latimes--2020-08-27--Family of Black man killed by Pasadena police files claims against city

Relatives of Anthony McClain , a Black man who was fatally shot by Pasadena police as he ran from officers during a traffic stop earlier this month , have filed two legal claims against the city .
A Pasadena police car dash camera captured the shooting of McClain , 32 , around 8 p.m. Aug. 15 .
In the video , McClain is asked to step out of the passenger seat of a four-door Infiniti that was stopped because it did not have a front license plate .
The driver , who was found to have a suspended license , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
McClain runs away with what appears to be something shiny around his waistband as two officers chase after him , ordering him to stop .
The video shows one officer firing two shots — one of which strikes the fleeing man in his flank — as McClain sprints away .
Authorities said McClain ran for about another 100 yards before collapsing .
He died hours later at a hospital .
In a description of the video , police say that the object at McClain ’ s waist was a handgun and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be seen in his left hand as he runs away before turning his head back toward the pursuing officers .
Police said an illegally assembled semiautomatic pistol with different serial numbers was recovered nearby .
Caree Harper , the attorney for McClain ’ s sister and grandmother , says what police saw in the video was a large metal Michael Kors belt buckle .
In a legal claim filed Thursday , Harper said McClain was not armed and the weapon police say was recovered has not been forensically tied to him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recklessly , with one of his rounds narrowly missing a group of bystanders and striking a nearby house .
“ There are at least three people in the direct line of fire as Officer [ Christian ] Rosa fired , ” Harper wrote in a 13-page legal claim — the precursor to a lawsuit — seeking damages for wrongful death .
Harper , a former police officer , said Rosa — who was supposed to be the “ cover unit ” — created potential chaos by opening the passenger door and directing McClain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time as the driver .
She said that when McClain began to walk away from the officer , Rosa grabbed the man ’ s left forearm .
“ Fearing for his life , ” McClain fled , the attorney alleged .
A Pasadena city spokeswoman said Rosa was not the officer who shot McClain .
The city , however , has so far refused to provide the identity of the officer .
Harper said that if the slim , 6-foot-1 McClain had had a gun , it would have been easily visible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he never saw McClain make a threatening gesture , but did flinch after being shot .
Another witness , who knew McClain , said the man seemed to listen to the officer ’ s direction to lie down and spread his arms .
Once on the ground , according to court documents , McClain was asked by the officer about a gun and responded : “ I didn ’ t have a gun.
” None of the video released by Pasadena police shows McClain tossing a gun , though police have said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throwing the weapon as he ran .
Harper said “ it is simply unbelievable ” that a mortally wounded man could toss a gun across the street and it not be scratched and his fingerprints not be found on the weapon .
The fatal shooting , which is under investigation from several jurisdictions , ignited protests in Pasadena .
It follows the video-recorded death of George Floyd , a Black man pinned to the ground by his neck during a Minneapolis arrest , which sparked protests and uprisings nationwide and widespread debate about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , oversight and police funding .
In the wake of the shooting , the Pasadena City Council on Monday approved a plan for a police auditor and an oversight committee , a proposal with years of community discussion following other police shootings .
The vice mayor has publicly called for the officer involved in McClain ’ s shooting to be fired .
Thursday ’ s claim comes on the heels of another filed in McClain ’ s death .
“ I don ’ t see no reason he should deserve to be shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who identified himself as McClain ’ s father , said while standing outside Pasadena police headquarters .
“ I will have to deal with this the rest of my life.
” Barry ’ s attorney , Luis Carrillo , filed a separate legal claim for damages Wednesday .
The lawyer says the Pasadena police fail to train officers adequately in the use of force .
“ This city doesn ’ t teach its officers reverence for human life , ” Carrillo said .
“ Officers should respect life .
This officer did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This officer cowardly shot Anthony McClain in the back .
This city doesn ’ t train its officers well .
He was no imminent threat.
” Pasadena Police Chief John Perez said he has not made a final determination about the shooting but that video shows McClain has a gun in his hand .
“ You can see the weapon begin to turn with the body , ” the chief said last week when the footage was released .
Perez said the initial information indicates the shooting meets a state law enacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard for the use of deadly force , noting that McClain posed an “ imminent threat.
” The law allows officers to use deadly force to apprehend a fleeing person for felonies that threaten or result in death or serious bodily injury if the officer reasonably believes the person will hurt or kill others unless immediately apprehended .

Relatives of Anthony McClain, a Black man who was fatally shot by Pasadena police as he ran from officers during a traffic stop earlier this month, have filed two legal claims against the city.
A Pasadena police car dash camera captured the shooting of McClain, 32, around 8 p.m. Aug. 15. In the video, McClain is asked to step out of the passenger seat of a four-door Infiniti that was stopped because it did not have a front license plate. The driver, who was found to have a suspended license, was also asked to exit the vehicle.
McClain runs away with what appears to be something shiny around his waistband as two officers chase after him, ordering him to stop. The video shows one officer firing two shots — one of which strikes the fleeing man in his flank — as McClain sprints away.
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Authorities said McClain ran for about another 100 yards before collapsing. He died hours later at a hospital.
In a description of the video, police say that the object at McClain’s waist was a handgun and that in a slow-motion version, the object can be seen in his left hand as he runs away before turning his head back toward the pursuing officers.
Police said an illegally assembled semiautomatic pistol with different serial numbers was recovered nearby.
Caree Harper, the attorney for McClain’s sister and grandmother, says what police saw in the video was a large metal Michael Kors belt buckle.
In a legal claim filed Thursday, Harper said McClain was not armed and the weapon police say was recovered has not been forensically tied to him.
Harper also argued the pursuing officer fired recklessly, with one of his rounds narrowly missing a group of bystanders and striking a nearby house.
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“There are at least three people in the direct line of fire as Officer [Christian] Rosa fired,” Harper wrote in a 13-page legal claim — the precursor to a lawsuit — seeking damages for wrongful death.
Harper, a former police officer, said Rosa — who was supposed to be the “cover unit” — created potential chaos by opening the passenger door and directing McClain out of the car at the same time as the driver. She said that when McClain began to walk away from the officer, Rosa grabbed the man’s left forearm. “Fearing for his life,” McClain fled, the attorney alleged.
A Pasadena city spokeswoman said Rosa was not the officer who shot McClain. The city, however, has so far refused to provide the identity of the officer.
Harper said that if the slim, 6-foot-1 McClain had had a gun, it would have been easily visible.
The claim cites one witness who said he never saw McClain make a threatening gesture, but did flinch after being shot. Another witness, who knew McClain, said the man seemed to listen to the officer’s direction to lie down and spread his arms. Once on the ground, according to court documents, McClain was asked by the officer about a gun and responded: “I didn’t have a gun.”
None of the video released by Pasadena police shows McClain tossing a gun, though police have said a witness told authorities that McClain was seen throwing the weapon as he ran.
Harper said “it is simply unbelievable” that a mortally wounded man could toss a gun across the street and it not be scratched and his fingerprints not be found on the weapon.
The fatal shooting, which is under investigation from several jurisdictions, ignited protests in Pasadena. It follows the video-recorded death of George Floyd, a Black man pinned to the ground by his neck during a Minneapolis arrest, which sparked protests and uprisings nationwide and widespread debate about use of force toward people of color, oversight and police funding.
In the wake of the shooting, the Pasadena City Council on Monday approved a plan for a police auditor and an oversight committee, a proposal with years of community discussion following other police shootings. The vice mayor has publicly called for the officer involved in McClain’s shooting to be fired.
Thursday’s claim comes on the heels of another filed in McClain’s death.
“I don’t see no reason he should deserve to be shot in the back,” Archie Barry, who identified himself as McClain’s father, said while standing outside Pasadena police headquarters. “I will have to deal with this the rest of my life.”
Barry’s attorney, Luis Carrillo, filed a separate legal claim for damages Wednesday. The lawyer says the Pasadena police fail to train officers adequately in the use of force.
“This city doesn’t teach its officers reverence for human life,” Carrillo said. “Officers should respect life. This officer did not respect Anthony McClain’s life. This officer cowardly shot Anthony McClain in the back. This city doesn’t train its officers well. He was no imminent threat.”
Pasadena Police Chief John Perez said he has not made a final determination about the shooting but that video shows McClain has a gun in his hand.
“You can see the weapon begin to turn with the body,” the chief said last week when the footage was released.
Perez said the initial information indicates the shooting meets a state law enacted last year that changed California’s standard for the use of deadly force, noting that McClain posed an “imminent threat.” The law allows officers to use deadly force to apprehend a fleeing person for felonies that threaten or result in death or serious bodily injury if the officer reasonably believes the person will hurt or kill others unless immediately apprehended.


latimes--2020-08-27--California adopts major pollution cuts for diesel trucks and ships

