Driver arrested in sheriffโs recruits crash is released
Authorities have released from custody a young man who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer after the SUV he was driving veered into the wrong lane and crashed into Los Angeles County law enforcement recruits on a training run, injuring 25.
Kobe Bryant widow awarded $16M in trial over crash photos
A federal jury has found that Los Angeles County must pay Kobe Bryantโs widow $16 million for emotional distress caused by deputies and firefighters sharing photos of the bodies of the NBA star and his daughter taken at the site of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed them.
Documents: Firefighters could be fired for Bryant photos
Court documents say two Los Angeles County firefighters could be fired and a third suspended after first responders took and shared graphic photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and seven others.
Los Angeles park closed after protest to save homeless camp
Police march toward demonstrators in the Echo Park section of Los Angeles Thursday, March 25, 2021. Demonstrators gathered Wednesday night to protest the planned temporary closure of a Los Angeles park that would displace a large homeless encampment, which has grown throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Ramirez, who said she has lived at parks in Los Angeles and in neighboring Orange County, said she moved in days earlier. A January 2020 count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that there were more than 66,400 homeless people living in Los Angeles County โ by far the largest single concentration in the state. AdThat included more than 41,000 people within Los Angeles city limits.
Vanessa Bryant calls out deputies who took or shared photos of helicopter crash that killed Kobe
FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2020, file photo, Vanessa Bryant speaks during a celebration of life for her husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna in Los Angeles. The complaint names deputies Joey Cruz, Rafael Mejia, Michael Russell and Raul Versales as defendants. Thatโs in addition to Los Angeles County, its sheriffโs and fire departments. It also says the bartender who saw the photos shared with other customers that he had seen the pictures and described Bryantโs remains. The L.A. County Sheriffโs Department and the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Latest: US health officials warn of false positives
WASHINGTON โ U.S. health officials are warning health professionals about the risk of false positive results with a widely used laboratory test for COVID-19 and flu. The Iowa Department of Public Health said Friday that Iowa has administered 1.03 million doses. The state health department sent a notice Thursday to the hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and other community providers of the coronavirus vaccine detailing the stateโs expectations. AdBrazil has already secured contracts for 200 million vaccine doses, half made by AstraZeneca and half by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac. It could use those mechanisms as well to expand eligibility___PRAGUE โ The health authorities in the Czech Republic have administered over 1 million coronavirus vaccine shots.
LA opens its first tiny home village to ease homeless crisis
Chandler Street village was developed and funded by Los Angeles as part of an emergency response to the worsening homelessness crisis. A 2020 tally found there were 66,400 homeless people in Los Angeles County โ up more than 12% from the previous year. The tiny home village had to overcome some โnot-in-my-backyardโ reactions from nearby residents who needed to be convinced it's a safe, clean opportunity for shelter, Kerkorian said. AdAdvocates for the homeless applaud the effort, saying every bit of shelter helps amid the deepening crisis. The goal for Chandler Street residents is to stay a few months and then transition to more permanent housing.
California to give 40% of vaccine to Latino, high-risk areas
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ California will begin sending 40% of all vaccine doses to the most vulnerable neighborhoods in the state to try to inoculate people most at risk from the coronavirus and get the stateโs economy open more quickly, Gov. The areas are considered most vulnerable based on metrics such as household income, education level and access to health care. Setting aside 40% of vaccine supply essentially means that hard-hit ZIP codes will be administering double what they are currently, Ghaly said. Data show that of shots given, only about 17% were administered in vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. He said he expects all communities to receive at least as many doses of vaccine as they are receiving now.
California to give 40% of vaccine doses to vulnerable areas
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ California will begin setting aside 40% of all vaccine doses for the stateโs most vulnerable neighborhoods in an effort to inoculate people most at risk from the coronavirus and get the stateโs economy open more quickly. The doses will be spread out among 400 ZIP codes with about 8 million people eligible for shots. The areas are considered most vulnerable based on metrics such as household income, education level, housing status and access to transportation. Once the state gives out 4 million doses in those neighborhoods, it will revise the metrics for getting into the even less restrictive orange and yellow tiers. Yet community health clinics focused on serving low-income and vulnerable Californians say they haven't been getting enough doses.
