latimes--2020-02-05--Harvey Weinstein accuser in L.A. case testifies against him in New York

A young aspiring actress whose allegation of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein led to criminal charges in Southern California took the stand in his criminal trial in New York City on Wednesday , accusing him of groping her while masturbating in a Los Angeles hotel room .
Lauren Young , a Pennsylvania native who was 22 at the time of the alleged 2013 attack , is the last of six women to testify against Weinstein in Manhattan , where the fallen Hollywood mogul faces five counts of sexual assault and life in prison if convicted .
Young , who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is one of two women whose allegations led Los Angeles County prosecutors to file nine charges of rape and sexual misconduct against Weinstein in early January .
In court Wednesday , Young said she had been living in Los Angeles for two years when she first met Weinstein in February 2013 in the restaurant of the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills .
Young said she put on her best dress for the occasion .
“ I was excited to network and pitch my ideas , ” she said .
Young said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Montage that night , arranged the meeting with Weinstein to talk about Young ’ s unfinished script .
After talking briefly at the restaurant over drinks , Weinstein told both women that he needed to go up to his room because he had to prepare to accept an award with Quentin Tarantino that night , Young said .
The mogul asked if they could continue the conversation there .
Young said that once they entered Weinstein ’ s hotel room , she unwittingly followed the producer into the bathroom , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bathroom was at the end of a hallway attached to the bedroom , Young said , so she didn ’ t realize where she was being led .
As Young stepped into the bathroom , she said , she looked into a mirror and saw the other woman closing the door , leaving Young alone with the producer .
Weinstein entered the shower , turned it on and started undressing , she said .
“ It was as quick as I ’ ve ever seen anyone undress , ” Young said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ realized that the other woman was blocking the door from the outside , she said .
“ That ’ s when I realized this was set up , she put me in here , ” Young testified .
As Young approached the door , Weinstein moved closer to her and prevented her from leaving , she said .
“ I just couldn ’ t believe what was happening to me , ” she said .
“ I was really worried and scared that they were going to hurt me or something.
” Young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sink , and she turned away because she didn ’ t want to look at his naked body .
Weinstein then began to undress her as Young said “ No ” repeatedly , she alleged .
Her voice cracked in court as she recalled how she told the producer that she wasn ’ t interested and that she had a boyfriend .
Weinstein then forcefully grabbed and pinched her breast with one hand while masturbating with the other , Young said .
She said Weinstein attempted to touch her vagina , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left the bathroom after ejaculating onto a towel and Young pulled up her dress , she said .
She fled shortly afterward , giving the other woman an “ evil look ” as she left .
Young said she was never sexually attracted to Weinstein and did not express any romantic interest in him .
She did not have any other encounters with him after the alleged incident at the Montage , she said .
The next day , Young said she met the movie mogul ’ s assistant , Barbara Schneeweiss — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the alleged assault , she said .
“ I thought maybe Harvey would be there and I was going to tell him off , ” she said .
Weinstein was not present when she arrived .
At the meeting , Schneeweiss told Young she would be great for a role in “ America ’ s Next Top Model , ” but Young said she was not interested in reality TV , she told the jury .
Prosecutors showed an email sent from Schneeweiss to Young after the meeting , in which Schneeweiss asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Young did not respond to that email or a follow-up email from Schneeweiss .
Authorities in Los Angeles and New York have not confirmed that Young is the same woman identified as “ Jane Doe No .
2 '' in Southern California filings , but Young ’ s description of the assault was the same as the alleged attack laid out in court papers made public in Los Angeles .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office has also confirmed that one of the accusers in their case would be testifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York case .
In Los Angeles County , the accusations made by Young and an Italian model led prosecutors to charge Weinstein with forcible rape , forcible oral copulation , sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint on the eve of his New York trial .
He faces up to 28 years in state prison if convicted of all counts in California .
Some have accused Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey of timing the filing of the charges for maximum political gain as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascon and former public defender Rachel Rossi .
Legal experts have also warned that by first telling her story in New York , Young will be much more susceptible to cross-examination in Los Angeles , where Weinstein ’ s defense team will have months , if not years , to search for ways to undermine her .
Weinstein ’ s attorneys have denied the mogul did anything wrong and claimed each encounter described by witnesses in the New York case was consensual .
Young ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who described violent sexual assaults at Weinstein ’ s hands in Los Angeles and New York , including a 2013 attack at a Manhattan hotel that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial .
Mann also said they had several consensual sexual encounters over the five years they maintained contact .
On Wednesday , defense attorney Damon Cheronis aimed to poke holes in Young ’ s timeline of her allegation , pointing out that Young told investigators as recently as 2019 that the assault had occurred in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stand .
Young said she was unable to access her email account at the time to confirm the dates , as she had lost her password .
“ It ’ s not that hard to reset a Google password , is it ?
” Cheronis replied .
Cheronis also noted that Young previously told investigators that she had pounded and tugged on the door during the alleged assault , an account that differed from the one she relayed to the jury Wednesday .
Young said that when she first talked to investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which helped her resolve her trauma around the assault and remember it more clearly .
Cross-examination of Young is scheduled to continue Thursday .

A young aspiring actress whose allegation of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein led to criminal charges in Southern California took the stand in his criminal trial in New York City on Wednesday, accusing him of groping her while masturbating in a Los Angeles hotel room.
Lauren Young, a Pennsylvania native who was 23 at the time of the alleged 2013 attack, is the last of six women to testify against Weinstein in Manhattan, where the fallen Hollywood mogul faces five counts of sexual assault and life in prison if convicted.
Young, who had not told her story in public before, is one of two women whose allegations led Los Angeles County prosecutors to file nine charges of rape and sexual misconduct against Weinstein in early January.
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In court Wednesday, Young said she had been living in Los Angeles for three years when she first met Weinstein in February 2013 in the restaurant of the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills.
Young said she put on her best dress for the occasion. “I was excited to network and pitch my ideas,” she said.
Young said a recent acquaintance, who was also present at the Montage that night, arranged the meeting with Weinstein to talk about Young’s unfinished script. After talking briefly at the restaurant over drinks, Weinstein told both women that he needed to go up to his room because he had to prepare to accept an award with Quentin Tarantino that night, Young said.
The mogul asked if they could continue the conversation there. Young said that once they entered Weinstein’s hotel room, she unwittingly followed the producer into the bathroom, with the other woman trailing behind her. The bathroom was at the end of a hallway attached to the bedroom, Young said, so she didn’t realize where she was being led.
As Young stepped into the bathroom, she said, she looked into a mirror and saw the other woman closing the door, leaving Young alone with the producer. Weinstein entered the shower, turned it on and started undressing, she said.
“It was as quick as I’ve ever seen anyone undress,” Young said.
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As Young attempted to leave, she realized that the other woman was blocking the door from the outside, she said.
“That’s when I realized this was set up, she put me in here,” Young testified.
As Young approached the door, Weinstein moved closer to her and prevented her from leaving, she said.
“I just couldn’t believe what was happening to me,” she said. “I was really worried and scared that they were going to hurt me or something.”
Young said Weinstein then backed her toward the sink, and she turned away because she didn’t want to look at his naked body. Weinstein then began to undress her as Young said “No” repeatedly, she alleged.
Her voice cracked in court as she recalled how she told the producer that she wasn’t interested and that she had a boyfriend. Weinstein then forcefully grabbed and pinched her breast with one hand while masturbating with the other, Young said.
She said Weinstein attempted to touch her vagina, but she blocked him with her hands. Weinstein left the bathroom after ejaculating onto a towel and Young pulled up her dress, she said. She fled shortly afterward, giving the other woman an “evil look” as she left.
Young said she was never sexually attracted to Weinstein and did not express any romantic interest in him. She did not have any other encounters with him after the alleged incident at the Montage, she said.
The next day, Young said she met the movie mogul’s assistant, Barbara Schneeweiss — a meeting that was set up before the alleged assault, she said.
“I thought maybe Harvey would be there and I was going to tell him off,” she said. Weinstein was not present when she arrived.
At the meeting, Schneeweiss told Young she would be great for a role in “America’s Next Top Model,” but Young said she was not interested in reality TV, she told the jury.
Prosecutors showed an email sent from Schneeweiss to Young after the meeting, in which Schneeweiss asked Young for her resume and headshot. Young did not respond to that email or a follow-up email from Schneeweiss.
Authorities in Los Angeles and New York have not confirmed that Young is the same woman identified as “Jane Doe No. 2” in Southern California filings, but Young’s description of the assault was the same as the alleged attack laid out in court papers made public in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has also confirmed that one of the accusers in their case would be testifying as a prior bad acts witness in the New York case.
In Los Angeles County, the accusations made by Young and an Italian model led prosecutors to charge Weinstein with forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint on the eve of his New York trial. He faces up to 28 years in state prison if convicted of all counts in California.
Some have accused Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey of timing the filing of the charges for maximum political gain as she faces a tough reelection bid against former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascon and former public defender Rachel Rossi.
Legal experts have also warned that by first telling her story in New York, Young will be much more susceptible to cross-examination in Los Angeles, where Weinstein’s defense team will have months, if not years, to search for ways to undermine her.
Weinstein’s attorneys have denied the mogul did anything wrong and claimed each encounter described by witnesses in the New York case was consensual.
Young’s testimony followed that of Jessica Mann, who described violent sexual assaults at Weinstein’s hands in Los Angeles and New York, including a 2013 attack at a Manhattan hotel that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial. Mann also said they had several consensual sexual encounters over the five years they maintained contact.
On Wednesday, defense attorney Damon Cheronis aimed to poke holes in Young’s timeline of her allegation, pointing out that Young told investigators as recently as 2019 that the assault had occurred in 2012, not 2013 as she alleged on the stand.
Young said she was unable to access her email account at the time to confirm the dates, as she had lost her password.
“It’s not that hard to reset a Google password, is it?” Cheronis replied.
Cheronis also noted that Young previously told investigators that she had pounded and tugged on the door during the alleged assault, an account that differed from the one she relayed to the jury Wednesday.
Young said that when she first talked to investigators she hadn’t yet started therapy, which helped her resolve her trauma around the assault and remember it more clearly.
Cross-examination of Young is scheduled to continue Thursday.


