latimes--2020-12-08--L.A.'s ethics commission gets a new boss: A 29-year employee of the watchdog agency

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ’ s appointees on the city ’ s ethics commission picked a new executive director on Tuesday , turning to a longtime employee to head the department .
David Tristan , deputy executive director of the L.A. City Ethics Commission , was appointed to a 10-year term , replacing Executive Director Heather Holt , who faces term limits .
“ I ’ m looking forward to continuing to do the critical work the commission does , ” Tristan said .
He has worked for 29 years at the Ethics Commission in roles that have included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager .
Commissioner Jeff Daar cited Tristan ’ s decades of experience at the department .
“ Obviously , he has a passion for the mission of the Ethics Commission , ” Daar said .
The executive director helps develop and carry out policies and orders related to campaign fund-raising , lobbying , conflicts and more .
The commission was created in 1990 by voters in the wake of ethics scandals during Mayor Tom Bradley ’ s administration .
The commission acts as an independent body , though the mayor and City Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations and audits .
Rob Quan , an organizer with Unrig LA , a good-government advocacy group , described Tristan as extremely responsive .
He described how advocates have called Tristan over the years to discuss a variety of topics , including campaign filings and broken links on the commission website .
“ I ’ m really grateful that we have someone like David Tristan , ” Quan said of his appointment .
“ He ’ s just got loads of experience in the commission .
He ’ s extremely professional.
” Tristan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval by the L.A. City Council .
He starts on Jan. 18 .
Recent scandals involving campaign contributions and lobbyists have brought fresh attention to the city ’ s ethics laws .
Torrance-based real estate developer Samuel Leung pleaded guilty last week to felony conspiracy , admitting he took part in a scheme to reimburse campaign donors as his development project was being reviewed and approved at Los Angeles City Hall .
Ousted Councilman Jose Huizar stands accused in a widespread corruption case that has resulted in recent guilty pleas from one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitchell Englander , a longtime City Hall lobbyist and a pair of real estate consultants .
Huizar this week pleaded not guilty to bribery and other federal charges .

The ethics commission was created in 1990 in the wake of ethics scandals at L.A. City Hall during Mayor Tom Bradley’s administration.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointees on the city’s ethics commission picked a new executive director on Tuesday, turning to a longtime employee to head the department.
David Tristan, deputy executive director of the L.A. City Ethics Commission, was appointed to a 10-year term, replacing Executive Director Heather Holt, who faces term limits.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to do the critical work the commission does,” Tristan said. He has worked for 29 years at the Ethics Commission in roles that have included clerk, auditor, investigator and program manager.
Commissioner Jeff Daar cited Tristan’s decades of experience at the department. “Obviously, he has a passion for the mission of the Ethics Commission,” Daar said.
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The executive director helps develop and carry out policies and orders related to campaign fund-raising, lobbying, conflicts and more. The commission was created in 1990 by voters in the wake of ethics scandals during Mayor Tom Bradley’s administration.
The commission acts as an independent body, though the mayor and City Council control its budget. Staff members conduct investigations and audits.
Rob Quan, an organizer with Unrig LA, a good-government advocacy group, described Tristan as extremely responsive. He described how advocates have called Tristan over the years to discuss a variety of topics, including campaign filings and broken links on the commission website.
“I’m really grateful that we have someone like David Tristan,” Quan said of his appointment. “He’s just got loads of experience in the commission. He’s extremely professional.”
Tristan’s appointment is not subject to approval by the L.A. City Council. He starts on Jan. 18.
Recent scandals involving campaign contributions and lobbyists have brought fresh attention to the city’s ethics laws.
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Torrance-based real estate developer Samuel Leung pleaded guilty last week to felony conspiracy, admitting he took part in a scheme to reimburse campaign donors as his development project was being reviewed and approved at Los Angeles City Hall.
Ousted Councilman Jose Huizar stands accused in a widespread corruption case that has resulted in recent guilty pleas from one of his former aides, former City Councilman Mitchell Englander, a longtime City Hall lobbyist and a pair of real estate consultants. Huizar this week pleaded not guilty to bribery and other federal charges.


latimes--2020-12-08--Former U.S. Rep. Katie Hill alleges years of abuse by her ex-husband, receives restraining order

Former Congresswoman Katie Hill accused her ex-husband in court filings Tuesday of continuing to harass her since their divorce and detailed years of abuse she says he inflicted on her .
In the filings , Hill , who resigned last October amid allegations she had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member , sought a restraining order against her ex-husband , Kenneth Heslep .
She has accused Heslep previously of leaking intimate images of her as part of a campaign to sabotage her political career .
A judge granted Hill the restraining order , which requires Heslep to stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congresswoman , her mother and her sister .
In explaining why she needed to be protected from him , Hill offered a grim account of the physical and emotional abuse she said has spanned their relationship .
She accused Heslep of choking her unconscious during sex multiple times and siccing two of his dogs on some of her pets .
The pair finalized their divorce in October , but in the Tuesday filing , Hill accused Heslep of continuing to harass her by leaking false and disparaging information to tabloids .
“ Apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not enough for Kenny .
He continues to try to ruin me , creating bizarre conspiracy theories and peddling lies to media outlets , doing everything in his power to continue his abuse and maintain any control he can over me , ” the filing read .
“ It seems that anything other than us being together , and him being able to control my life and my every move , isn ’ t enough for him.
” Attempts to contact Heslep were unsuccessful Tuesday , though he has previously denied allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill declined to comment .
Hill was a rising star in the Democratic Party who claimed her seat as part of the “ blue wave ” in the 2018 midterm elections .
As the representative of California ’ s 25th Congressional District , which encompasses much of northern L.A. County and part of Ventura County , she struck up a cordial relationship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-San Francisco ) and quickly ascended to the vice chair position on the powerful House Oversight Committee .
But her time in Washington ended less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative website began to publish stories alleging Hill engaged in relationships with a member of her campaign staff and a House staffer .
Hill — who has previously alleged the stories were driven by Heslep and Republican operatives — denied the relationship with the House employee , which would be a violation of House rules , but did not deny the relationship with the campaign staff member .
Hill ’ s seat has since been flipped red again .
U.S. Rep Mike Garcia won a special election to replace Hill in May and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ razor-thin margin in November .
In the court filing , Hill said she began dating Heslep when he was 20 and she was 16 .
She accused Heslep of being extremely controlling , isolating her from her family , subjecting her to repeated “ rage outbursts ” and groping her in public , despite her protests .
Episodes of violence escalated from there , she alleged .
“ On multiple occasions , Kenny backed me into walls when he was angry , pinning me against them and shouting in my face .
Kenny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my attempts to stop him , and not letting go until after I had passed out or he finished , whether I was conscious or not , ” the filing read .
“ On more than one occasion , I was afraid Kenny was going to kill me.
” In 2016 , Heslep purchased a pair of huskies that she described as “ extremely aggressive , ” according to the filing .
One year later , she alleged , Heslep allowed the dogs to “ attack and kill my cat Bones.
” Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worsened during her campaign .
In September 2018 , she alleged , Heslep ’ s dogs mauled one of her pet goats , wounding the animal so badly that he eventually shot and killed the goat to end its suffering , according to the filing .

Former Rep. Katie Hill accused her ex-husband in court filings Tuesday of continuing to harass her since their divorce and detailed years of abuse she says he inflicted on her.
In the filings, Hill, who resigned in October 2019 amid allegations she had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member, sought a restraining order against her ex-husband, Kenneth Heslep. She has accused Heslep previously of leaking intimate images of her as part of a campaign to sabotage her political career.
A judge granted Hill the restraining order, which requires Heslep to stay at least 100 yards from the former member of Congress, her mother and her sister.
In explaining why she needed to be protected from him, Hill offered a grim account of the physical and emotional abuse she said has spanned their relationship. She accused Heslep of choking her unconscious during sex multiple times and siccing two of his dogs on some of her pets.
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The pair finalized their divorce in October, but in the Tuesday filing, Hill accused Heslep of continuing to harass her by leaking false and disparaging information to tabloids.
“Apparently, running me out of Congress was not enough for Kenny. He continues to try to ruin me, creating bizarre conspiracy theories and peddling lies to media outlets, doing everything in his power to continue his abuse and maintain any control he can over me,” the filing read. “It seems that anything other than us being together, and him being able to control my life and my every move, isn’t enough for him.”
Attempts to contact Heslep were unsuccessful Tuesday, though he has previously denied allegations of abuse or wrongdoing. A representative for Hill declined to comment.
Hill was a rising star in the Democratic Party who claimed her seat as part of the “blue wave” in the 2018 midterm elections. As the representative of California’s 25th Congressional District, which encompasses much of northern L.A. County and part of Ventura County, she struck up a cordial relationship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and quickly ascended to the vice chair position on the powerful House Oversight Committee.
But her time in Washington ended less than a year after it began. A conservative website began to publish stories alleging Hill had engaged in relationships with a member of her campaign staff and a House staffer. Hill — who has previously alleged the stories were driven by Heslep and Republican operatives — denied the relationship with the House employee, which would be a violation of House rules, but did not deny the relationship with the campaign staff member.
Hill’s seat has since been flipped red again. Republican Mike Garcia won a special election to replace Hill in May and held on to the seat by a razor-thin margin in November.
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In the court filing, Hill said she began dating Heslep when he was 20 and she was 16. She accused Heslep of being extremely controlling, isolating her from her family, subjecting her to repeated “rage outbursts” and groping her in public, despite her protests. Episodes of violence escalated from there, she alleged.
“On multiple occasions, Kenny backed me into walls when he was angry, pinning me against them and shouting in my face. Kenny started choking me during sex, ignoring my attempts to stop him, and not letting go until after I had passed out or he finished, whether I was conscious or not,” the filing read. “On more than one occasion, I was afraid Kenny was going to kill me.”
In 2016, Heslep purchased a pair of huskies that she described as “extremely aggressive,” according to the filing. One year later, she alleged, Heslep allowed the dogs to “attack and kill my cat Bones.”
Hill alleged Heslep’s abusive treatment only worsened during her campaign. In September 2018, she alleged, Heslep’s dogs mauled one of her pet goats, wounding the animal so badly that he eventually shot and killed the goat to end its suffering, according to the filing.


