PG&E should be fined $166 million for botched power shut-offs, watchdog agency says
The company failed to notify tens of thousands of customers that blackouts were imminent.
Los Angeles
Ladera Ranch Urgent Care Evicted From Shopping Center For Offering COVID-19 Testing
LADERA RANCH (CBSLA) — The owner of AFC Urgent Care in Ladera Ranch is taking the management of Mercantile East Shopping Center to court after being evicted from the building for offering COVID-19 testing. “I actually think it’s kinda crazy that we are in the middle of a pandemic and we are being told to stop testing and helping the community at large,” said owner Harris Khan. Khan said the problems with Westar Management began a few months ago after getting approval to test patients in the parking lot, which created congestion. The set up was moved indoors and AFC was notified by lawyers that “the lease certainly does not expressly allow COVID testing. It expressly prohibits it to the extent such testing encompasses the handling and storage of hazardous materials.” “Urgent Care facilities like this one have a complete robust biohazard policy,” said Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner, who is also an attorney. “COVID is no different and in fact the urgency now throughout Orange County is to increase the testing so we know whose got the disease.” Lawyers for the landlord responded to…
Newsom Cuts Ribbon On Innovative COVID-19 Laboratory In Valencia
VALENCIA (CBSLA) — Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday celebrated the opening of a new high-tech COVID-19 testing lab in Valencia designed to increase the state’s coronavirus testing capacity and reducing the time it takes to get results. The $25 million lab, announced in August as part of a deal with scientific diagnostics firm PerkinElmer, will ultimately be able to process 150,000 tests per day when it reaches full capacity in March — employing 700. (CBSLA) The $25 million lab, announced in August as part of a deal with scientific diagnostics firm PerkinElmer, will ultimately be able to process 150,000 tests per day when it reaches full capacity in March — employing 700. Newsom said the 134,000-square-foot lab would also dramatically drive down the costs of testing. He said the state is currently paying an average of $150 per COVID-19 test, and as of Thursday, the state had conducted more than 18.4 million tests. “We can’t continue down that path,” he said. “It makes no economic or fiscal sense. That’s why we want to disrupt the entire process and the entire system. And that’s exactly what we’re…
Man’s Latest Appeal Denied for DUI Crash That Killed 17-Year-Old Boy
Share this article:A repeat DUI offender, who was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges for a crash in Wilmington that left a teenager dead and the victim’s brother seriously injured, lost his latest appeal Friday. A three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal turned down the defense’s contention that Marlon Mafrend Roldan was eligible for re-sentencing under a recent change in state law that affects some murder cases. Superior Court Judge Judith Meyer had ruled earlier that Roldan was ineligible for relief. He is serving a state prison sentence of more than 19 years to life for the Dec. 15, 2008, crash that killed 17-year-old Lionel Melena and seriously injured his older brother. Roldan was convicted in March 2010 of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing injury, DUI causing injury with a 0.08% blood-alcohol concentration, driving with a suspended license and failing to provide evidence of financial responsibility, with jurors finding true that he inflicted great bodily injury on the victim’s brother. He was subsequently sentenced to more than 22 years to life in state prison. In a 2011…
Man, 20, Arrested for Trafficking; 17-Year-Old Girl Rescued in Long Beach
Share this article:A 20-year-old man was arrested for allegedly trafficking a minor, pimping and pandering a woman in Long Beach, authorities said Friday. The Long Beach Police Department said they began investigating on July 1, when they pulled Marcus Harris over and determined that he was on parole. During a parole compliance check, they “found evidence that Harris was engaged in the pimping and pandering of a female adult,” police said. Detectives obtained two search warrants and found further evidence related to pimping and pandering, and on Tuesday, Harris was arrested in Long Beach, according to police. During the arrest, authorities rescued a 17-year-old girl who was with Harris, and investigators determined she was a victim of human trafficking, police said. She was reunited with relatives and has been provided with victim-centered services, according to police. Harris was booked for human trafficking of a minor, pimping and pandering of an adult and a gang allegation, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 10, according to sheriff’s department records. Man, 20,…
Newsom says his kids ‘phasing back’ into classrooms as he urges need to help districts so they can safely reopen
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday his children are among those resuming in-person classes after months of distance learning due to the coronavirus pandemic. Newsom, whose four children attend private school, said he believes children learn best in the classroom and his administration will support districts with personal protective gear and testing resources so they can safely reopen. “They’re phasing back into school, and we are phasing out of our very challenging distance learning that we’ve been doing, so many parents are doing up and down the state,” Newsom said. “It is absolutely incumbent to do everything in our power to provide support to our districts so they can safely reopen – emphasis on safely reopen.” California health officials have approved more than 1,200 requests for waivers to allow for in-person education for elementary school students in counties where coronavirus cases are still widespread. Schools in counties where cases have declined below state-mandated thresholds can broadly reopen. Los Angeles County, which is home to a quarter of the state’s 40 million people, isn’t among them because there are still too many virus cases for the…
