latimes--2020-09-04--Labor Day weekend sparks fears of new coronavirus outbreaks in California

The next big test of whether Californians can slow the spread of the coronavirus will come this holiday weekend , with officials hoping the public will refrain from the large gatherings and risky behavior that contributed to a spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths after a disastrous Memorial Day weekend .
California spent much of the summer paying the price for a rapid reopening of the economy in late May and early June , with a coronavirus surge from mid-June through the weeks after the Fourth of July that led to record deaths and new concerns about the virus spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , Labor Day weekend — the final big holiday of the summer — poses new risks as it coincides with the easing of additional COVID-19 restrictions .
Health officials are hoping the shock of the summer will prompt people to play it safe this weekend , in part because so much is riding on keeping numbers down and to prevent history from repeating itself .
If infections continue to decline , some classrooms could reopen this fall .
There are also hopes that conditions will improve enough by the holiday season to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the challenge facing society is to get beyond the lockdown conditions of spring while still avoiding gatherings that can spread the virus .
Many agencies are urging people to stay home through the weekend , but that might be hard for some to do in the waning days of summer — especially with a heat wave bearing down .
“ People should not just hunker down and stay home .
We ’ re normal social creatures , and we have to find ways of socializing in a safe way , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco ’ s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics .
The problem , she and other health officials say , is that it can be a slippery slope — especially now as the number of new coronavirus cases are declining .
“ The lethal combination in the pandemic is always when people become complacent because things are looking better , ” she added .
Although the risk of the virus ’ spread is greater inside than out , experts say crowds — even outside — can still pose a threat .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s face , being outdoors isn ’ t going to make a difference , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , an epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco .
If people maintain a distance at beaches or other outdoor venues and wear face coverings , there may be no real need to limit access , Rutherford suggested .
But if crowding occurs — as it has in the past — Rutherford said that might be cause for local governments to intervene .
Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend , several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what was seen during the Memorial Day holiday .
The focus was on the dangers related to a specific activity , rather than on proactive measures people should take to protect themselves and others .
Bibbins-Domingo thinks that may have been an educational disservice .
“ We have to communicate what it is about these activities that is dangerous , ” she said .
Beach restrictions and closures have gone into effect in some parts of the state , but other areas that previously implemented restrictions haven ’ t issued any for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Friday through Monday , water sports and physical activity would be allowed , but sunbathing , picnicking and lounging on the sand is prohibited .
Nearby counties — including Los Angeles and Orange — have not taken similar actions .
But the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors warned that it could be forced to close the shorelines if they became overwhelmed with visitors .
“ This is not a Labor Day weekend that will be full of celebrations , ” Garcetti said .
“ You need to cancel all plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes in behavior have occurred since Memorial Day , as officials have preached the importance of wearing masks and social distancing .
At the same time , experts hope the summer spike — and the new restrictions it brought — might change attitudes .
While the state has seen a decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks , the numbers are still higher than in early May .
Thirty-eight counties are in the state ’ s Tier 1 level , the purple zone noting widespread risk of the virus .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back up again if people don ’ t follow the guidelines , ” Dr. Robert Kim-Farley , a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health , said .
Kim-Farley believes that the mortality-to-infection rate — the number of deaths divided by the number of cases — is one reason people are often divided on what steps should be taken to combat the virus .
He estimates the rate to be roughly 1 % , a number that hits the “ sweet spot for controversy in our society.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ less , which would be in keeping with seasonal influenza , Kim-Farley thinks that lockdowns and stay-at-home orders would not be required .
If it were 10 times higher , in keeping with what occurred during the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak , he said fears would likely be higher across the board .
At 1 % , people argue against restrictions as well as for more to be done .
But some restrictions are necessary , Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said , reminding residents that being around people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household puts them at greater risk for infection .
“ Gatherings — parties , cookouts and the other activities we usually do with non-household members on holidays — can easily lead to increases in transmission , hospitalizations and deaths , ” said Ferrer , noting that it ’ s important to find ways to celebrate Labor Day without going to parties and barbecues hosted by non-household members .
Likewise , Orange County Public Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau urged residents to stay home this weekend if possible and opt for virtual parties over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The safest thing for you to do is to stay at home , ” added acting State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan .
“ But if you do choose to be with others , please keep it outside.
” The state ’ s numbers have been trending downward and experts hope to keep it that way .
California has recorded more than 720,000 infections — the most in the nation — and over 13,000 deaths .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40 % of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rutherford says that number could be even greater because infected individuals can transmit the disease before showing symptoms .
And though the use of face coverings and social distancing can help contain the spread of the virus , not knowing how prevalent it is on any given day is one more reason to remain cautious , he said .
His advice for those who are on the fence about whether to proceed with a celebration is to take a break from this year ’ s festivities .
“ You can go hang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s time to take a pass on these activities and lie low .
”

The next big test of whether Californians can slow the spread of the coronavirus will come this holiday weekend, with officials hoping the public will refrain from the large gatherings and risky behavior that contributed to a spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths after a disastrous Memorial Day weekend.
California spent much of the summer paying the price for a rapid reopening of the economy in late May and early June, with a coronavirus surge from mid-June through the weeks after the Fourth of July that led to record deaths and new concerns about the virus spreading among young people and essential workers.
Now, Labor Day weekend — the final big holiday of the summer — poses new risks as it coincides with the easing of additional COVID-19 restrictions.
Advertisement
Health officials are hoping the shock of the summer will prompt people to play it safe this weekend, in part because so much is riding on keeping numbers down and to prevent history from repeating itself. If infections continue to decline, some classrooms could reopen this fall. There are also hopes that conditions will improve enough by the holiday season to allow for more in-person shopping.
Experts said the challenge facing society is to get beyond the lockdown conditions of spring while still avoiding gatherings that can spread the virus. Many agencies are urging people to stay home through the weekend, but that might be hard for some to do in the waning days of summer — especially with a heat wave bearing down.
“People should not just hunker down and stay home. We’re normal social creatures, and we have to find ways of socializing in a safe way,” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
The problem, she and other health officials say, is that it can be a slippery slope — especially now as the number of new coronavirus cases are declining.
“The lethal combination in the pandemic is always when people become complacent because things are looking better,” she added.
Advertisement
Although the risk of the virus’ spread is greater inside than out, experts say crowds — even outside — can still pose a threat.
“If you’re right in someone’s face, being outdoors isn’t going to make a difference,” said Dr. George Rutherford, an epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco.
If people maintain a distance at beaches or other outdoor venues and wear face coverings, there may be no real need to limit access, Rutherford suggested. But if crowding occurs — as it has in the past — Rutherford said that might be cause for local governments to intervene.
Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, several counties closed beaches to prevent crowding like what was seen during the Memorial Day holiday. The focus was on the dangers related to a specific activity, rather than on proactive measures people should take to protect themselves and others. Bibbins-Domingo thinks that may have been an educational disservice.
“We have to communicate what it is about these activities that is dangerous,” she said.
Beach restrictions and closures have gone into effect in some parts of the state, but other areas that previously implemented restrictions haven’t issued any for this holiday.
Santa Barbara County announced that from Friday through Monday, water sports and physical activity would be allowed, but sunbathing, picnicking and lounging on the sand is prohibited.
Nearby counties — including Los Angeles and Orange — have not taken similar actions. But the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors warned that it could be forced to close the shorelines if they became overwhelmed with visitors.
And Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti cautioned against commingling.
“This is not a Labor Day weekend that will be full of celebrations,” Garcetti said. “You need to cancel all plans for gatherings.”
There is evidence that changes in behavior have occurred since Memorial Day, as officials have preached the importance of wearing masks and social distancing. At the same time, experts hope the summer spike — and the new restrictions it brought — might change attitudes.
While the state has seen a decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks, the numbers are still higher than in early May. Thirty-eight counties are in the state’s Tier 1 level, the purple zone noting widespread risk of the virus.
“It’s possible we could go back up again if people don’t follow the guidelines,” Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, said.
Kim-Farley believes that the mortality-to-infection rate — the number of deaths divided by the number of cases — is one reason people are often divided on what steps should be taken to combat the virus. He estimates the rate to be roughly 1%, a number that hits the “sweet spot for controversy in our society.”
If the number were 10 times less, which would be in keeping with seasonal influenza, Kim-Farley thinks that lockdowns and stay-at-home orders would not be required. If it were 10 times higher, in keeping with what occurred during the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, he said fears would likely be higher across the board.
At 1%, people argue against restrictions as well as for more to be done.
But some restrictions are necessary, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, reminding residents that being around people who aren’t part of their household puts them at greater risk for infection.
“Gatherings — parties, cookouts and the other activities we usually do with non-household members on holidays — can easily lead to increases in transmission, hospitalizations and deaths,” said Ferrer, noting that it’s important to find ways to celebrate Labor Day without going to parties and barbecues hosted by non-household members.
Likewise, Orange County Public Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau urged residents to stay home this weekend if possible and opt for virtual parties over Skype or FaceTime instead of in-person gatherings.
“The safest thing for you to do is to stay at home,” added acting State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan. “But if you do choose to be with others, please keep it outside.”
The state’s numbers have been trending downward and experts hope to keep it that way. California has recorded more than 720,000 infections — the most in the nation — and over 13,000 deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40% of people who are infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic carriers. Rutherford says that number could be even greater because infected individuals can transmit the disease before showing symptoms.
And though the use of face coverings and social distancing can help contain the spread of the virus, not knowing how prevalent it is on any given day is one more reason to remain cautious, he said.
His advice for those who are on the fence about whether to proceed with a celebration is to take a break from this year’s festivities.
“You can go hang out at Labor Day next year. It’s time to take a pass on these activities and lie low.”


latimes--2020-09-05--Column: So what if Black activists become pawns in Trump's evil reelection plan?

