latimes--2020-03-03--Coronavirus stalks the aged and infirm, who face the most serious, lethal risk

After the novel coronavirus broke out not far from her Northern California home , Christina Arnold began to worry about herself and her two teenage sons .
All three are asthmatic , putting them at a higher risk of death if they were to contract the virus .
“ I try to keep my paranoia inside , under control , ” she said Monday , as the U.S. death toll from the disease rose to six , all in Washington state .
“ I don ’ t want to show my kids I ’ m scared because there is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the virus continues its spread and many Americans become more anxious , health officials agree on one point : COVID-19 is not indiscriminate .
Senior public health officials continue to stress that coronavirus does not represent a serious threat to most people .
“ The risk is low , ” said Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
But while a healthy adult might contract the rapidly spreading illness with little more than a cough or runny nose , the elderly and those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a serious infection or even death .
Four fatal cases now linked to a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland , Wash. , highlight that the virus is particularly vicious to those past middle age , especially if they have a chronic ailment such as high blood pressure or obesity .
The latest casualties included a man and woman in their 70s and a woman in her 80s , from the same nursing home that was connected to a fatality last week .
Dozens more residents have respiratory symptoms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Older populations of people and people with health conditions may have much bigger problems , ” Tom Frieden , former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said during a news briefing Monday .
He added that in the United States , about 60 % of adults have an underlying condition that could affect the severity of the coronavirus .
The reality of who the virus kills — and how to best contain it — is of growing concern as COVID-19 cases begin to pop up across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertainty as actual illness .
Health officials reported Monday evening that the number of domestic cases of coronavirus is now 105 , about half of whom were repatriated after contracting the disease abroad .
But 43 cases have been discovered in the U.S. , mostly in Washington and California .
And 26 of those are not travel-related , but were contracted through contacts with others in the community .
Faced with the growing numbers of cases without a known cause , dozens of businesses and organizations have canceled events or restricted travel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees to work remotely , and Uber said the virus posed a threat to its business .
Though the stock market rallied after a sharp decline on Monday , the virus continued to exact a toll on everyday life .
In Washington , where the outbreak has hit hardest and continues to grow , Gov .
Jay Inslee said that residents “ should begin to think about avoiding large events and assemblies.
” Experts called the virus “ unprecedented ” and warned it will continue to spread in coming days .
But just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly faces the most peril beyond the elderly — is not yet clear .
Chronic conditions like diabetes and heart problems have been linked to more dire outcomes , as have acute illnesses such as cancer .
Smoking can add to the severity of a coronavirus as well , researchers said .
“ It ’ s evolving quickly , so what I tell you today , we could learn a lot more in the next week , ” said Stephanie Christenson , a pulmonary specialist at UC San Francisco .
“ All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a paper that detailed more than 70,000 instances of coronavirus there .
It found that , in confirmed cases , the virus killed nearly 15 % of those older than 80 , compared with about 2 % for overall confirmed infections of COVID-19 .
Researchers also saw higher fatality rates for people with cardiovascular disease , diabetes , chronic respiratory disease , hypertension and cancer .
Jeffrey Klausner , a professor of medicine and public health at UCLA , warned that preliminary data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they depend on rates of confirmed cases , largely treated in medical facilities .
He said that a broader look at all cases , including those not severe enough to warrant intervention , could lower the rate of fatalities .
Peter Beilenson , health officer for Sacramento County , where the country ’ s first community case of the virus is being treated at UC Davis Medical Center , added that , “ a healthy 72-year-old is not at as great a risk as an unhealthy 72-year-old.
” “ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lung function , ” said George Rutherford , an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco , explaining why the disease hits some harder than others .
“ You basically have accumulated decades of air pollution , secondhand smoke , ” Rutherford said .
“ The lungs of an 80-year-old aren ’ t the lungs of a 20-year-old.
” Most health experts say that , despite their increased risk , vulnerable groups should adapt only minor lifestyle changes : hand washing , avoiding sick people , limiting foreign travel .
CDC director Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel advisories for travel within the United States , though U.S. authorities have placed restrictions on travel to China , Italy and other countries with large outbreaks .
For those with chronic conditions that require medications , Frieden and others urge getting a reserve supply .
“ It is possible there will be shortages , ” said Frieden , who pointed out that many ingredients for common medications come from China , which is struggling to keep its supply chain moving .
Klausner and others also warn that economic vulnerabilities including homelessness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack basic sanitation , could affect the spread of the virus .
Others pointed to confined systems like jails and nursing homes as potential sites for outbreaks .
Nearly all experts agreed that nursing homes would continue to pose risks .
Meanwhile , workers such as healthcare employees and first responders face an elevated risk of exposure , even if they are not at high risk of critical infections .
In the Sacramento confirmed case , more than 120 staff at UC Davis Medical Center , where the patient is being treated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible exposure , according to the California Nurses Assn .
In Seattle , more than 25 firefighters are quarantined after responding to the nursing home where the fatalities occurred .
A separate group of firefighters was quarantined Monday in Orange County after another possible exposure .
Despite concerns for some vulnerable populations , children seem to be one group that isn ’ t being hit with severe cases .
“ For reasons we don ’ t understand , children don ’ t seem to get severely ill with it , ” Frieden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mild cases could represent a risk if they are unknown carriers of the disease , potentially passing it to others without ever being diagnosed .
“ It may be going round particularly in children and only being noted when it [ gets ] to older people , ” said James Cherry , an expert in pediatric infectious diseases at UCLA Geffen School of Medicine .
For Arnold , the mother with asthmatic sons , she plans on keeping life as normal as possible for now .
Her family “ still has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continues to go to the gym , the movies and the beach , despite the worry .
“ Your best bet is just washing your hands , ” she said .

