latimes--2020-02-27--Regulators slam USC handling of sex abuse allegations as 'shocking and reprehensible'

The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday ordered USC to make changes in how it handles sexual harassment cases and to submit to three years of federal monitoring , saying the university failed to protect students from a campus gynecologist accused of abusing hundreds of patients .
“ What we have found at USC is shocking and reprehensible , ” Kenneth L. Marcus , the department ’ s assistant secretary for civil rights , said in a statement .
“ No student should ever have to face the disgusting behavior that USC students had to deal with.
” In finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , the department levied a long list of sanctions stemming from USC ’ s handling of complaints about Dr. George Tyndall , the sole full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic for 27 years .
Tyndall , as The Times revealed nearly two years ago , was the subject of multiple complaints from patients and colleagues over the decades , including reports that he photographed women ’ s genitals , performed improper pelvic and breast exams and made suggestive comments during medical exams .
USC allowed Tyndall to continue practicing and ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a financial payout and a clean record with the state medical board .
In a 51-page letter to USC President Carol Folt , a U.S. Department of Education official said investigators had uncovered numerous instances in which the university failed to take action against Tyndall in compliance with Title IX , the federal civil rights law that bars sex-based discrimination : • Between 2000 and 2009 , five patients notified the university about possible sexual harassment by Tyndall , including three women who put their complaints in writing , yet USC “ failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the matter seriously .
• The university “ failed to investigate as possible sexual harassment ” another patient ’ s 2016 complaint that Tyndall had penetrated her with two fingers after she told him not to .
• After discovering more than 200 photographs of patients ’ genitals in Tyndall ’ s office in 2016 , the university allowed him to see patients for another day and a half and neglected to investigate the existence of the images as sexual harassment .
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos criticized the university in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and complete failure to protect students is heartbreaking and inexcusable.
” Folt and Rick Caruso , chairman of the USC Board of Trustees , agreed in writing last week to comply with an array of changes the federal regulators required , according to a signed resolution released Thursday by the department .
Folt , who took office after C.L .
Max Nikias was forced out as president in the fallout from the scandal , said in a statement that she shared the goals of federal regulators .
Their “ conclusions align with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures and practices to promote patient well-being and prevent future misconduct , ” she said .
“ The university is confronting its past and implementing changes necessary to inform its future.
” By April , USC will have to provide a plan to revise the structure of its Title IX office and improve tracking and record-keeping of sexual harassment and discrimination reports and complaints .
For the next three years , USC will have to provide a record of all complaints of sexual harassment and violence and report to federal regulators about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Title IX coordinator will also have to provide annual reports to top university administrators with details about pending and resolved sexual misconduct cases .
The sanctions against USC are common penalties imposed by the Department of Education after investigations into Title IX compliance , according to higher education attorneys .
“ A three-year monitoring period is typical , ” said Brett Sokolow , the president of the Assn .
of Title IX Administrators .
Still , he said , it ’ s rare for an institution to have been found in violation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools that are truly asleep at the wheel or stepped over the line.
” Other universities found complicit in high-profile sex scandals have faced fines : Penn State paid $ 2.4 million in 2016 for failures in its handling of child-abusing coach Jerry Sandusky .
Regulators assessed Michigan State University a record $ 4.5 million last fall for its failure to protect student athletes from Dr. Larry Nassar , a team doctor now imprisoned for sex crimes .
But investigations like the one by the department ’ s Office of Civil Rights into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyndall typically do not result in monetary penalties , experts said .
Joshua Richards , an attorney specializing in higher education at the Philadelphia firm Saul , Ewing , Arnstein & Lehr , said the only funding penalty would be cutting off an institution ’ s access to federal money .
“ That ’ s an incredibly severe sanction , ” Richards said .
“ It would likely result in the closure of a university , and it ’ s never been imposed.
” The department spent nearly two years investigating USC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interviewed scores of staff members and administrators , including Nikias and former Provost Michael Quick .
Still , the investigation did not have unlimited access .
USC withheld 3,638 emails and other documents about Tyndall from federal regulators , citing attorney-client privilege .
DeVos thanked former patients for talking to the department ’ s investigators about their experiences .
“ Because of your bravery , we can now work with the university to ensure this never happens to another student on USC ’ s campus , ” she said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that USC already had paid a steep price for its mistakes in the Tyndall matter .
A judge gave final approval this week to a $ 215-million class-action settlement aimed at compensating an estimated 18,000 former Tyndall patients .
An additional $ 25 million has been set aside to pay lawyers and other costs in that settlement .
Also , the university is facing lawsuits brought by more than 600 former patients who opted out of the class-action settlement .
John Manly , one of the lead attorneys representing Tyndall ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USC , said the report issued Thursday was “ a stinging indictment ” of USC ’ s leaders and trustees .
“ This report paints a picture of administrators completely and utterly indifferent to the safety of its students at a university obsessed with protecting its brand and image , rather than the well-being of its female students , ” Manly said .
USC has retained three top-tier law firms to defend against those cases .
Resolving those claims could cost hundreds of millions of dollars .
The university is also footing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melveny & Myers to conduct an internal investigation of Tyndall ’ s time at USC .
USC employees are also expected to be important witnesses in the criminal case against the gynecologist .
He has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he engaged in sexual misconduct against 16 former patients at the campus clinic dating to 2009 .

The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday ordered USC to make changes in how it handles sexual harassment cases and to submit to three years of federal monitoring, saying the university failed to protect students from a campus gynecologist accused of abusing hundreds of patients.
“What we have found at USC is shocking and reprehensible,” Kenneth L. Marcus, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement. “No student should ever have to face the disgusting behavior that USC students had to deal with.”
In finding that USC violated the civil rights of students, the department levied a long list of sanctions stemming from USC’s handling of complaints about Dr. George Tyndall, the sole full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic for 27 years. Tyndall, as The Times revealed nearly two years ago, was the subject of multiple complaints from patients and colleagues over the decades, including reports that he photographed women’s genitals, performed improper pelvic and breast exams and made suggestive comments during medical exams.
USC allowed Tyndall to continue practicing and ultimately to leave the university in 2016 with a financial payout and a clean record with the state medical board.
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In a 51-page letter to USC President Carol Folt, a U.S. Department of Education official said investigators had uncovered numerous instances in which the university failed to take action against Tyndall in compliance with Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bars sex-based discrimination:
Between 2000 and 2009, five patients notified the university about possible sexual harassment by Tyndall, including three women who put their complaints in writing, yet USC “failed to investigate” or otherwise did not take the matter seriously.
The university “failed to investigate as possible sexual harassment” another patient’s 2016 complaint that Tyndall had penetrated her with two fingers after she told him not to.
After discovering more than 200 photographs of patients’ genitals in Tyndall’s office in 2016, the university allowed him to see patients for another day and a half and neglected to investigate the existence of the images as sexual harassment.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos criticized the university in a statement, saying, “This total and complete failure to protect students is heartbreaking and inexcusable.”
Folt and Rick Caruso, chairman of the USC Board of Trustees, agreed in writing last week to comply with an array of changes the federal regulators required, according to a signed resolution released Thursday by the department.
Folt, who took office after C.L. Max Nikias was forced out as president in the fallout from the scandal, said in a statement that she shared the goals of federal regulators.
Their “conclusions align with my personal resolve to strengthen USC policies, procedures and practices to promote patient well-being and prevent future misconduct,” she said. “The university is confronting its past and implementing changes necessary to inform its future.”
By April, USC will have to provide a plan to revise the structure of its Title IX office and improve tracking and record-keeping of sexual harassment and discrimination reports and complaints.
For the next three years, USC will have to provide a record of all complaints of sexual harassment and violence and report to federal regulators about the progress of investigations and case resolutions.
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The Title IX coordinator will also have to provide annual reports to top university administrators with details about pending and resolved sexual misconduct cases.
The sanctions against USC are common penalties imposed by the Department of Education after investigations into Title IX compliance, according to higher education attorneys.
“A three-year monitoring period is typical,” said Brett Sokolow, the president of the Assn. of Title IX Administrators. Still, he said, it’s rare for an institution to have been found in violation. “They save that for the schools that are truly asleep at the wheel or stepped over the line.”
Other universities found complicit in high-profile sex scandals have faced fines: Penn State paid $2.4 million in 2016 for failures in its handling of child-abusing coach Jerry Sandusky. Regulators assessed Michigan State University a record $4.5 million last fall for its failure to protect student athletes from Dr. Larry Nassar, a team doctor now imprisoned for sex crimes.
But investigations like the one by the department’s Office of Civil Rights into USC’s handling of allegations against Tyndall typically do not result in monetary penalties, experts said.
Joshua Richards, an attorney specializing in higher education at the Philadelphia firm Saul, Ewing, Arnstein & Lehr, said the only funding penalty would be cutting off an institution’s access to federal money.
“That’s an incredibly severe sanction,” Richards said. “It would likely result in the closure of a university, and it’s never been imposed.”
The department spent nearly two years investigating USC, during which it reviewed thousands of documents and interviewed scores of staff members and administrators, including Nikias and former Provost Michael Quick. Still, the investigation did not have unlimited access. USC withheld 3,638 emails and other documents about Tyndall from federal regulators, citing attorney-client privilege.
DeVos thanked former patients for talking to the department’s investigators about their experiences.
“Because of your bravery, we can now work with the university to ensure this never happens to another student on USC’s campus,” she said in a statement.
The department noted in its findings Thursday that USC already had paid a steep price for its mistakes in the Tyndall matter. A judge gave final approval this week to a $215-million class-action settlement aimed at compensating an estimated 18,000 former Tyndall patients. An additional $25 million has been set aside to pay lawyers and other costs in that settlement.
Also, the university is facing lawsuits brought by more than 600 former patients who opted out of the class-action settlement.
John Manly, one of the lead attorneys representing Tyndall’s former patients in the pending lawsuits against USC, said the report issued Thursday was “a stinging indictment” of USC’s leaders and trustees.
“This report paints a picture of administrators completely and utterly indifferent to the safety of its students at a university obsessed with protecting its brand and image, rather than the well-being of its female students,” Manly said.
USC has retained three top-tier law firms to defend against those cases. Resolving those claims could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The university is also footing the bill for the law firm O’Melveny & Myers to conduct an internal investigation of Tyndall’s time at USC.
USC employees are also expected to be important witnesses in the criminal case against the gynecologist. He has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he engaged in sexual misconduct against 16 former patients at the campus clinic dating to 2009.


