latimes--2020-08-04--L.A. Rep. Karen Bass surged up Biden's VP list. Is she ready for the national stage?

Los Angeles Rep. Karen Bass is an unlikely contender for vice president .
The five-term congresswoman has never run for statewide office , much less a national one ; she hasn ’ t faced a tough reelection race in her comfortably liberal district .
Until recently , Bass was scarcely known outside California .
And if the 66-year-old leader of the Congressional Black Caucus harbored further political ambitions , she didn ’ t share them , friends and colleagues say .
Bass catapulted onto Joe Biden ’ s short list for a running mate thanks largely to her pragmatism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect of progressives , moderate Democrats and even some Republicans , including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-Bakersfield ) .
But for a Biden campaign looking to “ do no harm ” at a time when he enjoys a substantial lead in polls against President Trump , Bass also carries risk .
Alongside the friendly , cooperative demeanor that has made Bass so popular on Capitol Hill is a political ideology significantly to the left of Biden ’ s or several of the other women under consideration .
Her record could raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win .
As a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus , for example , she supports the Green New Deal and Medicare for All , while Biden has called for more moderate alternatives .
Her long-standing interest in Cuba — including as many as 15 trips to the island beginning as a community activist in the 1970s and continuing after her election to the House — could prove politically toxic in Florida , which has a large , active population of anti-Castro refugees .
Polls indicate that Biden currently leads Trump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Democrats would all but clinch the election , making the state a prime concern for Biden ’ s campaign .
And Bass ’ lack of national or statewide campaigns mean that none of her political vulnerabilities has been tested in a tough contest .
If selected , Bass ’ relative political obscurity guarantees a scramble by Democrats and Republicans to be the first to define her for voters , potentially bringing to light items from her past that could prove troublesome for a Democratic ticket .
A Times review of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she nearly doubled her 2010 income with consulting fees paid by a community nonprofit that she founded and to which her reelection campaign gave money .
Bass and her allies acknowledge her political ascent has been unconventional .
Until winning a seat in the state Assembly in 2004 , she worked as a physician assistant and was on the USC faculty before founding the Community Coalition in 1990 to address the crack cocaine epidemic and later , the 1991 police beating of Rodney King .
“ My resume doesn ’ t look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in the position I am in today , ” Bass said in an interview , stressing that she hasn ’ t lived her life looking over her shoulder in anticipation of being vetted for higher political office .
She said she attributes her ability over the years to forge strong working relationships , even with opponents , to the fact that she has viewed “ fighting for social and economic justice as my priority — and not my own career advancement.
” The 2010 consulting income Bass reported on a House disclosure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a source of headaches .
A Times review found that between 2008 and 2011 , her state Assembly campaign committees gave nearly $ 100,000 to Community Coalition , the South Los Angeles nonprofit Bass founded .
In 2010 , the Community Coalition paid her $ 70,500 in consulting fees directly and through one of its contractors , according to interviews and public records .
“ It ’ s not a good idea to receive substantial income from organizations that are supported by contributions from your campaign fund , ” said Kirk Hanson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University .
“ It creates an appearance of a conflict of interest , that you have converted campaign funds into personal income.
” Bass said her campaign ’ s donations to the nonprofit were completely unrelated to her 2010 consulting income .
The money that came to her was paid by outside foundation grants working through the coalition , including from the California Endowment , she said .
“ I had no reason in the world to give them a contribution and ask for it back , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city councilman representing parts of Bass ’ South L.A. district , backed up her position that the consulting work was paid for by outside grants and unrelated to the donations made by her campaign .
The Community Coalition directly paid Bass $ 26,500 to help it do research and appear in a short video to mark its 20th anniversary .
Bass collected another $ 44,000 through a Community Coalition contract with Jemmott Rollins Group , a nonprofit consulting firm , to help devise fundraising strategies for community groups devastated by the Great Recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive of Jemmott Rollins , and a House filing .
Other than the $ 70,500 , Bass reported no other consulting income between 2003 and 2018 , according to financial disclosure forms .
Those payments nearly doubled her reported $ 94,000 salary in 2010 as a member of the Assembly .
The year before , she was paid $ 139,000 as speaker , a position she gave up in early 2010 as she was facing term limits on her Assembly seat and preparing to run for Congress .
Bass received the consulting income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign committees to the coalition .
Between late 2008 , the year she became speaker , and 2009 , her campaign gave $ 47,000 to the group , the filings show .
Then in late 2011 , the first year Bass served in Congress and as she was clearing out her old Assembly campaign accounts , two Bass fundraising committees gave the coalition another $ 50,000 , filings show .
Bass said her donations grew considerably after she became speaker , a position that enabled her to raise more money .
After she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give away what was left in her Assembly campaign accounts , she said .
It ’ s unclear whether the Biden campaign has reviewed the specific donations and consulting income .
Biden officials did not respond to interview requests .
Harris-Dawson said he was contacted by a person who said he was doing a routine audit of Bass ’ tax returns for Biden ’ s vice presidential search process and asked about the consulting income and whether Bass had donated to the nonprofit .
Bass ’ views about the Castro regime and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist could be another source of political vulnerability .
A 19-year-old Bass visited Cuba for the first time in 1973 , a two-month trip that sparked a lifelong personal and professional interest in the country .
Republicans allege that means support for the communist Castro regime .
Bass ’ first trip was hosted by the Venceremos Brigade , a group that opposed the U.S. economic blockade and organized visits to Cuba for progressive Americans .
Critics alleged it trained Americans on guerrilla warfare and terrorism , claims Bass and others have denied .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daryl F. Gates — facing an ACLU lawsuit over allegations the department was spying on citizens — launched a counterattack against plaintiffs , including Bass , then a 30-year-old physician assistant .
A document provided by Gates to The Times at the time described her as a “ brigade leader ” who brought back propaganda literature after a trip .
Gates ’ information was collected as part of his department ’ s discredited Public Disorder Intelligence Division .
Bass called Gates ’ claim a “ smear.
” The Times reported then that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When I went to Cuba , I was building houses , ” Bass said in the interview .
A subsequent trip involved tours of healthcare facilities and housing , she said .
“ That ’ s what I did .
Never saw a gun .
Never had any relationship or connection to the military.
” Travel by Americans to Cuba was less tightly restricted then than it became during the 1990s and early 2000s .
As a member of Congress , Bass has been a vocal supporter of normalizing U.S. relations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has actively encouraged American graduates from the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba , which does not charge tuition , to practice in underserved areas of Los Angeles .
Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-Fla. ) , who is Cuban American , on a recent media call organized by the Trump campaign , criticized Biden for even considering Bass , saying that she would be the “ highest-ranking Castro sympathizer in the history of the United States government.
” Bass has also faced criticism for referring to Fidel Castro upon his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comandante en jefe , ” a comment she said she didn ’ t realize was potentially offensive and wouldn ’ t repeat .
Bass , raised in the Venice-Fairfax area by a mail carrier and homemaker , traced her progressive political ideology to living through the U.S. anti-war movement and watching on television the struggle for independence in African nations in the 1960s .
“ I ’ ve been very consistent in my values , but they have expressed in different ways at different times , ” she said .
“ And that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought all U.S. policies were bad or that other countries were perfect .
But I have always seen myself as part of the world.
” Another consistency in Bass has been her reputation for being a low-key , hard-working teammate who never makes a beeline to television cameras to claim credit .
Like many successful politicians , she built networks of mentors who help elevate her into higher positions .
“ She stumbles into situations where they lift her into leadership , ” said Sylvia Castillo , who shared an apartment in Koreatown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their 20s and later worked in her congressional office .
“ She truly does do what she has to do in terms of the work .
And then it seems that circumstances elevate her to a place where people notice and say , ‘ Yeah , that ’ s who we want.
’ ” Bass was named majority whip and a member of the Assembly speaker ’ s inner circle shortly after she arrived in Sacramento in 2004 .
The only Black female lawmaker at the time , she was immediately labeled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year before former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez hit his term limit , he said he began quietly prepping Bass to take his place , introducing her to donors and other connections .
