Newport Beach consultant who has admitted to overseeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s most prestigious universities with doctored exams , fake athletic credentials and bribes .
In addition to the 90-day prison term , Sidoo has agreed to pay a $ 250,000 fine and remain on supervised release for two years after he leaves prison , according to his plea agreement .
His attorney , Martin G. Weinberg , said Sidoo was motivated by “ a desire for finality.
” “ There are some defendants who feel that more deeply than others , ” Weinberg said .
If U.S. District Judge Nathaniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will become the 22nd parent charged in the admissions scandal and the 32nd defendant overall to plead guilty to an array of fraud and money laundering charges lodged by federal prosecutors in Boston .
Parents who have admitted to conspiring with Singer have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 days for Felicity Huffman , an award-winning actress , to nine months for Douglas Hodge , the former chief executive of Pimco .
One parent was spared prison altogether .
Twenty-one parents and university coaches — a group that includes actress Lori @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — have maintained their innocence and are bound for trial .
The first trial , which will include Loughlin and Giannulli , is scheduled to begin Oct. 5 .
Sidoo , a Vancouver energy executive and one-time defensive back in the Canadian Football League , resigned from the helm of publicly-traded East West Petroleum after his arrest last year .
From 2011 to 2016 , prosecutors alleged in an indictment , Sidoo had conspired with Singer to fix tests that his sons needed to apply to undergraduate , graduate and law school programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the indictment ’ s first count , which charges him with conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud .
If Gorton accepts his plea , prosecutors have agreed to dismiss a money laundering count .
In 2011 , Sidoo emailed Singer copies of his older son ’ s driver ’ s license and student ID .
Singer fashioned a fake ID with the name of Sidoo ’ s son and the likeness of an accomplice , Mark Riddell , a Harvard-educated administrator at a Florida prep school , the indictment said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a low score when he first took the SAT — 1460 out of 2400 — Singer “ directed Riddell not to obtain too high a score , ” which could have drawn scrutiny , the indictment said .
Riddell flew to Vancoucer , used the fake ID to pose as Sidoo ’ s son and scored 1670 out of 2400 on the test , according to the indictment .
Sidoo paid Singer $ 100,000 , it said .
The following year , Riddell returned to Vancouver and took the boy ’ s high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sidoo repeated the scheme for his younger son , the indictment charged , but because the boy had not yet taken the SAT on his own , Singer told Riddell to aim high .
Riddell , again using a fake ID , took the exam in the boy ’ s place and obtained a 2280 out of 2400 , the indictment said .
Sidoo paid Singer another $ 100,000 , according to the indictment .
When Sidoo ’ s son applied to college the following year , Singer wrote an essay that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Los Angeles gangs .
It was a sham , the indictment said .
Singer emailed the draft to Sidoo , who wrote back : “ Can we lessen the interaction with the gangs .
Guns… ?
That ’ s scare stuff.
” Sidoo ’ s son ultimately submitted the essay with no mention of guns to several universities , the indictment said .
In 2015 , with his older son applying to graduate and law schools , Sidoo and Singer conspired again to fix his GMAT and LSAT exams .
Singer abandoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he learned test administrators were using fingerprinting technology to verify test-takers ’ identities .
Riddell wired someone in China $ 520 for fake driver ’ s licenses , but the IDs were of such poor quality that Riddell decided against taking the GMAT for Sidoo ’ s son , the indictment said .
In October 2018 , a month after he had been apprehended and convinced to cooperate with the authorities , Singer called Sidoo on a recorded line .
Sidoo told him his son was applying to business school .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and say I got a 2100 on my GMAT , ” Sidoo said , according to the indictment , which noted the GMAT is scored on a scale of 200 to 800 .
“ They don ’ t have a 2100 for the GMAT , ” Singer said .
“ But I would do my best to get it for ya .
”

