latimes--2020-03-17--With masks at the ready, ICE agents make arrests on first day of California coronavirus lockdown

In the darkness of the early hours Monday , about a dozen immigration agents gathered outside a Starbucks in Bell Gardens .
For the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers , who make daily arrests , it was supposed to be business as usual .
But that morning , they greeted one another with elbows instead of handshakes ; the Starbucks where they rendezvoused was only grab and go ; and they passed freeway signs that read : “ Wash your hands stay healthy avoid COVID-19.
” The ICE agents were about to spend the day trying to arrest targets on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day after the California governor and L.A. mayor ordered people to ramp up their efforts of social distancing over the coronavirus .
The agents had N95 respirator masks in their vehicles , just in case .
With safety measures taken across the state , immigrant advocates have criticized ICE for its continued enforcement operations .
More than 45 organizations signed a letter this week calling on the Department of Homeland Security to suspend such actions .
ICE said it would take precautions , given the new reality .
But the arrests would go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here trying to protect the public by getting these criminal aliens off the street and out of our communities , ” said David Marin , the director of Enforcement and Removal Operations for ICE in L.A. “ Asking us to stop doing that basically gives those criminals another opportunity to maybe commit more crimes , to create more victims.
” In the parking lot , the group of agents stood in a loose circle — not quite six feet apart — as they reviewed the target list .
That morning , they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered sex offenders .
Among the gathered officers were two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers — identifiable only by a patch on their vest with their agency ’ s name .
They were among nine total CBP agents and officers deployed to the L.A. area in the last few weeks to assist ICE in making arrests .
They rattled off the height , weight and daily routines of the people they sought to arrest .
Nearly all the targets lived within a one-mile radius .
With many schools closed due to coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was unclear how arrests would go that morning .
“ We couldn ’ t factor this in , right ?
This COVID-19 and the precautions that everybody ’ s taking , ” Marin said .
“ We just have to continue to go with the same game plan that we ’ ve been doing.
” All of the officers had been issued the protective masks over the past few weeks .
In his car , Marin kept packets of hand sanitizer wipes , which he ’ d used that morning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keys and his hands after pumping gas .
Around 5 a.m. , the officers waited outside of Pedro Castillo Bravo ’ s home .
He was convicted in 2015 for DUI causing bodily injury and hit and run .
The officers knew the 56-year-old would soon be heading out to work collecting metal .
In less than an hour , they spotted movement in the driveway .
“ I can ’ t tell if it ’ s the target or not , but they got into the target vehicle , ” an officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After Castillo prepared to leave , an officer knocked on his car door .
He asked if Castillo was sick or taking medication , to which he said no .
He asked him if he ’ d been arrested before and Castillo admitted he had .
The officer , who wore a pair of black gloves , handcuffed Castillo and placed him in the back of a white Dodge Challenger .
Since the 2015 conviction , Castillo said , he had not driven again drunk .
That morning , after work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — worried about the lack of food at home and the stores emptying amid panic buying .
“ I ’ m the head of the house , ” Castillo said , growing teary eyed .
“ If they have me here locked up , what about rent and food ?
” Shortly after 6 a.m. , the officers were at the next home on Lanto Street , where they looked for a man who had been convicted of sexual battery and sentenced to three years ’ summary probation .
When ICE pulled him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a green card .
His crime , Marin said , made him removable .
Officers placed the man in the backseat beside Castillo .
As a few officers took the men to be processed , the rest went to door knock in a nearby mobile home park .
They were searching for a man convicted of receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime .
Instead , they encountered his wife and two children , both home from school that day because of closures .
“ We ’ re the only ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife told the officer , allowing him to come inside and look around .
After striking out , the agents circled back to Starbucks for coffee and a bathroom break .
Inside , staff were not allowing customers to put their own cream or sugar , to help stop the spread of coronavirus .
And the bathroom they ’ d been waiting for was closed to the public — badge or no .
As the officers stood outside , a man approached them to ask if it was “ true that the sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said no .
Throughout the day , they spotted people wearing masks and others with arms full of toilet paper and paper towels .
Coronavirus has had effects across the agency .
In the building where Marin works downtown , officials have talked about limiting contact with the public .
On Tuesdays and Thursdays there are 150 people who cram into a waiting room and line up outside against the wall for check-ins with ICE , some of them arriving every 30 days .
“ We might have to adjust that and make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit their contact , ” Marin said “ We ’ ll work on that on a case-by-case basis.
” Homeland Security Investigations , a branch within Immigration and Customs Enforcement , postponed its citizens academy .
Advanced classes at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers have been canceled .
Marin ’ s meeting with faith-based leaders was canceled .
Over the weekend , Marin sat down with senior leadership to determine which jobs might allow staff to telework .
Aside from mission support specialists , that seemed out of the question .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you can telework from , ” Marin said .
“ Processing people or doing check ins with people , that can ’ t be done via telework.
” Later that morning , officers waited outside the last house on their list that day .
They usually saw their target leave his home between 8:45 and 9 .
But that morning , they waited an hour and a half and never saw him .
“ This guy ’ s late , ” Marin said , speculating that he ’ d changed his pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest change became clear as Marin drove downtown on the 110 north .
“ Where is the traffic ?
” he asked .

In the darkness of the early hours Monday, about a dozen immigration agents gathered outside a Starbucks in Bell Gardens.
For the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, who make daily arrests, it was supposed to be business as usual.
But that morning, they greeted one another with elbows instead of handshakes; the Starbucks where they rendezvoused was only grab and go; and they passed freeway signs that read: “Wash your hands stay healthy avoid COVID-19.”
The ICE agents were about to spend the day trying to arrest targets on a most unusual of days: the day after the California governor and L.A. mayor ordered people to ramp up their efforts of social distancing over the coronavirus. The agents had N95 respirator masks in their vehicles, just in case.
With safety measures taken across the state, immigrant advocates have criticized ICE for its continued enforcement operations. More than 45 organizations signed a letter this week calling on the Department of Homeland Security to suspend such actions.
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ICE said it would take precautions, given the new reality. But the arrests would go on.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs & Border Protection agents advance on a residence during early morning apprehensions in Bell Gardens as more resources are deployed in sanctuary cities. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
“We’re out here trying to protect the public by getting these criminal aliens off the street and out of our communities,” said David Marin, the director of Enforcement and Removal Operations for ICE in L.A. “Asking us to stop doing that basically gives those criminals another opportunity to maybe commit more crimes, to create more victims.”
In the parking lot, the group of agents stood in a loose circle — not quite six feet apart — as they reviewed the target list. That morning, they were searching for four people, including two registered sex offenders.
Among the gathered officers were two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers — identifiable only by a patch on their vest with their agency’s name. They were among nine total CBP agents and officers deployed to the L.A. area in the last few weeks to assist ICE in making arrests.
They rattled off the height, weight and daily routines of the people they sought to arrest. Nearly all the targets lived within a one-mile radius. With many schools closed due to coronavirus and some people staying home from work, it was unclear how arrests would go that morning.
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“We couldn’t factor this in, right? This COVID-19 and the precautions that everybody’s taking,” Marin said. “We just have to continue to go with the same game plan that we’ve been doing.”
All of the officers had been issued the protective masks over the past few weeks. In his car, Marin kept packets of hand sanitizer wipes, which he’d used that morning to wipe down his steering wheel, his keys and his hands after pumping gas.
Pedro Castillo Bravo sits in a Removal Operations Processing Center in downtown Los Angeles after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents made early morning arrest. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Around 5 a.m., the officers waited outside of Pedro Castillo Bravo’s home. He was convicted in 2015 for DUI causing bodily injury and hit and run.
The officers knew the 56-year-old would soon be heading out to work collecting metal. In less than an hour, they spotted movement in the driveway.
“I can’t tell if it’s the target or not, but they got into the target vehicle,” an officer’s voice crackled over the radio. After Castillo prepared to leave, an officer knocked on his car door.
He asked if Castillo was sick or taking medication, to which he said no. He asked him if he’d been arrested before and Castillo admitted he had. The officer, who wore a pair of black gloves, handcuffed Castillo and placed him in the back of a white Dodge Challenger.
Since the 2015 conviction, Castillo said, he had not driven again drunk. That morning, after work, he planned to visit the grocery store — worried about the lack of food at home and the stores emptying amid panic buying.
“I’m the head of the house,” Castillo said, growing teary eyed. “If they have me here locked up, what about rent and food?”
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Shortly after 6 a.m., the officers were at the next home on Lanto Street, where they looked for a man who had been convicted of sexual battery and sentenced to three years’ summary probation. When ICE pulled him over, he told them he had a green card.
His crime, Marin said, made him removable. Officers placed the man in the backseat beside Castillo.
As a few officers took the men to be processed, the rest went to door knock in a nearby mobile home park. They were searching for a man convicted of receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime. Instead, they encountered his wife and two children, both home from school that day because of closures.
“We’re the only ones here,” the man’s wife told the officer, allowing him to come inside and look around.
After striking out, the agents circled back to Starbucks for coffee and a bathroom break. Inside, staff were not allowing customers to put their own cream or sugar, to help stop the spread of coronavirus. And the bathroom they’d been waiting for was closed to the public — badge or no.
David A. Marin is director of Enforcement and Removal Operations Los Angeles Field Office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
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As the officers stood outside, a man approached them to ask if it was “true that the sheriff got the coronavirus?” The officers said no. Throughout the day, they spotted people wearing masks and others with arms full of toilet paper and paper towels.
Coronavirus has had effects across the agency.
In the building where Marin works downtown, officials have talked about limiting contact with the public. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there are 150 people who cram into a waiting room and line up outside against the wall for check-ins with ICE, some of them arriving every 30 days.
“We might have to adjust that and make it 60 or 90 days maybe, to limit their contact,” Marin said “We’ll work on that on a case-by-case basis.”
Homeland Security Investigations, a branch within Immigration and Customs Enforcement, postponed its citizens academy. Advanced classes at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers have been canceled. Marin’s meeting with faith-based leaders was canceled.
Over the weekend, Marin sat down with senior leadership to determine which jobs might allow staff to telework. Aside from mission support specialists, that seemed out of the question.
“Our job is not a job that you can telework from,” Marin said. “Processing people or doing check ins with people, that can’t be done via telework.”
Later that morning, officers waited outside the last house on their list that day. They usually saw their target leave his home between 8:45 and 9. But that morning, they waited an hour and a half and never saw him.
“This guy’s late,” Marin said, speculating that he’d changed his pattern “because of coronavirus.”
But the biggest change became clear as Marin drove downtown on the 110 north.
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“Where is the traffic?” he asked.


