latimes--2020-12-03--Newsom orders new limits on California businesses and activities as COVID-19 soars

Californians will be asked to comply with strict new limits on community outings , travel and in-person shopping under a new statewide order issued Thursday by Gov .
Gavin Newsom , a set of far-reaching restrictions tied to regional strains on critical care services as COVID-19 cases continue to rise .
The rules are designed to last for at least 21 days once local critical care facilities approach capacity .
But the expectations set by state officials suggest that what Newsom described as a “ regional stay-at-home ” order will sharply limit activities across California throughout the holiday season and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bottom line is , if we don ’ t act now , our hospital system will be overwhelmed , ” Newsom said in a midday news conference .
“ If we don ’ t act now , we ’ ll continue to see our death rate climb , more lives lost.
” Eleven counties in Southern California and 12 counties in the Central Valley could be required to implement the new restrictions as soon as Friday , based on current projections of the rising number of patients who have been admitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California ’ s counties into five regions for the purpose of determining intensive care unit capacity and potential shutdowns of local services .
Southern California counties that would be affected by the order are Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego , San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , Ventura , Imperial , Inyo and Mono .
Affected communities will be required to close personal service businesses , including hair and nail salons , playgrounds , family entertainment centers and campgrounds for overnight stays .
Restaurants will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Retail businesses will be limited to 20 % of their customer capacity inside at any one time , with requirements for store officials to ensure there ’ s no indoor drinking or eating .
The governor , who remains in quarantine with his family after his children were exposed to people who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 , said the new order is “ fundamentally predicated on the need to stop gathering with people outside of your household [ and ] to do what you can to keep most of your activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only Southern California and Central Valley counties will have to immediately put in place the new rules , data released by the Newsom administration earlier this week show almost all of the state could soon reach the new threshold — with 85 % or more of ICU beds filled .
“ We recognize the gravity and the importance of the moment and what is being asked of all Californians , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency .
State officials plan for the new shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least the next three weeks .
After that , any reopening of closed services and activities will be based on four-week projections of a region ’ s ICU capacity — suggesting the broad new restrictions could easily last through the end of the year in some communities .
Data compiled by The Times show the state has averaged nearly 15,000 cases a day over the last week , triple the rate in the last month .
COVID-19 hospitalizations have also tripled over the same period .
And an average of 67 Californians were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , a 60 % jump from mid-November .
Unlike the shutdown Newsom issued in the spring , most outdoor activities , including beach access and hiking , are not affected .
But similar to other state government rules , it allows local leaders to impose public health rules that are more strict .
“ This is not a permanent state , ” Newsom said .
Closing stores and shopping malls in the run-up to the holiday season could strike a powerful blow to the state ’ s hobbled economy .
In recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of loan and grant efforts for small businesses as well as the expansion of a program that allows businesses to delay payment of sales tax collections and use the money as a short-term bridge loan .
In most of the state , nonessential retail stores are capped at 25 % capacity .
Some counties , however , already meet this stricter threshold : L.A. County on Monday lowered its cap on capacity at nonessential retail stores to 20 % , and Santa Clara County has limited its cap on nonessential retail to 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to remove the distinction between essential and nonessential retail — a 20 % cap on capacity at all stores is likely to significantly reduce capacity at essential retailers , including supermarkets and drug stores .
In most of the state , essential stores had been capped at 50 % of capacity ; in L.A. County , they were capped at 35 % ; and in Santa Clara County , 25 % .
Allan Zaremberg , president of the California Chamber of Commerce , said the loss of revenue at the busiest time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including California-based retailers that do not have the same online sales presence as national and international companies .
He questioned whether shutting down businesses would have the desired effect if families and friends continue to gather in their homes over the holidays , similar to Thanksgiving .
“ The worst thing would be to shut somebody down and it not have any impact on hospital capacity , ” Zaremberg said .
“ For each business that will suffer a revenue loss and fewer employees , it can be catastrophic for them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shutdowns triggered by the dwindling number of ICU beds is broader than many prior efforts .
Cardrooms will be required to shut down , and hotels won ’ t be allowed to accept tourists .
Entertainment production and professional sports continue to be allowed without a live audience .
Santa Clara County , however , on Monday enacted a ban on contact sports , forcing the San Francisco 49ers to temporarily relocate to Arizona for its December games .
Some epidemiologists said state officials had no choice but to impose a stricter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health catastrophes in the state ’ s modern history , with California ’ s death toll of nearly 20,000 plausibly doubling by the end of winter .
The initial coronavirus wave “ has now become a viral tsunami , ” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health .
“ The virus is now everywhere , and so , therefore , the restriction of activities needs to also be applied everywhere to be able to return to where we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the order is likely to exacerbate the frustration of many Californians , especially in trying to better understand how state officials calculate the relative risk of activities such as children using playgrounds and physical distancing in hair salons .
While some state lawmakers lashed out at Newsom ’ s actions as arbitrary , others called for oversight hearings once the Legislature reconvenes next week .
The governor defended Thursday his administration ’ s actions as rooted in science and public health best practices .
“ We want to mitigate mixing , period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We want to diminish the amount of mixing .
And we really need to send that message broadly .
And we need to create less opportunities for the kind of contact and extended period , extended time of contact , that occurs in many of these establishments.
” Times staff writers Taryn Luna and Luke Money contributed to this report .

Californians will soon be asked to comply with strict limits on community outings, travel and in-person shopping under a statewide order issued Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a set of new and far-reaching restrictions tied to regional strains on critical care services as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
The rules, which take effect Saturday, are designed to last for at least 21 days once local critical care facilities approach capacity. But with so many hospitals in the state experiencing a rapid surge of patients with the disease, the “regional stay-at-home” order described by Newsom is likely to limit activities across California throughout the holiday season and possibly into the new year.
“The bottom line is, if we don’t act now, our hospital system will be overwhelmed,” Newsom said in a midday news conference. “If we don’t act now, we’ll continue to see our death rate climb, more lives lost.”
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Despite initial indications that 11 counties in Southern California and 12 counties in the San Joaquin Valley could be required to implement the new restrictions immediately, state health officials later provided a list showing no regions currently at the threshold for closure — meaning no more than 85% of their intensive care unit beds are filled. State officials intend to update the estimates of ICU capacity daily and post the information online.
Once a region’s ICU bed capacity falls below 15%, the shutdown rules will take effect within 24 hours. But with the state’s decision to have the public health order take effect Saturday afternoon, the earliest any region could see closures would be Sunday.
A shutdown affecting the Southern California region would include Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Imperial, Inyo and Mono counties. State officials divided California’s counties into five regions for the purpose of determining intensive care unit capacity and potential shutdowns of local services.
As Californians hunker down for the new restrictions, the nation also is in the worst phase of the pandemic . More than 100,000 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 nationwide, the highest national level ever and soaring above the first two waves of the pandemic, according to the COVID Tracking Project. More than 276,000 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Affected communities will be required to close personal service businesses, including hair and nail salons, playgrounds, zoos, museums, aquariums and wineries. Overnight, short-term stays at campgrounds would be prohibited. Restaurants will be required to return to take-out service only.
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Retail businesses will be limited to 20% of their customer capacity inside at any one time, with requirements for store officials to ensure there’s no indoor drinking or eating.
The governor, who remains in quarantine with his family after his children were exposed to people who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, said the new order is “fundamentally predicated on the need to stop gathering with people outside of your household [and] to do what you can to keep most of your activities outside.”
State officials said once a region enters the temporary shutdown, the reopening of closed services and activities will be based on four-week projections of a region’s ICU capacity.
“We recognize the gravity and the importance of the moment and what is being asked of all Californians,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency.
Data compiled by The Times show the state has averaged nearly 15,000 cases a day over the last week, triple the rate in the last month. COVID-19 hospitalizations have also tripled over the same period. And an average of 67 Californians were dying daily from COVID-19 over the last week, a 60% jump from mid-November.
California California pioneered the COVID-19 stay-at-home lockdown. Now, it faces a backlash State officials are considering the kind of stay-at-home order that helped curb the virus’ spread in the spring. What is unclear is whether Californians will stomach even a modified lockdown as they did in March and April.
Unlike the shutdown Newsom issued in the spring, most outdoor activities, including beach access and hiking, are not affected. But similar to other state government rules, the order allows local leaders to impose public health rules that are more strict. But stronger orders by the state would supersede more permissive local orders. That means the expected implementation of the order in Southern California would require, for example, restaurants to shutter outdoor dining currently allowed in their local jurisdiction.
“This is not a permanent state,” Newsom said.
Strict new limits on shoppers in the run-up to the holiday season could strike a powerful blow to the state’s already hobbled economy. In recent days, Newsom has announced a variety of loan and grant efforts for small businesses as well as the expansion of a program that allows businesses to delay payment of sales tax collections and use the money as a short-term bridge loan.
In most of the state, nonessential retail stores are capped at 25% capacity. Some counties, however, already meet this stricter threshold: L.A. County on Monday lowered its cap on capacity at nonessential retail stores to 20%, and Santa Clara County has limited its cap on nonessential retail to 10% of capacity.
The new restrictions appear to remove the distinction between essential and nonessential retail — a 20% cap on capacity at all stores is likely to significantly reduce capacity at essential retailers, including supermarkets and drug stores. In most of the state, essential stores had been capped at 50% of capacity; in L.A. County, they were capped at 35%; and in Santa Clara County, 25%.
Allan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, said the loss of revenue at the busiest time of the year could hurt many businesses, including California-based retailers that do not have the same online sales presence as national and international companies.
“The worst thing would be to shut somebody down and it not have any impact on hospital capacity,” Zaremberg said. “For each business that will suffer a revenue loss and fewer employees, it can be catastrophic for them.”
In many ways, the scope of the shutdowns triggered by the dwindling number of ICU beds is broader than many prior efforts.
Cardrooms will be required to shut down, and hotels won’t be allowed to accept tourists.
Entertainment production and professional sports continue to be allowed without a live audience. Santa Clara County, however, on Monday enacted a ban on contact sports, forcing the San Francisco 49ers to temporarily relocate to Arizona for its December games.
One sector of life unchanged by the new rules: K-12 schools. Public school campuses that were allowed to open for at least partial in-person instruction when conditions were better in early fall can remain open.
Some counties or regions could see the restrictions implemented more quickly than required by Newsom’s order. A statement issued late Thursday by Alameda County said it is coordinating with regional partners and noted that while its ICU capacity still exceeds 15%, “if this situation worsens, we may need to enact the State’s Stay-at-Home restrictions before the Bay Area region meets the threshold in order to protect ICU bed availability and save lives.”
Epidemiologists said state officials had no choice but to impose a stricter shutdown to avoid one of the worst public health catastrophes in the state’s modern history, with California’s death toll of nearly 20,000 plausibly doubling by the end of winter.
The initial coronavirus wave “has now become a viral tsunami,” said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “The virus is now everywhere, and so, therefore, the restriction of activities needs to also be applied everywhere to be able to return to where we were — on a decreasing trend.”
Still, the order is likely to exacerbate the frustration of many Californians, especially in trying to better understand how state officials calculate the relative risk of activities such as children using playgrounds and physical distancing in hair salons. While some state lawmakers lashed out at Newsom’s actions as arbitrary, others called for oversight hearings once the Legislature reconvenes next week.
The governor defended Thursday his administration’s actions as rooted in science and public health best practices.
“We want to mitigate mixing, period, full stop,” he said. “We want to diminish the amount of mixing. And we really need to send that message broadly. And we need to create less opportunities for the kind of contact and extended period, extended time of contact, that occurs in many of these establishments.”
Times staff writers Taryn Luna, Luke Money and Iris Lee contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-03--Bond fire: Evacuations, road closures,  shelters