Detectives look at โblack boxโ from Tiger Woods crash
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES โ Detectives are looking at data from the โblack boxโ of Tiger Woods' SUV to get a clearer picture of what occurred during the Southern California rollover crash that seriously injured the golf star, authorities said Wednesday. There was no immediate information regarding what was found in the black box, Deputy Trina Schrader said in a statement. The 2021 GV80, made by the Hyundai luxury brand, is likely to have a newer version of event data recorders nicknamed โblack boxesโ after more sophisticated recorders in airplanes. AdUSA Today first reported the search warrant, noting that deputies did not seek one for samples of Woods' blood. Villanueva did not specifically say Wednesday that investigators had not sought a search warrant for blood samples.
Plunging demand for COVID-19 tests may leave US exposed
After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing sites or even trying to return supplies. โWe just donโt have enough people who are immune to rule out another surge.โU.S. testing hit a peak on Jan. 15, when the country was averaging more than 2 million tests per day. โPeople just arenโt going to go out to testing sites.โAdBut testing remains important for tracking and containing the outbreak. Thatโs more than 25 times the countryโs current rate of about 40 million tests reported per month. From a public health viewpoint, testing is effective if it helps to quickly find the infected, trace their contacts and isolate them to stop the spread.
Cat that vanished 15 years ago is reunited with owner
The Los Angeles man adopted her as a 2-month-old kitten in 2005. (Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control via AP)LOS ANGELES โ A cat that went astray about 15 years ago has been reunited, older and maybe wiser, with its owner. Brandy, a brown tabby, was reunited Monday afternoon with Charles, who adopted her as a 2-month-old kitten in 2005. Charles went on with his life. โShe basically weighed as much as when she was a kitten," Charles said.
Backlogged cases push California COVID-19 deaths past 50,000
Los Angeles County emergency medical technicians deliver patients for admission at the Ambulatory Care Center station at the MLK Community Medical Group hospital in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. Johns Hopkins University put Californiaโs overall COVID-19 death toll at 50,890. The death toll climbed precipitously amid a fall and winter surge that has begun to taper off as cases and hospitalizations drop. Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported an additional 136 deaths, accounting for nearly half of the stateโs 314 additional deaths. Black people make up 6% of the stateโs population and account for 4% of cases and 6% of deaths.
California tops 50,000 virus deaths, including 806 in L.A.
The coronavirus death toll in California surpassed 50,000 on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, marking about one-tenth of the U.S. total from the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)LOS ANGELES โ Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported another 806 deaths from coronavirus during the winter surge, pushing Californiaโs toll above 50,000, or about one-tenth of the U.S. total from the pandemic. Johns Hopkins University put Californiaโs overall COVID-19 death toll at 50,890. The death toll climbed precipitously amid a fall and winter surge that has begun to taper off as cases and hospitalizations drop. Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported an additional 136 new deaths, accounting for nearly half of the state's 314 additional deaths.
PGA golfer from Winter Park reacts to news after Tiger Woods injured in crash
WINTER PARK, Fla. โ The golf world is reacting to the crash of one of the biggest stars to ever play the game. Law enforcement in Los Angeles County said Tiger Woods was behind the wheel of a single-vehicle crash that resulted in the SUV overturning several times. AdWith Woodsโ influence on the game, Winter Park native turned professional golfer Sam Ryder said Tiger influenced him to play the sport. โI think heโs one of the biggest reasons why I play on the PGA tour right now,โ Ryder said. Ryder said in elementary school, he wrote a book report on a Tiger Woods biography, adding that heโs hopeful for his recovery.
UPDATE: Tiger Woods suffers shattered tibia, fibula; rod, screws, pins needed for recovery
A Los Angeles County sheriffโs deputy, the first on the scene, poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, his seatbelt fastened, sitting in the driverโs seat. It was the 10th surgery for Woods, who has suffered knee, back and neck problems for more than a decade. Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as tournament host of the Genesis Invitational that ended Sunday, and then to film content for his sponsor, Discovery-owned GOLFTV. Woods was injured Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in a vehicle rollover in Los Angeles County and had to be extricated from the vehicle with the jaws of life tools, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said. The news put a damper on the World Golf Championship in Florida, where Woods was eligible to play.
