latimes--2020-07-25--This county knew coronavirus could ravage its farmworkers. Why didn't officials stop it?

As coronavirus cases began to grow in San Joaquin County in June , Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs proposed requiring citizens to wear a mask in his city in the center of the fertile valley , where agriculture is king and poverty pervasive .
The response he received from the county emergency services director , a key figure in coordinating the pandemic response , was disquieting , he said .
“ Stay in your lane , ” wrote Shellie Lima in a June 9 email to Tubbs obtained by The Times , days before the county allowed card rooms , hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am against the proposed mask ordinance for Stockton ... Why would our elected officials feel that they have the medical understanding to do so ?
” Weeks later , San Joaquin is so overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases that military medical teams have been sent to two local hospitals .
ICU beds are scarce , and the surge has hit farm workers especially hard .
Though county figures say about 31 % of overall cases are in the Latino community , some on the front lines estimate that up to 70 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that demographic , in a region where they account for about 42 % of the population , according to census figures .
Experts agree that official case counts across the state may be low because of testing problems .
“ Maybe they don ’ t think it ’ s serious , maybe the people who are most likely impacted are not a priority for them , or maybe it ’ s just a lack of understanding of the science , ” said Tubbs of the county response .
“ We keep treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was.
” In a recent interview with The Times , Lima said that sending the email from her county account was an accident , and its contents did not reflect the views of her office .
But she added that “ so much has changed ” since she wrote it , and acknowledges the county response “ could be better.
” As Gov .
Gavin Newsom detailed Friday , there are many reasons Latino workers , including farmworkers who make up 93 % of the state ’ s agricultural laborers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s cases .
Farmworkers in particular often live in crowded housing , sharing space with other families .
Many are transported to job sites in packed vans , and they have little access to healthcare , including testing , and personal protective equipment .
When they fall ill , the realities of lost wages may drive them to work anyway , exposing others .
But according to advocates for agricultural employees , the coronavirus is also ravaging Latino farmworkers because they have long been treated as disposable labor in California , risking their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help put food on people ’ s tables .
The pandemic has only amplified the brew of conservative politics , economic pressures and historic disparities that run through the farmlands of California ’ s inland counties , they say , resulting in government aid that seems too little , too late .
“ It ’ s just alarming , ” said Jose Rodriguez , president of El Concilio , an advocacy and services organization that runs child-care centers and affordable housing for farmworkers .
“ It ’ s just disappointing how there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health or healthcare providers to find out how these folks are getting it and then try to contain it.
” Though the virus has struck other farm counties , such as Monterey , San Joaquin stands out as a place that dodged the pandemic early but did not use that time to prepare .
As of Friday , the county surpassed 10,000 cases and has counted 110 deaths .
More than 3,700 of its cases have come in the last two weeks .
San Joaquin ’ s public health officer , Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been working to protect farm laborers since March , when the cherry-picking season started and migrant workers began to arrive , but “ despite everyone ’ s best efforts , we still have some outbreaks .
...
Sometimes you just can ’ t control that.
” Farmworkers and their families in San Joaquin say they have seen little help so far .
Citlali Mendoza , 18 , currently lives with her farmworker parents in a low-slung complex of cramped apartments near the county jail .
Each year , the family spends about nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico for the remaining months .
Mendoza , who is starting at Modesto Junior College this fall , said she is “ very worried ” about her mother ’ s and father ’ s heath , especially because of the tight conditions of their apartment complex .
Her unit is a few hundred square feet , filled with framed prints of Catholic saints and a Last Supper wall clock , and shared by six people .
But she says the family has received no aid or information from government sources about the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hard , ” she said .
“ I ’ m really scared.
” Eulogio Granados is a middleman who hires farmworkers and contracts the crews with local farms — a common arrangement that some argue shields growers from the legal responsibilities of being direct employers , but which growers say is necessary because their labor needs fluctuate with the season .
Granados said that he has paid out of pocket for masks for his crew , costing him $ 300 for the last batch of 100 masks .
His cousin has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
“ I should get help , but nobody is doing it , ” Granados said , standing near a field of green tomatoes where his crew was clearing weeds .
“ That ’ s a lot of money.
” Gloria Lopez , another labor broker , said her employer requires social distancing and had received thousands of masks from the county this week .
She was planning on distributing them as soon as she received them .
But nearby , Luis Diaz , 19 , said his employer , different from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide protective equipment , and he believes there should be “ more help for the community.
” Tim Pelican , the county agricultural commissioner charged with helping about 3,580 farms covering 787,000 acres , said he too is frustrated by the slow pace of response .
He said that while the county is working on programs , including mobile testing for farmworkers and quarantine sites for those who live in crowded conditions , they are not currently available .
“ From my standpoint , I think some of the actions came along a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think everybody knew it was going to come , it was just when.
” Newsom announced Friday that his administration was working on a program for quarantine housing for farmworkers , and Park said she discussed it on a call with state officials Thursday for the first time .
Newsom also promised more education for employers , increased access to sick leave and enforcement of labor laws , including requiring employers to report outbreaks .
Rodriguez , the community advocate , said testing and tracking for the Latino community is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lack insurance and are fearful that seeking treatment could lead to deportation , he said .
His organization recently arranged with the county department of public health for a pop-up testing site for the Latino community .
He said 300 people turned out , but the public health department arrived with only 30 tests .
Rodriguez arranged for another day of testing at a Latino grocery story .
More than 600 showed up , though only 300 tests were available .
Rodriguez said that about 10 % of the tests came back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the public health department did not follow up .
The lab sent results directly to his organization to share with the test takers , he said .
Park said the county continues to do contract tracing , but is overwhelmed by the numbers .
On one recent day , the county had about 450 positive cases reported , she said .
Each of those cases has probably exposed multiple people .
“ It almost becomes an impossible feat to get to all of them , ” Park said .
She added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fearful of creating trouble with employers , making it impossible to pinpoint outbreaks .
San Joaquin ’ s supervising epidemiologist , Kelly Rose , said the state system for tracking also makes it difficult to determine how many farmworkers have fallen ill because it may miss some involved in agricultural work .
Truck drivers , she said as an example , may be working on farms but could be classified as transportation workers .
San Joaquin has officially counted only 102 coronavirus cases attributed to farmworkers , according to Rose ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are working hard to ensure that San Joaquin and similar counties have the materials and manpower needed to handle rising cases .
Brian Ferguson , spokesman for the governor ’ s office of emergency services , said the state has sent more than 600,000 N95 masks to the county , along with more than 1.5 million surgical masks and other supplies .
Statewide , Feguson said that nearly 12 million surgical masks have been allotted specifically for agricultural workers .
Lima said San Joaquin has released information in Spanish and other languages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,200 sanitation kits to essential workers , and Pelican , the agricultural commissioner , said his agency distributed 2,000 cloth masks to migrant housing facilities , along with about 500,000 respirator masks , directly to growers and employers .
Juanita Ontiveros , who began working for farmworkers ’ rights with Cesar Chavez decades ago , said she is not surprised that help has been slow to arrive .
She points out that farmworkers have long had to fight battles for “ basic human rights ” such as shade and clean water .
Recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who were trying to make masks out of leftover irrigation fabric , she said , and has been doing field inspections to help laborers understand their rights for social distancing and other protective measures .
Ontiveros said state and county governments need to think ahead when it comes to protecting California ’ s rural Latinos .
Tomatoes are starting to ripen , she said — requiring workers to ride on large harvesters while the fruit is pulled down belts for sorting .
She would like to see Plexiglass shields between workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and grocery stores .
And she is concerned about the closures of migrant camps in the winter .
Some farm laborers return to their home countries , while others try to scrape by in temporary living situations .
Ontiveros said the state and counties should keep the housing available to the essential workers , arguing it is dangerous to force them to travel during the pandemic .
She said that kind of planning requires the “ nitty gritty ” insights of those affected , but farmworkers themselves have been largely excluded from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of times [ government thinks ] because they are farmworkers , [ government ] can say what ’ s good for them , but hardly ever ask them for their own suggestions and ideas , ” Ontiveros said .
Some in Stockton said the county has also been too slow helping the homeless population , largely people of color , which presented a growing crisis in the area before the pandemic .
Though a state program to move some vulnerable unsheltered people into hotels helped , providing 76 rooms for those at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless people have caught it , according to official county figures , sending them to local hospitals in some cases .
Park said the county is now working to secure hotel rooms for homeless people waiting for test results .
But homeless advocates said there is no place for unsheltered people to go if they are positive but don ’ t need hospitalization , or are recovered enough to be released .
One of the city ’ s main homeless service providers , the Gospel Center Rescue Mission , “ jumped into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer , Britton Kimball .
Kimball personally helped refurbish two buildings in about a week to serve as recovery centers for COVID-positive homeless people , the only such beds in the county , he said .
So far , about 50 people have used the facility .
Kimball said that without it , homeless people with the virus could be forced to remain on the streets , potentially spreading the virus .
“ You could think that from the county ’ s perspective this would trump everything , but that does not seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said recently , as some of his virus-positive clientele sat in a private yard taking in sunshine .
“ Promises were made .
They have been slow in fulfilling them .
”