latimes--2020-02-05--Deputies fatally shoot machete-wielding man they say attacked 3 people

Authorities in Central California shot and killed a 26-year-old man they say attacked three people — including his brother — with a machete Tuesday .
Deputies responding to the 11900 block of 1st Place near Hanford just before 8 a.m. confronted a man they said was armed with a knife , according to the Kings County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The man , later identified as Dominque Antwon Anderson , refused to drop the weapon , deputies said , and advanced on them .
One deputy fired on Anderson , who fell to the ground .
But authorities say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a machete and charged at the deputies with the weapon raised over his head — at which point several more shots were fired .
Medical personnel treated Anderson , but he died at the scene , the Sheriff ’ s Office said .
Authorities think the deadly encounter began when Anderson confronted two people who were sleeping in a nearby vehicle and accused them of “ taking his narcotics and headphones.
” During the altercation , Anderson struck the two with a machete , sheriff ’ s officials said .
Anderson then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its door open and attacked his brother with the machete , authorities said .
Anderson ’ s brother was able to wrest that machete away , but Anderson then stabbed him several times with a folding knife .
The three stabbing victims were taken to a hospital in Visalia .
Lt. Mark Bevens told the Fresno Bee the injuries to one victim were “ terrible , terrible wounds , ” although all three were listed in stable condition as of Tuesday night , officials said .

Authorities in Central California shot and killed a 26-year-old man they say attacked three people — including his brother — with a machete Tuesday.
Deputies responding to the 11900 block of 1st Place near Hanford just before 8 a.m. confronted a man they said was armed with a knife, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.
The man, later identified as Dominque Antwon Anderson, refused to drop the weapon, deputies said, and advanced on them.
One deputy fired on Anderson, who fell to the ground. But authorities say he got back up, armed himself with a machete and charged at the deputies with the weapon raised over his head — at which point several more shots were fired.
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Medical personnel treated Anderson, but he died at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities think the deadly encounter began when Anderson confronted two people who were sleeping in a nearby vehicle and accused them of “taking his narcotics and headphones.” During the altercation, Anderson struck the two with a machete, sheriff’s officials said.
Anderson then went to a nearby RV, forced its door open and attacked his brother with the machete, authorities said. Anderson’s brother was able to wrest that machete away, but Anderson then stabbed him several times with a folding knife.
Anderson’s brother called 911 after the attack.
The three stabbing victims were taken to a hospital in Visalia. Lt. Mark Bevens told the Fresno Bee the injuries to one victim were “terrible, terrible wounds,” although all three were listed in stable condition as of Tuesday night, officials said.


latimes--2020-02-05--2 jets with Americans escaping coronavirus land in California

Two jets carrying about 350 Americans have arrived in California at Travis Air Force Base after fleeing the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan , China .
One of the aircraft refueled at the base near Vacaville before heading to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego , where it arrived shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday .
According to the U.S. Northern Command , the travelers are subject to a 14-day federal quarantine under orders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
At Miramar , space has been set aside at a bachelor quarters complex and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who include families with children .
According to Dr. Christopher Braden , a deputy director with the CDC deployed to handle repatriation flights from China , everyone on the planes was screened for symptoms of coronavirus before boarding in China .
They will undergo the same screening process when they land at Miramar .
“ If there is anybody who is ill or who has fever , they are not allowed on the plane , ” Braden said .
“ Once they arrive , another screening is the first thing that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there are any people who have symptoms and/or fever , consistent with coronavirus infection , they are transported to a medical facility for a full medical evaluation and isolation.
” Miramar and Travis are two of the four U.S. facilities the Department of Defense tapped to house quarantined Americans .
The others are Ft. Carson in Colorado and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio .
March Air Force Base in Riverside County has also set up tents on its tarmac in preparation for any passengers who may be diverted to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plane carrying a group from Wuhan landed at March .
Nearly 200 people remain under quarantine there , where they will be monitored for symptoms until the virus ’ 14-day incubation period has ended .
On Tuesday , another person traveling from mainland China was transferred from Los Angeles International Airport to the base .
The traveler will be isolated from the other people and will remain under quarantine for the next few days .
To date , there have been nearly 500 deaths in mainland China and one in the Philippines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus globally .
The CDC has confirmed 11 cases of the virus in the United States , including six in California .
While officials expect that count to continue growing , they point out that the flu remains a bigger health threat to people in the U.S. than coronavirus , causing tens of thousands of deaths a year .
San Diego Union-Tribune writers Andrew Dyer and Paul Sisson contributed to this report .

Two jets carrying about 350 Americans have arrived in California at Travis Air Force Base after fleeing the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.
One of the aircraft refueled at the base near Vacaville before heading to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego, where it arrived shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday. According to the U.S. Northern Command, the travelers are subject to a 14-day federal quarantine under orders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At Miramar, space has been set aside at a bachelor quarters complex and a base inn to house the passengers, who include families with children.
According to Dr. Christopher Braden, a deputy director with the CDC deployed to handle repatriation flights from China, everyone on the planes was screened for symptoms of coronavirus before boarding in China. They will undergo the same screening process when they land at Miramar.
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“If there is anybody who is ill or who has fever, they are not allowed on the plane,” Braden said. “Once they arrive, another screening is the first thing that we will do on this end, and if there are any people who have symptoms and/or fever, consistent with coronavirus infection, they are transported to a medical facility for a full medical evaluation and isolation.”
Miramar and Travis are two of the four U.S. facilities the Department of Defense tapped to house quarantined Americans. The others are Ft. Carson in Colorado and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. March Air Force Base in Riverside County has also set up tents on its tarmac in preparation for any passengers who may be diverted to the base for screenings.
Last week, a plane carrying a group from Wuhan landed at March. Nearly 200 people remain under quarantine there, where they will be monitored for symptoms until the virus’ 14-day incubation period has ended.
On Monday, another person traveling from mainland China was transferred from Los Angeles International Airport to the base. The traveler will be isolated from the other people and will remain under quarantine for the next few days.
To date, there have been nearly 500 deaths in mainland China and one in the Philippines, and more than 24,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally. The CDC has confirmed 11 cases of the virus in the United States, including six in California.
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While officials expect that count to continue growing, they point out that the flu remains a bigger health threat to people in the U.S. than coronavirus, causing tens of thousands of deaths a year.
San Diego Union-Tribune writers Andrew Dyer and Paul Sisson contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-05--Search warrants served in unsolved killing of Kristin Smart, who vanished in 1996 from Cal Poly