When he decided to step down , the two of them quickly corralled the votes for her speakership , making her the nation ’ s first Black woman to lead a U.S. state legislature .
Just a few years later , when former Rep. Diane Watson announced she would retire , she too privately encouraged Bass to run for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s time for you to go to Congress , ” Watson said .
Similarly Bass was a latecomer to Biden ’ s VP list , added at the urging of supporters after her work on the House police reform bill drew attention .
Even now , Bass says she doesn ’ t want to be president .
That ’ s a trait that could convince Biden that she will be a loyal lieutenant , rather than someone with an eye on his job .
While Biden has never said that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats suspect that he would , making his vice president a front-runner for the 2024 Democratic nomination .
Another possible bond with Biden is that she , too , has lost a child .
Emilia Wright , 23 , was killed in a car crash in 2006 along with her husband , Michael Wright .
Unlike many of the other vice presidential contenders , Bass has a slim political infrastructure , including the kind of donor network that is typically needed to seek higher office , whether president or House speaker — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-San Francisco ) steps down .
Nor has she raised much money to give to other Democrats in tougher races , a common strategy for rising politicians looking to build support and loyalty from colleagues .
Bass said she made a conscious decision when she came to Washington to focus on policy , not building a war chest .
In the last election cycle , she raised only $ 883,000 in her campaign account , putting her in the bottom quarter of all House members , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fundraising has ramped up considerably .
So far in the 2019-2020 cycle , she has raised $ 1.6 million , pushing her to the top third of House members .
Her first major legislative accomplishment in Washington came only recently , when the House passed a policing reform bill in the aftermath of nationwide racial justice protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd .
Democrats praised Bass for navigating the issue in the House without losing progressives or moderates in the Democratic Party , and even winning the support of three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far ended in stalemate with the Republican-led Senate .
The pinnacle of Bass ’ legislative record was perhaps the 2009 California budget deal , a bipartisan agreement to fill a $ 42-billion budget shortfall during the Great Recession .
Bass , former state Rep. Mike Villines and their counterparts in the state Senate were awarded the 2010 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for crafting the agreement .
Villines , who was the top Republican in the Assembly when Bass was speaker , credited her with listening to Republicans and creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped shake loose some GOP votes for a massive budget deal that saved the state from fiscal collapse in 2009 .
“ One thing that is clear about Karen : It doesn ’ t take long to spend time with her that you pick up that she ’ s actually very honest , and she ’ s a normal person , ” Villines said .
“ I mean that as a compliment.
” Haberkorn reported from Washington and Elmahrek from Los Angeles .
Times staff writers John Myers in Sacramento and Sarah D. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Los Angeles Rep. Karen Bass is an unlikely contender for vice president.
The five-term congresswoman has never run for statewide office, much less a national one; she hasn’t faced a tough reelection race in her comfortably liberal district.
Until recently, Bass was scarcely known outside California. And if the 66-year-old leader of the Congressional Black Caucus harbored further political ambitions, she didn’t share them, friends and colleagues say.
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Bass catapulted onto Joe Biden’s shortlist for a running mate thanks largely to her pragmatism and unassuming style, which have earned the respect of progressives, moderate Democrats and even some Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield).
But for a Biden campaign looking to “do no harm” at a time when he enjoys a substantial lead in polls against President Trump, Bass also carries risk.
Alongside the friendly, cooperative demeanor that has made Bass so popular on Capitol Hill is a political ideology significantly to the left of Biden’s or several of the other women under consideration. Her record could raise concerns in key swing states Democrats need to win. As a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, for example, she supports the Green New Deal and Medicare for All measures, while Biden has called for more moderate alternatives.
Her long-standing interest in Cuba — including as many as 15 trips to the island beginning as a community activist in the 1970s and continuing after her election to the House — could prove politically toxic in Florida, which has a large, active population of anti-Castro refugees. Polls indicate that Biden is leading Trump in the state, and a victory there would all but clinch the election for Biden, making the state a prime concern for his campaign.
And Bass’ lack of national or statewide campaigns means that none of her political vulnerabilities has been tested in a tough contest. If selected, Bass’ relative political obscurity guarantees a scramble by Democrats and Republicans to be the first to define her for voters, potentially bringing to light items from her past that could prove troublesome for a Democratic ticket.
A Times review of her campaign finances, for example, revealed that she nearly doubled her 2010 income with consulting fees paid by a community nonprofit that she founded and to which her reelection campaign gave money.
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Bass and her allies acknowledge her political ascent has been unconventional. Before winning a seat in the state Assembly in 2004, she worked as a physician assistant and was on the USC faculty; she co-founded the Community Coalition in 1990 to address the crack cocaine epidemic and later, the 1991 police beating of Rodney King.
“My resume doesn’t look like a resume of somebody that would be in the position I am in today,” Bass said in an interview, stressing that she hasn’t lived her life looking over her shoulder in anticipation of being vetted for higher political office.
She said she attributes her ability over the years to forge strong working relationships, even with opponents, to the fact that she has viewed “fighting for social and economic justice as my priority — and not my own career advancement.”
The 2010 consulting income Bass reported on a House disclosure form nearly a decade ago could become a source of headaches.
A Times review found that between 2008 and 2011, her state Assembly campaign committees gave nearly $100,000 to Community Coalition, the South Los Angeles nonprofit Bass co-founded.
In 2010, the Community Coalition paid her $70,500 in consulting fees directly and through one of its contractors, according to interviews and public records.
“It’s not a good idea to receive substantial income from organizations that are supported by contributions from your campaign fund,” said Kirk O. Hanson, senior fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. “It creates an appearance of a conflict of interest, that you have converted campaign funds into personal income.”
Bass said her campaign’s donations to the nonprofit were completely unrelated to her 2010 consulting income. The money that came to her was paid by outside foundation grants working through the coalition, including from the California Endowment, she said.
“I had no reason in the world to give them a contribution and ask for it back,” Bass said.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a city councilman representing parts of Bass’ South L.A. district, backed up her position that the consulting work was paid for by outside grants and unrelated to the donations made by her campaign.
The Community Coalition directly paid Bass $26,500 to help it do research and appear in a short video to mark its 20th anniversary. Bass collected an additional $44,000 through a Community Coalition contract with Jemmott Rollins Group, a nonprofit consulting firm, to help devise fundraising strategies for community groups devastated by the Great Recession, according to a House filing and to Frances Jemmott, chief executive of Jemmott Rollins.
Other than the $70,500, Bass reported no consulting income between 2003 and 2018, according to financial disclosure forms. Those payments nearly doubled her reported $94,000 salary in 2010 as a member of the Assembly. The year before, she was paid $139,000 as speaker, a position she gave up in early 2010 as she was facing term limits on her Assembly seat and preparing to run for Congress.
Bass received the consulting income amid a spike in donations by her campaign committees to the coalition.
Between late 2008, the year she became speaker, and 2009, her campaign gave $47,000 to the group, the filings show.
Then in late 2011, the first year Bass served in Congress and as she was clearing out her old Assembly campaign accounts, two Bass fundraising committees gave the coalition an additional $50,000, filings show.
Bass said her donations grew considerably after she became speaker, a position that enabled her to raise more money. After she was elected to Congress, she wanted to give away what was left in her Assembly campaign accounts, she said.
It’s unclear whether the Biden campaign has reviewed the specific donations and consulting income. Biden officials did not respond to interview requests.
Harris-Dawson said he was contacted by a person who said he was doing a routine audit of Bass’ tax returns for Biden’s vice presidential search process and asked about the consulting income and whether Bass had donated to the nonprofit.
Bass’ views about the Castro regime and her experiences in Cuba as a young activist could be another source of political vulnerability.
A 19-year-old Bass visited Cuba for the first time in 1973, a two-month trip that sparked a lifelong personal and professional interest in the country. Republicans allege that means support for the communist Castro regime.
Bass’ first trip was hosted by the Venceremos Brigade, a group that opposes the U.S. economic blockade and organizes visits to Cuba for progressive Americans. Critics have alleged it trained Americans on guerrilla warfare and terrorism, claims Bass and others have denied.
