latimes--2020-09-21--Environmentalists plan lawsuit challenging Newsom over oil and gas drilling permits

A national environmental organization on Monday threatened to sue Gov .
Gavin Newsom to halt all new permits for gas and oil wells in the state , saying the governor has failed to protect Californians and the environment from hazards and pollutants released by the state ’ s billion-dollar petroleum industry .
In a letter sent to Newsom on Monday , the Center for Biological Diversity accused his administration of being friendly to California ’ s oil industry and issuing new permits without proper environmental reviews .
The organization plans to take legal action unless the Democratic governor “ promptly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halt permitting.
” “ We urge you to direct your regulators to immediately stop issuing the illegal permits , hold the oil industry accountable for its damage and stop allowing oil companies to profit from their oil spills , ” attorneys Kassie Siegel and Hollin Kretzmann told Newsom in the letter .
Newsom during his first year in office vowed to protect Californians against the hazards of oil and gas production , but environmental groups have grown increasingly frustrated with what they consider a lack of consequential action .
Siegel and other environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Geologic Energy Management Division , known as CalGEM , to issue close to 50 new hydraulic fracturing permits to Chevron and Aera Energy , a partnership of Shell Oil and ExxonMobil , since April .
The permits were issued after a November announcement by Newsom that he would temporarily block new hydraulic fracturing permits until those projects could be reviewed by an independent panel of scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory .
State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk said in August that the permits that were granted underwent independent environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been denied and more than permits were still pending review by the panel .
Environmental groups , however , called the review inadequate .
They also noted that adverse health impacts from the oil industry were disproportionally felt in Black and Latino communities .
A recent study by researchers at UC Berkeley , published by the National Institutes of Health , found that living near oil and gas wells caused significant adverse health effects to pregnant mothers and newborn babies .
“ We have waited and waited and waited .
They ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action , they ’ ve asked people to be patient .
But it seems that what they ’ ve done with that time is come up with new ways to serve the oil industry , ” Siegel said Monday .
“ When we see a flood of illegal permits continued despite the damage , it ’ s time to get tough.
” The letter to Newsom also cited a recent story by the Desert Sun and ProPublica showing that oil companies in California have made millions by selling the oil extracted from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place minimum setback distances between the wells and residential areas , along with public places such as schools and playgrounds , failed to pass in the state Senate — in large part because of opposition from the petroleum industry and trade unions , according to the bill ’ s author , Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi ( D-Rolling Hills Estates ) .
Muratsuchi ’ s proposal would have required the state Department of Conservation to adopt mandatory setbacks — and , specifically , to at least consider setbacks of 2,500 feet from schools , playgrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Newsom administration , however , is currently considering new regulations that could include those setbacks .
Officials with the Department of Conservation have been holding public hearings in person and online throughout the year on proposed public health and safety protections for communities near oil and gas operations .
The proposed regulations have yet to be released .

A national environmental organization on Monday threatened to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom to halt all new permits for gas and oil wells in the state, saying the governor has failed to protect Californians and the environment from hazards and pollutants released by the state’s billion-dollar petroleum industry.
In a letter sent to Newsom on Monday, the Center for Biological Diversity accused his administration of being friendly to California’s oil industry and issuing new permits without proper environmental reviews. The organization plans to take legal action unless the Democratic governor “promptly direct[s] your regulators to halt permitting.”
“We urge you to direct your regulators to immediately stop issuing the illegal permits, hold the oil industry accountable for its damage and stop allowing oil companies to profit from their oil spills,” attorneys Kassie Siegel and Hollin Kretzmann told Newsom in the letter.
An official with the state Department of Natural Resources, which oversees that agency that regulates oils and gas wells — California Geologic Energy Management Division, known as CalGEM — disputed the assertion that any permits were issued improperly, saying the state has abided by all laws and court decisions regulating the process.
“CalGEM is not illegally issuing permits or violating CEQA. It follows all state laws and regulations in approving permits,” department spokeswoman Lisa Lien-Mager said in an email Monday. “This administration has strengthened oversight, imposed more rigorous standards for permit review and institutionalized independent scientific and technical review of its processes. California standards exceed those of any other state in the country.”
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Newsom during his first year in office vowed to protect Californians against the hazards of oil and gas production, but environmental groups have grown increasingly frustrated with what they consider a lack of consequential action.
Siegel and other environmental advocates also criticized Newsom for allowing the California Geologic Energy Management Division, known as CalGEM, to issue close to 50 new hydraulic fracturing permits to Chevron and Aera Energy, a partnership of Shell Oil and ExxonMobil, since April.
The permits were issued after a November announcement by Newsom that he would temporarily block new hydraulic fracturing permits until those projects could be reviewed by an independent panel of scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk said in August that the permits that were granted underwent independent environmental review, and that six permits had been denied and more permits were still pending review by the panel.
Environmental groups, however, called the review inadequate. They also noted that adverse health impacts from the oil industry were disproportionally felt in Black and Latino communities.
A recent study by researchers at UC Berkeley, published by the National Institutes of Health, found that living near oil and gas wells caused significant adverse health effects to pregnant mothers and newborn babies.
“We have waited and waited and waited. They’ve said they’re going to take action, they’ve asked people to be patient. But it seems that what they’ve done with that time is come up with new ways to serve the oil industry,” Siegel said Monday. “When we see a flood of illegal permits continued despite the damage, it’s time to get tough.”
The letter to Newsom also cited a recent story by the Desert Sun and ProPublica showing that oil companies in California have made millions by selling the oil extracted from their own spills.
Legislation to put in place minimum setback distances between the wells and residential areas, along with public places such as schools and playgrounds, failed to pass in the state Senate — in large part because of opposition from the petroleum industry and trade unions, according to the bill’s author, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates).
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Muratsuchi’s proposal would have required the state Department of Conservation to adopt mandatory setbacks — and, specifically, to at least consider setbacks of 2,500 feet from schools, playgrounds and other facilities where children are present.
The Newsom administration, however, is currently considering new regulations that could include those setbacks. Officials with the Department of Conservation have been holding public hearings in person and online throughout the year on proposed public health and safety protections for communities near oil and gas operations.
Lien-Mager said the drafting of the regulations to protect public health are being “guided by science, data and sound engineering practices.”
On Wednesday, Newsom called for a ban on fracking in a news conference at which he unveiled a goal to require all new car sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, but again frustrated some environment groups who faulted him for not doing more to restrict fossil fuel production.


latimes--2020-09-21--COVID-19 outbreaks linked to child-care facilities in Sonoma County

A child-care facility is at the heart of a recent uptick in Sonoma County ’ s coronavirus case counts , giving some county officials pause as elementary schools prepare to reopen .
County health officials have traced an outbreak of at least 30 cases to one student at a child-care center in Sonoma ’ s north county .
The facility closed for a two-week quarantine after at least 16 students , 11 relatives and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus , county health officer Dr. Sundari Mase said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives us a little pause when we think about going back to reopening schools , ” Mase said at a virtual briefing last week .
Sonoma County remains in the of the state ’ s reopening criteria , meaning most in-person services are prohibited , including K-12 schools .
But the state has allowed child care and day camps to stay open .
And because of a small drop in coronavirus cases last week , elementary schools in Sonoma County are now eligible to apply for waivers that would allow in-person classes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go slowly when seeking to reopen .
Not all tools for contact tracing and testing are in place yet , he said .
“ We are both empathetic and supportive of parents and the stress that they ’ re under .
We know that distance learning is challenging for both child and parent , ” Herrington said .
“ Compound that with the fires and smoke , it ’ s been hard on everyone .
So I want to acknowledge that .
We ’ re not taking a position of recommending anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Including the outbreak at the north county facility , Sonoma County health officials have counted 62 COVID-19 cases at 13 child-care facilities or schools that provide day care .
In total , Sonoma County child-care facilities have accounted for positive tests in 27 family members , 25 students and 10 staff , according to Mase , and 381 cases of children younger than 17 are still under investigation .
The spread of the virus among young people is to be expected , Mase said .
“ It may be harder to implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing , especially among younger kids in these settings , ” Mase said .