Nearly 24 years after college student Kristin Smart vanished from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo , investigators and the FBI on Wednesday served search warrants in San Luis Obispo County , Washington state and San Pedro , where a man who was questioned at the time of Smart ’ s disappearance now lives .
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff ’ s Office said it disclosed the development “ due to the high-profile nature of the investigation into the disappearance and whereabouts of Kristin Smart and to avoid the dissemination of misinformation.
” Sheriff ’ s officials said the warrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are part of an effort to gather physical evidence , including DNA , that may reveal what happened to the 19-year-old .
One of the locations being searched is in the 900 block of West Upland Avenue in San Pedro , where Paul Flores , a fellow Cal Poly SLO student who was questioned in Smart ’ s disappearance at the time , has lived for more than a decade , according to sources .
FBI agents and San Luis Obispo County sheriff ’ s detectives were in the area Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Flores has been identified as a person of interest in the case by San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson .
Smart disappeared on her way home from an off-campus party May 25 , 1996 .
Flores was seen walking on a path to the college dormitories with her the night she vanished .
The warrants come after investigators recently found that two trucks connected to Flores ’ family at the time Smart went missing were found by investigators in another state .
Smart ’ s family has sued Flores in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been criminally charged .
In response to the suit , Flores has denied every allegation raised against him .
He invoked his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination before a grand jury and a civil deposition .
The latest searches mark a new twist in one of California ’ s most enduring cold case mysteries .
After Smart disappeared , law enforcement used helicopters , horses and ground-penetrating radar as they hunted for the missing student .
She was officially declared dead in 2002 , although her body was never found .
In 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus , looking for remains .
They also searched the yard of a home .
Since Parkinson became sheriff more than a decade ago , investigators have collected 140 “ new items of evidence , ” previously searched nine separate locations , served 18 search warrants , resubmitted 37 pieces of evidence from the investigation ’ s early stages for more current DNA testing and conducted more than 90 face-to-face interviews .
But in the last few months , the investigation has intensified with efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time of Smart ’ s disappearance .
When she disappeared , authorities delayed searching Smart ’ s dorm room until June 5 and did not search Flores ’ room until June 10 , more than two weeks after the woman was last seen .
Flores , who grew up in nearby Arroyo Grande , had moved all of his belongings out of the room by then .
A year before Smart ’ s disappearance , a female student summoned San Luis Obispo police at 1 a.m. and told dispatchers that Flores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trellis outside her apartment and was refusing to leave her balcony .
He was gone by the time officers arrived , police said .

Sheriff deputies search the home of a suspect Paul Flores in the case of missing student Kristin Smart who vanished from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo nearly 24 years ago.
Nearly 24 years after college student Kristin Smart vanished from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, investigators and the FBI on Wednesday served search warrants in San Luis Obispo County, Washington state and San Pedro, where a man who was questioned at the time of Smart’s disappearance now lives.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said it disclosed the development “due to the high-profile nature of the investigation into the disappearance and whereabouts of Kristin Smart and to avoid the dissemination of misinformation.”
Sheriff’s officials said the warrants remain sealed. But multiple sources said they are part of an effort to gather physical evidence, including DNA, that may reveal what happened to the 19-year-old.
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California From the Archives: A cold case, a haunting mystery One warm Friday night in late spring 10 years ago, Kristin Denise Smart and three other young women started walking from their dorms at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
One of the locations being searched is in the 900 block of West Upland Avenue in San Pedro, where Paul Flores, a fellow Cal Poly SLO student who was questioned in Smart’s disappearance at the time, has lived for more than a decade, according to sources.
A missing person flyer is still posted on a telephone pole across the street from the home of Paul Flores in San Pedro. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
FBI agents and San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s detectives were in the area Wednesday, but no arrests were made, authorities said.
Flores has been identified as a person of interest in the case by San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson. Smart disappeared on her way home from an off-campus party May 25, 1996. Flores was seen walking on a path to the college dormitories with her the night she vanished.
The warrants come after investigators recently found that two trucks connected to Flores’ family at the time Smart went missing were found by investigators in another state.
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Smart’s family has sued Flores in civil court, but he has not been criminally charged. In response to the suit, Flores has denied every allegation raised against him. He invoked his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination before a grand jury and a civil deposition.
The latest searches mark a new twist in one of California’s most enduring cold case mysteries.
After Smart disappeared, law enforcement used helicopters, horses and ground-penetrating radar as they hunted for the missing student. She was officially declared dead in 2002, although her body was never found.
In 2016, federal investigators dug up a hillside near the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, looking for remains. They also searched the yard of a home.
Since Parkinson became sheriff more than a decade ago, investigators have collected 140 “new items of evidence,” previously searched nine separate locations, served 18 search warrants, resubmitted 37 pieces of evidence from the investigation’s early stages for more current DNA testing and conducted more than 90 face-to-face interviews.
But in the last few months, the investigation has intensified with efforts to track vehicles owned by Flores’ family at the time of Smart’s disappearance.
California Search for Kristin Smart’s remains on Cal Poly hillside yields items of interest in 1996 disappearance FBI agents digging into a hillside half a mile from where Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Kristin Denise Smart was last seen alive 20 years ago have found “items of interest” in the cold case mystery, authorities said Thursday.
When she disappeared, authorities delayed searching Smart’s dorm room until June 5 and did not search Flores’ room until June 10, more than two weeks after the woman was last seen.
Flores, who grew up in nearby Arroyo Grande, had moved all of his belongings out of the room by then.
A year before Smart’s disappearance, a female student summoned San Luis Obispo police at 1 a.m. and told dispatchers that Flores, apparently drunk, had climbed a trellis outside her apartment and was refusing to leave her balcony. He was gone by the time officers arrived, police said.


latimes--2020-02-05--Newport Beach doctor, girlfriend were branded sexual predators. Was it a political game?

When the case broke in 2018 , it immediately became fodder for tabloid headlines around the world .
Orange County prosecutors at the time accused prominent Newport Beach doctor Grant Robicheaux , 39 , and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley , 32 , of being sexual predators who used their good looks to lure vulnerable women , drug them and take them back to their posh home to sexually assault them .
But on Tuesday , Orange County Dist .
Atty .
Todd Spitzer announced that he was dropping all charges against the couple , accusing his predecessor and longtime political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case and making accusations that could not be proved .
“ I didn ’ t create this situation , but it ’ s my responsibility to fix it , ” Spitzer said at a news conference .
“ Doing justice is not always pretty , and it ’ s not pleasant many times .
This is not pleasant at all , but these are important decisions that affect people ’ s lives.
” Rackauckas fired back in a statement , defending his handling of the case and suggested the dismissal was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Certainly , any prosecutor should think long and hard before dismissing such a case where multiple women have independently come forward and subjected themselves to the hard process of baring their souls to the authorities , ” Rackauckas said .
“ I just hope they ’ re not being sold down the river for some twisted political motive.
” What was the couple accused of doing ?
Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting seven women and Riley five .
One woman described the couple as a “ Bonnie and Clyde ” team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engage in sex acts , according to court documents .
Robicheaux and Riley had both pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied having nonconsensual sex with any of their accusers .
The case became political almost immediately .
After charges were filed in 2018 , Rackauckas and Spitzer — who were engaged in a heated race for Rackauckas ’ district attorney post — held dueling news conferences outside the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach .
At that time , Spitzer accused his political rival of being slow to file charges and using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection prospects sagged .
Spitzer defeated Rackauckas decisively in the November 2018 election .
How did the case unravel ?
In October 2019 , Spitzer assigned two veteran deputy district attorneys to after another prosecutor in his office indicated there were “ serious proof problems ” with the case , Spitzer said .
The review team agreed unanimously that there was “ insufficient evidence to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt , ” he said Tuesday .
Over the course of three months , prosecutors reviewed thousands of photographs and videos from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recordings , thousands of pages of documents and tens of thousands of text messages between Robicheaux and Riley spanning a four-year period , Spitzer said .
They also combed through emails from accusers and law enforcement and thousands of conversations between the couple and women on social media and dating sites .
Spitzer said Tuesday that Rackauckas and his staff had manufactured details about the case and repeatedly misstated evidence to garner headlines and further Rackauckas ’ reelection campaign .
Spitzer and defense attorneys representing the couple took issue with Rackauckas ’ claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators had “ thousands of videos ” in evidence that showed there could be “ hundreds ” or “ more than a thousand ” victims .
Weeks later , the district attorney ’ s office in a statement said it “ never said all the images are incriminating , sexual in nature or show incapacitation or intoxication.
” In a deposition taken by defense attorneys last year , Rackauckas admitted that he expected to get publicity over the case and that it might be helpful to his campaign .
Late last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office to consider taking over the case because of a perceived conflict of interest , but state prosecutors declined .
Spitzer said he made the request because of complaints from defense attorneys about the alleged politicization of the case and its effect on the credibility of his office .
“ This is not a close call , ” Spitzer wrote in the letter to the attorney general .
“ It is a blatant abuse of power and misuse of government resources for personal gain by the former administration of this office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ credibility setbacks given its history of prosecutorial abuse.
” Where do the defendants go from here ?
Philip Cohen , an attorney representing Robicheaux in the case , said the doctor and Riley ’ s lives have likely been forever altered by the allegations lodged against them .
“ I don ’ t think anyone can truly understand what Grant and Cerissa are going through , ” Cohen said .
“ They ’ ve gone to bed every night , eaten every meal with the threat of prison hanging over their heads .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to live.
” What about the women who made the accusations ?
Spitzer invited any of the women who lodged allegations against the couple to meet with him to discuss his decision .
He also offered a public apology to the women involved and to Robicheaux and Riley , calling what happened in the case a “ travesty.
” Rackauckas said in his statement he feels for them too .
“ My heart goes out to the women who had the courage to come forward with their complaint because I believed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before leaving office .
”

