latimes--2020-01-28--The last flight of Kobe Bryant

The last flight of Kobe Bryant

A light fog had settled on the runway of John Wayne Airport Sunday morning when Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna and six other passengers boarded a chartered helicopter to fly to a basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks .
A half-hour later , they were flying over thickening clouds in the San Fernando Valley .
The pilot was worried enough to ask flight controllers to keep track of them .
As he approached the hills of Calabasas at 150 miles per hour , they radioed him , telling him he was too low for them to see on radar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 765 feet in 36 seconds , enough to clear adjacent hills .
What happened next is a mystery : the Sikorsky S-76B suddenly veered off course and descended rapidly .
The twin-engine aircraft dropped 325 feet in 14 seconds , reaching 176 miles per hour before losing contact and hitting the hillside above Las Virgenes Road , killing all nine people on board .
Federal investigators on Monday began a wide-ranging investigation into the crash heard around the world .
They plan to look at the histories of the pilot , helicopter maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly disorient pilots .
The helicopter was not carrying a black box , cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder , officials said , although investigators did recover an iPad with ForeFlight , an app pilots use to log flight plans and weather briefings .
Bryant , 41 , who lived in Newport Beach , had made the flight to the Camarillo Airport many times .
On Sunday he was scheduled to coach his 13-year-old daughter ’ s team game against the Fresno Lady Heat at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , featured boys ’ and girls ’ travel teams from fourth through eighth grades .
Accompanying the Bryants : John Altobelli , 56 , the longest-tenured baseball coach in Orange Coast College history , his wife , Keri , 46 , and daughter , Alyssa , 13 ; Christina Mauser , 38 , an assistant basketball coach at the Mamba Academy ; and Sarah Chester , 45 , and her daughter , Payton , 13 .
The flight took off at John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9:06 a.m .
The pilot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 50 , of Huntington Beach .
Federal Aviation Administration records show that Zobayan had been a licensed helicopter pilot since January 2001 and obtained a commercial helicopter license with an instrument rating in 2007 , which allows pilots to fly in inclement weather by using their instruments and directions from air traffic control , rather than by eyesight , using visual flight rules , known as VFR .
Bryant regularly used the helicopter , owned by the charter service Island Express .
Records show the aircraft had flown between John Wayne Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last two years .
Kurt Deetz , a former pilot for Island Express , told The Times he flew Bryant from 2014 to 2016 , almost always in the same chopper — N72EX , “ Two Echo X-ray.
” Bryant favored the model , which is preferred by celebrities for its comfortable interior and solid safety record , Deetz said .
When Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016 , he flew out of downtown Los Angeles in the same helicopter , wrapped in a gray-and-black paint scheme with his Mamba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deetz said that after he left the company , Zaboyan became Bryant ’ s go-to pilot .
The company said he was “ our chief pilot ” and had been with it for 10 years , logging more than 8,000 flight hours .
Audio recordings indicate Zobayan opted not to rely on his instruments .
Deetz and other pilots interviewed for this article say that such a decision is not uncommon even on cloudy days , as long as they can see and track major roads on the ground .
“ Using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mercy of controllers and as busy as Los Angeles airspace is , you ’ re likely to get routed all over the place , ” said Brian Beker , a longtime fixed-wing pilot who flew out of Santa Monica for years .
“ In L.A. , it ’ s a notorious headache.
” Flight tracking records show Zobayan followed the helicopter ’ s normal course up the Interstate 5 corridor through Orange County and southeast Los Angeles County .
But he deviated from this traditional path , which turned west over the Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the mountains .
If the weather was poor , Deetz said , Bryant ’ s pilot would take one of two routes : over the Cahuenga Pass or continue up the freeway over the Los Angeles Zoo .
When visibility was especially poor , he would fly over the zoo because it was at a lower elevation than the Cahuenga Pass .
Zobayan passed over the zoo Sunday morning , and requested to enter the controlled airspace around Burbank using “ Special VFR ” clearance because weather conditions had deteriorated to less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flying .
At that point , pilots landing at Burbank and Van Nuys airports were required to fly using instruments .
Zobayan was directed to “ hold ” while airport traffic cleared .
To the west , a cold front was moving through Ventura County , said climatologist Bill Patzert , driving fog off the Pacific over the Santa Monica Mountains .
The conditions were bad enough that the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s Air Support Division grounded its helicopters and didn ’ t fly until later in the afternoon , department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather situation did not meet our minimum standards for flying , ” Rubenstein said .
The fog “ was enough that we were not flying.
” LAPD ’ s flight minimums are two miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling , he said .
The L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department made a similar assessment about the fog and had no helicopters in the air Sunday morning “ basically because of the weather , ” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said .
Zobayan circled for 12 minutes until his request was granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the valley , giving a wide berth to the airports .
To continue was a critical decision .
He could have anticipated the risky weather ahead and landed at Burbank .
But pilots can be reluctant to call off a flight , Deetz said , especially with a VIP client .
He said he ’ s done it — called his passenger an Uber or , in Bryant ’ s case , his private driver — but it ’ s not easy .
“ Psychologically , that ’ s the hardest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biting the bullet and saying , ‘ The weather ’ s crap , I have to turn back.
’ It ’ s hard to accept the fact you can ’ t get the job done.
” Beker said decisions such as this are usually part of a “ cascade of events ” that lead to a crash .
Zobayan then traveled north toward Granada Hills , at one point advising that he was climbing “ to avoid a cloud layer , ” according to Jennifer Homendy , the member of the National Transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records show he climbed from about 800 feet to 1,400 feet .
At 9:39 a.m. , Zobayan received approval to turn southwest to meet and follow the 101 Freeway to his destination , the normal route on the north side of the Santa Monicas .
At 9:42 , he was back on the familiar route , heading into the more rugged terrain around Calabasas .
Residents say the area around Las Virgenes Road was covered in fog at the time .
The little valley is effectively the upper end of Malibu Canyon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the mountains .
Stephen LaDochy , a climatology professor at Cal State L.A. who has studied marine layer movements , said that conditions can change abruptly in the uneven Southern California terrain .
“ You have competing things going on at the same time , ” he said .
“ The inversion layer is heavier , drier air sinking down , while the marine layer is pushing up .
It is a battle zone between the uplift and the sinking motion of the marine layer.
” Beker , the pilot , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountaintops , creating a swell .
He said Zobayan appears to have been flying just above the cloud tops , which can be disorienting .
“ It ’ s really easy to get tricked , ” he said .
“ You don ’ t have a horizon.
” He said at this angle it would be hard to notice any upward curve of the cloud deck where it rode over the mountains .
“ Suddenly you ’ re in the cloud.
” Zobayan climbed from 1,250 feet to 2,125 feet , slowing down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south and plummeted .
Aviation consultant William Lawrence , a retired Marine Corps colonel and helicopter test pilot and instructor , said the S-76B ’ s steep climb and rapid descent probably was triggered by the pilot ’ s sudden realization that he was too close to the ground .
In addition to a warning from air traffic control that he was too low to be seen on radar , the pilot also might have been alerted by a ground proximity warning system telling him to pull up , Lawrence said .
Deetz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a device .
It would squawk “ Terrain !
Terrain !
Terrain !
” in a high-pitched voice if the craft came close to the ground or an obstacle .
He said the alert was triggered so often by high-rise buildings that pilots sometimes shut off the audio .
As the helicopter rapidly rose into the clouds in a “ zoom climb , ” Lawrence said , the pilot could have become spatially disoriented as he peered from the helicopter to get his bearings , a condition involving the inner ear that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from down .
In some instances , pilots trying to level their aircraft have wound up “ punching the nose over ” and sending it plummeting into the ground .
“ Spatial disorientation can happen really , really quick , ” said Lawrence , a seasoned accident investigator , noting that pilots are trained to react by relying on their instrument readings .
“ The only way you live is to pay attention to your instruments , ” Lawrence said .
It ’ s also possible that the helicopter experienced a mechanical malfunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss of control , he said .
Jerry Kocharian , 62 , was standing outside the Church in the Canyon drinking coffee when he heard a helicopter flying unusually low and seeming to struggle .
“ It wasn ’ t sounding right , and it was real low , ” Kocharian said .
“ I saw it falling and spluttering .
But it was hard to make out as it was so foggy.
” The helicopter vanished into the sheet of fog , then there was a boom and “ a big fireball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers Richard Winton and James Rainey contributed to this report .