Anita Chabria, Richard Read, Noam N. Levey

After the novel coronavirus broke out not far from her Northern California home, Christina Arnold began to worry about herself and her two teenage sons.
All three are asthmatic, putting them at a higher risk of death if they were to contract the virus.
“I try to keep my paranoia inside, under control,” she said Monday, as the U.S. death toll from the disease rose to six, all in Washington state. “I don’t want to show my kids I’m scared because there is not much we can do about it.”
Advertisement
As the virus continues its spread and many Americans become more anxious, health officials agree on one point: COVID-19 is not indiscriminate. Senior public health officials continue to stress that coronavirus does not represent a serious threat to most people.
“The risk is low,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
But while a healthy adult might contract the rapidly spreading illness with little more than a cough or runny nose, the elderly and those with certain medical conditions are at greater risk for a serious infection or even death.
Four fatal cases now linked to a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Wash., highlight that the virus is particularly vicious to those past middle age, especially if they have a chronic ailment such as high blood pressure or obesity. The latest casualties included a man and woman in their 70s and a woman in her 80s, from the same nursing home that was connected to a fatality last week. Dozens more residents have respiratory symptoms and are being tested for the virus.
“Older populations of people and people with health conditions may have much bigger problems,” Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a news briefing Monday. He added that in the United States, about 60% of adults have an underlying condition that could affect the severity of the coronavirus.
The reality of who the virus kills — and how to best contain it — is of growing concern as COVID-19 cases begin to pop up across the country, carrying as much fear and economic uncertainty as actual illness.
Health officials reported Monday evening that the number of domestic cases of coronavirus is now 105, about half of whom were repatriated after contracting the disease abroad. But 43 cases have been discovered in the U.S., mostly in Washington and California. And 26 of those are not travel-related, but were contracted through contacts with others in the community.
Advertisement
Faced with the growing numbers of cases without a known cause, dozens of businesses and organizations have canceled events or restricted travel for employees. Late Monday, Twitter urged employees to work remotely, and Uber said the virus posed a threat to its business.
Though the stock market rallied after a sharp decline on Monday, the virus continued to exact a toll on everyday life. In Washington, where the outbreak has hit hardest and continues to grow, Gov. Jay Inslee said that residents “should begin to think about avoiding large events and assemblies.”
Experts called the virus “unprecedented” and warned it will continue to spread in coming days. But just how deadly it is — and who exactly faces the most peril beyond the elderly — is not yet clear. Chronic conditions like diabetes and heart problems have been linked to more dire outcomes, as have acute illnesses such as cancer. Smoking can add to the severity of a coronavirus as well, researchers said.
“It’s evolving quickly, so what I tell you today, we could learn a lot more in the next week,” said Stephanie Christenson, a pulmonary specialist at UC San Francisco. “All of this is kind of changing.”
China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a paper that detailed more than 70,000 instances of coronavirus there. It found that, in confirmed cases, the virus killed nearly 15% of those older than 80, compared with about 2% for overall confirmed infections of COVID-19. Researchers also saw higher fatality rates for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension and cancer.
Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of medicine and public health at UCLA, warned that preliminary data might not present a fully accurate picture because they depend on rates of confirmed cases, largely treated in medical facilities. He said that a broader look at all cases, including those not severe enough to warrant intervention, could lower the rate of fatalities.
Peter Beilenson, health officer for Sacramento County, where the country’s first community case of the virus is being treated at UC Davis Medical Center, added that, “a healthy 72-year-old is not at as great a risk as an unhealthy 72-year-old.”
“It’s about lung function and the compromise of lung function,” said George Rutherford, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, explaining why the disease hits some harder than others.
“You basically have accumulated decades of air pollution, secondhand smoke,” Rutherford said. “The lungs of an 80-year-old aren’t the lungs of a 20-year-old.”
Most health experts say that, despite their increased risk, vulnerable groups should adapt only minor lifestyle changes: hand washing, avoiding sick people, limiting foreign travel.
CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said that there are no travel advisories for travel within the United States, though U.S. authorities have placed restrictions on travel to China, Italy and other countries with large outbreaks.
For those with chronic conditions that require medications, Frieden and others urge getting a reserve supply. “It is possible there will be shortages,” said Frieden, who pointed out that many ingredients for common medications come from China, which is struggling to keep its supply chain moving.
Klausner and others also warn that economic vulnerabilities including homelessness, where people live in close quarters and lack basic sanitation, could affect the spread of the virus. Others pointed to confined systems like jails and nursing homes as potential sites for outbreaks. Nearly all experts agreed that nursing homes would continue to pose risks.
Meanwhile, workers such as healthcare employees and first responders face an elevated risk of exposure, even if they are not at high risk of critical infections.
In the Sacramento confirmed case, more than 120 staff at UC Davis Medical Center, where the patient is being treated, have been asked to home quarantine after possible exposure, according to the California Nurses Assn.
In Seattle, more than 25 firefighters are quarantined after responding to the nursing home where the fatalities occurred. A separate group of firefighters was quarantined Monday in Orange County after another possible exposure.
Despite concerns for some vulnerable populations, children seem to be one group that isn’t being hit with severe cases.
“For reasons we don’t understand, children don’t seem to get severely ill with it,” Frieden said.
But some medical experts said children’s mild cases could represent a risk if they are unknown carriers of the disease, potentially passing it to others without ever being diagnosed.
“It may be going round particularly in children and only being noted when it [gets] to older people,” said James Cherry, an expert in pediatric infectious diseases at UCLA Geffen School of Medicine.
For Arnold, the mother with asthmatic sons, she plans on keeping life as normal as possible for now. Her family “still has to get on with their lives” and continues to go to the gym, the movies and the beach, despite the worry.
“Your best bet is just washing your hands,” she said.
Times staff writer Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-03--L.A. County voters: Baffled by those other races on your ballot? Here's a rundown

The battle for the Democratic nomination for president has been the biggest focus for many voters this Super Tuesday .
But in Los Angeles , voters are also weighing in on a slew of local candidates and issues .
Los Angeles Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey is seeking to fend off two challengers emblematic of a nationwide movement to elect more-progressive prosecutors — former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascon and public defender Rachel Rossi — in what has been billed as one of the most important law enforcement elections in the country .
The race is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ready to embrace a model of criminal justice policy that is focused more heavily on rehabilitation than punishment .
Gascon coauthored Proposition 47 — the controversial law that reduced a number of felonies to misdemeanors — and has been a leading figure in the push to divert defendants in low-level and nonviolent crimes to receive services rather than prison .
Rossi has run on a platform calling for prosecutors to stop criminalizing homeless and mentally ill defendants .
Lacey , the two-term incumbent , is the most experienced candidate and is seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime ” style of prosecutor .
She has also advocated on behalf of mentally ill defendants through a number of diversion programs during her tenure , but she is often criticized for her office ’ s refusal to charge police officers in questionable use-of-force cases .
Seven candidates are seeking to replace outgoing county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in a district that stretches from Culver City to Carson : attorney Jake Jeong ; state Sen. Holly Mitchell ; social entrepreneur Jorge Nuño ; former L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry ; business owner René Rigard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson .
Homelessness , rising housing prices and gentrification are the dominant issues in the district , which has the largest homeless population in the county .
County Supervisors Janice Hahn , whose district includes the South Bay and San Pedro and stretches east to Diamond Bar , and Kathryn Barger , whose vast district includes Lancaster , Santa Clarita , San Dimas and Pasadena , are campaigning to keep their seats on the board .
Hahn is being challenged by attorney Desiree T. Washington , while Barger is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sierra Madre Mayor John C. Harabedian .
Several seats are in play on the Los Angeles City Council .
In a Crenshaw-to-Koreatown district , voters could decide who will replace termed-out Councilman Herb Wesson .
Longtime county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is widely seen as a front-runner in that race , which pits him against former city commissioner Aura Vasquez , attorney Grace Yoo , community activist Channing Martinez and activist Melvin Snell .
Rivals of Ridley-Thomas have been running to his left , calling for such measures as free bus and train fares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. L.A. voters are also weighing in on who will replace termed-out Councilman Jose Huizar , who represents an Eastside district that reaches from downtown to Eagle Rock .
Former state Senate leader Kevin de León is vying for the seat , along with former marketing executive Cyndi Otteson , high school counselor Raquel Zamora , school board member Mónica García and educational nonprofit founder John Jimenez .
De León , who has dominated fundraising in the race , has touted his work in Sacramento to protect the environment and immigrants , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pledge to serve his full term if elected .
In another district that stretches from Sherman Oaks across the Hollywood Hills to Silver Lake , Councilman David Ryu is fighting to keep his seat against screenwriter Sarah Kate Levy and nonprofit leader Nithya Raman , who argue the councilman has fallen short in efforts to fight homelessness .
And in the northwestern stretches of the San Fernando Valley , Councilman John Lee is facing a rematch against college educator Loraine Lundquist , who lost to Lee in a special election last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats are hoping a bigger turnout will boost Lundquist , who is a Democrat , in her bid against Lee , who switched from Republican to no party preference .
Council members Paul Krekorian and Nury Martinez , who represent parts of the San Fernando Valley , are also seeking reelection on Tuesday , as is Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson , whose district covers part of South Los Angeles .
Krekorian is facing attorney Ayinde Jones and artist Rudy Melendez ; Martinez is running against music studio owner Bill Haller and community advocate Benny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , none of Harris-Dawson ’ s challengers made it onto the ballot , but three have qualified as write-in candidates .
Four out of the seven seats on the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education are in play .
Those races could swing the direction of the district : whether it becomes more or less willing to authorize new charter schools or to push for priorities of the teachers union , such as higher salaries and increased school staffing .
Charter supporters and the union have spent heavily on the race .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their seats .
A fourth seat , representing South L.A. to the L.A. Harbor , is open because board President Richard Vladovic will be retiring due to term limits .
Los Angeles County voters will also decide whether to pass Measure R , which would secure power for the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to subpoena witnesses and documents during their investigations .
It would also authorize the commission to develop a plan to reduce jail population and reinvest savings into other preventative services .
And voters will weigh in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help fund the L.A. County Fire Department .
Only voters who live in areas served by the county Fire Department , which include unincorporated county areas and 58 cities that contract with the county for fire protection and emergency services , can cast ballots on the measure .
Times staff writers David Zahniser and Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report .

