latimes--2020-01-17--Delta is cited by air quality regulators after jet dropped 15,000 gallons of fuel over L.A.

Air quality regulators in Southern California slapped Delta Air Lines with a formal notice of violation after one of its jets dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over multiple schools while making an emergency landing this week at Los Angeles International Airport .
The South Coast Air Quality Management District accused Delta of causing a public nuisance when the Shanghai-bound flight released the fuel in a mist that injured children at schools and libraries and prompted alarm in communities across Greater L.A. Delta did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Earlier this week , Delta spokesman Adrian Gee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel over the urban area to reduce the plane ’ s weight before the emergency landing at LAX .
South Coast AQMD said that before issuing the violation , it investigated the release and learned of exposure to jet fuel at the Cudahy Public Library , two schools in El Rancho Unified School District , and several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District .
The violation notice was served Friday on an environmental specialist with Delta , and it ’ s an enforcement action that can ultimately lead to civil penalties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make voluntary measures , ” said AQMD spokesman Bradley Whitaker .
For example , Delta could find ways to reduce pollution emissions or impose practices that prevent further public nuisances .
“ If there isn ’ t a settlement reached , then we can file a lawsuit , ” the spokesman said .
The move by the air quality district comes the same day that four teachers at an elementary school in Cudahy filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court , alleging that Delta ’ s discharge of toxic fuel has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 20 Park Avenue Elementary School students were hit by the jet fuel Tuesday morning when Flight 89 abruptly reversed course to LAX shortly after taking off for Shanghai .
The pilot radioed the control tower to say that there was an engine problem but responded “ Negative ” when asked whether he needed time to burn off or dump fuel to reduce weight before an emergency landing .
Less than 20 minutes later , the jet sprayed fuel over Park Avenue and the surrounding area .
The incident sparked outrage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the center of environmental injustices for decades in Los Angeles County .
Dozens of people — many of them children — were treated by paramedics , but no one was seriously injured .
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard , whose district includes Cudahy , told The Times she wants to ensure that the incident is thoroughly investigated and that the community is provided with clear answers about what transpired .
“ The outrage that the community is feeling and that I am feeling are based on the history of those communities , which are always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Roybal-Allard ( D-Downey ) said .
“ Is this just another example of that ?
Or is this something that really in fact could not be avoided ?
And that ’ s the answer we don ’ t know yet .
”

Student Marianna Torres, 11, center, cries as she evacuates Park Avenue Elementary School after jet fuel fell on the school in Cudahy on Tuesday.
Air quality regulators in Southern California slapped Delta Air Lines with a formal notice of violation after one of its jets dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over multiple schools while making an emergency landing this week at Los Angeles International Airport.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District accused Delta of causing a public nuisance when the Shanghai-bound flight released the fuel in a mist that injured children at schools and libraries and prompted alarm in communities across Greater L.A.
Delta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, Delta spokesman Adrian Gee said the pilot was forced to dump fuel over the urban area to reduce the plane’s weight before the emergency landing at LAX.
South Coast AQMD said that before issuing the violation, it investigated the release and learned of exposure to jet fuel at the Cudahy Public Library, two schools in El Rancho Unified School District, and several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The violation notice was served Friday on an environmental specialist with Delta, and it’s an enforcement action that can ultimately lead to civil penalties.
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“The company can choose to make voluntary measures,” said AQMD spokesman Bradley Whitaker. For example, Delta could find ways to reduce pollution emissions or impose practices that prevent further public nuisances. “If there isn’t a settlement reached, then we can file a lawsuit,” the spokesman said.
The move by the air quality district comes the same day that four teachers at an elementary school in Cudahy filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that Delta’s discharge of toxic fuel has resulted in physical and emotional distress.
At least 20 Park Avenue Elementary School students were hit by the jet fuel Tuesday morning when Flight 89 abruptly reversed course to LAX shortly after taking off for Shanghai.
The pilot radioed the control tower to say that there was an engine problem but responded “Negative” when asked whether he needed time to burn off or dump fuel to reduce weight before an emergency landing. Less than 20 minutes later, the jet sprayed fuel over Park Avenue and the surrounding area.
The incident sparked outrage in a community that’s been at the center of environmental injustices for decades in Los Angeles County. Dozens of people — many of them children — were treated by paramedics, but no one was seriously injured.
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, whose district includes Cudahy, told The Times she wants to ensure that the incident is thoroughly investigated and that the community is provided with clear answers about what transpired.
“The outrage that the community is feeling and that I am feeling are based on the history of those communities, which are always victim to one environmental crisis after another,” Roybal-Allard (D-Downey) said. “Is this just another example of that? Or is this something that really in fact could not be avoided? And that’s the answer we don’t know yet.”


latimes--2020-01-17--Thief steals $145,000 in cannabis revenue from van in Santa Ana

A man stole $ 145,000 in cash from a marijuana money courier ’ s unmarked van at a Santa Ana gas station after the driver collected the proceeds from several dispensaries , authorities said Friday .
Because the U.S. government still outlaws marijuana , even in states where it ’ s legal such as California , it is mostly an all-cash business because of federal banking laws .
Santa Ana police released surveillance footage from the gas station and asked for the public ’ s help to identify the suspect .
After the courier had walked into the gas station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s passenger window with an object and grabbed two satchels full of cash from the center console area , Santa Ana police Cpl .
Anthony Bertagna said .
The man then got back into a Nissan Pathfinder ’ s passenger seat and the vehicle drove away .
Bertagna said the van was locked , but he didn ’ t know if it had a safe inside or had reinforced glass or other security features .
“ If it ’ s reinforced , it didn ’ t work very well , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who had done pickups in Los Angeles and Santa Ana before refueling , was involved in the crime , the corporal said .
He did not know which company employs the courier .
“ He could have been followed from L.A. , ” Bertagna said .
“ Do they know his routine ?
There are a lot of open questions .
It appears they were looking for an opportunity , and they did it in a matter of seconds.
” The Pathfinder had been parked at a gas pump , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , Bertagna said .
“ It ’ s quite apparent they knew what they were doing and how they were going to do it , ” he said .
Santa Ana police typically get reports of dispensaries being burglarized for cash , Bertagna said .
He did not know of any cases in Santa Ana where a courier had cash stolen from a van .
Authorities will be looking into whether similar crimes have occurred elsewhere in the region , Bertagna said .

A man stole $145,000 in cash from a marijuana money courier’s unmarked van at a Santa Ana gas station after the driver collected the proceeds from several dispensaries, authorities said Friday.
Because the U.S. government still outlaws marijuana, even in states where it’s legal such as California, it is mostly an all-cash business because of federal banking laws.
Santa Ana police released surveillance footage from the gas station and asked for the public’s help to identify the suspect.
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After the courier had walked into the gas station, the thief smashed the van’s passenger window with an object and grabbed two satchels full of cash from the center console area, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
The man then got back into a Nissan Pathfinder’s passenger seat and the vehicle drove away.
Bertagna said the van was locked, but he didn’t know if it had a safe inside or had reinforced glass or other security features.
“If it’s reinforced, it didn’t work very well,” he said.
Detectives do not believe the courier, who had done pickups in Los Angeles and Santa Ana before refueling, was involved in the crime, the corporal said. He did not know which company employs the courier.
“He could have been followed from L.A.,” Bertagna said. “Do they know his routine? There are a lot of open questions. It appears they were looking for an opportunity, and they did it in a matter of seconds.”
The Pathfinder had been parked at a gas pump, but the thieves never filled up before stealing the money, Bertagna said.
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“It’s quite apparent they knew what they were doing and how they were going to do it,” he said.
Santa Ana police typically get reports of dispensaries being burglarized for cash, Bertagna said. He did not know of any cases in Santa Ana where a courier had cash stolen from a van.
Authorities will be looking into whether similar crimes have occurred elsewhere in the region, Bertagna said.


latimes--2020-01-18--'Kiwi Queen' Frieda Caplan, produce-industry pioneer, dies at 96

