latimes--2020-10-06--Glass fire firefighter hospitalized after possible carbon monoxide poisoning

A firefighter battling the Glass fire was transported to a Santa Rosa-area hospital Tuesday afternoon after potential exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning , officials said .
The firefighter , who was not identified , was one of 16 initially examined for possible exposure to the odorless gas Tuesday morning , said Scott McLean , a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
The initial assessments were made at a Cal Fire base camp set up at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa .
The other 15 firefighters were released back to the fire line after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will tell , ” McLean said of the hospitalized firefighter ’ s condition .
McClean said the exposure did not happen while battling the blaze and occurred outside of base camp , but he did not provide further details .
Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache , dizziness , weakness , upset stomach , vomiting , chest pain and confusion .
They ’ re often described as “ flu-like , ” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Inhaling a large amount of the gas can be deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire had scorched more than 66,000 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties , among the most destructive fires to hit the wine-making region .
It has damaged or destroyed structures at 20 wineries in the area .
“ They ’ re making some really good headway ” on the fire , which has blazed for eight days , McLean said .
It is 50 % contained .
Evacuation orders remain “ fluid , ” he said .
A local assistance center opened Monday at the Napa County Health and Human Services campus .

Firefighters perform structure protection against the Glass fire in Napa County on Thursday along Highway 29 just past Old Lawley Toll Road in Calistoga.
A firefighter battling the Glass fire was transported to a Santa Rosa-area hospital Tuesday afternoon after potential exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.
The firefighter, who was not identified, was one of 16 initially examined for possible exposure to the odorless gas Tuesday morning, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The initial assessments were made at a Cal Fire base camp set up at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. The other 15 firefighters were released back to the fire line after being cleared for duty.
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“Time will tell,” McLean said of the hospitalized firefighter’s condition.
McClean said the exposure did not happen while battling the blaze and occurred outside of base camp, but he did not provide further details.
Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. They’re often described as “flu-like,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inhaling a large amount of the gas can be deadly.
As of Tuesday, the Glass fire had scorched more than 66,000 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, among the most destructive fires to hit the wine-making region. It has damaged or destroyed structures at 20 wineries in the area.
“They’re making some really good headway” on the fire, which has blazed for eight days, McLean said. It is 50% contained.
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Evacuation orders remain “fluid,” he said. A local assistance center opened Monday at the Napa County Health and Human Services campus.


latimes--2020-10-06--Flaws in LAPD's process for accepting outside donations cited; fixes promised

Los Angeles police officials on Tuesday promised improvements to the LAPD ’ s process for accepting donations from outside organizations and foundations — which they did to the tune of nearly $ 10 million last year — after two audits identified issues with documenting and tracking such gifts .
The findings of both reviews were presented to the Police Commission during a virtual meeting Tuesday .
The first , conducted by LAPD Inspector General Mark Smith and his staff , found the L.A. Police Department ‘ s overall process for accepting gifts was “ generally well designed , ” but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inconsistency and confusion.
” When outside money came into the department , it wasn ’ t always clear whether or how it had been solicited by department officials .
At times , other basic information — such as who was cutting the checks — wasn ’ t known or tracked .
Some private foundations promised donors special access to LAPD commanders .
The inspector general ’ s report found the donation process “ should be streamlined to facilitate the flow of consistent , accurate information and the timely approval of donations ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The recommendations included creating standardized forms and a centralized database for gathering and storing critical information about donations ; establishing a more structured timeline for seeking donation approval ; better tracking information on how donations were obtained ; providing more explicit guidelines for employees who solicit donations ; establishing more robust policies around potential conflicts of interest ; and setting parameters for what donors may get in return for their generosity .
Department officials said they accepted all of the recommendations and would begin to implement them .
Commission President Eileen Decker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and report on it publicly next year .
“ Your recommendations are well taken and will improve our process dramatically , as well as improving the LAPD ’ s internal process , ” Decker told Smith and his staff .
Private foundations have long supplemented the department ’ s public budget with private donations , funding technology upgrades and equipment , and special community programs .
Corporations also make contributions .
The commission must approve donations to the department , and can do so independently for gifts up to about $ 18,000 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go before the City Council for approval .
In addition to the inspector general ’ s audit , the commission also discussed a separate , internal audit that outlined the recent discovery by LAPD officials that nearly $ 350,000 worth of technology , equipment and travel funding from the Los Angeles Police Foundation had been accepted and partially distributed throughout the department without the proper approvals .
The foundation is by far the LAPD ’ s largest donor , providing more than $ 6 million to the agency just last year .
LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department ’ s information technology bureau , said he instigated the audit after discovering the lack of proper approvals for a raft of Los Angeles Police Foundation gifts .
The gifts included laptop computers , office equipment , iPads , video processing software , a three-dimensional scanner , a 50-inch television and various other equipment .
There was also funding travel expenses for department personnel .
The commission approved all of the donations Tuesday , and McMahon said changes had been implemented to prevent the sort of failures that had allowed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Members of the commission have come under scrutiny from activists in L.A. who say their involvement with nonprofits that contribute or receive funds that flow through the police foundation and the LAPD represent conflicts of interest .
Several callers into the virtual meeting Tuesday dismissed the audits for not discussing those connections .
Decker acknowledged the allegations , without suggesting there was any merit to them , and advised all commissioners to run their nonprofit ties past city ethics officials to ensure they have no conflicts and do not give the impression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of impropriety in the past , and the criticisms have not diminished interest among officials in receiving gifts — particularly of late .
The audits come at a time of belt-tightening for the LAPD , after a $ 150-million cut to its multibillion dollar budget by the City Council this summer and amid ongoing calls by reform activists for a broader defunding of the department .
Last week , LAPD Chief Michel Moore tweeted out a link to a Washington Examiner editorial that criticized calls from activists for outside donors to stop funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police accountability and community programs .
“ I echo the sentiment and in the midst of the most challenging economic times in our history , grateful for those who step forward in support of policing .
Police foundations should be part of the criminal justice solution , ” Moore tweeted .
Moore also exchanged thoughts on outside funding with Commissioner Steve Soboroff this summer , according to emails obtained by The Times through a public records request .
On June 12 , Moore sent an email to Soboroff mentioning that the “ fiscal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of a large mobilization of officers in response to massive protests in the city had forced the department to switch entirely to compensation time instead of cash overtime payments , because the alternative “ was to be unable to make payroll.
” In response , Soboroff suggested that the department may have to “ double down ” on its reliance on outside giving .
“ We [ are ] gon na have to double down with the foundation for the technology , training and stuff we need to move forward , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reimagine the big picture ( like we have been doing ) , ” Soboroff wrote .
“ I am so concerned about crime rates , rank and file morale , recruitment and retention.
” Soboroff is among the commissioners who have been criticized by activists for what the activists perceive as a conflict of interest related to outside giving — namely for his sitting on the board of the Weingart Foundation , which donates to the police foundation and , therefore , to the LAPD .
On Tuesday , Soboroff said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donations , and always acts with the best interest of police officers and Los Angeles residents in mind .
He said outside donations to the department are important , particularly now , amid budget cuts .
Soboroff said he isn ’ t opposed to defunding the part of the police budget that covers operational duties if those duties are shifted to other service providers but criticized cuts to the LAPD budget by the city before any such transfer of duties has occurred .
“ The idea of taking money away and not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone else is wrong , irresponsible and dangerous for everyone in Los Angeles , ” he said .