All charges were dropped against Grant Robicheaux and his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, who were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women.
When the case broke in 2018, it immediately became fodder for tabloid headlines around the world.
Orange County prosecutors at the time accused prominent Newport Beach doctor Grant Robicheaux, 39, and his girlfriend Cerissa Riley, 32, of being sexual predators who used their good looks to lure vulnerable women, drug them and take them back to their posh home to sexually assault them.
But on Tuesday, Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer announced that he was dropping all charges against the couple, accusing his predecessor and longtime political foe, Tony Rackauckas, of botching the case and making accusations that could not be proved.
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“I didn’t create this situation, but it’s my responsibility to fix it,” Spitzer said at a news conference. “Doing justice is not always pretty, and it’s not pleasant many times. This is not pleasant at all, but these are important decisions that affect people’s lives.”
Rackauckas fired back in a statement, defending his handling of the case and suggested the dismissal was a possible “political vendetta against me.”
“Certainly, any prosecutor should think long and hard before dismissing such a case where multiple women have independently come forward and subjected themselves to the hard process of baring their souls to the authorities,” Rackauckas said. “I just hope they’re not being sold down the river for some twisted political motive.”
The shocking reversal leaves many questions:
What was the couple accused of doing?
Robicheaux was charged with sexually assaulting seven women and Riley five. One woman described the couple as a “Bonnie and Clyde” team who drugged her and forced her to engage in sex acts, according to court documents. Robicheaux and Riley had both pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied having nonconsensual sex with any of their accusers.
The case became political almost immediately.
After charges were filed in 2018, Rackauckas and Spitzer — who were engaged in a heated race for Rackauckas’ district attorney post — held dueling news conferences outside the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. At that time, Spitzer accused his political rival of being slow to file charges and using the case to bolster his profile as his reelection prospects sagged. Spitzer defeated Rackauckas decisively in the November 2018 election.
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How did the case unravel?
In October 2019, Spitzer assigned two veteran deputy district attorneys to review all evidence collected after another prosecutor in his office indicated there were “serious proof problems” with the case, Spitzer said.
The review team agreed unanimously that there was “insufficient evidence to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said Tuesday.
Over the course of three months, prosecutors reviewed thousands of photographs and videos from computers, hundreds of hours of audio recordings, thousands of pages of documents and tens of thousands of text messages between Robicheaux and Riley spanning a four-year period, Spitzer said.
They also combed through emails from accusers and law enforcement and thousands of conversations between the couple and women on social media and dating sites.
Spitzer said Tuesday that Rackauckas and his staff had manufactured details about the case and repeatedly misstated evidence to garner headlines and further Rackauckas’ reelection campaign.
Spitzer and defense attorneys representing the couple took issue with Rackauckas’ claim during a September 2018 news conference that investigators had “thousands of videos” in evidence that showed there could be “hundreds” or “more than a thousand” victims.
Weeks later, the district attorney’s office in a statement said it “never said all the images are incriminating, sexual in nature or show incapacitation or intoxication.”
In a deposition taken by defense attorneys last year, Rackauckas admitted that he expected to get publicity over the case and that it might be helpful to his campaign.
Late last year, Spitzer asked the California attorney general’s office to consider taking over the case because of a perceived conflict of interest, but state prosecutors declined.
Spitzer said he made the request because of complaints from defense attorneys about the alleged politicization of the case and its effect on the credibility of his office.
“This is not a close call,” Spitzer wrote in the letter to the attorney general. “It is a blatant abuse of power and misuse of government resources for personal gain by the former administration of this office. This office cannot suffer any more credibility setbacks given its history of prosecutorial abuse.”
Where do the defendants go from here?
Philip Cohen, an attorney representing Robicheaux in the case, said the doctor and Riley’s lives have likely been forever altered by the allegations lodged against them.
“I don’t think anyone can truly understand what Grant and Cerissa are going through,” Cohen said. “They’ve gone to bed every night, eaten every meal with the threat of prison hanging over their heads. That has to be an unbelievably devastating way to live.”
What about the women who made the accusations?
Spitzer invited any of the women who lodged allegations against the couple to meet with him to discuss his decision.
He also offered a public apology to the women involved and to Robicheaux and Riley, calling what happened in the case a “travesty.”
Rackauckas said in his statement he feels for them too.
“My heart goes out to the women who had the courage to come forward with their complaint because I believed their complaints based on the evidence I had before leaving office.”


latimes--2020-02-05--6 dogs killed in Pomona house fire

6 dogs killed in Pomona house fire

Six dogs were killed in a fire that broke out overnight at a home in Pomona , authorities said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ 1:25 a.m. on the first floor of a two-story home in the 1600 block of @ @ @ @ @ Michael Pittman , a supervising fire dispatcher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department .
@ @ @ @ @ the fire by 2:10 a.m. No one was injured in the blaze , but six @ @ @ @ @ the home , Pittman said .
The size and breed of the animals were not @ @ @ @ @ , but Fire Battalion Chief Michael McCormick told KABC-TV they were “ small little lap @ @ @ @ @ four adults , and the American Red Cross was contacted on their behalf , Pittman @ @ @ @ @ the fire is under investigation .

Six dogs were killed in a fire that broke out overnight at a home in Pomona, authorities said Wednesday.
The blaze erupted about 1:25 a.m. on the first floor of a two-story home in the 1600 block of North Park Avenue, said Michael Pittman, a supervising fire dispatcher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Crews were able to extinguish the fire by 2:10 a.m. No one was injured in the blaze, but six dogs were found dead in the home, Pittman said.
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The size and breed of the animals were not immediately available, Pittman said, but Fire Battalion Chief Michael McCormick told KABC-TV they were “small little lap dogs.”
The fire displaced four adults, and the American Red Cross was contacted on their behalf, Pittman said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.


latimes--2020-02-05--As L.A. traffic deaths stay high, officials plead with drivers to stop texting

In the fourth full year of a program designed to eliminate traffic fatalities on Los Angeles streets , the number of people killed in car crashes stayed stubbornly high , early data show .
Last year , 244 people were killed in traffic collisions on city streets , a decrease of 0.8 % compared to 2018 , according to preliminary figures from the city .
The victims included 134 people who were walking and 19 people biking .
The data may change slightly with additional analysis , officials said .
But the early figures suggest another year of lackluster progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s initiative to eliminate traffic deaths on city streets by 2025 .
Since Vision Zero was launched in 2015 , the number of pedestrians , vehicle occupants , bicyclists and motorcyclists killed annually in traffic crashes has risen 33 % .
Fatalities surged in 2016 from 183 to 253 , and have fallen 3.6 % since then .
Los Angeles has yet to achieve the first major benchmark set out in Vision Zero : a 20 % reduction in deaths that officials had hoped to achieve in 2017 .
Reducing deaths by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the city ’ s list , would require reducing fatalities this year by more than 100 .
“ Any life lost on our streets is one too many — and we will continue to pursue our goal of zero traffic deaths until we meet that mark , ” Garcetti spokesman Alex Comisar said in a statement .
He added that the mayor “ urges everyone to use our streets as responsibly and safely as possible so that we can save lives together.
” The future of Vision Zero and of traffic safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the city can wean itself off its reliance on cellphones , Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said at a recent news conference .
People who are “ driving 30 , 40 , 50 mph ... put their head down to pick up a text or handle a call , and they move 100 yards , and they drive over someone , ” Moore said .
Drivers , he said , are “ teaching a generation of children today in the back seat what to do with that cellphone.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in L.A. in 2019 than in the prior two years combined , said spokeswoman Connie Llanos .
Those 1,529 modifications to crosswalks , traffic signals , intersections and other elements of the street are designed to improve the safety of the street .
“ We share in the community ’ s frustration , when any life is lost on our streets , ” Llanos said .
The department also shares in the “ sense of urgency ” to make changes , and has installed nearly 2,900 street safety improvements in the last three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year ’ s modifications were aimed at improving safety for pedestrians , including 1,162 upgrades to crosswalks and 13 sets of flashing lights that alert drivers when someone is crossing the street .
Pedestrians are involved in a fraction of the traffic crashes in Los Angeles , but represent a disproportionate number of the victims .
Over a five-year period this decade , people on foot were involved in 8 % of collisions but represented 44 % of those killed , according to city data .
While the number of drivers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fallen across the city , the number of pedestrians killed has soared — and has remained stubbornly high .
In 2019 , about 55 % of the people killed in traffic crashes were on foot , an increase from 40 % in the year Vision Zero began .
The deaths last year included a 4-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a driver while she was walking to school with her mother in Koreatown .
The driver , who made a left turn into the crosswalk , had her own children in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The girl ’ s death sparked an outcry among advocates , who staged a “ die-in ” at Los Angeles City Hall to voice their frustrations with the city ’ s lack of progress on Vision Zero .
Attendees said they were disturbed that the public seemingly cares very little about the hundreds of people who are killed and seriously injured in car crashes every year .
The guiding philosophy of Vision Zero — that no traffic fatality is acceptable — is rarely reflected in Los Angeles , they said .
“ No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Andres Quinche , a landscape architect who helped organize the protest .
“ What we ’ re lacking is courage and conviction among our political leaders , to stand up and say , ‘ Safety matters more than speed.
’ ” The city needs more bold action to keep drivers away from pedestrians and cyclists , he said , including scaling back the space for cars on major streets to make room for bike-only and bus-only lanes .
Rather than making simple changes to intersections , the city needs to take aim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture , said John Yi , the executive director of Los Angeles Walks , a pedestrian advocacy group .
If zero deaths is really the city ’ s goal , “ we need to have a visionary plan that matches the scope of that goal , ” Yi said .
“ We have failed to do that.
” The Transportation Department , Llanos said in a statement , will “ continue working aggressively to deliver key infrastructure and design changes to our most impacted corridors , while working with the community to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on neighborhood support to be successful.
” Those changes can come with political risks .
The elimination of traffic lanes on several streets in Mar Vista and Playa del Rey in 2017 sparked a massive outcry and a failed recall attempt against Councilman Mike Bonin .
The city eventually undid most of the changes , but left a protected bike lane on Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista .
Moore said the LAPD also plans to work with community groups to educate pedestrians about staying alert while they cross the street .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ that doesn ’ t stop a speeding car that ’ s paying attention to a text message rather than the roadway.
” The idea that distracted texting is as much of a problem as distracted driving , Yi said , “ shows how far Los Angeles has to go on Vision Zero.
” “ Just look at a three-ton vehicle that ’ s moving at a high speed , versus me , a bag of flesh who weighs 130 pounds , ” Yi said .
“ It ’ s ridiculous .
@