Irvine man sentenced to 26 years to life for running over, fatally stabbing his wife’s lover: DA
An Irvine man convicted of running over and fatally stabbing his estranged wife’s lover outside the victim’s dental office in 2015 was sentenced Friday to 26 years to life in state prison, prosecutors said. The sentence was the harshest possible under the charges 43-year-old Hongli Sun was convicted of, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release. Prosecutors say Sun had been waiting in his Mercedes for the 54-year-old dentist, Dr. Xuan Liu, to return to his office on Barranca Parkway in Irvine before he killed him on July 18, 2015. The murder occurred months after Sun found out Liu was having an affair with Sun’s wife, according to the DA’s office. Sun was convicted of intentionally driving into Liu in the parking lot and stabbing him multiple times. Liu died at the scene. Sun also stabbed Liu’s female friend who tried to intervene, but the woman survived, officials said. Sun fled the scene but was later arrested. He was convicted earlier this month of first-degree murder with a felony enhancement for using a deadly weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon…
EDD director to retire amid backlog of unemployment claims that overwhelmed the agency
The director of California’s unemployment benefits department said Friday she will retire at the end of the year following an explosion of more than 15 million claims that overwhelmed the agency and resulted in months of frustrating delays for people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic. Sharon Hilliard says she will end her 37-year career at the Employment Development Department on Dec. 31. Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed her as director in February, when the state’s unemployment rate was at an historic low and the coronavirus was just starting to get a foothold in the U.S. In March, Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order that closed many businesses and put millions of people out of work. Since then, the department has processed 15.5 million claims — more than four times the 3.8 million claims processed in 2010, the worst year of the Great Recession. About 600,000 people called the agency’s call center each month, only to be put on hold for hours because the agency didn’t have enough people to answer the phones. When someone did finally answer, they likely lacked the training to…
Riverside Surpasses 68K COVID-19 Cases, San Bernardino Adds New Death
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Riverside and San Bernardino counties reported additional fatalities attributed to the novel coronavirus Friday, while Ventura reported additional cases. Riverside County health officials reported 498 newly confirmed cases and 13 additional fatalities, bringing countywide totals to 68,050 cases and 1,319 deaths. Of those who contracted the illness, 60,728 had recovered. There were 150 coronavirus patients hospitalized Friday, 33 of whom were being treated in intensive care units. San Bernardino County health officials reported 236 newly confirmed cases and one additional fatality, bringing countywide totals to 64,367 cases and 1,074 deaths. Of those who contracted the illness, 60,620 had recovered. There were 231 coronavirus patients hospitalized as of Wednesday, 53 of whom were being treated in intensive care units. Ventura County health officials reported 85 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the countywide total to 14,410 cases. Of those who had contracted the virus, 13,682 had recovered, 562 were under active quarantine and 166 had died. There were 27 coronavirus patients hospitalized Friday, five of whom were being treated in intensive care units. As of Friday evening, 827,297 Riverside County residents, 805,879 San…
In final days of campaigning, Trump pitches ‘back to normal’ while Biden warns of tough days ahead
President Donald Trump dangled a promise to get a weary, fearful nation “back to normal” on Friday as he looked to campaign past the political damage of the devastating pandemic. It was a tantalizingly rosy pitch in sharp contrast to Democratic rival Joe Biden, who pledged to level with America about tough days still ahead after Tuesday’s election. In a campaign that has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 229,000 Americans and staggered the economy, the candidates’ clashing overtures stood as a reflection of their leadership styles and policy prescriptions for a suffering U.S.A. Trump and Biden both spent Friday crisscrossing the Midwest, the hardest-hit part of the nation in the latest surge of virus cases. Trump was in Michigan and Biden in Iowa before they both held events in Wisconsin and Minnesota. With four days until the election and more than 86 million votes already cast, time is running out for Trump and Biden to change the contours of a race framed largely around the incumbent’s handling of the pandemic. Biden is leading most national polls and has a…
Driver in custody after pursuit ends with crash in North Hollywood area
A driver was taken into custody Friday evening after a pursuit ended with a crash in the North Hollywood area. Aerial video from Sky5 shows the vehicle being chased by officers slamming into the back of another car in the area of Elmer Avenue and Vanowen Street. Sparks flew as the two cars scraped across the roadway. The driver was then seen getting out of the vehicle and running away as officers chased. The person was eventually taken into custody. It’s unclear why Los Angeles Police Department officers initially began pursuing the vehicle and no further details were immediately available. Check back for updates on this developing story.
