latimes--2020-01-30--Federal prosecutors say tapped calls show 'corrupt dealings' by Beverly Hills developer

A Beverly Hills real estate developer accused of bribing a Los Angeles County employee was captured on a government wiretap having “ corrupt dealings ” with other public officials , federal prosecutors said in a new filing .
The U.S. Attorney ’ s Office did not name the government officials or identify the agencies where they worked .
However , they described conversations between developer Arman Gabay and unnamed individuals about permitting problems , tax issues and government financing for one of his projects , among other issues .
Gabay , who faces bribery and wire fraud charges , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone call to make a campaign donation to an unnamed politician , according to the filing .
Gabay agreed to give $ 10,000 .
Shortly after , the same official told Gabay that a new government employee had been assigned to one of his construction projects , prosecutors said .
“ It appeared that [ the official ] had resolved one issue ( of many ) that defendant was facing regarding the construction of his personal residence , ” they wrote .
The filing did not say where the property was located .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ another government worker reprimanded for “ making waves ” on a permitting issue at the Gabay property .
According to the filing , the public official bragged to Gabay that the worker was told that the next time the official ’ s office called , “ you say how high can I jump.
” Prosecutors said they concluded after hearing Gabay ’ s conversations that he “ was likely giving bribes and/or other benefits ” to that official or a third party in exchange for “ official acts.
” Thomas P. O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Times in an email : “ We vigorously disagree with the government ’ s filing , and we will address this in the proper forum.
” Gabay , who also goes by the name Gabaee , has pleaded not guilty to felony bribery and wire fraud charges .
Federal investigators arrested Gabay in 2018 , accusing him of bribing a Los Angeles County employee in hopes of securing a lucrative government lease in Hawthorne .
Prosecutors said Gabay , who has worked with the real estate firm Charles Co. , gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 or more — and at one point sought to purchase a home for the official in Santa Rosa .
Thomas Shepos , the county official , later agreed to plead guilty to making false statements to the FBI and signing a false tax return .
In their new filing , federal prosecutors argued that evidence from wiretapped calls should be allowed at Gabay ’ s trial to counter any claim that he was a victim of entrapment and show that he was “ predisposed ” to commit such crimes .
Attorneys for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wiretapped calls , which was submitted under seal .
Gabay ’ s lawyers said their motion should remain confidential because it mentions people who have not been publicly charged and would “ unfairly suffer personal and professional reputational harm if it were publicly known that the government had investigated them for criminal conduct.
” Federal investigators described several other wiretapped calls involving Gabay .
In one instance , Gabay talked to an unnamed official about getting a favor for a friend who needed help with a tax issue , according to the legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying that he “ took care of it ” and that the official would call .
“ I help his friends ’ campaigns and things like that , ” Gabay told the friend , according to the legal filing .
U.S. Attorney ’ s Office spokesman Thom Mrozek declined to comment on the filing Wednesday .

A Beverly Hills real estate developer accused of bribing a Los Angeles County employee was captured on a government wiretap having “corrupt dealings” with other public officials, federal prosecutors said in a new filing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not name the government officials or identify the agencies where they worked. However, they described conversations between developer Arman Gabay and unnamed individuals about permitting problems, tax issues and government financing for one of his projects, among other issues.
Gabay, who faces bribery and wire fraud charges, was asked by a public official during one phone call to make a campaign donation to an unnamed politician, according to the filing. Gabay agreed to give $10,000. Shortly after, the same official told Gabay that a new government employee had been assigned to one of his construction projects, prosecutors said.
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“It appeared that [the official] had resolved one issue (of many) that defendant was facing regarding the construction of his personal residence,” they wrote. The filing did not say where the property was located.
Prosecutors said the same public official had another government worker reprimanded for “making waves” on a permitting issue at the Gabay property. According to the filing, the public official bragged to Gabay that the worker was told that the next time the official’s office called, “you say how high can I jump.”
Prosecutors said they concluded after hearing Gabay’s conversations that he “was likely giving bribes and/or other benefits” to that official or a third party in exchange for “official acts.”
Thomas P. O’Brien, an attorney for Gabay, told The Times in an email: “We vigorously disagree with the government’s filing, and we will address this in the proper forum.”
Gabay, who also goes by the name Gabaee, has pleaded not guilty to felony bribery and wire fraud charges.
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Federal investigators arrested Gabay in 2018, accusing him of bribing a Los Angeles County employee in hopes of securing a lucrative government lease in Hawthorne. Prosecutors said Gabay, who has worked with the real estate firm Charles Co., gave the county official monthly bribes of $1,000 or more — and at one point sought to purchase a home for the official in Santa Rosa.
Thomas Shepos, the county official, later agreed to plead guilty to making false statements to the FBI and signing a false tax return.
In their new filing, federal prosecutors argued that evidence from wiretapped calls should be allowed at Gabay’s trial to counter any claim that he was a victim of entrapment and show that he was “predisposed” to commit such crimes.
Attorneys for Gabay filed their own motion about the wiretapped calls, which was submitted under seal.
Gabay’s lawyers said their motion should remain confidential because it mentions people who have not been publicly charged and would “unfairly suffer personal and professional reputational harm if it were publicly known that the government had investigated them for criminal conduct.”
Federal investigators described several other wiretapped calls involving Gabay. In one instance, Gabay talked to an unnamed official about getting a favor for a friend who needed help with a tax issue, according to the legal filing. He then phoned his friend, saying that he “took care of it” and that the official would call.
“I help his friends’ campaigns and things like that,” Gabay told the friend, according to the legal filing.
U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Thom Mrozek declined to comment on the filing Wednesday.


latimes--2020-01-30--Meet P-80, a mountain lion captured and collared in the Woolsey fire area

She ’ s a good-sized cat with greenish eyes that , based on her head shot , reveal the intensity of a predator who does not like to be detained , even for a moment .
She has a name — P-80 — and she is the latest mountain lion to join the National Park Service study of pumas that live in and around the Santa Monica Mountains .
The park service announced Wednesday that researchers had outfitted P-80 with a GPS radio collar , which will allow them to track her daily movements .
The cougar , weighing 82 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old , was captured recently in the central Santa Monica Mountains in the Woolsey fire burn area .
She left the burn perimeter shortly after her capture , and biologists are eager to learn about her home range and to which cats she is related .
P-80 , who was in good condition , appeared to have lactated in the past , meaning she probably has had a previous litter , according to the park service .
Since 2002 , the National Park Service has monitored more than 75 mountain lions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studying how the catamounts live in an urbanized landscape that ’ s increasingly fragmented by roads and development .
The discovery of P-80 in the Woolsey fire scar was much-needed good news for the cats and their surveyors .
Researchers have said that two mountain lions , P-64 and P-74 , were probably killed as a result of the Woolsey fire .
The body of P-64 — nicknamed “ the Culvert Cat ” for his expertise in using a storm drain to cross under the 101 Freeway several times — was found in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burned .
When the fire ignited Nov. 8 , P-64 was in the Simi Hills , north of Oak Park , an area that was overtaken by flames overnight as the blaze charged toward the Pacific Ocean .
“ He basically had two options , ” wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich , who studied P-64 closely , told The Times in December .
“ He either had to enter an urban area that had many firefighters , loud fire engines and people fleeing and a lot of noise , or retreat onto the burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simi Hills before hiding away in a remote area .
He was about 4 years old when he died .
P-74 , a young male lion who probably hadn ’ t dispersed from his mother , is believed to have died in the fire .
The last GPS point recorded from his collar was at 1 p.m. Nov. 9 , about 24 hours after the fire started , in a remote area of the Santa Monica Mountains between Yerba Buena Road and Mulholland Highway .
It was the same day that the Woolsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mountains .
At the time , ecologists noted that nearly all of the radio-collared mountain lions turned up outside the fire ’ s burn area .
But , as one ecologist said , it was unclear whether those pumas were already outside the zone or “ outran the fire to safer conditions .
”

