latimes--2020-08-17--These nurses work in a hospital 'hot zone.' The virus stalks them as they return home

There ’ s red tape running along the floor of the coronavirus unit at St. Jude ’ s Medical Center in Fullerton .
It ’ s a clear line of demarcation .
On one side , the cold zone , where only a surgical mask , scrubs and shoe coverings are necessary .
On the other , the warm zone , where the gloves come on .
And the N95 mask .
And the gown .
And the hairnet .
And the face shield .
Another step through glass doors and it ’ s into the hot zone , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s outside this unit , in an area not marked by red tape or glass doors , that worries the nurses of “ 4 North ” most .
It ’ s home : Where their kids play and their spouses sleep .
Where PPE are only letters of the alphabet for toddlers learning their ABCs .
As the pandemic rages on and cases climb throughout California , once again one of the nation ’ s hot spots , the answers remain unclear .
In the meantime , the nurses forge ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coronavirus unit at St. Jude ’ s and followed four nurses and their families after their shifts were over .
Here are their stories , from work and home : She had just given birth to her youngest son , Arshan , prematurely and was supposed to return to work as a nurse on Valentine ’ s Day .
The coronavirus pandemic was slowly making its way to the United States and information was scarce .
Michel took six weeks of unpaid maternity leave to buy time .
She started a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , returning to a very different field .
Her older son , 2-year-old Leonidas , now knows not to hug his mother when she first gets home .
He ’ ll sit outside as she showers after her shift , chattering about his day .
But there are things she can ’ t tell him about hers , like the time she spent three hours alone with a patient as she died .
Like when her own uncle died in Iran , succumbing to the virus within two days .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give “ air hugs.
” “ I love them to death , but did we make a mistake , having kids and bringing them into this world ?
” Michel pauses .
“ I never doubted before.
” “ You just want to make sure they ’ re safe.
” For the month of April , the Cushing family lived apart .
Spencer Cushing spent his days at St. Jude ’ s as a nurse caring for “ step-down ” patients recovering from the most serious COVID-19 symptoms .
When his shifts were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t go home to his wife , Eleanor , and young sons , 3-year-old James and baby Walter .
The reports from New York were frightening : Hospitals overwhelmed .
The death toll climbing .
“ We weren ’ t sure what was safe , ” Cushing said .
“ But we knew what we were doing was the safest.
” So he rented an apartment , returning there after his shifts as Eleanor put the boys to bed alone at their home .
James began sleepwalking .
Walter grew four new teeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month , Cushing came home .
James stopped sleepwalking and began preparing for his 4th birthday .
“ I ’ m glad you ’ re here , Dad , ” he would tell his father .
“ I ’ m really glad you ’ re here.
” The 28-year-old nurse knew it was coming .
Comfort care had been arranged .
His family , covered in PPE , was there .
The medications to relax him were ready .
She took her 65-year-old patient off the machine that was helping him breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife close .
She shed tears that clung to her face shield .
“ Times like these , you will remember this , ” Younkin ’ s grandmother , a nurse during the polio epidemic , told her .
“ You don ’ t forget them.
” Her career has forced her to blur and blend her two lives .
She wondered if she should move out of her home to keep her infant son and husband safe .
“ The thought of infecting either of them or my family , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The pandemic has forced conversations that no young parents should have .
They talk about what would happen if she were infected and hospitalized .
“ If I were to die , don ’ t come , ” Younkin told her husband emphatically .
“ Don ’ t risk yourselves.
” When Jackie Vargas is in the hospital , she feels safe .
She wears her glasses instead of contacts so she doesn ’ t have to touch her eyes .
She swaps her sneakers out for glittery black clogs so she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She seals her N95 mask in a Tupperware-like container between patients so it ’ s stored away from germs in the air .
It ’ s at home where the anxiety escapes .
She doesn ’ t hug her mother-in-law , who is taking care of Vargas ’ younger kids .
Through a glass door , she visits her own mom and oldest daughter , Kaila , who has already had the virus and is staying with her grandma .
The ICU nurse who has cared for dozens of fevered , sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her 20-year-old daughter ’ s fever over FaceTime .
She avoids kissing her younger children ’ s faces and lingering too long at bedtime , but she knows it might not be enough .
“ I don ’ t know where there ’ s a safe place for them to go , ” she lamented .
So she goes back to the hospital .

Nurse Michele Younkin, left, comforts Romelia Navarro at the bedside of Navarro’s dying husband, Antonio, in St. Jude Medical Center’s COVID-19 unit in Fullerton on July 31. Antonio was Younkin’s first COVID-19 patient to pass on her watch.
There’s red tape running along the floor of the coronavirus unit at St. Jude’s Medical Center in Fullerton.
It’s a clear line of demarcation. On one side, the cold zone, where only a surgical mask, scrubs and shoe coverings are necessary. On the other, the warm zone, where the gloves come on. And the N95 mask. And the gown. And the hairnet. And the face shield.
Another step through glass doors and it’s into the hot zone, where coughing patients in green-patterned gowns await.
It’s outside this unit, in an area not marked by red tape or glass doors, that worries the nurses of “4 North” most.
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It’s home: Where their kids play and their spouses sleep. Where PPE are only letters of the alphabet for toddlers learning their ABCs.
As the pandemic rages on and cases climb throughout California, once again one of the nation’s hot spots, the answers remain unclear.
In the meantime, the nurses forge ahead.
The Associated Press spent several days in the coronavirus unit at St. Jude’s and followed four nurses and their families after their shifts were over.
Here are their stories, from work and home:
******
Sarvnaz Michel feared for her family’s safety.
She had just given birth to her youngest son, Arshan, prematurely and was supposed to return to work as a nurse on Valentine’s Day.
The coronavirus pandemic was slowly making its way to the United States and information was scarce.
Michel took six weeks of unpaid maternity leave to buy time. She started a new job at St. Jude’s in March, returning to a very different field.
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Her older son, 2-year-old Leonidas, now knows not to hug his mother when she first gets home. He’ll sit outside as she showers after her shift, chattering about his day.
But there are things she can’t tell him about hers, like the time she spent three hours alone with a patient as she died. Like when her own uncle died in Iran, succumbing to the virus within two days.
Instead, she teaches her son how to give “air hugs.”
“I love them to death, but did we make a mistake, having kids and bringing them into this world?” Michel pauses. “I never doubted before.”
“You just want to make sure they’re safe.”
******
For the month of April, the Cushing family lived apart.
Spencer Cushing spent his days at St. Jude’s as a nurse caring for “step-down” patients recovering from the most serious COVID-19 symptoms. When his shifts were over, though, he wouldn’t go home to his wife, Eleanor, and young sons, 3-year-old James and baby Walter.
The reports from New York were frightening: Hospitals overwhelmed. The death toll climbing.
Was California next?
“We weren’t sure what was safe,” Cushing said. “But we knew what we were doing was the safest.”
So he rented an apartment, returning there after his shifts as Eleanor put the boys to bed alone at their home.
James began sleepwalking. Walter grew four new teeth and learned to roll over.
After a month, Cushing came home. James stopped sleepwalking and began preparing for his 4th birthday.
“I’m glad you’re here, Dad,” he would tell his father. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
******
Michele Younkin watched a man die.
The 28-year-old nurse knew it was coming. Comfort care had been arranged. His family, covered in PPE, was there. The medications to relax him were ready.
It was time.
She took her 65-year-old patient off the machine that was helping him breathe. She held the man’s wife close. She shed tears that clung to her face shield.
“Times like these, you will remember this,” Younkin’s grandmother, a nurse during the polio epidemic, told her. “You don’t forget them.”
Her career has forced her to blur and blend her two lives. She wondered if she should move out of her home to keep her infant son and husband safe.
“The thought of infecting either of them or my family,” she said. “It’s crazy.”
The pandemic has forced conversations that no young parents should have. They talk about what would happen if she were infected and hospitalized.
“If I were to die, don’t come,” Younkin told her husband emphatically. “Don’t risk yourselves.”
******
When Jackie Vargas is in the hospital, she feels safe.
She wears her glasses instead of contacts so she doesn’t have to touch her eyes. She swaps her sneakers out for glittery black clogs so she doesn’t have to handle shoelaces. She seals her N95 mask in a Tupperware-like container between patients so it’s stored away from germs in the air.
It’s at home where the anxiety escapes.
She doesn’t hug her mother-in-law, who is taking care of Vargas’ younger kids. Through a glass door, she visits her own mom and oldest daughter, Kaila, who has already had the virus and is staying with her grandma.
The ICU nurse who has cared for dozens of fevered, sick patients could do nothing more than monitor her 20-year-old daughter’s fever over FaceTime.
She avoids kissing her younger children’s faces and lingering too long at bedtime, but she knows it might not be enough.
“I don’t know where there’s a safe place for them to go,” she lamented.
So she goes back to the hospital.