Emily Alpert Reyes, James Queally, Dakota Smith, Howard Blume

The battle for the Democratic nomination for president has been the biggest focus for many voters this Super Tuesday. But in Los Angeles, voters are also weighing in on a slew of local candidates and issues.
District attorney
Los Angeles Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey is seeking to fend off two challengers emblematic of a nationwide movement to elect more-progressive prosecutors — former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascon and public defender Rachel Rossi — in what has been billed as one of the most important law enforcement elections in the country. The race is considered a test of whether Los Angeles is ready to embrace a model of criminal justice policy that is focused more heavily on rehabilitation than punishment.
Advertisement
Gascon coauthored Proposition 47 — the controversial law that reduced a number of felonies to misdemeanors — and has been a leading figure in the push to divert defendants in low-level and nonviolent crimes to receive services rather than prison. Rossi has run on a platform calling for prosecutors to stop criminalizing homeless and mentally ill defendants.
Lacey, the two-term incumbent, is the most experienced candidate and is seen as the more traditional “tough on crime” style of prosecutor. She has also advocated on behalf of mentally ill defendants through a number of diversion programs during her tenure, but she is often criticized for her office’s refusal to charge police officers in questionable use-of-force cases.
County supervisors
Seven candidates are seeking to replace outgoing county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in a district that stretches from Culver City to Carson: attorney Jake Jeong; state Sen. Holly Mitchell; social entrepreneur Jorge Nuño; former L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry; business owner René Rigard; Carson Mayor Albert Robles; and L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson. Homelessness, rising housing prices and gentrification are the dominant issues in the district, which has the largest homeless population in the county.
County Supervisors Janice Hahn, whose district includes the South Bay and San Pedro and stretches east to Diamond Bar, and Kathryn Barger, whose vast district includes Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Dimas and Pasadena, are campaigning to keep their seats on the board. Hahn is being challenged by attorney Desiree T. Washington, while Barger is facing off with educator Darrell Park and Sierra Madre Mayor John C. Harabedian.
Los Angeles City Council
Advertisement
Several seats are in play on the Los Angeles City Council. In a Crenshaw-to-Koreatown district, voters could decide who will replace termed-out Councilman Herb Wesson.
Longtime county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is widely seen as a front-runner in that race, which pits him against former city commissioner Aura Vasquez, attorney Grace Yoo, community activist Channing Martinez and activist Melvin Snell. Rivals of Ridley-Thomas have been running to his left, calling for such measures as free bus and train fares and new restrictions on oil drilling in L.A.
L.A. voters are also weighing in on who will replace termed-out Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents an Eastside district that reaches from downtown to Eagle Rock.
Former state Senate leader Kevin de León is vying for the seat, along with former marketing executive Cyndi Otteson, high school counselor Raquel Zamora, school board member Mónica García and educational nonprofit founder John Jimenez.
De León, who has dominated fundraising in the race, has touted his work in Sacramento to protect the environment and immigrants, but has faced criticism for refusing to sign a pledge to serve his full term if elected.
In another district that stretches from Sherman Oaks across the Hollywood Hills to Silver Lake, Councilman David Ryu is fighting to keep his seat against screenwriter Sarah Kate Levy and nonprofit leader Nithya Raman, who argue the councilman has fallen short in efforts to fight homelessness.
And in the northwestern stretches of the San Fernando Valley, Councilman John Lee is facing a rematch against college educator Loraine Lundquist, who lost to Lee in a special election last year. Although the race is nonpartisan, Democrats are hoping a bigger turnout will boost Lundquist, who is a Democrat, in her bid against Lee, who switched from Republican to no party preference.
Council members Paul Krekorian and Nury Martinez, who represent parts of the San Fernando Valley, are also seeking reelection on Tuesday, as is Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, whose district covers part of South Los Angeles.
Krekorian is facing attorney Ayinde Jones and artist Rudy Melendez; Martinez is running against music studio owner Bill Haller and community advocate Benny Bernal. In the South L.A. race, none of Harris-Dawson’s challengers made it onto the ballot, but three have qualified as write-in candidates.
School board
Four out of the seven seats on the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education are in play. Those races could swing the direction of the district: whether it becomes more or less willing to authorize new charter schools or to push for priorities of the teachers union, such as higher salaries and increased school staffing. Charter supporters and the union have spent heavily on the race.
Three union-leaning incumbents want to hold on to their seats. A fourth seat, representing South L.A. to the L.A. Harbor, is open because board President Richard Vladovic will be retiring due to term limits.
County ballot measures
Los Angeles County voters will also decide whether to pass Measure R, which would secure power for the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to subpoena witnesses and documents during their investigations. It would also authorize the commission to develop a plan to reduce jail population and reinvest savings into other preventative services.
And voters will weigh in on Measure FD, a parcel tax to help fund the L.A. County Fire Department. Only voters who live in areas served by the county Fire Department, which include unincorporated county areas and 58 cities that contract with the county for fire protection and emergency services, can cast ballots on the measure.
Times staff writers David Zahniser and Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-03--Coronavirus deaths in U.S. increase as officials send alarms about spread

As three more deaths in the United States were linked to the coronavirus Tuesday , World Health Organization officials warned the virus could be far more dangerous than the flu , with a mortality rate of 3.4 % .
Public health officials confirmed a nursing home patient in Washington state was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Feb. 24 and died two days later .
The patient , a 54-year-old man who had underlying medical conditions , was transported from Life Care Center of Kirkland and died days before several other patients at the nursing home were linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gregg said .
The Seattle and King County Public Health Department on Tuesday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 , bringing the King County total to eight .
The other person who died was from Snohomish County , health officials said .
A North Carolina resident who visited the Kirkland facility has since tested positive for the virus , becoming that state ’ s first case of COVID-19 , Gov .
Roy Cooper announced Tuesday .
Health department officials in North Carolina are working to identify anyone else who may have come in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that people are worried about this virus and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared , ” Cooper said in a statement , noting that the person represents an isolated case .
New York City confirmed its first case of community spread coronavirus — the second case of the virus in the state .
The individual is a man in his 50s who lives in Westchester County but works at a law firm in Manhattan .
The man is hospitalized and in severe condition .
The global mortality rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — is many times higher than the mortality rate of the flu , which is less than 1 % .
WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that is at least partly because COVID-19 is a new disease , and no one has built up an immunity to it .
Still , Tedros reiterated the WHO ’ s belief that containment was still within reach .
“ We don ’ t even talk about containment for seasonal flu , ” Tedros said .
“ It ’ s just not possible , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have learned the coronavirus is less transmissible than the flu , which is often spread by people who are infected yet don ’ t have symptoms .
That doesn ’ t seem to be the case for COVID-19 , he said .
“ There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics , which is why we must do everything we can to contain it.
” Mike Ryan , who runs the agency ’ s emergencies program , pushed back against officials who wanted to “ wave the white flag ” and surrender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China took drastic steps to fight the virus , he said , and case numbers are now on the decline there .
Countries such as China and South Korea “ implemented very , very strong measures that have affected their own economies and their own societies , ” Ryan said .
“ It ’ s really a duty of others to use the time that has been bought .
“ That is not a reverse you can achieve with influenza .
If that is a failure , we ’ ll have slowed down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big benefit in slowing the virus ’ arrival in a country for a few months , Ryan said .
Many countries , including the U.S , are in the middle of flu season , so large numbers of coronavirus cases would overwhelm the health system .
In Italy , COVID-19 patients and flu patients are already stretching hospitals and healthcare facilities , he said .
Tedros said he ’ s concerned by shortages of masks , gowns and other equipment needed by healthcare workers to stop the spread of disease “ caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We can ’ t stop COVID-19 without protecting our health workers , ” said Tedros , noting that prices of surgical masks have increased sixfold .
Current information suggests that most COVID-19 cases are mild , said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases .
According to a report out of China , the most serious illnesses occur in 16 % of cases , she said , and older people and those with underlying health conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes .
Speaking during a media briefing Tuesday , Messonnier said that cases similar to those reported abroad were now appearing in the United States .
The CDC is relying on local health clinicians to determine testing needs .
In addition to CDC test kits , commercial manufacturers overseen by the Food and Drug Administration are providing tests directly to states .
These types of tests are typically what are on the front lines in the United States , Messonnier said .
Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that 77 cases of coronavius @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number excludes the 45 people who were passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and were repatriated to America , which brings the total to more than 120 .
Pence said that a task force will issue new guidance from teh CDC to make it clear that any American can be tested for the virus and no restrictions subject to doctor ’ s orders .
Commercial laboratories are expected to have 2,500 test kits available to provide 1.5 million tests .
And the Office of Management and Budget will direct all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adhere to State Department guidance .
“ The threat of the coronavirus to the American pubic remains low , ” Pence said .
Pence also said that chief executives of all major airlines are expected to meet at the White House Wednesday to discuss contact tracing data for the coronavirus .
The West Coast continues to bear the brunt of the illnesses in the U.S. , with the focus on Northern California and Washington .
At least five Northern California counties reported new cases of COVID-19 on Monday .
On Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case after an individual visited a country with an outbreak .
That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning .
“ While the risk of infection remains low , the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for , ” said Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez .
“ There are steps that all of us in the community can take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health received approval from the CDC and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to dip into its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N-95 face masks for medical workers on the front lines .
Though the flurry of positive test results in recent days does signal that the virus is circulating within the U.S. , experts advised the public to avoid reading too much into those numbers .
Until late last week , federal officials were not allowing widespread testing for the virus , so many people who were already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch .
“ Some of the numbers are changing because new things are happening , but a lot of the numbers are changing because we ’ re discovering things that have already happened , ” Lipsitch said in a forum Monday hosted by Harvard ’ s public health school .
“ It ’ s really important to distinguish ‘ Oh , goodness , there ’ s a new cluster ’ from ‘ Oh , goodness , we just discovered that there ’ s a cluster that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the virus spreads , officials are trying to push back against Asian American bias and misinformation surrounding the outbreak .
Amid signs that some are staying away from and other Asian communities in the U.S. , Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) sharply criticized the xenophobia that had been displayed toward ethnic communities .
“ We ’ ve also seen a rise in racism toward Asian Americans because the virus is associated with China , ” she said .
“ This is unconscionable , and it ’ s not the American way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ethnicities are susceptible to this disease .
Bigotry toward any one group for a virus they have nothing to do with makes no sense.
” Several areas in California have declared local emergencies amid the outbreak .
Sonoma County on Monday issued a declaration after announcing two people had been diagnosed with the virus .
One infected person returned from a cruise to Mexico 10 days ago and was hospitalized , but the case “ is a cause for concern , ” said county health officer Dr. Celeste Philip .
Declaring a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to respond properly to the outbreak as well as “ work in tandem with our cities and healthcare providers to ensure we are prepared to combat an outbreak of COVID-19 in our communities , ” Philip said in a statement .
Meanwhile , more COVID-19 cases were reported in Santa Clara County , bringing its total to 11 — the most of any California county .
The source of infection for the latest two cases , reported Tuesday , is still under investigation .
Many initial reports of COVID-19 have been among healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick patients .
Hundreds of healthcare workers in California have already been asked to stay home due to contact with patients diagnosed with the disease over the last few weeks .
On Monday , Placer County reported a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a healthcare worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville , where a COVID-19 patient had been admitted .
County spokeswoman Katie Combs Prichard said the medical worker , who lives in Placer County , came into contact with that patient and was likely infected by her .
Conferences in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scaled back amid fears of the virus , but the WHO ’ s Ryan said decisions to cancel mass gatherings , including sporting events , should be determined by a country ’ s leadership , based on how severe the outbreak is in their region .
Officials recently had a call with the International Olympic Committee to discuss the Summer Olympics scheduled in Tokyo and decided to continue monitoring the situation , with three months given before a decision must be made .
“ I have confidence in Japan that there will hopefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Deciding now could be too early.
” President Trump said Tuesday during a speech to the National Assn .
of Counties ’ legislative conference in Washington that he expected Congress would pass a special funding bill providing $ 8.5 billion — far more than he requested — to fight the spread of the illness in the United States .
“ It just shows you what can happen — six weeks ago , eight weeks ago , you never heard of this .
All of a sudden , it ’ s got the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting later while leaving the White House to visit the National Institutes of Health that he is looking at further international travel restrictions involving Italy , Japan and South Korea , but will not limit domestic travel .
Times staff writer Noah Bierman contributed to this report from Washington , D.C. Staff writer Read reported from Kirkland , Wash. Staff writers Shalby and Karlamangla reported from Los Angeles .