As California virus cases fall, more people than ever dying
In barely a year since the virus was first detected in the state, 1 in 1,000 Californians have died from it. Los Angeles County, the nationโs most populous with a quarter of the stateโs nearly 40 million residents, has more than 40% of Californiaโs virus deaths. Rios Luna, 22, said she was especially cautious with her mother since the pandemic began. โOnce I saw her in the bed, it honestly, it broke my heart,โ Rios Luna said. โWe feel like she waited for us to go see her,โ Rios Luna said.
State investigates Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The California Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation to determine whether the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. While Becerra would not identify any specific incidents, the attorney general urged Los Angeles County residents to report potential abuses to his office. Villanueva pledged transparency with the state and said his department regularly requests for the Department of Justice to monitor its investigations. The sheriff's department was previously under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. In September, the Los Angeles Times reported that a congressional subcommittee had asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate allegations of systemic abuse by โcriminal gangsโ of deputies within the department.
California: OK to use Moderna vaccine after illness reports
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ California on Wednesday said itโs safe to resume using a batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccine after some people fell ill and a halt to injections was recommended. About 330,000 doses from the lot had been distributed to nearly 300 providers in California this month. More than 4 million doses had been shipped and about 1.5 million had been administered as of Tuesday, according to figures from the state public health department. โThe chief obstacle we are facing is not enough doses,โ said Roland Pickens, director of San Franciscoโs public health care system, at a supervisorsโ hearing Wednesday. The total of 694 new deaths is second to the record 708 reported Jan. 8, according to the state Department of Public Health.
California now reporting 525 virus deaths every day
State officials said Friday they have helped distribute 98 refrigerated trailers to help county coroners store dead bodies. There are now 98 of the trailers to help county coroners store bodies โwith respect and dignity,โ Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said. California has received more than 3.5 million doses of the vaccine and has administered just over 1 million doses. Newsom said the state was on pace to exceed his goal of giving out roughly 1.5 million doses by Friday. While California has the second-highest number of deaths in the country, the state ranks 39th in the number of deaths per capita at 81.8.
Expanded vaccine rollout in US spawns a new set of problems
Mississippi's Health Department stopped taking new appointments the same day it began accepting them because of a โmonumental surgeโ in requests. In California, counties begged for more coronavirus vaccine to reach millions of their senior citizens. โThis is about life and death.โIn Mississippi, officials said new appointments will probably have to wait until a hoped-for shipment of vaccine in mid-February. But the local hospital had no openings on Wednesday, Clark said, and the other vaccination sites are too far away. โSheโs too old.โAllison Salerno, an audio producer from Athens, Georgia, said she spent the better part of a day calling her stateโs health department to get a vaccine appointment for her 89-year-old mother.
The Latest: China says COVID-19 hospitalizations above 1,000
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)BEIJING โ China says it is now treating more than 1,000 people for COVID-19 as numbers of cases continue to surge in the countryโs north. ___AUSTIN, Texas โ Texas has distributed more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. State health officials say Texas had more than 14,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals and its death toll has passed 30,000. ___COLUMBIA, S.C. โ South Carolina will now allow medical students, retired nurses and other qualified professionals to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. ___MADRID โ Spain reported 35,878 confirmed coronavirus cases and 201 new deaths from the coronavirus.
California lifts stay-home order for Sacramento region
SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ California lifted a stay-at-home order in the 13-county Sacramento region on Tuesday as hospital conditions improved, a rare turn of good news as the state pushes through what Gov. Three of the state's five regions โ the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California โ remain under the stay-at-home order because their intensive care capacity at hospitals is severely limited. To try to get the virus in check California, is moving more quickly to distribute vaccines. Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order in March. Supervisor Mike Ziegenmeyer of Sutter County in the Sacramento region acknowledged as much when he reacted to the order being lifted.
Virus deaths surging in California, now top 30,000
People wait in cars for a vaccination against the coronavirus at a new "vaccination superstation," Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in San Diego. The site, which opened Monday, began providing large-scale COVID-19 vaccinations to health care workers. California has deployed 88 refrigerated trailers to use as makeshift morgues mostly in hard-hit Southern California, where traditional storage space is dwindling. โPeople are eager to come out and grateful for this opportunity,โ she said, with more than 12,500 health care workers in San Diego County initially scheduling an appointment. ___Watson reported from San Diego.