David Sidoo is a Canadian businessman and former football player who has been charged with paying $200,000 to rig his sons’ exams. Under an agreement that calls for 90 days in prison, he will plead guilty to fraud.
David Sidoo, a Canadian businessman and former football player charged with paying $200,000 to rig his sons’ exams, will plead guilty to fraud under an agreement that calls for 90 days in prison.
Sidoo signed his plea agreement in February but the document was not made public until Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear in court Friday to reverse the not-guilty plea he entered a year ago, when he and 32 other parents were charged with conspiring with William “Rick” Singer, a Newport Beach consultant who has admitted to overseeing a sprawling plot that defrauded some of the country’s most prestigious universities with doctored exams, fake athletic credentials and bribes.
In addition to the 90-day prison term, Sidoo has agreed to pay a $250,000 fine and remain on supervised release for two years after he leaves prison, according to his plea agreement.
His attorney, Martin G. Weinberg, said Sidoo was motivated by “a desire for finality.”
“There are some defendants who feel that more deeply than others,” Weinberg said.
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If U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton accepts his plea, Sidoo will become the 22nd parent charged in the admissions scandal and the 32nd defendant overall to plead guilty to an array of fraud and money laundering charges lodged by federal prosecutors in Boston.
Parents who have admitted to conspiring with Singer have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 days for Felicity Huffman, an award-winning actress, to nine months for Douglas Hodge, the former chief executive of Pimco. One parent was spared prison altogether.
Twenty-one parents and university coaches — a group that includes actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli — have maintained their innocence and are bound for trial. The first trial, which will include Loughlin and Giannulli, is scheduled to begin Oct. 5.
Sidoo, a Vancouver energy executive and one-time defensive back in the Canadian Football League, resigned from the helm of publicly-traded East West Petroleum after his arrest last year. From 2011 to 2016, prosecutors alleged in an indictment, Sidoo had conspired with Singer to fix tests that his sons needed to apply to undergraduate, graduate and law school programs.
Sidoo has agreed to plead guilty to the indictment’s first count, which charges him with conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud. If Gorton accepts his plea, prosecutors have agreed to dismiss a money laundering count.
In 2011, Sidoo emailed Singer copies of his older son’s driver’s license and student ID. Singer fashioned a fake ID with the name of Sidoo’s son and the likeness of an accomplice, Mark Riddell, a Harvard-educated administrator at a Florida prep school, the indictment said.
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Because Sidoo’s son had notched a low score when he first took the SAT — 1460 out of 2400 — Singer “directed Riddell not to obtain too high a score,” which could have drawn scrutiny, the indictment said. Riddell flew to Vancoucer, used the fake ID to pose as Sidoo’s son and scored 1670 out of 2400 on the test, according to the indictment. Sidoo paid Singer $100,000, it said.
The following year, Riddell returned to Vancouver and took the boy’s high school graduation exams, the indictment said.
Sidoo repeated the scheme for his younger son, the indictment charged, but because the boy had not yet taken the SAT on his own, Singer told Riddell to aim high. Riddell, again using a fake ID, took the exam in the boy’s place and obtained a 2280 out of 2400, the indictment said. Sidoo paid Singer another $100,000, according to the indictment.
When Sidoo’s son applied to college the following year, Singer wrote an essay that described the boy’s volunteer work with Los Angeles gangs. It was a sham, the indictment said. Singer emailed the draft to Sidoo, who wrote back: “Can we lessen the interaction with the gangs. Guns…? That’s scare stuff.” Sidoo’s son ultimately submitted the essay with no mention of guns to several universities, the indictment said.
In 2015, with his older son applying to graduate and law schools, Sidoo and Singer conspired again to fix his GMAT and LSAT exams. Singer abandoned the plan to rig the LSAT when he learned test administrators were using fingerprinting technology to verify test-takers’ identities. Riddell wired someone in China $520 for fake driver’s licenses, but the IDs were of such poor quality that Riddell decided against taking the GMAT for Sidoo’s son, the indictment said.
In October 2018, a month after he had been apprehended and convinced to cooperate with the authorities, Singer called Sidoo on a recorded line. Sidoo told him his son was applying to business school. “I thought you were gonna call me and say I got a 2100 on my GMAT,” Sidoo said, according to the indictment, which noted the GMAT is scored on a scale of 200 to 800.
“They don’t have a 2100 for the GMAT,” Singer said. “But I would do my best to get it for ya.”


latimes--2020-03-11--Coronavirus spurs San Francisco to ban large gatherings — but school's in full swing

San Francisco is prohibiting any gathering of more than 1,000 people — including Golden State Warriors games — as the city fights to slow the spread of novel coronavirus , officials announced Wednesday .
“ We know that this order is disruptive , but it is an important step to support public health , ” Mayor London Breed said in a statement .
“ We ’ re following the recommendations of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
” Among those affected by the new rule are the Golden State Warriors , whose NBA home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We know canceling these events is a challenge for everyone , ” Breed said , “ and we ’ ve been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health .
Today I spoke with the Warriors to discuss the steps we ’ re taking to cancel large events , and they are in support of our efforts.
” The Warriors said in a tweet that Thursday night ’ s game against the Nets at Chase Center would be played without fans .
Ticket holders will receive a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through March 21 are canceled or postponed .
The San Francisco Giants released a statement Wednesday morning stating that their scheduled May 24 exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics would not take place at Oracle Park .
The statement added that the teams were working with major league baseball “ to finalize alternative arrangements.
” The order banning mass events Wednesday came after the Warriors did not follow a recommendation San Francisco issued Friday that mass gatherings be canceled ; the team allowed fans to attend a game Saturday against the 76ers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco have been canceled in recent days , such as the St. Patrick ’ s Day Parade , the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown , a celebration in honor of Golden Gate Park ’ s 150th anniversary and performances of the San Francisco Symphony .
Despite its ban on large gatherings , San Francisco has decided to keep its public schools open .
Schools are essential services , and children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness .
Dr. Grant Colfax , health officer for San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region could be part of a future comprehensive plan to slow the spread of illness but that it wasn ’ t something he recommended right now .
“ In children , the illness has been very mild , ” Colfax said , adding that in general they either show no signs of physical illness or experience mild flu-like symptoms .
In a study of nearly 45,000 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases in patients , no one under the age of 10 has died from the virus .
Rather , the most at risk are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with underlying medical conditions .
“ The vast majority of children have mild symptoms and recover well , ” Colfax said .
Furthermore , in a region where many people in the Bay Area live and work in multiple counties , the evidence is mixed whether closing all San Francisco schools would make a significant dent in slowing the spread of the virus , he said .
Colfax said one consequence of closing schools would be that it actually would increase the risk of infected children spending time with high-risk populations .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with health officials before the Catholic school system decided to close 90 schools from Thursday through March 25 , including locations in Marin , San Francisco and San Mateo counties , Colfax said .
In Santa Clara County , the state ’ s largest area of confirmed COVID-19 cases , health officer Dr. Sara Cody also decided against widespread school closures .
But the county has banned large events , including San Jose Sharks home hockey games .
Under the Santa Clara County order , the Sharks could continue to play games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus began on Monday in San Francisco , Colfax said , and the city has started to use private labs to scale up testing .
There are so many requests that health officials are focusing on testing people at highest risk for being critically ill , hospitalized patients , close contacts of those verified to be infected and healthcare workers .

