latimes--2020-08-02--George Floyd protests: Black police officers see fight for racial justice through personal lens

After days of protests over police brutality in Los Angeles County , a young sheriff ’ s deputy on the front lines reached out to her commander , reeling .
As a Black woman , she wanted to show solidarity with her community in grieving the brutal police killing of George Floyd .
But as a law enforcement officer , she feared backlash from her peers if she were to take a knee .
“ My comment to her was , if it ’ s genuine , if that ’ s how you feel , we ’ re not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
April Tardy , who also is Black .
That personal conflict highlights the delicate duality of being a Black police officer in America during this moment of unrest .
In interviews , Black law enforcement leaders said they are uniquely equipped to understand the racism embedded in the criminal justice system , the history of oppression of their community and how that has sowed decades of distrust of the police .
They see themselves in a position to bridge the differences .
But working within the system , some acknowledge , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior .
And recently , Black officers also have been on the receiving end of racist slurs and derogatory remarks while on the front lines .
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he is deeply aware of and sensitive to both sides of the debate engulfing the nation over racial justice .
In an interview , he recounted personal incidents that remain indelible : “ For sale ” signs going up when his family moved to a mostly white Alabama neighborhood in the 1970s , being in stores where an employee eyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locking on the street as he walked by .
“ Growing up in that environment you can ’ t escape the fact that you ’ re Black , ” he said .
Experts said that moving forward requires a culture shift in policing that goes beyond diversifying the ranks and prioritizes honest conversations about long-standing harmful practices .
Hiring more officers of color means little if they ’ re not placed in leadership positions or empowered to speak out against wrongdoing , said Rod Brunson , a professor at Northeastern University ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Inclusion is bringing people into an organization , and hoping they don ’ t adhere to particularly bad practices but they help to change the culture of policing from within , ” he said .
According to the Pew Research Center , of law enforcement officers found that 72 % of white officers said the deaths of Black people in America during police encounters were isolated incidents , while 57 % of Black officers said they are signs of a systemic problem .
But as important as who polices communities is how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At least two of the officers involved in a widely publicized incident in May in Atlanta where two college students were Tasered were people of color , he noted .
One of the four officers charged in Floyd ’ s death is Black .
An officer ’ s race “ doesn ’ t magically insulate people from poor treatment , ” Brunson said .
“ There ’ s also an organizational demand .
So what type of behavior is expected and culture is tolerated and , more importantly , incentivized in police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Philadelphia police commissioner who co-chaired President Obama ’ s Task Force on 21st Century Policing , said officers need to see themselves through the eyes of those being policed .
At times , Ramsey was criticized by the rank and file for being too harsh in disciplining officers .
He believes it ’ s important for officers to understand how police have been used to implement racist policies , such as Jim Crow laws .
Negative encounters with police , many current Black officers say , pushed them toward a law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boatwright was walking home from a baseball game in South Carolina when an officer stopped him .
“ He says if he caught me out at night again I would not make it home , ” said Boatwright , now deputy chief of the San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department .
“ I instantly became fearful of law enforcement.
” He joined the career to “ do my part in modeling what a police officer should be — that ’ s ethical , accountable and compassionate to the needs of the community.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ held accountable criminally or administratively , he said , and rules should require their colleagues to intervene if they witness unethical conduct and to report bad behavior .
Boatwright also said it ’ s important for his colleagues in the department to understand why Black people might be apprehensive or respond negatively during interactions with police .
He ’ s been taking on those conversations .
“ I try to let them know that although that person may have a perception , that perception is a reality , that feeling is real , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers , forging relationships in their own community requires delicate navigation .
Some say they have been called a race traitor , sellout or Uncle Tom while in uniform .
“ When I receive that myself , being a Black man , yeah , the first thing that comes to mind , I ’ m hurt .
But then I try to understand where they are coming from , ” Boatwright said , adding that it never made him rethink his career choice .
“ I still think there ’ s a job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deputy Frank Harris was recently assigned to a Rancho Cucamonga protest of about 300 people that turned disruptive , with people in the crowd throwing items at cars and jumping on a school bus , he said with the Sheriff ’ s Employees ’ Benefit Assn .
At one point , at least two people started hurling racist insults at him , including the N-word .
Video captured the encounter .
In the moment , Harris said , he wasn ’ t fazed because he fields insults like that all the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , when he watched the video , that it hit him .
“ It really just made me sad , ” he said in the interview , adding that he chose law enforcement because he saw a lack of diversity .
“ I kinda wanted to be out there in law enforcement to , you know , be , you know , a voice or a helping hand to , you know , young Black males.
” Those types of slurs hit Matt Burson the hardest early in his career .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m like , ‘ Why am I doing this ?
’ ” said Burson , chief of the professional standards division at the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department .
“ But then you look around at some of the violence and some of the things that people were experiencing at the time : Yeah , I know exactly why I ’ m doing this .
I just got to remain focused on that.
” In 1979 , Burson was a teenager walking home in South L.A. when he heard gunshots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the scene , where two officers had shot and killed a Black woman , Eula Love , the mother of a girl Burson ’ s brother was dating at the time , over a gas bill .
News accounts say she had a knife and that the Police Commission later concluded the officers made “ serious errors in judgment.
” “ I ’ ll tell you , I hated the police , ” Burson said .
“ I hated LAPD and everything they stood for.
” A few years later , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer , which required regular interaction with officers .
His brother had joined the California Highway Patrol .
His feelings evolved .
“ Over the years , you learn to either be part of the solution or nothing , ” Burson said .
Scott , a former LAPD deputy chief , also had a negative encounter with police in college .
Scott said he was driving back to school at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa when he was stopped by an officer .
“ The first thing that came out of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Scott said .
“ In the South , when you were called a boy , it meant like you were less than a man , less than them.
” Scott didn ’ t consider law enforcement as a career until a cousin who worked for the LAPD told him that Black officers “ can do good things.
” Soon after , Scott joined the department .
After 27 years , Scott was tapped in 2017 to lead the San Francisco Police Department , which had been plagued by scandal , including allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Department of Justice found that the department on people of color and stopped and searched Black people at higher rates than other ethnic groups .
Since then , San Francisco has banned chokeholds and strangleholds and officers are required to attempt to de-escalate tense situations and to file a report whenever they point a firearm at civilians .
Last month , the department also of people who have been arrested unless the person poses a risk to the public .
There hasn ’ t been a police-involved shooting in the department in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a 60 % decrease in the use of firearms by officers , Scott said .
“ Good policy when enforced properly ... does drive culture , ” he said .
Los Angeles Police Cmdr .
Gerald Woodyard said when he joined the department , he looked up other Black men in positions of leadership .
His own journey into policing began when he was stopped by an LAPD officer in Inglewood years ago .
The officer said he smelled marijuana coming from the car , and Woodyard and a friend — both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church — were searched .
Instead of becoming angry , Woodyard decided to join the LAPD .
As a leader , he tries to recruit more Black officers .
Of nearly 10,000 sworn officers , about 9 % , or 951 , are Black and the department expects many to retire soon .
“ I ’ d rather the community sees folks that look like them and maybe they can relate to us and not be afraid of us , ” he said .
Woodyard , who took a knee in solidarity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened opportunities for “ uncomfortable and authentic ” conversations with the community .
“ It has forced us as an organization to really look at how we police certain communities , ” he said .
Orange County Sheriff ’ s Lt. Joses Walehwa , whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Uganda when he was a toddler , said friends and relatives have participated in protests .
He spoke with one at length on the phone and told him that no one he knows in law enforcement can justify what happened to Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer knelt on his neck for an extended period as he pleaded for air .
“ This is a rare unique situation where everyone agrees … it shouldn ’ t have happened , ” Walehwa said .
“ That was probably the biggest thing I could share with him.
” “ At the end of the conversation , I was happy to say that this person said , ‘ I ’ m proud of you , I ’ m proud for how you ’ re representing what you do , ’ ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in uniform , Walehwa said , some interactions have been marked by anger and frustration , but as days went on there was productive dialogue .
“ It wasn ’ t an ‘ us-versus-them ’ thing , it was , ‘ Let ’ s give everybody space to speak .
’ ”

