latimes--2020-09-13--Two L.A. County sheriff's deputies expected to survive attack amid intense manhunt for shooter

Two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies shot in what authorities described as an ambush attack are expected to survive amid an intense manhunt for the gunman captured on video firing inside their patrol car and as the violence became a new flashpoint in the political debate about policing and crime .
Both deputies were shot in the head near the Compton Metro station but went through surgery and are now listed in stable condition .
The attack sparked widespread outrage , from the presidential campaign to the streets of Compton , where residents fear it would heighten already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after several high-profile deputy shootings and uses of force .
“ It makes no sense , ” said Setif Capelton , 22 , who has lived in Compton nearly all his life and heard the burst of gunfire Saturday night .
“ It hurts this community more than anything else .
Now , what if someone walks up to a police officer ’ s car , and they get scared and shoot that person ?
” Authorities have offered no motive for the attack .
But new surveillance video and dispatch calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened .
The video reviewed by the Los Angeles Times shows a figure in dark clothes casually walk up a pathway near the Compton Blue Line station , approaching the deputies ’ parked patrol car from behind .
The person draws closer and turns to face the passenger ’ s-side door , his steps quickening .
Inches from the window , he raises a gun , opens fire and runs back the way he came .
Moments later , the passenger door opens and a deputy stumbles out , hand on head .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after .
On the radio , a shaky voice mutters : “ 998 Compton Pax.
” “ Compton Pax , deputies down , ” the voice says , almost unintelligibly .
“ Compton Pax 998.
” In the security footage obtained by The Times — an extended version of the clip released by the Sheriff ’ s Department — the shooter turns a corner out of the frame , past a second figure lingering on the sidewalk .
It ’ s unclear if the second person was involved in the attack .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , citing the “ ongoing active investigation.
” Capt .
Kent Wegener said the security footage released by the department was recorded with a fisheye lens , so the height and weight of the assailant were distorted .
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Sunday recommended offering a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to capture of the shooter .
The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to approve the request .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Sunday that the deputies “ survived the shooting and ( are ) recovering , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood .
One of them is a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy and the other a 24-year-old man , Villanueva said .
He said both deputies were sworn into office just 14 months ago in the same academy class .
“ These are real people doing a tough job , ” Villanueva said , “ and it just shows just the dangers of the job , in the blink of an eye.
” Villanueva said in a brief interview that detectives had been “ working furiously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detectives are scouring the area for more surveillance video that may offer a better view of the shooter , he said .
He said the shooting evoked the 2014 attack in Brooklyn where a man fatally shot two New York police officers .
“ There is no rhyme or reason to it ; it is an act of a coward , ” Villanueva said .
“ Obviously tensions were running high in the neighborhood with the deputy-involved shooting .
But there is no nexus to it at this time .
We are chasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were struggling to understand the violence .
Juan Ceja was managing Superior Grocers on Saturday night , unloading groceries , when he heard screaming and sirens .
He rushed to the front of the store , worried there was an active shooter , and learned of the shooting .
The store was busy with customers , but Ceja decided to close the store early , at 8:30 pm .
A few blocks away , Maria Medina , who has lived in the area for 20 years , heard the gunfire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
“ It feels like there ’ s more tension between the police and people in the area , ” Medina , 66 , said in Spanish , with her dog Fluffy at her side .
She ’ s noticed a heightened police presence in the area recently .
It makes her feel safe , but she also thinks that law enforcement is more aggressive with the predominantly Black and Latino residents who live there than with white people .
Though the two deputies survived the shooting , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their life taken like that.
” The shooting comes amid heightened tensions between the Sheriff ’ s Department and the community after a string of controversial killings by deputies that have sparked months of protests .
On Thursday , detectives from the Operation Safe Streets Bureau shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department .
Saturday ’ s shooting immediately entered the presidential race .
President Trump tweeted his outrage at the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ fast trial death penalty for the killer .
Only way to stop this !
” The president has been widely criticized for his handling of tensions and unrest sparked by the police killing of George Floyd , at times seeming to stoke the fires of racial bias as part of his reelection bid .
Trump has blamed protesters for instigating violence and acts of vandalism in big cities around the country .
Former Vice President Joe Biden was quick to condemn Saturday ’ s attack on the two deputies .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perpetrator must be brought to justice , ” he said on Twitter .
“ Violence of any kind is wrong ; those who commit it should be caught and punished .
Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery.
” The Sheriff ’ s Department has been under scrutiny for several deputy-involved shootings in recent months .
The killing of Dijon Kizzee , 29 , in Westmont last month , who was stopped while riding a bicycle , has sparked days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to St. Francis Medical Center , where the wounded deputies were being treated .
The department said on Twitter that some of those protesters had blocked entrances and exits at the hospital , but that could not be independently verified .
Videos from the scene capture at least one person in the crowd yelling , “ I hope they ... die.
” A reporter for KPCC and LAist was arrested there .
Video showed the reporter , Josie Huang , pinned by several deputies .
Back in Compton , Capelton said tensions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point.
” “ People are looking for someone to blame for racism , ” he said .
“ People are looking to blame a cop.
” But the deputies who were shot , he said , “ were two innocent people just sitting in their car .
It ’ s just so stupid .
How else can I put it ?
” Omar Williams , who lives near the Metro station on Willowbrook Avenue , said he was saddened if not surprised to learn someone had shot a police officer , an act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil person.
” Williams , 40 , had taken part in protests against racism and police brutality earlier in the summer , but he ’ d recently sensed in the crowds a heightened anger .
“ You could hear the chatter in the crowd , ” he said .
“ You could feel the tension .
You could tell something was going to happen.
” He believes the police have at times abused their authority and subjected Black people in Compton and elsewhere to “ years of hostility.
” Those abuses shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But I ’ ve got to remember this , ” he said , standing across the street from where the two deputies were shot , “ as much as I remember the killing of an unarmed Black person by the police .
”

