latimes--2020-06-24--Officials, activists agree it's time to 'reimagine' the LAPD, but they continue to spar over how

Convening the Los Angeles City Council ’ s special committee on police reform Wednesday , Councilman Herb Wesson Jr. cited the ongoing national movement for enhanced police accountability as an opportunity to reshape the Los Angeles Police Department .
“ Instead of us dismissing or denying what ’ s going on in this country , I say let ’ s embrace it .
Let ’ s let it take us as far as it can take us , ” Wesson said .
“ If we are serious about being impactful , if we are serious about making real change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for the next hour , Wesson and the rest of the committee listened as members of the public called in to say that the committee wasn ’ t going far enough with the slate of reform measures before them and should instead focus on defunding and abolishing the police force altogether .
Most callers said they backed a motion by Wesson and others to limit police responses on incidents involving people experiencing mental health crises , but only as one step toward removing police from the streets entirely .
They said police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that a motion leaving that review to the LAPD itself was outrageous .
“ This is not good enough .
We need to defund the police , ” said one caller .
“ Defund the police , or you will get voted out , ” said another .
The exchanges mirrored others between the civilian-run Police Commission and local residents during a meeting of that panel on Tuesday , where LAPD commanders walked commissioners through a plan to increase officer training — including by providing additional de-escalation and anti-bias instruction — before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for pushing costly new measures instead of meeting protesters ’ demands to cut police expenses .
“ We expect you to defund police , not spend more money to train them , ” said one caller .
Both meetings continued a broader trend in government locally and across the country in which officials have increasingly offered up police reforms , even ones long sought and never won before , and activists have pushed back to demand more .
At the national level , Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are sparring over which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the City Council ’ s Budget and Finance Committee agreed to cut more than $ 133 million from the LAPD budget , an amount that would have stunned longtime city observers a month before .
Activists who pushed a separate “ People ’ s Budget , ” which would slash the LAPD ’ s roughly $ 3 billion annual budget by about 90 % , said the cut fell far short .
Callers into Wednesday ’ s police reform committee meeting repeatedly raised the People ’ s Budget as their preferred option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city as well .
The same term was used during a special meeting earlier this month between criminal justice reform advocates and council members to discuss the People ’ s Budget , where Melina Abdullah , co-founder of Black Lives Matter-L.A. , told officials that the public is saying “ defund the police ” but also “ reimagine public safety.
” “ They ’ re saying we don ’ t want a system of policing that puts targets on the backs of Black people especially , but also is a regular assailant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Abdullah said at the June 15 meeting .
Instead of revisiting the People ’ s Budget , however , the committee on Wednesday pushed forward with the more modest measures its members and other council members had advanced .
One motion would have the LAPD work with other city and county agencies that handle health and homelessness issues to “ develop an unarmed model of crisis response that would divert non-violent calls for service away from LAPD to the appropriate non-law enforcement agencies and related matters.
” Shifting responsibilities for responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other agencies is a key concept behind the “ Defund Police ” movement , but activists took issue Wednesday with any involvement of the LAPD in overseeing that shift .
Several other motions called for reviews of the LAPD ’ s response to recent protests , including one that directs the LAPD to report back to the council on how it will investigate allegations of misconduct and what discipline will be imposed on officers who used excessive force against protesters .
Another motion would require more officers to wear body cameras , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another would make it illegal to use the 911 system for frivolous or false emergency claims based on racial bias .
The panel voted to push all of the motions to the full council .
On Tuesday , the Police Commission took the LAPD ’ s new plan for officer training through 2020 under review but did not approve it .
The decision to table the plan came after Commissioner Dale Bonner raised concerns about approving a large , multifaceted training program at a time when the city is considering a fundamental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is funded .
“ There are going to be questions about how this fits into that broader paradigm , ” Bonner said .
“ I just want to make sure that we are all grounding this conversation not only in reality but that we are setting ourselves and the whole process up for success and are doing what the community is demanding we do.
” At the meetings Tuesday and Wednesday , officials said that they know a new day has come and that they are doing their best to usher in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police in non-violent incidents .
But they also at times pushed back against the notion that police should play no role in the city ’ s future .
Councilman John Lee said the LAPD has made a lot of improvements over the years , but there is still a need to “ reshape and reimagine how we respond to certain non-violent issues in the city.
” Councilman Paul Koretz , who sits on the police reform committee , said he supported all of the reform measures before the committee but believes efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a step too far.
” “ If we did what is being asked to do and we defunded the police , and in a week they were gone , I think that would be the worst decision the city council has ever made , ” Koretz said .
“ I think the city would look a little bit like the movie ‘ Purge.
’ ” Koretz said he believes many citizens who don ’ t call into council meetings feel the same way .

Convening the Los Angeles City Council’s special committee on police reform Wednesday, Councilman Herb Wesson Jr. cited the ongoing national movement for enhanced police accountability as an opportunity to reshape the Los Angeles Police Department.
“Instead of us dismissing or denying what’s going on in this country, I say let’s embrace it. Let’s let it take us as far as it can take us,” Wesson said. “If we are serious about being impactful, if we are serious about making real change, then this is our moment.”
Then, for the next hour, Wesson and the rest of the committee listened as members of the public called in to say that the committee wasn’t going far enough with the slate of reform measures before them and should instead focus on defunding and abolishing the police force altogether.
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Most callers said they backed a motion by Wesson and others to limit police responses on incidents involving people experiencing mental health crises, but only as one step toward removing police from the streets entirely. They said police actions during recent protests must be examined but that a motion leaving that review to the LAPD itself was outrageous.
“This is not good enough. We need to defund the police,” said one caller.
“Defund the police, or you will get voted out,” said another.
The exchanges mirrored others between the civilian-run Police Commission and local residents during a meeting of that panel on Tuesday, where LAPD commanders walked commissioners through a plan to increase officer training — including by providing additional de-escalation and anti-bias instruction — before callers castigated the commanders and the commission for pushing costly new measures instead of meeting protesters’ demands to cut police expenses.
“We expect you to defund police, not spend more money to train them,” said one caller.
Both meetings continued a broader trend in government locally and across the country in which officials have increasingly offered up police reforms, even ones long sought and never won before, and activists have pushed back to demand more. At the national level, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are sparring over which police reforms to advance.
On Monday, the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee agreed to cut more than $133 million from the LAPD budget, an amount that would have stunned longtime city observers a month before. Activists who pushed a separate “People’s Budget,” which would slash the LAPD’s roughly $3 billion annual budget by about 90%, said the cut fell far short.
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Callers into Wednesday’s police reform committee meeting repeatedly raised the People’s Budget as their preferred option for “reimagining” public safety in the city as well.
The same term was used during a special meeting earlier this month between criminal justice reform advocates and council members to discuss the People’s Budget, where Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter-L.A., told officials that the public is saying “defund the police” but also “reimagine public safety.”
“They’re saying we don’t want a system of policing that puts targets on the backs of Black people especially, but also is a regular assailant and traumatizer of our entire community,” Abdullah said at the June 15 meeting.
Instead of revisiting the People’s Budget, however, the committee on Wednesday pushed forward with the more modest measures its members and other council members had advanced.
One motion would have the LAPD work with other city and county agencies that handle health and homelessness issues to “develop an unarmed model of crisis response that would divert non-violent calls for service away from LAPD to the appropriate non-law enforcement agencies and related matters.”
Shifting responsibilities for responding to calls for service away from police and to other agencies is a key concept behind the “Defund Police” movement, but activists took issue Wednesday with any involvement of the LAPD in overseeing that shift.
Several other motions called for reviews of the LAPD’s response to recent protests, including one that directs the LAPD to report back to the council on how it will investigate allegations of misconduct and what discipline will be imposed on officers who used excessive force against protesters.
Another motion would require more officers to wear body cameras, which critics questioned for its potential cost. Another would make it illegal to use the 911 system for frivolous or false emergency claims based on racial bias.
The panel voted to push all of the motions to the full council.
On Tuesday, the Police Commission took the LAPD’s new plan for officer training through 2020 under review but did not approve it.
The decision to table the plan came after Commissioner Dale Bonner raised concerns about approving a large, multifaceted training program at a time when the city is considering a fundamental change of course around policing and how it is funded.
“There are going to be questions about how this fits into that broader paradigm,” Bonner said. “I just want to make sure that we are all grounding this conversation not only in reality but that we are setting ourselves and the whole process up for success and are doing what the community is demanding we do.”
At the meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said that they know a new day has come and that they are doing their best to usher in changes — including a diminished role for police in non-violent incidents.
But they also at times pushed back against the notion that police should play no role in the city’s future.
Councilman John Lee said the LAPD has made a lot of improvements over the years, but there is still a need to “reshape and reimagine how we respond to certain non-violent issues in the city.”
Councilman Paul Koretz, who sits on the police reform committee, said he supported all of the reform measures before the committee but believes efforts to defund or abolish the police would be “a step too far.”
“If we did what is being asked to do and we defunded the police, and in a week they were gone, I think that would be the worst decision the city council has ever made,” Koretz said. “I think the city would look a little bit like the movie ‘Purge.’”
Koretz said he believes many citizens who don’t call into council meetings feel the same way.


