latimes--2020-07-08--Coronavirus spike jeopardizes opening of schools, L.A. County's top health official warns

The pending reopening of K-12 campuses is suddenly at risk because of the ongoing surge of coronavirus cases , and all public and private schools must prepare for students to continue learning entirely from home , Los Angeles County ’ s top public health official has told local education leaders .
This sobering message was delivered by county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer , in what she termed an “ off the record ” phone call Tuesday afternoon with district superintendents and others that was not intended for the media or the public .
The Times obtained a recording of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district at this point needs to have plans in place to continue distance learning for 100 % of the time , ” Ferrer told school officials .
“ Given where our numbers are , ” she said , referring to infections and hospitalizations , “ we would be irresponsible if we didn ’ t say to you that you have to have the backup plan ready .
If campuses can ’ t open for the start of the school year , she added , they might be able to open later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ongoing exasperation for parents , and came as an intense national debate , amplified by President Trump , has erupted over when and how schools should reopen — and how best to balance stopping the spread of the coronavirus with the harm done by keeping students home .
Trump stepped up his drive to reopen campuses Wednesday by threatening in a tweet to withhold federal funding from schools that stay closed , while also asserting , “ In Germany , Denmark , Norway , Sweden and many other countries , SCHOOLS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a claim that has been disputed .
When asked about Trump ’ s comments , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said that local districts are empowered to make their own decisions on reopening and need flexibility to determine how to do it , adding that safety is “ nonnegotiable.
” Students and school employees should not face unacceptable risk , he said .
“ I fear that more than I fear a tweet , ” Newsom said .
In-person teaching is best , he said , but however instruction takes place , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At a Wednesday public briefing , in response to question about Trump ’ s comments , Ferrer said she wanted to focus on saving lives and not on politics .
In response to another question about reopening schools , she reiterated some points from her call with education leaders .
She said she remains hopeful that campuses can reopen as anticipated and said administrators should continue to develop those plans .
The county is planning to release more detailed guidelines for reopening campuses in days .
They will include requiring all teachers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings at virtually all times .
There will be rare exceptions for students at risk of a serious medical consequence .
In those cases , however , others in contact with that student would be required to wear a medical-grade protective face covering .
Students also must be six feet apart in classes .
In spaces where that is impossible , an alternate plan would be to set up partitions between desks , county health specialists said on the call .
In California , school systems are working out hybrid schedules , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part time in small groups , while working the rest of the time at home , both online and offline .
Public health guidelines generally call for smaller student groupings and staggered , part-time campus schedules to comply with requirements to keep students apart .
A separation of six feet has become a common benchmark , both at the local and federal level , including from the Centers for Disease Control , which is overseen by the Trump administration .
But in another tweet , Trump took aim at the CDC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which he also called “ impractical ...
I will be meeting with them !
!
!
” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos referred with scorn to staggered schedules being adopted by many districts , including New York City ’ s public schools .
She called a plan by the Fairfax County , Va. , school system a “ so-called choice ” for offering two options for families : either two days per week on campus or no days , making use of only online instruction .
Schools , she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be fully operational.
” A coalition of teachers unions and education organizations said reopening campuses should be guided by science and data and that additional federal aid is needed for schools to manage increased costs .
Although school systems already received a substantial portion of federal coronavirus-related funding approved earlier this year , a larger aid package is currently stalled in Congress .
Trump ’ s push to reopen campuses benefits both the economy and students , he argued .
The health risks , said the administration , can be adequately managed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the near-worldwide school shutdown has harmed students academically and psychologically .
Sofia Quezada , whose daughters attend Euclid Avenue Elementary and Hollenbeck Middle School in Boyle Heights , said she feels like the campus closures have forced her into the role of “ substitute teacher — and I don ’ t have a lesson plan.
” “ In-person instruction is far more valuable , ” she said , but both her daughters have asthma , increasing the risk of serious complication if they catch COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some countries have reopened , but there ’ s debate over what conclusions to draw from those examples .
Key Florida state officials have sided with the president , threatening to withhold funding from school systems that don ’ t reopen .
Arizona , led by a Republican governor and Trump ally , could comply substantially with the president ’ s exhortations for the fall , but recently closed all state campuses until Aug. 17 .
Hospitals in parts of that state are at risk of being overwhelmed with coronavirus patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned that a similar situation could evolve locally , which would ultimately influence whether it would be sensible to reopen schools .
“ We ’ re being realistic about how much this county can afford to have another million people out and about when we have as much community transmission as we have right now , ” Ferrer said .
She added that she did not expect the outlook to improve in the next two weeks because of recent and widespread noncompliance with health directives on social distancing and wearing face coverings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the start of the school year , she said .
Across California school districts are grappling one by one with safety concerns .
San Francisco school officials on Wednesday said they have not yet made a decision for fall reopening , but are preparing a safety plan to bring students back to campus .
L.A. Unified is scheduled to begin its academic year on Aug. 18 .
Supt .
Austin Beutner said this week that the district has made no decision on whether the district will offer a hybrid schedule or whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s said that a key factor could be whether state and local officials take charge of necessary testing for the coronavirus and contact tracing .
Ferrer offered limited encouragement on that front Tuesday , saying the sheer number of schools made it impossible for the county to take the lead .
“ It ’ s highly likely that in most of your school settings over the course of the next year , you will experience a positive case , ” Ferrer said .
“ We are here to be a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of school buildings in L.A. County , and we ’ re really going to rely heavily on every school district to have good plans in place.
” She also said it would be neither practical nor effective to launch a widespread , school-based testing program at this time .
“ Certainly if you have three cases in your building ... you ’ re required by law to notify us , and then we ’ ll be part of an active investigation , ” Ferrer said .
Noam Levey in Washington and Nina Agrawal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stokols reported from Washington and Blume from Los Angeles .