California air quality officials have adopted their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade , targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state ’ s health-damaging pollution .
The pair of rules approved Thursday by the state Air Resources Board will be crucial in reducing smog and cancer risk to millions of Californians who , despite years of gradual improvement , still breathe the nation ’ s worst-polluted air .
One establishes stringent new emissions standards for heavy-duty diesel trucks , and the other requires more ships docked at ports to plug into electric power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are part of a multiyear push to clean up freight-moving industries that are both a lifeblood of California ’ s economy and its dominant source of harmful pollution .
Diesel trucks emit nearly one-third of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and more than one-quarter of diesel particulate matter in the state .
Oceangoing ships are projected to surpass trucks to become Southern California ’ s largest source of nitrogen oxides by 2023 .
“ We ’ re going after the two big polluters within port complexes and goods movement across the state , ” Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said..
The truck standards face significant opposition from engine manufacturers and truckers , while ports and labor unions have sought to delay the ship pollution reduction measures , citing the COVID-19 pandemic .
But the measures can ’ t come soon enough for people living near ports , warehouses and other freight-clogged areas , largely lower-income communities of color that have long suffered disproportionately from dirty air and higher rates of cancer and asthma .
Bill Magavern , policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air , said it was the 16-member panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decade for reducing the toxic diesel exhaust that is choking our communities.
” Tougher truck rules could , however , add to California ’ s many legal battles with the Trump administration .
Much like the fight over auto emissions , California ’ s move to adopt its own stricter rules for heavy-duty trucks puts the state at odds with federal officials and manufacturers , who want a single , nationwide standard .
But the measures are crucial for Southern California , which has little hope of meeting looming deadlines to clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swift and dramatic cuts in truck and ship emissions .
South Coast Air Quality Management District Executive Officer Wayne Nastri , who oversees the four-county region of Southern California with the nation ’ s worst smog , called the truck emissions rule “ a necessary but insufficient measure to achieve healthful air quality for the 17 million California residents living in the South Coast Basin.
” Also eager for tougher action are people living in communities such as San Bernardino , who have long paid with their health for environmental regulators ’ failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Bernardino has experienced a boom in warehouse logistic centers that attract diesel trucks to an area with some of the nation ’ s highest levels of ozone , the invisible gas in smog that inflames the lungs and triggers asthma and other respiratory problems .
Alejandra Dávila , a 23-year-old education liaison , grew up in San Bernardino from age 7 .
But she didn ’ t understand how bad the smog really was until she went away for college in Massachusetts and breathed the clean air there .
Dávila has watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher , suffer from asthma that has gotten worse over the years .
“ It didn ’ t even dawn on me until recently that maybe the reason that she ’ s having such a hard time breathing is because we are in San Bernardino , there are so many trucks coming in and out , and there ’ s no oversight on the air quality.
” Dávila welcomes tougher emissions rules as a step in the right direction , “ but I wish something could be done to directly improve the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the harm that has already been done ” she said .
“ Every day that we wait is a day that somebody ’ s asthma gets worse.
” The new standards would reduce allowable emissions of nitrogen oxides from new trucks 90 % by 2027 .
The rule , which has been in development for more than seven years , is the state ’ s biggest cut in smog-forming pollutants since 2008 and is equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road , according to the air board .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently operating in California .
Curbing those emissions will prevent about 3,900 early deaths and 3,150 hospitalizations , according to the air board , which valued health benefits of the standards at nearly $ 37 billion , far outweighing the $ 4.5 billion it will cost engine manufacturers to meet them .
Much of the costs will be passed on to customers , increasing the price of a truck in California by up to 6 % .
Vehicle and engine manufacturers have fought the new standards to avoid the headache of designing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : one for California and other like-minded states that adopt its rules , and one for the rest of the country .
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Assn .
submitted more than 300 pages of comments opposing the measures as an “ extremely aggressive California-only regulatory program , ” with provisions so onerous and costly they would force some producers to leave the California market .
The Chicago-based trade association said the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the industry ’ s research and development and its capabilities to develop less-polluting products .
” California-only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California than a national approach while also hurting the competitiveness of California-based truckers , ” said Chris Shimoda , vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Assn .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2018 that it would pursue new nationwide emissions standards to clean nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks , but has lagged behind schedule and is not expected to unveil its proposal until after the November election .
“ The EPA continues to work on the Cleaner Trucks Initiative , ” EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large regulatory effort , schedules get adjusted on a regular basis , ” she said , but she did not have a comment on California ’ s proposed rules .
California air board officials said they have worked with the EPA and negotiated for years with manufacturers but could not justify further delay because of the severity of California ’ s air pollution and the uncertainty over whether the Trump administration would act .
The rules adopted Thursday would also overhaul emissions-testing procedures to better account for real-world driving , including when trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop-and-go traffic and are known to release much higher levels of pollution .
The new diesel emissions standards are intended to work in concert with a pioneering sales mandate the air board adopted in June requiring manufacturers to transition to zero-emission electric or fuel cell models until every new truck sold in the state is zero-emission by 2045 .
“ Diesel emissions are bad for health and we ’ ve got to get rid of diesel , ” said Dr. John Balmes , a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who sits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But since we still need to have some diesel vehicles for the short term , they have to be as clean as possible.
” The ship pollution measures approved by the board will expand state regulations to increase the number of ships that , while docked in port , must either shut down their auxiliary engines and plug into shore-based electricity or connect to machines that clean their exhaust .
Over time , more types of vessels , including oil tankers and ships that transport vehicles , would be subject to the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air board staff found the new rules would reduce cancer risk for about 2.4 million residents living around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach .
The Air Resources Board had planned to bring the measures for a final vote in the spring , and had accelerated the implementation schedule after criticism from community groups and environmentalists that health benefits would come too slowly .
But officials backtracked after COVID-19 hit and brought calls from ports , dockworkers and the shipping industry to delay the rules , citing the pandemic .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by funding emissions reduction projects elsewhere , such as cleaner locomotives .
Still , dockworkers fear the rules will divert shipments to other ports with fewer environmental requirements .
“ They ’ re going to turn around and say I ’ m going to Houston because there ’ s no standard there , ” said Danny Miranda , president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 94 .
That could come at the cost of good-paying jobs , he said , especially in unloading so-called roll-on/roll-off ships .
They carry vehicles that must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a labor-intensive process that can take more than 30 longshoremen eight hours to complete .
The implementation delays disappointed environmentalists , who want ship pollution reined in as quickly as possible to ease the health damage to hard-hit communities like Wilmington , West Long Beach and West Oakland .
Francis Yang , a Long Beach-based organizer with the Sierra Club ’ s My Generation campaign , said that “ millions of lives have already been affected and even some are lost ” from pollution by a goods movement hubs that “ built their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brown communities .
They ’ ve externalized all their costs off the health of people.
” Neither the truck nor ship rules will bring immediate air quality improvements because they do not start taking effect until 2023 or later and take years more to phase in .
“ That ’ s more time that ships continue to pollute our air , ” Yang said .
“ That ’ s more time for the same front-line communities to have to wait to breathe .
”