Joe Mozingo, Matthew Ormseth, Kim Christensen, Ralph Vartabedian

Gennady Grinblat, center, and other fans gathered in Calabasas on Sunday after reports that Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash.
A light fog had settled on the runway of John Wayne Airport Sunday morning when Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and six other passengers boarded a chartered helicopter to fly to a basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks.
Half an hour later, they were flying over thickening clouds in the San Fernando Valley. The pilot was worried enough to ask flight controllers to keep track of them. As he approached the hills of Calabasas at 150 miles per hour, they radioed him, telling him he was too low for them to see on radar.
The pilot commenced a climb, rising 765 feet in 36 seconds, enough to clear adjacent hills.
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1 / 43 A Lakers fan sobs at a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 43 Fans (from left) Alex Fultz, Eddy Rivas and Rene Alfaro gather with others near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 43 Martin Yan, 35, of Diamond Bar stands beside of a mural depicting Kobe Bryant on Lebanon Street northeast of Staples Center. Fans are flocking to the area and having photos taken with the mural. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 43 The investigation continues Tuesday at the crash site in Calabasas where a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others crashed, killing all aboard. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 43 The pilot was identified by colleagues as Ara Zobayan, 50, of Huntington Beach. (Bernadette McKeever) 6 / 43 The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter (N72EX) that crashed in Calabasas. (Geraldine Petrovic / Polaris) 7 / 43 A tribute to Kobe Bryant is projected on the Los Angeles Times building. (Los Angeles Times) 8 / 43 A couple pay their respects at a memorial at home plate in honor of Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, who perished with wife Keri, and daughter, Alyssa, in Sunday’s helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant. (Don Leach / Daily Pilot) 9 / 43 Uziel Colon takes a photo of his wife, Maria Home, and daughter Lena with a mural created to honor Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The mural is by Art Gozukuchikyan on the side of VEM Exotic Rentals on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 43 People pay tribute to Kobe Bryant outside the gated community in Newport Coast where his family lives. (Don Leach / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 43 Kinzo Beachem writes on the cement next to a makeshift memorial for former Lakers player Kobe Bryant at L.A. Live plaza in front of Staples Center. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 43 Fans gather outside Staples Center in Los Angeles to mourn the death of Kobe Bryant after news spread that Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among the nine killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 43 Emergency responders cover remains at the site of the helicopter crash that killed nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna on Sunday in Calabasas. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 43 From left, Christopher Pena, 33, and his wife Lizbeth, 30, of Pacoima, mourn with Jose Gutierrez, 33, of La Puente, near the site of the Calabasas helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 43 Nancy Fernandez of Van Nuys lights a candle at a memorial for Kobe Bryant at De Anza Park in Calabasas on Sunday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 43 Fans mourn near Staples Center after learning that Lakers great Kobe Bryant had died. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 43 Mourners huddle at L.A. Live, across from Staples Center, site of the home court of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 43 A woman kneels at the makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 43 A man kisses the ground as Lakers fans gather at a memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 43 Fans gather around a makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant at L.A. Live on Sunday evening. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, and Swania Hogue, 48, both of Los Angeles, mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant at a vigil in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 43 A Lakers fan touches a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 43 Mourners gather at the corner of Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas near the site of the helicopter crash. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, lays flowers at a makeshift memorial during a vigil for Kobe Bryant in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 43 Fans stand near a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, center, and other fans mourn the death of Kobe Bryant at a vigil in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 43 Fans stand near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 43 A screen at L.A. Live on Sunday displays an image of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant following his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 43 Bryant Hirshman is hugged by his father, Craig, and mother, Elena, near the helicopter crash site in Calabasas that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 43 People gather on Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas near the site of a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 43 Amanda Gordon and her husband, Philip, mourn the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant near the site of a helicopter crash Calabasas that claimed the lives of the Lakers legend, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 43 Jianing Zhang, right, and his girlfriend Cathy Xiao gather with others near the helicopter crash site in Calabasas that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 43 Large Kobe Bryant memorial signs are illuminated at L.A. Live as fans Aldo Luna and his son Ethan of Pomona gather with others paying their respects outside Staples Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 43 Lakers fans mourn the death of Kobe Bryant at a makeshift memorial. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 43 Fans post sticky notes paying tribute to Kobe Bryant on a mural of the former NBA superstar outside Shoe Palace on Melrose Avenue in L.A. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 43 Fans gather at a makeshift memorial outside Staples Center to mourn Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 43 Fans gather outside Staples Center at a makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 43 Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 Lakers jerseys hang in the rafters at Staples Center during preparations for the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
What happened next was mysterious: The Sikorsky S-76B suddenly veered off course and descended rapidly. The twin-engine aircraft dropped 325 feet in 14 seconds, reaching 176 miles per hour before losing contact and hitting the hillside above Las Virgenes Road, killing all nine people on board.
Federal investigators on Monday began a wide-ranging investigation into the crash heard around the world.
They plan to look at the history of the pilot and helicopter maintenance records, as well as the foggy conditions, which can quickly disorient pilots.
The helicopter was not carrying a black box, cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder, officials said, although investigators did recover an iPad with ForeFlight, an app pilots use to log flight plans and weather briefings.
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Bryant, 41, who lived in Newport Beach, had made the flight to the Camarillo Airport many times.
On Sunday, he was scheduled to coach his 13-year-old daughter’s team game against the Fresno Lady Heat at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks The tournament, called the Mamba Cup, featured boys’ and girls’ travel teams from fourth through eighth grades.
Accompanying the Bryants: John Altobelli, 56, the longest-tenured baseball coach in Orange Coast College history; his wife, Keri, 46; their daughter Alyssa, 13; Christina Mauser, 38, an assistant basketball coach at the Mamba Academy; Sarah Chester, 45; and Chester’s daughter, Payton, 13.
The flight took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9:06 a.m.
The pilot was identified by colleagues as Ara Zobayan, 50, of Huntington Beach.
Federal Aviation Administration records show that Zobayan had been a licensed helicopter pilot since January 2001 and obtained a commercial helicopter license with an instrument rating in 2007, which allows pilots to fly in inclement weather by using their instruments and directions from air traffic control, rather than by eyesight, using visual flight rules, known as VFR.
Bryant regularly used the helicopter, owned by the charter service Island Express. Records show the aircraft had flown between John Wayne Airport and Camarillo Airport about two dozen times in the last two years.
Kurt Deetz, a former pilot for Island Express, told the Los Angeles Times he flew Bryant from 2014 to 2016, almost always in the same chopper — N72EX, “Two Echo X-Ray.” Bryant favored the model, which is preferred by celebrities for its comfortable interior and solid safety record, Deetz said. When Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016, he flew out of downtown Los Angeles in the same helicopter, wrapped in a gray-and-black paint scheme with his Mamba emblem on the side, Deetz said.
California Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require terrain alarms on choppers In the wake of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, a Los Angeles congressman is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to beef up chopper safety regulations by requiring a terrain alarm system.
Deetz said that, after he left the company, Zaboyan became Bryant’s go-to pilot. The company said he was “our chief pilot” and had been with Island Express for 10 years, logging more than 8,000 flight hours.
Officials remove a body from the wreckage in Calabasas on Sunday where Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine killed in a helicopter crash. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Audio recordings indicate Zobayan opted not to rely on his instruments. Deetz and other pilots interviewed for this article say that such a decision is not uncommon even on cloudy days, as long as they can see and track major roads on the ground.
“Using instruments, you’re at the mercy of controllers, and as busy as Los Angeles airspace is, you’re likely to get routed all over the place,” said Brian Beker, a longtime fixed-wing pilot who flew out of Santa Monica for years. “In L.A., it’s a notorious headache.”
Flight tracking records show Zobayan followed the helicopter’s normal course up the Interstate 5 corridor through Orange County and southeast Los Angeles County. But he deviated from this traditional path, which turned west over the Santa Monica Mountains. The marine layer socked in the mountains.
If the weather was poor, Deetz said, Bryant’s pilot would take one of two routes: over the Cahuenga Pass or continue up the freeway over the Los Angeles Zoo. When visibility was especially poor, he would fly over the zoo because it was at a lower elevation than the Cahuenga Pass.
Zobayan passed over the zoo Sunday morning and requested to enter the controlled airspace around Burbank using “Special VFR” clearance because weather conditions had deteriorated to less than the minimum visibility for regular visual flying. At that point, pilots landing at Burbank and Van Nuys airports were required to fly using instruments. Zobayan was directed to “hold” while airport traffic cleared.
Lakers Jeanie Buss posts a touching open letter to Kobe Bryant In her first public statement since Kobe Bryant’s death, Lakers controlling owner Jeanie Buss expresses what the NBA legend meant to her and her family.
To the west, a cold front was moving through Ventura County, said climatologist Bill Patzert, driving fog off the Pacific over the Santa Monica Mountains.
The conditions were bad enough that the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support Division grounded its helicopters and didn’t fly until later in the afternoon, department spokesman Josh Rubenstein said.
“The weather situation did not meet our minimum standards for flying,” Rubenstein said. The fog “was enough that we were not flying.” LAPD’s flight minimums are two miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling, he said. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department made a similar assessment about the fog and had no helicopters in the air Sunday morning “basically because of the weather,” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.
Zobayan circled for 12 minutes until his request was granted and he was routed to the north end of the Valley, giving a wide berth to the airports.
“We all know him as just Kobe, a person,” Newport Beach resident Jill Yank said at a candlelight vigil on Sunday. (Hillary Davis)
To continue was a critical decision. He could have anticipated the risky weather ahead and landed at Burbank. But pilots can be reluctant to call off a flight, Deetz said, especially with a VIP client. He said he’d done it — called his passenger an Uber or, in Bryant’s case, his private driver — but it’s not easy.
“Psychologically, that’s the hardest part,” Deetz said. “Biting the bullet and saying, ‘The weather’s crap, I have to turn back.’ It’s hard to accept the fact you can’t get the job done.”
Beker says decisions such as this are usually part of a “cascade of events” that lead to a crash.
Zobayan then traveled north toward Granada Hills, at one point advising that he was climbing “to avoid a cloud layer,” according to Jennifer Homendy, the member of the National Transportation Safety Board leading the investigation.
Flight records show he climbed from about 800 feet to 1,400 feet.
At 9:39 a.m., Zobayan received approval to turn southwest to meet and follow the 101 Freeway to his destination, the normal route on the north side of the Santa Monicas. At 9:42, he was back on the familiar route, heading into the more rugged terrain around Calabasas.
Residents said the area around Las Virgenes Road was covered in fog at the time. The little valley is effectively the upper end of Malibu Canyon, which climatologists say can channel marine moisture through the mountains.
Stephen LaDochy, a climatology professor at Cal State L.A. who has studied marine layer movements, says that conditions can change abruptly in the uneven Southern California terrain.
“You have competing things going on at the same time,” he said. “The inversion layer is heavier, drier air sinking down, while the marine layer is pushing up. It is a battle zone between the uplift and the sinking motion of the marine layer.”
Beker, the pilot, said clouds will also roll right over the mountaintops, creating a swell. He said Zobayan appeared to have been flying just above the cloud tops, which can be disorienting. “It’s really easy to get tricked,” he said. “You don’t have a horizon.”
He said at this angle it would have been hard to notice any upward curve of the cloud deck where it rode over the mountains. “Suddenly you’re in the cloud.”
Zobayan climbed from 1,250 feet to 2,125 feet, slowing down to 126 mph. Then he veered south and plummeted.
Aviation consultant William Lawrence, a retired Marine Corps colonel and helicopter test pilot and instructor, said the S-76B’s steep climb and rapid descent probably was triggered by the pilot’s sudden realization that he was too close to the ground.
(Matt Stiles & Priya Krishnakumar / Los Angeles Times)
In addition to a warning from air traffic control that he was too low to be seen on radar, the pilot also might have been alerted by a ground proximity warning system telling him to pull up, Lawrence said.
Deetz said the aircraft was outfitted with such a device. It would squawk “Terrain! Terrain! Terrain!” in a high-pitched voice if the craft came close to the ground or an obstacle. He said the alert was triggered so often by high-rise buildings that pilots sometimes shut off the audio.
As the helicopter rapidly rose into the clouds in a “zoom climb,” Lawrence said, the pilot could have become spatially disoriented as he peered from the helicopter to get his bearings, a condition involving the inner ear that can result in the inability to tell up from down. In some instances, pilots trying to level their aircraft have wound up “punching the nose over” and sending it plummeting into the ground.
“Spatial disorientation can happen really, really quick,” said Lawrence, a seasoned accident investigator, noting that pilots are trained to react by relying on their instrument readings.
“The only way you live is to pay attention to your instruments,” Lawrence said.
It’s also possible that the helicopter experienced a mechanical malfunction that resulted in the pilot’s loss of control, he said.
Jerry Kocharian, 62, was standing outside the Church in the Canyon drinking coffee when he heard a helicopter flying unusually low and seeming to struggle.
“It wasn’t sounding right, and it was real low,” Kocharian said. “I saw it falling and spluttering. But it was hard to make out as it was so foggy.”
The helicopter vanished into the sheet of fog, then there was a boom and “a big fireball,” he said.
“No one could survive that.”
Times staff writers Richard Winton and James Rainey contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-28--The day after his death, the talk at barbershops in L.A. was about Kobe and his legacy

