latimes--2020-12-02--After a rare shooting by a deputy at Lake Tahoe left a Silicon Valley engineer paralyzed, a huge pay

After a rare shooting by a deputy at Lake Tahoe left a Silicon Valley engineer paralyzed, a huge payout

Samuel Kolb took his last steps inside a cabin on the shore of Lake Tahoe .
The software engineer from Silicon Valley had rented the place in January 2018 with his 16-year old son for a few days of skiing and watching football .
The teen had awoken before sunrise one morning to find his father acting strangely and called 911 to report that he was suffering some kind of “ mental psychosis , ” court records show .
A dispatcher for the Placer County Sheriff ’ s Department sent the call out over the radio , saying it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code for a person who needs serious mental health treatment , according to the records .
Kolb , the dispatcher added , had a brain condition that can cause him to become dazed and unaware of his surroundings .
Kolb says he doesn ’ t remember the sheriff ’ s deputy illuminating the dark cabin with his flashlight and has no memory of picking up the large fork from the counter as he paced .
He does remember waking in a hospital and being told he had been shot and would never walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 9.9 million payment to settle the federal lawsuit Kolb and his family filed against the Sheriff ’ s Department for excessive force , negligence and other alleged violations .
The settlement , which spares the county the possibility of losing a larger verdict at a trial , is the largest of its kind in the county ’ s history .
The huge payment belies the deputy ’ s claims he had no choice but to shoot when Kolb attacked him .
Beyond the size of the settlement , the shooting itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement officers rarely use deadly force .
In 2018 , deputies shot only one other person in the county , which stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to the shores of Lake Tahoe and is home to just over 400,000 people , and shot no one in the year before or after , according to the California attorney general ’ s office .
By contrast , officers in the much larger Los Angeles Police Department hit people with gunfire 25 times in 2018 .
Kolb ’ s shooting generated local headlines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ released by the Sheriff ’ s Department , which framed Kolb as a distraught man who was shot after attempting to stab a deputy with a sharp instrument .
But in court Kolb ’ s attorney , Ron Kaye , presented a far different story .
Kaye , who was recently chosen to become a Superior Court judge in Los Angeles and declined to comment about the settlement , portrayed Deputy Curtis Honeycutt as a member of a department poorly trained in handling calls involving mentally ill people .
Kaye also centered his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Honeycutt ’ s account of the shooting .
There were , for example , no tears or marks on his uniform shirt from the tines of the fork that Honeycutt claimed Kolb had jabbed into him .
Attorneys for the county argued in court papers that Honeycutt acted reasonably in light of what they described as the split-second decisions he had to make when he encountered a man brandishing a possibly deadly weapon .
In its review of the shooting , the Placer County district attorney ’ s office determined that the deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use deadly force ” to defend himself and that “ the deputy ’ s actions were reasonable to protect his life ” — language that mirrors the legal standards for when an officer is justified in using deadly force .
Today , Kolb sits in a wheelchair , unable to feel anything below his belly button .
Forced to use a colostomy bag , he has survived several serious infections including sepsis .
He said he lives with constant pain .
“ I would pay all the money plus interest to walk again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed everything about how I lived .
I was athletic before ...
I skied , played tennis , swam , ran and I was an active father.
” Kolb said the financial settlement provides only some closure to the encounter that upended his life .
“ There are no consequences for Sgt .
Honeycutt , ” he said .
After 27 years in policing , Honeycutt retired in May .
“ A wide range of risk factors went into the decision to settle , ” said Placer County Deputy General Counsel Greg Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the deputy were reasonable and appropriate.
” Honeycutt could not be reached for comment .
Kolb worries about the lasting impact the shooting has had on his now 19-year-old son , who called for help after his father began mumbling nonsense and curled up on the cabin floor .
For more than two decades , Kolb said he has suffered similar episodes brought on by what his doctors suspect is temporal lobe epilepsy .
Although a formal diagnosis has been elusive , Kolb said he was hospitalized once in 2002 after an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Honeycutt pulled up and saw Kolb standing outside barefoot in the cold , he asked if he needed medical help and Kolb replied in a low monotone that he did , according to a court filing from the lawsuit .
Instead of placing Kolb in the back of his SUV , as is common practice , the deputy opted to take the 48-year-old man and the teen back inside the cabin .
Once inside , Kolb grabbed the fork , which Honeycutt said he took to be a knife , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for backup after Kolb advanced on him , touched him with the fork and then backed away .
Then , he claimed , Kolb came at him a second time , prompting him to fire his 9-millimeter Glock pistol twice .
One bullet hit Kolb in the left side , the other entered his back , injuring the computer engineer ’ s spine , records show .
In a deposition , Honeycutt said Kolb was coming at him when he fired , but the trajectory of the bullets and Kolb ’ s injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaye submitted in court .
Kolb ’ s son , according to court records , said the deputy didn ’ t warn his father to drop the utensil or otherwise try to resolve the situation peacefully before firing .
An expert witness hired by Kaye , retired Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Roger Clark , said in court records the failure to warn Kolb was one of several mistakes Honeycutt made .
Before resorting to his gun , Clark said Honeycutt should have tried to subdue or distract Kolb with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strobe setting on his flashlight .
Clark added that Kolb , who weighed about 100 pounds less than the deputy and stood six inches shorter , was unlikely to overpower him .
Kolb ’ s son , court records show , yelled at the deputy , “ Why did you shoot him ?
Why did you shoot him ?
...
It was a fork , dude !
” The lawsuit alleged that deputies detained the boy and questioned him , surreptitiously recorded his telephone conversation with family members , and tried to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting that jibed with Honeycutt ’ s .
Following the shooting , Kolb was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment .
In trying to defend against Kolb ’ s lawsuit , attorneys for Placer County pointed out in court filings that Kolb ended up pleading guilty to a less serious charge of brandishing a weapon as part of a plea deal .
Kolb said he accepted the deal because it allowed him to avoid jail time and to start searching for a new job to support his family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he manages a team of engineers .
“ This is a uniquely American problem , ” he said , referring to the comparatively high number of police shootings in the U.S. “ If I lived in any other first world country , I wouldn ’ t be paralyzed .
”

