Tag: Los Angeles County

Don’t go into the ocean at these Los Angeles County beaches this Memorial Day weekend, experts say
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Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us, meaning Southern Californians will soon gather for barbecues and flock to beaches to mark the unofficial start of summer.

In Los Angeles County, however, residents should avoid the water at certain coastal locations because the bacterial levels reached unhealthful levels when last tested, according to an L.A. County Department of Public Health news release.

The agency sent a warning Tuesday cautioning people against swimming, playing and surfing in these following ocean waters:
- About 100 yards up and down the coast from the East Temescal Canyon Storm Drain at Will Rogers State Beach.
- About 100 yards up and down from the lagoon at Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu.
- About 100 yards up and down the coast from the Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica State Beach.
- The entire swim area at Mothers Beach in Marina del Rey.
- About 100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms at Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach.
- About 100 yards up and down the coast from the Santa Monica Pier.
- The entire swim area at Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro.
This week’s caution follows a more serious incident in the county two weeks ago, when the discharge of about 14,400 gallons of untreated sewage into the ocean resulted in the closure of areas of Dockweiler State Beach, Venice Beach and the surrounding area, according to county public health officials.

People were advised to avoid the water and the sand from Ballona Creek to one mile north of Venice Beach and one mile south of Dockweiler. The beaches have since reopened.

Information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day through the county’s beach closure hotline: (800) 525-5662. A map of affected locations can be found at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach/.
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Summer Lin

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May 22, 2024
Opinion: A deadly but curable disease is thriving in L.A.’s jails. That’s unacceptable

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During my five years as a doctor in Los Angeles County’s jail system, I personally saw hundreds of patients with hepatitis C who were not being treated for the potentially deadly but curable disease. While hepatitis C treatment improved incrementally during my tenure, the system continues to fall woefully short of the sort of concerted effort that could dramatically reduce the toll of the infection within and beyond the jails.

Hepatitis C, a viral, blood-borne liver disease, is very common in the jails. More than a third of inmates tested are positive. That suggests the number of people living with the virus in the nation’s largest jail system is likely in the thousands.

Hepatitis C is new enough to medical science that until the 1980s, it had yet to be formally identified and was known only as “non-A, non-B hepatitis.” Thanks to the marvels of modern molecular biology, it’s now well described, and the available medicines cure almost every patient who takes them.

Untreated hepatitis C nevertheless continues to claim the lives of about 14,000 Americans every year, a higher toll than that of HIV. Because these deaths are preventable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal screening of adults for the infection.

In this context, one might expect medical providers in jail to test for the disease broadly and treat it promptly. Monitoring and managing contagion is important in any correctional medical system, and it’s routine in ours for other diseases, such as tuberculosis and COVID-19.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t what I encountered in practice. All those taken into custody at the jail undergo a medical screening. But it’s usually cursory and doesn’t include an offer to screen for hepatitis C.

When I started treating inmates in 2018, doctors rarely screened for the disease partly because known cases were almost never treated. The protocol was to consider treating patients only if their disease had progressed to a state of advanced liver fibrosis.

What’s more, getting medication for a patient meant arranging a special police escort for an appointment at the county hospital and then waiting several more weeks for the antiviral pills to be delivered. The entire process took many months and generally discouraged treatment.

I believe the deeper reason for the reluctance to treat hepatitis C in the jails has to do with inertia and finances. The medicines are under patent and expensive.

Nonetheless, the cost has come down rapidly, and poorer states and countries such as Louisiana and Egypt have found it in their budgets to procure the drugs and use them widely. What’s more, treating the disease is cost-effective given the resulting reduction in cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, arthritis and diabetes. In the long run, decreasing the spread of infection will save both dollars and lives.

The county jail system has made some significant strides in recent years. Patients now can qualify for hepatitis C treatment without liver fibrosis. One of the two medications needed to treat the disease has been added to the system’s list of approved drugs, eliminating the need for an outside medical appointment.

Even with these improvements, however, I saw the number of patients being treated increase from close to none to dozens as of last year in a system where hepatitis C cases probably number in the thousands. Screening remains haphazard, and most of the clinicians on staff still are not allowed to initiate treatment even though the drugs are easy to use.

Meanwhile, illicit intravenous drug use and unsterile tattooing remain ubiquitous among inmates, helping the virus readily find new hosts. These conditions mean that the hepatitis C virus continues to thrive behind bars, more likely to spread in L.A.’s jails than be cured there — a shameful state of affairs in 2024.

Once in a generation, a major pathogen finds itself on history’s chopping block. My parents remember the polio scares of the 1940s and ’50s. Smallpox plagued humankind for millennia before it was eradicated in the 1970s. Now it should be hepatitis C’s turn.