Sonoma County remains in the most restrictive purple tier of the state’s reopening criteria.
A child-care facility is at the heart of a recent uptick in Sonoma County’s coronavirus case counts, giving some county officials pause as elementary schools prepare to reopen.
County health officials have traced an outbreak of at least 30 cases to one student at a child-care center in Sonoma’s north county. The facility closed for a two-week quarantine after at least 16 students, 11 relatives and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus, county health officer Dr. Sundari Mase said.
“I don’t think it’s surprising, but it is something that gives us a little pause when we think about going back to reopening schools,” Mase said at a virtual briefing last week.
Sonoma County remains in the most restrictive purple tier of the state’s reopening criteria, meaning most in-person services are prohibited, including K-12 schools. But the state has allowed child care and day camps to stay open. And because of a small drop in coronavirus cases last week, elementary schools in Sonoma County are now eligible to apply for waivers that would allow in-person classes.
California L.A. schools are closed — but there are loopholes for those with money K-12 schools in Los Angeles are not allowed to be open at the moment. Yet many schools have reopened anyway, either by outsourcing their facilities to established providers like the Y, or by rebranding as day camps, which are license-exempt and virtually unregulated in California.
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Schools Supt. Steven Herrington cautioned schools to go slowly when seeking to reopen. Not all tools for contact tracing and testing are in place yet, he said.
“We are both empathetic and supportive of parents and the stress that they’re under. We know that distance learning is challenging for both child and parent,” Herrington said.
“Compound that with the fires and smoke, it’s been hard on everyone. So I want to acknowledge that. We’re not taking a position of recommending anything other than safety, first and foremost.”
Including the outbreak at the north county facility, Sonoma County health officials have counted 62 COVID-19 cases at 13 child-care facilities or schools that provide day care. In total, Sonoma County child-care facilities have accounted for positive tests in 27 family members, 25 students and 10 staff, according to Mase, and 381 cases of children younger than 17 are still under investigation.
The spread of the virus among young people is to be expected, Mase said.
“It may be harder to implement mitigation measures such as facial coverings and social distancing, especially among younger kids in these settings,” Mase said.


latimes--2020-09-21--Daughter sues L.A. over father's death following LAPD takedown

The daughter of a man who died after being detained and taken to the ground by two Los Angeles police officers in Van Nuys last year is now suing the city of L.A. in federal court , alleging it was excessive force that caused his death .
Nicole Juarez Zelaya , 20 , claims the officers restricted her father ’ s breathing as they held him on the ground using their own body weight for several minutes , despite the fact that he had not committed a crime and they had no reason for handcuffing and detaining him .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered , dying in a hospital five days later .
“ My only desire is for justice to be served , ” Zelaya said in an interview with The Times .
“ The system is messed up and there needs to be action taken.
” Josh Rubenstein , a police spokesman , said the LAPD can not comment on ongoing litigation .
The lawsuit comes amid intense scrutiny of police tactics for restraining people on the street following the death in May of George Floyd , who suffered cardiopulmonary arrest after a Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A medical examiner in Minneapolis ruled Floyd ’ s death a homicide , and prosecutors filed criminal charges against the officers involved .
In the April 2019 death of Zelaya ’ s father , Jacobo Juarez Cedillo , 50 , an L.A. County medical examiner determined he also died from cardiopulmonary arrest , along with a loss of blood flow to the brain and the effects of methamphetamine .
Citing unresolved questions about the preceding takedown by police , and the timing of Cedillo ’ s cardiopulmonary arrest in relation to his detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death could not be determined .
“ There is a temporal relationship between the cardiopulmonary arrest after prone physical restraint by law enforcement and the decedent was reported to become unresponsive after placement on the gurney , ” the medical examiner wrote .
“ A component of asphyxia due to possible compression of the body may be contributory to the cardiopulmonary arrest , however there are no findings at autopsy that establish asphyxia .
“ Determination of the amount of force used and the physical effects of the restraint can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her lawsuit , argues that the medical examiner ’ s findings bolster her argument that the police takedown contributed to her father ’ s death , and that the type of force that was used on her father never should have been applied .
“ It is well known throughout law enforcement and medical professionals that holding a subject in a prone position restraint can be deadly , ” the lawsuit states .
“ Compressing an arrestee in a prone position with a police officer ’ s weight on his or her back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to breathe and blood flow to the brain , and can result in anoxic encephalopathy , which is a process that begins with the cessation of cerebral blood flow to brain tissue , like in this case.
” Zelaya argues the city is liable in her father ’ s death in part because it failed to train its officers on the “ dangers of applying pressure to an arrestee who is in a prone position.
” The lawsuit revives questions in a case the LAPD had considered settled .
After Cedillo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred .
It also released body-camera footage from the incident .
The video shows the two officers approaching Cedillo as he is seated in the driveway of a gas station .
As they approach him , he puts his hands behind his back , and they handcuff him .
The officers later told investigators that they had seen Cedillo almost get run over by a truck , feared for his safety , and handcuffed him as a precaution as they sought to find out whether he was OK. Cedillo told the officers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t feel good .
The officers said they noticed bulges in his pocket , and that Cedillo became agitated and aggressive when they attempted to determine what the bulges were and whether they were weapons .
“ Relax , ” one officer says , after the officers walked Cedillo to the back of their patrol car .
“ OK , then calm down and relax , ” the officer says .
Cedillo than starts struggling , and the officers take him to the ground along a curb .
Police said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , but that the officers held Cedillo on the ground for another three minutes until additional officers and a supervisor arrived .
They also placed his legs in a hobble restraint .
At one point , the supervisor asks , “ We don ’ t have a crime ?
” and one of the arresting officers says , “ No , we were just ... we were going to check his pockets and that ’ s when he just started flipping out and tried running and we just , we took him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Chief Michel Moore presented a report to the Police Commission in which he said that , although he wished Cedillo had been positioned differently at one point during his detention , the officers ’ actions were reasonable and within department policy .
The report found that the officers continually checked on Cedillo to make sure he was breathing during his detention , called for an ambulance after he appeared in distress , and tried to position him in a way that would best facilitate his breathing whenever he wasn ’ t resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debriefing for two sergeants and four officers , but agreed with Moore that the force used on Cedillo was within department policy .
Zelaya , a student at Whitworth University , said her father was hardworking and drilled into her the importance of getting an education .
She said his death affects her daily , as does the LAPD ’ s justification of its officers ’ actions .
“ There ’ s a lot wrong with the system .
There ’ s just a lot that needs to be done , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as human beings .
”