Samuel Kolb took his last steps inside a cabin on the shore of Lake Tahoe.
The software engineer from Silicon Valley had rented the place in January 2018 with his 16-year old son for a few days of skiing and watching football. The teen had awoken before sunrise one morning to find his father acting strangely and called 911 to report that he was suffering some kind of “mental psychosis,” court records show.
A dispatcher for the Placer County Sheriff’s Department sent the call out over the radio, saying it was a “possible 5150” — police code for a person who needs serious mental health treatment, according to the records. Kolb, the dispatcher added, had a brain condition that can cause him to become dazed and unaware of his surroundings.
Kolb says he doesn’t remember the sheriff’s deputy illuminating the dark cabin with his flashlight and has no memory of picking up the large fork from the counter as he paced. He does remember waking in a hospital and being told he had been shot and would never walk again.
Advertisement
This week Placer County finalized a $9.9 million payment to settle the federal lawsuit Kolb and his family filed against the Sheriff’s Department for excessive force, negligence and other alleged violations. The settlement, which spares the county the possibility of losing a larger verdict at a trial, is the largest of its kind in the county’s history. The huge payment belies the deputy’s claims he had no choice but to shoot when Kolb attacked him.
Sam Kolb in a wheelchair being hugged by his 15-year-old daughter and next to his then 18-year-old son in November 2019 more than a year after being shot by the Placer County deputy. (Family photo)
Beyond the size of the settlement, the shooting itself stands out in Placer County, where law enforcement officers rarely use deadly force. In 2018, deputies shot only one other person in the county, which stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to the shores of Lake Tahoe and is home to just over 400,000 people, and shot no one in the year before or after, according to the California attorney general’s office. By contrast, officers in the much larger Los Angeles Police Department hit people with gunfire 25 times in 2018.
Kolb’s shooting generated local headlines. The stories stuck to the official account released by the Sheriff’s Department, which framed Kolb as a distraught man who was shot after attempting to stab a deputy with a sharp instrument.
But in court Kolb’s attorney, Ron Kaye, presented a far different story. Kaye, who was recently chosen to become a Superior Court judge in Los Angeles and declined to comment about the settlement, portrayed Deputy Curtis Honeycutt as a member of a department poorly trained in handling calls involving mentally ill people.
Kaye also centered his lawsuit on testimony and evidence that undermined Honeycutt’s account of the shooting. There were, for example, no tears or marks on his uniform shirt from the tines of the fork that Honeycutt claimed Kolb had jabbed into him.
Advertisement
Attorneys for the county argued in court papers that Honeycutt acted reasonably in light of what they described as the split-second decisions he had to make when he encountered a man brandishing a possibly deadly weapon. In its review of the shooting, the Placer County district attorney’s office determined that the deputy had “no other choice but to use deadly force” to defend himself and that “the deputy’s actions were reasonable to protect his life” — language that mirrors the legal standards for when an officer is justified in using deadly force.
Today, Kolb sits in a wheelchair, unable to feel anything below his belly button. Forced to use a colostomy bag, he has survived several serious infections including sepsis. He said he lives with constant pain.
“I would pay all the money plus interest to walk again,” Kolb said. “It changed everything about how I lived. I was athletic before... I skied, played tennis, swam, ran and I was an active father.”
Kolb said the financial settlement provides only some closure to the encounter that upended his life.
“There are no consequences for Sgt. Honeycutt,” he said. After 27 years in policing, Honeycutt retired in May.
“A wide range of risk factors went into the decision to settle,” said Placer County Deputy General Counsel Greg Warner. “The county maintains the actions of the deputy were reasonable and appropriate.” Honeycutt could not be reached for comment.
Kolb worries about the lasting impact the shooting has had on his now 19-year-old son, who called for help after his father began mumbling nonsense and curled up on the cabin floor. For more than two decades, Kolb said he has suffered similar episodes brought on by what his doctors suspect is temporal lobe epilepsy. Although a formal diagnosis has been elusive, Kolb said he was hospitalized once in 2002 after an incident at a San Francisco cinema.
When Honeycutt pulled up and saw Kolb standing outside barefoot in the cold, he asked if he needed medical help and Kolb replied in a low monotone that he did, according to a court filing from the lawsuit. Instead of placing Kolb in the back of his SUV, as is common practice, the deputy opted to take the 48-year-old man and the teen back inside the cabin.
Once inside, Kolb grabbed the fork, which Honeycutt said he took to be a knife, according to court papers. Honeycutt said he radioed for backup after Kolb advanced on him, touched him with the fork and then backed away. Then, he claimed, Kolb came at him a second time, prompting him to fire his 9-millimeter Glock pistol twice. One bullet hit Kolb in the left side, the other entered his back, injuring the computer engineer’s spine, records show.
In a deposition, Honeycutt said Kolb was coming at him when he fired, but the trajectory of the bullets and Kolb’s injuries suggested otherwise, according to forensic analysis Kaye submitted in court.
Kolb’s son, according to court records, said the deputy didn’t warn his father to drop the utensil or otherwise try to resolve the situation peacefully before firing.
An expert witness hired by Kaye, retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Roger Clark, said in court records the failure to warn Kolb was one of several mistakes Honeycutt made. Before resorting to his gun, Clark said Honeycutt should have tried to subdue or distract Kolb with the stun gun he was carrying or a strobe setting on his flashlight. Clark added that Kolb, who weighed about 100 pounds less than the deputy and stood six inches shorter, was unlikely to overpower him.
Kolb’s son, court records show, yelled at the deputy, “Why did you shoot him? Why did you shoot him?... It was a fork, dude!” The lawsuit alleged that deputies detained the boy and questioned him, surreptitiously recorded his telephone conversation with family members, and tried to get him to give an account of the shooting that jibed with Honeycutt’s.
Following the shooting, Kolb was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment. In trying to defend against Kolb’s lawsuit, attorneys for Placer County pointed out in court filings that Kolb ended up pleading guilty to a less serious charge of brandishing a weapon as part of a plea deal.
Kolb said he accepted the deal because it allowed him to avoid jail time and to start searching for a new job to support his family. He now works at Facebook, where he manages a team of engineers.
“This is a uniquely American problem,” he said, referring to the comparatively high number of police shootings in the U.S. “If I lived in any other first world country, I wouldn’t be paralyzed.”


latimes--2020-12-01--Four men wanted in fatal gang-related Venice shooting, LAPD says

Los Angeles police are looking for four men they believe were involved in a shooting Tuesday in Venice that left @ @ @ @ @ shooting occurred about 5:25 p.m. on Ocean Front Walk and 17th Avenue , said Officer @ @ @ @ @ for the Los Angeles Police Department .
An ambulance was requested for the woman , @ @ @ @ @ not breathing when officials arrived .
It ’ s unclear if she died at the @ @ @ @ @ .
Her name has not been released .
Lee said investigators believe the shooting is @ @ @ @ @ were last seen heading northbound on Ocean Front Walk , Lee said .
Police have @ @ @ @ @ in the shooting .
Police are looking for witnesses and video evidence in the area @ @ @ @ @ ongoing .

Police are looking for four men suspected in a shooting Tuesday that killed one woman.
Los Angeles police are looking for four men they believe were involved in a shooting Tuesday in Venice that left one woman dead.
The shooting occurred about 5:25 p.m. on Ocean Front Walk and 17th Avenue, said Officer Jeff Lee, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. An ambulance was requested for the woman, who was not conscious and not breathing when officials arrived. It’s unclear if she died at the scene or in the hospital. Her name has not been released.
Lee said investigators believe the shooting is gang-related.
Advertisement
The four suspects were last seen heading northbound on Ocean Front Walk, Lee said. Police have not retrieved the handgun used in the shooting. Police are looking for witnesses and video evidence in the area, and the investigation is ongoing.


latimes--2020-12-01--California unveiled a blueprint for the future of early education. Critics say it's built on shaky g

California unveiled a blueprint for the future of early education. Critics say it's built on shaky ground