In 1983, then-Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates — facing an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit over allegations the department was spying on civilians — launched a counterattack against plaintiffs, including Bass, then a 30-year-old physician assistant.
A document The Times received from Gates at the time described her as a “brigade leader” who brought back propaganda literature after a trip. Gates’ information was collected as part of his department’s discredited Public Disorder Intelligence Division.
Bass called Gates’ claim a “smear.” The Times reported then that she had made eight trips to Cuba.
“When I went to Cuba, I was building houses,” Bass said in the interview. A subsequent trip involved tours of healthcare facilities and housing, she said.
“That’s what I did. Never saw a gun. Never had any relationship or connection to the military.” Travel by Americans to Cuba was less tightly restricted then than it became during the 1990s and early 2000s.
As a member of Congress, Bass has been a vocal supporter of normalizing U.S. relations with Cuba, particularly during the Obama administration. She has actively encouraged American graduates from the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba, which does not charge tuition, to practice in underserved areas of Los Angeles.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who is Cuban American, on a recent media call organized by the Trump campaign, criticized Biden for even considering Bass, saying that she would be the “highest-ranking Castro sympathizer in the history of the United States government.”
Bass has also faced criticism for referring to Fidel Castro upon his death in 2016 with the honorific “comandante en jefe,” a comment she said she didn’t realize was potentially offensive and wouldn’t repeat.
Bass, raised in the Venice-Fairfax area by a mail carrier and homemaker, traced her progressive political ideology to living through the U.S. antiwar movement and watching on television the struggle for independence in African nations in the 1960s.
“I’ve been very consistent in my values, but they have expressed in different ways at different times,” she said. “And that’s not to say I have thought all U.S. policies were bad or that other countries were perfect. But I have always seen myself as part of the world.”
Another consistency in Bass has been her reputation for being a low-key, hardworking teammate who never makes a beeline to television cameras to claim credit. Like many successful politicians, she built networks of mentors who help elevate her into higher positions.
“She stumbles into situations where they lift her into leadership,” said Sylvia Castillo, who shared an apartment in Koreatown with Bass when they were both in their 20s and later worked in her congressional office. “She truly does do what she has to do in terms of the work. And then it seems that circumstances elevate her to a place where people notice and say, ‘Yeah, that’s who we want.’”
Bass became majority whip and a member of the Assembly speaker’s inner circle shortly after she arrived in Sacramento in 2004. The only Black female lawmaker there at the time, she was immediately labeled a rising star.
In 2007, about a year before former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez hit his term limit, he said he began quietly prepping Bass to take his place, introducing her to donors and other connections. When he decided to step down, the two of them quickly corralled the votes for her speakership, making her the nation’s first Black woman to lead a U.S. state legislature.
Just a few years later, when former Rep. Diane Watson announced she would retire, she too privately encouraged Bass to run for her seat.
“I told her, ‘It’s time for you to go to Congress,’” Watson said.
Bass was a latecomer to Biden’s vice presidential list, added at the urging of supporters after her work on the House police reform bill drew attention.
Even now, Bass says she doesn’t want to be president. That’s a trait that could convince Biden that she will be a loyal lieutenant, rather than someone with an eye on his job. While Biden has never said that he will only serve one term, many Democrats suspect that he would, making his vice president a front-runner for the 2024 Democratic nomination.
Another possible bond with Biden is that she, too, has lost a child. Emilia Wright, 23, was killed in a car crash in 2006 along with her husband, Michael Wright.
Unlike many of the other vice presidential contenders, Bass has a slim political infrastructure, without the kind of donor network that is typically needed to seek higher office, whether president or House speaker — a post some have suggested would suit her after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) steps down.
Nor has she raised much money to give to other Democrats in tougher races, a common strategy for rising politicians looking to build support and loyalty from colleagues.
Bass said she made a conscious decision when she came to Washington to focus on policy, not on building a war chest. In the last election cycle, she raised $883,000 in her campaign account, putting her in the bottom quarter of all House members, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
But her fundraising has ramped up considerably. So far in the 2019-2020 cycle, she has raised $1.6 million, pushing her to the top third of House members.
Her first major legislative accomplishment in Washington came only recently, when the House passed a policing reform bill in the aftermath of nationwide racial justice protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Democrats praised Bass for navigating the issue in the House without losing progressives or moderates in the Democratic Party, and even winning the support of three Republicans. The legislative effort has so far ended in stalemate with the Republican-led Senate.
The pinnacle of Bass’ legislative record was perhaps the 2009 California budget deal, a bipartisan agreement to fill a $42-billion budget shortfall during the Great Recession. Bass, then-Assemblyman Mike Villines and their counterparts in the state Senate were awarded the 2010 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for crafting the agreement.
Villines, who was the top Republican in the Assembly when Bass was speaker, credited her with listening to Republicans and creating a state “rainy day” fund. That ultimately helped shake loose some GOP votes for a massive budget deal that saved the state from fiscal collapse in 2009.
“One thing that is clear about Karen: It doesn’t take long to spend time with her that you pick up that she’s actually very honest, and she’s a normal person,” Villines said. “I mean that as a compliment.”
Haberkorn reported from Washington and Elmahrek from Los Angeles. Times staff writers John Myers in Sacramento and Sarah D. Wire in Washington contributed to this report.
Bass catapulted to Biden’s short list thanks to her pragmatism and unassuming style, which have impressed progressives, moderates, even Republicans.
Haberkorn reported from Washington and Elmahrek from Los Angeles. Times staff writers John Myers in Sacramento and Sarah D. Wire in Washington contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-04--Child care has been safe during the pandemic. That could be a good sign for schools

Sabrina Lira Garcia is proud to work as a clinical assistant in the COVID-19 ward of a Los Angeles hospital , but sometimes she wishes she could just stay home with her infant son until the pandemic is over .
But pulling her child from day care was not an option for Lira Garcia .
She can ’ t put her career on hold .
Her husband was born in Mexico and is undocumented , and the family pays monthly legal fees to help him get residency papers .
If he were ever deported , she ’ d have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I couldn ’ t afford to just stay home , ” she said .
Lira Garcia and thousands of other essential workers have had no choice but to put their children in day care and run the risk that they ’ ll be exposed to the coronavirus .
In effect , they ’ ve been part of an unplanned national experiment that ’ s deeply relevant to parents weighing the pros and cons of letting their children return to school this fall .
So far , it seems fairly successful .
Considering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. , the number of coronavirus outbreaks they ’ ve reported is low .
Research to date suggests that children rarely get sick with COVID-19 , and those under 10 aren ’ t very efficient at transmitting the disease to older family members .
These dynamics — combined with additional precautions schools are taking regarding masks , classroom adaptations and keeping parents off campus — appear to make school and day care reasonable options for families with healthy younger children , experts say .
There are no guarantees , however .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak in June despite several measures to mitigate risk .
At least 51 % of campers between the ages of 6 and 10 became infected with the coronavirus , as were 44 % of attendees ages 11 to 17 .
About one quarter of those infected were asymptomatic , according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health .
The key factor for parents to consider is how much the virus is spreading in their community , experts said .
Dr. Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defines a “ hot spot ” as an area where more than 5 % of coronavirus tests come back positive .
Allowing students to return to campus wouldn ’ t be wise “ if you ’ re in the hottest of the hot zones , and you have massive outbreaks , ” said Dr. Ashish Jha , the incoming dean of the Brown University School of Public Health .
“ Even if the kids are all right , you still need to have teachers and staff in elementary schools.
” But if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then I would have a lower threshold of getting K-5 back in person than I would , for instance , getting high school back , ” he said , adding that “ child-care centers are probably reasonably safe.
” Day cares remained open in California even after most schools shut down .
As of July 22 , about 33,300 facilities had the capacity to care for up to 720,882 children .
Up until that date , the state recorded 1,365 COVID-19 cases linked to child-care centers , including 261 cases among children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of California ’ s 425,616 total cases were among people under age 18 , and there were no coronavirus-related deaths reported in this age range .
( The state ’ s first juvenile COVID-19 -related death was reported last week . )
In Los Angeles County , 268 cases — including 75 children — had been reported in the 7,238 day-care facilities that were open as of the end of July .
