latimes--2020-01-31--L.A. politicians want fire sprinklers in all apartment towers after Westside fire

Days after a fire scorched a Westside high-rise and left more than a dozen people injured , several members of the Los Angeles City Council called Friday to mandate sprinkler systems in all residential towers across the city .
Sprinklers are required in most apartment buildings , but the city has maintained an exemption for high-rises built between 1943 and 1974 — a loophole that council members called “ dangerous ” in their new proposal .
L.A. officials have identified 55 buildings from that era that lack sprinklers , including Barrington Plaza , which ignited this week .
The same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in flames in 2013 and in 1971 , a fact that galled politicians and residents .
Councilman Mike Bonin , whose district includes Barrington Plaza , said that mandating sprinklers in all residential high-rises was a “ basic , common-sense public safety measure.
” Firefighters did heroic work at the building , Bonin said in a statement , “ but the spread of the fire could have been halted by a fire sprinkler system , preventing further damage to the building , injury to tenants , and risk to LAFD firefighters.
” Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Koretz and Bob Blumenfield and seconded by Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez , apartment and condominium towers that have been exempt from the sprinkler requirements would have to be retrofitted .
The idea now heads to a committee for further review .
This isn ’ t the first time the idea has arisen at City Hall .
More than two years ago , Koretz and Councilman David Ryu asked city staffers to report on steps toward retrofitting buildings with sprinklers .
During a committee meeting over a year ago , then-Councilman Mitchell Englander called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about costs and other obstacles .
“ It ’ s a great idea on paper … but as policymakers , we have to also look at the reality , ” Englander said .
“ Because it ’ s not just a matter of , ‘ Do everything we possibly can , at any cost , on somebody else ’ s back.
’ … If it ’ s not feasible , we ’ ve got a problem.
” The committee opted to “ note and file ” the report , instead of approving its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t end the discussion but that council members needed to craft a comprehensive plan involving all the groups that would be affected .
At the time , Councilman Mitch O ’ Farrell balked at the move , saying , “ The way to keep a discussion going is to not kill an item in committee.
” In its report 2½ years ago , L.A. 's Fire Prevention Bureau estimated that such retrofits would cost an average of $ 6,000 per unit or $ 1.6 million for a 16-story high-rise , and would average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee meeting , Fire Department officials said that since 1979 , there had been eight fatalities in buildings exempt from the sprinkler requirements .
The National Fire Protection Assn .
recommends that all existing and new high-rise residential buildings have sprinkler systems to protect residents against blazes — a set of guidelines that have been in place for decades , said Robert Solomon , a fire protection engineer with the nonprofit .
Solomon said that high-rise fires often spark debates about retrofitting , but questions about who will pay can sometimes stymie action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires occur in a sequence , most of the cities go back to business as usual , ” Solomon said .
Englander , who now works as president of the government relations group E-Venture , said he was glad the idea was surfacing again .
“ They should seize that moment and come up with a balanced approach where it ’ s not a cost burden , ” he said , suggesting a tax incentive for building owners as one possibility .
In their motion , Bonin , Koretz , and Blumenfield asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans , housing revenue bonds , and other state and local funds to help building owners cover the costs of required retrofits .
Meanwhile , residents began trickling back into Barrington Plaza , with many allowed to return Thursday night .
But some parts of the apartments on Wilshire Boulevard closest to where the blaze erupted could be accessed only with restrictions or remained entirely off-limits to residents for the time being .
The fire began about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and spread quickly through the sixth and seventh floors of the 270-unit Building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thirteen people were injured .

Days after a fire scorched a Westside high-rise and left more than a dozen people injured, several members of the Los Angeles City Council called Friday to mandate sprinkler systems in all residential towers across the city.
Sprinklers are required in most apartment buildings, but the city has maintained an exemption for high-rises built between 1943 and 1974 — a loophole that council members called “dangerous” in their new proposal.
L.A. officials have identified 55 buildings from that era that lack sprinklers, including Barrington Plaza, which ignited this week. The same Wilshire Boulevard building had already gone up in flames in 2013 and in 1971, a fact that galled politicians and residents.
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Councilman Mike Bonin, whose district includes Barrington Plaza, said that mandating sprinklers in all residential high-rises was a “basic, common-sense public safety measure.”
Firefighters did heroic work at the building, Bonin said in a statement, “but the spread of the fire could have been halted by a fire sprinkler system, preventing further damage to the building, injury to tenants, and risk to LAFD firefighters.”
Under the proposal introduced by councilmen Bonin, Paul Koretz and Bob Blumenfield and seconded by Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, apartment and condominium towers that have been exempt from the sprinkler requirements would have to be retrofitted. The idea now heads to a committee for further review.
This isn’t the first time the idea has arisen at City Hall. More than two years ago, Koretz and Councilman David Ryu asked city staffers to report on steps toward retrofitting buildings with sprinklers. During a committee meeting over a year ago, then-Councilman Mitchell Englander called it a good idea but raised concerns about costs and other obstacles.
“It’s a great idea on paper … but as policymakers, we have to also look at the reality,” Englander said. “Because it’s not just a matter of, ‘Do everything we possibly can, at any cost, on somebody else’s back.’ … If it’s not feasible, we’ve got a problem.”
The committee opted to “note and file” the report, instead of approving its recommendations. Englander said that wouldn’t end the discussion but that council members needed to craft a comprehensive plan involving all the groups that would be affected.
At the time, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell balked at the move, saying, “The way to keep a discussion going is to not kill an item in committee.”
In its report 2½ years ago, L.A.’s Fire Prevention Bureau estimated that such retrofits would cost an average of $6,000 per unit or $1.6 million for a 16-story high-rise, and would average three years to complete. During the committee meeting, Fire Department officials said that since 1979, there had been eight fatalities in buildings exempt from the sprinkler requirements.
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The National Fire Protection Assn. recommends that all existing and new high-rise residential buildings have sprinkler systems to protect residents against blazes — a set of guidelines that have been in place for decades, said Robert Solomon, a fire protection engineer with the nonprofit.
Solomon said that high-rise fires often spark debates about retrofitting, but questions about who will pay can sometimes stymie action. “Unless a series of these fires occur in a sequence, most of the cities go back to business as usual,” Solomon said.
Englander, who now works as president of the government relations group E-Venture, said he was glad the idea was surfacing again. “They should seize that moment and come up with a balanced approach where it’s not a cost burden,” he said, suggesting a tax incentive for building owners as one possibility.
In their motion, Bonin, Koretz, and Blumenfield asked to explore the idea of getting federal loans, housing revenue bonds, and other state and local funds to help building owners cover the costs of required retrofits.
Meanwhile, residents began trickling back into Barrington Plaza, with many allowed to return Thursday night. But some parts of the apartments on Wilshire Boulevard closest to where the blaze erupted could be accessed only with restrictions or remained entirely off-limits to residents for the time being.
The fire began about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and spread quickly through the sixth and seventh floors of the 270-unit Building A in the sprawling, three-tower development. Thirteen people were injured.
Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-01-31--In emotional testimony, Weinstein accuser graphically details violent relationship