They called her “ Kiwi Queen ” and “ Mother Gooseberry.
” “ Mushroom Lady ” and “ the “ Mick Jagger of the produce world.
” The woman who broke the glass ceiling in the testosterone-doused produce world and forever changed the way Americans eat fruits and vegetables .
She was Frieda Rapoport Caplan , a tenacious maven credited for introducing kiwis , mangoes , habanero and shishito peppers , passion fruit , bean and alfalfa sprouts , baby carrots , sugar snap peas , starfruit , blood oranges , shiitake mushrooms , turmeric , and hundreds more fruits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Into the bellies of American consumers .
She was loquacious , driven and loved to take risks .
“ I had a reputation of trying anything new , ” she told the Pasadena Star-News in 2003 .
“ I couldn ’ t compete with all the boys on the big items … so I built the business selling things that were different.
” That was the Caplan way , a gritty business owner deemed the first woman to own and run her own produce house in Los Angeles ’ Wholesale Produce Market and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skirt , she revolutionized the way the produce world did business , adding recipes and cooking instructions on packages of “ exotic ” produce to tame the distrust of an unsuspecting public .
Caplan died Saturday morning in Los Alamitos after a brief illness , according to an email sent by her daughters , Karen Caplan — president and CEO of Frieda ’ s Specialty Produce — and Jackie Wiggins Caplan , the company ’ s chief operating officer .
She was 96 .
“ Who the hell had heard of jicama or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor who works with specialty crops .
“ We were a meat and potatoes society in the 1960s , ” he added .
“ She changed our eating habits ... .
Frieda was able to tap into aspirations that people had after the Second World War ... something new and different other than mac ‘ n ’ cheese.
” Born in 1923 in downtown L.A. , Caplan was the daughter of Russian immigrants and raised in Highland Park .
Like many great success stories , Caplan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pioneer of specialty produce came from happenstance .
The year was 1945 , and Caplan had recently graduated from UCLA with a degree in economics and political science .
Soon after , she landed an office gig working for an attorney who headed the CIO ’ s political action committee in L.A .
In 1951 , she married labor consultant and president of a longshoreman ’ s union , Alfred Hale Caplan .
Four years later , they had their firstborn , Karen .
She started searching for a job with flexible hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and breastfeed her baby at home .
Her husband ’ s uncle and aunt , who managed a produce house , happened to be looking for a bookkeeper , so they brought Caplan on board .
Then her boss went on vacation , and Caplan was asked to fill in as a cashier .
As buyers came in for produce , the young Caplan nudged them toward a pallet of fresh brown mushrooms .
One man agreed , but his order was massive , and they didn ’ t have enough in stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called was out of the fungi , so she went hunting for them at the Ocean View Mushroom Farm in Orange County .
They too were sold out , but she saw employees packing mushrooms and lent a hand .
She got what she wanted and filled the buyer ’ s request .
It was a steady trajectory from there as Caplan developed her marketing expertise .
Encouraged by the manager for the Southern Pacific Railroad , which ran the market , Caplan launched her own business with the help of a loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foodstuffs .
“ The other people on the market were only interested in high-volume items , ” Caplan once said .
“ Small farmers had no place to go .
Nobody was interested .
So I started listening to all these small farmers.
” And slowly , her reputation for selling fruits and vegetables no one had heard of stateside had swelled .
“ Go to Frieda , ” growers and buyers often heard when they sought an offbeat product no one knew about .
The kiwi , Caplan ’ s first claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Safeway buyer asked if she carried “ Chinese gooseberries , ” which he ’ d encountered on a recent trip to New Zealand .
She didn ’ t .
But months later , a broker walked through the market with a box and Caplan bought some .
She renamed the brown fuzzy edible kiwifruit , thinking customers would find its new name more appealing .
It took nearly a decade for the fruit to popularize .
“ I like to call it our 18-year overnight success , ” she once said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruit in her later years .
“ Her introduction of kiwi made people less risk-averse to try new things , ” said Marianne McGarry Wolf , head of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ’ s Agribusiness Department .
Gradually , Caplan carved out a niche for herself .
After hustling for years , working from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily , Caplan founded her own company in 1962 .
Purple became her signature color because , at the time of her business launch , it was the only hue the sign maker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have always been exotic food items , ” Caplan told The Times in 1972 on the key to success .
“ We just showcased them , dressed them up and sold them.
” She even supplied the “ alien ” fruits for “ Star Trek ” episodes , which helped boost sales .
Also a sales success was her introduction of packaged produce , an idea that spawned when customers in Chicago couldn ’ t tell the difference between the ginger and sunchokes they ’ d purchased from her .
So Caplan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products and added a note telling customers to call Frieda ’ s for recipes and more information .
“ We were flooded with letters , ” Caplan said in the 2015 documentary “ Fear No Fruit.
” Every week , they received 400 to 800 letters .
“ Success came because I never saw obstacles , ” she told the Orange County Register in 2018 .
In the mid-1980s , when Frieda ’ s Inc. had established itself as an industry leader , she told The Times that her success was due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , medical reports stating that eating more fresh produce showed a lower cancer rate , and a spurt of restaurants specializing in fresh and exotic foods .
Before long she was supplying produce to stores like Vons , Ralphs , Trader Joe ’ s , Bristol Farms and Whole Foods .
The media had long ago taken notice of her , and had been following her rocketing career .
The Times in 1990 listed Caplan as one of a dozen Californians — including Steve Jobs and Jane Fonda — who shaped American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got ta hand it to her , ” said an admirer to The Times in 1972 .
“ She made something from nothing .
There isn ’ t a produce man in the market who doesn ’ t take his hat off to her.
” And throughout her long , fruitful life and career , others took their hats off to her , too .
Her many accolades included an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ; a Lifetime Achievement Award from United Fresh Produce Assn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assn .
of Women Business Owners ; received the first Working Woman ’ s magazine ’ s first Harriet Alger Award for Entrepreneurship ; and was the first woman to receive The Packer newspaper ’ s “ Produce Man of the Year ” in the 1970s , which she rejected until it was renamed “ The Produce Marketer of the Year.
” By 2018 , Frieda ’ s , Inc. had boomed into a $ 50-million-plus business with 75 full-time and 110 part-time employees , an 81,000-square-foot warehouse in Los Alamitos and customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Caplan still showed up to work .
Cane in hand , always donning purple , she filed invoices and kept a keen eye on the next big product , leaving her daughters Karen and Jackie to run the business .
“ She works like someone is keeping time on her , ” her granddaughter and the company ’ s sales manager Alex Berkley once said .
But despite all her innovations and accomplishments , her accolades and title as “ the marketing genius who galvanized the California farm industry and almost singlehandedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many described her , there ’ s one thing Caplan didn ’ t do : She never learned how to cook .

Frieda Caplan started her business Frieda’s Inc. by selling exotic fruits and vegetables at a downtown Los Angeles market in 1962 and moved her business to its current location in Los Alamitos in 1994.
They called her “Kiwi Queen” and “Mother Gooseberry.” “Mushroom Lady” and “the “Mick Jagger of the produce world.” The woman who broke the glass ceiling in the testosterone-doused produce world and forever changed the way Americans eat fruits and vegetables.
She was Frieda Rapoport Caplan, a tenacious maven credited for introducing kiwis, mangoes, habanero and shishito peppers, passion fruit, bean and alfalfa sprouts, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, starfruit, blood oranges, shiitake mushrooms, turmeric, and hundreds more fruits and vegetables into the supermarket mainstream. Into the bellies of American consumers.
She was loquacious, driven and loved to take risks.
“I had a reputation of trying anything new,” she told the Pasadena Star-News in 2003. “I couldn’t compete with all the boys on the big items … so I built the business selling things that were different.”
Advertisement
That was the Caplan way, a gritty business owner deemed the first woman to own and run her own produce house in Los Angeles’ Wholesale Produce Market and the U.S.
In heels and a skirt, she revolutionized the way the produce world did business, adding recipes and cooking instructions on packages of “exotic” produce to tame the distrust of an unsuspecting public.
Caplan died Saturday morning in Los Alamitos after a brief illness, according to an email sent by her daughters, Karen Caplan — president and CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce — and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, the company’s chief operating officer. She was 96.
“Who the hell had heard of jicama or spaghetti squash?” said Ben Faber, a UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor who works with specialty crops. “We were a meat and potatoes society in the 1960s,” he added. “She changed our eating habits.... Frieda was able to tap into aspirations that people had after the Second World War ... something new and different other than mac ‘n’ cheese.”
Born in 1923 in downtown L.A., Caplan was the daughter of Russian immigrants and raised in Highland Park. Like many great success stories, Caplan’s stratospheric rise as the mother and pioneer of specialty produce came from happenstance.
The year was 1945, and Caplan had recently graduated from UCLA with a degree in economics and political science. Soon after, she landed an office gig working for an attorney who headed the CIO’s political action committee in L.A.
In 1951, she married labor consultant and president of a longshoreman’s union, Alfred Hale Caplan. Four years later, they had their firstborn, Karen.
Advertisement
She started searching for a job with flexible hours, as she wanted to care for and breastfeed her baby at home. Her husband’s uncle and aunt, who managed a produce house, happened to be looking for a bookkeeper, so they brought Caplan on board.
Then her boss went on vacation, and Caplan was asked to fill in as a cashier. As buyers came in for produce, the young Caplan nudged them toward a pallet of fresh brown mushrooms. One man agreed, but his order was massive, and they didn’t have enough in stock to fill his request.
She panicked.
Everyone she called was out of the fungi, so she went hunting for them at the Ocean View Mushroom Farm in Orange County. They too were sold out, but she saw employees packing mushrooms and lent a hand.
She got what she wanted and filled the buyer’s request.
It was a steady trajectory from there as Caplan developed her marketing expertise.
Encouraged by the manager for the Southern Pacific Railroad, which ran the market, Caplan launched her own business with the help of a loan from her father, focusing on overlooked foodstuffs.
“The other people on the market were only interested in high-volume items,” Caplan once said. “Small farmers had no place to go. Nobody was interested. So I started listening to all these small farmers.”
A Los Angeles Times clipping of Frieda Caplan from Nov. 10, 1961. (Los Angeles Times)
And slowly, her reputation for selling fruits and vegetables no one had heard of stateside had swelled.
“Go to Frieda,” growers and buyers often heard when they sought an offbeat product no one knew about.
The kiwi, Caplan’s first claim to fame, made its debut after a Safeway buyer asked if she carried “Chinese gooseberries,” which he’d encountered on a recent trip to New Zealand.
She didn’t. But months later, a broker walked through the market with a box and Caplan bought some. She renamed the brown fuzzy edible kiwifruit, thinking customers would find its new name more appealing.
It took nearly a decade for the fruit to popularize. “I like to call it our 18-year overnight success,” she once said. Ironically, she grew allergic to the fruit in her later years.
“Her introduction of kiwi made people less risk-averse to try new things,” said Marianne McGarry Wolf, head of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Agribusiness Department.
Gradually, Caplan carved out a niche for herself. After hustling for years, working from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Caplan founded her own company in 1962. Purple became her signature color because, at the time of her business launch, it was the only hue the sign maker she hired had on hand.
“There have always been exotic food items,” Caplan told The Times in 1972 on the key to success. “We just showcased them, dressed them up and sold them.”
She even supplied the “alien” fruits for “Star Trek” episodes, which helped boost sales.
Also a sales success was her introduction of packaged produce, an idea that spawned when customers in Chicago couldn’t tell the difference between the ginger and sunchokes they’d purchased from her.
So Caplan found a solution: She labeled their products and added a note telling customers to call Frieda’s for recipes and more information. “We were flooded with letters,” Caplan said in the 2015 documentary “Fear No Fruit.” Every week, they received 400 to 800 letters.
“Success came because I never saw obstacles,” she told the Orange County Register in 2018.
In the mid-1980s, when Frieda’s Inc. had established itself as an industry leader, she told The Times that her success was due to the health and fitness craze of the time, medical reports stating that eating more fresh produce showed a lower cancer rate, and a spurt of restaurants specializing in fresh and exotic foods.
Before long she was supplying produce to stores like Vons, Ralphs, Trader Joe’s, Bristol Farms and Whole Foods.
The media had long ago taken notice of her, and had been following her rocketing career.
The Times in 1990 listed Caplan as one of a dozen Californians — including Steve Jobs and Jane Fonda — who shaped American businesses in the 1980s.
“You gotta hand it to her,” said an admirer to The Times in 1972. “She made something from nothing. There isn’t a produce man in the market who doesn’t take his hat off to her.”
And throughout her long, fruitful life and career, others took their hats off to her, too.
Her many accolades included an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; a Lifetime Achievement Award from United Fresh Produce Assn.; a Legacy Award from National Assn. of Women Business Owners; received the first Working Woman’s magazine’s first Harriet Alger Award for Entrepreneurship; and was the first woman to receive The Packer newspaper’s “Produce Man of the Year” in the 1970s, which she rejected until it was renamed “The Produce Marketer of the Year.”
By 2018, Frieda’s, Inc. had boomed into a $50-million-plus business with 75 full-time and 110 part-time employees, an 81,000-square-foot warehouse in Los Alamitos and customers from across the world.
Until recently, Caplan still showed up to work. Cane in hand, always donning purple, she filed invoices and kept a keen eye on the next big product, leaving her daughters Karen and Jackie to run the business.
“She works like someone is keeping time on her,” her granddaughter and the company’s sales manager Alex Berkley once said.
But despite all her innovations and accomplishments, her accolades and title as “the marketing genius who galvanized the California farm industry and almost singlehandedly created fruit and vegetable trends,” as many described her, there’s one thing Caplan didn’t do: She never learned how to cook.