Children under 5 account for fewer than 1 % of all hospitalizations in the county , according to data presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s public health department .
The picture is similar in other states that have tallied outbreaks in child-care centers , including Texas and Ohio .
But the low case counts don ’ t mean that COVID-19 “ is a completely benign disease in children , ” Ferrer said .
“ We still have a lot to learn about the short- and long-term impacts of the virus.
” There ’ s a “ big void ” of information about how the virus spreads among small children and between children and older people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical officer of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .
“ We don ’ t quite understand the infection dynamics , and we don ’ t really know the transmission dynamics , ” he said , so parents will have to balance the relative lack of information against their own need for child care .
Adding to the stress of these decisions , parents may not want children to see grandparents or other relatives who have helped take care of them in the past for fear of exposing them to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs a child-care center with his wife and two daughters in the Panorama City neighborhood of Los Angeles .
After the initial statewide shutdown in March , Rizzo and his family closed the center for two weeks to stock up on food and cleaning supplies .
They also set up a sanitizing station outside the center and scheduled new cleaning routines .
Despite those precautions , the center still lost eight children because of layoffs , shortened work hours and parental fear about the virus .
Eighteen kids are still in his care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from babies to a preteen .
The families who rely on the center are low-income and receive state subsidies to pay for child care .
Nearly all have jobs deemed essential , such as grocery workers and certified nursing assistants .
Some have multiple jobs .
“ We feel blessed because we ’ re helping them by taking care of their kids , ” Rizzo said .
So far , the center and its families have been COVID-free , Rizzo said .
He finds comfort in “ following the protocol ” — adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean once a day and keep parents outside the facility when dropping off and picking up their children .
He also lets his center ’ s families know they should be taking precautions as well .
“ I say we have to work together , ” Rizzo said .
“ If we do it here , you have to do it at home.
” Infections can still break through the child-care bubble .
Anna C. , a 30-year-old IT worker in Kent , Wash. , who asked that her last name not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 20-month-old sons home until the toddler fell off a bed and split his lip while Anna and her husband were on separate conference calls .
Realizing they couldn ’ t work and safely watch their sons at the same time , the couple decided to send the kids back to child care in late April .
They had to pull them out again a week later , after the spouse of an employee tested positive for COVID-19 .
No further infections arose during a two-week quarantine , so they sent the children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen with any day care center or provider , ” Anna said .
“ It ’ s just the new reality.
” Almendrala writes for , a nonprofit news service covering health issues .
It is an editorially independent program of the and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Natalie Perez takes the temperature of Emily Lucatero, 9, before entering Chase Avenue Elementary School during the Cajon Valley Union School District’s Emergency Child Care Program on May 5, 2020 in El Cajon, California.
Sabrina Lira Garcia is proud to work as a clinical assistant in the COVID-19 ward of a Los Angeles hospital, but sometimes she wishes she could just stay home with her infant son until the pandemic is over.
But pulling her child from day care was not an option for Lira Garcia. She can’t put her career on hold. Her husband was born in Mexico and is undocumented, and the family pays monthly legal fees to help him get residency papers. If he were ever deported, she’d have to support 9-month-old Jeremiah by herself.
“I couldn’t afford to just stay home,” she said.
Lira Garcia and thousands of other essential workers have had no choice but to put their children in day care and run the risk that they’ll be exposed to the coronavirus. In effect, they’ve been part of an unplanned national experiment that’s deeply relevant to parents weighing the pros and cons of letting their children return to school this fall.
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So far, it seems fairly successful. Considering the number of kids at child-care centers in the U.S., the number of coronavirus outbreaks they’ve reported is low. Research to date suggests that children rarely get sick with COVID-19, and those under 10 aren’t very efficient at transmitting the disease to older family members.
These dynamics — combined with additional precautions schools are taking regarding masks, classroom adaptations and keeping parents off campus — appear to make school and day care reasonable options for families with healthy younger children, experts say.
There are no guarantees, however. A week-long overnight camp in Georgia saw an outbreak in June despite several measures to mitigate risk. At least 51% of campers between the ages of 6 and 10 became infected with the coronavirus, as were 44% of attendees ages 11 to 17. About one quarter of those infected were asymptomatic, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The key factor for parents to consider is how much the virus is spreading in their community, experts said.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, defines a “hot spot” as an area where more than 5% of coronavirus tests come back positive.
Allowing students to return to campus wouldn’t be wise “if you’re in the hottest of the hot zones, and you have massive outbreaks,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, the incoming dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. “Even if the kids are all right, you still need to have teachers and staff in elementary schools.”
But if the community transmission rate is low, “then I would have a lower threshold of getting K-5 back in person than I would, for instance, getting high school back,” he said, adding that “child-care centers are probably reasonably safe.”
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Day cares remained open in California even after most schools shut down. As of July 22, about 33,300 facilities had the capacity to care for up to 720,882 children. Up until that date, the state recorded 1,365 COVID-19 cases linked to child-care centers, including 261 cases among children.
During the same time period, 9% of California’s 425,616 total cases were among people under age 18, and there were no coronavirus-related deaths reported in this age range. (The state’s first juvenile COVID-19 -related death was reported last week.)
In Los Angeles County, 268 cases — including 75 children — had been reported in the 7,238 day-care facilities that were open as of the end of July. Children under 5 account for fewer than 1% of all hospitalizations in the county, according to data presented by Barbara Ferrer, director of the county’s public health department.
The picture is similar in other states that have tallied outbreaks in child-care centers, including Texas and Ohio.
But the low case counts don’t mean that COVID-19 “is a completely benign disease in children,” Ferrer said. “We still have a lot to learn about the short- and long-term impacts of the virus.”
There’s a “big void” of information about how the virus spreads among small children and between children and older people, said Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, chief medical officer of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
“We don’t quite understand the infection dynamics, and we don’t really know the transmission dynamics,” he said, so parents will have to balance the relative lack of information against their own need for child care.
Adding to the stress of these decisions, parents may not want children to see grandparents or other relatives who have helped take care of them in the past for fear of exposing them to the virus, Gunzenhauser said.
Ricardo Rizzo runs a child-care center with his wife and two daughters in the Panorama City neighborhood of Los Angeles. After the initial statewide shutdown in March, Rizzo and his family closed the center for two weeks to stock up on food and cleaning supplies. They also set up a sanitizing station outside the center and scheduled new cleaning routines.
Despite those precautions, the center still lost eight children because of layoffs, shortened work hours and parental fear about the virus. Eighteen kids are still in his care, Rizzo said, ranging in age from babies to a preteen.
The families who rely on the center are low-income and receive state subsidies to pay for child care. Nearly all have jobs deemed essential, such as grocery workers and certified nursing assistants. Some have multiple jobs.
“We feel blessed because we’re helping them by taking care of their kids,” Rizzo said.
So far, the center and its families have been COVID-free, Rizzo said. He finds comfort in “following the protocol” — adult caretakers wear masks, do a deep clean once a day and keep parents outside the facility when dropping off and picking up their children. He also lets his center’s families know they should be taking precautions as well.
“I say we have to work together,” Rizzo said. “If we do it here, you have to do it at home.”
Infections can still break through the child-care bubble.
Anna C., a 30-year-old IT worker in Kent, Wash., who asked that her last name not be used, tried to keep her 4-year-old and 20-month-old sons home until the toddler fell off a bed and split his lip while Anna and her husband were on separate conference calls.
Realizing they couldn’t work and safely watch their sons at the same time, the couple decided to send the kids back to child care in late April. They had to pull them out again a week later, after the spouse of an employee tested positive for COVID-19. No further infections arose during a two-week quarantine, so they sent the children back again.
“This is going to happen with any day care center or provider,” Anna said. “It’s just the new reality.”


latimes--2020-08-04--Couple drove through flames to escape raging wildfire: 'I put the pedal to the floor'

Ash from the massive Apple fire was falling like snow as Jack Thompson was double-checking clearances around his home at the Whitewater Preserve , a canyon wilderness about 12 miles northwest of Palm Springs .
He noticed a nearby column of black smoke and that worried him .
“ I knew right away that this was a brand-new fire in my backyard , ” said Thompson , 40 .
