latimes--2020-01-13--Column: Newsom has had lots of luck as governor. He'll need it for his long list of priorities

Each governor is unique .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom certainly is different .
Jerry Brown was a narrowly focused political pragmatist after evolving from an ambitious young rebel rock star .
George Deukmejian was a rock that could move .
Newsom ?
He ’ s the lucky one .
That ’ s his most significant trait so far .
He ’ s lucky because the state treasury keeps overflowing with tax revenue .
There ’ s ample money to spend freely and still save .
Unlike his predecessors — particularly Jerry Brown and Schwarzenegger — Newsom hasn ’ t had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance the books , angering allies .
Newsom ’ s also lucky because both legislative houses are controlled by supermajorities of fellow Democrats .
They don ’ t need Republicans for anything .
And since citizens 10 years ago lowered the legislative vote requirement for passing a budget from two-thirds to a simple majority , getting a state spending plan approved is easy .
Summerlong budget deadlocks that tarnished the images of all Sacramento politicians are an ugly history .
Newsom is lucky because he has no significant political rivals .
Republicans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dare .
He isn ’ t pressured politically — except perhaps to begin positioning himself for a presidential run in four or eight years .
The governor says he ’ s not interested .
They all say that at this stage .
The telegenic 52-year-old is starting to show faint streaks of gray in his coiffured hair that could turn into a pleasant presidential look when the time comes .
But for the moment , the governor ’ s focus must be on the mundane matter of state budgeting .
Newsom conducted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 222.2-billion state budget Friday .
He stood at a lectern for nearly 100 minutes delivering a nonstop , uninterrupted monologue on details of his spending plan , covering a wide range of subjects and spewing out reams of numbers .
Then for the next 70 minutes he addressed every question any reporter had , although some queries weren ’ t actually answered .
The second-year governor was impressive in his knowledge of specifics and seemed to revel in delving into the wonky weeds .
“ Two hours and 51 minutes .
YEA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hertzberg of Van Nuys declared in a written statement .
“ For us policy wonks , this is as good as it gets.
” Yes , such gubernatorial enthusiasm for the nuts and bolts of governing and his willingness to publicly share his views are admirable .
That said , Newsom must be the most long-winded governor in California history and unquestionably in the modern era .
You ’ d think a 100-minute monologue could be condensed into a more listener-friendly , effective , message-driven summary lasting a half-hour tops .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco mayor in 2008 .
Rather than delivering a customary State of the City speech , he placed a 7½-hour eye-glazer on his YouTube channel .
It bombed .
Newsom began his marathon monologue Friday by warning it was going to be long , explaining : “ I want you to know what my priorities are .
I want you to know what matters to me.
” But , as chronicled by Times reporters Taryn Luna and Phil Willon , “ no topic was too big , no detail too small : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , billion-dollar pension liabilities and the food on school lunch trays.
” Besides lucky , Newsom is broadly focused — which can mean unfocused .
When there is a long list of priorities , nothing is a real priority .
Newsom spent 40 minutes talking solely about education , including preschools and child care , as if he were running for state superintendent of public instruction .
He was passionate , particularly about special education , noting that as a child he battled dyslexia .
Newsom suggested spending $ 84 billion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and community colleges .
( Previous Times stories have spelled out precisely what Newsom proposed for education and other state programs . )
Discussing education for 40 minutes would suggest it ’ s a major Newsom priority .
But it was not included among the “ three top priorities ” for 2020 — “ homelessness , healthcare affordability and wildfires ” — announced by a senior gubernatorial advisor before the budget rollout .
The healthcare and homelessness priorities include two innovative ideas that offer great promise if Newsom can develop them as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s proposal for California to become the first state to sell its own brand of generic prescription drugs .
The goal is for the state to negotiate volume deals and provide discount prices for consumers , thereby reducing drug price gouging .
But Newsom didn ’ t provide details about which drugs he has in mind .
He said the state is negotiating but wouldn ’ t say with whom .
On homelessness , Newsom wants to use the Medi-Cal program — California ’ s version of federal Medicaid healthcare for the poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill people living on the street .
That makes much sense and should have been done years ago .
“ We believe there ’ s a tremendous [ funding ] capacity in the system today that isn ’ t being utilized , ” the governor said .
But that would require federal approval because major Medi-Cal funding comes from Washington .
And it doesn ’ t help that the Newsom and Trump administrations are constantly at each other ’ s throats .
“ If we could move away from these tweets to responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not finishing the sentence .
Newsom is hoping for the ultimate luck : a change of presidents in November .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his proposed 2020-21 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento on Friday.
Each governor is unique. Gov. Gavin Newsom certainly is different.
Jerry Brown was a narrowly focused political pragmatist after evolving from an ambitious young rebel rock star.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a restless entertainer.
Gray Davis was risk-averse.
Pete Wilson was a scrapper.
George Deukmejian was a rock that could move.
Ronald Reagan: a true believer.
Pat Brown: builder.
Newsom? He’s the lucky one. That’s his most significant trait so far.
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He’s lucky because the state treasury keeps overflowing with tax revenue. There’s ample money to spend freely and still save. Unlike his predecessors — particularly Jerry Brown and Schwarzenegger — Newsom hasn’t had had to whack popular state programs to balance the books, angering allies.
Newsom’s also lucky because both legislative houses are controlled by supermajorities of fellow Democrats. They don’t need Republicans for anything.
And since citizens 10 years ago lowered the legislative vote requirement for passing a budget from two-thirds to a simple majority, getting a state spending plan approved is easy. Summerlong budget deadlocks that tarnished the images of all Sacramento politicians are an ugly history.
Newsom is lucky because he has no significant political rivals. Republicans are too weak. Democrats don’t dare. He isn’t pressured politically — except perhaps to begin positioning himself for a presidential run in four or eight years. The governor says he’s not interested. They all say that at this stage.
The telegenic 52-year-old is starting to show faint streaks of gray in his coiffured hair that could turn into a pleasant presidential look when the time comes.
But for the moment, the governor’s focus must be on the mundane matter of state budgeting.
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Newsom conducted a remarkable briefing for reporters on his proposed $222.2-billion state budget Friday. He stood at a lectern for nearly 100 minutes delivering a nonstop, uninterrupted monologue on details of his spending plan, covering a wide range of subjects and spewing out reams of numbers.
Then for the next 70 minutes he addressed every question any reporter had, although some queries weren’t actually answered.
The second-year governor was impressive in his knowledge of specifics and seemed to revel in delving into the wonky weeds.
“Two hours and 51 minutes. YEA!,” Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys declared in a written statement. “For us policy wonks, this is as good as it gets.”
Yes, such gubernatorial enthusiasm for the nuts and bolts of governing and his willingness to publicly share his views are admirable.
That said, Newsom must be the most long-winded governor in California history and unquestionably in the modern era. You’d think a 100-minute monologue could be condensed into a more listener-friendly, effective, message-driven summary lasting a half-hour tops.
It was reminiscent of Newsom’s time as San Francisco mayor in 2008. Rather than delivering a customary State of the City speech, he placed a 7½-hour eye-glazer on his YouTube channel. It bombed.
Newsom began his marathon monologue Friday by warning it was going to be long, explaining: “I want you to know what my priorities are. I want you to know what matters to me.”
But, as chronicled by Times reporters Taryn Luna and Phil Willon, “no topic was too big, no detail too small: tampon taxes, a looming economic downturn, billion-dollar pension liabilities and the food on school lunch trays.”
Besides lucky, Newsom is broadly focused — which can mean unfocused.
When there is a long list of priorities, nothing is a real priority.
Newsom spent 40 minutes talking solely about education, including preschools and child care, as if he were running for state superintendent of public instruction. He was passionate, particularly about special education, noting that as a child he battled dyslexia.
“It’s a miracle I’m here,” he said.
Newsom suggested spending $84 billion of the $153-billion general fund on K-12 schools and community colleges. (Previous Times stories have spelled out precisely what Newsom proposed for education and other state programs.)
Discussing education for 40 minutes would suggest it’s a major Newsom priority. But it was not included among the “three top priorities” for 2020 — “homelessness, healthcare affordability and wildfires” — announced by a senior gubernatorial advisor before the budget rollout.
The healthcare and homelessness priorities include two innovative ideas that offer great promise if Newsom can develop them as he envisions.
One is the governor’s proposal for California to become the first state to sell its own brand of generic prescription drugs. The goal is for the state to negotiate volume deals and provide discount prices for consumers, thereby reducing drug price gouging.
But Newsom didn’t provide details about which drugs he has in mind. He said the state is negotiating but wouldn’t say with whom.
On homelessness, Newsom wants to use the Medi-Cal program — California’s version of federal Medicaid healthcare for the poor — to help house and treat mentally ill people living on the street. That makes much sense and should have been done years ago.
“We believe there’s a tremendous [funding] capacity in the system today that isn’t being utilized,” the governor said.
But that would require federal approval because major Medi-Cal funding comes from Washington. And it doesn’t help that the Newsom and Trump administrations are constantly at each other’s throats.
“If we could move away from these tweets to responsible policy making,” the governor said, not finishing the sentence.
Newsom is hoping for the ultimate luck: a change of presidents in November.


latimes--2020-01-12--Off-duty L.A. County sheriff's detective struck and killed after rendering aid

A car struck and killed a Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department detective on Sunday in the Valley Village area after she helped an elderly woman cross the street , authorities said .
The accident occurred around 11 a.m. Sunday at Riverside Drive and Whitsett Avenue as off-duty detective Amber Leist was returning to her car , according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva .
Leist , 41 , was taken to a local hospital , where she later died of her injuries , Villanueva said during a news conference .
“ She was an outstanding detective , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead by example through her act of kindness.
” Leist , who was a 12-year veteran of the Sheriff ’ s Department , began her career as a sheriff ’ s deputy at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic .
She was assigned to the Lancaster Sheriff ’ s Station before moving to the West Hollywood Sheriff ’ s Station , where she moved up the ranks from patrol to detective , Villanueva said .
Leist was at the red light waiting to make a left turn when she saw an elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put her car in park and ran to help the woman cross the street .
Shortly after , Leist was struck by a vehicle heading east on Riverside Drive .
The driver pulled over and tried to render aide to the deputy , Villanueva said .
Leist leaves behind her parents and two sons , one who is serving in the Navy .
Villanueva said that personnel at West Hollywood station were being relieved to give them the chance to grieve their loss .
He said the department has also assigned a psychologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a tough day for our department , ” Villanueva said .
“ We ’ re going to get through this as a family.
” The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the accident .
No further details were immediately released about the incident .