The 22-year-old founder of the upstart Black Future Project spent the summer protesting police brutality in downtown L.A. before moving on to get arrested on allegations of disrupting the tranquility of residents in Beverly Hills .
He has heard all about President Trump ’ s recent attempts to smear Black activists like himself as “ anarchists ” and “ looters.
” He knows that the stakes are high in this election , especially for Black people , and he ’ s aware that some suburban voters might actually buy Trump ’ s claims about Democrats being the enablers of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many activists in California — still isn ’ t backing down .
“ All of this rhetoric is an attempt to have these right-wing groups look at the Gen Z and millennial people who are predominantly hitting the streets and make us look like uneducated nuisances , ” Butler told me by phone from Boston , where he ’ s planning yet another protest .
“ But we ’ re upset and angry , and we see the wrongdoings of the system and we are sick of it.
” These are the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boomers and some of the Gen Xers in the Democratic Party an ulcer .
People such as Willie Brown , former California Assembly speaker , former San Francisco mayor and confidant to Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris .
He recently declared in the San Francisco Chronicle that “ the biggest threat to a Democratic election sweep in November isn ’ t the Republican in the White House , but the demonstrators who are tearing up cities in the name of racial justice.
” And then , as if on cue , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad that begins with images of vehicles and buildings that were presumably set ablaze in some riot somewhere .
“ I want to make it absolutely clear , ” Biden intones .
“ Rioting is not protesting .
Looting is not protesting .
And those who do it should be prosecuted.
” It ’ s a message he echoed during a campaign stop in Kenosha , Wis. , where a handful of city blocks have been ripped apart by protesters enraged over the gruesome and wholly unnecessary police shooting of Jacob Blake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Lewis used to say .
But none of it justifies looting , burning or anything else .
So regardless how angry you are , if you loot or you burn , you should be held [ as ] accountable as someone who does anything else .
Period , ” Biden said .
“ It just can not be tolerated , across the board.
” Allow me , for just a moment , to inject a few facts into all of this political fiction .
According to a recent analysis from the Armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence occurred at only about 7 % of the thousands of protests that popped up across the country this summer after a Minneapolis cop kneeled on George Floyd ’ s neck .
Put another way , the vast majority of people who took to the streets in support of Black lives did so peacefully and only a tiny fraction of those protests drew police intervention .
And this is true despite what has happened in downtown Portland , Ore. , and likely will happen again this weekend as the city reaches 100 consecutive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 % of the hundreds of counter-protests that have occurred this summer — many led by belligerent Trump supporters — have ended in violence , according to the analysis .
“ We ’ ve seen people in MAGA [ “ Make America great again ” ] hats show up at our weekly protest , ” said Melina Abdullah , co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles .
“ We ’ ve seen people come at us very violently on social media .
We ’ ve had to ramp up our security protocols.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists aren ’ t exactly consumed with worry over whether Trump will use them to win reelection .
Rather , they are fed up , as all of us should be .
“ How the hell did one minute we were talking about defund the police and killer cops , and now all of a sudden the whole narrative across the nation has been looting and rioters ?
” said Berry Accius , an activist with Voice of the Youth in Sacramento .
“ Why are we here ?
Let ’ s talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , is that the political reality — er , political fiction — of this situation seems complicated .
I have enough friends living in the suburbs in the Midwest to believe that what the president is saying will , in fact , resonate with some voters .
Especially those who haven ’ t ventured into “ the city ” for months and what they know of the protests is limited to what they see on TV and read on Facebook .
But the real question is how much will it resonate ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be not a whole lot .
A new ABC News/Ipsos poll found 59 % of Americans said Biden would do a better job handling the protests , compared with about 39 % who said the same about Trump .
When it comes to handling racial discrimination , 64 % said Biden would do a better job as opposed to nearly 34 % than Trump .
And on reducing violence in the country overall , Americans favored Biden over Trump , 59 % to 39 % All of which makes me wonder why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air to Trump ’ s law-and-order narrative ?
Why , at a time when we learn of another Black man shot by police almost every week and when police unions in Sacramento are scuttling legislation to bring about criminal justice reform , make a big stink about being endorsed by law enforcement officials , as the Biden campaign did on Friday ?
And why release ads promising to punish protesters who turn to vandalism and theft , instead of solely focusing on why there are protests at all ?
Didn ’ t we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their mind over people stealing stuff out of a Target in the mayhem after Floyd died in Minneapolis ?
“ Joe Biden is giving his own version of the ‘ very fine people on both sides ’ narrative , ” Abdullah said .
“ He should take an unshakable stance on the side of those of us who are protesting police brutality and violence against white supremacist terrorism , but he hasn ’ t done that.
” To be fair , the former vice president has called out Trump repeatedly for inciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounce his supporters who have shown up to peaceful protests with guns and , in at least one case , killed people .
He ’ s also been naming Black people who have been killed or maimed by police , people whom Trump refuses to recognize .
But one thing seems clear .
If fretful Democrats were hoping that activists marching for Black lives would take a hint and take a break between now and election day , that ’ s not going to happen .
Not in California anyway .
“ Nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not protest , ” Abdullah said .
“ The one way they can be sure that we ’ ll protest harder is to tell us we can ’ t. ” Perhaps that ’ s the thinking behind one of the findings in ABC News/Ipsos poll .
When asked if what Biden has been saying is making the protests better , worse or having no effect one way or the other , about half said he hasn ’ t had much of an effect .
“ The rioting is crossing the line ?
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the line , ” Butler said .
“ What do you expect people to do ?
”

President Trump tours a block in Kenosha, Wis., that was damaged during protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August.
James Butler isn’t backing down.
The 22-year-old founder of the upstart Black Future Project spent the summer protesting police brutality in downtown Los Angeles before moving on to get arrested on allegations of disrupting the tranquility of residents in Beverly Hills.
For the record: A previous version of this column misidentified Joe Biden as a former presidential nominee. Biden is the current Democratic nominee.
He has heard all about President Trump’s recent attempts to smear Black activists like himself as “anarchists” and “looters.” He knows that the stakes are high in this election, especially for Black people, and he’s aware that some suburban voters might actually buy Trump’s claims about Democrats being the enablers of “anti-American riots.”
But he — like many activists in California — still isn’t backing down.
Advertisement
“All of this rhetoric is an attempt to have these right-wing groups look at the Gen Z and millennial people who are predominantly hitting the streets and make us look like uneducated nuisances,” Butler told me by phone from Boston, where he’s planning yet another protest. “But we’re upset and angry, and we see the wrongdoings of the system and we are sick of it.”
These are the kind of words that will surely give baby boomers and some of the Gen Xers in the Democratic Party an ulcer. People such as Willie Brown, former California Assembly speaker, former San Francisco mayor and confidant to Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
He recently declared in the San Francisco Chronicle that “the biggest threat to a Democratic election sweep in November isn’t the Republican in the White House, but the demonstrators who are tearing up cities in the name of racial justice.”
And then, as if on cue, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released an ad that begins with images of vehicles and buildings that were presumably set ablaze in some riot somewhere.
“I want to make it absolutely clear,” Biden intones. “Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. And those who do it should be prosecuted.”
It’s a message he echoed during a campaign stop in Kenosha, Wis., where a handful of city blocks have been ripped apart by protesters enraged over the gruesome and wholly unnecessary police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Advertisement
“Protesting is protesting, my buddy John Lewis used to say. But none of it justifies looting, burning or anything else. So regardless how angry you are, if you loot or you burn, you should be held [as] accountable as someone who does anything else. Period,” Biden said. “It just cannot be tolerated, across the board.”
Easy there, Joe.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wis., on Thursday. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)
Allow me, for just a moment, to inject a few facts into all of this political fiction.
According to a recent analysis from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, violence occurred at only about 7% of the thousands of protests that popped up across the country this summer after a Minneapolis cop kneeled on George Floyd’s neck.
Put another way, the vast majority of people who took to the streets in support of Black lives did so peacefully and only a tiny fraction of those protests drew police intervention. And this is true despite what has happened in downtown Portland, Ore., and likely will happen again this weekend as that city reaches 100 consecutive nights of protests.
Meanwhile, about 12% of the hundreds of counterprotests that have occurred this summer — many led by belligerent Trump supporters — have ended in violence, according to the analysis.
“We’ve seen people in MAGA hats show up at our weekly protest,” said Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. “We’ve seen people come at us very violently on social media. We’ve had to ramp up our security protocols.”
It’s no wonder then that activists aren’t exactly consumed with worry over whether Trump will use them to win reelection. Rather, they are fed up, as all of us should be.
“How the hell did one minute we were talking about defund the police and killer cops, and now all of a sudden the whole narrative across the nation has been looting and rioters?” said Berry Accius, an activist with Voice of the Youth in Sacramento. “Why are we here? Let’s talk about that.”
The reason, of course, is that the political reality — er, political fiction — of this situation seems complicated. I have enough friends living in the suburbs in the Midwest to believe that what the president is saying will, in fact, resonate with some voters. Especially those who haven’t ventured into “the city” for months and what they know of the protests is limited to what they see on TV and read on Facebook.
But the real question is how much will it resonate? And so far, the answer seems to be not a whole lot.
A new ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 59% of Americans said Biden would do a better job handling the protests, compared with about 39% who said the same about Trump. When it comes to handling racial discrimination, 64% said Biden would do a better job as opposed to nearly 34% for Trump. And on reducing violence in the country overall, Americans favored Biden over Trump, 59% to 39%
All of which makes me wonder why Biden and Harris are giving so much air to Trump’s law-and-order narrative?
Why, at a time when we learn of another Black man shot by police almost every week and when police unions are scuttling legislation in Sacramento to bring about criminal justice reform, make a big stink about being endorsed by law enforcement officials, as the Biden campaign did on Friday?
Why even talk about protests that have been overwhelmingly peaceful?
And why release ads promising to punish the very few who turn to vandalism and theft, instead of solely focusing on why they are out there at all? Didn’t we settle this back in May when everyone lost their mind over people stealing stuff out of a Target in the mayhem after Floyd died in Minneapolis?
“Joe Biden is giving his own version of the ‘very fine people on both sides’ narrative,” Abdullah said. “He should take an unshakable stance on the side of those of us who are protesting police brutality and violence against white supremacist terrorism, but he hasn’t done that.”
To be fair, the former vice president has called out Trump for inciting violence with his rhetoric and for refusing to denounce his supporters who have shown up at peaceful protests with guns and, in at least one case, killed people. The Biden campaign, with Harris at the forefront, also is pushing for police reform.
One thing seems clear, though. If fretful Democrats were hoping that activists marching for Black lives would take a hint and take a break between now and election day, that’s not going to happen. Not in California anyway.
“Nobody’s going to ever make me not protest,” Abdullah said. “The one way they can be sure that we’ll protest harder is to tell us we can’t.”
Perhaps that’s the thinking behind one of the findings in the ABC News/Ipsos poll. When asked if what Biden has been saying is making the protests better, worse or having no effect one way or the other, about half said he hasn’t had much of an effect.
“Hearing a Democrat say something like that, like the rioting is crossing the line? Well, killing Black people is also crossing the line,” Butler said. “What do you expect people to do?”