He called out for his wife to “ grab the dog and the packed suitcases .
We ’ re getting out of here.
” She went to work , and moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heading down Whitewater Canyon Road , a five-mile serpentine one-way-in , one-way-out access lane linking the preserve to Interstate 10 .
They were less than a quarter mile down the road Sunday afternoon when they made a hairpin turn and found themselves surrounded by a wall of fire and smoke .
“ My wife grabbed hold of my right hand , gave it a squeeze and wondered aloud , ‘ Jack ?
’ “ ‘ We ’ re going to be all right , ’ I said , then I put the pedal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flames and saw a clear path ahead.
” That ’ s what the last few days have been like for those caught in the path of a series of fires across California fueled by intense heat and winds .
The largest one is the Apple fire , which has chewed through more than 26,000 acres of mountain and forest land and left residents on edge .
Another wildfire quickly mushroomed to 200 acres in the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday afternoon , briefly triggering evacuations and forcing the closure of all lanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to 130 acres .
The Water fire burned Sunday near Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs .
The Site fire was burning Monday in Colusa County .
But the biggest worry remains the Apple fire , which is burning in areas that have not seen fire in years , providing the fuel for explosive growth .
As of Monday , it was only 5 % contained .
The fire was started by “ a diesel-fueled vehicle emitting burning carbon from the exhaust system , ” according to a statement from the California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Riverside County Fire Department .
About 2,300 fire personnel are working to douse the flames .
Multiple evacuation orders and warnings were put in place Sunday in Riverside and San Bernardino counties .
About 7,800 residents in more than 2,500 households have been ordered to evacuate , officials said .
The fire has destroyed one home .
Matt Moreland , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego , said winds continued to be a problem Monday .
Although gusty conditions are expected , Moreland said fire crews should benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which will see highs drop by about 10 degrees from Monday to Wednesday in the burn area .
“ The bad news is some gusty winds in the afternoon and evening , ” he said .
“ The good news is temperatures are going to trend cooler.
” The Apple fire is continuing to produce a massive amount of smoke , prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue warnings for nearby communities .
Officials said Sunday that the fire created a plume of smoke so large that it generated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the National Weather Service that day showed smoke swirling across a swath of Arizona — even reaching Phoenix , about 300 miles away .
Back near the Whitewater Preserve , Thompson considers himself lucky .
“ The fire was heading toward our house , ” he said .
When they reached the end of the road , there were fire engines racing toward the blaze with sirens blaring .
“ I flagged a firetruck down and provided information about the locations of fire hydrants and water resources , ” said Thompson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservancy .
“ I told my wife that I was going back to join the firefighters , ” he said .
“ She said , ‘ Darling , I ’ ll be right here waiting for you .
’ ”

San Gorgonio Mtns, Sunday, August 2, 2020 - The Apple Fire continues to burn thousands of acres North of Banning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A statue of Smokey Bear is enveloped in smoke from the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter from Carpinteria monitors a huge plume of smoke from the Apple fire along Bluff Street, north of Banning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire consumes a tree at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire burns in the San Bernardino Mountains above Beaumont on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
San Gorgonio Mtns, Sunday, August 2, 2020 - Riverside/CAL firefighter Anthony Vierra cools hot spots after fire swept through the Whitewater Preserve Trail, East of the Apple Fire. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A plane drops fire retardant over a home as the out-of-control Apple fire burns around it in Cherry Valley, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter sets back fires as the leading edge of the Apple fire rages towards the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A sign with Smokey Bear is enveloped in smoke from the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A slow camera exposure shows the movement of the Apple fire as it continues to burn into the night in the San Bernardino National Forest just above Bluff Street in Cherry Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters set back fires as the leading edge of the Apple fire rages towards the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A shell of a burned car sits along Avenida Miravilla days after the Apple fire rushed through on its way to the nearby San Bernardino National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A sign of gratitude along Oak Glen Road, not far from the presumptive source of the Apple fire, where investigators say they believe a spark from a diesel engine ignited dry brush. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire continues to burn thousands of acres with little containment. A helicopter hits a hot spot north of Banning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire continues to burn thousands of acres north of Cabazon. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A shell of a burned car sits along Avenida Miravilla days after the Apple fire rushed through on its way to the nearby San Bernardino National Forest, where it has burned more than 26,000 acres. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ash from the massive Apple fire was falling like snow as Jack Thompson was double-checking clearances around his home at the Whitewater Preserve, a canyon wilderness about 12 miles northwest of Palm Springs.
He noticed a nearby column of black smoke and that worried him.
“I knew right away that this was a brand-new fire in my backyard,” said Thompson, 40.
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He called out for his wife to “grab the dog and the packed suitcases. We’re getting out of here.”
She went to work, and moments later they were in their Toyota 4Runner heading down Whitewater Canyon Road, a five-mile serpentine one-way-in, one-way-out access lane linking the preserve to Interstate 10. They were less than a quarter mile down the road Sunday afternoon when they made a hairpin turn and found themselves surrounded by a wall of fire and smoke.
“My wife grabbed hold of my right hand, gave it a squeeze and wondered aloud, ‘Jack?’
“‘We’re going to be all right,’ I said, then I put the pedal to the floor. We broke through the flames and saw a clear path ahead.”
Jack Thompson surveys the fire damage at Whitewater Preserve. (Louis Sahagun/Los Angeles Times)
That’s what the last few days have been like for those caught in the path of a series of fires across California fueled by intense heat and winds.
Advertisement
The largest one is the Apple fire, which has chewed through more than 26,000 acres of mountain and forest land and left residents on edge.
Another wildfire quickly mushroomed to 200 acres in the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday afternoon, briefly triggering evacuations and forcing the closure of all lanes of the 14 Freeway before firefighters contained it to 130 acres. The Water fire burned Sunday near Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs. The Site fire was burning Monday in Colusa County.
But the biggest worry remains the Apple fire, which is burning in areas that have not seen fire in years, providing the fuel for explosive growth. As of Monday, it was only 5% contained.
The fire was started by “a diesel-fueled vehicle emitting burning carbon from the exhaust system,” according to a statement from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department.
About 2,300 fire personnel are working to douse the flames.
Multiple evacuation orders and warnings were put in place Sunday in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. About 7,800 residents in more than 2,500 households have been ordered to evacuate, officials said. The fire has destroyed one home.
Matt Moreland, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said winds continued to be a problem Monday. Although gusty conditions are expected, Moreland said fire crews should benefit from cooling temperatures later in the week, which will see highs drop by about 10 degrees from Monday to Wednesday in the burn area.
“The bad news is some gusty winds in the afternoon and evening,” he said. “The good news is temperatures are going to trend cooler.”
California Wildfire in Colusa County chars more than 500 acres The Sites fire began Sunday afternoon in Colusa County, northwest of Sacramento. Firefighters made significant progress in containing the blaze overnight.
The Apple fire is continuing to produce a massive amount of smoke, prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue warnings for nearby communities.
Officials said Sunday that the fire created a plume of smoke so large that it generated its own winds.
Satellite imagery released by the National Weather Service that day showed smoke swirling across a swath of Arizona — even reaching Phoenix, about 300 miles away.
Back near the Whitewater Preserve, Thompson considers himself lucky.
“The fire was heading toward our house,” he said.
When they reached the end of the road, there were fire engines racing toward the blaze with sirens blaring.
“I flagged a firetruck down and provided information about the locations of fire hydrants and water resources,” said Thompson, who is regional director of the Wildlands Conservancy.
“I told my wife that I was going back to join the firefighters,” he said. “She said, ‘Darling, I’ll be right here waiting for you.’”


latimes--2020-08-04--California sued over climate change policy — by the nation's biggest gas utility

Southern California Gas Co. is taking its battle with state officials over climate change policy to court , arguing in a new lawsuit that the California Energy Commission has failed to promote natural gas as required by state law .
The lawsuit , filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court , is the latest attempt by SoCalGas to shield itself against efforts to phase out gas , a planet-warming fossil fuel used for heating , cooking and power generation .
The company , which maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles and is owned by Sempra Energy of San Diego , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue last year .