latimes--2020-03-17--School closures stress families as coronavirus halts L.A. service centers

Millions of families in Los Angeles and across the state were forced to adjust Monday to closed schools , childcare hassles , an uneven move to online learning and a strained social safety net — the education system fallout from an unprecedented effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
L.A. Unified announced more bad news : District officials late on Monday canceled their innovative effort to offer childcare , counseling and learning materials at 40 new family resource centers , citing health risks .
Instead , 60 “ grab-and-go ” food centers will be available for school families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s website at https : //achieve.lausd.net/resources and will be open starting on Wednesday , from 7 to 10 a.m. “ At this time , state and local health and public safety officials can not assure us it will be safe for the children and adults at the family centers for us to provide care for children at these sites , ” said Supt .
Austin Beutner in a letter Monday afternoon .
“ We are deeply disappointed.
” With about 85 % of California students out of school , many districts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online education — an especially tall order in a state where 60 % of students quality for free or reduced price meals because they are members of low-income households .
In Los Angeles public schools the number is even higher , at 80 % ; in Compton it ’ s at 83 % ; Pomona , 89 % .
Besides the potential for hungry children , in Los Angeles , for instance , this poverty also means that one-quarter of families do not have broadband service and additional families lack adequate data plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Beutner said .
Those who have the least are likely to suffer the most in this emergency situation , according to child advocates .
“ It ’ s critical for schools to continue prioritizing equity and directing resources towards high-need students in this crisis , as they face the greatest risks and uncertainty , ” said Victor Leung , senior staff attorney for the ACLU Foundation of Southern California .
“ We must band together as a community and do everything we can to not let our most vulnerable students fall further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more difficult because the act of coming together to help has become potentially dangerous — and the downfall of the service center plan .
Beutner made the decision to open the centers last week , and in the rapidly moving coronavirus emergency , had to cancel their opening .
In an interview , Beutner said that L.A. schools “ provide a social safety net for children ...
The closing of any school has real consequences beyond the loss of instructional time.
” Monday morning , Julia Andres sat quietly on a green metal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they waited for a city shuttle in MacArthur Park .
The trio were heading to Andres ’ job at a garment warehouse in downtown Los Angeles because she can ’ t afford daycare .
“ I have to bring them to work , ” she said .
“ I have to try and work whatever hours I can get.
” Tugging on his older brother ’ s hand , 10-year-old Miguel Petz , a fourth-grader at Vermont Elementary School , said he was worried about his parents being infected by the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Miguel said he had a packet for homework that he would be working on , and that he would do other courses online using his older brother ’ s Chromebook .
Emmanuel Garcia , 13 , a seventh-grader at Foshay Learning Center , said he was going to do most of his courses online , some through Schoology , an LAUSD online learning system .
His feelings are mixed about schools being closed .
“ We ’ re out of school , ” he said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the launch of educational programming during the school day on three public television channels in a partnership with PBS SoCal/KCET could provide support for learning for families without wifi .
Each channel is specializing in a particular age range .
During the shutdown , teachers are expected to do what they can to keep learning going via online and electronic coursework and even paper homework packets .
Hildeliza Galicia and her family in South Los Angeles are struggling to sustain the basics and school work was low on the priority list Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and home organizer at four residences a week in Bel Air and Santa Monica and is worried about cancellations .
Her husband Edgar , a truck driver at the port , has worked fewer hours in the last few weeks due to reduced imports from China .
Their children — son Daniel , 9 , and daughter Alondra , 16 — are both home from school .
Daniel attends a charter school and Alondra goes to an all-girls private school .
“ I have to arrange whose going to babysit who , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and parents faced both technical problems and logistical issues on their first day .
In a Facebook group for LAUSD parents , some said they didn ’ t have enough laptops and computers to share between multiple children .
Parents also expressed concern about the emotional well-being of their children , and how they would react to not seeing friends and having routines disrupted .
Evelyn Macias , a writer and publicist in Reseda , said her biggest concern was keeping a positive atmosphere at home and reassuring her high school daughter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The big question for me is how do I continue to make them feel that this is something that too shall pass ?
” Macias said .
“ How do I continue to make them feel comfortable , safe ?
” Her younger daughter Lucy Macias — a 10th-grader at the Cleveland Humanities Magnet High School — said she is worried about missing in-person lectures .
“ There ’ s a lot of hands-on instruction and I don ’ t know if we can really get that through the internet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grappling with similar problems , including the Las Virgenes Unified School District , which serves the western San Fernando Valley and the eastern Conejo Valley .
“ We ’ re very concerned about the impact of isolation on our children ’ s well-being , ” said Supt .
Dan Stepenosky .
“ We ’ re also working on a way for high school students to connect with elementary students to build connections virtually and we have opened our district-wide counseling center to our students , their families , and our staff .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crisis comes opportunity , ” he said hopefully .
Pomona Unified mobilized to offer meal service , providing cold breakfast and lunch trays in a “ drive-through ” set up at five locations between 7:30 and 9 a.m. “ Breakfast and lunch meals are handed to families through car windows for the number of children present in the car , ” the district advisory states .
“ Meals are not to be eaten on premises ...
Meals must be eaten or refrigerated within two hours from pick-up time.
” The 900-campus Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and adults , is initially expected to be shut down for two weeks .
However the closures may last last longer .
As of Sunday , 24 of the state ’ s 25 largest school systems had closed their campuses .
The remaining district , the Kern High School District in Kern County , with about 40,000 students , said plans for “ impending closure ” are underway .
Even for families with some flexibility , the options are limited with libraries , museums , recreation centers and other gathering places closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies , a grade six to 12 school , is worried that the daycare center her two children attend will close , affecting her ability to help her students .
Her husband is also a teacher .
“ It ’ s not like one of us can take the kids to the park while the other takes shifts , ” she said .
“ A lot of places are closed ... We ’ re literally stuck in the house.
” Times staff writers Sonali Kohli and Sonja @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Millions of families in Los Angeles and across the state were forced to adjust Monday to closed schools, childcare hassles, an uneven move to online learning and a strained social safety net — the education system fallout from an unprecedented effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
L.A. Unified announced more bad news: District officials late on Monday canceled their innovative effort to offer childcare, counseling and learning materials at 40 new family resource centers, citing health risks.
Instead, 60 “grab-and-go” food centers will be available for school families. Locations are posted on the district’s website at https://achieve.lausd.net/resources and will be open starting on Wednesday, from 7 to 10 a.m.
“At this time, state and local health and public safety officials cannot assure us it will be safe for the children and adults at the family centers for us to provide care for children at these sites,” said Supt. Austin Beutner in a letter Monday afternoon. “We are deeply disappointed.”