She’s a good-size cat with greenish eyes that, based on her head shot, reveal the intensity of a predator who does not like to be detained, even for a moment.
She has a name — P-80 — and she is the latest mountain lion to join the National Park Service study of pumas that live in and around the Santa Monica Mountains.
The park service announced Wednesday that researchers had outfitted P-80 with a GPS radio collar, which will allow them to track her daily movements.
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The cougar, weighing 82 pounds and thought to be about 6 years old, was captured recently in the central Santa Monica Mountains in the Woolsey fire burn area.
She left the burn perimeter shortly after her capture, and biologists are eager to learn about her home range and to which cats she is related. P-80, who was in good condition, appeared to have lactated in the past, meaning she probably has had a previous litter, according to the park service.
Since 2002, the National Park Service has monitored more than 75 mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains, studying how the catamounts live in an urbanized landscape that’s increasingly fragmented by roads and development.
The discovery of P-80 in the Woolsey fire scar was much-needed good news for the cats and their surveyors.
Researchers have said that two mountain lions, P-64 and P-74, were probably killed as a result of the Woolsey fire.
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The body of P-64 — nicknamed “the Culvert Cat” for his expertise in using a storm drain to cross under the 101 Freeway several times — was found in early December. His paws were severely burned.
When the fire ignited Nov. 8, P-64 was in the Simi Hills, north of Oak Park, an area that was overtaken by flames overnight as the blaze charged toward the Pacific Ocean.
“He basically had two options,” wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich, who studied P-64 closely, told The Times in December. “He either had to enter an urban area that had many firefighters, loud fire engines and people fleeing and a lot of noise, or retreat onto the burned landscape.”
P-64 continued traveling throughout the Simi Hills before hiding away in a remote area. He was about 4 years old when he died.
P-74, a young male lion who probably hadn’t dispersed from his mother, is believed to have died in the fire.
The last GPS point recorded from his collar was at 1 p.m. Nov. 9, about 24 hours after the fire started, in a remote area of the Santa Monica Mountains between Yerba Buena Road and Mulholland Highway. It was the same day that the Woolsey fire moved into the central portion of the mountains.
At the time, ecologists noted that nearly all of the radio-collared mountain lions turned up outside the fire’s burn area. But, as one ecologist said, it was unclear whether those pumas were already outside the zone or “outran the fire to safer conditions.”


latimes--2020-01-30--Skipping L.A. traffic in a helicopter: 'Not a poor man's way of transportation'

For Southern Californians with more money than spare time , helicopters have long held appeal .
In this sprawling and traffic-choked region , they shrink commutes and make far-flung destinations accessible in minutes .
It ’ s a way of travel few have the means to experience — and one now in the spotlight after the crash that killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and eight others in Calabasas on Sunday .
The chartered helicopter industry in L.A. isn ’ t large .
Many operators also offer other services , such as filming , tours and aerial photography to maximize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of commuter helicopters in the greater Los Angeles area is probably second only to New York City , said Kurt Deetz , who ferried Bryant from 2014 to 2016 as a former pilot for the charter service Island Express Holding Corp .
The customer base skews rich , famous and traffic-averse .
In 1997 , for instance , Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs got permission from officials in Richmond , Calif. , to build a heliport that was only a short drive from his office at Pixar Animation Studios .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Deetz said .
“ If you were to go from Orange County to Los Angeles on a Friday at 4 p.m. , how long would that take you ?
It ’ s convenience.
” Flying in a helicopter from Irvine to downtown L.A. can take just 20 to 25 minutes .
A trip to near Staples Center from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana — a route Bryant took when he played for the Lakers — can take 12 to 14 minutes .
“ In an afternoon , it would take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive that same distance , ” said Chuck Street , executive director of the Los Angeles Area Helicopter Operators Assn.
, a trade group comprising several local companies .
“ And then , of course , you have the wear and tear on the psyche .
[ Riding in a helicopter instead of driving is ] a big stress saver.
” The choppers are used by “ everyone from celebrities to actors to investment guys and simply people with a lot of money , ” Deetz said .
“ It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transportation.
” Taking the type of luxury helicopter Bryant used — a twin-engine Sikorsky S-76B that can seat several people — can cost up to $ 5,000 an hour , and some operators have a two-hour minimum , Deetz said .
Simply buying a seat on a chartered helicopter can cost several hundred dollars , industry executives said .
People use the helicopters for all types of reasons : to attend sporting events at Staples Center and elsewhere downtown , to hold business meetings , to visit real estate developments around Southern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend two events in distant parts of the region in a short time frame .
In 2016 , Uber offered a helicopter service called UberChopper that flew people from Los Angeles and Orange counties to the Coachella Valley during big music festival weekends for $ 4,170 each way .
“ We would take [ Bryant ] and the family to Santa Monica all the time ” when Bryant wanted to visit the Westside from his home in Orange County , Deetz said .
Executives and celebrities often use private jets for longer-distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convenient and cost-effective for a trip within a 100-mile radius .
Downtown Los Angeles has no airport — but it does have a commuter-friendly heliport .
Still , the bulk of commuter helicopter stops in the region are at airports .
Beverly Hills , for example , doesn ’ t allow such helicopter landings , so fliers heading there can land at the airport in Santa Monica and drive the rest of the way , Street said .
For commuters visiting downtown L.A. , the primary heliport is atop a parking structure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southeast of Staples Center , Street said .
There are seldom-used helipads in Echo Park and the cities of Commerce and Industry , but overall , “ there are very few places where you can land , ” which has stymied industry growth , he said .
Street is managing partner at a firm called HeliTrans , which plans to build and operate a network of heliports so helicopters have a place to land and drop off passengers .
Eventually , those landing zones could be used by electric air taxis that take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popularly known as a flying car .
A flurry of companies , including Airbus and Boeing , have already developed prototypes of these vehicles , and Uber has hyped plans about an aerial version of its ride-hailing service that would rely on such air taxis .
The tech giant has said it would conduct one or two demonstration flights of vehicles as early as this year in either L.A. or Dallas .
Commercial flights with passengers could start as soon as 2023 , Uber said .
But more air taxis means more pilots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. helicopter industry would be short about 7,600 helicopter pilots between 2018 and 2036 .
The Federal Aviation Administration requires pilots who fly for most charter operators to pass a flight test and exam each year .
They must also have a minimum amount of experience : 500 flight hours if they are flying under visual flight rules , which apply when visibility is good and require the helicopter to stay out of clouds , or 1,200 hours for instrument flight rules , which allow the helicopter to operate in clouds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pilots beyond what the FAA demands , industry executives said .
Some charter pilots are paid by the day rather than a flat salary , and that , combined with their work ethic , means sometimes they feel pressure to fly in inclement weather , said Jon Kettles , an aviation attorney for 29 years who represents people who have lost family members in aviation crashes .
“ The go/no-go decision is big , ” Kettles said .
“ I don ’ t think people realize the pressure that pilots are put under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he had never felt pressure from clients to fly in poor weather .
He said that he was salaried at Island Express and that the majority of charter pilots are salaried .
“ They ’ re going to respect your decision if you tell them , ‘ I can not get us there safely , ’ ” he said .
Two years ago , for instance , he was flying a client from Van Nuys to Palm Springs when he encountered heavy low clouds near Banning .
“ I told him there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you safely to Palm Springs , that I had ordered an Uber and we ’ re landing in San Bernardino , ” Deetz recalled .
“ He said , ‘ Thank you.
’ You have to tell them when the weather isn ’ t as good as we thought .
”