The Bond fire , which was sparked Wednesday night in Orange County , has exploded to more than 7,000 acres and is threatening several canyon communities .
The fire was moving southwest , out of the foothills , on Thursday .
Several areas are under both mandatory and voluntary evacuations .
The latest map of evacuation areas from the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department is available here .
Here are the areas under evacuation as of Thursday afternoon : Modjeska Canyon Silverado Canyon Williams Canyon Foothill Ranch east and Foothill Ranch north Portola Canyon Black Star Canyon Baker Canyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been set up in Lot 2 of Santiago Canyon College , 8045 E. Chapman Ave. , in Orange .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , authorities said no congregate shelter was available “ to seek safety with family/friends or in a hotel.
” Santiago Canyon Road from Jackson Ranch to the 241 Freeway • Northbound between the 5 Freeway and the 241 toll road • Northbound connector to the northbound 241 toll road is closed • Northbound/southbound 5 Freeway connector to the northbound 133 is closed • Northbound between the 133 interchange and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 91 and Portola Parkway ( north ) • Northbound between Edinger/Walnut and the 241

Firefighters turn to shield themselves from embers as they battle the Bond fire Thursday morning along Silverado Canyon Road.
The Bond fire, which was sparked Wednesday night in Orange County, has exploded to more than 7,000 acres and is threatening several canyon communities.
The fire was moving southwest, out of the foothills, on Thursday.
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Several areas are under both mandatory and voluntary evacuations. The latest map of evacuation areas from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is available here.
Here are the areas under evacuation as of Thursday afternoon:
Mandatory evacuations
Modjeska Canyon
Silverado Canyon
Williams Canyon
Foothill Ranch east and Foothill Ranch north
Portola Canyon
Black Star Canyon
Baker Canyon
Voluntary evacuations
Borrego Canyon
Baker Ranch
Live Oak Canyon
Trabuco Canyon
Rose Canyon
Cowan Heights
Lemon Heights
Holy Jim Canyon
Red Cross evacuation point
A temporary Red Cross evacuation point has been set up in Lot 2 of Santiago Canyon College, 8045 E. Chapman Ave., in Orange.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities said no congregate shelter was available and urged evacuees “to seek safety with family/friends or in a hotel.”
Small pets shelter
1630 Victory Road, Tustin
Road closures
Santiago Canyon Road from Jackson Ranch to the 241 Freeway
133 toll road:
Northbound between the 5 Freeway and the 241 toll road
Northbound connector to the northbound 241 toll road is closed
Northbound/southbound 5 Freeway connector to the northbound 133 is closed
241 toll road:
Northbound between the 133 interchange and the 91 Freeway
Southbound between the 91 and Portola Parkway (north)
261 toll road:
Northbound between Edinger/Walnut and the 241
Avoid canyon roads.


latimes--2020-12-03--Column: Don't be a 'pandejo.' Take the pandemic seriously

It ’ s a morality tale out of Edgar Allan Poe or “ The Twilight Zone.
” As the coronavirus raged on , a Latino scoffed at the pandemic .
This person didn ’ t think it was real , or thought it a trifle barely worse than a cold .
It didn ’ t matter that COVID-19 has wrecked Latinos in a way like few other ethnic groups : The disease didn ’ t affect the skeptic , so they lived life with no care in the world .
With defiance .
Even pride .
And then they got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the now-sick Latino put out a testimonial to anyone who might listen to not make the same mistakes they once did .
Wear a mask , please .
Social distance .
Shelter in place .
Take la corona seriously .
Because for the protagonist of this sad story , it was too late .
It happened in June , when Tommy Macias of Lake Elsinore posted on Facebook a day before he died of COVID-19 that he contracted it at a barbecue he shouldn ’ t have attended .
It happened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 relatives in Texas contracted the virus after a fiesta , then issued her missive while intubated in the ICU .
It happened in late November , when comedian Joe Luna — who grew up in East L.A. and Fontana and went by the stage name Joe El Cholo — said “ this COVID [ thing ] is no joke ” on Instagram a week before he succumbed to it in Palmdale .
It ’ ll happen until we , like these three people bravely did during their reckonings with the dreaded disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior .
Never heard of the term ?
It ’ s of recent coinage , a portmanteau of “ pandemic ” and “ pendejo , ” the Mexican Spanish term for a blockhead .
Pandejo is an uncharitable — but sadly accurate — word to describe Latino covidiots who proudly flout coronavirus protocols .
There are coronavirus truthers of all ethnicities , of course .
But I reserve special ire for Latinos .
We , of all groups , should know better .
We make up about 39 % of California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 49 % of all related deaths .
The nonprofit California Health Care Foundation reported in September that 29 % of Latinos in the state know someone who died of COVID-19 , compared with 19 % of the total population .
We know the reasons : An overrepresentation in working-class jobs that expose us daily .
Preexisting health disparities .
Crowded living conditions .
Our love of family .
Public health officials and the media have broadcast this again and again .
The coronavirus toll on Latinos has not only not changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raza in my neighborhood have never stopped setting up bounce houses in their front yards during the days and party tents at night .
My cousins still caravanned from Anaheim to Los Angeles to celebrate the championships of both the Dodgers and Lakers .
Someone I know , who likes to pose oh-so-glamorously on Instagram with her mask on , nevertheless appeared in a wedding this summer as part of a group of maskless bridesmaids and best men as large as a royal procession .
Nothing will improve until we handle them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it ?
I favor the approach of Azucena Rasilla , an Oakland-based journalist .
By day , she puts out thoughtful stories about coronavirus inequities in the East Bay .
At night , she blasts friends on Instagram stories for partying and dining to the point of calling them selfish .
The crusade is personal for her .
Her brother contacted COVID-19 , and an uncle in Mexico died of the disease .
“ You ’ re supposed to be my friend .
You know what I ’ ve reported , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Rasilla said .
“ And you ’ re just like , ‘ Eh ’ !
?
It ’ s so baffling .
But really , it ’ s disgusting .
It takes people getting sick for folks to get how serious this is .
But do you want to get to that point ?
” More judicious is Alexandro Jose Gradilla .
The Cal State Fullerton Chicano studies professor has engaged in Facebook and email debates with students — overwhelmingly Latino and working class — who insist coronavirus isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insults like Rasilla or myself , he urges empathy .
“ Nothing has really changed for them , ” Gradilla said .
“ They have not stopped working , so they still have the weekend .
And they think , ‘ I worked myself to the bone .
I want to do my kickback on Sunday with friends .
Who ’ s going to tell me otherwise ?
’ This isn ’ t a romantic , Morrissey or James Dean middle finger to the world .
It ’ s trying to survive.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of the AIDS crisis , the result of another virus that disproportionately affected minorities .
“ Public health workers eventually figured out that to tell people not to have any sex is unrealistic , ” he said .
“ So they began to go to clubs , bathhouses , with condoms in one hand and literature in another .
So today , we should meet Latinos where they go — embrace the fact that especially young folks are going to gather socially .
“ It would take out the steam from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ because their whole thing is that the cops and [ Gov .
Gavin ] Newsom are going to come get us .
But imagine the message of ‘ Go ahead and have a drink , there ’ s public health workers here.
’ It would be radical.
” Somewhere between Rasilla and Gradilla is Alexis Perez Nava , a senior organizer for the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance .
He moved back to Santa Ana this fall after a couple of years in Los Angeles , and was surprised that people in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus — weren ’ t taking the pandemic seriously .
“ Some people might be , ‘ Lo que Dios quiera ’ [ ‘ If God wants it ’ ] , or ‘ It ’ s not going to happen , ’ ” the 32-year-old said .
“ Or , ‘ It ’ s not a big deal .
I survived many things in life , and COVID isn ’ t going to take me down.
’ ” A couple of weeks ago , his family held a party where he admits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ coronavirus ] guidelines.
” Ten people attended .
Nava and two others contracted COVID-19 and are now recovering .
He does think we need to call out pandejos , but in a way that makes them “ realize that we [ Latinos ] can take care of each other and pull through together anything , because we ’ ve done it before.
” He ’ s already noticing more people around Santa Ana masking up as the virus worsens , “ including the señor who just kicks it on the front yard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a start .
Shame isn ’ t the most effective tool to make someone stop a bad habit .
But then again , I heard three separate parties this past weekend near my house scored by banda , mariachi and conjunto norteño .
I wasn ’ t going to call the cops on them .
But maybe I should ’ ve gotten into my Yukon , bullhorn in hand , and shouted , “ ¡Pandejos !
”