San Francisco Mayor London Breed announces the first confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the city earlier this month.
San Francisco is prohibiting any gathering of more than 1,000 people — including Golden State Warriors games — as the city fights to slow the spread of novel coronavirus, officials announced Wednesday.
“We know that this order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “We’re following the recommendations of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
Among those affected by the new rule are the Golden State Warriors, whose NBA home games are played in the city.
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“We know canceling these events is a challenge for everyone,” Breed said, “and we’ve been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health. Today I spoke with the Warriors to discuss the steps we’re taking to cancel large events, and they are in support of our efforts.”
A health warning sign is posted at the entrance to Chase Center before the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. (Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)
The Warriors said in a tweet that Thursday night’s game against the Nets at Chase Center would be played without fans. Ticket holders will receive a refund.
All events at Chase Center through March 21 are canceled or postponed.
The San Francisco Giants released a statement Wednesday morning stating that their scheduled May 24 exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics would not take place at Oracle Park. The statement added that the teams were working with major league baseball “to finalize alternative arrangements.”
The order banning mass events Wednesday came after the Warriors did not follow a recommendation San Francisco issued Friday that mass gatherings be canceled; the team allowed fans to attend a game Saturday against the 76ers at Chase Center.
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Other events in San Francisco have been canceled in recent days, such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, a celebration in honor of Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary and performances of the San Francisco Symphony.
Despite its ban on large gatherings, San Francisco has decided to keep its public schools open. Schools are essential services, and children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness.
Dr. Grant Colfax, health officer for San Francisco, said that closing schools across the region could be part of a future comprehensive plan to slow the spread of illness but that it wasn’t something he recommended right now.
“In children, the illness has been very mild,” Colfax said, adding that in general they either show no signs of physical illness or experience mild flu-like symptoms.
In a study of nearly 45,000 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases in patients, no one under the age of 10 has died from the virus. Rather, the most at risk are older adults, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions.
“The vast majority of children have mild symptoms and recover well,” Colfax said.
Furthermore, in a region where many people in the Bay Area live and work in multiple counties, the evidence is mixed whether closing all San Francisco schools would make a significant dent in slowing the spread of the virus, he said.
Colfax said one consequence of closing schools would be that it actually would increase the risk of infected children spending time with high-risk populations.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco did not speak with health officials before the Catholic school system decided to close 90 schools from Thursday through March 25, including locations in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties, Colfax said.
In Santa Clara County, the state’s largest area of confirmed COVID-19 cases, health officer Dr. Sara Cody also decided against widespread school closures. But the county has banned large events, including San Jose Sharks home hockey games. Under the Santa Clara County order, the Sharks could continue to play games, just without a crowd.
Testing for the coronavirus began on Monday in San Francisco, Colfax said, and the city has started to use private labs to scale up testing. There are so many requests that health officials are focusing on testing people at highest risk for being critically ill, hospitalized patients, close contacts of those verified to be infected and healthcare workers.


latimes--2020-03-11--Marine from Simi Valley killed while fighting Islamic State in Iraq

A 34-year-old man from Simi Valley was one of two U.S. Marines killed this week while fighting Islamic State forces in a mountainous region of Iraq , military officials said this week .
Gunnery Sgt .
Diego D. Pongo , a critical skills operator , was accompanying Iraqi security forces when he was fatally wounded Sunday during a mission to eliminate one of the militant group ’ s strongholds , according to the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command .
Pongo , who enlisted in 2004 , served deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2013 , ” military officials said .
He most recently was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion .
He also was the recipient of a Purple Heart , given to those wounded or killed while serving , as well as numerous other service , achievement and commendation medals and ribbons .
Pongo is survived by a daughter and his parents .
Killed along with Pongo was Capt .
Moises A. Navas , a 34-year-old special operations officer from Germantown , Md .
“ The loss of these two incredible individuals is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can not compare to the loss that their families and teammates are experiencing , ” Marine Raider Regiment Commanding Officer Col. John Lynch said in a statement .
“ Both men epitomize what it means to be a Marine Raider .
They were intelligent , courageous and loyal .
They were dedicated leaders , true professionals in their craft and willing to go above and beyond for the mission and their team .
They were not just leaders today , they were both on the path to be our organization ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @

Gunnery Sgt. Diego D. Pongo, a 34-year-old critical skills operator from Simi Valley, was fatally wounded during a mission to eliminate an Islamic State stronghold in Iraq.
A 34-year-old man from Simi Valley was one of two U.S. Marines killed this week while fighting Islamic State forces in a mountainous region of Iraq, military officials said this week.
Gunnery Sgt. Diego D. Pongo, a critical skills operator, was accompanying Iraqi security forces when he was fatally wounded Sunday during a mission to eliminate one of the militant group’s strongholds, according to the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
Pongo, who enlisted in 2004, served deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star “for heroic actions against the enemy in 2013,” military officials said. He most recently was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion.
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He also was the recipient of a Purple Heart, given to those wounded or killed while serving, as well as numerous other service, achievement and commendation medals and ribbons.
Pongo is survived by a daughter and his parents.
Killed along with Pongo was Capt. Moises A. Navas, a 34-year-old special operations officer from Germantown, Md.
“The loss of these two incredible individuals is being felt across our organization, but it cannot compare to the loss that their families and teammates are experiencing,” Marine Raider Regiment Commanding Officer Col. John Lynch said in a statement.
“Both men epitomize what it means to be a Marine Raider. They were intelligent, courageous and loyal. They were dedicated leaders, true professionals in their craft and willing to go above and beyond for the mission and their team. They were not just leaders today, they were both on the path to be our organization’s leaders in the future.”


latimes--2020-03-11--Coronavirus could upend education of over 800,000 California college students

In a major escalation of higher education ’ s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic , the entire nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District , almost half of the California State University campuses and numerous other colleges in the state announced Wednesday that they are suspending face-to-face classes and moving to remote instruction .
At public schools alone , including the University of California campuses , which announced their plans to switch to online classes earlier this week , the changes could affect nearly 800,000 students — with some exceptions for those who continue to meet in person .
Caltech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claremont Colleges , Chapman University , CalArts and Pepperdine University are among the private universities that said Wednesday they would also transition to virtual or online instruction .
A graduate student at Caltech is being tested for the virus that causes COVID-19 , with results expected Thursday .
None of the colleges reported any confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday among students , faculty or staff .
Officials said they were taking these actions as a safety precaution and to help protect local communities .
At the K-12 level , the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grove , has been closed this week .
The private Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles said it will close both of its campuses until March 27 , with online instruction beginning Monday .
No Los Angeles Unified School District campus had been closed as of Wednesday .
The move to online education at some of California ’ s biggest public higher education institutions poses a particular challenge for a large number of underserved students .
Across the Cal State system ’ s 23 campuses , more than half of enrolled students are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s degrees , and a slightly lower percentage receive federal Pell Grants .
At LACCD , which educates about 230,000 students , the majority are low-income , food-insecure and housing-insecure — including almost 20 % who are homeless , according to a 2016 district survey .
“ Issues of accessibility to online courses and issues of learning environments have to be considered , ” said Audrey Dow , senior vice president of the Campaign for College Opportunity .
“ However , I think safety does come first.
” Dow said students may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They may not have quiet spaces to work at home with other family members and children in the background .
Or they may have to travel to libraries .
“ There are myriad scenarios , ” she said .
“ Not all students will be equipped at home to take these courses , and I think that can be reflected in performance in the class , attendance in the class.
“ Schools should ensure that students will not be punished if they struggle in online classes because of these circumstances , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or allowing students to retake classes for free .
At Cal State Long Beach , where classes will be canceled from Thursday to Tuesday with alternative instruction set to begin March 18 , some students ’ only internet access is the data or public Wi-Fi they access from their cellphone , education professor Lindsay Pérez Huber said .
She is grappling with how to hold masters-level discussion seminars online for her students , and to ensure access for the students who may not easily be able to get strong Wi-Fi connections .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power as possible in determining what ’ s best for their class and their students , ” university Provost Brian Jersky said .
“ A dance class or essential lab class — those would probably continue to be face to face… .
Campus is not closed .
We ’ re just trying to reduce sharply the number of in-person , face-to-face classes.
” These actions are part of a public health approach to “ flatten the curve , ” or slow the spread of the virus , by reducing instances in which large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same place .
Computer labs and libraries at Cal State Long Beach will remain open for students to access technology and the internet , and staff as well as student employees will continue to get paychecks even if their jobs change because of shifts in need .
“ What we ’ ve agreed to as a campus is nobody will be harmed , ” Jersky said .
At community colleges , the shift to online education is already underway at Sierra College outside Sacramento , the first in the California system to announce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the college ’ s distance learning coordinator , said about two-thirds of the college ’ s 900 faculty members already regularly use its online course management platform , Canvas .
She is hosting workshops and engaging “ faculty liaisons ” to help train the remaining faculty members and will host workshops to train students this weekend .
“ Accessibility and access is something that we ’ re planning for and taking very seriously , ” said Sierra College spokesman Josh Morgan .
He said labs for hands-on courses in nursing , firefighting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet in person , and computer labs and other study areas on campus remain open .
The college is also bringing in additional computers and planning to make some laptops available for checkout , Morgan said .
At LACCD ’ s nine colleges , all classes will be canceled Monday and Tuesday to make the shift to online instruction beginning March 18 .
The district will activate an “ online learning call center ” to help students and faculty .
Exceptions and modifications will be made for some career and technical education classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance classes and physical education courses .
All events with a planned attendance of more than 100 people will be canceled or postponed , but campuses remain open .
The changes are in effect through at least April 13 .
“ We stand united with our higher education colleagues locally and throughout the nation that safety is our top priority as part of our mission to provide excellent educational opportunities for our students , ” LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez said .
“ Prudence needs to prevail here.
” At nearby Compton College , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college district , President Keith Curry said closing the campus or moving instruction online was not yet appropriate or feasible .
Not all faculty members have been trained in the online systems — and at a campus where 23 % of students are homeless , helping students with basic needs is a top priority .
“ What do you do with those students who depend on your shower facilities and food pantry ?
” Curry said .
In addition , the community college campus offers dual enrollment for local high school students , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take classes remotely .
Private colleges , which have more resources and often serve more well-off students , are not immune to these challenges .
At Claremont McKenna College , where about 20 % of the entering classes in recent years have received Pell Grants , all students will be required to return home or find another off-campus location by March 23 — with some exceptions .
About 1,300 students , almost all of whom live on campus , attend the college .
“ We recognize that not everyone has a good or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hiram Chodosh said .