For decades, the wealthy have crisscrossed Southern California in helicopters to avoid long freeway commutes. Above, the Sikorsky S-76 that Kobe Bryant used.
For Southern Californians with more money than spare time, helicopters have long held appeal.
In this sprawling and traffic-choked region, they shrink commutes and make far-flung destinations accessible in minutes.
It’s a way of travel few have the means to experience — and one now in the spotlight after the crash that killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and eight others in Calabasas on Sunday.
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The chartered helicopter industry in L.A. isn’t large. Many operators also offer other services, such as filming, tours and aerial photography to maximize use of their expensive vehicles.
But the use of commuter helicopters in the greater Los Angeles area is probably second only to New York City, said Kurt Deetz, who ferried Bryant from 2014 to 2016 as a former pilot for the charter service Island Express Holding Corp.
The customer base skews rich, famous and traffic-averse. In 1997, for instance, Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs got permission from officials in Richmond, Calif., to build a heliport that was only a short drive from his office at Pixar Animation Studios.
“It’s about time and money,” Deetz said. “If you were to go from Orange County to Los Angeles on a Friday at 4 p.m., how long would that take you? It’s convenience.”
Flying in a helicopter from Irvine to downtown L.A. can take just 20 to 25 minutes. A trip to near Staples Center from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana — a route Bryant took when he played for the Lakers — can take 12 to 14 minutes.
“In an afternoon, it would take probably an hour and a half to drive that same distance,” said Chuck Street, executive director of the Los Angeles Area Helicopter Operators Assn., a trade group comprising several local companies. “And then, of course, you have the wear and tear on the psyche. [Riding in a helicopter instead of driving is] a big stress saver.”
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The choppers are used by “everyone from celebrities to actors to investment guys and simply people with a lot of money,” Deetz said. “It’s not a poor man’s way of transportation.”
Taking the type of luxury helicopter Bryant used — a twin-engine Sikorsky S-76B that can seat several people — can cost up to $5,000 an hour, and some operators have a two-hour minimum, Deetz said. Simply buying a seat on a chartered helicopter can cost several hundred dollars, industry executives said.
People use the helicopters for all types of reasons: to attend sporting events at Staples Center and elsewhere downtown, to hold business meetings, to visit real estate developments around Southern California, to enjoy an expensive date or to attend two events in distant parts of the region in a short time frame.
In 2016, Uber offered a helicopter service called UberChopper that flew people from Los Angeles and Orange counties to the Coachella Valley during big music festival weekends for $4,170 each way.
“We would take [Bryant] and the family to Santa Monica all the time” when Bryant wanted to visit the Westside from his home in Orange County, Deetz said.
Executives and celebrities often use private jets for longer-distance travel. But helicopters can be more convenient and cost-effective for a trip within a 100-mile radius.
Downtown Los Angeles has no airport — but it does have a commuter-friendly heliport.
Still, the bulk of commuter helicopter stops in the region are at airports. Beverly Hills, for example, doesn’t allow such helicopter landings, so fliers heading there can land at the airport in Santa Monica and drive the rest of the way, Street said.
For commuters visiting downtown L.A., the primary heliport is atop a parking structure on West Venice Boulevard, a few blocks southeast of Staples Center, Street said.
There are seldom-used helipads in Echo Park and the cities of Commerce and Industry, but overall, “there are very few places where you can land,” which has stymied industry growth, he said.
Street is managing partner at a firm called HeliTrans, which plans to build and operate a network of heliports so helicopters have a place to land and drop off passengers.
Eventually, those landing zones could be used by electric air taxis that take off and land vertically — a vehicle popularly known as a flying car.
A flurry of companies, including Airbus and Boeing, have already developed prototypes of these vehicles, and Uber has hyped plans about an aerial version of its ride-hailing service that would rely on such air taxis. The tech giant has said it would conduct one or two demonstration flights of vehicles as early as this year in either L.A. or Dallas. Commercial flights with passengers could start as soon as 2023, Uber said.
But more air taxis means more pilots, and a recent study predicted that the U.S. helicopter industry would be short about 7,600 helicopter pilots between 2018 and 2036.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires pilots who fly for most charter operators to pass a flight test and exam each year. They must also have a minimum amount of experience: 500 flight hours if they are flying under visual flight rules, which apply when visibility is good and require the helicopter to stay out of clouds, or 1,200 hours for instrument flight rules, which allow the helicopter to operate in clouds.
Companies typically add more requirements for their pilots beyond what the FAA demands, industry executives said.
Some charter pilots are paid by the day rather than a flat salary, and that, combined with their work ethic, means sometimes they feel pressure to fly in inclement weather, said Jon Kettles, an aviation attorney for 29 years who represents people who have lost family members in aviation crashes.
“The go/no-go decision is big,” Kettles said. “I don’t think people realize the pressure that pilots are put under to get the job done.”
Deetz said he had never felt pressure from clients to fly in poor weather. He said that he was salaried at Island Express and that the majority of charter pilots are salaried.
“They’re going to respect your decision if you tell them, ‘I cannot get us there safely,’” he said.
Two years ago, for instance, he was flying a client from Van Nuys to Palm Springs when he encountered heavy low clouds near Banning.
“I told him there’s no way I can get you safely to Palm Springs, that I had ordered an Uber and we’re landing in San Bernardino,” Deetz recalled. “He said, ‘Thank you.’ You have to tell them when the weather isn’t as good as we thought.”
Times staff writer Hugo Martín contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-30--California bill to dramatically increase home building fails for third year in a row

California lawmakers failed to pass high-profile legislation on Thursday to dramatically increase home building in the state — the third year in a row that the effort was defeated .
Senate Bill 50 , which would have allowed construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit and job centers and fourplexes in most single-family neighborhoods throughout California , was opposed by state senators who said the measure took too much power away from local governments and failed to sufficiently address low-income housing needs .
The bill ’ s author , Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) , has argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would help reduce a shortage of homes at the root of the state ’ s affordability problems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars .
After the bill fell three votes short of passing on Wednesday — with nine Los Angeles-area senators either voting no or abstaining — Wiener tried again to advance the bill on Thursday , but the result was the same .
Sen. Bob Hertzberg ( D-Van Nuys ) said that SB 50 could increase allowable development across broad swaths of Los Angeles .
The bill , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeowners in its attempt to help remedy the state ’ s housing problems .
“ There may be some merit to this notion in limited circumstances , [ but ] this sweeping generalization both oversimplifies the problem and unnecessarily demeans people who have done nothing more than make homes for themselves , raise a family and play by the rules , ” Hertzberg said .
The decision also comes as a blow to Gov .
Gavin Newsom and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) , who had argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase the supply of housing in California .
Though he didn ’ t endorse the bill , Newsom has said in recent weeks that his staff was working to persuade lawmakers to move the measure forward .
The legislation has exposed deep divisions among Democratic lawmakers .
Prior to the vote Wednesday afternoon , Senate Democrats spent nearly three hours meeting in private mostly discussing the bill ’ s fate .
Deliberation on the Senate floor lasted another two hours .
Then , as the first vote on the bill left it four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a half-hour break while SB 50 backers attempted to rally sufficient support .
In a last-minute intervention during the break , the governor ’ s office attempted to persuade at least one Democrat to support the bill .
But Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa left the meeting and ended up voting against it , saying that legislators still had time this year to introduce an alternative measure .
Republican John Moorlach of Costa Mesa , however , came around and voted in favor .
Wiener tried for a different result on Thursday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislation failed despite an hour spent whipping up support..
The debate over SB 50 , which came to a head this week , has been brewing for a long time .
Wiener introduced the first iteration of the bill in 2018 , contending that the state needed to force local governments to allow more housing to help control the cost of living .
He said development near mass transit would make it easier for Californians to drive less , something state environmental officials have said is essential for meeting climate change goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first committee hearing amid deep opposition from advocates representing low-income communities who were worried that increased housing production could fuel gentrification .
Last year , Wiener made numerous changes to the bill aimed at addressing those concerns .
The bill now requires housing projects larger than 10 units to contribute funding or space for low-income housing and prohibts developers from demolishing homes on properties where tenants have lived for at least in the prior seven years .
The senator gained support from several powerful groups representing labor , environmental , developer , business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill was held without a vote in a committee last spring after concerns from suburban homeowner activists about changes to their communities .
Earlier this month , Wiener announced he was trying again , changing the bill so that local governments would have two years to develop alternative development blueprints before the rules in SB 50 would take effect .
Because the bill was held in a Senate committee last year , SB 50 faces a legislative deadline of the end of this month to advance out of the full Senate .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his colleagues should allow him to continue discussions over the issue , which he said required a response commensurate with the breadth of the state ’ s housing problems .
“ SB 50 will help plant the seeds so that in the future our kids and our grandkids don ’ t have to have the same pain that people are experiencing today , ” Wiener said .
But the changes Wiener made earlier this month didn ’ t receive enough support to advance the bill .
Lawmakers , including 11 of Wiener @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the bill didn ’ t do enough to spur affordable housing construction rather than homes built at market rates .
Last week , a coalition of groups representing low-income communities announced their opposition to the bill , even though many had been negotiating with Wiener over changes to address their concerns .
And one by one , state senators from the Los Angeles area began telling their constituents they were opposed .
“ The supply side of housing production is important .
We ’ ve got to do it , ” Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told her colleagues Wednesday .
“ But then I say , ‘ What about affordable housing ?
’ ” The bill ’ s stalling hinders Newsom ’ s efforts to speed housing production in the state .
On the campaign trail , the governor pledged to increase annual home building nearly fivefold to levels unseen since at least the mid-1950s .
The governor has not yet put forward a plan to increase development to the scale he promised .
When SB 50 was held last year , Newsom said he was “ disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said he was going to get more involved in discussions about the legislation .
During a news conference unveiling his state budget proposal earlier this month , the governor waved around a paper he said documented changes to the bill discussed at a meeting with Wiener the previous night .
And as recently as last week , Newsom told reporters that his staffers were working to round up votes .
“ I ’ m confident we ’ ll get something big done , ” Newsom said .
Speaking to reporters in Sacramento @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was committed to passing legislation this year to increase homebuidling no matter what happened with SB 50 .
“ We are not giving up , we are going to continue to work aggressively to address production in this state , ” he said .

