latimes--2020-01-07--Men used social media to contact teen who was kidnapped and sexually assaulted, police say

Three men were arrested Sunday after authorities rescued a girl they said had been sexually assaulted and was being held against her will at one of the men ’ s homes in Chino Hills .
Ontario police began looking for the teen , whose age was not given , after her parents reported her missing Saturday night .
Detectives found her a day later at the home of 22-year-old Irving Galvan through leads found on social media apps , one of which was Snapchat , said Sgt .
Bill Russell .
“ Once we were brought in , our investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Russell said .
Galvan was taken into custody at his home on suspicion of kidnapping , rape , child molestation and false imprisonment .
Authorities also arrested Encino Limon , 21 , of Corona on suspicion of child molestation .
Authorities suspect Galvan and Limon worked together to make contact with the girl online , Russell said .
Police could not comment on the condition of the home where the girl was found .
While investigating the case , police say they discovered a third man — 25-year-old Eric Trejo — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media .
He also was arrested Sunday on suspicion of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense , Russell said .
The men have not been charged but are expected to appear in court Tuesday , according to court records .
Police suspect there may be additional victims .
Anyone with information is asked to call the Ontario Police Department at ( 909 ) 986-6711 .

Three men were arrested Sunday after authorities rescued a girl they said had been sexually assaulted and was being held against her will at one of the men’s homes in Chino Hills.
Ontario police began looking for the teen, whose age was not given, after her parents reported her missing Saturday night. Detectives found her a day later at the home of 22-year-old Irving Galvan through leads found on social media apps, one of which was Snapchat, said Sgt. Bill Russell.
“Once we were brought in, our investigators worked nonstop to try to locate her,” Russell said.
Advertisement
Galvan was taken into custody at his home on suspicion of kidnapping, rape, child molestation and false imprisonment. Authorities also arrested Encino Limon, 21, of Corona on suspicion of child molestation. Authorities suspect Galvan and Limon worked together to make contact with the girl online, Russell said.
Police could not comment on the condition of the home where the girl was found.
While investigating the case, police say they discovered a third man — 25-year-old Eric Trejo — who had also contacted the girl through social media. He also was arrested Sunday on suspicion of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, Russell said.
The men have not been charged but are expected to appear in court Tuesday, according to court records.
Police suspect there may be additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to call the Ontario Police Department at (909) 986-6711.


latimes--2020-01-07--Harvey Weinstein now faces sex assault charges in New York and L.A. County. Here's what to expect

Harvey Weinstein ’ s already complex legal problems have magnified as he now faces sex assault charges in both New York and Los Angeles County .
The New York case is already underway and in some ways offers a preview of what can be expected when Weinstein comes to L.A. County to face charges .
In fact , one of the women whose accusations led to charges in L.A. County is expected to first testify in the New York case .
Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing .
Here is a look at the cases as they unfold on both coasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Jury selection will come first .
Weinstein is charged with first-degree rape , two counts of predatory sexual assault , one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree rape .
Mimi Haleyi , a former production assistant for Weinstein ’ s company , has accused him of assaulting her in 2006 .
A second unidentified woman told police Weinstein also attacked her in New York in 2013 .
A number of other women who have accused Weinstein of assaulting them in hotel rooms , including actress Annabella Sciorra and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rape at Mr. C ’ s Beverly Hills hotel in 2013 , are expected to testify at his New York trial .
One of the accusers from L.A. County is also expected to take the stand in New York .
“ There are going to be cross-examinations lasting hours , if not days , of these witnesses , so good lawyers , expensive lawyers , are going to go through those transcripts with fine-tooth combs , ” said Dmitriy Shakhnevich , a criminal defense attorney who now teaches at the John Jay College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You could tell the same story to numerous parties , and it could be the truth , and I promise you I ’ ll find places where it looks like you ’ re not telling the same story twice.
” Why did the L.A. County prosecutors file now ?
Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey said the timing was about how the investigation unfolded .
“ We were working on investigating those cases .
In regard to the victims in this case and other sexual assault cases , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open up and tell us what they needed to tell us , ” she said .
“ For some , it was very embarrassing — terrifying — and so [ we ] told them we were just working to get the evidence we need to get to court.
” She said it “ turns out that coincidentally , our case was ready to go this year , and this was the first business day we could get everyone together that we needed in order to do this.
” But she also said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We do not want to interfere with the New York case .
The judge there will have to make a decision whether he remains out on $ 2-million bail as we have filed an arrest warrant .
With more victims and $ 5-million bail , he will have to decide whether the defendant is remanded or not.
” What are the L.A. County charges ?
Weinstein has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County , stemming from accusations brought by a pair of women who say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles and Beverly Hills in 2013 .
Neither of the accusers has been identified publicly , though one of the women is a former model and actress who described Weinstein ’ s alleged assault to The Times in 2017 , according to her attorney , David Ring .
She said the first assault took place at Mr. C ’ s Beverly Hills hotel in February 2013 after she met Weinstein briefly at the Los Angeles Italia Film , Fashion and Art Fest .
Weinstein “ became very aggressive and demanding ” while asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Times .
The woman said that she showed Weinstein pictures of her children and begged him to stop .
“ He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do , ” she said .
In a motion asking a judge to set Weinstein ’ s bail in Los Angeles County at $ 5 million , prosecutors said the woman did not immediately report the assault to police because Weinstein threatened to kill her .
She did report the alleged attack to three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including her priest , law enforcement sources previously told The Times .
Just days later , the second accuser said she had a business meeting with Weinstein and another woman at a hotel in West Los Angeles when he convinced them to visit his hotel suite , according to the bail motion .
Once upstairs , the victim “ unwittingly ” followed Weinstein into a bathroom and the other woman closed the door , trapping her inside , court records show .
At that point , Weinstein disrobed and showered briefly before undressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutors accused Weinstein of groping the woman while masturbating , court records show .
What is next ?
Weinstein , using a walker , is back in New York court .
Jury selection is next and could take several days or weeks .
He would face trial in Los Angeles County after the New York case is concluded .

Harvey Weinstein’s already complex legal problems have magnified as he now faces sex assault charges in both New York and Los Angeles County.
The New York case is already underway and in some ways offers a preview of what can be expected when Weinstein comes to L.A. County to face charges. In fact, one of the women whose accusations led to charges in L.A. County is expected to first testify in the New York case. Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing.
Here is a look at the cases as they unfold on both coasts.
What is expected in New York?
Advertisement
Jury selection will come first. Weinstein is charged with first-degree rape, two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree rape. Mimi Haleyi, a former production assistant for Weinstein’s company, has accused him of assaulting her in 2006. A second unidentified woman told police Weinstein also attacked her in New York in 2013.
A number of other women who have accused Weinstein of assaulting them in hotel rooms, including actress Annabella Sciorra and the model who accused the mogul of rape at Mr. C’s Beverly Hills hotel in 2013, are expected to testify at his New York trial.
One of the accusers from L.A. County is also expected to take the stand in New York.
“There are going to be cross-examinations lasting hours, if not days, of these witnesses, so good lawyers, expensive lawyers, are going to go through those transcripts with fine-tooth combs,” said Dmitriy Shakhnevich, a criminal defense attorney who now teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. “You could tell the same story to numerous parties, and it could be the truth, and I promise you I’ll find places where it looks like you’re not telling the same story twice.”
Why did the L.A. County prosecutors file now?
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said the timing was about how the investigation unfolded.
Advertisement
“We were working on investigating those cases. In regard to the victims in this case and other sexual assault cases, it was very challenging to get those victims to open up and tell us what they needed to tell us,” she said. “For some, it was very embarrassing — terrifying — and so [we] told them we were just working to get the evidence we need to get to court.”
She said it “turns out that coincidentally, our case was ready to go this year, and this was the first business day we could get everyone together that we needed in order to do this.”
But she also said the New York case is a factor.
“We do not want to interfere with the New York case. The judge there will have to make a decision whether he remains out on $2-million bail as we have filed an arrest warrant. With more victims and $5-million bail, he will have to decide whether the defendant is remanded or not.”
What are the L.A. County charges?
Weinstein has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County, stemming from accusations brought by a pair of women who say the mogul attacked them in hotels in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills in 2013.
Neither of the accusers has been identified publicly, though one of the women is a former model and actress who described Weinstein’s alleged assault to The Times in 2017 , according to her attorney, David Ring.
She said the first assault took place at Mr. C’s Beverly Hills hotel in February 2013 after she met Weinstein briefly at the Los Angeles Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest. Weinstein “became very aggressive and demanding” while asking her to disrobe, the woman previously told The Times.
The woman said that she showed Weinstein pictures of her children and begged him to stop.
“He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do,” she said.
In a motion asking a judge to set Weinstein’s bail in Los Angeles County at $5 million, prosecutors said the woman did not immediately report the assault to police because Weinstein threatened to kill her. She did report the alleged attack to three close confidants in 2013, however, including her priest, law enforcement sources previously told The Times.
Just days later, the second accuser said she had a business meeting with Weinstein and another woman at a hotel in West Los Angeles when he convinced them to visit his hotel suite, according to the bail motion. Once upstairs, the victim “unwittingly” followed Weinstein into a bathroom and the other woman closed the door, trapping her inside, court records show.
At that point, Weinstein disrobed and showered briefly before undressing her, according to the motion. Prosecutors accused Weinstein of groping the woman while masturbating, court records show.
What is next?
Weinstein, using a walker, is back in New York court. Jury selection is next and could take several days or weeks.
He would face trial in Los Angeles County after the New York case is concluded.