latimes--2020-12-08--Los Angeles seeks to skip upcoming homeless count over pandemic concerns

Los Angeles County wants to cancel the annual homeless count that occurs over several days in January .
The Board of Supervisors , citing the pandemic , voted Tuesday to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for an exemption .
Congress requires that local regions conduct these counts every two years in the odd year — meaning it ’ s supposed to be done in 2021 .
The data gleaned is used by the federal government to distribute funding to get homeless people off the streets .
In recent years , as homelessness has grown , Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Over three days , thousands of volunteers fan out to count the number of tents , RVs and cars housing people throughout the region .
This huge undertaking costs millions of dollars and represents a moment where the collective conscience of the region focuses on one of its most vexing challenges .
The data helps set priorities for how money is spent and can become a political football .
Members of the Board of Supervisors said that it was very possible there wouldn ’ t be enough volunteers to pull off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many are fully occupied fighting the pandemic .
Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control says that encampments shouldn ’ t be disrupted for fear of further spreading the virus .
The supervisors expressed fear that the count would be “ risky and challenging at best and a dangerous , superspreader event in the worst-case scenario.
” The count is coordinated by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck earlier this year , the authority has helped organize the outreach and care of thousands of homeless people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a written statement , LAHSA head Heidi Marston said there was no way to safely do the count of people on the street while assuring that it was accurate .
She said that if the federal government grants the waiver , her agency would still count people living inside shelters and tally the number of number of beds and units available to homeless people through various government programs .
“ Taking into account curfews and stay-at-home orders across the region , we determined that there is no safe way to gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 Street Count , ” she said .
Representatives for the Department of Housing and Urban Development didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment .

Los Angeles County wants to cancel the annual homeless count that occurs over several days in January.
The Board of Supervisors, citing the pandemic, voted Tuesday to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for an exemption.
Congress requires that local regions conduct these counts every two years in the odd year — meaning it’s supposed to be done in 2021. The data gleaned is used by the federal government to distribute funding to get homeless people off the streets.
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In recent years, as homelessness has grown, Los Angeles has done the count nearly every year. Over three days, thousands of volunteers fan out to count the number of tents, RVs and cars housing people throughout the region.
This huge undertaking costs millions of dollars and represents a moment where the collective conscience of the region focuses on one of its most vexing challenges. The data helps set priorities for how money is spent and can become a political football.
California Does L.A. count its homeless, or make its best guess? A little of both, it turns out Keeping track of the number of people who are homeless in Los Angeles is an exercise in uncertainty. Not only do the numbers change from year to year, presumably reflecting real shifts in the homeless population, but, once published, they can still change months or years later — based on changes in how the numbers are calculated.
Members of the Board of Supervisors said that it was very possible there wouldn’t be enough volunteers to pull off the count this year, especially since many are fully occupied fighting the pandemic.
Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control says that encampments shouldn’t be disrupted for fear of further spreading the virus. The supervisors expressed fear that the count would be “risky and challenging at best and a dangerous, superspreader event in the worst-case scenario.”
The motion from the LA County Board of Supervisors asking the federal government to skip the homeless count Citing the pandemic, the Los Angeles County board of supervisors is asking the federal government to skip the homeless count
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The count is coordinated by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck earlier this year, the authority has helped organize the outreach and care of thousands of homeless people who have been living in rented hotel rooms.
In a written statement, LAHSA head Heidi Marston said there was no way to safely do the count of people on the street while assuring that it was accurate. She said that if the federal government grants the waiver, her agency would still count people living inside shelters and tally the number of number of beds and units available to homeless people through various government programs.
“Taking into account curfews and stay-at-home orders across the region, we determined that there is no safe way to gather the 8,000 volunteers necessary to conduct the 2021 Street Count,” she said.
Representatives for the Department of Housing and Urban Development didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.


latimes--2020-12-08--Sheriff's officials knew about a massive house party in Palmdale. Why didn't they stop it?

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday touted his agency ’ s bust of a “ massive underground party ” Saturday at a vacant Palmdale home , at which a teenage girl allegedly was rescued from sex trafficking , more than 150 revelers were arrested , and several guns were recovered .
However , according to law enforcement sources and an internal department record reviewed by The Times , commanders knew about plans for the party hours in advance and chose not to stop it from happening , despite the risk of coronavirus spread .
During a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party take place , saying doing so allowed the department to save the girl and to disrupt future illicit parties by arresting the people who had organized the event .
Lt. John Satterfield , a spokesman for the department , said sheriff ’ s officials were unaware that the girl would be at the party and discovered her by chance after deputies arrived .
Villanueva , who described the organizers as “ an elusive group , ” did not elaborate on how their arrests will prevent future parties from occurring .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and failing to follow a quarantine health order during a pandemic , Satterfield said .
Five people accused of organizing the party were arrested on suspicion of burglary , while one 17-year-old faced a weapons charge , he said .
The operation generated criticism within the agency .
One law enforcement source called it “ absolutely irresponsible , ” saying officials should have contacted the property owner ahead of time and , if that was unsuccessful , blocked access to the event by shutting down the street .
“ Allowing it to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll in and make arrests is simply grandstanding and unnecessarily exposing those attendees and your own deputies , ” the source said .
Satterfield pushed back against the criticism , saying that attempts to block access to the party would have led to organizers moving it to a new location .
“ They would still be free to continue organizing these events .
Now they have been identified and are shut down for good .
Thousands of potential future exposures have been halted , ” he said .
Internal activity logs obtained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the operation as early as 2:30 p.m. on Saturday , calling in units from seven stations to help out .
After midnight , 80 to 100 people were being detained and would receive citations before being released , according to a log entry .
A TV crew showed up to the party , capturing footage of the operation that shows the detention of dozens of people held side by side on the street .
Deputies took temperatures while handing out masks and blankets .
Since March , Villanueva has emphasized his agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to health orders imposed by county officials to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
He has criticized them for leaving him out of decisions about curfews and other restrictions , once saying : “ If we ’ re the one enforcing it , and we ’ re not involved in the making of the plans or anything , it ’ s no .
It ’ s not gon na work .
Those plans are dead on arrival , unfortunately.
” After L.A. County supervisors imposed another ban on outdoor dining at restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move , saying what ’ s fueling the spread of the coronavirus is “ not restaurants , it is private social gatherings.
” A day before the party , Villanueva pledged to crack down on “ super-spreader events , ” where large numbers of people could be exposed to the virus .
On Tuesday , he reiterated that stance , saying the business closures put owners in a difficult position of choosing between compliance and “ putting food on the table for their families.
” After waiting for the party to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 10 p.m. on the vacant home on the 6300 block of West Avenue M-8 in Palmdale .
Sheriff ’ s officials arrested 116 adults and 35 minors , Villanueva said .
The officers found three guns that night and three more the next morning .
Villanueva said the party planners broke into the house , brazenly moving in equipment with a U-Haul truck .
Capt .
Ron Shaffer of the Palmdale station said the property owners did not give permission for a party .
“ This is something that is worth spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because these super-spreader events , if we get rid of them , we ’ re going to improve our ability to fight the pandemic , ” Villanueva said , adding that officials are tracking other events and that every weekend there are “ at least probably half a dozen of these around the county.
” Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis introduced a motion at Tuesday ’ s Board of Supervisors meeting to address super-spreader events .
Barger cited the Palmdale event as an example of why the county must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion directs the county ’ s chief executive to look for money in the budget to help the Sheriff ’ s Department investigate such events .

