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Tag: monday

  • ‘Life-threatening’ storm to inundate Southern California beginning Sunday

    ‘Life-threatening’ storm to inundate Southern California beginning Sunday

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    A dangerous, intense storm will move into Southern California this weekend, bringing the potential for widespread flooding, mudslides and debris flows.

    Officials are urging caution during the most treacherous periods of the storm Sunday and Monday.

    The National Weather Service says flooding from the atmospheric river could be “life-threatening.”

    “This will probably be categorized as our biggest storm this winter so far,” said Emily Montanez, associate director with the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management. “Take your individual precautions, but also if people are able to telework and get those plans in place so that we’ve got an easier commute Monday morning, that’s what we’re really encouraging.”

    The forecast

    Weather officials are expecting 3 to 6 inches of rain across Southern California, particularly in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, which are expected to see some of the worst flooding.

    “L.A. could see somewhere from a third to half of the average annual precipitation from this single storm coming up,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UCLA. “It looks like it may rain continuously in L.A. County from around Sunday afternoon to Wednesday morning. … It may not be extremely intense the whole time, but it will be a pretty long-duration rain event.”

    In addition to rain, “high surf, large battering waves” could contribute to coastal flooding, according to Ryan Kittell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. And if the pounding waves aren’t enough, “potentially deadly rip currents” should keep everyone out of the water.

    The storm’s effects will be felt statewide, with forecasts showing more than 3 inches of rain possible from the Mexico border to the Bay Area from Sunday through Tuesday — well over the average for the entire month in many areas.

    Timeline

    Saturday: Rain will begin in the evening in Northern California, primarily along the coastal Bay Area, before heading south.

    Sunday: Heavy rainfall is expected to begin in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, moving into Ventura and Los Angeles counties by late in the day. Strong bands of sustained rainfall will create widespread flood threats.

    Monday: The storm is expected to continue, bringing added danger from sustained rainfall on already saturated ground. The highest risk of flooding will be Sunday night through Monday evening.

    The heaviest rain will come in areas east and south of Los Angeles County, with up to 4 inches predicted in the Inland Empire and Orange County, and closer to 2 or 4 in San Diego County, according to Adam Roser, a National Weather Service meteorologist in San Diego.

    Tuesday to Wednesday: Lighter rain is in the forecast.

    Conditions:

    Danger zones

    Officials say residents should expect street flooding and mudslides in vulnerable areas.

    Some evacuations and road closures are expected.

    Thunderstorms and heavy rain bands could bring flash flooding.

    The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has deployed personnel and resources to many areas in the path of the storm, including more than 550 firefighters and 19 swift-water rescue teams in 19 counties, officials said. Two million sandbags have been pre-positioned across the state.

    “As we look ahead to the next few days, we encourage all Californians to take steps now to prepare for incoming weather,” agency spokeswoman Alicia de la Garza said in a video posted on X.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that “California has more than 8,300 boots on the ground as we prepare for this next set of serious storms.” He cautioned all in the storm’s path — especially those in Southern California — to prepare now and follow the guidance of local government officials and first responders.

    Santa Barbara County: Officials are urging residents to stay away from rivers, creeks, flood-prone low-lying areas and wildfire burn scars, which can turn into dangerous mud and debris flows during heavy rains. Beaches, bluffs and harbor areas may see coastal flooding and erosion, and residents and visitors are being advised to stay away.

    Los Angeles County: Officials are keeping a close eye on the Palos Verdes peninsula, which saw devastating land movement last summer and a mudslide Thursday, as well as Long Beach and areas along the San Gabriel Mountains, Montanez said.

    “We’re always keeping an eye on that area, especially with recent burn scars like in Duarte, with the Fish fire,” Montanez said. “In burn scar areas, within three years post-fire, there’s always a chance for mud and debris flow.”

    The county’s Public Works Department is working to clear storm drains and flood control channels in preparation for an influx of water, she said. The agency is expected to issue phased warnings for areas in the path of the storm. That may include potential evacuation notices in Duarte, Azusa, the Santa Clarita Valley and other at-risk areas.

    She added that the county is positioning Sheriff’s Department officials in case door-to-door evacuation notices are warranted, as well as fire and emergency response personnel. The county is also readying an outreach team for unhoused populations, she said.