As coronavirus cases began to grow in San Joaquin County in June, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs proposed requiring citizens to wear a mask in his city in the center of the fertile valley, where agriculture is king and poverty pervasive.
The response he received from the county emergency services director, a key figure in coordinating the pandemic response, was disquieting, he said.
“Stay in your lane,” wrote Shellie Lima in a June 9 email to Tubbs obtained by The Times, days before the county allowed card rooms, hotels and day camps to open. “I am against the proposed mask ordinance for Stockton ... Why would our elected officials feel that they have the medical understanding to do so?”
Farmworkers take a break to eat breakfast while weeding a tomato field in French Camp, Calif. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
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Weeks later, San Joaquin is so overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases that military medical teams have been sent to two local hospitals. ICU beds are scarce, and the surge has hit farm workers especially hard.
Though county figures say about 31% of overall cases are in the Latino community, some on the front lines estimate that up to 70% of cases from the recent hike have hit in that demographic, in a region where they account for about 42% of the population, according to census figures. Experts agree that official case counts across the state may be low because of testing problems.
“Maybe they don’t think it’s serious, maybe the people who are most likely impacted are not a priority for them, or maybe it’s just a lack of understanding of the science,” said Tubbs of the county response. “We keep treating it like this wasn’t avoidable. It was.”
Delfino Perez weeds a tomato field in French Camp, Calif. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
In a recent interview with The Times, Lima said that sending the email from her county account was an accident, and its contents did not reflect the views of her office. But she added that “so much has changed” since she wrote it, and acknowledges the county response “could be better.”
As Gov. Gavin Newsom detailed Friday, there are many reasons Latino workers, including farmworkers who make up 93% of the state’s agricultural laborers, are bearing the brunt of California’s cases. Farmworkers in particular often live in crowded housing, sharing space with other families. Many are transported to job sites in packed vans, and they have little access to healthcare, including testing, and personal protective equipment. When they fall ill, the realities of lost wages may drive them to work anyway, exposing others.
But according to advocates for agricultural employees, the coronavirus is also ravaging Latino farmworkers because they have long been treated as disposable labor in California, risking their lives in heat waves and pesticide-laden fields to help put food on people’s tables. The pandemic has only amplified the brew of conservative politics, economic pressures and historic disparities that run through the farmlands of California’s inland counties, they say, resulting in government aid that seems too little, too late.
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A caregiver supervises youngsters at a Head Start day-care center for the children of farmworkers in Stockton. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
“It’s just alarming,” said Jose Rodriguez, president of El Concilio, an advocacy and services organization that runs child-care centers and affordable housing for farmworkers. “It’s just disappointing how there is not a sense of urgency by public health or healthcare providers to find out how these folks are getting it and then try to contain it.”
Though the virus has struck other farm counties, such as Monterey, San Joaquin stands out as a place that dodged the pandemic early but did not use that time to prepare. As of Friday, the county surpassed 10,000 cases and has counted 110 deaths. More than 3,700 of its cases have come in the last two weeks.
San Joaquin’s public health officer, Dr. Maggie Park, said her county has been working to protect farm laborers since March, when the cherry-picking season started and migrant workers began to arrive, but “despite everyone’s best efforts, we still have some outbreaks. ... Sometimes you just can’t control that.”
Farmworkers and their families in San Joaquin say they have seen little help so far.
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From left, siblings Carla, Samuel and Citlati Mendoza and their niece, Mila Gros, hang out at their home in a migrant housing center in French Camp, Calif. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
Citlali Mendoza, 18, currently lives with her farmworker parents in a low-slung complex of cramped apartments near the county jail. Each year, the family spends about nine months in San Joaquin before returning to Mexico for the remaining months.
Mendoza, who is starting at Modesto Junior College this fall, said she is “very worried” about her mother’s and father’s heath, especially because of the tight conditions of their apartment complex. Her unit is a few hundred square feet, filled with framed prints of Catholic saints and a Last Supper wall clock, and shared by six people. But she says the family has received no aid or information from government sources about the spread of the virus.
“It’s hard,” she said. “I’m really scared.”
In early morning hours, farmworkers weed a tomato field in French Camp. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
Eulogio Granados is a middleman who hires farmworkers and contracts the crews with local farms — a common arrangement that some argue shields growers from the legal responsibilities of being direct employers, but which growers say is necessary because their labor needs fluctuate with the season. Granados said that he has paid out of pocket for masks for his crew, costing him $300 for the last batch of 100 masks. His cousin has been sewing cloth ones for him to pass out.
“I should get help, but nobody is doing it,” Granados said, standing near a field of green tomatoes where his crew was clearing weeds. “That’s a lot of money.”
Gloria Lopez, another labor broker, said her employer requires social distancing and had received thousands of masks from the county this week. She was planning on distributing them as soon as she received them. But nearby, Luis Diaz, 19, said his employer, different from Lopez’s, didn’t provide protective equipment, and he believes there should be “more help for the community.”
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Farmworkers weed a tomato field in French Camp.
(Max Whittaker / For The Times)
Tim Pelican, the county agricultural commissioner charged with helping about 3,580 farms covering 787,000 acres, said he too is frustrated by the slow pace of response. He said that while the county is working on programs, including mobile testing for farmworkers and quarantine sites for those who live in crowded conditions, they are not currently available.
“From my standpoint, I think some of the actions came along a little too late,” Pelican said. “I think everybody knew it was going to come, it was just when.”
Newsom announced Friday that his administration was working on a program for quarantine housing for farmworkers, and Park said she discussed it on a call with state officials Thursday for the first time. Newsom also promised more education for employers, increased access to sick leave and enforcement of labor laws, including requiring employers to report outbreaks.
Rodriguez, the community advocate, said testing and tracking for the Latino community is another problem. Many residents are undocumented, lack insurance and are fearful that seeking treatment could lead to deportation, he said. His organization recently arranged with the county department of public health for a pop-up testing site for the Latino community. He said 300 people turned out, but the public health department arrived with only 30 tests.
Four-year-old Valentina has her temperature checked as she arrives at a Head Start day-care center for the children of farmworkers in Stockton. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
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Rodriguez arranged for another day of testing at a Latino grocery story. More than 600 showed up, though only 300 tests were available. Rodriguez said that about 10% of the tests came back positive, but he was again dismayed that the public health department did not follow up. The lab sent results directly to his organization to share with the test takers, he said.
Park said the county continues to do contract tracing, but is overwhelmed by the numbers. On one recent day, the county had about 450 positive cases reported, she said. Each of those cases has probably exposed multiple people.
“It almost becomes an impossible feat to get to all of them,” Park said. She added that many farmworkers report that they are unemployed, fearful of creating trouble with employers, making it impossible to pinpoint outbreaks.
Homeless men infected with COVID-19 recover in a recuperative care center at the Gospel Rescue Mission in Stockton. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
San Joaquin’s supervising epidemiologist, Kelly Rose, said the state system for tracking also makes it difficult to determine how many farmworkers have fallen ill because it may miss some involved in agricultural work. Truck drivers, she said as an example, may be working on farms but could be classified as transportation workers. San Joaquin has officially counted only 102 coronavirus cases attributed to farmworkers, according to Rose’s data.
County and state officials said they are working hard to ensure that San Joaquin and similar counties have the materials and manpower needed to handle rising cases. Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the governor’s office of emergency services, said the state has sent more than 600,000 N95 masks to the county, along with more than 1.5 million surgical masks and other supplies. Statewide, Feguson said that nearly 12 million surgical masks have been allotted specifically for agricultural workers.
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Lima said San Joaquin has released information in Spanish and other languages. The county has also passed out 1,200 sanitation kits to essential workers, and Pelican, the agricultural commissioner, said his agency distributed 2,000 cloth masks to migrant housing facilities, along with about 500,000 respirator masks, directly to growers and employers.
Farmworkers take a break to eat breakfast while weeding a tomato field in French Camp. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
Juanita Ontiveros, who began working for farmworkers’ rights with Cesar Chavez decades ago, said she is not surprised that help has been slow to arrive. She points out that farmworkers have long had to fight battles for “basic human rights” such as shade and clean water. Recently, she delivered rubber bands to field workers who were trying to make masks out of leftover irrigation fabric, she said, and has been doing field inspections to help laborers understand their rights for social distancing and other protective measures.
Ontiveros said state and county governments need to think ahead when it comes to protecting California’s rural Latinos. Tomatoes are starting to ripen, she said — requiring workers to ride on large harvesters while the fruit is pulled down belts for sorting. She would like to see Plexiglass shields between workers, similar to what has been placed in restaurants and grocery stores.
And she is concerned about the closures of migrant camps in the winter. Some farm laborers return to their home countries, while others try to scrape by in temporary living situations. Ontiveros said the state and counties should keep the housing available to the essential workers, arguing it is dangerous to force them to travel during the pandemic.
Gloria Lopez, 65, works in a tomato field in French Camp. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
She said that kind of planning requires the “nitty gritty” insights of those affected, but farmworkers themselves have been largely excluded from conversations about their needs.
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“A lot of times [government thinks] because they are farmworkers, [government] can say what’s good for them, but hardly ever ask them for their own suggestions and ideas,” Ontiveros said.
Some in Stockton said the county has also been too slow helping the homeless population, largely people of color, which presented a growing crisis in the area before the pandemic. Though a state program to move some vulnerable unsheltered people into hotels helped, providing 76 rooms for those at risk of contracting the virus, 71 homeless people have caught it, according to official county figures, sending them to local hospitals in some cases. Park said the county is now working to secure hotel rooms for homeless people waiting for test results.
Farmworkers weed a tomato field in French Camp. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)
But homeless advocates said there is no place for unsheltered people to go if they are positive but don’t need hospitalization, or are recovered enough to be released. One of the city’s main homeless service providers, the Gospel Center Rescue Mission, “jumped into the fight,” said its chief operations officer, Britton Kimball. Kimball personally helped refurbish two buildings in about a week to serve as recovery centers for COVID-positive homeless people, the only such beds in the county, he said.
So far, about 50 people have used the facility. Kimball said that without it, homeless people with the virus could be forced to remain on the streets, potentially spreading the virus.
“You could think that from the county’s perspective this would trump everything, but that does not seem to be the case,” Kimball said recently, as some of his virus-positive clientele sat in a private yard taking in sunshine. “Promises were made. They have been slow in fulfilling them.”


