The proposed “False Alarm Ordinance” will be reviewed as part of the board’s final agenda for 2020.

The measure has been discussed in previous years, but the board never reached the point of actually voting to enact it. The proposed ordinance is a result of lengthy research by the county Sheriff’s and Fire departments, as well as the Office of County Counsel, according to documents posted to the board’s policy agenda.

“False alarms consume public safety resources and can increase response times for legitimate emergencies,” a statement posted to the agenda reads. “A false alarm ordinance could reduce the number of false alarms and the time spent responding to them.”

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The proposal draws from provisions contained in similar ordinances on the books in the cities of Corona, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Palm Springs and Riverside.

Data compiled for the board showed that in 2016, sheriff’s deputies were sent to investigate 15,172 alarm calls in unincorporated communities, and of those, 13,461 — 88% — were determined to be false, while 1,674 were canceled before deputies reached the scene. Only 37 alarms were verified as requiring immediate attention, officials said.

The fire department did not provide composite numbers on calls, but noted that in 2017, crews were dispatched to 2,662 false alarms.

Under the proposed ordinance, anytime deputies or firefighters go to a call and determine the alarm to be false, the person or entity whose home or business caused the alarm would receive a written warning. A second call for the same reason would result in a warning that a penalty would be assessed if there is a third call.

A third false alarm would necessitate a fine of $50. A fourth call would lead to a fine of $100, a fifth call $150, and for every call after that — $200.

The penalties would be established as part of the county’s anti-public nuisance code.

Recipients of fines would be entitled to an appeals process, initially via an “Alarm Appeals Officer,” and after that, the courts.

If an alarm company’s faulty system is found to be the cause of the alarms, it, too, could be held liable.

The proposal also specifies that all audible security alarms have an automatic deactivation feature that makes them stop sounding after 15 minutes, and there’s a provision mandating that companies make at least two attempts to contact the property owner or alarm user twice before notifying law enforcement of the alarm.

In 1996, the county established an ordinance seeking to fine alarm companies for false alarms, but several providers sued, and the ordinance was nullified. The current proposal has been court-tested thanks to municipalities passing their own regulations, all of which have withstood scrutiny.

The LA Party Society has been operating without licenses and permits in the downtown Fashion District, prosecutors allege in a lawsuit filed Nov. 25, as well as in defiance of COVID-19 Stay-at-Home orders.

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City Attorney Mike Feuer also said the club is a “hub of violence and crime,” including several shootings over the summer.

“Beyond the bullets, assaults, and criminal activity, packing people into an unlicensed nightclub during the pandemic is the height of irresponsibility,” Feuer said Monday in a news release. “That’s why licensed clubs are closed right now.”

The nuisance abatement lawsuit seeks to permanently shut down the club, which has been operating out of a storefront, as well as prohibit the defendants from using the property as a nightclub in the future.

The lawsuit alleges that the nightclub is advertised as a secret venue on social media and offers pole dancing, music, hookah, performances and a bar. Prosecutors say that while the storefront looks closed, patrons enter through a back door.

The suit names as defendants LA Party Society operator Yves Oscar, Jr., as well as Frontier Holdings East, LLC and Regal Group, LLC, each of which has an ownership interest in the property and are managed by real estate investor David Taban.

They are scheduled to appear in court in April, records show.

It was not immediately clear if Oscar and Taban had attorneys who could speak on their behalf and efforts to reach them were unsuccessful.

Last month 40 families were homeless, as of last week they now have a place of their own.

“By bringing Christmas trees, food for everybody, lunch for today, food for the holidays and generous donors to LA Family Housing — has allowed us to buy thousands of presents for all the children we serve,” Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, from LA Family Housing said.

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This is the first permanent housing complex purchased by the city, with wrap-around social services from LA Family Housing, and with money from state and federal COVID-19 relief funds.

“It’s amazing. We’re in shock. We can’t believe it, that we’re here,” formerly homeless, Carolina Gonzalez said.

One year ago we profiled Carolina and her husband Carlos along with their 5 children, when they were living in a Sylmar motel room. They had been in the system for years and were about to spend Thanksgiving on the street.

A month later, Christmas was spent in their car, before our story led them to LA Family Housing and a temporary shelter out of the cold. Since then, they say they’d bounced around half a dozen times until now.

Now they have their own 3-bed, 2-bath, living room and kitchen, and just in time for Christmas.

“I love you so much, Mr. John. Thank you so much,” Gonzalez said.

Thanking us for sharing their story, and LA Family Housing for navigating them home, they hope their story motivates and gives other families still living without a stable roof some hope these holidays. 

“I didn’t do anything. You guys worked hard to make it happen,” said our own, John Cádiz Klemack.

“Yes, I never gave up and even though my life has changed, I will not give up and I would go through it again, just to be with my family here today,” Gonzalez said.

The new program was spearheaded by the Keck Medicine of USC team in partnership with campus operational teams, according to a letter sent to the USC community from Dr. Sarah Van Orman, USC Student Health’s chief health officer and Keck School of Medicine of USC’s division chief for college health.

The polymerase chain reaction test results will be available within 24-48 hours, but a majority of results will be ready on the same day as the test, Orman said, adding that PCR tests are the “gold standard of COVID-19 testing.”

USC is also pursuing innovative solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“The university is in the process of operationalizing and validating a technology solution for rapid and accurate detection of the virus that causes COVID-19. Data from the validation of this technology is currently under review,” Orman said.

“We hope to share confirmation of this screening system in the next few weeks.”

The university is preparing for a greater density of students, faculty and staff on campus during the spring semester.

The decision extends a modified version of the district’s “no fail” policy of the 2020 spring semester, when schools first closed after the virus outbreak began, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The nation’s second-largest school district said it wants to avoid penalizing students who may be struggling during the public health emergency.

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The Times said the new policy grew out of concerns about the dramatic rise in D and F grades as many schools remain closed and rely on distance-only learning. Many students are coping with is inconsistent or inadequate internet access and an insufficient learning environment at home.

Monday’s directive notes that, compared to last year, grades have deteriorated, especially for “high-need students,” the newspaper reported.

The shooting was reported on the southbound 15 Freeway south of Jurupa Avenue at 5:02 p.m., the California Highway Patrol said.

The call originally came in as a traffic collision, officials said. A witness called 911 and reported seeing a man in a black Kia SUV pull over and get out of his vehicle with a handgun in his hand, officials added.

Few details were available about the gunman.

No other details were immediately available.

The southbound 15 Freeway was shut down with no word on when it will reopen.

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The victim wanted to surprise his wife with a new car for her birthday, so he did not hesitate to contact the person who was selling the vehicle.

According to the ad on Offer Up, the truck, a 2016 Silverado, cost $16,000. The owner then arranged for them to meet, so he could see the vehicle in Corona.

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“The truck was beautiful!” says Lorena, the victim’s daughter. “We were delighted. A whole truck!”

Lorena says that her father negotiated with the seller, who lowered the price down to $14,000.

“My father gave him the money and the boy gave my father the pink slip, auto registration and proof of insurance”.

The seller then left after giving them all the documents and the car. When Lorena and her father called their insurance agent to purchase coverage, they were told that something was wrong.

“The papers did not match those of the truck,” says Lorena. “At that moment, my brother went to look in CARFAX and it said that the truck was stolen.”

Unable to believe it, they decided to call the police. They confirmed that the vehicle was stolen and the license plate was also from another stolen car.

Unfortunately, the authorities confiscated the truck, and they were left without their money.

But they decided not to sit idly by. They checked the Offer Up page again and found the same salesperson who was advertising a 2016 black Silverado pickup.

They made an appointment with the man and notified the police.

“It turns out that the truck was stolen,” says Lorena. “Unfortunately, the seller was not there. He had already fled when we arrived.”

Devastated, they wanted to share their story to prevent other people from falling for this scam.

Recommendations for buying a car online

• Check the car’s history at CARFAX to verify that everything is in order.
• Make an appointment to meet the seller at a police station.
• Also check the vehicle identification number on the National Insurance Crime Bureau website by clicking here. On that page you will also find other options to check the car’s history.

The perfect place to transact the purchase and sale of a used vehicle is the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). There you can request the transfer of the title and it will allow you to make sure that the whole process is legal.

Remember: Never pay until you are sure the entire process is legitimate.

Helen Cordova sat patiently and joked with other medical personnel as she was given the Pfizer vaccine — administered with a shot in her right arm.

Thousands of doses of the vaccine arrived at Los Angeles International Airport Sunday night, marking the first step in a massive undertaking that will see the county attempt to vaccinate 6 million people in six months, beginning with critical health care workers.

LAX officials trumpeted the arrival of the vaccine on Twitter, posting photos of the FedEx jetliner carrying the vaccine, which received formal approval from federal authorities over the weekend for immediate use.

Gov. Gavin Newsom was among the elected officials on hand at the Kaiser Permanente facility in Hollywood to watch Cordova’s inoculation. Moments later, he tweeted, “History made.” A handful of other Kaiser workers were also vaccinated as cameras rolled.

Pfizer and U.S. officials said the vaccine has been found to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Army Gen. Gustave Perna of Operation Warp Speed told reporters Saturday that UPS and FedEx would be delivering the vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the country.

Los Angeles County’s initial allotment of vaccine is expected to be nearly 83,000 doses, a population-based percentage of the roughly 327,000 doses being received by the state of California. The county’s vaccines will be dispersed to nine ultra-cold storage facilities — the locations of which ware not being released due to security concerns, although some hospitals have publicly stated they would be handling the medication. Those facilities will then distribute the doses to 83 acute-care hospitals, which will then oversee its administration to selected critical frontline workers.

UCLA Health officials said they expected to get the vaccines Monday or Tuesday, with shots administered on Wednesday.

“UCLA Health is implementing comprehensive and detailed plans to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccinations. We anticipate a limited number of doses arriving in the next day or two, with additional supplies to follow. We have been designated as a regional hub for distribution to other acute-care hospitals,” a UCLA Health statement said.

“Based on the phased allocations made available to UCLA Health, we are committed to offering vaccinations in a fair, equitable and orderly manner that prioritizes those at greatest risk, consistent with guidelines established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the California and Los Angeles County departments of public health. UCLA Health anticipates beginning to inoculate our own frontline health care workers as soon as Wednesday.”

Officials with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said they had no definitive information yet on when they would be receiving the vaccine.

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According to Newsom’s office, a Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup — a group of experts created by governors of California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington to independently verify the safety of any vaccine — concluded its review of the Pfizer vaccine Sunday and confirmed it is “safe and efficacious.”

The Pfizer vaccine was co-developed by German partner BioNTech. It needs to be stored at minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit.

Last week, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that the county hopes to receive its second allotment of a vaccine made by Moderna — about 250,000 doses, pending FDA approval — around Dec. 20-21. Much of that second dose allotment will be distributed directly skilled nursing facilities, allowing them to administer it right away instead of waiting for a federal distribution agreement with CVS and Walgreens to begin on roughly Dec. 28.