State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), SB 50’s author, says allowing more density in developed areas would help reduce the shortage of homes at the root of the state’s affordability problems.
After more than two years of debate, five major revisions and two tense days of counting votes, a high-profile legislative effort to dramatically increase home building across California is officially dead.
Senate Bill 50 was an effort to undo California’s decades-long reliance on single-family housing and suburban sprawl stretching inland by spurring a development boom near transit and job centers. But arguments that the legislation would help reduce the housing shortage at the root of the state’s affordability problems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars met resistance from those who believed the measure took too much power away from local governments and failed to sufficiently address low-income housing needs.
And this week, for the third year in a row, California state senators rejected the measure.
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“The supply side of housing production is important. We’ve got to do it,” Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) said during debate on Wednesday. “But then I say, ‘What about affordable housing?’”
SB 50 fell three votes short of passage in the state Senate Wednesday. The following morning, bill author Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) brought the measure back up for another try. But despite an attempt by supporters to drum up more backing on the Senate floor, the final vote count remained the same.
The decision comes as a blow to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who had argued that lawmakers needed to take action to dramatically increase California’s housing supply. After the final vote, Atkins made a commitment to pass major housing legislation in 2020.
“I feel compelled to say — and I think you all know this — this is not the end of the story,” Atkins told her colleagues on the Senate floor. “I want to personally commit to each and every one of you, to the people of California, that a housing production bill to help alleviate our housing crisis will happen this year.”
In a statement following the decision, Newsom echoed Atkins’ promise.
“California’s housing affordability crisis demands our state pass a historic housing production bill,” the governor said.
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But future efforts are certain to face the same tangled politics that ensnared SB 50 over the past two years.
The legislation would have allowed for the construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit and job centers and fourplexes in most single-family neighborhoods throughout the state. Wiener introduced the first iteration of the bill in 2018, contending that the state needed to force local governments to allow more housing to help control the cost of living. He said development near mass transit would make it easier for Californians to drive less, something state environmental officials have said is essential for meeting climate change goals.
But that bill died in its first committee hearing amid deep opposition from advocates representing low-income communities who were worried that increased housing production could fuel gentrification.
Last year, Wiener made numerous changes to the bill aimed at addressing those concerns. The measure required housing projects larger than 10 units to contribute funding or space for low-income housing and prohibits developers from demolishing homes on properties where tenants have lived for at least the prior seven years. The senator gained support from several powerful groups representing labor, environmental, developer, business and real estate interests. But the bill was held without a vote in a committee last spring after concerns from suburban homeowner activists about changes to their communities.
Earlier this month, Wiener announced he was trying again, changing the bill so that local governments would have two years to develop alternative development blueprints before the rules in SB 50 would take effect. Because the bill was held in a Senate committee last year, SB 50 faced a legislative deadline of the end of this month to advance out of the full Senate.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, Wiener argued that his colleagues should allow him to continue discussions over the issue, which he said required a response commensurate with the breadth of the state’s housing problems.
“SB 50 will help plant the seeds so that in the future our kids and our grandkids don’t have to have the same pain that people are experiencing today,” Wiener said.
But the changes made this month didn’t persuade lawmakers. Support for and opposition to SB 50 didn’t fall neatly along partisan or ideological lines. Nearly half of the 29 Democrats in the Senate voted against the bill or abstained from voting. Three out of 10 Republicans voted in favor. But there was a clear divide between lawmakers from the Los Angeles area, the state’s most populous region, and those from other parts of California.
Last week, a coalition of groups representing low-income communities announced their opposition to the bill, including Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles, an organization behind a plan to increase density near transit in the city and one that Wiener had been courting for nearly 18 months. And one by one, Democratic state senators from the Los Angeles area began telling their constituents they were opposed.
Ultimately, nine L.A.-area senators voted no or abstained on SB 50, and only one voted yes. Like Durazo, some L.A. legislators cited concerns about gentrification and displacement. Others, including Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), said the bill wrongfully targeted local government officials and single-family homeowners in its attempt to help remedy the state’s housing problems.
“There may be some merit to this notion in limited circumstances, [but] this sweeping generalization both oversimplifies the problem and unnecessarily demeans people who have done nothing more than make homes for themselves, raise a family and play by the rules,” Hertzberg said.
The failure of the bill will hinder Newsom’s efforts to speed housing production in the state. On the campaign trail, the governor pledged to increase annual home building nearly fivefold to levels unseen since at least the mid-1950s. The governor has not yet put forward a plan to increase development to the scale he promised.
Newsom never endorsed SB 50, but made some efforts to persuade lawmakers to keep the measure moving forward. When SB 50 was held last year, Newsom said he was “disappointed” that the bill had not advanced and said he was going to get more involved in discussions about the legislation.
In mid-January, top aides to Newsom met with Wiener and suggested amendments to SB 50 that the lawmaker declined to accept, according to multiple sources in the Capitol. Wiener declined to comment on his discussions with the governor’s office.
After Wiener’s bill came up a handful of votes short on Wednesday, representatives of the governor’s office attempted to persuade two Democratic senators to vote for the legislation. But Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) left the meeting and voted against it, saying that legislators still had time this year to introduce an alternative measure. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) abstained from casting a vote. He said he supported higher-density development around train stations, but worried about how the bill would encourage growth in single-family neighborhoods away from transit.
“The challenge here,” Umberg said, “is that I do support the concept.”


latimes--2020-01-31--The last moments of Kobe Bryant's flight raise perplexing questions on cause of crash

In the final moments of the flight on Sunday that ended in a crash killing retired Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant and eight others , the helicopter had just left the San Fernando Valley as it flew west above the 101 Freeway into the hills around Calabasas .
What happened next in the fog and clouds is key to the mystery federal investigators are trying to unravel .
To better understand the flight , The Times used commercial aircraft tracking data from Flightradar24.com to reconstruct the helicopter ’ s perilous plummet .
As the aircraft departed the Valley into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within a few hundred feet of striking a series of hills abutting Mureau Road near Hidden Hills .
How close is not clear without more detailed data .
National Transportation Safety Board investigators declined to comment on The Times ’ findings .
The helicopter then climbed rapidly — roughly 875 feet in less than one minute — slowing to about 125 mph .
Why the pilot , 50-year-old Ara Zobayan , made this decision is unknown .
But federal investigators say that at one point during the final minutes of the flight he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layer of clouds .
The pilot then diverged from the expected westbound path he reported to air traffic control and banked left , to the south .
The helicopter then began a rapid descent over Las Virgenes Road .
It appears the pilot had lost contact with air traffic control by this point , according to radio recordings reviewed by The Times .
Then the 11,000-pound chopper , now traveling at about 175 mph , crashed into a hillside east of a local water district facility , scattering wreckage 600 feet .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airport in Orange County , carrying Bryant and his group to a basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks .
The retired NBA player was scheduled to coach his 13-year-old daughter Gianna ’ s team in a game .
Accompanying the Bryants were John Altobelli , 56 , longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College ; his wife , Keri , 46 ; their daughter Alyssa , 13 ; Christina Mauser , 38 , an assistant basketball coach at the Mamba Sports Academy ; Sarah Chester , 45 ; Chester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Zobayan .
NTSB investigator Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday that the helicopter was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers .
The helicopter was descending rapidly .
“ So we know that this was a high-energy impact crash , and the helicopter was in a descending left bank , ” Homendy said .
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet , about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping of the hill .
But even if the pilot had been able to fly above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hazards ahead .
“ There are actually other higher hills surrounding it , ” said Bill English , a lead investigator .
At the crash site in Calabasas , officials are now working to clean up hazardous materials .
The area is still closed to the public as officials remove debris and deal with magnesium and other hazardous and toxic materials following the crash .
It will take some time to fully remove the substances from the area , experts say .
On Wednesday night , Vanessa Bryant took to social media to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ express her grief over the loss of her husband and daughter .
“ There aren ’ t enough words to describe our pain right now .
I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved .
We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives .
I wish they were here with us forever .
They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon , ” she wrote on Instagram .

The final moments of the helicopter flight that crashed Sunday, killing nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
In the final moments of the flight on Sunday that ended in a crash killing retired Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant and eight others, the helicopter had just left the San Fernando Valley as it flew west above the 101 Freeway into the hills around Calabasas.
What happened next in the fog and clouds is key to the mystery federal investigators are trying to unravel.
To better understand the flight, The Times used commercial aircraft tracking data from Flightradar24.com to reconstruct the helicopter’s perilous plummet.
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As the aircraft departed the Valley into rugged terrain, it appeared to come within a few hundred feet of striking a series of hills abutting Mureau Road near Hidden Hills. How close is not clear without more detailed data. National Transportation Safety Board investigators declined to comment on The Times’ findings.
The helicopter then climbed rapidly — roughly 875 feet in less than one minute — slowing to about 125 mph.
Why the pilot, 50-year-old Ara Zobayan, made this decision is unknown. But federal investigators say that at one point during the final minutes of the flight he said he was ascending to avoid a layer of clouds.
The pilot then diverged from the expected westbound path he reported to air traffic control and banked left, to the south. The helicopter then began a rapid descent over Las Virgenes Road.
It appears the pilot had lost contact with air traffic control by this point, according to radio recordings reviewed by The Times.
Then the 11,000-pound chopper, now traveling at about 175 mph, crashed into a hillside east of a local water district facility, scattering wreckage 600 feet.
(Matt Stiles & Priya Krishnakumar / Los Angeles Times)
The chopper had taken off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, carrying Bryant and his group to a basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. The retired NBA player was scheduled to coach his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s team in a game.
Accompanying the Bryants were John Altobelli, 56, longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College; his wife, Keri, 46; their daughter Alyssa, 13; Christina Mauser, 38, an assistant basketball coach at the Mamba Sports Academy; Sarah Chester, 45; Chester’s daughter Payton, 13; and Zobayan.
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NTSB investigator Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday that the helicopter was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers. The helicopter was descending rapidly.
“So we know that this was a high-energy impact crash, and the helicopter was in a descending left bank,” Homendy said.
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet, about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping of the hill. But even if the pilot had been able to fly above the hilltop, he would have faced new hazards ahead.
“There are actually other higher hills surrounding it,” said Bill English, a lead investigator.
At the crash site in Calabasas, officials are now working to clean up hazardous materials. The area is still closed to the public as officials remove debris and deal with magnesium and other hazardous and toxic materials following the crash. It will take some time to fully remove the substances from the area, experts say.
On Wednesday night, Vanessa Bryant took to social media to thank the public for its support and express her grief over the loss of her husband and daughter.
“There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon,” she wrote on Instagram.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-30--San Diego resident tests negative for coronavirus, clearing list of potential patients