latimes--2020-08-17--Admissions scandal: Prosecutors want 2 months in prison for Lori Loughlin, 5 months for husband

Federal prosecutors recommended Monday that Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli , a celebrity couple snared in the unraveling of a widespread defrauding of the college admissions process , be sentenced to two and five months , respectively , in prison .
The request was in line with a deal the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Boston reached with Loughlin and Giannulli in May .
They each pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud , admitting they passed off their two daughters as promising rowers and slipped them into USC with a corrupt administrator ’ s blessing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request prison sentences of two months for Loughlin and five months for Giannulli .
The judge overseeing the case , U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton , isn ’ t bound by the prosecution ’ s recommendation and can hand down a punishment above or beneath it .
The couple are scheduled to be sentenced Friday .
As of Monday afternoon , their attorneys had yet to file sentencing papers of their own .
Justin D. O ’ Connell , an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston , wrote in a memo that Giannulli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , deserves a heavier sentence than his wife .
As “ the more active participant in the scheme , ” Giannulli communicated regularly with William “ Rick ” Singer , a Newport Beach consultant and the fraud ’ s ringleader , O ’ Connell wrote .
He took photographs of his daughters posing on rowing equipment that were used in bogus recruiting profiles , made payments to Singer and a USC account that greased their admission , and confronted a counselor at their daughters ’ high school who was skeptical of the girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
He singled out Giannulli ’ s “ steamrolling an honest high school counselor who tried to do the right thing ” in urging Gorton to incarcerate the designer .
Loughlin , a famous television actress , was less active in the mechanics of the fraud but “ nonetheless fully complicit , ” O ’ Connell wrote .
In his memo , O ’ Connell related an exchange that hasn ’ t previously been reported : After the couple ’ s younger daughter secured admission to USC in late 2017 as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents about “ how to avoid the possibility that a high school counselor would disrupt their scheme , ” the prosecutor wrote .
Listing USC as her top choice “ might be a flag for the weasel to meddle , ” Loughlin remarked , according to the memo .
Giannulli called him a “ nosey bastard , ” with an added expletive , the memo said .
Their concern was warranted .
Notified the Giannullis ’ daughter had been flagged as an athletic recruit , the counselor told USC he “ highly doubted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompting a confrontation with Giannulli , the memo said .
Prosecutors had previously filed the counselor ’ s notes of the encounter in court .
Giannulli showed up unannounced at the high school , insisted his daughter was a rower , and demanded to know “ why I was trying to ruin or get in the way of their opportunities , ” the counselor wrote .
Later that day , a USC administrator now charged with endorsing the girl ’ s admission in exchange for a bribe left Singer a voicemail , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want the — the parents getting angry and creating any type of disturbance at the school , ” the administrator , Donna Heinel , said , according to a transcript filed in court .
Parents couldn ’ t wander onto high school campuses , “ yelling at counselors , ” she told Singer .
“ That ’ ll shut everything — that ’ ll shut everything down.
” Heinel , who was fired by USC after her arrest last March , has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty to four felonies and cooperated extensively with federal authorities .
He has yet to be sentenced .

Federal prosecutors recommended Monday that Lori Loughlin and J. Mossimo Giannulli, a celebrity couple snared in the unraveling of a widespread defrauding of the college admissions process, be sentenced to two and five months, respectively, in prison.
The request was in line with a deal the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston reached with Loughlin and Giannulli in May. They each pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud, admitting they passed off their two daughters as promising rowers and slipped them into USC with a corrupt administrator’s blessing, and in exchange, prosecutors said they would request prison sentences of two months for Loughlin and five months for Giannulli.
The judge overseeing the case, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, isn’t bound by the prosecution’s recommendation and can hand down a punishment above or beneath it. The couple are scheduled to be sentenced Friday. As of Monday afternoon, their attorneys had yet to file sentencing papers of their own.
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Justin D. O’Connell, an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston, wrote in a memo that Giannulli, who works as a fashion designer, deserves a heavier sentence than his wife.
As “the more active participant in the scheme,” Giannulli communicated regularly with William “Rick” Singer, a Newport Beach consultant and the fraud’s ringleader, O’Connell wrote. He took photographs of his daughters posing on rowing equipment that were used in bogus recruiting profiles, made payments to Singer and a USC account that greased their admission, and confronted a counselor at their daughters’ high school who was skeptical of the girls’ athletic prowess, O’Connell wrote.
He singled out Giannulli’s “steamrolling an honest high school counselor who tried to do the right thing” in urging Gorton to incarcerate the designer. Loughlin, a famous television actress, was less active in the mechanics of the fraud but “nonetheless fully complicit,” O’Connell wrote.
In his memo, O’Connell related an exchange that hasn’t previously been reported: After the couple’s younger daughter secured admission to USC in late 2017 as a purported rower, she spoke with her parents about “how to avoid the possibility that a high school counselor would disrupt their scheme,” the prosecutor wrote. Listing USC as her top choice “might be a flag for the weasel to meddle,” Loughlin remarked, according to the memo. Giannulli called him a “nosey bastard,” with an added expletive, the memo said.
Their concern was warranted. Notified the Giannullis’ daughter had been flagged as an athletic recruit, the counselor told USC he “highly doubted she was involved in crew,” prompting a confrontation with Giannulli, the memo said. Prosecutors had previously filed the counselor’s notes of the encounter in court.
Giannulli showed up unannounced at the high school, insisted his daughter was a rower, and demanded to know “why I was trying to ruin or get in the way of their opportunities,” the counselor wrote.
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Later that day, a USC administrator now charged with endorsing the girl’s admission in exchange for a bribe left Singer a voicemail, according to court records.
“I don’t want the — the parents getting angry and creating any type of disturbance at the school,” the administrator, Donna Heinel, said, according to a transcript filed in court. Parents couldn’t wander onto high school campuses, “yelling at counselors,” she told Singer. “That’ll shut everything — that’ll shut everything down.”
Heinel, who was fired by USC after her arrest last March, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering, fraud and bribery. Singer has pleaded guilty to four felonies and cooperated extensively with federal authorities. He has yet to be sentenced.


latimes--2020-08-17--Unemployment fraud ring filed bogus California jobless benefits for inmates, officials say

In California ’ s first major case involving unemployment fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic , authorities allege 21 people in Northern California were part of a fraud ring that stole $ 250,000 by submitting bogus claims on behalf of jail inmates .
The ring was allegedly operated out of the San Mateo County jail and discovered when law enforcement officers overheard inmates talking about fraudulent claims , officials said Monday .
Investigators with the county sheriff ’ s office and district attorney ’ s office discovered that fraudulent claims had allegedly been filed using the names of 30 inmates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blankswade .
On Saturday , investigators in San Mateo , San Francisco and San Joaquin counties served warrants and arrested seven people while confiscating $ 150,000 in cash .
Fourteen others allegedly involved in the fraud ring were already in custody at the jail and were rebooked , Blankswade said .
The ring operating out of the San Mateo County Maguire Correctional Facility allegedly filed 16 fraudulent claims between June 9 and July 30 , but the investigation is ongoing , the detective said .
The probe , which has been forwarded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigator from California ‘ s Employment Development Department , which last week issued an alert that it has been involved in a separate national investigation of unemployment fraud tied to the pandemic .
With millions out of work because of shutdown orders aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus , the EDD has processed 10.2 million claims for unemployment benefits since March and paid out $ 63 billion .
The unprecedented number of claims filed and the decision early on to temporarily suspend some security measures has made the EDD vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think they [ EDD ] should look at their system to see what they can do differently , ” Blankswade said , adding that it is concerning that $ 250,000 “ was essentially squandered due to some lack of oversight.
” An EDD investigator participated in the San Mateo County probe , officials said .
“ The EDD is dedicated to investigating suspicious activity , and we work with our local , state and federal law enforcement partners in order to protect the unemployment insurance program for California ’ s workers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an agency spokeswoman .
The agency has also come under criticism from legislators , including Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) for delays that have prevented benefit payments on more than 1 million claims .
“ We know you can guard against fraud while still paying out benefits in a timely manner , but EDD seems incapable of chewing gum and walking at the same time , ” Chiu said Monday .
Sean Gallagher , an assistant district attorney for San Mateo County , predicted similar fraud schemes are taking place elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not localized to San Mateo County , ” he said .

