latimes--2020-08-07--L.A. could cancel real estate projects tied to City Hall corruption

Los Angeles could revoke city permits and approvals for real estate projects if the City Council finds that developers or their representatives engaged in corruption , under a new ordinance proposed by City Atty .
Mike Feuer .
In a letter to council members , Feuer said the city needs an effective tool to address development decisions “ tainted by corruption and fraud ” and help restore public faith in City Hall .
“ The city must take decisive action to address the specter of corruption and fraud that looms over the City ’ s land use decision making process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s proposal comes weeks after the arrest of Councilman Jose Huizar , who has been accused by federal prosecutors of heading a criminal enterprise fueled by bribes from developers .
Huizar pleaded not guilty this week to bribery , money laundering , racketeering and several other charges .
The investigation has netted guilty pleas from former Councilman Mitchell Englander , former Huizar aide George Esparza , real estate consultant George Chiang and political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim .
Several real estate projects have been mentioned in the criminal indictment , but so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged .
Feuer urged the council to pass the ordinance swiftly and “ put it to use ” on projects implicated in the ongoing probe .
Although prosecutors have not named the projects in the criminal case , details in the Huizar indictment make clear that they have concluded the alleged bribery schemes involve : • A planned at the corner of Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard .
• Plans to replace the across from the L.A. Live entertainment complex with new towers .
• A proposed for property occupied by the L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • A being built in the Arts District .
Feuer and other officials have taken initial steps to thwart projects mentioned in the probe : In June , they moved to rescind approvals for the sale of alcoholic beverages and live entertainment provided to the Luxe redevelopment project .
Feuer said that at his direction , the building department had also put holds on permits for projects connected to the case .
Land use attorneys told The Times that whether the city can block such projects could hinge , in part , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” which ensure they can complete a project even after government officials change the rules about what can be built .
Feuer ’ s proposed ordinance states that developers have no vested rights if their permits or approvals were “ procured by corruption or fraud.
” Under the draft law , the council could vote to revoke approvals or terminate applications for building projects in which developers , owners or their representatives have violated corruption laws or falsified facts .
Revoking city approvals for such a project would require a two-thirds vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or official who is implicated in the alleged wrongdoing would be barred from being involved in the process , according to the ordinance .
The law would also allow real estate developers and others to be barred from pursuing future developments in Los Angeles for a set period of time , or ban them permanently .
Jill Stewart , an editor and activist involved with the group Livable California , said that Feuer “ seems to be coming from the right place.
” But she argued the proposed ordinance “ doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption problem — the elected officials themselves.
” “ Who will watch the elected leaders as they watch the developers ?
” Stewart asked , complaining that the council had drastically pared back a package of proposed campaign finance reforms backed by the Ethics Commission .
“ The electeds have to bend to intensive reform to win back the public , and they know this.
” Among the four projects , the 77-story skyscraper on Figueroa Street has not yet been approved .
The other three projects , pursued by developers Carmel Partners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yong Lee , have been approved but not yet completed .
Representatives of Carmel Partners and Lee did not immediately comment on the proposed ordinance .
An attorney representing Shenzhen Hazens declined comment .
Determining whether a project is tainted by corruption could be contested terrain .
Carmel Partners has previously stated that the Huizar criminal complaint contains false or misleading statements , but did not elaborate .
The firm said members of its executive and management committees did not knowingly participate in a pay-to-play scheme .
Attorney Ariel Neuman , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee is cooperating in the federal investigation and looks forward to “ a swift resolution clearing his name.
” In recent weeks , several council members have called for the city to look at repealing approvals for projects mentioned in the criminal case .
AIDS Healthcare Foundation , a nonprofit that has been a vocal player in local debates over development , sued the city earlier this week to stop some projects vetted by Huizar and Englander .
Feuer is running for mayor in 2022 and will likely have to contend with questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , FBI agents raided the City Attorney ’ s Office as part of an investigation into the city ’ s handling of billing problems at the Department of Water and Power .

L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer has proposed an ordinance that would allow the city to repeal approvals for building projects in which developers or their representatives engaged in corruption.
Los Angeles could revoke city permits and approvals for real estate projects if the City Council finds that developers or their representatives engaged in corruption, under a new ordinance proposed by City Atty. Mike Feuer.
In a letter to council members, Feuer said the city needs an effective tool to address development decisions “tainted by corruption and fraud” and to help restore public faith in City Hall. He urged the council to pass the ordinance swiftly and “put it to use” on projects implicated in the ongoing probe.
“The city must take decisive action to address the specter of corruption and fraud that looms over the city’s land-use decision-making process,” he wrote.
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Feuer’s proposal comes weeks after the arrest of Councilman Jose Huizar, who has been accused by federal prosecutors of heading a criminal enterprise fueled by bribes from developers. Huizar pleaded not guilty this week to bribery, money laundering, racketeering and several other charges.
Proposed Ordinance on Revoking Building Approvals Proposed ordinance allowing Los Angeles to revoke building approvals
The investigation has netted guilty pleas from former Councilman Mitchell Englander, former Huizar aide George Esparza, real estate consultant George Chiang and political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim. Several real estate projects have been mentioned in the criminal indictment, but so far no developers have been arrested or publicly charged.
Although prosecutors have not named the projects in the criminal case, details in the Huizar indictment make clear that they have concluded the alleged bribery schemes involve:
• A 20-story residential tower planned at the corner of Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard.
• A 35-story tower being built in the Arts District.
• A 77-story skyscraper proposed for property occupied by the L.A. Grand Hotel Downtown on Figueroa Street.
• Plans to replace the Luxe City Center Hotel across from the L.A. Live entertainment complex with new hotel and residential towers.
An attorney for Shenzhen Hazens, the developer of the Luxe project, said he is unaware of any legal authority that would allow the city to take “unilateral action” to stop the company from receiving its building permits.
“Instead, this action appears to violate the law and could subject the city to significant liability,” said the lawyer, Ben Reznik. “It is also worth noting that the project will be an enormous benefit to the citizens of Los Angeles, as it is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs and, once completed, hundreds of permanent jobs.”
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Feuer already moved in June to rescind approvals for the sale of alcoholic beverages and live entertainment at the planned Luxe project. The city attorney said that at his direction, the building department also had placed holds on permits for projects connected to the case.
Land-use attorneys told The Times that whether the city can block such projects could hinge, in part, on whether developers have obtained “vested rights,” which ensure they can complete a project even after government officials change the rules about what can be built.
Letter from City Attorney Mike Feuer Letter from Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer on proposed ordinance
Feuer’s proposed ordinance states that developers have no vested rights if their permits or approvals were “procured by corruption or fraud.” Under the draft law, the council could vote to revoke approvals or terminate applications for building projects in which developers, owners or their representatives have violated corruption laws or falsified facts.
Revoking city approvals for such a project would require a two-thirds vote of the council. Any city employee or official who is implicated in the alleged wrongdoing would be barred from being involved in the process, according to the ordinance.
The law would also allow real estate developers and others to be barred from pursuing future developments in Los Angeles for a set period of time, or ban them permanently.
Jill Stewart, an editor and activist involved with the group Livable California, said that Feuer “seems to be coming from the right place.” But she argued the proposed ordinance “doesn’t touch the other half of L.A.’s corruption problem — the elected officials themselves.”
“Who will watch the elected leaders as they watch the developers?” Stewart asked, complaining that the council had drastically pared back a package of proposed campaign finance reforms backed by the city Ethics Commission. “The electeds have to bend to intensive reform to win back the public, and they know this.”
Among the four projects, the 77-story skyscraper on Figueroa Street has not yet been approved. The other three projects have been approved and either have not begun construction or are under way.
Representatives of Carmel Partners, which is building the 35-story tower, and Dae Yong Lee, developer of the project at Olympic and Hill, did not provide comment on the proposed ordinance.
Stuart Waldman, president of Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., said the proposed ordinance would put the city on a “slippery slope,” allowing officials to go after projects that “they just don’t like.” Waldman also questioned whether the city can go after developers who haven’t admitted guilt or had charges brought against them.
“If the city were to stop the project, that would cost these developers a significant amount of money, and those developers would turn around and sue the city,” he said.
Determining whether a project is tainted by corruption could be contested terrain. Carmel Partners has previously stated that the Huizar criminal complaint contains false or misleading statements, but did not elaborate. The firm said members of its executive and management committees did not knowingly participate in a pay-to-play scheme.
Attorney Ariel Neuman, who is representing Lee, has said previously that Lee is cooperating in the federal investigation and looks forward to “a swift resolution clearing his name.”
In recent weeks, several council members have called for the city to look at repealing approvals for projects mentioned in the criminal case. AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit group that has been a vocal player in local debates over development, sued the city earlier this week to stop some projects vetted by Huizar and Englander.
Feuer is running for mayor in 2022 and will probably have to contend with questions about a separate federal probe. Last year, FBI agents raided the city attorney’s office as part of an investigation into the city’s handling of billing problems at the Department of Water and Power.


latimes--2020-08-07--To slow coronavirus, a California county might pay the sick to stay home

California officials are desperate to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the workplace , which has been one reason for a surge in cases .
Could one solution be to pay people to stay home when they get sick ?
A county in the San Francisco Bay Area is planning to offer stipends of $ 1,250 for low-income residents to stay home if they have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Alameda County , the Bay Area ’ s second most populous county , plans to offer the payments to those who test positive , are not receiving unemployment or paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated clinics in high-risk neighborhoods .
“ Many county residents who test positive for COVID-19 , especially hourly workers , will need assistance in order to isolate , as they can not afford the loss in wages , ” said a staff report prepared for the Board of Supervisors .
“ We expect many of these individuals in need of assistance will be part of the ‘ essential ’ workforce who are unable to work remotely and thus are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
” The county authorized the pilot program to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say getting infected people to stay home when sick is essential in controlling the pandemic .
Some of the hardest hit neighborhoods in Alameda County include areas in East Oakland , where more than 2,400 cases have been recorded for every 100,000 residents in the ZIP Code 94601 .
But in the nearby suburb of Alameda , case rates are far lower , where more than 250 cases have been recorded for every 100,000 residents in the ZIP Code 94501 .