Alene Tchekmedyian, Matthew Ormseth, Dorany Pineda, Richard Winton

Deputies block off the area near where two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were shot Saturday night in Compton.
Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shot in what authorities described as an ambush attack are expected to survive, and an intense manhunt is underway for the gunman who was captured on video firing into their patrol car. The violence has become a new flashpoint in the political debate about policing and crime.
Both deputies were shot in the head near the Compton Metro station but after undergoing surgery were listed in stable condition. The attack sparked widespread outrage, from the presidential campaign to the streets of Compton, where residents feared it would heighten already deep tensions between police and the community after several high-profile deputy shootings and uses of force.
“It makes no sense,” said Setif Capelton, 22, who has lived in Compton nearly all his life and heard the burst of gunfire Saturday night. “It hurts this community more than anything else. Now, what if someone walks up to a police officer’s car, and they get scared and shoot that person?”
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Authorities have offered no motive for the attack. But new surveillance video and dispatch calls provide a more detailed account of what happened.
The video reviewed by the Los Angeles Times shows a figure in dark clothes casually walk up a pathway near the Compton Blue Line station, approaching the deputies’ parked patrol car from behind.
The person draws closer and turns to face the passenger’s-side door, his steps quickening. Inches from the window, he raises a gun, opens fire and runs back the way he came.
Moments later, the passenger door opens and a deputy stumbles out, hand on head. The driver’s-side door opens soon after. On the radio, a shaky voice mutters: “998 Compton Pax.”
Recognizing the code for a deputy-involved shooting, a dispatcher asks: “Just happened?”
“Compton Pax, deputies down,” the voice says, almost unintelligibly. “Compton Pax 998.”
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In the security footage obtained by The Times — an extended version of the clip released by the Sheriff’s Department — the shooter turns a corner out of the frame, past a second figure lingering on the sidewalk. It’s unclear if the second person was involved in the attack. A Sheriff’s Department spokesman declined to comment, citing the “ongoing active investigation.”
Capt. Kent Wegener said the security footage released by the department was recorded with a fisheye lens, so the height and weight of the assailant were distorted.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Sunday recommended offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to capture of the shooter. The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to approve the request.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Sunday that the deputies “survived the shooting and (are) recovering, a double miracle.” They were being treated at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.
One of them is a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy and the other a 24-year-old man, Villanueva said. He said both deputies were sworn into office just 14 months ago in the same academy class.
“These are real people doing a tough job,” Villanueva said, “and it just shows just the dangers of the job, in the blink of an eye.”
Villanueva said in a brief interview that detectives had been “working furiously overnight” to identify the shooter. Detectives are scouring the area for more surveillance video that may offer a better view of the shooter, he said.
He said the shooting evoked the 2014 attack in Brooklyn where a man fatally shot two New York police officers.
“There is no rhyme or reason to it; it is an act of a coward,” Villanueva said. “Obviously tensions were running high in the neighborhood with the deputy-involved shooting. But there is no nexus to it at this time. We are chasing all leads.”
Residents in Compton also said they were struggling to understand the violence.
Juan Ceja was managing Superior Grocers on Saturday night, unloading groceries, when he heard screaming and sirens. He rushed to the front of the store, worried there was an active shooter, and learned of the shooting. The store was busy with customers, but Ceja decided to close the store early, at 8:30 pm.
A few blocks away, Maria Medina, who has lived in the area for 20 years, heard the gunfire, which is not uncommon in her neighborhood, she said.
“It feels like there’s more tension between the police and people in the area,” Medina, 66, said in Spanish, with her dog Fluffy at her side.
She’s noticed a heightened police presence in the area recently. It makes her feel safe, but she also thinks that law enforcement is more aggressive with the predominantly Black and Latino residents who live there than with white people.
Though the two deputies survived the shooting, she said, “no one deserves to have their life taken like that.”
The shooting comes amid heightened tensions between the Sheriff’s Department and the community after a string of controversial killings by deputies that have sparked months of protests.
On Thursday, detectives from the Operation Safe Streets Bureau shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Saturday’s shooting immediately entered the presidential race. President Trump tweeted his outrage at the attack, adding that, if the deputies die, “fast trial death penalty for the killer. Only way to stop this!”
The president has been widely criticized for his handling of tensions and unrest sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, at times seeming to stoke the fires of racial bias as part of his reelection bid. Trump has blamed protesters for instigating violence and acts of vandalism in big cities around the country.
Former Vice President Joe Biden was quick to condemn Saturday’s attack on the two deputies.
“This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice,” he said on Twitter. “Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery.”
The Sheriff’s Department has been under scrutiny for several deputy-involved shootings in recent months. The killing of Dijon Kizzee, 29, in Westmont last month, who was stopped while riding a bicycle, has sparked days of tense protests. On Saturday night, some demonstrators came to St. Francis Medical Center, where the wounded deputies were being treated. The department said on Twitter that some of those protesters had blocked entrances and exits at the hospital, but that could not be independently verified.
Videos from the scene capture at least one person in the crowd yelling, “I hope they ... die.”
A reporter for KPCC and LAist was arrested there. Video showed the reporter, Josie Huang, pinned by several deputies.
Huang received a citation for allegedly obstructing a peace officer.
Back in Compton, Capelton said tensions in the area had reached “a boiling point.”
“People are looking for someone to blame for racism,” he said. “People are looking to blame a cop.” But the deputies who were shot, he said, “were two innocent people just sitting in their car. It’s just so stupid. How else can I put it?”
Omar Williams, who lives near the Metro station on Willowbrook Avenue, said he was saddened if not surprised to learn someone had shot a police officer, an act he called “the work of an evil person.”
Williams, 40, had taken part in protests against racism and police brutality earlier in the summer, but he’d recently sensed in the crowds a heightened anger.
“You could hear the chatter in the crowd,” he said. “You could feel the tension. You could tell something was going to happen.”
He believes the police have at times abused their authority and subjected Black people in Compton and elsewhere to “years of hostility.” Those abuses shouldn’t be forgotten, he said.
“But I’ve got to remember this,” he said, standing across the street from where the two deputies were shot, “as much as I remember the killing of an unarmed Black person by the police.”
Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this story.


latimes--2020-09-13--Because of fire, West Coast has four of the world's 10 most polluted cities

Smoke has suffused the sky for days , replacing a bright yellow sun with a hazy red orb and raining down flakes of ash on much of the West Coast , where four cities on Sunday were among the 10 most polluted places in the world .
Los Angeles , San Francisco and Seattle ranked eighth , sixth and third , respectively , but the dubious honor of worst air of any big city on the globe went to Portland , Ore. , where smoke was blowing in from burning across the state .
Before President Trump ’ s scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immediate weather forecast — dry air and whipping winds — seems to suggest that even more devastating days lie ahead in what has already become a record-breaking fire season in the American West , where wildfires have killed at least 35 people and charred nearly 4.9 million acres .
On Sunday morning , Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon went on an ABC news show to discuss the fires , and both described the situation in their states as apocalyptic .
Merkley told the host he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the coast and never once escaped the smoke .
Inslee , donning a cloth mask , said that after visiting with a woman who lost her home to flames , it dawned on him that her tears were among the only moisture anywhere in the state .
“ We have a blowtorch over our states in the West , which is climate change , ” said Inslee , who expressed frustration with Trump , who he said wasn ’ t focusing enough on how a warming climate lays the groundwork for such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change a hoax , although at other times he has acknowledged it .
On Monday , Trump — who drew criticism last week for not having addressed the deadly fires charring millions of acres — is expected to visit with emergency officials in Sacramento County and receive a briefing on the fires , including the massive North Complex fire in Northern California .
The blaze , which began with a bolt of lightning in mid-August , has burned ferociously since then , killing at least 14 people , causing thousands to evacuate during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 261,000 acres in Butte , Plumas and Yuba counties .
As of Sunday night , it was 26 % contained .
Over the next few days , firefighters will have to deal with breezier southerly winds , said Cory Mueller , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento .
“ That ’ s the big concern , ” Mueller said .
“ We are expecting increased fire-weather concerns given the gusts.
” Usually , onshore winds bring higher humidity — welcomed by firefighters — but the forecast is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mueller said .
There ’ s a chance of showers in the region Thursday and Friday , he added .
As the North Complex fire burns into its 25th day , people with friends and relatives who live within the evacuation zones continue to deal with anxiety .
After she left her pottery class that evening , she heard that residents of Berry Creek — a hilly area not far from Paradise , the town largely destroyed by flames in 2018 — had been ordered to evacuate .
She immediately dialed her sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m going to go up there , ” Rancour-Aldridge , 50 , said she thought to herself .
She was determined to find her sister , Kelly Burke , 49 .
She hopped into her truck and drove to the base of a nearby mountain , but a sheriff ’ s deputy stopped her .
It made sense , Rancour-Aldridge thought , given the history of the area — the way Paradise turned into a deathtrap during the Camp fire in 2018 .
Even as she evacuated from her own home in Palermo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midnight Wednesday , her mind raced with thoughts of her sister .
“ All kinds of scenarios were playing out in my head , ” she said .
“ But I know my sister really well .
If she is told to leave , she leaves.
” Eventually , Rancour-Aldridge got hold of one of her sister ’ s neighbors , who told her she ’ d seen Burke evacuating from the area with a friend .
By Thursday , still without word from her sister , Rancour-Aldridge decided to return to pottery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t stop thinking about her free-spirited sister .
She thought about the Berry Creek home her sister had lived in for 25 years , where she had raised seven children .
The next day , Rancour-Aldridge ’ s daughter had an epiphany : They had forgotten to call local hospitals .
When she dialed Oroville Hospital , she learned that Burke had been admitted a few hours earlier , not for smoke inhalation or burns , but for kidney stones .
Rancour-Aldridge rushed to the hospital to visit her sister , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped other neighbors prepare to evacuate before fleeing down the mountain .
Her sister told her an unpaid phone bill was the reason the landline wasn ’ t working .
But Burke has larger worries as her home , as well as the homes of two of her children , were ultimately lost to the fire , said Rancour-Aldridge , who started a GoFundMe account to raise money toward rebuilding .
When she told her sister she ’ d started the account , Burke said she would do anything to return to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t care if I live in a tent , ” her sister said .
“ Oh , Kelly , you can ’ t go back , ” she told her , sadly .
“ That place is cooked.
” Twenty miles north of the hospital , at Roost Café in Chico , owner Linda Juanarena spent Sunday considering just how much her life had changed in recent months .
If not for the fires and the pandemic , her restaurant would be bustling with customers this time of year .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside her quiet restaurant , which is surviving off takeout orders and catering .
When the pandemic hit and she had to close the café to indoor dining , Juanarena , 62 , ended up giving away food and lost an estimated $ 18,000 in merchandise .
“ We ’ re getting hit on all sides , ” she said .
South of Portland , in Clackamas County , emergency officials spent Sunday grappling with a now-familiar problem : a firefighter shortage .
During an afternoon news briefing , Ralph Lucas , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires in the region , said many of his recent requests to other agencies to send back-up firefighters were coming back with the same response : UTF — Unable to fill .
“ We ’ re literally out of firefighters and equipment due to the sheer magnitude of fires that are occurring in the western United States , ” Lucas said .
In many rural canyons and valleys , residents have stepped in to fill the need , driving around with massive water tanks and makeshift fire hoses , dousing spot fires despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said that , in response to rumors on social media about people stealing from evacuation zones , some residents had also armed themselves and begun illegally patrolling the area .
“ Please stop that , ” he said .
“ It ’ s illegal to stop people at gunpoint.
” In Southern California , firefighters faced an increasingly tough situation Sunday , as onshore winds gusted to around 15 to 20 mph , said Kathy Hoxsie , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Forest , had torn through more than 33,000 acres by Sunday evening and sent thick , unhealthful smoke into the Los Angeles Basin .
It also prompted the evacuation of some Arcadia residents , who gathered for shelter at the Santa Anita racetrack .
And yet , the winds weren ’ t as bad as in Northern California , where officials have predicted gusts of up to at least 30 mph over the next few days .
The light winds in Southern California meant some areas could see slightly thinned-out smoke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoxsie said , adding that no big change is expected until at least the middle of the week .
“ We have that big high pressure over us , and as long as that ’ s there it ’ s kind of a cap on the smoke , ” she said .
The South Coast Air Quality Management District moderate to unhealthful air for a large swath of the region , including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys .
Conditions are expected to be somewhat better along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air quality contributed to the weekend closure of : Eaton Canyon , Devil ’ s Punchbowl , Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park , Lario Staging Area , Marshall Canyon , Peck Road Water Conservation Park , San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area .
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and limit physical exertion , indoors or out .
“ If you can see smoke , soot or ash , or you can smell smoke , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health .
”