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva addresses the media at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles about the arrest of more than 150 people at a super-spreader event Saturday in Palmdale.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday touted his agency’s bust of a “massive underground party” Saturday at a vacant Palmdale home, at which a teenage girl allegedly was rescued from sex trafficking, more than 150 revelers were arrested, and several guns were recovered.
However, according to law enforcement sources and an internal department record reviewed by The Times, commanders knew about plans for the party hours in advance and chose not to stop it from happening, despite the risk of coronavirus spread.
During a press conference, Villanueva defended the decision to let the party take place, saying doing so allowed the department to save the girl and to disrupt future illicit parties by arresting the people who had organized the event.
Lt. John Satterfield, a spokesman for the department, said sheriff’s officials were unaware that the girl would be at the party and discovered her by chance after deputies arrived. Villanueva, who described the organizers as “an elusive group,” did not elaborate on how their arrests will prevent future parties from occurring.
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Most people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing and failing to follow a quarantine health order during a pandemic, Satterfield said. Five people accused of organizing the party were arrested on suspicion of burglary, while one 17-year-old faced a weapons charge, he said.
The operation generated criticism within the agency. One law enforcement source called it “absolutely irresponsible,” saying officials should have contacted the property owner ahead of time and, if that was unsuccessful, blocked access to the event by shutting down the street.
“Allowing it to begin, fill up with people and then roll in and make arrests is simply grandstanding and unnecessarily exposing those attendees and your own deputies,” the source said.
Satterfield pushed back against the criticism, saying that attempts to block access to the party would have led to organizers moving it to a new location.
“They would still be free to continue organizing these events. Now they have been identified and are shut down for good. Thousands of potential future exposures have been halted,” he said.
Internal activity logs obtained by The Times show the agency was preparing for the operation as early as 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, calling in units from seven stations to help out. After midnight, 80 to 100 people were being detained and would receive citations before being released, according to a log entry.
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A TV crew showed up to the party, capturing footage of the operation that shows the detention of dozens of people held side by side on the street. Deputies took temperatures while handing out masks and blankets.
Sheriff’s officials busted a large party in Palmdale. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
Since March, Villanueva has emphasized his agency’s efforts to gain voluntary compliance to health orders imposed by county officials to slow the spread of the coronavirus. He has criticized them for leaving him out of decisions about curfews and other restrictions, once saying: “If we’re the one enforcing it, and we’re not involved in the making of the plans or anything, it’s no. It’s not gonna work. Those plans are dead on arrival, unfortunately.”
After L.A. County supervisors imposed another ban on outdoor dining at restaurants, Villanueva last week spoke out against the move, saying what’s fueling the spread of the coronavirus is “not restaurants, it is private social gatherings.” A day before the party, Villanueva pledged to crack down on “super-spreader events,” where large numbers of people could be exposed to the virus. On Tuesday, he reiterated that stance, saying the business closures put owners in a difficult position of choosing between compliance and “putting food on the table for their families.”
After waiting for the party to get going on Saturday, deputies moved in around 10 p.m. on the vacant home on the 6300 block of West Avenue M-8 in Palmdale. Sheriff’s officials arrested 116 adults and 35 minors, Villanueva said. The officers found three guns that night and three more the next morning.
Villanueva said the party planners broke into the house, brazenly moving in equipment with a U-Haul truck. Capt. Ron Shaffer of the Palmdale station said the property owners did not give permission for a party.
“This is something that is worth spending our resources to clamp down on, because these super-spreader events, if we get rid of them, we’re going to improve our ability to fight the pandemic,” Villanueva said, adding that officials are tracking other events and that every weekend there are “at least probably half a dozen of these around the county.”
Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Hilda Solis introduced a motion at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting to address super-spreader events. Barger cited the Palmdale event as an example of why the county must crack down on large parties. The motion directs the county’s chief executive to look for money in the budget to help the Sheriff’s Department investigate such events.
Times staff writer Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--Special delivery: Mountain lions rescued from Zogg fire arrive at new home

Three young mountain lions rescued from a Northern California wildfire have arrived at their new home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium just in time for the holidays , thanks to a special transport from FedEx .
Firefighters with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection first found the cubs in the days after the Zogg fire tore through 56,000 acres in Shasta and Tehama counties in September .
One cub , dubbed Captain Cal , was so small that rescuers initially mistook him for a house cat .
After his rescue , Captain Cal was taken to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts from UC Davis to treat him for singed whiskers and burned paw pads .
He was only 4 to 6 weeks old at the time .
The feisty feline was then introduced to two unnamed sister cubs also rescued from the Zogg fire .
Just 5 weeks old at the time , the twins had lost their mother in the blaze .
The three cubs were first introduced through a barrier to make sure they would get along , Oakland Zoo spokeswoman Erin Harrison said , and also because Captain Cal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As he grew healthier , proper introductions were made and the trio became fast friends .
“ They bonded from the first moment , ” Harrison said .
After about two months of care , the cubs were ready to embark on the next leg of their journey .
The Oakland Zoo partnered with FedEx , which transported the cubs to their new digs in Ohio on Dec. 1 , free of charge .
Harrison said the shipping company often helps the zoo with animal transport because it has the capacity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done it for us for tigers , grizzly bears and now these cubs , ” she said .
“ We ’ re really appreciative.
” In a Facebook update Monday , the zoo shared a video of the trio — now a bit older and larger — snuggled into a large crate as they were placed onto an early morning flight .
They were safe and sound in Columbus by dinnertime , officials said .
The cubs aren ’ t the only animals rescued during California ’ s worst wildfire season .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were rehabilitated in recent months , and just last week , a young bobcat burned by the El Dorado fire was returned to the wild .
The 7- to 9-month-old bobcat was treated for severe wounds , some of which were infected , at San Diego Humane Society ’ s Ramona Wildlife Center .
She responded so well to care that she doubled in size over the course of her two-month treatment , Andy Blue , the center ’ s campus director , said in a news release .
“ This little fighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming a feisty predator who will be able to fend for herself in nature , ” Blue said .
“ We are thrilled !
” But not every animal is a great candidate for returning to the wild .
Harrison said mountain lions cubs such as Captain Cal and his companions typically stay with their mothers for the first two years of their life to learn to hunt and survive .
“ When they ’ re [ orphaned ] this young , the only option is for them to live in a zoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Putting them back in the wild would just be another death sentence.
” The Columbus Zoo will unveil the names of the two sister cubs soon , Harrison said .
The plan is for the threesome to remain together at the facility for the rest of their lives .
“ They sleep in a pile .
They play with each other .
They ’ re so tight now , ” she said .
“ They ’ re a true family .
”

The cubs arrived at their new home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium just in time for the holidays.
Three young mountain lions rescued from a Northern California wildfire have arrived at their new home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium just in time for the holidays, thanks to a special transport from FedEx.
Firefighters with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection first found the cubs in the days after the Zogg fire tore through 56,000 acres in Shasta and Tehama counties in September.
One cub, dubbed Captain Cal, was so small that rescuers initially mistook him for a house cat.
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After his rescue, Captain Cal was taken to the Oakland Zoo, where veterinarians worked with experts from UC Davis to treat him for singed whiskers and burned paw pads. He was only 4 to 6 weeks old at the time.
The feisty feline was then introduced to two unnamed sister cubs also rescued from the Zogg fire. Just 5 weeks old at the time, the twins had lost their mother in the blaze.
The three cubs were first introduced through a barrier to make sure they would get along, Oakland Zoo spokeswoman Erin Harrison said, and also because Captain Cal was still wrapped in bandages from his burns.
As he grew healthier, proper introductions were made and the trio became fast friends.
“They bonded from the first moment,” Harrison said.
After about two months of care, the cubs were ready to embark on the next leg of their journey. The Oakland Zoo partnered with FedEx, which transported the cubs to their new digs in Ohio on Dec. 1, free of charge.
Harrison said the shipping company often helps the zoo with animal transport because it has the capacity for large cargo.
“They’ve done it for us for tigers, grizzly bears and now these cubs,” she said. “We’re really appreciative.”
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In a Facebook update Monday, the zoo shared a video of the trio — now a bit older and larger — snuggled into a large crate as they were placed onto an early morning flight. They were safe and sound in Columbus by dinnertime, officials said.
The cubs aren’t the only animals rescued during California’s worst wildfire season.
A badly burned bear and a singed owl were rehabilitated in recent months, and just last week, a young bobcat burned by the El Dorado fire was returned to the wild.
The 7- to 9-month-old bobcat was treated for severe wounds, some of which were infected, at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. She responded so well to care that she doubled in size over the course of her two-month treatment, Andy Blue, the center’s campus director, said in a news release.
“This little fighter went from emaciated with severe burns to becoming a feisty predator who will be able to fend for herself in nature,” Blue said. “We are thrilled!”
But not every animal is a great candidate for returning to the wild. Harrison said mountain lions cubs such as Captain Cal and his companions typically stay with their mothers for the first two years of their life to learn to hunt and survive.
“When they’re [orphaned] this young, the only option is for them to live in a zoo or a sanctuary,” she said. “Putting them back in the wild would just be another death sentence.”
The Columbus Zoo will unveil the names of the two sister cubs soon, Harrison said. The plan is for the threesome to remain together at the facility for the rest of their lives.
“They sleep in a pile. They play with each other. They’re so tight now,” she said. “They’re a true family.”


