latimes--2020-06-17--Half brother of Palmdale hanging victim Robert Fuller is fatally shot by deputies

The half brother of Robert Fuller , a young Black man who was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last week , was shot dead by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies during a shootout Wednesday afternoon in Kern County , according to law enforcement sources and an attorney for the family .
The shooting occurred about 4:30 p.m. in a parking lot in Rosamond , a community about 20 miles north of Palmdale .
The killing came as activists and community members have been openly critical of how Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies handled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lt. Robert Westphal of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department said the fatal shooting occurred during a kidnapping and assault investigation that is being handled by the department ’ s major-crimes bureau .
Westphal did not identify the man who was fatally shot .
Jamon Hicks , an attorney for the Fuller family , confirmed that the man killed by deputies was Terron Boone .
Court records show that Boone was charged Tuesday with multiple criminal counts including criminal threats , assault , false imprisonment and domestic violence .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car that the suspect was riding in and followed it back to an apartment complex in Rosamond .
The deputies attempted a traffic stop .
The suspect , later identified as Boone , exited the car ’ s passenger side and opened fire , according to Westphal , who said the suspect fired at least five shots toward the detectives .
Deputies returned fire and shot him the chest , killing him , according to Westphal .
The woman driving the car was shot once in the chest and taken to a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Wednesday night .
A 7-year-old girl was in the car ’ s back seat but was not injured in the gunfire , Westphal said .
The child ’ s relationship to the other two people in the car was unclear .
None of the detectives nor their vehicles were equipped with cameras , but investigators are trying to recover footage from Ring cameras and other home video systems in the area , Westphal said .
Surveillance video of the incident posted by the Rosamond Community Watchdog , a local news platform , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a housing complex parking lot .
Voices repeatedly shouted , “ Hands up !
” before gunfire erupted .
Siara Anderson said she was on the balcony of an apartment building adjacent to the parking lot in the 3400 block of 15th Street West when Boone was shot .
Anderson said that she heard four or five gunshots and saw a man slumped in the passenger seat of a blue sport utility vehicle , clearly dead .
Law enforcement officers , in plainclothes but wearing bulletproof vests , were at the scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five unmarked police cars .
Hicks , the attorney representing the Fuller family , said relatives and the legal team had no further comment on the incident .
“ The family respectfully asks that their privacy be respected .
Our prayers remain with the Fuller family , ” Hicks said in a statement .
Fuller ’ s death became the focus of national attention , coinciding with huge protests over the police killing of George Floyd .
Fuller from a tree in a Palmdale park on June 10 , and the initial cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But after protests , sheriff ’ s officials said they would do a full investigation , with assistance from the FBI and state attorney general .
at the park , with some describing racial incidents in the Antelope Valley and raising concerns over whether Fuller was lynched .
“ This is really crazy to all of us , ” Fuller ’ s sister Diamond Alexander said .
“ We want to find out the truth of what really happened .
Everything that they ’ ve been telling us has not been right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this tree , it don ’ t make no sense , ” Alexander added .
“ My brother was not suicidal .
My brother was a survivor.
” Fuller ’ s family and friends described him as a peacemaker , a street-smart man with shoulder-length dreadlocks and a bright smile who loved music , anime and video games and mostly stayed to himself .
Days before he died , he attended a Black Lives Matter protest .

Matthew Ormseth, Richard Winton, Matt Hamilton, Maya Lau

The half brother of Robert Fuller, a young Black man who was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last week, was killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during a shootout Wednesday afternoon in Kern County, according to law enforcement sources and an attorney for the family.
The fatal shooting of Terron Boone, 31, occurred about 4:30 p.m. in a parking lot in Rosamond, a community about 20 miles north of Palmdale. The killing came as activists and community members had been openly critical of how Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies handled the investigation into Fuller’s death.
Lt. Robert Westphal said authorities were investigating a report from Monday that Boone had pistol-whipped and threatened a former girlfriend. Westphal said Boone allegedly held the woman, with whom he had had an on-and-off relationship for years, at her residence.
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When asked about a connection with Robert Fuller’s death, Westphal said he did not have information about Boone’s motivations and that “so far this is a standalone incident.”
Court records show that Boone had been charged Tuesday with multiple criminal counts including six counts of making criminal threats, four counts of abusing a cohabitant, two counts of false imprisonment and one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
Westphal said that on Wednesday afternoon undercover detectives trailed a blue SUV that the suspect was riding in and followed it to an apartment complex in Rosamond. The deputies attempted a traffic stop. Boone exited the car’s passenger side and began shooting, firing at least five shots toward the detectives and striking the police vehicle’s hood and roof, Westphal said.
Three detectives returned fire and shot him multiple times in the chest, killing him, Westphal said.
The woman driving the car, who had a prior relationship with Boone, was shot once in the chest and taken to a local hospital, where she was treated and released Wednesday night. Her 7-year-old daughter was in the car’s back seat but was not injured in the gunfire, Westphal said.
A bullet went through the kitchen window of the home of Joyce Chaney, who lives in the Rosamond complex where Terron Boone was fatally shot by deputies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Detectives recovered a semiautomatic handgun at the scene.
None of the detectives nor their vehicles were equipped with cameras, but investigators are trying to recover footage from Ring cameras and other home video systems in the area, Westphal said.
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Surveillance video of the incident posted by the Rosamond Community Watchdog, a local news platform, showed multiple vehicles trailing a dark SUV into a housing complex parking lot. Voices repeatedly shouted, “Hands up!” before gunfire erupted.
Westphal said details of an investigation were still pending.
Terron Boone (Courtesy of Nyki Walker)
Meanwhile, several men who identified themselves as acquaintances of Boone set up a memorial Thursday morning in the parking lot where he was killed. They arranged dozens of candles in the shape of the initials “T.J.” next to a bouquet of flowers. The woman who was driving the car, who identified herself as Boone’s fiancee but did not give her name, sat on steps nearby and wept.
Several friends described Boone as a positive person and “fashion junkie” who was uplifting people with his hip-hop music.
“It was always good every time he pulled up with his music real loud,” said Patrick Dennis, a 34-year-old resident of Lancaster.
Nyki Walker, 29, said she used to date Boone and had remained friends with him. She said he was a caring father who was pursuing his path as an artist, having recorded singles and music videos under the name TJ Goon.
“Terron was the sweetest guy I’ve ever dated, and he meant a lot to our community. A true soldier, a true friend and angel,” she said.
Walker said Boone had been close to his brother Robert Fuller and had been upset about Fuller’s death.
Siara Anderson said she was on the balcony of an apartment building adjacent to the parking lot in the 3400 block of 15th Street West when Boone was shot. Anderson said she heard four or five gunshots and saw a man slumped in the passenger seat of a blue sport utility vehicle, clearly dead.
Joyce Chaney, left, talks to the woman who was driving the car at the time of the deputy involved fatal shooting in which Terron Boone was killed. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Law enforcement officers, in plainclothes but wearing bulletproof vests, were at the scene, she said, along with about five unmarked police cars.
Jamon Hicks, the attorney representing the Fuller family, said relatives and the legal team had no further comment on the incident.
“The family respectfully asks that their privacy be respected. Our prayers remain with the Fuller family,” Hicks said in a statement.
Fuller’s death became the focus of national attention, coinciding with huge protests over the police killing of George Floyd.
Fuller was discovered hanging from a tree in a Palmdale park on June 10, and the initial cause of death was listed as suicide. But after protests, sheriff’s officials said they would do a full investigation, with assistance from the FBI and state attorney general.
Thousands protested this weekend at the park, with some describing racial incidents in the Antelope Valley and raising concerns over whether Fuller was lynched.
“This is really crazy to all of us,” Fuller’s sister Diamond Alexander said. “We want to find out the truth of what really happened. Everything that they’ve been telling us has not been right.
“To be here, staring at this tree, it don’t make no sense,” Alexander added. “My brother was not suicidal. My brother was a survivor.”
Fuller’s family and friends described him as a peacemaker, a street-smart man with shoulder-length dreadlocks and a bright smile who loved music, anime and video games and mostly stayed to himself. Days before he died, he attended a Black Lives Matter protest.


latimes--2020-06-17--L.A. County primary voting was plagued with technology flaws