Ruben Vives, Marisa Gerber, Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Kare Park in Irwindale. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A bicyclist travels along the 1st Street Bridge as smoke hovers east of downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A hazy sun is seen behind the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Smoke from the Bobcat fire burning in the Angeles National Forest blankets the Southland. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Two people get ready to surf as a hazy red sun sets off Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Smoke has suffused the sky for days, replacing a bright yellow sun with a hazy red orb and raining down flakes of ash on much of the West Coast, where four cities on Sunday were among the 10 most polluted places in the world.
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle ranked eighth, sixth and third, respectively, but the dubious honor of worst air of any big city on the globe went to Portland, Ore., where smoke was blowing in from more than 30 blazes burning across the state.
Before President Trump’s scheduled arrival in Northern California on Monday, the immediate weather forecast — dry air and whipping winds — seems to suggest that even more devastating days lie ahead in what has already become a record-breaking fire season in the American West, where wildfires have killed at least 35 people and charred nearly 4.9 million acres.
On Sunday morning, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon went on an ABC news show to discuss the fires, and both described the situation in their states as apocalyptic.
Merkley told the host he’d recently driven 600 miles up and down the coast and never once escaped the smoke. Inslee, donning a cloth mask, said that after visiting with a woman who had lost her home to flames, it dawned on him that her tears were among the only moisture anywhere in the state.
1 / 42 Lance Georgeson of Mammoth Lakes paddleboards on Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 42 Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 42 Benjamin Lewis takes a photo for a group of San Diego firefighters in Yosemite. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 42 A deer grazes in Cook’s Meadow as thick smoke shrouds the iconic landmarks of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 42 A Cal Fire truck passes a burned-out vehicle on Stringtown Road on Friday in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 42 Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 42 Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 42 A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 42 Scorched cars in Brush Creek, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 13 / 42 Flames from the Bear fire in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 42 A horse in a field in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 42 Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 42 A fox pauses amid burned brush in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 42 A statue is singed in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 42 Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 42 Firefighters work to save a home in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 20 / 42 A burned truck in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 22 / 42 A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 23 / 42 A table stands outside the destroyed Cressman’s General Store in Fresno County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 24 / 42 A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 42 The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 42 Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 42 The Creek fire burns along Huntington Lake Road on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 42 A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew battles the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation along California 168 as the Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 42 A firefighter works on the back-burn operation near Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 42 A duck swims in Shaver Lake as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez battles the Creek fire with a back burn. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 42 The sky glows orange around Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 42 Flames leap into the sky as fire engulfs trees near Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 42 The Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 42 A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 42 Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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“We have a blowtorch over our states in the West, which is climate change,” said Inslee, who expressed frustration with Trump, who he said wasn’t focusing enough on how a warming climate lays the groundwork for such catastrophic fires. Trump has called climate change a hoax, although at other times he has acknowledged it.
On Monday, Trump — who drew criticism last week for not having addressed the deadly fires charring millions of acres — is expected to visit with emergency officials in Sacramento County and receive a briefing on the fires, including the massive North Complex fire in Northern California.
The blaze, which began with a bolt of lightning in mid-August, has burned ferociously since then, killing at least 14 people, causing thousands to evacuate during a deadly pandemic and chewing through more than 261,000 acres in Butte, Plumas and Yuba counties.
As of Sunday night, it was 26% contained.
Over the next few days, firefighters will have to deal with breezier southerly winds, said Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
“That’s the big concern,” Mueller said. “We are expecting increased fire-weather concerns given the gusts.”
Usually, onshore winds bring higher humidity — welcomed by firefighters — but the forecast is expected to stay dry until at least Wednesday, Mueller said. There’s a chance of showers in the region Thursday and Friday, he added.
As the North Complex fire burns into its 25th day, people with friends and relatives who live within the evacuation zones continue to deal with anxiety.
Fire fuels worry and a search for a relative
For Michelle Rancour-Aldridge, the panic began Tuesday night.
After she left her pottery class that evening, she heard that residents of Berry Creek — a hilly area not far from Paradise, the town largely destroyed by flames in 2018 — had been ordered to evacuate. She immediately dialed her sister’s landline.
The phone was disconnected.
“I’m going to go up there,” Rancour-Aldridge, 50, said she thought to herself. She was determined to find her sister, Kelly Burke, 49.
She hopped into her truck and drove to the base of a nearby mountain, but a sheriff’s deputy stopped her. It made sense, Rancour-Aldridge thought, given the history of the area — the way Paradise turned into a deathtrap during the Camp fire in 2018.
Still, Rancour-Aldridge was terrified.
Even as she evacuated from her own home in Palermo, about an hour south, around midnight Wednesday, her mind raced with thoughts of her sister.
“All kinds of scenarios were playing out in my head,” she said. “But I know my sister really well. If she is told to leave, she leaves.”
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Eventually, Rancour-Aldridge got hold of one of her sister’s neighbors, who told her she’d seen Burke evacuating from the area with a friend.
By Thursday, still without word from her sister, Rancour-Aldridge decided to return to pottery class to distract her racing mind but couldn’t stop thinking about her free-spirited sister. She thought about the Berry Creek home her sister had lived in for 25 years, where she had raised seven children.
California Essential California: Climate change’s psychological toll An environmental philosopher coined the term solastalgia to describe the pain “experienced when there is recognition that the place where one resides and that one loves is under immediate assault.”
The next day, Rancour-Aldridge’s daughter had an epiphany: They had forgotten to call local hospitals. When she dialed Oroville Hospital, she learned that Burke had been admitted a few hours earlier, not for smoke inhalation or burns, but for kidney stones.
Rancour-Aldridge rushed to the hospital to visit her sister, who, she later learned, had helped other neighbors prepare to evacuate before fleeing down the mountain.
Her sister told her an unpaid phone bill was the reason the landline wasn’t working. But Burke has larger worries as her home, as well as the homes of two of her children, were ultimately lost to the fire, said Rancour-Aldridge, who started a GoFundMe account to raise money toward rebuilding. When she told her sister she’d started the account, Burke said she would do anything to return to her home in the mountains.
“I don’t care if I live in a tent,” her sister said.
“Oh, Kelly, you can’t go back,” she told her, sadly. “That place is cooked.”
Twenty miles north of the hospital, at Roost Café in Chico, owner Linda Juanarena spent Sunday considering just how much her life had changed in recent months.
If not for the fires and the pandemic, her restaurant would be bustling with customers this time of year. Instead, she sat alone at a table inside her quiet restaurant, which is surviving off takeout orders and catering. When the pandemic hit and she had to close the café to indoor dining, Juanarena, 62, ended up giving away food and lost an estimated $18,000 in merchandise.
“We’re getting hit on all sides,” she said.
In Oregon, a firefighter shortage and swirling rumors
South of Portland, in Clackamas County, emergency officials spent Sunday grappling with a now-familiar problem: a firefighter shortage.
During an afternoon news briefing, Ralph Lucas, an operation section chief managing one of the fires in the region, said many of his recent requests to other agencies to send back-up firefighters were coming back with the same response: UTF — Unable to fill.
“We’re literally out of firefighters and equipment due to the sheer magnitude of fires that are occurring in the Western United States,” Lucas said.
In many rural canyons and valleys, residents have stepped in to fill the need, driving around with massive water tanks and makeshift fire hoses, dousing spot fires despite orders to evacuate.
At the briefing, Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said that, in response to rumors on social media about people stealing from evacuation zones, some residents had also armed themselves and begun illegally patrolling the area.
“Please stop that,” he said. “It’s illegal to stop people at gunpoint.”
Smoke persists in Southern California
In Southern California, firefighters faced an increasingly tough situation Sunday, as onshore winds gusted to around 15 to 20 mph, said Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The Bobcat fire, burning in the Angeles National Forest, had torn through more than 33,000 acres by Sunday evening and sent thick, unhealthful smoke into the Los Angeles Basin. It also prompted the evacuation of some Arcadia residents, who gathered for shelter at the Santa Anita racetrack.
And yet, the winds weren’t as bad as in Northern California, where officials have predicted gusts of up to at least 30 mph over the next few days.
The light winds in Southern California meant some areas could see slightly thinned-out smoke, and others will get thicker smoke, Hoxsie said, adding that no big change is expected until at least the middle of the week.
“We have that big high pressure over us, and as long as that’s there it’s kind of a cap on the smoke,” she said.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has forecast moderate to unhealthful air for a large swath of the region, including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. Conditions are expected to be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County.
Poor air quality contributed to the weekend closure of eight parks in L.A. County : Eaton Canyon, Devil’s Punchbowl, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Lario Staging Area, Marshall Canyon, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and limit physical exertion, indoors or out.
“If you can see smoke, soot or ash, or you can smell smoke,” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis, “pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health.”