Advocates staging a “die-in” on the steps of L.A. City Hall in December to protest a lack of progress on the city’s goal of eliminating traffic deaths on city streets by 2025.
In the fourth full year of a program designed to eliminate traffic fatalities on Los Angeles streets, the number of people killed in car crashes stayed stubbornly high, early data show.
Last year, 244 people were killed in traffic collisions on city streets, a decrease of 0.8% compared to 2018, according to preliminary figures from the city. The victims included 134 people who were walking and 19 people biking.
The data may change slightly with additional analysis, officials said. But the early figures suggest another year of lackluster progress for Vision Zero, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s initiative to eliminate traffic deaths on city streets by 2025.
Since Vision Zero was launched in 2015, the number of pedestrians, vehicle occupants, bicyclists and motorcyclists killed annually in traffic crashes has risen 33%. Fatalities surged in 2016 from 183 to 253, and have fallen 3.6% since then.
Los Angeles has yet to achieve the first major benchmark set out in Vision Zero: a 20% reduction in deaths that officials had hoped to achieve in 2017. Reducing deaths by half by 2020, the next goal on the city’s list, would require reducing fatalities this year by more than 100.
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“Any life lost on our streets is one too many — and we will continue to pursue our goal of zero traffic deaths until we meet that mark,” Garcetti spokesman Alex Comisar said in a statement. He added that the mayor “urges everyone to use our streets as responsibly and safely as possible so that we can save lives together.”
The future of Vision Zero and of traffic safety in Los Angeles will be in question until the city can wean itself off its reliance on cellphones, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said at a recent news conference.
People who are “driving 30, 40, 50 mph ... put their head down to pick up a text or handle a call, and they move 100 yards, and they drive over someone,” Moore said. Drivers, he said, are “teaching a generation of children today in the back seat what to do with that cellphone.”
The Transportation Department made more changes to streets in L.A. in 2019 than in the prior two years combined, said spokeswoman Connie Llanos. Those 1,529 modifications to crosswalks, traffic signals, intersections and other elements of the street are designed to improve the safety of the street.
“We share in the community’s frustration, when any life is lost on our streets,” Llanos said. The department also shares in the “sense of urgency” to make changes, and has installed nearly 2,900 street safety improvements in the last three years, she said.
Many of last year’s modifications were aimed at improving safety for pedestrians, including 1,162 upgrades to crosswalks and 13 sets of flashing lights that alert drivers when someone is crossing the street.
Advertisement
Pedestrians are involved in a fraction of the traffic crashes in Los Angeles, but represent a disproportionate number of the victims. Over a five-year period this decade, people on foot were involved in 8% of collisions but represented 44% of those killed, according to city data.
While the number of drivers and passengers killed annually in traffic collisions has fallen across the city, the number of pedestrians killed has soared — and has remained stubbornly high. In 2019, about 55% of the people killed in traffic crashes were on foot, an increase from 40% in the year Vision Zero began.
The deaths last year included a 4-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a driver while she was walking to school with her mother in Koreatown. The driver, who made a left turn into the crosswalk, had her own children in the back seat, police said.
The girl’s death sparked an outcry among advocates, who staged a “die-in” at Los Angeles City Hall to voice their frustrations with the city’s lack of progress on Vision Zero.
Attendees said they were disturbed that the public seemingly cares very little about the hundreds of people who are killed and seriously injured in car crashes every year. The guiding philosophy of Vision Zero — that no traffic fatality is acceptable — is rarely reflected in Los Angeles, they said.
“No one is talking about it,” said Andres Quinche, a landscape architect who helped organize the protest. “What we’re lacking is courage and conviction among our political leaders, to stand up and say, ‘Safety matters more than speed.’”
The city needs more bold action to keep drivers away from pedestrians and cyclists, he said, including scaling back the space for cars on major streets to make room for bike-only and bus-only lanes.
Rather than making simple changes to intersections, the city needs to take aim at changing the city’s car culture, said John Yi, the executive director of Los Angeles Walks, a pedestrian advocacy group.
If zero deaths is really the city’s goal, “we need to have a visionary plan that matches the scope of that goal,” Yi said. “We have failed to do that.”
The Transportation Department, Llanos said in a statement, will “continue working aggressively to deliver key infrastructure and design changes to our most impacted corridors, while working with the community to build support for more transformative projects that rely on neighborhood support to be successful.”
Those changes can come with political risks. The elimination of traffic lanes on several streets in Mar Vista and Playa del Rey in 2017 sparked a massive outcry and a failed recall attempt against Councilman Mike Bonin. The city eventually undid most of the changes, but left a protected bike lane on Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista.
Moore said the LAPD also plans to work with community groups to educate pedestrians about staying alert while they cross the street. He said that even if pedestrians have the right-of-way, “that doesn’t stop a speeding car that’s paying attention to a text message rather than the roadway.”
The idea that distracted texting is as much of a problem as distracted driving, Yi said, “shows how far Los Angeles has to go on Vision Zero.”
“Just look at a three-ton vehicle that’s moving at a high speed, versus me, a bag of flesh who weighs 130 pounds,” Yi said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed reporting.