With about 85% of California students out of school, many districts in the state were trying to move toward online education — an especially tall order in a state where 60% of students quality for free or reduced price meals because they are members of low-income households. In Los Angeles public schools the number is even higher, at 80%; in Compton it’s at 83%; Pomona, 89%.
Besides the potential for hungry children, in Los Angeles, for instance, this poverty also means that one-quarter of families do not have broadband service and additional families lack adequate data plans or computers needed to support online learning, Beutner said.
Advertisement
Those who have the least are likely to suffer the most in this emergency situation, according to child advocates.
“It’s critical for schools to continue prioritizing equity and directing resources towards high-need students in this crisis, as they face the greatest risks and uncertainty,” said Victor Leung, senior staff attorney for the ACLU Foundation of Southern California. “We must band together as a community and do everything we can to not let our most vulnerable students fall further behind.”
But this is all the more difficult because the act of coming together to help has become potentially dangerous — and the downfall of the service center plan. Beutner made the decision to open the centers last week, and in the rapidly moving coronavirus emergency, had to cancel their opening.
In an interview, Beutner said that L.A. schools “provide a social safety net for children ... The closing of any school has real consequences beyond the loss of instructional time.”
Monday morning, Julia Andres sat quietly on a green metal bench with her two school-aged sons as they waited for a city shuttle in MacArthur Park. The trio were heading to Andres’ job at a garment warehouse in downtown Los Angeles because she can’t afford daycare.
“I have to bring them to work,” she said. “I have to try and work whatever hours I can get.”
Tugging on his older brother’s hand, 10-year-old Miguel Petz, a fourth-grader at Vermont Elementary School, said he was worried about his parents being infected by the virus.
“I’m scared about it,” he said.
Miguel said he had a packet for homework that he would be working on, and that he would do other courses online using his older brother’s Chromebook.
Advertisement
Emmanuel Garcia, 13, a seventh-grader at Foshay Learning Center, said he was going to do most of his courses online, some through Schoology, an LAUSD online learning system. His feelings are mixed about schools being closed.
“We’re out of school,” he said. “But then we have homework.”
Beutner said the launch of educational programming during the school day on three public television channels in a partnership with PBS SoCal/KCET could provide support for learning for families without wifi. Each channel is specializing in a particular age range.
During the shutdown, teachers are expected to do what they can to keep learning going via online and electronic coursework and even paper homework packets.
Hildeliza Galicia and her family in South Los Angeles are struggling to sustain the basics and school work was low on the priority list Monday. Galicia works as a babysitter, helper and home organizer at four residences a week in Bel Air and Santa Monica and is worried about cancellations. Her husband Edgar, a truck driver at the port, has worked fewer hours in the last few weeks due to reduced imports from China.
Their children — son Daniel, 9, and daughter Alondra, 16 — are both home from school. Daniel attends a charter school and Alondra goes to an all-girls private school.
“I have to arrange whose going to babysit who,” Hildeliza Galicia said.
Los Angeles students and parents faced both technical problems and logistical issues on their first day. In a Facebook group for LAUSD parents, some said they didn’t have enough laptops and computers to share between multiple children. Parents also expressed concern about the emotional well-being of their children, and how they would react to not seeing friends and having routines disrupted.
Evelyn Macias, a writer and publicist in Reseda, said her biggest concern was keeping a positive atmosphere at home and reassuring her high school daughter and older daughter attending Reed College in Portland.
“The big question for me is how do I continue to make them feel that this is something that too shall pass?” Macias said. “How do I continue to make them feel comfortable, safe?”
Her younger daughter Lucy Macias — a 10th-grader at the Cleveland Humanities Magnet High School — said she is worried about missing in-person lectures. “There’s a lot of hands-on instruction and I don’t know if we can really get that through the internet,” she said.
Other districts are grappling with similar problems, including the Las Virgenes Unified School District, which serves the western San Fernando Valley and the eastern Conejo Valley.
“We’re very concerned about the impact of isolation on our children’s well-being,” said Supt. Dan Stepenosky. “We’re also working on a way for high school students to connect with elementary students to build connections virtually and we have opened our district-wide counseling center to our students, their families, and our staff. All appointments are via Zoom.”
“Out of crisis comes opportunity,” he said hopefully.
Pomona Unified mobilized to offer meal service, providing cold breakfast and lunch trays in a “drive-through” set up at five locations between 7:30 and 9 a.m.
“Breakfast and lunch meals are handed to families through car windows for the number of children present in the car,” the district advisory states. “Meals are not to be eaten on premises ... Meals must be eaten or refrigerated within two hours from pick-up time.”
The 900-campus Los Angeles Unified, which serves about 670,000 children and adults, is initially expected to be shut down for two weeks. However the closures may last last longer.
As of Sunday, 24 of the state’s 25 largest school systems had closed their campuses. The remaining district, the Kern High School District in Kern County, with about 40,000 students, said plans for “impending closure” are underway.
Even for families with some flexibility, the options are limited with libraries, museums, recreation centers and other gathering places closed.
Carmen Adler, a history teacher at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, a grade six to 12 school, is worried that the daycare center her two children attend will close, affecting her ability to help her students. Her husband is also a teacher.
“It’s not like one of us can take the kids to the park while the other takes shifts,” she said. “A lot of places are closed ... We’re literally stuck in the house.”
Times staff writers Sonali Kohli and Sonja Sharp also contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-17--When L.A. City Council meets, the public will comment from outside the building

Even amid the threat of the novel coronavirus , the Los Angeles City Council is planning to convene on Tuesday .
But there will be big changes in the way the meeting is run .
With City Hall closed to the public , council members are asking the public to watch by remote , either on television or on streaming video , and offer their comments electronically .
Members of the public who are determined to address council members from a microphone will need to do so under a tent outside City Hall , said Rick Coca , spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a mic and a monitor where they can see the meeting , ” Coca said in an email .
“ And city staff will be cleaning and wiping down the area throughout and offering gloves to those who want them and asking people to stay six feet apart.
” The tented area will be in a courtyard that faces Spring Street .
Council members will work to ensure there are no more than 50 people in the chamber , bringing in only their most essential staff , Coca said .
Members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience will be kept more than six feet apart , he said .
Television crews will no longer be allowed in the area where council members are seated , Coca added .
The changes come nearly a week after Martinez announced she would scale back the number of council meetings to once a week , down from three .
Committee meetings have been canceled for the rest of the month .
Garcetti moved last week to close City Hall to the public , while also requiring many city employees to keep showing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scores of recreation centers and dozens of swimming pools and aquatic centers .
Some agencies , such as the Department of Building and Safety , are continuing to provide city services .
Police officers , firefighters and paramedics are still on hand to respond to emergencies .
In addition , sanitation workers are continuing to pick up trash .
A dozen golf courses were still open on Monday afternoon , with partitions being installed to separate members of the public .