latimes--2020-02-27--House passes bill to help eradicate swamp rats invading California and other states

A measure to help eradicate the invasive rodents called nutria has passed the U.S. House with the help of a large , stuffed specimen .
California Rep. Josh Harder ( D-Turlock ) brought a taxidermied nutria he calls Nellie to the House floor Wednesday ahead of a vote that approved the bill , the Modesto Bee reported .
Nutria are native to South America and spread across the United States in the 20th century after being introduced as a source of fur for coats and hats .
California declared them eradicated in the 1970s , but the semi-aquatic rodents have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s latest infestation was confirmed in early 2017 .
State and federal agencies have warned that explosive population growth combined with California ’ s reliance on expansive waterways connected to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta make the state especially vulnerable .
Rep. Garret Graves ( R-La . )
co-sponsored the legislation with Harder .
It would support making $ 12 million available each year until 2025 to about a dozen states battling the invasion of the rodent , news outlets reported .
“ Nearly 4.5 million people live in Louisiana , yet we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Graves said in a statement .
Louisiana recently upped the bounty it pays to hunters who kill nutria , from $ 5 to $ 6 a head .
The webbed-toed , buck-toothed rodents are sometimes called swamp rats because of their naked-looking tails but are more closely related to guinea pigs .
They can grow up to 25 pounds and contribute to erosion by burrowing in land and eating marshland plants , including the roots .
They eat 25 % of their own weight in plants each day , and can kill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bark .
California allocated $ 10 million in state money last year to fight its nutria population , according to the Bee .
Officials used the money to put together a team of 40 employees tasked with driving down the number of the rodents .

Rep. Josh Harder (D-Turlock) examines nutria trapped in the San Joaquin Valley during a tour of California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Nutria Eradication Program headquarters in Los Banos in August 2019.
A measure to help eradicate the invasive rodents called nutria has passed the U.S. House with the help of a large, stuffed specimen.
California Rep. Josh Harder (D-Turlock) brought a taxidermied nutria he calls Nellie to the House floor Wednesday ahead of a vote that approved the bill, the Modesto Bee reported.
Nutria are native to South America and spread across the United States in the 20th century after being introduced as a source of fur for coats and hats. California declared them eradicated in the 1970s, but the semi-aquatic rodents have since made a rebound.
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California’s latest infestation was confirmed in early 2017. State and federal agencies have warned that explosive population growth combined with California’s reliance on expansive waterways connected to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta make the state especially vulnerable.
California Swamp rats have invaded California. A Central Valley Democrat is declaring war Opponents have painted Democratic Rep. Josh Harder of Turlock as a Bay Area carpetbagger backed by San Francisco elites and tech moguls. The perfect project to combat that image is taking on the nutria, an invasive swamp rat that threatens to damage levees and eat through Central Valley wetlands.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) co-sponsored the legislation with Harder. It would support making $12 million available each year until 2025 to about a dozen states battling the invasion of the rodent, news outlets reported.
“Nearly 4.5 million people live in Louisiana, yet we have an estimated 20 million nutria,” Graves said in a statement.
Louisiana recently upped the bounty it pays to hunters who kill nutria, from $5 to $6 a head. The webbed-toed, buck-toothed rodents are sometimes called swamp rats because of their naked-looking tails but are more closely related to guinea pigs. They can grow up to 25 pounds and contribute to erosion by burrowing in land and eating marshland plants, including the roots. They eat 25% of their own weight in plants each day, and can kill trees by gnawing away a ring of bark.
California allocated $10 million in state money last year to fight its nutria population, according to the Bee. Officials used the money to put together a team of 40 employees tasked with driving down the number of the rodents.


latimes--2020-02-27--Police raid illegal gambling house in Santa Ana and take 6 into custody

Santa Ana police detained six people before dawn Thursday at a house that authorities said was being operated as an illegal gambling operation .
Police obtained a search warrant to enter the residence around 5 a.m. after receiving calls from homeowners in the area complaining that the 24/7 establishment had attracted various criminal activities , including prostitution and narcotics use , Cpl .
Anthony Bertagna said .
None of those detained were residents of the house on South Rita Way , which authorities described as an illegal gambling house .
“ We ’ re trying to figure out who the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the establishment , ” Bertagna said .
Police seized six gambling machines , $ 2,700 and methamphetamine from the property .
Bertagna said these types of establishments began popping up in strip malls about two years ago , then moved into industrial areas before appearing in residential spaces .
Last week , Bertagna said , about 32 people were detained for similar activity at a small house in the area .
The number of individuals present varies by the time of day , he said .
It ’ s unclear whether any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other establishments , police said .
At least one of the individuals who had an outstanding arrest warrant was booked into police custody , Bertagna said .
The others may be released on a citation .

Santa Ana police detained six people before dawn Thursday at a house that authorities said was being operated as an illegal gambling operation.
Police obtained a search warrant to enter the residence around 5 a.m. after receiving calls from homeowners in the area complaining that the 24/7 establishment had attracted various criminal activities, including prostitution and narcotics use, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
None of those detained were residents of the house on South Rita Way, which authorities described as an illegal gambling house.
“We’re trying to figure out who the person is that is running or owning the establishment,” Bertagna said.
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Police seized six gambling machines, $2,700 and methamphetamine from the property.
Bertagna said these types of establishments began popping up in strip malls about two years ago, then moved into industrial areas before appearing in residential spaces. Last week, Bertagna said, about 32 people were detained for similar activity at a small house in the area. The number of individuals present varies by the time of day, he said.
It’s unclear whether any of the six who were detained have connections with other establishments, police said.
At least one of the individuals who had an outstanding arrest warrant was booked into police custody, Bertagna said. The others may be released on a citation.


latimes--2020-02-27--Facebook, Microsoft, Epic Games cancel California conference plans over coronavirus

Concerns about the spreading coronavirus have prompted three major tech companies to cancel plans for upcoming conferences in the San Francisco Bay Area .
Microsoft announced Thursday it was pulling out of next month ’ s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco .
Microsoft Game Stack said in a tweet that the decision came after “ a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution.
” Facebook followed suit shortly after , announcing that it was canceling its annual F8 Developer Conference set for May 5-6 in San Jose .
“ Given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 2020 , ” the company said in a statement .
“ This was a tough call to make — F8 is an incredibly important event for Facebook and it ’ s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you from around the world — but we need to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners , employees and everyone who helps put F8 on.
” By 11 a.m. , Epic Games had announced that it , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Developers Conference , set for March 16-20 .
“ Regrettably , uncertainty around health concerns has made it unviable to send our employees , and so we have made the difficult decision to withdraw attendance , ” the company said in a tweet .
Health officials have emphasized that the number of coronavirus cases in California remains low , and there are no signs of an outbreak .
But health agencies said they are preparing for more cases as the San Francisco and Orange County have declared emergencies even though neither community has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latest concern surrounds a patient in Northern California who was described by authorities as potentially the first in the U.S. to contract the disease through community spread rather than from contact with a person who has traveled to the global outbreak ’ s epicenter in China .
of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County , according to the state Department of Public Health .
UC Davis officials the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 but was not tested until Sunday , four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our team asked public health officials if this case could be .
We requested COVID-19 testing by the [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] , since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time .
Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19 , a test was not immediately administered , ” the medical center said in a statement .
“ UC Davis Health does not control the testing process , ” the statement noted .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient , and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions , because of our concerns about the patient ’ s condition.
” The positive test results came back Wednesday , the medical center said .