latimes--2020-12-08--With eviction protections ending, California lawmakers propose an extension to help tenants

A state law protecting tenants from evictions in California expires in two months , but lawmakers are seeking an extension until the end of next year , citing continuing economic hardships from a new stay-at-home order that ’ s meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
The current law bars evictions as long as renters pay at least 25 % of their rent and attest to financial hardship , but it expires on Jan. 31 , 2021 .
Legislation introduced Monday would extend the protections for 11 months , until Dec. 31 of next year .
“ As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frightening COVID surges , keeping renters in their homes is crucial to ensuring our communities are healthy , ” said Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) , author of AB 15 , in a written statement .
“ Allowing these protections to expire Feb. 1 could lead to a wave of evictions and an increase in COVID cases.
” Chiu also introduced a second piece of legislation , AB 16 , that would provide unspecified rental relief for those who face debt from complying with AB 15 , should that extension be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require tenants to pay 25 % of their rent owed between Sept. 1 , 2020 , and Dec. 31 , 2021 , to avoid eviction , with any remaining amounts owed to the landlord converted to civil debt .
A bill was also introduced Monday by state Sen. Anna Caballero ( D-Salinas ) that would extend protections for two months — to March 31 , 2021 — but the measure is likely to be amended to expand protections .
A bill by the senator last year , which did not advance , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three years as long as a landlord and tenant reached an agreement on forgiving rent in exchange for the landlord receiving a tax credit .
Tenant advocates say the extension is critical .
But the effort faces a difficult battle because it would require a two-thirds vote to take effect before the current law expires , and landlord groups are already voicing concerns about what the new law would look like .
The tension over the issue resulted in Gov .
Gavin Newsom getting involved in intense negotiations between landlord and tenant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August .
Any extension of the law would have to include financial assistance , especially for small landlords , and the length of the extension will be an issue , said Debra Carlton , an executive vice president of the California Apartment Assn.
, which represents landlords .
“ We prefer a more incremental approach , maybe going quarter by quarter , so we can see distribution of vaccines , look at what is going to happen with our employment rate , see if businesses are going to open , ” Carlton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach we have asked for.
” The current law , signed by Newsom in August , and local ordinances have allowed the state to avoid mass evictions , partly because many landlords mistakenly think the state has put a blanket moratorium on evicting tenants , said Nathaly Medina , an attorney with the nonprofit Eviction Defense Network .
“ We haven ’ t seen the tsunami of evictions that we were expecting , ” Medina said .
The struggles of tenants and landlords are many and growing .
Nearly a quarter of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind on their rent payments by the end of the year , according to an estimate by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia .
The average household in arrears will owe nearly $ 7,000 , with a total of $ 1.7 billion owed to landlords , the study said .
A U.S. Census Bureau survey found that , as of last month , 14 % of tenant families in California reported being behind on their rent payments .
A study in May by Gary Blasi , law professor emeritus at the UCLA School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 365,000 households in Los Angeles County at high risk of eviction because they did not have enough income to pay rent , and those households collectively contained 558,000 children .
Last week , a spike in coronavirus cases prompted Newsom to announce new restrictions on travel and businesses that , again , will cause many households to suffer financial hardship , Medina said .
“ We are expecting people who maybe got a little bit of stability by getting their job back losing work again because of this , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge increase in evictions primarily because when AB 3088 expires on Feb. 1 , tenants are expected to start paying their full rent.
” The potential that the eviction protections will expire worries Kelli Lloyd , a single mother of two who lives in Los Angeles and lost income as a real estate agent when the stay-at-home order hurt business in April .
“ It could make myself and my children homeless , ” Lloyd said .
“ The extension of AB 3088 is essential.
” Lloyd , who is currently going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earn enough to cover her rent affected not only by orders restricting businesses , but also by school closures that spurred her to stay at home and home-school her children , who are 7 and 10 .
She would like to see any new legislation include rent forgiveness for those struggling during the pandemic .
Landlords have their own ideas of what new legislation should look like .
This year , many large landlords with mortgages have been able to weather the effects of diminished rental returns .
“ Up to this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forbearance where there were mortgages , ” Carlton said .
“ I think smaller mom and pops are the ones really struggling.
” She said many landlords with four or fewer units were depending on the income to cover their expenses in retirement , and to allow them to pay property taxes and maintenance expenses , so the state should include financial assistance in any new law .
Although the state was facing a deep budget deficit last summer because of COVID-19 , state officials last month projected that the California treasury could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year but might plunge to a projected deficit of $ 17.5 billion by the middle of 2025 .
In addition , Carlton says there ’ s a chance of financial help for tenants and landlords from Washington when Democrat Joe Biden becomes president in January .
Without financial assistance from the state or federal governments , extending the eviction protection law would likely result in foreclosures , which could reduce the supply of housing for renters , Carlton warned .
As a result , the talk of extension “ really hinges upon providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay the bills , ” Carlton said .
“ We are not opposed to extending the sunset but financial assistance is really imperative to continue .
”

Ian Jameson of El Monte, center, organized a group of tenant rights activists, who assembled at El Monte City Hall in March to demand an eviction moratorium.
A state law protecting tenants from evictions in California expires in two months, but lawmakers are seeking an extension until the end of next year, citing continuing economic hardships from a new stay-at-home order that’s meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The current law bars evictions as long as renters pay at least 25% of their rent and attest to financial hardship, but it expires Jan. 31, 2021. Legislation introduced Monday would extend the protections for 11 months, until Dec. 31 of next year.
“As we move into one of the most frightening COVID surges, keeping renters in their homes is crucial to ensuring our communities are healthy,” Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), author of AB 15, said in a written statement. “Allowing these protections to expire Feb. 1 could lead to a wave of evictions and an increase in COVID cases.”
Chiu also introduced a second piece of legislation, AB 16, that would provide unspecified rental relief for those who face debt from complying with AB 15, should that extension be enacted into law. AB 15 would require tenants to pay 25% of their rent owed between Sept. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021, to avoid eviction, with any remaining amounts owed to the landlord converted to civil debt.
A bill was also introduced Monday by state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) that would extend protections for two months — to March 31, 2021 — but the measure is likely to be amended to expand protections.
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A bill by the senator last legislative session, which did not advance, would have created a process for preventing evictions for three years as long as a landlord and tenant reached an agreement on forgiving rent in exchange for the landlord receiving a tax credit.
Tenant advocates say the extension is critical. But the effort faces a difficult battle because it would require a two-thirds vote to take effect before the current law expires, and landlord groups are already voicing concerns about what the new law would look like.
The tension over the issue resulted in Gov. Gavin Newsom getting involved in intense negotiations between landlord and tenant advocates when the current law was drafted in August.
Any extension of the law would have to include financial assistance, especially for small landlords, and the length of the extension will be an issue, said Debra Carlton, an executive vice president of the California Apartment Assn., which represents landlords.
“We prefer a more incremental approach, maybe going quarter by quarter, so we can see distribution of vaccines, look at what is going to happen with our employment rate, see if businesses are going to open,” Carlton said. “That’s the approach we have asked for.”
The current law, signed by Newsom in August, and local ordinances have allowed the state to avoid mass evictions, partly because many landlords mistakenly think the state has put a blanket moratorium on evicting tenants, said Nathaly Medina, an attorney with the nonprofit Eviction Defense Network.
Advertisement
“We haven’t seen the tsunami of evictions that we were expecting,” Medina said.
The struggles of tenants and landlords are many and growing. Nearly a quarter of a million tenant households in California will be behind on their rent payments by the end of the year, according to an estimate by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The average household in arrears will owe nearly $7,000, with a total of $1.7 billion owed to landlords, the study said.
A U.S. Census Bureau survey found that, as of last month, 14% of tenant families in California reported being behind on their rent payments.
A study in May by Gary Blasi, professor emeritus at the UCLA School of Law, found there were then 365,000 households in Los Angeles County at high risk of eviction because they did not have enough income to pay rent, and those households collectively contained 558,000 children.
Last week, a rise in coronavirus cases prompted Newsom to announce new restrictions on travel and businesses that, again, will cause many households to suffer financial hardship, Medina said.
“We are expecting people who maybe got a little bit of stability by getting their job back losing work again because of this,” she said. “We are expecting to see a huge increase in evictions primarily because when AB 3088 expires on Feb. 1, tenants are expected to start paying their full rent.”
The potential that the eviction protections will expire worries Kelli Lloyd, a single mother of two who lives in Los Angeles and lost income as a real estate agent when the stay-at-home order hurt business in April.
“It could make myself and my children homeless,” Lloyd said. “The extension of AB 3088 is essential.”
Lloyd, who is attending law school, saw her ability to earn enough to cover her rent affected not only by orders restricting businesses, but also by school closures that spurred her to stay at home and home-school her children, who are 7 and 10.
She would like to see any new legislation include rent forgiveness for those struggling during the pandemic.
Landlords have their own ideas of what new legislation should look like.
This year, many large landlords with mortgages have been able to weather the effects of diminished rental returns.
“Up to this point, banks have been cooperative in providing forbearance where there were mortgages,” Carlton said. “I think smaller mom and pops are the ones really struggling.”
She said many landlords with four or fewer units were depending on the income to cover their expenses in retirement, and to allow them to pay property taxes and maintenance expenses, so the state should include financial assistance in any new law.
Although the state was facing a deep budget deficit last summer because of COVID-19, state officials last month projected that the California treasury could see a $26-billion tax windfall this year but might plunge to a projected deficit of $17.5 billion by the middle of 2025.
In addition, Carlton says there’s a chance of financial help for tenants and landlords from Washington when Democrat Joe Biden becomes president in January.
Without financial assistance from the state or federal governments, extending the eviction protection law would probably result in foreclosures, which could reduce the supply of housing for renters, Carlton warned.
As a result, the talk of extension “really hinges upon providing some dollars for landlords and tenants to pay the bills,” Carlton said. “We are not opposed to extending the sunset but financial assistance is really imperative to continue.”
Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-08--Survey finds many Angelenos approve of the LAPD, but also want some funding shifted