latimes--2020-09-14--Bobcat fire is just 1.6 miles from Mt. Wilson Observatory. Firefighters ready for battle

It was 1 p.m. , and flurries of ashes were falling like snow for the fourth consecutive day .
David Cendejas looked toward massive clouds of smoke rising off the eastern flank of the Bobcat fire as it marched westward toward the Mt .
Wilson Observatory and nearby thickets of broadcast spires stabbing hundreds of feet skyward .
“ The fire has moved to within 1.6 miles away from the observatory , ” said Cendenjas , 28 , superintendent of the complex that houses 18 astronomical wonders including the 100-inch Hooker telescope , which proved the existence of other galaxies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of good news is that the smoke was so thick Sunday night that it choked the speed of fire ’ s advance.
” Cendejas and other staffers had spent the morning introducing more than three dozen firefighters to the emergency firefighting systems and backup electric generators strategically located across the property perched on a 5,710-foot mountain shaded by pines and oak forests .
They included a 530,00-gallon water tank connected to a high-pressure pump built in 1970 , last used when the observatory was rescued from snarling flames of the Station fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and four nights .
Now , as menacing columns of smoke churned turned the sky orange and gray , firefighters in 12 fire engines were girding for the arrival of the flames , which would trigger a screeching blare from large horns on the observatory ’ s gleaming white dome .
“ We ’ re not going anywhere , ” Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt .
Keith Stires said .
“ We are committed here.
” By 1:45 , a sense of urgency swept across the grounds .
The Mill Creek Hotshots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took up positions near broadcast towers owned by media companies and federal agencies of every stripe .
The Bobcat fire has burned more than 33,000 acres and is only 6 % contained .
An L.A. County Public Works assistant dam operator at Cogswell Dam , a remote county flood control operation that looms over an 8-mile-long stretch of the San Gabriel River ’ s west fork , discovered the Bobcat fire at 12:21 p.m. on Sept. 6 .
The operation controls the flow of the stream , which provides some of the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recharge the metropolitan aquifer in the flatlands below .
“ The fire spread rapidly , ” said Kerjon Lee , a spokesman for the county agency .
“ He called 911 .
Public works operators have evacuated the area.
” The fire surrounded the dam , Lee said , “ but no structures there have been damaged , and no injuries are reported.
” Firefighters are taking water from Cogswell and San Gabriel Reservoirs in the San Gabriel Mountains above Azusa .
On Monday afternoon , he said , flames were approaching Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above Arcadia .
“ We ’ re approaching winter storm season , ” Lee said , “ and that infrastructure is critical to protect downstream communities from potential flooding .
”

A helicopter makes a water drop on a fire near the Mt. Wilson Observatory in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles.
It was 1 p.m., and flurries of ashes were falling like snow for the fourth consecutive day. David Cendejas looked toward massive clouds of smoke rising off the eastern flank of the Bobcat fire as it marched westward toward the Mt. Wilson Observatory and nearby thickets of broadcast spires stabbing hundreds of feet skyward.
“The fire has moved to within 1.6 miles away from the observatory,” said Cendenjas, 28, superintendent of the complex that houses 18 astronomical wonders including the 100-inch Hooker telescope, which proved the existence of other galaxies flung across the universe. “A bit of good news is that the smoke was so thick Sunday night that it choked the speed of fire’s advance.”
Cendejas and other staffers had spent the morning introducing more than three dozen firefighters to the emergency firefighting systems and backup electric generators strategically located across the property perched on a 5,710-foot mountain shaded by pines and oak forests.
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California Photos: Bobcat fire rages in the Angeles National Forest Fears of a significant spread of the Bobcat fire dissipated as Santa Ana winds failed to materialize, but foothill communities remain on high alert.
They included a water tank connected to a high-pressure pump built in 1970, last used when the observatory was rescued from snarling flames of the Station fire after a fight that lasted five days and four nights.
Now, as menacing columns of smoke churned turned the sky orange and gray, firefighters in 12 fire engines were girding for the arrival of the flames, which would trigger a screeching blare from large horns on the observatory’s gleaming white dome.
By 1:45, a sense of urgency swept across the grounds.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Keith Stires said. “We are committed here.”
Firefighters began quietly and efficiently unspooling fire hoses. Battalion chiefs were studying maps.
The Mill Creek Hotshots, from San Bernardino, arrived and took up positions near broadcast towers owned by media companies and federal agencies of every stripe.
“All nonessentials have to leave immediately,” Dendejas told a visitor.
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The Bobcat fire has burned more than 36,000 acres and is only 6% contained.
As night fell, officials said they were still concerned about its spread, especially around Mt. Wilson.
An L.A. County Public Works assistant dam operator at Cogswell Dam, a remote county flood control operation that looms over an 8-mile-long stretch of the San Gabriel River’s west fork, discovered the Bobcat fire at 12:21 p.m. on Sept. 6.
The operation controls the flow of the stream, which provides some of the best fly fishing in Southern California and helps recharge the metropolitan aquifer in the flatlands below.
“The fire spread rapidly,” said Kerjon Lee, a spokesman for the county agency. “He called 911. Public works operators have evacuated the area.”
The fire surrounded the dam, Lee said, “but no structures there have been damaged, and no injuries are reported.”
Firefighters are taking water from Cogswell and San Gabriel Reservoirs in the San Gabriel Mountains above Azusa.
On Monday afternoon, he said, flames were approaching Santa Anita Dam, less than a mile above Arcadia.
“We’re approaching winter storm season,” Lee said, “and that infrastructure is critical to protect downstream communities from potential flooding.”


latimes--2020-09-14--Californians are testing positive for COVID-19 at the lowest rate on record

