latimes--2020-10-19--With COVID-19 stimulus stalled, L.A. clubs face doomsday scenario: 'We're in the deep end, drowning'

Over the summer , Dave Grohl often drove around L.A. with his 14-year-old daughter , just to have a change of scenery from lockdown .
Before COVID-19 struck , the Foo Fighters frontman expected to be touring to mark the band ’ s 25th anniversary this year .
But one night , as the two passed by the boarded-up Troubadour in West Hollywood , Grohl ’ s daughter turned to him and , as he recounted , grew melancholy .
“ Oh , no , the Troubadour , ” she told him .
“ God , it ’ s so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I had no idea she knew about its history , ” Grohl said in a phone interview over the weekend .
“ Even to a 14-year-old , it was so important to her that one day , it still exists.
” On Saturday night , Foo Fighters posted a pretaped live set from an empty Troubadour to raise funds for the National Independent Venue Assn .
and its lifeline to imperiled clubs .
Shuttered venues , Grohl said , don ’ t just affect musicians currently on hiatus .
“ They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my daughter , ” he said .
Sadly , many similar venues might not survive the year .
In the absence of any further federal relief like the now-on-hold Save Our Stages Act measure , independent music venues face increasingly dismal choices .
Do they take out onerous business loans and risk total personal ruin later if the COVID-19 pandemic persists another year ?
Do they throw in the towel now , when a vaccine or stimulus bill might be just around the corner in a Biden administration ?
“ I call it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christine Karayan , general manager of the Troubadour .
“ You can make a couple dollars from merch and live-streaming , and that ’ s better than nothing .
But you can ’ t sustain a venue on that .
“ I know everyone is doing their best .
But has everybody just lost their minds ?
” Even just a few weeks ago , venue owners and industry advocates were optimistic that help was on the way .
The Save Our Stages Act , championed in the Senate by Sens .
Amy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-Texas ) , would provide $ 10 billion in grants to local music venues to pay for expenses like rent , utilities and insurance not covered under the Paycheck Protection Program .
In September , the Democratic-led House updated its already-passed HEROES Act to include Save Our Stages ’ measures .
An industry used to expecting the worst was hopeful that the bill would make it into a second round of COVID-19 relief measures .
Then summer came and went , and optimism for a relief bill got subsumed into election acrimony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when , immediately after I win , we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business , ” President Trump wrote in a tweet on Oct. 6 .
“ Small venues were some of the first to close their doors , and I know the prospect of re-opening is becoming even more difficult as this pandemic continues to grip the country , ” Sen. Klobuchar said in a statement to the Times .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music die .
Save our Stages has growing bipartisan support and was included in the latest relief package that passed the House of Representatives .
Senator Cornyn and I continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure aid for small venues is included in any pandemic relief package.
” A rep for Cornyn said , in a statement taken from a Facebook Live chat , “ My hope is that we ’ ll come together and pass one last bill at least before the election… It will include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry pros fighting for the bill , it was a sucker punch just when they ’ d allowed themselves some hope .
“ We feel abandoned right now , ” said Audrey Fix Schaefer , spokesperson for the independent venue association , which led the music industry ’ s advocacy for the legislation .
“ It has been a horrendous roller-coaster ride .
Everybody predicted this would pass in July .
People are selling their houses to not go under .
We ’ re all exhausted and frustrated .
Our system should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who need it .
“ We ’ re in the deep end , drowning , ” she added .
Several L.A.-area venue operators said they ’ re giving it until the new year to make existential decisions about whether to even stay in business .
They said they ’ re starting to feel like they ’ re in an airplane with a blown-out engine : suspended in midair , waiting for the drop .
“ There was a minute where we had high hopes , ” Karayan said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut our losses ?
Everybody ’ s already in with blood , sweat and tears .
At some point , you have to stop the bleeding .
Do I mortgage my house ?
Or do I lose everything ?
” “ I don ’ t know if we ’ re going to make it , ” said Elizabeth Fischbach , who owns 1642 , a bar on Echo Park ’ s southern edge that ’ s become a one-of-a-kind venue for jazz and vintage Americana acts .
“ I ’ m living off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped out generously .
But it ’ s all running out .
I haven ’ t paid my mortgage in six months .
How much am I willing to go into debt for this , with nothing to show ?
” “ That ’ s the giant anxiety pill everyone swallows before bed , ” said Alex Hernandez , owner of Long Beach ’ s two-decade-old punk stalwart Alex ’ s Bar .
“ What if I ’ m just paying rent for no reason ?
I already took out another business loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open this place .
But when does it put my wife and three kids in a dangerous place with no savings to keep a roof over our heads ?
” Even in an industry used to frantic problem-solving on tight budgets , the lack of government action to save an industry and cultural ecosystem worth billions has despaired and confounded them .
“ I was shocked when it didn ’ t happen , ” said Patrick Whalen , national director of We Make Events , another live-industry advocacy group representing venues as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as large as L.A. Memorial Coliseum .
“ But it ’ s a perfect storm : a horrible disease on top of an election on top of a Supreme Court justice passing .
Overnight , the attention shifted .
We had spent countless hours to motivate people who had already lost faith in government.
” “ At our venue in MacArthur Park , in the community of Westlake , the median income is around $ 26,000 .
Music should be funded in this neighborhood , because art is a pillar of our society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Allison Keating , executive director of the Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles , a nonprofit that before COVID-19 produced 50 free outdoor shows a year in the largely Latin American neighborhood .
“ Music gives people hope .
The justification for it is the same as for keeping art in schools and funding the NEA.
” Meanwhile , venues and activist groups are performing triage with whatever money they can raise .
On Friday , the independent venue association kicked off the Save Our Stages Fest , a live-to-tape performance series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and empty — local venues around the country .
Foo Fighters , YG , Marshmello , Demi Lovato and Phoebe Bridgers played at the Troubadour ; the Teragram Ballroom , the Whisky a Go Go and the Hotel Cafe also hosted sets from Miley Cyrus and Finneas , among others .
Grohl hoped the festival would showcase how , without these small venues , the stadium shows he plays now wouldn ’ t have been possible .
“ You have to learn to crawl before you run to Wembley Stadium , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is rooted in playing smaller venues in your early years , ” he said .
“ You learn from those shows how to connect to audiences .
If you bring that to a stadium stage , then you ’ re U2 or Freddie Mercury.
” Fundraising streaming sets have been a small lifeline for venues , along with merchandise sales , staff GoFundMes and whatever else they can scrounge up in the meantime .
Live Nation and AEG , the two rival mega-corporations in touring , announced a new effort , # SaveLiveEventsNow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits for workers across the live industry .
But several venue owners say they ’ ve been frustrated with city and county governments ’ guidance , and the whipsaw approaches to letting restaurants and other types of hospitality businesses resume service while they ’ re still shut down and can barely turn on the lights ( or not : Electricity bills are still due in a pandemic ) .
“ The city of West Hollywood has been beyond helpful to do whatever they can , ” Karayan said .
“ But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state , no answers for anything.
” “ It just feels so dire , ” Fischbach said .
“ I know there are so many other challenges in this state .
But there is so much money in this city , I can ’ t imagine why we have to suffer so much.
” There are signs that a potential Biden administration might make Save Our Stages a priority in a bigger relief bill .
The Biden campaign just released a new ad spotlighting the Blind Pig , a 50-year-old music venue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner , Joe Malcoun , blames the Trump administration for failing to manage the pandemic and for ignoring small businesses like his .
“ We don ’ t know how much longer we can survive without any revenue , “ he says in the ad .
“ It makes me so angry .
My only hope for my family and for this business and my community is that Joe Biden wins this election.
” On Saturday night , as the Foo Fighters ’ virtual set streamed , the doors of the Troubadour were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of fans would have been there , clamoring for tickets or just to catch a glimpse of the band performing that night .
But for now , just like for the last eight months , there was nothing but traffic noise and the sense of doom that Grohl ’ s daughter felt passing by .
“ I ’ ve imagined myself sitting at a Senate hearing , trying to convince them that music is necessary , ” Grohl says .
“ Maybe reminding them that at one point , Barry Manilow was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to relate to the idea that music makes life better .
Washington needs to take a good , hard look at how dire the situation is , but also to look back on their own lives and remember how important music is to them .
We have to protect that for the next generation .
”