Any campaign to eliminate hepatitis C from Los Angeles would be wise to concentrate on our jails. A strategic, coordinated plan of testing and treatment would lower infection levels rapidly in months, reducing disease inside and outside the jails. The continuing failure to undertake such an effort is deadly and unconscionable.

Mark Bunin Benor is a family physician who worked in the Los Angeles County jail system from 2018 to 2023.

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Mark Bunin Benor

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April 2, 2024
900 Los Angeles homeless deaths in 2023- 23% lower than 2022

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the TransLatin@ Coalition commemorated a significant milestone as it marked the launch of its 15th Anniversary Campaign during a press conference held in Los Angeles. The event also served as a platform to unveil the organization’s 2023 Annual Report, shedding light on its journey, accomplishments, and ongoing commitments.

Led by Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, the press conference highlighted the perilous situations faced by transgender and Latinx individuals in their home countries, where they often confront insurmountable violence.

Salcedo emphasized the harsh reality that many flee to cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco seeking asylum, only to encounter further violence and danger, often leading to deportation and, tragically, sending them back to potential harm or death.

A poignant moment of the event was the unveiling of a new logo commemorating the organization’s 15th anniversary, aptly dubbed their “quinceañera.” This symbolizes not only a milestone but also a renewed commitment to advocacy and support for the TransLatin@ community.

In a groundbreaking announcement, Salcedo revealed plans for a $35 million state of the art multiservice and multipurpose space aimed at providing a safe and secure space for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. With $20 million already secured, this initiative underscores the organization’s dedication to addressing the pressing needs of the community.

The TransLatin@ Coalition, founded in 2009 by a group of transgender and gender nonconforming immigrant women in Los Angeles, has evolved into a nationally recognized organization with a presence in 10 states across the U.S. It offers direct services to transgender, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals in Los Angeles, with a focus on empowering and improving the quality of life for its members.

Since its inception, the organization has achieved numerous milestones, including the establishment of the Center for Violence Prevention and Transgender Wellness in 2015, the opening of the first-ever TransLatin@ office in 2016, and the launch of the #TransPolicyAgenda in 2019.

The TransLatin@ Coalition’s advocacy efforts have also extended to legislative triumphs, such as the passage of AB2218 in 2020, which allocates grant funding for transgender wellness and equity programs, and supporting bills like AB1163 and AB 1487, aimed at advancing transgender rights.

With the recent expansion to include the El Monte site and the opening of a new building on Sunset, the TransLatin@ Coalition continues to broaden its reach and impact, reaffirming its commitment to serving the community and creating inclusive spaces where history is made and celebrated.

“Beautiful and amazing people, who are trans, gender non-conforming, or intersex, please know that you are beautiful and amazing and that you are valued. Do not feel alone. There is a whole movement that is fighting for you. Continue to assert your presence within the tapestry of our society. We love you, we see you, we thank you,” Salcedo told the Blade.

As the organization looks ahead to the next 15 years and beyond, its mission to advocate for the specific needs of the TransLatin@ community remains steadfast, guided by values of altruism, respect, transparency, and collaboration.

Related:

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Brody Levesque

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March 28, 2024
Lancaster mother killed by LASD deputy after calling 911 is laid to rest

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LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) — The mother killed by a Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy in Lancaster back in December after she called for help in a domestic dispute has been laid to rest.

Niani Finlayson’s family gathered for her service in Anaheim on Sunday.

The 27-year-old was shot in front of her 9-year-old daughter on December 4 after deputies responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment in Lancaster.

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department claims she was threatening her ex-boyfriend with a knife. The department later released video of the shooting.

In a 911 audio clip released by the sheriff’s department, Finlayson is heard telling the dispatcher that the man “won’t get of my house” and “he will not leave me alone.”

“I need the police here right now. No, cause he won’t get his hands off of me,” Finlayson says, as she apparently argues with a man in the background.

The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office is conducting its own independent review of the shooting.

Finlayson’s family says the shooting was unjustified and has begun the process of suing the department and county for $30 million.

Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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KABC

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February 19, 2024
L.A. Port Police nabs 3 suspects amid string of bronze plaque thefts

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After the theft of hundreds of bronze plaques in the last few months across Los Angeles County, investigators say they are making progress in recovering some of the stolen plates that tell the history of the region.

On Tuesday, police recovered two stolen plaques during a traffic stop, the Los Angeles Port Police announced.

Since early December, bronze plaques commemorating the history of the ports have been ripped and pried off from several memorials, including the American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial erected in 1989, law enforcement said in a news release.