Cerritos Elementary School Principal Perla Chavez-Fritz, left, shows her Glendale campus to L.A. County schools Supt. Debra Duardo. School districts statewide face decisions on how and when to reopen their campuses.
The pending reopening of K-12 campuses is suddenly at risk because of the ongoing surge of coronavirus cases, and all public and private schools must prepare for students to continue learning entirely from home, Los Angeles County’s top public health official has told local education leaders.
This sobering message was delivered by county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, in what she termed an “off the record” phone call Tuesday afternoon with district superintendents and others that was not intended for the media or the public. The Times obtained a recording of the call.
“Every single school district at this point needs to have plans in place to continue distance learning for 100% of the time,” Ferrer told school officials. “Given where our numbers are,” she said, referring to infections and hospitalizations, “we would be irresponsible if we didn’t say to you that you have to have the backup plan ready.”
If campuses can’t open for the start of the school year, she added, they might be able to open later in the semester.
Advertisement
County health directives govern 80 school districts serving about 1.5 million children.
Ferrer’s warning adds to the ongoing exasperation for parents, and came as an intense national debate, amplified by President Trump, has erupted over when and how schools should reopen — and how best to balance stopping the spread of the coronavirus with the harm done by keeping students home.
Trump stepped up his drive to reopen campuses Wednesday by threatening in a tweet to withhold federal funding from schools that stay closed, while also asserting, “In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS,” a claim that has been disputed.
When asked about Trump’s comments, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that local districts are empowered to make their own decisions on reopening and need flexibility to determine how to do it, adding that safety is “nonnegotiable.” Students and school employees should not face unacceptable risk, he said.
“I fear that more than I fear a tweet,” Newsom said.
In-person teaching is best, he said, but however instruction takes place, “foundationally we need to require learning.”
At a Wednesday public briefing, in response to a question about Trump’s comments, Ferrer said she wanted to focus on saving lives and not on politics. In response to another question about reopening schools, she reiterated some points from her call with education leaders.
She said she remains hopeful that campuses can reopen as anticipated and said administrators should continue to develop those plans.
Advertisement
The county is planning to release more detailed guidelines for reopening campuses in days. They will include requiring all teachers and all students older than 2 to wear face coverings at virtually all times. There will be rare exceptions for students at risk of a serious medical consequence. In those cases, however, others in contact with that student would be required to wear a medical-grade protective face covering.
Students also must be six feet apart in classes. In spaces where that is impossible, an alternate plan would be to set up partitions between desks, county health specialists said on the call.
In California, school systems are working out hybrid schedules, in which students would be on campus part time in small groups, while working the rest of the time at home, both online and offline.
Public health guidelines generally call for smaller student groupings and staggered, part-time campus schedules to comply with requirements to keep students apart. A separation of six feet has become a common benchmark, both at the local and federal level, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is overseen by the Trump administration.
But in another tweet, Trump took aim at the CDC’s “very tough & expensive guidelines,” which he also called “impractical...I will be meeting with them!!!”
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos referred with scorn to staggered schedules being adopted by many districts, including New York City’s public schools. She called a plan by the Fairfax County, Va., school system a “so-called choice” for offering two options for families: either two days per week on campus or no days, making use of only online instruction.
Schools, she said, “must fully open and they must be fully operational.”
A coalition of teachers unions and education organizations said reopening campuses should be guided by science and data and that additional federal aid is needed for schools to manage increased costs. Although school systems already received a substantial portion of federal coronavirus-related funding approved earlier this year, a larger aid package is currently stalled in Congress.
Trump’s push to reopen campuses benefits both the economy and students, he argued. The health risks, said the administration, can be adequately managed.
There is broad agreement among experts that the near-worldwide school shutdown has harmed students academically and psychologically.
Sofia Quezada, whose daughters attend Euclid Avenue Elementary and Hollenbeck Middle School in Boyle Heights, said she feels like the campus closures have forced her into the role of “substitute teacher — and I don’t have a lesson plan.”
“In-person instruction is far more valuable,” she said, but both her daughters have asthma, increasing the risk of serious complication if they catch COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus: “Health comes first.”
Schools in some countries have reopened, but there’s debate over what conclusions to draw from those examples.
Key Florida state officials have sided with the president, threatening to withhold funding from school systems that don’t reopen. Arizona, led by a Republican governor and Trump ally, could comply substantially with the president’s exhortations for the fall, but recently closed all state campuses until Aug. 17. Hospitals in parts of that state are at risk of being overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.
Ferrer told school leaders she was concerned that a similar situation could evolve locally, which would ultimately influence whether it would be sensible to reopen schools.
“We’re being realistic about how much this county can afford to have another million people out and about when we have as much community transmission as we have right now,” Ferrer said.
She added that she did not expect the outlook to improve in the next two weeks because of recent and widespread noncompliance with health directives on social distancing and wearing face coverings. But time remains to reverse negative trends before the start of the school year, she said.
Across California school districts are grappling one by one with safety concerns. San Francisco school officials on Wednesday said they have not yet made a decision for fall reopening, but are preparing a safety plan to bring students back to campus.
L.A. Unified is scheduled to begin its academic year on Aug. 18. Supt. Austin Beutner said this week that the district has made no decision on whether the district will offer a hybrid schedule or whether classes will remain exclusively online. He’s said that a key factor could be whether state and local officials take charge of necessary testing for the coronavirus and contact tracing.
Ferrer offered limited encouragement on that front Tuesday, saying the sheer number of schools made it impossible for the county to take the lead.
“It’s highly likely that in most of your school settings over the course of the next year, you will experience a positive case,” Ferrer said. “We are here to be a source of support, but there’s thousands of school buildings in L.A. County, and we’re really going to rely heavily on every school district to have good plans in place.”
She also said it would be neither practical nor effective to launch a widespread, school-based testing program at this time.
“Certainly if you have three cases in your building ... you’re required by law to notify us, and then we’ll be part of an active investigation,” Ferrer said.
Noam Levey in Washington and Nina Agrawal in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Stokols reported from Washington and Blume from Los Angeles.


latimes--2020-07-08--Andres Guardado was shot five times in the back, family autopsy finds. Deputy's lawyer defends shoot

Andres Guardado was shot five times in the back, family autopsy finds. Deputy's lawyer defends shooting

Attorneys representing the family of Andres Guardado said that an independent autopsy has found that the 18-year-old was shot five times in the back by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy in a killing that they say was unjustified .
Meanwhile , the deputy who pulled the trigger has , through his attorney , given his first public account of what happened the evening of June 18 that he said prompted him to open fire .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has said that Guardado was shot and killed about 6 p.m. , after two deputies saw him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entrance to a body shop on West Redondo Beach Boulevard .
Investigators said Guardado “ produced a handgun ” and ran away and that deputies chased him .
When deputies reached him , one fired .
The Guardado family ’ s attorneys on Wednesday released a photo of Guardado ’ s back , pierced by five bullet wounds .
They said preliminary autopsy findings showed that Guardado died as a result of gunshot wounds to his trunk and that he also sustained a graze to his left forearm with a forward trajectory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed Guardado , who relatives said worked as a security guard at a nearby auto body shop , did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system .
The full report , written by Dr. Bennet I. Omalu , was not released .
The family requested the independent autopsy after the department placed a “ security hold ” on the results of the official report prepared by the L.A. County coroner ’ s office .
The attorneys said the independent findings showed that Guardado ’ s death was “ the result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man ” and called on the Sheriff ’ s Department to release the coroner ’ s report .
Sheriff ’ s Lt. Charles Calderaro declined to comment Wednesday on the family ’ s findings but said the security hold on the coroner ’ s autopsy would be lifted soon , possibly in the next couple weeks .
“ I know there ’ s people that want answers , but when you conduct a thorough investigation sometimes you need to protect the integrity of future statements you might be getting , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , investigators had not located any video of the incident .
The deputies were not wearing body cameras .
The two deputies involved have been identified as Miguel Vega , who opened fire , and Chris Hernandez , who did not shoot .
Both deputies work out of Compton station .
Their duty assignments following the shooting are unclear .
Their attorneys have told The Times that the shooting was justified .
Cmdr .
Chris Marks would not say whether any footage had been recovered that captured any part of the encounter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with knowledge of the investigation , however , told The Times that detectives had recovered footage that showed the beginning of the event .
The source , who reviewed the footage , said it shows the deputies pull up as Guardado is bent over talking to someone on the passenger ’ s side of a car .
It shows Guardado run and Vega give chase , the source said .
Hernandez follows .
At a news briefing Wednesday , Marks said that the deputy who did not shoot has been interviewed and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be interviewed within a week .
He did not name Vega or Hernandez .
Deputies are not compelled to speak with investigators until the criminal investigation is completed but usually voluntarily give a statement after an on-duty shooting .
“ We ’ re on his timetable , ” Marks said , adding that the deputy is entitled to his Fifth Amendment rights .
“ We want his cooperation.
” Marks said the Sheriff ’ s Department is aware of the family ’ s independent autopsy .
He said that homicide investigators have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s report has been completed and therefore said he could not comment on the findings .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva spoke briefly at the news conference , saying that the department is conducting a thorough investigation .
Tom Yu , an attorney representing Hernandez , said that his client saw a gun in Guardado ’ s waistband and , at some point during the chase , he pulled it out .
He said his client saw Guardado turn a corner and begin to lie prone on the ground when the deputy heard Vega @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then Hernandez heard the gunfire , Yu said .
At that point , Hernandez had only a partial view of Guardado , Yu said .
In a statement Wednesday , Vega ’ s attorney Adam Marangell gave his client ’ s account of the incident .
He said Vega gave multiple commands for Guardado to stop during the chase , during which Guardado pulled out the gun .
He said Guardado then obeyed commands to stop , turned around and then raised both hands while still armed .
Guardado was ordered to place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did , Marangell said .
Guardado then positioned himself face down on the ground , but the gun was near his right hand , Marangell said .
Vega then holstered his weapon and began approaching Guardado to cuff him while saying , “ Don ’ t reach for the gun , ” Marangell said .
He said that ’ s when Guardado reached for the gun and Vega opened fire .
“ The reported independent autopsy ’ s findings do not alter in any way the ultimate fact that Deputy Vega acted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the statement .
The shooting has generated national attention and widespread calls for an independent investigation at a time of increased scrutiny of law enforcement spurred by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
There have been growing demands for answers on the part of Guardado ’ s family and community leaders , who have held large protests , including one that ended with deputies firing less-than-lethal weapons at the crowd .
Sheriff ’ s officials said the FBI is monitoring their investigation into the shooting .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversight of the department , said in a letter to Villanueva on Wednesday that they had not received a response to requests for video and documents related to the shooting .
Guardado ’ s parents said in a statement that the independent autopsy findings “ confirm what we have known all along , which is that Andres was unjustifiably killed by a Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s deputy.
” “ Andres was a good boy , he was our son and he had so much life ahead of him .
Our son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Cristobal and Elisa Guardado said in the statement .