Richard Read, Soumya Karlamangla, Colleen Shalby

Santa Clara County has confirmed 11 cases of the novel coronavirus. Sara Cody, county director of public health, speaks at a news conference last week.
As three more deaths in the United States were linked to the coronavirus Tuesday, World Health Organization officials warned the virus could be far more dangerous than the flu, with a mortality rate of 3.4%.
During an off-camera news conference at the White House with the task force charged with overseeing the federal government’s response, Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, delivered a message to the American public:
“I want them to be prepared for the reality that ... there are going to be more cases in the community,” he said. “But I want them to continue their daily lives. I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.”
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Redfield said scientists did not have the data to predict the future spread.
“What we do know for sure is that in the right setting, it does have the potential to move quickly,” Redfield said. “When you think that just a couple of weeks ago there were less than three cases in Korea, now there’s 2,500.”
Public health officials confirmed a nursing home patient in Washington state was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Feb. 24 and died two days later. The patient, a 54-year-old man who had underlying medical conditions, was transported from Life Care Center of Kirkland and died days before several other patients at the nursing home were linked to the coronavirus, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
The Seattle and King County Public Health Department on Tuesday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19, bringing the King County total to eight. The other person who died was from Snohomish County, health officials said.
A North Carolina resident who visited the Kirkland facility has since tested positive for the virus, becoming that state’s first case of COVID-19, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday. Health department officials in North Carolina are working to identify anyone else who may have come in contact with the individual.
“I know that people are worried about this virus and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared,” Cooper said in a statement, noting that the person represents an isolated case.
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New York City confirmed its first case of “community spread” coronavirus — the second case of the virus in the state. The individual is a man in his 50s who lives in Westchester County but works at a law firm in Manhattan. The man is hospitalized and in severe condition.
The global mortality rate — which includes more than 3,000 deaths — is many times higher than the mortality rate of the flu, which is less than 1%. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that is at least partly because COVID-19 is a new disease, and no one has built up an immunity to it.
Still, Tedros reiterated the WHO’s belief that containment was still within reach.
“We don’t even talk about containment for seasonal flu,” Tedros said. “It’s just not possible, but it’s possible for COVID-19.”
Officials say they have learned the coronavirus is less transmissible than the flu, which is often spread by people who are infected yet don’t have symptoms. That doesn’t seem to be the case for COVID-19, he said.
“There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics, which is why we must do everything we can to contain it.”
Mike Ryan, who runs the agency’s emergencies program, pushed back against officials who wanted to “wave the white flag” and surrender to the disease’s hold. China took drastic steps to fight the virus, he said, and case numbers are now on the decline there.
Countries such as China and South Korea “implemented very, very strong measures that have affected their own economies and their own societies,” Ryan said. “It’s really a duty of others to use the time that has been bought.
“That is not a reverse you can achieve with influenza. If that is a failure, we’ll have slowed down the virus.”
Science & Medicine Where is the coronavirus? The vast majority of confirmed coronavirus cases — nearly 94% — have occurred in mainland China. But illnesses have been confirmed on all six continents.
There can be a big benefit in slowing the virus’ arrival in a country for a few months, Ryan said. Many countries, including the U.S, are in the middle of flu season, so large numbers of coronavirus cases would overwhelm the health system.
In Italy, COVID-19 patients and flu patients are already stretching hospitals and healthcare facilities, he said.
Tedros said he’s concerned by shortages of masks, gowns and other equipment needed by healthcare workers to stop the spread of disease “caused by rising demands and hoarding and misuse.”
“We can’t stop COVID-19 without protecting our health workers,” said Tedros, noting that prices of surgical masks have increased sixfold.
Current information suggests that most COVID-19 cases are mild, said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. According to a report out of China, the most serious illnesses occur in 16% of cases, she said, and older people and those with underlying health conditions are twice as likely to develop serious outcomes.
Speaking during a media briefing Tuesday, Messonnier said that cases similar to those reported abroad were now appearing in the United States.
The CDC is relying on local health clinicians to determine testing needs. In addition to CDC test kits, commercial manufacturers overseen by the Food and Drug Administration are providing tests directly to states. These types of tests are typically what are on the front lines in the United States, Messonnier said.
Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that 77 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in the U.S. That number excludes the 45 people who were passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and were repatriated to America, which brings the total to more than 120.
Pence said that a task force will issue new guidance from the CDC to make it clear that any American can be tested for the virus and no restrictions subject to doctor’s orders.
Commercial laboratories are expected to have 2,500 test kits available to provide 1.5 million tests. And the Office of Management and Budget will direct all federal government agencies to review internal travel and adhere to State Department guidance.
“The threat of the coronavirus to the American pubic remains low,” Pence said.
Pence also said that chief executives of all major airlines are expected to meet at the White House Wednesday to discuss contact tracing data for the coronavirus.
The West Coast continues to bear the brunt of the illnesses in the U.S., with the focus on Northern California and Washington.
At least five Northern California counties reported new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. On Tuesday, the city of Berkeley reported its first case after an individual visited a country with an outbreak. That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning.
“While the risk of infection remains low, the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for,” said Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez. “There are steps that all of us in the community can take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the California Department of Public Health received approval from the CDC and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to dip into its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N-95 face masks for medical workers on the front lines.
Though the flurry of positive test results in recent days does signal that the virus is circulating within the U.S., experts advised the public to avoid reading too much into those numbers.
Until late last week, federal officials were not allowing widespread testing for the virus, so many people who were already sick are only now being diagnosed, said Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch.
“Some of the numbers are changing because new things are happening, but a lot of the numbers are changing because we’re discovering things that have already happened,” Lipsitch said in a forum Monday hosted by Harvard’s public health school. “It’s really important to distinguish ‘Oh, goodness, there’s a new cluster’ from ‘Oh, goodness, we just discovered that there’s a cluster that’s been there for some time.’ ”
As the virus spreads, officials are trying to push back against Asian American bias and misinformation surrounding the outbreak.
Amid signs that some are staying away from Chinatowns and other Asian communities in the U.S., Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sharply criticized the xenophobia that had been displayed toward ethnic communities.
“We’ve also seen a rise in racism toward Asian Americans because the virus is associated with China,” she said. “This is unconscionable, and it’s not the American way. People of all ages, races and ethnicities are susceptible to this disease. Bigotry toward any one group for a virus they have nothing to do with makes no sense.”
Several areas in California have declared local emergencies amid the outbreak. Sonoma County on Monday issued a declaration after announcing two people had been diagnosed with the virus. One infected person returned from a cruise to Mexico 10 days ago and was hospitalized, but the case “is a cause for concern,” said county health officer Dr. Celeste Philip.
Declaring a state of emergency will allow the county to respond properly to the outbreak as well as “work in tandem with our cities and healthcare providers to ensure we are prepared to combat an outbreak of COVID-19 in our communities,” Philip said in a statement.
Meanwhile, more COVID-19 cases were reported in Santa Clara County, bringing its total to 11 — the most of any California county. The source of infection for the latest two cases, reported Tuesday, is still under investigation.
Many initial reports of COVID-19 have been among healthcare workers, who are likely to encounter sick patients. Hundreds of healthcare workers in California have already been asked to stay home due to contact with patients diagnosed with the disease over the last few weeks.
On Monday, Placer County reported a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a healthcare worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, where a COVID-19 patient had been admitted. County spokeswoman Katie Combs Prichard said the medical worker, who lives in Placer County, came into contact with that patient and was likely infected by her.
Conferences in the state and elsewhere are being canceled or scaled back amid fears of the virus, but the WHO’s Ryan said decisions to cancel mass gatherings, including sporting events, should be determined by a country’s leadership, based on how severe the outbreak is in their region.
Officials recently had a call with the International Olympic Committee to discuss the Summer Olympics scheduled in Tokyo and decided to continue monitoring the situation, with three months given before a decision must be made.
“I have confidence in Japan that there will hopefully be progress,” Tedros said. “Deciding now could be too early.”
President Trump said Tuesday during a speech to the National Assn. of Counties’ legislative conference in Washington that he expected Congress would pass a special funding bill providing $8.5 billion — far more than he requested — to fight the spread of the illness in the United States.
“It just shows you what can happen — six weeks ago, eight weeks ago, you never heard of this. All of a sudden, it’s got the world aflutter,” Trump said, noting later while leaving the White House to visit the National Institutes of Health that he is looking at further international travel restrictions involving Italy, Japan and South Korea, but will not limit domestic travel.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said there remained many unknowns about the virus, including the degree to which people who do not express symptoms can transmit it to others. He said doctors know that it happens but have not yet gauged the extent, a key piece of data that will help determine decisions on how to contain it.
Fauci said that Chinese data are believed to be accurate and that the spread of the virus there is slowing thanks to “draconian” methods that would never occur in the United States, including stringent travel and public gathering restrictions.
“They have taken social distancing to its furthest extreme,” he said.
Bierman reported from Washington, D.C., Read from Kirkland, Wash., and Shalby and Karlamangla from Los Angeles.