Alex Hernandez, owner of Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, says he “already took out another business loan and borrowed more money than I paid to open this place.”
Over the summer, Dave Grohl often drove around L.A. with his 14-year-old daughter, just to have a change of scenery from lockdown. Before COVID-19 struck, the Foo Fighters frontman expected to be touring to mark the band’s 25th anniversary this year. But one night, as the two passed by the boarded-up Troubadour in West Hollywood, Grohl’s daughter turned to him and, as he recounted, grew melancholy.
“Oh, no, the Troubadour,” she told him. “God, it’s so sad, I hope it survives.”
“I had no idea she knew about its history,” Grohl said in a phone interview over the weekend. “Even to a 14-year-old, it was so important to her that one day, it still exists.”
On Saturday night, Foo Fighters posted a pretaped live set from an empty Troubadour to raise funds for the National Independent Venue Assn. and its lifeline to imperiled clubs. Shuttered venues, Grohl said, don’t just affect musicians currently on hiatus. “They’re for the next generation, like my daughter,” he said.
Advertisement
Sadly, many similar venues might not survive the year. In the absence of any further federal relief like the now-on-hold Save Our Stages Act measure, independent music venues face increasingly dismal choices.
Do they take out onerous business loans and risk total personal ruin later if the COVID-19 pandemic persists another year? Do they throw in the towel now, when a vaccine or stimulus bill might be just around the corner in a Biden administration?
“I call it a crapshoot from hell,” said Christine Karayan, general manager of the Troubadour. “You can make a couple dollars from merch and live-streaming, and that’s better than nothing. But you can’t sustain a venue on that.
“I know everyone is doing their best. But has everybody just lost their minds?”
Dave Grohl performs at the Troubadour during the Save Our Stages festival: “The longevity of most artists’ careers is rooted in playing smaller venues.” (YouTube)
Even just a few weeks ago, venue owners and industry advocates were optimistic that help was on the way. The Save Our Stages Act, championed in the Senate by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), would provide $10 billion in grants to local music venues to pay for expenses like rent, utilities and insurance not covered under the Paycheck Protection Program.
In September, the Democratic-led House updated its already-passed HEROES Act to include Save Our Stages’ measures. An industry used to expecting the worst was hopeful that the bill would make it into a second round of COVID-19 relief measures.
Advertisement
Then summer came and went, and optimism for a relief bill got subsumed into election acrimony and a Supreme Court nomination fight. “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” President Trump wrote in a tweet on Oct. 6.
“Small venues were some of the first to close their doors, and I know the prospect of re-opening is becoming even more difficult as this pandemic continues to grip the country,” Sen. Klobuchar said in a statement to the Times. “But we can’t let the music die. Save our Stages has growing bipartisan support and was included in the latest relief package that passed the House of Representatives. Senator Cornyn and I continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure aid for small venues is included in any pandemic relief package.”
A rep for Cornyn said, in a statement taken from a Facebook Live chat, “My hope is that we’ll come together and pass one last bill at least before the election… It will include the Save Our Stages Act.”
For industry pros fighting for the bill, it was a sucker punch just when they’d allowed themselves some hope.
“We feel abandoned right now,” said Audrey Fix Schaefer, spokesperson for the independent venue association, which led the music industry’s advocacy for the legislation. “It has been a horrendous roller-coaster ride. Everybody predicted this would pass in July. People are selling their houses to not go under. We’re all exhausted and frustrated. Our system should be better equipped to come to the aid of those who need it.
“We’re in the deep end, drowning,” she added.
Several L.A.-area venue operators said they’re giving it until the new year to make existential decisions about whether to even stay in business. They said they’re starting to feel like they’re in an airplane with a blown-out engine: suspended in midair, waiting for the drop.
“There was a minute where we had high hopes,” Karayan said. “But at what point do we have to cut our losses? Everybody’s already in with blood, sweat and tears. At some point, you have to stop the bleeding. Do I mortgage my house? Or do I lose everything?”
“I don’t know if we’re going to make it,” said Elizabeth Fischbach, who owns 1642, a bar on Echo Park’s southern edge that’s become a one-of-a-kind venue for jazz and vintage Americana acts. “I’m living off borrowed money, and some musicians have helped out generously. But it’s all running out. I haven’t paid my mortgage in six months. How much am I willing to go into debt for this, with nothing to show?”
“That’s the giant anxiety pill everyone swallows before bed,” said Alex Hernandez, owner of Long Beach’s two-decade-old punk stalwart Alex’s Bar. “What if I’m just paying rent for no reason? I already took out another business loan and borrowed more money than I paid to open this place. But when does it put my wife and three kids in a dangerous place with no savings to keep a roof over our heads?”
Even in an industry used to frantic problem-solving on tight budgets, the lack of government action to save an industry and cultural ecosystem worth billions has despaired and confounded them.
“I was shocked when it didn’t happen,” said Patrick Whalen, national director of We Make Events, another live-industry advocacy group representing venues as small as Frogtown’s Zebulon and as large as L.A. Memorial Coliseum. “But it’s a perfect storm: a horrible disease on top of an election on top of a Supreme Court justice passing. Overnight, the attention shifted. We had spent countless hours to motivate people who had already lost faith in government.”
“At our venue in MacArthur Park, in the community of Westlake, the median income is around $26,000. Music should be funded in this neighborhood, because art is a pillar of our society just like politics, education and religion,” said Allison Keating, executive director of the Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles, a nonprofit that before COVID-19 produced 50 free outdoor shows a year in the largely Latin American neighborhood.
“Music gives people hope. The justification for it is the same as for keeping art in schools and funding the NEA.”
Meanwhile, venues and activist groups are performing triage with whatever money they can raise. On Friday, the independent venue association kicked off the Save Our Stages Fest, a live-to-tape performance series on YouTube where acts played inside beloved — and empty — local venues around the country. Foo Fighters, YG, Marshmello, Demi Lovato and Phoebe Bridgers played at the Troubadour; the Teragram Ballroom, the Whisky a Go Go and the Hotel Cafe also hosted sets from Miley Cyrus and Finneas, among others.
Miley Cyrus onstage at the Whisky a Go Go for the Save Our Stages Fest. (YouTube)
Grohl hoped the festival would showcase how, without these small venues, the stadium shows he plays now wouldn’t have been possible.
“You have to learn to crawl before you run to Wembley Stadium, and the longevity of most artists’ careers is rooted in playing smaller venues in your early years,” he said. “You learn from those shows how to connect to audiences. If you bring that to a stadium stage, then you’re U2 or Freddie Mercury.”
Fundraising streaming sets have been a small lifeline for venues, along with merchandise sales, staff GoFundMes and whatever else they can scrounge up in the meantime. Live Nation and AEG, the two rival mega-corporations in touring, announced a new effort, #SaveLiveEventsNow, pushing for tax breaks and extended unemployment benefits for workers across the live industry.
But several venue owners say they’ve been frustrated with city and county governments’ guidance, and the whipsaw approaches to letting restaurants and other types of hospitality businesses resume service while they’re still shut down and can barely turn on the lights (or not: Electricity bills are still due in a pandemic).
“The city of West Hollywood has been beyond helpful to do whatever they can,” Karayan said. “But there’s been no real direction from the state, no answers for anything.”
“It just feels so dire,” Fischbach said. “I know there are so many other challenges in this state. But there is so much money in this city, I can’t imagine why we have to suffer so much.”
There are signs that a potential Biden administration might make Save Our Stages a priority in a bigger relief bill. The Biden campaign just released a new ad spotlighting the Blind Pig, a 50-year-old music venue in Ann Arbor, Mich., whose owner, Joe Malcoun, blames the Trump administration for failing to manage the pandemic and for ignoring small businesses like his. “We don’t know how much longer we can survive without any revenue,“ he says in the ad. “It makes me so angry. My only hope for my family and for this business and my community is that Joe Biden wins this election.”
On Saturday night, as the Foo Fighters’ virtual set streamed, the doors of the Troubadour were boarded over and silent. Pre-pandemic, hundreds of fans would have been there, clamoring for tickets or just to catch a glimpse of the band performing that night.
But for now, just like for the last eight months, there was nothing but traffic noise and the sense of doom that Grohl’s daughter felt passing by.
“I’ve imagined myself sitting at a Senate hearing, trying to convince them that music is necessary,” Grohl says. “Maybe reminding them that at one point, Barry Manilow was a huge part of their life, to try to relate to the idea that music makes life better. Washington needs to take a good, hard look at how dire the situation is, but also to look back on their own lives and remember how important music is to them. We have to protect that for the next generation.”