    L.A. Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to monitor the storm and be mindful of extreme weather warnings.

    “We know the severe impact that weather can have on our communities, and we are making sure Los Angeles is prepared on behalf of our residents, including the unhoused Angelenos living on our streets, to get through this storm,” she said.



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    Grace Toohey, Hayley Smith

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  • Vice president brings abortion rights tour to California as Democrats fight for House control

    Vice president brings abortion rights tour to California as Democrats fight for House control

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    SAN JOSE — 

    Vice President Kamala Harris brought her abortion rights tour to California on Monday, elevating the issue in a left-leaning state as Democrats nationwide warn that Republicans could enact a federal ban on the procedure if they take control of Congress on election day.

    At an event at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose, Harris applauded the state for having some of the nation’s strongest abortion access protections but rallied California voters to remain “vigilant” and to take the issue seriously in congressional races in November.

    “Don’t get too comfortable,” said Harris, who has also traveled to Virginia and Wisconsin to rally for reproductive rights ahead of the election. “Let’s understand: None of us can afford to sit back and think, ‘Thank God we’re in California.’”

    The vice president’s visit to the liberal Bay Area comes as Democrats hammer the issue in campaigns to flip some of the state’s Republican-held districts in order to gain control of the House of Representatives. With several potential toss-up districts, California is considered pivotal to the Democratic Party’s goal.

    Likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has taken credit for and applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade but has stopped short of endorsing a national abortion ban. Abortion-rights advocates do not trust Trump and fear that the continuance of a Republican-majority House could risk the loss of more reproductive healthcare protections, including access to birth control.

    On Monday, Harris portrayed abortion access as a personal freedom that is merely the tip of the iceberg, warning that if empowered, Republicans could also target LGBTQ+ and voting rights. She attempted to cut through deep divisions over the issue based on religious beliefs and focused on policies in red states that do not allow abortion exceptions in cases of rape or incest.

    “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body,” Harris said to applause, calling for a majority to be elected to Congress who “simply agree it’s not the government’s right” to prohibit reproductive healthcare.

    Democratic California Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra joined Harris at Monday’s event, a show of force as Democrats focus on abortion rights in their attempt to hold the White House and win congressional control.

    Becerra, who planned to meet with OB-GYN doctors and medical students at the University of California San Francisco following Monday’s event, said that if Democrats regain control of the House and President Biden is reelected, abortion rights nationwide can be restored.

    “All I know is that we all gotta be in this one,” Becerra said. “There is nothing we can leave in our pocket.”

    Monday’s event, also attended by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, was repeatedly disrupted by protesters calling for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire. Before being escorted out of the building, protesters chanted that Harris was “complicit in genocide”; in attempts to drown them out, her supporters chanted, “Four more years.”

    Harris and Biden, running for a second term, have framed the future of abortion as a fundamental freedom at stake in the election.

    California voters in 2022 approved a measure that enshrined reproductive rights in the state Constitution; since then, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed laws that solidify the state as a “safe haven” for doctors and patients.

    Under California law, law enforcement agencies are prohibited from helping with out-of-state abortion investigations. California has also moved to broaden the types of providers that can perform abortions and opened training to out-of-state doctors living under “hostile” laws.

    Abortion rights advocates fear that the continuance of a Republican-majority House could risk the loss of more healthcare protections. Nearly two dozen states have limited abortion access or banned it altogether.

    Last week, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California released a “burn book” that targets a dozen congressional candidates, including Reps. John Duarte (R-Modesto) and David Valadao (R-Hanford), for their voting records on abortion legislation.

    “The future of abortion is very much going to be determined over the next 12 months, including in California,” Sue Dunlap, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, told The Times in an interview.

    Dunlap said she is concerned about voter fatigue on the issue because of California’s long-held abortion rights protections.

    “We don’t get there if we don’t win in California,” Dunlap said. “We’re not living in a country or a world where California exists in and of itself. We have to take these threats seriously.”

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    Mackenzie Mays

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  • Lancaster deputy involved in WinCo incident arrested after domestic violence allegation

    Lancaster deputy involved in WinCo incident arrested after domestic violence allegation

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    Seven months after he was caught on camera throwing a Black woman to the ground during a controversial use-of-force incident in a WinCo parkinfg lot, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Kirk was arrested last week for alleged domestic battery.