latimes--2020-03-02--Lopez: 'I will shoot you' isn't a great campaign slogan for D.A. Jackie Lacey

I hate the overuse of the term “ bad optics.
” But when you ’ re running for another term as L.A. County district attorney and your husband stands in the doorway of your house with a gun and threatens to shoot someone , the day before the election , that can fairly be described as bad optics .
This happened Monday morning at the Granada Hills home of D.A .
Jackie Lacey , a two-term incumbent whose reelection bid has divided the community and stirred activists , including members of Black Lives Matter .
Some of those activists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
for not being tougher in officer-involved shootings and other high-profile cases , gathered outside Lacey ’ s home at dawn to protest her performance and what they say is her months-long refusal to meet with them .
What happened next was captured on a video that spread faster than a wildfire .
“ Get off my porch , ” Lacey ’ s husband , David , says in a threatening tone as he stands in his doorway , arm extended , finger on the trigger of a sizable , no-nonsense gun .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” responds a female visitor .
“ I will shoot you , ” says Lacey ’ s husband .
“ Get off of my porch.
” “ Can you tell Jackie Lacey that we ’ re here ?
” he is asked .
“ I don ’ t care who you are , ” he responds , ordering the woman off his porch and saying he would call the police .
Then he closes the door .
“ He pulled a gun and pointed it at my chest , ” a female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene , and it raised lots of questions .
No matter how ticked off he might have felt about his wife being harassed , was it appropriate for Lacey ’ s husband to point a gun at protesters ?
Of course not .
He ’ d have been better off not answering the door at all , or calling police in the first place .
Unless he thought the protesters were armed or planning to burst into his house , waving the gun around was a reckless and potentially dangerous thing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question of whether his antics could be interpreted as a crime .
Was it fair of protesters to go to the private home of a public official and invade her privacy ?
That ’ s a tougher one to answer , but I have to come clean here and admit that over the long course of my career as a journalist , I have on occasion taken extra steps to confront those who were trying to avoid me .
Lacey ’ s protesters say they were promised a meeting that never happened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown Los Angeles office , sometimes reciting names of victims shot by police .
Protesting at the office is fair play , for sure .
Going to Lacey ’ s house Monday morning was a way to make a statement , but on the day before the election , it clearly was also a political stunt .
Jasmyne Cannick , a longtime activist and current communications director for Lacey foe Rachel Rossi , said she can understand a public official not being happy about having protesters on the front porch .
But she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lacey .
“ The short and skinny of it for me , ” said Cannick , is that Lacey has avoided a core constituency of black voters who take issue with her job performance .
“ People are frustrated and angry ... .
She shows up for meetings with other constituencies.
” Last October , Cannick said , Lacey agreed to meet with critics on her handling of a West Hollywood case involving the deaths of young black men at the home of a white Democratic fundraiser , but she reneged .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the D.A .
's race , Rossi and George Gascón , Lacey cited protests as a reason to bow out of future debates .
These political blunders by Lacey only fueled the rage of her critics .
On Monday , a few hours after the incident at her home , a visibly shaken Lacey held a news conference in which she was emotional , personal and defensive .
She said her husband was “ profoundly sorry ” for what he had done and wanted protesters to know he didn ’ t intend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always performed her job as dictated by facts and laws , and she spoke of a newfound courage .
But I saw what looked more like fatigue than resolve .
As to whether Lacey had reneged on promised meetings with critics , she said : “ In the past I have offered to meet with Black Lives Matter , but I felt it should be one on one or a small group .
They have rejected those offers .
It seems like what they like is to embarrass me and intimidate me.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her home .
“ Believe it or not , the Laceys are private people , ” she said .
“ We expect people will exercise their 1st Amendment right , but our home is our sanctuary and we do not believe , I don ’ t believe , it is fair or right for protesters to show up at the homes of people who dedicate their lives to public service.
” I can certainly understand her perspective , but I think she could have defused the tension and avoided Monday morning ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When you ’ re elected to public office , you do naturally surrender some privacy , and it ’ s time to look for another job when the cost becomes too high .
Avoiding critics is a sign of weakness .
Hearing them out could lead to better understanding all around — or at least defuse a bad situation .
I ’ m wondering now if Lacey , whose support is strong in the law enforcement community , is too damaged to be an effective leader going forward .
That said , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a female of color and for , among other things , her focus on diverting people out of the traditional justice system when their crimes are likely caused by mental illness , although we are by no means where we should be on that front .
The local jails still serve as mental institutions for thousands .
Late last year , Lacey was among a local delegation that visited Trieste , Italy , to study a better system .
I was along on that trip , and one night , as public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call to conscience on the creation of more humane alternatives to incarceration .
It ’ s hard to know whether and how the scene Monday at Lacey ’ s home will affect the outcome of the election .
Some might be won over by Lacey ’ s personal and honest response to a divisive political culture , and what she saw as an overstep by critics .
Others might think they were witnessing the end for someone who ’ s been on the job long enough , if not a little too @ @