latimes--2020-06-24--Newsom asks Californians to 'be more vigilant' as state sees record-breaking coronavirus cases

Gov .
Gavin Newsom again reported a significant rise in coronavirus cases in California on Wednesday , noting that a record-breaking 7,149 new positive results were confirmed in the state in the last day .
The news came shortly before Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , warned in a Sacramento Press Club appearance that easing restrictions to slow the spread of the virus does not mean it ’ s safe to resume normal life again .
At a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the state ’ s coronavirus response , Newsom warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of coronavirus patients sent to intensive care units , have been rising significantly — telltale signs that “ we are not out of the first wave.
” “ This virus is virulent .
This virus knows no boundaries and it knows no age cohort .
It is a deadly virus , ” Newsom said during the briefing in Sacramento .
“ That ’ s why it ’ s incumbent upon all of us to step things up extent we can , be more vigilant.
” California has seen a 29 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days and nearly a 20 % increase in virus patients being treated in ICUs , Newsom said .
The Democratic governor again emphasized , however , that California ’ s first-in-the-nation stay-at-home order , which Newsom enacted in mid-March , significantly slowed spread of the coronavirus .
That allowed the state hospital system to increase capacity to handle a potential surge in patients , and bought the state enough time to acquire the necessary personal protective gear , ventilators and other equipment , he said .
“ We are confident in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet the needs of those most in need in the state of California , ” Newsom said .
Almost all counties have received permission from the state to ease up on Newsom ’ s original stay-at-home order , allowing stores , restaurants , salons and other businesses to reopen under certain conditions , such as limiting the number of customers , requiring face coverings and enacting sanitation protocols .
Newsom warned that counties that fail to abide by the state ’ s COVID-19 guidelines , including the mandate that Californians must wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face cuts in state funding targeting the coronavirus outbreak .
The governor ’ s effort to persuade local officials to do more extends to the budget agreement he struck with legislative leaders on Monday .
The proposal , set to be approved by the Legislature on Friday , ties a county ’ s share of at least $ 750 million in state funds to orders issued by the California Dept .
of Public Health .
Those funds are intended to replace missing tax revenues that normally fund health and public safety programs on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of local assistance could rise to $ 1 billion if new federal coronavirus funds arrive in California .
During budget talks , it was not widely known that Newsom would insist the money be sent to local officials with strings attached .
Newsom ’ s warning Wednesday came after a number of local sheriffs said they would not enforcement the face covering mandate , and some local elected officials protested the directive .
“ There are some that have made rhetorical comments about not giving a damn , flouting any consideration of supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of California , ” Newsom said .
“ That ’ s exactly why I look forward to signing this budget that will afford me a little bit of leverage in that conversation and I think that ’ s the appropriate next step.
” Last week , Newsom said state agencies may also be enlisted to enforce the state coronavirus restrictions , including the Division of Occupational Safety and Health , which enforces workplace safety requirements , and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control , which regulates the sale of alcohol in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he believes the vast majority of Californians and local governments have heeded the state ’ s coronavirus restrictions and said he expects possible punitive actions to be rare .
“ We hope we never have to trigger that .
I think the vast majority of local officials care deeply about their constituency , people about their community , want people to self enforce , ” Newsom said .
In his livestreamed appearance on Wednesday to discuss pandemic response , Fauci warned that too many people view decisions to ease restrictions as a green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases continue to increase in California after the governor allowed businesses to reopen .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s anything that the state of California is doing wrong or not , ” said Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ It ’ s what the response of the people are to what the opening process is.
” The country ’ s leading health expert spoke positively about Newsom ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ I think California is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the community level as they ’ re opening up , ” Fauci said .
“ I think that from the administrative standpoint , that you have a good handle on what things to do.
” But Fauci said California may need to reassess its restrictions as cases continue to increase .
“ You don ’ t really need to go back to lockdown , ” Fauci said .
“ Now you may need to stay where you are and then impose a few more restrictions , or maybe back up a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to open in an all or none , you don ’ t want to start locking down completely.
” He described the desire to resume normal life and socialize with people as normal .
But he urged Californians to uphold their social responsibility by wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance when gathering with others .
“ The things that we ’ re doing that are uncomfortable now because they ’ re restrictive are the very thing that is going to get us to normality , ” Fauci said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that it will end , I promise you .
The sobering news is that we got a lot of work to do to get there .
”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said California may need to reassess its restrictions as coronavirus cases continue to increase, but added that “you don’t really need to go back to lockdown.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom again reported a significant rise in coronavirus cases in California on Wednesday, noting that a record-breaking 7,149 new positive results were confirmed in the state in the last day.
The news came shortly before Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned in a Sacramento Press Club appearance that easing restrictions to slow the spread of the virus does not mean it’s safe to resume normal life again.
At a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the state’s coronavirus response, Newsom warned that COVID-19 hospitalizations, as well as the number of coronavirus patients sent to intensive care units, have been rising significantly — telltale signs that “we are not out of the first wave.”
Advertisement
“This virus is virulent. This virus knows no boundaries and it knows no age cohort. It is a deadly virus,” Newsom said during the briefing in Sacramento. “That’s why it’s incumbent upon all of us to step things up to the extent we can, be more vigilant.”
California has seen a 29% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past 14 days and nearly a 20% increase in virus patients being treated in ICUs, Newsom said.
The Democratic governor again emphasized, however, that California’s first-in-the-nation stay-at-home order, which Newsom enacted in mid-March, significantly slowed spread of the coronavirus. That allowed the state hospital system to increase capacity to handle a potential surge in patients, and bought the state enough time to acquire the necessary personal protective gear, ventilators and other equipment, he said.
“We are confident in our capacity, in the short run, to meet the needs of those most in need in the state of California,” Newsom said.
Almost all counties have received permission from the state to ease up on Newsom’s original stay-at-home order, allowing stores, restaurants, salons and other businesses to reopen under certain conditions, such as limiting the number of customers, requiring face coverings and enacting sanitation protocols.
Newsom warned that counties that fail to abide by the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, including the mandate that Californians must wear face coverings while in public, could face cuts in state funding targeting the coronavirus outbreak.
The governor’s effort to persuade local officials to do more extends to the budget agreement he struck with legislative leaders on Monday. The proposal, set to be approved by the Legislature on Friday, ties a county’s share of at least $750 million in state funds to orders issued by the California Dept. of Public Health. Those funds are intended to replace missing tax revenues that normally fund health and public safety programs on the county level.
Advertisement
The total amount of local assistance could rise to $1 billion if new federal coronavirus funds arrive in California. During budget talks, it was not widely known that Newsom would insist the money be sent to local officials with strings attached.
Newsom’s warning Wednesday came after a number of local sheriffs said they would not enforcement the face covering mandate, and some local elected officials protested the directive.
“There are some that have made rhetorical comments about not giving a damn, flouting any consideration of supporting the broader health directives coming out of the state of California,” Newsom said. “That’s exactly why I look forward to signing this budget that will afford me a little bit of leverage in that conversation and I think that’s the appropriate next step.”
Last week, Newsom said state agencies may also be enlisted to enforce the state coronavirus restrictions, including the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which enforces workplace safety requirements, and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants.
Newsom added that he believes the vast majority of Californians and local governments have heeded the state’s coronavirus restrictions and said he expects possible punitive actions to be rare.
“We hope we never have to trigger that. I think the vast majority of local officials care deeply about their constituency, people about their community, want people to self enforce,” Newsom said.
In his livestreamed appearance on Wednesday to discuss pandemic response, Fauci warned that too many people view decisions to ease restrictions as a green light to return to normal life as coronavirus cases continue to increase in California after the governor allowed businesses to reopen.
“I don’t think it’s anything that the state of California is doing wrong or not,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “It’s what the response of the people are to what the opening process is.”
The country’s leading health expert spoke positively about Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
“I think California is starting to see little bits of surges at the community level as they’re opening up,” Fauci said. “I think that from the administrative standpoint, that you have a good handle on what things to do.”
But Fauci said California may need to reassess its restrictions as cases continue to increase.
“You don’t really need to go back to lockdown,” Fauci said. “Now you may need to stay where you are and then impose a few more restrictions, or maybe back up a little. But again, just like you don’t want to open in an all or none, you don’t want to start locking down completely.”
He described the desire to resume normal life and socialize with people as normal. But he urged Californians to uphold their social responsibility by wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance when gathering with others.
“The things that we’re doing that are uncomfortable now because they’re restrictive are the very thing that is going to get us to normality,” Fauci said. “So, the good news is that it will end, I promise you. The sobering news is that we got a lot of work to do to get there.”
Times Staff Writer John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-24--California voters will be asked to restore affirmative action in November