Cal State Long Beach suspended in-person classes Wednesday, joining a growing number of universities doing so in response to the novel coronavirus.
In a major escalation of higher education’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the entire nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District, almost half of the California State University campuses and numerous other colleges in the state announced Wednesday that they are suspending face-to-face classes and moving to remote instruction.
At public schools alone, including the University of California campuses, which announced their plans to switch to online classes earlier this week, the changes could affect nearly 800,000 students — with some exceptions for those who continue to meet in person.
Caltech, the five undergraduate campuses of the Claremont Colleges, Chapman University, CalArts and Pepperdine University are among the private universities that said Wednesday they would also transition to virtual or online instruction. A graduate student at Caltech is being tested for the virus that causes COVID-19, with results expected Thursday.
None of the colleges reported any confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday among students, faculty or staff. Officials said they were taking these actions as a safety precaution and to help protect local communities.
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At the K-12 level, the largest school district in Northern California, Elk Grove, has been closed this week. The private Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles said it will close both of its campuses until March 27, with online instruction beginning Monday. No Los Angeles Unified School District campus had been closed as of Wednesday.
The move to online education at some of California’s biggest public higher education institutions poses a particular challenge for a large number of underserved students. Across the Cal State system’s 23 campuses, more than half of enrolled students are the first in their families to pursue bachelor’s degrees, and a slightly lower percentage receive federal Pell Grants.
At LACCD, which educates about 230,000 students, the majority are low-income, food-insecure and housing-insecure — including almost 20% who are homeless, according to a 2016 district survey.
“Issues of accessibility to online courses and issues of learning environments have to be considered,” said Audrey Dow, senior vice president of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “However, I think safety does come first.”
Dow said students may lack sufficient internet or broadband access. They may not have quiet spaces to work at home with other family members and children in the background. Or they may have to travel to libraries.
“There are myriad scenarios,” she said. “Not all students will be equipped at home to take these courses, and I think that can be reflected in performance in the class, attendance in the class.“
Schools should ensure that students will not be punished if they struggle in online classes because of these circumstances, she said. That could mean providing summer courses or allowing students to retake classes for free.
At Cal State Long Beach, where classes will be canceled from Thursday to Tuesday with alternative instruction set to begin March 18, some students’ only internet access is the data or public Wi-Fi they access from their cellphone, education professor Lindsay Pérez Huber said. She is grappling with how to hold masters-level discussion seminars online for her students, and to ensure access for the students who may not easily be able to get strong Wi-Fi connections.
“We want to give faculty as much power as possible in determining what’s best for their class and their students,” university Provost Brian Jersky said. “A dance class or essential lab class — those would probably continue to be face to face…. Campus is not closed. We’re just trying to reduce sharply the number of in-person, face-to-face classes.”
These actions are part of a public health approach to “flatten the curve,” or slow the spread of the virus, by reducing instances in which large groups of people will be in the same place.
Computer labs and libraries at Cal State Long Beach will remain open for students to access technology and the internet, and staff as well as student employees will continue to get paychecks even if their jobs change because of shifts in need. “What we’ve agreed to as a campus is nobody will be harmed,” Jersky said.
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At community colleges, the shift to online education is already underway at Sierra College outside Sacramento, the first in the California system to announce its planned shift.
Suzanne Davenport, the college’s distance learning coordinator, said about two-thirds of the college’s 900 faculty members already regularly use its online course management platform, Canvas. She is hosting workshops and engaging “faculty liaisons” to help train the remaining faculty members and will host workshops to train students this weekend.
“Accessibility and access is something that we’re planning for and taking very seriously,” said Sierra College spokesman Josh Morgan. He said labs for hands-on courses in nursing, firefighting, welding and other fields will continue to meet in person, and computer labs and other study areas on campus remain open. The college is also bringing in additional computers and planning to make some laptops available for checkout, Morgan said.
At LACCD’s nine colleges, all classes will be canceled Monday and Tuesday to make the shift to online instruction beginning March 18. The district will activate an “online learning call center” to help students and faculty. Exceptions and modifications will be made for some career and technical education classes, as well as hands-on labs, performance classes and physical education courses. All events with a planned attendance of more than 100 people will be canceled or postponed, but campuses remain open. The changes are in effect through at least April 13.
“We stand united with our higher education colleagues locally and throughout the nation that safety is our top priority as part of our mission to provide excellent educational opportunities for our students,” LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez said. “Prudence needs to prevail here.”
At nearby Compton College, which is part of its own community college district, President Keith Curry said closing the campus or moving instruction online was not yet appropriate or feasible. Not all faculty members have been trained in the online systems — and at a campus where 23% of students are homeless, helping students with basic needs is a top priority.
“What do you do with those students who depend on your shower facilities and food pantry?” Curry said.
In addition, the community college campus offers dual enrollment for local high school students, who also may not be able to take classes remotely.
Private colleges, which have more resources and often serve more well-off students, are not immune to these challenges.
At Claremont McKenna College, where about 20% of the entering classes in recent years have received Pell Grants, all students will be required to return home or find another off-campus location by March 23 — with some exceptions. About 1,300 students, almost all of whom live on campus, attend the college.
“We recognize that not everyone has a good or safe place to go,” President Hiram Chodosh said.