latimes--2020-09-05--Controversy over USC professor's use of Chinese word that sounds like racial slur in English

A business professor at USC is no longer teaching his communications course after Black students complained that a Chinese-language example he used during class sounded like a racial slur and harmed their mental health .
Marshall School of Business professor Greg Patton was giving a Zoom lesson in his “ Communication for Management ” class on Aug. 20 .
The course , a three-week intensive , is part of the core requirements for first-year master ’ s of business administration students .
Patton ’ s resume describes him as “ an expert in communication , interpersonal and leadership effectiveness ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pacific Rim for more than 20 years .
That day ’ s lesson focused on building confidence and improving presentation skills , according to a class syllabus .
When Patton , who is white , began discussing the use of filler words like “ um ” and “ er ” in speech , he offered an international example .
“ Like in China the common word is ‘ that ’ — ‘ that , that , that , that , ’ ” he said , according to video recordings of the class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China it might be ‘ nèi ge ’ — ‘ nèi ge , nèi ge , nèi ge.
’ So there ’ s different words that you ’ ll hear in different countries , but they ’ re vocal disfluencies.
” Patton was referring to 那个，which in Mandarin is commonly pronounced nèi ge ( NAY-guh ) or nà ge ( NAH-guh ) .
He was using the former pronunciation .
To some students , the word sounded like the N-word in English .
The next day a group of Black master ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote a letter to Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett .
“ There are over 10,000 characters in the Chinese written language and to use this phrase ... is hurtful and unacceptable to our USC Marshall community , ” the letter said .
“ The negligence and disregard displayed by our professor was very clear.
” The students said their mental health had been affected and they were unable to focus on their studies .
“ To expect that we will sit through two more weeks of this class , knowing that the professor lacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead and teach an audience as diverse as ours is unacceptable , ” they wrote .
Chinese speakers say the Mandarin word is widely used as a place filler like the English “ um.
” It can also be used to indicate a specific item , as in “ that one , ” with the pronunciation varying depending on the proximity of the item .
Language learners and English speakers have long commented on the similarity in pronunciation between this common Mandarin word and the racial slur in English .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube tutorials and comedy skits .
In an email to all MBA students on Aug. 24 , Garrett said that Patton “ repeated several times a Chinese word that sounds very similar to a vile racial slur in English.
” “ Understandably , this caused great pain and upset among students , and for that I am deeply sorry , ” Garrett wrote .
“ It is simply unacceptable for faculty to use such examples or language in class because they can marginalize and harm you and hurt your feelings of psychological safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we will do better.
” He said he would work with vice deans and other administrators to address any problems of bias , microaggressions or inequities .
In a statement , the school said Patton “ agreed to take a short-term pause ” from teaching the course , and another instructor took over .
Patton continues to teach his other courses .
“ We acknowledge the historical , cultural and harmful impact of racist language ... USC is committed to building a culture of respect and dignity where all members of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can thrive , ” the statement said .
Patton did not respond to requests for comment .
But in an Aug. 26 letter sent to the Marshall Graduate Student Assn.
, he offered students an apology — and a defense .
“ I have strived to best prepare students with global , real-world and applied examples and illustrations to make the class content come alive and bring diverse voices , situations and experiences into the classroom , ” he wrote .
Patton said in the letter that he had taught the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when using the same example in the past .
“ Yet , I failed to realize all the many different additional ways that a particular example may be heard across audiences members based on their own lived experiences and that is my fault , ” he wrote .
This week a group of nearly 100 USC alumni , most of whom are Chinese by ethnicity or nationality , wrote to the school ’ s administration in support of their professor , saying his use of the Mandarin word for “ that ” was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite effective illustration of the use of pauses.
” The alumni said they were “ deeply disappointed that the spurious charge has the additional feature of casting insult toward the Chinese language , the most spoken in the world , and characterized it and its usage as vile.
” “ We feel Marshall should be open to diversity in all areas , ” they wrote .

A professor at USC agreed to take a pause from teaching a business communication course after a controversy erupted.
A business professor at USC is no longer teaching his communications course after Black students complained that a Chinese-language example he used during class sounded like a racial slur and harmed their mental health.
Marshall School of Business professor Greg Patton was giving a Zoom lesson in his “Communication for Management” class on Aug. 20. The course, a three-week intensive, is part of the core requirements for first-year master’s of business administration students.
Patton’s resume describes him as “an expert in communication, interpersonal and leadership effectiveness” who has taught and led programs in the Pacific Rim for more than 20 years.
That day’s lesson focused on building confidence and improving presentation skills, according to a class syllabus. When Patton, who is white, began discussing the use of filler words like “um” and “er” in speech, he offered an international example.
Advertisement
“Like in China the common word is ‘that’ — ‘that, that, that, that,’” he said, according to video recordings of the class circulated on social media. “So in China it might be ‘nèi ge’ — ‘nèi ge, nèi ge, nèi ge.’ So there’s different words that you’ll hear in different countries, but they’re vocal disfluencies.”
Patton was referring to 那个，which in Mandarin is commonly pronounced nèi ge (NAY-guh) or nà ge (NAH-guh). He was using the former pronunciation.
To some students, the word sounded like the N-word in English. The next day a group of Black master’s candidates in the class of 2022 wrote a letter to Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett.
“There are over 10,000 characters in the Chinese written language and to use this phrase ... is hurtful and unacceptable to our USC Marshall community,” the letter said. “The negligence and disregard displayed by our professor was very clear.”
The students said their mental health had been affected and they were unable to focus on their studies.
“To expect that we will sit through two more weeks of this class, knowing that the professor lacks the tact, racial awareness and empathy to lead and teach an audience as diverse as ours is unacceptable,” they wrote.
Chinese speakers say the Mandarin word is widely used as a place filler like the English “um.” It can also be used to indicate a specific item, as in “that one,” with the pronunciation varying depending on the proximity of the item.
Advertisement
Language learners and English speakers have long commented on the similarity in pronunciation between this common Mandarin word and the racial slur in English. It has been the subject of language blogs, YouTube tutorials and comedy skits.
In an email to all MBA students on Aug. 24, Garrett said that Patton “repeated several times a Chinese word that sounds very similar to a vile racial slur in English.”
“Understandably, this caused great pain and upset among students, and for that I am deeply sorry,” Garrett wrote. “It is simply unacceptable for faculty to use such examples or language in class because they can marginalize and harm you and hurt your feelings of psychological safety. As a school, we must and we will do better.”
He said he would work with vice deans and other administrators to address any problems of bias, microaggressions or inequities.
In a statement, the school said Patton “agreed to take a short-term pause” from teaching the course, and another instructor took over. Patton continues to teach his other courses.
“We acknowledge the historical, cultural and harmful impact of racist language ... USC is committed to building a culture of respect and dignity where all members of our community can feel safe, supported, and can thrive,” the statement said.
Patton did not respond to requests for comment. But in an Aug. 26 letter sent to the Marshall Graduate Student Assn., he offered students an apology — and a defense.
“I have strived to best prepare students with global, real-world and applied examples and illustrations to make the class content come alive and bring diverse voices, situations and experiences into the classroom,” he wrote.
Patton said in the letter that he had taught the course for 10 years and received positive feedback when using the same example in the past.
“Yet, I failed to realize all the many different additional ways that a particular example may be heard across audiences members based on their own lived experiences and that is my fault,” he wrote.
This week a group of nearly 100 USC alumni, most of whom are Chinese by ethnicity or nationality, wrote to the school’s administration in support of their professor, saying his use of the Mandarin word for “that” was accurate and “an entirely appropriate and quite effective illustration of the use of pauses.”
The alumni said they were “deeply disappointed that the spurious charge has the additional feature of casting insult toward the Chinese language, the most spoken in the world, and characterized it and its usage as vile.”
“We feel Marshall should be open to diversity in all areas,” they wrote.
Times Staff Writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-05--'A forgotten city': South L.A. community hopes for change after violent summer