A separate lawsuit was filed last week against the state ’ s Air Resources Board by the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition , whose two “ charter members ” are SoCalGas and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. , which joined the gas company in its lawsuit against the Energy Commission .
This lawsuit seeks to overturn the newly approved “ advanced clean trucks ” rule , which is aimed at putting 300,000 zero-emission trucks on the road by 2035 .
The legal actions are part of a growing effort by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defend themselves as public support increases for aggressive policies to wind down the burning of fossil fuels , not just in California but across the country .
Some clean energy advocates once embraced gas as a “ bridge fuel ” that could help economies transition from more polluting fuels , particularly coal , to renewables such as solar and wind power .
But climate emissions from gas are now rising faster than coal emissions are falling , according to the Global Carbon Project .
Scientists have increasingly found that continued reliance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects of climate change , including more devastating wildfires , storms and heat waves .
“ What you have coming up is a really big year for deciding the fate of gas in California , ” said Panama Bartholomy , director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition , an advocacy group that supports replacing gas appliances with electric alternatives .
“ And I think this is SoCalGas really starting to feel the pressure.
” SoCalGas is America ’ s largest gas utility , serving 21.8 million customers from the San Joaquin Valley to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state whose ambitious climate change policies include a requirement for 100 % clean electricity by 2045 and a goal of reducing planet-warming carbon emissions to 80 % below 1990 levels by 2050 .
Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most .
Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times .
The company says its pipelines have an important role to play in the clean energy transition .
It has argued that trucks and buses powered by natural gas are less polluting than smog-spewing diesel vehicles and that gas heating and cooking help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touted the possibility of replacing some of the fossil gas in its pipelines with cleaner fuels such as renewable gas or hydrogen , although there are big questions surrounding the cost , availability and environmental impacts of those fuels .
“ Natural gas and renewable gas are clean , affordable , resilient , and reliable sources of energy on which millions of California consumers and businesses depend , ” the company ’ s lawsuit against the Energy Commission states .
“ Natural gas has played a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims state officials are flouting a law requiring them to consider the role gas might play in reducing emissions .
In 2013 , lawmakers overwhelmingly approved Assembly Bill 1257 , known as the Natural Gas Act .
The bill , which was signed into law by then-Gov .
Jerry Brown , required the Energy Commission to “ identify strategies to maximize the benefits obtained from natural gas as an energy source ” every four years .
The commission followed through in 2015 , releasing a 120-page report on natural gas .
But SoCalGas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligation in 2019 , when instead of a full-fledged report it issued a 22-page appendix to a larger energy policy document .
The lawsuit described the slimmed-down report as “ incomplete and legally deficient.
” “ Appendix A nominally addressed some of the issues required by statute , but only in the context of phasing out and minimizing the use of natural gas , ” the lawsuit argues .
“ Contrary to the Natural Gas Act , the draft appendix did not ‘ identify strategies and options ’ to maximize the benefits of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Energy Commission declined to comment on the pending litigation .
But the commission wrote in the disputed report that the 22-page appendix “ meets the requirements of Assembly Bill 1257.
” The appendix describes the role gas has played in the clean energy transition thus far and lists steps the agency has taken to support its use .
The document also includes discussion of renewable gas , as required by AB 1257 .
What ’ s not in dispute is that state officials have taken steps to promote “ building electrification , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , water heaters and stoves with electric alternatives such as heat pumps and induction cooktops .
The Energy Commission approved new efficiency rules , which took effect this year , that make it easier for developers to build all-electric homes with no gas lines .
The agency has also approved 21 city- and county-level energy codes that require or encourage developers to build all-electric homes .
Environmental groups say transitioning to all-electric buildings and transportation is the best strategy for reducing emissions in part because California ’ s power supply keeps getting cleaner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 63 % of the state ’ s retail electricity supply in 2019 came from carbon-free sources .
With regulators increasingly frowning on natural gas , the industry may be looking to the political arena for support .
In a letter last month to Marybel Batjer , president of the state ’ s Public Utilities Commission , three Democratic lawmakers wrote that all-electric buildings “ may appear to be good policy , but for families and individuals who are living paycheck to paycheck , a balanced and more affordable approach is needed.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts has been growing in recent years in the Legislature , but we are unaware of any specific policy decisions or laws that declare ‘ electrification ’ as the exclusive policy of the state , ” wrote state Assembly members Jim Cooper ( D-Elk Grove ) , Patrick O ’ Donnell ( D-Long Beach ) and Blanca Rubio ( D-Baldwin Park ) .
Some experts disagree about gas being the most affordable option .
In a recent report for the Energy Commission , the consulting firm E3 concluded that renewable gas is so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its availability so much more uncertain , that all-electric buildings are “ likely to be a lower-cost , lower-risk long-term strategy ” for reducing climate pollution .
Joining SoCalGas in its lawsuit against the Energy Commission is Clean Energy Fuels Corp. , a Newport Beach-based company that owns natural gas fueling stations and was co-founded by the late oil magnate T. Boone Pickens .
Company spokeswoman Raleigh Gerber said in a written statement that while Clean Energy Fuels supports California ’ s climate goals , “ achieving those goals does not require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also joining the lawsuit were three chapters of the Utility Workers Union of America , collectively representing over 4,000 SoCalGas employees .
“ Is the position we take in this lawsuit a defense of the jobs , of the work our members , and allied union workers in the pipe trades , building and construction trades , manufacturing and services do every day ?
You bet , ” the presidents of UWUA Locals 132 , 483 and 522 said in a written statement .
One of those union presidents , Local 132 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year when he threatened to bus in hundreds of people to San Luis Obispo with “ no social distancing in place ” to protest a policy proposal encouraging construction of all-electric buildings .
The protest , Hofmann warned city officials , would be “ potentially adding to this pandemic.
” SoCalGas and Clean Energy Fuels both declined to comment on the separate lawsuit against the Air Resources Board over its clean trucks regulation , deferring to the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition , which filed the suit .
The coalition says air board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural gas trucks , which don ’ t emit nearly as much hazardous air pollution as diesel vehicles but still contribute to climate change .
By focusing on a long-term transition to zero-emission electric trucks , the air board is missing an opportunity to reduce pollution more quickly with natural gas , the lawsuit argues .
“ We strongly believe that California can and should work on its short AND long term clean air goals simultaneously , ” coalition President Thomas Lawson said in an email .
“ We believe that the Advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed near-term smog-forming and [ greenhouse gas ] emission reductions.
” In a written statement after the regulation was approved , American Lung Assn .
President Harold Wimmer said the organization supports “ the widespread and rapid shift to zero-emission transportation as vital to improving lung health and saving lives.
” “ Too many low-income communities and communities of color are exposed to unhealthy air quality from the diesel truck traffic of nearby freeways , ports , warehouse distribution centers and other diesel hot spots , ” Wimmer said .
“ Everyone deserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Lung Association calls on other states to follow this lifesaving policy that moves the trucking sector toward zero-emission solutions.
” SoCalGas gave more than $ 50,000 last year to the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition , newly released disclosure forms show .
The company also gave $ 222,000 to the pro-gas advocacy group Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions , which it helped create , and $ 24,000 to a nonprofit associated with the California Restaurant Assn.
, which sued the city of Berkeley over its first-in-the-state gas ban .

Southern California Gas Co. is taking its battle with state officials over climate change policy to court, arguing in a new lawsuit that the California Energy Commission has failed to promote natural gas as required by state law.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court, is the latest attempt by SoCalGas to shield itself against efforts to phase out gas, a planet-warming fossil fuel used for heating, cooking and power generation. The company, which maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles and is owned by Sempra Energy of San Diego, took in $4.5 billion in operating revenue last year.
A separate lawsuit was filed last week against the state’s Air Resources Board by the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, whose two “charter members” are SoCalGas and Clean Energy Fuels Corp., which joined the gas company in its lawsuit against the Energy Commission. This lawsuit seeks to overturn the newly approved “advanced clean trucks” rule, which is aimed at putting 300,000 zero-emission trucks on the road by 2035.