latimes--2020-01-07--It took three years of blown deadlines, but L.A. opens its first homeless housing project

For months , the wooden frame rising at 88th and Vermont stood as a constant reminder of the unfulfilled promise of Proposition HHH , the $ 1.2-billion bond for homeless housing that Los Angeles voters approved more than three years ago .
Finally on Monday , there was a grand opening .
The development is the first to open of about 20 projects under construction .
Work will begin on another 30 in 2020 .
In the meantime , homelessness has continued to grow in the city of Los Angeles , reaching more than 36,000 last year — a 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today the opening of the first HHH housing project ... it is the first of many to come , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
“ We see here in plain sight what a vision is when it manifests itself physically.
” Initially scheduled to open in October , the 62-unit project , known simply as 88th and Vermont , was supposed to be one of three HHH-funded projects to open in 2019 .
It did open quietly in mid-December but was the only one to do so .
On Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebration , as city and county officials and nonprofit leaders gathered to mark the beginning of the Proposition HHH payoff .
While acknowledging that the rollout of the ballot measure has had its problems , officials characterized 88th and Vermont as a turning point .
“ This year , we will see an opening of one of these about every three weeks , ” Garcetti said .
“ My calculations , next year it might be every two weeks or less.
” The mayor lauded the change the 88th and Vermont project had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were among the first dozen tenants .
After losing their home , they had couch-surfed , lived in shelters and motels , and “ spent way too many nights in their car , ” he said .
The mother of five told Garcetti that the hardest part was when her children said they wanted to go home .
“ Finally , last week , that ’ s what they did , ” the mayor said .
“ They ’ re going to know where home is , and that means more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city to know what that means , to come home .
We ’ re not going to slow down until we get there.
” A subtext of the celebration , however , was the certainty that , with homelessness increasing , all of the housing funded by Proposition HHH would not be enough to keep up .
“ This is just the beginning , ” said Elise Buik , president and chief executive of United Way of Greater Los Angeles , which was a major backer of Proposition HHH and the Measure H @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The initial public campaign for the ballot measure had promised 10,000 units in 10 years .
To meet that goal , the city would have to build another 300 housing units a year using other funding .
Historically , the city has been able to build that many units per year , but since the bond measure passed in 2016 , the pace has fallen .
Even that goal of 10,000 units is now too small , as it was based on past homeless counts when the population was smaller .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makeshift shelters on the city ’ s streets ballooning to 27,000 out of 36,000 overall , and the number of chronically homeless Angelenos increasing , the current pace of construction is not keeping up .
“ Prop .
HHH and Measure H are a down payment , ” Buik said , tacitly suggesting that additional tax measures may be proposed in the coming years .
According to the website of the city ’ s Housing and Community Investment Department , the 112 projects funded by Proposition HHH will produce 7,484 units , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chronically homeless people , veterans and young adults .
Another 1,587 units will be reserved for low-income tenants .
Another 1,000 housing units are being built through Garcetti ’ s innovation program , using $ 120 million from Proposition HHH .
The 88th and Vermont project has 46 units of supportive housing for adults 18 to 25 years old , veterans , and households with people experiencing chronic homelessness .
The remaining 14 units are set aside for very low-income families and individuals , as well as two units for on-site managers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer job training , academic resources and services for local youth .
Rents range from $ 473 per month for a studio to $ 703 per month for a three-bedroom unit , with the costs for tenants subsidized by local and federal funds .
The 88th and Vermont project cost $ 34 million and received just under $ 9.7 million from Proposition HHH .
At $ 549,500 per unit , it reflects the upward trend in the cost of housing .
The most expensive HHH projects have run more than $ 600,000 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost about $ 420,000 per unit , according to a Times analysis of state housing data .
The homeless housing project also is the city ’ s first to receive a building permit using guidelines from the Transit Oriented Communities Affordable Housing Incentive Program , reducing parking requirements and allowing for more residential density .

Miah Ayala, 2, plays in the courtyard of the first housing development built using money from Proposition HHH.
For months, the wooden frame rising at 88th and Vermont stood as a constant reminder of the unfulfilled promise of Proposition HHH, the $1.2-billion bond for homeless housing that Los Angeles voters approved more than three years ago.
Finally on Monday, there was a grand opening. The development is the first to open of about 20 projects under construction. Work will begin on another 30 in 2020.
In the meantime, homelessness has continued to grow in the city of Los Angeles, reaching more than 36,000 last year — a 16% increase.
Mayor Eric Garcetti, right, shares a moment with the Ayala family, who moved into 88th and Vermont after being homeless for nearly three years. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
“As we celebrate today the opening of the first HHH housing project ... it is the first of many to come,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “We see here in plain sight what a vision is when it manifests itself physically.”
Advertisement
Initially scheduled to open in October, the 62-unit project, known simply as 88th and Vermont, was supposed to be one of three HHH-funded projects to open in 2019. It did open quietly in mid-December but was the only one to do so.
On Monday, the building became the setting of a jubilant celebration, as city and county officials and nonprofit leaders gathered to mark the beginning of the Proposition HHH payoff.
While acknowledging that the rollout of the ballot measure has had its problems, officials characterized 88th and Vermont as a turning point.
The first Proposition HHH-funded housing project has opened in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
“This year, we will see an opening of one of these about every three weeks,” Garcetti said. “My calculations, next year it might be every two weeks or less.”
The mayor lauded the change the 88th and Vermont project had made for a family of seven, who were among the first dozen tenants. After losing their home, they had couch-surfed, lived in shelters and motels, and “spent way too many nights in their car,” he said.
Advertisement
The mother of five told Garcetti that the hardest part was when her children said they wanted to go home.
“Finally, last week, that’s what they did,” the mayor said. “They’re going to know where home is, and that means more than anything. We want everybody in the city to know what that means, to come home. We’re not going to slow down until we get there.”
A one-bedroom unit is shown during a tour of 88th and Vermont in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
A subtext of the celebration, however, was the certainty that, with homelessness increasing, all of the housing funded by Proposition HHH would not be enough to keep up.
“This is just the beginning,” said Elise Buik, president and chief executive of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, which was a major backer of Proposition HHH and the Measure H countywide sales tax for homeless services.
The initial public campaign for the ballot measure had promised 10,000 units in 10 years. To meet that goal, the city would have to build another 300 housing units a year using other funding.
Historically, the city has been able to build that many units per year, but since the bond measure passed in 2016, the pace has fallen.
Even that goal of 10,000 units is now too small, as it was based on past homeless counts when the population was smaller. With the number of people living in tents and makeshift shelters on the city’s streets ballooning to 27,000 out of 36,000 overall, and the number of chronically homeless Angelenos increasing, the current pace of construction is not keeping up.
“Prop. HHH and Measure H are a down payment,” Buik said, tacitly suggesting that additional tax measures may be proposed in the coming years.
The community room is shown during a tour of 88th and Vermont. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
According to the website of the city’s Housing and Community Investment Department, the 112 projects funded by Proposition HHH will produce 7,484 units, of which 5,773 will come with services for chronically homeless people, veterans and young adults. Another 1,587 units will be reserved for low-income tenants.
Another 1,000 housing units are being built through Garcetti’s innovation program, using $120 million from Proposition HHH.
The 88th and Vermont project has 46 units of supportive housing for adults 18 to 25 years old, veterans, and households with people experiencing chronic homelessness. The remaining 14 units are set aside for very low-income families and individuals, as well as two units for on-site managers.
A youth and family support center will offer job training, academic resources and services for local youth.
Rents range from $473 per month for a studio to $703 per month for a three-bedroom unit, with the costs for tenants subsidized by local and federal funds.
The 88th and Vermont project cost $34 million and received just under $9.7 million from Proposition HHH. At $549,500 per unit, it reflects the upward trend in the cost of housing. The most expensive HHH projects have run more than $600,000 per unit.
In 2015, such projects cost about $420,000 per unit, according to a Times analysis of state housing data.
The homeless housing project also is the city’s first to receive a building permit using guidelines from the Transit Oriented Communities Affordable Housing Incentive Program, reducing parking requirements and allowing for more residential density.


latimes--2020-01-08--So many allegations of rape against Weinstein and others, so few charges