After days of protests over police brutality in Los Angeles County, a young sheriff’s deputy on the front lines reached out to her commander, reeling.
As a Black woman, she wanted to show solidarity with her community in grieving the brutal police killing of George Floyd. But as a law enforcement officer, she feared backlash from her peers if she were to take a knee.
“My comment to her was, if it’s genuine, if that’s how you feel, we’re not going to criticize you,” said Cmdr. April Tardy, who also is Black.
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That personal conflict highlights the delicate duality of being a Black police officer in America during this moment of unrest.
In interviews, Black law enforcement leaders said they are uniquely equipped to understand the racism embedded in the criminal justice system, the history of oppression of their community and how that has sowed decades of distrust of the police. They see themselves in a position to bridge the differences.
But working within the system, some acknowledge, has not always yielded changes in policies or behavior. And recently, Black officers also have been on the receiving end of racist slurs and derogatory remarks while on the front lines.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott speaks to reporters in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he is deeply aware of and sensitive to both sides of the debate engulfing the nation over racial justice.
In an interview, he recounted personal incidents that remain indelible: “For sale” signs going up when his family moved to a mostly white Alabama neighborhood in the 1970s, being in stores where an employee eyed his every move, hearing car doors locking on the street as he walked by.
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“Growing up in that environment you can’t escape the fact that you’re Black,” he said.
Experts said that moving forward requires a culture shift in policing that goes beyond diversifying the ranks and prioritizes honest conversations about long-standing harmful practices.
Hiring more officers of color means little if they’re not placed in leadership positions or empowered to speak out against wrongdoing, said Rod Brunson, a professor at Northeastern University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
“Inclusion is bringing people into an organization, and hoping they don’t adhere to particularly bad practices but they help to change the culture of policing from within,” he said.
According to the Pew Research Center, surveys in 2016 of law enforcement officers found that 72% of white officers said the deaths of Black people in America during police encounters were isolated incidents, while 57% of Black officers said they are signs of a systemic problem.
But as important as who polices communities is how they’re policed, Brunson said. At least two of the officers involved in a widely publicized incident in May in Atlanta where two college students were Tasered were people of color, he noted. One of the four officers charged in Floyd’s death is Black.
An officer’s race “doesn’t magically insulate people from poor treatment,” Brunson said. “There’s also an organizational demand. So what type of behavior is expected and culture is tolerated and, more importantly, incentivized in police departments?”
Charles Ramsey, then police commissioner in Philadelphia, is shown at a news conference in 2015. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
Charles Ramsey, the former Philadelphia police commissioner who co-chaired President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, said officers need to see themselves through the eyes of those being policed. At times, Ramsey was criticized by the rank and file for being too harsh in disciplining officers. He believes it’s important for officers to understand how police have been used to implement racist policies, such as Jim Crow laws.
Negative encounters with police, many current Black officers say, pushed them toward a law enforcement career.
As a teenager, Horace Boatwright was walking home from a baseball game in South Carolina when an officer stopped him.
“He says if he caught me out at night again I would not make it home,” said Boatwright, now deputy chief of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. “I instantly became fearful of law enforcement.”
He joined the career to “do my part in modeling what a police officer should be — that’s ethical, accountable and compassionate to the needs of the community.”
Officers involved in misconduct should be held accountable criminally or administratively, he said, and rules should require their colleagues to intervene if they witness unethical conduct and to report bad behavior. Boatwright also said it’s important for his colleagues in the department to understand why Black people might be apprehensive or respond negatively during interactions with police. He’s been taking on those conversations.
Horace Boatwright is deputy chief of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“I try to let them know that although that person may have a perception, that perception is a reality, that feeling is real,” Boatwright said.
For Black police officers, forging relationships in their own community requires delicate navigation. Some say they have been called a race traitor, sellout or Uncle Tom while in uniform.
“When I receive that myself, being a Black man, yeah, the first thing that comes to mind, I’m hurt. But then I try to understand where they are coming from,” Boatwright said, adding that it never made him rethink his career choice. “I still think there’s a job I can do.”
San Bernardino County Deputy Frank Harris was recently assigned to a Rancho Cucamonga protest of about 300 people that turned disruptive, with people in the crowd throwing items at cars and jumping on a school bus, he said in an interview with the Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Assn.
At one point, at least two people started hurling racist insults at him, including the N-word. Video captured the encounter.
In the moment, Harris said, he wasn’t fazed because he fields insults like that all the time. It wasn’t until after the fact, when he watched the video, that it hit him.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Horace Boatwright, left, speaks during a morning briefing. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“It really just made me sad,” he said in the interview, adding that he chose law enforcement because he saw a lack of diversity. “I kinda wanted to be out there in law enforcement to, you know, be, you know, a voice or a helping hand to, you know, young Black males.”
Those types of slurs hit Matt Burson the hardest early in his career.
“I got frustrated to a point where I’m like, ‘Why am I doing this?’” said Burson, chief of the professional standards division at the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. “But then you look around at some of the violence and some of the things that people were experiencing at the time: Yeah, I know exactly why I’m doing this. I just got to remain focused on that.”
In 1979, Burson was a teenager walking home in South L.A. when he heard gunshots. He said the whole neighborhood swarmed to the scene, where two officers had shot and killed a Black woman, Eula Love, the mother of a girl Burson’s brother was dating at the time, over a gas bill. News accounts say she had a knife and that the Police Commission later concluded the officers made “serious errors in judgment.”
“I’ll tell you, I hated the police,” Burson said. “I hated LAPD and everything they stood for.”
A few years later, he began working as a retail loss prevention officer, which required regular interaction with officers. His brother had joined the California Highway Patrol. His feelings evolved.
“Over the years, you learn to either be part of the solution or nothing,” Burson said.
Scott, a former LAPD deputy chief, also had a negative encounter with police in college.
Scott said he was driving back to school at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa when he was stopped by an officer.
“The first thing that came out of his mouth was: ‘Boy,’” Scott said. “In the South, when you were called a boy, it meant like you were less than a man, less than them.”
Scott didn’t consider law enforcement as a career until a cousin who worked for the LAPD told him that Black officers “can do good things.” Soon after, Scott joined the department.
After 27 years, Scott was tapped in 2017 to lead the San Francisco Police Department, which had been plagued by scandal, including allegations of racist texting by officers. The U.S. Department of Justice found that the department disproportionately used force on people of color and stopped and searched Black people at higher rates than other ethnic groups.
Since then, San Francisco has banned chokeholds and strangleholds and officers are required to attempt to de-escalate tense situations and to file a report whenever they point a firearm at civilians. Last month, the department also stopped releasing mug shots of people who have been arrested unless the person poses a risk to the public.
There hasn’t been a police-involved shooting in the department in two years, and there’s been a 60% decrease in the use of firearms by officers, Scott said.
“Good policy when enforced properly ... does drive culture,” he said.
Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Gerald Woodyard said when he joined the department, he looked up other Black men in positions of leadership. His own journey into policing began when he was stopped by an LAPD officer in Inglewood years ago.
The officer said he smelled marijuana coming from the car, and Woodyard and a friend — both in suits and on their way to church — were searched. Instead of becoming angry, Woodyard decided to join the LAPD.
As a leader, he tries to recruit more Black officers. Of nearly 10,000 sworn officers, about 9%, or 951, are Black and the department expects many to retire soon.
“I’d rather the community sees folks that look like them and maybe they can relate to us and not be afraid of us,” he said.
Woodyard, who took a knee in solidarity with protesters, said the recent demonstrations have opened opportunities for “uncomfortable and authentic” conversations with the community.
“It has forced us as an organization to really look at how we police certain communities,” he said.
Orange County Sheriff’s Joses Walehwa said friends and family members have participated in protests. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Los Angeles Times)
Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Joses Walehwa, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Uganda when he was a toddler, said friends and relatives have participated in protests. He spoke with one at length on the phone and told him that no one he knows in law enforcement can justify what happened to Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for an extended period as he pleaded for air.
“This is a rare unique situation where everyone agrees … it shouldn’t have happened,” Walehwa said. “That was probably the biggest thing I could share with him.”
“At the end of the conversation, I was happy to say that this person said, ‘I’m proud of you, I’m proud for how you’re representing what you do,’” he said.
At protests where he is in uniform, Walehwa said, some interactions have been marked by anger and frustration, but as days went on there was productive dialogue.
“It wasn’t an ‘us-versus-them’ thing, it was, ‘Let’s give everybody space to speak.’”


latimes--2020-08-01--Three protesters arrested near Mayor Garcetti's home, where demonstrators called on city to cancel r

Three protesters arrested near Mayor Garcetti's home, where demonstrators called on city to cancel rents

Three people were taken into custody and two were cited Saturday afternoon outside the Windsor Square home of Mayor Eric Garcetti , where hundreds of protesters converged to demand the mayor cancel rents , according to an LAPD spokesman .
Joshua Rubenstein of the Los Angeles Police Department said one person was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer , a second was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest , and a third was arrested on suspicion of trying to free an arrestee .
In addition , two others were cited and released for being a “ pedestrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rubenstein said that toward the end of a largely peaceful demonstration , some people continued to block parts of the roadway , “ creating a hazardous situation , ” and officers began to enforce traffic laws after warnings .
“ When one of the traffic violators was stopped and advised he was going to be cited , a battery on a police officer occurred and the violator was taken into custody , ” Rubenstein said in a statement .
“ Other suspects became aware of the detention by the officers and attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were committed against additional officers.
” Protesters at the Saturday event said that one of the people detained was a teenager who was dangling a doughnut on a string in front of officers .
Ian Carr , an organizer with the progressive group Ground Game LA , said that officers grabbed and handled the teenager roughly after he ran backwards away from them , then held the youth down in the back of a vehicle .
Carr said he did not see the teen hurt any officers .
“ People were screaming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blakeman , a protester who writes for the website Knock.LA , which is affiliated with Ground Game LA .
“ He was absolutely being hurt , from the pitch of his screaming.
” Protester Devon Young said she and her friends began filming what was happening to the teenager before being detained .
Young said that one of her friends was beaten with batons and that at one point an officer knelt on her neck , leaving her vomiting afterward .
They were loaded into a van with a third friend before Young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Young said that her two friends who were taken into custody were not violent toward officers .
“ I have it all on film — and the only thing I have is police brutalizing them , ” she said .
Rubenstein said in his statement that assaults on officers “ caused the response of additional officers to bring the situation under control.
” The people who were detained were taken to the LAPD ’ s Olympic Station , Rubenstein said .
A Garcetti spokesman did not immediately provide comment Saturday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday demonstration was the latest in a string of protests outside Garcetti ’ s home .
Demonstrators with the People ’ s City Council , which includes activists from groups such as the Los Angeles Tenants Union , Ktown for All and NOlympics LA , toted banners and signs and brought mariachi musicians to play outside the mayoral residence , demanding that the city impose a blanket ban on evictions , cancel rents and commandeer hotels for homeless people .
During the protest , activists posted a “ 3-Day Notice to Cancel Rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the home .
At one point , demonstrators blocked a nearby stretch of Wilshire Boulevard , according to videos of the event posted on Twitter .
Tenant rights activists have urged city leaders to take additional action to prevent people from losing their apartments and sliding into homelessness , fearing a wave of evictions as expanded unemployment benefits expire .
The state court system is considering lifting its emergency restrictions on processing eviction cases later this month .
The Los Angeles city attorney ’ s office has warned against canceling rents , advising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would violate the law and could cost the city more than a billion dollars in compensation to landlords .
The council voted narrowly in April against imposing a broader ban on evictions after a city attorney argued it was unlikely to survive in court .