Trucks line up to drop off their loads at the Port of Los Angeles on August 27, 2020.
California air quality officials have adopted their biggest pollution-cutting regulations in more than a decade, targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships that spew much of the state’s health-damaging pollution.
The pair of rules approved Thursday by the state Air Resources Board will be crucial in reducing smog and cancer risk to millions of Californians who, despite years of gradual improvement, still breathe the nation’s worst-polluted air. One establishes stringent new emissions standards for heavy-duty diesel trucks, and the other requires more ships docked at ports to plug into electric power or scrub their exhaust.
The measures are part of a multiyear push to clean up freight-moving industries that are both a lifeblood of California’s economy and its dominant source of harmful pollution. Diesel trucks emit nearly one-third of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and more than one-quarter of diesel particulate matter in the state. Oceangoing ships are projected to surpass trucks to become Southern California’s largest source of nitrogen oxides by 2023.
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“We’re going after the two big polluters within port complexes and goods movement across the state,” Air Resources Board member Hector De La Torre said..
The truck standards face significant opposition from engine manufacturers and truckers, while ports and labor unions have sought to delay the ship pollution reduction measures, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. But the measures can’t come soon enough for people living near ports, warehouses and other freight-clogged areas, largely lower-income communities of color that have long suffered disproportionately from dirty air and higher rates of cancer and asthma.
Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, said it was the 16-member panel’s “biggest day in over a decade for reducing the toxic diesel exhaust that is choking our communities.”
Tougher truck rules could, however, add to California’s many legal battles with the Trump administration. Much like the fight over auto emissions, California’s move to adopt its own stricter rules for heavy-duty trucks puts the state at odds with federal officials and manufacturers, who want a single, nationwide standard.
But the measures are crucial for Southern California, which has little hope of meeting looming deadlines to clean its smog to federal health standards without swift and dramatic cuts in truck and ship emissions.
A man walks along the Wilmington Waterfront Park against a backdrop of the Port of Los Angeles. California officials adopted pollution-cutting regulations targeting diesel trucks and cargo ships. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
South Coast Air Quality Management District Executive Officer Wayne Nastri, who oversees the four-county region of Southern California with the nation’s worst smog, called the truck emissions rule “a necessary but insufficient measure to achieve healthful air quality for the 17 million California residents living in the South Coast Basin.”
Also eager for tougher action are people living in communities such as San Bernardino, who have long paid with their health for environmental regulators’ failure to clean smog to federal standards. San Bernardino has experienced a boom in warehouse logistic centers that attract diesel trucks to an area with some of the nation’s highest levels of ozone, the invisible gas in smog that inflames the lungs and triggers asthma and other respiratory problems.
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Alejandra Dávila, a 23-year-old education liaison, grew up in San Bernardino from age 7. But she didn’t understand how bad the smog really was until she went away for college in Massachusetts and breathed the clean air there.
Dávila has watched her mother, a high school Spanish teacher, suffer from asthma that has gotten worse over the years. “It didn’t even dawn on me until recently that maybe the reason that she’s having such a hard time breathing is because we are in San Bernardino, there are so many trucks coming in and out, and there’s no oversight on the air quality.”
Dávila welcomes tougher emissions rules as a step in the right direction, “but I wish something could be done to directly improve the air quality in the next year and mitigate the harm that has already been done” she said. “Every day that we wait is a day that somebody’s asthma gets worse.”
The new standards would reduce allowable emissions of nitrogen oxides from new trucks 90% by 2027.
The rule, which has been in development for more than seven years, is the state’s biggest cut in smog-forming pollutants since 2008 and is equivalent to taking 16 million cars off the road, according to the air board. That’s nearly two-thirds of 26 million light-duty vehicles currently operating in California.
Curbing those emissions will prevent about 3,900 early deaths and 3,150 hospitalizations, according to the air board, which valued health benefits of the standards at nearly $37 billion, far outweighing the $4.5 billion it will cost engine manufacturers to meet them. Much of the costs will be passed on to customers, increasing the price of a truck in California by up to 6%.
Vehicle and engine manufacturers have fought the new standards to avoid the headache of designing and producing vehicles for two sets of standards: one for California and other like-minded states that adopt its rules, and one for the rest of the country.
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Assn. submitted more than 300 pages of comments opposing the measures as an “extremely aggressive California-only regulatory program,” with provisions so onerous and costly they would force some producers to leave the California market. The Chicago-based trade association said the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the industry’s research and development and its capabilities to develop less-polluting products.
”California-only standards will achieve less emission reduction in California than a national approach while also hurting the competitiveness of California-based truckers,” said Chris Shimoda, vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Assn.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2018 that it would pursue new nationwide emissions standards to clean nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks, but has lagged behind schedule and is not expected to unveil its proposal until after the November election.
“The EPA continues to work on the Cleaner Trucks Initiative,” EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said in an email Wednesday. “As with any large regulatory effort, schedules get adjusted on a regular basis,” she said, but she did not have a comment on California’s proposed rules.
California air board officials said they have worked with the EPA and negotiated for years with manufacturers but could not justify further delay because of the severity of California’s air pollution and the uncertainty over whether the Trump administration would act.
The rules adopted Thursday would also overhaul emissions-testing procedures to better account for real-world driving, including when trucks are idling, traveling slowly or in stop-and-go traffic and are known to release much higher levels of pollution.
The new diesel emissions standards are intended to work in concert with a pioneering sales mandate the air board adopted in June requiring manufacturers to transition to zero-emission electric or fuel cell models until every new truck sold in the state is zero-emission by 2045.
“Diesel emissions are bad for health and we’ve got to get rid of diesel,” said Dr. John Balmes, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who sits on the Air Resources Board. “But since we still need to have some diesel vehicles for the short term, they have to be as clean as possible.”
The ship pollution measures approved by the board will expand state regulations to increase the number of ships that, while docked in port, must either shut down their auxiliary engines and plug into shore-based electricity or connect to machines that clean their exhaust. Over time, more types of vessels, including oil tankers and ships that transport vehicles, would be subject to the rules.
A health analysis last year by air board staff found the new rules would reduce cancer risk for about 2.4 million residents living around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The Air Resources Board had planned to bring the measures for a final vote in the spring, and had accelerated the implementation schedule after criticism from community groups and environmentalists that health benefits would come too slowly. But officials backtracked after COVID-19 hit and brought calls from ports, dockworkers and the shipping industry to delay the rules, citing the pandemic. They also added provisions that would allow compliance by funding emissions reduction projects elsewhere, such as cleaner locomotives.
Still, dockworkers fear the rules will divert shipments to other ports with fewer environmental requirements.
“They’re going to turn around and say I’m going to Houston because there’s no standard there,” said Danny Miranda, president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 94. That could come at the cost of good-paying jobs, he said, especially in unloading so-called roll-on/roll-off ships. They carry vehicles that must be driven off one by one, a labor-intensive process that can take more than 30 longshoremen eight hours to complete.
The implementation delays disappointed environmentalists, who want ship pollution reined in as quickly as possible to ease the health damage to hard-hit communities like Wilmington, West Long Beach and West Oakland.
Francis Yang, a Long Beach-based organizer with the Sierra Club’s My Generation campaign, said that “millions of lives have already been affected and even some are lost” from pollution by a goods movement hubs that “built their empires off the lungs of Black and brown communities. They’ve externalized all their costs off the health of people.”
Neither the truck nor ship rules will bring immediate air quality improvements because they do not start taking effect until 2023 or later and take years more to phase in.
“That’s more time that ships continue to pollute our air,” Yang said. “That’s more time for the same front-line communities to have to wait to breathe.”


latimes--2020-08-29--Holocaust reparations, prescriptions and rent checks: USPS delays put Americans in jeopardy

Around the 3rd of every month , Walter Lachman receives a check in the mail from the German government .
The money means both survival and justice for the 92-year-old Holocaust survivor , who was sent to a concentration camp at age 14 .
In August , though , the reparations check didn ’ t arrive on the 3rd .
Or the 4th .
Or the 5th .
Either Lachman or his caregiver checked the mailbox at his Laguna Niguel home every day .
It ’ s an arduous trip for a self-described “ old guy ” who uses a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wheelchair for longer distances .
“ I said , ‘ Maybe it ’ ll come tomorrow ’ , ” Lachman said .
“ And it didn ’ t come tomorrow .
...
I need the money .
I have no other income except for Social Security .
I depend on that money I get from Germany.
” It finally arrived , eight days late , making Lachman one of tens of thousands of people whose lives have been affected by the ongoing chaos in the U.S .
Postal Service .
Sure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be able to handle millions of mail-in ballots , which could wreak havoc on the general election .
President Trump is already raising the alarm as a means of halting widespread voting by mail .
But the election isn ’ t until November .
And there ’ s more than enough real-time postal pain to go around , since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy began instituting cost-cutting measures in July .
DeJoy has since put the brakes on any new cuts — including slashing overtime , ripping out mail-sorting machines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many street corners .
The damage , however , has already been done .
Critical prescriptions are being delayed , placing many Americans ’ health in jeopardy .
New credit cards , rent checks , stimulus payments from the Internal Revenue Service — all have been stalled .
Small-business owners who sell goods through Etsy and EBay are being hammered with customer complaints because packages do not arrive when promised .
Elected officials have been inundated with concerns from constituents .
Rep. Judy Chu ( D-Monterey Park ) has received nearly 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were part of an organized campaign .
“ This is a matter of life and death , ” she said .
Rep. Jimmy Gomez ( D-Los Angeles ) said he ’ s received 109 individual complaints about the USPS since July .
Nearly 350 readers responded to a Los Angeles Times request for information about their experiences with the Postal Service ; of those , 87 % said they ’ d noticed a slowdown in mail delivery in recent weeks , and 13 % said they ’ d seen mailboxes removed or disabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is among those who reached out to The Times .
The 73-year-old lives outside of tiny Sutter Creek in Northern California .
She ’ s been paying on a life insurance policy faithfully for the last 30 years or so .
But in July , her insurance agent called her with bad news .
The $ 100,000 policy had been canceled because she hadn ’ t paid her May and June premiums — which had been sent to her via the Postal Service .
Kneeland spent seven weeks — a time of extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem resolved .
Then , in August , after driving a little over a mile to her mailbox , she found two premium notices inside .
One was dated May 16 , the other June 16 .
“ And here I am getting them in August , ” she said .
“ I was so angry.
” She photographed the envelopes and sent the images to her agent .
When she contacted the small post office in Sutter Creek , she said , she was told that hers was far from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waited 40 days for packages .
“ It ’ s very , very annoying to have your life insurance canceled during a pandemic , ” Kneeland said .
“ It ’ s $ 100,000 , which I ’ m sure my husband would want if I were to die during the pandemic .
Of all times to have something like this happen !
It was just absolutely frightening.
” A Los Angeles County woman mailed a rent check to her landlord on June 28 .
She ’ d sent it a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be worried about getting it on time .
He lives about 60 miles away .
But on July 8 , she realized that the check hadn ’ t cleared .
So she reached out to her landlord .
He said he had yet to receive it .
When it finally arrived , it was postmarked July 11 , nearly two weeks after she had mailed it .
“ Because of the slowdown , it caused weird things with him , ” said the woman , who requested anonymity because she does not want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought I was lying to him , that I hadn ’ t sent him the check.
” Among the most concerning results of the Postal Service disarray is the slowdown in the delivery of prescription drugs .
An Axios-Ipsos poll released on Aug. 18 reported that nearly one in five Americans had received medication through the mail in the previous week and “ one in four of these ( 5 % of all Americans ) experienced a delay or non-delivery.
” The Department of Veterans Affairs ’ mail-order pharmacy alone “ processed 119.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the most recent figures on the agency ’ s website .
That accounts for 470,000 prescriptions filled each day .
An estimated 80 % of the outpatient prescriptions filled by the VA are provided via mail order .
Gomez , the Los Angeles congressman , said he takes prescription blood pressure medication .
“ I ’ ve been getting it through the mail .
I have just a few pills left , ” he said in an interview .
“ So I went to the pharmacy instead .
I couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on time .
I was just worried .
I didn ’ t take the chance .
... People rely on the mail to be consistent .
It ’ s a mess.
” Richard Littlestone is one of many veterans affected by the slowdown in mail delivery .
He is 96 .
He graduated from West Point and served in the Army for 32 years , through three wars .
After leaving the military in 1975 , he went on to UCLA , where he received his second master ’ s degree and eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and information systems program in the Graduate School of Management .
These days , he receives all of his medications through the mail from the VA ; each package comes with a tracking number .
He ’ s had a heart attack and a heart valve replacement and a couple of stents implanted .
He has difficulty walking “ just even around the house .
I can ’ t walk outside anymore , ” he said .
All of which makes consistent mail service imperative .
Among the Pacific Palisades resident ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him breathe , one he describes as “ very important.
” In early August , he ran out .
Littlestone received it 10 days after it was mailed and eight days after the U.S .
Postal Service acknowledged receiving it .
It arrived at the Pacific Palisades post office on Aug. 3 but wasn ’ t delivered until Aug. 10 .
“ They held it up for over a week , ” Littlestone said .
“ Had it been something that really was vital to me it could have resulted in death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened to some other veterans.
” Tyler Bee ’ s prescriptions disappeared somewhere in the postal system for 39 days .
The 44-year-old is a massage therapist and aesthetician , although he ’ s given barely a facial or a massage since the pandemic struck .
He lives in Hollywood .
The Walk of Fame runs down the sidewalk in front of his apartment building .
The crowds below help him feel less alone during these difficult days of isolation .
And he has been HIV-positive since 2008 .
On July 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him a 90-day supply of his medications : Triumeq for HIV and an antidepressant called Trazodone .
They did not arrive .
On Aug. 1 , he filed a claim with the Postal Service .
Then he called .
The postal worker on the phone “ was phenomenal , ” he said .
She told him the package was stuck somewhere outside of Oakland .
Still the medications did not arrive .
He called Kaiser , which reauthorized his prescription ; that process took several days .
Bee emailed Rep. Adam Schiff ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s story at an Aug. 18 news conference .
Bee paid close attention to the Senate and House hearings , during which members of Congress grilled DeJoy on his agency ’ s failings .
The missing meds finally arrived Aug. 20 .
On the plus side , Bee keeps a backup stash .
On the minus side , he used it all up .
When he got down to his last four pills , he said , he started skipping a day between doses .
In all , he missed several days of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an emergency supply in case there was the end of the world , the apocalypse , some evil force in the world destroying our mail system , ” Bee said .
“ I never thought it would be our own government .
”