latimes--2020-10-19--Newsom says California will review FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines before releasing them to public

Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public , adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process .
The governor announced the creation of a new group of physicians and scientists working with the California Department of Public Health that will “ independently review ” all federal Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines , he said .
“ Of course , we don ’ t take anyone ’ s word for it , ” Newsom said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We will do our own independently reviewed process with our world-class experts that just happen to live here in the state of California.
” Vaccines , like many other aspects of the nation ’ s response to the pandemic , have become increasingly politicized .
President Trump for months pushed for the speedy development of a vaccine , leading to clashes with public health officials who disagreed with his timeline .
Now Newsom is insisting on a state review at a time when polls show declining confidence in future COVID-19 vaccines .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement from New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , who said he would create a task force of health experts to review the federal government ’ s COVID-19 vaccine approvals .
Newsom ’ s announcement added to the uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines just days after Dr. Anthony Fauci said he felt “ strong confidence ” in the safety of those approved by the Food and Drug Administration .
Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told “ CBS Evening News ” that he expects to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective .
He said that if all six vaccine candidates currently undergoing clinical trials are proven to be safe and effective , they could be widely available by April .
But the governor on Monday said mid-2021 is a realistic projection for when a vaccine would be distributed to the public .
Newsom acknowledged the “ political polarization ” around vaccines and said the state needs to monitor the safety , distribution and health effects .
“ So , no matter who the next president is , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Newsom said .
“ We are going to do what California is well known to do and that is to make sure that we have a redundancy and that we maintain our vigilance to have a second set of eyes on the things that are being asserted and the information that ’ s being provided.
” LaVonna B. Lewis , a professor of public policy with an emphasis on healthcare at the USC Sol Price School , said it ’ s too early to tell if Newsom ’ s announcement will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or add legitimacy to the concerns .
“ To assume that people will just automatically shake off all of the misinformation that has been part of this process and all the viciousness that has been part of this process and just stand in line and take the vaccine , I think is unrealistic , ” Lewis said .
“ And , so , trying to find ways to again restore some confidence in the process is necessary.
” To those who are opposed to all vaccines , the governor ’ s call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief that vaccines are dangerous .
But to other Californians , who may typically have confidence in vaccines but do not trust the federal government under Trump , the state ’ s seal of approval could encourage them to get vaccinated , Lewis said .
“ Trusted agents make a difference , ” Lewis said .
“ If I don ’ t trust the messenger , then it ’ s very difficult for me to believe the message.
” Since taking office , Newsom ’ s public position on vaccines hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about a 2019 bill that tightened immunization rules for California schoolchildren .
His office negotiated changes that narrowed the focus of the legislation and the governor told reporters that he would sign the bill .
Then shortly after the Assembly approved the bill and his changes , the governor backtracked on his support and asked for more changes .
The back-and-forth energized anti-vaccine activists at the Capitol , giving them hope that Newsom might veto the legislation .
In the end , Newsom signed SB 276 and a second bill the Legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted .
The governor said repeatedly that his signature on the bills proved his support for vaccines , but his handling of the legislation created a feeling of distrust among lawmakers .
Sen. Richard Pan ( D-Sacramento ) , who introduced the 2019 legislation , said this time Newsom ’ s intervention will require the state to review the data the FDA used to approve the vaccines as a means to build more confidence in the science .
“ If they don ’ t provide the data , California is not the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising a lot of questions , ” Pan said .
“ He ’ s calling for scientists to review data so that people have confidence in the vaccine because unfortunately the president has politicized this and therefore has created a level of distrust.
” Though the governor ’ s announcement raised questions about whether the review would delay the distribution of the vaccine in California , Pan argued that it ’ s more important for people to trust the vaccine and want to take it .
State public health officials last spring started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapeutic medicines to treat people with the coronavirus would be distributed in California once developed and approved .
Among the priorities would be to provide the vaccines to people considered most at risk from the virus , along with ensuring equitable distribution to people across the state , regardless of income or geography .
In May , a top Newsom administration official said that this sort of planning is done whenever a new vaccine or medicine in great need to protect the public health is developed .
Those efforts came together in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute and administer vaccines that the California Department of Public Health submitted last week to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The broad outline , dated Friday , includes goals to prioritize vaccines while doses are limited for healthcare personnel at risk of contracting the virus , those at risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 , and essential workers .
When vaccines become more widely available , the population of eligible recipients will grow to nonessential workers and the general public .
As states begin formalizing plans for vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government to provide more detailed guidelines and oversight .
Cuomo published a list of questions about vaccine distribution on Sunday that he said the National Governors Assn .
sent to the Trump administration .
The association , which includes Republican and Democratic governors , asked the federal government about federal funding , insurance coverage , prioritization , monitoring health effects and other critical issues related to the distribution and implementation of future vaccines .