Attorneys representing the family of Andres Guardado said that an independent autopsy has found that the 18-year-old was shot five times in the back by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy in a killing that they say was unjustified.
Meanwhile, the deputy who pulled the trigger has, through his attorney, given his first public account of what happened the evening of June 18 that he said prompted him to open fire.
The Sheriff’s Department has said that Guardado was shot and killed about 6 p.m., after two deputies saw him speaking to someone in a car blocking the entrance to a body shop on West Redondo Beach Boulevard. Investigators said Guardado “produced a handgun” and ran away and that deputies chased him. When deputies reached him, one fired.
Advertisement
The Guardado family’s attorneys on Wednesday released a photo of Guardado’s back, pierced by five bullet wounds. They said preliminary autopsy findings showed that Guardado died as a result of gunshot wounds to his trunk and that he also sustained a graze to his left forearm with a forward trajectory.
They said preliminary forensic toxicology results showed Guardado, who relatives said worked as a security guard at a nearby auto body shop, did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system. Guardado did not have a security guard license and sheriff’s officials said he was not in uniform.
The full report, written by Dr. Bennet I. Omalu, was not released.
The family requested the independent autopsy after the department placed a “security hold” on the results of the official report prepared by the L.A. County coroner’s office. The attorneys said the independent findings showed that Guardado’s death was “the result of unjustified police violence against an innocent young man” and called on the Sheriff’s Department to release the coroner’s report.
Sheriff’s Lt. Charles Calderaro declined to comment Wednesday on the family’s findings but said the security hold on the coroner’s autopsy would be lifted soon, possibly in the next couple weeks.
“I know there’s people that want answers, but when you conduct a thorough investigation sometimes you need to protect the integrity of future statements you might be getting,” he said.
As of Wednesday, he said, investigators had not located any video of the incident. The deputies were not wearing body cameras.
The two deputies involved have been identified as Miguel Vega, who opened fire, and Chris Hernandez, who did not shoot. Both deputies work out of Compton station. Their duty assignments following the shooting are unclear.
Advertisement
Their attorneys have told The Times that the shooting was justified.
Cmdr. Chris Marks would not say whether any footage had been recovered that captured any part of the encounter, citing the ongoing investigation.
A source with knowledge of the investigation, however, told The Times that detectives had recovered footage that showed the beginning of the event.
The source, who reviewed the footage, said it shows the deputies pull up as Guardado is bent over talking to someone on the passenger’s side of a car. It shows Guardado run and Vega give chase, the source said. Hernandez follows.
At a news briefing Wednesday, Marks said that the deputy who did not shoot has been interviewed and that the deputy who fired is scheduled to be interviewed within a week. He did not name Vega or Hernandez.
Deputies are not compelled to speak with investigators until the criminal investigation is completed but usually voluntarily give a statement after an on-duty shooting.
“We’re on his timetable,” Marks said, adding that the deputy is entitled to his Fifth Amendment rights. “We want his cooperation.”
Marks said the Sheriff’s Department is aware of the family’s independent autopsy. He said that homicide investigators have not yet been notified that the official coroner’s report has been completed and therefore said he could not comment on the findings.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva spoke briefly at the news conference, saying that the department is conducting a thorough investigation.
Tom Yu, an attorney representing Hernandez, said that his client saw a gun in Guardado’s waistband and, at some point during the chase, he pulled it out. He said his client saw Guardado turn a corner and begin to lie prone on the ground when the deputy heard Vega order Guardado to drop the gun. Then Hernandez heard the gunfire, Yu said.
At that point, Hernandez had only a partial view of Guardado, Yu said.
In a statement Wednesday, Vega’s attorney Adam Marangell gave his client’s account of the incident. He said Vega gave multiple commands for Guardado to stop during the chase, during which Guardado pulled out the gun. He said Guardado then obeyed commands to stop, turned around and then raised both hands while still armed.
Guardado was ordered to place the firearm on the ground, which he did, Marangell said. Guardado then positioned himself face down on the ground, but the gun was near his right hand, Marangell said.
Vega then holstered his weapon and began approaching Guardado to cuff him while saying, “Don’t reach for the gun,” Marangell said. He said that’s when Guardado reached for the gun and Vega opened fire.
“The reported independent autopsy’s findings do not alter in any way the ultimate fact that Deputy Vega acted properly and lawfully,” Marangell said in the statement.
The shooting has generated national attention and widespread calls for an independent investigation at a time of increased scrutiny of law enforcement spurred by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. There have been growing demands for answers on the part of Guardado’s family and community leaders, who have held large protests, including one that ended with deputies firing less-than-lethal weapons at the crowd.
Sheriff’s officials said the FBI is monitoring their investigation into the shooting. But the Office of Inspector General, which provides oversight of the department, said in a letter to Villanueva on Wednesday that they had not received a response to requests for video and documents related to the shooting.
Guardado’s parents said in a statement that the independent autopsy findings “confirm what we have known all along, which is that Andres was unjustifiably killed by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy.”
“Andres was a good boy, he was our son and he had so much life ahead of him. Our son did not deserve to die this way,” Cristobal and Elisa Guardado said in the statement.


latimes--2020-07-09--Coronavirus hospitalizations jump 97% in Orange County in less than a month

The number of patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections reached new heights Thursday in Orange County — jumping 97 % over the past three weeks — an indicator that health experts say makes it clear the virus is spreading more rapidly in the region .
County health officials on Thursday reported that 691 patients were being hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections .
Seven days earlier , 556 people were hospitalized .
A week prior there were 437 people in hospitals , and a week before that there were 351 .
The spike has prompted hospitals countywide to begin to prepare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau .
“ These trends are very concerning and we can expect the impact on our healthcare system to get worse in the coming days and weeks , ” Chau said .
“ If the surge goes up to or beyond their capacity to mobilize resources , that will cause a real strain .
A strain on the hospital systems means a strain on the ability to care for all patients , both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 folks.
” As of Wednesday , hospitals reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county , including 18 patients from Imperial County whose hospital system has been overwhelmed amid the pandemic .
The increase in hospitalizations comes as the number of new infections continues to rise in Orange County .
On Thursday , health officials reported 1,292 new coronavirus cases , bringing the total number of infections to 21,517 .
Officials also reported 26 fatalities , pushing the county ’ s death toll past 400 .
While those numbers help paint an overall picture of the virus ’ toll on the region , Dr. Shruti Gohil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection prevention at UC Irvine , has kept her eye trained specifically on hospitalization numbers , which experts say is a better indicator of severe cases in the community .
“ If you look at the number of people who are requiring hospitalization , it gives you a better sense of the tip of the iceberg , ” Gohil said .
“ There ’ s a larger portion of the population under that tip that indicates widespread community transmission.
” The number of people in intensive care units has also continued to climb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as overall hospitalizations .
As of Thursday , 234 patients were being treated in intensive care units .
Three weeks earlier there were 149 patients , according to county data .
This is probably the result of an increase in infections among younger people who are less likely to end up severely ill and a sign that doctors have become better equipped to identify COVID-19 patients earlier and start caring for them more promptly , officials say .
Gohil noted that Orange County ’ s increasing hospitalization numbers correlates directly with the loosening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at restaurants to resume and bars to reopen last month .
“ If you look carefully , it ’ s right within that incubation period , ” Gohil said .
“ In my mind , the restaurants and bars reopening really sent this psychological message that things were OK. People started going out more and it provided a more level playing field for this virus to infect people.
” Last week , the county was forced to close bars , indoor dining at restaurants and a swath of other business sectors amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new rules , which were mandated by the state , will remain in place for at least two more weeks , officials have said .
The surge in new cases and the recent rollback of business reopenings has prompted Supervisor Michelle Steel to repeatedly appeal to residents to wear a face covering when in public .
Steel , along with other members of the county ’ s Board of Supervisors , had previously questioned the necessity of the county ’ s mask requirement .
The debate became so vitriolic that Orange County ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June after weeks of verbal attacks from the public , including a death threat , over the mandatory mask rules .
Chau , her replacement , rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors , instead “ strongly recommending ” that residents wear face coverings when in public .
“ Stopping the spread of the virus will require following hygiene and social distancing guidance , ” Steel said Thursday .
“ The pandemic has impacted our daily lives in ways we couldn ’ t have imagined a few months ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on each of us , so our friends and neighbors can responsibly go to work .
We all need to do our part during these uncertain times.
” County Chief Executive Frank Kim defended the county ’ s messaging about masks , saying officials have always encouraged the use of face coverings and that the “ county has been very consistent ” in that regard .
Other counties in Southern California are also seeing a sharp uptick in hospitalizations .
In Los Angeles County , the number of patients with confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last three weeks , marking an increase of about 42 % .
“ Our three-day average of people being hospitalized is now over 1,900 patients , ” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday .
“ This is more people hospitalized each day for COVID-19 than really at any other point in the pandemic.
” Riverside County ’ s hospitalization numbers grew from 285 three weeks ago to 506 this week — an increase of about 77 % .
San Bernardino County saw an even sharper increase — roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period .
In the past two weeks , the state overall has seen a 44 % increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who need hospital care .
In response , hospitals are making adjustments to their operation plans by building up an inventory of personal protective equipment , testing supplies and cross-training staff members in preparation to care for more COVID positive patients , said Carmela Coyle , president of the California Hospital Assn .
“ We ’ re going to surge differently this time , ” she said Wednesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past four months .
We know that we have different tools available to care for COVID-positive patients .
We ’ ve got therapeutics like remdesivir and others that are actually shortening the stay of those patients .
We are putting fewer of those patients on ventilators.
” Despite the increased hospitalization numbers , officials have not suggested that hospitals put off elective procedures as they did at the onset of the pandemic .
“ The surge is about finding a balance between caring for COVID-positive patients and continuing to care for everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coyle said .