California reports record 695 virus deaths in a day
California is particularly hard hit, with skyrocketing deaths and infections threatening to force hospitals to ration care. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)LOS ANGELES โ California health authorities reported Saturday a record one-day total of 695 coronavirus deaths as many hospitals strain under unprecedented caseloads. Already, many hospitals in Los Angeles and other hard-hit areas are struggling to keep up and warned they may need to ration care as intensive care beds dwindle. With new figures released Saturday, the county surpassed 12,000 deaths caused by COVID-19 โ 1,000 of which happened in the last four days. โWeโre going to see high levels of hospitalization and, sadly, deaths over at least the next two to four weeks.โLos Angeles County has a fourth of the stateโs population, but it accounts for about 40% of COVID-19 deaths.
States to receive initial $3 billion infusion for vaccines
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said $3 billion for vaccine efforts should go out to states by Jan. 19, along with $19 billion of additional aid for coronavirus testing and contact tracing. It will be up to states to decide exactly how to use the money. The vaccine money is being distributed among states through a formula that also allots portions to certain large cities and U.S. territories. The federal law leaves it up to states to decide how much, if any, of the vaccine money to pass on to local health departments. The federal law authorized $8.7 billion for coronavirus vaccine distribution and tracking, with at least $4.5 billion set aside for states and localities.
Arizona deemed 'hot spot of the world' amid virus surge
Ducey has rejected calls from health care leaders to tighten restrictions, arguing it would cause people to be out of work. โFaced with strict mitigation measures in place and states that have few or minimal mitigation measures in place all are experiencing the same thing,โ Karamargin said. โThe mitigation measures the state of Arizona put into place early on โ they remain in place. Dr. Joshua LaBaer, director of the Biodesign Institute research center at Arizona State University, called the state โthe hot spot of the world right now.โ He believes at least one in 10 people actually has the virus. โI've never seen anything like this in all the years Iโve been part of health care,โ White said.
Grammy Awards shift to March due to pandemic conditions
FILE - Host Alicia Keys speaks at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK โ The 2021 Grammy Awards will no longer take place this month in Los Angeles and will broadcast in March due to a recent surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. Los Angeles County, the epicenter of the crisis in California, has surpassed 11,000 COVID-19 deaths and has had 40% of the deaths in California. An average of six people die every hour from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, which has a quarter of the stateโs 40 million residents. The BET Awards was the first major awards show during the pandemic and was a success thanks to its artsy, highly produced, well-crafted pre-taped performances.
Feds calculate riskiest, safest places in US
And of the more than 3,000 counties, Los Angeles County has the highest ranking in the National Risk Index. The way FEMA calculates the index spotlights places long known as danger spots, like Los Angeles, but some other places highlighted run counter to what most people would think. Two New York City counties, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Hudson County, New Jersey, are FEMAโs top five riskiest counties for tornadoes. By the same measurement, Loudoun County, a Washington, D.C. outer suburb, has the lowest risk of any county, according to FEMA. Some of FEMAโs risk rankings by disaster type seem obvious.
Watch out LA: Feds calculate riskiest, safest places in US
FILE - In this Monday, June 20, 2016 file photo, smoke from wildfires burning in Angeles National Forest fills the sky behind the Los Angeles skyline. And of the more than 3,000 counties, Los Angeles County has the highest ranking in theNational Risk Index. Chiu)Spending her life in Los Angeles, Morgan Andersen knows natural disasters all too well. And of the more than 3,000 counties, Los Angeles County has the highest ranking in the National Risk Index. The way FEMA calculates the index spotlights places long known as danger spots, like Los Angeles, but some other places highlighted run counter to what most people would think.
California passes 25,000 deaths, finds 3 more variant cases
LOS ANGELES โ California surpassed 25,000 coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic and officials disclosed Thursday that three more cases involving a mutant variant of the virus have been confirmed in San Diego County. Los Angeles County, which has a quarter of the state's 40 million residents, has had 40% of the deaths in California, the third state to reach the 25,000 death count. San Diego County confirmed Thursday that it had found a total of four cases of the virus variant that appears to be more contagious. In Los Angeles County, hospitals have been pushed "to the brink of catastrophe,โ said Dr. Christina Ghaly, health services director. Police in Los Angeles will be patrolling streets and looking to shut down large New Yearโs Eve gatherings, Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
California hits record COVID-19 deaths as new variant found
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ Los Angeles County surpassed 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus Wednesday as California also hit a record high number of fatalities. The governor also announced the first detected case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus in a San Diego man. LA County Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer called the 10,056 deaths there a โterrible milestone." San Diego County officials said the infected man is a 30-year-old with no history of travel. Hours after the new variant was detected, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria signed an executive order directing stricter enforcement of state and local public health rules.