Jaclyn Cosgrove, Alex Wigglesworth, Colleen Shalby

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the F8 Facebook Developers conference on May 1, 2018 in San Jose. Facebook has decided to cancel this year’s conference amid fears over coronavirus.
Concerns about the spreading coronavirus have prompted three major tech companies to cancel plans for upcoming conferences in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Microsoft announced Thursday it was pulling out of next month’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Microsoft Game Stack said in a tweet that the decision came after “a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution.”
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Facebook followed suit shortly after, announcing that it was canceling its annual F8 Developer Conference set for May 5-6 in San Jose.
“Given the growing concerns around COVID-19, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 2020,” the company said in a statement. “This was a tough call to make — F8 is an incredibly important event for Facebook and it’s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you from around the world — but we need to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on.”
By 11 a.m., Epic Games had announced that it, too, was pulling out of the Game Developers Conference, set for March 16-20.
“Regrettably, uncertainty around health concerns has made it unviable to send our employees, and so we have made the difficult decision to withdraw attendance,” the company said in a tweet.
Health officials have emphasized that the number of coronavirus cases in California remains low, and there are no signs of an outbreak. But health agencies said they are preparing for more cases as the virus spreads.
“Everyone’s concerned,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
San Francisco and Orange County have declared emergencies even though neither community has experienced any kind of virus outbreak.
The latest concern surrounds a patient in Northern California who was described by authorities as potentially the first in the U.S. to contract the disease through community spread rather than from contact with a person who has traveled to the global outbreak’s epicenter in China.
The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.
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UC Davis officials said the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 but was not tested until Sunday, four days later.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19 . We requested COVID-19 testing by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered,” the medical center said in a statement.
“UC Davis Health does not control the testing process,” the statement noted.
On Sunday, the statement said, “the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient, and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions, because of our concerns about the patient’s condition.”
The positive test results came back Wednesday, the medical center said.


latimes--2020-02-28--Heat wave breaks records at LAX and Long Beach Airport

Sandals and swimsuits were in order Thursday as Mother Nature cranked up the heat , breaking records in Los Angeles County .
The unseasonably warm weather was the result of a high-pressure ridge that ’ s lingered over the eastern Pacific Ocean for much of January and February , rerouting winter storms that typically soak California to the Pacific Northwest .
“ It ’ s not unusual to get these mini warm spells in January and February , but it ’ s going to be a very warm day for the coastal plain , ” said Richard Thompson , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oxnard .
The mercury rose to 85 degrees at Los Angeles International Airport , breaking a previous record of 83 degrees set on the same date in 1992 .
Long Beach Airport reached 84 degrees , nudging past the record of 83 degrees set in 1992 , according to weather service data .
Temperatures in downtown Los Angeles and UCLA rose to 86 and 83 , respectively , meeting daily records also set in 1992 .
Elsewhere in the Los Angeles area , high temperatures ranged from the low 80s to 90 degrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the warmest day of the week .
Temperatures are expected to fall by a few degrees Friday .
But by Saturday , the mercury is expected to drop about 10 degrees — into the low 70s — for much of the Southland .
By Sunday , wet weather is expected to return to the area , with a slight chance of rain before 10 a.m. followed by a chance of showers until 4 p.m .
The storm is expected to drop less than a quarter inch of rain across Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the weather service .
After a wet ending to 2019 , rainfall has been lackluster in California in January and February , causing some consternation among weather experts .
Downtown Los Angeles has received just 0.04 of an inch of rain this month , a sharp contrast to February 2019 , when a series of atmospheric rivers hammered the area with rain , dumping 5.59 inches downtown and keeping the mercury below 70 degrees all month .
The lack of rain has also taken its toll on the Sierra Nevada snowpack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s water supply .
As of Thursday , the statewide snowpack measured 46 % of average for the time of year .
At roughly the same time last year , the snowpack measured 151 % of average .

A man exercises amid warm weather at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on Feb. 20. The region could see record high temperatures Thursday.
Sandals and swimsuits were in order Thursday as Mother Nature cranked up the heat, breaking records in Los Angeles County.
The unseasonably warm weather was the result of a high-pressure ridge that’s lingered over the eastern Pacific Ocean for much of January and February, rerouting winter storms that typically soak California to the Pacific Northwest.
“It’s not unusual to get these mini warm spells in January and February, but it’s going to be a very warm day for the coastal plain,” said Richard Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
The mercury rose to 85 degrees at Los Angeles International Airport, breaking a previous record of 83 degrees set on the same date in 1992. Long Beach Airport reached 84 degrees, nudging past the record of 83 degrees set in 1992, according to weather service data.
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Temperatures in downtown Los Angeles and UCLA rose to 86 and 83, respectively, meeting daily records also set in 1992.
Elsewhere in the Los Angeles area, high temperatures ranged from the low 80s to 90 degrees on Thursday, which was predicted to be the warmest day of the week.
Temperatures are expected to fall by a few degrees Friday. But by Saturday, the mercury is expected to drop about 10 degrees — into the low 70s — for much of the Southland.
By Sunday, wet weather is expected to return to the area, with a slight chance of rain before 10 a.m. followed by a chance of showers until 4 p.m. The storm is expected to drop less than a quarter inch of rain across Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, according to the weather service.
After a wet ending to 2019, rainfall has been lackluster in California in January and February, causing some consternation among weather experts.
Downtown Los Angeles has received just 0.04 of an inch of rain this month, a sharp contrast to February 2019, when a series of atmospheric rivers hammered the area with rain, dumping 5.59 inches downtown and keeping the mercury below 70 degrees all month.
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The lack of rain has also taken its toll on the Sierra Nevada snowpack, a key source of the state’s water supply. As of Thursday, the statewide snowpack measured 46% of average for the time of year. At roughly the same time last year, the snowpack measured 151% of average.


latimes--2020-02-27--For stranded sea otter pups, Long Beach aquarium expands its fuzzy mama foster program

Each year , a handful of stranded or orphaned sea otter pups are placed into a sort of fuzzy foster care .
At the Monterey Bay Aquarium , rescued babies are paired with the facility ’ s female otters , who take them in , care for them and show them the ropes .
The goal is that the pups will learn all the skills they need to survive in the wild — without developing a reliance on humans .
While officials say the surrogacy program has been effective , there ’ s one significant hurdle : capacity .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aquarium of the Pacific comes in .
The two institutions officially announced a partnership Thursday to expand the surrogacy program across the state .
“ It ’ s just so exciting to step into our role and be on the front lines of this conservation work , ” said Brett Long , curator of mammals and birds at Aquarium of the Pacific .
Increasing the surrogate program ’ s capacity is imperative to help with sea otter recovery along the California coast , he said .
In announcing the program , Aquarium of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : a 4-year-old otter named Millie , who officials say is a prime candidate to serve as a surrogate mom .
After all , she ’ s already raised a pup of her own .
“ We know that she was a very good mom , so she ’ s a very likely candidate to be a good surrogate , ” Long said .
Monterey Bay Aquarium has been using otters as surrogate mothers to great effect since the 1990s , according to Kyle Van Houtan , the institution ’ s chief scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance .
The aquarium came into possession of both a female otter that had just lost a pup and a pup that had been orphaned .
“ We said , ‘ Hey , we have peanut butter and we have chocolate here , can we make a Reese ’ s Peanut Butter Cup ?
’ ” Van Houtan said .
Otters , he said , “ have a prolonged maternal care attachment , and the dependent pup is completely dependent upon the mom.
” “ They have to be taught how to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hunting , ” Long said .
“ That ’ s something the mother sea otter teaches.
” If something happens to mom , “ that pup is completely lost on its own , and there ’ s no social organization like there would be in a whale pod to pick up the slack , ” Van Houtan said .
“ We realized , ‘ You know what ?
The otters are better moms than we are , ’ ” he said .
“ Even though it is possible to rehabilitate an orphaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with humans , then that otter really can ’ t go back into the wild.
” The results so far seem to back up that thinking .
A recent study found that surrogate-raised otters and their wild offspring have played a significant role in growing the population at Elkhorn Slough , an estuary in Monterey Bay .
However , surrogacy is a logistically demanding and time-consuming process — it typically takes about eight to 10 months — meaning Monterey can accommodate only five pups or so in a given year , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , was a natural choice for a partner .
Aquarium of the Pacific is developing a new surrogacy area , which officials hope eventually will accommodate three or four rescued pups a year .
That area will be designed to limit human influence on the otters , Long said .
That ’ s vital , wildlife officials say , so the otters don ’ t become reliant on humans .
At Monterey , for instance , workers who feed otter pups when they first arrive do so in disguise so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associate humans with food , Van Houtan said .
“ We call it the ‘ Darth Vader ’ outfit , ” he said .
“ It looks like you ’ re going to go weld something.
” Although California ’ s sea otter population has rebounded over the decades and now sits at almost 3,000 , the species is still threatened and faces significant risks from things like oil spills , pollution and the effects of climate change , Long said .
Otters also only occupy a relative sliver of their historical range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t just good for the otters themselves , it ’ s also a boon for the environment .
Van Houtan said otters are a keystone species , meaning they have a significant positive impact on the ecosystem .
“ Our whole goal is that the otters win , and our whole goal is that the coastal communities and coastal ecosystems win , ” Van Houtan said .
“ And for that to happen , we need to expand this program.
” For more information , or to donate to support the program at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or call ( 562 ) 951-1701 .