    Jail records show the 30-year-old Lancaster deputy was picked up by deputies from the Santa Clarita sheriff’s station Thursday evening and quickly released on $20,000 bond. His attorney, Tom Yu, said Monday that Kirk had not yet been formally charged.

    “I’m pretty confident this arrest does not warrant a criminal filing against my client,” Yu told The Times, adding that the incident allegedly involving Kirk’s wife was reported by a third party who did not witness it. “My understanding is that the wife was not desirous of prosecution and that she denied all the allegations made against Trevor.”

    Kirk’s wife did not respond to requests for comment.

    In a statement Monday, the Sheriff’s Department confirmed the misdemeanor arrest, which officials said is currently under investigation.

    “The Department takes allegations of domestic abuse seriously and does not tolerate criminal behavior from our personnel,” the statement said. “We expect our employees to uphold the highest legal and ethical standards that are required to serve our communities, both on and off duty.

    At the time of his arrest, the department said, Kirk had already been relieved of duty in connection with the WinCo incident.

    Caree Harper, an attorney representing the woman Kirk threw to the ground outside the WinCo, said Monday that she was also investigating last week’s arrest and that she viewed it as part of a pattern.

    “He’s a woman beater, and he should be taken off the streets and fired immediately,” she told The Times. “We have credible sources saying he has a pattern of violence.”

    It’s not clear exactly when the alleged abuse occurred, though Yu said it may have been “weeks or months” earlier. He also said he didn’t know the specifics of the allegation against his client, which he maintained only resulted in an arrest because peace officers have “no choice” but to act following any accusation of domestic violence.

    “This arrest has nothing to do with the WinCo incident,” he added. “They’re very different.”

    In June, deputies responded to 911 calls about a robbery in progress at the WinCo grocery store on Avenue K in Lancaster. After arriving, they encountered a man and a woman — later identified in court filings as Jacy Houseton and Damon Barnes — who allegedly matched the descriptions of the suspects given to 911.

    As the deputies handcuffed Barnes in the parking lot, Houseton began recording with her phone. Within seconds, one of the deputies rushed toward her and reached for her arm, seemingly in an attempt to take the phone.

    “You can’t touch me,” she screamed. The deputy threw her on the ground, and video showed him arguing with her, pepper-spraying her in the face and putting her in handcuffs..

    Barnes was cited on suspicion of resisting an officer, attempted petty theft and interfering with a business. Houseton was hospitalized for the effects of the pepper spray and for abrasions to her arm. She was released but cited for allegedly assaulting an officer and store loss prevention personnel.

    At a July 6 news conference, Luna called the incident “disturbing” and said that both of the deputies involved had been removed from field duty pending an internal investigation, which officials say is still ongoing.

    That same month, The Times revealed that the FBI had opened a criminal investigation into the incident as well as into one in Palmdale, where a deputy was caught on camera punching a young mother in the face as she clung to her baby. The Sheriff’s Department confirmed Monday that federal authorities are still reviewing the case.

    In August, Houseton and Barnes filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Department and WinCo alleging battery, negligence and civil rights violations. They said they never stole anything from the WinCo and that they’d been unfairly harassed by security, even though surveillance footage showed them paying for their purchases.

    In court filings, Kirk denied several of the allegations outright, and said others were too broad. The case is still pending in federal court.

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    Keri Blakinger

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  • Mudslide concerns prompt Topanga Canyon evacuation warning ahead of storm

    Mudslide concerns prompt Topanga Canyon evacuation warning ahead of storm

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    Fearing possible mudslides, officials issued an evacuation warning for some Topanga Canyon residents ahead of heavy rainfall expected late Sunday into Monday.

    The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department alerted residents living in a zone along Santa Maria Road just north of Topanga Canyon Boulevard to be prepared to leave their homes as the wettest weather from a trio of recent storms rolls into Southern California.

    According to the National Weather Service, from 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected to drench Topanga Canyon throughout Monday, with thunderstorms possible for the area.

    Southern California has “had a series of storms since Friday,” said David Gomberg, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “This one that is coming in overnight and into tomorrow will be the strongest of the series.”

    No flood watches were in effect for Los Angeles County as of Sunday evening.