More than two years have passed since the # MeToo movement gained widespread traction .
Scores of women have come forward , accusing media mogul Harvey Weinstein and other Hollywood heavyweights of sexual assault .
The culture and the conversation have changed when it comes to matters of consent .
But to date , charges have been filed in Los Angeles County in only two cases .
Both are against Weinstein .
Both weren ’ t filed until Monday .
Just ask Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb , Victoria Valentino and Dominique Huett .
In November 2017 , Golden-Gottlieb told Los Angeles police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had invited her to lunch .
But instead of driving to the restaurant , he parked on a secluded side street .
That ’ s where he grabbed her head , she said , forced it into his crotch and ejaculated into her mouth .
Three months later , the L.A. County District Attorney ’ s Office announced that it would not file charges .
It was just one of several incidents Golden-Gottlieb , now 83 , had reported .
But they all happened between 1986 and 1988 , when she worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintained that his contact with her was consensual ; he later resigned under pressure .
“ I wanted him to be accountable , ” Golden-Gottlieb told The Times in a 2018 interview when Moonves left CBS .
“ This has been with me the whole time .
I don ’ t think it was every day , but many days.
” Valentino , a former Playboy model , alleged Bill Cosby had drugged and raped her at an apartment in the Hollywood Hills in 1969 .
She didn ’ t come forward until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a male comedian joking about Cosby the rapist .
Although other alleged Cosby victims had told their stories for years , no one paid attention until a man spoke the words .
“ Suddenly this red rocket of anger exploded inside my head , ” said Valentino , who is now 77 .
“ I thought , ‘ A woman has been trying to be believed for 30 years , yet all it takes is one guy to make a joke about it in a stand-up routine in Philly , and suddenly everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed me over the edge.
” Cosby was convicted on sexual assault charges in 2018 in Pennsylvania and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison .
Valentino helped get the California law passed that removed the statute of limitations for certain sex crimes committed after Jan. 1 , 2017 .
Before the law changed , prosecution of felony sex offenses generally had to begin within 10 years of the alleged attack .
Unlike Golden-Gottlieb and Valentino , Huett did not run up against the statute of limitations after she reported an alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
Weinstein , the actress said , had lured her to the bar at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel in 2010 , ostensibly to talk about her career .
Instead , she said , he led her up to his room .
He gave her champagne .
He put on a bathrobe .
He insisted that she give him a massage .
And then , she said , he performed oral sex on her , although she repeatedly resisted .
The district attorney ’ s office has not filed charges against Weinstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is now 37 , said a prosecutor told her on Tuesday that her case is one of three against Weinstein that are under review .
She said she initially came forward to reduce the stigma centered around sexual abuse .
“ As we know , many people affected by sexual violence don ’ t speak out right away , for fear of retribution , retaliation , black listing , ” she said .
“ I knew a lot of people were suffering in silence.
” Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges against Weinstein in just two cases , for attacks he allegedly committed against Jane Doe No .
1 and Jane Doe No .
2 .
Just hours earlier , the once-powerful entertainment bigwig had hobbled into a New York courtroom , leaning heavily on a metal walker , at the beginning of his trial for similar alleged crimes on the East Coast .
“ Each of these victims told at least one person about the assault in 2013 , ” Lacey said during a Monday press conference in Los Angeles .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
… In all , eight women came forward to report that they were sexually assaulted by the defendant in Los Angeles County.
” Lacey also laid out — more or less — why her office had not filed charges against Weinstein and other members of the entertainment establishment based on dozens of additional allegations .
More than 40 other cases have been presented to her office in the past two years ; all , she said , have been lacking in one of two ways .
“ The alleged crimes were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Or there was insufficient credible evidence to file charges against the defendant.
” The first is hard to argue .
The second is where the trouble begins .
Nearly half a century after the first rape crisis centers were launched in the United States , sexual assault allegations are still Rorschach tests for everyone involved — the victim , her ( it ’ s usually her ) friends and family members , police officers , district attorneys and the public at large .
More often than not , women choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities — or even tell those closest to them .
Part of the issue is shame , having to describe horrible acts to loved ones and strangers .
And then , said Colby Bruno , senior legal counsel at the Victim Rights Law Center , many women feel responsible , that they did something wrong , had too much to drink , shouldn ’ t have been there , shouldn ’ t have trusted him , waited too long to call the police .
There ’ s also the justice system itself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trauma , she said .
“ As much as I want to believe — and do believe — that many DAs have come further than where we were , you can just imagine hearing from someone who doesn ’ t know you say , ‘ There are a few inconsistencies in your story.
’ “ That is the message to the victim that , ‘ You are not credible ’ , ” she continued .
“ Words like that pass through DA ’ s offices , investigators ’ mouths , even victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a victim of sexual assault can be enormous .
Stacey Cooper , who said she was drugged and raped 17 years ago by a man she had formerly dated , decided not to report the alleged assault to Los Angeles police .
A close friend who had reported being sexually assaulted walked her through the legal process and what it felt like , step by step .
She told Cooper , “ I will support you , but you need to know what it ’ s like.
” Cooper was at a party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drink .
Then , she said , “ it was lights out and waking up to flashes of this person on top of me , and I couldn ’ t move .
When I woke up in the morning , I still couldn ’ t use my legs .
It hadn ’ t worn off completely.
” She went home and sobbed in the shower .
She went to her gynecologist , didn ’ t get a rape exam , tried to put the attack behind her .
Several years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she attributed to the trauma of being raped .
At the time , she was a personal trainer with a thriving business .
Today , she counsels women who have been through trauma and speaks out about the lasting impacts of rape .
Some days , she said , she wishes she had reported the assault to police .
Reporting , she said , “ is a bold , courageous move.
” But she also knows that people who have been sexually assaulted must be allowed to decide for themselves .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your life will be torn apart , you will be discredited , you will relive the trauma .
You have to make the choice that ’ s best for you when you want more than anything in the world to be that brave , courageous woman.
” But what about when someone who has been sexually assaulted decides to report and then nothing happens ?
When she gins up that courage and the district attorney ’ s office decides not to prosecute ?
As Lacey said Monday , in the past two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of alleged sexual assault stemming from the entertainment industry and the # MeToo movement .
Of the eight that involved Weinstein , charges were filed in two of them , three took place outside the statute of limitations and three are still being reviewed .
.
Actress Jessica Barth ’ s is one of the 40-plus other cases .
And she is furious .
Lacey ’ s office is currently reviewing a police investigation into a 2012 incident in which Barth alleges her manager at the time drugged and sexually assaulted her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel , Barth said Weinstein alternated between offering to cast her in a film and demanding a naked massage in bed .
“ LADA Jackie Lacey states that in order to file a sexual assault case , prosecutors must be able to convince 12 jurors , beyond a reasonable doubt ; the question is , what is considered reasonable , ” Barth said in a written statement Tuesday .
“ What seems unreasonable is until today and since 2017 , more than 40 sexual assault cases have been presented to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been filed .
”

