latimes--2020-04-17--Coronavirus strikes California hospital workers hard, including 175 cases at UCLA alone

The coronavirus has infected California medical workers with much greater intensity than has been publicly revealed , including more than 175 cases at UCLA , according to records reviewed by The Times and a source with knowledge of the situation .
The virus has spread in UCLA ’ s outpatient clinics , geriatric and labor and delivery units , and in the pediatric intensive care unit , the source said .
The infections at healthcare facilities include at least eight cases involving medical workers at Providence St. John ’ s Health Center in Santa Monica ; 30 at Providence Little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pedro who are positive or awaiting results ; six at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in Silicon Valley , including one death ; 10 at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento ; five at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ; and hundreds scattered among numerous elder care and assisted living sites throughout the state .
“ Because hospitals are not being forthcoming with the information on their employees , I am sure there are clusters that nobody even knows about , ” said Steve Trossman , public affairs director of Service Employees International Union-United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which represents nearly 100,000 healthcare workers .
“ That is just wrong for people not to know that their local hospital has an outbreak.
” In multiple instances , the cluster of cases could not be confirmed beyond interviews with administrators , staff and those infected .
Hospitals and other medical facilities are not required to disclose known clusters ; no law mandates it , and state and county authorities have largely left it to facilities to self-report .
Medical professionals interviewed by The Times suspect staff members may be passing the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said , shortages of personal protective equipment may be an apparent cause .
All of the hospitals with outbreaks said their staff has access to appropriate protective gear .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s top public health advisor , said Thursday that the well-being of medical workers was “ of the highest concern.
” But he acknowledged that California does not comprehensively track possible outbreaks at hospitals and other medical facilities and that the state needs to do so .
Ghaly , head of the California Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state is in direct communication with only some hospitals when it comes to clusters of cases and doesn ’ t get reports from every one .
When presented with The Times ’ general findings , he said the state “ absolutely ” should receive reports about outbreaks from all facilities .
In the absence of state or local oversight , many facilities — including publicly owned ones such as UCLA — have chosen to remain silent until the toll becomes so great that information can ’ t be withheld , or whistleblowers come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about sick staff , they often offer a caveat : There is no way to prove the employee testing positive contracted the illness at work .
Asked how many employees have tested positive for the virus , a spokesman for UCLA Health replied in an email , “ I don ’ t have information for you about specific groups of COVID-positive cases.
” The spokesman noted that UCLA reports data to the county Department of Public Health .
Providence Southern California , which owns St. John ’ s and Little Company of Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work-related COVID-19 exposures across its 35,000 employees in 11 hospitals , but it declined to name specific facilities .
Cedars-Sinai spokesman Duke Helfand disputed that the hospital had a cluster of cases but acknowledged that some staff may be affected .
He added that all staff were being screened before their shifts .
UC Davis declined to say how many workers were infected , citing privacy reasons .
One blind spot involving the health of medical professionals is the death toll .
Though state officials said that , as of April 8 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of causes related to COVID-19 , they were unable to say exactly where those deaths occurred .
One of the dead is Valeria Viveros , a 20-year-old medical assistant who worked in a Riverside County nursing home with an outbreak and died last week after contracting COVID-19 , according to her uncle , Gustavo Urrea .
Urrea believes that healthcare workers should have better access to testing , training and information .
When Viveros became ill , her employer sent her home for two weeks but did not offer further help , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these kind of people who are risking their lives , and they are not , they are not doing it , ” said Urrea , who described his niece as compassionate and driven to become a nurse .
“ She was young and didn ’ t deserve this , ” he said .
A Los Angeles Times data analysis found wide variation in rates of healthcare worker infections across the state , suggesting some regions are having a more difficult time keeping medical staff safe than others .
Officials from California Health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections among healthcare workers April 10 at the request of The Times .
At that time , the workers accounted for at least 7.8 % of the confirmed cases across the state , though that figure could be misleading because some may have easier access to testing than other residents .
As of Wednesday , 2,974 healthcare workers in California were positive for COVID-19 , out of more than 26,000 confirmed cases — about 11 % of all cases in the state .
The rates of COVID-19 cases involving medical staff examined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with healthcare workers accounting for about 20 % of all cases in Placer and Humboldt counties , for example , but only a fraction of those in Kern and Riverside counties .
Los Angeles County , at 6.4 % , had among the lowest rates in the state .
County-by-county statistics on the numbers of healthcare workers aren ’ t readily available , making it hard to understand what the numbers mean to the overall population of healthcare workers in each area .
Among the more than 700 healthcare workers infected in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a hospital , according to county health director Barbara Ferrer .
About 19 % worked in a skilled nursing facility .
An additional 11 % worked in primary care offices , and about 5 % were first responders .
Positive COVID-19 diagnoses are almost evenly split among patients and staff in institutional settings , such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities , according to L.A. County data .
Ferrer said Thursday that 1,050 patients in institutional settings have tested positive , as well as 913 staff members .
She was unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers were employed .
“ I don ’ t have that information , ” she said .
“ At this point in time , we ’ re capturing the information more by the type of job that the healthcare worker is doing and their exposures than we have been capturing it by facility.
” Dr. Christina Ghaly , the head of L.A. County ’ s Department of Health Services , said people should not worry that a visit to a hospital will result in them being infected with COVID-19 .
“ Hospitals have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghaly said in a news conference Wednesday .
“ I think people should have a high degree of confidence in the ability of healthcare and hospital settings to maintain those infection prevention and control guidelines and keep people safe.
” But those working inside the facilities aren ’ t as sanguine , and they are increasingly losing trust in the public health officials and administrators charged with protecting their safety and that of patients , especially in light of the shortage of protective gear that many have been forced to work under .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large public hospital in Silicon Valley , administrators stayed silent as an outbreak of the virus ripped through nursing staff on a second-floor medical unit .
An anonymous whistleblower complained to county officials last week .
By then , six women had become sick ; four of them had tested positive and one was dead .
Since then , employees have learned from one another of an outbreak among workers in the boiler room .
“ Management has been very hush-hush about it , ” said one employee who recently talked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive .
“ I understand them not wanting to cause hysteria in the hospital .
I get that .
But I think people who have been exposed have the right to be notified and quarantined.
” The rumor mill about who on the staff is sick runs all day and night , the employee said .
“ It ’ s something we are all talking about , and the frustration is that management isn ’ t putting anything out to keep us informed , so we have to figure it out , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman for the Santa Clara County public health system , said that boiler room employees had been offered testing and that officials were considering changes in how administrators communicate with staff .
“ We are currently reviewing our policies and practices in light of the concerns that have been raised , ” he said .
Angela Gatdula , a registered nurse at Providence St. John ’ s Health Center in Santa Monica , tested positive for COVID-19 last week .
As the outbreak has grown in Los Angeles County , her ward has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients , excluding those that need to be in the ICU , she said , but nurses have not had access to N95 masks .
Gatdula believes she fell ill while treating COVID-19 patients and wearing a surgical mask .
Earlier in the outbreak , the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been recommending that all healthcare providers wear N95 masks , but it loosened the guidelines recently , in part to stretch limited supplies nationally .
Gatdula said there has been no transparency from the hospital around staff members falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse on her unit who is also sick , but that nurse informed Gatdula herself — the hospital did not share that information .
“ There is a lack of transparency in terms of who are the caregivers who are sick , ” she said .
“ No one knows what ’ s true , what ’ s fact .
”

Anita Chabria, Harriet Ryan, Soumya Karlamangla, Matt Stiles

The coronavirus has infected California medical workers with much greater intensity than has been publicly revealed, including more than 175 cases at UCLA, according to records reviewed by The Times and a source with knowledge of the situation.
The virus has spread in UCLA’s outpatient clinics, geriatric and labor and delivery units, and in the pediatric intensive care unit, the source said.
The infections at healthcare facilities include at least eight cases involving medical workers at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica; 30 at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in San Pedro who are positive or awaiting results; six at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in Silicon Valley, including one death; 10 at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento; five at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and hundreds scattered among numerous elder care and assisted living sites throughout the state.
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California 20 heartwarming photos show gratitude for healthcare workers Firefighters and law enforcement officers from L.A. to Laguna Beach express their gratitude to healthcare workers for their efforts in fighting COVID-19.
“Because hospitals are not being forthcoming with the information on their employees, I am sure there are clusters that nobody even knows about,” said Steve Trossman, public affairs director of Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), which represents nearly 100,000 healthcare workers. “That is just wrong for people not to know that their local hospital has an outbreak.”
In multiple instances, the cluster of cases could not be confirmed beyond interviews with administrators, staff and those infected. Hospitals and other medical facilities are not required to disclose known clusters; no law mandates it, and state and county authorities have largely left it to facilities to self-report.
Medical professionals interviewed by The Times suspect staff members may be passing the virus among themselves. In some cases, they said, shortages of personal protective equipment may be an apparent cause. All of the hospitals with outbreaks said their staff has access to appropriate protective gear.
Heidi Choi a UCLA Human Biology & Society undergraduate, along with nurses and supporters gather to protest the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the UCLA Ronald Regan Medical Center. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Mark Ghaly, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top public health advisor, said Thursday that the well-being of medical workers was “of the highest concern.” But he acknowledged that California does not comprehensively track possible outbreaks at hospitals and other medical facilities and that the state needs to do so.
Ghaly, head of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said the state is in direct communication with only some hospitals when it comes to clusters of cases and doesn’t get reports from every one. When presented with The Times’ general findings, he said the state “absolutely” should receive reports about outbreaks from all facilities.
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In the absence of state or local oversight, many facilities — including publicly owned ones such as UCLA — have chosen to remain silent until the toll becomes so great that information can’t be withheld, or whistleblowers come forward.
When healthcare employers provide information about sick staff, they often offer a caveat: There is no way to prove the employee testing positive contracted the illness at work.
Asked how many employees have tested positive for the virus, a spokesman for UCLA Health replied in an email, “I don’t have information for you about specific groups of COVID-positive cases.”
The spokesman noted that UCLA reports data to the county Department of Public Health.
Providence Southern California, which owns St. John’s and Little Company of Mary, said Thursday that it had 49 work-related COVID-19 exposures across its 35,000 employees in 11 hospitals, but it declined to name specific facilities.
Cedars-Sinai spokesman Duke Helfand disputed that the hospital had a cluster of cases but acknowledged that some staff may be affected. He added that all staff were being screened before their shifts. UC Davis declined to say how many workers were infected, citing privacy reasons.
California So much is unknown about the pandemic because the government keeps a lid on it California and its local governments are selective about what information they provide about the coronavirus crisis. What does the public have a right to know, and why is some information being held back?
One blind spot involving the health of medical professionals is the death toll. Though state officials said that, as of April 8, 10 healthcare workers in California had died of causes related to COVID-19, they were unable to say exactly where those deaths occurred.
One of the dead is Valeria Viveros, a 20-year-old medical assistant who worked in a Riverside County nursing home with an outbreak and died last week after contracting COVID-19, according to her uncle, Gustavo Urrea. Urrea believes that healthcare workers should have better access to testing, training and information. When Viveros became ill, her employer sent her home for two weeks but did not offer further help, he said.
“You have to protect these kind of people who are risking their lives, and they are not, they are not doing it,” said Urrea, who described his niece as compassionate and driven to become a nurse.
“She was young and didn’t deserve this,” he said.
A Los Angeles Times data analysis found wide variation in rates of healthcare worker infections across the state, suggesting some regions are having a more difficult time keeping medical staff safe than others.
Officials from California Health and Human Services released the county-by-county data on infections among healthcare workers April 10 at the request of The Times. At that time, the workers accounted for at least 7.8% of the confirmed cases across the state, though that figure could be misleading because some may have easier access to testing than other residents.
As of Wednesday, 2,974 healthcare workers in California were positive for COVID-19, out of more than 26,000 confirmed cases — about 11% of all cases in the state.
The rates of COVID-19 cases involving medical staff examined by The Times varied widely by county, with healthcare workers accounting for about 20% of all cases in Placer and Humboldt counties, for example, but only a fraction of those in Kern and Riverside counties. Los Angeles County, at 6.4%, had among the lowest rates in the state.
County-by-county statistics on the numbers of healthcare workers aren’t readily available, making it hard to understand what the numbers mean to the overall population of healthcare workers in each area.
Among the more than 700 healthcare workers infected in Los Angeles County, about 42% worked in a hospital, according to county health director Barbara Ferrer. About 19% worked in a skilled nursing facility. An additional 11% worked in primary care offices, and about 5% were first responders.
Positive COVID-19 diagnoses are almost evenly split among patients and staff in institutional settings, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, according to L.A. County data. Ferrer said Thursday that 1,050 patients in institutional settings have tested positive, as well as 913 staff members.
She was unable to give more detail on where those workers were employed.
“I don’t have that information,” she said. “At this point in time, we’re capturing the information more by the type of job that the healthcare worker is doing and their exposures than we have been capturing it by facility.”
Dr. Christina Ghaly, the head of L.A. County’s Department of Health Services, said people should not worry that a visit to a hospital will result in them being infected with COVID-19.
“Hospitals have very strict infection control guidelines,” Ghaly said in a news conference Wednesday. “I think people should have a high degree of confidence in the ability of healthcare and hospital settings to maintain those infection prevention and control guidelines and keep people safe.”
But those working inside the facilities aren’t as sanguine, and they are increasingly losing trust in the public health officials and administrators charged with protecting their safety and that of patients, especially in light of the shortage of protective gear that many have been forced to work under.
At Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, a large public hospital in Silicon Valley, administrators stayed silent as an outbreak of the virus ripped through nursing staff on a second-floor medical unit. An anonymous whistleblower complained to county officials last week.
By then, six women had become sick; four of them had tested positive and one was dead.
Since then, employees have learned from one another of an outbreak among workers in the boiler room.
“Management has been very hush-hush about it,” said one employee who recently talked to a boiler room operator who had tested positive. “I understand them not wanting to cause hysteria in the hospital. I get that. But I think people who have been exposed have the right to be notified and quarantined.”
The rumor mill about who on the staff is sick runs all day and night, the employee said.
“It’s something we are all talking about, and the frustration is that management isn’t putting anything out to keep us informed, so we have to figure it out,” the employee said.
Maury Kendall, spokesman for the Santa Clara County public health system, said that boiler room employees had been offered testing and that officials were considering changes in how administrators communicate with staff.
“We are currently reviewing our policies and practices in light of the concerns that have been raised,” he said.
Angela Gatdula, a registered nurse at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, tested positive for COVID-19 last week. As the outbreak has grown in Los Angeles County, her ward has become filled with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, excluding those that need to be in the ICU, she said, but nurses have not had access to N95 masks.
Gatdula believes she fell ill while treating COVID-19 patients and wearing a surgical mask. Earlier in the outbreak, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been recommending that all healthcare providers wear N95 masks, but it loosened the guidelines recently, in part to stretch limited supplies nationally.
Gatdula said there has been no transparency from the hospital around staff members falling sick. She said there is another nurse on her unit who is also sick, but that nurse informed Gatdula herself — the hospital did not share that information.
“There is a lack of transparency in terms of who are the caregivers who are sick,” she said. “No one knows what’s true, what’s fact.”


latimes--2020-04-17--Coronavirus is no match for 8-year-old's birthday party

Peyton Buss was not going to let the coronavirus ruin his birthday party .
They closed his school , they @ @ @ @ @ , they even closed the batting cages , but Buss drew the line at canceling @ @ @ @ @ of fellow team members from his 2019 Conejo Valley Little League All Star Baseball Team @ @ @ @ @ Thousand Oaks to celebrate his 8th birthday amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Peyton ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , with the help of friends , organized a “ drive-by birthday party ” with @ @ @ @ @ .
Over 25 vehicles filled with cheering parents and children drove around his cul de @ @ @ @ @ Buss home several times bestowing Peyton with balloons , gifts , cards and placards .
@ @ @ @ @ birthday party I ’ ve ever had !
” exclaimed Peyton .
“ People need @ @ @ @ @ his mother , “ this is a new norm so we have to make due @ @

Peyton Buss was not going to let the coronavirus ruin his birthday party. They closed his school, they closed the parks and beaches, they even closed the batting cages, but Buss drew the line at canceling his party. Cars full of fellow team members from his 2019 Conejo Valley Little League All Star Baseball Team drove to his home in Thousand Oaks to celebrate his 8th birthday amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peyton’s parents Jill and Daniel Buss, with the help of friends, organized a “drive-by birthday party” with family and his best friends. Over 25 vehicles filled with cheering parents and children drove around his cul de sac in front of the Buss home several times bestowing Peyton with balloons, gifts, cards and placards.
“This is the best birthday party I’ve ever had !” exclaimed Peyton. “People need social interaction,” said his mother, “this is a new norm so we have to make due.”
Filled with excitement, Peyton runs by parents Jill and Daniel Buss as fellow teammates from his 2019 Conejo Valley Little League All Star Baseball Team begin to drive by his home in Thousand Oaks to celebrate his 8th birthday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Vehicles filled with cheering parents and teammates fill a cul de sac to celebrate Peyton’s 8th birthday near his home in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Kason Speer cheers on Peyton through a sunroof to mark his teammate’s 8th birthday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Catherine Boys and her three children Christopher, Nicolas and Jonathan cheer as they pass Peyton during his drive-by birthday party. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Peyton catches a balloon released from a passing vehicle filled with parents and teammates. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Peyton waves to passing vehicles filled with parents and friends. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Michelle Buben hands a sign to Peyton to mark his 8th birthday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Peyton is all smiles during his celebration. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Mateo Ibarra hands off a sign to Peyton from a passing SUV. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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More than 25 vehicles filled with cheering parents and children drove through the cul de sac in front of the Buss home several times bestowing Peyton with balloons, gifts, cards and placards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A waving Peyton is accompanied by his parents Jill and Daniel Buss as teammates drive by their home. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)


latimes--2020-04-17--L.A. County suffering disproportionate share of coronavirus deaths amid a grim week

Even as the growth of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in California , the numbers of dead reached new highs this week with the toll being particularly grim in Los Angeles County .
Coronavirus-linked fatalities hit another one-day high in Los Angeles County on Thursday as health officials confirmed 52 additional deaths for a total of 457 .
It marked the the county has seen a record number of deaths , according to the county ’ s tally .
While the coronavirus crisis began in the Bay Area , Los Angeles County now accounts for an outsized number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county represents a quarter of California ’ s population but has been the site of almost half of the deaths due to COVID-19 , a Times data analysis found .
The five-county Southern California region accounts for roughly 60 % of the deaths in California due to the coronavirus , even though it makes up just 48 % of California ’ s population .
Those numbers led to California recording its worst one-day death total on Wednesday , at 101 reported fatalities .
“ The increase this week on the number of deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stark reminder of the devastation caused by COVID-19 , ” said Barbara Ferrer , Los Angeles County ’ s public health director .
In Los Angeles County , 88 % of those who have died as a result of COVID-19 had other health problems .
That underscores “ the need for all of us to work together to make it possible for those who have underlying health issues to remain in their homes , ” she said .
County officials have said that while strict stay-at-home orders have slowed the spread of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more outbreaks .
They forecast last week that up to 30 % of the county ’ s 10 million residents could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes , such as reducing shopping trips .
Institutional settings such as nursing homes have been major hot spots for the virus in Los Angeles County .
Roughly 30 % of the deaths in L.A. County have occurred in nursing homes .
In Long Beach , that number is more than 70 % .
All of Pasadena ’ s 16 fatalities have been associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been a crisis point elsewhere .
Bay Area prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward , where 13 people have died .
Forty-one residents and 26 staff members there have tested positive .
State and local officials have said that California ’ s coronavirus outbreak should be peaking over the next few weeks and are already beginning to talk about the conditions needed to lift some of the restrictions .
If those forecasts hold , the state would fare dramatically better than places such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
New York has seen more than 14,000 coronavirus deaths , compared to more than 970 in California .
Officials have attributed early adoption of stay-at-home rules for part of that difference .
Daily tallies of new cases in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing .
So does the number of COVID-19 patients in , which has remained between 1,100 and 1,200 since April 7 .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4 % day-to-day increase — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticked down by almost 1 % to 3,141 .
“ That ’ s good news but , again , I caution everybody : One day ’ s data does not make a trend , ” he said .
The increase in hospitalizations over the first 15 days of April appeared to be driven by the five counties in Southern California , where the number of those hospitalized doubled from 1,058 to 2,161 .
But the nine-county Bay Area has seen a flat number of those hospitalized for COVID-19 for those two weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first two weeks of April have been more stable than the rapid increases in new cases seen in March .
The Southern California region has added between 500 to 1,000 cases daily during the first two weeks of April , while the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area has added between 100 to 300 cases daily .
San Diego County has added fewer than 150 cases daily , and the seven-county Sacramento area hasn ’ t added more than 100 cases since April 1 .
But as the death toll increases , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims .
The California Department of Public Health released data this week showing that the coronavirus is in disproportionate numbers — a trend mirrored by Los Angeles County and other local cities .
In numbers released this week , black Californians accounted for 7 % of the state ’ s COVID-19 cases and 12 % of its coronavirus-related deaths .
Blacks make up 6 % of the state ’ s population .
State officials said a fuller picture of racial demographics are coming into perspective as more information is included in COVID-19 reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said data on race and ethnicity were complete for 65 % of cases and 87 % of deaths reported to the state .

Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Priscella Vega

Even as the growth of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in California, the numbers of dead reached new highs this week with the toll being particularly grim in Los Angeles County.
Coronavirus-linked fatalities hit another one-day high in Los Angeles County on Thursday as health officials confirmed 52 additional deaths for a total of 457. It marked the third straight day the county has seen a record number of deaths, according to the county’s tally.
While the coronavirus crisis began in the Bay Area, Los Angeles County now accounts for an outsized number of deaths despite its large size.
The county represents a quarter of California’s population but has been the site of almost half of the deaths due to COVID-19, a Times data analysis found. The five-county Southern California region accounts for roughly 60% of the deaths in California due to the coronavirus, even though it makes up just 48% of California’s population.
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Those numbers led to California recording its worst one-day death total on Wednesday, at 101 reported fatalities.
“The increase this week on the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 is distressing and a stark reminder of the devastation caused by COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s public health director.
In Los Angeles County, 88% of those who have died as a result of COVID-19 had other health problems. That underscores “the need for all of us to work together to make it possible for those who have underlying health issues to remain in their homes,” she said.
County officials have said that while strict stay-at-home orders have slowed the spread of coronavirus, they remain worried about the possibility of more outbreaks. They forecast last week that up to 30% of the county’s 10 million residents could be infected by midsummer without more behavioral changes, such as reducing shopping trips.
Institutional settings such as nursing homes have been major hot spots for the virus in Los Angeles County. Roughly 30% of the deaths in L.A. County have occurred in nursing homes. In Long Beach, that number is more than 70%. All of Pasadena’s 16 fatalities have been associated with long-term care facilities.
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Nursing homes have been a crisis point elsewhere. Bay Area prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward, where 13 people have died. Forty-one residents and 26 staff members there have tested positive.
State and local officials have said that California’s coronavirus outbreak should be peaking over the next few weeks and are already beginning to talk about the conditions needed to lift some of the restrictions.
If those forecasts hold, the state would fare dramatically better than places such as New York, New Jersey and Michigan. New York has seen more than 14,000 coronavirus deaths, compared to more than 970 in California. Officials have attributed early adoption of stay-at-home rules for part of that difference.
Daily tallies of new cases in California suggest the spread of the virus is slowing. So does the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units , which has remained between 1,100 and 1,200 since April 7.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that 1,191 Californians were in intensive care as of Wednesday — a 1.4% day-to-day increase — but that the overall number of patients hospitalized ticked down by almost 1% to 3,141.
“That’s good news but, again, I caution everybody: One day’s data does not make a trend,” he said.
The increase in hospitalizations over the first 15 days of April appeared to be driven by the five counties in Southern California, where the number of those hospitalized doubled from 1,058 to 2,161. But the nine-county Bay Area has seen a flat number of those hospitalized for COVID-19 for those two weeks, staying between 397 and 471.
The first two weeks of April have been more stable than the rapid increases in new cases seen in March. The Southern California region has added between 500 to 1,000 cases daily during the first two weeks of April, while the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area has added between 100 to 300 cases daily. San Diego County has added fewer than 150 cases daily, and the seven-county Sacramento area hasn’t added more than 100 cases since April 1.
But as the death toll increases, there are growing concerns about racial disparities among coronavirus victims.
The California Department of Public Health released data this week showing that the coronavirus is killing black residents in disproportionate numbers — a trend mirrored by Los Angeles County and other local cities.
In numbers released this week, black Californians accounted for 7% of the state’s COVID-19 cases and 12% of its coronavirus-related deaths. Blacks make up 6% of the state’s population.
State officials said a fuller picture of racial demographics are coming into perspective as more information is included in COVID-19 reporting. As of this week, officials said data on race and ethnicity were complete for 65% of cases and 87% of deaths reported to the state.


latimes--2020-04-17--An ex-con teaches other former convicts how to live life outside prison walls

You can ’ t hide in the back .
You can ’ t sneak in late .
Big John will make you answer .
Your name .
How you ’ re feeling .
Where you ’ ve been .
Where you ’ re headed .
Kyung is one of the first to speak .
He is electrified .
Everything is going right .
He has an important interview tomorrow .
Big John howls in appreciation .
Then he asks , “ Ever been in that special place ?
” “ Yes , sir , I have .
Altogether , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is weathered , as if marked by the troubles he has seen .
“ Ten years , all right , ” Big John says .
“ And you ’ re about to become an electrician.
” Until the novel coronavirus hit , anyone who needed a job , some encouragement , or a way to avoid past mistakes , was welcome Thursday nights in this church basement at 35th and Normandie in South Los Angeles , an area plagued by gang violence , a lack of well-paying work , the revolving prison doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John calls that special place , that gated community .
By his calculations , the 50 or so people in the room on this night have collectively logged about 400 years behind bars .
As part of a program called 2nd Call , they learn how to become union electricians or carpenters , how to keep those jobs , how to confront trauma and depression , how to be good fathers and mothers , spouses , sons , daughters and friends .
Big John , whose full name is John Elliott Harriel Jr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliciting snapshots of their lives with a quick patter of questions , as he does on this night , before social distancing kicked in .
Exams passed , careers made — it is a mantra of success , relished again and again .
If he can do it , so can you .
Sal feels blessed .
He will finish electrician boot camp on Sunday .
“ OK , how ’ d you get that ?
” Big John says .
“ You ever been to prison ?
” “ Man , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The gray floor is pockmarked .
Fluorescent lights illuminate the faces of the people seated around a large square table , against the walls , in rows stretching to the back , most of them men , most of them African American , some clad in work boots and long-sleeved T-shirts bearing the logos of construction contractors .
As the nickname implies , Big John , 50 , fills out his black Local Union 11 sweatshirt , his direct manner more intimidating for his bulk .
But he is quick with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bluntness .
And he has been there .
“ My name is John , ” he says .
“ I feel excellent that I ain ’ t dead or in jail .
Have I been to jail ?
Yes .
But I keep those things behind me .
I try to look in that rear-view mirror just for a reference , that ’ s it , to make sure I don ’ t put myself in no situations.
” After serving seven years for drug offenses in the 1990s , Big John was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow inmate had taught him basic electrical skills , and he found work in the trade .
Eventually , he met Skipp Townsend , who had started 2nd Call with Kenny Smith and was trying to get jobs for gang members .
Big John became a conduit to highly paid union jobs .
He knew what kind of work ethic and interpersonal skills it took to thrive in those jobs — hence , the Thursday night meetings , which he has led since 2009 , every week except Thanksgiving , in a space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small stipend 2nd Call could offer pales compared to what Big John makes as a supervisor at the electrical contractor Morrow Meadows , so he accepts no payment .
Townsend , the bald and bespectacled eminence of the Los Angeles gang intervention world , is 2nd Call ’ s executive director and is usually at Big John ’ s side on Thursday nights , though he is absent tonight .
Big John has put his own touch on a format pioneered by 2nd Call , drawing on a repertoire of topics key to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , self-esteem , excuses .
He quickly schools newcomers in the lingo .
Careers , not jobs .
Speak only for yourself — no “ we ’ s ” or “ you ’ s. ” The 2nd Call wolf pack takes care of its own .
Until the pandemic , some people came by every Thursday , week after week , year after year , long after establishing themselves in their careers .
Others sought out the meetings when they were in a rut .
For the most part , they introduce themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tak , Deontae , Vince .
Next is Nikia .
“ This program , I ’ ve been through so many of them , so you know , ” Nikia begins .
“ First of all , throw the word ‘ program ’ out of your vocabulary .
It ’ s not a program .
It ’ s a way of life .
Ain ’ t no beginning , ain ’ t no end.
” Nikia is back from 22 years in the penitentiary .
Something troubling happened the night before , Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a job site involving people from 2nd Call .
He enumerates some pleasures of life on the outside — sleeping on comfortable sheets , soaping up a loofah sponge in the shower .
This is what you could lose with one violent outburst .
Anger progresses in four stages , according to a handout : ( 1 ) Communication breakdown ( 2 ) Mental warning ( 3 ) Physical warning ( 4 ) Aggression and actions .
Kyung says he used to be “ a hell of an angry person ” who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest badass.
” “ I got appreciation of my life back , the things I truly care for , that I should have cared for , ” he says .
“ My concern right now is the future.
” Charles , now a union electrician after 27 years behind bars , says he has spent years unlearning knee-jerk reactions that were normal where he came from .
“ When I was coming up , you say a certain word , or dress a certain way — it was not just getting angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
Big John notes that some familiar faces are gone from the meetings because they let their tempers get the better of them .
“ Some people , the reason why they ain ’ t here no more is they went from zero to 60 in 10 seconds .
One of them got double life right now , and one of them got 34 to life .
All over zero to 60.
” According to Big John , the man who lashed out angrily in last night ’ s workplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose his $ 50-an-hour foreman job .
“ His flow ’ s about to stop .
And he probably has a family .
So he had a communication breakdown , and he went to No .
4 , ” Big John says , referring to the highest stage of anger .
“ Now he ’ s about to be unemployed.
” Monica , a union electrician , says her co-workers often treat her unfairly because she is a black woman .
She talks back but knows she is walking a fine line .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ ll say , ‘ I don ’ t like the way you said that .
You didn ’ t say that to him.
’ I ’ ll let you know I ’ m not with that , ” she says .
“ But I have to really , really be careful .
The first thing they want to do is get you off the job .
Any opportunity , they want you gone.
” Big John goes around the room , asking each person : “ Anything we spoke about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The transition from prison can be overwhelming , and discussions like this one keep him grounded , Sal says .
“ Coming from the four walls , being trapped , then coming out here to the real world , it ’ s so easy to get tripped up over some little small stuff , ” he says .
“ Let that go — I got so much ahead of me right now.
” When Sal was insulted by a co-worker recently , he called Big John .
“ I said , ‘ Yo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to do this .
Do not do nothing to that guy .
Let ’ s walk away , ’ ” Big John recalls .
“ Now , by him not doing what he was going to do three months ago , he has an opportunity to change his life.
” Vince , who is wearing a Morrow Meadows T-shirt and is switching from the carpentry to electrical trade , says thinking back on his prison days helps him appreciate where he is now .
“ Not that you ’ d want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know people learn from that , too , ” he says .
“ I know for me , it helps me get a whole different perspective on life.
” A man with his hair in two braids says it ’ s hard to undo old habits and walk away from a conflict .
“ And so for me to overcome that , listening to all you guys , it ’ s helping me out right now , ” he says .
“ So now that seed has been fed , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who spent 40 years in prison , says controlling your feelings is “ mandatory.
” “ If I ’ d have learned that 30 years ago , I would have been out 30 years ago , ” he says .
Big John closes with another reference to the four stages of anger .
“ I always remind myself , if I stay at 1 and 2 , I can stay out of jail and I won ’ t be dead.
” In weeks to come , the coronavirus would put the Thursday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not know how to use Zoom .
Even if he did , much would be lost in a virtual space .
But on this night , the men and women here find the fellowship they need .
As they do every week , they give thanks .
Chairs slide .
They stand in a circle , linking hands .
A man named Lee says a prayer .
“ Dear Father , thank you for 2nd Call , thank you for Thursday , thank you for this meeting , for this church .
Bless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help us keep our minds and stay on you , in the right place .
In the name of Jesus we pray , amen .
”

Before the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of gatherings, 2nd Call met every Thursday night in a church basement in South Los Angeles. John “Big John” Harriel Jr. led the meetings to teach other former convicts how to live life outside prison walls.
You can’t hide in the back. You can’t sneak in late. Big John will make you answer.
Your name. How you’re feeling. Where you’ve been. Where you’re headed.
Kyung is one of the first to speak. He is electrified. Everything is going right. He has an important interview tomorrow.
Big John howls in appreciation. Then he asks, “Ever been in that special place?”
“Yes, sir, I have. Altogether, about 10 years.” Kyung’s face is weathered, as if marked by the troubles he has seen.
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“Ten years, all right,” Big John says. “And you’re about to become an electrician.”
Until the novel coronavirus hit, anyone who needed a job, some encouragement, or a way to avoid past mistakes, was welcome Thursday nights in this church basement at 35th and Normandie in South Los Angeles, an area plagued by gang violence, a lack of well-paying work, the revolving prison doors.
Some people show up to 2nd Call every Thursday, week after week, year after year, long after they have established themselves in their careers. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Many have been to what Big John calls that special place, that gated community. By his calculations, the 50 or so people in the room on this night have collectively logged about 400 years behind bars.
Many at 2nd Call have served prison time and are now working as union electricians or carpenters. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
As part of a program called 2nd Call, they learn how to become union electricians or carpenters, how to keep those jobs, how to confront trauma and depression, how to be good fathers and mothers, spouses, sons, daughters and friends.
Big John, whose full name is John Elliott Harriel Jr., taps one person after another, eliciting snapshots of their lives with a quick patter of questions, as he does on this night, before social distancing kicked in.
Exams passed, careers made — it is a mantra of success, relished again and again. If he can do it, so can you.
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“How you feel, Sal?” Big John asks.
Sal feels blessed. He will finish electrician boot camp on Sunday.
“OK, how’d you get that?” Big John says.
“Right here at 2nd Call,” Sal responds.
“You ever been to prison?”
“Yes, sir.”
“How much time you do?”
“Just finished doing 14.”
“Man, your life is about to change, buddy.”
::
The gray floor is pockmarked. Fluorescent lights illuminate the faces of the people seated around a large square table, against the walls, in rows stretching to the back, most of them men, most of them African American, some clad in work boots and long-sleeved T-shirts bearing the logos of construction contractors.
As the nickname implies, Big John, 50, fills out his black Local Union 11 sweatshirt, his direct manner more intimidating for his bulk. But he is quick with a joke or sympathetic word to leaven his bluntness.
And he has been there.
Topics at 2nd Call meetings include forgiveness, leadership and self-esteem. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“My name is John,” he says. “I feel excellent that I ain’t dead or in jail. Have I been to jail? Yes. But I keep those things behind me. I try to look in that rear-view mirror just for a reference, that’s it, to make sure I don’t put myself in no situations.”
After serving seven years for drug offenses in the 1990s, Big John was determined not to go back. A fellow inmate had taught him basic electrical skills, and he found work in the trade. Eventually, he met Skipp Townsend, who had started 2nd Call with Kenny Smith and was trying to get jobs for gang members.
Big John became a conduit to highly paid union jobs. He knew what kind of work ethic and interpersonal skills it took to thrive in those jobs — hence, the Thursday night meetings, which he has led since 2009, every week except Thanksgiving, in a space lent by a sympathetic pastor. The small stipend 2nd Call could offer pales compared to what Big John makes as a supervisor at the electrical contractor Morrow Meadows, so he accepts no payment.
Townsend, the bald and bespectacled eminence of the Los Angeles gang intervention world, is 2nd Call’s executive director and is usually at Big John’s side on Thursday nights, though he is absent tonight.
“My name is John,” John Harriel Jr. says. “I feel excellent that I ain’t dead or in jail. Have I been to jail? Yes. But I keep those things behind me.” (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Big John has put his own touch on a format pioneered by 2nd Call, drawing on a repertoire of topics key to life and work: forgiveness, leadership, self-esteem, excuses. He quickly schools newcomers in the lingo. Careers, not jobs. Speak only for yourself — no “we’s” or “you’s.” The 2nd Call wolf pack takes care of its own.
Until the pandemic, some people came by every Thursday, week after week, year after year, long after establishing themselves in their careers. Others sought out the meetings when they were in a rut.
For the most part, they introduce themselves using first names only: Sal, Tak, Deontae, Vince. Next is Nikia.
“This program, I’ve been through so many of them, so you know,” Nikia begins.
Big John cuts him off.
“First of all, throw the word ‘program’ out of your vocabulary. It’s not a program. It’s a way of life. Ain’t no beginning, ain’t no end.”
Nikia is back from 22 years in the penitentiary.
“Hoooh-oooh,” Big John marvels. “Welcome home.”
Something troubling happened the night before, Big John says, hinting at a disagreement at a job site involving people from 2nd Call.
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
He enumerates some pleasures of life on the outside — sleeping on comfortable sheets, soaping up a loofah sponge in the shower. This is what you could lose with one violent outburst.
Anger progresses in four stages, according to a handout: (1) Communication breakdown (2) Mental warning (3) Physical warning (4) Aggression and actions.
Kyung says he used to be “a hell of an angry person” who needed to prove himself by being “the biggest badass.”
“I got appreciation of my life back, the things I truly care for, that I should have cared for,” he says. “My concern right now is the future.”
Charles, now a union electrician after 27 years behind bars, says he has spent years unlearning knee-jerk reactions that were normal where he came from.
“When I was coming up, you say a certain word, or dress a certain way — it was not just getting angry but the response to the anger,” he says.
Big John notes that some familiar faces are gone from the meetings because they let their tempers get the better of them.
“Some people, the reason why they ain’t here no more is they went from zero to 60 in 10 seconds. One of them got double life right now, and one of them got 34 to life. All over zero to 60.”
According to Big John, the man who lashed out angrily in last night’s workplace incident will probably face criminal charges and lose his $50-an-hour foreman job.
“His flow’s about to stop. And he probably has a family. So he had a communication breakdown, and he went to No. 4,” Big John says, referring to the highest stage of anger. “Now he’s about to be unemployed.”
Monica, a union electrician, says her co-workers often treat her unfairly because she is a black woman. She talks back but knows she is walking a fine line.
“If they say something to me, I’ll say, ‘I don’t like the way you said that. You didn’t say that to him.’ I’ll let you know I’m not with that,” she says. “But I have to really, really be careful. The first thing they want to do is get you off the job. Any opportunity, they want you gone.”
::
Big John goes around the room, asking each person: “Anything we spoke about tonight stood out to you?”
The transition from prison can be overwhelming, and discussions like this one keep him grounded, Sal says.
“Coming from the four walls, being trapped, then coming out here to the real world, it’s so easy to get tripped up over some little small stuff,” he says. “Let that go — I got so much ahead of me right now.”
When Sal was insulted by a co-worker recently, he called Big John.
“I said, ‘Yo, this is how we’re going to do this. Do not do nothing to that guy. Let’s walk away,’” Big John recalls. “Now, by him not doing what he was going to do three months ago, he has an opportunity to change his life.”
Vince, who is wearing a Morrow Meadows T-shirt and is switching from the carpentry to electrical trade, says thinking back on his prison days helps him appreciate where he is now.
“Not that you’d want to go to that special place. But I know people learn from that, too,” he says. “I know for me, it helps me get a whole different perspective on life.”
A man with his hair in two braids says it’s hard to undo old habits and walk away from a conflict.
“And so for me to overcome that, listening to all you guys, it’s helping me out right now,” he says. “So now that seed has been fed, and it’s being watered.”
Mark, who spent 40 years in prison, says controlling your feelings is “mandatory.”
“If I’d have learned that 30 years ago, I would have been out 30 years ago,” he says.
Big John closes with another reference to the four stages of anger.
“I always remind myself, if I stay at 1 and 2, I can stay out of jail and I won’t be dead.”
In weeks to come, the coronavirus would put the Thursday night meetings on hold. Big John does not know how to use Zoom. Even if he did, much would be lost in a virtual space.
But on this night, the men and women here find the fellowship they need. As they do every week, they give thanks. Chairs slide. They stand in a circle, linking hands. A man named Lee says a prayer.
“Dear Father, thank you for 2nd Call, thank you for Thursday, thank you for this meeting, for this church. Bless our families, bless us individually, help us keep our minds and stay on you, in the right place. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.”


latimes--2020-04-16--State panel grants temporary endangered species status to Southern California cougars

The state Fish and Game Commission on Thursday set the stage for a fierce environmental battle by granting temporary endangered species status to the several hundred cougars still roaming Southern California and the Central Coast .
The protection came with the 5-member panel ’ s unanimous decision to consider a petition filed by environmentalists to list as threatened or endangered six , isolated clans of cougars hemmed in by sprawl and freeways .
The move is considered preliminary under terms of the state Endangered Species Act .
Next , the commission will hold public hearings .
A permanent decision could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the big cats are permanently listed , the law requires state wildlife managers to devise a recovery plan for them , raising the prospect of constraints on development and highway construction from Santa Cruz to the U.S.-Mexico border , according to the petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity and the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation .
Before the panel voted , California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham urged them to overlook objections from critics including the California Farm Bureau Federation and the California Cattlemen ’ s Assn .
and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Biological Diversity and the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation .
“ We can do this , ” Bonham said .
“ The department knows how to collaborate .
Ecological objectives and housing development are both doable objectives.
” “ This is an important step that commits the state to ensure that these magnificent animals can continue to exist at edges of our cities as well as deep in our wildlands , ” he said .
“ We know what the threats are and what to do to address them .
“ Critics unsuccessfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearing on the petition until the coronavirus lockdown was lifted , to ensure as much participation as possible , and to avoid a decision that might compound economic woes currently afflicting the state due to the pandemic .
Beyond that , critics feared that offering the estimated 500 mountain lions protection under the California Endangered Species Act would make it more difficult to obtain a depredation permit to remove a lion that threatened the safety of humans and livestock .
“ The big question raised by ranchers right now , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pacific Legal Foundation , a nonprofit established to protect individual rights and private property , “ is this : ` If mountain lions are listed , will they still have a right to remove a lion , if necessary ?
“ The chances of litigation will be substantially increased , ” he added , “ if the commission says the endangered species act supersedes existing law when it comes to depredation.
” Other opponents warned a listing could put a drag on the economy by limiting commercial and residential development in areas deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition , the California Department of Transportation would not be able to build highways in core mountain lion habitat without implementing adequate measures to ensure linkages and safe passage under and over them .
Another concern is that protections offered mountain lions under the state endangered species act may supersede existing regulations governing the circumstances under which one or more big cats can be legally killed for threatening humans or livestock .
“ My chief concern with a candidate listing is how the commission would reconcile the protections afforded candidate species under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules already applicable to the mountain lion under Proposition 117 , ” said Schiff .
“ Under Prop 117 , a farmer or rancher whose livestock has been attacked by a mountain lion has the right to obtain from the Department of Fish and Wildlife a permit to ‘ take ’ the depredating mountain lion , ” he said .
“ In contrast , there is no parallel authorization under the state endangered species act to take depredating animals that have been designated as endangered species .
“ My own view is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added.
`` As codified , Prop 117 provides : ‘ Neither the commission nor the department shall adopt any regulation that conflicts with or supersedes a provision of this chapter . '
” Others , however , believe the government is acting too timidly in the face of a mountain lion crisis that virtually no one denies .
“ If mountain lions are listed , ” said Fred Hull , a staff attorney with the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation .
“ It won ’ t be harder to get a depredation permit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methods .
But it will be much more difficult to get a permit to kill a lion.
” Mountain lions are not listed as threatened statewide .
But the petition cites recent scientific studies showing that the lions roaming the Santa Ana , San Gabriel , Santa Monica , Santa Cruz and Tehachapi ranges make up a genetically distinct subspecies that is approaching what some experts call an “ extinction vortex.
” There ’ s an almost 1 in 4 chance , scientists say , that mountain lions could become extinct in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 years .
That ’ s because they continue to be poisoned by rodenticides , hit by cars , legally shot with depredation permits and illegally slain by poachers as human and cougar lives become more entangled .
An even greater concern , scientists say , is loss of landscape connectivity between ranges and large blocks of open space on private land .
But the commission ’ s action comes amid a severe housing crunch that has caused rents to rise dramatically in cities such as Los Angeles and made the undeveloped foothills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the fastest growing and affordable parts of Southern California .
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a proposal to develop 1,330 acres along the 5 Freeway corridor near the community of Castaic .
That came over the objections of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy that it would degrade a wildlife linkage between Angeles National Forest and Los Padres National Forest .
Similarly , the board has approved the proposed 12,000-acre Centennial development on the unincorporated northern fringe of the county , despite concerns that it would sever a habitat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The massive Newhall Ranch project in Santa Clarita Valley is expected to accelerate commercial and residential growth in remnant mountain lion habitat even more .
There is no reliable estimate of the total number of mountain lions in California today .
But a rough estimate of between 1,500 and 5,000 big cats statewide are currently classified as a “ specially protected species ” by state wildlife officials .
An ongoing multi-agency survey led by state wildlife biologists is expected to provide better regional and statewide lion population estimates in 2022 .
Recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from nearly 1,000 pumas captured alive , found dead or legally killed by authorized agencies for livestock depredation or public safety identified nine distinct puma populations in California .
Lions in northern California and the western and eastern Sierra Nevada ranges , the study found , are among the healthiest in the state .
Some populations in Southern California , however , had levels of genetic diversity nearly as low as the federally endangered Florida panther .
But until their fate is known for certain , the petition is asking state wildlife authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California voters banned mountain lion hunting in 1990 .
But sport hunting of pumas is used as a management tool in several western states where the rationale is that it provides recreational opportunities and reduces the risk of attacks on humans and livestock .
The Washington state Fish and Wildlife Commission a week ago voted in favor of expanding cougar hunting season and the number that can be killed .
Now , researchers from Western Oregon University and California State University , Sacramento are reporting that their analysis of records from wildlife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that sport hunting of pumas has produced desired outcomes aside from providing a recreational opportunity .
The findings were formally presented in February in the online scientific journal PLOS ONE .
In California , listing cougars as threatened would likely constrain the issuance of depredation permits to kill mountain lions in protected populations , said J.P. Rose , an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity .
The ecological effects of such a designation could be far reaching .
The presence of mountain lions helps support the overall health of California ecosystems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an important food source for a host of wild animals including California condors , gray foxes , myriad species of insects and songbirds that eat them .

The state Fish and Game Commission on Thursday set the stage for a fierce environmental battle by granting temporary endangered species status to the several hundred cougars still roaming Southern California and the Central Coast.
The protection came with the 5-member panel’s unanimous decision to consider a petition filed by environmentalists to list as threatened or endangered six, isolated clans of cougars hemmed in by sprawl and freeways.
The move is considered preliminary under terms of the state Endangered Species Act. Next, the commission will hold public hearings. A permanent decision could go into force in 2022.
If the big cats are permanently listed, the law requires state wildlife managers to devise a recovery plan for them, raising the prospect of constraints on development and highway construction from Santa Cruz to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity and the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation.
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Before the panel voted, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham urged them to overlook objections from critics including the California Farm Bureau Federation and the California Cattlemen’s Assn. and accept the petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation.
“We can do this,” Bonham said. “The department knows how to collaborate. Ecological objectives and housing development are both doable objectives.”
Brendan Cummings, the center’s conservation director, agrees.
“This is an important step that commits the state to ensure that these magnificent animals can continue to exist at edges of our cities as well as deep in our wildlands,” he said. “We know what the threats are and what to do to address them. “
Critics unsuccessfully lobbied to persuade the commission to postpone the hearing on the petition until the coronavirus lockdown was lifted, to ensure as much participation as possible, and to avoid a decision that might compound economic woes currently afflicting the state due to the pandemic.
Beyond that, critics feared that offering the estimated 500 mountain lions protection under the California Endangered Species Act would make it more difficult to obtain a depredation permit to remove a lion that threatened the safety of humans and livestock.
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“The big question raised by ranchers right now,” said Damien Schiff, senior attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a nonprofit established to protect individual rights and private property, “is this: `If mountain lions are listed, will they still have a right to remove a lion, if necessary?
“The chances of litigation will be substantially increased,” he added, “if the commission says the endangered species act supersedes existing law when it comes to depredation.”
Other opponents warned a listing could put a drag on the economy by limiting commercial and residential development in areas deemed critical to the lions’ survival. In addition, the California Department of Transportation would not be able to build highways in core mountain lion habitat without implementing adequate measures to ensure linkages and safe passage under and over them.
Another concern is that protections offered mountain lions under the state endangered species act may supersede existing regulations governing the circumstances under which one or more big cats can be legally killed for threatening humans or livestock.
“My chief concern with a candidate listing is how the commission would reconcile the protections afforded candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act with the rules already applicable to the mountain lion under Proposition 117,” said Schiff.
“Under Prop 117, a farmer or rancher whose livestock has been attacked by a mountain lion has the right to obtain from the Department of Fish and Wildlife a permit to ‘take’ the depredating mountain lion,” he said. “In contrast, there is no parallel authorization under the state endangered species act to take depredating animals that have been designated as endangered species.
“My own view is that Prop 117 should control,” he added. “ As codified, Prop 117 provides: ‘Neither the commission nor the department shall adopt any regulation that conflicts with or supersedes a provision of this chapter. ‘ ”
Others, however, believe the government is acting too timidly in the face of a mountain lion crisis that virtually no one denies.
“If mountain lions are listed,” said Fred Hull, a staff attorney with the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation. “It won’t be harder to get a depredation permit to deal with a troublesome lion with nonlethal methods. But it will be much more difficult to get a permit to kill a lion.”
Mountain lions are not listed as threatened statewide. But the petition cites recent scientific studies showing that the lions roaming the Santa Ana, San Gabriel, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz and Tehachapi ranges make up a genetically distinct subspecies that is approaching what some experts call an “extinction vortex.”
There’s an almost 1 in 4 chance, scientists say, that mountain lions could become extinct in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains within 50 years.
That’s because they continue to be poisoned by rodenticides, hit by cars, legally shot with depredation permits and illegally slain by poachers as human and cougar lives become more entangled. An even greater concern, scientists say, is loss of landscape connectivity between ranges and large blocks of open space on private land.
California As anti-fur sentiment grows, California’s oldest trappers are calling it quits After a lifetime spent trapping animals in California’s western Sierra Nevada, Tim Wion traveled to Oregon recently to make one big, final sale at the annual Klamath Falls fur auction.
But the commission’s action comes amid a severe housing crunch that has caused rents to rise dramatically in cities such as Los Angeles and made the undeveloped foothills and desert scrublands of Northern L.A. County among the fastest growing and affordable parts of Southern California.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a proposal to develop 1,330 acres along the 5 Freeway corridor near the community of Castaic. That came over the objections of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy that it would degrade a wildlife linkage between Angeles National Forest and Los Padres National Forest.
Similarly, the board has approved the proposed 12,000-acre Centennial development on the unincorporated northern fringe of the county, despite concerns that it would sever a habitat linkage between Highway 14 and Interstate 5.
The massive Newhall Ranch project in Santa Clarita Valley is expected to accelerate commercial and residential growth in remnant mountain lion habitat even more.
There is no reliable estimate of the total number of mountain lions in California today. But a rough estimate of between 1,500 and 5,000 big cats statewide are currently classified as a “specially protected species” by state wildlife officials.
An ongoing multi-agency survey led by state wildlife biologists is expected to provide better regional and statewide lion population estimates in 2022.
Recent genetic analysis of tissue and blood samples from nearly 1,000 pumas captured alive, found dead or legally killed by authorized agencies for livestock depredation or public safety identified nine distinct puma populations in California.
Lions in northern California and the western and eastern Sierra Nevada ranges, the study found, are among the healthiest in the state. Some populations in Southern California, however, had levels of genetic diversity nearly as low as the federally endangered Florida panther.
But until their fate is known for certain, the petition is asking state wildlife authorities to devise a plan to save it.
California voters banned mountain lion hunting in 1990. But sport hunting of pumas is used as a management tool in several western states where the rationale is that it provides recreational opportunities and reduces the risk of attacks on humans and livestock. The Washington state Fish and Wildlife Commission a week ago voted in favor of expanding cougar hunting season and the number that can be killed.
Now, researchers from Western Oregon University and California State University, Sacramento are reporting that their analysis of records from wildlife agencies in 10 Western states found no evidence that sport hunting of pumas has produced desired outcomes aside from providing a recreational opportunity. The findings were formally presented in February in the online scientific journal PLOS ONE.
In California, listing cougars as threatened would likely constrain the issuance of depredation permits to kill mountain lions in protected populations, said J.P. Rose, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.
The ecological effects of such a designation could be far reaching. The presence of mountain lions helps support the overall health of California ecosystems. The carcasses of their kills provide an important food source for a host of wild animals including California condors, gray foxes, myriad species of insects and songbirds that eat them.


latimes--2020-04-16--Man denies killing ex-girlfriend, a prominent family therapist

A Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Thursday to killing his ex-girlfriend , a prominent family therapist and former fiancée of comedian Drew Carey , prosecutors said .
Dr. Amie Harwick died Feb. 15 after she was thrown from the third-floor balcony of her Hollywood Hills apartment , the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said .
An autopsy determined she had been strangled first .
Gareth Pursehouse , 41 , was charged with one count each of murder and first-degree residential burglary with the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait , prosecutors said .
The defendant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death and posted $ 2-million bond .
He was re-arrested this week on a no-bail warrant .
Detectives learned Harwick had expressed fear about an ex-boyfriend and had previously filed a restraining order against him , according to a police statement .
The restraining order had expired .
Harwick ’ s website described her as a marriage and sex therapist .
She appeared on TV and radio and wrote a book called “ The New Sex Bible for Women.
” Carey dated Harwick , 38 , for two years before the pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their engagement .
Pursehouse was ordered to return to court on June 24 .
The special circumstance allegation of lying in wait makes Pursehouse eligible for the death penalty .
A decision on whether to seek capital punishment will be made at a later date , prosecutors said .

Dr. Amie Harwick attends the “Rock to Recovery” benefit at the Fonda Theatre in 2016.
A Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Thursday to killing his ex-girlfriend, a prominent family therapist and former fiancée of comedian Drew Carey, prosecutors said.
Dr. Amie Harwick died Feb. 15 after she was thrown from the third-floor balcony of her Hollywood Hills apartment, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. An autopsy determined she had been strangled first.
Gareth Pursehouse, 41, was charged with one count each of murder and first-degree residential burglary with the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, prosecutors said.
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The defendant was initially arrested shortly after Harwick’s death and posted $2-million bond. He was re-arrested this week on a no-bail warrant.
Detectives learned Harwick had expressed fear about an ex-boyfriend and had previously filed a restraining order against him, according to a police statement. The restraining order had expired.
Harwick’s website described her as a marriage and sex therapist. She appeared on TV and radio and wrote a book called “The New Sex Bible for Women.”
California Family therapist Amie Harwick killed in Hollywood Hills, police say Police said Harwick died after falling from a third-floor balcony. There was evidence of a forced entry and struggle inside her home, they said.
Carey dated Harwick, 38, for two years before the pair split in 2018, months after announcing their engagement.
Pursehouse was ordered to return to court on June 24.
The special circumstance allegation of lying in wait makes Pursehouse eligible for the death penalty. A decision on whether to seek capital punishment will be made at a later date, prosecutors said.