Cesar Moran of San Francisco waits in line to receive a coronavirus test at a site administered by the Latino Task Force and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
It’s a morality tale out of Edgar Allan Poe or “The Twilight Zone.”
As the coronavirus raged on, a Latino scoffed at the pandemic. This person didn’t think it was real, or thought it a trifle barely worse than a cold. It didn’t matter that COVID-19 has wrecked Latinos in a way like few other ethnic groups:
The disease didn’t affect the skeptic, so they lived life with no care in the world. With defiance. Even pride.
And then they got it.
To atone for their sins, the now-sick Latino put out a testimonial to anyone who might listen to not make the same mistakes they once did. Wear a mask, please. Social distance. Shelter in place. Take la corona seriously.
Because for the protagonist of this sad story, it was too late.
Advertisement
It happened in June, when Tommy Macias of Lake Elsinore posted on Facebook a day before he died of COVID-19 that he contracted it at a barbecue he shouldn’t have attended. It happened in early November, when Alexa Aragonez and 14 relatives in Texas contracted the virus after a fiesta, then issued her missive while intubated in the ICU.
It happened in late November, when comedian Joe Luna — who grew up in East L.A. and Fontana and went by the stage name Joe El Cholo — said “this COVID [thing] is no joke” on Instagram a week before he succumbed to it in Palmdale.
It’ll happen again.
It’ll happen until we, like these three people bravely did during their reckonings with the dreaded disease, begin to truly call out pandejo behavior.
Never heard of the term? It’s of recent coinage, a portmanteau of “pandemic” and “pendejo,” the Mexican Spanish term for a blockhead. Pandejo is an uncharitable — but sadly accurate — word to describe Latino covidiots who proudly flout coronavirus protocols.
There are coronavirus truthers of all ethnicities, of course. But I reserve special ire for Latinos. We, of all groups, should know better.
We make up about 39% of California’s population but 59% of all COVID-19 cases and 49% of all related deaths.
The nonprofit California Health Care Foundation reported in September that 29% of Latinos in the state know someone who died of COVID-19, compared with 19% of the total population.
Advertisement
We know the reasons: An overrepresentation in working-class jobs that expose us daily. Preexisting health disparities. Crowded living conditions. Our love of family. Public health officials and the media have broadcast this again and again.
The coronavirus toll on Latinos has not only not changed; it’s worse.
Yet raza in my neighborhood have never stopped setting up bounce houses in their front yards during the days and party tents at night. My cousins still caravanned from Anaheim to Los Angeles to celebrate the championships of both the Dodgers and Lakers. Someone I know, who likes to pose oh-so-glamorously on Instagram with her mask on, nevertheless appeared in a wedding this summer as part of a group of maskless bridesmaids and best men as large as a royal procession.
A pox on acting like a pandejo!
The coronavirus has disproportionately affected Latinos in Los Angeles County and beyond. (County of Los Angeles Public Health)
Nothing will improve until we handle them. But what’s the best way to do it?
I favor the approach of Azucena Rasilla, an Oakland-based journalist. By day, she puts out thoughtful stories about coronavirus inequities in the East Bay. At night, she blasts friends on Instagram stories for partying and dining to the point of calling them selfish.
The crusade is personal for her. Her brother contracted COVID-19, and an uncle in Mexico died of the disease.
“You’re supposed to be my friend. You know what I’ve reported, and what has happened to my family,” Rasilla said. “And you’re just like, ‘Eh’!? It’s so baffling. But really, it’s disgusting. It takes people getting sick for folks to get how serious this is. But do you want to get to that point?”
More judicious is Alexandro Jose Gradilla. The Cal State Fullerton Chicano studies professor has engaged in Facebook and email debates with students — overwhelmingly Latino and working class — who insist coronavirus isn’t a thing.
Rather than rain down insults like Rasilla or myself, he urges empathy.
“Nothing has really changed for them,” Gradilla said. “They have not stopped working, so they still have the weekend. And they think, ‘I worked myself to the bone. I want to do my kickback on Sunday with friends. Who’s going to tell me otherwise?’ This isn’t a romantic, Morrissey or James Dean middle finger to the world. It’s trying to survive.”
He compares the coronavirus to the early years of the AIDS crisis, the result of another virus that disproportionately affected minorities.
“Public health workers eventually figured out that to tell people not to have any sex is unrealistic,” he said. “So they began to go to clubs, bathhouses, with condoms in one hand and literature in another. So today, we should meet Latinos where they go — embrace the fact that especially young folks are going to gather socially.
“It would take out the steam from the Trump-QAnon camp,” Gradilla said, “because their whole thing is that the cops and [Gov. Gavin] Newsom are going to come get us. But imagine the message of ‘Go ahead and have a drink, there’s public health workers here.’ It would be radical.”
Somewhere between Rasilla and Gradilla is Alexis Perez Nava, a senior organizer for the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance.
He moved back to Santa Ana this fall after a couple of years in Los Angeles, and was surprised that people in his hometown — a city severely affected by the coronavirus — weren’t taking the pandemic seriously.
Including his own family.
“Some people might be, ‘Lo que Dios quiera’ [‘If God wants it’], or ‘It’s not going to happen,’” the 32-year-old said. “Or, ‘It’s not a big deal. I survived many things in life, and COVID isn’t going to take me down.’”
A couple of weeks ago, his family held a party where he admits relatives “really didn’t follow [coronavirus] guidelines.” Ten people attended. Nava and two others contracted COVID-19 and are now recovering.
He does think we need to call out pandejos, but in a way that makes them “realize that we [Latinos] can take care of each other and pull through together anything, because we’ve done it before.” He’s already noticing more people around Santa Ana masking up as the virus worsens, “including the señor who just kicks it on the front yard, just chilling by himself.”
That’s a start. Shame isn’t the most effective tool to make someone stop a bad habit. But then again, I heard three separate parties this past weekend near my house scored by banda, mariachi and conjunto norteño.
I wasn’t going to call the cops on them. But maybe I should’ve gotten into my Yukon, bullhorn in hand, and shouted, “¡Pandejos!”


latimes--2020-12-03--Photos: Intense Bond fire in Orange County prompts evacuations

A wind-whipped wildfire was threatening homes in Orange County ’ s mountain communities , prompting evacuations and warnings early Thursday @ @ @ @ @ spread .
A mandatory evacuation order was in effect for residents of Silverado Canyon , @ @ @ @ @ as the Bond fire exploded to 7,200 acres .
Structures were threatened in Silverado and @ @ @

A wind-whipped wildfire was threatening homes in Orange County’s mountain communities, prompting evacuations as fire spread rapidly.
A mandatory evacuation order was in effect for residents of Silverado Canyon, Modjeska Canyon and Williams Canyon as the Bond fire exploded to 7,200 acres by Thursday afternoon. Officials said multiple structures may have been damaged.
The Bond fire began when a structure fire spread into nearby vegetation, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters extinguish hot spots from the Bond fire along Santiago Canyon Road in the Silverado area Thursday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters put out a flare-up along a hillside in Silverado Canyon on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Costa Mesa firefighters battle the wind-driven Bond fire burning near a hillside residence on Santiago Canyon Road on Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A helicopter makes a water drop on the Bond fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters turn to shield themselves from the embers as they battle the Bond fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A helicopter drops water on the Bond fire, which burned more than 7,200 acres in unincorporated Orange County. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A fire vehicle makes its way through flames to fight the Bond fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters battle the Bond fire along Silverado Canyon Road. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A tree is silhouetted by an emergency vehicle’s light at the Bond fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-12-03--When schools reopen will you send your child back?