Alexander Toney had just walked into the grocery store with his family on Sunday when he first heard rumors that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant may have died .
At first , the South L.A. barber didn ’ t believe it , saying he thought TMZ ’ s reports weren ’ t credible .
But after more outlets confirmed that not only Bryant , but his 13-year old daughter , Gianna , and seven others died in the fiery helicopter crash , the grim reality sunk in .
As they walked down the aisles getting their food , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four kids more tightly than usual .
On Monday , he was back to work at Black Hollywood Barbering Co. near Inglewood , where he and his boss are preparing to move to a bigger location .
Among themselves , they talked about Bryant , 41 , his legacy and the footprint he left in the city .
And with his clients , most of whom are also black men , he expects Bryant will be a hot topic in the chair .
“ A lot of them are going to probably want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face in their head , ” Toney said .
Across the country , black men grieved Bryant ’ s death and celebrated his life in different ways .
NBA players switched numbers .
Fans laid wreaths and flowers at Staples Center .
Coaches and broadcasters ’ voices cracked as they fought back tears attempting to confine Bryant ’ s impact into soundbites .
But Los Angeles barbers expect to play a part in the healing process too .
Their shops , which can be battlegrounds for heated debates , are likely to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Bryant ’ s example .
It ’ s one that people will have to work to emulate , Toney said .
“ Whether he tried to be or not , he was a leader , and people respected that and followed him for it , ” said Toney , 40 .
“ To an extent , we ’ re all slackers .
I ’ ll put off something today and before you know it , I ’ ll have put it off for a year .
With Kobe , if he wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it then and there .
That ’ s something you respect and look up to.
” Bryant ’ s competitive edge is well documented .
But the five-time champion wasn ’ t always the star in Los Angeles .
William Taylor , 72 , a frequent client at Tolliver ’ s Barber Shop on Florence Avenue in South L.A. , recalled the four airballs Bryant heaved during the closing minutes of a playoff game in 1997 , his rookie year .
That embarrassing moment could have crippled Bryant ’ s young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was accused of rape , in a case that was later dropped after the woman refused to testify .
Bryant settled an ensuing civil suit and apologized without admitting guilt .
Taylor said he felt Bryant handled the ebbs and flows of being under the Los Angeles microscope with maturity .
Not many could have done that , he said .
“ We watched him grow up , ” Taylor said .
“ As black men , we were always constantly beaten down , and we continue to be beaten down .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our own eyes from afar was awesome .
He was like an adopted son to us .
“ Was he a saint ?
No .
But my Bible says ‘ All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
’ ” The shop ’ s owner , Lawrence Tolliver , 75 , said he never wears hats while he ’ s at work .
But on the day after Bryant ’ s death , he proudly wore a black cap with the Lakers ’ purple and gold logo .
As he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his clippers , Tolliver said he like as if “ we lost a part of L.A. ” Tolliver said he appreciated Bryant ’ s basketball achievements , including the championships , 18 All-Star game selections and two Olympic gold medals .
But Bryant ’ s life after retiring in 2016 was just as , if not more , impactful , Tolliver said .
Seeing the investment he put into his family made him proud , the barber said .
He also liked how Bryant passed his knowledge on to younger stars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His commitment to excellence on and off the court inspired him , Tolliver said .
“ We ’ re older , so we can appreciate everything he ’ s done through a historical context , ” said Tolliver , who has been cutting hair for more than 50 years .
“ But it didn ’ t dawn on me until now how much this generation really loved and idolized him.
” LeVar Sommerville , a barber at the Player ’ s Lounge off Melrose Avenue , said business had been slow for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somber .
Clients didn ’ t want to talk about Bryant ’ s death , saying it was too soon .
He too got emotional thinking about it , he said .
“ I have a daughter , so it ’ s crushing to see those pictures of him and Gianna , ” Sommerville , 40 , said .
“ At a certain point in life , it becomes less about you , and more about the people around you .
He was becoming more of a family man and put so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that ’ s where the sadness comes in.
” But when people are ready to talk , Sommerville thinks they ’ ll have a different attitude .
The age-old question of who was better — Bryant , James or Michael Jordan , will inevitably still come up in conversation .
But he thinks his clients will be more mindful .
“ People come in a barbershop and they feel free , ” Sommerville said .
“ They come here to laugh , and sports will always be a part of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s going to be hard to do now .
It may not be as fun anymore.
” Toney agreed , saying people will “ probably be more respectful.
” And when clients come in , he ’ s ready to have those talks , or any discussion about Bryant , at their pace .
“ Everyone is looking for that figure to look up to , ” Toney said .
“ He led by example and we loved him for it .
”