    “There’s still possibilities for some locally heavy rates because we have thunderstorms in the forecast,” Gomberg added. “But we’re not looking for a widespread heavy rain event.”

    The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for San Diego County on Monday.

    For affected Topanga Canyon residents, the evacuation warning goes into effect at 9 p.m. Sunday and extends through 6 a.m. Tuesday.

    Officials encouraged residents to monitor local weather while gathering loved ones, pets and supplies.

    Last January, a mudslide and a tumbling boulder forced the closure of a section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard after heavy rainfall.

    Residents can visit L.A. County’s website to learn if they are in areas that may be affected by mudslide evacuations.

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    Gabriel San Román

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  • Rain expected through Monday as several storms move across L.A.

    Rain expected through Monday as several storms move across L.A.

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    The first in a series of Pacific storms moved across Southern California on Saturday, bringing rainfall and showers and prompting a high surf advisory along west-facing beaches.

    Another weaker system was expected to move through Saturday night and Sunday morning, to be followed by a stronger storm Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The storms will not be as powerful as the systems that drenched Southern California in late December and resulted in huge waves pounding area beaches.

    About a quarter-inch of rain was expected Saturday across the Los Angeles region, the weather service said. Some areas in San Luis Obispo County reported more than an inch.

    Because the storms originated in warmer parts of the Pacific and not off the Alaskan coast, snow was expected only at the highest elevations in local mountains, according to Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard.

    The weather service is predicting an inch to 2 inches of snow between 6,500 and 7,500 feet and 6 to 12 inches above that altitude. The three storms were expected to drop an inch to 3 inches of rain in coastal areas of Southern California and up to 5 inches in the mountains.

    Since Oct. 1, Los Angeles has experienced rainfall levels significantly below normal, said meteorologist Joe Sirard with the weather service’s Oxnard office.

    For the period, Sirard said, the climate station in downtown Los Angeles has recorded 3.4 inches, compared with the average of 5.9 inches.

    However, so far over the water year, which began July 1, L.A. has received 6.4 inches of rain— above the normal of 6.1 inches, Sirard said. This includes rain from Tropical Storm Hilary that battered areas of Southern California in August.

    These figures do not include the rain from Saturday’s storm.

    High surf through Sunday was expected along beaches on the Central Coast and in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with the possibility of minor flooding in some areas during periods of high tides in the early morning, according to the weather service.

    Wofford said swells would be far smaller than the waves in late December — some of those as high as 20 feet—which led to flooding and forced officials to shut down beaches and piers in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

    In Northern California, the weather service issued a winter storm warning through Monday for parts of the Sierra Nevada and said that 2 inches to 6 inches of snow could fall above 6,500 feet. Wind gusts up to 30 mph were also possible, forecasters said.

    In Southern California, drier weather is expected for much of next week.

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    Robert J. Lopez

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  • Rain rolling into Southern California this weekend

    Rain rolling into Southern California this weekend

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    Southern California is in for a wet weekend as a new storm moves through the region.

    This storm won’t be as intense as earlier ones that brought flooding to some areas, with mostly light and moderate rain expected off and on between Friday night and Monday.

    In Los Angeles County, the best chances of rain will come Saturday and Monday. But other regions could see sporadic rain through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

    Overall, the weather service says 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected in the basin and up to 5 inches in the foothills.

    Snow levels will be in the 7,000-foot range.

    Northern California also will be hit will rain and snow.

    The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for the Sierra, saying heavy snow will begin falling Friday.

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    Times staff

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  • L.A. Public Works lost a tool that can cause radiation poisoning. A resident found it

    L.A. Public Works lost a tool that can cause radiation poisoning. A resident found it

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    A potentially dangerous device that uses radiation went missing last week, but was found Monday and returned to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

    The agency had issued a $1,000 reward over the weekend for information that could lead to the recovery of the device, which could cause radiation poisoning if damaged or mishandled.

    The device was last seen around 4 p.m. Thursday in the back of a county truck near 110th Street East and Avenue R-4 in the unincorporated Antelope Valley community of Littlerock.

    Public Works described the device as a thin layer density gauge, which is used during construction to measure soil and asphalt density.

    On Monday afternoon, a resident contacted the office of Supt. Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Littlerock, to report they had found an item that matched the description of the device. Public Works crews were dispatched to the address and recovered the tool, determining it had not been damaged, according to agency spokesman Kerjon Lee.