The home of Mayor Eric Garcetti has been the scene of weekend protests by demonstrators calling for a moratorium on rents and by opponents of a plan to create a Community Safety Partnership Bureau within the LAPD.
Three people were taken into custody and two were cited over the weekend outside the Windsor Square home of Mayor Eric Garcetti, where hundreds of protesters converged to demand the mayor cancel rents, according to an LAPD spokesman.
After the arrests on Saturday, protesters demonstrated outside Garcetti’s home on Sunday, in part to protest plans to build a Community Safety Partnership Bureau within the Police Department.
Joshua Rubenstein of the Los Angeles Police Department on Saturday said one person was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer, a second was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, and a third was arrested on suspicion of trying to free an arrestee.
In addition, two others were cited and released for being a “pedestrian in a roadway,” Rubenstein said.
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Rubenstein said that toward the end of a largely peaceful demonstration, some people continued to block parts of the roadway, “creating a hazardous situation,” and officers began to enforce traffic laws after warnings.
“When one of the traffic violators was stopped and advised he was going to be cited, a battery on a police officer occurred and the violator was taken into custody,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “Other suspects became aware of the detention by the officers and attempted to surround the officers and additional assaults were committed against additional officers.”
Protesters disputed that account, saying there was no warning before the arrests and that people had not attacked officers. Demonstrators at the Saturday event said that one of the people detained was a teenager who was dangling a doughnut on a string in front of officers.
Ian Carr, an organizer with the progressive group Ground Game LA, said that officers grabbed and handled the teenager roughly after he ran backwards away from them, then held the youth down in the back of a vehicle. Carr said he did not see the teen hurt any officers.
“People were screaming that he was epileptic,” said Jordan Blakeman, a protester who writes for the website Knock.LA, which is affiliated with Ground Game LA. “He was absolutely being hurt, from the pitch of his screaming.”
Protester Devon Young said she and her friends began filming what was happening to the teenager before being detained. Young said that one of her friends was beaten with batons and that at one point an officer knelt on her neck, leaving her vomiting afterward. They were loaded into a van with a third friend before Young was released with a citation, she said.
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Young said that her two friends who were taken into custody were not violent toward officers. “I have it all on film — and the only thing I have is police brutalizing them,” she said.
Rubenstein said in his statement that assaults on officers “caused the response of additional officers to bring the situation under control.” The people who were detained were taken to the LAPD’s Olympic Station, Rubenstein said.
A Garcetti spokesman did not immediately provide comment Saturday on the demonstration or the arrests.
The Saturday demonstration was one in a string of protests outside Garcetti’s home. Demonstrators with the People’s City Council, which includes activists from groups such as the Los Angeles Tenants Union, Ktown for All and NOlympics LA, toted banners and signs and brought mariachi musicians to play outside the mayoral residence, demanding that the city impose a blanket ban on evictions, cancel rents and commandeer hotels for homeless people.
During the protest, activists posted a “3-Day Notice to Cancel Rent or Quit” on a gate outside the home. At one point, demonstrators blocked a nearby stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, according to videos of the event posted on Twitter.
Tenant rights activists have urged city leaders to take additional action to prevent people from losing their apartments and sliding into homelessness, fearing a wave of evictions as expanded unemployment benefits expire. The state court system is considering lifting its emergency restrictions on processing eviction cases later this month.
The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has warned against canceling rents, advising council members in a memo that it would violate the law and could cost the city more than a billion dollars in compensation to landlords. The council voted narrowly in April against imposing a broader ban on evictions after a city attorney argued it was unlikely to survive in court.
On Sunday, the demonstrations continued with dozens of protesters showing up early at the mayor’s Windsor Square residence to denounce his policing initiative. Video posted on social media showed protesters gathered in front of the house, banging on anything they could find to make a racket and chanting expletives at the mayor.
Activists said they were incensed by Garcetti’s use of the words “reimagining public safety” to announce a new Community Safety Partnership Bureau, saying that the mayor co-opted words from their campaign to defund the police to instead announce a new police initiative.
Under the program, officers from the new bureau would help neighborhood residents come up with “sports, recreation, and other programs” intended to curb crime in their communities, according to a city statement. It would also assist in connecting people with employment training, counseling and other resources.
Activists said their “People’s Budget” calls for defunding the Police Department. Under their plan, they said, the money would be shifted to similar programs, but without police involvement.
“As long as the community continues to be assailed in this way and as long as he refuses to listen to us, we’re going to go to places where he has to listen, including his house,” said Melina Abdullah, a leader with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles.
Another activist who goes by the name of Akili and who attended Sunday’s rally agreed.
“We don’t want social workers with guns,” he said. “And the capacity to kill and arrest you.”
Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-07-31--Apple fire near Banning grows to 12,000 acres, prompting evacuation of thousands of homes

Firefighters on Saturday continued to battle the Apple fire that has burned 12,000 acres in Cherry Valley and surrounding areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties , destroying one home and prompting evacuations of thousands of others .
More than 370 firefighters , assisted by several helicopters and air tankers , responded to the fire , which began Friday and sent billowing clouds of smoke hundreds of feet into the air that could be seen for miles .
Firefighters were battling the blaze in triple-digit temperatures that prompted the National Weather Service to issue an extreme heat warning .
Evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dutton Street and east of Oak Glen Road , south of the San Bernardino-Riverside county line .
They also include residents north of Gilman Street in the Banning Bluff area .
New evacuation orders were put in place Saturday afternoon in Banning for residents north of Wilson Street , east of Sunset Avenue and west of Hathaway Street .
Fire officials said residents can check whether their address is in an evacuation zone through the RivCoReady.org website .
An evacuation warning was upgraded to an order Saturday evening for San Bernardino County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Raywood Flat .
A warning was in place farther to the east for residents north of Morongo Road , east of Millard Canyon Road and west of Whitewater Canyon Road .
April Newman , a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department , said Saturday afternoon that roughly 7,800 residents in over 2,500 households had been ordered to evacuate .
An evacuation center was opened at Beaumont High School for people and animals .
The vegetation fire was reported at 4:55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oak Glen Road , according to the Riverside County Fire Department .
As of 8 p.m. Saturday , there was zero containment .
Another department spokesperson , Fernando Herrera , said Friday that open land with thick vegetation has provided “ quite a bit of fuel for that fire to continue to burn [ and ] have a lot of intensity.
” He said the fire was burning very close to homes .
“ A lot of people ’ s backyards were on fire , ” Herrera said .
“ It ran in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely was very threatening .
We could have lost homes , but we brought in a massive amount of ground resources to do structure defense , protect the life and property of all these residents.
” The cause of the fire is under investigation .
In Los Angeles County , a 150-acre brush fire was burning around Castaic Lake , north of Santa Clarita , according to the county Fire Department .
No structures were threatened .