After months of delays and pandemic upheaval , California officials on Tuesday released the long-awaited Master Plan for Early Learning and Care , a 113-page blueprint to remodel the state ’ s Byzantine child-care system and dramatically expand public preschool .
“ The Master Plan shows how one state can achieve goals that are soon to become national ones , ” the authors noted .
“ California can use the Master Plan to signal its fitness as an early partner with the incoming Biden administration , ” which advocates early-education reform and better access to child care .
But critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shore up the existing infrastructure , even as it crumbles underfoot .
Unlike K-12 schools , preschools and day-care centers have been allowed to operate throughout the pandemic .
Yet since March , almost 400 child-care centers have closed permanently , and at least 5,700 licensed family child-care homes have gone under , leaving tens of thousands of working parents in the lurch .
“ We ’ re sounding the alarm , because the system is on the verge of collapse , ” said Max Arias , chairman of the Child Care Providers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Who knows how the sector will look when it ’ s time to start implementing this plan ?
We need to address this crisis , because if not , there won ’ t be any child-care providers left.
” Indeed , the pandemic has further destabilized an industry that was already in decline when Gov .
Gavin Newsom campaigned on early-education reform in 2018 , and when experts began work on the plan last fall .
Echoing the Master Plan for Higher Education , the Master Plan for Early Learning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for new legislation , investment and reform .
Its main goals include uniform standards for early education , better training for child-care workers , easier access to subsidized care for low-income families and universal transitional kindergarten for all California 4-year-olds .
“ The goals they lay out are great , but where ’ s the roadmap for actually getting this done ?
” asked Ted Lempert , a former state assemblyman who is president of the research and advocacy organization Children Now .
“ COVID has made this system so fragile and so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code red.
” The plan itself acknowledged the crisis , including its impact on working families .
“ The COVID-19 crisis has put increased pressure on an already fragile provider ecosystem , ” the report said .
“ Stabilizing and supporting the workforce is critical to the state ’ s response and recovery process.
” Yet the authors offered few details on how California would help preschools and day-care centers stay open while it sorts out funding for its more ambitious goals .
Instead , its most immediate action would be to untangle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by shifting oversight for virtually all state-subsidized programs from the state ’ s Department of Education to the Department of Social Services .
The plan suggests then streamlining publicly funded programs , simplifying eligibility for low-income families and overhauling reimbursements for providers , which the report called “ overly complex and inequitable.
” “ There is a racial wage gap in our state that was not addressed in the plan , ” said Ashley Williams , a senior policy analyst at the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment .
“ Early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times more likely to be earning poverty wages than the K-12 workforce , which is predominantly white .
There is an issue of racial inequity happening , especially when we think about compensation.
” The amount the state pays per child in subsidized care varies by county — home day-care providers in L.A. make $ 30 less per child per day than those in San Francisco , for example — and workers say all of them are low .
Yet while the state pays relatively little , it also tightly limits the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report called a “ dizzying array ” of subsidized programs .
“ We have thousands of families on what we call an eligibility list , ” which is essentially a waiting list for subsidized care , said Sally Valenzuela , who works with providers at Pathways LA , a child-care resource and referral agency .
“ We see a lot of children stay on that list for years and years and never get access to child care , and then they ’ re off to kindergarten.
” Preschool , too , is often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three eligible children can find a spot in public programs .
Almost a third of those left out every year live in L.A. County — more in a single ZIP Code in South L.A. than anywhere else in the state .
The Master Plan would extend free public preschool to every qualified 3-year-old in the state and make transitional kindergarten universal for every 4-year-old .
But even with federal help , such a dramatic expansion would take years .
With reduced capacity and soaring expenses , many providers have dipped into their savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others have closed .
“ They ’ re looking for some form of hope , ” Arias said .
“ The parents who are relying on them are the parents who have to go to work — a lot of them are healthcare workers .
You can just imagine the pressure.
” An October survey showed that 61 % of providers would actually expand if they had help from the state .
But like everything else in the plan , that help would have a hefty price tag .
According to the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost up to $ 12 billion a year , though many experts believe it could be much more .
State , federal and local governments currently spend about $ 6 billion a year on California ’ s early-education and child-care system , while parents pay another $ 6 billion .
“ These great things the plan is talking about need dollars , ” Lempert said .
“ It seems almost out of touch with what families are experiencing today.
” Without more immediate assistance , many fear , California ’ s existing child-care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repair .
“ This plan is tied to that pre-pandemic understanding of child care , and the system will never be the same after this , ” Williams said .
“ The foundation has been cracked severely , and we can ’ t just build new things on top of it .
”

After months of delays and pandemic upheaval, California officials on Tuesday released the long-awaited Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, a 113-page blueprint to remodel the state’s Byzantine child-care system and dramatically expand public preschool.
“The Master Plan shows how one state can achieve goals that are soon to become national ones,” the authors noted. “California can use the Master Plan to signal its fitness as an early partner with the incoming Biden administration,” which advocates early-education reform and better access to child care.
But critics say the forward-looking document does little to shore up the existing infrastructure, even as it crumbles underfoot. Unlike K-12 schools, preschools and day-care centers have been allowed to operate throughout the pandemic. Yet since March, almost 400 child-care centers have closed permanently, and at least 5,700 licensed family child-care homes have gone under, leaving tens of thousands of working parents in the lurch.
Advertisement
“We’re sounding the alarm, because the system is on the verge of collapse,” said Max Arias, chairman of the Child Care Providers Union, which represents thousands of workers. “Who knows how the sector will look when it’s time to start implementing this plan? We need to address this crisis, because if not, there won’t be any child-care providers left.”
Indeed, the pandemic has further destabilized an industry that was already in decline when Gov. Gavin Newsom campaigned on early-education reform in 2018, and when experts began work on the plan last fall. Echoing the Master Plan for Higher Education, the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care was envisioned as a 10-year guidebook for new legislation, investment and reform. Its main goals include uniform standards for early education, better training for child-care workers, easier access to subsidized care for low-income families and universal transitional kindergarten for all California 4-year-olds.
“The goals they lay out are great, but where’s the roadmap for actually getting this done?” asked Ted Lempert, a former state assemblyman who is president of the research and advocacy organization Children Now. “COVID has made this system so fragile and so essential. Now we’re in code red.”
The plan itself acknowledged the crisis, including its impact on working families.
“The COVID-19 crisis has put increased pressure on an already fragile provider ecosystem,” the report said. “Stabilizing and supporting the workforce is critical to the state’s response and recovery process.”
Yet the authors offered few details on how California would help preschools and day-care centers stay open while it sorts out funding for its more ambitious goals. Instead, its most immediate action would be to untangle some of the bureaucracy governing early-childhood care by shifting oversight for virtually all state-subsidized programs from the state’s Department of Education to the Department of Social Services. The plan suggests then streamlining publicly funded programs, simplifying eligibility for low-income families and overhauling reimbursements for providers, which the report called “overly complex and inequitable.”
Advertisement
“There is a racial wage gap in our state that was not addressed in the plan,” said Ashley Williams, a senior policy analyst at the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. “Early educators are [up to] 14 times more likely to be earning poverty wages than the K-12 workforce, which is predominantly white. There is an issue of racial inequity happening, especially when we think about compensation.”
California The children who need preschool the most are getting the least As many private preschools prepare to reopen for the school year, many of California’s poorest and neediest children are stuck at home, waiting for public preschools to reopen or offer distance learning, which is far from ideal for a 4-year-old.
The amount the state pays per child in subsidized care varies by county — home day-care providers in L.A. make $30 less per child per day than those in San Francisco, for example — and workers say all of them are low. Yet while the state pays relatively little, it also tightly limits the number of vouchers available, despite what the report called a “dizzying array” of subsidized programs.
“We have thousands of families on what we call an eligibility list,” which is essentially a waiting list for subsidized care, said Sally Valenzuela, who works with providers at Pathways LA, a child-care resource and referral agency. “We see a lot of children stay on that list for years and years and never get access to child care, and then they’re off to kindergarten.”
Preschool, too, is often unattainable. Currently, just one in three eligible children can find a spot in public programs. Almost a third of those left out every year live in L.A. County — more in a single ZIP Code in South L.A. than anywhere else in the state.
The Master Plan would extend free public preschool to every qualified 3-year-old in the state and make transitional kindergarten universal for every 4-year-old. But even with federal help, such a dramatic expansion would take years. With reduced capacity and soaring expenses, many providers have dipped into their savings to stay open, and thousands of others have closed.
“They’re looking for some form of hope,” Arias said. “The parents who are relying on them are the parents who have to go to work — a lot of them are healthcare workers. You can just imagine the pressure.”
An October survey showed that 61% of providers would actually expand if they had help from the state. But like everything else in the plan, that help would have a hefty price tag. According to the report, fully funding the Master Plan would cost up to $12 billion a year, though many experts believe it could be much more. State, federal and local governments currently spend about $6 billion a year on California’s early-education and child-care system, while parents pay another $6 billion.
“These great things the plan is talking about need dollars,” Lempert said. “It seems almost out of touch with what families are experiencing today.”
Without more immediate assistance, many fear, California’s existing child-care system could crumble past the point of repair.
“This plan is tied to that pre-pandemic understanding of child care, and the system will never be the same after this,” Williams said. “The foundation has been cracked severely, and we can’t just build new things on top of it.”


latimes--2020-12-01--Two killed, one seriously injured in Pasadena park shooting

Pasadena police are looking for a suspect after three men were shot in a park , two of them fatally @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , the Pasadena Police Department received calls of shots fired on the north side @ @ @ @ @ Street .
Officers arrived to find one man dead at the scene and two others @ @ @ @ @ said Lt. Bill Grisafe , a spokesman for the Police Department .
Both men were @ @ @ @ @ one of the men later died in the hospital , Grisafe said .
The men @ @ @ @ @ bench when the suspect or suspects shot them and fled in a dark colored sedan @ @ @ @ @ northern end of Villa Parke and Parke Street were shut down as detectives investigated .
@ @ @ @ @ and video evidence of the crime .