latimes--2020-03-11--Keeping police officers healthy during coronavirus is essential. Here is what LAPD is doing

One of the biggest concerns as coronavirus spreads is the impact it could have on first responders , potentially reducing the number of officials able to handle emergency service .
The Los Angeles Police Department , along with other law enforcement agencies , is already working to help prevent its officers from getting sick though a series of new guidelines and procedures .
Los Angeles Police Asst .
Chief Horace Frank said all patrol officers and officers likely to come into contact have been issued a kit consisting of multiple sets of gloves , a bacteria protection mask and goggles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three items when during a response or public contact they learn of a possible individual with the virus .
The department has already backordered 100,000 extra masks , but the officers will not wear masks as a routine matter .
• Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting work stations , vehicles , and surroundings .
• Maintaining good health , getting enough rest , maintaining a moderate exercise program , eating healthfully , avoiding tobacco use , etc .
• Staying home when sick , and respectfully requesting that others do the same .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public exhibiting upper respiratory symptoms ( sneezing , coughing ) , provide them a surgical mask if one is available , or stand six feet away .
• Wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) .
In the case of interacting with members of the public suspected of having COVID-19 , that equipment could incude masks , safety googles , face fields , nitrile gloves .
“ When contacting a member of the public exhibiting respiratory symptoms ( sneezing and coughing ) , thought should be given to the necessity of making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the guidelines say .
“ If time permits and contact is necessary , PPE should be worn .
If there is no need to approach within six feet , it is generally safe to remain outside of six feet without PPE .
Finally , if a suspect exhibiting symptoms is in custody and must be transported in a police vehicle , PPE should be worn.
” The LAPD , like most employers , also has advised employees who are ill to stay home .
“ Chief [ Michel ] Moore is always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have been working with the Los Angeles Police Protective League to come up with a plan to provide proper protection and assist to our officers as they go about their duties , ” Frank said .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California has 157 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and that thousands of residents may have come into contact with the disease .
The United States has surpassed 1,000 coronavirus cases , with most in Washingon state , New York and California .

The LAPD issued a list of new guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus.
One of the biggest concerns as coronavirus spreads is the impact it could have on first responders, potentially reducing the number of officials able to handle emergency service.
The Los Angeles Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies, is already working to help prevent its officers from getting sick though a series of new guidelines and procedures.
Los Angeles Police Asst. Chief Horace Frank said all patrol officers and officers likely to come into contact have been issued a kit consisting of multiple sets of gloves, a bacteria protection mask and goggles.
Officers are directed to use all three items when during a response or public contact they learn of a possible individual with the virus.
The department has already backordered 100,000 extra masks, but the officers will not wear masks as a routine matter.
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Among the LAPD guidelines:
• Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting work stations, vehicles, and surroundings.
• Maintaining good health, getting enough rest, maintaining a moderate exercise program, eating healthfully, avoiding tobacco use, etc.
• Keeping current on vaccinations.
• Staying home when sick, and respectfully requesting that others do the same.
• When interacting with a member of the public exhibiting upper respiratory symptoms (sneezing, coughing), provide them a surgical mask if one is available, or stand six feet away.
• Wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In the case of interacting with members of the public suspected of having COVID-19, that equipment could incude masks, safety googles, face fields, nitrile gloves.
“When contacting a member of the public exhibiting respiratory symptoms (sneezing and coughing), thought should be given to the necessity of making contact versus risk of possible exposure,” the guidelines say. “If time permits and contact is necessary, PPE should be worn. If there is no need to approach within six feet, it is generally safe to remain outside of six feet without PPE. Finally, if a suspect exhibiting symptoms is in custody and must be transported in a police vehicle, PPE should be worn.”
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The LAPD, like most employers, also has advised employees who are ill to stay home.
“Chief [Michel] Moore is always concerned about protecting the health of officers. We have been working with the Los Angeles Police Protective League to come up with a plan to provide proper protection and assist to our officers as they go about their duties,” Frank said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California has 157 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and that thousands of residents may have come into contact with the disease. The United States has surpassed 1,000 coronavirus cases, with most in Washingon state, New York and California.