San Gorgonio Mtns, Sunday, August 2, 2020 - The Apple Fire continues to burn thousands of acres North of Banning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A statue of Smokey Bear is enveloped in smoke from the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter from Carpinteria monitors a huge plume of smoke from the Apple fire along Bluff Street, north of Banning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire consumes a tree at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire burns in the San Bernardino Mountains above Beaumont on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
San Gorgonio Mtns, Sunday, August 2, 2020 - Riverside/CAL firefighter Anthony Vierra cools hot spots after fire swept through the Whitewater Preserve Trail, East of the Apple Fire. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A plane drops fire retardant over a home as the out-of-control Apple fire burns around it in Cherry Valley, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter sets back fires as the leading edge of the Apple fire rages towards the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A sign with Smokey Bear is enveloped in smoke from the Apple fire at the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A slow camera exposure shows the movement of the Apple fire as it continues to burn into the night in the San Bernardino National Forest just above Bluff Street in Cherry Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters set back fires as the leading edge of the Apple fire rages towards the Oak Canyon Conservation Camp near Beaumont on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A shell of a burned car sits along Avenida Miravilla days after the Apple fire rushed through on its way to the nearby San Bernardino National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A sign of gratitude along Oak Glen Road, not far from the presumptive source of the Apple fire, where investigators say they believe a spark from a diesel engine ignited dry brush. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire continues to burn thousands of acres with little containment. A helicopter hits a hot spot north of Banning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Apple fire continues to burn thousands of acres north of Cabazon. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A shell of a burned car sits along Avenida Miravilla days after the Apple fire rushed through on its way to the nearby San Bernardino National Forest, where it has burned more than 26,000 acres. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters on Sunday continued to battle the Apple fire that has burned 20,000 acres in Cherry Valley and surrounding areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, destroying one home and prompting evacuations of thousands of others.
More than 370 firefighters, assisted by several helicopters and air tankers, responded to the fire, which began Friday and sent billowing clouds of smoke hundreds of feet into the air that could be seen for miles. Firefighters were battling the blaze in triple-digit temperatures that prompted the National Weather Service to issue an extreme heat warning.
As of early Sunday, the fire was zero percent contained.
Evacuation orders remain in place for residents north of Dutton Street and east of Oak Glen Road, south of the San Bernardino-Riverside county line. They also include residents north of Gilman Street in the Banning Bluff area.
New evacuation orders were put in place Saturday in Banning for residents north of Wilson Street, east of Sunset Avenue and west of Hathaway Street. Fire officials said residents can check whether their address is in an evacuation zone through the RivCoReady.org website.
An evacuation warning was upgraded to an order Saturday evening for San Bernardino County residents of the Potato Canyon area west to Raywood Flat. A warning was in place farther to the east for residents north of Morongo Road, east of Millard Canyon Road and west of Whitewater Canyon Road.
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ALERT RIVCO MESSAGE #AppleFire NEW EVACUATION ORDERS issued north of Wilson St, east of Sunset Ave and west of Hathaway St. Interactive map is now available at https://t.co/wMWj2KQQ7e @CALFIRERRU @RSO @CityofBanning @BanningPolice pic.twitter.com/WtnRDUx6Cx — RivCoReady (@RivCoReady) August 1, 2020
April Newman, a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department, said Saturday afternoon that roughly 7,800 residents in over 2,500 households had been ordered to evacuate.
An evacuation center was opened at Beaumont High School for people and animals.
The vegetation fire was reported at 4:55 p.m. Friday in the 9000 block of Oak Glen Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Another department spokesperson, Fernando Herrera, said Friday that open land with thick vegetation has provided “quite a bit of fuel for that fire to continue to burn [and] have a lot of intensity.”
He said the fire was burning very close to homes.
The pyrocumulus plume from the Apple fire rises about 32,000 feet into the atmosphere and is visible from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES West satellite. The image was taken at 6 p.m. Saturday. (NOAA and Los Angeles Times)
“A lot of people’s backyards were on fire,” Herrera said. “It ran in between homes and around homes. It definitely was very threatening. We could have lost homes, but we brought in a massive amount of ground resources to do structure defense, protect the life and property of all these residents.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
In Los Angeles County, a 150-acre brush fire was burning around Castaic Lake, north of Santa Clarita, according to the county Fire Department. No structures were threatened.


latimes--2020-08-02--Some autopsies remain secret for years or decades. Families of those killed by police want that chan

Some autopsies remain secret for years or decades. Families of those killed by police want that changed

It is a roster of tragedy and violence , a list populated with those famous in life and those plucked from obscurity by the exceptional circumstances of their death .
Elizabeth Short , known as the Black Dahlia , is an enduring member of the list .
Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are still there , as is Susan Berman , the writer whom Robert Durst is charged with killing at her Benedict Canyon bungalow .
The Notorious B.I.G .
was on the list for about 15 years after being killed in a drive-by shooting .
The vast majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardado , the 18-year-old fatally shot in June by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy in Gardena .
These are people whose deaths have been under a so-called “ security hold ” by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner ’ s office , a status that prevents public disclosure of their autopsies , often for months , years or , in some cases , indefinitely .
At any given time , more than 100 cases are under a security hold .
This sealing was considered a routine procedural function , imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or prosecutors , to provide a shroud of secrecy during the investigation of complex , high-profile , mysterious or unusual deaths .
Usually , the hold is lifted only when the requesting police or prosecuting agency gives the green light .
But in recent years , the practice has been thrust into the spotlight when on-duty police officers have killed members of the public — cases in which anger and skepticism have fueled calls for accountability and transparency , and in which the security hold has only compounded flaring distrust .
The hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the center of an impassioned debate that came to a head with the death of Guardado , who was working as a security guard at an auto body shop June 18 , when he was approached by officers and ran , his family said .
Deputies said Guardado produced a firearm during the chase .
His killing spurred days of protests and demands for justice and answers .
After Guardado ’ s family publicly shared the results of an independent autopsy , L.A. County Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas unilaterally bucked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Department and released the full coroner ’ s report , confirming that the 18-year-old was shot five times in the back .
“ I believe that government can do its part by being more timely and more transparent in sharing information that the public demands and has a right to see , ” Lucas said in a statement .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva was furious and swiftly rebuked the disclosure , saying it jeopardized the ongoing investigation as well as any “ future criminal or administrative proceedings , ” even tainting potential witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential for preserving the integrity of cases , and for the families of many homicide victims , the practice has been largely without controversy .
The families often form close bonds with detectives or district attorneys and have a greater degree of trust as authorities try to prosecute a killing .
But for the relatives of those killed by police , the security hold is one in a series of ways in which they are treated differently , blocked from officially knowing the details of their loved one ’ s final moments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ way of harassing them , making their loss more difficult because they couldn ’ t have a determination into how their loved one was killed , ” said Lael Rubin , a retired L.A. County prosecutor who serves on the civilian commission overseeing the Sheriff ’ s Department .
She noted cases in which security holds have been in place for two years or longer .
“ The official word was , ‘ We request a security hold for further investigation , ’ but it does seem suspicious , ” Rubin said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your investigation in two years , what are you doing ?
” Under state law , coroner ’ s reports are public record .
The packet is often three reports in one : toxicology tests , an autopsy and an investigative summary .
The documents can be incredibly detailed , with a medical history , a listing of prescription drugs the person took and the doctors who issued the pharmaceuticals , descriptions of the person ’ s anatomy and the manner in which they perished .
Photos or videos from a death scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can include a diagram of a body , along with descriptions of tattoos and piercings .
A hold means the death does not show up in the coroner ’ s online database , and staff at the office have “ limited access to case information , ” Sarah Ardalani , spokesperson for the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner , said .
The security hold has become a standard feature in the aftermath of a celebrity ’ s death , including singer Whitney Houston , actress and writer Carrie Fisher , actor Paul Walker and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In these cases , the hold prevents salacious tidbits from reaching tabloids and is usually lifted in three to six months , when the full report is complete .
“ Its main role is to ensure that the facts of the case are held until the investigation can be thoroughly vetted , ” said Dr. Mark Fajardo , the chief forensic pathologist of Riverside County and former coroner of L.A. County .
Of the 8,000 or so deaths reviewed each year by the L.A. County coroner ’ s office , a small fraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little time , ” said Craig Harvey , the longtime chief of investigations for the county coroner , who retired in 2015 .
Harvey said detectives and prosecutors may consider confidentiality as essential to identifying a suspect who had information that only the killer could know .
For example , LAPD Det .
Meghan Aguilar said in a statement , the autopsy report may detail whether the victim was sexually assaulted and whether evidence of this was recovered — information that detectives and prosecutors would want to keep a lid on while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reveal if there was a struggle before a person died and what type of injuries on the body would reflect this , Aguilar said .
Why the Simpson and Goldman autopsies remain under a hold is unclear .
The LAPD said the 1994 killings are still considered unsolved , warranting the hold , but Judge Lance Ito , who presided over the criminal trial of O.J .
Simpson , also appears to have effectively sealed the autopsies .
The coroner ’ s office confirmed that the autopsies were put on a security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is my recollection this was agreed to by both the prosecution and defense , ” Ito told The Times via email .
Ito , who has retired , declined to explain why he sealed the autopsies , but he noted that photos of the autopsy were displayed and details of the victims ’ cause of death were aired in open court by medical experts .
Security holds might also prevent “ inflammatory ” information from reaching the public without proper context ; for example , a description of gunshot wounds in a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Because of the trauma that a bullet does to the body , it doesn ’ t necessarily mean the police shot someone in the back , ” he said .
“ People may get worked up over something .
But it may be explained , and it can make sense , and it can be presented to the grand jury or district attorney.
” For more than a year , the family of Paul Rea , 18 , waited anxiously to learn more about how he was shot and killed by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a routine traffic stop in East L.A .
Prosecutors concluded in May that the deputy acted lawfully , then closed their investigation .
Rea ’ s family learned this from a Times journalist .
Until late last month , the autopsy remained under a security hold .
Grainy security footage that captured part of the June 27 , 2019 , encounter appears to show Rea breaking from the deputy before he was shot four times .
Dep .
Hector Saavedra said he felt a gun in Rea ’ s waistband , but Rea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report by the district attorney ’ s office .
“ I want the whole thing .
I want to read everything , ” said Julie Diaz-Martinez , Rea ’ s grandmother .
“ As a family member , the autopsy is important , because you wonder , was he still breathing when they took him into the hospital ?
You wonder , how lethal was the first shot ?
How long did he suffer ?
Could it really have been prevented ?
” A yearlong wait for a security hold to lift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police , but the hold can stretch on for two years or longer .
“ They ’ re looking for answers about how their loved ones died , and the coroner ’ s autopsy often is one of the few repositories of objective information about that , and it ’ s hidden from them , ” said Sean Kennedy , a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission .
He proposed that the coroner lift holds and make the documents public after a reasonable period of time , perhaps 60 days .
Walter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served as the police watchdog for San Jose and deputy inspector general for the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department , said the delays go to the very heart of how those killed by law enforcement are viewed .
“ They are not treated like victims of a crime .
The whole mindset is : Whoever is shot by the police is the suspect , and the law enforcement officer who used force is the victim , ” Katz said .
“ That ’ s how the homicide books created by agencies characterize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an on-duty police officer fatally shoots a civilian receives a security hold , according to local law enforcement agencies .
LAPD Capt .
Gisselle Espinoza said in a statement that security holds are “ based upon the confidential , legal and the sensitive nature of a case.
” She cited other factors , including protection of evidence and proper review by the district attorney ’ s office .
“ If autopsy results are released during an active investigation , it can taint follow-up interviews from victims , witnesses or bystanders , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Long Beach Police Department .
The LAPD has kept a security hold on the autopsy of Melyda Corado for more than two years .
Corado was working on July 21 , 2018 , at the Trader Joe ’ s in Silver Lake when Gene Atkins rolled up , hostage in tow , after leading two officers on a lengthy car chase .
Atkins stopped the car ; ran toward the store , which was crowded with shoppers ; and shot at officers .
Police returned fire , and one of the bullets struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corado was not someone engaged with police .
She was not a suspect in a crime , ” said John Taylor , the attorney representing the Corado family in their wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and the LAPD .
“ So to have a security hold on her case has been baffling and confusing.
” “ If there ’ s something that ’ s on the body as evidence that would be known only to the perpetrator of the crime , I can understand , ” Taylor added .
The L.A. Police Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shot that killed Corado acted in accordance with LAPD policy .
Atkins has been charged under the “ provocative act ” murder doctrine for allegedly setting off the events that led to Corado ’ s death .
The security hold has remained .
Albert Corado , a community organizer who now lives in his late sister ’ s apartment in Atwater Village , said he felt the secrecy was part of a campaign to block information .
Last year , the Corado family ’ s lawyers subpoenaed L.A. County for her autopsy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their request and referred her family to an LAPD detective , according to court records .
The family then successfully persuaded an L.A. County Superior Court judge to order the autopsy ’ s release .
The city did not oppose the move in court but did not lift the security hold , either .
Albert Corado said he reviewed the report , and it confirmed what he already knew — his sister died from a gunshot wound — making its secrecy a source of anger and motivation .
“ The harder they make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run-up to trial is to make you want to give up , ” he said .
The LAPD told The Times last week that it had directed the investigating officer in the Corado case to remove the security hold .
In a statement , the department said the report should be made available to the public this month .
Times staff writers Maloy Moore and Nicole Santa Cruz contributed to this report .