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Trump administration before allowing them to be released to the public.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public, adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process.
The governor announced the creation of a new group of physicians and scientists working with the California Department of Public Health that will “independently review” all federal Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines, he said.
“Of course, we don’t take anyone’s word for it,” Newsom said at a news conference on Monday. “We will do our own independently reviewed process with our world-class experts that just happen to live here in the state of California.”
Vaccines, like many other aspects of the nation’s response to the pandemic, have become increasingly politicized. President Trump for months pushed for the speedy development of a vaccine, leading to clashes with public health officials who disagreed with his timeline. Now Newsom is insisting on a state review at a time when polls show declining confidence in future COVID-19 vaccines.
The governor’s decision mirrors a September announcement from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said he would create a task force of health experts to review the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine approvals.
Advertisement
Newsom’s announcement added to the uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines just days after Dr. Anthony Fauci said he felt “strong confidence” in the safety of those approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told “CBS Evening News” that he expects to know in November or December if some potential COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
He said that if all six vaccine candidates currently undergoing clinical trials are proven to be safe and effective, they could be widely available by April.
But the governor on Monday said mid-2021 is a realistic projection for when a vaccine would be distributed to the public. Newsom acknowledged the “political polarization” around vaccines and said the state needs to monitor the safety, distribution and health effects.
“So, no matter who the next president is, we’re going to maintain our vigilance,” Newsom said. “We are going to do what California is well known to do and that is to make sure that we have a redundancy and that we maintain our vigilance to have a second set of eyes on the things that are being asserted and the information that’s being provided.”
LaVonna B. Lewis, a professor of public policy with an emphasis on healthcare at the USC Sol Price School, said it’s too early to tell if Newsom’s announcement will instill more faith in COVID-19 vaccines, or add legitimacy to the concerns.
“To assume that people will just automatically shake off all of the misinformation that has been part of this process and all the viciousness that has been part of this process and just stand in line and take the vaccine, I think is unrealistic,” Lewis said. “And, so, trying to find ways to again restore some confidence in the process is necessary.”
To those who are opposed to all vaccines, the governor’s call for another layer of scrutiny may reaffirm their belief that vaccines are dangerous. But to other Californians, who may typically have confidence in vaccines but do not trust the federal government under Trump, the state’s seal of approval could encourage them to get vaccinated, Lewis said.
Advertisement
“Trusted agents make a difference,” Lewis said. “If I don’t trust the messenger, then it’s very difficult for me to believe the message.”
Since taking office, Newsom’s public position on vaccines hasn’t always been clear.
Newsom initially raised concerns about a 2019 bill that tightened immunization rules for California schoolchildren. His office negotiated changes that narrowed the focus of the legislation and the governor told reporters that he would sign the bill.
Then shortly after the Assembly approved the bill and his changes, the governor backtracked on his support and asked for more changes. The back-and-forth energized anti-vaccine activists at the Capitol, giving them hope that Newsom might veto the legislation.
In the end, Newsom signed SB 276 and a second bill the Legislature approved with the extra amendments the governor wanted. The governor said repeatedly that his signature on the bills proved his support for vaccines, but his handling of the legislation created a feeling of distrust among lawmakers.
Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), who introduced the 2019 legislation, said this time Newsom’s intervention will require the state to review the data the FDA used to approve the vaccines as a means to build more confidence in the science.
“If they don’t provide the data, California is not the only one who’s going to be raising a lot of questions,” Pan said. “He’s calling for scientists to review data so that people have confidence in the vaccine because unfortunately the president has politicized this and therefore has created a level of distrust.”
Though the governor’s announcement raised questions about whether the review would delay the distribution of the vaccine in California, Pan argued that it’s more important for people to trust the vaccine and want to take it.
State public health officials last spring started having early discussions about how vaccines and therapeutic medicines to treat people with the coronavirus would be distributed in California once developed and approved.
Among the priorities would be to provide the vaccines to people considered most at risk from the virus, along with ensuring equitable distribution to people across the state, regardless of income or geography. In May, a top Newsom administration official said that this sort of planning is done whenever a new vaccine or medicine in great need to protect the public health is developed.
Those efforts came together in an 84-page draft proposal of a plan to distribute and administer vaccines that the California Department of Public Health submitted last week to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The broad outline, dated Friday, includes goals to prioritize vaccines while doses are limited for healthcare personnel at risk of contracting the virus, those at risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, and essential workers. When vaccines become more widely available, the population of eligible recipients will grow to nonessential workers and the general public.
As states begin formalizing plans for vaccine distribution, governors are also calling for the federal government to provide more detailed guidelines and oversight.
Cuomo published a list of questions about vaccine distribution on Sunday that he said the National Governors Assn. sent to the Trump administration.
The association, which includes Republican and Democratic governors, asked the federal government about federal funding, insurance coverage, prioritization, monitoring health effects and other critical issues related to the distribution and implementation of future vaccines.
Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-19--Dodgers drive-in: Watch the World Series on giant screens at Dodger Stadium

Take me out to the ... parking lot ?
On the heels of the Dodgers ’ National League Championship Series win against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday , the team has announced it will host World Series viewing parties with 60-foot screens in the Los Angeles stadium parking lot .
The event will be operated in accordance with L.A. County ’ s coronavirus protocols , which allow for drive-in moviegoing experiences as long as attendees remain in their cars .
Tickets cost $ 75 , with one ticket per car and no more than six people in one vehicle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The screens will be set up in Dodger Stadium Lots 2 and 3 , with audio broadcast through FM radio .
Fans are encouraged to bring their own food and nonalcoholic beverages , as concessions will not be sold .
Attendees can exit their cars only to use the restroom , and face coverings will be required for anyone outside their vehicles .
The viewings follow similar drive-in events held during the NLCS , in which the Dodgers battled back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Series begins at 5:09 p.m. Tuesday as the Dodgers take on the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington , Texas .
The Dodgers have not won the championship since 1988 .

Fans drive into Dodger Stadium to watch the National League Championship Series last week. The team will host similar drive-in viewings for the World Series beginning Tuesday.
Take me out to the ... parking lot?
On the heels of the Dodgers’ National League Championship Series win against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, the team has announced it will host World Series viewing parties with 60-foot screens in the Los Angeles stadium parking lot.
The event will be operated in accordance with L.A. County’s coronavirus protocols, which allow for drive-in moviegoing experiences as long as attendees remain in their cars. Tickets cost $75, with one ticket per car and no more than six people in one vehicle, and must be purchased in advance.
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The screens will be set up in Dodger Stadium Lots 2 and 3, with audio broadcast through FM radio. Fans are encouraged to bring their own food and nonalcoholic beverages, as concessions will not be sold. Attendees can exit their cars only to use the restroom, and face coverings will be required for anyone outside their vehicles.
The viewings follow similar drive-in events held during the NLCS, in which the Dodgers battled back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 7.
Game 1 of the World Series begins at 5:09 p.m. Tuesday as the Dodgers take on the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington, Texas. The Dodgers have not won the championship since 1988.
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-19--Riverside County deputy dies during K-9 training, sheriff says

A Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department deputy died Sunday night while on duty after appearing to suffer a heart @ @ @ @ @ K-9 unit , authorities said .
Sgt .
Harry Cohen spent “ many years ” @ @ @ @ @ K-9 team and was its supervisor at the time of his death , according to @ @ @ @ @ Chad Bianco .
“ Last night our department lost a man of God , husband @ @ @ @ @ and deputy , ” Bianco wrote in the post on Monday morning .
“ Sergeant @ @ @ @ @ missed by everyone who knew him .
”

Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Harry Cohen died on duty Sunday night of an apparent heart attack, officials said.
A Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputy died Sunday night while on duty after appearing to suffer a heart attack while training with the K-9 unit, authorities said.
Sgt. Harry Cohen spent “many years” as a handler for the K-9 team and was its supervisor at the time of his death, according to a Facebook post by Sheriff Chad Bianco.
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“Last night our department lost a man of God, husband, father, best friend and deputy,” Bianco wrote in the post on Monday morning. “Sergeant Harry Cohen will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.”


latimes--2020-10-19--COVID-19 death toll nears 17,000 in California

While the number of daily COVID-19 deaths has fallen dramatically in California in the past few months , the state ’ s death toll has become the third-highest in the nation , with nearly 17,000 lives lost .
California ranks behind only New York and Texas in total deaths linked to the coronavirus , with 16,980 as of Monday at 5:19 p.m. , according to data compiled by The Times .
When adjusted for population , however , the state is in the middle of the pack nationally .
Twenty-six other states have seen more COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delaware , Rhode Island , Louisiana and Iowa .
California averaged 57 daily deaths over the last week , a far cry from late July and early August , when the daily death toll at times exceeded 150 .
As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide topped 40 million Monday , California continues to lead the U.S. in case count , with more than 875,000 .
But in a sign that the virus may have plateaued in the state , the seven-day average of new cases has dropped below 3,000 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the positivity rate — the percentage of those tested who are found to be infected — has been at a relatively low 2.5 % for the last two weeks .
This is the first time the seven-day average has been less than 3,000 since mid-June , according to Times data .
Despite the somewhat promising data points , officials say there are concerning trends .
One is the number of COVID-19 patients who are becoming sick enough to be hospitalized .
While the raw number of hospitalizations continues to decline , the rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 14 days , the state has seen a 4 % decrease in hospitalizations — from 2,344 to 2,241 — and a 3 % decline in intensive care admissions , from 681 to 660 .
But in the last week , both those figures have ticked up , according to Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
“ Each and every ICU admission is precious and , obviously , a point of real concern as it relates to quality care and timely care , ” he said Monday .
As California marks the seven-month anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials and residents alike find themselves balancing the desire to return to wider normalcy with the fear that doing too much too quickly could force a fallback to more stringent restrictions on businesses and activities .
Those discussions and debates are taking place as other states contend with new surges in COVID-19 infections .
“ This is what we anticipated , moving into the colder season , moving into the season where more of us are moving inside , moving into a season where more of us begin to mix and come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said .
“ This is an area of obvious and real concern , and that ’ s why we ’ re being very sober and , forgive me , stubborn about some industries in the state.
” Of particular concern now are Halloween and Día de los Muertos .
Such seasonal celebrations typically entail interactions among numerous households , which public health officials say could worsen the spread of the virus .
In light of the risks , some areas , such as Beverly Hills , have decided to prohibit house-to-house trick-or-treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Neither the state nor Los Angeles County has gone that far , though both recommend against such activities .
Public health officials continue to emphasize that personal responsibility , perhaps more than any policy decision , will chart the future of the pandemic .
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that private gatherings — which are allowed on a limited basis — remain a troubling potential source of infections .
That ’ s especially the case for those who may feel a “ false sense of security ” mingling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they don ’ t adhere to required infection prevention measures such as physical distancing and face coverings .
“ We ’ re not out of the woods at all , ” Ferrer said .
“ We still have widespread community transmission .
That means it ’ s easy for people to get infected when they are gathering , even in small groups.
” More than 288,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in L.A. County to date , and almost 6,900 people have died .
Ferrer on Monday announced one additional death and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are likely affected by a data reporting lag from the weekend .
The county remains in the strictest category of the state ’ s four-tier reopening system — Tier 1 , or purple — because it continues to report more than seven cases per 100,000 residents each day .
That means many businesses and public facilities either can not operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity .
Though residents , businesses and even some politicians may be clamoring to lift restrictions and move closer to something resembling normalcy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that .
“ There are ways for us to actually do activities that we love , but we have to do them differently than we ’ ve done them in the past , and we have to be mindful that we are living through a pandemic , ” she said .
“ There ’ s nothing normal about this .
This is a very dangerous virus that can infect lots of people very rapidly.
” L.A. is one of 10 California counties in the most restrictive reopening tier ; the others are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monterey , Madera , Sonoma , Mendocino , Glenn and Tehama .
Officials recently cautioned that the case rate for San Diego County is trending in the wrong direction — putting it at risk of backsliding into the category too .
“ We must bring our numbers down , and the only way to do that is to limit our contact with people outside our households , ” Dr. Wilma Wooten , the San Diego County public health officer , said in a statement .
“ San Diegans who need to be out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain their distance from people outside their household .
Avoid large crowds or gatherings to prevent getting or passing the virus.
” The state will update its tier assignments Tuesday .
With the pandemic still far from over , some have cast their gaze toward a hopeful horizon : the potential that a vaccine could be publicly available before the end of the year .
But Newsom on Monday dismissed the idea of a quick rollout , saying that supplies of any vaccine will be limited to start and that deploying doses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation will present significant logistical hurdles that will take time to clear .
“ Don ’ t anticipate or expect that you can go down to the local pharmacy any time in this calendar year and likely get a vaccination , ” he said .
“ We hope that ’ s the case , but based upon all the evidence , all the data that we have been provided … it is simply unrealistic to expect that .
These limited doses will be for a limited number of people , and we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The question for all of us : Is that the first quarter , second or third quarter of 2021 ?
”

While the number of daily COVID-19 deaths has fallen dramatically in California in the last few months, the state’s death toll has become the third-highest in the nation, with nearly 17,000 lives lost.
California ranks behind only New York and Texas in total deaths linked to the coronavirus, with 16,980 as of 5:19 p.m. Monday, according to data compiled by The Times.
When adjusted for population, however, the state is in the middle of the pack nationally. Twenty-six other states have seen more COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents than California, including North Dakota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Louisiana and Iowa.
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California averaged 57 daily deaths over the last week, a far cry from late July and early August, when the daily death toll at times exceeded 150.
As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide topped 40 million Monday, California continues to lead the U.S. in case count, with more than 875,000.
But in a sign that the virus may have plateaued in the state, the seven-day average of new cases has dropped below 3,000, according to the latest state data, and the positivity rate — the percentage of those tested who are found to be infected — has been at a relatively low 2.5% for the last two weeks. This is the first time the seven-day average has been fewer than 3,000 since mid-June, according to Times data.
Despite the somewhat promising data points, officials say there are concerning trends. One is the number of COVID-19 patients who are becoming sick enough to be hospitalized. Although the raw number of hospitalizations continues to decline, the rate of decrease has slowed. Over the last 14 days, the state has seen a 4% decrease in hospitalizations — from 2,344 to 2,241 — and a 3% decline in intensive care admissions, from 681 to 660. But in the last week, both those figures have ticked up, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
“Each and every ICU admission is precious and, obviously, a point of real concern as it relates to quality care and timely care,” he said Monday.
As California marks seven months since Newsom’s original stay-at-home order, officials and residents alike find themselves balancing the desire to return to wider normality with the fear that doing too much too quickly could force a fallback to more stringent restrictions on businesses and activities.
Advertisement
Those discussions and debates are taking place as other states contend with new surges in coronavirus infections.
“This is what we anticipated, moving into the colder season, moving into the season where more of us are moving inside, moving into a season where more of us begin to mix and come back ... for the holidays,” Newsom said. “This is an area of obvious and real concern, and that’s why we’re being very sober and, forgive me, stubborn about some industries in the state.”
Of particular concern now are Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Such seasonal celebrations typically entail interactions among numerous households, which public health officials say could worsen the spread of the virus.
In light of the risks, some areas, such as Beverly Hills, have decided to prohibit house-to-house trick-or-treating and car-based “trunk-or-treating” this year. Neither the state nor Los Angeles County has gone that far, though both recommend against such activities.
Public health officials continue to emphasize that personal responsibility, perhaps more than any policy decision, will chart the future of the pandemic.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday that private gatherings — which are allowed on a limited basis — remain a troubling potential source of infections. That’s especially the case for those who may feel a “false sense of security” mingling with people they know and trust, so they don’t adhere to required infection prevention measures such as physical distancing and face coverings.
“We’re not out of the woods at all,” Ferrer said. “We still have widespread community transmission. That means it’s easy for people to get infected when they are gathering, even in small groups.”
More than 288,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in L.A. County to date, and almost 6,900 people have died. Ferrer on Monday announced one additional death and 923 new cases but said those numbers are probably affected by a data reporting lag from the weekend.
The county remains in the strictest category of the state’s four-tier reopening system — Tier 1, or purple — because it continues to report more than seven cases per 100,000 residents each day. That means many businesses and public facilities either cannot operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity.
Though residents, businesses and even some politicians may be clamoring to lift restrictions and move closer to something resembling normality, Ferrer emphasized that circumstances remain far from that.
“There are ways for us to actually do activities that we love, but we have to do them differently than we’ve done them in the past, and we have to be mindful that we are living through a pandemic,” she said. “There’s nothing normal about this. This is a very dangerous virus that can infect lots of people very rapidly.”
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
L.A. is one of 10 California counties in the most restrictive reopening tier; the others are San Bernardino, Imperial, Tulare, Monterey, Madera, Sonoma, Mendocino, Glenn and Tehama. Officials recently cautioned that the case rate for San Diego County is trending in the wrong direction — putting it at risk of backsliding into the category too.
“We must bring our numbers down, and the only way to do that is to limit our contact with people outside our households,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, the San Diego County public health officer, said in a statement. “San Diegans who need to be out in public should wear a mask and maintain their distance from people outside their household. Avoid large crowds or gatherings to prevent getting or passing the virus.”
The state will update its tier assignments Tuesday.
With the pandemic still far from over, some have cast their gaze toward a hopeful horizon: the potential that a vaccine could be publicly available before the end of the year.
But Newsom on Monday dismissed the idea of a quick rollout, saying that supplies of any vaccine will be limited to start and that deploying doses to millions of residents throughout the state and nation will present significant logistical hurdles that will take time to clear.
“Don’t anticipate or expect that you can go down to the local pharmacy any time in this calendar year and likely get a vaccination,” he said. “We hope that’s the case, but based upon all the evidence, all the data that we have been provided … it is simply unrealistic to expect that. These limited doses will be for a limited number of people, and we don’t anticipate mass availability until 2021.
“The question for all of us: Is that the first quarter, second or third quarter of 2021?”
Times staff writer Esmeralda Bermudez contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-19--Long Beach police recover pricey lizards stolen from reptile store about a year ago

In November , three people walked into JTK Reptiles on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach , broke into cages holding two Australian lace monitors — lizards that can grow to be more than 6 feet long — and escaped in a waiting car with the reptiles that together were valued at $ 75,000 , according to a report at the time in the Long Beach Post .
Detectives stayed on the thieves ’ trail and announced a break in the case Friday : The animals had been recovered and two suspects were in custody .
“ As far as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Brandon Fahey , spokesman for the Long Beach Police Department .
“ We lucked out there.
” Police tracked the lizards to a Panorama City house Sept. 23 .
Jose Luis Macias Jr. , 30 , and Kassandra Marie Duenas , 27 , who were in the house at the time , were arrested and have been charged with second-degree robbery , said Fahey .
Both have been released from custody on $ 50,000 bail , he added .
Animal control handlers were called in to recover the lizards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Fahey .
The suspects , Fahey said , “ seem to be knowledgeable about lizards and lizard value and lizard selling.
” He declined to say how detectives found the animals .
News of the arrests was overshadowed by another tale of a missing animal .
On Friday detectives in the Bay Area announced they had apprehended a man suspected of stealing an arthritic ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo .

Police recovered two Australian monitor lizards about a year after they were stolen from a Long Beach reptile store.
It was a cold-blooded crime.
In November, three people walked into JTK Reptiles on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, broke into cages holding two Australian lace monitors — lizards that can grow to be more than 6 feet long — and escaped in a waiting car with the reptiles that together were valued at $75,000, according to a report at the time in the Long Beach Post.
Detectives stayed on the thieves’ trail and announced a break in the case Friday: The animals had been recovered and two suspects were in custody.
“As far as I know, the lizards were A-OK,” said Brandon Fahey, spokesman for the Long Beach Police Department. “We lucked out there.”
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The two lizards were found at the residence of two suspects in Panorama City, according to police. (Long Beach Police Department)
The store owner declined to comment Monday morning.
Police tracked the lizards to a Panorama City house Sept. 23. Jose Luis Macias Jr., 30, and Kassandra Marie Duenas, 27, who were in the house at the time, were arrested and have been charged with second-degree robbery, said Fahey. Both have been released from custody on $50,000 bail, he added.
Animal control handlers were called in to recover the lizards, which were returned to their owner, according to Fahey.
The suspects, Fahey said, “seem to be knowledgeable about lizards and lizard value and lizard selling.” He declined to say how detectives found the animals.
News of the arrests was overshadowed by another tale of a missing animal. On Friday detectives in the Bay Area announced they had apprehended a man suspected of stealing an arthritic ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo.


latimes--2020-10-19--Earthquake: Magnitude 3.2 quake near Barstow

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported on Monday at 10:21 a.m. 32 miles from Barstow , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 44 miles from Twentynine Palms , Calif. , 46 miles from Yucca Valley , 46 miles from Big Bear City and 49 miles from Apple Valley .
In the last 10 days , there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported at 10:21 a.m. near Barstow, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported on Monday at 10:21 a.m. 32 miles from Barstow, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 44 miles from Twentynine Palms, Calif., 46 miles from Yucca Valley, 46 miles from Big Bear City and 49 miles from Apple Valley.
In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 to 4.0 occur each year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
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The earthquake occurred at a depth of 1.6 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-10-19--Ballot box fire in Baldwin Park may be arson, officials say

George Silva was out for a leisurely bike ride when he first spotted the plume of smoke .
It was just after 8 p.m. Sunday , and a ballot box near Ramona and Baldwin Park boulevards was ablaze .
Silva , who lives in the Baldwin Park neighborhood and owns a business nearby , whipped out his phone and started broadcasting live on Facebook while Los Angeles County firefighters worked to extinguish the flames .
“ Who would do this ?
” Silva can be heard saying during the filming ( Warning : Video contains profanity ) .
“ Who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election ?
Their votes are gone .
... All those voices aren ’ t going to get heard.
” As he filmed , firefighters did everything they could to access the flames inside the tightly sealed metal box , including snaking a hose through the drop slot and , later , cutting the whole thing open with a power saw .
Once open , numerous official election ballots — some charred beyond recognition — could be seen smoldering inside .
On Sunday night , officers with the Baldwin Park Police Department took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which were set to be transferred to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder ’ s office on Monday to see what could be salvaged .
It was not immediately clear how the fire began , but Los Angeles County Fire Department spokeswoman Leslie Lua said arson is being investigated as a possible cause .
If confirmed , she said , it would be the first instance of ballot box arson in the county .
In an already contentious election season , officials are hoping it will also be the last .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manuel Lozano said Monday .
“ You ’ re literally denying someone ’ s constitutional right to vote , and that ’ s unacceptable.
” Lozano said as many as 100 ballots may have been in the box at the time of its ignition .
He noted that the county — not the city — selected the ballot box locations and decried the decision to place the box in an area that was “ not particularly well-lit ” where someone with bad intentions might slip under the radar .
And though he hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his community lose faith in the electoral system , Lozano said he already has heard from several residents who said they ’ re planning now to hold onto their ballots until election day , or wait until they can vote in person .
“ This is supposed to be secure .
It ’ s supposed to be safe , ” Lozano said .
“ Residents should be able to use [ the ballot boxes ] and feel confident that their vote will make its way up to the voter registrar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been compromised , you ’ re going to have second thoughts.
” The fire comes amid record-breaking voter turnout in California : More than 3.7 million ballots have already been cast in the state , far exceeding mail-in ballot numbers from the same point in previous state elections .
Nearly 1 million of those ballots have been from L.A. County .
But the turnout is not without controversy .
The California Republican Party has claimed responsibility for several unofficial ballot boxes that have popped up across the state in recent weeks .
Atty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Alex Padilla called the boxes fake and misleading , but the GOP has defied cease-and-desist orders , claiming the unofficial boxes are legal under a 2016 state law that allows third parties to collect ballots on voters ’ behalf .
But the burning of the Baldwin Park ballot box goes far beyond slippery legal loopholes .
Calling the blaze “ an attack on our democracy , ” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she is now requesting that all ballot boxes be emptied nightly through election day , which is just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously emptied only every 72 hours .
“ Whoever did this this must be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law , ” Hahn said .
In response to the fire , the county registrar ’ s office has requested a local law enforcement investigation and reported the incident to the FBI and the attorney general .
Any available security footage from nearby buildings will be used to help catch the perpetrators .
County Clerk Dean C. Logan of the registrar ’ s office said tampering with drop boxes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We will vigorously seek the prosecution of individuals who engage in such behavior , ” Logan said .
Ricardo Santiago , a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office , said consequences for arson convictions can vary , but representatives for Hahn ’ s office pointed out that the ballot boxes themselves come with language about tampering with their contents : Election Code 18500 says voter fraud is a felony punishable by up to three years in prison .
Voters who suspect their ballot may have been damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to check the county ’ s official ballot tracker for status updates or call ( 562 ) 503-2445 for assistance .
The damaged drop box location has been closed indefinitely .
Monday also marked California ’ s deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election .
More than 400 secure drop boxes have been placed around the county since Oct. 5 for voters who wish to return their completed ballots early .
In-person voting begins Oct. 24 at more than 760 vote centers in Los Angeles County , and mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be counted .
Reached by phone Monday morning , Silva , who livestreamed the blaze , said the smoke coming out of the ballot box Sunday evening “ looked like a chimney.
” He had not yet cast his vote , he said .

Baldwin Park resident John Rios, who dropped off his ballot at the local library drop box recently, stopped by to examine the box that was on fire Sunday.
George Silva was out for a leisurely bike ride when he first spotted the plume of smoke. It was just after 8 p.m. Sunday, and a ballot box near Ramona and Baldwin Park boulevards was ablaze.
Silva, who lives in the Baldwin Park neighborhood and owns a business nearby, whipped out his phone and started broadcasting live on Facebook while Los Angeles County firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.
“Who would do this?” Silva can be heard saying during the filming (Warning: Video contains profanity). “Who would have an agenda to screw up an election? Their votes are gone. ... All those voices aren’t going to get heard.”
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As he filmed, firefighters did everything they could to access the flames inside the tightly sealed metal box, including snaking a hose through the drop slot and, later, cutting the whole thing open with a power saw.
Once open, numerous official election ballots — some charred beyond recognition — could be seen smoldering inside.
“Straight haters,” Silva said. “Straight hate.”
On Sunday night, officers with the Baldwin Park Police Department took custody of the seared, soaked ballots, which were set to be transferred to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder’s office on Monday to see what could be salvaged.
It was not immediately clear how the fire began, but Los Angeles County Fire Department spokeswoman Leslie Lua said arson is being investigated as a possible cause. If confirmed, she said, it would be the first instance of ballot box arson in the county.
In an already contentious election season, officials are hoping it will also be the last.
“It angers me,” Baldwin Park Mayor Manuel Lozano said Monday. “You’re literally denying someone’s constitutional right to vote, and that’s unacceptable.”
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Lozano said as many as 100 ballots may have been in the box at the time of its ignition. He noted that the county — not the city — selected the ballot box locations and decried the decision to place the box in an area that was “not particularly well-lit” where someone with bad intentions might slip under the radar. The box is outside the Baldwin Park Library.
And though he hopes the fire won’t make people in his community lose faith in the electoral system, Lozano said he already has heard from several residents who said they’re planning now to hold onto their ballots until election day, or wait until they can vote in person.
“This is supposed to be secure. It’s supposed to be safe,” Lozano said. “Residents should be able to use [the ballot boxes] and feel confident that their vote will make its way up to the voter registrar’s office. Now that it’s been compromised, you’re going to have second thoughts.”
The fire comes amid record-breaking voter turnout in California: More than 3.7 million ballots have already been cast in the state, far exceeding mail-in ballot numbers from the same point in previous state elections. Nearly 1 million of those ballots have been from L.A. County.
But the turnout is not without controversy. The California Republican Party has claimed responsibility for several unofficial ballot boxes that have popped up across the state in recent weeks. Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla called the boxes fake and misleading, but the GOP has defied cease-and-desist orders, claiming the unofficial boxes are legal under a 2016 state law that allows third parties to collect ballots on voters’ behalf.
But the burning of the Baldwin Park ballot box goes far beyond slippery legal loopholes. Calling the blaze “an attack on our democracy,” L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she is now requesting that all ballot boxes be emptied nightly through election day, which is just over two weeks away. Ballot boxes were previously emptied only every 72 hours.
“Whoever did this this must be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Hahn said.
California California Republicans defend ballot boxes as subpoenas are issued California officials say the state Republican Party has agreed to stop deploying unauthorized ballot boxes. The group says it has made no concessions.
In response to the fire, the county registrar’s office has requested a local law enforcement investigation and reported the incident to the FBI and the attorney general. Any available security footage from nearby buildings will be used to help catch the perpetrators.
County Clerk Dean C. Logan of the registrar’s office said tampering with drop boxes and ballots is a serious criminal offense.
“We will vigorously seek the prosecution of individuals who engage in such behavior,” Logan said.
Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, said consequences for arson convictions can vary, but representatives for Hahn’s office pointed out that the ballot boxes themselves come with language about tampering with their contents: Election Code 18500 says voter fraud is a felony punishable by up to three years in prison.
Voters who suspect their ballot may have been damaged in the Baldwin Park blaze are being encouraged to check the county’s official ballot tracker for status updates or call (562) 503-2445 for assistance. The damaged drop box location has been closed indefinitely.
Monday also marked California’s deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election. More than 400 secure drop boxes have been placed around the county since Oct. 5 for voters who wish to return their completed ballots early. In-person voting begins Oct. 24 at more than 760 vote centers in Los Angeles County, and mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 to be counted.
Reached by phone Monday morning, Silva, who livestreamed the blaze, said the smoke coming out of the ballot box Sunday evening “looked like a chimney.”
He had not yet cast his vote, he said.
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-19--Paramount Pictures worker sought in child sex assault stabbed self during standoff, police say

A Paramount Pictures worker wanted in connection with the sexual assault of a minor in Orange County stabbed himself during a standoff Sunday night at the studio lot in Los Angeles after an attempt to arrest him led to a police shooting , authorities said .
Bryan Gudiel Barrios , 36 , remained hospitalized Monday morning with what police said were self-inflicted knife wounds .
The Fullerton resident will be arrested on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor in that city , Fullerton Police Cpl .
Billy Phu said .
Fullerton investigators had Barrios under surveillance about 10 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Plymouth Boulevard and Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles when he produced a knife , Phu said .
Authorities said an effort to use a stun gun to disarm Barrios failed .
Fullerton police then called for backup from the LAPD , and when officers arrived , they fired a 40mm “ less-lethal ” round at Barrios , according to LAPD Det .
Megan Aguilar .
Barrios , who works as an employee or contractor at Paramount Studios , then ran onto the studio lot at Melrose Avenue and Windsor Boulevard while carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more LAPD officers fired at him , Aguilar said , but Barrios was not struck by any of the gunfire .
Once on the studio lot , Barrios barricaded himself inside a building , and an LAPD negotiator worked to get him to surrender , authorities said .
Shortly after midnight , officers made a tactical entry and arrested Barrios , who “ was bleeding from wounds he sustained during the incident.
” He was taken to a hospital , police said .
No Fullerton or LAPD officers were injured during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the LAPD ’ s Force Investigation Division .
Times staff writers Maya Lau and Henry Chu contributed to this report .

Police converge on the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood on Sunday night, where a man who was being pursued in connection with a sexual assault in Fullerton barricaded himself inside a building.
A Paramount Pictures worker wanted in connection with the sexual assault of a minor in Orange County stabbed himself during a standoff Sunday night at the studio lot in Los Angeles after an attempt to arrest him led to a police shooting, authorities said.
Bryan Gudiel Barrios, 36, remained hospitalized Monday morning with what police said were self-inflicted knife wounds. The Fullerton resident will be arrested on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor in that city, Fullerton Police Cpl. Billy Phu said.
Fullerton investigators had Barrios under surveillance about 10 p.m. and tried to take him into custody at Plymouth Boulevard and Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles when he produced a knife, Phu said. Authorities said an effort to use a stun gun to disarm Barrios failed.
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Fullerton police then called for backup from the LAPD, and when officers arrived, they fired a 40mm “less-lethal” round at Barrios, according to LAPD Det. Megan Aguilar.
Barrios, who works as an employee or contractor at Paramount Studios, then ran onto the studio lot at Melrose Avenue and Windsor Boulevard while carrying the knife, Aguilar said.
One or more LAPD officers fired at him, Aguilar said, but Barrios was not struck by any of the gunfire.
Once on the studio lot, Barrios barricaded himself inside a building, and an LAPD negotiator worked to get him to surrender, authorities said. Shortly after midnight, officers made a tactical entry and arrested Barrios, who “was bleeding from wounds he sustained during the incident.” He was taken to a hospital, police said.
No Fullerton or LAPD officers were injured during the standoff. The shooting is being investigated by the LAPD’s Force Investigation Division.
Times staff writers Maya Lau and Henry Chu contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-19--Smithsonian honors Kobe Bryant's place in history with display in Washington

For the transformative effect he had on the sport of basketball and on American culture more broadly , the late Kobe Bryant will be remembered with a new display at the Smithsonian Institution ’ s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington .
The display — featuring a Lakers jersey that Bryant wore during the 2008 NBA Finals — was installed in the museum on the National Mall last week and will be revealed to the public for the first time Monday , said Damion Thomas , the museum ’ s sports curator .
“ We wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Thomas said .
“ It really is about the cultural significance of basketball as an expression of the African American fight for greater rights.
” The display , which also features other jerseys and basketball items of historic significance , further cements Bryant ’ s presence at the museum , which already featured his image in its Sports Gallery .
Bryant and his wife , Vanessa , also helped to build the museum with a $ 1-million donation from their foundation .
Bryant , a Laker for 20 years and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world of basketball , died along with his 13-year-old daughter , Gianna , and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas in January .
He was 41 .
After his death , fans created makeshift memorials and artists painted murals all over L.A. and the world .
Some in Washington paid their respects near his image in the museum ’ s basketball room — catching Thomas ’ attention .
The museum tries to be “ responsive to the public ” and to help people understand athletes “ in a much larger context @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public ’ s overwhelming need to mourn and remember Bryant was an opportunity .
Bryant was more than a basketball star .
He entered the NBA out of high school as a guard , an unheard-of transition that changed so much about a game that had long shaped Black history in the U.S. , Thomas said .
Sports were one of the first places in American society where Black talent and ability overpowered racism and where Black people felt that the American dream could be true for them , Thomas said .
Basketball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a platform for Black culture , as “ hair , dress , language , music also became reflected through the game , ” Thomas said .
Bryant — stylish on the court and off , with a beacon of a smile — was a major part of that .
After Bryant ’ s death , Thomas ’ mind went back to a night in 2016 , a week before the official opening of the museum , when curators had invited big donors and other luminaries like Bryant for a sneak peek and reception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant through the museum , which takes visitors on a winding path through the history of slavery , the civil rights movement and the myriad ways in which Black Americans have improved the nation .
As Bryant took it all in , Thomas paused .
“ I said to him that I would love to have some artifacts from his career , to tell his story , ” Thomas said .
“ He kind of sat there and smiled and nodded his head.
” Later , the jersey arrived , along with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thomas said he chuckled when he realized the gear was from the 2008 Finals , when the Lakers lost to the Celtics , and not from 2009 or 2010 , when the Lakers won the NBA title .
“ As the great competitor [ Bryant ] was , he said , ‘ I ’ m keeping the 2009 and the 2010 !
’ ” Thomas said with a laugh .

For the transformative effect he had on the sport of basketball and on American culture more broadly, the late Kobe Bryant will be remembered with a new display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
The display — featuring a Lakers jersey that Bryant wore during the 2008 NBA Finals — was installed in the museum on the National Mall last week and will be revealed to the public for the first time Monday, said Damion Thomas, the museum’s sports curator.
“We wanted to be able to share his impact,” Thomas said. “It really is about the cultural significance of basketball as an expression of the African American fight for greater rights.”
The display, which also features other jerseys and basketball items of historic significance, further cements Bryant’s presence at the museum, which already featured his image in its Sports Gallery. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, also helped to build the museum with a $1-million donation from their foundation.
Bryant, a Laker for 20 years and a towering figure in Los Angeles and the world of basketball, died along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas in January. He was 41.
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After his death, fans created makeshift memorials and artists painted murals all over L.A. and the world. Some in Washington paid their respects near his image in the museum’s basketball room — catching Thomas’ attention.
Lifestyle He’s looking for Kobe Bryant everywhere, in murals across L.A. and the world When Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, artistic fans expressed their grief by creating huge tribute murals days after the Lakers’ star’s death. Ardent fan Mike Asner was so moved by what he saw, he created the @KobeMural account on Instagram to map the location of the murals, which now number 200 in Southern California alone.
The museum tries to be “responsive to the public” and to help people understand athletes “in a much larger context,” he said, and the public’s overwhelming need to mourn and remember Bryant was an opportunity.
Bryant was more than a basketball star. He entered the NBA out of high school as a guard, an unheard-of transition that changed so much about a game that had long shaped Black history in the U.S., Thomas said.
Sports were one of the first places in American society where Black talent and ability overpowered racism and where Black people felt that the American dream could be true for them, Thomas said.
Basketball, in particular, has served as a platform for Black culture, as “hair, dress, language, music also became reflected through the game,” Thomas said. Bryant — stylish on the court and off, with a beacon of a smile — was a major part of that.
Kobe Bryant’s jersey is displayed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. (Rob Stewart / National Museum of African American History and Culture)
After Bryant’s death, Thomas’ mind went back to a night in 2016, a week before the official opening of the museum, when curators had invited big donors and other luminaries like Bryant for a sneak peek and reception. For 45 minutes, Thomas walked Bryant through the museum, which takes visitors on a winding path through the history of slavery, the civil rights movement and the myriad ways in which Black Americans have improved the nation.
As Bryant took it all in, Thomas paused.
“I said to him that I would love to have some artifacts from his career, to tell his story,” Thomas said. “He kind of sat there and smiled and nodded his head.”
Later, the jersey arrived, along with a pair of shorts and some Nike shoes. Thomas said he chuckled when he realized the gear was from the 2008 Finals, when the Lakers lost to the Celtics, and not from 2009 or 2010, when the Lakers won the NBA title.
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“As the great competitor [Bryant] was, he said, ‘I’m keeping the 2009 and the 2010!’” Thomas said with a laugh.