Maria L. La Ganga, Alene Tchekmedyian, Richard Winton

More than two years have passed since the #MeToo movement gained widespread traction. Scores of women have come forward, accusing media mogul Harvey Weinstein and other Hollywood heavyweights of sexual assault. The culture and the conversation have changed when it comes to matters of consent.
But to date, charges have been filed in Los Angeles County in only two cases. Both are against Weinstein. Both weren’t filed until Monday.
Why hasn’t more happened?
Just ask Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, Victoria Valentino and Dominique Huett.
In November 2017, Golden-Gottlieb told Los Angeles police that CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves had invited her to lunch. But instead of driving to the restaurant, he parked on a secluded side street. That’s where he grabbed her head, she said, forced it into his crotch and ejaculated into her mouth.
Three months later, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office announced that it would not file charges. It was just one of several incidents Golden-Gottlieb, now 83, had reported. But they all happened between 1986 and 1988, when she worked with Moonves at Lorimar Productions. Moonves has maintained that his contact with her was consensual; he later resigned under pressure.
Advertisement
“I wanted him to be accountable,” Golden-Gottlieb told The Times in a 2018 interview when Moonves left CBS. “This has been with me the whole time. I don’t think it was every day, but many days.”
Valentino, a former Playboy model, alleged Bill Cosby had drugged and raped her at an apartment in the Hollywood Hills in 1969. She didn’t come forward until 2014, when she was triggered by a male comedian joking about Cosby the rapist. Although other alleged Cosby victims had told their stories for years, no one paid attention until a man spoke the words.
“Suddenly this red rocket of anger exploded inside my head,” said Valentino, who is now 77. “I thought, ‘A woman has been trying to be believed for 30 years, yet all it takes is one guy to make a joke about it in a stand-up routine in Philly, and suddenly everybody believes him.’ Something about that just pushed me over the edge.”
Cosby was convicted on sexual assault charges in 2018 in Pennsylvania and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. Valentino helped get the California law passed that removed the statute of limitations for certain sex crimes committed after Jan. 1, 2017. Before the law changed, prosecution of felony sex offenses generally had to begin within 10 years of the alleged attack.
Unlike Golden-Gottlieb and Valentino, Huett did not run up against the statute of limitations after she reported an alleged sexual assault to Beverly Hills police in 2017. Weinstein, the actress said, had lured her to the bar at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel in 2010, ostensibly to talk about her career.
Instead, she said, he led her up to his room. He gave her champagne. He put on a bathrobe. He insisted that she give him a massage. And then, she said, he performed oral sex on her, although she repeatedly resisted. The district attorney’s office has not filed charges against Weinstein in the case.
But Huett, who is now 37, said a prosecutor told her on Tuesday that her case is one of three against Weinstein that are under review. She said she initially came forward to reduce the stigma centered around sexual abuse.
Advertisement
“As we know, many people affected by sexual violence don’t speak out right away, for fear of retribution, retaliation, black listing,” she said. “I knew a lot of people were suffering in silence.”
Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey explained Monday morning why her office had filed charges against Weinstein in just two cases, for attacks he allegedly committed against Jane Doe No. 1 and Jane Doe No. 2. Just hours earlier, the once-powerful entertainment bigwig had hobbled into a New York courtroom, leaning heavily on a metal walker, at the beginning of his trial for similar alleged crimes on the East Coast.
“Each of these victims told at least one person about the assault in 2013,” Lacey said during a Monday press conference in Los Angeles. “They reported the crimes to police in 2017. … In all, eight women came forward to report that they were sexually assaulted by the defendant in Los Angeles County.”
Lacey also laid out — more or less — why her office had not filed charges against Weinstein and other members of the entertainment establishment based on dozens of additional allegations. More than 40 other cases have been presented to her office in the past two years; all, she said, have been lacking in one of two ways.
“The alleged crimes were too old to prosecute,” Lacey said. “Or there was insufficient credible evidence to file charges against the defendant.”
The first is hard to argue. The second is where the trouble begins. Nearly half a century after the first rape crisis centers were launched in the United States, sexual assault allegations are still Rorschach tests for everyone involved — the victim, her (it’s usually her) friends and family members, police officers, district attorneys and the public at large.
More often than not, women choose not to report sexual assault to the authorities — or even tell those closest to them. Part of the issue is shame, having to describe horrible acts to loved ones and strangers. And then, said Colby Bruno, senior legal counsel at the Victim Rights Law Center, many women feel responsible, that they did something wrong, had too much to drink, shouldn’t have been there, shouldn’t have trusted him, waited too long to call the police.
There’s also the justice system itself, with its necessary scrutiny in the aftermath of trauma, she said. “As much as I want to believe — and do believe — that many DAs have come further than where we were, you can just imagine hearing from someone who doesn’t know you say, ‘There are a few inconsistencies in your story.’
“That is the message to the victim that, ‘You are not credible’,” she continued. “Words like that pass through DA’s offices, investigators’ mouths, even victim advocates’ mouths.”
The impact on a victim of sexual assault can be enormous.
Stacey Cooper, who said she was drugged and raped 17 years ago by a man she had formerly dated, decided not to report the alleged assault to Los Angeles police. A close friend who had reported being sexually assaulted walked her through the legal process and what it felt like, step by step. She told Cooper, “I will support you, but you need to know what it’s like.”
Cooper was at a party in Los Angeles County when she accepted a drink. Then, she said, “it was lights out and waking up to flashes of this person on top of me, and I couldn’t move. When I woke up in the morning, I still couldn’t use my legs. It hadn’t worn off completely.”
She went home and sobbed in the shower. She went to her gynecologist, didn’t get a rape exam, tried to put the attack behind her. Several years later, she said, she started having seizures that she attributed to the trauma of being raped. At the time, she was a personal trainer with a thriving business. Today, she counsels women who have been through trauma and speaks out about the lasting impacts of rape.
Some days, she said, she wishes she had reported the assault to police. Reporting, she said, “is a bold, courageous move.” But she also knows that people who have been sexually assaulted must be allowed to decide for themselves.
When you report, she said, “your life will be torn apart, you will be discredited, you will relive the trauma. You have to make the choice that’s best for you when you want more than anything in the world to be that brave, courageous woman.”
But what about when someone who has been sexually assaulted decides to report and then nothing happens? When she gins up that courage and the district attorney’s office decides not to prosecute?
As Lacey said Monday, in the past two years her office has received more than 40 cases of alleged sexual assault stemming from the entertainment industry and the #MeToo movement. Of the eight that involved Weinstein, charges were filed in two of them, three took place outside the statute of limitations and three are still being reviewed. .
Actress Jessica Barth’s is one of the 40-plus other cases. And she is furious.
Lacey’s office is currently reviewing a police investigation into a 2012 incident in which Barth alleges her manager at the time drugged and sexually assaulted her. A year earlier, at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel, Barth said Weinstein alternated between offering to cast her in a film and demanding a naked massage in bed.
“LADA Jackie Lacey states that in order to file a sexual assault case, prosecutors must be able to convince 12 jurors, beyond a reasonable doubt; the question is, what is considered reasonable,” Barth said in a written statement Tuesday. “What seems unreasonable is until today and since 2017, more than 40 sexual assault cases have been presented to the LADA’s office yet ZERO have been filed.”


latimes--2020-01-08--Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for $1.4 billion in new help for homeless

Citing the need to act quickly to get homeless Californians off the streets , Gov .
Gavin Newsom will ask lawmakers this week to allocate more than $ 1.4 billion to a variety of local and state-run efforts , with much of the money earmarked as subsidies for immediate housing and community healthcare services .
The proposal , included in the new state budget Newsom will send to the Legislature on Friday , marks the second straight year of sending state taxpayer dollars to local communities struggling with a growing crisis that has drawn national attention and has few easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles and other cities receive the money depends on how quickly legislators consider the governor ’ s plan , though funds allocated during the annual budget process are generally available on July 1 .
Newsom also plans to embrace a permanent change to boost state funding for homelessness needs by way of a November statewide ballot measure to rework the rules of the tax on millionaires imposed by voters in 2004 , money that now is directed to programs first aimed at mental health .
A fact sheet provided by his office calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by this spring outlining how to revamp the existing law , Proposition 63 .
Critics have pointed out that provisions of the existing law have stymied spending where it ’ s needed most .
“ Homelessness is a national crisis , one that ’ s spreading across the West Coast and cities across the country , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ The state of California is treating it as a real emergency — because it is one .
Californians are demanding that all levels of government — federal , state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people off the streets and into services — whether that ’ s emergency housing , mental health services , substance abuse treatment or all of the above.
” Most of the money — $ 750 million — will be distributed directly to local providers by the state Department of Social Services .
The governor ’ s administration expects the money will be used for monthly rent payments , securing additional housing units and to assist facilities that provide board and care to those who otherwise would be left to live on the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no specific allocations to those efforts , instead offering flexibility to needs identified in individual communities .
The money would come from the state ’ s general fund , made possible by what is expected to be another year of better-than-expected tax revenue collections .
Newsom will also ask philanthropic organizations and private sector groups to make donations to the effort , according to the governor ’ s office .
There could be significant competition for portions of the $ 750-million fund .
Advocates for board and care homes recently asked Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than double the current rate that provides the licensed facilities just under $ 1,100 per month to provide lodging , three meals per day , housekeeping and medication management .
On Tuesday , the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors joined the Steinberg Institute and the California County Behavioral Health Directors Assn .
in calling for the allocation .
Meanwhile , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and advocates for the homeless are looking to the state for housing construction dollars .
Speaking Monday at the opening of a project funded by Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti acknowledged that the $ 1.2-billion program will not build enough housing and called on the state to pitch in more , without specifying a specific amount .
Rental subsidies generally come through the federal Section 8 housing voucher program .
But extreme shortages of the vouchers , which are available to only about 1 in 4 of those eligible , have led Los Angeles County to create a subsidy fund using local tax dollars .
The subsidies require a long-term commitment that grows cumulatively as more are issued .
The additional dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , California ’ s taxpayer-funded healthcare for the poor , would come from both state and federal government sources .
The governor ’ s office did not provide full details of the Medi-Cal proposal , but the effort appears to be in line with recommendations made in October to refocus many of the state ’ s healthcare efforts on so-called whole-person care , which takes into account social conditions that affect a person ’ s well-being .
For those who are homeless , that would include help finding adequate housing and financial assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in unsheltered environments .
The governor ’ s budget proposal would also restructure county-managed behavioral health programs so that the services more closely resemble those offered by other healthcare providers .
Not all of Newsom ’ s new effort to address California ’ s homelessness crisis requires legislative action .
The governor is expected to sign an executive order on Wednesday calling on state agencies and departments to assist in finding options for temporary shelter .
Those could include identifying available property near state roads and highways , decommissioned hospitals and healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the homelessness problem is most dire .
Newsom will also order the state Department of General Services to supply 100 travel trailers from the state ’ s fleet , as well as additional “ modular tent structures ” to provide temporary health and social services .
“ As California creates and funds these new resources , we must also ensure those who are on the front lines providing services have the tools to ensure the populations most in need of treatment get it , ” the governor said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates California ’ s homeless population to be 128,777 — making up one-third of all homeless people nationwide .
The state ’ s share of those living in unsheltered conditions is even higher , accounting for some 53 % of the national total .
Newsom and President Trump have frequently criticized each otheron social media over the crisis , with Trump insisting that his administration might intervene if state leaders don ’ t do more to address the problem .
Last month , Newsom criticized the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help local communities tackle homelessness .
During last year ’ s state budget negotiations , lawmakers agreed to distribute $ 640 million in one-time funds , with additional money coming from a $ 2-billion homeless housing bond approved by voters in 2018 .