Albert Corado holds a photo of his sister Melyda, who was fatally shot by an LAPD officer in 2018 at the Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake.
It is a roster of tragedy and violence, a list populated with those famous in life and those plucked from obscurity by the exceptional circumstances of their death.
Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, is an enduring member of the list. Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are still there, as is Susan Berman, the writer whom Robert Durst is charged with killing at her Benedict Canyon bungalow. The Notorious B.I.G. was on the list for about 15 years after being killed in a drive-by shooting.
The vast majority are more recent entries, including Andres Guardado, the 18-year-old fatally shot in June by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy in Gardena.
These are people whose deaths have been under a so-called “security hold” by the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner’s office, a status that prevents public disclosure of their autopsies, often for months, years or, in some cases, indefinitely.
At any given time, more than 100 cases are under a security hold. This sealing was considered a routine procedural function, imposed almost always at the request of police or prosecutors, to provide a shroud of secrecy during the investigation of complex, high-profile, mysterious or unusual deaths. Usually, the hold is lifted only when the requesting police or prosecuting agency gives the green light.
Advertisement
But in recent years, the practice has been thrust into the spotlight when on-duty police officers have killed members of the public — cases in which anger and skepticism have fueled calls for accountability and transparency, and in which the security hold has only compounded flaring distrust.
The hold has set the coroner’s office at the center of an impassioned debate that came to a head with the death of Guardado, who was working as a security guard at an auto body shop June 18, when he was approached by officers and ran, his family said. Deputies said Guardado produced a firearm during the chase. His killing spurred days of protests and demands for justice and answers.
After Guardado’s family publicly shared the results of an independent autopsy, L.A. County Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas unilaterally bucked the hold installed by the Sheriff’s Department and released the full coroner’s report, confirming that the 18-year-old was shot five times in the back.
Family and friends rally for justice in the case of Andres Guardado, who was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy in Gardena. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
“I believe that government can do its part by being more timely and more transparent in sharing information that the public demands and has a right to see,” Lucas said in a statement.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva was furious and swiftly rebuked the disclosure, saying it jeopardized the ongoing investigation as well as any “future criminal or administrative proceedings,” even tainting potential witnesses.
Advertisement
Authorities maintain that security holds are essential for preserving the integrity of cases, and for the families of many homicide victims, the practice has been largely without controversy. The families often form close bonds with detectives or district attorneys and have a greater degree of trust as authorities try to prosecute a killing.
But for the relatives of those killed by police, the security hold is one in a series of ways in which they are treated differently, blocked from officially knowing the details of their loved one’s final moments.
“Family members speculated it was a way of harassing them, making their loss more difficult because they couldn’t have a determination into how their loved one was killed,” said Lael Rubin, a retired L.A. County prosecutor who serves on the civilian commission overseeing the Sheriff’s Department. She noted cases in which security holds have been in place for two years or longer.
“The official word was, ‘We request a security hold for further investigation,’ but it does seem suspicious,” Rubin said. “If you haven’t completed your investigation in two years, what are you doing?”
Under state law, coroner’s reports are public record. The packet is often three reports in one: toxicology tests, an autopsy and an investigative summary. The documents can be incredibly detailed, with a medical history, a listing of prescription drugs the person took and the doctors who issued the pharmaceuticals, descriptions of the person’s anatomy and the manner in which they perished.
Photos or videos from a death scene are not released, but a report can include a diagram of a body, along with descriptions of tattoos and piercings.
A hold means the death does not show up in the coroner’s online database, and staff at the office have “limited access to case information,” Sarah Ardalani, spokesperson for the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, said.
The security hold has become a standard feature in the aftermath of a celebrity’s death, including singer Whitney Houston, actress and writer Carrie Fisher, actor Paul Walker and the wife of actor Robert Blake. In these cases, the hold prevents salacious tidbits from reaching tabloids and is usually lifted in three to six months, when the full report is complete.
“Its main role is to ensure that the facts of the case are held until the investigation can be thoroughly vetted,” said Dr. Mark Fajardo, the chief forensic pathologist of Riverside County and former coroner of L.A. County.
Of the 8,000 or so deaths reviewed each year by the L.A. County coroner’s office, a small fraction are kept secret.
“It buys a little time,” said Craig Harvey, the longtime chief of investigations for the county coroner, who retired in 2015. Harvey said detectives and prosecutors may consider confidentiality as essential to identifying a suspect who had information that only the killer could know.
For example, LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar said in a statement, the autopsy report may detail whether the victim was sexually assaulted and whether evidence of this was recovered — information that detectives and prosecutors would want to keep a lid on while pursuing a suspect. The autopsy may also reveal if there was a struggle before a person died and what type of injuries on the body would reflect this, Aguilar said.
Why the Simpson and Goldman autopsies remain under a hold is unclear. The LAPD said the 1994 killings are still considered unsolved, warranting the hold, but Judge Lance Ito, who presided over the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson, also appears to have effectively sealed the autopsies. The coroner’s office confirmed that the autopsies were put on a security hold via court order.
Autopsy reports on Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, who were found dead June 12, 1994, in Los Angeles, remain sealed under a court order. (Associated Press)
“It is my recollection this was agreed to by both the prosecution and defense,” Ito told The Times via email. Ito, who has retired, declined to explain why he sealed the autopsies, but he noted that photos of the autopsy were displayed and details of the victims’ cause of death were aired in open court by medical experts.
Security holds might also prevent “inflammatory” information from reaching the public without proper context; for example, a description of gunshot wounds in a person’s back, Harvey said.
“Because of the trauma that a bullet does to the body, it doesn’t necessarily mean the police shot someone in the back,” he said. “People may get worked up over something. But it may be explained, and it can make sense, and it can be presented to the grand jury or district attorney.”
For more than a year, the family of Paul Rea, 18, waited anxiously to learn more about how he was shot and killed by an L.A. County sheriff’s deputy during a routine traffic stop in East L.A.
Prosecutors concluded in May that the deputy acted lawfully, then closed their investigation. Rea’s family learned this from a Times journalist. Until late last month, the autopsy remained under a security hold.
Grainy security footage that captured part of the June 27, 2019, encounter appears to show Rea breaking from the deputy before he was shot four times. Deputy Hector Saavedra said he felt a gun in Rea’s waistband, but Rea never pulled it out, according to a report by the district attorney’s office.
“I want the whole thing. I want to read everything,” said Julie Diaz-Martinez, Rea’s grandmother. “As a family member, the autopsy is important, because you wonder, was he still breathing when they took him into the hospital? You wonder, how lethal was the first shot? How long did he suffer? Could it really have been prevented?”
A yearlong wait for a security hold to lift is common when people are killed by police, but the hold can stretch on for two years or longer.
“They’re looking for answers about how their loved ones died, and the coroner’s autopsy often is one of the few repositories of objective information about that, and it’s hidden from them,” said Sean Kennedy, a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission. He proposed that the coroner lift holds and make the documents public after a reasonable period of time, perhaps 60 days.
Walter Katz, a former public defender who served as the police watchdog for San Jose and deputy inspector general for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, said the delays go to the very heart of how those killed by law enforcement are viewed.
“They are not treated like victims of a crime. The whole mindset is: Whoever is shot by the police is the suspect, and the law enforcement officer who used force is the victim,” Katz said. “That’s how the homicide books created by agencies characterize it.”
Not every case in which an on-duty police officer fatally shoots a civilian receives a security hold, according to local law enforcement agencies.
LAPD Capt. Gisselle Espinoza said in a statement that security holds are “based upon the confidential, legal and the sensitive nature of a case.” She cited other factors, including protection of evidence and proper review by the district attorney’s office.
“If autopsy results are released during an active investigation, it can taint follow-up interviews from victims, witnesses or bystanders,” said Jennifer De Prez, a spokeswoman for Long Beach Police Department.
The LAPD has kept a security hold on the autopsy of Melyda Corado for more than two years. Corado was working on July 21, 2018, at the Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake when Gene Atkins rolled up, hostage in tow, after leading two officers on a lengthy car chase. Atkins stopped the car; ran toward the store, which was crowded with shoppers; and shot at officers. Police returned fire, and one of the bullets struck Corado, killing her.
“Mely Corado was not someone engaged with police. She was not a suspect in a crime,” said John Taylor, the attorney representing the Corado family in their wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and the LAPD. “So to have a security hold on her case has been baffling and confusing.”
“If there’s something that’s on the body as evidence that would be known only to the perpetrator of the crime, I can understand,” Taylor added.
The L.A. Police Commission has ruled that the officer who fired the shot that killed Corado acted in accordance with LAPD policy. Atkins has been charged under the “provocative act” murder doctrine for allegedly setting off the events that led to Corado’s death.
The security hold has remained. Albert Corado, a community organizer who now lives in his late sister’s apartment in Atwater Village, said he felt the secrecy was part of a campaign to block information.
Last year, the Corado family’s lawyers subpoenaed L.A. County for her autopsy; the coroner’s office denied their request and referred her family to an LAPD detective, according to court records. The family then successfully persuaded an L.A. County Superior Court judge to order the autopsy’s release. The city did not oppose the move in court but did not lift the security hold, either.
Albert Corado said he reviewed the report, and it confirmed what he already knew — his sister died from a gunshot wound — making its secrecy a source of anger and motivation.
“The harder they make it to give out information in the run-up to trial is to make you want to give up,” he said.
The LAPD told The Times last week that it had directed the investigating officer in the Corado case to remove the security hold. In a statement, the department said the report should be made available to the public this month.
Times staff writers Maloy Moore and Nicole Santa Cruz contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-02--Coronavirus hospitalizations drop in L.A., Orange counties