Born in a tiny Washington dairy town where “ everyone knows everyone , ” the woman knew it would be a struggle to move to Los Angeles and chase her dreams of becoming an actress .
In 2013 , the woman said she was spending more time waiting tables than acting when she accidentally approached a Hollywood power player at a party .
She didn ’ t even know who Harvey Weinstein was , but when she found out , she wondered if the connection was actually divine intervention .
“ When I met Harvey , I ’ d given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and … with my religious background and everything I thought God was blessing me , ” she said .
In the years that followed , she said her relationship with Weinstein instead devolved into a personal hell .
For nearly four hours , the woman detailed her allegedly abusive relationship with the mogul in a Manhattan courtroom , where Weinstein is charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and faces life in prison .
The testimony was tense and emotional , with the woman often breaking into sobs so loud they could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was led into another room .
The woman ’ s alleged entanglements with the Miramax co-founder spanned two cities and ranged from compassionate to brutal .
One day , she said , he walked her between the shelves of Book Soup in West Hollywood helping her find books he believed would advance her acting career .
Another , she alleged , he dragged her through the hallways of a hotel before violently raping her .
“ It was like Jekyll and Hyde .
He could be the most charming , informative person ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he introduced you to and then behind closed doors it was … dependent on if I gave him what he wanted , ” she said .
The woman ’ s testimony marked a critical moment in the case .
Of the three women whose accusations led to charges in New York , hers is the only story that has not been shared publicly before .
The Times does not identify women who make sexual assault allegations unless they choose to go public outside of court .
Weinstein has denied all wrongdoing and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was consensual .
The complex nature of the woman ’ s relationship with Weinstein will be critical to his defense .
While she described violent rapes at Weinstein ’ s hands in Los Angeles and New York — including the 2013 attack at a Manhattan hotel that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial — she also said they had several consensual sexual encounters .
Defense attorney Damon Cheronis has claimed the two were in a “ loving relationship.
” The defense is expected to provide hundreds of e-mails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a friend of the woman who they say will paint their relationship in a different light .
Describing herself as a “ little nervous ” as she sat down in the courtroom , the woman waited for several seconds before answering a simple question about where she lived .
At the end of the party where they first met in Los Angeles , Weinstein expressed interest in the woman ’ s acting career .
After several more meetings — including an incident in which a shirtless Weinstein asked her for a massage — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after drinks at the Montage Beverly Hills .
Weinstein told the woman and another actress that he was looking at a script for a vampire film , according to the woman , who said the mogul declared they would be “ perfect ” for the lead roles .
Afterward , she said , Weinstein invited the women up to his hotel room , promising nothing untoward would happen since he was a “ harmless old man.
” Once upstairs , however , the woman said Weinstein backed her into a bedroom and closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kiss and grab her , while she struggled to twist out of his grasp .
“ The more I fought , the angrier he got , ” the woman said , alleging Weinstein forced oral sex on her .
Despite the alleged incident at the Montage , the woman said she proceeded to participate in a number of consensual sex acts with him .
The woman said Weinstein reminded her of her father , adding that she was desperate for the mogul ’ s approval in the acting field , while describing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-founder treated her well in public but allegedly used her as a sexual plaything in private .
While she described a number of the encounters as consensual — the woman said she felt “ compassion ” for Weinstein — she also said she was not attracted to him .
During their encounters , she said Weinstein was domineering and verbally abusive .
In March 2013 , the woman said , she traveled to Manhattan along with a friend who worked as an agent and tried to set up a meeting with Weinstein .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a room .
The woman , who said she did not want her friends to learn of their dynamic , got into a fight with him in the hotel lobby .
The mogul grabbed her by the arm and pulled her aside before leading her to the room , she alleged .
Once inside , he physically barred her from leaving and ordered her to undress , according to the woman , who said up to that point they had engaged only in oral sex acts .
Unable to escape , the woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had sex with Weinstein against her will .
Later in the same year , the woman said Weinstein helped her find work as a hairdresser at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills .
By that time she had begun dating an actor , which Weinstein had expressly forbidden .
But she said she was in love and wanted to tell Weinstein , hoping he would end their situation .
Sobbing from the witness stand , the woman told jurors Friday that Weinstein grabbed her once she had admitted she was dating an actor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t there .
He picked me up from the chair … he was screaming , ‘ You owe me !
You owe me one more time !
’ ” she alleged , saying he dragged her to a hotel room and raped her .
The woman said she had been interviewed by law enforcement in the Los Angeles area , though her allegation is not among those that resulted in the filing of criminal charges in California earlier this month .
Los Angeles prosecutors have said they are still reviewing three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges , and declined to file in three other cases .
Police in Beverly Hills , where the woman described an assault in 2013 , referred questions to the district attorney ’ s office .
A spokesman for the district attorney ’ s office declined to comment .
At the end of the assault she described in Los Angeles , the woman said Weinstein finally agreed to leave her alone — as long as she started providing him a new service .
“ OK , now you can go have your relationship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman .
“ And what you can do is you can bring me other girls .
”

Born in a tiny Washington dairy town where “everyone knows everyone,” the woman knew it would be a struggle to move to Los Angeles and chase her dreams of becoming an actress.
In 2013, the woman said she was spending more time waiting tables than acting when she accidentally approached a Hollywood power player at a party.
She didn’t even know who Harvey Weinstein was, but when she found out, she wondered if the connection was actually divine intervention.
Advertisement
“When I met Harvey, I’d given up a lot to be in Hollywood and … with my religious background and everything I thought God was blessing me,” she said.
In the years that followed, she said her relationship with Weinstein instead devolved into a personal hell.
For nearly four hours, the woman detailed her allegedly abusive relationship with the mogul in a Manhattan courtroom, where Weinstein is charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and faces life in prison. The testimony was tense and emotional, with the woman often breaking into sobs so loud they could be heard in the gallery even after she was led into another room.
The woman’s alleged entanglements with the Miramax co-founder spanned two cities and ranged from compassionate to brutal.
One day, she said, he walked her between the shelves of Book Soup in West Hollywood helping her find books he believed would advance her acting career. Another, she alleged, he dragged her through the hallways of a hotel before violently raping her.
“It was like Jekyll and Hyde. He could be the most charming, informative person; he could lift you up to anyone he introduced you to and then behind closed doors it was … dependent on if I gave him what he wanted,” she said.
The woman’s testimony marked a critical moment in the case. Of the three women whose accusations led to charges in New York, hers is the only story that has not been shared publicly before. The Times does not identify women who make sexual assault allegations unless they choose to go public outside of court.
Weinstein has denied all wrongdoing and his attorneys have argued that each alleged assault was consensual.
Advertisement
The complex nature of the woman’s relationship with Weinstein will be critical to his defense.
While she described violent rapes at Weinstein’s hands in Los Angeles and New York — including the 2013 attack at a Manhattan hotel that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial — she also said they had several consensual sexual encounters.
Defense attorney Damon Cheronis has claimed the two were in a “loving relationship.” The defense is expected to provide hundreds of e-mails between the two and to call on a friend of the woman who they say will paint their relationship in a different light.
Describing herself as a “little nervous” as she sat down in the courtroom, the woman waited for several seconds before answering a simple question about where she lived.
At the end of the party where they first met in Los Angeles, Weinstein expressed interest in the woman’s acting career. After several more meetings — including an incident in which a shirtless Weinstein asked her for a massage — the woman said their relationship turned ugly after drinks at the Montage Beverly Hills.
Weinstein told the woman and another actress that he was looking at a script for a vampire film, according to the woman, who said the mogul declared they would be “perfect” for the lead roles.
Afterward, she said, Weinstein invited the women up to his hotel room, promising nothing untoward would happen since he was a “harmless old man.”
Once upstairs, however, the woman said Weinstein backed her into a bedroom and closed the door, where he tried to kiss and grab her, while she struggled to twist out of his grasp.
“The more I fought, the angrier he got,” the woman said, alleging Weinstein forced oral sex on her.
Despite the alleged incident at the Montage, the woman said she proceeded to participate in a number of consensual sex acts with him.
The woman said Weinstein reminded her of her father, adding that she was desperate for the mogul’s approval in the acting field, while describing a consensual but harrowing relationship where the Miramax co-founder treated her well in public but allegedly used her as a sexual plaything in private.
While she described a number of the encounters as consensual — the woman said she felt “compassion” for Weinstein — she also said she was not attracted to him. During their encounters, she said Weinstein was domineering and verbally abusive.
In March 2013, the woman said, she traveled to Manhattan along with a friend who worked as an agent and tried to set up a meeting with Weinstein. But Weinstein showed up early and booked a room. The woman, who said she did not want her friends to learn of their dynamic, got into a fight with him in the hotel lobby.
The mogul grabbed her by the arm and pulled her aside before leading her to the room, she alleged. Once inside, he physically barred her from leaving and ordered her to undress, according to the woman, who said up to that point they had engaged only in oral sex acts.
Unable to escape, the woman said she “gave up” and had sex with Weinstein against her will.
Later in the same year, the woman said Weinstein helped her find work as a hairdresser at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. By that time she had begun dating an actor, which Weinstein had expressly forbidden. But she said she was in love and wanted to tell Weinstein, hoping he would end their situation.
Sobbing from the witness stand, the woman told jurors Friday that Weinstein grabbed her once she had admitted she was dating an actor.
“His eyes changed and he wasn’t there. He picked me up from the chair … he was screaming, ‘You owe me! You owe me one more time!’” she alleged, saying he dragged her to a hotel room and raped her.
The woman said she had been interviewed by law enforcement in the Los Angeles area, though her allegation is not among those that resulted in the filing of criminal charges in California earlier this month. Los Angeles prosecutors have said they are still reviewing three other women’s allegations for possible charges, and declined to file in three other cases.
Police in Beverly Hills, where the woman described an assault in 2013, referred questions to the district attorney’s office. A spokesman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment.
At the end of the assault she described in Los Angeles, the woman said Weinstein finally agreed to leave her alone — as long as she started providing him a new service.
“OK, now you can go have your relationship,” he said, according to the woman. “And what you can do is you can bring me other girls.”