Los Angeles residents largely approve of their police department and feel that LAPD officers do a good job protecting their communities , but they also support the Black Lives Matter movement and want to see some police funding shifted to alternative social services , according to a survey conducted by Loyola Marymount University .
While a majority of respondents opposed abolishing or “ defunding ” the Los Angeles Police Department entirely , they strongly backed the idea of dispatching trained crisis response specialists on calls involving mental health crises , substance abuse and homelessness — either in lieu of armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey found .
“ Clearly there is some significant support for redirecting some of the budget away from LAPD , ” Fernando Guerra , director of the university ’ s Study LA research center , told the Police Commission during a virtual meeting Tuesday .
“ Their gut instinct is that something of this nature has to happen.
” Guerra said the results showed that “ Angelenos want a new way of thinking about public safety that is very different from what it was ” decades ago .
He said they also showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by race and geographic area — with significantly less trust in police among communities of color and in low-income neighborhoods — and highlighted several warning signs for the department , including concerns among some residents that police sometimes stop people without justification , and that the force used by officers during recent protests was excessive .
The findings of the new study , commissioned by the LAPD , mirror other recent polling that showed an appetite for change in how law enforcement interacts with residents in crises — even if it means shifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intensifying debate around police funding moving forward .
The results presented Tuesday morning came amid increasing violent crime and as city officials mulled a plan to eliminate more than 350 police officer positions to address a yawning $ 675-million budget deficit .
While more than half of the nearly 1,800 respondents said they felt Los Angeles was headed in the wrong direction — a more than 20-percentage-point drop in optimism from five years ago — nearly two-thirds said they felt the LAPD was doing a good job maintaining public safety where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said police were doing a good job treating members of their community with respect .
At the same time , more than 62 % of respondents said they supported proposals to redirect some money from police to local programs .
Nearly 37 % of respondents were in favor of completely dismantling the police department to give more financial support to local programs , while 63 % opposed that idea .
Respondents were more split on the general idea of “ defunding ” police , with 47 % in favor and 53 % opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals in crisis being met with teams of first responders that included police and nonpolice responders , particularly when the incidents were described as nonviolent .
More than 82 % said they approved of a model that would “ divert calls for service in nonviolent situations away from the LAPD , and toward unarmed social and mental health professionals.
” For calls about mental health crises , more than 52 % said they wanted to see teams of police and nonpolice responders , with another 31 % saying they favored nonpolice responses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted teams and 22 % wanted nonpolice alternatives .
For calls about people experiencing homelessness , 46 % said they preferred teams , while another 33 % wanted nonpolice alternatives .
Respondents were more split when it came to calls for domestic violence and sexual assault , with more than 40 % of respondents calling for police alone to respond to each type of incident .
Among all those surveyed , about 58 % said the LAPD does a good job responding to incidents with an “ appropriate amount of officers , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South L.A. Of all respondents , 46.5 % said they would describe their experiences with police as “ mostly positive , ” while about 20 % said they would describe their experiences as “ mostly negative.
” Another third said they hadn ’ t had any experiences with police .
Positive impressions were substantially less common among Black and Latino residents and among residents of South L.A .
While more than 65 % of white respondents reported having “ mostly positive ” experiences with the LAPD , only about 28 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents reported the same .
Nearly 38 % of Black respondents reported having “ mostly negative ” experiences .
A full 30 % of Black respondents said they could never trust their local LAPD officers to do the right thing , compared with just 4.2 % of white respondents , 5.7 % of Asian respondents and 9.8 % of Latino respondents .
The Study LA survey , which claimed a 2.5 % margin of error , was conducted over the phone , online and in person between August and October .
Respondents answered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in various parts of the city .
Members of the Police Commission lauded the survey as providing critical analysis that will help inform the department on issues it needs to address .
Commissioner Lou Calanche said she was interested in parsing responses that showed less police trust among youth and in low-income communities , which did not come as a surprise to her .
Commissioner Steve Soboroff said he was shocked that , despite large amounts of support for the LAPD , more than a third of respondents suggested that the department should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interested in digging into the data in order to “ interpret this for progress ” and make changes that address concerns in the community .
The commission took up the survey after having a long discussion with LAPD Chief Michel Moore about the looming budget cuts .
Moore left the commission meeting prior to discussion of the survey results , headed to a City Council meeting where the cuts were to be discussed .
Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala said the survey “ helps to provide a focus of where we need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in trust in certain communities where the department could be doing a better job communicating and connecting with residents — including younger residents .
Commission President Eileen Decker said the commission would continue to evaluate the findings of the survey in coming days and work with the Police Department to implement any changes that could help address concerns identified .