L.A. Police Department officials say they will implement recommended changes to the department’s process for accepting outside donations, after two audits found flaws.
Los Angeles police officials on Tuesday promised improvements to the LAPD’s process for accepting donations from outside organizations and foundations — which they did to the tune of nearly $10 million last year — after two audits identified issues with documenting and tracking such gifts.
The findings of both reviews were presented to the Police Commission during a virtual meeting Tuesday.
The first, conducted by LAPD Inspector General Mark Smith and his staff, found that the Los Angeles Police Department‘s overall process for accepting gifts was “generally well designed” but that there also were “areas of inconsistency and confusion.”
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When outside money came into the department, it wasn’t always clear whether or how it had been solicited by department officials. At times, other basic information — such as who was cutting the checks — wasn’t known or tracked. Some private foundations promised donors special access to LAPD commanders.
The inspector general’s report found the donation process “should be streamlined to facilitate the flow of consistent, accurate information and the timely approval of donations” and provided 10 recommendations for improving the process.
The recommendations included creating standardized forms and a centralized database for gathering and storing critical information about donations, establishing a more structured timeline for seeking donation approval, better tracking information on how donations were obtained, providing more explicit guidelines for employees who solicit donations, establishing more robust policies around potential conflicts of interest and setting parameters for what donors may get in return for their generosity.
Department officials said they accepted all of the recommendations and would begin to implement them. Commission President Eileen Decker said the commission would track that implementation and report on it publicly next year.
“Your recommendations are well taken and will improve our process dramatically, as well as improving the LAPD’s internal process,” Decker told Smith and his staff.
Private foundations have long supplemented the department’s public budget with private donations, funding technology upgrades and equipment, and special community programs. Corporations also make contributions.
The commission must approve donations to the department and can do so independently for gifts of up to about $18,000. Donations of a greater value must also go before the City Council for approval.
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In addition to the inspector general’s audit, the commission also discussed a separate, internal audit that outlined the recent discovery by LAPD officials that nearly $350,000 worth of technology, equipment and travel funding from the Los Angeles Police Foundation had been accepted and partially distributed throughout the department without the proper approvals. The foundation is by far the LAPD’s largest donor, providing more than $6 million to the agency just last year.
LAPD Deputy Chief John McMahon, who oversees the department’s information technology bureau, said he instigated the audit after discovering the lack of proper approvals for a raft of Los Angeles Police Foundation gifts. The gifts included laptop computers, office equipment, iPads, video processing software, a three-dimensional scanner, a 50-inch television and various other equipment. There was also funding for travel expenses for department personnel.
The commission approved all of the donations Tuesday, and McMahon said changes had been implemented to prevent the sort of failures that had allowed the items to go into use before approval.
Members of the commission have come under scrutiny from activists in L.A. who say their involvement with nonprofits that contribute or receive funds that flow through the police foundation and the LAPD represents a conflict of interest. Several callers into the virtual meeting Tuesday dismissed the audits for not discussing those connections.
Decker acknowledged the allegations, without suggesting there was any merit to them, and advised all commissioners to run their nonprofit ties past city ethics officials to ensure they have no conflicts and do not give the impression of impropriety. Commissioners have dismissed claims of impropriety in the past, and the criticisms have not diminished interest among officials in receiving gifts — particularly of late.
The audits come at a time of belt-tightening for the LAPD, after a $150-million cut to its multibillion-dollar budget by the City Council this summer and amid ongoing calls by reform activists for a broader defunding of the department.
Last week, LAPD Chief Michel Moore tweeted out a link to a Washington Examiner editorial that criticized calls from activists for outside donors to stop funding police departments and said their efforts undermined police accountability and community programs.
“I echo the sentiment and in the midst of the most challenging economic times in our history, grateful for those who step forward in support of policing. Police foundations should be part of the criminal justice solution,” Moore tweeted.
Moore also exchanged thoughts on outside funding with Commissioner Steve Soboroff this summer, according to emails obtained by The Times through a public records request.
On June 12, Moore sent an email to Soboroff mentioning that the “fiscal crisis” and the “unbudgeted expense” of a large mobilization of officers in response to massive protests in the city had forced the department to switch entirely to compensation time instead of cash overtime payments, because the alternative “was to be unable to make payroll.”
In response, Soboroff suggested that the department may have to “double down” on its reliance on outside giving.
“We [are] gonna have to double down with the foundation for the technology, training and stuff we need to move forward, while at the same time continuing to rethink and reimagine the big picture (like we have been doing),” Soboroff wrote. “I am so concerned about crime rates, rank and file morale, recruitment and retention.”
Soboroff is among the commissioners who have been criticized by activists for what the activists perceive as a conflict of interest related to outside giving — namely for his sitting on the board of the Weingart Foundation, which donates to the police foundation and, therefore, to the LAPD.
On Tuesday, Soboroff said he recuses himself from Weingart votes on such donations and always acts with the best interest of police officers and Los Angeles residents in mind.
He said outside donations to the department are important, particularly now, amid budget cuts.
Soboroff said he isn’t opposed to defunding the part of the police budget that covers operational duties if those duties are shifted to other service providers, but he criticized cuts to the LAPD budget by the city before any such transfer of duties has occurred.
“The idea of taking money away and not being able to have the services provided by someone else is wrong, irresponsible and dangerous for everyone in Los Angeles,” he said.


latimes--2020-10-06--In a first, 2 counties move backward on state's reopening plan; Ventura moves forward

Although a handful of counties advanced in the state ’ s COVID-19 reopening plan Tuesday , two moved backward — the first time since California launched its tiered system that parts of the state have regressed .
Following an increase in cases , Tehama County moved back to Tier 1 , the most restrictive , and Shasta County moved back to Tier 2 .
The setbacks will affect business sectors that had been given the green light to reopen or expand capacity in those areas .
Shasta County , which averaged 173.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 124.3 cases per 100,000 residents during the same period , are among the five counties in the state where the most new cases are concentrated , according to The Times ’ tracker .
Among the counties that moved forward was Ventura , the fourth in Southern California to advance on the state ’ s blueprint for reopening .
It joined Merced and Yuba counties in advancing from Tier 1 , also known as the purple tier , with widespread risk of the virus , to Tier 2 , or the red tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Inyo County moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3 , also known as the orange tier , with moderate risk of the virus .
Humboldt , Plumas , Siskiyou and Trinity counties moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4 , also known as the yellow tier , with minimal risk of the virus .
Ventura County officials were prepared for the move following a decrease in positivity rate and case count .
The progressive step will allow the county to expand operations and capacity at business sectors , including restaurants and shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , including movie theaters , for the first time .
If the county remains in the tier for two consecutive weeks , it will be allowed to open all schools .
That is true for any county that moves to Tier 2 .
Ventura County is currently reporting 5.5 infections per 100,000 residents and a seven-day average positivity rate of 3.0 % .
Those metrics have also dipped statewide .
The seven-day average for daily infections is 3,005 , and the current 14-day positivity rate is 2.7 % .
“ Our cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , but they have been plateauing , ” acting state health officer Dr. Erica Pan said Tuesday .
The state ’ s goal is to continue to see a steady decrease in infections in order to ensure that the projected transmission rate does not rise .
Additionally , the state ’ s health equity metric went into effect Tuesday .
In order to ensure that communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 — including Black and Latino residents , Pacific Islanders and low-income residents — get ample attention as each county progresses , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a county ’ s lowest quartile and compare it to the countywide metric .
Both numbers would have to meet a tier ’ s requirements in order for the county as a whole to move forward .
If the numbers fall on different tiers , the stricter guidance will stand .
Humboldt County ’ s health equity metric helped move it forward to Tier 4 , California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday .
At this point , no county has been hindered from moving forward because of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where indoor malls will reopen Wednesday for the first time in months , the positivity rate is currently low , at 2.8 % .
But the daily case count remains high , at 7.4 per 100,000 people — a number that has kept the county in the most restrictive Tier 1 .
It ’ s unclear how the the health equity metric will affect L.A. County , but health officials have previously committed to expanding testing , contact tracing and educational resources in the county ’ s hardest-hit communities .

Patrons ate in May at Ventura’s BusyBee 50’s Cafe. In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom closed all indoor dining at restaurants, but on Tuesday, Ventura County advanced in the state’s reopening blueprint, allowing a return to limited indoor seating.
Although a handful of counties advanced in the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan Tuesday, two moved backward — the first time since California launched its tiered system that parts of the state have regressed.
Following an increase in cases, Tehama County moved back to Tier 1, the most restrictive category, and Shasta County moved back to Tier 2. The setbacks will affect business sectors that had been given the green light to reopen or expand capacity in those areas.
Shasta County, which averaged 173.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days, and Tehama County, with 124.3 cases per 100,000 residents during the same period, are among the five counties in the state where the most new cases are concentrated, according to The Times’ tracker.
Among the counties that moved forward was Ventura, the fourth in Southern California to advance on the state’s blueprint for reopening. It joined Merced and Yuba counties in advancing from Tier 1, also known as the purple tier, with widespread risk of the virus, to Tier 2, or the red tier, with substantial risk of the virus.
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Inyo County moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3, also known as the orange tier, with moderate risk of the virus. Humboldt, Plumas, Siskiyou and Trinity counties moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4, also known as the yellow tier, with minimal risk of the virus.
Ventura County officials were prepared for the move following a decrease in positivity rate and case count. The progressive step will allow the county to expand operations and capacity at business sectors, including restaurants and shopping centers, and to partially reopen other businesses, including movie theaters, for the first time.
If the county remains in the tier for two consecutive weeks, it will be allowed to open all schools. That is true for any county that moves to Tier 2.
Ventura County is currently reporting 5.5 infections per 100,000 residents and a seven-day average positivity rate of 3.0%.
Those metrics have also dipped statewide. The seven-day average for daily infections is 3,005, and the current 14-day positivity rate is 2.7%.
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“Our cases have decreased from our peak over the summer, but they have been plateauing,” acting state health officer Dr. Erica Pan said Tuesday. The state’s goal is to continue to see a steady decrease in infections in order to ensure that the projected transmission rate does not rise.
Additionally, the state’s health equity metric went into effect Tuesday.
In order to ensure that communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 — including Black and Latino residents, Pacific Islanders and low-income residents — get ample attention as each county progresses, the state will examine the positivity rate of a county’s lowest quartile and compare it to the countywide metric. Both numbers would have to meet a tier’s requirements in order for the county as a whole to move forward. If the numbers fall on different tiers, the stricter guidance will stand.
Humboldt County’s health equity metric helped move it forward to Tier 4, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday. At this point, no county has been hindered from moving forward because of that metric.
In Los Angeles County, where indoor malls will reopen Wednesday for the first time in months, the positivity rate is currently low, at 2.8%. But the daily case count remains high, at 7.4 per 100,000 people — a number that has kept the county in the most restrictive Tier 1.
It’s unclear how the health equity metric will affect L.A. County, but health officials have previously committed to expanding testing, contact tracing and educational resources in the county’s hardest-hit communities.