The delays and long lines that marred voting in Los Angeles County ’ s March 3 primary election were due largely to a key component of the county ’ s new $ 300-million electronic voting system , which was designed to check in voters at polling places but was hampered by slow digital communication links , according to a recent report by the county .
The highly-anticipated voting system , the first major changes in the county ’ s voting process in more than a decade , relied on electronic poll books to register voters at centers across the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital equivalent of paper voter rolls used at traditional polling places , suffered from major delays due to network and capacity issues , according to the report by the the Los Angeles County Registrar ’ s Office .
The delays left thousands of voters frustrated , and the problems were compounded by election workers who lacked the authority and training to address the issues .
“ Even though ample network bandwidth was available , the PollPads had issues synchronizing data with the voter database and the voter search function was too limited for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electorate , ” according to the report , which was posted on the registrar ’ s website in late April and was not formally announced .
The stakes were exceptionally high for L.A. County elections officials in the presidential primary .
Two significant changes in the voting experience were put in place at the same time , all while turnout was expected to be high among those voting in the Democratic presidential contest .
For one , it was the first countywide election using new voting machines developed over the course of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The devices , which mark paper ballots with choices that voters make using a touch screen , are unlike those used in any other county in California .
Secondly , the March election was also the first held in the county using the “ vote center ” model enacted by California lawmakers under the Voter ’ s Choice Act .
The 2016 law allows the elimination of neighborhood polling places in exchange for a more limited number of multi-purpose vote centers — locations where voters can update their voter registration and cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before election day .
Dean Logan , the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk , did not directly address the system ’ s flaws in a statement to The Times .
His office said the report was completed in late April by a third-party consultant .
The report recommends an “ action plan ” that includes working with state officials to address synchronization issues with the poll books , as well as tracking wait times at vote centers and posting the wait times in real time through an app .
“ We are heads-down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full support and collaboration of the county , stakeholders and the secretary of state to address the action plans in our report , new challenges associated with COVID-19 and to ensure a positive , accessible voting experience this fall , ” Logan said .
Supervisor Janice Hahn , who was a vocal proponent of investigating the failures , said she remains concerned about the system ’ s capacity to function properly in future elections .
“ The problems voters experienced in March were unacceptable and this report proves that they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hahn said in a statement .
“ The registrar-recorder has a lot of work to do regaining the confidence of the public.
” The voting system is used in other counties , but the approach used in Los Angeles County differed in one important area .
While other counties mailed ballots to every registered voter , L.A. County was given special permission by the Legislature to skip that step , forcing some 2 million voters who didn ’ t receive an absentee ballot to crowd regional vote centers .
That proved too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system that relied on the electronic poll books to check in voters at the 970 regional vote centers .
Because a voter can cast a ballot at any vote center , the tablet devices must be able to access the records of all 5.5 million L.A. County voters to ensure the person is registered and to update the records showing the voter has cast a ballot in that election .
Even though there was enough network bandwidth , it took in some cases two hours to update them .
The devices were configured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 15 minutes , making it impossible to download the latest data from the county ’ s voter database .
On the afternoon of election day , the cutoff for syncing the data was changed to 30 minutes , but even then , many poll books did not complete synchronization , and as a result , continued to prompt election workers to issue provisional ballots .
There were also staffing issues .
The county recruited the overall number of election workers needed , but some vote centers were overstaffed while others lacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center management to work 11 consecutive days caused attendance issues and made it challenging to fill those leadership roles .
Additionally , worker training started while the county was still developing its election day procedures , which meant workers learned different things depending on when they were trained , on top of already having to learn new technology and procedures under the vote center model .
And when the election workers asked for help , they had to wait to get it .
“ The help desks where election workers and voters call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff needed to respond to incoming call volume promptly , ” according to the report .
“ Technical issues with the telephone system also led to excessive wait times.
” Almost 1 million voters used the voting centers , and one in five reported having a negative experience , according to post-election surveys and exit polls .

Jaclyn Cosgrove, John Myers, Matt Stiles

The delays and long lines that marred voting in Los Angeles County’s March 3 primary election were due largely to a key component of the county’s new $300-million electronic voting system, which was designed to check in voters at polling places but was hampered by slow digital communication links, according to a recent report by the county.
The highly-anticipated voting system, the first major changes in the county’s voting process in more than a decade, relied on electronic poll books to register voters at centers across the region. But the poll books, the digital equivalent of paper voter rolls used at traditional polling places, suffered from major delays due to network and capacity issues, according to the report by the the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office.
The delays left thousands of voters frustrated, and the problems were compounded by election workers who lacked the authority and training to address the issues.
“Even though ample network bandwidth was available, the PollPads had issues synchronizing data with the voter database and the voter search function was too limited for the size of the county’s electorate,” according to the report, which was posted on the registrar’s website in late April and was not formally announced.
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The stakes were exceptionally high for L.A. County elections officials in the presidential primary. Two significant changes in the voting experience were put in place at the same time, all while turnout was expected to be high among those voting in the Democratic presidential contest.
For one, it was the first countywide election using new voting machines developed over the course of a decade by local officials with community input. The devices, which mark paper ballots with choices that voters make using a touch screen, are unlike those used in any other county in California.
Secondly, the March election was also the first held in the county using the “vote center” model enacted by California lawmakers under the Voter’s Choice Act. The 2016 law allows the elimination of neighborhood polling places in exchange for a more limited number of multi-purpose vote centers — locations where voters can update their voter registration and cast a ballot as early as 10 days before election day.
Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk, did not directly address the system’s flaws in a statement to The Times. His office said the report was completed in late April by a third-party consultant. The report recommends an “action plan” that includes working with state officials to address synchronization issues with the poll books, as well as tracking wait times at vote centers and posting the wait times in real time through an app.
“We are heads-down, all hands on deck working with the full support and collaboration of the county, stakeholders and the secretary of state to address the action plans in our report, new challenges associated with COVID-19 and to ensure a positive, accessible voting experience this fall,” Logan said.
Supervisor Janice Hahn, who was a vocal proponent of investigating the failures, said she remains concerned about the system’s capacity to function properly in future elections.
“The problems voters experienced in March were unacceptable and this report proves that they can’t all be blamed on technology,” Hahn said in a statement. “The registrar-recorder has a lot of work to do regaining the confidence of the public.”
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The voting system is used in other counties, but the approach used in Los Angeles County differed in one important area. While other counties mailed ballots to every registered voter, L.A. County was given special permission by the Legislature to skip that step, forcing some 2 million voters who didn’t receive an absentee ballot to crowd regional vote centers.
That proved too much of a burden to the new system that relied on the electronic poll books to check in voters at the 970 regional vote centers. Because a voter can cast a ballot at any vote center, the tablet devices must be able to access the records of all 5.5 million L.A. County voters to ensure the person is registered and to update the records showing the voter has cast a ballot in that election.
Even though there was enough network bandwidth, it took in some cases two hours to update them. The devices were configured to stop an update if it took more than 15 minutes, making it impossible to download the latest data from the county’s voter database.
On the afternoon of election day, the cutoff for syncing the data was changed to 30 minutes, but even then, many poll books did not complete synchronization, and as a result, continued to prompt election workers to issue provisional ballots.
There were also staffing issues.
The county recruited the overall number of election workers needed, but some vote centers were overstaffed while others lacked enough workers. Additionally, requiring vote center management to work 11 consecutive days caused attendance issues and made it challenging to fill those leadership roles.
Additionally, worker training started while the county was still developing its election day procedures, which meant workers learned different things depending on when they were trained, on top of already having to learn new technology and procedures under the vote center model.
And when the election workers asked for help, they had to wait to get it.
“The help desks where election workers and voters call to get help did not have adequate staff needed to respond to incoming call volume promptly,” according to the report. “Technical issues with the telephone system also led to excessive wait times.”
Almost 1 million voters used the voting centers, and one in five reported having a negative experience, according to post-election surveys and exit polls.


latimes--2020-06-17--10 LAPD officers taken off street amid investigations into protest response

Ten Los Angeles police officers have now been taken off the street and assigned to desk duties pending internal investigations into their actions during recent protests , the Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday .
Those investigations are among dozens that have been launched by the LAPD amid a wave of criticism for officers ’ forceful and at times violent response to protests over recent police killings of Black people , including George Floyd in Minneapolis .
The LAPD has not described the specific actions of the 10 officers removed from field duty , though Chief Michel Moore has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident in which officers surrounded and smashed the window of a car in Van Nuys after a citywide curfew had gone into effect .
Moore said those officers ’ actions concerned him enough to sideline them pending a full investigation into the circumstances .
But he also said the department has not passed judgment on the officers .
As of Wednesday , no Los Angeles officers had been charged criminally or formally punished by the department for their conduct during the protests , despite widespread allegations of excessive force being used against peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gisselle Espinoza , an LAPD spokeswoman , said that to date , the department had received 74 complaints against officers , about 40 of them alleging excessive force .
The department also has been sued by Black Lives Matter and other civil liberties advocates for its tactics against protesters , and by a woman who said she was shot in the face with a police projectile while in her car near a protest .
The department ’ s independent inspector general has solicited complaints about police abuses , though protest advocates have warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police would be better served finding an attorney than relying on another city agency to air their grievances .
A Times review of the LAPD ’ s response to the protests revealed many protesters were injured by officers swinging batons and shooting foam bullets and beanbag rounds , including in ways that appeared to violate department policies for the use of such weapons .
Some protesters were shot in the head , others in the testicles .
One had a tooth shot out .
Many others suffered minor injuries .
Several members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review in a motion filed Wednesday that calls on the department to be transparent about its investigations , whatever findings are reached and what punishments , if any , are dealt to officers found to have used excessive force .
“ As these investigations proceed , the residents of the City deserve to understand the full scope of these reviews , and what disciplinary actions will be taken against officers who are found to have used excessive force against peaceful protesters or otherwise violated department policy when responding to these demonstrations , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D. Price Jr. and Herb J. Wesson Jr. Espinoza said a special task force of dozens of internal affairs officers has been given the sole task of reviewing the complaints that have been filed and are “ trying to expedite the investigations.
” However , she also said that such investigations can take up to a year .