California officials are desperate to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the workplace, which has been one reason for a surge in cases.
Could one solution be to pay people to stay home when they get sick?
A county in the San Francisco Bay Area is planning to offer stipends of $1,250 for low-income residents to stay home if they have tested positive for COVID-19.
Alameda County, the Bay Area’s second most populous county, plans to offer the payments to those who test positive, are not receiving unemployment or paid sick leave, and are referred by designated clinics in high-risk neighborhoods.
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“Many county residents who test positive for COVID-19, especially hourly workers, will need assistance in order to isolate, as they cannot afford the loss in wages,” said a staff report prepared for the Board of Supervisors. “We expect many of these individuals in need of assistance will be part of the ‘essential’ workforce who are unable to work remotely and thus are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.”
The county authorized the pilot program to not exceed $10 million.
Experts say getting infected people to stay home when sick is essential in controlling the pandemic.
Some of the hardest hit neighborhoods in Alameda County include areas in East Oakland, where more than 2,400 cases have been recorded for every 100,000 residents in the ZIP Code 94601.
But in the nearby suburb of Alameda, case rates are far lower, where more than 250 cases have been recorded for every 100,000 residents in the ZIP Code 94501.


latimes--2020-08-08--Griffith Park's beloved carousel man, Julio Gosdinski, has died. He was 49.

For decades , children have come from all over to ride the Griffith Park carousel .
What often kept them coming back was the friendly man with the big smile who operated the nearly 100-year-old merry-go-round .
Julio Gosdinski , a native of Peru who began working at the attraction as a teenager and became so devoted to it that the owner eventually made him co-owner , died Friday .
He was 49 .
“ He had this magic , this magnetic personality people were drawn to , ” said Kei Nguyen , who had known him for years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s assistant at an elementary school in Atwater Village .
Around Atwater , Gosdinski was a familiar face .
People remembered him from high school , from holiday events and from summer movie nights where he often volunteered his time .
Some had gotten to know him as teenagers , when they worked for him at the hand-painted merry-go-round .
Emerald Guzman , 23 , of Elysian Valley began working for him after high school .
Gosdinski used to start the shift on sunny mornings by huddling his team next to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his workers breakfast burritos or pastries or bring them home-cooked meals prepared by his mom .
He ’ d teach them to have fun with his tiny customers by playing peekaboo and giving out free popcorn and hot dogs .
“ It always felt as if he was thinking about us before thinking of himself , ” said Guzman , who is now a teacher ’ s assistant , a job Gosdinski helped her find .
The blue-eyed man , who some say looked half his age , used to love jumping on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids .
And if parents or anyone inquired about the history or mechanics of the merry-go-round , his face would light up .
He ’ d guide them on an extensive tour , telling them about the vintage Stinson 165 Military Band organ or how some of his 66 horses , “ all jumpers , ” date back to 1895 .
He ’ d named a few over the years : A big horse with gold reins was known as Esme , and a feisty one that no one was allowed to ride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was El Diablo .
In 2017 , Gosdinski recounted his life story to KQED .
His journey and close bond with the carousel ’ s late owner , Warren Deasy , also became part of a film called “ Julio ’ s Dream.
” “ That carousel was his life , ” said Anneliesse Gosdinski-Espinoza , Gosdinski ’ s younger sister .
And Deasy was like a father to him .
While other teenagers stuck around for a summer or a few years , Gosdinski loyally worked the ride for about three decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : They ’ d meet each week for breakfast .
When Deasy died in 2011 , he left Gosdinski a rare gift : He made him co-owner of the ride .
( Partner Rosemary West owns the other half . )
“ My brother was devastated to lose Warren , ” said Gosdinski-Espinoza .
“ It also came as a total shock to him that he would leave him such a lovely gift.
” On Saturday , the family struggled to speak about their loss , their voices shaking with each sentence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was affectionate and playful .
He took care of his mom and was attached to his dog , a schnauzer mix who sometimes joined him at the carousel .
When customers asked for the dog ’ s name , Gosdinski would tell them : “ Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the Third.
” Also known as Dot .
Gosdinski-Espinoza said her brother had not been feeling well for several days .
The family was waiting to hear back from the coroner on the cause of death .
In Atwater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to honor the carousel man .
One neighbor created a fund to help his family .
Gerry Hans , president of Friends of Griffith Park , said the group had recently secured funding to retune the carousel ’ s organ and fix some of the lights .
“ We ’ ll be dedicating those repairs to Julio , ” Hans said .
Guzman , the young woman from Elysian Valley who worked at the ride for four years , was struggling , like many others , to accept that Gosdinski was gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carousel is closed , but she planned to walk up to the park on Sunday and find a place to sit next to the galloping horses .
“ I want to remember him and say thank you , ” Guzman said .

Julio Gosdinski in 2015 with one of his happy carousel customers, Juna Nguyen, now 10.
For decades, children have come from all over to ride the Griffith Park carousel.
What often kept them coming back was the friendly man with the big smile who operated the nearly 100-year-old merry-go-round.
Julio Gosdinski, a native of Peru who began working at the attraction as a teenager and became so devoted to it that the owner eventually made him co-owner, died Friday. He was 49.
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“He had this magic, this magnetic personality people were drawn to,” said Kei Nguyen, who had known him for years, back to when Gosdinski was a teacher’s assistant at an elementary school in Atwater Village.
Around Atwater, Gosdinski was a familiar face. People remembered him from high school, from holiday events and from summer movie nights where he often volunteered his time. Some had gotten to know him as teenagers, when they worked for him at the hand-painted merry-go-round.
Emerald Guzman, 23, of Elysian Valley began working for him after high school. Gosdinski used to start the shift on sunny mornings by huddling his team next to his galloping horses. He’d buy his workers breakfast burritos or pastries or bring them home-cooked meals prepared by his mom. He’d teach them to have fun with his tiny customers by playing peekaboo and giving out free popcorn and hot dogs.
“It always felt as if he was thinking about us before thinking of himself,” said Guzman, who is now a teacher’s assistant, a job Gosdinski helped her find.
Julio Gosdinski welcomes riders to the Griffith Park carousel, where he worked for three decades. (Kathryn Louyse)
The blue-eyed man, who some say looked half his age, used to love jumping on and off the carousel mid-ride to impress kids. And if parents or anyone inquired about the history or mechanics of the merry-go-round, his face would light up. He’d guide them on an extensive tour, telling them about the vintage Stinson 165 Military Band organ or how some of his 66 horses, “all jumpers,” date back to 1895.
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He’d named a few over the years: A big horse with gold reins was known as Esme, and a feisty one that no one was allowed to ride because it’d instantly break down was El Diablo.
In 2017, Gosdinski recounted his life story to KQED. His journey and close bond with the carousel’s late owner, Warren Deasy, also became part of a film called “Julio’s Dream.”
“That carousel was his life,” said Anneliesse Gosdinski-Espinoza, Gosdinski’s younger sister.
And Deasy was like a father to him. Other teenagers stuck around for a summer or a few years, but Gosdinski loyally worked the ride for about three decades. He and Deasy had a ritual: They’d meet each week for breakfast. When Deasy died in 2011, he left Gosdinski a rare gift: He made him co-owner of the ride. (Partner Rosemary West owns the other half.)
“My brother was devastated to lose Warren,” said Gosdinski-Espinoza. “It also came as a total shock to him that he would leave him such a lovely gift.”
On Saturday, the family struggled to speak about their loss, their voices shaking with each sentence. They said that, at home, Gosdinski was affectionate and playful. He took care of his mom and was attached to his dog, a schnauzer mix who sometimes joined him at the carousel. When customers asked for the dog’s name, Gosdinski would tell them: “Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the Third.”
Also known as Dot.
Gosdinski-Espinoza said her brother had not been feeling well for several days. The family was waiting to hear back from the coroner on the cause of death.
In Atwater, those who knew him were thinking of ways to honor the carousel man. One neighbor created a fund to help his family.
Gerry Hans, president of Friends of Griffith Park, said the group had recently secured funding to retune the carousel’s organ and fix some of the lights.
“We’ll be dedicating those repairs to Julio,” Hans said.
Guzman, the young woman from Elysian Valley who worked at the ride for four years, was struggling, like many others, to accept that Gosdinski was gone. Due to the pandemic, the carousel is closed, but she planned to walk up to the park on Sunday and find a place to sit next to the galloping horses.
“I want to remember him and say thank you,” Guzman said.


latimes--2020-08-08--Trump supporters march in peaceful demonstration in Beverly Hills

An estimated 300 to 400 demonstrators marched from West Hollywood to Beverly Hills today to show their support for President @ @ @ @ @ The march began at about 1 p.m. at San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards .
@ @ @ @ @ to Beverly Gardens Park at Santa Monica Boulevard and Cañon Drive for a scheduled 2 @ @ @ @ @ “ Trump 2020 '' banners , American flags and signs saying “ United We Stand.
@ @ @ @ @ by # WalkAway Foundation , which said the rally was planned to “ speak out @ @ @ @ @ and lives , the villainization of law enforcement and weaponization of tragedies.
” The rally @ @ @ @ @ Hills police officer told City News Service .
The officer added that she did not @ @ @ @ @ had showed up at the park .
Scheduled speakers at the rally included singer-songwriter Joy @ @ @ @ @ and Lorenzo Lamas , and conservative activists Brandon Straka , Mike Harlow , Blaire White @ @ @ @ @ Rebel and Karlyn Borysenko .