As the Golden State faces a triple threat of respiratory risks — destructive wildfires , toxic air quality and a deadly pandemic — there is a faint glimmer of hope .
Over the last seven days , just 3.5 % of COVID-19 tests in California came back positive , the lowest rate since the state began reporting the data in late March .
A month ago , the positive test rate was nearly twice as high .
The number of new confirmed cases has fallen to the lowest level since mid-June , according to a Times analysis of state data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lowest levels since the start of April , with 2,869 patients in hospital beds Saturday .
These positive signs come as California reduces the turnaround time for coronavirus tests .
Dr. Erica Pan , the acting state public health officer , said last week that laboratories are now producing test results in an average of 1.3 days .
The data have left officials feeling cautiously optimistic about California ’ s progress against the pandemic as the state nears the end of the sixth month of stay-at-home orders .
They urged residents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions that are working : wearing face coverings in public , observing social distancing with anyone outside the immediate household and staying home whenever possible .
Officials said there are two factors that could mar the rate of positive tests : a decline in testing during the wildfires and lingering questions about whether Labor Day gatherings caused a surge in transmissions .
It can take up to two weeks for the COVID-19 virus to incubate in the human body .
California saw a surge in cases , hospitalizations and deaths after the Memorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , graduation parties , massive protests over police brutality and the reopening of bars , which were later closed again .
Health officials are “ very anxious to figure out ” whether gatherings , parties and other activities over the latest three-day weekend , which ended a week ago , will lead to another spike in in cases , “ which then leads to more hospitalizations and even more deaths , ” said Barbara Ferrer , director of Los Angeles County ’ s Department of Public Health .
“ We are , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data because we ’ ve had both extreme heat , and we ’ ve had the fires that have created unhealthy air conditions , ” Ferrer continued .
“ What that ’ s led to , unfortunately , is a lot less testing.
” Ash and smoke from the Bobcat fire were so strong that L.A. County was forced to temporarily close some testing sites in the San Gabriel Valley .
But , Ferrer said , the vast majority of testing centers are open .
She urged residents to get tested if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with anyone who has , including in a workplace or at home .
Southern California officials are watching with interest , and caution , as San Diego and Orange counties have begun to slowly reopen indoor businesses .
Both counties have receive approval from the state to reopen at 25 % capacity .
Last week , Los Angeles County reported 9.6 transmissions per 100,000 residents .
That rate must fall below 7 per 100,000 for two consecutive weeks before Newsom would allow restaurants , theaters and other nonessential businesses to reopen .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be allowed to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November .
However , schools will be allowed to offer in-person classes for children with special needs , provided occupancy on campus does not exceed 10 % of the student body .
Public health officials have received 59 applications from individual schools to reopen for “ students who can not be served virtually , ” Ferrer said .

The rate of Californians testing positive for COVID-19 has continued to fall even as the state has opened new options, including a walk-up kiosk at Los Angeles Union Station that can conduct 500 tests per day.
As the Golden State faces a triple threat of respiratory risks — destructive wildfires, toxic air quality and a deadly pandemic — there is a faint glimmer of hope.
Over the last seven days, just 3.5% of COVID-19 tests in California came back positive, the lowest rate since the state began reporting the data in late March. A month ago, the positive test rate was nearly twice as high.
The number of new confirmed cases has fallen to the lowest level since mid-June, according to a Times analysis of state data. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have fallen to the lowest levels since the start of April, with 2,869 patients in hospital beds Saturday.
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These positive signs come as California reduces the turnaround time for coronavirus tests. Dr. Erica Pan, the acting state public health officer, said last week that laboratories are now producing test results in an average of 1.3 days.
The data have left officials feeling cautiously optimistic about California’s progress against the pandemic as the state nears the end of the sixth month of stay-at-home orders. They urged residents to stay vigilant and to keep taking the precautions that are working: wearing face coverings in public, observing social distancing with anyone outside the immediate household and staying home whenever possible.
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
Officials said there are two factors that could mar the rate of positive tests: a decline in testing during the wildfires and lingering questions about whether Labor Day gatherings caused a surge in transmissions.
It can take up to two weeks for the coronavirus to incubate in the human body. California saw a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths after the Memorial Day weekend, which included holiday gatherings, graduation parties, massive protests over police brutality and the reopening of bars, which were later closed again.
Health officials are “very anxious to figure out” whether gatherings, parties and other activities over the latest three-day weekend, which ended a week ago, will lead to another spike in cases, “which then leads to more hospitalizations and even more deaths,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health.
“We are, in fact, somewhat challenged about getting good data because we’ve had both extreme heat and we’ve had the fires that have created unhealthy air conditions,” Ferrer continued. “What that’s led to, unfortunately, is a lot less testing.”
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Ash and smoke from the Bobcat fire were so strong that L.A. County was forced to temporarily close some testing sites in the San Gabriel Valley. But, Ferrer said, the vast majority of testing centers are open. She urged residents to get tested if they have experienced COVID-19 symptoms or have associated with anyone who has, including in a workplace or at home.
Meanwhile, Southern California officials are watching with interest and caution as San Diego and Orange counties have begun to slowly reopen indoor businesses. Both counties have received approval from the state to reopen restaurant dining rooms, museums, movie theaters and places of worship at 25% capacity.
Last week, Los Angeles County reported 9.6 transmissions per 100,000 residents. That rate must fall below seven per 100,000 for two consecutive weeks before Newsom would allow restaurants, theaters and other nonessential businesses to reopen.
For now, no L.A. County school campuses will be allowed to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November. However, schools will be allowed to offer in-person classes for children with special needs, provided occupancy on campus does not exceed 10% of the student body.
Public health officials have received 59 applications from individual schools to reopen for “students who cannot be served virtually,” Ferrer said.


latimes--2020-09-14--Draft report on L.A.'s response to summer protests notes flaws in inter-agency coordination

In the midst of rowdy protests , arsons and other property damage in Los Angeles this summer , officials from various city agencies that had been called into the field were requesting escorts from the already-overwhelmed Los Angeles Police without any centralized coordination and at times in areas where there was no unrest .
When the National Guard arrived to help quell the chaos , officials in the city ’ s Emergency Operations Center were unsure of the troops ’ marching orders — and didn ’ t know what they were allowed to do .
And as local leaders instituted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for disseminating the information to the public or the thousands of protesters in the streets — many of whom would subsequently be arrested .
Those findings and others are laid out in a draft “ after action report ” on the handling of the protests by the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department , which worked to coordinate the city ’ s response by providing logistical support to the LAPD and other agencies in the field .
The report was posted online as part of the September agenda of the department ’ s Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency managers from different departments in the city .
Jessica Kellogg , a spokeswoman for the emergency department , said the report is still being revised .
It will eventually have to be approved by the department ’ s Emergency Operations Board — which is chaired by LAPD Chief Michel Moore and includes other top emergency officials — but Kellogg said she was not sure when that would occur .
The draft report is the first of several city assessments of the protests to be made public .
Others that will focus more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was the lead agency in the response , are still pending .
The report largely focuses on the efforts of its own staff to coordinate responses between agencies from their downtown emergency center , outlining both “ best practices ” that were used and “ areas for improvement.
” It notes that , when the protests erupted in late May , the Operations Center was already up and running during weekday hours as part of the city ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
That made ramping up to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests easier in some ways , but harder in others , the report found .
The report found that “ partnerships and open communication already established since March of 2020 for the pandemic , resulted in a more developed , organized , and effective coordinated response.
” But it also noted that there were no clear guidelines for filling out required paperwork for two simultaneous emergencies , including status reports intended to convey to top officials where the city stood on any given day in terms of emergency resources and needs .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including forcing the LAPD to “ establish a system to separate calls related to the protests and those related to COVID-19 , ” the report found .
The report noted other interesting facts about the city ’ s response during the protests , as well .
For example , in the aftermath of the protests and the fires and property destruction that occurred , public works crews removed 300 tons of material from the city , including 71 tons that were “ directly related to ‘ broom and shovel ’ cleanup related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The report estimated a later protest in Hollywood on June 7 — the largest of any of the gatherings — was attended by 50,000 people .
The emergency department ultimately concluded that its response was “ successful ” overall , but said changes are underway to ensure that the identified problems aren ’ t repeated .
Asked about police officers being called out to quiet areas to escort other city personnel during the height of protests , Josh Rubenstein , an LAPD spokesman , said the department always works “ with the goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city partners , ” and recognizes that protests are inherently dynamic situations where conditions can change on the ground quickly .
He otherwise declined to comment on the findings of the emergency department ’ s report , citing the ongoing nature of the LAPD ’ s own review — which he said would cover some of the same topics .
Rubenstein said he did not have an estimate for when the LAPD ’ s own report would be completed and made public .

Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
LAPD Cmdr. Gerald Woodyard takes a knee with clergy members from the Los Angeles area as they participate in a march and demonstration outside LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Janie Hill,15, from Lawndale, receives a hug from a friend, following an emotional discussion with a Manhattan Beach Police officer, at the conclusion of a protest in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Mira Ercingoz,16, from Palos Verdes, center in red hat, holds a poster with an image of George Floyd alongside protesters in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
A young woman reacts to a group chant, while gathered with a couple hundred people to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, near the Manhattan Beach Pier. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Jessica Jordan takes a knee as she joins other protesters at Sunset & Vine in Hollywood on Tuesday. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Terrence Burney, 36, left, and Commander of the LAPD Operation West Bureau Cory Palka, right, talk together peacefully in front of Getty House in Hancock Park. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A woman stands next to an image of George Floyd as hundreds participate in a march against the in-custody death of Floyd in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters shoot hoops while taking a break from marching against the death of George Floyd by police on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice on Tuesday. The basketball hoop was attached to the front of a bus that followed the protest for a while. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Members of the California National Guard flash peace signs after protesters had marched by in support of Black Lives Matter in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“Hands up. Don’t shoot,” say hundreds participating in a march against the of George Floyd on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice onTuesday. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Hussain Sharif, left, Mari Drake, and Thomas Rosado chant as they ride along with hundreds of protesters at a downtown demonstration. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Marcus Owen, yells out chants for George Floyd as hundreds of protesters gather outside City Hall in a daylong protest. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Makenzie Anderson, 2, rides on her father, Shawn’s shoulders as they join hundreds of protesters marching throughout downtown. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Bando Kev prays along Hollywood Blvd. in front of the National Guard and near TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Hundreds of demonstrators block traffic as they march down both sides of Balboa Blvd. to protest against racism in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
In a sign of peace, protesters reach out to Riverside County Sheriff deputies, who were there to enforce an 8pm curfew during a demonstration to protest the death of George Floyd’s in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County Sheriff Lt Chris Durham tries to calm nerves after hundreds of demonstrators that marched to the police station protest the death of George Floyd in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A huge crowd gathers in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Paul Villalobos, 28, from Oakland, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Mustafa-Ali, 27, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Protester Vailing high-fives National Guardsmen as they march through Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Stephen Chang, 32, left, of Silver Lake, with an American flag draped over his head, joins other demonstrators at the intersection of Spring and Temple streets in downtown Los Angeles, as they protest against L.A. Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and also demand justice in the death of George Floyd. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Crowds gather in downtown L.A. to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. At 9 p.m., for exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, protesters shone lights into the sky. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Zoe Perkins, 4, of Glendale and her mother brought flowers to the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Katyana DeCampos, a citizen of France visiting California, marched with a sign with the words “Anti Racism,” joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Mek Bitul held up a sign with the words, “This Is The Tipping Point!!!” in front of City Hall, joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
A protester lies on the ground under his horse with his hands behind his back as demonstrators including some on horseback rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office in Los Angeles Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A National Guardsman holds a rose given to him by a protester along Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A protester yells in front of a Black Lives Matter mural with the names of victims on Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Regina Scott takes knee next to Johnathan Jasper, brother of slain teen Anthony Weber, during a rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
A woman tries to get between Black Lives Matter protesters and pro-Trump counter protesters during a demonstration at the intersection of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
A family member of Breonna Taylor, right, is hugged by another woman after speaking to protesters in Beverly Hills Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Estrada, 6, holds up his fist for 8:46, the length of time George Floyd was held down by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, at the conclusion of a peace ride and walk with the Compton Cowboys at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Houston Rockets star Russell Westbrook speaks to the crowd of protesters and the Compton Cowboys at the end of a peace walk at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
The Compton Cowboys ride horseback down South Tamarind Avenue, joining thousand of protesters Sunday during the Compton peace ride, which ended at City Hall. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Protesters march, raising fists and signs in the air, on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Protesters hold up signs at the All Black Lives Matter march, which was organized by Black LGBTQ leaders and organizations in place of a previously planned event by the group behind LA Pride. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jason De Puy of West Hollywood wears a mask that reads “Black Trans Lives Matter” as people fill Hollywood Boulevard during a solidarity march called All Black Lives Matter on Sunday, June 14. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Thousands hold up signs and march in the All Black Lives Matter solidarity protest on Hollywood Boulevard. The procession started at Hollywood and Highland and moved into West Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
People participate in the All Black Lives Matter march in West Hollywood on Sunday, June 14. Thousands of demonstrators marched for racial justice and LGBTQ rights. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Deborah Jay Winams cries after singing a song at a Black Lives Matter Los Angeles rally to call for justice in the fatal shooting of Kenneth Ross Jr. by Gardena police in 2018. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A protester dances on top of Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a demonstration by members of Refuse Fascism who are calling an end to the Trump administration on June 20, 2020. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
In the midst of rowdy protests, arsons and other property damage in Los Angeles this summer, officials from various city agencies that had been called into the field were requesting escorts from the already-overwhelmed Los Angeles Police without any centralized coordination and at times in areas where there was no unrest.
When the National Guard arrived to help quell the chaos, officials in the city’s Emergency Operations Center were unsure of the troops’ marching orders — and didn’t know what they were allowed to do.
And as local leaders instituted nightly curfews, there was no plan for disseminating the information to the public or the thousands of protesters in the streets — many of whom would subsequently be arrested.
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Those findings and others are laid out in a draft “after action report” on the handling of the protests by the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, which worked to coordinate the city’s response by providing logistical support to the LAPD and other agencies in the field.
The report was posted online as part of the September agenda of the department’s Emergency Management Committee, which is comprised of emergency managers from different departments in the city. Jessica Kellogg, a spokeswoman for the emergency department, said the report is still being revised.
It will eventually have to be approved by the department’s Emergency Operations Board — which is chaired by LAPD Chief Michel Moore and includes other top emergency officials — but Kellogg said she was not sure when that would occur.
The draft report is the first of several city assessments of the protests to be made public. Others that will focus more narrowly on the actions of the LAPD, which was the lead agency in the response, are still pending.
The report largely focuses on the efforts of its own staff to coordinate responses between agencies from their downtown emergency center, outlining both “best practices” that were used and “areas for improvement.”
It notes that, when the protests erupted in late May, the Operations Center was already up and running during weekday hours as part of the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That made ramping up to an around-the-clock emergency posture in response to the protests easier in some ways, but harder in others, the report found.
The report found that “partnerships and open communication already established since March of 2020 for the pandemic, resulted in a more developed, organized, and effective coordinated response.”
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But it also noted that there were no clear guidelines for filling out required paperwork for two simultaneous emergencies, including status reports intended to convey to top officials where the city stood on any given day in terms of emergency resources and needs.
The dual emergencies also presented other hurdles, including forcing the LAPD to “establish a system to separate calls related to the protests and those related to COVID-19,” the report found.
The report noted other interesting facts about the city’s response during the protests, as well. For example, in the aftermath of the protests and the fires and property destruction that occurred, public works crews removed 300 tons of material from the city, including 71 tons that were “directly related to ‘broom and shovel’ cleanup related to vandalism,” the report found.
The report estimated a later protest in Hollywood on June 7 — the largest of any of the gatherings — was attended by 50,000 people.
The emergency department ultimately concluded that its response was “successful” overall, but said changes are underway to ensure that the identified problems aren’t repeated.
Asked about police officers being called out to quiet areas to escort other city personnel during the height of protests, Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman, said the department always works “with the goal of ensuring the safety of our fellow city partners,” and recognizes that protests are inherently dynamic situations where conditions can change on the ground quickly.
He otherwise declined to comment on the findings of the emergency department’s report, citing the ongoing nature of the LAPD’s own review — which he said would cover some of the same topics.
Rubenstein said he did not have an estimate for when the LAPD’s own report would be completed and made public.
Los Angeles Times reporter Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this article.


latimes--2020-09-14--CHP cruiser drives through Trump crowd, flinging man off car and onto road

As a crowd gathered Monday outside McClellan Airport in Sacramento following the arrival of President Trump , one man climbed atop a California Highway Patrol vehicle , which drove forward , throwing the man over the top of the cruiser and onto the pavement .
Video from NBC News and bystanders show a man wearing a red hat climbing onto the hood of the moving CHP vehicle and then proceeding to scale the windshield .
In the video , demonstrators flank the car as the man is flung off .
The vehicle flips the man over his side before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At least one other person was knocked down by the car .
Other video shows a person being loaded into an ambulance as the crowd cheers .
One of the men in the gathering can be seen making obscene gestures toward several CHP officers , who walked behind the injured person , who was lying on a stretcher .
CHP officials were not immediately available to answer questions about the incident , which appeared to take place at Watt Avenue and Airbase Drive .
Roughly three blocks away , another incident involving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day .
Video from the scene showed a green Volvo driving into a group of demonstrators on the side of the road in McClellan Park , just outside Sacramento .
It was not immediately clear whether CHP officers at that location were connected to the later event .
Trump arrived in California on Monday for a briefing on the massive wildfires that have ravaged the state for days .
More than 3.3 million acres have burned in the firestorm , and more than 4,100 structures have been destroyed .
Before Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered outside the airfield , holding signs that shared messages supporting and denouncing the president .