A 4-year-old sea otter named Millie interacts with excited young visitors at the Aquarium of the Pacific on Wednesday in Long Beach.
Each year, a handful of stranded or orphaned sea otter pups are placed into a sort of fuzzy foster care.
At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, rescued babies are paired with the facility’s female otters, who take them in, care for them and show them the ropes.
The goal is that the pups will learn all the skills they need to survive in the wild — without developing a reliance on humans.
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While officials say the surrogacy program has been effective, there’s one significant hurdle: capacity.
That’s where Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific comes in.
The two institutions officially announced a partnership Thursday to expand the surrogacy program across the state.
Four-year-old sea otter Millie swims in her new habitat at the Aquarium of the Pacific. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
“It’s just so exciting to step into our role and be on the front lines of this conservation work,” said Brett Long, curator of mammals and birds at Aquarium of the Pacific.
Increasing the surrogate program’s capacity is imperative to help with sea otter recovery along the California coast, he said.
In announcing the program, Aquarium of the Pacific also unveiled its newest resident: a 4-year-old otter named Millie, who officials say is a prime candidate to serve as a surrogate mom.
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After all, she’s already raised a pup of her own.
“We know that she was a very good mom, so she’s a very likely candidate to be a good surrogate,” Long said.
Monterey Bay Aquarium has been using otters as surrogate mothers to great effect since the 1990s, according to Kyle Van Houtan, the institution’s chief scientist.
The idea came about somewhat by chance. The aquarium came into possession of both a female otter that had just lost a pup and a pup that had been orphaned.
“We said, ‘Hey, we have peanut butter and we have chocolate here, can we make a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup?’ ” Van Houtan said.
Otters, he said, “have a prolonged maternal care attachment, and the dependent pup is completely dependent upon the mom.”
“They have to be taught how to do certain core functions like foraging for food and hunting,” Long said. “That’s something the mother sea otter teaches.”
If something happens to mom, “that pup is completely lost on its own, and there’s no social organization like there would be in a whale pod to pick up the slack,” Van Houtan said.
“We realized, ‘You know what? The otters are better moms than we are,’” he said. “Even though it is possible to rehabilitate an orphaned pup, if you do it just with humans, then that otter really can’t go back into the wild.”
The results so far seem to back up that thinking. A recent study found that surrogate-raised otters and their wild offspring have played a significant role in growing the population at Elkhorn Slough, an estuary in Monterey Bay.
Four-year-old sea otter Millie is fed by Rob Martensen, 52, assistant curator at the Aquarium of the Pacific. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
However, surrogacy is a logistically demanding and time-consuming process — it typically takes about eight to 10 months — meaning Monterey can accommodate only five pups or so in a given year, according to Van Houtan. Aquarium of the Pacific, he said, was a natural choice for a partner.
Aquarium of the Pacific is developing a new surrogacy area, which officials hope eventually will accommodate three or four rescued pups a year.
That area will be designed to limit human influence on the otters, Long said. That’s vital, wildlife officials say, so the otters don’t become reliant on humans.
At Monterey, for instance, workers who feed otter pups when they first arrive do so in disguise so the animals won’t come to associate humans with food, Van Houtan said.
“We call it the ‘Darth Vader’ outfit,” he said. “It looks like you’re going to go weld something.”
Although California’s sea otter population has rebounded over the decades and now sits at almost 3,000, the species is still threatened and faces significant risks from things like oil spills, pollution and the effects of climate change, Long said.
Otters also only occupy a relative sliver of their historical range.
Growing the wild population isn’t just good for the otters themselves, it’s also a boon for the environment. Van Houtan said otters are a keystone species, meaning they have a significant positive impact on the ecosystem.
“Our whole goal is that the otters win, and our whole goal is that the coastal communities and coastal ecosystems win,” Van Houtan said. “And for that to happen, we need to expand this program.”
For more information, or to donate to support the program at Aquarium of the Pacific, visit aquariumofpacific.org or call (562) 951-1701.


latimes--2020-02-27--College admissions scandal: Notes raise questions about Lori Loughlin 'bribe'

In October 2018 , two weeks after he was arrested by the FBI , William “ Rick ” Singer pulled out his iPhone and wrote a note in it about a “ loud and abrasive call ” with his handlers .
“ They continue to ask me to tell a fib , ” he wrote , “ and not restate what I told my clients as to where [ their ] money was going — to the program not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment.
” Thursday made for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has riveted the nation : A judge set an Oct. 5 start date for a blockbuster trial featuring Lori Loughlin and other parents charged with defrauding USC , and notes emerged showing Singer had written that his FBI handlers wanted him “ to bend the truth ” and tell his clients that payments they made to his charity were bribes , not donations to university athletic programs .
At the heart of the case is this question : Did Singer ’ s clients believe their payments were bribes that would induce college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children , swindling the schools of their employees ’ honest employment ?
Or did they think the payments were genuine donations , routed through proper channels and no different from the checks deep-pocketed parents often write to universities they hope to see their children attend ?
It is a question that probably must be settled at trial , which U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton on Thursday scheduled to begin in October , with Loughlin , her husband , J. Mossimo Giannulli , and others charged with defrauding USC .
In his iPhone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys on Wednesday , Singer wrote that his handlers insisted he “ tell a fib and not restate ” what he had previously told his clients : that their money was destined for a school ’ s athletic program , not the coach personally , “ and that it was a donation.
” “ Essentially , ” Singer wrote , “ they are asking me to bend the truth which is what they asked me not to do when working with the agents and Eric Rosen , ” the case ’ s lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William McGlashan Jr. , a San Francisco Bay Area financier who is among the other parents charged in the case , seized on Singer ’ s notes in court papers filed Thursday , saying they show prosecutors and agents told Singer to “ manufacture evidence ” that would support a bribery case “ when no such case existed.
” A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Boston declined to comment .
When Singer noted in his iPhone that he had been told to “ not restate ” that his clients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not coaches ’ pockets , it appears he was recording an instruction to more narrowly focus his conversations with clients who were under investigation , his attorney , Don Heller , said in an interview .
“ My impression is they wanted to get something specific , rather than have Rick ’ s conversations range all over the place , as they can do , and miss the point , ” Heller said .
“ Rick ’ s a talker.
” Singer was instructed to use two iPhones while cooperating with government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one phone , which agents had wiretapped for several months prior to him becoming a cooperator , to communicate with his handlers and call targets of the investigation on a recorded line , Heller said .
Singer was supposed to use the other phone to communicate with his lawyer .
Singer , however , was using the phone designated for government work to write notes and email them to his attorney , Heller said .
A member of the prosecution team first saw one of the notes in late October 2018 , Rosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
When prosecutors learned of Singer ’ s writings , they believed the records were communications to Singer ’ s attorney and therefore privileged , Heller said .
“ That perception was a correct perception , ” he said .
A “ taint team ” of government lawyers was brought in to review the notes and determine whether they were protected by attorney-client privilege .
The review began in August , Rosen wrote in his letter .
After some delays in parsing through the notes , prosecutors decided last week they should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berkowitz , who represents Loughlin and Giannulli , called this timeline “ incredible on its face.
” It strains belief , he wrote , to think that “ on learning that the supposed mastermind at the center of a vast conspiracy involving dozens of university officials and public figures keeps notes of his daily interactions on his phone , ” agents and prosecutors “ responded by not reviewing these notes for evidence.
” Their disclosure , 16 months after a member of the prosecution team first saw one of them , shows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all costs effort , ” Berkowitz wrote , “ rather than following their obligation to do justice.
” Berkowitz asked a judge to force the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Boston to turn over every FBI report of Singer ’ s interviews .
He also requested a hearing to determine how the prosecution team learned of Singer ’ s iPhone notes , why they were withheld and whether the government is holding back any other evidence .
Despite his characterization of a call with his handler as “ loud and abrasive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue cooperating , his lawyer said , and every phone call he placed at an agent ’ s direction was consensual .
Defense attorneys can squabble over whether their clients did or didn ’ t use the word “ bribe , ” Heller said , but a payment can still be an illegal quid pro quo , even if the payer calls it a “ donation.
” “ It doesn ’ t require the parties to say , ‘ I ’ ll bribe you ‘ x ’ dollars in exchange for ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ It ’ s a wink and a nod .
It ’ s ‘ This is what it ’ s worth to me.
’ And that ’ s how bribery cases have unfolded throughout the annals of history.
” In light of the iPhone note disclosures , Gorton , the judge , said Thursday that defense attorneys have until March 13 to file motions to dismiss the indictment , suppress evidence or seek sanctions for government misconduct .
Gorton on Thursday divided the 15 parents who have pleaded not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first , slated to begin Oct. 5 , includes Loughlin and Giannulli , along with Robert Zangrillo , a Miami investor ; John Wilson , a Massachusetts financier ; Homayoun Zadeh , a USC dentistry professor ; Gamal Abdelaziz , a casino executive ; and Diane and Todd Blake , a Bay Area couple .
The second trial , scheduled to begin Jan. 11 , includes McGlashan , a former private equity chief ; David Sidoo , a Canadian investor and former professional football player ; I-Hsin “ Joey ” Chen , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Kimmel , a media executive ; Marci Palatella , chief executive of a liquor company ; and Palo Alto oncologist Gregory Colburn and his wife , Amy .