The number of patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections reached new heights Thursday in Orange County — jumping 97% over the past three weeks — an indicator that health experts say makes it clear the virus is spreading more rapidly in the region.
County health officials on Thursday reported that 691 patients were being hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections. Seven days earlier, 556 people were hospitalized. A week prior there were 437 people in hospitals, and a week before that there were 351.
The spike has prompted hospitals countywide to begin to prepare for a surge of sick patients, said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau.
Advertisement
“These trends are very concerning and we can expect the impact on our healthcare system to get worse in the coming days and weeks,” Chau said. “If the surge goes up to or beyond their capacity to mobilize resources, that will cause a real strain. A strain on the hospital systems means a strain on the ability to care for all patients, both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 folks.”
As of Wednesday, hospitals reported that 27 patients were from out of the county, including 18 patients from Imperial County whose hospital system has been overwhelmed amid the pandemic.
The increase in hospitalizations comes as the number of new infections continues to rise in Orange County. On Thursday, health officials reported 1,292 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 21,517. Officials also reported 26 fatalities, pushing the county’s death toll past 400.
While those numbers help paint an overall picture of the virus’ toll on the region, Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine, has kept her eye trained specifically on hospitalization numbers, which experts say is a better indicator of severe cases in the community.
“If you look at the number of people who are requiring hospitalization, it gives you a better sense of the tip of the iceberg,” Gohil said. “There’s a larger portion of the population under that tip that indicates widespread community transmission.”
Advertisement
The number of people in intensive care units has also continued to climb steadily countywide, though not as quickly as overall hospitalizations. As of Thursday, 234 patients were being treated in intensive care units. Three weeks earlier there were 149 patients, according to county data.
This is probably the result of an increase in infections among younger people who are less likely to end up severely ill and a sign that doctors have become better equipped to identify COVID-19 patients earlier and start caring for them more promptly, officials say.
Gohil noted that Orange County’s increasing hospitalization numbers correlates directly with the loosening of stay-at-home restrictions that allowed indoor dining at restaurants to resume and bars to reopen last month.
“If you look carefully, it’s right within that incubation period,” Gohil said. “In my mind, the restaurants and bars reopening really sent this psychological message that things were OK. People started going out more and it provided a more level playing field for this virus to infect people.”
Last week, the county was forced to close bars, indoor dining at restaurants and a swath of other business sectors amid the uptick in infections and hospitalizations. The new rules, which were mandated by the state, will remain in place for at least two more weeks, officials have said.
The surge in new cases and the recent rollback of business reopenings has prompted Supervisor Michelle Steel to repeatedly appeal to residents to wear a face covering when in public. Steel, along with other members of the county’s Board of Supervisors, had previously questioned the necessity of the county’s mask requirement.
The debate became so vitriolic that Orange County’s public health officer resigned in early June after weeks of verbal attacks from the public, including a death threat, over the mandatory mask rules. Chau, her replacement, rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors, instead “strongly recommending” that residents wear face coverings when in public.
“Stopping the spread of the virus will require following hygiene and social distancing guidance,” Steel said Thursday. “The pandemic has impacted our daily lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few months ago. The responsibility to protect public health is on each of us, so our friends and neighbors can responsibly go to work. We all need to do our part during these uncertain times.”
County Chief Executive Frank Kim defended the county’s messaging about masks, saying officials have always encouraged the use of face coverings and that the “county has been very consistent” in that regard.
Other counties in Southern California are also seeing a sharp uptick in hospitalizations.
Science & Medicine COVID-19 and blood type: What’s the link? Scientists are finding evidence that blood type may be a risk factor for COVID-19. In one study, people with Type A blood were more likely to be hospitalized.
In Los Angeles County, the number of patients with confirmed coronavirus infections jumped from 1,429 to 2,037 in the last three weeks, marking an increase of about 42%.
“Our three-day average of people being hospitalized is now over 1,900 patients,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday. “This is more people hospitalized each day for COVID-19 than really at any other point in the pandemic.”
Riverside County’s hospitalization numbers grew from 285 three weeks ago to 506 this week — an increase of about 77%. San Bernardino County saw an even sharper increase — roughly 119% — over the same time period.
In the past two weeks, the state overall has seen a 44% increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who need hospital care.
In response, hospitals are making adjustments to their operation plans by building up an inventory of personal protective equipment, testing supplies and cross-training staff members in preparation to care for more COVID positive patients, said Carmela Coyle, president of the California Hospital Assn.
“We’re going to surge differently this time,” she said Wednesday. “We’ve learned a lot in the past four months. We know that we have different tools available to care for COVID-positive patients. We’ve got therapeutics like remdesivir and others that are actually shortening the stay of those patients. We are putting fewer of those patients on ventilators.”
Despite the increased hospitalization numbers, officials have not suggested that hospitals put off elective procedures as they did at the onset of the pandemic.
“The surge is about finding a balance between caring for COVID-positive patients and continuing to care for everyone in the state of California,” Coyle said.


latimes--2020-07-09--Temperature checks and hotels: Newsom details new precautions for wildfire evacuations

Gov .
Gavin Newsom and state officials said Thursday that California will shelter wildfire evacuees in hotels , require temperature checks and make other changes to protect people from COVID-19 as the state battles an increase in blazes during the pandemic .
The coronavirus outbreak presents a new challenge to the longstanding wildfire problem in California , a state that has experienced some of the most destructive fires in recent years .
With the potential for the coronavirus to spread at fire camps and shelters , the Newsom administration is rethinking how the state should house , feed and screen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve got to keep them safe , ” Newsom said .
“ We ’ ve got to keep these environments COVID-free.
” The governor discussed the changes as the coronavirus continues to spread in California at a high rate , with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases and a growing number of hospitalizations .
Newsom warned that the number of wildfires has increased in the first months of the year to 4,112 , up 73 % compared to the same period of January through June in 2019 .
The governor also said the state has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prior years , noting the average acreage of each fire is lower than previous counts .
“ This is the time of year where fires start to get bigger and more difficult to control , ” said Thom Porter , chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
Newsom discussed wildfire preparations at a news conference Thursday at McClellan Air Force Base northeast of Sacramento , where he stood in front of a new helicopter used by Cal Fire , and touted budgetary investments in aircraft and other areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor announced plans to spend $ 72.4 million in emergency wildfire funds to hire 858 more firefighters and six California Conservation Corps crews to make up for a shortage of inmate firefighters who have been released from prison due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Thursday marked the first time in months that Newsom focused his public comments on wildfires .
Before the pandemic hit , Newsom was engulfed in wildfire crises for much of his first year in office .
Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy in early 2019 , saddled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfires sparked by its equipment .
The decision prompted Newsom and lawmakers to call for an overhaul of the troubled company while adopting a multibillion-dollar wildfire fund as a financial backstop for the state ’ s utilities last summer .
Months later , power outages blanketed much of California as utilities ramped up the use of intentional shutoffs in the fall to prevent a repeat of devastation wrought by the Camp fire , a 2018 blaze caused by PG & E equipment that became the deadliest in state history .
A judge approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
Newsom said PG & E , whose equipment has a long history of causing California wildfires , will now be required to meet new safety standards .
“ They ’ re coming out with new expectations , and ultimately new accountability and responsibility , and a new criteria that if they don ’ t perform , the state of California can intervene in ways we ’ ve never been able to with a private utility in the past , ” he said .
Newsom and state officials said the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon entry to a shelter , cleaning staff , prepackaged meals , the separation of sick evacuees and the presence of medical and mental health professionals at shelter sites , which could include hotels , college dorms , Airbnb homes , fairgrounds and campgrounds .
Firefighters will also be required to physically distance , conduct remote briefings and alternate shifts to reduce the chance of COVID-19 infection .