latimes--2020-07-25--Pilot of small plane killed in Kern County crash

The pilot of small airplane was killed in a crash in Kern County on Friday , officials said .
According @ @ @ @ @ Department , emergency personnel responded in the late morning to reports that a plane had @ @ @ @ @ the Tehachapi Municipal Airport .
The single-engine plane was leaking fuel and still hanging from @ @ @ @ @ .
No other injuries were reported and the cause of the crash was not immediately @ @

The pilot of small airplane was killed in a crash in Kern County on Friday, officials said.
According to the Kern County Fire Department, emergency personnel responded in the late morning to reports that a plane had crashed into a building outside the Tehachapi Municipal Airport. The single-engine plane was leaking fuel and still hanging from the roof of the building.
No other injuries were reported and the cause of the crash was not immediately released.


latimes--2020-07-24--Bat in Anaheim tests positive for rabies

A bat found in front of an AT & T store in Anaheim last weekend has tested positive for rabies @ @ @ @ @ Care Agency announced Friday .
Rabies is spread by a bite from an infected animal @ @ @ @ @ , from a scratch if an animal ’ s saliva penetrates the skin .
Those @ @ @ @ @ a series of shots to prevent it from developing .
In a news release , @ @ @ @ @ found at 131 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim .
It was unclear whether the bat @ @ @ @ @ found .
Officials warned that anyone who may have had contact with the bat should @ @ @ @ @ 714 ) 834-8180 so that a nurse can evaluate the risk of rabies .
Over @ @ @ @ @ , people should call the after-hours number at ( 714 ) 834-7792 and leave a @ @

A bat found in front of an AT&T store in Anaheim last weekend has tested positive for rabies, the Orange County Health Care Agency announced Friday.
Rabies is spread by a bite from an infected animal or, in rare cases, from a scratch if an animal’s saliva penetrates the skin. Those exposed to rabies may receive a series of shots to prevent it from developing.
In a news release, officials said the bat was found at 131 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim. It was unclear whether the bat was alive or dead when found.
Officials warned that anyone who may have had contact with the bat should contact the agency at (714) 834-8180 so that a nurse can evaluate the risk of rabies. Over the weekend, officials said, people should call the after-hours number at (714) 834-7792 and leave a message.


latimes--2020-07-24--Garcetti loosens banner restrictions after cafe gets fined for 'we're open' sign

After city building inspectors fined a struggling cafe for hanging an “ open for takeout and delivery ” sign , L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti cut the penalty Friday and cleared the way for more businesses to put up banners .
This week , the owners of Studio City ’ s Crave Cafe received a letter containing a $ 356 fine from Los Angeles ’ Department of Building and Safety .
AJ Shalob , 38 , runs the diner with his family .
He said the pricey penalty weighs heavily on the restaurant , which has seen a 70 % drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They ’ re asking me for something I don ’ t have , ” Shalob said Thursday .
“ If we keep going like this , we ’ re done , we ’ re not going to last.
” During Friday evening ’ s media briefing , Garcetti said the fine was issued after Building and Safety received a complaint about the banner , which was hung without a permit in violation of the city ’ s rules .
“ While the inspectors were doing the job we ask them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were written , tonight I ’ m changing those rules so they can stay focused on helping businesses , ” Garcetti said .
“ We need to support safely operating businesses , not cite them.
” So the mayor is “ temporarily waving the requirement for businesses to obtain a permit for these types of fines .
Additionally , the city will rescind any fines that have been issued.
” Shalob called the decision a big relief : “ We got what we were looking for.
” It ’ s been tough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shalob said .
The restaurant has had to lay off more than a dozen workers as customers stay home .
Ever-changing health orders have added more challenges , he said .
Restrictions on inside dining have been particularly hard because the restaurant doesn ’ t have a large outside seating area , he said .
“ They keep saying , ‘ We want to support the small businesses , do not close , people are going bankrupt.
’ Well , they ’ re making us do that .
We are trying every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The restaurant is “ my baby… .
I spend 14 to 16 hours a day at the store , sometimes seven days a week .
This is where I get my bread and butter , and feed my family and my kids , ” Shalob said .
He ’ s had the restaurant with his sister and mother for nearly six years .
Shalob hoped the sign would bring in more customers .
Many residents had called to ask if Crave was closed after seeing chairs on tables , Shalob said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
Afterward , more customers came in , he said .
Other nearby businesses put up signs too .
Each one received a fine : 24 Hot Chicken & Waffle Bar , Fantastic Sams salon , Chop Stop salad shop and Trader Joe ’ s .
“ I ’ m not even damaging the city , you know , I ’ m not damaging the view , I ’ m not trashing the building .
What I did is put a sign right on my door , a nice banner , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeff Napier said his department had no choice but to issue the fine after it received a complaint and investigated .
“ Our approach has always been impartial .
We ’ re not taking sides .
We look at it , and if there ’ s a violation and we have to address it , we take the necessary action , ” Napier said .
He said that the department would typically give businesses a warning before issuing a fine , but hasn ’ t been inspectors inside storefronts because of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communication .
“ Our workforce is pretty low , so the inspectors don ’ t have the luxury of reaching out and doing the typical outreach , ” Napier said .
Esther Walker , executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce , criticized the fines before Garcetti ’ s announcement .
“ I think it ’ s absurd , ” she said .
“ Businesses need all the help they can get , not just from community members going out to support them , but especially from the city .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of their store that says we ’ re open for takeout and curbside is just so narrow minded.
” Garcetti , who first acknowledged the restaurant ’ s fine after being asked about it during a Wednesday media briefing , said he knows “ businesses are struggling to stay open .
We need to do everything we can to help .
They ’ re struggling to pay their employees , they ’ re struggling to serve their community , and I want them to know that their city is here to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shalob thought of one way the city could make his business run better : He wants to see an order pushing property managers to allow restaurants to set up outside dining areas in parking lots .
“ Right now we ’ re all in pain .
The medicine is standing next to us .
Help us out , ” he said .