latimes--2020-10-06--Judge fines L.A. $2.5 million for 'serious abuse' in handling of evidence in DWP case

A Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay a $ 2.5-million fine , ruling in favor of a consulting firm that accused City Atty .
Mike Feuer ’ s office of concealing evidence in a high-profile lawsuit involving the Department of Water and Power .
At a downtown L.A. hearing , Judge Elihu M. Berle said there had been “ serious abuse of discovery by the city and its counsel ” in the DWP case — actions that merited “ considerable sanctions.
” California law allows courts to impose sanctions over discovery misconduct by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged that the city ’ s attorneys concealed key documents , and produced unprepared witnesses and false deposition testimony .
PricewaterhouseCoopers attorney Daniel J. Thomasch said at Tuesday ’ s hearing that city attorneys intentionally dragged out the case by refusing to turn over evidence .
The delays resulted in a monetary cost to PricewaterhouseCoopers , Thomasch said .
“ The city thought it could just wear down PWC and the court , ” Thomasch said .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for Feuer , said the city attorney ’ s office is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disagree with the court ’ s ruling , ” Wilcox said .
Jamie Court , president of advocacy group Consumer Watchdog , said the fine should disqualify Feuer , a mayoral candidate , from running for City Hall ’ s top job .
“ Taxpayers are going to have to pay for the malfeasance of the city attorney and his office , ” Court said .
The city in 2015 sued PricewaterhouseCoopers , blaming the consulting firm for a new DWP billing system that overcharged a wide swath of customers .
In turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the city .
While PricewaterhouseCoopers was defending itself in the lawsuit brought by the city , its lawyers uncovered evidence in the DWP class-action case .
The firm alleged in court documents that the city took part in a fraudulent scheme to control the outcome of the class-action lawsuit .
Representatives for Feuer ’ s office have denied the city was involved in or aware of the alleged scheme and have blamed two outside attorneys it hired .
Those attorneys have denied wrongdoing , with one saying his work was done at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office .
The FBI raided the city attorney ’ s office and the DWP in July 2019 , seeking information related to the billing litigation .
Representatives of the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office said in a July court filing that the investigation is ongoing .
The city dropped its lawsuit against PricewaterhouseCoopers in September 2019 .
In July 2020 , the consulting firm ’ s attorneys filed a motion for sanctions .
PricewaterhouseCoopers attorneys said they would seek at least $ 8 million for what it alleged was the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged that “ the city went far beyond the boundaries of legitimate adversarial conduct , consciously and persistently abusing the discovery process to hide its wrongdoing , ” according to the motion .
PricewaterhouseCoopers attorney Thomasch said Tuesday ’ s ruling “ vindicates the rule of law by holding the city and its lawyers accountable for their egregious abuses.
” Thomasch said the city ’ s discovery abuse was the result of its attempt to hide from the court and DWP customers its participation in the filing and settling of the “ sham @ @ @ @ @

A judge slapped L.A. with a $2.5 million fine Tuesday, finding that the city committed “serious abuse” in how it handled evidence in the lawsuit involving the Department of Water and Power.
A Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay a $2.5-million fine, ruling in favor of a consulting firm that accused City Atty. Mike Feuer’s office of concealing evidence in a high-profile lawsuit involving the Department of Water and Power.
At a downtown L.A. hearing, Judge Elihu M. Berle said there had been “serious abuse of discovery by the city and its counsel” in the DWP case — actions that merited “considerable sanctions.”
California law allows courts to impose sanctions over discovery misconduct by attorneys. In this case, PricewaterhouseCoopers alleged that the city’s attorneys concealed key documents, and produced unprepared witnesses and false deposition testimony.
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PricewaterhouseCoopers attorney Daniel J. Thomasch said at Tuesday’s hearing that city attorneys intentionally dragged out the case by refusing to turn over evidence. The delays resulted in a monetary cost to PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomasch said.
“The city thought it could just wear down PWC and the court,” Thomasch said.
Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for Feuer, said the city attorney’s office is evaluating its options. “We strongly disagree with the court’s ruling,” Wilcox said.
Jamie Court, president of advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, said the fine should disqualify Feuer, a mayoral candidate, from running for City Hall’s top job.
“Taxpayers are going to have to pay for the malfeasance of the city attorney and his office,” Court said.
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The city in 2015 sued PricewaterhouseCoopers, blaming the consulting firm for a new DWP billing system that overcharged a wide swath of customers. In turn, DWP customers filed a class-action lawsuit against the city.
While PricewaterhouseCoopers was defending itself in the lawsuit brought by the city, its lawyers uncovered evidence in the DWP class-action case. The firm alleged in court documents that the city took part in a fraudulent scheme to control the outcome of the class-action lawsuit.
Representatives for Feuer’s office have denied the city was involved in or aware of the alleged scheme and have blamed two outside attorneys it hired. Those attorneys have denied wrongdoing, with one saying his work was done at the direction of the city attorney’s office.
The FBI raided the city attorney’s office and the DWP in July 2019, seeking information related to the billing litigation. Representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a July court filing that the investigation is ongoing.
The city dropped its lawsuit against PricewaterhouseCoopers in September 2019. In June 2020, the consulting firm’s attorneys filed a motion for sanctions. PricewaterhouseCoopers attorneys said they would seek at least $8 million for what it alleged was the city’s “obstructionist discovery tactics.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers alleged that “the city went far beyond the boundaries of legitimate adversarial conduct, consciously and persistently abusing the discovery process to hide its wrongdoing,” according to the motion.
PricewaterhouseCoopers attorney Thomasch said Tuesday’s ruling “vindicates the rule of law by holding the city and its lawyers accountable for their egregious abuses.”
Thomasch said the city’s discovery abuse was the result of its attempt to hide from the court and DWP customers its participation in the filing and settling of the “sham” consumer class-action lawsuit.


latimes--2020-10-06--Column: Mike Pence is a master of Midwestern nice. Here's why it could trip up Kamala Harris