If members of the public want to address the Los Angeles City Council at Tuesday’s meeting, they will have to stand outside in a courtyard. Above, Council President Nury Martinez.
Even amid the threat of the novel coronavirus, the Los Angeles City Council is planning to convene on Tuesday. But there will be big changes in the way the meeting is run.
With City Hall closed to the public, council members are asking the public to watch by remote, either on television or on streaming video, and offer their comments electronically.
Members of the public who are determined to address council members from a microphone will need to do so under a tent outside City Hall, said Rick Coca, spokesman for Council President Nury Martinez.
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“There will be a mic and a monitor where they can see the meeting,” Coca said in an email. “And city staff will be cleaning and wiping down the area throughout and offering gloves to those who want them and asking people to stay six feet apart.”
The tented area will be in a courtyard that faces Spring Street.
Council members will work to ensure there are no more than 50 people in the chamber, bringing in only their most essential staff, Coca said. Members of the news media seated in the audience will be kept more than six feet apart, he said.
Television crews will no longer be allowed in the area where council members are seated, Coca added.
The changes come nearly a week after Martinez announced she would scale back the number of council meetings to once a week, down from three. Committee meetings have been canceled for the rest of the month.
Garcetti moved last week to close City Hall to the public, while also requiring many city employees to keep showing up. Also closed are 73 libraries, scores of recreation centers and dozens of swimming pools and aquatic centers.
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Some agencies, such as the Department of Building and Safety, are continuing to provide city services. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics are still on hand to respond to emergencies. In addition, sanitation workers are continuing to pick up trash.
A dozen golf courses were still open on Monday afternoon, with partitions being installed to separate members of the public.


latimes--2020-03-17--Gov. Gavin Newsom escalates coronavirus effort, asks all California restaurants and theaters to clos

Gov. Gavin Newsom escalates coronavirus effort, asks all California restaurants and theaters to close

Citing the need to “ align ” the efforts of local and state officials to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Monday that all California restaurants should close their doors to dine-in customers and that gyms , health clubs and movie theaters should also shutter their operations .
The announcement , made during a brief presentation on Facebook Live , represented an expansion of the state ’ s public health efforts and a reversal from just 24 hours earlier as to whether restaurants should curtail their operations .
Newsom said that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , for the moment , provide takeout if they wish , and operate in that frame .
But that will focus an alignment throughout the state of California at this point , we believe it ’ s necessary.
” The decision follows similar efforts in Los Angeles and other large cities but presents a sweeping new challenge for similar businesses in mid-size and small cities as well as the state ’ s rural locations .
On Sunday , the governor had said that restaurants should remain open as long as they removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of separation for their dining patrons — “ deep social distancing , ” as he called it at the time .
Appearing on the social media site from the state ’ s Office of Emergency Services , the governor also said changing conditions had caused him to rethink his request last week to limit mass gatherings to no more than 250 people .
Several communities have since adopted stricter rules , and Newsom said Monday it was time for all Californians to do so too .
He said he was particularly affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have adopted a “ shelter in place ” policy , effectively asking everyone to remain as isolated as possible in hopes of slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus .
“ If we ’ re asking people to shelter in place , to isolate at home , ” Newsom said , `` the point of gatherings is lost on all of us from a public safety and health perspective .
So directing that no gatherings… we think it ’ s very rational under these circumstances .
Disruptive , I know , for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this moment.
” The California Department of Public Health issued other guidelines for crowded areas , too — most notably , limits on crowds gathered in grocery stores .
The request says that markets should limit “ the number of customers at any given time as necessary to reduce outdoor/indoor crowding and lines to meet social distancing guidance.
” The governor ’ s requests came after state public health officials announced there are now 392 confirmed cases of the virus in California .
Earlier , state lawmakers approved spending up to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .

Citing the need to “align” the efforts of local and state officials to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that all California restaurants should close their doors to dine-in customers and that gyms, health clubs and movie theaters should also shutter their operations.
The announcement, made during a brief presentation on Facebook Live, represented an expansion of the state’s public health efforts and a reversal from just 24 hours earlier as to whether restaurants should curtail their operations.
Newsom said that he was “asking our restaurants to close down, for the moment, provide takeout if they wish, and operate in that frame. But that will focus an alignment throughout the state of California at this point, we believe it’s necessary.”
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The decision follows similar efforts in Los Angeles and other large cities but presents a sweeping new challenge for similar businesses in mid-size and small cities as well as the state’s rural locations. On Sunday, the governor had said that restaurants should remain open as long as they removed enough seating to achieve six feet or more of separation for their dining patrons — “deep social distancing,” as he called it at the time.
Appearing on the social media site from the state’s Office of Emergency Services, the governor also said changing conditions had caused him to rethink his request last week to limit mass gatherings to no more than 250 people.
Several communities have since adopted stricter rules, and Newsom said Monday it was time for all Californians to do so too. He said he was particularly affected by the seven Bay Area counties that have adopted a “shelter in place” policy, effectively asking everyone to remain as isolated as possible in hopes of slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“If we’re asking people to shelter in place, to isolate at home,” Newsom said, “ the point of gatherings is lost on all of us from a public safety and health perspective. So directing that no gatherings… we think it’s very rational under these circumstances. Disruptive, I know, for some. But rational, we believe, in this moment.”
The California Department of Public Health issued other guidelines for crowded areas, too — most notably, limits on crowds gathered in grocery stores. The request says that markets should limit “the number of customers at any given time as necessary to reduce outdoor/indoor crowding and lines to meet social distancing guidance.”
The governor’s requests came after state public health officials announced there are now 392 confirmed cases of the virus in California. Earlier, state lawmakers approved spending up to $1 billion on efforts to combat the pandemic.


latimes--2020-03-16--LAPD shifting more cops to street patrol to help with the coronavirus

The Los Angeles Police Department will shift half the detectives working in its community stations to daily patrol in order @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement Monday evening , saying that the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ the streets to “ help supplement our patrol officers.
” Some detectives already are out @ @ @ @ @ , to “ make sure that any challenges that arise in our neighborhoods and grocery @ @ @ @ @ and to help people “ feel secure in the city.
” LAPD Assistant Police Chief @ @ @ @ @ a minimum , that would provide at least 300 additional officers to patrol and potentially @ @ @ @ @ after L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva shifted deputies in other units to beat patrols to @ @ @ @ @ problems at places such as Costco , where large crowds of shoppers often wait .

The Los Angeles Police Department will shift half the detectives working in its community stations to daily patrol.
The Los Angeles Police Department will shift half the detectives working in its community stations to daily patrol in order to ensure public peace.
Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement Monday evening, saying that the city’s detectives will start working on the streets to “help supplement our patrol officers.”
Some detectives already are out there, the mayor said, to “make sure that any challenges that arise in our neighborhoods and grocery stores” are dealt with and to help people “feel secure in the city.”
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LAPD Assistant Police Chief Robert Arcos said that at a minimum, that would provide at least 300 additional officers to patrol and potentially more.
The moves comes after L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva shifted deputies in other units to beat patrols to allow the department to prevent problems at places such as Costco, where large crowds of shoppers often wait.


latimes--2020-03-16--L.A. petroleum magnate convicted in sprawling biofuel tax scheme