Around the 3rd of every month, Walter Lachman receives a check in the mail from the German government. The money means both survival and justice for the 92-year-old Holocaust survivor, who was sent to a concentration camp at age 14.
In August, though, the reparations check didn’t arrive on the 3rd. Or the 4th. Or the 5th. Either Lachman or his caregiver checked the mailbox at his Laguna Niguel home every day. It’s an arduous trip for a self-described “old guy” who uses a walker to get around and switches to a wheelchair for longer distances.
“I said, ‘Maybe it’ll come tomorrow’,” Lachman said. “And it didn’t come tomorrow. ... I need the money. I have no other income except for Social Security. I depend on that money I get from Germany.”
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It finally arrived, eight days late, making Lachman one of tens of thousands of people whose lives have been affected by the ongoing chaos in the U.S. Postal Service. Sure, there are concerns that the weakened agency won’t be able to handle millions of mail-in ballots, which could wreak havoc on the general election. President Trump is already raising the alarm as a means of halting widespread voting by mail.
Walter Lachman, 92, at his home in Laguna Niguel. He counts on receiving a check from Germany around the 3rd of every month. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
But the election isn’t until November. And there’s more than enough real-time postal pain to go around, since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy began instituting cost-cutting measures in July. DeJoy has since put the brakes on any new cuts — including slashing overtime, ripping out mail-sorting machines, getting rid of blue mailboxes that grace so many street corners. The damage, however, has already been done.
Critical prescriptions are being delayed, placing many Americans’ health in jeopardy. New credit cards, rent checks, stimulus payments from the Internal Revenue Service — all have been stalled. Small-business owners who sell goods through Etsy and EBay are being hammered with customer complaints because packages do not arrive when promised.
Elected officials have been inundated with concerns from constituents. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) has received nearly 300 individual complaints and nearly 5,000 letters that were part of an organized campaign.
Paul Shevlin, a USPS employee, demonstrates in Pasadena against Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s service changes within the U.S. Postal Service before the November general election. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
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“This is a matter of life and death,” she said.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) said he’s received 109 individual complaints about the USPS since July.
Nearly 350 readers responded to a Los Angeles Times request for information about their experiences with the Postal Service; of those, 87% said they’d noticed a slowdown in mail delivery in recent weeks, and 13% said they’d seen mailboxes removed or disabled during the same period.
Christine Kneeland is among those who reached out to The Times. The 73-year-old lives outside of tiny Sutter Creek in Northern California. She’s been paying on a life insurance policy faithfully for the last 30 years or so. But in July, her insurance agent called her with bad news.
The $100,000 policy had been canceled because she hadn’t paid her May and June premiums — which had been sent to her via the Postal Service.
Kneeland spent seven weeks — a time of extreme anxiety, she said — to get the problem resolved. Then, in August, after driving a little over a mile to her mailbox, she found two premium notices inside. One was dated May 16, the other June 16.
“And here I am getting them in August,” she said. “I was so angry.”
She photographed the envelopes and sent the images to her agent. When she contacted the small post office in Sutter Creek, she said, she was told that hers was far from the only problem and that some people had waited 40 days for packages.
“It’s very, very annoying to have your life insurance canceled during a pandemic,” Kneeland said. “It’s $100,000, which I’m sure my husband would want if I were to die during the pandemic. Of all times to have something like this happen! It was just absolutely frightening.”
Postal employee Toni Givens Lewis waves to cars honking in support during a rally in front of the Beverly Boulevard Bicentennial Station post office in Los Angeles. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A Los Angeles County woman mailed a rent check to her landlord on June 28. She’d sent it a couple of days early because she thought he would be worried about getting it on time. He lives about 60 miles away.
But on July 8, she realized that the check hadn’t cleared. So she reached out to her landlord. He said he had yet to receive it. When it finally arrived, it was postmarked July 11, nearly two weeks after she had mailed it.
“Because of the slowdown, it caused weird things with him,” said the woman, who requested anonymity because she does not want to jeopardize her job. “He thought I was lying to him, that I hadn’t sent him the check.”
Among the most concerning results of the Postal Service disarray is the slowdown in the delivery of prescription drugs. An Axios-Ipsos poll released on Aug. 18 reported that nearly one in five Americans had received medication through the mail in the previous week and “one in four of these (5% of all Americans) experienced a delay or non-delivery.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ mail-order pharmacy alone “processed 119.7 million outpatient prescriptions in fiscal year 2016,” the most recent figures on the agency’s website. That accounts for 470,000 prescriptions filled each day. An estimated 80% of the outpatient prescriptions filled by the VA are provided via mail order.
Gomez, the Los Angeles congressman, said he takes prescription blood pressure medication.
“I’ve been getting it through the mail. I have just a few pills left,” he said in an interview. “So I went to the pharmacy instead. I couldn’t afford it not getting to me on time. I was just worried. I didn’t take the chance. ... People rely on the mail to be consistent. It’s a mess.”
Richard Littlestone is one of many veterans affected by the slowdown in mail delivery. He is 96. He graduated from West Point and served in the Army for 32 years, through three wars. After leaving the military in 1975, he went on to UCLA, where he received his second master’s degree and eventually retired as associate director of the computers and information systems program in the Graduate School of Management.
These days, he receives all of his medications through the mail from the VA; each package comes with a tracking number. He’s had a heart attack and a heart valve replacement and a couple of stents implanted. He has difficulty walking “just even around the house. I can’t walk outside anymore,” he said.
All of which makes consistent mail service imperative.
Among the Pacific Palisades resident’s medications is a nasal spray that helps him breathe, one he describes as “very important.” In early August, he ran out.
Littlestone received it 10 days after it was mailed and eight days after the U.S. Postal Service acknowledged receiving it. It arrived at the Pacific Palisades post office on Aug. 3 but wasn’t delivered until Aug. 10.
“They held it up for over a week,” Littlestone said. “Had it been something that really was vital to me it could have resulted in death. Which I wouldn’t be surprised has happened to some other veterans.”
Tyler Bee in his apartment in Hollywood. Bee is HIV-positive and struggles with depression. He gets his prescriptions through the mail, and some have been stuck in the USPS system for over a month. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Tyler Bee’s prescriptions disappeared somewhere in the postal system for 39 days.
The 44-year-old is a massage therapist and aesthetician, although he’s given barely a facial or a massage since the pandemic struck. He lives in Hollywood. The Walk of Fame runs down the sidewalk in front of his apartment building. The crowds below help him feel less alone during these difficult days of isolation.
And he has been HIV-positive since 2008. On July 12, the Kaiser pharmacy in Livermore shipped him a 90-day supply of his medications: Triumeq for HIV and an antidepressant called Trazodone. They did not arrive.
On Aug. 1, he filed a claim with the Postal Service. Then he called. The postal worker on the phone “was phenomenal,” he said. She told him the package was stuck somewhere outside of Oakland. Still the medications did not arrive. He called Kaiser, which reauthorized his prescription; that process took several days.
Bee emailed Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), who told Bee’s story at an Aug. 18 news conference. Bee paid close attention to the Senate and House hearings, during which members of Congress grilled DeJoy on his agency’s failings.
The missing meds finally arrived Aug. 20. On the plus side, Bee keeps a backup stash. On the minus side, he used it all up. When he got down to his last four pills, he said, he started skipping a day between doses. In all, he missed several days of medication.
“I’ve always had an emergency supply in case there was the end of the world, the apocalypse, some evil force in the world destroying our mail system,” Bee said. “I never thought it would be our own government.”


latimes--2020-08-29--Visiting researcher at UCLA is arrested and charged with destroying evidence