Lawrence Tolliver, owner of Tolliver’s Barber Shop in South Los Angeles, cuts the hair of Joseph Kenery on Monday, when the shop talk was all about the life and death of Kobe Bryant.
Alexander Toney had just walked into the grocery store with his family on Sunday when he first heard rumors that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant may have died.
At first, the South L.A. barber didn’t believe it, saying he thought TMZ’s reports weren’t credible. But after more outlets confirmed that not only Bryant, but his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in the fiery helicopter crash, the grim reality sunk in.
As they walked down the aisles getting their food, he said he wrapped his arms around his four kids more tightly than usual.
On Monday, he was back to work at Black Hollywood Barbering Co. near Inglewood, where he and his boss are preparing to move to a bigger location. Among themselves, they talked about Bryant, 41, his legacy and the footprint he left in the city. And with his clients, most of whom are also black men, he expects Bryant will be a hot topic in the chair.
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“A lot of them are going to probably want me to cut a design of his face in their head,” Toney said.
Across the country, black men grieved Bryant’s death and celebrated his life in different ways. NBA players switched numbers. Fans laid wreaths and flowers at Staples Center. Coaches and broadcasters’ voices cracked as they fought back tears attempting to confine Bryant’s impact into soundbites.
But Los Angeles barbers expect to play a part in the healing process too. Their shops, which can be battlegrounds for heated debates, are likely to become forums to discuss how to live up to Bryant’s example. It’s one that people will have to work to emulate, Toney said.
“Whether he tried to be or not, he was a leader, and people respected that and followed him for it,” said Toney, 40. “To an extent, we’re all slackers. I’ll put off something today and before you know it, I’ll have put it off for a year. With Kobe, if he wanted to do something, he was going to do it then and there. That’s something you respect and look up to.”
Bryant’s competitive edge is well documented. But the five-time champion wasn’t always the star in Los Angeles. William Taylor, 72, a frequent client at Tolliver’s Barber Shop on Florence Avenue in South L.A., recalled the four airballs Bryant heaved during the closing minutes of a playoff game in 1997, his rookie year. That embarrassing moment could have crippled Bryant’s young career. And in 2003, Bryant was accused of rape, in a case that was later dropped after the woman refused to testify. Bryant settled an ensuing civil suit and apologized without admitting guilt.
Taylor said he felt Bryant handled the ebbs and flows of being under the Los Angeles microscope with maturity.
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Not many could have done that, he said.
“We watched him grow up,” Taylor said. “As black men, we were always constantly beaten down, and we continue to be beaten down. But to see Kobe become a winner with our own eyes from afar was awesome. He was like an adopted son to us.
“Was he a saint? No. But my Bible says ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’”
The shop’s owner, Lawrence Tolliver, 75, said he never wears hats while he’s at work. But on the day after Bryant’s death, he proudly wore a black cap with the Lakers’ purple and gold logo. As he trimmed an older gentleman’s hair with his clippers, Tolliver said he felt as if “we lost a part of L.A.”
Tolliver said he appreciated Bryant’s basketball achievements, including the championships, 18 All-Star game selections and two Olympic gold medals.
But Bryant’s life after retiring in 2016 was just as, if not more, impactful, Tolliver said. Seeing the investment he put into his family made him proud, the barber said. He also liked how Bryant passed his knowledge on to younger stars, including LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. His commitment to excellence on and off the court inspired him, Tolliver said.
“We’re older, so we can appreciate everything he’s done through a historical context,” said Tolliver, who has been cutting hair for more than 50 years. “But it didn’t dawn on me until now how much this generation really loved and idolized him.”
LeVar Sommerville, a barber at the Player’s Lounge off Melrose Avenue, said business had been slow for a Monday afternoon but the atmosphere was still somber. Clients didn’t want to talk about Bryant’s death, saying it was too soon. He too got emotional thinking about it, he said.
“I have a daughter, so it’s crushing to see those pictures of him and Gianna,” Sommerville, 40, said. “At a certain point in life, it becomes less about you, and more about the people around you. He was becoming more of a family man and put so much energy into getting closer with them. I think that’s where the sadness comes in.”
But when people are ready to talk, Sommerville thinks they’ll have a different attitude. The age-old question of who was better — Bryant, James or Michael Jordan, will inevitably still come up in conversation. But he thinks his clients will be more mindful.
“People come in a barbershop and they feel free,” Sommerville said. “They come here to laugh, and sports will always be a part of that. That discussion is always fun, but it’s going to be hard to do now. It may not be as fun anymore.”
Toney agreed, saying people will “probably be more respectful.”
And when clients come in, he’s ready to have those talks, or any discussion about Bryant, at their pace.
“Everyone is looking for that figure to look up to,” Toney said. “He led by example and we loved him for it.”


latimes--2020-01-28--In Orange County, Kobe Bryant grew from basketball's enfant terrible into a 'typical dad'

The last Saturday of Kobe Bryant ’ s life came and went like any typical weekend at home for the retired Lakers superstar .
He took one daughter to the mall .
Accompanied another to a basketball game .
Planned a Sunday morning trip with friends .
And slept with his family at their house in Orange County .
For nearly 20 years , one of the most famous names in sports lived a surprisingly public life in this unlikeliest of places .
He lived in Newport Coast , a gated community with multimillion-dollar views of the Pacific Ocean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home within its own set of gates .
The commute from there to the Lakers facility in El Segundo and home games at the Staples Center was so inconvenient that Bryant famously chartered choppers as often as possible .
It ’ s far from the publishing houses and Hollywood studios Bryant sought to conquer in post-retirement .
But for a man with career earnings estimated at $ 680 million , and with a budding business empire , Orange County was where he wanted to be .
It was his safe space .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s enfant terrible , one hounded by accusations of rape and marital discord into the doting dad .
The eternal kid who liked to visit Disneyland .
Who had his favorite Mexican restaurant .
It was from Orange County that Bryant took his final flight , before the helicopter that carried him , his daughter Gianna , 13 , and seven other people in Bryant ’ s league orbit crashed in Calabasas , killing all aboard .
The tragedy hit the world hard , but nowhere harder than Newport , where seven of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ derided as frou-frou and out of touch with the rest of Orange County ached and remembered , in places expected and not .
On social media , Chris Trumpour shared a photo that his wife took of Bryant at a basketball tournament in Seal Beach in September in which the daughters of Bryant and Trumpour played .
“ He was just being a typical dad , ” the Orange resident said .
“ Like the rest of us.
” During a candlelight vigil Sunday night at nearby Newport Ridge Community Park , Jill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Kobe , once went to the pickup counter at the local Starbucks at the same time as the more-famous Kobe .
Another time Bryant helped carry Yank ’ s mother ’ s groceries to their car , and for 15 minutes they talked about their shared hometown of Philadelphia .
“ We all know him as just Kobe , a person , ” Yank said .
Mario Nunes hung his Bryant jersey from one of the tables in front of the Pavilions grocery store in the Newport Coast Shopping Center Monday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see Bryant at the store every few weeks .
“ He was always cool with me , ” he said .
“ He was always friendly .
He signed a couple basketballs here and there.
” Nunes whipped out his phone to show some of the pictures he ’ d taken with Bryant over the years — including one he said was from shortly after the Lakers ’ won their last championship in 2010 .
“ That ’ s him , the one and only , ” exclaimed Michael Young , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he also would see Bryant periodically during the three years he ’ s worked as a courtesy clerk at the Pavilions .
When he heard the news about Bryant ’ s death , Young said , his first reaction was “ ‘ No way.
’ I was crying.
” Even though he was a common sight , both Young and Nunes said the shock of seeing the superstar in the flesh never completely wore off — no matter how many times he came to Pavilions or made a run to the Starbucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s like he ’ s still here , ” Young said .
“ His spirit is all around us.
” The coastal communities and southern cities in Orange County have long drawn athletes attracted to large houses and privacy .
But many who bought homes here did so after retirement , as an investment , or as a temporary abode while playing for Southern California ’ s professional sports teams .
Kobe Bryant settled here because of love .
His wife , Vanessa Laine Bryant , was the daughter of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Garden Grove , older towns far removed in geography and atmosphere from Newport Coast .
Laine began to date Bryant while a junior at Marina High in Huntington Beach , after the two met during the filming of a music video for the shooting guard ’ s never-released rap album .
The relationship proved so distracting to campus life that school officials asked her to spend her senior year home on independent study .
They were married just before she turned 19 .
In 2002 , Bryant purchased a $ 4-million home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through ups and downs — a rape allegation filed against Bryant in 2003 by a Colorado hotel worker , a 2009 lawsuit by a former maid who alleged workplace abuse at the Bryant household ( the case was settled and dismissed ) , a divorce filing that was eventually dropped — heavily covered by the national media .
But locally , no one seemed to care .
On Monday morning , Maria Paun , 81 , used her walker to deliver an assortment of pink flowers to the front of Harbor Day School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a bench .
It was years ago , she said , that she sat with Bryant on a bench at the school when he was waiting to pick up one of his daughters .
She was waiting for her granddaughter .
“ He gave me a hug and he said , ‘ I like your accent , Grandma , ’ ” she said .
“ He was tall , and he was somebody and I ’ m nobody , but he bent down to give me a hug .
And I never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no accident that she wore a purple sweater Monday morning .
She did so because “ he liked the color.
” “ It ’ s hard for me , and it ’ s hard for everyone , ” she said , her voice cracking with emotion .
Everyone seemed to have a Bryant story , and knew at least one site that he frequented .
There was the AMC 30 theater in Orange .
El Camino Real in Fullerton for Mexican food , and Javier ’ s at the Crystal Cove Promenade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terminal at John Wayne Airport , where Bryant regularly took off .
At the Anteater Recreation Center on the campus of UC Irvine , staff and students were taking the news of Bryant ’ s passing “ pretty hard , ” according to Campus recreation director Greg Rothberg .
Bryant had trained alongside undergrads for years .
“ I think that it just speaks to him thinking of himself as an everyman as [ much as ] possible , ” Rothberg said .
“ He was happy to more or less hang out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By Monday afternoon , a sweeping collection of tokens from well-wishers spilled across the lawn in front of the gates that lead to Bryant ’ s neighborhood .
Those who visited the makeshift memorial came bearing flowers , candles , balloons , basketball , jerseys — even a bottle of Ancient Age bourbon .
One woman , upon seeing the accumulation , immediately burst into tears .
“ It ’ s surreal , ” said Alan Throckmorton , 57 , of San Clemente .
“ It ’ s just a surreal sadness .
@