California could allow college admissions and government contracting decisions with a focus on race and gender diversity under a measure placed on the November ballot Wednesday , a decision that would reverse strict limits imposed by voters in 1996 .
The ballot measure , which won final approval from the state Senate , could become a centerpiece in the national reckoning over racism and systemic inequities .
The measure , an amendment to the California Constitution , was approved two weeks ago by the state Assembly and now moves to the Nov. 3 ballot .
Proposition 209 , an intensely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters 24 years ago , said that government agencies “ shall not discriminate against , or grant preferential treatment to , any individual or group on the basis of race , sex , color , ethnicity , or national origin.
” Its prohibition on affirmative action policies extends to colleges and universities , the awarding of public contracts and decisions in hiring government employees .
Like the earlier debate in the Assembly , Wednesday ’ s discussion was personal for many lawmakers .
Black and Latino senators said the 1996 ballot measure had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promises of creating a level playing field for millions of Californians who no longer represent a minority of the state ’ s population .
“ I challenge my white colleagues : I bet you can count on one hand the number of times that you ’ ve walked into a room , walked into an organization , and you ’ re the only one that looks like you , ” said state Sen. Steven Bradford ( D-Gardena ) , who is Black .
“ I know about discrimination .
I live it every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted against the measure , Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 .
All but one Republican — state Sen. Scott Wilk ( R-Santa Clarita ) — voted against putting the proposal on the ballot this fall .
GOP lawmakers who spoke during the long floor debate echoed some of the messages used to support Proposition 209 almost a quarter-century ago .
“ The problem with ACA 5 is that it takes the position that we must fight discrimination with more discrimination , ” state Sen. Ling Ling Chang ( R-Diamond Bar ) said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very process of democracy.
” While Proposition 209 imposed a ban on race and gender considerations across a wide swath of government decisions , it has been a flashpoint for decades about the fairness of admission policies at California ’ s colleges and universities .
While the topic was a key point in Wednesday ’ s debate , Democratic lawmakers said discrimination begins much earlier for some students .
“ When I was in high school , I went to my college counselor to say that I wanted to go to college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Baldwin Park ) said .
“ And I was told that that ’ s not a place for me — that Latinas , that I wasn ’ t college material.
” Other Democrats said that standardized testing used during the college admissions process failed to provide an equal opportunity for many students who didn ’ t grow up in white or affluent communities .
Republicans , on the other hand , insisted state officials have done little to ensure quality teachers and school choices for K-12 students who come from disadvantaged communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) said that Black and Latino supporters of charter schools , for example , have been stymied by Democrats who have imposed strict limits on the expansion of those schools .
“ We need to start at the level of K-12 and giving parents the opportunity to be able to choose the best school for their children and not make them stay in the ZIP Codes in which they are living in , ” she said .
Wednesday ’ s vote to send the issue to California voters marked a sharp change from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , a similar effort in the state Capitol stalled after Asian American advocacy groups warned that reinstatement of any kind of affirmative action policy would limit college admissions for Asian American students .
State Sen. Holly Mitchell ( D-Los Angeles ) , who is Black , said the long floor debate between lawmakers hinted at a larger problem that is reflected in the conversation now playing out across the nation .
“ I think perhaps we don ’ t have enough opportunity to have these kinds of conversations and clearly don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about race because that ’ s the real crux of the problem with our country , ” she said .
“ So we really have work to do .
”

California voters will be asked in November whether to erase Proposition 209, which banned the use of race and gender as consideration for access to government contracts and in college admissions.
California could allow college admissions and government contracting decisions with a focus on race and gender diversity under a measure placed on the November ballot Wednesday, a decision that would reverse strict limits imposed by voters in 1996.
The ballot measure, which won final approval from the state Senate, could become a centerpiece in the national reckoning over racism and systemic inequities. The measure, an amendment to the California Constitution, was approved two weeks ago by the state Assembly and now moves to the Nov. 3 ballot.
Proposition 209, an intensely debated and controversial ballot measure approved by voters 24 years ago, said that government agencies “shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.” Its prohibition on affirmative action policies extends to colleges and universities, the awarding of public contracts and decisions in hiring government employees.
Like the earlier debate in the Assembly, Wednesday’s discussion was personal for many lawmakers. Black and Latino senators said the 1996 ballot measure had not lived up to its backers’ promises of creating a level playing field for millions of Californians who no longer represent a minority of the state’s population.
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“I challenge my white colleagues: I bet you can count on one hand the number of times that you’ve walked into a room, walked into an organization, and you’re the only one that looks like you,” said state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), who is Black. “I know about discrimination. I live it every day.”
No Democrat in the Senate voted against the measure, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5. All but one Republican — state Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) — voted against putting the proposal on the ballot this fall. GOP lawmakers who spoke during the long floor debate echoed some of the messages used to support Proposition 209 almost a quarter-century ago.
“The problem with ACA 5 is that it takes the position that we must fight discrimination with more discrimination,” state Sen. Ling Ling Chang (R-Diamond Bar) said. “Preferences for any purpose are anathema to the very process of democracy.”
While Proposition 209 imposed a ban on race and gender considerations across a wide swath of government decisions, it has been a flashpoint for decades about the fairness of admission policies at California’s colleges and universities. While the topic was a key point in Wednesday’s debate, Democratic lawmakers said discrimination begins much earlier for some students.
“When I was in high school, I went to my college counselor to say that I wanted to go to college,” state Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said. “And I was told that that’s not a place for me — that Latinas, that I wasn’t college material.”
Other Democrats said that standardized testing used during the college admissions process failed to provide an equal opportunity for many students who didn’t grow up in white or affluent communities. Republicans, on the other hand, insisted state officials have done little to ensure quality teachers and school choices for K-12 students who come from disadvantaged communities.
Senate GOP Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) said that Black and Latino supporters of charter schools, for example, have been stymied by Democrats who have imposed strict limits on the expansion of those schools.
“We need to start at the level of K-12 and giving parents the opportunity to be able to choose the best school for their children and not make them stay in the ZIP Codes in which they are living in,” she said.
Wednesday’s vote to send the issue to California voters marked a sharp change from just six years ago. At that time, a similar effort in the state Capitol stalled after Asian American advocacy groups warned that reinstatement of any kind of affirmative action policy would limit college admissions for Asian American students.
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State Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), who is Black, said the long floor debate between lawmakers hinted at a larger problem that is reflected in the conversation now playing out across the nation.
“I think perhaps we don’t have enough opportunity to have these kinds of conversations and clearly don’t have enough opportunity to have conversations about race because that’s the real crux of the problem with our country,” she said. “So we really have work to do.”


latimes--2020-06-24--Fans mourn rising Sacramento rapper Bris after weekend shooting

Fans of a budding Sacramento rapper have taken to social media to mourn his death after a weekend shooting .
Sacramento police responded about 12:45 a.m. Sunday to a report of shots fired near Franklin Boulevard and Fruitridge Road , where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound .
He was later identified as 24-year-old Christopher Treadwell and was pronounced dead at the scene , according to the Sacramento County ’ s coroner ’ s office .
Police linked a nearby single-car crash to the shooting , but additional details were not immediately provided .
Treadwell , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name , Bris , had nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram and almost 20,000 subscribers on YouTube .
He had released several music videos in the last year , and the rapper ’ s most successful video — for a song called “ Panhandling ” — has almost 2 million views on YouTube .
The shooting death came less than a week after Treadwell released a single called “ Need Hammy.
” Fans and other rappers , including Biz Markie , took to Twitter to share their condolences .
“ The potential to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut down way too soon , ” tweeted Biz Markie , who is most known for his 1989 hit song “ Just a Friend.
” Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Sacramento Police Department at ( 916 ) 808-5471 or ( 916 ) 443-4357 .