AJ Shalob, right, stands in his family-owned Studio City restaurant, Crave Cafe, which was fined $356 for displaying a sign saying it was open for takeout and delivery without permission. Mayor Eric Garcetti cut the fine and changed the signage rules Friday.
After city building inspectors fined a struggling cafe for hanging an “open for takeout and delivery” sign, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti cut the penalty Friday and cleared the way for more businesses to put up banners.
This week, the owners of Studio City’s Crave Cafe received a letter containing a $356 fine from Los Angeles’ Department of Building and Safety. AJ Shalob, 38, runs the diner with his family. He said the pricey penalty weighs heavily on the restaurant, which has seen a 70% drop in business since the coronavirus outbreak began.
“They’re asking me for something I don’t have,” Shalob said Thursday. “If we keep going like this, we’re done, we’re not going to last.”
During Friday evening’s media briefing, Garcetti said the fine was issued after Building and Safety received a complaint about the banner, which was hung without a permit in violation of the city’s rules.
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“While the inspectors were doing the job we ask them to do based on the way the rules were written, tonight I’m changing those rules so they can stay focused on helping businesses,” Garcetti said. “We need to support safely operating businesses, not cite them.”
So the mayor is “temporarily waving the requirement for businesses to obtain a permit for these types of fines. Additionally, the city will rescind any fines that have been issued.”
Shalob called the decision a big relief: “We got what we were looking for.”
It’s been tough to keep Crave open during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shalob said. The restaurant has had to lay off more than a dozen workers as customers stay home. Ever-changing health orders have added more challenges, he said. Restrictions on inside dining have been particularly hard because the restaurant doesn’t have a large outside seating area, he said.
“They keep saying, ‘We want to support the small businesses, do not close, people are going bankrupt.’ Well, they’re making us do that. We are trying every single thing,” Shalob said.
The restaurant is “my baby…. I spend 14 to 16 hours a day at the store, sometimes seven days a week. This is where I get my bread and butter, and feed my family and my kids,” Shalob said. He’s had the restaurant with his sister and mother for nearly six years.
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Shalob hoped the sign would bring in more customers. Many residents had called to ask if Crave was closed after seeing chairs on tables, Shalob said. He had the banner printed and strung it up. Afterward, more customers came in, he said.
Other nearby businesses put up signs too. Each one received a fine: 24 Hot Chicken & Waffle Bar, Fantastic Sams salon, Chop Stop salad shop and Trader Joe’s.
“I’m not even damaging the city, you know, I’m not damaging the view, I’m not trashing the building. What I did is put a sign right on my door, a nice banner,” Shalob said.
Building and Safety spokesperson Jeff Napier said his department had no choice but to issue the fine after it received a complaint and investigated.
“Our approach has always been impartial. We’re not taking sides. We look at it, and if there’s a violation and we have to address it, we take the necessary action,” Napier said.
He said that the department would typically give businesses a warning before issuing a fine, but hasn’t been inspectors inside storefronts because of the coronavirus, possibly contributing to the lack of communication.
“Our workforce is pretty low, so the inspectors don’t have the luxury of reaching out and doing the typical outreach,” Napier said.
Esther Walker, executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce, criticized the fines before Garcetti’s announcement.
“I think it’s absurd,” she said. “Businesses need all the help they can get, not just from community members going out to support them, but especially from the city. So to fine someone for hanging a banner in front of their store that says we’re open for takeout and curbside is just so narrow minded.”
Garcetti, who first acknowledged the restaurant’s fine after being asked about it during a Wednesday media briefing, said he knows “businesses are struggling to stay open. We need to do everything we can to help. They’re struggling to pay their employees, they’re struggling to serve their community, and I want them to know that their city is here to help.”
After the rule relaxation, Shalob thought of one way the city could make his business run better: He wants to see an order pushing property managers to allow restaurants to set up outside dining areas in parking lots.
“Right now we’re all in pain. The medicine is standing next to us. Help us out,” he said.


latimes--2020-07-28--Coronavirus ravages California's Central Valley, following a cruel and familiar path

The coronavirus is spreading at alarming rates in California ’ s Central Valley , following a cruel and increasingly familiar path .
The demographics of those getting sick in the rural hamlets of America ’ s famed agricultural zone are the same as those who have been hit hard in big cities and suburbs : Essential workers — many of them Latino — who can not stay home for financial reasons when they fall ill on the job and also have a hard time isolating in housing that can be crowded and multigenerational .
Public health officials and medical experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep inequities of the coronavirus in California , which has infected Black and Latino communities and poorer regions at much higher rates than more affluent and white ones .
The surge in Central Valley cases has taken a particular toll on farmworkers , in part because they often live in close quarters , share transportation to job sites and have little access to healthcare .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday that the rate of positive coronavirus tests in the Central Valley ranges from 10.7 % to as high as 17.7 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7.8 % over the last seven days .
Increased rates of coronavirus transmission have also been seen in dense urban areas such as the Eastside and South and Central Los Angeles and San Francisco ’ s Mission District , all home to communities with large numbers of Latino residents who perform essential jobs critical in keeping California running , such as in construction , manufacturing , cooking and food preparation .
“ These aren ’ t all people who live on big ranch houses on the farms .
These are people who live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. George Rutherford , a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert .
“ I think it ’ s probably the same pattern that we see in the Mission District , of an essential workforce , which in this case is agricultural , who is densely housed , who gets exposed on their way to and from the work site or at the work site.
” Latino residents make up 39 % of Californians but account for up to 56 % of coronavirus cases statewide and 46 % of deaths .
Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of residents in the Central Valley than they do statewide .
Edward Flores , a sociology professor with the UC Merced Community and Labor Center , who has studied the impact of the pandemic on the Central Valley , said many of these laborers work in conditions that make true social distancing difficult and may be afraid to report safety problems for fear of losing their jobs .
“ We hear about these huge outbreaks in meatpacking plants , in agriculture and these low-wage jobs , where people work side by side with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ Stay-at-home orders do little for the low-wage essential workers that face the greatest risks.
” It shouldn ’ t be a surprise that places like the Central Valley would be hit hard .
Among California ’ s meatpacking plants , the Central Valley as a region has had poor compliance with health and safety standards even before the pandemic hit , with the region home to nearly half of inspections triggered by complaints , even though it is home to just 13 % of the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Ana Padilla , executive director of the Community and Labor Center .
Hundreds of workers have been infected at Ruiz Foods , a frozen-food packager in Tulare County , and Central Valley Meat Co. in Kings County .
California counties with a greater share of low-wage and crowded households have been more likely to be hit hard by the pandemic , according to a study by authored by Flores and Padilla .
Epidemiologists also saw the disease spread in the agricultural Imperial Valley east of San Diego , “ and it seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and into the Central Valley , ” Rutherford said .
The highly contagious virus has continued to spread into the Salinas Valley and Northern California wine country counties of Napa , Sonoma , Solano , Mendocino and Lake , Rutherford said .
Newsom announced Monday he would send “ strike teams ” to eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley — San Joaquin , Stanislaus , Merced , Madera , Fresno , Kings , Tulare and Kern — while asking the California Legislature to approve $ 52 million to improve testing , tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This disease continues to grow in the state of California .
It continues to spread , but not evenly , ” Newsom said Monday while speaking at Diamond Nuts in Stockton .
“ It is disproportionately impacting certain communities and certain parts of the state.
” While L.A. County is reporting 400 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks , Kern County — home to Bakersfield — is now seeing a rate of 913 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents ; a month ago , that number was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kings County is seeing 581 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents ; Stanislaus , 560 ; Tulare , 550 ; San Joaquin , 525 ; Merced , 506 ; Madera , 475 ; and Fresno , 438 .
State guidelines say counties should aim for no more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period .
“ We ’ re seeing an inordinate number of cases , ” said Dr. Mark Ghaly , secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency .
The effective transmission rate of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 1.4 , meaning every 1 person infected transmits it , on average , to 1.4 other people .
“ We have a great deal of work to do to get transmission rates down here in the Central Valley .
“ Some of the regular hospital beds that we depend on for everyday care are filled up with COVID patients to the rate of 65 % , ” Ghaly said .
Mortality rates for the coronavirus are also higher in several San Joaquin Valley counties than in L.A. County , such as Stanislaus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Newsom said the $ 52 million he is asking the Legislature to approve for local public health departments in the Central Valley will come from $ 499 million in grants the state received from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The governor said he wants to use the $ 52 million to improve “ our isolation protocols , our quarantine protocols , our testing protocols and to enhance our healthcare workers by providing more support as well as more personnel ” in the Central Valley .
Newsom said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , which has been one of the .
The rural county , which borders Mexico and Arizona , has reported 688 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks ; a month ago , that number was much worse : 1,173 .
“ We were able to make some improvement in terms of the transmission and spread of the virus by deploying a number of strike teams , ” Newsom said .
Those strike teams were made up of state , federal and local personnel who worked to increase hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and assisting with workplace outbreaks .
The governor ’ s office said those efforts helped lower the number of new cases in recent weeks .
“ We are doing exactly the same thing ... throughout the Central Valley , ” Newsom said .
Juanita Ontiveros , an advocate with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation , called the governor ’ s actions “ a good move ” but said she believed additional aid would be needed in the future , especially as federal unemployment insurance benefits are set to expire this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the money used for direct financial aid to affected workers .
Ontiveros said many families in the valley have seen both parents laid off , sometimes at businesses that have subsequently closed with no plans to reopen as local economies buckle under the downturn .
“ It ’ s never enough , ” Ontiveros said .
“ You can see the stress and the worry and the agony in people ’ s faces , and especially when they hear the [ unemployment insurance ] is coming to an end .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families.
” Geneva Moorad , who works at a nonprofit in Stockton and volunteers with immigrants , said she is concerned that not enough aid will reach the undocumented community , which has been hardest hit because those without legal status have trouble finding aid and may be fearful of deportation .
Moorad , who came to the U.S. from Panama and lived undocumented for many years , says there is great fear in the Central Valley right now around the consequences of seeking both medical and financial help .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Moorad said .
“ It ’ s so hard for me to believe that they are going to get that money.
” Lin reported from San Francisco , and Gutierrez and Chabria from Sacramento .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Melody Gutierrez, Anita Chabria