Los Angeles police released body-camera footage of an incident in which a man died after being detained by officers in Van Nuys. The daughter of Jacobo Juarez Cedillo is suing the city of L.A. in federal court, alleging her father was subjected to excessive force in violation of his constitutional rights.
The daughter of a man who died after being detained and taken to the ground by two Los Angeles police officers in Van Nuys last year is now suing the city of L.A. in federal court, alleging it was excessive force that caused his death.
Nicole Juarez Zelaya, 20, claims the officers restricted her father’s breathing as they held him on the ground using their own body weight for several minutes, despite the fact that he had not committed a crime and they had no reason for handcuffing and detaining him.
He became unresponsive shortly afterward, and never recovered, dying in a hospital five days later.
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“My only desire is for justice to be served,” Zelaya said in an interview with The Times. “The system is messed up and there needs to be action taken.”
Josh Rubenstein, a police spokesman, said the LAPD cannot comment on ongoing litigation.
The lawsuit comes amid intense scrutiny of police tactics for restraining people on the street following the death in May of George Floyd, who suffered cardiopulmonary arrest after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. A medical examiner in Minneapolis ruled Floyd’s death a homicide, and prosecutors filed criminal charges against the officers involved.
In the April 2019 death of Zelaya’s father, Jacobo Juarez Cedillo, 50, an L.A. County medical examiner determined he also died from cardiopulmonary arrest, along with a loss of blood flow to the brain and the effects of methamphetamine. Citing unresolved questions about the preceding takedown by police, and the timing of Cedillo’s cardiopulmonary arrest in relation to his detention, the medical examiner said the manner of death could not be determined.
“There is a temporal relationship between the cardiopulmonary arrest after prone physical restraint by law enforcement and the decedent was reported to become unresponsive after placement on the gurney,” the medical examiner wrote. “A component of asphyxia due to possible compression of the body may be contributory to the cardiopulmonary arrest, however there are no findings at autopsy that establish asphyxia.
“Determination of the amount of force used and the physical effects of the restraint cannot be established at autopsy.”
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Zelaya, in her lawsuit, argues that the medical examiner’s findings bolster her argument that the police takedown contributed to her father’s death, and that the type of force that was used on her father never should have been applied.
“It is well known throughout law enforcement and medical professionals that holding a subject in a prone position restraint can be deadly,” the lawsuit states. “Compressing an arrestee in a prone position with a police officer’s weight on his or her back, and/or upper torso, restricts the ability to breathe and blood flow to the brain, and can result in anoxic encephalopathy, which is a process that begins with the cessation of cerebral blood flow to brain tissue, like in this case.”
Zelaya argues the city is liable in her father’s death in part because it failed to train its officers on the “dangers of applying pressure to an arrestee who is in a prone position.”
The lawsuit revives questions in a case the LAPD had considered settled.
After Cedillo’s death, the department investigated what occurred. It also released body-camera footage from the incident.
The video shows the two officers approaching Cedillo as he is seated in the driveway of a gas station. As they approach him, he puts his hands behind his back, and they handcuff him. The officers later told investigators that they had seen Cedillo almost get run over by a truck, feared for his safety, and handcuffed him as a precaution as they sought to find out whether he was OK.
Cedillo told the officers that he was homeless, and that he didn’t feel good. The officers said they noticed bulges in his pocket, and that Cedillo became agitated and aggressive when they attempted to determine what the bulges were and whether they were weapons.
“Relax,” one officer says, after the officers walked Cedillo to the back of their patrol car.
“I don’t have nothing,” Cedillo says.
“OK, then calm down and relax,” the officer says.
Cedillo than starts struggling, and the officers take him to the ground along a curb.
Police said the officers’ cameras fell off at that point, but that the officers held Cedillo on the ground for another three minutes until additional officers and a supervisor arrived. They also placed his legs in a hobble restraint.
At one point, the supervisor asks, “We don’t have a crime?” and one of the arresting officers says, “No, we were just ... we were going to check his pockets and that’s when he just started flipping out and tried running and we just, we took him to the ground.”
In March, Police Chief Michel Moore presented a report to the Police Commission in which he said that, although he wished Cedillo had been positioned differently at one point during his detention, the officers’ actions were reasonable and within department policy.
The report found that the officers continually checked on Cedillo to make sure he was breathing during his detention, called for an ambulance after he appeared in distress, and tried to position him in a way that would best facilitate his breathing whenever he wasn’t resisting.
The Police Commission ordered a tactical debriefing for two sergeants and four officers, but agreed with Moore that the force used on Cedillo was within department policy.
Zelaya, a student at Whitworth University, said her father was hardworking and drilled into her the importance of getting an education. She said his death affects her daily, as does the LAPD’s justification of its officers’ actions.
“There’s a lot wrong with the system. There’s just a lot that needs to be done,” she said. “People need to be seen as human beings.”


latimes--2020-09-21--Newsom defends his actions to fix California's troubled unemployment agency

Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Monday defended his efforts to fix an outdated state unemployment benefits system that has delayed payments to tens of thousands of Californians who have lost their jobs since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and face increasingly dire financial circumstances .
A “ strike team ” investigation ordered by Newsom was released late Saturday night , concluding that the number of bogged-down claims continues to rise by 10,000 a day — even though the governor had pushed to clear the backlog by the end of September .
The report estimated that it may take until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said that actions being taken by his administration will allow unemployment claims to be processed substantially faster and put money in the hands of Californians more quickly .
He again blamed the delays on the unprecedented influx of unemployment claims filed during the pandemic , a crush that overwhelmed a system that still relies on 30-year-old technology .
But the governor sidestepped a question to offer any specific timelines for improvement .
“ We are committed to getting this done and we recognize the magnitude of the responsibility and the extraordinary challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Newsom said Monday .
“ We ’ ll be transparent with you and others in real time over the course of weeks , not waiting months.
” The strike team ’ s report follows months of complaints from unemployed Californians who have reported repeated failed attempts to wade through a nightmarish bureaucracy to resolve their claims , experiencing problems such as paperwork errors compounded by computer glitches , overloaded phone lines and unanswered emails sent to the agency .
EDD officials have also come under fire from legislators , who last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency ’ s performance in response to the criticisms and following reports of widespread fraud in the unemployment system .
“ I am concerned this is too little , too late for Californians experiencing extreme financial stress as a result of EDD ’ s failures , ” Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) , a leading critic of the EDD , said in a statement .
“ It is highly unsatisfactory that people who have waited since the pandemic began may continue to wait the better part of a year for assistance.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) on Monday also criticized the agency ’ s plans to delay accepting any new claims for two weeks until a faster system is in place .
“ They made this catastrophic news public on a Saturday night in hopes that the people won ’ t notice , ” Nielsen said .
“ If this closure is to improve services for public benefit , why the late Saturday night news dump ?
” On Monday , the governor said he released the strike team ’ s report as it was completed : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another day.
” Newsom also said that , despite the delays , he believes that California has performed much better than most other states in processing unemployment claims , specifically as it relates to the percentage of people who have filed for benefits and received money .
“ I ’ m not here to compare and contrast .
I ’ m here just to give you a sense of what governors , what state legislatures all across this country are facing in terms of this historic number of cases that we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richardson , secretary of the state Government Operations Agency , said the new system will be able to process unemployment claims substantially faster , allowing for 90 % of claims to be processed online in a matter of weeks .
Currently , 40 % of all applications must be manually processed to verify the identity of claimants and guard against fraud — a process that can take months .
“ By embracing this reset , we are giving them a 90 % chance going forward of having a much faster experience .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand much faster , ” Richardson said Monday .
The task force report listed more than 100 recommendations that would allow out-of-work Californians to receive faster assistance online or by phone to resolve problems that have , to date , delayed more than 1.5 million claims .
The state already is close to implementing one key recommendation in the report : a streamlined identity verification process that would enable 90 % of applications to be approved online in as little as a few weeks .
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in March , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 86 billion in unemployment benefits after processing some 12.6 million claims .
About 5.1 million Californians were paid benefits during the week that ended Sept. 12 .
However , thousands of jobless residents have complained that the agency ’ s numerous ongoing issues have for months prevented them from getting unemployment benefits so they can pay their bills .