Lev Aslan Dermen had beaten big cases before .
A 1993 federal tax fraud charge ended in acquittal .
Charged in 2003 with assaulting a Glendale policeman , the jury deadlocked in the first trial and acquitted in the second .
On Monday afternoon , in the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City , the petroleum magnate listened to the verdict at the close of his seven-week trial for fraud and money laundering , and it was a word he ’ d never heard uttered before by a jury : Guilty , 10 times .
The verdict — guilty on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a courtroom defeat for Dermen , one that will likely result in a significant prison sentence .
It brought to an end the impression , earned after a string of acquittals and fizzled investigations , that Dermen was untouchable .
Until Monday , he had never been convicted of a felony .
His attorney , Mark Geragos , called the verdict “ a travesty ” and criticized the court ’ s decision to allow the jury to continue deliberating in spite of the coronavirus pandemic .
Geragos noted the 12 jurors returned their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country against meeting in groups of 10 people or more .
“ With respect , the defense believes this is a complete travesty and a prima facie due process and constitutional violation , ” Geragos said .
Crowded in “ a potentially life-threatening environment , ” the jury considered the complicated case for less than eight hours before reaching a verdict that “ was not deliberated fully and fairly , ” he said .
Geragos asked U.S. District Judge Jill N. Parish to declare a mistrial , writing in a motion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ innocence determined by “ jurors free from concerns of life , disease , and death.
” Throughout the seven-week trial , prosecutors brought evidence of a brazen scheme to loot a half-billion dollars in subsidies from the U.S. Treasury .
Dermen , they alleged , conspired with Jacob Kingston , the leader of a polygamist sect in Utah and chief executive of Washakie Renewable Energy , a company that claimed to convert cooking oil and similar materials into biofuel but in fact made hardly any renewable energy at all .
Kingston , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testified against Dermen , has admitted playing a shell game with the federal government , shuttling batches of fuel between companies and falsifying paperwork to claim the $ 1-per-gallon subsidy earmarked for biofuel producers .
He pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence not to exceed 30 years in prison .
Once Kingston met Dermen in 2012 , prosecutors said , the fraud accelerated .
Dermen , born Levon Termendzhyan , left Armenia at 14 for Los Angeles and built an empire of gas stations , truck stops and energy companies in Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. mansion , drove a Bugatti , surrounded himself with bodyguards and beat case after case , beginning with a 1993 federal charge of taking part in a diesel tax scheme that ended in acquittal .
In 2003 , Dermen was charged with assaulting a Glendale detective who had been tailing his cousin .
He was acquitted after two trials .
In 2017 , Los Angeles Police Department detectives and federal agents raided his homes and businesses , seeking evidence of money laundering , tax evasion and grand theft , among other suspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the search warrant .
They hauled away Dermen ’ s business records , luxury cars , watches , Hermes bags and millions of dollars in cash — all of which were returned after county prosecutors declined to file charges .
Dermen seemed immune to law enforcement , prosecutors said , and he cashed in on this impression by offering Kingston the protection of an “ umbrella ” — a supposed network of law enforcement officials who would allow Dermen and his conspirators to operate with impunity .
With Dermen ’ s assurance he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began filing claims for ever-larger sums of subsidies .
Prosecutors did not allege that Dermen ’ s “ umbrella ” actually existed — only that Kingston and his family believed it did , and transferred to Dermen tens of millions of dollars to pay it off .
Dermen did , however , surround himself with law enforcement figures .
Among his associates were Felix Cisneros , a former agent with Homeland Security Investigations , and John Saro Balian , a former narcotics detective with the Glendale Police Department .
Cisneros was convicted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner , Santiago Garcia Gutierrez , travel illegally between the United States and Mexico , where he was negotiating a deal on Dermen ’ s behalf with Pemex , the Mexican state oil company .
Cisneros served a year in federal prison .
Dermen and Balian were close associates for a decade before falling out in 2016 .
A Mexican Mafia associate told an LAPD detective that Balian offered him and another gang member $ 100,000 to “ scare ” someone , which led to a drive-by shooting that riddled an SUV carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Balian was not charged in the incident and has denied involvement in the attack .
He pleaded guilty in 2018 to three felonies , none of them related to his association with Dermen , and served 21 months in federal custody .
He was released in November .

Lev Dermen, left, was convicted Monday of 10 felony counts after his former partner, Jacob Kingston, right, testified against him during a seven-week trial.
Lev Aslan Dermen had beaten big cases before. A 1993 federal tax fraud charge ended in acquittal. Charged in 2003 with assaulting a Glendale policeman, the jury deadlocked in the first trial and acquitted in the second.
On Monday afternoon, in the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City, the petroleum magnate listened to the verdict at the close of his seven-week trial for fraud and money laundering, and it was a word he’d never heard uttered before by a jury: Guilty, 10 times.
The verdict — guilty on 10 felony counts — was not just a courtroom defeat for Dermen, one that will likely result in a significant prison sentence. It brought to an end the impression, earned after a string of acquittals and fizzled investigations, that Dermen was untouchable. Until Monday, he had never been convicted of a felony.
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His attorney, Mark Geragos, called the verdict “a travesty” and criticized the court’s decision to allow the jury to continue deliberating in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. Geragos noted the 12 jurors returned their verdict just minutes after President Trump warned the country against meeting in groups of 10 people or more.
“With respect, the defense believes this is a complete travesty and a prima facie due process and constitutional violation,” Geragos said. Crowded in “a potentially life-threatening environment,” the jury considered the complicated case for less than eight hours before reaching a verdict that “was not deliberated fully and fairly,” he said.
Geragos asked U.S. District Judge Jill N. Parish to declare a mistrial, writing in a motion that Dermen deserves to have his guilt or innocence determined by “jurors free from concerns of life, disease, and death.”
Throughout the seven-week trial, prosecutors brought evidence of a brazen scheme to loot a half-billion dollars in subsidies from the U.S. Treasury. Dermen, they alleged, conspired with Jacob Kingston, the leader of a polygamist sect in Utah and chief executive of Washakie Renewable Energy, a company that claimed to convert cooking oil and similar materials into biofuel but in fact made hardly any renewable energy at all.
Kingston, who pleaded guilty to several dozen felonies and testified against Dermen, has admitted playing a shell game with the federal government, shuttling batches of fuel between companies and falsifying paperwork to claim the $1-per-gallon subsidy earmarked for biofuel producers. He pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence not to exceed 30 years in prison.
Once Kingston met Dermen in 2012, prosecutors said, the fraud accelerated.
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Dermen, born Levon Termendzhyan, left Armenia at 14 for Los Angeles and built an empire of gas stations, truck stops and energy companies in Southern California. He lived in a West L.A. mansion, drove a Bugatti, surrounded himself with bodyguards and beat case after case, beginning with a 1993 federal charge of taking part in a diesel tax scheme that ended in acquittal.
In 2003, Dermen was charged with assaulting a Glendale detective who had been tailing his cousin. He was acquitted after two trials.
In 2017, Los Angeles Police Department detectives and federal agents raided his homes and businesses, seeking evidence of money laundering, tax evasion and grand theft, among other suspected crimes, according to a copy of the search warrant. They hauled away Dermen’s business records, luxury cars, watches, Hermes bags and millions of dollars in cash — all of which were returned after county prosecutors declined to file charges.
Dermen seemed immune to law enforcement, prosecutors said, and he cashed in on this impression by offering Kingston the protection of an “umbrella” — a supposed network of law enforcement officials who would allow Dermen and his conspirators to operate with impunity. With Dermen’s assurance he was protected, Kingston testified, he began filing claims for ever-larger sums of subsidies.
Prosecutors did not allege that Dermen’s “umbrella” actually existed — only that Kingston and his family believed it did, and transferred to Dermen tens of millions of dollars to pay it off.
Dermen did, however, surround himself with law enforcement figures. Among his associates were Felix Cisneros, a former agent with Homeland Security Investigations, and John Saro Balian, a former narcotics detective with the Glendale Police Department.
Cisneros was convicted in 2018 of helping Dermen’s business partner, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez, travel illegally between the United States and Mexico, where he was negotiating a deal on Dermen’s behalf with Pemex, the Mexican state oil company. Cisneros served a year in federal prison.
Dermen and Balian were close associates for a decade before falling out in 2016. A Mexican Mafia associate told an LAPD detective that Balian offered him and another gang member $100,000 to “scare” someone, which led to a drive-by shooting that riddled an SUV carrying Dermen’s son with bullets.
Balian was not charged in the incident and has denied involvement in the attack. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to three felonies, none of them related to his association with Dermen, and served 21 months in federal custody. He was released in November.


latimes--2020-03-16--Two Coachella Valley patients die of coronavirus

Two Coachella Valley patients stricken with coronavirus have died , Riverside County health officials said Monday .
Few details were released , but the health department announced restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people in hopes of reducing the spread .
“ Our thoughts are with the families of the two patients , ” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser .
“ Sadly , these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community.
” There are now 15 confirmed cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health director Barbara Ferrer also announced 25 new confirmed cases , bringing the county ’ s total to 94 .
There have been 41 new cases in the county over the last 48 hours , she said .
At least 15 of the cases are likely due to community transmission .
“ Residents at this point must assume that there may be people who are infected everywhere in the county , ” Ferrer said .
The county also released a list of specific cities and neighborhoods where cases of the virus have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles currently has the largest count with more than 25 confirmed cases .
Other affected cities include Beverly Hills , Arcadia , Alhambra , Glendale , Torrance and West Hollywood , among others .