Amid anxieties over online learning and a dangerous surge in coronavirus cases , Los Angeles Unified School District parents are being asked in a new survey to make a critical decision : Will you send your child back to school when campuses reopen ?
The inopportune timing — as health authorities describe dark scenarios about the weeks ahead — is unavoidable .
L.A. Unified , like districts throughout the state , must brace for the worst : the possibility of another hard shutdown of campuses .
But they must also simultaneously prepare for the complex task of fully reopening campuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The survey , which must be returned by Sunday , is expected to provide the first comprehensive data on where the parents of some 465,000 students stand amid a growing debate over school safety and the extent to which political leaders are prioritizing the importance of reopening campuses .
Parents in the nation ’ s second-largest school district are being asked on a very personal level to weigh the same issues confounding health experts , educators and political leaders : How safe are schools ?
What are the risks ?
What ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not to return is “ a loaded question with a lot of implications , ” said Vanessa Aramayo , executive director of the local nonprofit Alliance for a Better Community .
“ It ’ s extremely difficult for the families we work with because of what ’ s at stake.
” Underlying the choice are myriad anxieties , unknowns and trade-offs : Evidence continues to mount that distance-only learning is harmful to many students and exacerbates gaps separating richer and poorer families , and white and Asian students from Black and Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability of parents to work .
Yet no one wants to compromise safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ I am worried that once children return to school they might bring the virus home , and those at higher risk , such as the adults and the older folks , might contract the virus , ” said Yesica Aguirre , whose eighth-grade son attends Bell Gardens Middle School .
Her 62-year-old husband recently had heart surgery , putting him in a high-risk group .
Other family members outside their household came down with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , ” Aguirre said .
Her son Adrian enjoys being online and fares well in distance learning , but at the same time , Aguirre said , “ I understand that it ’ s best to do in-person classes because the students get to interact with the teacher and because they also get to socialize.
” No one knows exactly when L.A. Unified will resume in-person classes , and officials have no estimated opening date .
But the math does not look promising in Los Angeles County for a return to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California ’ s rules , campuses can not fully reopen in any county until two weeks after it exits the purple tier of the state ’ s color-coded reopening framework — which indicates widespread and dangerous levels of virus transmission .
Given the alarming surge of cases , L.A. County could be in the purple tier well into next year .
And even then , L.A. Unified would have the option to wait longer if district officials deem it advisable .
The status of partial campus reopenings across the county is uneven .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring back students in transitional kindergarten through second grade .
And some are bringing back students of all ages with special needs , up to 25 % of enrollment at a given time .
Across the country , large numbers of parents have landed on each side of the question .
And school systems have responded by offering two or more simultaneous programs , with varying degrees of success .
In New York City — the nation ’ s largest school system — the families of about 30 % of students have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the school year was ultimately pushed back because of logistical problems — and then a virus surge led to another shutdown .
The wild ride continues with a limited reopening for elementary schools scheduled to begin next week .
Over the summer , a majority of Boston parents said they wanted campuses to reopen in some form , but a gradual reopening was temporarily shelved in late October when infections spiked .
Florida forced school districts to reopen , but many families chose to remain online , and it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public health effects of the mandated reopening .
Research from Brown University economist Emily Oster strongly suggests that schools are not super-spreaders of the coronavirus — finding that the infection rates in schools were similar to those in the community and could even be lower .
A study from Yale drew similar conclusions about child care centers .
But there are caveats .
Oster ’ s conclusions were based on voluntary participation from school districts that were confident in their safety measures and that disproportionately represent higher-income communities with lower infection rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned whether it would make sense to open campuses when community infection rates are high .
In that circumstance , keeping schools from spreading infection might still be manageable but also might prove overly disruptive to academic continuity — because preventing an outbreak could require groups of students to be sent home frequently to quarantine .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner , who has pursued a cautious approach to reopening , has cited a study of Utah child care centers — where researchers found evidence of transmission from child to child and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inconsistent record-keeping at the local , state and federal levels has made it difficult to draw definitive conclusions — a fundamental reason why Oster said she made her own attempt .
That ’ s also why teachers unions have pushed back against rapid reopenings , especially as they hear tales of school shutdowns and school-based infections from colleagues across the country .
These anecdotes are more than enough to cause worry , even if they prove to be rare .
UNICEF , the Untied Nations ’ children ’ s relief agency , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci have come down for reopening campuses — especially for younger students .
In an interview on ABC ’ s “ This Week , ” Fauci said that spread “ among children and from children is not really very big at all , not like one would have suspected .
So let ’ s try to get the kids back.
” Infections among people with an association to schools soared in November , L.A. County health officials reported Wednesday .
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer indicated that the school cases seem to reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than infections driven by individuals on campus .
L.A. County has recorded 21 schools with an outbreak investigation — defined as three or more cases over 14 days .
Four of nearly 1,400 schools in L.A. Unified are on this list .
All the recorded cases of possible outbreaks have involved only staff members , with a maximum of four infections .
Many more schools have had one or two cases .
New rules in Los Angeles County call for a two-week campus shutdown when there ’ s an outbreak .
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. Unified campus .
The vast majority of teachers are working from home , and only 2,275 students — fewer than 1 % — are coming to campus periodically for individual or small-group tutoring , and that effort began only recently .
The L.A. Unified survey gives parents two choices : continue in distance-only learning or switch to a hybrid format — which would bring smaller groups of students to campus part time on a staggered schedule .
When not on campus , students would attend classes online .
Parents can change their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance-only .
To transfer to the hybrid model , they would have to wait until designated entry dates .
Families that don ’ t respond will be assigned to a hybrid setting , which concerns some advocacy groups .
They insist that the district needs to work harder to make sure all families know about the survey and have enough information to make the choice that ’ s best for them .
The survey also gathers input on a public policy choice made by state and local officials — allowing businesses to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Would you support increased restrictions on certain businesses like malls and card rooms if that meant schools could reopen ?
” In recent months , almost all businesses have been able to operate with more freedom than schools — though businesses , too , have suffered deep harm .
Some countries , including France , Spain and Belgium , have closed or limited operations for businesses and other entities but prioritized opening schools and keeping them open , an approach being echoed in Rhode Island .
Beutner doesn ’ t propose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he generally supports strict health directives .
But he ’ s said that schools should be prioritized when officials are deciding what to open first .
Aguirre , the parent of the eighth-grader , already has dealt with one scare in her household .
Her adult son , who is living at her home , caught something from a friend and lost his sense of taste and smell for two weeks .
They all knew it was probably COVID-19 .
“ My son was in isolation , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we kept cleaning all the time .
I even slept with my mask on to protect my husband .
We ’ re worried about what is going to happen , if we are going to die .
It really affects us psychologically.
” But she also said that , for now , her choice is to return to campus and to trust in God .
“ Our lives need to continue , and we can not stay indoors for a long time , ” she said .
“ And I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary safety precautions .
”