A visiting researcher at UCLA has been arrested and charged with destroying evidence , the latest Chinese national to face accusations in U.S. courts of trying to conceal ties to China ’ s military or government institutions .
The FBI began investigating Guan Lei in July , suspecting he had committed visa fraud and possibly transferred “ sensitive software or technical data ” from UCLA , where he studied machine-learning algorithms in the school ’ s mathematics department , to “ high-ranking ” officials in the Chinese military , an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit .
Guan , 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes .
Instead he ’ s accused of destroying evidence after agents , staking out his apartment in Irvine , saw him pull a computer hard drive from his sock and throw it into a trash bin , Agent Timothy D. Hurt wrote in the affidavit .
Guan discarded the damaged drive days after being interviewed by investigators and attempting to board a flight back to China , Hurt wrote .
Guan made an initial appearance in court Friday afternoon , a spokesman for the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf .
A spokesman for UCLA said the school “ cooperated fully ” with investigators and referred questions to the federal prosecutor ’ s office .
Guan is the latest Chinese national studying at a U.S. university to be charged with a federal crime .
In California alone , visiting scientists at three of the state ’ s top research institutions — Stanford , UC San Francisco and UC Davis — have been arrested and detained .
Federal prosecutors have said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they and the FBI have uncovered a campaign by Chinese officials to seed U.S. universities with clandestine military scientists .
Guan previously attended the National University of Defense Technology in China , one of three universities overseen by the country ’ s military , Hurt wrote in the affidavit .
Guan told agents that as a student , he occasionally wore a uniform on state holidays and underwent some military training that involved “ a lot of walking , running and standing , ” the affidavit said , but he insisted that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not a military officer .
Since the arrest in June of UC San Francisco researcher Xin Wang , Chinese authorities have told alleged military officers studying at U.S. colleges to destroy evidence and coordinated attempts to spirit them out of the country , one prosecutor wrote in a court filing .
U.S. authorities say that , unknown to State Department officials who granted him a visa , Wang holds a rank in the Chinese military that corresponds to a major in the U.S. armed forces .
FBI agents had , in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wang ’ s arrest with anyone at a Chinese consulate .
“ Isn ’ t he a soldier ?
” Guan told the agents , according to the affidavit .
“ I am not in the same category as him .
Plus , the internet says Wang was stealing information .
I am here openly , you can search my stuff.
” Guan conducted research at UCLA since 2018 , working with a professor — unnamed in court documents — to develop “ an optimization algorithm ” and apply it to machine learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Guan had access at UCLA to a “ graphics processing unit , ” a piece of technology with potential military applications , but the professor told agents “ he was not alarmed by Guan ’ s activities and could not think of military or proprietary applications Guan might have unlawfully accessed at UCLA.
” Guan told the FBI the professor left UCLA in 2019 to work for an unidentified “ Chinese multinational technology company , ” the affidavit said .
Two days after being interviewed , Guan tried to board a flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city in southeast China , Hurt wrote .
Customs agents served him with an order that barred him from leaving the country , the affidavit said .
Six days later , agents on a stakeout of his apartment saw Guan walk outside , pull a “ small item ” from his sock and throw it into a trash bin , Hurt wrote .
Once he went back inside , the agents retrieved the object : a crushed hard drive , according to the affidavit .
The agents returned five days later with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing laundry across the street , saw them arrive and walked briskly away , the affidavit said .
Although the agents had court authorization to search Guan as well , they couldn ’ t find him that night , Hurt wrote .

An FBI agent alleged that Guan Lei, a researcher at UCLA, destroyed and tried to discard a hard drive after being interviewed by investigators.
A visiting researcher at UCLA has been arrested and charged with destroying evidence, the latest Chinese national to face accusations in U.S. courts of trying to conceal ties to China’s military or government institutions.
The FBI began investigating Guan Lei in July, suspecting he had committed visa fraud and possibly transferred “sensitive software or technical data” from UCLA, where he studied machine-learning algorithms in the school’s mathematics department, to “high-ranking” officials in the Chinese military, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit.
Guan, 29, isn’t charged with those crimes. Instead he’s accused of destroying evidence after agents, staking out his apartment in Irvine, saw him pull a computer hard drive from his sock and throw it into a trash bin, Agent Timothy D. Hurt wrote in the affidavit.
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Guan discarded the damaged drive days after being interviewed by investigators and attempting to board a flight back to China, Hurt wrote.
Guan made an initial appearance in court Friday afternoon, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles said. It couldn’t be determined if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. A spokesman for UCLA said the school “cooperated fully” with investigators and referred questions to the federal prosecutor’s office.
Guan is the latest Chinese national studying at a U.S. university to be charged with a federal crime. In California alone, visiting scientists at three of the state’s top research institutions — Stanford, UC San Francisco and UC Davis — have been arrested and detained.
Federal prosecutors have said in court papers and during detention hearings that they and the FBI have uncovered a campaign by Chinese officials to seed U.S. universities with clandestine military scientists.
Guan previously attended the National University of Defense Technology in China, one of three universities overseen by the country’s military, Hurt wrote in the affidavit. Guan told agents that as a student, he occasionally wore a uniform on state holidays and underwent some military training that involved “a lot of walking, running and standing,” the affidavit said, but he insisted that he was just a “normal student” and not a military officer.
Since the arrest in June of UC San Francisco researcher Xin Wang, Chinese authorities have told alleged military officers studying at U.S. colleges to destroy evidence and coordinated attempts to spirit them out of the country, one prosecutor wrote in a court filing. U.S. authorities say that, unknown to State Department officials who granted him a visa, Wang holds a rank in the Chinese military that corresponds to a major in the U.S. armed forces.
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FBI agents had, in fact, asked Guan whether he had discussed Wang’s arrest with anyone at a Chinese consulate.
“Isn’t he a soldier?” Guan told the agents, according to the affidavit. “I am not in the same category as him. Plus, the internet says Wang was stealing information. I am here openly, you can search my stuff.”
Guan conducted research at UCLA since 2018, working with a professor — unnamed in court documents — to develop “an optimization algorithm” and apply it to machine learning, the affidavit said.
Hurt wrote that Guan had access at UCLA to a “graphics processing unit,” a piece of technology with potential military applications, but the professor told agents “he was not alarmed by Guan’s activities and could not think of military or proprietary applications Guan might have unlawfully accessed at UCLA.”
Guan told the FBI the professor left UCLA in 2019 to work for an unidentified “Chinese multinational technology company,” the affidavit said.
Two days after being interviewed, Guan tried to board a flight out of LAX to Xiamen, a city in southeast China, Hurt wrote. Customs agents served him with an order that barred him from leaving the country, the affidavit said.
Six days later, agents on a stakeout of his apartment saw Guan walk outside, pull a “small item” from his sock and throw it into a trash bin, Hurt wrote. Once he went back inside, the agents retrieved the object: a crushed hard drive, according to the affidavit.
The agents returned five days later with a search warrant. Guan, who was doing laundry across the street, saw them arrive and walked briskly away, the affidavit said. Although the agents had court authorization to search Guan as well, they couldn’t find him that night, Hurt wrote.


latimes--2020-08-29--L.A. County reports 1,339 new coronavirus cases, 27 deaths

Los Angeles County public health officials Saturday reported 1,339 new cases of the coronavirus and 27 related deaths , but said hospitalizations continue to decline .
The county now has recorded a total of 239,828 cases of the virus , and 5,763 related deaths .
There were 1,089 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals as of Friday , with 32 % in intensive care .
That represented a decline of about 50 % from mid-July , when hospitalizations reached 2,200 officials said .
Still , the county must slow its transmission rate considerably in order for more businesses to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gov .
Gavin Newsom unveiled a new four-tier system that requires counties to show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen .
Los Angeles and most other counties in Southern California were placed in the most restrictive category , Tier 1 , which means that transmission of the virus is widespread and most nonessential businesses must be closed .
In order to move into a less restrictive tier , a county must have no more than seven new cases per 100,000 people per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 % or less .
The county must meet those benchmarks for two consecutive weeks before progressing .
For the week ending Aug. 18 , L.A. County reported a daily average of 12.7 cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 5 % , according to the state .
“ To demonstrate reduced spread of the virus and move to Tier 2 , we need to reduce our transmission rate to seven new cases a day per 100,000 residents , ” Barbara Ferrer , the county health director , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very clear seven months into the pandemic that to see fewer cases , we have to all work together and not infect each other : we do this by wearing our face coverings when we are out of our homes , avoiding gatherings and crowded spaces , getting tested if we are sick or have been exposed , and following sensible public health directives at every worksite.
” In announcing the new four-tier system , the state revised the list of activities permissible in counties categorized as Tier 1 to include indoor services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as shopping malls .
But L.A. County ’ s local health officer order still doesn ’ t allow for those businesses to reopen , officials said .
In Orange County , public health officials said hair salons and barbershops could reopen Monday , provided they follow guidelines issued by the state .
The county , which has also been placed in Tier 1 of the state ’ s new system , reported 408 new cases of the virus Saturday and 19 deaths , bringing its total to 48,190 cases and 975 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Orange County recorded a daily average of six new cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 5.2 % , according to the state .
Last Sunday , the county was removed from the state ’ s coronavirus monitoring list , which previously determined in which locations businesses could reopen .
But the county hadn ’ t yet been off the list for two weeks , as was required for additional reopenings , when Newsom announced the new system .
Now , officials are trying to determine how long Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benchmarks before it can move into Tier 2 and permit more activities to resume , including in-person instruction at schools .
“ We ’ ve requested additional clarification from State re : schools as there are several counties , including # OC , who are in limbo as we were part way thru prior 14 day cycle to re-open , ” the OC Health Care Agency tweeted Saturday .
“ State indicated we would get credit for those days .
More to come .
”