An estimated 300 to 400 demonstrators marched from West Hollywood to Beverly Hills today to show their support for President Trump and law enforcement.
The march began at about 1 p.m. at San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards. From there the marchers headed to Beverly Gardens Park at Santa Monica Boulevard and Cañon Drive for a scheduled 2 p.m. rally.
Demonstrators carried “Trump 2020” banners, American flags and signs saying “United We Stand.”
The event was organized by #WalkAway Foundation, which said the rally was planned to “speak out against the destruction of property and lives, the villainization of law enforcement and weaponization of tragedies.”
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The rally was peaceful, a Beverly Hills police officer told City News Service. The officer added that she did not know if any anti-Trump counter-protesters had showed up at the park.
Scheduled speakers at the rally included singer-songwriter Joy Villa, actors Scott Baio and Lorenzo Lamas, and conservative activists Brandon Straka, Mike Harlow, Blaire White, Shemeka Michelle, Ricky Rebel and Karlyn Borysenko.


latimes--2020-08-08--L.A. County coronavirus hospitalizations continue to decline

Los Angeles County public health officials on Saturday reported 2,645 new cases of the coronavirus and 51 related deaths but said hospitalizations continue to decline .
The latest case numbers did not include a pending backlog of lab reports the county is expecting the state to send via its electronic reporting system over the next couple of days , officials said .
It ’ s not clear whether that will change the overall picture of how rapidly the virus continues to spread .
Still , officials said , death and hospitalization statistics were not affected by the reporting glitch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , there were 1,568 confirmed COVID-19 cases in county hospitals ; the number topped 2,000 for much of July .
The most recent three-day average number of hospitalizations represented a decline of 5.2 % , according to the L.A. Times coronavirus tracker .
L.A. County has now tallied 206,778 cases and 4,967 deaths .
“ After a fairly rough July , we are cautiously optimistic about what our numbers are showing in the first week of August , particularly the information on declining daily hospitalizations , ” Barbara Ferrer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
“ As we look to the future and continue planning our recovery , the lessons from our recent past serve as a reminder that we need to continue our vigilance in the face of this still new and dangerous virus.
” Ferrer said this will require many more weeks of putting activities on hold , avoiding parties and crowded situations , wearing face coverings in public and keeping six feet apart from others .
Orange County reported a similar drop in hospitalizations , with a total of 491 confirmed COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 5.1 % decline .
The county added 322 cases and 16 deaths Saturday , bringing its total to 39,076 cases and 720 deaths .
Officials have cautioned that the number of cases , including those reported by individual counties , could be artificially low due to glitches in the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange electronic database .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s health and human services director , said Friday that between 250,000 and 300,000 results have not been uploaded to the database .
It ’ s not clear if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state or contained to a small number of counties .
The issue has affected L.A. County ’ s efforts at contact tracing , and officials on Saturday renewed their plea for any resident who has tested positive to call 1-833-540-0473 to speak to a public health specialist .

Los Angeles County public health officials on Saturday reported 2,645 new cases of the coronavirus and 51 related deaths but said hospitalizations continue to decline.
The latest case numbers did not include a pending backlog of lab reports the county is expecting the state to send via its electronic reporting system over the next couple of days, officials said. It’s not clear whether that will change the overall picture of how rapidly the virus continues to spread.
Still, officials said, death and hospitalization statistics were not affected by the reporting glitch, which has rendered new case numbers inaccurate.
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On Friday, there were 1,568 confirmed COVID-19 cases in county hospitals; the number topped 2,000 for much of July. The most recent three-day average number of hospitalizations represented a decline of 5.2%, according to the L.A. Times coronavirus tracker.
L.A. County has now tallied 206,778 cases and 4,967 deaths.
“After a fairly rough July, we are cautiously optimistic about what our numbers are showing in the first week of August, particularly the information on declining daily hospitalizations,” Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said in a statement.
“As we look to the future and continue planning our recovery, the lessons from our recent past serve as a reminder that we need to continue our vigilance in the face of this still new and dangerous virus.”
Ferrer said this will require many more weeks of putting activities on hold, avoiding parties and crowded situations, wearing face coverings in public and keeping six feet apart from others.
Orange County reported a similar drop in hospitalizations, with a total of 491 confirmed COVID-19 patients and a three-day average that represented a 5.1% decline. The county added 322 cases and 16 deaths Saturday, bringing its total to 39,076 cases and 720 deaths.
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California has reported 554,389 cases and 10,307 deaths statewide.
Officials have cautioned that the number of cases, including those reported by individual counties, could be artificially low due to glitches in the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange electronic database.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services director, said Friday that between 250,000 and 300,000 results have not been uploaded to the database. It’s not clear if the lost test results are scattered throughout the state or contained to a small number of counties.
California California to towns defying the COVID-19 shutdown: No cash for you As coronavirus cases surge in California’s rural Central Valley, a self-declared ‘sanctuary city for business’ is defiant, even as the state is threatening to withdraw funding. On both sides of the debate, everyone agrees: It’s political.
The issue has affected L.A. County’s efforts at contact tracing, and officials on Saturday renewed their plea for any resident who has tested positive to call 1-833-540-0473 to speak to a public health specialist.
Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-08--Hermosa Beach adds contract officers from private firm to help enforce mask order

Hermosa Beach is tapping personnel from a private consulting firm to help its police department enforce an ordinance requiring face coverings in many public areas , city officials said .
Four health ordinance enforcement officers from Willdan Group began assisting the Hermosa Beach Police Department on Saturday , Police Chief Paul LeBaron said .
Officials plan to see how it goes over the weekend to determine how many of them will be needed moving forward and for how long .
The contract employees are not sworn members of the Police Department and do not have the authority to make arrests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative regulations , LeBaron said .
They will be focused exclusively on ensuring that people in the South Bay city are wearing face coverings .
The goal is to free up police officers to deal with critical public safety issues , LeBaron said .
“ The reality is that police not only in Hermosa Beach but throughout Southern California are dealing with public safety every single moment of every single day , ” he said .
“ So trying to add the enforcement of social distancing and face masks makes it very difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything they ’ re doing.
” Between July 30 and Aug. 3 , the police department fielded 299 calls for service , prepared 34 reports and made 14 arrests on charges that included narcotics offenses and the possession of a stolen bicycle , the city said in a news release .
The workload tends to spike in the summer because of the large numbers of visitors that pour into the city of less than 20,000 residents , officials said .
“ We could not be more densely populated and densely packed , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Campbell said .
“ We have , as a beach town , thousands of visitors who come , and so our ordinance is focused on our public spaces where physical distancing is not reliably possible.
” The ordinance passed July 28 requires that people wear face coverings downtown and at Pier Plaza , the Strand , the Greenbelt , city parks and beaches .
Those who don ’ t comply face a fine of $ 100 for the first offense , $ 200 for the second and $ 500 for each subsequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action was taken in response to pressure from Hermosa Beach residents , who were alarmed at the lack of enforcement of public health orders , especially in popular public areas , Campbell said .
The idea was to put some teeth into rules requiring face coverings that were previously imposed in both Los Angeles County and statewide .
Hermosa Beach is not alone .
Beverly Hills , Calabasas , Glendale , Manhattan Beach , Santa Monica and West Hollywood have adopted similar ordinances imposing fines for those who fail to wear face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinance about three weeks ago , has also outsourced enforcement in a bid to alleviate the burden on its police department .
Private security firm Contemporary Services Corp. is providing guards that issue warnings and hand out masks , and Willdan is providing personnel that have the legal authority to write citations , Mayor Richard Montgomery said .
“ You can ’ t have that many police out there doing this .
It takes away from normal police duties , ” he said .
“ You want police duties to stay police duties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They don ’ t carry guns , just a ticket book.
” He estimated there were a total of eight contractors from both firms that rotate through different parts of the city a couple times during the week , as well as on weekends .
They work in teams , with the CSC guards offering people face coverings , and the Willdan officers writing citations if people don ’ t comply , he said .
“ Only the people that are really adamant about refusing to wear any kind of face covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
As of last Sunday , he said , the teams had written 226 citations , given 1,657 warnings to people wearing face coverings incorrectly and handed out hundreds of disposable face masks to those who didn ’ t have them .
“ And if you ask our residents , businesses downtown , anyone at the parks , we have seen a dramatic increase in compliance , ” Montgomery said .
He said the cost of the extra staffing could eventually be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expense , but that won ’ t happen for a long time .
In the meantime , the city is footing the bill , he said .
Saturday did not mark the first time Hermosa Beach had contracted with a private firm to deal with staffing issues created by the pandemic .
The city worked with a different company to add security guards to enforce the hard beach closures that were put in place in late March , Campbell said .
“ This is at the expense of the city obviously .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ We ’ ve taken a huge hit , as every city has , as every business has , virtually , around budget .
But we ’ re also currently still in the situation , especially in L.A. County , where COVID-19 remains a very big concern and a threat to public health.
” Hermosa Beach ’ s health ordinance enforcement officers will be clearly identifiable , with reflective vests and ID badges , and will also have disposable masks to hand out , officials said .
As in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to educate people about the rules and serve as a deterrent .
“ Part of what they ’ re doing is also high-visibility , high-profile , making sure people know that the rules are face coverings must be worn in specific areas of the city , ” LeBaron said .
“ And so if we can gain compliance through that visibility , that is our No .
1 objective .
Citations will be our last resort for people who just don ’ t want to obey the rules that are set in place @ @