A San Diego resident who developed a respiratory illness after returning home from Wuhan , China , has tested negative for the new coronavirus .
The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency said Thursday evening that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed the results .
No one else in the county is currently under observation for signs of the virus .
“ We are monitoring this new virus just like we would any infectious disease , ” Dr. Wilma Wooten , San Diego County ’ s public health officer , said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance to keep this virus from spreading locally.
” Passengers arriving from Wuhan at Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are being screened .
The goal is to identify people who may have symptoms of being infected with the coronavirus , which the World Health Organization on Thursday declared a global health emergency .
Health officials continue to say that the risk of infection for the general public is minimal in California , as well as in the rest of the United States .
People who have not traveled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detected and have not had close contact with a patient who tested positive for coronavirus have a very low risk of infection .
As of Thursday , only two people in California , a patient in Los Angeles County and another in Orange County , had tested positive for the coronavirus , called 2019-nCoV .
The respiratory virus , first identified in Wuhan , has has sickened more than 9,770 people on four continents and claimed at least 213 lives .

Workers in protective suits handle the luggage of about 200 U.S. evacuees from Wuhan, China, who were flown to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County on Wednesday.
A San Diego resident who developed a respiratory illness after returning home from Wuhan, China, has tested negative for the new coronavirus.
The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency said Thursday evening that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed the results. No one else in the county is currently under observation for signs of the virus.
“We are monitoring this new virus just like we would any infectious disease,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County’s public health officer, said in a statement. “We are prepared and conducting surveillance to keep this virus from spreading locally.”
Passengers arriving from Wuhan at Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are being screened. The goal is to identify people who may have symptoms of being infected with the coronavirus, which the World Health Organization on Thursday declared a global health emergency.
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Health officials continue to say that the risk of infection for the general public is minimal in California, as well as in the rest of the United States. People who have not traveled to an area where the virus has been detected and have not had close contact with a patient who tested positive for coronavirus have a very low risk of infection.
As of Thursday, only two people in California, a patient in Los Angeles County and another in Orange County, had tested positive for the coronavirus, called 2019-nCoV. The respiratory virus, first identified in Wuhan, has has sickened more than 9,770 people on four continents and claimed at least 213 lives.


latimes--2020-01-30--More than 400,000 gallons of crude fouled the Orange County Coast 30 years ago

On the afternoon of Feb. 7 , 1990 , the oil tanker American Trader ran over its anchor in relatively shallow water off Huntington Beach , spilling nearly 417,000 gallons of crude and fouling popular beaches along the Orange County coast .
The oil killed fish and about 3,400 birds .
The cleanup was completed on April 3 .
The spill wasn ’ t nearly as big as the 11 million gallons spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound , Alaska , less than a year earlier , but it was the largest spill along the California coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spilled more than 3 million gallons of oil into the Santa Barbara Channel and killed thousands of birds , fish and sea mammals .
The American Trader , an 800-foot tanker leased by British Petroleum , struck its port anchor while riding in heavy swells about 7,200 feet off Huntington Beach .
It was engaged in a complicated berthing maneuver which involved backing into a mooring where it would be secured to seven anchor buoys , then connected to an underwater pipeline to offload oil to a terminal near Newland Street operated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tanker heaved up and down on the swells , it most likely came down on its own anchor , rupturing the hull and ultimately leaking 416,598 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific .
The oil blackened 15 miles of Orange County beaches and threatened environmentally sensitive wetlands .
The incident happened in water about 50 feet deep .
The Coast Guard estimated that the ship ’ s draft was 43 feet shortly before the accident , and that it would draw 43.7 feet fully loaded .
The American Trader ’ s voyage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it took on a cargo of crude bound for oil-storage barges at the Port of Long Beach .
The tanker arrived on Jan. 29 and made stops in Long Beach ’ s harbor to unload oil .
After that , it took on a new , 23-million-gallon load of oil from a supertanker moored off Long Beach .
It left Long Beach at 1 p.m. on Feb. 7 and headed south for the Golden West Offshore Mooring off Huntington Beach .
There it was to offload 12.5 million gallons of oil to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Springs .
At about 4:30 p.m. , during maneuvering to berth , the ship ’ s own anchor apparently tore a gash in its hull , puncturing the No .
1 and 2 cargo holds on the starboard side .
“ We did everything right — the same way we always do , ” The Times quoted 19-year-old deckhand Eric Bush , one of three crew members involved in dropping the ship ’ s anchors during the berthing process as saying after the accident occurred .
Bush recalled feeling “ two sharp jolts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ship ’ s starboard anchor and thinking the ship might have struck an undersea mud bank .
But then he looked over the side and saw thick , black oil spewing from the ship ’ s side .
“ The water was just boiling with crude , ” Bush told The Times .
The accident was blamed on currents and a failure to determine water depth .
The spill occurred off some of Southern California ’ s most popular beaches .
Huntington city and state beaches were used by millions of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spill , the Huntington Beach pier was shut down because of damage caused by a winter storm in 1988 .
Construction began on a new 1,856-foot pier in the fall of 1990 .
After the spill , crews rushed to contain the oil slick and protect the beaches , but winds and currents eventually deposited oil on miles of beach .
Rubberized booms were put in place to keep oil out of estuaries such as the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and Upper Newport Bay .
While the oil largely skirted coastal wetlands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not only because of the catastrophic environmental damage , but because of the effect on local businesses .
“ It ’ s awful , ” said Robert August , a surf shop owner who gained fame in the surfing movie “ Endless Summer.
” “ It ’ s pretty lousy for business , ” he told The Times .
“ All that ’ s here now are reporters and politicians.
” But the American Trader accident had a silver lining for environmentalists .
It gave added impetus , in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 1989 , to controversial and expensive legislative proposals to require that all oil tankers operating in U.S. ports be double-hulled .
Arthur McKenzie , president of the Tanker Advisory Center in New York , told The Times , “ This is it .
This is the icing on the cake .
Now we ’ re going to get double-bottoms.
” McKenzie , a former Exxon official and supporter of double-bottom requirements , said , “ If the American Trader had had a double bottom or hull , this accident wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have made a blip in the news.
” As a result , the landmark Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandated the phasing out of all single-hull tankers and tank barges by Jan. 1 , 2015 .
In addition to the environmental component , recreational impacts of the spill on the coast were offset .
According to The Times , an Orange County jury on Dec. 8 , 1997 , found Attransco , the corporate owner of the American Trader , responsible for the spill .
Local governments divvied up the legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 8.4 million going to the cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach .
Money was used for beach upgrades and for a new Back Bay Science Center in the Upper Newport bay .
That settlement followed others with BP America , the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund and Golden West Refining Co .