Pasadena police are investigating a shooting at Villa Parke that killed one man and left two others seriously injured.
Pasadena police are looking for a suspect after three men were shot in a park, two of them fatally.
Just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Pasadena Police Department received calls of shots fired on the north side of Villa Parke near Parke Street.
Officers arrived to find one man dead at the scene and two others injured with gunshot wounds, said Lt. Bill Grisafe, a spokesman for the Police Department. Both men were hospitalized in serious condition and one of the men later died in the hospital, Grisafe said.
The men had been near a park bench when the suspect or suspects shot them and fled in a dark colored sedan, Grisafe said.
The northern end of Villa Parke and Parke Street were shut down as detectives investigated. Detectives are searching for witnesses and video evidence of the crime.


latimes--2020-12-01--L.A. County shatters daily coronavirus record as infections reach alarming levels

Los Angeles County recorded a dramatic one-day rise in coronavirus cases Tuesday , shattering the single-day record and confirming some of the most dire forecasts about infections spreading ferociously as the holiday season gets underway .
The surge in cases renewed worries about how the healthcare system will handle a crush of new patients , with some hospitals already approaching capacity .
The numbers put more pressure on state and local officials to enact a tougher stay-at-home order in hopes of slowing the spread .
Officials feared the Thanksgiving holiday period would bring a flood of new cases , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far from over .
L.A. County is now forecasting up to 8,000 new coronavirus cases a day by the end of this week and potentially 9,000 a day by the middle or end of next week , according to a source who listened to a briefing given by county health officials .
L.A. County on Tuesday reported more than 7,500 new cases — the most in a single day , which the director of public health called “ the worst day thus far ” of the pandemic .
The previous single-day high for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 23 , according to The Times ’ independent tally , with 6,186 cases .
“ It will likely not remain the worst day of the pandemic in Los Angeles County .
That will be tomorrow , and the next day and the next as cases , hospitalizations and deaths increase , ” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement .
With Tuesday ’ s tally of 7,532 cases , L.A. County is close to averaging 5,000 coronavirus cases a day over the last week — an astonishing quintupling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only about 1,000 cases a day .
Even in the summertime surge , which had been the worst of the pandemic , L.A. County maxed out at about 3,300 cases a day .
Hospitalizations have more than tripled since Halloween , when there were about 800 people hospitalized , and surged past 2,400 on Monday .
It was the second-consecutive day that the high for hospitalizations in L.A. County has been broken , and a number that ’ s 9 % higher that the peak from the summer wave .
The unprecedented spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic comes as local officials implemented some of the strictest coronavirus-related regulations the county has seen in months , and as state officials warn that even more drastic action , such as a version of a stay-at-home order implemented in the springtime , may be necessary before hospitals are overwhelmed with patients .
ICUs may be beyond capacity by mid-December Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday said Southern California is forecast to run out of intensive care unit capacity by mid- to late December if current trends continued .
By Christmas Eve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 107 % of capacity across the region .
While intensive care treatments have improved since the early days of the pandemic , all bets are off once ICUs are pushed beyond capacity .
“ If , all of a sudden , you have one nurse taking care of seven patients on ventilators like in New York , the mortality can be astronomical , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco .
More alarming , the cases reported Tuesday don ’ t represent infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus ’ incubation period of up to two weeks , transmission that occurred over the holiday will show up in confirmed lab tests by roughly mid-December .
That influx could be accompanied by a jump in hospitalizations around Christmas and New Year ’ s Day , with a bump in deaths by mid-January .
Forty-six coronavirus-related deaths were reported in Los Angeles County on Tuesday .
That ’ s significantly higher than the daily average of reported deaths over the last week , which has been about 30 a day .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials on Monday enacted a “ targeted safer-at-home order ” that is in effect through Dec. 20 .
It closes public playgrounds ; places new capacity limits on retail stores , outdoor museums , galleries , zoos and aquariums ; and prohibits all gatherings among people from different households , except for outdoor religious services and political demonstrations .
The deteriorating situation seen in L.A. County is also playing out statewide , where more than 1.24 million people have been infected and more than 19,300 have died .
On Monday , statewide hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , with 8,240 people hospitalized with COVID-19 .
That ’ s 15 % worse that the previous high in the summer , when hospitalizations topped out at 7,170 .
The average net increase in people hospitalized in California with COVID-19 is now about 342 patients a day over the last week , according to a Times analysis .
The acceleration is twice as bad as the summertime surge , which saw the average net increase in hospitalizations top out at 173 patients a day over a weeklong period in late June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own quarantine order for travelers and further reduce indoor capacity at businesses , similar to a new order issued by Santa Clara County on Monday , and would not rule out banning outdoor restaurant dining , a step L.A. County took last week .
“ What we are seeing now is a spike unlike anything we have seen since the beginning of this pandemic , ” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said .
“ We are in trouble , and we are sounding the alarm.
” San Francisco is in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelm the healthcare system , and the daily coronavirus case rate is not expected to stabilize soon , warned its director of health , Dr. Grant Colfax .
With many people ignoring calls to stay home over Thanksgiving , “ we know , unfortunately , that the worst is likely yet to come , ” Colfax said .
“ If this trend continues , we will see a hospital bed shortage around Christmas.
” The most recent statewide seven-day positivity rate was 6.5 % , double what was recorded on election day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The daily positivity rate for L.A. County is worsening dramatically , with officials reporting a daily rate of nearly 12 % on Tuesday , up from 7 % a week earlier .
Policymakers and public health officials worry how the skyrocketing infection numbers will eventually affect California ’ s hospitals .
Providing ICU-level care usually entails “ specialized space , specialized equipment and specialized staff ” — meaning that , while hospitals can expand their capacities , their ability to do so is not infinite , according to Dr. Mark Ghaly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary .
When intensive care unit staffing is stretched , Ghaly said , “ we know that the quality of care ... sometimes takes a dip , and we see outcomes we don ’ t want to see ” because resources are spread too thin .
As the surge in newly confirmed cases continues , officials are warning they may need to resort to drastic restrictions to change the state ’ s trajectory .
Those could include a new stay-at-home order for areas in the strictest , purple tier of California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Specifics as to when such an order may be handed down , or what precise form it would take , remain scarce at this point — though Newsom pledged “ we will be coming out with some additional information , some additional recommendations in the very , very near future.
” While the notion of a stay-at-home order brings to mind the rapid , widespread lockdown of businesses and public spaces seen during the early days of the pandemic , state officials said they are endeavoring to be more precise in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most important things we ’ ve learned is we can be not just more surgical with what we do , but we can really prescribe it for a shorter or a different amount of time , ” Ghaly said .
“ Early on , some of those orders really were open-ended ; we weren ’ t sure .
Today , we know that we can get impact from certain interventions in a reliable way more quickly , and that ’ s part of what we ’ re considering.
” While many local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be even more targeted — catering restrictions and enforcement efforts toward specific sectors or even individual businesses and facilities that data show are a source of spread — Ghaly said transmission of the coronavirus is so widespread that “ everyone is somewhat vulnerable to having an encounter with somebody who ’ s infected.
” “ Everybody wants us to identify the sector where spread is happening , and the truth is , when you have this level of community spread , it ’ s happening in our communities , first and foremost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minute you walk in the door of any entity indoors , the chance of encountering someone with COVID who can actually transmit it is higher than it ’ s ever been.
” Though the possibility of additional shutdowns may increase resentment levels among the public , officials emphasized that there is light at the end of the tunnel — including the potentially imminent arrival of a vaccine .
Newsom said California expects to receive about 327,000 doses of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine within the next few weeks .
While it won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as widespread rollout to the general public is likely months away — officials said the prospect of even a limited number of doses is still a silver lining .
“ Our most vulnerable could be getting vaccinated , our front-line healthcare workers could be getting vaccinated in just a matter of weeks — opening the gateway to so many more receiving this important tool to protect us , ” said Ghaly .
Times staff writers Maura Dolan , Sean Greene and Ryan Murphy contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Benjamin Oreskes