latimes--2020-01-30--Gianna and Kobe Bryant befriended a small-town basketball star and her trainer dad

Hailey Van Lith lives basketball in her tiny town — Cashmere , Wash. , population 3,152 — and as the nation ’ s No .
1 guard and No .
2 overall player on the women ’ s basketball ranking site Prospects Nation , the 18-year-old knows a bit about celebrity and fame .
But last summer , as she waited in a Thailand airport after a Team USA game , she wasn ’ t prepared for a message from basketball legend Kobe Bryant .
“ The text was from one of Kobe ’ s main guys — I called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just basically said that Kobe knew about me , loved my game and really wanted to get me to L.A. to work with him and talk about basketball , ” Hailey said in a phone interview Monday as she drove to practice at Cashmere High School .
“ I couldn ’ t believe it , that he actually knew who I was and thought I was a good player .
When I later asked him , ‘ Why me ?
’ he basically said the way I play , my work ethic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of himself , and it compelled him to reach out to me.
” But Bryant , the father of four daughters and a strong supporter of women ’ s basketball , had other motives too , said Hailey ’ s father , Corey Van Lith , who has served as his daughter ’ s trainer since she was small .
“ He wanted to help Hailey , but he also wanted to put someone in front of his daughter she could relate to , because Hailey is an incredibly hard worker .
Hailey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming the best person and basketball player she can possibly be , and he wanted to show Gigi , ‘ If you do this , you can attain the goals you want to attain ’ , ” Van Lith said , using a nickname for Bryant ’ s daughter Gianna .
And there was also a third — “ dad-to-dad ” — component that interested Bryant , Corey said : his relationship with Hailey as her trainer .
“ He wanted to know how I made that work , ” he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road with his daughter Gigi.
” He said Bryant reached out to him a couple of weeks ago , asking him to send some of the workouts he does with his daughter .
“ He was one of the greatest basketball players of all time ... but he was always wanting to learn , ” Corey said .
“ His ego wasn ’ t too big to ask somebody like me , who is nobody in the basketball world , ‘ Hey , how did you find success in getting your daughter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Corey , co-owner of a custom home-building business with his wife , Jessica , attended the University of Puget Sound on a baseball scholarship , where he also played basketball .
He ’ s been training his daughter since she was in elementary school , he said , when her athleticism and competitive drive became apparent .
They train together two to three hours a night , before or after team workouts , and that ’ s what interested Bryant .
“ When you spend that amount of time with somebody , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or they won ’ t stay interested , ” Corey said .
“ So I ’ m constantly coming up with new things.
” Hailey and her dad visited Bryant last August and she practiced with Gianna ’ s Mamba team .
She visited again in September , this time with her mother , Jessica .
Hailey said Bryant gave her advice for both on and off the court .
“ He told me to study the game .
‘ Make yourself a well-rounded player and just master the game , ’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on her footwork over dribbling , and he told her how he had pushed himself mentally to get through injuries and hardships .
Hailey shared some of that advice in a tribute to Bryant and Gianna before a game Tuesday night .
“ Thank you for teaching me that it is OK to be unapologetically great , ” she wrote in her statement , hugging her teammates and fighting back tears as it was read to the crowd in Cashmere .
Bryant also told her to make a list of players she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , one by one , find a way to beat them on the court .
“ He told me I had to be better than them in every aspect of the game , and each time I met them and bested them , I could check them off the list , ” she said .
“ So I did that .
I made a list of 20 girls , and so far I ’ m seven down .
I still have 13 to go.
” Hailey also practiced with Gianna and came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the younger girl .
“ She was a nice , shy girl , polite and very reserved outside of the game of basketball , but on the court , she had that killer instinct .
She was a competitor , fearless on the court .
I played her one-on-one , and she was not scared of me .
She didn ’ t care that I was supposed to be better than her , taller and older .
She just played with everything she had , and that was something cool to see.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other about their games , Hailey said .
Gianna was “ super excited ” about starting high school basketball in the fall , she said , and already had dreams of attending the University of Connecticut and playing in the WNBA .
“ It was awesome to see a girl so young be so driven to accomplish her dreams.
” It was during their summer Mamba Academy workouts that Bryant told her he would come to Cashmere to watch her team play , Hailey said , “ I was like , ‘ OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ended up coming .
And that just affirmed to me that he was super serious about advocating for girl ’ s basketball and giving Gigi every opportunity he could to be surrounded by the game she loved.
” The Bryants ’ visit on Jan. 11 lighted up social media around the entire Wenatchee Valley .
The Van Liths had told only a few people that Bryant was coming .
But the night before , rumors of his visit spread .
Cashmere is a fiercely sports-focused town , with powerhouse teams despite its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. , the junior varsity team got to play before a rare overflow crowd .
“ We ’ d never seen anything like that , ” Corey said .
About three minutes after the girls ’ varsity team hit the floor , the Bryants arrived .
They ’ d flown by private jet to the nearby airport in East Wenatchee .
“ You could see everybody taking out their phones , but people respected that he was there as a fan , to watch Hailey , ” Corey said .
“ He didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
He just wanted to sit in a certain location as discreet as possible and enjoy the game.
” Cashmere won the game 62-27 , with Hailey — who has committed to the University of Louisville — finishing with 35 points and nine steals .
“ Halftime was a circus , ” he said .
“ Everybody wanted to stand within 20 feet and take photos , but nobody got out of control.
” Bryant signed jerseys , cards and basketballs and posed for photos with both teams .
He also took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team in the locker room .
“ He came in and looked at all the girls and said , ‘ You guys play like a bunch of dogs , just nasty tough , ’ ” Cashmere head coach Brent Darnell told the Wenatchee World news outlet .
“ It was a great compliment from him and a special night for us.
” For Hailey , the visit was a gracious gift to her community .
“ We ’ re a smaller town , and nothing even close to that has ever happened here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter Gianna “ had such a passion for life .
It was inspirational just being around them ; it made you feel alive .
... To have them come and support my team was something my community will never forget.
” The visit touched Corey too , but his connection to Bryant was more as a dad .
That parental link was the first thing Corey thought of when he and his wife heard the news about the helicopter crash that killed Bryant , his daughter and seven others .
“ We just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for him , moments before it happened , when he knew his daughter was in trouble , ” Corey said .
The main thing Corey carries away is his last conversation with Bryant on Jan. 25 , the night before Bryant was killed .
That was the night LeBron James surpassed Bryant ’ s career scoring record .
He said Bryant didn ’ t mention the record when he texted Corey that evening .
He just wanted to brag about Gianna .
“ He was proud that she was playing great at both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and defense , ” Corey said .
“ He was so proud of all his kids , and that ’ s how we shared : dad to dad .
Kobe didn ’ t need me as a friend , and it wasn ’ t like I needed Kobe , but he was a friend because we had a mutual passion for developing our daughters and giving them their greatest success .
”