Lance Kennedy, 15, of Newport Beach sweeps tar off Huntington Beach north of the Santa Ana River jetty after the 1990 spill.
On the afternoon of Feb. 7, 1990, the oil tanker American Trader ran over its anchor in relatively shallow water off Huntington Beach, spilling nearly 417,000 gallons of crude and fouling popular beaches along the Orange County coast. The oil killed fish and about 3,400 birds. The cleanup was completed on April 3.
The spill wasn’t nearly as big as the 11 million gallons spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska, less than a year earlier, but it was the largest spill along the California coast since the 1969 Santa Barbara disaster that spilled more than 3 million gallons of oil into the Santa Barbara Channel and killed thousands of birds, fish and sea mammals.
Front page of the Orange County Edition of The Times on the day after the oil spill. (Los Angeles Times)
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The American Trader, an 800-foot tanker leased by British Petroleum, struck its port anchor while riding in heavy swells about 7,200 feet off Huntington Beach. It was engaged in a complicated berthing maneuver which involved backing into a mooring where it would be secured to seven anchor buoys, then connected to an underwater pipeline to offload oil to a terminal near Newland Street operated by Golden West Refining Co.
(Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
As the loaded tanker heaved up and down on the swells, it most likely came down on its own anchor, rupturing the hull and ultimately leaking 416,598 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific. The oil blackened 15 miles of Orange County beaches and threatened environmentally sensitive wetlands.
The incident happened in water about 50 feet deep. The Coast Guard estimated that the ship’s draft was 43 feet shortly before the accident, and that it would draw 43.7 feet fully loaded.
(Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
The American Trader’s voyage began in Valdez, Alaska, where it took on a cargo of crude bound for oil-storage barges at the Port of Long Beach. The tanker arrived on Jan. 29 and made stops in Long Beach’s harbor to unload oil. After that, it took on a new, 23-million-gallon load of oil from a supertanker moored off Long Beach.
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It left Long Beach at 1 p.m. on Feb. 7 and headed south for the Golden West Offshore Mooring off Huntington Beach. There it was to offload 12.5 million gallons of oil to be piped to a refinery in Santa Fe Springs.
(Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
At about 4:30 p.m., during maneuvering to berth, the ship’s own anchor apparently tore a gash in its hull, puncturing the No. 1 and 2 cargo holds on the starboard side.
“We did everything right — the same way we always do,” The Times quoted 19-year-old deckhand Eric Bush, one of three crew members involved in dropping the ship’s anchors during the berthing process as saying after the accident occurred.
Bush recalled feeling “two sharp jolts” a few minutes apart while lowering the ship’s starboard anchor and thinking the ship might have struck an undersea mud bank. But then he looked over the side and saw thick, black oil spewing from the ship’s side.
“The water was just boiling with crude,” Bush told The Times.
The accident was blamed on currents and a failure to determine water depth.
The spill occurred off some of Southern California’s most popular beaches. Huntington city and state beaches were used by millions of people every summer. At the time of the spill, the Huntington Beach pier was shut down because of damage caused by a winter storm in 1988. Construction began on a new 1,856-foot pier in the fall of 1990.
After the spill, crews rushed to contain the oil slick and protect the beaches, but winds and currents eventually deposited oil on miles of beach. Rubberized booms were put in place to keep oil out of estuaries such as the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and Upper Newport Bay.
While the oil largely skirted coastal wetlands, locals found the spill depressing and frustrating, not only because of the catastrophic environmental damage, but because of the effect on local businesses.
“It’s awful,” said Robert August, a surf shop owner who gained fame in the surfing movie “Endless Summer.” “It’s pretty lousy for business,” he told The Times. “All that’s here now are reporters and politicians.”
Oil from the American Trader washes ashore in Newport Beach. This view is looking north from 32nd Street to 44th Street, taken on Feb. 14, 1990. (Don Kelsen /Los Angeles Times)
But the American Trader accident had a silver lining for environmentalists. It gave added impetus, in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill on March 24, 1989, to controversial and expensive legislative proposals to require that all oil tankers operating in U.S. ports be double-hulled.
Arthur McKenzie, president of the Tanker Advisory Center in New York, told The Times, “This is it. This is the icing on the cake. Now we’re going to get double-bottoms.”
McKenzie, a former Exxon official and supporter of double-bottom requirements, said, “If the American Trader had had a double bottom or hull, this accident wouldn’t have spilled any oil; it wouldn’t have made a blip in the news.”
As a result, the landmark Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandated the phasing out of all single-hull tankers and tank barges by Jan. 1, 2015.
In addition to the environmental component, recreational impacts of the spill on the coast were offset.
According to The Times, an Orange County jury on Dec. 8, 1997, found Attransco, the corporate owner of the American Trader, responsible for the spill. Local governments divvied up the legal settlement of $11.6 million, with about $8.4 million going to the cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Money was used for beach upgrades and for a new Back Bay Science Center in the Upper Newport bay.
That settlement followed others with BP America, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund and Golden West Refining Co.


latimes--2020-01-30--Amid misconduct accusations, ex-USC men's health doctor surrenders medical license

Dr. Dennis Kelly , a former men ’ s health physician at USC who is facing multiple misconduct accusations , @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , according to records .
The formal reason for the surrender was unrelated to @ @ @ @ @ the Medical Board of California on Nov. 5 that he was diagnosed with a physical @ @ @ @ @ impairs his ability to practice medicine safely.
” Kelly told the board that his condition @ @ @ @ @ “ permanently unsafe to practice medicine.
” The physician , who had been licensed in @ @ @ @ @ to comment .
Kelly retired from USC in 2018 after two decades at the campus @ @ @ @ @ dozens of former patients joined civil lawsuits against him , alleging sexual battery , harassment @ @ @ @ @ comments during appointments .
The cases are pending in Los Angeles Superior Court .
In @ @ @ @ @ Kelly denied any inappropriate behavior .
Of his work in student health , he said @ @ @ @ @ did it all professionally and without any other motive .
”

Dr. Dennis Kelly, a former men’s health physician at USC who is facing multiple misconduct accusations, surrendered his medical license on Thursday, according to records.
The formal reason for the surrender was unrelated to misconduct claims. Kelly notified the Medical Board of California on Nov. 5 that he was diagnosed with a physical or mental condition “that impairs his ability to practice medicine safely.”
Kelly told the board that his condition was progressive, making him “permanently unsafe to practice medicine.”
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The physician, who had been licensed in California since 1974, declined to comment.
Kelly retired from USC in 2018 after two decades at the campus clinic. Last year, dozens of former patients joined civil lawsuits against him, alleging sexual battery, harassment and that he made demeaning comments during appointments. The cases are pending in Los Angeles Superior Court.
In an interview last year, Kelly denied any inappropriate behavior. Of his work in student health, he said: “I know I did it all professionally and without any other motive.”


latimes--2020-01-30--Company that owned the helicopter involved in Kobe Bryant's death suspends operations

Island Express Helicopters — the company that owned the aircraft that crashed Sunday , killing nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna — has suspended operations indefinitely , the company said in a statement Thursday evening .
“ The shock of the accident affected all staff , and management decided that service would be suspended until such time as it was deemed appropriate for staff and customers , ” the company said in a statement .
According to an older version of the company ’ s website , Island Express has been family-owned since 1986 and operated “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sikorsky S-76 passenger aircraft , the most-trusted name in helicopters.
” Along with daily flights to Santa Catalina Island , it sold customizable charters , aerial tours and vacation packages .
The company advertised its Sikorsky S-76 as providing a premium flying experience , noting customers could “ fly in the same helicopter used by the President of the United States and the British Royal Family.
” Bryant regularly used a Sikorsky S-76B that was built in 1991 and owned by the charter service .
The helicopter departed John Wayne Airport at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available flight records .
It passed over Boyle Heights , near Dodger Stadium , and circled over Glendale during the flight .
The chopper wasn ’ t equipped with an alarm system that could have warned the pilot that he was approaching a hillside , according to the National Transportation Safety Board .
The agency recommended 16 years ago that the Federal Aviation Administration require all helicopters carrying six or more passengers to be equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system .

This 2018 photo from Van Nuys Airport shows a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter, the model that crashed Sunday carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
Island Express Helicopters — the company that owned the aircraft that crashed Sunday, killing nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna — has suspended operations indefinitely, the company said in a statement Thursday evening.
“The shock of the accident affected all staff, and management decided that service would be suspended until such time as it was deemed appropriate for staff and customers,” the company said in a statement.
According to an older version of the company’s website, Island Express has been family-owned since 1986 and operated “the West Coast’s largest fleet of Sikorsky S-76 passenger aircraft, the most-trusted name in helicopters.” Along with daily flights to Santa Catalina Island, it sold customizable charters, aerial tours and vacation packages.
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The company advertised its Sikorsky S-76 as providing a premium flying experience, noting customers could “fly in the same helicopter used by the President of the United States and the British Royal Family.”
Bryant regularly used a Sikorsky S-76B that was built in 1991 and owned by the charter service.
The helicopter departed John Wayne Airport at 9:06 a.m. Sunday, according to publicly available flight records. It passed over Boyle Heights, near Dodger Stadium, and circled over Glendale during the flight.
The chopper wasn’t equipped with an alarm system that could have warned the pilot that he was approaching a hillside, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The agency recommended 16 years ago that the Federal Aviation Administration require all helicopters carrying six or more passengers to be equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system.
Times Community News contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-30--Barrington Plaza fire spurs lawsuit and calls at City Hall for reform