Newsom again blamed payment delays on the crush of claims filed during the pandemic, an influx that overwhelmed the system’s 30-year-old technology.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday defended his efforts to fix an outdated state unemployment benefits system that has delayed payments to tens of thousands of Californians who have lost their jobs since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and face increasingly dire financial circumstances.
A “strike team” investigation ordered by Newsom was released late Saturday night, concluding that the number of bogged-down claims continues to rise by 10,000 a day — even though the governor had pushed to clear the backlog by the end of September. The report estimated that it may take until January to fully address the backlog.
Newsom said that actions being taken by his administration will allow unemployment claims to be processed substantially faster and put money in the hands of Californians more quickly. He again blamed the delays on the unprecedented influx of unemployment claims filed during the pandemic, a crush that overwhelmed a system that still relies on 30-year-old technology.
But the governor sidestepped a question to offer any specific timelines for improvement.
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“We are committed to getting this done and we recognize the magnitude of the responsibility and the extraordinary challenge that we have in front of us,” Newsom said Monday. “We’ll be transparent with you and others in real time over the course of weeks, not waiting months.”
The strike team’s report follows months of complaints from unemployed Californians who have reported repeated failed attempts to wade through a nightmarish bureaucracy to resolve their claims, experiencing problems such as paperwork errors compounded by computer glitches, overloaded phone lines and unanswered emails sent to the agency.
EDD officials have also come under fire from legislators, who last week approved an emergency audit of the agency’s performance in response to the criticisms and following reports of widespread fraud in the unemployment system.
“I am concerned this is too little, too late for Californians experiencing extreme financial stress as a result of EDD’s failures,” Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), a leading critic of the EDD, said in a statement. “It is highly unsatisfactory that people who have waited since the pandemic began may continue to wait the better part of a year for assistance.”
State Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) on Monday also criticized the agency’s plans to delay accepting any new claims for two weeks until a faster system is in place.
“They made this catastrophic news public on a Saturday night in hopes that the people won’t notice,” Nielsen said. “If this closure is to improve services for public benefit, why the late Saturday night news dump?”
On Monday, the governor said he released the strike team’s report as it was completed: “I didn’t want to wait another day.”
Newsom also said that, despite the delays, he believes that California has performed much better than most other states in processing unemployment claims, specifically as it relates to the percentage of people who have filed for benefits and received money.
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“I’m not here to compare and contrast. I’m here just to give you a sense of what governors, what state legislatures all across this country are facing in terms of this historic number of cases that we have to adjudicate,” Newsom said.
Yolanda Richardson, secretary of the state Government Operations Agency, said the new system will be able to process unemployment claims substantially faster, allowing for 90% of claims to be processed online in a matter of weeks. Currently, 40% of all applications must be manually processed to verify the identity of claimants and guard against fraud — a process that can take months.
“By embracing this reset, we are giving them a 90% chance going forward of having a much faster experience. This is about getting a check in their hand much faster,” Richardson said Monday.
The task force report listed more than 100 recommendations that would allow out-of-work Californians to receive faster assistance online or by phone to resolve problems that have, to date, delayed more than 1.5 million claims. The state already is close to implementing one key recommendation in the report: a streamlined identity verification process that would enable 90% of applications to be approved online in as little as a few weeks.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in March, the state has paid out more than $86 billion in unemployment benefits after processing some 12.6 million claims. About 5.1 million Californians were paid benefits during the week that ended Sept. 12.
However, thousands of jobless residents have complained that the agency’s numerous ongoing issues have for months prevented them from getting unemployment benefits so they can pay their bills.
Times staff writer John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-21--Has your family been profiled because you look different from each other?

Families come in all shapes , sizes and colors .
But people have reported being discriminated against , subjected to @ @ @ @ @ the police called on them because they look different from a family member .
Have @ @ @ @ @ profiling or discrimination because you have different physical characteristics from other members of your family @ @ @ @ @ people made assumptions because a family member had a different skin tone from you ?
@ @ @ @ @ from you .

Families come in all shapes, sizes and colors. But people have reported being discriminated against, subjected to racist comments or even having the police called on them because they look different from a family member.
Have you ever experienced harassment, profiling or discrimination because you have different physical characteristics from other members of your family? For example, have people made assumptions because a family member had a different skin tone from you? We would like to hear from you.


latimes--2020-09-21--No place to study, hunger, inadequate computers hurting Eastside and South L.A. students

Los Angeles families with school-age children in Boyle Heights , South Los Angeles and Watts struggled with access to computers and adequate internet throughout the spring semester while facing job losses and food insecurity , issues that hampered online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic , a survey has found .
The survey , a collaboration by researchers from USC and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools , underscores how poverty has exacerbated the toll wrought by the pandemic and how challenging these problems are to overcome .
It also suggests that the digital divide is continuing to harm the education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About three-quarters of families surveyed had experienced a loss of income and food insecurity during the pandemic and nearly 30 % faced health challenges and housing insecurity .
Even so , about 1 in 3 families made investments to support online learning , including paying for internet access .
“ This isn ’ t a trivial amount of money for our families .
They ’ re reporting in the hundreds of dollars , ” said Stephen Aguilar , an assistant professor at the USC Rossier School of Education .
“ Imagine being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now you have to purchase these devices for your students in order for them to get their constitutional right to learn.
” Another key finding showed that more than a third of students didn ’ t have an appropriate and quiet place at home to study or participate in online learning — a problem that school officials have limited ability to address , unless they bring small groups of high-needs students back to campus , as county guidelines now allow .
L.A. Unified School District officials and other L.A. County school districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns of spreading the coronavirus , although a few school systems are moving quickly to make these opportunities available .
Recognizing this problem with the learning spaces at home , L.A. Unified and donors have worked to provide headphones to students to minimize distractions .
The survey focused on areas served by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools , which manages 19 L.A. Unified schools enrolling 14,200 children in Boyle Heights , South Los Angeles and Watts .
They are among the lowest-income areas in the city and have been hit hard by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 89 % of students are Latino , 9 % are Black , and 96 % are members of low-income families .
Nearly 1,200 families completed the survey .
Researchers conducted the survey in July , so the findings encompassed the entire spring semester but not the beginning of the current semester .
The findings call into question ongoing announcements from L.A. Unified officials that virtually all students were quickly connected in the spring after campuses shut down in March .
At the time of the survey , about 17 % of families reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks Monday , L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner said 98.5 % of all students in the district were now connected .
A district spokesperson said last week that this meant a student had logged on to the district ’ s online learning platform at least once since school started on Aug. 18 .
Beutner also said attendance numbers were relatively strong — considering the ongoing pandemic .
There is an average daily rate of 93.4 % this school year compared with 97 % last year , according to the district .
Attendance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students to be counted as present with minimal daily interaction .
If a teacher receives one email from a student or parent before midnight , for example , that student can then be counted as present for the school day .
A turned-in assignment meant to be completed over three days can count as three days of attendance even if a student does not otherwise make contact with a teacher .
This loose attendance accounting is not unique to L.A. Unified ; state officials established these rules .
The LAUSD , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clear picture of student engagement .
The survey also highlights several factors that could continue to pose challenges to student engagement even if all students have computers and hot spots .
Seventy-five percent of parents and guardians surveyed did not themselves use computers on a regular basis and some 42 % of students are relying on siblings when running into problems with technology .
“ Every student in California has a constitutional right to a quality education .
As long as we are distance learning , that means that access to quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student success should also be a right , ” said Ryan Smith , chief external officer for the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools .
“ The conversation has to ... really center on the Black and Latinx families who are struggling on multiple fronts and also being asked to come out of their own pocket to provide more resources so that their students have the opportunity to learn .
”