William “Rick” Singer leaves federal court in Boston after being charged with racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice on March 12, 2019.
In October 2018, two weeks after he was arrested by the FBI, William “Rick” Singer pulled out his iPhone and wrote a note in it about a “loud and abrasive call” with his handlers.
“They continue to ask me to tell a fib,” he wrote, “and not restate what I told my clients as to where [their] money was going — to the program not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment.”
Thursday made for an eventful day in a college admissions scandal that has riveted the nation: A judge set an Oct. 5 start date for a blockbuster trial featuring Lori Loughlin and other parents charged with defrauding USC, and notes emerged showing Singer had written that his FBI handlers wanted him “to bend the truth” and tell his clients that payments they made to his charity were bribes, not donations to university athletic programs.
At the heart of the case is this question: Did Singer’s clients believe their payments were bribes that would induce college coaches and officials to accept their underqualified children, swindling the schools of their employees’ honest employment? Or did they think the payments were genuine donations, routed through proper channels and no different from the checks deep-pocketed parents often write to universities they hope to see their children attend?
It is a question that probably must be settled at trial, which U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton on Thursday scheduled to begin in October, with Loughlin, her husband, J. Mossimo Giannulli, and others charged with defrauding USC.
In his iPhone notes, which prosecutors disclosed to defense attorneys on Wednesday, Singer wrote that his handlers insisted he “tell a fib and not restate” what he had previously told his clients: that their money was destined for a school’s athletic program, not the coach personally, “and that it was a donation.”
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“Essentially,” Singer wrote, “they are asking me to bend the truth which is what they asked me not to do when working with the agents and Eric Rosen,” the case’s lead prosecutor.
Jack Pirozzolo, who represents William McGlashan Jr., a San Francisco Bay Area financier who is among the other parents charged in the case, seized on Singer’s notes in court papers filed Thursday, saying they show prosecutors and agents told Singer to “manufacture evidence” that would support a bribery case “when no such case existed.” A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston declined to comment.
When Singer noted in his iPhone that he had been told to “not restate” that his clients’ money was bound for university programs, not coaches’ pockets, it appears he was recording an instruction to more narrowly focus his conversations with clients who were under investigation, his attorney, Don Heller, said in an interview.
“My impression is they wanted to get something specific, rather than have Rick’s conversations range all over the place, as they can do, and miss the point,” Heller said. “Rick’s a talker.”
Singer was instructed to use two iPhones while cooperating with government agents, Heller said. He used one phone, which agents had wiretapped for several months prior to him becoming a cooperator, to communicate with his handlers and call targets of the investigation on a recorded line, Heller said. Singer was supposed to use the other phone to communicate with his lawyer.
Singer, however, was using the phone designated for government work to write notes and email them to his attorney, Heller said. A member of the prosecution team first saw one of the notes in late October 2018, Rosen told defense attorneys in a letter dated Wednesday. When prosecutors learned of Singer’s writings, they believed the records were communications to Singer’s attorney and therefore privileged, Heller said. “That perception was a correct perception,” he said.
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A “taint team” of government lawyers was brought in to review the notes and determine whether they were protected by attorney-client privilege. The review began in August, Rosen wrote in his letter. After some delays in parsing through the notes, prosecutors decided last week they should be disclosed, Heller said.
Sean Berkowitz, who represents Loughlin and Giannulli, called this timeline “incredible on its face.” It strains belief, he wrote, to think that “on learning that the supposed mastermind at the center of a vast conspiracy involving dozens of university officials and public figures keeps notes of his daily interactions on his phone,” agents and prosecutors “responded by not reviewing these notes for evidence.”
Their disclosure, 16 months after a member of the prosecution team first saw one of them, shows the government has adopted a “win at all costs effort,” Berkowitz wrote, “rather than following their obligation to do justice.”
Berkowitz asked a judge to force the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston to turn over every FBI report of Singer’s interviews. He also requested a hearing to determine how the prosecution team learned of Singer’s iPhone notes, why they were withheld and whether the government is holding back any other evidence.
Despite his characterization of a call with his handler as “loud and abrasive,” Singer was never coerced or pressured to continue cooperating, his lawyer said, and every phone call he placed at an agent’s direction was consensual. Defense attorneys can squabble over whether their clients did or didn’t use the word “bribe,” Heller said, but a payment can still be an illegal quid pro quo, even if the payer calls it a “donation.”
“It doesn’t require the parties to say, ‘I’ll bribe you ‘x’ dollars in exchange for ‘y’ and ‘z,’” he said. “It’s a wink and a nod. It’s ‘This is what it’s worth to me.’ And that’s how bribery cases have unfolded throughout the annals of history.”
In light of the iPhone note disclosures, Gorton, the judge, said Thursday that defense attorneys have until March 13 to file motions to dismiss the indictment, suppress evidence or seek sanctions for government misconduct.
Gorton on Thursday divided the 15 parents who have pleaded not guilty into two trial groups: the first, slated to begin Oct. 5, includes Loughlin and Giannulli, along with Robert Zangrillo, a Miami investor; John Wilson, a Massachusetts financier; Homayoun Zadeh, a USC dentistry professor; Gamal Abdelaziz, a casino executive; and Diane and Todd Blake, a Bay Area couple.
The second trial, scheduled to begin Jan. 11, includes McGlashan, a former private equity chief; David Sidoo, a Canadian investor and former professional football player; I-Hsin “Joey” Chen, who owns a shipping company in Torrance; Elizabeth Kimmel, a media executive; Marci Palatella, chief executive of a liquor company; and Palo Alto oncologist Gregory Colburn and his wife, Amy.


latimes--2020-02-27--California grapples with growing coronavirus threat as businesses pull out of state events