    “We’re thrilled that it’s been returned,” Lee said.

    In a statement, Barger said she urged Public Works to report a corrective action plan to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to prevent this from happening in the future.

    “It’s a big relief to know that no one was hurt by radiation sickness in the process of recovering it,” Barger said. “However, this cannot happen again.”

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    Jeremy Childs

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  • Massive fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

    Massive fire guts historic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey

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    Firefighters worked overnight Monday to extinguish a blaze that erupted at a historic yacht club in Marina del Rey.

    The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call around 11:30 p.m. Monday for a structure fire at the California Yacht Club in the 4400 block of Admiralty Way, said Fred Fielding, a Fire Department spokesperson.

    Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and fire engulfing the two-story building, fire officials said.

    Video from news outlets showed large flames consuming the structure as smoke billowed overhead. Multiple firetrucks and firefighters were called in to help contain the blaze.

    Two firefighters suffered moderate injuries and were taken to a hospital, Fielding said. The extent of their injuries and their status was not immediately known.

    The blaze was knocked down just before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Jeremy Stafford, supervising fire dispatcher at the L.A. County Fire Department.

    The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Stafford said.

    The California Yacht Club was started in 1922 by yachtsman from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs, according to the club’s website.

    Representatives for the club did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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    Alexandra E. Petri

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  • Redondo Beach high school closed after 2nd student brings loaded firearm onto campus

    Redondo Beach high school closed after 2nd student brings loaded firearm onto campus

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    A 10th-grader was arrested Tuesday after bringing a loaded firearm onto the campus of a Redondo Beach high school, officials say.

    The same thing happened Monday.

    Classes at Redondo Union High School will be canceled Wednesday after the second incident in as many days in which a student brought a loaded weapon to school, officials said. Tuesday’s incident included a false report of a school shooting.

    In both cases, officers with the Redondo Beach Police Department said they had apprehended a 15-year-old sophomore who was carrying a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine on campus — although in each case, police said, there was “no evidence of a specific threat or plan for violence.”

    Tuesday’s incident was reported to police at 9:23 a.m. as a student with a weapon.

    Officers were already on campus as security had been beefed up after Monday’s arrest, and said they found the student with the firearm within minutes. The student tried running away from police, according to the department, prompting a school lockdown that lasted less than 40 minutes.

    The student was apprehended by a school employee and two police officers. No injuries were reported during the incident, and police said that earlier reports of shots fired or a school shooting were false.

    Monday’s arrest occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the school located at 1 Sea Hawk Way. The campus, which had over 3,100 students enrolled as of 2021, is the only public high school in the district.

    Administrators had contacted police on Monday, saying students had reported a student with a gun on campus. Police responded and arrested the male student, who was not identified because he is a minor.

    In both cases, the suspects were arrested on suspicion of multiple firearm violations, including being a juvenile with a firearm, possessing a firearm on school grounds, having a high-capacity magazine, carrying a loaded firearm in public and possessing an unregistered loaded firearm.

    Police gave no details about the type of firearm carried by each student, nor did they say how the students acquired their firearms, citing the ongoing investigation. Investigators have neither confirmed nor denied whether the two incidents are related.

    Officials with the Redondo Beach Unified School District will host an online meeting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to discuss the incidents and safety protocols for Redondo Union High School.

    “The two back-to-back incidents are something we would have never imagined,” district officials said in a statement. “We are going to need to work together to solve the issue of access to guns.”

    The campus closure on Wednesday will allow Redondo Beach police to sweep the campus for weapons and explosives, school officials said.

    When school resumes on Thursday, only three entry points will be open on the campus, and each will be monitored by police officers and school administrators. Police will also perform additional patrols at the high school and all other campuses within the school district.

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    Jeremy Childs

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  • Shocking video appears to show CHP officer fatally shoot man on 105 Freeway

    Shocking video appears to show CHP officer fatally shoot man on 105 Freeway

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    Disturbing video recorded by a bystander appears to show a deadly encounter in which a California Highway Patrol officer shot a man repeatedly after a struggle in the middle of the 105 Freeway in Watts on Sunday afternoon.

    The CHP confirmed Monday that a shooting took place on the freeway, but did not provide basic information.