Jail inmates in San Mateo County were allegedly part of a fraud ring that bilked the state out of $250,000 in unemployment benefits. Pictured is a file photo of inmates.
In California’s first major case involving unemployment fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities allege 21 people in Northern California were part of a fraud ring that stole $250,000 by submitting bogus claims on behalf of jail inmates.
The ring was allegedly operated out of the San Mateo County jail and discovered when law enforcement officers overheard inmates talking about fraudulent claims, officials said Monday.
Investigators with the county sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office discovered that fraudulent claims had allegedly been filed using the names of 30 inmates, said sheriff’s Det. Rosemerry Blankswade.
On Saturday, investigators in San Mateo, San Francisco and San Joaquin counties served warrants and arrested seven people while confiscating $150,000 in cash. Fourteen others allegedly involved in the fraud ring were already in custody at the jail and were rebooked, Blankswade said.
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$250K in fraudulent #EDD #unemployment payments discovered by SMCSO&DA investigators using inmate information.
Warrants netted 21 people responsible for 16 fraudulent claims using 30 inmates’ personal information to claim unemployment.
$150k was recoveredhttps://t.co/eLP0tQkoFJ pic.twitter.com/0nc5y7YX7Q — San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) August 15, 2020
The ring operating out of the San Mateo County Maguire Correctional Facility allegedly filed 16 fraudulent claims between June 9 and July 30, but the investigation is ongoing, the detective said.
The probe, which has been forwarded to the district attorney, was aided by an investigator from California‘s Employment Development Department, which last week issued an alert that it has been involved in a separate national investigation of unemployment fraud tied to the pandemic.
California Scammers could be targeting unemployment benefits in California, state warns Hit with a flood of more than 9 million applications for unemployment benefits, California is trying to identify which of them may be fraudulent.
With millions out of work because of shutdown orders aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, the EDD has processed 10.2 million claims for unemployment benefits since March and paid out $63 billion.
The unprecedented number of claims filed and the decision early on to temporarily suspend some security measures has made the EDD vulnerable to fraud, experts say.
“I think they [EDD] should look at their system to see what they can do differently,” Blankswade said, adding that it is concerning that $250,000 “was essentially squandered due to some lack of oversight.”
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An EDD investigator participated in the San Mateo County probe, officials said.
“The EDD is dedicated to investigating suspicious activity, and we work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in order to protect the unemployment insurance program for California’s workers in need,” said Loree Levy, an agency spokeswoman.
The agency has also come under criticism from legislators, including Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco)
for delays that have prevented benefit payments on more than 1 million claims.
“We know you can guard against fraud while still paying out benefits in a timely manner, but EDD seems incapable of chewing gum and walking at the same time,” Chiu said Monday.
Sean Gallagher, an assistant district attorney for San Mateo County, predicted similar fraud schemes are taking place elsewhere in the state. “I expect it is not localized to San Mateo County,” he said.


latimes--2020-08-17--Faulty thermometers, untrained screeners may have let COVID-19 into prisons, watchdog says

Vague testing guidelines , faulty thermometers and inadequate staff training are suspected of contributing to the COVID-19 outbreak in California prisons that has killed at least 54 inmates and sickened more than 9,500 others , the state ’ s Office of Inspector General reported Monday .
“ Without properly functioning equipment and adequate training , the screening process was certainly compromised , and the risk of infected staff entering the prisons , thereby exposing others , could have increased , ” the report noted .
The 47-page report , which focused on coronavirus screening of prison staff and “ essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys , also criticized California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials for withholding key COVID-19 tracking data for months , hampering the watchdog ’ s review .
The inspector general ’ s office launched its examination in April , the month after the corrections system instituted screening at its 35 prisons .
But the statewide directive that all staff and visitors be checked for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 was inconsistently applied , the report said .
Some prisons funneled vehicles through a single screening point where occupants were questioned and had their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at pedestrian entrances , apparently after they parked their cars and walked onto the grounds .
“ We found that this second approach increased the risk that staff or visitors may have walked into or through other work spaces without having been screened , ” the report noted .
The inspector general ’ s staff experienced the flaws firsthand , during multiple visits in May and June , the report said .
It cited one visit to California State Prison Sacramento , where they “ walked all the way through the administration building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being screened .
“ By that point , although our staff were eventually screened , the screening failed to accomplish its purpose : our staff could have already infected departmental staff , ” the report said .
In addition to on-site visits , the inspector general sampled training records and surveyed 12,000 corrections staffers : The vast majority said they were always screened when entering the prisons , but an average of 5 % said they were not .
“ Many screeners apparently received no formal training at all concerning their prisons ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of allowing infected individuals to walk into prison facilities and expose others to the disease , ” the report noted .
It went on to say that “ numerous screeners also identified multiple instances of thermometers malfunctioning during screenings , ” registering inaccurate temperatures , sometimes because of weak batteries .
It was unclear in those cases if screeners then turned away the insufficiently tested staff and visitors or allowed them to enter the prisons anyway , the report said .
In a letter responding to the report , Corrections Secretary Ralph Diaz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the issues it raised .
“ The department recognizes the establishment of effective screening procedures is imperative to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 among staff , inmates and the public , ” Diaz wrote .
“ Executive staff at the department are working closely with infectious disease control experts to ensure appropriate measures are put into place while simultaneously minimizing the impact of COVID-19 on our operations , ” he said .
The inspector general ’ s findings came as no surprise to Robert Davis , a correctional supervisor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chapter president with the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn.
, the guards ’ union .
“ We have been saying for months their testing is a failure , the thermometers don ’ t work , ” Davis said , describing the report as “ pretty accurate.
” “ Our thermometers at the beginning would either not work at all or would say our temperatures would indicate we were dead , ” he said .
“ I was about 87 degrees most times.
” Davis said newer thermometers now in use seem to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s prisons have reported at least one infection , and several are continuing to suffer significant outbreaks .
State lawmakers and Gov .
Gavin Newsom recently criticized corrections officials for the ill-fated transfer in late May of 121 inmates from a coronavirus-ridden prison in Chino to San Quentin , triggering an outbreak there that has killed at least 25 inmates and sickened more than 2,000 others .
In a letter to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon , who requested the investigation in April , Inspector General Roy W. Wesley said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to track staff who had tested positive .
Although the same information on inmates was made publicly available , corrections officials withheld it for staff , citing confidentiality concerns .
The department has since relented , agreeing to provide it “ as soon as possible.
” “ Nevertheless , the decision to initially withhold the information we requested remains a concern , ” Wesley wrote .
“ The department ’ s decision to change course at this point does not alleviate the adverse effect its initial decision had on our ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nine corrections staffers have died of COVID-related illness , officials say .
Inmate advocates say the numbers are alarming .
“ Nine is an extraordinary number of staff deaths .
I can not recall anything like that in any year , ” said Michael Bien , a leading attorney for prisoners with medical and mental health issues .
“ Right now it is very dangerous for those in custody and those working there.
” Don Specter of the Prison Law Office , which represents inmates in a long-running federal lawsuit related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general ’ s findings disturbing .
“ Since staff are the main way that the virus is able to enter the prisons , the failure to properly screen and test staff to determine whether they are infected may have led to an increase in infections and illness among those incarcerated , other staff and members of the community , ” he said .