latimes--2020-01-18--Authorities move L.A. attorney Michael Avenatti to New York ahead of trial

Federal authorities moved Los Angeles attorney Michael Avenatti to New York on Friday ahead of a trial later this month on charges that he tried to extort more than $ 20 million from sports giant Nike , his attorney said .
U.S. marshals transported Avenatti by private jet , and he ’ s at Metropolitan Correction Center awaiting classification , attorney H. Dean Steward said Saturday .
The move came two days after a federal judge revoked Avenatti ’ s bail and ordered him jailed while awaiting trial on three indictments , saying new allegations of fraud and money laundering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .
Avenatti was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon at a California State Bar Court hearing .
The state bar is seeking to block him from practicing law while he faces bank fraud , tax evasion and other charges in the three federal indictments .
Prosecutors have accused him of stealing millions from his own clients .
Avenatti , who gained fame as the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels , who alleged she had a one-night stand with Donald Trump in 2006 , has denied wrongdoing .
After the Nike case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal trial in New York on charges that he stole from Daniels by skimming money from her deal to write a memoir detailing her alleged affair with President Trump .
After that , Avenatti is to be tried in Santa Ana federal court on the most sweeping of the three cases .
He is accused of fraud , perjury , failure to pay taxes , embezzlement and other financial crimes .
Prosecutors allege he stole millions of dollars from five clients and used a tangle of shell companies and bank accounts to cover @ @ @ @

Michael Avenatti talks to the media after a federal court hearing in New York on May 30, 2018.
Federal authorities moved Los Angeles attorney Michael Avenatti to New York on Friday ahead of a trial later this month on charges that he tried to extort more than $20 million from sports giant Nike, his attorney said.
U.S. marshals transported Avenatti by private jet, and he’s at Metropolitan Correction Center awaiting classification, attorney H. Dean Steward said Saturday.
The move came two days after a federal judge revoked Avenatti’s bail and ordered him jailed while awaiting trial on three indictments, saying new allegations of fraud and money laundering show he poses a danger to the public.
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Avenatti was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon at a California State Bar Court hearing. The state bar is seeking to block him from practicing law while he faces bank fraud, tax evasion and other charges in the three federal indictments. Prosecutors have accused him of stealing millions from his own clients.
Avenatti, who gained fame as the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had a one-night stand with Donald Trump in 2006, has denied wrongdoing.
After the Nike case concludes, he will face a second federal trial in New York on charges that he stole from Daniels by skimming money from her deal to write a memoir detailing her alleged affair with President Trump.
After that, Avenatti is to be tried in Santa Ana federal court on the most sweeping of the three cases. He is accused of fraud, perjury, failure to pay taxes, embezzlement and other financial crimes. Prosecutors allege he stole millions of dollars from five clients and used a tangle of shell companies and bank accounts to cover up the theft.
Times staff writer Michael Finnegan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-18--Police arrest 19-year-old woman in attack that left 7-Eleven clerk in a coma

Torrance police have arrested a 19-year-old woman on suspicion of brutally beating a 7-Eleven store clerk who remains hospitalized in a coma , authorities said .
Jordyn Kolone of Harbor City was booked Thursday evening after investigators released surveillance images of the assailants in the Jan. 11 robbery , according to a statement from the Torrance Police Department .
Kolone was being held in Los Angeles County jail in lieu of $ 1-million bond , and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday , according to inmate records .
Police allege that Kolone and an unidentified male accomplice walked into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue about 1 a.m. and grabbed beer from the refrigerator .
The pair left the convenience store without paying , and the clerk chased them outside the store .
There , police said , the attackers beat the man , leaving blows to his head , and he was left on the ground .
An online fundraiser identified the victim as Syed Ali , and his relatives said in a statement that he was rescued by a person driving by who stopped and provided aid .
“ He was able to cough up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ali ’ s relatives said in the statement .
Police released surveillance photos of the man involved in the beer theft .
Investigators said that a third suspect was also involved , but no image of him was released .
Ali ’ s family said that he is a father of four young children who moved two years ago from Pakistan .
He has undergone surgery on his skull and was recovering in an intensive care unit .
“ He has severe brain damage due to internal bleeding in the brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He may never wake up or have use of his body again .
He may never wake up to see his family again either , ” his family wrote .
Police said the search for the two outstanding suspects was ongoing .
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Torrance Police Department at ( 310 ) 328-3456 .

Torrance police have arrested a 19-year-old woman on suspicion of brutally beating a 7-Eleven store clerk who remains hospitalized in a coma, authorities said.
Jordyn Kolone of Harbor City was booked Thursday evening after investigators released surveillance images of the assailants in the Jan. 11 robbery, according to a statement from the Torrance Police Department. Kolone was being held in Los Angeles County jail in lieu of $1-million bond, and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, according to inmate records.
Police allege that Kolone and an unidentified male accomplice walked into the 7-Eleven on Sepulveda Boulevard and Western Avenue about 1 a.m. and grabbed beer from the refrigerator. The pair left the convenience store without paying, and the clerk chased them outside the store.
There, police said, the attackers beat the man, leaving blows to his head, and he was left on the ground. An online fundraiser identified the victim as Syed Ali, and his relatives said in a statement that he was rescued by a person driving by who stopped and provided aid.
“He was able to cough up some blood before finally taking a breath,” Ali’s relatives said in the statement.
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Police released surveillance photos of the man involved in the beer theft. Investigators said that a third suspect was also involved, but no image of him was released.
Ali’s family said that he is a father of four young children who moved two years ago from Pakistan. He has undergone surgery on his skull and was recovering in an intensive care unit.
“He has severe brain damage due to internal bleeding in the brain and is currently in a coma. He may never wake up or have use of his body again. He may never wake up to see his family again either,” his family wrote.
Police said the search for the two outstanding suspects was ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to contact the Torrance Police Department at (310) 328-3456.


latimes--2020-01-18--While Women's March unfolds, L.A. Archdiocese holds its own social justice gathering

As thousands of people gathered downtown for the fourth Women ’ s March , the Archdiocese of Los Angeles offered its own comment on the matter with a smaller procession that began at the city ’ s birthplace .
The sixth OneLife LA rally and march started at noon at Olvera Street , with welcoming remarks by Archbishop José H. Gomez .
From there , participants were scheduled to walk about a mile up Spring Street to Los Angeles State Historic Park , to a festival that included music , food trucks and array of speeches by advocates who reflected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anti-death penalty teachings .
`` ` Love is the reason for our lives , ” Gomez said in a statement .
“ And love is the reason we commit ourselves to defending the child in the womb , the poor and the homeless , the prisoner and the sick , the elderly and the disabled , mothers in crisis and young people in need of foster care.
” The keynote is Cyntoia Brown-Long , who was sentenced to life in prison at age 16 in 2004 for killing a man who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bill Haslan granted her clemency after a PBS documentary made her case into a cause celebré .
At 5 p.m. , OneLife LA was scheduled to conclude with Gomez offering the 25th annual Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles .
Though not approaching the size of the Women ’ s March , attendance at the Catholic event is still impressive : last year , faithful from across the Southland participated .
Officially put on by the Archdiocese ’ s Office of Life , Justice , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s been held on the same date as the Women ’ s March for the past three years was a complete coincidence , noting OneLife LA is two years older .
Office director and event organizer Kathleen Domingo said the events are similar only so much as the two “ are gathering to unite our [ respective ] communities from diverse backgrounds.
” Without directly commenting on the progressive politics that mostly fuel the Women ’ s March , Domingo said , “ We ’ re very positive at OneLife .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything .
We show love and mercy to people no matter who they are and what kind of situation they ’ re in , and focus on the beauty and dignity of every human life .
”

As thousands of people gathered downtown for the fourth Women’s March, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles offered its own comment on the matter with a smaller procession that began at the city’s birthplace.
The sixth OneLife LA rally and march started at noon at Olvera Street, with welcoming remarks by Archbishop José H. Gomez. From there, participants were scheduled to walk about a mile up Spring Street to Los Angeles State Historic Park, to a festival that included music, food trucks and array of speeches by advocates who reflected the Roman Catholic Church’s anti-abortion, anti-death penalty teachings.
“`Love is the reason for our lives,” Gomez said in a statement. “And love is the reason we commit ourselves to defending the child in the womb, the poor and the homeless, the prisoner and the sick, the elderly and the disabled, mothers in crisis and young people in need of foster care.”
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The keynote is Cyntoia Brown-Long, who was sentenced to life in prison at age 16 in 2004 for killing a man who had solicited her for sex. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslan granted her clemency after a PBS documentary made her case into a cause celebré.
At 5 p.m., OneLife LA was scheduled to conclude with Gomez offering the 25th annual Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles.
Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez stands for a portrait at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Monday, November 21, 2016 in Los Angeles. (Patrick T. Fallon / For the Times)
Though not approaching the size of the Women’s March, attendance at the Catholic event is still impressive: last year, faithful from across the Southland participated.
Officially put on by the Archdiocese’s Office of Life, Justice, and Peace, a representative said the fact it’s been held on the same date as the Women’s March for the past three years was a complete coincidence, noting OneLife LA is two years older. Office director and event organizer Kathleen Domingo said the events are similar only so much as the two “are gathering to unite our [respective] communities from diverse backgrounds.”
Without directly commenting on the progressive politics that mostly fuel the Women’s March, Domingo said, “We’re very positive at OneLife. We don’t talk about opposing anything. We show love and mercy to people no matter who they are and what kind of situation they’re in, and focus on the beauty and dignity of every human life.”


latimes--2020-01-18--Jet fuel dump on schools raises heat at Cudahy town hall meeting

At a raucous town hall meeting in Cudahy on Friday night , hundreds of residents turned out to express their outrage over a Delta Air Lines jet that dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over the working-class community this week , injuring children and teachers at local schools .
Several members of the crowd packed into the city ’ s community center felt a county health official at the meeting was downplaying the effects of the incident .
“ Kids got injured , okay , sir , ” yelled Gerardo Mayagoita , a resident who is also the city clerk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hospital , ” resident Vanessa Huarte screamed .
One woman cried as she held up a cell phone , showing a picture of herself in a hospital bed .
Several mothers showed photos of children with rashes and said they are still feeling ill. On Tuesday , a Shanghai-bound Delta airliner dumped fuel over multiple schools in the area while making an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport .
Delta said the pilot was forced to dump fuel in an urban area to reduce the plane ’ s weight before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman who attended Friday ’ s town hall , spoke and took questions from the audience , but was booed and heckled by the crowd .
“ This is environmental racism , ” Jose Gomez shouted from the back of the room .
It isn ’ t the first time the term has popped up in Southeast Los Angeles County , a region made up of mostly working-class Latino families who are routinely exposed to dust and noxious fumes from nearby factories , commercial vehicles , freeways and a rail yard .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAX .
For decades , residents and environmental activists have waged one environmental fight after another .
They have pushed back against the construction of a toxic waste dump and an oil pipeline .
Five years ago , environmental activists succeeded in closing down a battery recycling plant in Vernon , which had been spewing lead and arsenic onto residential neighborhoods for years .
So when Delta pilots decided to drop fuel over the area , people took offense .
“ It was the final insult , ” 21-year-old Marco Perez of Huntington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t see this happening in white rich communities.
” Jessica Barragan , 30 , a Cudahy resident whose 5-year-old daughter attends Park Avenue Elementary , where at least 20 children and 11 adults were treated for minor injuries , couldn ’ t help but ask Debel one thing : “ Why did it only hit where Latinos live ?
” Debel said she was limited in her response because of a pending federal investigation leaving Barragan and others frustrated and angry .
Debel said that residents could file claims with Delta for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not say how it would respond until all investigations are complete .
The controversial fuel dump occurred Tuesday morning .
Delta Air Lines Flight 89 had just taken off from LAX when pilots alerted the control tower that the plane ’ s right engine had stalled .
The air traffic controller asked if the pilot needed to dump fuel .
“ Negative , ” the pilot is heard saying over the radio .
But shortly after , the plane began to release jet fuel as it passed over several cities , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
The fuel hit children and teachers at several area schools .
A total of 60 patients were treated as a result of the incident , at least 20 of them children .
Since the incident , four teachers have sued Delta , and the South Coast Air Quality Management District , the air pollution control agency , also slapped the company with a notice of violation and said that it could face civil penalties for causing a public nuisance .
Addressing the crowd at Friday ’ s town hall meeting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yard Communities for Environmental Justice , a nonprofit established in response to the increasing concerns about the region ’ s environmental health impacts of industrial pollution , told residents they should keep demanding answers and never stop .
“ We ’ re dumped on every day ; our water , our air , the land under our feet , every day , ” he said .
“ And that ’ s what is allowed by the government agencies that is supposed to protect us .
“ So when we get sprayed on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that , ” he added .
Lopez led the crowd on a chant : “ This is my community .
This is my fight .
You will hear me tonight .
”

Cudahy residents packed a town hall meeting Friday to express anger over a Delta Air Lines jet that dumped fuel over the working-class community earlier this week.
At a raucous town hall meeting in Cudahy on Friday night, hundreds of residents turned out to express their outrage over a Delta Air Lines jet that dumped 15,000 gallons of fuel over the working-class community this week, injuring children and teachers at local schools.
Several members of the crowd packed into the city’s community center felt a county health official at the meeting was downplaying the effects of the incident.
“Kids got injured, okay, sir,” yelled Gerardo Mayagoitia, a resident who is also the city clerk of neighboring Maywood.
“There are families in the hospital,” resident Vanessa Huarte screamed.
One woman cried as she held up a cellphone, showing a picture of herself in a hospital bed. Several mothers showed photos of children with rashes and said they are still feeling ill.
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On Tuesday, a Shanghai-bound Delta airliner dumped fuel over multiple schools in the area while making an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport. Delta said the pilot was forced to dump fuel in an urban area to reduce the plane’s weight before landing.
Dana Debel, a Delta spokeswoman who attended Friday’s town hall, spoke and took questions from the audience, but was booed and heckled by the crowd.
“This is environmental racism,” Jose Gomez shouted from the back of the room.
It isn’t the first time the term has popped up in Southeast Los Angeles County, a region made up of mostly working-class Latino families who are routinely exposed to dust and noxious fumes from nearby factories, commercial vehicles, freeways and a rail yard. It also sits in the flight path of LAX.
For decades, residents and environmental activists have waged one environmental fight after another. They have pushed back against the construction of a toxic waste dump and an oil pipeline. Five years ago, environmental activists succeeded in closing down a battery recycling plant in Vernon, which had been spewing lead and arsenic onto residential neighborhoods for years.
So when Delta pilots decided to drop fuel over the area, people took offense.
“It was the final insult,” 21-year-old Marco Perez of Huntington Park said. “You don’t see this happening in white rich communities.”
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Jessica Barragan, 30, a Cudahy resident whose 5-year-old daughter attends Park Avenue Elementary, where at least 20 children and 11 adults were treated for minor injuries, couldn’t help but ask Debel one thing: “Why did it only hit where Latinos live?”
Debel said she was limited in her response because of a pending federal investigation leaving Barragan and others frustrated and angry. Debel said that residents could file claims with Delta for any possible health injuries but that the airline could not say how it would respond until all investigations are complete.
The controversial fuel dump occurred Tuesday morning. Delta Air Lines Flight 89 had just taken off from LAX when pilots alerted the control tower that the plane’s right engine had stalled. The air traffic controller asked if the pilot needed to dump fuel.
“Negative,” the pilot is heard saying over the radio. But shortly after, the plane began to release jet fuel as it passed over several cities, including Cudahy, Downey, South Gate and others.
The fuel hit children and teachers at several area schools. A total of 60 patients were treated as a result of the incident, at least 20 of them children.
Since the incident, four teachers have sued Delta, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the air pollution control agency, also slapped the company with a notice of violation and said that it could face civil penalties for causing a public nuisance.
Addressing the crowd at Friday’s town hall meeting, Mark Lopez, executive director for East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, a nonprofit established in response to the increasing concerns about the region’s environmental health impacts of industrial pollution, told residents they should keep demanding answers and never stop.
“We’re dumped on every day; our water, our air, the land under our feet, every day,” he said. “And that’s what is allowed by the government agencies that is supposed to protect us.
“So when we get sprayed on, it’s on top of all of that,” he added.
Lopez led the crowd on a chant: “This is my community. This is my fight. You will hear me tonight.”