Staff and residents of nursing facilities and long-term care facilities will be among the first wave of people receiving the Moderna vaccine, which does not require the ultra-cold storage needed for the Pfizer vaccine. Long-term care facilities will still receive the vaccine through CVS and Walgreens.

Ferrer said public health officials on Friday began the process of training skilled nursing facility staff on how to administer the vaccination, while noting that those staffers already administer flu vaccines, so it is not a new experience.

The county anticipates receiving another 150,000 doses of vaccine by the end of December, followed by weekly allotments of 250,000 beginning in January. Both vaccines require two doses, separated by about three weeks. With the county planning to vaccinate 6 million people in six months, that equates to 12 million doses of vaccine.

After the distribution of vaccines to health care workers, skilled nursing facilities and long-term care staff and residents is completed, priority will then move to “essential workers” and then to people at highest risk of severe illness from the virus, such as seniors or those with underlying health conditions.

The county’s chief science officer insisted Thursday the process will be done equitably based on health priorities, not on power or prominence.

“Equity is a fundamental principle here,” Dr. Paul Simon said. “We want to make sure all people have access, and that those that are at greatest risk either because of higher risk of exposure, or greater risk of severe illness because of chronic health conditions or other factors have more immediate access to the vaccine.”

Simon conceded that the judgment of who is considered “at risk” could become a matter for debate.

“That probably is going to become an important consideration when we really start to roll things out — when we move beyond the highest-risk groups into groups where the risks may be a little bit more uncertain or there are larger areas of gray,” he said. “And there, I think, we will do our best to prioritize, be as transparent as possible. I don’t think we’re going to be doing validation checks with each person as they float through the line, so I think there is sort of an honor system to some degree. But we will do everything possible to make sure we are doing this in an equitable manner, tending to the risks and making sure that we maximize the benefits.”

The timing of when the vaccine will start to become available to more of the general population remains a mystery. Simon said that while the vaccine offers a glimmer of hope about a potential end to the pandemic and lockdown orders, the county is still in the midst of a dangerous surge in cases, so residents should expect to see restrictions continuing for months.

He said the administration of the vaccine — an effort to vaccinate about 6 million people in six months — will be a “massive undertaking the scale of which many would argue is unprecedented given the time emergency.”

But he said a major factor in moving the county closer to “herd immunity” and an eventual return to normalcy will rely on people actually agreeing to be vaccinated.

“We recognize many folks have concerns about the vaccines and may be hesitant to be vaccinated,” Simon said. “As we implement the county plan to vaccinate literally millions of Angelenos, it will be critically important that we address this vaccine hesitancy with accurate, understandable, culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate information, relying on trusted community leaders to help deliver these messages.”

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The county logged 3,250 COVID-19 new infections, raising the cumulative case total to 105,754.

Hospitalizations jumped from 1,236 Sunday to 1,287, including 288 ICU patients, up from 284 the previous day. Both are new records — a daily occurrence since last week.

The county’s ICU bed availability shrunk from 11.2% Sunday to 9.3% Monday in the unadjusted category, but is at zero for the “adjusted” metric that the state has created to reflect the difference in beds available for COVID-19 patients and non-coronavirus patients.

The Southern California region’s percentage of ICU beds available stands at 2.7%.

No new fatalities were reported Monday in Orange County, leaving the death toll at 1,694. On Sunday, 14 COVID-19 fatalities were reported.

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Last week, the county reported 62 fatalities, up from 41 and 26, respectively, in the two previous weeks.

Prior to this month, the record for ICU patients in Orange was 245 during a mid-July surge. Overall hospitalizations have been breaking records daily since Dec. 2.

Orange County, which had 53% of its ventilators available as of Monday, is awaiting its first shipment of vaccines, expected to arrive Wednesday. About 25,000 doses are expected, according to Orange County CEO Frank Kim.

The county has the necessary deep freezers and dry ice available to store the medicine, he said, noting that frontline hospital workers are expected to be among the first to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

The plan is to use the doses as soon as possible.

“Once it is in, we’re just going to get it all out in 48 hours,” Kim said. “I don’t want to sit on it. The minute it comes in I don’t care what time of day it is, I’ll push it out.”

The outbreak in the jails, which started last week, has escalated to 416 inmates, 37 of whom are newly booked prisoners, said Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“The vast majority are asymptomatic,” Braun said, adding that most of the infected inmates are housed at the Theo Lacy jail in Orange and the men’s Central Jail in Santa Ana.

Sheriff Don Barnes, who had earlier kept testing restricted to newly booked inmates, anyone showing symptoms, or those exposed to an infected person, will now seek to test everyone in the jails, Braun said. When an inmate tests positive, they are restricted to a single cell in isolated status, and any others exposed are being quarantined together as they await test results, Braun said.

The outbreak recently delayed the murder trial of Austin Ambriz when he tested positive on the eve of closing argument and has also affected an ongoing preliminary hearing involving Johnny Martinez, the reputed leader of Orange County’s chapter of the Mexican Mafia. Cordova has tested positive for COVID-19 and is showing symptoms, according to sources.

Martinez is charged with a murder conspiracy in Placentia along with co-defendants Ysrael Cordova, Augustine Velasquez, Gregory David Munoz and Ricardo Valenzuela.

Joel Garson, one of the attorneys involved in the case, criticized officials for allowing the hearing to continue during the outbreak. Martinez has been placed in quarantine, Garson said, and the three other defendants appeared at a hearing this morning.

“Why wasn’t (Cordova) quarantined when he was exposed?” Garson said. “Then I wouldn’t have to worry and nobody else in the courts either. There were bailiffs dealing with him throughout the day. He probably exposed six or seven people within that six-feet radius and sat in a courtroom with a dozen people most of the day (last week) and I assume they knew he was exposed (to another infected inmate).”

Braun said the sheriff is ordered to bus inmates to court and has attempted to reduce the number on the buses. But since inmates from multiple facilities are housed together in a holding tank at the court, there is going to be mixing of populations, Braun acknowledged.

Meanwhile, Barnes has been ordered by an Orange County Superior Court judge to reduce his jail population by half by Friday, meaning 1,800 inmates could be released to home confinement or ankle-bracelet monitoring or just fully set free. Barnes has said he wants to appeal the ruling, which the county Board of Supervisors is expected to consider at Tuesday’s meeting.

“We need to look at all options if the inmates are released prematurely,'” said Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett. “We need to look out for the health and welfare of our citizens in the county… There are no easy answers here, but first and foremost it is our top priority to make sure we keep our residents of the county safe.”

The county is also dealing with an uptick in outbreaks at skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. As of Monday, 29 skilled nursing facilities have had two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 30 assisted living facilities had two or more cases.

County officials have been asked to provide personal protective equipment, more training or staffing to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in those facilities, where the main reason for the spread is likely from employees who contract the virus off-site, Kim said.

Orange County’s adjusted daily case rate per 100,000 rose Tuesday to 30.3, up from 22.2 last week, with the positivity rate increasing from 8.8% to 10.6%.

The county’s Health Equity Quartile Positivity Rate, which measures the cases in highly affected, needier parts of the county, rose from 13% last week to 16.2% this week.

All of the county’s metrics now fall within the state’s most-restrictive, purple, tier of the four-tier coronavirus monitoring system.

“The number of ICU beds has reached capacity, however, the hospitals themselves have the ability through their surge plans to convert other equipment and beds into ICU beds,” said Riverside University Health System spokesman Jose Arballo.

Arballo said there are currently no plans to open up the county’s two federal medical facilities in Riverside and Indio, although he said the equipment remains stored at the sites if needed.

“We are confident that the hospitals have the ability when they get to this point to be able to add more capability to their facilities,” he said.

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The ICU figure includes both COVID and non-COVID patients.

The aggregate number of coronavirus infections recorded since the public health documentation period began in early March was 119,691 as of Monday, compared to 112,950 on Friday, according to RUHS data. The number of deaths tied to COVID-19 rose to 1,586.

The RUHS reported 930 COVID-positive hospitalizations, up 121 from Friday. The number includes 184 patients being treated in intensive care units, up 14 from Friday. Both are records.

The county does not release updated coronavirus statistics on weekends.

Meanwhile, Riverside County officials announced that they anticipate the first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine to begin arriving in the region on Friday. Officials estimate the county will receive between 14,000 and 15,000 doses. Selected healthcare workers at the county’s acute care hospitals will be the first to receive the vaccine, which has been found to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19, according to Pfizer and U.S. officials.

The number of known active virus cases countywide is 47,291, an increase of 5,504 compared to Friday. The active count is derived by subtracting deaths and recoveries from the current total — 119,691 — according to the county Executive Office.

The number of verified patient recoveries is 70,814. That figure has previously been underreported due to health officials not being able to confirm the status of patients in follow-up interviews.

Riverside County’s overall state-calculated positivity rate is 14.8%.

The 11-county Southern California region’s available ICU capacity dropped to 2.7% Monday.

The metric is a key indicator for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “regional stay-at-home” order, which went into effect just before midnight on Dec. 6 locally. The order was triggered when ICU bed availability across Southern California fell below 15%.

The mandate is slated to remain in effect until at least Dec. 28, when regions may be moved out of lockdown if bed capacity has recovered.

It impacts bars, theaters, museums, hair salons, indoor recreational facilities, amusement parks and wineries — all of which are supposed to remain closed. Restaurants are confined to takeout and delivery, with capacity limitations on retail outlets.

Noel Jesse Plata, 45, was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison before 4 a.m. and pronounced dead about a half-hour later despite employee’s attempt at life-saving measures and outside medical assistance, they said.

No foul play is suspected, but officials said his death is being investigated. The cause of death will be decided by a coroner.

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He and an accomplice, Ronald Tri Tran, were sentenced to death for the first-degree murder of Linda Park, 18. The two gang members tortured her into revealing where her family kept its valuables, then strangled her.

Plata was already in prison serving a sentence of life with the possibility of parole for another first-degree murder when he was convicted in Park’s slaying.

There are currently 710 people on California’s death row, the nation’s largest, though Gov. Gavin Newsom has imposed a moratorium on executions so long as he is governor.

The conference’s North Division winner, the Washington Huskies, have been pulled from the game due to COVID-19 cases that left the team without enough eligible players to compete, the conference announced Monday.

So now the Trojans will take on the Oregon Ducks, which finished just behind Washington in the North Division. Fifty-three scholarship players are needed, and the Huskies also were below the number required for a specific position requirement.

Washington’s athletic director issued a statement expressing disappointment. The unusual, but not unexpected, development seemed a possibility after Washington had to cancel last week’s game against Oregon.

“I am crushed for our student-athletes, coaches and staff who have worked tirelessly to find a healthy way to compete this season,” UW Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen said in a statement. “Husky student-athletes come to Washington to compete for championships, so this one really hurts for everyone involved — our students, our coaches and our community of loyal Husky fans and alumni. Our football program has battled through adversity all year during these challenging times, and I am so disappointed they won’t have the opportunity to play and represent the University of Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game Friday night.”

The Trojans (5-0) finished a brief regular season with a comeback win Saturday over UCLA.

Fees will be waived in structures 1 to 6. The Promenade is also offering free holiday-themed entertainment through Jan. 3. Restaurants and retailers have implemented a number of amenities to make holiday dining and shopping easier, with in-store and curbside pickup and takeaway dining options.

