New wildfires grow in Northern California as firefighters gain ground against big blaze in the south
Big new wildfires are challenging California firefighters even as they increase containment of earlier blazes that erupted as dry winds arrived last weekend.
Lack of buses keeps Los Angeles jail inmates from court appearances and contributes to overcrowding
Up to one-third of the 12,000 inmates in Los Angeles County jails canโt get to their court appearances because of a shortage of functioning buses.
California lawmakers say reparations bills, which exclude widespread payments, are a starting point
California's Legislative Black Caucus is pushing for lawmakers to pass a package of more than a dozen reparations proposals.
Suspect in ambush killing of LA deputy pleads not guilty due to insanity
The man charged with murder in the ambush killing of a Los Angeles County sheriffโs deputy has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
A suspect has been arrested in the ambush killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy
A man has been arrested in the ambush killing of a Los Angeles County sheriffโs deputy who was shot as he sat in a patrol car.
Destructive Southern California landslide slows but more homes ordered evacuated as sewer breaks
A landslide that has destroyed homes in a Southern California community appears to have slowed but more homes have been evacuated.
Things to know about a landslide that has destroyed homes in Southern California
Leaders of a Southern California city hit by a destructive landslide are planning to vote on a resolution to declare a local emergency.
Man arrested in Los Angeles 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.
Driver arrested in crash into LA County sheriff's recruits
Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old driver on suspicion of attempted murder after he veered into the wrong lane and struck Los Angeles County sheriffโs academy recruits on a training run.
Vehicle hits 25 LA County sheriff's academy recruits on run
Authorities say 25 Los Angeles County sheriffโs academy recruits on a training run were hit by a vehicle that veered onto the wrong side of the road Wednesday morning, and five were critically injured.
LA deputies won't be charged for killing Black bicyclist
Prosecutors say two Los Angeles County deputies wonโt face criminal charges for fatally shooting a Black man they tried to stop for riding a bicycle the wrong direction.
CEO of election software firm held on ID info theft charges
The founder and CEO of a software company targeted by election deniers has been arrested on suspicion of stealing personal identifying information on hundreds of Los Angeles County poll workers.
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.
Arizona county had largest white, Black, Hispanic growth
Metro Phoenixโs Maricopa County had among the biggest growth in white, Black and Hispanic residents last year, as well as the biggest increase overall of any U.S. county.
LA sheriff investigates how reporter obtained leaked video
The Los Angeles County sheriff disputed allegations he orchestrated the cover-up of an incident where a deputy knelt on a handcuffed inmateโs head for more than three minutes.
Overdoses, not COVID-19, drive spike in LA homeless deaths
A new report shows that nearly 2,000 homeless people died in Los Angeles County during the first year of the pandemic, an increase of 56% from the previous year, driven mainly by drug overdoses.
LA spending up to $837,000 to house a single homeless person
A Los Angeles audit finds that a $1.2 billion program intended to quickly build housing for the city's homeless residents is moving too slowly, and costs are climbing.
Bid fails to dismiss Kobe Bryant crash photos lawsuit
Lawyers for Los Angeles County failed in their bid to persuade a federal judge to end Vanessa Bryantโs lawsuit over gruesome photos of the helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant, her daughter Gianna and seven others.
New Year's Rose Parade marches on despite COVID-19 surge
A year after New Yearโs Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 marched on despite a new surge of infections.
The Latest: Pennsylvania virus cases rise among vaccinated
The proportion of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations among vaccinated Pennsylvania residents has risen sharply in the past month, although the shots remain broadly protective.
Los Angeles County votes to phase out oil and gas drilling
Los Angeles Countyโs board of supervisors voted unanimously on Wednesday to phase out oil and gas drilling and ban new drill sites in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Los Angeles County to restore indoor mask mandate for all
Los Angeles Countyโs public health officer says a rapid and sustained increase in COVID-19 cases in the nationโs largest county requires a return to mandatory mask-wearing indoors even when people are vaccinated.
Firefighter kills colleague, wounds another at fire station
Authorities say an off-duty Los Angeles County firefighter fatally shot a fellow firefighter and wounded another at their fire station before going to his nearby home, setting it on fire and apparently killing himself.
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.
Tiger Woods was driving more than 80 mph when he crashed SUV
Tiger Woods was going more than 80 mph โ nearly twice the posted speed limit โ on a downhill stretch of road when he lost control of an SUV outside Los Angeles.
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.
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 SUV's 'black box' 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.