Nurse Cianna Christopher joins other medical professionals in a demonstration for more support outside Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.
Los Angeles County recorded a dramatic one-day rise in coronavirus cases Tuesday, shattering the single-day record and confirming some of the most dire forecasts about infections spreading ferociously as the holiday season gets underway.
The surge in cases renewed worries about how the healthcare system will handle a crush of new patients, with some hospitals already approaching capacity. The numbers put more pressure on state and local officials to enact a tougher stay-at-home order in hopes of slowing the spread. Officials feared the Thanksgiving holiday period would bring a flood of new cases, and there are growing concerns the spike is far from over.
L.A. County is now forecasting up to 8,000 new coronavirus cases a day by the end of this week and potentially 9,000 a day by the middle or end of next week, according to a source who listened to a briefing given by county health officials.
Advertisement
‘The worst day thus far’
L.A. County on Tuesday reported more than 7,500 new cases — the most in a single day, which the director of public health called “the worst day thus far” of the pandemic. The previous single-day high for all of L.A. County was recorded on Nov. 23, according to The Times’ independent tally, with 6,186 cases.
“It will likely not remain the worst day of the pandemic in Los Angeles County. That will be tomorrow, and the next day and the next as cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.
With Tuesday’s tally of 7,532 cases, L.A. County is close to averaging 5,000 coronavirus cases a day over the last week — an astonishing quintupling of the figure from mid-October, when there were only about 1,000 cases a day. Even in the summertime surge, which had been the worst of the pandemic, L.A. County maxed out at about 3,300 cases a day.
Hospitalizations have more than tripled since Halloween, when there were about 800 people hospitalized, and surged past 2,400 on Monday. It was the second-consecutive day that the high for hospitalizations in L.A. County has been broken, and a number that’s 9% higher that the peak from the summer wave.
Advertisement
The unprecedented spread of infections in this third wave of the pandemic comes as local officials implemented some of the strictest coronavirus-related regulations the county has seen in months, and as state officials warn that even more drastic action, such as a version of a stay-at-home order implemented in the springtime, may be necessary before hospitals are overwhelmed with patients.
ICUs may be beyond capacity by mid-December
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said Southern California is forecast to run out of intensive care unit capacity by mid- to late December if current trends continued. By Christmas Eve, ICU beds are forecast to be at 107% of capacity across the region. While intensive care treatments have improved since the early days of the pandemic, all bets are off once ICUs are pushed beyond capacity.
“If, all of a sudden, you have one nurse taking care of seven patients on ventilators like in New York, the mortality can be astronomical,” said Dr. George Rutherford, an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco.
More alarming, the cases reported Tuesday don’t represent infections that occurred during Thanksgiving. Because of the virus’ incubation period of up to two weeks, transmission that occurred over the holiday will show up in confirmed lab tests by roughly mid-December. That influx could be accompanied by a jump in hospitalizations around Christmas and New Year’s Day, with a bump in deaths by mid-January.
Forty-six coronavirus-related deaths were reported in Los Angeles County on Tuesday. That’s significantly higher than the daily average of reported deaths over the last week, which has been about 30 a day.
In the face of the increases, county officials on Monday enacted a “targeted safer-at-home order” that is in effect through Dec. 20. It closes public playgrounds; places new capacity limits on retail stores, outdoor museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums; and prohibits all gatherings among people from different households, except for outdoor religious services and political demonstrations.
Hospital beds filling faster than ever
The deteriorating situation seen in L.A. County is also playing out statewide, where more than 1.24 million people have been infected and more than 19,300 have died.
On Monday, statewide hospitalizations broke another record for the third consecutive day, with 8,240 people hospitalized with COVID-19. That’s 15% worse that the previous high in the summer, when hospitalizations topped out at 7,170.
The average net increase in people hospitalized in California with COVID-19 is now about 342 patients a day over the last week, according to a Times analysis. The acceleration is twice as bad as the summertime surge, which saw the average net increase in hospitalizations top out at 173 patients a day over a weeklong period in late June.
San Francisco officials signaled they may impose their own quarantine order for travelers and further reduce indoor capacity at businesses, similar to a new order issued by Santa Clara County on Monday, and would not rule out banning outdoor restaurant dining, a step L.A. County took last week.
“What we are seeing now is a spike unlike anything we have seen since the beginning of this pandemic,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said. “We are in trouble, and we are sounding the alarm.”
‘Hospital bed shortage by Christmas’
San Francisco is in the middle of a major surge that threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system, and the daily coronavirus case rate is not expected to stabilize soon, warned its director of health, Dr. Grant Colfax. With many people ignoring calls to stay home over Thanksgiving, “we know, unfortunately, that the worst is likely yet to come,” Colfax said. “If this trend continues, we will see a hospital bed shortage around Christmas.”
The most recent statewide seven-day positivity rate was 6.5%, double what was recorded on election day, when the positivity rate was 3.2%. The daily positivity rate for L.A. County is worsening dramatically, with officials reporting a daily rate of nearly 12% on Tuesday, up from 7% a week earlier.
Policymakers and public health officials worry how the skyrocketing infection numbers will eventually affect California’s hospitals.
Providing ICU-level care usually entails “specialized space, specialized equipment and specialized staff” — meaning that, while hospitals can expand their capacities, their ability to do so is not infinite, according to Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary.
When intensive care unit staffing is stretched, Ghaly said, “we know that the quality of care ... sometimes takes a dip, and we see outcomes we don’t want to see” because resources are spread too thin.
A more targeted ‘stay-at-home’ order?
As the surge in newly confirmed cases continues, officials are warning they may need to resort to drastic restrictions to change the state’s trajectory.
Those could include a new stay-at-home order for areas in the strictest, purple tier of California’s coronavirus reopening system, according to Newsom.
Specifics as to when such an order may be handed down, or what precise form it would take, remain scarce at this point — though Newsom pledged “we will be coming out with some additional information, some additional recommendations in the very, very near future.”
While the notion of a stay-at-home order brings to mind the rapid, widespread lockdown of businesses and public spaces seen during the early days of the pandemic, state officials said they are endeavoring to be more precise in their approach this time.
“One of the most important things we’ve learned is we can be not just more surgical with what we do, but we can really prescribe it for a shorter or a different amount of time,” Ghaly said. “Early on, some of those orders really were open-ended; we weren’t sure. Today, we know that we can get impact from certain interventions in a reliable way more quickly, and that’s part of what we’re considering.”
While many local officials and residents have pushed the state to be even more targeted — catering restrictions and enforcement efforts toward specific sectors or even individual businesses and facilities that data show are a source of spread — Ghaly said transmission of the coronavirus is so widespread that “everyone is somewhat vulnerable to having an encounter with somebody who’s infected.”
“Everybody wants us to identify the sector where spread is happening, and the truth is, when you have this level of community spread, it’s happening in our communities, first and foremost,” he said. “So the minute you walk in the door of any entity indoors, the chance of encountering someone with COVID who can actually transmit it is higher than it’s ever been.”
Hope for vaccine rises
Though the possibility of additional shutdowns may increase resentment levels among the public, officials emphasized that there is light at the end of the tunnel — including the potentially imminent arrival of a vaccine.
Newsom said California expects to receive about 327,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine within the next few weeks.
While it won’t be a silver bullet — as widespread rollout to the general public is likely months away — officials said the prospect of even a limited number of doses is still a silver lining.
“Our most vulnerable could be getting vaccinated, our front-line healthcare workers could be getting vaccinated in just a matter of weeks — opening the gateway to so many more receiving this important tool to protect us,” said Ghaly.
Times staff writers Maura Dolan, Sean Greene and Ryan Murphy contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-02--L.A. signs off on $1-billion 'mini-city' in the west San Fernando Valley