latimes--2020-02-05--Newsom administration trying again for a river flow deal

The Newsom administration Tuesday floated a proposal to avert a protracted legal battle over new state standards that would make some of California ’ s biggest water users cut their river diversions to help struggling fish populations .
State officials see a settlement as the linchpin of administration water policies that have been bogged down in the perennial conflicts over the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta , a source of water for much of California and home to some of its most threatened native fish .
“ These agreements … will significantly increase the required amount of water flowing through rivers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom said in a Cal Matters op-ed published Tuesday afternoon .
“ They require a historic addition of 60,000 acres of critical habitat.
” He added : “ My administration is proposing a path forward , one that will move past the old water binaries and set us up for a secure and prosperous water future.
” It was unclear if key water players would follow the path .
The plan expands on an earlier settlement blueprint that was roundly denounced by environmental and fishing groups .
At least some of them remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the big farm districts that have sued to block the new state flow requirements were silent .
Jeffrey Kightlinger , general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — the biggest urban user of delta supplies — called it “ a promising step , ” adding that “ more work lies ahead.
” Looming in the background is the fight over the Trump administration rollbacks of federal endangered species protections for imperiled delta fish .
The Newsom administration announced last fall that it would sue to block the rollbacks but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While we are committed to collaborating with the federal government where we can … we will continue to utilize every tool at our disposal — including legal action — to ensure the federal government fulfills its obligation ” to protect the environment , Newsom said .
The new proposal provides more fish flows than the first draft , but the volume is still less than required under new state rules adopted at the end of the Brown administration .
And the state rules in turn require significantly lower flows than scientists have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have all but vanished on many rivers in Central and Northern California .
Those rules , adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board in late 2018 , were seen as the beginning of a historic attempt to make cities and farms take less water from the heavily tapped river systems that feed the delta , as well as the delta itself .
Not only would leaving more water in rivers improve water quality and help struggling fish populations , it would also send more flow through the delta , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest estuary .
The state board made it known that it was open to a settlement with water users to avoid years of court battles .
The Brown administration began settlement talks months before the board vote , crafting a proposal that the Newsom administration has now revised .
The changes have not mollified critics .
“ From what we can tell , this deal is built on quicksand instead of credible science , ” said Rachel Zwillinger , water policy adviser of Defenders of Wildlife , an environmental group that took part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiating a deal , an essential ingredient of any successful compromise is that it meets existing environmental protection laws , ” she said .
“ This deal will not and therefore will fail.
” Zwillinger complained that the proposal appeared to let delta pumpers largely off the hook for greater flows , clearing the way for the increased exports that the Trump rollbacks would allow .
Two conservation groups , American Rivers and the Environmental Defense Fund , said they were encouraged by the state proposal but stopped short of fully endorsing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nemeth said delta exports by the State Water Project , which supplies the Metropolitan Water District , would be the same or less as they are now .
The settlement would over many years increase flows in delta tributaries and the estuary by 800,000 to 900,000 acre feet compared to current average conditions , state officials said .
That would be achieved through a variety of measures .
Some diversions would be cut .
A new fee on water users , as well as state money , would be used to fund water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as groundwater recharge , would also be funded to free up surface water supplies .
All told , the deal calls for more than $ 5 billion in spending on habitat improvements , water purchases and land fallowing over a 15-year period .
State taxpayers would provide 42 % of that , water users 44 % and the federal government 14 % .
While the flows are less than those mandated by the state board , the deal calls for more habitat restoration , officials noted .
“ We are confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said .

The Newsom administration Tuesday floated a proposal to avert a protracted legal battle over new state standards that would make some of California’s biggest water users cut their river diversions to help struggling fish populations.
State officials see a settlement as the linchpin of administration water policies that have been bogged down in the perennial conflicts over the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a source of water for much of California and home to some of its most threatened native fish.
“These agreements … will significantly increase the required amount of water flowing through rivers and the delta,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a Cal Matters op-ed published Tuesday afternoon. “They require a historic addition of 60,000 acres of critical habitat.”
Advertisement
He added: “My administration is proposing a path forward, one that will move past the old water binaries and set us up for a secure and prosperous water future.”
It was unclear if key water players would follow the path.
The plan expands on an earlier settlement blueprint that was roundly denounced by environmental and fishing groups. At least some of them remained unimpressed with the latest version. Most of the big farm districts that have sued to block the new state flow requirements were silent.
Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — the biggest urban user of delta supplies — called it “a promising step,” adding that “more work lies ahead.”
Looming in the background is the fight over the Trump administration rollbacks of federal endangered species protections for imperiled delta fish. The Newsom administration announced last fall that it would sue to block the rollbacks but has yet to do so.
“While we are committed to collaborating with the federal government where we can … we will continue to utilize every tool at our disposal — including legal action — to ensure the federal government fulfills its obligation” to protect the environment, Newsom said.
The new proposal provides more fish flows than the first draft, but the volume is still less than required under new state rules adopted at the end of the Brown administration.
Advertisement
And the state rules in turn require significantly lower flows than scientists have said is necessary to partially restore salmon runs that have all but vanished on many rivers in Central and Northern California.
Those rules, adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board in late 2018, were seen as the beginning of a historic attempt to make cities and farms take less water from the heavily tapped river systems that feed the delta, as well as the delta itself.
Not only would leaving more water in rivers improve water quality and help struggling fish populations, it would also send more flow through the delta, which is part of the West Coast’s largest estuary.
The state board made it known that it was open to a settlement with water users to avoid years of court battles. The Brown administration began settlement talks months before the board vote, crafting a proposal that the Newsom administration has now revised.
The changes have not mollified critics.
“From what we can tell, this deal is built on quicksand instead of credible science,” said Rachel Zwillinger, water policy adviser of Defenders of Wildlife, an environmental group that took part in earlier settlement talks.
“When negotiating a deal, an essential ingredient of any successful compromise is that it meets existing environmental protection laws,” she said. “This deal will not and therefore will fail.”
Zwillinger complained that the proposal appeared to let delta pumpers largely off the hook for greater flows, clearing the way for the increased exports that the Trump rollbacks would allow.
Two conservation groups, American Rivers and the Environmental Defense Fund, said they were encouraged by the state proposal but stopped short of fully endorsing it.
Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth said delta exports by the State Water Project, which supplies the Metropolitan Water District, would be the same or less as they are now.
The settlement would over many years increase flows in delta tributaries and the estuary by 800,000 to 900,000 acre feet compared to current average conditions, state officials said.
That would be achieved through a variety of measures. Some diversions would be cut. A new fee on water users, as well as state money, would be used to fund water purchases for the environment. New projects, such as groundwater recharge, would also be funded to free up surface water supplies.
All told, the deal calls for more than $5 billion in spending on habitat improvements, water purchases and land fallowing over a 15-year period. State taxpayers would provide 42% of that, water users 44% and the federal government 14%.
While the flows are less than those mandated by the state board, the deal calls for more habitat restoration, officials noted.
“We are confident that this is scientifically adequate,” Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said.


latimes--2020-02-05--California communities suing Big Oil over climate change face a key hearing Wednesday

Sea-level rise .
Floods .
Storm damage .
For nearly three years , a group of California communities has been suing fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change and the damages resulting from it .
On Wednesday , in Pasadena , a key federal court hearing could decide the fate of those lawsuits .
Two separate coalitions of California local governments are arguing to have their suits heard in California state courts , which compared to their federal counterparts , tend to be more favorable to “ nuisance ” lawsuits .
The fossil fuel companies want the cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more appropriate venues for disputes that have international dimensions .
For both sides , the stakes are formidable .
“ A decision in favor of the cities would not only green-light these cases to move forward ... it would clear the way for a potential wave of filings in the Ninth Circuit , ” said Richard Wiles , executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity , a climate change advocacy group supporting the local governments .
The California lawsuits are part of a wave of litigation against fossil fuel companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change but actively worked to discredit climate science and block limits on greenhouse gas emissions .
The litigants hope the courts will act in the absence of meaningful governmental action , but so far , their success rate has been mixed .
In 2018 , a federal judge dismissed New York City ’ s lawsuit against five oil companies .
Last month , a federal appeals court dismissed litigation brought by a group of young people seeking a ruling that might compel the federal government to reduce emissions .
In California , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Chevron and ExxonMobil to pay for infrastructure and property damage caused by sea level riseand other climate change impacts , as well as the costly adaptations required for safeguarding .
And although the two suits will be heard by the same 9th District Circuit Court panel on Wednesday , they ’ ve had very different trajectories .
In one case , filed by the cities of San Francisco and Oakland against the fossil fuel companies , Judge William Alsup of the Federal District Court in San Francisco dismissed the suit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a tutorial on climate change science , he ruled the courts were not the proper place to deal with issues of global scale .
The cities appealed that decision .
And they ’ ll argue Wednesday that the case should be heard and moved to state court .
In the other case , which was filed by the cities of Imperial Beach , Richmond and Santa Cruz , as well as the Northern California counties of San Mateo , Santa Cruz and Marin , a federal judge , Vince Chhabria , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco , remanded the case to state court .
The fossil fuel companies , led by Chevron , appealed that decision .
Casey Norton , a spokesman for ExxonMobil , would not comment directly on the case , but pulled quotes from the fossil fuel companies ’ opening brief , including this one : “ Federal common law , not state law , must govern such disputes because of the ‘ overriding federal interest in the need for a uniform rule of decision.
’ ” Sean Comey , a Chevron spokesman , referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this quote : “ State tort law is not an appropriate vehicle — and state courts are not an appropriate forum — for regulating worldwide energy policy or punishing lawful , global commercial activity that is vital to every sector of the global economy.
” But the cities and counties say the issue is local and therefore should be considered by a state court .
They also say it isn ’ t about regulating the fossil fuel companies , but about getting them to pay for the harm they have caused .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s about getting them to pay for the damages they knowingly created , ” said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina .
Dedina said Imperial Beach is getting pummeled by waves and sea level rise , and flooding has become an increasing threat to coastal areas .
He noted that while the fossil fuel companies rake in billions of dollars every year , his cash-strapped city is likely to end up spending millions repairing damaged infrastructure such as roads and beaches , as well as millions more protecting its four miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s annual general funds budget of roughly $ 19 million is roughly the same as the yearly compensation for Darren Woods , ExxonMobil ’ s chief executive .
Tom Butt , mayor of Richmond , said the situation is similar in his San Francisco Bay city , where Chevron has a refinery .
In recent years , his views on climate change threats have changed .
“ When we first went down this road it was sea level rise I was worried about , ” he said .
“ Now it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has come down into the city .
It ’ s a major disruption .
We ’ ve had to close schools and businesses.
” Pointing to reporting from the Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News , the local governments ’ attorneys argued that fossil fuel companies not only knew about climate change for decades , but actively tried to mislead the public and governments about the science — and its potential effects .
“ This is just like tobacco , lead paint , asbestos , opioids , what have you ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew about this a long time ago and instead of disclosing it or trying to do something about it , they went all out and tried to hide effects and sell it , ” said Butt .
Other local and state governments across the country are also actively seeking damage compensation from the fossil fuel companies , including Baltimore ; Boulder , Col. ; King County , Wash. ; New York and Rhode Island .
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fisheries Assns.
, a trade organization , has also sued for damages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this appeal , ” said Sean Hecht , co-executive director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law .
“ If the cases can move forward in state court , the courts are likely to take the plaintiffs ’ claims seriously , and this may affect prospects for cases in other states as well.
” Hecht ’ s environmental law clinic provided legal analysis for the plaintiffs in some of the cases .
He said a 2017 ruling by the California Court of Appeal held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collection of California local governments that sued them , in a “ nuisance ” case similar in structure to these .
“ Plaintiffs in the climate liability cases are pursuing a similar theory , and there are real parallels between the facts here and the facts in the lead-paint cases , ” he said .
Douglas Kysar , a professor at Yale Law School , said the arguments made Wednesday are unlikely to sway any judges , who are likely more interested in the briefs and other filings already submitted .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunity to ask questions about what the future holds for climate liability , he said .
“ If the industry is not going to help shoulder the massive cost of adapting to climate change , who is going to be left holding the bag ?
” A ruling is expected before the end of the year .