Hailey Van Lith lives basketball in her tiny town — Cashmere, Wash., population 3,152 — and as the nation’s No. 1 guard and No. 2 overall player on the women’s basketball ranking site Prospects Nation, the 18-year-old knows a bit about celebrity and fame.
But last summer, as she waited in a Thailand airport after a Team USA game, she wasn’t prepared for a message from basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
“The text was from one of Kobe’s main guys — I called him ‘T,’ and he just basically said that Kobe knew about me, loved my game and really wanted to get me to L.A. to work with him and talk about basketball,” Hailey said in a phone interview Monday as she drove to practice at Cashmere High School.
“I couldn’t believe it, that he actually knew who I was and thought I was a good player. When I later asked him, ‘Why me?’ he basically said the way I play, my work ethic and mentality on the court, reminded him of himself, and it compelled him to reach out to me.”
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But Bryant, the father of four daughters and a strong supporter of women’s basketball, had other motives too, said Hailey’s father, Corey Van Lith, who has served as his daughter’s trainer since she was small.
“He wanted to help Hailey, but he also wanted to put someone in front of his daughter she could relate to, because Hailey is an incredibly hard worker. Hailey has devoted her life so far to becoming the best person and basketball player she can possibly be, and he wanted to show Gigi, ‘If you do this, you can attain the goals you want to attain’,” Van Lith said, using a nickname for Bryant’s daughter Gianna.
And there was also a third — “dad-to-dad” — component that interested Bryant, Corey said: his relationship with Hailey as her trainer.
“He wanted to know how I made that work,” he said, “because he was going down that road with his daughter Gigi.”
He said Bryant reached out to him a couple of weeks ago, asking him to send some of the workouts he does with his daughter.
“He was one of the greatest basketball players of all time ... but he was always wanting to learn,” Corey said. “His ego wasn’t too big to ask somebody like me, who is nobody in the basketball world, ‘Hey, how did you find success in getting your daughter to where she’s at?’ ”
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Corey, co-owner of a custom home-building business with his wife, Jessica, attended the University of Puget Sound on a baseball scholarship, where he also played basketball. He’s been training his daughter since she was in elementary school, he said, when her athleticism and competitive drive became apparent.
They train together two to three hours a night, before or after team workouts, and that’s what interested Bryant.
“When you spend that amount of time with somebody, things can’t get too boring or they won’t stay interested,” Corey said. “So I’m constantly coming up with new things.”
Hailey and her dad visited Bryant last August and she practiced with Gianna’s Mamba team. She visited again in September, this time with her mother, Jessica. Hailey said Bryant gave her advice for both on and off the court.
“He told me to study the game. ‘Make yourself a well-rounded player and just master the game,’ ” she said. He told her to focus on her footwork over dribbling, and he told her how he had pushed himself mentally to get through injuries and hardships.
Hailey shared some of that advice in a tribute to Bryant and Gianna before a game Tuesday night. “Thank you for teaching me that it is OK to be unapologetically great,” she wrote in her statement, hugging her teammates and fighting back tears as it was read to the crowd in Cashmere.
Bryant also told her to make a list of players she thought were better than she was and then, one by one, find a way to beat them on the court.
“He told me I had to be better than them in every aspect of the game, and each time I met them and bested them, I could check them off the list,” she said. “So I did that. I made a list of 20 girls, and so far I’m seven down. I still have 13 to go.”
Hailey also practiced with Gianna and came to feel like a friend and mentor to the younger girl.
“She was a nice, shy girl, polite and very reserved outside of the game of basketball, but on the court, she had that killer instinct. She was a competitor, fearless on the court. I played her one-on-one, and she was not scared of me. She didn’t care that I was supposed to be better than her, taller and older. She just played with everything she had, and that was something cool to see.”
She and Gianna often texted each other about their games, Hailey said. Gianna was “super excited” about starting high school basketball in the fall, she said, and already had dreams of attending the University of Connecticut and playing in the WNBA.
“It was awesome to see a girl so young be so driven to accomplish her dreams.”
It was during their summer Mamba Academy workouts that Bryant told her he would come to Cashmere to watch her team play, Hailey said, “I was like, ‘OK, Kobe, whatever,’ but he ended up coming. And that just affirmed to me that he was super serious about advocating for girl’s basketball and giving Gigi every opportunity he could to be surrounded by the game she loved.”
The Bryants’ visit on Jan. 11 lighted up social media around the entire Wenatchee Valley. The Van Liths had told only a few people that Bryant was coming.
But the night before, rumors of his visit spread. Cashmere is a fiercely sports-focused town, with powerhouse teams despite its small size. That Saturday around 3 p.m., the junior varsity team got to play before a rare overflow crowd.
“We’d never seen anything like that,” Corey said.
About three minutes after the girls’ varsity team hit the floor, the Bryants arrived. They’d flown by private jet to the nearby airport in East Wenatchee.
“You could see everybody taking out their phones, but people respected that he was there as a fan, to watch Hailey,” Corey said. “He didn’t want it to be about him. He just wanted to sit in a certain location as discreet as possible and enjoy the game.”
Cashmere won the game 62-27, with Hailey — who has committed to the University of Louisville — finishing with 35 points and nine steals.
“Halftime was a circus,” he said. “Everybody wanted to stand within 20 feet and take photos, but nobody got out of control.”
Bryant signed jerseys, cards and basketballs and posed for photos with both teams. He also took time to talk to Hailey’s team in the locker room.
“He came in and looked at all the girls and said, ‘You guys play like a bunch of dogs, just nasty tough,’ ” Cashmere head coach Brent Darnell told the Wenatchee World news outlet. “It was a great compliment from him and a special night for us.”
For Hailey, the visit was a gracious gift to her community.
“We’re a smaller town, and nothing even close to that has ever happened here,” she said. Bryant and daughter Gianna “had such a passion for life. It was inspirational just being around them; it made you feel alive. ... To have them come and support my team was something my community will never forget.”
The visit touched Corey too, but his connection to Bryant was more as a dad. That parental link was the first thing Corey thought of when he and his wife heard the news about the helicopter crash that killed Bryant, his daughter and seven others.
“We just immediately imagined how it must have been for him, moments before it happened, when he knew his daughter was in trouble,” Corey said.
The main thing Corey carries away is his last conversation with Bryant on Jan. 25, the night before Bryant was killed. That was the night LeBron James surpassed Bryant’s career scoring record. He said Bryant didn’t mention the record when he texted Corey that evening. He just wanted to brag about Gianna.
“He was proud that she was playing great at both ends of the floor, on offense and defense,” Corey said. “He was so proud of all his kids, and that’s how we shared: dad to dad. Kobe didn’t need me as a friend, and it wasn’t like I needed Kobe, but he was a friend because we had a mutual passion for developing our daughters and giving them their greatest success.”


latimes--2020-01-29--Looking for a UC alternative? Colleges outside California would love to have you

Can ’ t get into the University of California or California State University ?
Never fear — many colleges outside California would love to have you .
More than 50 of them came to Pasadena on Tuesday to deliver their best elevator pitches to more than 120 local high school counselors , college admissions consultants and community organizations .
With a mother lode of more than 430,000 high school graduates annually , California is the nation ’ s richest source of prospective college students .
Yet the UC and Cal State systems are overcrowded , turning away thousands of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges in other states have been hit by declining birth rates and slumping enrollments .
Nationally , college enrollments dipped below 18 million for fall 2019 for the first time in a decade — a drop of 2 million from the peak in 2011 , according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center .
But that downward trend is not expected in California for several years , according to demographers .
So colleges outside the state are increasingly flocking here to bolster their enrollment , offering less expensive in-state tuition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Pasadena event was one stop on an annual roadshow throughout the state organized by the Regional Admission Counselors of California to help its 117 out-of-state college and university members get their names and virtues known .
Founded by eight campuses 30 years ago , membership has particularly grown in the last five years and ranges from top-rated national universities to small and specialized campuses , said Sarah Blank , an organization official who also recruits for a college in Ireland .
“ We ’ re promoting the idea that it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools potentially less expensive than here , ” Blank said .
“ We know there are challenges students are facing with state systems here — impacted classes , longer graduation times , accessibility getting in .
So why not look elsewhere ?
” On Tuesday , campus representatives lined up at the University Club in Pasadena to give their two-minute sales pitches and afterward offered the high school counselors one-on-one conversations , brochures and swag at tables festooned with their school names and colors .
Hawai ’ i Pacific University got the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it planned this fall to cut its $ 28,000 annual tuition for Californians to match UC ’ s in-state tuition and fees of $ 12,570 .
The private university offers popular programs in business , nursing and marine biology in Honolulu — “ the happiest city in America ” and the fourth safest , according to Michael Taylor , the campus ’ recruiter , who wore a Hawaiian shirt and greeted the crowd with a booming “ Aloooha !
” The University of Houston also offers in-state tuition to California students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their class and hit minimum SAT scores of 1260 .
That would make the annual cost of attendance with room and board about $ 22,000 — significantly lower than UC ’ s total with room and board of about $ 36,000 .
The Houston representative touted the university ’ s top research enterprise , broad diversity and its 800 California students , the largest out-of-state contingent .
“ It ’ s an opportunity to get a UC education at a Cal State price , ” said Cassidy Plair , the university ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campus representatives put a positive spin on potential deal-breakers for Californians — bitterly cold winters , for instance .
Nazareth College in New York promoted its underground campus tunnels , while Emerson College in Boston said its tiny campus of 12 buildings on two blocks would make any walk outside mercifully short .
The University of Illinois representative admitted to “ austere coldness ” but pitched its “ gregarious , friendly people ” and a quick plane ride back to the West Coast .
Others played on perceived desires of California students .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plug for the high number of ethnic restaurants per capita in the “ quintessential college town ” of Bloomington .
Dickinson College in Pennsylvania has long valued access and equity by eliminating SAT and ACT scores as admission requirements , said representative Phil Moreno .
And the University of Oklahoma is a “ big football school who can beat UCLA , ” said Amanda Marsh , the campus California recruiter .
Gary Bednorz of the University of New Mexico gave the most creative spiel with a rhyming rap that reinvented the campus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Numerous Majors , University Near Mountains — and University Not close to Mom .
Later , several high school counselors said they appreciated learning about the varied opportunities — but getting their students to leave California isn ’ t easy .
“ They ’ re fearful , ” said Ana Romero , a counselor with Maywood Center for Enriched Studies , an L.A. Unified magnet school .
“ They think it ’ s going to be very costly and they ’ re going to be alone.
” Adriana Ostos , another Maywood counselor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly encouraged children to leave their homes and families for college .
“ Most of our students want to go to UC and Cal State because that ’ s what they know , ” she said .
But as the California public university systems become more selective , especially in such high-demand fields as engineering and nursing , counselors say their students are increasingly open to other opportunities .
Ana Delgado-Chavez , a counselor with the Critical Design and Gaming School on the Augustus F. Hawkins High School campus in South Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presentations .
She noted that the University of Houston was diverse and near NASA , while the University of Oklahoma offered 18 engineering majors .
“ They have space for our kids to go and finish in four years , which will save money , ” she said .
“ And leaving Los Angeles will be a major life-changing experience for them .
”

Can’t get into the University of California or California State University?
Never fear — many colleges outside California would love to have you. More than 50 of them came to Pasadena on Tuesday to deliver their best elevator pitches to more than 120 local high school counselors, college admissions consultants and community organizations.
With a mother lode of more than 430,000 high school graduates annually, California is the nation’s richest source of prospective college students. Yet the UC and Cal State systems are overcrowded, turning away thousands of students from their desired campuses each year while colleges in other states have been hit by declining birth rates and slumping enrollments.
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Nationally, college enrollments dipped below 18 million for fall 2019 for the first time in a decade — a drop of 2 million from the peak in 2011, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
But that downward trend is not expected in California for several years, according to demographers. So colleges outside the state are increasingly flocking here to bolster their enrollment, offering less expensive in-state tuition, attractive financial aid and other lures. The Pasadena event was one stop on an annual roadshow throughout the state organized by the Regional Admission Counselors of California to help its 117 out-of-state college and university members get their names and virtues known.
Founded by eight campuses 30 years ago, membership has particularly grown in the last five years and ranges from top-rated national universities to small and specialized campuses, said Sarah Blank, an organization official who also recruits for a college in Ireland.
“We’re promoting the idea that it’s possible to go out of state to schools potentially less expensive than here,” Blank said. “We know there are challenges students are facing with state systems here — impacted classes, longer graduation times, accessibility getting in. So why not look elsewhere?”
On Tuesday, campus representatives lined up at the University Club in Pasadena to give their two-minute sales pitches and afterward offered the high school counselors one-on-one conversations, brochures and swag at tables festooned with their school names and colors.
Hawai’i Pacific University got the biggest applause of the day with the announcement that it planned this fall to cut its $28,000 annual tuition for Californians to match UC’s in-state tuition and fees of $12,570. The private university offers popular programs in business, nursing and marine biology in Honolulu — “the happiest city in America” and the fourth safest, according to Michael Taylor, the campus’ recruiter, who wore a Hawaiian shirt and greeted the crowd with a booming “Aloooha!”
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The University of Houston also offers in-state tuition to California students who rank in the top 25% of their class and hit minimum SAT scores of 1260. That would make the annual cost of attendance with room and board about $22,000 — significantly lower than UC’s total with room and board of about $36,000. The Houston representative touted the university’s top research enterprise, broad diversity and its 800 California students, the largest out-of-state contingent.
“It’s an opportunity to get a UC education at a Cal State price,” said Cassidy Plair, the university’s Southern California regional admissions advisor.
Some campus representatives put a positive spin on potential deal-breakers for Californians — bitterly cold winters, for instance. Nazareth College in New York promoted its underground campus tunnels, while Emerson College in Boston said its tiny campus of 12 buildings on two blocks would make any walk outside mercifully short. The University of Illinois representative admitted to “austere coldness” but pitched its “gregarious, friendly people” and a quick plane ride back to the West Coast.
Others played on perceived desires of California students. Stefanie Miller of Indiana University put in a plug for the high number of ethnic restaurants per capita in the “quintessential college town” of Bloomington. Dickinson College in Pennsylvania has long valued access and equity by eliminating SAT and ACT scores as admission requirements, said representative Phil Moreno. And the University of Oklahoma is a “big football school who can beat UCLA,” said Amanda Marsh, the campus California recruiter.
Gary Bednorz of the University of New Mexico gave the most creative spiel with a rhyming rap that reinvented the campus UNM abbreviation with virtues: University of Numerous Majors, University Near Mountains — and University Not close to Mom.
Later, several high school counselors said they appreciated learning about the varied opportunities — but getting their students to leave California isn’t easy.
“They’re fearful,” said Ana Romero, a counselor with Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, an L.A. Unified magnet school. “They think it’s going to be very costly and they’re going to be alone.”
Adriana Ostos, another Maywood counselor, said her Latino culture had not strongly encouraged children to leave their homes and families for college. “Most of our students want to go to UC and Cal State because that’s what they know,” she said.
But as the California public university systems become more selective, especially in such high-demand fields as engineering and nursing, counselors say their students are increasingly open to other opportunities.
Ana Delgado-Chavez, a counselor with the Critical Design and Gaming School on the Augustus F. Hawkins High School campus in South Los Angeles, took copious notes during the college presentations. She noted that the University of Houston was diverse and near NASA, while the University of Oklahoma offered 18 engineering majors.
“They have space for our kids to go and finish in four years, which will save money,” she said. “And leaving Los Angeles will be a major life-changing experience for them.”


latimes--2020-02-03--California Housing Crisis Podcast: Why did Senate Bill 50 fail for the third time?

For the third time last week , California lawmakers turned down high-profile legislation that would have allowed for the construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit stops and job centers .
The failure of Senate Bill 50 is a blow to Sen. Scott Wiener ( D-San Francisco ) , the bill ’ s author , as well as to Gov .
Gavin Newsom and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) .
Each had argued that California needed to support massive amounts of new construction to meet its housing needs and climate goals .
But despite years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garner enough backing in the Senate amid opposition from suburban homeowners and anti-gentrification activists .
On this episode of Gim me Shelter : The California Housing Crisis Podcast , we explain what happened and why Los Angeles lawmakers in particular were opposed .
We also discuss promises from Newsom and Atkins to pass alternative legislation this year to increase the supply of housing .
“ , ” a biweekly podcast that looks at why it ’ s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it , features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues for the Los Angeles Times , and Matt Levin , data and housing reporter for .
You can subscribe to “ Gim me Shelter ” on , , , , and .

For the third time last week, California lawmakers turned down high-profile legislation that would have allowed for the construction of mid-rise apartment complexes near transit stops and job centers.
The failure of Senate Bill 50 is a blow to Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author, as well as to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). Each had argued that California needed to support massive amounts of new construction to meet its housing needs and climate goals. But despite years of debate, the bill failed to garner enough backing in the Senate amid opposition from suburban homeowners and anti-gentrification activists.
On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we explain what happened and why Los Angeles lawmakers in particular were opposed. We also discuss promises from Newsom and Atkins to pass alternative legislation this year to increase the supply of housing.
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“ Gimme Shelter ,” a biweekly podcast that looks at why it’s so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters .


latimes--2020-02-03--L.A. leaders weigh a new idea to halt rent hikes: Force landlords to sell their buildings

Los Angeles leaders have relied on different strategies for slowing the growth in housing prices — limits on rent hikes in older buildings , new restrictions on Airbnb and incentives for developers who build affordable housing .
Now , City Councilman Gil Cedillo has another idea for keeping rents low in his district : Force a landlord in Chinatown to sell its building to the city .
On Friday , Cedillo announced plans for having the Board of Public Works — the agency that oversees sidewalk repairs , street repaving and the construction of bridges — use its power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building from landlord Thomas Botz .
Cedillo said the strategy is needed to keep 59 units of affordable housing inside the building , known as Hillside Villa , from switching over to market rate prices .
A 30-year agreement to keep rents low between the property owners and city expired in 2018 — and attempts at reaching a new deal have fallen apart .
“ We will use all of the resources of the city , both legal and fiscal , to protect these tenants , ” he said .
“ The city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing and affordability.
” Rents in 51 of Hillside Villa ’ s apartments are slated to go up an average of 50 % in September , according to Botz , whose company , 636 NHP LLC , owns the building .
In at least one three-bedroom unit , the monthly rent is expected to go from $ 889 to about $ 2,500 , he said .
Hillside Villa was originally built with the city ’ s help .
In 1986 , the city ’ s Community Redevelopment Agency provided $ 5.45 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in turn , agreed to keep rents at affordable prices for 30 years , according to officials in Cedillo ’ s office .
Botz said he intends to fight any effort by the city to take his property .
And he argued that Hillside Villa ’ s owners never would have agreed to provide the affordable housing three decades ago if they knew the city would renege once the agreement expired .
“ If the city goes and expropriates buildings from private developers like us — who have made their 30-year deal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just to have the building taken away at the end , no private developer would build another unit of housing in cooperation with the the city of L.A. ever again , ” he said .
Still , Cedillo ’ s proposal has drawn widespread support from tenant rights groups , who have spent nearly a year pressing him to have the city acquire the building .
They say eminent domain is the best way to keep households from being forced on the street by skyrocketing rents — and would be less expensive than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jacob Woocher , an organizer with the Los Angeles Tenants Union , said he thinks Hillside Villa could be worth as much as much as $ 15 million , roughly $ 2 million more than the city was looking to spend to ensure that rents on the property stay low for another 10 years .
At a rally last week with Hillside Villa ’ s tenants , Woocher and other activists said city leaders have had no problem providing taxpayer help to wealthy private interests , such as developers of hotels in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to hear about price tags .
I don ’ t want to hear about how much it will cost , ” said Damien Goodmon , executive director of Crenshaw Subway Coalition , a group focused on fighting displacement in South Los Angeles .
“ Because the cost of homelessness for these tenants and the many others is far greater.
” Elected officials , both at City Hall and in other local agencies , have long used eminent domain powers to purchase private property for the construction of schools , bridges , train @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities .
However , the city ’ s housing department has no such legal authority , according to agency spokeswoman Sandra Mendoza .
Instead , Cedillo ’ s proposal calls for the Bureau of Engineering , which operates within the city ’ s public works department , to report back in 30 days with recommendations for acquiring the Chinatown property — and possibly other residential buildings that have expiring affordable housing agreements .
Elena Stern , spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engineering , said her agency acquires property only for public infrastructure projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , one lawyer who specializes in eminent domain law said he thinks Cedillo is “ posturing ” to look good in front of the tenant groups .
Under state law , the city officials would need to demonstrate that they have the legal authority to seize property for the purpose of preserving housing , said Christopher Sutton , an attorney based in Pasadena .
Furthermore , Sutton said , the city can not legally purchase the property unless it pays fair market value — a matter that could take years to resolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city has both a legal problem and an economic problem trying to carry this out , ” he said .
Cedillo said he offered Botz a deal last year that would have called for the city to cancel the remaining debt on the property if the owners agreed to keep the lower rates for another decade .
As part of the deal , the city also would have provided $ 7.3 million to cover the difference , the councilman ’ s aides said .
The deal was never signed .
Botz said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he would face another demand from the tenants to extend the agreement within a few years .
Cedillo ’ s proposal , which was also signed by Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson , now heads to the council ’ s housing committee , which Cedillo chairs .

Los Angeles Councilman Gil Cedillo, shown in 2018, wants the city to use eminent domain to purchase a Chinatown apartment building from a private landlord. Cedillo said such a move is needed to avert major rent increases.
Los Angeles leaders have relied on different strategies for slowing the growth in housing prices — limits on rent hikes in older buildings, new restrictions on Airbnb and incentives for developers who build affordable housing.
Now, City Councilman Gil Cedillo has another idea for keeping rents low in his district: Force a landlord in Chinatown to sell its building to the city.
On Friday, Cedillo announced plans for having the Board of Public Works — the agency that oversees sidewalk repairs, street repaving and the construction of bridges — use its power of eminent domain to acquire a 124-unit apartment building from landlord Thomas Botz.
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Cedillo said the strategy is needed to keep 59 units of affordable housing inside the building, known as Hillside Villa, from switching over to market rate prices. A 30-year agreement to keep rents low between the property owners and city expired in 2018 — and attempts at reaching a new deal have fallen apart.
“We will use all of the resources of the city, both legal and fiscal, to protect these tenants,” he said. “The city is in crisis ... with respect to housing and affordability.”
Rents in 51 of Hillside Villa’s apartments are slated to go up an average of 50% in September, according to Botz, whose company, 636 NHP LLC, owns the building. In at least one three-bedroom unit, the monthly rent is expected to go from $889 to about $2,500, he said.
Hillside Villa was originally built with the city’s help. In 1986, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency provided $5.45 million in loans to the developers, who, in turn, agreed to keep rents at affordable prices for 30 years, according to officials in Cedillo’s office.
Botz said he intends to fight any effort by the city to take his property. And he argued that Hillside Villa’s owners never would have agreed to provide the affordable housing three decades ago if they knew the city would renege once the agreement expired.
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“If the city goes and expropriates buildings from private developers like us — who have made their 30-year deal and kept their end of the deal — just to have the building taken away at the end, no private developer would build another unit of housing in cooperation with the city of L.A. ever again,” he said.
Still, Cedillo’s proposal has drawn widespread support from tenant rights groups, who have spent nearly a year pressing him to have the city acquire the building. They say eminent domain is the best way to keep households from being forced on the street by skyrocketing rents — and would be less expensive than building affordable housing from the ground up.
A new space for this coverage Visit our new housing and homelessness page
Jacob Woocher, an organizer with the Los Angeles Tenants Union, said he thinks Hillside Villa could be worth as much as much as $15 million, roughly $2 million more than the city was looking to spend to ensure that rents on the property stay low for another 10 years.
At a rally last week with Hillside Villa’s tenants, Woocher and other activists said city leaders have had no problem providing taxpayer help to wealthy private interests, such as developers of hotels in downtown L.A.
“I don’t want to hear about price tags. I don’t want to hear about how much it will cost,” said Damien Goodmon, executive director of Crenshaw Subway Coalition, a group focused on fighting displacement in South Los Angeles. “Because the cost of homelessness for these tenants and the many others is far greater.”
Elected officials, both at City Hall and in other local agencies, have long used eminent domain powers to purchase private property for the construction of schools, bridges, train stations, fire stations and other public facilities. However, the city’s housing department has no such legal authority, according to agency spokeswoman Sandra Mendoza.
Instead, Cedillo’s proposal calls for the Bureau of Engineering, which operates within the city’s public works department, to report back in 30 days with recommendations for acquiring the Chinatown property — and possibly other residential buildings that have expiring affordable housing agreements.
Elena Stern, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engineering, said her agency acquires property only for public infrastructure projects in the public right of way. Meanwhile, one lawyer who specializes in eminent domain law said he thinks Cedillo is “posturing” to look good in front of the tenant groups.
Under state law, the city officials would need to demonstrate that they have the legal authority to seize property for the purpose of preserving housing, said Christopher Sutton, an attorney based in Pasadena. Furthermore, Sutton said, the city cannot legally purchase the property unless it pays fair market value — a matter that could take years to resolve in court.
“I think the city has both a legal problem and an economic problem trying to carry this out,” he said.
Cedillo said he offered Botz a deal last year that would have called for the city to cancel the remaining debt on the property if the owners agreed to keep the lower rates for another decade. As part of the deal, the city also would have provided $7.3 million to cover the difference, the councilman’s aides said.
The deal was never signed. Botz said he liked the proposal, but later concluded that he would face another demand from the tenants to extend the agreement within a few years.
Cedillo’s proposal, which was also signed by Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, now heads to the council’s housing committee, which Cedillo chairs.


latimes--2020-02-03--As coronavirus cases spread across California, CDC warns count will keep growing

After a steady increase in the last week in the number of coronavirus cases in California and across the U.S. , officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday the virus is likely to spread .
“ We expect to find other cases in the United States , ” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases .
The CDC confirmed there are 11 people in the U.S. who have tested positive for the virus , with six cases in California .
Five new patients have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s briefing , officials said , and four of those were in the Bay Area .
Health officials in Northern California confirmed three cases Sunday and one Friday , bringing the total number of patients in the state to six .
The CDC said four of the patients in California were recent travelers to Wuhan , China , which has been at the epicenter of the outbreak .
San Benito County health officials said Sunday that a married couple there tested positive for coronavirus .
The husband had recently returned from Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The couple were taken to a San Francisco hospital Monday , officials said .
Both patients had previously been diagnosed and were transferred from San Benito County to the San Francisco Department of Public Health ’ s care , agency spokeswoman Rachael Kagan said .
“ They were not diagnosed in San Francisco ; they ’ re not San Francisco residents , but we ’ re providing the care for them , ” she said .
The two patients were moved after they “ showed worsening symptoms late Sunday night and were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to San Benito County Public Health Services .
“ It was then determined that both patients needed to be admitted to a hospital equipped for a higher level of care , ” San Benito County Health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said in a statement Monday .
“ The patients have been transferred out of San Benito County by specialty ambulance.
” In Santa Clara County , officials on Friday said a male resident who had traveled from Wuhan tested positive .
On Sunday , a second case was confirmed in the county after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Wuhan became infected .
Two other cases in the state were previously reported in Los Angeles and Orange counties .
Across the U.S. , 167 people have tested negative for the virus , while tests are pending for 82 others , the CDC said .
Two people were tested in Ventura County for the virus , the Public Health Department said .
One tested negative ; the other is in isolation until results are finalized .
Meanwhile , nearly 200 people remain under quarantine at March Air Force Base in Riverside County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the outbreak .
The mandatory quarantine is the CDC ’ s first in 50 years .
“ We made an aggressive decision in front of an unprecedented threat that action now has the biggest potential to slow this thing down , ” Messonnier said .
The new strain of coronavirus , known as 2019-nCoV , has killed more than 360 people since late December .
More than 17,400 cases have been confirmed worldwide , with the majority in China .
Individuals who have traveled from an international destination and have visited or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly into 11 airports in the United States : Los Angeles International , San Francisco International , New York-JFK , Chicago O ’ Hare , Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson , Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu , Seattle-Tacoma International Airport , Dallas/Fort Worth in Dallas , DTW Detroit , Newark Airport in New Jersey and Washington Dulles in Virginia .
Amid hoaxes and misinformation that have spread around coronavirus , the CDC is directing people to its website for updated information .

Sarah Chong, middle, who is visiting from Shanghai, and her family wear masks in precaution of the coronavirus while shopping at San Gabriel Square on Wednesday.
After a steady increase in the last week in the number of coronavirus cases in California and across the U.S., officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday the virus is likely to spread.
“We expect to find other cases in the United States,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
The CDC confirmed there are 11 people in the U.S. who have tested positive for the virus, with six cases in California. Five new patients have been discovered in the U.S. since last week’s briefing, officials said, and four of those were in the Bay Area. Health officials in Northern California confirmed three cases Sunday and one Friday, bringing the total number of patients in the state to six.
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The CDC said four of the patients in California were recent travelers to Wuhan, China, which has been at the epicenter of the outbreak.
San Benito County health officials said Sunday that a married couple there tested positive for coronavirus. The husband had recently returned from Wuhan and transmitted the pathogen to his wife. The couple were taken to a San Francisco hospital Monday, officials said.
Both patients had previously been diagnosed and were transferred from San Benito County to the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s care, agency spokeswoman Rachael Kagan said.
“They were not diagnosed in San Francisco; they’re not San Francisco residents, but we’re providing the care for them,” she said.
The two patients were moved after they “showed worsening symptoms late Sunday night and were referred for medical evaluation,” according to San Benito County Public Health Services.
“It was then determined that both patients needed to be admitted to a hospital equipped for a higher level of care,” San Benito County Health Officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said in a statement Monday. “The patients have been transferred out of San Benito County by specialty ambulance.”
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In Santa Clara County, officials on Friday said a male resident who had traveled from Wuhan tested positive. On Sunday, a second case was confirmed in the county after a woman who also had recently traveled to Wuhan became infected.
Two other cases in the state were previously reported in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Across the U.S., 167 people have tested negative for the virus, while tests are pending for 82 others, the CDC said. Two people were tested in Ventura County for the virus, the Public Health Department said. One tested negative; the other is in isolation until results are finalized. Meanwhile, nearly 200 people remain under quarantine at March Air Force Base in Riverside County after being evacuated from Wuhan amid fears of the outbreak. The mandatory quarantine is the CDC’s first in 50 years.
“We made an aggressive decision in front of an unprecedented threat that action now has the biggest potential to slow this thing down,” Messonnier said.
The new strain of coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV, has killed more than 360 people since late December. More than 17,400 cases have been confirmed worldwide, with the majority in China.
Individuals who have traveled from an international destination and have visited or passed through mainland China are permitted to fly into 11 airports in the United States: Los Angeles International, San Francisco International, New York-JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth in Dallas, DTW Detroit, Newark Airport in New Jersey and Washington Dulles in Virginia.
Amid hoaxes and misinformation that have spread around coronavirus, the CDC is directing people to its website for updated information.
Times staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-03--Introducing your new place to keep up with California's housing and homelessness crisis

The Los Angeles Times is continuing its commitment to covering the state ’ s homelessness and affordable housing crisis with a new section on latimes.com that will bring together our best coverage .
This section , which launches today , will serve as a resource for readers , with stories examining the causes of homelessness , and attempts by elected officials to build more housing and stem the tide of people flowing to the streets .
There will be opinion columns , as well as photos and videos , exploring the realities of being homeless and of living near encampments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , readers will be able to use the new section to ask questions .
With more than 150,000 Californians — about a third of them in Los Angeles County — now living without a permanent roof over their heads , The Times is committed to pushing the boundaries of what news organizations do .
We recognize that digging into causes of and potential solutions is more important than ever .
Therefore , last week , we also launched our first in a new series of visual stories on the homelessness and housing crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the $ 1.2-billion bond measure that voters in the city of L.A. approved in 2016 to build housing for homeless people .
So far , however , only one of those housing projects has opened .
We explore how that happened .
Readers will see many more such visual stories this year , as The Times tries to unpack why homelessness , by all indications , continues to grow ; to assess what actions elected and appointed officials at all levels of government have taken , and have not taken , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with potential solutions .
As homelessness , driven by a shortage of housing , continues to unfold on the streets of Los Angeles and the rest of California , we are reimagining our role at The Times .
These are our first steps .

A homeless person stands with his belongings on the first night of this year’s L.A. County homeless count in North Hollywood.
The Los Angeles Times is continuing its commitment to covering the state’s homelessness and affordable housing crisis with a new section on latimes.com that will bring together our best coverage.
This section, which launches today, will serve as a resource for readers, with stories examining the causes of homelessness, and attempts by elected officials to build more housing and stem the tide of people flowing to the streets. There will be opinion columns, as well as photos and videos, exploring the realities of being homeless and of living near encampments. And to help shape our coverage, readers will be able to use the new section to ask questions.
With more than 150,000 Californians — about a third of them in Los Angeles County — now living without a permanent roof over their heads, The Times is committed to pushing the boundaries of what news organizations do. We recognize that digging into causes of and potential solutions is more important than ever.
Therefore, last week, we also launched our first in a new series of visual stories on the homelessness and housing crisis. This one is on Proposition HHH, the $1.2-billion bond measure that voters in the city of L.A. approved in 2016 to build housing for homeless people. So far, however, only one of those housing projects has opened. We explore how that happened.
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Readers will see many more such visual stories this year, as The Times tries to unpack why homelessness, by all indications, continues to grow; to assess what actions elected and appointed officials at all levels of government have taken, and have not taken, to resolve the crisis; and to come up with potential solutions.
As homelessness, driven by a shortage of housing, continues to unfold on the streets of Los Angeles and the rest of California, we are reimagining our role at The Times. These are our first steps.


latimes--2020-02-03--Harvey Weinstein's defense attorney says 2013 rape accuser kept up cordial ties with mogul

After nearly five hours on the stand in a Manhattan courtroom Monday , one of the women who has accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault folded over in tears as defense attorneys confronted her with a slew of emails that detailed a cordial relationship between the former aspiring actress and her alleged rapist .
Donna Rotunno , Weinstein ’ s lead attorney , spent hours questioning the woman ’ s interactions with the mogul despite her graphic descriptions of two violent assaults : one in a Manhattan hotel in 2013 that resulted in criminal charges in New York , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the woman says Weinstein forced himself on her after she told him she had a boyfriend .
Rotunno repeatedly said the woman was “ manipulating ” Weinstein , and asked pointed questions about her behavior in the immediate aftermath of the alleged assaults .
In early 2014 , Rotunno noted , the woman sent an email to Weinstein complimenting his “ smile and beautiful eyes ” just days after he allegedly assaulted her at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills .
Similarly , in 2013 , the woman joined Weinstein for a screening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County ” the day after one of the alleged rapes occurred in a Manhattan hotel , Rotunno said .
Five months later , the woman referenced the film in a polite email exchange with Weinstein .
“ The movie you choose to put in there five months later is the movie he forced you to go and see .
It ’ s the movie you went to see the day after you claim you were assaulted ?
” Rotunno asked .
The testimony became all too much late Monday afternoon , when Rotunno @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to her boyfriend in 2014 disclosing some details about her dynamic with Weinstein .
After reading about three pages , she began sobbing heavily and the court went into recess .
When she was called back to the stand , she doubled over and wept loudly again , causing both Manhattan Assistant Dist .
Atty .
Joan Illuzi-Osborn and Rotunno to approach with concerned looks on their faces .
During nearly six hours of emotional testimony Friday , the woman recounted her allegedly abusive relationship with Weinstein , one she said was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times does not identify women who make sexual assault allegations unless they choose to go public with them outside of court .
Though she alleged Weinstein raped her in Los Angeles and New York — including the alleged 2013 Manhattan attack that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial — she also said they had several consensual sexual encounters .
Weinstein , 67 , is charged in New York with first-degree rape , two counts of predatory sexual assault , one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the accusations of Mimi Haley , a former employee of Weinstein ’ s production company ; and the woman who testified Friday .
Weinstein has denied all wrongdoing .
His attorneys have argued that each alleged assault was consensual sex .
On Monday , Rotunno hammered at the woman ’ s claim that she kept engaging with Weinstein , in part because she was afraid he would harm her or endanger her career .
The Chicago attorney noted that the woman often initiated their email interactions , even on dates after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weinstein could harm her career when the most significant audition she had ever been offered was arranged by Weinstein in the first place .
“ I had this dynamic with Harvey where I just felt like I had to obey and jump , ” the woman said Monday .
“ The abuse occurred when he would be unpredictable and he was doing something unpredictable.
” Rotunno also confronted the woman with an email in which she offered to introduce the mogul to her mother and noted that the woman kept contacting Weinstein to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new phone .
The woman countered again that she wanted to appear deferential and nonthreatening in order to avoid Weinstein ’ s wrath .
“ It was always in my best interest to feel the temperature gauges between us , ” she said .
“ I wanted him to believe I wasn ’ t a threat.
” Times staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report from Los Angeles .

Harvey Weinstein, center, leaves court with attorney Arthur Aidala after attending his trial on charges of rape and sexual assault Thursday in New York.
After nearly five hours on the stand in a Manhattan courtroom Monday, one of the women who has accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault folded over in tears as defense attorneys confronted her with a slew of emails that detailed a cordial relationship between the former aspiring actress and her alleged rapist.
Donna Rotunno, Weinstein’s lead attorney, spent hours questioning the woman’s interactions with the mogul despite her graphic descriptions of two violent assaults: one in a Manhattan hotel in 2013 that resulted in criminal charges in New York, and another in Beverly Hills in early 2014 where the woman says Weinstein forced himself on her after she told him she had a boyfriend.
Rotunno repeatedly said the woman was “manipulating” Weinstein, and asked pointed questions about her behavior in the immediate aftermath of the alleged assaults. In early 2014, Rotunno noted, the woman sent an email to Weinstein complimenting his “smile and beautiful eyes” just days after he allegedly assaulted her at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills.
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Similarly, in 2013, the woman joined Weinstein for a screening of the film “August: Osage County” the day after one of the alleged rapes occurred in a Manhattan hotel, Rotunno said. Five months later, the woman referenced the film in a polite email exchange with Weinstein.
“The movie you choose to put in there five months later is the movie he forced you to go and see. It’s the movie you went to see the day after you claim you were assaulted?” Rotunno asked.
The testimony became all too much late Monday afternoon, when Rotunno made the woman read an email she sent to her boyfriend in 2014 disclosing some details about her dynamic with Weinstein. After reading about three pages, she began sobbing heavily and the court went into recess. When she was called back to the stand, she doubled over and wept loudly again, causing both Manhattan Assistant Dist. Atty. Joan Illuzi-Osborn and Rotunno to approach with concerned looks on their faces.
During nearly six hours of emotional testimony Friday, the woman recounted her allegedly abusive relationship with Weinstein, one she said was by turns compassionate and brutal. The Times does not identify women who make sexual assault allegations unless they choose to go public with them outside of court.
Though she alleged Weinstein raped her in Los Angeles and New York — including the alleged 2013 Manhattan attack that prompted some of the charges for which he now stands trial — she also said they had several consensual sexual encounters.
Weinstein, 67, is charged in New York with first-degree rape, two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree rape. The charges stem from the accusations of Mimi Haley, a former employee of Weinstein’s production company; and the woman who testified Friday.
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Weinstein has denied all wrongdoing. His attorneys have argued that each alleged assault was consensual sex.
On Monday, Rotunno hammered at the woman’s claim that she kept engaging with Weinstein, in part because she was afraid he would harm her or endanger her career.
The Chicago attorney noted that the woman often initiated their email interactions, even on dates after the alleged rapes. She also questioned how Weinstein could harm her career when the most significant audition she had ever been offered was arranged by Weinstein in the first place.
“I had this dynamic with Harvey where I just felt like I had to obey and jump,” the woman said Monday. “The abuse occurred when he would be unpredictable and he was doing something unpredictable.”
Rotunno also confronted the woman with an email in which she offered to introduce the mogul to her mother and noted that the woman kept contacting Weinstein to provide her contact information whenever she got a new phone. The woman countered again that she wanted to appear deferential and nonthreatening in order to avoid Weinstein’s wrath.
“It was always in my best interest to feel the temperature gauges between us,” she said. “I wanted him to believe I wasn’t a threat.”
Cross-examination is expected to resume Tuesday.
Times staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report from Los Angeles.


latimes--2020-02-03--No Super Bowl party for inmates after jailhouse wine confiscated

Like many in the Bay Area , the inmates at the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County were looking forward to watching Super Bowl 2020 .
But the Alameda County Sheriff ’ s Department put the kibosh on a party they were planning .
Hundreds of gallons of jailhouse wine were confiscated Saturday at the Santa Rita Jail .
The concoction of fruit , juices , sugar and yeast — known as pruno — was stored in plastic bags and stashed inside toilets and garbage bags throughout the jail , Alameda County Sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Ray Kelly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday in an Instagram post , with a photo of deputies standing behind dozens of bags filled with supplies for the homemade hooch .
“ Illegally made jail house alcohol from fruit and juice .
There will be no Super Bowl party at Santa Rita Jail tomorrow .
Good work by our team on duty today , ” the post said .
Despite the contraband , inmates were allowed to watch the game and no one was officially reprimanded , Kelly said .
But much like the planned party , the Super Bowl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kansas City Chiefs rolling over the hometown San Francisco 49ers , 31-20 .
“ Nothing happened to the inmates .
We ’ re not looking to get anyone in trouble .
It ’ s a violation of the jail , but it ’ s not criminal , ” he said .
The wine concoction has been previously linked to severe illnesses and even deaths and can pose a major health risk .
While some on social media approved of the confiscation , several criticized the deputies ’ actions and ensuing post on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was meant to be a “ tongue and cheek ” revelation of what can sometimes occur in lockdown .
It ’ s not uncommon for officials to discover jailhouse wine in small batches , he said , because several of the inmates in the minimum-security jail have access to the kitchen .

Like many in the Bay Area, the inmates at the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County were looking forward to watching Super Bowl 2020. But the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department put the kibosh on a party they were planning.
Hundreds of gallons of jailhouse wine were confiscated Saturday at the Santa Rita Jail. The concoction of fruit, juices, sugar and yeast — known as pruno — was stored in plastic bags and stashed inside toilets and garbage bags throughout the jail, Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly said.
The department proudly displayed its findings Sunday in an Instagram post, with a photo of deputies standing behind dozens of bags filled with supplies for the homemade hooch.
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“Illegally made jail house alcohol from fruit and juice. There will be no Super Bowl party at Santa Rita Jail tomorrow. Good work by our team on duty today,” the post said.
Despite the contraband, inmates were allowed to watch the game and no one was officially reprimanded, Kelly said. But much like the planned party, the Super Bowl proved to be a letdown, with the Kansas City Chiefs rolling over the hometown San Francisco 49ers, 31-20.
“Nothing happened to the inmates. We’re not looking to get anyone in trouble. It’s a violation of the jail, but it’s not criminal,” he said.
The wine concoction has been previously linked to severe illnesses and even deaths and can pose a major health risk. While some on social media approved of the confiscation, several criticized the deputies’ actions and ensuing post on social media.
According to Kelly, it was meant to be a “tongue and cheek” revelation of what can sometimes occur in lockdown. It’s not uncommon for officials to discover jailhouse wine in small batches, he said, because several of the inmates in the minimum-security jail have access to the kitchen.
“It’s a typical cops-and-robbers scenario.”