Citing the need to act quickly to get homeless Californians off the streets, Gov. Gavin Newsom will ask lawmakers this week to allocate more than $1.4 billion to a variety of local and state-run efforts, with much of the money earmarked as subsidies for immediate housing and community healthcare services.
The proposal, included in the new state budget Newsom will send to the Legislature on Friday, marks another major push to send state taxpayer dollars to local communities struggling with a growing crisis that has drawn national attention and has few easy solutions. How fast efforts in Los Angeles and other cities receive the money depends on how quickly legislators consider the governor’s plan, though funds allocated during the annual budget process are generally available on July 1.
Newsom also plans to embrace a permanent change to boost homelessness assistance that could include a November statewide ballot measure to rework the rules of the tax on millionaires imposed by voters in 2004, money that now is directed to programs first aimed at mental health. A fact sheet provided by his office calls for a full proposal to be crafted by this spring outlining how to revamp the existing law, Proposition 63. Critics have pointed out that provisions of the existing law have stymied spending where it’s needed most.
Advertisement
“Homelessness is a national crisis, one that’s spreading across the West Coast and cities across the country,” Newsom said in a statement. “The state of California is treating it as a real emergency — because it is one. Californians are demanding that all levels of government — federal, state and local — do more to get people off the streets and into services — whether that’s emergency housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment or all of the above.”
Most of the money — $750 million — will be distributed directly to local providers by the state Department of Social Services. The governor’s administration expects the money will be used for monthly rent payments, securing additional housing units and to assist facilities that provide board and care to those who otherwise would be left to live on the streets. But administration officials said there will be no specific allocations to those efforts, instead offering flexibility to needs identified in individual communities.
The money would come from the state’s general fund, made possible by what is expected to be another year of better-than-expected tax revenue collections. Newsom will also ask philanthropic organizations and private sector groups to make donations to the effort, according to the governor’s office.
There could be significant competition for portions of the $750-million fund. Advocates for board and care homes recently asked Newsom to commit $500 million to more than double the current rate that provides the licensed facilities just under $1,100 per month to provide lodging, three meals per day, housekeeping and medication management. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors joined the Steinberg Institute and the California County Behavioral Health Directors Assn. in calling for the allocation.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and advocates for the homeless are looking to the state for housing construction dollars. Speaking Monday at the opening of a project funded by Los Angeles’ Proposition HHH homeless housing bond, Garcetti acknowledged that the $1.2-billion program will not build enough housing and called on the state to pitch in more, without specifying a specific amount.
Rental subsidies generally come through the federal Section 8 housing voucher program. But extreme shortages of the vouchers, which are available to only about 1 in 4 of those eligible, have led Los Angeles County to create a subsidy fund using local tax dollars. The subsidies require a long-term commitment that grows cumulatively as more are issued.
The additional dollars to be spent through the Medi-Cal program, California’s taxpayer-funded healthcare for the poor, would come from both state and federal government sources. The governor’s office did not provide full details of the Medi-Cal proposal, but the effort appears to be in line with recommendations made in October to refocus many of the state’s healthcare efforts on so-called whole-person care, which takes into account social conditions that affect a person’s well-being. For those who are homeless, that would include help finding adequate housing and financial assistance with the care needed to recuperate from living in unsheltered environments. The governor’s budget proposal would also restructure county-managed behavioral health programs so that the services more closely resemble those offered by other healthcare providers.
Not all of Newsom’s new effort to address California’s homelessness crisis requires legislative action. The governor is expected to sign an executive order on Wednesday calling on state agencies and departments to assist in finding options for temporary shelter. Those could include identifying available property near state roads and highways, decommissioned hospitals and healthcare facilities, and local fairgrounds in communities where the homelessness problem is most dire. Newsom will also order the state Department of General Services to supply 100 travel trailers from the state’s fleet, as well as additional “modular tent structures” to provide temporary health and social services.
“As California creates and funds these new resources, we must also ensure those who are on the front lines providing services have the tools to ensure the populations most in need of treatment get it,” the governor said in a statement.
A report issued Monday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates California had 128,777 homeless individuals last year and another 22,500 who are part of homeless families. The state’s share of those living in unsheltered conditions is even higher, accounting for some 53% of the national total.
Newsom and President Trump have frequently criticized each otheron social media over the crisis, with Trump insisting that his administration might intervene if state leaders don’t do more to address the problem. Last month, Newsom criticized the federal government for failing to release then-unspent funds to help local communities tackle homelessness. During last year’s state budget negotiations, lawmakers agreed to distribute $640 million in one-time funds, with additional money coming from a $2-billion homeless housing bond approved by voters in 2018.


latimes--2020-01-08--U.S. contractor killed in Iraq is buried in Sacramento

A U.S. defense contractor killed in Iraq in December — during a rocket attack that led to heightened tensions with Iran and the killing of a prominent Iranian military leader — was buried Saturday in Sacramento , the Sacramento Bee reported .
Nawres Waleed Hamid died Dec. 27 in the rocket strike on an Iraqi military base where he worked as a linguist , according to the Bee and wire service reports .
The United States blamed Kataib Hezbollah ( the Hezbollah Brigades ) , a top paramilitary faction that is backed by Iran , for the attack that killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the group , killing some 25 people and wounding 51 others .
Two days after that airstrike , thousands of protesters aligned with an Iraqi paramilitary group stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Dec. 31 .
Gen. Qassem Suleimani , the powerful and shadowy head of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force , was killed Friday .
Hamid lived in a Sacramento suburb with his wife and two children , ages 2 and 8 .
His wife , Noor Alkhalil , said in an interview with the Bee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamid stopped responding to her phone messages .
Soon , a representative from her husband ’ s employer , Valiant Integrated Services , came to their home and told her that her husband had been killed .
“ He was the only person I knew here , ” Alkhalil said Tuesday .
“ It still doesn ’ t feel real .
It has been difficult to accept that he is no longer here.
” “ We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nawres Hamid , ” the company said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and highly committed member of the Valiant team who was cherished and valued by his colleagues .
We offer our sincerest condolences to his family.
” A co-worker told the Washington Post that Hamid had worked in recent years as an Arabic interpreter for U.S. forces in Iraq and that he was known to decorate his living space with pictures of the children .
He became a naturalized citizen in 2017 , the Post reported .
His widow said in an interview with the Bee that she and her husband moved to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pregnant and that she planned to remain in California .
“ What would I return to in Iraq ?
” Alkhalil said .
“ Now my focus is on my two children ; they are my world.
” Times staff writers Melissa Etehad and Nabih Bulos contributed to this report .

A U.S. defense contractor killed in Iraq in December — during a rocket attack that led to heightened tensions with Iran and the killing of a prominent Iranian military leader — was buried Saturday in Sacramento, the Sacramento Bee reported.
Nawres Waleed Hamid died Dec. 27 in the rocket strike on an Iraqi military base where he worked as a linguist, according to the Bee and wire service reports.
The United States blamed Kataib Hezbollah (the Hezbollah Brigades), a top paramilitary faction that is backed by Iran, for the attack that killed Hamid and responded by striking multiple positions of the group, killing some 25 people and wounding 51 others. Two days after that airstrike, thousands of protesters aligned with an Iraqi paramilitary group stormed the compound of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Dec. 31. Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the powerful and shadowy head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was killed Friday.
Advertisement
Hamid lived in a Sacramento suburb with his wife and two children, ages 2 and 8.
His wife, Noor Alkhalil, said in an interview with the Bee that she felt something was wrong when Hamid stopped responding to her phone messages. Soon, a representative from her husband’s employer, Valiant Integrated Services, came to their home and told her that her husband had been killed.
“He was the only person I knew here,” Alkhalil said Tuesday. “It still doesn’t feel real. It has been difficult to accept that he is no longer here.”
Valiant, a Virginia-based company, issued a statement Monday about Hamid’s death.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nawres Hamid,” the company said. “Mr. Hamid was a consummate professional and highly committed member of the Valiant team who was cherished and valued by his colleagues. We offer our sincerest condolences to his family.”
A co-worker told the Washington Post that Hamid had worked in recent years as an Arabic interpreter for U.S. forces in Iraq and that he was known to decorate his living space with pictures of the children. He became a naturalized citizen in 2017, the Post reported.
Advertisement
His widow said in an interview with the Bee that she and her husband moved to the United States in 2011 while she was pregnant and that she planned to remain in California.
“What would I return to in Iraq?” Alkhalil said. “Now my focus is on my two children; they are my world.”
Times staff writers Melissa Etehad and Nabih Bulos contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-08--Man gets life for deadly L.A. County joyride

A man who shot at strangers during a deadly Southern California joyride has been sentenced to 373 years to life @ @ @ @ @ said that Lazo and his girlfriend , 29-year-old Reyna Gomez of Whittier , carjacked a @ @ @ @ @ April 2017 and drove around for hours , taking turns shooting at people and cars @ @ @ @ @ as he waited with his family in a car at a red light in La @ @ @ @ @ were wounded .
Gomez and Lazo , both gang members , had been released from @ @ @ @ @ Lazo was convicted last month of first-degree murder , carjacking , and 12 counts of @ @ @ @ @ sentenced last year to more than 350 years to life in prison .

A man who shot at strangers during a deadly Southern California joyride has been sentenced to 373 years to life in state prison.
Twenty-three-year-old Alejandro Lazo was sentenced Monday.
Prosecutors said that Lazo and his girlfriend, 29-year-old Reyna Gomez of Whittier, carjacked a driver in Pico Rivera in April 2017 and drove around for hours, taking turns shooting at people and cars.
A driver was killed as he waited with his family in a car at a red light in La Mirada. Two other people were wounded.
Advertisement
Gomez and Lazo, both gang members, had been released from prison six months earlier.
Lazo was convicted last month of first-degree murder, carjacking, and 12 counts of attempted murder.
Gomez was sentenced last year to more than 350 years to life in prison.


latimes--2020-01-07--Homeless women who took over Oakland home gain lawmakers' support