Denise Nelson remembers when her Westmont neighborhood wasn ’ t filled with liquor stores , storefront churches and abandoned buildings .
There used to be a theater across the street from her bargain store near Imperial Highway and Vermont Avenue .
The area was once home to a roller skating rink and thriving Black-owned businesses .
Recent years have brought hard luck to the small South L.A. community of nearly 34,000 people wedged between the city of Los Angeles and Inglewood .
This week , Dijon Kizzee , 29 , was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headlines decrying excessive use of force against Black people , including George Floyd , Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor .
On May 26 , another man was shot by sheriff ’ s deputies on the same street as Kizzee .
Deputies fired 19 rounds at Robert Avitia , 18 , who was a suspect in a killing and had a handgun , authorities told coroner investigators .
Residents in the area say they fear street violence and the potential for violence perpetrated by authorities .
Their struggles are compounded by a decades-long lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately affected Black and brown communities .
“ It ’ s like a forgotten city , ” said Kevin “ Twin ” Orange , a longtime gang intervention worker who was born and raised in Westmont .
“ All we got is candles where people have been killed at , abandoned buildings and motels and liquor stores.
” Recently , there ’ s been a string of violence in the area .
Alan Snipes , 42 , was found on a sidewalk with gunshot wounds the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , Derek Wilson , 61 , was killed in his car .
Two days earlier , Lorenzo Hall Jr. , 27 , and William Lay , 31 , were shot hours apart .
Kizzee was on a bike when he was flagged down for what the Sheriff ’ s Department said was a vehicle code violation .
Kizzee dropped his bicycle and ran .
Deputies shot him after Kizzee dropped a jacket he was carrying and made “ a motion toward ” a gun that fell to the ground , sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killing said deputies kept firing at Kizzee after he collapsed to the ground .
His family said he was a family-oriented man .
On a recent afternoon , Gregory Brown and two friends sat outside an apartment building to relax after a long day of work .
A breeze blew through the neighborhood as other residents sat on their porches , talking to one another .
Brown said he ’ s frustrated not only by the violence but years of injustice and the economic disadvantages that Black people have faced for hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ 80s , we went through that , ” Brown said .
“ But now you got this pandemic and now you got the police you have to watch out for at the same time.
” Brown tries to set an example for his two sons .
He votes because he wants them to vote when they grow up .
“ It ’ s the only way to change things , ” he said .
The median household income in Westmont — whose residents are 44 % Black and 53 % Latino — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. and the county as a whole , according to census figures .
Only 6 % of residents hold a bachelor ’ s degree .
In a 2018 L.A. County Department of Public Health report examining community disparities , Westmont ranked as one of the lowest in the county for life expectancy .
“ There ’ s just structural and historical abandonment , ” said Alejandro Villalpando , who grew up in the neighborhood and lives nearby .
Villalpando recounted as a youth walking to Washington Preparatory High School to prepare for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At 19 , sheriff ’ s deputies pulled their guns on him while he was riding his bike in the neighborhood .
Villalpando said at the heart of the problem is a lack of investment in recreation programs and mental health services , and what he calls “ active disinvestment ” in the community .
“ People aren ’ t born to be shooting at people at 7 in the morning , ” Villalpando said .
“ That ’ s not the order of things.
” Kala Patterson , a social worker at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for women , said people in the neighborhood experience structural racism , poverty and violence on a daily basis .
“ They ’ ve learned to function in a state of trauma , ” she said .
Patterson said she ’ s used to hearing ambulance sirens and the hum of helicopters during sessions .
“ You hear it every single day , ” she said .
In recent years , there have been efforts to reinvest in the area .
Plans are in place to redevelop a stretch of land near Vermont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the 1992 civil unrest with a shopping center , boarding school for at-risk youth and affordable housing .
A homeless shelter is scheduled to be built near the sheriff ’ s station .
And the Public Health Department has also launched an initiative to help stem violence and trauma .
“ We can ’ t let the community give up on itself , ” said Mark Ridley-Thomas , a county supervisor whose district includes Westmont .
His office has planted trees , is working to build a small park and is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve gone in and tried to make a number of things happen , ” he said .
Los Angeles Sheriff ’ s Capt .
Duane Allen said before this year , the area had seen a record low number of shootings before a surge this summer .
Budget cuts in the department slashed additional summer patrols and a youth program .
“ We don ’ t have extra people to engage the community , ” Allen said .
Demetra Johnson , whose son Anthony Weber , 16 , was shot and killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the changes haven ’ t come soon enough .
Relations between the Sheriff ’ s Department and community are tense , she said .
That much was visible on a wall and building not far from where Kizzee was killed .
Graffiti spelled out expletives and the word “ sheriffs ” was crossed out .
When Kizzee was killed this week , Johnson joined other demonstrators in a march to the South Los Angeles sheriff ’ s station .
She said Kizzee was a patron at the market she runs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said of another police shooting in the neighborhood she ’ s called home since 1983 .
Johnson worries about her 14-year-old son .
She says she ’ s lucky that he prefers playing video games to going outside to play .
When Alani Snipes , a 22-year-old mother of two , saw signs in the area listing local landmarks such as Los Angeles Southwest College , she was disheartened : The streets are in need of repairs .
Schools lack decent equipment .
It felt , Snipes said , as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police killings are not occurring in the area .
“ The things that truly matter are not given the time and effort as they should , ” she said .
Snipes , who lives near the sheriff ’ s station , said she thought her proximity to law enforcement meant safety .
Last month , her father , Allan Snipes , was killed while on a morning walk .
The shooting of Kizzee left her thinking that police officers need better training .
Police reform is needed , she said , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be spearheaded by local officials .
“ You have to nourish the people in order to nourish the city and they don ’ t see that , ” she said .
Nelson , who owns Connaisseur ’ s Bargain Store in Westmont , is working to improve conditions .
She runs A Step Above Your Vision , a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and life skills to homeless people .
She mentors young women in the area .
She wants to add a juice bar and sandwich shop in her store .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a homeless shelter and resource center next door .
Her goals are an attempt to bring something to the community she thinks is needed : a message of hope .
“ I ’ m trying to be a good example for people , ” she said .
“ I ’ m trying to show what they can do .
”