Two Coachella Valley patients stricken with coronavirus have died, Riverside County health officials said Monday.
Few details were released, but the health department announced restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people in hopes of reducing the spread.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the two patients,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser. “Sadly, these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community.”
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There are now 15 confirmed cases in Riverside County.
L.A. County Department of Public Health director Barbara Ferrer also announced 25 new confirmed cases, bringing the county’s total to 94. There have been 41 new cases in the county over the last 48 hours, she said. At least 15 of the cases are likely due to community transmission.
“Residents at this point must assume that there may be people who are infected everywhere in the county,” Ferrer said.
The county also released a list of specific cities and neighborhoods where cases of the virus have been confirmed. The city of Los Angeles currently has the largest count with more than 25 confirmed cases. Other affected cities include Beverly Hills, Arcadia, Alhambra, Glendale, Torrance and West Hollywood, among others.


latimes--2020-03-16--Coronavirus: L.A. will temporarily stop ticketing during street sweeping

In an effort to help residents stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic , Los Angeles will temporarily stop ticketing cars during street sweeping and relax its enforcement of some other parking rules , Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday .
For the next two weeks , cars left in L.A. residential areas during street sweeping will not be ticketed , Garcetti said .
The city will also temporarily stop ticketing and towing vehicles that are abandoned and oversized vehicles parked overnight .
The city will also freeze parking fine increases for the next 60 days , Garcetti said , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
“ People are feeling the financial pinch , ” Garcetti said .
“ The small things we can do help families , we will enact.
” Los Angeles parking officers will not ticket parents and caregivers who are picking up meals around closed schools , and there will be an “ extended grace period ” for people picking up groceries or dropping off goods , he said .
“ There ’ s no need to worry about the financial cost of keeping your car at home while you practice safe social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You help our city ‘ flatten the curve.
’ ” Not all parking enforcement will stop .
During “ the duration of this emergency period , ” Garcetti said , parking officers will focus on “ street sweeping around encampments , ensuring emergency access , keeping colored curbs clear , and repaving and slurry operations.
” The city will not loosen restrictions at parking meters , Garcetti said , in an effort to encourage parking turnover at businesses “ that are relying now on many people coming to pick up food , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well.
” The region has gradually shut down over the last week as elected and public health officials have worked to halt the spread of the virus and residents have observed “ social distancing ” by staying six feet away from each other .
Traffic has been eerily light .
Bars and nightclubs have shut down , and restaurants have limited their business to takeout orders until March 31 .
Movie theaters , gyms and fitness centers are also closed .
Grocery stores , pharmacies and food banks remain open .

In an effort to help residents stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, Los Angeles will temporarily stop ticketing cars during street sweeping and relax its enforcement of some other parking rules, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday.
For the next two weeks, cars left in L.A. residential areas during street sweeping will not be ticketed, Garcetti said.
The city will also temporarily stop ticketing and towing vehicles that are abandoned and oversized vehicles parked overnight.
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The city will also freeze parking fine increases for the next 60 days, Garcetti said, and will extend all payment deadlines until June 1.
“People are feeling the financial pinch,” Garcetti said. “The small things we can do help families, we will enact.”
Los Angeles parking officers will not ticket parents and caregivers who are picking up meals around closed schools, and there will be an “extended grace period” for people picking up groceries or dropping off goods, he said.
“There’s no need to worry about the financial cost of keeping your car at home while you practice safe social distancing,” he said. “You help our city ‘flatten the curve.’”
Not all parking enforcement will stop. During “the duration of this emergency period,” Garcetti said, parking officers will focus on “street sweeping around encampments, ensuring emergency access, keeping colored curbs clear, and repaving and slurry operations.”
The city will not loosen restrictions at parking meters, Garcetti said, in an effort to encourage parking turnover at businesses “that are relying now on many people coming to pick up food, and delivery services that can serve us food as well.”
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The region has gradually shut down over the last week as elected and public health officials have worked to halt the spread of the virus and residents have observed “social distancing” by staying six feet away from each other.
Traffic has been eerily light. Bars and nightclubs have shut down, and restaurants have limited their business to takeout orders until March 31. Movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers are also closed. Grocery stores, pharmacies and food banks remain open.


latimes--2020-03-16--Jury recommends death for man who killed 3 after responding to ad for a used car

A jury on Monday recommended the death penalty for a man convicted of shooting and killing three people and wounding two others after responding to an ad for a used car , prosecutors said .
The same jurors last month found Jade Douglas Harris , 37 , guilty of three counts of murder and several other charges including attempted murder and kidnapping .
According to prosecutors , Harris ’ shooting rampage began after he went to a Downey business on Oct. 24 , 2012 , in response to a Craigslist ad for a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro .
He shot three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 26 , and Irene Cardenas Reyes , 35 , authorities said .
Then he forced Susana Perez Ruelas , 34 , to drive him and her son to a nearby home , where the Camaro was parked .
After arriving , he shot and killed Perez Ruelas and wounded her son , prosecutors said .
Harris was arrested a day after the killings .
He had been paroled three months before the shootings after being convicted in 2005 of robbery and attempted robbery .
He is scheduled to be sentenced April 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom last year announced a moratorium on the death penalty in California .
Newsom ’ s reprieve lasts as long as he is governor and does not prevent prosecutors from seeking nor judges and juries from imposing death sentences .

A jury on Monday recommended the death penalty for a man convicted of shooting and killing three people and wounding two others after responding to an ad for a used car, prosecutors said.
The same jurors last month found Jade Douglas Harris, 37, guilty of three counts of murder and several other charges including attempted murder and kidnapping.
According to prosecutors, Harris’ shooting rampage began after he went to a Downey business on Oct. 24, 2012, in response to a Craigslist ad for a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.
He shot three people, killing two — Josimar Rojas, 26, and Irene Cardenas Reyes, 35, authorities said.
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Then he forced Susana Perez Ruelas, 34, to drive him and her son to a nearby home, where the Camaro was parked. After arriving, he shot and killed Perez Ruelas and wounded her son, prosecutors said.
Harris was arrested a day after the killings. He had been paroled three months before the shootings after being convicted in 2005 of robbery and attempted robbery.
He is scheduled to be sentenced April 21, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom last year announced a moratorium on the death penalty in California. Newsom’s reprieve lasts as long as he is governor and does not prevent prosecutors from seeking nor judges and juries from imposing death sentences.


latimes--2020-03-16--L.A. County courts to shut down for several days amid coronavirus spread