Reactions pour in as Tiger Woods is hospitalized after California crash
FILE - Tiger Woods smiles during a winner's ceremony after winning the Zozo Championship PGA Tour at the Accordia Golf Narashino country club in Inzai, east of Tokyo, Japan, in this Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, file photo. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)Reactions and prayers from colleagues, friends, loved ones, and fans are rolling in for golfer Tiger Woods after a serious car crash in California on Tuesday. Woodsโ former girlfriend, Lindsey Vonn, tweeted, โPraying for TW right now.โ The Olympic skier dated the golfer for about three years before they split in 2015. Praying for TW right now ๐๐ป โ lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 23, 2021Tuesday afternoon, professional golfer Justin Thomas tweeted, โSick to my stomach right now. We know TW is a fighter.
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
About 330,000 doses from the lot had been distributed to nearly 300 providers in California this month. โUnder a Biden administration, our country has a fighting chance at defeating this virus,โ California state Sen. Scott Wiener said Wednesday. 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
FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2021, file photo, health care workers receive a COVID-19 vaccination at Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Pacoima, Calif. Mississippi's Health Department stopped taking new appointments the same day it began accepting them because of a โmonumental surgeโ in requests. Called the โAmerican Rescue Plan,โ the legislative proposal would meet Bidenโs goal of administering 100 million vaccines by the 100th day of his administration. โWe havenโt heard back from the state about vaccine availability and how it would be distributed.โSanta Clara County health officials said the county of 2 million people had only enough vaccine to inoculate people 75 and older, not the 65-and-older crowd. 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: California counties ask for more virus vaccine
California counties counties want more coronavirus vaccine from the governor. ___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
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. Beyoncรฉโs โBlack Is King," which aired on Disney+, is nominated for best music film while โBrown Skin Girl,โ a song dedicated to dark- and brown-skinned women, is nominated for best music video. 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.
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.
The Latest: Tens of thousands on Vegas strip despite warning
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)LAS VEGAS โ Tens of thousands of people were walking on the casino-lined Las Vegas Strip on New Yearโs Eve by early evening despite a plea from Nevada Gov. China on Friday reported a total of 19 new virus cases, including 10 that were brought from outside the country. ___LONDON โ The coronavirus pandemic canceled Londonโs annual New Yearsโ Eve fireworks display, which usually draws tens of thousands of spectators. The nationโs most populated county has about 40% of Californiaโs virus deaths. ___NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ Tennessee ends the year ranked first in coronavirus cases per capita.
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.
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: Virus cases spiral, new closures imminent
(AP Photo/Pamela Hassell)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ With coronavirus cases surging at a record pace, California Gov. The new rules are the Newsom administration's latest attempt to control a virus that is spreading at rates that astonished health experts. 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
Jonathan Eshnaur lugged his 32-inch TV to a Thanksgiving Day family gathering at his sisterโs home in Olathe, Kansas, so he could watch football outside. Health officials are urging people to remain vigilant until a vaccine becomes widely available, which is not expected to happen for at least a few months. Health officials on Monday added 4,425 confirmed infections and 87 hospitalizations to the stateโs pandemic tally since Friday. 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.
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 more rapes in California
LOS ANGELES โ Harvey Weinstein was charged Friday with the rape of two more women, Los Angeles County prosecutors said. Weinstein was charged with three counts of rape and three counts of forcible oral copulation involving the two women, the district attorney's office said. A criminal complaint alleges Weinstein raped a woman at a hotel in Beverly Hills between September 2004 and September 2005, and raped another woman twice between November 2009 and November 2010 at a Beverly Hills hotel. Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer said, โHarvey Weinstein has always maintained that every one of his physical encounters throughout his entire life have been consensual. Prosecutors in Los Angeles have begun the process of extraditing him, but agreed last month to delay attempts to bring him to California because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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.
Homes burned as winds push California fire into desert floor
The fire grew by nearly 20,000 acres to 142 square miles (368 square kilometers). The name of the firefighter killed in the nearby El Dorado Fire was being withheld until family members are notified. More than 7,900 wildfires have burned more than 5,468 square miles (14,164 square kilometers) in California this year, including many since a mid-August barrage of dry lightning ignited parched vegetation. The El Dorado Fire has burned more than 34 square miles (89 square kilometers) and was 59% contained, with 10 buildings destroyed and six damaged. ___Associated Press writer John Antczak in Los Angeles and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Search continues for gunman who shot California deputies
Officials say two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were shot in their patrol car at a Metro rail station in what appeared to be an ambush. The sheriff's department said the male and female deputies were shot in the head and had multiple gunshot wounds and were undergoing surgery. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP)LOS ANGELES โ Authorities were continuing to search Monday for a gunman who walked up to a parked sheriff's squad car and opened fire, critically wounding two Los Angeles County deputies in an ambush recorded on surveillance video. The 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy underwent surgery after the shooting Saturday evening and were expected to recover, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Sunday. Protesters have railed against the LA Sheriffโs Department for weeks over recent shootings by deputies, including the killing of a man on a bicycle last month.