Relatives and friends of Dijon Kizzee gather in Westmont, near West 109th Place and South Budlong Avenue, where the 29-year-old Black bicyclist was shot and killed this week by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.
Denise Nelson remembers when her Westmont neighborhood wasn’t filled with liquor stores, storefront churches and abandoned buildings.
There used to be a theater across the street from her bargain store near Imperial Highway and Vermont Avenue. The area was once home to a roller skating rink and thriving Black-owned businesses.
Recent years have brought hard luck to the small South L.A. community of nearly 34,000 people wedged between the city of Los Angeles and Inglewood. This week, Dijon Kizzee, 29, was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, sparking protests and national headlines decrying excessive use of force against Black people, including George Floyd, Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor.
On May 26, another man was shot by sheriff’s deputies on the same street as Kizzee. Deputies fired 19 rounds at Robert Avitia, 18, who was a suspect in a killing and had a handgun, authorities told coroner investigators.
Residents in the area say they fear street violence and the potential for violence perpetrated by authorities. Their struggles are compounded by a decades-long lack of investment and resources, and the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately affected Black and brown communities.
Advertisement
Latex gloves left by emergency medical technicians litter the ground in Westmont where L.A. County sheriff’s deputies killed Dijon Kizzee , 29. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s like a forgotten city,” said Kevin “Twin” Orange, a longtime gang intervention worker who was born and raised in Westmont. “All we got is candles where people have been killed at, abandoned buildings and motels and liquor stores.”
Recently, there’s been a string of violence in the area. Alan Snipes, 42, was found on a sidewalk with gunshot wounds the morning of Aug. 4. On June 30, Derek Wilson, 61, was killed in his car. Two days earlier, Lorenzo Hall Jr., 27, and William Lay, 31, were shot hours apart.
Kizzee was on a bike when he was flagged down for what the Sheriff’s Department said was a vehicle code violation. Kizzee dropped his bicycle and ran. Deputies shot him after Kizzee dropped a jacket he was carrying and made “a motion toward” a gun that fell to the ground, sheriff’s officials said.
People who witnessed the killing said deputies kept firing at Kizzee after he collapsed to the ground. His family said he was a family-oriented man.
On a recent afternoon, Gregory Brown and two friends sat outside an apartment building to relax after a long day of work. A breeze blew through the neighborhood as other residents sat on their porches, talking to one another.
Advertisement
Brown said he’s frustrated not only by the violence but years of injustice and the economic disadvantages that Black people have faced for hundreds of years.
Relatives and friends of Dijon Kizzee gather at the site where Kizzee was killed. Recently, there’s been a string of violence in the South L.A. neighborhood of Westmont that has left four men dead from gunshots. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“We survived the ‘80s, we went through that,” Brown said. “But now you got this pandemic and now you got the police you have to watch out for at the same time.”
Brown tries to set an example for his two sons. He votes because he wants them to vote when they grow up.
“It’s the only way to change things,” he said.
The median household income in Westmont — whose residents are 44% Black and 53% Latino — is lower than other areas of South L.A. and the county as a whole, according to census figures. Only 6% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree. In a 2018 L.A. County Department of Public Health report examining community disparities, Westmont ranked as one of the lowest in the county for life expectancy.
“There’s just structural and historical abandonment,” said Alejandro Villalpando, a professor of Pan African and Latin American Studies at Cal State L.A. who grew up in the neighborhood and lives nearby.
Villalpando recounted as a youth walking to Washington Preparatory High School to prepare for an SAT test and witnessing a shooting. At 19, sheriff’s deputies pulled their guns on him while he was riding his bike in the neighborhood.
Villalpando said at the heart of the problem is a lack of investment in recreation programs and mental health services, and what he calls “active disinvestment” in the community.
“People aren’t born to be shooting at people at 7 in the morning,” Villalpando said. “That’s not the order of things.”
Kala Patterson, a social worker at Westmont Counseling Center who runs a group for women, said people in the neighborhood experience structural racism, poverty and violence on a daily basis.
People gather in the South L.A. neighborhood of Westmont on Budlong Avenue and face off with sheriff’s deputies for hours after the deputy-involved shooting of Dijon Kizzee. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“They’ve learned to function in a state of trauma,” she said. Patterson said she’s used to hearing ambulance sirens and the hum of helicopters during sessions.
“You hear it every single day,” she said.
In recent years, there have been efforts to reinvest in the area. Plans are in place to redevelop a stretch of land near Vermont and Manchester avenues that has sat vacant since the 1992 civil unrest with a shopping center, boarding school for at-risk youth and affordable housing. A homeless shelter is scheduled to be built near the sheriff’s station. And the Public Health Department has also launched an initiative to help stem violence and trauma.
“We can’t let the community give up on itself,” said Mark Ridley-Thomas, a county supervisor whose district includes Westmont. Besides the other efforts, his office has also planted trees and is working to build a small park.
“We’ve gone in and tried to make a number of things happen,” he said.
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Capt. Duane Allen said before this year, the area had seen a record low number of shootings before a surge this summer. Budget cuts in the department slashed additional summer patrols and a youth program.
“We don’t have extra people to engage the community,” Allen said.
A sign with a photograph of slain 16-year-old Anthony Weber is held up during an emergency town hall meeting of the sheriff’s Civilian Oversight Commission in February 2018 to discuss the deputy-involved shooting that killed Weber. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Demetra Johnson, whose son Anthony Weber, 16, was shot and killed by deputies in 2018 in the neighborhood, said the changes haven’t come soon enough. Relations between the Sheriff’s Department and community are tense, she said.
That much was visible on a wall and building not far from where Kizzee was killed. Graffiti spelled out expletives and the word “sheriffs” was crossed out.
When Kizzee was killed this week, Johnson joined other demonstrators in a march to the South Los Angeles sheriff’s station. She said Kizzee was a patron at the market she runs.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” she said of another police shooting in the neighborhood she’s called home since 1983.
Johnson worries about her 14-year-old son. She says she’s lucky that he prefers playing video games to going outside to play.
When Alani Snipes, a 22-year-old mother of two, saw signs in the area listing local landmarks such as Los Angeles Southwest College, she was disheartened: The streets are in need of repairs. Schools lack decent equipment.
It felt, Snipes said, as if officials are pretending that crime, murder and police killings are not occurring in the area.
“The things that truly matter are not given the time and effort as they should,” she said.
Paint peels off commercial buildings along Normandie Avenue in Westmont. In recent years, there have been efforts to reinvest in the area, including plans to redevelop vacant land with a shopping center, boarding school for at-risk youth and affordable housing. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Snipes, who lives near the sheriff’s station, said she thought her proximity to law enforcement meant safety. Last month, her father, Allan Snipes, was killed while on a morning walk.
The shooting of Kizzee left her thinking that police officers need better training. Police reform is needed, she said, and it’s an issue that must be spearheaded by local officials.
“You have to nourish the people in order to nourish the city and they don’t see that,” she said.
Nelson, who owns Connaisseur’s Bargain Store in Westmont, is working to improve conditions. She runs A Step Above Your Vision, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and life skills to homeless people. She mentors young women in the area.
She wants to add a juice bar and sandwich shop in her store. Her dream is to one day open up a homeless shelter and resource center next door.
Her goals are an attempt to bring something to the community she thinks is needed: a message of hope.
“I’m trying to be a good example for people,” she said. “I’m trying to show what they can do.”
Times staff writer Sandhya Kambhampati contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-04--To curb sex trafficking, prosecutors forbid Pomona motel from renting rooms by the hour

In a novel use of consumer protection laws , Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Friday that the owner of Pomona motel has agreed to a court settlement that restricts his business and aims to stop sex-trafficking and prostitution at the site .
The owner of the motel , the Pomona Lodge , agreed to stop renting rooms by the hour and turn over security footage to law enforcement upon request , among other measures .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said the settlement represents the first time county prosecutors have used consumer protection laws to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are trafficked .
County prosecutors had charged that the motel was a public nuisance and its owners had violated business codes and the state ’ s Red Light Abatement Law — legislation written 107 years ago to shut down brothels .
The settlement ’ s terms will remain in place for four years , and the motel ’ s owners also will pay a $ 9,000 fine .
The motel ’ s owners , according to state business records , are Kanu and Hemlata Patel .
Attempts to reach them Friday were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motel didn ’ t return requests for comment Friday .
Two years ago , undercover investigators noticed troubling signs at the brown and tan motel on Holt Avenue in Pomona , sandwiched between a health clinic and a Jack in the Box .
Pomona police know the area as “ the Blade.
” They regularly arrest dozens of men there , many of them from out of town , for soliciting sex acts from undercover police officers , the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported earlier this year .
One city councilman , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a pastry shop on Holt Avenue , lamented that Pomona had become known as a place to buy sex .
“ If you ’ re a female in Pomona , someone will try to offer you money for sex .
That ’ s what it ’ s become , ” the councilman , Rubio Gonzalez , told the newspaper .
Prosecutors say the Pomona Lodge ’ s front desk clerk , Ravirajsinh N. Zala , rented rooms to sex workers and exacted a cut of their earnings .
Zala , 25 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trafficking a minor for a commercial sex act .
He pleaded not guilty to all four counts , and his trial is tentatively scheduled to begin later this month .
Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey said in a new release that the civil action brought against the motel should be a “ warning ” to owners of any property where sex is being sold .
Lacey said her deputies will pursue anyone “ who silently gave refuge to these criminals , disregarding their victims and benefiting financially from @ @ @ @