Like a lot of people , I want to believe that Kamala Harris will rhetorically dismantle and mop the floor with Mike Pence when they meet in Salt Lake City on Wednesday for the first and only vice presidential debate .
It should be easy for the California senator , right ?
After all , Pence is a feckless politician who , even as head of the Trump administration ’ s coronavirus task force , is holding campaign rallies despite his possible exposure to COVID-19 from President Trump and others working at the White House .
On Monday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as to mock a decision by the Commission on Presidential Debates to erect plexiglass between the candidates to reduce the risk of transmitting the airborne virus .
On Tuesday , he objected to it outright .
“ If Sen. Harris wants to use a fortress around herself , have at it , ” Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller told Politico .
Harris , on the other hand , is a career prosecutor known for her withering stare and her ability to reduce self-important white men to stammering , blubbering messes .
Remember Brett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Supreme Court ?
“ Can you think of any laws that give government the power to make decisions about the male body ?
” Harris interrogated .
Kavanaugh paused and blinked .
“ I ’ m happy to answer a more specific question.
” As entertaining as this exchange was to watch , I ’ ve interviewed Mike Pence enough times during my time in Indianapolis to know that a similar strategy isn ’ t going to work with him during a debate .
Hence , there is a reason why , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris and her allies have been trying , ever so subtly , to lower voters ’ expectations for any sort of “ Mortal Kombat ” moves in Salt Lake City .
Unlike Kavanaugh , Pence traffics in Midwestern nice — which is not to be confused with being a genuinely nice person who consistently puts the well-being of others first .
For the uninitiated , Midwestern nice is the veneer kindness , buttressed by the use of an infuriatingly calm tone , no matter the topic of discussion , combined with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use it to appear high-minded and avoid direct confrontation , while also somehow making others look like idiots .
The overall effect is bewildering , blurring the line between truth and fiction .
Take , for example , this hard-to-refute description of Pence from one of his longtime allies , Mayor James Brainard of the Indiana city of Carmel .
“ He treats people who have different opinions with respect , ” Brainard said .
“ He talks about ideas .
He doesn ’ t stoop to the level of ridiculing people whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a gentleman.
” The last Democratic nominee for vice president , Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia , fell into the Midwestern-nice trap during the debate in 2016 .
His repeated attempts to go on the attack and interrupt Pence made the senator look crazed and weirdly aggressive , and the future vice president look like the model of calm and civility .
So , how does one defeat Midwestern nice ?
“ She ’ d be well advised not to make it personal , ” Brainard said .
“ Pence will talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to conduct himself in office , and in the issues that he believes are important for the country .
He ’ s not going to personalize it and if she does so , she ’ s not going to come off well.
” As it turns out , many Hoosiers — especially those in the city of Indianapolis , where Pence lived while serving as governor before Trump tapped him as a running mate — have been stewing about Pence and how to defeat his Midwestern niceness for a long time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ So deep that , as of this week , almost every home within a mile of the Indiana Governor ’ s Mansion , tucked away in a neighborhood long known for old money and Republicans , has a “ Biden Harris 2020 '' campaign sign mounted in the front yard .
So deep that people I ’ ve known for years , those who are soft-spoken , genuinely nice — and sometimes Midwestern nice — and attend church every Sunday , can fly into a near-apoplectic rage at the very mention of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who lived in Indiana through his time in office , I understand .
The way he used religion to justify discrimination against pretty much everyone in the state who wasn ’ t straight , white and male was just too much .
Now , after four years of him being vice president , Indianapolis residents don ’ t want Harris to merely win the debate on Wednesday .
They want her to “ rip him apart , ” “ beat the brakes off of him , ” “ call him out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hypocrisy of his so-called Christian niceties.
” So they had some advice for her .
Be genuine , they said .
Pence has a difficult time coming across as genuine .
Others urged her to pepper the vice president with questions about how he has abandoned his values as “ a Christian , a conservative and a Republican , ” as he used to say , in favor of fealty to Trump .
And given the events of the last few weeks , including ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. borders , this seems like fertile territory indeed .
Some said to ask simple questions like : Why do you support a racist ?
Then just wait for the answer .
Or just press him on positions like the prosecutor that she was for so many years .
Being mean doesn ’ t have to be a part of that .
Another option is for Harris to show the rest of the world what Hoosiers already know : That his strong Christian values don ’ t include Black and Brown lives or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few suggested that Pence just being silent on stage with a woman who isn ’ t his wife — plexiglass or not — will be enough to make him crack .
Now that would be Midwestern nice .

Kamala Harris, shown, will face Mike Pence in their first and only vice presidential debate on Wednesday.
Like a lot of people, I want to believe that Kamala Harris will rhetorically dismantle and mop the floor with Mike Pence when they meet in Salt Lake City on Wednesday for the first and only vice presidential debate.
It should be easy for the California senator, right? After all, Pence is a feckless politician who, even as head of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, is holding campaign rallies despite his possible exposure to COVID-19 from President Trump and others working at the White House.
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On Monday, the vice president’s staff went so far as to mock a decision by the Commission on Presidential Debates to erect plexiglass between the candidates to reduce the risk of transmitting the airborne virus. On Tuesday, he objected to it outright.
“If Sen. Harris wants to use a fortress around herself, have at it,” Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller told Politico.
Harris, on the other hand, is a career prosecutor known for her withering stare and her ability to reduce self-important white men to stammering, blubbering messes. Remember Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing for the U.S. Supreme Court?
“Can you think of any laws that give government the power to make decisions about the male body?” Harris interrogated.
Kavanaugh paused and blinked. “I’m happy to answer a more specific question.”
“Male versus female,” Harris responded.
As entertaining as this exchange was to watch, I’ve interviewed Mike Pence enough times during my time in Indianapolis to know that a similar strategy isn’t going to work with him during a debate.
Hence, there is a reason why, for the last couple of weeks, Harris and her allies have been trying, ever so subtly, to lower voters’ expectations for any sort of “Mortal Kombat” moves in Salt Lake City. Unlike Kavanaugh, Pence traffics in Midwestern nice — which is not to be confused with being a genuinely nice person who consistently puts the well-being of others first.
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For the uninitiated, Midwestern nice is the veneer of kindness, buttressed by the use of an infuriatingly calm tone, no matter the topic of discussion, combined with more than a little passive aggressiveness. Experienced practitioners use it to appear high-minded and avoid direct confrontation, while also somehow making others look like idiots.
The overall effect is bewildering, blurring the line between truth and fiction. Take, for example, this hard-to-refute description of Pence from one of his longtime allies, Mayor James Brainard of the Indiana city of Carmel.
“He treats people who have different opinions with respect,” Brainard said. “He talks about ideas. He doesn’t stoop to the level of ridiculing people whose views he disagrees with. He’s a gentleman.”
The last Democratic nominee for vice president, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, fell into the Midwestern-nice trap during the debate in 2016. His repeated attempts to go on the attack and interrupt Pence made the senator look crazed and weirdly aggressive, and the future vice president look like the model of calm and civility.
Vice President Mike Pence, head of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, discusses COVID-19 testing during a news conference in the White House Rose Garden on Sept. 28. (Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images)
So, how does one defeat Midwestern nice?
“She’d be well advised not to make it personal,” Brainard said. “Pence will talk about what he believes and how he wants to conduct himself in office, and in the issues that he believes are important for the country. He’s not going to personalize it and if she does so, she’s not going to come off well.”
As it turns out, many Hoosiers — especially those in the city of Indianapolis, where Pence lived while serving as governor before Trump tapped him as a running mate — have been stewing about Pence and how to defeat his Midwestern niceness for a long time.
Hatred for Pence runs deep here. So deep that, as of this week, almost every home within a mile of the Indiana Governor’s Mansion, tucked away in a neighborhood long known for old money and Republicans, has a “Biden Harris 2020” campaign sign mounted in the front yard. So deep that people I’ve known for years, those who are soft-spoken, genuinely nice — and sometimes Midwestern nice — and attend church every Sunday, can fly into a near-apoplectic rage at the very mention of the vice president’s name.
As someone who lived in Indiana through his time in office, I understand. The way he used religion to justify discrimination against pretty much everyone in the state who wasn’t straight, white and male was just too much.
Now, after four years of him being vice president, Indianapolis residents don’t want Harris to merely win the debate on Wednesday. They want her to “rip him apart,” “beat the brakes off of him,” “call him out on his bulls—” and point out “the hypocrisy of his so-called Christian niceties.”
So they had some advice for her.
Be genuine, they said. Pence has a difficult time coming across as genuine.
Others urged her to pepper the vice president with questions about how he has abandoned his values as “a Christian, a conservative and a Republican,” as he used to say, in favor of fealty to Trump. And given the events of the last few weeks, including ordering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use its emergency powers to seal U.S. borders, this seems like fertile territory indeed.
Some said to ask simple questions like: Why do you support a racist? Then just wait for the answer. Or just press him on positions like the prosecutor that she was for so many years. Being mean doesn’t have to be a part of that.
Another option is for Harris to show the rest of the world what Hoosiers already know: That his strong Christian values don’t include Black and Brown lives or the LGBTQ community.
And more than a few suggested that Pence just being silent on stage with a woman who isn’t his wife — plexiglass or not — will be enough to make him crack.
Now that would be Midwestern nice.


latimes--2020-10-06--Transgender woman 'brutally stabbed' in targeted attack at MacArthur Park, police say