Chevron operates two major California refineries, including the one in El Segundo, seen here. It’s one of the fossil fuel companies facing litigation.
Sea-level rise. Floods. Storm damage. For nearly three years, a group of California communities has been suing fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change and the damages resulting from it.
On Wednesday, in Pasadena, a key federal court hearing could decide the fate of those lawsuits.
Two separate coalitions of California local governments are arguing to have their suits heard in California state courts, which compared to their federal counterparts, tend to be more favorable to “nuisance” lawsuits.
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The fossil fuel companies want the cases heard in federal courts, arguing they are more appropriate venues for disputes that have international dimensions.
For both sides, the stakes are formidable.
“A decision in favor of the cities would not only green-light these cases to move forward... it would clear the way for a potential wave of filings in the Ninth Circuit,” said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, a climate change advocacy group supporting the local governments.
The California lawsuits are part of a wave of litigation against fossil fuel companies, alleging they not only contributed to climate change but actively worked to discredit climate science and block limits on greenhouse gas emissions. The litigants hope the courts will act in the absence of meaningful governmental action, but so far, their success rate has been mixed.
In 2018, a federal judge dismissed New York City’s lawsuit against five oil companies. Last month, a federal appeals court dismissed litigation brought by a group of young people seeking a ruling that might compel the federal government to reduce emissions.
In California, both lawsuits are similar. They want companies such as Chevron and ExxonMobil to pay for infrastructure and property damage caused by sea level riseand other climate change impacts, as well as the costly adaptations required for safeguarding. And although the two suits will be heard by the same 9th District Circuit Court panel on Wednesday, they’ve had very different trajectories.
In one case, filed by the cities of San Francisco and Oakland against the fossil fuel companies, Judge William Alsup of the Federal District Court in San Francisco dismissed the suit. After instructing both parties to provide him with a tutorial on climate change science, he ruled the courts were not the proper place to deal with issues of global scale.
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The cities appealed that decision. And they’ll argue Wednesday that the case should be heard and moved to state court.
In the other case, which was filed by the cities of Imperial Beach, Richmond and Santa Cruz, as well as the Northern California counties of San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Marin, a federal judge, Vince Chhabria, also of the Federal District Court in San Francisco, remanded the case to state court.
The fossil fuel companies, led by Chevron, appealed that decision.
Casey Norton, a spokesman for ExxonMobil, would not comment directly on the case, but pulled quotes from the fossil fuel companies’ opening brief, including this one: “Federal common law, not state law, must govern such disputes because of the ‘overriding federal interest in the need for a uniform rule of decision.’”
Sean Comey, a Chevron spokesman, referred to the same filing, and highlighted this quote: “State tort law is not an appropriate vehicle — and state courts are not an appropriate forum — for regulating worldwide energy policy or punishing lawful, global commercial activity that is vital to every sector of the global economy.”
But the cities and counties say the issue is local and therefore should be considered by a state court. They also say it isn’t about regulating the fossil fuel companies, but about getting them to pay for the harm they have caused.
“This isn’t about changing laws. It’s about getting them to pay for the damages they knowingly created,” said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina.
Dedina said Imperial Beach is getting pummeled by waves and sea level rise, and flooding has become an increasing threat to coastal areas. He noted that while the fossil fuel companies rake in billions of dollars every year, his cash-strapped city is likely to end up spending millions repairing damaged infrastructure such as roads and beaches, as well as millions more protecting its four miles of shoreline.
He said his city’s annual general funds budget of roughly $19 million is roughly the same as the yearly compensation for Darren Woods, ExxonMobil’s chief executive.
Tom Butt, mayor of Richmond, said the situation is similar in his San Francisco Bay city, where Chevron has a refinery. In recent years, his views on climate change threats have changed.
“When we first went down this road it was sea level rise I was worried about,” he said. “Now it’s the fires, and the smoke that has come down into the city. It’s a major disruption. We’ve had to close schools and businesses.”
Pointing to reporting from the Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News, the local governments’ attorneys argued that fossil fuel companies not only knew about climate change for decades, but actively tried to mislead the public and governments about the science — and its potential effects.
“This is just like tobacco, lead paint, asbestos, opioids, what have you... where substantial evidence has developed that they knew about this a long time ago and instead of disclosing it or trying to do something about it, they went all out and tried to hide effects and sell it,” said Butt.
Other local and state governments across the country are also actively seeking damage compensation from the fossil fuel companies, including Baltimore; Boulder, Col.; King County, Wash.; New York and Rhode Island.
The Pacific Coast Federation of Fisheries Assns., a trade organization, has also sued for damages.
“There is a lot at stake in this appeal,” said Sean Hecht, co-executive director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law. “If the cases can move forward in state court, the courts are likely to take the plaintiffs’ claims seriously, and this may affect prospects for cases in other states as well.”
Hecht’s environmental law clinic provided legal analysis for the plaintiffs in some of the cases.
He said a 2017 ruling by the California Court of Appeal held former lead paint manufacturers liable to a collection of California local governments that sued them, in a “nuisance” case similar in structure to these.
“Plaintiffs in the climate liability cases are pursuing a similar theory, and there are real parallels between the facts here and the facts in the lead-paint cases,” he said.
Douglas Kysar, a professor at Yale Law School, said the arguments made Wednesday are unlikely to sway any judges, who are likely more interested in the briefs and other filings already submitted.
However, the hearings provide the rest of us an opportunity to ask questions about what the future holds for climate liability, he said. “If the industry is not going to help shoulder the massive cost of adapting to climate change, who is going to be left holding the bag?”
A ruling is expected before the end of the year.


latimes--2020-02-05--UC freshmen applications dip for a second straight year. But why?