A new survey found many Angelenos approve of the LAPD, but also would like to see some of its funding shifted.
Los Angeles residents largely approve of their police department and feel that LAPD officers do a good job protecting their communities, but they also support the Black Lives Matter movement and want to see some police funding shifted to alternative social services, according to a survey conducted by Loyola Marymount University.
While a majority of respondents opposed abolishing or “defunding” the Los Angeles Police Department entirely, they strongly backed the idea of dispatching trained crisis response specialists on calls involving mental health crises, substance abuse and homelessness — either in lieu of armed police officers or alongside them, the survey found.
“Clearly there is some significant support for redirecting some of the budget away from LAPD,” Fernando Guerra, director of the university’s Study LA research center, told the Police Commission during a virtual meeting Tuesday. “Their gut instinct is that something of this nature has to happen.”
Advertisement
Guerra said the results showed that “Angelenos want a new way of thinking about public safety that is very different from what it was” decades ago.
He said they also showed that perceptions of the LAPD vary greatly by race and geographic area — with significantly less trust in police among communities of color and in low-income neighborhoods — and highlighted several warning signs for the department, including concerns among some residents that police sometimes stop people without justification, and that the force used by officers during recent protests was excessive.
The findings of the new study, commissioned by the LAPD, mirror other recent polling that showed an appetite for change in how law enforcement interacts with residents in crises — even if it means shifting budget priorities — and could help inform an intensifying debate around police funding moving forward.
The results presented Tuesday morning came amid increasing violent crime and as city officials mulled a plan to eliminate more than 350 police officer positions to address a yawning $675-million budget deficit.
While more than half of the nearly 1,800 respondents said they felt Los Angeles was headed in the wrong direction — a more than 20-percentage-point drop in optimism from five years ago — nearly two-thirds said they felt the LAPD was doing a good job maintaining public safety where they lived, and more than 60% said police were doing a good job treating members of their community with respect.
At the same time, more than 62% of respondents said they supported proposals to redirect some money from police to local programs.
Advertisement
Nearly 37% of respondents were in favor of completely dismantling the police department to give more financial support to local programs, while 63% opposed that idea. Respondents were more split on the general idea of “defunding” police, with 47% in favor and 53% opposed.
Respondents heavily supported the idea of individuals in crisis being met with teams of first responders that included police and nonpolice responders, particularly when the incidents were described as nonviolent.
More than 82% said they approved of a model that would “divert calls for service in nonviolent situations away from the LAPD, and toward unarmed social and mental health professionals.”
For calls about mental health crises, more than 52% said they wanted to see teams of police and nonpolice responders, with another 31% saying they favored nonpolice responses. For substance abuse calls, 51% wanted teams and 22% wanted nonpolice alternatives. For calls about people experiencing homelessness, 46% said they preferred teams, while another 33% wanted nonpolice alternatives.
Respondents were more split when it came to calls for domestic violence and sexual assault, with more than 40% of respondents calling for police alone to respond to each type of incident.
Among all those surveyed, about 58% said the LAPD does a good job responding to incidents with an “appropriate amount of officers,” while that figure dropped below 50% in South L.A.
Of all respondents, 46.5% said they would describe their experiences with police as “mostly positive,” while about 20% said they would describe their experiences as “mostly negative.” Another third said they hadn’t had any experiences with police.
Positive impressions were substantially less common among Black and Latino residents and among residents of South L.A. While more than 65% of white respondents reported having “mostly positive” experiences with the LAPD, only about 28% of Black residents and 37% of Latino residents reported the same. Nearly 38% of Black respondents reported having “mostly negative” experiences.
A full 30% of Black respondents said they could never trust their local LAPD officers to do the right thing, compared with just 4.2% of white respondents, 5.7% of Asian respondents and 9.8% of Latino respondents.
The Study LA survey, which claimed a 2.5% margin of error, was conducted over the phone, online and in person between August and October. Respondents answered questions in multiple languages and were surveyed in various parts of the city.
Members of the Police Commission lauded the survey as providing critical analysis that will help inform the department on issues it needs to address.
Commissioner Lou Calanche said she was interested in parsing responses that showed less police trust among youth and in low-income communities, which did not come as a surprise to her.
Commissioner Steve Soboroff said he was shocked that, despite large amounts of support for the LAPD, more than a third of respondents suggested that the department should be dismantled. He said he was interested in digging into the data in order to “interpret this for progress” and make changes that address concerns in the community.
The commission took up the survey after having a long discussion with LAPD Chief Michel Moore about the looming budget cuts. Moore left the commission meeting prior to discussion of the survey results, headed to a City Council meeting where the cuts were to be discussed.
Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala said the survey “helps to provide a focus of where we need to be tomorrow,” including by identifying gaps in trust in certain communities where the department could be doing a better job communicating and connecting with residents — including younger residents.
Commission President Eileen Decker said the commission would continue to evaluate the findings of the survey in coming days and work with the Police Department to implement any changes that could help address concerns identified.


latimes--2020-12-08--Kathy Gosnell, veteran L.A. Times copy editor who perfected the paper's signature stories, dies at 7

Kathy Gosnell, veteran L.A. Times copy editor who perfected the paper's signature stories, dies at 75

Kathleen Gosnell Seiler , a consummate copy editor whose meticulous blue pen perfected the Los Angeles Times ’ signature stories for 23 years , has died at age 75 .
Her family said Gosnell suffered a brain hemorrhage after a fall at her home and died Dec. 1 in a hospital in De Kalb , Ill. , where she lived .
Known professionally by her maiden name , Gosnell was a native of De Kalb .
She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a journalism degree in 1970 and worked in the Chicago area before relocating to Southern California five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gosnell ’ s proof pages were a sight to behold , said Thomas Curwen , a Times narrative writer : copy circled on nearly every page , every sentence and paragraph — and that was after three editors had already combed for errors .
“ This was not a gray area : a participle properly modified a noun or it didn ’ t , ” Curwen said .
“ She represented an old guard at the paper that recognized how important copy editors were as a last bastion to assure there was clarity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being represented in every paper.
” Her work paid off when she and her colleagues won the Pulitzer Prize for spot news — stories written as they unfolded , the hardest kind to get right in every detail .
The 1995 prize entry captured the chaos and devastation of the 1994 Northridge earthquake , which killed at least 57 people and left more than $ 40 billion in damage .
Gosnell was also instrumental in creating the 1995 Los Angeles Times style and usage guide , drawing on her love of journalism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and also more equitable .
“ She was very knowledgable about the use of language , how to be most effective in describing daily events , ” said Jim LaVally , who worked with her on the Metro news desk .
The stylebook overhaul “ made a big difference in stories about women , and the language used to describe people who aren ’ t white heterosexual males , ” said Judy Dugan , a former deputy editorial page editor for The Times .
Gosnell was constantly updating the style guide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself .
It was all in her head .
“ We all knew our grammar and spelling , and we all were ‘ Jeopardy !
'-type masters of trivia , esoterica and arcana , ” said David Bowman , who worked with Gosnell on the copy desk , “ but she really did serve as a walking , talking in-house stylebook — a font of institutional knowledge.
” LaVally said Gosnell came into journalism when women editors were rarer than they are today .
It wasn ’ t easy .
But she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to high-ego hot shots who resisted changes she knew would make the story better .
“ It wasn ’ t unusual for section editors to go nuts when they got her proofs , ” Curwen said .
“ She had a confidence and a faith in her own ability that allowed her to stand up for what she felt was right , ” said LaVally .
Gosnell ’ s daughter , Jessie Seiler , grew up at The Times ’ landmark headquarters in downtown Los Angeles , making a fort under her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother worked on the Pulitzer entry .
She remembers watching from The Times ’ 10th floor cafeteria window as the landscape undulated with earthquake aftershocks .
Seiler , 34 , a former Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal , said her mother brought her journalistic ethics home .
Nonpartisanship was sacrosanct ; there were never political yard signs or bumper stickers in the Gosnell household .
“ That integrity was such a huge part of her daily life , and it informed who I was , ” said Seiler , who is in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington .
After retiring from The Times in 2012 , Gosnell worked as a freelance book and articles editor and volunteered as a CASA foster child advocate and a youth tutor .
In addition to her daughter , Kathy is survived by her siblings , Bob Gosnell , Mary Koczan , Mike Gosnell and Judy Ewens .
She was preceded in death by her son , Sandy Seiler .

Kathy Gosnell was instrumental in creating the 1995 L.A. Times stylebook, drawing on her love of journalism and language to make the newspaper more credible and equitable.
Kathleen Gosnell Seiler, a consummate copy editor whose meticulous blue pen perfected the Los Angeles Times’ signature stories for 23 years, has died at age 75.
Her family said Gosnell suffered a brain hemorrhage after a fall at her home and died Dec. 1 in a hospital in DeKalb, Ill., where she lived.
Gosnell was a native of DeKalb. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a journalism degree in 1970 and worked in the Chicago area before relocating to Southern California five years later and joining The Times.
Gosnell’s proof pages were a sight to behold, said Thomas Curwen, a Times narrative writer: copy circled on nearly every page, every sentence and paragraph — and that was after three editors had already combed for errors.
Advertisement
“This was not a gray area: A participle properly modified a noun or it didn’t,” Curwen said. “She represented an old guard at the paper that recognized how important copy editors were as a last bastion to assure there was clarity and lucidity and that unambiguous facts were being represented in every paper.”
Her work paid off when she and her colleagues won the Pulitzer Prize for spot news — stories written as they unfolded, the hardest kind to get right in every detail. The 1995 prize entry captured the chaos and devastation of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which killed at least 57 people and left more than $40 billion in damage.
Gosnell was also instrumental in creating the 1995 Los Angeles Times style and usage guide, drawing on her love of journalism and language to make the newspaper more credible — and also more equitable.
“She was very knowledgeable about the use of language, how to be most effective in describing daily events,” said Jim LaVally, who worked with her on the Metro news desk.
The stylebook overhaul “made a big difference in stories about women, and the language used to describe people who aren’t white heterosexual males,” said Judy Dugan, a former deputy editorial page editor for The Times.
Gosnell was constantly updating the style guide, but she had little need for it herself. It was all in her head.
“We all knew our grammar and spelling, and we all were ‘Jeopardy!’-type masters of trivia, esoterica and arcana,” said David Bowman, who worked with Gosnell on the copy desk, “but she really did serve as a walking, talking in-house stylebook — a font of institutional knowledge.”
LaVally said Gosnell came into journalism when women editors were rarer than they are today. It wasn’t easy. But she had the credibility and moxie to stand up to high-ego hot shots who resisted changes she knew would make the story better.
“It wasn’t unusual for section editors to go nuts when they got her proofs,” Curwen said.
“She had a confidence and a faith in her own ability that allowed her to stand up for what she felt was right,” said LaVally.
Advertisement
Gosnell’s daughter, Jessie Seiler, grew up at The Times’ landmark headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, making a fort under her mother’s desk and reading while her mother worked on the Pulitzer entry. She remembers watching from The Times’ 10th floor cafeteria window as the landscape undulated with earthquake aftershocks.
Seiler, 34, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, said her mother brought her journalistic ethics home. Nonpartisanship was sacrosanct; there were never political yard signs or bumper stickers in the Gosnell household.
“That integrity was such a huge part of her daily life, and it informed who I was,” said Seiler, who is in an epidemiology doctoral program at the University of Washington.
After retiring from The Times in 2012, Gosnell worked as a freelance book and articles editor and volunteered as a CASA foster child advocate and a youth tutor.
In addition to her daughter, Kathy is survived by her siblings, Bob Gosnell, Mary Koczan, Mike Gosnell and Judy Ewens. She was preceded in death by her son, Sandy Seiler.