latimes--2020-01-18--Thousands turn out for Women's March in downtown L.A.

Diminished in number but not in spirit , thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to advocate for reproductive rights , immigration reform , environmental justice and other issues as part of the fourth Women ’ s March .
The crowd congregated at Pershing Square and then marched to City Hall for a two-hour program featuring speakers that included Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Mayor Eric Garcetti .
Similar marches and rallies were being held in Washington , San Francisco , New York , Chicago and other cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9:30 a.m. , the crowd gathered at Pershing Square wasn ’ t as large as in years past , but it slowly began to grow throughout the morning .
Some of the demonstrators dressed in turn-of-the-century attire in observance of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , giving women the right to vote .
Jennifer Lang , an OB-GYN from Beverly Hills , said she was a bit dismayed by the reduced numbers , especially during a presidential election year , but believed it was important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , ” she said .
Lang recalled how her grandmother marched for the right to have access to birth control prior to the Supreme Court ’ s Roe vs. Wade decision .
In keeping with generations before her , Lang brought her 11-year-old daughter Sheila to Saturday ’ s rally to continue her family ’ s legacy of advocating for women ’ s rights .
“ We were talking on the drive here about how crazy it is that we are marching for the same issues , ” Lang said .
Sheila @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren ’ t able to burn , ” was at the first Women ’ s March in Washington following President Trump ’ s inauguration in 2017 .
Her mom said she hopes the 2020 election will have a different outcome than 2016 .
Emily Guereca , president of Women ’ s March Foundation in Los Angeles , said that 60 % of those who marched were first-time participants .
Among them were more than a dozen students from Ánimo Leadership High School in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Empowered Women Empower Women ” and “ We are not ovary-acting.
” Julissa Ayala , 17 , was there for the first time .
Her prime motivation , she said , was to mobilize for equal pay .
“ The fact that women are paid less than men for equal work in is just ridiculous , ” said Ayala .
“ It ’ s wrong.
” Her classmate , Osvaldo Barba , also 17 , carried a Mexican flag and wore a denim jacket emblazoned with the United Farm Workers logo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ feminism must be intersectional.
” Pointing to the bright pink clothes hangers that hung from his jacket , he added : “ We ’ re here for immigrants ’ rights , of course .
But we ’ re also here to mobilize for reproductive rights , particularly low-cost access to services for people of color.
” The hangers were provided by Robin McCarthy , a graphic designer from Silver Lake who , with the help of three friends , was handing them out for free to marchers on the corner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across from Pershing Square .
Ahead of the demonstration , she designed the hangers that read “ # noban ” on one side and , in capital letters , “ Warning , this is not a surgical instrument , ” on the other .
Using her own money , she had 4,000 hangers made for the occasion .
“ I come from a time before Roe vs. Wade , ” said McCarthy , “ and I ’ m frankly concerned about the future of reproductive rights in our country.
” Still , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have faith in the intelligence and strength of female and male feminists .
But I know it won ’ t come without boots on the ground.
” By 10:15 a.m. , the crowds had grown by hundreds as the march to City Hall kicked off with a “ 3-2-1 !
” count .
Women , men and dogs of all sizes marched to the sounds of drumbeats and chants of “ This is what democracy looks like ” as house music and ‘ 90s-era hip-hop played in the background .
After Espi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ’ s Los Angeles Unified School District teachers ’ strike , she knew she wanted to continue using her voice to advocate for the rights that generations before her fought to win .
“ I felt very empowered and always wanted to come to the march and have my voice heard , ” she said .
The second-grade teacher at Nora Sterry Elementary prepared for the march with a teaching of the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. and the values he stood for .
Her assignment for her students this weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and said the timing of the march on a holiday weekend that celebrates his fight for civil rights was especially powerful .
Debra Sibar and her friends from Topanga Canyon were dressed like suffragettes , as has been their tradition during every Women ’ s March .
The group of women have their routine down — on the eve of the march , they make the final touches on their outfits in the style of Alice Paul and Susan B. Anthony .
At 5 a.m. , Kristina Levy prepares oatmeal for breakfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women pile into a car and make their way to downtown L.A. “ Republicans want to own patriotism , ” Sibar , a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution , said .
“ But there ’ s no reason why being out here is un-American.
” The women said their mission is to promote support for the Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential election , whoever that may be .
Their focus is to push for equality and ensure that their voices are heard .
Jill Darling , who was at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , simply carried a sign that read : “ Any Dem Adult 2020.
” On a personal level , she said , she would love to see a President Amy Klobuchar .
“ But I ’ ve always been a pragmatic voter , ” said Darling , “ and what we have to do this year is get Trump out.
” Jennifer Siebel Newsom , first partner of California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , also connected the demonstration ’ s efforts to the anniversary of the 19th Amendment .
But she also acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting that it won white women the right to vote but did not guarantee the same for women of color .
“ Many woman are still fighting for equal access at the ballot today , ” she said .
Still , Newsom pointed to the rising number of women in politics as evidence of progress made since the first Women ’ s March in 2017 .
“ In 2020 , I have no doubt that it will be women who lead again , rise up and move this country forward on a path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As Gov .
Newsom says , as California goes , so will go the country.
” In her remarks , Nury Martinez , the first Latina to be chosen as L.A. City Council president , addressed the girls in the crowd .
“ Dream big and work hard , ” she said .
“ You will be next.
” This year ’ s march comes at a time when three women are running for president in the Democratic primary and on the same week that Virginia became the 38th state to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes on the eve of Harvey Weinstein ’ s sexual assault trial .
The allegations against the former Hollywood mogul gave rise to the # MeToo movement and spurred new activism and political involvement .
Walk for Life , an anti-abortion demonstration , was also taking place Saturday in downtown L.A .
The noontime march , sponsored by OneLife L.A. , ran from Olvera Street to Los Angeles State Park .
Cyntoia Brown-Long , a survivor of teenage sex trafficking and an advocate for criminal justice reform , was the keynote speaker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 25th annual Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels beginning at 5 p.m .