The Los Angeles City Council cleared the way Wednesday for a sprawling development planned for the west San Fernando Valley , signing off on a new sports arena , two hotels , a 28-story office tower and more than 1,400 new apartments .
On a 14-0 vote , the council approved Promenade 2035 , which is expected to cost more than $ 1 billion , replacing a closed shopping mall in Warner Center with a new “ downtown district ” featuring a supermarket , public plazas , high-density housing and a 10,000-seat entertainment and sports venue .
Councilman Bob Blumenfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the project ’ s combination of restaurants , stores , homes and workspaces makes it “ the future of green planning.
” Promenade 2035 will offer a “ mini-city ... within this larger city , ” he said , “ where you can get your culture and entertainment and jobs and work — all in a smaller area for less of a smaller carbon footprint.
” Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield , the project ’ s developer , agreed to set aside 5 % of the project ’ s housing units for very low-income families , serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the area median income , which is currently $ 77,300 per year .
Another 5 % would be allocated for “ workforce ” housing , targeting households that earn 120 % to 150 % of area median income , a Blumenfield aide said .
The developer is hoping to begin construction within two years , with the work carried out in phases .
The Woodland Hills Homeowners Assn .
initially challenged the project but later dropped its opposition .
That left businessman Jeff Bornstein , who contends the planning department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with state environmental law , as the remaining opponent .
Jamie Hall , Bornstein ’ s attorney , said planning department officials allowed the developer to make “ major modifications ” to the proposal , changing the number and location of the buildings without allowing the public to properly weigh in .
He also said officials did not notify him of Wednesday ’ s council meeting until late Tuesday afternoon , when he received an email from the city clerk .
“ We intend on objecting to their failure to provide the notice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a remedy from the courts , ” Hall said .
Stuart Waldman , president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn.
, offered much more favorable reviews of Wednesday ’ s decision , saying the project would keep Valley residents from having to drive downtown or to the Westside for entertainment .
Luis Porres , business agent for the Plumbers and Fitters Union Local 761 , said Promenade 2035 will offer hope to workers during difficult times , ultimately creating more than 19,000 jobs .
“ We need this project , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send a message to our other longtime businesses in the city to invest and start planning for our recovery .
”

A developer won approval to build a mixed-use project in Warner Center with hotels, a sports arena, an office tower and more than 1,400 homes.
The Los Angeles City Council cleared the way Wednesday for a sprawling development planned for the west San Fernando Valley, signing off on a new sports arena, two hotels, a 28-story office tower and more than 1,400 new apartments.
On a 14-0 vote, the council approved Promenade 2035, which is expected to cost more than $1 billion, replacing a closed shopping mall in Warner Center with a new “downtown district” featuring a supermarket, public plazas, high-density housing and a 10,000-seat entertainment and sports venue.
Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who represents the area, said the project’s combination of restaurants, stores, homes and workspaces makes it “the future of green planning.”
Promenade 2035 will offer a “mini-city ... within this larger city,” he said, “where you can get your culture and entertainment and jobs and work — all in a smaller area for less of a carbon footprint.”
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, the project’s developer, agreed to set aside 5% of the project’s housing units for very low-income families, serving households that earn less than 50% of the area median income, which is currently $77,300 per year. Another 5% would be allocated for “workforce” housing, targeting households that earn 120% to 150% of area median income, a Blumenfield aide said.
Advertisement
The developer is hoping to begin construction within two years, with the work carried out in phases.
The Woodland Hills Homeowners Assn. initially challenged the project but later dropped its opposition. That left businessman Jeff Bornstein, who contends the planning department’s evaluation of the project failed to comply with state environmental law, as the remaining opponent.
Jamie Hall, Bornstein’s attorney, said planning department officials allowed the developer to make “major modifications” to the proposal, changing the number and location of the buildings without allowing the public to properly weigh in. He also said officials did not notify him of Wednesday’s council meeting until late Tuesday afternoon, when he received an email from the city clerk.
“We intend on objecting to their failure to provide the notice required by law and will be seeking a remedy from the courts,” Hall said.
Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., offered much more favorable reviews of Wednesday’s decision, saying the project would keep Valley residents from having to drive downtown or to the Westside for entertainment.
Advertisement
Luis Porres, business agent for the Plumbers and Fitters Union Local 761, said Promenade 2035 will offer hope to workers during difficult times, ultimately creating more than 19,000 jobs.
“We need this project,” he said. “And we need to send a message to our other longtime businesses in the city to invest and start planning for our recovery.”
Times staff writer Roger Vincent contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-02--As hospitalizations rise, San Bernardino County limits ambulance dispatches

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to spike , ambulances in San Bernardino County are no longer responding to every sick person who calls 911 .
People with relatively minor ailments will still have paramedics come to their aid , who will assist them on the spot or perhaps recommend that they go to urgent care .
But ambulances will be reserved for people with life-threatening emergencies such as a heart attack or trouble breathing due to COVID-19 .
The decision was made by San Bernardino County officials Thanksgiving morning as the volume of 911 calls increased by 25 % over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge .
“ We don ’ t have enough ambulances in the system to support the volume of 911 calls coming in , ” said Eric Sherwin , public information officer for the San Bernardino County Fire Department .
“ The hospital emergency departments are being impacted both from ambulance traffic and people driving themselves to the emergency room .
That creates a backup in the system.
” Ambulances have waited for up to five hours to deliver patients to a bed , Sherwin said , and can not answer other calls during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that an ambulance be dispatched for every 911 call , no matter the level of emergency .
That means someone calling about a headache or a sore throat is as entitled to an ambulance as someone suffering a major injury .
In June , the state gave San Bernardino County permission to waive that requirement if necessary .
The goal now is to save ambulances for patients in dire situations .
The policy will be in effect for as long as necessary and applies to all 20,000 square miles within the county .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the county since the start of the pandemic .
On Monday , 856 confirmed coronavirus patients were hospitalized in San Bernardino County .
Of those , 177 were in intensive care .
Similar records are being set throughout the state .
There are 8,240 hospital patients statewide with a confirmed case of coronavirus — twice as many as two weeks ago .
Los Angeles and Riverside counties also hit their highest number of hospitalized patients after a surge in coronavirus cases .
Riverside County is considering a similar change in its ambulance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to spike, ambulances in San Bernardino County are no longer responding to every sick person who calls 911.
People with relatively minor ailments will still have paramedics come to their aid, who will assist them on the spot or perhaps recommend that they go to urgent care.
But ambulances will be reserved for people with life-threatening emergencies such as a heart attack or trouble breathing due to COVID-19.
Advertisement
The decision was made by San Bernardino County officials Thanksgiving morning as the volume of 911 calls increased by 25% over a 24-hour period, driven by the COVID-19 surge.
“We don’t have enough ambulances in the system to support the volume of 911 calls coming in,” said Eric Sherwin, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. “The hospital emergency departments are being impacted both from ambulance traffic and people driving themselves to the emergency room. That creates a backup in the system.”
Ambulances have waited for up to five hours to deliver patients to a bed, Sherwin said, and cannot answer other calls during that time.
California law typically requires that an ambulance be dispatched for every 911 call, no matter the level of emergency. That means someone calling about a headache or a sore throat is as entitled to an ambulance as someone suffering a major injury.
In June, the state gave San Bernardino County permission to waive that requirement if necessary.
The goal now is to save ambulances for patients in dire situations. The policy will be in effect for as long as necessary and applies to all 20,000 square miles within the county.
Advertisement
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations have reached their highest number in the county since the start of the pandemic.
On Monday, 856 confirmed coronavirus patients were hospitalized in San Bernardino County. Of those, 177 were in intensive care.
Similar records are being set throughout the state. There are 8,240 hospital patients statewide with a confirmed case of coronavirus — twice as many as two weeks ago.
Los Angeles and Riverside counties also hit their highest number of hospitalized patients after a surge in coronavirus cases.
Riverside County is considering a similar change in its ambulance policy if the strain on resources worsens.