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With holiday celebrations and family gatherings scaled back this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, local restaurants are emphasizing takeout options. Click here for a full list of restaurants offering takeout, delivery and gift cards for the holidays.

In addition to buying local, utilizing delivery services and to-go orders, there are a number of safe ways to support businesses while at home without having to spend any money, including writing a positive review, following them on social media, and liking, commenting and sharing their posts with friends and family, according to Downtown Santa Monica, a private nonprofit that works with the city of Santa Monica to manage services and operations.

The group urges people to follow @DTSantaMonica on Instagram and Twitter or DowntownSantaMonica on Facebook to stay connected with local businesses, and explore gift ideas and resources on how to continue supporting them.

Local shoppers are also encouraged to visit DowntownSM.com and use the Santa Monica “Open for Business” map with the latest information on businesses, including hours and their website to plan ahead and see if in-store pick-up or special hours are available for people who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19.

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An important decision is expected this week on whether the monarch butterfly, facing a global extinction crisis, should receive federal designation as a threatened species.

Increased use of farm herbicides, climate change and destruction of milkweed plants on which they depend have caused a massive decline of the orange-and-black butterflies, which long have flitted over meadows, gardens and wetlands across the U.S. The drop-off that started in the mid-1990s has spurred a preservation campaign involving schoolchildren, homeowners and landowners, conservation groups, governments and businesses.

Some contend those efforts are enough to save the monarch without federal regulation. But environmental groups say protection under the Endangered Species Act is essential — particularly for populations in the West, where last year fewer than 30,000 remained of the millions that spent winters in California’s coastal groves during the 1980s.

This year’s count, though not yet official, is expected to show only about 2,000 there, said Sarina Jepsen, director of the endangered species program at the Xerces Society conservation group.

“We may be witnessing the collapse of the of the monarch population in the West,” Jepsen said.

Scientists separately estimate up to an 80% monarch decline since the mid-1990s in the eastern U.S., although numbers there have shown a recent uptick.

The Trump administration has rolled back protections for endangered and threatened species in its push for deregulation, even as the United Nations says 1 million species — one of every eight on Earth — face extinction because of climate change, development and other human causes.

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Under a court agreement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must respond by Tuesday to a 2014 petition from conservation groups on behalf of the monarch.

The agency could propose or decline to list the butterfly as threatened, which means likely to become in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future throughout all or much of its range. Or it could find that a such listing is deserved but other species have a higher priority, which might delay action indefinitely.

A recommendation to designate the butterfly as threatened would be followed by a yearlong period to take public comment and reach a final decision.

Listing it “would guarantee that the monarch would get a comprehensive recovery plan and ongoing funding,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The monarch is so threatened that this is the only prudent thing to do.”

If the status is granted, federal agencies would have to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service about potential harm to monarchs from actions proposed for government funding or permitting, such as expanding interstate highways. The service would prescribe other measures in a regulation tailored specifically for the butterfly.

Orley “Chip” Taylor, an insect ecologist at the University of Kansas, agreed the butterfly’s long-term prognosis is grim but said he opposes a federal listing for now, fearing it would sour many rural residents on helping the monarch.

“There’s a palpable fear of regulation out there,” he said, adding that voluntary measures should be given additional time.

Monarchs in southern Canada and the eastern U.S. migrate by the millions to mountainous areas of Mexico each winter, while those west of the continental divide head to coastal California. They congregate so thickly in forests that scientists can estimate their numbers through aerial inspections of trees with an orange hue.

Worsening droughts are reducing the number that survive the journey south for winter, Taylor said, while rising temperatures prompt the butterflies to leave their wintering grounds too soon, damaging reproduction. As the forests dry out, wildfire risk worsens.

If habitat losses and climate change aren’t slowed, “we aren’t going to have a monarch migration in 30 years,” Taylor said.

Environmental groups say 165 million acres of monarch habitat — an area the size of Texas — have been lost in the past 20 years to development or herbicide applications in cropland. They point to heavy farm use of Round Up, or glyphosate, in particular.

Genetically modified corn and soybeans can withstand the poisons, but they wipe out milkweed, on which the butterflies lay their eggs. Caterpillars feed only on milkweed leaves, while adults eat nectar from their flowers and pollinate the plants.

Federal protection for the monarch would draw stiff resistance from agriculture groups concerned that habitat protection rules might interfere with farm operations.

Milkweed can reduce crop yields and sicken livestock that eat it, “so farmers have spent decades trying to get rid of it,” said Laura Campbell of the Michigan Farm Bureau, which has participated in a statewide monarch recovery program. “It’s a hard sell to tell farmers, ‘Hey, you need to start planting milkweed again.’”

Some farmers and ranchers have planted milkweed on lands set aside for conservation. Numerous organizations and individuals are working to restore monarch habitat, focusing on backyard gardens as well as highway and utility corridors.

“But a lot is happening that’s taking away habitat at the same time,” said Karen Oberhauser, a restoration ecologist and arboretum director at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “It’s like we’re running fast but staying in the same place.”

Twenty-five years ago, the 6-year-old son of a chemist named Jim Edward just happened to catch a monarch tagged by Oberhauser’s researchers, when the butterfly wandered into Edward’s yard in Minnesota.

Since then, captivated by the butterfly and its complex migration over generations, Edward has raised monarchs to tell and show hundreds of school groups about the unending migrations.

“Just the exposure of kids to that, that don’t necessarily get to see” wildlife otherwise, he said. “Their enthusiasm, their joy, their ‘oh, wowness’ — to see that.”

Some enthusiasts fear they could no longer harvest eggs and raise monarchs if the species gains federal protections. Curry said her group has recommended that careful, small-scale, noncommercial raising be allowed.

Sheila Naylor, a substitute teacher near Sedalia, Mo., says the chance discovery of a milkweed plant in her yard five years ago inspired a quest to grow the monarch’s host plant in every available inch of yard and roadside.

She visits the Missouri state fair, schools and elder care homes, pleading the case for preserving monarch and other native butterflies.

“I push myself,” Naylor said, “because the butterflies keep me going.”

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Los Angeles Unified School District campuses would be an ideal setting for administering COVID-19 vaccines to students and their families, Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday, while again imploring elected officials to provide financial support for schools to prepare for an eventual return to in-person instruction.

Noting that more than 230,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted on school campuses, Beutner said the campuses are geographically positioned to provide access to the vaccine — first to essential school workers and eventually to students and families.

“The country faces an enormous challenge in making sure the vaccine is made available to essential workers, like the staff who work in our schools as well as those who have been most impacted by the virus: low-income communities of color like those served by our schools,” Beutner said in an address to the school community. “Health experts will need to answer the question of how to provide
people with access to the vaccine, including shipping and distributing the vaccine, and training clinical staff to properly administer it.

“Schools may be a good answer to the question of where the vaccine can best be
provided.”

Beutner said LAUSD is organized around 42 groupings of schools that each serve a local community. Within each community, there are several hundred thousand people, he said.

Coronavirus Deaths in Your City and State — and Across the US

These charts use daily coronavirus death data from Johns Hopkins University to show the seven-day moving average of deaths at the city, state and country level.

The impact of coronavirus varies enormously in the United States from one place to another.

Source: Johns Hopkins University.
Credit: Visuals by Amy O’Kruk/NBC, data analysis by Ron Campbell/NBC

“It makes sense to provide the vaccine to students and their families at a place they trust, where they are almost every day — their local neighborhood school,” he said.

Beutner and the top school administrators in New York and Chicago had an op-ed in The Washington Post over the weekend, repeating Beutner’s call for a “Marshall Plan” — the coordinated relief effort for Western Europe following World War II — for supporting schools as they look to return to in-person instruction once the pandemic eases.

Beutner said there has been a great deal of attention to the pandemic’s impact on hospitals, emergency rooms, businesses and the overall economy.

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“There’s not been enough media coverage or attention paid to the plight of children during this crisis,” he said. “Not just their struggles with online education, but the impact this is having on their social and emotional wellbeing. This issue too is very real. There’s an old saying: `Just because you can’t measure something, doesn’t mean it’s not important.’ This is even more important when it comes to children. Their wellness can’t be easily measured. They lack voice in the conversation … but their needs are very real.”

Beutner shared a bit of good news amid the pandemic, saying the Class of 2020 had a record-high graduation rate of 82.9%, something he called a remarkable accomplishment. But he stressed that the ongoing pandemic and issues with online learning will impact future graduation rates.

A smoke advisory remains in effect through Monday afternoon due to the Sanderson Fire, reported at 1 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of La Borde Canyon Road and Jack Rabbit Trail. The fire exploded in size partly because it was burning in a hard-to-reach spot and the windy conditions in the area, fire officials said.

An evacuation warning was issued Sunday morning for homes north of Gilman Springs Road and south of Timothy Lane, including Jerry Street, McGehee Drive, Alberta Lane, Laurene Lane, Lisa Lane and Kevin Road.

The warning impacted fewer than a dozen homes and was lifted at 12:45
p.m., fire officials said.

The fire also prompted the closure of Gilman Springs Road between Alessandro Boulevard and Bridge Street.

Three water-dropping helicopters and four air tankers were assisting
the 130 firefighters battling the blaze on the ground.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory through Monday afternoon, warning that smoke from the fire was negatively affecting air quality and was moving west toward Moreno Valley, Temescal Valley, Corona, Chino Valley and Anaheim.

Officials in Anaheim, Fullerton and Brea reported that smoke from the fire was visible Sunday, with the Fullerton Police Department receiving numerous 911 calls regarding the smell of smoke and ash in the Fullerton area. The officials stressed that there was no wildfire in Orange County.

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Sheriff Alex Villanueva suspended the deputies on Monday, according to Deputy Shawn Du Busky of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“When you’re relieved of duty, they usually take your badge and firearm so you’re unable to do any police action pending the end of the investigation,” Du Busky told City News Service.

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The investigation is related to a traffic collision that occurred on April 13, Du Busky said, but he could not provide further information while the investigation is ongoing.

Deputy Miguel Vega, the deputy that shot Guardado in June, was driving a patrol vehicle about 5 p.m. on April 13 with a suspect in the backseat, when he pursued a man on a bicycle and crashed the patrol vehicle in an alley near Mona Boulevard and 130th Street in Willowbrook, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Vega was following the bicyclist because he believed he had a firearm, and when the bicyclist was about 30 feet ahead, Vega sped up and crashed into a concrete wall and a parked car, according to The Times.

The man in the backseat of the patrol vehicle sustained minor injuries. He told investigators Vega accelerated to between 55 and 60 mph, while Vega reported that he accelerated to between 30 and 35 mph, The Times reported.

Chris Hernandez, the other deputy involved in Guardado’s death, was suspended in connection with the collision, but it was not immediately clear how he was involved.

The FBI, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Inspector General are monitoring the investigation, according to Du Busky.

The deputies were involved in the sheriff’s department’s June 18 killing of Guardado, who was fatally shot when he was running from authorities while working as an informal security guard at an auto shop near Gardena.