Jessica Sijan, whose family is from Paradise and lost everything to the Camp Fire, volunteers to sort out clothes for evacuees gathered at a Walmart parking lot in Chico, Calif., on Nov. 13, 2018.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials said Thursday that California will shelter wildfire evacuees in hotels, require temperature checks and make other changes to protect people from COVID-19 as the state battles an increase in blazes during the pandemic.
The coronavirus outbreak presents a new challenge to the longstanding wildfire problem in California, a state that has experienced some of the most destructive fires in recent years. With the potential for the coronavirus to spread at fire camps and shelters, the Newsom administration is rethinking how the state should house, feed and screen firefighters and evacuees.
“We’ve got to keep them safe,” Newsom said. “We’ve got to keep these environments COVID-free.”
The governor discussed the changes as the coronavirus continues to spread in California at a high rate, with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases and a growing number of hospitalizations.
Advertisement
Newsom warned that the number of wildfires has increased in the first months of the year to 4,112, up 73% compared to the same period of January through June in 2019. The governor also said the state has been better able to suppress fires than in prior years, noting the average acreage of each fire is lower than previous counts.
“This is the time of year where fires start to get bigger and more difficult to control,” said Thom Porter, chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Newsom discussed wildfire preparations at a news conference Thursday at McClellan Air Force Base northeast of Sacramento, where he stood in front of a new helicopter used by Cal Fire, and touted budgetary investments in aircraft and other areas of wildfire prevention and response.
The governor announced plans to spend $72.4 million in emergency wildfire funds to hire 858 more firefighters and six California Conservation Corps crews to make up for a shortage of inmate firefighters who have been released from prison due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday marked the first time in months that Newsom focused his public comments on wildfires. Before the pandemic hit, Newsom was engulfed in wildfire crises for much of his first year in office.
Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy in early 2019, saddled with some $30 billion in debt from wildfires sparked by its equipment. The decision prompted Newsom and lawmakers to call for an overhaul of the troubled company while adopting a multibillion-dollar wildfire fund as a financial backstop for the state’s utilities last summer.
Months later, power outages blanketed much of California as utilities ramped up the use of intentional shutoffs in the fall to prevent a repeat of devastation wrought by the Camp fire, a 2018 blaze caused by PG&E equipment that became the deadliest in state history.
Advertisement
A judge approved PG&E’s bankruptcy plan last month. Newsom said PG&E, whose equipment has a long history of causing California wildfires, will now be required to meet new safety standards.
“They’re coming out with new expectations, and ultimately new accountability and responsibility, and a new criteria that if they don’t perform, the state of California can intervene in ways we’ve never been able to with a private utility in the past,” he said.
Newsom and state officials said the new wildfire evacuation protocols will include health screenings upon entry to a shelter, cleaning staff, prepackaged meals, the separation of sick evacuees and the presence of medical and mental health professionals at shelter sites, which could include hotels, college dorms, Airbnb homes, fairgrounds and campgrounds.
Firefighters will also be required to physically distance, conduct remote briefings and alternate shifts to reduce the chance of COVID-19 infection.


latimes--2020-07-09--Yolo County businesses face $10,000 fines for ignoring coronavirus safety rules

Not complying with public health and safety measures just got costly in Yolo County .
After seeing a more than 200 % spike in coronavirus cases in the past month , Yolo County officials passed an ordinance allowing code officers to fine businesses up to $ 10,000 for not complying with state and county health orders , including not wearing a mask .
The , which went into effect Tuesday , is the first enforcement pledge by a Northern California county .
Several Southern California cities , including , Santa Monica and Beverly Hills , have imposed similar — albeit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The recent rapid spike in the numbers of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 necessitates an increase in enforcement , ” Gary Sandy , chair of the county ’ s Board of Supervisors , .
“ These efforts will primarily focus on those that fail to take appropriate measures to protect the public.
” Fines can range from $ 250 to $ 10,000 for businesses , depending on the “ gravity of public health risk posed by the violation , ” according to county officials .
Individuals can be fined anywhere from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be issued by city police departments or the Sheriff ’ s Department , and business closures would be handled by county counsel or the county ’ s local health officer , county officials said .
When it comes to violations that reach $ 10,000 , which county counsel Phil Pogledich said may appear “ extreme , ” the penalties would be based on multiple factors , including whether the business had prior violations , the severity of the violation and whether owners made good faith efforts to comply with orders after receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an extreme violation could be a bar hosting a large private party .
Bars have been ordered closed in Yolo County .
During Tuesday ’ s video conference meeting , Pogledich said that although many businesses and organizations have complied with the county ’ s public health orders , which have allowed more sectors to reopen , there is a small number that he referred to as “ the tough 10 % ” that have refused to follow safety measures .
Jenny Tan , the county ’ s public information officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and will reserve fines for those that do not comply “ after multiple and multiple attempts.
” The businesses “ that have not been complying have really been few and far between , ” Tan said Thursday .
“ We don ’ t want to penalize businesses that are struggling .
We understand that they ’ re also going through a really hard time right now financially ... so that ’ s why we always try education first.
” The county is working with the cities of Davis , West Sacramento , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinance .
Yolo County recently exceeded the state ’ s threshold of fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 residents within a two-week period , landing it on the state ’ s watch list .
The county , which has less than 230,000 residents , had 760 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths as of Thursday morning , county records show .
Officials said the initial jump in coronavirus cases within the past month came from family gatherings but have since been traced back to workplaces , educational businesses , social gatherings and religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the public ’ s health and safety , and that also means that we need to be making sure that businesses that have permits with us or who have a business in our county are also trying to protect the public ’ s health and safety , ” Tan said .