The California Institute for Men in Chino was one of several state prisons that experienced massive outbreaks of COVID-19 among staff and inmates.
Vague testing guidelines, faulty thermometers and inadequate staff training are suspected of contributing to the COVID-19 outbreak in California prisons that has killed at least 54 inmates and sickened more than 9,500 others, the state’s Office of Inspector General reported Monday.
“Without properly functioning equipment and adequate training, the screening process was certainly compromised, and the risk of infected staff entering the prisons, thereby exposing others, could have increased,” the report noted.
The 47-page report, which focused on coronavirus screening of prison staff and “essential visitors,” such as contractors and attorneys, also criticized California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials for withholding key COVID-19 tracking data for months, hampering the watchdog’s review.
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The inspector general’s office launched its examination in April, the month after the corrections system instituted screening at its 35 prisons. But the statewide directive that all staff and visitors be checked for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 was inconsistently applied, the report said.
Some prisons funneled vehicles through a single screening point where occupants were questioned and had their temperatures checked. Other prisons screened staffers at pedestrian entrances, apparently after they parked their cars and walked onto the grounds.
“We found that this second approach increased the risk that staff or visitors may have walked into or through other work spaces without having been screened,” the report noted.
The inspector general’s staff experienced the flaws firsthand, during multiple visits in May and June, the report said. It cited one visit to California State Prison Sacramento, where they “walked all the way through the administration building and met with the warden” without being screened.
“By that point, although our staff were eventually screened, the screening failed to accomplish its purpose: our staff could have already infected departmental staff,” the report said.
In addition to on-site visits, the inspector general sampled training records and surveyed 12,000 corrections staffers: The vast majority said they were always screened when entering the prisons, but an average of 5% said they were not.
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“Many screeners apparently received no formal training at all concerning their prisons’ screening processes, thus increasing the risk of allowing infected individuals to walk into prison facilities and expose others to the disease,” the report noted.
It went on to say that “numerous screeners also identified multiple instances of thermometers malfunctioning during screenings,” registering inaccurate temperatures, sometimes because of weak batteries.
It was unclear in those cases if screeners then turned away the insufficiently tested staff and visitors or allowed them to enter the prisons anyway, the report said.
In a letter responding to the report, Corrections Secretary Ralph Diaz said the department had taken steps to address the issues it raised.
“The department recognizes the establishment of effective screening procedures is imperative to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 among staff, inmates and the public,” Diaz wrote.
“Executive staff at the department are working closely with infectious disease control experts to ensure appropriate measures are put into place while simultaneously minimizing the impact of COVID-19 on our operations,” he said.
The inspector general’s findings came as no surprise to Robert Davis, a correctional supervisor at California State Prison Los Angeles County and a chapter president with the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., the guards’ union.
“We have been saying for months their testing is a failure, the thermometers don’t work,” Davis said, describing the report as “pretty accurate.”
“Our thermometers at the beginning would either not work at all or would say our temperatures would indicate we were dead,” he said. “I was about 87 degrees most times.”
Davis said newer thermometers now in use seem to work better.
More than three-quarters of the state’s prisons have reported at least one infection, and several are continuing to suffer significant outbreaks. State lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom recently criticized corrections officials for the ill-fated transfer in late May of 121 inmates from a coronavirus-ridden prison in Chino to San Quentin, triggering an outbreak there that has killed at least 25 inmates and sickened more than 2,000 others.
In a letter to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who requested the investigation in April, Inspector General Roy W. Wesley said that corrections officials had withheld information and data used to track staff who had tested positive.
Although the same information on inmates was made publicly available, corrections officials withheld it for staff, citing confidentiality concerns.
The department has since relented, agreeing to provide it “as soon as possible.”
“Nevertheless, the decision to initially withhold the information we requested remains a concern,” Wesley wrote. “The department’s decision to change course at this point does not alleviate the adverse effect its initial decision had on our ability to fulfill our mission.”
Since May 30, nine corrections staffers have died of COVID-related illness, officials say.
Inmate advocates say the numbers are alarming.
“Nine is an extraordinary number of staff deaths. I cannot recall anything like that in any year,” said Michael Bien, a leading attorney for prisoners with medical and mental health issues. “Right now it is very dangerous for those in custody and those working there.”
Don Specter of the Prison Law Office, which represents inmates in a long-running federal lawsuit related to California prison overcrowding, called the inspector general’s findings disturbing.
“Since staff are the main way that the virus is able to enter the prisons, the failure to properly screen and test staff to determine whether they are infected may have led to an increase in infections and illness among those incarcerated, other staff and members of the community,” he said.


latimes--2020-08-17--Political battles, confusion reign in Kern County, one of worst U.S. coronavirus hot spots