Adrian Rivera hugs his mother, Yesica Aguirre, outside their apartment complex in Cudahy. Aguirre is torn about sending her son, who is doing well in online learning, back to campus.
Amid anxieties over online learning and a dangerous surge in coronavirus cases, Los Angeles Unified School District parents are being asked in a new survey to make a critical decision: Will you send your child back to school when campuses reopen?
The inopportune timing — as health authorities describe dark scenarios about the weeks ahead — is unavoidable. L.A. Unified, like districts throughout the state, must brace for the worst: the possibility of another hard shutdown of campuses. But they must also simultaneously prepare for the complex task of fully reopening campuses that have been closed for 10 months.
The survey, which must be returned by Sunday, is expected to provide the first comprehensive data on where the parents of some 465,000 students stand amid a growing debate over school safety and the extent to which political leaders are prioritizing the importance of reopening campuses.
Parents in the nation’s second-largest school district are being asked on a very personal level to weigh the same issues confounding health experts, educators and political leaders: How safe are schools? What are the risks? What’s best for my child?
Whether or not to return is “a loaded question with a lot of implications,” said Vanessa Aramayo, executive director of the local nonprofit Alliance for a Better Community. “It’s extremely difficult for the families we work with because of what’s at stake.”
Underlying the choice are myriad anxieties, unknowns and trade-offs: Evidence continues to mount that distance-only learning is harmful to many students and exacerbates gaps separating richer and poorer families, and white and Asian students from Black and Latino students. Distance learning also limits the ability of parents to work. Yet no one wants to compromise safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am worried that once children return to school they might bring the virus home, and those at higher risk, such as the adults and the older folks, might contract the virus,” said Yesica Aguirre, whose eighth-grade son attends Bell Gardens Middle School.
Her 62-year-old husband recently had heart surgery, putting him in a high-risk group. Other family members outside their household came down with COVID-19 “and they were all very sick,” Aguirre said.
Her son Adrian enjoys being online and fares well in distance learning, but at the same time, Aguirre said, “I understand that it’s best to do in-person classes because the students get to interact with the teacher and because they also get to socialize.”
Advertisement
No one knows exactly when L.A. Unified will resume in-person classes, and officials have no estimated opening date. But the math does not look promising in Los Angeles County for a return to school after winter break in January.
Under California’s rules, campuses cannot fully reopen in any county until two weeks after it exits the purple tier of the state’s color-coded reopening framework — which indicates widespread and dangerous levels of virus transmission. Given the alarming surge of cases, L.A. County could be in the purple tier well into next year. And even then, L.A. Unified would have the option to wait longer if district officials deem it advisable.
The status of partial campus reopenings across the county is uneven. Some districts and schools have used waivers to bring back students in transitional kindergarten through second grade. And some are bringing back students of all ages with special needs, up to 25% of enrollment at a given time.
Across the country, large numbers of parents have landed on each side of the question. And school systems have responded by offering two or more simultaneous programs, with varying degrees of success.
In New York City — the nation’s largest school system — the families of about 30% of students have opted for in-person learning. But the start of the school year was ultimately pushed back because of logistical problems — and then a virus surge led to another shutdown. The wild ride continues with a limited reopening for elementary schools scheduled to begin next week.
Over the summer, a majority of Boston parents said they wanted campuses to reopen in some form, but a gradual reopening was temporarily shelved in late October when infections spiked. Florida forced school districts to reopen, but many families chose to remain online, and it’s difficult to get a clear picture of the public health effects of the mandated reopening.
Research from Brown University economist Emily Oster strongly suggests that schools are not super-spreaders of the coronavirus — finding that the infection rates in schools were similar to those in the community and could even be lower. A study from Yale drew similar conclusions about child care centers.
Advertisement
But there are caveats. Oster’s conclusions were based on voluntary participation from school districts that were confident in their safety measures and that disproportionately represent higher-income communities with lower infection rates.
In a recent webinar, Oster questioned whether it would make sense to open campuses when community infection rates are high. In that circumstance, keeping schools from spreading infection might still be manageable but also might prove overly disruptive to academic continuity — because preventing an outbreak could require groups of students to be sent home frequently to quarantine.
L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner, who has pursued a cautious approach to reopening, has cited a study of Utah child care centers — where researchers found evidence of transmission from child to child and from child to adult household members.
Inconsistent record-keeping at the local, state and federal levels has made it difficult to draw definitive conclusions — a fundamental reason why Oster said she made her own attempt. That’s also why teachers unions have pushed back against rapid reopenings, especially as they hear tales of school shutdowns and school-based infections from colleagues across the country. These anecdotes are more than enough to cause worry, even if they prove to be rare.
UNICEF, the Untied Nations’ children’s relief agency, and experts including leading U.S. immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci have come down for reopening campuses — especially for younger students.
In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Fauci said that spread “among children and from children is not really very big at all, not like one would have suspected. So let’s try to get the kids back.”
Infections among people with an association to schools soared in November, L.A. County health officials reported Wednesday. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer indicated that the school cases seem to reflect the overall surge in the community rather than infections driven by individuals on campus.
L.A. County has recorded 21 schools with an outbreak investigation — defined as three or more cases over 14 days. Four of nearly 1,400 schools in L.A. Unified are on this list. All the recorded cases of possible outbreaks have involved only staff members, with a maximum of four infections. Many more schools have had one or two cases. New rules in Los Angeles County call for a two-week campus shutdown when there’s an outbreak.
So far, few people have been on any L.A. Unified campus. The vast majority of teachers are working from home, and only 2,275 students — fewer than 1% — are coming to campus periodically for individual or small-group tutoring, and that effort began only recently.
The L.A. Unified survey gives parents two choices: continue in distance-only learning or switch to a hybrid format — which would bring smaller groups of students to campus part time on a staggered schedule. When not on campus, students would attend classes online. Parents can change their mind at any time to switch to distance-only. To transfer to the hybrid model, they would have to wait until designated entry dates.
Families that don’t respond will be assigned to a hybrid setting, which concerns some advocacy groups. They insist that the district needs to work harder to make sure all families know about the survey and have enough information to make the choice that’s best for them.
The survey also gathers input on a public policy choice made by state and local officials — allowing businesses to open ahead of schools.
The survey asks: “Would you support increased restrictions on certain businesses like malls and card rooms if that meant schools could reopen?”
In recent months, almost all businesses have been able to operate with more freedom than schools — though businesses, too, have suffered deep harm. Some countries, including France, Spain and Belgium, have closed or limited operations for businesses and other entities but prioritized opening schools and keeping them open, an approach being echoed in Rhode Island.
Beutner doesn’t propose opening schools during the current surge — and he generally supports strict health directives. But he’s said that schools should be prioritized when officials are deciding what to open first.
Aguirre, the parent of the eighth-grader, already has dealt with one scare in her household. Her adult son, who is living at her home, caught something from a friend and lost his sense of taste and smell for two weeks. They all knew it was probably COVID-19.
“My son was in isolation,” she said. “Everyone at home wore masks and gloves, and we kept cleaning all the time. I even slept with my mask on to protect my husband. We’re worried about what is going to happen, if we are going to die. It really affects us psychologically.”
But she also said that, for now, her choice is to return to campus and to trust in God.
“Our lives need to continue, and we cannot stay indoors for a long time,” she said. “And I would hope that the schools will provide the necessary safety precautions.”


latimes--2020-12-03--Some California prosecutors say 'tsunami' of prison unemployment fraud fuels street crime

As plots are revealed inside California prisons and jails to scam pandemic unemployment benefits , district attorneys across much of California are calling on state leaders to help them stop , investigate and prosecute the fraud — aid they say has been slow to materialize as abuses continue .
“ It ’ s a tsunami , ” said Sacramento County Dist .
Atty .
Anne Marie Schubert , one prosecutor who fears the money stolen could be contributing to crime on the street .
“ Ultimately the bottom line is we need help.
” Multiple district attorneys interviewed by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials , including state Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra , have not taken leadership in what some have described as the biggest taxpayer fraud in California history .
Especially troublesome to some is that state agencies continue to grapple with how to share information with investigators — such as Social Security numbers that are needed to pinpoint inmates applying for benefits , a system used in 35 other states to prevent such abuse .
Officials with the administration of Gov .
Gavin Newsom said a permanent legal solution to allow the sharing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could involve a change of state law or regulations at the prison agency .
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the agency was “ close to a solution ” for sharing information with the Employment Development Department .
“ Our focus right now is to ensure anyone responsible for defrauding the state and hard-working Californians in this investigation is held accountable , ” she said .
In a letter to eight prosecutors who went public with the fraud involving inmates recently after discovering it in November , Newsom said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen about three months ago .
Since learning of it in August , “ I have been deeply alarmed about what has been happening and like you , I am committed to eliminating fraud in the UI system and the temporary federal unemployment benefits programs , ” he wrote .
But prosecutors contend that without immediate action to allow investigators to compare EDD claims against inmate rolls , their hands are tied — potentially leaving money flowing from prison gangs to street gangs involved in drugs , guns and other crimes .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the alleged fraud may have been perpetrated by individuals , much of it appears to be organized , with multiple payments going to the same address .
“ We are finding that the gangs are heavy , deep into this , ” said Amador County Dist .
Atty .
Todd Riebe .
Riebe said he is looking at 500 inmates at Mule Creek State Prison in his Northern California county who may be involved in more than $ 2 million in fraudulent claims — though some of the proceeds have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Though he has the number of inmates involved , he does not yet have their names because of the restrictions on sharing information .
Riebe said he is “ like a thirsty man in the desert , ” hoping the state takes action to allow him access so he can begin building cases .
“ I need that information to go forward right now , ” he said .
“ I need that list.
” Prosecutors also said that without additional funds and resources , they may not be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud .
Even in larger cities such as Sacramento and Los Angeles , the number of potential defendants and the labor-intensive nature of the investigations mean that prosecutors , with limited resources , are already having discussions on which ones to pursue and which to leave on the “ backburner , ” as Lassen County Dist .
Atty .
Susan Melyssah Rios describes it .
With more than 900 inmates at High Desert State Prison in her county implicated in possible unemployment fraud — totaling $ 4 million in benefits so far — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is outmanned when it comes to prosecuting those potential cases .
She said without state aid , she is uncertain how her office will handle the onslaught .
“ The inmates ... think they are running the show , ” Rios said .
Multiple prosecutors questioned why Becerra has not taken a more prominent role because cases often involve multiple suspects and counties .
Mike Hestrin , Riverside County district attorney , said it “ is obviously a statewide issue .
It is everywhere .
It is just not the counties with prisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it is having a big impact on every prosecutor ’ s office.
” Hestrin said federal prosecutors are working with a statewide task force of district attorneys in pursuing the cases , but state prosecutors so far have taken little interest .
Ventura County Dist .
Atty .
Greg Totten added that while fraud has historically been a locally handled crime , the volume of the EDD problem is unprecedented .
“ It is a good question why the attorney general isn ’ t involved.
” Hestrin said .
Rios added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most offensive is just the lack of response or interest on the part of the [ California ] attorney generals ’ office.
” In a statement Thursday , a representative for Becerra said his office “ has not been contacted ” by Lassen prosecutors , and is actively involved in the state task force coordinating investigations .
“ The California Department of Justice takes allegations of fraud seriously.
” the representative said .
The representative ’ s statement declined further detailed comment on investigations .
“ To protect its integrity , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or ongoing investigation , ” the statement said .
Most district attorneys who spoke to The Times agree much of the money scammed so far will not be recovered , and little can be done to further punish prisoners who may already be serving decades or life sentences — leaving many eager to pursue accomplices on the outside who may reside in counties or states outside of local prosecutors ’ purview .
They also point out that the problem has probably spread through California ’ s 58 county jails , where some inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because some of those incarcerated people might qualify for benefits .
So far , state officials said they have identified $ 400 million paid on some 21,000 unemployment benefit claims that were improperly filed in the names of California prison inmates .
It was late summer when evidence of EDD fraud in prisons appeared across California , according to prosecutors , investigators and others .
It was uncovered largely by accident by investigators monitoring jail and prison phone calls as they looked into unrelated crimes .
In June investigators specializing in prisoner crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state prison in Lancaster where inmates were claiming unemployment .
At first , it was believed to be a local issue .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s prisons unit became involved in identify culprits .
Money had begun to show up on the books of inmates and informants , and telephone conversations captured by investigators led them to recognize the problem was more widespread .
Investigators uncovered a similar problem around the same time in a San Mateo County jail by listening to phone calls there .
That case has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 people .
Also around that time in Lassen County , a prison investigator at High Desert was investigating a case .
That investigator happened to tell Rios , the district attorney , about it in an email Sept. 5 , she said .
Curious to know if other counties were seeing something similar , she sent a query over a listserv used by district attorneys .
The responses came back quickly .
In Sacramento , Schubert quickly realized her own jails and prisons were probably affected .
Having pulled together a statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Killer , JosephDeAngelo , only a few years prior , she once again spearheaded a collaboration in early November , drawing in McGregor Scott , the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California .
It was through that federal connection that California prosecutors were able to see the large scale of the fraud .
The U.S. attorneys office had issued a subpoena on behalf of the U.S. Labor Department to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in September , allowing comparison of inmate information to claims for a five-month period through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information from federal authorities Nov. 12 , and she spent the weekend looking through it for names she recognized from her own prosecutions .
“ I kept looking for people I had personally prosecuted and getting more and more irritated , ” she said .