    The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed the person had died, though it did not provide identification, pending notification of family. A cause of death was not released.

    CHP officials said they responded to the freeway about 3:15 p.m. Sunday after receiving multiple calls about a man walking through traffic near the Wilmington Avenue exit.

    After the trooper made contact with the pedestrian, “a struggle ensued and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” the CHP said in a release. Authorities said over a police radio that the man had a Taser and fired it at the officer, leading to the shooting, according to audio posted on the Citizen mobile app.

    The CHP directed all inquiries to the California Department of Justice, which investigates police shootings in which unarmed people are killed, according to the department.

    The state DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The video begins with a CHP officer on top of another person as the two struggle on the pavement in the middle of what appears to be a closed stretch of freeway.

    After a few seconds, while the two tussle, a gun seems to go off and a bullet ricochets off the pavement near the body of the man, who remains on the ground.

    The CHP officer then stands up and shoots at least four additional times at the prone man, the video shows.

    The man lies motionless for the rest of the minute-long video. The CHP officer remains by the body with his gun drawn.

    Travis Norton, a law enforcement officer who runs the California Assn. of Tactical Officers After Action Review, said video is a limited way to understand a police shooting.

    “It is hard to diagnose without knowing what the officer saw, experienced and interpreted was happening,” Norton said. “All I see is a very short scuffle. I see the suspect point something that appears to look like some sort of weapon. … From the video, without knowing anything else about it, the use of deadly force appears appropriate.”

    But other experts said the use of force raises many questions.

    Ed Obayashi, a police shootings expert who investigates the incidents for numerous law enforcement agencies in California, said investigators will immediately ask the officer why he was engaging with the person without a partner or backup in the immediate vicinity.

    Obayashi also said that investigators will look into why the officer felt the need to shoot the man after standing up and disengaging from him.

    “Why did you shoot him while he was on the ground?” Obayashi said investigators will ask. “You separated yourself from the individual; why was he still a threat to you?”

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    Noah Goldberg

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  • Video purportedly shows ex-Angel City FC player flashing Nazi salute at pro-Israel rally in Beverly Hills

    Video purportedly shows ex-Angel City FC player flashing Nazi salute at pro-Israel rally in Beverly Hills

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    Angel City FC has condemned the “recent actions and statements” of a former player who appears to be captured in a video giving a Nazi salute at pro-Israel demonstrators Sunday in Beverly Hills.

    Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel is shown shouting “Heil Hitler!” and giving the Sieg Heil salute out of the passenger side window of a car driven by a man, according to a video posted on X on Monday by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism.

    Members of the pro-Israel crowd responded with, “Shame on you!”

    The StopAntisemitism group asked for help in identifying the two people in the vehicle. That evening, it posted an update identifying the woman as “Stefany Neyra.”

    A spokesperson for StopAntisemitism told The Times via email that the information was sent to the organization by a confidential source.

    Ferrer Van Ginkel seems to have gone by the name Stefany C. Neyra on her social media accounts, which have since been deactivated. StopAntisemitism posted a screenshot of an Instagram account with the Neyra name and the handle @stefvangi21 that included photos that appear to be of Ferrer Van Ginkel. She could not immediately be reached for comment.

    As tensions over the Israel-Hamas war continue to intensify in the U.S., Angel City FC attempted to distance itself from Ferrer Van Ginkel with a post on X on Monday night.

    “Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel (stefvangi21) does not play for Angel City Football Club, nor has she been affiliated with the club since November 2022,” the club wrote. “We condemn her recent actions and statements.”

    In response to further questions for this article, Angel City FC referred The Times back to that statement.

    Ferrer Van Ginkel posted a video to Instagram on Monday night, before the account was deactivated, that appeared to address the incident at the rally. In the clip, Ferrer Van Ginkel sits silently next to a man, who offers an apology on behalf of both of them.

    “I know we have approached the situation with hate and made it worse with our actions,” the man says in the video. “We acted childish and it’s the wrong way to approach any situation that we live in. All we can do is become better, learn a lesson from this. We cannot change the past. And we just wanted to apologize and ask for you guys to understand and stop the hate. We just wanna spread love from now on. We understand we did the wrong thing.”