Ten Los Angeles police officers have now been taken off the street and assigned to desk duties pending internal investigations into their actions during recent protests, the Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday.
Those investigations are among dozens that have been launched by the LAPD amid a wave of criticism for officers’ forceful and at times violent response to protests over recent police killings of Black people, including George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The LAPD has not described the specific actions of the 10 officers removed from field duty, though Chief Michel Moore has said that several were involved in a recorded incident in which officers surrounded and smashed the window of a car in Van Nuys after a citywide curfew had gone into effect.
Moore said those officers’ actions concerned him enough to sideline them pending a full investigation into the circumstances. But he also said the department has not passed judgment on the officers.
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As of Wednesday, no Los Angeles officers had been charged criminally or formally punished by the department for their conduct during the protests, despite widespread allegations of excessive force being used against peaceful protesters and other bystanders.
Capt. Gisselle Espinoza, an LAPD spokeswoman, said that to date, the department had received 74 complaints against officers, about 40 of them alleging excessive force.
The department also has been sued by Black Lives Matter and other civil liberties advocates for its tactics against protesters, and by a woman who said she was shot in the face with a police projectile while in her car near a protest.
The department’s independent inspector general has solicited complaints about police abuses, though protest advocates have warned that people with potential claims against the police would be better served finding an attorney than relying on another city agency to air their grievances.
A Times review of the LAPD’s response to the protests revealed many protesters were injured by officers swinging batons and shooting foam bullets and beanbag rounds, including in ways that appeared to violate department policies for the use of such weapons.
Some protesters were shot in the head, others in the testicles. One had a tooth shot out. Many others suffered minor injuries.
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Several members of the City Council cited The Times’ review in a motion filed Wednesday that calls on the department to be transparent about its investigations, whatever findings are reached and what punishments, if any, are dealt to officers found to have used excessive force.
“As these investigations proceed, the residents of the City deserve to understand the full scope of these reviews, and what disciplinary actions will be taken against officers who are found to have used excessive force against peaceful protesters or otherwise violated department policy when responding to these demonstrations,” wrote council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren D. Price Jr. and Herb J. Wesson Jr.
Espinoza said a special task force of dozens of internal affairs officers has been given the sole task of reviewing the complaints that have been filed and are “trying to expedite the investigations.”
However, she also said that such investigations can take up to a year.


latimes--2020-06-17--Earthquake: 3.2 quake reported near Carpinteria

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported at 5:35 p.m. Wednesday 13 miles from Carpinteria , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 15 miles from Ventura , 18 miles from Santa Barbara , 22 miles from Santa Paula and 24 miles from Oxnard .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a shallow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported at 5:35 p.m. Wednesday 13 miles from Carpinteria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 15 miles from Ventura, 18 miles from Santa Barbara, 22 miles from Santa Paula and 24 miles from Oxnard.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth. 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--2020-06-17--Ventura City Council votes to require masks inside businesses and government offices

The city of Ventura will require masks to be worn inside businesses and government offices , on public transit and in most indoor venues that are open to the public following a 4-3 City Council vote this week .
The city manager will now draft an emergency ordinance to lay out the details of the new health order , which is modeled on a similar order in Santa Barbara , officials said .
Ventura ’ s face-covering order will go into effect once the City Council approves the final ordinance , to be considered at a future meeting .
Face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature that I don ’ t even think people question it anymore , ” said Councilman Erik Nasarenko during the Monday night meeting .
“ Ultimately it ’ s not about discomfort or inconvenience , it ’ s about doing whatever we can in whatever way possible to limit the spread of a highly infectious and deadly disease , and if that means wearing a face covering , I think we should do it.
” Nasarenko , along with Councilwomen Cheryl Heitmann , Sofia Rubalcava and Christy Weir voted in support of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jim Friedman voted no .
Ventura will become the second city in the county to require face coverings , after Ojai , which implemented an .
But Ventura County does not have a countywide order that requires the use of masks .
Ventura ’ s order will apply to anyone over age 12 .
Children younger than 2 are not advised to wear masks , and masks will be recommended but not required for children ages 2 to 12 , according to Heather Sumagaysay , the city ’ s public information officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from residents before the meeting , 309 in favor of the policy and 72 in opposition .
Brown and Friedman questioned the city ’ s ability to enforce the use of face coverings in businesses .
Police Chief Darin Schindler said enforcement of the policy would not be a priority for the department .
“ I would obviously put communication in front of enforcement , ” he said .
“ I just don ’ t think it ’ s a viable option right now to expect us to contact people for purposes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to put our officers in a difficult situation especially with the current climate surrounding the use of police authority right now.
” Violations of the mask order would be handled through the city ’ s emergency action citation process , the same way that violations of other pandemic-related health orders are handled , Sumagaysay said .
She said officials plan to focus on education “ to try to obtain voluntary compliance from the public.
” But if that doesn ’ t work , a written warning may be issued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reiterated that more information will be provided once the official ordinance is drafted .
As of late Wednesday , there were 1,706 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ventura County , with 148 in the city of Ventura .
Earlier this week , county officials expressed concerns about a rise in hospitalizations .
There were 38 people hospitalized Wednesday , with 13 of them in intensive care , records show .

Employees at Finney’s Crafthouse in Ventura prepare the bar last month. The city of Ventura will require masks inside businesses and government offices, on public transit and in most other indoor locations open to the public.
The city of Ventura will require masks to be worn inside businesses and government offices, on public transit and in most indoor venues that are open to the public following a 4-3 City Council vote this week.
The city manager will now draft an emergency ordinance to lay out the details of the new health order, which is modeled on a similar order in Santa Barbara, officials said.
Ventura’s face-covering order will go into effect once the City Council approves the final ordinance, to be considered at a future meeting.
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Face coverings “have become such a common feature that I don’t even think people question it anymore,” said Councilman Erik Nasarenko during the Monday night meeting. “Ultimately it’s not about discomfort or inconvenience, it’s about doing whatever we can in whatever way possible to limit the spread of a highly infectious and deadly disease, and if that means wearing a face covering, I think we should do it.”
Nasarenko, along with Councilwomen Cheryl Heitmann, Sofia Rubalcava and Christy Weir voted in support of the order. Matt LaVere, Lorrie Brown and Jim Friedman voted no.
Ventura will become the second city in the county to require face coverings, after Ojai, which implemented an order in early April . But Ventura County does not have a countywide order that requires the use of masks.
Ventura’s order will apply to anyone over age 12. Children younger than 2 are not advised to wear masks, and masks will be recommended but not required for children ages 2 to 12, according to Heather Sumagaysay, the city’s public information officer.
The council received nearly 400 emails from residents before the meeting, 309 in favor of the policy and 72 in opposition.
Brown and Friedman questioned the city’s ability to enforce the use of face coverings in businesses. Police Chief Darin Schindler said enforcement of the policy would not be a priority for the department.
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“I would obviously put communication in front of enforcement,” he said. “I just don’t think it’s a viable option right now to expect us to contact people for purposes of enforcing them wearing a mask. It’s going to put our officers in a difficult situation especially with the current climate surrounding the use of police authority right now.”
Violations of the mask order would be handled through the city’s emergency action citation process, the same way that violations of other pandemic-related health orders are handled, Sumagaysay said.
She said officials plan to focus on education “to try to obtain voluntary compliance from the public.” But if that doesn’t work, a written warning may be issued, followed by an administrative citation. Sumagaysay reiterated that more information will be provided once the official ordinance is drafted.
As of late Wednesday, there were 1,706 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ventura County, with 148 in the city of Ventura. Earlier this week, county officials expressed concerns about a rise in hospitalizations. There were 38 people hospitalized Wednesday, with 13 of them in intensive care, records show.


latimes--2020-06-18--Antelope Valley community calls for justice after deaths of Robert Fuller and other Black men