Families wait in line in April at the Mar Vista Family Center for free food and headphones, which students use to screen out noise while studying at home.
Los Angeles families with school-age children in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles and Watts struggled with access to computers and adequate internet throughout the spring semester while facing job losses and food insecurity, issues that hampered online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey has found.
The survey, a collaboration by researchers from USC and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, underscores how poverty has exacerbated the toll wrought by the pandemic and how challenging these problems are to overcome. It also suggests that the digital divide is continuing to harm the education of low-income Latino and Black students.
About three-quarters of families surveyed had experienced a loss of income and food insecurity during the pandemic and nearly 30% faced health challenges and housing insecurity. Even so, about 1 in 3 families made investments to support online learning, including paying for internet access.
“This isn’t a trivial amount of money for our families. They’re reporting in the hundreds of dollars,” said Stephen Aguilar, an assistant professor at the USC Rossier School of Education. “Imagine being a family where you lost your job...and now you have to purchase these devices for your students in order for them to get their constitutional right to learn.”
Another key finding showed that more than a third of students didn’t have an appropriate and quiet place at home to study or participate in online learning — a problem that school officials have limited ability to address, unless they bring small groups of high-needs students back to campus, as county guidelines now allow.
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L.A. Unified School District officials and other L.A. County school districts have hesitated to take this step over concerns of spreading the coronavirus, although a few school systems are moving quickly to make these opportunities available.
Recognizing this problem with the learning spaces at home, L.A. Unified and donors have worked to provide headphones to students to minimize distractions.
The survey focused on areas served by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, which manages 19 L.A. Unified schools enrolling 14,200 children in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles and Watts. They are among the lowest-income areas in the city and have been hit hard by the pandemic.
In these schools, 89% of students are Latino, 9% are Black, and 96% are members of low-income families. Nearly 1,200 families completed the survey.
Researchers conducted the survey in July, so the findings encompassed the entire spring semester but not the beginning of the current semester.
The findings call into question ongoing announcements from L.A. Unified officials that virtually all students were quickly connected in the spring after campuses shut down in March. At the time of the survey, about 17% of families reported having no internet at home.
In remarks Monday, L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner said 98.5% of all students in the district were now connected. A district spokesperson said last week that this meant a student had logged on to the district’s online learning platform at least once since school started on Aug. 18.
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Beutner also said attendance numbers were relatively strong — considering the ongoing pandemic. There is an average daily rate of 93.4% this school year compared with 97% last year, according to the district. Attendance accounting this year, however, allows students to be counted as present with minimal daily interaction.
If a teacher receives one email from a student or parent before midnight, for example, that student can then be counted as present for the school day. A turned-in assignment meant to be completed over three days can count as three days of attendance even if a student does not otherwise make contact with a teacher.
This loose attendance accounting is not unique to L.A. Unified; state officials established these rules. The LAUSD, however, has not released additional data that give a clear picture of student engagement.
The survey also highlights several factors that could continue to pose challenges to student engagement even if all students have computers and hot spots. Seventy-five percent of parents and guardians surveyed did not themselves use computers on a regular basis and some 42% of students are relying on siblings when running into problems with technology.
“Every student in California has a constitutional right to a quality education. As long as we are distance learning, that means that access to quality broadband — and resources needed to support student success should also be a right,” said Ryan Smith, chief external officer for the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. “The conversation has to ... really center on the Black and Latinx families who are struggling on multiple fronts and also being asked to come out of their own pocket to provide more resources so that their students have the opportunity to learn.”


latimes--2020-09-21--Bobcat fire again threatening Mt. Wilson; more evacuations ordered

Fire crews remain in battle mode as efforts to save Mt .
Wilson from the raging Bobcat fire continue .
Days after officials announced that firefighters had beaten back advancing flames and the 116-year-old Mt .
Wilson Observatory was safe , firefighters are battling flare-ups at the top of the mountain .
“ Just when I thought the danger was over — it wasn ’ t , ” Thomas Meneghi , the observatory ’ s executive director , said Monday .
“ As I was leaving [ Sunday ] , eight more strike units were rumbling up the road.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little over a decade that the gleaming white domed observatory and its companion installations — including the towers that serve broadcast outlets and a variety of law enforcement and national security functions — have faced imminent threat of destruction from wildfire .
In 2009 , crews battled the Station fire from both the ground and the sky over several days .
The Bobcat fire , which ignited Sept. 6 , has grown to more than 105,000 acres — one of Los Angeles County ’ s largest blazes ever — and remains at 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department on Monday afternoon ordered the evacuations of people who live south and west of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon , east of Angeles Forest Highway and north of Angeles Crest Highway .
Firefighters have already used half of a 530,000-gallon water tank on the observatory grounds in their nearly weeklong battle against the blaze , Meneghi said .
Crews are working to refill the tank and keep water pressure strong .
Officials from the Forest Service said Mt .
Wilson remains a top priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources ” have been dedicated to keeping the flames at bay .
“ We are getting winds out of the east , so people are seeing flare-ups there , ” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Larry Smith said Monday .
“ But there are no new evacuations [ around Mt .
Wilson ] .
There ’ s nothing to be concerned about.
” Fire crews were also focusing Monday on the Antelope Valley , where the massive blaze continues to loom large after forcing evacuations and charring multiple homes .
The fire weather conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds , could feed the flames and create the “ potential for rapid growth and extreme fire behavior.
” “ Out by the Bobcat fire , it ’ s still fairly warm and dry , and there will be afternoon and evening gusts of winds , ” meteorologist David Sweet said from the weather service ’ s station in Oxnard .
“ And that ’ s the concern right there : dryness and gusty winds.
” Isolated wind gusts could reach as high as 40 mph , Sweet said .
The winds will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Residents in the Juniper Hills area of the Antelope Valley anxiously awaited updates on their homes after evacuation orders last week .
“ We kept watching the fire maps closely , and we knew that it was in our area , ” said Juniper Hills resident Bridget Lensing , who evacuated her family ’ s home Thursday .
“ We were hoping and praying somehow our home would be spared.
” Lensing ’ s parents bought their Cima Mesa home in the 1980s , and both she and her brother were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family rushed to spray the whole property with water before evacuating , and that they spent an “ agonizing ” 48 hours away from the area before returning to find much of their neighborhood destroyed .
“ All the homes on our street were gone , ” Lensing said .
“ Everything was dust beside the chimneys.
” Lensing ’ s house was the only one on the street to survive , she said , although it was apparent that flames had swept through the property .
Her closest neighbor ’ s home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We feel so , so sorry for them , ” she said .
“ But they want to rebuild .
... Juniper Hills is so strong.
” The Bobcat fire is one of six major blazes currently prioritized by the state , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday during a news briefing .
The other fires are the August Complex , the North Complex , the Creek fire , the El Dorado fire and the Snow fire .
“ We ’ re putting all the resources we possibly can on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ but focusing , as we should , on that Bobcat fire.
” Calling this year a “ historic ” fire season , the governor said 19,000 firefighters are battling 27 blazes statewide .
Among those , 26 people have died , including three firefighters , and 6,400 structures have been destroyed .
“ The 26 fatalities and 6,400 structures are based on what we have seen , what we have witnessed , ” he said , noting that “ by no stretch of the imagination ” is that number the extent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fifteen mutual-aid states are helping with firefighting efforts statewide , Newsom said , and 3.6 million acres have burned .
For weeks , firefighters on the Bobcat fire have been hindered by steep , rocky terrain within the Angeles National Forest , which made it difficult for large mechanical equipment to reach several front lines of the blaze .
The fire ’ s creep into the Antelope Valley , fed by low-lying desert shrubbery , also presents new challenges .
“ The more variables you have , the more complex it becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service spokesman .
“ It ’ s much less terrain-influenced there .
Now it ’ s a fuel-driven fire.
” Grasses , sage and brush are contributing to the fire ’ s movement through the valley , Smith said , but he noted that the flatter terrain is allowing for more mechanized equipment , such as bulldozers , to create containment lines .
Adding to complications were two private drones being flown in the area late Monday morning , which grounded a fixed-wing aircraft for 30 minutes , the Forest Service said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spotted , firefighting aircraft must stay grounded until the area is cleared , ” they said .
• Crystal Lake , the East Fork of the San Gabriel River and Camp Williams • Residences along Angeles Crest Highway between Angeles Forest Highway and Highway 39 • South of Highway 138 , north of Big Rock Creek , east of 87th Street East and west of Largo Vista Road • South of 138th Street East , north of Big Pine Highway and Highway 2 , east of Largo Vista Road and west of 263rd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , north of East Avenue W-14 , east of 155th Street East and west of 165th Street East .
The Forest Service said Monday the fire had jumped Highway 2 multiple times and is “ now on both sides of the road on Barley Flats.
” The following areas remain under evacuation warnings : • South of Pearblossom Highway , east and north of Angeles Forest Highway , north and west of Mt .
Emma Road , east and south of Highway 122 and west of Chesebro Road • South of Highway 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , east of Highway 39 and west of the Los Angeles County border • South of Avenue U-8 , north of East Avenue W-14 , east of 121st Street East and west of 155th Street East • South of Pearblossom Highway , south and east of Pearblossom Highway , north and west of Mt .
Emma Road , north and east of Angeles Forest Highway and west of Chesebro Road • South of Mt .
Emma Road , north of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road , east of Angeles Forest Highway and west @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuation point has been set up at Palmdale High School for anyone needing assistance .
Additionally , officials monitoring the Bobcat fire will hold a virtual public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday .
The meeting will stream live on the Bobcat fire YouTube channel and on the Los Angeles County Fire Department Facebook page .
Air quality continues to suffer because of the fire .
Officials issued a smoke advisory for a swath of Southern California through Monday afternoon .
Although forecasts show good or moderate air quality is expected for much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could reach levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and individuals in the eastern San Gabriel Valley , areas in and around the San Gabriel Mountains and parts of the Inland Empire .
Given the forecast , Los Angeles County health officials are urging residents with heart disease , asthma or other respiratory diseases to minimize their time outdoors .
As of Monday , roughly 1,700 personnel have been assigned to the Bobcat fire , Smith said , including several firefighters who have arrived from across the country to battle the insatiable blaze .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Absolutely , ” Smith said , “ but firefighters are always optimistic .
I never go into a fight with the intent to lose .
”