Hermosa Beach is tapping personnel from a private consulting firm to help its Police Department enforce an ordinance requiring face coverings in many public areas, city officials said.
Four health ordinance enforcement officers from Willdan Group began assisting the Hermosa Beach Police Department on Saturday, Police Chief Paul LeBaron said. Officials plan to see how it goes over the weekend to determine how many of them will be needed moving forward and for how long.
The contract employees are not sworn members of the Police Department and do not have the authority to make arrests, only to enforce certain rules and administrative regulations, LeBaron said. They will be focused exclusively on ensuring that people in the South Bay city are wearing face coverings.
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The goal is to free up police officers to deal with critical public safety issues, LeBaron said.
“The reality is that police not only in Hermosa Beach but throughout Southern California are dealing with public safety every single moment of every single day,” he said. “So trying to add the enforcement of social distancing and face masks makes it very difficult for our officers to be effective in anything they’re doing.”
Between July 30 and Aug. 3, the Police Department fielded 299 calls for service, prepared 34 reports and made 14 arrests on charges that included narcotics offenses and the possession of a stolen bicycle, the city said in a news release.
The workload tends to spike in the summer because of the large numbers of visitors that pour into the city of less than 20,000 residents, officials said.
“We could not be more densely populated and densely packed, especially on weekends,” Hermosa Beach Mayor Mary Campbell said. “We have, as a beach town, thousands of visitors who come, and so our ordinance is focused on our public spaces where physical distancing is not reliably possible.”
The ordinance passed July 28 requires that people wear face coverings downtown and at Pier Plaza, the Strand, the Greenbelt, city parks and beaches. Those who don’t comply face a fine of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $500 for each subsequent offense within a one-year period.
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The action was taken in response to pressure from Hermosa Beach residents, who were alarmed at the lack of enforcement of public health orders, especially in popular public areas, Campbell said. The idea was to put some teeth into rules requiring face coverings that were previously imposed in both Los Angeles County and statewide.
Hermosa Beach is not alone. Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Glendale, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica and West Hollywood have adopted similar ordinances imposing fines for those who fail to wear face coverings.
Manhattan Beach, which adopted its ordinance about three weeks ago, has also outsourced enforcement in a bid to alleviate the burden on its Police Department. Private security firm Contemporary Services Corp. is providing guards that issue warnings and hand out masks, and Willdan is providing personnel that have the legal authority to write citations, Mayor Richard Montgomery said.
“You can’t have that many police out there doing this. It takes away from normal police duties,” he said. “You want police duties to stay police duties and this to be third-party contracted enforcement. They don’t carry guns, just a ticket book.”
He estimated there were a total of eight contractors from both firms that rotate through different parts of the city a couple times during the week, as well as on weekends. They work in teams, with the CSC guards offering people face coverings, and the Willdan officers writing citations if people don’t comply, he said.
“Only the people that are really adamant about refusing to wear any kind of face covering, period, actually get a citation,” he said.
As of last Sunday, he said, the teams had written 226 citations, given 1,657 warnings to people wearing face coverings incorrectly and handed out hundreds of disposable face masks to those who didn’t have them.
“And if you ask our residents, businesses downtown, anyone at the parks, we have seen a dramatic increase in compliance,” Montgomery said.
He said the cost of the extra staffing could eventually be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state, since it is a COVID-19-related expense, but that won’t happen for a long time. In the meantime, the city is footing the bill, he said.
Saturday did not mark the first time Hermosa Beach had contracted with a private firm to deal with staffing issues created by the pandemic. The city worked with a different company to add security guards to enforce the hard beach closures that were put in place in late March, Campbell said.
“This is at the expense of the city obviously. We don’t do it lightly,” she said. “We’ve taken a huge hit, as every city has, as every business has, virtually, around budget. But we’re also currently still in the situation, especially in L.A. County, where COVID-19 remains a very big concern and a threat to public health.”
Hermosa Beach’s health ordinance enforcement officers will be clearly identifiable, with reflective vests and ID badges, and will also have disposable masks to hand out, officials said. As in Manhattan Beach, their chief objective is to educate people about the rules and serve as a deterrent.
“Part of what they’re doing is also high-visibility, high-profile, making sure people know that the rules are face coverings must be worn in specific areas of the city,” LeBaron said. “And so if we can gain compliance through that visibility, that is our No. 1 objective. Citations will be our last resort for people who just don’t want to obey the rules that are set in place.”


latimes--2020-08-08--Final canister of nuclear waste transferred to storage facility at San Onofre

It took 32 months to complete , but the transfer of dozens of canisters filled with nuclear waste from wet storage pools to a newly constructed dry storage facility at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station wrapped up Friday .
Shortly before 5 a.m. , workers lowered the 73rd and final canister of spent radioactive fuel into its assigned enclosure at the north end of the plant , known as SONGS for short .
At commercial nuclear plants , after radioactive fuel used to generate electricity loses its effectiveness , its is placed in in cooling pools , typically for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fuel can be transferred to a dry storage facility , which is generally .
Officials at Southern California Edison , the operator at SONGS , said completing the transfers is a key part of the company ’ s most of the structures at the plant , which has not produced power since 2012 and is being decommissioned .
“ The safe completion of this storage campaign ... ends the largest canister loading campaign ever in the U.S. , ” Vince Bilovsky , Edison ’ s deputy decommissioning officer , said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t truly be done until all canisters at SONGS are relocated off-site to a federally licensed storage or disposal facility.
” Longtime critics of Edison were not cheering the news , though .
“ It ’ s a sad day , ” said Ray Lutz , national coordinator for the advocacy group .
“ People say , well , [ the waste issue ] is fine right now and we ’ ll deal with it later .
But this is what they ’ ve said ever since they started this nuclear industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , the five favorite words.
” Transfer operations at SONGS began in January 2018 and have not been entirely smooth .
That summer , one of the 50-ton canisters became misaligned during handling and was left perched on the rim of its cavity , 20 feet off the ground , without support for 45 minutes .
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission , after a special inspection , and Edison and its chief contractor , Holtec International , suspended all transfers for 11 months while it revised procedures .
Since then , 44 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another 50 canisters sit in a separate dry storage facility nearby .
All told , there are 3.55 million pounds of spent fuel at the plant , located between San Onofre Beach and Interstate 5 .
As thorny as the transfer operations were , a more complicated issue remains : how long the canisters will stay there .
SONGS is not unique .
About 80,000 metric tons of waste from commercial nuclear plants are stored across the country — — because the federal government has not constructed a repository to store any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent nuclear fuel is safely stored and that it can be transported to an off-site facility in the future , ” Doug Bauder , Edison ’ s chief nuclear officer , said in a statement .
has been spent to construct the Yucca Mountain site in the Nevada desert , but shortly before it was scheduled to open , the , heeding calls from then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) and other elected officials from the state long opposed to the facility .
Some in Congress have called for reopening Yucca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 120 million to look into relicensing the site , but President Trump earlier this year , tweeting , “ Nevada , I hear you on Yucca Mountain.
” In recent years , discussion has turned to finding alternate , “ interim ” sites to store waste from nuclear plants .
A spending package recently passed by the House of Representatives included a “ robust ” interim storage program . )
has a set of federal guidelines that would put waste at sites like San Onofre — near large populations and in areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the list once a storage facility becomes available .
Two private companies have applied to build interim facilities , but whether those sites will actually be constructed is an open question .
Following an , Edison created a panel of experts to look at destinations for SONGS waste .
Early next year , Edison intends to release a strategic plan for possible storage sites “ as well as make sure that our fuel is ready for pickup when the opportunity presents itself , ” Bauder said .
When the eight-year dismantlement effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain will be the dry storage sites , a security building with personnel to look over the waste , a 28-foot seawall , a walkway connecting beaches north and south of the plant and a switch-yard with power lines .
The distinctive 200-feet-high twin domes that loom over Interstate 5 are scheduled to come down between late 2025 and 2027 .