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The legal actions are part of a growing effort by leading players in the natural gas industry to defend themselves as public support increases for aggressive policies to wind down the burning of fossil fuels, not just in California but across the country.
Some clean energy advocates once embraced gas as a “bridge fuel” that could help economies transition from more polluting fuels, particularly coal, to renewables such as solar and wind power.
But climate emissions from gas are now rising faster than coal emissions are falling, according to the Global Carbon Project. Scientists have increasingly found that continued reliance on gas is incompatible with avoiding the worst effects of climate change, including more devastating wildfires, storms and heat waves.
“What you have coming up is a really big year for deciding the fate of gas in California,” said Panama Bartholomy, director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, an advocacy group that supports replacing gas appliances with electric alternatives. “And I think this is SoCalGas really starting to feel the pressure.”
SoCalGas is America’s largest gas utility, serving 21.8 million customers from the San Joaquin Valley to the U.S.-Mexico border. It operates in a state whose ambitious climate change policies include a requirement for 100% clean electricity by 2045 and a goal of reducing planet-warming carbon emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.
The company says its pipelines have an important role to play in the clean energy transition. It has argued that trucks and buses powered by natural gas are less polluting than smog-spewing diesel vehicles and that gas heating and cooking help keep energy affordable.
Advertisement
It has also touted the possibility of replacing some of the fossil gas in its pipelines with cleaner fuels such as renewable gas or hydrogen, although there are big questions surrounding the cost, availability and environmental impacts of those fuels.
“Natural gas and renewable gas are clean, affordable, resilient, and reliable sources of energy on which millions of California consumers and businesses depend,” the company’s lawsuit against the Energy Commission states. “Natural gas has played a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.”
Southern California Gas Co.’s Line 235, which carries gas toward the Los Angeles area, runs through the desert near Newberry Springs, California. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The lawsuit claims state officials are flouting a law requiring them to consider the role gas might play in reducing emissions.
In 2013, lawmakers overwhelmingly approved Assembly Bill 1257, known as the Natural Gas Act. The bill, which was signed into law by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, required the Energy Commission to “identify strategies to maximize the benefits obtained from natural gas as an energy source” every four years.
The commission followed through in 2015, releasing a 120-page report on natural gas. But SoCalGas says the commission failed to meet its obligation in 2019, when instead of a full-fledged report it issued a 22-page appendix to a larger energy policy document.
The lawsuit described the slimmed-down report as “incomplete and legally deficient.”
“Appendix A nominally addressed some of the issues required by statute, but only in the context of phasing out and minimizing the use of natural gas,” the lawsuit argues. “Contrary to the Natural Gas Act, the draft appendix did not ‘identify strategies and options’ to maximize the benefits of natural gas and renewable gas.”
Climate & Environment California ditched coal. The gas company is worried it’s next Southern California Gas is engaged in a wide-ranging campaign to preserve the role of its pipelines in powering society.
The Energy Commission declined to comment on the pending litigation.
But the commission wrote in the disputed report that the 22-page appendix “meets the requirements of Assembly Bill 1257.” The appendix describes the role gas has played in the clean energy transition thus far and lists steps the agency has taken to support its use. The document also includes discussion of renewable gas, as required by AB 1257.
What’s not in dispute is that state officials have taken steps to promote “building electrification,” the idea of replacing gas-fueled space heaters, water heaters and stoves with electric alternatives such as heat pumps and induction cooktops.
The Energy Commission approved new efficiency rules, which took effect this year, that make it easier for developers to build all-electric homes with no gas lines. The agency has also approved 21 city- and county-level energy codes that require or encourage developers to build all-electric homes.
Environmental groups say transitioning to all-electric buildings and transportation is the best strategy for reducing emissions in part because California’s power supply keeps getting cleaner. The Energy Commission reported last month that 63% of the state’s retail electricity supply in 2019 came from carbon-free sources.
With regulators increasingly frowning on natural gas, the industry may be looking to the political arena for support.
In a letter last month to Marybel Batjer, president of the state’s Public Utilities Commission, three Democratic lawmakers wrote that all-electric buildings “may appear to be good policy, but for families and individuals who are living paycheck to paycheck, a balanced and more affordable approach is needed.”
“The discussion of electrification and its impacts has been growing in recent years in the Legislature, but we are unaware of any specific policy decisions or laws that declare ‘electrification’ as the exclusive policy of the state,” wrote state Assembly members Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) and Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park).
Construction manager Chris Smith shows off an induction cooktop at an all-electric, solar-powered town home development being built by City Ventures in Bellflower in 2019. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Some experts disagree about gas being the most affordable option. In a recent report for the Energy Commission, the consulting firm E3 concluded that renewable gas is so much more expensive than fossil gas, and its availability so much more uncertain, that all-electric buildings are “likely to be a lower-cost, lower-risk long-term strategy” for reducing climate pollution.
Joining SoCalGas in its lawsuit against the Energy Commission is Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a Newport Beach-based company that owns natural gas fueling stations and was co-founded by the late oil magnate T. Boone Pickens. Company spokeswoman Raleigh Gerber said in a written statement that while Clean Energy Fuels supports California’s climate goals, “achieving those goals does not require minimizing the role of natural gas.”
Also joining the lawsuit were three chapters of the Utility Workers Union of America, collectively representing over 4,000 SoCalGas employees.
“Is the position we take in this lawsuit a defense of the jobs, of the work our members, and allied union workers in the pipe trades, building and construction trades, manufacturing and services do every day? You bet,” the presidents of UWUA Locals 132, 483 and 522 said in a written statement.
One of those union presidents, Local 132’s Eric Hofmann, faced criticism this year when he threatened to bus in hundreds of people to San Luis Obispo with “no social distancing in place” to protest a policy proposal encouraging construction of all-electric buildings. The protest, Hofmann warned city officials, would be “potentially adding to this pandemic.”
SoCalGas and Clean Energy Fuels both declined to comment on the separate lawsuit against the Air Resources Board over its clean trucks regulation, deferring to the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, which filed the suit.
The coalition says air board officials should have incentivized the use of natural gas trucks, which don’t emit nearly as much hazardous air pollution as diesel vehicles but still contribute to climate change. By focusing on a long-term transition to zero-emission electric trucks, the air board is missing an opportunity to reduce pollution more quickly with natural gas, the lawsuit argues.
“We strongly believe that California can and should work on its short AND long term clean air goals simultaneously,” coalition President Thomas Lawson said in an email. “We believe that the Advanced Clean Truck regulation does not deliver much needed near-term smog-forming and [greenhouse gas] emission reductions.”
Clean air advocates disagree.
In a written statement after the regulation was approved, American Lung Assn. President Harold Wimmer said the organization supports “the widespread and rapid shift to zero-emission transportation as vital to improving lung health and saving lives.”
“Too many low-income communities and communities of color are exposed to unhealthy air quality from the diesel truck traffic of nearby freeways, ports, warehouse distribution centers and other diesel hot spots,” Wimmer said. “Everyone deserves to breathe clean and healthy air, and the Lung Association calls on other states to follow this lifesaving policy that moves the trucking sector toward zero-emission solutions.”
SoCalGas gave more than $50,000 last year to the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, newly released disclosure forms show. The company also gave $222,000 to the pro-gas advocacy group Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions, which it helped create, and $24,000 to a nonprofit associated with the California Restaurant Assn., which sued the city of Berkeley over its first-in-the-state gas ban.


latimes--2020-08-04--A wild party at Muholland Drive mansion, a deadly shooting and fears of COVID-19 spread

What started as a massive , boisterous party held in defiance of coronavirus-related health orders ended in gunfire early Tuesday , leaving one woman dead , four other people injured and raising new concerns about private gatherings as a way of spreading COVID-19 .
The shooting was reported about 12:45 a.m. , hours after Los Angeles police were first called to the home in the 13200 block of Mulholland Drive following numerous complaints from neighbors about the size of the gathering after buses were seen dropping off partygoers .
LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez said officers found two women and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars and nightclubs closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic , health officials have expressed concern about private parties being held in upscale neighborhoods .
The LAPD has reported receiving an increase in calls about large , illicit parties in the Hollywood Hills in particular .