Dozens of community leaders , activists and residents gathered in Lancaster Thursday , calling for justice in the deaths of Robert Fuller and another man who was fatally shot by sheriff ’ s deputies during an encounter last week .
Fuller , a 24-year-old Black man , was found June 10 hanging from a tree near City Hall in neighboring Palmdale .
Authorities quickly labelled his death a likely suicide , angering family and friends who demanded a full investigation .
Michael Thomas was fatally shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy who arrived at his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a report of domestic violence .
His family has questioned whether the killing was justified .
Both deaths come as protests have swept the United States over police brutality , use of excessive force and other issues of racial injustice highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd .
On Wednesday , Terron Boone , 31 , Fuller ’ s half brother , was killed by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies investigating allegations that he assaulted and threatened a former girlfriend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mediterranean Plaza , outside the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger , holding signs saying “ Justice for Robert Fuller ” and “ Black Lives Matter.
” “ We ’ re all gathered here on one accord to remind the world , to remind our community , to remind the power structure that Black lives matter , ” said Rev .
V. Jesse Smith , a pastor and also a planning commissioner in Palmdale .
`` ... Today we come together to really just provide demands to our city .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , major , major issues in our city that have to be addressed , and the death of these two brothers , Robert Fuller and Michael Thomas , speaks volumes in terms of what we have to do in our community and how the power structure has to respond to members in our community.
” Smith called for “ transparent ” investigations of the deaths of Fuller and Thomas .
Smith went on to thank the city of Palmdale for rescinding its statement that called Fuller ’ s death a suicide and Barger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter demanding an independent investigation .
Arthur Calloway , of the Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce , told the crowd that among the community ’ s demands is the abolishment of qualified immunity , which protects law enforcement officers from lawsuits for actions conducted in their official capacity .
“ We do need the abolishment of qualified immunity because in order for us to hold anyone accountable , they have to be able to be punished , ” he said .
Nigel Holly , a community activist , addressed the crowd saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation must fight .
So though we may get weary , we must continue to fight because this has not changed .
We must stand on what our principles are .
We must stand for equality .
We must stand for justice , and we must hold those accountable that say that Black lives don ’ t matter , however they protest against it .
”

Demonstrators in Lancaster on Thursday call for justice and transparency in the investigations of the deaths of Robert Fuller and Michael Thomas.
Dozens of community leaders, activists and residents gathered in Lancaster Thursday, calling for justice in the deaths of Robert Fuller and another man who was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies during an encounter last week.
Fuller, a 24-year-old Black man, was found June 10 hanging from a tree near City Hall in neighboring Palmdale. Authorities quickly labelled his death a likely suicide, angering family and friends who demanded a full investigation.
Michael Thomas was fatally shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who arrived at his home in Lancaster a week ago in response to a report of domestic violence. His family has questioned whether the killing was justified.
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Both deaths come as protests have swept the United States over police brutality, use of excessive force and other issues of racial injustice highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd.
VIDEO | 09:30 As suicide rate rises among Black youths, Robert Fuller’s death prompts much-needed discussion On June 10, Robert Fuller’s body was found hanging from a tree outside Palmdale City Hall. His death came in the middle of the George Floyd protests and a week after Malcolm Harsch, another Black man, was found hanging from a tree in Victorville, less than 50 miles away. Their deaths shed light on the concerning rise in suicides among Black Americans.
Authorities are also looking into the death of Black man in Victorville that has sparked community outrage. Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found hanging from a tree May 31 near the city’s library. Authorities have said there is no evidence of foul play, but family members called for an independent investigation.
On Wednesday, Terron Boone, 31, Fuller’s half brother, was killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies investigating allegations that he assaulted and threatened a former girlfriend.
The Lancaster group showed up at Mediterranean Plaza, outside the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, holding signs saying “Justice for Robert Fuller” and “Black Lives Matter.”
“We’re all gathered here on one accord to remind the world, to remind our community, to remind the power structure that Black lives matter,” said Rev. V. Jesse Smith, a pastor and also a planning commissioner in Palmdale. “... Today we come together to really just provide demands to our city. We believe that there’s some major, major, major issues in our city that have to be addressed, and the death of these two brothers, Robert Fuller and Michael Thomas, speaks volumes in terms of what we have to do in our community and how the power structure has to respond to members in our community.”
Smith called for “transparent” investigations of the deaths of Fuller and Thomas.
Smith went on to thank the city of Palmdale for rescinding its statement that called Fuller’s death a suicide and Barger for sending the state attorney general a letter demanding an independent investigation.
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Arthur Calloway, of the Antelope Valley Black Chamber of Commerce, told the crowd that among the community’s demands is the abolishment of qualified immunity, which protects law enforcement officers from lawsuits for actions conducted in their official capacity.
“We do need the abolishment of qualified immunity because in order for us to hold anyone accountable, they have to be able to be punished,” he said.
The crowd clapped, and a woman yelled “Black Lives Matter!”
Nigel Holly, a community activist, addressed the crowd saying, “Martin Luther King said every generation must fight. So though we may get weary, we must continue to fight because this has not changed. We must stand on what our principles are. We must stand for equality. We must stand for justice, and we must hold those accountable that say that Black lives don’t matter, however they protest against it.”


latimes--2020-06-18--Newport Beach restaurant Javier's closes after staff member tests positive for COVID-19

An upscale restaurant in Orange County closed this week after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus , officials said .
Javier ’ s restaurant in Newport Beach announced it was closing Tuesday after at least one employee tested positive for COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus .
Javier ’ s wrote on Instagram that it was voluntarily closing the location for deep cleaning and testing .
The restaurant , which specializes in Mexican cuisine , plans to reopen July 1 .
“ At Javier ’ s , the health of our guests and employees is our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read .
Orange County officials began working with Javier ’ s on Wednesday , said Molly Nichelson , a spokeswoman for the county .
The A Restaurant in Newport Beach , which first opened nine decades ago under the name the Arches , also closed for two days beginning Tuesday to clean and test employees , according to a post on the eatery ’ s Instagram account .
County health officials would not confirm whether the closure was prompted by an outbreak at the location .
A representative for the restaurant did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
County officials said that if a staff member at any business reports having COVID-19 , the public health services team will reach out to the facility to provide guidance .
“ If there is a cluster of cases , depending on the number of cases and the size of the facility , we may either mandate that all staff be tested and/or a facility close for a period of time until it is clearly safe to reopen , ” Marc Meulman , chief of operations for Orange County Public Health Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The news of the temporary closures comes a day before more industries are set to reopen in Orange County .
Beginning Friday , a wave of personal-care businesses , including nail salons and massage therapy and tattoo shops , will be permitted to open after months-long closures .
“ While we have continued to reopen businesses , these hardworking businesses were excluded , ” said Michelle Steel , chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors .
“ It has been far too long , and these businesses have suffered as a result.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hospitalizations and deaths since businesses began reopening last month .
Coronavirus-related intensive care hospitalizations have jumped 76 % in the last six weeks in the county .
During the week of May 4 , the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds .
Last week , that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized .
In early May , the number of people hospitalized for the virus in Orange County was in the low 200s .
A month later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200s and low 300s .
On Thursday , the county reported that 345 people were being treated at hospitals for COVID-19 , the highest number of hospitalizations since the onset of the pandemic .
Of those being treated at hospitals , 144 were in intensive care units .
The county reported 132 new coronavirus cases Thursday , bringing the total number of infections to 9,292 .
Officials also reported seven additional fatalities , bringing the countywide death toll to 250 .
Nearly 4,500 people who previously tested positive for the virus have recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings , including when shopping , taking public transit or seeking medical care , following growing concerns that an increase in coronavirus cases has been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution .
While the necessity of face coverings has been widely discussed in several Southern California communities , mask politics have been especially potent in Orange County .
The debate in the county came to a head last week when the new health officer rolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within days of his predecessor ’ s resignation and amid pressure from the Board of Supervisors .
In a letter sent last week to the Board of Supervisors , top medical officials at Children ’ s Hospital of Orange County noted that they have been watching the escalating debate over face coverings with “ deep concern.
” They wrote that the debate has signaled “ a level of public disrespect for medical science that we believe puts Orange County at serious risk.
” Dr. Shruti Gohil , associate medical director of epidemiology and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings , in addition to frequent hand washing , are helpful in reducing the spread of infection as communities reopen and physical distancing becomes less possible .
“ In my opinion , if we want to reengage , we have to put all of our energy into figuring out how to shave off every piece of risk that we can , reasonably , without crippling our society , ” she said .
“ I do think it ’ s hard for the public to digest what the right steps are , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is nice to have authorities steer the ship as stably as possible .
I do think that perhaps the governor ’ s move allows for that at some level .
”