Barbara Meier, right, wears a face mask as picks up her drink order from Philz Coffee in Davis, Calif., on April 27. Yolo County, where Davis is located, requires people to wear face masks in public.
Not complying with public health and safety measures just got costly in Yolo County.
After seeing a more than 200% spike in coronavirus cases in the past month, Yolo County officials passed an ordinance allowing code officers to fine businesses up to $10,000 for not complying with state and county health orders, including not wearing a mask.
The ordinance , which went into effect Tuesday, is the first enforcement pledge by a Northern California county. Several Southern California cities, including West Hollywood , Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, have imposed similar — albeit less expensive — fines in recent weeks.
“The recent rapid spike in the numbers of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 necessitates an increase in enforcement,” Gary Sandy, chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors, said of Tuesday’s 5-0 vote . “These efforts will primarily focus on those that fail to take appropriate measures to protect the public.”
Advertisement
Fines can range from $250 to $10,000 for businesses, depending on the “gravity of public health risk posed by the violation,” according to county officials. Individuals can be fined anywhere from $25 to $500.
Misdemeanors would be issued by city police departments or the Sheriff’s Department, and business closures would be handled by county counsel or the county’s local health officer, county officials said.
When it comes to violations that reach $10,000, which county counsel Phil Pogledich said may appear “extreme,” the penalties would be based on multiple factors, including whether the business had prior violations, the severity of the violation and whether owners made good faith efforts to comply with orders after receiving a warning.
Pogledich said an example of an extreme violation could be a bar hosting a large private party. Bars have been ordered closed in Yolo County.
During Tuesday’s video conference meeting, Pogledich said that although many businesses and organizations have complied with the county’s public health orders, which have allowed more sectors to reopen, there is a small number that he referred to as “the tough 10%” that have refused to follow safety measures.
Advertisement
Jenny Tan, the county’s public information officer, said Yolo County will issue warnings to businesses and will reserve fines for those that do not comply “after multiple and multiple attempts.”
The businesses “that have not been complying have really been few and far between,” Tan said Thursday. “We don’t want to penalize businesses that are struggling. We understand that they’re also going through a really hard time right now financially ... so that’s why we always try education first.”
The county is working with the cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland to enforce the new ordinance.
Yolo County recently exceeded the state’s threshold of fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 residents within a two-week period, landing it on the state’s watch list. The county, which has less than 230,000 residents, had 760 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths as of Thursday morning, county records show.
Officials said the initial jump in coronavirus cases within the past month came from family gatherings but have since been traced back to workplaces, educational businesses, social gatherings and religious services.
“We’re talking about the public’s health and safety, and that also means that we need to be making sure that businesses that have permits with us or who have a business in our county are also trying to protect the public’s health and safety,” Tan said.


latimes--2020-07-09--Six more counts of sex assault, battery filed against former USC gynecologist George Tyndall

Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed six more counts of sexual assault and battery against disgraced USC gynecologist George Tyndall , who was arrested last year after he was accused of sexual misconduct by hundreds of former students .
Tyndall , 73 , was charged with five counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and one count of sexual battery by fraud in an amended complaint made public Thursday , according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office .
The longtime physician was arrested in June 2019 and charged with 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by 16 women regarding incidents between 2009 and 2016 .
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s Robbery-Homicide Division presented 145 cases to prosecutors concerning the alleged sexual abuse of Tyndall ’ s former patients , but many were outside the statute of limitations .
The new charges relate to attacks that took place between 2011 and 2015 at a USC health center , prosecutors said .
If convicted of all charges , Tyndall faces up to 64 years in prison .
He is due back in court in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyndall had been the subject of complaints of sexual misconduct at USC dating back to the 1990s , with students repeatedly accusing him of engaging in sexual harassment during pelvic exams .
But it wasn ’ t until 2016 , when a nurse reported him to a rape crisis center , that he was suspended .
He was allowed to quietly resign with a hefty payout the following year .
Tyndall has denied all wrongdoing .
An email to his attorney , Leonard Levine , seeking comment Thursday was not immediately returned .

Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed six more counts of sexual assault and battery against disgraced USC gynecologist George Tyndall, who was arrested last year after he was accused of sexual misconduct by hundreds of former students.
Tyndall, 73, was charged with five counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and one count of sexual battery by fraud in an amended complaint made public Thursday, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
The longtime physician was arrested in June 2019 and charged with 29 felonies based on allegations of sexual misconduct made by 16 women regarding incidents between 2009 and 2016. Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division presented 145 cases to prosecutors concerning the alleged sexual abuse of Tyndall’s former patients, but many were outside the statute of limitations.
Advertisement
The new charges relate to attacks that took place between 2011 and 2015 at a USC health center, prosecutors said. If convicted of all charges, Tyndall faces up to 64 years in prison. He is due back in court in late July.
A 2018 Times investigation revealed Tyndall had been the subject of complaints of sexual misconduct at USC dating back to the 1990s, with students repeatedly accusing him of engaging in sexual harassment during pelvic exams. But it wasn’t until 2016, when a nurse reported him to a rape crisis center, that he was suspended. He was allowed to quietly resign with a hefty payout the following year.
Tyndall has denied all wrongdoing. An email to his attorney, Leonard Levine, seeking comment Thursday was not immediately returned.


latimes--2020-07-09--Gardena security guard charged with murder after fight with customer over mask

A South Bay grocery store security guard and his wife were charged with murder this week after fighting with a 50-year-old man who entered the store without wearing a mask , according to the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office .
Umeir Corniche Hawkins , 38 , faces one count each of murder and possession of a handgun by a felon .
His wife , Sabrina Carter , 50 , who police said was also involved in the altercation , is charged with one count of possession of a handgun by a felon , according to the D.A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not guilty to the charges Wednesday and are scheduled to return to court Friday .
Hawkins and Carter are being held , with bail set at $ 1 million and $ 35,000 , respectively , according to court records .
If convicted , Hawkins faces a possible maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison , and Carter faces three years in prison .
According to the Gardena Police Department ’ s Facebook page , officers arrived at Green Farm Market grocery store in Gardena on Sunday night and found Jerry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the lower body and died at the scene .
Lewis was a popular 1990s rapper known by the moniker Madd Head .
His music is featured in the “ Beavis and Butt-Head Do America ” movie soundtrack .
Police said Lewis was in the parking lot of the store waiting for a tow truck to repair a pair of flat tires on his vehicle .
At some point , authorities said , he entered the store without a mask and got into a verbal altercation that turned physical with Hawkins , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Lewis left the store , returned and fought again with Hawkins .
During the second fight , police said Carter was in the parking lot , waiting for Hawkins to get off work .
She intervened by pointing a handgun at Lewis and other customers .
Lewis began walking away , toward his vehicle , and Hawkins pulled out another gun and fatally shot Lewis , prosecutors said .
The couple — who the district attorney ’ s office say were convicted in 2013 for assault by means of force likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day later .
The case remains under investigation by police .
Anyone with information can contact Det .
Ryan Sproles at ( 310 ) 217-9618 or Det .
Dolores Searle at ( 310 ) 217-9654 .

Umeir Corniche Hawkins, 38, and Sabrina Carter, 50, were charged with murder after a fight with a man who was not wearing a mask inside Green Farm Market grocery store in Gardena.
A South Bay grocery store security guard and his wife were charged with murder this week after fighting with a 50-year-old man who entered the store without wearing a mask, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Umeir Corniche Hawkins, 38, faces one count each of murder and possession of a handgun by a felon. His wife, Sabrina Carter, 50, who police said was also involved in the altercation, is charged with one count of possession of a handgun by a felon, according to the D.A.’s office.
The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday and are scheduled to return to court Friday.
Hawkins and Carter are being held, with bail set at $1 million and $35,000, respectively, according to court records. If convicted, Hawkins faces a possible maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison, and Carter faces three years in prison.
Advertisement
According to the Gardena Police Department’s Facebook page, officers arrived at Green Farm Market grocery store in Gardena on Sunday night and found Jerry Lewis, 50, who was shot in the lower body and died at the scene.
Lewis was a popular 1990s rapper known by the moniker Madd Head. His music is featured in the “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America” movie soundtrack.
Police said Lewis was in the parking lot of the store waiting for a tow truck to repair a pair of flat tires on his vehicle. At some point, authorities said, he entered the store without a mask and got into a verbal altercation that turned physical with Hawkins, a security guard at the market.
Prosecutors said Lewis left the store, returned and fought again with Hawkins.
During the second fight, police said Carter was in the parking lot, waiting for Hawkins to get off work. She intervened by pointing a handgun at Lewis and other customers.
Lewis began walking away, toward his vehicle, and Hawkins pulled out another gun and fatally shot Lewis, prosecutors said. The couple — who the district attorney’s office say were convicted in 2013 for assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury — were arrested a day later.
The case remains under investigation by police. Anyone with information can contact Det. Ryan Sproles at (310) 217-9618 or Det. Dolores Searle at (310) 217-9654.


latimes--2020-07-09--Going back to college during a pandemic: Here's what you need to know

Last school year , you might have spent weeknights in a study room with poor circulation , surrounded by friends @ @ @ @ @ .
Weekends probably included an outing to a bar , house show or party .
@ @ @ @ @ in the quintessential on-campus dorm , where you shared everything ( sometimes begrudgingly ) with @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ re a rising freshman , you were probably looking forward to those @ @ @ @ @ college essays and anxiously hoped for acceptance letters from your top schools.Then COVID-19 made its @ @ @ @ @ Students had to leave campuses .
Classes went online .
The 2020 fall semester is @ @ @ @ @ for everyone .
Here are some ways make the most out of it , whatever @ @ @ @ @ get a handle on some trickier issues and news updates .