Activists with Black Lives Matter holding a photograph of Ezell Ford, who was killed by L.A. police officers in 2014. Members of the group have protested the policies of Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, and on Monday showed up at her house, where they were confronted by her husband wielding a gun.
I hate the overuse of the term “bad optics.” But when you’re running for another term as L.A. County district attorney and your husband stands in the doorway of your house with a gun and threatens to shoot someone, the day before the election, that can fairly be described as bad optics.
This happened Monday morning at the Granada Hills home of D.A. Jackie Lacey, a two-term incumbent whose reelection bid has divided the community and stirred activists, including members of Black Lives Matter.
Some of those activists, who have blasted the African American D.A. for not being tougher in officer-involved shootings and other high-profile cases, gathered outside Lacey’s home at dawn to protest her performance and what they say is her months-long refusal to meet with them.
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What happened next was captured on a video that spread faster than a wildfire.
“Get off my porch,” Lacey’s husband, David, says in a threatening tone as he stands in his doorway, arm extended, finger on the trigger of a sizable, no-nonsense gun.
“Are you going to shoot me?” responds a female visitor.
“I will shoot you,” says Lacey’s husband. “Get off of my porch.”
“Can you tell Jackie Lacey that we’re here?” he is asked.
“I don’t care who you are,” he responds, ordering the woman off his porch and saying he would call the police. Then he closes the door.
“He pulled a gun and pointed it at my chest,” a female voice says.
It was an ugly scene, and it raised lots of questions.
No matter how ticked off he might have felt about his wife being harassed, was it appropriate for Lacey’s husband to point a gun at protesters?
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Of course not.
He’d have been better off not answering the door at all, or calling police in the first place. Unless he thought the protesters were armed or planning to burst into his house, waving the gun around was a reckless and potentially dangerous thing to do, and there’s even a question of whether his antics could be interpreted as a crime.
And here’s another question:
Was it fair of protesters to go to the private home of a public official and invade her privacy?
That’s a tougher one to answer, but I have to come clean here and admit that over the long course of my career as a journalist, I have on occasion taken extra steps to confront those who were trying to avoid me.
Lacey’s protesters say they were promised a meeting that never happened. Typically, they have protested outside her downtown Los Angeles office, sometimes reciting names of victims shot by police.
Protesting at the office is fair play, for sure. Going to Lacey’s house Monday morning was a way to make a statement, but on the day before the election, it clearly was also a political stunt.
Jasmyne Cannick, a longtime activist and current communications director for Lacey foe Rachel Rossi, said she can understand a public official not being happy about having protesters on the front porch. But she offered some context in the case of Lacey.
“The short and skinny of it for me,” said Cannick, is that Lacey has avoided a core constituency of black voters who take issue with her job performance. “People are frustrated and angry .... She shows up for meetings with other constituencies.”
Last October, Cannick said, Lacey agreed to meet with critics on her handling of a West Hollywood case involving the deaths of young black men at the home of a white Democratic fundraiser, but she reneged. After a January debate with her opponents in the D.A.’s race, Rossi and George Gascón, Lacey cited protests as a reason to bow out of future debates.
These political blunders by Lacey only fueled the rage of her critics.
On Monday, a few hours after the incident at her home, a visibly shaken Lacey held a news conference in which she was emotional, personal and defensive.
She said her husband was “profoundly sorry” for what he had done and wanted protesters to know he didn’t intend to harm anyone. She said she had always performed her job as dictated by facts and laws, and she spoke of a newfound courage. But I saw what looked more like fatigue than resolve.
As to whether Lacey had reneged on promised meetings with critics, she said:
“In the past I have offered to meet with Black Lives Matter, but I felt it should be one on one or a small group. They have rejected those offers. It seems like what they like is to embarrass me and intimidate me.”
She drew a line on protests at her home.
“Believe it or not, the Laceys are private people,” she said. “We expect people will exercise their 1st Amendment right, but our home is our sanctuary and we do not believe, I don’t believe, it is fair or right for protesters to show up at the homes of people who dedicate their lives to public service.”
I can certainly understand her perspective, but I think she could have defused the tension and avoided Monday morning’s debacle by meeting with her critics.
When you’re elected to public office, you do naturally surrender some privacy, and it’s time to look for another job when the cost becomes too high. Avoiding critics is a sign of weakness. Hearing them out could lead to better understanding all around — or at least defuse a bad situation. I’m wondering now if Lacey, whose support is strong in the law enforcement community, is too damaged to be an effective leader going forward.
That said, I’ve admired Lacey for her rise as a female of color and for, among other things, her focus on diverting people out of the traditional justice system when their crimes are likely caused by mental illness, although we are by no means where we should be on that front. The local jails still serve as mental institutions for thousands.
Late last year, Lacey was among a local delegation that visited Trieste, Italy, to study a better system. I was along on that trip, and one night, as public officials shared notes, Lacey passionately delivered a call to conscience on the creation of more humane alternatives to incarceration.
It’s hard to know whether and how the scene Monday at Lacey’s home will affect the outcome of the election.
Some might be won over by Lacey’s personal and honest response to a divisive political culture, and what she saw as an overstep by critics.
Others might think they were witnessing the end for someone who’s been on the job long enough, if not a little too long.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-03-02--In fatal Vanessa Marquez shooting, officers will face no criminal charges

Los Angeles County prosecutors will not file criminal charges against two police officers who fatally shot “ ER ” actress Vanessa Marquez inside her South Pasadena home in August 2018 during a wellness check , according to a memo from the agency released Monday .
The district attorney ’ s office determined that South Pasadena Officers Gilberto Carrillo and Christopher Perez acted legally when they fired 12 rounds at the 49-year-old after she brandished a replica firearm .
“ In this incident , the evidence demonstrates that Carrillo and Perez actually and reasonably believed Marquez posed an imminent threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shannon Presby , head deputy district attorney , wrote in the memo .
Police had been dispatched to Marquez ’ s apartment in the 1100 block of Fremont Avenue on Aug. 30 , 2018 , at the behest of a friend who was concerned for the actress ’ well-being .
When officers arrived , they knocked on the door for 10 minutes and eventually entered the apartment .
The living area was stacked with boxes , furniture and other items in what was described by authorities as “ hoarding conditions ” that made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door and move through the unit , video from a body-worn camera shows .
As soon as Marquez saw one of the officers , she screamed and began having a seizure , the video shows .
Officers and a county mental health clinician spoke with Marquez for more than an hour in an effort to persuade her to accept medical help .
Police said at the time that she was uncooperative , may have been suffering from mental health issues and appeared to be unable to care for herself .
After Carrillo told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to a hospital on a psychiatric hold , Marquez grabbed a pair of scissors and what officers thought was a handgun and pointed it at them , according to the memo .
“ She has a gun !
Gun !
Gun !
Gun !
Gun !
” Carrillo yelled as he ushered other personnel out of the apartment .
He yelled several times for Marquez to “ drop the gun ” as he exited the apartment and continued down a staircase into a common area .
When Marquez emerged from the apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds of a gun magazine being inserted and a slide being racked .
When Carrillo saw the handgun being pointed in their direction , he was “ scared out of his mind ” and fired approximately eight or nine rounds from his .40-caliber handgun through the drywall toward Marquez .
Perez also fired his gun , according to the memo .
The officers retrieved a weapon after the shooting and determined it was a BB gun that resembled a pistol .
Marquez suffered two gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , Marquez ’ s mother , Delia McElfresh , filed a wrongful-death claim against the city of South Pasadena seeking $ 20 million along with burial and funeral expenses .
The status of the claim was not immediately clear Monday .
Marquez was best known for her recurring role as nurse Wendy Goldman on the popular medical drama “ ER , ” which ran for 15 seasons until 2009 .
Marquez appeared on the show from 1994 to 1997 .
She also starred as student Ana Delgado in the 1988 film “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the story of East Los Angeles math teacher Jaime Escalante .
In the years before her death , Marquez used social media to reference her struggles with celiac disease and seizures .
She wrote on Facebook in March 2018 that she was “ terminally ill. ” Marquez in 2005 starred in an episode on the first season of the reality television show “ Intervention , ” which delved into how a compulsive shopping addiction created financial problems for the actress , according to a synopsis of the episode on Amazon .
She grabbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ER ” co-star George Clooney of helping to blacklist her from the series .
Clooney has publicly denied the allegations .
Marquez had posted on social media in the months before the fatal encounter about her desire to die and her purchase of an “ air ” gun that resembled a Glock .
Minutes before she was fatally shot , she wrote on Facebook that “ there shooting cremate me pour ashes over Hollywood sign.
” “ Her intention , as evidenced by her final Facebook post , sadly appears to have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in the memo .