The last of 73 canisters of nuclear waste is lowered into its enclosure Friday at a dry storage facility at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
It took 32 months, but the transfer of dozens of canisters filled with nuclear waste from wet storage pools to a newly constructed dry storage facility at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station wrapped up Friday.
Shortly before 5 a.m., workers lowered the 73rd and final canister of spent radioactive fuel into its assigned enclosure at the north end of the plant, known as SONGS.
At commercial nuclear plants, after radioactive fuel used to generate electricity loses its effectiveness, it is placed in metal racks that are stored in cooling pools, typically for about five years. Once cooled, the fuel can be transferred to a dry storage facility, which is generally considered a safer place for it .
Officials at Southern California Edison, the operator at SONGS, said completing the transfers is a key part of the company’s eight-year plan to dismantle most of the structures at the plant, which has not produced power since 2012 and is being decommissioned.
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“The safe completion of this storage campaign ... ends the largest canister loading campaign ever in the U.S.,” Vince Bilovsky, Edison’s deputy decommissioning officer, said in an email. “But our work won’t truly be done until all canisters at SONGS are relocated off-site to a federally licensed storage or disposal facility.”
Longtime critics of Edison were not cheering the news.
“It’s a sad day,” said Ray Lutz, national coordinator for the advocacy group Citizens’ Oversight . “People say, well, [the waste issue] is fine right now, and we’ll deal with it later. But this is what they’ve said ever since they started this nuclear industry: ‘We’ll figure it out later,’ the five favorite words.”
Transfer operations at SONGS began in January 2018 and have not been entirely smooth. That summer, one of the 50-ton canisters became misaligned during handling and was left perched on the rim of its cavity, 20 feet off the ground, without support, for 45 minutes.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, after a special inspection, fined Edison $116,000 , and the energy company and its chief contractor, Holtec International, suspended all transfers for 11 months while it revised procedures .
Since then, 44 canisters have been transferred at SONGS. Another 50 canisters sit in a separate dry storage facility nearby. All told, there are 3.55 million pounds of spent fuel at the plant, which is located between San Onofre Beach and Interstate 5.
As thorny as the transfer operations were, a more complicated issue remains: how long the canisters will stay there.
SONGS is not unique. About 80,000 metric tons of waste from commercial nuclear plants are stored across the country — at 121 sites in 35 states — because the federal government has not constructed a repository to store any of it.
“Our commitment remains ensuring spent nuclear fuel is safely stored and that it can be transported to an off-site facility in the future,” Doug Bauder, Edison’s chief nuclear officer, said in a statement.
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About $15 billion has been spent to construct the Yucca Mountain nuclear-waste storage site in the Nevada desert, but shortly before it was scheduled to open, the Obama administration cut off funding , heeding calls from then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other elected state officials opposed to the facility.
Some in Congress have called for reopening Yucca, and the Trump administration had proposed spending $120 million to look into re-licensing the site. But President Trump earlier this year reversed course , tweeting, “Nevada, I hear you on Yucca Mountain.”
In recent years, discussion has turned to finding alternate, “interim” sites to store waste from nuclear plants.
A spending package recently passed by the House of Representatives included $27.5 million to develop a “robust” interim storage program. Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano ) has called for establishing a set of federal guidelines that would put waste at sites like San Onofre — those that are near large populations and in areas with earthquake hazards — at the top of the list once a storage facility becomes available.
Two private companies have applied to build interim facilities, but whether those sites will be constructed is an open question.
Following an out-of-court settlement , Edison created a panel of experts to look at destinations for SONGS waste. Early next year, Edison intends to release a strategic plan for possible storage sites “as well as make sure that our fuel is ready for pickup when the opportunity presents itself,” Bauder said.
When the eight-year dismantlement effort at SONGS is complete, all that will remain will be the dry storage sites, a security building with personnel to look over the waste, a 28-foot seawall, a walkway connecting beaches north and south of the plant and a switchyard with power lines.
The plant’s distinctive 200-foot-high twin domes, which loom over Interstate 5, are scheduled to come down between late 2025 and 2027.
Nikolewski writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.


latimes--2020-08-08--Remains of missing Marines, sailor recovered from sunken amphibious vehicle off Southern California

Remains of missing Marines, sailor recovered from sunken amphibious vehicle off Southern California coast

The remains of seven Marines and a sailor lost when their amphibious vehicle sank near San Clemente Island have been recovered and will be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for preparation for burial , the Marines said late Friday .
The sunken assault amphibious vehicle was also recovered from the sea floor , officials said .
The landing craft was found Monday in 385 feet of water .
“ Our hearts and thoughts of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are with the families of our recovered Marines and Sailor , ” Col. Christopher Bronzi , commanding officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
“ We hope the successful recovery of our fallen warriors brings some measure of comfort.
” Nine service members died in the accident — one was recovered at the time of the sinking while the others went down with the vessel .
The Marines and sailors of Battalion Landing Team 1/4 , based at Camp Pendleton , were training with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group near San Clemente Island on July 30 .
Their assault amphibious vehicle began taking on water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dock Somerset around 5:45 p.m. , according to the Marine Corps .
There were 16 service members on the vessel when it sank .
Five were rescued and returned to the Somerset , two were hospitalized and one , Lance Cpl .
Guillermo Perez , 20 , was pronounced dead at the scene .
A two-day search followed for the eight missing men .
On Sunday , the search was halted and they were presumed dead .
The Marines and sailor lost ranged in age from 18 to 23 and include a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be married and two Marines who were 18 .
On Monday , the Navy ’ s Undersea Rescue Command found the 26-ton vehicle about a mile off the coast of San Clemente Island .
Inside the craft , via cameras on the remote-operated submarine Sibitzky , officials found human remains .
An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the sinking ; the Marine Corps has suspended all waterborne operations of assault amphibious vehicles until it is complete .
The Marine assault amphibious vehicle is an older platform , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years since .

The Navy’s Undersea Rescue Command deploys the Sibitzky Remotely Operated Vehicle, which aided in the recovery of the missing service members from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The remains of seven Marines and a sailor lost when their amphibious vehicle sank near San Clemente Island have been recovered and will be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for preparation for burial, the Marines said late Friday.
The sunken assault amphibious vehicle was also recovered from the sea floor, officials said. The landing craft was found Monday in 385 feet of water.
“Our hearts and thoughts of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are with the families of our recovered Marines and Sailor,” Col. Christopher Bronzi, commanding officer of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said in a statement. “We hope the successful recovery of our fallen warriors brings some measure of comfort.”
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Nine service members died in the accident — one was recovered at the time of the sinking while the others went down with the vessel.
The Marines and sailors of Battalion Landing Team 1/4, based at Camp Pendleton, were training with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group near San Clemente Island on July 30. Their assault amphibious vehicle began taking on water on its way back to the transport dock Somerset around 5:45 p.m., according to the Marine Corps.
There were 16 service members on the vessel when it sank. Five were rescued and returned to the Somerset, two were hospitalized and one, Lance Cpl. Guillermo Perez, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene. A two-day search followed for the eight missing men. On Sunday, the search was halted and they were presumed dead.
The Marines and sailor lost ranged in age from 18 to 23 and include a new father, a sailor who was soon to be married and two Marines who were 18.
On Monday, the Navy’s Undersea Rescue Command found the 26-ton vehicle about a mile off the coast of San Clemente Island. Inside the craft, via cameras on the remote-operated submarine Sibitzky, officials found human remains.
An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the sinking; the Marine Corps has suspended all waterborne operations of assault amphibious vehicles until it is complete.
The Marine assault amphibious vehicle is an older platform, first deployed in 1972 and updated in the years since.
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Dyer writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.


latimes--2020-08-08--Steve Lopez: In the middle of a pandemic, a miracle came to Father Greg Boyle and Homeboy Industries

Father Greg Boyle , the local saint of unconditional compassion , has been unceremoniously booted out of his office at Homeboy Industries and relegated to the parking lot .
“ Come to my tent , ” the padre advised , saying “ the homies ” had pitched him temporary quarters , and one of them observed that it “ feels like Afghanistan in here.
” Boyle is 66 and has long been under care for leukemia , so staff and homies thought he ’ d have a lower risk of getting the coronavirus if he moved outside .
I found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white canopy lair , with a fan , a palm and woven flooring that would have made Lawrence of Arabia proud .
I wanted to ask about the miracle that visited Homeboy several days ago , when the $ 2.5-million Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Award rained down on the nonprofit — which has had its share of financial struggles in the past — like manna from heaven .
Boyle , who founded Homeboy in 1988 , said he knew the agency was in the running for the award .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a U.S.-based nonprofit , with past winners including Doctors Without Borders and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims .
Boyle took it as a bad sign when Hilton called on a recent Saturday to speak to him and Homeboy Chief Executive Tom Vozzo , saying the award committee had another round of questions .
But that was a ruse .
The committee had actually called to deliver the good news .
“ It nearly made us cry , ” said Boyle .
For Boyle , humility is habit .
He noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award ; Homeboy is .
That includes all the employees and volunteers and all the young men and women who grew up scared , abused and alone , slid into gang life and then knocked one day on Father Boyle ’ s door , broken , tired and looking for a chance to learn a skill and walk away from trouble .
As if on cue , Alex , 34 , whom I ’ d met at Homeboy a couple of years ago , came over to say hello under the big tent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to connect with Boyle , who ’ s going to perform the baptism .
Alex told me he ’ s been doing well , for the most part , since I last saw him .
You often hear two voices , he said , one telling you to go for the easy money on the streets , the other telling you there ’ s no future in that .
The latter voice sends him home , and home is here , on North Spring , just across the street from Chinatown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pops ?
” Alex asked his mentor , gesturing to the majesty of the tent .
On the inside , Boyle ’ s office is like a goldfish bowl , and he can watch as employees , volunteers , trainees and tour groups come and go daily , visiting the café and the store or traipsing through the lobby on the way to tattoo removal , drug testing or rehab counseling .
But Boyle is making the best of his outdoor digs , looking over my shoulder to monitor all movement through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He tapped his heart repeatedly , sending messages of love to those who look his way for acknowledgment , for a sign that they exist , that they matter .
I know from past experience that you don ’ t sit alone with Father Greg , nor do you ever get all of him .
You are in his realm , and he ’ s available in fits and starts , putting the business of helping his trainees above all else .
It ’ s like interviewing a pilot while he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coach in the middle of a football game .
“ Junior , come here , ” he told a young guy .
“ Here ’ s the thing , son , I want you to show up Wednesday morning , right here .
I want to be here when you start.
” “ OK , I ’ ll be here at 7 , ” said the guy .
He knows everybody , remarkably , even those who got out of jail 10 years ago , signed up for the program but disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the door again .
As we talked , Joseph , 33 , came into the tent , displaying his shirt , which has the name of his new employer on it .
“ It ’ s $ 34 an hour , ” said Joseph , who went through the eight-month solar training installation program Homeboy hooked him up with .
Boyle congratulated him and Joseph told me he first set eyes on Boyle at the age of 10 , when he was in a detention camp .
Father Boyle baptized him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of times Joseph went to Homeboy after getting out of lockup , he wasn ’ t sure the program was for him .
He ’ d see Father Boyle and think , “ I don ’ t wan na waste his time.
” Now here he was telling Boyle that his 9-year-old is doing well and that he can ’ t wait to start his new job .
A tap of the heart from the padre .
Go in peace .
In normal times , Boyle is on the road more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes homies with him on speaking tours , or to put a face to the characters in his acclaimed books — “ Tattoos on the Heart : The Power of Boundless Compassion ” and “ Barking to the Choir : The Power of Radical Kinship.
” But the coronavirus has knocked him off his rhythm .
His speeches have become virtual — it was Missouri one day last week , Texas the next , both on Zoom — and he had to work from home for several weeks when Homeboy ’ s doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention declared an essential service , everything is up and running except for tattoo removal .
But at a safe distance , with temperature checks at the door , and the boss in the parking lot .
One trainee , which is what Homeboy calls its transitioning clients , told Boyle not long ago that no mask was needed if you trust in God .
“ Well here ’ s a news flash — God is telling you to wear a mask , ” Boyle told her .
“ We ’ re aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve tested positive , ” said Boyle , “ and I did a double funeral for a homie I knew 30 years ago who died in L.A. , and the next day his father died , also of COVID , in Las Vegas.
” But the bad news has been offset by some good .
Peter Laugharn of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation called Homeboy the largest gang intervention , rehab and reentry program in the world , and said the $ 2.5-million award “ speaks to the power of standing with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space for them to heal and invest in their future , with the intention of ending the socioeconomic inequities that impact communities.
” And the good news goes beyond the humanitarian award .
Just as the staff was lamenting the forced closure of the Homegirl café , Homeboy was able to line up city and county contacts and began producing 10,000 a meals a week for shut-ins and homeless people .
“ It kept everybody working , and in the bakery , we have everything from cookies to coffee cake that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ People are buying tins of cookies and sending them to folks .
On paper we would have thought this was going to be a bad moment , but there ’ s kind of a remarkable , generous spirit out there .
”