A car struck and killed a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective on Sunday in the Valley Village area after she helped an elderly woman cross the street, authorities said.
The accident occurred around 11 a.m. Sunday at Riverside Drive and Whitsett Avenue as off-duty detective Amber Leist was returning to her car, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Today, @LASDHQ is grieving. We are shocked/stunned by the sudden loss of a family member. Amber Leist, a @WHDLASD detective, and 12 year veteran of LASD, was fatally struck by a vehicle in @LACity while assisting others. She was an outstanding detective who lead by example. pic.twitter.com/PcNIlAfTz8 — Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) January 13, 2020
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Leist, 41, was taken to a local hospital, where she later died of her injuries, Villanueva said during a news conference.
“She was an outstanding detective,” Villanueva said. “She would lead by example through her act of kindness.”
Leist, who was a 12-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, began her career as a sheriff’s deputy at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic. She was assigned to the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station before moving to the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, where she moved up the ranks from patrol to detective, Villanueva said.
Leist was at the red light waiting to make a left turn when she saw an elderly woman fall to the ground. She put her car in park and ran to help the woman cross the street. Shortly after, Leist was struck by a vehicle heading east on Riverside Drive. The driver pulled over and tried to render aide to the deputy, Villanueva said.
Leist leaves behind her parents and two sons, one who is serving in the Navy.
Villanueva said that personnel at West Hollywood station were being relieved to give them the chance to grieve their loss. He said the department has also assigned a psychologist to the station.
“It’s a tough day for our department,” Villanueva said. “We’re going to get through this as a family.”
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the accident. No further details were immediately released about the incident.


latimes--2020-01-12--Uber driver arrested on suspicion of raping passenger in Fontana, police say

Police in Fontana arrested an Uber driver on suspicion of raping a passenger Sunday .
The woman passenger told investigators that she had been drinking with friends and requested a ride to a home in Fontana .
At some point , she either fell asleep or passed out in the vehicle , and she awoke to the driver assaulting her , the Fontana Police Department said in a news release .
The driver , Alonso Calle , 32 , later called police and said he had consensual sex with a passenger in his car at McDermott Park , authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ very intoxicated ” but said she offered him sex , investigators said .
Calle was arrested on suspicion of rape and booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga .
Uber banned Calle from the ride-hailing app after his arrest and is cooperating with law enforcement , said Navideh Forghani , a spokeswoman for Uber Technologies Inc. “ What the rider reported to police is extremely disturbing and has no place in our community , ” Forghani said .
Calle ’ s arrest comes days after prosecutors in Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts of sexual penetration and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery .
That driver is accused of repeatedly assaulting an intoxicated woman he had picked up at the Tustin police station in July 2018 .
Last month , Uber released an 84-page safety report revealing that in 2017 and 2018 , nearly 6,000 total reports of sexual assault were made , including 464 allegations of nonconsensual penetration or rape , 587 reports of attempted rape and 3,000 complaints of nonconsensual touching of a sexual body part .
In April , three Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assaulted by predators who posed as Uber drivers filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco company alleging it didn ’ t do enough to protect them .
The ride-hailing company has announced several additions to its app focused on providing support to passengers and drivers during crises , including the ability to text local police departments , a four-digit PIN to verify a passenger is in the right car , and an experiment that allows the company to record and review audio during a trip .

Police in Fontana arrested an Uber driver on suspicion of raping a passenger Sunday.
The woman passenger told investigators that she had been drinking with friends and requested a ride to a home in Fontana. At some point, she either fell asleep or passed out in the vehicle, and she awoke to the driver assaulting her, the Fontana Police Department said in a news release.
The driver, Alonso Calle, 32, later called police and said he had consensual sex with a passenger in his car at McDermott Park, authorities said. He told police the woman was “very intoxicated” but said she offered him sex, investigators said.
Calle was arrested on suspicion of rape and booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
Uber banned Calle from the ride-hailing app after his arrest and is cooperating with law enforcement, said Navideh Forghani, a spokeswoman for Uber Technologies Inc.
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“What the rider reported to police is extremely disturbing and has no place in our community,” Forghani said.
Calle’s arrest comes days after prosecutors in Orange County charged an Uber driver with two felony counts of sexual penetration and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. That driver is accused of repeatedly assaulting an intoxicated woman he had picked up at the Tustin police station in July 2018.
Last month, Uber released an 84-page safety report revealing that in 2017 and 2018, nearly 6,000 total reports of sexual assault were made, including 464 allegations of nonconsensual penetration or rape, 587 reports of attempted rape and 3,000 complaints of nonconsensual touching of a sexual body part.
In April, three Los Angeles County women who say they were sexually assaulted by predators who posed as Uber drivers filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco company alleging it didn’t do enough to protect them.
The ride-hailing company has announced several additions to its app focused on providing support to passengers and drivers during crises, including the ability to text local police departments, a four-digit PIN to verify a passenger is in the right car, and an experiment that allows the company to record and review audio during a trip.
Times staff writer Johana Bhuiyan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-14--L.A. Metro's plan to fix plummeting ridership: More buses and fewer stops on major streets

Los Angeles County transportation officials on Monday unveiled plans for more frequent bus service on more corridors , a change they said could help reverse a steep decline in bus ridership .
If approved , the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ’ s plan would be the first overhaul of the region ’ s bus network in more than 25 years .
Riders would see changes on the street by the end of next year , officials said .
The plan calls for buses that arrive every 10 minutes or less — and in some cases , as frequently as every five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 83 % of Metro riders could walk to a bus stop with that level of service , compared with 48 % now , officials said .
The proposal also calls for a $ 1-billion , five-year capital program to improve bus reliability , speed and comfort .
The proposal includes $ 750 million for bus-only lanes , synchronized traffic signals and other improvements , and about $ 150 million for shelters and other changes at busy stops .
“ What we ’ re trying to do is create a situation where people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Conan Cheung , a senior executive officer of service planning and development .
The changes could boost Metro ’ s ridership by 15 % to 20 % , officials said .
Trips on Metro buses have fallen nearly 25 % over a decade as riders have fled for more convenient options — mostly , cars , which Southern Californians are buying in record numbers .
Metro ’ s directors are scheduled to discuss the draft plan at their Jan. 23 meeting .
A final vote is scheduled for September .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is vice chair of the Metro board , said the plan would steer the region “ in the right direction , toward dedicated bus lanes , higher ridership , and faster , more reliable service.
” The proposal follows more than two years of study at Metro on how to address its bus ridership woes .
Officials concluded that Metro buses need to be faster and more efficient to stanch the ridership decline and attract new customers .
As traffic has grown worse in Los Angeles , bus speeds have dropped , hurting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When traffic slows , Metro puts more buses on the street to stay on schedule .
Each year , Metro spends $ 10 million more than in the previous year to provide the same level of service , officials said .
If the five-year plan to speed up buses were completed , Metro could run more than 5 million additional hours of bus service per year for the same cost as today ’ s network , Cheung said .
Neither specific projects nor funding has been identified , he said .
Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than an increase , in the amount of bus service across the county .
Not putting more buses on the street overall is “ really disappointing , ” said Jessica Meaney , the founder of Investing in Place , a transportation advocacy group .
“ Are we serious about creating a bus experience that our Metro board of directors would choose to use ?
” Meaney said .
Officials said they could eliminate or reduce service on some Metro bus lines .
Most of the network of red Rapid buses would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilshire Boulevard , Vermont Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard , Cheung said .
Metro would also reduce the number of stops along the lines where buses would run every 10 minutes or less .
Stephen Tu , a Metro director of service planning , said bus stops placed every quarter-mile or so could mean slightly longer walks , but shorter door-to-door travel times .
About 0.3 % of Metro ’ s riders would lose their ability to walk to a line with a bus every 10 minutes or less , officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ move forward with the proposal , public meetings would start next month .