Kern County has become one of the worst coronavirus hot spots in the nation , with infections spreading rapidly through food processing plants , agricultural communities and other places in Bakersfield and small rural towns .
But the response to the crisis has been hampered by growing battles between state and local officials , with Kern County leaders complaining that they have been stymied by mixed messages and bureaucratic red tape .
The state has done a poor job clarifying who is supposed to enforce state-mandated restrictions on businesses and community gatherings , and has sent confusing — and sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the crisis , said Kern County Public Health Services Director Matt Constantine .
“ We spend a lot of our time interpreting and seeking clarification , ” Constantine said .
Brian Ferguson , a spokesman for the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services , said the state communicates regularly with Kern County about taming the outbreak and that “ the best , fastest and most direct form of enforcement [ of public health rules ] is always at the local level.
” Kern County is one of the reddest places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woven with the plight of Dust Bowl refugees who came to work in the fields and brought their conservative , deeply religious views with them , and it is the famed birthplace of the Bakersfield sound and Merle Haggard .
Doubts about the coronavirus and the state ’ s shutdown orders are prevalent .
Two Bakersfield doctors have garnered national attention as part of a group called America ’ s Frontline Doctors , which made a widely shared video touting hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19 and saying masks were ineffective .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed by Facebook , YouTube and Twitter for containing misinformation .
In April , the City Council in the oil town of Taft pushed to reopen businesses ahead of the state-mandated timeline .
The town ’ s mayor penned a letter with four Kern County supervisors and state Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield , asking Newsom to empower county health officers to determine when they could reopen .
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood told The Times that although he encourages masks and social distancing , his department is not enforcing state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facial coverings in public .
“ We ’ re not going to be the mask police .
We ’ re not going to be the church police .
We ’ re simply not , ” Youngblood said .
He figured the state probably wishes Kern County were not part of California because it is so conservative .
“ We ’ ve always been kind of the odd man out in the state of California , ” he said .
“ People have their own beliefs .
The thing that makes our country great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on everything .
If we did , we would just be sheep.
” The rural , agricultural Central Valley has become one of the places hardest hit by coronavirus in the U.S , with the virus spreading rapidly among low-wage , primarily Latino essential workers , including those working in agriculture and food processing .
In Kern County , COVID-19 cases have been reported at Primex Farms , a pistachio farm in Wasco and Bakersfield-based carrot giants Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms .
On Sunday , Kern County had the second-highest per capita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , with 723 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks , according to The Times coronavirus tracker .
By comparison , Los Angeles County had 297 cases per 100,000 people over that same period .
As of Sunday , Kern County had confirmed 26,570 cases and 204 deaths .
In recent weeks , Gov .
Gavin Newsom has targeted the Central Valley for extra resources to battle the virus , including so-called “ strike teams ” and the allocation of some $ 52 million to improve testing , tracing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s numerous agencies has been a quagmire , said Constantine , the public health director .
“ We know there ’ s a lot going on with the state .
We hope there ’ s a time coming soon where we can coordinate and help the community stay safe , but that hasn ’ t happened , ” he said .
In early July , Constantine received an email from the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency saying a “ multi-agency state enforcement strike team ” would be visiting Kern County businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to work with the county to “ use enforcement to address employers who are refusing to comply with safe reopening guidelines.
” The email , which was shared with The Times , instructs county officials to contact the state ’ s Department of Industrial Relations to report specific businesses that needed to be investigated .
Constantine received a separate email from the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services with contacts for multiple agencies as well as a “ centralized email address ” for counties on the state ’ s coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific sectors or businesses .
Another email about on-site enforcement came from the state health department .
The Kern County health department has received hundreds of complaints about businesses violating health orders , Constantine said .
Since April 6 , the county has sent 539 first-warning letters to businesses and 120 second warnings .
It has reported 37 businesses that refuse to comply to the state strike team since July , he said .
What happened to those complaints ?
“ We don ’ t know , ” Constantine said .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ferguson , the spokesman for the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services , told The Times that questions about county-specific enforcement actions should be sent to strike team agencies directly .
The state ’ s department of public health referred The Times back to Cal OES .
The state ’ s Labor and Workforce Development Agency and its Department of Industrial Relations did not respond to queries about what happened to the Kern County complaints .
Asked about county leaders ’ frustration over having to deal with multiple agencies , Ferguson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordination issue rather than an L.A. Times story.
” Ferguson said enforcement of health orders is best done at the local level by health departments and law enforcement agencies .
The state , he said , coordinates with local jurisdictions when there is a “ gap or lack of resources ” and in dealing with serial offenders .
Since early July , when the strike teams were formed , the state has made 991,696 contacts with businesses across California via in-person visits , phone calls and emails and undertaken 1,128 enforcement actions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kern County said they are encouraging voluntary compliance and education rather than enforcing state orders .
“ There are definitely questions on who ’ s enforcing what .
I think that ’ s across the board , regardless of what county you ’ re in , ” said Sgt .
Robert Pair , a spokesman for the Bakersfield Police Department .
Pair said he thought the state had “ taken the lead in enforcement.
” He knew of one case , early in the pandemic , in which the county health department asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that refused to close .
Sheriff Youngblood said it made no sense to him to crack down on businesses and unmasked people while the state is releasing thousands of inmates , including violent offenders , to curb the spread of COVID-19 in prisons .
In mid-May , Youngblood posted a video to his Facebook page in which he stood in uniform in front of his Texas longhorn bull , Buford , and said his deputies patrolling the streets did not seem to be getting infected .
“ I believe that herd immunity may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Youngblood said .
The camera zoomed in on Buford .
The sheriff added : “ And that ’ s no bull.
” Critics of aggressive stay-at-home orders have called for herd immunity , the idea being that eventually a sufficient percentage of the population will have survived COVID-19 and become immune , in turn protecting the rest of the uninfected population by interrupting the spread of the virus .
But herd immunity would lead to massively increased death tolls , health experts say .
Youngblood told The Times he stands by the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I ’ m just a tap-dancing monkey with a badge on and not an expert.
” In another video just before Memorial Day , the sheriff said that although businesses were starting to reopen , it “ doesn ’ t mean the virus is gone.
” People still needed to socially distance and wash their hands “ because we don ’ t want to go backward.
” Jay Tamsi , president of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce , said businesses are trying their best to keep up with city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but “ it ’ s a lot to take in.
” On top of the governor ’ s guidelines , restaurants have to apply for separate city and county permits to sell food outside , even while indoor dining is prohibited , Tamsi said .
In recent days , he said , several businesses that belong to the Hispanic Chamber were warned or cited for not having proper permits — even though they enforced social distancing , mask-wearing and other safety requirements just to stay open .
He added that the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salons and restaurants operate outdoors is brutal in the Central Valley , where temperatures hit 112 degrees this week .
Late last month , the Delano-based California Farmworker Foundation , working with the county and Good Samaritan Hospital , started providing mobile COVID-19 testing to farmworkers at their worksites in the fields .
It ’ s being done , in part , to cut through the confusion of setting up a test , which includes navigating government websites in English and having reliable internet and an email address , said Hernan Hernandez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For people who lack legal immigration status , it can feel like too big a risk to give personal information to the state , he said .
Hernandez and county officials said community spread , especially in multifamily housing and at family gatherings , has been a major problem .
After the economy largely reopened around Memorial Day , Hernandez started once again seeing quinceañeras , baptisms and family dinners in farmworker communities , even as people tried to be careful at work .
“ The Latino culture , we operate as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We see a lot of community activity .
We love to celebrate with bands , and it got to the point where people were putting bands in living rooms , trying to be subtle .
But you look outside and see a lot of cars.
” Hernandez said that while “ we ’ re finally seeing that coordination ” with local and state officials and community organizations , the state should have focused on the Central Valley much sooner because of its demographics and poverty levels .
“ They could have seen this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We knew this valley was going to be a hot spot .
We need a lot of resources .
We need a lot of education .
We ’ re that vulnerable population that needed attention.
” Times staff writers Sean Greene , Rong-Gong Lin II and Iris Lee contributed to this report .