California hospitals discuss rationing care as virus surges
Plans for rationing care are not in place yet, but they need to be established because โthe worst is yet to come,โ said Los Angeles County's health services director, Dr. Christina Ghaly. Until then, four hospitals run by Los Angeles County are weighing what to do if they cannot treat everyone because of a shortage of beds or staffers. Some hospitals have canceled non-essential elective surgeries, such as hip replacements, that might take up beds that could soon be needed for COVID-19 patients. Scientists are working to determine whether the strain spreads more easily, said Moncef Slaoui, the chief science adviser for the U.S. governmentโs COVID-19 vaccine effort. Bill Lee on Sunday announced new social gathering restrictions while still refusing to implement a mask mandate despite pleas from front-line health care workers.
California could see 100,000 hospitalizations in January
Gavin Newsom holds up a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)LOS ANGELES โ California has recorded a half-million coronavirus cases in the last two weeks and in a month could be facing a once-unthinkable caseload of nearly 100,000 hospitalizations, Gov. California is enduring by far its worst spike in cases and hospitalizations. The first 110,000 doses of the newly approved Moderna vaccine arrived in California a week after California hospitals administered the first 70,258 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. ___Associated Press reporters John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento contributed to this report.
California warns of rising coronavirus cases, broad transmission
The vast region of Southern California went into a lockdown Monday in an effort to curb spiraling coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. โThe fact is that transmission is now so widespread across our state that most all non-essential activities create a serious risk for transmission,โ Ghaly told reporters. The blast โ which also urged people to wear masks and physically distance โ was sent to the state-designated 11-county Southern California region and 12-county San Joaquin Valley region by California's Office of Emergency Services. At that point, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties said they would ask to be assessed on the tri-county ICU capacity and not the overall ICU capacity for the sprawling Southern California region. The Southern California region includes Los Angeles County, where public health officials say the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has surpassed all-time highs every day since Dec. 1.
New Los Angeles prosecutor ends cash bail for many offenses
In this photo from the County of Los Angeles streaming video, incoming Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks after he was is sworn in in downtown Los Angeles Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. (County of Los Angeles via AP)LOS ANGELES โ New Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascรณn, seeking to revamp the nationโs largest prosecutorโs office with progressive policies, said Monday after taking office that cash bail will be ended for many offenses and sentences in thousands of cases will be reevaluated. A former San Francisco district attorney and assistant Los Angeles police chief, Gascรณn has already drawn the ire of prosecutors in his own office, as well as members of the Los Angeles Police Department. His first major meeting upon winning his race was with Black Lives Matter organizers, who were critical of outgoing District Attorney Jackie Lacey. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which is for rank-and-file police officers and heavily supported Lacey, blasted Gascรณn new policies after his speech.
California gloom: Coronavirus cases spiral, new closures imminent
(AP Photo/Pamela Hassell)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ With coronavirus cases surging at a record pace, California Gov. Newsom said four regions โ all but the San Francisco Bay area โ could meet that threshold โwithin a day or two." The curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. had little impact, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's top public health officer, acknowledged Thursday. โWe do not have adequate data to know where transmissions are occurring and that reflects a failure of public health,โ he said. โThatโs not the way we traditionally work in public health,โ he said.
Pasadena bucks Los Angeles County to offer alfresco dining
โWeโre not out of the woods yet, but every day that goes by is a blessing that we can keep the outdoor dining open,โ Osborn said. A divided LA County Board of Supervisors rejected a measure Nov. 24 that would have kept outdoor dining open. โWe literally have seen COVID cases in a large percentage of businesses across the city,โ Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said. She had to close a sister cafe in nearby Sierra Madre under the county order. I canโt make this situation any better.โ___Melley reported from Los Angeles.