Oregon could become 1st U.S. state to decriminalize hard drugs
In what would be a first in the U.S., possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine, LSD and other hard drugs could be decriminalized in Oregon under a ballot measure that voters are deciding on in Tuesday’s election. Measure 110 is one of the most watched initiatives in Oregon because it would drastically change how the state’s justice system treats people caught with amounts for their personal use. Instead of being arrested, going to trial and facing possible jail time, the users would have the option of paying $100 fines or attending new, free addiction recovery centers. The centers would be funded by tax revenue from retail marijuana sales in the state that was the country’s first to decriminalize marijuana possession. It may sound like a radical concept even in one of the most progressive U.S. states — but countries including Portugal, the Netherlands and Switzerland have already decriminalized possession of small amounts of hard drugs, according to the United Nations. Portugal’s 2000 decriminalization brought no surge in drug use. Drug deaths fell while the number of people treated for drug addiction in the country…
Stolen SUV driver in custody following pursuit in Long Beach
A driver was detained following a chaotic pursuit in Long Beach Friday afternoon, aerial video showed. Officers were chasing the white Jeep SUV because it was stolen, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Michael Brandt. Authorities could not immediately confirm when or where the chase began. Sky5 arrived above the scene around 5:50 p.m., as the driver was maneuvering dangerously and appeared to be speeding on surface streets on the border of Wilmington and south Long Beach. The car was at times seen driving on the wrong side of the road and into the path of other vehicles as it made its way east into downtown Long Beach. CHP vehicles were blocking some intersections to prevent other motorists from entering while the pursuit driver was speeding through. Around 6 p.m., the driver pulled into a parking area near Broadway Court and East La Reina Way, abandoned the Jeep and ran. A short time later, he was apprehended by officers and taken into custody. No further details were immediately available.
Sheriff’s investigators seek information on shooting death of man in South L.A.
A homicide investigation is underway in South Los Angeles after an unidentified man was shot to death Friday afternoon at the 3700 block of Slauson Avenue.
California unemployment agency director to retire after months of delayed jobless benefits
The resignation of Sharon Hilliard comes nearly three months after state lawmakers sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting changes at the Employment Development Department.
Burbank Family Brings Disney Halloween To Their Front Yard
BRUNBANK (CBSLA) — While many will be passing on trick-or-treating this Halloween, families are finding alternative ways to celebrate in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Los Angeles County health officials say they don’t recommend trick or treating this year so some families are getting creative. A popular socially distanced activity that many are partaking in this Halloween is drive-by experiences like the Disney themed home in Burbank. During the day and at night, the display is a sight that’s stopping traffic and turning heads. For Tina Schaefer and Ernie Padilla, their display called “Holiday Fantasies Come To Live” is a labor of love that’s been months in the making. “We live and breathe it,” said Schaefer. “We felt that with Disney being closed and so many people feeling sad and with nowhere to go we just thought let’s create our mini Disney here.” Schaefer says their display has drawn hundreds down Valley Street in Burbank and one priority was to keep the experience safe. “We have signs to wear masks, we have social distancing. It is a small area which makes it hard but…