Kern County has become one of the worst coronavirus hot spots in the nation, with infections spreading rapidly through food processing plants, agricultural communities and other places in Bakersfield and small rural towns.
But the response to the crisis has been hampered by growing battles between state and local officials, with Kern County leaders complaining that they have been stymied by mixed messages and bureaucratic red tape.
The state has done a poor job clarifying who is supposed to enforce state-mandated restrictions on businesses and community gatherings, and has sent confusing — and sometimes contradictory — guidance from multiple agencies responding to the crisis, said Kern County Public Health Services Director Matt Constantine.
“We spend a lot of our time interpreting and seeking clarification,” Constantine said.
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Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said the state communicates regularly with Kern County about taming the outbreak and that “the best, fastest and most direct form of enforcement [of public health rules] is always at the local level.”
Kern County is one of the reddest places in liberal California. Its history is woven with the plight of Dust Bowl refugees who came to work in the fields and brought their conservative, deeply religious views with them, and it is the famed birthplace of the Bakersfield sound and Merle Haggard.
Doubts about the coronavirus and the state’s shutdown orders are prevalent. Two Bakersfield doctors have garnered national attention as part of a group called America’s Frontline Doctors, which made a widely shared video touting hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19 and saying masks were ineffective. It was retweeted by President Trump and later removed by Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for containing misinformation.
“We know there’s a lot going on with the state. We hope there’s a time coming soon where we can coordinate and help the community stay safe, but that hasn’t happened.” — Matt Constantine, Kern County Public Health Services Director
Registered nurse Debbie Davidson takes a test sample at the COVID-19 testing site at the Kern County Fairgrounds on Thursday in Bakersfield. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In April, the City Council in the oil town of Taft pushed to reopen businesses ahead of the state-mandated timeline. The town’s mayor penned a letter with four Kern County supervisors and state Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, asking Newsom to empower county health officers to determine when they could reopen.
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood told The Times that although he encourages masks and social distancing, his department is not enforcing state orders restricting businesses or gatherings or requiring facial coverings in public.
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“We’re not going to be the mask police. We’re not going to be the church police. We’re simply not,” Youngblood said.
He figured the state probably wishes Kern County were not part of California because it is so conservative.
“We’ve always been kind of the odd man out in the state of California,” he said. “People have their own beliefs. The thing that makes our country great is we don’t all agree on everything. If we did, we would just be sheep.”
Farmworkers Jose Eme, right, and Blas Hernandez load freshly harvested grapes onto a truck in Delano, Calif. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The rural, agricultural Central Valley has become one of the places hardest hit by coronavirus in the U.S, with the virus spreading rapidly among low-wage, primarily Latino essential workers, including those working in agriculture and food processing. In Kern County, COVID-19 cases have been reported at Primex Farms, a pistachio farm in Wasco and Bakersfield-based carrot giants Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms.
On Sunday, Kern County had the second-highest per capita infection rate in California, behind Merced County, with 723 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks, according to The Times coronavirus tracker. By comparison, Los Angeles County had 297 cases per 100,000 people over that same period.
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As of Sunday, Kern County had confirmed 26,570 cases and 204 deaths.
In recent weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom has targeted the Central Valley for extra resources to battle the virus, including so-called “strike teams” and the allocation of some $52 million to improve testing, tracing and isolation protocols.
But navigating the state’s numerous agencies has been a quagmire, said Constantine, the public health director.
Farmworkers Alma Guedea, left, and Armando Bravo pack up freshly harvested grapes on Thursday in Delano, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
“We know there’s a lot going on with the state. We hope there’s a time coming soon where we can coordinate and help the community stay safe, but that hasn’t happened,” he said.
In early July, Constantine received an email from the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency saying a “multi-agency state enforcement strike team” would be visiting Kern County businesses to help improve compliance with health orders and to work with the county to “use enforcement to address employers who are refusing to comply with safe reopening guidelines.”
The email, which was shared with The Times, instructs county officials to contact the state’s Department of Industrial Relations to report specific businesses that needed to be investigated.
Constantine received a separate email from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services with contacts for multiple agencies as well as a “centralized email address” for counties on the state’s coronavirus watch list to request help dealing with specific sectors or businesses. Another email about on-site enforcement came from the state health department.
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The Kern County health department has received hundreds of complaints about businesses violating health orders, Constantine said. Since April 6, the county has sent 539 first-warning letters to businesses and 120 second warnings. It has reported 37 businesses that refuse to comply to the state strike team since July, he said.
What happened to those complaints?
“We don’t know,” Constantine said. “That’s the coordination that we need.”
Ferguson, the spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, told The Times that questions about county-specific enforcement actions should be sent to strike team agencies directly. The state’s department of public health referred The Times back to Cal OES. The state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency and its Department of Industrial Relations did not respond to queries about what happened to the Kern County complaints.
Asked about county leaders’ frustration over having to deal with multiple agencies, Ferguson said: “That sounds like a coordination issue rather than an L.A. Times story.”
Ferguson said enforcement of health orders is best done at the local level by health departments and law enforcement agencies. The state, he said, coordinates with local jurisdictions when there is a “gap or lack of resources” and in dealing with serial offenders.
Since early July, when the strike teams were formed, the state has made 991,696 contacts with businesses across California via in-person visits, phone calls and emails and undertaken 1,128 enforcement actions, he added.
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Law enforcement officials in Kern County said they are encouraging voluntary compliance and education rather than enforcing state orders.
“There are definitely questions on who’s enforcing what. I think that’s across the board, regardless of what county you’re in,” said Sgt. Robert Pair, a spokesman for the Bakersfield Police Department.
Pair said he thought the state had “taken the lead in enforcement.” He knew of one case, early in the pandemic, in which the county health department asked Bakersfield police to deal with a gym that refused to close.
Nurse Debyron Pearson explains how to collect a sample at the COVID-19 testing site at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Sheriff Youngblood said it made no sense to him to crack down on businesses and unmasked people while the state is releasing thousands of inmates, including violent offenders, to curb the spread of COVID-19 in prisons.
In mid-May, Youngblood posted a video to his Facebook page in which he stood in uniform in front of his Texas longhorn bull, Buford, and said his deputies patrolling the streets did not seem to be getting infected.
Advertisement
“I believe that herd immunity may be the secret to this,” Youngblood said. The camera zoomed in on Buford. The sheriff added: “And that’s no bull.”
Critics of aggressive stay-at-home orders have called for herd immunity, the idea being that eventually a sufficient percentage of the population will have survived COVID-19 and become immune, in turn protecting the rest of the uninfected population by interrupting the spread of the virus. But herd immunity would lead to massively increased death tolls, health experts say.
Youngblood told The Times he stands by the video, and “I have my beliefs, but I’m just a tap-dancing monkey with a badge on and not an expert.”
In another video just before Memorial Day, the sheriff said that although businesses were starting to reopen, it “doesn’t mean the virus is gone.” People still needed to socially distance and wash their hands “because we don’t want to go backward.”
Jay Tamsi, president of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said businesses are trying their best to keep up with city, county and state guidelines and rules, but “it’s a lot to take in.”
On top of the governor’s guidelines, restaurants have to apply for separate city and county permits to sell food outside, even while indoor dining is prohibited, Tamsi said. In recent days, he said, several businesses that belong to the Hispanic Chamber were warned or cited for not having proper permits — even though they enforced social distancing, mask-wearing and other safety requirements just to stay open.
Advertisement
He added that the state’s requirement that barbershops, nail salons and restaurants operate outdoors is brutal in the Central Valley, where temperatures hit 112 degrees this week.
Late last month, the Delano-based California Farmworker Foundation, working with the county and Good Samaritan Hospital, started providing mobile COVID-19 testing to farmworkers at their worksites in the fields.
“We’re that vulnerable population that needed attention.” — Hernan Hernandez, director of the California Farmworker Foundation
Farmworker Javier Salazar, right, enjoys menudo and warm tortillas with coworkers in a field during a lunch break from harvesting grapes on Thursday in Delano, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
It’s being done, in part, to cut through the confusion of setting up a test, which includes navigating government websites in English and having reliable internet and an email address, said Hernan Hernandez, director of the California Farmworker Foundation. For people who lack legal immigration status, it can feel like too big a risk to give personal information to the state, he said.
Hernandez and county officials said community spread, especially in multifamily housing and at family gatherings, has been a major problem. After the economy largely reopened around Memorial Day, Hernandez started once again seeing quinceañeras, baptisms and family dinners in farmworker communities, even as people tried to be careful at work.
Advertisement
“The Latino culture, we operate as a collective,” Hernandez said. “We see a lot of community activity. We love to celebrate with bands, and it got to the point where people were putting bands in living rooms, trying to be subtle. But you look outside and see a lot of cars.”
Hernandez said that while “we’re finally seeing that coordination” with local and state officials and community organizations, the state should have focused on the Central Valley much sooner because of its demographics and poverty levels.
“They could have seen this coming,” Hernandez said. “We knew this valley was going to be a hot spot. We need a lot of resources. We need a lot of education. We’re that vulnerable population that needed attention.”
Times staff writers Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II and Iris Lee contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-17--New rolling blackouts could hit millions in California tonight; Newsom calls crisis 'unacceptable'

Faced with the most severe power shortages in California in nearly two decades , officials warned Monday that up to 3 million people could be hit by rolling blackouts Monday .
The power losses are expected to be much more widespread than those on Friday and Saturday , potentially affecting more than 3 million people , officials said .
Some customers in San Diego were already affected Monday afternoon .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom called the power shortage unacceptable and pledged to free up additional energy , but warned that the next three days will be “ very challenging.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Operator — the body that runs the electrical grid for most of the state — issued a statewide flex alert through Wednesday , calling for residents to take voluntary conservation efforts from 3 p.m. through 10 p.m. each day .
About 3:30 p.m. Monday , the system operator declared that a Stage 2 Emergency was in place until 11:59 p.m .
It later said that it anticipates rotating outages totaling more than 1,000 megawatts across the state this evening .
A single megawatt powers about 750 homes , according to spokeswoman Anne Gonzales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people would be affected by the power outages .
In a news release , SDG & E said that it had been ordered with other utilities to begin rotating blackouts Monday afternoon , and that more than 100,000 of its customers could be affected .
Those customers should expect not to have power for about an hour , it said .
Officials from PG & E and Southern California Edison said the utilities had not rolled out rotating outages yet .
The state initiated blackouts both Friday and Saturday nights after California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly 1,000 megawatts Friday and 450 megawatts Saturday .
But on Monday , experts were estimating the state would be 4,400 megawatts short , he said .
Even though state officials were working to bring additional power sources online and to reduce demand on the electric grid in a bid to mitigate the projected deficit , additional rolling blackouts will likely be necessary over the next 72 hours , the governor said .
`` [ We ’ re ] basically putting all our energy to create more energy , all the tools in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of customers in the next 72 hours , ” Newsom said .
“ But even with all of that , we are likely to fall short and we should see some episodic issues as it relates to supplying the coverage that you deserve and you demand.
” San Diego Gas & Electric warned of more blackouts in its service area Monday , saying it was likely the utility would be ordered to implement widespread rotating outages as early as 2 p.m. Other utility companies were expected to follow suit .
The power crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proclamation aimed at freeing up additional energy .
The proclamation , among other things , temporarily alters regulations on the use of backup energy sources , such as stationary and portable generators , and reduces ships ’ consumption of energy at ports by allowing them to use auxiliary engines rather than shore power .
Newsom pledged a full investigation into the cause of the power shortage .
“ We ’ ve always maintained that , a golden oldie , you can ’ t control the weather , but you can prepare for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And let me just make this crystal clear : We failed to predict and plan [ for ] these shortages , and that ’ s simply unacceptable.
” He framed the shortage as a consequence of the state ’ s transition from polluting gas plants to cleaner sources of energy and said the high demand placed on the grid due to the record heat over the last few days has exposed “ gaps in terms of that reliability.
” “ We can not sacrifice reliability as we move forward in this transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to be much more aggressive in focusing our efforts and our intention in making sure that is the case.
” The California Independent System Operator had issued a statewide flex alert Thursday , recommending air conditioning thermostats be set to 78 degrees , unnecessary lights be turned off , electrical devices not in use be unplugged , blinds and drapes be closed , and fans used , when possible .
The ISO , which runs the electric grid for most of California , then declared a Stage 3 emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 1,000 megawatts , prompting rolling blackouts across the state .
A single megawatt powers about 750 homes , spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said .
It was the first time since 2001 that state electric grid operators had had to implement such a drastic step .
A second statewide flex alert was issued Sunday , lasting for four days .
The heat wave “ is causing a strain on supplies , and consumers should be prepared for likely rolling outages during the late afternoons and early evenings through Wednesday , ” the ISO said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not enough energy to meet the high demand for electricity as people try to keep cool amid the extreme heat .
California is in the grips of one of the worst heat waves in years .
The National Weather Service said it expected more record-breaking temperatures Monday and Tuesday — with relief coming only after Thursday .
Temperatures in Death Valley skyrocketed to a blistering 130 degrees at 3:41 p.m. Sunday , the National Weather Service said in a tweet .
It is possibly the highest mercury reading in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ would be the hottest global temperature officially recorded since 1931 , ” according to the World Meteorological Organization .
The 1931 reading in Kebili , Tunisia , was 55 degrees Celsius , which is roughly 131 degrees Fahrenheit .
Both the Tunisia reading and Death Valley ’ s overall record have been disputed .
If the weather service ’ s recording is correct , it is among the top-three highest temperatures ever measured in Death Valley , as well as the highest temperature during the month of August .
The Death Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
Along with testing the sensor involved to rule out the possibility of a malfunction or error , a climate extremes committee also will be formed to verify the reading , according to Dan Berc , warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas .
“ They ’ ll certainly assess the report on the sensor ’ s validity , and they will also look hard at the data that came off of the sensor to see if it ’ s reasonable , and look at that against neighboring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense in the grand scheme of things , ” he said .
Berc said he didn ’ t have an exact timeline for the committee to finish its work , but said it could be a months-long process .
The World Meteorological Organization , the United Nations ’ climate agency , said on Twitter that it also plans to examine the temperature reading .
Agencies may have another day ’ s worth of data to scrutinize , as Monday ’ s extreme heat is expected to continue .
Forecasts show Death Valley is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Berc said that “ there ’ s good reason to believe that we ’ re going to be up in that neighborhood again today.
” “ This is a very special kind of heat wave we ’ re dealing with here , ” he said .
“ It ’ s very long-lived and it ’ s very , very hot — especially for this time of year .
We can say the desert ’ s hot in the summer , and it sure is , but we ’ re about a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunlight .
So to see it this late is really , really incredible.
” On Sunday , many areas reached record highs for the day , including at Los Angeles International Airport , UCLA , Palmdale and Oxnard .
Multiple heat records were also set Saturday .
The National Weather Service reported a high of 112 in Woodland Hills , breaking the record of 108 set in 1977 , and a high of 92 at UCLA , breaking the record of 90 set in 2003 .
Downtown L.A. hit 98 degrees , tying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excessive heat is the result of a large , strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona , which is keeping the Southwestern U.S. hot almost everywhere except within a few miles of the coast .
The record temperatures are straining the state ’ s power grid .
Residents are asked to lower energy use from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. , when temperatures remain high but the sun is weaker , for the next several days .
The heat has also in the West .
A massive wildfire in Northern California spawned rotating columns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue a rare fire-related tornado warning .
“ It was a first for us , ” said Shane Snyder , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno , which issued the warning shortly before 3 p.m .
Multiple videos posted to social media showed twister-like formations in the path of the Loyalton fire , which started Friday evening in the Tahoe National Forest near California ’ s border with Nevada .
The fire quickly grew to 20,000 acres and , by Monday morning , had consumed 36,295 acres and was 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground are facing extreme fire behavior , rugged terrain and warm temperatures , ” said Joe Flannery , public affairs officer for the national forest .
struck the San Francisco Bay Area and the Monterey Bay region Sunday morning , sparking multiple vegetation fires in Santa Clara , San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties .
A lightning strike sparked a 2,800-acre fire in Monterey County that was threatening homes and caused evacuations south of Salinas .
The Lake fire , in the Angeles National Forest above Lake Hughes , had grown to 18,526 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Monday morning .
At least 12 homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed .
The Ranch 2 fire north of Azusa had burned at least 3,050 acres and was 19 % contained .