All Los Angeles County court proceedings will be suspended for several days as concerns about the spread of the coronavirus continue to mount , court officials announced Monday .
The nation ’ s largest court system will go dark from March 17 to 19 , according to a statement issued by Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile .
Court will reopen Friday for “ the limited purpose of hearing or handling essential or emergency matters.
” “ The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is committed to providing equal access to justice through the fair , timely and efficient resolution of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we continue aligning our Court with the most recent directives and guidelines issued by our national , state and local public health officials , ” the statement read .
“ Let me be clear : we will continue to serve the needs of the most vulnerable people in Los Angeles County—our children , the elderly , domestic violence victims , people whose life and liberty interests are at stake , and in many other emergent cases as is possible and safe.
” Brazile had previously asked that new criminal and civil trials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 days .
The three-day suspension is being carried out with the approval of California ’ s chief justice , Tani Cantil-Sakauye .
Courts in Orange County also announced late Monday that they were suspending all proceedings until March 27 due to the public health crisis .
Los Angeles County courts are expected to re-open Friday , but a lengthier stalling of judicial proceedings is possible .
Three law enforcement officials told The Times that Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey sent a message to prosecutors over the weekend telling them that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was likely to be implemented .
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter candidly .
The district attorney ’ s office did not respond to requests for comment .
In his statement Monday , Brazile said he would release additional information in the coming days about further reductions in judicial and court services .
The announcement comes as criminal justice officials in California continue to struggle with how spread of the virus will impact courthouses and jails .
Over the weekend , Los Angeles County court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder trial of New York real estate scion Robert Durst .
Judges were also encouraged to shift toward telephonic proceedings to lower traffic in the region ’ s courthouses .
Statewide , courthouses have taken a patchwork of measures to deal with the threat the virus poses to jurors and staff , ranging from trial delays to temporary building closures to excusing older jurors .
Lou Shapiro , a criminal defense attorney in Century City , applauded Brazile ’ s decision and said it was a relief for the attorneys and court staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are really scared to go to work right now .
You don ’ t have effective advocates if they are always living in fear , ” Shapiro said .
He said that in the long term , the benefits of temporary closure would be more apparent .
“ Because this disease is so contagious , if it does go around the court staff and lawyers , what justice will be served ?
What kind of advocates can public defenders and criminal defense attorneys be if they are quarantined ?
” Shapiro asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a few days or weeks .
At the end of it , the defendants ’ rights will be better served by taking this short-term break , rather than letting it ride and seeing how it goes.
” Michele Hanisee , president of the union representing deputy district attorneys , said the interruptions could prove significant for active trials , and suggested judges may allow for a review of prior testimony to allow jurors to re-acclimate themselves with evidence in case of prolonged delays .
“ This is new , uncharted territory for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to know what ’ s too little and what ’ s too much .
Everyone is proceeding with caution , ” she said .
Nikhil Ramnaney , president of the union representing Los Angeles County public defenders , said he believed the court should have taken action sooner given the ease with which the virus could spread in a courthouse .
“ I think now they ’ re finally taking this seriously ... in terms of my membership , in the last 72 hours it ’ s been insane how many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ It ’ s impossible given the facilities to engage in social distancing.
” Ramnaney also noted that while the shutdown is necessary to prevent spread among lawyers , law enforcement officers and others who move in and out of the county ’ s sprawling court system , it could also worsen problems for at-risk individuals who are incarcerated .
“ During the next three days , what venue do we have to petition for the release of very vulnerable people ?
” he asked .
“ That to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do we strike a balance between our own personal safety , and the safety of our families , and the safety of incarcerated people ?
” Before the announcement was made , the county ’ s top public defender , Ricardo Garcia , told The Times in an interview that any adjustments the court makes must stand up to constitutional muster .
“ If there ’ s any situation where client rights are infringed on , we will object , ” Garcia said , noting that keeping defendants out of custody was among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public defenders were confronting difficult dilemmas amid the closures of courthouses , trial delays and a widening public health crisis .
“ Right now people are torn : They have two competing interests as attorneys .
The first being the desire to protect themselves and their family , the people they love , ” Garcia said , “ and the second is the people they ’ ve dedicated their careers to protect : their clients .
”

All Los Angeles County court proceedings will be suspended for several days as concerns about the spread of the coronavirus continue to mount, court officials announced Monday.
The nation’s largest court system will go dark from March 17 to 19, according to a statement issued by Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile. Court will reopen Friday for “the limited purpose of hearing or handling essential or emergency matters.”
“The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is committed to providing equal access to justice through the fair, timely and efficient resolution of all cases. However, it is imperative that we continue aligning our Court with the most recent directives and guidelines issued by our national, state and local public health officials,” the statement read. “Let me be clear: we will continue to serve the needs of the most vulnerable people in Los Angeles County—our children, the elderly, domestic violence victims, people whose life and liberty interests are at stake, and in many other emergent cases as is possible and safe.”
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Brazile had previously asked that new criminal and civil trials be put on hold for at least 30 days. The three-day suspension is being carried out with the approval of California’s chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye.
Courts in Orange County also announced late Monday that they were suspending all proceedings until March 27 due to the public health crisis.
Los Angeles County courts are expected to re-open Friday, but a lengthier stalling of judicial proceedings is possible.
Three law enforcement officials told The Times that Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey sent a message to prosecutors over the weekend telling them that a 30-day delay of all active jury trials was likely to be implemented. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter candidly.
The district attorney’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
In his statement Monday, Brazile said he would release additional information in the coming days about further reductions in judicial and court services.
Advertisement
The announcement comes as criminal justice officials in California continue to struggle with how spread of the virus will impact courthouses and jails.
Over the weekend, Los Angeles County court officials announced the suspension of the high-profile murder trial of New York real estate scion Robert Durst.
Judges were also encouraged to shift toward telephonic proceedings to lower traffic in the region’s courthouses.
Statewide, courthouses have taken a patchwork of measures to deal with the threat the virus poses to jurors and staff, ranging from trial delays to temporary building closures to excusing older jurors.
Lou Shapiro, a criminal defense attorney in Century City, applauded Brazile’s decision and said it was a relief for the attorneys and court staff that he knew.
“Many attorneys are really scared to go to work right now. You don’t have effective advocates if they are always living in fear,” Shapiro said.
He said that in the long term, the benefits of temporary closure would be more apparent.
“Because this disease is so contagious, if it does go around the court staff and lawyers, what justice will be served? What kind of advocates can public defenders and criminal defense attorneys be if they are quarantined?” Shapiro asked. “It’s better to sit out a few days or weeks. At the end of it, the defendants’ rights will be better served by taking this short-term break, rather than letting it ride and seeing how it goes.”
Michele Hanisee, president of the union representing deputy district attorneys, said the interruptions could prove significant for active trials, and suggested judges may allow for a review of prior testimony to allow jurors to re-acclimate themselves with evidence in case of prolonged delays.
“This is new, uncharted territory for everyone presently alive. It’s hard to know what’s too little and what’s too much. Everyone is proceeding with caution,” she said.
Nikhil Ramnaney, president of the union representing Los Angeles County public defenders, said he believed the court should have taken action sooner given the ease with which the virus could spread in a courthouse.
“I think now they’re finally taking this seriously ... in terms of my membership, in the last 72 hours it’s been insane how many people are very, very scared,” he said. “It’s impossible given the facilities to engage in social distancing.”
Ramnaney also noted that while the shutdown is necessary to prevent spread among lawyers, law enforcement officers and others who move in and out of the county’s sprawling court system, it could also worsen problems for at-risk individuals who are incarcerated.
“During the next three days, what venue do we have to petition for the release of very vulnerable people?” he asked. “That to me is the really difficult one … how do we strike a balance between our own personal safety, and the safety of our families, and the safety of incarcerated people?”
Before the announcement was made, the county’s top public defender, Ricardo Garcia, told The Times in an interview that any adjustments the court makes must stand up to constitutional muster.
“If there’s any situation where client rights are infringed on, we will object,” Garcia said, noting that keeping defendants out of custody was among his top priorities.
Garcia said that public defenders were confronting difficult dilemmas amid the closures of courthouses, trial delays and a widening public health crisis.
“Right now people are torn: They have two competing interests as attorneys. The first being the desire to protect themselves and their family, the people they love,” Garcia said, “and the second is the people they’ve dedicated their careers to protect: their clients.”


latimes--2020-03-16--Snow briefly closes 5 Freeway at Tejon Pass summit

Snow fell earlier than expected Monday afternoon on the 5 Freeway at the Tejon Pass , prompting the California Highway Patrol to hold traffic in the Grapevine area .
“ We are currently holding traffic for the # Grapevine area of I-5 in Castaic ( northbound ) and Grapvine Road ( southbound ) and escorting the residual traffic through to the other side , ” the CHP ’ s Fort Tejon office said on Twitter .
About two hours later , CHP started escorting traffic over the Grapevine , allowing traffic to start moving despite snowy conditions .
The National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the snow was starting to stick in the Tejon Pass area and that it would probably continue falling until 7 p.m .
There should be a break in the snow this evening , but additional snow showers are expected through Tuesday , the weather service said .
Two to 3 inches of snowfall is possible along Interstate 5 above 3,000 feet , including near Gorman and Lebec .
CHP ’ s Ventura County office announced Monday afternoon that , because of the winter storm , chains are now required on State Route 33 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No Exceptions !
” the office said in a tweet .
Caltrans District 7 said that if the storm were to shut down the 5 Freeway , State Route 33 would also be closed from Pine Mountain to Lockwood Valley Road .