Fire crews remained in battle mode Monday as efforts to save Mt. Wilson from the raging Bobcat fire continued.
Days after officials announced that firefighters had beaten back advancing flames and the 116-year-old Mt. Wilson Observatory was safe, firefighters were battling flare-ups at the top of the mountain. As darkness fell Monday, flames could be seen close to both the observatory and the communications towers on Mt. Wilson.
“Just when I thought the danger was over — it wasn’t,” Thomas Meneghini, the observatory’s executive director, said Monday. “As I was leaving [Sunday], eight more strike units were rumbling up the road.”
It was the second time in a little over a decade that the gleaming white-domed observatory and its companion installations — including the towers that serve broadcast outlets and a variety of law enforcement and national security functions — have faced imminent threat of destruction from wildfire. In 2009, crews battled the Station fire from the ground and the sky over several days.
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1 / 42 Blue Ridge Hot Shots crew members from Arizona work on a backfire operation north of Mt. Wilson on Angeles Crest Highway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 42 Blue Ridge Hot Shots crew members from Arizona join forces with firefighters from Northern and Southern California on a backfire operation north of Mt. Wilson on Angeles Crest Highway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 42 Smoke and ash filter the sunset looking west from Angeles Crest Highway as the Bobcat fire continues to burn. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 42 Blue Ridge Hot Shots crew members from Arizona help on a backfire operation on Angeles Crest Highway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 42 Firefighters continue to battle the Bobcat fire north of Mt. Wilson along Angeles Crest Highway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 42 Blue Ridge Hot Shots crew members from Arizona work on a backfire operationon Angeles Crest Highway. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 42 The Bobcat fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest as seen from the Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles on Sept. 21. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 42 Horses are spooked by the approaching Bobcat fire on 106th Street in Juniper Hills on Sept. 18. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 42 A resident flees as Bobcat fire approaches Cima Mesa Road in Juniper Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 42 A Joshua tree burns as the Bobcat fire rages in Juniper Hills. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 42 A Super Scooper dives behind a house in Juniper Hills to make a water drop. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 42 The view from Big Pines Highway as the Bobcat fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 42 A statue sits on top of a house that burned to the ground in Juniper Hills. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 42 A house on Cima Mesa Road in Juniper Hills burns Sept. 18 as the Bobcat fire continues to rage. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 42 Mike Gregoryan is frustrated as he is asked to leave his home on Cruthers Creek as Bobcat fire closes in on structures. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 42 A smokey sunset as the Bobcat Fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 42 Bear Divide Hotshots cover a U.S. Forestry Department information center Sept. 19 in Wrightwood to protect it from the Bobcat fire. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 42 A man riding a tractor evacuates Valyermo as the Bobcat fire burns Sept. 18 in Angeles National Forest. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 42 Castle Snider, 8, looks on as flames from a control burn are used to reduce fuel near homes in Monrovia as the Bobcat fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 42 A statue is left charred Sept. 19 after the Bobcat fire roared through Juniper Hills. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 42 The LA County Fire Camp 9 hand crew rests on Big Pines Highway after working the north flank of the Bobcat fire near Mile High. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 42 LaVerne engine 761 arrives to offer defense as the Bobcat fire burns near homes in Monrovia. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 42 A fire engine drives into air thick with smoke along Juniper Hills Rd. as the Bobcat fire advances north into the Antelope Valley. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 42 Flames crest a hill a few miles from Juniper Hills Rd. as the Bobcat fire advances north into the Antelope Valley. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 42 Los Angeles County firefighters standing on outlook as they monitor the Bobcat fire burning in a canyon near the Mt. Wilson Observatory in Angeles National Forest. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 42 A helicopter fights the Bobcat fire burning close to Mt. Wilson Observatory. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 42 After spending night at camp Pasadena, firefighters Christina Terrazas, left, and Jason Van Vlymen have their breakfast standing next to their fire truck. Hundreds of firefighters from different agencies fighting Bobcat Fire in San Gabriel mountains above Arcadia, Monrovia and Duarte camp overnight in Santa Fe Dam Recreation Park in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 42 Roland Pagan surveys the remains of his home on Juniper Hills Drive. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 42 A plane makes a fire retardant drop in the Antelope Valley. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 42 Road Runners hand crew from the Angeles National Forest walk single file as they head for breakfast at the Bobcat fire command post at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Park in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 42 Flames from a control burn are used to reduce fuel near homes in Monrovia as the Bobcat fire continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 42 Curious deer look on as firefighters watch the progress of the Bobcat fire as it continues to burn in the Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 42 Firefighters look on from Sawpit Canyon as a controlled fire burns on a hillside overlooking the San Gabriel Valley. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 42 Firefighters keep watch from an overlook on Mt. Wilson as the Bobcat fire burns in the Angeles National Forest near Pasadena. (Mario Tama / Getty Images) 35 / 42 A Coulson 737 firefighting tanker jet drops fire retardant to slow Bobcat fire at the top of a major run up a mountainside in the Angeles National Forest. (David McNew / Getty Images) 36 / 42 Los Angeles County firefighters, using only hand tools, keep flames from jumping a fire break in the Angeles National Forest north of Monrovia. (David McNew / Getty Images) 37 / 42 Mormon Lake, Ariz. Hotshot Squad team member Jessy Twin looks over charred hillsides after clearing brush. Twin said his crew is on their sixth day of cutting line. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 42 A firefighting helicopter refills in a reservoir on Grand View Ave. as crews continue to battle the Bobcat fire. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 42 A line of California fire engines head to the flaming Santa Anita Canyon as the Bobcat fire burns near Arcadia. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 42 Claudia Alcaino walks her dogs along Highland Oaks Drive as crews continue to battle the Bobcat fire in the nearby Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 42 A worker installs a street camera along North Azusa Avenue as smoke covers the sky from the Bobcat fire. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 42 The Bobcat fire continues to blaze in the mountains above Monrovia. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Bobcat fire, which ignited Sept. 6, has grown to more than 105,000 acres — one of Los Angeles County’s largest blazes ever — and remains at 15% containment, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Monday afternoon ordered the evacuations of people who live south and west of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon, east of Angeles Forest Highway and north of Angeles Crest Highway.
Firefighters have already used half of a 530,000-gallon water tank on the observatory grounds in their nearly weeklong battle against the blaze, Meneghini said. Crews are working to refill the tank and keep water pressure strong.
Officials from the Forest Service said Mt. Wilson remains a top priority, noting that “multiple, multiple resources” have been dedicated to battling the flames, which continued to burn fiercely through Monday.
“Some of that smoke may have dissipated,” Jerry McGowan, an incident commander, said Monday evening, “but there is quite a bit of fire still down in that hole, down in that area.”
Fire crews were also focusing Monday on the Antelope Valley, where the massive blaze continued to loom large after forcing evacuations and charring multiple homes. The National Weather Service said fire weather conditions, including heat, dryness and gusty winds, could feed the flames and create the “potential for rapid growth and extreme fire behavior.”
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“Out by the Bobcat fire, it’s still fairly warm and dry, and there will be afternoon and evening gusts of winds,” meteorologist David Sweet said from the weather service’s station in Oxnard. “And that’s the concern right there: dryness and gusty winds.”
Isolated wind gusts could reach as high as 40 mph, Sweet said. The winds will probably continue for the rest of the week.
Residents in the Juniper Hills area of the Antelope Valley anxiously awaited updates on their homes after evacuation orders last week.
“We kept watching the fire maps closely, and we knew that it was in our area,” said Juniper Hills resident Bridget Lensing, who evacuated her family’s home Thursday. “We were hoping and praying somehow our home would be spared.”
Lensing’s parents bought their Cima Mesa home in the 1980s, and she and her brother were raised there. She said that her family rushed to spray the whole property with water before evacuating, and that they spent an agonizing 48 hours away from the area before returning to find much of their neighborhood destroyed.
“All the homes on our street were gone,” Lensing said. “Everything was dust beside the chimneys.”
Lensing’s house was the only one on the street to survive, she said, although it was apparent that flames had swept through the property. Her closest neighbor’s home of 50 years burned in the blaze.
“We feel so, so sorry for them,” she said. “But they want to rebuild.... Juniper Hills is so strong.”
Vince Pena, an incident commander with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said the Bobcat fire has destroyed or damaged 29 structures, although that tally “could go up to 85 or so” as fire crews continue to assess the damage. An estimated 4,000 people have been displaced from 1,100 homes, he said Monday evening.
The Bobcat fire is one of six major blazes currently prioritized by the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday during a news briefing. The other fires are the August Complex, the North Complex, the Creek fire, the El Dorado fire and the Snow fire.
“We’re putting all the resources we possibly can on all these complexes,” Newsom said, “but focusing, as we should, on that Bobcat fire.”
Calling this year a historic fire season, the governor said 19,000 firefighters are battling 27 blazes statewide. Among those, 26 people have died, including three firefighters, and 6,400 structures have been destroyed.
“The 26 fatalities and 6,400 structures are based on what we have seen, what we have witnessed,” he said, noting that “by no stretch of the imagination” is that number the extent of potential destruction and death from the fires.
Fifteen mutual-aid states are helping with firefighting efforts statewide, Newsom said, and 3.6 million acres have burned.
For weeks, firefighters on the Bobcat fire have been hindered by steep, rocky terrain within the Angeles National Forest, which made it difficult for large mechanical equipment to reach several front lines of the blaze.
The fire’s creep into the Antelope Valley, fed by low-lying desert shrubbery, also presents new challenges.
“The more variables you have, the more complex it becomes,” Forest Service spokesman Larry Smith said. “It’s much less terrain-influenced there. Now it’s a fuel-driven fire.”
Grasses, sage and brush are contributing to the fire’s movement through the valley, Smith said, but he noted that the flatter terrain is allowing for more mechanized equipment, such as bulldozers, to create containment lines.
Adding to complications were two private drones being flown in the area late Monday morning, which grounded a fixed-wing aircraft for 30 minutes, the Forest Service said in a tweet.
“If drones are spotted, firefighting aircraft must stay grounded until the area is cleared,” they said.
Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for multiple areas:
Juniper Hills, Devil’s Punchbowl and Paradise Springs
Crystal Lake, the East Fork of the San Gabriel River and Camp Williams
Residences along Angeles Crest Highway between Angeles Forest Highway and Highway 39
South of Highway 138, north of Big Rock Creek, east of 87th Street East and west of Largo Vista Road
South of 138th Street East, north of Big Pine Highway and Highway 2, east of Largo Vista Road and west of 263rd Street East
South of Highway 138, north of East Avenue W-14, east of 155th Street East and west of 165th Street East.
The Forest Service said Monday the fire had jumped Highway 2 multiple times and is “now on both sides of the road on Barley Flats.”
The following areas remain under evacuation warnings:
City of Pasadena
Unincorporated communities of Altadena and Wrightwood
South of Pearblossom Highway, east and north of Angeles Forest Highway, north and west of Mt. Emma Road, east and south of Highway 122 and west of Chesebro Road
South of Highway 2, north of Blue Ridge Truck Trail, east of Highway 39 and west of the Los Angeles County border
South of Avenue U-8, north of East Avenue W-14, east of 121st Street East and west of 155th Street East
South of Pearblossom Highway, south and east of Pearblossom Highway, north and west of Mt. Emma Road, north and east of Angeles Forest Highway and west of Chesebro Road
South of Mt. Emma Road, north of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road, east of Angeles Forest Highway and west of Pacifico Mountain
An American Red Cross evacuation point has been set up at Palmdale High School for anyone needing assistance.
California Fires continue to take a toll on California air quality Officials issued another smoke advisory for part of Southern California through Monday afternoon and parts of the Sierra Nevada have foul air quality.
Air quality continues to suffer because of the fire. Officials issued a smoke advisory for a swath of Southern California through Monday afternoon.
Although forecasts show good or moderate air quality is expected for much of the Southland throughout the day, pollutants could reach levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and individuals in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, areas in and around the San Gabriel Mountains and parts of the Inland Empire.
Given the forecast, Los Angeles County health officials are urging residents with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases to minimize their time outdoors.
As of Monday, roughly 1,700 personnel have been assigned to the Bobcat fire, Smith said, including several firefighters who have arrived from across the country to battle the insatiable blaze.
“Is there a fatigue level? Absolutely,” Smith said, “but firefighters are always optimistic. I never go into a fight with the intent to lose.”
Times staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-21--Fires continue to take a toll on California air quality

Swirling smoke from California ’ s historic firestorm is still clogging some of the state ’ s skies — leading to unhealthy air quality in and around the Sierra Nevada .
Conditions at one point were considered hazardous Monday morning in the area of Mammoth Lakes , meaning “ everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels , ” according to air quality monitors .
However , the air later cleared to a point where it was only “ very unhealthy , ” with residents urged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities .
That part of California has been subjected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around Bishop and Mammoth Lakes were listed as “ beyond index ” last week — with air quality measurements that reached 626 , far beyond the 0-500 scale .
Mammoth Lakes ’ air quality measured at 317 just before 8 a.m. Monday and had improved to 248 by about 9 a.m .
The town lies northeast of where the Creek fire is burning .
That destructive blaze has chewed through more than 278,000 acres and is now 27 % contained , according to fire officials .
Other areas of the state — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sierra Nevada foothills — were seeing very unhealthy air quality Monday morning .
Both towns are nestled near the burn area of the North Complex fire , one of the largest and deadliest in state history .
That blaze has scorched more than 294,000 acres and is now 64 % contained .
Very unhealthy air also descended on Yosemite National Park early Monday .
The park closed last week because of smoky skies and hazardous air quality in the area .
Officials have also issued a smoke advisory for a swath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecasts show good or moderate air quality is expected for much of the Southland throughout the day , pollutants could reach levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and individuals in the San Gabriel Valley , Pomona Valley , areas in and around the San Gabriel Mountains and parts of the Inland Empire .
Given the forecast , Los Angeles County health officials are urging residents with heart disease , asthma or other respiratory diseases to minimize their time outdoors .
However , they stressed that everyone should be cognizant of the potential risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid prolonged or unnecessary exposure .
“ It is difficult to tell where smoke , ash or soot from a fire will go , or how winds will affect the level of these particles in the air , so we ask everyone to remember that smoke and ash can be harmful to health , even for people who are healthy , ” the county ’ s health officer , Dr. Muntu Davis , said in a statement Monday .
“ If you can see smoke , soot or ash , or you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health.
” He added that the county is “ advising day camps that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend outside recreational activities , such as hiking or picnics , until conditions improve.
” The smoke advisory was triggered by a trio of still-burning blazes in Southern California : the Bobcat , El Dorado and Snow fires .
At more than 105,000 acres , the biggest by far is the Bobcat fire .
That blaze , which is now 15 % contained , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Forest from the foothills above Monrovia to the Antelope Valley .
The Snow fire ignited last week in the Snow Creek community west of Palm Springs .
It has burned roughly 6,000 acres and is 38 % contained .
Crews are now reporting 59 % containment on the El Dorado fire , which has scorched more than 22,000 acres in and around the San Bernardino National Forest near Yucaipa .
According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District , southerly winds are expected to start pushing smoke from the El Dorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plumes from the Snow fire would be blown northeast into the Coachella Valley and eastern Riverside County .
“ Smoke impacts in the South Coast Air Basin and Coachella Valley will likely continue until fire activity decreases , ” district officials wrote in a statement Sunday .