The killing led to a coroner’s office inquest — the first in Los Angeles County in over 30 years — into the death.

The inquest’s hearing officer, retired California Court of Appeals Justice Candace D. Cooper, has not made findings related to Guardado’s cause and manner of death.

Initial allocations of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Southern California Sunday night, marking a major milestone in the nation’s largest vaccination effort.

California anticipates delivery of about 327,000 doses in the first round. In Los Angeles County, roughly 83,000 doses could be received, welcomed news in a region that has seen staggering increases in case counts, fatalities and hospitalizations.

Here’s what happens next, keys to vaccine distribution and other frequently asked questions.

Note: This page will be updated as more details about vaccine distribution become available.

Who will get the vaccine first?

In California, priority will go to healthcare workers on the pandemic’s front lines and long-term care residents. Priority phases are developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and with guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

Health care workers are deemed a top priority in receiving vaccinations in what is known as “Phase 1a” of the CDC-determined distribution plan. Los Angeles County will distribute the initial wave of doses to acute-care hospitals. Vaccines for long-term care staff and residents will be distributed via a federal contract with CVS and Walgreens.

That first group will be followed by essential workers. Beyond the high priority groups, California officials have not yet outlined who will be next in line for vaccines.

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Will there be enough for all health workers?

No, not in this first allocation. In LA County, vaccines will be distributed to a total of 83 hospitals for administration to staff members, but providing shots for all will take time.

When will more allocations arrive?

Los Angeles County hopes to receive a second allocation of vaccines by Dec. 21, with priority expanding to include residents and staff at skilled nursing centers and long-term care facilities.

The federal plan might include a third allocation at the end of December, then weekly allocations throughout the upcoming new year, LA County health officials said.

When will vaccines be available to the general public?

The pending arrival of vaccines offers some glimmer of hope about an potential end to the pandemic, but officials noted it will be well into next year until vaccines are available to the general public. Initial doses will be limited as manufacturing ramps up.

Where will vaccines be distributed?

Schools, libraries, current testing sites and clinics are all candidates. Ralphs pharmacies and CVS also plan to distribute the vaccine.

How many shots are needed?

All but one vaccine under development require two shots. Pfizer’s second shot is three weeks later, and Moderna’s is four weeks. The doses are administered days apart to achieve the effectiveness in clinical trials. The vaccines work in different ways, but they all assist the immune system in fighting the virus. It usually takes a few weeks after the second dose for a vaccine to provide full protection.

How long will widespread vaccination take?

It will likely take months to immunize everyone who wants to be vaccinated in the United States. The head of President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed program has said the U.S. should be able to distribute enough doses to immunize 100 million Americans by the end of February — or nearly a third of the U.S. population. He has said the entire U.S. population — those seeking a vaccine — could be vaccinated by June.

Can I get COVID-19 from the COVID-19 vaccine?

No. A vaccine simply teaches your body’s immune system how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Here’s a close look at how the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine works.

How will the vaccine be shipped?

FedEx and UPS officials say their shipping networks are ready, even as they already face a busy holiday season. Vaccines will be loaded and unloaded before other cargo, and flights carrying vaccines will receive priority from the Federal Aviation Administration, the officials said. Vaccine packages will have special labels and devices to monitor location and temperature — a key factor in vaccine shipping and storage. US Marshals will play a role in protecting the vaccine shipments.

What about side effects?

Most people don’t have serious side effects from vaccines. Severe reactions are extremely rare, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. As for Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines only 10% to 15% of volunteers reported side effects that were “significantly noticeable.” Participants told CNBC in September that they experienced high fever, body aches, headaches, exhaustion and other symptoms. While uncomfortable, the participants said they often went away after a day and sooner.

The FDA said there is currently insufficient data to make conclusions about the safety of the vaccine in children under age 16, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.

If you do experience side effects, report it here.

What about allergic reactions?

Vaccines can sometimes cause allergic reactions, but they’re rare, usually brief and don’t come as a surprise. Here’s an explainer.

Once the vaccine arrives in California, where is it stored?

Proper storage is one of the keys to vaccine distribution. They must be stored at extremely low temperatures. Pfizer’s vaccine requires storage at around minus 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA and UC San Francisco Medical Center are some of the locations with that capability.

What if I’ve already had COVID-19?

It’s still a good idea to get vaccinated. The FDA said patients may still be at risk of reinfection and could benefit from the vaccine. One problem is that researchers are still trying to determine how long antibody response lasts.

What about children and pregnant women?

You must be 18 to get the coronavirus vaccine. Pfizer began enrolling children between 12 and 17 for trial in the fall. Moderna’s trials for children are just starting.

Pregnant woman have been excluded from large-scale clinical trials. Dr. Christopher Zahn, the vice president of practice activities of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told NBC News that pregnant women should consult their doctors and make a decision based on the available data and their “individual risk factors and the potential benefits.”

Does a vaccine replace masks?

No. What kind of effect the vaccine will have in real-life conditions outside of clinical trials remains to be seen. So, for now, the strategies that have worked to limit the virus’ spread — masks, distancing, hand-washing — still apply.

“It’s only still a piece of the puzzle,” said NBCLA contributor nurse Alice Benjamin.

Can my employer requires me to get vaccinated?

About four in 10 Americans say they would “definitely” or “probably” not get a vaccine, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Some companies may consider compulsory vaccinations, but there are some exceptions under the law. So here’s what to know.

What if the virus mutates?

Not long after China collected samples of the virus and published its genetic code online, allowing researchers to start work on a vaccine, scientists noticed a more contagious strain was spreading in Europe. In a survival-of-the-fittest scenario, the virus was adapting and changing. Here’s how scientists monitor those changes and what it means for vaccines.

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That was the advice given to Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker ahead of his second preseason game on Sunday night.

In his first preseason game on Friday, Horton-Tucker showed flashes of brilliance. He played so well in that contest that he caught the attention of 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who needed confirmation that the rising star was still just 20 years old.

In his second preseason game on Sunday, Horton-Tucker turned heads again, scoring a team-high 33 points and 10 rebounds in the Lakers 131-106 thrashing of the LA Clippers.

At one point in the game, Horton-Tucker showed off his length and defensive prowess, when he swiped the ball away from Leonard and pushed it on the offensive end on the break. In real time, it was a play reminiscent of Leonard himself, able to snatch the ball out of opponent’s hands with ease.

Horton-Tucker had it all on display on Sunday night, and he had his teammates and coaches raving about him after the game.

“Honestly, I didn’t know a whole lot about him,” admitted new-Laker Marc Gasol, who made his debut in the purple and gold on Sunday. “He’s been awesome to watch, awesome to play with. I like his size. He plays down hill and tries to get into the paint and attack. He’s a good finisher and I love how tenacious he is on defense. He’s a great kid.”

Gasol finished with six points and five assists on Sunday. Montrezl Harrell had 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team, the second straight double-double against the Clippers.

Kyle Kuzma continued to impress in the preseason with 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the victory.

Lou Williams led the Clippers with 12 points and Leonard chipped in 11.

The next question for Horton-Tucker moving forward is just how much playing time he well receive once the regular season starts on Dec. 22.

Naturally, Horton-Tucker received this opportunity to play 41 minutes on Sunday because the Lakers were tremendously shorthanded. LeBron James and Anthony Davis rested for the second consecutive game. Wes Matthews, Alex Caruso, Dennis Schroder, Alfonzo McKinnie, Devontae Cacok, and Kostas Antetokounmpo also did not play for the Lakers.

With just a couple other guards on the active roster on Sunday, Horton-Tucker was given his opportunity to shine. However, that will likely not be the case come the regular season. The biggest hurdle for Horton-Tucker moving forward will be sitting patiently for his opportunity, and trying to find a rhythm quickly once those limited minutes do come.

“It’s going to make my job difficult for sure,” said Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel when asked how he’s going to find minutes for Horton-Tucker. “We have a very deep team. No minutes are guaranteed.”

Vogel and the Lakers front office will be handed the difficult task of trying to repeat as NBA Champions in 2021, while simultaneously developing young players like Horton-Tucker and Kuzma for the future. Now that the Lakers have seen firsthand what Horton-Tucker is capable of doing on the court given the opportunity, striking a balance between developing chemistry with the starting unit and creating a runway for younger players to take flight will be a chore to say the least. In the meantime, the humble Horton-Tucker is just happy to be out there.

“It’s a blessing,” Horton-Tucker said of the playing time he got on Sunday night. “Tonight was really my second game actually playing and getting minutes. Being able to get that opportunity was really important for me. If I compete on the defensive end, I think it will give me opportunities to get on the court.”

Thankfully for Horton-Tucker, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new NBA Health and Safety protocols this season, he might get more opportunities for playing time than he otherwise would during a normal season.

Antetokounmpo and Cacok were examples of that on Sunday night. Both players missed the game with excused absences because of the league’s new protocols, as did Clippers point guard Reggie Jackson. With the virus still surging across the country, and the vaccine still not available to the majority of the country, players will most likely have to miss games and quarantine for as little as two weeks if they contract the virus during the season. That means more playing time for others.

Horton-Tucker might not get more than 10 minutes a game once the regular season begins, but with injuries, and health and safety concerns, he certainly will get his opportunities. If Sunday was indicative of what he will do with them once they come, the future looks bright for this sophomore sensation.

The crash took place about 6:40 p.m. at 19965 Temescal Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. An Internet search of the address indicated the shop was Lalo’s Tires.

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The driver was seen running from the scene, the CHP reported. There was no available description of the driver.

There was no word on the age or gender of the victim who apparently died at the scene. The victim’s name will be withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The crash remained under investigation by the CHP.

The shooting happened about 9:30 p.m. Friday in the 900 block of Loma Vista Drive, Long Beach police reported.

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Detectives learned that Miguel Reyes of Long Beach and an unidentified woman were getting out of their car when they were confronted by a group of men, at least one of whom opened fire, hitting Reyes but not the woman, LBPD reported.

Officers and paramedics were summoned to the scene, rendered aid and paramedics took Reyes to a local hospital, police said. Reyes died from his injuries Saturday, but police were not informed of the death until Sunday, they said.

The suspects fled the scene on foot after the shooting, according to police.

No suspect information was available.

Anyone with information on this homicide was asked to call LBPD Detectives Michael Hubbard or Ethan Shear at 562-570-7244. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

The blaze, dubbed the “Sanderson Fire,” was reported at around 1 a.m. near the intersection of La Borde Canyon Road and Jack Rabbit Trail, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The fire exploded in size partly because it was burning in a hard-to- reach spot and the windy conditions in the area, fire officials said.

An evacuation warning was issued for homes north of Gilman Springs Road and south of Timothy Lane, including Jerry Street, McGehee Drive, Alberta Lane, Laurene Lane, Lisa Lane and Kevin Road. 

The warning impacted fewer than a dozen homes, fire officials said. Gilman Springs Road was closed between Alessandro Boulevard and Bridge Street. 

Three water-dropping helicopters and four air tankers were assisting the 130 firefighters battling the blaze on the ground.