Last school year, you might have spent weeknights in a study room with poor circulation, surrounded by friends as you crammed for exams. Weekends probably included an outing to a bar, house show or party. And you might have lived in the quintessential on-campus dorm, where you shared everything (sometimes begrudgingly) with a roommate or two. If you’re a rising freshman, you were probably looking forward to those experiences as you perfected your college essays and anxiously hoped for acceptance letters from your top schools.
Then COVID-19 made its way into our lives. Students had to leave campuses. Classes went online. Graduations too.
The 2020 fall semester is going to be very different for everyone. Here are some ways make the most out of it, whatever it looks like, and get a handle on some trickier issues and news updates.


latimes--2020-07-09--California mobile home parks have lax oversight and few inspections, state audit warns

California ’ s state housing agency did not conduct full inspections at more than half of the state ’ s mobile home parks between 2010 and 2019 and should improve oversight to protect residents , a state audit said Thursday .
Although the state Department of Housing and Community Development met its statutory goal of conducting park inspections at 5 % of parks annually , 55 % of the 3,640 active parks did not receive a full park inspection in the 10-year period reviewed , according to state Auditor Elaine Howle .
“ Long gaps between inspectors ’ visits to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safety violations remain undetected and unreported , ” Howle said in a letter to the governor and Legislature .
“ By improving its selection process for annual park inspections to include some parks that it has not visited in recent years and implementing guidance for informal visits , HCD could reduce the risks posed by health and safety violations at parks.
” In addition to finding inadequate rates for full park inspections , the auditors also said some parks were not even visited by inspectors to follow up on complaints involving individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated that it did not visit 9 % of parks , or 330 parks representing 5,700 mobile home units , for any reason during the decade reviewed , the audit said .
Infrequent inspections can allow mobile home parks to fall into disrepair , housing advocates have warned .
Auditors also found inconsistency in its inspection process and said that the agency closed three of the 54 inspection files reviewed by auditors before park owners and residents had corrected some violations .
Some mobile home parks have been severely damaged in wildfires in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspectors are tasked with making sure parks abide by fire safety rules .
In one case , a Los Angeles County Fire Department station submitted a complaint with multiple allegations , including concerns about the location of gas meters that blocked access to the lanes emergency vehicles need in order to drive through the park , the audit said .
“ However , the inspector failed to address this allegation in her inspection report , ” the report said .
The state agency often did not share important information , including identified violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information late , the audit found .
The agency also sometimes failed to tell residents about their rights and resources available to them .
“ As a result , some residents may have missed opportunities to obtain help in correcting violations before the park owners initiated steps to evict them , ” the audit concluded .
Howle ’ s office also recommended the state agency do a better job of making sure inspectors don ’ t have conflicts of interest by making sure they all report their financial interests as required by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 77 inspectors and found three had financial interests related to mobile home parks , including one who owned property near a park .
The housing agency responded to the audit by saying it agrees improvements to the inspection program are needed .
“ We concur with the recommendations and have already completed and implemented many of the recommendations provided in the report that illustrate areas of improvement to better protect the health and safety of California mobile home park residents , park owners , and help secure the sustainability of property , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency ’ s chief deputy director .
The audit was requested by state Sen. Connie M. Leyva ( D-Chino ) as chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities after she heard complaints from mobile home owners about lax state oversight .
On Thursday , Leyva called the findings “ disturbing ” and “ unacceptable ” and said her committee will provide its oversight to make sure there is follow-up action .
“ As mobile homes are a vital option for affordable housing in California , it is clear that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequency of these inspections so that we can keep the approximately 2 million mobile home residents living at nearly 5,000 mobile home parks healthy and safe , ” Leyva said .

California’s state housing agency did not conduct full inspections at more than half of the state’s mobile home parks between 2010 and 2019 and should improve oversight to protect residents, a state audit said Thursday.
Although the state Department of Housing and Community Development met its statutory goal of conducting park inspections at 5% of parks annually, 55% of the 3,640 active parks did not receive a full park inspection in the 10-year period reviewed, according to state Auditor Elaine Howle.
“Long gaps between inspectors’ visits to a park increase the risk that health and safety violations remain undetected and unreported,” Howle said in a letter to the governor and Legislature. “By improving its selection process for annual park inspections to include some parks that it has not visited in recent years and implementing guidance for informal visits, HCD could reduce the risks posed by health and safety violations at parks.”
Advertisement
In addition to finding inadequate rates for full park inspections, the auditors also said some parks were not even visited by inspectors to follow up on complaints involving individual units.
The agency’s data indicated that it did not visit 9% of parks, or 330 parks representing 5,700 mobile home units, for any reason during the decade reviewed, the audit said.
Infrequent inspections can allow mobile home parks to fall into disrepair, housing advocates have warned.
Auditors also found inconsistency in its inspection process and said that the agency closed three of the 54 inspection files reviewed by auditors before park owners and residents had corrected some violations.
Some mobile home parks have been severely damaged in wildfires in recent years, and the report noted inspectors are tasked with making sure parks abide by fire safety rules. In one case, a Los Angeles County Fire Department station submitted a complaint with multiple allegations, including concerns about the location of gas meters that blocked access to the lanes emergency vehicles need in order to drive through the park, the audit said. “However, the inspector failed to address this allegation in her inspection report,” the report said.
The state agency often did not share important information, including identified violations, with park residents or it provided the information late, the audit found. The agency also sometimes failed to tell residents about their rights and resources available to them.
“As a result, some residents may have missed opportunities to obtain help in correcting violations before the park owners initiated steps to evict them,” the audit concluded.
Howle’s office also recommended the state agency do a better job of making sure inspectors don’t have conflicts of interest by making sure they all report their financial interests as required by law. The audit looked at records for 77 inspectors and found three had financial interests related to mobile home parks, including one who owned property near a park.
Advertisement
The housing agency responded to the audit by saying it agrees improvements to the inspection program are needed.
“We concur with the recommendations and have already completed and implemented many of the recommendations provided in the report that illustrate areas of improvement to better protect the health and safety of California mobile home park residents, park owners, and help secure the sustainability of property,” said Zack Olmstead, the housing agency’s chief deputy director.
The audit was requested by state Sen. Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) as chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities after she heard complaints from mobile home owners about lax state oversight.
On Thursday, Leyva called the findings “disturbing” and “unacceptable” and said her committee will provide its oversight to make sure there is follow-up action.
“As mobile homes are a vital option for affordable housing in California, it is clear that the state must improve both the quality and frequency of these inspections so that we can keep the approximately 2 million mobile home residents living at nearly 5,000 mobile home parks healthy and safe,” Leyva said.


latimes--2020-07-09--Death of Robert Fuller, found hanging from a tree in Palmdale, is ruled a suicide

Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s investigators have concluded that Robert Fuller , a Black man whose body was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last month , died by suicide , saying a thorough investigation found no signs of foul play and showed the 24-year-old had previously expressed suicidal behavior .
The findings , announced Thursday , upheld the preliminary determination of suicide that Fuller ’ s family and many residents of the Antelope Valley had called into question .
Pointing to the region ’ s history of racism toward Black people ; the backdrop of unrest prompted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hanging death a week earlier of another Black man , Malcolm Harsch , in nearby Victorville ; and the setting where Fuller ’ s body was found — hanging in a public square outside Palmdale ’ s City Hall — they voiced a suspicion that Fuller had been lynched and demanded a more thorough investigation , monitored by outside agencies .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva complied , and on Thursday , Cmdr .
Chris Marks laid out his detectives ’ findings , culled from medical records and interviews with family and social workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a documented history of mental illness and self-harm , having been admitted to hospitals in California , Arizona and Nevada after expressing a desire — and on at least one occasion attempting — to hurt himself .
The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ruled Fuller ’ s death a suicide , with Matthew J. Miller , a deputy medical examiner , writing in a report that a lack of “ significant trauma ” to Fuller ’ s neck and limbs , “ coupled the existence of evidence of prior suicidal ideation and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported that conclusion .
Jamon Hicks , an attorney representing Fuller ’ s family , said he would respond to the sheriff ’ s and coroner ’ s findings on Friday .
Hicks has commissioned an independent autopsy of Fuller ’ s body , the results of which have yet to be released .
A private investigator is also attempting to retrace Fuller ’ s last steps .
Marks said Fuller ’ s family was very cooperative , providing detectives with medical records and other “ much-needed information.
” Detectives obtained other records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In January of 2017 , Fuller was hospitalized in Arizona and diagnosed with auditory hallucinations after saying he wanted “ to put a gun to his head , ” Marks said .
In February 2019 , he checked himself into a hospital in California and reported hearing voices telling him to kill himself .
And in November of that year he was hospitalized in Nevada after saying he planned to harm himself , Marks said .
In February , Fuller tried to light himself on fire , Las Vegas police told sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on the west side of Palmdale , lived at various times in Nevada and Arizona ; Marks said a coordinator at a Las Vegas shelter for homeless youths told detectives that Fuller was a “ periodic resident ” there from February 2019 to February of this year .
On May 14 , someone using an EBT card registered to Fuller purchased a red rope from a Dollar Tree — a rope consistent with the one found at the scene of Fuller ’ s death , Marks said .
Because the purchase was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquired about it , they could not recover video from the store showing Fuller buying the rope , Marks said , although he noted that investigators have found video from subsequent weeks showing Fuller using the same EBT card at various stores .
In the early morning hours of June 10 , a homeless person walking through Poncitlán Square , near Palmdale ’ s City Hall , found Fuller ’ s body hanging from a tree , a coroner ’ s report said .
Judging by how and where the rope was tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuller “ was not hoisted into that position , ” Marks said .
His body showed no signs of a struggle or defensive wounds , although detectives noted scarring on his left wrist that indicated self-harm , Marks said .
Investigators have found no video footage that shows the tree itself , he said .
It remained to be seen whether those who greeted the initial finding of suicide with skepticism would accept the sheriff ’ s department ’ s conclusion .
When Robert Fuller ’ s half-brother , Terron Boone , died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies one week after Fuller ’ s body was found , rumors and speculation about a cover-up ricocheted through social media .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva praised his detectives ’ work and declared that “ people should not translate a lack of information to a conspiracy , ” but he said the finding of suicide does not change the tragedy that is a young man ’ s death .
“ There are no winners or losers in this , ” he said .
Sheriff ’ s officials declined Thursday to discuss the investigation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 plainclothes detectives trailed Boone to an apartment complex in Rosamond , a small Kern County community north of Palmdale .
Los Angeles County prosecutors had charged Boone , 31 , with assaulting , threatening and holding a former girlfriend against her will for six days , according to a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court ’ s Antelope Valley courthouse .
The detectives were tasked with taking him into custody .
Outside the apartment complex , the detectives , whose cars weren ’ t identified as police vehicles , tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the passenger seat , sheriff ’ s officials have said .
In their account , Boone came out of the car shooting , firing at least five rounds at the detectives and striking their car .
They shot Boone in the chest , killing him .
A woman in the driver ’ s seat was grazed by a bullet and struck with shrapnel , according to her attorney ; the woman ’ s 7-year-old daughter , sitting in the back seat , wasn ’ t harmed .
Sheriff ’ s Lt. Brandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation , said there was no apparent connection between the deaths of Fuller and Boone , beyond the two being brothers .

On June 10, Robert Fuller’s body was found hanging from a tree outside Palmdale City Hall. His death came in the middle of the George Floyd protests and a week after Malcolm Harsch, another Black man, was found hanging from a tree in Victorville, less than 50 miles away. Their deaths shed light on the concerning rise in suicides among Black Americans.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators have concluded that Robert Fuller, a Black man whose body was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last month, died by suicide, saying a thorough investigation found no signs of foul play and showed the 24-year-old had previously exhibited suicidal behavior.
The findings, announced Thursday, upheld the preliminary determination of suicide that Fuller’s family and many residents of the Antelope Valley had called into question. Pointing to the region’s history of racism toward Black people; the backdrop of unrest prompted by George Floyd’s death; the hanging death a week earlier of another Black man, Malcolm Harsch, in nearby Victorville; and the setting where Fuller’s body was found — hanging in a public square outside Palmdale’s City Hall — they voiced a suspicion that Fuller had been lynched and demanded a more thorough investigation, monitored by outside agencies.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva complied, and on Thursday, Cmdr. Chris Marks laid out his detectives’ findings, culled from medical records and interviews with family and social workers. Fuller, Marks said, had a documented history of mental illness and self-harm, having been admitted to hospitals in California, Arizona and Nevada after expressing a desire — and on at least one occasion attempting — to hurt himself.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ruled Fuller’s death a suicide, with Matthew J. Miller, a deputy medical examiner, writing in a report that a lack of “significant trauma” to Fuller’s neck and limbs, “coupled with the existence of evidence of prior suicidal ideation and a history of mental health issues,” supported that conclusion.
Advertisement
Jamon Hicks, an attorney representing Fuller’s family, said he would respond to the sheriff’s and coroner’s findings Friday. Hicks has commissioned an independent autopsy of Fuller’s body, the results of which have yet to be released. A private investigator is also attempting to retrace Fuller’s last steps.
Marks said Fuller’s family was very cooperative, providing detectives with medical records and other “much-needed information.” Detectives obtained other records by serving hospitals with search warrants.
In January 2017, Fuller was hospitalized in Arizona and diagnosed with auditory hallucinations after saying he wanted “to put a gun to his head,” Marks said. In February 2019, he checked himself into a hospital in California and reported hearing voices telling him to kill himself. And in November of that year he was hospitalized in Nevada after saying he planned to harm himself, Marks said.
In February, Fuller tried to light himself on fire, Las Vegas police told sheriff’s detectives. Fuller, who grew up on the west side of Palmdale, lived at various times in Nevada and Arizona; Marks said a coordinator at a Las Vegas shelter for homeless youths told detectives that Fuller was a “periodic resident” there from February 2019 to February of this year.
On May 14, someone using an EBT card registered to Fuller purchased a red rope from a Dollar Tree — a rope consistent with the one found at the scene of Fuller’s death, Marks said. Because the purchase was made more than one month before detectives inquired about it, they could not recover video from the store showing Fuller buying the rope, Marks said, although he noted that investigators have found video from subsequent weeks showing Fuller using the same EBT card at various stores.
In the early morning hours of June 10, a homeless person walking through Poncitlán Square, near Palmdale’s City Hall, found Fuller’s body hanging from a tree, a coroner’s report said. Judging by how and where the rope was tied to the tree limb, detectives determined Fuller “was not hoisted into that position,” Marks said. His body showed no signs of a struggle or defensive wounds, although detectives noted scarring on his left wrist that indicated self-harm, Marks said. Investigators have found no video footage that shows the tree itself, he said.
Advertisement
It remained to be seen whether those who greeted the initial finding of suicide with skepticism would accept the Sheriff’s Department’s conclusion. When Robert Fuller’s half-brother, Terron Boone, died in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies one week after Fuller’s body was found, rumors and speculation about a cover-up ricocheted through social media.
Villanueva praised his detectives’ work and declared that “people should not translate a lack of information to a conspiracy,” but he said the finding of suicide does not change the tragedy that is a young man’s death.
“There are no winners or losers in this,” he said.
Sheriff’s officials declined Thursday to discuss the investigation of Boone’s death. On June 17 plainclothes detectives trailed Boone to an apartment complex in Rosamond, a small Kern County community north of Palmdale. Los Angeles County prosecutors had charged Boone, 31, with assaulting, threatening and holding a former girlfriend against her will for six days, according to a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court’s Antelope Valley courthouse. The detectives were tasked with taking him into custody.
Outside the apartment complex, the detectives, whose cars weren’t identified as police vehicles, tried to pull over a blue Jeep carrying Boone in the passenger seat, sheriff’s officials have said. In their account, Boone came out of the car shooting, firing at least five rounds at the detectives and striking their car. They shot Boone in the chest, killing him.
A woman in the driver’s seat was grazed by a bullet and struck with shrapnel, according to her attorney; the woman’s 7-year-old daughter, sitting in the back seat, wasn’t harmed.
Sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Dean, who oversaw the Fuller death investigation, said there was no apparent connection between the deaths of Fuller and Boone, beyond the two being brothers.