Farmworkers weed a tomato field in French Camp, Calif. More than 70% of new coronavirus cases in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley are Latino workers, but advocates say they lack testing and access to care.
The coronavirus is spreading at alarming rates in California’s Central Valley, following a cruel and increasingly familiar path.
The demographics of those getting sick in the rural hamlets of America’s famed agricultural zone are the same as those who have been hit hard in big cities and suburbs: Essential workers — many of them Latino — who cannot stay home for financial reasons when they fall ill on the job and also have a hard time isolating in housing that can be crowded and multigenerational.
Public health officials and medical experts say the pattern of spread underscores the deep inequities of the coronavirus in California, which has infected Black and Latino communities and poorer regions at much higher rates than more affluent and white ones.
The surge in Central Valley cases has taken a particular toll on farmworkers, in part because they often live in close quarters, share transportation to job sites and have little access to healthcare. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the rate of positive coronavirus tests in the Central Valley ranges from 10.7% to as high as 17.7%. The state’s average is about 7.8% over the last seven days.
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Increased rates of coronavirus transmission have also been seen in dense urban areas such as the Eastside and South and Central Los Angeles and San Francisco’s Mission District, all home to communities with large numbers of Latino residents who perform essential jobs critical in keeping California running, such as in construction, manufacturing, cooking and food preparation.
“These aren’t all people who live on big ranch houses on the farms. These are people who live in ... dense apartments,” said Dr. George Rutherford, a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert. “I think it’s probably the same pattern that we see in the Mission District, of an essential workforce, which in this case is agricultural, who is densely housed, who gets exposed on their way to and from the work site or at the work site.”
Latino residents make up 39% of Californians but account for up to 56% of coronavirus cases statewide and 46% of deaths. Latino residents make up an even higher percentage of residents in the Central Valley than they do statewide.
Edward Flores, a sociology professor with the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, who has studied the impact of the pandemic on the Central Valley, said many of these laborers work in conditions that make true social distancing difficult and may be afraid to report safety problems for fear of losing their jobs.
“We hear about these huge outbreaks in meatpacking plants, in agriculture and these low-wage jobs, where people work side by side with other people in these very dense environments,” he said. “Stay-at-home orders do little for the low-wage essential workers that face the greatest risks.”
Advertisement
It shouldn’t be a surprise that places like the Central Valley would be hit hard. Among California’s meatpacking plants, the Central Valley as a region has had poor compliance with health and safety standards even before the pandemic hit, with the region home to nearly half of inspections triggered by complaints, even though it is home to just 13% of the state’s meatpacking plants, according to research by Ana Padilla, executive director of the Community and Labor Center.
Hundreds of workers have been infected at Ruiz Foods, a frozen-food packager in Tulare County, and Central Valley Meat Co. in Kings County.
California counties with a greater share of low-wage and crowded households have been more likely to be hit hard by the pandemic, according to a study by authored by Flores and Padilla.
Epidemiologists also saw the disease spread in the agricultural Imperial Valley east of San Diego, “and it seems to have spread through the Coachella Valley and into the Central Valley,” Rutherford said. The highly contagious virus has continued to spread into the Salinas Valley and Northern California wine country counties of Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Mendocino and Lake, Rutherford said.
Newsom announced Monday he would send “strike teams” to eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley — San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern — while asking the California Legislature to approve $52 million to improve testing, tracing and isolation protocols in those regions.
“This disease continues to grow in the state of California. It continues to spread, but not evenly,” Newsom said Monday while speaking at Diamond Nuts in Stockton. “It is disproportionately impacting certain communities and certain parts of the state.”
While L.A. County is reporting 400 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks, Kern County — home to Bakersfield — is now seeing a rate of 913 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents; a month ago, that number was 133, according to a Times analysis.
Kings County is seeing 581 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents; Stanislaus, 560; Tulare, 550; San Joaquin, 525; Merced, 506; Madera, 475; and Fresno, 438. State guidelines say counties should aim for no more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period.
“We’re seeing an inordinate number of cases,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. The effective transmission rate of the disease in the region is as high as 1.4, meaning every 1 person infected transmits it, on average, to 1.4 other people. “We have a great deal of work to do to get transmission rates down here in the Central Valley.
“Some of the regular hospital beds that we depend on for everyday care are filled up with COVID patients to the rate of 65%,” Ghaly said.
Mortality rates for the coronavirus are also higher in several San Joaquin Valley counties than in L.A. County, such as Stanislaus, Madera, San Joaquin and Merced.
Newsom said the $52 million he is asking the Legislature to approve for local public health departments in the Central Valley will come from $499 million in grants the state received from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The governor said he wants to use the $52 million to improve “our isolation protocols, our quarantine protocols, our testing protocols and to enhance our healthcare workers by providing more support as well as more personnel” in the Central Valley.
Newsom said his targeted efforts will mirror those in Imperial County, which has been one of the hardest-hit areas of the state . The rural county, which borders Mexico and Arizona, has reported 688 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks; a month ago, that number was much worse: 1,173.
“We were able to make some improvement in terms of the transmission and spread of the virus by deploying a number of strike teams,” Newsom said.
Those strike teams were made up of state, federal and local personnel who worked to increase hospital capacity and reduce transmission through contact tracing and assisting with workplace outbreaks. The governor’s office said those efforts helped lower the number of new cases in recent weeks.
“We are doing exactly the same thing ... throughout the Central Valley,” Newsom said.
Juanita Ontiveros, an advocate with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, called the governor’s actions “a good move” but said she believed additional aid would be needed in the future, especially as federal unemployment insurance benefits are set to expire this week.
She said she would like to see some of the money used for direct financial aid to affected workers. Ontiveros said many families in the valley have seen both parents laid off, sometimes at businesses that have subsequently closed with no plans to reopen as local economies buckle under the downturn.
“It’s never enough,” Ontiveros said. “You can see the stress and the worry and the agony in people’s faces, and especially when they hear the [unemployment insurance] is coming to an end. All of this is nightmarish to workers and their families.”
Geneva Moorad, who works at a nonprofit in Stockton and volunteers with immigrants, said she is concerned that not enough aid will reach the undocumented community, which has been hardest hit because those without legal status have trouble finding aid and may be fearful of deportation.
Moorad, who came to the U.S. from Panama and lived undocumented for many years, says there is great fear in the Central Valley right now around the consequences of seeking both medical and financial help.
“They are too afraid to ask for services,” Moorad said. “It’s so hard for me to believe that they are going to get that money.”
Lin reported from San Francisco, and Gutierrez and Chabria from Sacramento.


latimes--2020-07-28--Hobo and Dreamer: A homeless man and his dog hoped to finally go home. Then COVID-19 arrived

Leland “ Hobo ” Goodsell might have just been another homeless man on the streets of Goleta , Calif. , but he had gained something of a reputation over the 14 years he ’ d lived there .
His dog , Dreamer , might have had something to do with it .
Or it could have been the 946 citations he received for living on the streets .
But no matter what , he was easily able to charm passersby into becoming friends .
It was his coy attitude and sense of humor that drew Goleta resident and lawyer Gabriela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do her best to give to the homeless , so when she spotted Hobo after attending a barbecue , her first instinct was to ask if he needed any food .
He chose ribs from a restaurant across the street and insisted she join him for dinner .
“ He was always pushing the limits , ” she said .
But they enjoyed a meal together on the outside patio of the restaurant and soon became friends .
Since that first encounter , Ferreira would buy many meals for Hobo , let him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a year of motel stays when he was involved in a lawsuit , which he paid back in full when he settled the case .
It was an unlikely friendship and Hobo didn ’ t take it for granted .
“ Why do you do this for me ?
” he would ask .
“ I ’ m such a pain in the neck.
” “ I don ’ t know why , ” Ferreira would reply .
“ But I love you , so I ’ m going to keep doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an orphanage with his two sisters in Missoula , Mont.
, when he was 3 .
He was only 11 when he jumped a train and headed west .
The other train hoppers all called him the “ Littlest Hobo.
” The name stuck , and he would correct anyone who called him by his birth name .
“ Don ’ t call me Leland !
I ’ m a hobo and I ’ m proud of it , ” he would say indignantly .
Once in California , he found work laying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and building malls .
He married twice .
In Yreka , Calif. , he ran a recycling business with his wife and son .
Once , he bought an old motorboat and ended up stranded in the middle of a harbor for days , with no food or water or way back to shore .
The harbor patrol finally rescued him after a friend reported him missing .
“ The whole thing was just a desire to be housed again , and to have a place to call his own , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker who ran an advocacy group for the homeless .
“ He is a cowboy , not a swimmer .
It was a foolish plan.
” After losing his wife to pancreatic cancer and his son to a heroin overdose in the same week , Hobo and Dreamer packed up and left town .
They lived for awhile in Santa Cruz before thumbing down the coast , landing in Santa Barbara .
He decided they would stay .
A Labrador-ridgeback mix , Dreamer was the only family Hobo had left , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so long .
They had endured attacks by unwelcoming neighbors and street gangs and survived a serious accident with a gas tanker truck that split Hobo ’ s head and broke his leg .
Hobo was never the same after that .
Hobo was friendly with a sharp sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye , which struck Barnes as an unusual source of positivity .
“ When you serve in the street , there ’ s a lot of sadness and a lot of tension for people just trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially the mentally ill , ” she said .
“ But Hobo had a way of lightening everything up with his jokes.
” One day as Barnes was bringing sleeping bags , clothing and other necessities for her street friends , Hobo took his bicycle and dog cart to save a parking space for her arrival , and made a sign for her table that read “ the doctor is in.
” When she left the table to serve the evening meal to the long line , he replaced it with , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also helpful with his mechanical skills , repairing bicycles and wheelchairs for other homeless people .
“ He created and repaired anything with chewing gum and string , ” Barnes said .
“ Always helpful and always paid a person back .
He expected that of his cronies too.
” Although his outreach friends provided for him on occasion , he always checked in on them too .
His nearly daily calls started with , “ Hey sis , this is your Hobo , and has anyone told you ‘ I love you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnes .
“ Well , there you go .
I just did.
” But alcohol brought out a different side and often interfered in his relationships .
“ He would go through phases where you ’ re the best person ever in his life , and then he hates you , and then he goes to the next one , ” Ferreira said .
Barnes helped him into several rehab clinics , but he always relapsed .
His alcoholism , combined with the lingering effects of the accident , made him even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Barnes and Ferreira would take care of Dreamer .
After the accident , Ferreira ’ s colleague helped Hobo with a lawsuit , but he never stayed sober long enough to go to court , so they settled the case .
Barnes attempted to get him into housing for years , but he was resistant , especially with places that wouldn ’ t allow dogs .
“ It was the most awful situation , ” Ferreira said .
“ He had money , but he couldn ’ t have housing.
” Hobo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two years of his life .
Montana was beckoning .
“ Dreamer needs to see where I came from , ” Hobo would say .
Barnes and the Santa Barbara Police Department tried to help Hobo get back to Missoula to see his last living sister , and one police officer even arranged to drive him , as a favor .
But Montana ’ s cold held Hobo back — living in a wheelchair in snow was not optimal .
He never would make it back to Missoula alive .
Hobo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sleep in during the rainy season , and to keep safe from late-night attackers .
Goleta sheriff ’ s deputies overlooked city rules on moving vehicles every 36 hours so he could keep it parked , and ignored the fact he didn ’ t have a license .
The last time Barnes or Ferreira saw Hobo was in March , before the state went on lockdown .
When he got sick , it was difficult for them to help .
He refused to go to a hospital for fear of leaving Dreamer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tino , took care of Hobo , cleaning his truck , walking Dreamer and bringing food to him .
He checked on him daily until Hobo finally agreed to go to the hospital .
“ Tino was his guardian angel , ” Barnes said .
He was already delirious by the time he went into the hospital .
After five days in ICU , the doctors didn ’ t understand what he was trying to communicate .
Over the phone , Barnes told them , “ Do me a favor , walk in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fine .
Dreamer is doing really well.
’ ” He died April 4 , an hour after they told him .
He was 66 , and the first COVID-19 death in south Santa Barbara County .
His ashes were returned to Montana , where his sister still lives .
Dreamer now lives in Goleta with Tino .
When Dreamer ’ s time comes , his ashes will be reunited with his master ’ s in Hobo ’ s hometown .

Leland “Hobo” Goodsell might have just been another homeless man on the streets of Goleta, Calif., but he had gained something of a reputation over the 14 years he’d lived there.
His dog, Dreamer, might have had something to do with it.
Or it could have been the 946 citations he received for living on the streets. But no matter what, he was easily able to charm passersby into becoming friends.
It was his coy attitude and sense of humor that drew Goleta resident and lawyer Gabriela Ferreira to Hobo.
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Ferreira would always do her best to give to the homeless, so when she spotted Hobo after attending a barbecue, her first instinct was to ask if he needed any food. He chose ribs from a restaurant across the street and insisted she join him for dinner.
“He was always pushing the limits,” she said. But they enjoyed a meal together on the outside patio of the restaurant and soon became friends. Since that first encounter, Ferreira would buy many meals for Hobo, let him live in her backyard and even paid for a year of motel stays when he was involved in a lawsuit, which he paid back in full when he settled the case.
It was an unlikely friendship and Hobo didn’t take it for granted. “Why do you do this for me?” he would ask. “I’m such a pain in the neck.”
“I don’t know why,” Ferreira would reply. “But I love you, so I’m going to keep doing it.”
Hobo was dropped off at an orphanage with his two sisters in Missoula, Mont., when he was 3. He was only 11 when he jumped a train and headed west. The other train hoppers all called him the “Littlest Hobo.” The name stuck, and he would correct anyone who called him by his birth name. “Don’t call me Leland! I’m a hobo and I’m proud of it,” he would say indignantly.
Once in California, he found work laying pipes, construction jobs, auto repair and building malls. He married twice. In Yreka, Calif., he ran a recycling business with his wife and son.
After losing his wife to pancreatic cancer and his son to a heroin overdose in the same week, Hobo and Dreamer packed up and left town. They lived for awhile in Santa Cruz before thumbing down the coast, landing in Santa Barbara. He decided they would stay.
Once, he bought an old motorboat and ended up stranded in the middle of the harbor for days, with no food or water or way back to shore. The harbor patrol finally rescued him after a friend reported him missing.
“The whole thing was just a desire to be housed again, and to have a place to call his own,” said his friend Deborah Barnes, an outreach worker who ran an advocacy group for the homeless. “He is a cowboy, not a swimmer. It was a foolish plan.”
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A Labrador-ridgeback mix, Dreamer was the only family Hobo had left, and it was a miracle the two had lived so long. They had endured attacks by unwelcoming neighbors and street gangs and survived a serious accident with a gas tanker truck that split Hobo’s head and broke his leg. Hobo was never the same after that.
Hobo reunited with Dreamer after four months apart while Hobo dealt with surgery. (Deborah Barnes)
Hobo was friendly with a sharp sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye, which struck Barnes as an unusual source of positivity.
“When you serve in the street, there’s a lot of sadness and a lot of tension for people just trying to exist each hour of each day, especially the mentally ill,” she said. “But Hobo had a way of lightening everything up with his jokes.”
One day as Barnes was bringing sleeping bags, clothing and other necessities for her street friends, Hobo took his bicycle and dog cart to save a parking space for her arrival, and made a sign for her table that read “the doctor is in.” When she left the table to serve the evening meal to the long line, he replaced it with, “the doctor is out.”
He was also helpful with his mechanical skills, repairing bicycles and wheelchairs for other homeless people. “He created and repaired anything with chewing gum and string,” Barnes said. “Always helpful and always paid a person back. He expected that of his cronies too.”
Although his outreach friends provided for him on occasion, he always checked in on them too. His nearly daily calls started with, “Hey sis, this is your Hobo, and has anyone told you ‘I love you’ today?” he would ask Barnes. “Well, there you go. I just did.”
But alcohol brought out a different side and often interfered in his relationships. “He would go through phases where you’re the best person ever in his life, and then he hates you, and then he goes to the next one,” Ferreira said.
Barnes helped him into several rehab clinics, but he always relapsed. His alcoholism, combined with the lingering effects of the accident, made him even more belligerent. When he couldn’t, Barnes and Ferreira would take care of Dreamer.
California The pandemic’s toll: Lives lost in California Hundreds of people have died in California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of their stories.
After the accident, Ferreira’s colleague helped Hobo with a lawsuit, but he never stayed sober long enough to go to court, so they settled the case. Barnes attempted to get him into housing for years, but he was resistant, especially with places that wouldn’t allow dogs.
“It was the most awful situation,” Ferreira said. “He had money, but he couldn’t have housing.”
Hobo had a desire to return home in the last two years of his life. Montana was beckoning. “Dreamer needs to see where I came from,” Hobo would say.
Barnes and the Santa Barbara Police Department tried to help Hobo get back to Missoula to see his last living sister, and one police officer even arranged to drive him, as a favor. But Montana’s cold held Hobo back — living in a wheelchair in snow was not optimal.
He never would make it back to Missoula alive.
Hobo eventually bought an old 1987 Ford truck to sleep in during the rainy season, and to keep safe from late-night attackers. Goleta sheriff’s deputies overlooked city rules on moving vehicles every 36 hours so he could keep it parked, and ignored the fact he didn’t have a license.
The last time Barnes or Ferreira saw Hobo was in March, before the state went on lockdown. When he got sick, it was difficult for them to help. He refused to go to a hospital for fear of leaving Dreamer behind.
Instead, another man, Tino, took care of Hobo, cleaning his truck, walking Dreamer and bringing food to him. He checked on him daily until Hobo finally agreed to go to the hospital. “Tino was his guardian angel,” Barnes said.
He was already delirious by the time he went into the hospital. After five days in ICU, the doctors didn’t understand what he was trying to communicate. Over the phone, Barnes told them, “Do me a favor, walk in there, and tell him ‘Dreamer is fine. Dreamer is doing really well.’” He died April 4, an hour after they told him. He was 66, and the first COVID-19 death in south Santa Barbara County.
His ashes were returned to Montana, where his sister still lives. Dreamer now lives in Goleta with Tino. When Dreamer’s time comes, his ashes will be reunited with his master’s in Hobo’s hometown.


latimes--2020-07-28--Latinos worry more than other Californians about how the coronavirus will affect them, poll says

Latinos are much more anxious that they will become sick or affected financially by the novel coronavirus than their fellow Californians , according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California .
The poll , released Monday , found that 61 % of Latinos respondents were worried that they or their family members would get sick with the virus , compared with just 28 % of Black and white Californians and 37 % of Asian American residents .
Latinos also worry more about finances , with 56 % saying they are concerned they or their family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That compares with 31 % of Black and Asian American poll respondents , and 22 % of white respondents .
Latino respondents also reported that their lives have already been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and that their mental health is suffering as a result , more so than the other demographic groups .
The poll findings align with disparities Latinos are already known to be experiencing .
Latinos make up nearly 39 % of the state ’ s residents but represent 55 % of its COVID-19 cases .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health , Latino residents are twice as likely as white county residents to become infected .
The reason could be that Latinos more often work in essential industries than other demographic groups and are therefore limited in their ability to work from home .
According to a Times analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data , Latinos make up just under 40 % of California ’ s essential workforce .
A previous poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that the agriculture industry is about 85 % Latino .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they could work from home , versus 53 % of Black , 59 % of Asian and 61 % of white respondents .
The disproportionate impact of the pandemic has led to calls for the state to better protect its Latino essential workers .
In L.A. County , officials are cracking down on restaurants and factories that have experienced outbreaks or aren ’ t following coronavirus safety protocols established by the health department .
In San Francisco , the Latino Task Force has been advocating for better protections and financial safety nets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to work from home .