Luke Money, Gustavo Arellano, Hillary Davis

Michelle Cordova, left, and Azul Cossio pay their respects at a memorial outside of Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park on Monday.
The last Saturday of Kobe Bryant’s life came and went like any typical weekend at home for the retired Lakers superstar.
He took one daughter to the mall. Accompanied another to a basketball game. Planned a Sunday morning trip with friends.
And slept with his family at their house in Orange County.
A makeshift memorial created by mourners to honor Kobe Bryant sits outside the gated Pelican Crest community in Newport Coast, where he lived with his family. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
For nearly 20 years, one of the most famous names in sports lived a surprisingly public life in this unlikeliest of places.
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He lived in Newport Coast, a gated community with multimillion-dollar views of the Pacific Ocean, in a custom-built 15,760 square-foot, four-story home within its own set of gates. The commute from there to the Lakers facility in El Segundo and home games at the Staples Center was so inconvenient that Bryant famously chartered choppers as often as possible. It’s far from the publishing houses and Hollywood studios Bryant sought to conquer in post-retirement.
But for a man with career earnings estimated at $680 million, and with a budding business empire, Orange County was where he wanted to be.
It was his safe space.
It was where Bryant transformed from basketball’s enfant terrible, one hounded by accusations of rape and marital discord, into the doting dad. The eternal kid who liked to visit Disneyland. Who had his favorite Mexican restaurant.
It was from Orange County that Bryant took his final flight, before the helicopter carrying him, his daughter Gianna, 13, and seven other people in Bryant’s league orbit crashed in Calabasas, killing all aboard.
The tragedy hit the world hard, but nowhere harder than Newport, where seven of the victims lived.
A couple pay their respects at a memorial shrine at home plate in honor of Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, who perished with wife Keri, and daughter, Alyssa, in Sunday’s helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant. (Don Leach/Daily Pilot)
A community frequently derided as frou-frou and out of touch with the rest of Orange County ached and remembered, in places expected and not.
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On social media, Chris Trumpour shared a photo that his wife took of Bryant at a basketball tournament in Seal Beach in September in which the daughters of Bryant and Trumpour played.
“He was just being a typical dad,” the Orange resident said. “Like the rest of us.”
During a candlelight vigil Sunday night at nearby Newport Ridge Community Park, Jill Yank remembered how her 23-year-old son, named Kobe, once went to the pickup counter at the local Starbucks at the same time as the more-famous Kobe. Another time Bryant helped carry Yank’s mother’s groceries to their car, and for 15 minutes they talked about their shared hometown of Philadelphia.
“We all know him as just Kobe, a person,” Yank said.
Mario Nunes hung his Bryant jersey from one of the tables in front of the Pavilions grocery store in the Newport Coast Shopping Center on Monday morning. The 50-year-old said he used to see Bryant at the store every few weeks.
“He was always cool with me,” he said. “He was always friendly. He signed a couple basketballs here and there.”
Nunes whipped out his phone to show some of the pictures he’d taken with Bryant over the years — including one he said was from shortly after the Lakers’ won their last championship in 2010.
“That’s him, the one and only,” exclaimed Michael Young, who was standing nearby.
Young, 40, said he also would see Bryant periodically during the three years he’d worked as a courtesy clerk at the Pavilions. When he heard the news about Bryant’s death, Young said, his first reaction was “‘No way.’ I was crying.”
Even though he was a common sight, both Young and Nunes said the shock of seeing the superstar in the flesh never completely wore off — no matter how many times he came to Pavilions or made a run to the Starbucks in the same shopping complex.
“It’s like he’s still here,” Young said. “His spirit is all around us.”
The coastal communities and southern cities in Orange County have long drawn athletes attracted to large houses and privacy. But many who bought homes here did so after retirement, as an investment, or as a temporary abode while playing for Southern California’s professional sports teams.
Kobe Bryant settled here because of love.
His wife, Vanessa Laine Bryant, was the daughter of a Mexican immigrant who raised her in Anaheim and Garden Grove, older towns far removed in geography and atmosphere from Newport Coast.
Laine began to date Bryant while a junior at Marina High in Huntington Beach, after the two met during the filming of a music video for the shooting guard’s never-released rap album. The relationship proved so distracting to campus life that school officials asked her to spend her senior year home on independent study.
They were married just before she turned 19.
In 2002, Bryant purchased a $4-million home in Newport Coast. The couple went through ups and downs — a rape allegation filed against Bryant in 2003 by a Colorado hotel worker, a 2009 lawsuit by a former maid who alleged workplace abuse at the Bryant household (the case was settled and dismissed), a divorce filing that was eventually dropped — heavily covered by the national media.
But locally, no one seemed to care.
Instead, tales of Kobe’s personal kindness reigned.
On Monday morning, Maria Paun, 81, used her walker to deliver an assortment of pink flowers to the front of Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar, depositing them on a bench. It was years ago, she said, that she sat with Bryant on a bench at the school when he was waiting to pick up one of his daughters. She was waiting for her granddaughter.
“He gave me a hug and he said, ‘I like your accent, Grandma,’” she said. “He was tall, and he was somebody and I’m nobody, but he bent down to give me a hug. And I never forget this hug.”
Paun said it was no accident that she wore a purple sweater Monday morning. She did so because “he liked the color.”
“It’s hard for me, and it’s hard for everyone,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
Everyone seemed to have a Bryant story, and knew at least one site that he frequented. There was the AMC 30 theater in Orange. El Camino Real in Fullerton for Mexican food, and Javier’s at the Crystal Cove Promenade for a night out. The private terminal at John Wayne Airport, where Bryant regularly took off.
At the Anteater Recreation Center on the campus of UC Irvine, staff and students were taking the news of Bryant’s passing “pretty hard,” according to Campus recreation director Greg Rothberg. Bryant had trained alongside undergrads for years.
“I think that it just speaks to him thinking of himself as an everyman as [much as] possible,” Rothberg said. “He was happy to more or less hang out with students and experience that life.”
By Monday afternoon, a sweeping collection of tokens from well-wishers spilled across the lawn in front of the gates that lead to Bryant’s neighborhood. Those who visited the makeshift memorial came bearing flowers, candles, balloons, basketball, jerseys — even a bottle of Ancient Age bourbon.
One woman, upon seeing the accumulation, immediately burst into tears.
“It’s surreal,” said Alan Throckmorton, 57, of San Clemente. “It’s just a surreal sadness.”