Coronavirus hospitalizations in Los Angeles and Orange counties have dropped over the last week , which may be evidence that actions taken to limit the virus ’ spread are working , public health officials said Sunday .
There were 1,784 confirmed coronavirus patients in L.A. County hospitals Saturday compared with 2,017 last Saturday , a drop of nearly 12 % , according to the Los Angeles Times ’ coronavirus tracker .
Orange County reported 19 % fewer coronavirus patients in its hospitals — 554 Saturday versus 687 a week before .
“ We are hopeful that collective actions taken over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to get back to the work of slowing the spread , ” Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County ’ s public health director , said in a statement .
“ It is important to keep in mind that we will need to continue with all the modifications and sacrifices for weeks to come.
” The encouraging news comes roughly three weeks after officials ordered the most recent round of business closures amid a resurgence of new coronavirus cases in Southern California , with churches in many counties told to stop indoor worship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal care services ordered to shut down .
Many counties had already been ordered to halt indoor restaurant dining and shut down bars and nightclubs about two weeks before that .
L.A. County reported 1,476 new cases of the virus and 23 deaths Sunday , though the public health department noted in a news release that new cases and deaths are typically lower on the weekend because some labs report data only on weekdays .
The county has now tallied more than 192,000 cases of the virus , and nearly 4,700 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases and two new deaths Sunday , bringing its total to 37,391 cases and 651 deaths .
Despite the slight signs of improvement , it ’ s important for people to remain vigilant in guarding against the virus ’ spread , officials said .
“ With increased contact among non-household members , there are many more opportunities for transmission of COVID-19 , particularly when public health directives are not followed , ” Ferrer said .
“ We ’ re safer in the community only if we follow the very specific directives issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings , keeping six feet away from others and not attending gatherings with people outside of one ’ s household , she said .
Businesses are also required to put in place infection-control protocols and report outbreaks to the health department .

Coronavirus hospitalizations in Los Angeles and Orange counties have dropped over the last week, which may be evidence that actions taken to limit the virus’ spread are working, public health officials said Sunday.
There were 1,784 confirmed coronavirus patients in L.A. County hospitals Saturday compared with 2,017 last Saturday, a drop of nearly 12%, according to the Los Angeles Times’ coronavirus tracker.
Orange County reported 19% fewer coronavirus patients in its hospitals — 554 Saturday versus 687 a week before.
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“We are hopeful that collective actions taken over the past couple of weeks have allowed us to get back to the work of slowing the spread,” Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County’s public health director, said in a statement. “It is important to keep in mind that we will need to continue with all the modifications and sacrifices for weeks to come.”
The encouraging news comes roughly three weeks after officials ordered the most recent round of business closures amid a resurgence of new coronavirus cases in Southern California, with churches in many counties told to stop indoor worship, and gyms, indoor shopping malls and personal care services ordered to shut down. Many counties had already been ordered to halt indoor restaurant dining and shut down bars and nightclubs about two weeks before that.
L.A. County reported 1,476 new cases of the virus and 23 deaths Sunday, though the public health department noted in a news release that new cases and deaths are typically lower on the weekend because some labs report data only on weekdays. The county has now tallied more than 192,000 cases of the virus, and nearly 4,700 people have died.
Orange County recorded 651 new coronavirus cases and two new deaths Sunday, bringing its total to 37,391 cases and 651 deaths.
Despite the slight signs of improvement, it’s important for people to remain vigilant in guarding against the virus’ spread, officials said.
“With increased contact among non-household members, there are many more opportunities for transmission of COVID-19, particularly when public health directives are not followed,” Ferrer said. “We’re safer in the community only if we follow the very specific directives issued by public health.”
They include wearing face coverings, keeping six feet away from others and not attending gatherings with people outside of one’s household, she said.
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Businesses are also required to put in place infection-control protocols and report outbreaks to the health department.


latimes--2020-08-02--Four bears hit by vehicles, two killed at Yosemite National Park

Officials are urging drivers to slow down after four bears were struck by vehicles and two were killed in Yosemite @ @ @ @ @ .
The surviving bears were believed to be seriously injured after being hit by vehicles @ @ @ @ @ speed limit , the Fresno Bee reported .
The National Park Service estimates more than @ @ @ @ @ by cars in Yosemite dating to 1995 , the newspaper said .
Wildlife protection zones @ @ @ @ @ slow down and help protect animals .
Officials are asking guests to tell park rangers @ @ @ @ @ with their cars .
Yosemite is open during the coronavirus pandemic , but only to @ @ @ @ @

Officials are urging drivers to slow down after four bears were struck by vehicles and two were killed in Yosemite National Park in recent weeks.
The surviving bears were believed to be seriously injured after being hit by vehicles going faster than the 25-mph speed limit, the Fresno Bee reported.
The National Park Service estimates more than 400 bears have been hit by cars in Yosemite dating to 1995, the newspaper said. Wildlife protection zones were established for motorists to slow down and help protect animals.
Officials are asking guests to tell park rangers if they hit any animals with their cars.
Yosemite is open during the coronavirus pandemic, but only to guests who make reservations.


latimes--2020-08-02--Sun-baked Southern California expected to cool off by Wednesday, according to weather service

A heatwave that has baked Southern California in recent days is expected to begin easing on Monday , with relief and a noticeable drop in temperatures by the middle of the week , meteorologists said .
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory this weekend , with Van Nuys hitting 94 degrees on Sunday , Riverside 96 and Palm Springs 108 .
Other mountain , inland and foothill areas were also expected to see triple-digit temperatures before the end of the day , the weather service said .
“ We ’ re expecting that today should be the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoxsie , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ We still have forecast of some hundreds across some of the interior valleys .
Tomorrow we see just a few degrees cooler , but then by Tuesday and Wednesday , specifically Wednesday , we see a pretty good drop.
” With elderly people and the very young vulnerable to heat-related illnesses , the weather service has recommended limiting outdoor activity , dressing in light-colored , loose-fitting clothing , drinking plenty of fluids and refraining from leaving children and pets inside hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistent with the period between late July and early August , which typically sees the hottest temperatures of the year .
“ This is statistically exactly when we should be hot , ” Hoxsie said .
The South Coast Air Quality Management District also issued a health advisory through Monday for residents who live in the San Fernando , Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys .
Because of the poor air quality , the elderly , children and people with asthma and other respiratory diseases were advised to stay indoors .