Some California lawmakers said they support a group of homeless women who have been illegally living in a vacant three-bedroom house since November , partly to protest real estate speculators who drive up housing costs in the pricey Bay Area .
Moms 4 Housing , a collective recently formed to support the Oakland women , interrupted a news conference on legislation to boost housing construction Tuesday at City Hall , shouting “ affordable housing now.
” “ I want to thank Moms 4 Housing for taking that house and for demonstrating that nowhere , nowhere should there be a vacant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the housing crisis that we have , ” said Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley .
“ And it was totally legitimate for those homeless moms to take over that house.
” The women took over the home after they said they were unable to find permanent housing in the Bay Area , where high-paying tech jobs have exacerbated income inequality and a housing shortage .
They also say they ’ re protesting real estate developers who snap up distressed homes , then leave them empty .
They are awaiting a final ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay , though Alameda County Superior Court Judge Patrick McKinney has tentatively ruled in favor of the property owner , Wedgewood Inc. , a Redondo Beach-based real estate investment group that bought the home in a foreclosure auction last year .
Dominique Walker , 34 , who has 1- and 5-year-old daughters , said she moved back to her native Oakland from Mississippi last year but could not find a place to live in the pricey market .
She said many of the people who used to live in her neighborhood have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Housing is a human right .
I pay bills there .
I pay water , PG & E , internet .
We live there , ” Walker said .
“ We want to purchase the home ; it needs to belong back in the hands of the community .
It was stolen through the foreclosure crisis.
” The company bought the home for $ 501,000 and took possession days after the women moved in , said Sam Singer , a spokesman for Wedgewood .
The 1908 house has one bathroom and is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this home , and these squatters have broken into it , they ’ re illegally occupying it , and that is not the right thing to do .
It ’ s simply theft , ” Singer said Tuesday .
“ This is really a case about a group of people taking the law into their own hands.
” Lawyers for Walker argued in court last week that housing is a right and the court should allow the women to possess the house , particularly because it was vacant for a long time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the streets .
Assemblyman Ash Kalra , a Democrat from San Jose , said Tuesday that elected officials need to ensure “ opportunistic landlords and corporate landlords ” don ’ t “ keep our homes vacant.
” Many Oakland residents say they are being pushed to the fringes of the Bay Area as they struggle to keep pace with housing costs .
Federal officials said last month that an uptick in the country ’ s homeless population was driven entirely by a 16 % increase in California , where the median sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s higher in the Bay Area .
The situation is so dire that Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom approved a statewide rent cap on some properties .
Yet there are four vacant homes for every homeless person in Oakland , said Leah Simon-Weisberg , an attorney for Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment , which is helping the mothers in court .
The empty eyesores are in devastated , predominantly minority neighborhoods , she said , adding that developers such as Wedgewood “ acquire the property , they kick the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they sell it.
” Singer said Wedgewood buys distressed properties , hires local workers to fix up the homes and sells them .
He said the company wants to start renovating the house so that “ another family can join the ranks of homeowners of Oakland.
” He said the company will continue with its eviction proceedings against the women if the judge rules in the company ’ s favor , as expected .

Tolani King, left, cries next to Sharena Thomas, both from the group Moms 4 Housing, as they talk with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf at a rally outside of City Hall in Oakland on Tuesday.
Some California lawmakers said they support a group of homeless women who have been illegally living in a vacant three-bedroom house since November, partly to protest real estate speculators who drive up housing costs in the pricey Bay Area.
Moms 4 Housing, a collective recently formed to support the Oakland women, interrupted a news conference on legislation to boost housing construction Tuesday at City Hall, shouting “affordable housing now.”
“I want to thank Moms 4 Housing for taking that house and for demonstrating that nowhere, nowhere should there be a vacant house anywhere in California when we have the housing crisis that we have,” said Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley. “And it was totally legitimate for those homeless moms to take over that house.”
Advertisement
The women took over the home after they said they were unable to find permanent housing in the Bay Area, where high-paying tech jobs have exacerbated income inequality and a housing shortage. They also say they’re protesting real estate developers who snap up distressed homes, then leave them empty.
They are awaiting a final ruling from a judge on whether they can stay, though Alameda County Superior Court Judge Patrick McKinney has tentatively ruled in favor of the property owner, Wedgewood Inc., a Redondo Beach-based real estate investment group that bought the home in a foreclosure auction last year.
Dominique Walker, 34, who has 1- and 5-year-old daughters, said she moved back to her native Oakland from Mississippi last year but could not find a place to live in the pricey market. She said many of the people who used to live in her neighborhood have been forced out by rising prices.
“Housing is a human right. I pay bills there. I pay water, PG&E, internet. We live there,” Walker said. “We want to purchase the home; it needs to belong back in the hands of the community. It was stolen through the foreclosure crisis.”
The company bought the home for $501,000 and took possession days after the women moved in, said Sam Singer, a spokesman for Wedgewood. The 1908 house has one bathroom and is about 1,500 square feet.
“Wedgewood owns this home, and these squatters have broken into it, they’re illegally occupying it, and that is not the right thing to do. It’s simply theft,” Singer said Tuesday. “This is really a case about a group of people taking the law into their own hands.”
Advertisement
Lawyers for Walker argued in court last week that housing is a right and the court should allow the women to possess the house, particularly because it was vacant for a long time and the alternative would be to send them to the streets.
Assemblyman Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose, said Tuesday that elected officials need to ensure “opportunistic landlords and corporate landlords” don’t “keep our homes vacant.”
Many Oakland residents say they are being pushed to the fringes of the Bay Area as they struggle to keep pace with housing costs.
Federal officials said last month that an uptick in the country’s homeless population was driven entirely by a 16% increase in California, where the median sale price of a home is $500,000. It’s higher in the Bay Area.
The situation is so dire that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a statewide rent cap on some properties.
Yet there are four vacant homes for every homeless person in Oakland, said Leah Simon-Weisberg, an attorney for Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, which is helping the mothers in court.
The empty eyesores are in devastated, predominantly minority neighborhoods, she said, adding that developers such as Wedgewood “acquire the property, they kick the people out who are in it, and they sell it.”
Singer said Wedgewood buys distressed properties, hires local workers to fix up the homes and sells them. He said the company wants to start renovating the house so that “another family can join the ranks of homeowners of Oakland.”
He said the company will continue with its eviction proceedings against the women if the judge rules in the company’s favor, as expected.


latimes--2020-01-07--L.A. County can help thousands of mentally ill inmates avoid arrest and homelessness, study finds

More than 60 % of the inmates with a mental illness in the Los Angeles County Jail would be eligible for diversion if there were more facilities capable of providing supportive care , according to a study released Tuesday .
Such a move would save the county hundreds of dollars a day in incarceration costs for each inmate and , for many , end a cycle of being arrested and released , then becoming homeless and getting arrested again , the medical director of the county ’ s Office of Diversion and Reentry , Kristen Ochoa , said at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taken out of the criminal justice system , she said , citing the study conducted by the nonprofit research agency Rand Corp. “ This is a tool I hope we can use to its fullest , ” Ochoa said .
“ I think all we need right now are resources to increase our capacity.
” About 30 % of those in the county jail each day are either in the mental health ward or receiving psychotropic medication .
That number stands at about 6,000 , after rising steadily in recent years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings of an earlier study by the Office of Diversion and Reentry , was conducted to determine how much the county should scale up its community-based mental health services to divert all eligible inmates .
In the four years since the L.A. County Board of Supervisors created Ochoa ’ s office , it has secured the release of more than 4,400 inmates convicted of felonies or ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial .
The cost for housing them is about $ 70 per day , compared to $ 600 per day for incarceration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked at a sample of the 5,544 inmates with a mental illness to determine whether they would qualify for diversion and whether they met the clinical standard for it .
Researchers found that 60.8 % would be eligible and another 7.5 % might be eligible but would require further assessment .
No overall numbers , either in dollars or in community treatment facilities , were cited in the study , which was limited to one day and did not account for those who might decline diversion or be refused it by a judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number “ would be a big one.
” The supervisors on Tuesday praised the diversion program , but also expressed reservations about how hard it would be to provide additional mental health facilities .
“ This makes sense .
The outcomes for people will be so much better , ” Supervisor Janice Hahn said .
“ But I think there ’ s a lot of hard work out there in real life on actually building this kind of capacity in our communities .
I find my biggest frustration currently is just locating shelters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the board chair , said she is focused on building community clinics .
“ It is about access to outpatient care , ” she said .
“ Until we do that , diversion is going to fail.
” Retired Judge Peter Espinoza , director of the Office of Diversion and Reentry , said that getting eligible inmates out of jail benefits both their clinical outcomes and the public ’ s safety .
“ Often forgotten is that the vast majority of the people we ’ re talking about , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either to us or they ’ re going to be on their own , ” he said .
“ And we are satisfied that when they come to us , their outcomes are greatly improved and their recidivist behavior is greatly reduced.
” An earlier Rand study of inmates with felony charges who were sent to a diversion program found that 14 % of them had a new felony conviction after a year .
Espinoza said that number was “ unbelievably low ” for a “ population which is very vulnerable , very @ @ @ @ @ @

More than 60% of the inmates with a mental illness in the Los Angeles County Jail would be eligible for diversion if there were more facilities capable of providing supportive care, according to a study released Tuesday.
Such a move would save the county hundreds of dollars a day in incarceration costs for each inmate and, for many, end a cycle of being arrested and released, then becoming homeless and getting arrested again, the medical director of the county’s Office of Diversion and Reentry, Kristen Ochoa, said at a news briefing. Thousands of inmates could be taken out of the criminal justice system, she said, citing the study conducted by the nonprofit research agency Rand Corp.
“This is a tool I hope we can use to its fullest,” Ochoa said. “I think all we need right now are resources to increase our capacity.”
Advertisement
About 30% of those in the county jail each day are either in the mental health ward or receiving psychotropic medication. That number stands at about 6,000, after rising steadily in recent years.
The Rand report, which confirmed the findings of an earlier study by the Office of Diversion and Reentry, was conducted to determine how much the county should scale up its community-based mental health services to divert all eligible inmates.
In the four years since the L.A. County Board of Supervisors created Ochoa’s office, it has secured the release of more than 4,400 inmates convicted of felonies or ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial. The cost for housing them is about $70 per day, compared to $600 per day for incarceration, Ochoa said.
The Rand study looked at a sample of the 5,544 inmates with a mental illness to determine whether they would qualify for diversion and whether they met the clinical standard for it. Researchers found that 60.8% would be eligible and another 7.5% might be eligible but would require further assessment.
No overall numbers, either in dollars or in community treatment facilities, were cited in the study, which was limited to one day and did not account for those who might decline diversion or be refused it by a judge.
However, Ochoa conceded, any number “would be a big one.”
The supervisors on Tuesday praised the diversion program, but also expressed reservations about how hard it would be to provide additional mental health facilities.
Advertisement
“This makes sense. The outcomes for people will be so much better,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “But I think there’s a lot of hard work out there in real life on actually building this kind of capacity in our communities. I find my biggest frustration currently is just locating shelters for the homeless.”
Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the board chair, said she is focused on building community clinics.
“It is about access to outpatient care,” she said. “Until we do that, diversion is going to fail.”
Retired Judge Peter Espinoza, director of the Office of Diversion and Reentry, said that getting eligible inmates out of jail benefits both their clinical outcomes and the public’s safety.
“Often forgotten is that the vast majority of the people we’re talking about, they’re coming out of the jail eventually — either to us or they’re going to be on their own,” he said. “And we are satisfied that when they come to us, their outcomes are greatly improved and their recidivist behavior is greatly reduced.”
An earlier Rand study of inmates with felony charges who were sent to a diversion program found that 14% of them had a new felony conviction after a year. Espinoza said that number was “unbelievably low” for a “population which is very vulnerable, very sick and on probation.”


latimes--2020-01-08--On the anniversary of Timothy Dean's death, his family files suit against Ed Buck

The sisters of a gay man who died in the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck last year have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the wealthy Democratic donor , alleging he was a drug dealer who preyed on black men and injected their brother with a lethal dose of crystal methamphetamine for his own sexual gratification .
Joyce Jackson and Joann Campbell filed the lawsuit Tuesday , the first anniversary of the death of their 55-year-old brother , Timothy Dean .
Dean was found dead from a drug overdose inside Buck ’ s West Hollywood home on Jan. 7 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in less than two years that a black man had died of an overdose at Buck ’ s home .
After significant outcry from activists , Dean ’ s death prompted authorities to launch an investigation into Buck ’ s actions .
Attorney Hussain Turk , who is representing the families of Dean and Gemmel Moore , who was found dead in Buck ’ s home in July 2017 , said it took unreasonable efforts from the community to get the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office to look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longtime donor to the Democratic Party and a fixture in West Hollywood .
Buck has been indicted on federal charges of providing the meth that led to the deaths of both Moore , 26 , and Dean .
The D.A .
's office has also charged Buck , 65 , with battery and operating a drug den .
He has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody .
Prosecutors allege Buck preyed on vulnerable gay black men who were homeless , addicted to drugs or working as escorts and lured them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he manipulated them into doing drugs for his sexual gratification .
“ The issue of sexual violence has become very salient thanks to the # MeToo movement , but one of the failures of the movement is that really only wealthy , white women are trusted when they come forward with allegations , ” Turk said .
“ Had the victims in this case been white or wealthy , then we firmly believe that the claims would have been taken much more seriously.
” Several men have claimed Buck injected them with methamphetamine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man said Buck referred to him using a racial slur , according to the lawsuit .
The suit alleges that Buck “ had a predatory and injurious system of soliciting black gay men and watching them cling to life while battling symptoms of methamphetamine toxicity after he intravenously administered large doses of the drug to them.
” The men engaged in sexual acts with and in front of Buck in exchange for compensation in the form of temporary housing , money , alcohol , marijuana and other substances , court records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s death , Buck had injected the man with crystal methamphetamine without his consent and then forced him to watch hardcore pornographic films and perform sex acts , according to the lawsuit .
When reached by phone Wednesday , Buck ’ s attorney , Seymour Amster , told a Times reporter that he was not aware that a civil lawsuit had been filed .
He did not have an immediate comment .
Amster has previously told The Times that critics had unfairly used race to blame Buck for the deaths , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden have media attention are trying to divide the races.
” The lawsuit accuses Buck of sexual battery , assault , hate violence , negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as other crimes .
A separate civil lawsuit filed by Moore ’ s family last year , which in addition to Buck names L.A. County and Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey , is still ongoing .
A Times analysis of campaign finance records shows that , since the mid-2000s , Buck has given more than $ 500,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them linked to the Democratic Party .
Forty politicians currently holding office in California have received donations from Buck , including Lacey , Gov .
Gavin Newsom , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , and U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu ( D-Torrance ) and Adam B. Schiff ( D-Burbank ) .
Some politicians .
“ The goal is holding not only Ed Buck to account , but also the county and the leaders who are supposed to be protecting everyone in Los Angeles , ” Turk said .

The sisters of a gay man who died in the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck last year have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the wealthy Democratic donor, alleging he was a drug dealer who preyed on black men and injected their brother with a lethal dose of crystal methamphetamine for his own sexual gratification.
Joyce Jackson and Joann Campbell filed the lawsuit Tuesday, the first anniversary of the death of their 55-year-old brother, Timothy Dean. Dean was found dead of a drug overdose inside Buck’s West Hollywood home Jan. 7, 2019.
It was the second time in less than two years that a black man had died of an overdose at Buck’s home. After significant outcry from activists, Dean’s death prompted authorities to launch an investigation into Buck’s actions.
Attorney Hussain Turk, who is representing the families of Dean and Gemmel Moore, who was found dead in Buck’s home in July 2017, said it took unreasonable efforts from the community to get the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to look at the information they had gathered about Buck, a longtime donor to the Democratic Party and a fixture in West Hollywood.
Advertisement
Buck has been indicted on federal charges of providing the meth that led to the deaths of both Moore, 26, and Dean. The L.A. County district attorney’s office has also charged Buck, 65, with battery and operating a drug den. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody.
Prosecutors allege Buck preyed on vulnerable gay black men who were homeless, addicted to drugs or working as escorts and lured them to his Laurel Avenue apartment, where he manipulated them into doing drugs for his sexual gratification.
“The issue of sexual violence has become very salient thanks to the #MeToo movement, but one of the failures of the movement is that really only wealthy, white women are trusted when they come forward with allegations,” Turk said. “Had the victims in this case been white or wealthy, then we firmly believe that the claims would have been taken much more seriously.”
Several men have claimed Buck injected them with methamphetamine as they slept. In one instance, a man said Buck referred to him using a racial slur, according to the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that Buck “had a predatory and injurious system of soliciting black gay men and watching them cling to life while battling symptoms of methamphetamine toxicity after he intravenously administered large doses of the drug to them.” The men engaged in sexual acts with and in front of Buck in exchange for compensation in the form of temporary housing, money, alcohol, marijuana and other substances, court records show.
On occasions before Dean’s death, Buck had injected the man with crystal methamphetamine without his consent and then forced him to watch hardcore pornographic films and perform sex acts, according to the lawsuit.
Advertisement
When reached by phone Wednesday, Buck’s attorney, Seymour Amster, told a Times reporter that he was not aware that a civil lawsuit had been filed. He did not have an immediate comment.
Amster has previously told The Times that critics had unfairly used race to blame Buck for the deaths, saying, “Some people who all of a sudden have media attention are trying to divide the races.”
The lawsuit accuses Buck of sexual battery, assault, hate violence, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as other crimes. A separate civil lawsuit filed by Moore’s family last year, which in addition to Buck names L.A. County and Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, is still ongoing.
A Times analysis of campaign finance records shows that, since the mid-2000s, Buck has given more than $500,000 to political candidates and causes, almost all of them linked to the Democratic Party. Forty politicians currently holding office in California have received donations from Buck, including Lacey, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank). Some politicians have returned the money.
“The goal is holding not only Ed Buck to account, but also the county and the leaders who are supposed to be protecting everyone in Los Angeles,” Turk said.


latimes--2020-01-08--California is poised to extend healthcare coverage to seniors in the U.S. illegally