Melanie Olmeda and her son Mason Gutierrez, 6, who are zoo members, drove from Chino for the reopening of the L.A. Zoo on Wednesday.
Los Angeles County public health officials Saturday reported 1,339 new cases of the coronavirus and 27 related deaths, but said hospitalizations continue to decline.
The county now has recorded a total of 239,828 cases of the virus, and 5,763 related deaths.
There were 1,089 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals as of Friday, with 32% in intensive care. That represented a decline of about 50% from mid-July, when hospitalizations reached 2,200 officials said.
Still, the county must slow its transmission rate considerably in order for more businesses to reopen and activities to resume. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new four-tier system that requires counties to show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen.
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Los Angeles and most other counties in Southern California were placed in the most restrictive category, Tier 1, which means that transmission of the virus is widespread and most nonessential businesses must be closed. In order to move into a less restrictive tier, a county must have no more than seven new cases per 100,000 people per day and a test positivity rate of 8% or less. The county must meet those benchmarks for two consecutive weeks before progressing.
For the week ending Aug. 18, L.A. County reported a daily average of 12.7 cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 5%, according to the state.
“To demonstrate reduced spread of the virus and move to Tier 2, we need to reduce our transmission rate to seven new cases a day per 100,000 residents,” Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said in a statement.
“The evidence is very clear seven months into the pandemic that to see fewer cases, we have to all work together and not infect each other: we do this by wearing our face coverings when we are out of our homes, avoiding gatherings and crowded spaces, getting tested if we are sick or have been exposed, and following sensible public health directives at every worksite.”
In announcing the new four-tier system, the state revised the list of activities permissible in counties categorized as Tier 1 to include indoor services at barbershops and hair salons, as well as shopping malls. But L.A. County’s local health officer order still doesn’t allow for those businesses to reopen, officials said.
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In Orange County, public health officials said hair salons and barbershops could reopen Monday, provided they follow guidelines issued by the state.
The county, which has also been placed in Tier 1 of the state’s new system, reported 408 new cases of the virus Saturday and 19 deaths, bringing its total to 48,190 cases and 975 deaths.
For the week ending Aug. 18, Orange County recorded a daily average of six new cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 5.2%, according to the state.
Last Sunday, the county was removed from the state’s coronavirus monitoring list, which previously determined in which locations businesses could reopen. But the county hadn’t yet been off the list for two weeks, as was required for additional reopenings, when Newsom announced the new system.
Now, officials are trying to determine how long Orange County must meet the state’s new benchmarks before it can move into Tier 2 and permit more activities to resume, including in-person instruction at schools.
“We’ve requested additional clarification from State re: schools as there are several counties, including #OC, who are in limbo as we were part way thru prior 14 day cycle to re-open,” the OC Health Care Agency tweeted Saturday. “State indicated we would get credit for those days. More to come.”


latimes--2020-08-29--Unauthorized photos from Kobe Bryant crash site prompt tougher California privacy law

Amid outrage over Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies sharing graphic photos from the helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant , the California Senate on Friday approved a bill that would make it a crime for first responders to take pictures of dead people for reasons other than official investigations .
The bill , which had previously been approved by the Assembly , must still be signed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
Assemblyman Mike Gipson ( D-Carson ) introduced the bill after the Los Angeles Times reported that deputies shared photographs of the scene of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his daughter and seven others in Calabasas .
Gipson said he was “ mortified ” to hear that first responders shared unauthorized photos from the crash scene .
“ The actions of the first responders involved were unacceptable , and they highlighted a problem that demands a strong remedy , ” Gipson said .
“ I took this on as a great responsibility to ensure that those who are trusted to secure scenes of great disaster and death are not abusing their power for personal pleasure.
” The measure , which was proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Department , would make it a misdemeanor for a law enforcement official to photograph a deceased person at a crime or accident scene unless required for an official investigation , punishable by up to a year in jail and up to $ 1,000 in fines .
The measure “ seeks to address a significant deficiency in current law and brings peace of mind to the families of accident victims , ” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said .
Three days after the helicopter crash that killed Bryant , an L.A. County deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed other patrons gruesome photos taken at the scene .
After a citizen complained , Villanueva acknowledged that the department ordered deputies to delete the images .
The sheriff ’ s department also launched an investigation into the incident , and Villanueva asked his agency ’ s chief watchdog to monitor the inquiry .
An attorney for Vanessa Bryant , the widow of Kobe Bryant and mother of Gianna Bryant , 13 , who was also killed in the crash , called the alleged behavior by deputies “ inexcusable and deplorable.
” Current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a coroner of a body at a crime or accident scene , but there is no ban on unauthorized photos taken by first responders , including police officers , firefighters and ambulance crews , state officials said .
The existence of cellphone technology and social media platforms makes it possible for inappropriate images to be captured and uploaded onto the web , where they can be downloaded , viewed and re-sent hundreds of thousands of times , letter from the Sheriff ’ s Department notes .
“ This act is extremely insensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved ones who may not have yet been made aware of their loved one ’ s death , ” the letter said .

Fans gather at a memorial for Kobe Bryant at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles earlier this year.
Amid outrage over Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies sharing graphic photos from the helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the California Senate on Friday approved a bill that would make it a crime for first responders to take pictures of dead people for reasons other than official investigations.
The bill, which had previously been approved by the Assembly, must still be signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Carson) introduced the bill after the Los Angeles Times reported that deputies shared photographs of the scene of the Jan. 26 crash that killed Bryant, his daughter and seven others in Calabasas.
Gipson said he was “mortified” to hear that first responders shared unauthorized photos from the crash scene.
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“The actions of the first responders involved were unacceptable, and they highlighted a problem that demands a strong remedy,” Gipson said. “I took this on as a great responsibility to ensure that those who are trusted to secure scenes of great disaster and death are not abusing their power for personal pleasure.”
The measure, which was proposed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, would make it a misdemeanor for a law enforcement official to photograph a deceased person at a crime or accident scene unless required for an official investigation, punishable by up to a year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines.
The measure “seeks to address a significant deficiency in current law and brings peace of mind to the families of accident victims,” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.
Three days after the helicopter crash that killed Bryant, an L.A. County deputy was at a Norwalk bar and allegedly showed other patrons gruesome photos taken at the scene. After a citizen complained, Villanueva acknowledged that the department ordered deputies to delete the images.
The sheriff’s department also launched an investigation into the incident, and Villanueva asked his agency’s chief watchdog to monitor the inquiry.
An attorney for Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant and mother of Gianna Bryant, 13, who was also killed in the crash, called the alleged behavior by deputies “inexcusable and deplorable.”
Current law generally prohibits reproduction of photographs taken by a coroner of a body at a crime or accident scene, but there is no ban on unauthorized photos taken by first responders, including police officers, firefighters and ambulance crews, state officials said.
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The existence of cellphone technology and social media platforms makes it possible for inappropriate images to be captured and uploaded onto the web, where they can be downloaded, viewed and re-sent hundreds of thousands of times, a letter from the Sheriff’s Department notes.
“This act is extremely insensitive and can negatively affect grieving families and loved ones who may not have yet been made aware of their loved one’s death,” the letter said.


latimes--2020-08-29--Soldiers killed in Black Hawk crash on San Clemente Island identified

Two soldiers killed in an Army Black Hawk helicopter crash on San Clemente Island earlier this week were identified Saturday .
Staff Sgt .
Vincent Marketta , 33 , of Brick , N.J. , and Sgt .
Tyler Shelton , 22 , of San Bernardino , were both Black Hawk helicopter repairers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ( Airborne ) with headquarters at Fort Campbell , Ky. “ The loss of Staff Sgt .
Marketta and Sgt .
Shelton has left a scar in this Regiment that will never completely heal , ” Col. Andrew Graham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ Our priority now is to ensure the Families of our fallen warriors receive our complete support as we work through this tragedy together.
” The Army did not release any information about the crash , which occurred off the Southern California coast .
Five soldiers were on the aircraft when it went down Thursday , a Defense Department official with knowledge of the incident told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday .
Three soldiers were injured .
Marketta enlisted in 2011 and deployed to Afghanistan and multiple times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with “ V ” for valor .
Shelton enlisted in 2016 and deployed to Afghanistan , and his awards include the Army Good Conduct Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal .
Both soldiers will receive the Meritorious Service Medal posthumously , the Army said .
San Clemente Island is managed by the Navy and used for training .
It has an airfield , special operations training area and a bombing range .
Eight Marines and one sailor died late last month when their Marine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the island during training .
Both incidents are under investigation .

