latimes--2020-01-09--Teacher charged with committing lewd acts on former O.C. student

A teacher is facing felony charges in Orange County after police say he molested a 15-year-old student who was taking his welding class at Santa Ana College in 2015 .
George Moreno , 59 , of Cherry Valley was arrested Tuesday at Alessandro High School in Hemet , where he currently works as a welding instructor .
He ’ s charged with four felony counts of lewd acts on a child based on allegations from a student who was in his class five years ago at Santa Ana College , according to the Orange County district attorney ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Santa Ana College from 2007 to 2018 .
After leaving the school , he was hired as a teacher by the Riverside County Office of Education in February .
During his time at Santa Ana College , authorities say , some of the students enrolled in his class were teens from Santa Ana Middle College High School .
Authorities did not begin investigating Moreno until last year , when a woman reported to Santa Ana police that the instructor had molested her when she was 15 .
The woman reported several incidents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a three-year period , prosecutors said .
The Riverside County Office of Education placed Moreno on administrative leave in the wake of the allegations and said in a statement that their students ’ safety and well-being are a top priority .
“ Both the Riverside County Office of Education and the [ Hemet Unified ] School District are fully cooperating with law enforcement and take all allegations of staff misconduct very seriously , ” the office said in a statement .
Moreno was released from Orange County Jail on Wednesday after posting $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces a maximum sentence of five years behind bars , prosecutors said .
Authorities are asking anyone with additional information to call Santa Ana Police Det .
Gerry Corona at ( 714 ) 245-8343 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at ( 855 ) 847-6227 .

A teacher is facing felony charges in Orange County after police say he molested a 15-year-old student who was taking his welding class at Santa Ana College in 2015.
George Moreno, 59, of Cherry Valley was arrested Tuesday at Alessandro High School in Hemet, where he currently works as a welding instructor. He’s charged with four felony counts of lewd acts on a child based on allegations from a student who was in his class five years ago at Santa Ana College, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Moreno worked as a welding instructor at Santa Ana College from 2007 to 2018. After leaving the school, he was hired as a teacher by the Riverside County Office of Education in February. During his time at Santa Ana College, authorities say, some of the students enrolled in his class were teens from Santa Ana Middle College High School.
Advertisement
Authorities did not begin investigating Moreno until last year, when a woman reported to Santa Ana police that the instructor had molested her when she was 15. The woman reported several incidents that occurred on the college campus over a three-year period, prosecutors said.
The Riverside County Office of Education placed Moreno on administrative leave over the allegations and said in a statement that its students’ safety and well-being are a top priority.
“Both the Riverside County Office of Education and the [Hemet Unified] School District are fully cooperating with law enforcement and take all allegations of staff misconduct very seriously,” the office said in a statement.
Moreno was released from Orange County Jail on Wednesday after posting $50,000 bail. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, prosecutors said.
Authorities are asking anyone with additional information to call Santa Ana Police Det. Gerry Corona at (714) 245-8343 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) 847-6227.


latimes--2020-01-09--A deputy died dodging a stove on the freeway. The man found responsible may soon go free

A man who was driving a truckload of stolen appliances when a stove tumbled from the vehicle , causing a crash that killed a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy , may be released from prison after an appellate court reduced his conviction .
Cole Wilkins , 43 , of Long Beach had just stolen a shipment of appliances from a home under construction in Riverside County and was driving on the 91 Freeway in Orange County about 5 a.m. on July 7 , 2006 , when an unsecured stove fell onto the roadway .
David Piquette , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department , was driving to work from his Corona home and swerved to avoid hitting the appliance .
He collided with a cement truck , which landed on top of his car and crushed him .
Wilkins is currently serving a sentence of 16 years to life in Avenal State Prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in 2017 .
But a three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana ruled Tuesday that jurors did not have enough evidence to prove Wilkins ’ actions contained the “ implied malice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder conviction .
Instead , the panel changed his conviction to involuntary manslaughter , which carries a maximum term of four years .
“ There was no evidence that Wilkins was speeding , making abrupt lane changes or otherwise driving dangerously , ” Justice Eileen C. Moore wrote in the decision .
However , she noted that “ Wilkins ’ s actions of loading his truck with large stolen appliances in an unsafe manner ( not tying them down ) , and driving on the freeway with the tailgate down plainly establish criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death .
She concluded that involuntary manslaughter would be a more appropriate conviction .
The court ’ s decision marks a major turning point in the case , which was originally sullied by alleged misconduct from law enforcement and prosecutors in the Orange County district attorney ’ s office .
Wilkins has fought his case for more than a decade , all the way to the California Supreme Court .
“ We were really excited over here just because it was a great outcome and so well-deserved for Cole , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who defended Wilkins in Superior Court .
“ I think the prosecution team at the time really wanted to get Cole because they didn ’ t like the allegation that he had stolen the property and they didn ’ t like that the victim was a cop .
I think they were doing anything they possibly could to cheat and get him locked up.
” It is not clear whether the state attorney general ’ s office plans to appeal the ruling .
A representative for the agency said Wednesday it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in prison since 2008 when he was found guilty of first-degree murder under the “ felony-murder rule , ” which states that a defendant may be convicted of first-degree murder if someone dies while the suspect is committing a felony , such as a burglary , even if the defendant did not intend to kill .
However , the state ’ s high court overturned his conviction in 2013 on the grounds the jury was not properly instructed .
Before his retrial , Wilkins learned that California Highway Patrol officers had destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which contained differing opinions about the cause of the crash .
The prosecution had failed to disclose this exculpatory evidence to Wilkins ’ defense attorney during the first trial .
The trial court ultimately found that misconduct had occurred and , as a sanction , excluded felony murder as a possible charge .
Wilkins had sought to have the case against him dismissed completely based on allegations of outrageous government conduct , but the appeals panel did not accede to the request .
“ In the colloquial sense , the destruction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and intolerable under our criminal justice system , ” Moore wrote .
“ But the dismissal of a criminal charge remains ‘ an extraordinary remedy ... reserved for the few cases where conduct by the prosecution has completely eliminated the possibility of a fair retrial.
’ ” Wilkins is expected to appear in Orange County Superior Court to be resentenced .
A date for that hearing has not been set .

A man who was driving a truckload of stolen appliances when a stove tumbled from the vehicle, causing a crash that killed a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, may be released from prison after an appellate court reduced his conviction.
Cole Wilkins, 43, of Long Beach had just stolen a shipment of appliances from a home under construction in Riverside County and was driving on the 91 Freeway in Orange County about 5 a.m. on July 7, 2006, when an unsecured stove fell onto the roadway. David Piquette, a 10-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, was driving to work from his Corona home and swerved to avoid hitting the appliance. He collided with a cement truck, which landed on top of his car and crushed him.
Wilkins is currently serving a sentence of 16 years to life in Avenal State Prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in 2017. But a three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana ruled Tuesday that jurors did not have enough evidence to prove Wilkins’ actions contained the “implied malice” needed to qualify for a second-degree murder conviction. Instead, the panel changed his conviction to involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum term of four years.
Advertisement
“There was no evidence that Wilkins was speeding, making abrupt lane changes or otherwise driving dangerously,” Justice Eileen C. Moore wrote in the decision. However, she noted that “Wilkins’s actions of loading his truck with large stolen appliances in an unsafe manner (not tying them down), and driving on the freeway with the tailgate down plainly establish criminal negligence,” which caused Piquette’s death. She concluded that involuntary manslaughter would be a more appropriate conviction.
The court’s decision marks a major turning point in the case, which was originally sullied by alleged misconduct by law enforcement and prosecutors in the Orange County district attorney’s office. Wilkins has fought his case for more than a decade, all the way to the California Supreme Court.
“We were really excited over here just because it was a great outcome and so well-deserved for Cole,” said Orange County Deputy Public Defender Sara Ross, who defended Wilkins in Superior Court. “I think the prosecution team at the time really wanted to get Cole because they didn’t like the allegation that he had stolen the property and they didn’t like that the victim was a cop. I think they were doing anything they possibly could to cheat and get him locked up.”
It is not clear whether the state attorney general’s office plans to appeal the ruling. A representative for the agency said Wednesday it is still reviewing the decision.
Wilkins has been in prison since 2008 when he was found guilty of first-degree murder under the “felony-murder rule,” which states that a defendant may be convicted of first-degree murder if someone died while the person was committing a felony, such as a burglary, even if the defendant did not intend to kill. However, the state’s high court overturned his conviction in 2013 on the grounds the jury was not properly instructed.
Before his retrial, Wilkins learned that California Highway Patrol officers had destroyed and altered their reports on the case, which contained differing opinions about the cause of the crash. The prosecution had failed to disclose this exculpatory evidence to Wilkins’ defense attorney during the first trial. The trial court ultimately found that misconduct had occurred and, as a sanction, excluded felony murder as a possible charge.
Advertisement
Wilkins had sought to have the case against him dismissed completely based on allegations of outrageous government conduct, but the appeals panel did not accede to the request.
“In the colloquial sense, the destruction and altering of police reports is certainly outrageous and intolerable under our criminal justice system,” Moore wrote. “But the dismissal of a criminal charge remains ‘an extraordinary remedy ... reserved for the few cases where conduct by the prosecution has completely eliminated the possibility of a fair retrial.’”
Wilkins is expected to appear in Orange County Superior Court to be resentenced. A date for that hearing has not been set.


latimes--2020-01-09--Partially burned human remains found inside charred vehicle in Moreno Valley

The Moreno Valley Station of the Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department is investigating the discovery of human remains found @ @ @ @ @ this week .
Deputies responded to the area of Reche Canyon Road and High County @ @ @ @ @ , where authorities found partially burned remains inside a scorched vehicle .
“ The decedent @ @ @ @ @ , ” Deputy Robyn Flores said Thursday .
No additional information , including the circumstances @ @ @ @ @ body , has been made available .
Photographs from Loudlabs News show a charred SUV @ @ @ @ @ boulder-strewn ravine as investigators patrol the taped-off perimeter .

The Moreno Valley Station of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the discovery of human remains found inside a burned vehicle earlier this week.
Deputies responded to the area of Reche Canyon Road and High County Drive at 4:35 p.m. Tuesday, where authorities found partially burned remains inside a scorched vehicle.
“The decedent has not yet been identified,” Deputy Robyn Flores said Thursday.
Advertisement
No additional information, including the circumstances around the discovery of the body, has been made available.
Photographs from Loudlabs News show a charred SUV in the middle of a boulder-strewn ravine as investigators patrol the taped-off perimeter.


latimes--2020-01-09--Man accused of killing pregnant wife in El Monte and fleeing to Mexico is extradited

A man who authorities say shot and killed his pregnant wife has been extradited from Mexico to Los Angeles County after fleeing the country more than a year ago , law enforcement officials said Wednesday .
According to officials with the FBI and the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department , Octavio Curiel-Martinez killed his pregnant wife , Ana Maria Nunez , and her fetus during a domestic violence attack in El Monte in August 2018 .
Curiel-Martinez and Nunez , 37 , had other children who were not present when their mother was slain , investigators said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife ’ s body was found after the fatal shooting , and a manhunt had been underway since .
The FBI had included Curiel-Martinez on its Most Wanted list for the past year and offered a reward of up to $ 10,000 for information on his whereabouts .
He was charged with multiple felonies , including two counts of murder and two counts of felony child endangerment .
After a state warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 5 , 2018 , authorities said , Curiel-Martinez , described as a Mexican national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
A federal warrant for his arrest was issued on March 15 .
The 37-year-old was found two months later in Bolanos in Mexico ’ s Jalisco state , where he was arrested by Mexican police on May 17 , 2019 .
The Mexican government issued a provisional arrest warrant one week later , on May 23 , after the L.A. County district attorney ’ s office requested his extradition .
Curiel-Martinez was returned to the U.S. and booked into custody Jan. 3 .
Jail records show he is being held without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 .

A man who authorities say shot and killed his pregnant wife has been extradited from Mexico to Los Angeles County after fleeing the country more than a year ago, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.
According to officials with the FBI and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, Octavio Curiel-Martinez killed his pregnant wife, Ana Maria Nunez, and her fetus during a domestic violence attack in El Monte in August 2018.
Curiel-Martinez and Nunez, 37, had other children who were not present when their mother was slain, investigators said. He was seen leaving the home where his wife’s body was found after the fatal shooting, and a manhunt had been underway since. The FBI had included Curiel-Martinez on its Most Wanted list for the past year and offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information on his whereabouts.
He was charged with multiple felonies, including two counts of murder and two counts of felony child endangerment. After a state warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 5, 2018, authorities said, Curiel-Martinez, described as a Mexican national, fled from California to his home country.
Advertisement
A federal warrant for his arrest was issued on March 15.
The 37-year-old was found two months later in Bolanos in Mexico’s Jalisco state, where he was arrested by Mexican police on May 17, 2019. The Mexican government issued a provisional arrest warrant one week later, on May 23, after the L.A. County district attorney’s office requested his extradition.
Curiel-Martinez was returned to the U.S. and booked into custody Jan. 3. Jail records show he is being held without bail and is due in court Feb. 19.


latimes--2020-01-09--Winter storms take a break as L.A. awaits first rainfall of 2020

A smattering of rain will develop over some parts of Southern California on Thursday , but the region likely won ’ t see more than a sprinkle while waiting for the first big storm of 2020 .
Despite the dry spell , Los Angeles is having a wetter-than-average winter — at least so far — thanks to a series of drenching storms in November and December that also helped boost the state ’ s snowpack .
But forecasters aren ’ t predicting significant rain in the area for at least a week , said Joe Sirard , a meteorologist with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forecasters say the midwinter dry period is fairly common for the Golden State , even during wet years .
A storm that forecasters thought might be on the horizon for Southern California early next week appears to have dissipated in the most updated forecast models .
“ If you ’ ve lived here long enough , you know that we can have a good start to the season and then the spigot shuts off for a long time , ” Sirard said .
“ We ’ re in kind of a dryish pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some areas will get , particularly north of L.A. in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and across the slopes of the mountains near the Kern County line , is the result of a low-pressure system known as an “ inside slider ” that began moving across the San Francisco Bay Area toward the Central Coast on Thursday morning .
Coastal Los Angeles County will likely remain dry throughout the day , but there ’ s about a 20 % chance of light showers in the valleys .
The system will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to about 4,500 feet , which means the Grapevine portion of the 5 Freeway could see a dusting of fresh powder .
But forecasters say snowfall amounts will be light .
On Thursday morning , the California Department of Transportation closed both directions of Angeles Crest Highway for nearly three miles near Islip Saddle because of unsafe weather conditions in the area .
It is not clear when the stretch of highway will reopen .
The system will also bring some strong winds to the mountains in Santa Barbara , Ventura and Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 mph through Thursday night .
Instead of heavy rain , Thursday ’ s system will be followed by another “ inside slider ” on Saturday , which is expected to bring below-average temperatures to much of Southern California .
Highs will remain in the low to mid-60s in downtown Los Angeles , and the valleys will be even chillier , with highs in the 50s to low 60s , Sirard said .
“ We ’ re not going to see a huge warm-up at all for quite some time , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be Friday when we ’ re looking at highs in the upper 60s , which is closer to normal for this time of year .
”

After a few storms in December, like this one hovering above downtown Los Angeles, the region hasn’t seen much rain in January.
A smattering of rain will develop over some parts of Southern California on Thursday, but the region likely won’t see more than a sprinkle while waiting for the first big storm of 2020.
Despite the dry spell, Los Angeles is having a wetter-than-average winter — at least so far — thanks to a series of drenching storms in November and December that also helped boost the state’s snowpack. But forecasters aren’t predicting significant rain in the area for at least a week, said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Forecasters say the midwinter dry period is fairly common for the Golden State, even during wet years. A storm that forecasters thought might be on the horizon for Southern California early next week appears to have dissipated in the most updated forecast models.
Advertisement
“If you’ve lived here long enough, you know that we can have a good start to the season and then the spigot shuts off for a long time,” Sirard said. “We’re in kind of a dryish pattern right now.”
The dash of moisture that some areas will get, particularly north of L.A. in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and across the slopes of the mountains near the Kern County line, is the result of a low-pressure system known as an “inside slider” that began moving across the San Francisco Bay Area toward the Central Coast on Thursday morning. Coastal Los Angeles County will likely remain dry throughout the day, but there’s about a 20% chance of light showers in the valleys.
The system will be chilly enough to drop snow levels to about 4,500 feet, which means the Grapevine portion of the 5 Freeway could see a dusting of fresh powder. But forecasters say snowfall amounts will be light. On Thursday morning, the California Department of Transportation closed both directions of Angeles Crest Highway for nearly three miles near Islip Saddle because of unsafe weather conditions in the area. It is not clear when the stretch of highway will reopen.
The system will also bring some strong winds to the mountains in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with gusts up to 60 mph through Thursday night.
Instead of heavy rain, Thursday’s system will be followed by another “inside slider” on Saturday, which is expected to bring below-average temperatures to much of Southern California. Highs will remain in the low to mid-60s in downtown Los Angeles, and the valleys will be even chillier, with highs in the 50s to low 60s, Sirard said.
“We’re not going to see a huge warm-up at all for quite some time,” he said. “The warmest day might be Friday when we’re looking at highs in the upper 60s, which is closer to normal for this time of year.”


latimes--2020-01-09--Meghan Markle fans love her 'Game of Thrones' escape from the royals

Since Meghan Markle joined the royal family , many Angelenos have felt they have an old friend roaming the halls of Buckingham Palace .
After all , Markle grew up in Leimert Park , attended Immaculate Heart High , an all-girls school in the Hollywood Hills , and worked her way up the Hollywood acting ladder , becoming a regular on the TV show “ Suits.
” So when she and Prince Harry announced they were stepping back from royal duties and moving part time to North America , they got mostly cheers from L.A. residents .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do the royal ... .
They want to lay low and raise a family .
This was definitely Meghan ’ s power move .
She wears the ‘ princess pants ’ in the relationship , ” said Diego Valdivia , 31 , of Venice .
“ I think this has nothing to do with the people that are criticizing them .
It ’ s a bold move , ” said Valdivia , adding that it definitely has angered a number of people , “ but this is what they wanted to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , come on , we ’ re in 2020 and are talking about royals .
Are we in ‘ Game of Thrones ’ ?
” Helen Dawson , who grew up in England and now works in Santa Monica , also supported the duke and duchess ’ decision .
“ I think there ’ s been some controversy in the way that it was done .
I think it ’ s good for Harry and Meghan ’ s future and to think about their family , especially with what happened with Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think they ’ re thinking of protecting their family , ” she said .
“ I think what people were upset about is that they publicly cut their ties without discussing it with the queen first.
” Markle has discussed her life growing up in Los Angeles , the daughter of an African American social worker and a white Hollywood television cinematographer .
In a 2015 essay for Elle magazine , she wrote that people would assume her mother was the nanny because of the color of her skin .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ background and asked where her parents were from .
“ While I could say Pennsylvania and Ohio , and continue this proverbial two-step , I instead give them what they ’ re after : ‘ My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American .
I ’ m half-black and half-white , ’ ” she wrote .
Dawson and others think Markle may find more adoration and support on this side of the Atlantic .
“ I think Meghan ’ s been more popular here than in the last few months back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be good if they can find their niche here , ” the British expat said .
“ I was a bit shocked because they are not that popular in the U.K. at the minute , even for people who love the royal family , because they went to Canada and they were away from the queen during Christmas , ” said Finlay Rowden , 23 , a resident of Hertfordshire , England , visiting a friend in Hollywood .
“ There was a general feeling , even before the news , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing their duties .
They definitely wanted to get away from the British press .
I wasn ’ t surprised , but it ’ s ridiculous to me that they are being paid so much money and their duty is to take the press because they ’ re the royal family and that ’ s part of the job.
” While some in SoCal would love for Markle and her husband to spend more time here , not everyone thinks it ’ s a good idea .
“ If they came to California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paparazzi would be following them everywhere .
”

Since Meghan Markle joined the royal family, many Angelenos have felt they have an old friend roaming the halls of Buckingham Palace.
After all, Markle grew up in Leimert Park, attended Immaculate Heart High, an all-girls school in the Hollywood Hills, and worked her way up the Hollywood acting ladder, becoming a regular on the TV show “Suits.”
So when she and Prince Harry announced they were stepping back from royal duties and moving part time to North America, they got mostly cheers from L.A. residents.
Advertisement
“I think they have better things to do than to do the royal [stuff]. They want to lay low and raise a family. This was definitely Meghan’s power move. She wears the ‘princess pants’ in the relationship,” said Diego Valdivia, 31, of Venice.
“I think this has nothing to do with the people that are criticizing them. It’s a bold move,” Valdivia said, adding that it definitely has angered a number of people, “but this is what they wanted to do. Good on them. … I mean, come on, we’re in 2020 and are talking about royals. Are we in ‘Game of Thrones’?”
Helen Dawson, who grew up in England and works in Santa Monica, also supported the duke and duchess’ decision.
“I think there’s been some controversy in the way that it was done. I think it’s good for Harry and Meghan’s future and to think about their family, especially with what happened with Harry’s mom, Princess Diana. I think they’re thinking of protecting their family,” she said. “I think what people were upset about is that they publicly cut their ties without discussing it with the queen first.”
Markle’s independent spirit and decidedly unroyal backstory have long captivated fans.
She has discussed her life growing up in Los Angeles, the daughter of an African American social worker and a white Hollywood television cinematographer.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2017. (Nathan Denette / Associated Press)
Advertisement
In a 2015 essay for Elle magazine, she wrote that people would assume her mother was the nanny because of the color of her skin. She said people often were curious about her racial background and asked where her parents were from.
“While I could say Pennsylvania and Ohio, and continue this proverbial two-step, I instead give them what they’re after: ‘My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I’m half-black and half-white,’ ” she wrote.
Dawson and others think Markle may find more adoration and support on this side of the Atlantic.
“I think Meghan’s been more popular here than in the last few months back in England. I think it’d be good if they can find their niche here,” the British expat said.
“I was a bit shocked because they are not that popular in the U.K. at the minute, even for people who love the royal family, because they went to Canada and they were away from the queen during Christmas,” said Finlay Rowden, 23, a resident of Hertfordshire, England, visiting a friend in Hollywood.
“There was a general feeling, even before the news, that they were taking the money and not doing their duties. They definitely wanted to get away from the British press. I wasn’t surprised, but it’s ridiculous to me that they are being paid so much money and their duty is to take the press because they’re the royal family and that’s part of the job.”
But building a life in L.A., should the couple choose to do so, wouldn’t be simple, others warned.
“I’m interested to see how they’re going to support themselves and what kind of life they would be able to have,” said Anita Rogers, chief executive and founder of British American Household Staffing, which connects local families with British nannies and other domestic workers. “I don’t think the queen would allow a royal son or daughter to not have the best of the best when it came to education and child care.”
The city’s hundreds-strong paparazzi corps would also pose a problem.
“I remember before the wedding it was a big deal, like a Cinderella story, and I think there will be a new wave of that,” said Uri Gal of Professional Security Consultants, a private security company based in L.A. “It will be an issue regardless of where they live — how are we going to live a normal life without being harassed all the time?”
Still, he said, Los Angeles, with its scores of A-list celebrities, could be easier on the royal family members than England, where their fame is singular.
“You have the same thing in the U.K., but when you’re over there it’s another level,” he said. “They’re big stars over here, but over there it’s almost like a cult.”
Though some in SoCal would love for Markle and her husband to spend more time here, not everyone thinks it’s a good idea.
“If they came to California,” Dawson warned, “the paparazzi would be following them everywhere.”


latimes--2020-01-09--Chris Erskine: Cozy winter hangouts to slurp chowder, escape with a good book

I ’ ve run aground in the South Bay , in search of the very best chowder and a little nook where I can nurse a cup of coffee and study the fine print of the sports page for most of a morning .
When my neck stiffens , I will pause to people-watch , then crack open a new old novel .
In the cool shade of January , I will turn up the neck of the too-thick cardigan , the ultimate bubble wrap .
All of us need to flee now and then .
What better place than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
1 : Leave the phone in your car , for that parasite will pull you out of the tactile pleasures of this stolen day on the water .
Better that the wind fills your newspaper like a sail or that you turn directly into that stiff north breeze — the minty stuff that comes out of Canada , ricochets off Oxnard and tingles your cheeks .
Summer at the beach is so obvious .
Winter beckons too though .
It ’ s more pensive , thoughtful , serene and cozy .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain slant of light to winter afternoons .
You can skip the sunscreen .
No need to circle for a parking space .
In Santa Monica , you can nap for hours in a cabana chair at Perry ’ s Cafe or rent a bike and wobble along for miles to the marina .
Better yet , immerse yourself in a great book .
After all the bumping of butts and elbows at stuffy holiday parties , I promise you a different sort of day — of poetry and wakefulness .
Or , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunlight on your clammy forehead .
Tip No .
2 : Bring someone to cuddle up with : Atwood , Gladwell , Patterson , Proulx… .
Like me , the Small World Books in Venice is a dusty anachronism .
Now 50 , it doesn ’ t belong here among the massage parlors and weed shops .
It ’ s a literary speakeasy .
To get in , you zig and zag through a tiny entry .
Once inside , this landmark bookstore provides a well-curated collection of recent hits and past loves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your 20 bucks .
If you ’ ve got a book , you ’ ve got a pal .
Just north , you ’ ll find your first winter conquest : Figtree ’ s Café , where you can linger for hours , the grub is good , and if it rains , you can duck inside where the light is yellow ( like Paris ) and the tables feature white linen ( also like Paris ) .
Café Collage is another safe harbor in Venice , where an overhang protects your sidewalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Café Collage has cracked concrete , lovely capitals atop the trademark columns and a bit of beatnik grit .
For someplace that whispers instead of shouts , head south to Hermosa , where the beloved Green Store offers homemade chicken soup for $ 5.99 , which you can slurp down at Noble Park , about a half-mile south .
Right next door to the Green Store is the Bottle Inn , with a patio offering ocean views .
That ’ s where I find Mariana Aguilar , who is doing just as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unwind , wisely alternating between a cup of mint tea and a glass of rose .
“ I just wanted a quiet day , ” Aguilar explains as she pauses while reading “ The Overstory.
” “ I feel like we live in a city where you need to make a point of doing this sort of thing once in a while.
” Hermosa is an ideal winter pit stop , quieter than nearby beach cities and with a bit more country charm .
Java Man , just up from the pier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1920s bungalow featuring tables or benches , sofas or chairs .
Don ’ t skip the turkey and egg white breakfast burrito .
Less precious is the rakish Redondo Pier , featuring an assortment of appealing seafood joints and downright dives .
There I find a steamy bowl of chowder at perhaps the quintessential winter retreat : Redondo Coffee Shop , at the end of the pier and within earshot of barking seals .
The portions are generous , and you can loiter for hours .
If you didn ’ t know better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gloucester or some other moody seaside sanctuary in Massachusetts .
On a gray day , the sky is indistinguishable from the sea , just various shades of steel -- misty and pixelating in the distance , sort of tinseled .
This is the place to pen your novel , pore over the sports scores or just veg .
The turquoise booths are roomy , and I don ’ t know the name of those filmy curtains , the kind Grandma kept high across her kitchen windows , but they have those too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can rent a rig for $ 9 and buy bait ( anchovies $ 5.75 , squid $ 7.95 ) .
Drop a line .
Feel the sea on your fingers .
By now , you ’ ve had a day .
You ’ ll be better at work , more fun with your friends , who will wonder whether you ’ re in love again — or merely drunk — for all your zen .
Truth is , you probably ended your beach day at Tony ’ s on the Pier , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views up and down the South Bay .
Head upstairs for the best sunsets .
In business since 1952 , Tony ’ s could be your portal to a better 2020 .
Honestly , I ’ ve sent you to inferior places ( Spago , for example ) .
At Tony ’ s , waves blast the beach 50 yards away .
It ’ s a fine vista for studying a long winter sunset , pink as Cupid ’ s tongue .
Be patient .
The sky won ’ t really explode till @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For , if nothing else , you ’ ve now “ boxed the compass , ” an ancient rite for young sailors learning their way .
You ’ ve started the year replenished , with notes for that novel or inspiration from your favorite author , who seems to sneak peeks at your soul .
You ’ ve also started the year with the notion that while L.A. may be renowned for its sweaty summers , it might just be best right now .
Best reading nooks : Figtree ’ s Café @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hermosa .
Best bookstores : Small World Books in Venice and Pages in Manhattan Beach Finest views : Tony ’ s on the Pier on Redondo Pier Most likely place for spontaneous friendships : Gum Tree Café in Hermosa

The Redondo Beach Pier, where clouds enhance the long winter sunsets. Bowls of steamy chowder await there too.
I’ve run aground in the South Bay, in search of the very best chowder and a little nook where I can nurse a cup of coffee and study the fine print of the sports page for most of a morning. When my neck stiffens, I will pause to people-watch, then crack open a new old novel. In the cool shade of January, I will turn up the neck of the too-thick cardigan, the ultimate bubble wrap.
All of us need to flee now and then. What better place than the beach in winter?
Tip No. 1: Leave the phone in your car, for that parasite will pull you out of the tactile pleasures of this stolen day on the water. Better that the wind fills your newspaper like a sail or that you turn directly into that stiff north breeze — the minty stuff that comes out of Canada, ricochets off Oxnard and tingles your cheeks.
Advertisement
Summer at the beach is so obvious. Winter beckons too though. It’s more pensive, thoughtful, serene and cozy. As Dickinson noted, there’s a certain slant of light to winter afternoons. You can skip the sunscreen. No need to circle for a parking space.
In Santa Monica, you can nap for hours in a cabana chair at Perry’s Cafe or rent a bike and wobble along for miles to the marina.
You can sneak a nap at Perry’s Cafe, 2400 Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)
Better yet, immerse yourself in a great book. After all the bumping of butts and elbows at stuffy holiday parties, I promise you a different sort of day — of poetry and wakefulness. Or, at the very least, some much-needed sunlight on your clammy forehead.
Tip No. 2: Bring someone to cuddle up with: Atwood, Gladwell, Patterson, Proulx….
Like me, the Small World Books in Venice is a dusty anachronism. Now 50, it doesn’t belong here among the massage parlors and weed shops. It’s a literary speakeasy. To get in, you zig and zag through a tiny entry. Once inside, this landmark bookstore provides a well-curated collection of recent hits and past loves.
Advertisement
Grab a bestseller, lay down your 20 bucks. If you’ve got a book, you’ve got a pal.
Grab an old sweater and a book. Forgot one? Check out Small World Books, beside a busy cafe in Venice. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)
Just north, you’ll find your first winter conquest: Figtree’s Café, where you can linger for hours, the grub is good, and if it rains, you can duck inside where the light is yellow (like Paris) and the tables feature white linen (also like Paris).
Café Collage is another safe harbor in Venice, where an overhang protects your sidewalk table from the rays or rain. Café Collage has cracked concrete, lovely capitals atop the trademark columns and a bit of beatnik grit.
For someplace that whispers instead of shouts, head south to Hermosa, where the beloved Green Store offers homemade chicken soup for $5.99, which you can slurp down at Noble Park, about a half-mile south.
Grab some homemade chicken soup at Hermosa’s beloved Green Market, and head to a nearby park. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)
Right next door to the Green Store is the Bottle Inn, with a patio offering ocean views. That’s where I find Mariana Aguilar, who is doing just as we suggest, stealing a day to read and unwind, wisely alternating between a cup of mint tea and a glass of rose.
“I just wanted a quiet day,” Aguilar explains as she pauses while reading “The Overstory.” “I feel like we live in a city where you need to make a point of doing this sort of thing once in a while.”
Hermosa is an ideal winter pit stop, quieter than nearby beach cities and with a bit more country charm. Java Man, just up from the pier, is an excellent hang, a 1920s bungalow featuring tables or benches, sofas or chairs. Don’t skip the turkey and egg white breakfast burrito.
Less precious is the rakish Redondo Pier, featuring an assortment of appealing seafood joints and downright dives. There I find a steamy bowl of chowder at perhaps the quintessential winter retreat: Redondo Coffee Shop, at the end of the pier and within earshot of barking seals.
The portions are generous, and you can loiter for hours. If you didn’t know better, you might think you were in Gloucester or some other moody seaside sanctuary in Massachusetts. On a gray day, the sky is indistinguishable from the sea, just various shades of steel -- misty and pixelating in the distance, sort of tinseled.
The Redondo Beach Coffee Shop, at the end of the pier, offers hearty chowder and a place to read or write. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)
This is the place to pen your novel, pore over the sports scores or just veg. The turquoise booths are roomy, and I don’t know the name of those filmy curtains, the kind Grandma kept high across her kitchen windows, but they have those too. If the fish are biting, you can rent a rig for $9 and buy bait (anchovies $5.75, squid $7.95). Drop a line. Feel the sea on your fingers.
By now, you’ve had a day. You’ll be better at work, more fun with your friends, who will wonder whether you’re in love again — or merely drunk — for all your zen.
Truth is, you probably ended your beach day at Tony’s on the Pier, a jaunty bar/restaurant with pirate-ship ambience and lighthouse views up and down the South Bay. Head upstairs for the best sunsets.
In business since 1952, Tony’s could be your portal to a better 2020. Honestly, I’ve sent you to inferior places (Spago, for example).
At Tony’s, waves blast the beach 50 yards away. It’s a fine vista for studying a long winter sunset, pink as Cupid’s tongue. Be patient. The sky won’t really explode till the sun fully sinks below the horizon.
Tip No. 3: Don’t doubt yourself.
Heal the bay? Heal thyself.
For, if nothing else, you’ve now “boxed the compass,” an ancient rite for young sailors learning their way. You’ve started the year replenished, with notes for that novel or inspiration from your favorite author, who seems to sneak peeks at your soul.
You’ve also started the year with the notion that while L.A. may be renowned for its sweaty summers, it might just be best right now.
In addition to breakfast or lunch, you can rent a rod and buy bait at the Redondo Coffee Shop. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)
Worthy winter hangouts
Best coffee (and bait): Redondo Coffee Shop
Best reading nooks: Figtree’s Café in Venice, or Java Man in Hermosa.
Best chowder: Chowder Barge in Wilmington
Best bookstores: Small World Books in Venice and Pages in Manhattan Beach
Finest views: Tony’s on the Pier on Redondo Pier
Most likely place for spontaneous friendships: Gum Tree Café in Hermosa
Beachiest menu: North End Caffe in Manhattan


latimes--2020-01-09--California eyes selling its own brand of generic prescription drugs to battle high costs

California would become the first state to sell its own brand of generic prescription drugs in an effort to drive down rising healthcare costs under a proposal Gov .
Gavin Newsom is expected to unveil in his new state budget Friday .
A broad overview of the ambitious but still conceptual plan provided by Newsom ’ s office says the state could contract with one or more generic drugmakers to manufacture certain prescriptions under the state ’ s own label .
Those drugs would be available to all Californians for purchase , presumably at a lower cost .
The governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase competition in the generic drug market , which in turn would lower prices for everyone .
Whether drugmakers would follow California ’ s lead as Newsom ’ s administration has suggested is far from certain .
And other key details , including what prescriptions would be manufactured , were not provided .
“ A trip to the doctor ’ s office , pharmacy or hospital shouldn ’ t cost a month ’ s pay , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ The cost of healthcare is just too damn high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last year , Newsom signed executive orders to consolidate the state ’ s prescription drug purchases into a government-run program , a plan that is still in its early phases .
Under the current system , Medi-Cal and state agencies separately negotiate prescription drug prices , but Newsom wants to consolidate to give the state more purchasing power .
The executive order last year called for the state-run collective to be open to small businesses , California residents and local governments , with a handful of counties already pledging to join , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to announce plans to expand on the state ’ s bulk buying plan and seek additional partnerships .
Newsom plans to propose a drug pricing schedule for California , a system in which drug manufacturers would bid to sell their prescription drugs at set uniform prices in the state .
Newsom ’ s plan calls for drug prices to be equal to or lower than those of any other state , national or global purchaser in order to sell their products in California .
No other specifics for the plan were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like to open the state ’ s future bulk buying program to all entities in California that negotiate with drug manufacturers , including Medi-Cal and the private insurance market .
In October , the state released its first report detailing wholesale drug price increases using data from a pricing transparency law passed in 2017 .
That report showed generic drugs had the largest median price increase from 2017 through the beginning of 2019 , rising 37.6 % , according to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development .
That increase was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs before discounts and rebates .
Overall , the median list price for all drugs rose 25.8 % over the three-year period , according to the report .
“ These nation-leading reforms seek to put consumers back in the driver seat and lower healthcare costs for every Californian , ” Newsom said in a statement .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce a plan for the state to sell its own brand of generic prescription drugs.
California would become the first state to sell its own brand of generic prescription drugs in an effort to drive down rising healthcare costs under a proposal Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to unveil in his new state budget Friday.
A broad overview of the ambitious but still conceptual plan provided by Newsom’s office says the state could contract with one or more generic drugmakers to manufacture certain prescriptions under the state’s own label. Those drugs would be available to all Californians for purchase, presumably at a lower cost. The governor’s office said the proposal would increase competition in the generic drug market, which in turn would lower prices for everyone.
The proposal drew both praise and skepticism Thursday as healthcare experts said they were eager to see details on how the state would rein in drug prices that have become increasingly out of reach for many in the state.
Advertisement
“It’s an interesting idea without there being any specifics,” said Craig Garthwaite, director of the healthcare program at Northwestern University‘s Kellogg School of Management. “The question is: What is the goal? Is it to decrease aggregate spending on drugs or fix market failures?”
Whether prescription drugmakers would follow California’s lead as Newsom’s administration has suggested is far from certain. And other key details, including what prescriptions would be manufactured and the timeline for the venture, were not provided.
“A trip to the doctor’s office, pharmacy or hospital shouldn’t cost a month’s pay,” Newsom said in a statement. “The cost of healthcare is just too damn high, and California is fighting back.”
Combating high prescription drug prices has been a priority for Newsom since he took office a year ago, tapping into an area of great concern to the public. Six out of 10 Americans report taking at least one prescription drug, while nearly 80% say the price of those medicines is unreasonable, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report last year. The issue has also become a priority for candidates courting supporters, with 70% of registered voters saying they favor candidates who support lowering drug costs, a 2018 Kaiser Family Foundation poll found.
“Every state has been frustrated with high drug prices,” said Trish Riley, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy. “They want to balance their budgets and these drug price spikes make it difficult. This could have tremendous impact.”
No other state has attempted to cut out the supply chain that leads to drug markups, Riley said, but there is another, smaller-scale model California can turn to.
More than 1,000 hospitals in 46 states are a part of a nonprofit company called Civica Rx, which formed in 2018 to manufacture generic injectable drugs used in hospitals to lower costs and create a stable supply of the medicines. The nonprofit delivered its first generic drug to hospitals in the fall, an antibiotic that had been in short supply.
“It’s an example of what aggressive purchasing can accomplish,” Riley said.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts proposed a bill in 2018 to establish an Office of Drug Manufacturing, which would have allowed the federal government to make prescription drugs or contract with drug companies to produce them in order to lower costs for patients and reduce shortages. The bill did not advance, although Warren continues to promote the concept in her campaign.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry’s lobbying arm, said it is “waiting to receive additional details from the governor on his proposals.”
But others have expressed skepticism at the state’s potential move into the drug market.
“Frankly, I think it’s a ludicrous proposal that demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of generic drug economics,” said Adam Fein, chief executive of the Drug Channels Institute, a market research and consulting firm. “It’s like saying you want to go to Post [Consumer Brands] for your Fruity Pebbles and open a supermarket to buy them. It doesn’t make sense.”
Advertisement
Health experts said California’s plan has the potential to assist consumers if done correctly but cautioned that the state should not expect it to yield significant savings. Those experts said the state could identify drugs that have not generated sufficient competition among generic drug manufacturers and try to compete, but that would mean producing medicines that are in less demand.
It is unlikely that would lead to large savings for the state, but it could drive down prices on some less commonly used drugs for a smaller number of Californians, said USC health economist Geoffrey Joyce.
“This is not a bad move,” Joyce said. “But I wouldn’t oversell it. It will make a modest dent in overall drug spending and drug pricing in California. You are benefiting a modest group of patients, but you are benefiting them in a significant way.”
Garthwaite said the plan has potential to drive down prices, but it also has risks.
“Just because California makes these drugs, doesn’t mean they will make them at a lower cost,” he said. “They would have to target places where the margin is high. I would be worried about them having the discipline to know which markets to enter.”
In October, the state released its first report detailing wholesale drug price increases using data from a pricing transparency law passed in 2017. That report showed 114 generic drugs with reportable price hikes had the largest median price increase from 2017 through the beginning of 2019, rising 37.6%, according to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. That increase was based on the list prices of the drugs before discounts and rebates. Overall, the median list price for all drugs rose 25.8% over the three-year period, according to the report.
But the data include only cases in which generic drugs were subject to price increases and do not account for retail prices that consumers pay, which have been declining, said Allen Goldberg, a spokesman for the Assn. for Accessible Medicines, a trade group for generic drug manufacturers.
“If we’re going to craft policy, let’s understand the data,” Goldberg said.
Last year, Newsom signed executive orders to consolidate the state’s prescription drug purchases into a government-run program, a plan that is still in its early phases. Under the current system, Medi-Cal and state agencies separately negotiate prescription drug prices, but Newsom wants to combine the efforts to give the state more purchasing power.
The executive orders last year called for the state-run collective to be open to small businesses, California residents and local governments, with a handful of counties already pledging to join, including Los Angeles.
On Friday, Newsom is expected to announce plans to expand on the state’s bulk buying plan and seek additional partnerships. He plans to propose a drug pricing schedule for California, a system in which drug manufacturers would bid to sell their prescription drugs at set uniform prices in the state. Newsom’s plan calls for drug prices to be equal to or lower than those of any other state, national or global purchaser in order to sell the products in California.
No other specifics for the plan were made available. Newsom has said he would like to open the state’s future bulk buying program to all entities in California that negotiate with drug manufacturers, including Medi-Cal and the private insurance market.
“These nation-leading reforms seek to put consumers back in the driver seat and lower healthcare costs for every Californian,” Newsom said in a statement.


latimes--2020-01-09--Defense contractor from California whose death sparked U.S.-Iran conflict is mourned

They washed the man ’ s body with care , wrapping him in a plain white cloth before bringing him to the prayer hall where community members waited .
Most of the men and women gathered Saturday afternoon at the Greater Sacramento Muslim Cemetery to honor Nawres Waleed Hamid hadn ’ t known him , but they felt compelled to pay him respect .
A U.S. defense contractor in Iraq , Hamid was killed in December in a strike on an Iraqi military base where he worked as a linguist .
His violent death triggered an escalation in the geopolitical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , belying the quiet life that he led at home in Sacramento and a temperament marked by gentleness .
The United States blamed Kataib Hezbollah , a paramilitary faction backed by Iran , for the attack that killed Hamid .
U.S. forces responded by striking multiple positions of the group , killing some 25 people and wounding 51 others .
Two days later , thousands of protesters aligned with an Iraqi paramilitary group of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad .
Angered by that outburst , President Trump ordered a drone attack that killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shadowy head of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force , shortly after he ’ d arrived at the Baghdad airport Friday .
Hamid ’ s death was cited as one of the reasons for the fiery U.S. response targeting the general — which in turn prompted Iran on Tuesday to launch a missile strike against two military bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed .
But despite the politics surrounding the attack that killed him , the nature of Hamid ’ s death was not mentioned during the ceremony .
“ Someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing as a political discussion , ” said Sajad Janmohamed , the manager of the cemetery .
“ You do your duty to your fellow Muslim.
” News of Hamid ’ s funeral spread through Sacramento ’ s Muslim community Friday , the day his body was finally returned home .
More people received word of his death via WhatsApp .
He was buried the next day , in line with the Muslim tradition that requires funerals to be held as quickly as possible .
Mourners assembled inside the prayer hall at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of royal blue tiles , hand-engraved with Quranic verses honoring the dead , citing a traditional prayer : “ We are from him .
To him we return.
” About 50 people stood alongside Hamid ’ s wife as they lowered him into his final resting place , where he lay facing toward Mecca .
His two boys , ages 2 and 8 , were absent .
A few details about Hamid ’ s career path to becoming an interpreter , and his service to the U.S. military , could be gleaned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Los Rios Community College District shows Hamid in 2015 as an American River College student .
The photo is from a newsletter about the school , where Hamid reportedly was a student for five years , studying computer science .
His Facebook page says that he graduated with a degree in computer sciences in 2017 .
Hamid ’ s employer , Virginia-based Valiant Integrated Services , paid for the funeral .
The company offers a range of international services , including interpretation , according to its website .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nawres Hamid , ” Valiant said in a statement Tuesday .
“ Mr .
Hamid was a consummate professional and highly committed member of the Valiant team who was cherished and valued by his colleagues.
” In a statement , U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui ( D-Sacramento ) said she was heartbroken over news of Hamid ’ s death .
“ Our U.S. military has relied on the expertise and professionalism of linguists in almost every mission around the globe , especially in Iraq , ” she said .
“ Nawres served and sacrificed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owe him a debt of gratitude .
My thoughts and prayers are with Nawres ’ widow and children at this time.
” Hamid ’ s family belongs to a growing community of Iraqi immigrants in Sacramento and across California .
Hamid ’ s widow told the Sacramento Bee that they came to the U.S. in 2011 , when she was pregnant with their eldest son .
More than 10,000 Iraqi refugees settled in the state during the eight-year period from 2008 to 2016 , the majority of them in Sacramento and San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Trump administration tightened its restrictions on refugee admissions .
Just 99 Iraqi refugees were settled in California in the 2018 fiscal year , compared with 1,280 in fiscal 2017 , according to figures from the Refugee Processing Center .
Of those 99 , 83 moved to the U.S. on special immigrant visas earned for service to U.S. military and government forces abroad .
“ Certainly some Iraqis in Northern California came through because of being in peril after helping U.S. forces , but that ’ s only part of a much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferguson , executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Northern California .
“ The Iraqi community is a diverse community where some came for employment opportunities , others came through family reunification as immigrants and some were coming through as refugees , ” she added .
It was not immediately clear whether Hamid and his wife moved to the U.S. on a special immigrant visa or through another pathway for Iraqis who have helped the American military , such as the P-2 Direct Access Program that allows people to apply for refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Refugee Admissions Program .
Hamid lived with his family in Arden Arcade , in an apartment complex of about 130 units congregated around a central courtyard .
When a reporter visited Wednesday , the sounds of small children and foreign-language television echoed through the building ’ s narrow halls with peeling gray carpet .
Hamid ’ s widow declined to speak with The Times , saying she did not want to talk about her recent loss .
Many of the single-bedroom apartments are rented to families that came to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we all came that way , ” said Hamid Tahiry , who lived across the hall from Hamid ’ s family , and has also worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan .
The families were settled in the area with the help of refugee organizations , in part because the rent there is cheap .
Many said they hoped to move as quickly as possible , but Hamid ’ s family has been here for years , living in at least three different units .
Hamid “ was a good , kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , ” Tahiry said .
A downstairs neighbor who asked to be identified only by his first name , Robert , said he had known Hamid for years and considered him to be a good friend .
The two would sometimes sit together in the courtyard , he said .
He recalled Hamid telling him that his name meant sea gull in Arabic and that his father had chosen it because he loved the water .
Robert said it became a joke with an upstairs neighbor whose name translated to “ knight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moniker .
“ He was really cool , ” Robert said , adding that his friend ’ s death was “ perplexing and shocking.
” When he heard about Hamid ’ s death , Robert said , he had been told the man was killed on the job .
But he had not known that his friend was overseas , and he had not connected the national news about mounting tension in the Middle East to the gentle and polite man who would remind him to get a jacket when it was too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
As the disparate facts collided , hurt and confusion clouded his face .

Anita Chabria, Leila Miller, Sarah Parvini

The unmarked grave in Sacramento of Nawres Waleed Hamid, the U.S. contractor killed in Iraq.
They washed the man’s body with care, wrapping him in a plain white cloth before bringing him to the prayer hall where community members waited.
Most of the men and women gathered Saturday afternoon at the Greater Sacramento Muslim Cemetery to honor Nawres Waleed Hamid hadn’t known him, but they felt compelled to pay him respect.
A U.S. defense contractor in Iraq, Hamid was killed in December in a strike on an Iraqi military base where he worked as a linguist. His violent death triggered an escalation in the geopolitical struggle between Iran and the United States, belying the quiet life that he led at home in Sacramento and a temperament marked by gentleness.
The United States blamed Kataib Hezbollah, a paramilitary faction backed by Iran, for the attack that killed Hamid. U.S. forces responded by striking multiple positions of the group, killing some 25 people and wounding 51 others.
Two days later, thousands of protesters aligned with an Iraqi paramilitary group stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Angered by that outburst, President Trump ordered a drone attack that killed Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the powerful and shadowy head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, shortly after he’d arrived at the Baghdad airport Friday.
Hamid’s death was cited as one of the reasons for the fiery U.S. response targeting the general — which in turn prompted Iran on Tuesday to launch a missile strike against two military bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed.
But despite the politics surrounding the attack that killed him, the nature of Hamid’s death was not mentioned during the ceremony.
Advertisement
“Someone dies and there’s no such thing as a political discussion,” said Sajad Janmohamed, the manager of the cemetery. “You do your duty to your fellow Muslim.”
News of Hamid’s funeral spread through Sacramento’s Muslim community Friday, the day his body was finally returned home. More people received word of his death via WhatsApp. He was buried the next day, in line with the Muslim tradition that requires funerals to be held as quickly as possible.
Mourners assembled inside the prayer hall at the rural cemetery in front of an archway of royal blue tiles, hand-engraved with Quranic verses honoring the dead, citing a traditional prayer: “We are from him. To him we return.”
About 50 people stood alongside Hamid’s wife as they lowered him into his final resting place, where he lay facing toward Mecca.
His two boys, ages 2 and 8, were absent.
A few details about Hamid’s career path to becoming an interpreter, and his service to the U.S. military, could be gleaned from online sources.
A photo posted online by the Los Rios Community College District shows Hamid in 2015 as an American River College student. The photo is from a newsletter about the school, where Hamid reportedly was a student for five years, studying computer science. His Facebook page says that he graduated with a degree in computer sciences in 2017.
Hamid’s employer, Virginia-based Valiant Integrated Services, paid for the funeral. The company offers a range of international services, including interpretation, according to its website.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nawres Hamid,” Valiant said in a statement Tuesday. “Mr. Hamid was a consummate professional and highly committed member of the Valiant team who was cherished and valued by his colleagues.”
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) said she was heartbroken over news of Hamid’s death.
Advertisement
“Our U.S. military has relied on the expertise and professionalism of linguists in almost every mission around the globe, especially in Iraq,” she said. “Nawres served and sacrificed for our nation, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. My thoughts and prayers are with Nawres’ widow and children at this time.”
Hamid’s family belongs to a growing community of Iraqi immigrants in Sacramento and across California. Hamid’s widow told the Sacramento Bee that they came to the U.S. in 2011, when she was pregnant with their eldest son.
More than 10,000 Iraqi refugees settled in the state during the eight-year period from 2008 to 2016, the majority of them in Sacramento and San Diego. But the migration rate has slowed as the Trump administration tightened its restrictions on refugee admissions.
Just 99 Iraqi refugees were settled in California in the 2018 fiscal year, compared with 1,280 in fiscal 2017, according to figures from the Refugee Processing Center. Of those 99, 83 moved to the U.S. on special immigrant visas earned for service to U.S. military and government forces abroad.
“Certainly some Iraqis in Northern California came through because of being in peril after helping U.S. forces, but that’s only part of a much larger Iraqi community,” said Karen Ferguson, executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Northern California.
“The Iraqi community is a diverse community where some came for employment opportunities, others came through family reunification as immigrants and some were coming through as refugees,” she added.
It was not immediately clear whether Hamid and his wife moved to the U.S. on a special immigrant visa or through another pathway for Iraqis who have helped the American military, such as the P-2 Direct Access Program that allows people to apply for refugee resettlement in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Hamid lived with his family in Arden Arcade, in an apartment complex of about 130 units congregated around a central courtyard.
When a reporter visited Wednesday, the sounds of small children and foreign-language television echoed through the building’s narrow halls with peeling gray carpet. Hamid’s widow declined to speak with The Times, saying she did not want to talk about her recent loss.
Many of the single-bedroom apartments are rented to families that came to the U.S. on special visas.
“This building, we all came that way,” said Hamid Tahiry, who lived across the hall from Hamid’s family, and has also worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The families were settled in the area with the help of refugee organizations, in part because the rent there is cheap. Many said they hoped to move as quickly as possible, but Hamid’s family has been here for years, living in at least three different units.
Hamid “was a good, kind person. He was always with his family,” Tahiry said.
A downstairs neighbor who asked to be identified only by his first name, Robert, said he had known Hamid for years and considered him to be a good friend. The two would sometimes sit together in the courtyard, he said.
He recalled Hamid telling him that his name meant sea gull in Arabic and that his father had chosen it because he loved the water. Robert said it became a joke with an upstairs neighbor whose name translated to “knight in shining armor,” a grander moniker.
“He was really cool,” Robert said, adding that his friend’s death was “perplexing and shocking.”
When he heard about Hamid’s death, Robert said, he had been told the man was killed on the job.
But he had not known that his friend was overseas, and he had not connected the national news about mounting tension in the Middle East to the gentle and polite man who would remind him to get a jacket when it was too cold to sit outside and chat without one.
“It’s a small world,” Robert said, “the interconnectedness.”
As the disparate facts collided, hurt and confusion clouded his face.


latimes--2020-01-09--They were planning to run for office. But getting on L.A.'s ballot wasn't so easy

Fitness app owner Adam Summer was ready to wage an aggressive election campaign , one that would have targeted a 10-year incumbent on the Los Angeles City Council .
Caltech researcher Jamie Tijerina was planning her own council bid , hiring a digital media consultant to promote her campaign .
And real estate broker Hal Bastian was getting ready to appear onstage at a downtown candidate forum .
All three had their political hopes dashed last month , with city officials informing them they had failed to come up with the 500 voter signatures needed to qualify for the ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of the 51 people who filed paperwork to run for City Council or school board , 18 of them — more than 35 % — did not make it past the signature-gathering process .
That ’ s a greater share of the candidate pool than in any of the city ’ s last four regular and special elections .
With fewer candidates making the ballot , it ’ s now more likely that most or even all of L.A. 's council and school board races could be decided in a single round in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Candidates in L.A. contests win outright if they receive more than 50 % of the vote , a task that ’ s easier with a shorter list of contenders .
City Clerk Holly Wolcott , whose office reviewed the petitions , said her staff looked at this year ’ s high failure rate and found that many candidates turned in fewer signatures than in previous elections — and that a significant number waited until the last minute .
Of the 18 people who did not qualify , 13 submitted their signatures on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That made it impossible for them to go back out and get additional signatures once they fell short .
“ The more signatures they turn in up to the limit , the better , and the earlier the better , ” Wolcott said .
Bastian , who had been planning to run for the seat being vacated by Councilman Jose Huizar , was one of the would-be candidates whose petitions were turned in on the last day .
The downtown resident said he was “ heartbroken and angry ” to learn that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bastian , 59 , said he relied on campaign consultant Michael Trujillo , an experienced hand in L.A. elections , to handle the signature-gathering effort .
“ Michael has indicated how sorry he is to me , ” he said .
“ But I will never understand how a 20-year veteran could make a catastrophic error of this kind.
” Trujillo denied that he was responsible for gathering the signatures , saying he was acting as a volunteer , not a paid consultant .
In an email , Trujillo confirmed that he hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Councilman Richard Alatorre , to handle signature gathering on Bastian ’ s behalf .
Trujillo said he submitted the petitions to the city clerk as a favor to Bastian — and was simply “ being nice.
” “ It is ultimately my fault that firm was working on behalf of Hal , ” Trujillo wrote .
“ It ’ s not my fault they came up short.
” Alatorre did not respond to inquiries about the signature-gathering effort .
Los Angeles sets a high bar for candidates seeking to run for City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Candidates must pay a fee and turn in at least 500 signatures from people registered to vote in the district where they are running for office .
Candidates for state Assembly , state Senate and Congress typically pay a higher fee but need to submit at least 40 valid voter signatures .
For candidates in L.A. , gathering those signatures is a “ very involved and difficult process , ” said political consultant Mike Shimpock , who has handled numerous campaigns in Southern California .
Signatures can be thrown out if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives in the wrong district or is registered to vote at an address different from the one listed on the petition .
Candidates should try to collect 800 signatures , Shimpock said , to ensure they have enough of a buffer to withstand the vetting process .
Because the process is so onerous , well-funded candidates typically have an easier time making it onto the ballot , he added .
“ People that have money can hire people to get the signatures , ” he said .
“ But grass-roots people have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to get them.
” Candidates in previous L.A. elections had much more success in getting on the ballot , records show .
In the 2015 municipal election , 50 people turned in petitions , with 44 qualifying .
Two years later , 82 people filed to run for city and school board offices , with 69 making the ballot .
In last year ’ s special election to replace Eastside school board member Ref Rodriguez , 11 out of 11 people made the cut .
( Two others filed petitions but then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 out of 17 qualified for the ballot in last year ’ s special election to replace Councilman Mitchell Englander in the San Fernando Valley , according to tallies from the city clerk ’ s office .
Some candidates have decided to forge ahead , even after receiving the bad news from the city .
Businesswoman Denise Francis Woods decided to wage a write-in campaign against Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson , who represents part of South Los Angeles .
Francis Woods and three others turned in petitions to challenge Harris-Dawson last month .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Francis Woods , 54 , expressed disappointment with the city ’ s finding but said she is confident her supporters will write in her name when they vote .
“ There ’ s a whole lot of people disappointed that Marqueece is the only one who made it to the ballot , ” she said .
“ So we have a whole lot of energy.
” Tijerina , the Caltech researcher , looked at running as a write-in candidate but decided against it .
The fact that so many people failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s something wrong with the process , ” she said .
This year ’ s signature-vetting process even stymied Studio City resident Eric Preven , a longtime City Hall critic who has repeatedly qualified for the ballot in local elections .
Preven , 56 , ran unsuccessfully for county supervisor in 2014 , City Council in 2015 , mayor in 2017 and county supervisor again last year .
Last month , he was informed that he lacked sufficient signatures to appear on the March ballot as a candidate for a Valley council seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his name be restored , but a judge rejected his request .
He is now considering a write-in campaign and says the 500-signature requirement favors elected officials who can afford to hire signature gatherers .
“ This is one of many tools in the incumbent-protection program ” at City Hall , he said .

Hal Bastian, with copies of the signed petitions submitted by his campaign, said he is “heartbroken and angry” that he did not qualify for the ballot in L.A.’s March election.
Fitness app owner Adam Summer was ready to wage an aggressive election campaign, one that would have targeted a 10-year incumbent on the Los Angeles City Council.
Caltech researcher Jamie Tijerina was planning her own council bid, hiring a digital media consultant to promote her campaign. And real estate broker Hal Bastian was getting ready to appear onstage at a downtown candidate forum.
All three had their political hopes dashed last month, with city officials informing them they had failed to come up with the 500 voter signatures needed to qualify for the ballot in L.A.’s March 3 election.
Advertisement
Of the 51 people who filed paperwork to run for City Council or school board, 18 of them — more than 35% — did not make it past the signature-gathering process. That’s a greater share of the candidate pool than in any of the city’s last four regular and special elections.
With fewer candidates making the ballot, it’s now more likely that most or even all of L.A.’s council and school board races could be decided in a single round in March, with no runoff in November. Candidates in L.A. contests win outright if they receive more than 50% of the vote, a task that’s easier with a shorter list of contenders.
City Clerk Holly Wolcott, whose office reviewed the petitions, said her staff looked at this year’s high failure rate and found that many candidates turned in fewer signatures than in previous elections — and that a significant number waited until the last minute.
Of the 18 people who did not qualify, 13 submitted their signatures on the day of the filing deadline. That made it impossible for them to go back out and get additional signatures once they fell short.
“The more signatures they turn in up to the limit, the better, and the earlier the better,” Wolcott said.
Bastian, who had been planning to run for the seat being vacated by Councilman Jose Huizar, was one of the would-be candidates whose petitions were turned in on the last day. The downtown resident said he was “heartbroken and angry” to learn that he had failed to make the ballot.
Advertisement
Bastian, 59, said he relied on campaign consultant Michael Trujillo, an experienced hand in L.A. elections, to handle the signature-gathering effort.
“Michael has indicated how sorry he is to me,” he said. “But I will never understand how a 20-year veteran could make a catastrophic error of this kind.”
Trujillo denied that he was responsible for gathering the signatures, saying he was acting as a volunteer, not a paid consultant.
In an email, Trujillo confirmed that he hired political consultant Darrell Alatorre, son of former Councilman Richard Alatorre, to handle signature gathering on Bastian’s behalf. Trujillo said he submitted the petitions to the city clerk as a favor to Bastian — and was simply “being nice.”
“It is ultimately my fault that firm was working on behalf of Hal,” Trujillo wrote. “It’s not my fault they came up short.”
Alatorre did not respond to inquiries about the signature-gathering effort.
Los Angeles sets a high bar for candidates seeking to run for City Council and the L.A. Board of Education. Candidates must pay a fee and turn in at least 500 signatures from people registered to vote in the district where they are running for office. Candidates for state Assembly, state Senate and Congress typically pay a higher fee but need to submit at least 40 valid voter signatures.
For candidates in L.A., gathering those signatures is a “very involved and difficult process,” said political consultant Mike Shimpock, who has handled numerous campaigns in Southern California. Signatures can be thrown out if the signer is not a registered voter, lives in the wrong district or is registered to vote at an address different from the one listed on the petition.
Candidates should try to collect 800 signatures, Shimpock said, to ensure they have enough of a buffer to withstand the vetting process. Because the process is so onerous, well-funded candidates typically have an easier time making it onto the ballot, he added.
“People that have money can hire people to get the signatures,” he said. “But grass-roots people have to be able to build an army of people to get them.”
Businesswoman Denise Francis Woods was one of 18 people who failed to qualify for L.A.’s election ballot. Now she’s waging a write-in campaign for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Candidates in previous L.A. elections had much more success in getting on the ballot, records show. In the 2015 municipal election, 50 people turned in petitions, with 44 qualifying. Two years later, 82 people filed to run for city and school board offices, with 69 making the ballot.
In last year’s special election to replace Eastside school board member Ref Rodriguez, 11 out of 11 people made the cut. (Two others filed petitions but then withdrew from the race.) And 16 out of 17 qualified for the ballot in last year’s special election to replace Councilman Mitchell Englander in the San Fernando Valley, according to tallies from the city clerk’s office.
Some candidates have decided to forge ahead, even after receiving the bad news from the city.
Businesswoman Denise Francis Woods decided to wage a write-in campaign against Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who represents part of South Los Angeles. Francis Woods and three others turned in petitions to challenge Harris-Dawson last month. All four were found to have insufficient signatures.
Francis Woods, 54, expressed disappointment with the city’s finding but said she is confident her supporters will write in her name when they vote.
“There’s a whole lot of people disappointed that Marqueece is the only one who made it to the ballot,” she said. “So we have a whole lot of energy.”
Tijerina, the Caltech researcher, looked at running as a write-in candidate but decided against it. The fact that so many people failed to make the ballot “means there’s something wrong with the process,” she said.
Studio City resident Eric Preven, a frequent critic of the Los Angeles City Council, says the city’s requirements for getting on the ballot tip the scales in favor of well-funded incumbents. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
This year’s signature-vetting process even stymied Studio City resident Eric Preven, a longtime City Hall critic who has repeatedly qualified for the ballot in local elections.
Preven, 56, ran unsuccessfully for county supervisor in 2014, City Council in 2015, mayor in 2017 and county supervisor again last year. Last month, he was informed that he lacked sufficient signatures to appear on the March ballot as a candidate for a Valley council seat.
Preven sued the city, demanding that his name be restored, but a judge rejected his request. He is now considering a write-in campaign and says the 500-signature requirement favors elected officials who can afford to hire signature gatherers.
“This is one of many tools in the incumbent-protection program” at City Hall, he said.


latimes--2020-01-09--Eric Garcetti endorses Joe Biden for president as candidate takes two-day visit to Southern Californ

Eric Garcetti endorses Joe Biden for president as candidate takes two-day visit to Southern California

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , who flirted with the idea of running for president but skipped the 2020 campaign , endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination Thursday .
Garcetti will be one of Biden ’ s highest-profile supporters in California ’ s March 3 primary , but the endorsement is unlikely to have any practical effect on the highly competitive race .
Dianne Feinstein , the state ’ s senior U.S. senator , is also supporting Biden .
And Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia , who had endorsed California Sen. Kamala Harris before she dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced his support for Biden on Thursday .
“ We need Joe Biden to bring our nation and world together during these most divided and dangerous times , ” Garcetti said .
“ I know that from Day One , he will heal our nation , repair our relationships abroad and get things done — and will be a true partner in solving the national homelessness crisis.
” Biden is a solid front-runner in national polls of Democratic voters but is in a tighter race for the lead in California , where polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts running nearly even with the former vice president .
The 416 delegates at stake in California ’ s Super Tuesday primary are the biggest prize of the campaign for the party nomination .
Since Garcetti was first elected mayor in 2013 , he has devoted much time to building a national political network .
He is a member of the Democratic National Committee and vice president of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors .
The Los Angeles Times found he spent nearly one-third of his time outside California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , including trips to states with crucial presidential contests , such as Iowa and New Hampshire .
After almost two years of weighing whether to make a bid for the White House , Garcetti announced at City Hall a year ago that he would not run in 2020 , saying , “ This is what I am meant to do and this is where I want to be.
” Left unsaid was that the surge in homelessness on his watch would have posed a huge challenge in a presidential race .
Tent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in underpasses and along sidewalks , alleys , beaches and riverbanks .
Biden was in Southern California on Thursday to start a two-day visit .
In the afternoon , he toured a $ 1.5-billion bridge replacement project in Long Beach with Garcia .
“ This bridge will carry 15 % of all of America ’ s cargo by truck up across the bridge connecting Long Beach to Los Angeles .
During the Obama-Biden administration , they provided the funds for us actually to construct this bridge , ” Garcia said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the leadership that the vice president really was all about when it came to infrastructure .
He is ready to lead our country on Day One.
” Biden later attended a fundraising reception in Irvine hosted by former California Sen. Barbara Boxer , former Ambassador James Costos and Reps. Harley Rouda of Laguna Beach and Lou Correa of Santa Ana .
On Friday , Biden is scheduled to raise money at a luncheon in Hancock Park .
Garcetti , who was a California co-chair of Barack Obama ’ s 2008 campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 , Biden dined with Garcetti at Getty House , the mayor ’ s official residence , after the two participated in a Los Angeles climate change summit .
In 2014 , Biden joined Garcetti in promoting an increase in the city ’ s minimum wage .
“ Democrats are blessed to have such an extraordinary field of candidates , ” Garcetti said in a statement Thursday , “ but I will never forget what Joe Biden has done for my city and our nation.
” Biden released a statement calling Garcetti “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country who has done incredibly innovative things to improve the lives ” of city residents .
The mayor will serve as a national co-chair of Biden ’ s campaign .

Joe Biden, left, appears in Westlake on Friday with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who endorsed the former vice president’s 2020 White House bid.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who flirted with the idea of running for president but skipped the 2020 campaign, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination Thursday.
Biden and Garcetti promoted the endorsement Friday at an event in Westlake with leaders of the International Assn. of Firefighters.
“He is the right leader at the right moment,” Garcetti said.
Garcetti will be one of Biden’s highest-profile supporters in California’s March 3 primary, but the endorsement is unlikely to have any practical effect on the highly competitive race. Dianne Feinstein, the state’s senior U.S. senator, is also supporting Biden. And Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who had endorsed California Sen. Kamala Harris before she dropped out of the presidential race, also announced his support for Biden on Thursday.
Advertisement
Biden is a solid front-runner in national polls of Democratic voters but is in a tighter race for the lead in California, where polls show Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts running nearly even with the former vice president. The 416 delegates at stake in California’s Super Tuesday primary are the biggest prize of the campaign for the party nomination.
Since Garcetti was first elected mayor in 2013, he has devoted much time to building a national political network. He is a member of the Democratic National Committee and vice president of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors. The Los Angeles Times found he spent nearly one-third of his time outside California in a one-year period ending in September 2017, including trips to states with crucial presidential contests, such as Iowa and New Hampshire.
After almost two years of weighing whether to make a bid for the White House, Garcetti announced at City Hall a year ago that he would not run in 2020, saying, “This is what I am meant to do and this is where I want to be.”
Left unsaid was that the surge in homelessness on his watch would have posed a huge challenge in a presidential race. Tent encampments have sprouted citywide on freeway overpasses, in underpasses and along sidewalks, alleys, beaches and riverbanks.
At the Westlake event on Friday, Biden recalled telling Garcetti at the time, “I’m happy you’re not running because you might beat me” but sad because he saw the mayor as qualified to lead the country.
Advertisement
On Thursday afternoon, Biden toured a $1.5-billion bridge replacement project in Long Beach with Garcia.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden tours the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project Thursday with Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“This bridge will carry 15% of all of America’s cargo by truck up across the bridge connecting Long Beach to Los Angeles. During the Obama-Biden administration, they provided the funds for us actually to construct this bridge,” Garcia said. “And so we’re very grateful to the leadership that the vice president really was all about when it came to infrastructure.... He is ready to lead our country on Day One.”
Later Thursday, Biden attended a fundraising reception in Irvine hosted by former California Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Ambassador James Costos and Reps. Harley Rouda of Laguna Beach and Lou Correa of Santa Ana. Also on Friday, Biden is raising money at a luncheon in Hancock Park.
Garcetti, who was a California co-chair of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, has long-standing ties with Biden. In 2015, Biden dined with Garcetti at Getty House, the mayor’s official residence, after the two participated in a Los Angeles climate change summit. In 2014, Biden joined Garcetti in promoting an increase in the city’s minimum wage.
“Democrats are blessed to have such an extraordinary field of candidates,” Garcetti said in a statement Thursday, “but I will never forget what Joe Biden has done for my city and our nation.”
Biden released a statement calling Garcetti “one of the best mayors in this country who has done incredibly innovative things to improve the lives” of city residents. The mayor will serve as a national co-chair of Biden’s campaign.


latimes--2020-01-09--Gov.  Newsom to propose more spending on  wildfire efforts in new California budget

Gov .
Gavin Newsom is calling for the state to invest more money next year to prevent and prepare for disasters after wildfires and earthquakes again wreaked havoc on California in 2019 .
Much of the governor ’ s proposal focuses on efforts to reduce and respond to wildfires , including funding 677 new CalFire positions over five years and allocating $ 90 million for new technology and a forecast center to better predict , track and battle blazes .
The plan also calls for the continuation of a $ 200-million annual investment approved by lawmakers to reduce the kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 100 million to fund the Legislature ’ s pilot program to harden homes in fire-prone areas .
The proposal , broadly outlined in documents provided by Newsom ’ s office , builds on prior spending with a mix of one-time and ongoing funds , but it ’ s unclear exactly how much money would support new expenditures in 2020-2021 .
Newsom will unveil his full budget proposal Friday morning .
“ Last year , with the help of strategically pre-positioning firefighting strike teams , California firefighters responded to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with far fewer fatalities and destroyed structures when compared to the devastating toll of 2018 , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ Combating California ’ s wildfires will continue to be a top priority for my administration.
” California experienced the most deadly wildfire season in state history in 2018 , but last year brought a new challenge : widespread blackouts to prevent power lines from sparking blazes .
While the death toll from wildfires dropped , power shutoffs created problems for communities , hospitals , medically fragile residents and emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s proposal includes $ 50 million in one-time funding to help critical services prepare for outages , according to the governor ’ s office .
Newsom also plans to ask the Legislature to support a call for $ 500 million to harden drinking water facilities , emergency shelters and other types of critical infrastructure to better withstand disasters , “ with a focus on low-income areas at significant risk of wildfires , ” according to the document .
Another $ 340 million would support projects to reduce urban flood risks through 2025 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for flood and restoration efforts .
The governor ’ s office said Newsom will also reveal a proposal to set aside $ 250 million per year for four years to create the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund , which would help small businesses and organizations invest in projects , such as recycling and climate-smart agriculture , to help the state meet its environmental goals .

An Air National Guard helicopter moves in to make a water drop at the Lodge Fire Complex between Leggett and Laytonville, Calif., on Aug. 8.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for the state to invest more money next year to prevent and prepare for disasters after wildfires and earthquakes again wreaked havoc on California in 2019.
Much of the governor’s proposal focuses on efforts to reduce and respond to wildfires, including funding 677 new CalFire positions over five years and allocating $90 million for new technology and a forecast center to better predict, track and battle blazes. The plan also calls for the continuation of a $200-million annual investment approved by lawmakers to reduce the kinds of vegetation that fuel wildfires, and more than $100 million to fund the Legislature’s pilot program to harden homes in fire-prone areas.
The proposal, broadly outlined in documents provided by Newsom’s office, builds on prior spending with a mix of one-time and ongoing funds, but it’s unclear exactly how much money would support new expenditures in 2020-2021. Newsom will unveil his full budget proposal Friday morning.
“Last year, with the help of strategically pre-positioning firefighting strike teams, California firefighters responded to more than 7,800 wildfire incidents across the state, with far fewer fatalities and destroyed structures when compared to the devastating toll of 2018,” Newsom said in a statement. “Combating California’s wildfires will continue to be a top priority for my administration.”
California experienced the most deadly wildfire season in state history in 2018, but last year brought a new challenge: widespread blackouts to prevent power lines from sparking blazes. While the death toll from wildfires dropped, power shutoffs created problems for communities, hospitals, medically fragile residents and emergency responders who rely on electricity. Newsom’s proposal includes $50 million in one-time funding to help critical services prepare for outages, according to the governor’s office.
Newsom also plans to ask the Legislature to support a call for $500 million to harden drinking water facilities, emergency shelters and other types of critical infrastructure to better withstand disasters, “with a focus on low-income areas at significant risk of wildfires,” according to the document.
Advertisement
Another $340 million would support projects to reduce urban flood risks through 2025, with an additional $270 million for flood and restoration efforts.
The governor’s office said Newsom will also reveal a proposal to set aside $250 million per year for four years to create the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund, which would help small businesses and organizations invest in projects, such as recycling and climate-smart agriculture, to help the state meet its environmental goals.