latimes--2020-12-02--San Francisco is poised to ban smoking in apartments and condos — but cannabis is exempt

San Francisco is poised to become the largest U.S. city to ban smoking in apartments and condominiums , with one notable exception to the rule : cannabis .
During a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday , city administrators voted to amend the proposed ban to exclude marijuana .
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced the amendment after community members and industry groups lobbied against the original draft of the proposal , which drew no distinction between secondhand smoke from tobacco and that of marijuana .
“ Nonsmokers have no adequate means to protect themselves from the damage inflicted by secondhand smoke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in multi-unit housing is “ necessary to protect the health , safety , welfare , comfort and environment of nonsmokers.
” Advocates of California Proposition 64 , which legalized recreational marijuana in the state in 2016 , called the original proposal a de facto ban on cannabis use for most residents of the city .
“ Unlike tobacco , which can be smoked outside on public streets , cannabis consumption is illegal in all public spaces under state law , ” several residents wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartment dwellers with no legal place to enjoy marijuana.
” Others said a ban on cannabis in multi-unit buildings amounted to a form of racism or classism in a city where the median price for a single-family home is $ 1.4 million .
“ The proposed ban … effectively disenfranchises our rights to consume cannabis and discriminates against those who can ’ t afford to live in a single-family residence , ” resident Mikki Norris wrote .
In a telephone interview , Supervisor Norman Yee , who drafted the original proposal , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s some people saying , ‘ You ’ ll need to be rich to smoke , ’ ” he said , “ but I think it ’ s the other way around .
You ’ ve got to be a homeowner to breathe clean air ?
Why do poor people that rent not get to breathe clean air ?
” Yee said he began looking into the issue last year after receiving an email from a mother who had run out of options for protecting her infant child from smoke from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on me that we don ’ t actually have protections for people living in multi-unit buildings , ” he said .
Smoking is already banned in common areas such as elevators and hallways , Yee said , but is still allowed inside units , although landlords may set their own rules .
“ It didn ’ t make any sense , ” he said .
The new ordinance will apply to all buildings with three or more units , and will be enforced by the Department of Public Health , which may issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeat offenders .
Violations will not be grounds for eviction , the ordinance says .
During the lengthy and at times heated meeting , several supervisors said they were conflicted about a broad cannabis exemption and motioned for the proposal to be returned to the Public Safety Committee for further discussion , although that motion did not pass .
“ The science , the information and the data is incontrovertible , ” said Supervisor Ahsha Safaí , who co-sponsored the original proposal .
“ When you listen to the experts … secondhand smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is extremely impactful , particularly on the lives of low-income families of color that are living in multi-unit properties.
” While the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke are well documented , the effects of cannabis smoke are much more hazy .
Yee said that cannabis smoke contains carcinogens and other toxins , a statement backed up by the , and that children exposed to it can present with elevated levels of THC in their bloodstream .
But Dr. Donald Abrams , an oncologist and cancer researcher at UC San Francisco ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said evidence does not support the conclusion that cannabis smoke is a health risk for someone in an entirely different housing unit .
“ Cannabis smoke has never been linked to increased mortality , even in firsthand users , ” he wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors .
“ Nor has firsthand cannabis smoke been shown to cause lung cancer , COPD or other serious health effects.
” Reached by phone , Abrams — who was one of 16 scientists behind the National Academies of Science , Engineering and Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannabis — said he thought including cannabis in the ban would do more harm than good .
“ I ’ m an oncologist , I take care of cancer patients , ” he said .
“ My concern is if my cancer patients can ’ t utilize cannabis in their own multi-unit places that they spend $ 3,000 to $ 5,000 a month to live in.
” With Tuesday ’ s amendment , the ordinance will be limited to smoke from tobacco , which includes cigarettes , e-cigarettes and vaporizer products , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a formal vote during the board ’ s meeting on Dec. 8 , then will go to the mayor for signing .
Once signed , the legislation will go into effect 30 days later .
In August , the city of West Hollywood rejected a similar proposal to ban cannabis and tobacco smoking for existing tenants of multi-unit dwellings , although new tenants will be subject to a tobacco ban .
Other cities , such as Berkeley and Alameda , already ban smoking in multi-unit buildings , although their bans were passed before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their language .
Santa Clara , which passed its ordinance in 2019 , bans both cannabis and tobacco smoking in multi-unit residences .
While San Francisco ’ s pot enthusiasts may celebrate the exclusion of cannabis from the ban , not everyone will see it as a victory .
“ We currently live in a building with eight units , and one of our neighbors smokes cannabis and cigarettes frequently throughout the day , ” residents Lucila Pereyra Murray and Langdon Quin wrote in a letter to the board .
The couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said , but is worried about the effect of smoke both during pregnancy and beyond .
“ We believe that nobody should have to unnecessarily worry about factors such as someone ’ s else ’ s idea of ‘ fun ’ affecting their health inside their own homes , ” they wrote .
Supervisor Dean Preston said that he spent many years advocating for tenant protection policies before joining the board , and that the issue of smoking in apartments came up again and again with little-to-no consensus .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I can not think of another issue that has so divided folks that really have good intentions on both sides .
”

San Francisco is poised to become the largest U.S. city to ban smoking in apartments and condominiums, with one notable exception to the rule: cannabis.
During a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, city administrators voted to amend the proposed ban to exclude marijuana.
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced the amendment after community members and industry groups lobbied against the original draft of the proposal, which drew no distinction between secondhand smoke from tobacco and that of marijuana.
Advertisement
“Nonsmokers have no adequate means to protect themselves from the damage inflicted by secondhand smoke,” the proposal said , adding that regulation of smoking in multi-unit housing is “necessary to protect the health, safety, welfare, comfort and environment of nonsmokers.”
Advocates of California Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state in 2016, called the original proposal a de facto ban on cannabis use for most residents of the city.
“Unlike tobacco, which can be smoked outside on public streets, cannabis consumption is illegal in all public spaces under state law,” several residents wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors. “The proposed ordinance would thus leave apartment dwellers with no legal place to enjoy marijuana.”
Others said a ban on cannabis in multi-unit buildings amounted to a form of racism or classism in a city where the median price for a single-family home is $1.4 million.
“The proposed ban … effectively disenfranchises our rights to consume cannabis and discriminates against those who can’t afford to live in a single-family residence,” resident Mikki Norris wrote.
In a telephone interview, Supervisor Norman Yee, who drafted the original proposal, said he saw it differently.
Advertisement
“There’s some people saying, ‘You’ll need to be rich to smoke,’” he said, “but I think it’s the other way around. You’ve got to be a homeowner to breathe clean air? Why do poor people that rent not get to breathe clean air?”
Yee said he began looking into the issue last year after receiving an email from a mother who had run out of options for protecting her infant child from smoke from the unit below hers.
“It dawned on me that we don’t actually have protections for people living in multi-unit buildings,” he said.
Smoking is already banned in common areas such as elevators and hallways, Yee said, but is still allowed inside units, although landlords may set their own rules.
“It didn’t make any sense,” he said.
The new ordinance will apply to all buildings with three or more units, and will be enforced by the Department of Public Health, which may issue fines of up to $1,000 for repeat offenders. Violations will not be grounds for eviction, the ordinance says.
During the lengthy and at times heated meeting, several supervisors said they were conflicted about a broad cannabis exemption and motioned for the proposal to be returned to the Public Safety Committee for further discussion, although that motion did not pass.
“The science, the information and the data is incontrovertible,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, who co-sponsored the original proposal. “When you listen to the experts … secondhand smoke, regardless of where it originates from, is extremely impactful, particularly on the lives of low-income families of color that are living in multi-unit properties.”
While the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke are well documented, the effects of cannabis smoke are much more hazy.
Yee said that cannabis smoke contains carcinogens and other toxins, a statement backed up by the American Lung Assn. , and that children exposed to it can present with elevated levels of THC in their bloodstream.
But Dr. Donald Abrams, an oncologist and cancer researcher at UC San Francisco’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, said evidence does not support the conclusion that cannabis smoke is a health risk for someone in an entirely different housing unit.
“Cannabis smoke has never been linked to increased mortality, even in firsthand users,” he wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors. “Nor has firsthand cannabis smoke been shown to cause lung cancer, COPD or other serious health effects.”
Reached by phone, Abrams — who was one of 16 scientists behind the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s sweeping 2017 study on the health effects of cannabis — said he thought including cannabis in the ban would do more harm than good.
“I’m an oncologist, I take care of cancer patients,” he said. “My concern is if my cancer patients can’t utilize cannabis in their own multi-unit places that they spend $3,000 to $5,000 a month to live in.”
With Tuesday’s amendment, the ordinance will be limited to smoke from tobacco, which includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaporizer products, the board said.
It will move to a formal vote during the board’s meeting on Dec. 8, then will go to the mayor for signing. Once signed, the legislation will go into effect 30 days later.
In August, the city of West Hollywood rejected a similar proposal to ban cannabis and tobacco smoking for existing tenants of multi-unit dwellings, although new tenants will be subject to a tobacco ban.
Other cities, such as Berkeley and Alameda, already ban smoking in multi-unit buildings, although their bans were passed before 2016 and do not account for cannabis in their language. Santa Clara, which passed its ordinance in 2019, bans both cannabis and tobacco smoking in multi-unit residences.
While San Francisco’s pot enthusiasts may celebrate the exclusion of cannabis from the ban, not everyone will see it as a victory.
“We currently live in a building with eight units, and one of our neighbors smokes cannabis and cigarettes frequently throughout the day,” residents Lucila Pereyra Murray and Langdon Quin wrote in a letter to the board.
“We believe that nobody should have to unnecessarily worry about factors such as someone’s else’s idea of ‘fun’ affecting their health inside their own homes,” they wrote.
Supervisor Dean Preston said that he spent many years advocating for tenant protection policies before joining the board, and that the issue of smoking in apartments came up again and again with little-to-no consensus.
“This is a very complex issue,” he said. “I cannot think of another issue that has so divided folks that really have good intentions on both sides.”