Metro’s new bus service proposal calls for the elimination of much of the Rapid network. The Vermont Avenue line is one of three that would be preserved.
Los Angeles County transportation officials on Monday unveiled plans for more frequent bus service on more corridors, a change they said could help reverse a steep decline in bus ridership.
If approved, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan would be the first overhaul of the region’s bus network in more than 25 years. Riders would see changes on the street by the end of next year, officials said.
The plan calls for buses that arrive every 10 minutes or less — and in some cases, as frequently as every five minutes — on 29 major routes. About 83% of Metro riders could walk to a bus stop with that level of service, compared with 48% now, officials said.
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The proposal also calls for a $1-billion, five-year capital program to improve bus reliability, speed and comfort. The proposal includes $750 million for bus-only lanes, synchronized traffic signals and other improvements, and about $150 million for shelters and other changes at busy stops.
“What we’re trying to do is create a situation where people can choose to ride transit more often,” said Conan Cheung, a senior executive officer of service planning and development.
The changes could boost Metro’s ridership by 15% to 20%, officials said. Trips on Metro buses have fallen nearly 25% over a decade as riders have fled for more convenient options — mostly, cars, which Southern Californians are buying in record numbers.
Metro’s directors are scheduled to discuss the draft plan at their Jan. 23 meeting. A final vote is scheduled for September.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is vice chair of the Metro board, said the plan would steer the region “in the right direction, toward dedicated bus lanes, higher ridership, and faster, more reliable service.”
The proposal follows more than two years of study at Metro on how to address its bus ridership woes. Officials concluded that Metro buses need to be faster and more efficient to stanch the ridership decline and attract new customers.
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As traffic has grown worse in Los Angeles, bus speeds have dropped, hurting Metro’s image and operational costs.
When traffic slows, Metro puts more buses on the street to stay on schedule. Each year, Metro spends $10 million more than in the previous year to provide the same level of service, officials said.
If the five-year plan to speed up buses were completed, Metro could run more than 5 million additional hours of bus service per year for the same cost as today’s network, Cheung said. Neither specific projects nor funding has been identified, he said.
Metro’s plan calls for a reallocation, rather than an increase, in the amount of bus service across the county. Not putting more buses on the street overall is “really disappointing,” said Jessica Meaney, the founder of Investing in Place, a transportation advocacy group.
“Are we serious about creating a bus experience that our Metro board of directors would choose to use?” Meaney said.
Officials said they could eliminate or reduce service on some Metro bus lines. Most of the network of red Rapid buses would be eliminated, with the exception of Wilshire Boulevard, Vermont Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard, Cheung said.
Metro would also reduce the number of stops along the lines where buses would run every 10 minutes or less. Stephen Tu, a Metro director of service planning, said bus stops placed every quarter-mile or so could mean slightly longer walks, but shorter door-to-door travel times.
About 0.3% of Metro’s riders would lose their ability to walk to a line with a bus every 10 minutes or less, officials said.
If Metro’s directors agree to move forward with the proposal, public meetings would start next month.


latimes--2020-01-14--Unprepared hikers rescued from Mt. Baldy area

Aviation crews with the San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department made two rescues last week in the Mt .
Baldy area for hikers unprepared for the elements .
At 2:30 p.m. Friday , two L.A. residents in their late 20s were hiking the Devil ’ s Backbone trail , east of the Mt .
Baldy summit , in extremely icy conditions , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department .
Neither was wearing crampons — metal spikes that hikers can attach to their footwear for added traction .
One of the men slipped and slid about 200 feet down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His hiking partner called for help , and Air Rescue 306 soon arrived .
Crew Chief Deputy David Negron hoisted Fire Capt .
Jay Hausman about 65 feet down to the injured hiker , and he placed the man in a rescue harness .
They took the man to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries .
The second hiker then realized he was in the same danger of slipping on the ice .
He called again for help .
The crew returned and conducted another hoist rescue , taking the second man to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The San Bernardino County Sheriff ’ s Department would like to remind the public about the dangers of hiking in hazardous conditions such as steep , rugged , mountainous terrain covered with snow and ice , ” Sgt .
Daniel Futscher said in a news release .
“ Without crampons ( a specific type of traction device for ice climbing ) and an ice ax , along with the proper training to use this equipment , this type of activity can lead to serious injury or death.
” A few hours later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Canyon area of Mt .
Baldy to search for a lost 26-year-old Santa Ana man .
Using night vision goggles , the crew found the man a few miles from the trailhead at 8,000 feet elevation in steep , mountainous terrain covered in snow and ice .
As the sun set , the temperature had plummeted to near freezing , and the man had traveled two hours in the snow at night before stopping because of pain in his feet .
He was taken to a hospital for hypothermia .
Deputy Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew , said the man told rescuers that he had hiked the trail before but , like others that they ’ ve rescued , didn ’ t seem to have considered how winter weather would intensify the difficulty of the trek .
“ When we get the snow , they love to come up and get the beautiful views , but they don ’ t come prepared , ” Brimmer said .
“ This guy was hiking by himself in light clothing and tennis shoes with no food , no water and 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rescues come about a month after Sreenivas “ Sree ” Mokkapati , a 52-year-old Irvine resident , went missing after he got separated from his group that was attempting to hike to the Mt .
Baldy summit .
A few days into the search , authorities closed the Mt .
Baldy trails because rescue crews kept getting diverted to help other hikers in distress .
The search for Mokkapati was shut down after Timothy Staples , a 32-year-old search and rescue volunteer , was found dead in the ice and snow after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mokkapati remains missing .
County authorities have continued to stress that no one should attempt to climb Mt .
Baldy in the winter months without proper equipment , including crampons , snowshoes , trekking poles and ice axes .

Several hikers needed rescuing in the Mt. Baldy area last week. Rescuers say hikers should not attempt to climb Mt. Baldy in the winter without proper equipment.
Aviation crews with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department made two rescues last week in the Mt. Baldy area for hikers unprepared for the elements.
At 2:30 p.m. Friday, two L.A. residents in their late 20s were hiking the Devil’s Backbone trail, east of the Mt. Baldy summit, in extremely icy conditions, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Neither was wearing crampons — metal spikes that hikers can attach to their footwear for added traction.
One of the men slipped and slid about 200 feet down an ice chute before hitting a tree. His hiking partner called for help, and Air Rescue 306 soon arrived.
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Crew Chief Deputy David Negron hoisted Fire Capt. Jay Hausman about 65 feet down to the injured hiker, and he placed the man in a rescue harness. They took the man to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The second hiker then realized he was in the same danger of slipping on the ice. He called again for help. The crew returned and conducted another hoist rescue, taking the second man to a nearby sheriff’s station.
“The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind the public about the dangers of hiking in hazardous conditions such as steep, rugged, mountainous terrain covered with snow and ice,” Sgt. Daniel Futscher said in a news release. “Without crampons (a specific type of traction device for ice climbing) and an ice ax, along with the proper training to use this equipment, this type of activity can lead to serious injury or death.”
A few hours later, a crew headed to the Ice House Canyon area of Mt. Baldy to search for a lost 26-year-old Santa Ana man.
Using night vision goggles, the crew found the man a few miles from the trailhead at 8,000 feet elevation in steep, mountainous terrain covered in snow and ice.
As the sun set, the temperature had plummeted to near freezing, and the man had traveled two hours in the snow at night before stopping because of pain in his feet. He was taken to a hospital for hypothermia.
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Deputy Doug Brimmer, a pilot on the rescue crew, said the man told rescuers that he had hiked the trail before but, like others that they’ve rescued, didn’t seem to have considered how winter weather would intensify the difficulty of the trek.
“When we get the snow, they love to come up and get the beautiful views, but they don’t come prepared,” Brimmer said. “This guy was hiking by himself in light clothing and tennis shoes with no food, no water and 50% battery life on his cellphone.”
The rescues come about a month after Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati, a 52-year-old Irvine resident, went missing after he got separated from his group that was attempting to hike to the Mt. Baldy summit.
A few days into the search, authorities closed the Mt. Baldy trails because rescue crews kept getting diverted to help other hikers in distress.
The search for Mokkapati was shut down after Timothy Staples, a 32-year-old search and rescue volunteer, was found dead in the ice and snow after he got separated from his search partner. Mokkapati remains missing.
County authorities have continued to stress that no one should attempt to climb Mt. Baldy in the winter months without proper equipment, including crampons, snowshoes, trekking poles and ice axes.


latimes--2020-01-13--Sheriff's detective was killed after helping someone in need

Det .
Amber Leist was waiting on a red light Sunday afternoon when she noticed an elderly woman fall in the crosswalk in front of her car .
The off-duty detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department put her car in park and hurried to help the pedestrian safely cross at the intersection of Whitsett Avenue and Riverside Drive .
When Leist headed back to her personal vehicle , she was struck by a vehicle traveling east on Riverside Drive .
Leist “ was an outstanding detective who would lead by example , and she definitely led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we consider this an on-duty death , ” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a news conference .
The driver stopped and tried to help Leist .
She was taken to a hospital but died from her injuries .
She was 41 .
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident , which is at this time considered an accident .
Leist started her career with the Sheriff ’ s Department at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic .
She then worked at the Lancaster station before spending five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she worked patrol and as a school resource officer before she was promoted .
Flags were flown at half-staff Monday throughout West Hollywood in memory of Leist .
“ She was a treasured member of our Weho family and we are in mourning , ” Councilman John Duran said on his Facebook page .
Leist is survived by her parents and two sons , ages 20 and 17 .
Her older son is on active duty with the U.S. Navy .
“ What she did , it was heroic for her to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s son Daniel Laney told KTLA-TV Channel 5 .
“ I love her for that .
She ’ s always had a kind heart.
” Capt .
Edward Ramirez of the West Hollywood station told KTLA that Leist took a majority of the station ’ s domestic violence cases because she was empathetic and thoughtful .
She was remembered as someone who would buy food for people experiencing homelessness and stop on the freeway to help drivers in need .
“ Amber was never off duty , always looking to do a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to take her doing one of those deeds , ” Ramirez said .

Det. Amber Leist was waiting on a red light Sunday afternoon when she noticed an elderly woman fall in the crosswalk in front of her car.
The off-duty detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department put her car in park and hurried to help the pedestrian safely cross at the intersection of Whitsett Avenue and Riverside Drive.
When Leist headed back to her personal vehicle, she was struck by a vehicle traveling east on Riverside Drive.
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A mourner adds a candle to a sidewalk memorial at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Whitsett Avenue in Valley Village, where Los Angeles County sheriff’s Det. Amber Leist was killed Sunday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Leist “was an outstanding detective who would lead by example, and she definitely led by example through her act of kindness, and we consider this an on-duty death,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a news conference.
The driver stopped and tried to help Leist. She was taken to a hospital but died from her injuries. She was 41.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident, which is at this time considered an accident.
Leist started her career with the Sheriff’s Department at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.
She then worked at the Lancaster station before spending five years at the West Hollywood station, where she worked patrol and as a school resource officer before she was promoted. Flags were flown at half-staff Monday throughout West Hollywood in memory of Leist.
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“She was a treasured member of our Weho family and we are in mourning,” Councilman John Duran said on his Facebook page.
Leist is survived by her parents and two sons, ages 20 and 17. Her older son is on active duty with the U.S. Navy.
“What she did, it was heroic for her to go out that way,” Leist’s son Daniel Laney told KTLA-TV Channel 5. “I love her for that. She’s always had a kind heart.”
Capt. Edward Ramirez of the West Hollywood station told KTLA that Leist took a majority of the station’s domestic violence cases because she was empathetic and thoughtful.
She was remembered as someone who would buy food for people experiencing homelessness and stop on the freeway to help drivers in need.
“Amber was never off duty, always looking to do a good deed, and unfortunately the good Lord decided to take her doing one of those deeds,” Ramirez said.


latimes--2020-01-13--If L.A. wants the Trump administration's money for homelessness, strings will be attached

A sweeping proposal by the Trump administration to help Los Angeles ’ growing homeless population may come with strings attached , raising questions about whether a deal can be worked out between the city and the White House .
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told Mayor Eric Garcetti in a letter last Thursday that Trump officials are prepared to offer Los Angeles an array of resources , including emergency healthcare services and federal land .
The Times obtained the letter through a public records request .
The offer follows recent talks between senior Trump administration officials , Garcetti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have raised advocates ’ hopes that federal aid is on its way .
However , Carson also suggested in his letter that the government expects changes from L.A. in how it manages homelessness .
“ To address this humanitarian crisis in the long term , ” he wrote , “ the city and county of Los Angeles must partner with our efforts and make necessary policy changes.
” Those changes include “ empowering and utilizing local law enforcement ” and “ reducing housing regulations to expedite affordable housing construction , ” Carson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat vague , making it hard to know how significant the aid would be and whether any of the Trump administration ’ s conditions would be deal-breakers .
Though it ’ s true that federal funds earmarked for Los Angeles often come with stipulations , some fear that demands to alter policing policies to clear more encampments , for instance , could run afoul of several legal settlements and federal court rulings .
It also could anger local leaders .
If L.A. loosens rules around the construction of affordable housing , neighborhood groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back .
It ’ s far from clear what specific policies the federal government wants the city and county to change , and the Department of Housing and Urban Development declined to comment Monday .
“ The talks are going well and are continuing , ” a spokesperson said , speaking broadly about the relationship .
Barger spokesman Tony Bell said that his office doesn ’ t know what county policies the federal government wants altered .
“ We ’ ve had discussions and talked about potential areas that need work , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Garcetti ’ s office declined to answer specific questions about Carson ’ s letter .
“ The mayor looks forward to continuing the discussions with federal officials in the coming weeks , ” said his spokesman , Alex Comisar .
For months , Carson and others in the Trump administration have promised federal action , including threats of a crackdown on L.A. and San Francisco .
In September , federal officials visited Los Angeles to study the homelessness crisis , in which nearly 59,000 people are living in street encampments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with the heads of the unions that represent rank-and-file Los Angeles police officers and county sheriff ’ s deputies to discuss options to deal with court rulings and legal settlements that have limited the LAPD ’ s ability to carry out sweeps at encampments .
In a recent Fox News interview , Carson suggested that harsh measures might be needed , saying officials needed to “ uncuff law enforcement so that people can be removed now and placed in transitional places.
” In his letter last week to Garcetti , Carson wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer emergency healthcare services , supplemental emergency shelters and transitional housing , federal land , assistance for law enforcement and “ voucher utilization support.
” Carson wrote that the “ city and county must partner with our efforts ” and focus on “ reallocating funding and [ prioritizing ] shelter construction on federal and local land ” and “ expanding local mental health resources.
” He also said the county and city must provide shelters focused on “ self-sufficiency programming.
” Diane Yentel , president and chief executiveof the National Low Income Housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shelters require homeless people to accept services , including drug rehabilitation , as a condition for getting an emergency bed .
Such requirements could run counter to the widely accepted “ housing first ” model of addressing homelessness , which focuses on getting people indoors before addressing other issues , such as addiction or mental health .
Yentel also questioned whether the federal aid would include new housing vouchers , rather than focus on using existing vouchers .
“ It sounds to me like there ’ s no money or assistance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is the core of the [ homelessness ] problem , ” she said .
In an interview last week , Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas praised Barger and Garcetti for trying to work with the Trump administration , but called it “ high-risk ” because of actions that the government has recently taken , such as seeking to change fair housing standards .
“ I just have a hard time understanding , based on history and current practice , how you get something done with the Trump administration , ” Ridley-Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his budget presentation last week , said the state isn ’ t waiting for a response on requests for help that have been sent to Trump .
“ He ’ s tweeting .
We ’ re doing something , ” the governor said .
“ We have a real plan , real strategies .
We ’ re building on what works .
We don ’ t need him to identify this problem .
”

Dakota Smith, Benjamin Oreskes, Noah Bierman

Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, right, sitting next to Andy Bales, chief executive of Union Rescue Mission, speaks with the media after touring a “sprung” shelter for homeless people in downtown Los Angeles.
A sweeping proposal by the Trump administration to help Los Angeles’ growing homeless population may come with strings attached, raising questions about whether a deal can be worked out between the city and the White House.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told Mayor Eric Garcetti in a letter last Thursday that Trump officials are prepared to offer Los Angeles an array of resources, including emergency healthcare services and federal land. The Times obtained the letter through a public records request.
The offer follows recent talks between senior Trump administration officials, Garcetti and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger that have raised advocates’ hopes that federal aid is on its way.
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However, Carson also suggested in his letter that the government expects changes from L.A. in how it manages homelessness. “To address this humanitarian crisis in the long term,” he wrote, “the city and county of Los Angeles must partner with our efforts and make necessary policy changes.”
Those changes include “empowering and utilizing local law enforcement” and “reducing housing regulations to expedite affordable housing construction,” Carson wrote.
Carson’s letter is somewhat vague, making it hard to know how significant the aid would be and whether any of the Trump administration’s conditions would be deal-breakers.
Though it’s true that federal funds earmarked for Los Angeles often come with stipulations, some fear that demands to alter policing policies to clear more encampments, for instance, could run afoul of several legal settlements and federal court rulings. It also could anger local leaders.
If L.A. loosens rules around the construction of affordable housing, neighborhood groups or unions also are likely to push back.
It’s far from clear what specific policies the federal government wants the city and county to change, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development declined to comment Monday. “The talks are going well and are continuing,” a spokesperson said, speaking broadly about the relationship.
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Barger spokesman Tony Bell said her office doesn’t know what county policies the federal government wants altered. “We’ve had discussions and talked about potential areas that need work, but not specific concrete measures,” he said.
Garcetti’s office declined to answer specific questions about Carson’s letter. “The mayor looks forward to continuing the discussions with federal officials in the coming weeks,” said his spokesman, Alex Comisar.
Carson’s response letter to Garcetti Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told Mayor Eric Garcetti in a letter last Thursday that Trump officials are prepared to offer Los Angeles an array of resources, including emergency healthcare services and federal land.
For months, Carson and others in the Trump administration have promised federal action, including threats of a crackdown on L.A. and San Francisco. In September, federal officials visited Los Angeles to study the homelessness crisis, in which nearly 59,000 people are living in street encampments, vehicles and shelters.
Justice Department officials met with the heads of the unions that represent rank-and-file Los Angeles police officers and county sheriff’s deputies to discuss options to deal with court rulings and legal settlements that have limited the LAPD’s ability to carry out sweeps at encampments.
In a recent Fox News interview, Carson suggested that harsh measures might be needed, saying officials needed to “uncuff law enforcement so that people can be removed now and placed in transitional places.”
In his letter last week to Garcetti, Carson wrote that the federal government is prepared to offer emergency healthcare services, supplemental emergency shelters and transitional housing, federal land, assistance for law enforcement and “voucher utilization support.”
Carson wrote that the “city and county must partner with our efforts” and focus on “reallocating funding and [prioritizing] shelter construction on federal and local land” and “expanding local mental health resources.” He also said the county and city must provide shelters focused on “self-sufficiency programming.”
Diane Yentel, president and chief executiveof the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said such programming typically means that shelters require homeless people to accept services, including drug rehabilitation, as a condition for getting an emergency bed. Such requirements could run counter to the widely accepted “housing first” model of addressing homelessness, which focuses on getting people indoors before addressing other issues, such as addiction or mental health.
Yentel also questioned whether the federal aid would include new housing vouchers, rather than focus on using existing vouchers. “It sounds to me like there’s no money or assistance to help with housing extremely low-income people, which is the core of the [homelessness] problem,” she said.
In an interview last week, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas praised Barger and Garcetti for trying to work with the Trump administration, but called it “high-risk” because of actions that the government has recently taken, such as seeking to change fair housing standards.
“I just have a hard time understanding, based on history and current practice, how you get something done with the Trump administration,” Ridley-Thomas said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, during his budget presentation last week, said the state isn’t waiting for a response on requests for help that have been sent to Trump.
“He’s tweeting. We’re doing something,” the governor said. “We have a real plan, real strategies. We’re building on what works. We don’t need him to identify this problem.”
Times Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-13--Legislation to ban surgery on intersex children fails in California Senate committee