After more than a decade of robust growth , applications to the University of California from would-be freshmen dipped for the second year in a row while those from transfer students continued to rise , according to preliminary UC data released Tuesday .
Freshman applications fell across the board — from Californians and students from other states and countries — to 172,099 , a 5.4 % decline since 2018 .
The decline hit five of the nine undergraduate campuses at Los Angeles , Davis , Santa Barbara , Santa Cruz and Merced .
The number of transfer students aiming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 4.8 % increase over 2018 .
Experts said the decline in first-year applicants may signal a reality check among high school students who are daunted by the growing competition and cost of a UC freshman seat and are instead opting for a more affordable community college pathway .
A cause rooted in demographics , namely a decline in the number of college-age students that has already begun hitting Northeastern states , is not expected to peak in California until about 2025 , according to Nathan D. Grawe , a Carleton College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Competition for UC seats has steadily intensified .
Overall , the proportion of California high school graduates who apply to a UC campus has doubled from 10 % in the mid-1990s to 20 % today , according to Zachary Bleemer , a research associate at UC Berkeley ’ s Center for Studies in Higher Education .
And even though UC has admitted thousands more California students since then , it is not nearly enough to meet the demand .
“ A very large number of high school graduates apply to UC with very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campuses , ” Bleemer said .
“ So the small declines in applications to some degree is positive news for the University of California — they have to send out fewer rejection letters.
” Philippe De Nes , for instance , didn ’ t even bother to apply to any UC campuses last year as a senior at Downtown Magnets High School .
He was a strong student in the International Baccalaureate honors program with a GPA of 3.55 overall and 4.07 for sophomore and junior years , which UC considers in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UCLA or UC Berkeley , he said , but given the competition , “ I was pretty sure I wasn ’ t going to get in.
” De Nes , 19 , also was caught in the middle-class squeeze , with family income too high to qualify for a federal Pell Grant but too low to comfortably afford UC ’ s $ 36,000 annual cost of attendance , including tuition , room and board .
He wasn ’ t willing to ask his parents to foot that bill — his father is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walker — for anything less than a top UC campus .
So he is attending Los Angeles City College , a two-year institution that offered a year of free tuition , along with a laptop .
But De Nes , a Guatemala native who earned straight A ’ s in his fall semester , plans to apply next year as a transfer student to UCLA , UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara to pursue his passion in geography .
“ I will apply to UC this time for sure because I have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , ” he said .
Youlonda Copeland-Morgan , UCLA vice provost of enrollment management , said her campus reflects those trends .
Among Californians , freshman applications dropped to 67,877 for fall 2020 , a 5 % decline since 2018 .
She senses the decrease in applications has come from students who are less academically competitive when compared to freshmen admitted in fall 2019 , whose average GPA was above 4.0 and whose SAT score was above the 90th percentile .
UCLA ’ s admission rate last fall was 12.4 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undergraduate campuses .
“ More students understand what we ’ re looking for and are making wise decisions about whether they ’ re prepared to compete at UCLA , ” she said .
Copeland-Morgan added that more students may be applying to fewer colleges overall , a trend she and other higher education officials are trying to encourage .
“ People are recognizing the stress that high school students are under , ” she said .
“ We ’ re saying to students : focus on your senior year , enjoy , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 institutions .
Make sure it ’ s not how many applications you complete but what is a good fit .
“ That ’ s the push — to create more sanity around the whole process of college applications , ” she added .
At the same time , UCLA saw rising interest among prospective California transfer students , receiving 21,286 applications for fall 2020 , a 12.5 % increase over 2018 .
UCLA , and the UC system overall , have strengthened efforts in recent years to enroll one transfer student for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarantee admission of all qualified community college students .
In addition , Gov .
Gavin Newsom and several California community college districts have expanded state and local programs to help cover costs .
California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley credited those financial aid programs and stronger partnerships between his campuses and UC leaders for boosting the number of transfer students .
The number of students who completed coursework to transfer to four-year universities has increased by about 2 % over last year , he said .
“ For many families , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Oakley , who himself attended Golden West College and transferred to UC Irvine for a bachelor ’ s degree in environmental analysis and design and a master ’ s degree in business administration .
Latinos remained the largest group of California freshman applicants at 38 % followed by Asian Americans at 31 % , whites at 21 % and African Americans at 6 % .
Among both freshmen and transfer applicants , first-generation and low-income students each accounted for 47 % of applicants .
Overall , UCLA remained the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications from prospective freshmen and transfer students .
But UC Irvine was the top choice for California applicants — 92,644 overall — and for students who are low-income , the first in their families to attend college , Latinos and Asian Americans .
“ These outstanding numbers are a testament to our success in advancing our mission , ” UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement .
“ We exist to provide the best education possible to the people of our state , regardless of their circumstances .
”

Students depart Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA. Applications to the University of California from would-be freshmen dipped for the second year in a row.
After more than a decade of robust growth, applications to the University of California from would-be freshmen dipped for the second year in a row while those from transfer students continued to rise, according to preliminary UC data released Tuesday.
Freshman applications fell across the board — from Californians and students from other states and countries — to 172,099, a 5.4% decline since 2018. The decline hit five of the nine undergraduate campuses at Los Angeles, Davis, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Merced.
The number of transfer students aiming to enroll, however, grew to 43,063, a 4.8% increase over 2018.
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Experts said the decline in first-year applicants may signal a reality check among high school students who are daunted by the growing competition and cost of a UC freshman seat and are instead opting for a more affordable community college pathway. A cause rooted in demographics, namely a decline in the number of college-age students that has already begun hitting Northeastern states, is not expected to peak in California until about 2025, according to Nathan D. Grawe, a Carleton College professor of economics and social sciences.
Competition for UC seats has steadily intensified. Overall, the proportion of California high school graduates who apply to a UC campus has doubled from 10% in the mid-1990s to 20% today, according to Zachary Bleemer, a research associate at UC Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education. And even though UC has admitted thousands more California students since then, it is not nearly enough to meet the demand.
“A very large number of high school graduates apply to UC with very little shot of getting into their preferred campuses,” Bleemer said. “So the small declines in applications to some degree is positive news for the University of California — they have to send out fewer rejection letters.”
Philippe De Nes, for instance, didn’t even bother to apply to any UC campuses last year as a senior at Downtown Magnets High School. He was a strong student in the International Baccalaureate honors program with a GPA of 3.55 overall and 4.07 for sophomore and junior years, which UC considers in its admission process. He was aiming for UCLA or UC Berkeley, he said, but given the competition, “I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to get in.”
De Nes, 19, also was caught in the middle-class squeeze, with family income too high to qualify for a federal Pell Grant but too low to comfortably afford UC’s $36,000 annual cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board. He wasn’t willing to ask his parents to foot that bill — his father is a software engineer and his mother a dog walker — for anything less than a top UC campus.
So he is attending Los Angeles City College, a two-year institution that offered a year of free tuition, along with a laptop. But De Nes, a Guatemala native who earned straight A’s in his fall semester, plans to apply next year as a transfer student to UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara to pursue his passion in geography.
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“I will apply to UC this time for sure because I have a 4.0 and know how to handle college-level work,” he said.
Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, UCLA vice provost of enrollment management, said her campus reflects those trends. Among Californians, freshman applications dropped to 67,877 for fall 2020, a 5% decline since 2018. She senses the decrease in applications has come from students who are less academically competitive when compared to freshmen admitted in fall 2019, whose average GPA was above 4.0 and whose SAT score was above the 90th percentile. UCLA’s admission rate last fall was 12.4%, the lowest among UC’s nine undergraduate campuses.
“More students understand what we’re looking for and are making wise decisions about whether they’re prepared to compete at UCLA,” she said.
Copeland-Morgan added that more students may be applying to fewer colleges overall, a trend she and other higher education officials are trying to encourage.
“People are recognizing the stress that high school students are under,” she said. “We’re saying to students: focus on your senior year, enjoy, there’s no need to apply to 25 institutions. Make sure it’s not how many applications you complete but what is a good fit.
“That’s the push — to create more sanity around the whole process of college applications,” she added.
At the same time, UCLA saw rising interest among prospective California transfer students, receiving 21,286 applications for fall 2020, a 12.5% increase over 2018. UCLA, and the UC system overall, have strengthened efforts in recent years to enroll one transfer student for every two freshmen and expanded programs to guarantee admission of all qualified community college students.
In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsom and several California community college districts have expanded state and local programs to help cover costs.
California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley credited those financial aid programs and stronger partnerships between his campuses and UC leaders for boosting the number of transfer students. The number of students who completed coursework to transfer to four-year universities has increased by about 2% over last year, he said.
“For many families, the community college pathway is an amazing option,” said Oakley, who himself attended Golden West College and transferred to UC Irvine for a bachelor’s degree in environmental analysis and design and a master’s degree in business administration.
Latinos remained the largest group of California freshman applicants at 38% followed by Asian Americans at 31%, whites at 21% and African Americans at 6%. Among both freshmen and transfer applicants, first-generation and low-income students each accounted for 47% of applicants.
Overall, UCLA remained the most popular campus, drawing a total 134,769 applications from prospective freshmen and transfer students.
But UC Irvine was the top choice for California applicants — 92,644 overall — and for students who are low-income, the first in their families to attend college, Latinos and Asian Americans.
“These outstanding numbers are a testament to our success in advancing our mission,” UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement. “We exist to provide the best education possible to the people of our state, regardless of their circumstances.”