latimes--2020-12-02--L.A. County must show evidence for outdoor dining ban, judge orders

A judge on Wednesday ordered Los Angeles County public health officials to show scientific evidence justifying the outdoor dining ban imposed last week amid soaring coronavirus cases .
Outdoor dining had offered a lifeline for struggling restaurants during the pandemic .
The California Restaurant Assn .
sued to stop the ban , with a downtown L.A. restaurant , Engine Co. No .
28 , filing a similar suit .
The county must return to court Tuesday to present evidence supporting the ban , L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said at a hearing Wednesday morning .
“ You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health .
You don ’ t just talk about the risk of spreading disease .
You have to talk about the benefit of keeping restaurants open , ” Chalfant said .
Chalfant expressed some skepticism about the ban .
Based on the studies he has reviewed , the risk of spreading the coronavirus from outdoor dining appears minimal , he said .
But the county should have a chance to “ answer those questions and fill those holes , ” the judge said .
Chalfant also asked county officials to explain why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new coronavirus cases hitting 4,000 .
The county must provide data on hospital capacity and intensive care beds to support its claim that the healthcare system would be overwhelmed without the ban , the judge said .
He also requested that the county provide a rationale for deviating from Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s state reopening blueprint , which permits outdoor dining and requires a risk-benefit analysis for restrictions that are stricter than those of the state .
Amnon Siegel , an attorney for the county , said at the hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ because you can not wear your mask and you are not distancing.
” Siegel said some data , including hospital capacity , are tricky to provide because they constantly fluctuate and are based on complex contingency plans .
The county is sensitive to the negative effects of the restrictions , he added .
“ We understand the pain and hardship that people have gone through over the last nine months , ” he said .
“ And that does absolutely play a role ” in decision-making .
L.A. County ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 and is slated to last three weeks as coronavirus cases rise to unprecedented levels .
A divided L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted against overturning the ban .
Supervisor Kathryn Barger , who opposes the ban , expressed concern that “ this county has taken the approach of everything should be closed , unless we have a good reason to open it.
” The L.A. and Beverly Hills city councils have passed resolutions opposing the ban and asking the supervisors to reconsider .
Pasadena , which has its own public health department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is allowing outdoor dining to continue , provided that everyone at a table is from the same household and parties are no larger than six .
Mark Geragos , an attorney for Engine Co. No .
28 , which he co-owns , said the evidence provided by the county so far does not speak specifically to outdoor dining .
Expert testimony submitted by the county was “ masterful ” in utilizing data related to indoor dining without getting specific about outdoor dining , he said .
Meanwhile , with another week before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant owners and their employees will suffer , said Dennis Ellis , an attorney for the association .
“ I trust the court recognizes that there are people , out of work , who are not earning a living , ” he said .

Supporters and business owners of area restaurants listen to a news conference held by the California Coalition for Safe Reopening at the Abbey in West Hollywood on Nov. 25.
A judge on Wednesday ordered Los Angeles County public health officials to show scientific evidence justifying the outdoor dining ban imposed last week amid soaring coronavirus cases.
Outdoor dining had offered a lifeline for struggling restaurants during the pandemic. The California Restaurant Assn. sued to stop the ban, with a downtown L.A. restaurant, Engine Co. No. 28, filing a similar suit.
The county must return to court Tuesday to present evidence supporting the ban, L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said at a hearing Wednesday morning.
Advertisement
“You have to do a risk-benefit analysis for public health. You don’t just talk about the risk of spreading disease. You have to talk about the benefit of keeping restaurants open,” Chalfant said.
Chalfant expressed some skepticism about the ban. Based on the studies he has reviewed, the risk of spreading the coronavirus from outdoor dining appears minimal, he said.
But the county should have a chance to “answer those questions and fill those holes,” the judge said.
Chalfant also asked county officials to explain why the ban was keyed to the five-day average of new coronavirus cases hitting 4,000.
The county must provide data on hospital capacity and intensive care beds to support its claim that the healthcare system would be overwhelmed without the ban, the judge said.
Advertisement
He also requested that the county provide a rationale for deviating from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state reopening blueprint, which permits outdoor dining and requires a risk-benefit analysis for restrictions that are stricter than those of the state.
Amnon Siegel, an attorney for the county, said at the hearing that dining in public is inherently risky, “because you cannot wear your mask and you are not distancing.”
Siegel said some data, including hospital capacity, are tricky to provide because they constantly fluctuate and are based on complex contingency plans.
The county is sensitive to the negative effects of the restrictions, he added.
“We understand the pain and hardship that people have gone through over the last nine months,” he said. “And that does absolutely play a role” in decision-making.
L.A. County’s outdoor dining ban went into effect Nov. 25 and is slated to last three weeks as coronavirus cases rise to unprecedented levels.
A divided L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted against overturning the ban. Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who opposes the ban, expressed concern that “this county has taken the approach of everything should be closed, unless we have a good reason to open it.”
The L.A. and Beverly Hills city councils have passed resolutions opposing the ban and asking the supervisors to reconsider.
Pasadena, which has its own public health department and can set its own coronavirus policies, is allowing outdoor dining to continue, provided that everyone at a table is from the same household and parties are no larger than six.
Mark Geragos, an attorney for Engine Co. No. 28, which he owns, said the evidence provided by the county so far does not speak specifically to outdoor dining.
Expert testimony submitted by the county was “masterful” in utilizing data related to indoor dining without getting specific about outdoor dining, he said.
Meanwhile, with another week before Chalfant considers a temporary restraining order, restaurant owners and their employees will suffer, said Dennis Ellis, an attorney for the association.
“I trust the court recognizes that there are people, out of work, who are not earning a living,” he said.