A transgender woman was targeted and “ brutally stabbed ” in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles ’ Westlake neighborhood on Sunday night after being surrounded by a group of men who suggested hatred for “ gays , ” according to the LAPD .
The 42-year-old woman , whom police did not name , was seated on a park bench about 9:30 p.m. when she was surrounded by four to five men , one of whom said “ something to the effect of , ‘ We don ’ t want gays in the park , ’ ” officials said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hernandez , was then stabbed and her throat was cut before the group fled , according to police and a statement by the TransLatina Coalition , where Hernandez volunteered .
Though gender identity and sexual orientation are completely different , LGBTQ rights activists say people who show hatred for one or the other often conflate the two .
“ We don ’ t know exactly why , but we know it was simply because she ’ s trans , ” said Bamby Salcedo , president and chief executive of the TransLatina Coalition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstration Monday evening at the park , including James Wen , who serves on the Los Angeles Transgender Advisory Council .
“ I ’ m extraordinarily grateful for our trans leaders who have the courage to rally community and speak up ... to stop the violence , ” Wen said .
“ We as a society must do better , and we can only do that when we come together and bring together alliances that are able to listen to each other and work [ on ] resolutions.
” After a rally decrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park , claiming it as a “ safe space.
” West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath , who also attended the gathering , said she was working on a campaign in her city to “ call out the transphobia in our society.
” “ Declaring the park a safe space is one way to remind people that these spaces must be open to everyone , ” Horvath said .
“ If we are in fact concerned about public safety , we have to be concerned about everyone ’ s safety.
” Hernandez is recovering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , but it disrupted positive momentum in her life .
Hernandez had recently begun a new job as a housekeeper — her first official job since moving to the United States from El Salvador almost three years ago , according to Salcedo .
She volunteered with the TransLatina Coalition , serving hot meals to people who drop by the Wilshire Boulevard office .
“ She came to this country running away from the violence she was experiencing in El Salvador , only to come to the United States to almost get killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 transgender people have been killed in the U.S. this year , according to an from the National Center for Transgender Equality , surpassing the total for all of 2019 .
A from the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress said 62 % of transgender Americans faced discrimination of some kind in the past year .
Three transgender women were beaten and robbed in Hollywood in August in an attack police called a hate crime .
Two men have been charged in the assault .
“ Too often , the only safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in trans-led community spaces , and the act of going outside or to the park can come with huge risks , ” from the TransLatina Coalition said .
“ This is why we fight for trans liberation , and liberation for transgender people can look as simple as walking outside without risk of harassment , discrimination or violence .
It ’ s the everyday acts , that the ‘ everyday ’ person does not think twice about , that many of us wish to achieve.
” Violence against transgender people of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 2016 U.S. Transgender Survey reported that nearly one in 10 Latino respondents said they were physically attacked in the previous year because they were transgender .
The numbers tick up for transgender women .
“ It doesn ’ t matter your social status , ” Salcedo said .
“ If you ’ re visibly a trans woman , especially a trans woman of color ... then those are the layers that add to the violence that you may experience.
” LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Arcos mentioned the attack during a virtual meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Arcos said the woman was recovering in a local hospital as detectives followed “ significant leads ” they had gathered in the case .
Arcos said the department hopes to have additional information about the case soon .
The stabbing came after a violent week in L.A. that saw 50 people shot and 13 homicides , Arcos said .

Daniela Hernandez, identified by friends as the woman who was attacked Sunday in MacArthur Park, volunteered regularly at the TransLatina Coalition, serving food to people in her community.
A transgender woman was targeted and “brutally stabbed” in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood on Sunday night after being surrounded by a group of men who suggested hatred for “gays,” according to the LAPD.
The 42-year-old woman, whom police did not name, was seated on a park bench about 9:30 p.m. when she was surrounded by four to five men, one of whom said “something to the effect of, ‘We don’t want gays in the park,’” officials said.
The woman, identified by friends as Daniela Hernandez, was then stabbed and her throat was cut before the group fled, according to police and a statement by the TransLatina Coalition, where Hernandez volunteered.
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Though gender identity and sexual orientation are completely different, LGBTQ rights activists say people who show hatred for one or the other often conflate the two.
“We don’t know exactly why, but we know it was simply because she’s trans,” said Bamby Salcedo, president and chief executive of the TransLatina Coalition.
Dozens of people attended a #Justice4Daniela demonstration Monday evening at the park, including James Wen, who serves on the Los Angeles Transgender Advisory Council.
“I’m extraordinarily grateful for our trans leaders who have the courage to rally community and speak up ... to stop the violence,” Wen said. “We as a society must do better, and we can only do that when we come together and bring together alliances that are able to listen to each other and work [on] resolutions.”
After a rally decrying the attack, demonstrators marched around MacArthur Park, claiming it as a “safe space.” West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath, who also attended the gathering, said she was working on a campaign in her city to “call out the transphobia in our society.”
“Declaring the park a safe space is one way to remind people that these spaces must be open to everyone,” Horvath said. “If we are in fact concerned about public safety, we have to be concerned about everyone’s safety.”
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People gather in MacArthur Park on Monday evening to honor Daniela Hernandez, a transgender woman identified as being the target of an attack Sunday. (Lindsey Horvath)
Hernandez is recovering following Sunday’s attack, Salcedo said, but it disrupted positive momentum in her life. Hernandez had recently begun a new job as a housekeeper — her first official job since moving to the United States from El Salvador almost three years ago, according to Salcedo. She volunteered with the TransLatina Coalition, serving hot meals to people who drop by the Wilshire Boulevard office.
“She came to this country running away from the violence she was experiencing in El Salvador, only to come to the United States to almost get killed,” Salcedo said.
At least 28 transgender people have been killed in the U.S. this year, according to an August statement from the National Center for Transgender Equality, surpassing the total for all of 2019. A report published Tuesday from the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress said 62% of transgender Americans faced discrimination of some kind in the past year.
Three transgender women were beaten and robbed in Hollywood in August in an attack police called a hate crime. Two men have been charged in the assault.
“Too often, the only safe spaces for transgender and gender nonconforming people are in trans-led community spaces, and the act of going outside or to the park can come with huge risks,” a statement from the TransLatina Coalition said. “This is why we fight for trans liberation, and liberation for transgender people can look as simple as walking outside without risk of harassment, discrimination or violence. It’s the everyday acts, that the ‘everyday’ person does not think twice about, that many of us wish to achieve.”
Violence against transgender people of color is especially pronounced. The NCTE’s 2016 U.S. Transgender Survey reported that nearly one in 10 Latino respondents said they were physically attacked in the previous year because they were transgender. The numbers tick up for transgender women.
“It doesn’t matter your social status,” Salcedo said. “If you’re visibly a trans woman, especially a trans woman of color ... then those are the layers that add to the violence that you may experience.”
California A crisis hotline for transgender people, by transgender people In six years, the Trans Lifeline has answered more than 65,000 calls from people seeking support and solace from across the globe.
LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Arcos mentioned the attack during a virtual meeting of the Police Commission on Tuesday morning.
Arcos said the woman was recovering in a local hospital as detectives followed “significant leads” they had gathered in the case.
Arcos said the department hopes to have additional information about the case soon.
The stabbing came after a violent week in L.A. that saw 50 people shot and 13 homicides, Arcos said.


latimes--2020-10-06--Giant Trump sign appears — and is swiftly taken down — in Sepulveda Pass

A large “ Trump ” sign that appeared overnight in the Sepulveda Pass hills near the 405 Freeway was promptly taken down by authorities Tuesday morning .
The sign was made of large white capital letters similar to those of the iconic Hollywood sign and was reportedly spotted just before 7 a.m.
There ’ s little information about who placed the sign , but Lauren Wonder , chief public information officer for the California Department of Transportation , said it was on private property .
For that reason , she said , Caltrans workers “ laid it down so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but did not completely remove it .
“ This was a life and safety issue because there were concerns about distracted driving , ” Wonder said .
Workers had laid the letters down by about 9 a.m. , but by then , several Angelenos — on both sides of the political spectrum — had taken to social media to comment on the stunt .
“ California loves you President Trump !
” wrote one Twitter user , alongside an image of the sign .
“ Can ’ t you put something better ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Highway Patrol did not immediately have further information about the sign .