latimes--2020-03-11--Californian among 4 dead from listeria outbreak linked to mushrooms

At least one person in California has died from a listeria infection linked to imported mushrooms distributed by a Southern California company , federal health officials said this week .
Montebello-based Sun Hong Foods issued a recall Monday for the enoki mushrooms suspected as the source of the outbreak — which has infected 36 people in 17 states , hospitalized 30 and killed four people in California , Hawaii and New Jersey , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The illnesses linked to the mushrooms , which are imported from South Korea , span a period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , to December of last year , health officials said .
“ This investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products are linked to illness , ” the CDC wrote in a statement Tuesday .
The recent recall affects enoki mushrooms — which are white , with long stems and small caps — that were sold in 7.05-oounce clear plastic bags labeled “ Product of Korea ” on the front and “ Sun Hong Foods , Inc. ” on the back , according to the CDC and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who bought the mushrooms are urged not to eat them and return the package to the place of purchase for a full refund , the company said .
Anyone with questions can call Sun Hong Foods at ( 323 ) 597-1112 .
The CDC also recommends thoroughly washing and sanitizing surfaces or containers that have come in contact with the mushrooms .
Listeria is an infection that ’ s typically caused by eating food contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium .
Symptoms — which can include fever , muscle aches , headache , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear one to four weeks after exposure , according to the CDC .

Sun Hong Foods of Montebello is recalling enoki mushrooms that federal health officials say may be the source of a listeria outbreak.
At least one person in California has died from a listeria infection linked to imported mushrooms distributed by a Southern California company, federal health officials said this week.
Montebello-based Sun Hong Foods issued a recall Monday for the enoki mushrooms suspected as the source of the outbreak — which has infected 36 people in 17 states, hospitalized 30 and killed four people in California, Hawaii and New Jersey, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The illnesses linked to the mushrooms, which are imported from South Korea, span a period from November 2016 to December of last year, to December of last year, health officials said.
“This investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and if additional products are linked to illness,” the CDC wrote in a statement Tuesday.
The recent recall affects enoki mushrooms — which are white, with long stems and small caps — that were sold in 7.05-oounce clear plastic bags labeled “Product of Korea” on the front and “Sun Hong Foods, Inc.” on the back, according to the CDC and a notice from the company.
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Customers who bought the mushrooms are urged not to eat them and return the package to the place of purchase for a full refund, the company said. Anyone with questions can call Sun Hong Foods at (323) 597-1112.
The CDC also recommends thoroughly washing and sanitizing surfaces or containers that have come in contact with the mushrooms.
Listeria is an infection that’s typically caused by eating food contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium. Symptoms — which can include fever, muscle aches, headache, fatigue and loss of balance — typically appear one to four weeks after exposure, according to the CDC.


latimes--2020-03-11--Santa Monica to pay $42.6 million to settle child abuse claims against police volunteer