Anita Chabria, Patrick McGreevy, Richard Winton

Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert is one of several D.A.s concerned about state jobless benefits fraud and the state’s role in investigating it.
As plots are revealed inside California prisons and jails to scam pandemic unemployment benefits, district attorneys across much of California are calling on state leaders to help them stop, investigate and prosecute the fraud — aid they say has been slow to materialize as abuses continue.
“It’s a tsunami,” said Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert, one prosecutor who fears the money stolen could be contributing to crime on the street. “Ultimately the bottom line is we need help.”
Multiple district attorneys interviewed by The Times said they are frustrated that state officials, including state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, have not taken leadership in what some have described as the biggest taxpayer fraud in California history. Especially troublesome to some is that state agencies continue to grapple with how to share information with investigators — such as Social Security numbers that are needed to pinpoint inmates applying for benefits, a system used in 35 other states to prevent such abuse.
Advertisement
Officials with the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom said a permanent legal solution to allow the sharing of data is being worked on. It could involve a change of state law or regulations at the prison agency.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the agency was “close to a solution” for sharing information with the Employment Development Department. “Our focus right now is to ensure anyone responsible for defrauding the state and hard-working Californians in this investigation is held accountable,” she said.
In a letter to eight prosecutors who went public with the fraud involving inmates recently after discovering it in November, Newsom said that the problem appeared on his radar screen about three months ago. Since learning of it in August, “I have been deeply alarmed about what has been happening and like you, I am committed to eliminating fraud in the UI system and the temporary federal unemployment benefits programs,” he wrote.
But prosecutors contend that without immediate action to allow investigators to compare EDD claims against inmate rolls, their hands are tied — potentially leaving money flowing from prison gangs to street gangs involved in drugs, guns and other crimes. Those interviewed by The Times said that although some of the alleged fraud may have been perpetrated by individuals, much of it appears to be organized, with multiple payments going to the same address.
“We are finding that the gangs are heavy, deep into this,” said Amador County Dist. Atty. Todd Riebe.
Riebe said he is looking at 500 inmates at Mule Creek State Prison in his Northern California county who may be involved in more than $2 million in fraudulent claims — though some of the proceeds have been sent to other counties and even other states. Though he has the number of inmates involved, he does not yet have their names because of the restrictions on sharing information.
Riebe said he is “like a thirsty man in the desert,” hoping the state takes action to allow him access so he can begin building cases.
“I need that information to go forward right now,” he said. “I need that list.”
Advertisement
Prosecutors also said that without additional funds and resources, they may not be able to pursue criminal charges in all instances of fraud.
Even in larger cities such as Sacramento and Los Angeles, the number of potential defendants and the labor-intensive nature of the investigations mean that prosecutors, with limited resources, are already having discussions on which ones to pursue and which to leave on the “backburner,” as Lassen County Dist. Atty. Susan Melyssah Rios describes it.
With more than 900 inmates at High Desert State Prison in her county implicated in possible unemployment fraud — totaling $4 million in benefits so far — Rios said her office of four lawyers is outmanned when it comes to prosecuting those potential cases. She said without state aid, she is uncertain how her office will handle the onslaught.
“The inmates ... think they are running the show,” Rios said.
Multiple prosecutors questioned why Becerra has not taken a more prominent role because cases often involve multiple suspects and counties.
Mike Hestrin, Riverside County district attorney, said it “is obviously a statewide issue. It is everywhere. It is just not the counties with prisons. It is in every county, and it is having a big impact on every prosecutor’s office.”
Hestrin said federal prosecutors are working with a statewide task force of district attorneys in pursuing the cases, but state prosecutors so far have taken little interest. Ventura County Dist. Atty. Greg Totten added that while fraud has historically been a locally handled crime, the volume of the EDD problem is unprecedented.
“It is a good question why the attorney general isn’t involved.” Hestrin said.
Rios added that, “the part that I find the most offensive is just the lack of response or interest on the part of the [California] attorney generals’ office.”
In a statement Thursday, a representative for Becerra said his office “has not been contacted” by Lassen prosecutors, and is actively involved in the state task force coordinating investigations. “The California Department of Justice takes allegations of fraud seriously.” the representative said.
The representative’s statement declined further detailed comment on investigations. “To protect its integrity, we are unable to comment on a potential or ongoing investigation,” the statement said.
Most district attorneys who spoke to The Times agree much of the money scammed so far will not be recovered, and little can be done to further punish prisoners who may already be serving decades or life sentences — leaving many eager to pursue accomplices on the outside who may reside in counties or states outside of local prosecutors’ purview. They also point out that the problem has probably spread through California’s 58 county jails, where some inmates serve short sentences, further complicating investigations because some of those incarcerated people might qualify for benefits.
So far, state officials said they have identified $400 million paid on some 21,000 unemployment benefit claims that were improperly filed in the names of California prison inmates.
.
It was late summer when evidence of EDD fraud in prisons appeared across California, according to prosecutors, investigators and others. It was uncovered largely by accident by investigators monitoring jail and prison phone calls as they looked into unrelated crimes.
In June investigators specializing in prisoner crime came upon a fraud operation inside the state prison in Lancaster where inmates were claiming unemployment. At first, it was believed to be a local issue. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s prisons unit became involved in identify culprits. Money had begun to show up on the books of inmates and informants, and telephone conversations captured by investigators led them to recognize the problem was more widespread.
Investigators uncovered a similar problem around the same time in a San Mateo County jail by listening to phone calls there. That case has led to the filing of charges against 21 people.
Also around that time in Lassen County, a prison investigator at High Desert was investigating a case.
That investigator happened to tell Rios, the district attorney, about it in an email Sept. 5, she said. Curious to know if other counties were seeing something similar, she sent a query over a listserv used by district attorneys.
The responses came back quickly. In Sacramento, Schubert quickly realized her own jails and prisons were probably affected. Having pulled together a statewide task force to pursue the Golden State Killer, JosephDeAngelo,only a few years prior, she once again spearheaded a collaboration in early November, drawing in McGregor Scott, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California.
It was through that federal connection that California prosecutors were able to see the large scale of the fraud. The U.S. attorneys office had issued a subpoena on behalf of the U.S. Labor Department to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in September, allowing comparison of inmate information to claims for a five-month period through August.
Schubert said prosecutors received that information from federal authorities Nov. 12, and she spent the weekend looking through it for names she recognized from her own prosecutions.
“I kept looking for people I had personally prosecuted and getting more and more irritated,” she said.


latimes--2020-12-03--Bond fire rapidly jumps through Orange County canyons, forcing evacuations