Father Greg Boyle, center, is running Homeboy Industries from a tent in the parking lot because of COVID-19.
Father Greg Boyle, the local saint of unconditional compassion, has been unceremoniously booted out of his office at Homeboy Industries and relegated to the parking lot.
“Come to my tent,” the padre advised, saying “the homies” had pitched him temporary quarters, and one of them observed that it “feels like Afghanistan in here.” Boyle is 66 and has long been under care for leukemia, so staff and homies thought he’d have a lower risk of getting the coronavirus if he moved outside.
I found Boyle at his desk in an open-air, white canopy lair, with a fan, a palm and woven flooring that would have made Lawrence of Arabia proud.
I wanted to ask about the miracle that visited Homeboy several days ago, when the $2.5-million Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Award rained down on the nonprofit — which has had its share of financial struggles in the past — like manna from heaven.
Homeboy Industries, which was adapting to pandemic challenges, has won a $2.5-million humanitarian award. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
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Boyle, who founded Homeboy in 1988, said he knew the agency was in the running for the award. But he also knew it had rarely gone to a U.S.-based nonprofit, with past winners including Doctors Without Borders and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. Boyle took it as a bad sign when Hilton called on a recent Saturday to speak to him and Homeboy Chief Executive Tom Vozzo, saying the award committee had another round of questions.
But that was a ruse. The committee had actually called to deliver the good news.
“It nearly made us cry,” said Boyle.
For Boyle, humility is habit. He noted that he is not the recipient of the award; Homeboy is. That includes all the employees and volunteers and all the young men and women who grew up scared, abused and alone, slid into gang life and then knocked one day on Father Boyle’s door, broken, tired and looking for a chance to learn a skill and walk away from trouble.
As if on cue, Alex, 34, whom I’d met at Homeboy a couple of years ago, came over to say hello under the big tent. He just had a baby and wanted to connect with Boyle, who’s going to perform the baptism. Alex told me he’s been doing well, for the most part, since I last saw him. You often hear two voices, he said, one telling you to go for the easy money on the streets, the other telling you there’s no future in that.
The latter voice sends him home, and home is here, on North Spring, just across the street from Chinatown.
“Don’t you love this, Pops?” Alex asked his mentor, gesturing to the majesty of the tent.
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“It’s nice,” said Boyle. “But I miss the action inside.”
On the inside, Boyle’s office is like a goldfish bowl, and he can watch as employees, volunteers, trainees and tour groups come and go daily, visiting the café and the store or traipsing through the lobby on the way to tattoo removal, drug testing or rehab counseling.
But Boyle is making the best of his outdoor digs, looking over my shoulder to monitor all movement through the building’s side exit. He tapped his heart repeatedly, sending messages of love to those who look his way for acknowledgment, for a sign that they exist, that they matter.
I know from past experience that you don’t sit alone with Father Greg, nor do you ever get all of him. You are in his realm, and he’s available in fits and starts, putting the business of helping his trainees above all else. It’s like interviewing a pilot while he’s flying a plane, or talking to the coach in the middle of a football game.
Father Greg Boyle gives an air hug to a visitor under his tent office in the parking lot. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“Junior, come here,” he told a young guy. “Here’s the thing, son, I want you to show up Wednesday morning, right here. I want to be here when you start.”
“OK, I’ll be here at 7,” said the guy.
“No,” Boyle said. “That’s too early.”
He knows everybody, remarkably, even those who got out of jail 10 years ago, signed up for the program but disappeared a month later, and now stand at the door again.
As we talked, Joseph, 33, came into the tent, displaying his shirt, which has the name of his new employer on it.
“It’s $34 an hour,” said Joseph, who went through the eight-month solar training installation program Homeboy hooked him up with.
Boyle congratulated him and Joseph told me he first set eyes on Boyle at the age of 10, when he was in a detention camp. Father Boyle baptized him. As an adult, the first couple of times Joseph went to Homeboy after getting out of lockup, he wasn’t sure the program was for him. He’d see Father Boyle and think, “I don’t wanna waste his time.”
Now here he was telling Boyle that his 9-year-old is doing well and that he can’t wait to start his new job.
A tap of the heart from the padre. Go in peace.
In normal times, Boyle is on the road more than a trucker. He packs a bag and takes homies with him on speaking tours, or to put a face to the characters in his acclaimed books — “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion” and “Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship.”
But the coronavirus has knocked him off his rhythm. His speeches have become virtual — it was Missouri one day last week, Texas the next, both on Zoom — and he had to work from home for several weeks when Homeboy’s doors were shut. Now, with gang intervention declared an essential service, everything is up and running except for tattoo removal. But at a safe distance, with temperature checks at the door, and the boss in the parking lot.
Father Greg Boyle, left, of Homeboy Industries meets a visitor who wasn’t wearing a mask. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“Wear your mask, son,” Boyle calls out.
One trainee, which is what Homeboy calls its transitioning clients, told Boyle not long ago that no mask was needed if you trust in God.
“Well here’s a news flash — God is telling you to wear a mask,” Boyle told her.
“We’re aware of a lot of folks who’ve tested positive,” said Boyle, “and I did a double funeral for a homie I knew 30 years ago who died in L.A., and the next day his father died, also of COVID, in Las Vegas.”
But the bad news has been offset by some good.
Peter Laugharn of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation called Homeboy the largest gang intervention, rehab and reentry program in the world, and said the $2.5-million award “speaks to the power of standing with people who have been systemically marginalized, creating space for them to heal and invest in their future, with the intention of ending the socioeconomic inequities that impact communities.”
And the good news goes beyond the humanitarian award. Just as the staff was lamenting the forced closure of the Homegirl café, Homeboy was able to line up city and county contacts and began producing 10,000 a meals a week for shut-ins and homeless people.
“It kept everybody working, and in the bakery, we have everything from cookies to coffee cake that people are ordering online,” Boyle said. “People are buying tins of cookies and sending them to folks. On paper we would have thought this was going to be a bad moment, but there’s kind of a remarkable, generous spirit out there.”
Tap the heart, spread the word.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-08-08--It's time to rethink theme parks. Creative ways to reopen while social distancing