A bill to ban medically unnecessary surgeries on young children born with atypical genitalia failed its first vote in the California Senate on Monday , despite supporters arguing that the legislation is key to protecting the rights of intersex people .
Advocacy groups for who have differences in their reproductive or sexual anatomy , have been seeking legislation in California that would postpone genital surgeries , which they say do more harm than good .
The groups say infants born with atypical genitalia often undergo surgeries to “ normalize ” their body , which can lead to incorrect gender assignment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Senate Bill 201 by state Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) , would have required that a child be at least 6 years old before a doctor could perform genital surgery that is not medically necessary .
The bill faced opposition from doctors who said medical decisions should be left up to parents and the physicians treating a patient .
The bill failed in the Senate ’ s Business , Professions and Economic Development Committee , garnering just two ayes from the nine-person panel .
Committee Chairman Sen. Steven Glazer ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bill and the potential for unintended consequences .
The bill failed when three senators led by Glazer declined to vote on it .
“ I ’ m deeply disappointed that the committee rejected the bill , ” Wiener said after the vote .
“ This is a civil rights , a human rights piece of legislation , and California should be leading on protecting the rights of sexual minorities and gender nonconforming people .
This sends a negative message when California rejects this kind of bill.
” Wiener first introduced SB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it became apparent it would die in Glazer ’ s committee .
The bill originally called for a ban on all genital surgeries that are not medically necessary until a child is old enough to provide informed consent .
But the bill drew criticism because it did not make clear the age at which a child is old enough to consent , prompting Wiener to amend the legislation to say a child must be at least 6 years old before a doctor can perform cosmetic genital surgery .
Wiener said a 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that a parent can make a more informed choice for the child .
“ We would have been criticized no matter what age we put in the bill , ” Wiener said .
Within the intersex community , there also isn ’ t a consensus on how old a person should be to consent to surgery .
Advocates say there is a delicate balance to be struck between ensuring a minor is old enough to make the decision without pressure from parents , doctors or peers and avoiding forcing all kids to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was opposed by the influential doctors ’ lobby , the California Medical Assn.
, as well as the California Psychiatric Assn .
and the California Urological Assn .
“ This bill doesn ’ t just impact the few rare intersex cases , but instead treats routine and complex cases equally , ” said Hillary Copp , a pediatric urologist at the University of California , San Francisco ’ s Benioff Children ’ s Hospital .
“ In doing so , the bill removes all flexibility from trained medical professionals and loved ones to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest of patients .
”

The bill’s author, state Sen. Scott Wiener, said, “This is a civil rights, a human rights piece of legislation, and California should be leading on protecting the rights of sexual minorities and gender nonconforming people.”
A bill to ban medically unnecessary surgeries on young children born with atypical genitalia failed its first vote in the California Senate on Monday, despite supporters arguing that the legislation is key to protecting the rights of intersex people.
Advocacy groups for intersex people, who have differences in their reproductive or sexual anatomy, have been seeking legislation in California that would postpone genital surgeries, which they say do more harm than good. The groups say infants born with atypical genitalia often undergo surgeries to “normalize” their body, which can lead to incorrect gender assignment or an irreversible loss of physical sensation.
Senate Bill 201 by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would have required that a child be at least 6 years old before a doctor could perform genital surgery that is not medically necessary. The bill faced opposition from doctors who said medical decisions should be left up to parents and the physicians treating a patient.
The bill failed in the Senate’s Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee, garnering just two ayes from the nine-person panel. Committee Chairman Sen. Steven Glazer (D-Orinda) expressed concerns over the broadness of the bill and the potential for unintended consequences. The bill failed when three senators led by Glazer declined to vote on it.
“I’m deeply disappointed that the committee rejected the bill,” Wiener said after the vote. “This is a civil rights, a human rights piece of legislation, and California should be leading on protecting the rights of sexual minorities and gender nonconforming people. This sends a negative message when California rejects this kind of bill.”
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Wiener first introduced SB 201 last year but shelved the bill when it became apparent it would die in Glazer’s committee. The bill originally called for a ban on all genital surgeries that are not medically necessary until a child is old enough to provide informed consent. But the bill drew criticism because it did not make clear the age at which a child is old enough to consent, prompting Wiener to amend the legislation to say a child must be at least 6 years old before a doctor can perform cosmetic genital surgery. Wiener said a 6 yearold is old enough to express feelings so that a parent can make a more informed choice for the child.
“We would have been criticized no matter what age we put in the bill,” Wiener said.
Within the intersex community, there also isn’t a consensus on how old a person should be to consent to surgery. Advocates say there is a delicate balance to be struck between ensuring a minor is old enough to make the decision without pressure from parents, doctors or peers and avoiding forcing all kids to wait until after puberty.
The bill was opposed by the influential doctors’ lobby, the California Medical Assn., as well as the California Psychiatric Assn. and the California Urological Assn.
“This bill doesn’t just impact the few rare intersex cases, but instead treats routine and complex cases equally,” said Hillary Copp, a pediatric urologist at the University of California, San Francisco’s Benioff Children’s Hospital. “In doing so, the bill removes all flexibility from trained medical professionals and loved ones to do what’s in the best interest of patients.”


latimes--2020-01-13--Justice Department sues L.A. property manager for allegedly sexually harassing female tenants

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles property manager for allegedly sexually harassing and assaulting female tenants for 14 years .
The lawsuit , filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California , claims that Filomeno Hernandez repeatedly engaged in unwanted sexual touching , including sexual assault , made unwelcome sexual advances and comments , offered to reduce rent or excused late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex , and non-consensually entered the homes of female tenants at two properties near MacArthur Park .
The suit alleges that Hernandez ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal Fair Housing Act , which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of sex , among other areas .
“ No woman should have to endure sexual harassment , especially in her own home , ” said Asst .
Atty .
Gen. Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department ’ s Civil Rights Division .
“ Sexual harassment in housing is unacceptable and illegal , and the Justice Department will continue vigorously to enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this type of discrimination and to obtain relief for its victims.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street — an apartment building with 97 units — and 720 S. Westlake Ave. , an apartment building with 82 units .
In addition to Hernandez , the suit also names property owner Ramin Akhavan and his companies , Bonnie Brae Investment Services LLC and Westlake Property Services LLC , both of which Akhavan is a sole member .
“ My client is providing affordable housing .
We have a homeless crisis here in Los Angeles and they are risking the existence of affordable housing by doing what they are doing , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the lawsuit .
Kiss said that a tenant or tenants are making allegations against the property manager in what he believes to be an attempt to get drugs back into what is now a drug-free building .
In 2018 , the Bonnie Brae property insurer filed a civil complaint against Bonnie Brae Investment Services LLC that addresses charges filed against Akhavan in 2015 related to the building upkeep , and details questions regarding accusations of sexual harassment against the property manager .
Hernandez co-manages the property with his wife , Kiss said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday ’ s suit refers to Hernandez ’ s behavior as a pattern and alleges his actions caused the women “ physical harm , fear , anxiety , and emotional distress , and inhibited their ability to secure housing for themselves and their families.
” The suit does not identify the women or state how many were affected from 2006 until present day .
“ The sexual harassment of vulnerable women is unacceptable , and we will not tolerate this behavior by any landlord or property manager , ” said Nick Hanna , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of California .
“ Those who abuse their positions of power will be held accountable under the Fair Housing Act.
” In April 2018 , the Justice Department announced a nationwide rollout of an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing .
Since the initiative launched , the department has filed 13 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing .
Those who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination at rental dwellings connected to Hernandez or Akhavan are asked to contact the Housing Discrimination Tip @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles property manager for allegedly sexually harassing and assaulting female tenants for 14 years.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, claims that Filomeno Hernandez repeatedly engaged in unwanted sexual touching, including sexual assault, made unwelcome sexual advances and comments, offered to reduce rent or excused late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex, and non-consensually entered the homes of female tenants at two properties near MacArthur Park.
The suit alleges that Hernandez’s actions are in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of sex, among other areas.
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“No woman should have to endure sexual harassment, especially in her own home,” said Asst. Atty. Gen. Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual harassment in housing is unacceptable and illegal, and the Justice Department will continue vigorously to enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this type of discrimination and to obtain relief for its victims.”
The buildings are at 729 S. Bonnie Brae Street — an apartment building with 97 units — and 720 S. Westlake Ave., an apartment building with 82 units. In addition to Hernandez, the suit also names property owner Ramin Akhavan and his companies, Bonnie Brae Investment Services LLC and Westlake Property Services LLC, both of which Akhavan is a sole member.
“My client is providing affordable housing. We have a homeless crisis here in Los Angeles and they are risking the existence of affordable housing by doing what they are doing,” Akhavan’s attorney Benjamin Kiss said about the lawsuit. Kiss said that a tenant or tenants are making allegations against the property manager in what he believes to be an attempt to get drugs back into what is now a drug-free building.
In 2018, the Bonnie Brae property insurer filed a civil complaint against Bonnie Brae Investment Services LLC that addresses charges filed against Akhavan in 2015 related to the building upkeep, and details questions regarding accusations of sexual harassment against the property manager.
Hernandez co-manages the property with his wife, Kiss said, and is currently still employed.
Monday’s suit refers to Hernandez’s behavior as a pattern and alleges his actions caused the women “physical harm, fear, anxiety, and emotional distress, and inhibited their ability to secure housing for themselves and their families.” The suit does not identify the women or state how many were affected from 2006 until present day.
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“The sexual harassment of vulnerable women is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate this behavior by any landlord or property manager,” said Nick Hanna, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. “Those who abuse their positions of power will be held accountable under the Fair Housing Act.”
In April 2018, the Justice Department announced a nationwide rollout of an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. Since the initiative launched, the department has filed 13 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing.
Those who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination at rental dwellings connected to Hernandez or Akhavan are asked to contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at (800) 896-7743.