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USC Student Health and the USC athletic medicine staff will conduct contact tracing. The individual who tested positive was identified prior to contact with anyone expected to participate in Sunday’s game. 

The individual who tested positive has been isolated. The Pac-12 Conference has been alerted.

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The teams were notified of the postponement in the afternoon before either had arrived at the Galen Center. The postponement was announced about 2 1/2 hours before the game’s scheduled 6:30 p.m. start.

The Pac-12 will work with both programs to attempt to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule the game.

Additional information on the statuses of USC’s home game against the University of San Francisco Wednesday and at Oregon State next Sunday will be provided later.

Andres Zambrano, believed to be 30 years old, was arrested while eating at a restaurant in Colima, Mexico, Friday by Mexican authorities, returned to California Saturday and turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the FBI.

FBI agents and LAPD detectives had developed information on Zambrano’s whereabouts and provided it to Mexican authorities in the Colima area, the FBI said.

Zambrano is accused of shooting the mother of his then-2-year-old child in front of her Los Angeles home on March 16, 2017.

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Based on the investigation by LAPD detectives, Zambrano was charged with murder in Los Angeles and a state warrant was issued for his arrest March 20, 2017, the FBI said. 

Less than two weeks later, he was charged with the federal crime of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest.

In 2019, the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force, the LAPD, the sheriff’s department and counterparts in Mexico publicized the cases of a dozen fugitives, including Zambrano, who had allegedly committed crimes in Los Angeles and fled, like many to Mexico.

The FBI offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, but it was undisclosed whether someone will qualify for the reward.

Booking information was not immediately available.

The launch was rescheduled for 9:30 a.m. PST Sunday and went off smoothly. According to SpaceX, Friday’s launch was pushed back “to perform additional ground system checkouts.” 

The SXM-7 satellite being deployed in the mission will replace one of SiriusXM’s five satellites already in orbit. Another replacement satellite is scheduled to be launched next month. 

Following the launch, SpaceX landed the first stage of the rocket on a droneship named “Just Read the Instructions” floating in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first stage of the rocket being used in the mission has flown six times previously, making it the company’s second most-veteran flight vehicle. A different booster has already flown seven times, but this mission ties that mark. 

Also being reused on the mission is one-half of the rocket’s “fairing,” or nosecone, that protects the satellite as it’s being propelled into orbit.

The mission marks the first time such a veteran rocket and previously used fairing have been deployed in a fully commercial launch — something experts say is a major expression of the confidence SiriusXM has in SpaceX’s cost-cutting rocket-recovery efforts. 

SpaceX on Wednesday conducted a test launch of a prototype Starship being designed for trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. 

The ship successfully traveled about eight miles into the air and, during its descent back to Earth, made a successful landing flip maneuver. 

However, the ship exploded on touchdown, with SpaceX founder Elon Musk saying the ship’s velocity was too high on landing. 

Despite the fireball that destroyed the ship, the mission was deemed an overall success thanks to the level of flight information engineers were able to obtain and further advance design work on the craft. After the mission, Musk tweeted, “Mars, here we come!!”

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To date, health officials have reported 512,872 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of the county and a total of 8,269 deaths.

A statement from the health department said, “Our daily case numbers are unlike any we have ever seen in our county and reflect extraordinarily high rates of community transmission; activities we were able to do just a few weeks back, now present far too much risk for virus transmission.”

It’s been a record-shattering week by all key Public Health indicators. A month ago, the 5-day average of cases was 2,134, on Saturday it was 10,034 — an increase of 370%. The 5-day average of deaths one month ago, was 12; it is now 62. During that same span of time, hospitalizations increased by more than 300% — there are now 3,850 COVID-19 patients hospitalized countywide, and 22% of them are in the ICU.

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“We’re in uncharted territory at this point,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “We’re seeing daily numbers of cases and hospitalizations that we’ve not experienced and frankly did not anticipate. Our intensive care unit capacity continues to drop. We’re on a very dangerous track to seeing unprecedented and catastrophic suffering and death here in L.A. County if we can’t stop the surge. And in order to stop this very dangerous surge, today I’m making a request to everyone in L.A. County to stay home as much as possible.”

Ferrer said if current trends continue, the number of coronavirus patients hospitalized and in intensive care will double in two weeks. According to the county Department of Public Health website, the county as of Thursday had 606 non-specialized adult hospital beds available, and 71 adult ICU beds.

For the week that ended last Saturday, the county averaged 658 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in ICU beds each day, along with 1,483 ICU patients being treated for non-COVID reasons, leaving a daily average of 96 available/staffed beds.

Ferrer said cases were already trending upward in the county prior to Thanksgiving, prompting the county to cut off outdoor dining at restaurants, but the current dramatic surge in cases is directly attributable to gatherings and travel that occurred over the holiday in spite of public health warnings, creating a surge on top of a surge.

And if another surge from Christmas compounds matters, the situation at hospitals “could become catastrophic,” she said.

Dwindling ICU capacity prompted the state this week to impose a regional stay at home order for the 11-county Southern California region. The order was triggered when overall ICU capacity dropped below 15%. As of last Saturday, the state’s estimated ICU capacity for the region — adjusted based on the percentage of current COVID-19 versus non-COVID ICU patients — dropped to 5.3%.

The state’s regional stay-at-home order — which covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties — bars gatherings of people from different households.

Under the order, the following businesses/recreational facilities were forced to close:

   — indoor recreational facilities;

   — hair salons and barbershops;

   — personal care services;

   — museums, zoos, and aquariums;

   — movie theaters;

   — wineries;

   — bars, breweries and distilleries;

   — family entertainment centers;

   — card rooms and satellite wagering;

   — limited services;

   — live audience sports; and

   — amusement parks.

Schools with waivers can remain open, along with “critical infrastructure” and retail stores, which will be limited to 20% of capacity. Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Hotels are allowed to open “for critical infrastructure support only,” while churches would be restricted to outdoor only services. Entertainment production — including professional sports — would be allowed to continue without live audiences.

The order will remain in effect until at least Dec. 28.

Ferrer warned that residents need to adhere to health restrictions, or the situation at hospitals will devolve rapidly.

“Many of us have seen images from other cities and countries of overrun hospitals, exhausted health care workers and critically ill patients being treated in hospital hallways because there are simply no rooms left,” she said. “This is what we’re working so hard to desperately avoid.”

But she said given the issues with staffing, an extended surge will make it “really hard to keep up with this level of demand without there being the need for there to be additional difficult decisions made by our hospitals around prioritizing some procedures over others.”

“It can unfortunately end up with compromises in care that none of us ever want to experience,” she said. “And we don’t have to. We’re not there yet. The question is can we stop the surge.”

A new program offered through Claremont Colleges is providing prisoners at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco with access to four-year bachelor degree opportunities, via livestreamed classes that traditional students also attend.

The “Inside-Out Pathway-to-BA” at Pitzer College in Claremont is focused on giving incarcerated individuals the means to acquire liberal arts degrees, and the first eight enrollees from the prison are bound for graduation next year, if they stay the course, according to campus officials.

“Pitzer is demonstrating that there is a sustainable way for colleges and universities to build degree programs in prisons and better serve the needs of their traditional students,” political studies professor Nigel Boyle said. “Widely replicated, this model can have a crucial role in moving the U.S. away from this cycle of mass incarceration.”

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Claremont Colleges, which along with Pitzer includes four other undergraduate colleges and two graduate schools, announced Thursday that the first acceptance letters for the Inside-Out Pathway-to-BA program had been sent.

The program, part of the intercollegiate Justice Education Initiative, is touted as the first of its kind nationwide.

“Inside-Out Pathway-to-BA is at the heart of the college’s educational objectives and core values, particularly social and racial justice, social responsibility and the ethical implications of knowledge and action,” Pitzer President Melvin Oliver said. “Our Claremont students and faculty get the experience of a unique academic environment, and it provides ‘inside’ students a path to a better future.”

The 32-course requirement for an inmate’s graduation is the same for students attending outside the correctional system, according to campus officials. To qualify for admission, inmate students must also have accumulated three years of college credits — two years from community colleges and one from a four-year accredited institution — via distance learning or other means.

The current crop of incarcerated students is working toward baccalaureate degrees concentrated in “organizational studies,” which encompasses elements of psychology, sociology and economics, Oliver said.

All students, whether behind bars or learning from home, can interact via online platforms, he said.

Claremont Colleges published data indicating that education has a direct bearing on recidivism rates. One study showed that 86% of inmates released from prison are likely to perpetrate crimes within three years of parole. However, the odds of recidivism drop 40% when parolees receive some form of education while locked up. It also leads to enhanced employment prospects, according to the research.

Feon Cooper and Kareem Burton, the owners of Black Star Collectibles, say their friendship and now their business partnership is rooted in their long-time love for toys, comics and superheroes, even though as kids they couldn’t identify with any of the characters portrayed in the toys.

“We would go into different stores, and we wouldn’t really see any representation of us, so we wanted to bring a store that would represent us,” said Burton.

“There are a lot of characters that represent us, but the information is not out…you would have to go on a scavenger hunt,” said Cooper.

That’s why despite the anxiety that comes when opening a new business, especially during the pandemic, Cooper and Burton say they are blessed. They finally achieved their childhood dream of opening a business that represents them.

“It’s been truly a blessing for us,” Burton said. 

And their business has been well received by the community.

“I think it’s really inspiring, I think it’s something that people should go for more,” said Maria Hernandez, one of their customers.

The business partners say their shop offers a large variety of products with the Black community in mind, including “comic books, toys, and barbies.”

“[The shop] got all of my favorite things, comic books, basketball and collectibles, I honestly felt like I needed this place,” said Evan Johnson who visited the store attracted by its Black Panther theme.

With their business, Burton and Cooper hope to fulfill their customers’ needs and most importantly, they say, prove that representation matters.

“We want to provide an experience, we want [customers] to come in here with butterflies and leave with a smile,” said Cooper.

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Robert Sloan Mateer, 30, is named in a five-count indictment charging him with possession of at least 15 or more unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud, aggravated identity theft, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of ammunition, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

If convicted of all charges, Mateer would face between 17 years and life in prison.

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According to an affidavit, during a traffic stop on Oct. 1, Pasadena police officers arrested Mateer and found inside his Maserati 17 unemployment benefits debit cards, several other credit and debit cards, $197,711 in cash, more than 85 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm with no serial number.

Prosecutors allege that evidence gathered during the investigation determined that at least 14 of the 17 debit cards were loaded with at least $133,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, later determined to have been issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed by Congress in March, and had been issued in the names of third-parties, including identity theft victims.

The California Employment Development Department distributes unemployment insurance benefits under the CARES Act, which expanded unemployment benefits to cover those who were previously ineligible, including business owners, self-employed workers and independent contractors, who were put out of business or significantly reduced their services because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the affidavit, Mateer admitted to obtaining the unemployment benefits debit cards by using “thousands” of identity profiles in his possession, that each debit card was loaded with $14,500, and that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits to purchase the Maserati.

Mateer also admitted that he withdrew the $197,711 in cash found in his Maserati from ATMs across the Los Angeles area, the affidavit states.