A Pomona motel has settled civil litigation brought by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office, in what she says is a first of its kind use of consumer protection laws to address sex trafficking in Los Angeles County.
In a novel use of consumer protection laws, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Friday that the owner of Pomona motel has agreed to a court settlement that restricts his business and aims to stop sex-trafficking and prostitution at the site.
The owner of the motel, the Pomona Lodge, agreed to stop renting rooms by the hour and turn over security footage to law enforcement upon request, among other measures.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said the settlement represents the first time county prosecutors have used consumer protection laws to go after properties where sex is sold and people are trafficked. County prosecutors had charged that the motel was a public nuisance and its owners had violated business codes and the state’s Red Light Abatement Law — legislation written 107 years ago to shut down brothels.
The settlement’s terms will remain in place for four years, and the motel’s owner also will pay a $9,000 fine.
The owner, according to state business records, is Kanu Patel. His attorney, Frank A. Weiser, called the settlement “very reasonable.” Patel, who also owns motels in Whittier and Corona, was not the on-site manager of the Pomona Lodge and was as “almost like an absentee landlord,” his lawyer said.
Weiser said he believed certain aspects of the district attorney’s investigation presented grounds for a federal lawsuit, such as their sending undercover officers into motel rooms posing as sex workers, but ultimately, his client “didn’t want to fight.”
“He took care of whatever alleged issues they had, immediately,” Weiser said. “He was very cooperative, and he settled voluntarily.”
Advertisement
Two years ago, undercover investigators noticed troubling signs at the brown and tan motel on Holt Avenue in Pomona, sandwiched between a health clinic and a Jack in the Box. Pomona police know the area as “the Blade.” They regularly arrest dozens of men there, many of them from out of town, for soliciting sex acts from undercover police officers, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported earlier this year.
One city councilman, who said his own wife had been solicited at a pastry shop on Holt Avenue, lamented that Pomona had become known as a place to buy sex.
“If you’re a female in Pomona, someone will try to offer you money for sex. That’s what it’s become,” the councilman, Rubio Gonzalez, told the newspaper.
Prosecutors say the Pomona Lodge’s front desk clerk, Ravirajsinh N. Zala, rented rooms to sex workers and exacted a cut of their earnings.
Zala, 25, is charged with four counts of pimping and trafficking a minor for a commercial sex act. He pleaded not guilty to all four counts, and his trial is tentatively scheduled to begin later this month.
Weiser, the owner’s attorney, said the decision to charge Zala with felonies was almost unheard-of. In his four decades handling litigation in the motel industry, Weiser could recall only one other case — that of a motel owner in Long Beach — who faced a felony sex trafficking charge. The charge was ultimately dropped, he said.
Advertisement
Zala was laid off once he was charged with pimping, Weiser said.
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said in a new release that the civil action brought against the motel should be a “warning” to owners of any property where sex is being sold. Lacey said her deputies will pursue anyone “who silently gave refuge to these criminals, disregarding their victims and benefiting financially from these crimes.”
Weiser said the terms of the settlement show that county authorities believe Patel can clean up his motel, noting they didn’t request the property be placed under a court-appointed receiver.
“If they didn’t think he could remediate it, they wouldn’t have allowed him to keep running it,” Weiser said.


latimes--2020-09-04--Reports of man flying in jet pack near LAX prompt FBI call for public's help

The FBI is asking the public ’ s help investigating reports from commercial pilots that a man was flying in a jet pack Sunday night near Los Angeles International Airport .
The FBI released a map on Twitter suggesting the area they were studying was in Southeast L.A. County , on the approach pattern for jets at LAX .
The map shows a line running west of the 710 freeway around Bell , Huntington Park and Cudahy .
“ Agents are investigating , and as we continue to seek answers , we ask that anyone with information about this event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement , noting that in Los Angeles , it can be reached 24 hours a day at ( 310 ) 477-6565 .
“ The FBI takes seriously any event that threatens U.S. airspace and investigates all alleged violations , ” it added .
The LAX control tower received reports of the jet pack Sunday at around 6:45 p.m. “ Tower , American 1997 .
We just passed a guy in a jet pack , ” an American Airlines pilot stated in a call to the control tower .
“ American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Were they off to your left or right side ?
” the tower operator answered .
“ Off the left side , maybe 300 yards or so , about our altitude , ” the pilot responded .
“ We just saw the guy pass us by in the jet pack , ” a pilot from Jet Blue Airways then told the tower , which warned another pilot about the sighting .
“ Only in L.A. , ” the air traffic controller said at one point .

The FBI is asking the public’s help investigating reports from commercial pilots that a man was flying in a jet pack Sunday night near Los Angeles International Airport.
The FBI released a map on Twitter suggesting the area they were studying was in Southeast L.A. County, on the approach pattern for jets at LAX. The map shows a line running west of the 710 freeway around Bell, Huntington Park and Cudahy.
“Agents are investigating, and as we continue to seek answers, we ask that anyone with information about this event contact the FBI,” the agency said in a statement, noting that in Los Angeles, it can be reached 24 hours a day at (310) 477-6565. “The FBI takes seriously any event that threatens U.S. airspace and investigates all alleged violations,” it added.
Advertisement
The LAX control tower received reports of the jet pack Sunday at around 6:45 p.m.
“Tower, American 1997. We just passed a guy in a jet pack,” an American Airlines pilot stated in a call to the control tower.
“American 1997, OK, thank you. Were they off to your left or right side?” the tower operator answered.
“Off the left side, maybe 300 yards or so, about our altitude,” the pilot responded.
“We just saw the guy pass us by in the jet pack,” a pilot from Jet Blue Airways then told the tower, which warned another pilot about the sighting.
“Only in L.A.,” the air traffic controller said at one point.


latimes--2020-09-04--USPS mail is found dumped at two spots in Glendale, prompting investigation

Piles of unopened United States Postal Service mail and packages were discovered dumped at two separate locations this week in Glendale , authorities said Friday .
Police responded to a call about 8 a.m. Thursday from the USPS , asking police to assist with a situation involving “ possible stolen mail or whatever was dumped in an alleyway , ” said Glendale Police Sgt .
Christian Hauptmann .
The second call came about two hours later from a business owner who witnessed a similar incident in a store parking lot not far from the alley .
Security footage obtained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Aesthetic in the 1600 block of Glenoaks Boulevard shows a Budget rental truck backing into a gate before a man retrieves piles of bags of mail and packages from inside the truck and throws them onto the ground .
The parking lot is less than a mile away from the alleyway in the 1000 block of Allen Avenue where the other pile of mail was discovered .
USPS declined to comment on the incident .
“ The U.S .
Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement , crime prevention and security arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evelina Ramirez said .
“ In order to preserve the integrity of their investigations and to prevent fundamental unfairness to the subjects of those investigations , the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service does not comment on any ongoing investigations.
” It ’ s unclear if the two incidents are related .
They come as USPS faces national outcry over recent service changes , sparking fears over voter suppression as the Nov. 3 election nears .
California Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra said Thursday the state is attempting to reverse the Postal Service ’ @ @ @ @

Piles of unopened USPS mail were found at two locations in Glendale this week.
Piles of unopened United States Postal Service mail and packages were discovered dumped at two separate locations this week in Glendale, authorities said Friday.
Police responded to a call about 8 a.m. Thursday from the USPS, asking police to assist with a situation involving “possible stolen mail or whatever was dumped in an alleyway,” said Glendale Police Sgt. Christian Hauptmann. The second call came about two hours later from a business owner who witnessed a similar incident in a store parking lot not far from the alley.
Security footage obtained by KTLA from outside the 7Q Spa Laser & Aesthetic in the 1600 block of Glenoaks Boulevard shows a Budget rental truck backing into a gate before a man retrieves piles of bags of mail and packages from inside the truck and throws them onto the ground. The parking lot is less than a mile away from the alleyway in the 1000 block of Allen Avenue where the other pile of mail was discovered.
Advertisement
USPS declined to comment on the incident.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement, crime prevention and security arm of the Postal Service,” spokesperson Evelina Ramirez said. “In order to preserve the integrity of their investigations and to prevent fundamental unfairness to the subjects of those investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service does not comment on any ongoing investigations.”
It’s unclear if the two incidents are related. They come as the USPS faces national outcry over recent service changes, sparking fears over voter suppression as the Nov. 3 election nears.
California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Thursday the state was attempting to reverse the Postal Service’s new policies.


latimes--2020-09-05--COVID-19 deaths reach 6,000 in L.A. County

The coronavirus crisis has now caused 6,000 deaths in Los Angeles County , a new milestone as public health officials reiterated warnings Saturday to prevent a “ great risk of community spread of COVID-19 '' by avoiding crowds and celebrating Labor Day weekend with members of one ’ s own household .
Public health officials confirmed 24 new deaths , most of them among people age 65 or older who had underlying health conditions .
New cases numbered 1,196 , bringing the county ’ s cumulative number to 247,542 .
There are currently 984 people hospitalized , of which 32 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Latinos made up 51 % of those who have died , with whites at 24 % , Asians at 15 % , Blacks at 10 % and Pacific Islanders at less than 1 % , according to race and ethnicity data available in 5,642 cases .
“ Each day , we join with those mourning the distressing loss of life to COVID-19 and we keep all who are grieving in our thoughts and prayers , ” Barbara Ferrer , L.A. county public health director , said in a statement .
“ Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for L.A. County as we acknowledge that 6,000 residents have lost their lives to COVID-19.
” As Southern Californians headed to beaches to escape a record heatwave , public health officials urged people to avoid crowds , use their own utensils , wear face coverings out of the water and stay physically distanced from those outside their party .
“ Any crowded space — even if it ’ s outdoors — can pose health and safety risks , ” the statement said .
Among 20 deaths reported Saturday with age details , half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were between ages 65 and 79 and six were between 50 and 64 .
Testing results are available for 2,360,795 people , with 10 % positive .