Staff Sgt. Vincent Marketta, left, and Sgt. Tyler Shelton were killed Thursday when their Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed on San Clemente Island during training.
Two soldiers killed in an Army Black Hawk helicopter crash on San Clemente Island earlier this week were identified Saturday.
Staff Sgt. Vincent Marketta, 33, of Brick, N.J., and Sgt. Tyler Shelton, 22, of San Bernardino, were both Black Hawk helicopter repairers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) with headquarters at Fort Campbell, Ky.
“The loss of Staff Sgt. Marketta and Sgt. Shelton has left a scar in this Regiment that will never completely heal,” Col. Andrew Graham, commander of the 160th regiment, said in a statement. “Our priority now is to ensure the Families of our fallen warriors receive our complete support as we work through this tragedy together.”
The Army did not release any information about the crash, which occurred off the Southern California coast. Five soldiers were on the aircraft when it went down Thursday, a Defense Department official with knowledge of the incident told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday. Three soldiers were injured.
Marketta enlisted in 2011 and deployed to Afghanistan and multiple times to Iraq, the Army said. His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with “V” for valor.
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Shelton enlisted in 2016 and deployed to Afghanistan, and his awards include the Army Good Conduct Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Both soldiers will receive the Meritorious Service Medal posthumously, the Army said.
San Clemente Island is managed by the Navy and used for training. It has an airfield, special operations training area and a bombing range.
Eight Marines and one sailor died late last month when their Marine assault amphibious vehicle sank off the coast of the island during training.
Both incidents are under investigation.
Dyer writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.


latimes--2020-08-29--Candlelight vigil planned for actor Chadwick Boseman this afternoon at Leimert Park

A candlelight vigil in memory of late actor Chadwick Boseman , who catapulted to fame for his starring role in the 2018 trailblazing superhero film “ Black Panther , ” is planned for Saturday afternoon at Leimert Park .
Boseman , who died at 43 of colon cancer Friday in his Los Angeles area home , also portrayed real-life icons Jackie Robinson in “ 42 , ” James Brown in “ Get on Up ” and Thurgood Marshall in “ Marshall.
” The candlelight vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the park at 4343 Leimert Blvd .
The event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Los Angeles civil rights organization .
“ His tragic death has devastated us all especially young African American youth who looked at him as hero and role model .
Our thoughts , prayers and sincerest condolences go out to his family , friends and thousands of fans across the world , ” said Najee Ali , director of Project Islamic Hope .
Boseman had privately fought colon cancer for four years .
He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016 , the same year he made his debut as comics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as Black Panther , in “ Captain America : Civil War.
” Raised in South Carolina , Boseman graduated from Howard University and started his career in theater and television before breaking out in the 2013 sports biopic “ 42 '' as baseball legend Robinson .
Here are some reactions from around the country : “ Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson .
You could tell right away that he was blessed .
To be young , gifted , and Black ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroes to look up to ; to do it all while in pain — what a use of his years.
” —Barack Obama ‘ He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist , who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career .
God bless Chadwick Boseman.
’ “ I will tell my sons about you forever .
You were one of the classiest men I have ever met in my life .
It was an honor to have shared minutes with you on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you during press .
Though our acquaintance was light you always left a lasting impression because of your energy , poise and gentle manner .
May the Universe deliver you to your promise land brother.
” —Zoë Saldaña “ Chadwick was someone who radiated power and peace .
Who stood for much more than himself .
Who took the time to really see how you were doing and gave words of encouragement when you felt unsure .
I ’ m honored to have the memories I have .
The conversations , the laughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your family .
You will be missed and never forgotten .
Rest in power and peace my friend.
” —Brie Larson “ I am absolutely floored .
Such an amazing , beautiful person .
RIP Brother.
” —Josh Brolin “ Please Jesus please ...
I know you know what ’ s best ... but at this moment our hearts are writhing with so much pain ... so to lose this beautiful black king renders me weak ... please watch over his family and loved ones ... .
@ chadwickboseman you have touched the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will forever be remembered in the highest regard ... REST IN POWER !
our black king !
Our black panther !
” —Jamie Foxx “ Peace King ...
Thank you for your extraordinary work , your exemplary character and leadership .
Love you Brother ” —Mahershala Ali “ Breaking my twitter silence to share some beauty .
This was one of my final texts from the brilliant & once-in-lifetime talent , @ chadwickboseman .
take this in & celebrate life .
He knew how precious every moment was .
Tonight the Heavens received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Josh Gad

A candlelight vigil in memory of late actor Chadwick Boseman, who catapulted to fame for his starring role in the 2018 trailblazing superhero film “Black Panther,” is planned for Saturday afternoon at Leimert Park.
Boseman, who died at 43 of colon cancer Friday in his Los Angeles area home, also portrayed real-life icons Jackie Robinson in “42,” James Brown in “Get on Up” and Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall.”
The candlelight vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the park at 4343 Leimert Blvd. The event is organized by Project Islamic Hope, a Los Angeles civil rights organization.
“His tragic death has devastated us all especially young African American youth who looked at him as hero and role model. Our thoughts, prayers and sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and thousands of fans across the world,” said Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope.
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Boseman had privately fought colon cancer for four years. He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, the same year he made his debut as comics superhero King T’Challa, better known as Black Panther, in “Captain America: Civil War.”
Raised in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and started his career in theater and television before breaking out in the 2013 sports biopic “42” as baseball legend Robinson.
Here are some reactions from around the country:
“Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain — what a use of his years.”
—Barack Obama
“He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career. God bless Chadwick Boseman.”
—Denzel Washington
“I will tell my sons about you forever. You were one of the classiest men I have ever met in my life. It was an honor to have shared minutes with you on screen and to have crossed paths with you during press. Though our acquaintance was light you always left a lasting impression because of your energy, poise and gentle manner. May the Universe deliver you to your promise land brother.”
—Zoë Saldaña
“Chadwick was someone who radiated power and peace. Who stood for much more than himself. Who took the time to really see how you were doing and gave words of encouragement when you felt unsure. I’m honored to have the memories I have. The conversations, the laughter. My heart is with you and your family. You will be missed and never forgotten. Rest in power and peace my friend.”
—Brie Larson
“I am absolutely floored. Such an amazing, beautiful person. RIP Brother.”
—Josh Brolin
“Please Jesus please... I know you know what’s best... but at this moment our hearts are writhing with so much pain... so to lose this beautiful black king renders me weak...please watch over his family and loved ones.... @chadwickboseman you have touched the lives of all of us... u will forever be remembered in the highest regard... REST IN POWER! our black king! Our black panther!”
—Jamie Foxx
“Peace King... Thank you for your extraordinary work, your exemplary character and leadership. Love you Brother”
—Mahershala Ali
“Breaking my twitter silence to share some beauty. This was one of my final texts from the brilliant & once-in-lifetime talent, @chadwickboseman. take this in & celebrate life. He knew how precious every moment was. Tonight the Heavens received one of its most powerful angels.”
—Josh Gad
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-29--Hundreds gather in East L.A. to mark anniversary of Chicano Moratorium

Hundreds of people gathered in East Los Angeles on Saturday for a series of rallies marking the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium .
The Aug. 29 , 1970 , event started as a peace march and rally protesting the disproportionate death toll of Mexican American soldiers in the Vietnam War .
But the day turned violent when sheriff ’ s deputies stormed Laguna Park and tried to disperse protesters with tear gas and clubs .
Three people were killed , including Times journalist Ruben Salazar .
The 1970 rally , which was the biggest gathering of Mexican American demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is recognized as a pivotal moment in the Chicano civil rights movement .
Organizers of this year ’ s event point out that the issues highlighted — including racial injustice and law enforcement brutality — remain painfully relevant today .
Participants met Saturday at Atlantic Park and then marched to Laguna Park , which has since been renamed Salazar Park , for a second rally .
Before the march , about 50 Brown Berets from around the country formed a circle in the park as speakers reflected spontaneously on the meaning of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuation , not a celebration , ” said L.A. native Lukas Tekolotl .
“ We are fighting for the same thing .
That means we ’ re not doing something right .
We ’ re not being effective .
We have to look back.
” Sara Aguilar , 42 , from Whittier , has taken to the streets annually for the Women ’ s March and most recently the Black Lives Matter movement .
But as a Latina and a recent member of the Brown Berets , she couldn ’ t miss the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown Berets from across the country : Houston , Chicago , Oregon , Fresno , Colorado and beyond .
She grew up in East L.A. , and she hasn ’ t seen much progress since her youth .
“ I don ’ t think much has changed as far as being treated equally or as a woman , ” she said .
“ That ’ s why we ’ re still out here today .
It ’ s not only a celebration but a continuation of our fight.
” She remembers , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ taught that I can ’ t speak Spanish and that I needed to learn English .
“ I ’ m here to get back to my roots and fight for a future that ’ s different for the children.
” Kalpulli Tlaltekuhtli , an East L.A. ethnic dance group , performed in Aztec costumes with feathered headdresses and mandatory face coverings .
Rafael Avitia , co-chair of La Mesa Brown Berets , said the term “ Chicano ” encompasses all Indigenous people .
“ We ’ re going to march and reassert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aztlan [ the people of Aztlan ] .
” Those gathered decried continued killings by both Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies and Los Angeles police officers , as well as racism against the Latino community by the current presidential administration .
A crowd of about 500 men , women and children marched down Atlantic Boulevard toward Salazar Park some 2.5 miles away .
Behind them , Brown Berets directed traffic on the busy street .
They held signs that said “ End Police Brutality , ” “ Dump Trump .
Vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ School not prison , ” “ Keep families together ” and “ Jail Killer Cops.
” They repeated , “ Revolution !
Nothing less , ” “ Black Lives Matter ” and “ Trump , Pence , out now !
” to the beat of a drum .
A line of cars followed behind them , from which people waved Mexican flags and held signs saying “ Chicanx Power.
” Fifty years ago , Esther Aguilar marched for the first time during the Chicano Moratorium with her sister and brother-in-law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to her hometown of East L.A. with her daughter , Vanessa Valdez , to march against police brutality .
“ We have to continue marching for him , ” said Aguilar , pointing to the name Ruben Salazar on her sign , “ and now , for all these people dying .
It ’ s not fair and it ’ s sad , sad , sad .
“ Innocent kids are getting killed by the police .
It ’ s wrong.
” Valdez , 45 , grew up listening to her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two years ago , when she heard about the 50th anniversary march , she told her mom : “ Let ’ s go !
” Her father , Victor Aguilar , a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran , made signs for the two women to march with : “ It ’ s a beautiful day to be a Chicana , ” said one .
“ I been marching since 1970 ” and “ Ruben Salazar , Que Viva !
” said the other .
“ I don ’ t think anything has changed since 1970 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in Montebello and you still see the racial profiling and you still see the cops ” assuming that brown people are criminals , she added .
This November is a chance to see some change , they both said .
“ We all have to go out and vote , ” declared Aguilar .
Several other marches , forums and movie screenings examining the impact of the Chicano Moratorium will also take place this weekend .
They include : What : A march and socially distant car caravan hosted by the 50th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe for an outdoor performance of Teatro Urbano ’ s play “ The Silver Dollar ” and a program at Ruben F. Salazar Park .
When : 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Where : 50th Chicano Moratorium car caravan meets at 10 a.m. and departs 11 a.m. from Gregg Road and Whittier Boulevard ; the group ’ s march meets at 10 a.m. at Atlantic Park , 570 S. Atlantic Blvd.
, Los Angeles .
Caravan and march will stop at 4945 Whittier Blvd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ The Silver Dollar ” performance on the way to Ruben Salazar Park , 3864 Whittier Blvd.
, Los Angeles .
What : A virtual screening of the documentary “ Ruben Salazar : Man in the Middle ” with opening remarks by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and actor-producer Edward James Olmos , followed by a live discussion and Q & A with Rodriguez , U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro , Univision “ Edición Digital California ” anchor Yarel Ramos , grassroots network Mijente co-founder Neidi Dominguez , author and educator Myriam Gurba and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What : A Brown Berets march , speeches , reception and performance of Teatro Urbano ’ s play “ The Silver Dollar ” at an outdoor theater on the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe , where journalist Ruben Salazar was killed .
Where : Meet between 3 and 4 p.m. at 4945 Whittier Blvd.
, Los Angeles , site of the Silver Dollar , now Sounds of Music .
( Some participants will meet between 1 and 3 p.m. at Belvedere Park and march to the Silver Dollar site .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ departs Whittier Boulevard location for Belvedere Park and outdoor theater at East Los Angeles Library , 4837 E. 3rd St. , Los Angeles .
Reception will follow .
What : Webinar series hosted by the 50th Chicano Moratorium Committee with activists , artists and others taking part in discussions , short screenings and performances .
Hosted by Lupe Carrasco Cordona , Carlos Montes , Benjamin Prado and Sol Már .
When : 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily through Sunday , all day Saturday Info : , 50th Chicano Moratorium or live streaming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethnic Studies Now Coalition , with past seminars viewable in the video section of mentioned Facebook pages .