A plaque stolen from Terminal Island in San Pedro honors members of the local Japanese American fishing community who were imprisoned during World War II.

Both those plaques remain lost.

After pulling over a vehicle during the traffic stop Tuesday, L.A. Port Police found a cemetery marker stolen from a site in Long Beach and a plaque taken from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Long Beach, Port Police Chief Thomas Gazsi said.

Police arrested Dionzay Tisby, 42; Brittany Draper, 37; and Deona Jackson, 28 on suspicion of grand theft, authorities announced.

The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation, and the suspects could face additional charges if police are able to connect them to other thefts.

“We all took it very seriously,” Gazsi said about the thefts. “We believe they are responsible for additional thefts. I’m appreciative of the lengthy investigation that involved significant field and forensic work from our investigators.”

Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, who represents the district that includes the Harbor area, called the thefts “heartbreaking” and said the community views the whole situation as a “great disrespect to the fishermen, the industries who built the ports.”

There are plans to replace the plaques if they cannot be recovered, said McOsker, who is talking with port officials to help with the effort.

Los Angeles Port Police is the lead agency in the investigation, which extends outside their jurisdiction.

In January, more than 100 bronze plaques were stolen from Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Carson. About a week before, thieves toppled over gravestones and stole metal plaques from Woodlawn Memorial Park in Compton, according to volunteers at the cemeteries and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Perhaps the most egregious of the bronze plaque thefts happened in Manhattan Beach, where Los Angeles County returned a piece of land to the family of Willa Bruce, who sought to create a beach resort for a Black community in 1912.

The city rededicated the site last year with a new plaque that told the history of racism the family faced in Manhattan Beach. In late January, the large bronze plaque was pried off its base, according to the Manhattan Police Department.

Anyone with information about the thefts can contact Los Angeles Port Police detectives at (310) 732-3500.

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Nathan Solis

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February 14, 2024
Los Angeles County demographic changes: What you need to know about new 2022 U.S. Census data

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The U.S. Census Bureau released the 2022 American Community Survey this week. The survey, which looks at demographic data in five-year increments, introduced several new detailed tables and demographic breakdowns. We looked at some trends in the data.

Nearly 6 million people 65 and older live in California, a figure that is slowly growing. In the last five years, 716,000 people became senior citizens in the state. That number will nearly double by 2030. Los Angeles County is home to roughly a quarter of the senior citizens in the state.

As the cost of living increases, the number of Golden State senior citizens in poverty is also rising, with nearly 14% of Los Angeles County senior citizens living below the poverty line. The national poverty rate declined significantly to 12.5% during the five-year period from 2018-22.

Across the country, housing costs continue to rise. Financial planners advise that no more than 30% of household income be spent on housing costs. The latest data show that is far from the reality for 41% of homeowners with a mortgage in Los Angeles County. For homeowners without a mortgage, roughly 16% are house burdened. It’s also not easy for renters. More than half of renters spend more than 30% of their household income on housing costs.

The data also point to how the pandemic changed the way people work. In Los Angeles County, the number of people working from home tripled from more than 270,000 to 810,000 in just five years. That number tracks with the rest of the state’s pool of people working from home, which tripled from 1 million to more than 3.2 million. For those having to commute into the office daily, the mean travel time to work has stayed the same with most L.A. County residents getting to work in 30 minutes (although most L.A. city residents would laugh at this figure.) The number of unemployed people in the county has gone down by 4% since 2017 with roughly 300,000 without work.

The new American Community Survey includes updated race data. They show the county has grown in its Asian and Latino population. Roughly 1.4 million people identified as Asian in Los Angeles County, up 2.4% from a decade ago. Those who identify as Latino and Hispanic account for nearly half of the population of the county. The county lost 80,000 Black people over the last decade.

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Sandhya Kambhampati

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December 8, 2023
Manager Confirms Cause Of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper Coolio’s Death

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper Coolio suffered an accidental death from the effects of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine last year, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office reported Thursday.

The county agency also cited cardiomyopathy, a disease that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body, as a “significant condition.” Investigators also determined Coolio’s severe asthma and cigarette smoking played a role in his death.

Coolio’s former longtime manager Jarez Posey also confirmed the cause of death Thursday.

Coolio — born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., on Aug. 1, 1963 — died at the Los Angeles home of a friend on Sept. 28, 2022. He was 59.

Coolio won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film “Dangerous Minds” that sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise.”

Coolio was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Compton, California.

He started rapping at 15 and knew by 18 it was what he wanted to do with his life, he said in interviews. Coolio attended community college before devoting himself full-time to the hip-hop scene.