Americans face new COVID-19 restrictions after Thanksgiving
The outbreak in Santa Clara County โis like a high-speed train,โ health officer Dr. Sara Cody said. Health experts had pleaded with Americans to stay home over Thanksgiving and not gather with anyone who didn't live with them. On Monday, Moderna Inc. said it will ask U.S. and European regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results confirm the shots offer strong protection. Rhode Islandโs hospitals reached their COVID-19 capacity on Monday, the same day the stateโs two-week pause took effect. In suburban St. Louis, a hospital official warned that hospitalizations could double in two to three weeks if people donโt quarantine after Thanksgiving gatherings.
Restaurant workers out of work again as virus surges anew
Restaurant owner Greg Morena in Los Angeles County was trying to figure out his next step after county officials banned in-person dining for at least three weeks, beginning Wednesday. But in Los Angeles County, restaurants and bars are prohibited from providing outdoor dining beginning Wednesday. On Tuesday, a judge rejected a request from a restaurant industry group to block the Los Angeles County outdoor dining ban. Restaurant owners in Los Angeles County contend infections are more likely to be coming from private gatherings where rules about masks and spaced-apart seating aren't in force. ___Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan; Peters from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Melley from Los Angeles.
California official: just say 'no' to family Thanksgiving
โOur metrics are the most alarming metrics that weโve ever seen,โ Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. Public health officials are bracing for a wave of cases that could follow gatherings at Thanksgiving, particularly as people arrive or return from states or areas with higher infection rates. Ferrer noted that Los Angeles International Airport reported 1 million travelers on Monday. The California Restaurant Association had argued that Los Angeles County health officials should have to provide medical or scientific evidence that outdoor restaurant dining poses an unreasonable risk to public health. ___Associated Press writers Michael R. Blood and John Antczak in Los Angeles and Daisy Nguyen in Oakland contributed to this report.
US Rep. Mike Garcia claims win in swing district north of LA
This photo, date and location not known, provided by the Garcia For Congress campaign shows Mike Garcia. In a statement, Garcia said โvictory is clear,โ given the votes remaining uncounted. Garcia, a former fighter pilot, captured the vacant swing district in a May special election following the resignation of Democratic Rep. Katie Hill in 2019. A Republican win in the Democratic-leaning district would mark another bright spot for Republicans in the heavily Democratic state. At the time, the 25th District had been the last GOP-controlled House seat anchored in Los Angeles County.
California pub tries to keep calm, carry on with virus rules
A server carries food for a customer at Ye Olde King's Head on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)SANTA MONICA, Calif. โ By most measures of what keeps a pub afloat, the coronavirus pandemic should already have Ye Olde King's Head on its last kegs. โItโs not worth thinking about," said operations manager Lisa Powers, who has guided the 46-year-old institution through an ever-changing set of public health orders. The latest surge comes as public health officials across the U.S. raise the alarm about out-of-control transmission of the virus, strengthen restrictions and urge people against holding large Thanksgiving gatherings. The King's Head had to offer its traditional British fare โ everything from bangers and mash and fish and chips to traditional Sunday roast โ for takeout.
As virus cases spiral, Los Angeles readies plan for curfew
FILE - In this March, 12, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer takes questions at a news conference in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)LOS ANGELES โ Los Angeles County imposed new restrictions on businesses Tuesday and is readying plans for a mandatory curfew for all but essential workers if coronavirus cases keep spiking. If the five-day average of cases tops 4,000 or hospitalizations are above 1,750 per day, outdoor restaurant dining will be banned. If cases reach 4,500 per day or hospitalizations top 2,000, the county will impose a three-week lockdown that will restrict people to their homes for all but essential services. Those counties joined Los Angeles and 13 others already at that level, and together they account for 94% of the stateโs nearly 40 million residents.
Republican widens edge in tight U.S. House fight north of LA
An updated tally from Los Angeles and Ventura counties showed his edge had grown to 422 votes. The post was left vacant after former Democratic Rep. Katie Hill resigned in 2019 amid a House ethics probe. The district, anchored in Los Angeles County but paired with a slice of Ventura County that is home to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, has a Democratic registration edge. When Hill captured the district in 2018, it was the last Republican-held House seat anchored in Los Angeles County. Last week, Republican Young Kim defeated Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros in a district anchored in the one-time GOP stronghold of Orange County, and Republican Michelle Steel earlier claimed the 48th District in Orange County from Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda.