latimes--2020-12-08--L.A. County could get 84,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses by next week

After nine months on a seesaw of lockdowns and reopenings , Los Angeles County will likely get its first allocation of COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week .
The plan will be to rapidly deploy the 84,000 doses to healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic .
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said at Tuesday ’ s Board of Supervisors meeting that the county could get its second and third allocations of doses later this month , and then weekly allotments starting next year .
Because the supply initially will be limited , the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee and the California Department of Public Health have separately developed guidance that the county will follow to determine who gets the vaccine first , Ferrer said .
Along with healthcare workers at acute care hospitals , residents at long-term care facilities , including nursing homes , will likely start getting vaccinated this month .
“ Ideally , that will happen through a turnkey process that the federal government has set up with contracts with CVS and with Walgreens to be the administrator for vaccinations at all long-term care facilities , ” Ferrer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t gel quickly enough , the county will set aside vaccine and use strike teams to vaccinate residents at long-term care facilities , Ferrer said .
Ferrer said , based off rough estimates , the county needs about 300,000 doses for healthcare workers and 175,000 doses for residents and employees at long-term care facilities to complete the first phase of vaccinations .
Those vaccinated would then need a second dose , she said .
The federal government has assured the county , Ferrer said , that it will receive those second doses quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of January we would have received enough vaccine here in the county that we have completed ” vaccinating those populations , Ferrer said , “ but again the unknown is how quickly allocations will get out into our field.
” Essential workers , including teachers , child-care providers , law enforcement officers and firefighters will be among the next to be vaccinated .
The county ’ s Department of Public Health will look to the CDC ’ s guidance in determining the definition of “ essential worker , ” Ferrer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of essential worker is going to be very important , in terms of , is that going to include like the grocery store clerks , et cetera , who right now still have to go to work ?
” Ferrer said .
“ But , for sure , it includes teachers and , for sure , it includes first responders ” and correctional facility workers .
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said at Tuesday ’ s meeting she was concerned about how inmates in county jails would get vaccines .
Many inmates are people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , often return to communities of color that have seen high rates of COVID-19 illness and death .
Vaccinating them could help with slowing the spread of the virus , Kuehl said .
Ferrer did not provide further details about how inmates would get vaccines , other than to say the current focus is on healthcare workers and long-term care residents .
County officials have previously said that healthy adults likely won ’ t receive vaccines until late spring or summer of next year .
Also on Tuesday , health officials stressed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting to show in the COVID-19 numbers , ensuring that L.A. County ’ s daily case reports will remain high .
California reported 34,490 new coronavirus cases Monday , a figure much higher than any previous daily count , according to data compiled by The Times .
So large is the gap between Monday ’ s reported cases and the previous single-day record — set Friday , when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers , 12,121 , would have ranked among California ’ s highest tabulations before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city become the norm rather than the exception .
Over the last week , California has averaged 22,220 new coronavirus cases per day — a 78 % increase from two weeks ago , according to The Times ’ county-by-county tally of infections .
Both health officials and the county supervisors stressed that it is more important than ever to stay home , wear a mask and practice social distancing .
“ There is a little bit of hope with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time , we can see our cases skyrocketing , and our residents have never been more at risk of catching this virus , ” Supervisor Janice Hahn said .

After nine months on a seesaw of lockdowns and reopenings, Los Angeles County will likely get its first allocation of COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week.
The plan will be to rapidly deploy the 84,000 doses to healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting that the county could get its second and third allocations of doses later this month, and then weekly allotments starting next year.
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Because the supply initially will be limited, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization advisory committee and the California Department of Public Health have separately developed guidance that the county will follow to determine who gets the vaccine first, Ferrer said. Along with healthcare workers at acute care hospitals, residents at long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, will likely start getting vaccinated this month.
“Ideally, that will happen through a turnkey process that the federal government has set up with contracts with CVS and with Walgreens to be the administrator for vaccinations at all long-term care facilities,” Ferrer said.
If that partnership doesn’t gel quickly enough, the county will set aside vaccine and use strike teams to vaccinate residents at long-term care facilities, Ferrer said.
Ferrer said, based off rough estimates, the county needs about 300,000 doses for healthcare workers and 175,000 doses for residents and employees at long-term care facilities to complete the first phase of vaccinations. Those vaccinated would then need a second dose, she said. The federal government has assured the county, Ferrer said, that it will receive those second doses quickly.
“Our hope would be by the end of January we would have received enough vaccine here in the county that we have completed” vaccinating those populations, Ferrer said, “but again the unknown is how quickly allocations will get out into our field.”
Essential workers, including teachers, child-care providers, law enforcement officers and firefighters will be among the next to be vaccinated.
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The county’s Department of Public Health will look to the CDC’s guidance in determining the definition of “essential worker,” Ferrer said.
“Here is where the definition of essential worker is going to be very important, in terms of, is that going to include like the grocery store clerks, et cetera, who right now still have to go to work?” Ferrer said. “But, for sure, it includes teachers and, for sure, it includes first responders” and correctional facility workers.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said at Tuesday’s meeting she was concerned about how inmates in county jails would get vaccines. Many inmates are people of color, and when they leave jail, often return to communities of color that have seen high rates of COVID-19 illness and death. Vaccinating them could help with slowing the spread of the virus, Kuehl said. Ferrer did not provide further details about how inmates would get vaccines, other than to say the current focus is on healthcare workers and long-term care residents.
County officials have previously said that healthy adults likely won’t receive vaccines until late spring or summer of next year.
Also on Tuesday, health officials stressed that transmissions from Thanksgiving travel and gatherings are starting to show in the COVID-19 numbers, ensuring that L.A. County’s daily case reports will remain high.
California reported 34,490 new coronavirus cases Monday, a figure much higher than any previous daily count, according to data compiled by The Times.
So large is the gap between Monday’s reported cases and the previous single-day record — set Friday, when 22,369 cases were tallied — that the difference of the two numbers, 12,121, would have ranked among California’s highest tabulations before the latest surge.
The numbers may foreshadow a time when daily infection counts equaling the size of a small city become the norm rather than the exception.
Over the last week, California has averaged 22,220 new coronavirus cases per day — a 78% increase from two weeks ago, according to The Times’ county-by-county tally of infections.
Both health officials and the county supervisors stressed that it is more important than ever to stay home, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
“There is a little bit of hope with the vaccine right around the corner, but at the same time, we can see our cases skyrocketing, and our residents have never been more at risk of catching this virus,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said.


latimes--2020-12-08--After years of turmoil, 'Dreamer' and author Marcelo Hernandez Castillo is proud to put down Califor

After years of turmoil, 'Dreamer' and author Marcelo Hernandez Castillo is proud to put down California roots