Fans of a budding Sacramento rapper have taken to social media to mourn his death after a weekend shooting.
Sacramento police responded about 12:45 a.m. Sunday to a report of shots fired near Franklin Boulevard and Fruitridge Road, where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was later identified as 24-year-old Christopher Treadwell and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Sacramento County’s coroner’s office.
For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed a tweet to the rapper Biz Markie. The tweet was posted by journalist and Times contributor Jeff Weiss using the Twitter handle “Otto Von Biz Markie.”
Police linked a nearby single-car crash to the shooting, but additional details were not immediately provided.
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Treadwell, an up-and-coming local rapper known by his stage name, Bris, had nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram and almost 20,000 subscribers on YouTube. He had released several music videos in the last year, and the rapper’s most successful video — for a song called “Panhandling” — has almost 2 million views on YouTube.
The shooting death came less than a week after Treadwell released a single called “Need Hammy.”
Fans took to Twitter to share their condolences.
RIP Bris. The Emu. Sactown's best talent since Mozzy. The potential to be an all-time West Coast great, but cut down way too soon.
Reminds me of Jimmy Wopo & Pop Smoke -- artists about to define an entire region only to be killed before they had the chance. So unbelievably sad. pic.twitter.com/61muH5xFDg — Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) June 21, 2020
rip bris, the hottest rapper outta sac. gone too soon pic.twitter.com/ctXoPULnXH — Mizuho (@LuvRuiForever) June 22, 2020
RIP Bris 😢 We had the opportunity to work with Bris over the past year and a half; he was a talented rapper with a bright future in music. We’re sad to learn that he passed away late last night in Sacramento. Rest In Peace Tricky Dance Moves 🕺🏾🙏 pic.twitter.com/UzvxeXjOgK — Thizzler On The Roof (@TheThizzler) June 21, 2020
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Sacramento Police Department at (916) 808-5471 or (916) 443-4357.


latimes--2020-06-24--California sets back-to-back records for highest daily coronavirus cases

California has broken back-to-back records this week in its daily number of coronavirus cases as the state continues to see dangerous spikes in the number of infections .
On Monday , the state shattered a daily record for new cases , reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time since the pandemic hit the U.S. One day later , that number shot up even higher , as 6,652 new cases were reported Tuesday .
Throughout the state , where nearly than 193,900 infections and more than 5,600 related deaths have been announced , cases have surged in recent days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
In Orange County , the number of infections surpassed 10,000 over the weekend and jumped to more than 10,700 Tuesday .
Despite that increase , as well as a rise in daily average hospitalizations last week , Orange County is not one of the 10 counties the state is monitoring .
That list includes Los Angeles and Riverside counties , where the two highest case counts of the coronavirus can be found in California .
At least three restaurants in Orange County have recently closed after employees tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Meat Up BBQ in Placentia both closed after an employee at each establishment tested positive .
Javier ’ s in Newport Beach voluntarily closed for “ deep cleaning ” last week , according to an answering machine message , and remains closed without further explanation .
The county confirmed last week it was investigating a possible outbreak at the eatery .
On Tuesday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom called on residents to report businesses and restaurants that are not meeting reopening guidelines .
“ When you go to a restaurant and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not practicing what we are preaching , report them .
Give us the tools to enforce , ” he said .
Los Angeles County made a similar plea last week for residents to contact the Public Health Department if they spot a business that isn ’ t up to county standards after roughly 1,000 restaurants were found in violation of new protocols .
On Wednesday , L.A. County reported 34 additional coronavirus-linked deaths and 1,260 new cases , bringing the total number of infections to nearly 89,500 .
The update comes after officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the fourth time in a week .
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer previously said it is “ highly likely ” that the surge is connected to mass protests that erupted over the death of George Floyd , in addition to clusters at restaurants and parties .
But officials are not tracking the origin of spread in public spaces , so it is impossible to know for certain where the virus traveled to and from .
Officials have continued to stress the need for residents to wear face coverings and get tested if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in L.A. County , officials said Tuesday that testing appointments at city- and county-run sites were full for the rest of the week .
People with symptoms were advised to contact their physicians or try independently run sites .
Additionally , the county reported there was a drop in the total number of available tests in the first week of June , largely because of closures at sites during the protests .
There was also an increase in the number of scheduled appointments for people who did not show up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in a decline in the number of total tests that were completed , ” said Kathleen Piche of the Department of Health Services .
In Orange County , the number of reported testing also fell in recent days .
According to the county ’ s dashboard , 1,582 tests were conducted Monday , the lowest number since testing was made available .

Ana Morales, granddaughter Hannah Paredes, 8, Julie Rodriguez and niece Paige Paredes, 6, all of Los Angeles, walk to the grocery store while wearing masks in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday.
California has broken back-to-back records this week in its daily number of coronavirus cases as the state continues to see dangerous spikes in the number of infections.
On Monday, the state shattered a daily record for new cases, reporting more than 6,000 infections for the first time since the pandemic hit the U.S. One day later, that number shot up even higher, as 6,652 new cases were reported Tuesday.
Throughout the state, where nearly than 193,900 infections and more than 5,600 related deaths have been announced, cases have surged in recent days, and hospitalizations have continued to tick up.
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Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
In Orange County, the number of infections surpassed 10,000 over the weekend and jumped to more than 10,700 Tuesday.
Despite that increase, as well as a rise in daily average hospitalizations last week, Orange County is not one of the 10 counties the state is monitoring. That list includes Los Angeles and Riverside counties, where the two highest case counts of the coronavirus can be found in California.
At least three restaurants in Orange County have recently closed after employees tested positive for the virus.
Baja Sharkeez in Huntington Beach and Meat Up BBQ in Placentia both closed after an employee at each establishment tested positive. Javier’s in Newport Beach voluntarily closed for “deep cleaning” last week, according to an answering machine message, and remains closed without further explanation. The county confirmed last week it was investigating a possible outbreak at the eatery.
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On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on residents to report businesses and restaurants that are not meeting reopening guidelines.
“When you go to a restaurant and it’s clear that they’re not practicing what we are preaching, report them. Give us the tools to enforce,” he said.
Los Angeles County made a similar plea last week for residents to contact the Public Health Department if they spot a business that isn’t up to county standards after roughly 1,000 restaurants were found in violation of new protocols.
On Wednesday, L.A. County reported 34 additional coronavirus-linked deaths and 1,260 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to nearly 89,500. The update comes after officials reported on Tuesday more than 2,000 cases for the fourth time in a week.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer previously said it is “highly likely” that the surge is connected to mass protests that erupted over the death of George Floyd, in addition to clusters at restaurants and parties. But officials are not tracking the origin of spread in public spaces, so it is impossible to know for certain where the virus traveled to and from.
Officials have continued to stress the need for residents to wear face coverings and get tested if they believe they’ve been exposed. But in L.A. County, officials said Tuesday that testing appointments at city- and county-run sites were full for the rest of the week. People with symptoms were advised to contact their physicians or try independently run sites.
Additionally, the county reported there was a drop in the total number of available tests in the first week of June, largely because of closures at sites during the protests. There was also an increase in the number of scheduled appointments for people who did not show up for testing.
“Those two things combined resulted in a decline in the number of total tests that were completed,” said Kathleen Piche of the Department of Health Services.
In Orange County, the number of reported testing also fell in recent days. According to the county’s dashboard, 1,582 tests were conducted Monday, the lowest number since testing was made available.


latimes--2020-06-24--5.8 earthquake rattles California's Owens Valley, sends truck-sized boulders tumbling near Mt. Whitn

5.8 earthquake rattles California's Owens Valley, sends truck-sized boulders tumbling near Mt. Whitney

A magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck California ’ s Owens Valley on Wednesday morning , sending several truck-sized boulders off a mountain and causing one to slam into a tree near the trailhead of Mt .
Whitney , the state ’ s tallest mountain .
The temblor hit the remote area off U.S. 395 at 10:40 a.m. , underneath the bed of Owens Lake , just east of Mt .
Whitney .
There were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage .
The epicenter was about 12 miles southeast of the community of Lone Pine in Inyo County ’ s Owens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocks coming down from a third of the way up the mountain and took off running , ” said Doug Thompson , owner of the Whitney Portal Store at the Mt .
Whitney trailhead , “ because we didn ’ t know where they were going to hit.
” “ At least four to five truck-size boulders knocked down some trees , ” he said .
“ One of them slammed into a tree and then ricocheted about 50 yards through the air.
” Moments later , he said , “ The air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t see 10 yards in front of your face.
” By noon , he said , emergency responders on foot and in helicopters searched the local trails and canyons for signs of injured or stranded hikers .
“ I don ’ t believe there were any hikers on Mt .
Whitney at the time the quake hit , ” he said , “ because the trail was closed to the public.
” The Inyo County Sheriff ’ s Office said the Whitney Portal area was closed and campgrounds were being evacuated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main parking lot .
Horseshoe Meadows Road was closed due to debris and rocks in the road .
According to the U.S. Geological Survey , Lone Pine , with a population of about 1,800 , felt “ very strong ” shaking , as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale .
In this category of shaking intensity , damage is negligible in buildings of good design and construction but may cause slight and moderate damage in well-built ordinary structures and considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures and may break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 4 % chance that one or more aftershocks would be larger than Wednesday morning ’ s magnitude-5.8 earthquake in the next week .
Weak or light shaking — which does not cause structural damage — was felt as far away as Fresno , Bakersfield , Los Angeles , San Francisco and Sacramento .
Wednesday ’ s quake was the most powerful to hit California since the magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit the Ridgecrest area July 5 , centered roughly 50 miles to the southeast .
“ I was just searching on the computer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , violent shaking for two seconds , then it mellowed out into deep shakes , ” said Jaylen Wright , the desk clerk at the Best Western hotel on Main Street in Lone Pine .
“ It was super violent at the start , almost up and down , then it went side to side.
” Wright said he felt last summer ’ s Ridgecrest earthquakes but that this quake was “ more violent ” than any he ’ d experienced .
The hotel has not seen power loss or significant damage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back office fell to the floor , and Wright said he ’ d heard from friends that they ’ d also had items fall to the ground .
“ Oh my God .
It was a violent , sharp shake followed by a couple of aftershocks , ” said Jenifer Casteneda , a Lone Pine real estate broker .
“ Things fell off the wall .
I ran outside of my office because it ’ s in an old two-story wooden building , and I was afraid it would fall on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of temblors in the Owens Valley that started Monday evening with a magnitude-4.6 quake .
There are a series of faults in the region , including the Sierra Nevada fault system , and officials are still trying to determine which faults played a role in Wednesday ’ s shaker , said Jen Andrews , a Caltech seismologist .
Given the earthquake ’ s location just north of Ridgecrest , Andrews said it was possible that “ activity from the earthquake last year loaded these faults farther north and there may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the possibility of continuing to see large earthquakes in the area , ” she said .
“ We anticipate seeing aftershocks probably lasting weeks or months.
” There could be up to 100 magnitude-3 earthquakes in the region .
A larger earthquake is less likely .
There ’ s a 1 in 300 chance of a magnitude-7 rupture in the area .
The location of Wednesday ’ s earthquake was near where the larger Owens Valley earthquake occurred in 1872 .
That earthquake , which registered at a magnitude 7.8 or 7.9 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record in California .
Felt as far away as Los Angeles and Sacramento , that earthquake killed 27 people and destroyed 52 of the 59 houses that were there at the time .