latimes--2020-01-13--Ultralight plane crashes at Hawthorne Municipal Airport

An ultralight plane crashed Monday afternoon at the Hawthorne Municipal Airport , with the pilot suffering minor injuries , authorities @ @ @ @ @ shortly before 1 p.m. and involved one person , the Los Angeles County Fire Department @ @ @ @ @ treated at the scene .
No other aircraft were involved in the crash .
Preliminary @ @ @ @ @ of a home-built trike lost control of the aircraft on the surface of the airport @ @ @ @ @ a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration .
L.A. County fire officials advised the FAA @ @ @ @ @ authorities responded to the scene .

An ultralight aircraft crashed at Hawthorne Municipal Airport on Monday.
An ultralight plane crashed Monday afternoon at the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, with the pilot suffering minor injuries, authorities said.
The crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. and involved one person, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. The pilot was treated at the scene. No other aircraft were involved in the crash.
Preliminary information indicates that the pilot of a home-built trike lost control of the aircraft on the surface of the airport, said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
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L.A. County fire officials advised the FAA to hold air traffic while authorities responded to the scene.


latimes--2020-01-13--Orange County coach arrested on suspicion of inappropriate touching, police say

A basketball coach at an Orange County high school was arrested Friday on suspicion of having inappropriate contact with a @ @ @ @ @ Elijah Kim , 30 , who worked as a boys junior varsity basketball coach at @ @ @ @ @ Fullerton , was taken into custody about 3:45 p.m. on suspicion of committing lewd and @ @ @ @ @ under the age of 15 , according to investigators .
Earlier in the day , @ @ @ @ @ student contacted the school to say that her daughter may have had “ unwanted inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ the Fullerton Police Department said in a news release .
The staff contacted police , @ @ @ @ @ Kim was booked into the Fullerton Jail .
He was released Friday night after posting @ @ @ @ @ was also a substitute teacher for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District , police @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s possible there are additional victims .
Anyone who may have had inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ Fullerton Police Det .
Joseph Zuniga at ( 714 ) 738-5361 .

A basketball coach at an Orange County high school was arrested Friday on suspicion of having inappropriate contact with a student, police said.
Elijah Kim, 30, who worked as a boys junior varsity basketball coach at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, was taken into custody about 3:45 p.m. on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 15, according to investigators.
Earlier in the day, the mother of a 14-year-old student contacted the school to say that her daughter may have had “unwanted inappropriate contact” with Kim, the Fullerton Police Department said in a news release. The staff contacted police, who launched an investigation.
Kim was booked into the Fullerton Jail. He was released Friday night after posting $20,000 bail.
Kim was also a substitute teacher for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, police said, and investigators think it’s possible there are additional victims.
Anyone who may have had inappropriate contact with Kim should call Fullerton Police Det. Joseph Zuniga at (714) 738-5361.


latimes--2020-01-13--Voters could decide if California cities will be punished for not reducing homelessness

With public and political pressure mounting to get homeless people off the streets of California , a task force appointed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom is recommending that local governments face tough new legal sanctions for failing to make progress .
In a report released Monday , the Council of Regional Homeless Advisors is calling for an amendment to the California Constitution that would create a legally enforceable mandate to reduce the homeless population .
The Legislature would have to craft the plan , which would then appear as a statewide ballot measure in November .
If approved by voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sue cities and counties — or even itself — if the number of people living outdoors in encampments and vehicles doesn ’ t decline .
The 13-member task force , led by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , argues that the state needs to carry a big stick to convince local governments that they will face consequences if they don ’ t get people off the streets — including the possible loss of local control .
“ We ’ ve tried moral persuasion .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But all of it ’ s optional .
Why should this be optional ?
It shouldn ’ t be .
It mustn ’ t be .
Thousands of people are dying on the streets , and people are telling us this is a priority.
” The far-reaching proposal is certain to stir controversy — both at the Capitol in Sacramento and with local governments across the state .
But Steinberg says the mandate is necessary because there are overlapping and convoluted systems of care that sometimes have differing goals and approaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are split between elected officials in cities and counties and the administrators of “ continuums of care ” — the local and regional agencies created to handle funding and organize the distribution of services for homeless people .
But cooperation and coordination don ’ t often happen , and some local governments aren ’ t as aggressive at addressing homelessness as state officials would like .
“ There is too much fragmentation , ” Steinberg said .
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf , another member of the task force , said the proposed mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents that the government was addressing what the report described as a “ mounting catastrophe.
” A recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that homelessness increased in California by more than 16 % from 2018 to 2019 , leaving more than 151,000 Californians without permanent housing .
Nearly 71 % — about 108,000 people — are living outdoors in encampments or in vehicles , the highest percentage of any state in the nation .
Oakland has been hit especially hard .
Homelessness climbed 47 % from 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to last year ’ s point-in-time headcount .
As mayor , Schaaf said she would welcome a mandate because it would ensure that surrounding communities weren ’ t adding to her city ’ s problems .
“ I need other cities to be doing their part because Oakland does not exist on an island , ” Schaaf said .
“ I believe Oakland would pass that accountability test.
” Newsom , speaking Monday in Grass Valley where he was touring homeless facilities , said he broadly supported “ the direction they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to see a pilot program to test the mandate idea .
He said he expects a “ robust debate ” both with and among legislators about the potential ballot measure .
A pilot program could be launched while that debate is under way , Newsom said .
“ I think we ’ ve got to socialize something that is a tectonic shift in the way we ’ ve done things and what I ’ ve learned — and you ’ ve probably heard me say this — is the old wonderful African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast , go alone , if you want to go far , go together , ” he said .
“ We ’ ll see how far they want to go .
...
I ’ m not giving up on 2020.
” Last week , Newsom unveiled his own expansive plan for addressing homelessness , including more than $ 1.4 billion to address the lack of shelters as well as healthcare for homeless people .
More than half of that money is expected to go directly to local services .
Steinberg , Schaff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities and counties participating in a pilot program .
Ridley-Thomas said he planned on presenting such a resolution to the rest of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday .
If passed , he said it would require the county to come up with recommendations within 60 days to implement a pilot program .
However , neither Ridley-Thomas nor Steinberg had details on how a local government could fulfill a pilot project on par with the proposed mandate .
Steinberg suggested local governments could pass their own ordinances to hold their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homelessness .
“ There is a lot we will have to figure out here , ” Ridley-Thomas said .
Graham Knaus , executive director of the California State Assn .
of Counties , cautioned that the task force ’ s plan lacks detail , including the money that would required to ensure that local governments have enough funding to accomplish the goals .
The “ recommendations raise a number of key policy issues that are worth exploring , but that certainly require additional detail and conversation to work out how they would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force report comes as the state prepares to give local governments unprecedented levels of funding to address homelessness .
In addition to the money that Newsom proposed in his budget , $ 640 million in one-time spending approved last year will begin to hit cities and counties in the coming weeks .
The mandate idea marks a step away from — or at least around — the controversy Steinberg sparked with his “ right to shelter ” idea last year .
That plan would have required a bed to be provided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for homeless people to accept the help .
Advocates fear the latter requirement will lead to more law enforcement sweeps of encampments and infringe on people ’ s civil rights .
Others panned the idea because they believed it would lead to a proliferation of large shelters that would get people off the streets but not necessarily into permanent housing .
Ridley-Thomas called the blowback a “ knee-jerk ” reaction .
The “ right to shelter ” plan had always been a starting point .
“ Why would we want to warehouse people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was what was really in advocates ’ craw .
They were not appreciating that we don ’ t have to warehouse people.
” Schaaf said she opposed the “ right to shelter ” plan because it focused on the short-term goal of getting people indoors and lacked the flexibility of a mandate in allocating resources , such as for rental assistance programs and affordable housing .
Having a mandate , she said , “ really starts with accountability , and I think that is really a more successful place to start.
” Erwin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Law and an advisor to the state task force , said the mandate , if approved , would accomplish the same thing as the “ right to shelter ” plan but without a requirement that homeless people accept services .
“ This is about the duty of the government to ensure that shelter is available for everyone , ” he said .
“ We can do something without infringing civil liberties .
Providing housing and forcing people to use it are two different steps.
” The task force ’ s recommendation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks , but it is far from certain that it will be adopted and put on the ballot for voters to consider .
Steinberg said the Legislature would have to come up with the final details of how the mandate would be implemented .
But the task force , according to its report , has envisioned letting local governments take up to a year to come up with their own benchmarks and then be held to those goals in subsequent years .
If cities or counties miss their benchmarks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask a court to intervene , possibly redirecting money and resources .
The mandate , however , would not require that the state monitor or take legal action .
Individuals would not have the right to sue .
Although the mandate would give the state legal authority to crack down , the task force also said the state needed to take the lead on creating a unified crisis response .
“ We lack clarity regarding which levels of government are or should be responsible for funding and implementing various aspects of a response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the task force said .
Ridley-Thomas compared what the task force had proposed to the resources that state and local governments devoted to making sure people were able to vote .
“ We spend a lot of money making sure people are protected in terms of their rights — multilingual ballots , technology , the whole nine yards , ” he said .
“ It is that kind of apparatus that needs to be put in place to protect people from being homeless.
” Steinberg compared the proposed mandate to other sweeping public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or the federal requirement to provide free and appropriate education to children with special needs .
“ This kind of public policy coupled with the resources gives the resources a much better chance to actually bend the curve , ” he said .
Many of the other recommendations in the task force ’ s report include items that Newsom laid out in his budget last week , including a greater emphasis on preventing homelessness by assisting those on the brink of it , and a focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both the governor and the task force also said that Proposition 63 , the Mental Health Services Act , which placed a tax on millionaires , should be reexamined to streamline how those dollars could be spent .

Anita Chabria, Benjamin Oreskes, Taryn Luna

With public and political pressure mounting to get homeless people off the streets of California, a task force appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom is recommending that local governments face tough new legal sanctions for failing to make progress.
In a report released Monday, the Council of Regional Homeless Advisors is calling for an amendment to the California Constitution that would create a legally enforceable mandate to reduce the homeless population. The Legislature would have to craft the plan, which would then appear as a statewide ballot measure in November.
If approved by voters, the mandate would allow the state to sue cities and counties — or even itself — if the number of people living outdoors in encampments and vehicles doesn’t decline.
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The 13-member task force, led by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, argues that the state needs to carry a big stick to convince local governments that they will face consequences if they don’t get people off the streets — including the possible loss of local control.
“We’ve tried moral persuasion. We’ve tried economic incentives,” Steinberg said. “But all of it’s optional. Why should this be optional? It shouldn’t be. It mustn’t be. Thousands of people are dying on the streets, and people are telling us this is a priority.”
The far-reaching proposal is certain to stir controversy — both at the Capitol in Sacramento and with local governments across the state. But Steinberg says the mandate is necessary because there are overlapping and convoluted systems of care that sometimes have differing goals and approaches.
Money and responsibility for homelessness programs are split between elected officials in cities and counties and the administrators of “continuums of care” — the local and regional agencies created to handle funding and organize the distribution of services for homeless people.
But cooperation and coordination don’t often happen, and some local governments aren’t as aggressive at addressing homelessness as state officials would like.
“There is too much fragmentation,” Steinberg said.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, another member of the task force, said the proposed mandate represented a way to build trust with residents that the government was addressing what the report described as a “mounting catastrophe.”
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A recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that homelessness increased in California by more than 16% from 2018 to 2019, leaving more than 151,000 Californians without permanent housing. Nearly 71% — about 108,000 people — are living outdoors in encampments or in vehicles, the highest percentage of any state in the nation.
Oakland has been hit especially hard. Homelessness climbed 47% from 2017 to 2019 in the Bay Area city, according to last year’s point-in-time headcount. As mayor, Schaaf said she would welcome a mandate because it would ensure that surrounding communities weren’t adding to her city’s problems.
“I need other cities to be doing their part because Oakland does not exist on an island,” Schaaf said. “I believe Oakland would pass that accountability test.”
Newsom, speaking Monday in Grass Valley where he was touring homeless facilities, said he broadly supported “the direction they’re going,” but would like to see a pilot program to test the mandate idea. He said he expects a “robust debate” both with and among legislators about the potential ballot measure.
A pilot program could be launched while that debate is under way, Newsom said.
“I think we’ve got to socialize something that is a tectonic shift in the way we’ve done things and what I’ve learned — and you’ve probably heard me say this — is the old wonderful African proverb that if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together,” he said. “We’ll see how far they want to go. ... I’m not giving up on 2020.”
Last week, Newsom unveiled his own expansive plan for addressing homelessness, including more than $1.4 billion to address the lack of shelters as well as healthcare for homeless people. More than half of that money is expected to go directly to local services.
Steinberg, Schaff and Ridley-Thomas each said they would support their cities and counties participating in a pilot program. Ridley-Thomas said he planned on presenting such a resolution to the rest of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. If passed, he said it would require the county to come up with recommendations within 60 days to implement a pilot program.
However, neither Ridley-Thomas nor Steinberg had details on how a local government could fulfill a pilot project on par with the proposed mandate. Steinberg suggested local governments could pass their own ordinances to hold their cities and counties legally accountable to reducing homelessness.
“There is a lot we will have to figure out here,” Ridley-Thomas said.
Graham Knaus, executive director of the California State Assn. of Counties, cautioned that the task force’s plan lacks detail, including the money that would required to ensure that local governments have enough funding to accomplish the goals.
The “recommendations raise a number of key policy issues that are worth exploring, but that certainly require additional detail and conversation to work out how they would be funded,” Knaus said.
The task force report comes as the state prepares to give local governments unprecedented levels of funding to address homelessness. In addition to the money that Newsom proposed in his budget, $640 million in one-time spending approved last year will begin to hit cities and counties in the coming weeks.
A state agency has called for a mandate that would allow California to sue cities and counties if the number of people in encampments, such as this one in Echo Park, doesn’t decline. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
The mandate idea marks a step away from — or at least around — the controversy Steinberg sparked with his “right to shelter” idea last year.
That plan would have required a bed to be provided to every homeless person in the state and for homeless people to accept the help. Advocates fear the latter requirement will lead to more law enforcement sweeps of encampments and infringe on people’s civil rights.
Others panned the idea because they believed it would lead to a proliferation of large shelters that would get people off the streets but not necessarily into permanent housing.
Ridley-Thomas called the blowback a “knee-jerk” reaction. The “right to shelter” plan had always been a starting point.
“Why would we want to warehouse people?” he said. “That was what was really in advocates’ craw. They were not appreciating that we don’t have to warehouse people.”
Schaaf said she opposed the “right to shelter” plan because it focused on the short-term goal of getting people indoors and lacked the flexibility of a mandate in allocating resources, such as for rental assistance programs and affordable housing.
Having a mandate, she said, “really starts with accountability, and I think that is really a more successful place to start.”
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law and an advisor to the state task force, said the mandate, if approved, would accomplish the same thing as the “right to shelter” plan but without a requirement that homeless people accept services.
“This is about the duty of the government to ensure that shelter is available for everyone,” he said. “We can do something without infringing civil liberties. Providing housing and forcing people to use it are two different steps.”
The task force’s recommendation likely will be discussed by the Legislature in the coming weeks, but it is far from certain that it will be adopted and put on the ballot for voters to consider.
Steinberg said the Legislature would have to come up with the final details of how the mandate would be implemented. But the task force, according to its report, has envisioned letting local governments take up to a year to come up with their own benchmarks and then be held to those goals in subsequent years.
If cities or counties miss their benchmarks, the state would have the ability to ask a court to intervene, possibly redirecting money and resources. The mandate, however, would not require that the state monitor or take legal action. Individuals would not have the right to sue.
Joanna Swan is among protesters at a demonstration Monday in Echo Park against a possible sweep of an encampment. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Although the mandate would give the state legal authority to crack down, the task force also said the state needed to take the lead on creating a unified crisis response. “We lack clarity regarding which levels of government are or should be responsible for funding and implementing various aspects of a response to the crisis of homelessness,” the task force said.
Ridley-Thomas compared what the task force had proposed to the resources that state and local governments devoted to making sure people were able to vote.
“We spend a lot of money making sure people are protected in terms of their rights — multilingual ballots, technology, the whole nine yards,” he said. “It is that kind of apparatus that needs to be put in place to protect people from being homeless.”
Steinberg compared the proposed mandate to other sweeping public policy initiatives, such as the state law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or the federal requirement to provide free and appropriate education to children with special needs.
“This kind of public policy coupled with the resources gives the resources a much better chance to actually bend the curve,” he said.
Many of the other recommendations in the task force’s report include items that Newsom laid out in his budget last week, including a greater emphasis on preventing homelessness by assisting those on the brink of it, and a focus on mental health and substance abuse services.
Both the governor and the task force also said that Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act, which placed a tax on millionaires, should be reexamined to streamline how those dollars could be spent.