L.A. County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer at a news conference on the steps of Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration.
The coronavirus crisis has now caused 6,000 deaths in Los Angeles County, a new milestone as public health officials reiterated warnings Saturday to prevent a “great risk of community spread of COVID-19” by avoiding crowds and celebrating Labor Day weekend with members of one’s own household.
Public health officials confirmed 24 new deaths, most of them among people age 65 or older who had underlying health conditions. New cases numbered 1,196, bringing the county’s cumulative number to 247,542. There are currently 984 people hospitalized, of which 32% are confirmed cases in the ICU.
Latinos made up 51% of those who have died, with whites at 24%, Asians at 15%, Blacks at 10% and Pacific Islanders at less than 1%, according to race and ethnicity data available in 5,642 cases.
“Each day, we join with those mourning the distressing loss of life to COVID-19 and we keep all who are grieving in our thoughts and prayers,” Barbara Ferrer, L.A. county public health director, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, today marks another devastating low point for L.A. County as we acknowledge that 6,000 residents have lost their lives to COVID-19.”
Advertisement
As Southern Californians headed to beaches to escape a record heatwave, public health officials urged people to avoid crowds, use their own utensils, wear face coverings out of the water and stay physically distanced from those outside their party.
“Any crowded space — even if it’s outdoors — can pose health and safety risks,” the statement said.
Among 20 deaths reported Saturday with age details, half involved people over age 80, four were between ages 65 and 79 and six were between 50 and 64.
Testing results are available for 2,360,795 people, with 10% positive.


latimes--2020-09-05--L.A. firefighter who struck handcuffed patient accepts suspension as video is released

A Los Angeles firefighter who struck a restrained detainee in the head — and pulled a towel tightly around his face , prompting him to yell , “ I can ’ t breathe !
” — has accepted a 12-day suspension for his actions , according to internal Fire Department records reviewed by The Times .
The development comes as a new video shows some details of the incident .
Derek Farrow , who was working as an emergency medical technician when the incident occurred in March 2019 , informed officials that he would accept the punishment through a union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after The Times published a story about Farrow continuing to work for nearly a year and a half without punishment .
Farrow had previously rejected the suspension and notified the department that he intended to fight the punishment before a disciplinary panel .
He said the detainee had bitten a police officer and was spitting at medical staff .
Such a proceeding would have opened the case up to broader public scrutiny at a time when tensions are high in Los Angeles and elsewhere over police use of force .
Farrow is white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punching is Black .
The handling of the incident has raised questions within the Fire Department and across city government about how firefighters are disciplined when they violate policy , and about policies and rules that keep such incidents from public view .
The Farrow case came to light because The Times received a tip and then access to internal documents , including a report that said the firefighter ’ s actions might have violated state law .
The records provided a rough sketch of what happened but left out many details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times published an article about the case , fire officials have been more forthcoming and started releasing more public records .
Surveillance camera video from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center on March 20 , 2019 , released to The Times this week , captures part of what occurred .
It shows Farrow standing over detainee Earl Hatton ’ s gurney and wrapping a towel around Hatton ’ s head and face at two different points — once to forcefully pull Hatton ’ s head onto the gurney .
An unidentified Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the towel over Hatton ’ s face .
The video does not show Farrow hitting Hatton , but other videos recorded by LAPD body cameras do show the firefighter striking Hatton , according to Fire Department records obtained by The Times .
The newspaper requested copies of the police body camera footage two weeks ago ; the LAPD has yet to release it .
Farrow referred questions about the case to his union spokesman , Domingo Albarran Jr. , who said Farrow maintains he did nothing wrong but “ doesn ’ t feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fair ” disciplinary hearing , now that the case has been made public and given “ the societal climate right now around all the things involved.
” Like other cities across the U.S. , Los Angeles has been shaken this summer by large protests against police brutality toward Black people , with demonstrators demanding more severe punishments for officers who harm detainees or others on the street .
Farrow told Fire Department investigators last year that he struck Hatton “ in a split second ” to stop the man from biting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents released this week to The Times .
Farrow said he put the towel on the detainee ’ s face to protect himself and others from Hatton , who he said was aggressively spitting .
He also said Hatton was yelling racial slurs , and shouting that he had multiple communicable diseases and wanted to make sure he infected the firefighters and police officers around him .
The hospital videos released to The Times on Thursday do not have sound and do not show Hatton biting an officer .
Descriptions of separate LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those videos capture an officer saying he was bitten , and show him “ rolling up his uniform sleeve to look at his left arm.
” The records say they also show Farrow “ twisting the towel around ” Hatton ’ s head , and Farrow striking Hatton twice with his right hand .
The incident occurred after Farrow helped transfer Hatton from the LAPD ’ s 77th Street Station to the jail ward at County-USC .
Hatton had suffered a small cut on his forehead from purposefully banging his head inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say .
Hatton , 24 , had been arrested that morning on suspicion of assaulting a woman with a brick and resisting arrest , and he was later convicted and sentenced to four years in prison — where he remains .
He could not be reached for comment , and the public defender ’ s office , which represented him , has declined to comment .
Fire officials have not commented on the Farrow case in detail , saying it is a personnel matter , but released documents and the County-USC video this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from The Times .
Farrow ’ s 12-day suspension covers six shifts because of the nature of firefighter schedules .
Fire Department records show that an investigation by the department ’ s Professional Standards Division found a preponderance of evidence that Farrow had used unauthorized force against Hatton , who was handcuffed , in leg restraints and strapped to a gurney .
The incident was reported to officials the same day it occurred , according to Fire Department records .
Farrow told investigators that Hatton had bitten through two spit hoods .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s face , despite it being against department policy , and said he at one point used an open hand to stop Hatton from biting the officer , according to an investigative report .
After being shown footage from the incident that captured him using a closed fist , Farrow admitted to punching Hatton , the report said .
Farrow also told investigators that he would wrap a towel around a patient ’ s face again if presented with a similar situation , according to the report .
“ Farrow said if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would use a towel again to prevent a patient from spitting on LAFD personnel and possibly spreading a disease , ” the report said .
Investigators dismissed Farrow ’ s explanations for why he had punched Hatton , calling the use of force “ excessive and unauthorized.
” They also dismissed his reasons for using the towel , calling it “ improper ” and “ a concern in terms of proper patient care.
” Albarran said that , in striking Hatton , Farrow had “ reacted in the best manner , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department , ” because he “ felt he was protecting someone.
” While using a towel on a patient ’ s face is not a sanctioned practice , firefighters do use them in that way “ as a last resort , ” Albarran said .
Another firefighter at the scene , Abraham Cuervo-Mitchell , said in a statement to The Times that Farrow “ acted in the best way he knew given the extreme circumstance of the situation.
” Farrow ’ s use of the towel prompted the department to instruct firefighters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to properly handle agitated patients , Farrow told investigators .
Police investigators reviewed the case — though the LAPD would not disclose its findings — and it also was flagged to county officials who oversee city emergency medical technicians .
Dr. Marc Eckstein , commander of the Fire Department ’ s emergency medical services , had expressed his own concerns about Farrow ’ s actions in a letter to a county health director , Dr. Marianne Gausche-Hill , in October , writing that the firefighter ’ s actions may have violated state law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said protocols require fire departments to alert the county Emergency Medical Services Agency to allegations of misconduct against EMTs , so that it can assess the appropriateness of punishments .
The agency has the authority to suspend a firefighter ’ s EMT certification .
In a statement to The Times on Friday , Gausche-Hill said she reviewed the circumstances of the Farrow case , including the fact that he had no record of misconduct before the March 2019 incident , and determined “ that no additional action on his certification is indicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing this matter from further investigation.
” Some say the handling of the case highlights larger structural problems in the way firefighters are disciplined .
Fire Commissioner Jimmie Woods-Gray said the Farrow case underscored the need for reforms in the department , such as requiring firefighters to wear body cameras and creating an independent authority to investigate allegations of misconduct .
She also faulted the department for not informing the commission of the allegations against Farrow until after The Times reported on them .
“ None of the commissioners were aware of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was very disturbing to us commissioners that we hadn ’ t heard about it before .
”