California's feared surge of virus cases hasn't happened
SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ Near the end of September, with coronavirus cases falling and more schools and businesses reopening, Gov. Collectively, people 18 to 49 now account for 58% of all new coronavirus cases in the county. But Newsom still has not allowed for large public gatherings or theme parks to reopen, even with modifications. The unions, representing about 10,000 Disneyland workers, told Newsom in June it was unsafe to open theme parks. Newsom said he plans to announce guidelines for theme parks on Tuesday, hinting he might have different rules for different types of theme parks.
Harvey Weinstein charged with 3 more rapes in California
LOS ANGELES โ Harvey Weinstein was charged Friday with the rapes of two more women and now faces 11 sexual assault counts involving five women in California as the former movie mogul serves prison time in New York, prosecutors said. Weinstein was charged with three new counts of rape and three new counts of forcible oral copulation involving two women, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said. Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer said in response to the charges that โHarvey Weinstein has always maintained that every one of his physical encounters throughout his entire life have been consensual. In California, Weinstein was first charged with rape in January, just as his trial was beginning in New York. The district attorney's office also recently brought rape charges against โThat '70s Showโ actor Danny Masterson, though that investigation predated the task force.
This is where some of the key figures of the O.J. trial are now, 26 years later
Ever since O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman 25 years ago, itโs been well-documented what Simpson has been up to, most notably, serving almost nine years in a Nevada prison for his role in a 2007 sports memorabilia robbery.
Man charged in shooting of 2 Los Angeles County deputies
FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2020 file photo, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva comments on the investigation of the shooting of two deputies during a news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles. Authorities say they have arrested a man in connection with the shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies as they sat in their squad car. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)LOS ANGELES โ Prosecutors charged a 36-year-old man Wednesday with a brazen ambush of two Los Angeles County sheriffโs deputies earlier this month, an apparently unprovoked shooting as they sat in a squad car outside a rail station. The Los Angeles Times first reported Murray's arrest ahead of the news conference. A Los Angeles police officer was attacked Saturday night inside the Harbor Community police station in San Pedro.
Reporter arrested after deputies' shooting won't be charged
FILE - In this Sep. 17, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva comments on the investigation of the shooting of two deputies during a news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles. A radio reporter taken into custody while covering a demonstration the night two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were shot will not be criminally charged. Josie Huang, a journalist for KPCC, was slammed to the ground by deputies and accused of interfering with the arrest of a protester outside a hospital Sept. 12. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Huang was too close to the deputies. But the Los Angeles County's District Attorney's Office says "it does not appear that she was intentionally attempting to interfere with the deputies, but merely trying to record" the incident.
Reporter arrested after deputies' shooting won't be charged
FILE - In this Sep. 17, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva comments on the investigation of the shooting of two deputies during a news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles. A radio reporter taken into custody while covering a demonstration the night two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were shot will not be criminally charged. But the Los Angeles County's District Attorney's Office says "it does not appear that she was intentionally attempting to interfere with the deputies, but merely trying to record" the incident. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)LOS ANGELES โ A radio reporter taken into custody while covering a demonstration the night two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were shot will not be criminally charged, the county's district attorney's office said Thursday. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Huang, 39, was too close to the deputies during the manโs arrest.
Few resources, old-growth forest allowed for fire's growth
โThis is a stubborn fire,โ Angeles National Forest spokesman Andrew Mitchell said. At the time, many Southern California ground crews and a fleet of retardant- and water-dropping aircraft were assigned to multiple record-breaking blazes in the northern part of the state. Officials were investigating the death of a firefighter at another Southern California wildfire that erupted earlier this month from a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used by a couple to reveal their babyโs gender. Charles Morton, 39, died Sept. 17 while battling the El Dorado Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest east of Los Angeles. The blaze has charred over 21 square miles (55 square kilometers) of Medicine Bow National Forest.
Enormous California wildfire threatens desert homes near LA
At 165 square miles (427 square kilometers), the Bobcat Fire is one of the largest ever in Los Angeles County after burning for more than two weeks. Evacuation orders and warnings are in place for thousands of residents in foothill and desert areas, where semi-rural homes and a popular nature sanctuary have burned. Erratic winds that drove flames into the community of Juniper Hills over the weekend had died down, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Larry Smith. He had worked with the U.S. Forest Service for 14 years. โCharlie was a well-respected leader who was always there for his squad and his crew at the toughest times,โ said U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen.