latimes--2020-08-18--Isolation, confusion: What the COVID-19 pandemic is like for people with dementia

The 91-year-old Gardena resident loves reading the newspaper with her morning coffee .
But , lately , the news surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has been more agitating than pleasurable .
“ We ’ re dropping like flies , ” she said one recent morning , throwing her hands up .
“ She gets fearful , ” explained her grandson Erik Hayhurst , 27 .
“ I sort of have to pull her back and walk her through the facts.
” Conant hasn ’ t been diagnosed with dementia , but her family has a history of Alzheimer ’ s disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her home of 60 years , but Hayhurst decided to move in with her in 2018 after she showed clear signs of memory loss and fell repeatedly .
For a while , Conant remained active , meeting up with friends and neighbors to walk around her neighborhood , attend church and visit the corner market .
Hayhurst , a project management consultant , juggled caregiving with his job .
Then COVID-19 came , wrecking Conant ’ s routine and isolating her from friends and loved ones .
Hayhurst has had to remake his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his grandmother ’ s only caregiver — other family members can visit only from the lawn .
The coronavirus has upended the lives of dementia patients and their caregivers .
Adult day care programs , and support groups have shut down or moved online , providing less help for caregivers and less social and mental stimulation for patients .
Fear of spreading the virus limits in-person visits from friends and family .
These changes have disrupted that millions of people with dementia rely on to help maintain health and happiness , making life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has been devastating to older adults and their families when they are unable to see each other and provide practical and emotional support , ” said Lynn Friss Feinberg , a senior strategic policy advisor at AARP Public Policy Institute .
Nearly 6 million Americans age 65 and older have Alzheimer ’ s disease , the most common type of dementia .
An estimated 70 % of them live in the community , primarily in traditional home settings , according to the Alzheimer ’ s Assn .
's 2020 Facts and Figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in the advanced stages of the disease , live in the moment , said Sandy Markwood , chief executive of the National Assn .
of Area Agencies on Aging .
They may not understand why family members aren ’ t visiting or why , when they do visit , they don ’ t come into the house , she added .
“ Visitation under the current restrictions , such as a drive-by or window visit , can actually result in more confusion , ” Markwood said .
The burden of helping patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more than people who provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer ’ s or other dementias in the United States .
The Alzheimer ’ s Assn.
’ s 24-hour help line has seen a shift in the type of assistance requested during the pandemic .
Callers need more emotional support , their situations are more complex , and there ’ s a greater “ heaviness ” to the calls , said Susan Howland , program director for the Alzheimer ’ s Assn .
California Southland Chapter .
“ So many [ callers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address gaps in care , ” said Beth Kallmyer , the association ’ s vice president of care and support .
“ Others are simply feeling overwhelmed and just need someone to reassure them.
” Because many activities that bolstered dementia patients and their caregivers have been canceled due to physical-distancing requirements , dementia and caregiver support organizations are expanding or trying other strategies , such as virtual wellness activities , check-in calls from nurses and online caregiver support groups .
Engaged , an online resource center for older adults , maintains a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
They include pen pal services and letter-writing campaigns , robotic pets and weekly online choir rehearsals .
Hayhurst has experienced some rocky moments during the pandemic .
For instance , he said , it was hard for Conant to understand why she needed to wear a mask .
Eventually , he made it part of the routine when they left the house on daily walks , and Conant now puts on her mask without prompting .
“ At first it was a challenge , ” Hayhurst said .
“ She knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” People with dementia can become agitated when being taught new things , said Dr. Lon Schneider , director of the Alzheimer ’ s Disease Research Center at USC .
To reduce distress , he said , caregivers should enforce mask-wearing only when necessary .
That was a lesson Gina Moran of Fountain Valley learned early on .
Moran , 43 , cares for her 85-year-old mother , Alba Moran , who was diagnosed with Alzheimer ’ s in 2007 .
“ I try to use the same words every time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her there ’ s a virus going around that ’ s killing a lot of people , especially the elderly .
And she ’ ll respond , ‘ Oh , I ’ m at that age.
’ ” If Moran forgets to explain the need for a mask or social distancing , her mother gets combative .
She raises her voice and refuses to listen to Moran , much like a child throwing a tantrum , Moran said .
“ I can ’ t go into more information than that because she won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I try to keep it simple.
” The pandemic is also exacerbating feelings of isolation and loneliness , and not just for people with dementia , said Dr. Jin Hui Joo , associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine .
“ Caregivers are lonely , too , ” she said .
When stay-at-home orders first came down in March , Hayhurst ’ s grandmother repeatedly said she felt lonesome , he recalled .
“ The lack of interaction has made her feel far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To keep her connected with family and friends , he regularly sets up Zoom calls .
But Conant struggles with the concept of seeing familiar faces through the computer screen .
During a Zoom call on her birthday last month , Conant tried to cut pieces of cake for her guests .
Moran also feels isolated , in part because she ’ s getting less help from family .
In addition to caring for her mom , Moran studies sociology online and is in the process of adopting 1-year-old Viviana .
Right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure to the virus , Moran ’ s sister is the only person who visits .
She comes a couple of times a week .
“ She stays with my mom and the baby so I can get some sleep , ” Moran said .
Before COVID , Moran used to get out more on her own .
Losing that bit of free time makes her feel lonely and sad , she admitted .
“ I would get my nails done , run errands by myself and go out on lunch dates with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But not anymore.
” Heidi de Marco writes for , a nonprofit news service covering health issues .
It is an editorially independent program of the and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

Daisy Conant hasn’t been diagnosed with dementia but has a family history of Alzheimer’s and exhibits clear signs of memory loss. She gets frustrated reading news about the coronavirus pandemic.
Daisy Conant thrives on routine.
The 91-year-old Gardena resident loves reading the newspaper with her morning coffee. But, lately, the news surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has been more agitating than pleasurable.
“We’re dropping like flies,” she said one recent morning, throwing her hands up.
“She gets fearful,” explained her grandson Erik Hayhurst, 27. “I sort of have to pull her back and walk her through the facts.”
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Conant hasn’t been diagnosed with dementia, but her family has a history of Alzheimer’s disease. She had been living independently in her home of 60 years, but Hayhurst decided to move in with her in 2018 after she showed clear signs of memory loss and fell repeatedly.
For a while, Conant remained active, meeting up with friends and neighbors to walk around her neighborhood, attend church and visit the corner market. Hayhurst, a project management consultant, juggled caregiving with his job.
Then COVID-19 came, wrecking Conant’s routine and isolating her from friends and loved ones.
Hayhurst has had to remake his life, too. He suddenly became his grandmother’s only caregiver — other family members can visit only from the lawn.
The coronavirus has upended the lives of dementia patients and their caregivers. Adult day care programs, memory cafes and support groups have shut down or moved online, providing less help for caregivers and less social and mental stimulation for patients. Fear of spreading the virus limits in-person visits from friends and family.
These changes have disrupted long-standing routines that millions of people with dementia rely on to help maintain health and happiness, making life harder on all involved.
Before COVID-19, Daisy Conant used to take walks with friends and family. Now she walks only with her grandson, her primary caregiver. (Heidi de Marco/Kaiser Health News)
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“The pandemic has been devastating to older adults and their families when they are unable to see each other and provide practical and emotional support,” said Lynn Friss Feinberg, a senior strategic policy advisor at AARP Public Policy Institute.
Nearly 6 million Americans age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. An estimated 70% of them live in the community, primarily in traditional home settings, according to the Alzheimer’s Assn.’s 2020 Facts and Figures report.
People with dementia, particularly those in the advanced stages of the disease, live in the moment, said Sandy Markwood, chief executive of the National Assn. of Area Agencies on Aging. They may not understand why family members aren’t visiting or why, when they do visit, they don’t come into the house, she added.
“Visitation under the current restrictions, such as a drive-by or window visit, can actually result in more confusion,” Markwood said.
The burden of helping patients cope with these changes often falls on the more than 16 million people who provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in the United States.
The Alzheimer’s Assn.’s 24-hour help line has seen a shift in the type of assistance requested during the pandemic. Callers need more emotional support, their situations are more complex, and there’s a greater “heaviness” to the calls, said Susan Howland, program director for the Alzheimer’s Assn. California Southland Chapter.
“So many [callers] are seeking advice on how to address gaps in care,” said Beth Kallmyer, the association’s vice president of care and support. “Others are simply feeling overwhelmed and just need someone to reassure them.”
Because many activities that bolstered dementia patients and their caregivers have been canceled due to physical-distancing requirements, dementia and caregiver support organizations are expanding or trying other strategies, such as virtual wellness activities, check-in calls from nurses and online caregiver support groups. Engaged, an online resource center for older adults, maintains a directory of innovative programs developed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They include pen pal services and letter-writing campaigns, robotic pets and weekly online choir rehearsals.
Daisey Conant and grandson Erik Hayhurst get ready to walk around the neighborhood. Hayhurst has made mask-wearing part of his grandmother’s routine. (Heidi de Marco / Kaiser Health News)
Hayhurst has experienced some rocky moments during the pandemic.
For instance, he said, it was hard for Conant to understand why she needed to wear a mask. Eventually, he made it part of the routine when they left the house on daily walks, and Conant now puts on her mask without prompting.
“At first it was a challenge,” Hayhurst said. “She knows it’s part of the ritual now.”
People with dementia can become agitated when being taught new things, said Dr. Lon Schneider, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at USC. To reduce distress, he said, caregivers should enforce mask-wearing only when necessary.
That was a lesson Gina Moran of Fountain Valley learned early on. Moran, 43, cares for her 85-year-old mother, Alba Moran, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2007.
“I try to use the same words every time,” Moran said. “I tell her there’s a virus going around that’s killing a lot of people, especially the elderly. And she’ll respond, ‘Oh, I’m at that age.’”
Gina Moran helps her mother, Alba Moran, put on her mask. Gina sometimes has trouble getting her mother to wear the mask. (Heidi de Marco / Kaiser Health News)
If Moran forgets to explain the need for a mask or social distancing, her mother gets combative. She raises her voice and refuses to listen to Moran, much like a child throwing a tantrum, Moran said.
“I can’t go into more information than that because she won’t understand,” she said. “I try to keep it simple.”
The pandemic is also exacerbating feelings of isolation and loneliness, and not just for people with dementia, said Dr. Jin Hui Joo, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“Caregivers are lonely, too,” she said.
When stay-at-home orders first came down in March, Hayhurst’s grandmother repeatedly said she felt lonesome, he recalled. “The lack of interaction has made her feel far more isolated,” he said.
To keep her connected with family and friends, he regularly sets up Zoom calls.
But Conant struggles with the concept of seeing familiar faces through the computer screen. During a Zoom call on her birthday last month, Conant tried to cut pieces of cake for her guests.
Conant and Hayhurst chat with a family friend on a Zoom call. Hayhurst is using Zoom to keep his grandmother connected to family and friends. (Heidi de Marco/Kaiser Health News)
Moran also feels isolated, in part because she’s getting less help from family. In addition to caring for her mom, Moran studies sociology online and is in the process of adopting 1-year-old Viviana.
Right now, to minimize her mother’s exposure to the virus, Moran’s sister is the only person who visits. She comes a couple of times a week.
“She stays with my mom and the baby so I can get some sleep,” Moran said.
Before COVID, Moran used to get out more on her own. Losing that bit of free time makes her feel lonely and sad, she admitted.
“I would get my nails done, run errands by myself and go out on lunch dates with friends,” Moran said. “But not anymore.”


latimes--2020-08-18--California to join legal challenge against Trump administration over USPS reductions

Amid a growing outcry against cutbacks at the U.S .
Postal Service , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that he would suspend the changes until after the election .
The move came as California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra said he would join several other states in suing the Trump administration over the cutbacks , which the attorneys general said could interfere with mail-in voting .
The reported removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes , as well as reductions in overtime for postal workers and instructions to leave mail behind , were among the changes that Becerra said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack ” by the Trump administration on a free and fair election .
“ Our right to vote , your paycheck , your prescription medicines , you can ’ t get more serious than that .
So , for the 96th time , we ’ re taking President Trump to court .
No Americans should fear their vote won ’ t count simply because Donald Trump fears a free and fair election , ” Becerra said in a statement .
The other states planning to take legal action are Pennsylvania , Delaware , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They plan to file the lawsuit by the end of the week , according to a spokesperson for the attorney general ’ s office .
DeJoy , a Trump mega-donor who has come under fire for the moves , described the changes as reforms , some of which predated his tenure , which began in June .
He said they aimed at achieving long-term sustainability for the Postal Service .
Delayed mail and the decommissioning of mail sorting machines across the U.S. have raised concerns in recent weeks that voters won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ballots on time in the November election .
There are widespread reports of lags , sometimes for weeks , in people receiving critical medications and paychecks by mail .
The Postal Service notified 46 states and the District of Columbia that there might not be timely delivery of mail-in ballots given the states ’ election rules .
DeJoy , who is set to testify before Congress on Monday about changes at the Postal Service , also said he would expand a task force on election mail to ensure that election officials and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his organization .
It remains unclear whether mail sorting machines that have already been decommissioned will be brought back into service .

“Our right to vote, your paycheck, your prescription medicines, you can’t get more serious than that. So, for the 96th time, we’re taking President Trump to court,” said California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, shown in December 2019 in Sacramento.
Amid a growing outcry against cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that he would suspend the changes until after the election.
The move came as California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said he would join several other states in suing the Trump administration over the cutbacks, which the attorneys general said could interfere with mail-in voting.
The reported removal of mail sorting machines and mailboxes, as well as reductions in overtime for postal workers and instructions to leave mail behind, were among the changes that Becerra said were part of a “de facto attack” by the Trump administration on a free and fair election.
“Our right to vote, your paycheck, your prescription medicines, you can’t get more serious than that. So, for the 96th time, we’re taking President Trump to court. No Americans should fear their vote won’t count simply because Donald Trump fears a free and fair election,” Becerra said in a statement.
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The other states planning to take legal action are Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. They plan to file the lawsuit by the end of the week, according to a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.
DeJoy, a Trump mega-donor who has come under fire for the moves, described the changes as reforms, some of which predated his tenure, which began in June. He said they aimed at achieving long-term sustainability for the Postal Service.
Delayed mail and the decommissioning of mail sorting machines across the U.S. have raised concerns in recent weeks that voters won’t receive or be able to return their ballots on time in the November election. There are widespread reports of lags, sometimes for weeks, in people receiving critical medications and paychecks by mail. The Postal Service notified 46 states and the District of Columbia that there might not be timely delivery of mail-in ballots given the states’ election rules.
DeJoy, who is set to testify before Congress on Monday about changes at the Postal Service, also said he would expand a task force on election mail to ensure that election officials and voters were “fully supported” by his organization.
It remains unclear whether mail sorting machines that have already been decommissioned will be brought back into service.


latimes--2020-08-18--Grace Montañez Davis, former L.A. deputy mayor and Eastside political activist, dies at 93

Grace Montañez Davis was the first Mexican American woman to serve as Los Angeles ’ deputy mayor , and it was no easy feat .
People assumed she was the mayor ’ s social secretary ; she ’ d often get phone calls and bills addressed to Tom Bradley ’ s then-campaign aide , Gray Davis , the state ’ s future governor .
The first time she gathered the city ’ s 38 department heads , 36 of them men , her body shook with nerves .
But in the 15-plus years she served in city government , Montañez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no other and became known for her attention to detail .
“ Before she moves , she knows the facts and figures , ” Tom Houston , former chief of staff for Bradley , told The Times in 1985 .
“ She takes her time .
She is appropriately cautious .
And she generally knows the outcome.
” It was the most prominent position in her career .
But behind the scenes , Montañez was a constant aide in the rise of Mexican American political power for decades .
She was there in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ed Roybal the first Latino council member in Los Angeles since the 19th century .
Montañez was present at the Chicano Moratorium , shoved into a van and sped off by younger activists when the anti-Vietnam War rally in East Los Angeles turned violent .
She marched and picketed with farmworkers during the Delano grape strike .
And as more Latinos from the Eastside began entering public office , Montañez offered pointers and her perspective as a pioneer .
“ She transcended these different movements , ” said Virginia Espino , a lecturer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Studies program who interviewed Montañez in 2008 for a university oral history project .
“ Typically , when I try to interview Latina women of her generation , they tend to be shy about their accomplishments .
But Grace was someone who knew the value of her life history and gladly told it.
” Montañez , who was the highest ranking woman and Latina during Bradley ’ s administration , died Saturday of heart failure at a hospital in Upland , said her daughter Deirdra Christian .
She was 93 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only woman in a large group of men , ” recalled Christian .
Montañez was appointed as the mayor ’ s right-hand woman in August 1975 , focusing her work on grants , housing and community development .
Within months , Montañez took over Bradley ’ s duties while he was absent on a 12-day trip .
Her approach at impacting the city was aimed less toward governmental bodies and more toward groups and people .
“ I usually like to be in touch with the people who are going to be involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] and say , ‘ I talked to this organization and this group of people and this is what they ’ re saying , ’ ” she said .
“ ‘ They ’ re wondering if you would like to support this issue.
’ ” It ’ s a quality praised by those who worked with her .
Bradley said that Montañez “ represents a unique blend of tradition and progress ” and called her “ a symbol of the city ’ s continued commitment to incorporate all residents into its rich and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was born Nov. 24 , 1926 , in Lincoln Heights .
Her father , Alfredo , was a soap factory worker and her mother , Belen , a homemaker .
Both were Mexican immigrants .
She was the second youngest and only girl of four children , which pushed her to work harder “ because she felt she needed to prove herself to her brothers , ” said Christian .
Her parents enrolled her in Catholic school in seventh grade so she wouldn ’ t have to walk alone through the neighborhood ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she attended Immaculate Heart College , where she earned a bachelor ’ s in chemistry in 1949 and studied microbiology in graduate school at UCLA .
She was keenly aware of how rare it was for a Latina to be pursing higher education in the early 1950s .
“ When I was at UCLA I once went through all the students ’ cards to see if there were other people with Spanish surnames , ” she once said .
“ There were five in the graduate school , and four of them were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I was the only one [ Mexican American ] in graduate school at that time.
” She was the only one of her siblings to pursue higher education .
It was during a function at UCLA where she met Raymond Davis , a high school history and journalism teacher .
They married in Santa Monica in 1953 and divorced in 1968 .
They had three children .
Davis died in 2011 .
College also introduced her to activism , which led her to join the Community Services Organization , the group that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only registered new voters , but also taught citizenship classes in Spanish ; one of her first graduating students was her father .
As to how Monta˜nez pivoted from science to politics , Christian said , “ My mom had a really giving heart and was really concerned with people who were less fortunate , with Hispanics and people were mistreated .
That ’ s what pointed her in that direction : She wanted to speak up for people who didn ’ t have a voice.
” Montañez went on to work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaigns before joining the Economic and Youth Opportunities Agency in 1964 , a program aimed at encouraging employment among youth .
After a stint at the U.S. Department of Labor , she joined Bradley ’ s staff in 1973 and was promoted to deputy mayor in 1975 , leaving in 1990 .
Montañez ’ s ease in talking to different levels of el movimiento earned her respect from anyone who ever worked with her , said former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina , who was a 20-something activist in East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy mayor .
“ We could ’ ve been so easily dismissed at the time by someone in her power , but instead , she embraced us.
” Throughout her career , Montañez was also a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Immigration and Naturalization , National Advisory Committee on Social Security and the board of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund .
Even in her later years , Montañez kept a busy social calendar and never stopped trying to advocate for Latinas .
Espino remembered how Montañez called her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left an oral history post “ to ask if they were going to replace me with someone else to interview Chicano pioneers.
” Anton Calleia , who worked alongside Montañez for 15 years as Bradley ’ s chief executive officer , said she was active in her community her whole life and that human rights were at the core of her ideology .
“ People like her don ’ t come around very often , ” he said .
“ We were lucky to have her and I think the city is better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she served so well .
I genuinely believe that.
” Montañez is survived by three children , Deirdra Christian , Alison Hoverston-Davis and Alfred Davis ; and two grandchildren .

Grace Montañez Davis was the first Mexican American woman to serve as Los Angeles’ deputy mayor, and it was no easy feat.
People assumed she was the mayor’s social secretary; she’d often get phone calls and bills addressed to Tom Bradley’s then-campaign aide, Gray Davis, the state’s future governor. The first time she gathered the city’s 38 department heads, 36 of them men, her body shook with nerves.
But in the 15-plus years she served in city government, Montañez learned the ins-and-outs of the job like no other and became known for her attention to detail.
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“Before she moves, she knows the facts and figures,” Tom Houston, former chief of staff for Bradley, told The Times in 1985. “She takes her time. She is appropriately cautious. And she generally knows the outcome.”
It was the most prominent position in her career. But behind the scenes, Montañez was a constant aide in the rise of Mexican American political power for decades.
She was there in 1949 to register voters who helped make Ed Roybal the first Latino council member in Los Angeles since the 19th century. Montañez was present at the Chicano Moratorium, shoved into a van and sped off by younger activists when the anti-Vietnam War rally in East Los Angeles turned violent. She marched and picketed with farmworkers during the Delano grape strike. And as more Latinos from the Eastside began entering public office, Montañez offered pointers and her perspective as a pioneer.
It is with great sorrow that we share the passing of our alumna & friend, Grace Montanez Davis '45 on 8/15.
Grace, an accomplished & #empowered woman, followed her SH graduation w/a college education @ Immaculate Heart & UCLA. Her love for her Alma Mater never dwindled. pic.twitter.com/hUhGcKyxmY — SacredHeartHS-LA (@SacredHeartHSLA) August 17, 2020
“She transcended these different movements,” said Virginia Espino, a lecturer for UCLA’s Chicana/o and Central American Studies program who interviewed Montañez in 2008 for a university oral history project. “Typically, when I try to interview Latina women of her generation, they tend to be shy about their accomplishments. But Grace was someone who knew the value of her life history and gladly told it.”
Montañez, who was the highest ranking woman and Latina during Bradley’s administration, died Saturday of heart failure at a hospital in Upland, said her daughter Deirdra Christian. She was 93.
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“I remember many times she was the only woman in a large group of men,” recalled Christian.
Montañez was appointed as the mayor’s right-hand woman in August 1975, focusing her work on grants, housing and community development. Within months, Montañez took over Bradley’s duties while he was absent on a 12-day trip. Her approach at impacting the city was aimed less toward governmental bodies and more toward groups and people.
March 26, 1980, Los Angeles Times story on Montañez (Los Angeles Times)
“I usually like to be in touch with the people who are going to be involved and then go to him [Bradley] and say, ‘I talked to this organization and this group of people and this is what they’re saying,’” she said. “‘They’re wondering if you would like to support this issue.’”
It’s a quality praised by those who worked with her. Bradley said that Montañez “represents a unique blend of tradition and progress” and called her “a symbol of the city’s continued commitment to incorporate all residents into its rich and diverse city life.”
Grace Montañez Davis was born Nov. 24, 1926, in Lincoln Heights. Her father, Alfredo, was a soap factory worker and her mother, Belen, a homemaker. Both were Mexican immigrants. She was the second youngest and only girl of four children, which pushed her to work harder “because she felt she needed to prove herself to her brothers,” said Christian.
Her parents enrolled her in Catholic school in seventh grade so she wouldn’t have to walk alone through the neighborhood’s business section. After high school she attended Immaculate Heart College, where she earned a bachelor’s in chemistry in 1949 and studied microbiology in graduate school at UCLA.
She was keenly aware of how rare it was for a Latina to be pursing higher education in the early 1950s.
“When I was at UCLA I once went through all the students’ cards to see if there were other people with Spanish surnames,” she once said. “There were five in the graduate school, and four of them were from Mexico or Central or South America. I was the only one [Mexican American] in graduate school at that time.” She was the only one of her siblings to pursue higher education.
It was during a function at UCLA where she met Raymond Davis, a high school history and journalism teacher. They married in Santa Monica in 1953 and divorced in 1968. They had three children. Davis died in 2011.
College also introduced her to activism, which led her to join the Community Services Organization, the group that helped to elect Roybal. Montañez not only registered new voters, but also taught citizenship classes in Spanish; one of her first graduating students was her father.
As to how Monta˜nez pivoted from science to politics, Christian said, “My mom had a really giving heart and was really concerned with people who were less fortunate, with Hispanics and people were mistreated. That’s what pointed her in that direction: She wanted to speak up for people who didn’t have a voice.”
Montañez went on to work for Roybal and helped with Rep. George Brown’s campaigns before joining the Economic and Youth Opportunities Agency in 1964, a program aimed at encouraging employment among youth. After a stint at the U.S. Department of Labor, she joined Bradley’s staff in 1973 and was promoted to deputy mayor in 1975, leaving in 1990.
Sept. 5, 1985, Los Angeles Times article on Montañez (Los Angeles Times)
Montañez’s ease in talking to different levels of el movimiento earned her respect from anyone who ever worked with her, said former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who was a 20-something activist in East Los Angeles when she first met the deputy mayor. “We could’ve been so easily dismissed at the time by someone in her power, but instead, she embraced us.”
Throughout her career, Montañez was also a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, National Advisory Committee on Social Security and the board of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Even in her later years, Montañez kept a busy social calendar and never stopped trying to advocate for Latinas.
Espino remembered how Montañez called her former bosses at UCLA when the lecturer left an oral history post “to ask if they were going to replace me with someone else to interview Chicano pioneers.”
Anton Calleia, who worked alongside Montañez for 15 years as Bradley’s chief executive officer, said she was active in her community her whole life and that human rights were at the core of her ideology.
“People like her don’t come around very often,” he said. “We were lucky to have her and I think the city is better because she was so involved, because she served so well. I genuinely believe that.”
Montañez is survived by three children, Deirdra Christian, Alison Hoverston-Davis and Alfred Davis; and two grandchildren.


latimes--2020-08-18--New rolling blackouts 'imminent' as California heat wave intensifies

With an extreme heat wave continuing across California , officials said more rolling blackouts are ‘ imminent ’ Tuesday as state officials struggle to secure additional electricity amid the worst power crisis in nearly 20 years .
On Tuesday afternoon , the California Independent System Operator , which runs the electric grid for most of the state , declared a Stage 2 emergency — one of several it has issued over the last week — asking customers to save energy in order to avoid rotating power outages later in the day .
On Monday , officials had warned of blackouts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but officials ended up canceling the warning , saying improved weather conditions and conservation efforts reduced demand on the power grid .
“ We are grateful to families and businesses across the state that answered the call to reduce electricity use during a crucial time on the grid , ” Steve Berberich , the president of the California Independent System Operator , said in a statement .
“ This heat storm is not over , and we still expect exceedingly hot temperatures [ Tuesday ] and Wednesday .
With continued help from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like [ Monday ] , we can reduce the risk of power outages.
” During a news briefing Tuesday afternoon , Berberich credited the lack of any energy disruption Monday to customers and companies who avoided excessive power use , which flattened around 3 p.m. Gov .
Gavin Newsom had instructed residents to reduce consumption between 3 and 10 p.m. Officials now hope conservation will continue , as residents were put on “ Stage 2 '' alert shortly before 3 p.m. to conserve energy .
“ We were ready , and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation improved so Cal-ISO did not have to call for rotating outages , ” said Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Paul Moreno on Monday .
“ We appreciated our customers big and small who answered the call and conserved energy in our service area and across the state .
We will need customers to conserve again.
” Officials have said a power shortage remains — and more rolling blackouts are still possible as the heat wave continues through Thursday .
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has been providing excess power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spokesman Joe Ramallo said that the DWP had met its peak demand on Tuesday but that as of 5 p.m. , about 9,000 of its 1.5 million customers had been affected by outages — mostly for heat-related reasons such as overloaded equipment .
The bulk of those customers live in Highland Park , Eagle Rock , Mid-Wilshire and Sun Valley .
The DWP has not instituted rolling power outages , he said .
“ This is not about power supply to the city — we have adequate supply to the city , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California has had less energy capacity since 2006 , when a major heat wave hit the state , followed by another in 2017 .
Some relief is likely to come by Wednesday , when temperatures are expected to dip , but officials don ’ t have a longer-term forecast for the coming weeks .
Newsom on Monday called the power crisis “ unacceptable ” and pledged a full investigation into the cause of the shortage .
“ We ’ ve always maintained that , a golden oldie , you can ’ t control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the weather events , ” he said .
“ And let me just make this crystal clear : We failed to predict and plan [ for ] these shortages , and that ’ s simply unacceptable.
” He framed the shortage as a consequence of the state ’ s transition from polluting gas plants to cleaner sources of energy and said the high demand placed on the grid because of the record heat over the last few days has exposed “ gaps in terms of that reliability.
” “ We can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this transition , ” he said .
“ And we ’ re going to be much more aggressive in focusing our efforts and our intention in making sure that is the case.
” Cal-ISO , the state ’ s power grid operator , blamed the Public Utilities Commission for the shortage .
Officials described a “ perfect storm ” of conditions that caused demand to exceed available supply : scorching temperatures in California and across the western U.S. , diminished output from renewable sources and fossil-fueled power plants affected by the weather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offline unexpectedly when electricity was needed most .
But Berberich said the state could have been prepared if the utilities commission had ordered companies to line up sufficient power supplies .
Asked about the criticism , PUC spokeswoman Terrie Prosper said the agency was “ working with our sister agencies to better understand why this occurred.
” Meanwhile , communities across California hit daily record high temperatures Monday — with more broiling heat on the way .
Lancaster hit 110 degrees , breaking a daily record of 109 set in 1950 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees , breaking records set in 1934 and 1992 , respectively , according to the National Weather Service .
The extreme heat and dry lightning have also sparked numerous fires across the state .
Firefighters worked Monday to battle several dozen fires in Butte County .
The largest , the Potters fire , is burning north of Oroville and was at least 600 acres as of about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday , according to the Cal Fire-Butte County Fire Department .
The blaze is 10 % contained .
The River fire — sparked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 4,000 acres and destroyed several homes .
The Holser fire near Lake Piru in Ventura County burned more than 3,000 acres Monday , prompting some evacuations .

Leila Miller, Alex Wigglesworth, Sammy Roth

At Woodley Park in Van Nuys, Blanca Celaya of Winnetka and her family enjoy the shade. She holds her 3-month-old son, Jason Celaya. Beyond are her daughter Celia Barinese and husband, Jaime Paiz. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The scene at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Aug. 14, where a cooling breeze kept the shore comfortable. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Telles family of the San Fernando Valley enjoys the water of the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
At the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley, Mike Garcia of Norco and his children Jose, 7, and Monica, 10, employ multiple stay-cool techniques. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Jacob Debreceni, 16, with friends Ismael Fuentes, left, and Kevin Lemus, cools off with the help of a backyard waterslide in Mira Loma, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
An employee of a hot dog stand works inside the eatery along the boardwalk in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Liz Saul reads a novel on her iPad in the comfort of an air mattress in Venice. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Don and Sally Joaquin watch for lightning strikes on Aug. 16 in unincorporated Contra Costa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
A chimney stands amid the rubble of a home destroyed in the River fire. (Noah Berger / Associated Press )
Firefighters prepare to defend a home as flames from the River fire approach in Salinas on Aug. 17. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Aug. 16. Numerous lightning strikes sparked brush fires throughout the region. (Noah Berger / Associated Press )
A funnel appears in a thick plume of smoke from the Loyalton fire in Lassen County, Calif., on Aug. 15. (Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett via Associated Press)
Matthew Giron, 8, frolics with friends and family near a drainage pipe along the San Gabriel River. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Watts residents pick out clothing during the Children Mending Hearts weekly food and clothing giveaway at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jon Galapago takes a break from the heat in a hammock during a day of fishing at Lake Evans in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Benjamin Cole II shows son Barreth Cole, 5, a routine while joining members of Barry’s Bootcamp as they conduct a workout session at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Rams rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis towels away sweat as temperatures soar at the Rams training facility in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
After a day at the beach, Sebastian Grand, 11, left, Leo Grand, 13, and Constantin Condraschi, 12, of Orange County have pizza at a Slice of New York Pizza in Seal Beach. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
The Holser Fire burns through the night just east of Lake Piru, where actress Naya Rivera died in mid-July. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
For the second day in a row, the California Independent System Operator called off power outages that had been anticipated statewide, crediting conservation efforts by consumers.
With an extreme heat wave continuing across California, officials had said more rolling blackouts were imminent Tuesday as state officials struggled to secure additional electricity amid the worst power crisis in nearly 20 years.
On Tuesday afternoon, Cal-ISO, which runs the electric grid for most of the state, declared a Stage 2 emergency — one of several it has issued over the last week — asking customers to save energy in order to avoid rotating power outages later in the day. The emergency was canceled at 7:37 p.m.
In a statement, the corporation said that in addition to consumer conservation efforts, the ISO grid had benefited from some imported energy and resources from wind plants.
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“Californians made tonight a success,” said Cal-ISO President Steve Berberich. “Everyone pulled together and responded to our warning with action to avoid any interruption in electricity supplies.”
On Monday, officials had warned of blackouts affecting as many as 3 million people, but officials ended up canceling the warning, saying improved weather conditions and conservation efforts reduced demand on the power grid.
During a news briefing Tuesday afternoon, Berberich had credited the lack of any energy disruption Monday to customers and companies who avoided excessive power use, which flattened about 3 p.m. Gov. Gavin Newsom had instructed residents to reduce consumption between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.
“We were ready, and we’re glad the weather and energy supply situation improved so Cal-ISO did not have to call for rotating outages,” said Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Paul Moreno on Monday. “We appreciated our customers big and small who answered the call and conserved energy in our service area and across the state. We will need customers to conserve again.”
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power did not institute rolling power outages either on Tuesday and provided excess power to Cal-ISO. Still, about 12,000 of its 1.5 million customers have been affected by outages — mostly for heat-related reasons such as overloaded equipment.
“This is not about power supply to the city — we have adequate supply to the city,” spokesman Joe Ramallo said.
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Officials said Tuesday that California has had less energy capacity since 2006, when a major heat wave hit the state, followed by another in 2017.
Some relief is likely to come by Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to dip, but officials don’t have a longer-term forecast for the coming weeks.
Newsom on Monday called the power crisis unacceptable and pledged a full investigation into the cause of the shortage.
“We’ve always maintained that, a golden oldie, you can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for the weather events,” he said. “And let me just make this crystal clear: We failed to predict and plan [for] these shortages, and that’s simply unacceptable.”
He framed the shortage as a consequence of the state’s transition from polluting gas plants to cleaner sources of energy and said the high demand placed on the grid because of the record heat over the last few days has exposed “gaps in terms of that reliability.”
“We cannot sacrifice reliability as we move forward in this transition,” he said. “And we’re going to be much more aggressive in focusing our efforts and our intention in making sure that is the case.”
Cal-ISO, the state’s power grid operator, blamed the Public Utilities Commission for the shortage. Officials described a “perfect storm” of conditions that caused demand to exceed available supply: scorching temperatures in California and across the western U.S., diminished output from renewable sources and fossil-fueled power plants affected by the weather, and in some cases, plants going offline unexpectedly when electricity was needed most.
But Berberich said the state could have been prepared if the utilities commission had ordered companies to line up sufficient power supplies.
Asked about the criticism, PUC spokeswoman Terrie Prosper said the agency was “working with our sister agencies to better understand why this occurred.”
California From ‘firenadoes’ to record heat, California extreme weather a glimpse of future As one of the worst heat waves in years continues to broil California, millions are experiencing the havoc that ensues with the type of extreme weather that is growing more frequent with climate change.
Meanwhile, communities in Southern California hit record temperatures Tuesday — including Woodland Hills, UCLA, and Oxnard.
The extreme heat and dry lightning have also sparked numerous fires across the state. Newsom’s office declared a state-wide emergency to help California respond to the fires, saying that the state had secured assistance this week from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fight fires in Napa, Nevada and Monterey counties.
Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-18--Does L.A. count its homeless, or make its best guess? A little of both, it turns out

Keeping track of the number of people who are homeless in Los Angeles is an exercise in uncertainty .
Not only do the numbers change from year to year , presumably reflecting real shifts in the homeless population , but , once published , they can change months or years later — based not on actual changes in the population , but on changes in how it ’ s calculated .
So although the original number might hang around on the internet — especially in news articles — revised numbers pop up in contradiction .
Beware the casual searcher !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Homeless Services Authority , which conducts the annual count , has reduced the number it published for the city of Los Angeles last year by 615 , giving a new total of 35,550 .
Although the change does not affect the countywide totals reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , it highlights an uncomfortable truth about LAHSA ’ s annual reports : The much-discussed “ counts ” of homeless people , which are expressed with absolute precision , aren ’ t truly counts , but estimates , subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time , LAHSA ’ s statisticians at USC have acknowledged that the numbers were imprecise by publishing a margin of error for the new city totals .
“ I thought we really should be recording this error , ” said Patricia St. Clair , statistical analysis director for the USC Homeless Count team .
What causes these numbers to change is the evolution of the statistical method USC uses to convert data collected by thousands of volunteers each January into the estimates that are loosely characterized as “ counts.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see as well as every car , van or RV they deem to be occupied .
They do not attempt to determine the number of people sharing those dwellings .
That ’ s USC ’ s job .
The USC data team conducts a survey of about 4,000 homeless people across the county to learn the demographics of homelessness and to estimate how many people , on average , live in each type of dwelling .
This year , for example , the survey found that 1.484 people , on average , occupied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so on .
Because those numbers are based on a sample — even though an unusually large one — they are subject to statistical error , a fact that LAHSA has never acknowledged in its annual presentations , which report an exact number of how many people were “ counted.
” Behind the scenes , USC ’ s Data Core , which won the homeless contract in 2017 , has worked diligently to refine and improve an endeavor that , by its nature , can not achieve perfect accuracy .
USC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their methodology without paying a lot of attention to how the changes might be perceived .
The new acknowledgment of the system ’ s frailties came in the form of side-by-side tables , which address numbers only for the city of L.A. , not the entire county .
They offer a new and more accurate picture of the uncertainty in counting the homeless population .
They ’ re also dizzyingly hard to follow and don ’ t exactly reconcile with the data posted elsewhere on LAHSA ’ s website .
The tables show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2019 by two different methods .
This year ’ s methodology , applied retroactively , would show an increase in the homeless population of 16 % .
Using last year ’ s method , the increase would have been 20 % .
Neither of those numbers are consistent with LAHSA ’ s 2019 report , still posted on the agency ’ s website .
It says that the increase in the city was only 14 % .
The reason for the discrepancies is buried in the 2018 count , for which there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s homeless population , ranging from 29,937 to 31,285 , depending on the methodology used .
“ That the numbers don ’ t all line up is OK because there is error in every number and it ’ s really a range , ” St. Clair said .
“ For policy decisions I think you want the best numbers you can get , so that ’ s why we try to make them more precise.
” The adjustment that LAHSA just announced for 2019 came from a change in statistical reasoning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time , the USC team found that the accuracy of its estimates for the city could be improved .
Numbers for each of the city ’ s 15 council districts had been calculated from the survey responses within the district .
The team concluded they would be more accurate if they were based on surveys from a wider area .
The resulting change may have masked some of the differences among council districts , but produced a more accurate — and lower — number for the whole city .
The margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % to less than 2 % .
St. Clair said she was gratified to see that the range of numbers all fell within the margin of error , a rule-of-thumb way of saying they are really not different .
LAHSA has yet to publish a margin of error for the countywide total of 66,436 , which was not affected by the recent change .
One drawback to doing so would be that it , too , could give a false sense of accuracy .
As St. Clair and team leader Benjamin Henwood acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part , and possibly the smallest part , of the error in the annual “ count.
” There ’ s no way of accounting for the mistakes that come from the annual outpouring of civic engagement that generates the raw numbers for USC ’ s analysis .
Thousands of lightly trained volunteers fanning out over dark streets must make spur-of-the-moment judgments : Is someone living in the RV parked on a dark residential street ?
Are the three tarps strung side-by-side three lean-tos or one with three rooms ?
“ Obviously , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every year , Henwood said .
“ But the question is , ‘ Would there be some systematic difference each year ?
’ Hopefully if the method is relatively consistent that ’ s less of a concern.
” In other words , hopefully the errors will cancel out .

Gospel musician Clemmie Williams was living homeless in North Hollywood Park in January, when a count of homeless people is overseen by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Keeping track of the number of people who are homeless in Los Angeles is an exercise in uncertainty.
Not only do the numbers change from year to year, presumably reflecting real shifts in the homeless population, but, once published, they can change months or years later — based not on actual changes in the population, but on changes in how it’s calculated.
So although the original number might hang around on the internet — especially in news articles — revised numbers pop up in contradiction. Beware the casual searcher!
Advertisement
In the latest change, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which conducts the annual count, has reduced the number it published for the city of Los Angeles last year by 615, giving a new total of 35,550.
Although the change does not affect the countywide totals reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it highlights an uncomfortable truth about LAHSA’s annual reports: The much-discussed “counts” of homeless people, which are expressed with absolute precision, aren’t truly counts, but estimates, subject to statistical error.
Now, for the first time, LAHSA’s statisticians at USC have acknowledged that the numbers were imprecise by publishing a margin of error for the new city totals.
“I thought we really should be recording this error,” said Patricia St. Clair, statistical analysis director for the USC Homeless Count team.
What causes these numbers to change is the evolution of the statistical method USC uses to convert data collected by thousands of volunteers each January into the estimates that are loosely characterized as “counts.”
The volunteers record every tent and lean-to they see as well as every car, van or RV they deem to be occupied. They do not attempt to determine the number of people sharing those dwellings. That’s USC’s job.
Advertisement
The USC data team conducts a survey of about 4,000 homeless people across the county to learn the demographics of homelessness and to estimate how many people, on average, live in each type of dwelling. This year, for example, the survey found that 1.484 people, on average, occupied tents, 1.702 were in RV/campers and so on.
Because those numbers are based on a sample — even though an unusually large one — they are subject to statistical error, a fact that LAHSA has never acknowledged in its annual presentations, which report an exact number of how many people were “counted.”
Behind the scenes, USC’s Data Core, which won the homeless contract in 2017, has worked diligently to refine and improve an endeavor that, by its nature, cannot achieve perfect accuracy. USC’s statisticians have tracked down errors and tweaked their methodology without paying a lot of attention to how the changes might be perceived.
The new acknowledgment of the system’s frailties came in the form of side-by-side tables, which address numbers only for the city of L.A., not the entire county. They offer a new and more accurate picture of the uncertainty in counting the homeless population. They’re also dizzyingly hard to follow and don’t exactly reconcile with the data posted elsewhere on LAHSA’s website.
The tables show the estimated growth of homelessness from 2018 to 2019 by two different methods. This year’s methodology, applied retroactively, would show an increase in the homeless population of 16%. Using last year’s method, the increase would have been 20%.
Neither of those numbers are consistent with LAHSA’s 2019 report, still posted on the agency’s website. It says that the increase in the city was only 14%.
The reason for the discrepancies is buried in the 2018 count, for which there are now three numbers for the city’s homeless population, ranging from 29,937 to 31,285, depending on the methodology used.
“That the numbers don’t all line up is OK because there is error in every number and it’s really a range,” St. Clair said. “For policy decisions I think you want the best numbers you can get, so that’s why we try to make them more precise.”
The adjustment that LAHSA just announced for 2019 came from a change in statistical reasoning. In calculating a margin of error for the first time, the USC team found that the accuracy of its estimates for the city could be improved.
Numbers for each of the city’s 15 council districts had been calculated from the survey responses within the district. The team concluded they would be more accurate if they were based on surveys from a wider area. The resulting change may have masked some of the differences among council districts, but produced a more accurate — and lower — number for the whole city. The margin of error dropped from more than 5% to less than 2%.
St. Clair said she was gratified to see that the range of numbers all fell within the margin of error, a rule-of-thumb way of saying they are really not different.
LAHSA has yet to publish a margin of error for the countywide total of 66,436, which was not affected by the recent change. One drawback to doing so would be that it, too, could give a false sense of accuracy.
As St. Clair and team leader Benjamin Henwood acknowledge, the statistical modeling is only one part, and possibly the smallest part, of the error in the annual “count.”
There’s no way of accounting for the mistakes that come from the annual outpouring of civic engagement that generates the raw numbers for USC’s analysis. Thousands of lightly trained volunteers fanning out over dark streets must make spur-of-the-moment judgments: Is someone living in the RV parked on a dark residential street? Are the three tarps strung side-by-side three lean-tos or one with three rooms?
“We’re aware of that,” St. Clair said.
“Obviously, there is kind of noise in the count every year, Henwood said. “But the question is, ‘Would there be some systematic difference each year?’ Hopefully if the method is relatively consistent that’s less of a concern.”
In other words, hopefully the errors will cancel out.


latimes--2020-08-18--Victims of Golden State Killer finally confront him in court with stories of pain and survival

Some victims want to show how they overcame and healed .
Some still search for answers and reparation .
And others , unable to exact emotional revenge on their attacker , seek to humiliate him .
The victims of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. , the former police officer whose violent crimes through the 1970s and 1980s terrorized Californians across the state and earned him the moniker Golden State Killer , finally get their say in court with three days of impact statements that began Tuesday , leading up to his sentencing on Friday .
DeAngelo , 74 , has admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Visalia college instructor seeking to thwart the abduction of his daughter in 1975 , and ending with the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Orange County in 1986 .
His plea deal includes 53 attacks on 87 victims in 11 counties , including 50 rapes , but leaves out two sexual attacks and a shooting that also have been blamed on him .
As his victims rose to speak Tuesday , they again and again told of their pain .
They recounted how the once-shadowy figure they called an evil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sadist and the devil had shattered their sense of security — and how his brutality had followed them , and their families , throughout their lives .
Some said they ’ ve long wondered why they were targeted , or how their lives may have turned out if they hadn ’ t been .
But they also told of their recovery , how they had been able to summon the strength to serve and support others , to love their families fiercely and , ultimately , to confront their tormentor — still wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally known to all .
Several said they ’ ve even found it in their hearts or their faith to forgive him .
The hearing began with the first rape DeAngelo has admitted , that of Phyllis Henneman .
With Henneman unable to attend because she is ill with cancer , her statement was read by her sister , Karen Veilleux .
“ I went to bed ... not knowing my life would change , ” Veilleux read , halting for a moment to choke back sobs .
She described Henneman ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her June 1976 rape .
“ The roles have now been reversed , ” Veilleux concluded .
“ He deserves to spend the rest of his miserable life in prison .
I am not what happened to me .
I am what I choose to become.
” Kris Pedretti was 15 when DeAngelo raped her in December 1976 .
“ He tormented me .
And he told me over and over again he would kill me , and I believed him , ” she said .
“ At three different times that night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die .
I sang ‘ Jesus Loves Me ’ in my head as I waited to die .
The next morning , Dec. 19 , I woke up knowing I would never be a child again and , although I was truly grateful to be alive , I also felt that I had died.
” Like many others , Pedretti sought to make DeAngelo squirm , invoking images of his own family suffering similarly .
“ I would ask him , ‘ Do you feel any remorse for what you did to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sadistically cut short , or to the years of pain for your victims and their families ?
Do you finally feel humiliated ?
’ ” she said .
Others glared at him , and several hurled repeated insults about his anatomy .
“ Did his little penis drive him to be so angry all the time ?
” said Patti Cosper , delivering the impact statement for her mother , Patricia Murphy , who was 29 when she was attacked and repeatedly raped and sodomized in September 1976 .
But his countenance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mostly did not break .
He stared straight ahead , seated in a wheelchair between his public defenders , eyes fixed on the small assemblage of reporters allowed in the room and a point on the wall slightly above them .
“ Some people are wired wrong , and DeAngelo is one of them , ” Cosper read .
“ Luck finally ran out for this messed-up human being — at least a poor excuse for one .
...
He truly is an evil monster with no soul.
” One woman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also was 15 when DeAngelo attacked her and her sister at their home in 1976 .
She was raped repeatedly and beaten .
“ It hurt to brush my hair because he hit me so many times on the head , ” she said .
Her hands were left numb for months because he had tied them so tightly .
Peggy said her “ safety and security were taken away ” that night and that , even decades later , “ I still always look over my shoulder when someone approaches me from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about finding a way in 2004 to forgive her rapist , “ for me , for my peace of mind , so I could move forward.
” She described becoming an activist , speaking out at political rallies against rape and sexual attacks on women .
Sandy James spoke about how her late sister , Deborah Strouse , lived with constant fear of the man who raped her .
She said DeAngelo ’ s attack inflicted untold terror on her family .
“ It saddens me to my core that my sister was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture and incarceration , ” she said .
“ Instead , she went to her grave still haunted by the evil monster that invaded her life.
” She told DeAngelo , “ there are not enough ugly words to describe you , ” called him “ a coward with no soul ” and demanded to know how he could have committed “ these heinous crimes.
” James held up a picture of her sister .
“ This is her face , ” she said .
“ Be a man .
For once in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Look at her.
” His slack expression in court hearings and his current use of a wheelchair have needled prosecutors , who on Monday asked a judge for permission to play in court jailhouse videos that showed that the 74-year-old inmate was both animated and agile .
Judge Michael Bowman refused them .
At the start of the violence , DeAngelo served as a small-town police officer in Tulare and Placer counties .
He became a father , married to a woman who became a prominent women ’ s rights lawyer .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught shoplifting dog repellent , and he took up a quiet life as a truck mechanic in the Sacramento suburbs .
As part of a plea deal , DeAngelo is to be sentenced to 11 life terms without the possibility of parole , to be served consecutively , plus 15 life terms and eight years .
The extremity of requiring 11 life-without-parole sentences to be served back-to-back , though physically impossible , takes advantage of a 1979 California tough-on-crime law .
And it puts DeAngelo in a rare criminal class that includes Mafia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Green River Killer , Gary Ridgway , who is serving 49 life sentences for 49 murders , plus 480 years .
Before the hearing , Pedretti said the prospect of delivering an impact statement was daunting .
But if she had her way , she said during the hearing , “ DeAngelo would only be provided our impact statements as reading material for the rest of his days .
DeAngelo must not be allowed to ignore what he ’ s done for as long as he breathes.
” She ended by addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown and reached out to help other victims of sexual assault find their voices .
She now hosts a Facebook group for victims of sexual assault who have not yet told their stories .
“ The devil can keep you company in your prison cell as he gnaws away at whatever soul you have left , whatever life you have left , ” she told DeAngelo .

Clockwise from top left: Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. flanked by public defenders Joe Cress and Alice Michel; Sacramento County Deputy Dist. Attys. Thienvu Ho and Amy Holland; victim Peggy Rex; and Judge Michael Bowman.
Some victims want to show how they overcame and healed.
Some still search for answers and reparation.
And others, unable to exact emotional revenge on their attacker, seek to humiliate him.
The victims of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., the former police officer whose violent crimes through the 1970s and 1980s terrorized Californians across the state and earned him the moniker Golden State Killer, finally get their say in court with three days of impact statements that began Tuesday, leading up to his sentencing on Friday.
DeAngelo, 74, has admitted to killing 13 people, starting with a Visalia college instructor seeking to thwart the abduction of his daughter in 1975, and ending with the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Orange County in 1986. His plea deal includes 53 attacks on 87 victims in 11 counties, including 50 rapes, but leaves out two sexual attacks and a shooting that also have been blamed on him.
As his victims rose to speak Tuesday, they again and again told of their pain. They recounted how the once-shadowy figure they called an evil monster, a boogeyman, a soulless sadist and the devil had shattered their sense of security — and how his brutality had followed them, and their families, throughout their lives.
Some said they’ve long wondered why they were targeted, or how their lives may have turned out if they hadn’t been.
Advertisement
But they also told of their recovery, how they had been able to summon the strength to serve and support others, to love their families fiercely and, ultimately, to confront their tormentor — still wearing a face mask in the courtroom but finally known to all. Several said they’ve even found it in their hearts or their faith to forgive him.
The hearing began with the first rape DeAngelo has admitted, that of Phyllis Henneman.
With Henneman unable to attend because she is ill with cancer, her statement was read by her sister, Karen Veilleux.
“I went to bed ... not knowing my life would change,” Veilleux read, halting for a moment to choke back sobs.
She described Henneman’s years of anxiety and fear that followed her June 1976 rape.
“The roles have now been reversed,” Veilleux concluded. “He deserves to spend the rest of his miserable life in prison. I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.”
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Kris Pedretti was 15 when DeAngelo raped her in December 1976.
“He tormented me. And he told me over and over again he would kill me, and I believed him,” she said. “At three different times that night, I thought I was going to die. I sang ‘Jesus Loves Me’ in my head as I waited to die. The next morning, Dec. 19, I woke up knowing I would never be a child again and, although I was truly grateful to be alive, I also felt that I had died.”
Like many others, Pedretti sought to make DeAngelo squirm, invoking images of his own family suffering similarly.
“I would ask him, ‘Do you feel any remorse for what you did to me? For the people whose lives you sadistically cut short, or to the years of pain for your victims and their families? Do you finally feel humiliated?’” she said.
Others glared at him, and several hurled repeated insults about his anatomy.
“Did his little penis drive him to be so angry all the time?” said Patti Cosper, delivering the impact statement for her mother, Patricia Murphy, who was 29 when she was attacked and repeatedly raped and sodomized in September 1976.
DeAngelo’s gaze briefly flickered at the insult..
But his countenance, largely hidden by a white cloth mask, mostly did not break. He stared straight ahead, seated in a wheelchair between his public defenders, eyes fixed on the small assemblage of reporters allowed in the room and a point on the wall slightly above them.
“Some people are wired wrong, and DeAngelo is one of them,” Cosper read. “Luck finally ran out for this messed-up human being — at least a poor excuse for one. ... He truly is an evil monster with no soul.”
California Full coverage: ‘Man in the Window’ To an early love interest, Joe DeAngelo was energetic and worldly. Now, nearly 50 years later, he stands accused of an extended spasm of violence — home invasions, rapes, murders — in the 1970s and ’80s.
One woman, who identified herself only as Peggy, also was 15 when DeAngelo attacked her and her sister at their home in 1976. She was raped repeatedly and beaten.
“It hurt to brush my hair because he hit me so many times on the head,” she said. Her hands were left numb for months because he had tied them so tightly.
Peggy said her “safety and security were taken away” that night and that, even decades later, “I still always look over my shoulder when someone approaches me from behind.”
However, she also talked about finding a way in 2004 to forgive her rapist, “for me, for my peace of mind, so I could move forward.” She described becoming an activist, speaking out at political rallies against rape and sexual attacks on women.
Sandy James spoke about how her late sister, Deborah Strouse, lived with constant fear of the man who raped her. She said DeAngelo’s attack inflicted untold terror on her family.
“It saddens me to my core that my sister was not here to witness DeAngelo’s capture and incarceration,” she said. “Instead, she went to her grave still haunted by the evil monster that invaded her life.”
She told DeAngelo, “there are not enough ugly words to describe you,” called him “a coward with no soul” and demanded to know how he could have committed “these heinous crimes.”
James held up a picture of her sister.
“This is her face,” she said. “Be a man. For once in your life, be a man. Look at her.”
DeAngelo continued to stare blankly forward.
His slack expression in court hearings and his current use of a wheelchair have needled prosecutors, who on Monday asked a judge for permission to play in court jailhouse videos that showed that the 74-year-old inmate was both animated and agile. Judge Michael Bowman refused them.
At the start of the violence, DeAngelo served as a small-town police officer in Tulare and Placer counties. He became a father, married to a woman who became a prominent women’s rights lawyer. He eventually was fired from policing after being caught shoplifting dog repellent, and he took up a quiet life as a truck mechanic in the Sacramento suburbs.
As part of a plea deal, DeAngelo is to be sentenced to 11 life terms without the possibility of parole, to be served consecutively, plus 15 life terms and eight years.
The extremity of requiring 11 life-without-parole sentences to be served back-to-back, though physically impossible, takes advantage of a 1979 California tough-on-crime law. And it puts DeAngelo in a rare criminal class that includes Mafia bosses and serial murderers, such as the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, who is serving 49 life sentences for 49 murders, plus 480 years.
Before the hearing, Pedretti said the prospect of delivering an impact statement was daunting.
But if she had her way, she said during the hearing, “DeAngelo would only be provided our impact statements as reading material for the rest of his days. DeAngelo must not be allowed to ignore what he’s done for as long as he breathes.”
She ended by addressing the judge, describing how she had grown and reached out to help other victims of sexual assault find their voices. She now hosts a Facebook group for victims of sexual assault who have not yet told their stories.
“The devil can keep you company in your prison cell as he gnaws away at whatever soul you have left, whatever life you have left,” she told DeAngelo.


latimes--2020-08-18--L.A. County issues strict rules for colleges reopening during coronavirus crisis

As colleges begin their fall semesters , those in Los Angeles County finally received long-awaited public health rules about reopening plans — and they ’ re more stringent than state guidance : Virtually no in-person classes are allowed , and on-campus housing will be extremely limited due to coronavirus concerns .
The Los Angeles County Public Health rules supersede state guidelines and are tougher than those of many other counties .
They are quashing more expansive plans envisioned by Harvey Mudd College and other local campuses and are spurring UCLA officials to reevaluate their own September reopening plans .
USC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , moved from an initial hybrid plan to a more limited one as COVID-19 cases surged but still had hoped to offer on-campus housing to more students and as many as 20 % of classes in person .
The university said it would limit on-campus housing to about 700 students who had needed it since the pandemic forced colleges to shift to remote learning in March .
Most of them are international students , but Catherine Amein , a fourth-year student in electrical and computer engineering , was granted housing for medical reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles from Florida on Monday , said she was thrilled to return to campus and was hoping that some of her labs , which have been moved to remote instruction for now , would eventually open for in-person meetings .
The county Health Department says in a statement that colleges and universities need to limit campus activities in the near term because high community transmission rates are driven , in part , by younger people ages 18 to 30 years old who currently account for 25 % to 30 % of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to delay fully reopening colleges and universities is disheartening news for our students who were looking forward to life on campus , ” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
“ But this postponement means that we will continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 and get to the point where we can return to campus when rates of community transmission are lower .
“ The very nature of the way that colleges and universities operate creates a significant risk of outbreaks of COVID-19 among students , faculty and staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks extend beyond campus into the broader community .
That is why we have made the difficult but necessary decision to limit the reopening of these important institutions.
” The new county guidelines are likely to create more financial woes for UCLA as they allow only students with no “ feasible alternative ” to live in campus housing , which must be limited to single occupants .
The Westwood campus had hoped to house as many as 1,500 students in double-occupancy apartments .
UCLA also planned to offer about 8 % of classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory work , performing arts and clinical health fields .
The county guidelines , however , reiterated that only classes that involved training for “ essential workforce ” needs , such as public health , emergency services , food , energy and transportation , could be offered in person .
A UCLA spokesman said the university was “ actively reviewing the protocols ” but could not yet elaborate on how the county rules would affect its reopening plan .
UCLA does not start its fall quarter until Sept. 28 ; if public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may relax the rules .
Harvey Mudd , the only one of the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges that still held out hope for an in-person return to campus , announced Friday it would go fully remote following the county announcement last week .
Harvey Mudd President Maria Klawe said she asked county officials for a waiver , presenting what she said was a careful plan she believed would keep students safe , but failed to win them over .
“ We ’ re disappointed , ” Klawe said in an interview Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had done something different , but I ’ m not going to criticize them because the reality is people are dying .
A lot of people are still not taking masks and social distancing seriously , and they ’ re really trying to get a grip on it.
” Harvey Mudd had expected nearly 500 students among about 835 enrolling for fall to return to campus housing .
The shutdown of dorms will cost Harvey Mudd $ 12.3 million in room and board , contributing to a budget shortfall the college addressed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Klawe said .
Other campuses also face steep declines in housing and dining revenue , including the University of California and California State University systems .
UC campuses lost $ 310 million in March alone for canceled housing and dining contracts , facility cleaning costs and transitioning to remote instruction .
By June 30 , UC was hit by nearly $ 1.8 billion in lost revenue and new costs related to the pandemic , which was only partly offset by nearly $ 800 million in federal funding , then-UC President Janet Napolitano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines surpass those of the state , which allows double-occupancy dorms with safe distancing and masking .
The county allows only students with no alternatives to live in campus-run housing .
They also are stricter than many other counties , which are allowing colleges in their areas to open more extensively .
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo , for instance , won its county approval for a plan to allow up to 5,980 students in on-campus housing — 70 % of capacity .
Reopening plans for Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cal Poly Pomona will offer housing to a maximum of 500 students , who will be housed in single-occupancy dorms with single restrooms .
Priority will be given to students from other countries , former foster youth program participants , those experiencing housing insecurity or who were identified by the Disability Resource Center , among others .
Cal State Long Beach will house a maximum of 480 high-need students in single-occupancy dorms , while Cal State L.A. was asked for housing by only 80 students .
Cal State L.A. will offer only in-person @ @ @

USC student Mitchell Steimle, left, and his brother Anthony participate in a wellness check on Monday, the first day of academic instruction for the fall 2020 semester.
As colleges begin their fall semesters, those in Los Angeles County finally received long-awaited public health rules about reopening plans — and they’re more stringent than state guidance: Virtually no in-person classes are allowed, and on-campus housing will be extremely limited due to coronavirus concerns.
The Los Angeles County Public Health rules supersede state guidelines and are tougher than those of many other counties. They are quashing more expansive plans envisioned by Harvey Mudd College and other local campuses and are spurring UCLA officials to reevaluate their own September reopening plans.
USC, which started the fall term Monday, moved from an initial hybrid plan to a more limited one as COVID-19 cases surged but still had hoped to offer on-campus housing to more students and as many as 20% of classes in person. The university said it would limit on-campus housing to about 700 students who had needed it since the pandemic forced colleges to shift to remote learning in March. Most of them are international students, but Catherine Amein, a fourth-year student in electrical and computer engineering, was granted housing for medical reasons.
Amein, who flew back to Los Angeles from Florida on Monday, said she was thrilled to return to campus and was hoping that some of her labs, which have been moved to remote instruction for now, would eventually open for in-person meetings.
The county Health Department says in a statement that colleges and universities need to limit campus activities in the near term because high community transmission rates are driven, in part, by younger people ages 18 to 30 years old who currently account for 25% to 30% of new infections.
USC employee Flor Pena walks through a lonely part of the campus on Monday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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“I know that our decision to delay fully reopening colleges and universities is disheartening news for our students who were looking forward to life on campus,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “But this postponement means that we will continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 and get to the point where we can return to campus when rates of community transmission are lower.
“The very nature of the way that colleges and universities operate creates a significant risk of outbreaks of COVID-19 among students, faculty and staff,” she added. “And these risks extend beyond campus into the broader community. That is why we have made the difficult but necessary decision to limit the reopening of these important institutions.”
The new county guidelines are likely to create more financial woes for UCLA as they allow only students with no “feasible alternative” to live in campus housing, which must be limited to single occupants. The Westwood campus had hoped to house as many as 1,500 students in double-occupancy apartments.
UCLA also planned to offer about 8% of classes in person, including some that involve laboratory work, performing arts and clinical health fields. The county guidelines, however, reiterated that only classes that involved training for “essential workforce” needs, such as public health, emergency services, food, energy and transportation, could be offered in person.
A UCLA spokesman said the university was “actively reviewing the protocols” but could not yet elaborate on how the county rules would affect its reopening plan. UCLA does not start its fall quarter until Sept. 28; if public health conditions improve by then, county officials may relax the rules.
Harvey Mudd, the only one of the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges that still held out hope for an in-person return to campus, announced Friday it would go fully remote following the county announcement last week. Harvey Mudd President Maria Klawe said she asked county officials for a waiver, presenting what she said was a careful plan she believed would keep students safe, but failed to win them over.
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“We’re disappointed,” Klawe said in an interview Monday. “Of course, I wish they had done something different, but I’m not going to criticize them because the reality is people are dying. A lot of people are still not taking masks and social distancing seriously, and they’re really trying to get a grip on it.”
USC student Anthony Steimle has his temperature checked by Avery Theus on Monday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Harvey Mudd had expected nearly 500 students among about 835 enrolling for fall to return to campus housing. The shutdown of dorms will cost Harvey Mudd $12.3 million in room and board, contributing to a budget shortfall the college addressed in part by furloughing 71 of 247 employees, Klawe said. Other campuses also face steep declines in housing and dining revenue, including the University of California and California State University systems.
UC campuses lost $310 million in March alone for canceled housing and dining contracts, facility cleaning costs and transitioning to remote instruction.
By June 30, UC was hit by nearly $1.8 billion in lost revenue and new costs related to the pandemic, which was only partly offset by nearly $800 million in federal funding, then-UC President Janet Napolitano said last month.
USC student David Applebaum makes his way past social-distancing circles on a nearly empty campus Monday, the first day of academic instruction. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The L.A. County guidelines surpass those of the state, which allows double-occupancy dorms with safe distancing and masking. The county allows only students with no alternatives to live in campus-run housing. They also are stricter than many other counties, which are allowing colleges in their areas to open more extensively. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, for instance, won its county approval for a plan to allow up to 5,980 students in on-campus housing — 70% of capacity.
Reopening plans for Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los Angeles both adhere to county rules. Cal Poly Pomona will offer housing to a maximum of 500 students, who will be housed in single-occupancy dorms with single restrooms. Priority will be given to students from other countries, former foster youth program participants, those experiencing housing insecurity or who were identified by the Disability Resource Center, among others.
Cal State Long Beach will house a maximum of 480 high-need students in single-occupancy dorms, while Cal State L.A. was asked for housing by only 80 students. Cal State L.A. will offer only in-person nursing classes.