An upscale restaurant in Orange County closed this week after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said.
Javier’s restaurant in Newport Beach announced it was closing Tuesday after at least one employee tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Javier’s wrote on Instagram that it was voluntarily closing the location for deep cleaning and testing. The restaurant, which specializes in Mexican cuisine, plans to reopen July 1.
“At Javier’s, the health of our guests and employees is our top priority,” the Instagram post read.
Orange County officials began working with Javier’s on Wednesday, said Molly Nichelson, a spokeswoman for the county.
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The A Restaurant in Newport Beach, which first opened nine decades ago under the name the Arches, also closed for two days beginning Tuesday to clean and test employees, according to a post on the eatery’s Instagram account. County health officials would not confirm whether the closure was prompted by an outbreak at the location.
A representative for the restaurant did not return a phone call seeking further comment Thursday.
County officials said that if a staff member at any business reports having COVID-19, the public health services team will reach out to the facility to provide guidance.
“If there is a cluster of cases, depending on the number of cases and the size of the facility, we may either mandate that all staff be tested and/or a facility close for a period of time until it is clearly safe to reopen,” Marc Meulman, chief of operations for Orange County Public Health Services, said in a prepared statement.
The news of the temporary closures comes a day before more industries are set to reopen in Orange County.
Beginning Friday, a wave of personal-care businesses, including nail salons and massage therapy and tattoo shops, will be permitted to open after months-long closures.
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“While we have continued to reopen businesses, these hardworking businesses were excluded,” said Michelle Steel, chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. “It has been far too long, and these businesses have suffered as a result.”
The county has experienced a rise in hospitalizations and deaths since businesses began reopening last month.
Coronavirus-related intensive care hospitalizations have jumped 76% in the last six weeks in the county. During the week of May 4, the county reported a seven-day average of 94 people with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infections in its ICU beds. Last week, that number rose to an average of 165 hospitalized.
In early May, the number of people hospitalized for the virus in Orange County was in the low 200s. A month later, those figures had jumped to the high 200s and low 300s. On Thursday, the county reported that 345 people were being treated at hospitals for COVID-19, the highest number of hospitalizations since the onset of the pandemic. Of those being treated at hospitals, 144 were in intensive care units.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
The county reported 132 new coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing the total number of infections to 9,292. Officials also reported seven additional fatalities, bringing the countywide death toll to 250. Nearly 4,500 people who previously tested positive for the virus have recovered, data show.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday ordered all Californians to wear face coverings while in public or high-risk settings, including when shopping, taking public transit or seeking medical care, following growing concerns that an increase in coronavirus cases has been caused by residents failing to voluntarily take that precaution.
While the necessity of face coverings has been widely discussed in several Southern California communities, mask politics have been especially potent in Orange County. The debate in the county came to a head last week when the new health officer rolled back a mandatory order on face coverings within days of his predecessor’s resignation and amid pressure from the Board of Supervisors.
In a letter sent last week to the Board of Supervisors, top medical officials at Children’s Hospital of Orange County noted that they have been watching the escalating debate over face coverings with “deep concern.” They wrote that the debate has signaled “a level of public disrespect for medical science that we believe puts Orange County at serious risk.”
Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine, said face coverings, in addition to frequent hand washing, are helpful in reducing the spread of infection as communities reopen and physical distancing becomes less possible.
“In my opinion, if we want to reengage, we have to put all of our energy into figuring out how to shave off every piece of risk that we can, reasonably, without crippling our society,” she said.
“I do think it’s hard for the public to digest what the right steps are, and I think in a time of pandemic, it is nice to have authorities steer the ship as stably as possible. I do think that perhaps the governor’s move allows for that at some level.”


latimes--2020-06-18--Adoptions delayed for months by coronavirus closings to get their day in court

Foster families whose adoption plans got derailed by court closures prompted by the coronavirus crisis are set to receive some relief , with the judicial system no longer requiring in-person hearings .
That means families whose hearings were delayed in some cases until 2021 may see their adoptions become legal in the next month or two .
“ Oh my gosh , I can ’ t wait .
I ’ m very hopeful at this point and I ’ m very excited about it , ” said Natalia Bergman , who along with her husband , Randall , have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their adoption of the girls was set to be finalized in a Los Angeles County courtroom on April 7 , then was delayed until April 25 , and then put off until January 2021 .
“ It ’ s such a long road , not just for foster parents but for these children , ” she said .
The Bergmans are among thousands of foster families in California whose adoption plans were thrown into chaos with juvenile courts closed because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Under state law , adoption finalization hearings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So when juvenile courts around the state closed for nonessential matters , that left families such as the Bergmans in limbo .
In Los Angeles County , home to the nation ’ s largest child welfare and public adoption agency , there are about 20,000 foster children in the county .
Roughly 3,200 of them can not be reunited with their birth families and are in some stage of the adoption pipeline .
Some 1,500 foster children are adopted in the county every year .
Juvenile courts in the county faced a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then courts closed March 19 for nonessential matters , exponentially increasing the backlog .
Last week , Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile announced that the county ’ s juvenile courts and foster children ’ s advocates reached an agreement with the state Judicial Council that would allow such adoptions to take place without an in-person hearing .
Foster parents must sign and notarize documents and send them to the court , where they will be checked by court workers .
Once all the documents are complete , a judicial officer can sign the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then send the formal acceptance of the adoption back to the family .
Brazile said families can opt to wait for an in-person hearing , but it would probably be months before any such court appearances could be scheduled .
“ These happy in-person proceedings are cherished and celebrated by parents , children , Judicial Officers and court employees , ” Brazile said in a statement .
“ But with the social distancing requirements in place in our courthouses to slow the spread of COVID-19 , this easy , model process offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a courthouse.
” For Bergman , the expedited process is good enough .
She recalled one of her foster daughters seeing balloons that Bergman planned to give her mother on Mother ’ s Day , the month after the adoption was supposed to be finalized .
The little girl asked if they were for the party they planned to hold once the adoptions were finalized .
“ One daughter looked at me and said , ‘ You , my mommy ?
’ She said , ‘ Adoption party ?
’ She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t understand fully , ” Bergman said .
“ I said , ‘ Yes , I ’ m your mommy .
Yes , I ’ m going to adopt you.
’ It warmed my heart , but at the same time it broke my heart that I hadn ’ t adopted them yet .
”

Natalia and Randall Bergman, shown with daughter Jessica, have been the foster parents of twin girls since they were 3 months old. They were set to formally adopt the 2-year-olds in April, but court closures caused by the coronavirus delayed their adoption hearing until 2021.
Foster families whose adoption plans got derailed by court closures prompted by the coronavirus crisis are set to receive some relief, with the judicial system no longer requiring in-person hearings.
That means families whose hearings were delayed in some cases until 2021 may see their adoptions become legal in the next month or two.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t wait. I’m very hopeful at this point and I’m very excited about it,” said Natalia Bergman, who along with her husband, Randall, have been fostering twin girls for 2½ years.
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Their adoption of the girls was set to be finalized in a Los Angeles County courtroom on April 7, then was delayed until April 25, and then put off until January 2021.
“It’s such a long road, not just for foster parents but for these children,” she said.
The Bergmans are among thousands of foster families in California whose adoption plans were thrown into chaos with juvenile courts closed because of the coronavirus outbreak. Under state law, adoption finalization hearings are supposed to take place in person. So when juvenile courts around the state closed for nonessential matters, that left families such as the Bergmans in limbo.
In Los Angeles County, home to the nation’s largest child welfare and public adoption agency, there are about 20,000 foster children in the county. Roughly 3,200 of them cannot be reunited with their birth families and are in some stage of the adoption pipeline. Some 1,500 foster children are adopted in the county every year.
Juvenile courts in the county faced a lack of resources even before the pandemic. Then courts closed March 19 for nonessential matters, exponentially increasing the backlog.
Last week, Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile announced that the county’s juvenile courts and foster children’s advocates reached an agreement with the state Judicial Council that would allow such adoptions to take place without an in-person hearing.
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Foster parents must sign and notarize documents and send them to the court, where they will be checked by court workers.
Once all the documents are complete, a judicial officer can sign the adoption paperwork in his or her chambers and then send the formal acceptance of the adoption back to the family.
Brazile said families can opt to wait for an in-person hearing, but it would probably be months before any such court appearances could be scheduled.
“These happy in-person proceedings are cherished and celebrated by parents, children, Judicial Officers and court employees,” Brazile said in a statement. “But with the social distancing requirements in place in our courthouses to slow the spread of COVID-19, this easy, model process offers a convenient, safe alternative to coming to a courthouse.”
For Bergman, the expedited process is good enough. She recalled one of her foster daughters seeing balloons that Bergman planned to give her mother on Mother’s Day, the month after the adoption was supposed to be finalized. The little girl asked if they were for the party they planned to hold once the adoptions were finalized.
“One daughter looked at me and said, ‘You, my mommy?’ She said, ‘Adoption party?’ She’s almost 3, she doesn’t understand fully,” Bergman said. “I said, ‘Yes, I’m your mommy. Yes, I’m going to adopt you.’ It warmed my heart, but at the same time it broke my heart that I hadn’t adopted them yet.”