latimes--2020-01-13--Ex-Sheriff Lee Baca likely headed to prison after Supreme Court declines to review case

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is probably headed to prison after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-ditch , longshot request to review his case Monday .
The high court denied Baca ’ s writ of certiorari , filed July 18 , which would have reopened his case for review after a panel of judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that his conviction for helping orchestrate a scheme to interfere with an FBI investigation into abuses at the county ’ s jails was fair and legally sound .
The justices also denied his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing in front of the entire 9th Circuit .
Baca , 77 , who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer ’ s disease , was sentenced in 2017 to three years behind bars after a jury found he oversaw the plan to interfere with the jails investigation and later lied to prosecutors about his role in the scheme .
“ The Supreme Court missed an opportunity to right the significant legal wrongs that occurred in Sheriff Baca ’ s case , ” his attorney , Nathan Hochman , said in a statement .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had asked the justices to consider two issues .
The first was whether the trial court had properly instructed the jury about the obstruction of justice counts .
The instructions had stated that the government had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Baca acted with an intent to obstruct the federal grand jury investigation , but did not have to prove that he acted with a consciousness of wrongdoing .
His attorneys argued that the corruption statute does require the government to prove that Baca had a consciousness of wrongdoing , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attorneys also asked the high court to review the trial court ’ s use of an anonymous jury , in which the jurors ’ identities were unknown even to the defendant and attorneys .
The 9th Circuit had ruled that the district court ’ s decision to impanel an anonymous jury was reasonable because of the highly publicized nature of the case and Baca ’ s position as a former high-ranking law enforcement officer .
Baca ’ s attorneys asked the justices to clarify whether the lower court should have considered alternatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the jurors ’ identities to attorneys .
The Supreme Court declined to consider those queries .
The justices agree to hear only a fraction of the thousands of cases presented to them each year .
The decision marks the end of the road in terms of securing Baca ’ s freedom , Hochman confirmed .
“ The Supreme Court is the final say on direct appeal , ” he said .
Baca has remained free while his appeals were pending .
The Supreme Court ’ s decision clears the way for U.S. District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to set a date when the former lawman must begin serving his sentence .
The 9th Circuit must first issue a mandate sending notice to Anderson , who then can schedule a surrender date once he assumes jurisdiction of the case .
That process could take several days , said Thom Mrozek , spokesman for the U.S. attorney ’ s office for the Central District of California .
Baca was the last in a group of Sheriff ’ s Department deputies and commanders to be accused of playing a role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmate who was an FBI informant and threatening to arrest the agent who was leading the investigation .
All 10 of the people who faced charges in the case have either pleaded guilty or were convicted .
They included Baca ’ s second-in-command , former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka , who in 2016 was sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found that he had played a leading role in the scheme .
The obstruction plan played out over six weeks in August and September 2011 , after sheriff ’ s officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy to smuggle a cellphone to a jail inmate who was working as an informant .
The audacious move was part of an investigation opened the year before into the Men ’ s Central Jail , the main facility in the county ’ s enormous detention system .
For years , the Sheriff ’ s Department had been dogged by reports of a place run amok , in which deputies routinely beat inmates without provocation and covered up the abuse , often with the knowledge of supervisors .
Other corruption , including deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates , was said to be rampant as well .
Prosecutors argued during trial that word of the smuggled phone and the FBI investigation angered Baca and Tanaka , who viewed it as an unwarranted incursion into their territory by an outside agency .
With Baca ’ s knowledge and , at times , his involvement , Tanaka oversaw a group of deputies and mid-level commanders who worked to derail the FBI investigation .
They moved the informant under fake names to conceal his whereabouts from his handlers , pressured deputies and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and brazenly tried to intimidate the lead FBI agent on the case by threatening her with arrest .
Baca initially tried to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors , but Anderson rejected it as too lenient and signaled he would impose a stiffer prison sentence than what was in the plea deal .
Baca and his attorneys chose instead to withdraw his plea and take his chances at trial .
Baca nearly won an acquittal when all but one member of a jury wanted to find him not guilty .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared a mistrial .
For the second trial , however , prosecutors revamped their case , and Anderson issued a string of rulings that hamstrung the defense .
The sentence deepened the stain already imprinted on Baca ’ s legacy and the reputation he enjoyed as one of the nation ’ s most visible and respected reformers in law enforcement .
While quirky to the point of being enigmatic , Baca was seen as a champion of progressive ideas , including the need for police to build strong ties to minority communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ department engulfed in the jail scandal .

Lee Baca was convicted of helping orchestrate a scheme to interfere with an FBI investigation into abuses at Los Angeles County jails.
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is probably headed to prison after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-ditch, longshot request to review his case Monday.
The high court denied Baca’s writ of certiorari, filed July 18, which would have reopened his case for review after a panel of judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that his conviction for helping orchestrate a scheme to interfere with an FBI investigation into abuses at the county’s jails was fair and legally sound. The justices also denied his requests for another hearing or a new hearing in front of the entire 9th Circuit.
Baca, 77, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, was sentenced in 2017 to three years behind bars after a jury found he oversaw the plan to interfere with the jails investigation and later lied to prosecutors about his role in the scheme.
“The Supreme Court missed an opportunity to right the significant legal wrongs that occurred in Sheriff Baca’s case,” his attorney, Nathan Hochman, said in a statement.
In the filing, Baca’s attorneys had asked the justices to consider two issues. The first was whether the trial court had properly instructed the jury about the obstruction of justice counts. The instructions had stated that the government had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Baca acted with an intent to obstruct the federal grand jury investigation, but did not have to prove that he acted with a consciousness of wrongdoing.
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His attorneys argued that the corruption statute does require the government to prove that Baca had a consciousness of wrongdoing, “similar to criminal willfulness.”
Baca’s attorneys also asked the high court to review the trial court’s use of an anonymous jury, in which the jurors’ identities were unknown even to the defendant and attorneys. The 9th Circuit had ruled that the district court’s decision to impanel an anonymous jury was reasonable because of the highly publicized nature of the case and Baca’s position as a former high-ranking law enforcement officer.
Baca’s attorneys asked the justices to clarify whether the lower court should have considered alternatives, including sequestration or limited disclosure of the jurors’ identities to attorneys.
The Supreme Court declined to consider those queries. The justices agree to hear only a fraction of the thousands of cases presented to them each year.
The decision marks the end of the road in terms of securing Baca’s freedom, Hochman confirmed.
“The Supreme Court is the final say on direct appeal,” he said.
Baca has remained free while his appeals were pending. The Supreme Court’s decision clears the way for U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson, who sentenced Baca, to set a date when the former lawman must begin serving his sentence.
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The 9th Circuit must first issue a mandate sending notice to Anderson, who then can schedule a surrender date once he assumes jurisdiction of the case. That process could take several days, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California.
Baca was the last in a group of Sheriff’s Department deputies and commanders to be accused of playing a role in the 2011 scandal, which involved hiding an inmate who was an FBI informant and threatening to arrest the agent who was leading the investigation. All 10 of the people who faced charges in the case have either pleaded guilty or were convicted. They included Baca’s second-in-command, former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who in 2016 was sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found that he had played a leading role in the scheme.
The obstruction plan played out over six weeks in August and September 2011, after sheriff’s officials discovered FBI agents had used a corrupt deputy to smuggle a cellphone to a jail inmate who was working as an informant.
The audacious move was part of an investigation opened the year before into the Men’s Central Jail, the main facility in the county’s enormous detention system. For years, the Sheriff’s Department had been dogged by reports of a place run amok, in which deputies routinely beat inmates without provocation and covered up the abuse, often with the knowledge of supervisors. Other corruption, including deputies who took bribes to sneak contraband to inmates, was said to be rampant as well.
Prosecutors argued during trial that word of the smuggled phone and the FBI investigation angered Baca and Tanaka, who viewed it as an unwarranted incursion into their territory by an outside agency.
With Baca’s knowledge and, at times, his involvement, Tanaka oversaw a group of deputies and mid-level commanders who worked to derail the FBI investigation. They moved the informant under fake names to conceal his whereabouts from his handlers, pressured deputies and the informant not to cooperate with federal authorities and brazenly tried to intimidate the lead FBI agent on the case by threatening her with arrest.
Baca initially tried to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors, but Anderson rejected it as too lenient and signaled he would impose a stiffer prison sentence than what was in the plea deal. Baca and his attorneys chose instead to withdraw his plea and take his chances at trial.
Baca nearly won an acquittal when all but one member of a jury wanted to find him not guilty. With the lone juror unwilling to budge, Anderson declared a mistrial. For the second trial, however, prosecutors revamped their case, and Anderson issued a string of rulings that hamstrung the defense.
The sentence deepened the stain already imprinted on Baca’s legacy and the reputation he enjoyed as one of the nation’s most visible and respected reformers in law enforcement. While quirky to the point of being enigmatic, Baca was seen as a champion of progressive ideas, including the need for police to build strong ties to minority communities. He stepped down in 2014 with the department engulfed in the jail scandal.
Times staff writer Joel Rubin contributed to this report.