Los Angeles County prosecutors will not file criminal charges against two police officers who fatally shot “ER” actress Vanessa Marquez inside her South Pasadena home in August 2018 during a wellness check, according to a memo from the agency released Monday.
The district attorney’s office determined that South Pasadena Officers Gilberto Carrillo and Christopher Perez acted legally when they fired 12 rounds at the 49-year-old after she brandished a replica firearm.
“In this incident, the evidence demonstrates that Carrillo and Perez actually and reasonably believed Marquez posed an imminent threat of great bodily injury or death,” Shannon Presby, head deputy district attorney, wrote in the memo.
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Police had been dispatched to Marquez’s apartment in the 1100 block of Fremont Avenue on Aug. 30, 2018, at the behest of a friend who was concerned for the actress’ well-being. When officers arrived, they knocked on the door for 10 minutes and eventually entered the apartment.
The living area was stacked with boxes, furniture and other items in what was described by authorities as “hoarding conditions” that made it difficult for officers to open the door and move through the unit, video from a body-worn camera shows.
As soon as Marquez saw one of the officers, she screamed and began having a seizure, the video shows. Officers and a county mental health clinician spoke with Marquez for more than an hour in an effort to persuade her to accept medical help. Police said at the time that she was uncooperative, may have been suffering from mental health issues and appeared to be unable to care for herself.
After Carrillo told Marquez that she was going to be taken to a hospital on a psychiatric hold, Marquez grabbed a pair of scissors and what officers thought was a handgun and pointed it at them, according to the memo.
“She has a gun! Gun! Gun! Gun! Gun!” Carrillo yelled as he ushered other personnel out of the apartment. He yelled several times for Marquez to “drop the gun” as he exited the apartment and continued down a staircase into a common area.
When Marquez emerged from the apartment, Carrillo told investigators he heard the sounds of a gun magazine being inserted and a slide being racked.
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When Carrillo saw the handgun being pointed in their direction, he was “scared out of his mind” and fired approximately eight or nine rounds from his .40-caliber handgun through the drywall toward Marquez. Perez also fired his gun, according to the memo.
The officers retrieved a weapon after the shooting and determined it was a BB gun that resembled a pistol. Marquez suffered two gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
In 2019, Marquez’s mother, Delia McElfresh, filed a wrongful-death claim against the city of South Pasadena seeking $20 million along with burial and funeral expenses. The status of the claim was not immediately clear Monday.
Marquez was best known for her recurring role as nurse Wendy Goldman on the popular medical drama “ER,” which ran for 15 seasons until 2009. Marquez appeared on the show from 1994 to 1997. She also starred as student Ana Delgado in the 1988 film “Stand and Deliver,” which told the story of East Los Angeles math teacher Jaime Escalante.
In the years before her death, Marquez used social media to reference her struggles with celiac disease and seizures. She wrote on Facebook in March 2018 that she was “terminally ill.”
Marquez in 2005 starred in an episode on the first season of the reality television show “Intervention,” which delved into how a compulsive shopping addiction created financial problems for the actress, according to a synopsis of the episode on Amazon.
She grabbed headlines in 2017 when she accused “ER” co-star George Clooney of helping to blacklist her from the series. Clooney has publicly denied the allegations.
Marquez had posted on social media in the months before the fatal encounter about her desire to die and her purchase of an “air” gun that resembled a Glock. Minutes before she was fatally shot, she wrote on Facebook that “there shooting cremate me pour ashes over Hollywood sign.”
“Her intention, as evidenced by her final Facebook post, sadly appears to have been to end her life,” Presby wrote in the memo.


latimes--2020-02-29--City Beat: When homeless people lose their possessions, they end up further from leaving the streets

When you live on the streets , things show up and then leave .
Things get stolen .
Things get lost .
Things get swept up by city cleaning crews .
One day you might have a soft blanket .
The next day it ’ s nowhere to be found .
Things come in and go out like the tides .
Sometimes what disappears — IDs , medicine — is essential .
But for people regularly treated as if they don ’ t belong , even the loss of nonessential belongings — a stuffed animal , a shiny ring — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope .
The other day , I met Jason Antoine Logan in the West Valley , in an alley between office buildings off a little street wedged between the 101 Freeway and Ventura Boulevard .
He was inching along three shopping carts — he could push only two at once — mostly full of things he ’ d scavenged from dumpsters .
Old clothes .
Some DVDs ( “ American Psycho , ” one of the “ Twilight ” movies ) .
Stuff people with excess stuff didn ’ t even bother to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This L.A. native who has had a lot of hard knocks ( including being shot twice , in the face and the hip , when he was young ) said he redistributes what he finds among others who are homeless in a sort of grass-roots recycling program .
He also sometimes earns a little money from watching other people ’ s stuff — because on the street , every time you walk away from things you own but can ’ t carry with you , you know you may come back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without a place to lock up your possessions , you run the risk of losing them just by going to a public bathroom to try to wash off the grime or lining up to get free lunch at a nearby church or seeking out medical care when you ’ re sick .
The city now has two storage centers on skid row that provide 2,550 bins in which homeless people can store things .
But they ’ re a world away from the land of low-slung office buildings , mini malls and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Woodland Hills where I met Logan .
And like a lot of homeless people I talk to , he put storage facilities high up on a list ( along with toilets and showers and adequate trash cans with regular trash pickups ) of what could help people take control of their lives while they ’ re on the streets while also helping the rest of the city better tolerate their presence .
What doesn ’ t help , he and others have told me again and again , are cleanups that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hard to make sure that in practice they ’ re not , no matter how carefully policies are shaped to do so .
It ’ s a balancing act , where we are in the city right now — one that frequently devolves into an “ us ” and a “ them.
” But I think we have to find a way to balance public health concerns and neighborhood demands with the vulnerability of homeless people who argue that when they lose the things they need and love , they end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than ever .
So I think more toilets and trash cans and trash pickups make sense .
I think it makes sense to experiment with paying some people at encampments — the way we pay people to turn in guns — to take the lead in making sure trash is bagged up and ready for those pickups when they come .
I think we need to push harder for more city space that isn ’ t sidewalk to be set aside for camping .
Logan , 38 , told me that when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay six years ago , he cared about stuff enough to try to carry his whole wardrobe with him .
He liked to look good .
He had pride .
He ’ s tried to hold on to it .
But right away he had to start shedding more than just his belongings .
On the streets , pride also is a luxury .
Case in point , he said , starting to cry , he sometimes is desperate enough to dig for food in trash bins or steal it .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself .
So when I suggested it , he gladly showed me all his most important possessions , which he carries in a backpack that he is never without .
There wasn ’ t room for much .
A cellphone , to communicate with his street family and his family by blood — which is local but , he says , does not want to help him .
( On his phone , he has photos of the two children he rarely sees , now teenagers , who live with their mom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he created by twisting and bending a metal clothes hanger .
A flashlight , which he called “ the homeless person ’ s key to the city.
” A butane torch for heating and cooking food and for lighting cigarettes even in the wind .
Basic toiletries .
A little saw ( whose blade he had covered in duct tape for safety ) to dig with or cut things like branches .
A solar charger , “ the latest homeless attraction.
” A small mirror to make sure he looks vaguely presentable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he first pointed to a couple of simple bracelets around his wrist .
On one he ’ d attached two keys he happened to find .
He said he didn ’ t know what they opened but they opened something , which made him feel “ classy , like I ’ m getting something accomplished.
” Then he dug back into the backpack to show me a few items he ’ d recently scavenged from another homeless person ’ s encampment , after she ’ d been ordered to vacate her spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumble of cuff links in a small cardboard jewelry box , a glittering costume tiara .
“ It ’ s like a metaphor for me , ” he said of the tiara , which took up a lot of space in the backpack .
“ Like I could be moving on one day to another phase .
Like it ’ s all going to be all right , we ’ re going to be all right.
” When the apocalypse arrives , by the way , Logan informed me , he and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves out as consultants to teach the rest of us a thing or two about survival skills .
I could see it , especially after I met Paul Dempsey , 51 , stretched out next to his bike on the grass at Warner Center Park less than a mile away .
Dempsey told me he lives on a hillside in another park , where he used branches to create a camouflaged shelter , “ like a bird makes a nest.
” He has spent hours cleaning up trash there , trying to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hopes of not being ordered to leave .
A gentle , very soft-spoken person , he was honest about his issues .
Logan told me that he started using crystal meth once he landed on the street , as a way to cope .
Dempsey said he ’ s been an addict for many years , even for a good deal of the two decades when he was housed and employed in sales , for the mortgage industry and a home-improvement company .
His mother lives nearby , he said , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes him in for more than a couple of nights .
So in a certain way he ’ s homeless by choice , because he hasn ’ t yet found a way to choose to be drug-free for more than a few days .
He was physically and emotionally abused as a child , he told me .
Years ago , he did some time for petty theft .
“ I think maybe I often lose hope , ” he said .
He told me he doubts his own self-worth .
When I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , he said he ’ d bartered for his bike — trading a leather jacket that he ’ d found .
He told me he ’ s found happiness with colored pencils and pens , drawing animals and dragons and flowers .
He took an art class years ago , he said , during his stint at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco .
But he ’ s left his art supplies at his mom ’ s house now in order to travel light .
He showed me his all-in-one bike tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his younger brother , whom he ’ s proud of for not being like him .
In his backpack , he had a couple of tablets , which he uses mostly to watch funny videos and videos about amazing animals on YouTube .
He had the cheapest cigarettes you could buy , he told me — a brand named “ THIS , ” which I ’ d never seen before .
Spare tire tubes .
Bicycle tubes .
Alligator clips to transform some tarps into a tent .
Brightly colored bag clips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his mom at the local 99 Cents Only Store .
Hooked to his handlebars was a bag of groceries given to him by a local church that is one of his lifelines , including Cocoa Puffs and a leftover See ’ s Candies heart-shaped box of chocolates .
“ To us , little things mean a lot , ” he said as he carefully fit things back into his bags .
When you hardly have anything , what you do have can feel like everything to you .