Dorany Pineda, Doug Smith, Alex Wigglesworth

Protesters gather Saturday at Ruben Salazar Park to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.
Hundreds of people gathered in East Los Angeles on Saturday for a series of rallies marking the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.
The Aug. 29, 1970, event started as a peace march and rally protesting the disproportionate death toll of Mexican American soldiers in the Vietnam War. But the day turned violent when sheriff’s deputies stormed Laguna Park and tried to disperse protesters with tear gas and clubs. Three people were killed, including Times journalist Ruben Salazar.
The 1970 rally, which was the biggest gathering of Mexican American demonstrators in U.S. history to that point, is recognized as a pivotal moment in the Chicano civil rights movement. Organizers of this year’s event point out that the issues highlighted — including racial injustice and law enforcement brutality — remain painfully relevant today.
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Participants met Saturday at Atlantic Park and then marched to Laguna Park, which has since been renamed Salazar Park, for a second rally.
Before the march, about 50 Brown Berets from around the country formed a circle in the park as speakers reflected spontaneously on the meaning of the commemoration.
Brown Berets join hundreds of people gathered at Ruben Salazar Park in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
“It’s a continuation, not a celebration,” said L.A. native Lukas Tekolotl. “We are fighting for the same thing. That means we’re not doing something right. We’re not being effective. We have to look back.”
Sara Aguilar, 42, from Whittier, has taken to the streets annually for the Women’s March and most recently the Black Lives Matter movement. But as a Latina and a recent member of the Brown Berets, she couldn’t miss the Chicano Moratorium March.
Alongside her were Brown Berets from across the country: Houston, Chicago, Oregon, Fresno, Colorado and beyond.
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She grew up in East L.A., and she hasn’t seen much progress since her youth.
“I don’t think much has changed as far as being treated equally or as a woman,” she said. “That’s why we’re still out here today. It’s not only a celebration but a continuation of our fight.”
She remembers, as a little girl in school, being “taught that I can’t speak Spanish and that I needed to learn English.
“I’m here to get back to my roots and fight for a future that’s different for the children.”
Kalpulli Tlaltekuhtli, an East L.A. ethnic dance group, performed in Aztec costumes with feathered headdresses and mandatory face coverings.
Rafael Avitia, co-chair of La Mesa Brown Berets, said the term “Chicano” encompasses all Indigenous people.
“We’re going to march and reassert who we are. La Gente de Aztlan [the people of Aztlan].”
Those gathered decried continued killings by both Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and Los Angeles police officers, as well as racism against the Latino community by the current presidential administration.
Hundreds of people march along Whittier Boulevard to Ruben Salazar Park in Los Angeles on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
A crowd of about 500 men, women and children marched down Atlantic Boulevard toward Salazar Park some 2.5 miles away. Behind them, Brown Berets directed traffic on the busy street.
They held signs that said “End Police Brutality,” “Dump Trump. Vote 2020!,” “Unite,” “School not prison,” “Keep families together” and “Jail Killer Cops.”
They repeated, “Revolution! Nothing less,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Trump, Pence, out now!” to the beat of a drum.
A line of cars followed behind them, from which people waved Mexican flags and held signs saying “Chicanx Power.”
Fifty years ago, Esther Aguilar marched for the first time during the Chicano Moratorium with her sister and brother-in-law. Now 69 years old, Aguilar came out to her hometown of East L.A. with her daughter, Vanessa Valdez, to march against police brutality.
“We have to continue marching for him,” said Aguilar, pointing to the name Ruben Salazar on her sign, “and now, for all these people dying. It’s not fair and it’s sad, sad, sad.
Brown Berets salute Mexican-American journalist Ruben Salazar during a gathering at the site of the old Silver Dollar Bar in East Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
“Innocent kids are getting killed by the police. It’s wrong.”
Valdez, 45, grew up listening to her mother tell stories about the 1970 protest. Two years ago, when she heard about the 50th anniversary march, she told her mom: “Let’s go!”
Her father, Victor Aguilar, a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran, made signs for the two women to march with: “It’s a beautiful day to be a Chicana,” said one. “I been marching since 1970” and “Ruben Salazar, Que Viva!” said the other.
“I don’t think anything has changed since 1970,” said Valdez. “I live in Montebello and you still see the racial profiling and you still see the cops” assuming that brown people are criminals, she added.
This November is a chance to see some change, they both said.
“We all have to go out and vote,” declared Aguilar.
Several other marches, forums and movie screenings examining the impact of the Chicano Moratorium will also take place this weekend. They include:
What: A march and socially distant car caravan hosted by the 50th Chicano Moratorium Committee along Whittier Boulevard to the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe for an outdoor performance of Teatro Urbano’s play “The Silver Dollar” and a program at Ruben F. Salazar Park.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: 50th Chicano Moratorium car caravan meets at 10 a.m. and departs 11 a.m. from Gregg Road and Whittier Boulevard; the group’s march meets at 10 a.m. at Atlantic Park, 570 S. Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles. Caravan and march will stop at 4945 Whittier Blvd. (now Sounds of Music) for “The Silver Dollar” performance on the way to Ruben Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles.
Info: chicano-moratorium-com or Chicano Moratorium Facebook page .
What: A virtual screening of the Phillip Rodriguez-directed documentary “Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle” with opening remarks by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and actor-producer Edward James Olmos, followed by a live discussion and Q&A with Rodriguez, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Univision “Edición Digital California” anchor Yarel Ramos, grassroots network Mijente co-founder Neidi Dominguez, author and educator Myriam Gurba and L.A. Times staff writer Daniel Hernandez.
When: 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday
Info: Register at chicanorebellionreconsidered.splashthat.com or USC Annenberg events page .
Cost: Free
What: A Brown Berets march, speeches, reception and performance of Teatro Urbano’s play “The Silver Dollar” at an outdoor theater on the site of the Silver Dollar Bar & Cafe, where journalist Ruben Salazar was killed.
When: 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Meet between 3 and 4 p.m. at 4945 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, site of the Silver Dollar, now Sounds of Music. (Some participants will meet between 1 and 3 p.m. at Belvedere Park and march to the Silver Dollar site.) After speeches and performance, march departs Whittier Boulevard location for Belvedere Park and outdoor theater at East Los Angeles Library, 4837 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles. Reception will follow.
Info: brownberet.us/upcoming-events or facebook.com/brownberetnational
What: Webinar series hosted by the 50th Chicano Moratorium Committee with activists, artists and others taking part in discussions, short screenings and performances. Hosted by Lupe Carrasco Cordona, Carlos Montes, Benjamin Prado and Sol Már.
When: 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily through Sunday, all day Saturday
Info: chicano-moratorium.com , 50th Chicano Moratorium Facebook events page or live streaming from co-chair Lupe Carrasco Cardona’s Facebook page or Ethnic Studies Now Coalition Facebook page , with past seminars viewable in the video section of mentioned Facebook pages.
Cost: Free