Latinos are much more anxious that they will become sick or affected financially by the novel coronavirus than their fellow Californians, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.
The poll, released Monday, found that 61% of Latinos respondents were worried that they or their family members would get sick with the virus, compared with just 28% of Black and white Californians and 37% of Asian American residents.
Latinos also worry more about finances, with 56% saying they are concerned they or their family members will be affected financially by the pandemic. That compares with 31% of Black and Asian American poll respondents, and 22% of white respondents.
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Latino respondents also reported that their lives have already been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and that their mental health is suffering as a result, more so than the other demographic groups.
The poll findings align with disparities Latinos are already known to be experiencing. Latinos make up nearly 39% of the state’s residents but represent 55% of its COVID-19 cases. According to reports from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Latino residents are twice as likely as white county residents to become infected.
The reason could be that Latinos more often work in essential industries than other demographic groups and are therefore limited in their ability to work from home.
According to a Times analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, Latinos make up just under 40% of California’s essential workforce.
A previous poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that the agriculture industry is about 85% Latino. Additionally, 42% of Latino respondents said they could work from home, versus 53% of Black, 59% of Asian and 61% of white respondents.
The disproportionate impact of the pandemic has led to calls for the state to better protect its Latino essential workers.
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In L.A. County, officials are cracking down on restaurants and factories that have experienced outbreaks or aren’t following coronavirus safety protocols established by the health department. In San Francisco, the Latino Task Force has been advocating for better protections and financial safety nets for workers who don’t have the option to work from home.


latimes--2020-07-27--Military medical teams arrive at two Los Angeles County hospitals

Medical professionals from the military have arrived in Los Angeles County to reinforce the ranks of two hospitals .
The Department of Defense sent the Air Force teams last week to Los Angeles County-USC and Harbor-UCLA medical centers , said Brian Ferguson , a spokesperson for the Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services .
The move aims to shore up staff as the hospitals battle the COVID-19 pandemic .
Ferguson said state authorities requested the support through the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
The teams were then directed to hospitals struggling with staffing , supplies and capacity , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel who themselves have tested positive , or they ’ re short staffed.… Some of our hospitals are facing scenarios where their staff numbers are depleted or they ’ re facing surges in the number of cases they ’ re treating , ” he said .
“ It ’ s basically to provide surge staffing to hospitals in need.
” Ferguson declined to share specific information about the status of the two hospitals , but said the OES constantly monitors both facilities .
Six more hospitals across the state recently received military medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lodi , Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage , Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia , Adventist Health Hanford in Hanford , Dameron Hospital in Stockton and Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno .
In total , Ferguson said , the deployment sent 190 medical professionals to California hospitals .
Spokespeople from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA confirmed the arrival of military teams through identical email statements .
They wrote that the teams arrived Friday “ and will be used to support operation of hospital critical care units amidst growing COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the teams are typically deployed for 30 days .
Ferguson said the state could submit an extension , if necessary .
He said the arrival of medical teams proves California has learned how to work with and benefit from federal emergency response authorities through the experience of wildfires and other critical situations .
“ When we have gaps or needs , we ’ re able to get those filled by the federal government , ” Ferguson added .
This fill-in will help the state ’ s hard-stretched medical workers .
“ Allowing our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have additional support is an important part of the work that we ’ re doing , ” Ferguson said .
Los Angeles County reported 2,011 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional deaths Monday .
Data released Sunday reported that 2,051 coronavirus patients were hospitalized across the county , 596 of which were said to be in intensive care .
The county Department of Public Health described the data as incomplete “ due to delays in the state electronic lab reporting system , ” and said the numbers were probably underreported .

Medical staffers work inside a COVID-19 isolation area at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Medical teams from the Air Force arrived at the hospital, as well as Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, on Friday to offer support in critical care units.
Medical professionals from the military have arrived in Los Angeles County to reinforce the ranks of two hospitals.
The Department of Defense sent the Air Force teams last week to Los Angeles County-USC and Harbor-UCLA medical centers, said Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
The move aims to shore up staff as the hospitals battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferguson said state authorities requested the support through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The teams were then directed to hospitals struggling with staffing, supplies and capacity, he said.
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“They may have medical personnel who themselves have tested positive, or they’re short staffed.… Some of our hospitals are facing scenarios where their staff numbers are depleted or they’re facing surges in the number of cases they’re treating,” he said. “It’s basically to provide surge staffing to hospitals in need.”
Ferguson declined to share specific information about the status of the two hospitals, but said the OES constantly monitors both facilities.
Six more hospitals across the state recently received military medical professionals: Adventist Health Lodi Memorial in Lodi, Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, Adventist Health Hanford in Hanford, Dameron Hospital in Stockton and Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.
In total, Ferguson said, the deployment sent 190 medical professionals to California hospitals.
Spokespeople from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA confirmed the arrival of military teams through identical email statements. They wrote that the teams arrived Friday “and will be used to support operation of hospital critical care units amidst growing COVID-19 hospitalizations.”
The hospitals’ statements said the teams are typically deployed for 30 days. Ferguson said the state could submit an extension, if necessary.
He said the arrival of medical teams proves California has learned how to work with and benefit from federal emergency response authorities through the experience of wildfires and other critical situations.
“When we have gaps or needs, we’re able to get those filled by the federal government,” Ferguson added.
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This fill-in will help the state’s hard-stretched medical workers.
“Allowing our doctors, nurses, other medical professionals to have additional support is an important part of the work that we’re doing,” Ferguson said.
Los Angeles County reported 2,011 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional deaths Monday. Data released Sunday reported that 2,051 coronavirus patients were hospitalized across the county, 596 of which were said to be in intensive care. The county Department of Public Health described the data as incomplete “due to delays in the state electronic lab reporting system,” and said the numbers were probably underreported.


latimes--2020-07-27--LAPD expands community policing program, appoints Black female deputy chief

As part of a reimagining of law enforcement after the killing of George Floyd , the Los Angeles Police Department is expanding its signature community policing program .
The Community Safety Partnership , which began in 2011 in some of the city ’ s most troubled housing developments , is credited with reducing violent crime and improving relationships with residents through initiatives such as youth football teams .
The expansion of CSP comes as other LAPD units are being closely scrutinized for potential cuts .
Responding to days of street protests calling for resources to be shifted from policing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the City Council recently slashed $ 150 million from the LAPD budget .
Proponents of CSP say its expansion will transform the culture of the 10,000-officer LAPD , where success has traditionally been measured by arrests and crime statistics .
Now , building trust with local residents will be paramount , Chief Michel Moore said .
CSP will now have its own bureau within the LAPD , headed by Emada Tingirides , a Watts native who was one of the program ’ s founding officers .
She will become the LAPD ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Along with other reforms , such as tightening use-of-force policies , the CSP expansion will ensure that the community has a greater say in how it is policed , Mayor Eric Garcetti said .
“ It ’ s a dramatic step in that ... we ’ re moving squarely towards the core of our policing philosophy — a model that is about co-owning public safety , ” said Garcetti , who worked with Moore and others to spearhead the change .
The program will eventually expand beyond the current nine neighborhoods and 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on solidifying its existing operations .
A 10th CSP site will likely be identified in the next year , Moore said .
The new CSP bureau will have a full complement of command staff transferred from elsewhere in the department , as well as one civilian commander .
But initially , it will not have its own budget .
In recent years , new CSP sites have largely been funded by private donations .
The program now has a strong command structure that will channel resources from elsewhere in the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from captain was highly unusual because she skipped several rungs on the command ladder .
The department ’ s 11 deputy chiefs are two ranks below the chief of police .
Moore said he promoted Tingirides “ to signal to the organization that it wasn ’ t going to be bound by tradition or protocols , that it was going to be the best person , I believe , for the best position at a critical moment — as America and really all of the nation is looking at policing and certainly here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ What ’ s our future ?
I think CSP defines our future , ” Moore added .
For those who have called for the defunding of the LAPD , CSP puts officers in the very spots — working with young people , delivering social services — where they should not be .
“ This is not a program that needs to be operated by armed , sworn police officers , ” said Paula Minor of Black Lives Matter L.A. Minor also questioned the program ’ s use of private funding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer .
Connie Rice , a civil rights attorney who co-founded CSP with then-Chief Charlie Beck , called the new bureau and command structure “ a bold commitment to do a different kind of policing.
” Now , she said , an ambitious officer can rise through the ranks entirely within CSP , steeped in “ guardian ” policing instead of the traditional warrior mentality .
“ It ’ s the opposite of LAPD ’ s core culture , ” Rice said .
“ If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re there to serve .
... You understand what people face , the problems , the fears .
... And you ask people , ‘ How do you want us to keep you safe ?
’ You don ’ t just impose it .
‘ What do you want us to fix ?
How do you want us to help you fix it ?
’ ” As Rice and Beck launched CSP nearly a decade ago , they became aware of Tingirides ’ work as a community relations sergeant in Watts .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the captain of Southeast Division , she was bringing police officers into local schools to read to kids — a revolutionary concept at the time .
At the State of the Union address in 2015 , President Obama honored the Tingirideses for their community policing work .
“ The CSP concept is not just a police concept .
That ’ s why the title is Community Safety Partnership , ” said Emada Tingirides , a 25-year LAPD veteran .
“ It doesn ’ t have the word ‘ police ’ in it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the systemic violence in a community , to address the biases that the community has for law enforcement and then collectively looking at a way to heal the trauma in communities and build the relationships with the community and the police.
” CSP officers commit to the assignment for five years , so they can plant roots in the neighborhood .
Nearly a quarter of the LAPD ’ s 100 CSP officers are Black , and most of the rest are Latino , according to department statistics .
A report by UCLA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates in two CSP housing developments , Jordan Downs and Nickerson Gardens , were lower than in demographically similar neighborhoods that were not part of the program .
Most residents surveyed by the researchers had positive impressions of CSP and said the officers generally got along well with people .
But the report noted a lack of consistency and recommended a slate of reforms , including the creation of a separate bureaucracy .
“ Creating a bureau in the LAPD is a seismic shift , ” said Jorja Leap , a UCLA professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do think it indicates this chief ’ s intention not to reform but to transform — and there is a radical difference.
” Harvard Park , which in 2017 became the first CSP site outside of a housing development , went from eight homicides in 2016 to none in 2019 .
CSP officers have helped start a walking club and a healthy eating club and play in a basketball league with community members .
“ We ’ re building toward a day where they ’ re not needed in the intensity they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a city councilman who represents Harvard Park and other parts of South L.A. “ We don ’ t go from where Harvard Park was to not needing a police presence in a period of three or four years.
” With Harris-Dawson , Councilman Joe Buscaino has introduced a motion calling for savings elsewhere in the LAPD budget to be redirected to CSP .
He also wants to see the LAPD expand its senior lead officer program , which assigns officers to neighborhoods to solve quality-of-life issues .
Buscaino , a former LAPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Watts , wants new officers to do a stint in CSP , “ so they get the mind-set , they understand it , they embrace it.
” “ And that for me is true reform , when it comes to building trust , ” he added .

Emada Tingirides, deputy chief of the LAPD’s new community policing bureau, chats with residents of Nickerson Gardens in Watts. Petra Avelar, left, and Meah Watson, right, are best friends who will be attending East Coast colleges this fall.
As part of a reimagining of law enforcement after the killing of George Floyd, the Los Angeles Police Department is expanding its signature community policing program.
The Community Safety Partnership, which began in 2011 in some of the city’s most troubled housing developments, is credited with reducing violent crime and improving relationships with residents through initiatives such as youth football teams.
The expansion of CSP comes as other LAPD units are being closely scrutinized for potential cuts. Responding to days of street protests calling for resources to be shifted from policing to programs that help Black and Latino residents, the City Council recently slashed $150 million from the LAPD budget.
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Proponents of CSP say its expansion will transform the culture of the 10,000-officer LAPD, where success has traditionally been measured by arrests and crime statistics. Now, building trust with local residents will be paramount, Chief Michel Moore said.
CSP will now have its own bureau within the LAPD, headed by Emada Tingirides, a Watts native who was one of the program’s founding officers. She will become the LAPD’s second Black female deputy chief.
Along with other reforms, such as tightening use-of-force policies, the CSP expansion will ensure that the community has a greater say in how it is policed, Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
“It’s a dramatic step in that ... we’re moving squarely towards the core of our policing philosophy — a model that is about co-owning public safety,” said Garcetti, who worked with Moore and others to spearhead the change.
The program will eventually expand beyond the current nine neighborhoods and 100 officers. For now, the focus will be on solidifying its existing operations. A 10th CSP site will likely be identified in the next year, Moore said.
Emada Tingirides, deputy chief of the LAPD’s new community policing bureau, greets a longtime resident known as Miss Bounty Hunter Redd at Nickerson Gardens in Watts. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The new CSP bureau will have a full complement of command staff transferred from elsewhere in the department, as well as one civilian commander. But initially, it will not have its own budget. In recent years, new CSP sites have largely been funded by private donations.
The program now has a strong command structure that will channel resources from elsewhere in the department, Garcetti said.
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Tingirides’ promotion from captain was highly unusual because she skipped several rungs on the command ladder. The department’s 11 deputy chiefs are two ranks below the chief of police.
Moore said he promoted Tingirides “to signal to the organization that it wasn’t going to be bound by tradition or protocols, that it was going to be the best person, I believe, for the best position at a critical moment — as America and really all of the nation is looking at policing and certainly here in Los Angeles looking at the LAPD.”
“What’s our future? I think CSP defines our future,” Moore added.
For those who have called for the defunding of the LAPD, CSP puts officers in the very spots — working with young people, delivering social services — where they should not be.
“This is not a program that needs to be operated by armed, sworn police officers,” said Paula Minor of Black Lives Matter L.A. Minor also questioned the program’s use of private funding, including from the Ballmer Group, founded by Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
Connie Rice, a civil rights attorney who co-founded CSP with then-Chief Charlie Beck, called the new bureau and command structure “a bold commitment to do a different kind of policing.”
Now, she said, an ambitious officer can rise through the ranks entirely within CSP, steeped in “guardian” policing instead of the traditional warrior mentality.
“It’s the opposite of LAPD’s core culture,” Rice said. “If you’re a CSP cop, you’re there to serve. ... You understand what people face, the problems, the fears. ... And you ask people, ‘How do you want us to keep you safe?’ You don’t just impose it. ‘What do you want us to fix? How do you want us to help you fix it?’”
Emada Tingirides, deputy chief of the LAPD’s new community policing bureau, chats with Augie Lopez of the city’s Housing Authority at Nickerson Gardens in Watts. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
As Rice and Beck launched CSP nearly a decade ago, they became aware of Tingirides’ work as a community relations sergeant in Watts. With her husband, Phil Tingirides, then the captain of Southeast Division, she was bringing police officers into local schools to read to kids — a revolutionary concept at the time.
At the State of the Union address in 2015, President Obama honored the Tingirideses for their community policing work.
“The CSP concept is not just a police concept. That’s why the title is Community Safety Partnership,” said Emada Tingirides, a 25-year LAPD veteran. “It doesn’t have the word ‘police’ in it, because it takes more than us to address the systemic violence in a community, to address the biases that the community has for law enforcement and then collectively looking at a way to heal the trauma in communities and build the relationships with the community and the police.”
CSP officers commit to the assignment for five years, so they can plant roots in the neighborhood. Nearly a quarter of the LAPD’s 100 CSP officers are Black, and most of the rest are Latino, according to department statistics.
A report by UCLA researchers released in May found that crime rates in two CSP housing developments, Jordan Downs and Nickerson Gardens, were lower than in demographically similar neighborhoods that were not part of the program. Most residents surveyed by the researchers had positive impressions of CSP and said the officers generally got along well with people.
But the report noted a lack of consistency and recommended a slate of reforms, including the creation of a separate bureaucracy.
“Creating a bureau in the LAPD is a seismic shift,” said Jorja Leap, a UCLA professor and coauthor of the report. “I do think it indicates this chief’s intention not to reform but to transform — and there is a radical difference.”
Harvard Park, which in 2017 became the first CSP site outside of a housing development, went from eight homicides in 2016 to none in 2019. CSP officers have helped start a walking club and a healthy eating club and play in a basketball league with community members.
“We’re building toward a day where they’re not needed in the intensity they are now,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a city councilman who represents Harvard Park and other parts of South L.A. “We don’t go from where Harvard Park was to not needing a police presence in a period of three or four years.”
With Harris-Dawson, Councilman Joe Buscaino has introduced a motion calling for savings elsewhere in the LAPD budget to be redirected to CSP. He also wants to see the LAPD expand its senior lead officer program, which assigns officers to neighborhoods to solve quality-of-life issues.
Buscaino, a former LAPD officer whose district extends from San Pedro to Watts, wants new officers to do a stint in CSP, “so they get the mind-set, they understand it, they embrace it.”
“And that for me is true reform, when it comes to building trust,” he added.