Last month , Marcelo Hernandez Castillo bought a new couch .
That might seem like a small thing , but it felt huge to the Yuba City , Calif.-based poet , whose lyrical memoir , “ Children of the Land , ” describes an upbringing lived in the shadows as part of a family of immigrants from Mexico .
Growing up , “ we never really tried to invest in nice things , ” says Castillo , who joins the L.A. Times Book Club on Dec. 15 .
“ The majority of our life was moving , moving , moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age 32 , Castillo has settled down and planted roots in the Central Valley .
With help from an Obama-era program for “ Dreamers ” who were brought to this country as children , Castillo was able to gain a foothold , earn two college degrees and eventually win a coveted green card : permanent residency status .
He spent Thanksgiving week settling into a rented home with a yard he described as perfect for his family , including his wife , Rubi , 3-year-old son and a Shih Tzu-poodle mix named Kimchi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have that couch : “ Not hand-me-down , not used , not from a thrift store , not gifted or all dilapidated , but a good quality , durable couch that will last me 10 , 15 years .
“ It felt like a milestone in my life — almost on par with graduating from graduate school or from college , ” he says .
“ I almost got weepy when I finally sat down .
I mean , I ’ m renting this house , OK , but I own this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstances of his upbringing .
Castillo was born in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas , where his parents lived in a house with a dirt floor and a tarp roof .
Eventually , they migrated to Northern California , where Castillo ’ s father sold fruit at flea markets and his mother worked in a fruit plant .
Marcelo was 5 when his parents brought him across the border without a visa .
It was a difficult life , marked by financial struggles , constant uprooting and fear of immigration raids .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Castillo said .
“ I wanted a boring life.
” In 2003 , when Castillo was 15 , his father was deported , setting in motion much of the action described in the memoir .
Castillo says his father was hard on the family , enforcing a code of machismo that extended to the clothes his children wore to school every day .
No shorts or baggy pants were allowed — only fitted blue jeans with a belt and a tucked-in shirt , a rigid style out of touch with the times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor too short and had to be combed to one side .
Sneakers were OK , but for reasons unknown , they could not be white .
“ If it was up to him , we would also be wearing cowboy hats to school , ” Castillo writes .
More frightening , he writes , were the episodes of anger , screaming fits and worse that left the family traumatized .
When his father was deported , the family was broken , but his mother was relieved too .
“ Amá says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I should be glad he was gone when and as long as he was , because otherwise I would have never left the fields or peach orchards , ” Castillo writes .
“ His gift was precisely the absolute fact of his absence.
” Still , after Castillo was approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ( DACA ) in 2013 , he traveled to Mexico for a reunion with his father , their first meeting in 10 years .
Despite their conflicts , Castillo worked tirelessly to win his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , a grinding journey through the immigration bureaucracy .
When the initial efforts failed , Castillo ’ s mother returned to Mexico in 2016 , a decision the family now regards as a mistake .
Eventually , Castillo and his family were able to get both parents back into the United States , where their applications for asylum status are still pending .
After high school , Castillo got a degree from Sacramento State and went on to the University of Michigan , where he earned a master ’ s in fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was favorably received , and he expanded it into a full-length book , “ Cenzóntle ” ( Mockingbird ) , which won several awards , including a Golden Poppy from the California Independent Bookseller Alliance .
After earning his MFA , Castillo returned to the Yuba City area and is now the distinguished visiting writer at St. Mary ’ s College of California in Moraga , where he teaches poetry .
He also teaches in the low-residency MFA program at Ashland University in Ohio ; before the COVID-19 pandemic , he also taught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council in Marysville , Calif. With an eye toward helping other writers of similar background , he co-founded Undocupoets , which successfully advocated to remove citizenship requirements from many poetry prizes .
In January , Castillo published “ Children of the Land , ” which Times reviewer Rigoberto González described as a “ courageous ” work : “ The experience of being an undocumented immigrant from Mexico , written as a personal account , is seldom seen in American literature even though it is a reality for millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In the memoir , Castillo said he tried to combine the lyrical approach of his poetry with a more straightforward account of the obstacles and indignities his family faced .
Short sections are labeled as musical “ movements , ” meditations on his state of mind and his family ’ s history .
Longer , more prosaic sections detail efforts to win residency status for his family , with some of the accounts written almost contemporaneously as events unfolded in several journeys back and forth across the border .
“ With those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have the luxury of being oblique or coded , ” Castillo says .
“ I didn ’ t want to risk being misunderstood , because there were real consequences at hand.
” For the same reason , he maintains the privacy of his family members , referring to his mother only as Amá and not naming his siblings .
His mother , after her sojourn in Mexico , is back in Yuba City .
While the asylum case is still up in the air , the family is more settled than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castillo says they no longer live with the constant , “ debilitating fear ” they had when he was younger .
The endless cycle of moving seems to be over .
Book club : If you go Karla Cornejo Villavicencio , author of “ The Undocumented Americans , ” and Marcelo Hernandez Castillo , author of “ Children of the Land , ” will be in conversation with Times editor Steve Padilla .
Where : L.A. Times Book Club event livestreaming on The Times ’ Facebook page , YouTube and Twitter .
Cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reminder and direct links .

Last month, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo bought a new couch. That might seem like a small thing, but it felt huge to the Yuba City, Calif.-based poet, whose lyrical memoir, “Children of the Land,” describes an upbringing lived in the shadows as part of a family of immigrants from Mexico.
Growing up, “we never really tried to invest in nice things,” says Castillo, who joins the L.A. Times Book Club on Dec. 15. “The majority of our life was moving, moving, moving, moving, moving.”
But at age 32, Castillo has settled down and planted roots in the Central Valley. With help from an Obama-era program for “Dreamers” who were brought to this country as children, Castillo was able to gain a foothold, earn two college degrees and eventually win a coveted green card: permanent residency status.
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He spent Thanksgiving week settling into a rented home with a yard he described as perfect for his family, including his wife, Rubi, 3-year-old son and a Shih Tzu-poodle mix named Kimchi. And for a crowning touch, they have that couch: “Not hand-me-down, not used, not from a thrift store, not gifted or all dilapidated, but a good quality, durable couch that will last me 10, 15 years.
“It felt like a milestone in my life — almost on par with graduating from graduate school or from college,” he says. “I almost got weepy when I finally sat down. I mean, I’m renting this house, OK, but I own this couch.”
To understand, consider the circumstances of his upbringing. Castillo was born in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas, where his parents lived in a house with a dirt floor and a tarp roof. Eventually, they migrated to Northern California, where Castillo’s father sold fruit at flea markets and his mother worked in a fruit plant. Marcelo was 5 when his parents brought him across the border without a visa.
It was a difficult life, marked by financial struggles, constant uprooting and fear of immigration raids. “Some people have enormous dreams,” Castillo said. “I wanted a boring life.”
In 2003, when Castillo was 15, his father was deported, setting in motion much of the action described in the memoir.
Advertisement
Castillo says his father was hard on the family, enforcing a code of machismo that extended to the clothes his children wore to school every day. No shorts or baggy pants were allowed — only fitted blue jeans with a belt and a tucked-in shirt, a rigid style out of touch with the times. Hair could be neither too long nor too short and had to be combed to one side. Sneakers were OK, but for reasons unknown, they could not be white. “If it was up to him, we would also be wearing cowboy hats to school,” Castillo writes.
More frightening, he writes, were the episodes of anger, screaming fits and worse that left the family traumatized. When his father was deported, the family was broken, but his mother was relieved too. “Amá says that even though it was hard on us, I should be glad he was gone when and as long as he was, because otherwise I would have never left the fields or peach orchards,” Castillo writes. “His gift was precisely the absolute fact of his absence.”
Still, after Castillo was approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) in 2013, he traveled to Mexico for a reunion with his father, their first meeting in 10 years. Despite their conflicts, Castillo worked tirelessly to win his father’s return to the United States, a grinding journey through the immigration bureaucracy. When the initial efforts failed, Castillo’s mother returned to Mexico in 2016, a decision the family now regards as a mistake. Eventually, Castillo and his family were able to get both parents back into the United States, where their applications for asylum status are still pending.
After high school, Castillo got a degree from Sacramento State and went on to the University of Michigan, where he earned a master’s in fine arts. His chapbook “Dulce” was favorably received, and he expanded it into a full-length book, “Cenzóntle” (Mockingbird), which won several awards, including a Golden Poppy from the California Independent Bookseller Alliance.
After earning his MFA, Castillo returned to the Yuba City area and is now the distinguished visiting writer at St. Mary’s College of California in Moraga, where he teaches poetry. He also teaches in the low-residency MFA program at Ashland University in Ohio; before the COVID-19 pandemic, he also taught incarcerated youth in a program organized by the Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council in Marysville, Calif. With an eye toward helping other writers of similar background, he co-founded Undocupoets, which successfully advocated to remove citizenship requirements from many poetry prizes.
In January, Castillo published “Children of the Land,” which Times reviewer Rigoberto González described as a “courageous” work: “The experience of being an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, written as a personal account, is seldom seen in American literature even though it is a reality for millions of Mexicans residing in the United States.”
In the memoir, Castillo said he tried to combine the lyrical approach of his poetry with a more straightforward account of the obstacles and indignities his family faced. Short sections are labeled as musical “movements,” meditations on his state of mind and his family’s history. Longer, more prosaic sections detail efforts to win residency status for his family, with some of the accounts written almost contemporaneously as events unfolded in several journeys back and forth across the border.
“With those sections, I felt like I didn’t have the luxury of being oblique or coded,” Castillo says. “I didn’t want to risk being misunderstood, because there were real consequences at hand.”
For the same reason, he maintains the privacy of his family members, referring to his mother only as Amá and not naming his siblings.
His mother, after her sojourn in Mexico, is back in Yuba City. While the asylum case is still up in the air, the family is more settled than it’s ever been, and Castillo says they no longer live with the constant, “debilitating fear” they had when he was younger. The endless cycle of moving seems to be over.
Book club: If you go
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, author of “The Undocumented Americans,” and Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of “Children of the Land,” will be in conversation with Times editor Steve Padilla.
When: 7 p.m. Pacific Dec. 15
Where: L.A. Times Book Club event livestreaming on The Times’ Facebook page, YouTube and Twitter.
Cost: Free. Register on Eventbrite for a reminder and direct links.
Info: latimes.com/bookclub