A fire that erupted in Orange County ’ s canyon country late Wednesday quickly jumped into the nearby hillsides , whipped by Santa Ana winds and fueled by bone-dry brush .
The Bond fire nearly quadrupled in size in just a few hours , exploding to about 7,200 acres by Thursday afternoon .
About 25,000 residents live in a mandatory evacuation order in effect for Silverado Canyon , Modjeska Canyon , Williams Canyon , Black Star and Baker canyons and portions of Portola Hills and Foothill Ranch , the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department said .
For the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packed up his photo albums , clothing and documents and prepared to evacuate .
The 51-year-old ’ s Lake Forest neighborhood of two-story stucco homes was littered with deflated Christmas blowups and tinsel and lights hanging from balcony railings as ash fell like snow from the December sky .
“ It ’ s shocking that fire season is still going on into December .
It seems like every time there ’ s winds , a fire breaks out , ” said Day , whose family was ready to leave by 10 a.m. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hotel in Anaheim .
“ So much of the hillside burned in the last fire and there ’ s so little left to burn , so I ’ m not so sure how big of a risk there is to my home.
” Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze , which was 0 % contained .
Officials with the Orange County Fire Authority said the injured firefighters had been treated by paramedics and taken to a hospital .
Officials also said multiple structures may have been damaged by the blaze .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ verifying the number involved and the extent of the damage , ” the Orange County Fire Authority wrote on Twitter .
Voluntary evacuation warnings were issued for areas spanning from Trabuco Canyon to north Tustin .
The latest map of evacuation areas is available here .
A temporary Red Cross evacuation point was set up in Lot 2 of Santiago Canyon College , 8045 E. Chapman Ave. , in Orange .
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic , authorities said no congregate shelter was available and urged evacuees “ to seek safety with family/friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 48-year-old from Lake Forest , stood by her car outside the Red Cross area Thursday afternoon .
She had anticipated spending the week isolating at home after developing a mild cold and showing pre-COVID symptoms .
Instead , she spent hours in her car trying to find hotel accommodations with a separate room for her daughter , who was perched in an adjacent car .
“ We ’ ll be OK.
It ’ s an unfortunate timing , ” Smith said .
“ I ’ m going to see what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Around 70 cars had come for assistance by 1 p.m. , said Red Cross officials , who were prepping to find a new location as the evacuation zone was encroaching on their locale .
Sepehr Roshan of Pomona was awoken early Thursday morning with a notice that his aunt ’ s home was in an evacuation zone .
She has abdominal cancer and evacuation proved difficult five weeks ago , during the Silverado fire .
The air quality did not help her health , so the 53-year-old Roshan drove to Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare to leave if needed .
Air quality near the fire took a nosedive Thursday .
The Environmental Protection Agency monitoring site Air Now showed Orange , Irvine , Tustin and other areas near the Bond fire hovering in the unhealthy air quality range and advised people to reduce time outdoors and avoid strenuous activities .
“ She ’ s bed-resting right now , but it ’ s tough .
She doesn ’ t really want to leave her house because it ’ s her comfort zone , ” Roshan said of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the windows and doors are closed and the air purifier is on at all times.
” Up the street , Donna Budman was monitoring the smoke outside her home of 28 years .
The faint sound of sirens and loudspeakers from sheriff ’ s cars echoed as they patrolled the area .
Her neighborhood has been threatened by wildfire three times since she moved in — twice in the last several weeks .
Budman said she and her family aren ’ t evacuating .
She wants to monitor the threat level but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her main worry was making sure the Wi-Fi stayed on so her daughter could finish a final exam for a college course .
“ Maybe we have a false sense of security because of last month ’ s fire burning a lot of the vegetation already , but it ’ s a good reminder that we need to be ready , and we are , ” she said .
Orange County Fire Authority Capt .
Thanh Nguyen said crews were battling steep terrain , heavy brush and dangerous fire weather conditions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not only the topography , the contour of the hillsides , but the wind , ” Nguyen said .
“ In addition to that , the winds come with low relative humidity .
[ Humidity ] is in the low teens , and that makes the fuels susceptible to burning.
” The Fire Authority reported just after 11 p.m. Wednesday that a structure fire had extended into nearby vegetation , and that firefighters were on the scene , with fire helicopters and a helitanker assisting .
Dangerous fire weather conditions are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid dry , gusty Santa Ana winds .
The winds spurred at least three other fires in Southern California .
In San Diego County , a brush fire that erupted in a belt of undeveloped land southeast of El Cajon on Wednesday night destroyed at least one home and damaged six others .
Brief evacuations were ordered , but firefighters were able to get the blaze under control , and by 7 a.m. , it was 50 % contained after burning about 30 acres .
In Riverside County , two wildfires were burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out Tuesday evening near Corona Airport and then swelled to 500 acres in two days .
by Thursday morning .
As of 6:30 a.m. , it was 0 % contained .
It was not threatening any structures , officials said .
Elsewhere , the Cerritos fire sparked overnight , quickly singing 200 acres forcing residents to evacuate from the Nuevo community .
The blazes come amid what the National Weather Service called a “ particularly dangerous situation ” that prompted Southern California Edison to initiate a late Wednesday .
One resident of Silverado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name said his power was cut around 7 p.m. Wednesday .
He and his wife left their home at 11 p.m. , shortly before firefighters and sheriff ’ s deputies rushed through their neighborhood , instructing them to evacuate .
“ This fire literally started feet away from us .
We hightailed it out of there , ” the man said .
“ It was made a lot more challenging by the fact that we were in the dark and there ’ s no cellphone service , so we were quite literally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he and his wife grabbed everything they could think of in 10 minutes and fled .
As of Thursday afternoon , more than 50,000 customers were without power , including 1,600 customers in Orange County , 9,900 in Los Angeles County and 24,000 in Riverside County .
Nearly 250,000 additional customers are under consideration for a shutoff as well , according to SCE spokesman Ron Gales , including an additional 14,000 in Orange County .
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II and Luke Money contributed to this report .

A fire that erupted in Orange County’s canyon country quickly jumped into the nearby hillsides Thursday, whipped by Santa Ana winds and fueled by bone-dry brush that also drove three smaller fires in Riverside.
The Bond fire nearly quadrupled in size in just a few hours, exploding to about 7,200 acres by Thursday afternoon. About 25,000 residents live in a mandatory evacuation order in effect for Silverado Canyon, Modjeska Canyon, Williams Canyon, Black Star and Baker canyons and portions of Portola Hills and Foothill Ranch, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said.
Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze, which was 0% contained. Officials with the Orange County Fire Authority said the injured firefighters had been treated by paramedics and taken to a hospital.
Multiple structures may have been damaged by the blaze.
“We are in the process of verifying the number involved and the extent of the damage,” the Orange County Fire Authority wrote on Twitter.
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The blazes come as the National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for a “particularly dangerous” combination of strong winds and low humidity levels. Across Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and other areas in Southern California, warnings for fire weather and strong winds remain in effect through at least Saturday.
In Orange and southwestern San Bernardino counties, gusts were expected to reach up to 50 mph. Riverside and San Diego counties could see gusts up to 70 mph. The red flag warnings prompted Southern California Edison to initiate a public safety power shut-off late Wednesday.
California Photos: Bond fire in Orange County prompts evacuations The Bond fire erupted overnight in Orange County in dry brush and prompted evacuations in mountain communities amid high winds.
In Orange County, voluntary evacuation warnings were issued for areas spanning from Trabuco Canyon to north Tustin. A temporary Red Cross evacuation point was set up in Lot 2 of Santiago Canyon College, 8045 E. Chapman Ave., in Orange. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities said no congregate shelter was available and urged evacuees “to seek safety with family/friends or in a hotel.”
Judy Smith, a 48-year-old from Lake Forest, stood by her car outside the Red Cross area Thursday afternoon. She had anticipated spending the week isolating at home after developing a mild cold and showing pre-COVID symptoms. Instead, she spent hours in her car trying to find hotel accommodations with a separate room for her daughter, who was perched in an adjacent car.
“We’ll be OK. It’s an unfortunate timing,” Smith said. “I’m going to see what I can do to isolate from my daughter.”
Around 70 cars had come for assistance by 1 p.m., said Red Cross officials, who were prepping to find a new location as the evacuation zone was encroaching on their locale.
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California Bond fire: Evacuations, road closures, shelters The Bond fire, which began Wednesday night in Orange County, has exploded to more than 4,000 acres and is threatening several canyon communities.
Sepehr Roshan of Pomona was awoken early Thursday morning with a notice that his aunt’s home was in an evacuation zone. She has abdominal cancer, and evacuation proved difficult five weeks ago, during the Silverado fire. The air quality did not help her health, so the 53-year-old Roshan drove to Orange County to help his family find accommodations and prepare to leave if needed.
Air quality near the fire took a nosedive Thursday. The Environmental Protection Agency monitoring site Air Now showed Orange, Irvine, Tustin and other areas near the Bond fire hovering in the unhealthy air quality range and advised people to reduce time outdoors and avoid strenuous activities.
“She’s bed-resting right now, but it’s tough. She doesn’t really want to leave her house because it’s her comfort zone,” Roshan said of his aunt. “We made sure all the windows and doors are closed and the air purifier is on at all times.”
A large plume rises from behind rugged terrain along Santiago Canyon Road, where the Bond fire continues to burn with 0% containment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Up the street, Donna Budman was monitoring the smoke outside her home of 28 years. The faint sound of sirens and loudspeakers from sheriff’s cars echoed as they patrolled the area.
Her neighborhood has been threatened by wildfire three times since she moved in — twice in the last several weeks.
Budman said she and her family aren’t evacuating. She wants to monitor the threat level, but they plan to hunker down in the meantime. Her main worry was making sure the Wi-Fi stayed on so her daughter could finish a final exam for a college course.
“Maybe we have a false sense of security because of last month’s fire burning a lot of the vegetation already, but it’s a good reminder that we need to be ready, and we are,” she said.
Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Thanh Nguyen said crews were battling steep terrain, heavy brush and dangerous fire weather conditions.
“The big challenge we have here is not only the topography, the contour of the hillsides, but the wind,” Nguyen said. “In addition to that, the winds come with low relative humidity. [Humidity] is in the low teens, and that makes the fuels susceptible to burning.”
The Fire Authority reported just after 11 p.m. Wednesday that a structure fire had extended into nearby vegetation, and that firefighters were on the scene, with fire helicopters and a helitanker assisting.
The Bond fire erupted overnight in Orange County. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
In Riverside County, three smaller fires were burning Thursday. Near Corona Municipal Airport, a brush fire swelled to 750 acres and was 10% contained as of Thursday afternoon. The Cerritos fire sparked Wednesday night, and grew to 200 acres, forcing residents to evacuate from the Nuevo community. The blaze was 25% contained Thursday evening.
Near the San Bernardino County border, a 10-acre mulch fire spread to a pallet yard and threatened multiple structures. Residents near the Santa Ana Riverbottom were told to evacuate.
As of Thursday afternoon, 43,492 customers were without power, including nearly 1,600 customers in Orange County, 7,800 in Los Angeles County and nearly 22,000 in Riverside County.
Nearly 250,000 additional customers are under consideration for a shut-off as well, according to SCE spokesman Ron Gales, including an additional 14,000 in Orange County.
Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-03--Column: Newsom endures two embarrassments with French Laundry dinner and unemployment scam