Snow fell earlier than expected Monday afternoon on the 5 Freeway at the Tejon Pass, prompting the California Highway Patrol to hold traffic in the Grapevine area.
“We are currently holding traffic for the #Grapevine area of I-5 in Castaic (northbound) and Grapvine Road (southbound) and escorting the residual traffic through to the other side,” the CHP’s Fort Tejon office said on Twitter.
About two hours later, CHP started escorting traffic over the Grapevine, allowing traffic to start moving despite snowy conditions.
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The National Weather Service in Oxnard cautioned drivers that the snow was starting to stick in the Tejon Pass area and that it would probably continue falling until 7 p.m.
There should be a break in the snow this evening, but additional snow showers are expected through Tuesday, the weather service said. Two to 3 inches of snowfall is possible along Interstate 5 above 3,000 feet, including near Gorman and Lebec.
Two to three inches of snow is possible along Interstate 5 above 3,000 feet from 5 PM PDT this afternoon until 5 AM PDT Tuesday. If you are traveling, allow plenty of time to reach your destination and leave extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/SEoBjnH34k — NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) March 16, 2020
CHP’s Ventura County office announced Monday afternoon that, because of the winter storm, chains are now required on State Route 33 from Pine Mountain to Lockwood Valley Road.
“No Exceptions!” the office said in a tweet.
Caltrans District 7 said that if the storm were to shut down the 5 Freeway, State Route 33 would also be closed from Pine Mountain to Lockwood Valley Road.


latimes--2020-03-17--California lawmakers approve $1 billion in funding and legislative hiatus due to coronavirus

California lawmakers approved a plan Monday to spend as much as $ 1 billion on the state ’ s emergency medical response as it readies hospitals to combat an expected onslaught of patients due to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
The proposals , drafted quickly in response to the rapid rise in confirmed cases of the virus , will provide needed funding to open two additional hospitals in California amid concern that the state does not have the capacity to care for a surge in patients .
The bill appropriates $ 500 million for emergency response from the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 million available if needed .
Newsom wrote to lawmakers on Monday that elected officials “ must rise to the challenge facing our state with every tool at our disposal and without a second of delay.
” The governor was expected to quickly sign the coronavirus proposals into law .
The bills , which passed the state Senate and Assembly on a bipartisan vote , were the only actions taken before the two houses announced a suspension of legislative business until April 13 , unless lawmakers decide public health conditions allow them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval of the spending plan , the Newsom administration has the power to quickly ramp up the state ’ s efforts .
The governor said on Sunday that the state is working to open new hospitals to meet the needs of a state grappling with how to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
“ We have already identified some very large hospitals that we can bring online that currently are not operational , ” he told reporters .
Following fears the state has an inadequate supply of medical equipment , the money will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and protective gear .
In addition , the state will use the money to help nursing homes , childcare facilities needing deep cleaning and to aid seniors who have been asked to practice home isolation .
The new spending approved unanimously in the Assembly and Senate on Monday will also be used to provide hotel beds to those experiencing homelessness in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among the unsheltered .
The continued efforts to ramp up response to the fast-moving disease comes as coronavirus cases in California are rising daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in the state as of Monday night .
Public health officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties , a hotspot for confirmed coronavirus cases , announced a shelter-in-place order on Monday that will close businesses and keep residents indoors .
In Los Angeles , bars , nightclubs , movie theaters and gyms have closed and restaurants have limited their business to takeout orders until March 31 , following an order from Mayor Eric Garcetti .
State and federal officials have said preparing the healthcare system is vital , particularly given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not have the beds , equipment or workers to care for so many sick people .
“ Right now is the time when we need to step up , ” said state Sen. Brian Dahle ( R-Bieber ) .
“ We really don ’ t know the impact of what the future will hold , but we do know maybe we can flatten that curve out and stop what we are seeing in Italy and other countries.
” The spending plan also seeks to provide assurances to schools that funding will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools serving as many as 85 % of California ’ s public education students have been closed over the last week .
Newsom ’ s executive order on Friday paved the way for ensuring schools are not penalized under the “ average daily attendance ” formula that links funding to how many students are on campus on any given day .
Most legislation can not be introduced and given final passage in a single day under a constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2016 that requires a 72-hour public review of all bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in times of public emergency and the two coronavirus-related bills mark the first time that provision has been invoked .

Mina Montano, an environmental aide at St. Paul’s Plaza independent and assisted living facility in Chula Vista, uses disinfectant wipes to clean high-touch areas of a resident’s room in the memory care unit on March 10.
California lawmakers approved a plan Monday to spend as much as $1 billion on the state’s emergency medical response as it readies hospitals to combat an expected onslaught of patients due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The proposals, drafted quickly in response to the rapid rise in confirmed cases of the virus, will provide needed funding to open two additional hospitals in California amid concern that the state does not have the capacity to care for a surge in patients. The bill appropriates $500 million for emergency response from the state’s general fund with an additional $500 million available if needed.
Newsom wrote to lawmakers on Monday that elected officials “must rise to the challenge facing our state with every tool at our disposal and without a second of delay.”
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The governor was expected to quickly sign the coronavirus proposals into law. The bills, which passed the state Senate and Assembly on a bipartisan vote, were the only actions taken before the two houses announced a suspension of legislative business until April 13, unless lawmakers decide public health conditions allow them to return to Sacramento earlier.
With legislative approval of the spending plan, the Newsom administration has the power to quickly ramp up the state’s efforts. The governor said on Sunday that the state is working to open new hospitals to meet the needs of a state grappling with how to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“We have already identified some very large hospitals that we can bring online that currently are not operational,” he told reporters.
Following fears the state has an inadequate supply of medical equipment, the money will be used to purchase additional ventilators, masks and protective gear. In addition, the state will use the money to help nursing homes, childcare facilities needing deep cleaning and to aid seniors who have been asked to practice home isolation.
The new spending approved unanimously in the Assembly and Senate on Monday will also be used to provide hotel beds to those experiencing homelessness in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among the unsheltered.
The continued efforts to ramp up response to the fast-moving disease comes as coronavirus cases in California are rising daily, with 11 deaths and 392 confirmed cases in the state as of Monday night. Public health officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties, a hotspot for confirmed coronavirus cases, announced a shelter-in-place order on Monday that will close businesses and keep residents indoors.
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In Los Angeles, bars, nightclubs, movie theaters and gyms have closed and restaurants have limited their business to takeout orders until March 31, following an order from Mayor Eric Garcetti.
State and federal officials have said preparing the healthcare system is vital, particularly given the public breakdown in Italy, where hospitals do not have the beds, equipment or workers to care for so many sick people.
“Right now is the time when we need to step up,” said state Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber). “We really don’t know the impact of what the future will hold, but we do know maybe we can flatten that curve out and stop what we are seeing in Italy and other countries.”
The spending plan also seeks to provide assurances to schools that funding will continue despite coronavirus-related closures. State officials estimate schools serving as many as 85% of California’s public education students have been closed over the last week.
Newsom’s executive order on Friday paved the way for ensuring schools are not penalized under the “average daily attendance” formula that links funding to how many students are on campus on any given day.
Most legislation cannot be introduced and given final passage in a single day under a constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2016 that requires a 72-hour public review of all bills. But that law offers an exemption in times of public emergency and the two coronavirus-related bills mark the first time that provision has been invoked.