latimes--2020-01-28--Health officials monitor potential case of coronavirus in San Diego County

One person is in isolation at home in San Diego County after they were tested for a new strain of coronavirus after traveling to an area of China affected by an outbreak of the virus .
On Sunday , the potential case was reported to the county ’ s health agency , and after consulting with a hospital , a specimen was collected and sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the only entity currently capable of testing for this novel coronavirus , according to the county .
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses common in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camels , cattle , cats and bats .
2019 Novel Coronavirus , or 2019-nCoV , is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan , Hubei province , China , according to the CDC .
In China , there have been almost 2,800 confirmed cases of the virus and 80 deaths , according to the World Health Organization .
On Sunday , the California Department of Public Health confirmed that one person in Los Angeles County and another in Orange County tested positive for the virus .
Health officials in San Diego County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results back Tuesday .
Overall , the immediate health risk from nCoV 2019 to the general public is low .
“ The risk of infection for the general public is minimal , ” said Dr. Wilma Wooten , San Diego County public health officer .
“ If you have not traveled to an area where the virus has been detected or had close contact with a patient who tested positive for this type of coronavirus , the risk of infection is very low .
”

One person is in isolation at home in San Diego County after they were tested for a new strain of coronavirus after traveling to an area of China affected by an outbreak of the virus.
On Sunday, the potential case was reported to the county’s health agency, and after consulting with a hospital, a specimen was collected and sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the only entity currently capable of testing for this novel coronavirus, according to the county.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats and bats.
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2019 Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, according to the CDC. In China, there have been almost 2,800 confirmed cases of the virus and 80 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
On Sunday, the California Department of Public Health confirmed that one person in Los Angeles County and another in Orange County tested positive for the virus.
Health officials in San Diego County anticipate getting the patient’s test results back Tuesday. Overall, the immediate health risk from nCoV 2019 to the general public is low.
“The risk of infection for the general public is minimal,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County public health officer. “If you have not traveled to an area where the virus has been detected or had close contact with a patient who tested positive for this type of coronavirus, the risk of infection is very low.”


latimes--2020-01-28--What causes the deep marine layer that played a role in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash?

On Sunday morning , when Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas , there was a thick marine layer and patchy dense fog that obscured some of the terrain .
The conditions were the result of a deteriorating cold front passing through the area with moist northwest flow , which caused low clouds to pile up against the northern slopes of Ventura and L.A. County mountains .
There were showers to the north , and clouds pushing into coastal valleys were thick enough to cause drizzle along the coast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Weather Service .
A webcam at Oat Mountain , northwest of Porter Ranch , suggested that the marine layer was 3,000 feet thick .
What causes the marine layer ?
Marine stratus clouds are created when winds blowing over the Pacific Ocean mix moist surface air upward in the atmosphere .
The air cools as it rises , which is important because colder air carries less water vapor than warm air .
When the air ’ s relative humidity reaches 100 % , the water vapor condenses into tiny liquid droplets around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sea salt from surf or spray and even tiny amounts of iodine from kelp .
A strong inversion layer is necessary for the marine layer clouds to form , providing a lid that keeps them from rising off into the atmosphere .
Relatively cold ocean water temperatures cool the air near the surface , creating a strong contrast with warmer air a little higher in the atmosphere .
This layer of warmer air is the inversion layer , and it creates a cap limiting the vertical extent of the mixing near the surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move these marine clouds toward the California coast .
This horizontal movement is called advection .
Cooling continues as the air is moved over cold water .
When it reaches the coast it is forced to lift as land elevations rise , which causes additional cooling and cloud formation .
The terrain channels the wind-borne stratus clouds through canyons and valleys — which are the same routes used for highways , such as the 101 Freeway .
The clouds spread inland until they encounter a barrier in the form of hills and mountains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clouds .
Coastal hills and valleys are then shrouded in low clouds and fog .
Fog is merely a cloud that is in contact with the ground .
At the time of the helicopter crash , Van Nuys Airport was reporting a ceiling of 1,300 to 1,400 feet , but some terrain around Calabasas is higher , so some of it was most likely obscured by the base of the marine clouds .
In addition , dense patchy fog was reported in the area .
These factors would cause low visibility and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aircraft .
The depth of marine layer clouds usually peaks around sunrise , then the clouds dissipate as the day progresses and the sun rises higher in the sky .
The sun warms the the atmosphere above the clouds , and the sunlight that penetrates them begins to warm the land .
Land heats up faster than water , and the warming air rising off the surface mixes into the cloud layer .
As the cloudy air warms , its relative humidity falls below the 100 % level , and the droplets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vapor — because warmer air can hold more water vapor .
In other words , the cloud evaporates .
Warm , dry winds above the clouds can accelerate this process .
A deeper marine layer requires more time for warmer or drier air to evaporate the clouds .

On Sunday morning, when Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, there was a thick marine layer and patchy dense fog that obscured some of the terrain.
The conditions were the result of a deteriorating cold front passing through the area with moist northwest flow, which caused low clouds to pile up against the northern slopes of Ventura and L.A. County mountains. There were showers to the north, and clouds pushing into coastal valleys were thick enough to cause drizzle along the coast and in nearby foothills, according to the National Weather Service. A webcam at Oat Mountain, northwest of Porter Ranch, suggested that the marine layer was 3,000 feet thick.
What causes the marine layer?
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Marine stratus clouds are created when winds blowing over the Pacific Ocean mix moist surface air upward in the atmosphere. The air cools as it rises, which is important because colder air carries less water vapor than warm air. When the air’s relative humidity reaches 100%, the water vapor condenses into tiny liquid droplets around minuscule condensation nuclei, which can be sea salt from surf or spray and even tiny amounts of iodine from kelp.
A strong inversion layer is necessary for the marine layer clouds to form, providing a lid that keeps them from rising off into the atmosphere. Relatively cold ocean water temperatures cool the air near the surface, creating a strong contrast with warmer air a little higher in the atmosphere. This layer of warmer air is the inversion layer, and it creates a cap limiting the vertical extent of the mixing near the surface.
Winds blowing from west to east move these marine clouds toward the California coast. This horizontal movement is called advection. Cooling continues as the air is moved over cold water. When it reaches the coast it is forced to lift as land elevations rise, which causes additional cooling and cloud formation. The terrain channels the wind-borne stratus clouds through canyons and valleys — which are the same routes used for highways, such as the 101 Freeway. The clouds spread inland until they encounter a barrier in the form of hills and mountains that rise to a higher elevation than the clouds. Coastal hills and valleys are then shrouded in low clouds and fog. Fog is merely a cloud that is in contact with the ground.
(Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
At the time of the helicopter crash, Van Nuys Airport was reporting a ceiling of 1,300 to 1,400 feet, but some terrain around Calabasas is higher, so some of it was most likely obscured by the base of the marine clouds. In addition, dense patchy fog was reported in the area. These factors would cause low visibility and could cause spatial disorientation for someone piloting an aircraft.
The depth of marine layer clouds usually peaks around sunrise, then the clouds dissipate as the day progresses and the sun rises higher in the sky. The sun warms the the atmosphere above the clouds, and the sunlight that penetrates them begins to warm the land. Land heats up faster than water, and the warming air rising off the surface mixes into the cloud layer. As the cloudy air warms, its relative humidity falls below the 100% level, and the droplets of water begin to return to water vapor — because warmer air can hold more water vapor. In other words, the cloud evaporates. Warm, dry winds above the clouds can accelerate this process. A deeper marine layer requires more time for warmer or drier air to evaporate the clouds.


latimes--2020-01-28--LAPD officer arrested on suspicion of stealing cash from backpack

A Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested Monday on suspicion of stealing cash from a backpack while narcotics officers @ @ @ @ @ cannabis grow facility .
Northeast area police Officer Louis Mota was taken into custody after @ @ @ @ @ facility told an LAPD supervisor that money was missing from her backpack , according to @ @ @ @ @ .
A review of camera footage led investigators to believe Mota had taken the money @ @ @ @ @ custody and booked on suspicion of misdemeanor theft .
He has since been released and @ @ @ @ @ outcome of an administrative and criminal investigation .
“ No employee of this Department is @ @ @ @ @ we will not tolerate any individual who betrays the public ’ s trust through this @ @ @ @ @ said LAPD Chief Michel Moore in a statement .

A Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested Monday on suspicion of stealing cash from a backpack while narcotics officers conducted enforcement of an illegal cannabis grow facility.
Northeast area police Officer Louis Mota was taken into custody after a person working at the facility told an LAPD supervisor that money was missing from her backpack, according to a statement by the LAPD. A review of camera footage led investigators to believe Mota had taken the money.
Mota was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of misdemeanor theft. He has since been released and assigned home, pending the outcome of an administrative and criminal investigation.
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“No employee of this Department is above the law, and we will not tolerate any individual who betrays the public’s trust through this type of behavior,” said LAPD Chief Michel Moore in a statement.


latimes--2020-01-27--Plan could force California utilities to reimburse customers for power shut-offs

California utilities could be banned from charging for electricity during power shut-offs and required to reimburse their customers for spoiled food or other financial losses under legislation that cleared the state Senate on Monday .
Senate Bill 378 , opposed by Pacific Gas & Electric and the state ’ s two other largest utilities , is a response to the power shut-offs that left millions in the dark last year , a tool the companies began using to reduce the risk of their electrical equipment starting wildfires .
Supporters say the bill seeks to carefully balance the need to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the unintended consequences of power outages for residents and businesses .
“ I ’ m not objecting to using surgical , well-planned blackouts to prevent wildfires , ” said state Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) , who introduced the bill .
“ Right now the fundamental problem is that utilities have no incentive or obligation to take into account the harm to people that is caused by these blackouts.
” Widespread outages in October inspired concern throughout the state for elderly and medically fragile customers , who might not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern California , Gov .
Gavin Newsom and other state officials criticized Pacific Gas & Electric for applying the blackouts too broadly and longer than necessary .
Businesses complained about being forced to close and losing revenue .
Local governments struggled to keep traffic lights running , respond to 911 calls and maintain regular functions .
Wiener said he hopes his legislation will force utilities to consider the financial cost to their customers and to only use blackouts as a measure of last resort as originally intended .
He described the existing framework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Wild , Wild West , ” which allows utilities to shut off power to avoid billions in potential wildfire liabilities without weighing the public safety risks .
But critics contend that the bill could swing the pendulum too far in the other direction , resulting in fewer intentional blackouts and more wildfires .
“ My concern is that we ’ re trying to save lives and these penalties may possibly lead companies to hesitate , to blink , when it come to the lives of individuals , ” said state Sen. Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for the bill but expressed reservations about its potential effects .
Under the proposal , state regulators would be required by June 1 , 2021 , to establish a mechanism for customers , local governments and others to seek reimbursement from utilities for losses from power outages and craft rules to determine if the utilities can increase rates to offset those payments .
The bill would ban utilities from billing customers for electricity if they are out of power .
SB 378 also opens utilities up to civil liability if the California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reasonably and prudently implement the outage .
Wiener ’ s proposal allows for civil penalties of at least $ 250,000 for every 50,000 customers affected , which could be multiplied by each hour that an outage takes place .
The California Chamber of Commerce argues that the bill penalizes use of a safety measure already approved by the state .
The Legislature originally supported shut-offs as a method of last resort to save lives , and voted in 2018 to require the state ’ s three investor-owned utilities to annually submit outage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we recognize that [ outages ] cause significant financial impacts to all involved and that conversations around proper balance must continue , penalizing the use of [ outages ] is contrary to the state ’ s desire to prevent the catastrophic harm from wildfire-related events , ” the chamber wrote in a letter opposing the bill to state legislators .
SB 378 , opposed by PG & E , Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric , now moves to the Assembly as state regulators work simultaneously to develop new rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweeping outages last year .
The CPUC is expected to release guidelines in May regarding identification and communication with at-risk communities prior to an outage .

The power failure about two weeks ago in Long Beach caused scenes like this one inside a darkened apartment building.
California utilities could be banned from charging for electricity during power shut-offs and required to reimburse their customers for spoiled food or other financial losses under legislation that cleared the state Senate on Monday.
Senate Bill 378, opposed by Pacific Gas & Electric and the state’s two other largest utilities, is a response to the power shut-offs that left millions in the dark last year, a tool the companies began using to reduce the risk of their electrical equipment starting wildfires. Supporters say the bill seeks to carefully balance the need to prevent blazes that have killed scores of Californians with the unintended consequences of power outages for residents and businesses.
“I’m not objecting to using surgical, well-planned blackouts to prevent wildfires,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who introduced the bill. “Right now the fundamental problem is that utilities have no incentive or obligation to take into account the harm to people that is caused by these blackouts.”
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Widespread outages in October inspired concern throughout the state for elderly and medically fragile customers, who might not be able to survive without power. In Northern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials criticized Pacific Gas & Electric for applying the blackouts too broadly and longer than necessary.
Businesses complained about being forced to close and losing revenue. Local governments struggled to keep traffic lights running, respond to 911 calls and maintain regular functions.
Wiener said he hopes his legislation will force utilities to consider the financial cost to their customers and to only use blackouts as a measure of last resort as originally intended. He described the existing framework of state laws and regulations as the”Wild, Wild West,” which allows utilities to shut off power to avoid billions in potential wildfire liabilities without weighing the public safety risks.
But critics contend that the bill could swing the pendulum too far in the other direction, resulting in fewer intentional blackouts and more wildfires.
“My concern is that we’re trying to save lives and these penalties may possibly lead companies to hesitate, to blink, when it come to the lives of individuals,” said state Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), who voted for the bill but expressed reservations about its potential effects.
Under the proposal, state regulators would be required by June 1, 2021, to establish a mechanism for customers, local governments and others to seek reimbursement from utilities for losses from power outages and craft rules to determine if the utilities can increase rates to offset those payments. The bill would ban utilities from billing customers for electricity if they are out of power.
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SB 378 also opens utilities up to civil liability if the California Public Utilities Commission determines the company failed to reasonably and prudently implement the outage. Wiener’s proposal allows for civil penalties of at least $250,000 for every 50,000 customers affected, which could be multiplied by each hour that an outage takes place.
The California Chamber of Commerce argues that the bill penalizes use of a safety measure already approved by the state. The Legislature originally supported shut-offs as a method of last resort to save lives, and voted in 2018 to require the state’s three investor-owned utilities to annually submit outage protocols to the state.
“While we recognize that [outages] cause significant financial impacts to all involved and that conversations around proper balance must continue, penalizing the use of [outages] is contrary to the state’s desire to prevent the catastrophic harm from wildfire-related events,” the chamber wrote in a letter opposing the bill to state legislators.
SB 378, opposed by PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric, now moves to the Assembly as state regulators work simultaneously to develop new rules around power shut-offs in response to the sweeping outages last year. The CPUC is expected to release guidelines in May regarding identification and communication with at-risk communities prior to an outage.


latimes--2020-01-27--Woodland Hills hospital reopens after water line break prompts closure

A Woodland Hills hospital resumed full operations Sunday after closing last week because of a main water line break .
@ @ @ @ @ Center , 5601 De Soto Ave. , temporarily shut down its emergency room Tuesday night @ @ @ @ @ , besides its 24-hour pharmacy , on Wednesday after a line broke after planned repairs @ @ @ @ @ after repairing the water system and securing the necessary county and state approvals .
“ @ @ @ @ @ back our patients , and want to express our deepest gratitude to them and the @ @ @ @ @ during this past week , ” Murtaza Sanwari , senior vice president for Woodland Hills @ @ @ @ @ a news release .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

A sign alerts people arriving at the Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center that the emergency department is temporarily closed. The facility resumed full operations Sunday.
A Woodland Hills hospital resumed full operations Sunday after closing last week because of a main water line break.
Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center, 5601 De Soto Ave., temporarily shut down its emergency room Tuesday night and all other clinical operations, besides its 24-hour pharmacy, on Wednesday after a line broke after planned repairs.
The 274-bed hospital reopened after repairing the water system and securing the necessary county and state approvals.
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“We look forward to welcoming back our patients, and want to express our deepest gratitude to them and the entire community for their understanding during this past week,” Murtaza Sanwari, senior vice president for Woodland Hills Medical Center, said in a news release.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-27--Commentary: Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle weren't perfect angels. That's why L.A. loved them