latimes--2020-06-18--33 sheriff's cadets contract coronavirus; San Bernardino program suspended

A training program for the San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department has suspended in-person classes after 33 cadets tested positive for the coronavirus , officials said .
Twenty of those infected are deputy trainees , and 13 are from other law enforcement agencies , public information officer Jodi Miller said Thursday .
After two cadets showed symptoms of the virus last week , one tested positive for COVID-19 .
Within 48 hours , all 160 trainees in the program were tested .
Most who tested positive had mild or no symptoms .
The academy was suspended Friday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaning those in attendance left the location to return home every day and were potentially exposed to others outside the facility who may have been infected with the virus .
The academy is typically held at the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Frank Bland Regional Training Center in Devore .
San Bernardino County has reported 230 coronavirus-linked deaths and 8,454 cases , 414 of which were reported Thursday .
For now , students will self-quarantine for about one more week while remote training is offered .
Those who tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Students in the senior class , which began training Jan. 21 , and the junior class , which began training March 30 , have been required to wear face masks while on the premises .
Temperature checks of trainees and academy staff have been taken daily , Miller said , and the facility was cleaned and disinfected throughout each day , with everyone having access to hand sanitizer .
Photos provided by the Sheriff ’ s Department show cadets wearing face coverings during a training exercise .

The training program for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has been suspended after nearly three dozen cadets tested positive for the coronavirus.
A training program for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has suspended in-person classes after 33 cadets tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said.
Twenty of those infected are deputy trainees, and 13 are from other law enforcement agencies, public information officer Jodi Miller said Thursday.
After two cadets showed symptoms of the virus last week, one tested positive for COVID-19. Within 48 hours, all 160 trainees in the program were tested. Most who tested positive had mild or no symptoms.
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“No trainee showed a fever,” Miller said.
The academy was suspended Friday. The program does not offer live-in training, meaning those in attendance left the location to return home every day and were potentially exposed to others outside the facility who may have been infected with the virus. The academy is typically held at the Sheriff’s Department’s Frank Bland Regional Training Center in Devore.
San Bernardino County has reported 230 coronavirus-linked deaths and 8,454 cases, 414 of which were reported Thursday.
For now, students will self-quarantine for about one more week while remote training is offered. Those who tested positive for the virus are being monitored by medical staff.
Students in the senior class, which began training Jan. 21, and the junior class, which began training March 30, have been required to wear face masks while on the premises.
Temperature checks of trainees and academy staff have been taken daily, Miller said, and the facility was cleaned and disinfected throughout each day, with everyone having access to hand sanitizer.
Photos provided by the Sheriff’s Department show cadets wearing face coverings during a training exercise.


latimes--2020-06-18--Former Huizar aides agree to $200,000 deal to end lawsuits, lawyer says

Two former aides to Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar have agreed to settle their discrimination lawsuits against the city for a combined $ 200,000 , their attorney said this week .
Under the proposed settlement , the city will pay former Huizar aide Mayra Alvarez $ 150,000 to end her case , which alleged she was the victim of discrimination and other forms of misconduct , said Terrence Jones , the lawyer for Alvarez .
Pauline Medina , another ex-staffer who lodged similar claims , is on track to receive $ 50,000 , he said .
The city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session to consider the proposed settlement in the Alvarez case , which will proceed to the City Council for approval .
Jones said he did not believe the Medina settlement has to go to the board .
The settlements would also resolve claims against Huizar in his “ personal capacity , ” the attorney said .
The city has not publicly announced a deal .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for City Atty .
Mike Feuer , said Thursday that “ the details regarding settlements are confidential until approved by council , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alvarez and Medina filed their lawsuits in October 2018 , accusing their former boss of punishing them for complaining about what they described as improper and potentially unlawful misconduct by Huizar , including assigning staffers to plan his wife ’ s City Council bid during city time .
Both also said they had voiced concerns about the councilman having an affair with an aide , which Huizar denied .
Those allegations were quickly overshadowed by the raid of Huizar ’ s home and offices by FBI agents .
Since then , prosecutors have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who took office in 2005 , as the leader of a criminal enterprise that relied on bribes and other illegal acts .
Huizar ’ s lawyer in the pay-to-play probe has repeatedly declined to answer questions about the federal investigation .
But Linda Savitt , the councilman ’ s attorney in the lawsuits involving the former staffers , said many of the claims made by Alvarez and Medina have already been voluntarily dismissed , including those dealing with Huizar ’ s wife ’ s political campaign and the allegations about an affair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in unrelated litigation . )
Asked about the potential settlement , Savitt said : “ I was not part of those negotiations .
I filed a motion to have Councilman Huizar exonerated.
” Huizar has previously described the allegations in the two lawsuits as false and part of a coordinated political attack against Richelle Huizar , the councilman ’ s wife .
Richelle Huizar launched and then abandoned a campaign for her husband ’ s seat in 2018 .
Over the past three years , Jones has represented four of Huizar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city and the councilman while the fourth , former Huizar special assistant George Esparza , has agreed to plead guilty in the federal corruption probe .
Esparza , a former aide to Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo ( D-Los Angeles ) , admitted in his plea agreement that he accepted bribes while working for the councilman .
The city still has not reached an agreement with former Huizar aide Jesse Leon , who sued the city earlier this year alleging he faced retaliation from the councilman for discussing his suspicions about bribes with federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leon ’ s allegations “ absolutely false ” and said the aide had engaged in a conflict of interest while working in the office .
The city ’ s lawyers concluded that Leon had attempted to secure a cannabis license while also serving as Huizar ’ s policy adviser on cannabis regulations , the councilman said .

Councilman Jose Huizar, shown at a council meeting in February, has been accused by a former aide of sexual harassment.
Two former aides to Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar have agreed to settle their discrimination lawsuits against the city for a combined $200,000, their attorney said this week.
Under the proposed settlement, the city will pay former Huizar aide Mayra Alvarez $150,000 to end her case, which alleged she was the victim of discrimination and other forms of misconduct, said Terrence Jones, the lawyer for Alvarez. Pauline Medina, another former staffer who lodged similar claims, is on track to receive $50,000, he said.
The city’s claims board met Thursday in closed session to consider the proposed settlement in the Alvarez case, which will proceed to the City Council for approval. Jones said he did not believe the Medina settlement has to go to the board. The settlements would also resolve claims against Huizar in his “personal capacity,” the attorney said.
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The city has not publicly announced a deal. Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer, said Thursday that “the details regarding settlements are confidential until approved by council, and if required approved by the court.”
Alvarez and Medina filed their lawsuits in October 2018, accusing their former boss of punishing them for complaining about what they described as improper and potentially unlawful misconduct by Huizar, including assigning staffers to plan his wife’s City Council bid during city time.
Both also said they had voiced concerns about the councilman having an affair with an aide, which Huizar denied.
Those allegations were quickly overshadowed by the raid of Huizar’s home and offices by FBI agents. Since then, prosecutors have filed court documents that portray the councilman, who took office in 2005, as the leader of a criminal enterprise that relied on bribes and other illegal acts.
California Garcetti, Martinez call on L.A. City Councilman Huizar to resign L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Nury Martinez called on Councilman Jose Huizar to resign amid an ongoing federal investigation into a City Hall “pay-to-play” scandal. Huizar has not been charged.
Huizar’s lawyer in the federal pay-to-play investigation has repeatedly declined to answer questions about it. But Linda Savitt, the councilman’s attorney in the lawsuits involving the former staffers, said many of the claims made by Alvarez and Medina have already been voluntarily dismissed, including those dealing with Huizar’s wife’s political campaign and the allegations about an affair. (Savitt has represented The Times in unrelated litigation.)
Asked about the potential settlement, Savitt said: “I was not part of those negotiations. I filed a motion to have Councilman Huizar exonerated.”
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Huizar has previously described the allegations in the two lawsuits as false and part of a coordinated political attack against Richelle Huizar,his wife. Richelle Huizar launched and then abandoned a campaign for her husband’s seat in 2018.
Over the last three years, Jones has represented four of Huizar’s former staffers in court. Three have sued the city and the councilman while the fourth, former Huizar special assistant George Esparza, has agreed to plead guilty in the federal corruption investigation.
Esparza, a former aide to Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), admitted in his plea agreement that he accepted bribes while working for the councilman.
The city still has not reached an agreement with former Huizar aide Jesse Leon, who sued the city this year alleging he faced retaliation from the councilman for discussing his suspicions about bribes with federal investigators.
Last year, Huizar called Leon’s allegations “absolutely false” and said the aide had engaged in a conflict of interest while working in the office. The city’s lawyers concluded that Leon had attempted to secure a cannabis license while also serving as Huizar’s policy advisor on cannabis regulations, the councilman said.