California is coming to terms with the growing threat posed by coronavirus , as two communities issued emergency orders and a patient in Northern California was described by authorities as potentially the first in the U.S. to contract the disease through community .
Officials have stressed that the number of cases in California remain low , and there are no signs of an outbreak .
But health agencies said they are preparing for more cases as the virus spreads .
“ We ’ re not just preparing — we ’ ve been actively participating in addressing this issue for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In fact , there ’ s no other state in America that ’ s been more involved in addressing the issue.
” Newsom said that he met with Trump administration officials to discuss the coronavirus when he traveled to Washington , D.C. , earlier this month to attend a National Governors Assn .
meeting and added that the state continues to work closely with the federal government on the issue .
“ We have had a very good relationship , open lines of communication , two-way conversations , ” Newsom said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good levels of trust and continue to work through this dynamic moment .
I am proud of also being a Californian , where we ’ re not turning our backs on people , and that ’ s not the case in every state in this country.
” The governor said California has been involved in monitoring and identifying individuals who have been repatriated to the state and other travelers returning independently on commercial flights .
“ There hasn ’ t been a day since December that ’ s gone by where we haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that ’ s an example of the resolve that we have to meet this moment head on , ” he added .
“ And so rather than expressing concern , expressing anxiety , I want to demonstrate resolve to address that concern and anxiety , and I think that ’ s happening in all levels of government , both the county level , obviously at the state level and I couldn ’ t be more proud of our folks .
But also I ’ ll say this , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unless I believe it : at the federal level as well.
” Federal authorities said this week that the virus is likely to spread in the U.S. “ Ultimately , we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country , ” Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said Tuesday .
“ It ’ s not so much a question of if , but a question of when.
” The warnings are already scaring away visitors and businesses to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Games announced they were pulling out of next month ’ s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco .
Microsoft Game Stack said in a tweet that the decision comes after “ a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution , ” while Epic said that uncertainty around health concerns has made it “ unviable ” to send employees to the event .
Facebook followed suit , announcing that it was canceling its annual F8 Developer Conference in San Jose .
“ Given the growing concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 2020 , ” the company said in a statement .
“ This was a tough call to make — F8 is an incredibly important event for Facebook and it ’ s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you from around the world — but we need to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners , employees and everyone who helps put F8 on.
” Here ’ s what we know about the virus and its spread in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Orange County emergency ?
Orange County has not seen any outbreak of the illness yet .
The emergency order , which was issued Wednesday , is seen as both a political statement as well as a health declaration .
Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel and Vice Chairman Andrew Do said at a news conference that the action is largely in response to a proposal to to a facility in Costa Mesa , which has sparked a bitter court battle .
At the center of the dispute is a proposal to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine site , an idea that from city , county , state and federal officials representing the area .
“ The county of Orange continues to support Costa Mesa in opposition of state and federal government ’ s decision to move COVID-19 patients to the Fairview Center , ” Do said .
He and other officials say the transportation of patients into Orange County does not “ preserve the health of our community , ” which has a population of more than 3 million .
The city of Costa Mesa requested a temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that blocked possible plans to send the affected individuals to the center .
On Monday , U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton ordered federal and state officials to meet with local officials from the county and Costa Mesa to answer specific questions about how the Fairview center was chosen .
According to Steel , the status of the restraining order will be decided March 2 .
What does an emergency declaration do ?
The declaration creates a mechanism for officials to ask for mutual aid from county , state and federal partners in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county health officer Nichole Quick said .
It allows Orange County to better leverage resources for staffing and agency coordination .
“ It expands our ability to respond in a nimble and flexible way in the future , ” Quick said .
There is no defined criteria , such as a certain number of coronavirus cases , for what merits an emergency declaration , Los Angeles emergency management department general manager Aram Sahakian said in a meeting with City Council members Wednesday .
“ If the core group preparing for this incident feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and additional multi-agency coordination , they can pull the trigger on it , ” he said .
“ It doesn ’ t mean it ’ s out of control .
It doesn ’ t mean we ’ re going to panic.
” What about the emergency order in San Francisco ?
Like in Orange County , San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the action is a precaution .
“ Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents , the global picture is changing rapidly , and we need to step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement Tuesday .
“ We see the virus spreading in new parts of the world every day , and we are taking the necessary steps to protect San Franciscans from harm.
” While three people have been treated for COVID-19 at San Francisco hospitals , there have been no confirmed cases of the illness in the city .
Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city is taking precautions to monitor the spread of the virus .
“ The city of Los Angeles will continue to be proactive and take precautions to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our city and county response agencies for their hard work to keep us safe .
My office is working closely with federal , state and county agencies to monitor the situation , ” Garcetti said in a statement to The Times .
The mayor ’ s office said Los Angeles International Airport is also taking precautions to keep travelers and employees safe , including the use of CDC health screeners at the LAX .
Los Angeles County officials are discussing whether to declare a public health emergency , officials say .
The last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 during a hepatitis A outbreak .
The hepatitis A outbreak required extraordinary measures because the disease was difficult to contain and required widespread vaccination efforts , L.A. County health department epidemiologist Dr. Prabhu Gounder told the City Council on Wednesday .
California officials also declared a state of emergency amid that outbreak .
“ At the time , there was a shortage of hepatitis A vaccine .
We would not have been able to get this additional vaccine for the response without the state declaration , ” Gounder said .
What do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County , according to the state Department of Public Health .
UC Davis officials the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 .
But the patient was not tested until Feb. 23 .
“ Upon admission , our team asked public health officials if this case could be .
We requested COVID-19 testing by the [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] , since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus at this time .
Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19 , a test was not immediately administered .
UC Davis Health does not control the testing process , ” the medical center said in a statement .
On Feb. 23 , the statement added , “ the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient , and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions , because of our concerns about the patient ’ s condition.
” The positive test results came back Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @

Colleen Shalby, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Taryn Luna, Dakota Smith, Soumya Karlamangla

An LAX worker wears a mask amid fears of coronavirus at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Feb. 8.
California is coming to terms with the growing threat posed by coronavirus, as two communities issued emergency orders and a patient in Northern California was described by authorities as potentially the first in the U.S. to contract the disease through community.
Officials have stressed that the number of cases in California remain low, and there are no signs of an outbreak. But health agencies said they are preparing for more cases as the virus spreads.
“Everyone’s concerned,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
“We’re not just preparing — we’ve been actively participating in addressing this issue for many months, aggressively,” he said. “In fact, there’s no other state in America that’s been more involved in addressing the issue.”
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Newsom said that he met with Trump administration officials to discuss the coronavirus when he traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to attend a National Governors Assn. meeting and added that the state continues to work closely with the federal government on the issue.
“We have had a very good relationship, open lines of communication, two-way conversations,” Newsom said. “We’re developing quite good levels of trust and continue to work through this dynamic moment. I am proud of also being a Californian, where we’re not turning our backs on people, and that’s not the case in every state in this country.”
The governor said California has been involved in monitoring and identifying individuals who have been repatriated to the state and other travelers returning independently on commercial flights.
“There hasn’t been a day since December that’s gone by where we haven’t demonstrably been engaged, and I think that’s an example of the resolve that we have to meet this moment head on,” he added. “And so rather than expressing concern, expressing anxiety, I want to demonstrate resolve to address that concern and anxiety, and I think that’s happening in all levels of government, both the county level, obviously at the state level and I couldn’t be more proud of our folks. But also I’ll say this, there’s no reason for me to say it, unless I believe it: at the federal level as well.”
Federal authorities said this week that the virus is likely to spread in the U.S.
“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said Tuesday. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”
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The warnings are already scaring away visitors and businesses to the state. On Thursday, Microsoft and Epic Games announced they were pulling out of next month’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
After a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution, we've made a difficult decision to withdraw from participating at Game Developers Conference 2020 in San Francisco: https://t.co/PD86eZ6FIN — Microsoft Game Stack (@MSFTGameStack) February 27, 2020
Microsoft Game Stack said in a tweet that the decision comes after “a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution,” while Epic said that uncertainty around health concerns has made it “unviable” to send employees to the event.
Facebook followed suit, announcing that it was canceling its annual F8 Developer Conference in San Jose.
“Given the growing concerns around COVID-19, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 2020,” the company said in a statement. “This was a tough call to make — F8 is an incredibly important event for Facebook and it’s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you from around the world — but we need to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on.”
Here’s what we know about the virus and its spread in California:
What’s the reason for the Orange County emergency?
Orange County has not seen any outbreak of the illness yet. The emergency order, which was issued Wednesday, is seen as both a political statement as well as a health declaration.
Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel and Vice Chairman Andrew Do said at a news conference that the action is largely in response to a proposal to move coronavirus patients to a facility in Costa Mesa, which has sparked a bitter court battle. At the center of the dispute is a proposal to use the Fairview Developmental Center as a coronavirus quarantine site, an idea that drew swift and fierce condemnation from city, county, state and federal officials representing the area.
California Orange County declares emergency over coronavirus Orange County’s emergency declaration over the coronavirus comes as local officials fight a proposal to send patients to a facility in Costa Mesa.
“The county of Orange continues to support Costa Mesa in opposition of state and federal government’s decision to move COVID-19 patients to the Fairview Center,” Do said.
He and other officials say the transportation of patients into Orange County does not “preserve the health of our community,” which has a population of more than 3 million.
The city of Costa Mesa requested a temporary restraining order from a federal judge last week that blocked possible plans to send the affected individuals to the center.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton ordered federal and state officials to meet with local officials from the county and Costa Mesa to answer specific questions about how the Fairview center was chosen. According to Steel, the status of the restraining order will be decided March 2.
What does an emergency declaration do?
The declaration creates a mechanism for officials to ask for mutual aid from county, state and federal partners in the event that resources are exhausted, county health officer Nichole Quick said. It allows Orange County to better leverage resources for staffing and agency coordination.
“It expands our ability to respond in a nimble and flexible way in the future,” Quick said.
There is no defined criteria, such as a certain number of coronavirus cases, for what merits an emergency declaration, Los Angeles emergency management department general manager Aram Sahakian said in a meeting with City Council members Wednesday.
“If the core group preparing for this incident feels and sees the need for additional resources and additional multi-agency coordination, they can pull the trigger on it,” he said. “It doesn’t mean it’s out of control. It doesn’t mean we’re going to panic.”
California San Francisco mayor declares coronavirus emergency Mayor London Breed’s decree comes on the same day the CDC warns that cases of COVID-19 will continue to spread.
What about the emergency order in San Francisco?
Like in Orange County, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the action is a precaution.
“Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents, the global picture is changing rapidly, and we need to step up preparedness,” Breed said in a statement Tuesday. “We see the virus spreading in new parts of the world every day, and we are taking the necessary steps to protect San Franciscans from harm.”
While three people have been treated for COVID-19 at San Francisco hospitals, there have been no confirmed cases of the illness in the city.
And in Los Angeles?
Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city is taking precautions to monitor the spread of the virus.
“The city of Los Angeles will continue to be proactive and take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and I commend our city and county response agencies for their hard work to keep us safe. My office is working closely with federal, state and county agencies to monitor the situation,” Garcetti said in a statement to The Times.
The mayor’s office said Los Angeles International Airport is also taking precautions to keep travelers and employees safe, including the use of CDC health screeners at the LAX.
Los Angeles County officials are discussing whether to declare a public health emergency, officials say. The last time the county did so was in 2017 during a hepatitis A outbreak.
The hepatitis A outbreak required extraordinary measures because the disease was difficult to contain and required widespread vaccination efforts, L.A. County health department epidemiologist Dr. Prabhu Gounder told the City Council on Wednesday. California officials also declared a state of emergency amid that outbreak.
“At the time, there was a shortage of hepatitis A vaccine. We would not have been able to get this additional vaccine for the response without the state declaration,” Gounder said.
What do we know about the Northern California case?
The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.
UC Davis officials said the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19. But the patient was not tested until Feb. 23.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19 . We requested COVID-19 testing by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered. UC Davis Health does not control the testing process,” the medical center said in a statement.
On Feb. 23, the statement added, “the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient, and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions, because of our concerns about the patient’s condition.”
The positive test results came back Wednesday, the medical center said.