Heavy smoke from the Bobcat fire, seen from Cima Mesa Road in Juniper Hills, Calif., blocks the sun Friday. Some areas of California are still seeing unhealthy air quality amid numerous fires burning statewide.
Swirling smoke from California’s historic firestorm is still clogging some of the state’s skies — leading to unhealthy air quality in and around the Sierra Nevada.
Conditions at one point were considered hazardous Monday morning in the area of Mammoth Lakes, meaning “everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels,” according to air quality monitors.
However, the air later cleared to a point where it was only “very unhealthy,” with residents urged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
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That part of California has been subjected to particularly foul air quality.
1 / 23 Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 23 Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 23 A helicopter fights the Bobcat fire burning dangerously close to Mt. Wilson Observatory. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 23 An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 23 Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 23 Two people get ready to surf as a hazy red sun sets off Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 23 Smoke from the Bobcat fire burning in the Angeles National Forest blankets the Southland. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 23 An airplane flies through smoky skies in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 23 A smoky haze envelopes Santa Monica Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 23 Beachgoers walk along the shoreline in Laguna Beach beneath a hazy sky. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 23 A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 23 The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 23 A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 23 An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 23 Surfers near the Manhattan Beach Pier under a smoky sunset. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 23 Gray skies over the Santa Monica Pier. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 23 A hazy sun is seen behind the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 23 Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 23 The Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 23 A bicyclist travels along the 1st Street Bridge as smoke hovers east of downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 23 Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 23 The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 23 Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Kare Park in Irwindale. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Some areas around Bishop and Mammoth Lakes were listed as “beyond index” last week — with air quality measurements that reached 626, far beyond the 0-500 scale.
Mammoth Lakes’ air quality measured at 317 just before 8 a.m. Monday and had improved to 248 by about 9 a.m.
The town lies northeast of where the Creek fire is burning. That destructive blaze has chewed through more than 278,000 acres and is now 27% contained, according to fire officials.
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Other areas of the state — including Quincy in Plumas County and Paradise in the Sierra Nevada foothills — were seeing very unhealthy air quality Monday morning.
Both towns are nestled near the burn area of the North Complex fire, one of the largest and deadliest in state history. That blaze has scorched more than 294,000 acres and is now 64% contained.
Very unhealthy air also descended on Yosemite National Park early Monday. The park closed last week because of smoky skies and hazardous air quality in the area.
Officials have also issued a smoke advisory for a swath of Southern California through Monday afternoon.
While forecasts show good or moderate air quality is expected for much of the Southland throughout the day, pollutants could reach levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and individuals in the San Gabriel Valley, Pomona Valley, areas in and around the San Gabriel Mountains and parts of the Inland Empire.
Air Quality Forecast (Monday, September 21st): https://t.co/szsyGAFunD
🏖 Coastal: Good -to- Moderate
🏙 LA: Moderate -to- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
🌅 OC: Moderate
🌄 Inland Empire: Moderate -to- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
🌴 Coachella Valley: Moderate pic.twitter.com/B49S7DDSp3 — South Coast AQMD (@SouthCoastAQMD) September 21, 2020
Given the forecast, Los Angeles County health officials are urging residents with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases to minimize their time outdoors. However, they stressed that everyone should be cognizant of the potential risks posed by unhealthy air and take steps to avoid prolonged or unnecessary exposure.
“It is difficult to tell where smoke, ash or soot from a fire will go, or how winds will affect the level of these particles in the air, so we ask everyone to remember that smoke and ash can be harmful to health, even for people who are healthy,” the county’s health officer, Dr. Muntu Davis, said in a statement Monday.
“If you can see smoke, soot or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health.”
He added that the county is “advising day camps that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend outside recreational activities, such as hiking or picnics, until conditions improve.”
The smoke advisory was triggered by a trio of still-burning blazes in Southern California: the Bobcat, El Dorado and Snow fires.
At more than 105,000 acres, the biggest by far is the Bobcat fire. That blaze, which is now 15% contained, has carved a path through the Angeles National Forest from the foothills above Monrovia to the Antelope Valley.
The Snow fire ignited last week in the Snow Creek community west of Palm Springs. It has burned roughly 6,000 acres and is 38% contained.
Crews are now reporting 59% containment on the El Dorado fire, which has scorched more than 22,000 acres in and around the San Bernardino National Forest near Yucaipa.
According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, southerly winds are expected to start pushing smoke from the El Dorado and Bobcat fires north Monday afternoon.
Plumes from the Snow fire would be blown northeast into the Coachella Valley and eastern Riverside County.
“Smoke impacts in the South Coast Air Basin and Coachella Valley will likely continue until fire activity decreases,” district officials wrote in a statement Sunday.