An ice cream vendors pushes a cart along the sand at Junipero Beach in Long Beach last week as a heat wave hit the region.
A heatwave that has baked Southern California in recent days is expected to begin easing on Monday, with relief and a noticeable drop in temperatures by the middle of the week, meteorologists said.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory this weekend, with Van Nuys hitting 94 degrees on Sunday, Riverside 96 and Palm Springs 108. Other mountain, inland and foothill areas were also expected to see triple-digit temperatures before the end of the day, the weather service said.
“We’re expecting that today should be the end of the peak,” said Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “We still have forecast of some hundreds across some of the interior valleys. Tomorrow we see just a few degrees cooler, but then by Tuesday and Wednesday, specifically Wednesday, we see a pretty good drop.”
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With elderly people and the very young vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, the weather service has recommended limiting outdoor activity, dressing in light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, drinking plenty of fluids and refraining from leaving children and pets inside hot vehicles.
Hoxsie said the heatwave is consistent with the period between late July and early August, which typically sees the hottest temperatures of the year.
“This is statistically exactly when we should be hot,” Hoxsie said.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District also issued a health advisory through Monday for residents who live in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys. Because of the poor air quality, the elderly, children and people with asthma and other respiratory diseases were advised to stay indoors.


latimes--2020-08-02--'Everything is over the top': How O.C. hair salons work through the coronavirus

After nearly 25 years in the cosmetology industry , Travis Vu became a first-time business owner — opening TravisVu the Salon in Fountain Valley two years ago .
The coronavirus outbreak put a strain on his business the last few months , as it did for many , with shutdowns enforced across the state to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 .
“ The first month , I thought , ‘ It ’ s OK. Maybe just one month and they can open again , ’ but when they start to [ get to ] the second and third month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my God , ’ ” Vu , 47 , said .
“ It got so depressing .
“ I got so stressed out , and I ’ m worried , because all the bills , we still have to pay .
None of them give us any break , even the rent .
Everything .
We were really stressed out when it got to May and we ’ re not open yet.
” When barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen in late May , the Anaheim resident had deferred rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge in coronavirus cases made him close his doors again this summer .
After securing a permit from the city , TravisVu the Salon on Warner Avenue opened again for business last week .
Three chairs were set outside under the shade of a roof for clients to arrive after having booked appointments .
Ice water with lemon and wrapped refreshments were put out on another table .
“ We ’ re lucky that we have this kind of roof , and the direction of the sun ” allows for shade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s very cool , and [ Mile Square Park ] right across the street is very nice , so breeze is coming all day long.
” Marlys James-Jolly , 70 , of Long Beach joked that her hairstylist was able to take 10 years off her appearance after receiving a haircut at TravisVu on Saturday .
“ [ It was ] a huge relief , and I could relax about what my hair is going to look like , ” James-Jolly said of being able to get a professional haircut again .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , and if that ’ s outside , that ’ s fine too .
I like it being outside , if you want to know the truth .
I wish they would continue with that.
” Orange County public health officials said there have been more than 36,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the county and more than 640 related deaths since the pandemic began .
The state has issued comprehensive guidance for barbershops and hair salons to reopen .
Outdoor operations can take place under a tent , canopy or other form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than one side closed .
That is to allow outdoor air movement .
Customers are to be screened and asked not to bring others to appointments .
There are also extensive requirements for cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and equipment .
Denise Konopelski , 64 , of Seal Beach decided to work with a friend to rent a suite in Huntington Beach through Sola Salon Studios .
Their salon remains closed because it is not on the ground floor .
In the meantime , Konopelski said she has taken to giving haircuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top , but I feel that if you do everything over the top , then you ’ re following the rules , ” Konopelski said of the guidelines for operating .
“ With sanitation as such a big thing , everything has to be washed .
I ’ m forever washing everything , but I just am going overboard so that I can ’ t get in any trouble , and of course , I have to keep my clients safe , and I want them to feel safe , so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta said that the city has ramped up its messaging to urge the public to utilize masks .
As for the stringent guidelines for hair salons and barbershops to conduct business , Semeta believes that an eagerness to get back to work will lead to compliance .
“ I think that people are very motivated to try to be open if they can , so at least there is a path forward for if they ’ re willing to go through … putting all those guidelines in place , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city of Huntington Beach , we try to be very facilitative to allow businesses to open under the guidelines while keeping them safe , and these guidelines certainly are going to make sure that happens.
” Newport Beach Mayor Will O ’ Neill said that as of last Tuesday ’ s City Council meeting , permits for outdoor services in the city had been issued to 69 restaurants .
He added that permits were in progress for three hair , nail or massage businesses .

Travis Vu finishes cutting the hair of client Thuy Ngo outside TravisVu the Salon in Fountain Valley on Saturday. Vu is now able to operate in the open air, following guidelines set by the city because of the coronavirus.
After nearly 25 years in the cosmetology industry, Travis Vu became a first-time business owner — opening TravisVu the Salon in Fountain Valley two years ago.
The coronavirus outbreak put a strain on his business the last few months, as it did for many, with shutdowns enforced across the state to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“The first month, I thought, ‘It’s OK. Maybe just one month and they can open again,’ but when they start to [get to] the second and third month, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God,’” Vu, 47, said. “It got so depressing.
“I got so stressed out, and I’m worried, because all the bills, we still have to pay. None of them give us any break, even the rent. Everything. We were really stressed out when it got to May and we’re not open yet.”
When barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen in late May, the Anaheim resident had deferred rent that he needed to pay. Then a surge in coronavirus cases made him close his doors again this summer.
After securing a permit from the city, TravisVu the Salon on Warner Avenue opened again for business last week. Three chairs were set outside under the shade of a roof for clients to arrive after having booked appointments.
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Ice water with lemon and wrapped refreshments were put out on another table.
“We’re lucky that we have this kind of roof, and the direction of the sun” allows for shade, Vu said. “So it’s very cool, and [Mile Square Park] right across the street is very nice, so breeze is coming all day long.”
Marlys James-Jolly, 70, of Long Beach joked that her hairstylist was able to take 10 years off her appearance after receiving a haircut at TravisVu on Saturday.
“[It was] a huge relief, and I could relax about what my hair is going to look like,” James-Jolly said of being able to get a professional haircut again. “I’ll come back in five weeks, and if that’s outside, that’s fine too. I like it being outside, if you want to know the truth. I wish they would continue with that.”
Orange County public health officials said there have been more than 36,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the county and more than 640 related deaths since the pandemic began.
The state has issued comprehensive guidance for barbershops and hair salons to reopen. Outdoor operations can take place under a tent, canopy or other form of sun shelter that has no more than one side closed. That is to allow outdoor air movement.
Customers are to be screened and asked not to bring others to appointments. There are also extensive requirements for cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and equipment.
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Denise Konopelski, 64, of Seal Beach decided to work with a friend to rent a suite in Huntington Beach through Sola Salon Studios. Their salon remains closed because it is not on the ground floor.
In the meantime, Konopelski said she has taken to giving haircuts at home.
“Everything is over the top, but I feel that if you do everything over the top, then you’re following the rules,” Konopelski said of the guidelines for operating. “With sanitation as such a big thing, everything has to be washed. I’m forever washing everything, but I just am going overboard so that I can’t get in any trouble, and of course, I have to keep my clients safe, and I want them to feel safe, so it’s a real clean environment.”
Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta said that the city has ramped up its messaging to urge the public to utilize masks. As for the stringent guidelines for hair salons and barbershops to conduct business, Semeta believes that an eagerness to get back to work will lead to compliance.
“I think that people are very motivated to try to be open if they can, so at least there is a path forward for if they’re willing to go through … putting all those guidelines in place,” Semeta said. “I know in the city of Huntington Beach, we try to be very facilitative to allow businesses to open under the guidelines while keeping them safe, and these guidelines certainly are going to make sure that happens.”
Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill said that as of last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, permits for outdoor services in the city had been issued to 69 restaurants. He added that permits were in progress for three hair, nail or massage businesses.


latimes--2020-08-02--Apple fire in Riverside County grows to 20,000 acres; winds expected to pick up this afternoon