    Ferrer Van Ginkel, 25, grew up in Brazil, appeared in a British reality show and played with Tigres of Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil before playing for Angel City during its inaugural season in 2022. Her contract was not renewed after that campaign, and she does not seem to have played professionally since then.

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    Chuck Schilken

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  • Wind-whipped Highland fire swells to 2,200 acres in Riverside County; 3 structures destroyed

    Wind-whipped Highland fire swells to 2,200 acres in Riverside County; 3 structures destroyed

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    At least three structures were destroyed and six others damaged as a wildfire continued to burn Tuesday in Riverside County, where about 4,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders.

    The Highland fire began around 12:37 p.m. Monday in the unincorporated neighborhood of Aguanga and quickly exploded in size as it met with strong Santa Ana winds and dried vegetation. At least 15 additional structures are threatened by the 2,200-acre blaze, which had 0% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

    More than 300 firefighters are battling the fire from the air and ground, according to Rob Roseen, a public information officer with Cal Fire in Riverside County.

    Winds are coming out of the southeast and pushing the fire northwest, although there is some spread in all directions, he said. A wind advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m. across much of the Inland Empire, including Riverside County, with gusts of up to 50 mph possible, according to the National Weather Service.

    “We’re looking at single-digit humidity this afternoon,” said Philip Gonsalves, a meteorologist with the weather service in San Diego, which includes Riverside County in its coverage area. “So from a weather perspective, conditions are favorable for fire growth.”

    Evacuation orders remain in place for residents south of Sage Road and Golden Eagle Drive, north of Cottonwood Creek, west of Boulder Vista and east of Becker Lane, as well as residents south of Highway 371, west of Sorensen Road and north of the San Diego County line.

    An additional evacuation order was issued at 6:20 a.m. Tuesday for residents south of Highway 79, north of the San Diego County line, east of Forest Route 8S07 and west of Crosely Truck Trail.

    An evacuation warning is in effect for areas east of Vail Lake, west of Shirley Way, south of Pueblo Drive and Exa Ely Road, and north of David Street. An evacuation warning is also in effect for areas west of the Cahuilla Tribal Reservation Boundary and north of County Line Road.

    A reception center has been opened at Great Oak High School in Temecula. Large and small animals can be taken to the San Jacinto Animal Shelter.

    In total, approximately 1,139 homes are under evacuation orders, and 489 homes under an evacuation warning, Cal Fire officials said.

    “We just ask that the public please remain vigilant,” public information officer Maggie Cline De La Rosa said in a video update. “If you received an evacuation order, please leave. If you received an evacuation warning, please continue to pay close attention to those.”

    The fire is burning in an area that only recently was saturated by Tropical Storm Hilary, a rare storm that tore through swaths of Southern California in August. Gonsalves, of the weather service, said the storm’s rainfall contributed to “green-up” in the area, or the growth of new grasses, which may have subsequently dried out and could be feeding the fire.

    It’s something experts warned of in the weeks after Hilary made landfall. Nick Schuler, Cal Fire’s deputy director of communications and emergency incident awareness, said in September that fire season was not over and that a prolonged wind event could still fan a blaze.

    “When you have Santa Ana winds — winds that come from the east and blow to the west — it dries everything out,” Schuler said. “If you look at some of the largest fires in California’s history, especially Southern California, they started later in the year.”

    The dry, windy conditions fueled several other small fires across the state, including the Lizzie fire in San Luis Obispo, which was 35% contained at 100 acres Tuesday morning. Crews in San Diego were also battling a small brush fire near Interstate 805 in Kearny Mesa, according to Fox 5 San Diego.

    In the unincorporated area of Aromas, on the border of San Benito and Monterey counties, a small fire ignited around 2 a.m. Tuesday and prompted brief evacuation orders. The fire was contained to a small water district maintenance yard, officials said.

    Roseen, of Cal Fire, said Tuesday that the Highland fire is burning in light grasses and medium brush. Remote mountaintop cameras in the area showed billowing plumes of white smoke.

    “We’ll have an increased augmentation of ground resources today,” he said. “They’ll be bolstered by numerous resources that will be working in the area, as well as our fixed-wing and helicopter assets that will be working over the fire throughout the day to try to build some containment on this.”

    Roseen could not immediately confirm what types of structures had been destroyed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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    Hayley Smith

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