Mateer also allegedly withdrew $13,840 from the EDD debit cards in his possession from Sept. 19 to Sept. 25.

Mateer was taken into federal custody on Oct. 21 and was ordered detained pending trial.

The officers responded at 11 p.m. Friday to reports of street racers at Seventh Street and Western Avenue, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.

When they arrived, they were surrounded by a number of vehicles and a large group of spectators, police said. Some spectators began smashing the rear side windows and kicking the body of the patrol car and several opened the driver’s door and threw items inside.

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As the officers broadcast a call for help, one driver attempting to get away intentionally struck the right front of the patrol vehicle, causing damage and prompting a pursuit, police said.

The suspect, later identified as Thomas Myron, 25, hit speeds of more than 120 mph during the chase while driving without headlights on the southbound Golden State (5), southbound San Gabriel River (605), eastbound Century (105) and eastbound Artesia (91) freeways before stopping near the Knott Avenue exit in Buena Park and running into a neighborhood south of the freeway about 11:30 p.m.

Officers converged on a home on Sheridan Way near San Rafael Drive, where Myron was hiding in the backyard before giving himself up to officers at 11:45 p.m.

Earlier in the pursuit, Myron dropped off three passengers on Brookshire Avenue near Imperial Highway in Downey, before continuing eastbound on Imperial Highway.

Myron was booked for suspicion of felony evading and held on $75,000 bail.

The Lakers last played at Staples Center on March 10th, in a 102-104 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Less than 24 hours later, the NBA was suspended after a player tested positive for COVID-19.

The league resumed play at the end of July inside a “bubble environment” at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. Three months later, the Lakers were the last team left standing after defeating the Miami Heat 4-2 to win their 17th NBA title.

Ordinarily, there would be nearly 20,000 fans to greet world champion Lakers and celebrate their first title since 2010. However, in the midst of the pandemic, and with cases surging across the country, especially in Los Angeles County, the Lakers returned home to an empty arena instead.

“It’s different, for sure,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said before the game about the empty arena.

Sophomore guard Talen Horton-Tucker led the Lakers with 19 points, and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 18, as the Lakers cruised past their co-tenants, the Clippers, 87-81. LeBron James and Anthony Davis did not play in the game.

Forward Montrezl Harrell made his Lakers’ debut after playing the last four seasons with the Clippers. Harrell had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds against his former team.

Point guard Dennis Schroder, who was acquired by the Lakers in the offseason in a three-team trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, scored 10 points in his debut.

Fresh off signing a new four-year, $190 million extension with the Clippers, Paul George had 10 points, and running mate Kawhi Leonard scored just three in 14 short minutes.

Both teams struggled offensively, showing noticeable signs of rust while each shooting just 35 percent from the field.

The NBA preseason opened Friday with five games across the country and seven more are scheduled for Saturday. The Lakers-Clippers contest inside Staples Center marked Tyronn Lue’s Clippers’ debut as their new head coach.

Wes Matthews Jr. made his Lakers debut, and Marc Gasol did not play in the contest.

The Lakers will take the court against the Clippers again on Sunday at 5:30 PM PT.

UCLA took a 38-36 lead with 52 seconds remaining on Nicholas Barr-Mira’s 43-yard field goal, but USC (5-0) answered quickly.

Gary Bryant returned the kickoff 63 yards to the Bruins 43, Slovis connected with Tyler Vaughns on a 35-yard reception and St. Brown caught his second TD of the game on the next play.

Slovis completed 30 of 47 passes for 344 yards with two touchdowns each to St. Brown and Drake London. Vaughns caught eight passes for 110 yards and Vavae Malepeai ran for 110 yards in the 90th Crosstown Showdown.

The Trojans clinched the Pac-12 South title earlier in the day when Utah beat Colorado.

The Trojans trailed 28-10 early in the third quarter before scoring touchdowns on five of their seven second-half drives. USC was still down 35-23 at the start of the fourth quarter before Malapei’s 10-yard run, and London scored his second TD on a 9-yard reception. USC went for two after London’s score but couldn’t convert.

USC was able to rally due to UCLA (3-3) mistakes. The Bruins twice turned it over on downs, fumbled on a fake punt and Dorian Thompson-Robinson was picked off.

Thompson-Robinson was 30 of 36 for 364 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Demetric Felton rushed for 90 yards and had two TDs receiving, and Craig Dulcich had eight receptions for 167 yards.

After Brittain Brown’s 15-yard run put the Bruins up by more than two touchdowns, USC scored 13 straight points on Slovis’ TD passes to Vaughns and St. Brown. The Bruins went up 35-23 when Thompson-Robinson connected with Dulcich for a 69-yard score one play after Slovis was intercepted by Stephan Blaylock.

Felton gave the Bruins a 14-0 lead with 8:41 remaining in the first half on a 21-yard reception. After USC scored 10 straight points which included a 65-yard connection from Slovis to London, Felton put UCLA up 21-10 at halftime on a 12-yard grab with 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

STREAKING

Talanoa Hufanga intercepted a pass for the fourth straight game during the fourth quarter, which led to London’s second touchdown.

RARE SCORE

Fernea, a redshirt senior, scored only the second touchdown of his career on a quick screen pass that went for 33 yards.

The Bruins lined up trips left and Fernea got great blocks from Dulcich and Logan Loya to go untouched. It was only his second reception of the season and eighth of his career.

PLAY OF THE GAME

London put the Trojans on the board with one of the best individual effort plays of the season. On second-and-14 from the USC 35, Slovis stepped up in the pocket and found London downfield.

The sophomore caught it at the UCLA 33 and then shed six tackles en route to the end zone, including four attempts at trying to take him down in the final 10 yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

USC: The Trojans had a tough game but should go up a couple spots in the rankings.

UCLA: When the Bruins play clean football, they are usually able to win, but too many mistakes in the second half allowed the Trojans to rally and win for the second straight season.

UP NEXT

USC: Will host Pac-12 championship game on Friday vs. Washington.

UCLA: TBA

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Derrick Etienne Jr. also scored in the first 45 minutes for Columbus. The Crew withstood Seattle’s second-half pressure and finally celebrated after Zelarayán’s goal.

Zelarayán, the MLS newcomer of the year and largest signing in franchise history, was the best player on the field on a night the Crew were playing short-handed. Columbus was without midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos after both tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Despite the absences, the Crew were the decidedly better side and Zelarayán was the instigator. Columbus claimed its first title since 2008 and denied Seattle a chance at being just the fourth back-to-back champions in league history. The Sounders, playing in their fourth final in five years, were trying to be the first repeat champions since the LA Galaxy in 2011-12.

It was the first appearance in the final for Columbus since 2015 when the Crew were denied a title by the Portland Timbers and current Columbus coach Caleb Porter. The franchise was nearly relocated just a few years ago, but efforts to keep the team in Columbus proved successful and now there is a championship to celebrate.

The loss of Nagbe and Santos seemed to be the biggest story entering the final. It was the first time this season Columbus played without either player in its lineup.

But their teammates — namely Zelarayán — made their absences moot.

Zelarayán scored in the 25th minute off a perfect feed from Harrison Afful, getting behind Seattle fullback Alex Roldan and snaking his left-footed volley past goalkeeper Stefan Frei. Six minutes later, Zelarayán made the smart play finding Etienne and his curling shot gave Columbus a 2-0 lead. Etienne started in place of Santos.

And Zelarayán showed patience before rocketing a left-footed shot past Frei for the final goal. Zelarayán was the third player in an MLS Cup final with two goals and the first since Alecko Eskandarian in 2004.

Seattle needed a frantic comeback in the final 15 minutes of its Western Conference final against Minnesota United just to reach MLS Cup. Down 2-0 to Minnesota, the Sounders scored three times, including Gustav Svensson’s winner in stoppage time off a corner kick.

The deficit was the same for most of the second half against Columbus, but the magic of Seattle’s comeback just five days earlier was absent. The Sounders had numerous chances in the second half, but attempts failed to find the net. Nicolas Lodeiro’s shot through traffic in the 71st minute trickled wide. Three minutes later, Svensson’s header off a corner kick failed to find the target.

Jordan Morris had the final good look for Seattle in the 80th minute, but his header was saved by Eloy Room.

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The patient arrived at the Westwood hospital on Nov. 14 wearing a long-sleeve denim button-up shirt, gray denim pants, a black belt, light gray socks, dark gray Adidas tennis shoes and a royal blue baseball hat that said “Los Angeles & LA,” according to David Sampson, UCLA Health’s director, media relations.

He is described as Latino, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 165 pounds, with a tan complexion, brown eyes, black hair in a buzzed-cut, three gold front teeth, a black goatee with light hair and a freckle on his left cheek, officials said.

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The hospital could not release further information about the man or his condition due to patient privacy laws, Sampson said.

“In my 15 years at UCLA Health, this is only the third time we have needed to ask for community support in finding the loved ones of a patient in an effort to determine their identity,” said UCLA Health care coordination systems director Mary Noli Pilkington.

The hospital circulated a photo of the patient and urged anyone with information about him to contact Marcy Gitlin, UCLA care coordination/clinical social work, at 310-267-9753.

The 4-0 Trojans could be playing for a spot in Friday’s Pac-12 championship game if Colorado beats Utah in a game being played earlier Saturday. If Colorado loses, the Trojans would advance to Friday’s championship game before they even take the field against UCLA. 

The Trojans are ranked 15th in the nation. The Bruins are 3-2 on the season. USC leads the all-time series between the schools, 50-32, with seven ties (two of USC’s wins were later vacated due to an NCAA penalty for rules violations). 

The Trojans won last year’s game, 52-35, at the Coliseum, taking possession of the Victory Bell. 

The 295-pound bell originally hung atop a Southern Pacific freight locomotive and was given to the UCLA Alumni Association in 1939. In 1941, it was taken by a group of USC students who hid it in a variety of locations for more than a year. 

Following an intervention by school administrators, the student body presidents of both schools signed an agreement in 1942 providing that the winner of the football game would keep possession for the next year, a tradition that has continued, along with painting the bell’s carriage in the school color of the winner. 

The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. and will be televised on ABC.

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The policy change was made “because many people are at home now and can’t easily find off-street places to park,” a city statement said. 

Even though the city will not be issuing citations until the more stringent aspects of the Stay at Home order are lifted, the city will still be sweeping streets to ensure they are as clean and sanitary as possible, officials said. 

Residents were asked to still attempt to park their vehicles off the street or on their lawn on street-sweeping days if possible. Parking enforcement will continue for non-street sweeping violations, such as parking in red zones or blocking sidewalks. 

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced that deputies would not enforce street-sweeping parking and expired registration violations in unincorporated areas of the county. 

Enforcement will continue for vehicles: 

• blocking fire hydrants; 
• parking in red zones or fire lanes; 
• committing handicap parking violations;
• blocking driveways; 
• disrupting the flow of traffic; and 
• parking at meters in business districts. 

Parking enforcement was temporarily paused in the spring due to COVID- 19 safer-at-home orders, but resumed on Nov. 15 to keep streets clean and clear as winter storm season approached.