His career album sales totaled 4.8 million, with 978 million on-demand streams of his songs, according to Luminate. He was nominated for six Grammys.

With his distinctive persona, he became a cultural staple, acting occasionally, providing a voice for an animated show and providing the theme music for a Nickelodeon sitcom.

Coolio’s estate plans to release a studio album later this year that he had been working on in the days before he died.

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April 7, 2023
Wingamm Debuts Oasis 540 in Retail Stores This November Launching at Santa Monica Place

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Retail Display Is the Next Frontier for Luxury Motorhomes, Providing Customers With an Experience in Purchasing

Press Release
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Nov 12, 2021

LOS ANGELES, November 12, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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Wingamm, the leading provider of luxury compact RVs in Europe, which recently announced its expansion to the US market, will debut their Oasi 540 at Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, California, and Walt Whitman Shops in Long Island, NY. The Wingamm Oasi 540 will be the first of many compact Wingamm RV’s to take the retail-first strategy and display in high foot-traffic locations in high-end malls.

Santa Monica Place, located just steps away from the Pacific Ocean and iconic Santa Monica Pier, is a unique, outdoor shopping destination that is home to luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Nike, Tiffany & Co., and more, as well as a collection of specialty shops, digitally native brands and inspired dining concepts.

“It is a dream come true to be able to bring Wingamm to the United States, and I can not think of a better place to debut it than in California, home to many RV lovers and to one of the most beautiful, beachside luxury malls in the country. The TM Motorhome Sales team and I look forward to having customers interact with the Oasi 540 and see for themselves just how special of a motorhome it truly is,” said Lorena Turri, CEO of Wingamm.

Demand for the Wingamm Oasi 540 has already skyrocketed creating an extensive waitlist since the Company first announced its plan to bring the vehicle to the U.S. in July. The Oasi 540 is the first Micro Class RV – vehicles less than 18 feet long that can sleep four people and with a full indoor bathroom – to be available for sale in the United States. Wingamm’s expansion to the U.S. marks a pivotal moment in the company’s 45-year history, after becoming the leader in Europe and top performer in Asia.

“When it comes to sales, the world has changed. Most people buy day-to-day items online but there are some luxury products that you just have to see for yourself and experience to truly appreciate and that is where retail remains king. This was the case when Apple first debuted their iPhones in retail, Tesla unveiled its first model vehicle, and Peloton showcased their stationary bike. We believe the Oasi 540 is a one-of-a-kind product and like other innovators, we trust the consumer to experience and adopt it as their primary choice when considering a motorhome,” says Tony Diamond, Co-Owner of TM Motorhome Sales.

Standout features of the Wingamm include its custom fiberglass monocoque shell which not only gives the Oasi 540 its distinct sleek look and compact size but allows for innovation in the design and functionality, particularly in the bedroom, bathroom, sewage system, and climate controls. In addition, the Oasi 540 is equipped with a satellite to make remote access concerns a thing of the past.

“Our customers come to Santa Monica Place because they know they will be treated to the best possible consumer experience and be among the first to see the most innovative, luxury products and technology on the market. We can not think of a better home to debut the Oasi 540 and look forward to showcasing it to our customers over the next six weeks,” Stephanie Eglin, General Manager, Santa Monica Place.

The Wingamm Oasi 540 will be on display starting Nov. 15 through Dec. 15.

Santa Monica Place will be among many luxury retail destinations showcasing the Wingamm. Other confirmed locations include Walt Whitman Shops and a nationwide rollout by 2022.

About Wingamm:
Wingamm has been a family-owned and operated business since 1977 and our tradition of putting quality and the Wingamm customer’s satisfaction first has never receded. In 1982 we were the first camper manufacturer in the world to create a living cell made with a fiberglass monocoque. With that, Wingamm was born. Today, the company is run by CEO Lorena Turri and based in Italy, and available globally.

About TM Motorhome LLC:
California-based TM Motorhome Sales, LLC was founded in 2020 and is Co-Owned by serial entrepreneur, Tony Diamond. TM Motorhome Sales, LLC has exclusive North American distribution rights to Wingamm’s entire line of motorhomes. Please visit https://www.wingamm.com/us for more information.

About Santa Monica Place:
Located steps away from the Pacific Ocean and iconic Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place is a unique, outdoor shopping destination, home to Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Nike, and a collection of specialty shops, digitally native brands, and inspired dining concepts. For more information, visit SantaMonicaPlace.com or interact with us via Facebook or Instagram. Access the Concierge services anytime via text: (310) 499-2928.

CONTACT:
Jennifer Buonantony
Jennifer@PressPassLA.com

Source: Wingamm

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November 12, 2021