When asked about the incident during a briefing Tuesday , California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the party sounded “ like a high-risk experience for those who were there and , frankly , for the loved ones that they go home to.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local partners to help ensure compliance with coronavirus-related health orders and that any issues need to be addressed head-on .
“ I hope that we continue to have our local partners not just saying and reminding people of the message , but enforcing public health orders — not just the state public health orders , but the orders at the local level that I know , in L.A. County , are strong as well , ” Ghaly said .
Three of the victims were hit by gunfire according to the Los Angeles Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hospitals in critical or grave condition .
A 35-year-old woman later died , police said .
The other two were stable , officials said .
Two more people were injured in the incident , authorities said , but it was unclear how .
One woman went to a hospital on her own , and a man was taken to a hospital from nearby , according to Ramirez .
Both have since been discharged .
Ramirez said the shooting is considered a gang-related homicide .
Social media activity , in part , led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity , he added .
No arrests have been made .
Videos from the mansion posted on social media appear to capture bursts of gunfire .
About 200 people were at the party in the Beverly Crest mansion when police first entered about 7 p.m .
Although officers cited and impounded some vehicles that were illegally parked , they did not break up the party — even though gatherings of any size are prohibited under Los Angeles County ’ s coronavirus health order .
“ When the officers arrived , they did notice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vehicles kind of blocking , double-parked and stuff , stacked on the roadway , ” Ramirez said during a morning media briefing .
“ At that point , the officers met with the responsible party and security officers at that location .
They were able to get their compliance , to help get the people back into the private party , and at the same time , did some enforcement.
” Video broadcast by KCAL-TV showed dozens of people on the mansion ’ s terrace .
Some danced , while others socialized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officers were went to a raging house party with more than 100 people that ended when a partygoer accidentally shot himself in the groin .
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion said she suffered “ gunshot wounds ” outside a Hollywood Hills mansion in July — though an LAPD account of the incident made no mention of her being struck by gunfire and referred only to her suffering a foot injury .
The department is continuing to investigate that incident .
Sheila Irani , a member of the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noise violations in the hills since coronavirus restrictions were put in place .
“ Since COVID , they ’ ve moved all the parties to the hills , ” she said .
“ The kids are going stir crazy.
” She said fines , threats by the city and other sanctions don ’ t seem to deter some property owners .
In her neighborhood , residents have taken to bombarding property management companies with complaints and trying to pressure short-term rental firms into delisting properties .
In 2018 , the Los Angeles City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Ryu , who represents Hollywood Hills , that imposed fines on both party hosts and homeowners .
After the May shooting , Ryu said he was looking at expanding the ordinance to crack down on those who continue to flout the law and put others at risk .
“ This has always been dangerous , but during a pandemic , it is especially selfish and stupid , ” he said .
“ This is no longer a standard-of-life issue ; it ’ s a standard-of-health issue .
Whether it ’ s by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of physical distancing rules , we must crack down on these parties and hold party hosts and homeowners accountable.
” The Los Angeles city attorney ’ s office has said homeowners with a history of renting to partygoers will face more than a slap on the wrist .
“ The consequences can range from a citation up to criminal prosecution and six months in jail .
Those consequences don ’ t just apply to the person throwing the party ; it can apply to ... the homeowner , ” said Ethan Weaver , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If your house has been cited for a party violation in the past , you as a property owner can be held responsible , even if you are not present .
”

Luke Money, Richard Winton, Leila Miller

Three people were shot, one fatally, at a party at a home on Mulholland Drive where police had investigated a disturbance hours earlier.
What started as a massive, boisterous party held in defiance of coronavirus-related health orders ended in gunfire early Tuesday, leaving one woman dead, four other people injured and raising new concerns about private gatherings as a way of spreading COVID-19.
The shooting was reported about 12:45 a.m., hours after Los Angeles police were first called to the home in the 13200 block of Mulholland Drive following numerous complaints from neighbors about the size of the gathering after buses were seen dropping off partygoers.
For the record: An earlier version of this article misidentified the location where officers were called to a house party on Mulholland Drive. Police were called to a home in the 13200 block of Mulholland Drive, not the 1300 block.
LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez said officers found two women and a man suffering from gunshot wounds.
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People who attended the party last night watch from Mulholland Drive as LAPD Police investigate a shooting at a home on 13200 Mulholland Drive in the Beverly Crest area of Los Angeles. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
With bars and nightclubs closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials have expressed concern about private parties being held in upscale neighborhoods. The LAPD has reported receiving an increase in calls about large, illicit parties in the Hollywood Hills in particular.
When asked about the incident during a briefing Tuesday, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the party sounded “like a high-risk experience for those who were there and, frankly, for the loved ones that they go home to.”
He added that the state depends on its local partners to help ensure compliance with coronavirus-related health orders and that any issues need to be addressed head-on.
“I hope that we continue to have our local partners not just saying and reminding people of the message, but enforcing public health orders — not just the state public health orders, but the orders at the local level that I know, in L.A. County, are strong as well,” Ghaly said.
Aerial view of a large house party on Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest, where three people were shot. (KTLA)
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Three of the victims were hit by gunfire, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. All the victims were taken to hospitals in critical or grave condition. A 35-year-old woman later died, police said. The other two were stable, officials said.
Two more people were injured in the incident, authorities said, but it was unclear how. One woman went to a hospital on her own, and a man was taken to a hospital from nearby, according to Ramirez. Both have since been discharged.
Ramirez said the shooting is considered a gang-related homicide. Social media activity, in part, led detectives to tie the shooting to gang activity, he added.
A vehicle departs the shooting scene at 13200 Mulholland Drive in the Beverly Crest area of Los Angeles. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
No arrests have been made.
Videos from the mansion posted on social media appear to capture bursts of gunfire.
About 200 people were at the party in the Beverly Crest mansion when police first entered about 7 p.m. Although officers cited and impounded some vehicles that were illegally parked, they did not break up the party — even though gatherings of any size are prohibited under Los Angeles County’s coronavirus health order.
“When the officers arrived, they did notice large amounts of people on the roadway and vehicles kind of blocking, double-parked and stuff, stacked on the roadway,” Ramirez said during a morning media briefing.
“At that point, the officers met with the responsible party and security officers at that location. They were able to get their compliance, to help get the people back into the private party, and at the same time, did some enforcement.”
Video broadcast by KCAL-TV showed dozens of people on the mansion’s terrace. Some danced, while others socialized in a swimming pool.
In May, officers went to a raging house party with more than 100 people that ended when a partygoer accidentally shot himself in the groin.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion said she suffered “gunshot wounds” outside a Hollywood Hills mansion in July — though an LAPD account of the incident made no mention of her being struck by gunfire and referred only to her suffering a foot injury. The department is continuing to investigate that incident.
Sheila Irani, a member of the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council, said police are constantly responding to calls for noise violations in the hills since coronavirus restrictions were put in place.
“Since COVID, they’ve moved all the parties to the hills,” she said. “The kids are going stir crazy.”
She said fines, threats by the city and other sanctions don’t seem to deter some property owners. In her neighborhood, residents have taken to bombarding property management companies with complaints and trying to pressure short-term rental firms into delisting properties.
In 2018, the Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance proposed by Councilman David Ryu, who represents Hollywood Hills, that imposed fines on both party hosts and homeowners.
After the May shooting, Ryu said he was looking at expanding the ordinance to crack down on those who continue to flout the law and put others at risk.
“This has always been dangerous, but during a pandemic, it is especially selfish and stupid,” he said. “This is no longer a standard-of-life issue; it’s a standard-of-health issue. Whether it’s by expanding the party-house law or stronger enforcement of physical distancing rules, we must crack down on these parties and hold party hosts and homeowners accountable.”
The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has said homeowners with a history of renting to partygoers will face more than a slap on the wrist.
“The consequences can range from a citation up to criminal prosecution and six months in jail. Those consequences don’t just apply to the person throwing the party; it can apply to ... the homeowner,” said Ethan Weaver, the office’s Hollywood-area prosecutor.
“If your house has been cited for a party violation in the past, you as a property owner can be held responsible, even if you are not present.”