latimes--2020-02-27--SUV stolen from church parking lot with body inside crashes during police pursuit on 110 Freeway

A police pursuit involving a black Lincoln Navigator that authorities say was stolen from a church parking lot in unincorporated Pasadena on Wednesday evening ended in a crash on the southbound 110 Freeway early Thursday .
The vehicle , which had a body inside , was parked outside the church in the 700 block of Rosemead Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. with the engine on and the keys in the ignition , said Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Deputy Maria Lucero .
The driver was dropping off one body inside the church and another was left inside the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SUV ’ s license plate number and made a plea to the thief on their Twitter account late Wednesday : “ Out of all the bad decisions you have made , at least make one good one and bring back the deceased person and casket inside the Navigator , ” officials wrote .
Early Thursday , a driver called police to report seeing the vehicle , which triggered the pursuit near 23rd Street and Figueroa Street , according to the Los Angeles Police Department .
The pursuit ended on the southbound 110 Freeway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SUV crashed into at least one other vehicle .
Authorities say the driver , who has not been identified , was taken into custody .
The body was still inside the SUV at the time of the crash .
Multiple lanes of the 110 Freeway were blocked for more than an hour while authorities investigated the scene .

An investigation is underway after an SUV that was carrying a body in a casket and was stolen from a Pasadena church parking lot crashed on the 110 Freeway on Feb. 27 during a police pursuit.
A police pursuit involving a black Lincoln Navigator that authorities say was stolen from a church parking lot in unincorporated Pasadena on Wednesday evening ended in a crash on the southbound 110 Freeway early Thursday.
The vehicle, which had a body inside, was parked outside the church in the 700 block of Rosemead Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. with the engine on and the keys in the ignition, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Maria Lucero.
The driver was dropping off one body inside the church and another was left inside the vehicle, Lucero said.
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Authorities released the SUV’s license plate number and made a plea to the thief on their Twitter account late Wednesday: “Out of all the bad decisions you have made, at least make one good one and bring back the deceased person and casket inside the Navigator,” officials wrote.
An SUV, center, that was carrying a body in a casket and was stolen from a Pasadena church parking lot crashed on the 110 Freeway on Thursday morning during a police pursuit. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Early Thursday, a driver called police to report seeing the vehicle, which triggered the pursuit near 23rd Street and Figueroa Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The pursuit ended on the southbound 110 Freeway near the Vernon Street exit when the SUV crashed into at least one other vehicle. Authorities say the driver, who has not been identified, was taken into custody.
The body was still inside the SUV at the time of the crash.
Multiple lanes of the 110 Freeway were blocked for more than an hour while authorities investigated the scene.
Times staff writer Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-27--California coronavirus patient was not tested for several days; some hospital staffers told to stay

California coronavirus patient was not tested for several days; some hospital staffers told to stay home

It took several days to test a coronavirus patient in Northern California who might be the first to have contracted the disease through community exposure in the United States .
The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County , according to the state Department of Public Health .
UC Davis officials said the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 .
But the patient was not tested until Sunday .
“ Upon admission , our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] , since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time .
Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19 , a test was not immediately administered .
UC Davis Health does not control the testing process , ” the medical center said in a statement .
On Sunday , the statement added , “ the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient , and the patient was put on airborne precautions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the patient ’ s condition.
” The positive test results came back Wednesday , the medical center said .
UC Davis said that “ because of the precautions we have had in place since this patient ’ s arrival , we believe there has been minimal potential for exposure here at UC Davis Medical Center.
” Still , the hospital has asked a “ small number ” of employees who might have come in contact with the patient to stay home and monitor their temperature .
They are also being monitored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are handling this in the same way we manage other diseases that require airborne precautions and monitoring , ” the statement said .
The CDC is investigating the case , which could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did .
“ At this time , the patient ’ s exposure is unknown .
It ’ s possible this could be an instance of community spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time this has happened in the United States , ” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday .
“ Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown .
It ’ s also possible , however , that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.
” Since Feb. 2 , more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California , according to the state health department .
They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
It is not clear how the person became infected , but public health workers could not identify any contact with people who had traveled to China — the epicenter of the outbreak — or other areas where the virus is widespread .
The case was reported out of Solano County , home to Travis Air Force Base , where some travelers from China have been quarantined .
CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities , the flu still poses a greater risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Mike Pence to coordinate the administration ’ s response while asserting that “ the risk to the American people remains very low.
” Public health officials who flanked Trump at a rare news conference in the White House briefing room were noticeably less upbeat , repeatedly warning that the deadly COVID-19 virus — which has infected 60 Americans , including the newly confirmed case in California — still could spread quickly in the U.S. “ The trajectory we ’ re looking at in coming weeks and months is very uncertain , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s principal deputy director .
“ We can expect to see more cases in the United States , ” said Alex Azar , the secretary of Health and Human Services .
On Wednesday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom told reporters how the state is addressing coronavirus concerns .
“ We ’ re not just preparing — we ’ ve been actively participating in addressing this issue for many months , aggressively , ” he said .
“ In fact , there ’ s no other state in America that ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said he met with Trump administration officials to discuss the coronavirus when he traveled to Washington , D.C. , earlier this month to attend a National Governors Assn .
meeting and the state continues to work closely with the federal government .
“ We have had a very good relationship , open lines of communication , two-way conversations , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ re developing quite good levels of trust , and continue to work through this dynamic moment .
I am proud of also being a Californian , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backs on people , and that ’ s not the case in every state in this country.
” The governor said the state has been involved in monitoring and identifying individuals who have been repatriated to the state and other travelers returning to California independently on commercial flights .