Leila Miller, Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Laura Newberry

Despite warnings that power outages could hit millions in California tonight, officials declared that the measures were no longer needed following successful conservation efforts and somewhat lower temperatures.
Faced with the most severe power shortages in California in nearly two decades, officials had warned that up to 3 million people could be hit by rolling blackouts Monday. But at 7:30 p.m., the California Independent System Operator — the body that runs the electrical grid for most of the state — lifted the Stage 2 emergency it had declared earlier, signifying that the anticipated rotating outages had been averted.
For the record: An earlier version of this article said that a 130-degree temperature reading in Death Valley was a possible record there. Elsewhere, the article said that the Death Valley temperature was possibly the hottest globally since 1913. If verified, the 130-degree reading would be among the top-three highest temperatures ever measured in Death Valley. Globally, there was a 1931 reading in Kebili, Tunisia, of 55 degrees Celsius, which is roughly 131 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
“We are grateful to families and businesses across the state that answered the call to reduce electricity use during a crucial time on the grid,” Cal-ISO President Steve Berberich said in a statement. “This heat storm is not over, and we still expect exceedingly hot temperatures [Tuesday] and Wednesday. With continued help from California residents in conserving energy, much like today, we can reduce the risk of power outages.”
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The power losses were expected to be much more widespread than those on Friday and Saturday. Gov. Gavin Newsom had called the power shortage unacceptable and pledged to free up additional energy, but had warned that the next three days will be “very challenging.”
On Monday, Cal-ISO had issued a statewide flex alert through Wednesday, calling for residents to take voluntary conservation efforts from 3 p.m. through 10 p.m. each day. It later declared a Stage 2 emergency, foreseeing rotating outages totaling more than 1,000 megawatts across the state that evening. A single megawatt powers about 750 homes, according to spokeswoman Anne Gonzales.
The state initiated blackouts Friday and Saturday nights after California fell short of its energy needs by roughly 1,000 megawatts Friday and 450 megawatts Saturday.
But on Monday, experts were estimating the state would be 4,400 megawatts short, Newsom said.
“[We’re] basically putting all our energy to create more energy, all the tools in the tool kit to meet the needs of customers in the next 72 hours,” Newsom said. “But even with all of that, we are likely to fall short and we should see some episodic issues as it relates to supplying the coverage that you deserve and you demand.”
But the crisis was averted — at least on Monday.
“We were ready and we’re glad the weather and energy supply situation improved so Cal-ISO did not have to call for rotating outages,” said PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno. “We appreciated our customers big and small who answered the call and conserved energy in our service area and across the state. We will need customers to conserve again.”
The power crisis prompted the governor to sign an emergency proclamation aimed at freeing up additional energy. The proclamation, among other things, temporarily alters regulations on the use of backup energy sources, such as stationary and portable generators, and reduces ships’ consumption of energy at ports by allowing them to use auxiliary engines rather than shore power.
Newsom pledged a full investigation into the cause of the power shortage.
“We’ve always maintained that, a golden oldie, you can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for the weather events,” he said. “And let me just make this crystal clear: We failed to predict and plan [for] these shortages, and that’s simply unacceptable.”
He framed the shortage as a consequence of the state’s transition from polluting gas plants to cleaner sources of energy and said the high demand placed on the grid due to the record heat over the last few days has exposed “gaps in terms of that reliability.”
“We cannot sacrifice reliability as we move forward in this transition,” he said. “And we’re going to be much more aggressive in focusing our efforts and our intention in making sure that is the case.”
The Stage 3 emergency declared Friday evening, which preempted rotating blackouts, was the first time since 2001 that state electric grid operators had had to implement such a drastic step.
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1 / 34 The thermometer at Calvary Church in Woodland Hills registers 116 degrees Fahrenheit. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 34 The Holser Fire burns through the night just east of Lake Piru, where actress Naya Rivera died in mid-July. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 34 Lifeguard Michael Alfaro, wearing protective gear, works with 5-year-old Kaila Holliday during a swim lesson at Marie Kerr Pool in Palmdale. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 34 After a day at the beach, Sebastian Grand, 11, left, Leo Grand, 13, and Constantin Condraschi, 12, of Orange County have pizza at a Slice of New York Pizza in Seal Beach. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 34 L.A. Rams rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis towels away sweat as temperatures soar at the Rams training facility in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 34 Jose Vasquez, left, and Jordan Taylor play a pickup basketball game at Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park in Lancaster. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 34 Benjamin Cole II shows son Barreth Cole, 5, a routine while joining members of Barry’s Bootcamp as they conduct a workout session at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 34 Jon Galapago takes a break from the heat in a hammock during a day of fishing at Lake Evans in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 34 Watts residents pick out clothing during the Children Mending Hearts weekly food and clothing giveaway at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 34 The Original Snake Doctor, left, and Louis Benton play a game of chess in Leimert Park. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 34 Victor Eddie Chavez, 9, and Evangeline Benitez, 3, run through a fountain’s spouts at Hollywood & Highland. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 34 Matthew Giron, 8, frolics with friends and family near a drainage pipe along the San Gabriel River. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 34 A funnel appears in a thick plume of smoke from the Loyalton fire in Lassen County, Calif., on Aug. 15. (Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett via Associated Press) 14 / 34 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Aug. 16. Numerous lightning strikes sparked brush fires throughout the region. (Noah Berger / Associated Press
) 15 / 34 Firefighters prepare to defend a home as flames from the River fire approach in Salinas on Aug. 17. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 16 / 34 A chimney stands amid the rubble of a home destroyed in the River fire. (Noah Berger / Associated Press ) 17 / 34 Don and Sally Joaquin watch for lightning strikes on Aug. 16 in unincorporated Contra Costa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 18 / 34 Friends and family rollick in a drainage pipe along the San Gabriel River. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 34 People head to the beach in Venice amid the heat. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 34 Liz Saul reads a novel on her iPad in the comfort of an air mattress in Venice. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 34 Beachgoers create a forest of umbrellas on the beach at Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 34 Windsurfers sail off Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 34 People escape the heat at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 34 An employee of a hot dog stand works inside the eatery along the boardwalk in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 34 Jacob Debreceni, 16, with friends Ismael Fuentes, left, and Kevin Lemus, cools off with the help of a backyard waterslide in Mira Loma, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 34 Tropical moisture moving onshore northwest of Santa Barbara on Aug. 15 brought lightning strikes but also rainbows. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 34 A cool breeze propels windsurfers across the shimmering waters off Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 34 A paddle boarder chooses a rental board at Bayshore Beach in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 34 DeAndre Michaels dips his toes in a fountain in Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 34 At the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley, Mike Garcia of Norco and his children Jose, 7, and Monica, 10, employ multiple stay-cool techniques. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 34 The Telles family of the San Fernando Valley enjoys the water of the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 34 The scene at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Aug. 14, where a cooling breeze kept the shore comfortable. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 34 At Woodley Park in Van Nuys, Blanca Celaya of Winnetka and her family enjoy the shade. She holds her 3-month-old son, Jason Celaya. Beyond are her daughter Celia Barinese and husband, Jaime Paiz. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 34 Pedestrians pass a Black Lives Matter mural in Hollywood.
(Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
California is in the grips of one of the worst heat waves in years. The National Weather Service said it expected more record-breaking temperatures this week Monday and Tuesday — with relief coming only after Thursday.
Temperatures in Death Valley skyrocketed to a blistering 130 degrees at 3:41 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service said in a tweet. It is possibly the highest mercury reading in the United States since 1913 and, if verified, “would be the hottest global temperature officially recorded since 1931,” according to the World Meteorological Organization. The 1931 reading in Kebili, Tunisia, was 55 degrees Celsius, which is roughly 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Both the Tunisia reading and Death Valley’s overall record have been disputed.
If the weather service’s recording is correct, it is among the top-three highest temperatures ever measured in Death Valley, as well as the highest temperature during the month of August.
The Death Valley temperature is still considered preliminary at this point. Along with testing the sensor involved to rule out the possibility of a malfunction or error, a climate extremes committee also will be formed to verify the reading, according to Dan Berc, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.
“They’ll certainly assess the report on the sensor’s validity, and they will also look hard at the data that came off of the sensor to see if it’s reasonable, and look at that against neighboring observations to see if it all makes sense in the grand scheme of things,” he said.
Berc said he didn’t have an exact timeline for the committee to finish its work, but said it could be a months-long process.
The World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations’ climate agency, said on Twitter that it also plans to examine the temperature reading.
Agencies may have another day’s worth of data to scrutinize, as Monday’s extreme heat is expected to continue. Forecasts show Death Valley is again expected to approach 130 degrees, and Berc said that “there’s good reason to believe that we’re going to be up in that neighborhood again today.”
“This is a very special kind of heat wave we’re dealing with here,” he said. “It’s very long-lived and it’s very, very hot — especially for this time of year. We can say the desert’s hot in the summer, and it sure is, but we’re about a month and a half past our peak for sunlight. So to see it this late is really, really incredible.”
California California heat wave may rival deadly July 2006 event, forecasters say High pressure will reach a strength that occurs only about once every 10 years, the National Weather Service said, fueling a heat wave that could rival the seven-day event in 2006 that researchers connected to hundreds of deaths.
On Monday, some areas reached record highs, including in Palmdale, Lancaster, and Paso Robles.
Multiple heat records were also set over the weekend.The National Weather Service reported a high of 112 on Saturday in Woodland Hills, breaking the record of 108 set in 1977, and a high of 92 at UCLA, breaking the record of 90 set in 2003. Downtown L.A. hit 98 degrees, tying a record set in 1994.
The excessive heat is the result of a large, strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona, which is keeping the Southwestern U.S. hot almost everywhere except within a few miles of the coast.
The heat has also worsened fire conditions in the West.
A funnel appears in a thick plume of smoke from the Loyalton fire in Lassen County on Saturday. (Katelynn and Jordan Hewlett)
A massive wildfire in Northern California spawned rotating columns of flames Saturday, prompting forecasters to issue a rare fire-related tornado warning.
“It was a first for us,” said Shane Snyder, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, which issued the warning shortly before 3 p.m.
Multiple videos posted to social media showed twister-like formations in the path of the Loyalton fire, which started Friday evening in the Tahoe National Forest near California’s border with Nevada. The fire quickly grew to 20,000 acres and, by Monday morning, had consumed 36,295 acres and was 5% contained.
“Our resources on the ground are facing extreme fire behavior, rugged terrain and warm temperatures,” said Joe Flannery, public affairs officer for the national forest.
Rare lightning storms struck the San Francisco Bay Area and the Monterey Bay region Sunday morning, sparking multiple vegetation fires in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
A lightning strike sparked a 2,800-acre fire in Monterey County that was threatening homes and caused evacuations south of Salinas.
The Lake fire, in the Angeles National Forest above Lake Hughes, had grown to more than 19,000 acres and was 38% contained as of Monday evening. At least 12 homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed. The Ranch 2 fire north of Azusa had burned at least 3,050 acres and was 19% contained.