As a crowd gathered Monday outside McClellan Airport in Sacramento following the arrival of President Trump, one man climbed atop a California Highway Patrol vehicle, which drove forward, throwing the man over the top of the cruiser and onto the pavement.
Video from NBC News and bystanders show a man wearing a red hat climbing onto the hood of the moving CHP vehicle and scaling the windshield.
In the video, demonstrators flank the car as the man is flung off. The vehicle flips the man over his side before he lands on his stomach on the pavement. At least one other person was knocked down by the car.
Our camera was rolling when anti- Trump protestors surrounded a CHP patrol car. One person climbed on the hood and the officer drove forward. Two people were injured...one was taken to hospital. The crowd had gathered to protest the President as he visited Sacramento pic.twitter.com/5iZFjXGglz — Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) September 14, 2020
Other video shows a person being loaded into an ambulance as the crowd cheers. One of the men in the gathering can be seen making obscene gestures toward several CHP officers, who walked behind the injured person, who was lying on a stretcher.
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According to the CHP, two officers were conducting traffic control near Watt Avenue and Airbase Drive and were trying to leave the area when the incident occurred.
“As the lead vehicle began to pull away, one of the protesters climbed up the hood of the patrol vehicle. Fearing for his safety, the officer began to accelerate away, and the protester fell off the vehicle,” public information officer A.J. McTaggart said Tuesday. “Medical aid was provided, and the party was transported to Mercy San Juan [Medical Center] with minor injuries.”
The North Area CHP is currently investigating the incident.
Roughly three blocks away, another incident involving a vehicle and protesters took place earlier in the day. Video from the scene showed a green Volvo driving into a group of demonstrators on the side of the road in McClellan Park, just outside Sacramento. It was not immediately clear whether CHP officers at that location were connected to the later event.
Trump arrived in California on Monday for a briefing on the massive wildfires that have ravaged the state for days. More than 3.3 million acres have burned in the firestorm, and more than 4,100 structures have been destroyed.
Before Trump’s arrival, protesters and supporters gathered outside the airfield, holding signs that bore messages supporting and denouncing the president.


latimes--2020-09-14--Brentwood's Diesel bookstore launches a GoFundMe as more stores struggle through pandemic

Next to a bottle of hand sanitizer , on a table at an entrance to Brentwood ’ s Diesel bookstore , is a message to customers describing an existential crisis induced by a pandemic .
It says , in essence : We need your help .
“ We have tried to weather this storm , with creative reinvention , hard work , and perseverance , as we always have , ” reads the note from Diesel owners Alison Reid and John Evans .
“ We ’ ve managed to keep our booksellers afloat financially and with the necessary health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores are foundering .
” ...
So we are asking for your support to restore us to a sustainable level , to make it through this taxing time ... We have resisted this appeal to our wider community , but now we are running out of time .
It is either this , or ending our run as a quality independent bookstore.
” Online orders , gift card purchases and the recent return of indoor shopping by appointment only have helped keep afloat the charming bookstore tucked inside the Brentwood Country Mart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,500 people via email , “ it is not enough , given our rent , operating expenses and our publisher debt , to sustain us.
” Diesel , A Bookstore is a small retail chain with locations in Brentwood and Del Mar .
Both face the threat of permanent closure , but the situation in the upscale Westside neighborhood is more dire .
COVID-19 has brought plenty of hardship to small businesses across the country .
In Los Angeles , iconic restaurants , delis and bars have been forced to close permanently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other bills as business slumps .
And across California , bookstores are no exception .
Berkeley ’ s University Press Books shut its doors after 46 years .
Wolfman Books in downtown Oakland closed for good at the end of July .
Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood and Angel City Books and Records in Santa Monica both started GoFundMe pages in the spring ; San Francisco ’ s historic City Lights Bookstore has done the same .
Other struggling bookstores in L.A. are following suit .
West Hollywood ’ s Book Soup and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pasadena and Hastings Ranch , were accepting donations online during the first phase of the pandemic to help keep them going .
The $ 10,000 raised for the stores — which are all Vroman ’ s operations — was used to pay operating expenses .
Now , even as business improves , they ’ re focused on managing their cashflow “ very carefully , ” Chief Executive Julia Cowlishaw wrote in an email .
“ We want to keep our doors open , provide as many jobs as possible and continue to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she wrote .
“ Thankfully , the company had created a cash reserve which , together with the Paycheck Protection Program loan , has allowed us to weather the crushing losses of the past seven months , and will take us through the Christmas season.
” Diesel launched its fundraiser on Sept. 3 .
As of Monday morning , some 600 people had donated more than $ 92,880 — a solid start , but a long way from its $ 400,000 goal .
“ We hate , hate , hate the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evans , “ so we resisted doing it , up until two weeks ago.
” But there was no choice , he said .
“ We pushed ourselves into the position where we either have to do it or we have to close and go bankrupt.
” Before 2009 , the number of indie bookstores was steadily declining in the wake of Amazon ‘ s explosive growth .
But 14 years after the online retailer ’ s founding , the tide began to turn .
Between 2009 and 2018 , the American Booksellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in the number of indie bookstores in the United States .
A key reason for the resurgence has been booksellers ’ ability to “ build , create and sustain community , ” said Ryan Raffaelli , professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and author of “ Reinventing Retail : The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores.
” “ There ’ s a lot of different forms that bookstores have taken in terms of business models to expand the revenue channel over the last 10 years , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we may think about a GoFundMe as being quite unique — I think is an extension of a long tradition of bookstore owners recognizing that they ’ re co-creating community with the customer.
” Bookstores have seen that firsthand .
At Once Upon a Time , a few customers have written checks for the Montrose children ’ s bookstore .
“ Some asked me to have it spent on personal protection things , ” said owner Maureen Palacios .
Others wanted their donation to help a child buy books .
At Diesel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow booksellers — many of whom face the same threats — has been heartwarming , Evans said .
Contributions have ranged from $ 5 to $ 5,000 .
In response to the letter , others have dropped by the store for indoor shopping and are buying more books than normal .
“ That ’ s a very pragmatic , down-to-earth , generous investment in the store , ” Evans added .
The indoor shoppers are making a noticeable difference : Sales in August were down 55 % compared to last August , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % decline of previous months .
The PPP money Diesel received in May covered most of June ’ s costs , including wages , employee healthcare , publisher debt and rent , which their landlord has deferred since April and will likely continue deferring through the end of the year .
“ Our rent is very high .
At Brentwood Country Mart it ’ s just insane.
” These debts multiply every month .
Most banks aren ’ t interested in loaning to small businesses because they don ’ t make much profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he has little faith that state and federal governments will help .
“ If you don ’ t have an organized financial system or government system that supports bookstores , then you ’ re left with a kind of community funding , which is erratic and chaotic and not dependable , ” he said .
“ That ’ s kind of where we ’ re at .
... As it is now , we aren ’ t functional or sustainable.
” In March , owner Jeffrey Mantor was preparing for the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the pandemic forced immediate closures .
He lost the two things that have keep the bookstore thriving for decades : international tourism and live events .
“ I was basically losing what is the equivalent of the Super Bowl for my business , and we really had no recourse to make up for that , ” he said .
Mantor initially resisted launching a GoFundMe , but without a viable e-commerce site , he saw no choice .
The major success of City Lights Bookstore ’ s fundraiser encouraged him .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great customer support too , and a lot of people who have shopped here for a very long time.
” The $ 46,000 raised has paid for overhead expenses , wages and new computers .
Mantor even hired a website developer .
“ The money has left the lights on.
” On a recent Thursday afternoon , Katherine Cooper browsed through the empty aisles of Diesel for the first time in months .
The 60-something-year-old Malibu resident had trekked to Brentwood to pick up Hilary Mantel ’ s historical novel “ The Mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book in the Wolf Hall trilogy .
Since the bookstore ’ s Malibu location closed in 2014 , she ’ s traveled the 20 miles often to buy from one of her favorite bookshops .
She wants to ensure it ’ s around for years to come .
“ I think [ indie bookstores ] are a dying breed as far as the bricks-and-mortar , and I just think it ’ s important to keep them in business , to keep them going , ” she said .
“ It ’ s fundamental.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diesel ’ s GoFundMe until a Times reporter approached her .
She vowed to make a contribution and she said she ’ d tell her bookworm friends to do the same .
“ Bookstores have a coterie of committed customers who are eager and want to support them , ” said Raffaelli , the Harvard business professor .
“ The challenge becomes , as the pandemic goes on : How do you move beyond the initial spike , given that it ’ s unclear how long you would go ?
” Tough as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diesel ’ s store manager in Brentwood , sees the good that ’ s emerged from the pandemic .
“ It ’ s making people realize how much they rely on businesses that don ’ t have a ton of money — their local restaurants and local bookstores .
People are opening their eyes that we need to support these places all the time , not just right now .
”