California ’ s first major wildfire of the year grew to more than 20,000 acres over the weekend , destroying one home , forcing thousands to be evacuated and sending up a plume of smoke so massive that it generated its own winds , authorities said .
The Apple fire in Riverside County was burning up steep and rugged hillsides as it spread north and east toward the San Gorgonio Wilderness while continuing to threaten homes to the south .
The fire ’ s size remained stable throughout most of Sunday , burning at least 20,516 acres .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Multiple evacuation orders and warnings remained in place Sunday in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties .
Roughly 7,800 residents in over 2,500 households were ordered to evacuate , according to April Newman , a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department .
The terrain is characterized by a web of narrow canyons and drainage channels , which has created the potential for extremely active fire behavior , said Lisa Cox , fire information officer for the San Bernardino National Forest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a perfect example of that , ” she said , referring to a large pyrocumulus cloud that mushroomed up from the fire and into the sky on Saturday .
The towering spectacle , which creates its own turbulent weather , could be seen all the way in Los Angeles .
The cloud pushes embers down and blows them in all directions , creating the potential for rapid and unpredictable spread , Cox said .
“ The concern with that is that firefighters can not control what that plume of smoke does , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control when it ’ s going up in the sky and coming down in all directions.
” Officials anticipated similarly extreme fire behavior on Sunday .
Most of the developed areas being threatened by the fire were along its southern flank , and the fire was expected to grow further in that direction as winds picked up later in the day , Cox said .
Humidity levels were also expected to plummet to the teens by mid-afternoon Sunday .
Westerly winds were forecast to pick up after 3 p.m. and peak between 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mph , with gusts of up to 30 mph , said Miguel Miller , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego .
The pattern of winds strengthening in the late afternoons and evenings will likely persist for the next several days , he said .
“ It ’ s not anything outrageous or very strong but it ’ s enough to push the fire around a little bit , ” he said .
But if the fire spreads another 10 to 15 miles to the east , where the San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tunnel , the situation could change , he said .
“ If we can keep it out of that tunnel ... then we ’ ll be doing firefighters and everybody a big favor , ” he said .
An evacuation center was opened at Beaumont High School for people and animals , and the American Red Cross arranged for hotel rooms for 32 people from about 10 households Saturday night , regional disaster officer Debbie Leahy said Sunday .
The evacuation center is staffed by volunteers who are trained in COVID-19 safety protocols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing is strictly observed , she said .
All who enter must undergo a brief health screening , and nurses are also conducting daily telephone screenings of the evacuees who were placed in hotel rooms , she said .
“ We ’ re in a COVID environment , and then if we have these wildfires at that , it complicates the situation , ” she said .
“ But if we just all focus on safety we ’ re going to be OK. ” The U.S. Forest Service on Saturday ordered an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the Pacific Crest Trail between the forest boundary and Forest Road 1N01 .
Forest Service recreation areas in the Forest Falls area were also closed .
Forest Service recreation staff and volunteers visited trailheads to let hikers and backpackers know that the wilderness area is closed , and on Saturday announcements were also made via helicopter , Cox said .
“ They ’ re not in danger right at this moment but we preemptively want to make sure they have enough time to get out , ” she said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Friday in the 9000 block of Oak Glen Road , according to the Riverside County Fire Department .
There wasn ’ t word on its cause .
The fire was burning through thick fuels , which were fueled by seasonal rainfall that was close to average in the area , Miller said .
“ That made for a decent green-up , as they call it , in the springtime — leafing out the vegetation , the grasses get going , ” he said .
“ Then by May , June , certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , they turn yellow , they turn flammable .
And that ’ s why summertime is the high fire season .
”

A firefighter from Carpinteria monitors a huge plume of smoke from the Apple fire along Bluff Street, north of Banning.
California’s first major wildfire of the year grew to more than 20,000 acres over the weekend, destroying one home, forcing thousands to evacuate and sending up a plume of smoke so massive that it generated its own winds, authorities said.
The Apple fire in Riverside County burned up steep and rugged hillsides, making it inaccessible to firefighting vehicles as it spread north and east toward the San Gorgonio Wilderness while continuing to threaten homes to the south.
The fire spread rapidly in the early hours of Sunday, growing to 20,516 acres — or 32 square miles — by mid-morning. The blaze was 5% contained as of 7 p.m. as 2,200 fire personnel in the air and on the ground worked to douse it.
Officials were unable to gauge the exact size of the blaze Sunday evening, but Lisa Cox, fire information officer for the San Bernardino National Forest, said that “there was significant growth and fire activity.”
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Multiple evacuation orders and warnings remained in place Sunday in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Roughly 7,800 residents in over 2,500 households were ordered to evacuate, according to April Newman, a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department.
The terrain is characterized by a web of narrow canyons and drainage channels, which has created the potential for extremely active fire behavior, Cox said.
“What we saw yesterday was a perfect example of that,” she said, referring to a large pyrocumulus cloud that mushroomed up from the fire and into the sky on Saturday. The towering spectacle, which creates its own turbulent weather, could be seen all the way in Los Angeles.
The cloud pushes embers down and blows them in all directions, creating the potential for rapid and unpredictable spread, Cox said. “The concern with that is that firefighters cannot control what that plume of smoke does,” she said.
On Sunday, humidity levels plummeted to the teens by mid-afternoon. Westerly winds picked up after 3 p.m. and peaked between 6 and 9 p.m. at 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of up to 30 mph, said Miguel Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego. The pattern of winds strengthening in the late afternoons and evenings will likely persist for the next several days, he said.
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“It’s not anything outrageous or very strong, but it’s enough to push the fire around a little bit,” he said.
An evacuation center for people and animals was opened at Beaumont High School, where the American Red Cross arranged hotel rooms for 32 people from about 10 households Saturday night, regional disaster officer Debbie Leahy said Sunday.
The evacuation center is staffed by volunteers who are trained in COVID-19 safety protocols and outfitted with face coverings, and social distancing is strictly observed, she said. All who enter must undergo a brief health screening, and nurses are also conducting daily telephone screenings of the evacuees who were placed in hotel rooms, she said.
“We’re in a COVID environment, and then if we have these wildfires at that, it complicates the situation,” she said. “But if we just all focus on safety, we’re going to be OK.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that California has secured a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of resources to fight the Apple fire. The grant will also assist local and state agencies responding to the fire to apply for reimbursements for up to 75% of fire suppression costs.
The U.S. Forest Service on Saturday ordered an emergency closure of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, including the Pacific Crest Trail between the forest boundary and Forest Road 1N01. Forest Service recreation areas in the Forest Falls area were also closed.
Forest Service recreation staff and volunteers visited trailheads to let hikers and backpackers know that the wilderness area is closed, and on Saturday announcements were also made via helicopter, Cox said.
“They’re not in danger right at this moment, but we preemptively want to make sure they have enough time to get out,” she said.
The vegetation fire was first reported at 4:55 p.m. Friday in the 9000 block of Oak Glen Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. There wasn’t word on its cause.
The fire was burning through thick grasses and brush, which were fueled by seasonal rainfall that was close to average in the area, Miller said.
“That made for a decent green-up, as they call it, in the springtime — leafing out the vegetation, the grasses get going,” he said. “Then by May, June, certainly by July ... those grasses simply dry up, they turn yellow, they turn flammable. And that’s why summertime is the high fire season.”
Another brush fire erupted in Southern California on Sunday night in Gorman, an unincorporated community in northwestern L.A. County. The blaze had grown to 200 acres, and forward progress had been stopped by 9 p.m., according to the L.A. County Fire Department. The fire ignited near Gorman Post Road and northbound Interstate 5 two hours earlier.


latimes--2020-08-02--8 servicemen presumed dead after training accident off the Southern California coast

The search and rescue operation for eight U.S. servicemen who went missing last week after their landing craft sank in hundreds of feet of water off San Clemente Island during a training exercise has ended , officials announced early Sunday .
The seven Marines and one sailor who are missing are presumed dead , officials said .
“ It is with a heavy heart , that I decided to conclude the search and rescue effort , ” Col. Christopher Bronzi , commanding officer of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit , said in a statement .
“ The steadfast dedication of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the persistent rescue effort was tremendous.
” With the assistance of helicopters , ships and boats , more than 1,000 square nautical miles were searched but it was determined that there was little probability of successful rescue given the circumstances of the incident , officials said .
The 26-ton amphibious assault vehicle was beyond the reach of divers .
The incident occurred when the vehicle carrying 15 Marines and one Navy sailor began taking on water about 5:45 p.m. Thursday , according to the Marine Corps .
One Marine was taken to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
Two others were injured and remain hospitalized but are no longer in intensive care .
Five other service members were rescued .
Efforts will now turn to finding and recovering the missing servicemen , officials said .
Their names have not yet been released .
“ Our thoughts and prayers have been , and will continue to be with our Marines ’ and Sailor ’ s families , during this difficult time , ” Bronzi said .

The U.S. flag was lowered to half-staff at Park Semper Fi in San Clemente on Friday.
The U.S. Marines late Sunday released the names of eight service members — including three from Southern California — who went missing during a training exercise off San Clemente Island last week.
The seven Marines and one sailor are presumed dead, officials said. The search-and-rescue operation ended earlier Sunday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I decided to conclude the search-and-rescue effort,” Col. Christopher Bronzi, commanding officer of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said in a statement. “The steadfast dedication of the Marines, sailors and Coast Guardsmen to the persistent rescue effort was tremendous.”
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One Marine, Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene before being transported by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego. He was a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/4.
Three of those presumed dead are from Southern California, including two from L.A. County:
— Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
— Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
— Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wis., a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.
— U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, Calif., a hospital corpsman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
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— Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Ore., a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
— Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
— Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Ore., a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
— Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4.
Two others were injured and remain hospitalized, one of them in critical condition. Five other service members were rescued.
With the assistance of helicopters, ships and boats, more than 1,000 square nautical miles were searched, but it was determined that there was little probability of successful rescue given the circumstances of the incident, officials said. The 26-ton amphibious assault vehicle, which sank in water hundreds of feet deep, was beyond the reach of divers.
The incident occurred when the craft carrying 15 Marines and one Navy sailor began taking on water about 5:45 p.m. Thursday, according to the Marine Corps.
Efforts will now turn to finding and recovering the missing servicemen, officials said.
“Our thoughts and prayers have been, and will continue to be, with our Marines’ and sailor’s families during this difficult time,” Bronzi said.