Mix a governor ’ s hypocrisy with a touch of elitism and perceived incompetence and you can create a killer negative campaign ad .
On the positive side for Gov .
Gavin Newsom , he carries California ’ s vastly preferred political brand — Democrat — has a clean image , is gifted with telegenic looks and seems to always be trying .
Newsom ’ s positives should be enough to win him reelection in 2022 , especially since his ability to raise campaign money is practically unlimited .
But he ’ s starting to look vulnerable after the French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was damaging enough that Newsom was hypocritical in attending a lobbyist friend ’ s birthday dinner with people from several households .
It was the type of mixing he had urged other Californians to avoid in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
Newsom initially told reporters the party was outside where the coronavirus is less likely to spread .
But clandestine photos showed a private dining room that looked mostly inside .
The elitist touch was added by the French Laundry being an opulent , super expensive restaurant in the Napa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bad mistake , ” the governor later acknowledged .
“ I need to preach and practice , not just preach and not practice.
” Then things got worse for Newsom .
Just before Thanksgiving , nine district attorneys and a federal prosecutor reported that the state Employment Development Department had been mistakenly paying out unemployment benefits to convicted murderers , and other state prisoners and local jail inmates .
By Monday , state investigators had identified $ 400 million paid on roughly 21,000 unemployment benefit claims improperly filed in the names of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this onion , it ’ s likely to be the biggest fraud in California history , ” says Sacramento County Dist .
Atty .
Anne Marie Schubert , who led the task force that investigated and reported the scam .
Some D.A.s speculate the misspent amount could hit $ 1 billion .
The investigation is still underway .
“ I have no doubt that hardcore gang members inside prisons and jails have money flowing outside to guns and drugs , financing potentially violent behavior , ” Schubert says .
A 2022 challenge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a hopeless exercise .
“ I ’ m very seriously thinking about running because California needs new leadership and one-party rule has not served the state well in the last few years , ” Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer told me .
“ More to come shortly , ” he says .
Translation : The soon-to-be ex-mayor is unquestionably running .
The only unknown is , how far does he get ?
A topic for another day .
“ The scope of this fraud is breathtaking , ” Faulconer says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punch to Californians who have been waiting months to get unemployment benefits and yet they see it going to death row inmates .
“ It ’ s incredible mismanagement .
All the more glaring for Californians because we are the state of innovation , of technology .
Yet we can ’ t get this system to work.
” Newsom and his advisers are trying to explain the unexplainable — something that never could be sold in a 30-second TV ad .
If you feel compelled to use up a TV spot for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already lost .
Dozens of other states have cross-checking systems that allow their unemployment agencies to compare the Social Security numbers of benefit claimants with the inmate population .
But California law forbids sharing of Social Security numbers with non-law enforcement agencies .
So , no cross-checking for the EDD .
Yes , that state law should be changed .
The administration says it ’ s working on it .
The vast majority of fraudulent claims involved a new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program , Newsom told the D.A.s in a letter Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contractors — Lyft drivers , for example — who aren ’ t eligible for regular unemployment insurance because they ’ re not employees .
With the PUA program , there ’ s no company to check with to verify that the claimant is legit .
It ’ s “ a self-certification process , ” Newsom wrote , and “ bad actors took advantage of the crisis to abuse the system.
” Since then , EDD has installed a more secure identification system , it says .
OK , but the only real explanation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The sum ” of the French Laundry incident and prisoners ’ scam “ add up to something much worse than the individual parts , ” says Dan Schnur , a former political strategist who now teaches politics at USC and UC Berkeley .
“ Hundreds of millions of dollars going to convicted felons is an easy campaign commercial .
But when that ad can show a split screen with the governor having dinner at an expensive restaurant with well-connected lobbyists during the pandemic , it becomes a much more damaging hit.
” Rob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisor in gubernatorial campaigns for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Meg Whitman , says : “ It plays on all the things people imagine are the worst things about politics — and it turns out to be true.
” Democratic Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris of Laguna Beach heads an Assembly committee that has tried to hold EDD ’ s “ feet to the fire , ” she says .
The lawmaker is critical of her fellow Democrat Newsom , noting his first reaction to the fraud was to create a task force .
“ We do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple and obvious steps that are implemented across the country , ” she says .
“ It ’ s absurd .
This is outrageous .
“ EDD is an example of where California government needs to do a much better job in expending tax dollars.
” Petrie-Norris ’ tough rhetoric results partially from her representing a very competitive district .
She just barely won reelection over a GOP opponent .
If Newsom doesn ’ t tighten up his administration and partying , he could also face a competitive race .

Mix a governor’s hypocrisy with a touch of elitism and perceived incompetence and you can create a killer negative campaign ad.
On the positive side for Gov. Gavin Newsom, he carries California’s vastly preferred political brand — Democrat — has a clean image, is gifted with telegenic looks and seems to always be trying.
Newsom’s positives should be enough to win him reelection in 2022, especially since his ability to raise campaign money is practically unlimited.
Advertisement
But he’s starting to look vulnerable after the French Laundry and unemployment scam embarrassments.
It was damaging enough that Newsom was hypocritical in attending a lobbyist friend’s birthday dinner with people from several households. It was the type of mixing he had urged other Californians to avoid in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Newsom initially told reporters the party was outside where the coronavirus is less likely to spread. But clandestine photos showed a private dining room that looked mostly inside. The elitist touch was added by the French Laundry being an opulent, super expensive restaurant in the Napa Valley wine country.
The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Calif. is seen in 2017. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press)
“I made a bad mistake,” the governor later acknowledged. “I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice.”
Then things got worse for Newsom.
Just before Thanksgiving, nine district attorneys and a federal prosecutor reported that the state Employment Development Department had been mistakenly paying out unemployment benefits to convicted murderers, and other state prisoners and local jail inmates.
By Monday, state investigators had identified $400 million paid on roughly 21,000 unemployment benefit claims improperly filed in the names of California prisoners.
“As we unravel this onion, it’s likely to be the biggest fraud in California history,” says Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert, who led the task force that investigated and reported the scam.
Some D.A.s speculate the misspent amount could hit $1 billion. The investigation is still underway.
Advertisement
“I have no doubt that hardcore gang members inside prisons and jails have money flowing outside to guns and drugs, financing potentially violent behavior,” Schubert says.
A 2022 challenge of the governor is beginning to look like more than a hopeless exercise.
“I’m very seriously thinking about running because California needs new leadership and one-party rule has not served the state well in the last few years,” Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer told me.
Faulconer’s mayoral term ends Dec. 10.
“More to come shortly,” he says.
Translation: The soon-to-be ex-mayor is unquestionably running. The only unknown is, how far does he get? A topic for another day.
“The scope of this fraud is breathtaking,” Faulconer says. “It’s another gut punch to Californians who have been waiting months to get unemployment benefits and yet they see it going to death row inmates.
“It’s incredible mismanagement. All the more glaring for Californians because we are the state of innovation, of technology. Yet we can’t get this system to work.”
Newsom and his advisers are trying to explain the unexplainable — something that never could be sold in a 30-second TV ad. If you feel compelled to use up a TV spot for that quagmire of weeds, you’ve already lost.
Dozens of other states have cross-checking systems that allow their unemployment agencies to compare the Social Security numbers of benefit claimants with the inmate population. But California law forbids sharing of Social Security numbers with non-law enforcement agencies. So, no cross-checking for the EDD.
Yes, that state law should be changed. The administration says it’s working on it.
The vast majority of fraudulent claims involved a new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, Newsom told the D.A.s in a letter Tuesday. That program was designed for independent contractors — Lyft drivers, for example — who aren’t eligible for regular unemployment insurance because they’re not employees.
With the PUA program, there’s no company to check with to verify that the claimant is legit. It’s “a self-certification process,” Newsom wrote, and “bad actors took advantage of the crisis to abuse the system.”
Since then, EDD has installed a more secure identification system, it says.
OK, but the only real explanation is: We screwed up.
“The sum” of the French Laundry incident and prisoners’ scam “add up to something much worse than the individual parts,” says Dan Schnur, a former political strategist who now teaches politics at USC and UC Berkeley.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars going to convicted felons is an easy campaign commercial. But when that ad can show a split screen with the governor having dinner at an expensive restaurant with well-connected lobbyists during the pandemic, it becomes a much more damaging hit.”
Rob Stutzman, a Republican consultant and top advisor in gubernatorial campaigns for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Meg Whitman, says: “It plays on all the things people imagine are the worst things about politics — and it turns out to be true.”
Democratic Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris of Laguna Beach heads an Assembly committee that has tried to hold EDD’s “feet to the fire,” she says.
The lawmaker is critical of her fellow Democrat Newsom, noting his first reaction to the fraud was to create a task force.
“We do not need a task force to implement simple and obvious steps that are implemented across the country,” she says. “It’s absurd. This is outrageous.
“EDD is an example of where California government needs to do a much better job in expending tax dollars.”
Petrie-Norris’ tough rhetoric results partially from her representing a very competitive district. She just barely won reelection over a GOP opponent.
If Newsom doesn’t tighten up his administration and partying, he could also face a competitive race.