Diesel bookseller Lynn Aime makes a sale next to a sign asking customers to contribute to the shop’s GoFundMe.
Next to a bottle of hand sanitizer, on a table at an entrance to Brentwood’s Diesel bookstore, is a message to customers describing an existential crisis induced by a pandemic. It says, in essence: We need your help.
“We have tried to weather this storm, with creative reinvention, hard work, and perseverance, as we always have,” reads the note from Diesel owners Alison Reid and John Evans. “We’ve managed to keep our booksellers afloat financially and with the necessary health care. But at this point, our stores are foundering.
”... So we are asking for your support to restore us to a sustainable level, to make it through this taxing time... We have resisted this appeal to our wider community, but now we are running out of time. It is either this, or ending our run as a quality independent bookstore.”
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Online orders, gift card purchases and the recent return of indoor shopping by appointment only have helped keep afloat the charming bookstore tucked inside the Brentwood Country Mart. But as Reid and Evans alerted some 3,500 people via email, “it is not enough, given our rent, operating expenses and our publisher debt, to sustain us.”
Diesel, A Bookstore is a small retail chain with locations in Brentwood and Del Mar. Both face the threat of permanent closure, but the situation in the upscale Westside neighborhood is more dire.
COVID-19 has brought plenty of hardship to small businesses across the country. In Los Angeles, iconic restaurants, delis and bars have been forced to close permanently, unable to keep pace with rent and other bills as business slumps. And across California, bookstores are no exception. Berkeley’s University Press Books shut its doors after 46 years. Wolfman Books in downtown Oakland closed for good at the end of July. Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood and Angel City Books and Records in Santa Monica both started GoFundMe pages in the spring; San Francisco’s historic City Lights Bookstore has done the same. Other struggling bookstores in L.A. are following suit.
West Hollywood’s Book Soup and Vroman’s, with locations in Pasadena and Hastings Ranch, were accepting donations online during the first phase of the pandemic to help keep them going. The $10,000 raised for the stores — which are all Vroman’s operations — was used to pay operating expenses. Now, even as business improves, they’re focused on managing their cashflow “very carefully,” Chief Executive Julia Cowlishaw wrote in an email.
“We want to keep our doors open, provide as many jobs as possible and continue to be a vital part of our communities,” she wrote. “Thankfully, the company had created a cash reserve which, together with the Paycheck Protection Program loan, has allowed us to weather the crushing losses of the past seven months, and will take us through the Christmas season.”
Other booksellers don’t feel so confident.
Diesel launched its fundraiser on Sept. 3. As of Monday morning, some 600 people had donated more than $92,880 — a solid start, but a long way from its $400,000 goal.
We’ve had wonderful support from our customers, but we are struggling under the consequences of Covid-19. We are asking for your support to return to a sustainable level. Thank you for anything and everything. https://t.co/dsLxDgQLR0 — DIESEL, A Bookstore in Brentwood (@DIESELBrentwood) September 3, 2020
“We hate, hate, hate the idea” of asking for donations, said Evans, “so we resisted doing it, up until two weeks ago.”
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But there was no choice, he said. “We pushed ourselves into the position where we either have to do it or we have to close and go bankrupt.”
Before 2009, the number of indie bookstores was steadily declining in the wake of Amazon‘s explosive growth. But 14 years after the online retailer’s founding, the tide began to turn. Between 2009 and 2018, the American Booksellers Assn. reported a nearly 50% increase in the number of indie bookstores in the United States.
A key reason for the resurgence has been booksellers’ ability to “build, create and sustain community,” said Ryan Raffaelli, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and author of “Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores.”
“There’s a lot of different forms that bookstores have taken in terms of business models to expand the revenue channel over the last 10 years,” he said. “So a call for help — while we may think about a GoFundMe as being quite unique — I think is an extension of a long tradition of bookstore owners recognizing that they’re co-creating community with the customer.”
Bookstores have seen that firsthand. At Once Upon a Time, a few customers have written checks for the Montrose children’s bookstore. “Some asked me to have it spent on personal protection things,” said owner Maureen Palacios. Others wanted their donation to help a child buy books.
At Diesel, the outpouring of support from customers and fellow booksellers — many of whom face the same threats — has been heartwarming, Evans said. Contributions have ranged from $5 to $5,000. In response to the letter, others have dropped by the store for indoor shopping and are buying more books than normal. “That’s a very pragmatic, down-to-earth, generous investment in the store,” Evans added.
In May, books were bagged and ready for curbside customer pickup at the Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
The indoor shoppers are making a noticeable difference: Sales in August were down 55% compared to last August, an improvement over the 70% to 80% decline of previous months. The PPP money Diesel received in May covered most of June’s costs, including wages, employee healthcare, publisher debt and rent, which their landlord has deferred since April and will likely continue deferring through the end of the year. “Our rent is very high. At Brentwood Country Mart it’s just insane.”
These debts multiply every month. Most banks aren’t interested in loaning to small businesses because they don’t make much profit off of them, Evans said, and he has little faith that state and federal governments will help.
“If you don’t have an organized financial system or government system that supports bookstores, then you’re left with a kind of community funding, which is erratic and chaotic and not dependable,” he said. “That’s kind of where we’re at. ... As it is now, we aren’t functional or sustainable.”
Neither is Larry Edmunds Bookshop.
In March, owner Jeffrey Mantor was preparing for the start of Hollywood’s live events season when the pandemic forced immediate closures. He lost the two things that have keep the bookstore thriving for decades: international tourism and live events.
“I was basically losing what is the equivalent of the Super Bowl for my business, and we really had no recourse to make up for that,” he said.
Mantor initially resisted launching a GoFundMe, but without a viable e-commerce site, he saw no choice. The major success of City Lights Bookstore’s fundraiser encouraged him. “I realized that this store had pretty great customer support too, and a lot of people who have shopped here for a very long time.”
The $46,000 raised has paid for overhead expenses, wages and new computers. Mantor even hired a website developer. “The money has left the lights on.”
On a recent Thursday afternoon, Katherine Cooper browsed through the empty aisles of Diesel for the first time in months.
The 60-something-year-old Malibu resident had trekked to Brentwood to pick up Hilary Mantel’s historical novel “The Mirror & the Light,” the final book in the Wolf Hall trilogy. Since the bookstore’s Malibu location closed in 2014, she’s traveled the 20 miles often to buy from one of her favorite bookshops. She wants to ensure it’s around for years to come.
Bookseller Mia Wigmore, left, helps customer Olivia Janisch at the Diesel, A Bookstore in Brentwood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
“I think [indie bookstores] are a dying breed as far as the bricks-and-mortar, and I just think it’s important to keep them in business, to keep them going,” she said. “It’s fundamental.”
Cooper hadn’t heard about Diesel’s GoFundMe until a Times reporter approached her. She vowed to make a contribution and she said she’d tell her bookworm friends to do the same.
“Bookstores have a coterie of committed customers who are eager and want to support them,” said Raffaelli, the Harvard business professor. “The challenge becomes, as the pandemic goes on: How do you move beyond the initial spike, given that it’s unclear how long you would go?”
Tough as the times are, Thatcher Robinson, Diesel’s store manager in Brentwood, sees the good that’s emerged from the pandemic. “It’s making people realize how much they rely on businesses that don’t have a ton of money — their local restaurants and local bookstores. People are opening their eyes that we need to support these places all the time, not just right now.”