latimes--2020-06-18--This is where you now must wear a mask in California under sweeping new rules

California is now requiring that residents wear masks in many public settings to slow the spread of coronavirus .
Until now , state public health officials had only recommended — not required — that Californians wear face coverings , which have been shown to decrease the chances of a person who ’ s wearing one from spreading the virus to others .
Some local officials , including in Los Angeles County , have required the use of face coverings when conducting essential business and even sometimes when outdoors .
Other counties , however , have shunned the mandate .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California counties — including Orange , Riverside and San Bernardino — that do not have mask requirements .
The rules will now be statewide .
Here is when and where masks are required • Inside , or in line to enter , any indoor public space .
• Obtaining health-related services including , but not limited to , a hospital , pharmacy , medical clinic , laboratory , physician ’ s or dental office , veterinary clinic , or blood bank .
• Waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , or ride-hailing service vehicle .
• Engaged in work , whether at the workplace or performing work off site , when interacting in-person with any member of the public .
• Working in any space visited by members of the public , regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time .
• Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others .
• Working in or walking through common areas , such as hallways , stairways , elevators , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or enclosed area where other people ( except for members of the person ’ s own household or residence ) are present when unable to physically distance .
• Driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle , taxi , or private car service or ride-hailing vehicle when passengers are present .
When no passengers are present , face coverings are strongly recommended .
• While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from wearing masks • Children 2 years or under .
Children this young must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation .
• Persons with a medical condition , mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering .
This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious , incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance .
• Persons who are hearing impaired , or communicating with a person who is hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mouth is essential for communication .
• Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk related to their work , as determined by local , state or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines .
• Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service .
• Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service , while they are eating or drinking , provided that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least six feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence .
• Persons who are engaged in outdoor work or recreation such as swimming , walking , hiking , bicycling or running , when alone or with household members , and when they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet from others .
• Persons who are incarcerated .
Prisons and jails , as part of their mitigation plans , will have specific guidance on the wearing of face coverings or masks for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Public Health previously issued for cloth masks : • Face coverings can be made out of cloth , factory-made or hand-sewn , or improvised using bandannas , scarves , T-shirts , sweatshirts or towels .
• The material should cover both the nose and mouth .
• Ideally , face coverings should be washed after each use .
Dirty masks should be placed in a dedicated laundry bag or bin .
• Use detergent and hot water when washing cloth masks , and dry them on a hot cycle .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you don ’ t want to have to keep adjusting the mask , because that means touching your face .
• Wash your hands , or use hand sanitizer , before and after touching your face or face coverings .
• If you must wear your cloth face covering again before washing it , wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face .

California is now requiring that residents wear masks in many public settings to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Until now, state public health officials had only recommended — not required — that Californians wear face coverings, which have been shown to decrease the chances of a person who’s wearing one from spreading the virus to others. Some local officials, including in Los Angeles County, have required the use of face coverings when conducting essential business and even sometimes when outdoors. Other counties, however, have shunned the mandate.
The new order marks a major shift in California counties — including Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino — that do not have mask requirements. The rules will now be statewide.
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Here is when and where masks are required
• Inside, or in line to enter, any indoor public space.
• Obtaining health-related services including, but not limited to, a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician’s or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank.
• Waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit or while in a taxi, private car service, or ride-hailing service vehicle.
• Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off site, when interacting in-person with any member of the public.
• Working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time.
• Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others.
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• Working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities.
• In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance.
• Driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi, or private car service or ride-hailing vehicle when passengers are present. When no passengers are present, face coverings are strongly recommended.
• While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not feasible.
Here is who is exempt from wearing masks
• Children 2 years or under. Children this young must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
• Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.
• Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk related to their work, as determined by local, state or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
• Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service.
• Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided that they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence.
• Persons who are engaged in outdoor work or recreation such as swimming, walking, hiking, bicycling or running, when alone or with household members, and when they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet from others.
• Persons who are incarcerated. Prisons and jails, as part of their mitigation plans, will have specific guidance on the wearing of face coverings or masks for both inmates and staff.
The California Department of Public Health previously issued these guidelines for cloth masks:


latimes--2020-06-18--Oakland residents stunned to find effigy hanging from tree, after nooses reported

Oakland residents found a fake body hanging in effigy on Thursday , one day after the mayor addressed reports of knotted ropes resembling nooses hanging near the city ’ s Lake Merritt .
The Oakland Police Department is working with the FBI to investigate the latest incident .
According to a Police Department statement , a witness called at 8:20 a.m. Thursday to report “ a fake body hanging from a noose.
” The witness removed the figure from the tree before the police arrived .
Images of the effigy , some provided by Oakland police and others on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the neck and torso of a human-shaped object .
A U.S. flag is next to it .
The images indicate the figure was dressed in black sweatpants .
Federal and city law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the incident — along with five noose-shaped ropes reported yesterday — as a hate crime .
“ We are in a raw and outraged moment as a city and a country right now , ” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement .
She called the effigy “ a deliberate and vile attempt to traumatize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city was united against hate .
The discovery of the ropes came Wednesday as the FBI and California Department of Justice are monitoring investigations into the deaths of two Black men found hanging from trees in Victorville and Palmdale .
Authorities initially said the men died by suicide .
The incident also comes as Oakland has been roiled by protests and property damage in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody , as well as a federal investigation that revealed Tuesday that the suspect in the fatal shooting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had ties to a right-wing extremist movement known as “ boogaloo.
” Air Force Sgt .
Steven Carrillo , 32 , also faces state charges in the June 6 killing of a Santa Cruz County sheriff ’ s sergeant .

A figure was found hanging in effigy Thursday at Lake Merritt in Oakland, a day after apparent nooses hanging from trees spurred a hate-crime investigation.
Oakland residents found a fake body hanging in effigy on Thursday, one day after the mayor addressed reports of knotted ropes resembling nooses hanging near the city’s Lake Merritt.
The Oakland Police Department is working with the FBI to investigate the latest incident.
According to a Police Department statement, a witness called at 8:20 a.m. Thursday to report “a fake body hanging from a noose.” The witness removed the figure from the tree before the police arrived.
Images of the effigy, some provided by Oakland police and others on social media, show a rope wrapped around the neck and torso of a human-shaped object. A U.S. flag is next to it.
The effigy found at Lake Merritt in Oakland was wearing black sweatpants. (Oakland Police Department)
The images indicate the figure was dressed in black sweatpants.
Federal and city law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the incident — along with five noose-shaped ropes reported yesterday — as a hate crime.
“We are in a raw and outraged moment as a city and a country right now,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement.
She called the effigy “a deliberate and vile attempt to traumatize and divide Oaklanders” and said the city was united against hate.
The discovery of the ropes came Wednesday as the FBI and California Department of Justice are monitoring investigations into the deaths of two Black men found hanging from trees in Victorville and Palmdale. Authorities initially said the men died by suicide.
The incident also comes as Oakland has been roiled by protests and property damage in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, as well as a federal investigation that revealed Tuesday that the suspect in the fatal shooting of a guard in Oakland in late May had ties to a right-wing extremist movement known as “boogaloo.” Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo, 32, also faces state charges in the June 6 killing of a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s sergeant.


latimes--2020-06-18--Bear attacks woman who'd been sleeping in Sierra Madre backyard

A young woman who had fallen asleep in her Sierra Madre backyard awoke to the sight of a bear earlier this week , and the encounter quickly turned violent , state Fish and Wildlife officials said .
The animal began to scratch and bite the woman , who has not been identified , and she struck the bear with her laptop , Capt .
Patrick Foy told KABC-TV Channel 7 .
When she and the bear broke contact , she was able to run inside to safety .
The bear ’ s DNA was collected from the woman ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken from a bear that was trapped in the area the day after Monday ’ s attack , officials said .
If the DNA matches , the trapped bear “ would be euthanized in the interest of public safety , ” Foy said .
Bear sightings are not uncommon in the Sierra Madre area , which sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains .
While residents there and in nearby foothills have routinely spotted bears in swimming pools and wandering neighborhood streets , attacks are rare , officials said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not been provoked .
“ They didn ’ t provoke the animal .
They didn ’ t get between the animal and its cubs .
They didn ’ t attract it inadvertently with the strong odor of food , ” he told CBS-TV Channel 2 .
“ This person was asleep with a laptop in her lap and was doing nothing that would be argued as inadvertently attracting this bear.
” Last June , an adult black bear scratched a man on his Sierra Madre property .
Fish and Wildlife biologists concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense of itself and its nearby cub .
The bear had wandered onto the property , when the man ’ s dog challenged it .
The man intervened and was scratched in the process .
Both the mother and cub were released back into the wild .
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has a list of suggestions for bear-proofing a home , which includes the recommendation that residents avoid confrontations with bear that break into houses and gives it an escape route to safely leave .
Residents are also advised to block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as crawl spaces .