Knott ’ s Berry Farm last week felt more like a national park than a theme park .
Reopening for a Knott ’ s-designed food event dubbed Taste of Calico , the park ‘ s famed ghost town was clear for roaming on an early Friday afternoon .
And though there was an air of trepidation among the guests seeking boysenberry-fueled delectables , maintaining at least 10 or 15 feet distance from another human was relatively easy — just the way this pandemic-wary mind likes it .
Western characters traversed the second story of the ghost town ’ s frontier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the theme park ’ s pre-pandemic tomfoolery — including the shock and concern expressed at the very sight of any piece of modern technology held by a guest .
In Florida , theme parks from Disney and Universal have reopened to much debate and health-related concerns amid still raging COVID-19 numbers , while our Los Angeles and Orange County theme parks remain on pause .
Knott ’ s , unable to offer any rides , attractions or shows during its 100th year , has essentially shape-shifted into a large alfresco dining locale .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Calico Mine Ride provided , at long last , a bit of nature to this dweller of downtown Los Angeles , where my surrounding streets are still overcrowded with the unmasked .
When Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World parks reopened in recent weeks , much of the focus , as it was when international parks returned to business , was on social distancing markers , Plexiglas , temperature checks and even some creative use of characters — where they are seen amid the park ’ s surroundings rather than mingling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is the primary concern , but it seems increasingly apparent that the effects of 2020 will be with us for some time to come , even if we receive good news on COVID-19 treatments or technology that allows us to quickly screen for the virus .
In turn , the near future of theme parks experiences could begin to look very different .
There is already a very real financial toll with the constant threat of furloughs and layoffs — Universal parent Comcast reported another round of theme park cuts in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being delayed and reevaluated , with some no doubt at risk of being canceled altogether .
With uncertainties surrounding travel and the long-term spending power of consumers , large investments in infrastructure will have to wait .
And yet there are still creative opportunities to be had .
Knott ’ s Taste of Calico , for instance , is expanding on weekends beginning Aug. 21 as the Taste of Knott ’ s to use more of the park .
It ’ s easy to imagine many areas of a theme park resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been holding out hope that the outdoor grounds of the Disneyland Hotel would be utilized for a food and drink event featuring the talents of the staff at its tiki bar Trader Sam ’ s .
But this is also a chance to re-imagine the theme park space , to view the entire grounds as something akin to a game board .
Those who have been to Walt Disney World ’ s Magic Kingdom or used the Play Disney Parks app at Galaxy ’ s Edge have seen how games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom ” and the Star Wars : Datapad can be used to keep crowds moving and get people to interact with areas of the park beyond a ride or a shop .
Over the years there have been other experiments , the live-action , role-playing game “ Legends of Frontierland ” or Disneyland ’ s Adventureland Trading Company , which provided physical rewards for light scavenger hunting .
It also succeeded in getting me to spend more than half of a day in Adventureland , keeping me out of lines and looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light , the exact sort of activities that are significantly more appealing than indoor ride vehicles in an era of social distancing .
Taking it further was the elaborately designed Haunted Mansion : Ghost Post , a 2016 subscription box that enabled fans of the classic Disney attraction to not only interact with the narrative at home but allowed them to rethink how they viewed the park , even extending to in-park interactions that were exclusive to subscribers .
While the box sold out more quickly than I was able to purchase it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Galaxy ’ s Edge , seems a no-brainer .
The “ Star Wars ” universe is ripe for mysteries , and the socially distant power of the Force or small hologram-like transmissions seem destined for theme park illusions that have yet to fully materialize .
Expect the cornonavirus era , say theme park experts , to accelerate a play-driven evolution that has steadily been increasing in parks — in part because they naturally lead to exploration , but also because they appeal to locals and regular park-goers , a demographic that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel continues to dip .
At long last , says Susan Bonds , a former creative with Walt Disney Imagineering and the chief executive officer of 42 Entertainment , which has specialized in branded augmented-reality experiences , such game-like ideas will probably meet with a more receptive executive audience .
Bonds , for instance , is bullish on augmented reality , and a 65-year-old institution such as Disneyland offers opportunities for digital overlays that are both game-focused or historical .
I tell her I ’ ve long dreamed of a “ Pokémon Go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interactions in a Universal or Disney park than it did at home .
“ There is a lot of low-hanging fruit , and there hasn ’ t been an impetus , ” Bonds says .
“ Now , this is that moment .
“ Gaming , ” she adds , “ is the DNA of life now.
” It ’ s already starting to happen .
Experiential design firm Meow Wolf , for instance , home to the popular House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe , N.M. , and soon a space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a full augmented reality app that will provide interactions beyond the company ’ s physical spaces .
The goal is to provide not just game-like quests to explore at home , but also pop-up events or partnerships with other art spaces in cities where Meow Wolf doesn ’ t have a flagship location .
First , however , will be some more immediate changes to Meow Wolf ’ s themed Santa Fe environment .
Story elements that were previously found in high-touch books or proprietary newspapers will transferred to an app , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is developing its own branded hand sanitizer , Liquid Gauntlet Germ Ghoster .
Expect too an increase in live performers , who will be utilized to entertain and prod socially distant groups through the space in a way that alleviates bottlenecks .
This is our new reality , so it ’ s time , says Meow Wolf co-founder Emily Montoya , to accept that health and safety procedures should be a part of our fantasy worlds rather than an intrusion in them .
“ Our question is how do we maintain those types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people out of the other world , out of the experience , ” she says .
“ How do fully integrate an automatic hand sanitizer ?
It ’ s transformed into an art object .
”

Clay Mayfield, above left, dressed up as an outlaw, waves to visitors during Knott’s Tase of Calico event at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Knott’s Berry Farm last week felt more like a national park than a theme park. Reopening for a Knott’s-designed food event dubbed Taste of Calico, the park‘s famed ghost town was clear for roaming on an early Friday afternoon. And though there was an air of trepidation among the guests seeking boysenberry-fueled delectables, maintaining at least 10 or 15 feet distance from another human was relatively easy — just the way this pandemic-wary mind likes it.
Western characters traversed the second story of the ghost town’s frontier buildings, keeping alive from a distance the theme park’s pre-pandemic tomfoolery — including the shock and concern expressed at the very sight of any piece of modern technology held by a guest.
In Florida, theme parks from Disney and Universal have reopened to much debate and health-related concerns amid still raging COVID-19 numbers, while our Los Angeles and Orange County theme parks remain on pause. Knott’s, unable to offer any rides, attractions or shows during its 100th year, has essentially shape-shifted into a large alfresco dining locale. The carved rocks and perfectly centered waterfalls of the Calico Mine Ride provided, at long last, a bit of nature to this dweller of downtown Los Angeles, where my surrounding streets are still overcrowded with the unmasked.
Cynthia Balderrama, left, of Hacienda Heights, and friend Lisa Camacho of Montebello walk the streets of Calico during Knott’s Tase of Calico event. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
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When Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World parks reopened in recent weeks, much of the focus, as it was when international parks returned to business, was on social distancing markers, Plexiglas, temperature checks and even some creative use of characters — where they are seen amid the park’s surroundings rather than mingling with guests.
Health, right now, is the primary concern, but it seems increasingly apparent that the effects of 2020 will be with us for some time to come, even if we receive good news on COVID-19 treatments or technology that allows us to quickly screen for the virus.
In turn, the near future of theme parks experiences could begin to look very different. There is already a very real financial toll with the constant threat of furloughs and layoffs — Universal parent Comcast reported another round of theme park cuts in its recent earnings report — and upcoming projects are being delayed and reevaluated, with some no doubt at risk of being canceled altogether. With uncertainties surrounding travel and the long-term spending power of consumers, large investments in infrastructure will have to wait.
And yet there are still creative opportunities to be had. Knott’s Taste of Calico, for instance, is expanding on weekends beginning Aug. 21 as the Taste of Knott’s to use more of the park.
People walk the streets of Calico during Knott’s Taste of Calico event. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
It’s easy to imagine many areas of a theme park resort being refashioned into a special-event space. I’ve been holding out hope that the outdoor grounds of the Disneyland Hotel would be utilized for a food and drink event featuring the talents of the staff at its tiki bar Trader Sam’s.
But this is also a chance to re-imagine the theme park space, to view the entire grounds as something akin to a game board. Those who have been to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom or used the Play Disney Parks app at Galaxy’s Edge have seen how games such as “Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” and the Star Wars: Datapad can be used to keep crowds moving and get people to interact with areas of the park beyond a ride or a shop.
Advertisement
Over the years there have been other experiments, the live-action, role-playing game “Legends of Frontierland” or Disneyland’s Adventureland Trading Company, which provided physical rewards for light scavenger hunting. It also succeeded in getting me to spend more than half of a day in Adventureland, keeping me out of lines and looking at an area of Disneyland in a new light, the exact sort of activities that are significantly more appealing than indoor ride vehicles in an era of social distancing.
Taking it further was the elaborately designed Haunted Mansion: Ghost Post, a 2016 subscription box that enabled fans of the classic Disney attraction to not only interact with the narrative at home but allowed them to rethink how they viewed the park, even extending to in-park interactions that were exclusive to subscribers. While the box sold out more quickly than I was able to purchase it, a similar product for, say, Galaxy’s Edge, seems a no-brainer. The “Star Wars” universe is ripe for mysteries, and the socially distant power of the Force or small hologram-like transmissions seem destined for theme park illusions that have yet to fully materialize.
Expect the cornonavirus era, say theme park experts, to accelerate a play-driven evolution that has steadily been increasing in parks — in part because they naturally lead to exploration, but also because they appeal to locals and regular park-goers, a demographic that’s more vital than ever if plane travel continues to dip.
At long last, says Susan Bonds, a former creative with Walt Disney Imagineering and the chief executive officer of 42 Entertainment, which has specialized in branded augmented-reality experiences, such game-like ideas will probably meet with a more receptive executive audience.
Meow Wolf will be creating its own themed hand sanitizer for its heavily themed environments. (Meow Wolf)
Bonds, for instance, is bullish on augmented reality, and a 65-year-old institution such as Disneyland offers opportunities for digital overlays that are both game-focused or historical. I tell her I’ve long dreamed of a “Pokémon Go”-style game that had vastly different interactions in a Universal or Disney park than it did at home.
“There is a lot of low-hanging fruit, and there hasn’t been an impetus,” Bonds says. “Now, this is that moment.
“Gaming,” she adds, “is the DNA of life now.”
It’s already starting to happen. Experiential design firm Meow Wolf, for instance, home to the popular House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe, N.M., and soon a space in Las Vegas, is working on a full augmented reality app that will provide interactions beyond the company’s physical spaces. The goal is to provide not just game-like quests to explore at home, but also pop-up events or partnerships with other art spaces in cities where Meow Wolf doesn’t have a flagship location.
First, however, will be some more immediate changes to Meow Wolf’s themed Santa Fe environment. Story elements that were previously found in high-touch books or proprietary newspapers will be transferred to an app, and the art collective turned themed entertainment business is developing its own branded hand sanitizer, Liquid Gauntlet Germ Ghoster. Expect too an increase in live performers, who will be utilized to entertain and prod socially distant groups through the space in a way that alleviates bottlenecks.
This is our new reality, so it’s time, says Meow Wolf co-founder Emily Montoya, to accept that health and safety procedures should be a part of our fantasy worlds rather than an intrusion in them.
“Our question is how do we maintain those types of safety and sanitation practices without taking people out of the other world, out of the experience,” she says. “How do we fully integrate an automatic hand sanitizer? It’s transformed into an art object.”


latimes--2020-08-08--With L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar arrested and suspended, who's in charge in his district?