Jason Antoine Logan, 38, who is living on the streets of Woodland Hills, shows a studded tiara he found recently. He said it makes him feel hope for the future.
When you live on the streets, things show up and then leave. Things get stolen. Things get lost. Things get swept up by city cleaning crews.
One day you might have a soft blanket. The next day it’s nowhere to be found. Things come in and go out like the tides.
Sometimes what disappears — IDs, medicine — is essential. But for people regularly treated as if they don’t belong, even the loss of nonessential belongings — a stuffed animal, a shiny ring — can wipe out desperately needed solace and hope.
The other day, I met Jason Antoine Logan in the West Valley, in an alley between office buildings off a little street wedged between the 101 Freeway and Ventura Boulevard. He was inching along three shopping carts — he could push only two at once — mostly full of things he’d scavenged from dumpsters. Old clothes. Some DVDs (“American Psycho,” one of the “Twilight” movies). Stuff people with excess stuff didn’t even bother to donate but dumped straight in the trash.
This L.A. native who has had a lot of hard knocks (including being shot twice, in the face and the hip, when he was young) said he redistributes what he finds among others who are homeless in a sort of grass-roots recycling program. He also sometimes earns a little money from watching other people’s stuff — because on the street, every time you walk away from things you own but can’t carry with you, you know you may come back and find them gone.
Jason Antoine Logan juggles 3 shopping carts filled with items but the things most important to him are carried in his backpack. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
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Think about that. Without a place to lock up your possessions, you run the risk of losing them just by going to a public bathroom to try to wash off the grime or lining up to get free lunch at a nearby church or seeking out medical care when you’re sick.
The city now has two storage centers on skid row that provide 2,550 bins in which homeless people can store things. But they’re a world away from the land of low-slung office buildings, mini malls and newly sprouted apartment complexes in the part of Woodland Hills where I met Logan. And like a lot of homeless people I talk to, he put storage facilities high up on a list (along with toilets and showers and adequate trash cans with regular trash pickups) of what could help people take control of their lives while they’re on the streets while also helping the rest of the city better tolerate their presence.
What doesn’t help, he and others have told me again and again, are cleanups that are overly aggressive. And I think it’s hard to make sure that in practice they’re not, no matter how carefully policies are shaped to do so.
It’s a balancing act, where we are in the city right now — one that frequently devolves into an “us” and a “them.” But I think we have to find a way to balance public health concerns and neighborhood demands with the vulnerability of homeless people who argue that when they lose the things they need and love, they end up further behind the rest of us than ever.
So I think more toilets and trash cans and trash pickups make sense. I think it makes sense to experiment with paying some people at encampments — the way we pay people to turn in guns — to take the lead in making sure trash is bagged up and ready for those pickups when they come. I think we need to push harder for more city space that isn’t sidewalk to be set aside for camping.
Logan, 38, told me that when he first found himself without a place to stay six years ago, he cared about stuff enough to try to carry his whole wardrobe with him. He liked to look good. He had pride. He’s tried to hold on to it. But right away he had to start shedding more than just his belongings. On the streets, pride also is a luxury.
Case in point, he said, starting to cry, he sometimes is desperate enough to dig for food in trash bins or steal it.
Jason Antoine Logan shows his flashlight used to see at night. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
He said it felt good to be asked about himself. So when I suggested it, he gladly showed me all his most important possessions, which he carries in a backpack that he is never without. There wasn’t room for much.
A cellphone, to communicate with his street family and his family by blood — which is local but, he says, does not want to help him. (On his phone, he has photos of the two children he rarely sees, now teenagers, who live with their mom, his ex-wife.) A cellphone stand he created by twisting and bending a metal clothes hanger. A flashlight, which he called “the homeless person’s key to the city.” A butane torch for heating and cooking food and for lighting cigarettes even in the wind. Basic toiletries. A little saw (whose blade he had covered in duct tape for safety) to dig with or cut things like branches. A solar charger, “the latest homeless attraction.” A small mirror to make sure he looks vaguely presentable.
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When I asked him his favorite possession, he first pointed to a couple of simple bracelets around his wrist. On one he’d attached two keys he happened to find. He said he didn’t know what they opened but they opened something, which made him feel “classy, like I’m getting something accomplished.”
Jason Antoine Logan shows cuff links and simple jewelry he has found. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Then he dug back into the backpack to show me a few items he’d recently scavenged from another homeless person’s encampment, after she’d been ordered to vacate her spot in front of a bank. A jumble of cuff links in a small cardboard jewelry box, a glittering costume tiara.
“It’s like a metaphor for me,” he said of the tiara, which took up a lot of space in the backpack. “Like I could be moving on one day to another phase. Like it’s all going to be all right, we’re going to be all right.”
When the apocalypse arrives, by the way, Logan informed me, he and other people who are homeless will be hiring themselves out as consultants to teach the rest of us a thing or two about survival skills.
Paul Dempsey, 51, homeless and living on the streets of Woodland Hills rides his bicycle that he was able to barter for. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
I could see it, especially after I met Paul Dempsey, 51, stretched out next to his bike on the grass at Warner Center Park less than a mile away.
Dempsey told me he lives on a hillside in another park, where he used branches to create a camouflaged shelter, “like a bird makes a nest.” He has spent hours cleaning up trash there, trying to leave the area nicer than he found it in hopes of not being ordered to leave.
A gentle, very soft-spoken person, he was honest about his issues.
Logan told me that he started using crystal meth once he landed on the street, as a way to cope. Dempsey said he’s been an addict for many years, even for a good deal of the two decades when he was housed and employed in sales, for the mortgage industry and a home-improvement company.
His mother lives nearby, he said, but insists that he get clean before she takes him in for more than a couple of nights. So in a certain way he’s homeless by choice, because he hasn’t yet found a way to choose to be drug-free for more than a few days.
He was physically and emotionally abused as a child, he told me. Years ago, he did some time for petty theft. “I think maybe I often lose hope,” he said. He told me he doubts his own self-worth.
When I asked him about what he carried with him, he said he’d bartered for his bike — trading a leather jacket that he’d found.
Dempsey says plastic clips and scissors purchased at a Dollar Store are some of the things most important to him. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
He told me he’s found happiness with colored pencils and pens, drawing animals and dragons and flowers. He took an art class years ago, he said, during his stint at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco. But he’s left his art supplies at his mom’s house now in order to travel light.
He showed me his all-in-one bike tool, treasured particularly because it’s from his younger brother, whom he’s proud of for not being like him. In his backpack, he had a couple of tablets, which he uses mostly to watch funny videos and videos about amazing animals on YouTube. He had the cheapest cigarettes you could buy, he told me — a brand named “THIS,” which I’d never seen before. Spare tire tubes. Bicycle tubes. Alligator clips to transform some tarps into a tent. Brightly colored bag clips he’d gotten as a gift for his mom at the local 99 Cents Only Store.
Hooked to his handlebars was a bag of groceries given to him by a local church that is one of his lifelines, including Cocoa Puffs and a leftover See’s Candies heart-shaped box of chocolates.
“To us, little things mean a lot,” he said as he carefully fit things back into his bags.
When you hardly have anything, what you do have can feel like everything to you.