California has been slowly erasing legal immigration status as a requirement for medical coverage under the state ’ s healthcare program for low-income residents , allowing children in the U.S. illegally and , this month , young adults to enroll .
Now , Democratic lawmakers expect Gov .
Gavin Newsom to embrace an effort to include seniors without legal status in the state ’ s Medi-Cal program — either in his new state budget or with his signature on legislation .
Newsom will send the Legislature a full state spending plan this week , and is expected to unveil it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durazo ( D-Los Angeles ) said she expects it to include the Medi-Cal expansion after the governor told her in September he would champion the effort in his next budget .
Durazo said that assurance prompted her to hold her bill last year that would have expanded coverage to adults 65 years or older who are living in the U.S. illegally .
“ He made a very explicit commitment that he would include it in his budget , ” Durazo said Monday , adding that she had not heard anything since then to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m hopeful , ” she said .
“ I have no reason to think it won ’ t be included.
” Newsom ’ s office declined to comment on whether his budget will include the Med-Cal expansion .
The relatively small population of seniors in the country illegally who live in the state means the cost of covering them — estimated to be $ 121 million a year — is a fraction of the state ’ s overall $ 215-billion budget .
But Medi-Cal already covers a third of California ’ s residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue it is already struggling with long wait times because of too few doctors who are willing to accept the state ’ s low reimbursement rates .
“ There are issues with access , ” said state Sen. Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) in opposing the bill in May , adding that extending coverage to more people when those currently enrolled struggle to get appointments would constitute a “ false promise.
” This month , California became the first state to cover adult immigrants younger than 26 without legal status through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s proposal to spend $ 250 million a year on the effort , which was included in last year ’ s budget .
The state first expanded the healthcare program to children in the U.S. illegally in 2015 , which has allowed more than 200,000 minors to enroll in the benefit at a cost of $ 300 million a year .
Supporters of the expansion say covering seniors is the logical — and less costly — next step toward universal healthcare coverage , a policy goal central to Newsom ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of uninsured Californians is immigrants in the U.S. illegally , with an estimated 1.5 million adults without legal status eligible based on income but excluded because of immigration status .
The administration estimated last year that expanding Medi-Cal to all income-eligible adults regardless of age or immigration status would cost $ 2.4 billion a year .
While Medi-Cal is funded by both federal and state money , the cost of expanding coverage to immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally falls solely to California because the Affordable Care Act prohibits the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Adult immigrants without legal status can enroll in limited scope Medi-Cal coverage , which covers pregnancy , some cancer treatments , emergency services and long-term care .
“ We believe fundamentally that primary and preventative care makes our healthcare system more efficient and effective for everyone , ” said Anthony Wright , executive director of Health Access California , a consumer advocacy group .
“ It ’ s important that we take these important steps to provide real relief to Californians who are excluded due to eligibility or affordability.
” Durazo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here illegally passed the Senate last year and was set for a vote in the Assembly when she held it .
Durazo said she would push for an Assembly vote on Senate Bill 29 if Newsom does not include the expansion in his budget this week .
The bill would have to return to the Senate for a concurrence vote .
A legislative analysis of SB 29 estimated that 25,300 adults 65 years old and older who are here illegally would enroll in Medi-Cal coverage .
The Newsom administration formally opposed Durazo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would “ create significant general fund pressure.
” “ For many of these seniors , they have made a lifetime of contributions to California — to our economy , tax base and our society — and right now they are excluded from healthcare programs , ” Wright said .
“ It makes sense to focus on those who need this the most .
It doesn ’ t mean we don ’ t want to get to everyone , so we will continue to press on that as well .
”

California has been slowly erasing legal immigration status as a requirement for medical coverage under the state’s healthcare program for low-income residents, allowing children and, this month, young adults living in the U.S. illegally to enroll. Now, Democratic lawmakers expect Gov. Gavin Newsom to embrace an effort to include seniors without legal status in the state’s Medi-Cal program — either in his new state budget or with his signature on legislation.
Newsom will send the Legislature a full state spending plan this week and is expected to unveil it Friday. State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) said she expects it to include the Medi-Cal expansion after the governor told her in September that he would champion the effort in his next budget. Durazo said that assurance prompted her to hold her bill last year that would have expanded coverage to adults 65 or older who are living in the U.S. illegally.
“He made a very explicit commitment that he would include it in his budget,” Durazo said Monday, adding that she had not heard anything since then to change that understanding.
“I’m hopeful,” she said. “I have no reason to think it won’t be included.”
Advertisement
Newsom’s office declined to comment on whether his budget will include the Medi-Cal expansion. The relatively small population of seniors who live in the state without legal immigration status means the cost of covering them — estimated to be $121 million a year — is a fraction of the state’s overall $215-billion budget. But Medi-Cal already covers a third of California’s residents, and critics of expanding the program argue it is already struggling with long wait times because of too few doctors who are willing to accept the state’s low reimbursement rates.
“There are issues with access,” said state Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) in opposing the bill in May, adding that extending coverage to more people when those currently enrolled struggle to get appointments would constitute a “false promise.”
This month, California became the first state to cover adult immigrants younger than 26 who lack legal status through the state’s Medi-Cal program under Newsom’s proposal to spend $250 million a year on the effort, which was included in last year’s budget. The state first expanded the healthcare program in 2015 to children living in the U.S. illegally, which has allowed more than 200,000 minors to enroll in the benefit at a cost of $300 million a year.
Supporters of the expansion say covering seniors is the logical — and less costly — next step toward universal healthcare coverage, a policy goal central to Newsom’s campaign platform. One of the largest groups of uninsured Californians is immigrants in the U.S. illegally, with an estimated 1.5 million adults eligible based on income but excluded because of their immigration status. The administration estimated last year that expanding Medi-Cal to all income-eligible adults regardless of age or immigration status would cost $2.4 billion a year.
Though Medi-Cal is funded by both federal and state money, the cost of expanding coverage to immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally falls solely to California because the Affordable Care Act prohibits the use of federal dollars for covering such immigrants. Adult immigrants without legal status can enroll in limited scope Medi-Cal coverage, which covers pregnancy, some cancer treatments, emergency services and long-term care.
“We believe fundamentally that primary and preventative care makes our healthcare system more efficient and effective for everyone,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group. “It’s important that we take these important steps to provide real relief to Californians who are excluded due to eligibility or affordability.”
Advertisement
Durazo’s legislation to expand coverage to seniors here illegally passed the Senate last year and was set for a vote in the Assembly when she held it. Durazo said she would push for an Assembly vote on Senate Bill 29 if Newsom does not include the expansion in his budget this week. The bill would have to return to the Senate for a concurrence vote.
A legislative analysis of SB 29 estimated that 25,300 people who are 65 or older and lack legal status would enroll in Medi-Cal coverage. The Newsom administration formally opposed Durazo’s bill last year, saying that it would “create significant general fund pressure.”
“For many of these seniors, they have made a lifetime of contributions to California — to our economy, tax base and our society — and right now they are excluded from healthcare programs,” Wright said. “It makes sense to focus on those who need this the most. It doesn’t mean we don’t want to get to everyone, so we will continue to press on that as well.”


latimes--2020-01-08--Camp Pendleton, other military bases increase security amid tensions with Iran

Following escalating tensions between the United States and Iran , the U.S. Northern Command — the agency that oversees the Department of Defense ’ s homeland defenses — has directed Camp Pendleton and other California military bases to increase security conditions .
In the wake of a U.S. drone strike that targeted and killed Iran ’ s top military leader , Gen. Qassem Suleimani , Camp Pendleton posted a notice to its social media channels on Jan. 4 that the Marine Corps base in San Diego County , one of the largest in the country , will begin implementing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned travelers to expect delays at entry points as all vehicle occupants will be required to present an ID upon entering Camp Pendleton , said Capt .
David Mancilla , a base spokesman .
“ While we will not discuss specifics , U.S. Northern Command is implementing additional force protection condition measures to increase security and awareness for all installations in the U.S. NORTHCOM Area of Responsibility , ” U.S. Northern Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr .
Mike Hatfield said .
There is no time limit on the increased conditions , authorities said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , known as Force Protection Condition , to “ bravo ” — a condition that occurs when a heightened threat of terrorist activity exists — for several bases .
According to Mancilla , Camp Pendleton has been at FPCON Bravo status for several years but is currently increasing its security checkpoints with mandatory ID checks .
On Wednesday , President Trump addressed the nation following Tehran ’ s missile attack Tuesday night on U.S. forces in Iraq .
Trump said no Americans or Iraqis were killed in the attack , and while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Iran , he did not call for any new military action .
Last week , local law enforcement sources told The Times that several agencies had increased patrols at transit hubs and key potential targets .
The California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services said that while there was no immediate threat to the state , the agency was working with local , state and federal officials to monitor the safety of Californians , including cybersecurity .
Officials with Los Angeles International Airport , San Francisco Airport and local police departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, the U.S. Northern Command — the agency that oversees the Department of Defense’s homeland defenses — has directed Camp Pendleton and other California military bases to increase security conditions.
After a U.S. drone strike targeted and killed Iran’s top military leader, Gen. Qassem Suleimani, Camp Pendleton posted a notice to its social media channels Saturday that the Marine Corps base in San Diego County, one of the largest in the country, will begin a 100% ID check policy.
The base warned travelers to expect delays at entry points as all vehicle occupants will be required to present an ID upon entering Camp Pendleton, said Capt. David Mancilla, a base spokesman.
“While we will not discuss specifics, U.S. Northern Command is implementing additional force protection condition measures to increase security and awareness for all installations in the U.S. NORTHCOM Area of Responsibility,” U.S. Northern Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Mike Hatfield said. There is no time limit on the increased security, authorities said.
U.S. Northern Command increased its security status — known as force protection condition, or FPCON — to Bravo, indicating a heightened threat of terrorist activity, for several bases. Mancilla said Camp Pendleton has been at FPCON Bravo for several years but is currently increasing its security checkpoints.
On Wednesday, President Trump addressed the nation after Tehran’s missile attack Tuesday night on U.S. forces in Iraq. Trump said no Americans or Iraqis were killed in the attack, and although he said he would impose additional economic sanctions on Iran, he did not call for any new military action.
Advertisement
Last week, local law enforcement sources told The Times that several agencies had increased patrols at transit hubs and key potential targets. The California Office of Emergency Services said that although there was no immediate threat to the state, the agency was working with local, state and federal officials to monitor the safety of Californians, including cybersecurity.
Officials with Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and local police departments said they would continue to monitor events.