Jaclyn Cosgrove, Soumya Karlamangla, Taryn Luna

Alex Azar, secretary of Health and Human Services, right, with public health officials in the White House briefing room Wednesday, said, “We can expect to see more cases in the United States.”
It took several days to test a coronavirus patient in Northern California who might be the first to have contracted the disease through community exposure in the United States.
The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.
UC Davis officials said the patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19. But the patient was not tested until Sunday.
“Upon admission, our team asked public health officials if this case could be COVID-19. We requested COVID-19 testing by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], since neither Sacramento County nor the California Department of Public Health is doing testing for coronavirus at this time. Since the patient did not fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, a test was not immediately administered. UC Davis Health does not control the testing process,” the medical center said in a statement.
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On Sunday, the statement added, “the CDC ordered COVID-19 testing of the patient, and the patient was put on airborne precautions and strict contact precautions, because of our concerns about the patient’s condition.”
The positive test results came back Wednesday, the medical center said.
California Orange County declares emergency over coronavirus Orange County’s emergency declaration over the coronavirus comes as local officials fight a proposal to send patients to a facility in Costa Mesa.
UC Davis said that “because of the precautions we have had in place since this patient’s arrival, we believe there has been minimal potential for exposure here at UC Davis Medical Center.”
Still, the hospital has asked a “small number” of employees who might have come in contact with the patient to stay home and monitor their temperature. They are also being monitored for possible signs of the virus.
“We are handling this in the same way we manage other diseases that require airborne precautions and monitoring,” the statement said.
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The CDC is investigating the case, which could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.
“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”
Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.
It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contact with people who had traveled to China — the epicenter of the outbreak — or other areas where the virus is widespread.
The case was reported out of Solano County, home to Travis Air Force Base, where some travelers from China have been quarantined.
CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.
President Trump on Wednesday named Vice President Mike Pence to coordinate the administration’s response while asserting that “the risk to the American people remains very low.”
Public health officials who flanked Trump at a rare news conference in the White House briefing room were noticeably less upbeat, repeatedly warning that the deadly COVID-19 virus — which has infected 60 Americans, including the newly confirmed case in California — still could spread quickly in the U.S.
“The trajectory we’re looking at in coming weeks and months is very uncertain,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC’s principal deputy director.
“We can expect to see more cases in the United States,” said Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services.
On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters how the state is addressing coronavirus concerns.
“We’re not just preparing — we’ve been actively participating in addressing this issue for many months, aggressively,” he said. “In fact, there’s no other state in America that’s been more involved in addressing the issue.”
Newsom said he met with Trump administration officials to discuss the coronavirus when he traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to attend a National Governors Assn. meeting and the state continues to work closely with the federal government.
“We have had a very good relationship, open lines of communication, two-way conversations,” Newsom said. “We’re developing quite good levels of trust, and continue to work through this dynamic moment. I am proud of also being a Californian, where we’re not turning our backs on people, and that’s not the case in every state in this country.”
The governor said the state has been involved in monitoring and identifying individuals who have been repatriated to the state and other travelers returning to California independently on commercial flights.


latimes--2020-02-27--L.A. candidate criticized for teaching at a college that didn't welcome gay students

Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee is criticizing his campaign rival Loraine Lundquist for teaching at a college that did not welcome openly gay or lesbian students , arguing in a campaign mailer that “ these values don ’ t belong on the City Council.
” “ Lundquist made a conscious decision as an adult to teach at and cash a paycheck from a school with a discriminatory policy , ” Lee campaign senior adviser Pat Dennis said in a statement , arguing that it raised “ serious questions about her character and judgment.
” Lundquist says she openly opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professor and had co-founded a student group that challenged them .
In a message to supporters this week , her campaign called the mailer “ shockingly misleading.
” “ I have always been someone who stands up for what I believe is right , even when it may be unpopular , ” Lundquist said .
Lundquist , an astrophysicist and Cal State Northridge educator , attended Principia College , a private college in Illinois that describes itself as a “ Christian Science community of practice.
” She returned to the school to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While she was a student and professor , Principia had “ an unwritten agreement among admissions and the administration ” against admitting or employing openly gay , lesbian or bisexual students , faculty and staff , according to an article in its college newspaper .
As a student , Lundquist was a member of the group Students Opposed to Bigotry and Discrimination , which called the policy into question and held a “ historic meeting ” with faculty about the issue , according to an article in her 1996 college yearbook .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said her former classmate Sarah Mathis .
“ It was very clear that this was something she thought was really important.
” The Lee campaign criticized her decision to return to Principia as a professor .
In a mailer , it quoted an article in which a former professor said that gay students there had been told “ they needed to be healed , were asked to leave , or had to live in secrecy.
” The policy was not altered until 2014 — five years after Lundquist left as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed the college administration to establish consistent rules for students , faculty and staff “ regardless of sexual orientation.
” Before that happened , two music teachers had stepped down in reaction to the policy , according to the article in the Principia Pilot .
Lee declined to answer questions about the mailer Wednesday at City Hall , referring questions back to his campaign representative Dennis , who had declined to make the councilman available for an interview .
In a statement , Dennis said that “ Lundquist has made a deliberate effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving it off her biography and campaign materials — because she knows it ’ s wrong and shameful , ” adding that “ starting a campus club doesn ’ t absolve her.
” Lundquist said she hadn ’ t mentioned her years at Principia at candidate forums , where she routinely mentions her doctorate at UC Berkeley , because she was focusing on the most impressive parts of her resume .
She said that when she was hired at Principia , she spoke openly about opposing the policy during her job interview and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within .
“ I also knew there would be students there that needed allies and support , ” Lundquist said , mentioning that LGBT students had long attended Principia despite the policy , including her own college roommate .
A Principia College spokeswoman said that the agreement signed by its faculty “ has never mentioned a policy regarding the acceptance or hiring of LGBT students and staff.
” Lee is facing off with Lundquist for the second time in less than a year , after defeating her in a special election last August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the San Fernando Valley neighborhoods of Northridge , Porter Ranch and Chatsworth .
This is not the first time that Lundquist has faced questions about her time at the Illinois school .
When she sought the endorsement of the Stonewall Democratic Club last year , the LGBT political group was forwarded information about Principia and its policies by political consultant Myung-Soo Seok , who was working for a painters and floor layers union that has endorsed Lee .
Seok urged the group to ask why she had chosen to teach at Principia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after determining that she had been an advocate for LGBT rights there , its media relations director Alex Mohajer said .
LGBT issues have not been a major focus of the campaign , which has instead revolved around municipal issues such as homelessness and L.A. 's version of the Green New Deal .

Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee is criticizing his campaign rival Loraine Lundquist for teaching at a college that did not welcome openly gay or lesbian students, arguing in a campaign mailer that “these values don’t belong on the City Council.”
“Lundquist made a conscious decision as an adult to teach at and cash a paycheck from a school with a discriminatory policy,” Lee campaign senior adviser Pat Dennis said in a statement, arguing that it raised “serious questions about her character and judgment.”
Lundquist says she openly opposed those policies as both a student and a professor and had co-founded a student group that challenged them. In a message to supporters this week, her campaign called the mailer “shockingly misleading.”
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“I have always been someone who stands up for what I believe is right, even when it may be unpopular,” Lundquist said.
Lundquist, an astrophysicist and Cal State Northridge educator, attended Principia College, a private college in Illinois that describes itself as a “Christian Science community of practice.” She returned to the school to teach physics in 2008 and 2009.
While she was a student and professor, Principia had “an unwritten agreement among admissions and the administration” against admitting or employing openly gay, lesbian or bisexual students, faculty and staff, according to an article in its college newspaper.
As a student, Lundquist was a member of the group Students Opposed to Bigotry and Discrimination, which called the policy into question and held a “historic meeting” with faculty about the issue, according to an article in her 1996 college yearbook.
“Loraine was very dedicated to the group,” said her former classmate Sarah Mathis. “It was very clear that this was something she thought was really important.”
The Lee campaign criticized her decision to return to Principia as a professor. In a mailer, it quoted an article in which a former professor said that gay students there had been told “they needed to be healed, were asked to leave, or had to live in secrecy.”
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The policy was not altered until 2014 — five years after Lundquist left as a professor — when the board of trustees directed the college administration to establish consistent rules for students, faculty and staff “regardless of sexual orientation.” Before that happened, two music teachers had stepped down in reaction to the policy, according to the article in the Principia Pilot.
Lee declined to answer questions about the mailer Wednesday at City Hall, referring questions back to his campaign representative Dennis, who had declined to make the councilman available for an interview.
In a statement, Dennis said that “Lundquist has made a deliberate effort to hide her association with Principia — leaving it off her biography and campaign materials — because she knows it’s wrong and shameful,” adding that “starting a campus club doesn’t absolve her.”
Lundquist said she hadn’t mentioned her years at Principia at candidate forums, where she routinely mentions her doctorate at UC Berkeley, because she was focusing on the most impressive parts of her resume. She said that when she was hired at Principia, she spoke openly about opposing the policy during her job interview and had aspired to change the college from within.
“I also knew there would be students there that needed allies and support,” Lundquist said, mentioning that LGBT students had long attended Principia despite the policy, including her own college roommate.
A Principia College spokeswoman said that the agreement signed by its faculty “has never mentioned a policy regarding the acceptance or hiring of LGBT students and staff.”
Lee is facing off with Lundquist for the second time in less than a year, after defeating her in a special election last August to represent a council district that includes the San Fernando Valley neighborhoods of Northridge, Porter Ranch and Chatsworth.
This is not the first time that Lundquist has faced questions about her time at the Illinois school. When she sought the endorsement of the Stonewall Democratic Club last year, the LGBT political group was forwarded information about Principia and its policies by political consultant Myung-Soo Seok, who was working for a painters and floor layers union that has endorsed Lee.
Seok urged the group to ask why she had chosen to teach at Principia. The Stonewall Democratic Club ultimately endorsed Lundquist after determining that she had been an advocate for LGBT rights there, its media relations director Alex Mohajer said.
LGBT issues have not been a major focus of the campaign, which has instead revolved around municipal issues such as homelessness and L.A.’s version of the Green New Deal.