In March, a black bear was spotted wandering along Canyon Road in Arcadia. This week, a bear attacked a resident in nearby Sierra Madre.
A young woman who had fallen asleep in her Sierra Madre backyard awoke to the sight of a bear earlier this week, and the encounter quickly turned violent, state Fish and Wildlife officials said.
The animal began to scratch and bite the woman, who has not been identified, and she struck the bear with her laptop, Capt. Patrick Foy told KABC-TV Channel 7.
When she and the bear broke contact, she was able to run inside to safety.
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The bear’s DNA was collected from the woman’s wounds and will be compared with samples taken from a bear that was trapped in the area the day after Monday’s attack, officials said. If the DNA matches, the trapped bear “would be euthanized in the interest of public safety,” Foy said.
Bear sightings are not uncommon in the Sierra Madre area, which sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. While residents there and in nearby foothills have routinely spotted bears in swimming pools and wandering neighborhood streets, attacks are rare, officials said.
In this instance, Foy said the bear had not been provoked.
“They didn’t provoke the animal. They didn’t get between the animal and its cubs. They didn’t attract it inadvertently with the strong odor of food,” he told CBS-TV Channel 2. “This person was asleep with a laptop in her lap and was doing nothing that would be argued as inadvertently attracting this bear.”
Last June, an adult black bear scratched a man on his Sierra Madre property. Fish and Wildlife biologists concluded that the female bear had acted in defense of itself and its nearby cub. The bear had wandered onto the property, when the man’s dog challenged it. The man intervened and was scratched in the process.
Both the mother and cub were released back into the wild.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has a list of suggestions for bear-proofing a home, which includes the recommendation that residents avoid confrontations with bear that break into houses and gives it an escape route to safely leave. Residents are also advised to block access to potential hibernation spots, such as crawl spaces.


latimes--2020-06-18--Christopher Columbus statue removed from San Francisco's Coit Tower

A statue of Christopher Columbus near San Francisco ’ s Coit Tower was removed early Thursday morning and placed in storage , officials said .
The statue had generated objections in the past , but the Black Lives Matter protests amplified the displeasure with the artwork , which was defaced three times in the last week .
The nationwide antiracism protests erupted in recent weeks following the death of George Floyd .
The decision to remove the statue was at the direction of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the reasoning behind it was twofold .
According to the San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care of the city ’ s civic art collection , the installation did not align with the city ’ s “ commitment to racial justice.
” At the same time , a planned protest had circulated online calling on citizens to assemble on Friday and remove the 2-ton , 12-foot tall statue from its pedestal .
Because of the risk to residents , officials said they acted proactively to remove the statue .
The bronze statue atop Telegraph Hill was installed and dedicated on Oct. 12 , 1957 .
It was sculpted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gifted to the city by the Columbus Monument Committee , the city of Genoa and the Marini family .
Recent vandalism of the artwork , which was previously defaced , occurred as other monuments to Columbus — as well as those commemorating the Confederacy — came under more intense scrutiny as symbols of racism in American history .
“ At a time of great unrest and deep reflection by our country , we recognize the pain and oppression that Christopher Columbus represents to many .
We believe that through public art we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our people , including our Italian-American community , but in doing so we should choose symbols that unify us , ” Supervisor Aaron Peskin said in a statement .
The announcement was made on behalf of Peskin , Breed and Supervisor Catherine Stefani .
Stefani previously presented a resolution to recognize October as Italian American Heritage Month after city supervisors voted to replace Christopher Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day .
“ As a proud Italian American , this was not a decision I came to lightly , but this is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a separate statement about the statue ’ s removal .
“ I know as well as anyone that Columbus has historically been a symbol of pride in Italian Americans ’ contribution to this nation .
But Columbus also represents the painful foundations of American history — the slavery , subjugation and conquest we must all condemn.
” The removal of the Columbus statue at Coit Tower follows actions throughout the state and around the country to eliminate effigies and monuments connected to racism .
On Monday , a statue of John Sutter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gold Rush — was removed from Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento after it was defaced amid complaints of racism .
On Tuesday , California legislative leaders announced their decision to remove a statue of Columbus and Queen Isabella from the Capitol rotunda in Sacramento after 137 years .
“ Christopher Columbus is a deeply polarizing historical figure given the deadly impact his arrival in this hemisphere had on indigenous populations , ” a statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins , Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Assembly Rules Committee Chair Ken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence of this statue in California ’ s Capitol , where it has been since 1883 , is completely out of place today .
It will be removed.
” Elsewhere in California , entire cities are grappling with legacy names .
In Fort Bragg , a Northern California town named after Confederate Army general and slave owner Braxton Bragg , the City Council is considering changing the town ’ s name by adding a query on the November ballot .
Meanwhile , U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-San Francisco ) said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speakers who served in the Confederacy to be removed from the U.S. Capitol .
The paintings will be taken down Friday in commemoration of Juneteenth , the holiday that marks the end of of slavery .
“ There is no room in the hallowed halls of this democracy to memorialize people who embody violent bigotry and grotesque racism of the Confederacy , ” she said .

The Columbus statue near Coit Tower in San Francisco is shown in 2014. The statue was removed Thursday morning.
A statue of Christopher Columbus near San Francisco’s Coit Tower was removed early Thursday morning and placed in storage, officials said.
The statue had generated objections in the past, but the Black Lives Matter protests amplified the displeasure with the artwork, which was defaced three times in the last week. The nationwide antiracism protests erupted in recent weeks following the death of George Floyd.
The decision to remove the statue was at the direction of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the reasoning behind it was twofold. According to the San Francisco Arts Commission, which oversees the care of the city’s civic art collection, the installation did not align with the city’s “commitment to racial justice.” At the same time, a planned protest had circulated online calling on citizens to assemble on Friday and remove the 2-ton, 12-foot tall statue from its pedestal. Because of the risk to residents, officials said they acted proactively to remove the statue.
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The bronze statue atop Telegraph Hill was installed and dedicated on Oct. 12, 1957. It was sculpted by Italian artist Count Vittorio de Colbertaldo and gifted to the city by the Columbus Monument Committee, the city of Genoa and the Marini family.
Recent vandalism of the artwork, which was previously defaced, occurred as other monuments to Columbus — as well as those commemorating the Confederacy — came under more intense scrutiny as symbols of racism in American history.
California California to remove Columbus statue from state Capitol The decision, announced Tuesday by legislative leaders, has long been sought by those who say it’s wrong to honor a man who ushered in an era of genocide to North America’s indigenous peoples.
“At a time of great unrest and deep reflection by our country, we recognize the pain and oppression that Christopher Columbus represents to many. We believe that through public art we can and should honor the heritage of all of our people, including our Italian-American community, but in doing so we should choose symbols that unify us,” Supervisor Aaron Peskin said in a statement.
The announcement was made on behalf of Peskin, Breed and Supervisor Catherine Stefani.
Stefani previously presented a resolution to recognize October as Italian American Heritage Month after city supervisors voted to replace Christopher Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.
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“As a proud Italian American, this was not a decision I came to lightly, but this is a time for healing,” Stefani said in a separate statement about the statue’s removal.
“I know as well as anyone that Columbus has historically been a symbol of pride in Italian Americans’ contribution to this nation. But Columbus also represents the painful foundations of American history — the slavery, subjugation and conquest we must all condemn.”
The removal of the Columbus statue at Coit Tower follows actions throughout the state and around the country to eliminate effigies and monuments connected to racism. On Monday, a statue of John Sutter — a colonizer of California during the Gold Rush — was removed from Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento after it was defaced amid complaints of racism.
On Tuesday, California legislative leaders announced their decision to remove a statue of Columbus and Queen Isabella from the Capitol rotunda in Sacramento after 137 years.
“Christopher Columbus is a deeply polarizing historical figure given the deadly impact his arrival in this hemisphere had on indigenous populations,” a statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Assembly Rules Committee Chair Ken Cooley noted Tuesday.
“The continued presence of this statue in California’s Capitol, where it has been since 1883, is completely out of place today. It will be removed.”
Elsewhere in California, entire cities are grappling with legacy names. In Fort Bragg, a Northern California town named after Confederate Army general and slave owner Braxton Bragg, the City Council is considering changing the town’s name by adding a query on the November ballot.
Meanwhile, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said Thursday that she had ordered four portraits of speakers who served in the Confederacy to be removed from the U.S. Capitol. The paintings will be taken down Friday in commemoration of Juneteenth, the holiday that marks the end of of slavery.
“There is no room in the hallowed halls of this democracy to memorialize people who embody violent bigotry and grotesque racism of the Confederacy,” she said.