The sheriff’s department decided to temporarily relax enforcement again following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s regional stay-at-home order, which went into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 6.

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Garcetti spoke in his role as chair of C40 Cities, which bills itself as a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. In remarks that lasted about 90 seconds, he announced that 70 new cities have agreed to join the “Race to Zero” campaign, an effort to encourage cities, regions, businesses and investors to accelerate their commitments to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero no later than 2050. 

Garcetti said the goal was to recruit 1,000 new cities. “No matter what, mayors will continue to lead the way to a cleaner world,” Garcetti said. 

The summit coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the 2015 accord entered into by 196 nations including the United States that pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Trump administration formally exited the agreement this year, but the incoming Biden administration is expected to reverse that decision. Garcetti echoed other speakers in praising the accord.

“The Paris Agreement is a covenant among nations, but its consequences play out in our cities,” the mayor said. 

Other Americans who spoke at the daylong summit included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. The summit was streamed online at climateambitionsummit2020.org. 

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A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy struck the woman at 6:23 a.m. while driving westbound on Imperial Highway, approaching Slater Avenue, according to Deputy Shawn Du Busky.

The preliminary investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, which is handling the investigation, found that the pedestrian was struck by several vehicles after being struck by the deputy’s vehicle, and at least one of them fled the scene, according to LAPD Officer Tony Im.

But the sheriff’s department maintains that the deputy’s vehicle was the last one to hit the victim.

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“Early this morning a deputy driving a patrol vehicle struck an object on the roadway while traveling westbound on Imperial Highway approaching Slater Avenue,” a sheriff’s statement reads. “The deputy immediately stopped and learned the object was a person. The preliminary investigation revealed the person was laying on the roadway because they had been struck by several other vehicles, prior to the deputy collision.”

The woman, who is believed to be about 40-50 years old, died at the scene. Her name was not immediately released.

NextGen is an overhaul of Metro’s bus network, the first in more than 25 years, and is designed to speed up bus trips, provide more frequent trips to the bulk of the system’s riders and improve reliability and accessibility.

Metro Micro is a ride-sharing service using vans and small vehicles that will be operated by Metro in select zones. The service is designed to integrate directly into our existing transit system and enhance transit service where it is challenging to run fixed-route buses.

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“Our mission is to create a world-class transportation system for Los Angeles by giving Angelenos a wide array of convenient, reliable and affordable transportation options to get where they need to go,” Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti said. “With NextGen and Metro Micro, we are rolling out two key projects in our pursuit of a city and region defined by greater mobility and expanded prosperity for every rider, commuter and resident.”

Metro Micro is a shared ride service that uses vans for short trips within designated service zones in Los Angeles County.

The service will allow riders to plan entire trips with both Metro Micro and their bus or train ride in real-time, using a single mobile app, internet browser or Metro’s call center. Riders will be able to pay for the service by using their TAP card and TAP account or with a debit, credit or prepaid credit card.

Rides will cost an introductory rate of $1 per ride (transfer not included) for the first six months of Metro Micro service in each zone. Metro staff will return to the Board at the end of the six-month introductory period to consider potential fare adjustments, Metro officials said.

On Sunday, the service will launch in its first two zones, the South Los Angeles Area and the LAX/Inglewood area. Service hours at launch are at Watts/Willowbrook  from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, and LAX/Inglewood: 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday,

More information can be found at www.metro.net/.

The video shows Santa Claus tackling a suspect while an elf holds another man at gunpoint.

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Det. Paul Miranda was one of several Riverside police officers working undercover Thursday at Target in the Canyon Springs Shopping Center.

“We worked inside the store, identified shoplifters and when they split the scene, Santa was there to take them into custody,” Miranda said.

Santa is a detective and his trusty sidekick elf, an officer. Both jumped into action when Miranda spotted a car being stolen from the parking lot as two other men ran from the scene.

The elf cornered one very perplexed suspect.

“When I looked over my shoulder I saw Santa running by me going after the second subject,” Miranda said.

The driver got away but detectives say they know who he is.

As for the other two suspected thieves…

“They were apologetic and Santa is currently deciding whether they stay on the naughty list,” Miranda said,

Three shoplifters were caught by police and their holiday helpers, but none as memorable as the tackle caught on camera.

Superior Court Judge Peter J. Wilson issued the order in response to a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of inmates, some of whom have been released, who said they were particularly at risk due to underlying health conditions.

Barnes said his department was “evaluating the order, its impacts and our options for appeal.”

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“If the order stands, it will result in the release of more than 1,800 inmates,” Barnes said. “Many of these inmates are in pretrial status for, or have been convicted of, violent crimes and will be released back into the community. This order puts our community at substantial risk and does not take into account the impact on the victims of these crimes.”

Wilson chided the county’s attorneys for failing to respond to the allegations from the inmates about the lack of social distancing in the jail system.

The ruling comes as Barnes wrangles with a new outbreak of COVID-19 this week in his jails after months of successfully preventing any deaths from the coronavirus and only three hospitalizations of inmates during the pandemic.

Austin Ambriz, one of the inmates who tested positive this week, was on trial for murder in Brea and closing arguments scheduled for Thursday had to be rescheduled for Jan. 4.

Barnes announced on Thursday there were 102 inmates infected with COVID-19. That number increased to 138 on Friday. Of those, 27 are  newly booked inmates and 111 are in general population.

The plaintiffs include 27-year-old Sandy Gonzalez, who is awaiting trial for robbery and possession of drugs.

“She is medically vulnerable and has Type 2 diabetes and a history of smoking,” according to Wilson’s ruling. “She was exposed to her cellmate… who developed COVID-19 on the evening of May 14, 2020.”

The next day, Gonzalez tested positive, and she was moved to a “disciplinary isolation cell,” Wilson said.

Another plaintiff is 53-year-old Mark Trace, who pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale and was sentenced to a year and four months in jail, Wilson said. Trace was held in the Theo Lacy jail in Orange until March 10, Wilson said.

Trace has “multiple, significant underlying health conditions” that include “sclerosis of the liver, hepatitis C and D, asthma, tuberculosis, valley fever and seizures.”

Trace was jailed in his own cell that was open and “shared air with the approximately 12 other individuals in his module,” according to Wilson.

“He was unable to consistently practice social distancing during his time in custody, and his access to medical care slowed after the COVID-19 outbreak began,” Wilson wrote.

It is not clear when the jail population has to be reduced by half, but Wilson mandated a report by year’s end.

“I give you the heroes who will carry us to the Moon and beyond – the Artemis Generation,” Vice President Mike Pence said. “It is amazing to think that the next man and first woman on the Moon are among the names that we just read. The Artemis Team astronauts are the future of American space exploration – and that future is bright.”

The first woman will land on the moon as part of this mission in 2024, NASA said.

The Artemis Team will pave the way for future lunar explorations. But it won’t stop there — NASA says next stop will be Mars.

“There is so much exciting work ahead of us as we return to the moon, and it will take the entire astronaut corps to make that happen,” Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester said in a NASA statement. “Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor. I am proud of this particular group of men and women and know that any of them would do an outstanding job representing NASA and the United States on a future Artemis mission.”

Joseph Acaba, Anaheim, California

Acaba, a Southern California native with a bachelor’s degree in geology and a master’s degrees in geology and education, became a NASA astronaut in 2004.

He’s done three spacewalks and spent 306 days in space.

Before his meteoric rise, he taught high school science and middle school math and science, NASA said.

Victor Glover, Pomona California

Glover, the first Black American to do a six-month stint at the International Space Station, became an astronaut in 2013. He’s a 44-year-old Cal Poly graduate and U.S. Navy Commander. He earned a bachelor’s degree in general engineering and master’s degrees in flight test engineering, systems engineering, and military operational art and science, NASA said. He also served as a Legislative Fellow in the United States Senate. He’s still up in space now after beginning a November mission — he piloted the SpaceX Dragon Resilience.

Jonny Kim, Los Angeles, California

Kim became a Nav SEAL after enlisting out of high school. He then went back to school to earn a degree in mathematics at the University of San Diego and a doctorate of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He became an astronaut in 2017. Kim, a Korean-American, was born and raised in LA.

Nicole A. Mann, Petaluma, California

Nicole Aunapu Mann became an astronaut in 2013. After earning a B=bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in the Naval Academy and a master of science in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 2001, she became a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. She was a test pilot for the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet. She’s been awarded two Air Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and is a Trident Scholar.

Kate Rubins, Napa, California

The Northern California native became an astronaut in 2009. She earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from the University of California and a Ph.D. in cancer biology from Stanford University Medical School Biochemistry Department and Microbiology and Immunology Department. She was the first person to sequence DNA in space. NASA said she has logged 115 days in space and conducted two spacewalks.

Here’s the full list of astronauts from around the country.

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In what’s being dubbed a time-saving measure, skilled nursing homes in Los Angeles County will directly receive allotments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and administer them to staff and residents, instead of relying on a previously announced pact with CVS and Walgreens, the county’s public health director confirmed Friday.

Staff and residents of nursing facilities and long-term care facilities will be among the first wave of people receiving the vaccine, on the heels of critical health care workers. The county expects to receive nearly 83,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine as early as next week, with the doses being distributed to 83 acute-care hospitals throughout the county for administration to health care workers.

Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the county hopes to receive its second allotment of vaccine — about 250,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, pending FDA approval — around Dec. 20-21. By sending the doses directly to skilled nursing facilities, the vaccine can be administered right away instead of waiting for a federal agreement with CVS and Walgreens to begin on roughly Dec. 28.

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“We don’t want to wait until Dec. 28 to start the process of vaccinating residents and staff at skilled nursing facilities,” she said.

Ferrer said public health officials on Friday began the process of training skilled nursing facility staff on how to administer the vaccination, while noting that those staffers already administer flu vaccines, so it is not a new experience.

The change away from the pharmacy program for skilled nursing facilities “was meant to add a greater sense of urgency to our ability to get to those skilled nursing facilities and not have any other delays.”

“Of course, we’re a large county and we have well over 339 skilled nursing facilities,” she said. “And we’ve all lived through the heartache of having high rates of illness and death (at the facilities). … We can’t go back there. With this much community transmission, there’s a lot of risk at skilled nursing facilities. We want to get in there and vaccinate as quickly as possible.”

The pharmacies, however, will still work through the federal agreement with CVS and Walgreens to provide the vaccine to long-term care facilities.

“Our pharmacy partners … will continue to roll out as soon as that system is turned on,” she said. “They will continue to roll out vaccination opportunities at all the other long-term care facilities, of which there are hundreds here in L.A. County, and we’re going to be relying heavily on them to really move that forward very quickly as well.”

The county anticipates receiving another 150,000 doses of vaccine by the end of December, followed by weekly allotments of 250,000 beginning in January.

After the distribution of vaccines to health care workers, skilled nursing facilities and long-term care staff and residents is completed, priority will then move to “essential workers” and then to people at highest risk of severe illness from the virus, such as seniors or those with underlying health conditions.

The county’s chief science officer insisted Thursday the process will be done equitably based on health priorities, not on power or prominence.