Hours after Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was arrested and charged in a corruption probe , he was swiftly suspended by the rest of the council .
His paychecks were soon cut off and his name disappeared from the District 14 newsletter .
In Boyle Heights , Eagle Rock and El Sereno , his name was even papered over on signs for his field offices .
Huizar , the message is clear , is no longer in charge .
But weeks later , many Angelenos remain puzzled about who is actually running the council office that represents neighborhoods stretching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re all asking the same question about what ’ s going to happen now , ” said Marco Antonio Navarro , a Boyle Heights resident who sits on a neighborhood council .
“ We ’ re just in a state of limbo.
” Although residents voted in March to elect former state Senate leader Kevin de León to the Eastside seat , he is not slated to be sworn in until December .
Former Huizar employees still staff the office , but district spokeswoman Laura McKinney , when asked about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along a statement not from Huizar but from “ Council District 14.
” When Huizar was suspended , “ a traditional caretaker was not designated for CD 14 , ” McKinney said in another statement .
“ This gave the public perception that CD 14 was not in a position to carry out the delivery of essential city services.
” McKinney said that despite that perception , district staffers are currently working under the direction of Eduardo Soriano-Hewitt , Huizar ’ s chief of staff , to respond to residents ’ concerns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Navarro said that for day-to-day concerns about issues like street sweeping , “ everything seems to be running as usual.
” But others complain that , without a council member to cast votes or introduce motions at City Hall , they are no longer represented like other Angelenos .
Even before he was suspended , Huizar had stopped going to council meetings and voting .
The last time he introduced any motions was in mid-May , according to city records .
“ The staff may be there , but what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this moment ?
” asked Rolando Cruz , a Boyle Heights resident who heads the tenants rights group Inquilinos Unidos .
“ Who is casting votes on behalf of the constituents ?
” Other council members can still introduce motions for the district once represented by Huizar .
For instance , Council President Nury Martinez recently introduced a motion to help a school in the downtown district get a permit to prepare for a campus expansion project , at the request of Huizar staffers .
Such motions are first vetted by city analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office “ has set up informal procedures for our office to address issues on an ad hoc basis , ” since “ there are no formal procedures laid out in the charter for suspended council members.
” Martinez has been determining whether to introduce motions from the downtown district , focusing on “ high-priority ” matters , McKinney said .
If local residents have legislative concerns , McKinney added , “ there ’ s nothing that precludes CD 14 from advocating on behalf of its residents or connecting residents with voting members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive director of the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District , said she was troubled during a recent debate on resuming comprehensive cleanups of homeless encampments that there was no one on the council representing skid row , located in Huizar ’ s district .
Nor was there anyone representing the district during debates over the police budget .
“ We don ’ t have a voice right now at the City Council , ” said Lopez , who lives just outside the district and whose group advocates for downtown business and property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown in the country not have representation at a pivotal if not historic moment in our country ’ s history ?
” El Sereno resident Hugo Garcia said that not having a voting councilman “ creates a feeling that we don ’ t have anybody going to bat for us.
” Garcia , who heads the El Sereno Organizing Committee , said he has been concerned about how the city will address the needs of a homeless encampment on the Huntington Drive median , including sufficient toilets , more trash collection , housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health , substance abuse and other needs .
He wants there to be a community task force to address those issues , but thinks it will be harder to initiate without an active councilman .
And when Cyndi Otteson , an Eagle Rock resident who recently ran for the council seat , wanted to support calls for an investigation into police tactics used against Black Lives Matter protesters in the Fairfax district , she ended up not sending an email because “ I didn ’ t have a council person to put pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wanted to urge the council to defund the Police Department and redirect money to other services , she emailed the council president .
“ But I ’ m not sure how much traction that is getting , ” Otteson said .
De León has also expressed concerns about the lack of representation : At one point , he stepped in to oppose a move to reallocate funding from the downtown streetcar project , arguing that doing so would be “ taking advantage ” of the absence of a voting representative .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for City Atty .
Mike Feuer , said that suspending an official means that his or her office is temporarily vacant .
So far , however , no one else has been appointed to the seat .
Even though Otteson ran against De León for the seat , she said she would like to see him appointed as soon as possible so that residents have representation .
De León told the Boyle Heights Beat in a July interview that he was ready to take over , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there is legal clarity.
” At the time , De León said his understanding was that “ unless there ’ s a conviction or a voluntary resignation , which there has been neither , that seat currently is occupied ” by Huizar .
As of Friday , however , De León said his “ understanding has shifted ” on when and how an appointment could be made and that his team was working with other city officials to make sure the district has a voting representative as soon as possible .

Not having a voting councilman “creates a feeling that we don’t have anybody going to bat for us,” says Hugo Garcia, who heads the El Sereno Organizing Committee.
Hours after Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was arrested and charged in a corruption probe, he was swiftly suspended by the rest of the council.
His paychecks were soon cut off and his name disappeared from the District 14 newsletter. In Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock and El Sereno, his name was even papered over on signs for his field offices.
For the record: In an earlier version of this article, a comment by
City Council District 14 spokeswoman Laura McKinney
— “there’s nothing that precludes CD 14 from advocating on behalf of its residents or connecting residents with voting members of the City Council” — was misattributed to Council President Nury Martinez.
Huizar, the message is clear, is no longer in charge. But weeks later, many Angelenos remain puzzled about who is actually running the council office that represents neighborhoods stretching from downtown to Eagle Rock.
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“We’re all asking the same question about what’s going to happen now,” said Marco Antonio Navarro, a Boyle Heights resident who sits on a neighborhood council. “We’re just in a state of limbo.”
Although residents voted in March to elect former state Senate leader Kevin de León to the Eastside seat, he is not slated to be sworn in until December. Former Huizar employees still staff the office, but district spokeswoman Laura McKinney, when asked about a recent decision at City Hall, sent along a statement not from Huizar but from “Council District 14.”
When Huizar was suspended, “a traditional caretaker was not designated for CD 14,” McKinney said in another statement. “This gave the public perception that CD 14 was not in a position to carry out the delivery of essential city services.”
McKinney said that despite that perception, district staffers are currently working under the direction of Eduardo Soriano-Hewitt, Huizar’s chief of staff, to respond to residents’ concerns and ensure that city services are delivered during the pandemic. Navarro said that for day-to-day concerns about issues like street sweeping, “everything seems to be running as usual.”
But others complain that, without a council member to cast votes or introduce motions at City Hall, they are no longer represented like other Angelenos. Even before he was suspended, Huizar had stopped going to council meetings and voting. The last time he introduced any motions was in mid-May, according to city records.
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“The staff may be there, but what is the staff empowered to do at this moment?” asked Rolando Cruz, a Boyle Heights resident who heads the tenants rights group Inquilinos Unidos. “Who is casting votes on behalf of the constituents?”
Other council members can still introduce motions for the district once represented by Huizar. For instance, Council President Nury Martinez recently introduced a motion to help a school in the downtown district get a permit to prepare for a campus expansion project, at the request of Huizar staffers. Such motions are first vetted by city analysts.
McKinney said that Martinez’s office “has set up informal procedures for our office to address issues on an ad hoc basis,” since “there are no formal procedures laid out in the charter for suspended council members.” Martinez has been determining whether to introduce motions from the downtown district, focusing on “high-priority” matters, McKinney said.
If local residents have legislative concerns, McKinney added, “there’s nothing that precludes CD 14 from advocating on behalf of its residents or connecting residents with voting members of the City Council.”
Suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, center, arrives at the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday for a conference to set his trial date. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
But Estela Lopez, executive director of the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District, said she was troubled during a recent debate on resuming comprehensive cleanups of homeless encampments that there was no one on the council representing skid row, located in Huizar’s district. Nor was there anyone representing the district during debates over the police budget.
“We don’t have a voice right now at the City Council,” said Lopez, who lives just outside the district and whose group advocates for downtown business and property owners. “How can the second-largest downtown in the country not have representation at a pivotal if not historic moment in our country’s history?”
El Sereno resident Hugo Garcia said that not having a voting councilman “creates a feeling that we don’t have anybody going to bat for us.”
Garcia, who heads the El Sereno Organizing Committee, said he has been concerned about how the city will address the needs of a homeless encampment on the Huntington Drive median, including sufficient toilets, more trash collection, housing referrals and supportive services to address mental health, substance abuse and other needs.
He wants there to be a community task force to address those issues, but thinks it will be harder to initiate without an active councilman.
And when Cyndi Otteson, an Eagle Rock resident who recently ran for the council seat, wanted to support calls for an investigation into police tactics used against Black Lives Matter protesters in the Fairfax district, she ended up not sending an email because “I didn’t have a council person to put pressure on.”
In another instance, when she wanted to urge the council to defund the Police Department and redirect money to other services, she emailed the council president.
“But I’m not sure how much traction that is getting,” Otteson said.
De León has also expressed concerns about the lack of representation: At one point, he stepped in to oppose a move to reallocate funding from the downtown streetcar project, arguing that doing so would be “taking advantage” of the absence of a voting representative. The council shunted the proposal back to a committee.
Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer, said that suspending an official means that his or her office is temporarily vacant. So far, however, no one else has been appointed to the seat. Even though Otteson ran against De León for the seat, she said she would like to see him appointed as soon as possible so that residents have representation.
De León told the Boyle Heights Beat in a July interview that he was ready to take over, but “I want to make sure that there is legal clarity.” At the time, De León said his understanding was that “unless there’s a conviction or a voluntary resignation, which there has been neither, that seat currently is occupied” by Huizar.
As of Friday, however, De León said his “understanding has shifted” on when and how an appointment could be made and that his team was working with other city officials to make sure the district has a voting representative as soon as possible.