Saying the sign could distract motorists, workers from the California Department of Transportation took down the large letters, which were on private property.
A large “Trump” sign that appeared overnight in the Sepulveda Pass hills near the 405 Freeway was promptly taken down by authorities Tuesday morning.
The sign was made of large white capital letters similar to those of the iconic Hollywood sign and was reportedly spotted just before 7 a.m.
There’s little information about who placed the sign, but Lauren Wonder, chief public information officer for the California Department of Transportation, said it was on private property.
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Your guide to the 2020 election in California How do you vote by mail? What issues are on the local ballot in Los Angeles County? Follow the latest news on the presidential race. Get information you need on the upcoming election.
For that reason, she said, Caltrans workers “laid it down so it wasn’t a visual distraction” but did not completely remove it.
“This was a life and safety issue because there were concerns about distracted driving,” Wonder said.
Workers had laid the letters down by about 9 a.m., but by then, several Angelenos — on both sides of the political spectrum — had taken to social media to comment on the stunt.
“California loves you President Trump!” wrote one Twitter user, alongside an image of the sign.
“Can’t you put something better?” another said.
Officials with the California Highway Patrol did not immediately have further information about the sign.
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City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-06--Damage reported after downtown L.A. protest that targeted LAPD headquarters

A protest Monday night in downtown Los Angeles turned destructive when dozens of demonstrators smashed storefront windows and tried to tear down metal barriers outside police headquarters .
A group of protesters took to the streets around 9 p.m. , heading toward LAPD headquarters on 1st and Main streets .
Officers in riot gear stood watch as some in the group yanked repeatedly on fences erected along Spring Street .
A smoke bomb or fireworks also may have been set off during the incident , KCAL-TV reported .
Video from the scene showed participants with their faces covered burning an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what appeared to be metal pipes to break windows of a nearby building .
No damage was done to the LAPD building , said Officer Drake Madson , a police spokesman .
However , windows and doors of nearby structures were broken , and other property was damaged during the demonstration .
The front doors of the California Secretary of State building on Spring were smashed .
News video shows several protesters being detained , but no arrests were made , Madson said .
Early Tuesday morning , Juan Rodriguez was sweeping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 400 block of Broadway .
Other windows and doors in the vicinity were also covered after being damaged the night before .
No injuries were reported in the demonstration , and police said protesters left the area about 11 p.m .
It was not immediately clear what the group was protesting , but it may have been in response to the fatal shooting by a white police officer of 31-year-old Jonathan Price , an unarmed Black man , outside a convenience store in East Texas on Saturday .
Price ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by protesters , according to media reports .
Shaun Lucas , the officer who shot Price , was arrested Monday .
He since has posted $ 1-million bail .
Price ’ s family said he was intervening in a domestic dispute when he was killed .

Juan Rodriguez boards up a clothing store in the 400 block of Broadway in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning after demonstrators vandalized windows and tried to tear down metal barriers outside LAPD headquarters Monday night.
A protest Monday night in downtown Los Angeles turned destructive when dozens of demonstrators smashed storefront windows and tried to tear down metal barriers outside police headquarters.
A group of protesters took to the streets around 9 p.m., heading toward LAPD headquarters on 1st and Main streets. Officers in riot gear stood watch as some in the group yanked repeatedly on fences erected along Spring Street.
A smoke bomb or fireworks also may have been set off during the incident, KCAL-TV reported. Video from the scene showed participants with their faces covered burning an American flag near police headquarters and using what appeared to be metal pipes to break windows of a nearby building.
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No damage was done to the LAPD building, said Officer Drake Madson, a police spokesman.
However, windows and doors of nearby structures were broken, and other property was damaged during the demonstration. The front doors of the California Secretary of State building on Spring were smashed.
News video shows several protesters being detained, but no arrests were made, Madson said.
Early Tuesday morning, Juan Rodriguez was sweeping up shattered glass outside a boarded-up clothing business in the 400 block of Broadway. Other windows and doors in the vicinity were also covered after being damaged the night before.
No injuries were reported in the demonstration, and police said protesters left the area about 11 p.m.
It was not immediately clear what the group was protesting, but it may have been in response to the fatal shooting by a white police officer of 31-year-old Jonathan Price, an unarmed Black man, outside a convenience store in East Texas on Saturday.
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Price’s name was found written at the scene by protesters, according to media reports.
Shaun Lucas, the officer who shot Price, was arrested Monday. He since has posted $1-million bail. Price’s family said he was intervening in a domestic dispute when he was killed.
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-06--Op-Ed: Prevent future L.A. City Council scandals by fixing our planning system

Corruption has again been exposed at Los Angeles City Hall , with one council member under indictment in a development scandal and another having pleaded guilty to his part in it .
The transgressions highlight the real-world consequences of failing to modernize outdated planning codes and leaving decision-making power over development projects in the hands of City Council members .
To try to prevent future corruption , the city needs to fix what ’ s broken about L.A. planning — by fully updating planning and zoning laws according to the recommendations of an outside commission , not the council .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms in reaction to the indictment of council member Jose Huizar , who has been charged with a running a “ pay-to-play ” scheme to shake down real estate developers for cash bribes and campaign donations in exchange for his help getting high-rise development projects approved .
Former council member Mitch Englander pleaded guilty to falsifying material facts related to the scheme .
As former city officials who have devoted our careers to sound planning , we know that confronting corruption requires replacing political muscle with modern rules that are consistently enforced .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ approvals are influenced by politicians , some developers will find ways to sway lawmakers , legally or not .
The city ’ s zoning laws and development approval processes are shockingly outdated .
L.A. planning director Vince Bertoni and his predecessors have labored for years to modernize the city ’ s 1946 zoning code and update the woefully outdated community plans ( which establish goals , policies and programs for land use ) .
Currently 24 of the 35 plans have not been updated in 20 years or more .
The oldest is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The old codes were devised for a vast suburban sprawl anchored to the automobile and shaped by overt racist impulses to keep people of color out of white neighborhoods .
Failure to revise them for a changing world has consequences beyond corruption — it contributes to the lack of affordable housing , reinforcing tensions between young people and longtime residents as they compete for decent places to live .
New residential and commercial building remains subject to cumbersome processes that make our region less competitive by driving up costs .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reform ballot measure , council President Nury Martinez and council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson acknowledged that “ the city ’ s outdated zoning makes it necessary for many projects to seek entitlements diverging from established zoning .
City Councilmembers , and not the Planning Department or the community , become the primary arbiters of land use decisions.
” That ’ s the real problem .
Currently the 15 council members each have the power to greenlight projects in their districts — or halt them altogether .
If the joint motion results in a fleshed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it less likely that council members will be tempted to accept rides on a private jet to Las Vegas to enjoy the lavish hospitality of a private developer , as Huizar is accused of doing .
But effective reform shouldn ’ t be left to City Council members because their power is at the heart of the problem .
A comprehensive blueprint to ensure Los Angeles enacts up-to-date plans — and then enforces them — can draw on examples from other cities .
For instance , Miami has adopted a revised planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building is scaled to its context across the city .
If an applicant complies with the strict rules , the project is approved without layers of lengthy and unpredictable discretionary reviews .
Minneapolis , Austin , Texas , and most recently Portland , Ore. , have revamped zoning to promote more affordable infill housing , which reduces sprawl and encourages investment in older neighborhoods .
The ideas being proposed by council members in response to the current scandal fall short of what the city needs .
To hammer out a comprehensive approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a commission , like the Christopher Commission that was formed in 1991 to examine and make reform recommendations to the structure and operations of the LAPD after the Rodney King beating .
The planning reform commission should be made up of a diverse group of respected civic leaders from community , neighborhood , business , and labor organizations , including acknowledged planning experts , such as those at the schools of planning at UCLA and USC .
To ensure equity , the appointments could not be tilted toward real estate interests or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being shunted off to die in committee , the commission ’ s entire proposal would have to be decided on a “ yes ” or “ no ” vote by the City Council .
This approach is inspired by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission , first established in 1998 , which successfully broke the congressional political deadlock around eliminating unneeded military installations — with a simple up or down vote from Congress .
The reform commission ’ s job would be to propose planning reform that tackles corruption at its source — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developers to abide by modernized codes and transparent approval processes will enhance the quality of life and standard of living of the city ’ s 4 million people .
Rick Cole was a deputy mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2015 .
Gail Goldberg served as Los Angeles city planning director from 2006 to 2010 .
Bud Ovrom was a deputy mayor and general manager of the city of Los Angeles from 2003 to 2017 .