Louis Sahagun, Matt Hamilton, Hannah Fry

A magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck California’s Owens Valley on Wednesday morning, sending several truck-sized boulders off a mountain and causing one to slam into a tree near the trailhead of Mt. Whitney, the state’s tallest mountain.
The temblor hit the remote area off U.S. 395 at 10:40 a.m., underneath the bed of Owens Lake, just east of Mt. Whitney. There were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage. The epicenter was about 12 miles southeast of the community of Lone Pine in Inyo County’s Owens Valley.
“We heard some big rocks coming down from a third of the way up the mountain and took off running,” said Doug Thompson, owner of the Whitney Portal Store at the Mt. Whitney trailhead, “because we didn’t know where they were going to hit.”
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“At least four to five truck-size boulders knocked down some trees,” he said. “One of them slammed into a tree and then ricocheted about 50 yards through the air.”
Moments later, he said, “The air was filled with dust so thick you couldn’t see 10 yards in front of your face.”
By noon, he said, emergency responders on foot and in helicopters searched the local trails and canyons for signs of injured or stranded hikers. “I don’t believe there were any hikers on Mt. Whitney at the time the quake hit,” he said, “because the trail was closed to the public.”
The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office said the Whitney Portal area was closed and campgrounds were being evacuated due to the rock slide south of the main parking lot. Horseshoe Meadows Road was closed due to debris and rocks in the road.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Lone Pine, with a population of about 1,800, felt “very strong” shaking, as defined by the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.
In this category of shaking intensity, damage is negligible in buildings of good design and construction but may cause slight and moderate damage in well-built ordinary structures and considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures and may break chimneys.
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The USGS said there was a 4% chance that one or more aftershocks would be larger than Wednesday morning’s magnitude-5.8 earthquake in the next week.
Weak or light shaking — which does not cause structural damage — was felt as far away as Fresno, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.
Wednesday’s quake was the most powerful to hit California since the magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit the Ridgecrest area July 5, centered roughly 50 miles to the southeast.
“I was just searching on the computer and all of a sudden, without precursor, violent shaking for two seconds, then it mellowed out into deep shakes,” said Jaylen Wright, the desk clerk at the Best Western hotel on Main Street in Lone Pine. “It was super violent at the start, almost up and down, then it went side to side.”
Wright said he felt last summer’s Ridgecrest earthquakes but that this quake was “more violent” than any he’d experienced.
The hotel has not seen power loss or significant damage, he said. A couple of items in the back office fell to the floor, and Wright said he’d heard from friends that they’d also had items fall to the ground.
“Oh my God. It was a violent, sharp shake followed by a couple of aftershocks,” said Jenifer Casteneda, a Lone Pine real estate broker. “Things fell off the wall. I ran outside of my office because it’s in an old two-story wooden building, and I was afraid it would fall on me.”
The earthquake was part of a series of temblors in the Owens Valley that started Monday evening with a magnitude-4.6 quake. There are a series of faults in the region, including the Sierra Nevada fault system, and officials are still trying to determine which faults played a role in Wednesday’s shaker, said Jen Andrews, a Caltech seismologist.
Given the earthquake’s location just north of Ridgecrest, Andrews said it was possible that “activity from the earthquake last year loaded these faults farther north and there may be some tectonic connection.”
“We have the possibility of continuing to see large earthquakes in the area,” she said. “We anticipate seeing aftershocks probably lasting weeks or months.”
There could be up to 100 magnitude-3 earthquakes in the region. A larger earthquake is less likely. There’s a 1 in 300 chance of a magnitude-7 rupture in the area.
The location of Wednesday’s earthquake was near where the larger Owens Valley earthquake occurred in 1872. That earthquake, which registered at a magnitude 7.8 or 7.9, was one of the largest on modern record in California.
Felt as far away as Los Angeles and Sacramento, that earthquake killed 27 people and destroyed 52 of the 59 houses that were there at the time.
Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-06-24--4 suburban California counties fuel dangerous rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Four suburban Southern California counties are among those primarily responsible for a dangerous rise in California ’ s coronavirus hospitalizations , according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis .
The four counties have seen significant upticks in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in recent weeks .
Increases in Ventura , Orange , San Bernardino and Riverside counties have contributed to an overall rise in hospitalizations recorded statewide that began after Memorial Day , just as officials were rapidly reopening the economy .
The causes for the spikes are not fully known , but some health officials are blaming social gatherings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Oxnard recently resulted in 19 people testing positive for the virus , and authorities are now monitoring an additional 40 people who are close contacts of those who are infected .
Ventura County health officials have urged residents to enjoy reopened restaurants , which are governed by strict safety and social distancing rules , rather than having parties and other private events .
“ It ’ s like we ’ re cheating on our diet , and angry or baffled that we can ’ t lose weight , ” said Dr. Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on Tuesday .
“ There ’ s all those times that we ’ re not cheating .
But [ in ] the few times we do , all that effort is for naught .
So what is the price we pay ?
Where are we headed ?
More cases of COVID-19 .
More people hospitalized .
More people in our ICUs .
More people dead.
” While L.A. County saw an average of 62 fewer hospitalized patients daily for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 between the week of Memorial Day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average daily increase of 85 patients ; San Bernardino , 70 ; Ventura , 33 ; and Orange , 32 , according to The Times ’ analysis .
In Ventura County , there was a daily average of 85 people hospitalized with illnesses related to COVID-19 last week ; four weeks ago , it was 52 .
During the week of May 25 , California recorded a new low in weekly coronavirus hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic , with an average daily count of 4,385 patients .
Last week , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 218 patients .
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley is also an area of concern , recording 160 additional patients over the same period , as is Santa Barbara County , with 25 more patients .
And there are other signs of trouble in the state : Orange County recently recorded its deadliest week in the pandemic , with 48 deaths reported in the seven-day period that ended Sunday .
The county has seen three consecutive weeks in which the death toll has been higher than the previous week ’ s .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county , Contra Costa County , saw its weekly death toll shoot up to 18 last week , its worst since the week of April 13 , when nine people were reported to have died .
The pandemic also continues to ravage rural counties , which are critical for the nation ’ s food supply .
Imperial County recorded 21 deaths last week , its highest weekly death toll , and more than double the previous week ’ s fatality number of 10 .
Kings County , where a severe coronavirus outbreak occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths among its residents last week , more than doubling its previous cumulative death toll .
San Quentin State Prison in Marin County is now the site of an outbreak that has infected 365 people — more than all of the residents of Santa Cruz County who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The outbreak occurred after 121 inmates were transferred from the California Institution for Men in Chino .
“ The fact that 121 men were transferred to San Quentin from Chino without being tested is stunning , ” state Sen. Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
There also are troubling signs that hospitalizations may be starting to rise again in both L.A. County and Santa Clara County , Northern California ’ s most populous county , centered in Silicon Valley .
L.A. County on June 13 logged its lowest daily coronavirus hospitalization numbers since April — 1,768 for patients with confirmed or suspected infections — following weeks of consecutive declines .
But by Monday , there were 2,090 hospitalized , an 18 % increase .
Some of that rise might be caused by more widespread testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of cases is also caused by greater transmission of the disease in recent weeks , in part caused by the wider reopening of the economy and increased gatherings , whether they be social or a result of political protests .
“ The numbers do tell us that we ’ re seeing an increase in community transmission , ” L.A. County ’ s public health director , Barbara Ferrer , said this week .
Nearly two weeks ago , only 5.8 % of coronavirus tests were coming back positive over the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , that number had risen to 8.4 % .
The latest projections from the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation say that California may see more than 15,100 deaths by Oct. 1 , a 170 % increase from the current death toll , which was over 5,600 as of Tuesday night .
Nationwide , the institute projects more than 201,000 deaths by that same date , a 65 % increase from the current death toll of over 121,000 .
Santa Clara County has done much better in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County .
Santa Clara County has eight coronavirus deaths per 100,000 residents , while L.A. County has 31 deaths per 100,000 residents .
Part of that success is related to the Northern California county ’ s earlier implementation of a regional stay-at-home order , which is credited with saving many lives .
Yet even Santa Clara County is starting to see a rebound in cases as the economy reopens .
On Tuesday , Santa Clara County recorded its highest number of cases amid the pandemic — 121 — after spending much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new daily cases hovering around 25 .
“ Now , we ’ re going back up at a pattern similar to the rest of the state , ” Dr. Jeffrey Smith , the county executive officer , said .
“ We ’ re at our highest peak at this point.
” The root of the problem is that Californians are gradually returning to old habits , with mobility rates starting to increase and a projected return to normal by October , said Smith , citing forecasts posted on the website Covid Act Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer for Santa Clara County , said the increase in cases was “ worrisome.
” “ This increase may be accelerating .
This increase reflects both widespread testing — we ’ re finding more of the cases that do exist — but it also reflects an increase in cases because the virus continues to spread .
It ’ s a bit early to tell if this will translate to a significant increase in hospitalizations and deaths going forward , ” Cody said .
Although there are fewer cases associated with nursing homes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are now more outbreaks associated with workplaces or in the community , Cody said .
Workplace outbreaks started being detected a week after the county allowed construction firms to get back to work , according to Cody .
Of 89 worksites that have reported at least one coronavirus infection , 34 of them have been in construction , 10 in food service or restaurants , eight in retail stores and businesses and six in food processing plants .
In outbreaks with three or more cases with exposures in the workplace , 54 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work sites ; but the largest outbreaks have occurred at food processing centers .
The coronavirus pandemic is like a wildfire , Cody said .
“ If you contain it when it ’ s small , you can keep it under control .
But once COVID transmission begins to accelerate , it is very , very difficult to contain and to slow down , ” she said .
It ’ s important to ensure that as society gets back to work , that people adhere to strategies to reduce the risk to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us want to be forced to return to a full shelter-in-place .
So it ’ s critical that we have strong protocols and risk reduction strategies firmly in place as we continue to reopen , ” Cody said .
In Ventura County , officials are increasingly worried about gatherings as hospitalization numbers rise to record levels .
Levin , the health officer , said he was dismayed over the weekend seeing people packed , shoulder-to-shoulder , watching a skateboard competition .
Besides additional infections in long-term care facilities , “ we believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission going on in the community , causing individuals to get sick enough that they warrant being admitted to the hospital for acute care , and that is very concerning , ” said Rigoberto Vargas , the Ventura County public health director .
If people don ’ t improve on social distancing , Levin said he ’ s worried about Ventura County ’ s hospitals eventually becoming so overwhelmed with coronavirus patients that those with other illnesses , such as those suffering a heart attack , could “ die needlessly for lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County can avoid this future — and a re-implementation of stricter stay-at-home orders — if the public rededicates itself to keeping distance from other people .
“ We should avoid gatherings .
I think we should stop going out to do frivolous and unnecessary things , ” Levin said .
“ We deserve our freedom .
But the reality is we just can ’ t have it yet .
This is a classic case of deferring our reward , deferring our reward until this damn situation lets up and allows us to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming a pathway for the virus to spread .
In L.A. County , 40 % of coronavirus cases are occurring among those 18 to 40 .
That matches the experience in Japan , where a study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the people probably spreading the coronavirus in more than 60 clusters were mostly young adults , age 20 to 39 .
Most were asymptomatic or presymptomatic when they transmitted the virus , and almost none had a cough .
Transmission likely happened at places like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities , gyms and music events .
Many clusters were associated with heavy breathing in close proximity to others , such as singing at karaoke parties , cheering at a concert , chatting in a bar or exercising at a gym .
Lin reported from San Francisco , Lee from Los Angeles and Greene from Thousand Oaks .

Beach goers take to the water to cool off amid high temperatures in Huntington Beach.
Four suburban Southern California counties are among those primarily responsible for a dangerous rise in California’s coronavirus hospitalizations, according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis. The four counties have seen significant upticks in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in recent weeks.
Increases in Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have contributed to an overall rise in hospitalizations recorded statewide that began after Memorial Day, just as officials were rapidly reopening the economy.
There are a variety of possible reasons for the spikes, and health officials say one of them is the return of social gatherings. A barbecue at a mobile home park in Oxnard recently resulted in 19 people testing positive for the virus, and authorities are now monitoring an additional 40 people who are close contacts of those who are infected.
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Ventura County health officials have urged residents to enjoy reopened restaurants with members of their household, rather than having parties or attending crowded events with people from different living units.
“It’s like we’re cheating on our diet, and angry or baffled that we can’t lose weight,” Dr. Robert Levin, the Ventura County health officer, said Tuesday. “There’s all those times that we’re not cheating. But [in] the few times we do, all that effort is for naught. So what is the price we pay? Where are we headed? More cases of COVID-19. More people hospitalized. More people in our ICUs. More people dead.”
While L.A. County saw an average of 62 fewer hospitalized patients daily for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 between the week of Memorial Day and last week, Riverside County saw an average daily increase of 85 patients; San Bernardino, 70; Ventura, 33; and Orange, 32, according to The Times’ analysis.
In Ventura County, there was a daily average of 85 people hospitalized with illnesses related to COVID-19 last week; four weeks ago, it was 52.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday highlighted these concerns, saying COVID-19 hospitalizations, as well as the number of coronavirus patients sent to intensive care units, have been rising significantly. He said they are telltale signs that “we are not out of the first wave.”
“This virus is virulent. This virus knows no boundaries and it knows no age cohort. It is a deadly virus,” Newsom said during a media briefing in Sacramento. “That’s why it’s incumbent upon all of us to step things up to the extent we can, be more vigilant.”
California has seen a 29% increase in confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past 14 days and an 18% increase in virus patients being treated in ICUs, Newsom said. The rate at which coronavirus tests are showing up positive over the past 14 days is now 5.1%; two weeks ago, it was 4.6%.
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Even with the rises, the governor said “we are confident in our capacity, in the short run” for hospital space.
He warned, however, that counties that fail to abide by the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, including the mandate that Californians must wear face coverings while in public, could face cuts in state funding targeting the coronavirus outbreak.
The eight-county San Joaquin Valley is also an area of concern, recording 160 additional patients over the same period, as is Santa Barbara County, with 25 more patients.
And there are other signs of trouble in the state: Orange County recently recorded its deadliest week in the pandemic, with 48 deaths reported in the seven-day period that ended Sunday. The county has seen three consecutive weeks in which the death toll has been higher than the previous week’s.
The Bay Area’s third most populous county, Contra Costa County, saw its weekly death toll shoot up to 18 last week, its worst since the week of April 13, when nine people were reported to have died.
The pandemic also continues to ravage rural counties, which are critical for the nation’s food supply.
Imperial County recorded 21 deaths last week, its highest weekly death toll, and more than double the previous week’s 10. Kings County, where a severe coronavirus outbreak occurred at a meatpacking plant, recorded 10 deaths among its residents last week, more than doubling its previous cumulative death toll.
San Quentin State Prison in Marin County is now the site of an outbreak that has infected 456 people — more than all of the residents of Santa Cruz County who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The outbreak occurred after 121 inmates were transferred from the California Institution for Men in Chino.
“The fact that 121 men were transferred to San Quentin from Chino without being tested is stunning,” state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement.
There also are troubling signs that hospitalizations may be starting to rise again in both L.A. County and Santa Clara County, Northern California’s most populous county, centered in Silicon Valley.
L.A. County on June 13 logged its lowest daily coronavirus hospitalization numbers since April — 1,768 for patients with confirmed or suspected infections — following weeks of consecutive declines. But by Tuesday, there were 2,259 people hospitalized, a 28% increase.
Some of that rise might be caused by more widespread testing. But officials say the jump in the number of cases is also caused by greater transmission of the disease in recent weeks, in part caused by the wider reopening of the economy and increased gatherings, whether they be social or a result of political protests.
“The numbers do tell us that we’re seeing an increase in community transmission,” L.A. County’s public health director, Barbara Ferrer, said this week. Nearly two weeks ago, only 5.8% of coronavirus tests were coming back positive over the previous week in L.A. County. But on Monday, that number had risen to 8.4%.
The latest projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation say that California may see more than 11,600 deaths by Oct. 1, more than double from the current death toll, which was more than 5,700 as of Wednesday night. Nationwide, the institute projects more than 179,000 deaths by that same date, a 47% increase from the current death toll of more than 121,000.
Santa Clara County has done much better in controlling the spread of the virus than L.A. County. Santa Clara County has 8 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 residents, while L.A. County has 32 deaths per 100,000 residents. Part of that success is related to the Northern California county’s earlier implementation of a regional stay-at-home order, which is credited with saving many lives.
Yet even Santa Clara County is starting to see a rebound in cases as the economy reopens.
On Tuesday, Santa Clara County recorded its highest number of cases amid the pandemic — 121 — after spending much of last month with a seven-day average of new daily cases hovering around 25. An additional 105 cases were recorded Wednesday.
Dr. Sara Cody, the health officer for Santa Clara County, said the increase in cases was “worrisome.”
Although there are fewer cases associated with nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since May, there are now more outbreaks associated with workplaces or in the community, Cody said.
Workplace outbreaks started being detected a week after the county allowed construction firms to get back to work, according to Cody.
Of 89 worksites that have reported at least one coronavirus infection, 34 of them have been in construction, 10 in food service or restaurants, eight in retail stores and businesses and six in food processing plants.
In outbreaks with three or more cases with exposures in the workplace, 54% of them have occurred at construction work sites; but the largest outbreaks have occurred at food processing centers.
The coronavirus pandemic is like a wildfire, Cody said. “If you contain it when it’s small, you can keep it under control. But once COVID transmission begins to accelerate, it is very, very difficult to contain and to slow down,” she said.
It’s important to ensure that as society gets back to work, that people adhere to strategies to reduce the risk to the virus, she added.
In Ventura County, officials are increasingly worried about gatherings as hospitalization numbers rise to record levels. Levin, the health officer, said he was dismayed over the weekend seeing people packed, shoulder-to-shoulder, watching a skateboard competition.
Besides additional infections in long-term care facilities, “we believe that there’s also increased community transmission going on in the community, causing individuals to get sick enough that they warrant being admitted to the hospital for acute care, and that is very concerning,” said Rigoberto Vargas, the Ventura County public health director.
If people don’t improve on social distancing, Levin said he’s worried about Ventura County’s hospitals eventually becoming so overwhelmed with coronavirus patients that those with other illnesses, such as those suffering a heart attack, could “die needlessly for lack of a hospital bed.”
Lin reported from San Francisco, Lee and Greene from Southern California, and Willon from Sacramento.


latimes--2020-06-24--Deputy shoots and kills woman during burglary call in Lake Forest

A woman in her 20s who authorities said was armed with a handgun was fatally shot by sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ a residential burglary early Wednesday in Lake Forest .
According to an Orange County Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ deputies were called to a burglary in progress in the 22000 block of Loumont Drive @ @ @ @ @ When they arrived , said spokeswoman Carrie Braun , they found a woman across the @ @ @ @ @ what appeared to be a handgun .
Deputies told the woman to drop the gun @ @ @ @ @ , and during the confrontation , at least one deputy opened fire , wounding the @ @ @ @ @ provide further details on what led up to the shooting .
Authorities were investigating whether @ @ @ @ @ the burglary , but at this point , it is not clear why she was @ @ @ @ @ woman , who was not identified , was pronounced dead at a hospital .
Authorities @ @ @ @ @ scene , Braun said .

A woman in her 20s who authorities said was armed with a handgun was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies who were responding to a residential burglary early Wednesday in Lake Forest.
According to an Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, deputies were called to a burglary in progress in the 22000 block of Loumont Drive at about 1 a.m. When they arrived, said spokeswoman Carrie Braun, they found a woman across the street from the home holding what appeared to be a handgun.
Deputies told the woman to drop the gun several times, Braun said, and during the confrontation, at least one deputy opened fire, wounding the woman. Braun did not provide further details on what led up to the shooting.
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Authorities were investigating whether the woman was involved in the burglary, but at this point, it is not clear why she was at the scene.
The woman, who was not identified, was pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities recovered a handgun from the scene, Braun said.


latimes--2020-06-24--Reformers want California police to stop using a gang database seen as racially biased