Colleen Shalby, Julia Barajas, Alex Wigglesworth

Claire New-Duval, left, cheers as she joins thousands during the 4th annual Women’s March Los Angeles kickoff at Pershing Square. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Los Angeles Times)
Diminished in number but not in spirit, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to advocate for reproductive rights, immigration reform, environmental justice and other issues as part of the fourth Women’s March.
The crowd congregated at Pershing Square and then marched to City Hall for a two-hour program featuring speakers that included Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Similar marches and rallies were being held in Washington, San Francisco, New York, Chicago and other cities and towns across the country.
By 9:30 a.m., the crowd gathered at Pershing Square wasn’t as large as in years past, but it slowly began to grow throughout the morning. More than 300,000 people marched and gathered downtown for the march, according to the Women’s March Foundation.
Some of the demonstrators dressed in early 20th century attire in observance of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote.
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Jennifer Lang, an OB-GYN from Beverly Hills, said she was a bit dismayed by the reduced numbers, especially during a presidential election year, but believed it was important to turn out.
“We are here,” she said.
Lang recalled how her grandmother marched for the right to have access to birth control prior to the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision. In keeping with generations before her, Lang brought her 11-year-old daughter Sheila to Saturday’s rally to continue her family’s legacy of advocating for women’s rights.
“We were talking on the drive here about how crazy it is that we are marching for the same issues,” Lang said.
Jennifer Lang, right, and her daughter Sheila attend the Women’s March in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. (Colleen Shalby / Los Angeles Times)
Sheila, who held a sign that read, “We are the granddaughters of the witches you weren’t able to burn,” was at the first Women’s March in Washington following President Trump’s inauguration in 2017. Her mom said she hopes the 2020 election will have a different outcome than 2016.
Emily Guereca, president of Women’s March Foundation in Los Angeles, said that 60% of those who marched were first-time participants.
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Among them were more than a dozen students from Ánimo Leadership High School in Inglewood, who held signs that read “Empowered Women Empower Women” and “We are not ovary-acting.”
Julissa Ayala, 17, was there for the first time. Her prime motivation, she said, was to mobilize for equal pay.
“The fact that women are paid less than men for equal work is just ridiculous,” Julissa said. “It’s wrong.”
Her classmate, Osvaldo Barba, also 17, carried a Mexican flag and wore a denim jacket emblazoned with the United Farm Workers logo. For him and his community, he said, “feminism must be intersectional.”
Pointing to the bright pink clothes hangers that hung from his jacket, he added: “We’re here for immigrants’ rights, of course. But we’re also here to mobilize for reproductive rights, particularly low-cost access to services for people of color.”
The hangers were provided by Robin McCarthy, a graphic designer from Silver Lake who, with the help of three friends, was handing them out for free to marchers on the corner of 5th and Hill streets, just across from Pershing Square.
Women’s March supporters listen to speakers before walking to L.A. City Hall. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
Ahead of the demonstration, she designed the hangers that read “#noban” on one side and, in capital letters, “Warning, this is not a surgical instrument,” on the other. Using her own money, she had 4,000 hangers made for the occasion.
“I come from a time before Roe vs. Wade,” said McCarthy, “and I’m frankly concerned about the future of reproductive rights in our country.”
Still, she added, “I remain optimistic. I have faith in the intelligence and strength of female and male feminists. But I know it won’t come without boots on the ground.”
By 10:15 a.m., the crowds had grown by hundreds as the march to City Hall kicked off with a “3-2-1!” count.
Women, men and dogs of all sizes marched to the sounds of drumbeats and chants of “This is what democracy looks like” as house music and ‘90s-era hip-hop played in the background.
After Espi Martin, 50, participated in last year’s Los Angeles Unified School District teachers’ strike, she knew she wanted to continue using her voice to advocate for the rights that generations before her fought to win.
“I felt very empowered and always wanted to come to the march and have my voice heard,” she said.
The second-grade teacher at Nora Sterry Elementary prepared for the march with a teaching of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the values he stood for. Her assignment for her students this weekend to talk with their parents about King, and said the timing of the march on a holiday weekend that celebrates his fight for civil rights was especially powerful.
Debra Sibar and her friends from Topanga Canyon were dressed like suffragettes, as has been their tradition during every Women’s March.
The group of women have their routine down — on the eve of the march, they make the final touches on their outfits in the style of Alice Paul and Susan B. Anthony. At 5 a.m., Kristina Levy prepares oatmeal for breakfast, and at 6 a.m., the women pile into a car and make their way to downtown L.A.
“Republicans want to own patriotism,” Sibar, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, said. “But there’s no reason why being out here is un-American.”
The women said their mission is to promote support for the Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential election, whoever that may be. Their focus is to push for equality and ensure that their voices are heard.
Jill Darling, who was at the march for the fourth consecutive year, simply carried a sign that read: “Any Dem Adult 2020.”
On a personal level, she said, she would love to see a President Amy Klobuchar. “But I’ve always been a pragmatic voter,” said Darling, “and what we have to do this year is get Trump out.”
Road closures in downtown Los Angeles for the Women’s March start at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and last until 4:30 p.m. (Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, first partner of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also connected the demonstration’s efforts to the anniversary of the 19th Amendment. But she also acknowledged the shortcomings of the suffrage movement, noting that it won white women the right to vote but did not guarantee the same for women of color.
“Many woman are still fighting for equal access at the ballot today,” she said.
Still, Siebel Newsom pointed to the rising number of women in politics as evidence of progress made since the first Women’s March in 2017.
“In 2020, I have no doubt that it will be women who lead again, rise up and move this country forward on a path to justice,” she said. “As Gov. Newsom says, as California goes, so will go the country.”
In her remarks, Nury Martinez, the first Latina to be chosen as L.A. City Council president, addressed the girls in the crowd.
“Dream big and work hard,” she said. “You will be next.”
This year’s march comes at a time when three women are running for president in the Democratic primary and on the same week that Virginia became the 38th state to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. It also comes on the eve of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial. The allegations against the former Hollywood mogul gave rise to the #MeToo movement and spurred new activism and political involvement.
Walk for Life, an anti-abortion demonstration, was also taking place Saturday in downtown L.A. The noontime march, sponsored by OneLife L.A., ran from Olvera Street to Los Angeles State Park. Cyntoia Brown-Long, a survivor of teenage sex trafficking and an advocate for criminal justice reform, was the keynote speaker. The day’s activities will conclude with the 25th annual Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels beginning at 5 p.m.


latimes--2020-01-18--Sign showing councilman as 'corrupt' donkey at center of 1st Amendment tiff

Two large banners put on public display last spring that called Baldwin Park Councilman Ricardo Pacheco a “ fraud ” and “ liar ” are at the center of a legal dispute over 1st Amendment rights .
Albert Ehlers hung the banners from his Ramona Boulevard business in April after a jury found Pacheco — Baldwin Park ’ s longest serving council member — guilty of racial and sexual discrimination against the city ’ s former police chief .
The 6-foot wide by 12-foot long banners , with an image of Pacheco manipulated to give him donkey ears and features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ fraud , ” “ liar ” and an “ abuser ” and instruct local citizens not to reelect him .
Onlookers were also directed to a website about Pacheco that was the subject of a previous lawsuit suit involving a similar political sign in 2017 .
Shortly after the banners were displayed , the city began fining Ehlers for violating the city ’ s sign ordinance for neglecting to obtain a permit .
After racking up more than $ 12,000 in fines , Ehlers ’ son Robert and the Baldwin Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violating Ehlers ’ 1st Amendment rights , arguing that he is being fined only because of the banner ’ s content .
The city has since filed a misdemeanor complaint against Ehlers , who is slated to be arraigned in court in February .
Paul Cook , a Baldwin Park activist and lawyer representing Ehlers who had previously represented plaintiff Greg Tuttle in the 2017 case , believes the city ’ s actions are baseless and the result of retaliation and political censorship .
“ They ’ re acting like parents that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our permission to express yourself.
’ That ’ s not what the 1st Amendment is , ” he said .
Cook , who was the subject of an unsuccessful restraining order filed by Baldwin Park Mayor Manuel Lozano in 2015 , plans to file an injunction in February .
He believes that the city ’ s sign ordinance is being used for political retribution .
“ We ’ re trying to strike down the law as a whole because we believe it ’ s illegal , ” he said .
In 2017 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Pacheco sign , which also portrayed the council member as a donkey .
Gregory Palmer , the attorney representing the city , declined to comment .
Pacheco could not be reached for comment .
Pacheco was elected in 1997 to the City Council .
In March 2019 , a jury awarded former Police Chief Lili Hadsell $ 7 million after she sued the city for gender discrimination , harassment and retaliation .
The decision affirmed that she was fired because she is a woman .
According to court records , Hadsell experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders , especially from her subordinate Michael Taylor — who would later replace her as police chief — and Pacheco .
In 2013 , Hadsell was fired from her position in what the mayor referred to in a text message as a retaliatory action .
Four years earlier , Hadsell had removed Taylor from the chain of command .
According to court records , Pacheco screamed at Hadsell over Taylor ’ s removal and threatened to force her to resign if she did not do so herself .
Meanwhile , Taylor and Pacheco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of engaging in a water district bribery and kickback scheme that cost ratepayers roughly $ 1 million .

Two large banners put on public display last spring that called Baldwin Park Councilman Ricardo Pacheco a “fraud” and “liar” are at the center of a legal dispute over 1st Amendment rights.
Albert Ehlers hung the banners from his Ramona Boulevard business in April after a jury found Pacheco — Baldwin Park’s longest-serving council member — guilty of racial and sexual discrimination against the city’s former police chief.
The 6-foot wide by 12-foot long banners, with an image of Pacheco manipulated to give him donkey ears and features, call him a “bully,” “fraud,” “liar” and an “abuser” and instruct local citizens not to reelect him. Onlookers were also directed to a website about Pacheco that was the subject of a previous lawsuit involving a similar political sign in 2017.
Shortly after the banners were displayed, the city began fining Ehlers for violating the city’s sign ordinance for neglecting to obtain a permit. After racking up more than $12,000 in fines, Ehlers’ son Robert and the Baldwin Park Free Speech Coalition sued the city for violating Ehlers’ 1st Amendment rights, arguing that he is being fined only because of the banner’s content.
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The city has since filed a misdemeanor complaint against Ehlers, who is slated to be arraigned in court in February.
Paul Cook, a Baldwin Park activist and lawyer representing Ehlers who had previously represented plaintiff Greg Tuttle in the 2017 case, believes the city’s actions are baseless and the result of retaliation and political censorship.
“They’re acting like parents that are saying, ‘You need to get our permission to express yourself.’ That’s not what the 1st Amendment is,” he said.
Cook, who was the subject of an unsuccessful restraining order filed by Baldwin Park Mayor Manuel Lozano in 2015, plans to file an injunction in February. He believes that the city’s sign ordinance is being used for political retribution.
“We’re trying to strike down the law as a whole because we believe it’s illegal,” he said.
In 2017, the city allowed Tuttle to continue displaying his Pacheco sign, which also portrayed the council member as a donkey.
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Gregory Palmer, the attorney representing the city, declined to comment. Pacheco could not be reached for comment.
Pacheco was elected in 1997 to the City Council. In March 2019, a jury awarded former Police Chief Lili Hadsell $7 million after she sued the city for gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The decision affirmed that she was fired because she is a woman.
According to court records, Hadsell experienced growing hostility from male colleagues and city leaders, especially from her subordinate Michael Taylor — who would later replace her as police chief — and Pacheco.
In 2013, Hadsell was fired from her position in what the mayor referred to in a text message as a retaliatory action. Four years earlier, Hadsell had removed Taylor from the chain of command. According to court records, Pacheco screamed at Hadsell over Taylor’s removal and threatened to force her to resign if she did not do so herself.
Meanwhile, Taylor and Pacheco have been accused in a civil lawsuit of engaging in a water district bribery and kickback scheme that cost ratepayers roughly $1 million.


latimes--2020-01-18--LAPD releases photo of bicycle part it says prompted fatal police shooting

Los Angeles police have released a photograph of a bicycle part resembling a gun that they say a man was holding when he was shot and killed a week ago by an LAPD sergeant .
The release of the image Friday night as well as additional information about the moments leading up to the Jan. 11 shooting , came hours after activists staged a rally calling for transparency around the investigation .
According to the preliminary account released by the LAPD , police received a report of a man with a gun near South Sepulveda and South Venice boulevards near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sgt .
Colin Langsdale , a field supervisor assigned to the Pacific Patrol Division , was in the area and responded to the call .
Langsdale saw a man on the sidewalk on the south side of Venice Boulevard at Tuller Avenue , according to police .
The intersection is adjacent to a homeless encampment under a 405 Freeway overpass .
Langsdale stopped and stepped out of his car and saw the man pointing at him with what he believed to be a handgun , police said .
A nearby witness also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding a gun , according to investigators .
Langsdale opened fire and struck the man an unknown number of times , police said .
The man was treated at the scene by paramedics , then taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead .
Investigators found a bicycle part in his hand and recovered it as evidence .
Chief Michel Moore identified the man as Victor Valencia , 31 , during a Police Commission meeting Tuesday night .
The Los Angeles County coroner ’ s office has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coroner ’ s office said its records indicate the man was not homeless , but activists said Friday that members of the nearby encampment had recently asked Valencia to leave because he struggled with mental illness .
At the rally , the activists chanted Valencia ’ s name and called on the Los Angeles Police Department to release the transcript of the 911 call reporting a man with a gun , as well as body camera and other video footage of the shooting .
Under rules adopted by the Police Commission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” involving the police automatically become public within 45 days after they occur , but the activists want the LAPD to release the footage immediately .
The shooting is under investigation by the LAPD ’ s Force Investigation Division .
That inquiry will then be reviewed by Moore , the Board of Police Commissioners and the office of the inspector general as well as the L.A. County district attorney ’ s office to determine whether the use of deadly force complied with the department ’ s policies and procedures , police said .

Los Angeles police have released a photograph of a bicycle part resembling a gun that they say a man was holding when he was shot and killed a week ago by an LAPD sergeant.
The release of the image Friday night as well as additional information about the moments leading up to the Jan. 11 shooting, came hours after activists staged a rally calling for transparency around the investigation.
According to the preliminary account released by the LAPD, police received a report of a man with a gun near South Sepulveda and South Venice boulevards near Culver City about 12:40 p.m. Jan. 11. Sgt. Colin Langsdale, a field supervisor assigned to the Pacific Patrol Division, was in the area and responded to the call.
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Langsdale saw a man on the sidewalk on the south side of Venice Boulevard at Tuller Avenue, according to police. The intersection is adjacent to a homeless encampment under a 405 Freeway overpass.
Langsdale stopped and stepped out of his car and saw the man pointing at him with what he believed to be a handgun, police said. A nearby witness also related that the man appeared to be holding a gun, according to investigators.
Langsdale opened fire and struck the man an unknown number of times, police said. The man was treated at the scene by paramedics, then taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators found a bicycle part in his hand and recovered it as evidence.
Chief Michel Moore identified the man as Victor Valencia, 31, during a Police Commission meeting Tuesday. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office has not confirmed the man’s name.
The coroner’s office said its records indicate the man was not homeless, but activists said Friday that members of the nearby encampment had recently asked Valencia to leave because he struggled with mental illness.
At the rally, the activists chanted Valencia’s name and called on the Los Angeles Police Department to release the transcript of the 911 call reporting a man with a gun, as well as body camera and other video footage of the shooting.
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Under rules adopted by the Police Commission in 2018, video from “critical incidents” involving the police automatically become public within 45 days after they occur, but the activists want the LAPD to release the footage immediately.
The shooting is under investigation by the LAPD’s Force Investigation Division. That inquiry will then be reviewed by Moore, the Board of Police Commissioners and the office of the inspector general as well as the L.A. County district attorney’s office to determine whether the use of deadly force complied with the department’s policies and procedures, police said.


latimes--2020-01-18--Q&A: Will I be screened for coronavirus at the airport?

Federal officials announced Friday that they will immediately begin screening passengers flying into three major U.S. airports for a new , worrisome virus that has infected dozens in China .
Health workers will screen passengers coming from Wuhan , a major city in central China , into Los Angeles International Airport , San Francisco International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York .
China has reported 45 cases of a new kind of a coronavirus that officials are calling 2019-nCoV .
There have been an additional three cases outside of China .
The virus has caused two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is this virus ?
In December , China reported an outbreak of a pneumonia-like illness that appeared to be caused by a novel coronavirus , a kind of virus that circulates in animals and in rare cases can spread to humans .
Most of the people who got sick had a link to a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan , suggesting an animal-to-human transmission , said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , a top U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official , in a call with reporters Friday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinfection .
Officials became more concerned about the outbreak when cases were detected in Japan and Thailand among people who had recently visited Wuhan , pointing to possible transmission among humans .
Health authorities worldwide are now adopting various strategies to stop further spread of the virus .
“ This is a serious situation , ” Messonnier said .
OK , it ’ s a new virus .
How bad is it ?
Public health officials worry whenever a new virus arrives on scene because there are no treatments for it and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ react to the illness .
Plus , no one has any immunity to a new virus to protect them , Messonnier said .
Coronaviruses in particular are alarming because of previous outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome , other coronaviruses more commonly known as MERS and SARS .
China ’ s 2003 outbreak of SARS was believed to have originated through animal-to-human transmission in a similar marketplace .
That outbreak ultimately killed more than 800 worldwide .
“ Those were quite complicated , difficult outbreaks with many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Understanding that this pathogen looks — at least from a genetic perspective — like those pathogens makes us especially worried.
” Who is being screened ?
The screening only applies to people who are flying in from Wuhan .
Screening was to begin Friday at JFK airport and on Saturday at LAX and SFO .
The San Francisco and New York airports are the only two in the country that receive direct flights from Wuhan , officials said .
LAX was added to the screening because of a large number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indirectly coming from Wuhan , said Dr. Martin Cetron , director of the CDC ’ s division of global migration and quarantine in the press call .
Arriving passengers will answer questions about any respiratory symptoms and will also have their temperature taken , he said .
Those whose symptoms don ’ t match up with the new coronavirus will not be detained .
Patients with worrisome symptoms will be transported to a nearby location — officials would not say where exactly — for further testing .
There they will answer more questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus as well as other illnesses , such as the flu , that may be causing their illness .
The testing could take hours , he said .
“ It ’ s unlikely they ’ ll be able to make an immediate connecting flight if they have one , ” Cetron said .
About 100 additional CDC workers will be deployed to join existing public health staff at the three airports to do the screenings .
The busiest seasons for travel to the U.S. from China are August and January , Cetron said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 is expected to draw large numbers of Chinese travelers , he said .
“ We ’ re expecting the screening over the next couple of weeks could include as many as 5,000 people across three airports , ” he said .
I ’ m not flying to or from China .
Do I need to be worried ?
No .
The risk of the virus circulating in the United States is considered low .
“ For families sitting around the dinner table tonight , this is not something that they generally need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Federal officials announced Friday that they will immediately begin screening passengers flying into three major U.S. airports for a new, worrisome virus that has infected dozens in China.
Health workers will screen passengers coming from Wuhan, a major city in central China, into Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
China has reported 45 cases of a new kind of a coronavirus that officials are calling 2019-nCoV. There have been an additional three cases outside of China. The virus has caused two deaths worldwide, federal officials say.
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What is this virus?
In December, China reported an outbreak of a pneumonia-like illness that appeared to be caused by a novel coronavirus, a kind of virus that circulates in animals and in rare cases can spread to humans.
Most of the people who got sick had a link to a large seafood and live animal market in Wuhan, suggesting an animal-to-human transmission, said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a top U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, in a call with reporters Friday.
The market was closed earlier this month for disinfection.
Officials became more concerned about the outbreak when cases were detected in Japan and Thailand among people who had recently visited Wuhan, pointing to possible transmission among humans. Health authorities worldwide are now adopting various strategies to stop further spread of the virus.
“This is a serious situation,” Messonnier said.
OK, it’s a new virus. How bad is it?
Public health officials worry whenever a new virus arrives on scene because there are no treatments for it and they don’t know how people will react to the illness. Plus, no one has any immunity to a new virus to protect them, Messonnier said.
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Coronaviruses in particular are alarming because of previous outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome, other coronaviruses more commonly known as MERS and SARS.
China’s 2003 outbreak of SARS was believed to have originated through animal-to-human transmission in a similar marketplace. That outbreak ultimately killed more than 800 worldwide.
“Those were quite complicated, difficult outbreaks with many people getting ill and deaths,” Messonnier said. “Understanding that this pathogen looks — at least from a genetic perspective — like those pathogens makes us especially worried.”
Who is being screened?
The screening only applies to people who are flying in from Wuhan.
Screening was to begin Friday at JFK airport and on Saturday at LAX and SFO. The San Francisco and New York airports are the only two in the country that receive direct flights from Wuhan, officials said.
LAX was added to the screening because of a large number of passengers flying into LAX who are indirectly coming from Wuhan, said Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s division of global migration and quarantine in the press call.
Arriving passengers will answer questions about any respiratory symptoms and will also have their temperature taken, he said. Those whose symptoms don’t match up with the new coronavirus will not be detained.
Patients with worrisome symptoms will be transported to a nearby location — officials would not say where exactly — for further testing. There they will answer more questions and will be tested for the new virus as well as other illnesses, such as the flu, that may be causing their illness. The testing could take hours, he said.
“It’s unlikely they’ll be able to make an immediate connecting flight if they have one,” Cetron said.
About 100 additional CDC workers will be deployed to join existing public health staff at the three airports to do the screenings.
The busiest seasons for travel to the U.S. from China are August and January, Cetron said. The lunar new year on Jan. 25 is expected to draw large numbers of Chinese travelers, he said.
“We’re expecting the screening over the next couple of weeks could include as many as 5,000 people across three airports,” he said.
I’m not flying to or from China. Do I need to be worried?
No. The risk of the virus circulating in the United States is considered low.
“For families sitting around the dinner table tonight, this is not something that they generally need to worry about,” Messonnier said.


latimes--2020-01-18--L.A. council president pushes back on proposed 'detention center' for immigrant children

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez wants to ban the city from handing out any building permits for private detention centers , including facilities that would hold unaccompanied immigrant minors .
The proposal , announced Friday , could thwart any effort to open a facility for unaccompanied minors in the Arleta neighborhood in Martinez ’ s district .
VisionQuest , a for-profit company based in Tucson , has already retained a lobbying firm to help it seek approval from the city , according to city disclosures .
The site , once occupied by an assisted living facility , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those ages 11 to 17 who entered the country as unaccompanied minors , according to city records .
Martinez has denounced the idea , likening such facilities to prisons .
“ I will not stand idly by and allow for-profit companies to get rich off of the anguish and suffering of immigrant children in Arleta , or anywhere else in Los Angeles , ” said Martinez , who represents part of the San Fernando Valley .
Martinez added that VisionQuest has a “ controversial background ” and “ should not be anywhere near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt traumatized by the federal government ’ s inhumane treatment of them.
” VisionQuest spokesman Jeff Bender said the company is seeking to open a shelter aimed at reuniting minors with family members or foster families in the U.S. within 90 days of their arrival .
Bender said the company does not consider such a facility to be a “ detention center.
” “ While we are seeking permanency for these youth , our job is to keep them safe , comfortable , well fed , properly clothed , educated , recreated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mentally , ” Bender said .
He described the company as “ high quality and cutting edge ” in its approach .
The Los Angeles City Council voted last summer in favor of banning the construction of private detention centers .
But an ordinance to do that has not yet been drafted .
Martinez ’ s latest plan is meant to keep any private detention facilities — including sites for unaccompanied minors — from being built while the city ’ s lawyers prepare that permanent ordinance .
The council is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary ban .
Bender said VisionQuest is seeking to operate a shelter that could house up to 120 children .
The company has been working with migrant populations since the 1980s , according to its website .
Last year , VisionQuest was awarded four contracts through the Office of Refugee Resettlement to operate facilities in Tucson , San Antonio and Southern California , according to the company ’ s website .
A federal representative said the Office of Refugee Resettlement was unable to provide information Friday about plans for a facility in Arleta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armbruster , Goldsmith & Delvac last year to represent it as it seeks city approvals for the Arleta site , according to lobbying disclosure forms filed last year .
In October , a representative from the Armbruster firm met with city officials to inquire about converting the building into a facility for “ unaccompanied minors , ” said Steve Garcia , a spokesman for the Department of City Planning .
The meeting focused on a possible proposal for a “ federal government-contracted facility which will provide clothing , food , housing , schooling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the goal of finding long term homes with relatives , or within the foster care system , ” according to a four-page report prepared by a planning staffer .
No application has been filed for the site at the corner of Woodman Avenue and Nordhoff Street , and no meetings have been held with the potential applicant since then , Garcia said .
Planning officials asked the Department of Building and Safety to hold off on issuing any permits until the city received “ additional clarification ” on the site ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief external affairs officer for the planning department .
The notion of a detention facility in the northeast Valley — a heavily Latino section of the city — has drawn protests from activists and U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas , whose district includes the Arleta site .
Cardenas sent a letter to federal officials saying he opposes the operation of a VisionQuest center in his San Fernando Valley district .
“ We have seen the harmful and traumatizing effects caused by the cruel and unsafe conditions at detention facilities and I will continue fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration policies , ” he wrote .

Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez wants to ban the city from handing out any building permits for private detention centers, including facilities that would hold unaccompanied immigrant minors.
The proposal, announced Friday, could thwart any effort to open a facility for unaccompanied minors in the Arleta neighborhood in Martinez’s district. VisionQuest, a for-profit company based in Tucson, has already retained a lobbying firm to help it seek approval from the city, according to city disclosures.
The site, once occupied by an assisted living facility, has been discussed as a possible facility for those ages 11 to 17 who entered the country as unaccompanied minors, according to city records. Martinez has denounced the idea, likening such facilities to prisons.
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“I will not stand idly by and allow for-profit companies to get rich off of the anguish and suffering of immigrant children in Arleta, or anywhere else in Los Angeles,” said Martinez, who represents part of the San Fernando Valley.
Martinez added that VisionQuest has a “controversial background” and “should not be anywhere near immigrant children, many of whom are no doubt traumatized by the federal government’s inhumane treatment of them.”
VisionQuest spokesman Jeff Bender said the company is seeking to open a shelter aimed at reuniting minors with family members or foster families in the U.S. within 90 days of their arrival. Bender said the company does not consider such a facility to be a “detention center.”
“While we are seeking permanency for these youth, our job is to keep them safe, comfortable, well fed, properly clothed, educated, recreated and medically cared for, both physically and mentally,” Bender said. He described the company as “high quality and cutting edge” in its approach.
The Los Angeles City Council voted last summer in favor of banning the construction of private detention centers. But an ordinance to do that has not yet been drafted.
Martinez’s latest plan is meant to keep any private detention facilities — including sites for unaccompanied minors — from being built while the city’s lawyers prepare that permanent ordinance. The council is expected to vote Wednesday on whether to draft the temporary ban.
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Bender said VisionQuest is seeking to operate a shelter that could house up to 120 children. The company has been working with migrant populations since the 1980s, according to its website.
Last year, VisionQuest was awarded four contracts through the Office of Refugee Resettlement to operate facilities in Tucson, San Antonio and Southern California, according to the company’s website. A federal representative said the Office of Refugee Resettlement was unable to provide information Friday about plans for a facility in Arleta.
VisionQuest hired the law firm of Armbruster, Goldsmith & Delvac last year to represent it as it seeks city approvals for the Arleta site, according to lobbying disclosure forms filed last year. In October, a representative from the Armbruster firm met with city officials to inquire about converting the building into a facility for “unaccompanied minors,” said Steve Garcia, a spokesman for the Department of City Planning.
The meeting focused on a possible proposal for a “federal government-contracted facility which will provide clothing, food, housing, schooling, and medical assistance to unaccompanied minors with the goal of finding long term homes with relatives, or within the foster care system,” according to a four-page report prepared by a planning staffer.
No application has been filed for the site at the corner of Woodman Avenue and Nordhoff Street, and no meetings have been held with the potential applicant since then, Garcia said.
Planning officials asked the Department of Building and Safety to hold off on issuing any permits until the city received “additional clarification” on the site’s intended use, said Yeghig Keshishian, chief external affairs officer for the planning department.
The notion of a detention facility in the northeast Valley — a heavily Latino section of the city — has drawn protests from activists and U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas, whose district includes the Arleta site. Cardenas sent a letter to federal officials saying he opposes the operation of a VisionQuest center in his San Fernando Valley district.
“The very idea of such a facility goes against our Valley values of inclusion, respect, and compassion,” Cardenas said in a statement issued Saturday. “And I will do everything in my power to make sure that this detention center does not open in my district.”