Corruption has again been exposed at Los Angeles City Hall, with one council member under indictment in a development scandal and another having pleaded guilty to his part in it. The transgressions highlight the real-world consequences of failing to modernize outdated planning codes and leaving decision-making power over development projects in the hands of City Council members. To try to prevent future corruption, the city needs to fix what’s broken about L.A. planning — by fully updating planning and zoning laws according to the recommendations of an outside commission, not the council.
Some City Council members have proposed incremental reforms in reaction to the indictment of council member Jose Huizar, who has been charged with a running a “pay-to-play” scheme to shake down real estate developers for cash bribes and campaign donations in exchange for his help getting high-rise development projects approved. Former council member Mitch Englander pleaded guilty to falsifying material facts related to the scheme.
As former city officials who have devoted our careers to sound planning, we know that confronting corruption requires replacing political muscle with modern rules that are consistently enforced. We believe that as long as land-use approvals are influenced by politicians, some developers will find ways to sway lawmakers, legally or not.
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The city’s zoning laws and development approval processes are shockingly outdated. L.A. planning director Vince Bertoni and his predecessors have labored for years to modernize the city’s 1946 zoning code and update the woefully outdated community plans (which establish goals, policies and programs for land use). Currently 24 of the 35 plans have not been updated in 20 years or more. The oldest is more than 30 years out of date.
The old codes were devised for a vast suburban sprawl anchored to the automobile and shaped by overt racist impulses to keep people of color out of white neighborhoods. Failure to revise them for a changing world has consequences beyond corruption — it contributes to the lack of affordable housing, reinforcing tensions between young people and longtime residents as they compete for decent places to live. New residential and commercial building remains subject to cumbersome processes that make our region less competitive by driving up costs.
In a joint motion calling for a future planning reform ballot measure, council President Nury Martinez and council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson acknowledged that “the city’s outdated zoning makes it necessary for many projects to seek entitlements diverging from established zoning. City Councilmembers, and not the Planning Department or the community, become the primary arbiters of land use decisions.” That’s the real problem. Currently the 15 council members each have the power to greenlight projects in their districts — or halt them altogether.
If the joint motion results in a fleshed out, enacted measure, it could make it less likely that council members will be tempted to accept rides on a private jet to Las Vegas to enjoy the lavish hospitality of a private developer, as Huizar is accused of doing. But effective reform shouldn’t be left to City Council members because their power is at the heart of the problem.
A comprehensive blueprint to ensure Los Angeles enacts up-to-date plans — and then enforces them — can draw on examples from other cities. For instance, Miami has adopted a revised planning code carefully calibrated to ensure each new building is scaled to its context across the city. If an applicant complies with the strict rules, the project is approved without layers of lengthy and unpredictable discretionary reviews. Minneapolis, Austin, Texas, and most recently Portland, Ore., have revamped zoning to promote more affordable infill housing, which reduces sprawl and encourages investment in older neighborhoods.
The ideas being proposed by council members in response to the current scandal fall short of what the city needs. To hammer out a comprehensive approach to planning reform, we urge the establishment of a commission, like the Christopher Commission that was formed in 1991 to examine and make reform recommendations to the structure and operations of the LAPD after the Rodney King beating. The planning reform commission should be made up of a diverse group of respected civic leaders from community, neighborhood, business, and labor organizations, including acknowledged planning experts, such as those at the schools of planning at UCLA and USC. To ensure equity, the appointments could not be tilted toward real estate interests or affluent homeowners.
To avoid their recommendations being shunted off to die in committee, the commission’s entire proposal would have to be decided on a “yes” or “no” vote by the City Council. This approach is inspired by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, first established in 1998, which successfully broke the congressional political deadlock around eliminating unneeded military installations — with a simple up or down vote from Congress.
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The reform commission’s job would be to propose planning reform that tackles corruption at its source — political control of project approvals. Requiring developers to abide by modernized codes and transparent approval processes will enhance the quality of life and standard of living of the city’s 4 million people.
Rick Cole was a deputy mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2015. Gail Goldberg served as Los Angeles city planning director from 2006 to 2010. Bud Ovrom was a deputy mayor and general manager of the city of Los Angeles from 2003 to 2017.


latimes--2020-10-06--Border Patrol confiscates nearly $1 million in drugs near Salton Sea

U.S. Border Patrol agents confiscated more than $ 800,000 worth of drugs from a checkpoint near the Salton Sea in the last two weeks , the agency announced .
The El Centro Sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said multiple drug busts at the Highway 86 checkpoint between Salton City and Westmoreland found methamphetamine , heroine , cocaine and fentanyl .
were logged over the weekend , according to a release from Border Patrol .
In one , agents said a 21-year-old man was found with roughly $ 88,000 worth of cocaine and fentanyl .
Two other seizures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 58,000 worth of heroin and a 53-year-old man found with nearly $ 360,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine , the agency said .
“ It ’ s a pretty high amount of drugs in such a short period of time , ” Border Patrol spokesman Macario Mora said .
K-9 units were involved in several of the searches , and in many instances , narcotics were hidden inside vehicles , including compartments in engines , dashboards , consoles and oil pans , officials said .
In total , the weekend ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ value of more than half a million dollars , Customs and Border Protection said .
The busts followed that were logged Friday , including one involving roughly 30 pounds of methamphetamine .
The seizures , from three separate vehicles , included a small amount of fentanyl and were valued at more than $ 120,000 .
In the prior week , agents discovered nearly $ 200,000 worth of methamphetamine in four smuggling incidents .
While most drivers were U.S. citizens who were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Border Crimes Suppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Mexican national .
The Salton Sea has long been an area of interest for Californians drawn to its isolated locale and high-salinity sea , which has been the subject of an Imperial Valley “ ” for decades .
The once-popular tourist destination is now home to a shrinking lakebed known to emit toxic pollution , and few local residents remain .
Mora said the nearby El Centro Border Patrol sector is an active drug-trafficking area .

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized nearly $67,000 worth of methamphetamine from this Nissan on Friday near the Salton Sea.
U.S. Border Patrol agents confiscated more than $800,000 worth of drugs from a checkpoint near the Salton Sea in the last two weeks, the agency announced.
The El Centro Sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said multiple drug busts at the Highway 86 checkpoint between Salton City and Westmoreland found methamphetamine, heroine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Three incidents were logged over the weekend, according to a release from Border Patrol. In one, agents said a 21-year-old man was found with roughly $88,000 worth of cocaine and fentanyl. Two other seizures involved a 35-year-old man found with roughly $58,000 worth of heroin and a 53-year-old man found with nearly $360,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine, the agency said.
“It’s a pretty high amount of drugs in such a short period of time,” Border Patrol spokesman Macario Mora said.
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K-9 units were involved in several of the searches, and in many instances, narcotics were hidden inside vehicles, including compartments in engines, dashboards, consoles and oil pans, officials said.
In total, the weekend’s seizures were estimated to have a street value of more than half a million dollars, Customs and Border Protection said.
The busts followed three other smuggling attempts that were logged Friday, including one involving roughly 30 pounds of methamphetamine. The seizures, from three separate vehicles, included a small amount of fentanyl and were valued at more than $120,000.
In the prior week, agents discovered nearly $200,000 worth of methamphetamine in four smuggling incidents.
While most drivers were U.S. citizens who were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Border Crimes Suppression Team, officials said that one was a Mexican national.
The Salton Sea has long been an area of interest for Californians drawn to its isolated locale and high-salinity sea, which has been the subject of an Imperial Valley “ water war ” for decades. The once-popular tourist destination is now home to a shrinking lakebed known to emit toxic pollution, and few local residents remain.
Mora said the nearby El Centro Border Patrol sector is an active drug-trafficking area.


latimes--2020-10-06--Column: She decided her magazine had to proclaim that Black lives matter — in Spanish

As Black Lives Matter protests swept across the country this past June , Ivette Zamora Cruz felt simultaneously proud and embarrassed .
She was thrilled to see hundreds of Latinos attend rallies across the Coachella Valley , from Palm Springs to Indio to her hometown of Rancho Mirage .
But she saw other Latinos say online that the fight wasn ’ t theirs , so why bother joining ?
Zamora Cruz thought about her own life .
About how family members back in Mexico casually nicknamed darker-skinned relatives la negra ( the black girl ) or la morena ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know much about Black history beyond what she learned in high school as a newcomer to the United States .
How she had no Black friends , and never bothered to consider why .
“ Some Latinos have always tried to look away — ‘ That ’ s their community , not ours , ’ we ’ ll say , ” Zamora Cruz said from the small but well-kept home she shares with her mom and teenage sister .
The bohemian sounds of Eydie Gormé and Agustín Lara played in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start calling out ourselves now .
You have to show where you stand.
” So she did so in a very public way : Zamora Cruz devoted the latest issue of her Spanish-language glossy lifestyle magazine to Black voices .
La Revista ( The Magazine ) launched last year to showcase Latinos in a region where the media tend to depict them — if at all — as little more than hotel workers or field hands .
Stories highlight restaurateurs , community activists , cumbia bands and other unsung local heroes .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was on the verge of shutting down until Zamora Cruz had her epiphany .
She began to cold-call Black businesses with offers of free ads , and asked Black writers and photographers via Instagram to submit their work .
The issue published in August with profiles of Black artists and activists , and a historical timeline of police violence against Black people in the United States .
Zamora Cruz made sure to also run the stories in English — a first for La Revista .
She exerted editorial control only on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lucha es Mi Lucha ” ( Your fight is my fight ) and with a prompt for readers to self-reflect on what they just read .
The 32-year-old worried that Black people — which number only about 5 % of Coachella Valley residents — would take her gesture as opportunistic , while her core audience would feel betrayed .
“ It ’ s powerful , ” said Neftalí Galarza , a former Coachella Valley Unified School District board member who ’ s now running for Coachella City Council .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through in our community .
But by supporting Black lives , we all benefit .
That ’ s what Ivette showed.
” “ It makes me feel seen , for sure , ” said Nailah Johnson , who contributed an essay about growing up Black in the region and also shot the cover image of five young Black girls in leotards running toward Palm Spring ’ s iconic white windmills .
The 29-year-old had seen La Revista around her hometown of Palm Springs but admitted she never picked up a copy “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” She was at first perplexed when Zamora Cruz asked her to contribute , but agreed once she learned about the theme .
“ I could tell she immediately got it , ” Johnson said .
“ It says , ‘ You care about us , we ’ re going to lift you as much as we can.
’ ” Confronting anti-Blackness is a conversation that younger , well-meaning Latinos have pushed on their elders or conservative relatives all this summer , often to little or quarrelsome effect .
No one likes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism .
But it ’ s one thing to hector someone toward your worldview .
It ’ s another to literally put your money where your beliefs are , like Ivette Zamora Cruz .
Originally from Guadalajara , she moved to Cathedral City at 15 , but returned to Mexico to earn a business degree .
Zamora Cruz came back to the Coachella Valley eight years ago to take a job as a social worker , an experience that had her travel the entire region , not just the wealthier western side where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s two completely different sides of the desert , ” she said .
“ And who writes its narrative ?
One gets the glamour , the other , nada.
” Simply posting cool Latino stuff on Instagram didn ’ t seem impactful enough .
She remembered the many lifestyle magazines that cover the Coachella Valley and wondered why Latinos didn ’ t deserve the same .
With no journalism background but a deep Rolodex , Zamora Cruz launched La Revista as a free quarterly last April with a run of 1,000 issues ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tus Manos ” — the Valley in your hands ) .
She quickly discovered what far-bigger media organizations — including this one — know too well : Making money in print media ain ’ t easy .
Each issue had a smaller and smaller run ; Zamora Cruz dipped into her own savings to keep it afloat as ad sales quickly dipped .
She was ready to end La Revista ’ s run with one final spring issue , but the pandemic made even that seemingly impossible .
Then the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to print 200 copies .
Now at $ 5 apiece , Zamora Cruz hopes to at least break even and plans at least one more issue of La Revista to continue the conversation with her audience .
“ I go back to those little girls on the cover , ” she said , pointing to a magazine on a coffee table in her living room .
“ They ’ re part of our community .
They ’ re going to grow up among our kids .
So we must fight for them all.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lunch was waiting outside in front of her driveway .
Chermica Simmons runs Mica ’ s Soul Kitchen , a 3-year-old food stall that used to set up every Thursday night in downtown Palm Springs but hasn ’ t opened since February .
La Revista ran a full-page ad for Mica ’ s , “ and I ’ ve gotten a lot of new attention , ” said Simmons .
The two had never met before until now , but smiled and chatted as if they were longtime pals .
Simmons left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern-fried combo plates of fried shrimp and lobster tails and mac ‘ n ’ cheese .
“ That ’ s what I want to hear , ” La Revista ’ s publisher said as she lugged lunch into her home .
“ Latinos supporting Blacks .
”

Ivette Zamora Cruz with a copy of the summer issue of La Revista, her Spanish-language magazine that covers Latinos in the Coachella Valley.
As Black Lives Matter protests swept across the country this past June, Ivette Zamora Cruz felt simultaneously proud and embarrassed.
She was thrilled to see hundreds of Latinos attend rallies across the Coachella Valley, from Palm Springs to Indio to her hometown of Rancho Mirage. But she saw other Latinos say online that the fight wasn’t theirs, so why bother joining?
Zamora Cruz thought about her own life.
About how family members back in Mexico casually nicknamed darker-skinned relatives la negra (the black girl) or la morena (the dark-skinned girl). How she didn’t know much about Black history beyond what she learned in high school as a newcomer to the United States. How she had no Black friends, and never bothered to consider why.
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“Some Latinos have always tried to look away — ‘That’s their community, not ours,’ we’ll say,” Zamora Cruz said from the small but well-kept home she shares with her mom and teenage sister. The bohemian sounds of Eydie Gormé and Agustín Lara played in the background. “But we need to start calling out ourselves now. You have to show where you stand.”
So she did so in a very public way: Zamora Cruz devoted the latest issue of her Spanish-language glossy lifestyle magazine to Black voices.
La Revista (The Magazine) launched last year to showcase Latinos in a region where the media tend to depict them — if at all — as little more than hotel workers or field hands. Stories highlight restaurateurs, community activists, cumbia bands and other unsung local heroes.
While well-received, La Revista quickly lost money and was on the verge of shutting down until Zamora Cruz had her epiphany.
She began to cold-call Black businesses with offers of free ads, and asked Black writers and photographers via Instagram to submit their work. The issue published in August with profiles of Black artists and activists, and a historical timeline of police violence against Black people in the United States.
Zamora Cruz made sure to also run the stories in English — a first for La Revista. She exerted editorial control only on the blank last page, titled “Tu Lucha es Mi Lucha” (Your fight is my fight) and with a prompt for readers to self-reflect on what they just read.
The 32-year-old worried that Black people — which number only about 5% of Coachella Valley residents — would take her gesture as opportunistic, while her core audience would feel betrayed.
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Both fears proved unfounded.
“It’s powerful,” said Neftalí Galarza, a former Coachella Valley Unified School District board member who’s now running for Coachella City Council. “There’s a blind eye to what Black people go through in our community. But by supporting Black lives, we all benefit. That’s what Ivette showed.”
“It makes me feel seen, for sure,” said Nailah Johnson, who contributed an essay about growing up Black in the region and also shot the cover image of five young Black girls in leotards running toward Palm Spring’s iconic white windmills. The 29-year-old had seen La Revista around her hometown of Palm Springs but admitted she never picked up a copy “because I don’t speak Spanish.”
She was at first perplexed when Zamora Cruz asked her to contribute, but agreed once she learned about the theme. “I could tell she immediately got it,” Johnson said. “It says, ‘You care about us, we’re going to lift you as much as we can.’”
Confronting anti-Blackness is a conversation that younger, well-meaning Latinos have pushed on their elders or conservative relatives all this summer, often to little or quarrelsome effect. No one likes to be told their culture is rife with racism.
But it’s one thing to hector someone toward your worldview. It’s another to literally put your money where your beliefs are, like Ivette Zamora Cruz.
::
Originally from Guadalajara, she moved to Cathedral City at 15, but returned to Mexico to earn a business degree. Zamora Cruz came back to the Coachella Valley eight years ago to take a job as a social worker, an experience that had her travel the entire region, not just the wealthier western side where she grew up.
“It’s two completely different sides of the desert,” she said. “And who writes its narrative? One gets the glamour, the other, nada.”
Simply posting cool Latino stuff on Instagram didn’t seem impactful enough. She remembered the many lifestyle magazines that cover the Coachella Valley and wondered why Latinos didn’t deserve the same. With no journalism background but a deep Rolodex, Zamora Cruz launched La Revista as a free quarterly last April with a run of 1,000 issues (its tagline: “El Valle en Tus Manos”— the Valley in your hands).
She quickly discovered what far-bigger media organizations — including this one — know too well: Making money in print media ain’t easy.
Each issue had a smaller and smaller run; Zamora Cruz dipped into her own savings to keep it afloat as ad sales quickly dipped. She was ready to end La Revista’s run with one final spring issue, but the pandemic made even that seemingly impossible.
Then the Black Lives Matter protests sprouted. She spent $1,000 to print 200 copies. Now at $5 apiece, Zamora Cruz hopes to at least break even and plans at least one more issue of La Revista to continue the conversation with her audience.
Making money isn’t the point anymore.
“I go back to those little girls on the cover,” she said, pointing to a magazine on a coffee table in her living room. “They’re part of our community. They’re going to grow up among our kids. So we must fight for them all.”
Just then, her phone rang. Lunch was waiting outside in front of her driveway.
Chermica Simmons runs Mica’s Soul Kitchen, a 3-year-old food stall that used to set up every Thursday night in downtown Palm Springs but hasn’t opened since February. La Revista ran a full-page ad for Mica’s, “and I’ve gotten a lot of new attention,” said Simmons.
The two had never met before until now, but smiled and chatted as if they were longtime pals. Simmons left Zamora Cruz with Styrofoam containers filled with Southern-fried combo plates of fried shrimp and lobster tails and mac ‘n’ cheese.
“That’s what I want to hear,” La Revista’s publisher said as she lugged lunch into her home. “Latinos supporting Blacks.”