For decades , Eric Uller served as the Santa Monica Police Department ’ s technology wizard , overseeing street cameras , creating crime maps and advancing its computers .
But many knew him better as an ever-present volunteer in the Police Activities League beginning in the 1980s , helping young boys in the predominately Latino Pico area .
He would give kids rides in his unmarked police car .
But two years ago , Los Angeles County Special Victims Unit detectives arrested Uller for lewd acts with teenage boys .
Uller died by suicide in November 2018 after being charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of victims skyrocketed to 23 , with cases dating back to 1989 .
On Tuesday , the Santa Monica City Council agreed to pay those victims $ 42.6 million to resolve the ensuing sexual abuse lawsuits that were filed against the city .
The settlement also resolves a claim by a woman that she was abused by another PAL volunteer .
“ These are lifelong neighbors and dear friends .
To these men , thank you for being brave and coming forward , not only for yourself but for standing up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jara after the vote .
“ Our community and this council walks with you on this journey toward healing and justice .
Please know that your community will continue to grow stronger and bind us together with the purpose of ensuring this never happens again.
” Uller ’ s position with the city and his role as a volunteer with the PAL — a nonprofit operated by the city — gave him access to teenage boys .
Authorities allege he molested them in his car , and sometimes under the guise of taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s medical office .
He sexually assaulted one boy for years in the 1980s to 1990s , authorities alleged .
“ The police department and city had repeated warnings and reports of his horrendous behavior , ” said David Ring , one of several attorneys representing the victims .
`` Uller as authority figure preyed on the most vulnerable young Latino boys.
” Several former city of Santa Monica employees told Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s detectives investigating the allegations that they reported Uller ’ s misconduct with minors to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to use a police car with the knowledge of top officials .
Uller ’ s former boss , retired Lt. Greg Slaughter , told detectives he witnessed Uller driving young boys “ all over town ” and reported it to his bosses .
Slaughter also told detectives that an investigation launched after child pornography was found on a police department communications center screen “ led to Eric Uller , ” the report said .
The failure to take action against Uller earlier has spurred outrage in the community .
The investigation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Monica , a liberal bastion of wealth , treats its less privileged residents .
School board member Oscar De LaTorre , in an opinion piece in the Santa Monica Daily Press , accused the city of ignoring reports and rumors about Uller for years , and that a generation of Latino youth was victimized by sexual predators in the PAL program .
De La Torre , who oversees the Pico Youth and Family Center , has said he personally informed high-ranking city cops in early 2000s about Uller .
Another PAL employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl ’ s skirt at a Dodgers game .
The employee , Donald Condon , was convicted of molesting a minor in 2015 and required to register as a sex offender .
After the revelations involving Uller , the city hired a consulting firm experienced in sexual abuse investigations .
On Tuesday night City Council members approved a Child Protection Resolution to ensure lasting , city-wide measures to detect inappropriate behaviors and prevent abuse .
As for Uller ’ s alleged victims , a judge will decide how much money each will receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reached a just resolution that acknowledges the pain of these community members and their families while protecting the privacy they continue to deserve , ” said Mayor Kevin McKeown after the closed session approval of the settlements .

For decades, Eric Uller served as the Santa Monica Police Department’s technology wizard, overseeing street cameras, creating crime maps and advancing its computers. But many knew him better as an ever-present volunteer in the Police Activities League beginning in the 1980s, helping young boys in the predominately Latino Pico area. He would give kids rides in his unmarked police car.
But two years ago, Los Angeles County Special Victims Unit detectives arrested Uller for lewd acts with teenage boys. Uller died by suicide in November 2018 after being charged with molesting four boys.
Soon the number of victims skyrocketed to 23, with cases dating back to 1989.
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On Tuesday, the Santa Monica City Council agreed to pay those victims $42.6 million to resolve the ensuing sexual abuse lawsuits that were filed against the city. The settlement also resolves a claim by a woman that she was abused by another PAL volunteer.
“These are lifelong neighbors and dear friends. To these men, thank you for being brave and coming forward, not only for yourself but for standing up for others,” said Councilwoman Ana Maria Jara after the vote. “Our community and this council walks with you on this journey toward healing and justice. Please know that your community will continue to grow stronger and bind us together with the purpose of ensuring this never happens again.”
Uller’s position with the city and his role as a volunteer with the PAL — a nonprofit operated by the city — gave him access to teenage boys. Authorities allege he molested them in his car, and sometimes under the guise of taking them for medical exams at his father’s medical office. He sexually assaulted one boy for years in the 1980s to 1990s, authorities alleged.
“The police department and city had repeated warnings and reports of his horrendous behavior,” said David Ring, one of several attorneys representing the victims.”Uller as authority figure preyed on the most vulnerable young Latino boys.”
Several former city of Santa Monica employees told Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives investigating the allegations that they reported Uller’s misconduct with minors to their bosses and one even described him being able to use a police car with the knowledge of top officials.
Uller’s former boss, retired Lt. Greg Slaughter, told detectives he witnessed Uller driving young boys “all over town” and reported it to his bosses. Slaughter also told detectives that an investigation launched after child pornography was found on a police department communications center screen “led to Eric Uller,” the report said.
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The failure to take action against Uller earlier has spurred outrage in the community. The investigation has also renewed an enduring question over how Santa Monica, a liberal bastion of wealth, treats its less privileged residents.
School board member Oscar De LaTorre, in an opinion piece in the Santa Monica Daily Press, accused the city of ignoring reports and rumors about Uller for years, and that a generation of Latino youth was victimized by sexual predators in the PAL program. De La Torre, who oversees the Pico Youth and Family Center, has said he personally informed high-ranking city cops in early 2000s about Uller.
Another PAL employee was arrested for taking pictures up a girl’s skirt at a Dodgers game. The employee, Donald Condon, was convicted of molesting a minor in 2015 and required to register as a sex offender.
After the revelations involving Uller, the city hired a consulting firm experienced in sexual abuse investigations.
On Tuesday night City Council members approved a Child Protection Resolution to ensure lasting, city-wide measures to detect inappropriate behaviors and prevent abuse.
As for Uller’s alleged victims, a judge will decide how much money each will receive.
“We’re relieved to have reached a just resolution that acknowledges the pain of these community members and their families while protecting the privacy they continue to deserve,” said Mayor Kevin McKeown after the closed session approval of the settlements.