Kevin Rector, Paul Pringle, Dakota Smith

A Los Angeles firefighter who struck a restrained detainee in the head — and pulled a towel tightly around his face, prompting him to yell, “I can’t breathe!” — has accepted a 12-day suspension for his actions, according to internal Fire Department records reviewed by The Times. The development comes as a new video shows some details of the incident.
Derek Farrow, who was working as an emergency medical technician when the incident occurred in March 2019, informed officials that he would accept the punishment through a union representative on Aug. 26 — one day after The Times published a story about Farrow continuing to work for nearly a year and a half without punishment.
Farrow had previously rejected the suspension and notified the department that he intended to fight the punishment before a disciplinary panel. He said the detainee had bitten a police officer and was spitting at medical staff.
Advertisement
Such a proceeding would have opened the case up to broader public scrutiny at a time when tensions are high in Los Angeles and elsewhere over police use of force. Farrow is white and the man he is accused of punching is Black.
The handling of the incident has raised questions within the Fire Department and across city government about how firefighters are disciplined when they violate policy, and about policies and rules that keep such incidents from public view.
The Farrow case came to light because The Times received a tip and then access to internal documents, including a report that said the firefighter’s actions might have violated state law.
The records provided a rough sketch of what happened but left out many details. In recent days, and particularly after The Times published an article about the case, fire officials have been more forthcoming and started releasing more public records.
Surveillance camera video from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center on March 20, 2019, released to The Times this week, captures part of what occurred. It shows Farrow standing over detainee Earl Hatton’s gurney and wrapping a towel around Hatton’s head and face at two different points — once to forcefully pull Hatton’s head onto the gurney.
An unidentified Los Angeles Police Department officer also is seen throwing the towel over Hatton’s face.
The video does not show Farrow hitting Hatton, but other videos recorded by LAPD body cameras do show the firefighter striking Hatton, according to Fire Department records obtained by The Times. The newspaper requested copies of the police body camera footage two weeks ago; the LAPD has yet to release it.
Advertisement
Farrow referred questions about the case to his union spokesman, Domingo Albarran Jr., who said Farrow maintains he did nothing wrong but “doesn’t feel that he’s going to get a fair” disciplinary hearing, now that the case has been made public and given “the societal climate right now around all the things involved.”
Like other cities across the U.S., Los Angeles has been shaken this summer by large protests against police brutality toward Black people, with demonstrators demanding more severe punishments for officers who harm detainees or others on the street.
Farrow told Fire Department investigators last year that he struck Hatton “in a split second” to stop the man from biting a police officer, according to Fire Department documents released this week to The Times. Farrow said he put the towel on the detainee’s face to protect himself and others from Hatton, who he said was aggressively spitting.
He also said Hatton was yelling racial slurs, and shouting that he had multiple communicable diseases and wanted to make sure he infected the firefighters and police officers around him.
The hospital videos released to The Times on Thursday do not have sound and do not show Hatton biting an officer.
Descriptions of separate LAPD body-camera footage in Fire Department records say that those videos capture an officer saying he was bitten, and show him “rolling up his uniform sleeve to look at his left arm.” The records say they also show Farrow “twisting the towel around” Hatton’s head, and Farrow striking Hatton twice with his right hand.
The incident occurred after Farrow helped transfer Hatton from the LAPD’s 77th Street Station to the jail ward at County-USC. Hatton had suffered a small cut on his forehead from purposefully banging his head inside a police car, the LAFD records say.
Hatton, 24, had been arrested that morning on suspicion of assaulting a woman with a brick and resisting arrest, and he was later convicted and sentenced to four years in prison — where he remains. He could not be reached for comment, and the public defender’s office, which represented him, has declined to comment.
Fire officials have not commented on the Farrow case in detail, saying it is a personnel matter, but released documents and the County-USC video this week in response to public records requests from The Times.
Farrow’s 12-day suspension covers six shifts because of the nature of firefighter schedules.
Fire Department records show that an investigation by the department’s Professional Standards Division found a preponderance of evidence that Farrow had used unauthorized force against Hatton, who was handcuffed, in leg restraints and strapped to a gurney. The incident was reported to officials the same day it occurred, according to Fire Department records.
Farrow told investigators that Hatton had bitten through two spit hoods. He admitted to wrapping a towel around Hatton’s face, despite it being against department policy, and said he at one point used an open hand to stop Hatton from biting the officer, according to an investigative report.
After being shown footage from the incident that captured him using a closed fist, Farrow admitted to punching Hatton, the report said.
Farrow also told investigators that he would wrap a towel around a patient’s face again if presented with a similar situation, according to the report.
“Farrow said if a towel was his only option he would use a towel again to prevent a patient from spitting on LAFD personnel and possibly spreading a disease,” the report said.
Investigators dismissed Farrow’s explanations for why he had punched Hatton, calling the use of force “excessive and unauthorized.” They also dismissed his reasons for using the towel, calling it “improper” and “a concern in terms of proper patient care.”
Albarran said that, in striking Hatton, Farrow had “reacted in the best manner, in the true tradition of the Los Angeles Fire Department,” because he “felt he was protecting someone.”
While using a towel on a patient’s face is not a sanctioned practice, firefighters do use them in that way “as a last resort,” Albarran said.
Another firefighter at the scene, Abraham Cuervo-Mitchell, said in a statement to The Times that Farrow “acted in the best way he knew given the extreme circumstance of the situation.”
Farrow’s use of the towel prompted the department to instruct firefighters at Farrow’s fire station on how to properly handle agitated patients, Farrow told investigators. Police investigators reviewed the case — though the LAPD would not disclose its findings — and it also was flagged to county officials who oversee city emergency medical technicians.
Dr. Marc Eckstein, commander of the Fire Department’s emergency medical services, had expressed his own concerns about Farrow’s actions in a letter to a county health director, Dr. Marianne Gausche-Hill, in October, writing that the firefighter’s actions may have violated state law against the abuse of patients.
County officials said protocols require fire departments to alert the county Emergency Medical Services Agency to allegations of misconduct against EMTs, so that it can assess the appropriateness of punishments. The agency has the authority to suspend a firefighter’s EMT certification.
In a statement to The Times on Friday, Gausche-Hill said she reviewed the circumstances of the Farrow case, including the fact that he had no record of misconduct before the March 2019 incident, and determined “that no additional action on his certification is indicated by state guidelines. EMS will be closing this matter from further investigation.”
Some say the handling of the case highlights larger structural problems in the way firefighters are disciplined.
Fire Commissioner Jimmie Woods-Gray said the Farrow case underscored the need for reforms in the department, such as requiring firefighters to wear body cameras and creating an independent authority to investigate allegations of misconduct.
She also faulted the department for not informing the commission of the allegations against Farrow until after The Times reported on them.
“None of the commissioners were aware of that issue,” she said. “It was very disturbing to us commissioners that we hadn’t heard about it before.”


latimes--2020-09-05--Fast-moving fire threatening communities in Yucaipa; evacuations underway

A fast-moving brush fire charred more than 800 acres within a few hours in the Yucaipa area Saturday , prompting evacuations in several nearby San Bernardino County communities , CalFire officials said .
Dubbed the El Dorado Fire , the blaze began about 10:30 a.m. in the 37000 block of Oak Glen Road , officials said .
By 2:30 p.m. , the five-acre fire had exploded in size , forcing the evacuation of Oak Glen , Forest Falls , Mountain Home Village and parts of eastern Yucaipa .
The blaze also closed a portion of the San Gorgonio Wildnerness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Hikers who are exiting the Vivian Creek , San Bernardino Peak and Momyer trailheads are advised to stop their trip and head back to retrieve their vehicles , ” the national forest ’ s Twitter post said .
The Yucaipa Community Center was set up as an evacuation center , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
Firefighters were dealing with triple-digit heat as a heat wave gripped the region .
Temperatures are expected to reach 118 degrees in Woodland Hills , 114 in Pasadena , 112 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday and Sunday , said David Sweet , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ Some of these temperatures could be the all-time record for the location , ” Sweet said .
Temperatures in many inland areas were well into the triple digits by 12:30 p.m. , the weather service said .
Another major fire was burning in Fresno County .
Residents of Huntington Lake , Camp Sierra and Big Creek in Central California were ordered to evacuate , and portions of Highway 168 were shut down , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shaver Lake was closed .

Firefighters advance up a hill as the El Dorado fire approaches the Yucaipa area Saturday. Evacuations were ordered in several nearby San Bernardino County communities.
A fast-moving brush fire has scorched more than 3,000 acres in the Yucaipa area in San Bernardino County, prompting evacuations of several nearby communities, fire officials said Sunday.
Dubbed the El Dorado fire, the blaze began about 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the 37000 block of Oak Glen Road, officials said. By 2:30 p.m., the 5-acre fire had exploded in size, forcing the evacuation of Oak Glen, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village and parts of eastern Yucaipa.
The blaze also closed a portion of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, according to San Bernardino National Forest officials.
“Hikers who are exiting the Vivian Creek, San Bernardino Peak and Momyer trailheads are advised to stop their trip and head back to retrieve their vehicles,” the national forest’s Twitter post said.
The Yucaipa Community Center was set up as an evacuation center, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Another major fire was burning in Fresno County in Northern California.
Advertisement
Jeremy Anglin, left, and Matt Taylor heat up tacos on a grill as the El Dorado fire approaches in Yucaipa Saturday. The two men are friends of the homeowner and came to help fight the blaze if it got closer. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
A brush fire in the Sierra National Forest exploded Saturday, consuming more than 36,000 acres, threatening local communities andtrapping 150 people near a popular reservoir.
The fast-moving Creek fire cut off evacuation routes to Mammoth Pool Reservoir, according to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. All of the people were reported safe but 10 of them had injuries, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The fast-moving Creek fire cut off evacuation routes to Mammoth Pool Reservoir, according to the Madera County sheriff’s office. All of the people were reported safe but 10 of them suffered some type of injury, the sheriff’s office said.
The California National Guard assisted in a major rescue operation Saturday night, using a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to help airlift people trapped by the fire, including some who are injured, said Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau. Hokanson said in a tweet that people had been taken to CalGuard facilities and were met by medics and civilian first responders.
The Fresno Fire Department said late Saturday that several military helicopters had rescued 63 people and taken them to Fresno Yosemite International Airport . Injuries were severe for two people and moderate for 10 others, while 51 people had minor or no injuries, fire officials said in a tweet. Aircraft were returning to continue operations but it was unclear, the tweet said, how many more people needed to be evacuated.
Advertisement
Sierra National Forest spokesman Dan Tune said those trapped in the reservoir area were not in imminent danger since the fire front has moved past them and was headed north. But people have been advised to shelter in place while strike teams of engines and hand crews try to clear evacuation routes and contain the fast-moving flames. The fire is also threatening a range of structures and power lines.
Residents of Huntington Lake, Camp Sierra and Big Creek in Central California were ordered to evacuate.
“The priority right now is community and life safety,” he said.