Police reform activists this week called on California ’ s top law enforcement officer to stop use of a secretive and problem-plagued database of suspected gang members , frustrated that it continues to function under rules they say disproportionately target Black and Latino men and that were ordered fixed by the state Legislature nearly three years ago .
The database , known as CalGang , is used by law enforcement agencies across the state to store names and personal details of nearly 90,000 people suspected of being active gang members or possibly associating with them .
In 2016 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with questionable entries and errors such as the inclusion of year-old children .
More recently , the LAPD has investigated officers accused of falsifying information in order to add people to the list .
The department announced last week that it was suspending use of CalGang .
But the imposition of statewide regulations — which were legally mandated to be completed by Jan. 1 , until California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra extended the deadline for six months — is overdue , with no clear end in sight .
This leaves CalGang functioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitute racial profiling .
Prompted by the protests over the death of George Floyd , police reform activists want to stop agencies from adding names or using existing names for investigations until the system is revised .
“ Millions of people exercising their First Amendment rights these past weeks have demonstrated the insufficiency of the California Department of Justice ’ s actions to meet their longstanding demand that law enforcement treat everyone with respect and dignity , ” read a letter sent Monday to Becerra and signed by more than three dozen organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that more true than in the department ’ s ineffective effort to reform law enforcement ’ s use of the CalGang database.
” Becerra ’ s office said Tuesday it was reviewing the letter and that “ the rule-making process takes time.
” “ The Legislature directed our office to develop regulations to improve the quality and integrity of CalGang , and the proposed regulations are intended to do just that , ” the statement continued .
In 2017 , state lawmakers passed a measure to place CalGang under the purview of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Becerra was charged with purging the database of old or inaccurate records and creating new rules for adding people .
Advocates hoped those rules would diminish the ability of officers to use only subjective criteria , such as the color of clothing or the area in which a person is seen , as evidence of gang membership .
While thousands of records were purged , thousands more have been added in recent years .
Though Becerra originally extended the deadline for finishing the new regulations to July 1 , that extension has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the revised rules might be completed , said Sean Garcia-Leys , a lawyer with the Urban Peace Institute who has helped clients fight legal battles to get off the list .
“ They just crossed out where the deadline goes and put nothing in its place , ” said Garcia-Leys .
“ The idea that this sort of policing would continue … for years after the Legislature put a stop to it is unacceptable.
” Reform advocates also are unhappy with the latest draft of proposed rules , which they argue leave too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others hope to tighten CalGang ’ s scope so that people in the orbit of suspected gang members , such as teachers , coaches and romantic partners , could not easily be included .
In a proposal last summer , Becerra suggested cutting back on the reasons a person could be added to CalGang .
In December , he reversed on tightening regulations amid objections from law enforcement members , who argued that their expertise in gang identification should be taken into account and that such discretion was necessary because gangs have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement officials have said the database is a valuable tool for investigating gang crimes and presents little risk to those on it because the information can not be used to initiate police action .
But on Friday , the LAPD announced its own moratorium on all entries into CalGang amid pushes for police reform .
That came months after the department announced it was investigating officers from the LAPD ’ s Metropolitan Division for falsifying field interview cards and entering incorrect information to the database .
As of late May , 18 officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Based on recent audits and ongoing complaint investigations , the accuracy of the database has been called into question , ” the department said in a statement announcing its suspension of CalGang .
“ To strengthen community trust and avoid any adverse impact on individuals , particularly in communities of color , the department will no longer use this resource.
” The department said the database will remain accessible for the sole purpose of removing entries that come to the LAPD ’ s attention as being erroneous .
Officials have previously said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it reviews requests for removal .
The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission will be receiving reports on investigations and audits into the database , its president , Eileen Decker , said Tuesday .
Ben “ Taco ” Owens , a gang interventionist and member of the Southern California Cease Fire Committee , said he approved of the LAPD ’ s decision to stop using CalGang and believes a similar statewide ban is necessary .
“ The community has a different perspective on who and what is a gang member , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attire ; it might not be tattoos.
” Owens said he often encounters people who say they ’ ve been erroneously or unfairly put into the database .
But getting removed from it , despite changes enacted in recent years , remains difficult and often requires the intervention of courts .
Individuals can appeal to the law enforcement agency that put them on the list , and if the request is denied or they don ’ t receive a response , they can petition the court .
But Owens said that people often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are costly or time-consuming .
“ In a lot of cases , they leave it alone , ” he said .
While the debate over CalGang continues , Christopher Sanchez , an advocate for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights , points out that names are being added , and for those unfairly on the list , inclusion could mean the risk of an escalated encounter with police .
“ Today , if someone was to be placed on CalGang , they are being placed on that flawed system , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for law enforcement to go and over-police Black and brown communities .
”

Brian Allen was placed on the state database CalGang even though he was not in a gang. The Los Angeles city attorney agreed last year to remove him from the list.
Police reform activists this week called on California’s top law enforcement officer to stop use of a secretive and problem-plagued database of suspected gang members, frustrated that it continues to function under rules they say disproportionately target Black and Latino men and that were ordered fixed by the state Legislature nearly three years ago.
The database, known as CalGang, is used by law enforcement agencies across the state to store names and personal details of nearly 90,000 people suspected of being active gang members or possibly associating with them.
In 2016, a state audit found that CalGang was riddled with questionable entries and errors such as the inclusion of year-old children. More recently, the LAPD has investigated officers accused of falsifying information in order to add people to the list. The department announced last week that it was suspending use of CalGang.
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But the imposition of statewide regulations — which were legally mandated to be completed by Jan. 1, until California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra extended the deadline for six months — is overdue, with no clear end in sight. This leaves CalGang functioning largely under old rules that some argue constitute racial profiling. Prompted by the protests over the death of George Floyd, police reform activists want to stop agencies from adding names or using existing names for investigations until the system is revised.
“Millions of people exercising their First Amendment rights these past weeks have demonstrated the insufficiency of the California Department of Justice’s actions to meet their longstanding demand that law enforcement treat everyone with respect and dignity,” read a letter sent Monday to Becerra and signed by more than three dozen organizations, including the ACLU. “Nowhere is that more true than in the department’s ineffective effort to reform law enforcement’s use of the CalGang database.”
Becerra’s office said Tuesday it was reviewing the letter and that “the rule-making process takes time.”
“The Legislature directed our office to develop regulations to improve the quality and integrity of CalGang, and the proposed regulations are intended to do just that,” the statement continued.
In 2017, state lawmakers passed a measure to place CalGang under the purview of Becerra’s Department of Justice. Becerra was charged with purging the database of old or inaccurate records and creating new rules for adding people. Advocates hoped those rules would diminish the ability of officers to use only subjective criteria, such as the color of clothing or the area in which a person is seen, as evidence of gang membership. While thousands of records were purged, thousands more have been added in recent years.
Though Becerra originally extended the deadline for finishing the new regulations to July 1, that extension has since been lifted, leaving it uncertain when the revised rules might be completed, said Sean Garcia-Leys, a lawyer with the Urban Peace Institute who has helped clients fight legal battles to get off the list.
Advertisement
“They just crossed out where the deadline goes and put nothing in its place,” said Garcia-Leys. “The idea that this sort of policing would continue … for years after the Legislature put a stop to it is unacceptable.”
Reform advocates also are unhappy with the latest draft of proposed rules, which they argue leave too much discretion for officers. Garcia-Leys and others hope to tighten CalGang’s scope so that people in the orbit of suspected gang members, such as teachers, coaches and romantic partners, could not easily be included.
In a proposal last summer, Becerra suggested cutting back on the reasons a person could be added to CalGang. In December, he reversed on tightening regulations amid objections from law enforcement members, who argued that their expertise in gang identification should be taken into account and that such discretion was necessary because gangs have become more adept at evading scrutiny.
Law enforcement officials have said the database is a valuable tool for investigating gang crimes and presents little risk to those on it because the information cannot be used to initiate police action.
But on Friday, the LAPD announced its own moratorium on all entries into CalGang amid pushes for police reform. That came months after the department announced it was investigating officers from the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division for falsifying field interview cards and entering incorrect information to the database.
As of late May, 18 officers were under scrutiny in the probe.
“Based on recent audits and ongoing complaint investigations, the accuracy of the database has been called into question,” the department said in a statement announcing its suspension of CalGang. “To strengthen community trust and avoid any adverse impact on individuals, particularly in communities of color, the department will no longer use this resource.”
The department said the database will remain accessible for the sole purpose of removing entries that come to the LAPD’s attention as being erroneous. Officials have previously said that the LAPD was increasing oversight of how it reviews requests for removal.
The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission will be receiving reports on investigations and audits into the database, its president, Eileen Decker, said Tuesday.
Ben “Taco” Owens, a gang interventionist and member of the Southern California Cease Fire Committee, said he approved of the LAPD’s decision to stop using CalGang and believes a similar statewide ban is necessary.
“The community has a different perspective on who and what is a gang member,” he said. “It might not be attire; it might not be tattoos.”
Owens said he often encounters people who say they’ve been erroneously or unfairly put into the database. But getting removed from it, despite changes enacted in recent years, remains difficult and often requires the intervention of courts.
Individuals can appeal to the law enforcement agency that put them on the list, and if the request is denied or they don’t receive a response, they can petition the court. But Owens said that people often choose not to pursue those avenues because they are costly or time-consuming.
“In a lot of cases, they leave it alone,” he said.
While the debate over CalGang continues, Christopher Sanchez, an advocate for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, points out that names are being added, and for those unfairly on the list, inclusion could mean the risk of an escalated encounter with police.
“Today, if someone was to be placed on CalGang, they are being placed on that flawed system,” said Sanchez. “It gives a reason for law enforcement to go and over-police Black and brown communities.”