“Equity is a fundamental principle here,” Dr. Paul Simon said. “We want to make sure all people have access, and that those that are at greatest risk either because of higher risk of exposure, or greater risk of severe illness because of chronic health conditions or other factors have more immediate access to the vaccine.”

Simon conceded that the judgment of who is considered “at risk” could become a matter for debate.

“That probably is going to become an important consideration when we really start to roll things out — when we move beyond the highest-risk groups into groups where the risks may be a little bit more uncertain or there are larger areas of gray,” he said. “And there, I think, we will do our best to prioritize, be as transparent as possible. I don’t think we’re going to be doing validation checks with each person as they float through the line, so I think there is sort of an honor system to some degree. But we will do everything possible to make sure we are doing this in an equitable manner, tending to the risks and making sure that we maximize the benefits.”

The timing of when the vaccine will start to become available to more of the general population remains a mystery. Simon said that while the vaccine offers a glimmer of hope about a potential end to the pandemic and lockdown orders, the county is still in the midst of a dangerous surge in cases, so residents should expect to see restrictions continuing for months.

“I am very concerned,” he said of the county’s current case surge and burgeoning hospitals. “I’ve worked in public health for 30-plus years. I’ve never been more concerned than I am right now.

“And so we’re not even close to being able to move back out (of restrictions),” he said. “I think over the next several months we’ll get a better understanding of when we can begin to open things up. We’ll get a better understanding of how well the vaccine works in the real world. How well it works in a clinical trial … is different than how well it works sometimes in the real world.”

He said the administration of the vaccine — an effort to vaccinate about 6 million people in six months — will be a “massive undertaking the scale of which many would argue is unprecedented given the time emergency.”

But he said a major factor in moving the county closer to “herd immunity” and an eventual return to normalcy will rely on people actually agreeing to be vaccinated.

“We recognize many folks have concerns about the vaccines and may be hesitant to be vaccinated,” Simon said. “As we implement the county plan to vaccinate literally millions of Angelenos, it will be critically important that we address this vaccine hesitancy with accurate, understandable, culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate information, relying on trusted community leaders to help deliver these messages.”

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Some 83,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine could arrive as early as next week. Health care workers and staff and residents of long-term care facilities will be among the first to get the doses, officials say.

Hospitals that get the vaccines will prioritize the distribution, following state guidelines and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Here’s a Map of Cases by Neighborhood in Los Angeles

Search the Table for Latest Coronavirus Case Rates and Counts in Your Neighborhood

City News Service contributed to this report.

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A first-of-its kind analysis of people tested for COVID-19 in Los Angeles shows that the occupation that appears to be getting infected at the highest rate is construction work — more than healthcare, supermarket work, and first responders, who come in contact with a lot more people every day.

That’s the conclusion of a report obtained by the NBC4 I-Team. The report is based on questionnaires filled out by 730,000 people who got tested at public sites in Los Angeles from August to October 2020, and was done by Curative, the company that helps run the sites.

Of those people testing positive and experiencing no symptoms of COVID, construction workers had the highest rate of positivity, far ahead of the next most frequently infected professions–food service workers, healthcare workers, and grocery store workers.

“In the construction industry, people may still be coming to work if they have symptoms because there’s no paid sick leave,” said Dr. Jeff Klausner of UCLA School of Public Health, who is also Curative’s medical director.

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Other key findings of the Curative evaluation of people tested in LA:

• More than 42% of people who test positive had no symptoms of COVID-19;
• Hispanics were far more likely than non-hispanics to get infected;
• Men were more likely than women to test positive;
• People who say they’ve been they’ve interacted with strangers or have been in public places–like parks or outdoor restaurants–had low infection rates.

Klausner says that last finding should prompt public health officials to rethink some restrictions such as those on outdoor dining.

“I’m concerned that public health interventions push people indoors and close outdoor venues … I think there is increasing evidence now that outdoor activities are safe,” Klausner told NBC4.

The Curative evaluation of people getting tested has been submitted to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Click here to read the full report.

Municipal authorities had already approved an ordinance, on April 3, on the use of masks in public. However, with the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Lancaster and throughout the region, the city council decided to take this action, according to a statement from the city council of that city.

The new ordinance, according to Lancaster authorities, modifies the city’s municipal code so that anyone who doesn’t wear a mask in public, faces a misdemeanor charge.

“The goal of this ordinance, and of our law enforcement in Lancaster in general, is to promote peace, safety, and public welfare in our communities,” Mayor Parris said. “While I would hope everyone knows by now the importance of wearing a mask, the fact that violations are now misdemeanors is one more reason to do the right thing and mask up.”

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Grace Elizabeth Coleman of Newport Beach is facing two murder counts and one count each of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, DUI with a blood- alcohol level exceeding the legal limit of .08% causing injury, and failing to stop at a hit-and-run accident with injury or death, all felonies.

She is also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol content exceeding .08% or more, both misdemeanors, and faces sentencing enhancement allegations of inflicting great bodily injury on the three children.

Coleman was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

Orange County sheriff’s Sgt. Dennis Breckner identified the victims of Tuesday night’s crash as Henry Eduardo Saldana-Mejia, 27, of Santa Ana, and his wife, Gabriela M. Andrade, who would have turned 29 later this month.

According to a GoFundMe page created by Andrade’s sister, the couple’s three daughters, who are 1, 3 and 5 years old, are hospitalized in critical condition.

The family was admiring Christmas lights in the area and the girls were dressed in “their Christmas pajamas,” according to Andrade’s sister.

Coleman was also hospitalized, but the extent of her injuries was unclear.

The crash occurred at 7:46 p.m. Tuesday at Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hills Road South. Coleman was behind the wheel of a black Range Rover that was southbound on Newport Coast Drive when the SUV collided with victims’ Nissan Versa as Saldana was turning onto Pelican Hills Road, according to Heather Rangel, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department.

Rangel noted that the three children were riding in the back seat of the sedan. She said Coleman “possibly” ran a red light.

Saldana-Mejia and his wife were pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect also was charged with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol of .08% or more in connection with her Aug. 29 arrest in Laguna Beach. That case was submitted this week to the district attorney’s office for review, and she was charged Thursday.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly indicated the suspect had a previous DUI conviction. The suspect had been arrested, but not charged, in connection with an Aug. 29 arrest on suspicion of DUI at the time of the Tuesday crash, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The 3.25-acre campus — set to be built at 850 S. Inglewood Ave. in cooperation with the Redondo Beach Unified School District — is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022.

“We hope to create a gold standard program serving teens and young adults to find their passion beyond high school,” said Rabbi Yossi Mintz, who formed the foundation 15 years ago with the Jewish Community Center-Chabad of the South Bay with the goal of providing children with special needs the same advantages of their peers to enjoy and experience life.

“Our dream would be to educate, innovate and inspire students, teachers and the broader community worldwide to serve the entire person,” Mintz said.

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The campus will include a 55,000-square-foot facility that will offer vocational and job training programs and include:

— a creative center that will offer training on digital media including graphic design, coding, game design, along with painting, photography, filmmaking, woodworking, jewelry making, songwriting, audio production and music mixing;

— the Friendship Cafe and Teaching Kitchen, which will give culinary students hands-on learning experience to train for careers in the hospitality and culinary industries, and will teach the basics of reading recipes, cooking skills and techniques along with menu design, safety and sanitation, plating, serving and hosting;

— a recreation center that will offer the community a place to participate in activities including basketball, volleyball, rock climbing, pickleball, dance, yoga, meditation, martial arts and social programming; and

— multi-generational mentoring that will connect older adults with younger students.

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The facility will have programs dealing with personal growth and development, social and emotional wellness, healthy lifestyle habits and physical fitness and job training and exploration, including the fields of technology, media, hospitality, retail, culinary, office, education, trades and landscaping.

“We’ve learned a tremendous amount serving our special needs community since 2005, working with 10 school districts, numerous partners and hundreds of participants to create integrated programs,” Mintz said. “The children who started with us 15 years ago have become young adults and are now asking for help finding gainful employment. Each and every one of us wants a purpose in life and a way to contribute to society. That’s what our new campus is all about.”

Mintz lauded Skechers President Michael Greenberg and other donors for “making this ‘big idea’ a reality today.”

According to the foundation, 75% of the budget for the project has already been committed through private donations.

Foundation officials noted that nearly 200,000 students are enrolled in special education in Los Angeles County and that eight in 10 Americans with disabilities are unemployed.

A launch of the Hawthorne company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida was scheduled for 9:55 a.m. California time, but the launch was scrubbed. Upper level winds prompted an earlier delay Friday morning.

The launch will be re-scheduled with liftoff planned for no sooner than Sunday.

The rocket will be carrying the SXM-7 satellite for satellite-radio company SiriusXM. It will be deployed as a replacement for one of the company’s five satellites already in orbit. Another replacement satellite is scheduled to be launched next month.

SpaceX will again attempt to recover the first stage of the rocket by landing it on a droneship named Just Read the Instructions” floating in the Atlantic Ocean.

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The first stage of the rocket being used in the mission has flown six previous flights, making it the company’s second most-veteran flight vehicle. A different booster has already flown seven times, but this mission will tie that mark.

Also being reused on the mission is one-half of the rocket’s fairing, or nosecone that protects the satellite as it’s being propelled into orbit.

This will mark the first time such a veteran rocket and previously used fairing have been used in a fully commercial launch — something experts say is a major expression of the confidence SiriusXM has in SpaceX’s cost-cutting rocket-recovery efforts.

SpaceX on Wednesday conducted a test launch of a prototype Starship being designed for trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. The ship successfully traveled about eight miles into the air and, during its descent back to Earth, made a successful landing flip maneuver. However, the ship exploded on touchdown, with SpaceX founder Elon Musk saying the ship’s velocity was too high on landing.

Despite the fireball that destroyed the ship, the mission was deemed an overall success thanks to the level of flight information designers were able to obtain.

The year was 1944. That’s when Norman McArthur joined the Navy and fought in WWII. Now at the age of 94, McArthur has survived another war: this time against COVID-19.

“You can walk out that door, shake somebody’s hand and you got it,” McArthur said.

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Norman, or Mac as he likes to be called, became infected with the virus in late November and became so sick he had to be taken by ambulance to Kaiser Permanente Riverside.

His daughter Janine wasn’t sure if he would make it.

“I cried in my husband’s arms in the kitchen a couple of times. I didn’t want that phone call. I know there are so many people getting that phone call,” Janine Bills said.

Bills said since March, she and her family have taken extreme precautions to avoid being infected.

“But we had a nephew that went to the World Series in Texas, met his son there out of state. That son was sick and didn’t know it and our nephew came home and introduced it to the family in Lake Elsinore, and that’s how my daughter got it,” Bills said.

That’s how Bills says she got it and became violently ill.

In fact, she says six of the eight family members who got together in late October all became infected with coronavirus.

“I called it the trifecta of the Bermuda Triangle of illnesses all at one time. It was not pleasant,” Bills said.

Fortunately everyone recovered, including Mac, who got out of the hospital just in time to celebrate his 72nd wedding anniversary.

“If you don’t want it, you got to stay home quarantine,” Bills said.