Hundreds of residents of a Westside high-rise remained out of their homes Thursday , the day after a fire erupted in the 25-story apartment building , injuring 13 people and raising questions about safety in some of the city ’ s biggest housing complexes .
Firefighters and managers of the Barrington Plaza apartments on Wilshire Boulevard told tenants they could return to their units only briefly to secure medicines and medical devices .
The timing remained uncertain for the permanent reopening of the 270-unit Building A in the sprawling , three-tower development .
Some residents said they were still shaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , which sent some tenants scrambling to the roof , where they were rescued by helicopter .
One tenant filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court , charging that Douglas Emmett Inc. , the company that owns the building , had been negligent in failing to install sprinklers and make other fire safety improvements .
“ For years , tenants of Barrington Plaza Apartments have pleaded , warned and fought with Douglas Emmett ... about a seemingly straightforward issue : Barrington Plaza is unacceptably , illegally and fatally unsafe from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It added that the Santa Monica company “ continues to sit on its hands ” despite years of lawsuits , regulatory concerns and tenant complaints .
The lawsuit was brought by two law firms on behalf of resident Charles Agozino and asks the court to allow a class action , because it says the issues being raised are “ of a common or general interest.
” Douglas Emmett did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit or on when the building would reopen .
Los Angeles police and firefighters said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of the fire , which spread quickly through the sixth and seventh floors after it began about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday .
Residents and Los Angeles officials said they were particularly disturbed because the same building caught fire in October 2013 , leading to another mass evacuation and severe injuries to several residents .
The complex also suffered another large fire and evacuation on New Year ’ s Day in 1971 .
Councilman Mike Bonin said he would bring forward a measure Friday to require sprinkler systems in all residential high-rises in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartment buildings , but an exemption has made an exception for high-rises built between 1943 and 1974 .
The city ’ s Fire Prevention Bureau has identified 55 buildings from that era that do not have sprinklers , including Barrington Plaza , which opened in 1963 .
Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday signaled that he would like to find a way to have sprinklers installed in the high-rises .
“ This loophole is a dangerous one , ” Garcetti said .
He said the city should meet with building owners , as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and “ figure out a way that this can be done.
” “ Fires happen much more than earthquakes in this town and we dodged a bullet .
There could have been a lot of lives lost yesterday , ” Garcetti said .
He pledged to “ dig into ” the city code “ to maybe close that loophole and figure out a way for that to be achievable for building owners and residents too.
” Gavyn Straus , a 27-year-old personal trainer who lives on the 21st floor of the damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his unit Thursday but was turned away by Barrington Plaza employees and firefighters .
“ I ’ m stressed .
I ’ m out of whack , ” Straus said .
“ I am just trying to stay grounded and be patient and calm .
I am trying to make the best of it — pretend this is a little vacation or something .
”

Firefighters carrying hoses on their way to fight a blaze at Barrington Plaza on Wilshire Boulevard on the city’s Westside.
Hundreds of residents of a Westside high-rise remained out of their homes Thursday, the day after a fire erupted in the 25-story apartment building, injuring 13 people and raising questions about safety in some of the city’s biggest housing complexes.
Firefighters and managers of the Barrington Plaza apartments on Wilshire Boulevard told tenants they could return to their units only briefly to secure medicines and medical devices. The timing remained uncertain for the permanent reopening of the 270-unit Building A in the sprawling, three-tower development.
Some residents said they were still shaken a day after Wednesday morning’s fire, which sent some tenants scrambling to the roof, where they were rescued by helicopter.
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One tenant filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, charging that Douglas Emmett Inc., the company that owns the building, had been negligent in failing to install sprinklers and make other fire safety improvements.
“For years, tenants of Barrington Plaza Apartments have pleaded, warned and fought with Douglas Emmett ... about a seemingly straightforward issue: Barrington Plaza is unacceptably, illegally and fatally unsafe from fires,” the lawsuit contends. It added that the Santa Monica company “continues to sit on its hands” despite years of lawsuits, regulatory concerns and tenant complaints.
The lawsuit was brought by two law firms on behalf of resident Charles Agozino and asks the court to allow a class action, because it says the issues being raised are “of a common or general interest.”
Douglas Emmett did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit or on when the building would reopen.
Los Angeles police and firefighters said they had no new information on the cause of the fire, which spread quickly through the sixth and seventh floors after it began about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Residents and Los Angeles officials said they were particularly disturbed because the same building caught fire in October 2013, leading to another mass evacuation and severe injuries to several residents. The complex also suffered another large fire and evacuation on New Year’s Day in 1971.
Councilman Mike Bonin said he would bring forward a measure Friday to require sprinkler systems in all residential high-rises in Los Angeles.
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Sprinklers are required in most apartment buildings, but an exemption has made an exception for high-rises built between 1943 and 1974. The city’s Fire Prevention Bureau has identified 55 buildings from that era that do not have sprinklers, including Barrington Plaza, which opened in 1963.
Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday signaled that he would like to find a way to have sprinklers installed in the high-rises.
“This loophole is a dangerous one,” Garcetti said. He said the city should meet with building owners, as it did with an earthquake safety retrofitting measure, and “figure out a way that this can be done.”
“Fires happen much more than earthquakes in this town and we dodged a bullet. There could have been a lot of lives lost yesterday,” Garcetti said. He pledged to “dig into” the city code “to maybe close that loophole and figure out a way for that to be achievable for building owners and residents too.”
Gavyn Straus, a 27-year-old personal trainer who lives on the 21st floor of the damaged high-rise, said he tried to return to his unit Thursday but was turned away by Barrington Plaza employees and firefighters.
“I’m stressed. I’m out of whack,” Straus said. “I am just trying to stay grounded and be patient and calm. I am trying to make the best of it — pretend this is a little vacation or something.”


latimes--2020-01-30--California bill to dramatically increase home building fails for the third year in a row

After more than two years of debate , five major revisions and two tense days of counting votes , a high-profile legislative effort to dramatically increase home building across California is officially dead .
Senate Bill 50 was an effort to undo California ’ s decades-long reliance on single-family housing and suburban sprawl stretching inland by spurring a development boom near transit and job centers .
But arguments that the legislation would help reduce the housing shortage at the root of the state ’ s affordability problems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars met resistance from those who believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from local governments and failed to sufficiently address low-income housing needs .
And this week , for the third year in a row , California state senators rejected the measure .
“ The supply side of housing production is important .
We ’ ve got to do it , ” Sen. Maria Elena Durazo ( D-Los Angeles ) said during debate on Wednesday .
“ But then I say , ‘ What about affordable housing ?
’ ” SB 50 fell three votes short of passage in the state Senate Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) brought the measure back up for another try .
But despite an attempt by supporters to drum up more backing on the Senate floor , the final vote count remained the same .
The decision comes as a blow to Gov .
Gavin Newsom and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) , who had argued that lawmakers needed to take action to dramatically increase California ’ s housing supply .
After the final vote , Atkins made a commitment to pass major housing legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say — and I think you all know this — this is not the end of the story , ” Atkins told her colleagues on the Senate floor .
“ I want to personally commit to each and every one of you , to the people of California , that a housing production bill to help alleviate our housing crisis will happen this year.
” In a statement following the decision , Newsom echoed Atkins ’ promise .
“ California ’ s housing affordability crisis demands our state pass a historic housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But future efforts are certain to face the same tangled politics that ensnared SB 50 over the past two years .
The legislation would have allowed for the construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit and job centers and fourplexes in most single-family neighborhoods throughout the state .
Wiener introduced the first iteration of the bill in 2018 , contending that the state needed to force local governments to allow more housing to help control the cost of living .
He said development near mass transit would make it easier for Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have said is essential for meeting climate change goals .
But that bill died in its first committee hearing amid deep opposition from advocates representing low-income communities who were worried that increased housing production could fuel gentrification .
Last year , Wiener made numerous changes to the bill aimed at addressing those concerns .
The measure required housing projects larger than 10 units to contribute funding or space for low-income housing and prohibits developers from demolishing homes on properties where tenants have lived for at least the prior seven years .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representing labor , environmental , developer , business and real estate interests .
But the bill was held without a vote in a committee last spring after concerns from suburban homeowner activists about changes to their communities .
Earlier this month , Wiener announced he was trying again , changing the bill so that local governments would have two years to develop alternative development blueprints before the rules in SB 50 would take effect .
Because the bill was held in a Senate committee last year , SB 50 faced a legislative deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance out of the full Senate .
On the Senate floor Wednesday , Wiener argued that his colleagues should allow him to continue discussions over the issue , which he said required a response commensurate with the breadth of the state ’ s housing problems .
“ SB 50 will help plant the seeds so that in the future our kids and our grandkids don ’ t have to have the same pain that people are experiencing today , ” Wiener said .
But the changes made this month didn ’ t persuade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SB 50 didn ’ t fall neatly along partisan or ideological lines .
Nearly half of the 29 Democrats in the Senate voted against the bill or abstained from voting .
Three out of 10 Republicans voted in favor .
But there was a clear divide between lawmakers from the Los Angeles area , the state ’ s most populous region , and those from other parts of California .
Last week , a coalition of groups representing low-income communities announced their opposition to the bill , including Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase density near transit in the city and one that Wiener had been courting for nearly 18 months .
And one by one , Democratic state senators from the Los Angeles area began telling their constituents they were opposed .
Ultimately , nine L.A.-area senators voted no or abstained on SB 50 , and only one voted yes .
Like Durazo , some L.A. legislators cited concerns about gentrification and displacement .
Others , including Sen. Bob Hertzberg ( D-Van Nuys ) , said the bill wrongfully targeted local government officials and single-family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s housing problems .
“ There may be some merit to this notion in limited circumstances , [ but ] this sweeping generalization both oversimplifies the problem and unnecessarily demeans people who have done nothing more than make homes for themselves , raise a family and play by the rules , ” Hertzberg said .
The failure of the bill will hinder Newsom ’ s efforts to speed housing production in the state .
On the campaign trail , the governor pledged to increase annual home building nearly fivefold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The governor has not yet put forward a plan to increase development to the scale he promised .
Newsom never endorsed SB 50 , but made some efforts to persuade lawmakers to keep the measure moving forward .
When SB 50 was held last year , Newsom said he was “ disappointed ” that the bill had not advanced and said he was going to get more involved in discussions about the legislation .
In mid-January , top aides to Newsom met with Wiener and suggested amendments to SB 50 that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple sources in the Capitol .
Wiener declined to comment on his discussions with the governor ’ s office .
After Wiener ’ s bill came up a handful of votes short on Wednesday , representatives of the governor ’ s office attempted to persuade two Democratic senators to vote for the legislation .
But Sen. Bill Dodd ( D-Napa ) left the meeting and voted against it , saying that legislators still had time this year to introduce an alternative measure .
Sen. Tom Umberg ( D-Santa Ana ) abstained from casting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher-density development around train stations , but worried about how the bill would encourage growth in single-family neighborhoods away from transit .
“ The challenge here , ” Umberg said , “ is that I do support the concept .
”


latimes--2020-02-03--It's time for California to take over PG&E, state lawmaker says

A state lawmaker is making a move to turn Pacific Gas & Electric into a public utility , a potentially dramatic shift that would end decades of corporate control over California ’ s largest power company .
State Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) said Monday that he would introduce legislation this week aimed at revoking the 115-year-old company ’ s authority to serve its territory and directing the state to assume control .
“ PG & E is a failed utility with a track record of prioritizing profits over safety , ” Wiener said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new start : A utility focused not on Wall Street and shareholder profits , but rather on safety , reliability , affordability , and ratepayers.
” State officials have spent months mulling the possibility of taking over the troubled utility .
But Wiener ’ s promised bill would probably be the first formal proposal to do so .
Wiener has said he began crafting the legislation last year after the company shut off power to millions of frustrated customers in an effort to prevent its power lines and other infrastructure from sparking wildfires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom has threatened to launch a public takeover of PG & E in response to the company ’ s bankruptcy restructuring plan , which he said would leave the utility with too much debt to spend the billions of dollars needed to make necessary safety improvements .
Lawmakers passed a bill last year that offers PG & E a financial incentive to settle its existing lawsuits from wildfire victims , exit bankruptcy by June 30 , preserve its efforts to meet the state ’ s climate goals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the company does all those things , it can dip into a multi-billion-dollar state wildfire fund — supported by $ 10.5 billion from ratepayers and another $ 10.5 billion from the state ’ s three largest investor-owned utilities — to pay off claims for damages stemming from blazes that ignited after the bill took effect last summer .
At an event last week hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California , Newsom described the bankruptcy as a “ godsend ” and “ extraordinary opportunity ” to recreate the utility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ & E into a public utility and said the old company “ no longer exists.
” “ There ’ s going to be a new company or the state of California takes it over , ” Newsom said .
In November , Newsom tasked one of his top advisors with developing a plan to shift PG & E to public control but has yet to release any details of that proposal .
It ’ s unclear whether Newsom ’ s office has consulted with Wiener about the lawmaker ’ s bill .
Californians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & E ’ s operations as they now exist , according to a December poll conducted for the Los Angeles Times by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies .
Fewer than 1 in 8 respondents said they supported a path forward that allowed PG & E to fix its own problems and maintain its current structure .
Wiener said his bill will “ allow California to hit the refresh button and create a utility focused on the public interest.
” The bill would establish a state power authority that would purchase all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lead a five-year transition from investor to public ownership in consultation with the California Public Utilities Commission , according to an outline provided by the senator ’ s office .
The new agency would be overseen by a board whose members would be chosen by the governor .
Under the proposal , ratepayers would shoulder the cost of acquiring the company ’ s assets over several decades .
An outline of Wiener ’ s plan said the state could set up a public-private partnership similar to the Long Island Power Authority in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ E ’ s existing 24,000 employees would work for a utility operating company , described as a private contractor , while senior management positions would be concentrated into a smaller public agency tasked with providing oversight .
Wiener ’ s bill would also allow local governments to split off and create smaller publicly owned utilities within a year after the state takeover is completed .

A Pacific Gas & Electric worker walks next to a truck in San Francisco. A state lawmaker says he will introduce legislation to turn the company into a public utility.
A state lawmaker is making a move to turn Pacific Gas & Electric into a public utility, a potentially dramatic shift that would end decades of corporate control over California’s largest power company.
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said he introduced legislation on Monday aimed at revoking the 115-year-old company’s authority to serve its territory and directing the state to assume control of its gas and electric operations.
“This legislation is long overdue,” Wiener said at a news conference in San Francisco. “It will improve the quality of life for Californians and it will lead to safer, more reliable and affordable energy. And just to be blunt, it will put an end to the dangerous roller-coaster ride that we have been on with PG&E over the last decade.”
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State officials have spent months mulling the possibility of taking over the utility and criticizing its leadership for launching widespread blackouts. But Wiener’s bill would be the first formal proposal to strip power from PG&E, which opposes the legislation and said its “facilities are not up for sale.”
“We remain firmly convinced that a government or customer takeover is not the optimal solution that will address the challenges ahead and serve the long-run interests of all customers in the communities we serve,” said James Noonan, a PG&E spokesman, in a statement.
Wiener has said he began crafting the legislation last year after the company shut off power to millions of frustrated customers mostly in Northern California in an effort to stop its power lines from sparking blazes when hot and dry conditions created an elevated wildfire risk.
In response to public pressure, PG&E started the outages after the deadliest wildfire in state history, the Camp fire, devastated Butte County in Northern California. The company filed for bankruptcy in January citing $30 billion in potential damages for causing that fire and other recent blazes.
Wiener stressed that the poorly orchestrated blackouts left low-income families with refrigerators full of spoiled food, hurt small businesses, prevented workers from earning a paycheck and endangered the lives of Californians who rely on life-saving medical equipment or refrigerated medications to survive.
“And for all of this, wildfires, blackouts, a total lack of accountability for this company, what do we get?” Wiener said. “Some of the highest electric rates in the country. Given this terrible situation with PG&E, we now have an opportunity to make real change, to try a new model.”
PG&E employees in the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers 1245 union interrupted the legislator and other speakers at the San Francisco news conference on Monday in protest of the bill. Carrying signs that said “Wiener don’t touch my pension,” they shouted “protect us” and “let the people vote!”
IBEW is a strong political force in a Capitol dominated by pro-union Democrats and the protests foreshadow a fierce lobbying battle ahead. The fight could become more difficult for opponents if Gov. Gavin Newsom weighs in and supports the proposal.
Newsom has threatened to launch his own public takeover of PG&E in response to the company’s bankruptcy restructuring plan, which he said would leave the utility with too much debt to spend the billions of dollars needed to make necessary safety improvements.
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Lawmakers passed a bill last year that offers PG&E a financial incentive to settle its existing lawsuits from wildfire victims, exit bankruptcy by June 30, preserve its efforts to meet the state’s climate goals and establish a governance structure that prioritizes safety. If the company does all those things, it can dip into a multibillion-dollar state wildfire fund — supported by $10.5 billion from ratepayers and another $10.5 billion from the state’s three largest investor-owned utilities — to pay off claims for damages stemming from blazes that ignited after the bill took effect last summer.
At an event last week hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California, Newsom described the bankruptcy as a “godsend” and “extraordinary opportunity” to re-create the utility. He reiterated his willingness to turn PG&E into a public utility and said the old company “no longer exists.”
“There’s going to be a new company or the state of California takes it over,” Newsom said.
In November, Newsom tasked one of his top advisors with developing a plan to shift PG&E to public control but has yet to release any details of that proposal. It’s unclear whether Newsom’s office has consulted with Wiener about the lawmaker’s bill.
Californians appear to support calls to end PG&E’s operations as they now exist, according to a December poll conducted for the Los Angeles Times by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Fewer than 1 in 8 respondents said they supported a path forward that allowed PG&E to fix its own problems and maintain its current structure.
PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric are investor-owned utilities. If Wiener’s proposal becomes law, PG&E would operate more like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
Wiener’s bill would reestablish a state power authority, to be known as the California Consumer Energy and Conservation Financing Authority, that would use eminent domain to purchase all of PG&E’s shares, according the senator’s office. Under the proposal, ratepayers would shoulder the cost of acquiring the company over several decades.
The authority would lead a five-year transition from investor to public ownership in consultation with the California Public Utilities Commission. A five-member board appointed by the governor, which includes the state treasurer, would initially oversee the new utility and eventually be replaced by seven representatives from each area of the public utility’s territory. Two years after the takeover concludes, the board of the new utility would begin setting rates.
Wiener said the state would set up a public-private partnership similar to the Long Island Power Authority in New York to operate and govern the new utility.
A private contractor would take over the role of the utility operating company, called the Northern California Energy Utility Services, and employ most of PG&E’s existing 24,000 employees. Wiener’s office said the arrangement would allow workers to maintain their existing pensions and benefits, despite concerns voiced by IBEW.
Those in senior management positions would work for a smaller public agency, the Northern California Energy Utility District, that leads the company, provides oversight and makes strategic decisions, according to Wiener’s office.
Wiener’s bill would also allow local governments to split off and create smaller publicly owned utilities within a year after the state takeover is completed.