There ’ s this thing that happens when a person dies , especially when that person is famous and the death is unexpected .
Those who are left behind to mourn tend to gloss over the bad decisions and focus on the good deeds , the heroic traits and the uncommonly charitable gestures .
This was very much the case Sunday .
Hours after a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant , his 13-year-old daughter , Gianna , and seven others slammed into the hills above Calabasas , killing all on board , celebrities clamored to pay tribute to him during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legend , YG , Meek Mill , Kirk Franklin and others hastily modified their performance dedicated to Nipsey Hussle , the Grammy-winning rapper and Lakers fan who was killed last year outside his store in South L.A. , to include Kobe .
As the chords from the gospel-inspired song “ Higher ” faded , DJ Khaled , ever the hype man , shouted and pointed at a massive screen above the stage .
The larger-than-life images of Kobe and Nipsey hovered over the crowd like angels in the clouds — Kobe , looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nipsey looking serene with his hair braided in his trademark cornrows .
The truth is neither man was an angel .
Neither was a saint .
Nipsey , who was gunned down on a sunny Sunday afternoon in March , was no stranger to gun violence or to police .
Born and raised during some of the roughest years of South L.A. , he was a Rollin ’ 60s Crip , hustling and actively gangbanging in his youth .
Kobe , who spent most of his childhood in Italy and didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Laker when he was 17 , almost ruined his career and his marriage with an act of adultery that led to an allegation of sexual assault .
Looking back at that time in 2003 , I can ’ t help but think that Kobe ’ s case would ’ ve been received very differently by the public in this # MeToo era , especially with his attorneys going after his accuser the way that they did .
We # BelieveWomen now and cancel people on Twitter — and in life — who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little less forgiving , sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse .
Nevertheless , almost two decades later , it ’ s clear that Kobe ’ s mistakes didn ’ t define his life and they won ’ t define his legacy .
The same can be said for Nipsey .
A lot of black men aren ’ t that lucky .
One mistake can mean being denied employment , subsidized housing or even the right to vote .
And with systemic racism continuing to rot the criminal justice system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gang member , even when doing nothing wrong .
I have to believe both Kobe and Nipsey understood that , through a rare combination of timing , money , fame , luck and sheer force of will , they were exceptions to the rule .
And to their credit , neither hid from that .
They worked to overcome their mistakes , and they used what they learned to motivate others .
They showed other people that no one has to be forever defined by a bad decision , that while you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , personal growth is a thing and that it is within each of us to redefine ourselves .
All it takes is focus , commitment and hard work .
For Kobe , this was the “ Mamba Mentality.
” It came about after he was charged with the sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in Colorado .
In his 2015 documentary , “ Muse , ” he explained that he created the alter ego “ Black Mamba ” to separate the stresses of his personal life from those of his professional life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was at the top of his game , had everything coming , to a year later , having absolutely no idea where life is going or if you are even going to be a part of life as we all know it , ” Kobe said in the film .
After the criminal charges were dismissed and the civil case was settled out of court , “ Mamba Mentality ” seemed to evolve a bit .
It was still about developing the intense focus needed to win basketball games , but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of himself and working at it every single day .
“ You ’ re not worried about what people may say .
You ’ re not worried about disappointing others , ” Kobe told SB Nation in 2017 .
“ You ’ re not worried about any of that , you ’ re just focused on being in the moment .
That ’ s what Mamba mentality truly is.
” For Nipsey , that was “ The Marathon.
” After some run-ins with the law and a trip to his father ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living by the mantra , “ Life is a marathon , not a sprint.
” He stopped actively gangbanging and taking short-term risks for minimal gains .
Instead , he devoted himself to making strategic decisions to achieve long-term goals , including establishing creative and financial control over his music and reinvesting in his neighborhood to build wealth and fight the forces of gentrification .
He pushed everyone he met and everyone who listened to his music to change their thinking in the same way , like in these lyrics from “ Bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to grow I had to let go of some habits ; And it ’ s easy to say I ’ m on now cause you see it and it happens ; But before it ever did I had to believe and get it cracking .
To be human is to be imperfect .
This is especially true when you are a black human in America — even here in liberal Los Angeles — because so many of the odds in life are stacked against you .
We don ’ t need perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human beings who show us how to do the hard work of becoming better versions of ourselves .
Both Nipsey and Kobe spent the bulk of their adult lives doing just that .
They showed us how not to let our inevitable mistakes define who we are and how to become better people , no matter our circumstances .
Many Angelenos admire them for this very reason .
But those who think of Kobe and Nipsey as mere angels or saints are selling both men short .
It ’ s an injustice to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And to the imperfect city that they loved , the city of L.A .

At the Grammys, a tribute to Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant with YG, John Legend, DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, Kirk Franklin and others stand on stage at the awards show Sunday.
There’s this thing that happens when a person dies, especially when that person is famous and the death is unexpected.
Those who are left behind to mourn tend to gloss over the bad decisions and focus on the good deeds, the heroic traits and the uncommonly charitable gestures.
This was very much the case on Sunday. Hours after a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others slammed into the hills above Calabasas, killing all on board, celebrities clamored to pay tribute to him during the Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
Advertisement
John Legend, YG, Meek Mill, Kirk Franklin and others hastily modified their performance dedicated to Nipsey Hussle, the Grammy-winning rapper and Lakers fan who was killed last year outside his store in South L.A., to include Kobe.
As the chords from the gospel-inspired song “Higher” faded, DJ Khaled, ever the hype man, shouted and pointed at a massive screen above the stage.
“Long live Nip! Long live Kobe!” he declared to rousing applause. “The marathon continues!”
The larger-than-life images of Kobe and Nipsey hovered over the crowd like angels in the clouds — Kobe looking confident in a Lakers uniform and Nipsey looking serene with his hair braided in his trademark cornrows.
The truth is neither man was an angel. Neither was a saint.
Nipsey, who was gunned down on a sunny Sunday afternoon in March, was no stranger to gun violence or to police. Born and raised during some of the roughest years of South L.A., he was a Rollin’ 60s Crip, hustling and actively gangbanging in his youth.
Kobe, who spent most of his childhood in Italy and didn’t move to Los Angeles until he became a Laker when he was 17, almost ruined his career and his marriage with an act of adultery that led to an allegation of sexual assault.
Advertisement
Looking back at that time in 2003, I can’t help but think that Kobe’s case would’ve been received very differently by the public in this #MeToo era, especially with his attorneys going after his accuser the way that they did. We #BelieveWomen now and cancel people on Twitter — and in life — who don’t. We’re a little less forgiving, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.
Nevertheless, almost two decades later, it’s clear that Kobe’s mistakes didn’t define his life and they won’t define his legacy. The same can be said for Nipsey.
A lot of black men aren’t that lucky. One mistake can mean being denied employment, subsidized housing or even the right to vote. And with systemic racism continuing to rot the criminal justice system, it can mean being labeled as a gang member, even when doing nothing wrong.
I have to believe both Kobe and Nipsey understood that, through a rare combination of timing, money, fame, luck and sheer force of will, they were exceptions to the rule.
And to their credit, neither hid from that.
They worked to overcome their mistakes, and they used what they learned to motivate others. They showed other people that no one has to be forever defined by a bad decision, that while you can never erase what you have done, personal growth is a thing and that it is within each of us to redefine ourselves. All it takes is focus, commitment and hard work.
For Kobe, this was the “Mamba Mentality.”
It came about after he was charged with the sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in Colorado. In his 2015 documentary, “Muse,” he explained that he created the alter ego “Black Mamba” to separate the stresses of his personal life from those of his professional life.
“I went from a person who was at the top of his game, had everything coming, to a year later, having absolutely no idea where life is going or if you are even going to be a part of life as we all know it,” Kobe said in the film.
After the criminal charges were dismissed and the civil case was settled out of court, “Mamba Mentality” seemed to evolve a bit. It was still about developing the intense focus needed to win basketball games, but it was also about trying to be the best version of himself and working at it every single day.
“You’re not worried about what people may say. You’re not worried about disappointing others,” Kobe told SB Nation in 2017. “You’re not worried about any of that, you’re just focused on being in the moment. That’s what Mamba Mentality truly is.”
For Nipsey, that was “The Marathon.”
After some run-ins with the law and a trip to his father’s homeland of Eritrea, Nipsey started living by the mantra, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint.” He stopped actively gangbanging and taking short-term risks for minimal gains.
Instead, he devoted himself to making strategic decisions to achieve long-term goals, including establishing creative and financial control over his music and reinvesting in his neighborhood to build wealth and fight the forces of gentrification. He pushed everyone he met and everyone who listened to his music to change their thinking in the same way, like in these lyrics from “Bigger Than Life”:
In order for me to grow, I had to let go of some habits;
And it’s easy to say I’m on now cause you see it and it happens;
But before it ever did, I had to believe and get it cracking.
To be human is to be imperfect. This is especially true when you are a black human in America — even here in liberal Los Angeles — because so many of the odds in life are stacked against you.
We don’t need perfect victims to idolize. We need imperfect human beings who show us how to do the hard work of becoming better versions of ourselves.
Both Nipsey and Kobe spent the bulk of their adult lives doing just that. They showed us how not to let our inevitable mistakes define who we are and how to become better people, no matter our circumstances.
Many Angelenos admire them for this very reason. But those who think of Kobe and Nipsey as mere angels or saints are selling both men short.
It’s an injustice to who they were. To their grind. And to the imperfect city that they loved, the city of L.A.